SB 540 – the bill we’ll never notice until it’s too late…and coal companies control CA’s energy future. (updated 9/02!)

Update! Read all about it here!

UPDATE! This is as urgent as it gets – we need to prevent the utility regionalization bill that would give away control of California energy to coal states and to Trump. Leaders in the Assembly may come up with a gut-and-amend bill at the last minute, but it would mirror SB 540 Pathways, which was unable to move through Assembly committees due to its unpopularity.

The two people who can stop this backroom dealmaking are Pro Tem McGuire and Senator Limon, Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, who will be the new Pro Tem next year.

Everyone can call both McGuire and Limon because they are the present and future leaders of the Senate. But if you’re a constituent of either, please mention that in your call. The next three days are crucial!

ACTION #1: Make sure legislators are awake and aware that WE ARE WATCHING THEM!

Continue reading →

Mon 6/25: We’re taking a moment from our normally scheduled program to talk about CA’s energy grid. CALL TODAY!

“This is the same bag of goods that was sold to Californians in the late 1990s, when Enron swooped in and took advantage of this speculative market,” said Jaimie Court of Consumer Watchdog, a Los Angeles-based advocacy group.

Just got an emergency message from a resistance group down south that there is a hearing on AB-813, Grid Regionalization TOMORROW! (Tuesday 6/26) and they want everyone to call Hannah-Beth Jackson TODAY to oppose it.

Lot’s of contention and good environmental groups on both sides. We are swayed, however, by the arguments sent from the Sierra Club Director to our local S.C. leader Jim Hines and by this analysis by Indivisible SF. It seems CA has a lot more to lose than to gain, including the loss of over a 100,000 good jobs, as well as inviting Trump into overseeing our energy production. Continue reading “Mon 6/25: We’re taking a moment from our normally scheduled program to talk about CA’s energy grid. CALL TODAY!” →

Mon. 5/14: Environmental actions in the House! 3 calls and one written action.

Call for each action separately (more accurate) or combine them. 5 minutes total max!

#1 – “NO” on H.R.4239 – “SECURE American Energy Act”. Migratory birds vs. Exxon and friends…

The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), enacted 100 years ago, helps protect over 1,000 species of birds from unauthorized hunting, toxic waste, wind turbines, oil spills, and other industrial threats. The MBTA has been an effective tool to hold oil and gas industries (such as BP in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster) accountable for the deaths of over a million birds. However, Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) has proposed an amendment into HR 4239, a larger (and very troubling) energy bill, that will gut this landmark legislation and shield corporations and industries from being held financially accountable for actions that negligently kill and injure wild birds.

Minimum Script: I am calling from [zip code] to urge Rep. [___] to vote “NO” on HR 4239.

More script if you want it: I strongly oppose the gutting of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by the Cheney amendment contained in HR 4239 and urge the strengthening of protections of our migratory bird populations.

Contact:
Rep. Julia Brownley: (CA-26): DC (202) 225-5811, Oxnard (805) 379-1779, T.O. (805) 379-1779
or Rep. Salud Carbajal: (CA-24): DC (202) 225-3601, SB (805) 730-1710 SLO (805) 546-8348
Other Contacts: http://www.phoneyourrep.com

#2 – “NO” on H.R. 2 – Hey! What part of “farming” is starving kids? Oil drilling on AG Conservation lands? Poisoning water? Killing endangered species?

Continue reading “Mon. 5/14: Environmental actions in the House! 3 calls and one written action.” →

“…there is no safe level of coal-fired power plant pollution that is healthy to breathe.” Write! Deadline Today!

Energy Secretary Rick Perry gave the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) just 60 days to consider a radical proposal giving preferential treatment to coal power instead of non-polluting alternatives— despite higher costs for consumers and serious consequences for our health and climate.

Write! Deadline is Oct. 23rd! There are 0 days left to submit a public comment against this.

You can do it here: https://nextgenamerica.org/act/reject-dirty-power-plan/