Coal Defeated in Monumental Victory!

In a monumental victory last Thursday, the Kansas Department of Health rejected a permit to build two 700-megawatt coal plants near Holcomb, Kansas due to global warming emissions. Roderick L. Bremby, Secretary of the department stated that "it would be irresponsible to ignore emerging information about the contribution of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to climate change and the potential harm to our environment and health if we do nothing." He also cited the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year in Massachusetts vs. EPA, in which the court found that the EPA could regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant under the Clean Air Act.

Thanks in large part to the Sierra Club's efforts to rally public support and file two lawsuits against the project, this is a huge success for Kansas and the entire nation. But the events in Kansas are only the beginning of a growing movement against coal and other dirty forms of energy production. Ranchers, farmers, teachers and countless other Americans are taking up the cause throughout the country, calling for clean, renewable energy sources in their states.

Learn more about the hazards of coal, and take action to urge your Senators and Representative to pass forward-thinking energy legislation this fall that will reduce our dependence on dirty fossil fuels.

Flip the Switch

Read This: Our Most Important Story This Year
Sure, 2007 still has a ways to go, but we've already reached a critical moment in what newly minted Nobel Prize winner Al Gore has called the "moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity." Yes, global warming is a challenge to all of humanity, but meeting it starts with each and every one of us as individuals. And right now, you can do something that will make a huge difference.

The U.S. Congress must pass an energy bill. This time around, though, they have a chance to pass one that actually will make a real difference in stopping global warming. It's simple: We need a bill that raises fuel-efficiency standards while also adopting a renewable electricity standard. Both of these are on the table as the House and Senate work to reconcile their competing versions of the bill. And if we can get both in this bill, we'll eliminate 20 percent of our global warming emissions by 2030 and make significant progress on long-term reductions in global warming pollution.

And get this: Doing your part won't win you any prizes, but it will make America stronger, create jobs, and save you money. Check out our updated "I Want My MPG" calculator to see exactly what a 35-mpg fuel-efficiency standard could save you every year.

Then, tell Congress it's time to "Flip the Switch" by signing our petition to the House and Senate leadership. Because this is one fight we have to win.

Needed: a Utah Valley chapter of Utah Moms for Clean Air

Utah Moms for Clean Air is a savvy new player in the movement to clean-up Utah's dangerously contaminated air. We are a non-profit, grassroots organization of Utah mothers and allies who share a concern about the health impacts of Utah’s dirty air. Our mission is to use the power of moms to clean up Utah’s dirty air. We are working to accomplish this by a combination of individual action, education outreach, and the shaping of policy and legislation.

Our organization was launched in May 2007, and while we are less than 5 months old, we have been bolstered by the groundswell of support for our message. We would now like to get this message out to folks in
Provo, a city that suffers from some of the worst acute spikes in pollution in the nation.

To do so, we would like to establish a chapter of Utah Moms for Clean Air in Utah Valley. We need at least one person to spearhead this effort, so if you are interested in motivated moms and other concerned citizens in your area, please send us an email to: supermoms@utahmomsforcleanair.org.

The more chapters we can establish across Utah, the more powerful we will be. The founder(s) of a Mom's chapter in Utah Valley can decide how much they want to be involved and what actions they would like to take. Actions can range from just signing on to letters that we write to elected officials, to meeting with your elected officials, to holding educational talks, etc. The most important aspect of establishing a chapter in Utah Valley is to demonstrate that concern for clean air is not just a "liberal" Salt Lake City concern. So please join our efforts and make a difference for not only the children of Utah, but all citizens of this beautiful state.

With Warm Regards,

Cherise Udell
Founder and President
Utah Moms for Clean Air
utahmomsforcleanair.org
.

Trib Article

Greenhouse pollution: Utah warming faster than global average
To read this informative article in the SL Tribune, click HERE.

Tell Congress to Flip the Switch

Help the Sierra Club Flip the Switch and bring America's New Energy Future to Life. Send your petition to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today.



This August, the Senate and House of Representatives both passed landmark bills that - if combined, will put America on the path to energy independence and solving global warming.

Right now, members of the House and Senate are working to create a final version of the bill - which could and should include the best of both measures - that raises fuel efficiency standards to 35 miles per gallon and requires that 15% of our electricity be generated by wind, solar or other renewable power.

To turn this legislation into real progress we need you to tell Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to include both the Senate Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) provision and the House Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) in the final energy bill this fall.

TAKE ACTION

Take Action: Fund Progress, Not Nukes.
"The recently-passed energy bills in both the Senate and the House contain forward-thinking provisions like a Renewable Electricity Standard and increases in fuel economy. But they could also open the door for unlimited funding for dangerous and costly nuclear energy technology.

Nuclear energy is a bad investment, from outrageously huge subsidies to potential meltdowns to toxic waste that continues to accumulate without any permanent storage facilities. Take action now and urge your members of Congress to remove this provision that would give the nuclear industry a blank check to build new nuclear reactors across the country." -- A Sierra Club "Take Action" request. There are better, smarter, safer, healthier, sustainable energy alternatives such as solar, wind and geothermal the we should be supporting instead.

Tell your Senators and Representative to Refuse Unlimited Loan Guarantees to the Nuclear Industry!