Thursday, December 29, 2011
President Obama & EPA Protect Public Health, Announce Landmark Mercury Standard for Power Plants
Posted by Linda H on 11:13:00 AM
Today, President Obama and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the first-ever nationwide standard for mercury and air toxics pollution from power plants. A record 907,000 Americans submitted comments on the standard, which is expected to cut toxic mercury pollution from power plants by 91 percent.
“Today President Obama stood up to the polluters and protected kids’ health,” said Michelle Kinman, Clean Energy Advocate with Environment California. “This landmark achievement reflects what every parent knows, which is that powering our homes should not poison our kids.”Power plants are the largest single source of mercury pollution in the U.S., and exposure to mercury and other air toxics is linked to cancer, heart disease, neurological damage, birth defects, asthma attacks and premature death.
Obama :: Agencies Cut Nearly $18 Billion in Improper Payments, Announce New Steps for Stopping Government Waste
Posted by Linda H on 9:49:00 AM
“When the President and I launched the Campaign to Cut Waste we knew success would be measured by results, not rhetoric,” said Vice President Biden. “The sharp reduction in payment errors announced today demonstrates this Administration is serious about cutting waste,” he added.
Home From Iraq, Veterans Seen as Perfect Candidates for Green Jobs
Posted by Linda H on 9:01:00 AM
Coleman said his company -- North Star Development, LLC, based in St. Louis -- will be hiring dozens of people this year, and he sees veterans as the perfect candidates for green building positions. As a prime example, he recalls a retired master sergeant with no residential construction experience he recently hired.
The Repeal of DADT: A Servicemember’s Perspective
Posted by Linda H on 7:27:00 AM
September 20, 2011 marked the end of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. President Obama kept his campaign promise to repeal this piece of legislation that prohibited gay members of the military from being themselves. Juan (pictured left), an Obama for America Regional Field Organizer in Los Angeles, recently spoke with Charles (right), a gay service member and a new volunteer in his neighborhood, about the President’s historical action.Charles joined the military in 1990, three years before Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was implemented. As a gay service member, Charles had to hide his true identity from his peers for 19 long years. In 2007, when then Senator Barack Obama announced that if elected as President he would repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Charles instantly stood behind the Senator.
“That speech was one of my primary reasons for supporting the President. I was hoping it would come to fruition and it did. I am very happy it was a promise that was kept.”
TIGER Projects Remind Us What America Can Do
Posted by Linda H on 7:11:00 AM
At City Halls in Philadelphia and Cincinnati, and on the phone with major and local media outlets across the country, folks seem excited about the benefits these projects will provide and the jobs they'll create. I expect even more enthusiasm in Chicago shortly.
In the historic Philadelphia City Hall's Reception Room, I was happy to share with Mayor Michael Nutter and others the news of a $10 million grant for the city's IMPaCT project. This award will help pay for upgrades to 100 traffic lights and connect these controllers to the city’s traffic management system through fiber optic cable. The project includes technology to extend green lights for buses and trolleys when they need more time to get through an intersection. The money will also support upgrades to handicapped ramps and pedestrian countdown signals at crosswalks.
The Bicycle Man Fixes Up 1,100 Bikes to Give Away for Christmas in Hometown
Posted by Linda H on 5:58:00 AM
Apple Needs to Make it in America
