Conservation Insider Bulletin, April 4

Conservation Insider Bulletin

Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org

April 4, 2008

Riding the rails proves unexpectedly popular in Charlotte, while statewide there's campaign news and more, this week in CIB:

--Local Government Watch: Popular Trains
--Campaign Watch: CCNC Scorecard Gets Blogged; Sierra Club Announces Statewide Endorsements
--Environmental People: Dorney Wins Wetlands Award
Local Government Watch: Popular Trains

Charlotte is already seeing ridership on its new light rail line top projections. In fact, according to an article in the 4/3/08 Charlotte Observer, the Lynx Blue Line's I-485/South Boulevard station's 1,120-space parking deck is consistently filling up. In response to the welcome news of heavy interest, CATS (Charlotte Area Transit System) is studying ways to add more spaces, such as re-striping some spaces for compact cars.

Overall, the Observer reports, the number of cars at Lynx park-and-ride lots has more than tripled since the system's opening last November. CIB supposes that the John Locke Foundation crowd is gnashing its teeth about this display of serious public demand for the Lockies' despised rail transit service.

Campaign Watch: CCNC Scorecard Gets Blogged; Sierra Club Announces Statewide Endorsements

CCNC Scorecard Gets Blogged: CCNC's 2007 Conservation Legislative Scorecard is getting some deserved attention online. (This is the report on N.C. state legislators' environmental voting records, including the legislator of the year as well as the "Dirty Dozen" and "Filthy Five" anti-recognitions.)

CCNC's Mike Nelson points out that the Scorecard is covered on the progressive Democratic blogsite BlueNC at http://bluenc.com/environmental-scorecard-results-are-available-now%21. It was also covered on the Greensboro reporter's blog http://edcone.typepad.com/wordup/2008/03/greening-nc.html. Finally, he says that Asheville and Watauga County bloggers are expected to post the report soon.

Mike suggests that CCNC volunteers go to the various blogsites and make informed comments on the content and utility of the Scorecard. For an example, see Mike's own blog at www.electmikenelson.blogspot.com.

Sierra Club Announces Statewide Endorsements: The N.C. Chapter of the Sierra Club has begun announcing its endorsements for 2008. Sierra has announced endorsements of Janet Cowell in the Democratic primary for State Treasurer, and Dan Besse in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor. (CCNC's Conservation PAC previously announced endorsements of both.) Sierra's endorsement letters in these contests may be found at http://nc.sierraclub.org/politics/2008%20Endorsements.htm.

Environmental People: Dorney Wins Wetlands Award

Long-time North Carolina state employee John Dorney has won a 2008 Environmental Law Institute (ELI) National Wetlands Award. ELI this week announced its seven citizens honored this year for "their on-the-ground wetland conservation efforts and decades-long dedication to protecting these important natural resources." Dorney was honored as the Supervisor for the N.C. Division of Water Quality's Program Development Unit, for his work in development of North Carolina's state wetlands and stream protection efforts.

According to ELI's 4/1/08 news release, "Program co-sponsors--the Environmental Law Institute, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service--hope that recognizing wetland leaders for their efforts will inspire others to follow their example. Given the national importance of wetlands, the federal agencies that sponsor the Awards welcome the opportunity to recognize and encourage voluntary wetland conservation efforts."