Sierra Club Currents - Global Warming Goes on Trial
Volume VI, #42
Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Quote of Note:

"It's basically being fiscally conservative, being socially moderate and you know, being environmentally progressive."

-- Arnold, on Meet the Press, on what it means to be a "Schwarzenegger Republican"

(1) Supreme Court: Global Warming Goes on Trial
(2) Take Action: Get Serious about Change
(3) Building Better: Sierra Club Names America's Best New Development Projects

(1) Supreme Court: Global Warming Goes on Trial

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow in a landmark global warming case, Massachusetts v. EPA. The case, in which the Sierra Club is a plaintiff, will decide whether the Clean Air Act authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the pollution that causes global warming. The decision will have a direct bearing on eleven states across the country that have already adopted global warming tailpipe emissions standards for cars and trucks that are more strict than the federal standards.

See who’s involved and learn more about the case.

(2) Take Action: Get Serious about Change

Although the recent election resulted in 20 greener seats in the House and five in the Senate, one place in Washington, DC that shows no sign of getting any greener is the White House. Although President Bush acknowledged our oil addiction in his last State of the Union Address, so far he’s done nothing about it. Now that Americans have elected a greener Congress, the President has a golden opportunity.

Help us send a message to the White House. Between now and the next State of the Union Address in January, we want to send half a million messages to the White House: President Bush, it's time to get serious about global warming.

And after you've told the President, ask a couple of friends to do the same.

(3) Building Better: Sierra Club Names Best New Development Projects

In its second annual Guide to America's Best New Development, the Sierra Club highlights 10 ground-breaking projects that are helping to keep our drinking water clean. Each of these projects, taken on by developers, communities, local utilities and even nuns, use simple but highly effective solutions to keep untreated and poorly treated sewage and urban runoff out of our drinking water sources.

By changing perspective and looking at stormwater as a resource, not a waste product these projects and the surrounding communities can reap a host of benefits - both economic and environmental. Read the report and see how your community can adopt clean water solutions.

Quote of Note:

"Countless New Mexicans have worked tirelessly to ensure the permanent protection of this remarkable treasure for generations to come, and passage of this bill is a testament to their efforts."

-- Representative Tom Udall (D-NM), author of the Valle Vidal Protection Act of 2005

(1) Victory at Valle Vidal: Angling for Protection
(2) Gulf Coast: Saving Cypress Could Boost Economy
(3) Take Action: Don't Let Polluters Off the Hook!
(4) Take Action: Protect our Coasts!

(1) Victory at Valle Vidal: Angling for Protection

Under pressure from sportsmen, ranchers and environmentalists in New Mexico, Congress passed a law Thursday protecting Valle Vidal, part of the Carson National Forest, from oil and gas drilling. Under the new law, 101,794 acres of federal property known for its breathtaking mountain valleys and elk herds will be preserved, ensuring the land and the wildlife will be protected for future generations of hunters, anglers, hikers and outdoor lovers.

Read more about how this unusual alliance banded together to protect a natural treasure.

(2) Gulf Coast: Saving Cypress Could Boost Economy

A campaign launched by the Sierra Club and other environmentalists this week to stop the destruction of valuable cypress forests, is encouraging national chains like Home Depot and Lowe's to sell pine straw instead of cypress mulch. Pine straw provides the same benefits as cypress mulch, without damaging the coastal cypress forests which provide huge economic, environmental and recreational benefits to the Gulf Coast. By helping to reign in the harvest of cypress trees, national chains can help speed Gulf Coast recovery and boost local economies, all while saving the environment.

Read more about the Save the Cypress Campaign.

(Photo courtesy of USFWS)

(3) Take Action: Don't Let Polluters Off the Hook!

In the last days before the new Congress takes over, Senator Domenici is attempting to pass an amendment that would let large factory farms off the hook for polluting our water. The amendment would exempt factory farms from health and environmental laws and burden communities, rather than the livestock operations, with the costs of cleaning up drinking water contaminated with livestock waste.

Hold Polluters Accountable!

(Photo courtesy USDA)

(4) Take Action: Protect our Coasts!

The Minerals Management Service (MMS), the agency that oversees oil and gas drilling in federal offshore waters, released a new plan that would open up for the first time about two million acres in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and prepare for leasing areas off Virginia's coast and in Alaska's famous salmon fishing grounds in Bristol Bay. This is the last week for comment before these precious areas lose protections.

Act now to protect our fragile coasts!

November 15, 2006

(2) Chesapeake Bay: State Efforts Pay Off

The efforts of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia are slowly but surely helping to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's annual "State of the Bay" (.pdf) report released yesterday. Although the Bay still has a long way to go before it can be removed from the federal dirty waters list, state programs to address nitrogen and phosphorus pollution and increased wooded buffers along waterways have helped improve water quality.

Read the "State of the Bay" report (.pdf).

(Photo courtesy NOAA)