National Sierra Club President to be Featured Speaker at Lake County Open Space Celebration

LAKE ZURICH, ILL., August 31, 2015 -- Aaron Mair, the first African American to be elected national president of the Sierra Club, will be the featured speaker during the Open Space Celebration—Stop the Rt. 53 Tax Hike, September 19, at Heron Creek Forest Preserve in Lake Zurich, Illinois.

The free family-friendly event, sponsored by Livable Lake County and the Sierra Club, starts at 2 p.m. and runs until 5 p.m.

Mair will discuss how smart, sustainable development can position communities to compete effectively in a 21st century economy, reduce reliance on costly fossil fuels, and reduce air and water pollution. He will touch on forward-thinking alternatives to cars and smart public transit investments that can strengthen communities economically while making them healthier and more livable.

Mair, of Schenectady, New York, is an epidemiological-spatial analyst with the New York State Department of Health. He joined Sierra Club in 1999 after leading a decade-long battle to shut down a polluting solid waste incinerator in an inner-city community in Albany, New York. Mair also was a key figure in leading the fight in the Clean Up the Hudson campaign, which resulted in a settlement to dredge toxic PCB sediments from the Upper Hudson River.

Throughout his tenure with the Sierra Club, Mair has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to grassroots action, environmental justice, and transforming the culture of the Sierra Club to welcome all people, regardless of their race or socio-economic status.

The Open Space Celebration will highlight the open spaces that Lake County residents will continue to enjoy once the proposed Rt. 53 extension is rejected. The event will feature live music, fun and educational activities for children, and a hike along the proposed tollway corridor.

For more information about the Open Space Celebration, call 708-581-8653 or email livablelakecounty@gmail.com.

Event Summary

What: Open Space Celebration—Stop the Rt. 53 Tax Hike
Where: Heron Creek Forest Preserve, 22890 N. Old McHenry Road, Lake Zurich, IL 60047 [map]
When: Saturday, September 19, 2015, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
RSVP and questions: 708-581-8653 or livablelakecounty@gmail.com

RELATED LINKS:
http://www.stopthert53taxhike.org

About Stop the Rt. 53 Tax Hike Campaign and Livable Lake County

Stop the Rt. 53 Tax Hike is a movement begun by the Livable Lake County coalition to prevent construction of the unaffordable, unneeded and unfair Lake County Rt. 53/120 extension. The campaign’s grassroots volunteers and partner organizations aim to educate the public and elected officials about the extreme $2.65 billion cost of the proposed project and the certainty that it will spur inefficient and environmentally devastating suburban sprawl.

Livable Lake County is a coalition of concerned citizens advocating for preservation of the livable quality of life and natural resources of all of Lake County, Illinois. We support forward-thinking, sustainable economic development and transportation, preservation of open space, and clean air and water. We oppose fiscally irresponsible and environmentally damaging projects such as the proposed extension of Route 53.