Whaling, toxic waste, and much much more

Happy Earth Day...

ECO-NEWS, WEEK 4

An oil spill followed a probably-deadly rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, and has yet to be contained. (BBC)

The IWC, pushed by Japan, is likely to overturn the international ban on commercial whaling (The Times, UK)

In return, Japan proposed to catch fewer minke whales around Antarctica. Yes, I mentioned this two months ago, but now it's happening. (Japan Times. Check out the comments)

A summary of the "peoples' climate summit" in Bolivia. (United Press International)

In Orrington, on the Penobscot River, the mercury-laden landfills of an old chemical plant are set to be cleaned up -- but how thoroughly? [Most recently, residents voted narrowly for the less extensive cleanup option, but this article has more background]. (Bangor News)

Hawaii's government is working on a bill to ban the sale and possession of shark fins, as a cultural concession to the natives. (Honolulu Advisor)

Introduced lionfish continue spreading in the Caribbean, devastating native fish. (Underwater Times)

Reminder: the aquifer below the Great Plains is getting severely depleted (AOL)

Living on Earth: REDD in Borneo, high-profile environmental justice, and efforts to industrially fish the Mississippi's Asian carp.

New York Times
Several environmental groups jointly petitioned the EPA to list 404 southeastern river species as Endangered.

The UN banned cruise ships from running high-sulfur "heavy fuel" in Antarctic waters, which will hinder the industry when it is enacted in August 2011.

New York City began to clean up (i.e. isolate) a toxic, illegal, 34-year-old landfill on Staten Island.

Earthjustice

For the third time, a court ruling blocked a silver/copper mine in Montana.

NGOs and the EPA struck a(nother?) deal for regulating toxic air emissions from US power plants.