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With the Katrina-anniversary media gone, the hard work continues

A version of this piece originally appeared on the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors website. FEMA trailer camp, Plaquemines Parish, La. Photo: Marni Rosen The many communities of color along the Gulf Coast, be they African American, Creole, Native American, or Vietnamese American, have much in common — and not just because they’re still struggling to get […]

Chertoff waives environmental laws to continue border-fence construction

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff waived several environmental laws on Monday in order to continue construction of nearly seven miles of the sprawling fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. Work on the section that crosses the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area near Naco, Ariz., had been halted due to a ruling two weeks ago that […]

Atmospheric CO2 rises more than expected since 2000

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing more than expected due to less-efficient use of fossil fuels, and carbon sinks that are absorbing less carbon, according to research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Overall, “atmospheric carbon dioxide growth has increased 35 percent faster than expected since 2000,” […]

Phasing out leaded gasoline may have reduced crime rates, says research

Thank the Clean Air Act for significantly reducing violent crime rates in the U.S., says researcher Jessica Wolpaw Reyes. The legislation was behind the phaseout of leaded gasoline in the 1970s and ’80s, which significantly reduced blood levels of the heavy metal in Americans. The arc of lead-exposure rates seems to match the arc of […]

Vermont named greenest state in Forbes ranking

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, which is the greenest state of all? Far from eco-nonchalant, Forbes ranks ’em all and picks Vermont.

Quote of the day

“I think there is a handful of people who hate America. Unfortunately for them, a lot of them are losing their homes in a forest fire today.” — CNN and syndicated radio host Glenn Beck, on the wildfires that have raged across San Diego county, killing at least one person, injuring four firefighters, scorching 100,000 […]

Bush courts anglers, Georgia declares state of emergency over drought, and more

Read the articles mentioned at the end of the podcast: Coming in From the Coal How’s My Drying? Call 1-800-F-U-Species Angling for Love in All the Wrong Places Transmission: Impossible How Green Was Myanmar’s Valley? Read the articles mentioned at the end of the podcast: Paul on the Record Ghoul, Interrupted Jet vs. Vette

Georgia declares state of emergency due to drought, anger at species protections

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) declared a state of emergency in 85 of the state’s 159 counties due at least in part to anger at endangered-species protections for critters downstream that the governor says take up too much water. The governor asked President Bush to issue a federal disaster declaration that would provide low-interest loans […]

Bush touts sport-fishing executive order and migratory-bird conservation plan

President Bush this weekend speechified and photo-op’ed for the environment, specifically courting the hunting and angling crowd through a fishing trip and wildlife refuge visit touting an executive order for sport fishing and conservation measures for migratory birds. The president’s migratory-bird plan involves asking Congress to increase tax incentives for landowners who donate conservation easements, […]

California to sue EPA to force decision on vehicle-emissions waiver

California is expected to follow through on its threat to sue the U.S. EPA this week for not yet deciding whether to give the state the waiver it needs to implement its 2002 law limiting greenhouse-gas emissions from cars. The state’s law requires a nearly 30 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2016, which experts […]