Federal agency ignores urgency of global warming
EPA delays action to reduce emissions

More than a year after the Supreme Court directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conclude whether global warming pollution is a threat to public health and welfare, the agency announced it will seek more public comment on the issue. The EPA’s decision disregards urgent recommendations from federal climate experts and scientists calling for immediate action to reduce emissions.

According to the Washington Post, several EPA staff reported that White House officials instructed the agency to change their calculations to downplay the social costs of global warming. In addition, the potential benefits of reducing emissions were minimized. “The administration didn’t want to show a high-dollar value for reducing carbon,” said one EPA official, adding that the Bush administration cut dozens of pages from a draft that outlined cost-effective ways to lower global warming pollution levels.

The EPA’s decision to postpone action will put more pressure on the next president to address global warming.

1Sky comes to the Midwest
The movement promotes solutions at the scale of the climate problem

The threat of global warming is looming large, and people across the country are stepping up. A powerful new national initiative called 1Sky is focusing the power of millions of Americans on a clear, simple set of goals and policy initiatives.

Specifically, the 1Sky campaign advocates for three global warming policy solutions:

• create millions of green jobs in order to spur our economy
• freeze global warming pollution levels now; then cut by at least 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050
• prohibit the construction of new coal plants that emit global warming pollution and instead promote investment in renewable energy

With the help of many allies, 1Sky has already gained the support of elected officials, student and business groups, faith-based institutions, and organizations focused on health, civil society, and the environment—not to mention tens of thousands of individual citizens. NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen, a 1Sky ally, has stressed the need for the initiative: "The 1Sky campaign represents the kind of bold trajectory we urgently need to deal seriously with global warming."

Fresh Energy's program 1Sky Minnesota brings this focus to the state level. 1Sky Minnesota will be organizing citizens throughout the state to build support for global warming solutions.

What you can do
Get involved with 1Sky Minnesota and rally for green jobs

Join 1Sky Minnesota                
1Sky is building a coalition of organizations and individuals engaged to achieve bold global warming solutions policies. Add your voice to our coalition. Together, we can convince our leaders to chart a new direction—away from the worst consequences of global warming and toward a new era of economic prosperity. To get involved or volunteer contact Kate Ellis, 1Sky Minnesota Organizer at Fresh Energy, at 651-294-7143 or ellis@fresh-energy.org. 

Rally for green-collar jobs        
Fresh Energy and 1Sky have teamed up with the Blue-Green Alliance (a partnership of the Sierra Club and the Steelworkers Union) to co-sponsor a rally for jobs in renewable energy, energy efficiency, next generation biofuels, and innovative transportation.The rally is on Sunday July 27, from 1:00-4:00PM at St. Paul College.  

The rally will bring together a diverse group of interests—union members, community groups, and environmental advocates—to rally for increased investment in green jobs. Speakers include Jim Hightower, United Steelworkers president Leo Gerard, and Minnesota AFL-CIO president Ray Waldron. Enjoy music, learn about green jobs and renewable energy, and be a part of a human wind turbine! Join us and rally for green jobs in Minnesota!

Support this service! Become a member of Fresh Energy.

Fresh Energy works daily for smart energy policies and regulations that enhance our economies, protect human health and communities, restore our environment, and move us toward energy independence. www.fresh-energy.org