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Forward on Climate Protest

"Forward on Climate" Protest - Washington DC (2/17/13)

I went to Washington DC yesterday for the “Forward on Climate” protest  – this was one of my favorite signs.

Embarrassed to say that I must be getting old – I froze my ass off and spent most of the day seeking refuge in the museums: after enjoying my favorites, the Freer and Sackler Galleries, I breezed through the National Gallery of Art.

The crowd I saw was fairly diverse in terms of age, but mostly young and white. A small group under an Occupy! banner was there, but marginalized. I saw some NJ folks, including Ted Glick and Dick Colby and had a nice conversation and interview with a college journalist from Minnesota

According to the news clips I’ve read, and Bill McKibben, it looks like the crowd was estimated to be from 30,000 – 50,000. Disappointing, but I guess that’s not bad for a cold, cloudy, and windy February day. The primary focus of media coverage seems to be on the upcoming Obama decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline, with some related but more general climate change/global warming themes thrown in.

I don’t know what it means politically, and just don’t have the energy to mount an analysis right now, so I’ll just excerpt the hopeful interviews from the blog of Sandy Bauers, environmental reporter at the Philadelphia Inquirer who did a fine job – her interviews dispel many myths about climate activists and their concerns:

Who are the local folks and why are they going?

Anna Sofranko, 28, hiker: “Americans need to do more to protect their planet.”

Jim Hart, 71, retired teacher: “I figure this earth is good for about 80 years, and that’s about it.”

Seaver Wang, 20, Penn student studying environmental science: “If a large number of people care enough to go all the way to Washington, D.C., to promote this issue, it will emphasize how much of the population cares about climate change.”

Temple student Evan Hoffman, 30: “We’re at a tipping point here… We want a new future.”

Jean Mollack, 58, laid off worker from Doylestown: “”We’re ruining the world with our dependence on fossil fuels, and we need to look into other forms of alt or renewable energy. We hope to put some pressure on the president and begin heading this county toward more dependence on wind and solar energy. And also making pipelines safer and less likely to break.”

Liz Robinson, 63, head of the Energy Coordinating Agency: “Everybody should be here. Climate change is the biggest threat to humans. It’s critical that everyone is here. There’s so much money involved, and it’s very profitable to burn oil. Unless all of stand against climate change it’ll be too late.”

Judy Wicks, 65, former owner of the White Dog Cafe, and now an author: “Things aren’t going to change unless the public speaks.” Without support from the public, President Obama “can’t make the right decision.” She described the rally as “a joyful occasion” with “all different ages and backgrounds.” “I feel like this is the issue of our time.”

Grace DiGiovanni, 12, who goes to Green Street Friends: “This is for my generation of kids.”

Albert Accoe, 62, security consultant from West Philadelphia: “…for my children and grandchildren.”

Paul Spiegel, 53, energy consultant and head of the West Chester engineering firm, Practical Energy Solutions: “I’m here to add my voice to this cause. It’s important to me that we get off of this addiction to fossil fuels. I brought my daughter, and I want her to see that there’s a movement that she can join. … I hope that the political leaders here in Washington listen and see this group of people disrupting the streets and understand that business as usual is not going to work…We need to build smarter and cleaner.”

Sarah Noonan-Ngwane, 16, Chestnut Hill United Church: “I believe that environmental issues should be at the core of what happens over the next four years.”

Monica Guess, 17, Chestnut Hill United Church: If the pipeline goes through, “it changes our whole future. It’s a huge deal. She described the rally as “a powerful experience. When 35,000 people come together, that brings the issue to the forefront.”

Joy Bergey, 57, a PennFuture activist and longtime member of Chestnut Hill United Church. She came with 14 others from the church, including eight kids from a confirmation class. She said she’s been fighting the battle to stop climate change since 1979, when she recalls having her first argument with someone who said it wasn’t happening. “I will not stop fighting. To me, it’s just so important. It’s global … It’s such a crisis unfolding before our eyes… I want there to be a livable planet for all God’s creatures.”

Walter Sullivan, 52, director of Quaker affairs at Haverford College: He brought about 30 students with him. “I am here because this is the last chance for us to make a new policy and build a new energy economy that will allow the children of today to grow up in a safe world. I am here because President Obama has the power and the authority to end the Keystone XL pipeline. And I am here because only numbers of people in the streets is going to have the power to undo the money interests of the fossil fuel industry.”

Lina Blount, 22, senior at Bryn Mawr College: “It’s about my life. I’ve gone to a wonderful institution that taught me all these great skills in the classroom about how to enter the world as a socially responsible and informed human being. I need to do that.”

Jim Wylie, 55, a Sierra Club volunteer who sells electric bicycles: “We are here to send a message to President Obama that this Keystone XL pipeline is a bad idea… I’m here to add my voice to this cause. It’s important to me that we get off of this addiction to fossil fuels.” He said he also brought his daughter, a college junior. “I want her to see that there’s a movement that she can join.”

Karen Shaffran, 47, who teaches science at Cedarbrook Middle School in Cheltenham Township and attended the rally with 15 students:”We’re here to show solidarity with our president and hope that he acts on his words to put climate change at the forefront.” The students carried signs they made last week, reading “It’s time to act, Mr. President,” and “The sun and wind are free.”

Nancy Grossman, 53, mom, pharmacist and yoga instructor from Jackson, Ocean County, N.J.: She was already convinced climate change was “a really serious issue,” and then Superstorm Sandy hit. She’s seen the damage first hand, helping a friend dismantle her storm-wrecked home. “It’st just one disaster after another,” she said. “I don’t know what other proof people are looking for.”

John Trudeau, 53, a social worker from Germantown: “I have become convinced this is a matter of social justice. We are, for our own benefit, exploiting a lot of peoples in Third World countries. I think it’s very wrong.”

He called today’s rally “powerful, moving … I’m glad I went.”

 

DEP Must Not Allow New Infrastructure And Development in Flood Hazard Zones

High Vulnerability of Existing Infrastructure Must Be Addressed

In the January 7, 2013 edition of the NJ Register,  the NJ DEP proposed for public comment “water quality management plan amendments” (WQMPs) for portions or all of several counties, including Cape May, Atlantic, Ocean, Burlington, Monmouth, Essex, and Sussex.

Those proposed WQMP amendments and maps were developed by counties, BEFORE SANDY struck (and perhaps before Irene struck).

Accordingly, they very likely proposed to locate new infrastructure and new development in hazardous locations, prone to flooding or that actually experienced flooding during Irene or Sandy.

I read the text of the DEP’s proposed approval of these WQMP amendments (but did not review the maps) and it appears that DEP’s review of the county proposed WQMP did not consider or apply the new DEP EMERGENCY FLOOD HAZARD AREA CONTROL ACT RULE  adopted by DEP on January 24, 2013, AFTER the Jan. 7, 2013 proposed WQMP notices.

Obviously, DEP could not apply the new flood maps, because they were adopted AFTER DEP proposed the new WQMP amendments.

That new Flood Hazard Area Emergency  rule adopted the new FEMA “Advisory Base Flood Elevation” (ABFE) maps.

So, DEP must now apply the new FHA FEMA ABFE rule.

This would include new WQMP plan reviews to consider not only the new FHA maps and the new elevations, but also the lessons learned by Sandy in terms of vulnerability of existing infrastructure –

On December 3, 2012, DEP Commissioner Martin testified that over 80 sewage treatment plants were knocked out. The WQMP planning process is well suited to mandatory vulnerability assessments and emergency planning that has been ignored by the DEP NJPDES permit process.

DEP NJPDES permit regulations require sewage treatment plants to prepare a vulnerability assessment and emergency plan – but the regualtions have major loopholes and DEP does not enforce the requirement or review these plans.

Public hearings are scheduled (some have passed already) and public comment periods are about to close on these proposed WQMP amendments.

It is important that the public weigh in a tell DEP to not approve of any WQMP that would locate new infrastructure or development in dangerous locations, including those areas identified by the new FEMA ABFE maps DEP just adopted – or those locations recently inundated by Irene or Sandy.

For details, see (if embedded links don’t work, go here for free public access to NJ Register)

26.

45 N.J.R. 62(a), VOLUME 45, ISSUE 1, ISSUE DATE: JANUARY 7, 2013, PUBLIC NOTICES, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF COASTAL AND LAND USE PLANNING, NEW JERSEY REGISTER Copyright © 2013 by the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law

27.

45 N.J.R. 63(a), VOLUME 45, ISSUE 1, ISSUE DATE: JANUARY 7, 2013, PUBLIC NOTICES, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF COASTAL AND LAND USE PLANNING, NEW JERSEY REGISTER Copyright © 2013 by the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law

28.

45 N.J.R. 64(a), VOLUME 45, ISSUE 1, ISSUE DATE: JANUARY 7, 2013, PUBLIC NOTICES, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF COASTAL AND LAND USE PLANNING, NEW JERSEY REGISTER Copyright © 2013 by the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law

29.

45 N.J.R. 65(a), VOLUME 45, ISSUE 1, ISSUE DATE: JANUARY 7, 2013, PUBLIC NOTICES, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF COASTAL AND LAND USE PLANNING, NEW JERSEY REGISTER Copyright © 2013 by the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law

30.

45 N.J.R. 66(a), VOLUME 45, ISSUE 1, ISSUE DATE: JANUARY 7, 2013, PUBLIC NOTICES, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF COASTAL AND LAND USE PLANNING, NEW JERSEY REGISTER Copyright © 2013 by the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law

31.

45 N.J.R. 67(a), VOLUME 45, ISSUE 1, ISSUE DATE: JANUARY 7, 2013, PUBLIC NOTICES, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION OF COASTAL AND LAND USE PLANNING, NEW JERSEY REGISTER Copyright © 2013 by the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law

32.

45 N.J.R. 69(a), VOLUME 45, ISSUE 1, ISSUE DATE: JANUARY 7, 2013, PUBLIC NOTICES, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT DIVISION OF AIR QUALITY, NEW JERSEY REGISTER Copyright © 2013 by the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law

What kind of society, discourse, and political leader do you prefer?

A leader sets the tone – for civility, discourse, and the parameters of political debate.

Below are photos of vastly different styles of political leadership.

The first is one of my favorite photos – look at the dignity and intelligence of this woman’s face.

(and that’s Jennifer Beck and Declan O’Scanlon behind her, showing that big political shots don’t get special privileges and automatically placed at  the head of the line, but the people come first):

woman asks a question at Mercer County public hearing on Gov. Corzine's toll plan (Hightstown High SChool, Feb. 9, 2008)

The political leader that set this tone was Gov. Jon Corzine.

In defending his toll plan, Corzine handled himself with dignity, spoke respectfully, and appealed to reason and the better angels of the people:

Now, fast forward just 5 years – and compare the Corzine leadership to what goes on at public fora under Gov. Christie.

We have a debased political culture and headlines and videos like this:

Gov. Chris Christie’s boardwalk confrontation captured on cell phone video

What kind of society, discourse, and political leader do you prefer?

EPA Under Jackson – “A new Dark Age”

This is from Inside EPA, a beltway subscription service.  I don’t have a link so I have to provide the full text of the article.

Wonder why the union waited until Jackson’s last day?

Union blasts Jackson for ‘hostility’ to employees, likens her to Reagan-era administrator Burford

Jessica Estepa, E&E reporter

Published: Wednesday, February 13, 2013

A day before her final day at U.S. EPA, a federal employees union sharply criticized the tenure of departing Administrator Lisa Jackson.

In a biting message sent Monday to Jackson and Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe that details the numerous problems unions had with her tenure, Steve Shapiro of the American Federation of Government Employees deemed Jackson’s tenure an “anti-union and anti-employee regime,” comparable to the labor fights in Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan.

“Not since the time of Anne Gorsuch Burford have EPA’s unions seen such hostility,” Shapiro said, referring to EPA’s administrator under President Reagan. “Some EPA regions and laboratories have done better, but at headquarters, we are in a new Dark Age.”

According to Shapiro, the executive vice president of EPA bargaining unit AFGE Local 3331, Jackson never personally addressed the union’s concerns, instead allowing others in the administration, human resources, and labor and employee relations divisions to handle responses, often with what he called “attacks.”

Additionally, he said Jackson held only one town hall meeting with employees during her tenure, unlike another former administrator, Carol Browner, who served during the Clinton administration.

The latest show of Jackson’s “effective indifference” has resulted in a lack of discussion about the potential sequester impacts on agency employees, Shapiro said.

“EPA employees are greatly concerned about what may happen under sequestration,” he wrote. “Unlike some other federal agencies, which have done a good job in partnering with the unions, all you did at EPA was have your managers give the unions a belated briefing, which some people report conveyed little useful information.”

Shapiro also used his message to urge Perciasepe, who will serve as acting administrator until a replacement is chosen, to do better than Jackson with employee relations. Union officials will likely meet with EPA top brass later today (E&ENews PM, Feb. 12).

“We can hope for better times and that you will clean house and rid [the Office of Administration and Resources Management] of its anti-union regime,” he said. “Let’s get started on making EPA headquarters the ‘best place to work’ in the federal government.”

EPA did not return a request for comment on Shapiro’s message.