G2. Local Greens

By Alex Miller, Bozeman Daily Chronicle Staff Writer A bill that proponents believe could speed up development and centralize land-use decisions was heard by a Montana Senate committee Wednesday. The Senate Local Government Committee considered Senate Bill 130, which intends to give county commissions the option to consolidate different land use boards into one body. The …

The post Bill would let Montana counties consolidate land use boards appeared first on Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC.

By Blair Miller, Daily Montanan Two bills that aim to reduce the time it takes for land use and certain construction project decisions to be made at the local level breezed through their first committee hearing Wednesday without significant opposition. They are among a slate of bills related to housing and construction planned for this …

The post Bills aimed at speeding up construction in Montana see little opposition in Senate committee appeared first on Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC.

By Keila Szpaller, Daily Montanan The Governor’s Office wants to abolish Montana’s energy policy, and Rep. Bob Phalen, R-Lindsay, said he wanted one opponent of that idea to explain his use of the phrase “climate change.” “As I see it, we have four seasons,” Phalen said. “There are changes every — four different times a year. …

The post Bill to abolish Montana energy policy sparks debate about climate, separation of powers appeared first on Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC.

File:  ACE Mitigation Permit Extension Request (2022-12-19).pdfOngoing Issues: Cobbs Creek Golf Course

SACRAMENTO, January 11, 2023 — Facing a projected overall budget deficit of $22.5 billion, Governor Gavin Newsom announced yesterday $6 billion in proposed cuts to climate and energy programs in the state’s 2023-2024 budget. If approved by the legislature in May, that would bring California’s multi-year climate spending down to $48 billion, an 11 percent ... Read more

The post $6 billion cut from climate programs in California state budget – The Climate Center response appeared first on The Climate Center.

Happy New Year to you and yours. Looks like we have our work cut out for us in 2023. Our new updated Mining Claims map is now available and we even created a new webpage to make it more easily located. This update now confirms a total of 228,000 acres of active mining claims in the Black Hills as … Continue reading Mining Claims Increased to 228,000 Acres in the Black Hills

For Immediate Release: 1/10/23

Contact:
Artie Valencia, Restore the Delta, (209) 345-5880, artie@restorethedelta.org

Stockton, Calif. – After initially being left off the list of California counties eligible for FEMA disaster funding, San Joaquin County and other counties have now been added to the list. San Joaquin County will now be eligible for FEMA Category B measures, which include flood fighting; evacuation and sheltering; medical care and transportation; use and lease of temporary power generators; elimination of threats on public or private property; construction of temporary structures; emergency repairs to prevent further damage; or extracting and clearing water, mud, and other forms of debris.

San Joaquin County added to federal storm relief after being left off Monday – Stockton Record 1/10/23
 
Statement by Artie Valencia, Community Organizer & Government Liaison for Restore the Delta:
We appreciate the fast work of Rep. Josh Harder to get San Joaquin County included in the FEMA disaster county list. We need help now. San Joaquin County has trees down, power out, neighborhoods flooding, and schools closed by storm damage. Stockton is one of the most vulnerable flood points in America. Being initially excluded from FEMA funding is an illustration of how Stockton and other EJ communities are too often an afterthought. We need better communication, more access to flood fighting materials/flood preparedness, better outreach about evacuation sites, warming zones, and shelters.

Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, Executive Director, Restore the Delta:
The State of California knows where the vulnerable points in California’s flood control system are. The state knows that the Delta communities most impacted are largely an underfunded EJ community especially when compared to flood infrastructure spending in Sacramento County. The San Joaquin County should not have to make a special request to get federal FEMA flood relief.

Here in rural NM, we protest where we are.  Be a part of the national Martin Luther King Jr. week of peace. 

“The greatest purveyor of violence in the world: My own Government, I can not be Silent.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., April 4, 1967.

 

New freedom of information documents reveal the lengths the NSW Perrottet Government is willing to go to to make it easy for Whitehaven to continue digging coal despite a clear conflict with its own climate change promises.

This factsheet explains how Ontario can avoid new gas plants and lower electricity costs by adopting three simple measures: Expanding demand response efforts to shift electricity demand from peak to off-peak periods Import more clean water power from Quebec in peak demand summer months Permit residential and small business customers to sell electricity from solar

The post How Ontario can avoid new gas plants appeared first on Ontario Clean Air Alliance.

Planned reforms to the Safeguard Mechanism, revealed today, do not go far enough to reduce emissions created by big coal and gas companies, says Lock the Gate Alliance.

DENVER—The U.S. House of Representatives passed a sweeping set of rules today that includes provisions aimed at easing the process of transferring national public lands and expediting the process of passing legislation requiring the Department of Energy to plan for more leasing of public lands to oil and gas companies in order to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

The land transfer rule was first passed in 2017 when Republicans last controlled the lower chamber. The language in today’s rules package appears almost identical to the 2017 version, which was authored by former Utah Rep. Rob Bishop. It makes it easier for members of Congress to cede federal control of public lands by directing the federal government not to consider lost revenues from giving national public lands to states, local governments, or tribal entities. Supporters of land seizure efforts, many of whom are inspired by the Sagebrush Rebellion movement, argue that this allows the state or local government to earn revenue off the land, often by privatizing it. One notable effort to dispose of 3 million acres of public land in Utah in this manner failed due to public opposition.

The other anti-public lands provision in this rules package expedites the process of passing a bill that ties federal oil and gas leasing to Strategic Petroleum Reserve releases. The bill was mentioned as a priority of the new House last week by incoming House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. The draft bill, titled the Strategic Production Response Act, requires that all non-emergency drawdowns of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve are met with a plan to lease a percentage of public land for oil and gas production equal to the percentage of oil scheduled to be released from the SPR, capped at 10 percent. Such a plan would not increase oil and gas production in the short term, but could, if implemented, lock up millions more acres of public land for drilling decades down the road.

Center for Western Priorities Executive Director Jennifer Rokala released the following statement: 

“These extremist efforts to liquidate and lock up national public lands show that House Republicans are completely out of step with the public on issues affecting the West. Westerners want more access to public lands, not less—and they want their public lands protected, not exploited for private profit. 

“This new land transfer rule seeks to breathe life into an extremist movement to privatize public lands that all but died out in the past five years due to its unpopularity. When Utah lawmakers tried to dispose of federal land under this rule in 2017, they were stopped in their tracks by sportsmen who value access to Western public lands.

“Finally, the majority of Westerners want to see less public land locked up for drilling, not more. And they certainly don’t want to see their public lands used as a pawn in a political game seeking to place blame for high gas prices on the federal government.”

The post House Republicans pass rules making it easier to liquidate and lock up public lands appeared first on Center for Western Priorities.

Appointments for our Representatives The committees our state representatives are on. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D- Lakewood) announced he has made the following committee appointments for the 2023-24 Regular Session:  Joint Legislative Committee on Climate Change Policies: Assemblymember Damon Connolly, Vice Chair (impressive in the 1st year of a 1st term) Health:  Assemblymember Jim Wood, …

Appointments for our Representatives Read More »

SMART is accepting applications for appointment to the Citizens Oversight Committee Applications are due by January 13, 2023 Residents of Marin and Sonoma counties are invited to apply for appointment to the SMART Citizens Oversight Committee (COC). The nine-member COC is an advisory committee established by the SMART Board of Directors and is comprised of private citizens who …

SMART is accepting applications for appointment to the Citizens Oversight Committee Read More »

The Law That Brought Down Mob Bosses Is Being Turned Against the Oil Industry   02 january 23 The first climate racketeering lawsuit is here. The same racketeering legislation used to bring down mob bosses, motorcycle gangs, football executives, and international fraudsters is to be tested against oil and coal companies accused of conspiring to …

The Law That Brought Down Mob Bosses Is Being Turned Against the Oil Industry Read More »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 9, 2023

Contact: Aileo Weinmann | 202-538-5038 | aileo@alaskawild.org

Alaska Wilderness League Board of Directors Appoints Kristen Miller as Executive Director of Alaska Wilderness League and Alaska Wilderness League Action

Washington, D.C. – Alaska Wilderness League is pleased to announce the promotion of Kristen Miller to executive director of the League and its 501(c)4 affiliate organization, Alaska Wilderness League Action (AWLA).

Kristen’s long-standing history with the League, having joined in 2006 as legislative director, ensures that both organizations are well positioned to take part in emerging and dynamic policy engagements within the conservation community, while continuing the organization’s long history of advancing strong protections for Alaska’s most treasured places. Already known in the environmental and conservation community and among legislative partners in Congress, Kristen will assume executive functions of the League and will work with other conservation and Alaska Native organizations to champion Alaska’s public lands and waters on a national stage.

In her new role, Kristen will also lead the organizations in charting new priorities including those centered on environmental justice alongside the need to protect America’s public lands from the harms of climate change.

“We are thrilled by Kristen’s decision to accept the board’s invitation to lead this new chapter for both organizations,” said Pat Pourchot, president of Alaska Wilderness League’s Board of Directors. “Kristen’s deep legislative knowledge, uncanny ability to deconstruct the complexity of Alaska’s public lands, and stalwart reputation among our conservation partners make this appointment an exciting turning point for the League. The board stands in full support of her as she advances an invigorated vision for the preservation of Alaska’s vast landscapes.”

“I am grateful to the League and Alaska Wilderness League Action’s Boards of Directors for this opportunity, and I am extremely proud to step into this position,” said Miller. “Over my career at the League, I have had the opportunity to work alongside and be inspired by amazing staff, strong Indigenous leaders, diverse partners, dedicated League members, and supporters from across America who love Alaska’s wild places. As we enter our 30th year, I’m ready to lead the League and to tackle our next decade’s work to protect wild lands, support human rights, and address the climate crisis.”

With Kristen’s promotion to executive director, Dr. Peter Winsor exited the organization Friday, January 6. The board and staff thank Peter for his commitment to issues facing Alaska lands and waters and his leadership of both organizations during a fast-moving period leading up to the 2022 elections.

Please join us in welcoming Kristen in her new role. Learn more about her background and expertise here.

Capital Power is proposing to build a new 100-megawatt (MW) gas-fired power plant in Windsor. This plant will affect local air quality and contribute to skyrocketing greenhouse gas emissions from the Ontario power sector. Under the Ford government’s current plan, greenhouse gas pollution from Ontario’s gas-fired power plants will soar by more than 300% by

The post Windsor City Council can stop Capital Power’s proposed new polluting gas plant appeared first on Ontario Clean Air Alliance.

Solar cuts, massive new fossil fuel plans leave Duke speeding headlong AWAY from “clean energy transition”

The state carbon plan published very late on December 30 is being widely criticized for many reasons. Now, it has become clear that instead of adding large amounts of solar power – as Duke Energy greenwashers have claimed for the past year – the plan would greatly reduce the pace at which the state is adding new solar, at least through 2029 and possibly much longer.

Duke Energy had sought to limit new solar put onto the grid each year to 750 megawatts for five years even though the statewide average in recent years has been 1,000 MW and reached a high of 1,200 MW in 2017. The NC Utilities Commission’s carbon plan made the problem worse by extending a de facto cap on new solar at 770 MW through 2029.

Even Duke Energy hints that the cap could extend well beyond 2029 (Appendix P of Duke application, pp 20-21) because lifting it hinges on building billions of dollars of new – and surely controversial – transmission projects through rural communities. Duke even cites needing “new rights of way”, which often requires using eminent domain taking of property just as Duke attempted in its Atlantic Coast Pipeline failure.

The NCUC’s order was structured in a way that fogged the solar cap issue, thus allowing Duke Energy to continue claiming it’s “transitioning to clean energy.”

NC WARN and allies now redouble our call for Gov. Roy Cooper to finally get aligned with the science and stop Duke Energy’s reckless corporate behavior. As 45 scientists recently told Cooper, methane (natural gas) is a key driver of the climate crisis and curbing its emissions is crucial for humanity to have “a fighting chance” to prevent irreversible climate chaos.

Duke Energy’s draft plan (p. 86, Table E-84) called for nearly doubling its already huge gas-burning capacity by 2050 by asking the NCUC to approve up to 11,700 MW of new gas. That’s apparently more than twice as much as any US utility plans to build.

The commission did nothing to challenge Duke’s 2050 gas goal, and it went along with the corporation’s plan to file applications for two new gas-fired plants this year and likely a third in 2024.

Communities being slammed by climate disasters deserve far better from state officials across the political spectrum who have deferred to Duke Energy for too many decades.

The post Regulators’ NC Carbon Plan Gifted Duke Energy by Slashing New Solar Additions After Year-long Greenwash by Duke Energy — News Release from NC WARN appeared first on NC WARN.

File:  DRBC Bentonite Spill Report (2022-12-16).pdfOngoing Issues: Jacobs Creek Pipeline Project

This week, we talked about how to use the Montana Legislature website and what tools MEIC has to make participating in the session easier for you. We also talked a bit about how to write and give public comment, how to write and give public testimony, and best tips for writing LTEs and op-eds. *Correction …

The post MEIC’s Weekly Legislative update – Jan. 5, 2023 appeared first on Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC.