WolfeNotes.com

Bill WolfeThe US is the world’s largest green house gas polluter.

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For those still sleeping, yesterday we received another scientific wake up call on global warming threats. But this was no abstract global plea – this warning hit hard. It was graphic and particularly close to home – describing effects on daily life right here in our backyard.
Scientists presented a July 2007 report titled: “Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast: Science, Impacts, and Solutions.” I strongly urge folks to read the full Report, which can be found here: http://www.climatechoices.org/

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Memo to the Media and Pundocracy:
Whether its Obama-Mania, a tearful Hillary, or John Edwards’ hair cuts, please stop the juvenile and fact free speculative coverage.
For the last 20 years, the media has come under intense criticism for the horse race nature of campaign coverage – who’s up and who’s down – in total disregard of the issues or the substance of policy.
But now, we’ve entered a whole new realm, where celebrity and the most bizarre events displace substantive coverage. Some pundits have explicitly equated the campaign coverage to high school psychodrama – who’s cool and who’s a geek.

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Bill WolfeThe Assembly gallery is packed by folks awaiting debate

Every picture tells a story, don’t it? (Rod Stewart)
Debate in Trenton yesterday on the education funding bill recalled a scene seared in my memory. That moving scene – from the movie of one of my favorite books “To Kill A Mockingbird” – was of the packed balcony of a southern courtroom, where black folks came to demand justice.
Yesterday, lots of folks – black and white – came to Trenton to demand justice in educational opportunity and school funding.

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Bill WolfeSenator Stephen Sweeney (D) sponsor of the RGGI bill, bears gifts

Bill WolfeSenator Bob Smith (D) co-sponsor of the RGGI bill, hard at work today during Senate session

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Bill WolfeSunoco refinery in West Deptford, NJ.

I thought readers might be interested in seeing corporate pollution that benefits from the Corzine global warming bill.
Last Sunday the Star Ledger editorial on the “Regional Green House Gas Initiative” (RGGI) concluded “Too many flaws in greenhouse gas bill“
“Unfortunately, the proposed RGGI law being rushed through Trenton’s lame-duck legislative session reflects a miserable New Jersey political tradition. Every special interest imaginable has reached in to grab a share of the money or other benefits….
Gov. Jon Corzine’s administration is anxious to pass an RGGI bill so New Jersey can show its commitment to the regional consortium. But the current bill carries too much baggage”.

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In the fine print of the energy bill recently signed into law by President Bush, Congress quietly inserted legislative language requiring EPA to develop voluntary guidelines for States on siting schools on toxic contaminated sites.
The law, signed by President Bush amends the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), amending the title for “healthy high performance schools”.
The legislative provisions originated in a bill (S. 506) sponsored earlier this year by Senator Lautenberg. Lautenberg deserves praise for his leadership on the issue.
Leading up to the bill, last year, in New Jersey, there were a series of high profile controversies regarding exposure of children to toxic chemicals while at schools and day care centers. These controversies illustrate the need for national legislation and national standards backed up by enforceable regulations.
Last year, the New Jersey’s School Construction Corporation (SCC), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and local school officials came under scathing criticism for a series of fiasco’s where schools were found to be contaminated or located on improperly cleaned up toxic waste sites.
The watchdog group NJ PEER disclosed a memorandum of agreement between SCC and DEP that revealed that State officials knowingly allowed this to occur without the knowledge or consent of parents and local officials.
In response, the Attorney General and Inspector General conducted investigations; legislation abolished and replaced the SCC; the DEP has begun regulatory reforms, a local school Superintendent was fired, and the NJ Legislature enacted laws mandating community notification and indoor standards for schools and day care centers.

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