SierraScape March 2013 - August 2013
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by Caroline Pufalt
Missouri Chapter Conservation Chair

Sierrans from the 1st District meet with Congressman: (from left to right) Del Johnson, John Hickey, Caroline Pufalt, John Maxwell, Sara Edgar, Congressman Clay, Ross Hunt, Sam Cummings III

A new year is always a good time to meet with your U.S. Representative, but this year the added bonus is that due to redistricting, MO Congressional District One has been enlarged. Although Rep Wm. Lacy Clay is new to many Sierrans, he comes with a well-developed favorable voting record on issues important to us. On January 31st, we were pleased to be able to meet with him at his St. Louis office and strengthen our relationship with the representative.

Five Sierrans, including myself, John Maxwell, Sam Cummings, Ross Hunt, and Del Johnson, as well as two staff members, John Hickey and Sara Edgar, attended the meeting with Rep Clay to emphasize our concerns regarding climate change and to discuss the Sierra Club Climate Legacy Campaign. Since current legislative options are limited, the Climate Legacy Campaign is urging the president to take administrative action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and curb climate change within his first 100 days of his second term.

Rep Clay is well informed on these issues and expressed concern that recent severe weather events may be tied to climate change. The slow clean-up of city and county radioactive sites, the presence of harmful brownfield sites and funding for parks are also topics of concern in the first district which Rep. Clay mentioned. We also discussed regional air pollution issues caused by burning coal, and urged him to fight for the collection of more accurate air quality data and stricter regulation of Ameren's SO2 emissions.

We all know legislation and public policy making can be a messy business. And recent year's budget battles sometimes seem to overwhelm other critical topics. But we feel confident that Rep Clay is dedicated to giving environmental and public health issues the important consideration they deserve.