Act Green

Gov. Jerry Brown: More California Sunshine, Less Foreign Oil

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:27:06 PDT

California Governor Jerry Brown announced goals for the state to achieve 12-gigawatts in clean, renewable energy by 2020 before a forum of over 200 energy experts at UCLA Tuesday. The plan calls for a decentralized power system in which government measures encourage individual homeowners to install solar panels and other forms of clean energy production.

Governor Brown was quick to stress the economic benefits of clean energy. "Whatever amount of oil they have over there in Texas, we have a hell of a lot more sun right here in California,” Brown said. “The sun is more abundant, more powerful and capable of generating more power. We are spending, we Americans, hundreds of billions of dollars on importing foreign oil that could all go back into our economy if we had domestic energy sources."

The Governor’s plan would power roughly 3 million homes each year.

Gingrich backs away from 2008 ad urging action on climate change

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:20:22 PDT

Presidential primary hopeful Newt Gingrich has backed away from a 2008 ad in which he alongside political rival Former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on Americans to take action to address climate change, saying that he regretted the ad, The Hill’s Michael O’Brien reports.

On Tuesday Gingrich told WGIR radio that he regretted the ad, saying that voters were given the wrong impression and backing away from his call to action. "I was trying to make a point that we shouldn't be afraid to debate the left, even on the environment," Gingrich said. "Obviously it was misconstrued, and it's probably one of those things I wouldn't do again."

Yet in 2007 Gingrich was much more willing to acknowledge the existence of climate change and stated that, “The evidence is sufficient that we should move towards the most effective possible steps to reduce carbon loading in the atmosphere.”

View Gingrich’s “misconstrued” ad with Nancy Pelosi below.

SEEC: H.R. 2584, an ‘unprecedented’ back-door attack on environment and public health protections

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:22:43 PDT

The House of Representatives Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC) in a joint statement called H.R. 2584, the FY 2012 Appropriations Bill for the Department of the Interior, Environment and related agencies, an “unprecedented back-door attack,” on environmental and public health protections, and lambasted the legislation's riders as a harmful distraction to debt-ceiling debates.

The statement explained:

“Both parties and houses of Congress should be focused on preventing a default crisis, and on creating jobs in a competitive 21st century economy. But instead, this week the House will consider H.R. 2584 - an unprecedented back-door attempt to roll back essential pollution controls and public health protections in favor of bigger profits for the country’s worst polluters. This is a low mark for the 112th Congress that has already seen the GOP majority preserve giveaways to Big Oil and advance legislation to overturn common sense energy efficiency standards, slash clean energy innovation, and carve loopholes in important environmental statutes.

H.R. 2584 would overturn 40 years of bipartisan progress protecting the clean air and water on which all Americans depend, and the lands and wildlife that Americans treasure. The American people reject the false choice between a prosperous economy and a sustainable environment, which we’ve proven can go hand in hand. SEEC calls on the Congress to reject this bill.”

The H.R. 2584, which cuts EPA funding by 18% and funding for Land & Water Resources by 80%, includes 39 anti-environmental riders in total. The legislation is currently being debated before the House floor.

Study: Melting Arctic ice releases dangerous ‘Dirty Dozen’ toxins

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:25:51 PDT

As Arctic sea ice and snow melt, concerning levels of dangerous “Dirty Dozen” toxins are being released into the air and water, a recent study published in the scientific journal Nature Climate Change suggests. The chemicals, known as persistent organic compounds (POPs), include the especially notorious DDT and PCB compounds and were banned in 2001 after their widespread use in pesticides and insecticides caused significant environmental and human health concerns.

Rising temperatures due to climate change may be to blame. “Wide ranges of POPs have been remobilized into the Arctic atmosphere over the past two decades as a result of climate change,” the study concluded.

In addition to causing cancer and birth defects, POPs are difficult to contain as they degrade very slowly and are easily transported between air, soil, and water.

225 businesses urge Governors to keep RGGI alive

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:10:09 PDT

A coalition of 225 businesses stressed the necessity of a market-based plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and urged for the continuance of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in a letter to 10 Governors in participating states, the Hill’s Andrew Restuccia reports.

The coalition stressed the economic benefits of RGGI, noting that for every dollar spent the initiative has produced a return of $4 to $6.

“We believe strong clean energy and clean air policies create jobs and stimulate economic growth. RGGI shows that market-based programs can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while boosting our economy,” the letter states. “By reducing spending on out-of-region fossil fuels, RGGI improves energy security and economic competitiveness and frees up energy dollars for spending in other parts of our economies.”

The letter comes at a time when RGGI faces a ramped up attack ad and lobbying campaign by the organization Americans for Prosperity, a group funded by oil tycoons David and Charles Koch.

Ceres launches ad campaign to inform public of fuel-efficiency benefits

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:32:59 PDT

Ceres, a national coalition of leading institutional investors and environmental groups, launched an ad campaign Friday focused on informing the public and legislators of the economic benefits of instituting higher fuel-efficiency standards for auto manufacturers.

“The facts are clear, a 60 mpg standard will restore American automakers to a place of global leadership,” said Ceres President Mindy Lubber. “Higher standards will create new jobs by encouraging automakers to build more of the fuel efficient cars and trucks that drivers want to buy.”

The ads, which will air via print, radio, and online throughout the heartland states and Washington, DC, focus on recent economic data that found strong fuel mileage standards will create 700,000 jobs economy wide in 2030 and are overwhelmingly supported by the American public.

Listen to the radio version of the ad here.

American Lung Association: Overwhelming bipartisan support among voters for EPA action

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:08:56 PDT

A June 2011 survey released by the American Lung Association found that voters across the political spectrum overwhelmingly support EPA action to curb smog pollution and reject Congressional action to impede the agency from doing so.

The survey, which examined national data and state data for Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, revealed four key findings:

1. EPA policy is widely popular among voters. An overwhelming 75 percent of voters support setting stricter smog standards.

2. Voters trust the EPA to determine pollution standards over Congressional action. A bipartisan 66 percent of voters believed that pollution standards should be determined by EPA scientists, not members of Congress.

3. Voters reject the argument that stricter smog standards are economically harmful and lead to job loss. 65 percent say that stricter standards on air pollution will not damage our economic recovery, with 54 percent believing that updates are likely to create more jobs, not less.

4. Support for the EPA is robust nationwide, even in traditionally Conservative regions. Targeted polling among voters in Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Virginia found support for the EPA setting stricter limits on air pollution ranging between 64-72 percent.

Find out more information and view the survey results here.

Obama vows to protect conservation, public health, and environmental efforts, threatens to veto H.R. 2584

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:22:58 PDT

The Obama administration vowed Thursday to protect the nation from one of the biggest efforts to undermine conservation, public health and environmental efforts in recent history and threatened to veto H.R. 2584 should it pass Congress.

H.R. 2584—the FY 2012 Appropriations Bill for the Department of the Interior, Environment, and related agencies—includes “ideological and political provisions that are beyond the scope of funding legislation,” a Statement of Administration Policy said. “If the President is presented with a bill that undermines ongoing conservation, public health, and environmental protection effort through funding limits or restrictions, his senior advisors would recommend he veto the bill.”

A few of the most dangerous provisions out of the massive number of ideological-driven assaults on public health and the environment in the bill include:

• A drastic reduction in the EPA Operating Budget. The administration stressed that “At the funding level provided, the EPA will be unable to implement its core mission of protecting human health and the environment.”

• Unsustainable levels of funding for wildland fire suppression efforts.

• Severe cuts to EPA Greenhouse Gas programs, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, funding for the Chesapeake Bay cleanup project, and the widely popular SmartGrowth program, eliminating funding support beyond manageable levels.

• Several provisions designed to undermine government oversight and regulation of mountain top coal mining.

• The elimination of funding for over 400 wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects.

• A reversal of key protections for gray wolves, an endangered species.

• Language that strips the EPA of its authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate harmful Greenhouse Gas Emissions and prohibits the agency from implementing current and future air toxins rules.

• A measure that prohibits the Administration from providing clarification on and reinstating the effectiveness of the Clean Water Act.

• Delays implementation of EPA rules designed to protect sensitive populations such as children from lead exposure.

• Language that bans the EPA from considering human health and environmental impacts in its decision to grant Outer Continental Shelf Drilling permits.

The House is expected to bring the bill to the floor Monday.

Big Polluters Pay to Write Bills Repealing Climate Laws

noreply@blogger.com (Damien M. Shirley) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:32:56 PDT

Big polluters—including Koch Industries, Exxon Mobil, BP and the American Petroleum Institute—have paid tens of thousands of dollars to write legislation for lawmakers that would repeal carbon pollution reduction programs in various states, according to Bloomberg News.

The corporations paid money to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which then allowed those corporations to "sit at the table with legislators and craft bills."

Bloomberg has unearthed documents showing that ExxonMobil donated nearly $40,000 to ALEC while the Koch Charitable Foundation donated more than $75,000. Both of those corporations (and others) helped draft legislation—which has been introduced in Oregon, New Hampshire, Washington and New Mexico—to remove those states from regional cap and trade programs.

For instance, the bill to remove New Hampshire from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative—which the New Hampshire legislature passed and Governor John Lynch vetoed—was written, in part, by ALEC.

ALEC counts nearly 2,000 state politicians and 300 companies and political advocacy groups as members; they have been crafting legislation since the 1990’s.

House subsidies supporters received over $1.2 million in Big Oil contributions so far this year

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:56:50 PDT

U.S. House Members that repeatedly voted to keep Big Oil subsidies received over $1.2 million in Big Oil PAC campaign donations in the first six months of 2011 alone, an analysis by the Public Campaign Action Fund has found.

In the House, an astounding 94% of the 170 members to receive Big Oil contributions voted to continue oil subsidies, despite the continuing need to reduce the nation’s budget deficit. House Republican leadership alone received a total of $100,000 in big oil cash. Although no Democratic House leaders received oil industry PAC contributions, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) received $35,000, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) took in $32,500, and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) received $29,000.

In the Senate, 90% of Big Oil money went to subsidy-supporting members. Of the 30 Senate recipients to receive oil contributions, 26 have voted in favor of subsidies.

Navin Nayak, Senior Vice President of Campaigns at the League of Conservation Voters said that such behavior is unacceptable to the America public. “This is why congressional approval ratings are in the toilet,” Nayak said. “People don’t believe that a member of Congress is on their side when he or she takes big money from oil companies, and then approves billions in taxpayer handouts. No wonder Americans are outraged.”

Citizens deliver more than 639,000 comments to EPA

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:57:19 PDT

A crowd of concerned citizens delivered more than 639,000 comments supporting stronger mercury safeguards to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 1 office in Boston on Tuesday.

The comments, which came from constituents in all 50 states, specifically called on the EPA to limit toxic pollution from coal-fired power plants—which leak 99% of all power-related mercury emissions in the U.S. and serve as the single largest emitter of mercury, arsenic, and acid gas toxins.

The comments, which were the result of the collective action by 200 health, environmental and social justice organizations—including the League of Conservation Voters—were well-received by the EPA office. "This tremendous response signals that Americans know how important it is to cut down on mercury, arsenic and other dangerous pollutants in the air we breathe," said Curt Spalding, Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Region 1 office in Boston. "Not only will these safeguards prevent thousands of premature deaths and cases of asthma and other illnesses, they will level the playing field for power plants already using widely available clean technology. We're relying on the continued input of New Englanders, and all Americans, to help us make these vital safeguards a reality."

The proposed EPA mercury standards are expected to save 17,000 lives annually and prevent 12,200 trips to the hospital once implemented.

States' Rights only when convenient?

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:21:15 PDT

The House approved H.R. 2018 Wednesday evening, with a 239 - 184 vote. Support for the vote fell largely along party lines; however 16 Democrats supported the measure, while 13 Republicans opposed it. Known as the “dirty water” bill, the Act prevents the EPA from overriding out-dated or lax state clean water standards.

The Hill’s Pete Kasperowicz reports that supporting members justified the measure by arguing that the measure prevents the EPA from encroaching on state policies. Kasperowicz writes:

“During brief debate on the rule, Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said the EPA has evolved into an agency that ignores the system of ‘cooperative federalism’ that was originally intended in the Clean Water Act. He and others added that the EPA completely undermines state governments and local companies with arbitrary rules that continue to hurt economic growth in the U.S.”

Yet on Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee approved 27 – 20 Rep. Steve Austria’s (R – OH) amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill. In addition to prohibiting the EPA from taking action, Austria’s amendment effectively strips the rights of California and several other state governments from independently limiting vehicle tailpipe emissions in 2017-25 models.

Of the Republican members on the Appropriations Committee, only three—C.W. Bill Young of Florida, Frank Wolf of Virginia, and Jeff Flake of Arizona—voted against the dirty water bill that supporters insisted was intended to protect states’ rights. All Democrats on the Committee voted against the dirty water bill.

Brookings: Clean energy jobs pay more

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:34:07 PDT

The median average salary for clean energy jobs outpaces that of blue-collar jobs by 20%, a Brookings Institute and Battelle study released Wednesday found. While median wages for all other occupations across the country were $38,616, in the clean energy sector median wages jumped to $46,343 across the nation.

Additionally, capital investments in the sector lead to an 8.3% annual job growth surge in clean energy positions, compared to a 4.2% annual growth rate for all other sectors. The clean-tech sector now offers more jobs than that of the oil industry, the report noted.

Yet, Brookings analyst Jonathon Rothwell warns that additional funding is necessary to maintain the sector’s global competitiveness, as Chinese investments in clean technology vastly outpaces those in the U.S. "There's no existing U.S. institution that is willing to provide funding at the levels needed," Rothwell says. "Banks are the most appropriate lending institution for this, and few of them will take the risk."

View the report here.

BULB Act Fails in House

noreply@blogger.com (Damien M. Shirley) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:08:22 PDT

Last night, the House of Representatives failed to repeal the light bulb energy efficiency standards that were signed into law in 2007.

The BULB Act needed a 2/3rds majority to pass the House but only mustered 233 votes; 193 representatives voted against it.

With the new standards in place, every light bulb manufactured in 2012 and beyond will have to meet certain energy efficiency standards—in the first phase, new bulbs will have to be 25 to 30 percent more efficient through 2014. The new standards are estimated to save American consumers $12 billion a year, or roughly $100 per household annually.

Here’s what LCV President Gene Karpinski had to say about the failed repeal attempt:

We applaud those members of the U.S. House who voted to reject this hidden energy tax that would prevent consumers from saving money and strip profits from those manufacturers who have been producing energy saving light bulbs in accordance with the 2007 standards. Consumers want energy efficient products and manufacturers want to sell them. It’s time to let these efficiency standards go to work saving consumers money while spurring innovation, creating jobs and reducing pollution.

White House threatens to veto H.R. 2018 “Dirty Water Bill”

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 08:26:42 PDT

The White House released a statement Tuesday “strongly opposing” Rep. John Mica’s (R – Fl) dirty water bill, H.R. 2018. The bill, which blocks the EPA from standardizing clean water policy on a national level, threatens to deconstruct 40 years of environmental legislation.

“The Administration strongly opposes H.R 2018 because it would significantly undermine the Clean Water Act (CWA) and could adversely affect public health, the economy, and the environment,” the White House said. “H.R. 2018 would roll back the key provisions of the CWA that have been the underpinning of 40 years of progress in making the Nation’s waters fishable, swimmable, and drinkable.”

“If the President is presented with this legislation, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill,” the statement continued.

The House is expected to vote on the legislation Wednesday afternoon.

Sen. Inhofe places hold on Bryson nomination

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:21:44 PDT

Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) announced Tuesday that he had placed an official hold on President Obama’s nomination of John Bryson to replace Secretary Gary Locke as head the Commerce Department.

Inhofe and other Republicans first raised opposition to Bryson in May solely because of his extensive expertise in clean energy and climate change, dubbing him an “environmental extremist” that is “out of touch,” with America’s energy and economic needs.

Bryson, in addition to co-founding the National Resources Defense Council, has held a variety of energy-related positions both in the public and private sectors and is the former CEO of Edison International, an electric power generator.

Climate Reality Project to kick off new campaign with 24 Hours of Reality event

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 11:03:10 PDT

Former Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project will launch a new campaign with its 24 Hours of Reality event September 14 -15, Think Progress’s Brad Johnson reports.

The event, which is designed “to focus the world’s attention on the full truth, scope, scale and impact of the climate crisis,” will involve presentations in major cities in each of the world’s 24 time zones, starting in Mexico City and ending with Al Gore’s presentation in New York City.

The live-streamed event will feature multimedia presentations on the connection between extreme weather and climate change, and invite the audience—both online and in - person—to take part in specific actions to address climate change.

Learn more about the Climate Reality Project event here.

REPORT: Potential Keystone XL rupture a “nightmare scenario”

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:13:07 PDT

A rupture in the planned Keystone XL project would be a “nightmare scenario,” with the potential to release as much as 7 million barrels of oil into the Yellowstone River, a report by John Stansbury, an environmental engineer at the University of Nebraska, found.

TransCanada, which owns the pipeline, downplays the potential impacts of a spill, the report asserts, and is overly optimistic about how long it would take to stop a leak. Stansbury predicts a possibility of as many as 91 serious oil spills in 50 years if the project is permitted to go forward. Such a leak could take up to an hour to stop if detected immediately, but holds the possibility of going undetected for days or weeks on end.

The a rupture in the pipeline—which would carry the especially dirty tar sands crude from Canada—places key water sources in danger because of its proximity to major rivers the report warns, echoing an earlier assessment made by Nebraska scientists that found that 64% of the state’s groundwater lay within 1 mile of the project.

House Expected to Vote on BULB Act Today

noreply@blogger.com (Damien M. Shirley) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:56:22 PDT

The House of Representatives is expected to vote later today on H.R. 2417—the BULB Act—which would repeal light bulb efficiency standards that were signed into law back in 2007.

The new standards do not ban old-fashioned incandescent bulbs, but they do require all bulbs manufactured in 2012 and beyond to be more energy-efficient.

The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that the new standards will save American consumers around $12 billion a year, or roughly $100 per household. According to NRDC, the energy saved by these new standards will prevent 100 million tons of carbon pollution emissions annually—the equivalent of taking 17 million cars off the road.

The original standards were proposed by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), who recanted his support shortly before securing the chairmanship of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. The repeal bill was sponsored by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), who made headlines for apologizing to BP in the wake of their massive oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico.

Gov. Lynch Vetoes RGGI Repeal

noreply@blogger.com (Damien M. Shirley) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:10:44 PDT

Yesterday, as expected, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch vetoed a bill that would have withdrawn his state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a groundbreaking climate program.

In his veto message, Gov. Lynch stated that ending New Hampshire’s involvement in RGGI would cost jobs, hinder the state’s economic recovery and damage its economic competitiveness in the future. Lynch cited a University of New Hampshire assessment which found that RGGI's cumulative impact through 2010 was a net benefit of over $16 million in revenue.

New Hampshire has been the first state to consider repealing RGGI. While New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has signaled his intention to withdraw his state from the program, New Jersey’s legislature voted against pulling out of RGGI just one week ago.

EPA Releases Cross-State Air Pollution Rule to Protect Downwind States from Dirty Energy

noreply@blogger.com (Lilly Zoller) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:44:17 PDT

Today, the EPA revealed its long awaited Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (formerly known as the Transport Rule), designed to protect air in states located downwind from other major polluting states. 27 states will be required to reduce smog and soot from power plants, resulting in an estimated 73% reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions and 54% in nitrogen oxide emissions below 2005 levels by 2014. This rule will also save an estimated 13,000 to 34,000 lives per year.

The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule replaces the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) that was issued in March 2005 to cap emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the eastern United States. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Court ordered the EPA to revisit this rule in July 2008 because it did not meet the necessary public health standards required under the Clean Air Act. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson first proposed this updated rule in July 2010.

The need for this updated standard is well understood by many members of Congress, notably Senator Tom Carper (D-Del), Chairman of the Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee of the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee. Carper often refers to his state as “the nation’s tailpipe” because an estimated 90% of its pollution originates in upwind states, commenting in a recent hearing that Delaware is paying the full price of neighboring states’ dirty energy.

In her announcement today, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said this rule is “to ensure that no community has to bear the burden of another community’s polluters”. LCV agrees with Jackson and strongly supports the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule because it will save lives, clean up pollution and protect public health.

Interior Secretary: “It is a painful day for Conservation.”

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:17:29 PDT

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar spoke scathingly of a GOP Appropriations budget proposal stating that “it is a very painful day for conservation,” while visiting Michigan Wednesday, The Hill’s Ben German reports.

In addition to the massive cuts to the EPA, the proposed legislation slashes Interior Department funding overall by $720 million below current spending levels, and virtually eliminates $838 million in White House requested funding for The Land and Water Conservation Fund—a key Interior program.

Calling the policy “short-sighted,” Salazar stressed that the traditionally bipartisan-supported fund was critical to the “conservation legacy and future” of the U.S. “The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been a keystone of modern day conservation in America,” he said, adding that the proposed budget cuts “will set back the conservation arc that we have been on for a long time.”

The Interior Department has already taken efforts to reduce its budget substantially on its own, with plans in place to cut $500 million over 10 years.

GOP Appropriators continue war on EPA budget

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:57:47 PDT

Key Republican appropriators unveiled a proposal Wednesday for the 2012 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill with an emphasis on drastically reducing the EPA budget.

The spending bill, which currently resides in subcommittee, slashes $1.8 billion from the White House’s requested levels for the EPA. The measure includes cuts to wastewater and drinking water infrastructure funding, grants for state environmental programs, and cleanup programs for the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay.

Among other anti-environmental provisions, the bill also includes a series of riders designed to curb the EPA’s ability to regulate clean air, water and environmental safety policies.

Some of the most disturbing riders included in the proposal were:

• Language prohibiting the EPA from implementing standards to protect streams from mountaintop removal coal sites.

•A measure to prevent the EPA from extending the authority to protect waterways under the Clean Water act to all “navigable waterways.”

•A provision prohibiting the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions for one year.

•Language banning the EPA from delegating funds towards defining toxic coal ash as “hazardous waste.”

•A provision to expedite offshore drilling while limiting the EPA’s ability to monitor air pollution in the Outer Continental Shelf.

The measure is expected to be voted on by the subcommittee on Thursday.

Rep Upton accuses environmentalists of “politicizing” pollution debate

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 08:53:03 PDT

Representative Fred Upton sided with his dirty energy donors Tuesday when he accused environmentalist groups of “politicizing” the pollution debate in an Investor’s Business Daily editorial.

Rep. Upton, who has received over $863,000 in polluter donations, specifically classified the American Lung Association’s recent scientifically - supported campaign to raise awareness about the respiratory health impacts of climate - change induced smog pollution as “tactics intended to produce media hype.”

In Rep. Upton’s home state of Michigan, over 225,000 children have been diagnosed with asthma—amounting to 22,276 emergency room visits due to respiratory complications alone.

Representative Kelly Continues Support for Big Oil Handouts

noreply@blogger.com (Emma) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 13:00:04 PDT

Representative Mike Kelly (R- PA) dismissed constituent concerns regarding his vote to preserve over $4 billion in subsidies to Big Oil at a Pennsylvania town hall meeting last week and declared opposition to oil subsidies the result of “class warfare,” against the wealthy, Think Progress’ Scott Keyes reports.

Kelly, who holds over $6.25 million in stock in oil and gas companies (some of which receive these subsidies), insinuated that the working class has a “we need” mentality. When asked by a constituent why he continued to support Big Oil, while working to cut “vital services to working families,” Kelly responded:

“If you really want to understand the whole thing, I would say that, number one, we want companies to be profitable. I said earlier about the class warfare, if we’re going to start classifying, “they’re too rich, they’re too wealthy, they’re too greedy. We don’t get enough, we need more, and we need to have rich people putting more money in. We need, we need, we need, we need, we need, we need, we need.”

Oil companies reaped record profits last year; at Exxon Mobil alone, which recently assumed control of two companies that Kelly holds stock in, profits routinely increase by 50% each year.