Monday, 26 Mar 2001

Vinyl Jeopardy

A PBS documentary tonight by Bill Moyers focuses on the dangers of exposure to vinyl chloride, asserting that the chemical industry has gone to great lengths to cover up the risks of the chemical, which is used for making plastic products. For example, a 1984 industry document outlines how the industry created the illusion of grassroots support for its positions by establishing a group with a misleading name -- the Citizens for Effective Environmental Action Now -- and spending $150,000 to pressure members of Congress to act in the industry's interest. The American Chemistry Council, the industry trade association, has accused Moyers of "journalistic malpractice" for not including interviews with its spokespeople in the documentary. Moyers responded, "I consider myself in good company to be attacked by the industry that tried to smear Rachel Carson."

Waste Watchers

More than 10,000 demonstrators protested in the German town of Lueneburg on Saturday in anticipation of shipments of reprocessed nuclear waste from France to Germany that begin today. Transport of the waste, which originated from German nuclear reactors and was sent to a French reprocessing center in the 1990s, was suspended in 1998 when officials detected leaks in some containers. Officials from the two countries approved resumption of the shipments this year, promising to tighten safety precautions. Protesters are expected to occupy sites along the route; 15,000 German police are on alert to avoid a repeat of violent clashes that occurred in the '90s.

Boxer Rebellion

Democrats say that President Bush's recent moves to roll back environmental protections have given them their first rallying point since Bush took office. "We believe that George W. Bush has declared war on the environment," said Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) last week. Mark Mellman, a leading Democratic pollster, said, "I think Bush is in the process of creating a political disaster for himself." Environmental groups are beginning to run radio and TV ads around the country criticizing Bush's plans to drill for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and calling attention to the president's broken promise to regulate carbon dioxide emissions and his decision to rescind a rule lowering the allowable amount of arsenic in drinking water. For his part, Bush seems to be betting that he can successfully portray environmentalists as extremists, responsible in part for the country's current energy problems.

All Your Acid Are Belong to Us

Forests and lakes in the Northeast are still being hurt by acid rain despite cuts in power plant emissions mandated by Congress in 1990, according to a study appearing today in the journal BioScience. In fact, the study's authors recommend an additional 80 percent drop in emissions to help the ecosystems bounce back. (We'll see how that one flies in the Bush administration!) The scientists found 41 percent of lakes in the Adirondack Mountains in New York and 15 percent of lakes in New England have become acidic. The chief culprits are coal-burning power plants in the Midwest that produce the nitrogen and sulfur pollution that falls as acid rain in the Northeast.

Dreaded Wheat

Some farmers in the U.S. are joining environmental and consumer groups in opposing genetically engineered crops, adding strength to campaigns to have the crops regulated more tightly. More than 40 state bills have been introduced this year to regulate the crops or the labeling of foods made from them. In North Dakota, a bill to ban the planting of genetically modified wheat for two years has already passed the state House and is now before the Senate. Although many farmers favor genetically modified crops because they have traits like strong pest resistance, some farmers fear they won't be able to sell the crops abroad. Europe and Japan are strictly regulating such crops and consumers outside the U.S. are avoiding foods that contain genetically engineered ingredients.