Election Erections

C.01- End of Oil and Democracy?

"...In the end, the choice of these two alternatives—Grab the Oil or Energy Reconfiguration—is much bigger than oil alone. It is a choice about the fundamental ethos and, in fact, the very nature of the country. Most immediately, it is about democracy versus empire. In economic terms, it is about prosperity or poverty. In engineering terms, it is a matter of efficiency over waste. In moral terms this is the choice of sufficiency or gluttony. From the standpoint of the environment, it is a preference for stewardship over continued predation. In the ways the US deals with other countries it is the choice of co-operation versus dominance. And in spiritual terms, it is the choice of hope, freedom and purpose over fear, dependency and despair. In this sense, this is truly the decision that will define the future of America and perhaps the world. ..." --Robert Freeman, Common Dreams; read more on cite

Earth Democracy; Vandana Shiva Interview

--Sara Van Gelder

"...The notion [of Earth Democracy] comes from a very ancient category in Indian thought. Just like Chief Seattle talked about being in the web of life, in India we talk about vasudhaiva kutumbkam, which means the earth family. Indian cosmology has never separated the human from the non-human—we are a continuum. When the issue of the patenting of life emerged, for example, there were two levels of response from those opposing this practice in India. The one level was resistance: “This is immoral. Life is not an invention. Life cannot be a monopoly. You cannot sell us the seeds you stole from us, and you cannot charge us royalties for the product of nature’s intelligence and centuries of human innovation.” The second level was the reclaiming of democracy: people claimed the right to look after their biodiversity and use it sustainably. ..." --Sara Van Gelder, YES Magazine; read more on cite

Peering Through the Bushes

--Bush Greenwatch

"More than 30 years ago, prize-winning journalist Ed Flattau began writing the country's first nationally syndicated column on the environment, and for the past four years he has occupied a ringside seat at George W. Bush's assault against nature...Flattau's [new book] ...dissects the administration's assault on the environment and exposes the many fallacies on which the President bases environmental policy....

"...Flattau reviews Bush's deplorable record on the environment as governor of Texas, when that state was 49th in spending to acquire new parklands. ...

"As governor, Mr. Bush allowed oil, gas, and chemical companies to avoid mandatory emission reductions, calling instead for voluntary reductions. Surprise: fewer than 10 percent of those companies heeded his call. ...

"Under the banners of "balance" and "sound science," Flattau documents how the President and his cohorts have worked to undo almost every aspect of the nation's environmental progress of the past 40 years.

"Wherever possible, the administration cloaks its attack on the environment in soothing words like "healthy forests initiative" and "clear skies initiative," while delivering the opposite. Flattau describes how the administration scorns UN and other international treaties designed to protect the environment, leaving many countries to conclude that the U.S. has virtually become a rogue nation. ..." --Bush Greenwatch; read more on cite

Defending NEPA from Assault

--Natural Resources Defense Council

"...The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a landmark environmental statute that has protected America's natural heritage on land and sea. For over 30 years, NEPA has provided an essential tool in helping federal managers do their jobs. When done right, it promotes sound and accepted decisions. Specifically, NEPA requires federal agencies to study and disclose the environmental effects of their actions and to include the public in their decisionmaking.

"Opportunities exist to achieve NEPA's goals more effectively and efficiently. Yet the Bush administration and some in Congress are now acting to circumvent, rather than improve, NEPA.

"...President Bush has set up a NEPA task force headed by the Council on Environmental Quality. Its mission is to "help federal agencies update their practices and procedures and better integrate NEPA into federal agency decision making" (67 Fed. Reg. 45511 (July 9, 2002)). The NEPA Task Force issued its report and recommendations on September 24. While the administration talks about enhancing NEPA, many of its actions are meant to circumvent the process. From logging on national forests to offshore oil drilling to highway projects, the administration seeks to shield from NEPA's requirements federal activities with serious environmental consequences. ..." --NRDC/NEPA Backgrounder, 9/24/03; read more on cite

Audubon Society Opposes HR3320

--Audubon News, Washington, DC, Thursday, June 24, 2004

"Gregory S. Butcher, Ph.D., director of Bird Conservation for the National Audubon Society, today gave testimony opposing H.R. 3320, the American Aquaculture and Fishery Resources Protection Act, to the U.S. House of Representatives. HR 3320 transfers management of migratory bird species from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). His complete testimony follows:

“Audubon is opposed to H.R. 3320. This legislation proposes to strip away 85 years of migratory bird conservation progress under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by giving control over the take of migratory birds to an agency –APHIS – that has no mandate to conserve populations of migratory birds. In addition, the legislation proposes to exempt the Department of Agriculture from the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for any desired migratory bird management activities. The effect of this bill on migratory birds is clear: If it flies, it dies. ..." Audubon News; read more on cite

National Park Service Retirees Spurned

--Campaign To Protect Americas Lands

"1/22/04:...The White House has declined to meet with representatives of 183 concerned National Park Service (NPS) retirees who today sent President George Bush a letter expressing grave concerns that "actions are being taken in the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service that are short-changing, ignoring or violating the long-standing legislation and policies comprising the mission of the National Park Service. ... The letter signers are members of the Coalition of Concerned National Park Services Retirees. The signers of the letter represent over 6000 years of NPS experience and include one former director, two former deputy directors, eight former regional directors and 62 former park superintendents. .." --Campaign to Protect America's Lands read more on cite

Communities and Drought

--U.S.DOE; Smart Communities Network

"Many communities are finding that providing adequate water supplies for growing populations can be a real challenge. The challenge is increased when communities face drought in addition to increasing water demands. As cities, counties, states and regions across the country deal with water shortages, they have come up with a number of different approaches to the issue. While some communities have taken a policy approach, limiting development based on proof of available water supplies, other communities have turned to creative conservation and efficiency incentives as a means of extending current supplies. Recognizing that water scarcity is likely to recur, some communities have put an emphasis on planning for drought before it happens, in order to mitigate its effects.

"This page offers a portal to current news items and events relevant to how communities deal with drought..." -- US Dept. of Energy; Smart Communities Network; read more on cite

Dirty Air, Dirty Power

--Clean Air Task Force, June 2004

"Dirty Air, Dirty Power documents, for the first time, how many heart attacks and lung cancer deaths are caused each year by coal-fired power plants. Nationally, power plant pollution cuts short nearly 24,000 lives, including 2,800 from lung cancer, and causes 38,200 heart attacks each year.

"The study also finds that each of those people whose lives were cut short because of power plant pollution lost an average of 14 years, dying earlier than they would have otherwise. Dirty Air, Dirty Power is based on an analysis by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s own air quality consultants using standard EPA methodology. ..." --Clean Air Task Force, June 2004, read more on cite

Nuclear Waste - LWVNV says NIMBY

--The League of Women Voters of Nevada

"...The League of Women Voters of Nevada opposes Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham's recommendation of Yucca Mountain as the site for a repository for the permanent disposal of the nation's irradiated fuel and high-level nuclear waste.... the Secretary said that compelling national interests require the Department of Energy to complete the siting process and move forward with the development of a repository. We disagree with the Secretary's conclusions.

"The mission of the League of Women Voters of Nevada, as a nonpartisan political organization, is to encourage the informed and active participation of citizens in government, and to empower citizens to shape better communities. We work to build public participation in the democratic process. The people of Nevada have not been afforded the opportunity to participate in, or been given the chance to influence decision making regarding the Yucca Mountain program. Public acceptance is a major factor in many such programs in other countries, but the fact that over 80% of Nevadans oppose this project has been ignored..." --The League of Women Voters, 2002 read more on cite

Bush's Drilling - RMI's Alternative

--Rocky Mountain Institute via The Aspen Times

"President Bush's national energy policy gives a green light to drilling rigs in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and 52,000-pound "thumper trucks" rumbling outside of Arches National Park in search of oil.
The folks at the Rocky Mountain Institute in Snowmass figured Americans might like to know that alternatives exist...." --The Aspen Times, read more on cite