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Canary News and Action March 26, 2005 |
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Environmental Management Commission delays NSR Revision Review by Rules Review Commission Summary of March 24th membership Meeting Volunteers Needed for Coming Events |
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Letters and Phone Calls Needed to Support Three New Bills in NC and to the EPA to Finalize 126 Petition Action. There are three bills that have been introduced to the NC General Assembly that we need to show public support for. Follow the links below to view the contents of the legislation. The first bill, S1134, introduced by Environmental Defense, would create a state Commission on Global Climate Change. The second bill, S1006, introduced by Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) is a clean car initiative, modeled after the California law that promotes the development and marketing of alternative. fuel and low emission vehicles. The third bill, S 1085, creates a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), a requirement for all electric utilities in NC to have an increasing percentage (starting at 1% and rising to 10%) of renewable generated electricity in the power they sell. And finally, April 1 is the deadline for making comments to the EPA to support the settlement reached with the North Carolina Attorney General over the 126 petition filed last March. For more information on the 126 petition and to file a comment with the EPA go to http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/NC_126 - A Bill to Create a Commission on Global Climate Change in North Carolina |
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Environmental
Management Commission (EMC) delays NSR Revision Review by Rules Review
Commission
The EMC was supposed to have filed its PSD/NSR rule revision with the Rules Review Commission on March 17, but failed to do so. Instead it has been put on the agenda of the RRC's April 21 meeting. More than 50 letters of objection have been received by the RRC, mostly from Canary Coalition members and friends. By statute this will force the rule revision to be submitted for legislative review. According to the RRC the letters already received will count, even though the date of the EMC's filing changed. But, additional letters will help deliver the message to the EMC and the Division of Air Quality that North Carolina's air quality standards must not be reduced, at all. A sample letter can be viewed and downloaded here. |
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Summary
of Monthly Membership Meeting
The monthly membership meeting was very lively and productive on March 24 at the Montford Community Center, in Asheville. Seven people were in attendance: Drew Sheffler, Jack Saye, Jean Larson, Joan and Frank Palmroos, Bob Robertson and Avram Friedman
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Volunteers Needed for Coming Events
Spring is upon us and with that comes a host of outdoor events and festivals giving us an opportunity for tabling and public outreach. Among the upcoming events are several Earth Day related festivals in April around western North Carolina. Also, Smilefest, a grand music festival featuring many local, regional and nationally known artists will be moving into the Asheville area this year on May 27-29. Smilefest organizers have offered to make the Canary Coalition one of eight non-profit organizations to benefit from ticket sales. This will be a great volunteer opportunity for several Canary Coalition members who will get in for free in exchange for helping with our information booth.
Later this summer we will need volunteers to help with support during the second annual Relay for Clean Air, for the SEEEXPO and for many other events still in the planning stages. Please call the office, toll free, 866-4CANARY or email canarycoalition@earthlink.net to volunteer.
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Nominations Open for Board of Directors Elections This year there are four positions opening on the Governing Board of the Canary Coalition that will turn over in June. We need to put emphasis on cultural and gender diversity, specifically and especially we need more women. Experience in fundraising would be particularly useful to the organization. If you are interested in serving on the Board or would like to enter a name of someone else for nomination please contact the office, toll free, 866-4CANARY, or email canarycoalition@earthlink.net
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| If you
have not already done so, please renew your annual membership with the
CanaryCoalition and help keep the database updated with your most recent
contact information. There is no annual membership fee, although all
donations are gratefully accepted (and very much needed). All new and
renewing members receive the interactive membership card, a business
card-sized CD that works in your computer’s CDROM. The membership card
is a powerful tool that aids its owner in being a clean-air activist. It
contains a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation about air quality and the
Canary Coalition that can be shown to friends, groups, classrooms, etc.
Also on the membership card is a library of documents containing
information on important air quality issues. There are also graphics for
iron-on applications, printable membership forms and a link to the CC
website. For donations of $25 or more tee-shirts are available upon
request.
Send contact information and donations to: Canary Coalition PO Box 653 Sylva, NC 28779
or you can donate online |
