As early as today, the Senate will be voting on amendments to the Energy bill S 517. The Club will be sending out regular updates about upcoming votes on amendments and our positions, on them as we learn about them. Senator Murkowski is expected to offer his amendment to open the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge to oil drilling. It is now looking like he will do this on Wednesday April 10. Our environmental champions in the US Senate - led by Senators Kerry (D-MA) and Lieberman (D-CT) will seek to block Senator Murkowski's amendment by filibustering it--forcing extended debate on this controversial amendment. Drilling proponents would be forced to secure 60 votes to shut off the debate and end the filibuster. The vote on the Arctic filibuster could happen as early Thursday, April 11, but more likely on Friday. Please call your Senators to thank and shore up those who are with us and to encourage all those who have not yet decided how they will vote. You can reach them through the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 or you can call their in-state office. We are also expecting that several other amendments to the energy bill will be voted on this week: An amendment offered by Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) which increases federal oversight over energy trading to provide protection for consumers from future Enron's will be voted on Wednesday. We support this amendment. Sen. Graham (D-FL) is planning to offer an amendment to specifically include municipal solid waste (MSW) as a renewable energy resource. We oppose this amendment. Garbage incinerators create and emit dioxin--a known human carcinogen-- and cause impairment of immune, nervous, reproductive, and endocrine systems at extremely low levels. In addition, garbage incinerators contribute nearly 20% of the nation's mercury emissions, while incinerator ash contains toxic pollutants including lead, cadmium, mercury, and dioxin. Municipal solid waste incineration does not help solve solid waste problems, because it removes the incentive for waste reduction and recycling by making solid waste seem to disappear, but leaving a toxic legacy in its place. We also expect Sen. Fitzgerald (R-IL) to offer an amendment that would specifically exclude MSW from the definition of biomass in the Renewable Portfolio Standard. We support this amendment. ASK YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT THE KERRY-LIEBERMAN FILIBUSTER TO PREVENT OIL DRILLING IN THE ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. Also: SUPPORT Feinstein amendment to guard against Enron trading schemes SUPPORT Fitzgerald amendment to exclude incineration of municipal solid waste from renewable energy portfolio standard. OPPOSE Graham amendment to define incineration of municipal solid waste as a clean renewable fuel - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]