Omnibus Public Lands Legislation - Take Action Today

From AEC's longtime friend Pat Byington:

Friends,

You can make a difference today.

The Omnibus Public Lands bill will likely be voted on in the House this week. On Monday (Feb.23) or Tuesday (Feb.24), please take one minute and call your Representative or ask to talk to their Environmental Legislative Assistant if you can't get through to the Congressman. Tell them directly, you want to see them vote YES on the Omnibus Public Lands Bill with no amendments.

This bill in Alabama will expand Little River Canyon National Preserve, create the North Alabama National Heritage and Chattahoochee National Heritage Areas, and authorize several important coastal public land and research provisions vital to Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
Nationally, the bill will designate nearly 2 million acres of Wilderness and over 1000 miles of "Wild and Scenic" rivers.

The Capitol Switchboard is 202-224-3121.

Our delegation - Parker Griffith (Huntsville), Robert Aderholt (Halelyville), Mike Rogers (Anniston), Spencer Bachus (Vestavia Hills), Artur Davis (Birmingham), Bobby Bright (Montgomery) and Jo Bonner (Mobile )

Here is a link to an op-ed I wrote about the legislation that published in Sunday's Birmingham News. I've also enclosed a link to a website describing the legislation and that places that will be saved and protected.

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/123529412650120.xml&coll=2

http://wilderness.org/content/omnibus-tour-intro

Please make the call today. It will make a difference. I deeply appreciate your support.

Best Wishes,
Pat Byington

Stimulus Promotes Clean Energy and Green Jobs

Borrowed from the Regeneration Project Blog. This is a good summary of what was included in the Stimulus Bill:

The Stimulus Bill Funds Clean Energy and Green Jobs

Grist reports: “It’s rare for a compromise to make a bill better, but that’s what happened yesterday,” said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters. “According to the reports we’ve seen, the members of the Conference Committee kept the best aspects of the House and Senate versions of the bill. Tens of billions of dollars for clean energy, energy efficiency, public transportation, scientific research and a smart energy grid remain. Tens of billions set to be wasted on coal and other outdated energy sources were removed.”

The details…

Energy transmission and alternative energy research:
$11 billion for smart grid
$7.5 billion for renewable energy and transmission-line construction
$400 million for the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Project Agency for Energy for the development of alternative energy sources and efficiency

Efficiency:
$4.5 billion for energy-efficiency improvements to federal buildings
$6.3 billion for local government energy-efficiency grants
$2.25 billion for energy-efficiency retrofits for low-income housing
$2.25 billion for the HOME Investment Partners Program to retrofit community low-income housing
$5 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program for efficiency in low-income households
$510 million for energy-efficiency retrofits for Native American housing programs
$420 million for energy-efficiency improvements at the Department of Defense
$300 million for Department of Defense research on energy efficiency at military installations
$300 million for the appliance rebate program for Energy Star products

Mass transit and advanced automobiles:
$8.4 billion for transit capital assistance programs
$8 billion for Amtrak and intercity passenger rail
$300 million for the purchase of more alternative-fuel and hybrid vehicles for the federal fleet
$300 million in grants and loans for technologies that reduce diesel emissions

Green jobs training:
$500 million for green jobs programs through the Workforce Investment Act

Total: $62.2 billion in direct spending on green initiatives and $20 billion in green tax incentives, while funding for nuclear and coal projects was dropped from the final version!

(+) NRG

We started this Blog with the interest in keeping you updated on our conversations. Yesterday, our staff, with the help of ARA’s Liz Salter and AEC long-time friend Kirsten Bryant (and Jared,) had a great discussion about our Efficient and Renewable energy Program work. I felt like it continued to lay the ground-work for continued development of our Energy campaign. We were all struck with the term “Positive Energy,” which we shortened to +NRG and were really excited about our discussions.

So often in Alabama, you hear negative energy about our current energy equation. We say we are too dependent on Coal and other unsustainable fuel sources as well as aren’t encouraging TRUE renewable, enough. The other side would say that more environmental regulations would be too costly and Alabamians wouldn’t want to bear the burden, and we “can’t do” renewables. They also use words like “existing Clean Coal” and “inexpensive new Nuclear” and other things that are not progressive approaches, nor are they fully factual. I want Clean Energy, not Coal.

+NRG is all about solutions, which is what we like to focus on. We want to talk about what we can do, not just point out that someone is doing it wrong. We all have a great opportunity to move the energy discussion forward in Alabama. There are Energy bills moving around the House and Senate, right now. Although we aren’t in love with all of them, and there are some difficulties mixed in with some of them, it is a huge step forward that they are even there. We’ll be watching where they go and what they mean for Alabamians.

Our commitment is to represent Alabamians in the Energy discussion and we want to hear your views. I found this article very interesting and help us to see the national discussion, which will have a huge impact on our state. I think the new administration is committed to a clean energy future and I look forward to what is to come.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/us/politics/12chu.html?_r=1

Op-Ed Column on Energy in Alabama

"At the Joint Committee on Energy meeting last week in the Statehouse, it was clear that dirty coal and nuclear interests are trying to dominate the energy discussion...They call it "clean coal." We call it dirty business as usual.

Read full column here in the Anniston Star

AEC & ARA Lead Call for Action on Coal Ash Waste

On the heels of a massive spill of toxic coal ash waste in Tennessee and another similar incident in Alabama, 32 local and regional environmental organizations and other concerned public interest groups have called on leaders to take immediate action to ensure that our citizens, wildlife, and natural resources are better protected from these unregulated coal combustion waste (CCW) storage facilities.

Press Release and Letter to Alabama Leaders here