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September 8, 1999
"...[D]ocuments show that Ford could significantly increase its fuel economy on some of its biggest and most popular trucks without losing the things people buy trucks for: horsepower and pulling power."
Wall St. Journal September 3, 1999
CONTENTS: FIELD REPORTS AND CAFE!
I. SAVING MICHIGAN'S SPARE REPORT SPECIAL PLACE--HUMBUG MARSH
II. MISSISSIPPI SIERRA CLUB ORGANIZES CITIZENS AGAINST CAFO AIR POLLUTION--"WAKE UP AND SMELL THE PIG POOP!"
III. INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS RIDERS VOTE SCHEDULED FOR MORNING BUSINESS -- CALL YOUR SENATOR!
IV. FORD: SAYING ONE THING BUT PLANNING ANOTHER. LEAKED DOCUMENTS REVEAL THE TRUTH ABOUT WHETHER THE COMPANY COULD MEET THE IMPROVED FUEL ECONOMY STANDARDS!
SAVING MICHIGAN'S HUMBUG MARSH
FROM ALISON HORTON, MI CHAPTER STAFFER/EPEC ORGANIZER
Yesterday afternoon the Army Corps denied a permit for the luxury home and golf course development at Humbug Marsh -- a most excellent turn of events. Humbug is one of Michigan's shrinking number of fragile wetlands. The marsh's 400 acres of wetlands and woods are home to ospreys and eagles, breeding grounds for a variety of fish, a stopping spot for migratory ducks and songbirds and a place of recreation and quiet for Michiganders. This pristine habitat is also the target site for 350 luxury homes and a golf course. Because of this threat, Humbug was the Michigan "special place" highlighted in the national SPARE report issued last spring, and the subject of our spring postcard campaign targeting Army Corps and Governor Engler.
The permit denial (which comes after and supersedes the Michigan DEQ's approval of the development project earlier this summer) is a testimony to **an extremely broad collaborative** set of efforts to protect this last remaining coastal marsh on the American side of the Detroit River from new, sprawl development. Tireless local activists and local downriver groups dedicated to protecting the Detroit River and its environs, local land conservancies, conservation groups such as Michigan United Conservation Clubs and its affiliate groups, the National Wildlife Federation, Detroit Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, Michigan Environmental Council and many other groups contributed time, money, resources, legal support, grassroots organizing and media relations resources to the effort to protect Humbug over the past couple of years. Sierra Club in Michigan is pleased to have been part of this effort on several fronts.
Clearly the fight is not over and appeals are expected, but there are indications that the development company may be coming near to the end of its effort to develop Humbug.
MISSISSIPPI SIERRA CLUB ORGANIZES CITIZENS AGAINST CAFO AIR POLLUTION--"WAKE UP AND SMELL THE PIG POOP!" FROM MS EPEC ORGANIZER, LOUIE MILLER
Mississippi Sierra Club has been combating a proposal from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to exempt all existing hog farms from air permits. keep in mind that these are not your "mom and pop" farms. These facilities usually contain 7,000 hogs in one confined area creating waste equal to a city as large as 49,000 people!
After petitioning DEQ to hold a public hearing in the impacted area (they originally were going to hold it only in the state capitol of Jackson, which would impede attendance by those most effected by the problem in the northeastern section of the state) we began acting to inform citizens about the hearing. Our campaign included half page ads in 7 newspapers, radio spots on 2 different stations, as well as flyers, bumper stickers, and tee shirts which proclaimed our slogan- "WAKE UP AND SMELL THE PIG POOP!"
On the day of the hearing, approximately 300 people whose quality of life has plummeted since the arrival of these hog farms found their voice. Citizen after citizen- black, white, young, and old- stood up and expressed their outrage to the Mississippi DEQ. To verify the claims that these citizens were making about the sickness brought on by odors from the hog farms, the MS Sierra Club brought in expert witnesses to testify about the health effects of these facilities.
The MDEQ couldn't ignore the loud cries and pleas of the impacted citizens, the scientific facts from expert witnesses, as well as written complaints in the form of 250+ odor complaint cards sent to MDEQ within 72 hours of the hearing.
VICTORY!! ****On June 24 as the exemptions were being presented to CEQ, NEW LANGUAGE WAS ADDED WHICH SAYS THAT EXEMPTED HOG FARMS WILL BE REQUIRED TO EMMT AIR STANDARDS through a multimedia permit.****
Unfortunately, there is more to be done. These air standards have not been developed yet, so it is uncertain that they will be stringent enough to make a significant difference. However, the well informed citizens with the help of MS Sierra Club will not rest until appropriate regulations are in place!
III. INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS VOTES SET -- FOREST PROTECTION FACE OFF!
The Senate is set to complete the Interior Appropriations bill Thursday, Sept. 9 with crucial votes set for early morning. This bill funds the National Parks, refuges, and forests but, in recent years has become a target for anti-environmental riders. This year's version was no exception as 14 extra nasty riders found their way onto the bill.
There are also two amendments that are particularly important to the management of our National Forests. Senators Max Cleland (D-GA), Charles Robb (D-VA) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) will offer an amendment to strike an egregious rider known as "Section 329." This heinous rider seeks to overturn a Sierra Club court victory that proved the Forest Service in Georgia was violating its own management plans. The rider also attempts to allow Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management personnel the discretion to ignore or not collect scientific information on threatened, endangered or sensitive species before carrying out timber sales or other destructive activities.
Senators Richard Bryan (D-NV), Peter Fitzgerald (R-IL), Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Harry Reid (D-NV) will offer an amendment to cut $33 million dollars from the Forest Service's timber sale planning account and shift $20 million into important fish and wildlife habitat and road maintenance programs. The amendment will also shift $13 million to debt reduction. This amendment will restore much-needed funds to habitat restoration and slow the damaging timber sale program.
Your Senators need to hear from you early Thursday! Call your Senators through the Capitol Hill switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to: 1) Support the Robb-Cleland amendment to strike the nasty Section 329 rider; 2) Support the Bryan-Fitzgerald amendment to provide needed funding for fish and wildlife habitat; 3) Support all efforts to defeat ALL anti-environmental riders and amendments to Interior Appropriations.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN OPPOSING ALL ANTI-ENVIRONMENTAL RIDERS!!
IV. FORD--SAYING ONE THING BUT PLANNING ANOTHER-- LEAKED DOCUMENTS REVEAL THE TRUTH ABOUT WHETHER THE COMPANY COULD MEET THE IMPROVED FUEL ECONOMY STANDARDS!
From the Wall Street Journal 9/3/99 and the NY Times 9/8/99
"Documents at the center of Ford Motor Co's suit against a website operator reveal that the company is developing technologies to improve the fuel economy of it's trucks by as much as 15% and meet tougher tailpipe emissions standards as well." (WSJ)
"A federal judge ruled yesterday that a website has the right to publish information from confidential Ford documents about the automaker's efforts to build vehicles that emit far less pollution and have significantly better fuel efficiency than current models. The case is awkward for Ford because the company is now lobbying against tighter emissions and fuel-economy regulations, arguing that they would be too tough to meet." (NY TIMES)
"Some of the documents show that Ford could significantly increase its fuel economy on some of its biggest and most popular trucks without losing the things people buy trucks for: horsepower and pulling power." (WSJ)
How about this for a "better idea": why doesn't Ford stop fighting efforts to cut auto pollution and do what its own documents show it can?
Friday is the ALL ACTION edition of the SC-ACTION, including actions that you can take on each of the Sierra Club's priority campaigns. Just because Congress is on recess doesn't mean we are! When Congress returns after Labor Day, they have many important votes to make -- so, please check out the action items below: Human Rights, Wildlands, Sprawl, Family Planning, Global Warming, Ending Commercial Logging, Responsible Trade, and Clean Water.
TAKE ACTION ON WILDLANDS
Just before the Congress left town for the August recess, we reached a milestone in the campaign to protect the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Six representatives signed on in the final week as cosponsors of HR 1239, a bill introduced by Rep. Bruce Vento (D-MN) to officially designate the coastal plain as wilderness. His bill now enjoys a record level of support, 160 cosponsors. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, home to polar bears, caribou and countless migratory birds, is truly America's last great wilderness. The Native Alaskan Gwich'in people depend on the Porcupine Caribou herd for food and cultural survival. The time has come to permanently protect this last remnant of Alaska's great wilderness from the oil development that has already claimed 95% of the Alaska's coast, for the wildlife, the Gwich'in people, and for all future generations. With your help, we hope to fend off threats to develop the coastal plain and to ultimately win support for passage of this important legislation. Please contact your Representative and urge him/her to cosponsor HR 1239. Ask your Senators to cosponsor S.867, a similar bill in the Senate introduced by Sen. William Roth (R-DE) which has also garnered a record 25 Senators as cosponsors.
TAKE ACTION ON SPRAWL
As poorly planned development continues to eat away at Americans' quality of life, your Senator can take steps to curb some of the ill effects of sprawl by supporting S. 1558 the "Community Open Space Bond Act." The Community Open Space Bond Act was recently introduced into the Senate by Senators Baucus (D-MT) and Hatch (R-UT). It would provide a new set of innovative tools to local and state entities to fight sprawl. The bill would give state, local and tribal governments up to $1.9 billion annually for five years in bonding authority to combat sprawl. The program allows state and local governments to carry out their own conservation priorities by using zero interest bonds to purchase open space, protect water quality, improve access to parks and to help redevelop abandoned industrial sites. Although S. 1558 is not the solution to sprawl, it is a strong start. Urge your senator to cosponsor S. 1559 and provide communities with the tools to make our communities more livable.
TAKE ACTION ON FAMILY PLANNING
Now is the time to talk or meet with your Senators! Since Congress is out of session through Labor Day your Senators and Representatives are most likely at home in their districts. The battle over UNFPA might not be over yet, especially in the Senate. Please urge your Senators to cosponsor the bill to refund UNFPA, S.965. For more information contact Carol Schlitt at 202.547.1141 or at carol.schlitt@sierraclub.org or visit our website at www.sierraclub.org/population.
TAKE ACTION ON GLOBAL WARMING
Raising miles-per-gallon standards for cars and trucks would slash global warming and help protect our environment. It would also reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, reduce pressure to drill for oil in sensitive wilderness areas, and strengthen our economy. After years of ducking the issue through anti-environmental riders in the Transportation Appropriations bills, the U.S. Senate will soon vote on a Clean Car Resolution. Sens. Slade Gorton (R-Wash.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Richard Bryan (D-Nev.) will be offering a resolution urging that the anti-environmental CAFE- freeze rider be dropped from the Transportation Appropriations bill. Calls are pouring in to Senate offices, but there is more to be done! Please write, phone, or fax your senators and urge them to support the upcoming Gorton/Feinstein/Bryan Clean Car Resolution! Tell them that sport-utility vehicles and other gas guzzlers should meet the same fuel-efficiency standards as cars. Remind them that raising miles-per-gallon standards is the biggest single step we can take to curb global warming!
TAKE ACTION ON RESPONSIBLE TRADE
Stop the Beetle Invaders. Order your copy of the Responsible Trade Program's new action kit to stop the invasive tree pests that threaten America's forests, parks, and neighborhoods. As imports grows, so do the number of beetles, fungi, and other imported pathogens that threaten America's natural heritage. For instance, the Asian long-horned beetle has destroyed thousands of trees in New York City and Chicago. If it spreads, it could destroy more hardwood forests across the country than Dutch Elm disease, gypsy moth, and chestnut blight combined. To stop more such dangerous critters from entering the country, we must change international trade rules that block strong preventive action. The kit contains everything you will need to stage a "Last Great Maple Syrup Pancake Breakfast" to draw attention to the Asian beetle's special love for Sugar Maple trees and to draw media attention to the urgent need for a new, clean, and green approach to trade. Contact Dan Seligman at (202) 547-1141 or dan.seligman@sierraclub.org.
TAKE ACTION TO END COMMERCIAL LOGGING
Commercial logging damages our National Forests and forces taxpayers topay the cost of the logging program. Now, pro-logging forces in Congress have not only added a rider on the Senate Interior Appropriations bill that will increase logging, they've left vital fish and wildlife programs underfunded. Call your senators at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to support two amendments to the Senate Interior Appropriations bill -- BOTH the Robb amendment to remove a pro-logging rider AND the Bryan amendment to shift money from timber sales and into programs that benefit fish and wildlife! For more information contact Sean Cosgrove at sean.cosgrove@sierraclub.org
TAKE ACTION ON CLEAN WATER
Factory farms use 16 million pounds of antibiotics each year to promote faster livestock growth and cover up unhygienic production practices. This unnecessary drug use threatens public health; through food and water it exposes people to bacteria that are resistant to the drugs used to treat tuberculosis, staph infections, pneumonia and other infectious diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and prominent public health organizations have expressed great concern about the massive use of antibiotics to increase livestock weight in light of the growing evidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The United States should follow the example of the European Union, which banned adding human-use antibiotics to animal feed last year. Ask Dr. Jane E. Henney, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, to ban the use of antibiotics to promote livestock growth when those drugs are used to treat humans. The FDA's address is 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 14-71, Rockville, MD 20857. For more information, contact Ed Hopkins at ed.hopkins@sierraclub.org or (202) 547-1141.
TAKE ACTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
On July 12, former Russian navy captain Alexander Nikitin was officially charged with state treason for the eighth time by Russian Federal Security Service, FSB, for contributing to an environmental report on the pollution of decaying Russian nuclear submarines. On July 26, Alexander Nikitin appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg claiming that Russia's four-year-long criminal proceedings against him violate his right under the European Convention of Human Rights to a determination of criminal charges within a reasonable time. Let the Russian Embassy know that the persecution of environmentalists is wrong. Remind them that Russia's constitution provides protections for environmental whistle blowers. Please write to the Russian Ambassador, His Excellency Yuri V. Ushakov, Embassy of the Russian Federation, 2650 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20007, or send an e-mail: russ-amb@cerfnet.com. For more information, visit our Web site, www.sierraclub.org/human-rights.
Friday is the ALL ACTION edition of the SC-ACTION, including actions that you can take on each of the Sierra Club's priority campaigns. Just because Congress is on recess doesn't mean we are! When Congress returns after Labor Day, they have many important votes to make --so, please check out the action items below: Human Rights, Wildlands, Sprawl, Family Planning, Global Warming, Ending Commercial Logging, Responsible Trade, and Clean Water.
TAKE ACTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
On July 12, former Russian navy captain Alexander Nikitin was officially charged with state treason for the eighth time by Russian Federal Security Service, FSB, for contributing to an environmental report on the pollution of decaying Russian nuclear submarines. On July 26, Alexander Nikitin appealed to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg claiming that Russia's four-year-long criminal proceedings against him violate his right under the European Convention of Human Rights to a determination of criminal charges within a reasonable time. Let the Russian Embassy know that the persecution of environmentalists is wrong. Remind them that Russia's constitution provides protections for environmental whistle blowers. Please write to the Russian Ambassador, His Excellency Yuri V. Ushakov, Embassy of the Russian Federation, 2650 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20007, or send an e-mail: russ-amb@cerfnet.com. For more information, visit our Web site, www.sierraclub.org/human-rights
TAKE ACTION ON WILDLANDS
Just before the Congress left town for the August recess, we reached a milestone in the campaign to protect the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Six representatives signed on in the final week as cosponsors of HR 1239, a bill introduced by Rep. Bruce Vento (D-MN) to officially designate the coastal plain as wilderness. His bill now enjoys a record level of support, 160 cosponsors. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, home to polar bears, caribou and countless migratory birds, is truly America's last great wilderness. The Native Alaskan Gwich'in people depend on the Porcupine Caribou herd for food and cultural survival. The time has come to permanently protect this last remnant of Alaska's great wilderness from the oil development that has already claimed 95% of the Alaska's coast, for the wildlife, the Gwich'in people, and for all future generations. With your help, we hope to fend off threats to develop the coastal plain and to ultimately win support for passage of this important legislation. Please contact your Representative and urge him/her to cosponsor HR 1239. Ask your Senators to cosponsor S.867, a similar bill in the Senate introduced by Sen. William Roth (R-DE) which has also garnered a record 25 Senators as cosponsors.
TAKE ACTION ON SPRAWL
As poorly planned development continues to eat away at Americans' quality of life, your Senator can take steps to curb some of the ill effects of sprawl by supporting S. 1558 the "Community Open Space Bond Act." The Community Open Space Bond Act was recently introduced into the Senate by Senators Baucus (D-MT) and Hatch (R-UT). It would provide a new set of innovative tools to local and state entities to fight sprawl. The bill would give state, local and tribal governments up to $1.9 billion annually for five years in bonding authority to combat sprawl. The program allows state and local governments to carry out their own conservation priorities by using zero interest bonds to purchase open space, protect water quality, improve access to parks and to help redevelop abandoned industrial sites. Although S. 1558 is not the solution to sprawl, it is a strong start. Urge your senator to cosponsor S. 1559 and provide communities with the tools to make our communities more livable.
TAKE ACTION ON FAMILY PLANNING
Now is the time to talk or meet with your Senators! Since Congress is out of session through Labor Day your Senators and Representatives are most likely at home in their districts. The battle over UNFPA might not be over yet, especially in the Senate. Please urge your Senators to cosponsor the bill to refund UNFPA, S.965. For more information contact Carol Schlitt at 202.547.1141 or at carol.schlitt@sierraclub.org or visit our website at www.sierraclub.org/population.
TAKE ACTION ON GLOBAL WARMING
Raising miles-per-gallon standards for cars and trucks would slash global warming and help protect our environment. It would also reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, reduce pressure to drill for oil in sensitive wilderness areas, and strengthen our economy. After years of ducking the issue through anti-environmental riders in the Transportation Appropriations bills, the U.S. Senate will soon vote on a Clean Car Resolution. Sens. Slade Gorton (R-Wash.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and Richard Bryan (D-Nev.) will be offering a resolution urging that the anti-environmental CAFE- freeze rider be dropped from the Transportation Appropriations bill. Calls are pouring in to Senate offices, but there is more to be done! Please write, phone, or fax your senators and urge them to support the upcoming Gorton/Feinstein/Bryan Clean Car Resolution! Tell them that sport-utility vehicles and other gas guzzlers should meet the same fuel-efficiency standards as cars. Remind them that raising miles-per-gallon standards is the biggest single step we can take to curb global warming!
TAKE ACTION ON RESPONSIBLE TRADE
Stop the Beetle Invaders. Order your copy of the Responsible Trade Program's new action kit to stop the invasive tree pests that threaten America's forests, parks, and neighborhoods. As imports grows, so do the number of beetles, fungi, and other imported pathogens that threaten America's natural heritage. For instance, the Asian long-horned beetle has destroyed thousands of trees in New York City and Chicago. If it spreads, it could destroy more hardwood forests across the country than Dutch Elm disease, gypsy moth, and chestnut blight combined. To stop more such dangerous critters from entering the country, we must change international trade rules that block strong preventive action. The kit contains everything you will need to stage a "Last Great Maple Syrup Pancake Breakfast" to draw attention to the Asian beetle's special love for Sugar Maple trees and to draw media attention to the urgent need for a new, clean, and green approach to trade. Contact Dan Seligman at (202) 547-1141 or dan.seligman@sierraclub.org
TAKE ACTION TO END COMMERCIAL LOGGING
Commercial logging damages our National Forests and forces taxpayers to pay the cost of the logging program. Now, pro-logging forces in Congress have not only added a rider on the Senate Interior Appropriations bill that will increase logging, they've left vital fish and wildlife programs underfunded. Call your senators at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to support two amendments to the Senate Interior Appropriations bill -- BOTH the Robb amendment to remove a pro-logging rider AND the Bryan amendment to shift money from timber sales and into programs that benefit fish and wildlife! For more information contact Sean Cosgrove at sean.cosgrove@sierraclub.org
TAKE ACTION ON CLEAN WATER
Factory farms use 16 million pounds of antibiotics each year to promote faster livestock growth and cover up unhygienic production practices. This unnecessary drug use threatens public health; through food and water it exposes people to bacteria that are resistant to the drugs used to treat tuberculosis, staph infections, pneumonia and other infectious diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and prominent public health organizations have expressed great concern about the massive use of antibiotics to increase livestock weight in light of the growing evidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The United States should follow the example of the European Union, which banned adding human-use antibiotics to animal feed last year. Ask Dr. Jane E. Henney, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, to ban the use of antibiotics to promote livestock growth when those drugs are used to treat humans. The FDA's address is 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 14-71, Rockville, MD 20857. For more information, contact Ed Hopkins at ed.hopkins@sierraclub.org or (202) 547-1141.
NEXT PAGE -->
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| * * * COMPANIES & PRODUCTS * * * |
|---|
| * * * IN-HOUSE RESOURCES * * * |
|---|