“This is just one step along the way, but it’s a history-making step."
-- Rear Adm. Philip Cullom, director of the Navy's Energy and Environmental Readiness Division on the first test of the 'mean, green riverine machine' biofuel vessel
In this issue:
1) Take Action: Tell Sec. Clinton Tar Sands is Not the Answer
2) Take Action: More National Monuments Needed
3) Trucks: New Fuel Efficiency Standards
4) Coal Ash: Hearings Wind Down
1) Take Action: Tell Sec. Clinton Tar Sands is Not the Answer
The Department of State is currently considering TransCanada's application for a Presidential Permit to build and operate the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. This massive pipeline would be the third and largest dedicated tar sands pipeline running between Canada and the US, and would deliver 900,000 barrels a day of this toxic oil from Alberta, Canada to Houston, Texas.
This week, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton expressed that the pipeline is likely to be approved. Please send her a message urging her to rethink her position before it's too late.
Tell Hillary: No Poison Pipeline.
2) Take Action: More National Monuments Needed
From Devils Tower, the first monument, to Sequoia National Monument and Dinosaur National Monument, protected outdoor treasures are part of our shared American history. Now our lands and wildlife face their greatest threat: climate change. In a warming world, decisive and immediate action is needed to protect some of our most threatened places.
The Antiquities Act is a valid tool to move us toward that goal and help our lands become more resilient.
Urge President Obama to use the Antiquities Act to protect special places by designating National Monuments.
The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation have announced a proposal to set the first-ever fuel efficiency and greenhouse standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The proposal calls for a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from heavy trucks to start in model years 2014.
Together the vehicles covered by the announcement consume 20 percent of all on-road transportation fuel used each year, despite representing only 4 percent of all vehicles on the road.
4) Coal Ash: Hearings Wind Down
The EPA is holding the last in a series of public hearings on toxic coal ash in Knoxville tomorrow. The agency has proposed new rules, which for the first time ever would treat coal ash -- the waste left over coal is burned for energy -- as the toxic material it is.
As with the previous seven hearings, dozens of residents are expected to turn out to testify before EPA about the harmful effect coal ash has had on their lives.