Vernal Equinox (Spring is here!)

The ecliptic path at vernal equinox

Yesterday, at 1:32 p.m., spring arrived in the northern hemisphere, and fall began in the southern. The vernal (spring) equinox marks the time each year when daylight and darkness are exactly equal (in the northern hemisphere; this date marks the autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere.

I was privileged to attend the United Nations Earth Day ceremony and the ringing of the peace bell in the rose garden, where I heard the wonderful Tarumi Violinists, directed by Yukako Tarumi, and many interesting speakers on the environment. Among the speakers were Helen Garland, chairperson of the Earth Society Foundation, co-founded with John McConnell and supported by noted anthropologist Margaret Mead; Simon Reeves from New Zealand; Vahan Galoumian, Project Coordinator of UNESCO‘s liason office in New York, and Andres Gomez of the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural History at the American Museum of Natural History.

John McConnell's Earth Flag

We are losing habitat and biodiversity at an alarming rate; 40% of the Amazon rainforest will be lost by 2030 if deforestation continues at present rates; soil and fisheries depletion are accelerating, and 30,000 people per day are dying from lack of access to clean water. These are severe problems that need solutions, and I thank all of yesterday’s speakers for their dedication to these issues.

Yet too often, the multinational corporations and the men and women who run them are portrayed as arch-villains; I find this disturbing for many reasons, chief among them that these men and women are people just like you and me, and no man or woman is my enemy. For better or for worse, these corporations are here to stay, and we need to enlist them as partners to move forward; the way to peace can only be through peace. As Jurrian Kamp, editor-in-chief of Ode magazine states in his article We need to end climate anger: “…environmentalists… need to embrace all the people they fear stand in the way of the progress the planet needs: the politicians and industrial leaders.”

To be sure, corporations must practice corporate responsibility and become good planetary citizens, and their track record on this has been dismal, yet demonizing these corporations and the men and women who run them is the most ineffective means at our disposal of enlisting their cooperation—and we need their cooperation and access to their vast resources if we are to find solutions to the problems we face. We are all in this together.

The above views are my own, and do not necessarily represent the Woodstock Council for World Peace.

Vote for Peace

Click here to register your vote to establish a U.S. Department of Peace, and send your message to Congress here. The bill to establish a Department of Peace is now before the House of Representatives, and, among other things, would provide funding to establish a U.S. Peace Academy which would act as a counterpart to the U.S. Military Academy, teach violence prevention and mediation to America’s school children, and provide complimentary support to our military by engaging in parallel peace-building activities.

The Woodstock Council for World Peace has already sent a letter of support for the Department of Peace to Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who first introduced this bill in July 2001, shortly before the attacks of 9/11. Unfortunately, our country’s reaction to those attacks, and George W. Bush’s mistaken policy of GWOT (Global War on Terror) has allowed this bill to languish. Make your voices heard, and tell Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and your representatives that you want the United States Department of Peace to become a reality.

We are living in a world that is witnessing the threats of habitat and biodiversity loss, fisheries depletion, global economic stress and world hunger; in such a world, war is unsustainable.

The above views are my own, and do not necessarily represent the views of The Woodstock Council for World Peace.

Woodstock Council Meeting

Tomorrow, December 13, 2009, the Woodstock Council for World Peace is meeting at the Woodstock Community Center, 56 Rock City Road in Woodstock, NY, from 6:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m. All are invited; among the subjects for discussion are website development, fund raising, and projects to be taken on/promoted by the Council. We must choose the work we will do that will best sustain the Council and most effectively promote the cause of peace. Please come; we invite and need your input on these important matters.

Rooted in Peace

“For a long time people thought you have to have a big organization to do anything, but I’m now convinced its going to be millions of small organizations that will actually do the job of bringing the world together.”
—Pete Seeger, from Greg Reitman’s upcoming film, Rooted in Peace

Rooted in Peace is a film currently in production written and directed by Greg Reitman, a wonderful person who works hard to further the causes of peace and understanding. He braved the cold and rain to walk with us over the Brooklyn Bridge this past Monday, November 30th, 2009. He participated in Universal Peace Day with Phil Sauers, Su Zen, Gloria Waslyn and all the other wonderful people who were involved. His contributions help to make the world a better place. We eagerly await this movie’s release, and extend our thanks to Greg for all that he’s done, and continues to do.

Water is Life

Without water, there is no life—nearly 30,000 people die daily because of lack of access to clean water. Without water, there can be no peace. This informative and award-winning documentary, FLOW (For Love of Water) is available for free viewing here. Please watch it.

Videos from Leonardo DiCaprio

Please watch the informative video Water Planet, from Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s available under A/V (Media) at right, or by clicking the link above. Leo has also produced another short film on Global Warming, that is worth watching. If these links don’t work, go to Leo’s site, http://www.leonardodicaprio.org/ you’ll be able to view them there.

China and U.S. announce accords

We are pleased to see that U.S. President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao have agreed that our countries must work together to confront some of the most serious issues that the world is facing. They have agreed that we must come up with a comprehensive plan of action regarding climate change in Copenhagen, and that we must address the problems of nuclear proliferation, economic development and recovery together.

2nd Annual Water Not Weapons Halloween Pumpkin Party!

The second annual Water Not Weapons Halloween Pumpkin Party will be held this Saturday, October 31st, from 12 noon until 5:00 p.m. at the Frying Pan, at the pier at 26th Street and the Hudson River. The first 100 children to arrive will receive a free Hugg-a-Planet, a $24.95 value. This year’s theme is “Uncharted Waters”, though costumes are optional, and admission is free. Performers scheduled include Pete Seeger, Roland Mousaa, Caitlin O’Heany, and many other great musicians, so come out to the Frying Pan for a great time!

The good times will continue as the party morphs into “Spooky Night” and the Water Not Weapons “Halloween Happening”, which will continue into the wee hours, and everyone can be expected to have a great time!

Important update—Marcellus Shale

In a surprising announcement, the Chesapeake Energy Corporation announced yesterday that it will not drill on existing leases it holds in the New York City watershed, nor will it purchase any new leases within the watershed. Whether or not other gas companies will follow their lead remains to be seen, and we are not yet certain if other companies’ drilling plans will proceed in the Delaware and Hudson watershed areas of the Marcellus Shale that are not part of the New York City watershed—there are conceivably areas in Albany, Greene, Schoharie, Otsego, Sullivan and Orange counties where drilling may still be planned. Chesapeake Energy also announced that they do plan to drill in other areas of the Marcellus Shale, so we need to watch this closely. There are important aquifers and fisheries downstream that are not necessarily part of the New York City Watershed.

Public hearings are scheduled for this evening— Meeting Location:
Loch Sheldrake – Sullivan County Community College E Building,
Seelig Theatre; 112 College Rd, Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759
Doors will open at 6:00 PM for individual questions and speaker sign up.
Public comment session will start at 7:00 PM.

Future Public Hearings:
11/10/2009 – New York City – Stuyvesant High School High School Auditorium, 345 Chambers St, New York, NY 10282 
11/12/2009 – Chenango Bridge – Chenango Valley High School High School Auditorium, 221 Chenango Bridge Rd, Chenango Bridge, NY 13901 
TBD – Elmira/Corning

Please attend one of these meetings if possible, and join Riverkeeper and Catskill Mountainkeeper to help them with their valuable work.

More important news from Catskill Mountainkeeper

GAS DRILLING BULLETIN

THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON THE DEC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY IS IN LOCH SHELDRAKE NEXT WEDNESDAY – DON’T MISS IT -
AND SIGN THE IMPORTANT PETITION BELOW

Next Wednesday, October 28th, the New York State DEC will hold its first public hearing on its Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Study on Gas Drilling that was issued on September 30, 2009. This report spells out the conditions under which gas drilling may commence.

This is a critical opportunity for all residents and lovers of the Catskills to make comments for the record on the information in the report.

Please join us in registering your serious concerns about the inability of the provisions of the report to protect you and your fellow New York State residents. The media, DEC officials and your elected representatives will be there gauging how much you care.

Click here for the Mountainkeeper Natural Gas Fact Sheet
Click here to view the 800+ page Draft Supplemental from DEC (PDF)

Tell them that you want:

• An extension on the 60 day comment period to give the public, the media and experts adequate time to learn the ramifications of this 800+ page report and a fair chance to state their case
• A cumulative impact requirement
• A comprehensive wastewater plan that takes into consideration our state’s aging and inadequate wastewater capabilities
• A plan to assure that local officials will have the staffing and training to monitor and respond to accidents
• A thorough and comprehensive study of the cumulative impacts on on lands within the blue line of the Catskill Park and the New York City Watershed
• Answers about why the gas companies won’t be on the hook when there are accidents and environmental damage
• Adequate provisions that protect us from the depletion of our local water supply by the drilling companies
• The necessary protection of our roads and personal land from excessive truck traffic, toxic and radioactive loads, open pit capture ponds and multistory rigs

Meeting Location:

Loch Sheldrake – Sullivan County Community College E Building, Seelig Theatre; 112 College Rd, Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759
Doors will open at 6:00 PM for individual questions and speaker sign up.
Public comment session will start at 7:00 PM.

Future Public Hearings:

11/10/2009 – New York City – Stuyvesant High School High School Auditorium, 345 Chambers St, New York, NY 10282
11/12/2009 – Chenango Bridge – Chenango Valley High School High School Auditorium, 221 Chenango Bridge Rd, Chenango Bridge, NY 13901
TBD – Elmira/Corning


CATSKILL MOUNTAINKEEPER TRAVERSING THE STATE TO TESTIFY ABOUT THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE DEC STUDY ON GAS DRILLING

Catskill Mountainkeeper has been attending meetings throughout New York State to educate government officials and the public about the dangers of natural gas drilling.

On Thursday October 15th Wes Gillingham, Program Director of Catskill Mountainkeeper was one of 25 people who testified at a hearing held by the New York State Assembly’s Environmental Conservation Committee on proposed gas drilling.  He testified that the report puts no limitation on the total number of gas wells that could be developed within a specific area and stipulates that each drilling operation be evaluated as a single event. Wes said, “The whole cumulative impact is a glaring problem. Each company knows how much land they’ve leased. One well leads to another and another. And how will the state control the impact of all that waste?”

According to Gillingham “Mountainkeeper is fully committed to making sure that everyone who lives, works and recreates in the Catskill region has the opportunity to learn what the real threat of gas drilling will be on their home, their health and their region. The DEC study is just plain inadequate and THAT message has to be clearly delivered publicly to as many people as possible.”


ELECTED OFFICIALS JOIN IN OUR EFFORT TO GET A LONGER COMMENT PERIOD ON THE DEC SGEIS REPORT

The New York State DEC report has stipulated a 60 day period during which the public can submit comments on what they proposed.  Many groups, including Catskill Mountainkeeper have been advocating to extend this period by at least 60 days.  Ramsay Adams, of Catskill Mountainkeeper said, “It is critically important that New Yorkers have sufficient time to read and digest this 800 page report and that there is adequate time for public discourse about the marked impact this will have on their lives.”

Now it appears as if our legislators have heard and are requesting that this period be extended.  Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and the Manhattan Borough President, Scott Stringer, have asked the state for extensive public hearings. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has commissioned an independent scientific study of the risks to the watershed.

As the New York Times wrote in its editorial on October 16, 2009 – “A fair review will not be possible unless the state’s absurdly quick Nov. 30 deadline for public comment is extended. The mayor’s study will not even be completed until mid-December. It is dangerously irresponsible to rush this decision.”  In addition, many important newspapers are demanding that the DEC extend the comment period to 120 days.  These include the Albany Times Record, Rochester City Newspaper, the River Reporter and the Phoenicia Times.

Click here to read some of the recent news stories

Please click here to sign a petition asking the DEC to extend the comment period.

HELP US HELP YOU
It has become all too clear that the fight against gas drilling has become a marathon.  In order to continue to work on behalf of the Catskills we need your support.

Help Mountainkeeper lead the fight.  Click here to make a secure online donation.

For more information about the gas drilling threat, please go to our website or you can call our office at 845.482.5400