May 19, 2009: Volume VII, #20
"This proposal will cost jobs. It is the worst possible time to be proposing rules that will drive up the cost of energy to no valid purpose." |
In this issue
1) Take Action: Tell Congress to Revitalize the Economy and Our Public Lands 2) Take Action: Help Obama Build a Clean Energy Future 3) Big Picture: Another Piece in Place 4) New Study: Formaldehyde Linked to Cancer |
1) Take Action: Tell Congress to Revitalize the Economy and Our Public Lands
Today's young people are growing up indoors, but a new bill, the Public Lands Service Corps Act, could help build a bridge between young people and America's public lands.
The bill will protect, preserve and restore our public lands, while giving young Americans employment opportunities and the training they need to get green jobs with our public land agencies.
2) Take Action: Help Obama Build a Clean Energy Future
The Obama administration is already working to put the first piece of our clean energy future in place: working to regulate global warming pollution. Yesterday hundreds of people attended a hearing in Arlington, VA to show support for strong action on global warming, and on Thursday, hundreds more will gather at the hearing in Seattle.
Live near Seattle, WA? You can help by coming out to EPA's public hearings.
If not, you can still be a part of the Big Picture solution by hosting a house party on June 2nd. Sign up here and together we can build the groundswell of support President Obama needs to secure our energy future.
3) Big Picture: Another Piece in Place
With several Sierra Club representatives in attendance, President Obama's administration announced new standards today to make our cars and trucks go further on a gallon of gas. Under the new standards fuel economy will increase to 39 MPG in cars and 30 MPG in light trucks, slashing American dependence on oil and helping fight global warming.
The announcement comes as the Obama Environmental Protection Agency is holding hearings to finalize the first steps toward regulating America's other main cause of global warming pollution, coal-fired power plants. It's clear that the Obama administration sees the Big Picture and is working quickly to move us toward that clean energy economy.
4) New Study: Formaldehyde Linked to Cancer
A new 30-year-long study has strengthened the link between formaldehyde, like that found in the toxic FEMA trailers, and cancer, particularly leukemia. The study, conducted by the National Cancer Institute, found that workers exposed to high amounts of formaldehyde were 37 percent more likely to die from blood and lymphatic cancer and 78 percent more likely to develop leukemia.
The study is expected to influence new rules on formaldehyde’s use in wood products, like those used in the toxic trailers.