NRDC Action Fund Blog http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/ Copyright 2006 Tue, 07 Feb 2006 12:08:54 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.14 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss On Hiatus by Jordan Kessler

Thanks for your interest in the NRDC Action Fund Blog. We're currently on hiatus. Please visit our archives to read entries from our featured guest bloggers, including T.A. Barron, Roxana Robinson, and Matthew Gilbert. Please see our homepage for the latest news about our fight for America’s environment on Capitol Hill.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2006/02/on_hiatus.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2006/02/on_hiatus.html Blog Tue, 07 Feb 2006 12:08:54 -0500 Finally, Victory...and Relief by Jordan Kessler

As I'm sure you've heard by now, we won the vote yesterday on drilling in the Arctic Refuge. The attempt by pro-drilling forces to hijack the Defense Appropriations bill failed, since a filibuster of that bill over the drilling provision would have succeeded. The pro-drilling forces just didn't have the 60 votes they would have needed to break a filibuster (they fell three short, not including Senator Frist, who voted with us for purely procedural reasons). After the first vote went our way, the Senate voted 48-45 to remove the drilling provision from the Defense Appropriations bill and passed the bill, sending it back to the House for final approval tomorrow. In the end, it all worked out: the troops and the hurricane victims will get the funding they so desperately need, and the Refuge will remain safe (at least for the time being). In the end, all of the work we did together this year really paid off. All of the ads, all of the emails, all of the phone calls, all of the gatherings and rallies added up to this: people woke up to what was really happening, they spoke out clearly in support of the Refuge, and their elected officials listened. Pro-drilling forces in the House and Senate have vowed to push through a drilling provision next year, and we're sure to fight them on it again. But for now, let's enjoy our well-earned victory as the year draws to a close. I can't think of a better present to get the week of Christmas.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/finally_victory.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/finally_victory.html Thu, 22 Dec 2005 17:09:27 -0500 Walking on Thin Ice by Jordan Kessler

There will probably be a vote on Wednesday in the Senate on the Defense Appropriations bill (H.R. 2863). As you know by now, Senator Stevens of Alaska has managed to attach Arctic drilling to the bill, and the conference report, including drilling, passed in the House this morning. If the bill passes the Senate with drilling language intact, drilling will almost surely be signed into law.

There are two shots at getting drilling out of the bill in the Senate. One is using Rule 28, which prohibits the Senate from considering provisions in conference that were not included in the original Senate version or House version of the bill under consideration. For a challenge under Rule 28 to hold up, a majority -- 51 votes -- is needed. The other way to get the language out of the bill is a filibuster. That requires only 41 votes to be effective.

Thankfully, a number of Senators are riding to the rescue, threatening to go through with a filibuster. Let's hope they have the 41 votes to support this endeavor. We're doing everything we can to be sure that they do. You can do your part by calling your Senators today.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/walking_on_thin.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/walking_on_thin.html Mon, 19 Dec 2005 16:31:41 -0500 Arctic Emergency! by Jordan Kessler


Do not pass go, do not collect $200, do not do anything but go to your phone and call your two Senators. Tell them to support a filibuster of the Defense Appropriations bill if Arctic drilling is in the bill, as Senator Ted Stevens promises it will be. Tell them to oppose this dirty trick, this backhanded attempt to ram Arctic drilling down the throats of the American people. Tell your Senators that you know support of a filibuster is not opposition to funding our troops. There could be a vote on this bill as early as tomorrow, so get to your phone right away!

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/arctic_emergenc.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/arctic_emergenc.html Blog Fri, 16 Dec 2005 11:10:25 -0500 New Arctic Danger by Jordan Kessler

Just when we thought we were nearly out of the woods, there's a new, major danger for the Arctic. Aware that the budget reconciliation bill won't pass in the House if Arctic drilling is included, Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska has vowed to attach drilling to the must-pass Defense Appropriations bill. It's a dirty trick: tying Arctic drilling to funding for our troops overseas and everything else in the bill, including hurricane relief and avian flu preparedness. Unlike the budget reconciliation bill, the Defense Appropriations bill can be filibustered in the Senate. But let's hope it doesn't come to that. We'll keep you updated on the latest developments.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/new_arctic_dang.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/new_arctic_dang.html Thu, 15 Dec 2005 17:54:17 -0500 Budget Relief by Jordan Kessler

I haven't written much about it, but there has been a lot not to like in the budget reconciliation bill, even if Arctic drilling isn't there. For instance, a provision -- removed just yesterday -- that would have allowed the government to sell off public lands to mining companies at dirt-cheap prices.

Just eleven years ago, Congress put the brakes on land sales at 1800s prices under an archaic mining law passed in 1872. This recent proposal, which was part of the House budget bill, would have brought us back to those bad old days. Thankfully, the new provision was removed after it became clear that it wouldn't float in the Senate. Unsurprisingly, one of its authors, Rep. Gibbons of Nevada, was formerly a lawyer who worked with mining companies. Who worked with him on the provision? Rep. Pombo, that great friend of polluters everywhere.

You can read about these developments in this Washington Post article. Here's more on the scrapped provision from Grist.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/budget_relief.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/budget_relief.html Wed, 14 Dec 2005 17:54:42 -0500 Last Gasp Arctic Attempt by Jordan Kessler

Realizing that its best chance to destroy the Arctic Refuge is slipping away, as Congress plans to settle the budget before Christmas, the Bush Administraiton is making a last gasp effort to force drilling into the budget and force the moderate Republicans to go back on their pledge to oppose drilling.


]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/last_gasp_arcti.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/last_gasp_arcti.html Tue, 13 Dec 2005 11:58:44 -0500 Conclusions from Montreal by Jordan Kessler

The Montreal conference has come to an end, and, no thanks to the United States, many of the nations in attendance agreed to meet again to determine binding caps on greenhouse gas emissions that would go into effect in the period after Kyoto lapses (2013-2017). A working group will start getting those negotiations on track starting next April. Lagging behind, the U.S. agreed only to participate in non-binding discussions. Like a petulant child, the U.S. delegation hemmed and hawed, stormed out and returned to the table. Thankfully, the delegations from other nations finally seemed to accept that they simply needed to get on with their business and do their best to ignore the machinations of Harlan Watson and his crew. These negotiators, sent by the Bush Administration, represent neither the best interests of our nation nor the views of its citizens. Perhaps that why so many other Americans attended the conference. Among them was Bill Clinton, who said Bush's belief that Kyoto would hurt the American economy is "flat wrong." According to Clinton, if we had "a serious effort to apply clean energy and energy conservation technologies," we could "meet and surpass the Kyoto targets in a way that would strengthen our economies." Amen to that.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/conclusions_fro.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/conclusions_fro.html Mon, 12 Dec 2005 15:54:08 -0500 Grasping at Straws by Jordan Kessler

Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, a staunch proponent of drilling for oil in the Arctic Refuge, is, unsurprisingly, trying to shove Arctic drilling into the final budget bill. His desire to drill the refuge is upsetting enough, but the way he's going about trying to accomplish his goal is just as worrisome.

It seems that people who favor drilling just love to play with numbers. Take a look at this page to see what I mean. Stevens is now throwing around a revenue number for Arctic drilling ($10 billion) based on the assumption that oil can be sold at its current price, around $50 a barrel. Stevens's inflated estimate is just a way for him to lure people into supporting drilling by convincing them it will be a cash cow for the government. The reality: it's just not realistic to assume that prices will stay that high. And remember, the process of bringing Refuge oil to market would take years, not days, so today's price isn't really what matters here.

Even worse, Stevens is now trying to convince Gulf State legislators to support drilling the Refuge by promising some of the leasing revenue for hurricane relief. Of course, the government should be providing relief to the hurricane victims, but we shouldn't have to sacrifice the Refuge to provide that relief. Rep. Dennis Cardoza of California hit the nail on the head: “Aid to people who have been devastated should not come at the price of a vote for bad legislation.”

Perhaps the best news this week is that this year's long fight to protect the Arctic Refuge is, at last, nearing its end. A number of Congressional leaders have vowed to finish the budget before Christmas. And if drilling isn't in it, the Refuge will be safe for the forseeable future.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/grasping_at_str.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/grasping_at_str.html Fri, 09 Dec 2005 15:08:30 -0500 Music to My Ears by Jordan Kessler

Music's on my mind today.

The Grammy nominees were announced this morning, today marks the 25th anniversary of the murder of John Lennon, and tonight I'll be the DJ at a party for a large gathering of environmentalists.

Lennon has been in my thoughts over the last week or so, ever since I heard that Patti Smith joined U2 onstage at Madison Square Garden to cover "Instant Karma." Like Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Bono and so many other stars, Lennon proved that music is a powerful tool for activists, a great way to spread awareness of important issues and inspire people to get involved.

Here's a little playlist of songs that get me going:

--"Chimes of Freedom" by Bob Dylan (1964)
--"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" by Marvin Gaye (1971)
--"Get Up, Stand Up" by Bob Marley (1973)
--"Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder (1973)
--"Last Great American Whale" by Lou Reed (1989)

If the power of music to motivate activism interests you, you might want to check out this recent two-hour PBS documentary.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/music_to_my_ear.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/music_to_my_ear.html Thu, 08 Dec 2005 12:05:23 -0500 Leo's new project by Jordan Kessler

Let's hear it for Leonardo DiCaprio, who's producing 11th Hour, a documentary about global warming. Obviously, Leo's a very accomplished actor, but he's also, already, shown a knack for producing great environmental documentaries. Check out his site, where you can watch two of his brief films online, Global Warning and Water Planet.

Meanwhile, in Montreal, other, more reasonable nations are pushing the U.S. to stop standing in the way.

And this new statement should give us all pause:

There is a powerful indication...that we are moving from predictions of the likely impacts of climate change to proof that it is already fully under way.

That's from someone who certainly knows what he's talking about: Thomas Lobster, chief of the Munich Re Foundation. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, Lobster's foundation, which is connected to the insurance giant Munich Re, has some of the best data in the world on economic losses and insurance claims due to natural disasters. Lobster says that this year, more dollars were paid out in insurance claims related to natural disasters than in any other year on record. The second most disastrous year? Last year, 2004.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/leos_new_projec.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/leos_new_projec.html Wed, 07 Dec 2005 16:48:59 -0500 Letter of 24 by Jordan Kessler

On Monday, a group of twenty four Senators, including four Republicans -- nearly a quarter of the Senate -- wrote to President Bush, asking him and his administration to either participate "in a constructive way" in the climate negotiations currently taking place in Montreal or at least refrain from "blocking or obstructing" those negotiations. It's yet more evidence -- like the "Sense of the Senate" resolution passed earlier this year -- that the Senate is waking up to the reality of global warming and is becoming more aware of how the Bush Administration's lack of action is endangering the nation and the world.

This short piece from The New Yorker pretty aptly sums up what's happening in Montreal. Choice quote:

America’s failure to ratify Kyoto is widely viewed as a scandal. The Administration’s effort to block a post-Kyoto agreement has received less attention, but is every bit as dangerous. Without the participation of the United States, no meaningful agreement can be drafted for the post-2012 period, and the world will have missed what may well be its last opportunity to alter course.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/letter_of_24.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/letter_of_24.html Blog Tue, 06 Dec 2005 18:06:49 -0500 More on Montreal by Jordan Kessler

The Montreal climate talks, attended by about 10,000 delegates, continue through this Friday, December 9. On Saturday, thousands marched in the streets of Montreal, urging the United States to see the light on global warming.

Unsurprising: the Bush Administration's envoy in Montreal, Harlan Watson, has been doing everything he can to stall progress on implementing real solutions to global warming. Doubly unsurprising: Watson got his job after Exxon, in correspondence sent to the Bush Administration, repeatedly praised him and called for him to be promoted. Even more unsurprising: Exxon exclaims they don't know who wrote that correspondence, though they don't deny that they sent it.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/watson_exxon.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/watson_exxon.html Mon, 05 Dec 2005 17:09:26 -0500 Montreal & Europe by Jordan Kessler

Climate negotiators from around the world have been meeting in Montreal this week to discuss the implementation of the Kyoto accords, which came into force, with no thanks to the United States, earlier this year.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/montreal_europe.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/montreal_europe.html Fri, 02 Dec 2005 10:37:47 -0500 Beyond Petroleum? by Jordan Kessler

I'm sure you've noticed the ads in major publications portraying the oil companies as perfectly reasonable when it comes to global warming. I've been awfully skeptical about them, suspecting them of just being greenwashing. But now, one of the oil companies has put (at least a little more of) its (very considerable amount of) money where its mouth is.

]]> http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/beyond_petroleu.html http://blog.nrdcactionfund.org/archives/2005/12/beyond_petroleu.html Thu, 01 Dec 2005 17:25:34 -0500