Majorities of senators–including Senators King and Collins–voted to support key Clean Air Act provisions allowing the Environmental Protection Agency to limit the amount of industrial carbon and mercury pollution fouling our skies.

Congress shouldn’t use the budget to cut important public health protections against air pollution, and Maine Senator Angus King and Senator Susan Collins both deserve our thanks for opposing these amendments.

Thank Senator King for Climate Votes

Tell Senator King “Thank you for voting in-line with your concern about climate change by supporting the Clean Air Act!” on Facebook.

 Send him a tweet saying Thanks @SenAngusKing for your support of climate & @EPAgov during budget votes.”

Sen. King’s votes were clearly in line with his stated concerns about climate change and support for the Clean Air Act.

Thank Senator Collins for Her Climate Vote

  Tell Senator Collins “Thank you for putting Maine’s interests ahead of party politics by voting against the last attack on the Clean Air Act” by leaving a comment on one of her Facebook posts.

 Send her a tweet saying “Thanks @SenatorCollins for your support of climate & @EPAgov during budget votes. Pls step up on #KXL tar sands pipeline.”

Sen. Collins deserves special recognition because she put Maine’s interests ahead of party politics by voting against this attack on the Clean Air Act. She was the only Republican to cross party lines and support these common-sense clean air rules.

Congress Must Champion Clean Air

Polls show super-majorities of the American people support action on air pollution. Two-thirds of voters say elected officials should take steps now to reduce the impact of climate change on future generations, according to a Zogby post-election poll last November.

We need members of Congress to step up and champion clean air standards instead of looking for ways to undermine these vital clean air protections. Congress should protect the health and well-being of the people they represent, not the economic bottom line of big polluters.

As the Environmental Protection Agency works to finalize landmark limits on industrial carbon pollution under the Clean Air Act, the message is clear: The American people support climate action. Let’s get this done.

NTSB Photo – Ruptured Enbridge tar sands pipeline, Line 6B

Big Oil is trying to keep this project under the radar and avoid a scrutinizing presidential permitting process. A presidential permit is required for any project that crosses the American border and since the Exxon & Enbridge pipeline would cross into Canada, the permit requires that the administration assess the project and allow for public discussion (think Keystone XL).

Exxon & Enbridge Pipeline Project Under Scrutiny

Legislators from Vermont, Maine, & New Hampshire are joining tens of thousands of Northeast residents in speaking out against this proposed project. Out of the 12 northeast congressional members in the pipeline right of way states (VT, ME, NH), only Senator Kelly Ayotte from New Hampshire has yet to stand with her community in opposing the project. Members are sending letter after letter after letter urging Secretary Kerry to require a new presidential permit for the proposed Exxon & Enbridge pipeline project.

When Senators Susan Collins and Angus King of Maine were visited by the tar sands lobby (including the pipeline director for the American Petroleum Institute) a few short weeks ago, the lobby were told to be prepared for lengthy and appropriate government scrutiny over the project.

King told the group that reversing the flow of the Portland-Montreal Pipe Line “is presidential-permit-worthy. And it’s up to the petroleum industry to convince me otherwise.”

Collins, in a prepared statement Tuesday, recalled that the pipeline officials “were not definitive in response to my questions” about exactly what they were up to.

“Should the company decide to seek approval for this new use,” Collins added, “I would expect that appropriate environmental impact reviews would be completed.”

Moose photo by Rick Libbey

Protecting Moose from Dirty Tar Sands

The Exxon & Enbridge pipeline project runs through important moose habitat in New England. If this dangerous project is not stopped, toxic tar sands oil would threaten the waterways where moose live–and would fuel more tar sands operations in Canada that are destroying the boreal forests and polluting fresh water.

Speak up against the risks that the Northeast tar sands pipeline poses to wildlife and our communities>>>

And that’s not all – in the forest, an immediate concern  is the potential for hemlock woody adelgid to have a major range expansion, and possibly wipe out eastern hemlock altogether.

These insects are native to Japan and feed on and kill eastern hemlock trees. The bug’s range is constrained to places where minimum temperatures remain above -20 degrees Fahrenheit… which now includes where I grew up, in North Carolina, and soon could include the forests in the entire Northeast. Climate model projections indicate that temperature increases could place the entire range of this tree above this temperature threshold, leading to range-wide declines and possible loss of the tree species altogether.

Why do we care? “I am more of a wildlife gal/guy than a tree one”, you say?
Eastern Hemlock is the most significant whitetail deer wintering cover in southern and central NH and parts of Maine and much of Massachusetts. Hemlock is used both as cover and forage during deep snow or cold temperatures. Loss of hemlock from the bugs could significantly drop the number of deer who make it through the winter, especially as we have more extreme winter storms that dump larger amounts of snow.

“But we need to worry about the economy, what about the economy?” Good question.  Deer drive hunting license numbers, important revenue in most states.  A significant reduction in deer numbers drives license sales and hunters getting out and spending money down correspondingly. Hunting and fishing license sales provide the bulk of state fish and wildlife funding in many states, which protects our wildlife and our pristine places.

A few fun facts from the Congressional Sportsmen’s foundation:

• The $12 billion anglers spent on boats and other special equipment in 2011 is more than the global revenues for Starbucks that year .
• Hunters spent $6 billion on guns, ammunition and archery equipment in 2011. That’s the same as the sales of bicycles in the United States.
• And hipsters beware: Sportsmen spend $90 billion annually – that’s more than the combined 2011 global revenues for Apple’s iPhone and iPad.

“I am convinced! What can we do about?” I am so glad you asked. We have a plan!

1. Reject tar sands in the US (including a pipeline here in New England)

2. Cut climate pollution from coal fired power plants

and last but not least,

3. Get the word out:  talk to your friends and neighbors, post this on your facebook page, and share it on twitter.

Santa’s sleigh doesn’t run on oil, it’s powered by Rudolph and his friends! Santa’s reindeer and their cousins, the woodland caribou, are in danger and need your help! Up in Alberta, Canada caribou are being threatened by the tar sands industry and humans rapid expansion into caribou habitat.  This dirty industry is responsible for dangerous projects like Keystone XL pipeline & other pipelines across the country. Alberta’s government reported that  caribou populations are in serious decline and measures need to be taken to save this iconic and important species (I mean, seriously, how can you not save the red-nosed Rudolph?). This comes on the hooves of Alberta’s 5-year wolf-killing program as its main approach to caribou management, which has already seen more than 500 wolves killed.

Why We Should Save Caribou:

1. Dasher
2. Dancer
3. Prancer
4. Vixen
5. Comet
6. Cupid
7. Donner
8. Blitzen
9. Rudolph

While Santa’s making his list and checking it twice, his reindeer are on thin ice. We need to take action now so kids can grow up knowing that their reindeer are protected against the folks, who quite frankly, deserve a lump of coal in their stocking this year! Take action to protect caribou and other wildlife from dangerous tar sands development!

A Trout Unlimited member asks about tar sands in streams and rivers

There were about 65 people in the room (impressive given that many of these towns have a population under 500), and presentations were given by the spill response head from the NH Department of Environmental Services, Shelley Kath from Natural Resources Defense Council , Larry Wilson (the head of the Portland to Montreal Pipeline Company), and John Quinn from the American Petroleum Institute. The presentations connected this pipeline to the international picture, and there was a lot of concern in the room about the idea of the project.

The pipeline company executive brought 2 employees as well as a state lobbyist with him, and although he denied having plans to run tar sands in the existing pipe he said he would be thrilled to if he was given the opportunity, as the pipeline is currently empty.

The Androscoggin River, less than 100 yards from the pipeline

Several people asked about climate and some were very pointed, asking the API person if he believed in climate change and if he felt it was human-caused. He made it clear that the American Petroleum Institute does not see climate change as their problem. Folks pointed out the local impacts a tar sands spill would have as well as the regional, national, and global effects of climate change. They reminded the oil executives that the Kalamazoo River in Michigan is still being cleaned up, more than 2 years later!

We had a great group there from our Tar Sands Free NH coalition, with several members of the Trout Unlimited Chapter (two of whom asked really good questions), some NH Audubon folks, some Appalachian Mountain Club folks, and Eric Orff, who is a retired state wildlife biologist who used to tag bears in that area back when he worked for the state.

All in all a good meeting and a clear indication from the communities of Coos County NH that they have lots of concerns about any project to run tar sands through their back yards.

Curt Spalding, who is the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 1 administrator, talked about the proposed rule, which would drop carbon pollution from new power plants. He pointed out that the vast majority of New England’s power plants are already out ahead of this standard and this can really protect New England from pollution from the rest of the country.

Climate change is America’s greatest opportunity, believes Dr. Aaron Bernstein of Harvard’s Center for Health and the Global Environment. Dr. Bernstein said that we have a chance to take real leadership and be out in front now.

Vince Maraventano of Interfaith Power and Light pointed out that 83% of MA residents want action on climate change and carbon pollution. “It is easy to feel frozen by the gridlock in Washington”, Maraventano pointed out, but reminded the audience that we have a moral imperative to care for the earth and for each other.

Dr. Rachel Cleetus with Union of Concerned Scientists, who studies the economics of climate change including the costs of inaction, said she would like to see the dirty polluters forced to stand up and say they care more about profits than children’s health or the future of the planet.

Dan Bakal from CERES reminded the audience that there are plenty of corporations and businesses who get that clean air is important and good for business. He said CERES has found in their work with economic movers and shakers that businesses understand that the risks are far outweighed by the benefits (a point that many speakers made).

And then we all had pie – cherry pie! So there’s the link between cherry pie and carbon – they were both topics of much interest at the Boston Public Library on June 13th. See our pictures and “LIKE” us on facebook and take action on carbon.

more info about the event:

Public Roundtable Set for June 13 at Boston Public Library

Local Experts to Speak in Support of Cutting Carbon Pollution

The Massachusetts Clean Air Action Coalition will host a roundtable on June 13 with community leaders and EPA Region 1 Administrator Curt Spalding.

This event will provide an interactive opportunity to learn about the recent advances being made by the EPA towards cleaner air, and to hear from a diverse panel of local leaders who will provide their perspectives on how these issues impact Massachusetts.

Here in Massachusetts there are increasing signs that our health, environment, and economy are vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and climate change. Speakers representing the faith, health, business and scientific communities will speak to the specific impacts cleaner air has for their constituencies, as well as how recent efforts to prevent increases in carbon pollution from power plants will benefit the Bay State.

Panelists:

• Curt Spalding, Regional Administrator, Region 1, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Dr. Rachel Cleetus, Union of Concerned Scientists
• Vince Maraventano, Interfaith Power and Light
• Dr. Aaron Bernstein, MD MPH, Associate Director, Center for Health and the Global Environment and Instructor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
• Dan Bakal, CERES
• Moderated by Dr. Nejem Raheem, Environmental Economist and professor at Emerson College

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some of the supporters holding signs outside the Boston hearing

Wednesday night over 100 people packed at room for a hearing about national grid and the clean home-grown electricity they have agreed to purchase from cape wind. The National Wildlife Federation had staff and volunteers there, and we spoke out for wind AND wildlife. Many other partners came as well, including our affiliate, the Environmental League of Massachusetts.

The room was very positive, with lots of folks speaking about why they believe we need to move to cleaner energy sources and away from fossil fuels and polluting technologies. 75% of the room talked about their support for the project as support for moving away from polluting and dangerous energy like coal and moving towards a clean energy future.

Some of my favorite things people said were from folks who spend time on the cape and islands, and who spoke about how much they love the place and how much we need the solutions that projects like Cape Wind provide to the climate crisis. Matt Lord, who is a law student at Northeastern and who has spent summers on the cape his whole life, said climate change is the biggest issue of our time, and he supports cape wind for that reason.

The Cape Wind project has been 11 years in the making, and is projected to provide year round power for more than a half a million homes in Massachusetts. And it will be a power source that you don’t have to tear the top off a mountain or start a war in another country to get.

Enjoying a rare quiet moment in the Augusta Civic Center

We gave out a couple thousand Ranger Rick, Animal Baby, and Big Backyard magazines as well as copies of our On Thin Ice report, which is about how warm winters are impacting sporting traditions. We even had a Maine-specific NWF fact sheet about warm winter impacts, written by Eric Orff, a Game and Fish Commission member and retired wildlife biologist.

Kayaking in the fall of 2009, Lake Wentworth NH

Many Northeastern game species are threatened by mild winters (also see NWF’s “Game Changers” report), not to mention that sportsmen and hikers are coming home with ticks on them or on their dog. A recent radio piece talked to the president of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen, and he said they had to cancel all their ice fishing derbies this year.

Right here in Massachusetts, we are seeing impacts that are more severe, too: the Springfield tornadoes, the Halloween snowstorm and power outages, and increased flooding from extreme storms (100 year storms every few years) throughout the region.

There are economic impacts not only from cleaning up from those natural disasters, but also from things like a shorter and less sweet maple sugaring season from New York to Vermont, cancelled ice fishing derbies, and a bad ski year on the East Coast all add up to a drop in revenue for businesses not to mention a drop in fun.

For gardeners, the whole map has moved! Who knows when the last frost free date is in their area any more? I put corn and peas in at least a month too late last year, because I went by the zones on the packages. This year I am going in a month ahead, but who knows if some late freak storm will kill all my plants.

This kind of oddball winter weather is exactly what climate scientists say we can expect in a warming world. This is why it is more important than ever to stand up for clean air now. The more we cut down on mercury and industrial carbon pollution coming out of smokestacks, the better chance we have of being able to enjoy our fine New England winters as well as our beautiful New England summers, each in their own time.

Find out how you can help us fight for clean air and reduced emissions at www.nwf.org/cleanair.

We are out here talking to sportsmen about carbon and mercury pollution in our air and water. We have moose antlers and jaw bones and are talking about how carbon pollution means more ticks on moose, dogs, and people.

We are also taking comments from sportsmen about industrial carbon pollution to give to the Environmental Protection Agency as they decide whether to try to control carbon pollution.

 And we are talking to fishermen about mercury pollution (which comes out of the smokestacks like carbon before ending up in our water and our fish) and their health.

Favorite things so far:

* The 4 bird dogs across the way from Webfoot Waterfowl Hunting – if only I could be so glad to see each and every person who came by. They gathered a crowd all day.

* The trout pond – that’s right, for 5 bucks you could fish for trout in the expo center. We kept seeing kids go by with trout they had caught.

What I am looking forward to tomorrow:

• Must get to the retriever tank! What I hope it will look like is a big see through tank where you can see the dogs as they leap in to retrieve… whatever it is they go after.
• Fried dough. I love all that carnival type food, I cannot lie.

So come find us! We are in booth 258 in the better living building (right near the trout pond). We are giving away bumper stickers, taking comments, and generally having a great time.