Climate Change

Rovian Politics Chose Sarah Palin

What does it say about John McCain that he picked not only the least experienced Vice Presidential nominee in America's history, but someone he really doesn't know? Departing so far from any normal concept of appropriate background, he should at least have had a sense of why this individual is so special. Meeting Palin once at a Republican governors' conference and having a single phone conversation on the eve of her selection just doesn't pass muster-particularly for the oldest presidential candidate ever, who's had four malignant melanomas.

Posted in Environment, Politics, Climate Change

Oil Group Joins Alaska in Suing to Overturn Polar Bear Protection

CHICAGO -- The American Petroleum Institute and four other business groups filed suit Thursday against Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director H. Dale Hall, joining Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's administration in trying to reverse the listing of the polar bear as a threatened species.

Posted in Environment, Climate Change

The Failure to Learn From Katrina

Nearly lost amid the political hoopla of two presidential nominating conventions is a sombre milestone. Today is the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's deadly strike on the Gulf of Mexico coast, a catastrophe that nearly destroyed New Orleans and, with its aftermath of botched rescue efforts, has done more than anything but the Iraq war to discredit the Bush presidency.

Posted in Environment, Politics, Climate Change

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2008
2:24 PM

CONTACT: Environmental Groups
Will Rostov, Earthjustice, (510) 550-6725
Matt Vespa, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 436-9683 x 309

Groups Ask California Energy Commission to Address Greenhouse Gas Emissions From New Power Plant,

Consider Climate Impacts From Use of Imported Liquefied Natural Gas

SACRAMENTO - August 28 - On behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity, Earthjustice moved today to intervene in a power plant licensing proceeding before the California Energy Commission. The groups seek to ensure that the commission does not allow proponents of the Carlsbad Energy Center Project, a power plant proposed for San Diego County, to ignore its global warming emissions.

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The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 180,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

Earthjustice is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment. The organization brings about far-reaching change by enforcing and strengthening environmental laws on behalf of hundreds of organizations, coalitions and communities.

Posted in Energy, Environment, Climate Change

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2008
11:47 AM

CONTACT: Endangered Species Coalition
Derek Goldman, Endangered Species Coalition
(406) 370-6491
dgoldman@stopextinction.org
Tara Thornton, Endangered Species Coalition
(207) 268-2108
tthornton@stopextinction.org

104 Citizens Groups Criticize Anti-Democratic Rulemaking

Bush Administration to Cripple Endangered Species Act With Little Public Input, Oversight

WASHINGTON - August 22 - Today, representatives from 104 conservation and scientific organizations representing millions of American's submitted a letter to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne and Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez calling for increased transparency and opportunities for public participation on a new rule proposal. The rule, published by the Bush administration in the federal register last week, would radically weaken the Endangered Species Act. The administration is only accepting public comment for 30 days.

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As the guardian of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), the Endangered Species Coalition (ESC) is composed of 380 environmental, conservation, religious, scientific, humane, sporting and business groups around the country. Our tools are public education, scientific information and citizen participation in decisions affecting the fate of at-risk species. Through extensive grassroots work, education, discussions with lawmakers, and the dissemination of information, we work to ensure that the Act itself, as well as the species it protects, can be passed on safely into the future.