DOLE CALL! (Let's stop "Clear SKies" today!)

[faithfull]

The "Clear Skies Initiative" is the largest rollback of federal clean air laws in our nations history. It sets weaker emmissions targets for later date than does the incredibly successful "Clean Air Act" of 1970 - last amended by papa bush in 1990.

It will be heard in the environment and public works committee in the senate today. If you know about "CLEAR SKIES" legislation and want to help keep it from passing, please read on.

Today, March 3rd, please CALL NC Senators Dole(R) and Burr(R) for us, asking them to uphold current clean air laws. Ttake 3 minutes right now to help concerned citizens with lungs fill up their phone lines of these two senators. Organizations all across the state are making sure that it is happening. We will STOP the entire bill with these two southeastern Republicans on board! North Carolina's utilities, business, and citizens have shown that Senator's Dole and Burr have every reason to be with us...

Here are numbers .
Senator Elizabeth Dole - (202)-224-6342
Senator Richard Burr - (202)-224-3154

Our request is this...
"Because of the initiative that North Carolina's utilities, businesses, and citizens have taken to clean up our air, please vote NO on "Clear Skies" legislation, or anything that would weaken federal clean air laws, undermine North Carolina's strong state law, or remove our ability to hold upwind states accountable for the pollution they put into our state.
Thank You. :)

Call from anywhere!

It looks as though "Clear Skies" will tie 9-9 in committee, in which case the administration will likely pick it apart and start sticking bits and pieces in budget bills and military bills, and you know the routine.

The Dems are solid on air pollution. Jeffords is SUPER solid. Even old Joe is solid on air pollution! The way we can stop these bogus bills from passing are to get Southeastern Republican Senators to break with their party. We know that Dole/Burr from North Carolina have every reason to do so.

Heres why it will work...
In North Carolina alone, pollution from coal-burning power plants causes 1800 deaths from lung cancer, emphysema, and fatal asthma attacks (Its 30,000+ deahts nationwide. Talk about national security?) Asthma is now the #1 childhood healthcare cost and #1 cause of missed school days and missed work days in our state.

80% loss of visibility in the "Great Smokey Mountains National Park" - the most visited park in the country. This hampers tourism - our #1 industry.

To combat these and other numerous problems North Carolina passed our own VERY strong state air law - the "Clean Smokestacks Act" in 2002. It was passed, in a red state, with a HUGE bipartisan majority. There were only 5 members of the NC House and Senate combined (out of 170) that voted NO on Clean Smokestacks.

North Carolina's pollution, particularly in the mountains comes from UPWIND states. There is their villain. Our NC Attorney General is currently taking action against 13 upwind states for using North Carolina like their sewer.

A bipartisan letter is circulating through both chambers of our General Assembly. 74 signatories the first day - well split between Republicans and Democrats! The letter will go to Dole/Burr and ask them not to vote for "Clear Skies" or anything that would undermine NC's strong state air laws.

North Carolina has taken our initiative, in accordance with our utilities, businesses, and citizens, to strengthen, rather than diminish our air quality. PLEASE take 3 minutes, pick up that phone and call Senators Dole and Burr today (Thursday, March 3) to ask that they not vote for anything that weakens federal clean air laws, in accordance with the obvious wishes of their constituents, and co-workers in the NC General Assembly.

We can stop bills like this! Republican Senator Lamar Alexander from Tennessee voted NO on "Clear Skies" in 2003. Republican Lincoln Chafee is SOLID on clean air issues. Republican Snow from Maine is pretty solid. We can hold things like this off, and will be assured of victory if we can get Dole and Burr on our side on this one. Their constituents have taken the iniative. We are giving them the cover they need to break with their party.

Thanks everyone!

(R)Senator Elizabeth Dole (202)-224-6342
(R)Senator Richard Burr (202)-224-3154