Tuesday, 18 Nov 2003

Medium Rare

A New Book Looks at the Endangered Animals That Endanger People

You are what you eat -- but are you also, in some way, what eats you? That's one hypothesis of Monster of God, a new book by nature writer David Quammen describing the historical, ecological, and psychological relationship of human beings to the creatures that prey on us. From grizzly bears in Romania to crocodiles in northern Australia, Quammen looks at the fate of the world's few remaining big predators and the forces that threaten them. He also asks tough questions about who suffers and who benefits from the continued existence of "man-eaters" and how best to protect them in our increasingly crowded, domesticated world. Grist Managing Editor Kathryn Schulz reviews the results -- only on the Grist Magazine website.

Next Thing You Know, They'll Have a Better Human-Rights Record Than the U.S., Too

China to Adopt Fuel-Economy Standards Stricter Than Those in U.S.

Intent on reducing its growing dependence on foreign oil, China is set to impose vehicle fuel-economy standards that will be markedly stricter than those in place in the U.S. The rules, expected to go into effect in 2005 and become more stringent in 2008, will require all small cars sold in China to get slightly better gas mileage than the average small car sold in the U.S.; meanwhile, minivans and SUVs will have to be significantly more efficient than models now in U.S. showrooms. The Chinese government hopes the standards will encourage automakers to sell small, high-tech vehicles in the country. General Motors, for one, seems prepared to do just that. Earlier today, GM officials showed off their fuel-cell prototypes to Beijing officials and asserted that they can make fuel cells commercially viable in China by 2010.

A Low-level Blow

Bush Plans to Loosen Rules for Radwaste Disposal

Radioactive waste may be coming soon to a dump near you, brought to you by -- you guessed it -- the Bush administration. The U.S. EPA is proposing a significant rule change that would let the nuclear industry dispose of low-level radwaste at commonplace dumps and hazardous waste sites that weren't designed to handle it. The change would affect such radioactive materials as cesium, strontium, cobalt, and plutonium, which now must be stored at nuclear waste sites closely monitored by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the EPA, and state governments. Enviros, of course, vehemently oppose the change and charge that the Bush administration is trying to do a favor for the nuclear industry by reducing its waste-disposal costs. The EPA will invite public comment on the proposal beginning today.

Do Good

Get a Dangerous Pesticide Out of Kids' Shampoo

Lindane is nasty stuff. This highly toxic pesticide is a suspected carcinogen and a threat to nervous and hormone systems in human beings. Most industrialized countries have abandoned lindane, and the U.S. has banned it for many uses, including on pets. But, astonishingly, shampoos containing lindane are still used on children with lice -- even though safe, effective alternatives are available. Join the Pesticide Action Network in calling for the U.S. to outlaw the pouring of this poison on our kids -- and to outlaw all other uses of lindane as well.

Kill Bill!

Final Version of Energy Bill Is Bad News for the Environment

After many weeks of pork-barrel politics conducted behind closed doors, Republican negotiators yesterday released a final version of the first big energy bill to emerge from Congress in more than a decade -- and it's a doozy. The package, which contains loads of subsidies for industry and loads of bad news for the environment, now goes back to the House and Senate for a vote; if the two chambers okay it, President Bush will enthusiastically sign it into law. Among other things, the bill would: give $14.5 billion in tax breaks to the oil, gas, and coal industries; provide major subsidies for ethanol producers; earmark $1.8 billion for research into "clean coal" (which enviros say is an oxymoron); use tax benefits to encourage nuclear power and a natural-gas pipeline from Alaska to the Midwest; smooth the way for oil and gas companies to drill on sensitive public lands with fewer environmental reviews; and let the U.S. EPA extend deadlines for polluted cities to clean up their air. On the plus side, the legislation would direct about $1.5 billion in tax breaks for energy efficiency, and it would not open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, but that's small comfort to enviros.

Empty Suits

MTBE Producers Would Get Relief from Lawsuits Under Energy Bill

Of all the anti-environmental provisions in the energy bill, the one raising perhaps the most ire would limit the liability of companies that produce the fuel additive MTBE, which has been found to contaminate water supplies across the country. Not only would the measure shield the companies from future lawsuits related to water pollution; it would be retroactive to Sept. 5, thereby undermining a number of cases that have been filed in the last month and a half. To top it all off, the bill would give MTBE manufacturers $2 billion in federal aid to retrofit their plants to make other fuels. A handful of Democratic senators said today that they might filibuster in order to remove the MTBE provision, and they say a number of Republicans also want to get rid of the MTBE language.