Weekly News Roundup-December 13, 2013

What’s happening at National Wildlife Federation this week?

• Gifts for Kids Who Love Animals.  Give the gift of conservation!
• Bring Back Bison! America’s iconic bovine needs your help.
• Silencing a Key Voice. Obama brings on anti-Keystone advisor, but doesn’t seem to want his advice.

 

SFRED Invites Youths to Speak Out on Public Lands

Dec 13- A national sportsmen’s coalition working for the balanced use of our public lands and the continuation of hunting, angling and other outdoor traditions wants to hear from youths on what public lands mean to them.

Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development is sponsoring an essay contest with the theme “the importance of public lands to me.” The contest is open to youths 15 to 19 years old. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 15. Five winners will receive an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of their congressional delegations and other officials.

“We hunters and anglers are the beneficiary.es of farsighted leaders and conservationists who realized the importance of conserving public lands for future generations. We are determined to keep the legacy alive and believe it’s crucial to encourage young people to explore our public lands and speak up for what is important to them,” said Brad Powell, senior policy director of the Sportsmen’s Conservation Project at Trout Unlimited.

Click here for contest details.

 

Massive Conservation Coalition Calls for Bold Action to Advance Offshore Wind Power

Dec 11– With critical federal tax incentives set to expire on December 31, over 230 faith, conservation, and public health organizations; small businesses; and elected officials joined Environment America, the National Wildlife Federation, Conservation Law Foundation, and Southern Environmental Law Center Wednesday in a letter supporting swift, bold action by the Obama administration to facilitate the development of offshore wind power.

“Climate change is the single greatest threat to America’s wildlife this century and properly-sited offshore wind power is an essential part of the solution,” said Catherine Bowes, senior manager for climate and energy at the National Wildlife Federation. “Our ability to fight climate change and repower America with pollution-free energy hinges on bold action from our federal and state leaders. Congress must renew the offshore wind investment tax credit (ITC) immediately to jumpstart this critical new clean energy source for America.”

Learn how offshore wind energy is key to saving wildlife from climate change.

  

And now here are highlights from NWF in the news:

HuffPost Live: The Furry Face of Climate Change

The polar bear population has declined 30 percent in the last 25 years, with many bears suffering significant weight loss and giving birth to fewer cubs. Can this trend be reversed? And are polar bears just the tip of the iceberg?

The Times Record: Shady Wind Foes Cast a Chill

“Our coastal waters have some of the best offshore wind energy resources in the world, the technology to harvest it is advanced and operating at great scale in Europe, and we have workers ready to do the job. It’s time to get it done.”

Bloomberg News: Keystone Backers Await Report Vital to Pipeline’s Fate

Murphy said his best guess is that it will come out early next year. That would give the State Department enough time to address objections raised by critics, and the Environmental Protection Agency, to the draft released in March that found Keystone wouldn’t have a big impact on the climate, he said

The Hill: Green groups press Interior and EPA on methane emissions

“EPA needs to take immediate steps to produce regulations to directly reduce methane pollution from new and existing equipment from this industry,” the groups wrote in a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and EPA chief Gina McCarthy on Thursday.

Yahoo! UK and Ireland: The Wind Energy Threat to Birds Is Overblown

And earlier this year, the National Wildlife Federation published a similar report that concludes unequivocally that climate change today is the most serious threat facing America’s migratory birds.

EcoWatch.com: Rising Demand for Southeast Trees Endangers U.S. Wildlife and Biodiversity

The rapid development of woody biomass energy facilities in the Southeast U.S. has large implications for regional land cover and wildlife habitat, says a new study by three major Southern universities, released today by National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC).

Clarion-Ledger: Restoration of Gulf Coast off to a solid start

A healthy coast spurs increased fish and shellfish harvests, and supports more fishermen, as well as more wildlife and birds, which in turn support more hunters and birdwatchers.

AllVoices: The big snooze: Mysteries of wildlife hibernation

Roger Di Selvestro points out how the Arctic ground squirrel is considered the champion hibernator of all time since it survives in one of the severest environments imaginable by essentially sleeping nine months out of the year. “It can survive for three weeks at a body temperature of 22 degrees F, a condition that would kill more southerly rodent hibernators in less than an hour.”

CNBC: Green is Good Radio Show Announces Roster of “Sustainability All-Stars” for Winter Season

America’s top green radio show, the national weekly “Green is Good” program, which is now available to listeners nationwide via the “America’s Talk” lineup on iHeartRadio, has announced its “sustainability all-star” lineup of guests for the fall season.