Meetings Recap of LaFarga Copper LLC (Steel Dynamics Inc.)

12. January 2012 by admin.

On January 12, 2012, the Allen County Drainage board had their beginning talks about reconstructing the Bandelier Ditch #3.  Abby Frost-King and Celia Garza specifically requested from different contacts within the Surveyors office, to be informed of the day they would begin conversations. We were not called about this first meeting. They explained that this was only the introduction of the project and that there would be additional meetings. The Drainage Board meets the second and fourth Thursday of every month at 9:30am in the Council courtroom Suite 035 in the Garden level of Citizens Square. The next meeting will be January 26, 2012 at 9:30am. If they continue to speak and plan for this ditch improvement, it is imperative that we all attend to share our opinions…even though we have been informed that there will be a “public hearing” after the plans are in place and THEN the public who live in the area will be able to comment on their findings.

Save Maumee had attended the last Allen County Drainage Board meeting of 2011.  We requested the review of the restructuring of Bandilier Ditch #3, since it seemed necessary to do this work before LaFarga Copper LLC (Steel Dynamics owned) is built on this partial floodplain.  In addition, they would be required to install a retention pond on the property, to aid draining and storage of water. Originally, the “restructuring” of the ditch was, to our understanding, necessary for the new copper facility to be built. In previous meetings we understood that LaFarga was to pay for the restructuring of the Bandilier Ditch #3 and no plans had yet been designed.

Questions:
1) Who is paying to restructure Bandilier Ditch #3?
2) If it is Allen County citizens, why is the drainage board planning to restructure this ditch at this time…rather than 2 years ago, or next year?

The residents of New Haven have been in a state of unrest since Steel Dynamics Inc. announced their intention of moving a copper processing plant into the community. On April 27, 2011 officials of Omni -Source and Superior Aluminum held a meeting in which they spoke with residents about this investment. After listening to complaints from neighboring citizens, they realized the primary concern is a combination of pollutants coming from a new plant, as well as an existing plant (all owned by Steel Dynamics) called Superior Aluminum. A plant that neighbors have experienced previous problems with pungent odors and colorful metallic scented emissions. The EPA regulated ambient air monitors that determine pollutant levels to be compliant with the NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) in Allen County are located 7.4-10 miles upwind of where the two plants will be located. This fact left little comfort to those that live within the area and whose health and property would be negatively impacted by additional emissions. Residents shared this knowledge with President Mark Milet and former CEO Keith Busse on October 18, 2011. They compromised by telling everyone at the meeting, they were going to install a spot light on the smoke stack for nighttime view and process monitors (which were described as being only video cameras). They also extended an invitation to the community to tour the new plant when it’s completed. At this time, a date has not been released for a tour of the new facility, and the company has not yet installed a spot light or video camera to their smoke stacks on Superior Aluminum.

An appeal has been filed on the air permit for the SDI LaFarga LLC copper processing plant. The hearings with the Office of Environmental Adjudication (OEA) began on December 19, 2011. Evidence will be presented and expert witnesses will appear at future hearings to ensure that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) properly reviewed and approved the air permit for the SDI LaFarga copper plant. Investigation will continue until the OEA comes to a verdict. For more information, or if you live in the area and want to become involved, please e-mail get.involved@live.com.

 

Posted in Save Maumee Update, Indiana Waterways, Local Pollution Story, Lobby for Clean Water Act, Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

2011 Tribute to our local Rivers

29. December 2011 by admin.

We wanted to commemorate our achievements for Save Maumee’s “Organization of the Year 2011″ presented to us at Butler University by Hoosier Environmental Council.

So, if you would like to see why we were chosen for the award, check out our video with local musicians Elephants in Mud.

ALL pictures in the video were taken in 2011 ~ Click on the picture!

Posted in Save Maumee Update, Plants/Trees and Sustainable Planting, Local Pollution Story, SM in the News!, Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

Save Maumee Grassroots Org. wins “Organization of the Year Award”

7. December 2011 by admin.

Awards Ceremony at The 4th Annual Greening the Statehouse Policy Forum will be held on Saturday, December 10^th at Butler University’s Reilly Room at Atherton Union in downtown Indy from 8:30am-3pm.  So join us for education from Indianapolis policy experts and environmental groups. For reservations call Jesse Karbanda at 317.685.8800 ext. 103

The Hoosier Environmental Council, Indiana’s largest environmental policy organization, has claimed “Save Maumee won Organization of the Year!”  Abigail King, Ryan Bailey and Jain Young will be accepting the award for the group. Supporters of the day include Sierra Club, Blue Green Alliance, Carmel Green Initiative, Indiana Green Business Network, Indiana Recycling Coalition, Indiana Wildlife Federation, Save the Dunes, City of Indianapolis-Office of Sustainability.

Save Maumee has been chosen as a result of the positive impact on the community, the group’s great volunteer spirit, passion for the health of the rivers in the Great Lakes region, and ability to organize a number of very successful volunteer driven river clean-up and restoration events.

Northeast Indiana Rivers Represented in Washington D.C.

Save Maumee has been chosen by Healing Our Waters to represent Northeast Indiana for Clean Water Week during Great Lakes Days in Washington, D.C. The event will be held Feb. 28-29.

Every year, more than 125 citizens from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin travel to our nation’s capital to educate public officials about the importance of the Great Lakes to the region’s economy and quality of life.

Needed Action for Congressmen discussion;

* Enforce current laws

* Support legislation that protects natural areas.

* Proper review of permits for corporations and stronger oversight and enforcement of permits. If fines are levied when a company discharges beyond allowed permit effluent, the monies can be utilized to truly improve water quality for human health.

*  Indiana HB 1112 was passed and July 1^st 2012 manufacturing waste (considered hazardous and illegal to discharge into the air or water), will now be added to soil and consider the soil to be “amended,” a.k.a. better than it was before.

 *  Tiles, straight pipes and National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) outlets should be properly counted and available to the public on Indiana & Allen County GIS maps.

* Establish Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL’s) for the Maumee in Indiana, and complete the Upper Maumee Watershed Management Plan so the community knows the priorities of our waterways.

* Rules being developed by the Indiana State Chemist will regulate livestock waste as a fertilizer material, but do not take into account the pathogens in manure. It is important in disclosing information on when, where, and how much manure is land applied to Indiana fields, and note it will have allowances to spread manure on frozen fields.  All this will allow more runoff into our waterways.

Save Maumee wants to see ALL people come together to improve the quality of Fort Wayne’s Three Rivers and thirty-four million that depend on the Maumee River, downstream. All these issues have workable solutions.

###

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization is dedicated to raising awareness about the conditions of the 3 Rivers in Fort Wayne, Indiana, while facilitating ecosystem restoration projects to improve water quality. Revitalizing the St. Joe/Maumee Watershed will protect and restore the environment, while improving the economic, aesthetic and recreational value. Research into historical importance of our navigable waterways and current pollution conditions began in 2001 and Save Maumee began bank-stabilization projects in 2005. To date Save Maumee has planted over 1,500 trees, 800lbs of native riparian seed and removed 22,000 lbs of trash on volunteer hours and in-kind donations alone.

 

Posted in IN affects Great Lakes, Save Maumee Update, How Fort Wayne, Indiana Waterways, Lobby for Clean Water Act, SM in the News!, Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

JOIN US for FREE River Loving FUN!

16. September 2011 by admin.

Upcoming Events:    ALL events are rain or shine ~

SATURDAY ~ September 17, 2011-  Save Maumee’s 4th Annual Canoe Clean Up, Can YOU Clean Up? 
11am- 4pm Free canoes for the day at Fort Wayne Outfitters Bike Depot with ID.  Spend a fun day with family and friends on the river cleaning up and educating yourself! First come first serve Canoe Clean-Up Details HERE

SATURDAY ~ October 22nd, 2011- Save Maumee’s 3rd Annual Seed Harvest at Fox Island Nature Preserve
1pm - 4pm, Come pick seeds that we will plant on our riverbanks for Earth Day 2012  Seed Harvest Details HERE

Friday Sept. 30th and Saturday Oct. 1st.  ~ Northeastern Indiana Sustainable Living Fair and Market held downtown Grabill, IN
Free attendance and if you would like to be a vendor or speaker please contact Julia Gorrell at juliagorrell@gmail.com or 260-418-0071
Friday Sept. 30th, Save Maumee’s Founder will be speaking~exact time will be updated the website here!

Other Recent Events:

**Save Maumee Grassroots Org. appreciates the recreational fun on the St. Joseph and St. Mary’s thanks to Friends of the River!  In 2011 Three Rivers Festival had its first local river event since I attended Northrop High School.  Progress is being made and there are truly reasons to celebrate.  Let us reflect on ways to truly improve our local Three Rivers to benefit all citizens in Fort Wayne.

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization’s 2^nd Annual Berlin Music Pub Benefit Show ~  Was VERY FUN! Thank you to all the dedicated people who made this day possible!       
Presented by BMP Pro & TME
The SumMorz - 10pm
Taylor Fredricks - 8:30pm
To The Point - 7pm
Azraels Revenge - 5:30pm
Selenium - 4pm
Corey Rhymez - 12:30am
11M12D - 12am
Twisted Aversion V1.0 - 1am
The 6 Foot Maniac
Count Grootmaniac - 1:30-2am

WHAT ELSE: Featured Pudding Wrestling, Live Music All Day Long, Games, Prizes, Drawings, An Evening Cookout, Acoustic Performances Throughout The Day!  It was interesting that I received an email that said it was vulgar and sexist that we were having pudding wrestling….well, just so you know the only people that got splatted with pudding was Save Maumee’s own Ryan Bailey and Abigail Frost-King! If you missed it…you really missed it! HA HA!

*Fort Wayne Local Bands Come Together For A Great Cause & To Give Back To Its City, With A Mix Of Rock, Metal, HipHop, Alternative, Punk, Acoustic, & Cover Tunes ALL DAY LONG!

THURSDAY - September 15th, 2011 at 5:30pm ~ IDEM (Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management) held a public meeting to discuss air permitting for Steel Dynamics Inc. (SDI) All statements will be considered to make a decision whether to issue or deny the permit. IF you would like to make a comment it NEEDS to be postmarked before Monday night at midnight or email Doug Wagner before midnight at dwagner@idem.in.gov or call him at 317-233-2629

***Concerns from citizens have risen due to  Steel Dynamics Inc. applying for air quality permits for its new copper rod production facility in New Haven that will create 35 jobs.  Remember: What goes up into the air, must come down…into our waterways and land.  Based on equipment capacity, IDEM  permit will allow this one plant to release; 71,703 tons of greenhouse gases, 88 tons of particulate matter, 68 tons of volatile organic chemicals, 66 tons of nitric oxides, 23 tons of sulfur oxides, 9 tons of hydrochloric acid, and nearly 4 tons of formaldehyde and 1.2 tons of hexane. So COME TO THE MEETING (above) (Journal Gazette, “SDI joint venture applies for air permit”)

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, “Copper plant plans gathering opposition”
EPA-Steel Dynamics on clean-air violations
http://blog.savemaumee.org/category/chemicals-in-your-water/
Full Draft Permit - 143pgs.

~  Save Maumee’s 6th Annual Earth Day 2011 was a GREAT SUCCESS!  ~  CLICK HERE FOR OUR FUNNY VIDEO!

OR   CLICK HERE TO SEE THE STATS FROM EARTH DAY 2011

Watch our Earth Day Video from 2010!

Watch Save Maumee’s 2011 PSA

Thank you for your continued support ~ Help us to speak for your rivers!

Sincerely,

Abigail Frost-King

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization Founder
Watershed Expert
Indiana Master Naturalist

Save Maumee is a 100% citizen driven, volunteer, environmental restoration group that works to improve the Maumee River in Fort Wayne through work and awareness raising; To have a positive impact on the 24 million people who depend on clean water downstream…We all live downstream!

www.savemaumee.org
blog.savemaumee.org
Facebook - OUR NEW PAGE - hope you LIKE us!
Twitter
A Greener Indiana

Posted in Save Maumee Update, Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

6th Annual Save Maumee’s EARTH DAY FUNNY VIDEO!

25. April 2011 by admin.

Well, we are considered a good natured bunch, with a sense of humor…

See our attempts at getting some nationwide attention!  We gave a funny shout out to Ellen DeGeneres, John Stewart, Jimmy Kimmel, Steven Colbert & Oprah.  We figured any media attention is good attention, even if it is a little tainted!  We think that all the trash we pull out of our Three Rivers in Fort Wayne is ridiculous and wanted to share a little satire in our Earth Day efforts.  We have been accused of being “rough around the edges and a little crass,” so we did not want to disappoint!  Remember, we are a 100% unpaid volunteer group, so you get what you pay for!  Dirty rivers, however, are no laughing matter.  Let it be very clear though, we only want clean water, clean rivers and reduced pollution and we are willing to do something about it.  It is one thing that brings us all to a consensus.  Thank you for your continued support!

Thank you to everyone who make our events a complete success….AGAIN!

The first 30 seconds are specific to the celebrity, and the rest of the 2 minute video are basically the same.

For Ellen DeGeneres Video

For John Stewart Video

For Steven Colbert Video

For Oprah Winfrey Video

For Jimmy Kimmel Video

Our official statistics for our 6th Annual Earth Day alone:

• 2 TONS of trash removed from our rivers & riparian area and floodways
• 480 Native Trees planted
• 150 lbs of approved DNR native seed planted
• 4,000 sq. ft. of erosion control mats installed
• $1,000 dollars worth of pre-grown plants (plant plugs)
• Raised awareness successfully for 322 men, women and children that attended our open non-house!  THANK YOU!

Posted in IN affects Great Lakes, Save Maumee Update, How Fort Wayne, Indiana Waterways, Local Pollution Story, Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

Information from Earth Day Happenings…Update to follow soon!

19. April 2011 by admin.

Save Maumee’s 6^th Annual  EARTH DAY 2011 Celebration!
Coordinated by Save Maumee Grassroots Organization

         

Safety Sheet – Please take a moment now and read!

o       DO NOT PICK UP ANY BOTTLES CONNECTED TO A TUBE: IT MAYBE   
 A  METH-LAB *DO NOT TOUCH*DANGER*Find someone in a Save Maumee shirt.

o        Go on your walk with a buddy so you can help and watch each other!

o        Do not walk on unstable stream banks, disturbing these banks-including the vegetation growing upon them-can accelerate erosion and lead to a collapse.  Some of the plants you step on may have been planted by another participant! Be part of the solution, not part of the problem! NO STEPPING ON PLANTS.

o       Don’t pick up any hypodermic needles, or other medical or hazardous waste or animal carcasses’ or manure but please notify someone to dispose of anything in question.  DO NOT TOUCH DEAD BIRDS. (bird flu & notify someone)

o       We only want adults picking up sharp objects like glass because we do not want any children handling anything on which they may accidentally cut themselves. Adequate adult supervision is required at all times for anyone under 18!    
                               **DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN ON A RIVERBANK**

o       DO NOT TAKE OR MOVE TURTLES, CLAMS OR FROGS it is illegal

o       Be alert at all times for holes or obstacles near the riverbank, wear shoes that are in good condition and have traction there is always the potential for harm.

o       We require gloves for hands, and shoes for climbing…you will get muddy.

o       Be alert for stinging insects and animals do bite.

o       Beware of plants. Watch for poison ivy, poison sumac, poison oak, and other skin-irritating vegetation.  REMEMBER: leaves of three…let them be.

o       The water is very cold, and moves quickly, no matter how calm it seems!   

Keep children away from water and don’t get in or fall in!  Death can occur in 6 minutes in cold water.

o   Never wade in swift or high water, currents can sweep you away quickly!

o   Any open soars or blisters would be a risk for infection because of the unsanitary condition of the river and/or things that may have sat in river water.

o    Do not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs because injury would be more likely.

o   Never drink the water ~use hand washing buckets with sanitizer to clean hands often, and be wary when eating and drinking if your hands have been in contact with stream water or garbage. – Use our cleaning station where you checked in!

o   We DO like insects, they feed many things ~ DO NOT KILL THEM.

IF YOU DO NOT SIGN THE LIABILITY WAIVER PLEASE DO NOT PARTICIPATE!  This is a volunteer event and we want everyone safe, but we are not responsible for illness, injuries or death, AND we have cameras that may take your picture, so please sign the waiver if you haven’t already and have everyone in your group do the same.

 

This day is for you, our river and our larger community…to be enjoyed by ALL!

The River truly thanks you from its bottom!

How it works:

 Thank you for participating in Earth Day 2011 Celebration.  Please…sit down and speak to someone and speak to everyone! There are many educators and activists here that want to share with you!  Smile at strangers.  WE want everyone to love the rivers as we do!  We are always excited about how much we have to plant and restore this year!  It took all year to raise this much money for only seed and erosion control mats! Please donate TODAY for Earth Day 2012, we are only citizen sponsored, and 100% volunteer but this is a FREE event that takes much coordination.

1.  Sign in and REGISTER FIRST, SIGN LIABILITY WAIVER and listen/read any information being presented about our rivers. – Many people are around - Talk to someone – READ THE SIGNS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE TENT FOR EXACT TIMES OF ACTIVIES– Walk over to seed / plant / shovel station afterwards.

 2.  Plant seeds on your walk AND/OR Trees.  Don’t walk on new life please!

 Planting Seed: - Planting Midwestern Prairie Grass Erosion Control Mix & suggested by Earth Source Inc/Heartland Restoration & Save Maumee’s Seed from / Fox Island Seed Gathering underneath 4,500 sq ft of erosion control mats TODAY.

              a.   Find a good area where grass needs to grow and may not get washed away    
                             by the first rain.
b.  Stir up some dirt with your shoe/rake/ stick.
c.  Sprinkle some seeds in the raked up dirt
d.  Cover the newly planted seeds with the dirt you stirred up.
e.  Step-on the freshly planted seeds to hold them in the earth, SECURE the soil.

 

Planting a Tree:

      a.       Pick out a tree you would like to plant in an area further than 10ft from larger trees. – Don’t forget to grab a shovel!
b.      Plant all the roots into the soil so they are suspended, not cramped roots.  Preferably in very-moist soil
c.       Secure it firmly with the leftover soil and step all around it so the soil will not move if we have a rain event in the near future.    

     3.  Pick up trash on your way back to the large dumpster.     

            a.   Don’t walk farther than you want to walk back.
b.      Remember the suggestions on the safety page.

   GOOD JOB! This is grassroots organizing at its finest!  ~
               The benthos community THANKS YOU!

 

TIMES for SPECIFIC 2011 EARTH DAY FESTIVITIES:
Check out signs on BOTH sides of the tent for exact location of activities.

11AM - Sign in at the Information Table and go for a walk, wonder what all the buildings contain around your waterways, see it for yourself, notice the beauty in your surroundings.
- Sounds of Saturn will be our groovy entertainment till 1ish!

 11:30AM  -Judith Nastally ~ Neuhouser Nursery Native Plants & discussing specifically about the plants we will be installing TODAY!

NOON -  Dr. I.C. Coldwater talks about local water issues upstream and downstream.

NOON REMOTE SITE VOLUNTEERS LEAVE for large scale measured clean-up
- BIG BURLEY PEOPLE and helpful hands – Bring your truck, shovel and pull chains and cameras ~
- If you want to make a difference this is IT! 
- YOU HAVE the time it takes to remove one-and-one-half hours worth of trash from our rivers…GO
- RETURN TIME 1:45….BIG BURLEY PEOPLE and helpful hands RETURN to Niagara Drive for MEDIA BLITZ @ 1:45PM

1PM ~ Bob Dispenza from Allen County Parks speaks on energy and water conservation and demonstration of a car conversion battery pulse and glide driving!
- The Wilderness will be rocking us into the afternoon!

1:45PM ~ MEDIA BLITZ…calling all media and river lovers!  Bring your homemade sign for our media blitz and we need your help.  Have a good time with it! A MUST SEE! You will laugh. Find our sign making area by the face painting.

2:30PM~ Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehab presents native raptors in the area ~ SSSHHH WE NEED TO BE QUIET it disturbs these wild raptors of prey.

3:00PM ~ Environmental Children’s Story Time.  Written by Save Maumee’s Earth Literacy Master Bruce Allen

3:30PM ~ Save Maumee STOMP - YOU planted it! We have to make sure it is secured into the ground! The river raises and falls quickly because all the trees have been removed and replaced with large stones.  STOMP the soil around the plants and burry the seeds with your pressure.  WATCH OUT for new growing life and don’t STOMP that!

What are all these seeds we are planting all day? Joe Pye Weed, Prairie Cord Grass, Common Milk Weed, Tall Ironweed, Bidens, Switchgrass, Yellow & Gray Headed Coneflower, Monarda, Rosinweed, Spiderwort, Big Blue Stem, Cup Plant, Rice Cut Grass, Virginia & Canada Wild Rye, Prairie Dock, Prairie Dropseed, Mountain Mint, New England Aster, Yarrow, Lemon Queen, Grey Goldenrod, Dogwood Berries, Black Eyed Susan, Evening Primrose, Fox Glove, Nodding Onion and RASPBERRY BUSHES.

What Trees are we planting today? 210 Hazelnut, 60 Burr Oak, 40 River Birch, 40 White Swamp Oak, 28 White Oak, 20 Flower Dogwood, 20 Butterfly Bushes, 10 Tulip Poplars, 8 Red Oak, 6 Red Maple – A total of  442 TREES!

What are the plant plugs? $1,000 worth of pre-grown plants include – 245 Carex lacustris,  147 Glyceria strata, 147 Heliopsis Helianthoides, 98 Hystrix patula, 98 Carex muskingumensis, 3 Silphium perfoliatum, 3 Elymus villosus!

What else throughout The Day?

• MASSIVE seed planting for everyone and 4,500 sq. ft. of erosion control mats installed TODAY!  Want to know what about the plants? Come to the 11:30 explanation of each plant by Judith Nastally! All seed and chaff weighed approximately 150lbs.
• Largest Save Maumee erosion control project to date - 4,500 sq. ft of GeoJute (coconut mesh) will be installed over native DNR approved seed blend TODAY and completely disintegrate in 4 years, leaving a nice mesh of grasses.
• Sounds of Saturn will be playing between 11am-1pm – an encore for your rivers!
• The Wilderness - non-fiction rock band playing originals and jam out classics ~ making the play for a 5th time at a Save Maumee event @ 1pm-4pm
• Make a Sign - supplies are limited or BYO sign & use it at 1:45-TELL US HOW YOU LOVE MOTHER EARTH!
• Bag Monster makes his debut at Save Maumee’s Earth Day
• Face Painting
• Andy’s Horse Tours and Rentals - we couldn’t get a big enough truck with a hitch to transport on a Sunday and it was going to cost $400 for transportation costs~ BOO but we love our friends & see you next year!
• Chuck & Birds ~ LOCAL grown food served to you on the riverbanks! 11:30-1
• Sports & Spirits on Anthony Blvd. serving 20 pizzas at 3pm
• Health Food Shoppe snacks
• Old Crown Roasters Coffee
• REUSABLE water bottles from ACRES Land Trust & US ARMY & Upper Maumee Watershed Partnership. – DON”T BUY BOTTLED WATER
• Pick up lots of educational material and read it later!

Looking for the things you find on your riverbanks

-Largest Trash–    Most Likely to Contaminate Our River Trash–   Funniest Trash–                  Weirdest Trash-  Most Interesting Find-   Most Useful Trash - BEST Little River Hero (1 boy – 1 girl)    -    Hardest Worker River Hero -   Largest Unified Group of River Heroes -   

PRE 2011 Save Maumee Stats: Because YOU: REMOVED 9 tons of GARBAGE from the Rivers and Riverbanks of the Fort Wayne Area -PLANTED over 1,000 trees 800 lbs of DNR approved native riparian seed installed over 10,000 sq ft of erosion control mats planted 50 native fruit trees, 50 raspberry/blackberry bushes, harvested 56 lbs worth of seed and raised awareness SUCCESSFULLY! – Planning to plant several hundred pounds of seed TODAY!

NO CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP: 100% donations from our local citizens go only and directly to best management practices for naturalization of riparian areas - this is what grassroots organizing is all about! ALL VOLUNTEERS~ All money came from: Grateful Music Productions/Save Maumee Rock Out-Camp Out, Berlin Music Pub’s PUNK PARTY, Save Maumee Earth Day 2010, Save Maumee Canoe Clean-Up 2010, Save Maumee Presents: Sounds of Saturn & Les Nester at Dash-In, Sports & Spirits Bar & Grill.  Namnaste to many small monetary donors! Save Maumee did not raise as much money as last year but we are very proud to supply you with these effective erosion control techniques for OUR riverbanks!

What is the Media Blitz @ 1:45PM?

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization is attempting to make national T.V. ~ we want the media to help us draw attention to our efforts and many issues that face our waterways because we want CLEAN WATER.  If you do not want to be video recorded, be aware of the cameras and keep working out of sight & sign the waiver. ~ EVERYONE WELCOME!

We hope you will…just roll with it and have a good time!

#1 Look like you are having the time of your life, SMILE, dance, hula hoop, juggle, be funny and show excitement.  Free expression time!

#2 Gather close together at the designated sign: “Media Blitz Here @1:45.”

 #3– We will be giving a shout-out to the following people & hold up signs for:

YELL: WE LOVE YOU _____________________

———————————————————————————————-

#1 – Ellen Degeneres –  The Wilderness plays for our dancing pleasure-DANCE
#2 – Jimmy Kimmel – We will mention Harry Baals our former mayor
#3 – John Stewart – We will mention Harry Baals our former mayor
#4 – Steven Colbert – STEVEN STEVEN STEVEN – chant his name
#5 – Oprah Winfrey – We want you to know what is happening to your Great Lakes
#6 - Dr. Oz – we want to know about the contaminants that are in our water and what long term exposure does to our body?  Cryptosporidium, Mercury, PCB, Heavy metals, non-pharmaceutical grade fluoride, hexovalent chromium, Perchlorate, phosphorous?

———————————————————————————————-
Each of the celebrities will get about 10-20 seconds of us yelling for them…then we will CUT and start the next designated person.

 GOT IT?  Impromptu grassroots organizing?

 Disclaimer: Save Maumee does not carry power as to the fate of our rivers.  YOU DO! People need to feel more connected to each other, to nature, and to the things that are most valuable.  We feel a personal connection to our waterways and love our rivers and we want you to as well.  Civic duty and helping your fellow man should be words that fall from your mouth continuously.  We want this event to leave you hopeful and empowered.  Please realize that we all want the same thing  - CLEAN WATER.  Water is a right not a luxury and keeping pollution out of our rivers is our priority.  We do not talk politics, but you are making a political statement by being here. 

 “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, dedicated citizens can change the world… indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”                        -Margaret Mead

Special THANK YOU from Save Maumee to the following people who helped bring all of us together this year! Our events are FREE but ALL donations go to projects like this one! Give till it hurts – OUCH!

Heartland Communities Inc. 501 © (3) Non-For Profit tax exempt umbrella sponsor.

Allen County Soil & Water Conservation District – 410 Bare Root Trees

Soaring Hawk Raptor Rehab – Birds of prey non-for-profit rescue group

Do-It Best & Home Depot – Shovels, Rakes, hoes & GREAT extras

Top Notch Tree Service (Kenny& Becki) – greenhouse & consultation

Heartland Restoration /Earth Source – Chaff, seed, plants, consultation Eric Ummel

Partnership for Water Quality – Matt Jones – awareness raising & education

Judith Nastally – seed, plant & tree education about the specific plants

City of Fort Wayne – Waived our Assembly Permit Fee for the 3nd time!

Old Crown Coffee (Mike & Jen) – Coffee & drinkin’ supplies

Health Food Shoppe & American Rivers– All natural snacks & trash bags

Camp Potawotami  -  20X15 tent

Citizens Action Coalition-Printed Material, long-distance calls, endless paper

Save Maumee Grassroots Org  - Erosion Control Mats / raspberry bushes / T-Shirts / stickers/ native local seeds & general fun provider

USA Air Force / ACRES Land Trust / Upper Maumee Watershed Partnership – donated REUSABLE bottles – STOP BUYING SINGLE USE WATER BOTTLES!

Hall’s Triangle Park - gloves, 5 gallon buckets, trash bags

Chuck & Bird’s Market, Bistro & Home Delivery serves high quality foods grown and produced by our local farmers and artisans!

Summit City Noise – Save Maumee banner & demonstration

Bob Dispenza from County Parks Dept. – showing us his homemade “green” vehicle

City Utilities Solid Waste Dept-      30 yard dumpster

Fox Island & County Parks:  Use of land for seed gathering

Allen County Public ACCESS -  Produced the Earth Day for several years now!

The Wilderness  & Sounds of Saturn– Live entertainment  - Rivers LOVE music

Green Dog - Goodies for your pet ~ prizes!

Indiana Computer Service – Web & Computer expert consulting provided

Phi Theta Kappa – Alpha Kappa Nu Chapter IPFW – advertizing & labor

Lydia Savitz & Jason LaMont & new-born Lee!  Port-A-Jon donation

Sports & Spirits on Anthony Blvd. – pizza and plant/seed purchase

PRINTING! WE ALWAYS NEED PRINTING - but got it from Shannon Gill & Becky Tietz

Greatful Music Productions – PA system and all their time! Thanks Doug & Rose!

Friends of the Rivers – matched us $1,000 worth of plant plugs! (pre-grown plants)

Marissa Jones, Ryan Bailey, Grace Strahm, Liz Magno, Rebecca Tietz, Mike Miller, Ellen Ley, Bruce Allen, Craig Thorne, Greg Konger, Burk, Les Lesser, Dan Murray, Jen Hancock, Dana Jinx, Brian Foster, Melanie McKinnley & Wade & Davis King– All do whatever Save Maumee asks!

…AND ALL OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO HELP EVERYDAY AS VOLUNTEERS  The heart of grassroots belongs to PEOPLE who donate time, supplies, money, expertise - or ALL of these things!

Posted in Save Maumee Update, Plants/Trees and Sustainable Planting, Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

Save Maumee’s 6th Annual Earth Day Celebration

6. April 2011 by admin.

~ Save Maumee’s 6th Annual Earth Day 2011
~ SUNDAY April 17 ~ WE are here for the cause….CLEANER WATERWAYS AND AWARNESS
~ 11AM - 4PM ~

All Ages ~ Rain or Shine ~  Action & Education ~ Seed Planting & Large Scale Erosion Control Project ~ Free Fun

Open-Non House…working on improving your rivers with only citizen sponsorship and 100% volunteers since 2005!  Looking for your back muscles!

See where to find the Earth Day fun CLICK HERE:

**Sign in and REGISTER FIRST and listen/read any information being presented about your rivers in Indiana - please sign the liability waiver, or you cannot participate.  (just keeping the lawyers happy :))Save Maumee Grassroots Organization is dedicated to raising awareness about the conditions of the 3 Rivers in Fort Wayne, Indiana while facilitating ecosystem restoration projects; ultimately repairing and improving the St. Joseph, St. Mary and Maumee Rivers. Revitalizing the St. Joe/Maumee Watershed will protect and restore the environment, while improving the economic, aesthetic and recreational value.  We are organizing hypothesis driven restoration projects, which place a high priority on monitoring, developing and restoring rivers with a positive environmental impact. Research into historical importance of our navigable waterways and current pollution conditions began in 2001 and Save Maumee began bank-stabilization projects in 2005 to begin the slow process of reversing years of pollution.

Watch our Earth Day Video from 2010!

Watch Save Maumee’s 2011 PSA

What else has been going on?

*Tree removal on Fort Wayne riverbanks due to potential levee disturbance: Save Maumee’s Response

*Saints on the Streets in Fort Wayne supporting cleaner waterways by encouraging homeless to clean up their streambanks…Save Maumee is proud that other groups and excited to know that other groups are working for the cause.

* HR 872 passed in the House: This exempts pesticides users who spray over water from obtaining a Clean Water Act permit. It will allow our waters to be polluted with high levels of pesticides which will damage public health and the environment. This legislation is a disaster.

Grand Lake St. Mary’s died in Ohio, so how is land application of industrial waste products being passed in Indiana HB 1112?  This will allow a variance from previously illegal land application of industrial waste products that were adopted by the water pollution control board for safety of citizens!  Another article may explain why this bill has been introduced.

* Save Maumee & other environmental groups made it to Washington D.C. for 2011 Clean Water Week! - See what we said

* Save Maumee has created a Public Service Announcement, and eagerly await play circulation!

* Our Save Maumee Presented at the Dash-In: Sounds of Saturn & Les Nester and brought in enough money to buy an entire bag of Midwestern Prairie Grass @ $530 per acre - we will be placing this under the erosion control mats!  Thank you everyone for making a GREAT evening with FREEBEE giveaways from: Green Dog, Neuhouser Nursery, Hall’s, Fort Wayne Outfitters/Bike Depot & Save Maumee goodies!

* Find out when the sewers discharge in Fort Wayne Rivers: To receive an alert email from City of Fort Wayne click here

* IF you think that The Maumee River is disgusting, this may give us a fresh perspective!

Other Happenings Around Town

April 29 through May 8th  - BUY A PAIR OF SHOES - Come on in to Fort Wayne Outfitters / Bike Depot and buy a pair of Patagonia Shoes! (rumored to be the most environmentally friendly shoes on Earth).  These two businesses are donating proceeds from sales of Patagonia Shoes to Save Maumee!

April 16   - Annual Eagle Marsh Clean-Up from 10:00am to 12:00pm
Meet at the Eagle Marsh barn for this annual clean-up to help remove litter from our restored habitats. Plants, wildlife and hikers will benefit. Please wear boots and bring gloves.

April 22  - Earth Day Tree Planting from 3:30pm to 4:30pm -
Meet at the Eagle Marsh barn. A tree planting at the largest habitat restoration project in the area is a wonderful way to spend some time on Earth Day. Join us to plant native trees and shrubs at Eagle Marsh. Please call 260-478-2515.

April 27th - Community-based Green Infrastructure FREE public webinar, you can use Save Maumee as your watershed group!
Register here

April 29 -   Arbor Day Tree Planting at Eagle Marsh from 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Senator Richard Lugar is sponsoring a tree planting at the largest habitat restoration project in the area to celebrate national Arbor Day. Plant native trees and shrubs in areas at Eagle Marsh. Please call 260-478-2515 or email b.yankowiak@lrwp.org if you will be bringing a group or if you are interested in being a team leader.

April 30th & May 1st - Sol-Fest at Fox Island – Celebrating the outdoors with food, music & sun. If you want to participate in the fun or run a booth. Check it out  http://allencountyparks.org/parks/fox-island/sol-fest-2008/

3rd Tuesday of every month - Green Drinks is looking for someone to organize Fort Wayne Green Drinks!  Please email Julia Gorrel at greendrinksfortwayne@gmail.com or 260.418.0071

June 25, 2011 - Riverfest on the banks of the St. Joe at IPFW!  Fun includes sea plane & water ski show, pontoon/kayak/canoe trips, fireworks, live entertainment on the rivers. Come & Celebrate the positive things about our rivers!  -  Steel Dynamics Inc. is title sponsor for RiverFest, sitting at the table with Save Maumee we look forward to the transparancy of business practices improve the health and wealth of our rivers!  Call Dan Wire (260) 580-7415 to get involved or check out://ipfwriverfest.org/

September 17, 2011-  Save Maumee’s 5th Annual Canoe Clean Up, Can YOU Clean Up? 
11am- 4pm Free canoes from Fort Wayne Outfitters Bike Depot with ID.  Spend a fun day with family and friends on the river cleaning up and educating yourself!  Canoe Clean-Up Details HERE

October 4 OR 24, 2011- Save Maumee’s 4th Annual Seed Harvest at Fox Island Nature Preserve 1pm - 4pm, exact date to be announced depending harvesting availability.   Seed Harvest Details HERE

===============================
Why Save Maumee chooses Earth Day?
“So long as the human species inhabits the Earth, proper management of its resources will be the most fundamental issue we face. Our very survival will depend upon whether or not we are able to preserve, protect and defend our environment. We are not free to decide about whether or not our environment “matters.” It does matter, apart from any political exigencies. We disregard the needs of our ecosystem at our mortal peril.” ~
~~U.S. Senator & Congressman Gaylord Nelson ~ Earth Day Founder [EPA JOURNAL, April 1980]

Our group is citizen driven only and 100% volunteer.

Thank you for your interest and caring about our local waterways! We ALL live downstream!

www.savemaumee.org
blog.savemaumee.org

Facebook - OUR NEW PAGE!
Twitter
A Greener Indiana

Posted in Links to Information YOU should know, Save Maumee Update, Indiana Waterways, Local Pollution Story, SM in the News!, Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT!

26. February 2011 by admin.

Greetings River Lovers ~ Happy Pre-Spring!

Upcoming Save Maumee Events ~ Working to improve your waterways all year long!

TODAY ~ Saturday February 26, 2011 Save Maumee Presents another FUN & educational evening!

Enjoy yourself at Dash-In with us and live entertainment to celebrate awareness and forward progress coupled with great LIVE MUSIC and delicious FOOD & DRINKS and door prizes!

Who is playing:     Sounds of Saturn      9pm-11pm -  cosmic vibrations & instrumental jazz
Les Nester               11:30pm- 2 am-ish - scintillating sound

Location: Dash-In (814 Calhoun Street, downtown Fort Wayne, IN 46802)
Time: 9pm-2am (ish)
Age: 21+,
Cost to improve your waterways: $3 cover OR $5 gets you in the door AND in the raffle for door-prizes:
What door prize?: Neuhouser Nursery Gift Basket, The Green Dog-dog bathing, and Fort Wayne Outfitters/Bike Depot compostable water bottle/t-shirt and free canoe/kayak rental for 2, Save Maumee T-Shirts, $25 GAS Gift Certificate, Hall’s Gift Certificates! ~Drawing throughout the evening…Must be present to win.
Check out Facebook Invitation HERE

All proceeds go to riverbank restoration materials for Save Maumee’s 6th Annual Earth Day 2011!

Other Upcoming Events for 2011

• Sunday April 17, 2011 ~ Save Maumee’s 6th Annual Earth Day!  11am-4pm on Niagara Dr. on the north side of the Maumee River.
  Fun includes clean-up and planting, Soaring Hawk presentation, Horse Tours, river and environmental education, and so much more!
  Click here for more Earth Day Details
• Date (?weekend after Earth Day?) TBA - Mother Bed Planting - at the Save Maumee / Top Notch Tree Service Greenhouse
• September 17, 2011-  4th Annual Canoe Clean Up, Can YOU Clean Up?  11am- 4pm Free canoes from Fort Wayne Outfitters Bike Depot with ID.  Spend a fun day with family and friends on the river cleaning up and educating yourself!  Canoe Clean-Up Details HERE
• October 4 OR 24, 2011- 3rd Annual Seed Harvest at Fox Island Nature Preserve 1pm - 4pm, exact date to be announced depending harvesting availability.   Seed Harvest Details HERE

We have also discussed having ACTION MEETINGS.  We meet and discuss our plan of what to do in a time frame of 1 month.

Suggestions have included so far:

• “I will go with a friend of mine and pick up trash and record it and put it on YouTube by next month.”
• “My plan of action is to make a poster board with all the water related issues locally, so people can understand through cartoons.”
• “I will write an article of how I feel about our waterways for Save Maumee Blog by next month.”
• “My band will play for a Save Maumee Benefit.”
• “I will go to represent northeast Indiana and Save Maumee in Washington D.C. for Clean Water Week the first week in March.”
• “I will write my views about pollution in my water and send it to my Congressman, Senators and House of Representatives.”

THIS is how grassroots organizing does it! Everyone just does one thing with their talents… and 30 goals can be accomplished in one month!  We all have different talents and Save Maumee is willing and able to put them to good use to benefit our rivers.  Since we are all unpaid volunteers it takes a community to improve WATER QUALITY.  We are looking for input (and action) on our non-traditional ways to move forward and progress towards cleaner water!

Posted in Save Maumee Update | Print | No Comments »

Seed Harvest Update & River Stuff!

20. December 2010 by admin.

Save Maumee Seed Harvest 2010 Update:

 

Harvesters…the river thanks 30 of you, for all the seeds gathered for our 2^nd Annual Seed Harvest at Fox Island.  Save Maumee is noteworthy of recognition for true improvements on your riverbanks (riparian areas) and continue to be the key word in today’s environmentalism…SUSTAINABLE!  WE could not do it without YOU.  We plucked the following and will plant our harvested seed at Earth Day 2011! ~ A grand plan in the works.  We will be sending a hard working group to a remote site at NOON on Sunday April 17^th, 2011.  Save Maumee 6^th Annual Earth Day begins at the usual spot at 11AM. Working on website updates right now.

 

 

 

What did we pluck from the generous nature preserve, Fox Island, and what will we be planting for Earth Day?  Estimates of seed weight and prices.

 

The following in blue is a price list from Heartland Restoration/Earth Source Inc. (2010 quotes)

 

Big Bluestem: $12/LB                            Save Maumee collected approx . 5.5 lbs = $66

Canada Wild Rye: $14/LB                      Save Maumee collected approx.  4.5 lbs = $63

 Indian Grass: $8/LB                               Save Maumee collected approx.  3lbs = $ 24

                                                                 3 types of grasses totaling 13lbs  = approx $153.00

 

Tall Iron Weed: $225/LB                         Save Maumee collected approx.               3lbs = $675

Wild Bergamot: $352/LB                        Save Maumee collected approx.   2 lbs = $704

Gray Headed Coneflower: $105/LB         Save Maumee collected approx.   1.5 lbs = $157.50

Common Milkweed: $7/oz, $108/LB        Save Maumee collected approx.   1 lb = $108

Switchgrass: $2/oz                                Save Maumee collected approx.    2 oz = $ 4

Prairie Dropseed: $18/oz                       Save Maumee collected approx.    2 oz = $36

Mountain Mint: $43/oz                            Save Maumee collected approx.    2 oz = $86

New England Aster: $21/oz                     Save Maumee collected approx.    1.5oz =$31.50

Prairie Dock: $18/oz                              Save Maumee collected approx.    2oz = $ 36

Yarrow: $2/oz                                        Save Maumee collected approx.    1oz = $2

Lemon Queen:$23-50/oz                        Save Maumee collected approx.    5 oz = $125

Grey Goldenrod: $450/lb                        Save Maumee collected approx.    1 lbs = $450

Dogwood Berries: $36-50/lb                    Save Maumee collected approx.    2.5 lbs = $100

Black Eyed Susan:$6/oz                        Save Maumee collected approx.    2oz = $ 12

Cup Plant: $10/oz                                  Save Maumee collected approx.    1oz = $ 10

Evening Primrose:$5/oz                         Save Maumee collected approx.                1oz = $ 5
Joe Pye Weed: $36/oz                           Save Maumee collected approx.                7 grams = $3

Fox Glove: $10/oz                                 Save Maumee collected approx.                1oz = $ 10

 Nodding Onion: $22.50/oz                     Save Maumee collected approx.                7grams = $ 10.

Natives totaling approx. 14lbs = $ 2,565

 

So how much is all of this worth in dollars saved by plucking it ourselves?

 

GRAND TOTAL:   $ 2,718 WORTH OF SEED!!! THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!

 

 

 

 

Hope you can make it to our river efforts on at our 6^th Annual Earth Day! 2011

 

Check out the video clips from Save Maumee’s Earth Day 2010: 
(6 parts total 10 mins each)

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDLiDxJshO0 - planting

Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUaG7Qu0Muc – the people!

Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgXM7wKl1ic bird demo

Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WTR_-jXh3o

Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sGE9tXF5VM enviroscape demo

Part 6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTe0bPgPM7g – my personal favorite that shows the RESULTS of our efforts!

 

 

 

Last Save Maumee Fundraiser for 2010 – PARTY for Merriment!  

Wednesday December 22, 2010 4:30PM – 9PM  at Nuhouser Garden & Gifts
 4605 W. Jefferson (just southwest Jefferson Pointe) Maybe last ditch efforts to buy Christmas gifts?

 

Neuhouser Nursery will be throwing a party for Save Maumee.
~Food from Paula’s on Main and Dash-In
~Various wines from Hall’s Triangle Park & Gas House
~Sample Amish made foods and to learn about your local waterways!
~Show support, meet friends, and enjoy holiday cheer!
~All natural dog treats, catnip toys, Christmas decorations, party gifts,
gardening tools and more!
~Bring a non-perishable food item for the Food Bank or gently used winter
attire for the Rescue Mission (men’s, women’s, and children’s) and get 20%
off of any one item!
~15% of all proceeds goes to riverbank stabilization projects!

 

 

Official Events Schedule for Save Maumee 2011! **All events are rain or shine**

 

ü      February 2011-(TBA) Benefit show with bands

 

ü      Sunday April 17, 2011- 6th Annual Earth Day Maumee River Clean Up 11a.m. to 4 p.m.- Niagara Drive, North side of the Maumee

 

ü      Saturday September 17- Canoe Clean Up Can YOU Clean Up? 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free Canoe with ID from Fort Wayne Outfitters Bike Depot!

 

ü      October 4 OR October 24, 2011- Date TBA due to harvesting availability
 Fox Island Seed Harvest 1p.m. to 4 p.m.

 

Information at your fingertips:

blog.savemaumee.org/ - many relevant articles

 

Just a little example:

1 out of 8 fish in Indiana had levels of Mercury considered damaging to humans & animals http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/46275/

 

 

Merry Christmas and a very warm Season to all!  Keep working toward a better Earth throughout every Season!

 

Sincerely,

Abigail King

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization Founder

 

In November Abigail King was also nominated to the Board of Directors for Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor, http://www.maumeevalleyheritagecorridor.org/

 

 

Save Maumee Grassroots Organization was formed to create awareness about the conditions of the Three Rivers in Fort Wayne, IN, while facilitating ecosystem restoration and volunteer based projects.  Revitalizing the Upper-Maumee Watershed will protect and restore the environment, while improving the economic, aesthetic and recreational value.  We are organizing projects that place a high priority on monitoring, developing, protecting and restoring rivers with a positive environmental impact. Ultimately, we work to repair and improve the St. Joe, St. Mary (upstream), and the Maumee Rivers (and downstream) to help reverse years of pollution. This will be accomplished through an Upper-Maumee Watershed Management Plan for the State of Indiana and Ohio which will be necessary to secure federal funding for the entire watershed that crosses the political boundaries of; 2 states, 4 counties and many municipalities.

 

100% donations from you go only to best management practices for naturalization of riparian areas - this is what grassroots organizing is all about ~ ALL VOLUNTEERS ~ The money in 2010 came from Grateful Groove Fundraiser, The Berlin Pub Music Party & B-Rad, Rock Out-Camp Out by Grateful Music Productions, Earth Day 2010, Canoe Clean-Up 2010, Sports & Spirits Bar & Grill, Greg Konger and the last one of the Season, Neuhouser Nursery Fundraiser. Namnaste to many small monetary donors! Save Maumee did not raise as much money as last year but we are very proud to supply you with these effective erosion control techniques for OUR riverbanks!

 

Posted in Save Maumee Update, Plants/Trees and Sustainable Planting, SM in the News! | Print | No Comments »