From the Inbox: Take Action: Time is Short on Coal Ash Safeguards

TAKE ACTION: Time is Short on Coal Ash Safeguards!
	Coal and power industries don't want to clean up the coal ash mess they've made over the last 50 years. Tell the EPA we need strong, federally enforceable safeguards against coal ash! Send your comment today!
The clock is ticking on cleaning up coal ash. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made it official on June 21, giving us 90 days to comment on the first-ever federal rule for coal ash disposal at hundreds of dumps and landfills across the country. We've got just three months to send 50,000 emails to the EPA, telling them to set strong, federally enforceable safeguards against this hazardous waste. But the EPA's proposed coal ash rule is far from perfect. Instead of setting a clear direction on cleaning up coal ash, the EPA instead offered two options: one that uses the strongest protections under the law to curb the coal ash threat, and another that maintains the status quo, offering no federally enforceable requirements to clean up the coal ash mess. We're part of a national coalition of more than 250 environmental and public health groups working together to fight the lobbyists for the coal and power industries who want little or no oversight over coal ash dumping. They've met with EPA and White House officials and will do everything they can to keep the status quo, which allows them in many states to dump their toxic waste without any concerns for nearby communities. They don't want to clean up the coal ash mess they've made over the last 50 years and will be fighting for more delay, more cutbacks and less protections for our health and environment. Let's tell the EPA that we want strong, federally enforceable safeguards that guarantee coal ash will not pollute our drinking water, our rivers, our streams, our wildlife and our communities. This hazardous waste has been ignored for far too long, and millions of Americans may be at risk of cancer, developmental problems, organ damage and other health threats. Send your comment to the EPA today: http://action.earthjustice.org/campaign/coalash_0710/i37iwdu4v75bkmnd? — Earthjustice Because the earth needs a good lawyer

From the Inbox - Save the Gulf Coast - Help prevent another spill

Earthjustice has filed eight legal challenges aimed at putting the brakes on irresponsible oil development in the Gulf of Mexico. Donate to support our work by June 30th and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $75,000. Help save the Gulf today.

Save the Gulf! Donate by June 30th and your gift will be doubled in value. Help prevent another spill. Dear Friend, Since I last wrote to you about Earthjustice's response to the Gulf Coast oil catastrophe, our legal team has filed no fewer than eight separate lawsuits in order to prevent another spill off our Gulf Coast shores. And now, several generous members of the Earthjustice Board of Trustees have offered to match your support for our work dollar-for-dollar up to $75,000, now through June 30th. Help prevent another spill. Make an emergency contribution today that will be doubled in its value to our work to safeguard the Gulf. By law, the federal Minerals Management Service was supposed to require British Petroleum (BP) to provide adequate safety measures and response plans for a worst-case oil spill before granting the company a permit to drill. But the agency—through complacency, collusion, or neglect—waived these commonsense requirements. And now, coastlines, communities, and wildlife are paying the price as toxic oil poisons the water and washes ashore. Please make an urgent contribution that will be matched dollar-for-dollar. With your support, the Earthjustice legal team in the Gulf Coast is mounting an aggressive defense of the region, including... challenging the Mineral Management Service's illegal exemption of BP and other oil companies from critical safety and environmental requirements suing to block other deepwater Gulf of Mexico exploratory drilling plans that have already been approved using the illegal exemptions opposing the approval of BP's flawed and completely inadequate oil spill clean-up plan which allowed the company to conduct drilling in the Gulf forcing an examination of the environmental hazards associated with the unprecedented, wide-spread use of toxic chemical dispersants defending a temporary time-out on the drilling of new deepwater wells in the Gulf to allow for the implementation of safety and environmental protection measures Join the fight—support our legal actions to prevent another spill by June 30th and your gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar. We can't turn back the clock on this disaster—but our swift legal work can make darned sure that the conditions that led to it are never allowed again. With your support, we will turn the tide on irresponsible oil development in the Gulf and protect our nation's shorelines and the wildlife and communities that call them home. Thank you for all that you do. Sincerely, Trip Van Noppen President, Earthjustice P.S. Your emergency contribution made by June 30th will be matched in its value to our work dollar-for-dollar up to $75,000, thanks to the generosity of several members of the Earthjustice Board of Trustees. Donate today.

From the Inbox: Only 5 days left to take action to stop a destructive mountaintop removal mine

Only 5 Days Left to Take Action!

Immediately upon us is the end of an important public comment period—on June 4—for a decision that is about much more than just one mountaintop removal mine. It is a critical test of the Obama administration's resolve on the issue.
All comments must be sent by June 4!

TAKE ACTION: Stop a Destructive Mountaintop Removal Mine!
	The EPA needs to hear this message loud and clear: Mining companies must comply with the law and stop destroying the environment! Send your comment today!
Dear Friend, Time is running out for us to send a strong message to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in support of a complete EPA veto of the most destructive mine ever proposed in Appalachia. It is more urgent than ever for you to tell the EPA to follow through with its proposed decision to veto an Army Corps of Engineers permit for the Spruce No. 1 mine in West Virginia, the largest mountaintop removal mine ever authorized by the Corps in Appalachia. The EPA needs to hear this message loud and clear before the end of the comment period: mining companies must comply with the law and stop destroying the environment and poisoning the waters of local communities, and EPA must not allow any part of the Spruce No. 1 mine permit to go forward. The mining industry appears determined to stand in the way of any protections for the people and wildlife of Appalachia. Now it is our turn to show the EPA in no uncertain terms that America cares about the health of the region's people, the vitality of its wildlife, and the majesty of its mountains. The proposed Spruce No. 1 mine would bury more than seven miles of headwater streams, destroy 2,278 acres of forestland, and degrade water quality in streams. EPA's proposal to veto the mine's permit under the Clean Water Act comes after the company failed to agree to significantly decrease the environmental and health impacts of the Spruce No. 1 mine, or show that it was possible to destroy mountain streams while fully complying with the law. The mining company is now suing to stop this critical veto and undo any protections, even before EPA has had time to finalize its decision. Please email EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson now and implore her to veto this permit in full and not to succumb to industry and mining companies' requests to evade the law. Please help end this tragic practice and the damage it is causing, starting with Spruce, the most destructive mountaintop removal mine ever proposed in Appalachia. All comments must be received by 11:59pm ET on Fri. June 4, so don't delay—send yours now: http://action.earthjustice.org/campaign/sprucemine_0410/i37iwdu2f75jitjj? — Earthjustice Because the earth needs a good lawyer

Photo Credit: Top left: Mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia. (Credit: Vivian Stockman/OVEC) Bottom: Mountaintop removal operations at Kayford Mountain, West Virgina. (Credit: Mark Schmerling)