Invitation to attend Earth Day 2011 at World Peace Wetland Prairie and share your information on environmental and natural-resource conservation

Please click on image to ENLARGE view of Donna Stjerna and Kelly Mullholan's poster for Earth Day 2011 at World Peace Wetland Prairie.

World Peace Wetland Prairie EARTH DAY 2010 VIDEO
 Flickr collection of sets of photos from World Peace Wetland Prairie
World Peace Wetland Prairie blog
World Peace Wetland Prairie.com
Aubrey's photos at flickr.com



2000-2005 archive of stories and photos related to creation of WPWP: www.aubunique.com

Please use link below the map to see larger view of the WPWP area, which also allows a person to travel the world by 'Google AIR' by simply using the cursor to move in any direction or search for other addresses.

View World Peace Wetland Prairie in a larger map

Video running this week (11 a.m., 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. Monday through Friday on Fayetteville public-access television

2005 November 27 to December 4 video

Something Arkansas does NOT need now: Disastrous House Bill 1895 could be voted on by Arkansas Senate tomorrow

In the News...			GET INVOLVED...
Get the most up-to-date, national news from Sierra Club at the Sierra Club Press Room. Get local news about Arkansas legislative issues at the Arkansas Citizens First Congress site. Important Legislative Update: The Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWECPO) has drafted HB 1895 which would make it much easier for utilities to get power plants approved under the radar, hurt ratepayers and cut the public out of the commenting process. The bill can be found at http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=HB1895 This bill is bad on several levels: 1) HB 1895, written by the utility Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), would change the utility law that is the subject of pending litigation in suits where SWEPCO is a party. Changing the law right before a judge makes a ruling is not a tactic of which I want my legislature to be a part. 2) This bill would create a “declaration of need” proceeding to determine whether there should be more electricity production in Arkansas, but not create public notice requirements for the proceeding. If a government agency is conducting a decision making process that could later on affect my utility rates, I want to make sure that I’m given the opportunity to be a part of that discussion. And I won’t know how to attend if the law doesn’t require me to be notified. 3) HB 1895 would tip the scales to the utilities so that they can pressure government to raise electric rates even more. The bill would create a separate “declaration of need” proceeding where a determination for the need of increased electric capacity would provide the basis for utilities to recover new costs through increased rates. We, the ratepayers, would be stuck with higher bills. Unfortunately, it has already passed the Arkansas House. It is possible that this bill will wind up on the Senate floor, and we need concerned citizens to call their senators now and urge them to vote NO on HB 1895. In order to find your own senator, visit: http://www.arkansas.gov/senate/senatorSearch.html For more information about the bill, please contact: Lev Guter Associate Field Organizer Sierra Club - Arkansas lev.guter@sierraclub.org (941) 779-3337

What Arkansas needs NOW!

Local Pipeline Safety Policy
http://www.pstrust.org/resources/regs/local_pol.htm

Model Setback Ordinance for Transmission Pipelines
http://www.mrsc.org/Subjects/PubSafe/pipesetbackord.aspx

Myths and Misleading Statements About Oil and Natural Gas Pipelines
http://www.pstrust.org/library/myths.htm 

2010 video of dedication of Bennett House as OMNI Center for Peace Justice and Ecology and Demonstration in front of Blanche Lincoln's Fayetteville office

Tuesday, March 15

Peter Byck, director and producer, is coming to Fayetteville to screen his latest documentary, Carbon Nation, on Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 7:00 pm at the University of Arkansas’ Global Campus on the square in Fayetteville.   A second screening has been scheduled for 2:00 pm, same location.  Fayetteville will be among the first cities in the nation to screen this  film featuring climate change solutions.  This event is FREE and open to the public.

Click here to see a trailer of the film:  www.carbonnation.tv.     Click here to reserve your ticket:  https://secure.sceao.uark.edu/EventCalendar/default.aspx

Brought  to you by the UA Applied Sustainability Center, UA Global Campus, Osher  Lifelong Learning Institute, the Arkansas Chapter of the Sierra Club,  the League of Women Voters of Washington County, and Arkansas Interfaith  Power & Light.

Managing Director

Applied Sustainability Center

University of Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR  72701

479.575.3044 (O)   479.200.8262 (C)  www.asc.uark.edu

Make your personal sustainability pledge:  www.ecologicalcommunities.org

Set up your personal dashboard:  www.earthaid.net

Night before Streamside Ordinance was passed by City Council, it was discussed during Ward 4 meeting

Second part of Jan. 26, 2007, video of OMNI annual meeting and discussion of creation of Carbon Caps Task Force

January 26, 2007, OMNI Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology meeting that led to formation of Carbon Caps Task force, which now operates as Climate Change Task Force

Audubon's Wilson Spring wetland nature area on Jan. 19, 2011: 185 photos from a 2-mile walk with Mike Mhlodnow

Wilson Spring nature area: Tagging along with one of Northwest Arkansas' most dedicated and talented birders.

Please click on image to ENLARGE and use link above to view more photos of Mike and the scenes along the way.

2007 Springfest and Earth Day video by Aubrey James Shepherd

Storm-water control left incomplete on building site from July 2006 until late 2009: A sample video from September 18, 2006

Petroleum MADNESS prevails: Public meetings tackle lignite coal mines for Arkansas - todaysthv.com | KTHV | Little Rock, AR

Public meetings tackle lignite coal mines for Arkansas - todaysthv.com | KTHV | Little Rock, AR

Please speak up now: Full disclosure of chemicals used in fracking is open for comment to the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission

To those interested in the natural gas development in Arkansas:

Pittsburgh stands first in the country to have banned the fracking process from their city.  Attending the rally before the vote was Josh Fox giving a spirited speech.  I thought you would be interested to hear the passion he displays even after the long involvement he has had with this project.

Update on Arkansas activity:

Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission - 

Jan. 10th is the cutoff date to make comment requesting full disclosure of all fracking chemicals by CAS identification.  While there have been improvements made to the Oil & Gas Commissions rule on disclosure, it is incomplete by failing to incorporate the Federal standards for proprietary secrecy.  A simple request that they finish to the job of disclosing chemicals for public safety and land owner consideration is in order.  Request that all comments be extended to the commissioners as well.  Use the following information to make comment:

EMAIL:  Larry.Bengal@aogc.state.ar.us

Copy to:  Commissioners - Chad White, Chairman, W. Frank Morledge, Charles Wohlford, Bill Poynter, Mike Davis, Kenneth Williams, William L. Dawkins, Jr., Jerry Langley, and Chris Weiser

Mr. Lawrence C. Bengal, Director

Production and Conservation

Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission

301 Natural Resources Drive, Suite 102

Little Rock, Arkansas 72205

Subject:  Full disclosure of chemical constituents used in natural gas fracking

Issue:  The current B-19 ruling is incomplete in providing limited claims for proprietary formulas.  The best approach would be full disclosure of every constituent by CAS identification, but at minimum the Federal guidelines for trade secrets should be included in the rule in their entirety.  The current wording is incomplete and does not provide how secrecy would be granted or what percentage would be allowed.

Thank you for assisting with this important comment, if you are able to help.  Pass the word.

OMNI needs to go after this now. OMNI people have been trying to get such a station for several years

Local Community Radio Act passes in Congress.
Community radio advocates are celebrating a major victory after the Senate approved the Local Community Radio Act last Saturday, one day after its passage in the House. The bill will open up more of the radio dial for Low Power FM, with the FCC now mandated to license thousands of new stations.

Jim Bemis speaks at Telecom Board meeting on December 16, 2010

GOVERNMENT CHANNEL SCHEDULE published Friday, December 17, 2010, the day following Telecom Board meeting, does not include Telecom Board meeting video to be run during week of 12/17/2010 through 12/12/2010. Bemis' comments, therefore, will not be shown on Cox Cable or AT&T U-verse until long after the Fayetteville City Council meeting at which the CAT contract will be voted on Tuesday, December 21, 2010.
Please click on individual pages to ENLARGE for easy reading.

World Peace Wetland Prairie was once approved to be an apartment complex but Town Branch Neighborhood gathered friends to make it a city nature park

World Peace Wetland Prairie's Earth Day 2010 celebration video

Buy a federal duck stamp to provide habitat for waterfowl and many other species all over the continent

Please click on image to ENLARGE.

Hunting season dates in Arkansas

December meeting of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.