Thursday, 26 Jan 2006

Last month, Massachusetts governor (and 2008 GOP presidential hopeful) Mitt Romney abruptly pulled his state out of the Northeast's landmark seven-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative -- but now a group of state lawmakers is poised to introduce legislation that would effectively put Massachusetts in compliance with that ambitious effort. Muckraker susses out the story.

Dropping Acid

EPA asks companies to phase out toxic chemical PFOA

The U.S. EPA, having recently discovered that P stands for "protection," has asked DuPont and seven other chemical companies to phase out use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a chemical used in the manufacture of Teflon cookware, stain-repellant fabrics, microwave popcorn bags, and other scarily ubiquitous household goods. If the eight companies and their overseas affiliates comply fully, says the EPA, PFOA use would decrease 95 percent by 2010, and vanish by 2015. Major PFOA maker DuPont immediately agreed to stop all emissions of the chemical from its manufacturing facilities over the next decade, noting it has already made big strides in cutting its use, but the company hasn't committed to totally eliminating use of PFOA. Health advocates are hailing the agency's move to rein in the bioaccumulative chemical, which is turning up in people and animals worldwide and has been linked to cancer and other health problems.

Solution Finds New Problem

Republicans in Congress reanimate efforts to drill in Arctic Refuge

Iran -- the world's fourth-largest oil producer -- has threatened to cut oil exports if other nations impose economic sanctions to punish it for restarting its nuclear-power program. Some analysts say oil prices could spike to $100 a barrel if Iran stopped exports entirely. In response to this geopolitical dilemma, a handful of congressional Republicans have redoubled their efforts to ... drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A bewildered nation can only respond: What the $%@! is wrong with these people? On Wednesday, Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, evoked the threat of an Iran-sparked oil shock when threatening to attach an Arctic-drilling measure to a new budget bill. You will recall from the last 1,583 debates over this issue that even if drilling in the refuge started today, seven years would pass before a single drop of oil was produced. So WTF?

Take a Toxic Load Off Annie

Environmental factors may cause many breast cancers, report says

Up to half of all new breast cancers may be caused by environmental factors -- including exposure to everyday chemicals -- rather than heredity or lifestyle, a new report says. Released this week by the Breast Cancer Fund and Breast Cancer Action, "State of the Evidence" analyzes the findings of more than 350 ecological, epidemiologic, and experimental studies of breast cancer, with an eye to determining why an American woman's risk for breast cancer has nearly tripled in the past 40 years. The groups' analysis found persuasive scientific evidence that implicates some of the 100,000 synthetic chemicals in use today, including bovine growth hormone, dioxin, and phthalates. Little is known about how these substances may affect women when they're combined.

Two Prongs Make a Right

New coalition lobbies Big Auto to build plug-in hybrid cars

Plug-In Partners is not, as the name might indicate, a swingers' club. Rather, it's a diverse national campaign -- encompassing cities, electric utilities, national-security hawks, and others -- pushing for plug-in hybrids: gas-electric vehicles with batteries that can be recharged via a regular wall socket. Once powered up (ideally at night, when electric rates tend to be lower) such vehicles could go 20 to 35 miles or more on electricity alone and achieve fuel efficiency of 80 to 100 miles per gallon. The coalition says plug-in hybrids could substantially reduce demand for oil and curb air pollution. Most automakers say plug-in hybrids would cost more than consumers want to spend, so the campaign has vowed to drum up demand. Member city Austin, Texas, led the way on Tuesday by vowing to buy 600 of the next-gen green vehicles as soon as they come to market.