It’s Getting Hot In Here

Nick Santos was formerly a policy fellow with 1Sky and now heads up consumer information group The Environmental Consumer in California. The author’s opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the 1Sky campaign.– Alex

We’re a month into the biggest oil spill in decades with no signs ahead of true abatement, cleanup, or even admission of guilt from the involved parties. This spill involves three main categories of problems to solve — technological, social, and governmental — in order to clean up this mess and prevent future ones like it.

The technological problem currently captures most of the attention as efforts like the failed containment dome, the “junk shot“, the cleanup dream team, and even centrifuges are attempted or advocated. Meanwhile, BP has been championing its success with the Riser Insertion Tube which is currently siphoning off 2,000 gallons a day (of a low end estimate of 200,000). The technological problem only captures the short term difficulties though. Unlike the technological problem, we may be solving the social problems of this spill for decades. There is talk of an entire generation of industry being lost on the Gulf Coast with around 100,000 jobs at risk from this spill. Continue reading ‘The best oil spill cleanup tool: political will’

We are starting to get some initial reportbacks from Crude Awakening vigils, rallies and events around the country.  They are looking great!  Spreading a powerful message, and getting some great media.  Check out the photos below, and click on the links to read about the events!

There are still great events and actions planned.

• Today, the Palmetto Environmental Coalition and young people across South Carolina will be at Senator Graham’s doorstep calling on him to renew his leadership on climate and energy.
• And tomorrow, the YALL State Network (Youth Alliance for Louisiana Leaders) will be holding a vigil in Grande Isle, LA one of the southernmost points of Louisiana.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL

Tampa Tribune , MSNBC: St. Pete spill protesters implore, ‘Don’t Oil Me Bro’
WHNZ Radio, Fox News WFLA: Protesters Get ‘Crude Awakening:’ Downtown St. Pete rally marks one month anniversary of oil spill

ASHEVILLE, NC

Asheville’s Citizen Times: “Asheville victim puts focus on all victims of oil spill”

The events in St. Petersburg and Asheville were 2 of 45 Crude Awakening vigils and rallies centered around the 1-month anniversary of the BP Drilling Disaster.

Cross-posted from EnergyActionCoalition.org

To mark the one-month anniversary of the BP drilling disaster, 45 vigils and rallies are planned around the country to call for a Crude Awakening. Oil has been gushing into the Gulf now for one month. With each day that passes, the impacts of our nation’s dirty energy policy becomes more pronounced, but politicians in Washington, DC continue to promote the Big Oil agenda.

Our community is responding – Candlelight vigils are planned across Florida and in Grande Isle, LA, public theatre is taking place in San Antonio at the site of a recent oil refinery explosion, and young people across the state of South Carolina are showing up at the door of Senator Graham’s office to demand he renew his leadership on climate and energy. Fed up with business as usual, and wanting to do something to help the Gulf, they are making their voices heard loud and clear.

Join them by calling your Senators today to demand they respond to the BP drilling disaster by standing up to Big Oil.

Last week the Senate blocked a bill to make BP pay for the cleanup, and this week the “Dirty Air Act” is re-surfacing for consideration. Our Senators need to hear from us, and your voice can help push us in the right direction.

Continue reading ’45 Vigils and Rallies Call For A Crude Awakening – Call on Congress to Stand up to Big Oil’

Activists Send Message at Massey Energy Hearing: Coal is Dangerous

Washington, D.C. (5/20/10)— Today activists with the Rainforest Action Network attended the 2:00pm Massey Energy hearing before the Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) Committee. RAN activists were present to ensure that Massey’s controversial CEO, Don Blankenship, was held accountable for his role in the April 5, 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion where 29 miners tragically died. They were also calling attention to the company’s repeated mine safety and environmental violations. The activists attending the hearing held signs saying, “Coal is Dangerous” and “Massey = profit over people.” For live tweets of the hearing, follow @katerooth and @dirtyenergy.

Massey Energy Co., West Virginia’s largest coal producer and a lead company practicing the controversial mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining, has been cited for repeated mine safety violations in recent years, racking up hundreds of penalties at the Upper Big Branch alone. CEO Blankenship has gained quite a reputation for his disregard for mine safety regulations as well as his indifference to environmental protection.

“Massey has operated outside the law for far too long and must now be held accountable for these crimes against the people of Appalachia,” said Kate Rooth of the Rainforest Action Network who attended today’s hearings. “Massey is an outlaw corporation that has no concern for the people or the land of Appalachia. It is time for the company to uphold its legal and moral obligation to protect workers as well as the mountains and drinking water supplies where it operates.” Continue reading ‘Activists Send Message at Massey Energy Hearing: “Coal is Dangerous”’

Last week, Brinkley Hutchings reported what she saw as she flew over the Gulf oil spill for her first time. Watch an astonishing aerial video of the slick shot by John Wathen as they flew from Brinkley’s home to the source of the spill and back on May 7th.  She flew over it for a second time Monday. Watch the updated video from May 17th (Below).

I was shocked, once again, as I witnessed the lackadaisical cleanup efforts.  I know that an oil spill cannot be completely cleaned up, but there should at least be an honest and organized effort to do everything we can! I saw highly ineffective plastic booms along the Gulf Coast and a few boats scooping up very miniscule fractions of the spill. Some of the booms have floated ashore, crinkled up on the beach; some sit perpendicular to the shoreline; others are overturned by waves; some pieces of them have broken off and are floating lazily with the waves. The high volume flow of oil, certainly more than 5000 barrels per day, into the Gulf still hasn’t been stopped. What is going on? Why isn’t an effective, organized cleanup being mandated?! This is outrageous.

Several segments of the media are relying on erroneous information from BP and the Coast Guard in reporting the magnitude of the “ongoing cleanup” activities.  Even the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has it wrong. NOAA currently indicates on their maps that there are areas of “potential beached oil” in Venice, Louisiana when there is definite beached oil, whose magnitude of which is far greater than what is depicted on the maps. I have seen it with my own eyes.

Continue reading ‘I was shocked, once again, as I witnessed the lackadaisical cleanup efforts of the BP oil spill.’

Hats off to the Montgomery County Council in Maryland for passing the nation’s first carbon tax.  Here is a copy of the legislation.  Below is a summary of the hearing by Clean Currents, a local clean energy business.  CCAN also has an official statement on this legislation.  Also, here is CCAN’s press release on the passage, which I’ve posted below the Clean Currents Statement.

Its official: today, the Montgomery County Council passed a carbon tax bill- the first of its kind in the United States! The bill, proposed by County Councilman Roger Berliner, taxes stationary emitters in Montgomery County that release more than one million tons of co2 into the atmosphere annually. Currently, there is only one such emitter- a coal plant owned by Mirant Corporation. At a hearing yesterday, Mirant Corporation officials spoke against the legislation claiming it would only lead to rate hikes for consumers. However, Councilman Berliner said the $5/ton tax would not have an impact on ratepayers for numerous reasons.  This amount is marginal compared to the profits Mirant makes from the facility. The tax revenues will go to funding clean energy and other programs that are facing funding cuts during tough budgetary conditions. Continue reading ‘Breaking News: Montgomery County Passes Nation’s First Carbon Tax’

Explosion at a Crosstex Gas Extraction Site

In the past decade, our elected officials and regulators opened state forests and impoverished rural communities to natural gas drilling. Environmentalists began talking about animal deaths, land fragmentation, and water, while residents got the short end of the stick. Here’s how it happened in Pennsylvania, and why I think we need to take a look at the economic justice implications of gas drilling.

In 2008, the gas industry had more than 52,000 producing gas wells in Pennsylvania. Between 2003 and 2008, drilling increased 42%, while new enforcement staff hires inched up only 9 percent. My guess is that rates of inspected wells are lower than the unemployment rates; maybe even lower than unemployment rates of the 90s!  The Pennsylvania-based group Damascus Citizens estimates that there are approximately 30 Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) inspectors in the entire state. New York, Texas, and other gas producing states tell a similar story – fewer than 20 enforcement staff in NY are responsible for more than 12,000 wells. In 2008, Texas had 106 enforcement staff responsible for inspecting more 250,000 wells. Continue reading ‘Keeping (and Calculating) Tabs on Gas Drilling’

Cross-posted from 350.org…

Activists disrupted the annual general meeting of criminal corporation Massey Energy this morning in Richmond, VA. Two of the group were arrested as they demanded an end to Massey’s reckless disregard for human life, community health, and the environment.

As shareholders entered their meeting in the main ballroom of the sheik Jefferson Hotel, activists occupied the adjacent rotunda, chanting loudly and draping a massive banner over the ornate mezzanine railings. The 10’ x 10’ hand-painted banner read, “Massey – Stop Putting Profits Over People!”

“Coal mining is dangerous. It’s dangerous for workers, dangerous for surrounding communities, and dangerous for the future of our planet. It’s time we move off of our dependency on coal and transition to a just, safe, clean energy future.” said Kate Rooth of DC Rising Tide, one of those who disrupted the meeting. “Massey Energy is notorious not only for putting their bottom dollar over people’s safety, but for driving people out their communities and poisoning their drinking water.”

Protesters loudly read an open letter to Massey (below) demanding they cease mountaintop removal coal mining, a practice that is destroying central Appalachian communities. A similar open letter was tendered by two activists who yesterday were assigned an outrageous $100,000 bail after non-violently blocking the driveway to Massey’s regional HQ in Boone County, WV. Continue reading ’2 Arrested Disrupting Massey Shareholders Meeting’

Contact: Dea Goblirsch 304-854-7372

EmmaKate and Benjamin remain in Southwestern Regional Jail this morning held on $100,000 bails for their blockade of Massey Energy Regional Headquarters in Boone county, W.Va.

We are asking you to call Magistrate Snodgrass and demand their bails be reduced to a reasonable amounts.

Benjamin’s case number is: 10-M-7-11-12-13-14

EmmaKate’s case number is: 10-M-7-15-16-17-18

Here’s an example statement: I am calling to express my outrage at the exorbitantly high bail Magistrate Snodgrass set for EmmaKate Martin and Benjamin Bryant. Their case numbers are 10-M-7-11-12-13-14 and 10-M-7-15-16-17-18. The 8th Amendment states “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”  Snodgrass is using bail as punishment, and it is certainly excessive.  He is doing a disservice to society by holding them behind bars until their hearing.  Please reduce their bail to a reasonable amount that reflects their four non-violent misdemeanor charges.

Boone County Magistrate Office: 304-369-7360

Act in solidarity with EmmaKate, Benjamin, and all of those who are standing on the front lines of destruction. Call Magistrate Snodgrass and pass this on to your networks.

DONATE TO THE CLIMATE GROUND ZERO LEGAL FUND!

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