2020 Action

 

June 2020 - The oil industry, deep in debt due to reckless drilling expansion, is lobbying federal allies to put them in the front of the line for more Covid-19 assistance funds, squeezing out struggling Americans who are desperate for help to feed their families. 

These companies are also putting pressure on the Bureau of Land Management to create a fire sale on oil and gas leases and an increase of drilling permits, and to open up drilling on thousands of acres in Montana near Yellowstone National Park and vast new areas of public land in Colorado and Wyoming. In Utah, new leases are proposed right outside Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, and Bears Ears National Monument.

A group of over 40 environmentally minded lawmakers is backing the ‘Resources for Workforce Investments, Not Drilling (ReWIND) Act’. This bill aims to prevent fossil fuel companies from receiving funds provided for under previous coronavirus aid packages, halt the sale of new fossil fuel leases, and prevent the Trump administration from enriching fossil fuel companies in a number of other ways.

Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), co-sponsor of the legislation, said: “The CARES Act passed to help Americans struggling to make it through the COVID-19 public health crisis—not to make it easier for fossil fuel companies to drive us closer to climate catastrophe,”

ACTION: Contact your Representative and Senators and urge them to co-sponsor the ReWIND Bill (House Bill H.R. 6707 and Senate Bill S. 3611).  

CONTACT: Your Representative & Senators in Congress

• Web: Find their names and links to their websites at senate.gov, www.house.gov; send an email or leave a message via ‘Contact’ on his/her website
• Tel: 202 224-3121 (Capitol switchboard-ask for his/her office & leave a message)
• Mail: Senator or Representative (first & last name) U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510
or
  S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515

Good News: The US Energy Information Administration projects that this year, for the first time, there will be more electricity generated by renewables than by coal. Renewables are just cheaper!

Methane - The Badly Overlooked Greenhouse Gas (GHG)

April - While we've been reducing, insulating, changing windows and light bulbs to reduce our CO2 footprints, we have ignored the 18% contribution that methane makes to global warming. Recent research shows that natural seepage of methane into the air, as from melting permafrost, contributes only about 1/2 %, while methane emissions from oil and gas drilling, and from meat production, each contribute about 8%.

If we ate half as much meat and switched to poultry, we could save 6%. If we tightened the rules on methane venting, flaring, and leaking, we could save another 6%. Compared to the disappointing 1% the US has reduced since the 1992 Kyoto Protocol, these numbers are HUGE! 

While the Trump administration is seeking to weaken even the too-weak existing regulations, House Bill HR 2711 addresses these drilling issues. It would forbid intentionally venting methane into the air, drastically reduce flaring, and require measuring and reporting the amounts vented, flared, and leaked. 

TAKE ACTION: Encourage your Representative to co-sponsor HR 2711, and urge your Senators to file a companion bill. COVID-19 has shown us that we cannot successfully bully Mother Nature, neither in this virus, nor in global warming!!!

CONTACT: Your Representative & Senators in Congress

• Web: Find their names and links to their websites at senate.gov, www.house.gov; send an email or leave a message via ‘Contact’ on his/her website
• Tel: 202 224-3121 (Capitol switchboard-ask for his/her office & leave a message)
• Mail: Senator or Representative (first & last name) U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510
  or U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515

P.S. The anti-nuclear weapons march and conference in NYC on April 24-26 is canceled due to the virus.

P.P.S.  Some Great News: Proposals for 95% of new electrical capacity construction in New England are from wind (68%), solar (15%), and grid-scale storage (11%), with only 5% from natural gas. Because renewables electricity is intrinsically cheaper than fossil or nuclear!!!

Multiply this Message: Write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others.

Stop Trump's Dangerous Proposal to Gut the National Environmental Protection Act

February - An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been required for every major federally funded project since the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the "Magna Carta" of environmental protection laws, was signed into law in 1970 by President Nixon. EISs have become our most important defense against proposals which would harm the environment, public health, and the climate.

Now, President Trump wants to substantially undermine this law. Since taking office, he has proposed over 90 rollbacks of environmental laws; this one is the most significant yet. According to his Interior Secretary, “The proposal affects virtually every significant decision by the federal government that affects the environment.” His critics agree. This proposal would remove a key obstacle to heavily polluting projects and to unfettered fossil fuel development.

NEPA requires that major projects with significant impacts be studied to understand the potential consequences before projects are approved. It gives the public a voice in projects that would impact their environment, and requires that alternatives be sought that would minimize harm. The proposed new rules would 1) narrow the types of projects that would require an EIS; 2) restrict the time and the number of pages allowed for the studies; 3) eliminate the need to consider indirect or cumulative impacts, including the climate change impacts of increased greenhouse gas emissions; 4) limit public input: groups that fail to weigh in during the public comment period would forfeit any right to raise objections later in litigation. These proposals would open the way for continuing fossil fuel development and building highways in areas subject to flooding from rising seas, and would give administrations free rein to hide the impacts of dangerous projects. They would bring us closer to climate catastrophe. 

TAKE ACTION: Public comment period ends March 10. Be sure to submit your comment to our government in time. Oppose this dangerous and damaging proposal from this president.

CONTACT: Go to:  https://www.regulations.gov. Enter the docket number CEQ-2019-0003 in the search bar and click. Then look to right for ‘Comment Now’, click, and enter your comment.

Or Fax your comment to: 202-456-6546. Include the docket # and agency (Council for Environmental Quality) in your fax.

Multiply this Message: Write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others.

100% Renewable Electricity is Available - Often at Cheaper Than Utility Prices

November 2019 - The secret is "municipal aggregation," also called ‘Power Choice,’ in which the municipality bargains for its residents jointly. This aggregated bargaining power lowers the price to the point where, often, 100% renewable energy is cheaper than the original utility price. In Newton, MA, for example, 100% renewable is about 10% cheaper than the regular utility price. To be clear, both the utility and the aggregated prices are subject to change, because both are bargained on the open market. 

If your town already has municipal aggregation, you can "opt up" to choose 100% renewable energy. When you are part of an aggregated plan, your current utility company would continue to handle your account, send you the bill, and handle repairs to the grid. You can sign on or quit anytime, at no charge.

This is HUGE, because current residential electricity emits about 15% of total US CO2 emissions. 

TAKE ACTION:

Call your town or city hall*, ask for the department or person related to your municipality’s electricity source, and then ask If your community is part of a municipal aggregation plan.

If ‘yes’, sign up and specifically ask to get 100% renewable energy for your home and/or business. Note that getting renewable energy produced in your area is better if your community offers this option. Locally produced renewable energy provides regional jobs, keeps the money in your area, and will encourage development of more local renewable energy production.

If your town or city isn’t part of a municipal aggregation plan, urge your local government to become part of this growing movement for locally produced renewable energy that may save you money.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

See:  https://www.sierraclub.org/massachusetts/community-choice-energy  for more information on the advantages of municipal aggregation over other "green" plans.

* Contact info varies from state to state and town to town. Here are a few contact numbers we are aware of re municipal aggregation for cities in Eastern MA:  In Newton, Cambridge, and Watertown, the supplier is Direct Energy at 866-968-8065. In Brookline and Somerville, MA, it's Dynegy at 866-220-5696. In Lexington, it's Constellation New Energy at 844-813-7876.

Multiply this Message: Write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others.

An Actual Bipartisan Plan to Stop Greenhouse Gas Emissions!

May 2019 - The Bad News: In 2018, greenhouse gas emissions increased by 2.5% in the US and 2.7% globally. While the politics has been difficult, the technological fix is clear: A complete change-over from fossil fuels and nuclear to electricity from renewables, even for heating and vehicles. Already, in many places, energy from wind and solar, backed up by large-scale battery storage, is cheaper than electricity from fossil fuels and nuclear sources. If we could raise the cost of fossil fuels and provide people with the money to make the change-over, that would do it.

The Good News: There is a simple way of doing that at zero cost to the government. It's called Carbon-Fee-Dividend. It consists of the government collecting a gradually rising carbon fee at all coal mines, oil and gas well-heads and ports, and distributing the collected fees as "dividends" to all residents, equally per person. As the carbon fee rises, it will increase the consumer prices for gasoline, oil, and natural gas. The rich will end up paying dearly to use their yachts and private jets. But the bottom 82% will see a net gain—especially the bottom 50%—who could then use their dividends to pay to switch to clean electric, and pocket the money from then on. The transition to renewable energy will also generate millions of jobs which will narrow the gap between rich and poor.

TAKE ACTION

House bill H.763, introduced by T. Deutch (D-FL) with 26 co-sponsors, incorporates this plan and needs publicity and support. Urge your Representative to co-sponsor and speak out in support of this bill. Many economists, both Democratic and Republican, say that this is the most effective and efficient way to go. We have no time to lose to save ourselves and the Earth from increasingly virulent fires, floods, droughts and rising oceans.

CONTACT: Your Representative in Congress

• Web: Find his or her name and link to their websites at house.gov; send an email or leave a message via ‘Contact’ on his/her website
• Tel: 202 224-3121 (Capitol switchboard-ask for his/her office & leave a message)
• Mail: Representative (first & last name) S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515

Multiply this Message: Write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others.

Defend the Clean Water Act

April 2019 - Clean water is vital to our ecology, our health, and our quality of life. Finalized in 2015, a Clean Water Rule within that act restored federal protections to half the nation’s streams, which help provide drinking water to one in every three Americans. The Rule also protects millions of acres of wetlands that provide wildlife habitat and keep pollutants out of America’s great waterways, from the Great Lakes to Chesapeake Bay to Puget Sound. This Rule is now under attack by the Trump administration through court suits and Executive Orders. The latest threat is a proposed narrowing of the definition of 'Waters of the United States' that would reduce by half the waters being regulated by the EPA concerning such matters as point source discharges; dredge and fill permits, and oil spill prevention programs

TAKE ACTION BY APRIL 15:

The EPA's comment period for the proposed changes to the Clean Water Act ends on April 15th. Before that date, tell the EPA you do not approve of the proposed redefinition of "Waters of the United States" because it all significantly reduces the scope of the Clean Water Act to protect wetlands and ensure safe water for all Americans.

On the Web: To comment on the web go to the following EPA website page:
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-OW-2018-0149-0003  
Then click on "Comment Now" and add your comment.

By Mail: Reference Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2018-0149. Mail your comments to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, Office of Water Docket, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460

Multiply this Message: Write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others.

2018 2020 Action Report & Request

Dear member and friend of 2020 Action,

You and I live in volatile and dangerous times.

Nuclear weapons and climate change remain the biggest threats to our country and the world—
and these fundamental issues will remain the focus of 2020 Action.

I am so grateful that you have been a part of 2020. Your actions, combined with those of other members, have led to 32 years of having a positive influence on hundreds of important policies. Our 2018 Action Report shows some of the many achievements you have helped to bring about.

Together we strengthen each other by amplifying our voices. We are redoubling our efforts, being creative, strategic, and finding the places where we can affect positive change.

Everything we love about life, our country, our democracy, and our environment is in danger right now. And to ‘disengage’ in frustration would be tragic.

I need your help now so that 2020 Action can engage even more people in effective action. More than ever, our democracy depends on well-informed engaged citizens. Donate now at 2020Action.org.

This is the time of year when many people make their most significant donations to organizations they trust, in support of causes they believe in deeply. I hope 2020, with its 32 years of persistence and success, is on your list and that you’ll send a special donation.

We need your help now so that working together we can flex the muscle of citizen participation that is vital to our democracy. With your help we will inform more Americans and engage them in taking effective action on these critical issues. Much is at stake, so I hope you will be generous. Click to here to donate on our website: 2020Action.org, or send a donation to 2020 Action, PO Box 63, Amherst, MA 01004.

With gratitude for your caring and generosity, and best wishes for the New Year,

Lois Barber,

Founder and Executive Director

 

P.S.  Jo Comerford, a long-time 2020 member, was recently elected to the Massachusetts State Senate!  Jo writes, “2020 was a first step for me into my life of social engagement — waking up to the world — and I will be forever grateful.” Read more of Jo’s story below. Your donation today will help us reach out and engage more young people like Jo. Donate now at 2020Action.org

“2020 was a first step for me…”
A Story from Jo Comerford, State Senator Elect, Massachusetts

“My dad was a high school history teacher. He and my mom were very active -- from marches on Washington to participation on school committees, to work in the environmental movement, and as advocates for public education funding. I watched, but wasn’t really involved.

When I graduated from college, dad bought me a membership in 2020 Vision (now 2020 Action). And I remember him saying that it would be the doorway for me to find my own activism, my own purpose, my own sense of agency.

When the first postcard came in the mail, I remember reading the background piece and thinking to myself that I needed to know more. I remember how excited I was when I wrote my first letter based on the action postcard and put it in the mail. Later that week, I picked up and read The New York Times much more in-depth than I had done before. Later that year, I began volunteering at a shelter for women who were without homes. 2020 was a first step for me into my own life of social engagement -- into my own waking up to the world -- and I will be forever grateful.”

In November 2018, Jo was elected to be State Senator in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She will be sworn in in January.

Please make a generous donation to 2020 Action today so that we can reach out and engage more young people and help them take a “First Step in their own life of social engagement and waking up to the world.”

 

And congratulations to EarthAction, 2020’s sister organization, whose Spotlight Project won the “2018 Best Climate Solutions” international award for “Communicating Climate Change Threats and Opportunities.” I'm very proud and very grateful for your help to make this possible. This is one more example of what we're doing together for democracy, peace, and the environment.

 

Please send your donation today to the address below, or click here to donate online.

Call to Action! Dire Predictions on Climate Change!

November 2018 - The extreme hurricanes, fires, flooding, and temperatures this year are hardly surprising because it's all been predicted. The most recent predictions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are even more dire, and the report calls on governments, industry, and all the earth's individuals to take immediate and effective action. ALL HANDS ON DECK!!!!!

ACTION: Start Now

1. First, ask your Representatives and your Senators what they are going to do to address the horrific climate changes we face. Second, urge them to speak out loudly against the destructive Trump attempts to roll back the existing measures we have in place to reduce emissions from power plants and vehicles. The U.S. must mobilize to lower our carbon emissions and make our best effort to stabilize our changing climate.
2. a) Call your power company to order 100% renewable electricity. It may cost slightly more, but won't give the earth a fever. Ask if discounts or rebates are available.
3. b) Drastically cut your air travel, a surprisingly large source of global warming.
4. c) Switch from eating beef to poultry, or even vegetarian fare.

If you do all three, you'll save money, and get healthier. Most important, you'll make a real, concrete, contribution to your children's and grandchildren's well-being.

WE AND THE EARTH CAN'T WAIT!

CONTACT: Your Representative and Senators (and electric company)

• Web: Find their names and links to their websites at senate.gov, www.house.gov; send an email or leave a message via ‘Contact’ on his/her website
• Tel: 202 224-3121 (Capitol switchboard-ask for his/her office & leave a message)
• Mail: Senator or Representative (first & last name) S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510
  or U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515

Multiply this Message: Use this information to write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others—our job now & in the coming years!

How to Elect Peace & Environment Candidates Nov. 6

October 2018 - Nuclear weapons and climate change remain the greatest threats to the well-being and survival of our families, our country and the world. On Tuesday, November 6^th, you can help elect your federal Representative and Senator who will work to increase our security. Here are a few suggestions of what to do:

Be informed. Find out the positions of your Congressional candidates on:

1. Reducing and eliminating nuclear weapons
2. National spending on nuclear weapons
3. Federal policies on greenhouse gas emissions
4. National policies on clean renewable energy

When you have chosen your candidates, SUPPORT THEM! Donate if you can and volunteer to work in their campaigns: door-to-door outreach, phone calling, hold a house-party, reach out to friends and colleagues, put up a sign, wear a button, get-out-the-vote . . .THIS IS IMPORTANT!

ACTION: Work for, build support for, and on Tuesday, November 6^th, vote for candidates running for Congress in your Congressional district and state who support policies that will reduce and eliminate nuclear weapons, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and develop renewable energy. If you have time, you can also volunteer and support candidates in other states.

CONTACT: Research candidate’s positions on climate change and nuclear weapons at these websites:

• League of Conservation Voters:
  http://scorecard.lcv.org/sites/scorecard.lcv.org/files/LCV_Scorecard-2017-Full.pdf
• Council for a Livable World: https://livableworld.org/

You can also visit candidates’ websites and contact their campaign offices to determine their positions on these issues, and/or, to volunteer in their campaigns. Thank you.

Multiply this Message: Use this information to write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others—our job now & in the coming years!

Tell EPA to Block Proposed Trump Regulations That Will Lower MPG & Reverse Clean Air Regulations

September 2018 - The New York Times recently updated its report, 76 Environmental Rules on the Way Out Under Trump. It says that the Trump administration, along with Republicans in Congress, have targeted environmental rules they see as overly burdensome to the fossil fuel industry.

From the Times: “Rules targeted for reversal so far include key Obama-era efforts to curb planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, as well as broader air and water pollution controls, and protections for threatened animals and habitats. The Trump administration has, in many instances, pared back these regulations in favor of more expansive energy extraction policies — often as a direct response to petitions from oil, gas and coal companies.”

Trump’s current ill-advised proposal is that the EPA lower emission controls and fuel economy standards for cars, SUVs, and light trucks, model years 2022 —through 2025.

ACTION: Submit a comment on this proposal to the EPA by the October 2^nd deadline. Tell them why you oppose lowering MPG regulations, and reversing clean air and emissions controls.

CONTACT: The EPA—submit comments in any of the following ways:

Online: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0283   Click on ‘Comment Now!’ and type or paste in your comment. Follow the prompts.

Email: Comments may be sent to a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov   
Include Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0283 in the subject line of the message.

Fax: (202) 566-9744. Heading: Attention Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0283.

Mail: EPA, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Mail Code 28221T, Attention Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2018-0283, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20460

Multiply this Message: Use this information to write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others—our job now & in the coming years!