Congressional Watch, October 2010 Edition

Congressional Watch is a monthly e-newsletter of Montana Conservation Voters Education Fund, letting you know about the votes and actions of Montana's Congressional Delegation - Senator Max Baucus, Senator Jon Tester, and Congressman Denny Rehberg - affecting energy issues.

Many of our readers will be receiving their absentee ballots in the mail on October 4^th, some will request ballots throughout the month, leading up to the November 2^nd election.  Many head to the polls that day.  As you consider who to vote for, remember that Who We Elect Matters - for the future of clean, renewable energy, and clean air, clear water and protection of our wide open spaces.

Congressional Watch gives you a good picture of how our U.S. Senators and Congressman are voting on these critical issues.  Use this information when casting your ballot.   For information on how to register or vote by mail, visit www.mtvotersedfund.org.  Our future depends on it!

How They Voted

REHBERG: Rehberg opposed bill promoting Rural Star and Home Star low-interest energy efficiency loans

The Rural Energy Savings Program Act, also known as Rural Star, passed the U.S. House of Representatives on September 16 by a vote of 240-172.  Rep. Rehberg voted against the bipartisan bill, which would allow loans to rural electric co-ops at zero interest to provide low-interest loans to customers for energy efficiency or farm efficiency projects in their homes, and would create a Home Star interest-free energy efficiency loan program for homeowners.  The bill now goes to the Senate.

Rural Star is estimated to create up to 40,000 jobs annually, and loans are expected to pay for themselves through energy savings. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association supported the bill, noting it would “provide a huge benefit to those who are struggling to meet their monthly bills in difficult economic circumstances” and saying the co-ops would absorb all risks for consumer repayment, making it a very low risk investment for the federal government.  Other supporters included the National Association of Realtors, the National Association of Home Builders, National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Assocaition, Retail Industry Leaders Association, the National Association of Manufacturers and the Home Star Coalition.  It was opposed by the National Taxpayers Union and many Republican legislators as being too costly.  It is estimated to cost each American $4 over five years (2011-2015). 

CALL TO ACTION

The fight continues over EPA’s authority to control greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.  Proposals to limit or delay EPA authority to protect public health are expected to come up in the Senate before the end of the year.  Please urge Sens. Baucus and Tester in particular to oppose these efforts; see the letter from 21 Montana-based groups, including Montana Conservation Voters, Montana Audubon, Montana Environmental Information Center, Northern Plains Resource Council and others, urging Sen. Tester to oppose any amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill that blocks or delays the ability of the EPA to uphold the Clean Air Act and portect the health of Montanans. 

Here’s what you can do:

Let Sens. Baucus and Tester and Rep. Rehberg know:

• Congress’ failure to pass comprehensive climate legislation to reduce carbon pollution, create clean energy jobs in Montana and protect future generations makes maintaining EPA’s authority to control greenhouse gas pollution even more important.
• Thank Sens. Baucus and Tester for voting against Sen. Murkowski’s proposal to strip the EPA of its authority to control the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, and ask them to continue to oppose any attempts to weaken the Clean Air Act.
• Let Rep. Rehberg know you strongly disagree with his support for big oil companies over safer oil drilling and increased corporate financial responsibility for large oil spills like we have just witnessed in the Gulf. 

Contact EPA: Would YOU want to drink water tainted by coal ash?

Sen. Baucus and Rep. Rehberg each signed letters to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson opposing efforts to treat coal ash, which contains arsenic, mercury and lead, as the toxic substance it is.  In late June, the federal Environmental Protection Agency proposed regulating coal ash to address the risks from the disposal of wastes generated by electric utilities and independent power producers. It released two proposed rules for regulating coal combustion waste, or coal ash – one under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and one under Subtitle D of RCRA.  These are very different options, and one, the Subtitle D option, would leave regulations up to the states.  Montana, however, exempts coal ash from hazardous or solid waste disposal requirements.

MCVEF joins other Montana groups in urging citizens to contact Senator Baucus and Rep. Rehberg and let them know you don’t agree with them, the letter inaccurately says that states are effectively regulating coal ash, and that you want them to support EPA’s efforts to protect public health and water quality.  And take a moment to thank Sen. Tester for NOT signing the letter, and urge him to support EPA’s proposal to regulate toxic coal ash.

You can also weigh in with the EPA on this very important issue.  The Billings-based Western Organization of Resource Councils is making it easy to do that.  Simply log onto its website and link to the form to send your comments to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.

You can find additional information about the dangers of coal ash at WORC’s site and review EPA’s new rules at EPA’s website.  You can also find more information about the factual inaccuracies in the letters from Congress at the Sierra Club’s web site. 

Let’s bring the effort to combat climat change home!

The international campaign, 350.org, wants October 10/10/10 to be a day of practical action to cut carbon pollution.  It’s calling October 10, 2010 "A Day to Celebrate Climate Solutions,"  and is asking people to get together and have a ‘work party’ do something to help with climate pollution in their community.  Across the globe, people are committed to installing solar panels or wind turbines, working on community gardens, planting trees, holding bike workshops, weatherizing homes, implementing recycling, and starting  ‘Transition Towns.’  A few communities in Montana have already signed up for work parties, including Ashland, Kalispell, Hamilton and Helena.  Let’s put more Montana communities on the map!

The Invitation from 350.org

Search for local events

Sign up to coordinate a local event and get other ideas for work parties

350.org works to unite communities around solutions to the climate crisis.  Its name comes from the number 350, which is the what scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  The current atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is at 390.  Last year, 350.org promoted another day of action which resulted in 5200 actions in 181 countries. 

Other Votes and Congressional Actions

Baucus and Tester: More Flathead Oil and Gas Leases Voluntarily Relinquished

Sens. Baucus and Tester announced in September that additional oil leases had been voluntarily retired in the North Fork of the Flathead River.  Exxon subsidiary XTO agreed to relinquish 11 leases on more than 21,000 acres.  To date, more than 200,000 acres of leased lands have been voluntarily retired. 

·         Missoulian: XTO Energy releases more North Fork oil, gas leases (September 10, 2010)

·         Helena IR: Dave Hadden, Robin Steinkraus, Will Hammerquist: Victories that protect Glacier, Flathead areas (August 16, 2010)

Montana Weatherization Program to Expand

Montana received additional funding to expand its successful weatherization program.  Montana had weatherized over 1200 homes under the Recovery Act, about half it plans to weatherize.  The additional funds will be used to install various energy efficiency technologies in even more homes of low-income families.

Tester, Baucus: Baucus, Tester announce boost to weatherization program  (August 27, 2010)

Rehberg continues to promote uncontrolled pollution from greenhouse gas emissions

In mid-September, Congressman Rehberg used the recent release of federal studies on greenhouse gas emissions associated with oil and gas drilling to promote his proposed legislation preventing federal agencies from regulating greenhouse gas emissions.  Rehberg’s proposal has languished in a House committee since introduced in May, with no hearing scheduled. 

The Montana Environmental Information Center and two other groups sued the federal Bureau of Land Management  over oil and gas leases issued in 2008, saying the agency had not reviewed the impacts of greenhouse gases emitted by drilling machinery, and industry practices such as venting unwanted natural gas directly into the atmosphere. The parties settled the lawsuit in March 2010, with an agreement that required the BLM to suspend 61  leases in Montana and two other states until the review was completed.  The BLM issued its analysis in August and announced that it was proceeding with the leases, noting that it could not directly tie the impacts to climate change. 

·         Missoulian: Climate change fears: Feds want to move forward with oil, gas leases (August 13, 2010)

Selected Op Eds, LTEs and Columns on clean energy

·         Helena IR: Mary Fay, Helena: Jobs Trump Environment (September 8, 2010)

·         Missoulian: Mollie Allers, Missoula: Climate change: Hold polluters accountable (September 7, 2010)

·         Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Jay Moor, Bozeman: Forget Dick Cheney's plan, let's get smart on energy (September 1, 2010)

·         Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Homer Julian, Belgrade: America must wake up to the benefits of wind power (August 27, 2010)

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