Global warming legislation update

Environment Georgia was heartened to see a bill that addresses global warming, authored by Sens. Joe Lieberman (Conn.) and John Warner (Va.), finally move out of its Senate subcommittee.

We supported the bill as an excellent starting place, but we’re calling for important amendments as the bill moves forward. Most importantly, the bill must achieve faster and more significant cuts in pollution, consistent with what scientists say are needed; flexibility mechanisms in the bill must be tightened to prevent undermining the goals of the bill; and polluters must be required to pay for every ton of pollution they put into the atmosphere.

Disappointingly, Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson did not vote for the legislation in committee.

Polluters should be required to pay for every ton of pollution they emit.

New standards needed to reduce overfishing

In the coming months, federal officials will decide whether to adopt stronger rules to prevent overfishing off the nation’s shores.

Environment Georgia is urging citizens to sign a petition to the National Marine Fisheries Service that calls for the adoption of rules that would better sustain fisheries and hold companies accountable when catch limits are exceeded. Working with other members of Environment America, our federation of state-based environmental groups, we released reports in October outlining the state of fisheries off the Gulf, Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

Many threatened fish species are regionally popular, such as the snappers and groupers that have always been a part of Low Country seafood culture. But years of overfishing and the fact that some species are slow-growing and late-maturing have led to substantial declines.