Environmental Policy

There’s quite a lot happening on the sonar front as of late. After a federal judge finally and triumphantly imposed a strict set of rules on the Navy’s use of mid-frequency sonar off the coast of Southern California, the Bush Administration attempted, in the name of the ever-vexing “national security”, to nullify the protections. The case has since been returned to the district court for consideration where a federal judge has kept part, but not all, of the original restrictions.

It seems like with every leap forward, there is almost surely a leap backwards, and nothing could be more true than the recent news that the President has tried to all but negate a recent ruling enacted to protect marine life that could be potentially harmed by Navy sonar exercises off the coast of Southern California. Using an "emergency waiver" under both federal and state law the Bush Administration is exempting the Navy from completely plausible safeguards that could help protect a rich biological area.

It's not just peanuts the airlines are cutting back on to stay afloat. According to a recent NRDC press release, Major Airlines are looking to use alternative highly polluting jet fuel made from such sources as liquid coal, tar sands, and oil shale. Read the full press release below:

Who knew the gubernator and California could show how quickly legislature can respond to the threat of global warming. As the world's 8th largest economy, California could well be the torch bearer demonstrating how to effectively combine economy and the environment.

New Statewide Numbers Send Strong Signal to Clean Technology Marketplace; Industry-Specific Emission Goals Will Be Next Step in Unprecedented Process