Thanks to everyone who came to our bike march for clean air !

We had a spirited group and got press coverage from three media outlets: the Philadelphia Metro (http://www.metro.us/philadelphia/local/article/933041--parks-nature-face-largest-attack), KYW/ CBS radio, and WRTI radio. And the press did a great job of covering the issues accurately.

See a photo of our bike marchers on the right.

And see below for a summary of this horrible bill that Congress will take up again when they return from summer recess. We need people to write letters to the editor of your local paper to help educate everyone about this historic rollback of environmental and public health protections. To get more information on how to write Letters to the Editor write to william.kramer@sierraclub.org.

The U.S. House of Representatives is currently considering a set of environmental riders to the budget bill the worst single attack on our nation’s air, water, wildlife and land in recent history. The bill dismantles bedrock environmental and public health protections that have saved and improved millions of Americans’ lives.

The bill:

·      Opens the Grand Canyon to uranium mining and our coasts to dangerous oil drilling;

·      Guts the Clean Water Act and open our waters up to waste dumping, pesticides, sewage, fertilizers and oil spills, threatening the drinking water sources of 117 million Americans;

·      Puts millions of Americans at risk of asthma, heart disease and other serious health conditions by blocking protections against life-threatening mercury and toxic pollution;

·      Endangers our wild places and wildlife by defunding the Endangered Species Act and land conservation;

·      Blocks popular efficiency standards for cars and light trucks and prohibit California and all other states from setting better fuel efficiency and pollution standards for cars.

And that’s just the beginning.  This slash and burn bill represents a gross abuse of the democratic process by House leadership. The 2012 funding bill is must-pass legislation, and members of the House have used it to force through a litany of corporate polluter giveaways that could never pass on their own.

After Labor Day, the U.S. Senate will take up the 2012 budget bill and it is critical that they reject any attempts to roll back environmental and public health protections.  President Obama has vowed to veto any bill that undermines these safeguards. But we urge all supporters of public health and the environment to write to your elected official and local newspaper denouncing this dangerous legislation which undermines public health and environmental protection.

Bike March for Clean Air Aug 2 at noon

Join the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, the Clean Air Council in a "bike march" to
Senator Bob Casey's office on Tuesday August 2nd to stand up for clean air and against harmful smog pollution.

We will meet at 12 noon at the spur on the Schuylkill River Bike Path at the
bottom of the ramp leading up to Chestnut Street and bike to Senator Robert Casey's office at 20th and Market Street.

Cyclists will be wearing breathing masks with "Brought to you by Big Coal" and deliver inhalers to Senator Casey's office to urge him to stand up for the new EPA smog rule

This action follows several Orange Alert Days that have occurred during the
last several weeks in Philadelphia (on 7/18 and 7/21). An Orange Alert Day
occurs when pollution levels are unhealthy and breathing the air can
threaten people's health. Cyclist and other people doing other forms of
outdoor exercise can be especially impacted.

Coal-fired power plants and pollution from cars can trigger asthma attacks
and other health problems, especially for children and the elderly. Local
residents will demand strong clean air protections from the Environmental
Protection Agency that will reduce pollution from cars and encourage a
21st century transportation system while ensuring the move from coal to clean energy sources like wind and solar.

The EPA will announce updated air quality standards this summer, and local residents will insist that the guidelines be strong enough to protect
people's health. They will also insist that members of Congress not
interfere with EPA efforts to clean up the air.

Please RSVP to william.kramer@sierraclub.org. For more information call 732 589 8024.
William Kramer