Gov. Gary Herbert to Ceremonially Sign 15 Pieces of Air Quality Legislation, Recognize $29 Million of Clean Air Funding
What:
Today on Earth Day, Gov. Herbert will ceremonially sign clean air legislation and recognize the legislature’s unprecedented investment in Utah’s air quality during the 2019 General Legislative Session.
Who:
Gov. Gary R. Herbert
Alan Matheson, Executive Director, Utah Department of Environmental Quality
Thom Carter, Executive Director, Utah Clean Air Partnership
Rep. Patrice Arent, Co-Chair, Clean Air Caucus
Rep. Steve Handy, Co-Chair, Clean Air Caucus
When:
Monday, April 22, 2019, 2:00 PM
Where:
State Capitol Complex, North Plaza
Notes:
B-roll opportunities showcasing state efforts to decrease emissions and improve air quality will be available following the signing event.
Governor Herbert will ceremonially sign the following bills:
HB107S01 - Sustainable Transportation and Energy Plan Act Amendments
HB139S01 - Motor Vehicle Emissions Amendments
HB148S04 - Vehicle Idling Revisions
HB218S02 - Construction Code Modifications
HB353 - Reduction of Single Occupancy Vehicle Trips Pilot Program Amendments
HB357S01 - Voluntary Wood Burning Conversion Program HB411S02 - Community Renewable Energy Act
HCR2S01 - Concurrent Resolution Supporting Renewable and Sustainable Energy Options to Promote Rural Economic Development
HCR3S01 - Concurrent Resolution Urging the Environmental Protection Agency to Update Switcher Locomotive Emission Standards
HCR5 - Concurrent Resolution Urging Policies that Reduce Damage from Wildfires
HCR9 - Concurrent Resolution Commending Jordan School District on its Fleet of Natural Gas School Buses
HCR11 - Concurrent Resolution Encouraging the Purchase of Tier 3 Gasoline
HCR13 - Concurrent Resolution Encouraging Utah Refiners to Manufacture Tier 3 Gasoline to Improve Air Quality
SB21 - Sunset Reauthorization - Air Conservation Act
SB144S01 - Environmental Quality Monitoring Amendments
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Earth Day: Our Planet in Peril
by Robert F. Dodge, MD
657 words
Today marks the 49th anniversary of the first Earth Day. This comes 50 years after the Santa Barbara oil spills which were instrumental in the declaration of the first Earth Day. The fate of our planet remains threatened by two inextricably connected threats, that of climate change and nuclear war. We cannot pretend to be concerned about our environment if we are not simultaneously concerned about the destruction of the planet by nuclear war.
Fortunately, on this anniversary there are two bold initiatives attempting to deal with these simultaneous climate threats. These are the “Green New Deal” and “Back from the Brink” movements. Realizing the connection, what is necessary is the political will and courage to deal with these real and present dangers we face.
Two important scientific papers established these threats:
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) October 2018 climate report identifies a 12 year window until 2030 to contain global temperature rise to 1.5°C (2.7° F).
- The Physicians for Social Responsibility 2013 Nuclear Famine Report which identifies the catastrophic climate affects following a limited regional nuclear war between India and Pakistan using less than 1/2% of the global nuclear arsenals putting at risk of starvation >1/4 of the world’s population. (Forthcoming studies this year will demonstrate an even greater risk).
The connection between climate change and nuclear war is real and growing. With increasing competition for natural resources, global drought and lack of access to clean drinking water we see major conflict developing. This is exemplified in the first climate war occurring in Syria resulting in the largest mass migration in history. This has brought the United States and Russia, the world’s largest nuclear armed nations, into military opposition with many close calls.
Climate change and water scarcity also fuel the conflict between India and Pakistan and access to water is also a contributor to the Israeli and Palestinian conflict.
Much of the conflict we see in Honduras and Central America is fueled by drought and loss of farming, driving the northern migration from that country.
Perhaps no one understands the connection between climate change and war more than our military. Retired General Anthony Zinni, former Commander in Chief of the U.S. Central command stated, “We will pay for this [climate change] one way or another. We will pay to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions today and we’ll have to take an enormous hit of some kind. Or we will pay the price later in military terms. And that will involve human lives. There will be a human toll. There is no way out of this that does not have real costs attached to it.”
These two threats are real and are man-made. Yet, these are threats that do not have to be. We know the risks they present but also how to eliminate them. What is required are bold actions now. These actions are delineated in the “Green New Deal” and “Back from the Brink” movements:
Green New Deal Resolution H Res 109, it is Resolved:
That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that—
It is the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal—
(A) to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through a fair and just transition for all communities and workers;
(B) to create millions of good, high-wage jobs and ensure prosperity and economic security for all people of the United States;
(C) to invest in the infrastructure and industry of the United States to sustainably meet the challenges of the 21st century;
(D) to secure for all people of the United States for generations to come—
(i) clean air and water;
(ii) climate and community resiliency;
(iii) healthy food;
(iv) access to nature; and
(v) a sustainable environment; and
(E) to promote justice and equity by stopping current, preventing future, and repairing historic oppression of indigenous peoples, communities of color, migrant communities, deindustrialized communities, depopulated rural communities, the poor, low-income workers, women, the elderly, the unhoused, people with disabilities, and youth (referred to in this resolution as “frontline and vulnerable communities”);
Back from the Brink calls on our federal officials to endorse:
1. Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first
2. Ending the sole, unchecked authority of any U.S. president to launch a nuclear attack
3. Taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert
4. Cancelling the plan to replace its entire nuclear arsenal with enhanced weapons
5. Actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals, as we are obligated under Article VI of the NPT Treaty to do so.
The science is real and the people are making their voices heard and demanding action. There is no longer time to wish it were not so, alter the facts or to declare that it is too expensive to fix. Who among our elected representatives has the courage to step forth and lead the way to eliminate these non-partisan threats to our survival? How will our leaders respond to their children’s children when asked in the future, what did you do when our planet was threatened? What will you say?
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Robert Dodgewrites for PeaceVoice, is a family physician practicing in Ventura, California, is the Co-Chair of the Security Committee of National Physicians for Social Responsibilityand is the President of Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles.
Missyou
Releases Debut EP
YourBody
Available Now via
Spotify and Apple Music
New York, NY - April 19, 2019 - Alt-pop/rock band Missyou has released their debut EP, YourBody today. The 6-track EP is available to listen to across streaming services including Spotify, Apple Music, and Soundcloud.
YourBody consists of singles "Child 44," "Know It All," "YourBody," "Timid & Timbuktu," and "Anything," as well as one unreleased song entitled "closetoyou," which was released today to complete the EP.
On the new EP, lead vocalist and the incredible mind behind Missyou, Blaise Beyhan shares, "This EP flirts with the ideas of possession and bitterness and realizing the truth about each other's dark secrets. It's very much story songs - we write our songs like screenplays. This collection of songs is very much about loss and coming into your own."
The four-piece's vision is to create music they can stand behind with an emphasis on storytelling, moving listeners through time. They believe every picture and sound they create is part of a larger story, and above all, in freedom of expression. The forthcoming EP brings Missyou's vision to life through visceral melodies and heavy hitting lyrics.
YourBody is available everywhere now. For more information, please visit https://www.missyoumusic.com/.
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Missyou is Blaise Beyhan (vocalist), Omer Wald (guitar), Vince Quinones (drums), and Pete Valentini (bass).
YourBody Tracklisting:
01. YourBody
02. Child 44
03. Anything
04. Timid & Timbuktu
05. Know It All
06. closetoyou
Upcoming Shows:
April 27 - New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall
For more information, and to keep up with Missyou:
https://www.instagram.com/missyou_music/
https://twitter.com/missyou_music
https://www.facebook.com/missyoumusic/
