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The EPA recently confirmed that the destruction of rainforests for palm oil is having a devastating impact on our climate. In fact, this deforestation, in large part for palm oil plantations, has led Indonesia to become the third largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, just behind China and the United States. These severe climate and forest impacts should ensure that palm-oil based biofuels stay out of the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard, which mandates that American motorists use 36 billion gallons of biofuel in their cars and trucks by 2022. But not if the powerful palm oil lobby has anything to do with it. A massive lobby effort led by palm oil companies Cargill and Wilmar is being waged to persuade the EPA to overturn its own climate science on palm oil. Tell Obama’s EPA not to cave to industry pressure on palm oil and climate change. Palm oil companies know this is jeopardizing news to their multi-billion dollar industry. In the United States, the EPA’s decision could also determine to what extent the U.S. becomes a major palm oil buyer. Consumption of palm oil in the United States is growing at a much faster rate than anywhere else in the world–making sense that industry reps from Indonesia and Malaysia are concerned about protecting palm oil’s reputation here. The palm oil industry will do whatever it takes to maximize profits at the expense of destruction of the forest, species, and communities of Indonesia and Malaysia–where 85% of the world’s palm oil is cultivated.
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Tag Archives: EPA
Will the EPA Choose Political Influence over Science?
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The EPA recently confirmed that the destruction of rainforests for palm oil is having a devastating impact on our climate. In fact, this deforestation, in large part for palm oil plantations, has led Indonesia to become the third largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, just behind China and the United States. These severe climate and forest impacts should ensure that palm-oil based biofuels stay out of the EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard, which mandates that American motorists use 36 billion gallons of biofuel in their cars and trucks by 2022. But not if the powerful palm oil lobby has anything to do with it. A massive lobby effort led by palm oil companies Cargill and Wilmar is being waged to persuade the EPA to overturn its own climate science on palm oil. Tell Obama’s EPA not to cave to industry pressure on palm oil and climate change. Palm oil companies know this is jeopardizing news to their multi-billion dollar industry. In the United States, the EPA’s decision could also determine to what extent the U.S. becomes a major palm oil buyer. Consumption of palm oil in the United States is growing at a much faster rate than anywhere else in the world–making sense that industry reps from Indonesia and Malaysia are concerned about protecting palm oil’s reputation here. The palm oil industry will do whatever it takes to maximize profits at the expense of destruction of the forest, species, and communities of Indonesia and Malaysia–where 85% of the world’s palm oil is cultivated.
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Reducing greenhouse gas pollution … Gabe Wisniewski, Greenpeace
Reducing greenhouse gas pollution is one of the most urgent things for our government to do.
Tell the EPA we need stronger rules to protect us from climate change.
The effects of climate change are everywhere. Historically warm winters, killer heat waves and droughts, and 100-year storms have hammered our country in recent years.
Still, power plants in the US are allowed to spew unlimited carbon pollution, which is driving us closer to runaway climate change.
President Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finally proposed the first ever rule to change this. Unfortunately, to be as effective as possible, this rule needs to be strengthened significantly.
The rule — known as the Carbon Pollution Standard — limits the amount of carbon pollution that new coal-fired power plants are allowed to emit. Unfortunately, the rule is full of loopholes and applies only to new power plants that are unlikely to be built in the first place. The rule does nothing to reduce carbon pollution from existing sources.
The EPA is now accepting public comments. This is your chance to let the EPA know you want the loopholes closed, the rule finalized and for them to get to work on limiting the coal fired power plants that actually exist.
Tell the EPA: We need strong legal limits to protect us from existing and future sources of carbon pollution.
Coal-fired power plants are the largest single source of carbon pollution in the US. If we don’t put a limit on the amount of climate change causing pollution they are allowed to spew into the air then things are only going to get worse.
Greenpeace and other groups have been working in communities across the country to close down these dirty old plants and stop new ones from being built altogether. We’ve been extremely successful, but we need a strong ruling from the EPA on this issue to fully address climate change.
Americans, have an important role to play in the final outcome of this rule. Almost 200,000 Greenpeace supporters have already submitted their comments to the EPA. Take a minute and add your voice to that list.
Tell the EPA: We need strong legal limits to protect us from existing and future sources of carbon pollution.
Sincerely,
Gabe Wisniewski
Greenpeace USA Coal Campaign Director
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Clean Air Under Attack … Union of Concerned Scientists
Clean Air Under Attack ,
The Chamber of Commerce and other groups who oppose climate action are mounting a massive attack on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) efforts to protect our health and the environment from the impacts of global warming.
Right now, we’re pumping too much carbon into the atmosphere and it’s having a dangerous effect on our climate. To help protect us, the EPA recently released draft standards that, for the first time ever, will limit carbon pollution from new power plants. Yesterday, UCS supporters heard directly from senior White House and EPA officials about how these standards are a critical first step towards reducing the effects of global warming and protecting public health.
Unfortunately the Chamber of Commerce recently released a press statement vowing to do whatever it takes to overturn the EPA’s standard.
The chamber’s attacks are bogus.
We need these standards to start to address the threat of climate change—and the EPA is not only helping to address that threat, it is also meeting the mandate it was given by the Supreme Court five years ago to reduce carbon emissions found to be dangerous to the public health and welfare.
But that’s not stopping foes like the chamber. It’s critical that informed citizens like you speak up to protect these standards. You already submitted a public comment in support of the EPA’s carbon pollution standard, but now it’s time to take the next step. Tell the Chamber of Commerce to stop their attacks.
The opposition hasn’t quit and we can’t either.
Chrissy Elles Outreach Associate UCS Climate and Energy ProgramShare this:
Protect Yellowstone from PSE’s coal plant!
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Yellowstone National park is a national treasure, home to grizzly bears and some of the last herds of free-roaming bison. Every year, over 3 million people visit to see these animals, to watch Old Faithful blow its top, and to view the sunset over Yellowstone Falls.1
Unfortunately, dirty coal pollution is ruining the view. Haze from a nearby coal-fired plant makes it hard to enjoy these sunsets, or take in the majesty of the roaming bison herds.
Right now, the EPA is taking comments on a plan to cut nearby coal pollution, but they need your support. Tell the EPA to protect Yellowstone National Park from dirty coal pollution today.
Yellowstone is as special to Americans as baseball and apple pie. However, you may not know that Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is the single biggest owner of the coal plant in Montana threatening the park.
Let’s show Big Coal that Washingtonians don’t support importing coal-fired electricty that is threatening one of our country’s national treasures by sending 2,000 comments to the EPA. Send your comment now!
Yellowstone was America’s first National Park — founded in 1872. We need to make sure it stays as pristine now, as it was then. As a Washingtonian, your comments will help move our state away from dirty coal and ensure our kids and grand kids experience the park the way it was intended — clean, clear, and unspoiled.
Move Washington beyond coal and make sure the next generation can experience Old Faithful and Yellowstone Falls without looking through toxic air. Urge the EPA to protect Yellowstone National Park today.
Thanks for all you do for the environment,
Seth Ballhorn
Beyond Coal Campaign
Sierra Club
P.S. – After you have taken action, forward this message to your friends.
Be a Seed for Change 
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