This week in Iowa organizing…
As you probably know or heard, today marks the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington.
While progress has been made, a lot remains to be done as 'the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.' Yet too many similarities between 1963 and today persist, so let's keep at it - there's too much on the line.
For the people and places we love,
Matthew Covington (he/him)
Strategic Operations Director
Take action
This Wednesday - tell the Iowa Utilities Board 'No to Summit!'
Last week was the beginning of the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) evidentiary hearings for Summit's pipeline permits. As you may have heard lots of Iowans showed up to say no to CO2 pipelines! Many of whom had to fight to get into the room as the IUB tried to say the room was full and make people wait outside in the 100 degree heat.
The IUB’s mission statement is to “regulate utilities to ensure that reasonably priced, reliable, environmentally responsible, and safe utility services are available to all Iowans.”
It’s not their job to shut everyday Iowans out and fast track Bruce Rastetter’s latest money-making scheme.
The IUB has the power to deny permits for the proposed Summit, Navigator and Wolf carbon pipelines.
Joshua Byrnes is the longest current standing member of the Iowa Utilities Board, and he needs to hear from you!
Call IUB Commissioner, Joshua Byrnes, this Wednesday and tell him to deny Summit’s pipeline permit. 515-725-7888 is the publicly listed office number for the IUB.
Share your story! Tell him why you care about stopping CO2 pipelines
Tell him pipelines are dangerous and potentially deadly, putting the people and places we love at risk.
Urge him to deny Summit's permit application and not let Bruce Rastetter abuse eminent domain for private gain!
This Friday (and beyond!) in Dubuque - take action for 'people first' housing policy
Two dozen Dubuque CCI leaders met last week and established our housing policy platform for Dubuque! This platform addresses affordable housing development, application fees, renter rights education, housing inspections, and more.
Over the next month and a half we have lots of opportunities to get involved and help make this vision a reality:
9.1.23 Housing Justice Art Night: We're making banners and handheld signs to support tenants right in Dubuque. This is going to be a free, family-friendly, community-oriented, and far from 'professional' art making event so no experience is needed!
9.5.23 Dubuque City Council Meeting: We're going to city council! It was recently announced that the city of Dubuque is going to offer $3.3 million in incentives for a development in downtown Dubuque and CCI members have some thoughts on how the agreement could be more renter-friendly.
9.10.23 Table Mounds Canvassing: We're going to knock doors in the Table Mounds Mobile Home Park to let people know that on Sept. 17 the association is going to meet! We've been working with them to identify issues and solutions within the park, and we want to let folks know we're stronger together.
It's time for Pres. Biden to declare a CO2 pipeline moratorium!
Iowans across political party have been fighting to protect our communities and land from the proposed CO2 pipelines. Now, we need elected officials to do the same.
Rep Omar (D-MN) and Rep Garcia (D-IL) created a sign on letter urging President Biden to enact a moratorium on CO2 pipelines.
Will you contact your representative to ask them to add their name to the letter?
Here are three reasons we need a moratorium on CO2 pipelines:
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is on the record saying it will take at least a year to create safety regulations and that current standards aren't adequate;
Summit Carbon Solutions, Navigator, and Wolf/ADM cannot prematurely promise safety before standards are created. We should not consider any permits for CO2 pipelines until they are in place; and
A moratorium on CO2 pipelines could delay these projects for years, which is an important part of our strategy to stall and stop CO2 pipelines for good.
We won't be guinea pigs so Summit, Navigator and Wolf executives, like Bruce Rastetter, can make billions of dollars on these dangerous projects. Contact your Representative here!
Updates
August Clean Water Book Club - don't miss the author call this Thursday!
To cap off our first-ever Iowa CCI Clean Water book club read, we're hosting a Zoom call to bring us all together for a call with the Iowa author of WATER to hear the behind-the-scenes scoop on the interviews, process, and passion that brought this book to life. Whether you've finished the book, or are just starting, we hope to see you there.
Watch this one-minute video message from award-winning author Jennifer Wilson.
Then RSVP for the author call Thursday, August 31 from 7-8 pm.
What We're Reading
These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!
The Iowa GOP is dismantling water protections. Kansas and Missouri, you’re downstream [Kansas City Star]
Fiddling while we burn [Storm Lake Times Pilot]
Why are red state 'welfare queen' oligarchs allowed to mooch off of blue states? [Alternet]
New EPA ruling jeopardizes clean water (by CCI member Julie Duhn) [Cedar Rapids Gazette]
The slow assassination of public education in Iowa [Bleeding Heartland]
Biden administration expected to unveil Tuesday first drugs subject to Medicare negotiations [CNN]