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Americans United for Change has targeted 12 states - including Virginia - with TV ads encouraging "Democrats and Republicans Alike to Stand Up to the Special Interests and Support the Most Transformational Investments in Health Care, Education, and Energy in Generations".
As the U.S. House and Senate Budget Committees begin key work this week on President Obama's fiscal year 2010 budget request to Congress, Americans United for Change launched the largest advertising blitz to date in support of the President's transformational blueprint for rebuilding and renewing America.
With a significant six-figure buy behind it, "Blueprint" is airing on national cable, a mix of cable and broadcast in the nation's Capitol and at persuasion levels on broadcast television in targeted media markets - including Richmond, Newport News, and Roanoke, VA -- represented by Democratic and Republican Members of Congress who will play a critical role in shaping the budget and the nation's priorities.
What an incredible start for our new 11th District Congressman Gerry Connolly. In addition to introducing two bills Thursday to expand Metro rail on the Blue, Orange, Yellow, and Purple Lines and another one to extend low emission and energy-efficient vehicles on HOV lanes, Congressman Connolly has made incredible progress on many fronts. He has already visited Iraq and Afghanistan and met with Virginia troops and is blazing an impressive trail in a very short period of time.
So far, our long time friend to the environment has helped form the "Green Dogs" in Congress which have already tackled legislation to prevent mountain top removal of coal and measures to protect green space, the Bay, and the Potomac River. I have boiled down a few of the environmental issues Rep. Connolly has been involved in below and you can find the detail on the flip.
* Helped form the "Green Dogs" (Sustainable Energy and Environment Caucus)
* Helped increase funding for home weatherization and rail transit in economic stimulus
* Extend trails to connect Laurel Hill network, with neighborhoods and parks east of I-95
* Helped launch Potomac River cleanup of derelict barge
* Cosponsored legislation to preserve open spaces including areas threatened by sprawl
* Working with Gov Kaine to preserve Mason Neck's rural and historic character
* Cosponsoring several bills to require 25% electricity come from renewable sources by 2025
This is an amazing amount of work since being sworn in on January 8th. I'm told it's just the tip of the iceberg and I can't wait to see what he can do in a year.
Please don't miss Congressman Connolly's District Office Open House which will take place this Saturday, March 21, 2009 from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm in our Annandale VA. This is a great opportunity for residents to stop by, meet the staff, say hello to the Congressman and learn about the services that they provide at the District Office. Which is located at:
Where: 4115 Annandale Rd., Suite 103, Annandale, VA 22003
Phone: 703-256-3071
Keep reading to see the longer detailed text I requested from Rep Connolly's office.
Congratulations to 1st District Virginia Congressman Rob Wittman for being appointed to this important panel considering 32 funding proposals for grants under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). "We are looking forward to the Commission's decisions on these wetland projects, which will benefit waterfowl and waterfowlers across North America" said Ducks Unlimited Director of Governmental Affairs, Scott Sutherland. "And we are excited to have another dedicated waterfowler in Congressman Wittman on the Commission."
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced the appointment of Congressman Rob Wittman to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. The Commission was established on February 18, 1929, by the passage of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act. It was created and authorized to consider and approve any areas of land and/or water recommended by the Secretary of the Interior for purchase or rental by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and to fix the price or prices at which such areas may be purchased or rented. In addition to approving purchase and rental prices, the Commission considers the establishment of new wildlife refuges.
"I am honored to have been chosen by the Speaker to serve as one of two House members on this commission which is so important to both waterfowl and outdoorsmen alike," said Wittman. "The Chesapeake Bay Watershed provides vital habitat for waterfowl. Preserving habitat for waterfowl not only benefits bird species but also contributes to improving water quality and restoring the health of the Chesapeake Bay," said Wittman.
Wittman joins the Secretaries of the Interior Ken Salazar and Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Senators Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AK) and Congressman John Dingell (D-MI at three meetings per year during the months of March, June, and September, or as needed. Since the Commission's establishment, over 4 million acres have been acquired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by fee purchase, easement, or lease with monies from the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. These funds are allocated at the Secretary's discretion and delegated to the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. The staff support for the Commission is provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Realty.
This past week, I announced the reintroduction of the Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act, H.R. 1053, in an effort to fundamentally alter the management of Chesapeake Bay restoration activities. Before I entered Congress, I spent 16 years as a shellfish specialist monitoring water quality and environmental health issues in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Currently, we have 10 federal agencies, six states and the District of Columbia, over one thousand localities and multiple non-governmental organizations all contributing efforts to help restore the Bay. These agencies and groups are concerned about the Bay, but we're not adequately working together. The right and left hands aren't telling each other what they're doing, and that's what this bill will accomplish.
My legislation would fully implement two cutting edge management techniques: crosscut budgeting and adaptive management, to enhance coordination, flexibility and efficiency of restoration efforts. Neither technique is currently required or fully utilized in the Bay restoration efforts, where results have lagged far behind the billions of dollars spent. Both methods required by this bill have been used successfully in complex restoration efforts in the Everglades, the Great Lakes and the California Bay Delta. By taking a couple pages out of their playbook, I think we will achieve substantial improvements in Chesapeake Bay restoration.
Well, it's hard to stop MTR in Appalachia, in part because legislators from our area so support the biddings of the coal industry. The Clean Water Protection Act would reverse an early Bush rule which allowed the remains of our mountains to be dumped in our streams as "fill" not "waste."
It's been a long time coming, but we've built support each year: Last year co-sponsorship was up to 152, from 76 the previous session, 64 in 2003 and 36 in 2002. That growth in sponsorship, to my mind, is a direct result of Mountaintop Removal Week in DC, where we lobby for the bill. for my account of atending the 2007 week with over 100 folks from 19 states, see:
In our corner of the world, Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards (SAMS) is organizing transportation. Contact Adam Wells, as copied above, for more info. Since there have been delegations organized from across the country, maybe folks could post other contacts to the no new coal plants list or write me and I'll see about putting it on CoalSwarm.
You can register through February 20, if you need a scholarship. Otherwise, the deadline is Feruary 25. Here's the registration form:
http://salsa.democracyinaction...
Even if you can't firm up your plans before then, free to contact (828) 262-1500 or email outreach@appvoices.org to see what room may still be available.
This just in!
Representatives Markey and Platts propose two federal bills to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, create jobs. This is great news from Washington, below find clips from the release, commentary to follow soon!
The American Renewable Energy Act creates a national renewable electricity standard (RES) that calls for generating 25 percent of electricity from renewable sources like wind, solar and geothermal by 2025. While the American Renewable Energy Act creates manufacturing jobs, it will also save families and business money on electricity bills while dramatically reducing our nation's global warming pollution. Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia have passed renewable electricity requirements, and a national standard will further unleash technology innovation and put Americans back to work, creating more than 350,000 green jobs over the next decade. During the last Congress, the House repeatedly passes RES legislation with bipartisan support, and a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll said that 84 percent of Americans support requiring utilities to increase their use of renewable energy.
Although we haven't received a release from President Obama on this bill, it appears to be directly in line with his 25% by 25 statements.
Also out from Markey/Platts, is an efficiency bill. Virginia better get moving on efficiency now, so that we wont suffer in having to catch up with other states when it passes....keep reading
The U.S. and China are now locked in a race for the top of the global wind industry. Just yesterday, the AWEA announced that the U.S. has passed German to become #1 in the world with wind power installations. Meanwhile, China's total capacity has doubled for the 4th year in a row.
- The massive growth in the US wind market in 2008 increased the nation's total wind power generating capacity by 50%. The new wind projects completed in 2008 account for about 42% of the entire new power-producing capacity added in the US last year, and created 35,000 new jobs, for a total of 85,000 employed in the sector in the US.
- Global wind energy capacity grew by 28.8% last year, even higher than the average over the past decade, to reach total global installations of more than 120.8 gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2008. Over 27,000 MW (27 GW) of new wind power generation capacity came online in 2008, 36% more than in 2007. The 120 GW of global wind capacity in place at the end of 2008 will produce 260 TWh and save 158 million tons of CO2 every year.
- Wind energy is now an important player in the world's energy markets. The global wind market for turbine installations in 2008 was worth about 36.5bn EUR or 47.5bn US$.
The House of Representatives today passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009! Also successful was passage of the Nadler amendment adding $3 billion in funding for public transit.
Below the fold I'll post statements from the various (and very happy) environmental groups as they come in.
Repower, Refuel, and Rebuild America, Take Action!
Tell Congress to Include Environmental Concerns in Federal Stimulus
President Obama and the US Congress are getting ready to pass a major economic stimulus package to help jump start our economy and create jobs. Recently, we asked you to propose projects that should be included in this stimulus that will meet these standards while also benefiting our environment. You, Virginia's conservation activists, stepped up the plate and delivered.
Read through the summary of your recommendations and then contact your elected officials to ask for the proposals that boost our economy and our environment!
Many of you stressed the need for clean energy, like wind and solar, and efficiency, including one supporter who urged that we have, "energy efficient bulbs, plumbing, and thermostats in public buildings." Countless others expressed interest in expanding affordable clean energy, like rooftop solar, in their own neighborhoods.
Increased support for transit, especially rail, was another idea we heard from many citizens. As one Richmonder said, "An improved rail infrastructure would promote business in Virginia and bring the Commonwealth into the 21st century."
One person from Charlottesville noted that when it comes to transportation, our leaders should support policies that "fix what is already broken and invest in what we already have."
Others supported environmental restoration, particularly in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. For instance, one constituent declared, "Let's update sewer systems, implement storm water systems, and help farmers create barriers to protect from polluted soil."
We couldn't agree more. And apparently, the new administration agrees also! Initial drafts of what is now called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act give support for clean energy generation and transmission, transit, and environmental restoration.
This tentative funding includes:
• $32 billion in energy gird improvements and investment in renewable technology,
• $16 billion to repair public housing and make key energy efficiency retrofits,
• $6 billion to weatherize modest-income homes,
• $10 billion for transit, and
• $6 billion for Clean Water State Revolving Funds.
Take Action:
But these investments haven't been voted on yet. Please take a moment to send a letter to your Congressmen voicing your shared support of these goals. Click to TAKE ACTION today so your priorities are received before the first vote in the House of Representatives.
We hope you will join us in speaking out about the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This is a tremendous opportunity to put our country and our Commonwealth on the right track to repower, refuel, and rebuild.
Please write in today! There are votes upcoming, maybe as soon as tomorrow. For more info on the stimulus, and environmentalists' takes on it, check out my previous post, or a post from Eileen
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(Crossposted at 
Congratulations to 1st District Virginia Congressman Rob Wittman for being appointed to this important panel considering 32 funding proposals for grants under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). "We are looking forward to the Commission's decisions on these wetland projects, which will benefit waterfowl and waterfowlers across North America" said Ducks Unlimited Director of Governmental Affairs, Scott Sutherland. "And we are excited to have another dedicated waterfowler in Congressman Wittman on the Commission."
Via email from Deputy Press Sec Tom Crosson on behalf of 
Well, it's hard to stop MTR in Appalachia, in part because legislators from our area so support the biddings of the coal industry. The Clean Water Protection Act would reverse an early Bush rule which allowed the remains of our mountains to be dumped in our streams as "fill" not "waste."
The U.S. and China are now locked in a race for the top of the global wind industry. Just yesterday, the AWEA announced that the U.S. has passed German to become #1 in the world with wind power installations. Meanwhile, China's total capacity has doubled for the 4th year in a row.
