Republicans launched their assault against EPA and the Supreme Court Wednesday, arguing that regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act would hurt jobs. EPA chief Lisa Jackson said EPA was protecting people's health. Rep. Henry Waxman produced a document that seemed to say the Bush EPA agreed with Jackson. Divisions are so close that Congress may actually do little on the issue.
The massive trove of diplomatic cables disclosed by Wikileaks disclosed one of the Obama administration's darkest environmental secrets — that the U.S. held secret diplomatic talks on climate change during the run-up to the December 2009 Copenhagen meeting.
"Looming U.S. rules that power utilities face on air pollution could create nearly 1.5 million jobs over the next five years, according to a report."
"When he releases his new budget ..., President Obama will propose doing away with roughly $4 billion a year in subsidies and tax breaks for oil companies, in his third effort to eliminate federal support for an industry that remains hugely profitable."
"A congenital defect combined with U.S. government plans to kill bison exposed to an infectious cattle disease could doom America's last wild herd of pure-bred buffalo at Yellowstone National Park, a genetics expert said in a new study."
"The Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the Pacific walrus, greatly recovered from decades of slaughter but facing stress in the warming Arctic climate, merits protection under the Endangered Species Act. But the species, like others that face rising pressure but are not in imminent danger, will for now remain in the regulatory equivalent of an overcrowded hospital triage department."
Which has a stronger influence on human thinking -- power, money, ideology, or science? House Energy Chairman Fred Upton's recent denial that humans are causing climate change casts science as the weakling in the ring. His switch comes even as new documents reveal that the Bush White House overruled EPA science findings on climate -- even though former EPA head Stephen Johnson testified under oath to the contrary.
"Bruce Power has been given the go-ahead to transport 16 decommissioned steam generators from southwestern Ontario to Sweden for recycling."
"U.S. agricultural regulators on Friday said despite a court ban, they would allow commercial planting of genetically modified sugar beets under closely controlled conditions while they complete a full environmental impact statement."
"Conservation groups served notice on Friday that they would file suit accusing the federal government of failing to protect leatherback sea turtles along the U.S. West Coast as required under the Endangered Species Act."
