MOST EXCELLENT news from Dina Cappiello at the Associated Press:
WASHINGTON – The Environmental Protection Agency put hundreds of mountaintop coal-mining permits on hold Tuesday, saying it wants to evaluate the projects’ impact on streams and wetlands.
The decision by EPA administrator Lisa Jackson targets a controversial practice that allows coal mining companies to dump waste from mountaintop mining into streams and wetlands.
It could delay 150-200 surface coal mines, including mountaintop removal operations, according to the EPA.
Those permits are issued by the Army Corps of Engineers, an agency that has been criticized by environmental groups and has been sued for failing to thoroughly evaluate the environmental impact of mountaintop removal.
Under the Clean Water Act, companies cannot discharge rock, dirt and other debris into streams unless they can show that it will not cause permanent damage to waterways or the fish and other wildlife that live in them.
Last month, a three-judge appeals panel in Richmond, Va., overturned a lower court’s ruling that would have required the Corps to conduct more extensive reviews. The appeals court decision cleared the way for a backlog of permits that had been delayed until the lawsuit was resolved.
The EPA’s action on Tuesday leaves those permit requests in limbo a little longer.
The EPA said in a statement that it would be actively involved in the review of the long list of permits awaiting approval by the Corps, a signal that the agency under the Obama administration will exercise its oversight. The EPA has the authority to review and veto any permit issued by the Corps under the Clean Water Act, but under the Bush administration it did that rarely, environmentalists say.
The freeze only appears to apply to permits for new mines, and not those already in operation, but just the same — this is truly fantastic news for opponents of coal, the communities living near these mountains, and the environment in general. Happy Day! Purple Mountains Majesty! Yonder Mountain String Band! Rocky Mountain High! My Home is in the Blue Ridge Mountains!
Posted in Coal | Tagged ap, appalachian mountains, army corps of engineers, associated press, clean water act, Coal, coal mining, coal mining companies, dina cappiello, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Lisa Jackson, mountain top removal, mountaintop mining, mountaintop removal, Obama administration, richmond, Texas, va |
State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, D-Austin, discusses a bill that would monitor coal waste at a press conference at the Capitol on Thursday afternoon. Photo courtesy of Paul Chouy at The Daily Texan
A while back we held a press conference to highlight the scale of Texas’ coal combustion waste problem. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently released a report which found that Texas is the worst state in the nation in terms of toxic coal-ash waste that will result from proposed dirty coal-fired power plants. I could tell you all about it, or let the media that picked up the story speak for themselves. Today I am le tired and pick door number two.
So here it is, all the news that’s fit to link:
Lawmakers search for cleaner, safer ways to deal with excess coal waste,” by Matt Stephens with The Daily Texan
Environmental agency says Texas leads nation in production of coal ash waste,” by Randy Loftis at the Dallas Morning News
You can also watch a video of the press conference, courtesy of the House Archived Broadcasts. Look for the link at 3/12/09 titled “Press Conference – Coal Combustion Waste – Sponsored by Rep. Rodriguez.” Check it out to hear Texas State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin) discuss his bill, HB 1450, which would improve the regulation of coal combustion waste, and to hear Travis Brown, president of Neighbors for Neighbors, speak about the danger coal combustion waste represents to human and environmental health.
NRDC’s new coal combustion waste site, launched along with the report, is also worth checking out. If you find the dropdown to see Texas’ state specific profile, you can find a map of existing and proposed coal plants in Texas as well as a statistical breakdown of the coal waste and toxic metals from existing and proposed plants. Scary stuff.
And of course, if you really, really want it… you can read the press release after the jump.
Continue Reading »
Posted in Coal | Tagged coal ash, coal ash waste, coal combustion waste, daily texan, Dallas Morning News, eddie rodriguez, hb 1450, matt stephens, natural resources defense council, neighbors for neighbors, nrdc, randy loftis, Texas, Texas State Representative Eddie Rodriguez, toxic coal-ash waste, travis brown |
Public Citizen will be testifying on nearly three dozen bills today during committee meetings in the House and Senate. You can watch the action in the House or the Senate by going to the individual committees. Be sure to tune in to our 10am Press Conference on a coal moratorium by clicking on the link to the Senate Press Room in the video feeds. Links to the committees we’ll be testifying in all day today:
House Agriculture and Livestock 7:30 am
Senate Business and Commerce 8am (where most of the solar bills will be heard)
Senate Natural Resources 1pm (including the coal moratorium)
House State Affairs 1pm
Also, if you’re looking for something to do today, come down and show your support for solar energy, the coal moratorium, or any of the other over 30 bills we’ll be testifying on.
For those of you interested in some light reading, I highly reccomend Forecast: The Global Conseqeunces of Climate Change by Stephen Faris. As an international correspondant, he has seen how the conflict in Darfur began as a conflict over resources, and how the wildfires of Australia have decimated the countryside. This is just a taste of things to come in a world of disrupted and rapidly changing climate. The following excerpts are available:
Part 1: The Florida Keys are sinking
Part 1: Can insurance cover the costs of climate change?
Part 1: Who will be able to afford to live on the coast?
Part 2: Pathogens find new habitats
Part 2: Countries could backslide into poverty
Part 2: How disease relates to carbon dioxide
Part 3: Easier passage through the Arctic
Part 3: A scramble for control of the Arctic
Part 3: Opening the Arctic to damage
Also, for anyone who missed it, an article in today’s Washington Post about the EPA qietly delivering to Obama a finding that carbon dioxide is a dangerous pollutant,(like we needed the EPA to tell us that) opening the door for states to regulate emissions standards for cars, permitting of CO2 in power plants, etc.
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged Carbon Dioxide, climate change, Coal, coal moratorium, EPA, Global Warming, Public Citizen, renewable energy, Rodney Ellis, solar, solar power, Texas, Texas Legislature |
Hey folks, tomorrow a whole host of solar bills are going into be heard in the Senate Business and Commerce Committee. Our friends over at Environment Texas have a petition up where you can show legislators your support for solar. The sun’s setting on this petition, so sign up today!
From the horse’s mouth, here’s the email from Luke Metzger, Director of Environment Texas. Poetic, ain’t it?
With the first day of spring upon us, we’re already experiencing the warmth and life that the Texas sun provides.
For the first time, the Legislature is taking a serious look at using the sun to solve our energy problems by investing in solar power. With the right support, Texas could become a world leader in solar power, helping protect our environment and putting people back to work in good green jobs.
We can make it happen, but we need your help. Please sign our petition asking the Legislature to Go Solar!
Decisions made by policy makers in the next year will determine whether Texas can ride the solar wave, capturing the vast potential of solar power for our state. Texas has the best solar potential in the nation and we could power the entire state many times over with our abundant sunshine.
Texas should spur the development of solar power within the state by creating rebates and incentives to make it easier for homeowners and businesses to install solar on their rooftop, investing in solar for schools and large-scale solar farms, requiring utilities to pay consumers a fair price for surplus electricity generated, and prohibiting homeowners associations from blocking solar.
Posted in Energy, Renewables | Tagged business and commerce, environment texas, luke metzger, Public Citizen, solar, Texas, vote solar |
Last week was pretty crazy for Austin — SXSW came in like a lion, and I’ll admit I am quite pleased that the city is laying quietly like a lamb once again. But though Sixth Street may be back to its sleepy Monday morning self, Public Citizen’s office is back in full swing. We’ve got a lot coming up this week: Solar Day in the Senate, Energy Efficiency hearings galore, a press conference and hearing on Sen. Ellis’ coal moratorium bill… and that just brings us to Tuesday. But before we launch headfirst into the environmentalist’s version of March Madness, let’s take a moment to regroup from last week.
From the good folks at Alliance for a Clean Texas, check out this mid-week review. A taste:
With meetings of the House and Senate State Affairs committees, House Energy Resources, House Environmental Regulation and not one but two meetings of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, the environmental agenda is in full swing in the 81st Session. This morning, Senator Lucio and Representative Gallego led a press conference highlighting legislation filed that supports investment in emerging renewable energy such as solar and geothermal. (The entire press packet is available here.) Among the benefits to investment in renewable energy? Green jobs, for one. (Stay on the lookout for green hardhats in the Capitol. You never know who’ll turn up wearing one.)
For more information on our St. Patty’s Day press conference with Sierra Club, check out Floor Pass’ Luck O’ the Lege post. You heard right, the number of renewable energy bills this session has doubled compared to last. As Mark Strama noted at the conference, “if you can just get everyone that filed a renewable energy bill to vote for a renewable energy bill, you’ll pass them all.” We should be so lucky!
Legislators who have authored Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) bills held a press conference this morning to announce that the number of renewable energy bills filed has doubled from last session to this session. For those yet unfamiliar with the jargon, RPS is a policy tool that sets a goal for providing a certain percentage of total energy used from renewable sources like wind and biomass. You can find descriptions of the RPS bills here.
Check our Flickr photostream for photos from the press conference, and stay tuned to stay in the loop this week!
Posted in Energy | Tagged 81st session, alliance for a clean texas, biomass, Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency, floor pass, green jobs, house and state senate affairs committee, house energy resources, house environmental regulation, mark strama, Public Citizen, renewable energy, renewable portfolio standard, representative gallego, Rodney Ellis, rps, senator lucio, solar, solar day, sxsw, Texas, Texas Legislature, wind |
Over the past several months, researchers at the Good Company have been compiling a report to measure our own University of Texas’ emissions. Last week the results were announced…. We’ve got big feet.
Thereport showed that UT’s total carbon emissions were a 292,434 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2006. Emissions sources not required by the traditional registries are estimated to be an additional 238,237 metric tons. The vast majority of these emissions were from natural gas consumption, which totaled 233,839 metric tons of CO2.
The release of this information is an important step to be accountable for our greenhouse gas emissions. Says Assistant Director of the Campus Environmental Center and Public Citizen’s own, Druscilla Tigner:
It was exciting! This was a fantastic opportunity for the University of Texas to really stare its problems in the face, and pinpoint exactly what they need to do to reduce its impact on the environment. It’s a concrete jumping point for the campus sustainability movement.
For me, one of the most interesting aspects of the report was a measure of the green house gasses emitted by a typical UT student to determine the per student carbon footprint. The report offered two general categories of students. Continue Reading »
Posted in Consumers, Energy, Global Warming | Tagged Campus Environmental Center, Carbon Dioxide, carbon footprint, Druscilla Tigner, emissions, GHG, Good Company, greenhouse gas, natural gas consumption, Texas, University of Texas |
Last week we entered our video, Wildcatting the Sun, into Environment Texas‘ solar video contest. The winning video will be used to make the case for solar energy at a screening for key Texas lawmakers, and its creators will win $$2,000! So go to Environment Texas’ voting page, check out some of the other videos, and vote for the one you like best (cough, cough, it’d BETTER BE OURS). If you haven’t gotten a chance to see it already, check it out below.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dfv2yoCtjU]
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged environment texas, Public Citizen, Texas, wildcatting the sun |
A-list on Austin360.com is having a poll entitled: Which local blog is best?
Somehow we didn’t show up on their radar. Don’t worry, our feelings aren’t hurt — we know we’re still pretty new. Please give us a hand and go to their site and write us in! We’d be so honored to be a contender.
Voting ends Tuesday, the 17th (tomorrow) at 11 p.m. You can vote once every hour, as many times as you want. Show your love and help us hype Texas Vox!
UPDATE: email your vote in directly to: austin360contests@statesman.com
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged a-list, austin360, Public Citizen, Texas, texas vox |
The first step towards greenhouse gas regulation is underway! On Wednesday, the EPA proposed a rule that industries measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions. The rule would apply to 13,000 facilities nationwide, including manufacturers of chemicals, oil, cement, iron and steal, automobiles, electricity generation, and more! Green Inc reports that this will cover 85%-90% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and not just carbon dioxide emissions. The reports will also include emission amounts of those other things we hate to inhale, such as methane, hydrofluorcarbons, and nitrous oxide.
If put into action, emissions tracking will begin in 2010 for reports to release in 2011. Of course, this program would cost a significant amount of cash—$160 million in the first year and then $127 million each year thereafter.
The reports will allow us to pinpoint exactly how much greenhouse gas is released into the atmosphere, and from where. Though some firms are already participating in voluntary reporting, this kind of industry-wide reports will provide comparative analysis. With such detailed (and presumably accurate) information, we will also be in a better position to make informed decisions about how emission regulation should be formulated.
CNNMoney.com also reported that this information could be important to investors. For those ill-prepared companies, emission regulation could drastically affect their earnings.
Mindy Lubber, the Director of the Investor Network on Climate Risk stated:
The SEC needs to protect investors from the risks companies face from climate change, whether from direct physical impacts or new regulations. Shareholders deserve to know if their portfolio companies are well positioned to manage climate risks or whether they face potential exposure.
Public release of information would be a powerful tool to prepare companies, especially those that are energy-intensive, to be held accountable for their energy emissions. Or a good kick in the pants to take the next step to become ecologically conscious!
Posted in Consumers, Energy, Global Warming, Renewables | Tagged atmoshere, Carbon Dioxide, EPA, Global Warming, greenhouse gas emissions, regulation, reporting, SEC, Texas |
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dfv2yoCtjU]
Ever wondered why Texas should invest in solar energy? Ever wanted it explained to you in 5 minutes in a way reminiscent of a 1940s newsreel? Or just tired of The Sham-wow Song and want a new viral video to watch?
Written, produced, and starring members of the Public Citizen Texas staff, “Wildcatting the Sun” talks about Texas’ solar potential, the green jobs that would come to Texas from investing in solar now, and how solar can replace dirty coal and expensive nuclear.
This video was produced as part of Environment Texas’s solar video contest. You can see all of the other submissions here.
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Renewables | Tagged Austin Energy, Global Warming, green jobs, photovoltaic. distributed generation, Public Citizen, pv, renewable energy, Renewables, solar, solar power, Texas |
In the fight for a greener future, America’s youth has and is continuing to be one of the strongest forces. Recently, I participated in Powershift 2009–the largest summit on climate and energy in United States’ history. Roughly 12,000 attended the conference, and the overwhelming majority of participants were students from high schools and colleges spanning across the nation!
The conference began Friday, and provided endless opportunities for attendees to experience environmentally-geared panels, workshops, movies, speakers, and state breakouts until Sunday. The amalgamation of these informative and inspirational activities worked as a preface that ultimately led to Powershift’s climax that Monday–lobby day. Despite the untimely blizzard-like weather that stormed DC right before that Monday, thousands of youth still trudged through snow and sleet to capitol hill. That day, March 2nd, proved the be the largest lobby day for climate and energy in US history. Senators and representatives from all fifty states were successfully lobbied, with a total of 350 lobby visits! For any of you who are glad that some federal lobbying was completed for your interests, here is the platform that Powershifters presented to US senators and representatives:
1. Cut Carbon Emissions
- Reduce global warming pollution by the targets science tells us are necessary: 25%-40% below 1990 levels by 2020; and 80%-95% below 1990 levels by 2050.
- Set an aggressive cap on carbon immediately. If a cap-and-auction mechanism is chosen, 100% of pollution allowances must be auctioned. Any revenue generated from this cap must be used to address the climate crisis in a just and equitable way; none of this money should go to polluting industries.
- Conserve and restore the world’s forest, ecosystems, and carbon sinks, which are the best natural defense in a warming world.
2. Invest in a Green Economy
- Create 5 million new jobs through investments in clean energy.
- Develop a “Clean Energy Corps” to create service, training, and job opportunities in the clean energy economy (1).
- Train a generation of workers and volunteers to build our clean energy future and help communities adapt to the already changing climate.
3. Power Our Future with Clean Energy, not Dirty Fuels
- We see a future powered by clean, renewable energy like wind, solar, and geothermal; 100% of our electricity should come from these sources, and we should invest in sustainable transit and energy efficiency.
- End our dependence on dirty energy by enacting a moratorium on financing and development of new coal and nuclear plants, and oil shale and tar sands infrastructure.
- Immediately begin phasing out dirty and dangerous energy sources and methods of extraction, while also ensuring a just transition for affected workers and communities.
4. Lead the World to a Clean and Equitable Energy Future
- Work with other nations to reach a strong new global climate treaty in Copenhagen that puts us on track to reduce carbon below 350 parts per million.
- Assist vulnerable communities and developing countries in the transition to low-carbon economies and with adaptation to the changing climate.
_________________
This was the type of rhetoric left at the nation’s capitol a week ago, and such requests likely still serve as hot topic points in DC. As a voice of Powershift, and the young environmentalists of this nation, this is the direction we want to see our federal government take now, and in the future. And let me assure you, the overwhelming feeling in Washington experienced by many of the Powershifters is that this direction is highly achievable, at least, more so than ever before in our nation’s history!
(1) The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP15 in Copenhagen.
Posted in Coal, Global Warming, Toxics | Tagged Air Quality, carbon cap, Carbon Dioxide, Clean Energy, Clean energy corps, climate change, Coal, Congress, Department of Energy, geothermal, global climate treaty, green jobs, greenhouse gas, house of representatives, obama, powershift 09, Public Citizen, renewable energy, Renewables, senate, solar power, stimulus package, student activists, Texas, washington dc |
After a grueling 23-hour hearing, the Senate passed SB 362, requiring that voters present a photo identification. No big surprise there.
The AP reports,
No one was surprised that a special Senate panel, which includes all 31 senators and Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, approved the legislation along straight party lines in a 20-12 vote just before 10 a.m. It was, as one Democratic senator observed, a “foregone conclusion.”
Wednesday’s vote all but assures it will pass and be sent to the House as early as Monday.
Andy didn’t make it back to testify, he had to head off to Dallas before his turn came up. Lots of people didn’t make it to testify… though as many as 150 folks signed up, only around 25 made it through the night to actually speak.
I’m not sure on the official numbers of how many people dropped cards for or against the bill, but I heard through the grapevine that more people commented against it than for. Thanks to everyone who made it out — get ready to do it all over again in the House!
Reports Vince Leibowitz at Capitol Annex,
The bill is all but assured a similar party-line vote when it comes up before the full Senate as early as Monday for final passage. The bill will then go to the Texas House, where it will likely be assigned to the House Elections Committee.
Sorry my fellow Good Government watchdogs… our work is never done. And even then, who will watch the watchmen?
Posted in Good Government, Privacy | Tagged ap, Capitol Annex, david dewhurst, house elections committee, sb 362, Texas, texas house, texas senate, Vince Leibowitz, voter id, voter suppression |
It is 2am. I have been listening to the Senate debate voter ID suppression for the past 16 hours. I hope all of you have been following us on Twitter, as some of those tweets were quite entertaining.
I have heard the arguments. Here are my opinions:
Those opposed to voter ID have successfully proved that this is a solution to a problem that does not exist. Period. Years of investigations by the AG’s office costing millions of dollars and not a single indictment.
However, those who are in favor of requiring voters to present picture ID also have a compelling argument that they claim not one person has been kept from voting. But, I hate to ruin a good story with the facts, but that just ain’t so. According to the Houston Chronicle today yesterday, over 4200 voters were kept from voting in the 2008 election in Georgia alone, whose law the proposed bill is based on.
As I tweeted earlier, one of the expert witnesses claimed that based on demographics and the experience in Georgia and Indiana, 162,901 Texans would be disenfranchised.
Sounds like a big hurdle for voters to “solve” a problem that doesn’t exist.
I have to get up in 4 hours and go to Dallas. I’m beat. I’ll keep the Senate testimony on all night and let it permeate my dreams (scary, no?) Maybe by the time I wake up they will have gotten to public testimony and I can swing back by the Capitol and testify before heading to Dallas. Not bloody likely, but I can dream….
Posted in Good Government, Privacy | Tagged liveblogging, Texas, texas senate, voter, voter id |
Here’s How!
Last week we had an intern training session, and many of the tips and tricks of lobbying we learned would be helpful for anyone who would like to get involved in activism. Here are a few things to remember when planning your future as a Successful Lobbyist. 
First, always remember that lobbying is about strategy. Successful actions are rarely haphazard or random. When devising your strategy, be very clear about what it is you are trying to accomplish. Is it reasonable? Is it winnable? Is it focused? Your strategy will be the foundation for your tactics, so make sure you have it down.
Now, who can give you what you want? And to whom are they accountable? The best way to tackle this is through a strategy called Power Mapping, in which you consider the power relationships between your opposition and those who ultimately make the decisions. Once you narrow this down, you can begin to devise how you will reach those people, and how you can persuade them to take action towards your goal.
Because the point is to change or readjust the perspective of the opposing party, you must first begin to understand their motivations… Continue Reading »
Posted in Campaign Finance, Good Government | Tagged Austin, Campaign Finance, coalition, influence, lobbying, long-term goals, motivators, opposing party, perspective, power mapping, Public Citizen, strategy, successful lobbyists, tactics, Texas, Texas Legislature |
A ruptured pipeline has just spilled 4,000 gallons of toxic coal ash into the north Potomac River, reports Pete Altman at NRDC’s Switchboard blog:
The Maryland Department of the Environment just reported that a ruptured pipeline carrying wet coal ash has spilled 4,000 gallons of the toxic-laden stuff into the North Branch of the Potomac River, in Luke, MD.
I don’t know how long it’ll take for the spill to reach DC proper, but its a hell of a way to send a message about how much we need to regulate the handling of this stuff. All the more reason to thank the Obama Administration for announcing plans to propose federal regulations for coal waste.
Google Earth image of the North Branch of the Potomac and site of the spill
I hate to see this happen, but hopefully it will provide the kick in the pants Congress needs to regulate coal combustion waste. Please take this timely opportunity to visit 1Sky’s Skywriter blog and tell Congress to prevent the next coal waste disaster by passing a moratorium on new coal plants.
Posted in Coal, Global Warming, Toxics | Tagged 1Sky, coal ash, coal ash spill, coal waste, combustion waste, Congress, luke, maryland department of the environment, md, north potomac, nrdc, Obama administration, pete altman, Potomac River, Skywriter blog, switchboard blog, Texas, toxic ash, washington dc |
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