Hey all. We’re having a blast here at Netroots Nation so far. Here’s our first report telling you about the goings-on today, including the great Texas caucus, and several excellent environmental and climate change panels.
Keep up with us by following us on Twitter, where @CitizenAndy is live-tweeting most of the panels I sit in.
More tomorrow!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hYkJ02CzTg]
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged netroots nation 2010, NN10, Texas |
Headlining the event is Dallas native Ray Johnston with the Ray Johnston Band, a groovy, rock soul act with plenty of attitude. Rounding out the event are Los Pistoleros de Texas, bluesman Mrs. Glass, and country western singer songwriter Robert Ellis.
Expect keynote speaker State Senator Rodney Ellis of Houston to give a rip-roaring speech, flanked by the impassioned Ana Hernandez, three term representative from district 143 of Houston.
About a dozen Houston-based artists are expected to showcase, including Lizbeth Ortiz, who created this piece, “Nurturing Hands”.
There will be a Kids’ Corner and plenty of political activism.
Check them out at www.cleanuptexasnow.org
Hope to see ya’ll there!
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Air Quality, Coal, Efficiency, Energy, natural gas, Nuclear, Renewables, solar | Tagged Air Quality, Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency, Nuclear, renewable energy, Texas |
The Great Texas Clean-Up Festival is coming to Houston!
The Sierra Club and Texas Environmental Justice are rolling out the Great Texas Clean-Up Festival, from 4-10 at the Discovery Green in Houston, an event expected to kick off a larger campaign to clean up Texas. Public Citizen is a coalition partner and will be there! Check out our booth!
Headlining the event is Dallas native Ray Johnston with the Ray Johnston Band, a groovy, rock soul act with plenty of attitude. Rounding out the event are Los Pistoleros de Texas, bluesman Mrs. Glass, and country western singer songwriter Robert Ellis.
Expect keynote speaker State Senator Rodney Ellis of Houston to give a rip-roaring speech, flanked by the impassioned Ana Hernandez, three term representative from district 143 of Houston.
About a dozen Houston-based artists are expected to showcase, including Lizbeth Ortiz, who created this piece, “Nurturing Hands”.
There will be a Kids’ Corner [possibly spelled Kidz Korner, at presstime we weren’t sure] and plenty of political activism.
Check them out at www.cleanuptexasnow.org
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Renewables, solar | Tagged ana hernandez, discovery green, houston, Lizbeth Ortiz, Los Pistoleros de Texas, Mrs. Glass, Nurturing Hands, Public Citizen, Ray Johnston Band, Robert Ellis, Rodney Ellis, Sierra Club, Texas |
(L to R) - Andy, Ryan, Melissa, and "Lady Bird" Liberty telling us how money we are (and we don't even know it! Vegas, baby!)
Yes, friends, it is that time again: Netroots Nation! Your favorite convergence of bloggers most likely to be called Lenin’s Pioneers by Fox News. And this time it’s in lovely Las Vegas, Andy’s personal least favorite city in the US (don’t drink, don’t smoke- what do you do?). Hey, I have an idea– let’s have a convention in the middle of the summer and put it someplace HOTTER than Texas! Top 3 choices: 3. Phoenix, 2. Vegas, 1. Hell (I’m just a little sour grapes because, nerd that I am, I’d rather be at the other major convention happening that week just a couple hundred miles down I-15 in San Diego.)
Ah well, it will be a party for everyone else, and I’m sure I’ll have some fun– I’ll take some comic books and it’ll be exactly the same for me. After all, I couldn’t ask for two better traveling companions: Ryan Rittenhouse, our illustrious anti-coal organizer, and Melissa Sanchez, master of… basically everything in our office.
But because we believe in breaking down the information silos, we hope you’ll join us in person if you’re there, or in spirit if you’re not. Highlights:
Public Citizen will have a booth. Come join us and grab some swag.
Texas Caucus and Environmental Caucus:unfortunately both are taking place at the same time, Thu at 3pm. Andy will be at the Enviro Caucus, Ryan and Melissa will be at the Texas Caucus.
Karaoke, Trivia Quiz, and Bowling Parties- oh my! Just because I don’t drink doesn’t mean I don’t love all of the activities that generally accompany it. Watch for us to be involved in these events. Want to join a trivia quiz or bowling team with us? Want to sing a duet with Ryan (and really, who doesn’t?) Come find us!
Follow us online: Continue Reading »
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Las Vegas, netroots nation, netroots nation 2010, NN10, Public Citizen, public citizen texas, Texas |
On Thursday, July 15, the House Energy and Water subcommittee is scheduled to vote on $25 billion in loan guarantees for new nuclear reactors in the FY2011 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. Only last month, the House passed $9 billion in nuclear loan guarantees in the 2010 Supplemental Appropriations bill (it has not yet passed the Senate). Together with the Department of Energy’s existing nuclear loan guarantee authority, the US taxpayer’s burden would be tripled to an enormous $52.5 billion.
The additional $25 billion in nuclear loan guarantees comes at the behest of Rep. Chet Edwards (D) to fund two proposed reactors at Comanche Peak in his district in Texas. The proposed new reactors have an uncertified and untested design, and are years away from licensing approval. There are also two reactors proposed for the South Texas Project site in Bay City, Texas.
Putting another $25 billion into costly, economically risky and polluting new reactors will be at the expense of solving climate change with clean, renewable energy and efficiency. Call or email your Representatives today and tell them that these subsidies are unacceptable!
(Find out who represents you at http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us)
Feel free to use this message or edit as you’d like:
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Dear Representative __________________,
I am writing to urge you to oppose $25 billion in additional nuclear loan guarantee authority in the FY2011 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. Given the nuclear industry’s inability to reduce the soaring capital costs of new reactors, assure the safety of its technology, or resolve radioactive waste storage issues, burdening U.S. taxpayers with tens of billions dollars of additional liability for new reactors is irresponsible.
The Department of Energy currently has over $10 billion in unallocated existing authority. The House has passed an additional $9 billion in nuclear loan guarantees in its 2010 Supplemental Appropriations bill. Together, this would triple the nuclear loan guarantees to a massive $52.5 billion. Many of the proposed new nuclear projects even have designs that are certified.
Moreover, according to a recent Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) report, the DOE’s loan guarantee program does not even have a way to evaluate whether the program is meeting its goals. GAO also found that DOE has provided preferential treatment to nuclear applicants that it has not given to renewable and efficiency applicants. Additional nuclear funding will only exacerbate these structural problems.
Please oppose an additional $25 billion in nuclear loan guarantees in the FY2011 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. US taxpayers should not be expected to bail out yet another industry.
Sincerely,
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Posted in Global Warming, Good Government, Nuclear | Tagged chet edwards, comanche peak, economy, energy and water appropriations bill, loan guarantee, Nuclear, Texas |
The Great Texas Cleanup: Outdoor Art & Music Festival
July 24th in Houston at Discovery Green
On July 24th, the Sierra Club and Texas Environmental Justice Advocacy Service (TEJAS) will host The Great Texas Cleanup: A Rally & Concert for Clean Energy and Clean Air. Environmental and community groups from Houston, Texas and around the country will join local, state, and national businesses in taking a stand to cleanup Texas now!
The concert is FREE to the public and welcomes all ages.
Local musicians will play an eclectic variety of music that will unite youth, students, young professionals, families, and different communities in the fight for a future we all share. Community leaders and distinguished speakers will talk about urgent issues that have culminated into our best opportunity to cleanup Texas now. Artists, businesses, and local nonprofits will share with you what they are doing to help and how you can get involved!
Hope to see ya’ll there! CleanupTexasNow.org
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Air Quality, Coal, Energy, Global Warming | Tagged Air Quality, Clean Energy, Coal, coal plant, Texas |
It is frustrating that our local and federal governments are strained from taking action to ameliorate our air and water quality because once they try to do so, the other side recites loss in jobs as the result– but never do they mention any public health concerns and the effect that has on the economy. Continue Reading »
Posted in Coal, Efficiency, Energy, Global Warming, green jobs, natural gas, Renewables, solar, TCEQ | Tagged Air Quality, cap and trade, drilling, drilling moratorium, EPA, TCEQ, Texas |
On Monday, when many of us were celebrating the 4th of July holiday, two State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) administrative law judges (ALJs) released their ruling in a controversial case over whether to permit the proposed 1,200 MW “White Stallion” coal plant near Bay City, Texas.
AJLs Kerrie Jo Qualthorough and Paul Keeper announced they could not recommend issuance of the permit, that they found the application to be deficient in several respects. In sending their proposed findings to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the ALJs recommended TCEQ gather more information from White Stallion to address specific deficiencies within the next 180 days.
Specifically, the ALJs found White Stallion:
Posted in Coal, Global Warming | Tagged Coal, EPA, TCEQ, Texas, white stallion |
A report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO
) says the climate & energy bill currently stalled in the Senate would reduce the federal deficit by about $19 billion over the next ten years. The CBO is responsible for providing Congress with nonpartisan analyses of economic and budget issues, and lawmakers rely on it for guidance. This is the second positive analysis of the bill by a government agency in a month. A similar report was issued by the Environmental Protection Agency in June.
Many senators have said they flatly oppose legislation that adds even a penny to the federal deficit, and these two reports should force them to look anew at this initiative which will actually reduce it.
In its report Wednesday, the CBO said the energy bill would increase federal revenues by about $751 billion from 2011 to 2020, mostly though the sale of carbon credits in a cap-and-trade plan to be applied to utilities and other sectors of the economy. Continue Reading »
Posted in Coal, Energy, Global Warming | Tagged American Power Act, APA, CBO, CBO score, climate bill, climate change, Coal, deficit, Global Warming, public citizen texas, Texas |
Anthropogenic global warming (AGW) deniers went crazy a few months ago with an email controversy involving the University of East Anglia in Britain. Joining an earlier finding by the House of Commons, a British panel has just issued a sweeping exoneration of all scientists involved. Climatologist Phil Jones was immediately reinstated in his position at the research unit (he had “stepped aside” during the investigation proceedings). Check out the New York Times for more info.
AGW deniers will likely spin this any number of different ways, probably including something along the lines of “the entire British government is simply in on this vast, global conspiracy of man-made global warming!” Why? Because the hysteria over AGW denialism is not based on science and facts – it is based on preconceived world views , propaganda and self-interests.
The truth has always been, and remains, that the overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree AGW is real and likely one of the greatest threats mankind has ever faced. There is a vast amount of scientific research and study from many different fields of science that confirm AGW, and no evidence coming out of the scientific community that anything else could account for the changes we are seeing in our climate.
This war against science is led by large fossil-fuel corporations and their sponsored think-tanks who want to defer their accountability and responsibilities for as long as possible. In light of the BP Gulf spill the time has finally come when all people on this planet, even staunch, right-wing Americans, need to join in solidarity and move our country and our planet away from a fossil-fuel reliant economy and forward into an energy future based on renewable energy and social justice.
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Coal, Energy, Global Warming, Good Government, green jobs | Tagged anthropogenic, britain, climategate, controversy, denial, denier, Global Warming, house of commons, man made, panel, phil jones, Texas, university of east anglia |
Ted Glick, policy director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network was just sentenced for his demonstration on September 8.
I am on one year’s probation, I need to pay an $1100 fine, I need to do 40 hours of community service in D.C. and if I’m arrested over the next year I automatically go to jail for 30 days on each of the two misdemeanor counts I was convicted of.
What was Ted’s heinous crime? He hung two banners saying “Green Jobs Now” and “Get to Work” in the Hart Senate Office Building. Continue Reading »
Posted in Coal, Energy, Global Warming, green jobs, Renewables | Tagged activist, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, climate change, Coal, Glick, Global Warming, green jobs, hart senate, Public Citizen, sentence, sentenced, Ted Glick, Texas |
Did YOUR Legislator win 2nd prize in any beauty contests? Find out in their personal financial disclosures.
Texas Tribune has just published their list of Texas Personal Financial Statements: 2009, in which you can search for the personal financial statements of over 3,000 Texas officials and political candidates. Why not look up your representative or senator, your favorite TCEQ commissioner, the governor, perhaps? You will be able to see the source of the paychecks they are bringing home and what investments or gifts they might have which create any impropriety.
All of this is thanks to the Texas Public Information Act, under which they bravely requested all of these disclosures and then went through the arduous task of scanning and uploading them.
EDITOR’S NOTE: What? You thought Texas might provide these types of records in an electronic format to begin with? Or that legislators and candidates would be able to file electronically? Almost makes you wonder why they want this information trapped on paper instead of an easily parse-able format, eh? Cut to scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark with giant warehouse where Indiana Jones is promised “top men” will be looking into the ark… ~~AW
Texas Tribune, Burnt Orange Report and the Hank Gilbert campaign are all already making issues out of information in personal financial statements of former Houston Mayor and Dem gubernatorial nominee Bill White, Governor Perry and Ag Commissioner Todd Staples, respectively.
Texas Tribune doesn’t have the time to sift through all of these, so they’re asking their readers to help them out– check out what you can and if you see something, let us know and let them know.
To save you the trouble, here is the link for Rick Perry’s: http://www.texastribune.org/library/data/texas-personal-financial-statements-2009/?appSession=532163143824315
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas.
Posted in Good Government | Tagged bill white, personal financial disclosures, Rick Perry, Texas, texas tribune, Todd Staples |
In a breaking story from the AP, we learn that the air pollution rules first proposed under George W. Bush’s EPA are 
moving forward.
The Environmental Protection Agency said the new rules would cut sulfur dioxide emissions by 71 percent from 2005 levels by 2014 and nitrogen oxide emissions by 52 percent in the same time frame.
The regulation, known as the Clean Air Interstate Rule, requires 31 states from Massachusetts to Texas to reduce emissions that contribute to smog and soot and can travel long distances in the wind. The agency predicted the rule would prevent about 14,000 to 36,000 premature deaths a year.
The rule would overturn and toughen rules issued during the administration of former President George W. Bush.
What happened was the Bush Administration took a look at the scientific reviews for where the levels of these pollutants should be to protect health. When they published their new air quality standards, they were actually less strong than the science required.
And while legal wrangling is fun, the real story here is the impact on human health.
“We’re working to limit pollution at its source, rather than waiting for it to move across the country,” Jackson said in a statement.
The proposed reductions should save billions of dollars in avoided health costs and sick days and save thousands of lives each year, Jackson said. Those benefits would far outweigh the estimated $2.8 annual cost of compliance, she said.
Reducing pollution from power plants means fewer sick kids who have to miss school, it means fewer people who have to be rushed to the ER for an asthma treatment, and even means fewer deaths. And, of course, reducing these emissions most likely also means a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, another added benefit we can all be happy about.
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas
Posted in Air Quality, Coal, Energy | Tagged Air Quality, climate change, Coal, coal fired power plant, EPA, NAAQS, Texas |
About 20 of the roughly 100 contractor personnel working on the proposed addition of two new 1,350-MW nuclear units at the South Texas nuclear station have been let go.
Nuclear Innovation North America (NINA), an 88/12 joint venture of NRG Energy and Toshiba, currently owns 92.35% of the planned expansion, and CPS Energy, the municipal utility in San Antonio owns the remaining 7.65%. In May, NINA announced Tokyo Electric Power Co. plans to eventually take up to a 20% stake in NINA’s share, beginning with a 10% stake in that share–or a 9.235% stake in the project itself–if a $7 billion federal loan guarantee is secured.
NINA has recently said it expects the project to cost about $13 billion, including $10 billion in “overnight” costs and $3 billion in financing costs. Although earlier cost projections have put the project coming in at $18 billion.
At this time, there is spectulation that the remaining loan guarantees will go to Calvert Cliffs in Maryland. NINA has said they would not go forward with the expansion without the loan guarantees. Could this be the beginning of the end for the STP expansion? Stay tuned.
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas
Posted in Nuclear | Tagged NINA, Nuclear, South Texas Project, STP, Texas |
Here is the most recent footage from the additional State Department meeting that was held in Houston for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. See this post for the footage from the 4 original meetings in East Texas. For more info on the tar sands pipeline visit citizen.org/texas and dirtyoilsands.org.
[vimeo 13016943]
[vimeo 13020142]
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By promoting cleaner energy, cleaner government, and cleaner air for all Texans, we hope to provide for a healthy place to live and prosper. We are Public Citizen Texas
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged Coal, coal tar sands, Global Warming, Texas |
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Citizen Vox Blog
