Friday, 03 Dec 2004

Coal 'n' the Gang

Clean coal might do some good, if Bush would put any money toward it

Many enviros have argued that "clean coal" is an oxymoron, but new technologies mean it might actually turn out to be an environmental good, particularly in developing countries where coal power is an unavoidable reality for the time being. But President Bush, who likes to tout clean coal as the wave of the energy future, isn't putting money where his mouth is. Get the scoop on who should be getting coal in their stockings -- in Muckraker, today on the Grist Magazine website.

The LNG and Short of It

States express outrage at LNG provision hidden in omnibus spending bill

Deep in the 3,016-page, $388-billion omnibus spending bill recently approved by Congress, tucked away in a section on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission salaries and expenses, is a provision stating that the feds -- not individual states -- get to decide where liquid natural gas facilities will be sited. Not surprisingly, many congressfolk say they had no idea it was there, since few, if any, read the gargantuan bill before it came up for a vote. State regulators, who would prefer to decide for themselves whether proposed LNG sites are environmental or security risks, are fightin' mad, calling the provision a "usurping of a sovereign state's rights and ability to control its own destiny," as Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch (D) put it. The provision does not have the force of law, but it is being seen as a clear signal of Congress' intent. In particular it seems directed at California, which is currently suing FERC over a proposed LNG site in Long Beach.

Swimming With Parks

Ocean conservationist John Emory Parks tells you how to help the planet

Every Grist InterActivist gets asked some variant of the following question: What can li'l ol' me do to better the environment? John Emory Parks, long-time oceans advocate and newly minted official of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, took the bull by the horns, offering a list of concrete, achievable steps you and your family can take to make things better. He also offers cogent reflections on enviro media savvy, the evolution of ocean governance, and surfing the Atlantic Ocean -- in InterActivist, today on the Grist Magazine website.

Philippine Philippic

Illegal logging in Philippines contributes to flood devastation

Recent storms in the Philippines have wreaked havoc on the country, with hundreds killed or missing in landslides and floods, and enviros and government officials are both taking aim at what they call a principal culprit: illegal logging. Though unusually high rainfall and the geography of the region contributed to flooding, it didn't help that forest cover on the islands has gone from 64 percent in 1920 to less than 18 percent today, making the hilly land vastly more prone to erosion, mudslides, and flash flooding. "Illegal logging must now be placed in the order of most serious crimes against our people," said President Gloria Arroyo in a statement. Problem is, the country's people are driven to logging by persistent poverty, and with the population (84 million) expected to double in the next 50 years, some enviros predict that primary forest cover could be effectively eliminated within 20 years if logging continues at current rates.

Original Cinergy

Energy giant Cinergy comes out in favor of greenhouse-gas regulations

For some time, enviros have been predicting that with states and other countries starting to regulate their greenhouse-gas emissions, sooner or later large energy companies in the U.S. would begin craving the predictability of consistent federal guidelines. It appears that day is upon us, as energy giant Cinergy, a major owner of coal-fired power plants, has voiced support in a report to shareholders for a national program that would limit such emissions while allowing industrial facilities to trade emissions credits. It specifically identified the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act as the legislation closest to what it had in mind. Cinergy said that the law would not only be economically feasible, but might actually be a financial boon. This stands in contrast to the position taken by President Bush, who has insisted that any mandatory emissions caps would cripple the private sector. But who you gonna believe about the private sector -- a politician or, uh, the private sector?