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DEFENDING ENVIRONMENTAL AGENDA
June 28, 2006
"We need oil rigs off the Florida beaches as much as we need crack houses next to our churches." - Rep. Ric Keller (R-FL) - New York Times, June 23, 2001
(1) Green Streets Awards: Be Inspired!
(2) Factory Farms: Proposed Rule Ignores Health Risks
(3) Take Action: Curb Global Warming by Supporting Smart Energy Solutions!
(4) Take Action: Wasted Energy Week
1. GREEN STREETS AWARDS: BE INSPIRED! Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Austin, and Pittsburg took top prize in Sierra Magazine's first-ever "Green Streets" awards. The awards recognize communities for taking positive steps towards creating greener urban life. Whether it is supporting local farms, reducing municipal waste, expanding public transportation, or investing in clean energy, these four cities have taken the lead in demonstrating that being green is beneficial for the economy, the environment, and the general public. In addition to their individual achievements, most of the cities recognized by the "Green Street" awards have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, vowing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. To date over 240 cities have made the pledge.
Read the winners' full profiles and see which cities received honorable mention. https://info.sierraclub.org/ct.html?rtr=on&s=arz,l6kx,o7l,fzhc,hlvg,dazy,eylb
2. FACTORY FARMS: PROPOSED RULE IGNORES HEALTH RISKS A new EPA rule proposed this week to regulate factory farms falls disappointingly short of protecting the environment and more importantly public health. The rule fails to force factory farms to prevent pathogens-disease-causing bacteria, parasites and viruses-from entering waterways. According to the EPA's own estimates the 2.7 trillion pounds of waste produced each year by factory farms has already contaminated approximately 35,000 miles of rivers in 22 states and drinking water in 17 states. By not addressing pathogens the EPA has failed to take action to address real health risks for people who might come into contact with these waters.
The rule also allows factory farms to decide for themselves whether or not they need to apply for a Clean Water Act permit. Since factory farms are unlikely to own up to discharging pollution, the under-funded agencies now in charge of the permits will likely have difficulties holding factory farms accountable for their pollution.
The public has 45 days to comment on this proposed rule.
Read more on the proposed rule. https://info.sierraclub.org/ct.html?rtr=on&s=arz,l6kx,o7l,gkfk,eveq,dazy,eylb
3. TAKE ACTION: CURB GLOBAL WARMING BY SUPPORTING SMART ENERGY SOLUTIONS! After years of studiously ignoring the problem, Congress has finally begun to consider legislation that will comprehensively address the threat of global warming. Congressman Henry Waxman has introduced the Safe Climate Act of 2006 which will limit greenhouse gas emissions by adopting policies that will promote smart energy solutions, like renewable energy, energy efficiency, and efficient cars. These policies, like stronger energy efficiency standards for appliances, renewable energy commitments, and emission reductions from automobiles have already been proven to work on the stats and local level. In addition to curbing global warming, these solutions will create jobs, save consumers money, and put America on the road to energy independence. The Safe Climate Act of 2006 was written after considering the latest research to set rational, science-based goals to curb global warming.
Tell your Congressional Representative to support and cosponsor the Waxman Bill! https://info.sierraclub.org/ct.html?rtr=on&s=arz,l6kx,o7l,7xss,mxc,dazy,eylb
4. TAKE ACTION: WASTED ENERGY WEEK The Republican leadership in the House of Representatives has declared this week "Energy Week." Sadly, the cornerstone of their agenda is H.R. 4761, an offshore drilling bill sponsored by Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo (R-CA), who the St. Petersburg (FL) Times recently called "the oil industry's errand boy." It's time to tell your Representatives that it looks more like a "wasted energy week."
Please take a few minutes to call your Representative and ask him/her to oppose Rep. Pombo's latest offshore drilling proposal.
Call your Representatives and urge them to OPPOSE Pombo's offshore drilling bill, H.R. 4761. https://info.sierraclub.org/ct.html?rtr=on&s=arz,l6kx,o7l,jp13,d73s,dazy,eylb
Learn more about Pombo's bill (.pdf). https://info.sierraclub.org/ct.html?rtr=on&s=arz,l6kx,o7l,8j2q,axk5,dazy,eylb
"It seems to me there's been enough finger-pointing for a long period of time that we need to improve the efficiency of transportation fuels." - James Mulva, Chairman, CEO, Conoco Phillips Corporation on MSNBC's "Meet the Press" -- in response to questions on how to help solve America's energy problems
(1) Supreme Court Ruling: Clean Water at Risk
(2) Ground Zero: Suffering from September 11
(3) Take Action: Wasted Energy in Congress
1. SUPREME COURT RULING: CLEAN WATER AT RISK
The Supreme Court voted to vacate previous judgments in the Clean Water Act cases, which threatened to cut over half the nation's river miles and countless acres of wetlands out of the Clean Water Act, and remand the cases back to the lower court. The ruling creates a legal situation that will lead to endless administrative proceedings and legal challenges in the lower courts. As Chief Justice Roberts laments, the "lower courts and regulated entities will now have to feel their way on a case-by-case basis." While it is encouraging that five justices rejected polluters' arguments to radically roll back the Clean Water Act, the decision will likely complicate efforts to protect individual water bodies and bog down federal agencies with thousands of determinations each year. This decision provides the perfect opportunity for Congress to pass the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act (HR. 1356 & S.912), which would reaffirm Congress' intent and the historic broad scope of the law to protect our nation's waters.
If your Representative is not already a co-sponsor of the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act (www.sierraclub.org/wetlands/legislation.asp), call them at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to become one. Don't know who your Representative is? Find out at www.house.gov.
Learn more about the effects of weakened protections on small streams and wetlands: https://info.sierraclub.org/ct.html?rtr=on&s=arz,l13p,o7l,fwtp,hsw0,dazy,eylb
2. GROUND ZERO: SUFFERING FROM SEPTEMBER 11
Hundreds rallied in New York on Saturday to seek more federal funding for Ground Zero rescue and recovery workers who are now suffering from health defects caused by the toxic rubble left behind after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The World Trade Center Medical Monitoring Program has found that about half of the 16,000 people monitored who worked at Ground Zero have a medical condition that can be linked directly to Sept. 11. Though the full health effects of the toxic rubble may not be known for another 30 years, the healthcare costs of Ground Zero workers afflicted by cancer, respiratory problems and other 9/11 related illnesses already amount to much more than the funding currently appropriated by the federal government. Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan/Queens) announced on Saturday that they have joined with a bipartisan group of legislators in requesting that the federal government provide more assistance to those with Ground Zero related illnesses.
The Sierra Club worked closely with the New York State AFL- CIO, the Unsung Heroes Helping Heroes and the office of Rep. Carolyn Maloney to organize the rally.
Read more about pollution and deception at Ground Zero: https://info.sierraclub.org/ct.html?rtr=on&s=arz,l13p,o7l,k5lm,32jk,dazy,eylb
3. TAKE ACTION: WASTED ENERGY IN CONGRESS
Next week, the House of Representatives will be considering a range of legislation as part of what has been described by the Republican leadership as "energy week." But instead of taking this opportunity to cut the country's dependence on polluting sources of energy, Congress will be focused on destructive policies that would open up our coastlines to oil and gas drilling, waive environmental protections, and do nothing to curb global warming. One of the pieces of legislation that will be considered is an offshore drilling bill led by Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) that would dismantle 25 years worth of popular bi-partisan protections for our beaches and coasts. It is time for America to move forward with cheaper, cleaner, and smarter solutions like increased fuel economy, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.
Tell your Congressman that America needs smart energy solutions, not more drilling! https://info.sierraclub.org/ct.html?rtr=on&s=arz,l13p,o7l,dz7b,l46,dazy,eylb
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