Tag Archives: NE Chapter

Pipeline Legislative Update – Feb 17

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Ken Winston, Policy AdvocateKen Winston

By Ken Winston, Nebraska Sierra Club Advocate

There were three pipeline bills heard in the Legislature this week.

LB 1134, introduced by Senator Avery was heard on Wednesday by the Judiciary Committee. It would set out procedures that entities, including utilities, would have to go through before they could exercise eminent domain. This includes a requirement that the project be for a public purpose, that there be a public hearing and a majority vote about the use of eminent domain. It also contains a provision that makes it illegal to threaten to use eminent domain without authority. Continue reading →

Tar Sands Pipeline Update

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By Ken Winston, Chapter Policy Advocate
February 13, 2012

It is difficult to write a definitive article about the status of TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline because the situation keeps changing. When President Obama denied their permit application on January 18th, it would make sense to think that the project was dead, right? Wrong! Let’s review what has happened and is currently happening.
On November 10, 2011 the US State Department decided that they needed to do further review of issues related to the Nebraska Sandhills and Ogallala Aquifer. The Nebraska Sierra Club was heavily involved in helping support and develop citizen involvement and provide information that led to that decision. The State Department estimated that the review would not be completed until early 2013. Continue reading →

Legislative Update #2 – February 2012

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Ken Winston, Policy Advocate

Ken Winston

By Ken Winston, Chapter Policy Advocate
As usual I have been busy this time of year. In the last couple of weeks, I have been involved in several legislative activities. Following the hearing on Senator Haar’s LB 885, I participated in a meeting with interested parties to try to work out issues with the bill, primarily the unrealistically large fiscal note. LB 885 would require state buildings to have energy star ratings to determine their energy use ranking. The meeting went well, but it is my understanding that Governor Heineman’s administration will not permit DAS officials to continue to work on the bill. The fact that the Governor’s administration generated a fiscal note that was at least ten times larger than it should have been and their refusal to work with the introducer on the legislation creates an impression  that they do not support efforts to make state buildings more energy efficient. Continue reading →

Legislative Update #1

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January 28, 2012
By Ken Winston, Chapter Policy Advocate

The Legislature is back in session again. I have already appeared at committee hearings on four bills and participated in meetings regarding legislation based on our policies on these issues.

On January 18th I appeared before the Natural Resources Committee in support of Ken Haar’s LB 713, which would prohibit homeowner’s associations and similar  organizations from preventing homeowners from installing solar panels. Continue reading →

Great News!! Tar Sands Pipeline Permit Denied

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By Kenneth C. Winston, Nebraska Sierra Club Advocate (kwinston@inebraska.com)

Today President Obama stated that he would deny the permit for the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. This is a major victory for the environment and for the people of the State of Nebraska . Many Nebraskans deserve credit for this victory, for speaking up in opposition to the pipeline, talking about their heritage, protecting their land and water and standing up for the kind of world they want their children to inherit.

Nebraska ’s people and resources played a pivotal role in this victory. The fact that we fought to protect the Ogallala Aquifer and the Sandhills brought these issues to the attention of the State Department and President Obama. The fact that the Ogallala Aquifer is so vast and so vulnerable in the Sandhills area was an issue that resonated wherever it was presented, whether it was in town meetings, at the State Capitol or all the way to Washington DC . Continue reading →

“Pipe Dreams” Documentary Film

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Hosted by Ken Winston of the Sierra Club.
The documentary film “Pipe Dreams” will be playing at the House of Loom on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. (1012 S. 10th St.) This is a FREE event! Only people over 21 are allowed in after 9 p.m. The event is from 7-10 p.m.

https://www.facebook.com/events/335276879833240/
Pipe Dreams is the story of the greatest environmental battle in the U.S. today = The Keystone XL Pipeline. By Academy Award and Emmy-nominated director Leslie Iwerks.

- Join us for drinks, discussion, film and music.
- Performers TBA.
- Open dance to follow with The Saturday Nite Jig w/ Brent Crampton

Continue reading →

Communications Workshop – Saturday Morning, Jan. 7

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Communications Workshop

Communications Workshop

By Albert Lierz, Webmaster and Communications Chair

You are invited to join us on Saturday, January 7 at 9:30 a.m. The Communications Committee will have a training, brainstorming and planning session in the training room of Whole Foods, 10020 Regency Cir, Omaha. (Just south of Westroads Shopping Mall)

Training will be on WordPress (our website software), Constant Contact (our e-newsletter software), HELEN (our database software), and the email listserve system of Sierra Club, in that order.

You can help Nebraska Sierra Club with its campaigns against the Keystone XL Pipeline and moving Beyond Coal for our source of electricity. Communications is a vital part of our successful campaigns with our web site, e-newsletters, public rallies, educational programs, and tabling at events.
To preregister >>CLICK HERE

Continue reading →

Nebraska Sierra Club Website Hacked: No December MoValley Newsletter as a Result!

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Computer Hacked

Computer Hacked

By Albert Lierz, Webmaster, Nebraska Sierra Club

In late November our website (sierranebraska.org) was hacked – apparently by a hacker (or hackers) supporting Syrian protestors.

We had to pass on publishing a December MoValley E-newsletter since it is based on links to the  website. We did not want to direct readers to our website until it was sanitized and secured.

The first sign of the hack was our front page being replaced by a table that was meant to  exhibit photos of Syrian anti-government protestors. They were not able to load their photos, however, Only the table displayed with English and Arabic text asking things like: “Why does the  world stand by and not help the Syrians protestors.” Continue reading →

Nebraska Pipeline Routing Legislation is Success Story for Sandhills, Citizens

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2011

Contact: Ken Winston 402-212-3737 kwinston@inebraska.com
Nebraska Pipeline Routing Legislation is Success Story for Sandhills, Citizens

Lincoln, NE – The Governor today signed into law two bills today: LB 4, which provides a state Environmental Impact process for the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline project, and LB 1, which establishes a framework to determine the routing of future oil pipeline proposals. A vital element of the process was the agreement by TransCanada to re-route their proposed pipeline out of the Sandhills. The new state laws do not preempt the federal review, which was delayed by the Obama administration for a thorough reevaluation, but gives the state new authority to protect Nebraska’s resources from dangerous tar sands pipelines, including TransCanada’s Keystone XL proposal.

In response, Ken Winston, Nebraska Sierra Club Policy Advocate, issued the following statement: Continue reading →

Show Your Support for LES’s Sustainable Energy Programs!

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Attend the Lincoln City Council Hearing on the LES budget

Monday evening, November 21 at 5:30 p.m.
Lincoln City Council Chamber
County-City Building
555 S. 10th Street in Lincoln

The Lincoln City Council will hold its public hearing on the Lincoln Electric System’s  proposed 2012 Budget — including funding for its renewable and sustainable energy programs — this coming Monday evening at 5:30 p.m.

We URGENTLY need citizens to attend this hearing to show their support for LES’s budget recommendations for renewable energy (to fund both the utility’s connection hook-ups to wind farms and its landfill gas project) and increased funding for the ‘Sustainable Energy Program.’ Continue reading →