Archive for April, 2008

MONTANA CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION CAMP June 1st – June 6th 2008

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008
posted by admin

We live in a time that requires citizens to take Action on Global Warming. While our national politicians and leaders propose compromise and weak measures the situation gets worse day by day and year by year. Despite urgent warnings, and the steadily intensifying climate crisis, the strongest bills in both houses of the US Congress call for reducing emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. 42 years from now. We believe waiting 42 years WILL NOT SOLVE the climate problem and demonstrates a clear lack of vision, courage and leadership from our national politicians, and also demonstrates how much the fossil fuel industry controls our politicians, our laws and our democracy.

It is time for American citizens to take leadership & direct action and make our politicians accountable to us. To this end we announce a Citizens Direct Action Training Camp in June 2008 in Montana to oppose and confront the massive development of Rocky Mountain Corridor from Fort MacMurry, Alberta all the way to New Mexico (see attached media article below). We oppose:

  • Alberta Tar Sands and Coal Development
  • Development of Coal in Montana and Wyoming feeding America’s electricity appetite
  • Montana Governor Schweitzer’s plan to import Alberta dirty fossils into the USA through transmission lines from coal plants in Alberta, and 7 proposed Tar Sand refineries in Montana
  • Proposed massive oil shale developments in Utah and Colorado
  • Transmission lines off of coal fired power plants proposed all over US
  • Mountain Top Removal

The Action Training will be five day training and include skills needed to do effective Direct Action Campaigning against dirty fossil projects and for a clean energy future. Sessions will include History and Practice Non Violent Direct Action, Campaign Strategy, Direct Actions Skills, Media Skills, Community Organizing

Where: Montana site to be announced – When: June 1st – June 6th 2008

This camp sponsored by ClimateGroundZero.org and GlobalWarmingSolution.org

and is being hosted and organized by:

  • Mike Roselle- Founder – Earth First!, RAN, and The Ruckus Society
  • JR Roof – Former Director of Greenpeace International Ships and Direct Action Division, Co-founder The Ruckus Society, ClimateGroundZero.org

For further info contact

JR Roof at jr@globalwarmingsolution.org

GlobalWarmingSolution.org has a plan for getting off of fossil fuels as fast as possible. Entitled “Rosie Revisited: A U.S. –Led Solution to Global Warming”, it demonstrates how U.S. and global emissions could be cut 80% by 2025. This plan can be accomplished with present technology and has been endorsed by two of the nations leading energy analysts and is in the best interest of our national economy, national security and combating global warming.

See Rosie Revisited – 80% by 2025 at www.GlobalWarmingSolution.org

Excerpt from below media link/article:

“Montana’s Governor Brian Schweitzer brought a stark message to Calgary last week: North America must either develop its own domestic energy sources or conduct oil-fuelled warfare in the Middle East for the next two generations. “The good news is that the Rocky Mountain corridor is the most important energy region in the world,” Schweitzer told a breakfast audience at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. “The hydrocarbon resources between Fort McMurray and New Mexico are easily equal to the Middle East. And at today’s oil prices, we can become self-sufficient in energy economically.”

http://www.dobmagazine.nickles.com/article.asp?article=magazine%2F071105%2FMAG2007_N50001.html

Confirmed Trainers to Date. Additional trainers & keynotes will be added as confirmed

Ingrid Gordon (Climb Trainer Coordinator) Ingrid is Founder and Director of Gear For Good an organization that works with outdoor gear companies to attain gear needed for field and action work with non profit advocacy organizations such as Amazon Watch, The Ruckus Society and Buffalo Field Campaign amongst others. She is a former member of Greenpeace USA Direct Action Team 1988- 1996 and one of the original Ruckus Society trainers in 1995/96. Ingrid brings years of campaign and direct action experience to bear on her climb trainings to our camps.

Celia Alario (Lead Media Trainer) Celia is a media strategist with an expertise in grassroots environmental, human rights and economic justice campaigns. Her past collaborators include the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, the Liberty Hill Foundation, Institute for Policy Studies, The Ruckus Society, Amazon Watch, Global Exchange, the Mobilization for Global Justice, the United Steelworkers of America, School of the Americas Watch, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and many others. In addition, Alario is the founder of PR for People and the Planet

Matt Leonard (Campaign Finance Strategies and Climb Trainer) Matt works on Global Finance Campaign at Rainforest Action Network. He works to get big banks out of big coal – and help build a movement demanding an economy in sync with our ecology. He worked as an action trainer with RAN, Ruckus and Greenpeace and others for over a decade ad worked on campaigns around ending war, opposing corporate globalization, promoting revolutionary ecology and confronting the root cause of the climate crisis. He is also a member of Rising Tide North America and Bay Rising Affinity Group. He prefers dog to cats, whisky to rum and rock climbing over Frisbee.

James Brady (Non Violent Direct Action Training) James has been involved with environmental and huma rights campaigns, non violent direct action and trainigns for nearly 15 years with Greenpeace and The Ruckus Society. He currently works with Greenpeace USA in the Direct Actions Unit. James has developed highly extensive and practical non violence trainings

Mike Hudema (Greenpeace Canada Tar Sands Campaign Leader). Mike is a long time member of the Albertan activist scene. He was part of a motley band of activists that took to the streets of Quebec City for the FTAA protests, slept on the steps of the legislature to protest rising tuition rates when he was President of the University of Alberta Students’ Union, and occupied Anne McLellan’s office to defeat Canada’s anti-terrorism legislation. In his spare time he co-hosts CJSR’s alternative news program Rise Up: Radio Free Edmonton and co-writes books like the recently published “An Action a Day Keeps Global Capitalism Away”. Mike currently works for Greenpeace as the Tarsands Energy Campaigner. He is also a climb trainer with the Ruckus Society.

Hillary Hosta (Lead Climb Trainer). Hillary has worked on Mountain Top Removal the last 3 years and lives in West Virginia. Hillary has over a decade of experience in non violent direct action and public advocacy campaigns with various environmental and human rights organizations. Hillary was one of the original Ruckus Society trainers in the mid 1990’s.

Mike Harold (Campaign Strategy and Blockades). Mike originally hails from the United Kingdom where he served in many capacities on direct action and campaign work with Greenpeace. From 1990 to 1996 Mike served as the International Actions Coordinator for Greenpeace International in Amsterdam and then as Director of the Actions Unit in Greenpeace UK and Greenpeace USA. Mike has over 20 years of international experience developing and executing campaigns and direct actions; including considerable years working in Brazil and The Amazon. Mike has over 15 years leading trainings in non violent civil disobedience campaigns.

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A Shift in the Debate Over Global Warming

Monday, April 7th, 2008
posted by admin

Most of the focus in the last few years has centered on imposing caps on greenhouse gas emissions to prod energy users to conserve or switch to nonpolluting technologies.

But now, with recent data showing an unexpected rise in global emissions and a decline in energy efficiency, a growing chorus of economists, scientists and students of energy policy are saying that whatever benefits the cap approach yields, it will be too little and come too late.

Read the story here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/weekinreview/06revkin.html 

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Study tests elk herd’s tolerance of coalbed gas development

Sunday, April 6th, 2008
posted by admin

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The Fortification Creek elk herd roams the isolated sage brush country and steep rocky breaks of the Powder River Basin. The herd is prized by hunters for its trophy class bulls. The herd also lives in a region ripe for coalbed natural gas development.

Given the confluence of pressures, government wildlife officials have joined with the University of Wyoming and energy companies for a $500,000 study aimed at figuring out how much energy development the elk can tolerate. Biologists recently collared 39 of the animals to monitor their behavior over the next four years.

Read the story here:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WY_ELK_STUDY_MTOL-?SITE=MTBOZ&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

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Solar stocks soar on outlook for U.S. subsidies

Sunday, April 6th, 2008
posted by admin

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Shares of solar power companies soared on Friday on optimism that key tax subsidies for the renewable energy sector could be extended by U.S. lawmakers in the coming weeks.

A new bipartisan proposal by U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell and John Ensign would extend the tax credits, and Wall Street analysts said the measure has a good chance of passing soon because it is not linked to a tax hike for Big Oil.

Read the story here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUSN0430341720080404 

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Nobel scientist warns on climate change

Sunday, April 6th, 2008
posted by admin

MIAMI (Reuters) – The Nobel Prize-winning scientist who rang the first alarm bells over the ozone hole issued a warming about climate change on Saturday, saying there could be “almost irreversible consequences” if the Earth warmed 2.5 degrees Celsius (4.5 degrees F) above what it ought to be.

Read the story here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0542152720080406 

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Wyoming wants high court to dismiss Montana Lawsuit

Sunday, April 6th, 2008
posted by admin

Wyoming will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Montana over the two states’ water rights to the Powder and Tongue rivers.

Wyoming State Engineer Pat Tyrrell, who was in Gillette on Thursday, said that Montana’s claims that Wyoming is unfairly taking more than its legal share of both surface and groundwater from the Powder and Tongue rivers before they cross into Montana is “not relevant.” In fact, the compact that governs water rights between the two states — the Yellowstone Compact of 1951 — does not address groundwater flows at all, he said.

Read the story here:

http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/articles/2008/04/05/news/local%20news/news02.txt

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Methane producers tell Wyoming governor they need help

Sunday, April 6th, 2008
posted by admin

Coal-bed methane producers told Gov. Dave Freudenthal they need help from the state and their own industry to keep working conditions safe as new employees continue pouring into the Powder River Basin with little oil and gas experience.

The plea came during a 45-minute meeting between the two-term Democrat and members of the Powder River Basin CBM Safety Council who brought with them concerns ranging from sage grouse to what is seen as an understaffed state Occupational Safety and Health department.

Read the story here:

http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/articles/2008/04/06/news/news03.txt 

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Energy money secures Wyoming sage grouse easement

Friday, April 4th, 2008
posted by admin

JACKSON (AP) — Money from oil and gas field developers in southwest Wyoming has been used to help buy a conservation easement on ranchland to protect sage grouse habitat.

The Conservation Fund announced it has completed a project with partners that will protect 1,042 acres of sage grouse habitat on a ranch southwest of Daniel.

Read the story here:

http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2008/04/04/local_news_updates/17local_04-04-08.txt

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Proposal would move mining onto Crow Reservation

Friday, April 4th, 2008
posted by admin

Operators of a 34-year-old coal mine that fuels power plants in the Upper Midwest and pumps money into the Crow Tribe want to extend the mine’s life by moving operations southward, onto the Crow Indian Reservation.

Federal and state regulators have released a draft environmental study of the proposal for the Absaloka Mine, which now operates within a 15,000-acre area next to the reservation in southeastern Montana. Extending the surface mine’s boundary onto the reservation would add 3,660 acres.

Read the story here:

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2008/04/04/state/100st_080404_mine.txt 

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U.S. needs cleaner fuels than tar sands oil

Friday, April 4th, 2008
posted by admin

WASHINGTON – Anything that allows America to continue its dependence on carbon fossil fuels – whether the sprawling tar sands of Canada or the petroleum pools under Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge – completely misses the point about shifting to alternative energy sources.

Alternative sources should be real energy alternatives like wind, solar and geothermal power rather than alternative fossil fuel sources that often give off more greenhouse gases than conventional crude oil. Without making that crucial distinction we will continue to stoke the boilers of global warming that are destroying our planet’s all-too fragile environment at an ever-increasing rate.

Read the story here:

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/03/31/opinion/gazette/34-gazetteopinion.txt 

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