Thursday, 13 Mar 2003

Bye-bayou?

Louisiana's wetlands problem is the country's wetlands problem, according to Karen Gautreaux, chair of the state's wetlands restoration panel and executive assistant to Gov. Mike Foster (R). Speaking before the Louisiana House and Senate Natural Resources committees, Gautreaux said the state's coastline can never be returned to its original condition and can only be restored to a maintainable level with $14 billion in federal aid. Without that aid, Louisiana lacks the money even to publicize the problem, let alone to solve it. Gautreaux said the feds should pony up the bucks because the wetlands devastation in the state can be traced back to national policy decisions on how to control the flooding of the Mississippi River and on how to aid oil and gas industry projects in the region. In calling on the federal departments of Energy and Transportation, Gautreaux said, "No one other state would be asked to bear this burden."

Wild at Heart

Tomorrow, March 14, marks the 100th anniversary of the U.S. National Wildlife Refuge system. (Yep, that's right, it's even older than the National Parks system. Who knew?) To honor the occasion, Grist has compiled a rundown of interesting facts about the refuges, from the tiniest (three-fifths of an acre) to the largest (over 19 million acres -- that'd be Alaska's headline-grabbing Artic National Wildlife Refuge). Get the skinny on the refuges in Counter Culture, only on the Grist Magazine website.

Drilling Team

Speaking of which, advocates of opening up Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling say they are just one vote shy of getting their wish. As a result, they're upping the pressure on four senators seen as potential swing voters: Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Gordon Smith (R-Ore.), and Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln, both Arkansas Democrats. None of the four supports drilling in the refuge, but nor do they denounce it as strongly as the rest of the opposition. Coleman, for instance, has expressed interest in compromise plans where drilling proponents promise to limit the environmental impact or secure millions for biodiesel development, and Smith describes his position on drilling as "not now but not never." The Senate could vote on the issue as early as next week as part of the annual budget legislation, which cannot be filibustered and only requires 50 votes to pass.

Howell of Protest

Under federal regulations, private developers have to pay market rates to lease land bordering the 456 lakes owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. But last month, Ronald Howell signed a 50-year rent-free lease on 280 along Oklahoma's Skiatook Lake, which is owned by the corps, to build a $10 million resort, complete with marina and golf course. What gives? It seems the corps leased the land for free to a public agency (which is allowable under federal rules) and Howell subleased the land with the full approval of the corps. The Army Corps has granted some 1,300 rent-free leases to public agencies, and it says the Oklahoma situation is not newsworthy. But critics beg to differ, pointing to Howell's role as a prominent Republican fundraiser and finance chair for Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.). Inhofe plays a lead role in overseeing the corps, and, in fact, urged the agency to grant swift approval to the Skiatook Lake lease.