Guest guest Posted January 29, 2002 Report Share Posted January 29, 2002 Kristina ----- " In the long run it is the cumulative effect that matters. One can do much. And one and one and one and one can move mountains. " ~ Joan Ward-Harris Take action! Action-For-Animals http://network54.com/Hide/Forum/136051 ENERGY DEBATE: How much influence did Enron have? NORTON WATCH: There she goes again RISING DEATH TOLL: More manatees dying in Florida waters OILY OTTERS? California vowing to fight off-shore oil development SAFEGUARDING THE ENVIRONMENT: New group offers help to states SAVING HABITAT: Defenders employs innovative strategy JAVA FOREST: A new wildlife-friendly coffee 1. ENERGY DEBATE: How much influence did Enron have? Congress returns to session this week to renew the national energy policy debate with many members raising serious questions about the influence of the disgraced Enron Corp. over the Bush administration's plan. According to financial records, 35 administration officials have held stock in Enron. Enron executives met six times with the White House energy task force, which produced a plan that contains 17 provisions benefiting the once-giant energy company now in bankruptcy proceedings. The White House denies it was unduly influenced by Enron, but the administration is refusing to release documents to the public. The administration's plan, already approved by the House, allows oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, weakens environmental protections on public land across the country and all but ignores energy efficiency and new technologies. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts has unveiled his own plan calling for higher fuel efficiency standards, tax incentives for new energy sources and a target of 20 percent reliance on alternative and renewable fuels by the year 2020. The Senate, which is expected to vote next month, appears to be nearly evenly divided. That's why it's so important for all Americans to make their voices heard. At least one American "president" is urging you to contact your senators to urge them to adopt an energy plan that emphasizes new technologies and improved efficiency over drilling in the Arctic refuge. Click here to read the message from Martin Sheen, star of NBC-TV's "The West Wing," and help spread the word by forwarding it to friends: http://www.savearcticrefuge.org 2. NORTON WATCH: There she goes again Interior Secretary Gale Norton is making a habit of quashing scientific evidence in an attempt to curry favor with Big Oil and other special interests. Last year in a report to Congress, she discarded the findings of Fish and Wildlife Service biologists that oil drilling would harm caribou on the coastal plain of the Arctic refuge. Last week, she was at it again. First, it was disclosed that she never submitted scathing criticism from her own agency of plans to relax wetlands protection rules. Then, ignoring years of scientific reports, she decided that drilling in the refuge won't harm polar bears or violate U.S. treaty obligations to protect them. "It's become a dismal pattern when the science doesn't agree with her position, Secretary Norton simply ignores or silences the science," Defenders of Wildlife President Rodger Schlickeisen said. 3. RISING DEATH TOLL: More manatees dying in Florida waters More manatees died in Florida's waterways last year than any year since 1996, according to the Florida Marine Research Institute, and deaths from boat collisions were just one short of the all-time record. The death toll was 325, with careless boaters killing 81 of those manatees. The alarming number shows state and federal officials are failing to meet their obligation to protect the gentle sea cows. Even so, efforts are under way to strip the manatee of its status as endangered at the state and federal levels. To learn more about manatees and what you can do to help, visit www.defenders.org/wildlife/new/manatees.html. And click here to see the DENlines cartoon: http://www.defenders.org/den/issues/norton.jpg 4. OILY OTTERS? California vowing to fight off-shore oil development One-tenth of the surviving population of southern sea otters lives where the Bush administration wants to allow oil drilling off the California coast. California Gov. Gray Davis is vowing to stop the development of the 36 drilling leases granted by the federal government, and Defenders of Wildlife intends to go to court to support the state. California Resources Secretary Mary Nichols said the poor-quality oil in the 36 leases is "closer to asphalt than something that you'd put in your car" and deadly to ocean life. To learn more about threats to sea otters and what you can do to help, go to www.saveseaotters.org. 5. SAFEGUARDING THE ENVIRONMENT: New group offers help to states Lawmakers now can find help from a new Internet-based information clearinghouse for environmental legislation. The State Environmental Resource Center -– a collaborative project of Defenders of Wildlife and the Natural Resources Defense Council -– will work state-by-state to help legislators promote pro-environment legislation to safeguard our health, air and water, wildlife and wild lands. "Americans have long looked to Congress to protect the environment," SERC National Director Andy Gussert said. "But concerned citizens are now appealing to public officials closer to home and, increasingly, state legislators are doing the really important work. That's why we started SERC, the first project of its kind to help these progressive state lawmakers working to protect our health and our environment in cities and neighborhoods all across the country." To learn more, visit SERC's Web site, www.serconline.org. 6. SAVING HABITAT: Defenders employs innovative strategy Defenders of Wildlife has secured vital habitat for grizzly bears in Idaho by paying to retire 16,370 acres of national forest land from sheep grazing. Defenders initiated this agreement using a new program, The Bailey Wildlife Foundation Proactive Carnivore Conservation Fund. This program provides money for collaborative on-the-ground efforts to reduce potential conflict between large predators and livestock. "This is a win-win solution for everyone involved -- the sheep growers, the forest and particularly for the grizzly bears." said Minette Johnson, Northern Rockies field representative for Defenders. "The retirement of the lease will provide important habitat where grizzly bears can roam freely without coming into conflict with domestic sheep." 7. JAVA FOREST: A new wildlife-friendly coffee An easy way to help save wildlife is to drink shade-grown coffee. Threatened by shrinking habitat, migratory birds and small wildlife have found a sanctuary in the forest-like environment of shade coffee farms. Farms where the forest canopy is preserved support nearly as many species of migratory birds as mature undisturbed forests. That's why Defenders of Wildlife has teamed with the Thanksgiving Coffee Co. and Grounds for Sharing to develop Java Forest shade-grown organic coffees. Java Forest is slowly grown at high elevations under the natural forest canopy, without the use of chemicals or pesticides. Traditional growing methods give this coffee a naturally rich flavor. At least 25 percent of each purchase funds our continued efforts to protect and conserve North American wildlife. To learn more about Java Forest, or place an order, visit http://www.defenders.org/shop/coffee/coffee.html or call 1-866-766-6328. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO DENLINES DENlines is a bi-weekly publication of Defenders of Wildlife, a leading national conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. It is known for its effective leadership on endangered species issues, particularly predators such as brown bears and gray wolves. Defenders also advocates new approaches to wildlife conservation that protect species before they become endangered. Founded in 1947, Defenders is a nonprofit 501©(3) organization with more than 400,000 members and supporters. To , send an e-mail to denlines and put the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Defenders of Wildlife 1101 14th Street, N.W. Suite 1400 Washington, DC 20005 Copyright Defenders of Wildlife 2002 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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