This week in Iowa organizing…
We recently learned of the passing of one of CCI's founders, Gene Kutsch. Gene - along with Tom Rhomberg, Vince Hatt, and Joe Fagan - started Iowa CCI in 1975.
Each of them were truly giants in the cause for justice. Their work has touched and improved the lives of thousands and thousands of everyday people across the state.
All four of the original CCI founders are now gone, but their legacy and the work of nearly 50 years of organizing continues to this very day. We are indebted to our faithful founders for the wisdom of creating Iowa CCI, following through on its work, and nurturing those who came after them to carry the work forward.
Rest in peace and power Gene. Let's continue to heed our founders' call to create community and take action for the people and places we love.
Onward,
Matthew Covington
Strategic Operations Director
At the Statehouse
It's done
Lawmakers adjourned the 2024 legislative in the early hours this past Saturday. To which I say THANK GOODNESS!
There was enough bad, but it could have been worse, possibly by a lot. So thanks to all of you who emailed, called, lobbied your legislators in person, and more - it actually worked.
Bayer doesn't get shielded from being held accountable by adverse health effects from Roundup, attacks on libraries were stopped, numerous proposals to make teaching even harder (and less educational) failed to pass, and more.
For the third year in a row, lawmakers once again caved to Bruce Rastetter and failed to pass legislation to prevent eminent domain abuse by the proposed CO2 pipelines.
For a good rundown of what passed and failed, check out a good summary at Iowa Capital Dispatch here. Then remember what your legislators did, and didn't do, as we approach the November elections.
Take action
Today - April 22: take climate action this Earth Day
Join our partners with the Clean Up MidAm coalition on April 22 from 3:30pm-5:00pm at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral rain garden (815 High St) in Des Moines for a powerful action this Earth Day. Together we'll urge MidAmerican Energy to close their coal plants and support a just energy transition by 2030.
Event highlights will include reflections for climate action and envisioning a clean energy future and sharing the message that Iowans care about clean air and water, a just energy transition, and our coal communities.
This event is free and open to the public. We encourage people of all ages to attend, as this is a family-friendly event!
April 24: Help us make some calls and get some CCI sock swag!
We are looking for volunteers to help us make phone calls for our April Sustainer campaign on Wednesday, April 24!
We're holding two phone banks at our office in Des Moines from 10AM-1PM and 3PM-6PM to ask our members to become Monthly Sustainers. We'll provide training, light snacks, and volunteers will get a pair of exclusive “Sock it to ‘em, CCI!” socks. Whether you're a current Sustainer who wants to help us expand our reach, or aren’t able to give monthly but want to support us in other ways, this is a great way to help!
CCI’s Monthly Sustainers are amazing because they give us monthly revenue we can count on, flexibility to take on emerging issues, and show a powerful commitment to our work. Member contributions give us vital resources to fight for people and planet, and our Sustainers are an important part of that.
To RSVP, or if you have any questions, please give us a call at (515)255-0800 or email kim@iowacci.org or toby@iowacci.org. (This helps make sure we have enough snacks for everyone.) Can’t make it in to the office - reach out about remote options!
April 25 & 27: door knocking in Mitchell County
Bruce Rastetter wants to build hundreds of miles of CO2 pipelines across Iowa, including a new proposal that cuts through Mitchell County. Well, we'll either stop him or make darn sure our communities are protected with meaningful zoning ordinances!
Last week Dickinson County passed an ordinance.. woohoo!.. Now help us do the same thing in Mitchell County.
We're knocking doors of impacted landowners along the proposed route through Mitchell County and want you to join us! We'll be talking with folks about their concerns with the proposed pipeline and discuss ways the County Board of Supervisors can pass an ordinance to better protect our land, water, and community.
Join us to help bring residents together and take action for the people and places we love!
Thursday, April 25 at 4:30pm. More info and RSVP here
Saturday, April 27 at 10:30am. More info and RSVP here
April 30: Dear DNR...
Rastetter’s Summit Carbon Solutions is making a cash grab – and our water is on the line. The proposed CO2 pipeline would use an estimated billion gallons of water per year. And, the Iowa DNR is sitting on one of the requested water permits.
The fate of these permit applications lies in the hands of the Department of Natural Resources and what they decide. We're not done putting pressure on the DNR to deny these water permits - not even close! Join us Tuesday, April 30 at noon in-person at the CCI office or over Zoom for a Water Use Permit Letter Writing Party.
Do you know an organization or elected official that would use their influence to support us on this issue? Share this sign on letter that we released earlier this month with them.
Learn more about this issue by checking out our webinar from April 4 here.
May 1: Mayday Human Rights March
On Wednesday, May 1, stand together with communities across Iowa and the nation to honor immigrants and refugees who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and to stand against the recently passed anti-immigrant Iowa law Senate File 2340.
Des Moines: 6pm at Stewart Square Park RSVP here
Iowa City: Contact Escucha Mi Voz 319-330-3355 info@escuchamivozia.org
Waterloo: Contact Queen of Peace Parish 563-329-1344 dbq213@dbqarch.org
Davenport: Contact Quad Cities Interfaith 641-990-2118 mayra@qcinterfaith.org
Updates
Sustainers rock our socks!
April is our monthly sustainer drive!
Here’s why CCI Sustainers make such a difference:
It’s revenue we can count on. We know these donations will come in each month.
It gives us flexibility. We can take on emerging organizing issues like public education, the CO2 pipeline, and housing. More importantly, it also allows us to plan, to be forward-looking, and to be strategic.
It builds our strength. Member contributions, especially monthly pledges, mean we have so much more control over our organization. And it allows us take powerful positions, backed by our members, that foundations may not support.
And, literally - CCI Sustainers rock our socks!
That's because any new or upgrading Sustainers in our April campaign will receive a pair of our fabulous "Sock it to 'em, CCI!" socks.
This group of supporters is so important, we've set a goal to bring in 20 new Sustainers during our April campaign. We're halfway to our goal (10) with one week to go!
Become a Sustainer today! Click here to start your monthly pledge of $10, $15, $25 or whatever amount works for you.
CCI Action plant sale fundraiser!
Our tenth (and final*) year! As always, the (Friday &) Saturday of Mother's Day Weekend (May 10-11). Organic veggie starts from several local growers, mostly heirloom varieties. Also, herbs, prairie plants, Iowa wildflowers, and other hearty yard perennial plant divisions. This year we have house plants, too!
View Plant Sale inventory here
This much-loved community event was started in 2014 by long-time CCI member Ben Zachrich after realizing that he could turn his passion for gardening into a way to help his community. "With the plant sale, there's a shared enthusiasm between everyone who supports the sale. Whether it's getting healthy veggies or beautifying their yard, we're bringing people together to address systemic failures and support CCI, and one another."
Invite your friends and plan to join us for this great fundraiser sale. If you have veggie starts, yard or house plant divisions, or one-gallon pots to donate, please let us know by replying to this email or calling Katie at Iowa CCI 515-255-0800.
*If you're interested in continuing the plant sale fundraiser tradition, reach out to ben_zachrich@yahoo.com.
Water Talk
Let's talk about water! Below we have a selection of some stories that caught our eye relating to water quality and ways to take action for our water.
Articles of interest:
"It's getting worse" - US failing to stem tide of harmful farm pollutants [The New Lede]
US lawmakers Elizabeth Warren and Ro Khanna seek to ban trade in water rights [The Guardian]
Drought and high usage stressing Iowa's water resources [KCRG]
Spring is the time for testing our water for nitrates!
There are now 116 Iowa CCI water testers with over 25 accounts on the Clean Water Hub and 40 test sites recording data. REGISTER HERE for our water testing meeting this Thursday, April 25 on Zoom!
You don't want to miss this one! We will -
Share our testing results and data
Learn about folks collaborating to get out and test
Hear from DSM Water Works COO Kyle Danley about water treatment and what they are seeing
Discuss what to do before our next meeting in May
We need to keep getting loud because the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission is not listening to the people about protecting our water. That's why Iowa CCI signed on to this petition - Iowa environmental groups ask EPA to protect drinking water from agricultural runoff
Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or to share an update about your water testing. We love to hear from you and get photos of your testing.
Hope to see you online Thursday at 5:00pm - RSVP HERE!
What We're Reading
These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!
As Iowa City and Linn-Mar prepare for drastic cuts, vouchers draw millions from state [Iowa Starting Line]
Pipe supplier sues Summit Carbon Solutions for $15 million [Iowa Capital Dispatch]
Our grammarian Governor plays politics with words [Bleeding Heartland]
Transforming the climate conversation this Earth Day [Common Dreams]
(Congrats to CCI member Hannah Hayes!!) The votes are in: Roosevelt High School teen named Des Moines area Student of the Week [Des Moines Register]