KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . This week, the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission auditor revealed that Governor Heineman and Attorney General Bruning accepted $2,500 each in campaign contributions from TransCanada, the XL pipeline company. An Omaha World Herald article “Heineman, Bruning return donations,” published October 5, 2010, says “Taking contributions from foreigners or foreign corporations such as TransCanada Inc. violates federal campaign finance laws.” The following day, “Complaint filed over contributions,” reported the Nebraska Sierra Club has requested a U.S. Attorney investigation of the matter. Lincoln Journal Star coverage of the issue, “Sierra Club wants probe of pipeline donations to Heineman, Bruning,” was published October 7th. Click here and scroll down the Green Notes Index to follow the TransCanada tar sands pipeline issue since May 30, 2010, if you are new to this website.
The Natural Resources Defense Council calls tar sands “the dirtiest, most destructive oil on the face of the Earth.” The Keystone XL pipeline would threaten Nebraska’s underground source of fresh water, the 175,000-square-mile High Plains Aquifer, that provides water to 1.9 million people and irrigation for thousands of square miles of farmland throughout eight states. Nebraska’s geologically unique Sand Hills, where many bird species rest during migration, would also be threatened. America’s First Oil Sands Project in Utah to Face Legal Challenges was published September 24th at SolveClimate.   A Proposed Dirty Oil Pipeline Would Put Americans at Risk for Cancer and Asthma–Why Are Senators Pushing For Its Hasty Approval? was published by AlterNet on September 23, 2010. ” …We know the Keystone XL pipeline would put American health at risk. In addition to threatening drinking water, processing tar sands oil releases pollutants directly linked to asthma, emphysema and birth defects. Refining tar sands crude from the pipeline would create far more air pollution in American communities that are already burdened with cancer and poor air quality as a result of the oil industry. We also know the pipeline would cross the most important source of agricultural water in the United States, the Ogallala aquifer. And we know pipeline disasters happen.” See CD 1 and 2 Green Notes below for the new week’s actions against the XL project.
Nebraska has no legislation on the books for regulating the current Keystone I pipeline, nor the proposed XL sand tars pipeline. Nebraska’s Congressional delegation and the governor need to receive letters, e-mails and phone calls from constituents demanding regulation on the existing pipeline, expressing concern about more TransCanada construction in our state. Contact information for Nebraska Congressional Representatives is as follows: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, CD-1, 1517 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202.225.4806, 402.438.1598 (Lincoln); Rep. Lee Terry, CD-2, 1524 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.4155, 402.397.9944 (Omaha); Rep. Adrian Smith, CD-3, 503 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.6435, 888.ADRIAN7 (Toll Free); and Governor Dave Heineman, PO Box 94848, State Capitol Bldg., Lincoln, NE 68509, 402.471.2244. Senator Mike Johanns is at 202.224.4224, 402.476.1400 in Lincoln; and Senator Ben Nelson is at 202.224.6551, 402.441.4600 in Lincoln. Please tell them all that oil pipeline regulations need to be in place, not only to govern the existing pipeline, but also any future pipeline proposed by TransCanada or other environmental exploiters.
Click here to tell Secretary Clinton NOT to grant a permit to TransCanda, tell Gov. Heineman to put forth laws that protect our resources and economic activity and tell President Obama to live up to his promise of clean energy and energy independence. Click here for a Bold Nebraska XL Pipeline Action page with resources and background information. E-mail actions [at] boldnebraska [dot] org to get yard signs, bumper stickers and t-shirts, or stop by Bold Nebraska at 1141 H Street, 3rd Floor, Lincoln, 10:00am to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday.
Remember, every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil.”

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

EARLY VOTING IN LINCOLN . . . Early voting for the November 2, 2010 election is now available to any registered voter. Walk in to vote at the Lancaster County Election Commissioner’s office, 601 North 46th Street, Lincoln. Click here [pdf] for a sample ballot.

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, from noon to 1:00pm, Nebraskans for abolition of the death penalty meet in front of the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. The lunch-hour presence reminds the governor of a constituency that does not want state killings. Weekly vigils have taken place year-round since July, 1991. All abolitionists are welcome to participate for a few minutes, or the hour. For information about Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty, click here.

ABOLISH COLUMBUS DAY RALLY . . . There will be an Indigenous Peoples Day Event in Lincoln on Monday, October 11, 2010, 5:00pm, at the Lincoln Federal Building, 15th and O Street, to protest the federal holiday, and to observe Native American Survival and Indigenous People’s Resistance. Also known as Native People’s Day, the gathering will honor native people’s struggle against imperialism, and educate about the atrocities committed by Christopher Columbus, the subsequent genocide of Native Americans, and the reasons why his memory should not be honored. For more information, e-mail brian [at] lunkradio [dot] org

EARTH TO LINCOLN ON XL PIPELINE . . . Monday, October 11, 2010, the TransCanada tar sands pipeline project will be discussed on Earth To Lincoln, a 30-minute local KZUM radio program broadcast at 89.3fm and online here. Air time is 6:00pm. The project will also be discussed on Tuesday night, October 12th, at 11:00pm, at 89.3fm.

LINCOLN PEACE VIGILS . . . Lincoln peace vigils continue at the Federal Building, 15th and O streets, every Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Contact Mark at 402.499.6672 or e-mail mark [at] weddleton [dot] com for more information.

LIBERTY 9500 AT WESLEYAN . . . Wednesday, October 13, 2010, 6:00pm, there will be a free screening of “9500 Liberty” at Nebraska Wesleyan University Olin B Lecture Hall, one block east of 50th Street and St. Paul Avenue, Lincoln. Watch the trailer of this documentary here.  The Director, Eric Byler, will lead a discussion of the film at 8:00pm in Callen Conference Center.

“STAYING AHEAD WHILE GOING GREEN” . . . Thursday, October 14, 2010, 7:30pm, former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman will speak about energy and environmental sustainability at the second lecture of the E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues enthompson.unl.edu at UN-L, Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 North 12th Street, Lincoln. For free tickets, call 402.472.4747, or click here.

WILDERNESS WALKABOUT . . . Friends of Wilderness Park are hosting weekly hikes through different parts of the Park, every Saturday at 3:00pm. The casual strolls will highlight the diversity of life in the Park. Meet at the Old Cheney Entrance on Saturday, October 16, 2010. All ages are welcome.

CANDIDATES FORUM . . . Sunday, October 17, 2010, Friends of Wilderness Park and Wachiska Audubon will co-sponsor a candidates forum with Lancaster County Board and Lower Platte South Natural Resources District candidates on the November general election ballot. The NRD forum will begin at 2:30pm, and the County Board Forum will start at 4:00pm.  Nebraska Green Party candidate Steve Larrick is running for re-election to District 5 Lower Platte South NRD.  The Forum will be at the Lincoln Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street. Questions may be submitted at the forum, or in advance by phone at 402.477.8282.

FRIENDS OF WILDERNESS PARK MEETING . . . The monthly meeting of Friends of Wilderness Park will be Sunday, October 17, 2010, 2:30pm, at the Lincoln Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street.

FALL FARM SOCIAL . . . Sunday, October 17, 2010, 1:00pm to 4:00pm, Common Good Farm will host a Fall Farm Social with guided tours at 1:30 and 3:30pm, walk about self-touring at leisure, family music with Jim King at 2:30pm, light refreshments, and good company. Common Good Farm is a mom & pop operation: a certified organic & certified Biodynamic farm growing and featuring CSA, produce, plants, pastured eggs, pastured pork and grass-fed beef–the oldest CSA in Nebraska. Click here for directions and an online contact page, or phone 402.783.9005.

LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are still available at The Old Cheney Road Garden Market, 55th Street and Old Cheney Road (behind the Lincoln Racquet Club) from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday through November 7th; and the Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, through October 27, 2010.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

VOTE EARLY RIDES . . . The North Omaha Voter Project is providing rides to the polls every Tuesday at 11:00am from the Urban League office, 3040 Lake Street. Meet at the Urban League parking lot at 11:00am. To volunteer to drive, or for questions, phone 402.991.3883.

OMAHA PUBLIC FORUM . . . The Omaha Citizens Coalition will host a final public forum to provide dialog on the city budget in response to an effort to recall the mayor at North High School, 36th and Ames, Monday, October 11, 2010, 7:00pm. There will be an open mike, and everyone is invited to share specific ideas on how to manage city finances. All comments will be forwarded to the city council and mayor.

CUBA . . . “Participation and Alienation in Cuba’s Political Process – Life in Cuba After Fidel Castro,” will be the topic of a presentation by Cuban researcher Rodrigo Gonzalez on Tuesday, October 12, 2010, noon to 1:30pm, in the ‘U Mo Ho’ Room at Mil Bail Student Center, UN-O.

BLACK-WHITE DIALOGUES . . . The fall Black-White Dialogues public series, where people of the different races meet, listen to a short presentation, and then discuss the topic and other concerns, building connections in order to address and eliminate racism, continues Tuesday, October 12, 2010, with Harris Payne, Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator for OPS, and City Councilman Ben Gray, from 7:00 to 9:00pm, at First Central Congregational Church, 421 South 36th Street, in Omaha. Gather at 6:45pm. To get involved, phone Elaine Wells, 573-1720, or click here for information and registration.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Omaha peacemakers vigil every Wednesday, 4:30-5:30pm, at StratCom/UN-O, 6801 Pine Street, east of the Scott Technology Center on the UN-O campus. Free parking is available at the NE Corner of 67th Street and Pine in a student lot. For more information, phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502.5887. Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is an Anti-War and Peace Vigil at 72nd and Dodge Streets. Contact Steve Horn at 402.426.9068.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “Boys Will Be Men,” a documentary about growing up male in America. Watch the trailer here.  For more information, click here.  The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

PROTEST KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE . . . Guardians of the Good Life will rally to protest the XL tar sands pipeline on Thursday, October 14, 2010, 5:00 to 7:00pm, at 72nd & Pacific, in Omaha. Walk, bike, or carpool to the rally if possible. Help educate and raise awareness of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline threat to the fragile ecosystem of the entire region. For more information, e-mail japlapoo [at] netzero [dot] net

OMAHA TOGETHER ONE COMMUNITY CONVENTION . . . The 15th Anniversary Convention of OTOC will be Friday, October 15, 2010, 2:30 to 4:00pm, at Benson High School, 5120 Maple Street Omaha. Click here for more information.

NEBRASKANS FOR PEACE CONFERENCE . . . The Annual Peace Conference hosted by Nebraskans for Peace will be Saturday, October 16, 2010, 9:00am to 4:30pm, at the First United Methodist Church, 7020 Cass Street, Omaha. For details, an online brochure and registration, click here.

PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION FOR SUDAN . . . The Sudanese Civil Society of Nebraska will host a peaceful demonstration in support of a free and fair referendum to pave the way for Self-Determination in Southern Sudan on Saturday, October 16, 2010, 11:00am to 3:00pm, at Memorial Park, 5700 Dodge Street, in Omaha. For more information, phone James Guek, 402.812.5330, or John Badeng, 402.699.0837.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Farmers, gardeners, and craftspeople meet through The Nebraska Food Cooperative, an on-line, year-round farmers’ market and local food distribution service offering the best in local freshness. For ordering and pickup schedules, refer to the calendar here. Click here for products and prices from North Star Neighbors, a Cooperative member that doesn’t therapeutically medicate or unduly confine animals. Click here for Tomato Tomäto, Omaha’s year-round indoor Farmer’s Market at 156th & West Center. Shop for fresh foods grown in or very near your own community at Open Harvest, Lincoln’s member-owned natural foods retail cooperative in expanded space at 1618 South Street. Buying local grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher.

HELP NEBRASKA GREENS WITH GOODSEARCH . . . Each time you search the Internet (or shop online at a participating store), a donation can be made to Nebraska Green Party at no cost to you! To help NGP in this way, enter Nebraska Green Party where it says WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR? here.  Bookmark the GoodSearch Homepage, or make it your own Home Page. Enter the url you want in the GoodSearch search box. Each time you do, one penny will be donated to Nebraska Greens. THANK YOU for your support!

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente