Pollution

August 12, 2008 -- UC Davis' annual Lake Tahoe health report finds that the long-term warming trend first described by UC Davis last year continues, that 2007 was the 14th driest year on record, and that clarity improved over 2006.

Issued today, the "Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2008" says that the impact of smoke and ash from last summer's Angora Fire on the lake's clarity was small, though measurable. However, it cautions that it is too early to say what the impact from pollutants carried to the lake by streams and urban runoff in the burn area will be. A consortium of researchers is monitoring the long-term effects of the fire, which burned 3,100 acres at Lake Tahoe; the report says the fire's impact will not be known for several years.    » read more »

Aug. 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON -- NASA awarded a total of $97,000 in prizes at the 2008 General Aviation Technology Challenge. The challenge asked competitors to demonstrate innovations that would lead to aircraft that are safer, more affordable, easier to fly and also have less of a negative impact on the environment and on the communities that surround airports.

The challenge was managed by the Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency, or CAFE, Foundation at the Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, Calif., from Aug. 4 through Aug. 10. All competitors had experimental licenses, as required by the Federal Aviation Administration, since aircraft were modified with new innovations for this competition.    » read more »

First New Coal Mine in MT in Three Decades

(HELENA) – Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer today joined tribal leaders of the Crow Nation as well as executives from Australian-American Energy Company (AAEC) in announcing that the tribe and company have formed a partnership to move forward on a coal-to-liquid facility and a new mine to be located on the Crow Reservation.

“Montana is on the move,” said Governor Schweitzer. “This project means supplying American energy produced by American workers to the country. This is the first new coal mine in Montana in 30 years and will be a significant contributor to our nation’s energy security.”    » read more »

Gov. Palin Thanks Lawmakers for Energy Package

August, 2008, Juneau, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today thanked state lawmakers for successfully addressing Alaskans’ energy needs in the recently completed special sessions, both in the short term by passing an energy relief package, and in the long term by authorizing a gasline license under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act.

“The members of the Alaska Legislature worked honorably and diligently in the past two months to deal with these critical issues facing our state. I join with all Alaskans in recognizing and thanking them for their accomplishments,” Governor Palin said.

Resource Rebate and Energy    » read more »

Washington, D.C.-Between 2000 and 2007, carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion worldwide increased 22 percent to an estimated 8.2 billion tons, according to the latest Vital Signs Update released by the Worldwatch Institute. China accounted for a staggering 57 percent of the growth in emissions during this period, while India contributed 8 percent and the United States and Europe contributed 4 and 3 percent, respectively.    » read more »

Statements on S.B. 375 by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV)

SACRAMENTO (August 6, 2008) – State lawmakers announced a breakthrough agreement in negotiations over a landmark bill to reduce global warming pollution through better land-use planning. Senate Bill 375 by Sen. Darrell Steinberg would give local governments incentives to build more compact neighborhoods and provide more transportation alternatives. The bill is sponsored by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV).

Following is a statement by Ann Notthoff, NRDC California Advocacy Director:    » read more »

McCain Touts Plan at Nuke Plant That Partially Melted Down, Gave Rise to Term "China Syndrome" & Caught Fire Just This Past May

August, 2008 -- Washington, D.C.--As John McCain is paying a visit today to the Enrico Fermi nuclear generating station in Monroe, Michigan he can be expected to tout his costly plan to build 45 new nuclear plants by 2030 and 55 more after that. This plan would effectively double the number of nuclear reactors and the amount of dangerous high-level nuclear waste that would need to be transported across the country.    » read more »

‘Fighting Goliath’ Shows How Citizens Can Stop Coal Plants From Threatening Arkansas

August, 2008 -- Arkansas residents will get a chance this week to see how they can stand up to proposed coal-fired power plants with special screenings in Fayetteville, Little Rock and Hope of the documentary "Fighting Goliath: Texas Coal Wars."

Public Citizen and other groups are organizing the screenings of the film produced by Robert Redford, which follows a group of Texas activists who took on a big power company’s plan to build 11 coal-fired generators in their state. The activists, who included members of Public Citizen’s Texas office, succeeded in defeating several of the plants.    » read more »

August 4, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate last week passed legislation authored by U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) to allow states to regulate solid waste processing facilities along rail lines. It was included as part of larger rail safety legislation also sponsored by Lautenberg.

The rail waste legislation is based on Lautenberg’s Clean Railroads Act of 2007, which targets a loophole in federal law that prohibits states from enforcing environmental, health and safety regulations at these rail sites. This loophole has allowed railroad companies to pile trash, largely consisting of construction debris, at times two stories high that can cause serious health and environmental risks to residents who live near these sites.    » read more »

4 August 2008 -- As China makes last minute preparations to host the Olympics, the environment is proving to be one major wild card that Chinese leaders cannot totally control. Olympic host city Beijing has some of the most polluted air in the world. Despite measures aimed at clearing the skies, the air is still often a disturbing murky gray.

These days, people watch the skies above Beijing closely. Some days, especially after it rains, the skies are relatively clear.

More often than not, though, a thick murky haze fills the air and makes it nearly impossible to see nearby buildings.

What is causing Beijing's gray skies? Is it natural phenomena, or is it pollution?    » read more »

7/22/08 -- With the president's July 21 signature of the Maritime Pollution Protection Act of 2008, U.S. agencies are setting course to implement a key international agreement to reduce air pollution from large ships. This key step clears the way for U.S. ratification of the international treaty regulating emissions – known as MARPOL Annex VI -- from large diesel-powered, ocean-going vessels.

Under MARPOL Annex VI, container ships, tankers, cruise ships and bulk carriers must limit NOx emissions from their category three diesel engines. It also sets a cap on the sulfur content of the fuel they burn and includes a program for designating areas where more stringent fuel controls apply, such as near coastlines that have more severe air quality concerns.    » read more »

June 23, 2008 -- When John McCain is in California this week he will no doubt try to tie himself to Gov. Schwarzenegger and distance himself from President Bush. But when it comes to offshore drilling, an important issue to coastal states, like California, Senator McCain is on Bush's--not Schwarzenegger's--side.

When McCain announced last week he wanted to lift the moratorium on offshore drilling, President Bush and big oil were quick to side with him, even though the idea has been met with much criticism and would do nothing to solve our short-term energy crisis. Just as bad, Senator McCain himself campaigned against off-shore drilling in states like Oregon, Maine, and even California in the run-up to the 2000 election.    » read more »

June 23, 2008 -- After years of saying he opposed drilling in our coastal waters, Senator McCain changed his position and has embraced President Bush's vision for offshore drilling. On CBS's Face the Nation, McCain advisor Carly Fiorina tried to defend John McCain's decision to cave in to Big Oil.

Offshore oil rig: Photo by arbyreed (CC)    » read more »

June 20, 2008 -- This week John McCain reversed himself again, announcing that he now supports lifting the moratorium on off-shore drilling despite previously opposing such a plan to reverse decades of U.S. policy. McCain and President Bush stood behind the plan even though it does nothing to address current gas prices, it would take years to see a drop of oil from these leases, and oil industry execs already have thousands of untapped leases at their disposal.    » read more »

June 17, 2008 -- During his campaign John McCain has tried to create distance from the Bush Administration by talking tough on the environment. But you just never know which John McCain you're going to get. Today, Senator McCain will cave to his friends in the oil and gas industries by declaring that he supports lifting the federal moratorium on drilling exploration, even though he supported the moratorium the last time he ran for president and has opposed drilling off the coast of places like Florida, North Carolina, Oregon, and Maine.    » read more »