SSI Report Back, August 2006
This spring and summer has been an exciting and active time for Sound Science Initiative members. SSI members have lent their voices and expertise to a wide variety of topics from the Endangered Species Act to protecting the Great Lakes Region's ecosystems to bringing Congress closer to making deep reductions in our heat-trapping gas emissions. Below are highlights of the past few months. Thank you to everyone who participated in bringing scientist voices to the public and policy makers.
Congressional Climate Bills
Biologists' Letter on the Endangered Species Act
Polar Bear Comment period
Great Lakes Sign-on Statement
American Geophysical Union Event
Northeast Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
Massachusetts in RGGI
Congressional Climate Bills
Two bills were introduced into Congress this summer that call for the deep reductions needed to avoid the most devastating effects of climate change. This recent wave of climate legislation represents a dramatic and encouraging shift in Congress' understanding of the urgency of reducing our emissions and the need for deep reductions. The two bills introduced by Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Senators Jim Jeffords (I-VT) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) call for 80 percent reductions below 1990 levels by 2050. In addition, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) announced a proposal to reduce emission by 65 percentbelow 2000 levels by 2050.
Although it is unlikely the bills will move this year, we are working to build co-sponsorship and expect to push for action next year. These bills provide a platform from which to educate members of Congress on the need to take strong and urgent actionto make these deep reductions.
Biologists' Letter on the Endangered Species Act
Nearly 6,000 scientists with biological expertise, representing every state in the nation, came together on the Letter to the US Senate from Biologists Concerning Science in the Endangered Species Act. The letter highlights the importance of independent scientific principles that are critical to species conservation. The letter, with the full complement of signatures and many with a personal cover note, was hand-delivered to each senate office on March 8, 2006. In addition, several scientists personally delivered the letter and met with their senators and staff to discuss the importance of science and scientists to theEndangered Species Act. For complete coverage and a list of signaturesThe sign-on letter originated in discussions among a small group of scientists, who agreed on the main concepts and drafted the letter text. The Union of Concerned Scientists played a coordinating role in collecting signatures and producing the letter for presentation to the Senate, in collaboration with Earthjustice and the National Wildlife Federation.
It now seems unlikely that any overt action to weaken the scientific underpinnings of the ESA will be attempted before Congress recesses before the November elections. Several senate offices commented that the letter from biologists was a much-need and influential counterweight to comments from industry and others that urged changes to the way science and scientists are used under the Act. UCS will continue to monitorthis precarious situation.
Polar Bear Comment Period
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) sought comment on a petition to list the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in February, 2006. The comment period, which ended June 16, drew in about 140,000 submissions. The FWS petition was initiated by the submission of a petition to list the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act by conservation groups. After the first review of the submitted petition, the FWS found that the listing of the polar bear "may be warranted." This determination launched the 60-day public comment period
At the end of this comment period and status review, the government will determine if listing polar bears as threatened or endangered is "warranted." This finding will likely be made at end of 2006. If the finding is "warranted," FWS will issue a proposed rule, and again solicit public comment and peer review. The FWS will then issue a final listing determination within one year of the proposed rule. Any "not warranted" finding would end the listing process unless successfully challenged in court. Polar bears will not receive any regulatory protection under the Endangered Species Act until the listing process is complete.
Great Lakes Sign-on Statement
SSI members helped boost the number of signatures on a white paper calling for protection of the Great Lakes region. A community of Great Lakes scientists collaborated on "Prescription for Great Lakes Ecosystem Protection and Restoration (Avoiding the Tipping Point of Irreversible Changes)". The authors gathered the signatures of a number of prominent endorsers from the United States and Canada. The paper was then widely circulated for signatures from experts throughout the country. After the SSI alert was sent, the number of expert signers jumped from about 70 to over 200. One of the paper's chief authors testified on the key findings in the House of Representatives in late June.
American Geophysical Union Event
In May, SSI sponsored a dinner reception and workshop which focused on tips for an effective meeting with your legislator. The reception took place in Baltimore, MD during the American Geophysical Union's bi-annual meeting. About 15 SSI members and others new to UCS attended the workshop, which included presentations on Framing the Global Warming Problem and Solutions and Educating Decision Makers: Tips for an Effective Lobby Meeting, and a question and answer period. Several attendees set up meetings with their senators and representatives while in the area for the AGU meeting and were able to implement what they learned first-hand.
Northeast Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the first in the nation plan for mandatory emissions reductions, has reached a key milestone on the road to implementation. Yesterday, eight northeastern states released the "model rule," a regulation that proposes in detail how the states should limit CO2 emissions
from power plants. The model rule in draft form was made available for public comment in the spring, and the now final rule includes some important improvements based on comments from the public.
Each state (Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont) must now set up its own law for implementing the required emissions reductions. Depending on the state, the rule might be approved through administrative rulemaking, through legislation, or by some combination of the two. The model rule left many important issues to be resolved by the states, so UCS and our allies will work to ensure that RGGI actually achieves CO2 reductions.
RGGI is an important component of the effort to avoid the most dangerous consequences of a changing climate. Since the RGGI agreement pertains only to the northeast region, however, UCS will also work to leverage this historic pact into strong federal action that will reduce our national heat-trapping emissions.
Massachusetts in RGGI
A bill was introduced into the state legislature earlier this year that would have mandated that Massachusetts join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), described above. A majority of members in both chambers have endorsed the bill - 84 house members and 27 senate members.
However, efforts to bring Massachusetts back into RGGI have come to a halt for the remainder of the year. The bill did not come up for a vote, and the state legislative session has recessed for the year. With majority support in both chambers, we expect continue to build support and bring Massachusetts back into RGGI
next year.
