Tag Archives: United States Environmental Protection Agency

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.

Take Action Today!
Sincerely,

Chrissy Elles Outreach Associate UCS Climate and Energy Program

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Protect Yellowstone from PSE’s coal plant!

05/10/2012 Nativegrl77

http://www.sierraclub.org

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.

~ Recent Post

Save The Bees … Corinne Ball, Change.org

04/04/2012 Nativegrl77

EPA: Ban the pesticide that’s threatening American bees with extinction

Sign Susan’s Petition

Here’s the buzz: American honey bees are disappearing at an alarming rate and the government knows why.

Scientists say a pesticide called clothianidin, made by chemical giant Bayer, is strongly linked to the rapid decline in bee populations. When exposed to the chemical, bees get lost: they are literally unable to find their way home back to the hive and drop dead from exhaustion.

Susan Mariner uses her backyard garden to grow extra fruits and veggies for her family and teach her children where their food comes from — and in the past few years, she’s seen the decline in bees firsthand.

When Susan heard about the recent studies linking this specific chemical to the widespread death of the bees who pollinate our food, she started a petition on Change.org to get the chemical banned. Click here to sign Susan’s petition asking the Environmental Protection Agency to ban these bee-killing pesticides ASAP.

One-third of the U.S. food supply relies on honey bees. Without bees to pollinate crops, many essential (and favorite) foods are at risk, including apples, squash, tomatoes, strawberries, almonds, and even chocolate.

Several countries, including Germany and France, have already banned clothianidin. And after the bans, bee populations began to rise again.

But in the U.S., clothianidin is used on millions of acres of crops and American beekeepers report losses of up to 90% of their bees. Many worry that their hives won’t survive another season. Sign Susan’s petition urging the EPA to save the bees and immediately end the harmful pesticide’s use.

Thanks for being a change-maker,

– Corinne and the Change.org team

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EPA takes critical first step to tackle global warming … Union of Concerned Scientists

04/03/2012 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

EPA Takes Critical First Step to Tackle Global Warming

Big news! On March 27 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released draft standards that will limit carbon pollution under the Clean Air Act. Carbon pollution from power plants contributes to global warming, endangering our health, our environment, and drastically altering our climate. By placing the first ever nationwide limits on carbon pollution from new power plants, these historic standards are a critical step to reducing the effects of global warming and protecting public health.

WWW.UCSUSA.ORG

Unfortunately, these standards are already under attack. Several members of Congress have introduced legislation that would block or delay these historic standards, and the Obama administration is facing intense pressure from dirty energy companies, who are spreading false claims about their impact on our economy. It is clear that these dirty energy companies care more about protecting their bottom line than protecting our health and environment from the effects of global warming.

To ensure that the EPA finalizes strong standards this year, we need to generate a record-setting number of supportive comments to the EPA and show support at in-person public hearings around the country.

We have a team of UCS Climate Ambassadors—scientists, economists, health professionals, and concerned citizens like you—who have volunteered to attend the EPA’s public hearings to represent you and the tens of thousands of Americans who care about reducing carbon emissions. They will hand deliver your comments to EPA officials and personally testify at EPA hearings on the importance of limiting carbon pollution from new power plants.

Tell the EPA that you support its efforts to make power plants take responsibility for their contribution to global warming by reducing carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act.

Submit Your Comment Today! WWW.UCSUSA.ORG

Sincerely,

Chrissy Elles
Outreach Associate
UCS Climate and Energy Program

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Flood Congress with Support for Climate Action … Union of Concerned Scientists

03/16/2012 Nativegrl77

Flood Congress with Support for Climate Action

http://action.ucsusa.org << Take Action

Global warming emissions present a danger to public health—from worsening ozone pollution to hotter, longer heat waves and other types of extreme weather. For instance, heavy rain and floods are likely to get worse in a warming world, leaving us more and more vulnerable to health risks such as drowning and exposure to contaminated water.

Floods are one of deadliest and most expensive natural disasters in the United States. The average annual U.S. flood losses in the past 10 years were more than $10.2 billion. More than half of all waterborne disease outbreaks in the United States occur in the aftermath of heavy rain, and floodwaters may contain more than 100 types of disease causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

In order to protect our health from these effects of climate change, we must reduce global warming emissions now.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is on the verge of releasing draft standards that will limit global warming emissions from power plants under the Clean Air Act. Unfortunately, dirty energy companies and their allies in Congress are trying to block the EPA from moving forward with these historic standards.

Tell your members of Congress to protect our health from the effects of climate change and oppose any legislation that would block or delay the EPA’s ability to reduce global warming emissions under the Clean Air Act.

Take Action Today!

Sincerely,

Chrissy Elles
Outreach Associate
UCS Climate & Energy Program