Climate Politics
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Demetrio do Amaral de Carvalho champions East Timor’s environment
De Carvalho. Photo: Goldman Environmental Prize. East Timor is the world’s newest country. Once a Portuguese colony, the tiny Southeast Asian nation covers half of a 300-mile-long coral island. When Portugal withdrew from the island in the mid-1970s, East Timor became a disputed territory, and for decades it was devastated by civil war and Indonesian […]
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The Hydrogenator
California Governor Gives a Boost to Hydrogen Infrastructure California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) is trying to kick-start the so-called hydrogen revolution. Yesterday, he signed an executive order establishing a public-private partnership aimed at building a network of some 200 hydrogen fueling stations in the state by 2010, at an estimated cost of $100 million. (California […]
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New “quiet” snowmobiles in Yellowstone are anything but
A vroom with a view. Photo: Greater Yellowstone Coalition. You might think a winter job in the snowy recesses of Yellowstone National Park would guarantee perks along the lines of, say, peace and quiet. Au contraire. In light of a recent study conducted for the National Park Service, many Yellowstone employees are being advised to […]
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An interview with Bush’s point person on species and parks
Craig Manson. Craig Manson is the man President Bush selected to protect America’s critters. And like many top dogs in this administration, he’s not exactly considered a good friend of the environmental community. As assistant interior secretary for fish, wildlife, and parks, Manson implements the Endangered Species Act, determines the direction of the National Park […]
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Jeffords’ bid to block EPA appointments could have welcome side effects
Jeffords speaking his mind. Photo: U.S. Senate. Asserting that he was confronting “truly life-and-death matters,” Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.) announced last week that as ranking member of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works he would exercise his powers to put a hold on four high-level appointments to the U.S. EPA. “I’m sorry […]
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Taxpayers could get stuck with tab for new diesel rules
When the Bush administration wants to gin up some environmental cred, it cites efforts underway to slash diesel emissions by requiring trucking companies to switch to cleaner engines. But the untold story is that it may be the taxpayers — not the polluters — who end up footing much of the bill. Big Mac attack. […]
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Bipartisan House bill may signal growing consensus on climate change
Gilchrest (left) and Olver, the new climate warriors. Photo: U.S. House. The nascent congressional effort to fight global warming has spread to the House — but supporters acknowledge that it’s not likely to receive an especially warm welcome from the chamber’s leadership. Last week, a motley bipartisan crew of representatives including Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.) and […]
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USDA’s Mark Rey drags feet on releasing info about forest policymaking
Mark Rey. Photo: USFS. According to lawyers from Defenders of Wildlife, Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey, who oversees the U.S. Forest Service, seems to be pulling some moves out of the Dick Cheney playbook — the very same tricks of evasion and secrecy that have jeopardized the vice president’s reputation in the fiasco surrounding his energy […]
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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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Fuel economy grows as a campaign issue, making some Michigan Dems nervous
Gassing up. It seemed oddly off-message: John Kerry stood before an audience of thousands of California liberals yesterday at a rally at the University of California at San Diego, roasting the petroleum-hungry Bush administration for letting gas prices escalate. “I’ll use real diplomacy to do what George Bush hasn’t — pressure OPEC to start providing […]
