[Mb-civic] New EPA corrupt mercury emissions "caps" and more fun environews!

[ean at sbcglobal.net]

CAP AND BETRAYED
Bush administration releases weak mercury rules

The U.S. EPA is releasing its plan to reduce mercury emissions today, and
even jaded environmentalists are appalled. "This is ... the most
dangerous, dishonest, and illegal air-pollution rule I have ever seen come
out of the agency," said ex-EPA official and Natural Resources Defense
Council attorney John Walke. If the agency had classified mercury as a
"hazardous air pollutant" -- as the Clinton administration did -- existing
regulations would have forced reductions of power-plant mercury emissions
to five tons a year within three to five years. Instead, it reversed
Clinton's assessment, opting for a plan that will reduce emissions to 15
tons a year by 2017. Instead of mandating reductions at every plant, the
agency opted for a cap-and-trade program that critics say will leave high
concentrations of mercury around several power plants, generally in poor
communities. Both the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office and the
EPA's own inspector general have found that the agency distorted
scientific and economic analyses to justify the plan. Mercury is a
neurotoxin that damages brain development in fetuses and young children.

straight to the source: Knight Ridder, Seth Borenstein, 14 Mar 2005
<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4558>

straight to the source: The Boston Globe, Beth Daley, 15 Mar 2005
<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4559>

straight to the source: Los Angeles Times, Alan C. Miller and Tom 
Hamburger, 15 Mar 2005
<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4560>

SUE IT, DON'T SPRAY IT
Landmark Agent Orange case goes to federal court

Did U.S. chemical companies commit war crimes by producing toxic 
dioxin-laced herbicide -- known as Agent Orange -- that the U.S. 
military used to douse more than 2 million Vietnamese and that still
lingers on in their environment and food chain?  That's the question at
the heart of a landmark case that will be heard starting today in a U.S.
federal court in New York City.  The suit was filed last year against
Monsanto, Dow Chemical, and a dozen other companies on behalf of millions
of Vietnamese citizens who still live with a horrific array of illnesses
and whose children suffer from crippling birth defects.  They seek what
could be billions for damages and environmental cleanup.  The companies
say they are indemnified since they were acting on government contracts,
and the Justice Department filed a brief on the companies' behalf.  The
companies also claim that Agent Orange has never been conclusively linked
to serious human health problems -- though they paid out $180 million to
U.S. soldiers who had been exposed.

straight to the source:  The Boston Globe, Matt Steinglass, 27 Feb 2005
<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4426>

straight to the source:  The New York Times, William Glaberson, 28 Feb
2005 <http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4427>


A GREAT LEAP FORWARD, WITHOUT ALL THE FAMINE
China passes its first renewable-energy law

The Chinese legislature on Monday passed a bill aimed at increasing 
the country's use of renewable energy by mandating that power-grid 
operators get a portion of their electricity from local renewable 
sources and by providing financial inducements such as tax 
incentives, discounted loans, and a national development fund.  When it
takes effect in 2006, the law -- the first of its kind for China -- will
be a big step toward fulfilling a pledge made at an international
renewables conference last year to increase the country's renewable-energy
production from under 1 percent of the total to about 10 percent by 2010. 
Said Beijing Greenpeacer Yu Jie, "China could and should be a world leader
in renewable-energy development."  Couldn't happen too soon. 
Fast-developing China is now second only to the U.S. in emissions of
carbon dioxide (though, as the world's most populous country, it ranks far
lower on a per capita basis).

straight to the source:  Terra Daily, Agence France-Presse, 01 Mar 2005
<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4449>

straight to the source:  China Daily, Hu Cong, 01 Mar 2005
<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4450>


IT'S NOT WATCHING CARS GO IN CIRCLES THAT DOES IT
NASCAR race-cars spew lead

What's the connection between NASCAR racing, diminished mental 
capacity, and increased criminal behavior?  If your answer was 
"lead," well, we commend your high-mindedness.  Indeed, that is the 
answer:  Though leaded gasoline was phased out in the U.S. decades 
ago, the racing industry (along with aviation) was exempted.  Despite
years of pleas from the U.S. EPA, NASCAR has not developed an alternative
to leaded gas, which it says keeps engine valves lubricated.  "We just
have not been able to find a solution," said NASCAR spokesguy Ramsey
Poston.  Lead from auto exhaust can stay in the air for up to 10 days and
travel many miles.  Those in the most danger are children, for whom lead
presents the threat of permanently diminished mental capacity.  Low-level
lead exposure has also been linked to criminal behavior.  NASCAR is the
fastest-growing "sport" in America, with some 3.5 million spectators a
year attending races. (Look, we made it all the way through the blurb
without saying "Bush" or "red state"!  Oh, oops.)

straight to the source:  Scripps Howard News Service, Joan Lowy, 28 Feb
2005 <http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4452>

AND YOU THOUGHT CLINTON LIKED HUMMERS
Feds using terrorism excuse to crack down on eco-activists

The U.S. government is using the Patriot Act to go after radical 
environmental activists -- and some unfortunate folks who just happen to
look like them -- by branding them as "terrorists."  Despite the fact that
the Earth Liberation Front has caused no injuries during its acts of
sabotage and arson over the years, the FBI told U.S. senators that the
group and others like it are "a domestic terrorism investigative
priority."  One FBI agent says President Bush himself called to inquire
about a 2003 incident in Southern California in which Hummers were torched
or defaced at a dealership, acts for which ELF claimed responsibility. 
Thanks to the Patriot Act, groups or individuals deemed terrorists lose
several constitutional protections and can be surveilled without a
warrant.  "It's a ludicrous extension of the word terrorist," says
professor Steven Best of the University of Texas at El Paso, who has
written about the animal-rights movement.  "It drains it of any meaning."

straight to the source:  The Guardian, Peter Huck, 02 Mar 2005
<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4455>


WE'LL DRINK TO THAT
Americans prefer their water clean, poll shows

"An overwhelming majority" -- some 86 percent -- of Americans believe
clean, safe water is a national issue worthy of government spending, a new
poll concludes.  The two polling firms (one from each side of the partisan
divide) conducting the opinion survey asked 900 adults a variety of
questions related to hypothetical federal legislation creating a
clean-water trust fund.  The response favored the fund, with more than
eight in 10 surveyed supporting the idea and some 71 percent picking
clean-water programs over road construction and aviation projects as the
most deserving of a trust fund.  Two-thirds said they would rather the
government spend more to guarantee clean water than cut taxes, and almost
80 percent would be more likely to vote for congressional representatives
who supported the legislation. Says pollster Frank Luntz of the results,
"Americans are sending their lawmakers a clear message."

straight to the source:  Environment News Service, 07 Mar 2005
<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4510>

see also, in Grist:  Frankly, They Do Give a Damn -- GOP pollster 
says voters want action on clean water -- in Muckraker
<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4513>

THE PRICES' HEIGHT
Market notices that natural resources are shrinking fast

While some folks in political circles still like to pretend that 
natural resources are endless, global financial markets aren't, uh, 
buying it.  Commodity prices recently hit a 24-year high, driven by 
worries that burgeoning global demand is rapidly outstripping supply.
We'll try to spare you most of the numbers (masochists may click the link
below), but suffice it to say:  Copper and oil prices are near record
highs.  Countries that export loads of raw materials (Australia, Canada,
South Africa, et al) are loving life as their currencies rise against the
dollar.  Continuing economic growth in the U.S. and China means that
prices will probably continue to go up, and "[t]he only thing that will
get us to move decisively lower is a global recession that would reduce
demand,'' said Citigroup analyst Kyle Cooper.  Analysts at Lehman Brothers
Holdings Inc. said oil prices will rise until 2008 and stay high
thereafter, based on worries that global oil production is reaching its
peak.  Hmm ... seems like the Birkenstock crowd has been saying that for a
while.

straight to the source:  Bloomberg.com, 08 Mar 2005
<http://grist.org/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=4511>


-----------------------------------------
As Tax Day Approaches for Consumers, Energy Corporations are Already
Calculating Their Savings

Corporate Tax Cut Bill Signed in October 2004 Provides New
Billion-Dollar Break to Energy Companies

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Washington state's  three corporate utilities will
lower their collective 2005 tax bill by as much as $3.75 million -- the
result of a $76.5 billion federal corporate tax cut bill President Bush
signed in October 2004. The savings for Washington state utilities will
rise exponentially in future years, as the value of the tax deduction
doubles in 2007 and rises by an additional third in 2009.

The tax cut estimate came in response to a request that Public Citizen
sent to energy regulators in all 50 states asking them to estimate the
savings from the tax bill that utilities in their states will reap. The
letter also asked that regulators order that any tax break given to the
corporate utilities be refunded to consumers.

Because of state laws, consumers in the 35 states where electric
utilities remain regulated should be able to force the utilities to
share at least some of the proceeds of this tax cut with utility
customers. That means Washington state most likely will require its
utilities to return much of the $3.75 million to consumers in the form of
a rate reduction.

But those 15 states that deregulated their wholesale markets by
breaking up their former monopolies will be powerless to force power
companies in their states to share the bounty. That's because once a
state deregulates, it cannot recoup tax breaks from utilities. For
example, correspondence Public Citizen received from officials in the
deregulated state of Virginia stated that the state's deregulation law
does not allow regulators to force utilities to share tax breaks with
consumers.

In addition, consumers living in those 15 deregulated states will
continue to suffer escalating energy prices. According to data supplied by
the U.S. Department of Energy, deregulated states have seen rates grow
faster and become more volatile than rates consumers in regulated states.

"With Tax Day around the corner, consumers are calculating what they
owe while energy companies are tallying up their tax break - and those
power producers in deregulated states won't have to share the loot with
consumers," said Tyson Slocum, research director for Public Citizen's
energy program. "When the higher prices paid by consumers in deregulated
states are included, this double whammy will cost consumers more."

In October 2004, President Bush signed H.R. 4520, which provides $76.5
billion in new tax breaks for corporations' domestic production activities
over the next 10 years, including electricity, natural gas and oil
production. The amount of the tax deduction is 3 percent of a company's
qualified production income in 2005 and 2006, rising to 6 percent in
2007-2009 and 9 percent after 2009.

The response to Public Citizen by the Washington Utilities and
Transportation Commission represents the first time that companies have
provided public estimates of how much they stand to benefit from this new
tax change. Electric utility corporations have contributed $34 million to
federal candidates since 2001, with 69 percent of that total going to
Republicans.

Fifteen other states -- Alabama, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and
Wisconsin -- said that they have either initiated or are considering
initiating an investigation in response to Public Citizen's request.

The corporate tax cut bill passed the House of Representatives by a
vote of 280-141, and the Senate passed it by a vote of 69-17. The entire
Washington state congressional delegation voted in favor of the
legislation, except for Rep. Jim McDermott, who voted against it.

To see a list of deregulated states, please go to
http://www.citizen.org/documents/retailderegfail.pdf

To read the response from Washington state, please go to
http://www.citizen.org/cmep/energy_enviro_nuclear/electricity/deregulation
/articles.cfm?ID=13110

###

Public Citizen is a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization
based in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit
www.citizen.org.

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"In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act."
   ---   George Orwell


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