Brunswick Environmental Action Team
BEAT was happy to be invited to the 2022 Oak Island Earth Day Festival, April 2022. Thank you Oak Island for allowing us to share ideas about how we can continue to work together to thrive while peacefully making use of the life sustaining energy that our Earth provides for us every day - To optimize our ongoing survival and a deeply shared happy and healthy existence.
BEAT received an email from: Melissa Edmonds <medmonds@selcnc.org> of the Southern Environmental Law Center on September 9, 2022 at 12:32:50 PM EDT. The subject of the email was Offshore Drilling Comment Opportunity. BEAT leadership would like to share this message with you here. The text that follows is the body of the message in its entirety.
Hi all,
I hope this note finds you well! You are receiving this email because you have previously been involved in SELC’s campaign to fight offshore drilling, by signing onto our comment letters to oppose drilling in the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico. I am writing now to alert you of another important comment opportunity on the issue of offshore drilling in these regions.
SELC is currently preparing comments on the Biden administration’s Proposed Five Year Plan for offshore drilling, which removes all Atlantic Planning Areas from consideration, yet still proposes to hold lease sales in the Western and Central Gulf of Mexico. Comments are due Oct. 6. As usual, our comments will be focused on the Gulf and the Southeast; we plan to thank BOEM for listening to the voices of the East Coast by removing the Atlantic, and further urge no new leasing in the Gulf of Mexico because of the continued harm from offshore drilling on Gulf communities and natural resources and on climate change.
SELC supports responsible offshore wind development as a critically important piece in the necessary clean energy transition to address the climate crisis, but we do not support provisions within the Inflation Reduction Act that tie future offshore wind leasing to continued oil and gas leasing. We are planning to make this distinction in our comments, but please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns with this approach.
If you are potentially interested in signing on and have input as we draft, please let me know ASAP, as we are working on drafting the comments now. We will circulate a draft on Sept. 23, accept feedback through Sept. 28, and take final sign-ons through Oct. 5.
Thank you all for being valued partners in this important issue, we look forward to your continued support throughout this fight!
Melissa L. Edmonds (Whaling) (she/her)
Science & Policy Analyst
Southern Environmental Law Center
601 West Rosemary Street, Suite 220
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Office (919) 391-4099
Mobile (919) 623-5003
Dear visitor, below is a message BEAT received from "Emily Donovan via ActionNetwork.org" <info@email.actionnetwork.org>
The subject of her message regards
URGENT ACTION REQUIRED:
Say: "No More Chemours!"
BEAT received this message on: September 10, 2022 at 12:36:12 PM EDT
Her message is shared here in its entiretity.
Friends,
It's time to mobilize like never before. Chemours just announced they want to EXPAND their toxic PFAS production in NC. We don’t feel they’ve earned this right–especially when they’ve failed to deliver on the most basic promises to our community.
We believe the majority of control measures taken, so far, are because Chemours was legally forced to comply via a 2019 consent order established by our friends at Cape Fear River Watch. However, it’s important to remember, consent orders are only as good as they are being enforced. Sadly, strong enforcement of the Chemours consent order has taken constant pressure from dedicated folks like you, who are determined to hold both DEQ and Chemours’ feet to the fire.
Here’s a quick summary of how Chemours has “helped” us:
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They've been dragging their feet on establishing toxicity studies required by the 2019 consent order.
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They have made private well owners wait 6 months with no replacement water.
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They refuse to meet the needs of commissioners in Cumberland County and are now being sued.
Chemours has not earned the right to expand in NC and we are counting on you to help them get the message. Chemours is hosting a public information session at Leland Cultural Arts Center, Wednesday, September 21st from 5:00pm - 7:00pm. Click here to RSVP We’ll send you talking points in the next two weeks to help you feel prepared.
In the meantime, please share our event link on social media and with your fellow neighbors. Media will be present at this meeting, so it’s vital that we show a united front against Chemours. We cannot allow them to add another drop of their poison to our water.
With gratitude,
Emily Donovan, cofounder
Clean Cape Fear
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE BEAT LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR the Brunswick County NAACP’s proposed Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Multi-Use Greenway/Blueway Trail, Brunswick County, North Carolina
FYI: An Informative PDF about PFAS as it Relates to Brunswick County in 2020 - by Eugene Rozenbaoum of LG Chem
BEAT's Friends: Local Environmental Organizations
Respected By BEAT (And They Are Terrific!!!)
CAPE FEAR RIVER WATCH
http://www.capefearriverwatch.org
Cape Fear River Watch
www.capefearriverwatch.org/action/coastal-water-watch
The mission of Cape Fear River Watch is "to protect and improve the water quality of the Lower Cape Fear River Basin through education, advocacy, and action. It is a non-profit organization founded in 1993 by a group of local citizens concerned about the future of our River and our Region. This small grassroots beginning was dedicated to improving and preserving the health, beauty, cleanliness, and heritage of the Cape Fear River basin. We aim to protect and improve the water quality of the Lower Cape Fear River Basin through education, advocacy, and action.
CAPE FEAR SIERRA CLUB
www.capefearsierraclub.com
Cape Fear
Sierra Club
The The Cape Fear group {of the Sierra Club], one of 14 local groups in the North Carolina Chapter, serves over 1000 members in Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, Pender, and Robeson counties. The club is involved in development of environmental and conservation programs. While addressing the current conservation campaign issues of "Clean Energy/Dirty Fuels," through support of solar and wind energy and advocacy for the Clean Power Plan, the club is also focuses on endorsement of environmentally friendly elected officials.
Established in 1970, the North Carolina Chapter advocates across the state and in our capitol, from the mountains to the coast, for a clean, healthy North Carolina safe for both current and future citizens. The Chapter has over 15,000 members and 14 local groups across the state, a statewide office in downtown Raleigh, and a field office in Asheville. In our nearly 40 year history in the state, the North Carolina Chapter has worked to pass groundbreaking environmental legislation on both the local and national level. Past issues range from putting an end to hog waste pollution to protecting the integrity of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Currently, we are:
1) Protecting North Carolina's fragile coastline and mountain ecosystems.
2) Pushing for healthy air and enforceable pollution control standard.
3) Improving and connecting the state's public transportation infrastructure.
4) Fighting to bring clean energy solutions to North Carolina.
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans, waves and beaches through a powerful activist network.
Surfrider Foundation was founded in 1984 by a group of surfers who were concerned with health risks associated with the coastal development of one of their favorite surf breaks in Malibu, CA. Today, Surfrider has grown into a vast grassroots network of 84 volunteer chapters across the US and seven other countries. The different chapters focus on various campaigns that are specific to their local community.
In 1993, the Cape Fear Chapter of Surfrider was born...The Cape Fear Chapter had truly grassroots beginnings with the membership base coming from the Surfrider surf competition participants. They focused in areas of water quality, opposition to offshore oil drilling, storm water stenciling, beach access, and beach litter. 22 Years later, the chapter carries on the spirit of its humble beginnings, and continues to grow in strength and numbers tackling important issues regarding our coast, and instilling a sense of stewardship within our coastal community.
CLEAN CAPE FEAR
www.cleancapefear.org
We are an alliance of established advocacy groups, community leaders, educators, and professionals working together to restore and protect our water quality, as well as spotlight deficiencies in governmental regulations that adversely impact our right to clean water. We wish we didn't exist. But sadly, we do. Toxins aren't the only things polluting our community; misinformation, uncertainty, and corporate greed are getting discharged into our systems as well.
Stick with us as we work to share information we personally value and trust. We'll also pass along action-oriented ways you can hold Chemours and our public officials accountable. We are working hard to share this information, because safe, clean drinking water is a basic human right.
Hands Across the Sand, founded in 2010, grew into an international movement after the BP oil disaster in April of that year. People came together to join hands, forming symbolic barriers against spilled oil and to stand against the impacts of other forms of extreme energy. Since then, thousands of Americans and global citizens have gathered at beaches and cities to draw metaphorical and actual lines in the sand; human lines in the sand against fossil fuels that threaten our future and for clean and renewable energy. Hands opposes offshore drilling, deepwater drilling, and offshore seismic testing.
KEEP BRUNSWICK COUNTY BEAUTIFUL
www.kab.org
Through our programs and public-private partnerships, we help to strengthen communities. Keep America Beautiful works with corporations, government and civic entities, educational institutions, nonprofits and other organizations to address complex challenges on both a local and national scale. Our partners contribute more than financial support — they contribute ideas, in-kind support, and the time and power of volunteers — all to help us empower stronger communities. Each and every day, Keep America Beautiful helps turn public spaces into beautiful places, helping to drive positive social, environmental and economic change. By working together, we can be successful in improving our communities.
Keep Brunswick County Beautiful is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, a national nonprofit public education organization dedicated since 1953 to engaging individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their local community environments. For half a century, Keep America Beautiful has been the nation’s leading community improvement organization successfully implementing an effective, systematic strategy for reducing waste, preventing litter and beautifying communities nationwide. Keep Brunswick County Beautiful is dedicated to making our community a better place through litter prevention and waste reduction, through education of our residents, and clean-ups and beautification projects throughout Brunswick County.
NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL FEDERATION
North Carolina
Coastal Federation
35 years working together for a healthy coast
The North Carolina Coastal Federation is a nonprofit organization that works with coastal residents and visitors to protect the beautiful and productive North Carolina coast. The four main areas in which the federation operates include: coastal advocacy, environmental education, habitat and water quality restoration and preservation, and support in the improvement and enforcement of environmental laws. The federation headquarters are located in Newport (Ocean), North Carolina, with regional offices in Manteo and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.
The North Carolina Environmental Justice Network's (NCEJN) mission is to promote health and environmental equality for all people of North Carolina through community action for clean industry, safe work places and fair access to all human and natural resources. NCEJN seeks to accomplish these goals through organizing, advocacy, research, and education based on principles of economic equity and democracy for all people.
OCEANA
www.oceana.org
Oceana is the largest international ocean conservation and advocacy organization. Oceana works to protect and restore the world’s oceans through targeted policy campaigns. Oceana bases its policy campaign goals on science to achieve concrete and measurable results through targeted campaigns that combine policy, advocacy, science, law, media, and public pressure to prevent collapse of fish populations, marine mammals and other sea life caused by industrial fishing and pollution. Campaigns are designed to produce clear, identifiable policy changes within a 3–5 year timeframe.
Also, a special thank you to Randy Sturgill, Senior Campaign Organizer, Southeast Region (NC, SC) Oceana Staff, for all of his support!
SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER
www.southernenvironment.org
The Southern Environmental Law Center uses the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. Our team of more than 70 dedicated attorneys stands up for all the things you love about this special region—clean water, healthy air, mountains and forests, the coast.
By working at the national, regional, state, and local levels, and in all three branches of government, this nonprofit organization is able to do what it takes to get results. SELC strengthens laws, we make government agencies do their job, and, when necessary, we go to court to stop environmental abuses or to set far-reaching precedents.
SKIP THE STRAW
www.skipthestraw.org
Every day Americans use up to 500,000,000 single-use plastic straws. After one drink, these straws wind up in landfills and oceans where they remain for up to 500 years! It's time to #SkiptheStraws.
People around the world are working together to make plastic straw waste a thing of the past. By making a simple commitment to end plastic straw, the #skipthestraws community is helping to ensure cleaner beaches, healthier marine life, and a greener Planet Earth.
So come join the #skipthestraws movement and make the world a better, cleaner place for all!
"A small change can make a BIG difference."
STOP OFFSHORE DRILLING IN THE ATLANTIC (SODA)
www.facebook.com/pg/StopOffshoreDrillingintheAtlantic/about/?ref=page_internal
SODA is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots group formed because of our desire to protect and preserve the health and beauty of the Atlantic coast. Our mission is to prevent offshore seismic testing and drilling for oil and gas along our coast. The United States produces more oil and gas than it consumes, allowing the oil and gas industry to sell surplus crude oil around the globe. In truth, oil and gas extracted from the U.S. is simply sold to the highest bidder on the world market. Drilling for additional oil and gas on the Atlantic Continental Shelf only adds to the profits of the fossil fuel industry and does nothing to enhance the energy independence of this country.
Offshore drilling is inherently dangerous – far more so than land-based wells…Recent research has shown that seismic testing (blasting) is hazardous to marine life and other mammals…The economy of the Atlantic coast depends on a healthy ocean to support the vibrant fishing and tourism industries.The economy of the Atlantic coast depends on a health ocean to support the vibrant tourism and fishing industries.energy independence of this country.