Chesapeake Bay Foundation Blog

March 5 - Fight for Clean Water and Clean Energy

Put a big red circle around the date March 5 on your calendar.

The Clean Water Network has declared March 5 as National Clean Water Phone Congress Day. The U.S. House of Representatives is poised to act this year on what could be the most important clean water legislation in 35 years: The Clean Water Restoration Act (H.R. 2421).

This bipartisian bill is needed now to ensure that all of the nation's streams, headwater tributaries, wetlands and other waters remain protected from pollution by the federal Clean Water Act. It will reaffirm that the Clean Water Act was intended to protect all of the waters of the United States, from big rivers to small streams, and from the Great Lakes to remote wetlands. 

So limber up those fingers and and call your U.S. Representative between 9am and 6pm EST. Tell him/herto support clean water by getting behind the Clean Water Restoration Act (H.R. 2421). For more information about the bill and how to contact your representative, download this message from CWN.

If you live near Annapolis, you'll want to limber up those legs and walk or ride to Lawyer's Mall (across from the State House) to Rally with O'Malley for green jobs and a clean energy future. Join Governor O'Mally, the Alliance for Global Warming Solutions, CBF, and others at 10am on March 5 to thank the Gov. for his support of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2008 and to stand with him in asking the General Assembly to pass this bill!

Global warming: "Strongest evidence yet"

NASA's Earth Observatory Friday issued two press releases revealing new evidence for sea level rise and climate change. On the same day, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) adopted a summary for policymakers entitled "Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis."

Experts say the Chesapeake Bay could rise up to three feet by the end of the century. (Granted, this isn't exactly new news; see the Bay Journal from Dec. 2004.)

What to do?

Last month, Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (MD-1) and Massachusetts Congressman John Olver, co-chairs of the House Climate Change Caucus, reintroduced the Climate Stewardship Act (HR 620). This is the third year Gilchrest and Olver have introduced the bill, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions to 70% below their 1990 levels by 2050.

What do you think its chances are this year?