Beets, grizzlies, Plum Creek, and big polluters

The UN held a vaguely-productive climate summit in New York. (UK Telegraph)

Ditto the G20, discussing energy sources in Pittsburgh (Los Angeles Times)

The US Senate declined to consider a proposal preventing the EPA from using the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions... (Miami Herald)

... which it apparently won't do anyway (Ledger-Enquirer)

Maine regulators approved Plum Creek Timber Comany's big development/"preservation" plan for the Moosehead Lake region, after four years of debates, hearings and assorted commotion [which continues here with loads o' reader comments]

New York Times
Roundup Ready (GM) sugar beets might become illegal to grow in the US, following a federal court ruling.

Another court ruling: a certain bunch of states and land trusts may proceed with plans to sue certain energy companies for producing greenhouse gas emissions.

The EPA will soon[ish] require "industrial sites and suppliers of petroleum" to report their greenhouse gas emissions, though some already do.

Yellowstone's grizzly bears were returned to Threatened status on the Endangered Species List

A major ecologist died, one who helped establish the influential notion that carnivores control herbivore populations.

Eco-news: wolf hunts, mountaintop removal, new pollution regulations, and more

ECO-NEWS, WEEK 1
Eco-news is my community service projects, a weekly collection of links to environmental news and analysis sent to messageboard. Major sources include Grist, the New York Times, Bangor News, and articles e-mailed to me by NGOs such as Earthjustice and the Gulf Restoration Network. Comments and constructive criticism are welcome.

Disclaimers: (appearing only this week)
~Inclusion of an article here does not imply that I support (or oppose). Any action or viewpoint described within. [Bracketed] comments are my own opinions.
~Some sources are (unusually) biased. I aim for thorough, well-rounded coverage of each story, but arm tendinitis has greatly reduced my web-surfing ability. For most stories, a Google News search will yield a range of perspectives, should you be interested in exploring further.
And now, the news . . .

New York adopted a program to help people weatherize their homes for energy efficiency, with semi--bipartisan support. (Solve Climate)

The US government proposed rules to limit vehicles' carbon dioxide emissions (effective 2012) and increase their fuel economy. ( New York Times)

Earthjustice lost their latest legal battle against recently-reinstated gray wolf hunts in Idaho and Montana. (Los Angeles Times)

Grist
The EPA denied all permits under consideration for mountaintop-removal coal mining, until they can be shown to [appear to] obey the Clean Water Act.

They also announced plans to change regulations on toxic water released from coal-fired power plants.

Earthjustice (from summer)
Salmon-restoration advocates and "large agricultural interests" continue their water wars in central California.

After being sued for not doing so, the EPA agreed to set limits on algae-growing nutrient discharges into Florida's waters.

Birds, do-gooders, stingrays and the "roadless rule"

brought to you by Sasha Paris

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.

Human Ecology in Action.

Obama delayed deciding how to implement Clinton's besieged "roadless rule" covering millions of acres of federal lands in ten states, and put the USDA in charge of managing those lands for now. (New York Times; one of 400+ online articles)

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/05/28/28greenwire-one-year-delay-on-roadless-rule-for-federal-la-38237.html 

"The Goode Family" premiered on ABC, and is working wonders for environmentalism's image. Not. (review in Miami Herald)

http://www.miamiherald.com/entertainment/top-story/story/1065395.html 

Bangor News

Bald eagles were removed from Maine's state Threatened Species list. 

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/106976.html 

...and were blamed last week for decimating Maine's great cormorants [Deja vu ;)]  

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/106175.html 

Grist

On the environmental credentials of Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, and the near-future decisions the Court is likely to face.

http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-26-obama-supreme-court-pick/ 

Congress is considering a bill to regulate natural-gas-drilling (now exempt) under the Clean Water Act. 

http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-26-natural-gas-water-politics/ 

UK Guardian

On the intersection of British agricultural policy and declines in farm-haunting songbirds.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/may/25/birds-wildlife-conservation 

On the impacts of "wildlife tourism" on Cayman Island stingrays and other wildlife.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/may/29/wildlife-tourism-stingray 

Strange stuff and controversial politics

brought to you by Sasha Paris

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.

Human Ecology in Action.

Obama announced new vehicle fuel-efficiency requirements, to be implemented by 2016 (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/business/energy-environment/20emit.html?_r=1&hp

...although they may not be as effective as some would hope for. (Grist)
http://www.grist.org/article/fuel-economy-in-context/

[Google yielded thousands of articles on this announcement, many distinctly biased in one way or another. Browse 'em if you're interested]

Congress passed a measure allowing loaded guns in national parks, tucked into a very different bill (Associated Press)
http://news.aol.com/main/politics/article/guns-in-national-parks/479231

Update on the big climate bill du jour (Grist)
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-22-house-panel-oks-climate-bill

Obama put the federal government in charge of formerly-state-led efforts to reduce pollution into Chesapeake Bay. (Washington Times)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/13/obama-federalizes-cleanup-of-chesapeake-bay/

Obama nominated an environmentally-controversial someone to head the Forest Service. (New West)
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/obamas_stuns_with_forest_service_nominee/C37/L37/

The EPA began to clean PCBs from New York's Hudson River--toxins which will be landfilled atop a major Texas aquifer (Facing South).
http://www.southernstudies.org/2009/05/dumping-in-dixie-toxic-waste-from-ny-river-cleanup-headed-to-texas.html

The Mid America CropLife association apparently wrote to Michelle Obama, distressed that her "White House garden" would be organic. (La Vida Locavore) [I can hardly believe this, but it's too ridiculous not to share]
http://www.lavidalocavore.org/showDiary.do;jsessionid=E6383A70290E038C84B643E47A2B36BE?diaryId=1309

Earthjustice
A six-month suspension of Gulf of Mexico "bottom longline" fishing took effect, ordered last month after federal managers were sued for letting it kill endangered sea turtles. [I imagine some people are miffed]
http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/2009/emergency-action-taken-for-threatened-and-endangered-sea-turtles.html

Also last month, Bush's weakening of the Endangered Species Act was formally revoked.
http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/2009/obama-admin-restores-scientific-consultations-to-endangered-species-act.html

Bananas, green labeling, progress and stalled progress

brought to you by Sasha Paris

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.

Human Ecology in Action.

A bill introduced in the Senate aims to shift transportation, via federal spending, from cars toward public transit (Washington Post).
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/13/AR2009051303687.html

The EPA newly reviewed permits for mountaintop-removal coal mining--and has approved most of them. (West Virginia News)
http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=30478

Six Indo-Pacific nations adopted a "plan" to protect their Coral Triangle (Business World Online)
http://www.bworldonline.com/BW051609/content.php?id=073

....and other news from the World Oceans Conference (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iSUN0r9EnsgSkdGCaJmUnLQ0QLHAD986MLH00

New York Times
Several massive food producers (e.g. Frito-Lay) are trying to market their products as "local." [*hits head against wall*]
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/dining/13local.html?_r=1

Groundwater use may become regulated in California--a fiercely-resisted notion.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/science/earth/14aquifer.html?_r=1

A hazard of increasingly-popular urban gardening: lead-laced soil.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/garden/14lead.html

BBC News
A British scientist invented "briquettes" of banana waste, which he hopes could help replace wood as cooking fuel in parts of Africa.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8044092.stm

International whaling "peace talks" have stalled over the prospect of Japan's resuming openly-commercial killing.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8042713.stm

Bangor News
Maine's governor proposed consolidating four state natural-resource agencies, earning loud support and opposition for the management implications.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/105818.html

Should Maine lobsters get certified as "sustainable"? Even within the industry, that's a controversial question.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/105920.html

Obama angers enviros many times

brought to you by Sasha Paris

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.

Human Ecology in Action.

Ambitious plans were adopted to "green" Vancouver (Canada Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090505.wbcgreen05art0034/BNStory/National/home

...and slash Berkeley's greenhouse gas emissions (San Fransisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/06/BAMM17G0VB.DTL

Associated Press
Gray wolves in parts of the Rockies and Great Lakes regions were officially removed--again--from the Endangered Species List.
http://news.aol.com/article/gray-wolves-off-endangered-list/460212

Kansas' governer left for a federal position, and her replacement approved one of the long-vetoed coal power plants.
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/05/05/ap6378113.html

The USDA proposed new cow-grazing requirements for organic milk
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/11/19/us_revises_rules_on_cow_grazing_for_organic_dairies/

Grist
The Obama admin upheld a Bush-era rule preventing use of the Endangered Species Act to regulate activities that harm Threatened polar bears outside their range (i.e. greenhouse-gas emitters)
http://www.grist.org/article/index/2009-05-08-polar-bear-climate-salazar/PALL/

The EPA proposed two (highly criticized) models for measuring the net greenhouse-gas emissions of biofuels, land use included.
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-05-05-epa-ethanol-biofuel/

New York Times
The BLM (may have) authorized new uranium mining permits near the Grand Caynon, on lands previously off-limits to said mining.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/05/06/06greenwire-blm-authorizes-grand-canyon-uranium-exploratio-10572.html

The Obama admin had been urged to amend the ozone-depleter-related Montreal Treaty to include immediate phase out of potently 'climate-warming' hydroflourocarbons. They decided not to.
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/obama-not-seeking-climate-action-under-ozone-treaty/

Obama announced a bunch of new federal efforts to support production of corn ethanol and other biofuels.
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/white-house-steps-up-support-for-biofuels/

Poisoned waters near and far

brought to you by Sasha Paris

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.

Human Ecology in Action.

The Obama administration moved to reverse a late-term Bush rule making it easier for the waste from mountaintop-removal coal mining to be dumped in streams (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5giHtT8Pyma73d73FFOJx-evlk65QD97R0FDG4

The EPA began crafting restrictions on waterborne toxins discharged from power plants--toxins which had been airborne until the plants were required to "scrub" them from their smoke. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/02/AR2009050200703.html

Grist
Indiana's proposed "renewable" energy bill--including "clean coal" and nuclear power--failed.
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-30-no-renewable-nukes-and-coal/

On water pollution caused by natural-gas drilling [which is planned for my home region in the Finger Lakes--eek!!]
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-26-propublica-gas-drilling-water/

Bangor News
A serious illness outbreak in Sangerville, Maine, was (inconclusively) linked to a nearby dump of assorted nasty substances.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/105073.html

Maine's limited and recently reopened salmon sport-fishing season was canceled under pressure from federal managers.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/104899.html

The public comment period opened for a plan to restore anadromous fish in the Penobscot River
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/105038.html