"In previous elections, candidates from both parties have campaigned on pledges to be environmental presidents. This time, neither candidate is talking much about cleaning up the air or protecting scenic lands. Instead, the debate has focused on whether and how much environmental regulations hurt businesses, especially the energy industry."
After an election and a Tennessee spill disaster in 2008, the Obama administration roared into office vowing to regulate electric utility coal ash. Now, as the tight 2012 election hinges partly on coal (and coal states), the administration's proposed regulations are on hold.
"Thursday’s feisty vice presidential debate included one exchange on energy, specifically clean-energy stimulus funding — and that one exchange included a number of distortions and lies, courtesy of one Congressman Paul Ryan."
A lawyer for a climate-change-denial group seeking records from scientist Michael Mann apparently failed to get advance permission from his then-employer EPA to work on the case pro bono.
"Four environmental groups have asked North Carolina’s Environmental Management Commission for a ruling that would force Duke Energy to clean up groundwater contamination near ash ponds at 14 coal-fired power plants."
"WASHINGTON, DC -- Clearing the way for the largest wind farm in the United States, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Tuesday approved the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre site in Wyoming as suitable for wind energy development."
Native American tribes are opposing the construction of a wave of coal-export terminals proposed in Washington and Oregon.
"Two New York Times journalists were detained briefly by law enforcement officers while reporting on demonstrations against the Keystone XL pipeline in northeast Texas, the newspaper said Thursday."
"An intense advertising blitz, funded by Monsanto Co and others, has eroded support for a California ballot proposal that would require U.S. food makers to disclose when their products contain genetically modified organisms."
"Federal and Massachusetts officials said Thursday that they lacked clear authority to take action earlier against a now-shuttered specialty pharmacy that set off safety alarms at least six years ago and is now at the center of a burgeoning meningitis outbreak."
Links
[1] https://www.sej.org/headlines/campaign-trail-regulations-dominate-environmental-debate
[2] http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/10/14/162811669/on-the-campaign-trail-regulations-dominate-the-environmental-debate
[3] https://www.sej.org/headlines/coal-ash-decision-stymied-election-year
[4] http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/coal-ash-decision-stymied-in-election-year/2012/10/14/1bc6d2cc-0d6f-11e2-bb5e-492c0d30bff6_story.html
[5] https://www.sej.org/headlines/ryan-says-green-pork-fact-checkers-say-false
[6] http://grist.org/politics/in-vp-debate-ryan-complains-of-green-pork-and-fact-checkers-swat-him-down/
[7] https://www.sej.org/headlines/lawyer-climate-science-case-may-have-broken-ethics-rules
[8] http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/10/virginia-foia-michael-mann-epa-lawyer
[9] https://www.sej.org/headlines/enviros-petition-nc-over-coal-ash-near-duke-energy-plants
[10] http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/10/10/3589356/groups-sue-to-force-groundwater.html#storylink=misearch
[11] https://www.sej.org/headlines/wyoming-site-approved-largest-us-wind-farm
[12] http://s.tt/1pPNb
[13] https://www.sej.org/headlines/tribes-add-potent-voice-against-plan-northwest-coal-terminals
[14] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/12/us/tribes-add-powerful-voice-against-northwest-coal-plan.html?ref=energy-environment
[15] https://www.sej.org/headlines/nyt-journalists-detained-keystone-pipeline-protest
[16] http://fuelfix.com/blog/2012/10/11/nyt-journalists-detained-at-keystone-pipeline-protest/
[17] https://www.sej.org/headlines/ad-blitz-drains-support-california-gmo-labeling-plan
[18] http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/12/us-california-gmo-idUSBRE89B03I20121012
[19] https://www.sej.org/headlines/regulatorss-lacked-authority-over-pharmacy-meningitis-outbreak
[20] http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/officials-say-they-lacked-authority-over-pharmacy-involved-in-meningitis-outbreak/2012/10/11/331d1c4a-13e8-11e2-bf18-a8a596df4bee_story.html
[21] https://www.sej.org/search_results
[22] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3798
[23] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3795
[24] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3796
[25] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3797
[26] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3800
[27] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3801
[28] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3802
[29] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=3803
[30] https://www.sej.org/search_results?page=4943