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AmeriScan: February 15, 2006

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White House Science Official to Investigate Censorship Allegations

WASHINGTON, DC, February 15, 2006 (ENS) - Today Dr. John Marburger, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), appeared before the U.S. House Committee on Science to defend the President's budget proposal on research and development funding levels.

As a member of the Science Committee, Congressman David Wu, an Oregon Democrat, took the opportunity to address continued reports of scientific manipulations and censorship by the administration.

"It has been more than two years since allegations of scientific manipulations and censorship were first made against the administration," said Wu. "Despite assurances that these claims had no validity, the allegations have continued and they are not confined to a single office or agency."

Congressman Wu asked Dr. Marburger to explain why the American public is still learning about incidents even after OSTP wrote to assure Congress that scientific integrity was not a problem within the administration.

"Recent events regarding Dr. [James] Hansen at NASA, the mysterious transformation of the administration's report on offshoring, and the suspension of a forest research grant at Oregon State University have sent a chill down the spines of the academic and research communities," said Wu.

Dr. Hansen, an internationally respected climate scientist with NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies at Columbia University in New York, last month said he was reprimanded for expressing his opinion about climate change and told he must stick to the facts.

Controversy continues over a new report from researchers at Oregon State University, which found that post-fire logging may hinder rather than help forest regeneration and may increase fire risk. By contrast the Bush adminstration's Healthy Forests Act mandates logging of forests to reduce wildfire risk.

The OSU report looked at the impacts of post-fire logging following the 2002 Biscuit Fire. Shortly after the report was made public, some of the more outspoken pro-logging professors at OSU's College of Forestry, which receives 10 percent of its funding from a tax on logging, wanted the nation's top scientific journal, "Science," to withhold publishing the study.

Later, it was revealed that the Bush administration suspended funding for the OSU research. The funding was returned once the move became public.

Congressman Wu asked what Dr. Marburger has done to investigate these incidents and what actions will be taken in the future to ensure information is not suppressed or altered to fit a preferred policy.

In response, Dr. Marburger called the politicization of science "undesirable" and agreed to look into the incident at Oregon State University. After insistence from Congressman Wu, he agreed to provide the results of an investigation in writing.

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Hundreds of Wild Bison Killed Within Yellowstone Park

GARDINER, Montana, February 15, 2006 (ENS) - Today, the National Park Service captured another 69 wild buffalo in the Stephens Creek Capture Facility, within the northern boundary of Yellowstone National Park. This capture brings Yellowstone's February capture total to 262 wild buffalo.

"The Park Service works for the American people who have repeatedly urged them to stop slaughtering buffalo and to take proactive measures to ensure their future," said Stephany Seay of the Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC). "Instead Yellowstone officials choose to ignore the public and continue to slaughter buffalo."

Since Monday, the National Park Service has sent 171 buffalo to slaughter. None have been tested for brucellosis, the supposed reason for the Park's aggressive management.

The National Park Service defends the kills under the Interagency Bison Management Plan which confines the bison to Yellowstone National Park, which lacks critical winter range. The state-federal Plan was crafted to "protect and maintain a wild, free-roaming population of Yellowstone bison" while maintaining Montana's brucellosis-free status.

Brucellosis is an infectious disease also known as contagious abortion. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the presence of brucellosis in free-ranging bison in Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park threatens the brucellosis status of the surrounding states and the health of their livestock herds, which are free of the disease. "Reintroduction of the disease into a brucellosis-free tate could have a serious economic impact on domestic livestock markets and potentially threaten export markets."

But the Buffalo Field Campaign points out that none of the adult bison slaughtered by the Park Service this year were first tested for brucellosis.

There has never been a documented case of wild bison transmitting brucellosis to livestock, even during the decades before the Interagency Bison Management Plan was enacted in 2000.

The Park Service sent 68 buffalo to slaughter this morning, 50 on Tuesday, and 52 on Monday. As in January, Montana has refused to transport the buffalo to slaughter, prompting involvement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Homeland Security.

So far this year, the NPS has captured nearly 1,000 wild Yellowstone buffalo and has sent nearly 800 to slaughter. In January the NPS captured 672 wild buffalo, sending 583 to slaughter and 86 calves to the Corwin Springs quarantine facility where at least half will eventually be slaughtered. Three buffalo died in the Stephens Creek capture facility in January from injuries and mishandling by government officials.

"Yellowstone's buffalo slaughter is disgraceful and unnecessary," said BFC's Mike Mease. "Rather than expending its limited resources on capturing and slaughtering buffalo, the Park Service should work to safeguard critical winter habitat outside Park boundaries."

The Yellowstone bison herd, America's only continuously wild herd, now numbers fewer than 4,000 animals. Wild bison are a migratory species native to North America and once spanned the continent, numbering an estimated 30 to 50 million.

Some of the bison captured by the Park Service migrated onto or near the Royal Teton Ranch, owned by the Church Universal and Triumphant, and located within North America's largest wildlife migration corridor adjacent to Yellowstone's northern boundary. In 1999, U.S. taxpayers spent $13 million on conservation easements to allow wild bison to access these lands. The deal remains unfinished.

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High Winds in San Joaquin Valley Kick Up Dust Pollution

SAN FRANCISCO, California, February 15, 2006 (ENS) - Windy days and nights in the San Joaquin Valley are kicking up clouds of dust on the same day that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tuesday finalized its approval of the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District's Agricultural Conservation Management Practices rule.

This rule stems from the District's 2003 commitment to reduce particulate matter emissions from agricultural sources. The San Joaquin Valley in the heart of California is the state's top agricultural producing region, sometimes called “the nation's salad bowl” for the great array of fruits and vegetables grown in its fertile soil.

Critics say agriculture industry lobbyists influenced the EPA's decision, which fails to protect public health and the environment.

"This rule is a collection of weak requirements that just don't live up to what the Clean Air Act requires," said Paul Cort, a staff attorney with Earthjustice. "Many of these practices generate no real reductions, while others are just a codification of what's already common practice on valley farms."

Earthjustice has brought several lawsuits to improve air quality in the San Joaquin Valley, including the action that led the state to regulate agriculture under the Clean Air Act.

"Rather than working with farmers and the public to identify true best practices, EPA and the district let industry lobbyists dictate the lowest common denominator," Cort said.

According to the district, agricultural activities contribute over 60 percent of all the direct particulate matter emissions in the San Joaquin Valley. The EPA lists the San Joaquin Valley as being in "serious" non-attainment for particulate pollution, the worst possible classification.

The EPA approval came on the day high winds throughout the San Joaquin Valley prompted local air pollution officials to issue a health cautionary statement for Tuesday evening through Wednesday evening.

The high winds – forecast to be 10 to 20 miles per hour with possible gusts to 30 mph in parts of the Valley – can kick up dust from dry land and create unhealthy concentrations of particulate matter 10 microns and smaller, or PM10.

“The combination of things being relatively dry - the lack of moisture in the soil - and the unusually high winds could lead to unhealthy air,” said Shawn Ferreria, a meteorologist for the District.

Exposure to particle pollution can cause serious health problems, aggravate lung disease, cause asthma attacks and acute bronchitis, and increase risk of respiratory infections. In people with heart disease, short-term exposure to particle pollution has been linked to heart attacks and arrhythmias, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Residents throughout the San Joaquin Valley were advised to use caution through Wednesday evening. People with heart or lung diseases should follow their doctors’ advice for dealing with episodes of unhealthy air quality. Additionally, older adults and children should avoid prolonged exposure, strenuous activities or heavy exertion, said Ferreria.

"We are reviewing the final rule and evaluating possible next steps," said Cort, referring to possible further legal action.

"Farmers are some of the most innovative and resourceful folks out there, and we know they can achieve much more," said Sarah Jackson, a research associate at Earthjustice. "We have reviewed some of the dust control plans from the farmers and it is obvious that there are those willing to go the extra mile to help clean the air."

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Washington State Will Join Lawsuit to Protect Roadless Areas

SEATTLE, Washington, February 15, 2006 (ENS) - Governor Chris Gregoire, a Democrat, says Washington State will join California, New Mexico and Oregon in a lawsuit that challenges the Bush administration’s repeal of the roadless rule.

When President Bill Clinton proposed the roadless rule during his presidency, a public comment period yielded overwhelming support for the rule, which was established in the last month of the Clinton presidency to bar development from 55 million acres of inventoried public lands.

Again, in 2004, a public comment period reiterated support by Washingtonians for the rule. However, in May 2005, the Bush administration repealed the rule, substituting a process by which state governors must request protections for national forests within their states.

On February 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture denied Governor Gregoire's petition to create an expedited process in which states could choose to obtain the protections of the 2001 roadless rule. The petition would have simplified the process and saved administrative costs to the state.

The governor made the announcement Thursday in Seattle where she was joined by REI President and CEO Sally Jewell, John Boonstra of the Washington Association of Churches, Chairman Billy Frank Jr. of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and Mark Heckert from the National Wildlife Federation.

“The people of Washington spoke overwhelmingly – twice – in support of protecting our roadless areas,” said Governor Gregoire. “Joining this lawsuit is our last effort to defend Washington’s quality of life and our economy. This protection is the right policy for Washington citizens and vital for those areas of our state where the economy is dependent on tourism, fishing, hunting and hiking.”

“I am grateful to Senator Cantwell and Representative Inslee for their dedicated leadership on this issue. They, too, understand the impact this change will have on the quality of life in Washington,” said the Governor.

Congressman Jay Inslee is a member of the House Resources Committee and has led efforts in the U.S. House to restore protections for roadless areas. "The voice of Washington families in the fight to protect the heirlooms in our national forests grew much stronger today," said Inslee.

Senator Maria Cantwell has worked to preserve roadless areas in the U.S. Senate and is a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "I am proud to stand together with Governor Gregoire in doing whatever it takes to preserve our state's last remaining pristine forestlands," she said.

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Pennsylvania Invests $3.7 Million in Alternative Fuel Technologies

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, February 15, 2006 (ENS) - Pennsylvania firm Seneca Landfill Inc. will receive $2 million from the state to promote use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced from landfill methane gas. Seneca will construct a liquefaction facility to produce 6,000 gallons of LNG per day, and a LNG refueling facility. Seneca will convert 10 waste-hauling vehicles to LNG engines and purchase five new LNG trucks.

Senaca's $2 million grant is the largest of 23 grants, large and small, included in $3.7 million worth of Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants announced Tuesday by Pennsylvania Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Kathleen McGinty

McGinty announced the new funding during a tour of the York County Transportation Authority, which received $381,600 to cover the estimated incremental cost difference between a gallon of conventional diesel and a gallon of 20 percent blended biodiesel, commonly called B20. The funding will enable the authority to operate its entire diesel fleet of 20 buses and 33 vans on B20.

No mechanical changes are needed for the vehicle fleets to operate on the cleaner-burning fuel, which also reduces wear and tear on the engine and helps to cut down on maintenance expenses. Biodiesel also has a higher energy value per gallon than petroleum diesel, providing greater pickup for vans and buses.

“York County Transportation Authority’s purchase reaches up the economic ladder to the suppliers of biofuel and ultimately to the farmers whose crops were used to produce this clean fuel,” McGinty said.

The $3.7 million investment in Alternative Fuel Incentive Grants is intended to help reduce Pennsylvania’s dependence on imported oil, improve environmental quality and foster economic development by encouraging the deployment of innovative energy technologies.

The grants are leveraging more than $16 million in private funds for projects ranging from early-stage research to commercial implementation of technologies that offer measurable benefits for air quality and emerging Pennsylvania businesses.

“These strategic investments will help us realize greater independence from imported oil, enhance our energy security at home and stabilize prices for clean fuels while we continue to build a dynamic new commercial sector that diversifies our energy supplies and puts people to work in Pennsylvania,” said Governor Ed Rendell, a Democrat.

Alternative fuels include compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquid propane gas, ethanol, methanol, hydrogen, coal-derived liquid fuels and fuels derived from biological materials.

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Chicago Granted $750,000 for Calumet Marsh Restoration

CHICAGO, Illinois, February 15, 2006 (ENS) - Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn have accepted $750,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct the Hegewisch Marsh Restoration Project.

The National Coastal Wetlands Grant will fund one of the first large wetland restoration projects in the Calumet area.

"Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, we can protect the Calumet area for many years to come," said Mayor Daley accepting the grant on February 1. "In addition to the generous funding, this award establishes Hegewisch Marsh as one of the top priorities for coastal wetland conservation in the country."

As part of the restoration project, the funds will be used to remove invasive species, install native plants, and execute other habitat changes to benefit plants and animals dependent on the coastal wetlands.

Modifications to the marsh are expected to benefit an endangered colony of yellow-headed blackbirds that nest at the site.

The site will be the location of the Ford Calumet Environmental Center - a 24,000 square foot environmentally friendly building that will provide an operational base for research activities, volunteer stewardship, environmental remediation, and ecological rehabilitation.

The Calumet area on the far south side of Chicago includes the 4,000 acre Calumet Open Space Reserve of marshes, wetlands, and prairies. Calumet is also one of Chicago’s principal manufacturing areas.

The design for the center, which the city intends as a model for the innovative use of green building practices, was chosen last April through an international competition. The winning design is by Chicago architecture firm Studio Gang.

To create sustainable development in the area, the city has completed the Calumet Area Land Use Plan, which designates 3,000 acres of industrial space and 4,800 acres of open space in the area.

The city is attempting to attract greener businesses to the industrial area. The Calumet Area Ecological Management Strategy, a guide for preservation and enhancement of the region’s critical coastal wetlands has been completed and the City has finalized the Calumet Ecotox Protocol, which outlines design sites to protect plants and animals in the area.

"There really is no downside when it comes to protecting the environment," said Daley. "Preservation and conservation of our natural resources is a serious commitment, and one we must continue to make together."

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California Trailer Park Owner Must Restore Santa Clara River

SAN FRANCISCO, California, February 15, 2006 (ENS) – The owner of a Southern California trailer park and campground has been ordered to remove illegal structures and restore a section of the Santa Clara River and wetlands near Acton, or face fines up to $32,500 per day per violation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says the violations at the Robin's Nest Campground, owned by Young Song, include unauthorized diversion of the river and extensive clearing and grading of wetlands near the headwaters of the Santa Clara River. This reach of the river, which is known for its water quality and abundant vegetation, contains some of the only remaining habitat for an endangered fish, the unarmored threespine stickleback. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Game, and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board informed Song in 2003 of objections to his plans to grade the wetlands and impound the river to create a swimming pool and of the state and federal permit requirements. In May 2005, after learning from a local resident that large scale earth moving activities were underway, the Army Corps of Engineers ordered Song to stop filling the river without the required Clean Water Act permit. A recent inspection by EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found that Song’s activities have filled 2.2 acres of the river and its adjacent wetlands. These activities have compromised the river’s natural flow and endangered species habitat, increased the potential for stream bank erosion, and contributed to loss of downstream habitats. “Unauthorized filling of wetlands and damming of open waters can have serious environmental consequences,” said Alexis Strauss, water division director for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. “The Santa Clara River is one of the last free-flowing rivers in Southern California," Strauss said. "The EPA’s action today underscores our commitment to protecting this very important water resource and to work closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other resource agencies to achieve this goal.” Wetlands provide wildlife habitat and are valuable in cleaning water, increasing recharge to groundwater supplies, and reducing flood risks. The Clean Water Act prohibits the discharge of dredged or fill material into open waters and adjacent wetlands without a permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

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