See VL Baker's post.
Many environmentally related posts appearing at Daily Kos each week don't attract the attention they deserve. To help get more eyeballs, Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue) normally appears twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The most recent Wednesday Spotlight can be seen here. More than
22,790 environmentally oriented diaries have been rescued for inclusion in this weekly collection since 2006. Inclusion of a diary in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
A glimpse behind the curtain of how Koch-funded corporate front groups manipulate the news you read—by
Eclectablog: "Over the past several years, I have written about how corporate front groups, largely funded by corporatists like the Koch brothers and their network of fake grassroots ("astroturf") groups, manipulate the media to serve their corporate bottom lines. They use this network to amplify their corporate messages, disguised as "reporting" or "news", jacking up their search engine hits, and ensuring that their slant on things dominates what you see on the internet and elsewhere. The terrific investigative journalist Lee Fang has written extensively on this, as well. You can read my interview with him
HERE, my overview of his excellent reporting for
The Nation HERE, and my review of his book
The Machine: A Field Guide to the Resurgent Right HERE. In his reporting, Fang reveals how widespread this practice is and how profoundly it impacts the news you read."
That Global Warming Hiatus isn't—by
newton123: "Many climate change deniers rely on a so-called 'hiatus' in global warming over the last few decades. Well new research from NOAA challenges that there has been a hiatus at all: Here's their conclusion:
Our new analysis now shows the trend over the period 1950-1999, a time widely agreed as having significant anthropogenic global warming (1), is 0.113°C dec−1, which is virtually indistinguishable with the trend over the period 2000-2014 (0.116°C dec−1). Even starting a trend calculation with 1998, the extremely warm El Niño year that is often used as the beginning of the 'hiatus,' our global temperature trend (1998-2014) is 0.106°C dec−1—and we know that is an underestimate due to incomplete coverage over the Arctic. Indeed, based on our new analysis, the IPCC’s (1) statement of two years ago—that the global surface temperature 'has shown a much smaller increasing linear trend over the past 15 years than over the past 30 to 60 years'—is no longer valid."
The Daily Bucket - Mountain Meadows Disappearing. What To Do?—by foresterbob: "Each Friday, the Society of American Foresters sends out an email with links to news articles relating to forests and ecosystems. This week's batch contained two articles about disappearing mountain meadows. We might think of meadows as unchanging locations full of water, grasses, and wildflowers. But, like nearly everything else in nature, the truth is far more complicated. [...] As natural succession slowly but steadily rearranges landscapes, it does not magically exempt meadows from its work. Trees will gradually encroach; and as they do, they begin tapping the groundwater that makes a meadow what it is. Meadow plants lose their water source, and their sunlight too. Given enough time, some meadows will become forests. Historically, succession has been held in check by fire. Whether the source was natural or from Native Americans, fire would take out the encroaching trees. Generally the fires occurred frequently enough that they did not kill all of the adjacent trees, and the encroachment would begin anew. We are continually learning about the unintended consequences of the past century of fire suppression. One of those consequences is the gradual loss of meadows."
You can find more excerpts from green diaries below the orange spill.
Climate Chaos
How do you kill that which has no life? Or, the pause that never was—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "Now a new paper in Science by a handful of NOAA's top researchers shows that, in one of the author's own words 'There is no slowdown in global warming.' This has already garnered widespread coverage, from the New York Times, to the Guardian (twice), USA Today, the AP, WaPo, LA Times, Smithsonian, RealClimate (written by NASA's Gavin Schmidt), UK Met's Doug McNeall, Carbon Brief (which got quotes from a number of scientists), Greg Laden, The Hill, NatGeo, and even the Wall Street Journal! Seeing as how it fully deflates the sails of the deniersphere's treasured “hiatus” narrative, they have done their best to push back, with GWPF and Cato both issuing statements. Like always, however, their cries fall flat. The paper actually adjusts DOWN the warming of the past, which is the opposite of what they often claim NOAA does. If you'd like a taste of the Watts et al. response, then Sou's got the whopper for you. Stay tuned, though—she promises there's more to come. In a nutshell, the paper found that when you correct for measurement issues with ocean temperatures (for example, standardizing insulated vs uninsulated buckets used to draw the water to measure the temperature) and use a larger database of weather stations, what appeared to be a slow down in the rate of warming since the record-hot El Nino year of 1998 disappears."
Whoah! Former Chairman of Shell Oil Calls for Divestment from Fossil Fuels & Carbon Taxes—by Lefty Coaster: "When former leaders of the Oil Industry start calling for divestment from Fossil Fuels maybe the industry will have to take notice and begin to take a transition towards a greener energy system seriously. [...] The former chairman of Shell has said that investors moving their money out of fossil fuel companies is a rational response to the industry’s “distressing” lack of progress on climate change. Sir Mark Moody-Stuart, who spent almost four decades at Shell and rose to be its chairman, also said the big oil and gas companies had been calling for a price to be put on CO2 emissions for 15 years but had done little to make it happen. His striking remarks are the most supportive of divestment made by any senior figure in the fossil fuel business."
How do you kill that which has no life? Or, the pause that never was—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "Some of us have been saying all along the denier's favorite meme — that global temperatures have stopped rising — is just a bit of statistical sleight of hand. Now a new paper in Science by a handful of NOAA's top researchers shows that, in one of the author's own words 'There is no slowdown in global warming.' This has already garnered widespread coverage, from The New York Times, to The Guardian (twice), USA Today, the AP, WaPo, LA Times, Smithsonian, RealClimate (written by NASA's Gavin Schmidt), UK Met's Doug McNeall, Carbon Brief (which got quotes from a number of scientists), Greg Laden, The Hill, NatGeo, and even The Wall Street Journal! Seeing as how it fully deflates the sails of the deniersphere's treasured 'hiatus' narrative, they have done their best to push back, with GWPF and Cato both issuing statements. Like always, however, their cries fall flat. The paper actually adjusts DOWN the warming of the past, which is the opposite of what they often claim NOAA does. If you'd like a taste of the Watts, et al. response, then Sou's got the whopper for you. Stay tuned, though—she promises there's more to come. In a nutshell, the paper found that when you correct for measurement issues with ocean temperatures (for example, standardizing insulated vs uninsulated buckets used to draw the water to measure the temperature) and use a larger database of weather stations, what appeared to be a slow down in the rate of warming since the record-hot El Niño year of 1998 disappears."
Two Republicans on Carbon Pricing—by gmoke: "On Tuesday, May 19, 2015 the MIT Climate CoLab hosted a conversation on carbon pricing with George P. Shultz, former U.S. Secretary of State, currently at the Hoover Institution; Phil Sharp, former U.S. Representative (D-IN) and current President of Resources for the Future; and Bob Inglis, former U.S. Representative (R-SC) and current Director of RepublicEN, the advisors to their current carbon-pricing contest. George Shultz recommended an alternative to divestment, asking universities to put their own internal price on carbon and use those funds within the university for efficiency and the zero carbon transition. He talks to his fellow Republicans about simple observation, ice loss in the Arctic, Antarctic, and Greenland, because it's not complicated science, not opinion, just observable phenomena. He advises consistent support for energy R&D and a revenue neutral carbon tax. Bob Inglis, recent winner of the JFK Profile in Courage Award, described a progression from 'I don't believe in climate change' to 'I'm not a scientist' to 'We can't do it, we're not China....', which he believes will be a short-lived position. He believes that it may soon become the question he likes to ask other Republicans, 'Can free enterprise solve climate change?'"
No, climate change will not be good for Africa—by ClimateDenierRoundup: "A study published on Monday in Nature Climate Change has already gotten quite a bit of attention in the UK media—unfortunately, it wasn't particularly accurate coverage. The study found that part of Africa has gotten 10% more rain in the past few decades, possibly because of climate change. This led to headlines about warming fighting famine, or doing "what Live Aid never could." Given that reference to famine is nowhere in the study, one might assume the Live Aid reference was the invention of a newspaper editor hungry for clicks. In this case, though, it was actually the press release that used such unfounded and charged language. Thankfully, Carbon Brief contacted the study authors and wrote a comprehensive fact check to the many stories that claimed climate change to be a good thing for Africa. The lead author himself said simply 'It's very misleading to suggest that climate change is a good thing for Africa.' He also pointed out that because of rising temperatures, there's 'a higher drought risk regardless of changes in rainfall' because any rain evaporates too quickly to be of use to crops."
Critters & the Great Outdoors
Politics and the Endangered Species Act; What is done can be undone. Or can it?—by cany: "In the last 40 years, there has probably been no bill more beloved--and, eventually, more hated--than the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Passed in 1972 by a unanimous U.S. Senate vote and 12 votes short of unanimity in the house, the bill was the culmination of 73 years of work to address species extinction and loss of wildlife. [...] About 1500 (this number changes as species are delisted or additional species are added) species are currently on the list. The good news is, we have not lost many species on the list, though we have lost approximately 40 species combined either waiting for listing (some candidate species remain unlisted for over a decade) and action or were listed but action really came too late for the species given the very low numbers of individuals existing by the time listing and recovery planning was completed. Furthermore, the fact that more species are stabilizing is very, very good. The really good news is that some populations have rebounded under the act and been delisted. The bad news is that efforts are constantly underway to underfund, defund or promote policy and/or legislation which thwarts progress. For any given species, this might mean the difference of living or dying, ultimately, as a viable species. If the species is not viable, extinction is imminent."
Republicans set sights on the Endangered Species Act—by TealBomb : "Republicans in Congress have a problem. They badly want to get rid of the Endangered Species Act, one of the most successful conservation laws we have for protecting endangered wildlife from going extinct. But unfortunately for them, the law works and is wildly popular with the American people. Their solution? Keep the law, but gut it beyond recognition and make it totally ineffective by adding burdensome new restrictions and allowing local politicians to overrule science whenever they feel like it. Congress is considering multiple bills right now – including one from Senator Rand Paul – that would gut the Endangered Species Act and put countless species at risk of extinction. We can’t let them get away with this cynical attempt at destroying the Endangered Species Act. Just last month, the U.S. Senate considered eight bills that would modify the Endangered Species Act, most of which aim to saddle resource-strapped federal wildlife agencies with burdensome new hurdles and requirements. Many also include rules that would force agencies to consider shoddy science and prioritize economic considerations like dirty fossil fuel drilling over wildlife habitat protection."
US Navy Declares War on Alaskan Coast—by DarkScholar82: "This month, the Navy will be conducting war games in the Gulf of Alaska involving the use of live munitions and active sonar. The exercises will be conducted at the height of fishing season and risk destruction not only to marine life in the area, but also to the livelihoods of thousands of Alaskans, many of them American Indians, who depend on the Gulf for their livings. Among the marine species potentially endangered will be the critically endangered North Pacific right whale, of which there are estimated to be thirty left in the Bering Sea. The Navy itself admits there will be 182,000 'takes,' deaths or detrimental effects on the Gulf's marine mammals. According to the Navy, these will be the largest war games ever conducted in the region, involving 352,000 pounds of expended materials."
The Strolling of the Heifers: Herd of it?—by nuclear winter solstice: "'The Strolling of the Heifers is one of the great events in Vermont,' Sanders said Wednesday. 'Orly and her staff do an excellent job. It celebrates Vermont agriculture and family farms. It brings people together and it's a lot of fun. It gives us an opportunity to visit with a lot of old friends.' The parade starts at 10 a.m. and Sanders will speak from the Gazebo on the Brattleboro Common at 11 a.m. In case the cynics in this nation think Bernie Sanders is just staging a photo op with a cow, Here are some photos of Sen. Sanders at previous Strolls! 'Sanders is an honorary co-chairman of The Strolling of the Heifers Board of Directors,' says the Brattleboro Reformer, 'He has been a regular participant in the celebration of local agriculture since the event was introduced in 2001 and has competed in the celebrity milking contests.' (the stroll haz goats, too, but real Vermonters don't milk goats.)"
The Daily Bucket - Baby Bird Update!—by
Attack Gardener: "With the sudden drop in temperature, I was a little concerned for my birdie friends scattered around our little piece of heaven. As noted previously, we're tracking 3 bird houses, all occupied, and at least 4 nests. At last report, the tree swallows were still sitting on eggs and as far as I know, they're still at it. Every time I try to check the box, the mom swallow won't get off the nest. She just hunches down and glares at me. The male is even less pleased. A few days ago, he dive bombed me and pooped on my head when I wasn't even near the nest box. Never doubt we birders suffer for our passion. Sad news on the robin front. Out of 4 eggs, only one hatched. The one baby robin seems strong and is getting big but I feel bad the others didn't make it. Was it because of our cold spell? Something wrong with the eggs? I don't know."
Energy
Coal, Oil, Gas & Nuclear
Coal Death Rattle Thanks To Norway: Largest Sovereign Wealth Fund DUMPS Coal Stocks—by tasini: "This is, to quote the vice president, a big fucking deal. Grab the coal industry by its financial cojones and squeeze and you got the beginning of the end. Of course, in this country, the crazies will go bonkers because it's happening thanks to those damn Democratic socialists in Norway. The news: Norway’s parliament has formally endorsed the move to sell off coal investments from its $900bn sovereign wealth fund, the world’s biggest. It is the largest fossil fuel divestment yet, affecting 122 companies across the world, and marking a new success for the fast-growing and UN-backed climate change campaign. A new analysis said the fund would sell off over $8bn (£5bn) of coal-related investments as a result. This doesn't mean coal mines and coal-fired generating stations are shutting down tomorrow. It just means that pressure is going to mount as it becomes harder and harder to sustain the industry, particularly when large financial interests dump the investments in coal."
Renewables & Conservation
Sen. Ron Wyden says Air Force Radar Must be Updated to Allow Eastern OR & WA Wind Energy Development—by LakeSuperior: "This is just a quick 'heads up' about Oregon U.S Senator and Democrat Ron Wyden and his efforts to promote wind energy in the Northwest. A recent article in Power Engineering Magazine indicates Wyden's position that current military radar systems and their limitations are interfering with wind energy development in Eastern Oregon and Washington. The article describes Wyden's letter to the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration indicating that current radar systems are preventing the installation of up to 4000 megawatts of proposed wind electrical generation capacity in the two states."
Fracking
EPA: Dangers exist but fracking poses no 'systematic' risk to drinking water. But what's missing?—by Meteor Blades: "What's the bottom line regarding fracking mechanisms with potential to taint drinking water resources, according to the agency? We did not find evidence that these mechanisms have led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources in the United States. Of the potential mechanisms identified in this report, we found specific instances where one or more mechanisms led to impacts on drinking water resources, including contamination of drinking water wells. The number of identified cases, however, was small compared to the number of hydraulically fractured wells. That sounds soothing. And it no doubt will give advocates of fracking, which include most elected Republicans and large numbers of elected Democrats, ammunition against environmental advocates who have said that fracking threatens drinking water and may cause other problems as well. But the authors themselves note in the very next paragraph of the report's executive summary: This finding could reflect a rarity of effects on drinking water resources, but may also be due to other limiting factors. These factors include: insufficient pre- and post-fracturing data on the quality of drinking water resources; the paucity of long-term systematic studies; the presence of other sources of contamination precluding a definitive link between hydraulic fracturing activities and an impact; and the inaccessibility of some information on hydraulic fracturing activities and potential impacts. Which is to say that, despite taking five years, the report isn't complete because all the data aren't available to make an airtight case for fracking not being a threat to drinking water."
EPA Draft Report - No Systematic, Widespread Impacts to Drinking Water from Hydraulic Fracturing—by LakeSuperior: "Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released an external review draft report addressing the impact of hydraulic fracturing operations conducted at oil/gas extraction sites on drinking water. The EPA draft report does not indicate any widespread, systematic impacts on drinking water from hydraulic fracturing operations. As a result, the report does not support claims made in the Gasland movie and by many participants here on the DK site alleging that hydraulic fracturing always causes uncontained groundwater and drinking water pollution."
If it walks and talks like a duck…Time to stop NY frack waste!—by EARTHWORKS: "For several years, New York made headlines by continuing to delay (and delay…) the decision whether to allow shale gas development. Then the state made history last December by saying no because the risks to health and the environment were too great. Yet it’s impossible to escape the reach of the national shale gas and oil boom. Even with a prohibition on production, New York has to wrestle with a growing stream of waste coming across state borders (as well as an expanding spider web of infrastructure and oil trains). Which is why communities and advocates are demanding that New York takes another step to truly safeguard the state from the many impacts of fracking. Bills now before the Assembly (A-6859) and Senate (S-884)would ensure that any gas field waste that meet the state’s definition of 'hazardous' would be managed as such. That seems logical, but isn't the case today. New York law specifically excludes all waste generated by the oil and gas industry from ever being defined, and therefore managed, as hazardous."
IKEA pledges One Billion Euros to slow the rate of Global Warming—by Lefty Coaster: "Hooray for IKEA. Many of of us have shopped at IKEA to furnish our homes and workplaces. Now we can feel good about the company that makes and sells that furniture. IKEA, the world's biggest furniture retailer, plans to spend 1 billion euros ($1.13 billion) on renewable energy and steps to help poor nations cope with climate change, the latest example of firms upstaging governments in efforts to slow warming. Chief Executive Peter Agnefjall said the measures would "absolutely not" push up prices at the Swedish group's stores. The investments will be 'good for customers, good for the climate and good for IKEA too,' he told Reuters. He said the plan was motivated by a desire to tackle climate change, rather than to court favourable publicity. 'Getting that message out to the customers is secondary,' he said."
Candidates, DC, State & Local Eco-Politics
Which House Dems Voted Against Transportation Safety Yesterday?—by Liberty, Equality, Fraternity and Trees: "Yesterday, the House voted on a series of amendments for the FY 2016 appropriations bill for the Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. I wanted to highlight several votes that had to do with transportation safety. [...] Lois Capps (CA-24) to increase funding in the Pipeline Safety Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund by $27,604,000. It failed 202 to 222. 178 Democrats and 24 Republicans voted for it. 216 Republicans and 6 Democrats voted against it. Here are the 6 Democrats: Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09); Gwen Graham (FL-02); Patrick Murphy (FL-18); Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM-01); Ben Lujan (NM-03); Henry Cuellar (TX-28)."
The Latest GOP Appropriations Bill Slashes Climate Research $. Which 12 Ds Voted for It?—by Liberty Equality Fraternity and Trees: "Earlier today, I wrote about some of the good and the bad in the Commerce/Justice/Science appropriations bill. Here is an overview of what the bill does: H.R. 2578 provides approximately $51.4 billion in discretionary budget authority for FY 2016, which is $1.3 billion (2.5%) above FY 2015 levels but $600 million below the President’s request. [...] Bill Flores (TX-17) offered an amendment to prohibit the use of funds to implement Executive Order 13547 (75 Fed. Reg. 43023, relating to the stewardship of oceans, coasts, and the Great Lakes), including the National Ocean Policy developed under such Executive Order. It passed 236 to 190. Two Democrats voted for it: Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and Filemon Vela (TX-34)."
Oil industry-friendly director of Department of Conservation resigns—by Dan Bacher: "Mark Nechodom, the controversial director of the California Department of Conservation that oversees the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR), resigned on Thursday, June 4. DOGGR is the agency that regulates the state's oil and gas industry. Governor Jerry Brown in 2011 appointed Nechodom, who is considered very friendly to the oil industry, to the post in order to expedite permits for oil drilling in Kern County and elsewhere. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has criticized DOGGR for allowing the oil industry to drill thousands of oilfield wastewater disposal wells into protected aquifers."
#MondayMorningClimateWarning—by SninkyPoo: "Excited to report I got two whole votes on the burning question of whether to use #MondayMorningClimateChangeWarning or #MondayMorningClimateWarning when Twitter blasting Congress on Monday mornings. Unsurprisingly, #MondayMorningClimateWarning won."
Agriculture, Food & Gardening
Organic farmers make A LOT more money than conventional farmers—by VL Baker: "A significant, new study analyzing the global competitiveness of organic farming has just been released: The study reporting this newfound economic incentive for organics was just published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Its mission was to analyze the 'financial competitiveness of organic farming on a global scale' by looking at 44 studies covering 55 crops grown in 14 countries on five continents—North America, Europe, Asia, Central America, and Australia. The study concluded that organic farming is 22 to 35 percent more profitable for farmers than conventional agriculture. This comes at a time when North American farmers are in great financial distress. Civil Eats reports that, in 2012, 56 percent of American farmers reported earning less than $10,000 from their farms alone, while 52 percent said it was necessary to maintain a primary job away from the farm. If organic can provide farmers with significantly more income, there’s more incentive to switch over from conventional practices. This news comes at a time when it's become apparent that we must reform our agricultural model if we are to mitigate climate change and prepare for future food security."
Are Farmers Commodified 'Excess Resources' to Food Progressives—by Iowa Farm Activist: "A new article that has been circulating argues that 'more than 90 percent of [the] U.S. could eat food grown or raised withing 100 miles of their homes.' (https://docs.google.com/... url=http://faculty.ucmerced.edu/... ) This is then cited as good for the economy and for sustainability. It's supported by a map showing where this could happen, with blue circles of varying sizes representing, apparently, where the 90% live. This issue ties in to other views, from vegetarians and others, for example, who argue that large areas of the U.S. could be returned to nature, if livestock was no longer raised. Another side to the argument is the 'food only' view, which criticizes farmers for raising nonfood crops, and crops fed to livestock instead of directly to humans. This, then, is a way to 'feed the world.'"
Are Farmers Commodified 'Excess Resources' to Food Progressives—by Iowa Farm Activist: "A new article that has been circulating argues that 'more than 90 percent of [the] U.S. could eat food grown or raised withing 100 miles of their homes.' (https://docs.google.com/... url=http://faculty.ucmerced.edu/... ) This is then cited as good for the economy and for sustainability. It's supported by a map showing where this could happen, with blue circles of varying sizes representing, apparently, where the 90% live. This issue ties in to other views, from vegetarians and others, for example, who argue that large areas of the U.S. could be returned to nature, if livestock was no longer raised. Another side to the argument is the 'food only' view, which criticizes farmers for raising nonfood crops, and crops fed to livestock instead of directly to humans. This, then, is a way to 'feed the world.'"
Saturday Morning Garden Blogging :: Vol. 11.15 • Drying Out in Texas—by jayden. "Not quite 40 days and 40 nights: But it might as well have been because it rained a hell of a lot here in Central Texas during the month of May. By now you've probably heard about the horrific 40 foot high flash-flooding along the Blanco River that swept away everything in its path including houses, cars, 500 year-old trees, pets, and entire families. It rained hard and fast and the devastation was unprecedented. Our hearts go out to those who lost so much so quickly in the unforgiving raging waters. Austin experienced flooding throughout the city but was spared the worst of it compared to surrounding communities. We did set a May record for the amount of rain - almost 18" - and it turned out to be the third wettest month in history for the city. At times the rain was relentlessly torrential and the water would rise faster and faster with each passing storm as the ground became more and more saturated. [...] The rain has finally stopped, the sun is out, and the rivers have quieted again. Everything that wasn't washed away is green and growing. Plants that were smushed and smashed from deluge after deluge are slowly lifting themselves up to face the sunshine again. Some are managing well enough on their own while others are getting a helping hand. I've spent the past few days trimming, cutting, pruning, and generally coaxing flowers and shrubs into recovery mode after weeks of being drenched and waterlogged. As in any garden, some plants are doing better than others but overall everything is looking really good, all things considered."
Death by Poison—by phoenixvoice : "I look at my darling 7 year old daughter wrinkling her nose. 'We'll be out of it quickly,' I reply. We are at a home improvement super store. I need a hose-related part, and the hoses are on the same aisle as the garden pesticides. Although they are all kept in sealed bottles and boxes, a strange smell always permeates the air where they are, like a haze of slow death. I hope that I am not affecting our health adversely. A couple of weeks prior I was in the same aisle, that day looking for a freshwater hose—one that won't give me water laden with a small dose of lead and other toxic chemicals. I overheard a gentleman speaking with a superstore employee. He was seeking a resolution for the ants invading his home. The employee was pointing out an assortment of poisons. I felt umbrage—yet one more example of corporate American pushing us to toxify our lives and surroundings. I spoke out of turn: 'Yes, you can, but when you put poison around your home, you're also poisoning yourself.'"
North Carolina becomes newest state to make video-taping factory farms illegal—by Walter Einenkel: "The North Carolina Senate passed House Bill 405 last week. The benignly titled 'Civil Remedies for Interference With Property' was initially vetoed by crazy constitutional-zealot. Republican Governor Pat McCrory. His veto was just overridden by North Carolina's House and Senate: Dubbed an 'ag-gag' measure by its critics, the bill gives businesses the right to sue employees who expose trade secrets or take pictures of their workplaces. Animal rights groups say the measure is aimed at curbing the kind of undercover investigations that have exposed abusive practices in factory farms and slaughterhouses. 'Whistleblowers are protected in this bill,' Sen. Brent Jackson, R-Sampson, said on the floor of the Senate during a brief debate Wednesday afternoon. McCrory agreed with the bill's twisted philosophy of trying to curb animal rights activists looking to get hired with the sole purpose of exposing cruelty and illegal practices—but even McCrory had a hard time fully espousing how wildly insane this bill is."
Transportation & Infrastructure
Democrats try to force responsible transportation budget out of Republicans—by Joan McCarter: "In some ways, being in the minority gives Harry Reid a lot more power, a lesson he took to heart as majority leader, when he was so often subjected to Mitch McConnell's obstruction. Roles reversed, he has the chance to use obstruction for actual good—attempting to make Republicans be responsible and force a six-year transportation bill instead of continuing on with last-minute, short-term funding bills. The goal, Democratic sources said, is to expose the GOP’s lack of planning ahead of the July deadline and pressure them to come up with as much as $90 billion for a six-year transportation bill just at flat funding levels, a near impossibility without politically painful tax increases. The most aggressive tactic, raised by Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) at a private bicameral leadership meeting Tuesday, would have Democrats filibuster any transportation funding extension lasting longer than 30 days. Democratic leaders are now shopping the idea to their chairmen and the rank and file to test just how far the party is willing to press Republicans on an issue that’s sharply divided the GOP."
Trade & Eco-Related Foreign Policy
Why the Trans Pacific Partnership is a Climate Issue—by RLMiller: "Rep. Sander Levin, who has seen the TPP text, gave a speech May 21 in which he stated: 'The Hatch-Wyden-Ryan TPA bill is obsolete in providing instructions [on environment] since the TPP is already taking a different approach. The TPA bill also does not address whether or how climate change issues should be handled in TPP, an issue raised by other countries in the TPP negotiations.' Analysis by NRDC suggests that although TPP incorporates a list of international environmental treaties that the TPP-signing countries are to 'adopt, implement, and maintain,' a global climate treaty is not on that list. (And, given Congressional hostility to any climate treaty in Paris this December, I don’t expect that to change.) So at best, TPP avoids climate altogether and TPA deliberately obfuscates matters. Is the Trans Pacific Partnership actually bad for the climate? I confess that in 2013, I dismissed concerns as overblown; in 2014, I got that it was bad, but 'not my issue'—I would stand in solidarity with labor, those working on traditional environmental issues, and fellow progressives; but wouldn't actively engage. CHVotes Logo 4Then I decided to get past the rhetoric and take a closer look. And it's alarmed me sufficiently that Climate Hawks Vote is going to score members of Congress on their climate-related statements on the TPP."
Eco-Essays and Eco-Philosophy
The trouble with polar bears...—by SninkyPoo: "Talking about climate change in ways that will resonate with people who don't naturally gravitate to the traditional environment and global warming messages is vital. And except for the extreme hard core of ideological 'deniers,' most people will listen to a message that talks about their own self-interests. So pick a topic—any topic—research how climate change will impact it—and then start messaging about that! Climate change is manifesting itself all around us. The subject is gripping because the stakes could not be higher, and we are both the villains—and the potential heroes—in the piece. The time to widen our horizons and include everyone possible in the conversation is. ... NOW."
Oceans, Water & Drought
State Senate Passes Bill Banning New Offshore Drilling—by Dan Bacher: "In a victory for fishing groups, Indian Tribes and environmental organizations, SB 788, a bill to ban new offshore oil drilling in a nearby 'marine protected area' in the Santa Barbara Channel known as Tranquillon Ridge, passed off the Senate floor. The vote on the bill, jointly authored by Senator Mike McGuire (D- Healdsburg) and Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), was 21-13. The vote took place two weeks after a ruptured pipeline, owned by Plains All-American Pipeline, led to a devastating oil spill along the Santa Barbara County coastline. The state and federal governments are currently cleaning up the spill—and the dead birds, mammals and fish killed by the spill."
Water export pumps have run every day during record drought!—by Dan Bacher: "In a news release today, Restore the Delta (RTD) revealed the alarming news that the giant state and federal water export pumps have yet to be turned off one day during California's record drought. RTD, the 'leading opponents of Gov. Brown’s rush to build massive underground water tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom sustainable farms, salmon and other Pacific fisheries,' today responded to testimony given by San Joaquin Valley farm advocates at the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on the status of drought conditions throughout the western United States, and also at the Drought Update given to the California State Water Resources Control Board. In a clear cut case of environmental injustice, the Senate leadership refused to invite Delta residents, Tribal leaders, fishermen and fishery experts to testify at the sham of a 'hearing.'"
Trash, Pollution & Hazardous Waste
New Public Petition Demands Criminal Investigation of Rick Scott's Land Give-Away to Koch Brothers—by Leslie Salzillo: "Per the Daily Kos exclusive story in February, a people's petition has been created demanding a federal investigation of Florida Governor Rick Scott and Koch Industries/Georgia Pacific. Georgia-Pacific/Koch Industries is permitted to discharge up to 60 million gallons per day of toxic waste into the St. Johns River, smothering the bottom with tons of solids and making the water unfit for human/animal use. The pipeline easement was issued by FDEP, as agent for the Florida Governor and Cabinet, after a highly misleading newspaper notice and no fair opportunity to request an evidentiary hearing. The river should be held in trust by the Governor and Cabinet for the people of Florida, not given away for private use as dumping grounds and without just compensation. Inside sources say more legal motions are about to be filed in this case. Meanwhile, the linked petition is beginning to take flight. This is one of many Koch Brothers protests and investigations popping up throughout the country. The Koch Brothers have been trying buy America via education, environment, and government. The people are finally becoming aware - and they are fighting back."
Forests, Wilderness & Public Lands
There's No Disobedience Like Civil Disobedience. How Public Land Didn't Get Sold for Private Profit.—by jpmassar: "Gentrification is a big issue in Oakland nowdays. Rents are skyrocketing and the demands for new housing are ear-shattering. Landlords would love to remove every tenant in every rent-controlled apartment (rents can be reset to market value when a tenant leaves), and often find, shall we say, creative ways to induce the poor and those unable to fight back to vacate. Developers can't wait to build towering condominium projects, attractive to the highly-paid employees of booming tech companies and those pushed out of San Francisco by even higher rents and home prices. [...] The Oakland City Council has had on its plate the sale and/or development of a prime piece of City-owned real estate near Lake Merritt, refered to as the 12th St. parcel. The development proposal originated in 2012, but only in the last few months came into the spotlight. The developer negotiated a sweetheart deal, agreeing to buy the land for $5.1M when most estimates now make the parcel worth at least $1M more - and some people say it could be worth twice as much. In addition, the California Surplus Land Act requires that land sold by a city to be developed for residential use set aside 15% of the units for affordable housing. The development proposal had none. [...] As the Oakland Post put it before the vote City Council Set to Approve Sale of City Land for Luxury Apartment Tower and again after it Before Tuesday night's City Council meeting, the proposal to sell a city parcel to build a luxury apartment tower at Lake Merritt seemed like a done deal. But it did not.[...] This would not have happened if, on May 5th, activists had not shut down the City Council meeting, forestalling a vote that day. Those activists, by braving arrest, demonstrated with crystal clarity that the Oakland City Council does not listen to the will of the people - until and unless forced to. They were going to pass this in the face of clear community opposition, and in the face of the plain meaning of the Surplus Lands Act. Called out by Public Advocates to this illegality days before the May 5th shutdown, they were apparently not the least interested in following the law, snookered perhaps by dubious legal advice that claimed that with enough reinterpretation, redefinition and attorney mumbo-jumbo they could get around it."
Miscellany
You Might Be Counted as a Supporter of the Koch Agenda Without Knowing It—by WeAreKochs: "We recently exposed some of Koch's alleged shills in the media, and ThinkProgress previously alleged that Koch groups were using paid social media 'sock puppets.' However, Koch cash is not the only thing powering the right-wing political Astroturf machine. A recent article in Politico alleged that Koch-linked group called American Commitment had been associated with constituent messages that 'had come from constituents who didn’t recall sending them.' What the article neglected to mention is that allegations of similar 'political identity thefts' have been levied against multiple right wing advocacy groups at least as far back as 2006. [...] In 2009, a coal industry group called American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), which does not appear to be associated with the Koch brothers, was 'Linked to Fake [constituent] Letters on [a] Climate Bill' by a New York Times article: A trade group representing coal producers and power companies says that it indirectly hired a lobbying firm that sent fake letters to lawmakers purporting to be from nonprofit groups opposed to climate-change legislation."
Boston Kossacks! Playing For The Planet: World Music Against Climate Change - June 6—by WarrenS: "On Saturday, June 6, the eleventh “Playing For The Planet” benefit concert will showcase master musicians from three different musical traditions in a rare evening of pan-cultural improvisation, with all proceeds going to benefit the environmental advocacy group 350MA.org. The performers include the brilliant jazz of Charlie Kohlhase's 'Explorers' Club,' Esthema's contemporary take on Balkan and Middle-Eastern traditions, and the awe-inspiring Indian rhythm duet of Pravin Sitaram and Amit Kavthekar. The music begins at 7:00 pm, at The Community Church Of Boston, 565 Boylston Street (Copley Square), Boston. Admission is $20; $15 students & seniors. For information, please call 781-396-0734, visit the event website at www.warrensenders.com, or come to the Facebook Event page (and invite your friends!)"