Year: 2012

Climate Action Chicago Joins NATO Summit Protests

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Join Rising Tide Chicago, Chicago environmental groups and their allies for the NATO summit weekend to give corporate criminals, and the governmental lackeys and military who serve their interests a clear message: putting profits over our planet threatens our survival and will NOT be accepted any longer!

This weekend, we’ll call for real solutions to climate change and war by encouraging communities to come together to restore natural ecosystems, create clean power & transportation and establish local food systems.

Let’s create communities that are fair and provide access to basics needs for everyone rather than our current throwaway society that benefits the 1% and destroys our planet.

*Join us for Events during Summit Weekend!

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Thursday, May 17th @ 3 pm;
Occupy Chicago Day of Environment — Planet Over Profits & War
Protest Canadian Tar Sands at Consulate with Die-In
Canadian Consulate, 180 N Stetson Ave.
RSVP via Facebook; http://www.facebook.com/events/446122835402400/?ref=ts
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Friday, May 18th @ 1:00 p.m;
Crime Busting March on Chicago’s Climate Crooks
March around the loop with us as we issue warrants for arrest for corporations and government organizations responsible for destabilizing our climate.
Daley Plaza (Clark & Washington) @ 1:00 p.m. Directly after the Nurses Union March
RSVP via Facebook; http://www.facebook.com/events/194508444002886/?ref=ts
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Friday, May 18th@ 6:30 pm;
Dinner & Overview of Summit Events
@ Holy Innocents Church, 1447 W. Superior (near Chicago & Ashland)
RSVP at risingtide.chi@gmail.com
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Saturday, May 19th @ 6:30 pm ;
Rising Waters: Global Warming and the Fate of the Pacific Islands, Documentary, Dinner & Climate Justice Discussion
@ Holy Innocents Church, 1447 W. Superior (near Chicago & Ashland)
RSVP via Facebook; http://www.facebook.com/events/426580744037196/?ref=ts
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Sunday, May 20th @ 12p (noon);
Environmental Contingent in March & Rally to NATO Summit
March with thousands during the NATO summit to deliver our message: Jobs, Housing, Healthcare, Education, Our Pensions and the Environment: Not War!
@ Petrillo Bandshell in Grant Park (Columbus & Jackson)
Meet us at NW side of the Petrillo Bandshell. Look for a big green flag!
RSVP via Facebook; http://www.facebook.com/events/286684528085764/?ref=ts
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To confirm locations and to RSVP, visit http://www.climateactionchicago.org

St. Louis 99% Protests Peabody Coal Shareholder Meeting, Demand Company Pay Fair Share

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2012

CONTACT: Cathy Sherwin – 314-452-2179

St. Louis 99% Protests Peabody Coal Shareholder Meeting, Demand Company Pay Fair Share

New Wave of 99% Activism Hold Mega Corporations Accountable Over Tax Dodging

(St. Louis) – Today the 99% of St. Louis joined growing national protests at corporate shareholder meetings today by voicing disapproval of tax dodging practices both inside and outside the Peabody Coal shareholder meeting.  Several frustrated shareholders attended the meeting while over one hundred other protestors rallied outside, brandishing signs that highlighted the impact of corporate tax dodging on federal program spending in Missouri.

We are here today to stand up against corporate power,” said Colleen Kelly.  “Rather than contributing to the common good, corporations would rather buy off politicians and make obscene profits.  That cannot stand; we are here today calling for a different kind of society.”

Over the past three years, Peabody Energy made $1 billion in domestic profits, but paid $0 in federal income taxes in 2008 and 2009, and $0 in state income taxes in 2008 and 2010. According to the corporation’s annual report, it plans to pay a tax rate of about 26% this year—well below the federal rate of 35%. In addition, 2 of the last 3 years Peabody has paid more to lobbyists and groups like ALEC than taxes.

If Peabody Coal had paid its fair share in 2010, 326 more children could have had access to the Head Start program, 280 Missourians would have had the medical care they needed, or Missouri could have seen an increase of over $30,000 in disability compensation for veterans.

“I pay my taxes-Peabody Coal should too,” said Zach Chasnoff, a local small business owner,  “Peabody’s refusal to pay its fair share of taxes has real consequences for communities like mine – cuts to critical public services that keep out communities safe, serve our veterans and seniors, and make sure our kids get the quality education they need.  If Peabody Coal wants to be a world-class company, it should act like one by paying its taxes instead of lobbying for tax loopholes at the expense of our communities.”

With the economy continuing to punish working people and big corporations like Peabody Coal proving themselves unaccountable to the concerns of the 99%, working people and homeowners are descending on shareholder meetings to confront CEOs and other members of the 1% over their economic concerns.  Activists with the 99% Spring have disrupted or shut down several corporate shareholder meetings, including confronting executives with questions about compensation, lobbying, and tax dodging.  Here’s coverage from the GE shareholder meeting in Michigan and Wells Fargo in California.

After last year’s Occupy protests, this spring has seen a new wave of protests from voters and taxpayers against the rich corporations and politicians who have created an economic emergency for the 99%. The protests are being organized by The 99% Spring, a loose coalition of community and faith groups, unions, and progressive advocacy organizations.

For more information, visit www.the99power.org and www.99uniting.org.

Ft. Worth Weekly: Playing Nice? Alleged Tip Sends The FBI Out To Question Denton Drilling Activists

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Playing Nice?
An alleged tip sends the FBI out to question Denton drilling activists.

Wednesday, 11 April 2012 09:45 Photos and story by ANDREW MCLEMORE

North Texas environmental activists frequently feel as though local
officials ignore their protests against gas drilling, but it turns out
it’s easy enough to get the federal government’s attention — if the FBI
thinks you might be planning eco-terrorism.

That’s what happened to University of North Texas student Ben Kessler, a
Marine veteran and dedicated activist on fracking, who spent several
months last fall dodging FBI phone calls that he felt were attempts to
intimidate him and pump him for information about legitimate, peaceful
environmental groups. Kessler is an organizer with Rising Tide, an
international network of environmental groups that sometimes employ civil
disobedience as a protest tactic.

Kessler: “I thought they were going to invade my house.”
In early February, an FBI agent and Dallas police officer came to campus
to question one of Kessler’s professors as well. David Rogers, the FBI
agent who called Kessler repeatedly, told him the agency was following up
on an anonymous tip about environmental activism in the area.

“The first conversation we had, he was kind of lecturing me about
ecoterrorism,” Kessler said. “All of the following conversations were him
basically trying to convince me that I didn’t need a lawyer and should try
to come in as soon as possible.”

For Rising Tide leaders, the monitoring by federal law enforcement sends a
clear message: Back off. “We saw that as an act of intimidation,” said
Scott Parkins, a spokesman for Rising Tide North America.

Lydia Maese, the spokesperson for the FBI’s Dallas office, would not
confirm whether the agency was conducting an investigation. It’s FBI
policy to conduct at least a preliminary investigation of any tip, she
said, though she acknowledged that not every anonymous call results in an
agent spending months trying to contact a college student and his
associates.

“We do investigate any potential ecoterrorism violations that could
potentially cause harm to the public,” Maese said. “We do this hundreds of
times. We are obligated to resolve the matter.”

Continue reading the full article.

Join Us, Fight Coal Exports

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Dear Friends–

King Coal is losing North America. Successful fights against coal fired power plants have forced them to change their business strategies or die. Their new plan is to export coal mined from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana to overseas markets in East Asia. In China and India, coal will devastate public health and climate with polluting greenhouse gas emissions the same way it does in the United States.

Coal companies like Arch Coal and Peabody Energy have pushed to build coal export terminals in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon and Washington.

Groups throughout Oregon, Washington, Montana and Wyoming have been fighting coal exports in regulatory hearings, court rooms, boardrooms and legislative halls, but more is needed!

Join the Coal Exports Action from August 10-20 in Helena Montana.

Rising Tide North America has joined a diverse coalition of students, environmentalists, ranchers, frontline communities and ordinary people to stand together in Helena to fight back against Big Coal.

While industry lobbyists will be pushing the Montana Land Board in August to open up more coal reserves, 1,000 people will be in the streets of Helena from August 10-20 putting their bodies on the line and making their voices heard.

It’s time to end coal once and for all and we need you to make it happen.

Please join us for the Coal Exports Action.

Thanks for all you do.

Solidarity, Rising Tide North America