Eagles, rainforests, oil drilling, fishery changes etc.

brought to you by Sasha Paris  

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Human Ecology in Action.

The California government denied a proposal to expand oil drilling off Santa Barbara--one which certain environmental groups had favored as part of a deal with the oil company. [Politics. Sheesh.] (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-santa-barbara-oil30-2009jan30,0,4266773.story

The Interior Department halted a set of new oil and gas leases in Utah for review. (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iR6iksPv6MUmw4jraPWPGHWAuGsgD9654M983

Naturally-growing forests in abandoned tropical farmland have raised controversy over the importance of preserving "pristine" rainforest. (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/science/earth/30forest.html?ref=science

Ten new amphibian species were "discovered" in Columbia. (Reuters)
http://news.aol.com/article/new-amphibian-species/327136

Bald eagles may be removed from Maine's state Endangered Species list (Bangor News)
http://bangornews.com/detail/98727.html

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted to open federal waters in the Gulf to aquaculture. (Press-Register, Alabama)
http://www.gulflive.com/press-register/stories/index.ssf?/base/news/1233224169238650.xml&coll=3

They also recommended closing parts of the Gulf to longline fishing, to reduce sea-turtle bycatch. (Mississippi Press)
http://www.gulflive.com/news/mississippipress/news.ssf?/base/news/1233314130310190.xml&coll=5

Commercial fishing is banned from beginning in the melting seas off northern Alaska until scientists "determine" what its ecological and social impacts would be. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/05/AR2009020502565.html

Obama ordered the Energy Department to set efficiency standards for a variety of home appliances. [It's unclear how much or by when.] (Reuters UK)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN0536527620090205?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

Sweden ended its ban on new nuclear power plants. (Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/feb/05/nuclear-sweden