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March 17, 2000
WEEKLY ACTION ISSUE
Today's Quote: "Idleness is a fool's desire" -- Irish proverb
Contents:
Featured Action:
CLEAN UP AMERICA'S POLLUTED TRADE POLICY!
1) GLOBAL WARMING I: Urge your Representative to support the Clean Car Letter
2) OPEC's MANIPULATION OF OIL PRICES IS NO EXCUSE TO DRILL THE ARCTIC REFUGE
3) PROTECT WILD FORESTS
4) HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Mexican Environmentalists Need Your Help
5) GLOBAL WARMING II: More on the Ford Excursion (aka: Valdez)
6) CLEAN WATER: Hold Factory Farm Owners Accountable for Pollution
7) SPRAWL: Support Better America Bonds
8) STOP "CLEARCUT FOR KIDS" BILL IN SENATE
9) POPULATION: Support Fairness in Contraceptive Coverage
10) POLITICS: DO A LITTLE OR DO A LOT
CLEAN UP AMERICA'S POLLUTED TRADE POLICY! Sierra Club's Responsible Trade Program Urgent Action Alert
President Clinton promised to clean up America's polluted international trade policy at the Seattle Summit of the World Trade Organization (WTO) last November. But every time we turn around, the office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) -- which answers to the President -- has taken another wack at environmental protection in the name of "free trade" for corporate polluters.
In the name of "free trade," the USTR has already:
* dirtied our air by weakening our clean gasoline program,
* pushed endangered species closer to extinction by gutting our protections for endangered sea turtles, and
* negotiated a global "free logging agreement" that would increase clearcut logging in the world's most threatened tropical rainforests.
The USTR does its dirty work in secret meetings with corporate polluters behind closed-doors. Environmental organizations and other citizens' groups are literally shut out.
But now there's hope. Reps. George Miller and Henry Waxman are leading their congressional colleagues in a charge to demand that President Clinton change the way the USTR does it business by opening it up to public participation, requiring advance notice of decisions, and requiring strong environmental review of proposed trade agreements.
TAKE ACTION
To help clean up the mess at the USTR, write, e-mail, fax, or call your US congressional representatives and urge them to sign the Miller/Waxman letter to "democratize US trade policy."
Write to: The Honorable [NAME OF YOUR REPRESENTATIVE] US House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515
Or dial: (202) 224-3121 for the Capital switchboard.
For a free copy of our new action kit (including a copy of the Miller/Waxman letter, sample letters to the editor and to congress, fact sheets and a video), contact the Sierra Club's Responsible Trade Program at (202)-547-1141 or dan.seligman@sierraclub.org.
Let's make trade clean, green, and fair!
1) GLOBAL WARMING I: Urge your Representative to support the Clean Car Letter
PLEASE call or write your Representative and urge them to sign the letter that Reps. Boehlert (R-N.Y.), Dicks (D-Wash.), Greenwood (R-Pa.), and Waxman (D-Calif.) are circulating in support of fuel economy standards. The Boehlert/Dicks letter to President Clinton urges him to "work with Congress to implement" the law setting automotive fuel economy standards. The anti-environmental rider that has frozen CAFE standards since 1995 starts in the House. It is time to stop it! Please urge your representative to sign the Boehlert/Dicks Clean Car letter.
There are now over 50 co-signers to the Clean Car Letter. Several of our more recent signers have stated that they are hearing from their constituents. Your voices are being heard, so keep up the efforts.
2) OPEC's MANIPULATION OF OIL PRICES IS NO EXCUSE TO DRILL THE ARCTIC REFUGE
OPEC -- the cartel of oil exporting countries -- is cutting oil production to drive up prices. The response from America's Big Oil and its allies is to renew the call to drill the Arctic Refuge, a move that is economically and environmentally perilous.
For one thing, no one knows if -- or how much -- oil is there. At best, estimates show less than a six-month supply, which will take ten years to bring online. And if the need for Alaska's oil is so great, why are North Slope crude exports at record levels?
Ultimately, no amount of oil is worth the cost of drilling the Arctic Refuge. It would be as foolhardy as capping Old Faithful for geothermal energy. The Arctic Refuge is America's Serengeti -- home to polar bears, wolves, and the calving grounds for the 129,000-member Porcupine River Caribou Herd.
Please write a letter to the editor using these points to emphasive that drilling the Arctic Refuge isn't the answer to rising oil prices.
3) PROTECT WILD FORESTS
At the end of last year, the Sierra Club launched a massive grassroots effort to support the President's Wild Forest Protection Plan - a historic initiative that could lead to the protection of 60 million acres of our last unspoiled wild forests. But our work to protect these wild forests is far from over. Timber industry allies and off-road vehicle enthusiasts are mounting a massive campaign to delay and defeat this proposal. Please help demonstrate the broad public support for protecting our last wild forests by writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Some points to address in your letter: Our national forests should be protected from logging and all damaging activities; I support the protection of all wild forest roadless areas over 1,000 acres, including the Tongass National Forest in Alaska. I urge my elected officials to publicly support this historic plan. If your letter is published, please send a copy to the Sierra Club in DC at 408 C St NE, Washington DC 20002, ATTN: Wild Forest Campaign. Thank you.
4) HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Mexican Environmentalists Need Your Help
For 10 months, Mexican anti-logging activists Rodolfo Montiel and Teodoro Cabrera have been in a prison in Iguala, a city in the state of Guerrero, Mexico. Following their arrest last May, they were beaten and gruesomely tortured until they confessed to trumped-up charges of weapons possession and drug-trafficking. In reality, their only "crime" was organizing local farmers to protest the increased logging in one of the last frontier old-growth forests remaining in North America.
The case is now in the last stages of the hearing process, after which the trial and sentencing phase will begin. We must increase the international pressure on the Mexican government as well as on local officials. Please write to Mexican Attorney General Jorge Madrazo Cuellar and urge that he drop the charges against Rodolfo and Teodoro. A sample letter can be found on our Web site at: www.sierraclub.org/human-rights/Mexico/letter.asp (Remember: a 1 ounce letter to Mexico costs about $0.46)
Lic.Jorge Madrazo Cuellar Procurador General de la República Paseo de la Refor 65 Esq. Violeta Col. Guerrero México, D.F., 06300. Fax: 53-46-09-04.
5) GLOBAL WARMING II: More on the Ford Excursion (aka: Valdez)
Most of you are aware of the "Worst Car of the Millennium" contest sponsored by national public radio's "Car Talk" program. The Ford Excursion (aka: Valdez) made the list of 14 finalists and is currently tied for the lead with the Yugo, each with 25% of the vote. In fact, the Valdez had been segregated into it's own category, "Big, Dumb Car of the Millennium" and is still atop the leader board.
Well, Click and Clack, the Tappet brothers (aka: Tom and Ray Magliozzi) have done their own research on the Excursion. Below, is their introduction to their work on the Stupid Useless Vehicle:
"By now, you've probably heard about Ford's new behemoth sport utility vehicle, the Excursion. Now, Ford has taken a lot of grief lately due to the vehicle's size. The Sierra Club even dubbed it the Ford "Valdez." To be fair, Ford points out that its customers want such vehicles, and that they've worked hard to minimize the Excursion's emissions. That seems to be true. But we couldn't help providing our instantaneous "Car Talk Translation" of Ford's announcement."
Please take a moment to visit their website. this is some really great stuff! While you're there, don't forget to vote for the ford excursion as the "Worst Car of the Millennium."
https://cartalk.cars.com/About/Ford-Excursion/index.html
6) CLEAN WATER: Hold Factory Farm Owners Accountable for Pollution
Believe it or not, the giant corporations who own the livestock at many poultry and pig factories bear no legal responsibility for the massive water pollution these operations cause. To escape accountability, Perdue, Smithfield, Tysons and the other industrial corporations contract with independent growers to raise the animals. When EPA or state agencies issue Clean Water Act permits, the legal responsibility for complying with pollution requirements lies with the contract growers. The big corporations are off the hook, so they have no incentive for making sure that livestock waste doesn't pollute the water.
That's not fair. These huge corporations deliver the animals to an independent grower, prescribe their medications, provide the feed, dictate terms under which the animals must be raised, and then take them to the processing plant. They should also take some responsibility for making sure that their animals' waste does not pollute water. Making the companies responsible for the massive amounts of waste that enters our rivers and streams could be accomplished by having the EPA and state agencies issue Clean Water Act permits that identify both the corporation and the grower as "co-permitees."
Sierra Club and other environmental groups have long urged EPA to take this step, and the Agency's draft Clean Water Act guidance for issuing permits to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) recommends issuing co-permits. But these wealthy, influential corporations strongly oppose this provision that would hold them accountable for their polluting practices, and EPA may back down and delete it from the final guidance.
Please urge EPA Administrator Carol Browner to require co-permits and hold corporate livestock facilities responsible when they pollute our water. Write her at: U.S. EPA, 401 M Street SW, Washington DC 20460.
For more information, you can also visit the Sierra Club CAFO web site at https://www.sierraclub.org/cafos.
7) SPRAWL: Support Better America Bonds
As poorly planned development continues to eat away at Americans' quality of life, Congress can help stop sprawl by supporting the Better America Bonds Act, H.R. 2446 in the House of Representatives and the Community Open Space Bonds Act, S. 1558 in the Senate. These bills would help local communities by financing smart growth measures, revitalizing urban areas and removing open space from the path of development.
These companion bills would set up a voluntary program allowing communities to carry out their own conservation priorities by using zero interest bonds to purchase open space, protect water quality, improve access to parks, and redevelop abandoned industrial city centers. Call your Representative and Senator and tell urge them help promote smart growth initiatives that protect open space by cosponsoring these bills.
8) STOP "CLEARCUT FOR KIDS" BILL IN SENATE
An outdated law known as "Payments to Counties" creates a perverse incentive for affected communities to support high levels of logging by giving a portion of logging receipts to some rural counties. In recent years, because of a decrease in logging in some communities -- due to both unsustainable logging practices and various protection measures -- payments to counties have declined, and some rural school systems have suffered. The Clinton administration has proposed de-linking county payments from timber cuts, to provide stable funding for schools and reduce the incentive to continue an unsustainable logging program.
But Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Larry Craig (R-ID) are pushing a bill that would continue the link between county payments and logging quotas and increase logging incentives. Now the bill is headed for the Senate as S. 1608. Communities should not have to sacrifice clean drinking water, jobs and wildlife habitat to fund their children's education.
TAKE ACTION: Call your Senators today through the Capitol Hill switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to OPPOSE S.1608 and HR 2389. Urge them to support a responsible proposal to decouple rural education funding from National Forest logging levels.
9) POPULATION: Support Fairness in Contraceptive Coverage
The Equality in Prescription Insurance and Contraceptive Coverage Act (EPICC) would require all insurance companies that offer prescription drug coverage to also cover prescription contraceptive drugs and devices. Similarly, the measure would require that health plans offering coverage for outpatient medical services also provide coverage for outpatient contraceptive services. EPICC would make contraceptives more affordable and accessible for all Americans, begin to bring parity to health care costs for men and women, improve women's and children's health, and protect the environment.
EPICC (S.1200 and H.R. 2120) has been introduced in both houses of Congress. It is sponsored by Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Harry Reid (D-NV) in the Senate and Jim Greenwood (R-PA) and Nita Lowey (D-NY) in the House.
For more information visit our website at www.sierraclub.org/population or contact Carol Schlitt at carol.schlitt@sierraclub.org.
10) DO A LITTLE OR DO A LOT
Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-CA04) is planning a full-out attack on the environmental movement. He is already trying to put together a committee to dismantle much of the progress made over the last seven years --- like the wild forest protection plan and better auto emissions standards.
To quote one insidious line: "What I am working to do is not merely reverse the damage done but to enable the executive branch to work its will to counter that entire movement and undercut their sources of power."
Ironically, he is calling the group "Project Evergreen." He has asked people to "respond with your suggestions via mail at the address below or via email at project.evergreen@mail.house.gov."
Office of John T. Doolittle ATTN: Joan Willis 1526 Longworth Building Washington, DC 20515
See also: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/2000-03/08/144l-030800-idx.h tml
"Congress needs to get serious about requiring that sport utility vehicles meet tougher fuel efficiency requirements." The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 15
CONTENTS:
TAKE ACTION: Urge Reps to Sign Clean Car Letter
PAYING TOO MUCH FOR OIL? Lose the SUV
TAKE ACTION: Urge Reps to Sign Clean Car Letter
PLEASE call or write your Representative and urge them to sign the letter that Reps. Boehlert (R-N.Y.), Dicks (D-Wash.), Greenwood (R-Pa.), and Waxman (D-Calif.) are circulating in support of fuel economy standards. The Boehlert/Dicks letter to President Clinton urges him to "work with Congress to implement" the law setting automotive fuel economy standards. The anti-environmental rider that has frozen CAFE standards since 1995 starts in the House. It is time to stop it! Please urge your representative to sign the Boehlert/Dicks Clean Car letter.
Currently, there are nearly 50 co-signers to the Clean Car Letter. Several of our more recent signers have stated that they are hearing from their constituents. Your voices are being heard, so keep up the efforts.
PAYING TOO MUCH FOR OIL? Lose the SUV
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tells it like it is about oil prices and conservation in a March 15 editorial.
Politicians have been wringing their hands over high oil prices, the editors note, but seem to have missed that point that America, and its high-octane economy are perilously dependent on foreign oil.
Then the editors cut to the chase:
"Instead of talking about lowering federal or state gasoline taxes, dipping into the nation's strategic oil reserves and punishing OPEC for restricting oil production, politicians could better serve their constituents by taking the higher, more courageous road and preaching conservation."
In particular, the paper notes:
"Americans who insist on driving large, gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles and trucks, some of which weigh more than two tons, must be prepared to bear the cost of filling their tanks and paying higher vehicle registration fees. In the meantime, Congress needs to get serious about requiring that sport utility vehicles meet tougher fuel efficiency requirements. Why shouldn't SUVs and minivans, which are, after all, passenger vehicles, meet the same federal fuel standards as full-size sedans?"
"The supreme reality of our time is ...the vulnerability of our planet." -- John. F. Kennedy, (1917-1963), in a 1963 speech
CONTENTS
1) This Dog Won't Hunt: Plan for Arctic Drilling is Barking Up Wrong Tree
2) Website Correction: Are Your Senators and Representatives Under Attack for Protecting the Arctic? Voice your support!
1) This Dog Won't Hunt: Plan for Arctic Drilling is Barking Up Wrong Tree
After steadfastly opposing common-sense strategies to lower oil prices, Senator Frank Murkowski (R-Alaska) today launched a battle to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Rather than working to reduce America's addiction to foreign oil, Sen. Murkowski would allow oil drilling in the fragile Arctic Refuge, destroying an area known as "America's Serengeti," home to polar bears, wolves and migratory birds and the calving grounds for the 129,000-member Porcupine River Caribou Herd.
Sen. Murkowski wants to let his buddies in the oil industry drill for oil that might not even be there, in the wilderness areas of the American Serengeti. Yet Sen. Murkowski has consistently opposed sensible, sustainable solutions to our energy needs. Now he suddenly wants to be our savior? It is only fair that we respond with skepticism.
Thankfully, there are other solutions that will work:
Stop exporting Alaskan oil to other countries. If America so desperately needs Alaska's crude, why are we exporting North Slope crude to Asia in record amounts? We had a ban on the export of Alaskan crude oil until 1995. Guess who sponsored the legislation to repeal the ban? Senator Murkowski.
Require automakers to use existing technology to improve automobile fuel economy, so we don't need as much foreign oil. Over 40 percent of the oil we use in this county goes into our cars and trucks -- raising the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards (CAFE) is the biggest single step to saving oil. Yet Congress has stymied attempts to raise our nation's CAFE standards. Guess who voted the wrong way? Senator Murkowski.
Ensure that the oil industry remains competitive, and avoid a monopoly on Alaskan oil that could raise prices even higher. British Petroleum wants to take over Arco which would create an Alaskan oil monopoly, and lead to a stranglehold on domestic supply and local pump prices. Guess who is supporting the merger? Senator Murkowski.
"Drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would be as foolhardy as damming the Grand Canyon for hydroelectric power or tapping Old Faithful for geothermal energy," said Melinda Pierce, Senior Washington Representative for the Sierra Club. "America cannot drill its way to energy independence. We import more than half of our oil and America contains less than 3 percent of the world's known oil reserves. We need a long-term energy strategy that is based upon conservation and renewables, alternative energy sources, and raising the fuel economy standards for automobiles and light trucks."
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