Reactions to story from The Washington Post

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  Keith Olbermann on Gwen Ifill Translated

  http://www.celebritypaycut.com/warming-skeptics/keith-olberm...
  61 days ago in Celebrity Paycut - Encouraging celebrities all over the world to save us from global warming by taking a paycut. · Authority: 2

  Keith Olbermann on Gwen Ifill Translated This video debunks 100% of the spin put out by the Leftwing blogs that the McCain camp should have known about Gwen Ifill. The fact of the matter is that there was no story about her book. All the mentions of her book were in other obscure stories. Well, you’ll… Posted in: Warming Skeptics Oct 2, 2008 Global Warming Hoax Weekly Round-Up, Oct. 2nd 2008 It’s Thursday, and that can only mean one thing:  The Daily Bayonet has put together the best-of-the-best in global warming news from the past week. First, Al Gore was evidently a little jealous that all of the headlines centered on the financial crisis in the United States instead of his… Posted in: Warming Skeptics Tags: al gore, gas, global warming Oct 2, 2008 Scientists Warn of Mass Extinctions from Climate Change Here we go again.  More predictions that are set to take place after most of us will be dead and unable to hold these clowns accountable for their fear-mongering and sensationalism.  Scientists now warn that by the end of this century up to one-third of all species could be extinct… Posted in: Warming Skeptics Tags: climate, climate change, scientists Oct 2, 2008 Climate Change Hinders Fight Against Poverty Global warming has been blamed on hampering efforts to fight poverty, according to U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro.  The food and oil crises are causing significant hurdles to achieving the 10-year Brussels Programme of Action.  While the U.N. is quick to blame food shortages on rising oil prices, let’s not… Posted in: Warming Skeptics Tags: climate, climate change, ethanol, global warming, oil Oct 2, 2008 Schools Receive Climate Change Packs Thousands of secondary schools in India have received climate change packs to help instructors teach the potential catastrophe known as global warming.  Although concern has been expressed that this could make children apprehensive about the future, proponents of the climate change packs feel it provides opportunities and showcases what needs… Posted in: Warming Skeptics Tags: climate, climate change, global warming, scientists Oct 2, 2008 Climate Science Corrupt Read how Al Gore and his global warming cohorts have used Stalinist tactics to corrupt an entire branch of science.  The allegation, confirmed by MIT Meteorology Professor Richard S. Lindzen, is a lengthy read and a bit technical at times, but provides damning proof that there is corruption behind global… Posted in: Warming Skeptics Tags: al gore, climate, climate change, gas, global warming, green, greenhouse gas Oct 2, 2008 Oregon Plan to Sequester Carbon in Trees…And Money Pockets The Gore Lied blog, as always, provides some particularly biting commentary on a plan hatched in Oregon to plant trees to save the planet.  While this concept isn’t very new, the motive behind it is:  plant trees to suck up carbon from the atmosphere and have it stored naturally in… Posted in: Warming Skeptics Tags: global warming Warming Activists Oct 2, 2008 Sunspots Are Fewest Since 1954, but Significance Is Unclear Scientists are not sure why sunspot activity is so minimal, and the episode is even playing into the global warming debate. Posted in: Warming Activists Tags: global warming, scientists Oct 2, 2008 Arctic Sea Ice Hits Second-lowest Recorded Extent, Likely Lowest Volume Arctic sea ice extent during the 2008 melt season dropped to the second-lowest level Sept. 14 since satellite measurements began in 1979 and may represent the lowest volume of sea ice on record, according to researchers. Posted in: Warming Activists Oct 2, 2008 Similarity Of Urban Flora: Plants In Towns And Cities Are More Closely Related Than Those In The Countryside More plant species grow in German towns and cities than in the countryside, but those in towns and cities are more closely related and are often functionally similar. This makes urban ecosystems more susceptible to environmental impacts. Posted in: Warming Activists Tags: environment Oct 2, 2008 Using Plants Instead of Petroleum to Make Jet Fuel Chemical engineers in North Dakota have successfully turned oil from plants–canola (rapeseed), coconuts and soybeans–into jet fuel indistinguishable from the conventional kind, according to U.S. government tests. Working with the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), scientists at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) at… Posted in: Warming Activists Tags: earth, environment, oil, scientists Oct 2, 2008 NSIDC stunner: Arctic ice at “Likely Record-Low Volume” Looks like the Arctic may have set a record this year after all. The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) said today that Arctic sea ice volume likely hit a record low in 2008. They reconfirmed that the sea ice extent (or area) “dropped to the second-lowest level since satellite… Posted in: Warming Activists Tags: arctic ice, climate Oct 2, 2008 Q: What is the difference between carbon offsets and mortgage-backed securites? A: Lipstick. Carbon offsets and mortgage-backed securities are quite similar in that is impossible for the vast majority of people, even experts, to know what value they have, if any. In the case of the securities, before paying good money for them, you have to figure out what the value of the… Posted in: Warming Activists Tags: climate, co2, emissions, environment Oct 2, 2008 Sharp to boost thin film solar capacity 6-fold to 6000 MW by 2014, U.S. hits snooze button The world’s second-largest maker of solar batteries plans a massive increase in capacity to meet soaring demand. Bloomberg reports: The company will raise the capacity to 6 gigawatts as early as 2014, from 1 gigawatt estimated for 2010… Sharp, which lost its market-leading position to Thalheim, Germany-based Q-Cells AG last year, is… Posted in: Warming Activists Tags: climate Oct 2, 2008 Sharp to boost thin film solar capacity 6-fold to 6000 MW by 2014, U.S. hits snooze button The world’s second-largest maker of solar batteries plans a massive increase in capacity to meet soaring demand. Bloomberg reports: The company will raise the capacity to 6 gigawatts as early as 2014, from 1 gigawatt estimated for 2010… Sharp, which lost its market-leading position to Thalheim, Germany-based Q-Cells AG last year, is… Posted in: Warming Activists Tags: climate Oct 2, 2008 Cheney still pushing hard to gut our energy and environmental regulations Even with only a few months to go in his reign of terror, Darth Vader never phones it in. He just keeps blasting away. In August, the Post headlined the story, “Anti-Regulation Aide to Cheney Is Up for Energy Post,” noting that the “promotion that would put one of the administration’s… Posted in: Warming Activists Tags: climate, climate change, environment, oil Oct 2, 2008 Mayors report: 4.2 million new green jobs possible The U.S. Conference of Mayors has just released a Green Jobs report establishing a national Green Jobs Index that finds [T]he U.S. economy currently generates more than 750,000 green jobs–a number that is projected to grow five-fold to more than 4.2 million jobs over the next three decades. The report … is… Posted in: Warming Activists Tags: climate, green Featured Video CATEGORIES News (23) Warming Activists (9793) Warming Skeptics (7886) RECENT COMMENTS September 2, 2008 -
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  Appoint of no return

  http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/9/25/17152/0681
  68 days ago in "There Were Elders in Tears" | Gristmill: The environmental news blog | Grist · Authority: 1,469

  By Kate Sheppard With the nation's attention turned to the financial crisis, the White House today announced that the president intends to nominate F. Chase Hutto III, a senior aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, as assistant secretary for policy and international affairs within the Energy Department. Hutto, who has been a leading opponent of environmental regulations within the administration, would be in charge of the department's policies on climate change -- if he is confirmed by the Senate. According to the DOE's website, in this post Hutto would serve as the "primary advisor to the Secretary and the Department on energy and technology policy development," oversee policy analysis, and lead the DOE's international activities. His name was first floated as the top candidate for the post last month. The Washington Post reported that Hutto "played a prominent behind-the-scenes role in shaping the administration's environmental policies for several years," and helped "to rewrite rules affecting the air that Americans breathe and the waters that oil tankers traverse." Throughout his tenure in the administration, he has opposed regulations on industry, according to those who worked closely with him. His record includes attempting to scale back rules proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that would protect endangered North Atlantic right whales from deadly run-ins with sea vessels. He also advocated for an expedited decision last year for Shell Oil as it petitioned NOAA for an "incidental harassment authorization" that would allow the company to injure or kill a small number of marine mammals in the process of drilling for oil and gas drilling off the coast of Alaska. Shell eventually withdrew the request. Hutto also reportedly opposed tightening federal rules for ozone and limiting mercury emissions from power plants. Earlier this month, Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), both members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, urged Bush not to nominate Hutto to the post. The two issued a statement today condemning the selection. "Talk about the fox guarding the henhouse. A Cheney aide who represents everything that is wrong with the direction of our energy and environmental policies is now helping lead the Department of Energy," said Menendez in a statement. "This is highly concerning to those of us who want to end our addiction to oil, create jobs, lower energy prices, and reduce global warming pollution." Since the Senate is pretty busy right now, it's not likely that they'll take action on Hutto's nomination. And even if he is appointed, there are only 116 days left in the administration. Not that anyone's counting.
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  Appoint of no return

  http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/9/25/17152/0681
  68 days ago in Gristmill: The environmental news blog | Grist · Authority: 30

  By Kate Sheppard With the nation's attention turned to the financial crisis, the White House today announced that the president intends to nominate F. Chase Hutto III, a senior aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, as assistant secretary for policy and international affairs within the Energy Department. Hutto, who has been a leading opponent of environmental regulations within the administration, would be in charge of the department's policies on climate change -- if he is confirmed by the Senate. According to the DOE's website, in this post Hutto would serve as the "primary advisor to the Secretary and the Department on energy and technology policy development," oversee policy analysis, and lead the DOE's international activities. His name was first floated as the top candidate for the post last month. The Washington Post reported that Hutto "played a prominent behind-the-scenes role in shaping the administration's environmental policies for several years," and helped "to rewrite rules affecting the air that Americans breathe and the waters that oil tankers traverse." Throughout his tenure in the administration, he has opposed regulations on industry, according to those who worked closely with him. His record includes attempting to scale back rules proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that would protect endangered North Atlantic right whales from deadly run-ins with sea vessels. He also advocated for an expedited decision last year for Shell Oil as it petitioned NOAA for an "incidental harassment authorization" that would allow the company to injure or kill a small number of marine mammals in the process of drilling for oil and gas drilling off the coast of Alaska. Shell eventually withdrew the request. Hutto also reportedly opposed tightening federal rules for ozone and limiting mercury emissions from power plants. Earlier this month, Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), both members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, urged Bush not to nominate Hutto to the post. The two issued a statement today condemning the selection. "Talk about the fox guarding the henhouse. A Cheney aide who represents everything that is wrong with the direction of our energy and environmental policies is now helping lead the Department of Energy," said Menendez in a statement. "This is highly concerning to those of us who want to end our addiction to oil, create jobs, lower energy prices, and reduce global warming pollution." Since the Senate is pretty busy right now, it's not likely that they'll take action on Hutto's nomination. And even if he is appointed, there are only 116 days left in the administration. Not that anyone's counting.
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  Good and Bad News on Bush Administration and the Environment

  http://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/good-and-bad-n...
  104 days ago in The Pump Handle · Authority: 85

  First, the good news: A federal appeals court has struck down a 2006 EPA rule that prohibited state and local governments from strengthening efforts to monitor pollution from power plants, factories, and refineries. Under the Clean Air Act, state and local governments are tasked with issuing pollution permits to power plants, factories, and other polluters. They’re supposed to update their monitoring requirements with EPA guidance, but such guidance hasn’t been forthcoming. When EPA proposed requiring that state and local governments improve their monitoring without that guidance, industry groups protested and the agency backed down. Then, it adopted a rule prohibiting these governments from supplementing monitoring efforts. The federal appeals court didn’t buy this “We’re not going to help you, but we won’t let you do it on your own” approach. The Washington Post’s Del Quentin Wilber explains their decision: In a 2 to 1 decision, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found that the Environmental Protection Agency rule violated a provision of the Clean Air Act, which requires adequate monitoring of emissions to ensure compliance with pollution limits. Judge Thomas B. Griffith wrote for the majority that federal standards often are not sufficient to ensure proper monitoring, so states and local governments must be allowed to fill the gap. “The question in this case is whether permitting authorities may supplement inadequate monitoring requirements when EPA has taken no action,” Griffith wrote. Better monitoring will help the public stay informed about what kinds of air pollutants they’re being exposed to, which could in turn pressure facilities to reduce their harmful emissions. Now for the bad news: The administration wants to elevate F. Chase Hutto III, a senior aide to Dick Cheney who’s described as being “naturally and philosophically opposed to regulation,” to the position of assistant secretary for policy and international affairs at the Department of Energy. The Washington Post’s Juliet Eilperin catalogues Hutto’s actions: helping to scale back a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rule to protect North Atlantic right whales; urging NOAA to respond more quickly to energy industry petitions; opposing tighter federal rules for smog-forming ozone; and questioning the need for limiting mercury emissions from power plants. (In the last two cases, EPA strengthened the protections despite objections.) Today’s energy policy decisions will play a major role in determining how much climate disruption and air pollution we have to deal with in future decades. They’re not decisions that should be made by someone so eager to let industry damage the environment in pursuit of profit.
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  Cheney’s energy industry mole to fashion climate change policy?

  http://sefora.org/2008/08/20/cheneys-energy-industry-mole-to...
  104 days ago in Scientists & Engineers for America Action Fund · Authority: 215

  From our friends at Effect Measure Everyone seems to agree about one thing concerning Vice President Cheney’s senior aide, F. Chase Hutto III. He never met an environmental regulation he didn’t just hate and oppose on principle. According to the Washington Post he has been instrumental in keeping our air and water dirtier than it needs to be. Just another day at the office in the Bush administration. Now, in the waning days of the Bush Reich, they want to name him a high official in the Department of Energy where he will in charge of policies related to climate change. The foundation of the climate change debate is the science, so it’s good at least that they want someone who is independent and with solid training in science to oversee the matter: Hutto, 39, a Michigan native and a veteran of several successful GOP campaigns, has spent almost his entire career working for Republicans in Washington. He started out as an opposition researcher working on Spencer Abraham’s 1994 upset Senate victory and conducted similar research for two other Senate bids before serving on the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign as a vote-recount team leader in Duval County, Fla.After receiving a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a law degree, both from the University of Michigan, Hutto worked briefly in the private sector at the firm Venable, Baetjer, Howard and Civiletti before joining Abraham’s staff on the Judiciary subcommittee on immigration in October 1997. As a Senate staffer, Hutto focused on issues such as electronic commerce and privacy; he shifted his focus when Abraham took over the Energy Department in January 2001 and Hutto became a senior policy adviser there. Burnett said Hutto, a vocal proponent of the free market, argued during interagency climate policy meetings that Americans are attached to their cars and would be loath to sacrifice them to achieve greenhouse gas reductions. At the White House, Hutto has been one of the oil and gas industry’s key points of contact for energy and environmental issues. (WaPo) Errrr. OK. Let’s start over. He’s been described as a “deeply principled conservative.” That no doubt was the reason he helped scuttle a recent attempt to have the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration protect right whales from being mangled by ships. It shows just how principled he is. These were right whales, his conservative marine mammal cousins. And he didn’t give them a break. What a guy! And everyone agrees, too, that one of his principles is to do whatever Vice President Cheney wants him to. You have to admire that. Don’t get the wrong idea. He’s not opposed to government action on hurting marine animals. The jay walking whales aside, Mr. Hutto was quite critical of NOAA for their slowness in responding to the energy industry: Shell Oil petitioned the agency last year for an “incidental harassment authorization” that would have allowed it to injure or kill a small number of marine mammals in connection with oil and gas drilling off Alaska in 2008; Hutto inquired about getting a quicker decision on Shell’s request in light of the Arctic’s limited drilling season. Don’t get the wrong idea about how powerful he is, either. He fights the good fight but sometimes he loses, and then we all lose. Like these times: The conservative positions taken by Hutto and the vice president’s office have held wide sway in internal policy debates, but occasionally he was stymied, participants said. Burnett said that this year Hutto opposed tightening federal rules for smog-forming ozone — which is linked to thousands of premature deaths each year– and in 2005 he questioned why the EPA needed to limit mercury emissions from power plants, because the agency had just issued a rule that would have the incidental effect of somewhat reducing the toxic pollutant. In both instances, the EPA strengthened the protections over these objections. Don’t get your hopes up, though. It’s possible Hutto won’t be graced with a nomination for the post by the Bush administration. It’s not really that necessary since if they just name him Acting Assistant Secretary it will have the desired effect of building his resume for the presumed cushy job with the energy industry after the Bush administration is finally excreted and in that time he can make policy decisions that a new administration might have a hard time reversing. 153 days to go and they are getting ready to vandalize the office before leaving the building ShareThis

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