Greens give a thumbs-down to the House energy bill, urge Obama and the Senate to pass stronger anti-global warming legislation
The Green Party’s national Eco-Action Committee is sharply criticizing an energy bill passed in the US House (HR 2454), calling the legislation dangerously inadequate and a concession to polluting industries.
Greens, currently preparing for the party’s 2009 annual national meeting in Durham, North Carolina, are urging the US Senate and President Obama to reject the bill and instead enact stronger policies to curb global warming. The meeting takes place from July 23 to 26 (http://www.ncgreenparty.org/2009-ANM.html);
“The Energy Bill passed by the US House of Representatives is not a transition to a sustainable energy future,” said Audrey Clement, a Virginia Green and member of the Eco-Action Committee. “It moves us in the wrong direction by subsidizing more coal and nuclear power, and it’’s far too weak in its support of earth-gentle renewable energies
and in its effort to reduce carbon emissions.”
Greens called the the bill’s cap on greenhouse gas emissions a fraction of what it should be and said that the cap is undermined by the allowance of annual “offsets” that allow polluters to keep polluting. “These offsets are a handout to large corporations,” said Ms. Clement. Read the rest of this entry »
The Long Island Power Authority and the New York Power Authority have set the wheels in motion to bail out National Grid by purchasing its plants, which National Grid Vice President Robert Catell has labeled “junk.” This begins the process to take National Grid’s toxic assets off the corporate books and place them on the public ledger. It’s a calculated move to benefit Grid investors, bond sellers and bondholders, at the expense of LIPA ratepayers and state taxpayers.
Here’s a good summary of some of the major flaws of Waxman – Markey. – Scott
Friday, June 25
Dear CCC Supporters,
The House is scheduled to vote tomorrow (Friday) on the Waxman-Markey climate bill: “American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.” The numerous provisions in ACESA’s 1,000‑plus pages do not add up to the steps needed to avert catastrophic climate disruption. Moreover, the bill’s emissions trading provisions create vested interests that would block future reforms.
ACESA’s Major Flaws:
1) Weak cap. ACESA’s cap on greenhouse gas emissions represents reductions of only 1‑4% below 1990 levels by 2020, far less than climate scientists deem necessary.
2) Offsets further weaken the cap. ACESA overwhelms its own cap by allowing two billion tons of dubious “offsets” annually, with up to two‑thirds from international sources which could allow U.S. emissions to keep increasing until 2040. ACESA’s offsets provisions have been further weakened by the latest compromise: transferring EPA oversight to the Department of Agriculture and excluding indirect impacts of biofuels production. Read the rest of this entry »
On Tuesday, June 23, 2009 a civil disobedience took place in West Virginia to protest mountain top removal in Coal River Valley. Earlier in the day, an announcement had been made on theGreen Party Watch web-site alerting green activists to the forthcoming CD. In West Virgina, the national Green Party affiliate is “The West Virginia Mountain Party.” The party platform calls for, “…a halt to mountaintop removal coal mining in order to preserve precious forest lands and streams…”
Please turnout this Saturday, June 20, from 11am to 2pm, for an anti-LNG event held by the Surfrider Foundation NYC Chapter at Rockaway’s 90th Street Beach on Long Island, NY.
The event will include a rally (they’ll have signs, etc. but feel free to bring your own), a press conference with some elected officials, a paddle-out for the surfers in the group at noon (planning for 100-200 surfers to paddle out, form a circle, and wave their “No-LNG” banner for the press), and a beach clean-up after. This is being held on Intern ational Surfing Day but this event is for all to come out and rally against LNG.
Also, please hold July 1 from 4-7pm open for an event in Monmouth County , NJ along the shore. More to come on that.
Thanks,
David Byer
Water Policy Attorney
Clean Ocean Action
18 Hartshorne Drive, Suite #2
Highlands , NJ 07732
732.872.0111
732.872.8041 (fax)
www.cleanoceanaction.org
(Ian and I probably won’t make it this year. But, PeaceSmiths is going to have a table.-KW)
For more information and a link to buy advanced tickets, go: here
Clearwater Great Hudson River Revival
by the water at Croton Park
Saturday June 20th and Sunday June 21
Music by: Taj Mahal, Richie Havens, Readnex Poetry Squad, Arlo Guthrie, Alejandro Escovedo, Sarah Underhill, Work O’ The Weavers and Susan Tedeschi. On Clearwater weekend, there is often the chance to catch Pete Seeger on stage, usually leading the audience in song. Also, storytelling , including Heather Forest. Read the rest of this entry »
Interior Dept. Report Criticizes Bush Sale of Utah Federal Land DemocracyNow.org
A new Department of Interior report has faulted the Bush administration for its rush to sell off oil and gas exploitation rights on vast swaths of federal land in Utah last year. The report says the Bush administration did not follow longstanding procedures in trying to sell off twenty-two parcels of land. The sale was later canceled by Obama administration Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. The report’s findings could bolster the defense of a college student who disrupted the auction by posing as a bidder. The student, Tim DeChristopher, is currently facing ten years in prison on charges of interfering with a public auction.
(excerpt from)Boston.com
Obama seeks global uranium fuel bank
President Obama plans to seek the creation of the first-ever international supply of uranium that would allow nations to obtain fuel for civilian nuclear reactors but limit the capacity to make bombs, according to senior administration officials…
(excerpt from) Newsday/AP
Coney Island beach closed due to sewage concerns
June 7, 2009 at 2:11pm
…The New York City Parks Department posted signs Sunday saying swimming wasn’t permitted at [Coney Island and Manhattan Beach]… But the Coney Island boardwalk remains open, and sunbathing on the sand was allowed.
The city Department of Environmental Protection says ocean water at the two beaches may be contaminated by raw sewage from a sewage treatment plant that overflowed…
Last month a poll came out that revealed that 80 percent of Long Island residents support maintaining or expanding land preservation programs regardless of the current recession.
Despite this clear mandate, Suffolk County Legislator DuWayne Gregory is entertaining a bill that would redirect money voters approved for land preservation to a County slush fund.
A lot of people complain that government isn’t responsive, but this is completely irresponsible.
The public has repeatedly spoken on this matter. How dare the Suffolk County Legislature even think of thwarting the public will. Legislator Gregory should be ashamed.
Sincerely,
Patricia Burkhart
Founding Board Member,
Friends of the Edgewood Preserve
Deer Park, NY
631-242-7402
Assembylman Phil Ramos and Senator Owen Johnson have re-introduced a 2009 version of the legislation to transfer surplus Pilgrim state land to the Edgewood Preserve.
As you may recall, last summer the same bills passed both houses (Assembly, 140-0 and Senate 48-7), but Governor Paterson vetoed it, bowing to pressure from federal Congressmen and large environmental and business groups, mostly based in the city.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! The 2009 legislative session ends very soon, so TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!!
Please — take a moment to telephone and/or e-mail Speaker Sheldon Silver AND Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith. JUST TWO PHONE CALLS OR E-MAILS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Please do this as soon as possible! Read the rest of this entry »
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Upcoming Events
Thurs 7/16/09 @ 5:30 am. new time Green Party Show on Woodbury Cablevision Channel 20 (E Nassau/W Suffolk Suffolk) feauturing acoustic Easy Anthems at the December 2008 Babylon Green Party annual Holiday Party at Pisces Cafe, Babylon.
Thurs 7/23/09 @ 5:30 am. new time Green Party Show on Woodbury Cablevision Channel 20 (E Nassau/W Suffolk Suffolk) featuring Mary Reed Dewar of the LI Coalition for a National Health Plan at the February 2008 PeaceSmiths Forum on Single Payer Universal Healthcare.
Sat 7/25/09 @ 1pm Princess Peapod 20 minute set @ Northport Park. Free.
Wed 8/5/09 @7p. Babylon Green Party Gathering will feature a showing of Michael Moore's movie SickoPisces Café,, 14A Railroad Avenue, Babylon, NY (631-321-1231) www.piscescafe.net Come hungry! For directions to the Babylon Green Gathering, call 631-422-4702 or email ian.wilder@yahoo.com Children are welcome. All gatherings are free of charge, and open to the public.
Watch videos at Vodpod and other videos from this collection.
Muntadhar Al-Zeidi was beaten in custody, and then sentenced to 3 years in prison. Thankfully, his sentence has been reduced to only one year. As this article notes, he should go free immediately. Keep him in your thoughts, and consider ways to appeal further.
For Muntadhar Al-Zeidi and for the people he speaks for: "the widows and orphans and the people that died" in the War in Iraq.
By running Malachy McCourt for Governor, the Green Party of New York State retained the right for voters to enroll in the Green Party. You can enroll in the Green Party by checking the box marked "Other" on the voter registration form and writing in the word "Green" on the line next to it. Click here to find a voter registration form.
Posted by wilderside 
Posted by wilderside 
Posted by wilderside 
Wed 8/5/09 @7p. 
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