Latest Articles
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Liquefied Natural Gas Boom Sparks Safety Worries
The surging popularity of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has local communities where LNG terminals are planned worried about safety. Ships carrying five LNG tanks contain as much energy as a nuclear weapon. If even one of the tanks spilled and the gas ignited, it could cause a fire up to half a mile wide, and […]
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Seas the Day
Enviros Push California to Buy Ocean Areas and Fishing Boats Environmental groups, buoyed by their success in channeling government money to buy large swaths of California coast to protect it from development, have set their sights on the Pacific Ocean. They hope to secure funding to buy boats, fishing permits, and even plots of ocean […]
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Molybdenum? I Barely Know ’em!
Feds Sell Colorado Land to Mining Firm at Rock-Bottom Price Citing a provision in the federal Mining Act of 1872, the Bush administration has sold 155 acres of federal land near the resort community of Crested Butte, Colo., to a multinational mining company for $875. “For less than $1,000, Phelps Dodge has acquired 150 acres […]
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The U.S. has outsourced environmental leadership
On the money. California unveiled the design on its state quarter last week: a picture of John Muir, an image of Half Dome. It’s an apt representation of American environmentalism at the moment — rich in history, but not worth much at present. Modern environmentalism can fairly be described as an American invention. It got […]
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A progressive ranching advocate answers questions
What environmental organization are you affiliated with? The Quivira Coalition, a nonprofit conservation organization based in Santa Fe, N.M. What’s your job title? Executive director and cofounder. What does your organization do? What, in a perfect world, would constitute “mission accomplished”? We work to build bridges between ranchers, environmentalists, public-land managers, scientists, and others in […]
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Talking Trash
New Biomass Process Holds Great Promise Biomass — the process of converting carbon-based waste into fuel — is slowly but surely becoming a viable enterprise. At the forefront are companies like Changing World Technologies Inc.; its first commercial plant, recently built in Carthage, Mo., sees thousands of tons of turkey parts from a nearby Butterball […]
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Watershed Down
California Law Threatens Watershed Restoration Projects An obscure California law may threaten watershed restoration efforts across the state. At issue are the use of volunteers — a common practice by watershed-restoration groups perpetually strapped for cash — and a 2001 law mandating that all workers on public-works projects be paid the prevailing market wage for […]
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No Chemical Left Behind
U.S. State Department Helping Chemical Industry Fight E.U. Regulation Last year, the European Union proposed a plan that would have forced all manufacturers to test industrial chemicals and report on their public-health effects before selling them in Europe. The Bush administration immediately began a lobbying campaign to forestall the move, including several messages sent directly […]
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The EPA has been misoverestimating the fuel economy of cars sold in the U.S., says enviro group
A whole lot of exaggerating going on. If you think the fuel economy of U.S. vehicles is dismal, well, you’re right. Perhaps more right than you know. Official U.S. EPA statistics ascribe a pathetic average of 20.8 miles per gallon to the 2003 car fleet, about 6 percent lower than 15 years ago. The fleet […]
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The Agony of Beef Eat
Amazon Deforestation Driven by Brazilian Beef Industry The explosive growth of cattle farming in Brazil seems to be the primary culprit behind an increase in destruction of the Amazon rainforest, says a report released today. While spreading soybean cultivation and logging frequently get the headlines, the Center for International Forestry Research report says that it […]
