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About Us:  The National Citizens Cement Kiln Coalition has access to tremendous knowledge and resources through its partnerships and affiliations including permit engineers, media experts, and strong grassroots organizers.  These organizations have educated citizens about the harmful effects of air pollution, generated national attention regarding cement kiln emissions, offered consulting and support to other grassroots organizations, and demanded practical and common-sense growth solutions related to the cement industry.

Downwinders At Risk - Downwinders at Risk is a North Central Texas based environmental health and air quality organization committed to reducing air pollution coming from cement kilns in Ellis County and throughout the United States.  Downwinders at Risk is supported by more than (5,000) local citizens and has raised over $220,000 to litigate the incineration of hazardous waste in cement kilns.  Over the past (10) years, this organization has successfully built alliances with the Sierra Club, the Sustainable Energy & Economic Development Coalition (SEED Coalition) of Austin, Public Citizen Texas, League of Women Voters, American Lung Association of Texas, Friends of Hudson, Scenic Hudson, and many other regional and national grassroots organizations.  It has diligently maintained relationships with the media and has become a source for air quality research in North Texas as well as a national clearinghouse for cement kiln issues.  The group produces a newsletter called “Smoke and Mirrors,” which is sent to members and many out-of-state contacts, including elected and appointed officials, citizen activist and media sources.  Downwinders At Risks holds both a 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) status. (On the web at www.DownwindersAtRisk.org)

Friends of Hudson/Open Space Institute (OSI) - Founded in January 1999, Friends of Hudson is a grassroots organization with over 3,200 members dedicated to educating and informing the general public on issues related to the proposed St. Lawrence Cement plant.  The mission of the organization is to promote quality of life in the mid-Hudson Valley by: protecting public health, air and water quality, as well as scenic, historic, and agricultural resources; advocating smart and balanced development; and supporting the work of the Open Space Institute by empowering citizens to protect their environment.  Led by a fifteen-member board, the group takes timely and responsible action, based on scientific research, legal expertise, risk/benefit analysis, and professionally-crafted plans.  Currently, Friends of Hudson has gathered over 11,000 signatures in opposition to the proposed coal-fired St. Lawrence Cement project in Greenport/Hudson, New York.  Open Space Institute.  The parent organization and fiscal sponsor for Friends of Hudson is the Open Space Institute, Inc.  The Open Space Institute has been at the forefront of land conservation efforts in the region for over 20 years.  (On the web at www.FriendsOfHudson.com)

Scenic Hudson – Scenic Hudson, Inc. is a 39-year-old nonprofit environmental organization and separately incorporated land trust dedicated to protecting and enhancing the scenic, natural, historic, agricultural and recreational treasures of the Hudson River and its valley.  To date Scenic Hudson has protected 18,000 acres of land in 10 counties and created or enhanced 29 parks and preserves for public enjoyment. Scenic Hudson leads the Hudson Valley Preservation Coalition, a sixteen-member group that has "party status" in the NY state application review of the proposed St. Lawrence Cement Plant in Columbia County NY. The Hudson Valley Preservation Coalition comprises of local, region and national environmental, historic preservation and business groups opposing the St. Lawrence Cement Co. plant.  Its membership includes Citizens for a Healthy Environment; Citizens for the Hudson Valley; Clover Reach; Concerned Women of Claverack; Environmental Defense; Historic Hudson, Inc.; Hudson Antiques Dealers Association; Historic Hudson Valley; Hudson River Heritage; Hudson River Sloop Clearwater; Natural Resources Defense Council; New York League of Conservation Voters; Riverkeeper; Scenic America; Scenic Hudson; and Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter. (One the web at www.ScenicHudson.org)

Montanans Against Toxic Burning –Montanans Against Toxic Burning is a broad based group including health professionals, small business owners, educators, students, ranchers, builders, and many other concern citizens that seek to raise public awareness about the threat of waste incineration to public health and the environment.  They are opposed to the burning of dangerous waste (hazardous, toxic, solid, medical) in cement kilns not designed for that purpose. (On the web at www.notoxicburning.org)

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