Tag: united states
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Court Ruling Expands Secrecy on Public Safety Information Concerning Dam Failures and Chemical Spills
A sweeping new appellate court decision justifies federal agencies withholding substantial public safety information concerning dam failures, chemical spills and other critical events, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The ruling blocked PEER’s attempts to force release of the emergency plans in the event of failure of two large international storage dams on…
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$1 Trillion Bipartisan Spending Bill Mixed Bag for Water Programs
By Brett Walton After a period of budget gloom, the $1 trillion spending bill approved by the House and Senate last week brought a little cheer to water programs, which fared relatively well. Some of the harshest sequestration cuts have been restored. [caption id="attachment_318557" align="alignnone" width="500"] Among the programs that were saved from budget cuts include the…
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13 Ways the EU Beats the U.S. on Food Safety
How does the U.S. stack up against the European Union (EU) on food safety issues? In addition to restrictions on pesticide use in food production, the EU also has remarkably different standards when it comes to matters such as GMOs, hormones, questionable chemicals and other additives. The editors of YES! Magazine created this great infographic highlighting 13…
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Congress Moves to Fast Track TPP, Threatening Human Health and Environment
By Ilana Solomon Yesterday, Congress pulled a rusty, old tool from the bottom of its toolbox. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Rep. Camp (R-MI) introduced the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act of 2014, otherwise known as “fast track,” which could facilitate passage of deeply flawed trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact with…
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11 Wilderness Victories in 2013
2013 presented plenty of challenges for conservation. Special interest groups and anti-wilderness members of Congress continued their attempts to give away vast swaths of public wild lands to mining, logging and oil and gas interests. These attacks on wildlands included some of our most beloved, pristine areas from Yosemite National Park to the Arctic Refuge.…