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News
- 01-01-03 States Sue Environmental Protection Agency (ABC News)
"The Bush administration issued rules Tuesday to make it easier for industrial plants and refineries to modernize without having to buy expensive pollution controls and immediately was sued by nine states charging that the changes undermine their efforts to protect public health." 1-03
- 06-28-03 "Lungs of the World" in Trouble (MSNBC)
"The deforestation rate in Brazil’s Amazon, the world’s largest jungle, has jumped 40 percent, sparking alarm among environmentalists and a promise by the government to launch emergency measures."
"The Amazon, an area of continuous tropical forest that is larger than Western Europe, has been described as the 'lungs of the world' because of its vast capacity to produce oxygen."
"Environmentalists fear its destruction because it is home to up to 30 percent of the planet’s animal and plant species and is an important source of medicines." 6-03
- 07-04-03 Rainforests Set to Disappear (Independent)
"The scale of deforestation is so great that some countries, such as Indonesia, could lose entire rainforests in the next 10 years." 7-03
- 07-20-03 Bush Attacks Treaty to Save Earth's Ozone (Independent - Lean)
"President George Bush is targeting the international treaty to save the ozone layer which protects all life on earth from deadly radiation, The Independent on Sunday can reveal."
"New US demands - tabled at a little-noticed meeting in Montreal earlier this month - threaten to unravel one of the greatest environmental success stories of the past few decades, causing millions of deaths from cancer." 7-03
- 07-20-03 Bush Attacks Treaty to Save Earth's Ozone (Independent - Lean)
"President George Bush is targeting the international treaty to save the ozone layer which protects all life on earth from deadly radiation, The Independent on Sunday can reveal."
"New US demands - tabled at a little-noticed meeting in Montreal earlier this month - threaten to unravel one of the greatest environmental success stories of the past few decades, causing millions of deaths from cancer." 7-03
- 08-27-03 Bush Administration Relaxes Pollution Rules for Power Plants (CNN News)
"The Bush administration on Wednesday exempted thousands of older power plants, refineries and factories from having to install costly clean air controls when they modernize with new equipment that improves efficiency but increases pollution." 8-03
- 08-28-03 Bush Administration Relaxes Pollution Rules for Power Plants (Christian Science Monitor - Knickerbocker)
"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues a ruling this week allowing thousands of power plants, refineries, and industrial facilities to upgrade without reducing the pollution they emit."
"The debate figures in larger questions about the Bush administration's environmental and energy policies - specifically, the extent to which industries influence such policies."But the GAO was unable to determine the extent of such influence because Mr. Cheney refuses to provide key documents detailing his meetings with energy companies and industry groups - including those that may be directly involved with the polluting aspects of energy production." "Meanwhile, the US Public Interest Research Group reports this week that 2002 was the worst smog season in recent years. (Smog is ground-level ozone caused by pollution from power plants, vehicles, and other sources, and is linked to asthma and other ailments.) Monitors in 41 states and Washington recorded 8,818 instances of unhealthy smog levels last year - nearly twice the violations of the national health standard in 2001." 8-03
- 09-04-03 Microbe Attacks Water Pollution (CBS News)
"An industrial chemical that pollutes groundwater and has resisted cleanup can be neutralized by an obscure microbe that researchers have discovered in the Hudson River bottom mud."
"In a study appearing Friday in the journal Science, researchers at Michigan State University report a previously unknown bacteria is able to turn trichloroethane, an industrial chemical that is difficult to clear from ground water, into a more benign compound that other microbes can render harmless." 9-03
- 09-04-03 Nation's Drinking Water at Risk (CBS News)
"Aging pipes and outdated treatment plants threaten the nation's drinking water systems, says an environmental group that reviewed 19 cities." 9-03
- 09-04-03 Water Pollution Report Card for States (CBS News)
"Two environmental groups released a review of government records Tuesday, showing that water pollution enforcement is failing in more than 40 states."
"Friends of the Earth and the Environmental Working Group say these states have allowed critically important water pollution permits to expire, effectively issuing industries a license to pollute."
"The review also concludes that there is currently little action afoot to correct this serious problem. Nevada, Rhode Island, Oregon and Nebraska all had more than two-thirds of their permits expired. Texas had the largest number of expired permits at 135." 9-03
- 09-04-03 World's Water at Risk (CBS News)
"Many of the world's natural underground reservoirs are diminishing rapidly, threatening the drinking water of millions of people and compounding the ravaging effects of drought and famine, the United Nations warned Wednesday."
"The United Nations called on governments to curb the use of groundwater through regulation. Worldwide action was needed to ensure that countries relying on irrigation diversify away from water hungry crops, the report added. " 9-03
- 09-04-03 World's Water at Risk (CBS News)
"Many of the world's natural underground reservoirs are diminishing rapidly, threatening the drinking water of millions of people and compounding the ravaging effects of drought and famine, the United Nations warned Wednesday."
"The United Nations called on governments to curb the use of groundwater through regulation. Worldwide action was needed to ensure that countries relying on irrigation diversify away from water hungry crops, the report added. " 9-03
- 09-17-03 Bush Pick to Lead EPA Grilled by Congress (USA Today - Kenworthy, Watson, and Keen)
"Some environmentalists say Leavitt sometimes shuts opponents out of the discussion, cuts secret deals and tilts heavily toward industry and developers."
"Even so, Leavitt's work to help clean the air over the Grand Canyon is among the environmental successes that will likely enable him to be confirmed." 9-03
- 10-01-03 Bush Administration Appeals to Top Court to Prevent Disclosure (Bloomberg News)
"The Bush administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to shield the government from giving advocacy groups documents they seek in a suit claiming Vice President Dick Cheney's energy task force was influenced by corporations." 9-03
- 10-02-03 Editorial - What Lies Behind the Leak Scandal (MSNBC - Fineman)
"The plot line: Unnamed White House insiders are being investigated by the Department of Justice for having leaked the name of a CIA operative, supposedly with the aim of discrediting or intimidating her husband, Wilson, a former American diplomat who had the temerity to attack President Bush’s decision to go to war in Iraq."
"The moment that piece hit the op-ed page of the New York Times, it was all-out war between the pro- and anti-war factions, and between the CIA and its critics."
"The Democrats who are latching onto this aren’t doing so, for the most part, out of somber regard for the law. They are in near hysteria because they finally see a way to make stick a line of attack they have been using for months: that Bush, far from being a decent Texas straight-shooter, is really a genially deceitful liar — a man who cannot be trusted." 9-03
- 10-02-03 New Report on Iraq's Weapons (BBC News - Marcus)
"The failure of the US-led Iraq Survey group to find any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is proving a significant embarrassment to President George Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair."
"On Thursday, David Kay - one of the leaders of the team - is due to give his interim report in a closed-door session to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees in Washington."
"Mr Kay is expected to say that while no weapons have been found, there was an elaborate Iraqi deception operation to hide evidence of their programmes and that Saddam Hussein's own behaviour may have been part of a calculated bluff to persuade London and Washington that he really had weapons when he did not." "Why did the US and British governments seemingly fall so readily for Saddam Hussein's alleged bluff, if bluff it really was?" 9-03
- 10-02-03 World Running Out of Oil (CNN News)
"Global warming will never bring a "doomsday scenario" a team of scientists says -- because oil and gas are running out much faster than thought." 9-03
- 11-05-03 EPA to Allow Polluters to Pollute (USA Today)
"The Environmental Protection Agency is likely to stop taking action against coal-burning power plants that the agency itself had accused of violating air-pollution laws, an EPA source familiar with the decision said Wednesday."
"Now, it plans to use the relaxed standards — not those in place when the companies violated the laws — to determine whether the companies should be sued." 11-03
- 11-06-03 One Gallon of Gas from 96 Tons of Dead Matter (ABC News - Dye)
"Jeff Dukes was driving his lab's huge SUV through the red hills of southern Utah when he asked his wife a question that seemed simple at the time, but led to an astonishing answer."
"What are you pumping into your tank? About 98 tons of dead plants and animals — per gallon — a scientist estimates."
"Dukes zeroed in on the year 1997, and relying on reports from various agencies, including the United Nations, he came up with statistics that are really astonishing."
"He found that the total amount of fossil fuel burned that year amounted to 97 million billion pounds of carbon. That's equivalent to more than 400 times the plant material produced by the entire world during a single year."
"The societies that survive will be those that figured out other ways to produce the fuel they needed to power their homes, factories, and transportation devices. It's hard not to wonder why that isn't the No. 1 priority in the world today." 1-04
- 11-27-02 Bush Proposes Less Protection for Forests and Wildlife (CBS News)
"The Bush administration is proposing giving managers of the nation's 155 national forests greater leeway to approve logging and commercial activities with less examination of potential environmental damages."
"The Bush administration proposal also would eliminate specific standards and procedures for maintaining and monitoring wildlife populations that foresters had to comply with, substituting broad goals in their place."
"Democrats accused the administration of attempting to 'undo most of the environmental safeguards that protect our nation's forests.' "
- 11-28-03 Melting Glaciers May Make Billions Thirsty (CNN News)
"The world's glaciers could melt within a century if global warming accelerates, leaving billions of people short of water and some islanders without a home, environmentalists said."
" 'Unless governments take urgent action to prevent global warming, billions of people worldwide may face severe water shortages as a result of the alarming melting rate of glaciers,' the WWF group said in a report Thursday."
"It said human impact on the climate was melting glaciers from the Andes to the Himalayas, bringing longer-term threats of higher sea levels that could swamp island states." 11-03
- 12-23-03 Soot Important in Global Warming (Scientific American)
"Greenhouse gases have taken much of the blame for rising global surface temperatures over the past century. The results of a new study suggest that soot has done a fair amount of damage as well."
"In a paper published online today by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, James E. Hansen of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Larissa Nazarenko of Columbia University report that soot may have caused fully 25 percent of the warming observed since 1880." 12-03
- Bush's Record on the Environment (BushGreenWatch.org)
Provides news on President Bush's record on protecting our air, land, and water. 1-04
- Current Health and Science Issues in Depth (NOW with Bill Moyers)
"When PBS and Bill Moyers launched NOW, it was to illuminate stories that weren't being covered on any other public affairs broadcast, and under Moyers' leadership, NOW has pursued the truth behind the headlines. 'We are continuing to take a thoughtful look at the events shaping our world,' says Moyers, who has received every major broadcast journalisim award including more than 30 Emmy Awards." 12-03
- Environmental News (Earth Day Network - Grist Magazine)
Provides global news on efforts to improve the environment, as well as violations of the environment. See "More archival matter "(on the left side of the magazine's page) for past issues. 11-00
- Pollution News (Yahoo)
Provides world pollution news. 11-01
Papers
- -Sustainable Planet (Awesome Library - Adams)
 Describes a few of the most important things we can do to reduce pollution and global warming, as well as improve the availability of drinkable water for the future. 11-00
- 11-21-03 Energy Bill Killed (MSNBC News)
"Opponents of a massive energy bill on Friday blocked the Senate from taking a final vote on the measure and sending it to President Bush." 11-03
- 12-03-03 Bush Signs Bill for Thinning Forests (CNN News)
"Rep. Scott McInnis, R-Colorado, who sponsored the House version of the legislation, compared the measure to President Theodore Roosevelt's call for the establishment of the National Forest system 99 years ago this week."
"Critics, however, decried it as a payback to the timber industry, which will get greater access to pristine stands of old-growth trees." 12-03
- 12-03-03 Republican Congress Achieves Goals (CNN News)
"With Republicans in control, Congress in 2003 gave President Bush the money he asked for Iraq, voted the biggest changes in Medicare in four decades and narrowed abortion rights for the first time in 30 years." 12-03
- Air Quality Today - Where You Live (Environmental Protection Agency)
Provides a forecast for the day on the EPA Air Quality Index for pollution levels where you live. 8-01
- Autos - Fuel Cell Cars (Awesome Library)
Provides a summary of options for current and near future transportation that avoids pollution, yet is convenient, uses inexpensive fuel, and is safe. 6-01
- Autos - Fuel Cell Power (Awesome Library)
Provides sources of information on fuel cells for powering automobiles and homes. Fuel cells do not pollute, are inexpensive to operate, and should provide as much convenience as traditional sources of power, such as internal combustion engines. 5-01
- Bush Energy Plan (The White House)
Provides President Bush's energy plan for the United States through the National Energy Policy Development Group. In PDF format. 5-01
- Bush Energy Plan (Washington Post)
Provides President Bush's energy plan for the United States. 5-01
- Bush Energy Plan - Democrats Respond (Washington Post)
Provides the response of Democrats to President Bush's energy plan for the United States. 5-01
- Bush Proposal to End Global Warming (CNN.com)
Provides a short description of the Bush proposal to end global warming, as well as reactions to the proposal. 2-02
- Current Events Related to the Environment (The Tides Center - EcoNet)
Provides articles on current events related to achieving a healthier environment.
- Endangered Species Act Provisions Opposed (Time.com)
Reports that the Bush administration seeks to "eliminate a provision of the Endangered Species Act that allows private groups to sue the Department of the Interior to add plants and animals to the official 'endangered' list...." 5-01
- Energy Alternative Suggested by Business Council for Sustainable Energy (Environmental News Network)
Describes measures that could reduce the need for over 1000 power plants. Notes that wind energy has become over 80 percent more efficient. 5-01
- Environmental Advocacy News (GreenPeace.org)
Provides news related to pollution, sustainability, global warming, and other key environmental issues. See key words at the bottom of the page for information by topic. 6-02
- Farmers Want More Wind Power (EV World)
Provides news that the association of corn farmers wants more support from the federal government for wind energy generation. The Bush administration has proposed a reduction in support., according to the news release. 6-01
- Few Utilities Produce Majority of Polluting Emissions (Lycos - Lazaroff)
Summarizes the results of a report on pollution from utilities. "The study by a coalition of environmental and public interest groups found that between four and six companies account for 25 percent of the emissions of each pollutant." 3-02
- Forest Protection More than Doubled (CNN)
Describes new federal regulations that protect 58.5 million acres, "roughly one-third of the national forest system from road building and commercial logging." This was later suspended by the Bush administration. 1-01
- Global Warming Real According to Satellite Pictures (Environmental News Network)
Summarizes the results of a 27-year study of the earth's greenhouse gases and shows that there has been a significant increase as a result of human activity. The conclusions are based on pictures of the earth taken by satellites over the past 27 years. 3-01
- Key Issues on the Environment (SpeakOut.com)
Provides indepth coverage of both sides of key issues. 2-01
- Oversight for the Environment (The White House)
"The Council on Environmental Quality coordinates federal environmental efforts and works closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental policies and initiatives. The Council's Chair, James L. Connaughton who was appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, serves as the principal environmental policy adviser to the President. In addition, CEQ reports annually to the President on the state of the environment, oversees federal agency implementation of the environmental impact assessment process, and acts as a referee when agencies disagree over the adequacy of such assessments."
The Council on Environmental Quality is led by James L. Connaughton. "Prior to joining the Bush Administration, Mr. Connaughton was a partner in the law firm Sidley Austin Brown & Wood, in its Environmental Practice Group. His work covered a wide range of environmental policy issues, including environmental management and compliance assurance systems, legislation, regulation, international trade and standards, and ecological risk and natural resource damages assessment."
According to the Sidley Austin Brown and Wood LLP Web site, the company represents the fossil fuel industry in the arena of regulation. "Most of our clients are natural gas pipelines and producers, crude oil and petroleum products pipelines or electric utilities."
In other words, Connaughton represented the fossil fuel industry in legal conflicts against federal and state regulators. Appointing a lobbyist for the fossil fuel industry to guide the U.S. government policies on protection of the environment appears to be the same as appointing a fox to watch over the henhouse. It appears to be a gross conflict of interest.
Since the Council on Environmental Quality has oversight over the Environmental Protection Agency, the federal regulators for the environment, is such an appointment a corruption of the role of the federal government in regulating the fossil fuel industry? Christine Todd Whitman, who recently resigned as head of the EPA under President Bush, stated on PBS's NOW program aired on September 20, 2003, that Connaughton did, in fact, restrict the EPA's findings, especially on global warming issues, while she was the head of the EPA. 9-03
- Reducing the Use of Gasoline (Oregonian - Yaden and Durning)
Suggests ways that the use of gasoline can be reduced. "Feebates are point-of-purchase incentives. Consumers pay a fee when buying vehicles with low gas mileage and collect rebates for buying more efficient ones. Such a program could quickly push the market toward more economic designs. With the nation's automobile fuel efficiency at a 20-year low, this is an especially important step." 2-02
- Seed Project to Preserve Species (PlanetArk.org)
Describes the British project to save many species of plants from extinction by development of a huge seed bank. 11-00
- Smog Strong in Half of USA (MSNBC)
Reports on a study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "A coalition of business groups led by the American Trucking Association filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the EPA’s 1997 pollution standards...." A federal appeals court rejected their argument. "The process is now under way to adopt the standards, which the EPA estimates would prevent 15,000 premature deaths, 350,000 cases of asthma and 1 million cases of decreased lung function in children." 5-02
- World Water Shortage Has Started (Boston Globe - Rothfeder)
Provides facts about the current and growing shortage of drinkable water. "But the reality we face is sobering: water -- nature's most essential element -- is becoming dangerously scarce. A freshwater crisis has already begun that threatens to leave much of the world dry in the next 20 years, without enough water for a minimum quality of life." "Nearly 2.2 billion people in more than 62 countries, one-third of the world's population, are starved for water." 1-02
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