The Weekly Planet: Conflict of interest in pipeline review, saving wildlife in Namibia
We're taking a look at some of the stories affecting our planet. Here's some news you shouldn't miss.
Possible conflict of interest in pipeline review
The State Department has allowed a company with financial ties to Keystone XL Pipeline operator TransCanada to conduct an environmental review of the project. The New York Times reports that Cardno Entrix was hired at TransCanada's recommendation. It's not uncommon for government agencies to outsource environmental impact studies or for companies to be involved in assigning the studies, due to limited federal resources, but legal experts told the Times they were surprised the State Department was not more circumspect about the potential for real and perceived conflicts of interest on such a large and controversial project.
Farmers saving wildlife in Namibia
In Namibia, farmers are taking part in an experiment to save wildlife. Conservation has been turned over to farmers and others who live on the land, forming "communal conservancies," according to NPR. Conservancies control the wildlife in their boundaries, taking a cut of tourist income, operating campsites and helping smooth the way as people adapt to a new way of interacting with wildlife.
Will the FDA act on antibiotic resistance?
Treehugger takes a look at the FDA's draft guidelines for antibiotic use in livestock. The guidelines come after concerns about the overuse of medically significant antibiotics that can lead to drug-resistant illnesses. However, there is no timeline set and the guidelines are unenforceable.
Airlines consider the feasibility of biofuel
Given the amount of fuel required to keep an increasing number of passengers in the air, airlines have been investigating options for biofuels. The New York Times notes that although advances have been made in efficiency of biofuels, airlines still face obstacles including competitive pricing and issues with supply.
Europeans consider climate change a bigger issue than the economic crisis
Unlike their U.S. counterparts, Europeans rank climate change as a greater concern than the economic crisis. Treehugger covers a new poll that finds Europeans rank climate change as the second biggest problem facing the world, coming in right after poverty.
Global energy usage to double by 2035
JanforGore shared a story from Circle of Blue who report that global energy usage is projected to double by 2035, with half the projected increase coming from China and India. When it comes to energy sources, fossil fuels are projected to continue to dominate, and the report notes that although renewable energy is projected to be the fastest-growing source, it won't be enough to offset global greenhouse gas emissions.
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JanforGore
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"Possible conflict of interest in pipeline review"
Nothing "possible" about it.
http://thinkprogress.org/green/2011/09/28/330047/state-department-keystone-xl-he...
"In a stunning conflict of interest, public hearings on federal approval for a proposed tar sands pipeline are being run by a contractor for the pipeline company itself. The U.S. Department of State’s public hearings along the proposed route of the TransCanada Keystone XL tar sands pipeline this week are under the purview of Cardno Entrix, a “professional environmental consulting company” that specializes in “permitting and compliance.”
Cardno is not only running the State Department hearings, but also manages the department’s Keystone XL website and drafted the department’s environmental impact statement. Comments from the public about the pipeline go not to the government, but to a cardno.com email:
Cardno Entrix was contracted by TransCanada Keystone XL LP (“Keystone”) to do the work for the Department of State (DOS):
Keystone contracted with Cardno ENTRIX as the third-party contractor to assist DOS in preparing the EIS and to conduct the Section 106 consultation process.
“Section 106″ refers to the section of the National Historic Preservation Act that considers impacts on historic places.
Throughout the history of the DOS review of the Keystone pipeline, the work has been conducted not by civil servants but by representatives of the pipeline company. During the Bush administration, the Department of State appointed TransCanada “and its subcontractors to act as its designated non-federal representatives” to assess the potential impact of the Keystone pipeline on endangered species."
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They should be sued like the Obama administration is being sued for kicking smog rules to the curb so as not to affect the delicate sensibilities of the Republicans who want to gut it all (notice how fast that post fell off after being posted yesterday. http://current.com/technology/93488668_groups-sue-obama-administration-for-scrap...) It should be about principles not politics. When you put politics before the health and life of others it is a moral crime regardless of your party. And hey, good to see such a great response on this again. Good to know the environment is so important to so many. Especially regarding the fact that we are willfully f****ing our planet up without much of a thought for the consequences. But I'm sure when this toxic carbon/ cancer timebomb is approved paving the way for more that there won't be a peep about that from those sworn to support the approvers at any cost.Other comments: The FDA is criminal and will continue to whore to the corporate agenda (MONSANTO); what is being done in Namibia should also be done regarding REDD instead of shooting and pushing farmers and indigenous people off their land; food based biofuels should not be considered by anyone; it should be shameful to us as Americans that Europeans are always ahead of us in regards to understanding important global issues like climate change; and if the report posted regarding energy comes to pass, look for the Arctic to be ice free in summer way before that...darn.
- 8 months ago
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JanforGore
