The second annual Hemp History Week is Monday, May 2 through Sunday, May 8, 2011.  Discover the benefits of hemp!

SCROLL DOWN FOR TRANSCANADA XL PIPELINE UPDATE. News items and contact information for needed communication with specific elected officials are below in District 3 Green Notes.  Note the Omaha Education and Action Forum Tuesday, May 3, 2011.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

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 when weather is good, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. In winter, the vigil is inside the capitol, near the Information Desk. 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.

VOTE . . . The General Election in Lancaster County is Tuesday, May 3, 2011. Early voting continues at the Election Commission, 601 North 46th Street, Lincoln. A sample ballot is here. [pdf]

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.

MEETING WITH SENATOR NELSON’S STAFF . . . Thursday, May 5, 2011, there will be a noon meeting with Senator Nelson’s staff to address accountability for his votes against clean air. The senator’s Lincoln office is at 440 North 8th Street, Suite 120. Sign up to attend here.

COOPER NUCLEAR PERFORMANCE MEETING . . . Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will meet with representatives of the Nebraska Public Power District in a 4:00pm public meeting Thursday, May 5, 2011, at the Brownville Concert Hall, Atlantic Avenue and Second Street, Brownville. In addition to the performance assessment, NRC staff will answer questions from the public on the Cooper safety record.

THINK GREEN IT’S THURSDAY . . . TGIT is a new happy hour for planning a sustainable future at the EcoStores  Conference Room, 530 West P Street, Lincoln. This is an informational, educational, and social weekly event, with locally grown food and beverages. (Beverage donations will be accepted.) Learn about the latest green products, businesses, policies and practices every Thursday from 5:00 to 6:00pm. For the spring schedule of TGIT speakers, click here.  For more information, e-mail Mitch Paine at mitch [dot] paine [at] ecostoresne.org.

CANNABIS RIGHTS RALLY . . . The Nebraska Cannabis Coalition of nonprofit and political groups will rally Saturday, May 7, 2011, on the north side of the state capitol. Music and speeches will be from noon to 3:30pm, followed by a march to and from the federal building. The rally is designed to educate and reach out with new solutions to current environmental, political, and cultural problems. At 5:00pm there will be a potluck barbecue with live music at University Park, North 40th and Adams Street.

WEEKLY WALKABOUTS AT WILDERNESS PARK . . . Friends of Wilderness Park is hosting weekly hikes through the Park, led by Adam Hintz, starting at 1:00pm every Saturday from now through October. Each week will focus on a different area, highlighting the diversity of life in the Park. Hikes will start in parking lots according to the following schedule: the first and second Saturday of the month, meet at the Pioneers Boulevard entrance; the third Saturday, meet at Old Cheney Road; the fourth Saturday, meet at 14th Street north of Rokeby Road; and every fifth Saturday, the hike will start at Saltillo Road east of the Jamaica Trail. For more information, contact Adam at 402.421.8464.

FARMERS MARKETS BEGIN . . . The first local farmers market is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday at 5500 Old Cheney Road. The Old Cheney Road Farmers Market features in-season heirloom and traditional produce, artisan breads and cheeses, homemade baked goods, wild-crafted and traditional jams, jelly, honey, meats, fish, eggs, and bedding plants.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

OMAHA MEETING WITH SENATOR NELSON’S STAFF . . . Wednesday, May 4, 2011, there will be a noon meeting with Senator Nelson’s staff addressing accountability for his votes to undermine the Clean Air Act’s carbon pollution limiting ability at the Senator’s Omaha office, 11819 Miracle Hills Drive, Suite 205. Attendance is limited to eleven people. Click here to rsvp.

UN-O NFP END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR DROP-IN . . . Tuesday, May 3, 2011, progressives and peace wagers are invited to stop by the UN-O Nebraskans for Peace office on the third floor of Milo Bail Student Center for light snacks between 2:00 and 4:00pm, to celebrate the end of the school year. E-mail Candella at c [dot] ing [dot] the [dot] light [at] gmail [dot] com.

STOP THE PIPELINE EDUCATION AND ACTION FORUM . . . The Omaha Education and Action Forum on the proposed XL pipeline will be Tuesday, May 3, 2011, 7:00 to 8:30pm, at First Unitarian Church, 31st & Harney. Speakers will include Jane Kleeb, BOLD Nebraska, Jane Wilson, Guardians of the Good Life, Marian Langan, Audubon Nebraska, Duane Hovorka, Nebraska Wildlife Federation, Ken Winston, Sierra Nebraska, as well as other presenters on the impact to Nebraska’s water and land resources. Click here for a FaceBook link.

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 a Peace Vigil at 72nd and Dodge Streets. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store parking lot. Contact Steve Horn at 402.426.9068 for more information about Saturday vigils.

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 “Harlan County, USA,” an award-winning documentary record of a thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line. Watch the 3:00 minute trailer here.  For more information, click here.  The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

OMAHA CINCO DE MAYO 2011 . . . Celebrating 26 Years in South Omaha, events for Cinco de Mayo Omaha 2011 will begin on Thursday, May 5, and run through Sunday, May 8, 2011, featuring a parade, carnival, food, entertainment, vendors, contests, kids’ activities and national Latin group.
Thursday, May 5th, a Cinco de Mayo Reception hosted by the Mexican Consulate and the South Omaha Business Association to honor 2011 Sponsors and Grand Marshals will be at 7444 Farnam Street, 6:00pm.
Friday, May 6th, Carnival will start at 5:30pm on South 25th Streets (O-M Streets). Group Control will play at Plaza de la Raza (25th & N), 7:00pm.
Saturday, May 7th, one of Omaha’s largest parades will begin at 10:00am, and will extend from 24th & B streets to 24th & O streets. Following the parade will be a fiesta at Noon. There will be food, a carnival, music and booths. Over 80 shops and restaurants will offer a wide variety of Mexican Cuisines.
Sunday, May 8th, starts with Mariachi Mass on Plaza de la Raza (25th & N) with fiesta and carnival following on the Plaza from Noon to 10:00pm.

PROTEST KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE . . . Omaha protests with Guardians of the Good Life continue. E-mail japlapoo [at] netzero [dot] net for details. STOP THE PIPELINE yard signs are available in Omaha by calling Nebraskans for Peace  Coordinator Mark Welsch, 402.453.0776, or e-mail NFPOmaha [at] nebraskansforpeace [dot] org.

BENSON COMMUNITY GARDEN . . . Omaha’s newest community garden is at 60th & Lafayette, at the south side of the historic Benson neighborhood. The Benson Community Garden is looking for individuals and families interested in garden plots. For more information, phone 402.714.0290 or e-mail goetzinger2 [at] cox [dot] net. To get involved, or help support the garden, please register here.

ENGAGE OMAHA . . . One of the nation’s first city-wide, virtual town hall websites, EngageOmaha, is now online. Omaha residents may weigh in on issues for the city to consider. Pick a topic, and join the mix here.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . More great letters to the Lincoln Journal Star were published Sunday, May 1st, and Tuesday, April 26, 2011. “Silence deafening,” by LaVonne Dilla, references Mary Pipher’s April 24th letter urging “all readers to do what they can to motivate our state senators and governor to act now.” Dilla writes “Those who care about Nebraska’s natural resources should let someone know. The silence of most, but not all, of our elected senators and Gov. Dave Heineman on the subject is deafening.” An April 26th letter from Marilyn Barnes, “Nebraska must take action,” concludes “Nebraska should not cede its oil pipeline siting authority to a Canadian corporation. I hope those who care about Nebraska’s water and agriculture will call or write to the governor and state senators urging immediate legislation to regulate this and future pipelines.”
Also on April 26, Art Hovey wrote about state senators not acting on pipeline regulations, with a focus on Fullerton Senator Dubas, in a LJS article “Sen. Annette Dubas defends actions on Keystone XL pipeline.”  Sierra’s Ken Winston and BOLD Nebraska’s Jane Kleeb are both quoted, raising questions and expressing equally incredulous remarks about this legislature’s obvious lack of serious concern for the state’s natural resources.
“National groups, Merrick board, weigh in on Keystone XL,” was published Thursday, April 28, 2011. A new 20-page report by Friends of the Earth says TransCanada “bullies farmers, manipulates oil markets, threatens fresh water and skimps on safety in the United States.” The article also reported on a Merrick County Board vote giving support to the Keystone XL pipeline.  A Daily Journal news item from Central City reports “The Merrick County Board voted Tuesday to write a letter of support for TransCanada’s proposed Keystone XL pipeline, which is being reviewed by the US State Department.” The rationale? “TransCanada has promised that the pipeline would be safe and reliable.” Safe and reliable. It’s a promise. Meanwhile, there have been eleven documented leaks on the first Keystone pipeline carrying tar sands through Nebraska since fall of 2010. A BOLD Nebraska blog commentary and action alert is here.
In response to a 320-page Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the proposed pipeline through Nebraska’s fragile Sand Hills and Ogallala Aquifer, the Journal Star editorialized “The statement is unfairly dismissive of the unique characteristics of Nebraska’s Sand Hills.” “Pipeline impact statment disappoints” also encourages “Nebraskans — actually all Americans –” to comment on the 300-page ESI during this final comment period. A five-page Executive Summary is here. [pdf]  The official State Department Comments Page is here.  Comments may also be submitted via e-mail at keystonexl [at] cardno [dot] com, by US Postal to Keystone XL EIS Project, P.O. Box 96503-98500, Washington D.C. 20090-6503, or fax (206) 269-0098.  In comments, please invite Secretary of State Clinton to visit the Sand Hills, see our unique ecosystem, and meet the people who will be most effected by XL pipeline construction.
One of two Nebraska mayors who signed a letter supporting the pipeline has taken his support back–and he noted that TransCanada essentially lied to him about the letter. “Further review” reverses mayor’s pipeline support, April 21, 2011, reported that “after …consulting with others, Ralston Mayor Don Groesser retracted previous support of TransCanada’s Keystone XL pipeline expansion in an April 13 letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The same week, Lincoln Journal Star revealed “TransCanada has encountered problems with the reclamation phase on a 50-mile stretch of a new natural gas pipeline through southeast Montana and western North Dakota that even its own spokesman calls severe. Erosion and …”very severe subsidence,” or settling of the soil, are visible in photographs  taken by the Billings Gazette.”
A 13:26 minute interview with John Hansen, President of coalition member Nebraska Farmers Union, aired on NET News Capitol Comments. Hansen discussed the three pipeline regulation bills stalled in the Unicameral’s Natural Resources Committee.  Nebraska has no legislation on the books for regulating the current Keystone I pipeline, nor the proposed XL tar sands pipeline.  A Study and Memo from the Congressional Research Service dated September 20, 2010 determined that primary authority over location of interstate pipelines belongs to individual states. A BOLD Nebraska blog post, [pdf] includes background information, a transcript of the media roundtable held upon discovery of the memo, and action alert.
Action: write your state senator urging that oil pipeline regulations be in place, not only to govern the existing pipeline, but also any future pipeline proposed by TransCanada or other environmental exploiters.  Find your state senator’s contact information at the map linked here.  Also contact members of the Natural Resources Committee asking that they move the pending bills, LB 340, [pdf]  LB 578 [pdf] and LB 629 [pdf] out for floor debate. And please contact Governor Dave Heineman, PO Box 94848, State Capitol Bldg., Lincoln, NE 68509, 402.471.2244 asking him to be responsive and join opposition efforts.
Secretary of State Clinton has the power to approve or reject the Keystone XL pipeline.  Click here to ask her to stand up to Big Oil and NOT grant a permit to TransCanda. You might want to remind her that the “European Union may blacklist tar sands because of higher greenhouse gas emissions.”
“US-Canada oil pipeline – water source threatened,” is an excellent 2:49 minute AlJazeeraEnglish report featuring Nebraska property owners Randy Thompson, Cindy Myers, and Nebraska Audubon representing the issue. Thompson’s letter to TransCanada in response to their “final offer” for his land in Merrick County ends “Until a court of law determines otherwise, your arbitrary claim to condemnation powers is nothing more to us than an empty threat. We feel very strongly that this pipeline could place our property and way of life at risk.  Therefore, we are unwilling to succumb to such a threat and respectfully decline your final offer. Our conclusion is that the courts need to make the final determination on this issue.”
The New York Times joined citizens, experts and opinion leaders in opposition to the pipeline in an editorial “No to a New Tar Sands Pipeline,” concluding “Last July, an older bitumen pipeline in Michigan spilled 800,000 gallons of the stuff into the Kalamazoo River. A new TransCanada pipeline that began carrying diluted bitumen last year has already had nine spills. …From all of the evidence, Keystone XL is not only environmentally risky, it is unnecessary.” Read the entire editorial here.
Nebraska Greens John Carlini and Shari Schwartz have produced a 30-minute public access tv show “Cornhuskers vs. Dirty Oil.” It airs on cable channel 13, Sundays at 8:00pm, and Wednesdays at 9:30pm.
What else can you do?  Keep writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper. Other excellent recently published letters to Lincoln Journal Star are here, here, and here.  Keep the issue alive in conversations at the kitchen table, in cafes, churches, and clubs around Nebraska.
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. More actions EveryOne can take are listed here.  For comprehensive references in media since May 30, 2010, click here and scroll from the bottom up for links to each week’s Green Notes coverage.
Be a community educator and organizer. Let’s change the world together.
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.”

PETITION THE EPA . . . Tell the Environmental Protection Agency to immediately prohibit the use of clothianidin and conduct a full scientific review to determine its impact on honey bee populations.  Learn more about clothianidin and sign the petition here.

TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA NOT TO CAVE TO MONSANTO AND THE BIOTECH INDUSTRY . . . In the past 3 weeks, the Obama administration has unbelievably chosen to approve three biotech crops, Roundup Ready genetically modified alfalfa, Roundup Ready genetically modified sugar beets and a new industrial biotech corn for ethanol production. These decisions are a devastating blow to our democracy and the basic rights of farmers to choose how they want to grow food on their land and the rights of consumers who increasingly choose organic and sustainably grown food for its positive health and environmental impacts. Please tell the President it’s time to stand up to Monsanto and reject GMO crops.

AGENCY SCIENTISTS OPPOSE GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SALMON . . . The following quotes are from Fish and Wildlife Service scientists themselves: “The environmental impact of escaped GE salmon is of great concern.” – Gregory Moyer, Regional Geneticist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; “…approval of the proposal is premature, given the unknowns and uncertainties regarding the possible ecological and environmental effects of these fish.” – Jeff Adams, Branch Chief, Fairbanks Fish and Wildlife Field Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and “…I do think the chance of escapement is huge” – Deborah Burger, Manager, Chattahoochee Forest National Fish Hatchery, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Ask the President to stop the GE salmon approval process.

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 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

STOP THE PIPELINE