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U.S. Whaling Commissioner Selling Out to Japan
One of my favorite memories is of being in Brighton, England, in June 1985 when the International Whaling Commission, after a struggle that lasted well over a decade, adopted a moratorium on commercial whaling, to last for at least five years. It has lasted for almost 24 years, but now seems in jeopardy of being…
Read MoreWelcome to Jurassic Park, Kansas
At a time when this country is finally emerging from eight Jurassic years, many Kansas legislators are determined to resurrect a 1,500 megawatt dinosaur of a power plant that their governor — supported by two-thirds of her constituents — vetoed three times last year. Actually, I stole the "dinosaur" description from a disgusted Kansas City…
Read MoreWill Salazar Save the Roan Plateau?
After cancelling oil and gas leases in Utah last week, Interior Sec. Ken Salazar is strongly hinting that he might do the same with a crown jewel of Colorado — the Roan Plateau. The Roan is a rippling expanse of natural riches that rises dramatically 3,000 feet above a plain in the state’s northwest quadrant.…
Read MoreA Threat to National Security?
I never know whether to dignify irrational wing-nut attacks on environmentalists in general and specific organizations in particular by mentioning them in print, but the latest is so over the top that I can’t resist. Something called the Capital Research Center recently published a screed titled, "EarthJustice [sic] Legal Defense Fund [sic]: How Environmentalism Weakens…
Read MoreEnd to a Poisonous Alliance
A bunch of utility operators are still trying to convince the U.S. Supreme Court to let them pour poisonous mercury into the air – but after today, they are standing alone. The Obama administration said it is withdrawing its support, and in fact, wants the court to drop the case. Label this a victory for…
Read MoreObama Unleashes – the Boot
Obama has quickly switched from the bump to the boot. All week he’s been kicking over Bush-era dominoes, and today’s was a whopper. The Environmental Protection Agency is starting to review its 2007 refusal to let California regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The review affects 16 other states that also want to control emissions.…
Read MoreWhen the Cows Come Home, You Won't Want to Be There
A study in this month’s "American Journal of Agricultural Economics" shows a significant correlation between rising numbers of factory farm animals and increased infant mortality. The study found that an increase of 100 million pounds of farm animal flesh meant 123 more infant deaths for every 100,000 babies born. That means our shift in the…
Read MoreEnergy Efficiency Signed Into Life
With a stroke of his pen today, President Obama endorsed a keystone element in Earthjustice’s national push for energy efficiency. Obama signed a presidential memorandum calling upon the Department of Energy to adopt energy efficiency standards for dozens of common household appliances. This marks a huge step towards the energy savings and independence he promised…
Read MoreSalazar Turns the Tide in Utah
In those cold days of last December — as Bush feverishly tried to finish crippling the nation’s environmental protections — the new day promised by Obama seemed only a flicker at the end of an 8-year tunnel. After today’s news out of Utah, that flicker is looking more like a flare. Interior Sec. Ken Salazar…
Read MoreThe Drill Baby is Back
When the history of our times is written, I bet the nomination of Sarah Palin for vice president will be seen as one of the more bizarre political aberrations in American history, which has already had plenty. One would think that the resounding repudiation she and Senator McCain suffered in the general election would have…
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