Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet
Sierra Club Currents - Permission Denied Quote of Note: "You're not making the rules. You used to when you did this [waves gavel]. Elections have consequences. So I make the rules." -- Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) in response to Sen. Inhofe's (R-OK) bad behavior toward Al Gore at a global warming hearing last week. (1) Victory: Permission Denied (2) Chavez: Remembering a Great Man (3) Take Action: Curb Global Warming! (4) Take Action: Trade for a Better Environment! (1) Victory: Angling for Protection In a move that could have sweeping effects for West Virginia's coal industry, a federal judge blocked four mountain top removal permits late last week. The Army Corps of Engineers had approved the permits earlier this month saying that the operations would have only minimal impact on the surrounding environment -- despite the fact that the permits authorized blowing the tops off mountains and dumping the leftover rock into nearby valleys and streams. Given the added destruction of headwaters and significant loss of streams the permits would allow, the judge demanded the Corps' re-examine its decision. Learn more about mountaintop removal mining. (2) Chavez: Remembering a Great Man Throughout his life, Cesar Chavez worked to provide everyone with a safe and healthy living environment. He worked to connect people to the natural world around them and was instrumental in the passage of landmark laws protecting our air, water, land and most importantly, people. Despite the close connection between Latinos and the environment, there is not currently a single park unit dedicated to a Latino. To have the National Park Service trace landmarks significant to his life is a fitting honor to Chavez. In recognition of his hard work, the Sierra Club has endorsed the creation of a national holiday to honor Chavez and his commitment to justice and service. Learn more and download a petition to create a Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday. (3) Take Action: Curb Global Warming! We have the technology today to reduce our global warming emissions by 80% by 2050- that works out to just 2% a year. Now legislation has been introduced that can help us do just that. The Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act calls for economy-wide 80% reductions in greenhouse gases and puts currently available technology to work to prevent millions of tons of global warming pollution and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs. Tell your Senator to sponsor the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act! (4) Take Action: Trade for a Better Environment! As the expiration date nears on the President's authority to fast track bad trade agreements, the Administration is seeking to slide a few more under the wire without adequate Congressional and public involvement or proper safeguards. Pending trade agreements with some of the planet's richest and most biologically diverse countries, like Peru and Columbia, should do more to protect these valuable natural resources. It's time for Congress to step up and tell the Administration that today's trade agreements should support, not undermine, vital environmental and community safeguards. If your Representative is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, tell them it's time to support fair trade! |
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Currents is the Sierra Club's weekly e-mail update providing you with facts, stories, quotes, and "take action" features. |