Congratulations to Sierra Club's Kathryn Hohmann and Brett Hulsey (Midwest
Office) for their recognition with this award.

Jane Clark
Iowa Chapter Chair
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Subject: FEMA Honors Sierra Club Staff for Work to Protect Wetlands
Author:  Allen Mattison at Sierra-Club-DC
Date:    1/24/2000 2:59 PM



     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    CONTACT:
     January 24, 2000                         Rebecca Hauger, 415-977-5526

           FEMA HONORS SIERRA CLUB STAFF FOR WORK TO PROTECT
                      WETLANDS, REDUCE FLOOD DAMAGE
              Sierra Club Among First Environmental Groups
                    to Receive FEMA Award in Recent Years

     WASHINGTON -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) tomorrow
     will honor two Sierra Club employees for their efforts to save the
     nation's wetlands and protect communities from floods.  The awardmarks

     the first time in recent years FEMA has recognized the disaster
     prevention work of an environmental organization.  FEMA will recognize
     the Sierra Club's Kathryn Hohmann and Brett Hulsey with the FEMA Award
     for Outstanding Public Service for their leadership in protecting
     wetlands in the wake of the 1993 Mississippi River floods and in the
     years since.  David Conrad with the National Wildlife Federation is
also being honored.

     "The Sierra Club is delighted that FEMA and other government agencies
     are working with the environmental community to meet common goals,"
     said Hohmann, Director of the Sierra Club's Environmental Quality
     Program in Washington, D.C.  "Working together is just good common
     sense.  By combining efforts, we can protect more wetlands and save
     more families from flood disasters."

     "Environmentalists and FEMA are linking arms to fight sprawl and
     protect families from floods," stated Hulsey, Senior Regional
     Representative with the Club's Midwest office in Madison, WI.  "With
     leadership from FEMA, we're making strides in stopping developers from
     building in our nation's wetlands."

     The Sierra Club is currently working with FEMA to revise the national
     wetlands permit program.  This rubber-stamp program, which has
     approved more than 85% of all development proposals, will now have
     safeguards to protect the nation's floodplains.

     "By working together with FEMA to reform the permit rules, we can
     protect our precious wetlands and keep people out of harm's way,"
     added Hohmann.  "Plus, the reforms will mean taxpayers don't have to
     financially bail out homeowners who bought properties in places along
     the floodplains -- dangerous places to call home."

     Wetlands are the first line of defense against flooding.  Wetlands
     soak up rain and store excess floodwater runoff, then slowly release
     the water back into streams, lakes, and groundwater.  With more than
     115,000 acres of wetlands disappearing each year, the Sierra Club is
     working to protect these fragile ecosystems while saving families from
     floods, protecting water quality, and restoring wildlife habitats.

     "The goal of the Sierra Club wetland protection program is
     three-fold," said Hulsey.  "We want to protect families from flooding,
     protect habitats that store flood water, and educate citizens on the
     hazards of building in floodplains."

     The efforts of the Sierra Club have proven to dramatically decrease
     flood damage.  In the 1995 flooding of St. Charles County, Missouri,
     the Sierra Club helped reduce flood damage 95% by working with
     homeowners to relocate their homes away from the floodplain.  The
     Sierra Club has also helped save over 100,000 acres of wetlands along
     the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers using the wetlands reserve program
     and fish and wildlife refuges.

     The Outstanding Public Service Award is given to employees of Federal
     agencies, state and local governments, private citizens, and
     organizations in recognition of significant contributions to the field
     of emergency management or service.  More information on the award can
     be found at <www.fema.gov>.  More information on the Sierra Club
     campaign to protect wetlands can be found at
     <www.sierraclub.org/wetlands>.

                                        # # #

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