To Till and to Tend

This Week’s Crop

This week the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee cleared six energy bills and sent them to majority leader Harry Reid for consideration in crafting a broader bill for the Senate. The next few days will be crucial in getting anything done prior to August recess and mid-term elections this fall which has been a goal of the Democratic leadership for months. Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), however, cautioned today that he does not know what Reid’s true plans are, given the few remaining days that the chamber is expected to be in session before heading home for the August recess. “Senator Reid has not announced what he is going to bring to the floor,” Bingaman said. Even with all of the issues on the table concerning energy, carbon emission caps, heat waves, alternative energy,  nuclear, and the Gulf Oil Disaster, the U.S. Senate leaders are still struggling to get energy and climate legislation done.

But time is not on our side. The Gulf disaster is but one peril of our global addiction to energy an oil. China now uses more energy than any other nation on the planet – most of it in high-sulfur “brown coal” which creates acid rain producing sulfur dioxide. (Wall Street Journal) Despite  their  leadership in renewable energy resources development, this means China is on the search for energy and that means oil – and they don’t have a problem getting it from places like Iran and Somalia and other governments not sympathetic to U.S. and Israeli interests. Just to make energy security matters more problematic, China now has its own oil spill. (BBC) Oil spilled into the sea in north-east China after two pipelines exploded on Friday night, resulting in a fierce fire. At least one person has died during the clean-up operation, after being thrown from a ship by waves and drowning in the oil.  The environmental group Greenpeace told the BBC the oil was up to 20cm thick along parts of the coast near the city of Dalian. Shipments of oil from the north to the industrial belt in the south have been disrupted since the accident.

But perhaps there is still hope. China is also a potential leader in creating low-carbon economies.  “We have substantive hopes in China, to be honest, that China will take the lead … to make the low-carbon economy, the high energy efficiency economy a reality in the coming years,” said Stephan Singer, the head of energy policy for the World Wildlife Federation. “That’s not the case in the U.S., unfortunately,” he said. “We would need to see similar or even stronger targets there” in the U.S.  Let’s hope Harry Reid gets it right next week and sets the U.S. on the right path and in time. (NPR)

Updates from the Hill

Reid to Senate Dems: Climate change bill will wait until fall Hopes for a more comprehensive approach on capping carbon seem to be dashed – for now. Harry Reid is now saying they’ll move next week on a bill focused on the Gulf oil spill that will include energy provisions that can get bipartisan agreement, but it will not include a cap or a renewable energy standard or anything controversial. Aides insisted Reid’s decision is a nod to the packed floor schedule the Senate faces before it leaves in two weeks for the August recess, and that he has not abandoned plans to try and bring up a broader climate and energy plan later in the year. (The Hill)

The Slick

Jewish communal leaders responding to the oil spill disaster have been speaking out in several ways. National religious leaders Rabbis David Saperstein of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and Julie Schonfeld of the Conservative Movement’s Rabbinical Assembly toured the Gulf Coast area (Jewish Week) to personally view the destruction and to determine the best ways for their respective institutions to respond. They spoke to the COEJL community last Friday on national conference call. Rabbi Saperstein also captured some of the briefings they received on video, which can be seen on YouTube. On Friday, July 16th COEJL held a national conference call with Rabbi David Saperstein of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Julie Schonfeld of the Conservative Movement’s Rabbinical Assembly, and Rabbi Ethan Linden of of Congregation Shir Chadash in New Orleans, about their recent trip to the Gulf of Mexico region. They shared their experience and helped us better understand the ongoing impacts of the oil disaster and what we can do as Jews to help. Visit the COEJL home page to download an MP3 of the call. Several Jewish organizations joined others in writing to President Obama providing a set of recommendations in response to the oil spill crisis. And finally, this past week, several resources appeared connecting the oil disaster and its relationship to Tisha b’Av (JTA) and our remembering the destruction of the Temples.

On Tuesday, the three-month anniversary of the oil spill and Tisha B’Av, dozens of protesters stood outside the Capitol (JTA Article) to denounce Congress’ handling of the BP oil spill while commemorating the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem centuries ago. “Tisha B’Av is when we mourn the destruction of the Temple,” said Rabbi Arthur Waskow, director of the Shalom Center. “The earth is the sacred temple of all communities and all life forms. Jewish tradition teaches the temple was a microcosm of all the earth.”

A new cap is on and the oil stopped but seepage on the seafloor could re-open it. After days of no oil leaking from the BP well in the Gulf and watching the pressure in the well rise to reasonable levels, seepage of hydrocarbons has been detected, (NY Times)  indicating that it may have to be reopened soon to avoid making the situation worse.

Support for Land and Water Conservation Fund Growing. The House Natural Resources Committee voted 27-21 to pass legislation that would allocate $900 million worth of oil revenues annually toward protecting open spaces through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Here’s a NY Times Op Ed from July 19th on the Land and Water Conservation Fund for a good perspective. (NY Times) These funds were mandated in 1965 to be spent on natural resource protection, yet Congress continues to underfund the effort. With a focus on regulations in relation to the oil spill disaster, the CLEAR Act (Newswire)  (Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources Act of 2009, HR 3534) was introduced last year by Representative Nick Rahall (D-WV) and does several things, including provide permanent and full funding for land and water conservation. Support for full allocation to the fund and using oil revenue to preserve natural areas, clean water, and access to outdoor recreation has grown in light of the recent Gulf oil spill, according to a new Zogby poll.

Community News

July 30: A Day of Prayer for the Gulf

Next Friday, July 30, communities of faith throughout the Gulf region will host a special day of prayer and reflection on the oil spill disaster, and we hope Jews across North America will join in solidarity. We encourage you to incorporate reflection and prayer on the Gulf oil spill disaster into your community’s Shabbat services on July 30 and 31. Here are a series of prayer resources to help. (RAC) (Canfei Nesharim)

Nashville Eco-Challenge

On August 1st the Nashville Jewish Community will be hosting a FREE event to kick off the Nashville Eco-Challenge. They will be working in partnership with the Jewish Energy Covenant Campaign. Taking the Eco-Challenge involves making positives changes in your home and community.  Participants pledge to complete a personal checklist of six simple and effective ways to reduce their ecological footprint and conserve resources, such as signing up for the TVA In-Home Energy Evaluation (IHEE) program and always using reusable shopping bags at stores. The sponsoring organizations will be signing a pledge as well.

Place: Gordon Jewish Community Center

Date: Sunday, August 1, 2010

Time: 1-4 p.m.

Visit the Nashville Eco-Challenge website for more information.