This week in Iowa organizing…
Enough.
Enough violence. Enough shootings. Enough prayers and thoughts followed by inaction. Enough political rhetoric that pits neighbor against neighbor and begets more violence.
Is this a moment when we come together and move forward to create "a more perfect union"? Time will tell, but it is the path to take for our loved ones, communities, and places we hold dear.
We wholeheartedly condemn violence, including political violence, in all its forms against anyone of any and every background, identity, or political party.
The violence exhibited on Saturday night sadly could have been worse. Our hearts go to those injured, lost their life, or who will never be the same after the weekend. But then let's embark upon a path where we can eventually cease saying this more often than not.
There are ways to seek understanding and resolve our differences peacefully. Our democracy, political process, and ability to create and live in thriving communities depends on it. We're all in this together is not some catchy saying or lofty goal - it's a simple and undeniable truth.
With a heavy heart but more committed than ever, let's continue to take action for the people and places we love, and for the community we so desperately need.
Matthew Covington
Strategic Operations Director
Member spotlight
Jeff Milks
Fayette County
What got you involved with CCI? What keeps you engaged/motivated? Who are you fighting for?
"My wife, Lou Ann, and I have been mindful and proactive on many environmental issues over the years. The proposed coal fired power plants in 2008 and the DAPL pipeline in 2015-16 to name a couple. We raise much of our own food and have planted thousands of trees.
I first became aware of CCI in 2015 when I started hearing about the environmental repercussions of the Dakota Access Pipeline. CCI was mentioned in an NPR segment and I felt compelled to make contact and was invited to an action which I attended. I am glad I wore sunglasses to the event that day because it brought me to tears to be with so many people who cared about the same things that I do.
The young man in the picture above is one of my four grandchildren. These four people, and really all young people, are one of the reasons that I am a member of CCI. CCI offers me an opportunity to stay abreast and take action on the issues that I am most concerned about. I have found it to be a very personal and "in touch" organization. Thank you CCI for all that you do!”
Take action
July 16: CO2 pipelines & our water informational meeting
Our water is not infinite and we can't afford to let corporations like Summit extract billions of gallons of it so they can line their pockets.
Join CCI members and residents of Mitchell County on Tuesday, July 16 at 6:30pm for an informational meeting on how the proposed CO2 pipeline would impact our water and what we can do to fight back.
We'll be meeting at the Osage Public Library, more information and RSVP to join us here!
July 24: Coal in Siouxland webinar
1,400+ premature deaths. High asthma rates. More lung cancer. These are just a few of the impacts of MidAmerican Energy's coal pollution in Siouxland.
That’s according to a report released by our partners at the Iowa Environmental Council. The report highlights how coal pollution impacts the community's health.
To help people understand the report and what it means for Iowans, they'll be hosting a webinar in a couple weeks to provide a summary, answer questions, and share opportunities for action. This is a free virtual event, all you need to do is RSVP!
What: Coal in Siouxland Health Impacts Webinar
When: July 24th, 12pm
Where: Virtual RSVP here!
July 25: Defeating school vouchers in Tennessee - lessons for the movement
This spring, Tennessee faced a huge uphill battle, fighting to stop a school voucher bill in a state with a Republican Governor and Republican supermajorities in their House & Senate, backed by a billionaire funded “Americans for Prosperity” advertising and door-knocking campaign.
In the face of these overwhelming odds, they organized across the state and managed to defeat this bill that would have siphoned hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars from public schools and given it to private and religious schools.
Join HEAL Together on July 25 at 6pm CDT to celebrate the important victory and learn directly from the parents, educators, students and organizers who led the campaign that won this inspiring bipartisan victory for Tennessee's schoolchildren.
August 1: final meeting of Barons book club
On July 10, sixteen readers met for a book club over Zoom to dive deeper into CCI member Austin Frerick’s debut book Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry. Sign up to join the next one here!
The club discussed the 2nd and 6th chapters, Grain Barons and Slaughter Barons, and delved into the deeper history of corporations controlling food and resources and how they gained and maintain that power today.
The final book club is August 1, where we will meet to discuss Ch. 7 Grocery Barons and the conclusion. Attendance at the previous two meetings is not required, and we have something special planned for the final meeting, so be sure to sign up today!
RSVP today to stay in the loop! You can purchase the book or find audio book details on Austin's website here.
August 10: CCI Action's Summer Meeting!
Reconnect with old friends and make news ones on Saturday, August 10 in Ankeny for our annual Summer Meeting! If you’re concerned about CO2 pipelines, public education, clean water and more, this is the event for you. We’ll have fearless truth tellers, issue-based workshops, and tasty, local food!
What: “People Power is How We Win” Summer Meeting
When: Saturday, August 10, 9am – 3pm
Where: FFA Enrichment Center, DMACC campus in Ankeny
Who: CCI members, supporters, and folks from across the state ready to take action for our people and planet
Registration: $25 early bird rate until July 31 ($35 beginning Aug. 1) – register today to save your spot here!
Our keynote speaker this year will be Dr. James E. Ford. Dr. Ford is an award-winning world history teacher, community leader, and founder of the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED) based in Charlotte, NC. He knows that attacks on our education aren’t new, but also believes in the power of people to rise up and fight for strong public education systems that prepare all students for their future and our communities.
More information, featured speakers, and RSVP here!
Starting August 26: Summit pipeline hearings
Though the Iowa Utilities Commission issued an order giving Summit Carbon Solutions a conditional permit to abuse eminent domain on phase one of Summit’s pipeline, our fight is far from over!
Summit will be holding pipeline informational meetings in the coming months for phase two of the route. The Iowa Utilities Commission (aka Iowa Utilities Board) has approved dates for the meetings from August 26- September 20. During these meetings, Summit will have a presentation and give us the opportunity to ask questions and hold their feet to the fire.
Check out the dates and locations of the meetings here, then stay tuned for ways to fight back!
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:
Could the Mississippi River benefit from Chesapeake Bay's strategy to improve water quality? [IPR]
Audubon fined for excessive wastewater pollution [Iowa Capital Dispatch]
Word of mouth is a great way to build power!
Several of you have been actively spreading the word about our work and people are showing up to join us. Thank you! This is how we build our power and get the clean water we deserve! Share the link below so we can keep growing. Getting a test kit is free and the strips are easy to use for a 30 second nitrate test.
Click here to join us in the citizen science of water testing!
Did you run out of test strips? If you are actively testing and recording your data on the Clean Water Hub, you can request another free test kit by using that same link above.
If you are new here, we meet monthly on Zoom to hear from a guest speaker and share what we are seeing in the data and testing. You can join the group for testing or our calls at any time. Details about the July meeting coming soon!
Don't miss our next monthly call Thursday, July 25!
We encourage continued testing of your drinking water. If you have had or do have a reading of 10 mg/L or higher at the tap - inform your water provider right away. EPA has set an enforceable standard for nitrates in drinking water at 10 mg/L. All public water supplies must abide by these regulations.
What We're Reading
These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!
Iowa should use federal dollars to feed hungry kids. Voters can tell Kim Reynolds that. [Des Moines Register]
Mitchell County Conservation Board tables carbon pipeline proposal [abc6News]
Say a prayer that the Yanks are coming [Storm Lake Times Pilot]
Project 2025 - the advisory board list [Decoding Fox News]
Forcing religion on public schools is a bad idea [Bleeding Heartland]