1. Documents Show Influence of Polluters on Energy Policy It's about time! After eleven months of stone-walling by the administration, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham handed over records that help show who was involved in drafting our Enron-energy policy. And - no surprises here - Abraham found time to hear from 36 representatives of business interests, including six meetings with Ken Lay's disgraced Houston energy company. But he couldn't squeeze in a single chat with environmental or consumer groups. The documents were released only after the Natural Resources Defense Council had successfully sued for their disclosure. Sierra Club has its own legal action pending against Vice President Cheney and members of his energy task force, seeking similar information. The task force produced an energy plan that relies heavily on polluting industries like oil and coal, and gives short shrift to conservation and renewables. No wonder Cheney's being coy about who helped write it! For more information on the information Spencer Abraham tried to withhold, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16943-2002Mar25.html 4. Let your Senators Know You Were Watching on Campaign Finance Reform Our representatives like to know that people are paying attention when they do something right. And last week, Senators did something very right indeed, voting to get big money out of politics by instituting real campaign finance reform. So call your Senators and let'em know you appreciated what they did. Or maybe your Senators were worried about those campaign contributions drying up, and voted wrong. Make sure they know you took note, and that next time you'll expect them to side with the American people and the environment, not their wealthy campaign donors. Go to the site below to see how your Senators voted: http://www.sierraclub.org/votewatch/2002/cfr.asp Then call the Senate Switchboard at (202) 224 3121, ask for your Senators, and deliver the message. ---- 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 [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask]