Sludge Meeting Update-by Chris Keohan

We had another tremendous meeting last night. Over 40 people showed up to take on leadership roles within our ever-expanding group. Paul from Toxics Action Center showed us the steps that we need to take to become a fully organized group that can help us Stop the Sludge! It is also a pleasure to welcome Carrie Dancy of East Somerville Main Streets. She will be instrumental in getting our group to expand into the Somerville area. Mayor Curtatone sent 2 representatives from his office and they are eager to help in any way they can. We will also continue to reach out to other active groups in order to continue to grow and expand our reach. I hope that everyone can continue to forward these emails out and tell people that Boston's project is definitely not a done deal.

While I will continue to help organize the overall campaign, we have decided to have 5 "Team Leaders" that will take the lead on specific tasks for the group. The leaders are:

MEDIA: Pat Johnston
The media group will organize people that are willing to write letters to the editor, editorials, etc. They will also help coordinate events that we expect to get press at, and organize people to call media outlets in order to get our project more air time.

POLITICAL PRESSURE: Peter Napolitano
The political pressure group will organize people to write letters to elected officials and decision makers. They will also organize people to make phone calls, send faxes, etc.

COALITION RECRUITMENT: TBD
We currently have many people working to expand the group, as well as bring in other organized groups to expand our reach. Groups like East Somerville Main Streets and Toxics Action Center will be integral to reaching out to the other cities involved in fighting this project. I will spend most of my time working with this group, but would love to have someone take it on as the Team Leader.

The coalition recruitment group will work to contact other activist groups, recruit businesses to allow signs, pamphlets and petitions, and expand the amount of people working to collect signatures, make calls, and go door to door to educate people.

*This group will eventually be able to filter all newly signed up volunteers to the other working groups based on what each volunteer agrees to do. Members will have to work closely with the other groups in order to educate, expand, and evaluate our progress.

Experts/Information Research: Peter Aliberti
The experts/info research group will work to gather as much information on the project as possible. Their other responsibility will be to seek out experts on Environmental Justice, Rivers, land management, etc. that would be willing to help out our cause pro bono.

FUNDRAISING: TBD
We recently applied for a grant from the Grassroots Environment Fund and are waiting to hear back. To further our efforts we must reach out to other groups that give grants, ask members to help, find donors, and solicit local businesses/others that will be affected by this project. By raising money we will be able to produce pamphlets, make signs, advertise, etc. Although this will not be very expensive, any amount of money raised will help us to fight Boston. *Remember, anytime we make copies or print something out it costs someone money.

Thank you all for all of the work that you have done, are doing, and will do in the future. Together we will stop Boston and put everyone on notice that the people of Everett, Somerville, and Charlestown will not be the dumping ground for Greater Boston any longer. We have taken our fair share of the pollution. Now is the time for everyone in this area to realize the benefits of clean air, water, and land.

Keep up what you are doing; if you're interesting in participating in any of the above groups, please contact me, and I'll forward your name to the appropriate team leader.

I will be in touch soon about a major meeting for all of the surrounding communities in the next month or so to gain major press for our cause.

Chris
(617) 892-2765