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"Show me MO Green"

JEFFERSON CITY - The vice president of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) in Nigeria and a fellow Nigerian environmentalist came to Missouri's Capitol Wednesday to participate in Environmental Lobby Day.

"Environmental destruction is a global issue," said Noble G.B. Obani-Nwibari, MOSOP's vice president.

He and Godfrey Tanen, a MOSOP activist, currently are living in exile in St. Louis after having been forced to flee their country because of their opposition to the oil company Shell.

The two charge that Shell's drilling practices on the land of the Ogoni-people have caused immense environmental destruction and human suffering.

Obani-Nwibari said that Shell has still not taken on its responsibility for clean-up of oil spills from past years. "They have done nothing for the environment. Instead they are buying arms for the military to fight the Ogoni-people. More than 2,000 Ogonis have been killed."

Wednesday was the second annual Missouri "Environmental Lobby Day" that brought environmentalists from across the state to the Capitol.

Under the slogan "Show Me MO Green", the "Coalition for the Environment" comprising more than 30 different local, national and international environmental groups, expressed its concern for the environment and suggested amendments to several bills that have been introduced in the House and the Senate.

"The main thing we want to stress is that we are building a broad coalition of organizations and individuals who understand that a clean environment is essential to public health," said Pat Waterston, President of the Coalition for the Environment.

The activists want to raise awareness of environmental issues not only among the public but also among legislators through "citizen action."

"Citizens should inform their legislators of environmental problems," said Waterston.

"Only if you are informed can you get a handle on the situation,"she stressed.

The Coalition wants a change in the Missouri Air Conservation Law regarding the restrictions that apply to the enforcement of stricter than federal standards. Currently, the DNR cannot enact clean air provisions that are stricter than federal provisions.

Also, the activists want to see urban sprawl limited where it damages the environment. The activists argue that controlled planning would benefit not only the environment but also urban dwellers.They also are pushing for strict regulation of billboards along highways.

In order to revitalize downtown areas and curtail urban sprawl, the Coalition strongly supports a Senate bill that would give tax credits on property that was historically restored.

As a grassroots organization, the Coalition is also lobbying for an environmental justice bill that would create a commission to study why environmental hazards are disproportionately often located in minority and low income areas.

In addition, the groups favor a campaign finance reform which would allow public funding of elections of candidates, thus restricting the influence of interest groups with a lot of money.

Waterston stressed that "all these issues are interconnected." She also made clear that environmental issues always have a global dimension as well.