Meet Julie Wintersteen

Iam incredibly honored to be a member of the MEIC team! I was born and raised in the West and am in love with the Western landscape. It’s my sanctuary and my grounding place and, as such, I am excited to be able to join the fight for the protection of the places I hold dear.

I have a background in earth sciences, earning both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Montana State University. My focus of study was biogeography, and in particular, the climatic and land use changes over the years that affect the lower timberline in the Madison range. Historical data clearly illustrated to me how human actions lead to environmental changes and, if not recognized and addressed, lead to irreversible changes. That knowledge has been driving me ever since.

More recently, I have been fostering relationships, developing strategies and working with donors and alumni for a college at MSU. I am eager to bring those skills to MEIC and do what I can to increase MEIC’s impact in Montana and the West. I have been an active member of Trout Unlimited in Livingston and have fought for clean water and healthy fisheries in the Yellowstone watershed.

I’m happy to be a part of MEIC and look forward to getting to work!

Environmental Injustices (continued from page 21)

Butte’s Greeley Neighborhood

Butte is no stranger to mining nor to the serious environmental impacts associated with both historic and modern operations. Montana Resources currently operates an open-pit operation in Butte that is causing impacts to the air quality for the Greeley Neighborhood, one of Butte’s most historic and lowest income neighborhoods that is directly adjacent to the mine.

Specifically, the mine generates an enormous amount of dust associated with the blasting, hauling, and crushing of the ore. The debate is ongoing as to whether the dust is a mere irritant or represents a much more substantial health threat. Residents of the Greeley neighborhood believe it is far more than a minor nuisance.

In 2020, 60% of Greeley residents were living at the poverty level. They have brought their concerns in numerous forums and fashions to the Butte-Silver Bow government, as well as to DEQ. Responses have been largely pro forma, including the health impacts of the dust and holding community forums. What hasn’t happened? Anything at the mine in response to reasonable requests by the Greeley residents to address, abate, and mitigate the activities that are harming a vulnerable population.

While Butte is a heavily industrialized area with a long history of mining, its land and its people should not be treated as a sacrifice zone and a sacrifice population.

What Do a Pandemic and the Climate Crisis Have in Common?

by Cari Kimball

I’m not sure about you, but when I read news about the pandemic or the climate crisis, I often cycle through a trajectory of feelings, from alarm to frustration and ultimately to anger. The longer I look, the more I notice commonalities between the pandemic and the climate crisis.

In general, we know what prevents the coronaviruses’ spread: ventilation, spacing, masking, and vaccines. The American Academy of Pediatrics, Center for Disease Control, and every other public health institution and expert in the nation recommend these measures, which should not be controversial.

But disinformation campaigns have muddied the waters. Some school districts where students are mostly unvaccinated aren’t even requiring masks in elementary schools. It’s maddening to see policy decisions likely to result in many people needlessly getting sick and even dying.

Similarly, we know that the climate crisis is real and caused by greenhouse gas emissions and a warming climate. Research indicates we need to stop burning fossil fuels yesterday. But for decades, disinformation has delayed critical progress.

In February 2021, biased media coverage blamed the Texas power outages on renewable energy failures. In reality, coal piles and gas lines froze, and deferred investments in grid maintenance and weatherization weakened the system. Icecovered wind turbines were a small part of a big problem, but fossil fuel interests jumped to fearmongering. Within a day, we heard Montana legislators point to disinformation from Texas to justify continued coal and gas reliance that deepens the climate crisis. As with COVID-19, we saw disinformation contributing to decisions that generate more suffering than if rigorous science was informing policy.

FDA officials recently indicated that vaccines for kids under 11 likely won’t come until this winter. Oofda. Pandemic survival is more of a marathon than a sprint. But we’ve seen endurance pay off for MEIC so many times over the years. That was the case recently when we learned that Montana DEQ denied part of a Rosebud Coal Mine expansion permit. The decision will keep 66 million tons of coal in the ground- that’s more than 138 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, more than the annual emissions of 16 million homes. Like most MEIC wins, this victory represents years of persistent work.

At times during pandemic life, going it alone sounds easier. If I’m just managing my immediate family pod, I don’t have to accommodate anyone else’s schedule, priorities, or COVID-19 risk analysis! But, dang, having friends and family to troubleshoot, vent, commiserate, and play with is what has kept me afloat so far. That has always been true in MEIC’s climate action work: When the going gets tough, we lean on one another. Our Board, staff, members, and partners make it possible (and downright enjoyable!). So, thank you for contributing your time, energy, talent, and resources to this pivotal work. We simply cannot do it without you.

MEIC is a nonprofit environmental advocate whose purpose is to protect Montana’s clean and healthful environment.

Board President: Kathy Juedeman

Board MeMBers:

Gary Aitken Bruce Bender Charles Besancon Skye Borden Malcolm Gilbert Steve Gilbert Diana Hammer Roger Sullivan Beth Taylor Wilson Neal Ullman

MeiC staff:

Anne Hedges Derf Johnson Cari Kimball Adam McLane Melissa Nootz Conor Ploeger Katy Spence Julie Wintersteen

P.O. Box 1184 Helena, MT 59624

P.O. Box 1375 Missoula, MT 59806 (406) 443-2520 www.meic.org meic@meic.org

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