Sierra Club Currents -- Saying No to Nuclear Waste
Volume II, #28
Tuesday, April 16

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Quote of the Day:

"When more than 200 highly respected scientists agree that logging our
National Forests is detrimental to the environment, wildlife and the
economy, we hope the Bush Administration listens"

Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director

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(1)ENERGY: Saying No to Nuclear Waste
(2)WILD LANDS: Protect our National Forests, Say Scientists
(3)SIERRA CLUB PRODUCTIONS: Traveling the Seven Seas with Sierra Club - on
T.V.
(4)TAKE ACTION: Arctic Drilling - The Vote is On!

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1. Saying 'No' to Nuclear Waste

Sierra Club joined top lawmakers and activists from around the country at a
sweltering rally at the capitol today.  They urged Congress to stand up for
public health and the environment by rejecting a dangerous plan to
transport thousands of tons of radioactive nuclear waste across the
country, then store it at Nevada's Yucca Mountain.

Nuclear waste would travel through 44 states on its way to Yucca, creating
the potential for horrifying accidents, or a terrorist attack, on our roads
and rails.  Nevada has already vetoed the scheme.  Congress will now
decide, and a vote is expected in the next few months.  Lawmakers should
listen to the crowd of concerned citizens who came from across the country
and gathered in the heat outside the capitol today.  They should protect
Americans' health by voting 'no' on Yucca Mountain.

For more information on the dangers of nuclear waste, go to
http://www.sierraclub.org/nuclearwaste/

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2. Protect our National Forests, Say Scientists

Take it from the experts: our forests need to be protected, not logged.
Over 200 scientists from every state in the nation signed a letter to
President Bush today, urging him to end commercial logging of our National
Forests.  The list included a Pulitzer Prize winner, and a recipient of the
President's National Medal of Science.

Since taking office, the current administration has tried to pay back its
contributors in the timber industry by weakening many of the key
initiatives that safeguard our forests.  But when 200 leading scientists
weigh in on the importance of protecting our forests for water quality,
wildlife, recreation, and the economy, even the President might want to
listen.

For more information on the scientists' letter, go to
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/16/science/16LOGG.html

To read a copy of the letter and a complete list of its signers, go to
http://www.sierraclub.org/logging/letter

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3. Traveling the Seven Seas with Sierra Club - on T.V.

Set sail with Sierra Club and the Ciszek family!  Check out this intrepid
band of six as they travel the globe by boat.  Sierra Club Productions is
presenting their cruise as a reality T.V. series.  The Ciszek's maiden
voyage sets sail today in the Queen Charlotte Islands.

You can catch it on the National Geographic Channel on Tuesday, Wednesday,
and Thursday this week at 7pm and 10pm EST.  Let us know what you think,
and stay tuned for news on this family's big trip.

For more information on the trip, go to
http://sierraclub.org/scp/thepassage/index.asp

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4. Arctic Drilling - The Vote Is On!

At last the months and years of waiting, watching, and guessing are over.
Senator Frank Murkowski introduced his amendment to drill the Arctic at 3pm
today, with a vote expected Thursday.  Knowing that he needed to dress up
his proposal to destroy the pristine refuge for six months worth of oil,
Murkowski added some wrinkles:

The amendment would allow the President to open the refuge "in the interest
of national security".  There's a few other cute tricks in there, but none
of them masks the fact that this legislation would destroy the crown jewel
of our nation's wildlands for six months worth of oil.  Now's not the time
to relax: contact your senators and urge them, one last time, to protect
the Arctic refuge!

Call the Senate switchboard at (202) 224 3121 and ask for your senators.
Then go to the site below to send an email to them directly:
http://www.sierraclub.org/action/?alid=143&st=curr

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To take action on all your favorite Sierra Club issues, please visit:
http://www.sierraclub.org/action



Erin Jordahl
Director, Iowa Chapter Sierra Club
3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280
Des Moines, IA 50310
515-277-8868
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