Audubon Advisory
January 15, 2010
Vol 2010 Issue 1

New Year Brings Old Attempts to Block Action on Climate Change   Climate change threatens the survival of polar bears, which spend most of their lives on or near sea ice. Credit: Susanne Miller/USFWS   With the New Year just underway and Congress set to return to the nation's capital, the momentum behind comprehensive climate and energy continues to mount. After a year of monumental progress, from the Obama Administration's efforts to legislative action in the full House and several Committees in the Senate, 2010 is poised to be the year that the United States finally takes meaningful action to curb global warming pollution. But change never comes easily, and we're already seeing the same old tricks and attacks aimed at preventing action and letting big polluters off the hook. As early as next week, the Senate will vote on an amendment proposed by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski that would roll back critical protections in the Clean Air Act. This assault on the Clean Air Act would put public health at risk and reverse efforts to hold polluters accountable, reduce America's oil dependence, and jump-start a vibrant clean energy economy. Sound familiar? It should, because Senator Murkowski attempted to move a similar amendment last fall – an effort that failed. Yet once again, the opponents of comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation are doing everything they can to thwart progress. In the coming days and weeks, Audubon will be working hard to defend the Clean Air Act and make sure that Congress focuses on the task at hand – passing strong legislation that will reduce global warming pollution and protect our environment. But we'll need your help, so look for an alert next week, asking you to urge your Senators to OPPOSE Senator Murkowski's Dirty Air amendment.   BLM Follows Audubon's Lead to Save the Sage-Grouse from Energy Development   Credit: Dave Showalter    The sagebrush landscape has long epitomized the American West. But this unique habitat, home to scores of plants and animals including the imperiled Greater Sage-Grouse, is rapidly disappearing. Already heavily impacted by oil and gas development, its high plains and sweeping vistas are also an important potential source of wind energy. In a landmark victory, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which manages nearly one third of Wyoming's land and is responsible for mineral rights on nearly two-thirds, announced this month that it is making major changes in its leasing policies. This change, largely based on work done by Audubon Wyoming and the Wyoming Governor, offers fresh hope for the survival of Greater Sage-Grouse, enhanced protection for other wildlife that share the western sagebrush ecosystem, and an innovative model to advance wildlife-friendly energy development nationwide. >> Find out more.   Great Backyard Bird Count Just Around the Corner!   A GBBC participant records a pair of Eastern Bluebirds during last year's count. Credit: Mary Sandmann, Medina OH   From February 12th - 15th, join bird watchers from coast to coast for the 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). The GBBC is open to bird watchers of all ages and skill levels. Participation is free and no registration is required. Participants can easily report what they see online at www.birdcount.org and get an instantaneous snapshot of their record. The website also highlights events going on in local communities, information on the GBBC photo contest, and real-time data from across the U.S. and Canada! Last year, participants turned in more than 93,600 checklists online, creating the continent's largest instantaneous snapshot of bird populations ever recorded.   Briefly Noted Citizens demand habitat protection for polar bears Thank you for submitting comments on the historic proposed designation of more than 200,000 square miles of land and water in America's Arctic as critical habitat for the polar bear. More than 213,000 citizens told Secretary Salazar that they strongly support the proposed critical habitat, and asked that it include protections for the full realm of terrestrial habitat critical to the polar bear. We expect a final decision by June 30. Nominate your Land & Water Conservation Fund project Each year, Audubon submits to the U.S. Congress a list of priority sites in need of Land & Water Conservation Fund dollars, and actively works with Members of Congress to secure funding for these critical habitat acquisitions. Congress established the LWCF in 1964 for the purpose of acquiring federal lands (additions to the National Wildlife Refuges, Forests, and Parks and Bureau of Land Management holdings) in order to conserve important natural resources. If you would like more information about how you can nominate a site near you, please contact us at audubonaction@audubon.org. January Mystery Bird Good luck with this month's challenge (below)—3...2...1...Bird Count! HINT: Last year, Great Backyard Bird Count participants documented a huge southern invasion of these birds across much of the eastern United States. The winner will receive a plush Audubon singing bird and will be chosen at random from all correct entries received (NAS employees can play but not win). One entry per person please! Please email us your entry, being sure the words "Mystery Bird" appear in the subject line. Deadline for entering is Sunday, February 7). Photo courtesy of Steve Gillispie.