Comments MattKirby has made

  • Other Polls Show Different Results

    These polls are unfortunate and present an unfortunate reality.  Yet they still must be taken with a grain of salt.  As the original post points out, the way the questions are framed is often arguable.  In a new poll commissioned by the League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club, and the Natural Resources Defense Council Action Fund, the results are staggeringly different.  When given all the options (renewable energy vs. increased drilling), Americans overwhelmingly favor increasing investment for renewable energy.  See my post about it here:
    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/2008/08/america ...

    Read the poll here:
    http://www.lcv.org/polls/gqr_energy.pdfOn Nearly two-thirds of Americans support offshore drilling, says poll posted 1 year, 3 months ago 13 Responses

  • We shouldn't worry too much. . . yet

    This is a terrible move, no doubt, but it is worth noting that it doesn't necessarily negate the California ruling that reinstated Clinton's rule.  They are two competing courts and no one has authority to overturn the other.  And the California ruling was made first.  Mike Anderson, an attorney at the Wilderness Society, is quoted in an AP article as saying that in his opinion, the California ruling is still in effect:

    "It is not in any way overturned or compromised by Judge Brimmer's decision in Wyoming today. What it does do is create two conflicting court decisions in different federal courts, different states, both issuing decisions with nationwide impact."

    Right now it's just important that we make sure to protect these places that provide vital habitat and crucial waterways until there's more legal clarity.

    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/index.aspOn Roadless rule shot down, again posted 1 year, 3 months ago 7 Responses

  • Haha Good Point

    Although remembering back to the last government shut-down, Clinton came out of that ordeal looking every part the hero.  The President had stood up to a Republican-dominated Congress and was not about to allow them to pull a fast one.  There is the off chance that the same could happen to the Republican cause if Bush were to use a veto against a Democrat-controlled Congress (especially since this is an issue that a terrifyingly high number of Americans support.

    But god I hope not.

    httP:/www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog
    On Republicans too sissy to shut down federal government over drilling posted 1 year, 3 months ago 1 Response

  • A Last Gasp from a Failed Administration

    One more example of the administration trying to avert current laws through backdoor means.  The largest overhaul of the ESA since 1988 and a 60-day public comment period is expected to be sufficient?  Yes, sufficient enough to finalize the plans before the new administration.

    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/2008/08/endange ...On Bush admin tries sneaky attack on endangered-species protections posted 1 year, 3 months ago 8 Responses

  • Conservation Reserve Program safe at leasts

    Thanks for the great article, Tom.  It provided a very sound and clear analysis for a topic that is not widely understood.  Thankfully, at least, the Bush administration has stopped their plans to let farmers out of the Conservation Reserve Program.  What with food prices being so high, farmers have an incentive to plant their lands rather than have them lay fallow under the program (even though they receive payments from the federal government for doing so).  Too bad the only reason the incentive to farm those lands exists is because of the ethanol mandate.

    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/2008/08/conserv ...  On World Bank finally releases 'secret' report on biofuels and the food crisis posted 1 year, 4 months ago 65 Responses

  • A flawed strategy but possibly the only one

    It is a strategy and I'm glad that was clarified.  Unfortunately, it may be the only strategy available in this short time period.  The Republican leadership and the Drill Here, Drill Now crowd has millions backing their campaign, just to convince the American people that drilling will lower their gas prices.  So they've already created the discourse (they've been creating it for years) and poll after poll says that Americans are saying "drill in my backyard if it will lower gas prices."  This offshore drilling cropped up in a matter of days when Congress returned from recess in early July and reached a fever pitch of hysteria within a week.  With that kind of time scale there's not much hope of changing the discourse that has been in place for years.  At this point it's a matter of stalling long enough to make Americans realize that there are other options.

    Congress will be recessing after next week and it is during that month that we have to push with everything we have.  The House and Senate will reconvene in September and be forced to act.  During August, we have to pressure them to act in the country's best interest.  

    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/On Republicans are bluffing on drilling posted 1 year, 4 months ago 19 Responses

  • Canada scores again!

    It's been a great week for Canadian wilderness.  After the announcement last week of the protection of Ontario's boreal forest and now this annoucement, our northern neighbor is showing us up.  Let's hope with a new administration we can start following their example and craft some bold protection acts!

    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/On Canada protects B.C. caribou habitat posted 1 year, 4 months ago 2 Responses

  • great article

    Thanks for laying out the complexities of this issue.  The Washington Post editorial board holds a significant amount of clout and they presented a somewhat persuasive argument.  I appreciate you pointing them toward other sources that will help inform their decision.  The CRP is one of the most wide-reaching and important conservation measures in the country.  Unfortunately, by its very nature it's a temporary program and always in danger.  We need to be consistently reminded that it's one of the few beneficial farm subsidies out there and the way to reduce food prices is to do away with ridiculous food-to-fuel mandate.

       http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/2008/07/conserv ...On WaPo's misguided call to scale back the Conservation Reserve Program posted 1 year, 4 months ago 10 Responses

  • They're on their way

    Good thing Ontario recently agreed to fully protect half of its boreal forests.  That ecosystem can not be overestimated as to its carbon sink potential.  Way to go!

    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/2008/07/canada- ...On A big addition to the Western Climate Initiative posted 1 year, 4 months ago 1 Response

  • great news!

    Speaking of Aldo, the man had great things to say about wolves.  Particularly that fierce green fire in that slowly dimmed as the wolf died.  That's when the man stopped hunting.

    Thanks for getting this article out there!  I feel that the wolf is often forgotten about these days and its recovery is taken for granted.  But the battle is long and hard and the opposition is fierce.  People need to be aware that the gray wolf is far from safe.

    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/index.aspOn Endangered-species protections reinstated for gray wolves posted 1 year, 4 months ago 17 Responses

  • Conservation Reserve Program? Think again. . .

    This sounds great and is a very encouraging article at a time when farmers are struggling so much.  Thanks for the great article!

    Now, however, thanks to the administration's wrong-headed policies, former cropland that has been set aside for conservation may be pushed back into intensive production.  See below:

    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/2008/07/conserv ...On The farm bill is over, so what happens next? posted 1 year, 4 months ago 3 Responses

  • It's Received Protection!

    Great article.  And now Ontario has taken the enormous step to actually ensure that it's protected.

    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/2008/07/canada- ...On Canada needs help saving it posted 1 year, 4 months ago 15 Responses

  • 1.3 million signatories? That's nothing

    How does one respond to the petition of the people?  Well, for starters, I hear from Defenders of Wildlife that they've got 6 coastal governors strongly opposed to offshore drilling.  In total they represent almost 64 million constituents.  Gingrich's petition is a gimmick.

    http://www.sierraclub.org/wildlegacy/blog/On Gingrich's 'grassroots' drilling campaign is funded by Big Oil, report says posted 1 year, 4 months ago 8 Responses