Updated, 5/28/09:

Sigh. As feared, the measure made it through the House. The new law won’t be implemented until February 2010, however.

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While the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2009 is a piece of legislation I most definitely support, Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) introduced an rider to the bill which would allow visitors to openly carry loaded firearms in our national parks (as well as battlefields, national monuments and historic sites).

The bill passed the Senate yesterday, with an overwhelming majority: 90 yes votes to just 5 no votes. The rider was left intact, with a vote of 67-29.

CNN’s Brianna Keilar explains:
 

A number of environmental groups oppose the rider, fearing that it will make national parks less safe for human visitors and non-human inhabitants alike.

(more…)

Action Alerts

American Freedom Campaign (AFC): Tell Congress: No More Warrantless Wiretapping!
Tell Congress to reverse its decision to grant President Bush more unchecked power to wiretap without a warrant.

In Defense of Animals (IDA): City of Vallejo Sells Elephants to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
“Take Action” to tell Washington Redskins owner to stop fumbling the ball when it comes to elephants’ lives

In Defense of Animals (IDA): House Votes to Temporarily Ban Horse Slaughter
Urge Senate to shut U.S. horse slaughter plants down now and forever

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Tell National Wildlife Refuge to Curb Consumptive Recreation
“Take Action” to urge Fish and Wildlife Service to ban hunting, fishing, and trapping at Lake Umbagog

Oceana: Thanks ERCO!
ERCO Worldwide, the number one mercury polluter in Wisconsin, announced that it would go mercury-free

(more…)

Via the National Parks Conservation Association:

New EPA Rule Means More Pollution for Parks

Al Gore knows it. The polar bears know it. All the world knows- Global Warming is happening. Now that we’ve come to grips with it, everyone is doing their part. Everyone, that is, except the EPA. In fact, instead of working to curb global warming and other pollutants from coal-fired power plants, EPA is trying to make it easier for them to set up shop near our national parks. EPA’s proposed rule would invite coal-fired power plants to emit more pollution into our national parks and other treasured places. Take a minute to tell the EPA just what you think about this proposed rule.

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Tagged: environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist action alerts NPCA National Parks Conservation Association EPA environmental protection agency pollution climate change global warming public parks national parks coal coal-fired power plants

Via the National Parks Conservation Association:

Spring Cleaning for National Parks

What will you see the next time you visit a national park? A scenic view, magnificent wildlife, or smog from nearby power plants?

Coal-fired power plants are the number one cause of the air pollution threatening our parks. And Congress has the power to tighten emissions standards for power plants.

As many of us start spring cleaning in our homes, why not give the air in our national parks a spring cleaning? Tell Congress to clean up power plant pollution and keep new power plants away from our national parks!

Click here to send your “Spring Cleaning for National Parks” e-card to Congress.

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Tagged: environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist action alerts NPCA National Parks Conservation Association spring cleaning pollution coal power plants Coal-fired power plants national parks climate change global warming

UPDATE, 5/15/07:

Here’s a similar alert, this time from the National Parks Conservation Association:

America’s First National Park at a Crossroads

Ten million dollars. That’s how much has been spent on scientific studies that clearly demonstrate that Yellowstone’s air quality, peace and quiet, and wildlife would be best protected if snowmobiles were replaced with the expanded public access offered by modern snowcoaches. So why is Yellowstone National Park proposing to allow daily snowmobile limits to continue at 720 snowmobiles per day–nearly triple the current daily average of 250? Make sense to you? We didn’t think so, either. Nearly 300,000 people have vocally demonstrated their opposition to snowmobile use in Yellowstone. Sound science backs up that public outcry. Most importantly, the policy that guides park managers on resource protection says the park service must select the ‘least impacting’ forms of transportation for parks. Snowmobiles in Yellowstone violates park policy, rebuke science and directly ignore public sentiment. A decision in favor of continued snowmobile use could have devastating results on Yellowstone’s resources, wildlife and, visitor experience. Tell the Park Service that you want to put the issue of snowmobile use in Yellowstone to bed once and for all.

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Via The Wilderness Society:

Yellowstone Deserves Better

Despite repeated and conclusive studies that show that snowmobiles add to air and noise pollution and disturb wildlife in Yellowstone, the Bush Administration is proposing to allow up to triple the current permitted number of snowmobiles into America’s first national park.

Tell the Park Service to mind the science, and protect Yellowstone. Together, we can stop this nonsensical scheme.

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Tagged: environment environmental environmentalism environmentalist action alerts the wilderness society yellowstone snowmobiles bush george bush gw bush george w. bush national park pollution wildlife conservation National Parks Conservation Association npca