Global Warming Lawsuit Against Bush Administration to compel them to follow law

[Mass]

Sen. Kerry and Rep. Inslee Join Conservation Groups in Global Warming Lawsuit Against Bush Administration

Members of Congress File Key Document Detailing Suppression of Science by Government

SAN FRANCISCO– Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and Representative Jay Inslee (D-WA) joined conservation groups today, filing an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit against the Bush administration for its failure to issue a legally required National Assessment of climate change impacts on the United States that is now over two years overdue. The members of Congress filed the amicus brief today in Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace, Inc. v. Brennan, et al. (Case No. 06-CV-7062 (SBA) (N.D. Cal.)), a lawsuit calling on the administration to comply with the Global Change Research Act of 1990. The court filing comes a day after the Senate Commerce Committee heard testimony regarding the suppression of climate science by the administration.

“Members of Congress are among the key decision-makers the National Assessment was designed to inform about the profound threats posed to the United States by global warming,” said Brendan Cummings of the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the attorneys arguing the case. “The Bush Administration’s suppression of the National Assessment is an illegal attempt to hide the impacts of global warming not just from Congress but from the public as a whole.”

The National Assessment is intended to be the preeminent summary for decision-makers of the best available scientific information relating to the impacts of global warming on the United States. The last National Assessment was issued in late 2000 and by law must be updated every four years.

In their brief, the members of Congress argue that “Defendants’ failure to act in accordance with the express congressional direction in the GCRA… has profound implications for the nation’s ability to begin seriously addressing today’s greatest environmental challenge – global warming.”
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The amicus brief, declarations, summary judgment motion, and other relevant documents are available online at http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/programs/policy/energy/national-assessment.html

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[Merrill]

1. Get on with it

"That's why the White House needs to come out of its hole in the ground. The New York Times reported that Bush administration officials "asserted Friday that the United States had played a leading role in studying and combating climate change," and quoted Energy Secretary Sam Bodman stating that "We are a small contributor to the overall, when you look at the rest of the world, so it's really got to be a global solution."

How stupid do they think we are? We're five percent of the global population and contribute a quarter of all global warming pollution. This administration is fast-tracking dirty coal plants and has refused to limit CO2 emissions, let alone encourage conservation and efficiency measures that could reduce pollution and benefit our economy along the way.

No more words Mr. President. It's time for action. Enough posturing, half measures and stalling. Enough token grants for further research. We know too much already not to have addressed this issue with every ounce of American ingenuity and leadership.

If you were told your children were in harms way, you would do something, you'd do everything necessary to protect them. Well, that time has come. A planetary emergency is upon us. We must absorb that warning, we must hear those words and we must act now."

stopglobalwarming.org

[globalvillage]

2. Is there a lawyer in the house?

I'm not sure I understand exactly what this means. Is the brief used to support the case against Bush admin for not filing the climate change reports? Is that the purpose?
Thanks.

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/programs/policy/energy/Kerry-Amicus.pdf

[Mass]

3. As I understand it, yes.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

4. Assault these bastards for their crimes. Use every tool available. eom

[MH1]

6. Hey! (totally OT)

you have a picture of my 9-month old kitten in your sig line!

He has created that very scene a few times now. It's too funny to even get mad at him. :-)

(okay, now back to thinking about the dire state of the planet. sigh.)

[Uncle Joe]

5. It's off to the greatest pages for you

Thanks for the thread Mass

Kicked and recommended

[beachmom]

7. K & R n/t

[Democrafty]

8. knr

[MBS]

9. good for Kerry, Inselee, and all those organizations!

Hearing Kerry Wednesday in the Science and Technology Senate hearing on global warming, he sounded every bit the fighting prosecutor he was and is. He is without doubt on the warpath. This seems like the logical and much-needed next step. Good work, everyone!

[MH1]

10. Time for another..

:dem:

[porphyrian]

11. I'll kick that. - n/t

[politicasista]

12. K&R

:kick: