Newsletter- December 2020 update from Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter
December 21, 2020
Potato Creek State Park, first day hike 2020. Photo by Sarah Perschbacher.
Happy holidays from all of us at the Sierra Club in Indiana!
Dear Supporter,
We want to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude for being part of our work at Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter in 2020.
It's been a year of unexpected challenges, with many losses we've felt deeply. Our hearts go out to all who have struggled this year.
As we look ahead to 2021, we have hope that a new year, and a new presidency, will bring brighter things for us all. We know many hurdles will come- including challenges for our environment and our communities- but we can face them, together.
In this issue, we're delighted to introduce you to the work of Indiana Phenology, give you an update from our Indiana Beyond Coal team, and of course our usual list of recommended reading.
If there's anything we can do for you as your local Sierra Club chapter, please do reach out and let us know. We love to hear from you!
Amanda Wanlass, Executive Director of Indiana Phenology
Introducing Indiana Phenology
It can be a challenge to find ways to make a difference in your community. It can feel like we have to make a grand gesture or change the entire course of human history for our actions to be meaningful. But that's just not true.
Small acts make a big difference when people come together for a common cause. If you're looking for a way to help manage wild spaces, fight climate change, keep people healthy, or provide evidence to legislators, citizen science is the answer!
When you become a Backyard Observer with Indiana Phenology, you’ll collect the life cycle data of the species that live in your backyard or nearby natural space. You’ll help build our statewide database of environmental knowledge. And that knowledge has the power to protect people, land, and species.
Get started today as a Backyard Observer and in three easy steps you'll be making one big difference.
- Amanda Wanlass, Executive Director of Indiana Phenology
A Duke Campaign team meeting at West Lafayette Public Library in February 2020.
Be part of our success story -- moving Indiana Beyond Coal to Clean Energy!
Indiana Beyond Coal news
Volunteers with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign (virtually) attended the first meeting of Duke Energy Indiana’s 20-year planning process in November. These half-day-long utility planning meetings are held at a difficult time for many customers to participate. Despite that, there was plenty of public engagement in the meeting, at which customers asked Duke hard questions about their plans to phase out their dirty, expensive coal plants and replace them with clean energy.
In addition, Mayor John Dennis of West Lafayette read a letter signed by 20 public officials in Duke’s service territory asking that Duke issue an all-source request for proposals (RFP) and get real market prices for energy resources as part of their process. The letter was also signed by Mayor James Brainard of Carmel, state legislators and city councilors from three cities in Duke territory.
Both NIPSCO and Vectren utilized all-source RFP’s in their 20-year planning processes and as a result are building enough renewable energy to replace the coal plants they are retiring; that will mean both utilities will be meeting over half their customers' needs with renewable energy like wind, solar and energy storage.
Duke is Indiana’s largest electric utility in terms of service area and number of customers, but lags far behind the other four Indiana investor-owned utilities in terms of their plans to phase out coal. In addition, Duke proposed two massive fracked gas plants in its last plan.
Since the November meeting, Duke has informed advocates they will instead pursue an all-source request for information (RFI). While we are concerned that an RFI may not be as valuable or accurate as an RFP, this is a step in the right direction in terms of bringing competition to Duke’s planning, which is ultimately part of our strategy because Duke’s coal plants can’t compete against clean energy.
There will be four additional planning meetings in 2021 before Duke releases their next 20 Year Energy Plan. Are you a Duke Energy customer and want to get involved? Contact matt.skuya.boss@sierraclub.org.
From the article, Gen Z’s Next Victim: The Lawn (Sierra Club) PHOTO BY LAYRES | ISTOCK
From the article, A Burgeoning Movement Improves Outdoor Accessibility for the Blind( Sierra Club) PHOTO BY REIMPHOTO/ISTOCK
Rachel from Curious Wilds gives tips on dressing for a chilly London winter. (Photograph- Rachel Summers)
