bananas
bananas's JournalWaxman speaks in support of proposed carbon emissions rule
Source: UPI
A proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule limiting power plants’ carbon emissions got a big thumbs-up from environmentalist Rep. Henry Waxman Thursday at a rally outside the EPA building.
The California lawmaker and top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee spoke in support of the rule to set emissions limits on coal-fired plants outside the EPA headquarters as the agency heard public comments inside the building.
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Waxman, who has said he will retire when his term ends this year, is a well-known environmental activist in the House. In 2013 he formed the Safe Climate Caucus with 34 other representatives to address climate change issues.
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Waxman was joined on Thursday by Elena Rios, president of the National Hispanic Medical Association, who spoke about the public health dangers of climate change.
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Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2014/02/07/Waxman-speaks-in-support-of-proposed-carbon-emissions-rule/8561391723025/ph2/
Judge rules drivers can flash lights to warn of police presence
Source: Atlanat Journal-Constitution
The judge says not allowing drivers to flash their lights in warning violates First Amendment rights.
US District Judge Henry Autrey in St. Louis wrote, "Detaining, ticketing, or arresting someone for the content of their speech is illegal."
The suit came after Michael Elli was given a ticket in Ellisville, Missouri when he flashed his lights to warn drivers about police ahead.
The charges were dropped but that didn’t stop the ACLU from filing a lawsuit over the incident.
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Read more: http://www.ajc.com/news/news/crime-law/judge-rules-drivers-can-flash-lights-warn-police-p/ndGXF/
Kerry warns France against doing business with Iran
Source: The Hill
Secretary of State John Kerry warned France on Wednesday that its businesses will be sanctioned if they try to do business with Iran.
Kerry issued the warning in a wide-ranging interview with CNN on Wednesday after 100 French companies traveled to Iran’s capital this week to do business.
“While the French may send some businesspeople over there, they're not able to contravene the sanctions,” he said. “They will be sanctioned if they do and they know it. And we've put them on notice.”
Kerry called French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius this week to say the visit to Tehran was “not helpful,” according to Wendy Sherman, under-secretary of State for political affairs.
“Tehran is not open for business because our sanctions relief is quite temporary, quite limited and quite targeted,” Sherman told members of Congress on Tuesday.
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Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/global-affairs/middle-east-north-africa/197579-kerry-warns-france-against-doing-business-with
These are very difficult negotiations, Kerry is one of the few people who could pull it off.
Even Obama only gives it a 50-50 chance of success.
Help Preserve and Protect New Mexico's Night Skies!
Help Preserve and Protect New Mexico's Night Skies!
New Mexicans have long been proud of their dark pristine night skies where one can see the entire Milky Way year round! In fact, they backed this up by enacting a law in 1999 called The Night Sky Protection Act. It's purpose is, "To regulate outdoor lighting fixtures to preserve and enhance the state's dark sky while promoting safety, conserving energy, and preserving the environment for astronomy." Recently, the New Mexico State Transportation Commission allowed electronic billboards along federal highways throughout the state. This is in direct opposition to the letter and intent of the law. Please do your part to help preserve and protect your right to enjoy this most precious natural resource that belongs to all of us by signing this petition demanding that the New Mexico State Commission reverse their decision allowing these distracting and light polluting billboards. Thank You!
Make a Clean Break, California!
http://www.sierraclub.org/GoCleanCA
Actresses Unite in Support of Replacing Nukes With Clean Energy
Source: EcoWatch
Today, actresses Amy Smart, Eva Amurri Martino, Emmanuelle Chriqui and Dawn Olivieri joined the Sierra Club in an online video asking Gov. Jerry Brown to make a “clean break” with fossil fuels, and commit to replacing the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station with 100% clean energy. The California Public Utilities Commission is expected to begin its decision-making process within the next few days as to how much of the shuttered nuclear plant will be replaced by clean or dirty energy.
The video cuts between the different actresses in the midst of classic break-up scenes—packing up their things, talking over coffee and breaking the bad news as they tell fossil fuels that it’s time to move on: “I just don’t think it’s working out any more—our relationship is toxic. I need something I can commit to for the long term: clean energy.”
The video ends with a link to a petition, where viewers can send a message to Gov. Brown asking him to only use clean energy to replace the power from the retired San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, instead of building new gas-fired power plants.
“Doubling down on dirty energy is not the right answer,” said Emmanuelle Chriqui. “Fossil fuels have been nothing but trouble for California—causing smog, spills, carbon emissions and health hazards all over the state. The upcoming transition of San Onofre is an opportunity for us to move forward and show that our state is going to be a leader on clean energy.”
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Read more: http://ecowatch.com/2014/02/05/actresses-replacing-nukes-clean-energy/
Fukushima Pledges To Go 100 Percent Renewable While Japan Grapples With Nuclear Future
Source: Think Progress
The province of Fukushima in northeast Japan, devastated nearly three years ago by the earthquake and tsunami that caused a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, has pledged to go 100 percent renewable by 2040.
The energy will be generated through local community initiatives throughout the province of nearly two million. Announced at a Community Power Conference held in Fukushima this week, it goes against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s agenda to reboot nuclear power throughout the country.
“The Japanese government is very much negative,” said Tetsunari Iida, director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies in Japan.
“Local government like the Fukushima prefecture or the Tokyo metropolitan government are much more active, more progressive compared to the national government, which is occupied by the industry people.”
Former Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa is running for mayor of Tokyo on an anti-nuclear platform. The February 9 election is seen as a referendum on Abe’s efforts to restart nuclear reactors and on the future of nuclear power in Japan in general.
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Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/02/05/3247591/fukushima-pledges-100-percent-renewable/
U.S. launches 'climate hubs' to help farmers face climate change
Source: Reuters
President Barack Obama's administration announced the formation on Wednesday of seven "climate hubs" help farmers and rural communities adapt to extreme weather conditions and other effects of climate change.
The hubs will act as information centers and aim to help farmers and ranchers handle risks, including fires, pests, floods and droughts, that are exacerbated by global warming.
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The hubs will be located in Ames, Iowa; Durham, New Hampshire; Raleigh, North Carolina; Fort Collins, Colorado; El Reno, Oklahoma; Corvallis, Oregon; and Las Cruces, New Mexico, the official said.
Additional "sub hubs" will be set up in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico; Davis, California; and Houghton, Michigan.
The hubs are an example of executive actions Obama has promised to take to fight climate change.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/05/us-usa-climate-hubs-idUSBREA1408120140205
Oregon offshore wind energy farm project announced
Source: Associated Press
A Seattle company is being given the green light to develop plans to build the West Coast's first offshore wind energy farm — five floating turbines off Oregon's Coos Bay, federal and state officials said Wednesday.
The 30-megawatt pilot project was announced at a press conference by Gov. John Kitzhaber, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director Tommy Beaudreau.
Though offshore wind farms are an expensive source of energy, proponents say they could bring clean, efficient electricity, create new jobs and stimulate the economy.
"It's not going to be economic out of the gate," Beaudreau said. But "it's important for Oregon to be on the edge of what could be a huge industry in the future."
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Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/oregon-offshore-wind-energy-farm-project-announced
OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Waxman to launch new climate initiative
Source: The Hill
ON THE WAY OUT: Before heading for the exit, environmental advocate Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and members of the Safe Climate Caucus will launch a new initiative to respond to the threat of climate change on Thursday.
Members will hold a press conference Thursday morning to announce the initiative and discuss the climate change and environmental issues facing Congress and the nation in 2014.
ON TAP THURSDAY: The Environmental Protection Agency will hold a hearing at its headquarters on President Obama's proposed carbon pollution limits for new coal-fired power plants.
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And Waxman will continue his climate-filled day at the EPA hearing. The long-time climate champion will hold a press conference with representatives from coal country and the Hispanic community outside of EPA headquarters in support of the proposed carbon pollution standard.
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Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/197592-overnight-energy-waxman-to-launch-new-climate-initiative
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