I received the following urgent plea today (Feb. 6) from Phyllis Hasbrouck. I recommend that as many of us who are able go ahead and follow through in what Phyllis is asking.
We all know that its poor development and poor location choices that create the "need" for harmful projects like the Highway 51 and other highway capacity expansion projects. Highway capacity expansions ultimately contribute to degraded living conditions and public health warnings because they allow (and encourage) greater numbers of motor vehicle miles being driven in the area -- to say nothing about the losses in natural, scenic and agricultural resources that such sprawling development patterns and occupancy are causing in and around the area, such as our Capital City. Mike Neuman -------------------- Forwarded Alert ------------------- Dear Environmental Leaders, Please email the alert below, today, to your members asking for comments to the CARPC before the new extended deadline tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 7 at midnight). You can use this one, amend it, or write your own, but we need to get a bunch more comments in to make our voices heard! Thanks. Phyllis Hasbrouck Dear Friends, The CARPC (Capital Area Regional Planning Commission) has so far received 544 comments about their draft criteria for approving urban service area extensions! 279 were in support (51%), 247 opposed (46%), and 18 were neutral (3%). Weve done very well, but we need to do better! If we dont get a bunch more comments in by the new, extended deadline (Thursday, Feb. 7 at midnight) the public response will be portrayed as evenly split. We know that some of those opposed actually support most of the items. But, it wont be reported that way. So, we need to show how many of us support the entire set of criteria. If you already sent yours in, please send this on to at least one friend who cares about the environment. If you can send it on to many, or to a listserve of sympathetic people, thats great! If you can make even one phone call to a friend to urge them to comment, youll be helping. For people new to the subject, you can visit www.westwaubesa.org/index.php?id=91 to learn how crucial our comments are to: stop sprawl; protect wildlife habitat; preserve farmland, groundwater, lakes and streams; protect our climate; build healthy communities and much more! And if you dont have much time, just send the sample comments below, adding one or two sentences of your own, explaining where in Dane County you live, and why you care (e.g. you want to protect trout streams, preserve farmland, discourage driving, etc.). Send them to [EMAIL PROTECTED] (yes thats danecorpc not danecarpc) and please send a copy to [EMAIL PROTECTED] SAMPLE COMMENTS (BE SURE TO PUT IN YOUR OWN SENTENCE(S) TOO.) I support strong, strict criteria for the CARPC, to protect Dane Countys farmland and groundwater from poorly planned development. I especially support criteria to: prioritize infill and redevelopment; eliminate the flexibility factors; and protect farmland, environmentally sensitive areas and critical groundwater recharge areas. But before they can begin to review new development proposals, the CARPC must fulfill its mandate to update the Dane County Water Quality Plan to include areas of the highest environmental sensitivity and growth pressure. EDUCATE THE COMMISSIONERS You have their contact info (or return to www.westwaubesa.org/index.php?id=91 for it). Send them articles, comments, anything that you think will help them see that our natural resources are finite, something that the developers there didnt seem to be able to grasp. And dont neglect Carleton Hamre, a key commissioner, just because he doesnt have email. Invest 41 cents in the cause, and drop him some snail mail! EDUCATE THE PUBLIC Lets have a deluge of letters to the editor on this subject! Tell why stricter criteria for Urban Service Area extensions are important to you personally. A short letter making just one point is fine. The Capital Times is [EMAIL PROTECTED], and the State Journal is [EMAIL PROTECTED] SHOW UP ON FEB. 28! Thats the night that the CARPC will be deciding on their final criteria. We must have a big crowd to watch them. We wont be able to speak, but we can let them feel our presence. (Bring your knitting or whittling!) You can be sure the other side will be there. The time, location and agenda are yet to be announced. Watch www.danecorpc.org for updates. VOLUNTEER Let me know if you would like to volunteer to keep on spreading the word, and to have a big turnout on Feb. 28. Weve made a great effort already, but we cant slow down now. As things stand now we could lose the gains almost within our grasp. Please spend some time today to get more comments in. Sincerely Phyllis Hasbrouck Chair of the West Waubesa Preservation Coalition _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
