Tuesday, 26 Jun 2007

Alito Bit More Critter-Hating

Supreme Court sides with developers on Endangered Species Act case

Like a tormented parent with two kids in a spelling bee, environmentalists watched in horror this week as the U.S. Supreme Court judged the relative heft of two federal eco-laws. The case in question pitted green groups against the National Association of Home Builders. At issue was whether the U.S. EPA could delegate Clean Water Act permitting authority for new developments to the state of Arizona, since state agencies don't necessarily have to consider the impact of development on critters protected under the Endangered Species Act. Got that? In a 5-4 ruling split tidily along ideological lines, the court landed in favor of the developers. Attorney Norman James called the ruling "an important win for the business community" and NAHB head Brian Catalde said it "recognizes that we must always maintain a balance when we look at environmental regulations." But lawyer Michael Senatore said "endangered species are going to suffer" as a result of the decision, which reversed a lower court ruling.

Terminating His Term

With one day left in office, Blair chats climate with Schwarzenegger

If you'd asked Tony Blair a decade ago which foreign official would be the last he met with while in office, chances are he wouldn't have put his pounds on Arnold Schwarzenegger. But that's exactly who filled the slot today. Blair, who steps down tomorrow, met with the Governator at 10 Downing Street to chat about -- wait for it -- global warming. The meeting followed a similar mind-meld between Schwarzenegger and French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday. At a joint press conference this morning, Tony and Termy discussed the importance of getting the U.S., China, and India to sign on to an international post-Kyoto agreement. Blair was politely optimistic about the delayed climate response of Washington, D.C. ("It would have been better if we had acted sooner, that's the truth"), while Schwarzenegger pulled no punches: "The U.S. is states and counties and cities. Washington is just a little dot. Why should we wait for Washington?" And with that, the no-fly list got just a little longer.


Bravery is defined in many ways. In New Orleans these days, it may be as simple as drinking water from the tap. Writer Wayne Curtis, who moved to the Big Easy a few months back, is learning all about his new home -- including where his water comes from, how it gets treated, and what it means to have faith in a ravaged system.

Barrier Methods

Galveston, Texas, expected to approve history-defying development plans

The city of Galveston perches precariously on a Texas barrier island; some 8,000 people were killed there by a hurricane in 1900. But hindsight shmindsight! Officials are set to OK construction of over 1,000 acres of hotels and homes, the largest development in city history. Geologists hired to study the issue have strongly criticized the plan, questioning the wisdom of, for example, creating artificial lakes and boat channels that could help along surging waters during a storm. They also criticize plans to build right up against quickly eroding beaches. "Some of these houses won't outlive a 30-year mortgage," says study co-author Tim Dellapenna. Furthermore, the development would lie outside a concrete seawall built after the 1900 disaster. But most troubling, say geologists, is that developers aim to sever a key storm-shielding ridge -- which city planners claim isn't even there. Officials, says Dellapenna, "are choosing not to see anything that gets in the way of their precious tax dollars."

Hastings Makes Less Waste?

Central Nebraska town wins greenest city in America contest

We say "greenest city in America," and you say -- Portland? Seattle? Savannah? Try Hastings, Nebraska. The town of 25,000 beat out some 350 other cities to win a contest sponsored by Yahoo! as part of the portal's "Be a Better Planet" initiative. Yes, we're pretty sure we just got suckered into giving Yahoo! a free plug, and we're not entirely sure that Hastings -- birthplace of Kool-Aid -- is ultra-green so much as ultra-good at organizing its residents to use Yahoo!. But we're still going to celebrate the fact that a central Nebraska town is shouting its green cred from the rooftops. Eco-initiatives there include energy-efficient streetlights, an extensive network of parks and trails, and, uh, ethanol production -- but civic leaders, who walked away with $250,000 for the honor, say green is just common sense. Simple things like shutting off lights and enjoying the outdoors are, says Lt. Gov. and former Hastings mayor Rick Sheehy, "things that we as Nebraskans have done all of our lives."

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