Thursday, 22 Jul 2004

Species Reasoning

House Committee Passes Two Bills Weakening Endangered Species Act

The House Resources Committee voted yesterday to pass two bills that could make listing species under the Endangered Species Act considerably more difficult. Both were shepherded through by the committee's chair, Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.). The first bill, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.), would stipulate that before habitat is deemed critical for a species' survival, officials must determine that such a designation is "practicable." Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W. Va.) expressed many Democrats' reservations thusly: "What is 'practicable' to me might not be 'practicable' to the secretary of the interior on a bad hair day." The second bill, by Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), would establish a peer-review board to assess the science prior to listing a species, a move many scientists say would delay listings and disqualify the statistical models they rely on. Pombo admits that the measures are a long shot, as they may not make it to the House floor this year and would surely face stiff opposition in the Senate.

Base Brawl

Dems Block Anti-Enviro Nominee, and Conservatives Are Lovin' It

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) failed this week to get the votes required to overcome a threatened Democratic filibuster of William G. Myers III -- widely considered the most anti-environment judicial nominee Bush has ever put forward. You might think this was a defeat for the Republicans, but then again, you might have your eyes on substantive accomplishments rather than cheap political points. In fact, expect this nominate-filibuster routine to be repeated several times before the election. Get the scoop in Muckraker -- today on the Grist Magazine website.

Forward, Marsh!

Big Wetlands Restoration Effort Begins in San Francisco Bay

This week saw the kickoff of the third-largest wetlands restoration project in the U.S., and the largest in the West, in San Francisco Bay, where tidal flows will be returned to 16,500 acres of salt ponds over the course of 30 years. The South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project came about when Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) put together a purchasing group involving federal and state agencies and several foundations; the group bought the 53 ponds, some ringing the bay and some 40 miles north near the Napa River, from agricultural giant Cargill for $100 million. As marshes are renewed, scientists expect to see healthier salmon runs, the return of some endangered species, and in general a healthier bay ecosystem. The project is huge and complex and many skeptics doubted it could be done at all. Congrats to San Fran for having a large, progressive vision and, you know, doing it.

Swamp Thing

Ask Umbra on Swamp Coolers

Are you worried that your local swamp is too warm? A swamp cooler may be just what you're looking for. We kid, of course! Swamp coolers don't cool swamps, they cool homes, and as part of her ongoing Keeping-Cool Theme Question Fortnight, Umbra explores the relative merits of these charmingly named contraptions -- in Ask Umbra, today on the Grist Magazine website.

Anne of Green Fables

Former EPA Chief Anne Gorsuch Burford Dies at 62

Anne Gorsuch Burford's tenure at the U.S. EPA is a fascinating slice of history. Elected to the Colorado legislature at 34, she was part of a group dubbed the "House Crazies" for their drive to reduce government size and regulation. Her intelligence, combativeness, and striking looks made her a Republican favorite, and President Reagan selected her to lead the EPA in 1981. She immediately cut the agency's budget by 22 percent and started rolling back regulations and enforcement, infuriating enviros and many legislators on both sides of the aisle. She waged a battle with Congress to withhold Superfund documents -- by her accounting, on the advice of the Department of Justice and Reagan himself -- and, cited for contempt, resigned after just 22 months on the job. Still, she maintained that she wanted to protect the environment, and in her memoir, she lamented, "Ronald Reagan has always been a personal and political hero of mine, and concluding that he doesn't care about the environment hurts." Burford died this week at the age of 62.