Monday, 24 Mar 2003

Petroleum Jelly-legs

U.S. petrochemical plants pose security risks to millions of Americans and could be targets of terrorist attacks, but the government has no idea how secure the plants are from such attacks, according to an audit released last week by the General Accounting Office. The audit found that both U.S. EPA Administrator Christie Whitman and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge want the chemical industry to be required to take stock of any vulnerabilities and ramp up security to address them; however, the two officials appear to be holding back on proposing new regulations mandating such changes because of industry threats of litigation. Last year, lobbyists killed a bill in the Senate, sponsored by Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.), that would have required the chemical industry to beef up security measures.

You Can Hardly Prius Out of 'em

Some stars toned down the glitz at last night's Academy Awards ceremony in acknowledgement of the war in Iraq, while others toned down their energy consumption, arriving at the event in gas-electric hybrid cars instead of gas-guzzling stretch limos. Actress Cameron Diaz was chauffeured to the Oscars in her own Toyota Prius. "I drive it every day," she told reporters. Harrison Ford, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, and Robin Williams also made the trip in Priuses, courtesy of Global Green USA.

Deep Thoughts

Japanese ingenuity may soon bring both potable water and clean energy to a number of periodically parched Pacific island nations, thanks to a new desalination technology that exploits the temperature difference between the ocean's surface and its depths. The Republic of Palau in the western Pacific has teamed up with Japan's Saga University to build a plant off the nation's coast that will produce enough drinking water for all 20,000 Palau residents and generate emissions-free electricity through a process that starts by bringing cold deep-sea water up to the ocean's surface. The system is expected to produce drinking water at a cost of less than $1 for more than 250 gallons, comparable to the cost of freshwater in nations like Japan. Saudi Arabia has joined a number of Pacific island nations in expressing interest in the technology.

Congo Drummed

The Ebola virus may be wiping out a number of endangered western lowland gorillas in the conflict-torn border region between Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. An Ebola outbreak in the area has killed hundreds of people in recent years, and perhaps thousands of gorillas, say scientists. "Chimpanzees and gorillas are already endangered, and Ebola adds yet another threat to those already facing these species, such as deforestation and the wild meat trade," said Jean-Christophe Vie of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The organization warns that primates are susceptible to many of the same diseases that afflict humans. A sizable sanctuary in northwestern Congo aims to protect gorillas, but political instability in the region has stymied conservation efforts.

Down on the Farm

California's budget crisis could wind up spurring sprawl. With the state tens of billions of dollars in the red, Gov. Gray Davis (D) is hoping to cut the $39 million per year that the state spends on the Williamson Act, which lets farmers pay lower taxes as long as they pledge to keep their land out of the hands of developers. More than 15 million prime agricultural acres are currently covered by the act, which many land-use experts say has been key to curbing sprawl in farming regions. "The concern is, without the Williamson Act, you'll see more sprawling suburban development," said Dan Fahey of the Greenbelt Alliance, a Bay Area environmental group. "That means more traffic, more air quality problems, and all the things open spaces help cure." A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers is teaming up with farmers, environmentalists, and county officials to fight Davis's proposal.