Breaking: Bernie Sanders Wants to Ban All New Fossil Fuel Development on Federal Lands
Source: Mother Jones
By James West
Bernie Sanders announced on Wednesday afternoon his support for a new climate bill that would ban all new fossil fuel development on US federal lands and terminate current leases that aren't producing. The bill, called the "Keep It In The Ground Act," would also ban offshore drilling for oil and gas in the Arctic and the Atlantic and would stop new leases for offshore drilling in the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico.
"I believe all of us have a moral responsibility," Sanders told the rally at the Capitol in Washington, DC, which also featured Bill McKibben, the founder of environmental advocacy group 350.org. "That's just the simple truth."
If the US doesn't act more aggressively to limit carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels, Sanders said, "the planet that we're going to be leaving for our kids is something we should be ashamed of."
The Vermont senator joined Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley (D) to make the announcement. According to a brief press release issued by Merkley's office, the legislation is designed to keep "over 90 percent of the potential carbon emissions from oil, gas and coal on our federal lands and federal waters underground forever."
FULL story at link.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, speaks at a town hall meeting with students at George Mason University on Wednesday. Kevin Wolf/AP Photo
Read more: http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/11/bernie-sanders-drilling-climate-federal-lands-ban
Marta and I are proud subscribers and donors to Mother Jones!
HeartoftheMidwest
(309 posts)....I love this man.
We need to address climate change NOW.
Yallow
(1,926 posts)What's 40 feet of sea level rise.
We can handle it!
Drill Baby Drill
Sarah Palin says no problem!!!!!!
HeartoftheMidwest
(309 posts)...or most of Manhattan! Who needs the world's coastal cities.
Gregorian
(23,867 posts)I never thought we'd reach sanity level five in my lifetime.
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)AzDar
(14,023 posts)daleanime
(17,796 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)20 year leases suck, lease cost is so very cheap, corps lease up everything and hold it for decades. Use OUR public lands for private leverage investments.
tex-wyo-dem
(3,190 posts)By far the most important issue of our time, period.
The stand Bernie is taking is truly significant!
newfie11
(8,159 posts)I love Bernie and this is something I would expect from him.
The other politicians ( ) not a chance they would go against their corporate money lenders!
Yallow
(1,926 posts)Or any others....
Instead of being afraid of Socialism, we should embrace evolution.
Time our species evolved from planet wasting war mongers.
retrowire
(10,345 posts)and its one that truly sets him apart. nicely done!
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Ned_Devine
(3,146 posts)Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)appalachiablue
(41,174 posts)behind and tribal rights attorney Tara Zhaabowekwe Houska to his right this afternoon.
fredamae
(4,458 posts)appalachiablue
(41,174 posts)keep this nation going heaven knows. But things are starting to happen, like this legislation...
hopemountain
(3,919 posts)haikugal
(6,476 posts)JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)solar panels.
mpcamb
(2,878 posts)JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)wordpix
(18,652 posts)could be energy self-sufficient with solar
passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)Morocco poised to become a solar superpower with launch of desert mega-project
Worlds largest concentrated solar power plant, powered by the Saharan sun, set to help renewables provide almost half the countrys energy by 2020
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/26/morocco-poised-to-become-a-solar-superpower-with-launch-of-desert-mega-project
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)MBS
(9,688 posts)Sienna86
(2,149 posts)Every good work counts.
Action_Patrol
(845 posts)jtuck004
(15,882 posts)Action_Patrol
(845 posts)Republican Majority than I do.
Continue rolling on the floor laughing.
waldo.c
(43 posts)Bernie has said over and over again, when he's elected he will utilize the mobilized electorate he's currently constructing, to lobby their elected representative to enact the reforms that he has a mandate to pursue. If they don't co-operate, they're buried in complaints or they're out. Simple.
Quote- " And now let me tell you something that no other candidate for president will tell you.
And that is no matter who is elected to be president, that person will not be able to address the enormous problems facing the working families of our country.
They will not be able to succeed because the power of corporate America, the power of Wall Street, the power of campaign donors is so great that no president alone can stand up to them.
That is the truth. People may be uncomfortable about hearing it, but that is the reality. And that is why what this campaign is about is saying loudly and clearly: It is not just about elected Bernie Sanders for president, it is about creating a grassroots political movement in this country."
Action_Patrol
(845 posts)JackInGreen
(2,975 posts)If we're not the entities of change who are? We can't win if we don't fight.
Action_Patrol
(845 posts)Take care
Recursion
(56,582 posts)But that third of the Democratic party, which is itself a third of the country, concentrated as it is in very liberal states and districts, is somehow going to be a potent-enough force to scare Senators and Representatives in coal and oil states?
shawn703
(2,702 posts)He will need more than half of the Democratic Party, not a third. For him to win the general, he would need half the country, not just half the Democratic Party. I think it's safe to assume that as President, he would enjoy the support of more than just one third of the Democratic Party.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)I hope the best for you and your dreams... part two.
Action_Patrol
(845 posts)I'm not the one here reading into something that is never going to happen. I work in the Senate, I've seen this countless times. It isn't new and it isn't going to pass. It's impossible to get starry eyed and dreamy about a reality that will never exist.
wordpix
(18,652 posts)coal, oil, nuclear and gas, that is
hopemountain
(3,919 posts)for something good for the planet.
Action_Patrol
(845 posts)Optimism.
I feel soured and shitty.
hopemountain
(3,919 posts)put out your light.
Action_Patrol
(845 posts)Regardless if kisses, hugs or high-fives make you smile, get someone close to you to give you one from me.
WillyT
(72,631 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)As President, on Day One, I would use my executive power to declare the transition to a clean energy future the number one priority of our Federal Government.
I would create a new Clean Energy Jobs Corps to partner with communities to retrofit buildings to be more energy efficient, improve local resiliency, create new green spaces, and restore and expand our forests so they can absorb more greenhouse gases.
I would retrofit federal buildings to the highest efficiency standards and require new federal buildings to be net-zero. I would require the federal fleet to be subject to low- or zero-emissions purchasing agreements, and require all federally-funded infrastructure projects to meet climate resiliency standards.
Snip
As President, I would direct the Environmental Protection Agency to take aggressive action to limit greenhouse gases: expanding rules to other large sources of emissions beyond power plants, adopting a zero-tolerance policy for methane leaks from current oil and gas production, and setting higher energy efficiency standards for new buildings while requiring energy costs to be transparent to building tenants and purchasers.
And I would reject projects like Keystone XL, drilling off our coasts and in the Arctic and Alaska. Furthermore, I would keep domestically produced oil and gas in the U.S., instead of selling it abroad unless there is a clear strategic security rationale.
mike_c
(36,281 posts)I've often said that Americans will sell their grandmothers if need be in order to get at the last drops of fossil fuels. The only way we can avoid that fate, and all it entails, is by intentionally leaving energy dense fuels in the ground. That will never happen without specific prohibitions against extraction.
VanillaRhapsody
(21,115 posts)No?
Action_Patrol
(845 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)16 million American children living in poverty because of the status quo that has been brought to us by the corporate controlled Congress and you will choose the status quo over change.
Action_Patrol
(845 posts)It isn't projection in the slightest and I'm a fan of Senator Sanders.
I've said NOTHING about any candidate or personality. You are the one projecting towards me.
I know our party is in the minority and bills like this will never see a floor vote. Hell, it probably won't make it out of committee.
Is it better to have them introduced and never be considered or not introduced at all?
It's all in how full or empty your glass is today.
Marty McGraw
(1,024 posts)'I'm a Fan of Bernie Sanders' before?....
oh... that's right!
Action_Patrol
(845 posts)You know literally nothing about me nor anything I've done.
I haven't attacked anyone yet I get served a plate of your ire?
You're the worst kind of person to have a discussion with.
How about some more emoticons, that's more your speed.
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)status quo that has given us 50 million Americans living in poverty. HRC is more concerned that Goldman-Sachs continues go get bigger and bigger profits.
Two sides to this class war and HRC and Sen Sanders are on opposite sides.
Feeling the Bern
(3,839 posts)through his game.
JudyM
(29,279 posts)coyote
(1,561 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)brett_jv
(1,245 posts)... into massive amounts of a highly energy-dense and portable liquid fuel that can be used in most of the same ways as petroleum (in particular, like gasoline) ... it appears that human beings are going to absolutely wreck this friggin' planet, and leave a global 'Mad Max'-style disaster for our kids and grand-kids that will occur over the next 75 years, tops.
Barring that sort of miracle, I fear the die is cast, and it's already too late ... we needed to start in the 80's, at the latest.
IOW, we're in the 'we need a magical savior' phase of this problem at this point.
Although in theory ... Nuclear Fusion might work, too ...
Marty McGraw
(1,024 posts)that we really don't need Transportable Liquid Fuel. I'm glad we have a big game player like Tesla involved in the future of energy distribution.
Overseas
(12,121 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Reminds me of how they ran against gays in '04.
Faux pas
(14,690 posts)keeping it REAL Bernie!
DFW
(54,437 posts)Republicans would just invest in gondola manufacturers.
Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)
Name removed Message auto-removed
Omaha Steve
(99,727 posts)http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/11/14/us-exports-more-oilthanitimports.html
Stop all exports. Go renewable.
wordpix
(18,652 posts)blackspade
(10,056 posts)He is right on.
We all have to start making some sacrifices for the sake of our descendants.
tabasco
(22,974 posts)I can only hope America is intelligent enough to elect him.
Well, I can hope.
lonestarnot
(77,097 posts)olddots
(10,237 posts)Go Bernie !
hopemountain
(3,919 posts)our forests/ federal lands in Oregon are under tremendous pressure to be torn up for fossil fuels to the highest private corporation bidders so that america's natural resources can be shipped to china!!
long time independent - but now broke family loggers think there are jobs and money in this for them - but they are hugely mistaken & misled by the the corporate interests. our natural resources will be stripped and the land left in a tumult - along with all of the living things on the forest floor will be decimated.
it is disgusting how private interest from other countries with the blessing of greedy americans hold proverbial carrots to those who are now struggling in poor rural communities with the promise of jobs and money when there will be only a handful of jobs and no money. all of the work is already contracted to out of state businesses.
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)Sunlei
(22,651 posts)Enough tearing up/ruining OUR PUBLIC LANDS and killing off/ removing/unbalancing nature- the wild life who were there before America was even a country.