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Time to Applaud the "New" EPA
One year ago in this column, I called on Environmental Protection Agency chief Stephen Johnson to resign for letting politics, not science, guide his agency’s decisions. Nor was I alone—10,000 EPA employees were in open revolt for the same reason. Johnson was defying the Supreme Court’s ruling that his agency should move forward on climate…
Read MoreRed Cliff Mine: A Hazy Future?
We knew the proposed Red Cliff coal mine in western Colorado had a lot of problems. It’s no secret that coal is a dirty fuel. On top of the predictable global warming impacts from burning the mined coal, this mine each year will spew thousands of tons of methane – a greenhouse gas 20 times more…
Read MoreWhat's Green and Chokes Lake Okeechobee?
Apparently, the sight of toxic algae blooms spreading across South Florida’s public waterways last year wasn’t enough to convince the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to do the right thing and toughen standards for nutrient pollution. So on March 9, we filed suit in U.S. District Court to compel the EPA to set more protective pollution…
Read MoreNanuclear of the North
Quick—what country exports the most oil into the United States? Saudi Arabia? Venezuela? Iraq? Nope. Canada. And the oil we get from our northern neighbor is about the most ridiculous energy bargain imaginable. Most of the stuff comes from vast deposits of tar sands in Alberta. Eventual emissions of CO2 are three times as much…
Read More"Do Your Math and Chemistry Homework"
Earthjustice staff scientist Anna Cederstav gives children advice about how to become an environmental scientist at IndyKids. "Anna makes sure the lawyers get their scientific facts straight!" Indeed.
Read MoreFeel Free to Breathe Deeply
The New York Times reports via Greenwire that the Obama administration is making some legal maneuvers that could mean they are reconsidering health standards for smog pollution set by the Bush administration back in 2007. Earthjustice and the 60,000 of you who participated in our Adopt the Sky campaign told Bush that his approach ignored…
Read MoreLawsuit Imminent to Save Wolves
Earthjustice is preparing to sue the Obama administration over its stunning decision to withdraw protections from northern gray wolves. Any day now, a notice of intent to sue will be filed, giving Interior Sec. Ken Salazar just 60 days to rescind his wolf edict or face court action. Salazar last week said he will strip…
Read MoreThe King and Egg and I
That yellow you see is egg on our face. A few weeks back, the Senate passed a bill providing for a two-million acre expansion of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and we all cheered. It was a umbrella bill that encompassed some 170 smaller bills, many of which had been pending for years. One small…
Read MoreOld-Growth Critter Gets Good News
Reversing its August 2008 decision, the California Fish and Game Commission recently voted to grant candidate status to the Pacific fisher under the California Endangered Species Act. This begins the review process to determine if full protection is warranted. Earthjustice and our colleagues at Center for Biological Diversity have worked to protect the fisher for…
Read MoreColorado Drilling Rules Pass First Legislative Test
Last week, a Colorado legislative committee approved new oil and gas drilling rules that will protect drinking water, wildlife and the state’s natural resources. The state spent almost two years developing the rules, which will be the most comprehensive in the nation, to deal with the impacts of the state’s unprecedented oil and gas boom.…
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