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Great News for Alaska’s Bristol Bay —

09/24/2013 Nativegrl77

September 2013

Anglo American Quits the Proposed Pebble Mine

In a surprise decision that brought new hope to Alaska’s Bristol Bay, British mining giant Anglo American — the lead company behind the Pebble Mine — announced that it is abandoning the project. The announcement dealt a heavy blow to the proposed gold and copper operation, which would produce some 10 billion tons of contaminated waste and threaten the greatest wild salmon runs on the planet. NRDC Members helped make this victory possible by deluging Anglo American with nearly one million messages of protest. The fight is not over yet — we’ll need new funding to ratchet up the pressure on the remaining companies behind the mine and win EPA action to protect Bristol Bay from large-scale mining.

Navy Refuses to Protect Marine Mammals from Deadly Sonar

The U.S. Navy says it will ignore a unanimous recommendation by the California Coastal Commission to reduce the harmful effects of naval sonar on the state’s marine mammals, which would violate California law. The Navy is planning to dramatically increase its use of dangerous sonar and high-powered explosives off the coast of Southern California during training and testing. It predicts that such operations will kill hundreds of marine mammals — and injure thousands of others — over the next five years. New research shows that the Navy’s California training is already putting entire whale populations at risk, including endangered blue whales, the largest animal on Earth.

Nobel Laureates Denounce Keystone XL

NRDC and our partners ran a full-page ad in The Washington Post that featured a letter from ten Nobel Peace Prize winners, calling on President Obama to reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline and lead the way beyond dirty oil.

U.S. Blocks Import
of Wild-Caught Belugas

The National Marine Fisheries Service has denied a permit — opposed by NRDC — that would have allowed the Georgia Aquarium to import 18 wild-caught belugas from Russia for public display purposes at aquaria around the country. We applaud the decision since Russia’s wild beluga population is still recovering after being hunted nearly to extinction in the 1960s. Read more.

CA County Cracks Down
on Fracking

In July, NRDC’s Community Fracking Defense Campaign scored a big victory when California’s San Benito County approved an ordinance imposing new safeguards on this dangerous form of oil and gas extraction, including a greater setback from homes and disclosure of the chemicals used during drilling or fracking. Read more.

Black History

the Senate CONGRESS 9/24 the House

09/24/2013 Nativegrl77

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Tuesday, September 24, 2013.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 11:15am with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.

At 11:15am, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #203, the nomination of Todd M.

Hughes, of the District of Columbia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit.

There will be up to 30 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled in the usual form.

Upon the use or yielding back of time (at approximately 11:45am), there will be a roll call vote on confirmation of the Hughes nomination.

Upon disposition of the Hughes nomination, the Senate will recess until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

At 2:15pm, Senator Mikulski will be recognized for up to 20 minutes. Following her remarks, Senator Cruz will be recognized.

During Monday’s session of the Senate, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to H.J.Res.59, the continuing resolution.

Under the rule, that cloture vote will occur one hour after the Senate convenes on Wednesday.

11:47am The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #203, the nomination of Todd M. Hughes, of the District of Columbia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit.;

Confirmed: 98-0

The Senate is debating the motion to proceed to H.J.Res.59, the Continuing Resolution. Following Senator Cruz’s statement, we expect to adjourn and reconvene at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, September 25. Under Rule 22, the cloture vote would occur at 1:00pm. There will be no roll call votes tonight.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTE

1) Confirmation of Executive Calendar #203, 113th Congress, 1st Session” href=”http://democrats.senate.gov/execlookup.php?nomination=calendar+no.+203&congress=113″ target=”_blank”>Executive Calendar #203, the nomination of Todd M. Hughes, of the District of Columbia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit.;

Confirmed: 98-0

No LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

No additional EXECUTIVE ITEMS

*************************************************************************

Watch Most Recent House Floor Activity

Last Floor Action: 9/23
11:03:25 A.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to a previous special order.

The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on September 25, 2013.

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Obamacare is working

09/23/2013 Nativegrl77

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Fashion Industry … quiet acts

09/23/2013 Nativegrl77

Naomi Campbell Calls Out Fashion Industry’s Racism

• Naomi Campbell thinks that the fact that there are so few women of color taking part in fashion week deserves to be called out. “I’m saying the act of not choosing models of color is racist,” she told The Telegraph. “We are not calling them racist, we are saying the act is racist.”

And she’s…

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Join Amazon Watch at Bioneers Conference Oct 18-20. Register Today!

09/23/2013 Nativegrl77

Join Amazon Watch at the National Bioneers Conference!

Amazon Watch invites you to join us and other indigenous activists and leaders for a life-changing sustainability and social change event.

The National Bioneers Conference is the original whole-systems forum of innovation and collaboration for social, cultural and environmental resilience. BioCon speakers have included Bill McKibben, Jane Goodall, Marina Silva, Vandana Shiva, Michael Pollan, Gloria Steinem and Paul Hawken, among many other luminaries. The conference also prides itself on introducing audiences to some of the most innovative voices yet to be discovered.

Please join us at the Conference from October 18th through 20th at the Marin Center in San Rafael, CA – Register today!

This year, visionaries and change-makers – including Danny Glover, Tom Goldtooth, Annie Leonard and our very own Atossa Soltani – will propose, debate and initiate solutions to global bio-cultural and socio-ecological issues. BioCon talks and activities reflect the event’s theme of Turning Vision Into Action. It opens with Nalini Nadkarni, known as the “Queen of the Forest Canopy” for her extensive scientific studies of unique rainforest biology across four continents. Nalini will share what complex rainforest biodiversity can teach us about human dynamics.

Atossa and I will join amazing women leaders and friends including Anna Lappé, Lynn Twist and Osprey Orielle Lake in panels at the conference entitled, Women as Democracy Builders and Mobilizing Women for Climate Solutions. We are also honored to once again help facilitate the participation of indigenous partners from the Amazon who will share a Call from the Amazon and join indigenous allies in discussions in the acclaimed Bioneers Indigenous Forum, which features exciting workshops and discussions on major issues, struggles, and successes in Indian Country and in indigenous communities globally.

Now in its 24th year, BioCon offers access to inspiring keynotes, provocative panels and workshops, and networking sessions with others who are committed to progressive action in restoring people and planet. Don’t miss it!

I look forward to seeing you at the Conference!

For our future,

Leila Salazar-López
Program Director