WVEC Action Alert

September 19, 2005

DEADLINE IMMEDIATE: Senate votes tomorrow, Sept. 20th, on reducing controls over organic food standards

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) needs your immediate help to stop Congress and the Bush administration from seriously degrading organic standards. After 35 years of hard work, the U.S. organic community has built up a multi-billion dollar alternative to industrial agriculture, based upon strict organic standards and organic community control over modification to these standards.

Now, large corporations such as Kraft, Wal-Mart, & Dean Foods--aided and abetted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are moving to lower organic standards by allowing a Bush appointee to create a list of synthetic ingredients that would be allowed organic production. Even worse these proposed regulatory changes will reduce future public discussion and input and take away the National Organic Standards Board’s (NOSB) traditional lead jurisdiction in setting standards. What this means, in blunt terms, is that USDA bureaucrats and industry lobbyists, not consumers, will now have more control over what can go into organic foods and products. (Send a quick letter to your Congressperson online here: http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm )

Tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 20, acting in haste and near-total secrecy, the U.S. Senate will vote on a “rider” to the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations Bill that will reduce control over organic standards from the National Standards Board and put this control in the hands of federal bureaucrats in the USDA (remember the USDA proposal in 1997-98 that said that genetic engineering, toxic sludge, and food irradiation would be OK on organic farms, or USDA suggestions in 2004 that heretofore banned pesticides, hormones, tainted feeds, and animal drugs would be OK?).

For the past week in Washington, OCA has been urging members of the Senate not to reopen and subvert the federal statute that governs U.S. Organic standards (the Organic Food Production Act—OFPA), but rather to let the organic community and the National Organic Standards resolve our differences over issues like synthetics and animal feed internally, and then proceed to a open public comment period. Unfortunately most Senators seem to be listening to industry lobbyists more closely than to us. We need to raise our voices. (Send a quick letter to your Congressperson online here: http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm )

In the past, grassroots mobilization and mass pressure by organic consumers have been able to stop the USDA and Congress from degrading organic standards. This time Washington insiders tell us that the “fix is already in.” So we must take decisive action now. We need you to call your U.S.

Senators today. We need you to sign the following petition and send it to everyone you know. We also desperately need funds to head off this attack in the weeks and months to come. Thank you for your support. Together we will take back citizen control over organic standards and preserve organic integrity.

For more information go to the SOS section on our website Click here to donate money to OCA’s SOS—Save Organic Standards—Campaign Call the Capital Switchboard here: 877-762-8762 Send a quick letter to your Congressperson online here: http://www.organicconsumers.org/sos.cfm

Thanks,

ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
6771 South Silver Hill Drive
Finland, MN 55603
Phone: (218)-353-7454 Fax: (218) 353-7652

Return to Index

From:    American Lands Alliance

Stand up for Your Right to be Heard!
Comments Needed by September 26th

The Congressional National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Task Force, chaired by Eastern Washington Representative Cathy McMorris (R),    held their 5 th field hearing September 17, in Norfolk, Virginia.   This hearing addressed the role of NEPA in the Mid-Atlantic States, including the States of North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. The NEPA Task Force hearings are a part of a plan by Representative Richard Pombo (R-CA) and other pro-industry members of Congress to gut NEPA under the guise of “improving and modernizing” the Act.

Public Left Out of Public Hearings

Public participation and environmental review are under attack.   Congressman Pombo’s NEPA Task Force is holding 6 field hearings around the country to give big industry and other NEPA opponents a platform to attack and mischaracterize the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). To date the hearings have been scheduled on short notice and have been very unbalanced. Due to citizen organizing efforts, we have been successful in generating articles that highlight NEPA success stories and call attention to these shame hearings, getting a number of pro-NEPA witnesses to testify, and recruiting pro-NEPA supporters to attend the hearings wearing bright green “I support NEPA – Democracy in Action” stickers. We have also been successful in generating thousands of public comments into the hearing record.  

The NEPA Task Force Needs to Hear from You!

It is vital that we continue to build the public record in support of NEPA.   The NEPA Task Force has indicated that the hearing in Norfolk, Virginia may be the last of the field hearings before publishing a report based on the hearings in October.   Please use the sample letter and talking points below to create your own unique comments to be entered into the record for the hearing.

COMMENTS ARE DUE SEPTEMBER 26TH

Use the sample letter below to comment on the importance of NEPA.   Send your letter to:resources.committee@mail.house.gov (or fax to 202-225-5929) and send a copy of your comments to resources.democrats@mail.house.gov.

Please also send a copy of your comments to your Representative/Senators, so they know that this is important to you. Go to www.congress.org to look up your Members of Congress.

In your comments, explain why NEPA is important to you. You are encouraged to include specific examples of how public participation in the NEPA process provided critical input to protect human health, the quality of life of your community, and the environment, and how the choice of alternatives led to informed decision-making and improved projects.

SAMPLE LETTER

To:   House Resource Committee NEPA Task Force   

Please enter these comments into the record for the NEPA Task Force Hearing on the Role of NEPA in the Mid-Atlantic (which include North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland.).   I hope my comments about the importance of the National Environmental Policy Act are reflected in your final report.

At its most basic level NEPA is about having an informed democracy.   It is the primary law that gives me a voice in decisions made by my government that could harm the air I breathe, the water I drink and the bountiful public lands that make up our American heritage. NEPA is also the guarantee that Americans affected by a major federal action will get the best information about its impacts on our community, a choice of good design alternatives to minimize damage, and the right to have our voice heard before the government makes a final decision. NEPA ensures balance, common sense and openness in federal decision-making; it is an effective tool to keep 'Big Government' in check.

NEPA protects and empowers the public.  It makes sure the local community is not left out of decisions, and it requires the Government to base these decisions on good information. Maintaining and strengthening the community’s voice in decisions on federal projects is critical to making wise choices that enhance the quality of life in our communities.

At the heart of NEPA is its requirement that alternatives must be considered - including alternatives that will minimize possible damage to our health, communities, environment, and our quality of life. Comparing and seeking input on the merits of several alternatives is a core requirement of NEPA. It is the mechanism that forces federal agencies to think outside of the box when approaching projects that may harm our environment or public health.   

By making sure that the public is informed and that alternatives are considered, NEPA has stopped some unwise and harmful projects and made countless projects better. Cutting corners on NEPA review can have disastrous consequences for my community and the environment.   NEPA makes sure we look before we leap, and any attempts to weaken it will take away our safety net.

Putting limits on public involvement and our right to challenge harmful projects or reducing adequate review of major projects won’t avoid controversy or improve projects.   NEPA saves time and money in the long run by reducing controversy, building consensus, and ensuring that a project is done right the first time.  

Rather than making changes to the NEPA or its regulations, I urge you to ensure that the federal agencies responsible for implementing the law get the resources they need to do the job right and in a timely manner.  

Sincerely,
NAME
ADDRESS

BACKGROUND AND KEY POINTS ABOUT NEPA

NEPA – DEMOCRACY IN ACTION

The National Environmental Policy Act is the most important environmental law that most Americans have never heard of.   Signed into law in 1973, it requires the government to "look before it leaps."   Major federal projects must be reviewed for the environmental and public health impacts.   If the damage will be significant, alternative designs must be investigated to minimize damage and these options must be shared with the public.   California Congressman Richard Pombo will use the NEPA hearings to build a negative public record against NEPA and introduce legislation to overhaul it.   We need your help to protect NEPA, so NEPA can continue to protect our communities.

To read about the NEPA Task Force go to: http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/nepataskforce.htm

More information on NEPA can be found at:http://www.sierraclub.org/lookbeforeyouleap/

Key Points for Comments

  • NEPA is the guarantee that Americans affected by a federal action will get the best information about its impacts, a choice of good alternatives, and the right to have their voice heard before the government makes a final decision.
  • NEPA ensures balance, common sense and openness in federal decision- making, it is an effective tool to keep ‘Big Government’ in check.
  • At the heart of NEPA is its requirement that alternatives must be considered – including those that will minimize possible damage to our health, environment or quality of life. NEPA also lets Americans have a say before the government makes its final decision about a project.
  • By making sure that the public is informed and that alternatives are considered, NEPA has stopped some damaging projects or made them better.
  • Cutting corners can have disastrous consequences, especially when it comes to spending taxpayer money on projects that might harm citizens or their environment.
  • There is no need to improve NEPA…because it works.

Limiting public involvement and weakening environmental review won’t avoid controversy or improve projects.

NEPA saves time and money in the long run by reducing controversy, building consensus, and ensuring that a project is done right the first time.

NEPA’s promise of project review and public involvement must be safeguarded, not sacrificed in the name of speed.

For more information contact:   Anne Martin, American Lands Alliance, annem@americanlands.org, 509-624-5657.  

Return to Index

REMINDER: Nominate a "Most Endangered River"    

Does your river face an uncertain future?  Will its fate be determined sometime in the coming year? 

If so, nominate your river for the 2006 America’s Most Endangered Rivers report, to be released in April 2006.

Each year, the America’s Most Endangered Rivers report shines a national spotlight on local rivers facing the most uncertain futures.  The deadline for nominations is October 1, 2005.  Nomination forms are available online -- click here .

Nominations are judged by the following primary criteria: 

  • The magnitude and imminence of the threat
  • A major action or decision being made in the coming year that affects that threat
  • The regional and national significance of the river

In order to be a strong candidate for the 2006 report, it is critical that a major action or decision affecting the threat will take place between April 2006 and April 2007.

Questions?   Contact Jamie Mierau at 202-347-7550 or jmierau@americanrivers.org .  For more details or to read the 2005 report, visit our website at www.AmericanRivers.org .

Tell a friend!   Please send this email to anyone that might be interest in nominating a river for the 2006 report.

Return to Index

Save the Endangered Species Act from Being Seriously Weakened

Please take action to maintain strong protections for our nation's most vulnerable wildlife and the places they call home. A bill (H.R. 3824), which has just been introduced, is a nightmare for threatened and endangered species, and ignores the 90 percent of Americans who care about protecting them. One provision states that the government must either allow people to kill endangered species, or force taxpayers to pay them not to break the law. Think that’s outrageous? Another provision would end all critical habitat protection for the forests, beaches, meadows and other places that endangered plants and animals need to survive and recover. And that’s just the beginning!

Please go to the link below to see what is at stake and send your own message directly to your members of Congress.

Take action on this action alert from Earthjustice at http://ga0.org/campaign/ESA_TESRA?rk=6117xeE14XQfW

Return to Index