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Earth Day Network broadens Environmental Movement |
Latino Congreso produces National Environmental Platform |
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Sep. 20 -/E-Wire/-- Earth Day Network (EDN) has helped secure a solid environmental platform for the new agenda produced at the National Latino Congreso in Los Angeles this month. The platform includes a climate change resolution authored by EDN President Kathleen Rogers which calls for mandatory federal caps on greenhouse gas pollution that would return emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Earth Day Network also successfully advanced an environmental health resolution calling for major initiatives to address air pollution, unsafe drinking water, pesticides, lead and mercury contamination, and second-hand smoke.
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"Easy passage of our climate change resolution came as no surprise because the Latino community suffers as much as any from the consequences of global warming and Latino leaders in California, most notably LA Mayor Villaraigosa and State Assembly Speaker Nunez, have been at the forefront of addressing climate change," said Rogers. "Earth Day Network's next step is to incorporate the Latino community at the grassroots level in the actions necessary to transform this resolution from words on a page into reality."
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Villaraigosa and Nunez, along with California Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante delivered keynote addresses on Environment Day of the Congreso. Villaraigosa's speech opened the plenary session, setting the stage for voting by hundreds of delegates on a long list of environmental resolutions.
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"The Latino community has a great stake and responsibility in the environmental future of our country and the passage of numerous environmental resolutions during the Latino Congreso is a national demonstration of Latino engagement in issues such as climate change, the protection of our wilderness heritage, and the long-term environmental health of all citizens," said Villaraigosa. "The National Hispanic Environmental Council and Earth Day Network, along with the dozens of local and regional environmental organizations which participated in this event, firmly established the environment as a pillar of the national Latino platform."
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Among other actions, Latino Congreso Resolution 3.2 – Climate Change calls for a radical upgrade in the energy efficiency of all federal buildings and equipment to cut energy consumption in half by 2020, as well as a steady increase in minimum fuel efficiency standards for all cars, light trucks, and other passenger vehicles: 35 mpg by 2012, 40 mpg by 2015, and 50 mpg by 2020.
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Earth Day Network (EDN) President Kathleen Rogers was among the Congreso Conveners presiding over the voting and amendment process which produced the final environment resolutions, including two supported by EDN delegates: Resolution 3.5 – Environmental Health and Resolution 3.6 – Policy Platform for Stewardship of Our Wild Heritage.
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Contact EDN for a copy of these resolutions and interviews with authors/delegates. Laurie Howell, 703-717-3983, Howell@earthday.net
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/SOURCE:
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Earth Day Network |
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09-20-2006 |
/CONTACT:
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Laurie Howell, 703-717-3983
Howell@earthday.net |
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