CLEAN AIR—Emily Figdor, U.S. PIRG Federal Clean Air Advocate, announcing support for a strong legislation to address global warming by cutting global warming pollution 80 percent by 2050.

Global Warming Bills Gather Support

More than 115 members of Congress have co-sponsored the Safe Climate Act, a science-based bill to dramatically reduce global warming pollution. Introduced in late June by Rep. Henry Waxman (Calif.), the bill requires the United States to reduce its global warming pollution 15 percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050.

To achieve these targets, the bill calls for improved energy efficiency and a greater reliance on clean, renewable energy sources.

To help boost co-sponsorship of the bill, we released “Rising to the Challenge: Six Steps to Cut Global Warming Pollution in the United States.” The report lists six strategies that, if implemented, could achieve these reductions, while improving America’s environment and our energy security. Recommendations include increasing gas mileage standards to 40 miles per gallon.

Coastal Drilling Setback Is Oil Industry Giveaway

As this newsletter goes to press, Congress is expected to vote on a bill that would end the decades-old moratorium on oil and gas drilling off most of America’s shores.

Despite a successful May 18 House vote to uphold the ban on new offshore drilling, our shores are not protected. In July, Sens. Domenici (N.M.), Martinez (Fla.), Landrieu (La.) introduced and passed a bill to open up 8.3 million acres of ocean off Florida’s coast to oil and gas drilling.

“Opening our shores to drilling would put our scenic beaches and coastal waters at great risk for a small, short term supply of oil and gas,” said Oceans Advocate Mike Gravitz. “Routine drilling operations dump thousands of pounds of toxic chemicals into the marine environment and could spoil the delicate ecology and economic value of America’s beautiful beaches for generations.”

Another Successful New Voters Project

VOTER REGISTRATION—WISPIRG teams up with Bucky to register students to vote.

The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project ran the nation’s largest nonpartisan youth voter mobilization campaign in a midterm election this fall, working on over 80 college campuses in 25 states to register and turnout young peple to vote. In Wisconsin, WISPIRG registered over 6,500 students at University of Wisconsin campuses and contacted over 12,000 students to remind them to vote.

Initial analysis by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) shows that average young voter turnout among college students in precincts targ

eted by the Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project doubled compared to 2002 election. In Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh and Stevens Point, youth voter turnout was up by over 50 percent.

Fighting For Internet Freedom

WISPIRG partnered with MoveOn.org and the Save the Internet Coalition to restore the Internet’s founding principle of “net neutrality.”

Recent Federal Communications Commission and Supreme Court decisions have upheld the telecommunications industry’s attempt to eliminate a “free” internet. Unless reversed, these decisions will allow the tele-phone and cable companies to become gatekeepers in control of the Internet.

WISPIRG and the Save the Internet coalition worked to pass telecommunications legislation that restored a free Internet. The coalition secured the support of Sen. Russ Feingold. Sen. Kohl has not yet publicly supported net neutrality; however, WISPIRG and the coalition have delivered over 10,000 petition signatures to the senator and continue to work for his support.