Dear environmentalist friends from across the state who have fought tirelessly against the State's obsession with dealing with municipal waste by burning it,
The Sierra Club has responded (below) that they stand by their endorsement of the garbage burning lead
champion in the east metro, Karla Bigham. They responded that they are going to overlook the fact she was instrumental in convincing both Ramsey and Washington county to spend $170 million dollars to purchase and expand a facility that sorts garbage to burn in her district.
 |
| Garbage Burning Lead Champion, Karla Bigham at facility that receives and burns garbage with photo of Red Wing Facility that burns our garbage with EPA data. |
see Pioneer Press article by Bob Shaw from 2017:
Ramsey, Washington counties to burn all garbage — and prices going up
Ramsey, Washington counties to burn all garbage — and prices going up
This plant sends 460,000 tons/yr of it to be burned in Red Wing and Mankato. Go back to 2015 in her social media and you'll see her wearing a hard hat and touring garbage burners all over the state like in places like Hennepin County, Mankato, Red Wing, and taking a pivotal role in seeing it get done here in Washington County. She helped convince the rest of the board and got the deal done in October 2015 see: From Hero to Zero on the Environment: Washington County Commissioner Karla Bigham.
Please help our friends at the Sierra Club understand that Karla Bigham's work is unforgivable as now over 460,000 tons of garbage a year is now burned and put into our skies while at the same time costing millions more do so.
If you think that I'm just saying this because I want the republican to win, that's not true see: Fourteen Years of Broken Promises. No Problem. Denny McNamara Wins Republican Endorsement
Thank you for your time and for your support of the environment.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Joshua Davis
Date: Sat, Jan 27, 2018 at 5:00 AM
Subject: Sierra Club Bigham endorsement
From: Joshua Davis
Date: Sat, Jan 27, 2018 at 5:00 AM
Subject: Sierra Club Bigham endorsement
Hi,
Thank you for your email, and for your advocacy work. I am a Sierra Club volunteer with the Sierra Club's Minnesota political committee and Sierra Club staff forwarded your email to me.
You are correct - the Sierra Club - both nationally and in Minnesota - is opposed to waste incineration. That position remains unchanged and we have been honored to work with you and other allies on issues such as opposing the HERC incinerator expansion.
The Sierra Club chapter's Political Committee evaluates a candidate's overall performance on all environment issues we work on when considering endorsements, as well as how that candidate can help move policy forward in the legislature. This is based on guidelines provided by our national organization along with many years of past practice in Minnesota. Few of our endorsed candidate's agree with our policy principles 100%, especially in swing districts.
In Karla's case, we see an exemplary voting record during her previous two terms in the Minnesota House and a positive working relationship with our organization. The endorsement also gives us a foot in the door to discuss issues like those our zero waste committee volunteers work on.
We recognize that our endorsement decisions sometimes disappoint allies or members. But we stand behind our endorsement decision as the best choice for the environment.
We appreciate you taking the time to connect with us. We look forward to working with you again in the future.
For the environment,
Thank you for your email, and for your advocacy work. I am a Sierra Club volunteer with the Sierra Club's Minnesota political committee and Sierra Club staff forwarded your email to me.
You are correct - the Sierra Club - both nationally and in Minnesota - is opposed to waste incineration. That position remains unchanged and we have been honored to work with you and other allies on issues such as opposing the HERC incinerator expansion.
The Sierra Club chapter's Political Committee evaluates a candidate's overall performance on all environment issues we work on when considering endorsements, as well as how that candidate can help move policy forward in the legislature. This is based on guidelines provided by our national organization along with many years of past practice in Minnesota. Few of our endorsed candidate's agree with our policy principles 100%, especially in swing districts.
In Karla's case, we see an exemplary voting record during her previous two terms in the Minnesota House and a positive working relationship with our organization. The endorsement also gives us a foot in the door to discuss issues like those our zero waste committee volunteers work on.
We recognize that our endorsement decisions sometimes disappoint allies or members. But we stand behind our endorsement decision as the best choice for the environment.
We appreciate you taking the time to connect with us. We look forward to working with you again in the future.
For the environment,
Joshua Davis
Sierra Club North Star Chapter Political Committee
Date: Wed, Jan 24, 2018
Subject: Sierra Club. Bigham who you just endorsed championed the garbage burner here!
To: mary.blitzer@sierraclub.org
Cc: alexis.boxer@sierraclub.org, devon.cupery@sierraclub.org, natalie.cook@sierraclub.org, heather.cusick@sierraclub.org, scott.elkins@sierraclub.org, justin.fay@sierraclub.org, joshua.houdek@sierraclub.org, margaret.levin@sierraclub.org, karen.monahan@sierraclub.org, rick.morris@sierraclub.org, vicki.munson@sierraclub.org, jessica.tritsch@sierraclub.org, north.star.chapter@sierraclub.org
Subject: Sierra Club. Bigham who you just endorsed championed the garbage burner here!
To: mary.blitzer@sierraclub.org
Cc: alexis.boxer@sierraclub.org, devon.cupery@sierraclub.org, natalie.cook@sierraclub.org, heather.cusick@sierraclub.org, scott.elkins@sierraclub.org, justin.fay@sierraclub.org, joshua.houdek@sierraclub.org, margaret.levin@sierraclub.org, karen.monahan@sierraclub.org, rick.morris@sierraclub.org, vicki.munson@sierraclub.org, jessica.tritsch@sierraclub.org, north.star.chapter@sierraclub.org
Hi,
Thank you members of the Sierra Club for advocating for the environment in MN. I email you because a candidate named Karla Bigham who's running for State Senate in SD54 said on facebook that you endorsed her in a post she made on the 22nd and I think this is a huge mistake.
I'm shocked by this because you've stood along side myself and my friend Alan Muller, Anne from no-burn.org, those at Eureka Reclycling, MNNOC, Neighbors against the burner (NAB), and more against garbage incinerators. Dozens of articles are out with your position on this subject ie:
http://midwestenergynews.com/
http://midwestenergynews.com/
I email you because Bigham helped champion the County spending $170 million dollars to purchase and expand a facility that sorts garbage to burn in her district. This plant sends 460,000 tons/yr of it to be burned in Red Wing and Mankato. Go back to 2015 in her social media and you'll see her wearing a hard hat and touring garbage burners all over the state like in Hennepin County and taking a pivotal role in seeing it get done here in Washington County. She helped convince the rest of the board and got the deal done in October 2015 see: From Hero to Zero on the Environment: Washington County Commissioner Karla Bigham.
Please retract your support of Washington County Champion for garbage burning Karla Bigham. Her record doesn't lie regarding the irreversible damage she has done to the air in MN by having 400,000 tons of garbage a year from our county burned and put into the atmosphere of MN. It's unforgivable no matter what BS she feeds you. And if you think that I'm just saying this because I want the republican to win that's not true see: Fourteen Years of Broken Promises. No Problem. Denny McNamara Wins Republican Endorsement
Thank you for your time and for your support of the environment.
Please respond on your actions regarding this endorsement of a key player in Washington County burning garbage for decades to come.
