T ...... Newsletter No. 284 (!ltizen s for Wilderness March 15, 2009 Planning
Taking Care of Wild Pl aces
1. The Tennessee legislature , ,, . . . .., p. 3 A. Two dangerous water bills C. End mountain-top J'('moval! B.Additionalbad waterbills D.Reviored"bottle bill"iseven better
2. The Cumberlands.. p.• A.5,500 ac<"s prnerved at Savage Gulf and Fiery Giu.ud B. Top staff at BSF and Obtd E.Cumberbnd Tr.ailbiodiversity C AJJi.ln« for the Cumbtrb.nds F.ER\VA's OiMOvery F�t D. Frozen Head: news and utivities G. Cumberland Trail projects
3. Other Tennessee news ...... p. 6 A. Ed Carter follows Gary Myers as di�or of TIVRA B.Finally,victoryforstream and caves neufaliCreekhlls
4. TVA news ...... p. 7 A. Final EIS for WattsB.lr Reservoir Lind �hnagement Plm B. New TVA Board Ch'l!irman isfonner chair of Republican Party
5. Cherokee National Forest ...... p. 8 A. C?alition for �ddition�l Wilderness C Corridor-K study B. Wtldcmess Workshop, June 27 D. forest stonge of CHCs
6. Smokies issues...... p. 9 A. Delay in monetary Mttlement might �ve betn a political game B. NC lawsuit winsbftter airfor Smokits
7. National news ...... ,.,,, .. ,,.,,,,,,.,,.,., ..... ,. , .., . , p. 9 A.Big publiclands/wildemesJbillfail!by2votes butwillbe back B. Mountain-top remov�l: <1bad court ruling D. Park money increal>'!d; maybe acquisition funds too C. l! MClean Coal"an oxymoron? E. Oe�n-energy money in the stimulus bill
8. Reversing some Bush assaults on the environment ...... p.ll lA. StreamBuffer Zonts; B, End�ngered species; C. Auto fmissions; D. Ut 9. Greening Oak Ridge: report on the community forum ...... p.12 10. TCWP news tPolitiul Guide; Activities, new and pOI.St Voluntur opportunities). p.13 11. Calendar; Resources p.14 12. ACTION SUMMARY ... p. 2 Editor: Liane B. Russell, 130Tabor R�d. Oak Ridge, TN 37830. E-mail: nu.selllbfhpryrwt.oom S�ded box or sur mean5 "Action Needed." Don't be overwhelmed- check the ACTION SUMMARY onp.l! NL284,3115109 2 12. ACfiON SUMMARY !No. !KIJC I "Mtssagi:!"orAcllon !A,B Dllngerous water bills Your TN lcgi�la((Q;also, "''ppose these dangerous bills! f'rolectour waters!" Envt. Comm. members \C Btll toend mounuin-10p rcmoval YourTN kgJslators ChcckTCWPc-mail alerts & website farsupport strategy \D Rc•·isnl"b:::«lcbill� YourTNic&islators: "'Wcnecd th!Svcrycoodbillforsc•·eratreuons!M also, Gov. Bre 80 Oil leascs onrcd-H)c\;wildemess lntcriorScc.Salazar "Thankyouforcanccling77 lcases! Plc:osc rcvisellawcd BLMRI!10Ur<.:e Ma��agemcnt PlaM!� Protecliooforcndangerc:dw olves lnteriorSec.Saluar "SoundJCiencc:supportsconlinucdlisungdwolvesl� lOB, NonhRidgcTrail TCWP VduntrerforAdopi·A-SccuooProgr.om Senator John Doe ThcHon.JohnDoc: Pres. Bamct Obama GovernorPhil Brnlescn United StatesSenate U.S. House ofRepresentatives The WhiteHouse State Capitol Senate Office Building HouseOfficcBuildin¥ Washingtoo,DC20.5CX) Nashville. TN 37"..43-9872 Washington,DC205 !0 Washington,DC20SIS 202·456-1414; Fax456-�461 615-741-2001: Fa� 6!S-S32-97ll prqj Dear Senator Doe DearCon gressman Doe DcarMr.PR:sidtnt Soncercly)'Qllrs, Stncerdy)'Qllrs, Rc:speclfullyyours, Rcspectfullyyoun. Sen. Bob Corter Sen. LamarAlexanller. Rep.ZlochWamp: Ph: 202·224-3344; FAX:202-228-0.566 Ph: 202-224-4944; FAX:202-228-3398 Pbone: 202-22S.3'!71 e-mail: bttp:lloorlt:er.scll:lte.plo:ontact.d'm e- mail: hup:llalclanckr.stn:uc.plo:on�.cfm FAX: 202-225--3494 Local: 865-637-4180 (FAX637·9886) Locai:865-S45-4253 (FAXS4S-42S2) Local: 865-576-!976 800Muk�tSL.Suite \21, ICooi To callanyRepor-Senator.d!alCongressionalswiiChboar<.l,202-224-312LToftndwtaboutt.he statusdbills,caii202·22S-!772 URJ...s:burxljwww hgu g8Qli6MJM mri and bngfflasjMmrK DiHtmy! General coota<:tinfo: � With mail to Congress sttll slow following the anth!ax $C:U'e,o:onsidcr faxing, phoning, and other modes o( communication. There ts much contact infonnalion in our up-10-da� Po!itiCll! 011idc:. Visit the TCWP web site (bup'ljwww l<:wp'l(K ) t p IS oro the Cumberlmd and �:::? : rva1:=o'��:;fi.,:S rut of the state arod the roation. TCWP'� �ngt liH in res TCWP: 130TaborRd., OakR idge, 1N 37830 PA!Sident Jimmy to 86S-483-5799 (lt) Exea.ti" and Membership-Development Diftd:or: Sandra Gro n, · Goss, 865-522-3809;Sandratlp:;andrakgw wm Newsletter editor: Lee Russel l · n Internet: www NL284,3/15/09 3 1. THI TI!NNI!ISII! LI!OISLATURI!; Ull BAD AND VI!RY GOOD BILLS !Information &-omTenn. Conwrv�OOn Votenl 1A. Two tl••••r••• •Ltmlf•tl •••ovrc• W•t•r•• IIIII• mv•t Ita •foppatl. [Additional infonnationfrom TCWNI SB.06J3(Souther!and)/H8.1617{McCord) and SB.0632{Southerland)/H8.1615(McCord) are rein- e i 1 ����c�������)0tha� s��ac(� i: �� a again in 2008 (NL277 13A). {��;a;;) Th� seriously : threaten our supply of clean w;�ter by e: r. e e t 0 c 2007. Boundary definition should fadlitateprotec ����: ����� F;:� t�:i��e���: f�r �l ��� hon ofParkresourcesand features. RllMrts s.aid that the !..and Trust would continue;, to Volunl.-ers Uf helping to maintain and im pursue lhepossibilitin. prove backcountry trails. Park Manager D.lvid Reffrences: Engebretson reports th�t the volunt.-ers •did a h!!p•llwww!andtru§l!no(gfntw!l: greatjob cluningand repairing waterb;�rs infeb. �(includes photo) and on the Emory Gap Trail.M Volunteer Trail D;�ys are generally, but not always, scheduled on thirdSat- ��;�� ���nip�are March 21 and N'f,/;(;;;;;�_;;;:�;;;;;�;:-;::l'''"'''""'"' ' -( e 2 •• Clto11••• Ill 111·11·1•"•' •toH Frozen Head State Park and Natural Area con of.6F Olffl o•H tinues to offer special event5 and monthly pro Only tluft weeks after he star1ed his job&$ graiJI$. new $uperintendent for the Big South Fork Na o The 41• Annual SpringWildflower Pi!gOmau is tional River and Recrution Aru on January 19, scheduled for the 2.. and 3'" w.-ekends in April, Stennis Young supporllrailexp;msion.�isalso allocatcdtoZone again fulfilling its mandate�oada5 5\twardto the 3. environment while ronhnumg to provide alford • At lhe northernend ofParcel233 ,antwHabitat able elec:tricityand navigablewatersto thecitizeru Protection Areli(HPA)hasbeen identified forthe of theTennesseeValley.N Whites Creek Alluvial �posit Forest h is lo cated along tile lower reaches of Whites Creek (west bank),not far above where the river enters the�rvoir. • The ecologically signific;ont �finger p�ions� lhatformthe shoresofmuch ofthebigperunsula SA. T•,.•••••• Wlltl will won for SW ofThiefneck Island have be-en allocated to otltllflo,.•l Wlltlom••• tl••'•"•"•"• Zones3 and4 The new coalition,Tenness« Wild,is working � The FEIS is �pa�es long.not to get additional areas of the Cherok« N•tional . _ counting maps, and is full of 111terestong informa· Forest(CNF) included an the National Wilderness i 1 Protection System. Initial focus isonthe southern �.tva. v/e �t/r / s r/ :: : �=� ! "; � ���t �:� rt : g s ex.hlm : :: g i ! d d . e � Print� copies of the entire document are f:tntives�: of�� the';; ��coalition.�� = which ��� includes ;��i �Cherokee�r::�� m r � i a : Forest Voices, the Smoky Mountains Hilting Oub, :::�• i��W: v::ts �� ��:V�i� ��� - F� the Sierra Club,TCWP , and other groups, mel in more information,call 8()(1.TVA·LANO, or e-mail Chattanooga on January _ll and di!<:u�strait- tvainfolltvi.gov(a"n.ErinPritchard).Jn the sub t � g c i ject line, typ<" "Watts Bar Land Plan FEIS.� Pluse ��� t a r a ea � t ; include yourUSPS mailingaddress. ing Bald�: �;��� River Gorge� Wilderness.���� : The: southern�� �� ;� Cherokee NF lies in the districlll of Congressmen 4 •. llow TVA ao•rd ChoiTiffo" Ouncan andWamp. I• fonrtor choir of ••p•llllco" l"orly llnfont"llltioo&-omSouthernAIIianceforOeanEnergy] sa. Wlltlom••• Worft•ltop � h 0 Tenn� Wild will 5ponsor a Wilderness 3, ele c e a r Work5hop onjune27, \Oam-Spm, at theTennes isthe�J�former:::chairm&.� anof�: ��theRepublicanParty,and��� �� � � ���!� :;eeValley Unitarian Church,Knoxville. Irs a good hiselection has beenwidelycriticictedasan overly way to lum more about how to protect Tenne-r parti!oa.n move that could politiciu theTVA Boud, see's remaining National Forest wildlands. Evenls abodythat is expected to determ.ine thtdirection will include hand!-Dn workshops and several es ofTV � �· �he � teemed and nationally known guest spe�kers. e � t e e':f o� �l;;�:r; , 10 South�astern en- Sunday,June28 , willfeatureanopcional ouhng to vironmental orgaruut•oru�nt� � aresoluhontoPtes. d � n n �t���!�� ��u::.r�� t�e;���e�t� :n-��� �� �r:� � !��t'!d����t��� =�d 7866,or�. of s t �:;sh . e-r::::� ����:;:� ::Jf:� Prtsident IC. Will o mojor ,..1111 roofl tr• ••r•• � S e � tlto •••thont Clloro lfoo 111'1 r i i · � � o (Contributedby Sandra Caul �edg,�r;, ni'«:Wott"y�d :\'J:�� to understand.;;�� �: �� TVA's;...� imp;�d�=�� � on our:!t � L.st month, TCWP E•ec:utive Director Sandra u K.Gosswas i_nvitedby theTenne5Sft�partment ofTran sportation (fOon, to serve as a member of :"� !�t":o ���run:;:�;��ro.:�.� i o ir /i::� � q 7 the Citizens ResourceTeam (CRT)being a�mbled d ce h � . n � fe� ��� �mJ�::t �� �J' :� ���� :: � for the development of theUS 64 [Corridor K) im- ���;�� v p w ����,������;:!:�=�:e��T; c , he r and supportfDf thrapplicationof innovative tech- �::.� �: �';'� :��{ �e:��: s o a e n- t d a e �;;;�andwouldim�J:�p;��ct steepfore$\ed;: ��:':�ftterrain. /o�; ���!���programs should be��Tl:e�� necessary�� ;:n:� qualification:e�� � The CRT is pari of TDOrs Context Sensitive futur o f':r � · Solutions process to ensure i collaborative,inter �FJ:ni i ur nation's en- � ����o�� disciplinaryapproachthat invol•·esallstakeholders e to develop atransportationfacilitythat fitswiththe � natural,cultural,and phys icaltnvironment. � ��=� :�o�r=�771a �[:� �:� Throughout the planning and environmental bo � i \�� : � � l " review for US 64(Corridor K) pro t'd,the CRT will ; r a \ ; a j �= � ;�j�;��;�� '�� :� ���!: �d��To�� address many challengmg and tntportant issues. NL284, 3/15/09 9 TOOT plal\5 to issue a new Environmental lmpa� Emanuel, a former collugue of his in the Houst of St<'llement EIS) fortheproject withtheusual pubhc Repr.-sentatives,of the need /orthe monl'lary set mtetingsandcom�nt( periods. tle�nl It is not dear yet what role the National As early as the 1960s, the AppaiKhi�n Re Park Service will play. We are waitingtofind out gion l CommiHion roposed Corridor which is whether,andhow,wecan help. part nof the 127 ml?l" betwet>n 1-75 K.in Bradley County, Tenn�see t(Cl�veland area) and the Appa lachian �velopment Highway System (ADI-15) lB. llorlh C•rolln•'• ouce••• In eourf CorridornearDillsworthNC. ohovlflBecause ,,.,.,theBush• .,. •lllAdministratiolrl•o' olronwas system About 5 years ago, TCWP attended public atically weakcning gulations designed to clean meetings and provided comments on an EIS for up smokestack enu55tons,_� North Carolina's attor CorndorK. Atthatttmeoneof_ thealternatives in ney general Roy Cooper, in 2006,sued TVA on tM volved strious impacts on the Cherokee National grounds that pollution from TVA coal-firf"dsteam Fore5t. That EJShas beenofficially rncillded.The CRT is projeded to work on the projec:tf� the next plants in other states con5tituted a "publicnui sance" to citizen5ofNorth Carolina. lnJ;muary of 12to18months. this year, Laq Thornburg,a federal distric:tjudge in NC. ordered 1VA to reduce emiHions from four 5D- lloflollol forooto could of its power plants (including Kingston. Bull Run. ,. ,. ,. and John Sevier in East TtnnessH) that were pol .,.]tnfcnnalion,.. fromForest�rvice. .,,.. ., .. EmptoyeesforEnvi•.... luling his state. Judge Thornburg found that the Our 192 millionronmcn!al acresEthics] of public forests have TVA had failed to iMtall pollution controls in a the potentia! to increasttheir photosynthesis stor· timely manner, and ordered thatthisbedon�, ona age of C01 by 43% -- an effect equal to removmg. schedule that varies from plant to plant but beats 13-24 miltioncarspcryearfromournation'sroads. TVA'sowntargetof2015orlater. To achieve this potential, it would � nece-ssary to modernize the !960 Multiple-Use Sustained·Yield v e s or o 7. NATIONAL NI!W8 ���f: ::n:g! f::es� ;� ! m!��! �: �C:,.�u a d 7 A. at• p•llllo lonflo/wllflarrtaoo Ifill � ���n� ::Smi� t� : t: !,�:!': '•"• lly Z !fofao, ll•t will II• ll•olt the case for change. [I will also be necessaryto \')(• The OmnibU5 Public Lands Management Ad, plain to Congren the important role Natioll&lFor r g ests canplayintheglo�ldim ate. ,9':!_��; �:n�:.�:�n!r��� •;��i=:s ����� A particular ca 15 theNorthw t Forest Pla_n, whichprotects>8nullions:e acresofanctent� foreststn adds ll"arly two million acres of. wildeme55 in 8 threestates-forPSUihatstoremorecarbon peracre states to the \07M-acre national w!lderne55$fStem, n e a u the biggest addition_since !9?4. The billalso pr� ��f� 6;�:; a;�7t;:; o� :��bo��u�3t �ai%� �� te<.:ts hundreds of mllH of nver, prevenu new oll its directive makesand gas pennanent leasing along the the26M-acre Wyoming National Rang�, Land and scape Conservation Sys em of unspoiled lands in the West. The bill was finally� passedby the Senate I. IMOKII!I IIIUI!I in January of this year, thanks to the efforts of Majority Leader Hany Reid to bring it up early {NL28H7A). lA. •••If Afl•lnlotTOtiOII fall•fl All that remanedi was fortheHouse toac:cept to ,..,.,.,,. til• llorlll .,..,. ll••fl v ••••t•rr ••ttl••••' �� e:::�:��o�l�iy !:\:yus:ru: �po�':� The outgoing Bush Administration made no and already long-delayed mtasure, the-bill was effort to pmvide the funds required for the mone· u ns tary settlement tha� was due Swain County, NC, in �:�f�a�uv:�����.,�����:n���i return for not havmg the North Shore Road con atwo-thirdsn�<�jotity forpassage ��,:S structed. There hav� been rumors that Dirk On March II, desplle strong,bipartisa nsup Kempthome, Bush's Secretary of the Interior, held port,thishistoricwildern�ssbiUfelljust2votHShy backthemoney (usuallyagreed upo:>ntobeS52_mi! of a two-thirds House ma1ority. The fmal vote was lion) in a deliberate move designed to do pobtical 282-144 in favor. 248 Democrats (induding ail S Tenn. Democrats) voted with 34 Republicans (in- �=�� ::r·Heath Shu!" (D-NCll) in his 2010 re- in e � n r u �: 't!d;����: t:� ;�� �� Now that a new Administration is in place, Blackburn),(! joi ned by 3 �mocra\5,voted against.: Si;o;(3Rand3D)didnotvote. :;������...J �i=�=���;�s���� NL284, 3/15/09 10 - e :. { :�a : ;fl�i ; �from�the5enate� f��version)� � !�� -Sl.S billion for �a competitive solicitation for in dustrial carbon capture and energy efficiency improvement projects.� The coal industry has recently been spendi� ly a a v s n ai o �=: c':t. ut :: 1 ,a��}; �1� � � � t� �a �: =t �;�·� u: � g �: ��� � �� u� : � 7B. ••••t•l•·top re••"•l: rl'Cently:�begun� ���to feel� some� doubts,: �,! partly�; 115�� :::re • ll•fl COflrl rllllft. sult of thc news ooverage of the Decembtr sptll of In March 2007, US District Judge Hobert C. largequantities of toxic coalash stored at theKing h ston Steam Plant, and the information that, across r: ��ti� ��, �ite: �: thtcountry, therr areaboutJOOsuch storage �nds properly�: : considering��tt! ���:tcenvironmental � im pad$��t; before and landfillsat power plants. Coal oombustont in issuing aean Water Act (�Dredge and Ft!l�) this country produces 130 million tons of ooal ash permits for mountaintop §404removal mirleS to bury annually, enough to fill a train of box cars stretch· stre�m' (NL274 15C). The Corps had not con ing from Washington, DC, to Australia. EPA is ducted adequate environmtntal reviews or man r a dated sufficient mtasuns to minimize stream de �� �f� struction. ��u"�%�But therere�� are�t����·: many senoust!!'; prob�:c'fems��� wtth� About a month ago, however, the 4th U.S. Cir coal, in addition to coal-ashdisposal. At this time, cuitCourtofAppealsinYA,bya2:1vote,rejected no good te-chnologyhas been developed forcaptur- o 0g�, �!,! A ���! :fa l�e�� �c��a �1!t�ficient �:o';;expertise�7;:,��and discretion�=� to���:;ut!f:conclude thatthe:j� getting� �the�ooal�outof\the ground.� Evenif moun mi ningoperationsin qu�slion would cause nosili taintop removal were barred, thefacts ur that sur nificant �nvironmental degradation. Almost n- face-mining of coal devastates huge areas of land and water, and tluat underground mining endan o';�i � �� gershumansurvival and health. :��::s�says that no� �a��surface ��=mining���fanywhen � ain the��coun;� tywillharm thrutened or endangered species or r 70. MOllOY lllcr-•otl; l•llfl· i �e la r ,.., 1fo:; s ty 0� i�� ��� •ctt•l•lflon '""fl•, ltopof•lly, •'•• (1) The stimulus biU (ARRA), signed on Feb. �;wrillen� ��by�� two judgu.� ;� The� third�P;t one, Judge!n M. Blane Mi chael,wrote adetaileddissent. \1, contains almost Sl billion for ru�tional parks, as a u t g follows: unlea :n� ; ��l !r ; � ;rp':, � �!�� l<.milli2ool been ��on hold. �:This huget number� of new� t!'�t mountain 589 Construction top removals could destroy majorsections of the 170 Roads Appalachian mountains. A numbeT of environ 146 Operations mental groups, led by Earthjustice, may request 15 HistoricPreservation that the case be re-heard by the fyJ1 4th Circuit This investment, which should help to restore the (50mething called arehearing tn banc), a.nd oou.ld infraslructure ofourparks, will create job$ inrural even fileanappeal with theU.S.SupremtCo ;U"'. and urban communities. ' (2) UnJike Park oper�ting funds, money to QC- In the mtanlimt, there may be somt iKllonon the Administrative front concerning the Stream r ar an c Buffer Zone {SBZ) rule (see1SA, this NL). 1:::��� �� �n� a d a� "c���,:rt��� ��:� (LWCF), created� in� 1965.� !�This Fund, fed by off. shore oil drillins revenues, is authorized at S900 7C. I• •c1-11Coal isin Co•t•plentiful ••supply oq•orin thisooo.tntry,o111 and millionannually, tobespenl federaUy orgranted to is the cheapest source of powtr for ele-ctridty pro the states. But the amoUllls adually appropriated duction. [tfuels half ofaU eledricity generated but have been dram�tically below the authorized level, contributes more than two-thirds olall � emis especially during the latest decade (despite Bush's sions from tht eledric-power sector(Energy lnfor campaign promise to �fully fund� the program). mation Administration). The recent stimulus biU The Bu:sh budgets routinely ask� for only paltry indudes S3.3 billion incoal money (wvgazette.oom, l a e d 2/14/09): :�e":����e' �f&� :�t���������;��� �e ���:� -SI lion for fossil energy research and develop- treasury for defictt reduction. For the present fiscal ��t NL 284, J/15/09 year, only Sl55 million wert appropriatfd, and the 100ft stream buffer zone (NL282 ,4 and ,BB) had state i e n e already passed. However, lawsuib havebren filtd �::i�� &,����:;' d�:� h; =�:�t�· re- against the government by NPCA on January 16, �uests S4� 0 million for the ntl(lfiSI:al yeu, and the arid byother groups in December. The remtdy is ' thus expectfd tocome through alternative{J)inthe ��st b:"!::'� ��,s� ln � p �;;li o: above paragraph. aremadebythe� CongrtSS.:��C::, : ; � 88. Eafl••••,..fl •l'•t:l•• Act (E.A) 7E. CI•••·•II •,.Y II Ill til• •tllfllllll• IIIII The Bush Administration eliminated the "'" [lnlo.,...bOn£rom SACE] r bab i c Thestimulusbill contains uptoS78.6 billionof e <: 1 3 investments and in�ntives for dean eneJWY, in risk����species�;�tmustb.;:: �studitd� � by:�scientisU�;;:r��al theUS duding the following (in biUionsof dollars, unless Fi5h &. Wildlife Service or the National Marine olherwis.e stattd). Fisheries Service. Instead, the Bush rule altowtd •SSforthe Weatheriution Assistance Program the agency proposing an Ktion to detemUne on its •S3.2forEnergy EificiencyB\ockCrants w t � •S3.1 fortheState Energy Program i n ( 2 h ;;;r� :" � s ; •S4.5to improve ene-rgy efficiency in ftderal �;;catly� prohibited�t'; a;;B�� end�ngered-species! � � determinil·� ��� d Tions tobe bas.edoneffecls ofdimate change. · onforgreenjobs Early in March,. Pres. Obama, ona visilto the ���fti - � n e t s o ' u n hybrid o �� �W � :�i � : �:�electricvehidn���{�[ �\� ;��ty�,��;;: ��� �merct: �partmenlsr;:��';: � to:�� review:�� the Bush� administra·�� �;: Many [O<:at and state governme b have al- � lion rules change. Until this review ·� complete, g w e t e� � : v � � e e ti � citilens�:!;'� areadvised� � ��to check� ��with�k��theirstate� :��energy�� f�;���ber of Commer<:e,s���� ��U:C7 condemned� �� !�:�:� . Obama's�-�-0���: direc· office or city manage(s offi� to see wllat money [>res _ live as an unreasonable interference with needtd for dean energy is e�pecttd for the1r community projeds; and Republiuns in Congress said the and what projK!s the investments wiD support. Presidenrs adion could lead to n«dless de�ys in p m 1 ; � ions may I. REVERSING SOME BUSH ASSAULTS b.� forthcoming:�:S7:na1' undo!�: �ng� the� Bush'::of � rules change or ON THE ENVIRONMENT nforcing it In addrtion. an EarthJustice laW$uit �i ln its last two months, the Bush Administr;>- ispendingagainstthe Bush rult. re � ha •t � � h ac. GHa ,•• ,.,.. fro• •• ,.,..,,•• , !:�";;!!':(NL282 186).�= Immediately :�:S after� President����i Obama"s� r:f� .,. two l•l'•rt••t fll,.ctl.,•• inauguration {on the same day), all agencies and During his first W«k in offi«, Pres. Obama departments were asktd to condud a MRegulato.y . Review" to identify options for suspending or � � stop n � n �� r �:���� ��= ���� 0��directives";:;�:� that� a fi£dress:fn':·� auto- o h ve date had al«ady :.!;� S :� (1) e �:t!ffi pasud <:an b. undone in three ways: undertake ��i{I) States have long had lhe right to set a new rule-making process, which can takt montN stronger air-potlulionslandards than ther t fthe or tvtn yurs; (2) a.sk CongfflS IO �vokt �he rule � � nation, and their requ�ts for f�er�l pemuu1on to under thr rarely used Congressional Rrvr� Ad dos.o wereroutinely approved tn thepast. Cahfor·_ which i$$ubj«t to short dradlinn; (J) fai $Uithas nia's proposal todoso with reg;ard to green-house been brought against the rule, step aside and nol _ gas emissions from <:ars and trucks was, however, deferld the rule in court. Below, we provrde_ bnef reje cted by the Bush Administr�tion, which cited a summaries of the progress in und?ing wmeof the a � e hannful Bu$h Administration actrons against the �= 03� 5:JJ7:; � 1 { e · th en·�ironment. (In addition to the ones conred �::.� � � f:���� ���tf- towed California in requiring strong,er limitations here, there have b.en good adions br Sec. Sala.zar for 1ran.5portahon-<:aused CHC emtS$>01\$. with regard to offshore driUing and otl-shle devel y a s _ opment.) ��::���=� 0� �; Oba��5�i:ect�� :he ��� : � � BA ••,,...,. ,,., , .�:one California'$ applkation. . lf approval is given. as e�pected, new carssold tn thatstateand •t lust IJ {MOIInt•III•I0/1 ,..•• .,al) l h c e _ i 1 The effective date for the Bush rules change io , n 11 that essentially eliminated the requinment for a �:�lion to �the �JJ� statu :: ::� and the;� Distrid� J: of� Columbra ����f NL284,.3/15/f1J 12 that havealreadyadopled th C:.lifomiastandar,<�s. BE. 011ablot 011 the racord: at least 4 others have pledged todo so. Granting Sai•Jt•r 1•11• 011 wolf protocflon the CaliforrUa waiver to n.gulate lailpi� emis$ions [Information &om NRDC] would thus affect about half thf U.S. auto market., AnotheroneoftheBushAdmi nistration'sdis and thisshould force automaken intoafasttrlimr- astro.u midnight rul"S stripp<:'d wolves in the o a nsid- Northern Rockies of their Hendangered sped�H :� �:��;j... t� :fri��t::����e���:t: protection -- Jeavtng themvulnerable to mass ktll (2) Another directive, st�ned along with the ing under dudly state management pl�ns. These one �rt�ining to the Califorrua wa_iver, orders the wolves have formidable enerrues. Idaho ltas dt· Transportation Departmen! to publsh .the n�w nol dared that it wants no wolves in the state whatso 2011liotllll fu<'l dficiency guidehnu(begmmng� wtththe evtr·-�nd has a plan thatcould kill more than half model year) by March 30. The 2007energy bill of its approximately 700 wolves, even wolf pups. �uired thatthe current average fl.lel efficiC'IlCy of (The governor wants to bag the first "'olf l The 27.5 mpg be i�ased to -35 mpg by 2020 �tthe wolves of Wyoming and Monlana fa� si'!'d�: r ad latest, but the Bush Administr�tion nmor IJ!utd versaries. And the shootingcou d start nght dur nNr-tmn g11idtlinn for tighter fuel-efficiency stan in g the brffding se�son. In the meantime,l the wolf dards. populations in Yellowstone National �ar k . �re TM Dllifomia standards (if !he waiver is plummeting as pup$ die of a yet-to-be tdenhfted gr•nted) will requino this target to be reach� 4 disease. years urlier, and this could resu�t in _mort effi;•ent res. Obama put a freeze on the Bush rule, newcars being on the road slartlng m2010. Our pendingP review by the new l.nterior Secretary, Ken gOo'll is nottofurther burdenan already struggling Salatar. Sadly, on March6,S:ec. Sa!azarannounced Jauto/ industryH (as has been asserted by cong�. thJt ht would follow the dtscredited path of the sional Republicans), but to help Am�r•can Bush Administration and de-list wolves in_ the automaktn Nprnparnforthe futurnH and Nthnve by Northern Rockiesand Greater YeUowstone ton. building the canoftomorrow.N WHATYOU CAN 00: Contact Sec.Sala zar( him hi$ 8D. 0111••• I••••• on •canlc Utalt l•nd• Politica.lGu.ide) and remincl Of pled�e to rely on soun activities,Free, prest:ntations, family-friendly celebralionincludes t andn games aimed ill ���i��e�: �; :e� ��e ���Ypfan� tdF�� t � ;:�:i�;:;: • a public �;�f"zs�9Jr'Jn !.C::t!?ifc!�t). spring plomt$ale, 1.m. -3 p.m. at the Arboretum on 5 . A Frozen . �� �;ot T��� ���i f:· at He<��dState Park, 8 a.m.(�1106. thisNL). • M;oy16, Frozen Head work day (120, this NL). )une6, North RidgeTrailworkday (see110B.this •JNL>un' 27,at Ttnnnset:" Tennes ee Wild Workshop, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. s Valley Unitarian Church (� 15B, this NL) ·· � • TtlllleJSU'I Waitt 8/utprintnt is a new, short publi· ��;'s� ltj?su!'p�:� ::�:nn��;'a��e r�ns��t topit$as headwaters, waterst.Ms, stream buffers,up d w3�::. �� ����:(Blueprint ;�� alsoli�� �i!:w��rprioritie s term lays out top •nd long gOflls. Produe«lpartly by the Obed Water shed Community Association {OWCA, wwwobtdwatrr:;hcd.ory>, the publiution is avail<��trnnnsrnwble for atrrbluemjn! free download <11! • www org More information on ga rdenjng wiJb naliyr s e �s�e E���� ��� ��; ����3i�� ��� s:�e� �ogprd ron MargieHunte r's web •itt, www rningwjthnatjvrplants • ��, rom/.e � Le� �;,j� ;: d�;io�h:n�=� ���� �o /tes: a� Olk Ridgt are""""'" running· in success•vt •ssun of the ·� Almost 30,000 gallotuof reu$able water unberollt<:ted annually from tbe average Tennessee roof. The lowf'ri� Clinch Riverrain barnlsWater shed Council (LCRWC) selling rain bar· made of I� �ded plastic. Use of rels reducesstorm-waterrunoffand flooding;re chargts ground water; provides soft wateron for numerous usn; and alleviates demand mu- i ��["��:�� �:� p�;;��;1�s�:�.i. �:.'!o'��: LCRWC, 865-257-14l4oraprilnito»bellsouth.net. Do you like The TCWP Newsletter? Since 1966, the Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning Newsletter has been providing the best source of environmental news in the Southeast. The TCWP Newsletter brings you: Concise and timely summaries of environmental issues of importance to Tennessee and the nation Information about how you can make your voice heard in environmental decisions • Listings of events and activities for all ages and interests Here's how to get one for yourself - join TCWP today Complete the coupon below i.ndmi.il with i.check to Chulie Kliobunde, TCWP Treasurer, 219 East Vi.nderbilt, Oi.k Ridge, TN 37830. TCWP membership includes a subscription to the Newsletter and our annual Political Guide. Individual dues are$25.00, Family 535. � 865-522-3809 (Half price for those joining after July 1) I (we) would like to join TCWP and receive the Newsletter and Politic;al Guide.