Petition to Finish the Road Map

Launched on Friday, there are 26 days left to collect nearly 100,000 signatures to compel the DOE to complete its report on how energy production affects water quality and availability in the United States.

Image courtesy of whitehouse.gov

At least 100,000 signatures are needed before February 24, 2013. Click image to enlarge.

In September 2010, as part of its Choke Point: U.S. report, Circle of Blue disclosed how a vital report — funded by Congress and designed to help the nation anticipate and temper the mounting conflict between rising energy demand and diminishing supplies of fresh water — was brought to a standstill by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The disclosure prompted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit in July 2011 against the DOE, in addition to generating attention in several other comprehensive reports on the water-energy nexus in the United States

Now there is an online petition urging the Obama administration to compel the DOE to finish the water-energy road map. At least 100,00 signatures are needed before February 24, 2013, which is 30 days after the petition launched on the White House Web site last Friday.

“Americans need information about how national energy use affects our water resources… Eight years later, the report is still unfinished and Americans still don’t have the basic facts about how our energy portfolio affects water quality and availability in the United States. Without this information, states and cities are flying blind on energy policy.” –Petition on whitehouse.gov

As Eclectablog mentions in a recent post, President Obama’s inaugural speech devoted a lot of time to environmental issues.

“The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition, we must lead it… That’s how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure — our forests and waterways, our crop lands and snow-capped peaks. –President Obama’s 2012 inaugural speech”

Do you plan to sign the petition? If so, why? Let us know on Facebook, on Twitter @circleofblue, or comment below.