Environmental Politics

Obama Deficit Plan Targets Oil And Gas Tax Breaks, Farm Subsidies

"US President Barack Obama on Monday introduced a wide-ranging proposal to save the federal government $3 trillion over the next 10 years by cutting spending and raising taxes, including the repeal of a number of tax subsidies for the oil and gas industry." ...

Source: Platts, 09/20/2011

"Farmers Fear Tighter Limits on Dust"

Republicans in Congress are whipping up fear among Midwest farmers that EPA will burden them with tighter dust-control regulations. The only problem is that it isn't true.

"Arizona farmer Kevin Rogers has a new routine in the morning: Checking the wind. If it’s too high, he’s required to park his tractors and combines for the day to keep from kicking up dust that’s long been a major cause of air pollution in the Phoenix area.

Source: Des Moines Register, 09/19/2011

"Baltimore Housing Authority Racking Up Legal Bills for Lead Cases"

"The Housing Authority of Baltimore City often cites a lack of funds to explain its refusal to pay nearly $12 million in court-ordered judgments to former public housing residents who suffered permanent lead-paint poisoning as children. But the city's public housing agency has paid private lawyers about $4 million since 2005 to defend against those lead-paint claims. In May and June alone it spent $228,000 on legal fees, a total that works out to more than $5,000 per day, including expenses."

Source: Baltimore Sun, 09/19/2011
October 3, 2011

National Press Club Transparency Forum

“Access Denied: Science News and Government Transparency”  On Monday Oct. 3, from 3 to 5 p.m., the National Press Club will host a panel of journalists and invited administration officials to critique what journalists and the government are (or aren’t) doing to live up to the promise to make science more transparent and accessible to the public. Call the National Press Club to reserve: 202-662-7501

Visibility: 

"Evangelicals Rally for Mercury Rules"

"If you think about it too hard, you might be bothered by the fact that many 'pro-life' members of Congress are the same ones that want to gut environmental regulations that protect expectant mothers and their unborn children. Take, for example, the bill a House subcommittee passed on Wednesday that would block the EPA from implementing rules on mercury from cement plant smokestacks, as well as other toxic emissions. The legislators behind it claim to be pro-life, which has prompted the Evangelical Environmental Network to launch a new campaign taking those lawmakers to task."

Source: Mother Jones, 09/16/2011

Will Latest Gulf Spill Report Prompt Congress To Act?

"The latest probe into last year's Gulf of Mexico blowout and oil spill -- a federal report that blames much of the disaster on poor management decisions by BP PLC -- has elicited strong but varied responses on Capitol Hill, but its chances of prompting immediate legislative action remain slim."

Source: Greenwire, 09/16/2011

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