Silvia Hall's Blog

Take Action: Tell Secretary Salazar to Maintain a Strong ESA

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:37:33 EDT

I am writing to express support for a strong Endangered Species Act and to oppose any changes to the consultation regulations that would reduce consultation, narrow the circumstances under which consultation occurs, or creates exemptions for greenhouse gas emissions or other pollutants. The requirement that federal agencies consult with scientific experts in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and National Marine Fisheries Services to ensure that their actions don't jeopardize endangered species or adversely modify their habitat is critical to the survival and recovery of endangered species. As such, I oppose any regulations that weaken or relax the standards by which federal agencies carry out their duty to consult. In particular, I oppose any changes to the regulations that would allow federal agencies to evade consultation through self-consultation; that limit the scope of consultation by excluding off-site effects, such as emission of pollutants into the atmosphere; or that limit consideration of cumulative effects. It is my belief that the existing regulations, when properly implemented, do an adequate job of protecting endangered species and thus I would be satisfied if no new regulations were proposed. Thank you for considering these comments.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27584

Take Action: Remind Congress that Public Waters Are Not For Sale!

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:44:24 EDT

While the Great Lakes Compact protects this magnificent international treasure, it fails to apply the Public Trust doctrine affirming that water belongs to the people and not to corporations; that is, water is a public resource that must be managed by the state governments in trust for the benefit of citizens. Publicly owned natural resources are essential to meet the basic needs of all citizens and communities, regardless of economic status!

Further, the Compact contains dangerous exceptions that allow bottling water for profit and establish a precedent that water can be grabbed by profit-hungry corporations. It can be argued by those wanting to exploit the Great Lakes that its waters can be converted into a "product,” exempted from the ban on diversions and falling within the claws of international trade laws. Act now to ensure the following conditions to the Compact:

- Delete the "product" exception to the definition of "diversion" in the diversion ban.
- Delete the bottled water provision! Bottling Great Lakes water must be banned unless it is in the public interest, without harm, and for fair consideration to the public.
- All water should be protected by the public trust doctrine! Great
Lakes waters must not be subjected to private ownership. Reasonable use of a public water resource is allowable - privatization is not.

Join Food & Water Watch as we fight for clean, affordable, and public water as a human right! If youtake action today, we will continue to keep you updated on this and other issues that impact the right to water.

Act now.

Take Action: Uphold and Defend the 2001 Roadless Rule

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:26:41 EDT

Letter to President Obama:

Thank you for your support of the 2001 National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Rule. As a senator you cosponsored the National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Act. As a presidential candidate you pledged to uphold and defend the 2001 Roadless Rule and supported protecting all 58.5 million acres of wild forests covered by that rule. I also appreciate your administration's one-year interim directive requiring Secretary Vilsack's personal review of any road construction projects or timber sales in roadless forests that were protected under the rule. However, it is time to finish the job. Please fulfill your pledge to uphold and defend the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. In order to uphold and defend the 2001 rule, its protections need to be returned to all national forests. In doing so, I urge you to instruct your lawyers at the Department of Justice to stop defending the flawed 2005 Bush roadless rule in the 9th Circuit and immediately appeal the recent decision in the Wyoming district court, eliminate the Bush administration's 2003 "temporary" exemption of the Tongass, and restore the rule's protections to all of Idaho's roadless forests. In particular, the Bush administration's approval of the expansion of the Smoky Canyon mine into roadless areas of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest must be revoked. The 2001 Roadless Rule is the most widely supported forest conservation measure in history. Hundreds of hearings were held, millions of comments gathered, and Americans support roadless protection by a margin of 10 to 1. Supporters include hunters and anglers, religious leaders, scientists, backpackers, and many elected officials such as yourself. Count me among them. Mr. President, please finish the job of restoring the protections of the 2001 Roadless Rule to all 58.5 million acres of wild forests.

Thank you.

Take Action: Time to repeal DOMA

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:53:57 EDT

Dear President Obama, Majority Leader Reid, and Speaker Pelosi:

It's time to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). At this moment of change and progress, it's time to undo a serious mistake made by Congress 13 years ago. The federal government has no business discriminating against loving families by selectively withholding the 1,300 or so legal protections that only legal civil marriage affords.

It's time for the President to fulfill his promise to the American people to eliminate DOMA. And it's time for Congress to show leadership on this issue and send him long overdue legislation to repeal this relic of hatred.

https://secure.pfaw.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=dump_doma&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr011=p8n4xah9j2.app304a

Take Action: Tell Congress to Follow President Obama’s Lead

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:51:27 EDT

No More Money for Failed Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs; Invest in Comprehensive Sex Education Instead

Tell Congress to Follow President Obama’s Lead
No More Money for Failed Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs We applaud the Obama administration's leadership and its efforts to end abstinence-only-until marriage programs. He has taken an important first step. Now it's time for Congress to implement that recommendation. We need you to contact your Representative and ask him or her to ensure that No More Money is spent on abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. The House is in the midst of writing its Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Education) spending bills. One of these is the spending bill that decides funding levels for, among other things, abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. We need your Representative to weigh in with Appropriations Chairman David Obey to ensure that Congress follows the President's lead and that No More Money is spent on abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.

Tell Congress to Follow President Obama's Lead: No More Money for Failed Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs; Invest in Comprehensive Sex Education Instead.

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=837

Take Action: Help Protect Pikas from Global Warming

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:40:53 EDT

When it comes to global warming in the lower 48 states, theAmerican pika is the canary in the coal mine. This adorable rabbit relative, which lives near mountain peaks in the American West, cannot tolerate exposure to warming temperatures from climate change. As temperatures rise, pikas at lower elevations are rapidly disappearing. Already, more than a third of studied pika populations in the Great Basin mountains of Nevada and Oregon have gone extinct, and lower-elevation pika populations have disappeared from portions of California's Sierra Nevada mountains.

Fortunately, there's still time left to protect pikas and their mountain homes -- but only if we act quickly. In response to the Center for Biological Diversity's scientific petition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting a review to determine whether the American pika should be protected under the Endangered Species Act. The public has until July 6 to subit comments. This is the first important step toward listing the pika under the Act in order to protect the species and its alpine habitat from climate change.

Rapidly reducing global greenhouse gas pollution to safe levels is critical to preventing the extinction of the pika. Please, write today to support protection for the pika and to urge the government to reducegreenhouse gas pollution to levels that will protect pikas and other wildlife species from extinction.

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27538

Take Action: Write to Secretary Salazar and tell him to permanently remove Bristol Bay from the OCS Leasing Program.

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:37:08 EDT

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar is currently reviewing existing and new Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) leasing programs that call for a massive expansion of drilling leasing in our nation’s Arctic waters, including the fish-rich Bristol Bay and southeast Bering Sea.

Now is the height of the salmon season and millions of sockeye and red salmon are returning to their home streams to spawn. These fish recently swam through waters that are currently slated for leasing, which threatens the multi-million dollar fishing industry and the thousands of people that rely on the salmon runs. https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2503&autologin=true

Take Action: No Loopholes for Hazardous Waste - Attention Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-RCRA-2009-0315

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:34:35 EDT

The costs of deregulating hazardous waste to my family and my community are too high. This plan will damage public health and the environment by increasing exposure to toxins and carcinogens due to improper storage and disposal. Increased taxpayer burden for cleanup of toxic sites is not fair to our citizens. Plus, there will be disproportionate impact on poor and minority communities. https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2497&autologin=true

Take Action: Help President Obama See the Truth About Mountaintop Removal

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:30:54 EDT

Please Visit Appalachia and See the Truth About Mountaintop Removal

I'm sure you have seen the horrifying pictures, read the staggering numbers and I'm sure you believe that you know enough about the consequences of mountaintop removal. Sir--and I say this with all the respect you certainly deserve--you don't. At least not as well as you should. The scale of this tragedy can't be expressed in a table of statistics, no matter how frightening. This is a tragedy you must see for yourself. Mr. President the people of West Virginia who are forced to drink toxic water every day for a tiny amount of the country's coal deserve at least that much. Please, take a trip to see first-hand what mountaintop removal does both to the environment and to the communities of Appalachia. I know you care as deeply as possible about the future of this country. That's something you and I have in common. And that's why I hope you will take just a few short hours to see for yourself that the time has come to end the tragedy that is mountaintop removal.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/

Take Action: Tell Secretary of State Clinton to Stop Tar Sands Pipelines.

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:28:09 EDT

Right now, while many Americans are working together to build a clean energy economy, the most destructive oil project on Earth is sneaking across our border. This project, the Canadian tar sands -- a massive plan executed by Big Oil and their allies in Canada's government -- is coming into the United States pipeline by pipeline, refinery by refinery, permit by permit. This project is so huge that it will undermine our climate leadership, perpetuate our addiction to oil, pollute our air and water, violate Indigenous land rights in both Canada and the U.S., and lock us in to a dirty energy infrastructure for decades just when we are finally trying to move to a new clean energy economy. In the words of President Obama: I believe in the new clean energy economy. I believe in green jobs, energy independence and tackling our climate, energy and economic challenges all at once. Tar sands do not fit into our new clean energy economy. Secretary Clinton, I urge you not to grant any State Department permits for the Alberta Clipper pipeline, or any other dirty tar sands pipelines.

http://ga3.org/campaign/statetarsands/exdw7uw44jx55mw5?

Take Action: Tell Congress to Close the Gun Show Loophole Now

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:24:17 EDT

A loophole in the Brady Law allows private dealers to make sales without conducting Brady criminal background checks. That leads to illegal gun trafficking and senseless deaths.

Follow up with your Senators and Representative to urge them and their colleagues to close the gun show loophole now.

http://www.bradycampaign.org/action/gunshowloophole/?bro_issue=jun&bro_year=2009#getactive

Take Action: Reinstate Congress’s moratorium on drilling in the OCS

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:19:32 EDT

American ingenuity and determination can certainly develop energy alternatives rather than develop more offshore oil platforms. Congress wavered in 2008, but we can get back on track toward protecting our oceans and ending climate change if you let your representatives know that you believe offshore drilling is not the answer. Drill home that point, by asking your representative to reinstate the drilling moratoria!

http://takeaction.oceana.org/t/6438/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25198

Take Action: Ask your Senators to Co-Sponsor the forthcoming Senate version of the Mercury Pollution Reduction Act

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:13:58 EDT

The Mercury Pollution Reduction Act, H.R. 2190, would make the outdated "Foul Four" chlorine plants update their equipment to modern technology that doesn't utilize or release mercury.

Recently, the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection moved the bill to the full House Energy and Commerce Committee for their consideration. And soon, a Senate version of the bill will be introduced.

Even though 95 percent of US chlorine is made without the use of mercury, four outdated plants continue to use old technology and collectively release hundreds of pounds of mercury into our air and water every year. When released to the environment, mercury ends up in our oceans, contaminating seafood.

http://takeaction.oceana.org/t/6438/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=11

Take Action: Tell the Obama Administration to Create Strict Rules for Regulating Genetically Engineered Crops!

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:16:34 EDT

In the last months of the Bush Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed some bad rules that significantly weaken the oversight of genetically engineered crops. These rules are bad for consumers, the environment, and would allow the biotechnology industry to regulate itself. Can you demand that the Obama Administration ditch the Bush rules, and make rules that will adequately regulate genetically engineered crops?

USDA APHIS CommentsDocket No. APHIS-2008-0023

Take Action: Support Nuclear Cleanup, Not Obsolete Fighter Jets

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:20:47 EDT

Fund Nuclear Cleanup, Not Obsolete Fighter Jets This week, the House Armed Services Committee made a decision that might seem commonplace in our highly-militarized nation: they shifted money around in the budget to fund the purchase of F-22 fighter jets. However, this is no ordinary decision. They want to take $322 million away from the fund to cleanup dangerous nuclear waste in order to pay Lockheed Martin for these planes. It gets worse. The Pentagon doesn't even want these fighter jets because they were designed for use in a conflict with the Soviet Union. The US military already has 187 F-22s, which are viewed by many inside and outside of the military as obsolete and wasteful. Taking money away from the cleanup process underway at some of the nation's nuclear weapons sites is inexcusable. Radioactive waste continues to cause harm to the environment and people in the surrounding communities. For example, in Hanford, Washington, barrels of highly radioactive waste are leaking into the ground and the water table. We as a nation cannot afford to continue ignoring the urgent need to clean up the mess left behind by nuclear weapons production. The US military budget is already at the highest level in history. To pad this bloated budget, especially at the expense of vital environmental cleanup, is shameful.
Call or write your Representative today to demand that this foolish misallocation of funds be reversed. To call your Representative, dial (202) 224-3121. http://capwiz.com/wagingpeace/issues/alert/?alertid=13604796

Take Action: H.R. 2868, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009

Silvia from Boca Raton, FL — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:18:29 EDT

Latest Sell-Out: Dems Moving to Gut Chemical Security Bill, Risking Millions of Lives

I'm calling to urge the Representative to support a strong chemical security bill by voting against dangerous loopholes proposed for H.R. 2868, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009. We need a law that protects the 110 million Americans who are still at risk due to the fact that the existing law ties the hands of Homeland Security, and these amendments would only continue to do so.