Press Release

March 1, 2007

Contacts:  Samuel Goldman, WV Climate Crisis Action Day Organizer,
202-744-3809 or samuelrgoldman@gmail.com;
Vivian Stockman, 304-522-0246 or vivian@ohvec.org

MARCH 20: FIRST EVER CLIMATE CRISIS ACTION DAY AT THE U.S CAPITOL

State organizers are urging West Virginians to attend the "Climate Crisis Action Day" in Washington, DC on Tuesday, March 20. They are working to fill at least one bus with participants who will attend a rally, then visit their representatives on Capitol Hill.

“With all the recent scientific reports, more and more people understand the  urgent need for curbing our output of global warming gases, but some of West Virginia’s politicians still don’t get it,” said Vivian Stockman, with the Huntington-based Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, which is inviting its members to attend the DC action day.

“Several state lawmakers are foolishly touting the idea that we should use coal to make liquid fuel, even though the coal-to-liquid process creates huge amounts of carbon dioxide, one of the main global warming gases,” Stockman said.  “When we go to DC, we can personally ask legislators to stop making policy that creates more carbon dioxide.” 

“Current energy policies allow politicians to ignore concerns citizens have aired time and time again about how coal is being strip mined and the way sludge is being stored,” said Daniel Chiotos, a West Virginia coordinator with the Student Environmental Action Coalition.

“It’s a matter of basic social justice,” Chiotos added. “We have got to pressure our representatives up on Capitol Hill to act, not just talk about acting, responsibly and for the benefit of West Virginians.  We’ve got to stave off the worst of global warming, and we can do that by pushing politicians to make laws enabling the development of renewable energy.  Such laws will not only help us curb global warming, but will give us good paying jobs and save our mountains and water.”

Climate Crisis Action Day participants will hear from community and religious leaders, politicians, and celebrities before they descend on Capitol Hill.

Dozens of diverse groups have come together for this event, as an increasing number of Native communities, members of Congress and businesses have acknowledged growing concerns about global warming.

Event participants will include activists, farmers, anglers, environmentalists, students and people from all walks of life who want to learn about solutions to global warming that they can personally implement and also how they can take action to motivate their elected representatives. 

Organizers of the event say they are seeking sensible solutions to global warming, a path to a clean energy future, and permanent protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge – a land threatened by a warming planet.  For years, Congress has failed to heed the call of Americans who want to curb global warming by moving toward a smarter, cleaner energy future.  With a new leadership in the 110th Congress, the time for real action is now. 

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See www.climatecrisisaction.org for bus information from West Virginia and other event information.

Sponsors of Climate Crisis Action Day: The Alaska Wilderness League  • The Wilderness Society •  NRDC Action Fund  • Audubon •   Sierra Club • Washington City Paper

Supporters of Climate Crisis Action Day include: Alaska Coalition • American University’s Center for Environmental Filmmaking • Appalachian Voices • Center for International Environmental Law • Chesapeake Climate Action Network • Defenders of Wildlife • Earthjustice • Endangered Species Coalition • The Episcopal Church • Exxpose Exxon • Friends of the Earth • Greenpeace USA • Gwich’in Steering Committee • International Fund for Animal Welfare • League of Conservation Voters • National Wildlife Federation • The Northern Alaska Environmental Center • Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition • Patagonia • Public Citizen • Republicans for Environmental Protection • SaveOurEnvironment.org • U.S. PIRG • Union of Concerned Scientists • United Church of Christ •World Wildlife Fund