Local Groups

Welcome to the Golden Triangle Group of the Sierra Club. Here in the northeast corner of Mississippi, we are lucky to roam through the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, stand at the edge of the escarpment gazing at the Mississippi delta below, run our fingers through the rich soil of the Blackbelt prairie, kayak lazily down the Buttahatchie river, and feel time stop in the bottomland hardwood forests of the Noxubee Wildlife Refuge. Our role is to protect these natural landscapes. We said "NO" to confined animal feeding operations with our "Wake up and Smell the POOP" campaign. Now, we need to say "NO" to the lignite mines that threaten the pristine forests, streams, and clean air of Kemper County. Please write to your Congressional Representative. Mississippi needs to be investing in renewable energy solutions, NOT mining and burning brown coal.

The Sierra Club is one of the oldest and most influential grassroots environmental organizations in the United States. We are the only environmental organization in Mississippi that works on the full spectrum of environmental issues at the legislature. Our chapter promotes clean, renewable energy such as solar and wind and energy efficiency programs to reduce energy consumption, as well as measures to improve air quality by supporting mass transit, emissions standards, and transit/pedestrian-friendly development.

The Central Group is home to the Ross Barnett Reservoir, the Pearl River, and also encompasses the Mississippi Delta and extends to the historic river cities of Natchez and Vicksburg. As the Sierra Club slogan says, we are passionate about exploring, enjoying and protecting our Mississippi environment.

We engage in on-the-ground service by helping monitor water quality, sponsoring regular clean-ups, removing invasive plant species, and assisting with wildlife research and habitat restoration. We also have a strong hiking program. Contact the chair to find out more about our meetings at sierraclubms@gmail.com.

The Gulf Coast Group is confronted with multiple environmental challenges. While each of us enjoys the natural wonders of the Gulf and the estuaries in our own way—whether in a kayak or behind a camera—we are focused on several ongoing issues:

• The BP disaster: Through the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA, established by the Oil Pollution Act of ’90) and the RESTORE Act (diverting 80% of Clean Water Act fines to coastal ecological and economic restoration), BP fines and penalties will be funding activity in all five states that border the Gulf of Mexico. The Sierra Club is active in making sure Mississippi’s money goes to restore the ecosystems affected.
• Kemper Coal Plant: Mississippi Power and its parent, the Southern Company, are building a coal gasification plant in Kemper County that will be paid for by customers of Mississippi Power—ratepayers who live in 23 counties in the Southern part of the state. The process is unproven, the strip mine to feed it will destroy 48 square miles, and the plant is already 30% above the original budget. For background: http://www.biggerpieforum.org/blog/kemper
• Drilling for Oil & Gas in the Mississippi Sound: http://12milessouthcoalition.com/
• Tar Sands pipeline from Mobile railroad to Pascagoula Chevron refinery: https://www.facebook.com/MobileALTarsandsAwareness

Info About The Gulf Coast Group
We meet on the last Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm at Unity Church of Gulfport. A potluck supper (starting at 6:30) is followed by an environmental discussion (starting at 7:00 p.m.).
Address: 1700 E Railroad St, Gulfport, MS 39501
Phone: (228) 871-7004.
DIRECTIONS
To contact the Gulf Coast Group: sierraclubms@gmail.com.
Or go to our Facebook page for Gulf Coast news and activities.