Tuesday, 28 Feb 2006

For decades, conservationists have devoted themselves to monkeywrenching U.S. Forest Service operations with lawsuits, appeals, demonstrations, and tree-sits. That, says longtime forest activist Mitch Friedman, was then. Now the Forest Service is demoralized and underfunded. It's time for conservationists to shift to collaboration and partnership, inspiring the agency toward a new mission: restoring the health of America's national forests. Read this provocative piece and then join the discussion in Gristmill.

No Taxation Without Allocation

Americans would support gas tax in service of green goals, poll finds

Most Americans would support a higher federal gasoline tax if the proceeds went toward ending dependence on foreign oil, reducing global warming, or cutting energy consumption, a new nationwide telephone poll shows. Some 85 percent of adults polled opposed an increased gas tax with no qualifications. But when the funds were to be earmarked for energy-independence and environmental goals, support rose to 55 percent or more. Follow-up interviews affirmed that support. "If it was a tax that would sponsor research for fuel cells or alternative fuel sources, I could buy that," said one Louisiana Republican. The takeaway may be that despite opposition from politicos on both sides of the aisle, Americans are ready to pay more to promote energy conservation -- when they know the money will make a real difference.

I Know You Are, Senator, But What Am I?

Pro-drilling Alaska rep aims to punish anti-drilling Washington senators

In the august halls of government, an unwritten rule has been passed down over the years: If the other kids play mean, don't invite them over. Alaska state Rep. Kurt Olson (R) has sponsored a resolution in the Alaska legislature to end a ferry service that carts about 30,000 people a year between Alaska and Washington state. Olson admits his move is mainly symbolic, intended to put pressure on Washington Sens. Maria Cantwell (D) and Patty Murray (D), who oppose drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. "If you don't support us in what we have going, we have to look at how we are supporting you," said state Rep. Mark Neuman (R), a resolution cosponsor. Through a spokesperson, Cantwell stressed that Washington lawmakers are rubber, and Alaska lawmakers are glue, and what bounces off the former will stick to the latter.

City Slicker

New Yorkers sue Big Oil over decades-old underground contamination

The words "oil spill" tend to summon images of remote coastlines and goo-covered wildlife. But one of the nastiest spills going is in Brooklyn, N.Y.'s Greenpoint neighborhood: a 17-million-gallon underground oil slick (bigger than the Exxon Valdez disaster) that has spread over an area as big as 41 football fields. A legacy of decades-gone oil refineries, the spill was discovered in 1978 and about half has been cleaned out since 1990. But when New York's Department of Environmental Conservation last year suggested it would take another two decades to mop up all the crud, more than 20 Greenpoint residents got fed up -- in December they sued for damages from Exxon, Chevron, and BP. Soil tests by Riverkeeper suggest that the spill may be emitting benzene gas, which can cause leukemia, and methane, which can explode in confined spaces -- like the basements of Brooklyn homes. State health officials say other tests don't show these hazards. Comforting.

Fin and Dandy

Low-mercury fish label debuts in Northern California

If you love fish but avoid it because you're worried about high mercury content, you may be in luck -- if you live in Northern California, that is. Pacific Seafood Group, a large fish wholesaler, has partnered with Holiday Quality Foods, a chain of 19 grocery stores in rural Northern California, to test-market fish labeled as low-mercury. Fish to be sold under the new Safe Harbor brand will be tested for mercury before being packaged, and only those with mercury levels well below the FDA-recommended level of one part per million will make the cut. At least half of the fish tested are expected to be rejected -- which is scary. If Safe Harbor proves to be a safe venture, certified low-mercury fish may show up in other markets in the future.