GREEN news
April 21, 2009
EARTH DAY 2009: America is Ready for a Clean Energy Economy to Create Jobs and Protect the Planet
In recognition of Earth Day 2009, the following is a statement from Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council:“This Earth Day is the first in nearly a decade when we have support across America and in Washington to make real progress for a clean energy future. In the midst of a financial crisis, our country is recognizing that the right environmental decisions are the right economic decisions. We can overcome our greatest challenges to create millions of clean energy jobs, restore confidence in the financial sector, and give our children a better planet. With a president who shares our environmental priorities, a Congress poised to take action, and business leaders increasingly aware of the opportunity presented by a clean energy economy -- we have the tools to repower America.”
April 17, 2009
EPA TAKES BIG STEP TO REDUCE CARBON POLLUTION
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Administrator Lisa Jackson made an historic announcement today to move forward with the ruling that the carbon pollution that causes global warming is a danger to public health and welfare. This action will finally enable the EPA to begin implementing the 2007 Supreme Court ruling that carbon pollution can be curbed under the Clean Air Act.
Following is a statement by David Doniger, Policy Director of the Climate Center at the Natural Resources Defense Council, and its attorney in the Supreme Court's landmark global warming case, Massachusetts v. EPA:
“At long last, the EPA has officially recognized that carbon pollution is harmful to our health and to the climate. The heat-trapping pollution from our cars and power plants leads to killer heat waves, stronger hurricanes, higher smog levels, and many other direct and indirect threats to human health.
“With this step, Administrator Lisa Jackson and the Obama administration have gone a long way to restore respect for both science and law. The era of defying science and the Supreme Court has ended.
“Acknowledging that global warming pollution is dangerous to our health and our environment requires the EPA to follow up with standards under the Clean Air Act -- the nation's most effective environmental law -- to curb carbon pollution from our cars, power plants, and other industrial sources.
“The technology exists to cut carbon pollution while strengthening our economy. Mainly by increasing energy efficiency and moving to cleaner energy sources, we can create millions of jobs, save consumers billions of dollars, and cut our dangerous dependence on oil.
“We will work with the Obama administration as it carries out the existing Clean Air Act, and we look to Congress to enact a strong comprehensive climate and energy legislation.
“Cleaner energy will help America meet its greatest challenges and will be an economic engine for the 21st century. Today’s action is an important step toward making our climate and our planet safer for future generations.”
Read David Doniger’s blog: Terms of Endangerment: EPA to Cut Global Warming Pollution
Join NRDC's David Doniger for a live online discussion about EPA's endangerment on Monday, April 20, at 1 p.m. on NRDC's Switchboard.
The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and online activists, served from offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Beijing.
April 14, 2009
NEW REPORT: ACROSS AMERICA, WATERS IN CRISIS
How the Supreme Court Has Broken the Clean Water Act and Why Congress Must Fix It
For decades, the Clean Water Act has broadly protected America’s lakes, rivers, streams, and drinking water sources from unregulated pollution and destruction, rescuing them from the dire straits they were in during the late 1960s and early 1970s. But because of a concerted effort by polluters and developers, and muddied rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court, up to 60 percent (at least 15,000 important waters) have lost these vital protections and countless other waters (including more than 50 percent of our streams and 20 million acres of wetlands) are at risk of losing protections.
Today, Natural Resources Defense Council, Clean Water Action, Earthjustice, Environment America, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, and Southern Environmental Law Center are releasing a new report entitled “Courting Disaster: How the Supreme Court Has Broken the Clean Water Act and Why Congress Must Fix It,” which details the threats to America’s waters and highlights the urgent need for Congress to act immediately and restore full Clean Water Act protections to our waters.
Supreme Court decisions in 2001 and 2006, and subsequent agency policies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers put in place in 2003 and 2007, shattered the fundamental framework of the Clean Water Act. Today, many important waters – large and small – are being stripped of critical protections against pollution and destruction. These waters not only serve as valuable wildlife habitat, store flood water, return water to aquifers, and filter pollutants, but they also provide some or all of the supply for drinking water systems serving roughly 111 million Americans. The floodgates are now open for polluters to use the chaotic legal state to thwart enforcement and clean up efforts, and actively pollute the waters where we fish, swim, boat, and drink.
Courting Disaster details more than 30 cases which demonstrate that without immediate action in Congress, a generation of progress in cleaning up our nation’s waters may be lost. We cannot afford to return to the days of dirty water. These telling examples include numerous instances where:
* an administrative agency (EPA or Corps) limited legal protection for a given water body, ruling that it is no longer protected by the Clean Water Act;
* a court made a determination undercutting Clean Water Act protections for a water body;
* as a defense in an enforcement action, an alleged polluter raised the issue of whether the water they discharged into is a protected water;
* the Corps of Engineers originally determined a water not be protected, forcing EPA to step in to overrule the Corps and protect the water body; and
* a discharger with a permit argued it could pollute waters without federal safeguards in the future.
“Across the nation, polluters are being allowed to dump into our waterways, including countless drinking water sources,” said Jon Devine, Senior Attorney for NRDC. “Congress can and must fix the Clean Water Act so it protects the health of our rivers, lakes, streams, and the millions of Americans who rely on them.”
“These examples from across America make clear the urgent need for Congress to pass the Clean Water Restoration Act -- every day that passes puts at risk America’s streams, wetlands, and our sources of clean water,” said Jim Murphy, wetlands & water resources counsel, National Wildlife Federation. “Robust wetlands, rivers, and streams are essential to help people and wildlife survive the impacts of global warming that include more intense storms, droughts and habitat loss.”
“Since 2003, drinking water sources for 111 million Americans have been put at risk because of policies that give free reign to polluters,” said Paul Schwartz, national policy coordinator, Clean Water Action. “This report shows that action by Congress is overdue.”
“The Clean Water Act was created to broadly protect our nation’s waters, including the many streams, ponds, and wetlands that provide recreation, fishing, wildlife habitat, and our drinking water,” said Dalal Aboulhosn, clean water representative, Sierra Club. “Congress needs to step up now and reaffirm the Clean Water Act as it was originally intended before more of our waters are lost.”
“The Clean Water Act is broken,” said Joan Mulhern, senior legislative counsel, Earthjustice. “Every week that goes that Congress does not pass legislation to fix it, dozens of streams and wetlands – like those in this report – are lost to pollution and destruction. President Obama said during the campaign that he supports this legislation. There is no reason to wait any longer to address this dire problem.”
“The rubber meets the road in the South where most of America’s wetlands and its greatest growth collide,” said Bill Sapp, senior attorney, Southern Environmental Law Center. “The Clean Water Restoration Act is crucial to protecting the South’s valuable wetlands since many states have little or no protections in place.”
The cases in Courting Disaster provide telling examples of how critical it is for Congress to reverse the damage done from the Supreme Court’s decisions by restoring longstanding Clean Water Act protections. The Clean Water Restoration Act would accomplish this. This Act was introduced in the Senate two weeks ago. A similar bill should soon be introduced in the House.
April 3, 2009
HOUSE AND SENATE PASS BUDGET
Move Forward with President's Budget for a Clean Energy Economy
The House and Senate late last night passed Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Resolutions that will make strong investments in clean, renewable energy and fund environmental programs that were previously neglected.
Following is a statement from Franz Matzner, acting legislative director for the Natural Resources Defense Council:
"The budgets passed by the House and Senate signal a firm commitment to clean, renewable energy that will jump-start our economy and create jobs across the nation. It is clear that Congress is going in a new direction to prioritize the health of our planet and citizens.
“For the first time in years, Washington is again investing in our oceans, public lands, and the protection of public health. The budget also provides funding for America’s neglected infrastructure, like our drinking water systems, sewers, streets and bridges.
“The budget proposals reflect President Obama's dedication to restoring scientific integrity at our agencies and ending America’s reliance on the dirty fuels of the past. This is a first and important step to rebuilding America, protecting our environment, and spurring economic growth.”