The City of Salem is proposing to build a 1.5-megawatt wind turbine at Winter Island. The turbine would produce enough energy to power approximately 300 homes, creating a revenue stream for the city and helping to move our state away from reliance on fossil fuels, the major cause of global climate change. Over the course of its 30-year lifetime, the turbine would reduce our city’s carbon emissions by 80,000 tons, the equivalent of taking about 13,000 cars off the road. The City conducted a thorough study of all city-owned lands to determine the best site for a wind turbine. After analyzing the best wind locations with an outside consultant and considering a range of factors–including proximity to residences, access to the power grid, topography, and other impacts–it was determined that the best location for the project was Winter Island.

Oil is detrimental to the environment from pollution problems to disastrous oil spills; despite the five biggest oil companies making astounding profits of over $67 billion in just the first half of 2011, oil and gas companies continue to receive $15.6 billion each year in federal tax breaks. We want Senator Murray to encourage the debt-reduction Super Committee to stop these wasteful subsidies to Big Oil.

A systemic pesticide moves inside a plant following absorption by the plant. With insecticides and most fungicides, this movement is usually upward (through the xylem) and outward. Increased efficiency may be a result. Systemic insecticides, which poison pollen and nectar in the flowers, may kill bees and other needed pollinators. In 2007 with the use of Bayer's systemic pesticides, as occurred in France 10 years prior, over one billion honey bees were killed within a one year period prompting the California Almond crisis. Since this time, the French minister of agriculture has banned the use of systemic pesticides in France. We will have no more fruits and vegetables in the US if we continue the use of systemic pesticides because all the native bees will be killed except for a small number. What happens to a human DNA when system pesticides, that cannot be washed off produce, is ingested in our bodies? When our bees die in multitude, isn't that a serious omen? Please pass legislation to ban system pesticide use NOW!

Manor School has been a leader in the national Safe Routes to School Program, and we can continue to be a model in this movement. However, our streets are marginally safe, even very unsafe for kids. The Town of Fairfax has applied to Transportation Authority of Marin for a $100,000 grant to make the route safer by painting "sharrows" and increasing signage. We're calling on TAM to stand up for safe and green transportation for kids and approve the Bikespine grant.

The Delaware River Basin Commission postponed their vote which had been scheduled to take place last November 21, 2011. The current temporary ban (moratorium) on Fracking in the Delaware River Watershed could be lifted at any time, and with very short notice, by a vote of the DRBC. This would threaten the environment and endanger the water supply of millions of people in parts of 4 States. The severity of the threat has now been broadened and increased by the recent enactment of PA Act 13. Review some concerns about Fracking at my "FRACKING-AWARENESS INFO DOCUMENT-5" (copy, paste address as hyperlink is disabled)-- https://docs.google.com/document/ d/1jNRoQUiIufCjTWCaEdfEsDOq1nlLHKQU9SM2bxa2E20/edit?pli=1# ...Google Document "FRACKING-AWARENESS INFO DOCUMENT-5" is also available for review at: http://tinyurl.com/Fracking-Awareness

We need our energy to come from America; it's foolish to depend upon another nation for our power. We need a clean energy source; we're not going to do any more harm to our old nuclear test sites by turning them into solar power farms!

A federal appeals court ruled last month that oil and gas companies can begin drilling in the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. The ruling says that the government only controls the surface rights in the national forest, not the mineral rights under the surface. While the ruling only affects the Allegheny National Forest, this could set the stage for opening up drilling in ALL National Forests. This means they start drilling immediately unless we act now. There are two ways we can stop this: 1) The Obama Justice Department must appeal this ruling and ask for an injunction to halt drilling; and 2) Congress must pass legislation to stop drilling in all National Forests.

Stop hydrofracking for natural gas because it pollutes the water.

LFTRs (Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors) are safer, cheaper, more efficient than what we use, and we have a huge storage of Thorium in the USA right now. See http://thoriumenergyalliance.com/

For many decades, most Americans have taken it for granted that government should protect the integrity of the water that we drink, the air that we breathe, and the ground that we walk on. It’s about keeping our kids healthy and being good stewards of the Earth. It’s not a Republican issue, or a Democratic issue. It’s a simple values proposition. Unfortunately, Chris Christie doesn’t agree. Governor Christie has proposed a new Department of Environmental Protection Waiver rule that would allow companies to circumvent over 100 guidelines that protect our water, air and land. So, last week, I introduced a resolution holding these proposed rules inconsistent with the law’s intent. Simply put, if the Legislature passes my measure, Governor Christie’s waiver rule will be on its way to defeat. Please join me in saying NO to Chris Christie, by signing this petition. Tell the Legislature that they need to protect our citizens by overturning the governor’s dangerous policy. Governor Christie’s plan is bad environmental policy and bad economics. His proposal would allow those corporations with the deepest pockets to choose which environmental protection rules they will follow, and which they won’t. Determinations will be made without input from the communities and citizens who are affected. This Christie Administration’s scheme will further the economic imbalance between powerful corporations and small businesses. Small businesses will not likely have the resources or influence to go through the waiver process; nor will small businesses have the necessary certainty to know which rules apply to them and which don’t. Please join me in saying NO to Chris Christie, by signing this petition. We cannot allow environmental protection in New Jersey to be undercut by the highest bidder, nor can we allow giant multinational polluters to use their clout and cash to muscle out small businesses. Urge the Legislature to protect our citizens by overturning the governor’s dangerous policy. Sincerely, Barbara Buono Senate Majority Leader (NJ)

Climate science clearly states that we must start NOW or the planet will, AT BEST, be significantly degraded lowering the average standard of living. Environmental groups each has a tree (issue) that it focuses on; but they need to join together and save the forest. The forest will be saved by national climate legislation..

Wolves were recently removed from the Endangered Species Act protections. They are now being hunted, trapped, and snared often suffering terrible pain before death in these barbaric torture devices. Despite the public's support of wolf recovery, and in contravention of the court's holdings that kept them protected the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the urging of special interest groups, pushed wolves off the ESA and into the hands of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming where the state "management" plans call for killing almost all of their wolves. The method by which this was achieved was via a sleazy backdoor non-germane rider that was pushed for by ranchers, sportsmen and hunting groups. This is the first time that any animal was targeted to be removed from the ESA. Not only is it bad for wolves but it has opened the door to target other species from being protected under this key legislation. We need wolves placed back on the ESA by another act of Congress. Take your legislators to task.