Blog
Obamas Trade Deal Faces Bipartisan Peril in the House
The bruising battle over President Obama’s push for the power to negotiate two potentially far-reaching trade pacts will shift this week to the House, where the White House faces entrenched opposition from Democrats and the stirring of rebellion from the Republicans’ right flank. Obama’s… Read More
The tides haven’t turned: the cruise ship industry at it again
It’s not enough that the cruise ship industry happens to be one of the largest ocean polluters, but Carnival Cruise Lines avoids most taxes due to a loophole in the tax code, reports David Leonhardt at the New York Times. Carnival only pays taxes equal to 1.1 percent of its cumulative $11.3 billion in profits. Read More
Genetically Engineered Salmon Poses Higher Risks than US Government Claims
New evidence casts further doubt on the safety of genetically modified salmon, which no government in the world has approved for human consumption. The findings of Canadian government scientists conflict with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration review of genetically engineered salmon food safety issues, according to a Friends of… Read More
Under new EPA rule, Clean Water Act protections will cover all active tributaries
The Obama administration finalized new regulations Wednesday that it says will protect streams, rivers and wetlands that provide drinking water to more than 117 million Americans. Under new EPA rule, Clean Water Act protections will cover all active tributaries -LA Times 5/27/2015… Read More
U.S. Finalizes Rules To Protect Rivers, Streams From Pollution
The Obama administration announced new clean water rules Wednesday that it says will protect sources of drinking water for 117 million Americans, rules welcomed by environmental groups, but bitterly opposed by congressional Republicans and farm state democrats. U.S. Finalizes Rules To Protect Rivers, Streams From Pollution -NPR “The Two-Way,” 5/27/2015… Read More
The devil’s in the details of NRC Diablo ruling
Another chapter was added to the divisive saga of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, thanks to a federal regulator’s recent decision. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a ruling on a petition by Friends of the Earth (FOE), an environmental activist group, that called for a shutdown of the… Read More
We can stop Fossil Fuel Empires from destroying our public lands and waters
Humanity is at a climate tipping point and faces an urgent challenge: the phase-out of fossil fuels. Despite some progress with improving energy efficiency and advancing renewable energy, we’re running out of time. In March, the world surpassed 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere,… Read More
Friends of the Earth sends condolences for slain Indonesia palm oil activist
This weekend, Indonesian activist Jopi Peranginangin, a tireless campaigner against unbridled oil palm expansion, was killed outside a nightclub in Jakarta. Read More
The New Santa Barbara Oil Spill Is a Reminder of How Little Weve Learned
The latest accident highlights the inherent risks of transporting oil through sensitive environments. For Santa Barbara residents, the recurring scene involving blackened beaches, slick-sheened waters, and muck-covered wildlife isn’t a case of déjà vu—it just feels like it. On Tuesday, a report indicated that anywhere from 21,000 gallons to 105,000… Read More
Pollinator Politics: Environmentalists Criticize Obama Plan To Save Bees
The buzz around bees has been bad lately. As we’ve reported, beekeepers say they lost 42 percent of honeybee colonies last summer. And it seems that fixing what ails bees is no simple task. Over the past few decades, they’ve been hit by diseases and habitat loss. There’s also increasing… Read More