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Bush Must Release Global Warming Reports
SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge ordered the Bush administration to issue two scientific reports on global warming, siding with environmentalists who sued the White House for failing to produce the documents.
U.S. District Court Judge Saundra Armstrong ruled Tuesday that the Bush administration had violated a 1990 law when it failed to meet deadlines for an updated U.S. climate change research plan and impact assessment.
Armstrong set a March 1 deadline for the administration to issue the research plan, which is meant to guide federal research on climate change. Federal law calls for an updated plan every three years, she said. The last one was issued in 2003.
The judge set a May 31 deadline to produce a national assessment containing the most recent scientific data on global warming and its projected effects on the country's environment, economy and public health. The government is required to complete a national assessment every four years, the judge ruled.
The last one was issued by the Clinton administration in 2000.
The administration had claimed that it had discretion over how and when it produced the reports - an argument the judge rejected Tuesday.
"The defendants are wrong," Armstrong wrote in the 38-page ruling. "Congress has conferred no discretion upon the defendants as to when they will issue revised Research Plans and National Assessments."
The plaintiffs - the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace - said the ruling was a rebuke to an administration that has systematically denied and suppressed information on global warming.
"It's a huge victory holding the administration accountable for its attempts to suppress science," said Kassie Siegel, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the plaintiffs that filed suit in Oakland federal court in November.
Bush administration officials were still reviewing the ruling Tuesday and could not comment on it directly, said Kristin Scuderi, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy, which was named in the lawsuit.
But the administration is complying with the law, Scuderi said. The U.S. Climate Change Science Program is working on 21 separate reports on global warming's projected effects on the U.S and has started to prepare a new research plan, she said.
© 2007 The Associated Press.
40 Comments so far
Show AllWhy give the current occupant almost another year to comply?
Already 3 years late...so let's set the limit at 4?
Make the shrub release the information now, while it may still do at least SOME good!
Yet another impeachable offense.
I find it funny that people still think Bush is going to follow the law. Such grand delusions.
The dangerous manipulation of essential scientific data used by Bush's team to conceal and derail corrective measures for this threat and other vital environmental reforms has always been apparent--and all indicators show no change in their direction.
Those who still debunk the consensus of the non political & dedicated international scientific community join Bush right wing's war on science, & our planet. Rather than pursuing even modest effort to understand the effects and consequences of mans activities they follow the misleading and even deceptive data issued by the right wing and energy cartel.
Evidence linking carbon pollution to warming has long been as close to certain as science can be. Its causes, consequences, and mitigation requirements have been documented by many dedicated environmental organizations including The Union of Concerned Scientists.
Often overlooked is the fact that the same measures needed to mitigate global warming would be necessary even if it were not an issue. Conservation, alternative energy development, anti- pollution refinements, etc are essential for other vital environmental reforms such as air and water quality, reductions in toxic waste generation, land preservation, etc.
Contrary to right wing assertions, greenhouse gas reduction measures could only improve our economy by lessening our trade deficits, and improving our security by reducing our dependance on foreign oil. We could also regain some of our lost world respect resulting from our opposition Kyoto while arrogantly contributing disproportionally to carbon pollution.
The immeasurable environmental and social destruction from our indifference to carbon pollution and related environmental measures can only worsen if we allow this reckless and unlearned president, guided by special interests to continue their war on our planet.
They've been too busy bombing and killing people in the middle east to take their oil, which they are intent on burning and causing more global warming.
It's a real horror to see such hard headed monsters with so much power.
Follow Up to my 8/22'2:43PM comment--
Bush team will find a way to manipuilate the law and avoid surrendering these documents, as they have always managed to do on previous issues.
The only means of ending these destructive abuses is removal of Bush & Chaney from office.him from office now.
seems like a threat our national security.
and seeing how ANY act against our national security is an act of terrorism...
gitmo's got a nice slab of concrete for ya, georgie.
I don't expect Bush to hand over the documents - he'll claim executive privilege.
Don't forget, we are also still waiting for the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) that we "released" in Feb 2007, but which is still being edited by the White House.
Obviously you folk missed the news that the numbers behind the warmie scam have been proved to be lies. Hansen admits it, and the numbers that last month were reason enough for everyone to have to give up everything are suddenly unimportant.
You LudLibs are so easy.
Yes, one set of numbers recorded by a UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AGENCY disagree with the numbers of thousands of other agencies, government and otherwise, from THE REST OF THE WORLD, so I guess we need to throw them all out and declare victory for the neocons. Send some ice-cold beer up to the polar bears so they can celebrate too.
I just got back form Nordic Europe and it's no lie. I'm no scientist so I won't get into the cause, but global warming is real. In Denmark alone the ponds in Copenhagen used to freeze over every winter, but they haven't done so in the last 15 years. Throughout Norway, Sweeden and Finland they all have stories aobut how the warmer weather is affectign their lives. You don't notice down south, but who would with their head shoved up their ass? So, whatever to the naysayers. I hope you're right, for the sake of your children, not mine; I'm smart enough to not have any.
LudLib? Luddite Liberal, I assume? Is that one of Rush's new words, or did you come up with that one yourself? Brilliant! Teach it to your grandkids.
I used to think that THE impeachable for Bush/Cheney was the trampling on our rights and trampling on the Constitution. Now I think that it is ignoring the obvious global warming problem thus insuring a very questionable future for our grandchildren. Constitutional rights won't mean much in a world that doesn't exist.
Who really needs a late, redacted report from Bush to know that our Earth is changing? If, in fact, you really believe that human activity is the cause of this "warming" - what have you personally done to slow it?
Cut back on Driving? Bought a hybrid car? Turned the heat down and the a/c up? Installed solar panels on your house? Only buy locally produced products? Stopped buying from companies you know are polluters? Do not wait for a corrupt administration and the corporate elite to change their ways, as that is not likely to happen any time soon.
To make a real impact, you must be willing to endure economic difficulties and other hardships - I do not notice too many people in my community willing to actually give up any part of their comfortable lifestyles.
I am sure that through our own activities we have polluted our air and caused untold damage to our environment, but I do not believe there is enough evidence to show that the monumental changes we are experiencing are caused solely, or even mainly, by driving SUV's and burning coal. I think it is much more likely that the Earth, the Sun and our solar system are following an ancient cycle of perpetual change. These changes take hundreds of years to come to fruition, unless a major incident (like Yellowstone erupting or a hit from a large asteroid) intervenes. So, I believe we should make every effort to change our ways and live more in unison with nature, but we should not be deluded into thinking that we can change the ways of the universe.
Fear and Loathing in WDC. Divide and Rule is and has always been the Bushit credo. Mr. Foad mentioned the trampling of rights and the Constitution. These have never, never been any impediment to any sort of tyranny as practiced by the Bush Administration. What will this blithering idiot do next? Just wait and see, the drain is approaching and none of us has a row boat.
THROW HIM IN JAIL!
Bush is something else! In addition to causing immense damage to our worldwide reputation, devastation and at least 1 million killed in Iraq, major setbacks to the environment, and bitter divisions among Americans, he wantonly drags his heels on all kinds of requirements, in effect thumbing his nose at Congress and the courts. Why won't they bring impeachment hearings!
George W. Bush has not governed this country; rather, he has campaigned for his party -- the Republican Party. He should be impeached for many, many reasons. His is a failed presidency. Run him and Cheney out of office for the good of the country.
There are natural cycles of warming related to the Sun etc. The last natural warming cycle peaked in 1985. So 1986 should have been colder than 1985 and it should be much colder now. But it isn't. It's the all powerful, invisible hand of the free market.
I wonder what the effect of the gunfire and explosives being used in Iraq has on global warming?? I cannot believe all that we have had to endure with this President. Why can't we get him impeached!!???
It seems to be that it doesn't matter what the issues are, side stepping the law, overriding Congress and the Constitution and getting away with it is just the game. And Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney and a few others are very good at playing it.
I'm a ludlib and proud of it.
Robert SETTGAST: Excellent posting. I cannot imagine the type of individual who still enjoys the conceit that they can live any way they want, drive a gas guzzler and let it just keep fouling the air in some parking lot to keep the fat relatives cool while someone runs in for potato chips or whatever; people who could care less about making a smaller footprint. It's traggic that so many have been hoodwinked into thinking what they do does not matter, and therefore they do nothing, and lots of them are told it's God's will that they are prosperous, and therefore they can continue to go forth and multiply their prosperity in the form of more, bigger, faster, "better" useless STUFF. Why are so many Americans fat? It's a metaphor for how they live... taking too much! Even if we would prefer NOT to simplify, the varied strands in the big web inclusive of environmental destabilization and the weakening US dollar, added to some form of karmic blowback is going to force that level of adaptation upon us within the next 10 years. I have a friend training his body to eat little, and I have also learned to eat little and use mostly what is essential. Our economy is built upon a surfeit of the senses, and as the professor Emeritus Robert E Lane explained in his book, "The Loss of Happiness in Market Democracies," all this more crap hardly makes for happier lives. There's not much that's better than walking under the stars at night in a peaceful place, or sitting by a waterfall or stream that's still close to pure. THESE treasures are disappearing... to be replaced by malls and plastic themeparks and other "pay per view" experiences. It's a sell-out that is ultimately a holocaust against Nature, the GREAT MOTHER.
Chaney had the oil companies write all these reports in that secret meeting the taxpayers paid for but can't even get a list of attendees.
Maybe if we pay Haliburton enough they will write a report. That will provide the 2 opinions the media needs to cover an issue.
That one itty bitty set of numbers was the heart of Hansen's folly, his predictive program and his publicity, up until the sophmoric errors in collection and masaging were, with no help from Hansen, proved. One of your LudLibs - tell us how to calculate the average temperature of earth and then tell us what good the number is for anything. That should be good for a laugh.
Wouldn't it be better to just let the ostriches suffocate themselves in the sand?
You're right Walter, there is no Global Warming, there is a Santa Claus and you are not in OZ. Oh yeah, and there is an old, grey bearded old man that lives in the sky and wants us to attack Iran immediately, better get on that right away, GO ENLIST!
After six plus years, y'all still do not comprehend where you and Unamerica are. You denigrate Bush, then allow him to do anything he wants to. You, any one of you, or I, can tomorrow be labeled an "enemy combatant" by some rookie clerk in the Justice Department, recently graduated from Pat Robertson's Regal University Law school, and who desires to make a big impression on his masters, and your ass or mine will be shipped to Gitmo or one of the ports of rendition, with ZERO constitutional protection. You laugh at this Bush guy, while he is totally in charge of your life or your death. Hey guys, get some respect -- better yet, stop the treachery and madness, if you dare -- and you really aint dared yet!
Anyone not in a high office (e.g. any friend of Bush and Cheney) is subject to laws with criminal penalties, passed by Congress and enforced by any judge. Bush can probably escape impeachment by holding the Republican Party hostage for a year more, but everyone else will have to cut a deal for a pardon after the conviction.
As for the reports, we can guess that they're way too conservative. We see evidence that global warming is spiraling now.
CO2 is accelerating its rise mostly because the poor world is substituting burning down forests for oil, which has gotten too expensive. Siberia is generating oodles of methane as the permafrost melts. As I write, the North Pole's new ocean is sucking up and storing the summer sunshine. Greenland's very top layer of ice has changed and is also sucking up the sun 4 times faster than normal.
Walter E. Wallis. I just have a few questions for you. The first is: why would any person or group of people want to create some myth about Global Warming? What purpose would it serve them and what would they have to gain from it? Another question is could you please tell me why it is not in everyone's interest to try and protect this planet we all live on?
I'm sure you enjoy the outdoors and if you are drinking water or swimming/fishing in some lake or other place like the ocean that you would like to be doing it in a clean, unpolluted area.
What is so terrible about being concerned about the quality of our environment? I'm sure that you would not like to live in a house that is filled with garbage and filthy and would prefer a clean bed to sleep in, wouldn't you?
Maybe you don't care about you personal hygiene and by extension, the cleanliness of the world, but many people do care.
Will Bush comply with the judges orders to release environmental data?
Don't anyone hold their breath. How often do you read about some judge or Congressional member threatening to hold Bush and Cheney accountable? All of the time, yet nothing gets done, no one gets impeached, and Gonzales continues to support Bush with his legal tango. It's all rhetoric, promises, and yet nothing gets done. This White House gets its way no matter, and who in Federal Courts has the nerve to bring these criminals to justice. Sure, the experts tell the American public that wrongs have been made by this bunch, but nothing gets done.
Not this time JUDI. This time it was a 'federal' judge that ordered it. Yeah baby, got Bush this time. WHOOOPEEE!
Hybridoma: Best not to respond at all to shills. Apparently, they make some kind of cut for every response they get.
Does anyone know more about these jokers and their operations? I would like to know more about them. Can anyone actually list an organization that offers money to rebut news blogs like CommonDreams? Is the American Enterprise Institute or American Heritage Foundation involved? How much do you get for an anti-global warming piece? Do they get paid by the word or what?
Ruthru,I think you give the posters (like Walter Wallis) that you call "shills" too much credit: No one would be willing to pay a penny for the tripe they dispense. No, they are merely stating their own personal opinions. In that respect, they are just like the rest of us--only much stupider.
You have to think of them as performing a public service. Without them you wouldn't know the latest right-wing talking points and disinformation campaigns; you'd have to listen to Rush Limbaugh yourself.
Citing concerns the Arctic could become the next Al Qaeda stronghold, Bush has ordered the Pentagon to come up with a plan to melt the polar ice caps.
G.W. Bush has said that he does not have to explain himself to anyone, he is the President. With that kind of attitude, people can see why he refuses to do lots of things. The neocons want an imperial presidency and Bush liked Nixon, who tried to keep everything secret. He has tried to hush up science and spin their written work to suit the neocons. It is a wonder anyone puts up with this guy at all. Clinton would have never gotten away with any of this stuff..they hounded Clinton for trivial matters, Bush's are ALL major violations of law as president!
ruthru
interesting, i would also like to know if anyone knows about this shill thing. maybe WmC is working for them too.........yikes.
Walter E. Wallis I have some more questions for you. So Wally Waller I have noticed you spewing Rush crud, like he knows. IS this true? Are you a ditto head? Nothing you write really makes sense, did you notice? How much do you make from your time, can you drink at work? It sounds like it. Have you noticed people want to stay away from you? You married? Not for long? Have you noticed you are made a joke here? I wonder why you would care to write on a progressive site if you cant learn new tricks, dog? One last question do you have a conscience? Jesus won't call you stupid like I will. Better get praying!
ruthru Aipac was one of a few listed on another page along with a ton of info http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/08/21/3318/
if you go threw the plogs you will meet 'vets', doing the same. They must be paid or just dumb lost in the corn field.
Walter E. Wallis August 22nd, 2007 4:05 pm has been trying to turn the lights on to listen to Rush but his head is stuck up his ars@#$$^^&*(
Thank you, Jungleboy. I will check it out.
"But the administration is complying with the law, Scuderi said. The U.S. Climate Change Science Program is working on 21 separate reports on global warming's projected effects on the U.S and has started to prepare a new research plan, she said."
Translation: We haven't released the original report because the facts it contains would be devastating to this administration. As soon as we've fabricated a load of bullshit that conforms to OUR reality we'll be happy to release it to any and everyone.
Ruthu: I realize what you are saying. The only reason I bothered to write to that person was to wait and see if I would get a response. Which of course I didn't.
But thanks anyway. I just like to direct questions to such people as Mr. Wallis to see if they can respond to and defend their thinking, because he's in a no-win situation. Either he has to admit that he likes to live with vermin or argree with me, thus revealing his hypocricy.
Walter E. Wallis August 22nd, 2007 8:46 pm
There is an astronomically huge amount of research by a staggering number of scientists, all peer-reviewed and agreed upon, which proves beyond reasonable doubt that humans have and are contributing substantially to global climate change.
Please present us with links to an equal or greater preponderance of PEER-REVIEWED evidence that supports your ignorant position. Said evidence must be produced by a body of scientists, equally credentialed and as large or larger in number than the one proving the human contribution.
Failing this please be sensible enough to shut your hole and go away.