The Center for Biological Diversity is seeking endangered species designation for a unique seal population. The mine is huge and there is a lot of money at stake. It will be interesting to watch how this issue develops over the next few months.
“The petition claims the seals are threatened by human-caused climate change that will affect both seals and salmon. The petition claims warming and ocean acidification are progressing in the Bering Sea and threaten plankton that ocean-going salmon need for food.
The petition also says warming will increase the temperature in salmon streams to harmful levels and will increase precipitation, threating salmon reproduction by washing away eggs. It also says activity connected to the mine 17 miles upstream from a favorite seal haul-out would disturb the animals during pupping and molting periods.
The Pebble Limited Partnership has called its deposit one of the largest of its kind in the world, with the potential of producing 80.6 billion pounds of copper, 107.4 million ounces of gold and 5.6 billion pounds of molybdenum.” – Anchorage Daily News
Why is it that when I want to post a comment on a news story or express an opinion, every on-line entity wants to access all of my contacts? Seems more than a bit invasive.
“U.S. producers are poised to ship vast quantities of gas overseas as energy companies seek permits for proposed export projects that could set off a renewed frenzy of fracking.
Expanded drilling is unlocking enormous reserves of crude oil and natural gas, offering the potential of moving the country closer to its decades-long quest for energy independence. Yet as the industry looks to profit from foreign markets, there is the specter of higher prices at home and increased manufacturing costs for products from plastics to fertilizers.
Companies such as Exxon Mobil and Sempra Energy are seeking federal permits for more than 20 export projects that could handle as much as 29 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day.”
The billions of dollars invested by foreign corporations into fracking operations within the United States in January of 2012 ought to have made every citizen in the United States sit up and take notice. It didn’t. China’s purchase of Canada’s largest petroleum company in 2012 and the dramatic push for the ongoing development of oil found in tar sands
I cannot believe the way that the American public is swallowing the lies, deceit, and double-speak spewed by the media and our incontrovertibly corrupt elected representatives who are little more than sock puppets for foreign interests.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 signed by then President George Bush exempted hydraulic fracturing operations from the Safe Drinking Water Act, freed drilling companies from the obligation to disclose the chemicals injected into deep shale formations to shatter shale and convey gas back to the well. Below is a screen capture of the actual document:
Signed by President George Bush: Energy Policy Act of 2005 • Click the image to read the entire document.
The good news for Chinese, French, and multi-national corporations whose oil extraction efforts utilize fracking is that the EPA has a way for them to circumnavigate the use of diesel fuel in fracking operations: “Any service company that performs hydraulic fracturing using diesel fuel must receive prior authorization through the applicable UIC program.” – EPA.gov Which means it is now permissible to inject diesel fuel into groundwater – as long as the paperwork is filled out before hand.
If a terrorist plot to inject industrial waste into federal park lands, ranches, farms, and watersheds had been discovered one would think that the FBI would be on this in a heartbeat. It may be that this is already going on with very little attention (they were released!!) being given to possible terrorists.
What the hell is wrong with our elected officials who are supposed to be acting in the best, long-term interests of our country? Has approbation been purchased like the companionship of an anonymous partner? Better yet: why aren’t citizens who are invested in the welfare of this great land picking up the telephone and calling for enforcement of common sense actions?
America’s political activism has flat-lined to coma levels of inactivity. Media-dulled senses, the desire for comfort at any cost, and the effortless embrace of apolitical correctness, has created a nation of perfect patsies.
There was something about Philip K. Howard’s presentation this past Tuesday night which troubled me. Actually, there were several items which did not sound quite right.
I did some research and attempted to both look and read between the lines of his presentation. The first item that came to my attention was Mr. Howard’s place of employment.
” For many clients, Mr. Howard acts as coordinator of lawyers in different practice areas, particularly in corporate and litigation matters that have a significant regulatory or public relations component. ” – Philip Howard bio page at Covington and Burling LLP
Partners at Covington and Burling are said to earn $665,000/year. As a senior partner and vice-chairman, Mr. Howard’s compensation package may be substantively greater than that of other partners.
Money has its own momentum. The momentum of directed wealth possesses the power to change laws, policies, and history. Vast sums of money focused on an issue transform momentum into pure energy enabling water to run uphill, blue skies to become pink, and to alter what is best for a people to that which serves the interest of corporations.
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