Happy New Year!

Welcome back.

Remember the decisive victories LCV and other environmental groups celebrated on Nov. 4? Those victories marked the start of what many of us hope will be a drastic U-turn in government policies on issues ranging from clean energy policies to habitat protection to greenhouse-gas restrictions.

Let's get caught up.

Audubon Magazine profiles our report to President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team, and quotes Gene as saying, “The economy is the biggest problem, and the main way to fix it is to create a new energy future."

The Annapolis Capital believes that New Year's resolutions to quit smoking, lose weight and save money may be tough to keep...but resolving to contribute to a cleaner, greener environment is easier and should be more fun. So they've compiled a list of 50 actions you can take in 2009 to do your part to help the Chesapeake Bay, and helping Maryland LCV is No. 3 on their list.

In New York State, expanded freight railroad service, which could help the economy, relieve highway truck congestion and improve the environment, gets a “green light," says the Brooklyn Eagle.

Growth Options for the 21st Century (Go 21), a nationwide public interest organization that promotes grassroots support to expand freight train service, is encouraging resolutions from citizens that support a policy to promote improvement in freight rail infrastructure.

The group has the support of the NY League of Conservation Voters.