Hill Heat

Speaker: Peter Gleick

Title: An update on the vulnerability of U.S. water resources to climate change: From the Mississippi River floods to growing shortages in the West

The scientific evidence supporting growing impacts of human-induced climate change on U.S. water resources continues to strengthen. Dr. Peter Gleick, one of the nation’s leading experts on climate and water, will discuss recent reports on increased precipitation intensity in North America, the Mississippi River flood events, the new Department of Interior assessment of climate and western river basins, and efforts to prepare for climate and water risks facing cities, farmers, and natural systems. He will also explore some of the adverse implications of recent budget decisions for emergency preparedness and warning systems, weather forecasting, military preparedness, and national response to extreme events.

Witnesses

• Michael Gardner, General Counsel, Oxford Resources
• Harold Quinn, President, National Mining Association
• Dr. Leonard Peters, Secretary, State of Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
• Teresa Marks, Director, State of Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality

Power Shift, the biennial youth climate movement summit, runs from Friday, April 15, to Monday, April 18.

10:00am – 11:30am Action: Make Big Polluters Pay

April 18th is Tax Day and we’re hitting the streets to send a clear message: “It’s time to end handouts to Big Oil. Make Polluters Pay and fund OUR future: a 100% clean energy future that looks out for everyone.”

12:00pm – 4:00pm Lobby Visits

We’ll march from our demonstration to Capitol Hill to bring our demands to Congress. With thousands of us converging on Capitol Hill, it will be one of the largest citizen visits ever!

Power Shift, the biennial youth climate movement summit, runs from Friday, April 15, to Monday, April 18.

9:00am – 1:00pm Movement Building Sessions: Strategy & Actions

We’ll start putting our local plans on paper. We’ll work with one another to develop strategy and plans to build a clean energy future.

1:00pm – 2:00pm Lunch

2:00pm – 3:30pm State Breakouts

People will come together by state to develop state-by-state, community-by-community plans and coordination. Each group will have a chance to report on the action they’re planning, and we’ll identify all the ways we can continue to work together coming out of Power Shift!

3:30pm – 6:30pm Lobby Day Training

or Non-Violent Direct Action Training

8:00pm – 11:00pm Art / Performances / Movies

We’ll unwind with some incredible performance art from across the movement: spoken word, dance, and more. We’ll also have screenings of movies from the Reel Power Film Series, and some of the creators will be on hand to talk about these films.

Power Shift, the biennial youth climate movement summit, runs from Friday, April 15, to Monday, April 18.

9:00am – 1:00pm Movement Building Sessions: Training & Planning

People will come together regionally to meet one another, share stories and ideas, and plan collective efforts. We’ll practice and learn the fundamentals of grassroots organizing that will give us a strong foundation for campaign work.

1:00pm – 2:00pm Lunch

2:00pm – 6:00pm Clean Economy Canvass

Attendees will have the opportunity to help build the clean energy economy in Washington, DC. Participants will be trained in the best ways to engage friends and neighbors in energy efficiency work.

2:15pm – 3:15pm Workshop & Panels: Session 1

3:30pm – 4:30pm Workshop & Panels: Session 2

4:45pm – 5:45pm Workshop & Panels: Session 3

6:00pm – 7:30pm Dinner & Caucuses

During dinner, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with other folks to talk about how their identity has impacted their experiences throughout the weekend.

7:30pm – 11:00pm Keynote & Concert

We’ll reconvene in a keynote session to hear from more movement leaders. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and 350.org founder Bill McKibben are confirmed as keynote speakers, and more will be announced soon!

Power Shift, the biennial youth climate movement summit, runs from Friday, April 15, to Monday, April 18.

2:00pm – 5:30pm Generation Waking Up

An optional activity, Generation Waking Up will help us launch Power Shift fired up and inspired to take action. Through music, exercises, dialogue, and video, we’ll explore the critical questions facing young people and society

6:30pm – 9:00pm Opening Keynote

Our opening keynote will set the stage for the Power Shift 2011—we’ll give an overview for the weekend and start to hear from movement leaders and climate and energy experts. Al Gore and Van Jones are confirmed as keynote speakers for the evening.

9:00pm – 12:00am Films Fueling the Energy Revolution

We’ll be showing a handful of films discussing and investigating environmental issues. These films will kick off the Reel Power film series scheduled to air throughout Power Shift 2011.

Witnesses

Panel 1

• Kathleen Hogan, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Energy Efficiency, U.S. Department of Energy

Panel 2

• Steven Nadel, Executive Director, American Council for an Energy-Efficent Economy
• Joseph M. McGuire, President, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
• Kyle Pitsor, Vice President, Government Relations, National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
• Stephen R. Yurek, President & Chief Executive Officer, The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
• Dr. Mark Cooper, Director of Research, Consumer Federation of America
• Howard Brandston, Hollowville, NY

Witnesses * Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior * David Hayes, Deputy Secretary, Department of the Interior * Pamela Haze, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Budget, Finance, Performance and Acquisition

President Obama’s budget proposes 10 percent cuts to both Reclamation and USGS water resources, but it would continue to fund the WaterSMART and Title XVI programs. Title XVI pays for as much as a quarter of the price of water recycling and conservation programs; Reclamation faces a $600 million project backlog under the program.

Other Reclamation budget proposals that are expected to be discussed Wednesday: $51.5 million for expenses related to four Indian water rights settlements; $154.6 million for the Central Valley Project; and $12.8 million for the Animas-La Plata Project, a water storage project being built as part of a tribal settlement.

Witness

• Rowan Gould, Acting Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service