Tell Congress to deny fast track status to TPP!

TPP, the Trans Pacific Partnership, is a trade agreement being negotiated by twelve countries including the United States and Japan. While the text of the agreement has been kept secret, we do know that some six hundred corporate lawyers have been busily writing specific provisions to advance the interests of their clients. Some critics have called TPP little more than a "corporate wish list".

If President Obama has his way, none of these corporate giveaways will be subjected to the scrutiny that they deserve. The president is seeking “fast track” authority that would strip Congress of its ability to amend the agreement in any way. With fast track, Congress would be forced to accepted or reject the entire agreement on a simple up or down vote.

And it gets worse: TPP not only usurps congressional authority, and fails to represent the interests of ordinary Americans; it also allows corporations to collect monetary damages if a law or regulation interferes with its expectation of profit.

Consider the case of Lone Pine Resources v. Canada, a lawsuit brought under a similar provision of NAFTA. In 2011, Quebec imposed a fracking moratorium and cancelled some gas leases under the St. Lawrence River. In response, Lone Star, which reportedly paid fifteen million dollars for some of the cancelled leases, turned around and sued Canada before an international tribunal demanding 250 million dollars in damages. In its suit Lone Pine alleged that Quebec’s lawfully enacted moratorium served no “public purpose”.

And the Lone Pine case isn’t unique. Exxon, Chevron, and Dow are among the corporations that have brought more than 500 similar lawsuits. Supposedly sovereign nations have been forced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages because environmental, health and safety laws have been found to stand in the way of corporate profit.

CLICK HERE FOR CLEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY

Now you don’t have to install solar panels or a wind turbine to go green. All you have to do is switch your electric bill to Pear Energy. Remember to enter the promo code: catskillcitizen, and Pear will donate $50 to Catskill Citizens.

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT CATSKILL CITIZENS

As you plan your year-end giving, we hope you’ll consider making a contribution to Catskill Citizens. We’re an all-volunteer grassroots organization, and because we don’t have a single paid employee, or even maintain an office, you can be sure that every penny you donate will go directly into the fight against fracking and our efforts to help the U.S. transition to safe, renewable energy.

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Tell the DEC to scrap its proposed regs!

Last month we described some of the glaring defects with New York’s proposed LNG regulations and provided nine letters that you could send to the state Department of Environmental Conservation objecting to its shoddy work. Now were pleased to add four new letters to the mix. All of these letters can be personalized, or sent as written; please take a moment to submit all thirteen. If you’re in a rush, we’ve set it up so you can complete the entire process in just about sixty seconds.

For added impact, go to The Return of Thirty Days: The Infrastructure Regs and craft additional letters to send to the DEC.

FRACKING FAILS TO PRODUCE PROMISED JOBS

On November 21st, the independently financed Multi-State Shale Research Collaborative released a report that examined employment figures in six states and found that the gas industry has consistently exaggerated the number of jobs produced by fracking. This report confirms the work of Catskill Citizens director Dr. Jannette M. Barth and others who have found that industry-funded studies consistently inflate the ability of the gas drilling industry to create jobs. For more information on the true economic impact of fracking see Job Claims and Economic Impact of Shale Gas Drilling.

USCG “STOPS THE CLOCK” ON PORT AMBROSE

In response to a letter sent on behalf of Catskill Citizens and Clean Ocean Action, the US Coast Guard announced that it would “stop the clock” on the licensing application for an offshore LNG port that would be built two miles off Long Beach, Long Island. In announcing the 90-day delay, the USCG cited hundreds of data gaps in the sponsor’s license application as well as the crippling impact of the government shutdown.

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE STATE OF THE STATE!

On Wednesday, January 8, 2014, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will deliver his annual State of the State address in Albany at 11AM. Join New Yorkers from all across the state who will rally and demand that the governor finally take a stand against fracking and lend his support to renewable energy. For details, including transportation alternatives, click here.

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