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Greenhouse
Gas Reporting & Reduction Strategies
The weight of scientific evidence shows that the earth is warming
because of human activity -- specifically the emission of greenhouse
gasses -- and the consequences of that warming could be catastrophic.
Although uncertainty remains, we know enough to begin taking action
now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With only 4% of the world's
population, the U.S. creates nearly a quarter of global greenhouse
gases. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, despite ongoing
voluntary reduction programs, U.S. emissions increased more than
10% since 1990 and, at the present rate, U.S. carbon emissions are
projected to increase by more than 40% in the next 20 years. Although
the Bush administration has acknowledged that global warming is
a serious problem, it has strongly opposed any mandatory actions
to reduce emissions, and has even opposed the mandatory reporting
of emissions from large sources. Instead, the administration favors
long-term scientific and technological research that gives the appearance
of action while ignoring the emission reductions that can be achieved
using existing technology. In the absence of a cohesive national
policy addressing greenhouse gases, it is up to states to lead the
fight against global warming pollution. Many states have already
created their own programs. The State Environmental Resource Center's
(SERC) greenhouse gas package highlights some of the most innovative
approaches that states can take to begin tracking and, ultimately,
reducing their harmful emissions, while improving and advancing
their environments, economies, and the health of their communities.
To read SERC's package on "Greenhouse Gas Reporting & Reduction
Strategies," go to: http://www.serconline.org/ghg/. |
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Restrictions
on Building Eased in Parts of New Jersey (New York Times
6/18)
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/18/nyregion/18jersey.html
While environmental advocates lobbied to stop them, New Jersey legislators
approved a bill that would expedite approval of development in more
than one-third of the state. The bill moved with startling speed;
introduced three days earlier, it sailed through both houses after
leaders struck deals to vote without debate. The measure speeds
the building permit process in areas already designated by the state
as suitable for development, including most of northeastern New
Jersey and the New Jersey Turnpike corridor. It also provides for
a state "smart-growth" ombudsman with effective veto power
over proposed environmental regulations, and representatives in
key state agencies to address builders' complaints. The bill was
the price exacted for the legislation protecting the New Jersey
Highlands, which was hailed as a triumph of environmental preservation
when the legislature approved it just last week. "This bill
was worse than we ever imagined," said Douglas O'Malley of
the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group, joining colleagues
outside the governor's office. "We would not have supported
the Highlands bill if we knew about this bill." The areas covered
by the bill are designated in the State Development and Redevelopment
Plan, which divides the state into five categories, from urban to
environmentally-sensitive. The bill applies to those designated
urban and suburban, although much of the acreage is still undeveloped.
The plan requires a state agency, in most cases the Department of
Environmental Protection, to act on permit applications within 90
days; if it does not, a permit is automatically approved. Local
zoning and planning ordinances and local decisions on building permits
would not be affected. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
also raised concerns. |
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ALEC's
"Environmental Good Samaritan Act" Good for Mining Companies
Earlier this session, SB 649, a version of the American Legislative
Exchange Council's (ALEC) "Environmental Good Samaritan Act"
was introduced in West Virginia. The bill is actually pro-mining
legislation that provides immunity to mining companies, in exchange
for allowing others to do voluntary reclamation of the land and
water that the mine had earlier damaged. The bill releases mines
from legal liability for harm they might do to people or the environment,
and dictates that a mining corporation can not be the subject of
a citizen suit. It acknowledges that mining and oil and gas extraction
have caused serious pollution that threatens environmental and human
health, safety, and welfare, but then asks every legislature to
find that their "state does not possess sufficient resources
to reclaim all the abandoned lands and to abate the water pollution."
ALEC seems to believe that industrial pollution should be remediated
not by the state or the company that produced it, but rather by
the victims. A "good Samaritan" helps others, but this
bill is written for mining companies to help themselves. For more
information about ALEC, see: http://www.serconline.org/alecIndex.html. |
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VT:
Draft Wind Policy Puts State Land Off-Limits (Rutland
Herald 6/18)
http://rutlandherald.com/04/Story/85363.html
Gov. Douglas announced last week that state state-owned high
elevation ridgelines were off-limits to large-scale commercial
wind developers. The draft policy was developed after a series
of public hearings and will instead encourage small-scale
wind developments on state land. Some of those projects may
include addition of windmills at some visitor centers in state
parks. The governor also cautioned that the draft policy does
not discourage large-scale wind developments on private land.
Gov. Douglas also stated he supported studies looking into
the environmental impact wind towers have on wildlife, mainly
birds and bats. All proposed projects would need to go through
the Public Service Board's Act 248 review process, although
the governor noted he would appoint a panel to review the
30-year-old act to determine whether or not changes need to
be made. For more information on renewable energy, visit:
http://www.serconline.org/cleanenergy.html.
For information on how to minimize the impact of wind towers
on wildlife, visit: http://www.serconline.org/avian_mortality.html. |
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New
York Bill Seeks to End Stalemate over Power Plant Siting Issue
(Times Union 6/17) http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=258315&category=STATE&newsdate=6/17/2004
The Independent Power Producers of New York, an energy industry
trade group, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
cooperated to help the state legislature compromise on the
latest version of a new power plant siting bill for the state.
The bill, which has been provided to the Senate and Assembly
Energy Committee chairs, legislative leaders, and Gov. George
Pataki, calls for a two-tiered system for review of power
plant proposals. Projects that would generate between 50 and
79.9 megawatts of power would be subject to a three-month
"streamlined" review process. Projects that would
produce 80 megawatts or more would be given a full-scale,
longer review. In addition, the plan addresses issues that
were priorities in an Assembly version of power plant siting
legislation, including an environmental justice review to
make sure minority and low-income neighborhoods do not receive
a disproportionate share of facilities. The Assembly passed
a bill in January that would trigger the need for state approval
for proposed plants from 30 to 80 megawatts and mandate that
state agencies analyze the potential health and environmental
impacts of a plant on the surrounding community. New York's
last power plant siting law, known as Article 10, expired
on December 31, 2002. |
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Utah
Open Space Initiative Unites State (Salt Lake Tribune
6/14)
http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Jun/06142004/utah/175264.asp
A ballot initiative that proposes raising the sales tax to
fund open space preservation in Utah appears to have support
from across the political spectrum in the state. If passed,
the measure would approve a $150 million bond measure to be
repaid through a one-twentieth of 1 percent sales tax, which
translates into about $14 per year for the average Utah family
earning $51,000 a year. Sponsors of the ballot initiative,
Utahns for Clean Water, Clean Air, and Quality Growth, collected
over 130,000 petition signatures statewide this past spring,
nearly double the required number. County clerks are now in
the process of verifying signatures. The lieutenant governor's
office will ratify or reject the petition next month. The
new open space money would be administered by the state's
Quality Growth Commission, which already runs the state's
LeRay McAllister Open Space Fund, and would use the bond proceeds
to issue grants. Once the bonds are retired, after about 10
years, the tax would end. The drive for an open space ballot
measure has arisen largely out of frustration with the state
legislature, which has drained the McAllister fund of most
of its initial $3 million, via budget cuts (it currently holds
about $700,000), and shown a general disinterest in open space
preservation. A resolution that closely mirrors the ballot
initiative never made it to the floor for debate in the 2003
session. For more information on funding open space conservation,
visit: http://www.serconline.org/conservationfunding/index.html. |
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Invasive
Species Threaten Great Lakes (Capital Times 6/12;
Detroit Free Press 6/15)
http://www.madison.com/captimes/news/stories/76245.php
http://www.freep.com/news/mich/date15_20040615.htm
Great Lakes waterways are under attack by a slew of invasive
species, mostly from Europe and Asia. The invasives, such
as large Asian carp, are harming the viability of native species
by pushing them out of their habitats and using up their resources.
T he round goby, a relatively small European fish that has
settled down in Lake Erie, is even sickening or killing the
native birds that prey on water life. Officials say that they
are finding a new invasive species about once every seven
months. Although most agree that the invasives are a problem
to the long-term viability of the Great Lakes, there's very
little consensus on who should take responsibility for improving
the lakes' conditions. In the case of Asian carp, the co-chairman
of a U.S.-Canadian International Joint Commission has asked
Great Lakes governors to help fund a new electric barrier
in the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal. The new barrier would
augment an experimental barrier built in 2001 that is now
falling apart and allowing large, non-native species like
the Asian carp to pass through. However, Wisconsin Gov. Jim
Doyle, who will be the chairman of the Great Lakes Council
of Governors, says funding is clearly a federal responsibility.
Invasive species are undercutting progress made in reducing
lake pollution in recent years, affecting all aquatic life
in the lakes. For more information on how your state can work
to combat harmful invasive species, visit: http://www.serconline.org/invasives/pkg_frameset.html. |
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California
Fee Hike Would Help Banish Dirty Diesel (Sacramento
Bee 6/16)
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/ca/story/9670807p-10594157c.html
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing a smog-fighting
proposal that would increase the registration fees on new
vehicles by $6 and use the funds to subsidize the replacement
of old diesel-powered trucks, tractors, and buses. In tapping
registration revenue, the governor aims to sustain what air
pollution regulators say is one of the state's most successful
strategies in cutting soot and smog. The legislature will
have to approve the plan, which will be offered in the state
budget bill. The program offers grants to help public and
private owners of heavy-duty diesel vehicles and equipment
replace aging engines with cleaner-burning models sooner than
they otherwise would. Environmentalists applauded the governor's
plan, saying it is in line with his campaign promise to put
California on a path that would cut smog at least 50 percent
by 2020. "This is a very positive step by the governor,"
said Gail Ruderman Fueuer, a lawyer with the Natural Resources
Defense Council in Los Angeles. "This program is where
the most progress can be made soonest," said V. John
White, a veteran air pollution expert representing the Sierra
Club. Industries, too, have praised the grant program as a
refreshing departure from the traditional "command-and-control"
approach of fighting smog in which regulators mandate ever-stronger
and more expensive pollution controls. |
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State
Planners Use Range of Approaches to Study Wildlife Effects
(Greenwire 6/11)
http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/Backissues/061104/061104gw.htm#18
According to a report released by the General Accounting Office
(GAO), while Congress debates whether to keep new wildlife
planning provisions in the pending transportation reauthorization
bill, many states and metropolitan officials are already addressing
ecosystem and wildlife planning issues early in the highway
planning process. The GAO found that most state planners are
already delving into ecosystem issues well before the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, with 31 of the 36
states surveyed taking some type of action. Of those 31 states,
22 consider wildlife corridors in their transportation planning
process. However, five states fail to take ecosystem and wildlife
issues into consideration, including state transportation
agencies in Arizona, Illinois, New Hampshire and metropolitan
planning agencies in Montana and Massachusetts. Current law,
the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21),
does not require local officials to consider wildlife or ecosystem
issues until impact studies are conducted under NEPA. But
the Senate version of the highway bill would have planners
study how a new road would affect wildlife before the NEPA
review process, during long-term planning and other stages
that occur well ahead of individual project studies. Environmentalists
and sporting groups contend early steps in planning would
prevent later conflicts, while some contend that, since some
states are addressing the issue, there is no need for the
federal government to require additional steps. For more information
on assessing impacts at the state level, visit: http://www.serconline.org/SEQA/pkg_frameset.html. |
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California
Panel Advances Bill to Ban Old-Growth Logging (San
Francisco Chronicle 6/14)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/06/14/state2020EDT0175.DTL
The California State Assembly Natural Resources Committee
approved a bill last week that would allow only emergency
logging of large hardwoods, redwoods, giant sequoias, Douglas
firs, and Port Orford cedars in private and state forests.
The Senate had previously passed a similar bill. The Assembly
committee failed to pass similar legislation last session,
and only voted to pass it this session because Sen. Don Perata
promised he would resolve provisions that committee members
said could hurt responsible landowners. Timberland owners
argued the bill will harm the economies of rural timber communities,
which have already been pounded by restrictions on logging,
making millions of dollars of valuable timber impossible to
sell. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
also opposes the bill as "unnecessary and scientifically
unsound" because old-growth forests are protected under
other existing laws. However, supporters of the bill counter
that only 3% of the trees remain and 1% of those trees are
on land affected by the bill. |
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U.S.
Cities' Lights-Out Policies Save Migrating Birds (ENN
6/11)
http://www.enn.com/news/2004-06-11/s_24795.asp
Tall residential and office buildings with strongly illuminated
signage and brightly-lit office space have long been linked
to the deaths of migratory birds. Simply turning out the lights
in skyscrapers across the country is helping to save thousands
of birds migrating to their spring breeding grounds. One biology
professor estimates the yearly death toll to be close to a
billion bird fatalities from light pollution. Migrating birds
can die from both the impact of flying into plate glass and
from exhaustion after flying continuously around a source
of light to which they are drawn. Disoriented birds are then
more susceptible to predators such as crows and sea gulls.
About 30 major cities have implemented lights-out programs
to reduce bird fatalities. Four years ago, Chicago waged a
campaign at the behest of the Audubon Society to encourage
buildings to turn off their lights from 11 p.m. to sunrise.
As Michael Mesure, executive director of the Fatal Light Awareness
Program in Toronto, noted: "There is no environmental
issue that is as easy to overcome, turn off the lights and
the problem disappears." |
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California
Watchdog Would Green State Budget (ENS 6/10)
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jun2004/2004-06-10-09.asp#anchor1
Under a plan proposed by the Green Watchdog Coalition, residents
of California would pay small fees for certain goods and the
money collected would support various environmental programs.
The coalition proposed 10 things California could do to improve
and reform the way in which environmental programs are funded,
and eliminate environmentally-wasteful subsidies and tax loopholes.
The proposals include: requiring California vehicle owners
to pay $6 per year and one cent per gallon of gas; requiring
some landowners to pay a fee for fire protection; and, eliminating
the mortgage interest deduction for second homes, saving taxpayers
$55 million a year. In addition, fees on developers would
be increased to fully fund California's Department of Fish
and Game's work protecting fish and wildlife, saving taxpayers
approximately $11 million a year. According to the California
Legislative Analyst's Office, General Fund expenditures for
resources and environmental protection programs are at their
lowest point in relation to overall expenditures since 1998.
When total expenditures are taken into account -- which includes
special funds from fees, federal funds, and bond funds --
natural resource agencies will suffer a 40 percent reduction
from 2003-04 expenditures, and a moderately-lower funding
level on average compared to other recent budget years, the
coalition warns. To view the report, visit: http://www.greencap.org/.
For more information on how your state can implement similar
initiatives, visit: http://www.serconline.org/greenscissors.html. |
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