Congress is in “recess”, so some groups are taking rests too. But for those of us who spent the post-election weeks traumatized, 10 minutes a day of actually working to stop his agenda does not seem like a bad deal. It’s a great, useful form of therapy.
So, “Recess, schmeecess”, fellow resisters! Their offices are still open and taking calls. So while many of them are busy hiding from their constituents, let’s give them big call tallies as a “welcome back” present for when they return.
Today we’re putting out a list of environmental issues with proposed actions.
One reason the list is so long is because, under Trump, politicians now see their best opportunity to grab back federal lands, sell off their resources, and appease the powerful polluters in their voting districts. Much of the damage they are planning will be irreversable.
Another reason is because swamping us with bills is part of a strategy to paralyze us, the resistance, into inaction. Where does one start? Maybe I should just go get another cup of coffee and watch a movie…
Uh-uh. Start here.
Pick one item. Pick five. Phone or email. Write a comment. Spread this out over the week (except for the ones with deadlines) If you do this, you’ll be amazed at what you can do in just 10 minutes a day.
Action #1
Stop the attack on our National Monuments!
Call or Tweet Ryan Zinke at Twitter: @SecretaryZinke (Zinke says that he reads every tweet.) or Phone: (202) 208-7351
Minimal Script: Leave our national monuments alone!
From our own Sierra Club Representative, Jim Hines:
** Also a status change to Cascade-Sisikiyou NM (OR/CA) from the full protections this beautiful pristine area now has as a national monument to a less restrictive status as a National Recreation Area which would allow timber harvesting, cattle grazing and mining operations.
Addition Reading regarding the National Monument defense:
Interior Secretary Zinke’s Guide to Running a Sham Review (CenterforAmericanprogress)
Interior Department could cost taxpayers at least $60 million (a yr.) by rolling back Obama rule. (wapo)
Cantwell Statement of Interior Department’s Decision to suspend the Valuation Rule (US Senate Democratic News)
Previous Blog Posts with update letters from Jim Hines, Sierra Club
This Week in Resistance – “Playing Chicken with Kim” Edition
This Week in Resistance – “Welcome to your Heritage. Bring a Mask”
Updates from Jim Hines, Sierra Club (National Monuments and Wolves)
On Aug. 24th, Trump will be eliminating various national monuments across the western US. Contact/tweet Zinke Directly! – Share
Action #2
Call Zinke’s new buddy! Tell him to stop the attack too!
Call, tweet or write to Deputy Secretary David Bernhardt at @DOIDepSec. Call the Interior Dept switchboard and asked to be transferred: (202) 208-3100. There is also the general comment email for Interior Dept:
Minimal Script: Leave our national monuments alone!
More Info.:
Action #3
Make a sign, meet up with others!
Please join one of our rallies on Sierra Club National Public Lands Day of Action on August 19th.
NOTE: Those of you living in the greater Ventura county/Santa Barbara CA region our event is 6 PM on August 18th in Ventura, CA at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Telephone Road in Ventura.
Action #4
WRITE! – Preserve our Marine Sanctuaries – Deadline 8/15 until 11:59 EST
Today (Tues. the 15th) is the last day on this!
Please take a moment to add some comments on why protecting our marine sanctuaries, such as our own Channel Islands, is important to you. Deadline has been extended to Aug. 15th. The National Monument review continues with the Santa Barbara Channel Islands and three other unique marine sanctuaries and monuments.
Action #5
WRITE! – Keep the 5-year moratorium on offshore oil leasing. – Deadline 8/17
Please take a moment to add some comments on why retaining the 5-year moratorium on offshore oil leasing is important to you. Trump has signed an executive order to review oil and gas drilling in federally prohibited waters as well as in marine sanctuaries. Environmental groups fear a repeat of the BP Oil spill.
Link to regulatory site: tinyurl.com/keep-the-moratorium
Link to blog page, additional details here.
Current Count: 47,270 comments
Action #6
WRITE! – Save the Clean Water Rule! Protect our drinking water. – Deadline 8/28
The EPA is moving forward with a Clean Water Rule repeal by revising the definition of “Waters of the United States” covered by the Rule. The 30-day public comment period is now open. The rollback threatens drinking water for 117 million people. For more information on this, go to tinyurl.com/waters-definition.
Link to regulatory site: tinyurl.com/waters-of-the-united-states
Link to blog page, additional details here.
Current Count: 24,889 comments
Action #7
NO on Budget Cuts to the EPA
Minimum Script: I’m from [ZIP], calling to ask Rep. [Brownley, Carbajal] oppose any budget or appropriations bill that cuts funding for the EPA.
(Additional script if you want more: If Trump has his way, the EPA won’t be able to protect our health. That may be good for his corporate polluter cronies, but it’s going to cost us clean air and clean water. I hope we can count on you to make sure the EPA has what it needs to keep us safe.)
More info:
https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/resisting-trumps-attacks-environment-august-recess/
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/19/politics/congress-epa-final-budget-cuts/index.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/05/trump-epa-budget-noaa-climate-change/527814/
Action #8
NO on Border Wall funding that destroys our wildlife refuges
Minimal Script: I calling Rep. [Brownley, Carbajal] to OPPOSE including any border-wall funding in the next budget, and to oppose any legislation that would provide additional funding.
(Additional script if you want more: Not only is this a waste of money for security reasons, but it also destroys our national wildlife refuges, as well as the eco-tourism that thrives because of them.)
Action #9
NO on HR 861 “To Terminate the Environmental Protection Agency”
Minimum Script: I’m from [ZIP], calling to ask Rep. [Brownley, Carbajal] to vote “NO” on HR861.
(Additional script if you want more: The EPA protects our air and water, provides funding for communities to maintain safe drinking water and ensures wastewater is treated appropriately. The EPA also ensures that business who do pollute are held accountable. Rolling back 40+ years of regulations will only damage our communities and our citizens.)
Action #10
NO on HR 2936 “Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017”
Minimum Script: I’m from [ZIP], calling to ask Rep. [Brownley, Carbajal] to vote “NO” on H.R. 2936.
(Additional script if you want more: This bill attempts to expedite logging up to 30,000 acres–an area the size of Disney World–without considering environmental impacts. I’m concerned it empowers timber companies at the expense of public input, judicial review of projects, and Endangered Species Act protections. I oppose this unethical bill and want Rep. [name] to do the same. Thank you.)
Action #11
NO on HR 637 “Stopping EPA Overreach Act of 2017”
Minimum Script: I’m from [ZIP], calling to ask Rep. [Brownley, Carbajal] to vote “NO” on H.R. 637.
(Additional script if you want more: It is critical that the US continue to contribute to international research on climate change. The EPA’s mission is important to me, and we rely on the EPA to regulate the pollutants that are driving the climate crisis. It seems like Republicans think allowing corporations to pollute is more important than protecting citizens’ health.)
Action #12
YES on S.1624 Protect Children, Farmers, and Farmworkers from Nerve Agent Pesticides Act (Chlorpyrifos) of 2017
Minimal Script: I’m calling to ask/thank Sen.[___] to sign on/for signing on to S1624.
(Additional script if you want more: A pesticide that causes brain damage should have no place in our agricultural industry.)
Check here to see if your senator has already signed on, like our Kamala Harris.)
More info.:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-environment-pesticide-bill-idUSKBN1AA1QD
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/03/29/521898976/will-the-epa-reject-a-pesticide-or-its-own-scientific-evidence
Action #13
No on 1460 “Energy and Resources Act”. Stop this Trojan horse full of dirty energy policies
Minimal Script: I’m calling to tell Senator [____] to vote “NO” on S1460, the massive energy bill being rushed through the Senate.
(Additional script if you want more: It’s opposed by conservation, water, farming, and even industry groups because it will only increase our country’s dependence on fossil fuels and further endanger the environment.)
More info.:
https://waterkeeper.org/congress-doubles-down-on-fossil-fuel-addiction-dive-into-democracy/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-energy-202/2017/07/31/the-energy-202-energy-bill-could-be-trump-s-first-big-win/597e709630fb045fdaef0ff4/?utm_term=.a14f6239552d
Action #14
YES on AB 1000 “The California Desert Protection Act”
Minimal Script: My name is _____________ and I am from ____________. I’m calling Senator Lara in his capacity as the chair of the Senate Appropriations committee and asking him to support AB 1000 in the committee.
Contact info. for Senator Lara: Email: sd33.senate.ca.gov/contact, Phone: (916) 651-4033
(Additional script if you want more: Cadiz, supported by the Trump administration, wants to fast track this project without environmental review. They say that the aquifer’s water recharge rate is 32,000 acre feet per year and proposes to export an average of 50,000 acre feet of groundwater from the region each year over a 50-year period. However, scientists say the recharge rate is less than 5,000 acre feet per year. This bill would strengthen Conprotections for our ecologically fragile Mojave Desert by ensuring any water transfers from desert groundwater basins do not adversely affect the region’s natural or cultural resources, including vital groundwater or habitat.)
More Info.:
Bill would cure massive Cadiz desert water project (theSun)
Friedman Unveils Bill to Protect the Mojave Desert (a43.asmdc.org)
Bill Status (Legiscan)
Action #15
WRITE! – Stop the Keystone XL project! Submit comments here.
Nebraska is the last state where TransCanada doesn’t have a permit to build Keystone XL. The Nebraska Public Service Commission can stop this pipeline after they hold hearings starting August 7th. Join activists from 350.org in submitting comments to the Commission to reject the permit for the pipeline here.
https://350.org/solar-xl/?akid=23380.2231140.-Pk74G&rd=1&t=5&utm_medium=email&utm_source=actionkit
Action #16
Find more actions to take here. This is an amazing google doc spreadsheet of the latest environmental bills, with linked information and call script sheets.
Contact information:
Senators:
Senator Feinstein: DC (202) 224-3841, LA (310) 914-7300, SF (415) 393-0707, SD (619) 231-9712, Fresno (559) 485-7430
https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me
Senator Harris: DC (202) 224-3553, LA (213) 894-5000, SAC (916) 448-2787, Fresno (559) 497-5109, SF (415) 355-9041, SD (619) 239-3884
https://www.harris.senate.gov/content/contact-senator
House Representatives:
Rep. Julia Brownley: (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779
https://juliabrownley.house.gov/contact/email-me
Rep. Salud Carbajal: (CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348
https://carbajal.house.gov/contact/email
Not your people?: http://www.phoneyourrep.com
INDIVISIBLE VENTURA 
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