Mike Robinson

The Annual Harvest Moon Fundraiser for the Miami Group of the Sierra Club will be hosted by JIM DEFEDE at Parrot Jungle Island.

Last year we sold out! So please get your tickets early for this dinner and dance! We moved to a larger venue in anticipation of a larger crowd

As many of you are quite aware the environment has been under assault from the federal level down to the municipal level. Our local volunteers have been engaged in numerous struggles to keep our quality of life to a premium.

We have been an active partner in the fight to curb Urban Development Boundary Line Expansion. It is important to HOLD THE LINE in order prevent hurricane evacuation gridlock, keep our schools from becoming overcrowded, and preserve our quality of life.

We are fighting to Restore the Everglades by promoting an Everglades Skyway Bridge for US 41 (Tamiami Trail) that will allow the water to sheet flow to Florida Bay. Currently, this hazardous road (which is moving because it is on a compressible moving muck) acts like a dam which dehydrates the Everglades.

Other Fights : We are keeping our eye on the Virginia Key Master plan so that this valuable regional park does not fall victim to Public Land Prostitution. We are engaged in Virginia Key Beach Park. We have a lawsuit concerning undergound storage of sewage water. And we haven't even mentioned yet that NUCLEAR WASTE IS GOING TO BE STORED AT TURKEY POINT.....

These are just some of the fights we are engaged in. Phew... Your local club needs some $$$ help!! If you can not come to the event we will still accept donations or buy a $10 dollar raffle ticket for terrific prizes!

Tickets are $ 100.00 per seat. Your organization can purchase a table for $1000.00 Contributions to this event are NOT tax deductable. Cost includes an open bar for the entire evening sponosred by Turner Road Wines and Bacardi, apppetizers, dinner, and dancing.

See the coupon at the bottom of this email and fax it to get the hottest ticket in town!

Mark Oncavage and Rod Jude

Mark Oncavage and I had the opportunity to represent the Miami Club in San Francisco this past September. It was the first time that delegates from the entire country converged on San Francisco for a meeting of the minds.

The Sierra Club delegates determined the overall priorities for the next few years. After six months of chapter and group meetings leading up to the Summit and eight hours of deliberation once there, 700 delegates chose ?Building a New Energy Future? as the Club?s top priority over the next five years. Nearly two-thirds of delegates voted it the most important priority. Next was "Building Vibrant, Healthy Communities" (52 percent), "Defending Federal Lands/Public Waters" (49 percent), and "Protecting People and the Planet from Pollution" (46 percent).

Delegates also voted on how the Club should best invest its resources to reach these goals. The results: (1) seeking new allies and building coalitions, (2) creating media visibility, and (3) bringing people together.

Finally, delegates chose the top three ways to impact environmental decision-makers. They were: (1) influence voters? electoral decisions, (2) focus on state policy-makers, and (3) influence local decision- makers about specific places.

The Summit? s speakers provided encouragement and enlightenment to attendees. The following speakers were particularly thought-provoking: Al Gore, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Arianna Huffington, Chef Alice Waters, Comic Bill Maher, Poet Robert Hass, Linguist George Lakoff , Eco-architect Bill McDonough, S.F. Mayor Gavin Newsom .

The Miami group looks forward to working towards national goals while keeping our eye on our ?LOCAL? issues. With these hefty goals in mind, we need more volunteers to stay the course!

Mark Oncavage

In 1970, The United States was the world?s leading producer of crude oil (9.6 million barrels/day) but production has dropped to 5.4 million barrels/day in 2004. This parallels the Alaskan oilfields decline from 2 million barrels/ day-1988 to .9 million barrels/ day- 2004.

International Oil Geologists are predicting similar patterns across the world. A study funded by US Department of Energy by Dr. Robert Hirsch entitled: Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, Mitigation, & Risk Management says that ? global oil production will peak within the next 20 years and the negative effects will cause economic hardships in the United States and the world?

The study states ?that a crash mitigation program to conserve fuels will take 20 years to implement and market penetration of vehicle fuel efficient vehicles will be slow.? Thus less desirable fuels stocks such as heavy oil, oil shale, COAL can be developed but these are costly, dirty and do not meet current environmental standards.

Although we can not predict precisely when oil production will peak it is reasonable to assume it will happen. Shouldn?t Government policies and incentives start preparing for that inevitable crisis NOW?

Wednesday October 26, at 1 pm, the Planning Advisory Board (PAB) will be meeting at 1 pm to make recommendations on 9 applications to move the UDB. SEE THE MAP OF THE UDB to find where these applications are located along the dotted line of the Urban Development Boundary,

Monday, November 21 at 9:30 am. the County Commission will hear from the public on whether to deny or ?transmit? these applications to move the UDB. Transmitting an application means that it goes to the state?s Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for review before coming back to the Commission for a final vote.

CALL THE UDB-LINE Office 305-485-5949

HOT OFF THE WIRE (www.watchd ogreport.net): Miami Dade County Commissioner Chairman JOE MARTINEZ opposes moving the Urban Development Boundary line FOR NOW

But this does not mean it will ever be moved. Martinez was quick to point out that our mass transportation infrastructure was inadequate and that we need sleek trains to connect compact urban areas.

Mike Robinson

The Miami Planning Department, http://www.miami21. org is conducting open workshops to gather community input with regards to the City of Miami?s Parks Recreation program except Virginia Key. ?Virginia Key is undergoing a separate planning process and is not within this round of open meetings? said representatives of Miami?s Planning Department.

Since our area is moving towards built out, there is increasing pressure to cannibalize our public lands. Watson Island is the most blatant case of this abuse but there are dozens of other cases where cities have converted small parcels of PUBLIC USE for development.

A rather intriguing idea keeps surfacing during these meetings. Why not open up school playgrounds to the public so that all citizens can enjoy these lands? Although on the surface this seems like an efficient meld of bureaucratic agencies, it has great potential for abuse. City and other governmental officials could try to give park acreage credit for school grounds. Park Acreage would be counted as park land AND school land. This is short term solution at best.

The editor's opinion is that school grounds should be open for the general public to use but that the city or county should not be allowed to combine school grounds and parks into one category on planning documents and governmental/NPO reports.

Little Havana Parks October 25, 2005 Time: 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm Jose Marti Park

Flagami Parks Workshop Date October 26, 2005 Time: 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm West End Park 250 SW 60 Avenue

Allapattah Parks Date: October 27, 2005 Time: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Curtis Park 1901 SW 24 Avenue

October 22 Everglades Day Hike- Hike three different habitats- Ahinga, Gumbo Limbo, and Pinelands trail. Cost: $10/12$ non member, Contact Kaatje Bernabei c bernabei@braddock.dadeschools.net

November 20 Beach Bike Boogie- The most scenic 50 mile trip you will take in South Florida. We'll Board the Tri-Rail Train to Ft. Lauderdale or Palm Beach, Ride to the other end and return by train. Cost: $10/$15 non member BYO- Lunch $ Limit 6 Contact Paul Heydemann paul.heyd emann@netzero.net

11 Nov 2005 - Camping - Leadership Academy of the 100 Black Men Camping at Long Key State Park and canoeing at Indian Key with the young men of the 100 Black Men of South Florida. Leader: Mark Walters mark@icomiami.org

19 Nov 2005 - Snorkeling - Family of Humanity Event: Snorkeling at Red Reef Park and exploring the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. Leader: Cynthia Carrasco cynthia@icomiami. org Assistant: Mark Walters mark@icomiami.org

This Month Miami Sierra Club Chairman Rod Jude updated us on the annual Sierra Summit trip. A brief synopsis of the meeting was discussed along with goals and future action items for the Miami Club. See the article for more information.

November 5 JIM DEFEDE Hosts the Harvest Moon Fundraiser at Parrot Jungle Island.

November 14 Eileen Smith, PhD.. will discuss "Environment Activism within Diverse Communities"

email: miamisierra@gmail.com

web: http://florida.sierraclub.org/miami/