home of the wildlife conservation environmental and freedom activist

Environment Action
Alerts for October 24 - October 31, 2000

from Environment News Service October 24, 2000

ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE (ENS)      http://ens-news.com

               "We Cover the Earth For You"
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CONGRESS EARNS FAILING SCORE ON ENVIRONMENT

By Brian Hansen

WASHINGTON, DC, October 24, 2000 (ENS) - The U.S. Congress earned a failing
grade this year in terms of voting to protect America's environment. So
says the League of Conservation Voters, a non-governmental, bipartisan
group that works to inform the public about the environmental voting
records of federal legislators.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-24-07.html

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STRIKE TWO FOR CANADA'S SPECIES AT RISK ACT

By Neville Judd

OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada, October 24, 2000 (ENS) - Rumours were not the only
thing Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien killed Monday when he announced
a federal election. The November 27 poll means that for the second time,
Canada's proposed Species at Risk Act will not proceed beyond its first
reading in parliament.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-24-10.html

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LEAD ACCELERATES AGING EVEN YEARS AFTER EXPOSURE

BALTIMORE, Maryland, October 24, 2000 (ENS) - Lead exposure on the job can
cause progressive declines in memory and learning abilities nearly two
decades later, researchers found in one of the first studies of the long
term effects of lead exposure on adults.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-24-16.html

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BLAIR PAINTS UK'S POLITICAL AGENDA GREEN

LONDON, United Kingdom, October 24, 2000 (ENS) - British Prime Minister
Tony Blair chose a joint business-green gathering, Tuesday, to call for a
reawakening of the environmental challenge.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-24-11.html

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CALIFORNIA DESERT DUNES PROTECTED FROM OFF ROAD VEHICLES

SAN DIEGO, California, October 24, 2000 (ENS) - No longer will off road
vehicles blaze trails through the Algodones Dunes in southern California. A
settlement between a coalition of environmental groups and the Bureau of
Land Management sets aside 48,000 acres of the dune ecosystem to protect a
threatened plant.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-24-06.html

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INDIA TO CLONE ENDANGERED CHEETAH

By Devinder Sharma

DELHI, India, October 24, 2000 (ENS) - India is planning to clone the
world's fastest running animal, the cheetah, with the goal of reintroducing
the endangered cat into the wild.

For Full Text and Graphics Visit:
http://ens.lycos.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-24-01.html

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ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE AMERISCAN: OCTOBER 24, 2000

Transportation Bill Boosts Safety Funding, Blocks CAFE Evaluation

Oak Trees Dying Off in California

Colorado Butterfly Plant Listed As Threatened

Jeep SUV Cuts Emissions, Boosts Fuel Efficiency

Florida's Wekiva River Designated Wild and Scenic

American Students Among World's Top Young Scientists

EPA Hands Out $2.3 Million for Environmental Education

$6.6 Million Helps New York Close Landfills

American Electric Power Plants Chestnut Trees

Maryland Plants Miles of Streamside Forests

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-24-09.html

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2000 All Rights Reserved.

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          SEND NEWS STORY TIPS TO news@ens-news.com

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TO AUTO, BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

                   DaimlerChrysler to Produce Dodge Durango
               With Patented Through-the-Road Hybrid Powertrain

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 24 - /E-Wire/ -- Today, DaimlerChrysler
announced that it will start offering the Dodge Durango with a hybrid
powertrain in 2003.  The company expects that up to 15 percent of total
Durango volume will be equipped with the new gasoline-electric propulsion
system.  The hybrid Dodge Durango SUV, with patented through-the-road
powertrain technology, gives consumers the option of an environmentally-
friendly vehicle that continues to provide the performance, size and utility
suited for the U.S. market.

    /CONTACT:  Sjoerd Dijkstra, 248-512-2662, or Max Gates, 248-512-2688, both
of DaimlerChrysler/

    /Web site:  http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/24Oct0002.html

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TO BUSINESS, AUTO AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

                    Honda Purchases Interest in FuelMaker,
                Manufacturer of Natural Gas Refueling Systems

    TORRANCE, CA., Oct. 24 -/E-Wire/-- American Honda Motor Co., Inc.,
which markets the Civic GX natural gas vehicle, has purchased a 20 percent
interest in FuelMaker Corporation, a privately held Toronto-based company and the
leading manufacturer of natural gas vehicle refueling appliances, the companies
announced today.

    /CONTACT:  Art Garner, 310-783-3163, or Jeffrey Smith, 310-781-4776, both of
Honda; or John Lyon of FuelMaker Corporation, 416-674-3034 ext. 220/

    /Company News On-Call:  http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/372013.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 372013/

    /Web site:  http://www.honda.com/

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/24Oct0003.html

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TO FOREIGN, NATIONAL AND STATE EDITORS:

    UN Day Highlighted by Congressional Action to Block Japan's Bid for UN
                                           Security Council Seat

    NEW YORK, Oct. 24 -/E-Wire/-- US Congressman Bill Delahunt (D-MA),
along with 17 other House members, has introduced a congressional resolution
seeking to block Japan from securing a seat on the United Nations Security
Council, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) announced today, as
the world celebrates UN Day 2000.

    /CONTACT:  Jennifer Ferguson-Mitchell, IFAW, 508-744-2076, (Mobile)
508-737-1584/

    /Web site:  http://www.stopwhalingnow.com/
    /Web site:  http://www.ifaw.org/

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/24Oct0004.html

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TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

                Biocorp appoints Andreas Kusche
            Senior Vice President, Director of Packaging.

     LOS ANGELES, CA, Oct. 24, 2000 -/E-Wire/-- Biocorp, a leader in
biodegradable packaging materials for the foodservice industry and the waste
industry, today named Andreas Kusche Senior Vice President - Director of
Packaging.

     /CONTACT: Biocorp, Inc. Rose Peters - 310-643-1626, Biocorp Europe,
Wolfgang Eckey, Germany - 49 2303 89014

     /Web site:  http://www.BiocorpUSA.com

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/24Oct0001.html

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                         BULLETIN FROM OUR SPONSOR
=====================================================

IFAW BREAKING NEWS...

White House Considering Trade Sanctions to Stop Japanese Whaling.

Final decision must be made by November 10...

YOUR HELP is needed immediately. To learn more and send a message
to the White House  visit  

                        http://www.StopWhalingNow.com
                               http://www.ifaw.org

from League of Conservation Voters October 25, 2000

Congress criticized by conservation group for legislating through
anti-environment riders, blocking efforts to protect public health
regarding air and water pollution

October 24, 2000

Washington - In releasing the 2000 National Environmental Scorecard today,
the League of Conservation Voters criticized a majority in Congress for
voting to jeopardize clean water and air protections, and for using
anti-environment riders on appropriations bills to disguise their efforts
to weaken environmental and public health laws. LCV is encouraging
citizens across the country to hold their members of Congress accountable
for the environmental votes they cast in 1999 and 2000.

>> Read the full release at http://lcv.org/news/releases.htm

from Environment News Service October 25, 2000

ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE (ENS)      http://ens-news.com

               "We Cover the Earth For You"
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PROTESTERS LAY SIEGE TO EPA HEADQUARTERS OVER HAZWASTE INCINERATOR

By Brian Hansen

WASHINGTON, DC, October 25, 2000 (ENS) - The stately Pennsylvania Avenue
entrance to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was blocked for several
hours this morning by a group of protesters who locked themselves
under, inside, and on top of a big, yellow school bus fashioned to
resemble a hazardous waste incinerator.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-25-15.html

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WORLD'S LIQUID ASSETS FAST DIMINISHING

WASHINGTON, DC, October 25, 2000 (ENS) - The first in a series of reports
on the world's ecosystems has concluded that freshwater systems are by far
the most degraded.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-25-12.html

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FOSSIL FUELS TO RENEWABLES TRANSITION GATHERS MOMENTUM

By Bill Eggertson

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Canada, October 25, 2000 (ENS) - The world is
starting to see the panic that will inevitably result during the transition
from fossil fuels to renewable energies, says the senior staff scientist on
renewable energy with the Washington, DC based Union of Concerned Scientists.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-25-01.html

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LAWSUIT CHARGES UTAH CONSITUTION THREATENS WILDLIFE, VOTER RIGHTS

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, October 25, 2000 (ENS) - A coalition of citizen
groups and individuals from across the political spectrum have filed a
lawsuit challenging an amendment to the state constitution that makes it
more difficult to pass state laws governing wildlife management. The
outcome of the suit could affect attempts in other states such as Arizona
and Alaska to win voter approval of similar constitutional amendments in
November.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-25-06.html

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GLOBAL TRADE AND ENVIRONMENT CHIEFS SMOOTH OVER DIFFERENCES

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 25, 2000 (ENS) - Two high level meetings
between representatives of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and United
Nations multilateral environmental agreements were held this week in
Geneva. The officials worked towards avoidance of conflict between free
trade rules and the environmental treaties that will allow countries to
take trade related decisions.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-25-02.html

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RECYCLED WATER SYSTEM MAKING WAVES IN CANADA'S NORTH

IQALUIT, Nunavut, Canada, October 25, 2000 (ENS) - A bed and breakfast
owner in northern Canada is using a recycling device that could transform
water use in the Arctic.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-25-11.html

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CLINTON CREATES NATIONAL MONUMENT IN CALIFORNIA DESERT

WASHINGTON, DC, October 25, 2000 (ENS) - President Bill Clinton today signed
a law creating a new national monument on a 440 square mile parcel of
Southern California desert.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-25-16.html

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S FORGOTTEN FLOWER BACK FROM THE DEAD

PERTH, Australia, October 25, 2000 (ENS) - After 15 years presumed extinct
in the wild, a Western Australia wildflower has been rediscovered. The
hidden beard heath (Leucopogon obtectus) was found this week near the town
of Geraldton, 424 kilometers (263 miles) north of Perth, in roadside
vegetation during field surveys for a local Bushcare project.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-25-10.html

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ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE AMERISCAN: OCTOBER 25, 2000

Sacramento Offers $70 Million for Diesel Truck Emission Cleanup

Federal Government Sues Solar Energy Company

Nader Backer Pulls California Ads

Nerve Agent in Furnace Residue Exceeds Safe Limits

Louisiana Sewage Treatment Plants Sold to Cleaner Company

Coal Electricity Plant Qualifies as Renewable Energy

Lawsuit Seeks Protections for Westslope Cutthroat Trout

Utah Preserve Gets Grant for Wetlands Restoration

Factory Farm Developers Face Fine for Filling Wetlands

Nevada Refuge Wins Water Rights

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-25-09.html

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2000 All Rights Reserved.

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          SEND NEWS STORY TIPS TO news@ens-news.com

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TO BUSINESS, AUTO AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

        Ford Motor Company Donates $5 Million to Princeton University
                       For Carbon Mitigation Initiative

    NEW YORK, Oct. 25 - /E-Wire/ -- Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is donating
$5 million to Princeton University's Environmental Institute for research on
carbon and greenhouse gas issues.  The donation was announced today in a joint
media conference with representatives from Ford, Princeton and BP in
attendance.

    /CONTACT:  Gwynne Marie Irvin of Ford Motor Company, 313-323-0646,
girvin@ford.com; Jennifer Ruys of BP Amoco, 212-451-8000, ruysje@bp.com; or
Steven Schultz of Princeton University, 609-258-5729, sschultz@Princeton.EDU/

    /Web site:  http://www.ford.com/

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/25Oct0005.html

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TO NATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

Lawsuit Filed over Controversial Hunting Season of Imperiled Trumpeter Swans,
                         Reports The Fund for Animals

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 -/E-Wire/-- Today, The Fund for Animals, the
Biodiversity Legal Foundation, the Utah Environmental Congress, and several
individuals filed suit in U.S. District Court challenging the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service's (FWS) highly controversial plan to open the first-ever
permanent sport hunting season of rare trumpeter swans.

    /CONTACT: D.J. Schubert of Schubert & Associates, 602-547-8537, or Daniel Vice
of Meyer & Glitzenstein, 202-588-5206; both for the Fund for Animals; or Jasper
Carlton of the Biodiversity Legal Foundation, 303-926-7606/

    /Web site:  http://www.fund.org/

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/25Oct0003.html

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TO BUSINESS, AUTO AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

           Visteon Honored by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
                           For Superintegration(TM)

    DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 25 -/E-Wire/-- Visteon Corporation's (NYSE: VC)
commitment to delivering environmentally friendly products and technologies
has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Visteon
will be presented with the EPA's prestigious Climate Protection Award for
Superintegration(TM) technology at an awards dinner on Oct. 31 in Washington,
D.C.

    /CONTACT:  Media Inquiries:  Carly Lamprecht, 313-755-0879,
clamprec@visteon.com, or Investor Inquiries:  Kent Niederhofer, 313-755-3699,
kniederh@visteon.com, both of Visteon Corporation/            (VC)

    /Web site:  http://www.visteon.com/

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/25Oct0002.html

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TO BUSINESS, AUTO AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

         2000 Honda Accord SULEV Receives Clean Air Award from SCAQMD

    LOS ANGELES, Oct. 25 -/E-Wire/-- The 2000 Honda Accord SULEV (Super
Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) sedan has been awarded the South Coast Air Quality
Management District's (SCAQMD) 2000 Clean Air Award in the category of
Advancement of Air Pollution Technology.  For 2000, Honda was the only
automotive manufacturer selected to receive an SCAQMD award.

    /CONTACT:  Art Garner of American Honda Motor Co., 310-783-3163/

    /Company News On-Call:  http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/372013.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 372013/

    /Web site:  http://www.honda.com/

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/25Oct0001.html

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TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

       Online Donations Raise Money for Trees at Huddart County Park
   Unique Service Links Corporate Dollars with Local Environmental Projects

     WOODSIDE, CA, Oct. 25, -/E-Wire/-- AndEarth.com, an innovative email
service that raises money for environmental projects by sending out an email
newsletter, today donated $1,000 to the San Mateo County Parks and
Recreation Foundation to help plant trees in Huddart Park. Four species of
tree will be planted --- coast redwood, coast live oak, white alder, and big
leaf maple.  Volunteers, including local school groups, employees of
AndEarth, and some of the subscribers will work as together to plant the
trees on November 6th. "We¹re very happy with what everyone has
accomplished," says Will Hoover, Art Director of AndEarth, "and we want
people to know that this is just the beginning." The trees will be
maintained by the Junior Rangers, a program of the Friends of Huddart and
Wunderlich Parks.

     /Contact: Rich Gill, AndEarth.com, richgill@andearth.com, 650-473-0443,
or Julia Bott, San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Foundation 650/321-5812

     /Web site: http://www.AndEarth.com

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/25Oct0006.html

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

         ShowerSmart Announces Energy Conservation Breakthrough

     SAINT JOHNS, NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA October 25, -/E-Wire/--   Mr. Michael
Lucking, President of Heat Exchangers NF Inc., (an energy research and
development company founded in 1992), is pleased to announce a breakthrough
in energy  conservation technology for the homeowner.

     /CONTACT:  Michael Lucking or Andrew Young both of Heat Exchangers
709-738-2487.

     /Web site:  http://www.ShowerSmartFaucet.com

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/25Oct0004.html

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  SEND YOUR PRESS RELEASE ON E-WIRE -- 1-888-764-NEWS
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from World Wildlife October 26, 2000

Turn Down the Heat

Dear WWF Conservation Action Network Activist:

Please help send 10 million messages to world political leaders
demanding that they use a November climate summit to reduce the
pollution that causes global warming.  Global warming, one of the
most serious problems that people face, threatens animals, plants, and
habitats across the planet.  To solve this problem, we must
significantly reduce the carbon pollution in the atmosphere that causes
global warming.

In November, negotiators from around the world will meet in the
Netherlands to finalize the rules of the international global warming
treaty.  This treaty, known as the Kyoto Protocol, is the most
comprehensive international approach to this global problem.  Sadly,
some countries, including the United States, would rather delay action
than reduce their global warming pollution.  They are undermining the
treaty's ability to protect the planet.

World leaders need to hear that citizens want them to take action to
stop global warming.  Fortunately, now there is a simple way to make
your voice heard.  Go to http://www.climatevoice.org/ and follow the simple
steps to send free messages to presidents and prime ministers around
the globe.  The Web site is hosted by WWF and is a joint effort of 16
organizations.  It is now 10 years since the international scientific
community issued its first warning about the threat the world faces
from climate change.  That's why the site aims to send 10 million
messages - one million for each year that governments have failed to
take action.  Please act today.

from Natural Resources Defense Council October 26, 2000

The Bulletin for Environmental Activists

October 26, 2000

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Contents

1) alerts

a) GLOBAL WARMING: Demand that the U.S. honor its commitment to reduce global warming pollution
b) ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Tell the Department of Energy to strengthen proposed new energy-efficiency standards for air conditioners
c) STATE BALLOT INITIATIVES:
i. CALIFORNIANS: Vote NO on Proposition 37
ii. NEW JERSEYANS: Vote YES on Public Question #1

2) About Our Bulletins

3) About NRDC

You will also find these alerts in NRDC'S Earth Action Center (http://www.nrdc.org/action), which includes tools for taking action easily online.

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1) alerts

GLOBAL WARMING
Demand that the U.S. honor its commitment to reduce global warming pollution

The Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty to curb global warming, requires 38 industrialized countries, including the United States, to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to five percent below 1990 levels by 2008-2012. Negotiators are meeting in mid-November in The Hague, Netherlands, to finalize important rules for implementing these commitments. The U.S. government, however, wants to bend the rules and create loopholes so large that the Kyoto Protocol could fail to accomplish real reductions in global warming pollution.

The most blatantly anti-environment position U.S. negotiators are taking is seeking credit for forestry and agriculture policies that would occur with or without the treaty. If successful, the United States could get more than halfway to its target reductions on paper, without making any genuine emissions reductions whatsoever. By the government's own estimates, it is seeking these "paper credits" for up to 312 million tons of the overall emissions reduction target of roughly 550 million tons of greenhouse gases.

== What to do ==
Send a message to Frank Loy, Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs and the head of the U.S. delegation to The Hague, telling him that if the United States insists on including a broad array of forestry and agriculture policies in the accounting rules that will be decided during the negotiations, it should seek credit only for emissions reductions in excess of the 312 million tons that will occur anyway.

== Contact information ==
You can send a free fax to Under Secretary Loy directly from NRDC. s Earth Action Center at http://www.nrdc.org/action. Or use the contact information and sample letter below to send your own message.

Frank Loy, Under Secretary for Global Affairs
State Department Building
2201 C St., NW
Washington DC 20520
Phone: 202-647-6240
Fax: 202-647-0753

== Sample letter ==

Subject: Honor the U.S. commitment to reduce global warming pollution

Dear Under Secretary Loy,

Global warming is a grave threat that we must begin to address now. The United States, as the world's leading power and largest emitter of greenhouse gases, can and must provide strong international leadership in tackling this issue.

I am therefore dismayed to learn that the U.S. government is attempting to undermine its Kyoto Protocol emissions reductions target at the climate negotiations this November in The Hague. In particular, it is unconscionable to seek credit for reductions from domestic forestry and agriculture activities that will occur with or without the Kyoto Protocol.

If the U.S. insists on including a broad array of forestry and agriculture policies in the accounting rules that will be decided during the negotiations, we should seek credit only for emissions reductions in excess of the 312 million tons that will occur anyway. The targets we agreed to should be met with real reductions, not accounting tricks.

Sincerely,

[Your name and address]

..

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Tell the Department of Energy to strengthen proposed new energy-efficiency standards for air conditioners

Air conditioners are the single largest contributor to peak electricity demand. In many parts of the nation, notably California, New York and Chicago, record peak demand has repeatedly brought the power system to the brink of collapse and, in some instances, precipitated outages. Additionally, consumers in deregulated markets have seen the cost of their electricity skyrocket as demand has outstripped supply. In response to these problems, the Clinton administration has proposed new air conditioner and heat pump efficiency standards that, while a major step in the right direction, fall short of lightening the load that air conditioning puts on the nation. s strained power systems and consumers. electricity bills.

The Energy Department proposes increasing the energy-efficiency standard for heat pumps (which are similar to air conditioners, but heat as well as cool homes) by 30 percent, but for air conditioners by only 20 percent. According to one analysis, this shortfall would forfeit thousands of megawatts in peak power reductions, over $700 million dollars in annual bill savings for consumers, and 38 million metric tons of carbon emission reductions over the next 30 years (equal to the lifetime emissions of 2.6 million cars).

The Clinton administration is currently accepting comments on the proposed new standards during a 60-day public comment period.

== What to do ==
Contact Energy Secretary Bill Richardson urging him to strengthen the proposed new air conditioner standard.

== Contact information ==
You can email Secretary Richardson directly from NRDC. s Earth Action Center at http://www.nrdc.org/action, where we. ll send a copy of your message to Dan Reicher, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Or use the contact information and sample letter we. ve provided, and feel free to include your own reasons for why more efficient and less polluting air conditioners are important to you.

The Honorable Bill Richardson
Secretary of Energy
1000 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20585-0001
Phone: 1-800-dial-DOE
Fax: 202-586-4403
Email: the.secretary@hq.doe.gov

== For background ==
Appliance Standards Awareness Project
http://www.standardsASAP.org

== Sample letter ==

Subject: Strengthen proposed air conditioner standards

Dear Secretary Richardson,

I am writing to urge you to strengthen the Department of Energy. s proposed new standards for central air conditioners and heat pumps. While the proposed standards are an important step toward reducing pollution, saving consumers money and improving electricity system reliability, they fall well short of much needed improvements.

By proposing to increase the heat pump standard by 30 percent but the standard for air conditioners by just 20 percent, the DOE has created a loophole that will impose enormous costs on the public and our environment. Heat pumps, which serve both heating and cooling functions, account for just one-fifth of the total air cooling market -- the overwhelming four-fifths of sales are for air conditioners. Applying this lower standard to air conditioners will cost:

* 16,700 megawatts of peak power reductions, equivalent to the amount of energy 33 large power plants can produce at any particular moment;
* 10,000 gigawatt hours in annual electricity savings (the annual electricity use, for example, of all the households in Connecticut combined);
* $730 million in annual bill savings for the nation. s consumers; and
* 38 million metric tons of carbon emission reductions over the next 30 years, equaling the lifetime emissions of 2.6 million cars.

The loophole effectively locks in the need to build more expensive and polluting power plants that must be financed by the American public. Furthermore, the additional electric demand drives up both electric and natural gas prices that are particularly burdensome for seniors on fixed incomes and low-income families.

I urge you to close this loophole now and apply the stronger standard to air conditioners as well as heat pumps.

Sincerely,

[Your name and address]

..

CALIFORNIANS:
Vote NO on Proposition 37 . - the Polluter Protection Act

Proposition 37 poses the question for California voters of who should bear the costs of pollution . - the polluters or state taxpayers. Currently, corporations that create hazards to health, safety or the environment can be charged a fee to cover clean-up costs. Polluters challenged these fees in court, but the California Supreme Court upheld them. So now polluters are turning to the initiative process with Prop 37 to amend the constitution and redefine these fees as taxes, making them subject to a difficult two-thirds majority vote and, in effect, shifting pollution clean-up costs from the polluters to the public.

This "Polluter Protection Act" attacks the central environmental principle that "the polluter pays." The oil, tobacco and alcohol industries spent over a million dollars to put Prop 37 on the ballot so they could avoid paying the clean-up costs of the environmental and health damage they cause . - instead, they want taxpayers to pay.

== What to do ==
If you live in California, go to the polls on November 7 and vote NO on Prop 37 . - the Polluter Protection Act. If you don't live in California, but know someone who does, please forward this message along.

== For background ==
NO on 37
http://www.polluterprotection.com/

..

NEW JERSEYANS:
Vote YES on Public Question #1

The New Jersey November 7 ballot contains a question regarding gas and vehicle sales tax funding of the Transportation Trust Fund. While the ballot question itself may seem confusing, it holds much promise for the state and its attempts to combat sprawl and reduce traffic.

The initiative ensures that dollars raised from transportation taxes are dedicated to improving New Jersey. s transportation system, and provides a stable source of funding to fix the state. s existing highway infrastructure (instead of building new sprawl-inducing highways). Public Question #1 also provides stable funding for improving and expanding rail and bus public transportation systems.

Passing the initiative also would provide funding for a Congestion Buster Task Force that would identify ways to reduce roadway congestion, improve highway safety and shorten the amount of time New Jerseyans spend commuting. Public Question #1 further provides resources for constructing 1,000 miles of bicycle and pedestrian paths throughout the state, and, after 2007, requires NJTransit to purchase only buses that reduce particulate emissions or are alternatively fueled (i.e., not diesel).

== What to do ==
If you live in New Jersey, go to the polls on November 7 and vote YES on Public Question #1. If you don. t live in New Jersey but know someone who does, please forward this message about this important issue affecting the state. s environment and its residents. quality of life.

..........

2) About Our Bulletins

The Natural Resources Defense Council distributes three bulletins by mailing list:

EARTH ACTION is sent biweekly and calls out urgent environmental issues requiring individual action. To subscribe, visit the Earth Action Center at http://www.nrdc.org/action or send a message to nrdcaction@nrdc.org with SUBSCRIBE EARTH ACTION BULLETIN in the subject line. To unsubscribe from the EARTH ACTION BULLETIN, send an email message to nrdcaction@nrdc.org with UNSUBSCRIBE EARTH ACTION BULLETIN in the subject line.

LEGISLATIVE WATCH is sent biweekly when Congress is in session and tracks environmental bills moving through the federal legislature. To subscribe to Legislative Watch, send an email message to nrdcaction@nrdc.org with SUBSCRIBE LEGISLATIVE WATCH in the subject line. To unsubscribe, send an email message to nrdcaction@nrdc.org with UNSUBSCRIBE LEGISLATIVE WATCH in the subject line.

The CALIFORNIA ACTIVIST NETWORK ACTION ALERT is distributed bimonthly to members of NRDC's California Activist Network and provides action tools to Californians and others concerned with protecting the state's natural resources and the health of its citizens. To join the network, visit NRDC's Save Wild California website at http://www.nrdc.org/wildcalifornia or send an email message to wildcalifornia@nrdc.org with SUBSCRIBE CALIFORNIA ACTIVIST NETWORK in the subject line. To unsubscribe, send an email message to wildcalifornia@nrdc.org with UNSUBSCRIBE CALIFORNIA ACTIVIST NETWORK in the subject line.

..........

3) About NRDC

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a nonprofit environmental organization with 400,000 members nationwide and a staff of scientists, lawyers and environmental experts. Our mission is to protect the world's natural resources and improve the quality of the human environment.

For more information about NRDC or how to become a member of NRDC, please contact us at:

Natural Resources Defense Council
40 West 20th Street
New York, NY 10011
212-727-4511 (voice) / 212-727-1773 (fax)
General email: nrdcinfo@nrdc.org
Earth Action Network email: nrdcaction@nrdc.org

from Environment News Service October 26, 2000

ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE (ENS)      http://ens-news.com

               "We Cover the Earth For You"
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WEST NILE VIRUS CAN SPREAD WITHOUT MOSQUITOES' HELP

By Cat Lazaroff

RESTON, Virginia, October 26, 2000 (ENS) - For the first time, scientists
have confirmed that the West Nile Virus can be transmitted from bird to
bird, without a mosquito intermediary. The new finding suggests that
controversial attempts to control the spread of the disease with pesticides
may be ineffective.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-26-06.html

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HUMAN FOOD APPROVAL ASKED FOR BANNED BIOTECH CORN

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, North Carolina, October 26, 2000 (ENS) - The company
that makes a type of genetically engineered corn at the center of a
growing food product recall has asked the federal government to temporarily
approve the biotech corn for human consumption.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-26-15.html

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TOXIC TAR PONDS AN ISSUE IN CANADIAN ELECTION

SYDNEY, Nova Scotia, Canada, October 26, 2000 (ENS) - Seven hundred
thousand tons of toxic waste including 45,000 tons of PCB laden sludge
make the Sydney Tar Ponds the largest toxic waste site in North America.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-26-10.html

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VULTURES TOP AGENDA AT ASIAN BIRD SUMMIT

KANDY, Sri Lanka, October 26, 2000 (ENS) - Political enemies India and
Pakistan have come together in an effort to find a way to halt the rapid
decline of the region's critically endangered vultures.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-26-11.html

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UK FARMERS LAUNCH WATER WISE CAMPAIGN

LONDON, United Kingdom, October 26, 2000 (ENS) - The threat of climate
change and increasing demands on water supplies have prompted the United
Kingdom's farmers to launch a water conservation campaign today.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-26-12.html

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UN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY UNVEILS NORTH AMERICAN OFFICE

By Brian Hansen

WASHINGTON, DC, October 26, 2000 (ENS) - The United Nations Environment
Programme inaugurated its new North American Regional Office in downtown
Washington today, a move that officials said will help to disseminate
important environmental information to developing countries around the
world.

For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-26-16.html

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ENVIRONMENT NEWS SERVICE AMERISCAN: OCTOBER 26, 2000

North Carolina Forces Developer to Sell Wilderness Tract

Chicken Waste Becomes Electricity at New Plants

Mud Fest Destroys Alpine Meadow

Lasers Help Recycle Aluminum from Scrapped Vehicles

Sierra Club Funds Congressional Ad Campaigns

Giant Dinosaur Chides Logging Company

Acid Rain Continues to Damage Virginia Streams

World Wildlife Fund President Named Woman of the Year

Green Energy Parks Program Wins Presidential Award

Cell Phone Call Nabs Poacher


For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/oct2000/2000L-10-26-09.html

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2000 All Rights Reserved.

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          SEND NEWS STORY TIPS TO news@ens-news.com

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    E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE
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TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDITOR:

                      IFAW Launches www.RightWhales.org

           Encourages Action to Save World's Most Endangered Whales

    CAPE COD, Mass., Oct. 26 -/E-Wire/-- The International Fund for Animal
Welfare (IFAW) today announced the launch of a new, state-of-the-art web site,
www.rightwhales.org, as part of its ongoing efforts to save the critically
endangered North Atlantic right whale.  The site, which was designed by
Commerce One Global Services, will promote public awareness and encourage
visitors to take political action by contacting the US National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) -- the federal agency responsible for protecting the
right whale.

    /CONTACT:  Jennifer Ferguson-Mitchell of The International Fund for Animal
Welfare, 508-744-2076/

    /Web site:  http://www.ifaw.org

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/26Oct0004.html

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    E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE
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TO BUSINESS, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

             Pepco Energy Services' PowerChoice(R) First to Offer
              Maryland Consumers 'Clean' and 'Green' Electricity

    - PowerChoice Clean Electricity from natural gas will achieve double-digit
      emissions reductions

    - PowerChoice Green Electricity from renewable sources will reduce
      emissions even further

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 -/E-Wire/-- Pepco Energy Services, Inc. today
became the first competitive electricity supplier in Maryland offering "clean"
electricity with emissions significantly below the regional average.
The "clean" electricity now available for consumers to purchase under the
company's PowerChoice(R) brand will be generated exclusively by natural gas,
which is a cleaner burning fuel than current fuel sources within the region.
PowerChoice Clean electricity grows the portfolio of energy supply and energy
services the company is marketing as Maryland and other states permit
residents and businesses to choose their electricity supplier.

    /CONTACT:  Don Lintvet, VP Marketing of Pepco Energy Services,
202-454-8040/            (POM)

    /Web site:  http://www.PowerChoice.com/

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/26Oct0002.html

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    E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE
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TO BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

  Brazilian Cemetery Is the World's First and Only Cemetery to be Granted an
                            ISO 14000 Certificate

    CURITIBA, Brazil, Oct. 26 -/E-Wire/-- Cemiterio Parque Sao Pedro is
the only cemetery in the world to be granted an ISO 14001 certification, which
establishes environmentally friendly business management guidelines. With it,
the cemetery has attained a quality standard that will serve as a benchmark
for similar businesses throughout the world.

    /CONTACT:  Ronaldo Vanzo, Cemiterio Parque Sao Pedro, in Brazil,
5541-9102-0990, or e-mail, rvanzo@uol.com.br /

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/26Oct0001.html

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    E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE
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TO AUTO, BUSINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDITORS:

                    GM Commends Cleaner Fuels in Nashville

                   GM and BP team up on low-sulfur gasoline

    NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 26 -/E-Wire/-- General Motors today applauded
BP's decision to offer low-sulfur gasoline in the Nashville area by announcing
it will use the fuel in Saturn S-Series vehicles rolling off the assembly line
in Spring Hill.

    /CONTACT:  Dave Barthmuss of GM Communications, 313-665-9036, Email:
dave.barthmuss@gm.com; or Bill Betts of Saturn Communications, 248-528-6352,
Email: bill.betts@gm.com/                 (GM)

    /Web site:  http://www.saturn.com/
    /Web site:  http://www.gm.com/environment/

For Full Text Visit:  http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/Oct00/26Oct0003.html

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  SEND YOUR PRESS RELEASE ON E-WIRE -- 1-888-764-NEWS
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from Environmental Defense October 26, 2000

You can take action on this alert either by email or preferably on the web at:
http://actionnetwork.org/take-action.tcl?key=419220A12548B1026021550C204

Here's what this alert is about:

Protect Vieques Island Environment
----------------------

Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, is home to some of the
most exceptional marine ecosystems in the Caribbean,
including three of the world's seven surviving bioluminescent
bays, well-developed coral reefs, and nearshore seagrass
beds. The island also provides critical habitat for
numerous species protected under the Endangered Species
Act including manatees, brown pelicans, and green,
hawksbill, leatherback, and loggerhead sea turtles,
as well as several endangered plants. The seagrasses,
coral reefs, and mangroves of the island are also federally
designated as Essential Fish Habitat due to their significant
role in supporting fisheries of the area.
But for more than 60 years, the US Navy has used the
island as a live bombing range for airplanes and ships.
The shoreline of Vieques is also used for large attack
maneuvers where amphibious vehicles roll ashore carrying
military personnel. Unexploded ordinance contaminates
the land and the coral reefs. The Navy's nearly year-round
use of Vieques for bombing and maneuvers has resulted
in significant degradation of the island's fragile
habitat. Surprisingly, no detailed Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) has ever been conducted on the effects
the bombing has on the island. The most recent EIS,
released in 1979, was incomplete, ignoring the cumulative
impacts of decades of use of the island.

Not only has the environment been degraded, but the
health and safety of the nearly 10,000 people who live
on the island is at risk. These people must raise their
children in an environment where they hear live bombs
dropping while in school. Just last year, an errant
bomb killed a civilian. Data suggests that the cancer
rate among Vieques residents is higher than on the
main island of Puerto Rico. Radiation readings on the
practice area are above normal, and Napalm, Agent Orange,
depleted uranium, and other hazardous chemicals have
been used on the island as part of military training
since WWII.

The wishes of the majority of citizens of Vieques should
be adhered to. It is reasonable to request that use
of the island as a bombing range should be phased out
and a comprehensive clean up begun of contaminated
land and water sites.

Ken Lindeman, Senior Scientist Azur Moulaert, Grassroots
Director




----------------------

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:
If you have access to a web browser, you can take action on this
alert by going to the following URL:

  http://actionnetwork.org/take-action.tcl?key=419220A12548B1026021550C204

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA EMAIL:
Just choose the "reply to sender" option on your email program, and edit
the letter below as you wish.  You must include the whole letter in your
response including "-YOU MAY EDIT THE LETTER BELOW-" and "-END OF
LETTER-".  Please do not add your name and address to your letter.
Action Network automatically does this for you.

We STRONGLY encourage you to make edits directly to our sample letter
below, and put the alert talking points into your own words. An
individualized letter is worth ten computer generated letters. Of
course, hundreds of unedited letters will still create a large impact,
so please reply even if you don't have time to personalize the letter.

Your letter will be addressed and sent to:
Governor Pedro Rossello
Secretary Bruce Babbitt
Admiral Kevin Green
Chairman George T. Frampton, Jr.


-------YOU MAY EDIT THE LETTER BELOW---------


I am concerned about the effects of continuous bombing
on the inhabited island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. A
variety of short and long term impacts on the people,
land, and marine fishery resources occur as a result
of the large military exercises conducted on the island.
However, the cumulative impacts of these activities
have never been examined in a thorough Environmental
Impact Statement. A Finding of No Significant Impact
in the absence of a recent, comprehensive environmental
analysis is not tenable. I therefore support the wishes
of the majority of people of Vieques and Puerto Rico
and encourage you to take the following actions in
defining your policy towards the island:

1. The ban on live bombing should continue and the
use of inert bombs should be phased out. During that
time, bombing targets should exclude areas used by
endangered species and designated essential fish habitat.
2. All environmental studies of this area should be
made available to the public.
3. All efforts to permit other countries or arms manufacturers
to engage in bombing on Vieques or in its waters should
be terminated.
4. Subsequent to the termination of bombing, a comprehensive
cleanup of the many contaminated land and marine areas
by qualified contractors is needed to eliminate future
threats to both humans and the island ecosystem.  

The dialogue on the future of Isla Vieques should be
conducted in a manner that respects the wishes of the
local residents and protects the important natural
resources. Thank you for your attention to these comments.


-------END OF LETTER-------------------------

Sincerely yours,

from National Environmental Trust October 26, 2000

Endangered Species Act Under Attack!