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Storm in the Gulf
When two powerful politicians paved the way for the drilling of oil and gas in the Gulf Islands National Seashore they did not expect opposition from a coalition of unlikely environmentalists.

The Gulf Islands National Seashore is a thin necklace of pristine barrier islands off the coast of Mississippi. But through a manipulation of the recently passed Energy Bill, a clandestine clause in the Patriot Act, and old fashion quid pro quo money politics, Republican Governor (and former RNC Chairman) Haley Barbour and Republican Senator Thad Cochran have paved the way for drilling under this national park.

What these politicians hadn't planned on was opposition by a coalition of unlikely environmentalists that include: a patrician Southern woman (and lifelong Republican) who's family donated part of an island to establish this park, a third generation oyster fisher, and a national park ranger who's risking his career to speak out.

These are just a few of the growing numbers of Mississippi coast dwellers who have banded together to expose and shame Governor Barbour and Senator Cochran for selling the states' most valued natural treasure to oil and gas companies for a series of campaign contributions.

As the Sierra Club's cameras were there filming this episode, the category 5 Hurricane Katrina was within days of hitting the Gulf Coast forcing the crew to pull out. They returned to find massive devastation of land and property but the people were resilient. In fact, the destruction could have been much, much worse proving that the coalition and everything they said was right on target. Now, their fight goes on as they rebuild their homes and continue to protect the islands.

Sierra Club Chronicles
In the planetary struggle to protect the environment, we often forget that this is a war waged every day on neighborhood streets, fishing boats and in firehouses by people fighting to protect their homes, their health and their jobs.

Sierra Club Chronicles, a new monthly television series produced by award winning filmmaker Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films in association with Sierra Club Productions captures the dramatic efforts of committed individuals across the country working every day to protect the health of their environment and their communities. Molly O'Brien co-executive produces and Richard Ray Pérez serves as director and supervising producer on the series.

For more information about the Chronicles series, visit the Sierra Club TV website.