[Summit] URGENT ALERT: Making Polluters, Not Taxpayers, Pay!

[Hope for Health]

Dear Summit Neighbors,

Today at 2 p.m., at the RI State House, the
Environment & Natural Resources Committee
has its last chance this year to act to fine 
big polluters in the state.  It is a simple 
choice, but influential lobbyists are holding
up the bill.  If it fails, we, the taxpayers
will be stuck with the enormous health and
financial costs of irresponsible corporate
interests.

As constituents of Majority Leader Gordon
Fox, we have a special reason for our voices
to be heard.  PLEASE, CALL REP. FOX RIGHT 
AWAY - see the details of the bill and 
contact info below.  (Forwarded from the
Childhood Lead Action Project and the
Environmental Justice League of RI)
Calling Rep. Malikwould also help.

This is one quick, important action that
could have so much impact for good!

And, if you happen to be free around 2 p.m.
go to the State House and speak out too!

Blessings,

Liberty Goodwin
Summit resident and director of the
Toxics Information Project (TIP)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Laura Brion, Childhood Lead Action Project <laura at leadsafekids.org>
Date: Jun 18, 2008 7:47 PM
Subject: EJ League: please call to save the polluter fines bill today
To: Steve Fischbach <steve.fischbach at gmail.com>


Steve,

Can you forward this to the EJ League list, and put in a quick call to Malik about the bill?

Many thanks,
Laura

Dear friends in the EJ League,

This is an urgent request for phone calls to Representative Malik about the polluter fines bill (H-8090/S-2841). Right now, it's stuck in the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee at the RI State House. As you may remember from my updates at EJ League meetings, this bill will help protect communities throughout RI by increasing maximum daily fines for big polluters from $1,000 to $25,000. Southern Union (the company responsible for the pollution in Tiverton) has clearly been trying to kill this bill -- they hired a lobbyist last month, and the bill has been mysteriously stalled ever since. Plus, if you read the fine print of last month's article about the "settlement" with the Bay Street neighborhood, you'll notice that they haven't actually made a definite settlement yet -- for all we know, the fight there could be far from over, and this bill could still make a difference for our friends in that community. 

Now, an article about this bill in Tuesday's ProJo has given us a powerful opportunity to show the General Assembly that public is watching, and that they will have no excuse if they don't pass the bill by the end of this week. This year's session has already been disappointing and even devastating for many of us, but this sudden media attention will make your phone call on this issue today more powerful than ever.

Please take two minutes to make a call today. If you want a script, feel free to use the sample message below -- it's not incredibly eloquent, so please feel equally free to explain why this bill is important to you in your own words. Phone calls have a much better chance of making a difference than emails at this point. 

Representative Jan Malik (rhymes with PAL-ick), Chair of the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee (where the polluter fines bill is stuck) 
Call: 401-222-2672 (Malik's state house office)

Hi, my name is _______________ and I am a member of the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island. I am calling to strongly urge you to make sure the polluter fines bill passes this year. This bill is extremely important to me and to many other voters throughout the state, because it will protect communities from being polluted by big corporations like the gas company from Texas that poisoned Tiverton. The Senate number for the bill is 2841 and the House number is 8090. Thank you very much for your time.

If you have time for another call, you can leave a message for Fox, Murphy, and/or your own Representative. If you're a voter in one of their districts, be sure to mention that when you call.

Rep. Gordon Fox, House Majority Leader
Fox's State House office: 401-222-2447

Rep. William J. Murphy, Speaker of the House
Murphy's State House office: 401-222-2466

Thanks so much for your help. Feel free to call me if you have any questions about this issue. I look forward to seeing you all at the EJ picnic.

Sincerely,
Laura Brion
Community Organizer, Childhood Lead Action Project
1192 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02909
(401) 785-1310, ext. 205

Here's a little more background on what's happening:

Last year, a stronger version of this bill passed the House, but not the Senate. This year, it passed the Senate, and is waiting for action from the House -- which you would expect to quickly repeat their positive vote from last year. Unfortunately, Representative Malik, Chair of the House Environment Committee, hasn't sent this bill out of committee yet, and the session is about to end on Friday. It looks like it's being stalled because of behind-the-scenes lobbying -- but if we create enough pressure with our calls, we can overcome this. 

-- 
Steven Fischbach
Community Lawyer
Rhode Island Legal Services
56 Pine Street--Suite 400
Providence, RI  02903

401-274-2652 X-182
401-453-0310 (fax)
steve.fischbach at gmail.com