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ALERTS
As a service to VCN Member Organizations, we post information on current issues and action requests. Please support you fellow conservation organizations.
Help Keep Uranium Mining Out of Virginia – Tell your Senator to Vote NO on SB 525!
The Senate Agricultural, Conservation, and Natural Resources Committee is set to vote on SB 525 this Monday, January 28, 2008.
This bill will open the door to uranium mining in Virginia and threatens to lift a moratorium prohibiting uranium mining that dates back to 1982. Uranium mining produces massive tailings piles of radioactive waste that would contaminate our air, drinking water, and pristine rivers and streams.
Past experiences with uranium mining have been limited to sparsely populated regions of the arid Southwest. It is doubtful that uranium could be mined safely in a wet climate and in a region with higher population density, as is found in Virginia. Don't allow Virginia to become a testing ground for a dangerous new experiment in uranium mining!
Take Action TODAY!
Write or call your Senator to tell them to Vote NO on SB 525
Send online letter - CLICK HERE
Sample Letter:
I am writing to ask that you oppose SB 525, which threatens to open the door to uranium mining in Virginia. The bill does not require impartial, scientific study of the issue. Instead, it sets the stage for lifting Virginia’s long-standing moratorium prohibiting the mining of uranium in the Commonwealth.
SB 525 does not require any independent scientific analysis. There is no guarantee that the National Academy of Sciences would ever be retained to review this sensitive issue.
The bill does not guarantee any funding to carry out a study. And yet, proponents of uranium mining concede that at least $1 million would be needed. Without adequate funding, a uranium commission would be a rubber-stamp for uranium mining interests.
The Bill fails to provide for valuable citizen input. There is nothing to guarantee that members of the public health, environmental, and locally impacted communities would be fairly represented.
SB 525 establishes a process that pre-judges the outcome of a study. The bill would authorize the Commission to recommend statutory and regulatory controls to lift our 26 year-old uranium ban and begin mining. The threshold question of whether uranium mining can be done safely in Virginia, however, must be answered before legislation or regulations are drafted.
Because of the poor ratio of yellowcake uranium to mined rock (as low as 1:4000), uranium mining creates enormous tailings piles of radioactive waste that would contaminate our air, groundwater, and pristine rivers and streams. Please vote NO on SB 525.
Sincerely,
<Your Name>,
What: Joint Meeting of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committees - Public Hearing on HB3113 (a bill designed to eliminate Virginia’s Citizen Boards).
Where: House Room D, General Assembly Building, Capitol Square, Richmond
When: January 4, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.
Background:
HB3113, introduced in January 2007, would have eliminated Virginia’s Citizen Environmental Boards & stripped a substitute board of authority to act on permits. The original bill had the support of the Governor and the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The General Assembly was not convinced that the bill was acceptable and put in place a “Reenactment Clause”, requiring it to be passed again in 2008 before it would become law. This was done to allow both sides to meet and attempt to reach a compromise.
DEQ was tasked with organizing these discussions. Stakeholders (industry and conservationists) were brought together to see if there was alternative legislation that all could agree on. The process was abbreviated and slanted heavily in favor of support for the ultimate aim of HB3113 – making the Citizen Boards merely advisory and eliminating their ability to decide on certain, important permits to pollute.
Specific members of industry and DEQ are promoting a “compromise” bill as an alternative to the original HB3113. Conservationists did not support this industry bill, despite offering many constructive alternatives and suggestions that could improve the current process. Any representation that there is a “compromise” bill coming out of the Stakeholder meetings is false.
What You Can DO:
- Call Virginia Governor Tim Kaine NOW at telephone: (804) 786-2211 or through http://www.governor.virginia.gov/ and leave the message that you are opposed to HB3113 and you want to Save Our Citizen Boards.
- Call your Delegate and Senator NOW and give them the same message.
Find your legislator - http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform
- Attend the January 4th Public Hearing at 2:00 p.m.in Richmond and ask friends in Richmond to be there.
Talking Points:
- No one has ever answered these questions: What problem is this bill trying to solve? How will this bill help Virginia’s environment?
- Virginia’s Citizen Environmental Boards have long had a key role in protecting Virginia’s environment.
- Virginia’s governors appoint the members of the Air, Water and Waste Boards and the appointees reflect the choices of different governors and have provided a balanced group of citizens with expertise in the specific field.
- The Citizen Environmental Boards hold meetings and hearings in public and provide accountability and transparency on important environmental issues.
- Virginia industry enjoys a highly favorable regulatory climate now. Virginia is regarded as #1 in the U.S. as an easy place to do business, due in large part to this favorable regulatory climate. There is no need to make it even easier to pollute, especially at the expense of citizen input.
- Stripping the Environmental Boards of their authority to review and decide certain permits is unacceptable. We must preserve the right of Virginians to be heard on environmental protection, particularly in cases that have heightened public interest and could have a significant impact on the environment.
- When the Department of Environmental Quality was created in 1993 by combining Air, Water and Hazardous Waste agencies, there was agreement to keep each of the Citizen Boards in place.
- The Air Pollution Control Board has delegated its permit authority for most cases & only decides cases where permits have been identified as significant (less than one-percent of all permits are decided by a citizen board).
For more information contact
Dan Holmes at (540) 672-0141 | dholmes@pecva.org
Catharine Gilliam at (540) 460-5105 | cgilliam@npca.org
Ask the U.S. House and Senate to Reactivate the Civil War Battlefield Preservation ACT
Posted: November 2007
Background
This past summer, a bipartisan group of preservation leaders in the U.S. House and Senate introduced the “Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2007.” This would reauthorize the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program, the primary tool that CWPT and other battlefield preservation groups use to acquire historically significant battlefield land. The program provides federal matching grants that have helped protect more than 14,000 acres of hallowed ground throughout the nation. Without this program, many lands associated with these famous battlefields would have fallen to the backhoe and bulldozer in the past decade. Passage of the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act (H.R. 2933 in the House and S. 1921 in the Senate) will guarantee that this extremely valuable preservation tool will continue to be available to protect endangered battlefield land through 2013.
TAKE ACTION:
Ask your U.S. Senators and Representatives to cosponsor the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act. Call, write or email them – whichever you prefer (although calls and letters are always the most effective). If your elected officials have already signed on thank them for their leadership
For More information:
Civil War Preservation Trust has set up a website with details at www.battlefieldactivist.com. This website includes sample phone scripts, sample letters, and information on contacting your elected officials in Washington. It also contains a list of 22 Senators and 61 Representatives who have already embraced this important legislation.
Find your Legislator: www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt
Sample Letters: www.battlefieldactivist.com/TakeAction/SampleLetters.html
Sample Phone Script: www.battlefieldactivist.com/TakeAction/TelephoneScripts.html
List of Supporters: www.battlefieldactivist.com/Support.html
Questions: Call CWPT at 1-800-298-7878 ext. 220.
Tell Your Legislators: Don’t Endorse Dominion’s Plan
Posted: Fall 2007
Dominion Power is asking Legislators to Support Another Environmentally Destructive Plan
Dominion Virginia Power and Allegheny Energy are actively soliciting support for a massive 500-kV transmission line that would cut through private land, park land, historic sites, historic districts, civil war battlefields, magnificent viewsheds and a high concentration of conservation easements. Dominion and Allegheny are asking Delegates, Senators and private citizens from all over the state to send letters to the State Corporation Commission in support of this ill-conceived proposal.
Tell Your Legislators: Don’t Endorse Dominion’s Plan
Ask your Legislators to respect the State Corporation Commission (SCC) process. This transmission line proposal is highly controversial and subject to an SCC proceeding (case # PUE-2007-00031) to determine whether or not it is necessary. So far, only Dominion and Allegheny’s experts have been heard and evidentiary hearings do not begin until January of 2008. Please write your Legislator today and ask them not to take a position of support on the Dominion/Allegheny transmission line until both sides of the story have been heard. [see below for sample letter]
There Are Better Ways to Guarantee Secure and Reliable Power
The environmental community has been unified in its opposition to this transmission line. Alternative solutions would better provide for the reliability and security of electricity supply without harming the residents, natural resources, history and scenic beauty of Virginia. For example, a recent study by Summit Blue Consulting stated that using pre-existing technologies and demand response methods, Virginia could easily reduce peak demand by 17% within the next ten years. Energy conservation and efficiency should be treated as the first resource to meet Virginia’s energy needs and are a key component in reducing mercury, CO2 and other harmful emissions.
For More Information
To find out more about the transmission line fight, visit www.pecva.org/powerline or contact Bri West at (540)347-2334.
Sample Letter
Subject Line: Do Not Endorse the Dominion/TrAILCo transmission line proposal
Dear Legislator,
You may have been asked to endorse the Dominion Virginia Power and TrAILCo proposal to construct a 500 kV transmission line project through seven Virginia counties in Northern Virginia. Please respect the State Corporation Commission process and do not prematurely endorse this proposal. So far, only Dominion and Allegheny’s experts have been heard and evidentiary hearings do not begin until January of 2008.
Please do not take a position of support on the Dominion/TrAILCo transmission line until both sides of the story have been heard. The transmission line application is currently pending before the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC). This project has not been proven necessary and would come at a high cost to Virginians.
The proposal would affect thousands of citizens, private land, park land, historic sites, historic districts, civil war battlefields, magnificent viewsheds and a high concentration of conservation easements. Please help protect Virginia’s valuable resources for future generations by asking the SCC to validate the need for this transmission line and to evaluate alternative ways to meet Virginia’s future energy needs.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
DILUTION is NOT the SOLUTION to POLLUTION:
CONTACT GOVERNOR KAINE TODAY
Posted: Friday, June 22, 2007
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality announced this week that it intends to approve a stack merger project for the Mirant power plant in Alexandria without requiring a permit under the Clean Air Act. The stack merger will combine the pollution from the five existing boiler stacks into two plumes, dispersing Mirant's pollution throughout the D.C. metro area.
DEQ’s action will also short-circuit the State Air Pollution Control Board’s May 23rd decision to refuse the stack merger as well as deny Alexandrians’ their statutory right to public participation in the permit process. The City of Alexndria maintains that implementing the stack merger without a permit is illegal.
Take Action:
1) Call Governor Kaine and ask the Governor to protect our health by opposing DEQ's intended stack merger without the required permit.
Governor Kaine's phone number: (804) 786-2211, (fax: (804) 371-6351).
When you call, a recorded menu will follow. Ignore the menu and dial "0".
A Governor's aide will answer. Tell him (her) that you would like to leave a message for the Governor regarding the DEQ's intended approval of Mirant's stack merge without requiring a permit and ask to be transferred to Governor Kaine's Counsel: Larry Roberts or Mark Rubin. Leave your message on either of their answering machines.
For More Information: contact Ana Prados at ana_prados@yahoo.com
ASK GOV. KAINE FOR A 'WISER, NOT WIDER,' I-66 IN ARLINGTON
Contact Governor Kaine and ask him to to develop a much-needed comprehensive plan for the I-66 corridor
Background
Since 1999, Congressman Frank Wolf has been scheming to undermine the landmark 1977 USDOT Record of Decision that established I-66 inside the Capital Beltway as a multimodal urban corridor limited to four managed auto lanes, balanced with Metrorail's Orange Line and the Custis Trail. Rep. Wolf has been pushing to add one westbound auto lane and has earmarked approximately $50 million for this project. An "Idea-66" feasibility study report, issued in March 2005, was written to justify adding this westbound lane, but the study findings actually showed that non-widening traffic-management alternatives--such as expanded HOV hours, increased express bus service, and variably priced automated tolls--would be superior overall to the recommended third westbound lane, even with better traffic management on the added lane.
Following the March 2005 Idea-66 report, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) revamped the third westbound lane proposal into a project to build three discontinuous segments of this lane as "interim spot improvements", totaling 4.1 miles in length. Two intervening segments of westbound I-66 would remain only two lanes wide, creating two new bottlenecks. To minimize environmental documentation and community opposition, the current widening project would be limited to existing VDOT right-of-way, which includes the Custis Trail and parklike buffers along the north side of the roadway. VDOT has pledged to maintain the Custis Trail’s continuity, but some adverse impacts to the Custis Trail are likely, and subsequent widening of eastbound I-66 would obliterate a key segment of the combined W&OD/Custis Trail immediately beside the current eastbound noise wall.
ACTION: WRITE GOVERNOR KAINE
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine can direct VDOT to stop this wasteful and destructive project and spend the project funds instead to develop a much-needed comprehensive plan for the I-66 multimodal corridor, using a fair and transparent process that involves all stakeholders and adequately considers all reasonable alternatives to widening.
Send Letter To:
The Honorable Timothy M. Kaine
Governor’s Office
P.O. Box 1475
Richmond, Virginia 23218
E-mail Gov. Kaine using the form at:
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm
Tip: Edit your letter first, then copy-and-paste its text into the text box in the email form.
Call the Governor's Office:
Phone: (804) 786-2211; Fax: (804) 371-6351
- - Sample Letter - -
Dear Governor Kaine:
I oppose the current Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) proposal for widening I-66 in Arlington. The proposed construction would worsen traffic congestion, safety, and emergency operations by inducing more driving and sprawl, narrowing safety shoulders, and creating two new bottlenecks where three westbound lanes narrow to two. Moreover, widening I-66 would desecrate the landmark 1977 USDOT Record of Decision (Coleman Decision) that established I-66 inside the Beltway as a multimodal urban corridor with only four managed auto lanes, balanced with Metrorail’s Orange Line and the Custis Trail.
According to VDOT's March 2005 "Idea-66" report, non-widening traffic-management alternatives (such as expanded HOV hours, increased express bus service, and variably priced automated tolls) would be superior overall to a third westbound travel lane, yet VDOT is advancing the construction of three disconnected pieces of this third westbound lane without the enhanced traffic management modeled for the Idea-66 report, and the widening could undermine important environmental mitigation measures required under the Coleman Decision, including the Custis Trail.
Please terminate this unneccessary, counterproductive, and unwarranted “spot improvements” project and direct VDOT and DRPT to instead develop a comprehensive plan for the I-66 multimodal corridor that better manages travel demand, enhances ridesharing and public transportation options, accommodates future public transit needs, and preserves Arlington's bike trails, parklands, and neighborhoods. Unlike the earlier “Idea-66” feasibility study, the process to develop this comprehensive plan should be fair and transparent, address travel in both directions, have effective external policy oversight and peer review, and adequately consider all reasonable alternatives to widening
A comprehensive, multimodal plan for the I-66 corridor is crucial for serving Northern Virginia's immediate and long-term mobility needs economically and permanently. The current "spot improvements" proposal promises only continued and worsened traffic congestion, further rounds of I-66 widening, and a waste of scarce transportation dollars.
Sincerely,
Your name, full address, and other contact information.
- - end of letter - -
Please copy your letter to ACST <info@acstnet.org>, to the Arlington County Board <countyboard@arlingtonva.us>, and to Congressman Jim Moran http://www.moran.house.gov.
Websites with More Information
* VDOT's Idea-66 Project Website: http://www.idea66.com
* VDOT's January 2007 Project Newsletter (1.6 MB PDF): http://tinyurl.com/3dm3sb
* VDOT's March 05 Idea-66 Report: http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/idea66/documents.asp
Arlington Coalition for Sensible Transportation (ACST),
PO Box 5574, Arlington VA 22205-5574
http://www.acstnet.org
703-271-0895
<info@acstnet.org>
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REQUESTS FROM VCN MEMBERS
As
a service to VCN Member Organizations, we
post information on current issues and action
requests. Please support you fellow conservation
organizations.
Here is a great opportunity to become a Wildlife Literacy Ambassador volunteer for the National Wildlife Federation. We're excited about this new volunteer opportnity and look forward to developing a network of enthusiastic and committed volunteers to help combat illiteracy and also help with wildlife awareness.
If you're a big fan of children, then this volunteer opportunity may be for you. NWF is undertaking the literacy challenge as well as the environmental education challenge, and is looking for volunteers to read books about wildlife to children in local venues such as libraries, schools, or even better, an outside setting. This is a great way to volunteer while spending time with your child, grandchild, or neighborhood buddy.
Reading can be a one-time volunteer event or it can be on-going; it's up to you. We'll provide you with a "How to Guide" as well as a recommended book list.
Becoming a Wildlife Literacy Ambassador is a popular way to begin involvement with NWF volunteerism. This opportunity involves little training and relatively small time commitment, but is very important in communicating the NWF wildlife message and in combatting illiteracy.
If you would like to become a Wildlife Literacy Ambassador for the NWF, the next step would be to contact the Virginia Conservation Network, NWF's Virginia Affiliate, to receive application as well as the Background Check form, returning them to the address below. The Background Check is mandatory as you will be working around one child or more, and we have to have this on filed for liability purposes.
ACST has printed thousands of bumper stickers with our slogan "I-66: Wiser, Not Wider" and needs YOUR help to get them all displayed on thousands of supporter autos. The 3" x 11.5" bright and bold black-on-yellow design is sure to get widely noticed, and the quality vinyl (not paper) sticker
removes readily and cleanly once it's no longer needed or desired. Kudos to graphic artist Carla Uriona for the outstanding design!
These bumper stickers are for free distribution only and are not for sale. To receive two free bumper stickers by first-class mail, mail a self-addressed stamped #10 envelope (SASE) with first-class postage affixed to: ACST, PO Box 5574, Arlington VA 22205-5574. For bulk quantities, contact the ACST president.
Civic associations, other local citizen groups, and local businesses are encouraged to obtain bulk quantities of the bumper stickers for free distribution to I-66 corridor residents. While no payment for these bumper stickers is required, we suggest that those requesting bulk quantities make a tax-deductible donation to ACST for at least their replacement cost of 12 cents each. That way, we'll be able to afford more bumper stickers when the current supply runs out.
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