EPA to regulate CO2, or How coal plants die

In the death throes of the Bush administration, then-EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson put the agency on record stating that CO2 is not a pollutant that should be regulated by the Clean Air Act. This week, the current EPA administrator Lisa Jackson announced her intent to overturn that memorandum, putting the EPA on the path toward regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act.

As a result of this decision, coal plants are dropping like flies. The latest victim comes out of Oklahoma. Opposition groups cite the EPA decision and public outcry, but the reps from the company building the plant say it’s “purely a business decision.” With more and more planned coal plants biting the dust due to “business decisions,” how much longer can coal companies insist that building new coal plants is our best option?

But this hilarious video from 2006 reminds us that the fossil fuel industry isn’t confined to the truth when defending its turf. (No, it’s not a spoof. It’s real.)


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Second Part of Diversity Column

This has been cross posted from: http://madrad2002.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/second-part-of-diversity-column/

So last week, I wrote the first part in a 2 part series on the need for more diversity and inclusion in the environmental movement. My second part is this week. In case you haven’t read the first part or would like to re-read it, go here: http://madrad2002.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/column-on-lack-of-minorities-in-environmental-groups/

For this weeks column, link is here: http://media.www.diamondbackonline.com/media/storage/paper873/news/2009/02/17/Opinion/Green.Diversity.Cross.Cultures.Save.The.World-3632931.shtml?reffeature=recentlycommentedstoriestab

Green diversity : Cross cultures, save the world

Issue date: 2/17/09 Section: Opinion

I met with a black state delegate about a bill a few weeks ago and made sure to ask him what the environmental community was doing wrong in reaching out to minorities. In his response to me, he made a good point. It’s difficult to tell someone they need to put a solar panel on their roof or to get the roof insulated when they’re working hard just to keep that roof over their head. He also stated the situation was unfortunate, because minority groups are most affected by global warming, rising energy costs and pollution. They also stand the most to gain from a clean energy economy if they’re involved in creating it. How do we stress that linkage? He didn’t have an answer. I have ideas.
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Watch Global Warming Forum with Rep. Connolly Online at 7 pm

Yesterday, President Obama just signed into law an economic recovery bill containing $87 billion in green investment funds–the largest investment ever in clean energy solutions! This is only the first step of many to solve the climate challenge and build a clean economy. In the months ahead, we’ll have to keep pushing Congress and the President to enact strong caps on carbon pollution and a halt to new coal power plants.

Tonight, Fairfax County’s Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11th) will be talking to a packed town hall meeting at the Fairfax City Library about what congress is doing to stop global warming and what you need to do to keep up the pressure. If you can’t make it in person, watch it online on CCAN’s Blog: http://www.chesapeakeclimate.org/blog/?p=785
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Bobby Scott talked green at THM in Richmond last night

Last night was the first of several town hall meetings being held across the state on green jobs and clean energy sponsored by the C-campaign. Congressman Bobby Scott spoke to a crowded room (estimated between 100-170 people!). Other speakers included:

Mr. Karl Bren, founder of Green Visions Consulting;
Mr. Michael Schewel, Chair of the Corporate Development Department at McGuireWoods and former Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade;
Mr. Glen Besa, Director, Virginia Sierra Club;
Dr. Thad Williamson, Professor of Leadership Studies, University of Richmond; and
Dr. James Wetzel, Professor of Environmental Economics, Virginia Commonwealth University.

After the panel spoke, they opened the floor for questions. People were really excited about green jobs and wanted to know more. One gentleman said he’s been looking at workforce development training and couldn’t find anything closer than NYC. He stated that the price of that particular program keeps going up and up too. He wanted to know why there wasn’t any training for him here in Richmond. A gentleman from a vocational technical school said they implemented a program last year to train troubled youth how to build solar panels. They felt it was more important to get the program up and running then to sit and wait for funding. He said that with the signing of the stimulus bill, they are planning to expand the program and start doing adult training programs as early as next month.
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Let the Clean Energy Revolution Begin

Future Hope column, Feb. 15, 2009By Ted Glick

It began with a statement by Nancy Pelosi in early January, referring to federal legislation to cap and reduce dangerous greenhouse gas emissions: “I’m not sure this year, because I don’t know if we’ll be ready. We won’t go before we’re ready.” Then, in late January, I heard Charles Rangel, head of the House Ways and Means Committee, speak publicly about hi s committee not holding hearings on climate legislation until “the end of the year.” Two weeks ago, Senator Barbara Boxer, head of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, in announcing a set of “principles” she will use in formulating climate legislation, was noncommittal about when she expected a vote in her committee. On the same day, climate blogger and well-connected Democrat Joe Romm, wrote approvingly of the idea (the plan?) that there should be no attempt to pass climate legislation through Congress until sometime in 2010. Continue reading

Adams Morgan Climate Graffiti

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The buzz around the Capitol Climate Action is hot! The action has over 60 endorsing organizations and over 1500 people are registered and willing to risk arrest. It’s taken on a life of its own