Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue) usually appears twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Here is the January 25 Green Spotlight. More than 26,365 environmentally oriented stories have been rescued to appear in this series since 2006. Inclusion of a story in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
OUTSTANDING GREEN STORIES
BoGardiner writes—Retired NOAA scientist feels slighted, sets world afire in revenge: “Take a good look at the front page of today’s Daily Mail. Yes, children, this august institution is now to be our nation’s primary science source, driving the well-being of the planet and all who dwell upon it: The House Science Committee today erupted in an ecstatic tweetstorm when the Daily Mail screamed this morning that “ClimateGate 2” had been uncovered: Exposed: How world leaders were duped into investing billions over manipulated global warming data: The Mail on Sunday today reveals astonishing evidence that the organisation that is the world’s leading source of climate data rushed to publish a landmark paper that exaggerated global warming and was timed to influence the historic Paris Agreement on climate change. A high-level whistleblower has told this newspaper that America’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) breached its own rules on scientific integrity when it published the sensational but flawed report, aimed at making the maximum possible impact on world leaders including Barack Obama and David Cameron at the UN climate conference in Paris in 2015. The scientific community is outraged, and response has been swift. Zeke Hausfather, climate scientist and energy systems analyst at Berkeley Earth, who worked on providing independent verification of the data Rose attacks, writes at CarbonBrief.”
ban nock writes—House Eviscerates Land Use Rules - Where Are Environmentalists? “The BLM has spent years updating it’s planning process to be more inclusive, transparent, and collaborative. The changes are collectively called 2.0. Last night the House decided they didn’t like those rules, now things move to the Senate. [...] The proposed changes support the BLM’s shift to science-based, landscape-scale approaches to resource management while increasing opportunities for early engagement by state and local government, Tribes, partner agencies, stakeholders, and the public. This was not some sort of end of the year rule change, the consideration of these changes have been years in the making and incorporate things that have been found to work. The BLM has established a new persona amongst rural westerners of late. Someone that can get along, someone that people can work with rather than the enemy. It will take years to overcome the bad feelings that gave rise to the Sagebrush Rebellion and the Bundys, and it takes time, The BLM was on it.”
CRITTERS AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Besame writes—Daily Bucket: welp after 19 years, Bailey came out last week: “Man of many adventures, avatar eye guy Bailey apparently is also a man of mystery. He never displayed any gender dysphoria, although an episode of unrequited longing for Chispa made me wonder if he were gay. Bailey is a Pionus, thus not sexual dimorphic, and parrots have no external genitalia. But during the past 18+ years he lived with me and the 19 years I’ve known Bailey, I believed he was male. Last Friday, I was astonished to learn that Bailey is female. 😮 Here’s how his misgendering and her coming out happened. My belief in Bailey’s masculinity wasn’t a random guess. I met him at the pet store where I bought food and toys for my parrot and the owner said he was male. (I’m sticking with masculine pronouns as I describe the 19 years when I thought he was male.) Bailey had been purchased as a Christmas gift for someone who returned him to the store for “a parrot that talks.” This heart-breaking story drew me to Bailey right away and I feel weepy anger as I write about this rejection. Every time I went to the pet store, I visited their parrots: Sophie the Eleonora Cockatoo, Brat the Blue and Gold Macaw (neither of them for sale) and Bailey the Maximillian’s Pionus who was for sale. Bailey’s cleverness, curiousity, and sweetness drew me to him. Also, he was lonely.”
Dan Bacher writes—CDFW Conducts American River Steelhead Study: “Three separate strains of fish—the Eel River strain of American River steelhead, the Coleman Hatchery steelhead strain and Central Valley hatchery steelhead of undetermined origin—are returning to the American River this year, as evidenced in a trip that I made to the facility on January 30. The hatchery staff sorted through the fish as I watched them and took photos. The only fish the staff spawned during the season or put in the holding ponds for spawning over the next couple of weeks were the Eel River strain fish, characterized by their big silvery sides and slender bullet shapes.The staff released both Eel River strain and the Central Valley fish back into the river. Meanwhile, they killed the Coleman strain fish, obtained from Battle Creek at Coleman National Fish hatchery, as part of a study to see how the fish fare in the American.”
matching mole writes—Dawn Chorus: Razorbill Rerun: “****This is a rerun of a spring 2012 Dawn Chorus**** To my knowledge there is no razorbill invasion this winter. [...] First - what's a Razorbill? Razorbills are auks, members of same family (Alcidae) of birds as Puffins, Murres, and Guillemots. They are often referred to as the penguins of the north. Many auks do resemble penguins; they are stout-bodied birds with black and white bodies that live in cold oceans and 'fly' underwater to pursue their fishy prey. Unlike penguins, auks can fly in the air as well. Like some penguin species, some auks have elaborate ornamentation on their heads (e.g. puffins).”
Vee Bell writes—The Catholic Church Should Speak Out Against The Bullfight: “Bullfighting is the ritual torturing to death of bulls in the guise of entertainment. Horses also are cruelly abused, maimed and killed during the bullfight. Before the bull enters the ring, he is damaged to lessen his fighting ability. The methods which could be used include shaving down his horns, rubbing Vaseline into his eyes, severing the tendons on the back of his neck, stuffing wet newspapers into his ears, pushing cotton wool into his nostrils, sticking needles into his genitals, rubbing a burning chemical into his legs. During the bullfight, the bull suffers prolonged and agonising torture before he dies. [...] Pope St. Pius V described bullfights as ‘’a spectacle for demons rather than men.’ The bullfight brings the Catholic Church into disrepute for the following reasons ”
owktree writes—Daily Bucket: Superb Owl Spectacular: “We interrupt our usual Sunday Alphabet series for this special presentation. Today we give some attention to all things owl. Pictures and some links intended to be informational or simply entertaining. Houston may be drawing the attention of the sporting world (at least in the United States), but instead let us turn our eye to that (usually) stealthy nocturnal raptor — the owl. Google searches will also turn up additional owl-related content. Including a number of groups dedicated to the conservation of a particular type of owls (burrowing owls, barn owls in the UK, etc.) as well as general conservation. Though many species of owls are not considered threatened a number are under pressure due to habitat loss and other factors and might well be considered threatened in a particular country or state. And though less famous than Smoky The Bear the Forest Service has Woodsy Owl as a promotional icon for conservation. His current catchphrase is ‘Lend a hand — care for the land!.’ (I recall the old one of ‘Give a Hoot. Don’t Pollute.’ from my youth.)”
6412093 writes—The Daily Bucket--Juncos File Charges: “PETITION TO FERC-- FROG ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION—Executive Summary: Twenty-five yards north of the Frog Mitigation Area in NW Oregon, the Project proponent has violated FERC regulations by clearing vegetation without obtaining prior approvals. Commencement of Testimony: We, the underscratched, Juncos Allied (for) Green (JAG) declare that Redwoodman has degraded Junco habitat about 60 feet north of the Frog Mitigation Area (FMA) which is under FERC jurisdiction pursuant to Regulation 1538.5. I confess, it’s all true.”
CLIMATE CHAOS
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Political Assault on Science, Climate, Facts Ramps Up with Tabloid Smear of Karl ‘15: “Memo to deniers: Stop trying to make Climategate 2 happen. It’s not going to happen. With Trump in power, we’ve been waiting with bated breath for a full-scale assault on climate and the environment. This weekend, it looks like that assault has begun. With a video and column, the WSJ’s Holman Jenkins Jr. repeats the tired attacks on NASA’s hottest year claim. And that was just the appetizer. The main course comes thanks to fake news favorite David Rose. On Saturday, a feature in the UK’s Mail on Sunday by Rose made outrageous claims about the now-infamous Tom Karl Pause-buster paper published in Science. But despite the allegations being easily debunked, we should take notice. All at once we see the WSJ attacking NASA, Rose attacking NOAA and Smith attacking the EPA. With ExxonMobil’s CEO running the Department of State, fossil fuel lackey Pruitt likely to run the EPA and god knows who to run NASA and NOAA, the political world is sure to use these attacks as justification to fulfill the fossil fuel industry’s dreams of gutting federal climate science.”
M R Smith writes—Daily Mail expose on Climate Change Papers - Alternative Facts?? “ It is inconceivable to me that the version of “Alternative Facts” around climate data released prior to the signing of the Paris accords was treated as the Daily Mail article claims: Exposed: How world leaders were duped into investing billions over manipulated global warming data. One Dr John J Bates is cited as the whistleblower here. In this era of “Alternate Facts” let’s help either refute or if indeed the substance of the claim that data was prematurely released, clarify the current state of refinement for this data! ”
DarkSyde writes—Climate change deniers eager to sink their fangs into a new manufactured controversy: “Climate change denial took a hit this year. While it’s true super-denier Trump is now appointing ridiculously unqualified men and women who are openly hostile to the environmental and science-based organizations they will run (into the ground), the climate itself refused to go along with the ruse. Last year was the hottest on record and the last few years were among the hottest before it. Worst of all, fossil fuel toadies had to bid farewell to one of their most beloved zombie lies: the global warming pause. The NOAA study, published in the prestigious journal Science, found that the slowdown in global warming never actually happened. Instead, improperly adjusted data on surface temperatures made for an artificial lull in the warming trend. When NOAA researchers corrected their temperature datasets, they found that Earth's climate had warmed by a larger amount than previously thought. But now the usual suspects think maybe, just maybe, they can resurrect that undead talking point and parade it about one more time.”
Meteor Blades writes—Why no middle-of-the-night Trump tweet on what D.C. heat spike says about global warming? “The last thing the world needs are more 3 AM Trump tweets. But Joe Romm at Climate Progress nevertheless poses an excellent rhetorical question: ‘Why didn’t Trump tweet that Tuesday’s warmth crushed the D.C. record by 9°F?’ [...] Rational people might think that the documented vulnerability to sea level rise of Trump’s oceanfront club at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach would be enough to persuade the guy to change his tune.”
CANDIDATES, STATE AND DC ECO-RELATED POLITICS
Dan Bacher writes—12 Public Interest Groups Say Governor Jerry Brown Is Not So Green: “Twelve public interest groups, led by Consumer Watchdog and Food & Water Watch, today challenged Governor Jerry Brown’s green credentials at a press conference in Santa Monica. The groups unveiled a comprehensive report card on Jerry Brown Administration’s environmental record showing he falls short in six out of seven key areas, including fossil fuel generated electricity, oil drilling, and coastal protection. The report calls for a moratorium on the building of natural gas powered electricity plants, given what they described as ‘the glut of electric capacity’ and calls for an outside audit of state’s energy needs. The group showed how California can improve its environmental protections to meet standards set in other states. The report, noting that Brown’s infrastructure projects, led by the California WaterFix, ‘deplete water resources and threaten wildlife,’ also urges the Governor to abandon the Twin Tunnels project. Read the report ‘How Green Is Jerry Brown?’ at www.consumerwatchdog.org/...”
Dan Bacher writes—California oil lobby tops spending in 2015-16 session with $36.1 million: “In spite of California's reputation as a ‘green leader,’ Big Oil is the largest corporate lobby in the state and exerts enormous influence over the Governor's Office, Legislature and regulatory agencies. As usual, the California Oil Lobby was the biggest spender in the 2015-16 legislative session, spending an amazing $36.1 million as of December 31, 2016. The spending amounts to $1.5 million per month — nearly $50,000 per day — over the last two years. The $36.1 million surpassed the $34 million spent in the prior session, according to an American Lung Association report. ‘That’s enough money to buy 103,000 goats,’ reported Stop Fooling California, stopfoolingca.org. The Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) was the top overall oil industry spender during the 2015-16 session, spending $18.7 million. As is normally the case, WSPA ranked #1 among all lobbying spenders this session.”
EXPOSEDbyCMD writes—Lawsuit Filed Against Trump Nominee Scott Pruitt for Polluter Emails: “Days before the full Senate votes on Scott Pruitt’s nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency, the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), a national investigative watchdog group, alleges in a new lawsuit that as Oklahoma Attorney General Pruitt has violated the Oklahoma Open Records Act for failing to provide public access to official emails and other documents for more than two years. The lawsuit also asks for an injunction to prevent the Oklahoma Attorney General from destroying any documents relevant to the group’s open records requests. Alongside the petition, counsel is requesting an emergency hearing due to the impending Senate vote on Pruitt’s nomination.”
Mark Sumner writes—Trump's USDA hides information to protect animal abusers and puppy mills: “Until last week, it was possible to review documents on the treatment of animals at the USDA website. Then they were taken away. Other government web sites have seen some changes in the transition to the Trump regime, but this one isn't temporary. The agency said in a statement that it revoked public access to the reports ‘based on our commitment to being transparent … and maintaining the privacy rights of individuals.’ The commitment to being transparent is … causing them to hide information from the public? The site previously posted information on how animals are treated at over 7,800 facilities. That includes zoos, circuses and animal breeders. It’s also research labs, including government and university research labs. So the USDA is arguing that the “privacy rights of individuals” mean that animal treatment reports can’t be viewed even when those reports are from public facilities, and even though the reports are required as part of the Animal Welfare Act. Why would they do this?”
Idontknowwhy writes—Will the brainless Trump's censorship of science cause an American Brain Drain? “If Dangerous Donald the Denier succeeds in his plans to cut research, destroy our green energy industry, censor reality and vilify scientists and science itself France will not be the only country opening their arms and doors to welcome our best brains and innovators. The long term effects of such a brain drain would end America’s decades long economic and technological leadership, perhaps permanently. His climate denialism could destroy the planet. We can’t permit him to succeed. If you haven’t already please go now to www.marchforscience.com and pitch in to stop Donald the Denier from destroying our country and planet.”
WILDERNESS, NATIONAL FORESTS AND PARKS & OTHER PUBLIC LANDS
ban nock writes—Stop Liz Cheney's Anti Public Lands Bill: “Liz Cheney introduced H J Res 44 without much notice, and I guess it might well be voted on this eve or tonight. What she is trying to do is make the BLM new planning process known as 2.0 no longer a rule. 2.0 allows for much greater transparency and public input on all BLM rule making. 2.0 is supported by most affected parties except ranchers. The list of co sponsors is a who’s who of anti public land folks. Here’s Sally Jewell the former Sec of Int 2013 through Jan 2017 explaining.”
Walter Einenkel writes—Republicans want Trump to use executive powers to privatize national monuments: With three weeks left in his term, President Barack Obama designated two more national monuments using the Antiquities Act of 1906. This drove Republicans mad because they want that sweet money you get when you sell off public lands to corporate interests. No president ever has retracted a monument designated by a predecessor, and the courts have several times backed up executive authority in the matter, beginning with the case of Cameron vs. United States in 1920. But given the kind of renegade reinterpretation a Trumpian judiciary could take, there’s no certainty that stare decisis will keep an existing presidentially declared monument from being unproclaimed. The most controversial of the monuments, Bears Ears in Utah, encompasses 1.35 million acres of stunningly beautiful public lands surrounding San Juan County in the southeastern part of the state. Obama’s detailed proclamation elegantly explains just how special it is. Utah Rep. Rob Bishop, the chair of the House Committee on National Resources, is one of those pissed off Republicans. Using the Antiquities Act of 1906, President Obama sidestepped Congress’s ability to have input into the process. Rep. Bishop, maybe unaware that his party spent six years stalling our government under President Obama, is also unaware that he is full of ‘baloney’.”
Walter Einenkel writes—Trump's Agriculture pick doesn't like protecting our country's forests: “A couple of weeks ago we all took a breath as Donald ‘Bannon’s puppet’ Trump announced that former governor of Georgia Sonny Perdue was the regime’s pick for Secretary of Agriculture. The fact that Trump hadn’t nominated a gas tank with a lit match made us all feel like there was an outside (very far outside) chance that this guy wasn’t ‘as bad’ as the rest of the Trump administration’s picks.Perdue comes from Georgia, one of the country's biggest timber states, at the heart of a region that cuts and sells more wood than any other on the planet—the "wood basket" of the world. A woodland owner himself, Perdue has questioned the link between extreme weather and climate change, has taken campaign funding from the timber industry and has been a booster of converting wood to ethanol, with potential climate consequences. As Inside Climate News points out, if Perdue were to become the Agricultural secretary, one of his first important jobs would be to choose a deputy undersecretary for natural resources and environment. The undersecretary is the point on the top of the Forest Services oversight pyramid. Considering that Perdue’s tenure as Georgia’s governor was topped off with a scandal involving dubious land-dealings, we shouldn’t be surprised if the next deputy undersecretary walks into the job with one mission in mind—make taxpayers give money to corporations for land that we already own.”
Meteor Blades writes—Utah Republican who wants to kill Bears Ears Nat'l Monument gets no clear support from Trump: “Rep. Jason Chaffetz met with Pr*sident Trump Tuesday. Atop the Utah Republican’s short list of topics to discuss was another of his attacks on public lands. This time it was the 1.35 million-acre Bears Ears National Monument that President Obama designated in December. Chaffetz would like to see the whole monument rescinded, but short of that a vast reduction in acreage. Trump, Chaffetz said, did not say how or if he will act in the matter: Chris Saeger, Executive Director of the Western Values Project, released a statement in response to Chaffetz’s meeting with Trump. ‘If this is the same Congressman Chaffetz who just dropped a plan to sell off public lands, then he’s going to have to explain how opening up Bears Ears to private development is any different,’ Saeger said. ‘The bottom line is if you value public lands, you should make sure their value isn’t threatened. If protections for Bears Ears are dropped, that’s exactly what will happen.’”
Kelroy writes—Help Save a Natural Wonder With a Simple Click of the Mouse-the Boundary Waters Canoe Area: “The Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota is one of the last wild places in America. It is an international wonder that is on National Geographic’s list of places one must visit in one’s lifetime. Sadly, the wilderness is threatened by a proposed copper-nickle mine that would be built directly in the watershed flowing into the BWCA, only a few miles south of the wilderness. These are the dirtiest mining operations there are. In 2014, the Mount Polley copper/gold mine in British Columbia destroyed thousands and thousands of acres of pristine wilderness by releasing a toxic slurry of mining debris when its tailings pond failed. The environmental damage is irreparable. In the waning days of the Obama Administration, through the tireless efforts of a brave group from Ely Minnesota, The Forest Service and BLM terminated the Federal mineral leases upon which the project depends. The government also proposed to withdraw these mining blocks from the mining program pending an environmental study. These decisions are out for comment. It is critical that everyone appalled by the current Republican assault on the environment comment in favor of the withdrawal, which would kill the proposed mine.”
REGULATION
Besame writes—Stopping EPA Overreach Act may be the true environmentally dangerous new House Bill: “While alarms sound about the dramatic House bill to abolish the EPA, another bill introduced in late January holds major potential for environmental damage. Stopping the EPA Overreach Act (H.R. 637) proposes to gut regulations for clean air and water as well as the endangered species act under the premise that the EPA and no other federal agency have any authority to regulate greenhouse gases. This would also block efforts to address climate change. Legislators know that voters view the EPA favorably, so abolishing the agency isn’t gaining much support, although it stirs up opposition. The Overreach Act gives the illusion of being reasonable and has the support of 119 co-sponsors so far. The EPA Overreach Act would amend the Clean Air Act and block the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases because previous bills authorizing the EPA to address pollutants didn’t name them. ‘The term “air pollutant” does not include carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, or sulfur hexafluoride.’In addition, other measures in the bill limit the EPA’s authority. One emphasizes jobs as a higher priority than public and environmental health. ”
Walter Einenkel writes—Hundreds of former Republican and Democratic EPA staff tell Senate that Pruitt is not qualified: “Just under 450 former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff signed and sent a letter to the United States Senate today saying that Donald Trump’s choice to head and dismantle the EPA, Scott Pruitt, is not qualified. We write as former employees of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to share our concerns about Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s qualifications to serve as the next EPA Administrator in light of his record in Oklahoma. Our perspective is not partisan. Having served under both Republican and Democratic presidents, we recognize each new Administration’s right to pursue different policies within the parameters of existing law and to ask Congress to change the laws that protect public health and the environment as it sees fit. However, every EPA Administrator has a fundamental obligation to act in the public’s interest based on current law and the best available science. Mr. Pruitt’s record raises serious questions about whose interests he has served to date and whether he agrees with the longstanding tenets of U.S. environmental law. Citing Pruitt’s oily track record in Oklahoma as attorney general, the letter goes on to explain that Pruitt does not seem to share a fundamental belief environmental law or regulations (he doesn’t).”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Keep Good Science at EPA In, White Nationalist Tabloids Out, Lamar Smith Told: “Yesterday, everyone’s favorite witch-hunter and man who told us to believe Donald Trump instead of the news, Lamar Smith, held a hearing on Making EPA Great Again. Despite a line-up of three industry voices against a lone voice of reason in Dr. Rush Holt of AAAS, the hearing failed to land any substantial blows against the EPA. Instead, Holt and the pro-science members of the committee explained the many ways in which Smith’s ‘sound science’ fixation sounds stupid to those who know science. While Smith did his best to use this weekend’s fake news about NOAA to stir up drama, the fact that the ‘whistleblower’ told E&E there was no data manipulation took the wind right out of his sails. Instead of problems with the conclusion of the study, the concern Bates had was that the data wasn’t archived properly because the paper was rushed, which isn’t true. So when Smith asked if Science would retract the paper, Holt reiterated these points. He added, ‘This is not the making of a big scandal’ and ‘there is nothing in the Karl paper that, in our current analysis, suggests retraction.’ Score one for science! The industry speakers, on the other hand, made relatively drab and inconsequential statements in the form of vague platitudes about the need for ‘sound science’ instead of ‘secret science.’ For those who missed it, The Intercept had a great piece the other day on this Orwellian term and its tobacco industry-origins (which the ever-awesome Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson entered into the record to close the hearing). Because while Smith claims it will make science at the EPA better, what it would really do is prevent the EPA from using studies that rely on confidential health records, or studies of individual events, which by definition can’t be replicated.”
ENERGY
Fossil Fuels
Egberto Willies writes—Conservative Republican: Don't blame Obama for coal country's problem: “Conservative Republican Consultant Rick Wilson should have been making the statements he made in this video snippet long before the election to folks in coal country. They should have heard the truth he is now telling them then. [...] ‘This is out of a hazy nostalgia," Rick Wilson said. "for things like when Trump says things about ironworks and shipyards and coal miners. These are things, we might as well get our buggy whip industry back together again. It's this retrospective fake past that doesn't even exist anymore. And these guys, God bless them. They worked their asses off for generations. And you know what? natural gas took their jobs, not Barack Obama. Tell them the truth. Everyone has been in favor of natural gas for a very long time, left and right because it is awesome.’”
Renewables, Efficiency & Conservation
Walter Einenkel writes—While DAPL promises 'jobs,' the solar industry is delivering a record 50K new jobs this year: “The Solar Foundation, a non-profit solar energy advocacy group, delivered the National Solar Jobs Census—and the numbers are very good. The Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census 2016 is the seventh annual update on current employment, trends, and projected growth in the U.S. solar industry. The Solar Jobs Census 2016 found that solar employment increased by over 51,000 workers, a 25 percent increase over 2015. Overall, the Solar Jobs Census found there were 260,077 solar workers in 2016. Solar industry employment has nearly tripled since the first National Solar Jobs Census was released in 2010. Those are quite a few jobs, not as many as just the word ‘jobs’ on the Dakota Access Pipeline Facts promotional page, but definitely a real number showing real job growth.”
GoFightWin writes—Maryland Sustainable Energy Wins Against Backwards National Partisan Agenda: “From: Huge Win for Renewables in Maryland as Lawmakers Override Governor's Veto (original article)According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and National Renewable Energy Laboratory, state renewable portfolio standards have created $7.5 billion in annual environmental benefits from reduced air emissions, 27 billion gallons in reduced yearly water consumption and $1.3 billion to $4.9 billion in reduced consumer energy prices, including 200,000 American jobs and $20 billion in annual GDP. ‘In the current face of fear, uncertainty, and at times outright denial of environmental problems at the federal level, the Clean Energy Jobs Act proves that states like Maryland will not remain quiet on our country's toughest challenges like climate change,"’David Smedick, Maryland Beyond Coal Campaign and policy representative for the Sierra Club, said.”
Pipelines & Other Oil and Gas Transport
navajo writes—Army Corps gives the Senate only 24 hour notice on DAPL easement, instead of required 14-day notice: From Brad Johnson—“Cancelling an ongoing environmental review, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has given Congress 24 hours notice of its decision to grant an easement for the construction of the final leg of the controversial Dakota Access Pipeline. The action was directed by one of President Donald Trump’s first presidential memoranda. In the waning days of the Obama administration, after global pressure built from sustained opposition by Native American tribes to the Bakken shale pipeline in North Dakota, the Army announced it would begin a new environmental impact statement review of the project. Trump’s presidential memorandum of January 24th directed the Army Corps to expedite the approval process for the pipeline by any legal means necessary. In memos issued by Douglas W. Lamont, acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, the corps terminated the environmental impact statement process and foreshortened the Congressional notification period from two weeks to one day. Final construction on the pipeline could thus begin as early as tomorrow.”
Dan Bacher writes—Army Gives Final OK to Dakota Access Pipeline: Emergency Protest Today: “Sacramento – Community groups opposed to the North Dakota Pipeline – responding to news that the U.S. Army earlier today/Tuesday told Congress it will allow the Dakota Access oil pipeline to be built under the Missouri River – will hold an "emergency" protest TODAY/Tuesday at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office (1325 J Street), from 5:30 to 7 p.m. www.cbsnews.com… [...] Groups from across the country also responded to the Army’s decision to go ahead with the pipeline without the EIS. Food and Watch issued the following action alert: ‘Last week, raids and arrests continued as Water Protectors stood their ground against Trump's push to complete the Dakota Access Pipeline. And just now, the Army Corps announced that it will allow the company to continue construction on the pipeline. We need you to weigh in to stop this pipeline,which would cross the Missouri River and endanger drinking water for the indigenous Standing Rock Sioux and all others downstream. We will be hand-delivering comments to the Army Corps in D.C. on Thursday, in protest of this decision.Tell the Army Corps — Fulfill the commitment to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement on the Dakota Access Pipeline!’”
Al Carroll writes—Army Seeking Comments from Public About Dakota Pipeline-Submit Yours! ”The US Army is seeking public comments on the Dakota Pipeline. It will publish them in two weeks. Be sure to put “NOI Comments, Dakota Access Pipeline Crossing” in the subject line. Email all comments to: gib.a.owen.civ@mail.mil. Or you can send them thru the Sierra Club, though it will sign you up to receive email from them.”
Victor Ward writes—DAPL Approved by Army and Trump Administration (with poll!).
rebel ga writes—Urgent *Update-Send Your "No Dakota Access" Comment To Army Corps Today. By, Thurs 2/9!
ECO-ACTION & ECO JUSTICE
Kelroy writes—Resist Trump's Environmental Policies in one Click of the Mouse-Save the BWCA: “The Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota is one of the last wild places in America. It is an international wonder that is on National Geographic’s list of places one must visit in one’s lifetime. Sadly, the wilderness is threatened by a proposed copper-nickle mine that would be built directly in the watershed flowing into the BWCA, only a few miles south of the wilderness. These are the dirtiest mining operations there are. In 2014, the Mount Polley copper/gold mine in British Columbia destroyed thousands and thousands of acres of pristine wilderness by releasing a toxic slurry of mining debris when its tailings pond failed. The environmental damage is irreparable. In the waning days of the Obama Administration, through the tireless efforts of a brave group from Ely Minnesota, The Forest Service and BLM terminated the Federal mineral leases upon which the project depends. The government also proposed to withdraw these mining blocks from the mining program pending an environmental study. These decisions are out for comment. It is critical that everyone appalled by the current Republican assault on the environment comment in favor of the withdrawal, which would kill the proposed mine.”
AGRICULTURE, FOOD & GARDENING
Merry Light writes—Saturday Morning Garden Blogging - A Little Color in a Grey World: “It’s still dreary season out there. This time of year, I have to look for color in nature. Daylight is stretching out a little longer, and since a January thaw allowed me to ramble a little in the yard and do some cleanup, I’m ready for spring to come. There’s still a lot of brown and dun, grey and dirty white in the world, because winter still has an icy grip, even if loosely held for now. Snow is in the forecast for next week again. The sun is warmer, too, and the longer daylight hours have allowed Charlie and I to get out and get some exercise. We like to follow the many different paths in an open space area above one of our retail complexes. The winter folks are usually the dog walkers and the fat tire bikers, since the area still has a lot of snow. I keep an eye on Charlie, because I worry about coyotes and mountain lions in the brush. He loves to be “look-out” and then when I call, he’ll come rushing back down the trail and slide to a stop in the snow, throwing up a plume of it. He’s what we used to call a ‘hot dog’ in the old skiing days. Show off!”
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
BruceMcF writes—Sunday Train: The Steel Interstate & Sustainable Transport in the Age of Trump: “As we set out to fight over the next four years ... and particularly as we fight the next two years with very few points of leverage, struggling to hold together the remnants of our Democratic Republic long enough for a sufficiently honest and sufficiently fair midterm election to restore a national balance of power against our narcissistic new President ... it is important to remember not just what we are against, but also what we are for. I am for taking whatever steps are required to prevent our industrial civilization from succumbing to the consequences of our century and a half of reckless plundering of sequestered carbon ... as if that carbon had not been sequestered as part of the process that was maintaining the benign climate that we have had, and won't have for very much longer. As one part of that, I have advocated for Steel Interstates for over six years now. As a consequence of that advocacy, I came into contact with the Backbone Campaign. The Backbone Campaign had been fighting against coal trains and oil trains and coal terminals and in the process had been challenged to consider whether railroads were an intrinsic enemy, or whether they could be part of the solution to the problems that the Backbone campaign were fighting. So I joined with a team of people to consider how rail could be used as a positive step toward a sustainable future.”
MISCELLANY
Skeptical Raptor writes—DDT effects – Dr. Paul Offit thinks there is a balance: “I don’t judge people by their looks, intelligence, bank account or fame. I only judge people by the good things they have done to save and improve lives. It’s a simple equation. Using a similar life calculator, Dr. Paul Offit, in an article in the Daily Beast, examined the legacy of Rachel Carson, and her groundbreaking book, Silent Spring. Published in the early 1960s, Carson was the first to warn that DDT effects include accumulation in the environment, and by doing so, it could bring harm to wildlife. She also warned that its overuse could make it ineffective. And finally, she said that we should use natural means for pest control, like bacteria that killed the mosquito larvae. If you’re unfamiliar with Paul Offit, he is an inventor of a lifesaving vaccine and provider of scientific information about vaccines – he absolutely cares about human lives, despite the nastiness thrown his way. Dr. Offit’s rotavirus vaccine, which he invented, has saved millions of lives across the world. Who amongst us can make that claim, of saving so many lives? But Dr. Offit looked at something that is generally ignored with regards to the most important of DDT effects – it killed malaria carrying mosquitoes that kills millions of lives. Today, because of DDT, there is no malaria in the USA. But it’s more than just America, Dr. Offit looks carefully at other successes of the pesticide.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—March for Science: It will be Political, but it Shouldn’t: “In the short time since it was announced, the March for Science has generated an impressive amount of coverage. The last month notwithstanding, most marches struggle to get much notice. The highest profile piece was an op-ed in the New York Times that argues the march is a bad idea because it will further polarize and politicize science. The author, a scientist himself, somehow neglects to mention the fact that the Kochs, Exxon and the like have spent millions of dollars over the past few decades politicizing science, funding the GOP and employing surrogates to cast evidence and fact as a liberal conspiracy. As Joe Romm puts it, the piece is simply victim blaming. Scientists haven’t run ads that are contrary to mountains of evidence, or pushed Senators to support oxymoronic “sound science” legislation. Scientists haven’t flooded the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal with conspiracy theories and innuendoes. In a follow-up piece, Romm suggests the marching scientists keep in mind the simple human fact that numbers numb and stories sell. Sage advice from the man who literally wrote the book on language intelligence.”
fll7612 writes—The Daily Bucket: Twelve magical days in Sri Lanka: “This is the first of two buckets about my trip to Sri Lanka. This first piece is about the village where I stayed and the birds and other creatures I encountered there, the second will feature a boat trip I took on a nearby lake and the birds I saw there. [...] On January 3rd I flew to Sri Lanka to visit my sister who has a house by the beach in the island’s southern province. It takes about three and a half hours by car from Colombo to Weligama district. Fascinated as I was by the scenery we passed, I kept nodding off. The flight from London took 10.5 hours and the day before I had flown from NY so I was exhausted. Even though I missed a fair bit, I still managed to see at least 100 Egrets of varying sizes as well as a purple heron, foraging in the nearby paddy fields we passed along the way. As we neared our destination and were stopped at an intersection I saw a cattle egret fly up to a cow and gaze soulfully into its eyes. It was a beautiful moment, my first observation of the close relationship between the two species. [...] The Brown-headed barbet is the largest of Sri Lanka’s varieties. The barbet gets it’s name from the bristles that fringe it’s bill. These large headed birds have short necks and tails and are related to the Toucan. As you can see they love fruit although they also feed on insects.”