Dear Friends,
Ren Fair has snuck up on us this year! Thanks to those who will be helping make crepes this Saturday, April 26. We now need help to serve them!! If you can spare an hour or two May 3-4 to help serve huckleberry crepes at Friends of the Clearwater and the Palouse Group of the Sierra Club's Ren Fair booth, please do!
We have a dandy little system to expedite the process. Just click below.
Mercury in our Air
Potlatch wants to put 1700 pounds of mercury into the air. Yep, that's right. You may remember the proposal to burn shredded tires and construction waste last year, which was shelved, thanks to many of you. Well, they are back at it again, this time with a plan to burn construction waste to the tune of over 1700 pounds of mercury. Idaho DEQ's Board of Directors will decide April 25 whether or not they should rewrite Idaho's atrocious air pollution rules concerning mercury.
Please take a few minutes to send an email to: Paula.Wilson@deq.idaho.gov and say "No more pollution!" to Potlatch.
Quick Mercury Facts
Mercury is a neurotoxin and causes a host of health problems for people of all age. But it is particularly dangerous for young children and pregnant women.
Idaho's air permitting rules regarding mercury are too lax: They allow facilities to emit dangerous levels of mercury. This air pollution then contaminates water and fish.
The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality needs to craft Idaho-specific rules that reduce mercury emissions.
Other Notes
Beginning in May, I will be moving on from Friends of the Clearwater to begin work as a carpenter. My time here was wonderful and I do plan to stay involved. As former FOC board president and good friend Chris Norden puts it, I am simply redefining my relationship with FOC. My new relationship will include quite a bit of camping, hunting, swimming, and raising my now three sons on the Clearwater's streams, rivers, and wildlands with my wonderful wife Liz.
There are so many folks who I would like to stay in touch with. Please feel free to contact me at swiftcarpentry@gmail.com. And in case you were wondering, black swifts of course!
Now, I would like to take the time to introduce Helen Yost. Helen will be Friends of the Clearwater's new Education & Outreach Director beginning May 5. She is currently working on her PhD at the University of Idaho in Conservation Social Sciences. She has a Masters degree in Environmental Education from Southern Oregon University and has worked in the non-profit conservation world for nearly 15 years. In addition to being an exceptional educator and passionate about wild country, Helen is wonderful to work with. I am very pleased she will be joining FOC and know that she looks forward to meeting and working with you all. You can contact her by replying to this e-letter.
Lastly, I would like to introduce Sarah Aguilar. Sarah graduates this May from the University of Idaho with a B.S. in Animal Sciences. She has just begun her 11 month contract with Friends of the Clearwater as an Americorps volunteer. Sarah will be taking on various projects including the FOC business member program, citizen scientist monitoring, and FOC in the Schools.
With the addition of two fantastic staff people I expect a great year for FOC and more importantly for the Wild Clearwater Country!
for the Wild Clearwater,
Will
