home of the wildlife conservation environmental
and freedom activist
Environment Action
Alerts for March 1 - March 7, 2002
 
Urgent Farm Bill Alert
and Sign On Letter
Support Major Increase
in Car Fuel Economy
Greenpeace Positive
Energy 2/25 - 3/3

EarthNet News
March 1, 2002
False Information
Threatens Arctic Refuge
California Activist
Network Action Alert

Vote imminent! Urge Senate
to Support Renewable Energy
Wasteful Fishing Needlessly
Kills Marine Animals
Crisis in Our Oceans

Join Celebrities and
Push for Clean Energy
BLM Issues Quartz
Fire Logging Plan
Improve APHIS
Regulations

Protect Artic Refuge from
Oil and Gas Drilling
GE Food Alert Update
Vol. 1, Number 1
DENlines 3/6/02

NRDC Legislative
Watch 3/6/02
ETC News Release Categorical Exclusions
Threaten Sensitive Forests

Stop Gold Mine/Protect
Wetland & Migratory Birds
Great News from
Costa Rica!
Speak Out for a
Cleaner Energy Future

Make Toxic Dumpers Pay Protect Kids
from Dirty Air
Energy/Arctic Debate
Underway in Senate




from American Lands March 1, 2002

To: All Activists
From: Steve Holmer
Date: March 1, 2002

Subject:   Urgent Farm Bill Alert & Sign On Letter

Enclosed is a sign on letter that will be sent to the Farm bill
conferees early next week.  To sign on your organization, please contact
me at mailto:wafcdc@americanlands.org or 202/547-9105  Discussions
between House and Senate staff began this week, but the key issues
concerning biomass and stewardship contracting have not yet been
resolved.   In addition to signing your organization on to this letter
everyone can also contact the following conferees if they are your
Representative or Senator:

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD)
Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN)
Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT)

Rep. Charles Stenholm (D-TX)
Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA)
Rep. Eva Clayton (D-NC)
Rep. Cal Dooley (D-CA)
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN)
Rep. Gary Condit (D-CA)

Other Key Senators Who Can Help Influence Conferees

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)

Many of these Reps and Senators have been strong supporters of forest
protection in the past and we need there support now to stop these
harmful biomass and stewardship contracting provisions.  If your Rep. or
Senator is on this list, please contact their staff person who works on
forest issues at 202/224-3121 and let them know your concerns about
biomass and stewardship contracting and ask for their support to address
these problems in the Farm bill.    Please urge them to:

1)  Support the Senate Farm bill's version of the Forestry Section over
the House version.  While we are still opposed to the stewardship
contracting and biomass language in the Senate bill, it represents is a
significant improvement over the House bill.
2)  Oppose any new stewardship contracts that allow for trees to be
given away from federal lands.
3)  Oppose the $50 million in biomass subsidies using forest lands.

These second two requests are particulary important to include since it
is always possible that the Conference Committee will reject both the
House and Senate language and craft a new compromise on these issues.
__________________

AMERICAN LANDS ALLIANCE DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE
COUNCIL TAXPAYERS FOR COMMON SENSE

Dear Farm Bill Conferees:

We are writing to urge you to accept the Senate language regarding two
programs authorized in the Forestry Title of both the Senate and House
versions of the Farm Bill.  We are concerned that these two programs --
long-term forest stewardship contracts and a biomass purchase pilot
program -- will perpetuate current environmental and financial problems
in the Forest Service based on their powerful incentives to log the most
valuable trees in our national forests with little, if any, return to
the U.S. Treasury.

The General Accounting Office and Office of the Inspector General have
found Forest Service misuse of National Fire Plan resources, and the
agency should not be granted additional unlimited authorities until it
has improved its budgeting and accountability.  To increase the
accountability of these programs and the likelihood that they will
achieve their stated goal – reducing hazardous fuels close to
communities – we urge you to accept the Senate language, which contains
important checks and balances that are absent in the House bill.  The
House bill lacks accountability measures or clear statutory requirements
to meet the programs' stated goals, and could perpetuate the blurring of
budgetary lines between commercial timber sales and restoration work at
the Forest Service.

Wildland-Urban Interface

These programs are being established to reduce hazardous fuels and
implement the National Fire Plan yet, in its review of the National Fire
Plan, the General Accounting Office was not able to find evidence that
the Forest Service has been allocating funds as Congress has directed --
to the highest risk communities and ecosystems -- or that the agency can
account accurately for how funds have been spent.  Although activities
in the wildland-urban interface are empirically proven to provide the
most benefit toward reducing fire risk, the House bill would permit the
current situation to continue by allowing activities to occur anywhere
in our national forests.  The Senate bill, on the other hand, limits
both of these programs to activities in the wildland-urban interface,
Congress' top priority for hazardous fuels reduction.  


Forest Stewardship Contracts

Forest stewardship contracts (Section 806 in the House bill and Section
808 in the Senate bill) have been authorized as pilot projects in
previous years' Interior Appropriations bills.  Our organizations
opposed the Interior riders that established this program.  We do not
believe all aspects of stewardship projects are inherently harmful, but
we were concerned about several new and unproven authorities established
by these past riders, primarily "goods for services" and "designation by
description."  At this time, only a handful of the Interior pilot
projects have begun on-the-ground implementation.  Before expanding the
use of these practices, as the Farm Bill would do, we believe it is very
important to learn the lessons that will result from completed pilots
and the monitoring requirements specifically laid out for them.

The Senate position comes closer to accomplishing this as it limits the
number of additional projects, requires monitoring and, more
importantly, requires that some projects utilize alternative approaches
against which to judge the authorities previously mentioned.  It also
requires consideration of environmental impacts and comprehensive
reports to Congress.  The House bill, on the other hand, would allow the
Forest Service an unlimited amount of new projects and unlimited use of
controversial authority to pay for forestry contracts with trees, leave
the design and management of timber sales in the hands of private
interests, and retain all proceeds.  The House bill also lacks any
monitoring or reporting requirements.
  
Biomass Purchase Grants

The biomass purchase program (Section 921 in the House Bill and Section
808 in the Senate Bill) is also a pilot program.  It would test the
impact of $50 million in annual subsidies to the biomass energy
industry, which relies on trees and other plant products as a source of
energy.  Biomass includes a wide variety of resources and, while using
certain biomass resources as fuel is environmentally beneficial, the use
of forest biomass is not sustainable, does not increase carbon
sequestration resources, and will almost inevitably lead to new pressure
to log trees that are better left in place.  The House bill does not
require monitoring or reporting for this program or consideration of
environmental impacts when selecting projects and will increase the
likelihood of environmental damage resulting from government subsidies.  
The Senate bill, on the other hand, requires critical accountability
measures including monitoring, assessment and reporting provisions, and
environmental protection measures.

Because the Senate position contains checks and balances both on the
number, type and location of projects under these pilot programs
discussed above, we urge you to accept the Senate language in conference
committee.

Sincerely yours,

Steve Holmer
Campaign Coordinator
American Lands
726 7th Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202/547-9105
202/547-9213 fax
mailto:wafcdc@americanlands.org
http://www.americanlands.org


from National Environmental Trust March 1, 2002

Over the coming weeks, the U.S. Senate will be debating the future of
America's energy policy.   Please take a moment today to send a letter to
your Senator telling them you want a responsible energy policy that will
make real progress in reducing our dependence on foreign oil.  It's easy,
just click on the "Compose Email" button, or, if you can't see the button,
visit: http://www.environet.policy.net/grassroots.  Tell your Senator to
support the Kerry/Hollings CAFE provision of Senate Energy Bill because it
will raise fuel economy standards for new cars, SUVs and other light trucks
and substantially lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

The transportation sector is, by far, the single largest consumer of oil
accounting for over 65 percent of our total annual consumption.  Raising
fuel economy standards for new cars, SUVs and other light trucks is the
most important step towards reducing U.S. imports of foreign oil.   New
fuel economy standards will also create new jobs in the automotive sector,
lower the price we pay for a gallon of gas at the pump, and help to clean
our air and reduce the amount of global warming pollutants emitted into the
atmosphere.

Please join us today in voicing your support for legislation that will make
our cars and trucks go farther on a gallon of gas by calling upon your
Senator to increase the Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) standard.
Just click on the "Compose Email" button, below, or, if you can't see the
button, visit:
http://www.environet.policy.net/grassroots.

Best wishes, and, as always, thanks for your support!

Andrew Katkin
Web Manager and e-Outreach Coordinator
The National Environmental Trust


from Greenpeace March 1, 2002

As long as the sun keeps shining the "Positive Energy"
keeps flowing. Time for Greenpeace's CLEAN ENERGY NOW!
Campaign weekly update.

+++ DON'T RIG OUR ENERGY FUTURE +++
Greenpeace activists waded into the middle of the
national energy policy debate with a peaceful protest in
front of the Nation's Capitol this past Wednesday.
Activists erected three mock Exxon oil rigs in the
Reflecting Pool with banners reading, "Don't RIG Our
Energy Future" and "Stop Global Warming: Clean Energy Now!"

To see pictures and read Greenpeace's policy briefing
on the current energy debate, go to:
http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/media/press_releases/2002/02272002.htm

+++ RELIGIOUS LEADERS CALL FOR CLEAN ENERGY NOW! +++
On February 28th, 2002, in an effort to encourage the
U.S. Senate to preserve "God's creation and God's
children," 1,200 religious leaders have sent a letter to
every Senator with specific proposals for energy
conservation, fuel efficiency and alternative energy
development. Those who signed the letter include leaders
of faith communities such as: United Methodist,
Presbyterian, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism,
Greek Orthodox, Episcopal, American Baptist, Lutheran, and
Catholic bishops of major metropolitan areas.

In a mere two years, "Interfaith Climate and Energy
Campaigns" have been established in 21 states. In their
letter, the leaders called on the Senators to:  
substantially increase vehicle fuel efficiency and
encourage the auto industry to design vehicles using
clean technologies; prevent drilling in the Arctic National
Wildlife Reserve; invest more resources in Renewable
Energy sources such as wind, geothermal, solar, and
biomass technologies; include carbon dioxide as a regulated
pollutant from power plants; and increase funds for
low-income energy assistance and inner-city rail and
mass transit.

+++ DEMAND GOVERNOR DAVIS RE-NEGOGIATE THE TERRIBLE TWELVE +++
A new report makes it crystal clear that California
consumers could save billions of dollars if a dozen
of the state's worst power contracts -- nicknamed the
"Terrible Twelve" -- were renegotiated. The State
Department of Water Resources signed $43 billion worth of
long-term contracts at the height of the power crisis last
year. And just this past week, the state PUC filed a
request at FERC to overturn the contracts! Check out this
report, released by six consumer and environmental groups.
It provides a detailed road map for changes that will save
money, increase flexibility, improve reliability, and make
room for renewable energy.

To read this report, go to: http://www.ef.org/downloads/

The "Positive Energy" newsletter and our website,
http://www.cleanenergynow.org, will give you good news
about ways to achieve clean air, climate justice and
renewable energy solutions to our ongoing energy crisis.


from EarthNet News March 1, 2002

EarthNet News
... a project of the Center for Environmental Citizenship
http://www.envirocitizen.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------
March 1, 2002  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

This week in EarthNet, urge Bush to fund planning for
the future and read about the faithful's contribution
to the energy debate.

Plus, check out where you can go this summer to learn
some mad skills around things you care about. That's
right, the Summer Training Academy is coming. Don't
miss it.
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/VpzGAZK1ju-W/STA

--Zachariah Silk, EarthNet Editor  
mailto:earthnet@envirocitizen.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENT
----------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Shadow Congress: Let's Plan for the Future
2. Quote of the Week
3. You Do: Get Some Street Smarts  
4. Glimmer of Hope I: Have Some Faith
5. Mercy, Mercy Me: More Power to You?
6. Jobs, Conferences and Gatherings
7. Activist Phone Book & EarthNet News Info  

----------------------------------------------------------------------
CORPORATE CORNER
----------------------------------------------------------------------

LET"S PLAN FOR THE FUTURE

It's a well-known fact that protecting women's health
and promoting women's empowerment can protect our environment.
The world's growing population has profound consequences
for the global environment -- including species extinction,
deforestation, desertification and climate change.
These global environmental impacts pose a significant
threat to the earth's sustainability and our quality
of life.

Recognizing the link between family planning and a
healthy environment, Congress recently voted to support
the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) -- one of
the most significant family planning and women empowerment
programs in the world. Studies keep showing that when
women are given reproductive guidance and social opportunities
their families, their communities and the environment
benefit. And that is what UNFPA is all about.

Unfortunately, the Bush administration is ignoring
the wishes of Congress and the overwhelming support
of the American public. At the urging of some big family
planning foes, they're holding up some $34 million
in funding for the UNFPA. The loss of those funds would
significantly undermine the global efforts of the agency
and lead inevitably lead to further degradation of
the earth.

It's time the Bush administration start planning for
the future by fully funding the United Nations Population
Fund. Urge him and your Congressperson to support strong
families, strong communities and a healthy environment.

TAKE ACTION NOW:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/Z1zGAZK1ju-v/PLANNING

FOR MORE INFO:
**Zero Population Growth
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/1dzGAZK1ju-E/ZPG
**UNFPA
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/CpzGAZK1ju-j/UNFPA

----------------------------------------------------------------------
QUOTE OF THE WEEK  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The population question is the real riddle of the sphinx,
to which no political Oedipus has as yet found the
answer. In view of the ravages of the terrible monster
over-multiplication, all other riddles sink into insignificance.

-- Thomas Henry Huxley

----------------------------------------------------------------------
YOU DO
----------------------------------------------------------------------

GET SOME STREET SMARTS  

Sick and tired of being sick and tired? Do you feel
like you want to do something? Want to get out of the
classroom and get some street smarts? Well, have we
got an opportunity for you.

This summer you can join 99 other activists at one
of the nation's premiere student training experiences.
The Center for Environmental Citizenship holds life-altering
Summer Training Academies every year that teach folks
how to run and win campaign -- plus, you get to network
with professionals in environmental, social justice
and political fields AND meet young people who share
the same interests as you. Sounds cool, huh?

Make this summer one to remember. Do something. Apply
for the Summer Training Academy.
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/VpzGAZK1ju-W/STA

STA is sponsored by the Center for Environmental Citizenship
http://www.envirocitizen.org

----------------------------------------------------------------------
GLIMMER OF HOPE
----------------------------------------------------------------------

HAVE SOME FAITH

Worried about the country's energy future? Have some
faith -- religious leaders throughout the country are
engaged in an aggressive lobbying campaign to influence
energy policy. Christians, Jews and Muslims say they
oppose drilling in Alaska's Arctic Wildlife Refuge,
support stricter fuel efficiency standards for cars
and trucks and want the federal government to encourage
the development of renewable energy resources. Energy
legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives
and set for Senate debate this week marks the first
time many faith groups have stepped forward and voiced
religious and moral arguments for specific public policies.
And these groups are not too shy to use the methods
commonly employed by other special interests in order
to influence lawmakers' votes -- lobbying, leafleting,
blastfaxing. Maybe there's some hope afterall.

TAKE ACTION:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/ZdzGAZK1ju-5/ENERGY
Tell your Senator you want a clean, green energy plan.

FOR MORE INFO:
**Oregonian, 02/25/02
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/C7zGAZK1ju-u/OREGON
**Boston Globe
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/Z7zGAZK1ju-t/BOSTON_GLOBE

----------------------------------------------------------------------
MERCY, MERCY ME
----------------------------------------------------------------------

MORE POWER TO YOU?

When Virginia opened its electricity markets to competition,
in came a rash of power plant proposals. Twenty-nine,
to be exact. Five have been built so far -- and at
this rate Virginia is soon to be the home of more plants
than any other state -- producing twice the power it
currently needs. These power plants could be Virginia's
big break. Of course, they could also send Virginia
and surrounding states into an irreversible haze already
fueled by excess car pollution. Not wanting to give
into Big Business or the destruction of the environment,
consumer advocates, homeowners and environmentalists
say these plants are bad news. Many wonder aloud, "Why
should Virginians suffer when the power produced will
not even be used inside the state?" Good question.

FOR MORE INFO:
**Washington Post, 02/24/02
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/11zGAZK1ju-m/WAPOST

TAKE ACTION:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/ZdzGAZK1ju-5/ENERGY
Tell your Senator you want a clean, green energy plan.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

These are a sampling of the over 200 environmental
and activist jobs and internships listed at http://www.envirocitizen.org/enet/jobs/index.asp

Job Title: Community Organizer
Organization: Northern Plains Resource Council
Location: Billings, MT
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/V7zGAZK1ju-O/1

Job Title: Project/Office Assistant
Organization: Affordable Housing Development
Location: Katonah, New York
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/CdzGAZK1ju-7/3

Job Title: Media Coordinator
Organization: Worldwatch Institute
Location: Washington, DC
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/C1zGAZK1ju-I/2

----------------------------------------------------------------------
CONFERENCES, GATHERINGS AND VIEWINGS  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Lots more events listed at http://www.envirocitizen.org/enet/events/index.asp

WHAT: Latino Political Training
WHERE: Estes Park, CO
WHEN: 3/1/02
FOR MORE INFO:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/ZpzGAZK1ju-g/1

WHAT: Conference on Trade, Sustainability and Global
Governance
WHERE: New York, NY
WHEN: 3/2/02
FOR MORE INFO:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/V1zGAZK1ju-b/2

WHAT: CERES 2002 Conference
WHERE: Washington, DC
WHEN: 4/17/02 - 4/19/02
FOR MORE INFO:
http://actionnetwork.org/ct/VdzGAZK1ju-6/3

----------------------------------------------------------------------
ACTIVIST PHONE BOOK  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

U.S. Capitol Switchboard: 202.224.3121  
White House Comment Line: 202.456.1111  

White House Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington,
DC 20500  
Senate Address: US Senate, Washington, DC 20510  
House Address: US House of Representatives, Washington,
DC 20515  

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

Write your own short articles for submission to EarthNet.
We are particularly interested in articles about student
activism on your campus.

For general comments:
mailto:earthnet@envirocitizen.org

Submit Jobs/Internships/Volunteer listings at:
http://www.envirocitizen.org/enet/jobs/add.asp  

Submit Events at:
http://www.envirocitizen.org/enet/events/add.asp

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

Visit the web address below and tell your friends about
rocking EarthNet!

http://actionnetwork.org/join-forward.html?domain=san&r=R1zGAZK1jcFp

If you received this message from a friend, you can
sign up for Student Action Network at:

http://actionnetwork.org/san/join.html?r=R1zGAZK1jcFpE


from Care2 alerts March 1, 2002

Dear Eco-Activist!
SENATE VOTE EXPECTED THIS WEEK!

Sign this petition today to protect the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge.
Click Here: http://www.care2.com/go/redirect/2/3447

As one of Care2's most important eco-activists, if you have
already signed, please send this message on to at least 3
friends - the refuge needs your help!
Click Here: http://www.care2.com/go/redirect/2/3534

YES, you've heard about the Arctic drilling issue many times,
but with very good reason. In the next week, the U.S. Senate
will vote, and pro-drillers are sending out all kinds of misleading
arguments to push this bill through easily.

     *** If there's any doubt as to why you should urge
     Senators to vote "NO" on Arctic drilling, here are a few
     critical facts:****

-- Last week, pro-drillers claimed that the drilling impact
would be "limited to just 2,000 out of 1.9 million acres of the
Refuge."

THE TRUTH: Refuge oil is scattered in many separate pools--oil
companies will need to create miles of pipelines all across the
Refuge. If the pipelines snake across the terrain on posts, only the
ground touching the posts "counts" towards that 2,000 acres; bare
ground under the pipeline isn't included, even though it's
damaged for wildlife.
Click here to register your opposition:
http://www.care2.com/go/redirect/2/3447

OTHER CRUCIAL FACTS TO REMEMBER:
** Drilling in the Refuge won't cut prices at the pump! This oil is
a drop of oil in the global bucket; only oil companies will
end up with extra cash.
** Even if Arctic drilling occurs, lengthy processing and drilling
will prevent us from seeing a drop of Arctic oil for 10 years.
** According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Refuge would yield
only about six months worth of oil.
** A mere two-mile-per-gallon improvement in auto efficiency would
save that same amount of oil in under 3 years, and keep on saving.
** The United States has only 2.8% of the world's known
petroleum reserves. Even the most generous estimate of Refuge
oil would increase our reserves by only 1% percent -- not even
close to meeting U.S. demand; about 1/4 of global production.

Don't buy these last-ditch efforts to sell out the Arctic Refuge.
Oil companies and pro-drilling senators want us to tire of the
issue so they can push it through. DON'T LET THEM!

We know clean energy is available, that Arctic oil cannot
ameliorate our energy problems, and that the only thing that
drilling in the Arctic is sure to do is ruin one of earth's last
great places!

Sign this FREE petition: http://www.care2.com/go/redirect/2/3447

Thank You,
The Care2 Team!
Don't Miss Ed, the talking Bear! He has loads of opinions
about Arctic Drilling!
http://www.care2.com/go/redirect/2/3536
****************************************************
Ed the talking polar bear is a joint effort
of Care2.com and Talkie.com in support of the
American Wilderness Coalition.
Please help by sending Ed to all your friends!
Click Here: http://www.care2.com/go/redirect/2/3534


from Natural Resources Defense Council March 4, 2002

========================================
Natural Resources Defense Council's

CALIFORNIA ACTIVIST NETWORK ACTION ALERT

NRDC's California Activist Network was formed to mobilize and provide
action tools to Californians and others concerned with protecting the
state's extraordinary wealth of natural treasures and the health of
its citizens.

March 4, 2002
========================================
In This Issue:

--Action alerts--

1. REMINDER! Vote "Yes" on Proposition 40

2. Speak out to rid southern California's beaches and rivers of toxic
polluted runoff

3. Help pass state legislation to reduce global warming pollution in
California

4. Tell the Bush administration to keep new oil rigs away from
California's coastline

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

(Please do not reply to this message; see the instructions below for
how to unsubscribe or contact NRDC with questions or comments.)

=============
Action alerts
=============

1. REMINDER! Vote "Yes" on Proposition 40

Tomorrow, March 5th, Californians have the opportunity to vote on the
California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks, and
Coastal Protection Act of 2002 (Proposition 40). Prop 40 would provide
$2.6 billion for improved air and water quality, clean coastal waters,
and land conservation. Portions of these funds would also help improve
state parks and make neighborhood parks safer and more secure.

== What to do ==
Go to the polls tomorrow, March 5th, and vote "Yes" on Proposition 40.

== For background ==
Yes on 40
www.voteyeson40.org

2. Speak out to rid southern California's beaches and rivers of toxic
polluted runoff

Urban runoff is southern California's number one source of water
pollution. After every rain, the region's beaches can look like trash
dumps, and many are unsafe for swimming. Polluted runoff is also toxic
to marine life. Unsurprisingly, these problems threaten southern
California's billion-dollar coastal tourism economy.

But in a huge victory for the area's residents, visitors and
environment, local water quality officials in Los Angeles voted
unanimously in December 2001 to adopt long overdue regulations to
clean up urban runoff. The new regulations for the first time require
meaningful improvements in beach water quality, which will make the
waters safer for swimmers and marine life alike. Just as important,
the rules set an important precedent for the entire state.

In the next few weeks the State Water Resources Control Board will be
hearing appeals lodged by local government and private interests who
do not want to implement these necessary improvements. The board's
final decision is expected in May but comments are due now.

== What to do ==
Tell the State Water Resources Control Board to uphold strong
protections for southern California's coastal environment -- and for
the entire coast.

== Contact information ==
You can send a message to the chair of the control board 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,
and feel free to add your own reasons why you want to see officials
get polluted runoff out of southern California's waters.

Arthur Baggett, Chair
State Water Resources Control Board
1001 I St.
PO Box 4025
Sacramento, CA 95812
Fax:  916-341-5621
Email:  abaggett@swrcb.ca.gov

== Sample letter ==

Subject:  Support strong stormwater protection for LA county

Dear Chairman Baggett,

I urge you and the rest of the board to uphold the 2001 stormwater
permit for Los Angeles County. The L.A. regional water board staff
spent a year gathering input from city and county governments,
developers and other businesses, and the public in order to put
together a reasonable and comprehensive stormwater permit; the result
will be cleaner and safer waters for everyone.  

The last 11 years of stormwater regulation in L.A. County have failed
to protect the public's right to clean water, putting the region's
annual billion-dollar coastal tourism economy in jeopardy. The time is
long overdue for beaches that are safe for swimming and local
watersheds and coastal waters that are clean and safe for aquatic
life.

Again, support the regional water board's stormwater permit and don't
cave in to polluters who oppose clean water.

Sincerely,

[Your name and address]

3. Help pass state legislation to reduce global warming pollution in
California

In our November 2001 alert, we asked you to urge your state
assemblymember to pass AB 1058, which would create the nation's first
restrictions on global warming emissions. Despite stiff opposition
from the auto industry, the assembly approved the bill, so now it's on
to the Senate.

The bill will first be voted on in the Environmental Quality
Committee, and then move to the Senate Appropriations Committee in
May. If all goes well, the full Senate will vote on the bill in late
May or early June.

== What to do ==
Send a message to Senate President Pro Tem John Burton letting him
know how important AB 1058's passage is for the state's health and
environment.

== Contact information ==
You can send a message to Senator Burton directly from NRDC's Earth
Action Center at http://www.nrdc.org/action (we'll send a copy of your
message to Senator Byron Sher, the chair of the Environmental Quality
Committee). Or use the contact information and sample letter below to
send your own message.

Senator John L. Burton
Senate President Pro Tem
California State Capitol
Sacramento, CA  95814
Fax:  916-445-4722
Email:  brian.kelly@sen.ca.gov

Senator Byron D. Sher
California State Capitol
Sacramento, CA  95814
Fax:  916-323-4529
Email:  senator.sher@sen.ca.gov

== Sample letter ==

Subject:  Support and pass AB 1058

Dear Senator Burton,

Motor vehicles account for a higher percentage (40 percent) of global
warming pollution in California than they do for the rest of the
country. Recent opinion polls demonstrate that Californians
overwhelmingly support aggressive government action to curb global
warming emissions.

As you know, AB 1058 addresses the largest source of global warming
pollution in California by authorizing the California Air Resources
Board to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles.
Specifically, this bill would require CARB to develop and adopt
regulations that achieve the maximum feasible cost-effective reduction
of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted by passenger
vehicles, light-duty trucks and all other personal vehicles in
California, while allowing flexibility in meeting these requirements.

On behalf of our state's health and environment, please do all you can
to ensure enactment of AB 1058.

Sincerely,

[Your name and address]

4. Tell the Bush administration to keep new oil rigs away from
California's coastline

Californians don't need to be reminded that our coast is a national
treasure, supporting diverse marine life and providing incalculable
value to the millions of people who live, work and play there; the
last thing Californians want or need is more oil companies drilling
off this spectacular resource. Last summer, a federal judge reinforced
this principle when she rejected the Bush administration's attempt to
extend the terms of 36 undeveloped oil leases off the coast of Santa
Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties. The judge ruled that
the administration violated federal environmental laws in extending
the leases, and she ordered the federal government to give
California's residents a voice in ultimately deciding whether these
leases should be extended.

The Bush administration is now appealing its court defeat to the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. If the administration were to
win this appeal, oil companies could promptly and easily begin
drilling new oil wells within sight of our fragile coast.

== What to do ==
Contact Interior secretary Gale Norton and urge her to drop the Bush
administration's appeal of the federal court decision protecting
California's coast from new oil drilling.

== Contact information ==
You can fax Secretary Norton 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.

Secretary Gale A. Norton
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240
Fax:  202-208-6956
[the Interior Department's email system is currently non-functional
while the department attempts to bring its system into compliance with
the terms of an unrelated court ruling]

== Sample letter ==

Subject:  Drop the appeal to allow new oil drilling off California's
coast

Dear Secretary Norton,

California's coast is a national treasure, supporting valuable marine
life and providing incalculable value to the millions of people who
live, work and play there.

Last summer, a federal judge ruled that the Minerals Management
Service violated federal law when it extended 36 undeveloped oil
leases off the central California coast. Now your department is
appealing this ruling in an effort to make it easier to drill new oil
wells off California's shores.

California's coast is precious to me, and it should be protected from
the risk of oil spills and other harm posed by new oil drilling. I
therefore urge you to drop the Interior Department's appeal of Judge
Claudia Wilken's ruling in this case.

Sincerely,

[Your name and address]

==================================================
About Our Bulletins/How to Subscribe & Unsubscribe
==================================================

NRDC distributes three bulletins by email. To subscribe to any or all
of them or to join our activist networks, go to:
http://www.join.nrdcaction.org/subscribe.asp.

If you already subscribe and want to change your subscriptions or
update your email address or other information, go to:
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(or see the unsubscribe information below).

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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 unsubscribe from
the California Activist Network Action Alert, send an email message to
wildcalifornia@nrdcaction.org with REMOVE in the subject line.

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issues at the national level and from around the country. To
unsubscribe from Earth Action, send an email message to
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==========
About NRDC
==========

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a nonprofit environmental
organization with over 500,000 members nationwide and a staff of
scientists, attorneys and environmental experts. Our mission is to
protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and ensure a safe and
healthy environment for all living things.

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
California Activist Network email: wildcalifornia@nrdc.org
http://www.nrdc.org

Also visit:
BioGems -- Saving Endangered Wild Places
A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.savebiogems.org

===========


from Union of Concerned Scientists March 4, 2002

Note to UCS members and activists: UCS would like to thank our
activists for the more than 3,000 actions taken last week, asking
your Senators to support a strong vehicle fuel economy standard in
the upcoming national energy legislation. Today, we are again asking
you to take action on an important piece of the Senate's energy bill.
With your support, UCS is working to ensure that this unprecedented
opportunity to establish a cleaner, more sustainable energy future
does not pass us by.  Together, we are making a difference.

TAKE ACTION!
Voice your support for clean and sustainable electricity.  A vote is
fast approaching on national energy legislation that could increase
our use of wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources that are
far less polluting and cause fewer health problems than dirty fossil
fuels.  Please contact your Senators TODAY and urge them to support a
strong renewable energy standard as a way to provide America with a
secure and sustainable energy future.

To send an automatic letter to your Senators, simply reply to this
message. To customize the letter, go to
www.ucsaction.org/index.asp?step=2&item=1162

Learn More About This Issue:
The US Senate is in the process of debating the Energy Policy Act of
2002 (S. 517).  During this debate, the Senate will likely vote on a
motion to increase the renewable energy standard (see below) from 10%
to 20% by 2020.  There will also be motions to weaken the standard or
even strike it completely from the bill.  It is critical that your
Senators hear support for strengthening the renewable energy
standard, and opposing any attempts to weaken it.

S. 517 contains a Renewable Portfolio Standard, requiring electricity
suppliers to generate 10% of our nation's electricity from clean,
renewable energy resources by 2020.  This is a good start, but
America can do even better by adopting the 20% by 2020 standard
contained in legislation introduced by Senator Jeffords (S.1333).  
UCS analysis shows that a national renewable energy standard of 20%
by 2020 will save consumers money on their energy bills, and provide
greater diversity, economic development, and environmental benefits
compared to the 10% standard. The Energy Information Administration
confirms that the 20% standard is affordable to consumers and
provides significant environmental benefits.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you would like more information on the renewable energy standard,
visit the Clean Energy pages on our website at
http://www.ucsusa.org/energy/energy-home.html


from Care2 alerts March 4, 2002

1. WASTEFUL FISHING NEEDLESSLY KILLS SEA CREATURES
Heavy nets drag across the ocean bottom for fish, bulldozing
virtually everything in their path. Fishing nets strangle, drown,
and crush tens of thousands of sea turtles, birds, whales,
sharks, fish, dolphins and other endangered marine life.

Many of these dead and dying marine animals are simply thrown
overboard.

If this upsets you, it should -- it's illegal, but it's still happening!
The U.S. government is not enforcing the laws intended to
prevent this senseless destruction, so we need your help to
remind them!

Sign this petition to urge President Bush to enforce safe
fishing laws!
http://www.care2.com/go/redirect/2/3563

2. ACTIVIST TIPS
** Recycle your motor oil. Even the smallest drop of oil can
contaminate thousands of gallons of water.
** Wash your car with a bucket of water rather than a hose to
conserve water.

3. INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE:
"…the sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of
wonder forever."
--Jacques-Yves Cousteau

--------------------------------------------------------------------
To SUBSCRIBE, e-mail:     care2-alerts-subscribe@australia.care2.com


from World Wildlife March 5, 2002

If you are already a WWF Conservation Action Network member, see below
for how to take action.  If you received this email from a friend,
please visit the Conservation Action Network Web site at
http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/ to take action on this issue.

Our oceans are in crisis.  Far more fish are caught and killed every
year than the oceans are able to produce.  As a result of U.S.
mismanagement, many fish species are at risk of extinction.  In
addition, overfishing is undermining ocean ecosystems upon which we
all depend:  sea turtles, sharks, and marine mammals are just some of
the inadvertent "bycatch" of fishing in U.S. waters.  Overfishing also
harms coastal communities that count on fish as a source of food and
livelihood.  

We need to stop managing our ocean resources primarily for extraction
and instead put conservation first.  Fortunately, Congressman Sam Farr
(D-Calif.) has introduced HR 2570, The Fisheries Recovery Act of 2001,
which does just that.  This much-needed bill will close loopholes in
current law and make conservation the primary goal of U.S. fisheries
management.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE SIMPLE STEPS BELOW TO SEND A FREE MESSAGE URGING
YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE.

Act now to guarantee that our children inherit a living planet
abundant with fish and other marine wildlife.

**********************TAKE ACTION NOW!****************

To send the message below, as is, to your congressional
representative, hit "reply" to this email and then "send."  We will
automatically send the message for you.  However, we urge you to
greatly increase your impact by adding your own thoughts to your
message.  Personalizing your message only takes a minute; see below
for details.

ADD YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND INCREASE YOUR IMPACT  

Log in to your Personal Action Center -
http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/login.asp - with your email
address (alerts@earthhopenetwork.net) and your password.  (If you have
forgotten your password, follow the instructions on the log-in page to
have a new password emailed to you.)

Once you are in your Personal Action Center, click on "Crisis in Our
Oceans" and follow the instructions for adding your own thoughts to
your messages.  

Please forward this email to your friends and colleagues.

*********************LETTER TEXT******************

Dear  (your congressional representative's name will be inserted
here):

I write to urge you to cosponsor H.R. 2570, The Fisheries Recovery Act
of 2001.  If you are already a cosponsor, I urge you to do all you can
to ensure its passage.  Our country's ocean fish are at serious risk
because of government mismanagement.  Nearly half of all federally
managed U.S. fish populations are at dangerously low levels, are being
overexploited, or both.  Over 30 fish species have been mismanaged to
the brink of extinction.

Instead of overexploiting our fisheries, we need to put conservation
first.  The Fisheries Recovery Act of 2001 will stop overfishing,
reduce the killing of non-target fish and other ocean life, and
protect fish habitats from damaging fishing practices.  It also
requires federal managers to consider the overall health of ecosystems
when making management decisions.

Please promote the long-term sustainability of our fisheries by
supporting the Fisheries Recovery Act of 2001.

Sincerely,

Your name and address
will be inserted here

***********************END OF LETTER TEXT*********************

______________________________________________________________________
Direct any questions about the WWF Conservation Action Network to
actionquestions@takeaction.worldwildlife.org
______________________________________________________________________
The Conservation Action Network is sponsored by World Wildlife Fund-
US.  Known worldwide by its panda logo, WWF is dedicated to
protecting the world's wildlife and the rich biological diversity
that we all need to survive.  The leading privately supported
international conservation organization in the world, WWF has
sponsored more than 2,000 projects in 116 countries and has more than
1 million members in the United States.  WWF calls on everyone --
government, industry, and individuals -- to take responsibility by
taking action to save our living planet.

World Wildlife Fund
1250 Twenty-fourth Street, NW
Washington, DC  20037
http://www.worldwildlife.org
http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org


from Save Our Environment March 5, 2002

SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT ACTION CENTER UPDATE: March 5, 2002

The Senate is set to begin debating the Energy Bill TODAY. Please
send a fax to your senators urging them to pass a bill that
emphasizes energy efficiency and renewable energy and keeps the oil
industry out of the Arctic Refuge.

*********************************************************
Take Action! http://www.saveourenvironment.org
*********************************************************

Read this letter from Tom Petty, Mike Diamond, and BarenakedLadies:

Dear Friend,

Please join us in stopping a reckless energy plan from passing the
Senate.  Instead of solving the challenges posed by America's demand
for energy, this short-sighted plan proposes that we develop some of
the last pristine wilderness left in America, the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge.  We can't let this happen.  

Please join us in taking action now by forwarding this email to
everyone you know and sending your senators a free fax at
http://www.saveourenvironment.org

This dangerous energy plan has already been passed by the House of
Representatives, and was written with the help of oil industry
lobbyists. The Senate is our last line of defense.  If we don't act
now, our world will be forever changed.

There are alternatives. Senate Majority Leader, Tom Daschle, has
introduced an energy bill that would jump start investment in clean
electricity.  This bill includes a "renewable portfolio
standard," which would require utilities by 2020 to increase by 10
percent the electricity generated by wind, solar, and other forms of
renewable power.  In fact, many scientists believe that it is
technologically and economically feasible to reach a 20 percent
increase by 2020.  And by raising the fuel economy standards for new
cars, SUVs, and trucks to 40 mpg, we would save 4 million barrels of
oil a day by 2020 - more oil than we import from the Persian Gulf
each day and could expect to get from drilling in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge, combined!

We need your help in convincing the Senate to protect the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and support a clean energy plan.
Please forward this email to your friends, and go to
http://www.saveourenvironment.org

Sincerely,

Tom Petty, Mike Diamond, the BarenakedLadies

and

The New Power Artists: REM, the Roots and Live join the effort that
has already included the Dave Matthews Band, Blues Traveler, Moby,
Trey Anastasio (from Phish), Jackson Browne, Alanis Morissette, James
Taylor and others

and

SaveOurEnvironment.org: American Oceans Campaign, American Rivers,
Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, Environmental
Defense, Greenpeace, League of Conservation Voters, National Audubon
Society, National Environmental Trust, National Parks Conservation
Association, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense
Council, The Ocean Conservancy, Physicians for Social Responsibility,
Sierra Club, The State PIRGs, Union of Concerned Scientists, The
Wilderness Society, World Wildlife Fund

*********************************************************

Thanks for using the SaveOurEnvironment.org Action Center
http://www.saveourenvironment.org and working together with the
nation's most influential environmental groups in the crucial battles
to protect our air and water, forests and oceans, climate, and
wildlife.


from American Lands March 5, 2002

To: All Activists
From: Steve Holmer & Lay Lininger, KS Wild
Date: March 4, 2002

BLM ISSUES QUARTZ FIRE LOGGING PLAN

The Medford District BLM proposes to log up to 719 acres of lands that
burned in the 2001 Quartz Fire in the Little Applegate watershed.  
Public comments on the Quartz Fire Project Environmental Assessment will
be accepted until March 18, 2002.

The Little Applegate is a 'key watershed' for salmon recovery under the
Northwest Forest Plan.  Recent post-fire logging on private lands in the
area have caused severe compaction and disturbance of burned soils,
which will increase surface water run-off, stream flows, erosion, and
sedimentation in the coming years.

Superior Lumber Co. and Fruit Growers' Supply Co. already devastated the
burned forests on hundreds of acres of private lands in the watershed,
so federal public lands are the only place where natural fire ecology
processes have any chance of unimpaired function.

Post-fire logging operations on BLM lands would cause significant
environmental impacts by:

     * promoting noxious weeds spread

     * disturbing soil and increasing erosion
      
     * eliminating micro-habitats for soil organisms that key ecosystem recovery

     * increasing sediment pollution in Quartz Gulch and Mule Gulch

     * contributing adverse cumulative effects to watershed function

According to the BLM, logging would increase fine woody fuels by 3-13
tons  per acre and increase the size and cost of wildfires for 10 to 25
years!  Local residents and taxpayers would bear the risk while mill
owners would benefit.

Natural recovery is happening now on burned lands that have not been
logged.  Soils support vigorous re-growth of native grasses, shrubs, and
hardwood trees.  The ecosystem doesn't need help from chain saws and log
trucks!

PLEASE WRITE TO:

Bill Yocum, Ashland Resource Area
Medford District BLM
3040 Biddle Rd., Medford, OR  97504
(541) 618-2400 (fax)
mailto:or110mb@or.blm.gov

Please request a "restoration-only alternative" that includes noxious
weed removal and road decommissioning without any timber extraction or
road construction.  Be sure to ask for a single Environmental Impact
Statement that covers all burned lands managed by the BLM and the U.S.
Forest Service.  Remind Bill that post-fire logging is controversial
because scientific literature indicates it can retard ecosystem
recovery, and express concern about impacts on salmon habitat.  

For more info on the Quartz Fire check out:       
http://www.pacificbio.org/Projects/Fire2001/quartz.pdf    For more info
about salvage logging and fire management see:  
http://www.fire-ecology.org    To get involved, contact KS Wild at (541)
488-5789.

Steve Holmer
Campaign Coordinator
American Lands
726 7th Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202/547-9105
202/547-9213 fax
mailto:wafcdc@americanlands.org
http://www.americanlands.org


from American Lands March 5, 2002

Urgent!  Tell APHIS to Improve Regulations Aimed At Preventing Spread of
Sudden Oak Death

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has issued
an interim or emergency regulation restricting movement of plants and
other materials that might spread the highly damaging Sudden Oak Death
pathogen.   

The deadline for public comments is 14 April.  

Please send comments to APHIS stating that environmentalists demand the
strongest possible protection for the trees and shrubs constituting our
forests - and that this regulation falls short.

To read the regulation, visit www.aphis.usda.gov; click on
"Regulations", then scroll down to February 14, Phytophthora Ramorum.

Points to Make in Your Statement:

* applaud APHIS' action to regulate interstate shipment of potentially
infested plants, foliage, wood, bark and soil - although this regulation
should have been issued earlier.

* applaud the requirement that plants be inspected both in the nursery
and prior to shipment.

* urge APHIS to halt immediately imports of rhododendrons, azaleas, and
other potentially infested materials from Europe, where the disease is
also found.

* urge APHIS to stop allowing "self-certification" by nurseries shipping
wreathes or firewood [APHIS is not allowing self-certification for
shipments of plants]

* urge APHIS to delete the exemption for soil that has not been in
direct physical contact with any article infected with the pathogen;
this is too difficult to enforce.

* applaud the more stringent provision restricting movement of bark
chips, wild-collected plants, and mulch (these materials may be moved
only under a USDA research permit).

* applaud the provisions allowing APHIS quickly to add new host species
or new geographic regions when it learns they pose a risk.

You may send your comments electronically by visiting
http://comments.aphis.usda.gov and following the instructions.

You may also send comments via U.S. Mail.  If you do this, send four
copies (an original and three copies) to: Docket No. 01?054?1,
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700
River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737?1238. Please state that your
comment refers to Docket No. 01?054?1.

Remember, the deadline for receipt of your comments is 14 April, 2002.
Background:

Sudden Oak Death (SOD) (Phytophthora ramorum) is one of the most
damaging plant pathogens now in North America.  It attacks a wide
variety of woody plants, including  arrowwood, big leaf maple, black
oak, California bay laurel, California buckeye, California coffeeberry,
California honeysuckle, coast live oak, huckleberry, madrone, manzanita,
rhododendron and azalea, Shreve's oak, tanoak, and Toyon.  Since the
disease was discovered in 1995, it has killed more than 100,000 tanoaks,
coast live oaks, California black oaks and Shreve's oaks in 10 counties
along the California coast

Preliminary tests indicate it might kill northern red and pin oaks,
which dominate forests covering a combined range from northeastern Texas
to Nova Scotia.

To date, no cure has been found.  For more about SOD, see  
http://camfer.cnr.berkeley.edu/oaks/

The ten counties in California where SOD has been confirmed are Alameda,
Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz,
Solano, and Sonoma.  SOD has also been found in Curry County, Oregon.  

While California and Oregon have adopted regulations to prevent the
spread of P. ramorum within those states, Federal regulations are
necessary to restrict interstate movement of potentially infested
material.   

Furthermore, only the Federal government can regulate imports of plants
from abroad.  This is important because, while no one yet knows where
the Sudden Oak Death pathogen originated, a slightly different form of
the pathogen has been found on rhododendrons in Europe.  The U.S.
imported more than $220,000 worth of plants and bulbs from Germany and
the Netherlands in 2001.

It is probable that the SOD pathogen is easily transported in soil or on
plants, stems, or leaves.  Huge quantities of potentially infested
material are shipped from affected regions of Northern California and
southwestern Oregon.  In 2000, more than 177 tons of foliage, including
tanoak, huckleberry and madrone branches, entered the interstate floral
trade.  More than $6 million worth of rhododendrons and azaleas are also
shipped from nurseries in the region.

Despite the danger, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) waited more than 18 months after
receiving requests from the USDA Forest Service before it issued the
emergency regulation.

While the emergency regulation restricts interstate movement of
potentially infested material from affected parts of California and
Oregon, it does not tighten very lax controls governing imports of
rhododendrons, azaleas, and other potentially infested plants from
Europe.

The comment period on the regulation closes 15 April, 2002.  Before that
closure,  American Lands will prepare a  more detailed analysis of the
regulations and probably a sign-on letter.  You may, of course, submit
comments now as well as at that time.

Summary of the Regulation:

The regulation covers shipments from the 10 California counties and
parts of Curry County in Oregon of
* soil
* plants, foliage and branches, wood with bark, and bark chips or mulch
taken from any of the 15 plant species known to be a host to the
pathogen.

Nurseries shipping these plants must be inspected annually; each
shipment containing plants belonging to the host species must be
inspected immediately prior to being shipped.  If, during either of
these inspections, an infected plant is found, the nursery may not ship
any of these plants interstate until a subsequent inspection finds it to
be disease-free.

Those shipping foliage (for example, as wreaths or garlands) or wood
(e.g., firewood) may enter a "compliance agreement" with APHIS and
"self-certify" shipments of these products.  Self-certification is not
allowed for shipments of plants.

Potentially contaminated soil must be heated to a temperature of at
least 1800  F for 30 minutes in the presence of an inspector.  However,
soil that has not been in direct physical contact with any article
infected with the pathogen, and from which all duff  has been removed,
may be shipped without treatment.
.
Wreaths, garlands, and greenery must be dipped for 1 hour in water that
is 1600 F.

Wood products such as firewood, logs, or lumber must be free of bark.

For more information contact Faith Campbell Ph.D. at
mailto:phytodoer@aol.com or 202/547-9120.

Steve Holmer
Campaign Coordinator
American Lands
726 7th Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202/547-9105
202/547-9213 fax
mailto:wafcdc@americanlands.org
http://www.americanlands.org


from the Ocean Conservancy March 5, 2002

Over the next few weeks, the U.S. Senate will again
be voting on whether to open the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge to oil and gas drilling. In early December you
helped us defeat the last attempt to open the Refuge;
we need your help again as the Senate takes up the
Energy Bill. Please contact your senators and urge
them to vote against any effort to drill in the Arctic
Refuge.

You can take action on this alert either via email
(please see directions below) or via the web at:
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/ArticRefuge/wkwxs54478x365

Visit the web address below and tell your friends to
take action on this important campaign!
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/ArticRefuge/forward/wkwxs54478x365

We encourage you to take action by March 8, 2002

Help Protect Artic Refuge from Oil and Gas Drilling!

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

Unlike the House bill, the Senate energy proposal does
not yet contain a provision to open the Arctic Refuge
to oil and gas drilling, although we expect Alaska
Senator Murkowski and other pro-exploration senators
to offer amendments to do so. If they win - and votes
on the issue are expected to be extremely close - this
Alaska wilderness will be lost forever.

Although several other senators have committed to filibuster
any pro-Arctic drilling amendment to keep it off the
Senate Energy Bill, there will be a vote, or possibly
several, to end the filibuster (known as a cloture
vote). According to Senate rules, we need at least
41 Senators to vote against cloture in order to maintain
the filibuster and prevent the Alaska National Wildlife
Refuge from being opened to oil and gas drilling.

Keeping drilling out of the Refuge is important to
marine wildlife. Eight marine mammals, including walrus
and bowhead whales, rely on the ocean waters in the
Refuge for their survival. Polar bears also depend
on this area to rear their young; the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service has stated that disturbance from exploration
and development activity could cause den abandonment
by pregnant females or females with newborn cubs.

TAKE ACTION! Any amendment to open any portion of the
Arctic Wildlife Refuge is bad environmental policy
and bad energy policy. Please respond to this alert
and urge your senators to oppose any such environmentally
damaging and shortsighted effort to attach a pro-drilling
amendment to the Senate Energy Bill. Tell them you
want responsible energy legislation that protects the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other sensitive
public lands from oil drilling and ensures a clean
and secure energy future.

To be kept up-to-date on specifics of any amendment
to open up the Arctic Refuge to drilling please call
our toll-free Ocean Action Hotline 1-866-OCEANS-5 (623-2675).

Thank you for your help.

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

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/campaign/ArticRefuge/wkwxs54478x365  

INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA EMAIL:
Just choose the "reply to sender" option on your email
program, and edit the letter below as you wish. Do
not delete "-YOU MAY EDIT THE LETTER BELOW-" and "-END
OF LETTER-". Please do not add your name and address
to your letter. Our system 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:
Senator Hillary Clinton
Senator Charles Schumer


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

Please oppose any efforts to open up the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling during Senate consideration
of the Energy Bill. Please vote against cloture on
any amendment that will open any portion of the Refuge
to oil and gas exploration.  

Some senators will try to open the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling by attaching amendments
to the Energy Bill to allow development. Please oppose
any such effort.

Our nation needs an energy policy that emphasizes energy
efficiency and clean, renewable energy resources. Such
a policy should:

* protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other
sensitive public lands and coastal areas from unnecessary
oil drilling;
* substantially increase fuel efficiency standards
for passenger vehicles;
* include meaningful tax credits for consumers that
purchase the most advanced, clean and fuel efficient
vehicles; and
* encourage energy conservation and the use of clean,
renewable energy sources.

Sacrificing any portion of the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge is no way to solve America's energy problems.
Thank you for your vote against cloture on any amendment
to open the Refuge.

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

Sincerely yours,


from GE Food Alert March 5, 2002

------------------------------------------------------------------------
GE Food Alert Update - Vol. 1, Number 1    March 4, 2002
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                            Table of Contents

   - Welcome to GE Food Alert Update
   - Kraft Campaign Launch
   - Join the Kraft Campaign!
   - Letter to Kraft with Coalition Demands
   - GE Food Alert Call to Action Signers
   - Kraft Campaign Fact Sheet
   - Cities That Participated in Kraft Launch
   - Kraft Campaign Flyer
   - Findings of Genetically Engineered Ingredients in Kraft Products
   - Genetic Engineering Online Presentation
  A. Newspaper Articles From the Launch
   - Kraft Foods Draws Consumer Ire For Its Use of Modified Ingredients
   - Kraft to Be Target of Anti-Biotech Campaign
   - Kraft Targeted in Anti-Biotech Food Campaign
   - Group Names Bioengineered Kraft Foods
   - Groups Want Kraft Change
   - Biotech Fears Hit Kraft - Group Cites Lack of Tests on Ingredients in
Seven Foods
   - Activist Protest Kraft's Genetically Engineered Foods

WELCOME TO GE FOOD ALERT UPDATE

Thanks to your help, Genetically Engineered Food Alert has been
campaigning for the labeling of genetically engineered foods and crops
and their removal from the food chain until proven safe. Thousands of
citizens have supported GE Food Alert's efforts by sending a message to
Campbell's Soup Company, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Now GE Food Alert
is calling on Kraft Foods, the largest food company in the country, to
protect citizens from the unknown risks associated with genetically
engineered food by removing these foods from their products.

This newsletter is being sent out to all past supporters of GE Food
Alert campaigns. It provides information on our current activities and
news about the issue of genetically engineered foods.

Please visit WWW.GEFoodAlert.org to take action and keep up on the
latest campaign activities.

KRAFT CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

On February 6, Genetically Engineered Food Alert, along with thousands
of concerned citizens and organizations across the country, launched a
campaign calling on Kraft Foods to remove genetically engineered
ingredients from their foods. The campaign was launched with press
conferences in Kraft's headquarter cities of Chicago and New York, and
with leafleting and demonstrations in over 170 cities across the
country. The launch of the campaign was featured in the Wall Street
Journal, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Boston Herald, and on
nationwide radio and television news including CNN Headline News
(articles found below). The launch made such a splash that Kraft
executives were busy all day responding to reporters, and then Kraft
called us that same day. We are working now to try to get a meeting
with the company so that we can discuss our concerns with them.

Thank you to everyone who participated in events and sent e-mails in to
Kraft. Stay tuned for upcoming events to continue to call on Kraft to
remove untested, unlabeled genetically engineered foods from their
products.

JOIN THE KRAFT CAMPAIGN!

Get involved in our next day of action or request an organizing packet:
Please contact Lisa Archer at Friends of the Earth (GE Food Alert):
larcher@foe.org or 1-877-843-8687.

LETTER TO KRAFT WITH COALITION DEMANDS

GE Food Alert letter to Kraft asking the company to phase out it's use
of GE food as soon as possible. The long-term effects of GE foods are
not known, as U.S. agencies are not performing critical tests.


http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Letter_to_Kraft_with_Coalition_Demands.htm


GE FOOD ALERT CALL TO ACTION SIGNERS

A list of the signers to GE Food Alert's call to action to corporate
and government leaders. Signers include doctors, actors,
environmentalists, chefs, and food producers. All are calling for
manufacturer liability, GE labelling and the independent safety testing
of GE foods.


http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=GE_Food_Alert_Call_to_Action_Signers.pdf


KRAFT CAMPAIGN FACT SHEET

Fact sheet about genetic engineering, product labeling, precautionary
principle, etc.


http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Kraft_Campaign_Fact_Sheet.pdf


CITIES THAT PARTICIPATED IN KRAFT LAUNCH

A list of U.S. cities where activists are participating in the campaign
targeting Kraft Foods to remove genetically engineered ingredients from
their products.


http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Cities_Participating_in_Kraft_Launch.htm


KRAFT CAMPAIGN FLYER

Do you know what Kraft is putting in your food?


http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Kraft_Campaign_Flyer_with_room_for_local_conta.pdf


FINDINGS OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED INGREDIENTS IN KRAFT PRODUCTS

Test results from GMO analyses of a variety Kraft food products. The
independent tests confirm that Kraft is using genetically engineered
ingredients.


http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Kraft_Campaign_-_GMO_Analysis_Report.pdf


GENETIC ENGINEERING ONLINE PRESENTATION

This online presentation provides a brief but comprehensive overview of
genetically engineered crops and foods.

http://www.panna.org/panna/resources/geTutorial.html 


                   Newspaper Articles From the Launch


KRAFT FOODS DRAWS CONSUMER IRE FOR ITS USE OF MODIFIED INGREDIENTS

A Wall Street Journal article on Genetically Engineeered Food Alert's
effort to inform the public that they are consuming genetically
engineered foods and to also demand that Kraft remove these ingredients.


http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Kraft_Foods_Draws_Consumer_Ire_For_Its_Use_of_.htm


KRAFT TO BE TARGET OF ANTI-BIOTECH CAMPAIGN

News article on Genetically Engineered Food Alert's action against
Kraft. The aim of the action is to discourage use of controversial
genetically engineered ingredients.


http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Kraft_to_Be_Target_of_Anti-Biotech_Campaign.htm


KRAFT TARGETED IN ANTI-BIOTECH FOOD CAMPAIGN

Reuters News Service article on Genetically Engineered Food Alert's
Kraft Day of Action.

http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Kraft_Targeted_in_Anti-Biotech_Food_Campaign.htm


GROUP NAMES BIOENGINEERED KRAFT FOODS

Genetically Engineered Food Alert says seven products of Kraft Foods
Inc. contain controversial genetically modified components.

http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Group_Names_Bioengineered_Kraft_Foods.htm


GROUPS WANT KRAFT CHANGE

Chicago Sun Times article about Genetically Engineered Food Alert's
call on Kraft Foods Inc. to remove genetically engineered ingredients
from its products.

http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Groups_Want_Kraft_Change.htm


BIOTECH FEARS HIT KRAFT - GROUP CITES LACK OF TESTS ON INGREDIENTS IN SEVEN
FOODS

Consumer activists called on food giant Kraft Foods Inc. to pull
genetically altered ingredients from products including Taco Bell taco
shells, Lunchables and Stove Top Stuffing.

http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Biotech_Fears_Hit_Kraft_-_Group_Cites_Lack_of_.htm


ACTIVIST PROTEST KRAFT'S GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS

News article on a Tarrytown, New York action against Kraft's use of
genetically engineered ingredients in products.


http://www.gefoodalert.org/library/admin/uploadedfiles/showfile.cfm?
FileName=Activist_Protest_Krafts_Genetically_Engineered.htm


from Defenders of Wildlife March 6, 2002

THREAT TO ARCTIC REFUGE: Jimmy Carter, religious leaders urge Senate not to drill
TOXIC TUNDRA: Lessons to be learned from drilling in Alaska
ENERGY SECURITY: Congress should raise fuel economy standards
STOP THE SLAUGHTER: Japan plans to double whale kill
STATE SECRETS: Report shines light on corporate Trojan Horse in the states
PLEASING POLLUTERS: EPA official resigns to protest rollbacks
KIDS ESSAY CONTEST: Students writing about black bears, sea otters
SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR OUR SUPPORTERS


1. THREAT TO ARCTIC REFUGE: Jimmy Carter, religious leaders urge Senate not to drill

Former President Jimmy Carter has joined the chorus of those speaking out against drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as the Senate debates national energy policy. Carter urged senators to adopt a balanced plan that protects our greatest wildlife sanctuary. And 1,200 leaders of major U.S. religious groups announced their opposition to drilling and called for more conservation and renewable energy. As the Los Angeles Times pointed out in an editorial: "The nation doesn't need a muscle-bound energy policy, it needs a smart one -- one that does not rely so heavily on fossil fuels and fossil thinking." Interior Secretary Gale Norton, meanwhile, repeated her false claim that drilling would impact only 2,000 acres of the refuge. For more about her 2,000-acre hoax, read the column by Defenders of Wildlife President Rodger Schlickeisen at http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/arctic/hoaxa.html.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Our efforts are succeeding. Even Big Oil's congressional allies acknowledge they don't yet have enough votes to open the refuge to drilling. Go to www.SaveArcticRefuge.org to send a free e-mail urging your senators to save the Arctic refuge for future generations. And to spread the word about the danger to America's last great wilderness, send this issue of DENlines to your e-mail address book.

2. TOXIC TUNDRA: Lessons to be learned from drilling in Alaska

While Big Oil claims it can drill in the Arctic refuge in an environmentally friendly manner, a new report by Defenders of Wildlife and the Audubon Society catalogs the disastrous impact of drilling in Alaska's Kenai National Wildlife Refuge south of Anchorage. There have been more than 350 spills, fires and explosions, contaminating more than 100,000 tons of soil with toxic chemicals. Scientists have found frogs with crippling deformities. Frogs are considered a "canary in the mine," providing early-warning signals of danger to other wildlife because their porous skin makes them sensitive to environmental changes. To read the report, visit http://www.defenders.org/habitat/toxictundra.pdf

3. ENERGY SECURITY: Congress should raise fuel economy standards

Raising the fuel efficiency of new cars and SUVs is the single biggest step we can take to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to combat global warming. It would also save many times over the amount of oil ever expected from the Arctic refuge. Energy legislation now being considered by the Senate would raise the current miles-per-gallon standards. But we have learned that some senators from auto-producing states are trying to kill that provision. To learn more, visit http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/arctic/images/energyfacts.pdf

4. STOP THE SLAUGHTER: Japan plans to double whale kill

Japan plans to double the number of whales it kills in the North Pacific each year. Its government has notified the International Whaling Commission that it will kill 50 minke whales and 50 endangered sei whales on top of the 100 minkes it already has been hunting annually. Japan kills whales under the guise of "scientific research," but the whale meat winds up in gourmet markets and expensive restaurants. To sign our petition urging President Bush to impose economic sanctions against Japan until they stop slaughtering whales, go to www.saveourwhales.org.

5. STATE SECRETS: Corporate Trojan Horse pushes anti-environmental legislation

If you ever wondered who dreams up some of our laws, there's a new report that helps answer that question. It turns out that major corporations are operating behind-the-scenes in state capitals across the country through a purported "good government" group that pushes industry-friendly legislation. In addition, concludes a just-released report by Defenders of Wildlife and the Natural Resources Defense Council, this group, the American Legislative Exchange Council, provides gifts and free trips for elected officials and acts as a conduit to get special-interest legislation from corporations, including Enron, to key state legislators. Ask your state legislators whether they belong to ALEC, and read the report at www.alecwatch.org. Click here http://www.defenders.org/den/cartoons/alec.jpg to see the DENLines cartoon.

6. PLEASING POLLUTERS: EPA official resigns to protest rollbacks

A senior official with the Environmental Protection Agency has resigned to protest Bush administration attempts to allow heavily polluting power plants to violate the Clean Air Act. In resigning, Eric Schaeffer, a 12-year EPA veteran, said the Bush administration has been kowtowing to the power industry and interfering with EPA efforts to enforce the law. To read Schaeffer's letter laying out the reasons for his resignation, go to http://www.defenders.org/newsroom/letter.html

As the Bush administration scales back enforcement action against aging coal-fired power plants that are violating the law, researchers in a study published this week have linked long-term exposure to fine particles of air pollution to an increased risk of dying from lung cancer.

7. KIDS ESSAY CONTEST: Students writing about black bears, sea otters

School children participating in essay contests sponsored by Defenders of Wildlife are learning about the Florida black bear and the California sea otter. Writing about the imperiled species, student essayists are competing for prizes of $1,000, $500, and $250 savings bonds. The Black Bear Insurance Co. is donating prize money in Florida. "We felt this contest would be an ideal way not only to encourage students to learn about the bears and sea otters, but also about the important ways that different species depend on one another," said Defenders of Wildlife's education associate, Yvonne Borresen. To learn more, go to www.kidsplanet.org/contest.

8. SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR OUR SUPPORTERS

Adopt A Wolf

Help save the lives of America's wolves. Adopt a wolf today and your contribution will be used to stop the lifting of federal protections for these magnificent animals. With your adoption you'll receive your very own wolf adoption kit including an adoption certificate, a cuddly plush wolf toy and a year's subscription to our award-winning Defenders magazine.

Special discount and free tax review at H&R Block. With over 440 changes in the tax law, you may miss important new credits or deductions that could save you money.

 Defenders with H&R Block is pleased to offer the No. 1-rated TaxCut Deluxe software for the special price of $19.95. With each purchase, Defenders receives a royalty at no additional cost to you.

Complete with all the new tax laws, TaxCut asks you simple questions, automatically selects and completes the forms you'll need, and double checks your return. Go to http://www.defenders.org/hrblock

You can also take advantage of H&R Block's Doublecheck program where they'll review your last three years of returns for free. Call 1-800-HRBLOCK.


www.javaforest.org or call1-866-766-6328.


Click here to read the new online issue of our magazine: http://www.defenders.org/defendersmag.

Learn about Florida's besieged manatees, sea otters taking a nose dive, killer roads and more.

Defenders Magazine



DENlines is a bi-weekly update of Defenders of Wildlife, a leading national conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. It is known for its effective leadership on endangered species issues, particularly predators such as brown bears and gray wolves. Defenders also advocates new approaches to wildlife conservation that protect species before they become endangered. Founded in 1947, Defenders is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with more than 400,000 members and supporters. To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to denlines@defenders.org and put the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.

Defenders of Wildlife
1101 14th Street, N.W.
Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20005

Copyright Defenders of Wildlife 2002


from Natural Resources Defense Council March 6, 2002

Natural Resources Defense Council's

LEGISLATIVE WATCH

March 6, 2002

Contents:

1) Legislative Watch
2) About Our Bulletins/How to Subscribe & Unsubscribe
3) About NRDC/How to Contact Us

The information in this bulletin is also available on our website at
http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/legwatch.asp. The web version links to
the text of bills and congressional web pages. To take action on these
and other environmental issues, visit NRDC's Earth Action Center at
http://www.nrdc.org/action, where you can use our online activism
tools or subscribe to Earth Action, our biweekly activist bulletin.

1) LEGISLATIVE WATCH

This is a status report on congressional action on the environment. To
make new or updated sections easy to find, we've highlighted them
with:
= N O T E ! =

3/6/02

The Senate energy bill takes center stage this month, with crucial
votes expected over the next two weeks on issues such as drilling for
oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, increasing vehicle fuel
economy standards, and creating incentives for promoting energy
efficiency and renewable energy.

...

Budget/Appropriations

= N O T E ! =
The budget process is well underway, with both the House and Senate
budget committees considering the Bush administration's proposed $2.13
trillion fiscal year 2003 budget. Sen. Corzine (D-NJ), among others,
is attempting to garner support for restoring environmental funding
that has been cut from the Bush budget plan. The appropriations
process is also beginning with subcommittee hearings on the funding
bills for next year.

See NRDC's analysis of the Bush budget.
http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/abudget03.asp

For a step-by-step guide to our annual odyssey through resolutions,
reconciliations and appropriations, see NRDC's budget process fact
sheet.
http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/fbudg.asp

...

Clean Air and Energy

= N O T E ! =
On 3/7, the Senate Government Affairs Committee plans to hold a
hearing on how the Bush administration has been implementing the
nation's environmental laws. Those expected to testify include EPA
Administrator Whitman, a former EPA enforcement official who recently
resigned to protest the Bush administration's lax enforcement
policies, an environmental and administrative law professor, and a
representative from NRDC. The committee will also hear testimony from
members of the public who have been affected by recent administrative
decisions to weaken environmental protections.

= N O T E ! =
On 3/5, Sen. Daschle (D-SD), majority leader, began Senate floor
debate on the Democratic energy bill (S. 517). The bill would require
greater use of renewable fuels and energy, more efficient air
conditioners and heat pumps, and increased use of corn-based ethanol
in gasoline. The bill also currently includes the substantial increase
in fuel economy standards (to an average of 35 miles per gallon by
2013) proposed by Sen. Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Hollings (D-SC).
Negotiations with Sen. McCain (R-AZ) to develop bipartisan fuel
economy standards, however, could result in a slightly modified
proposal. Sen. Levin (D-MI) is also expected to offer an auto
industry-sponsored fuel economy amendment that would gut the fuel
economy advances in the bill. Another key amendment to the bill will
be the Senate Finance Committee proposal to attach a $15 billion
package of energy tax credits and incentives for improving energy
efficiency in vehicles, appliances, and building materials, as well as
for increasing the use of solar, wind, and other cleaner alternative
energy sources. The tax package, however, also includes large
subsidies for the fossil fuels industries. Debate is also expected on
amendments related to increasing use of renewable energy, drilling in
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, nuclear industry liability
relief, air conditioner efficiency standards, and development of
energy facilities on public lands.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee expects to consider
S. 556, a bill co-authored by committee chair Sen. Jeffords (I-VT) and
Sen. Lieberman (D-CT), this spring. The bill seeks to reduce four
types of power plant emissions by imposing mandatory cuts in carbon
dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and mercury emissions. No
action has been taken on the House companion bill (H.R. 1256), which
was introduced on 3/27/01 by Rep. Waxman (D-CA) and Rep. Boehlert
(R-NY). The Bush administration opposes regulating carbon dioxide
emissions, arguing that the costs on the economy would be too high.
The administration has announced a proposal that would regulate only
three of the four worst power plant pollutants, reversing a Bush
campaign promise to regulate carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas that
contributes to global warming.  

NRDC has detailed an alternative energy policy that would provide a
secure energy future without destroying wilderness or rolling back
environmental safeguards in reports including Dangerous Addiction:
Ending America's Oil Dependence
(http://www.nrdc.org/air/transportation/oilsecurity/securityinx.asp)
and A Responsible Energy Policy for the 21st Century
(http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/rep/repinx.asp).

...

Clean Water

On 2/15, Sens. Graham (D-FL), Jeffords (I-VT), Smith (R-NH), Warner
(R-VA), and Crapo (R-ID) introduced the bipartisan Water Investment
Act of 2002 (S. 1961). This is a five-year, $35 billion legislative
package that would modify the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking
Water Act, authorizing significant increases in funding for cleaner
water. The full Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing
on the bill on 2/26, and the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and
Water held a hearing on 2/28. Sen. Jeffords plans to have the bill
ready for floor debate before the July 4th recess. Environmental
groups are working to ensure that the final bill will include more
funding to meet the nation's water quality needs, including updating
aging sewer plants and collection systems, controlling contaminated
stormwater, minimizing polluted runoff, and remedying decaying and
out-of-date drinking water infrastructure. Environmentalists would
also like to see additional incentives for states to fund water
quality projects that are good for the environment, such as stream
buffers, wetlands protection, stormwater controls, and smart growth
that prevents sprawling development.

On 2/7, the House Fisheries Conservation Subcommittee approved H.R.
3577, Rep. Gilchrest's (R-MD) bill to reauthorize a popular coastal
management grant program created by the Coastal Zone Management Act.
The bill includes funding for reducing polluted runoff in coastal
areas.

On 12/5, Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) and Sen. Boxer (D-CA) introduced a bill
(S. 1768) to reauthorize CALFED, an important federal and state
partnership in California that provides water for urban and
agricultural users, as well as for wildlife and habitat restoration.
The bill avoids many of the problems in the House version (H.R. 3208),
approved by the House Resources Committee on 11/7. Environmentalists
oppose H.R. 3208, which soon may be taken up on the House floor,
because it would allow the construction of new dams in California
without appropriate review, and could give agricultural water users
priority over the environment.

...

Lands

House and Senate negotiators have made progress toward agreement on a
final version of the farm bill that works out the differences between
the House and Senate versions, H.R. 2646 and S. 1731, respectively. On
2/13, the Senate approved final passage of their version of the bill
by a 58-40 vote. The Senate bill includes a much needed boost in
conservation funding, increases habitat and wetlands conservation
programs and helps protect rural lands from sprawling suburban
development. In addition, the Senate bill provides more than $500
million for clean energy programs that support wind power, biomass
energy, fuel cells, and energy efficiency improvements on farms. The
bill attempts to correct some of the problems in the House bill that
would encourage logging on public lands and subsidize pollution from
giant factory farms. Sen. Wellstone (D-MN) was able to obtain some
limits on the use of conservation money to subsidize the creation of
animal waste pits, which degrade water quality, on massive factory
farms; stronger protections, however, were rejected by the Senate
after intense lobbying by dairy interests.

...

International Environmental Protections

On 12/6, after intense lobbying by the White House and House
Republican leaders, the House passed a trade authority bill, H.R.
3005. The bill, introduced by Rep. Thomas (R-CA) and approved by just
one vote, grants "fast track" authority to the president to negotiate
new trade agreements. Democratic leaders, as well as environmental,
consumer, social justice, and labor groups opposed the bill because it
fails to ensure adequate environmental and labor standards and could
undermine current protections. On 12/12, the Senate Finance Committee
approved a "fast track" trade bill similar to the House version, after
rejecting amendments to strengthen environmental and labor
protections. Senate floor action on the bill is expected soon.

...

For information on the environmental voting records of members of
Congress, see the League of Conservation Voter's National
Environmental Scorecards at http://www.lcv.org/scorecard/index.asp

...........

2) About Our Bulletins/How to Subscribe & Unsubscribe

NRDC distributes three bulletins by email. To subscribe to any or all
of them or to join our activist networks, go to
http://www.join.nrdcaction.org/subscribe.asp. If you already subscribe
and want to change your subscriptions or update your email address or
other information, go to http://www.join.nrdcaction.org/profileeditor
(or see the unsubscribe information below).

EARTH ACTION is sent biweekly and calls out urgent environmental
issues requiring immediate action. To unsubscribe from Earth Action,
send an email message to earthaction@nrdcaction.org with REMOVE in the
subject line.

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

The CALIFORNIA ACTIVIST NETWORK ACTION ALERT is distributed monthly 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 unsubscribe, send
an email message to wildcalifornia@nrdcaction.org with REMOVE in the
subject line.

...........

3) About NRDC/How to Contact Us

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a nonprofit environmental
organization with over 500,000 members nationwide and a staff of
scientists, attorneys and environmental experts. Our mission is to
protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and ensure a safe and
healthy environment for all living things.

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
NY, NY 10011
212-727-4511 (voice) / 212-727-1773 (fax)
General information: nrdcinfo@nrdc.org
Email subscription questions: nrdcaction@nrdc.org
http://www.nrdc.org

Also visit:
BioGems -- Saving Endangered Wild Places
A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.savebiogems.org


from ETC Group March 6, 2002

News Release:
Wednesday, March 6th, 2002

Nanotech Takes a Giant Step Down!

MIT says an army of NanoWalkers (microbots) will be manipulating sub-atomic
particles within three months.  The development signals a new era in
technology as industry prepares to move "down" from genomes to atoms.

Thumbelina with an attitude:  Hundreds of three-legged robots the size of a
thumb, complete with onboard computers, powerful microscopes, and biosensors
will be ready to manufacture nano-scale) materials by mid-2002, according to
researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Bioinstrumentation Laboratory. A 'nano' is a measurement of one-billionth of
a meter.  Only 32 millimeters in diameter, the microbots are designed to
assemble atomic and sub-atomic particles.  Responding to infrared signals
allowing each microbot to act independently or collectively on myriad tasks,
the little machines (dubbed "NanoWalkers") are capable of executing 48
million instructions and making 4,000 nano-maneuvers per second.    MIT
expects to have at least 300 microbots hard at work in an enclosed
card-table sized chromium chamber by June.  The chromium surface provides an
energy source for the robots which will receive their marching orders from a
master computer in the box's ceiling.(i)

The micro-army is expected to manipulate individual molecules and even
re-arrange sub-atomic particles.  Capable of making 200,000 measurements per
second, the machines may initially be used to analyze chemicals and to
assist in the development of new pharmaceuticals.  However, there is no
obvious limit to their job description - including the assembly and repair
of fellow microbots and the eventual construction of still-tinier nanobots.

Weapons of mass construction:  Described by their inventors as a bunch of
"line dancing bar stools",(ii) the first microbot assembly line is only one
of many such initiatives. Literally dozens of university and corporate labs
are in a race for nanotech's Holy Grail - molecular self-assembly.
Financial backing for the leading MIT venture has come exclusively from the
non-profit Seaver Institute in Los Angeles.  Around the world however, much
of the funding for the high-risk research is coming from defense
establishments and/or earmarked national nanotechnology initiatives.
Another project, at UC Berkeley (Berkeley campus of the University of
California), is developing a miniscule flying machine modeled after the
lowly blowfly (Calliphora).  Begun in 1998 and funded by the U.S. Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Office of Naval
Research, the "Nano-fly" is intended to match the 'light-footed bar stools'
on the ground, and undertake reconnaissance missions in the air as
well.(iii)   The U.S. Defense Department is a major investor in
nanotechnology, with publicly disclosed expenditures of $180 million in
2002.(iv)

"Gray goo" with "gray matter":  News of the MIT breakthrough has been
circulating since last December and appeared in some media reports in late
January, but the MIT revelation, disclosed March 1st by TechReview.com (the
online edition of Technology Review magazine) comes as a shock to many -
including some intimately involved in nanotechnology.  At a meeting
sponsored by ETC group and the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation last June, the
President and CEO of Nanophase (a nanotech start-up or "nano-nicher")
predicted that molecular self-assembly  (including nanobots capable of
building themselves) would never come to pass.  In a feisty exchange with K.
Eric Drexler (head of The Foresight Institute - a nano think-tank) in
Scientific American last September, Nobel laureate Richard E. Smalley
prophesied that "nanometer-scale robots" would "never" be developed. (v)
Smalley founded the nanotech programme at Rice University and his own
start-up enterprise, Carbon Nanotechnologies Inc., on the side.    The
latest developments at UC Berkeley and MIT may bring "never" much closer to
hand than Smalley anticipated.

For some time now Eric Drexler and more recently, Sun MicroSystem's chief
scientist Bill Joy have been warning that nanoscale construction could lead
to a "gray goo" if self-replicating inanimate matter multiplies
uncontrollably.  Microbots, capable of using individual atoms as building
blocks, represent a giant step in that direction.  Laden with their own
computers and souped-up STMs (scanning tunneling microscopes), wireless
three-legged "bar stools" could turn gray goo into the "gray matter" we
associate with two-legged critters.

Tiny tech's giant step:  Nanotechnology has been running below most peoples'
horizons for a decade but it is now poised to compliment and possibly
replace biotechnology.  Since the Dag Hammarskjöld / ETC group seminar last
June (the first global advocacy CSO meeting on the technology), three
venture capital groups have been spawned dedicated to nanotech, and the
industry now has a trade association - NanoBusiness Alliance (NBA).
Governments from China to the USA have jacked up their funding for basic
nano research, despite a general recession. The U.S. Government has
allocated $604.4 million for its National Nanotechnology Initiative in this
fiscal year.(vi)  In 2002 the total in public, corporate, and venture
capital investment in the 'tiny tech' may reach $4 billion.(vii)  More
surprisingly, and in contrast to the history of biotech, the U.S. market for
nano-materials and finished products last year was ten times global R&D for
'tiny tech' - about $45.5 billion.(viii)  According to the NBA (dubbed the
"National Buckyball Association", by industry critics), the U.S. National
Science Foundation places the total nano market at $1 trillion by 2015.(ix)

Water into wine?  The scope and impact of nanotech was brought home last
week by researchers in Spain working with Kraft Foods (a subsidiary of
Phillip Morris, the world's second largest food processing enterprise).
Kraft's Nanotechology Lab, in conjunction with Spanish universities, is
developing a nano liquid  "coating" for other liquids that among other
things could revolutionize the global beverage market.  While the potential
for cellular surgery and the vast paint and dye market is huge, Kraft is
enamored with the potential to design nano-capsules containing the colour,
fragrance, and taste of tens of thousands of different drinks.(x)  As Kraft
sees it, consumers would buy a generic liquid containing the multiple-choice
capsules  (ranging from fruit juices to colas to wines and spirits).   By
exposing the beverage to different ultrasound or radio frequencies, the
desired concoction would be released.  Households would likely need nothing
more sophisticated than a microwave-type device.  In the booming world of
nanotech, such a kitchen gadget could serve a number of purposes.  Whether
the farmers whose livelihoods depend on orchards, vineyards, and cereal
crops are as flexible, is doubtful.

Political nano:  "The developments of the past few days should make it clear
to everyone that nanotech is coming on fast and strong," says Silvia Ribeiro
of the ETC group in Mexico.  She adds, "Industry is moving 'down' from
genomes to atoms.  Since atoms can be manipulated below the level of living
material, much of the research has evaded the scrutiny of policy-makers and
of civil society."  ETC group's Hope Shand agrees: "Unlike biotech, nanotech
works with animate and inanimate matter across every industrial sector.
Every kind of corporation is involved, but until recently, most observers
have ignored the implications for the life sciences."  "Nanotechnology must
become a serious issue for the Rio+10 summit (World Summit on Sustainable
Development, Johannesburg, August 26 - September 4, 2002).  If governments
don't address it there, we could find ourselves dealing with social and
environmental issues that will make biotech look insignificant," concludes
Pat Mooney of ETC group in Canada.

BACKGROUND - tempest in an (itty-bitty) teapot:  The possibility of
self-replicating nano-machines has inspired debate and derision for years.
Richard Smalley has calculated the barriers facing a single nanobot, capable
of building at a speed of one billion atoms per second, would take 19
million years to build 30 gram (less than one ounce) product.  Such a pace
would certainly take Kraft out of the fast food market.  But, if one nanobot
could build another, then a billion nanobots could become a billion billion
little workers in 60 seconds.  An army this size could crank out about 50
kilos a second of the desired end product - be it a Big Mac, a Mac Apple, or
the Big Apple.(xi)

Which is where the "gray goo" alarm bells start to ring.  What if no one
switches off the multiplier and an exponentially exploding swarm of nanobots
concludes that a planet full of chalk markers (calcium carbonate) is an idea
whose time has come?  Or, what if - like people and software - the nanobot
blueprint mutates or develops a virus?  By the time you perceive a problem
on the horizon, the problem is the horizon.

Where Drexler believes this is possible, Smalley does not.  The Nobel
Laureate argues that a nanobot's "fingers" are too fat and sticky to
manipulate single atoms since the fingers themselves would be the same size
or bigger.  Whether single-atom maneuverability is really a problem or not,
nanotechnology seems to be developing a number of different ways to organize
matter.  It now seems possible to push relatively large quantities of atoms
around with electro-magnetic fields or even with sound waves.  Once blocks
of atoms are bound together, the nanobot "finger" factor is history.   Even
at the scale of fifty or more nanometers (it takes almost a billion nano
particles to cover the head of a pin), quantum physics takes over from
macrophysics and the properties of elements alter dramatically.  Elements
respond differently to pressure, temperature, light, and everything else -
and the crumbling calcium carbonate that teachers us on chalkboards morph
into the incredibly tough shell of the abalone.
       
ETC group is completing a kit for civil society organizations and
policy-makers on nanotechnology and will be publishing an ETC Communiqué on
the same subject later this month.  ETC group wishes to acknowledge and
thank Mathew Charron whose research was central to this news release and who
has been volunteering his time with us at our Winnipeg headquarters.

For further information:

Pat Roy Mooney:  etc@etcgroup.org (204) 453-5259 CST - Winnipeg
Hope Shand:  hope@etcgroup.org (919) 960-5223 EST - North Carolina
Silvia Ribeiro:   silvia@etcgroup.org (52) 5555-63-26-64 CST - Mexico City


The Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration, formerly RAFI, is
an international civil society organization headquartered in Canada. The ETC
group is dedicated to the advancement of cultural and ecological diversity
and human rights.  www.etcgroup.org

Endnotes:

i  Cameron, David, "Walking Small",  Technology Review website
(www.techreview.com),  March 1st   2002.
ii Graham-Rowe, Duncan,  "Lord of the Dance", New Scientist, May 26th 2001,
pages 22-23.
iii Kontzer, Tony,  "Get the bugs in" ( www.informationweek.com), December
3rd 2001.  InformationWeek.com is part of the TechWeb Business Technology
Network.
iv iv Figures downloaded from the National Nanotechnology Initiative website
(www/nano.gov/2002budget.html) on March 5, 2002.
v Smalley, Richard E., "Of Chemistry, Love and Nanobots". Scientific
American, September 2001, p.76.
vi Figures downloaded from the National Nanotechnology Initiative website
(www/nano.gov/2002budget.html) on March 5, 2002.
vii ETC group makes this estimate based upon a number of business and
government sources in several countries.  In general, the European Union and
Japan have governmental budgets that approximate U.S. Government spending on
nanotech.  Corporate spending in 2002 may match or exceed government
spending and venture capital funds are also becoming a major factor.  In
addition, China and the "Asian Tigers" are making very large commitments to
the new technology.
viii Tinker, Nathan, 2001 Business of Nanotech Survey, NanoBusiness
Alliance, October 2001, p.4.
ix Tinker, Nathan, 2001 Business of Nanotech Survey, NanoBusiness Alliance,
October 2001, p.6..
x Choi, Charles,  "Liquid coated fluids for smart drugs, food", United Press
International (www.upi.com) , New York,  Feb. 28th   2002.
xi Smalley, Richard E., "Of Chemistry, Love, and Nanobots". Scientific
American, September 2001, p.77.


from American Lands March 6, 2002

To: All Activists
From: Steve Holmer
Date: March 6, 2002

Categorical Exclusions Threaten Sensitive Forest Areas

The draft Forest Service directive to allow categorical exclusions in
sensitive forest areas such as inventoried roadless areas is still under
consideration.  The agency received over 20,000 comments before the
comment period ended last fall and is now waiting for the content
analysis.  A final decision on this potentially devastating directive
could come by June.

Meanwhile, 53 Representatives sent a letter sponsored by Rep. Mark Udall
(D-CO) to Chief Bosworth calling on him to withdraw this categorical
exclusion directive.  The letter was signed by key committee members
including Reps. Joe Rahall (D-WV) and John Conyers (D-MI) ranking
Democrats on the Resources and Judiciary Committees, Rep. Eva Clayton
(D-NC), ranking Democrat on the Forest Subcommittee of the Agriculture
Committee and Interior Appropriations Committee Reps. Maurice Hinchey
(D-NY), James Moran (D-VA) and Martin Sabo (D-MN).   

Please see http://www.americanlands.org/udall_sign_on_letter.htm for a
copy of the Udall letter and the list of signers.  Please thank your
Representative if they signed on.

In case you are wondering what the Forest Service would do with this new
authority, the Beaverhead/Deerlodge National Forest has jumped the gun
by proposing a categorical exclusion project to build an off-road
vehicle trail in an inventoried roadless area without any environmental
analysis or chance for public comment.  Here is an alert from the
Deerlodge Forest Defense Fund.


Montana's Whitetail-Haystack-O'Neil (WHO) Roadless Area Endangered --
Please Help

The Forest Service is attempting to build 7.1 miles of trail for
motorized (motorcycle) use into the heart of the
Whitetail-Haystack-O'Neil (WHO) Roadless Area, critical habitat and
linkage corridor, northeast of Butte or southwest of Boulder.  They are
attempting to quietly enter the WHO Roadless Area up State Creek, under
what is apparently an illegal "categorical exclusion."

The Forest Service Federal Register (Vol. 57, # 182, 09/18/92) is very
clear that a "categorical exclusion" can NOT be utilized for proposed
actions into:
               1. Inventoried roadless areas;
               2. Areas of steep slopes;
               3. Areas of highly erosive soils; and
               4. Areas inhabited by threatened and endangered species.

ALL of these situations apply to any attempts to construct a motorized
trail up State Creek into the Whitetail-Haystack-O'Neil (WHO) Roadless
Area.  (It is important to note that under the new directive, the agency
would be allowed to utilize categorical exclusions.)

Constructing this motorized trail into the Deerlodge National Forest's
largest and most controversial roadless area with NO environmental
analysis whatsoever flies directly into the face of the Deerlodge Forest
Settlement, the Deerlodge Forest Plan, the WHO lawsuits, NEPA and the
federal laws cited above.

Even without this new motorized trail, the present situation in the
Whitetail-Haystack-O'Neil-Pipestone (WHOP) Area is not in compliance
with the Deerlodge National Forest Plan, as the high density of roads
and motorized trails in the area south of the WHO Roadless Area
compromise resource protection, and severely limit the areas suitability
as wildlife habitat.  Janette Kaiser, Supervisor of the
Beaverhead/Deerlodge National Forests recently pulled out of an
agreement with the BLM for travel management planning for this area,
forcing the BLM to go it alone.

The Forest Service is proposing to build the new motorized State Creek
Trail into habitat of:  Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Transitory Grizzly
Bear, Wolf, Boreal Owl, Flammulated Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker,
Ferruginuous Hawk (in BLM land to south), Western Big-eared Bat,
Mountain Plover, Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus Clarki
Bouvieri), Westslope Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus Clarki Lewisi),
Preble's Shrew, Lynx, Wolverine, and Marten.

The essential characteristics of the Whitetail-Haystack-O'Neil-Pipestone
(WHOP) Area are defined by roadless wildlands and the area functions as
an important wildlife corridor.  Please contact the Forest Service and
ask why they are proposing a categorical exclusion in a sensitive
roadless area?  Also please remind them of the necessity for a travel
management plan for the entire WHOP Area.  Thank you.  (Note: Both
Kaiser and Sexton have toll-free telephone numbers).

Janette Kaiser, Supervisor,
Beaverhead/Deerlodge National Forests
420 Barrett St.
Dillon, MT   59725-3572
Ph:  406-683-3900; or
Toll-free: 877-521-2889
Fax:  406-683-3855

Terry J. Sexton, District Ranger
Jefferson Ranger District
Beaverhead/Deerlodge National Forests
3 Whitetail Road
Whitehall, MT   59759
Ph:  406-287-3223 or:
Toll-free:  800-433-9206
Fax:  406-287-3368
mailto:tsexton@fs.fe.us
mailto:etolf@fs.fed.us

For more information contact Phil Knight, Native Forest Network, (406)
586-3885, mailto:pknight@wildrockies.org


Steve Holmer
Campaign Coordinator
American Lands
726 7th Street SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202/547-9105
202/547-9213 fax
mailto:wafcdc@americanlands.org
http://www.americanlands.org


from Global Response March 7, 2002

Dear Members of Global Response's "Quick Response Network:"

There are so many reasons to stop this gold mine in Australia: it threatens
a critical wetland habitat for 23 protected species of migratory birds, it
threatens sacred lands of Aboriginal people, it threatens to keep poisoning
the environment for hundreds of years, and it is strongly opposed by a
growing coalition of local people, environmental organizations and
Aboriginal Traditional Owners. Read the story of the amazing long-distance
migrations of birds whose southern home is threatened by a cyanide leach
mine -- and write a letter today to stop this mine.

Thanks for joining this international campaign; we can stop this mine before
it starts.

-Paula Palmer


*************************************************************
Global Response Action #2/02
Stop Gold Mine/Protect Wetlands & Migratory Birds – Australia
March/April 2002
*************************************************************

“Clearly it is too risky to put a cyanide leach gold mine on the edge of a
precious lake and wetland system. Australia has already lost an astronomical
89% of our wetlands.”
– Ruth Rosenhek, Coalition to Protect Lake Cowal


Wetlands act as giant sponges, absorbing rainfall and slowly releasing it
over time.  They control floods, purify water, provide wildlife habitat and
supply food for 400 million people. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reports
that the Earth has lost over one half of its wetlands in the last 100 years.
In fact, WWF warns that freshwater ecosystems are declining faster by far
than forest, grassland and coastal ecosystems worldwide.

In Australia, where 89% of wetlands are already destroyed, a coalition of
environmental organizations is determined to protect Lake Cowal from
industrial contamination. The largest natural lake in New South Wales and
the heart of the Wilbertroy-Cowal Wet-
lands in the Jemalong Plain, Lake Cowal is listed in Australia’s Directory
of Important Wetlands. The Australian Heritage Commission recommended Lake
Cowal’s nomination for listing under the Ramsar Convention as a Wetland of
International Importance.

To the Aboriginal traditional owners, the Wiradjuri, Lake Cowal and
surrounding land is a sacred area, the “heartland” of their nation.  The
Mooka Traditional Owners Council within the Wiradjuri Nation has submitted a
Native Title Claim over an area including the lake.

To environmentalists, birders and school children of New South Wales, Lake
Cowal is precious habitat for native and migratory birds.  Of the 172
species of birds that rely on Lake Cowal, many are migratory species
protected under Australia-Japan and Australia-China conservation agreements
for migratory birds. Australian school children welcome the Latham snipe
back from Japan each September with a “Snipefest,” and exchange legends
about migratory species with Japanese classrooms.

To Canada-based Barrick Gold Corporation, the world’s second largest gold
producer, Lake Cowal is their next gold mine. Barrick wants to dig an
enormous open pit (one kilometer wide and 325 meters deep) on the shore of
Lake Cowal.  They would use cyanide, a dangerous poison, to leach bits of
gold out of the low- and medium-grade ore, with only an earthen barrier
separating the mine from the lake.  If they produce the amount of gold they
are projecting for the site, they will leave behind 76 million tonnes of
toxic tailings – 28 tonnes for each ounce of gold extracted.

“This mine presents an alarming risk to environ-mental and social health…and
there is no way of guaranteeing that accidents will not occur if it is
allowed to proceed,” says Ruth Rosenhek, of the Coalition to Protect Lake
Cowal. In February, cyanide solution was spilled during transportation from
an Australian mine and killed over 500 birds; in 1995 over 2,000 birds died
at a gold mine tailings dam near Lake Cowal. Aware of these and many other
cyanide leach mining disasters worldwide, thousands of New South Wales
citizens have signed a petition to ban this type of mining in the state.

**********************
BACKGROUND INFORMATION

AMAZING MIGRATIONS:  Millions of birds migrate every year between Northern
Hemisphere breeding grounds and southern Australia, covering distances up to
35,000 kms (21,000 miles) round-trip.  The main threat to these waterbirds
is loss and alteration of habitat, especially wetlands, along their
migration routes.  Australia participates in international agreements with
Japan and China to protect migratory birds and their habitats.  Twenty-three
bird species protected under these agreements are found at Lake Cowal.
     The smallest and most abundant of migratory waders at Lake Cowal is the
Red-Necked Stint. This little bird is only 14 cm (6.5 inches) long and
weighs 25 g (about 1 ounce).  Each September, flocks of Red-Necked Stints
return to southern Australia from breeding grounds in the tundras and swamps
of Siberia.  Their flyway (migratory route) is up to 35,000 kms (21,000
miles) round-trip.  Over a lifespan averaging 10 years, Red-Necked Stints
fly 350,000 kms – nearly the distance from Earth to the moon!  Not bad for a
bird that fits into the palm of your hand.
     For more info on Australia’s migratory birds, see:
www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/wetlands/facts/paa/birds

*******************************************************

REQUESTED ACTION:

(1)   Please send a polite letter to the CEO of Barrick Gold.

*     Tell him you support Australian environmental organizations and
Aboriginal people in their determination to protect Lake Cowal for its value
as a wetland, migratory bird habitat, and Aboriginal Sacred Place.

*     Urge him to demonstrate Barrick Gold’s commitment to environmental
protection and community consent by canceling the Lake Cowal gold mine
project.

Address: Mr. Peter Munk, Chairman
Barrick Gold Corporation
Royal Bank Plaza, PO Box 119
200 Bay St., Suite 2700
Toronto, Canada M5J 2J3

Fax:    Int’l code + 416/364-5845
Toll-free phone in US and Canada: 1-800-720-7415
Email to his assistant: shiela.fennessy@trizechahn.com

NOTE: For the greatest impact, write a letter and mail it with a stamp! In
the US and Canada, make phone calls, too.  Fax is fine; email is least
effective, but please do this if it's the way you can contribute to this
campaign. Thanks for ALL your actions!

(2) Also write to Premier Robert Carr of New South Wales, Australia:

*      Tell him you support Australian environmental organizations and
Aboriginal people in their determination to protect Lake Cowal for its value
as a wetland, migratory bird habitat, and Aboriginal Sacred Place.

*     Urge him to: 1) not grant a mining lease for Barrick Gold
Corporation's mining project at Lake Cowal; 2) recommend Lake Cowal for
listing under the Ramsar Convention as a Wetland of International
Importance; and 3) designate the region as an Aboriginal Place, in support
of the wishes of Traditional Custodians.

Address:

The Hon. Robert John Carr, M.P. 
Parliament House
Macquarie Street, Sydney 2000
NSW, Australia

Fax:  Int’l code+ 61-2-9228-3935
Email: bob.carr@www.nsw.gov.au

This Global Response Action was issued at the request of and with
information provided by the Coalition to Protect Lake Cowal (including Mooka
Traditional Owners Inc, Rainforest Information Centre, Friends of the Earth
Australia, Humane Society International, Birds Australia and Mineral Policy
Institute).

For information on the Lake Cowal campaign, see:
www.rainforestinfo.org.au/gold/lakep.html
About gold mining, cyanide:  www.www.mineralpolicy.org and www.moles.org.
For Barrick Gold: www.barrick.com.
About migratory birds: www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/wetlands/facts/paa/birds/.
About wetlands:  www.ramsar.org,
www.panda.org/livingwaters/wetland_week.cfm, and
www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/wetlands/facts/index.html.


********************************
Paula Palmer, Executive Director
Global Response
P.O. Box 7490
Boulder CO 80306
USA
TEL: 303-444-0306
FAX: 303-449-9794
Email: paula@globalresponse.org
Website: www.globalresponse.org

Global Response empowers people of all ages, cultures, and nationalities to
protect the environment by creating partnerships for effective citizen
action.  At the request of indigenous peoples and grassroots organizations,
Global Response organizes international letter-writing campaigns to help
communities prevent environmental destruction.  Global Response involves
young people as well as adults in these campaigns, to develop in them the
skills for global citizen cooperation and earth stewardship.


from Global Response March 7, 2002

Dear Members of Global Response's "Quick Response Network:"

Here's some great news from Costa Rica! We're waiting for a final decision
from Costa Rica's environmental minister in early April -- but we are very
close to celebrating a victory in the fight against oil development on Costa
Rica's Caribbean Coast (GR Action #2/01:  Stop Oil Development on Caribbean
Coast / Costa Rica).

On February 28, 2002, the Costa Rican government rejected the Environmental
Impact Studies submitted by Harken Energy Corporation and its partner MKJ
Xplorations for oil exploration and development along the country’s
Caribbean Coast. Coastal communities and a coalition of national and
international environmental organizations are celebrating a tremendous
victory for environmental protection in Costa Rica! The decision reads, in
part:

“Costa Rica should pursue a model of development that takes into
consideration current human needs without compromising the well-being of
future generations…. [Oil development] contrasts with the image of Costa
Rica as a leader in natural resource conservation… it is environmentally
unviable.”

MKJ Xplorations appealed the decision, giving Costa Rica’s environmental
minister 30 days to uphold or overturn the ruling. The Costa Rican anti-oil
coalition, ADELA, is optimistic. “I can’t imagine any minister going against
a unanimous decision that is so well documented and analyzed,” said Emily
Yozell, a lawyer with ADELA.  The decision listed 55 reasons for rejecting
the oil companies’ bid.

Expressing frustration with costly delays in approval of the oil project,
Harken Energy Corporation withdrew its 40% investment in the project just
days before the Costa Rican government announced its decision. (Costa Rican
anti-oil activists and environmental lawyers meticulously challenged every
document the oil companies filed, and held the Costa Rican government to
strict observance of its environmental laws. Democracy takes time – and a
vigilant citizenry determined to make it work!)  Harken’s press release also
acknowledged that all three top candidates in Costa Rica’s presidential
election oppose oil development in Costa Rica.

Global Response kicked off the international campaign in support of Costa
Rican anti-oil activists in March 2001, with letters to Harken Energy and
Costa Rican President Miguel Angel Rodriguez; NRDC, E-Law and International
Fund for Animal Welfare joined the international campaign. Special credit is
due Global Response-participating classrooms and youth organizations in 57
countries; many of our Young Environmental Activists sent wonderful dolphin
and sea turtle drawings along with their letters.

Thanks to you all for your letters to Harken Energy and to the Costa Rican
president. Your letters clearly influenced both the company and the
government, and provided great support for the Costa Rican citizens'
movement for environmentally sound development.

See our Action Alert at:
http://www.globalresponse.org/gra_index/gra0201.html.


********************************
Paula Palmer, Executive Director
Global Response
P.O. Box 7490
Boulder CO 80306
USA
TEL: 303-444-0306
FAX: 303-449-9794
Email: paula@globalresponse.org
Website: www.globalresponse.org

Global Response empowers people of all ages, cultures, and nationalities to
protect the environment by creating partnerships for effective citizen
action.  At the request of indigenous peoples and grassroots organizations,
Global Response organizes international letter-writing campaigns to help
communities prevent environmental destruction.  Global Response involves
young people as well as adults in these campaigns, to develop in them the
skills for global citizen cooperation and earth stewardship.


from Natural Resources Defense Council March 7, 2002

========================================
NRDC's EARTH ACTION:
The Bulletin for Environmental Activists

March 7, 2002
========================================

SPECIAL ALERT FOR NEW YORK EARTH ACTIVISTS: Speak out for a cleaner
energy future -- comments due by March 15th!

Take action *now* at
http://www.nrdcaction.org/index.asp?step=2&item=1166

In New York and across the country, electricity generation, primarily
from dirty coal-fired power plants, creates pollution that
significantly increases asthma attacks and a host of other illnesses,
as well as urban smog, global warming, acid rain and contamination of
rivers and lakes. And with New York City and major transportation
networks located in low-lying areas, New York is particularly
vulnerable to sea level rise caused by global warming. But since 1995,
New York utility companies have cut their investments in energy
efficiency by 60 percent, from $424 million to $176 million per year.

The state is now developing a long-term energy plan. If the final plan
establishes programs that make energy-saving technologies more
affordable and more readily available, New York consumers and
businesses could reduce their energy use -- and its resulting
pollution -- by as much as thirty percent.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
(NYSERDA), the lead agency developing the plan, is accepting public
comments through March 15th. The final plan is scheduled to be
released in May.

== What to do ==
Send a comment to NYSERDA by the March 15th comment deadline, urging
the agency to issue a final plan that increases investments in energy
efficiency and clean power.

== Contact information ==
You can send an official comment directly from NRDC's Earth Action
Center at http://www.nrdcaction.org/index.asp?step=2&item=1166
(we'll send a copy of your message to your state assemblymember and
state senator). Or use the contact information and sample letter below
to send your own message.

Paul DeCotis, Program Director
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
Corporate Plaza West
286 Washington Ave.
Albany, NY 12203-6399
Fax:  518-862-1091
Email:  info@nyserda.org

== Sample letter ==

Subject:  Give NY an energy plan that cuts pollution and increases
energy efficiency

Dear Mr. DeCotis,

I urge NYSERDA and the other agencies developing the State Energy
Planning Board Plan to issue a final plan that sets a cap for global
warming emissions from power plants, reduces pollution from other
sources and increases investments in renewable energy,
energy-efficient technologies, and clean-up of older, more polluting
power plants. Power plant pollution causes asthma attacks and a host
of other illnesses, urban smog, global warming, acid rain and water
pollution; New York needs a strong plan to help reduce these problems.

Specifically, the final plan you issue should:

** meet or exceed the emissions reductions requirements set forth in
the Kyoto Protocol throughout the state;

** reduce particulates, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
oxides and mercury from power plants;

** clean up older, inefficient and polluting power plants;

** commit to at least a 10 percent reduction in statewide energy
demand over the next 10 years by significantly expanding energy
efficiency programs;

** commit to getting at least 10 percent of the state's electricity
from renewable sources over the next 10 years;

** promote regulatory incentives that encourage utilities to work with
their customers to increase efficient usage and clean energy
production; and

**  reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cars and other modes of
transportation by promoting cleaner vehicles, incentives to reduce
miles driven, improved rail freight infrastructure, and smart growth.

Again, I urge you to issue a final energy plan that reduces the
harmful impacts of electricity production on our health and
environment.

Sincerely,

[your name and address]


==========
About NRDC
==========

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a nonprofit environmental
organization with over 500,000 members nationwide and a staff of
scientists, attorneys and environmental experts. Our mission is to
protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and ensure a safe and
healthy environment for all living things.

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 email: nrdcaction@nrdc.org
http://www.nrdc.org

Also visit:
BioGems -- Saving Endangered Wild Places
A project of the Natural Resources Defense Council
http://www.savebiogems.org

===========


from Act for Change March 7, 2002

Buried  in an obscure section of President Bush’s 2003 budget is a proposal  to slash taxes on industrial polluters and pass the bill for toxic cleanups to the taxpayer. The proposal will eliminate the main source of income for the Superfund, the trust fund created in 1980 to clean up hazardous waste at industrial sites. The last three presidents, including Reagan and Bush senior, all supported the Superfund and its slogan, “the polluter pays.” However, the current Bush wants to give big polluters (and big donors) a break — at the expense of regular citizens and the environment.        

Click here to take action!
        
        Since the Superfund’s inception, 1,551 hazardous waste sites have landed on the Environmental Protection Agency’s national priority list. The sites are contaminated with highly toxic chemicals, including lead, arsenic, mercury and PCBs that poison soil and groundwater and cause everything from cancer to birth defects in nearby communities.
        
        Bush’s proposal not to reauthorize the corporate tax, which brings in about $1 billion a year from corporations such as General Electric and Dupont, means that taxpayers will have to pay a significantly greater percentage of the cost of the fund in order to ensure the cleanup of these contaminated sites. Passing the bill for toxic cleanups to taxpayers is outrageous. Industrial polluters should be held accountable for their own messes.
        
        Urge your senators to oppose Bush’s proposal to let polluters off the hook by passing the cost of toxic cleanups to the taxpayer.
              Click here to take action!


from Care2 alerts March 7, 2002

Care2's alerts newsletter features important steps YOU can
quickly take to help make the world greener. Please take action
on our most recent alert below!

1) Help Save Our Children From Dirty Air!
2) Eco Activist Tips
3) Quote of the Day
************************************************
1) Help Save Our Children From Dirty Air!
You pack their lunch and help them with their homework
making sure your kids are healthy and happy. But did you
know the school buses in your community might be
hazardous to your children's health?

Millions of kids are exposed to unhealthy levels of air
pollution as they travel to and from school in some of the
dirtiest vehicles on the road. Over 440,000 school buses
are aging diesel vehicles built to outmoded health and
safety standards. Help replace these school buses with
clean, safe alternatives.

Go to Cleanschoolbus.org to Take Action Today!
Click here: http://www.care2.com/go/redirect/2/3553

Contact your Senators and urge them to support and fund a
dedicated grant program for school districts to
replace older buses with cleaner, new alternative fuel or
low-sulfur diesel buses. Voice your support today so that
this program will pass through Congress and be signed by
the President.
Click here: http://www.care2.com/go/redirect/2/3553

************************************************
2) Eco Activist Tips
*Compost your organic waste. It will save tons of trash
typically hauled to the dump and can be used as fertilizer
for your home gardening!
*Use your mug in the office instead of using non-
biodegradable styrofoam cups. This helps to reduce waste.
*When writing or photocopying, make use of both sides of
the paper.
************************************************

3) Quote of the Day
"How strange and wonderful is our home, our earth, with
its swirling vaporous atmostphere, its flowing and
frozen liquids, its trembling plants, its creeping,
crawling, climbing creatures, the croaking things with
wings that hang on rocks and soar through fog, the
furry grass, the scaly seas." Edward Abbey (1927-1989)


from the Wilderness Society March 7, 2002

********************
*  WildAlert
*  Thursday, March 7, 2002
***********************

Dear WildAlert Subscriber:

As the Senate wraps up its third day of debate of the energy bill (S
517), we thought we'd drop a line to say thanks for all you've done
to get us this far, and to bring you up to date on what is happening
on this critical issue.  

First, thanks for being a part of the WildAlert community.  You've
helped send more than 50,000 messages to decision-makers since
October, 2001.  We are so grateful for your faithfulness to this
issue.

ARCTIC DEBATE UPDATE
The Senate debate began on Tuesday, March 5th and is expected to
last only two or three weeks, since Sen. Majority leader Daschle is
determined not to let this debate drag on.
You can see daily updates about the arctic debate at:
http://www.wilderness.org/arctic/index.htm

SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT
Pro-drilling Senators are making statements on the floor which are
egregious, misleading, and just plain wrong.  You can read about
them, AND get the facts at:
http://www.wilderness.org/arctic/debate.htm

ENERGY THREATS TO WESTERN LANDS
In all the justifiable concern over the vulnerability of the Arctic
Refuge, we mustn't overlook the fact that there are significant
threats to wild places in the lower 48, as well.

HR4, the House-passed energy bill, contained several provisions
which could be tacked on to the Senate bill, becoming law if
passed.  Among them are provisions:

-- To eliminate the Forest Service' ability to protect forestlands
from energy development via removing Forest Supervisor oversight;

-- To eliminate protections for fish, wildlife, water and fragile
sites now covered in regulations for leasing on BLM and USFS lands

-- To turn over our national lands to local interests and weaken
protections for fish and wildlife.  In one such provision, state oil
and gas commissions would have control of oil and gas operations on
our national lands.

We've put together a whole resource section on energy for online
activists, at:
http://www.wilderness.org/eyewash/energy/resources.htm


NEW REPORT:  BIG OIL'S ENERGY PLAN 2002
http://www.wilderness.org/energy/

The Wilderness Society today released a new report detailing how the
industry-laden Bush Administration has been quietly and aggressively
acting on behalf of the oil, gas, and coal industries to open up
millions of acres of special places to Big Oil.

In 2001, the Bush Administration issued more than 3800 oil and gas
permits, the most ever in one year. With very little public debate
or scrutiny, the White House has allowed oil and gas companies to
begin operations in some of the most fragile, most remarkable places
in the country - places that have up until this time been considered
too special to drill.

Even as the White House opens up millions of acres of public lands
to oil and gas drilling, it also seeks legislation to further weaken
environmental safeguards that protect our public lands from
irresponsible and unnecessary damage. The Republican leadership in
the House passed a bill (HR 4) that would make it more difficult for
land managers to protect sensitive wild lands from oil and gas
drilling, while at the same time shelling out $34 billion in
subsidies to these corporations.

Read the report: http://www.wilderness.org/energy/

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
It's not too late to let your senators know how important these
issues are to you. In fact, stepping up the pressure at this time
could be quite advantageous. The best way is to make a brief phone
call to your Senators.  Tell the person who answers the phone that
you're calling about the Energy bill and that you:

-- OPPOSE drilling in the Arctic Refuge
-- OPPOSE new energy development on western wildlands
-- OPPOSE the weakening of current protections for the wilderness
and wildlife values on our national lands
-- SUPPORT higher vehicle fuel efficiency standards (CAFE)
-- SUPPORT investment in and incentives for renewables and
conservation programs

If you know the names of your Senators, call the Senate switchboard
and ask for their offices:  202-224-3121.

Or, you can use our legislative directory
http://tws.ctsg.com/wac/legDirectory/
to look up a direct number for your Senators.

SPREAD THE WORD
If you can do one thing more, forward this message to your friends
and family.

Thanks for subscribing to WildAlert, building a potent community of
online activists for wilderness protection!


***************************************************************
For a full list of Action Items, visit
http://www.wilderness.org/whatcan/takeaction.htm

***************************************************************
An archive of past Wildalerts can be found at
http://www.wilderness.org/wildalert/wildalerts.htm

***************************************************************
To make a gift online to The Wilderness Society, click here
https://secure-net.com/tws/join.asp

***************************************************************
WildAlert is an email action alert system brought to you by The
Wilderness Society to keep you apprised of threats to our wildlands -
in the field and in Washington.  WildAlert messages include updates
along with clear, concise actions you can take to protect America's
last wild places.  You are welcome to forward Wildalerts to all
those interested in saving America's wildlands.

FEEDBACK: If you need to get in contact with the owner of the list,
(if you have trouble unsubscribing, or have questions about the list
itself) send email to <action@tws.org>.

TO SUBSCRIBE: If you have been forwarded this message and would like
to subscribe to the list, visit
http://www.wilderness.org/forms/subscribe.htm or send a message to
wildalert@tws.org with 'SUBSCRIBE' in the subject line and your
email address in the body of the message.

Founded in 1935, The Wilderness Society works to protect America's
wilderness and to develop a nation-wide network of wild lands
through public education, scientific analysis and advocacy.  Our
goal is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air
and water, wildlife, beauty and opportunities for recreation and
renewal that pristine forests, rivers, deserts and mountains
provide. To take action on behalf of wildlands today, visit our
website at http://www.wilderness.org



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