The Energy Reliability Council of Texas should be just that, Reliable. It is untenable that they have left millions of Texans across the state of Texas out of power with deaths and property damage in their wake because they could not perform the basic function as outlined in their name. They are the Energy Council of Texas at best. Somehow other state agencies like the Texas Dept. of Transportation did not strand millions of Texans on their highways. This is a failed agency with a false title. Texas may be an energy state, but clearly we don't know how to manage it. Tell the Texas Legislature to remove the R from ERCOT and give them a more fitting name and personnel capable of securing the lives of its residents.

"The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) manages the flow of electric power to more than 26 million Texas customers -- representing about 90 percent of the state’s electric load. As the independent system operator for the region, ERCOT schedules power on an electric grid that connects more than 46,500 miles of transmission lines and 680+ generation units. It also performs financial settlement for the competitive wholesale bulk-power market and administers retail switching for 8 million premises in competitive choice areas. ERCOT is a membership-based 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation, governed by a board of directors and subject to oversight by the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Texas Legislature. Its members include consumers, cooperatives, generators, power marketers, retail electric providers, investor-owned electric utilities, transmission and distribution providers and municipally owned electric utilities."

The New Hampshire Progressive Coalition is deeply disappointed, though not at all surprised, by the decision by a majority of Republicans in the US Senate to acquit Donald Trump of the crimes for which he is obviously and demonstrably guilty. This acquittal, undertaken by a group of officials who were not only jurors and judges, but also witnesses to and victims of the charged crime, should drive home an understanding among people of good will that the Republican party as a whole has abandoned all semblance of decency, fairness, and fealty to the rule of law and the tenets of democracy. Given the behavior of the Republicans, and taking them at their word, we fully expect the GOP to be as resistant as possible to any and every initiative that the Biden Administration and the Democrats propose. Though Democrats hold a majority, it is a slim one that requires that all Democratic representatives and senators #LinkArms and stand together.

Plastic is a major environmental hazard. Be a hero!

My name is Lois and I live in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Before the pandemic I worked at an Inn as a dishwasher -- but then, like millions across the country, I was laid off. Each month without work is an impossible decision between paying my water and sewer bill or making repairs on the house so it’s not condemned. It feels like I’m never going to get out of my terrible financial situation. I need to be able to take care of my family. I'd like to get back to work at a safe, good paying job and ideally it would be doing something that helps the country. I want to help us build back better with clean energy -- with the right training, I would be a great administrator or an instructor that we need to make it happen. Clean energy workers are builders, roofers, engineers, electricians, accountants, administrators, researchers and teachers who are all working to deliver renewable energy, like wind or solar power, to create a cleaner, safer, more just country, and I’d love to join them. Congress should see these crises as an opportunity. They have the power to get us back to work NOW, after delivering relief checks, while also tackling the climate crisis and environmental injustice. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer can lead the way. We can solve these problems all at once. Climate Action = Jobs, and right now we NEED good paying jobs that get folks like me back to work ASAP. President Biden’s plan to build back better with clean energy means creating millions of good-paying, clean energy union jobs that provide relief. And it means protecting our air and water for communities suffering from decades of environmental racism, who are consequently disproportionately suffering from COVID. At the same time, we’d tackle the biggest existential crisis of our time -- climate change. Millions of people like me want to get back to work. We want to be part of the fastest growing industry in America, which we need to grow even faster. At 50, I’m an older worker, and it’s harder for me to find work. The hospitality industry that I was in before the pandemic has been affected badly and probably won’t recover for a while. I’ve been trying to cobble together unemployment insurance, and the $600 stimulus check was helpful, but it’s gone, and without work I can’t pay my bills. With the right investments in our economy, all of us can thrive. Congress needs to deliver for the American people as quickly as possible. We can build a clean energy future and create good paying jobs, with an emphasis on the low-income communities and communities of color who are bearing the brunt of COVID and the climate crisis. Congress -- we have no time to wait. ADD YOUR NAME: Demand Congress take immediate action to create clean energy jobs and get Americans back to work NOW. Lois P. Pittsfield, Massachusetts

With the advancement of patents and and increased desire for both non profit and for profit companies to create changes to the weather for desires in wanting more tourism, more water for both need and recreation such as golfing and water sports including fishing and boating events. To be advanced in our modern technology we need to look at the future of this incredible state not just for now but generations of our families here in the future. Also providing guests who visit a sense of additional health concerns from our great state.

“Let us not seek the Rep answer or the Dem answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future”. JFK For over 30 years, I have devoted my life to fighting as a lawyer on behalf of the marginalized! Immigants, LGBT communities, foreclosed homeowners, Haitians, Cubans, Nicaraguans and all communities of color. Our tent in the new Florida will be all-inclusive. We are for Healthcare for All, a Wealth Tax, Student debt relief, and restoration of rights for felons in Florida that have served their time. https://williamsanchezsenatorialexploratorycommittee.com/

Our first priority should be keeping everyone as safe as possible, from Covid and from expected violence. Secondly, most Americans believe that expending our human and monetary resources for this event is inappropriate and distasteful in light of what we have been through. We did it beautifully for the convention, why not now? Holding a traditional ceremony is not what the American people want or need.

Due to plastic consumption, many animals are dying. They are usually cats or dogs. Along with this, the plastic will stay there forever, further damaging more people and animals. Honestly, do we even need a reason to clean up this beautiful city of ours?

The assault on January 6th, 2021 to our Nation's congress and our Capitol Building was an aberration, and a direct threat to our democracy. This violent attack was instigated by Mr. Trump and Mr. Trump Jr.. The rioters attempted to destroy the institutions that make us the strongest democracy in the world. These rioters displayed Neo-nazi, racist, and fascist symbols. As more footage of the incident is brought to light, we all are witnessing the violent nature of the groups that forced themselves into The People's House. A police officer was murdered and four other people died in this violent event. It is one of the darkest days in the history of our country. We must make sure that his name is not glorified in any way, because if we do not act we will have normalized the behavior Mr. Trump and his rioting mob of followers displayed. We Chicagoans and Americans ask you to do what is in your power to remove the sign that is now a stain to a city we are proud to call home. Thank you.

Griffith Park is home to an abundance of flora and fauna. Plants and animals depend on Earth’s daily cycle of light and dark rhythm to govern life-sustaining behaviors such as reproduction, nourishment, sleep and protection from predators. Scientific evidence suggests that artificial light at night has negative and deadly effects on many creatures including amphibians, birds, mammals, insects and plants. Nocturnal animals sleep during the day and are active at night. Light pollution radically alters their nighttime environment by turning night into day. According to research scientist Christopher Kyba, for nocturnal animals, “the introduction of artificial light probably represents the most drastic change human beings have made to their environment.” “Predators use light to hunt, and prey species use darkness as cover,” Kyba explains “Near cities, cloudy skies are now hundreds, or even thousands of times brighter than they were 200 years ago. We are only beginning to learn what a drastic effect this has had on nocturnal ecology.” Please see the link below with more information from Travis Longcore, Ph.D. Associate Adjunct Professor at the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. https://travislongcore.net/research/light-pollution/

~~~Español abajo At the beginning of the school year there was an agreement to close schools if the positivity rate reached a certain number. There is no limit now and we are the highest positivity rate since the pandemic started. This is a public health emergency for everyone: 1. Students being back in schools will continue to spread the virus contrary to Covid-19 prevention measures 2. U-46 is the second largest school district in the state of Illinois which translates into a super spreader situation if students go back to schools 3. Cleaning staff, bus drivers, support staff, teachers, nurses, their families and communities beyond Elgin are also being put at risk 4. We can wait a bit longer now that there is a vaccine and come back to school safely 5. This is at the tail end of the holiday season where people spent time in groups 6. The money being spent on complying with safety measures could be spent on remote socio-emotional support for students 7. Community members of color have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19 8. Students and staff are individually responsible to self-certify. This did not go well back when the schools were hybrid. The safety measures are not being followed leading to safety concerns 9. Families have not been asked for input since August, 2020 Al comienzo del año escolar se acordó cerrar las escuelas si la tasa de positividad alcanzaba cierto número. Ahora no hay límite y tenemos la tasa de positividad más alta desde que comenzó la pandemia. Este es una emergencia de salud pública para todos: 1. Los estudiantes que regresen a la escuela continuarán propagando el virus en contra de las medidas de prevención contra el Covid-19 2. U-46 es el segundo distrito escolar más grande del estado de Illinois, lo que se traduce en una situación de gran difusión de Covid-19 si los estudiantes regresan a las escuelas 3. Pone en riesgo al personal de limpieza, los conductores de autobuses, el personal de apoyo, los maestros, las enfermeras, sus familias y comunidades mas allá de la ciudad de Elgin también corren peligro 4. Podemos esperar un poco más ahora que hay una vacuna y regresar a la escuela sanos y salvos 5. Estamos al final de la temporada navideña, donde las personas pasaron tiempo en grupos 6. El dinero que se gasta en el cumplimiento de las medidas de salud y seguridad podría destinarse al apoyo socio-emocional a distancia para los estudiantes 7. Los miembros de la comunidad afroamericana y latina se han visto afectados de manera desproporcionada por Covid-19 8. Los estudiantes y el personal son responsables individualmente de autocertificarse. Esto no fue un procedimiento exitoso cuando las escuelas estaban en el plan híbrido de aprendizaje. No se siguen las medidas de seguridad, lo que genera problemas de salud 9. A las familias no se les ha pedido su opinión desde agosto de 2020