If Lancaster's new Sierra Club group were a person it would probably wear sensible hiking shoes.
The group has an altogether practical name — The Lancaster Group —and a disarmingly single-minded mission: improving air quality.
Lancaster County Sierrans have long worked informally to do just that, said Ellen Milligan, who noted that Lancaster was No. 11 last year on an American Lung Association list of American cities with the worst air quality.
Milligan has spearheaded the Sierrans' efforts for the past three years.
During that time, they partnered with Mayor Rick Gray, LIVE Green and others on the Cool Cities program to cut Lancaster emissions, among other projects.
They will take part in the Sept. 13-14 "Wheels, Wheels, Wheels" car and motorcycle expo in the city and also go door to door giving out 1,000 compact fluorescent lightbulbs in the Sixth and Seventh wards.
Other ongoing efforts include educating people about hybrid and electric cars, land preservation, sustainable farming and water quality.
Local Sierrans belonged previously to the Harrisburg-based Gov. Pinchot Group. July 1, the club OK'd its petition to go independent.
The designation "provides us with financial support and technical support and direct communication with the national office," Milligan said.
The group will also put up a new club-sponsored Web site, Milligan said. She expects the group to send out three newsletters a year and elect officers by the end of 2008.
Meetings will be held at 6:30 p.m. in Room 111 of Lancaster Country Day School, 725 Hamilton Road.
Meetings are scheduled for Aug. 20, Sept. 11, Oct. 15 and Nov. 13 and will be held in conjunction with a 7:30 p.m. speakers series that is free and open to the public.
Lecture coordinator Barbara Bromley said the talks began in June with a presentation by Amy Crystle of Lancaster Farm Fresh.
The series resumes in September, when Brian Moyer, of Green Haven Farm in Berks County, discusses his sustainable livestock operation.
This is the second time that Lancaster has spun off from the Pennsylvania chapter.
Local Sierrans previously ran their own group for several years, beginning in 1992.
But the club's ranks here have since swelled to nearly 1,000 members.
"It made sense to break off from the Gov. Pinchot group," said Carl Kanaskie, who handles publicity for the Lancaster Sierrans.
The Lancaster Group will temper its work agenda with nature outings, Kanaskie added.
"We probably will continue to have two or three hikes a year."
Jon Rutter is a staff writer for the Sunday News. His e-mail address is jrutter@lnpnews.com.
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