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DEFENDING ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA
April 9
"A refuge to me means a land of last resort. I take my grandfather's legacy in Alaska very seriously." -Susan Eisenhower on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, created during her grandfather's presidency
(1)ENERGY: Nevada Governor Rejects Dangerous Nuclear Dump Plan
(2)WILD FORESTS: Big Timber Wants to Rewrite the Rules
(3)VOLUNTEERISM: Sierra Clubbers Answer the Call to Service
(4)TAKE ACTION: Crunch Time on the Arctic
1. Nevada Governor Rejects Dangerous Nuclear Dump Plan
It could be back to the drawing board for the Energy Department. Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn yesterday vetoed a risky DOE scheme to transport thousands of tons of highly radioactive nuclear waste from around the country and store it at Yucca Mountain, just 90 miles from Las Vegas. Now Congress will make the call.
Yucca Mountain sits on top of a vital source of drinking water. Scientists can't guarantee that the site won't leak, threatening the health of thousands in the area. But it's not just Nevadans who are nervous: trucks and trains carrying radioactive waste would pass through 45 states, exposing 50 million Americans to the risk of nuclear radiation, and creating countless new targets for terrorists. That's a scary thought, whether you're from Nevada, New Hampshire, or anywhere in between!
For more information on this dangerous idea, go to https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/09/politics/09YUCC.html
And: https://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-000025393apr09.story?coll=la%2Dheadlines%2Dnation
2. Big Timber Wants to Rewrite the Rules for Wild Forests
Some people just don't know how to compromise. The Northwest Forest Plan, drawn up in 1994, struck a balance between logging interests and the need to protect our wild forests. It allowed logging of about 800 million board feet per year, while still putting millions of acres of land off-limits. But now the Forest Service, under pressure from the timber industry, wants to tilt the equation further away from protection.
The Forest Service's attempt to change the rules is only more of the same: over the last 14 months, the Bush administration has issued a string of directives aimed at allowing development of many of our wild places, under the guise of reasserting "local control". Most "locals" don't benefit from having their backyards drilled, logged, mined, or ravaged by snowmobiles and other off-road vehicles. But many of the industries who funded the Bush campaign do!
For more information on the threat to the Northwest Forest Plan, go to https://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/front_page/10182669612435969.xml
3. Sierra Clubbers Answer the Call to Service
President Bush has been talking a lot lately about the need for Americans to volunteer for public service. And Club members in Utah heeded the President's words last weekend, when 30 showed up at San Rafael Swell. They came to protect the wilderness area by helping federal officials control off-road vehicle abuse.
It worked: hardly any ORVs were found in protected areas, and the feds were definitely grateful for the help. The volunteers were so gung-ho about the project that they even had a four-star chef drive all the way from California to feed them afterwards. Now that's the kind of spirit the President should appreciate. Just one thought: wouldn't it be nice if the government had the resources it needs to protect our wild places all by itself?
4. Crunch Time on the Arctic!
At last, the moment of truth has arrived. The biggest environmental struggle of the last twenty years could come to a vote this week, as the Senate prepares to consider Arctic drilling. And we need one final push from you.
Drilling the Arctic would destroy one of our last remaining areas of pristine wilderness for six months worth of oil, doing nothing to increase our energy independence. Let your senators know you're watching what they do. Call the Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your senators. Then click below to send an email directly to them: https://www.sierraclub.org/action/?alid=18&st=curr
"Future generations should be able to explore our wild lands with the same sense of excitement Lewis and Clark felt 200 years ago"
Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director
(1)WILDLANDS: Sierra Club Report Reveals Threats to Treasured Western Species and Wildlands
(2)NATIONAL MONUMENTS: Shifting Monument Boundaries Would Not Stump Arizona Sprawl
(3)HEROES: Nominees Sought for Goldman Prize
(4)TAKE ACTION: Help Women and Children Around the World
1. Sierra Club Report Reveals Threats to Treasured Western Species and Wildlands
Lewis and Clark must be spinning in their graves! Of the scores of plant and animal species identified by the famed explorers 200 years ago, many have dwindling populations or are completely extinct. That's the verdict of a Sierra Club report released today which provides a snapshot of the current condition of some of the West's most symbolic natural heritage, using the Lewis and Clark journals as a historical guide.
There are some success stories: elk, beaver and pronghorn are all doing better today than they were 100 years ago. But the report shows a stark contrast between what our country looked like 200 years ago, and what it looks like today. It's not too late to save many of these species for centuries to come through increased protection. What better way to honor the memory of Lewis and Clark?
For a copy of the full report, go to https://www.sierraclub.org/lewisandclark/species/index.asp
2. Shifting Monument Boundaries Would Not Stump Arizona Sprawl
Agua Fria National Monument faces the terrible twos! Local congressman Bob Stump wants to shift the boundary of the two-year old national monument, opening up ecologically diverse lands to development along highway I-17. The monument lands, which are only 40 minutes from the center of Phoenix, represent some of the last undeveloped areas near the city and contain some of the best-preserved archaeological ruins in the region.
Lifting protections would open a 20 mile corridor to all types of development, including new mining claims, expanded cattle grazing, and suburban sprawl all the way to Flagstaff. By giving developers the green light to speed ahead, Arizona motorists may have to trade sage bushes and open space for strip malls and slurpees. That's a chilling thought.
For more information on the fight to protect Agua Fria, go to https://www.arizonarepublic.com/news/articles/0329aguafria29.html
3. Nominees Sought for Goldman Prize
Know any environmental heroes? Someone who has shown creativity and courage in the struggle to defend our natural world? Don't keep it a secret. The Goldman Prize, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize for the Environment", is awarded each year to six outstanding grass-roots environmentalists, one from each inhabited continent. Sierra Club has been asked provide North American nominations, and that's where you come in.
This prestigious prize recognizes outstanding achievement in an environmental issue. It could be anything from protecting rivers and forests, to fighting toxic pollution in disadvantaged communities, to preserving indigenous peoples' environment and traditional way of life. If you know someone who fits the bill, contact Sam Parry (sam.parry@sierraclub.org) at the Sierra Club ASAP! The May 18th deadline is just around the corner, so don't delay - environmental heroes deserve to be recognized!
For more information on this award and for a list of past recipients, go to https://www.goldmanprize.org
4. Take Action to Help Women and Children Around the World
President Bush is backing down on a promise we made to the world, just when America needs as many friends as possible. He's refusing to release funds for a vital U.N. family planning program that works to save women's lives and ultimately ease environmental pressures in developing countries. Congress has long since approved the U.S. contributions, but the religious right and anti-family planning groups falsely claim that the program supports China's one-child policy. It doesn't. The program would provide China and other countries with VOLUNTARY family planning models to improve the lives of women and help the environment worldwide.
You can help. Call the White House at 202-456-1414 and Press 1 for the White House Office of Comment. Urge the President to release funding for the United Nations Population Fund. Then click below to send a message directly to your senators.
https://www.sierraclub.org/action/?alid=45&st=curr
"Remember these words from two old ice cream guys: if it's melted, it's over." Ben and Jerry on global warming
(1)GLOBAL WARMING: Ice Cream, Music, and the Environment - What a Combination!
(2)NUCLEAR POWER: Watch NBC's The West Wing this Wednesday April 3rd at 9pm EST
(3)FACTORY FARMS: Lawmakers Pulling Cloak and Dagger Routine
(4)TAKE ACTION: Stop Destructive Mountain-top Removal Mining
1. Ice Cream, Music, and the Environment - What a Combination!
Most people don't need another reason to eat ice cream. But they got one today, when Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, popular musicians the Dave Matthews Band, and some leading environmental groups including the Sierra Club teamed up to announce the launch of the One Sweet Whirled Campaign.
The campaign, which gets its name from Dave Matthews' eco-anthem "One Sweet World", uses a new Ben and Jerry's flavor (we hear it's got caramel, coffee, marshmallow, and fudge swirls - yum!) to fight global warming. People pledge to make small changes in their personal lives - such as driving 15 fewer miles per week - to reduce the amount of global warming pollution they create. And a percentage of the proceeds from the ice cream sales go to organizations that are working to fight global warming. Now that's some ice cream you can feel good about eating!
For more information on this sweet idea, go to https://www.onesweetwhirled.org
2. Watch NBC's The West Wing this Wednesday April 3rd at 9pm EST
An accident involving the transportation of dangerous radioactive waste endangers the health of tens of thousands of Americans! A true story? Thankfully, no - it's just the plot of Wednesday night's The West Wing - for now. But this nightmare scenario could happen if advocates of a controversial plan to store nuclear waste underground in Nevada get their way.
The Energy Department wants to transport 77,000 tons of radioactive waste through 43 states, then store it in Nevada's Yucca Mountain. It hasn't fully studied the potential consequences of a disaster, and is relying on outdated information to assess the risks. A Senate vote is approaching on the scheme, and opposition is mobilizing. In the meantime, watch The West Wing Wednesday for a dramatic depiction of the hazards of nuclear waste transportation and storage. Talk about reality T.V!
For more information on this dangerous plan, go to https://www.ananuclear.org\stopnucleartransport.html
3. Lawmakers Pulling Cloak and Dagger Routine
What is it with secrecy in politics today? Finding out who administration officials met with in formulating their dirty, dangerous energy plan has been like pulling teeth. Now this: a Republican-backed measure in Congress would prevent the public from knowing which factory farms receive federal subsidies to clean up their pollution!
Last year an environmental group posted the information on its website, but some farmers and ranchers called the site an invasion of privacy, though they were happy to take the money. Many corporate-owned factory farms benefit from the program, receiving taxpayer dollars to help clean up the mess they've created. No wonder they 're embarrassed to admit it!
For more information on pollution caused by factory farms, go to https://www.sierraclub.org/factoryfarms/
4. Take Action to Stop Destructive Mountain-top Removal Mining
The fight to stop destructive mountain-top removal mining isn't over. The EPA is playing down the issue, claiming the changes it's proposing won't threaten clean water laws. In fact, mountain-top removal mining involves literally blowing apart the tops of mountains to reach seams of coal. The millions of tons of waste generated are dumped into nearby streams, severely polluting waterways and inundating local communities with dirt, dust, and noise.
On Wednesday April 3, participate in a National Call-in Day. Call EPA Administrator Christie Whitman at the following numbers, and leave a message if you don't get through:
202-564-4700 202-564-4711 202-564-6999
Tell Whitman that burying waters under mountains of waste would change a 25 year-old regulation and violates the Clean Water Act. America's air and water should be protected from the dirty, dangerous practice of mountain-top removal mining.
For more information on destructive mountain-top removal, go to https://www.sierraclub.org/wetlands/mining.asp
"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" Aristotle
(1)ENERGY: Senate Fails to Make the Grade
(2)PUBLIC LANDS: 30,000 Americans Want our National Monument Lands Protected
(3)WILD FORESTS: Sierra Club Halts Oregon Clear-Cut
(4)TAKE ACTION: Use the Recess to Tell your Senators - Protect the Arctic Refuge!
1. Senate Fails to Make the Grade on Energy
Key tests on Arctic drilling and a sound energy policy are just around the corner for U.S. senators. But so far, they're flunking energy class. That was the verdict delivered by Sierra Club and three major allies today as they released an "energy report card" that highlighted a number of anti-environmental provisions in the current energy bill.
The original Senate bill began as a promising step toward a smarter, cleaner energy future. But lawmakers caved to pressure from the polluting auto, oil, and nuclear industries. Senators could do better by producing legislation that protects the pristine Arctic Refuge, significantly reduces our consumption of oil, ensures that 10% of our electricity comes from renewable sources, and cuts pollution of our air, land, and water. They might want to study those points before the next test...
To see the full report, and for more information, go to https://newenergyfuture.com/newenergy.asp?id2=6184&id3=energy&
2. 30,000 Americans Want our National Monument Lands Protected
Special delivery for Secretary Norton: 30,000 postcards urging her to protect our National Monuments! Sierra Club and its allies dropped them off at the Interior Department yesterday, as Norton considers loosening restrictions on our newest National Monument lands to allow for oil and gas drilling, mining, and off-road vehicles.
A year ago, Norton asked for "local opinions" on management of these special places. Few people were taken in by the spin: Norton's real goal was to find ways to open up these national treasures to her buddies in the oil, gas, mining, timber, and other industries. Instead, she's received thousands of responses from around the country - including yesterday's box-load of comments - bearing the exact opposite message: protect our National Monument lands for all Americans to enjoy!
For more information on this story, go to https://lists.sierraclub.org/SCRIPTS/WA.EXE?A2=ind0203&L=ce-scnews-releases&D=1&T=0&H=1&O=D&F &S=&P=1654
If this link does not work for you, click on the link for Thirty Thousand Americans Call for the Protection of New National Monuments at: https://lists.sierraclub.org/SCRIPTS/WA.EXE?A1=ind0203&L=ce-scnews-releases
3. Sierra Club Halts Oregon Clear Cut
Loggers won't be yelling "Timber" just yet in Oregon's Tillamook rainforest, thanks to Sierra Club and its allies. The Tillamook is part of the largest contiguous rainforest in the lower 48 states and contains trees that are over one hundred years old. It's home to the Northern Spotted Owl, an endangered species whose population in the state forest has dwindled to only nine pairs. But the state was all set to go ahead with a controversial plan to sell 451 acres of the forest to logging interests.
That's when Sierra Club and its allies pointed out that the timber had been misclassified, meaning the environmental value of the forests was not properly assessed. Now federal officials are taking a closer look at the sale, and are also concerned about potential widespread misclassification elsewhere. Looks like environmental groups aren't the only ones who give a hoot about the Tillamook!
For an extensive list of recent stories on the Tillamook, go to https://www.tillamookrainforest.com/links.htm
4. Use the Recess to Tell your Senators - Protect the Arctic Refuge!
The Senate may have sided with industry on key energy votes so far, but there's still time to make sure they don't do the same thing on Arctic drilling. And right now is the perfect time to hold senators' feet to the fire.
Lawmakers are on recess through the end of next week. That means they're home, just waiting to here from their constituents. Why not use the opportunity to schedule district meetings with your Senators? Or make a call to their district offices. And as always, you can click below to send them an email. However you contact them, deliver the same message: protect the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge!
https://www.sierraclub.org/action/?alid=18&rf=-18999
To take action on all your favorite Sierra Club issues, please visit: https://www.sierraclub.org/action
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