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Bill and I
The voice mail caller accused me of being a Communist, anti-American, out-of-touch, and stupid. Worst of all, he spat out, I was an environmentalist. Bill was furious, like hundreds of callers to Earthjustice in the last two months. Driven to call us by rabid, right-wing radio hosts and bloggers, most folks just wanted to rant…
Read MoreWhat Offshore Oil Drilling Means To Me
This has been quite a week for proponents of offshore oil drilling. It’s as if last week’s Jim Cramer Today Show appearance lit a fuse. Or more likely, as if Jim Cramer is privy to major pols’ backroom strategizing sessions. Both Bush and McCain have called for an end to the moratorium on offshore drilling…
Read MoreSilver Lining in the Stratospheric Price of Oil?
The Wall Street Journal reports that the rising cost of shipping everything from industrial parts to living-room sofas is forcing some manufacturers to bring production back to North America and freeze plans to send even more work overseas. This could stem the loss of domestic manufacturing jobs, if not result in a job increase at…
Read MoreOut of Kansas: A Path to Clean Energy
There was more hope than lamentation in a New York Times editorial when it concluded this about the Senate’s recent failure to address climate change: The country needs a new occupant in the White House. We agree—Congress is not likely to take the necessary actions on climate change without strong White House leadership. Fortunately, neither…
Read MoreEarthjustice Antidote to Seagrass 'Poison Pill'
Earthjustice’s Florida team has saved the state’s seagrasses and fishing grounds from a legislative poison pill. David Guest, managing attorney of the Florida office, tells this tale of midnight chicanery… The bill in the Florida Legislature seemed like a good thing: For the first time, Florida would impose fines on boaters who carelessly trashed seagrass…
Read MoreNew Report… Same Old Gloom
This is for people who are just in too good a mood and need to be brought down a little. Or a lot. We speak of a new report from the Heinz center, available here. John Heinz, for those who don’t remember, was a Republican senator from Pennsylvania, who died rich and young, heir to…
Read MoreBush Wrapping Final Gift for Wilderness Foes
Utah land management plans – covering 11 million acres – will invite off-road vehicle destruction, energy development in spectacular, fragile landscape. The Denver Post reported last Sunday about a series of nasty schemes that the Bush Administration hopes to finalize in its remaining 200-odd days in power. The article, entitled "Bush prepares parting shots," describes…
Read MoreColorado, Kansas Governors at Earthjustice Event
Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., has just announced that he will join Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius at "Out of Kansas – A Clean Energy Agenda," a clean energy forum sponsored by Earthjustice on June 26 in Denver. Open at no charge to the public, the program is at the Denver Athletic Club, 1325 Glenarm Place. …
Read MoreRead the Fine Print
I got a call the other day from a fellow in Alabama who is a keen student of The Washington Times and its influence on right-wing politics in the U.S., the paper being owned and operated by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church, otherwise known as the Moonies. My caller was incensed by something…
Read MoreBut We're Used To Playing David
The State of Colorado is about to adopt new rules governing oil and gas development in the state. The strangely named Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission will soon change the state’s permitting process for oil and gas extraction. (If the Commission is supposed to conserve oil and gas, why is everything it does concerned…
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