[Coalition_for_valle_vidal] NEPA Under Attack - This May Effect the Valle Vidal

[Jim O'Donnell]

Democracy  Under Attack:
National Environmental Policy Act
  (NEPA) Threatened

URGENT  - NEPA Task Force Hearing:
YOUR  PRESENCE AND/OR TESTIMONY ARE NEEDED!

The Coalition for the Valle Vidal is worried that several key aspects 
of this ground-breaking law may be weakened or eliminated including 
requirements that: (1) the public is given a voice in important federal 
decisions; (2) the public is informed of impacts to our land and 
communities; (3) federal agencies consider common-sense alternatives 
and don’t move blindly ahead with decisions; and (4) federal agencies 
use sound science.  If NEPA is gutted, our efforts to protect the Valle 
Vidal will be severally hampered.

Monday August 1, 2005
10:00 am at the Rio  Rancho High School
301 Loma Colorado, Rio Rancho, NM 87124.
 
For more information call Jim O'Donnell: 505-758-3874.  Directions to 
the hearing are located at the bottom of this email.

(Only invited witnesses will be allowed  to testify and no questions or 
comments from the public will be taken.  Witnesses who will be 
testifying have not been announced to the public.  Community members 
are allowed to watch and are encouraged to attend and show support for 
this bedrock environmental law.)

Transportation will be available from  Santa Fe and Taos to bring you, 
your family and friends to the hearing!  Call call Jim O'Donnell: 
505-758-3874 for information.

WRITTEN  TESTIMONY AND COMMENTS ARE ALSO NEEDED
  Deadline is Tuesday August 10th.

Make sure your voice is heard by  submitting comments into the record 
for the Southwest NEPA hearing. It is  critical that the Taskforce 
hears from a broad range of local leaders,  citizens, and organizations 
about the importance of NEPA to our health, our communities, and our 
environment. You are encouraged to submit comments and  circulate this 
alert to other organizations that you are involved with  (civic, 
religious, wildlife, recreation, etc.) and elected officials and  urge 
them to send comments in support of NEPA.  A sample letter is located 
here: http://ga4.org/campaign/NEPA.

If you want your comments in the official  hearing record, you should 
submit them via email: resources.committee at mail.house.gov (or fax to 
202-225-5929). Please also copy Congressman Tom Udall at FAX: 
505-986-5047

Format for official comments:

  Your Name
  Title (if you have one)
  Organization (if you have an affiliation)

  Written Testimony
  To the Committee on Resources
  United States House of Representatives

  The Role of NEPA in the States of Arizona, California, Nevada

  Date

Background  on NEPA – Democracy in Action
NEPA, one of America's bedrock  environmental laws signed into law by 
President Nixon 35 years ago, is  considered the Magna Carta of 
environmental protection. NEPA is the  foundation on which all other 
environmental laws are built. NEPA requires  federal agencies to study 
and disclose the environmental effects of major  projects on the 
surrounding community and include the public in the  decision-making 
process for federally funded projects. To read about the NEPA Task 
Force, and to  read written testimony from hearing witnesses go to: 
http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/nepataskforce/schedule.htm Written 
testimony is currently available from the Northwest hearing held in  
Spokane on April 23rd. Testimony from the Southwest hearing will be on 
the  website following the hearing on August 1st. More information on 
NEPA can be found at: http://www.sierraclub.org/lookbeforeyouleap/

Directions to the Hearing:

 From I-25 North or South:

1.	Take the NM-44 W exit- EXIT 242- toward NM-165 E / RIO RANCHO /
PLACITAS. 0.2 miles

2.	Merge onto US-550 N / NM-44 W toward BERNALILLO / RIO RANCHO /
FARMINGTON. 2.3 miles

3.	Turn LEFT onto NM-528 S. 5.5 miles

4.	Turn RIGHT onto NORTHERN BLVD NE. 2.0 miles

5.	Turn LEFT onto LOMA COLORADO DR NE. 0.8 miles

6.	Make a U-TURN onto LOMA COLORADO DR NE. 0.1 miles

7.	End at Rio Rancho High School: 301 Loma Colorado St NE, Rio Rancho,
NM 87124-6562



Democracy  Under Attack:
National  Environmental Policy Act
  (NEPA) Threatened



Jim O'Donnell
Outreach Coordinator, Coalition for the Valle Vidal
www.vallevidal.org
PO Box 238
Taos, NM 87571
505-758-3874

Are you a member of the Coalition for the Valle Vidal?  Would you like 
to support our efforts?  Join or contribute today at: 
http://www.vallevidal.org/involved.html