Nebraska EVA chapter works in tandem with the Sierra Club 

Since the Eastern Nebraska Electric Vehicle Association (Eastern NE EVA) joined forces with the Nebraska Sierra Club (NE Sierra Club) at the chapter’s inception in 2016, the mutual benefit has been off the charts. 

“The partnership has been critical for the success of our chapter,“ said Eastern NE EVA Past-President Albert Lierz, explaining that while the chapter makes the decisions about electric vehicle (EV) outreach events, the Sierra Club uses its extensive communication system, as well as its financial and volunteer resources, to support the efforts.  

“The treasurer of the Nebraska Sierra Club acts as treasurer of our EVA chapter and the key communications volunteer for the EVA handles the website, newsletter, surveys, and other communications for both groups,” Lierz said. 

The two are joined in the political arena as well. “Because the Sierra Club isn’t an IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit like us, it can do something we can’t: endorse political candidates,” Lierz said, adding that NE Sierra Club’s legislative committee has a “very powerful chair and very active members” who take the Eastern NE EVA members’ advice.

Additionally, the Sierra Club, with Eastern NE EVA’s support, was influential in electing a majority of environmentalists onto the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) Board of Directors. 

“We’re actually the only state in the U.S. where all electricity is provided by publicly owned power districts,” Lierz remarked. “This board has an aggressive goal for going electric with more vehicles and charging stations.”

Even more influence…

“The Sierra Club has the only pro-environmental lobbyist working in the state legislature,” Lierz continued. “Again, as a charitable non-profit, we can’t lobby ourselves, so we go through him. He’s active in promoting EVs and charging infrastructure, and he turns to our chapter for help.”

“Remember that the Sierra Club focuses on supporting nonprofit educational agendas, and that’s what we have,” Lierz continued about Eastern NE EVA. “We’re a great fit for each other.”

Started with NDEW

Lierz had been leasing EVs for five years—two Nissan Leafs followed by a Chevy Bolt—when his friend Clyde Anderson, the longtime treasurer of the Nebraska Sierra Club who at the time was also chair of the organization’s Transportation and Urban Sprawl Committee, asked him to organize a Sierra Club event for National Drive Electric Week (NDEW).

“So I did, and that’s where we met the EVA people,” said Lierz. “We founded the Eastern NE EVA that year based on this Sierra Club relationship.”

Remarked Anderson, “We thought it was better to help these folks spin off as an EVA chapter rather than form a new organization under the Sierra Club umbrella. We’d done that successfully before; Nebraskans for Solar went off on their own, others have too. It allows the Sierra Club to maintain our core mission, and it enables the leaders of the other organizations to lead.”

For the Eastern NE EVA, partnership with the larger Sierra Club would “draw in new people that we wouldn’t get by ourselves,” said Lierz, who explained that many members of the larger organization have joined the EVA chapter.  

“We’ve been fortunate that the Sierra Club has co-sponsored our NDEW and Drive Electric Earth Day events. They’ve helped us purchase signs and they’ve funded other small projects,” Lierz said, adding that the chapter uses the Sierra Club’s Zoom account.

Eager to leave COVID behind

Lierz said that Eastern NE EVA activity went somewhat dormant during the pandemic, but that the chapter used the time to organize, plan future events, and establish a website and newsletter.

“We already have six parades set up,” Lierz said about upcoming months. “We can actually be in 10 parades between April and October, and we’ll probably do all ten.”

According to Lierz, parade participation works well because “you can get your cars in front of people who have no experience with EVs. Participating in events like Earth Day is great, but you’re getting the choir; you’re getting the liberal eco folks. You need to step away from that a bit.”

In that spirit, the chapter is hoping to host a ride and drive at the final game of the Omaha Storm Chasers, the area’s Minor League baseball team, in September. Chapter member Bill Moore, who has hosted evworld.com for over 20 years, is spearheading the event. 

“Werner Park is asking for $10,000 for the space we need,” Moore said. “We’re looking for sponsorship from Omaha EV dealerships to see if we can make it work.”

Impressive chapter organization 

The active Eastern NE EVA members are divided into three committees, the first in charge of the parades, participation in car shows, and other events, and the second in managing the speakers bureau and participation at event info tables.

“We are focused on getting a good speaker bureau going,” Lierz said. “A lot of organizations—Kiwanis, women’s clubs—need speakers. They’re grateful for a presentation on EVs, and they give a decent amount of time to have a conversation with 30 or 40 people. We hope to have the speakers bureau in full swing during our severe winter season in lieu of our outdoor activities.”  

The third group, an executive committee, meets regularly to run the chapter.

On the legislative front

With support from the Sierra Club, the Eastern NE EVA’s latest foray in Lincoln was to  help develop a plan for installing chargers across Nebraska funded by VW Clean Air Act Civil Settlement money. 

“Nebraska won’t spend a dime on promoting driving electric, but they had this VW money,” Lierz explained. “We didn’t submit a formal plan, but we were influential in helping the legislators think the plan through.”

Lierz is hopeful that all of this activity will increase the EV numbers in Nebraska. 

“We still have a long way to go,” he concluded. “We’re a large state with a small population, so we have a specific set of problems, but it’s been great to see so much progress so far.”