The Niagara Group of the Sierra Club
Minutes of the October 23, 2001 Meeting

Prior to the regular business meeting of the Executive Committee,
Jim Hufnagel presented his home video footage of the Fall Gathering
of the Allegheny Defense Project, which took place Sept. 21-23,
2001 in the Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania.
In addition to the great workshops, networking, camping and fun
shared by forest activists from throughout the region, on a somber
note, the video showed the devastation wrought by oil and gas drilling
and clear-cut logging in the Allegheny National Forest.

Chairman Mike Kukla called the meeting to order at 7:40. It was
agreed that Art Klein may draw $75 from the treasury, pending approval
by Treasurer Murray Warner, for the out-of-pocket expense he incurred
paying for the Sierra Club table at the recent Learning Sustainability
conference at the Buffalo Convention Center.

Membership chair Gen Robins reported that Niagara Group gained 85
new members for the month of September, 2001, leading to a total
of 2033. The new members present tonight introduced themselves.

Joe DeMare, editor of the Niagara Group newsletter the Trailblazer,
reported that the recent issue has gone to the printer, and passed
around the master. The mailing party will be Monday, Oct. 29 at 7 PM.

Atlantic Chapter Wetlands chair Liz Kaszubski was recently named
Niagara County representative on the Regional Open Space Committee
for Region 9. She announced the public meeting to be held at the
Buffalo Museum of Science on Nov. 14 for New York State to receive
public input as to the lands to be purchased and urged all present
to attend. Liz read the "A" list of priority lands, and some of
the "B" list, and advised the Group that written comments may be
submitted until Nov. 30.

Art Klein cautioned that the properties chosen are not necessarily
completely protected. Larry Beahan noted that there are still vacancies
on the Region 9 committee, and that the quarterly meetings have
not been held regularly, and in fact, there hasn't been a meeting
in a year. One vacancy was due to the removal of Bruce Kershner,
respected Western New York environmentalist and forest expert, at
the behest of Gerry Michael, DEC Region 9 Director. Mike Kukla asked
about our strategy for the 14th. It was suggested that we protest
the lack of meetings, and the vacancies on the Region 9 committee.

Legal chair Richard Lippes said that we should have more strongly
protested the removal of Mr. Kershner. Jim Hufnagel questioned the
fact that historical and recreational properties were lumped in
with those that are environmentally sensitive on the lists. Natalie
Bulera related that she will soon be meeting with DEC and can bring
up our concerns. Art Klein would like to see the biomes surrounding
Lake Erie added to the lists. Mike Kukla contended that we need
more of an ecoregion approach, rather than the patchwork protection as the
process works now, and that we need to ask for process changes at
the hearings. Art added that that should include that the meetings
be held more often, and regularly.

Larry Beahan moved that we write a letter with Art's recommendation,
and make a formal complaint about the arbitrary and unwarranted
removal of Bruce Kershner from the Region 9 Committee. All Ayes.
Jim Hufnagel requested that the letter, like all letters on behalf
of the Niagara Group, be reviewed by the Executive Committee prior
to being sent. Liz, Art and Mike will draft the letter and see if
Mr. Kershner would like to contribute.

The question was brought up as to why Hampton Woods and Knox Farm
"leaped" to the "A" list.

Larry Beahan reported on the deer census of Great Baehr Swamp and
the traffic problem in Amherst due to deer overpopulation.

Mike Kukla reported that Reg Gilbert of GLU is forming a local coalition
against fast track trade legislation pending in Congress, which
is inherently anti-environmental. Mike asked for volunteers to visit
Congressman Jack Quinn, who is a swing vote, but no one was down with it.

Vice Chair Jane Jontz reported on her involvement with the brownfields
issue. Richard Lippes observed that many brownfields were on the
waterfront, where we don't want to see industry return. Natalie
asked Richard about the legal framework surrounding brownfields,
who gave the group some background on current legislation. Jane
recently cruised on the Miss Buffalo and observed how little housing
and development is on the shoreline due to the prevalence of brownfields
there. Larry has received notification indicating that the state
wants to educate citizens about brownfields. Natalie asked if incentives
were in place for cleaning up brownfields, to which Richard responded
that in some states there are, and that the new legislation proposes
to remove future liability from those who clean up a brownfield.

Mike asked Art Klein for a report on the recent Learning Sustainability
conference. Art found the Canadian attendees to be duplicitous on
forest issues in light of recent plans announced by the Harris government,
but overall it was a good opportunity to network with the Erie Group,
UB students and others. Jim Bunn noted that the speakers were outstanding
and it was a great conference but the business community was a no
show. Art noted the lack of political leadership, and Larry blamed
a lack of publicity, but said there would be a follow-up meeting.
Frank Mendel said it was yet to be decided as to whether to make it a
yearly event.

Charles Lamb recapped the CWM debacle, by which the Town of Porter
Board cleared the way, through a zoning change, for PCB's from the
Hudson River dredging to be landfilled at the CWM facility in Porter.
He introduced Tim Henderson of ROLE (Residents Opposed to Landfill
Expansion) who related a history of the issue and said that CWM
is already facing large fines for the mishandling of PCB's. There
is even a plan to re-route 12 mile creek to accommodate the new
landfill. Tim observed that the landfill will be on a floodplain.
Charles pointed out that 200 PCB-laden trucks per day will be driving
past the Lew-Port Central School, and that the contract that the
Board voted on had been altered from the original that was shown
to the public. George Dillman observed that continuing to fight
the landfill is a good thing from the standpoint that the grassroots
movement against toxic waste is maintained. Jim Bunn stated that
the industries that produce the waste should be responsible for
taking care of it, and that this landfill is the most important
environmental problem facing Western New York.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
James Hufnagel, Sec'y