Got a heads-up from Rob at Oregon Wild today concerning the D-Bug timber sale in Oregon.
This sale involves more logging and road-building on roadless lands than was done during the entire Bush presidency, and to make matters even worse, is located just off the edge of Crater Lake National Park. At a time when President Obama needs to step up and uphold the 2001 Roadless Rule, this project would be one giant step in the wrong direction.
You can find out more about D-Bug here, and you can add your voice to those urging Forest Supervisor Dils and Secretary Vilsack to put a stop to this travesty.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Global Day Of Action
Greenpeace is holding a global day of action today on climate change to coincide with the G8 meeting in Italy.
Early on, protesters climbed the stacks and took over four coal-fired power plants in Italy. Later in the day Greenpeace activists rappelled down the face of Mt. Rushmore to hang a banner challenging President Obama to truly be a leader on global warming.
You can follow it all via twitter.
Early on, protesters climbed the stacks and took over four coal-fired power plants in Italy. Later in the day Greenpeace activists rappelled down the face of Mt. Rushmore to hang a banner challenging President Obama to truly be a leader on global warming.
You can follow it all via twitter.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Tell Obama To Uphold Roadless Rule
In 2000 I worked on the campaign for the National Forest Roadless Rule. The support for it was overwhelming, and then president Clinton signed it in 2001, shortly before handing over the White House keys to GW Bush. Since then it has been tampered with and fought over to the point where it still remains in limbo.
As a candidate on the campaign trail, President Obama promised to uphold the roadless rule rule if elected, yet it hasn't been done. Let's hold him to that promise.
As a candidate on the campaign trail, President Obama promised to uphold the roadless rule rule if elected, yet it hasn't been done. Let's hold him to that promise.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Alberta Clipper
You've all heard of the Alberta tar sands. Dirty stuff. Maybe you've also heard of the Alberta Clipper, the name given the 1000 mile pipeline project by the Canadian company Enbridge which would transport the tar sands crude from northern Alberta to Superior, Wisconsin. From there it would be moved to US refineries, mostly in the Midwest.
Since the pipeline crosses an international border, it requires a Presidential Permit for the US portion. Executive Order 11423 directs the Secretary of State to issue the permit if the SoS determines that it serves the national interest. What it comes down to is that soon after July 6, Hillary Clinton will be making that determination. Public comment is open until then.
I haven't seen any online campaigns directed at Secretary Clinton. If you see one, use it please. Otherwise you can comment on her website. We need to let SoS Clinton know that we need to refuse Canadian tar sands oil. Transporting 450,000 barrels a day of one of the world's dirtiest substances from Alberta to American refineries does not serve the national interest. Not now. Not ever.
Update: By god, I found one.
Since the pipeline crosses an international border, it requires a Presidential Permit for the US portion. Executive Order 11423 directs the Secretary of State to issue the permit if the SoS determines that it serves the national interest. What it comes down to is that soon after July 6, Hillary Clinton will be making that determination. Public comment is open until then.
I haven't seen any online campaigns directed at Secretary Clinton. If you see one, use it please. Otherwise you can comment on her website. We need to let SoS Clinton know that we need to refuse Canadian tar sands oil. Transporting 450,000 barrels a day of one of the world's dirtiest substances from Alberta to American refineries does not serve the national interest. Not now. Not ever.
Update: By god, I found one.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Just Dump It In The Lake
Apparently the Supreme Court feels that it's just fine and dandy to dump toxic mine wastes into pristine mountain lakes. Here's from an Earthjustice email that was in my inbox this evening:
Yes indeed, the Supreme Court granted permission last week for the Kensington Mine, operated by Coeur d' Alene Mining of Coeur d' Alene, Idaho to basically fill Lower Slate Lake in the mountains near Juneau, Alaska with mine waste over the next several years, killing off the life of that lake.
Earthjustice has a petition to Lisa Jackson of the EPA, and Nancy Sutley, chair of the Council on Environmental Quality calling on them to rescind a 2004 memo by BushCo allowing dumping of mining waste into our waters without having to meet pesky things like EPA standards. You can read the Earthjustice alert and sign the petition right here. Then you can pass it along.
Maybe the fine folks of Coeur d' Alene, the next time they need to dispose of a bag of trash, should simply go and drop it off in the front lobby of Cd'A Mining. It would be quite convenient, and far less deadly than the waste the mine will dump into the lake, though it would probably attract more attention. Who knows?
What's that? Oh yeah. Never mind. That would be illegal...
On June 22, the Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Water Act allows a mining company to pump hundreds of thousands of gallons per day of toxic waste slurry into a pristine lake in Alaska. Over the next decade, 4.5 million tons of solid waste will be dumped into Lower Slate Lake, killing nearly all the aquatic life and essentially burying the entire lake.
Yes indeed, the Supreme Court granted permission last week for the Kensington Mine, operated by Coeur d' Alene Mining of Coeur d' Alene, Idaho to basically fill Lower Slate Lake in the mountains near Juneau, Alaska with mine waste over the next several years, killing off the life of that lake.
Earthjustice has a petition to Lisa Jackson of the EPA, and Nancy Sutley, chair of the Council on Environmental Quality calling on them to rescind a 2004 memo by BushCo allowing dumping of mining waste into our waters without having to meet pesky things like EPA standards. You can read the Earthjustice alert and sign the petition right here. Then you can pass it along.
Maybe the fine folks of Coeur d' Alene, the next time they need to dispose of a bag of trash, should simply go and drop it off in the front lobby of Cd'A Mining. It would be quite convenient, and far less deadly than the waste the mine will dump into the lake, though it would probably attract more attention. Who knows?
What's that? Oh yeah. Never mind. That would be illegal...
Monday, June 29, 2009
Appalachia Restoration Act
The first hearings were held in the Senate last week on the Appalachia Restoration Act (S696). This is the Senate version of the House of Representatives Clean Water Protection Act and would effectively outlaw the practice of dumping toxic mining fill into mountain valleys and streambeds to dispose of it.
Supporters of S696 turned out in large numbers at the hearings, led by Maria Gunnoe of West Virginia, recipient of the 2009 Goldman Environmental Prize for her work to stop the destructive practice of mountaintop removal mining. Here she is in a short video.
The video of course urges us all to call our Senators and tell them we want them to support S696. You can do just that right here.
Supporters of S696 turned out in large numbers at the hearings, led by Maria Gunnoe of West Virginia, recipient of the 2009 Goldman Environmental Prize for her work to stop the destructive practice of mountaintop removal mining. Here she is in a short video.
The video of course urges us all to call our Senators and tell them we want them to support S696. You can do just that right here.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Blogger Action
Bloggers from around the country today are calling on President Obama to go to West Virginia and see for himself the massive destruction caused by mountaintop removal mining.
There are posts here and here with links to other actions being taken.
You can call this my small contribution to today's action:
There are posts here and here with links to other actions being taken.
You can call this my small contribution to today's action:
Mr. Obama, you and your administration have paid lip service to the criminal practice of mountaintop removal mining. You've spoken against it, yet it continues to this day. You've yet to see first hand the destruction caused to the land and the people of West Virginia. You've yet to see why people, everyday citizens, are willing to risk arrest to put a stop to it. Go to West Virginia, go soon, see it with your own eyes, and let your conscience guide you.
In case you missed it in the Kos diary by Devilstower, you can contact Obama here on Rainforest Action Network.
Waterton-Glacier Investigation
Eleven environmental groups have petitioned the UNESCO World Heritage committee to investigate and list Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park as a World Heritage site in danger.
Plans have been in the works for some time now for open-pit and MTR coal mining and coalbed methane projects by Cline Mining of Canada among others. Some of these are within 25 miles of the park boundary, and should leaks occur, the waters of Glacier could become contaminated within 24 hours. The entire Flathead drainage could be, and probably would be, impacted by these mining operations.
You can find out much more at the North Fork Preservation Association site. These folks are doing a super job of following the press coverage on this critical issue.
Plans have been in the works for some time now for open-pit and MTR coal mining and coalbed methane projects by Cline Mining of Canada among others. Some of these are within 25 miles of the park boundary, and should leaks occur, the waters of Glacier could become contaminated within 24 hours. The entire Flathead drainage could be, and probably would be, impacted by these mining operations.
You can find out much more at the North Fork Preservation Association site. These folks are doing a super job of following the press coverage on this critical issue.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Waxman-Markey Passes House Vote
I'm really none too pleased by this one. The Waxman-Markey bill (ACES) passed the House yesterday by a 219-212 vote. Now one would think I'd be happier than hell with a strong bill that deals with the growing menace of global warming, and I would be if we had one. This joke sure isn't it. It does nothing.
Cuts of 25% to 40% of 1990 emission levels by 2020, about a decade from now, are needed to begin to make a difference. This bill calls for a 4% reduction by 2020, and with the offsets and allowances granted to the biggest polluters it may not even accomplish that. It's being hailed as a foot in the door, but does anyone really believe that it will lead anywhere? Hopefully, due to the closeness of the House vote, the Senate won't pass it. This may be, as is being said, an historic piece of legislation. It's also compromised to the point of uselessness. We need to contact our senators and tell them to kill this bastard. We need to demand a climate bill with some teeth, one that actually addresses global warming, not one that's watered down to nothing to appease energy corporations. And maybe we need to start listening to this guy.
Big Enviro for the most part has been a champion of this legislation, with two notable exceptions. Hats off to Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth for having the balls to call this one out for what it is. Nothing.
Update: More here.
Cuts of 25% to 40% of 1990 emission levels by 2020, about a decade from now, are needed to begin to make a difference. This bill calls for a 4% reduction by 2020, and with the offsets and allowances granted to the biggest polluters it may not even accomplish that. It's being hailed as a foot in the door, but does anyone really believe that it will lead anywhere? Hopefully, due to the closeness of the House vote, the Senate won't pass it. This may be, as is being said, an historic piece of legislation. It's also compromised to the point of uselessness. We need to contact our senators and tell them to kill this bastard. We need to demand a climate bill with some teeth, one that actually addresses global warming, not one that's watered down to nothing to appease energy corporations. And maybe we need to start listening to this guy.
Big Enviro for the most part has been a champion of this legislation, with two notable exceptions. Hats off to Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth for having the balls to call this one out for what it is. Nothing.
Update: More here.
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