June 2, 2009: Volume VII, #22
"We produced this video in response to a campaign waged by trial lawyers. They've turned to Hollywood to tell a fictional story. We've turned to an award-winning, former journalist to tell a factual story." |
In this issue
1) Take Action: Repower America with Renewable Energy 2) Take Action: Protect Streams and Communities from Hazardous Mining Waste 3) Hurricane Season: New Smarter, Safer Coalition 4) Victory: New Forest Protections |
1) Take Action: Repower America with Renewable Energy
A strong renewable electricity standard (RES) is essential to creating new jobs, boosting the economy and fighting global warming. Right now the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is considering a bill that would establish an RES and boost the amount of energy we produce from renewable energy sources like wind, solar and biomass, but coal and nuclear are pushing hard to be included.
2) Take Action: Protect Streams and Communities from Hazardous Mining Waste
The Obama administration has recently taken an important step towards putting an end to the reckless coal mining that has gone on for the past eight years. EPA's decision to carefully review permits for new mountaintop removal coal mines is essential first step to protect waterways from destruction and communities from a reduced quality of life.
However, oversight alone is not enough -- to truly bring an end to the destruction that has gone on for the past eight years, the Obama administration must issue a new rule which prohibits the dumping of mining waste into waterways.
Urge EPA Administrator Jackson to keep mining waste out of our streams!
3) Hurricane Season: New Smarter, Safer Coalition
With the official start of hurricane season, attention turns once again to the best ways to protect communities and mitigate storm damage.
The Sierra Club has joined the Smarter, Safer Coalition, made up of advocacy, taxpayer, environmental and even insurance groups, to work to improve natural disaster mitigation and assistance.
As part of the coalition the Sierra Club is pushing for policies that use nature to buffer communities, encourage smarter building and focus government assistance programs on people, not insurance.
4) Victory: New Forest Protections
Late last week Secretary Vilsack announced a critical interim measure to safeguard our national forests as the Obama administration considers more permanent protections. Now all U.S. Forest Service projects which might be inconsistent with the Roadless Area Conservation Rule must get Secretarial level approval.
The change comes after the Bush administration weakened the rule, ultimately replacing it with a state petition process that opened the door to development in many of our nation's wild lands.