• Enviros Pan U.S.-Russian Arms Pact
  
• Bioterrorism Bill Commits Billions for Readiness
  
• Particulate Pollution Blamed for California Health Problems
  
• Vacationers Often Find Unhealthy Beaches
  
• Groups Plan Suit Over Albany Lead Program
  
• West Nile Virus Crops Up Again
  
• Paddlefish Caviar Lands Dealers in Court
  
• Humorous Energy Efficiency Ad Wins Award
  

Enviros Pan U.S.-Russian Arms Pact

Before and after that date, the number of nuclear warheads mounted on strategic nuclear missiles and bombers may exceed the treaty's maximum limit of 2,200 warheads in operation. The United States and Russia must comply with the 2,200 warhead limit only on the last day of 2002, after which the treaty expires.

The treaty also contains no limit on the number of warheads that may be kept in storage as a reserve force, meaning that thousands of weapons on both sides could be remounted on missiles and bombers within weeks or months, the NRDC charges.

"The whole framework of restraint is so tenuous, it could unwind rather swiftly," said Matthew McKinzie, an NRDC staff scientist.

President George W. Bush left today for a week long overseas trip to France, Italy and Russia. While in Russia, Bush plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to sign the arms reduction agreement announced last week.

The NRDC says the treaty does nothing to constrain or eliminate stockpiles of nonstrategic nuclear weapons deliverable by shorter range systems, such as cruise missiles, battlefield missiles, artillery and tactical aircraft, McKinzie added, and it imposes no timetable for removing warheads from operational missiles, bombers or submarines.

"President Bush's claim that this agreement will 'liquidate the nuclear legacy of the Cold War' is self serving political hype," said Thomas Cochran, director of the NRDC's nuclear program. "The proposed treaty imposes no additional permanent limits on either side's nuclear forces, and does not require the destruction of a single nuclear warhead, missile, silo, bomber or submarine. This treaty is a sham, and will do nothing to make Americans or Russians more secure."

NRDC senior policy analyst Christopher Paine called the treaty political theater.

"This administration clearly regards nuclear arms control as just another venue for political theater, designed to grease the skids of Russia's integration into the U.S. led free market system," Paine said. "But arms control should be more than fostering the illusion that you're doing something."

Robert Norris, the NRDC's nuclear historian, noted that President Bush has already rejected the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty signed by former President Bill Clinton and supported by the majority of the world's nations - including Russia - and intends to withdraw unilaterally from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in June.

"This treaty is just another example of the Bush administration's desire to maintain the flexibility to use the unusable - nuclear weapons," Norris concluded. "Meanwhile, Bush is single handedly destroying the credibility of U.S. nuclear nonproliferation policies and commitments that preceding administrations worked hard to establish over the last 30 years."

Bioterrorism Bill Commits Billions for Readiness

The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Response Act of 2002 (HR 3448) is designed to better prepare America for bioterrorist threats or other public health emergencies by improving America's ability to respond to such threats. The sweeping legislation, already approved by a House Senate conference committee, covers everything from public health preparedness and improvements, to enhancing controls on biological agents, to protecting the nation's food, drug and drinking water supplies.

"We've tried to think as evilly as we could," said Representative Billy Tauzin, the Louisiana Republican who introduced the bill in December 2001. "What would the most evil person do to disrupt our health supply system or our clean water system? What would the most evil mind try to do if they learned how to fly a crop duster? We went through that awful exercise of trying to think like the most evil person on earth."

The measure authorizes $1.6 billion in grants to states, local governments, and other public and private health care facilities to improve planning and preparedness for health epidemics, increase laboratory capacity, educate and train health care personnel, and develop new drugs, therapies and vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will get $300 million to upgrade laboratory facilities. The bill authorizes $640 million to expand the nation's stockpiles of anthrax antibiotics and other supplies, and $509 million to purchase of additional smallpox vaccines.

More than $160 million is authorized to analyze the nation's vulnerabilities and protect against chemical, biological or radiological attacks on drinking water supplies.

To protect food supplies, the bill expands the Food and Drug Administration's authority to seize imports of unsafe food to help pay for state food inspection and enforcement programs, and establishes greater regulation of laboratories and control of materials that could be used as biochemical weapons.

Particulate Pollution Blamed for California Health Problems

EWG's analysis of state data found that respiratory illnesses caused or made worse by microscopic particles of soot and dust, known as particulate matter (PM) are responsible for more than 9,300 deaths, thousands of hospital visits, hundreds of thousands of asthma attacks and millions of missed work days each year.

"Particle Civics: How Cleaner Air in California Will Save Lives and Save Money," details the public health impacts of PM pollution in each California county, and for the first time puts a price tag on the annual cost of particulate pollution.

"There's an overwhelming scientific consensus that particulate pollution kills people," said Renee Sharp, EWG analyst and principal author of the report. "Cleaning up the air is as important to public health and safety as wearing seatbelts."

EWG found that each year, PM pollution is responsible for more than 16,000 hospital or emergency room admissions, at an estimated health care cost of $132 million. PM related illnesses cause Californians to miss almost five million work days a year, a loss to the state's economy of more than $880 million.

State scientists have proposed tougher new air pollution standards that would save about 6,500 lives and half a billion dollars a year, but they face strong opposition from a coalition of oil companies and automakers who have contributed more than $175,000 to Governor Gray Davis's reelection campaign, EWG notes. The Davis appointed Air Resources Board will vote on the proposed standards next month, and the decision will be watched across the nation as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prepares to set new federal PM standards.

Cutting particulate pollution to levels recommended by state scientists will reduce PM triggered deaths by at least 69 percent, asthma attacks by 57 percent, hospital visits by 56 percent and cases of chronic bronchitis by 58 percent, EWG found.

Statewide, 55 of 58 counties have average annual particulate levels that exceed the proposed state standards.

Particulate air pollution is most severe in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area and the San Joaquin Valley, the EWG report found. In the Valley, agriculture is a significant source of PM, but until last week, most California agricultural activities were exempt from federal and state air pollution rules.

On May 15, the EPA agreed to monitor and restrict air pollution emissions from the state's agricultural activities.

Vacationers Often Find Unhealthy Beaches

On Tuesday, the Surfrider Foundation released its annual State of the Beach report, analyzing the status of beach health based on several indicators, including water quality, coastline erosion, beach access and surfing areas, in the 20 coastal states where the nonprofit group has chapters. Surfrider also reviews how much information on beach conditions the public can access.

When vacationers reach the beach, they may find posted warnings about health risks or even beach closures, the group warns. In California, for example, beaches were closed or had pollution warnings almost 6,000 times in 2000, almost double the previous year's numbers.

Other areas with beach problems include the beaches of Oregon, the only state in the nation without a recreational water quality monitoring program to ensure swimmer safety. In Puerto Rico, less than half of homes have sewage treatment or septic systems, leading to massive ocean pollution.

On the bright side, in New York harbor, fecal coliform bacteria levels have plunged by 98 percent since 1974 due to protective measures. New Jersey has some of the cleanest water in the nation with only 20 beach closings a year and one of the most rigorous testing programs in the country.

"Our goal is to highlight the serious threats to our nation's beaches and how little we know about their condition, and to empower the public to take an active role in protecting the health of our beaches," said Chad Nelsen, Surfrider's environmental director and the report's author. "A visit to the call to action page on Surfrider's State of the Beach website is an easy way to get started."

Another source of information is a new report from the Lake Michigan Federation, an environmental group concerned with environmental issues around the Great Lakes.

Last year, beaches around Lake Michigan, the largest lake within U.S. borders, experienced a record 601 closures due to bacterial pollution. With the official opening of the Great Lakes beach season on Friday, the Federation has released "A Prescription for Healthy Beaches" to help people understand what they can do to reverse this trend.

"Beach closings from bacterial pollution are reaching disturbing highs," said Federation executive director Cameron Davis. "If we want Great Lakes beaches to continue to be a major national asset, there are easy things each of us can do in our lives to be part of the solution."

Among the steps outlined by the Prescription is learning about the health threats and sources of bacterial contamination that cause beach closings. The Federation urges people to reduce sources of pollution by cleaning up pet wastes and food during beach visits, and reducing manure based fertilizers on lawns that can runoff into area sewers.

The Surfrider Foundation's 2002 State of the Beach Report is available at: http://www.surfrider.org/stateofthebeach

The Lake Michigan Federation's "Prescription for Healthy Beaches is available at: http://www.lakemichigan.org/beach_center/prescription.pdf

Groups Plan Suit Over Albany Lead Program

Citing a litany of examples of disregard for proper procedure which may have left some Albany children in danger of lead poisoning, the Arbor Hill Concerned Citizens Neighborhood Association (AHCCNA) and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) announced their intent to sue Mayor Gerald Jennings and other city officials. The groups charge "gross mismanagement" of a program designed to reduce children's exposure to the dangers of lead paint.

The citizen lawsuit will be filed after the 60 day waiting period required by law. It seeks to halt the violations and force the city to ensure that homes are safe for residents.

"The city of Albany grossly mismanaged this program, consistently flouting EPA safety regulations at the expense of children in low income housing," said Michelle Alvarez, NRDC staff attorney.

Since 1995, the city of Albany has received $13 million in grants from the federal government for the removal or containment of lead based paint in older and low income homes. The work is subject to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations implemented under the federal Toxic Substances Control Act.

The federal regulations specify detailed requirements for work procedures and the training and certification of lead contractors, risk assessors and inspectors. These requirements were not followed in many, perhaps even hundreds, of Albany homes, the groups charge.

Community groups found that the city used lead workers who had not been certified by the EPA, and violated work practice standards while removing or containing lead based paint in homes and during testing designed to ensure that the houses were safe for families to return.

"We have good laws and regulations to protect the community while removing this hazard," said Aaron Mair, president of the AHCCNA, "but the city took the federal money and then betrayed the public trust."

Albany's lead based paint removal program has been cited as a showcase program around the nation, winning a City Livability Award honorable mention from the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 1999.

"Despite past praise for this program, the reality is that the city gave people a false sense of security. It remains to be seen how many children might be affected," said Rodney Davis, director of the Arbor Hill Environmental Justice Corporation, an urban environmentalist group based in Albany.

West Nile Virus Crops Up Again

So far this year, the virus has cropped up in wildlife in Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington DC. Last year, the disease spread up and down the East coast and out to the Midwest.

Health experts have said they expect WNV to continue to spread rapidly.

Virginia has recorded two WNV infected birds this year, with the first turning up April 8 in Arlington County - three months earlier that the appearance of the state's first bird infection last year, when the state logged 215 infected birds.

On May 13, Washington DC, which recorded 360 infected birds last year, reported its first West Nile virus infected bird of the year, found on May 1 about a block from the National Zoo. Zoos across the country have been alarmed by the virus because it has claimed several dozen captive birds at the Bronx Zoo in New York and at the Philadelphia Zoo.

After infected crows were found on the grounds of the National Zoo last year, officials inoculated the zoo's zebras with an equine vaccine that had just been made available. A spokesperson for the Bronx Zoo says the vaccine is being tested on penguins and flamingos there.

The Washington DC area's only human West Nile infections in 2001 were in Maryland, where there were six cases and two fatalities. Both deaths were of people suffering from other maladies.

Maryland so far has had no reports of infected birds. Last year, Maryland's first infected birds were reported in May, and the state recorded a total of 454 WNV birds.

New York's first infected bird showed up in Albany on May 16. Three infected birds have been found in New Jersey, said Douglas Guthrie, superintendent for the state's mosquito commission.

"The findings tend to be earlier this year than years past but we've not really figured out exactly why," Guthrie said. "I think perhaps that mosquitoes are out earlier this year because we've had warmer weather. But also, this is the fourth year of dealing with West Nile virus and our surveillance is more refined. We're getting information sooner."

West Nile Virus, which first appeared in the United States in New York City in 1999, is not dangerous to most humans. In some infirm or elderly people, though, it can cause a sometimes fatal encephalitis.

Birds, particularly crows, have been the chief victims of the virus, for reasons that scientists do not yet understand. The mortality rate for infected crows still is about 97 per cent, experts say. Raptors, blue jays and other types of birds are also affected, as are horses.

Paddlefish Caviar Lands Dealers in Court

On May 16, Franklin and Carolyn Hale, doing business as Royaloff Caviar, were found guilty of six felony violations of the Lacey Act and conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act. Wendy Haney-Melson, the pair's daughter, was found guilty of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act for her role in creating false documents and purchasing illegal paddlefish caviar.

The Lacey Act is a federal statute which makes in unlawful to sell, receive or purchase any wildlife taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of any law or regulation of any state.

Charges against the pair include purchasing paddlefish caviar harvested during closed Tennessee seasons and in closed waters. Wildlife officials estimate that more than 8,400 pounds of paddlefish caviar, with an estimated black market value of $483,000 was collected by the defendants.

Each sturgeon female with eggs provides an average of seven pounds of caviar, and it is not uncommon for commercial fishers to kill four to five males and females without eggs for each female found with eggs. It could take between 5,000 and 6,000 wild paddlefish to produce 8,400 pounds of caviar.

Special agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and wildlife investigators from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) worked together to prepare the case.

"There is a global market for our natural resources and without constant vigilance, we will lose the fish and wildlife populations which are a cornerstone of our quality of life," said Sam Hamilton, USFWS southeast regional director. "Such public resources must be managed for the benefit of all citizens."

Penalties for each violation of the Lacey Act include up to five years imprisonment and $250,000 fine for an individual or $500,000 fine for an organization. Federal sentencing guidelines consider the value of wildlife and role of each individual in establishing an appropriate sentence.

"The paddlefish is an important component of Tennessee's wildlife diversity. We establish regulations designed to protect this resource for the enjoyment of future generations," said TWRA executive director Gary Myers. "When individuals violate those regulations, they diminish the quality of our aquatic resources."

In 1992, due to an increased demand for paddlefish caviar and continued decrease in the population, the American paddlefish was listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a treaty that governs wildlife trade. All other species of sturgeon and paddlefish were added to the CITES list in 1998.

Humorous Energy Efficiency Ad Wins Award

The "Static Electricity House" television spot on home energy efficiency was honored as one of the top 10 commercials in the world by the judges and producers of "World's Greatest Commercials" on CBS-TV. Voting to rank the top ten was then conducted on the USA Today and CBS web sites (http://www.cbs.com/specials/wgc) and announced on the program on May 11.

The Alliance public service advertisement (PSA) beat all other commercials from the U.S., including better known ones from top branded companies such as Citibank. The Alliance was the only nonprofit organization in the top 10.

"What happened is unusual for a TV PSA [public service announcement] - especially one that doesn't have big bucks and big support behind it or a hotter topic," said ASE communications and marketing director Rozanne Weissman.

The Alliance and its ad agency, DDB, used humor to "break through the media clutter" in a creative way as the TV spot focused on consumer angst over energy bills.

"Static Electricity House" features a family's wild experiment to cope with high energy prices by powering their home with static electricity. It requires all family members, including the dog, to keep rubbing their wool socks on the carpeting to keep lights on and power functioning.

Their approach has many humorous drawbacks - from a burning carpet to having all their hair stand on end. A wool sock clings to the back of the father's jacket as he goes off to work, briefcase in hand.

The family discovers they could avoid such extremes by adopting energy efficiency approaches and ENERGY STAR labeled products, which are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and still reduce their energy prices, energy use and pollution.

The "Static" ad has won a number of other national and international awards. To view the ad, visit: http://www.ase.org/shocking/