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DEFENDING ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA
August 21, 2003
"I also focus on Bush and his administration -- who do a lot of lying -- and how a right-wing media has allowed them to get away with a lot of stuff that, in a different media environment, they probably wouldn't be able to get away with." -Comedian Al Franken comments on his new book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right
(1) POLITICS: Raising Questions
(2) ENERGY: Who Turned the Lights Off?
(3) CLEAN AIR: Still BIG Sky
(4) TAKE ACTION: Congress' Message for the Bush Administration- Don't Weaken the Clean Water Act
1. Raising Questions
Sierra Club Executive Director Carl Pope traveled to Oregon and Washington this week to raise questions about Bush Administration's policies that allow corporations to rewrite and weaken the laws that protect our health, safety and the land we love. While Bush is raising money, Pope is raising important questions. Who will have more impact?
Get the local 411 from the Seattle Times: https://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001562343_bush20m.html
2. Who Turned the Lights Off?
After the biggest blackout in the history of the United States, the Bush Administration and Republican leaders in Congress are still pushing their outdated energy policy. The Sierra Club believes we need new, workable solutions that will reduce the vulnerability of our current energy delivery system, increase the efficiency and security of our energy supply, and protect consumers in an environmentally responsible way. Lets turn on a new switch.
There is a better way: https://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/08/19/biz_wwwbiz1enviro19.html
3. Still BIG Sky
Late last week, Sierra Club activists in Montana exhaled in victory. A proposed tire burning facility will now have to submit an Environmental Impact Statement to study the potential impacts to human health and southwest Montana's near-pristine environment before a permit can be considered. Of 1,500 comments to the State of Montana, all but two were against the burning of tires that would send toxins and heavy metals into its "big sky."
Read the story from Bozeman: https://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2003/08/16/news/01holcimbzbigs.txt
4. TAKE ACTION: Congress Has a Message for the Bush Administration - Don't Weaken the Clean Water Act
For 30 years the Clean Water Act has made progress cleaning up America's waters, but the job is not yet done. The Bush administration has issued guidance to remove Clean Water Act protection for wetlands, and it is considering changing rules to eliminate protection for wetlands and small streams. Reducing the number of waters protected under the Act is a step in the wrong direction. The likely consequences are more pollution of drinking water sources, dirtier lakes and rivers, and increased flooding.
To prevent this weakening of the Clean Water Act, Representatives Saxton, Leach, Oberstar and Dingell, and Senators Feingold, Jeffords and Boxer are asking other Members of Congress to sign on to a "Dear Colleague" letter to the President. Please contact your Senators and Representative and urge them to sign on to the "Dear Colleague" letter.
To send an email visit: https://sierraclub.org/action/?alid=215
"He has been a fine governor." - Louis Cononelos, head of government and public affairs for Kennecott Minerals, in reference to Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, President Bush's choice to head up the EPA. Kennecott, a generous political contributor to the governor, has, according to the EPA's own reports, the dubious distinction of being the nation's top polluter. (Read more here below in Current #1)
(1) POLITICS: Disappointing Choice at EPA
(2) COASTAL PROTECTION: Murky Water
(3) LEWIS AND CLARK: On the Trail
(4) TAKE ACTION: Save the Tongass
1. Disappointing Choice at EPA
Governor Mike Leavitt's environmental track record suggests that we can expect little improvement from the Bush Administration, which has done a terrible job protecting our air, water and lands. As Governor of Utah, Mike Leavitt made a back door deal with the Bush Administration opening up spectacular Utah wilderness to roadbuilding and development. He is fighting to ram a highway through fourth-generation farms and irreplaceable wetlands. And it was under Governor Leavitt's watch that Utah tied for dead last in enforcing the Clean Water Act according to a 2003 EPA report. In fact, Governor Leavitt has been such a disappointing steward of Utah's environment that the apolitical Outdoor Industry Association has threatened to leave the Utah and take their business to a state that cares about protecting America's natural legacy.
Read the Editorial from the Boston Globe here Leavitt's nomination: https://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=0FCEC6236FAFCA40&p_docnum=1
2. Murky Water
Last year, California had 4,550 beach closings or health advisories as a result of high bacteria levels in the water at ocean beaches. The bacterium comes from raw sewage and other pollutants being pumped out to sea. The high number of beach closings in 2002 registered at the highest levels since 1990 when the study began.
Read more of the AP story here: https://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/6528901.htm
3. On the Trail
The Sierra Club is not alone when it comes to advocating for the conservation of the lands explored by Lewis and Clark. Last Sunday, the New York Times wrote an editorial calling for the restoration of the rivers where salmon used to run wild and the land Lewis and Clark explored two hundred years ago.
Read the story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/10/opinion/10SUN1.html Check out the Sierra Club's Lewis and Clark campaign: https://www.sierraclub.org/lewisandclark/
4. TAKE ACTION: Save the Tongass
The Forest Service has extended the deadline for commenting on their misguided proposal to exempt the Tongass National Forest in Alaska from the historic wild forest roadless rule. The Tongass is the nation's largest National Forest. First explored and written about by Sierra Club founder John Muir in the late 1800's, the Tongass has suffered from over a century of industrial scale logging. Already, the timber industry has over 50 timber sales in place, awaiting their allies in the Bush Administration to ignore the more then 2 million comments received to protect vast expanses of the nation's forest. Please help to protect the largest and most threatened of our National Forests.
To read more and comment please go to: www.sierraclub.org/logging/wildforest/tongass_roadless_alert.asp#involved
Majority rule only works if you're also considering individual rights. Because you can't have five wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for supper. -Larry Flynt
(1) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Mission Accomplished
(2) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Count Down Continues in Anniston
(3) WATER: Enforcement Gone Wrong
(4) TAKE ACTION: Stop the Bush Energy Bill
1. Mission Accomplished
The Zuni Salt Lake Coalition along with the Sierra Club celebrated a victory this week when the Salt River Agricultural Improvement and Power District (SRP) canceled plans for their Fence Lake Coal strip mine in western New Mexico. The proposed 18,000-acre mine threatened the sacred Zuni Salt Lake, home to Salt Woman, a central deity to the Zuni People. SRP announced on August 4th that they will now relinquish permits and coal leases acquired for the mine. The Zuni's have been trying to protect their sacred land for twenty years.
Read more from Arizona: https://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0807zuni07.html
2. Count Down Continues in Anniston
The burning of chemical weapons by the US Army in an Anniston, Alabama incinerator has been postponed until at least Friday. The delay to begin burning 4.5 million pounds of chemical weapons in a community of 70,000 people is due to only half of the community members picking up their gas mask and only 10 of 38 schools at risk are properly sealed.
Read more from the local paper: https://www.annistonstar.com/news/2003/as-anniston-0805-jcenters-3h04w3921.htm
3. Enforcement Gone Wrong
After taking water samples from streams near the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky airport, Sierra Club Water Sentinel activist Heather Mayfield has found them to resemble raw sewage. De-icer used on planes at the nearby airport has killed the streams preventing absorption of oxygen. Watch Heather put Kentucky's Division of Water Director on the hot seat at: https://www.wcpo.com/wcpo/localshows/iteam/2029d5e3.html
4. TAKE ACTION: New Source Review- again?
The Bush Administration has been trying to weaken the part of the Clean Air Act that requires factories, including power plants and refineries, to install modern pollution control technology when they make a change that significant increases pollution.
On December 31, 2002, Environmental Protection Agency finalized a set exceptions to this part of the Clean Air Act, making it easier for polluters to avoid the requirement to reduce pollution from their factories. The EPA didn't have a public comment period for these rules, pointing to times in 1996 and 1998 when comment was taken on some changes to NSR.
At the end of July, under pressure from the public (you and people like you) and several states, the EPA decided to "reconsider" some parts of the rule, and open them back up for public comment. This is another opportunity to let EPA know that we want them to make all factories install modern pollution control technology.
Write (or email) the EPA at the address below. Ask the EPA to fully consider the environmental impacts of their rule changes, including the serious potential for increased pollution as a result of these new Clean Air Act changes. Tell them that we need to strongly enforce the Clean Air Act, not find ways to weaken it. There's a better way to deal with the problem of grandfathered polluters, by making them use available technology to reduce their pollution and their impact on our kids lungs.
Address: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA West (Air Docket), 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Room: B108
Mail Code: 6102T Washington, DC, 20460 Attention E-Docket ID No. OAR-2001-0004 (Legacy Docket ID No. A-90-37).
Email: a-and-r-docket@epamail.epa.gov,
Attention: EDocket, ID No. OAR-2001-0004 (Legacy Docket ID No. A-90-37)
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Sierra Club Legislative Hotline - (202) 675-2394
Sierra Club National Headquarters - (415) 977-5500
Sierra Club World Wide Web - https://www.sierraclub.org
Sierra Club Vote Watch Website - https://www.sierraclub.org/votewatch/
White House Comment Line - (202) 456-1111
White House Fax Line - (202) 456-2461
President George W. Bush's e-mail - president@whitehouse.gov
Vice President Dick Cheney's e-mail - vice-president@whitehouse.gov
White House Address - 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC 20500
US Capitol Switchboard - (202) 224-3121
To contact your senators - https://www.senate.gov/contacting/index.cfm
To contact your representative - https://www.house.gov/writerep
"Arnold Schwarzenegger's publicist told USA Today that the actor has not ruled out running for governor of California, saying that he will make a decision soon. Reportedly Arnold needs that time to learn how to pronounce "gubernatorial." -Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live, 3/10/2001
(1) GLOBAL WARMING: HumDinger
(2) ENERGY: Oil Slick
(3) WATER: Cheers...
(4) TAKE ACTION: Stop the Bush Energy Bill
1. Humdinger
With Congress considering an energy bill that would do next to nothing to reduce America's dependence on oil, the Sierra Club earlier this week announced the launch of a campaign attacking GM's Hummer H2. The centerpiece of the effort is a tongue-in-cheek website which parodies the Hummer's dismal fuel economy and absurd size. At 10 miles per gallon, the H2 guzzles more gas than any other passenger vehicle on the road.
Check it out at: www.hummerdinger.com
2. Oil Slick
Appalachian Sierra Club activists have taken their oil slick on the road. The Clean Energy Task Force hit the road in protest of the Bush Administration's energy bill, drawing attention to new threats to beaches from Florida to Maine. The current bill in Congress would authorize new exploration of offshore oil and gas resources even in areas currently under moratorium.
Read more from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: https://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/local/6389825.htm
3. Cheers...
To Louisiana Sierra Club Chapter Chair, Harold Schoeffler, who was recently featured in Outside Magazine's water issue. Harold is a proud sportsmen, Cadillac dealership owner, and effective conservation advocate. Harold's work has saved the bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin and the Louisiana Black Bear.
Read more here: https://outsideonline.com/outside/features/200308/200308_cadillac_1.html
4. TAKE ACTION: Stop the Bush Energy Bill
Deliberation of the Bush energy plan is hitting a critical juncture on the Senate floor. As Congress heads towards the August 1st recess, the Republican leadership is trying to railroad the Bush energy plan through the Senate. Now is the time to tell your Senators to reject this dangerous legislation.
The Bush energy plan takes us backwards by threatening our coastlines with damaging oil and gas exploration, and by placing our communities at risk by building new nuclear power plants. Additionally, the Bush Administration fails to provide Americans with higher fuel economy standards, consumer protections and more renewable energy. Join the Sierra Club in calling on the Senate to reject this irresponsible and environmentally destructive legislation.
Tell Your Senators to oppose this dangerous energy bill. https://www.sierraclub.org/action/?alid=273&st=curr
"If you put a spoonful of wine in a barrel full of sewage you get sewage. If you put a spoonful of sewage into a barrel full of wine you still get sewage." -Anonymous
(1) CLEAN WATER: Sewage in the Windy City
(2) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: Solidarity for Salt Lake
(3) NATIONAL FORESTS: Local Side of the Forest
(4) TAKE ACTION: Stop the Bush Energy Bill
1. Sewage in the Windy City
Earlier this week, Chicago closed down ALL of its beaches due to E. Coli contamination from sewage. The closures reveal a disturbing trend in Chicago and around Lake Michigan where closures have increased over 400% since the mid-90s. One reason for this is that the federal government has established no national standard for beach monitoring and the Bush administration has frozen a Clinton regulation that would have imposed stricter standards on sewage authorities. Thus, cleanup is largely left to the states and municipalities to figure out.
Read more from a local TV station: https://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/072203_ss_beachescloses.html
2. Solidarity for Salt Lake
More than 500 people gathered at Zuni High School in Zuni, New Mexico, on July 19 to listen to information and provide testimony on the proposed Fence Lake Coal Mine. The mining site would be located 11 miles away from the Zuni Salt Lake, a sacred site for local tribes. The Sierra Club is working in solidarity with the Salt Lake Coalition to prevent the mine.
Learn more about the Sierra Club's effort here: https://www.sierraclub.org/fieldnotes/zuni.asp
3. Local Side of the Forest
Changes to the Roadless Area Conservation Rule by the Bush Administration roadless would open up 95,000 acres in Arkansas alone, opening the door to new roads and logging. The Bush Administration is also lifting the ban on commercial activity in the Tongass and Chugach National Forests in Alaska. The Tongass is the world's largest coastal temperate rain forest. The roadless act was established by President Clinton in 2001 after receiving millions of public comments in favor of the rule.
Get local from Arkansas: https://www.nwaonline.net/278388694345080.bsp
4. TAKE ACTION: Stop the Bush Energy Bill
Every American deserves a safe, clean, and affordable energy future. But the Bush Administration and Congressional allies are taking us down the wrong path with a destructive, expensive, and polluting energy bill. The Bush energy plan takes us backward by threatening our coastlines with damaging oil and gas exploration, and by placing our communities at risk by building new nuclear power plants. Additionally, the Bush Administration fails to provide Americans with higher fuel economy standards, consumer protections and more renewable energy. Join the Sierra Club in calling on the Senate to reject this irresponsible and environmentally destructive legislation.
Congress is poised to vote on key issues, like global warming, fuel economy, renewable energy, and clean air. Tell your Senators to vote against this destructive energy bill and support efforts to protect our environment by cutting our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels.
TAKE ACTION HERE: https://whistler.sierraclub.org/action/?alid=273
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