How to Get a Strong Senate Climate Bill, Part 2: Write a Letter to the Editor

Have you ever read something on the opinion page that was completely bogus and upset you? Of course, we all have. Did you huff and puff and get another cup of coffee before angrily turning to the sports page for relief? I’ve been there. Well, CCAN has a remedy that will fit into your busy schedule and not leave you feeling disgruntled with that intolerable opinion page. Its easy. Join our “Truth Squad” and use our talking points to draft your own Letter to the Editor (LTE). Believe it or not the opinion page is the most read section in the newspaper and elected officials pay close attention to what people are writing about them. Time for us to defend the truth! Be a part of the story and not let misinformation rule your opinion page.

We are at a critical juncture in Federal clean energy policy. The Waxman-Markey ACES bill that passed the House falls short of delivering on the promise of a new, clean energy economy. Fortunately as Maryland citizens we have a real opportunity to strengthen the bill. Our US Senators, Sen. Mikulski and Sen. Cardin, are outspoken supporters of strong clean energy policy.

However, they will have a hard fight in the Senate and need YOUR help to become true clean energy champions. Senator Cardin has personally told us that he has recently heard more public feedback against clean energy policy than for it. So you responded. We must be heard at this critical moment! We need to step it up and show our Senators the broad public support in Maryland for a strong clean energy bill.

Plus have you been following the articles in the Baltimore Sun? There have been a slew of outrageously inaccurate claims against clean energy policy. Time to respond! Join CCAN’s Truth Squad to and be in the cutting edge. You get about 2 emails a month with all the tools you need to write your own LTE.

These articles range from the classic “this is a tax that will hurt the economy” arguments to “carbon dioxide is good.” (Plus, my personal favorite is from Sarah Palin in the Washington Post.) Read these ridiculous articles and get fired up to respond.

Global warming alarmism enriches Gore, bankrupts the rest of us
Carbon dioxide is natural byproduct, not pollution
Cap and trade is a tax hike by another name
Obama’s dangerous game with energy policy
Palin: The ‘Cap And Tax’ Dead End

Please, take a moment to respond to these. The common theme is all economics. They are trying to scare people into inaction during the recession, but we know the truth is that a strong clean energy bill is good for the economy. Also, mention that you are ready to see our Senators be bold leaders. Here are some talking points:

Strong Clean Energy Policy is good for the economy (Despite what the authors of these articles say)

1. Clean energy creates jobs: Investments in energy efficiency and clean energy, like wind and solar, creates FOUR TIMES as many jobs per dollar investment in dirty energy like coal and oil

2. New jobs: Numerous well researched studies have shown that a strong federal clean energy bill will generate over 1.7 million new clean energy jobs. (Center for American Progress, The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy, 6/17/09)

3. True Energy Independence: True energy independence means breaking our dependence on the depleting, and therefore increasingly expensive, domestic reserves of oil and gas and generating domestic ‘home grown’ energy like wind and solar

4. Global Economic Powerhouse: Let’s harness American ingenuity and lead the world economy in exports of new clean energy technology. A strong clean energy bill is needed to position us at the forefront of this burgeoning global market

5. Leadership: I am encouraged by Senator Cardin and Mikulski’s past leadership on clean energy issues and are urging them to champion a strong clean energy bill in the US Senate.

Please, let me know when you submit a letter and again when you get it published: ethan[at]chesapeakeclimate.org

Join the “Truth Squad” today!

Also, for more info check out our 10 ways to make your Senator a Clean Energy Champ toolkit

LTE contact info for your paper:
The Cecil Whig: whigletters@chespub.com
Prince Georges Co. Gazette: princegeorges@gazette.net
Baltimore Sun: talkback@baltimoresun.com
Washington Post: letters@washpost.com
Annapolis Capital: capletts@capitalgazette.com
Washington Times: letters@washingtontimes.com
Carroll Co. Gazette: carroll@gazette.net
Frederick Co. Gazette: Frederick@gazette.net
Montgomery Co. Gazette: letters@gazette.net
The Star Democrat: eastonedit@chespub.com
The County Times of Southern Maryland: tobiepulliam@countytimes.net
Baltimore Messenger, Jeffersonian, Northeast Booster, Northeast Reporter, Owings Mills Times, Towson Times or North County News: kweiss@patuxent.com
The Avenue (Baltimore): aveeditorial@chespub.com
The Northeast Booster (Baltimore): dsturm@patuxent.com
Maryland Independent: abreck@somdnews.com
The Enterprise: rboyd@somdnews.com
The Recorder: clovejoy@somdnews.com
The Calvert Independent: editorial@calvertindependent.com
City Paper (DC): mail@washingtoncitypaper.com

Say "NO DEAL!" To an Unsafe Nuke Merger

An alert from our partners at the Chesapeake Safe Energy Coalition

Breaking News! British nuclear regulators are delaying Electricite de France’s (EdF) attempt to revive the British nuclear industry due to critical safety concerns with the Evolutionary Power Reactor (EPR), the same reactor proposed for Calvert Cliffs.

British regulators have discovered problems with the EPR’s automated safety systems. Regulators in Finland–where the EPR is already 3 years behind schedule–recently have voiced similar concerns. We must alert Maryland regulators to our concerns with not only the EPR proposed for Maryland, but with EdF and Areva–the French company peddling the defective reactor.

We need your indispensable help again! If you haven’t yet signed the “No Deal” petition, please do so now. And please send the petition to 5 of your friends and family members in Maryland. We need to raise more voices against the deal to bring unsafe and costly energy to Maryland.

Your activism through the past petition guided the PSC’s decision to regulate the Constellation/EDF deal

'Hill Rapid Response Force' in Action

Last Friday CCAN rallied over 100 people outside the US Capitol Building as members of Congress were about to vote on the ACES bill. (A bill that sadly falls short of securing our future). CCAN joined hands with the Energy Action Coalition, the Avaaz Action Factory, and Campus Progress to boldly say: “WE NEED MORE: Pass a STRONG Clean Energy Bill.” After the rally we marched around the three House office buildings carrying signs and model wind turbines. Check out the video and the picture in the Wall Street Journal article. After our outside antics in the sweltering heat we went inside (to cool off) and really

Chalk Point Plant Sued For "Major and Ongoing Violations" of Federal Anti-Pollution Laws

The Chesapeake Climate Action Network and three Maryland residents have filed a federal lawsuit against Mirant Chalk Point, LLC, the operator of the coal-fired power plant located on the Patuxent River at Swanson Creek in Prince George’s County in the Washington, D.C. area, and its parent company, Atlanta-based Mirant Mid-Atlantic, LLC. The complaint alleges hundreds of violations of the Clean Air Act related to the plant’s combustion of residual fuel oil without the required pollution control equipment. Continue reading

CCAN Statement on ACES

U.S. House bill on global warming is weak and needs major improvements in Senate. CCAN calls on President Obama to become more engaged in America’s last, best chance to solve the climate crisis. Continue reading

Urge Obama to end Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining!

Below is an email I received from Matt Wasson from http://www.ilovemountains.org

The pressure on the Obama administration to stop mountaintop removal coal mining is building across the country.

Last week, we asked you to call the White House and tell the administration that it was time to reverse the devastating 2002 Bush Administration “fill rule,” which allows coal companies to dump their toxic mining waste into our nation’s streams.

And next week, on June 23rd, climate scientist Dr. James Hansen will join community members and activists from around the country in Coal River Valley, West Virginia to launch a year of activism to end mountaintop removal coal mining.

Hansen and others will gather at Marsh Fork Elementary — the elementary school that is next to a mountaintop removal mine operated by Massey Energy and just 400 yards downslope from a 2.8 billion gallon coal sludge impoundment that threatens the school.

The activists will then march a short distance to Massey Energy’s office of operations and risk arrest in a line crossing civil disobedience, in order to raise awareness of the devastation that mountaintop removal coal mining is causing to the mountains and communities of Appalachia.

Can you take a moment to stand with them, and help put pressure on the Obama administration to take immediate action to end mountaintop removal coal mining today?

We’re asking every member of iLoveMountains.org to take just three minutes to email the White House to ask President Obama to immediately begin the process of overturning the Bush-era “fill rule,” which allows coal companies to dump their toxic mining waste into our nation’s streams.

Please, click here to email President Obama now.

The Obama administration needs to hear that simply enforcing Bush-era rules and laws is not enough. The administration must overturn the Bush-era rules to begin the process of building a sustainable future for Appalachia.

That’s why the activists gathering at Coal River Valley next week are risking arrest — to send the message that impact on the mountains, communities and waterways of central Appalachia have been ignored for too long.

Please, take a moment to make sure President Obama hears that message:

Email President Obama today.

Thank you for taking action.

Matt Wasson
iLoveMountains.org

PS Contact Annie Sartor (annie@ran.org) at Rainforest Action Network if you are interested in coming to Coal River Mountain on June 23rd.

CCAN Congratulates City of Charlottesville for Leading on Energy Efficiency

Governor Tim Kaine joined Dominion CEO Thomas Farrell, Charlottesville Mayor Dave Norris and others today to launch a program using the smart grid and smart meters. The program, initiated by Dominion Virginia Power, will usher in advances in energy efficiency and provide customer and environmental benefits for the city of Charlottesville but must be complemented by a statewide commitment to energy efficiency. Continue reading

Just when I thought things couldn't get worse in Virginia…

As the rest of the nation rejects coal plant after coal plant… Virginia is building one in SW and proposing another one three times the size in the Hampton Roads area.

As our neighbors in Maryland pass the strongest state legislation to regulate carbon emissions… Virginia’s own Rick Boucher is working to water down and nullify any impact a federal climate bill could have.

It’s a tough fight here in Virginia, and I will continue to fight every single day to promote sustainable energy policy for the commonwealth.

Amidst it all, I still remember things could be worse, we could be WEST VIRGINIA!

Our friends in West Virginia just declared coal the state rock.

Cross posted from our friends at Center for American Progress’s Blog:

Gov. Joe Manchin (D-WV) has made coal the official state rock of his state. According to the West Virgina Coal Association, the teen-aged daughter of a coal company employee “got the measure placed before the state legislature this year with the help of Sen. Truman Chafin (D-Mingo) and Del. Harry Keith White (D-Mingo).” On Wednesday, Manchin signed the resolution into law:

Bituminous coal is now West Virginia’s official state rock. Gov. Joe Manchin has signed a House of Delegates resolution making the designation based primarily on coal’s contribution to the state’s economy and history.

Despite $118 million in coal-mining annual income, West Virginia has the nation’s lowest median household income, worst educational services, worst social assistance, the highest population with disabilities, and nearly a quarter of West Virginia children in poverty.

Seems to me the best way to preserve the state rock is to keep it in the GROUND! Who’s with me?