Your Land. Your Voice.
FROM: Alaska Wilderness League
DATE: April 5, 2007
SUBJECT: AlaskaWild Update #258
Quote of the Week:
"We are approaching critical, political mass for taking bold steps this
Congress to address the twin problems of global warming and energy
independence. We now have industry and business leaders, the scientific
community, and politicians from both sides of the aisle standing together
in a grand coalition calling for meaningful action on global warming." 
-- Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA), March 20, 2007
HEADLINES
CLIMATE CRISIS ACTION DAY BRINGS THOUSANDS TO CAPITOL HILL
SUPREME COURT RULES THAT GOVERNMENT CAN REGULATE CO²
 
CLIMATE CRISIS ACTION DAY BRINGS THOUSANDS TO CAPITOL HILL
On Tuesday, March 20, Climate Crisis Action Day marked the largest U.S.
day of action for raising awareness to stop global warming and protect
America’s Arctic Refuge.  Thousands of concerned citizen activists from
47 states and parts of Canada gathered on the West Front of the U.S.
Capitol in Washington, DC to hear about the impacts of global warming
around the nation and Canada, followed by lobbying their members of
Congress for permanent protection of America's Arctic Refuge and a
mandatory cut in the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. 
Lobby visits were pre-arranged for the activists for dozens of members of
Congress, with some members meeting over 50 constituents at one time
advocating for permanent protection for America’s Arctic Refuge and
global warming legislation.  
Speakers at the event included Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), John Kerry
(D-MA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and Representatives Ed Markey (D-MA), Mike
Honda (D-CA), Jay Inslee (D-WA), and Henry Waxman (D-CA).  The crowd was
also treated to first-hand accounts from Alaska Natives on the impacts of
global warming taking place now in the Arctic. Representatives from the
Gwich’in, Inupiat, and Yup’ik tribes all spoke, in addition to local
government officials, youth and student representatives, and
representatives from the faith and scientific communities.
"How far behind are we?" asked Senator Kerry, "Across the nation
companies are doing this. Communities are doing this," said Kerry. "There
is money to be made, and jobs to be created in response to climate
change, and that's the message we need to take with us."
The legislation that citizens were advocating for on Climate Crisis
Action Day included HR 1590, the Safe Climate Act, and HR 39, the
Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act.  
For pictures of the event, and to upload your own if you were there,
please go to: http://www.flickr.com/groups/climatecrisisaction.

SUPREME COURT RULES THAT GOVERNMENT CAN REGULATE CO²
On April 2, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) can and should regulate carbon-dioxide and other
pollutants that cars produce.  Prior to this decision, the EPA declined
to set limits on automobile exhaust gases, and contended that it did not
have the authority to regulate C0² emissions from cars.  The new ruling
notes that U.S. vehicles are by no means the biggest source of
atmospheric pollution, but that the billions of tons of carbon dioxide
they produce are a "meaningful" part of the global-warming trend.  
"EPA has offered no reasoned explanation for its refusal to decide
whether greenhouse gases cause or contribute to climate change. Its
action was therefore "arbitrary, capricious, . . . or otherwise not in
accordance with law," wrote Justice John Paul Stevens, for the majority.
"[Now] the nation’s highest court has set the White House straight.
Carbon dioxide is an air pollutant, and the Clean Air Act gives EPA the
power to start cutting the pollution from new vehicles that is wreaking
havoc with our climate,” said David Doniger, the lead attorney for the
Natural Resources Defense Council.  
The court ruling does not order any specific regulatory action, but legal
analysts say it opens the door for future cases that may do so.  Senator
Barbara Boxer (D-CA) says lawmakers on Capitol Hill will be watching the
administration closely.
"If they don't do what they need to do what they have the power to do, we
will do it with or for them," said Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA).
The government questioned whether it was authorized to regulate
automobile emissions, but White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino
said, "Now that the Supreme Court has settled that matter for us, we are
going to have to analyze it and see where we go from there."
The Supreme Court’s decision comes at a time when Congress is shifting
into high gear on new legislation to cap and reduce global warming
pollution from all major sources across the economy.  

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