Flooded wetlands in Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge after Hurricane Sandy (Flickr / US FWS)

The budget proposal says that the role of the federal government is to protect our communities and our families from “many dangers: rising health-care costs, a stagnant economy, a massive debt, an uncertain world,” and that “the first job of the federal government is to secure the safety of its citizens from threats at home and abroad.” We agree, and NWF works every day to better protect people, property, and the environment. However, NWF believes that certain policies outlined in Rep. Ryan’s budget proposal put Americans at greater risk.

Climate change and extreme weather impacts - wildfires, droughts, floods, superstorms, all of which are intensifying – are some of the greatest threats facing Americans today. According to the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office, continuing to ignore the impacts of climate change puts to federal government—and the country—at high risk of financial loss.

The budget plan focuses on aiding the vulnerable and their communities, yet this budget, by ignoring and potentially worsening the effects of climate change, puts millions of vulnerable Americans at risk. NWF agrees that we need to seek a balanced approach to deficit reduction; however, we cannot ignore the direct public health and safety impacts of a federal budget that turns a blind eye to the reality of climate change.

Specifically, NWF is concerned that the House Budget Resolution:

• Proposes increased investment in fossil fuels while gutting support for developing clean energy sources.  It recommends increased drilling on federal lands and on the Outer Continental Shelf, something that will increase our dependence on dirty fuels, endanger critical habitats, and jeopardize the robust outdoor recreation economy dependent on public lands.  The plan also proposes eliminating incentives for clean energy development, undermining our progress towards a clean energy future and energy security.  No mention is made of oil and gas subsidies, despite the fact that eliminating them could raise billions of dollars in revenue.  Continuing to invest in fossil fuels while cutting incentives for developing clean energy sources puts Americans at incredible risk from extreme weather and other climate impacts.
• Discredits the importance of strong protections for clean air and water, such as the current proposed Environmental Protection Agency limits on industrial carbon pollution. A clean environment is critical for both economic growth and public health. Between 1970 and 1990, actions to reduce air pollution, at a cost of $523 billion, saved the nation $22 trillion in health care expense and lost productivity—a 40-1 benefit-cost ratio. These regulations are crucial to reducing carbon pollution and ensuring public health and safety.
• Proposes selling off public lands and diverting revenue from public land sales away from the Department of the Interior.  In addition to undermining our rich national conservation legacy and restricting the revenue-generating activities of millions of outdoor recreationists, this removes land acquisition as a key tool the Department of the Interior can use in mitigating damage from future natural disasters.
• Urges approval of the Keystone pipeline.  This would dramatically increase production of the Canadian tar sands—a fuel that emits 14-20% more greenhouse gases than typical crude oil—and would endanger property, ecosystems, and wildlife all along the 2,000 mile pipeline.   In the words of NASA scientist James Hansen, building the Keystone pipeline would mean “game over” for the climate.

At the same time that the budget proposal undermines national progress towards reducing the impacts of climate change, it slashes funding for programs that safeguard our communities, ecosystems, and wildlife.  Many of these programs not only protect the clean air and water and public lands enjoyed by millions of Americans: they also mitigate the effects of natural disasters by protecting and enhancing natural barriers.

Source: Center for American Progress

These cuts came on top of decades of underfunding for conservation programs, and under the proposed budget this scenario gets even worse. The budget would extend the Budget Control Act caps on spending for another two years—until 2023—and making huge cuts in discretionary spending.  By 2023, the plan funds discretionary programs at $47 billion less than current projected spending levels. Although the current plan does not go into detail about the distribution of discretionary cuts, past budget proposals issued by Chairman Ryan strongly suggest that conservation programs will bear a disproportionate amount of these cuts.

By cutting programs that reduce carbon pollution and mitigate the effects of climate change, this budget fails to invest in the future health and safety of Americans.

Letter to Attorney General: Hold BP Accountable

October 10 - Today the National Wildlife Federation called on Attorney General Eric Holder to ensure BP is held fully responsible for its involvement in the 2010 Gulf oil disaster. The letter  comes amid recent media reports suggesting BP has proposed a settlement offer that is significantly less than half of what it would face at trial.

Alarmingly, BP is attempting to once again shirk responsibility for causing the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history, purportedly offering a sum less than $20 billion. Such amounts would prove inadequate to repair the Gulf and would allow the oil giant – it netted $25.7 billion in 2011– to escape paying what is required by law, what it can afford, and what is fair in a case with environmental damage of this magnitude.

NWF Asks Ryan to Pledge to Protect America’s Public Lands

October 10 - Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, wrote a letter to Rep. Paul Ryan today seeking clarity on the Romney-Ryan ticket’s public lands policy. The letter reads in part:

As an organization deeply committed to the conservation interests of America’s hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts we appreciated your statement in an October 1 interview with Outdoor Life magazine that “we need to open up public lands for access for hunting.” Public lands are critical part of America’s national heritage, and access for all Americans is a conservation legacy that provides everyone the opportunity to hunt and fish.  Public lands also play a critical role supporting local economies: in 2011, 13.7 million hunters spent $33.9 billion and 33.1 million anglers spent $22 billion.

ExxonMobil is Majority Owner of Vermont Pipeline and Behind a Likely Plan to Transport Tar Sands

October 10 - A new analysis released today by environmental groups finds that ExxonMobil is the majority owner of the pipeline that cuts across Vermont and New England—which is the subject of an emerging proposal to transport tar sands. ExxonMobil’s Canadian subsidiary Imperial Oil Limited owns 76 percent of the pipeline, while Canadian oil giant Suncor Energy owns the remaining 24 percent. These companies are among the biggest developers of Canadian tar sands. The report is being released in connection with an event in Portland, Maine, highlighting safety concerns that tar sands bring to New England. Tar sands is a carbon intensive, especially dirty source of oil that is mined in the sensitive and ecologically important boreal forest of Alberta. Its development has resulted in serious pollution in Alberta and threatens to sully an area the size of Florida.

Wildlife Groups Join Forces to Protect Delaware Bayshore Habitat

October 10 – Critical habitat for shorebirds, water birds, waterfowl, and fish is under growing threat from rising sea levels driven by manmade climate change.

That’s the focus of a grant to the National Wildlife Federation from the Wildlife Conservation Society through its Climate Adaptation Fund, established with support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. A $250,000 investment is being made to work in partnership with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) for the project Climate-Smart Coastal Impoundments – Replacing Lost Functions and Values, an innovative effort to shift key coastal habitats inland in the face of rapid sea-level rise.

National Wildlife Federation Announces Three Year Goal To Get 10 Million Kids Outdoors

October 9 – To combat today’s “indoor childhood” trend, National Wildlife Federation has a new goal to move 10 million kids from their indoor habitat back into the outdoors, at home, school, and parks, anywhere there is green space.  A generation ago, kids spent hours playing outside each day, now it’s down to minutes.

This move in the wrong direction demonstrates that while positive steps have been taken, not enough has been done to correct the problem since it first received national attention seven years ago. The consequences are threatening the health and happiness of our nation’s children, the country’s escalating health care costs, and the future of conservation.

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• Associated Press: New Wildlife Drive at Former Colo. Superfund Site 
• Great Falls Tribune: Controversial Tongue River easement appears, disappears from FWP agenda
• Green Bay Press Gazette: Editorial: Great Lakes restoration efforts deserve funding
• The Cap Times:  Romney and Obama should stand up for Great Lakes
•  The Commercial Appeal: U of M named as Certified Wildlife Habitat
• The Seattle Times: Fit & Fun: Hike & Seek at Seward Park
• The Cleveland Post: In the Outdoors: National Wildlife Federation Sportsman’s Poll indicates high interest in environment

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News

1. Highlight of the Week: Big profits for Big Oil
2. Quote: House Speaker John Boehner
3. Economic Story of the Week: Baucus takes on Tax Breaks
4. Editorial of the Week: End the tax giveaways for oil companies
5. FTC to Probe Tar Sands Price Manipulation
6. Payback Ads Hit Hard
7. NWF’s First Green Flag Flies in Georgia
8. Happening this Week

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Highlight of the Week

Big profits for Big Oil

via Flickr, Marshall Astor

As energy prices soar, and large oil and gas companies announce billions in first quarter profits, efforts to repeal tax breaks given to Big Oil have become the hot topic on the Hill. After House Speaker John Boehner’s gaffe admitting that Congress should consider stopping the subsidies that fuel our addiction to dirty oil, he then spent the week backpedaling and clarifying that he opposes efforts to increase taxes on oil companies.

Boehner is now rejecting leadership requests for a vote on the recommended legislation to rollback these subsidies. Meanwhile, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced in a town hall that he supports eliminating ‘corporate welfare’ and ending subsidies for the oil industry, although his 2012 budget proposal leaves intact $40 billion in subsidies that could instead be directed to clean energy development.

While the recent announcement of Osama bin Laden’s death may have distracted both parties long enough to issue press statements on the strength of America, it also sparked questions about the impact on the world oil market, prices at the pump, and the deficit.

More on this story: E&E News

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Quote:

Flickr, House GOP

“Everybody wants to go after the oil companies and, frankly, they’ve got some part of this to blame,” House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) told ABC News.

When asked if Congress should consider cutting multi-billion dollar subsidies to oil companies he responded, “It’s certainly something we should be looking at. We’re in a time when the federal government’s short on revenues. They ought to be paying their fair share.”

- House Speaker John Boehner.

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Economic Story of the Week

Baucus takes on Tax Breaks

via Flickr, Janie Hernandez

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) has unveiled a plan to eliminate or reduce tax breaks for the largest oil and gas companies and invest in cleaner and cheaper domestic energy sources.

While details of the plan are likely to come out in legislation this week, it would include the elimination of a section 199 domestic manufacturing deduction, a reduction of the foreign tax credit for royalty payments to foreign governments, and the imposition of an excise tax on certain Gulf leases. The plan would also work to incentivize fuel efficient vehicles and building a clean energy infrastructure.

“Now is not the time to stand idly by while large oil and gas companies get billions of dollars in tax breaks – now is the time to take concrete steps toward cleaner, more affordable, domestically-produced energy,” said Baucus. “Reducing dependence on foreign oil isn’t easy, but this plan puts us on a path toward a clean, affordable energy future that works for our planet – and our pocketbooks.”

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Editorial of the Week

End the tax giveaways for oil companies

(Delaware County Daily Times)

Executives at Exxon insist that they are not responsible for the high cost of gasoline and that tax breaks are necessary to keep jobs at home — and, they insisted, they didn’t even make that much money. Exxon’s profit for the first quarter of 2011 was only $10.65 billion….

Noted Obama, “When oil companies are making huge profits and you’re struggling at the pump and we’re scouring the federal budget for spending we can afford to do without, these tax giveaways aren’t right.” …They make as much sense as slashing subsidies to the poor and the elderly by gutting Medicaid and Medicare to balance the budget while the wealthy prosper with the help of Bush-era tax breaks. (More…)

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FTC To Probe Tar Sands Price Manipulation

In a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chairman Jonathan Liebowitz, NRDC and NWF join Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) in calling for an investigation of Canadian tar sands oil companies to determine whether they are trying to manipulate U.S. oil prices and violate laws designed to curb unfair trade practices with the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

“Consumers are already hurting in this economy and foreign oil companies appear to be plotting to gouge them further,” said Jim Murphy, senior counsel at NWF. “They need the Federal Trade Commission to act on Senator Wyden’s request to investigate potential wrongdoing.”

Industry documents that recently came to light have found that the disputed Canada-to-Texas pipeline are likely to harm Midwesterners by forcing consumers to pay more for fuel. The documents show the industry is planning to boost profits by rerouting supply toward the Gulf of Mexico and away from the Midwest.

More on this story: NWF Media Center

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Payback Ads Hit Hard

League of Women Voters, via Youtube

The League of Women Voters launched a hard-hitting accountability television ad campaign to defend the Clean Air Act and EPA authority to regulate pollution.

The ads call public attention to votes by Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Scott Brown (R-MA) earlier this month to block new air pollution standards and hold them accountable for their actions. The ads ask both Senators to “protect the people, not the polluters.” The ‘people’, I might add, are heart wrenchingly embodied by a gasping asthmatic child.

More on this story:

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NWF’s First Green Flag Flies in Georgia

via NWF

Savannah Country Day School in Georgia was recently named the nation’s first Green Flag Eco-School, which signifies exceptional achievement in school sustainability. The school achieved this honor through a combination of excellence by “green” management of its facilities and grounds, providing opportunities for outdoor education, and by integrating environmental learning throughout its curricula.

The Eco-Schools USA program, which is hosted by National Wildlife Federation, counts nearly 500 schools and some 205,000 students among its participants, but none has achieved the program’s highest honor, the Green Flag, until now. To win the first Green Flag, Savannah Country Day School, which completed a Silver LEED-certified lower school building in 2008, tackled a variety of sustainability projects, including lunchroom recycling and composting, a vegetable garden, environmental current events coursework and ‘outdoor classroom time.’

More on this story: Savannah Morning News, NWF Media Center

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Happening this Week

Wednesday, May 4

Hearings: H.R. 1229, the “Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act,” and H.R. 1230, the “Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act”, House Rules Committee, 3pm, H313

Coming up….
June 8-12, 2011
Social Change Institute. Skills, Tools & Leadership presented by Hollyhock.
Click here to register.

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