Cross another item off of President Bush's to-do list before he leaves the White House: hobbling the Endangered Species Act and allowing federal agencies to gauge the environmental impact of their projects for themselves. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said the changes were needed to ensure that the ESA would not be used as a "back door" to regulate greenhouse gases.
posted by digaman on Aug 11, 2008 - 50 comments

"How are EPA scientists supposed to engage in cutting edge research when they cannot find what the agency has already done?" Good question. As noted in an earlier post, the EPA is one of the agencies that is facing cuts to finance BushCo's America. How? By shutting down its network of libraries and its electronic catalogue.
posted by 327.ca on Feb 17, 2006 - 16 comments

Reflected in the worsened respiratory health of NYC residents (via the WTC Health Registry), a federal judge ruled (NYT; bugmenot) former Bush administration EPA chief and NJ governor Christine Todd Whitman misled New York City residents about air quality after the attacks of 9/11. Whether or not the then-head of the Environmental Protection Agency was pressured by Bush economic policy director Lawrence Lindsey to "get the financial markets open quickly" (longer 9/11 commission report) despite concerns, her PR consulting firm continues to do greenwashing for petrochemical corporations with very poor environmental records, including FMC, responsible for 136 Superfund sites across the country.
posted by Rothko on Feb 4, 2006 - 15 comments

Environmental Literacy in America (PDF) is a new a report from the NEETF on the poor state of environmental literacy in the US and the consequences of our growing nature-deficit disorder. Meanwhile, some students have uncovered a confidential brief on climate change (PDF) for the president, allegedly from the IPCC (but probably not.) [Via WorldChanging and Gristmill]
posted by homunculus on Dec 5, 2005 - 8 comments

Left Behind: Bush's Holy War on Nature. Chip Ward enumerates the bizarro-world logic and Orwellian language of current American environmental policy. Even as Katrina's aftermath is focusing attention on links between global warming and more severe hurricanes, and studies of arctic sea-ice suggest that we may be 'past the point of no return' of climate change, the Department of "Justice" seems intent on blaming the flood of New Orleans on environmental groups. This War on Terra may not end in our lifetimes (despite the number of lives it will end...)
posted by dinsdale on Sep 18, 2005 - 33 comments

A White House aide with no scientific training edited government reports to weaken the language linking greenhouse gases with climate change. Example of editing here. This comes on the heels of news that ExxonMobil was instrumental in the Bush administration's decision to reject the Kyoto Treaty.
posted by trey on Jun 8, 2005 - 40 comments

Green Neocons
posted by Bag Man on Jan 26, 2005 - 31 comments

The Bush administration's conservation policy: 'protecting the nation's environment', or you know, 'not'? [more inside]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken on Dec 17, 2003 - 35 comments

Quitting Kyoto Though I too was angry when Bush end gang refused to get involved with Kyoto (environmental treaty), I might have let my ant-Bush feelings take over my "better self." Here an expert argues that all the world but the EU knows that the Kyoto treaty is worthless.
posted by Postroad on Oct 1, 2002 - 28 comments

Bush Announces Clear Skies & Global Climate Change Initiatives. An olive branch to Venice, Bangla Desh, and other low lying countries? A Commander-in-Chief tanks up on biodiesel, throws the rudder hard over for a Willamson turn, and attempts to get all those folks left of Atilla the Hun back on the boat? We'll let him speak for himself. (BTW, if you're concerned about the "axis of evil", check out your tax $ at work today at the State Dept.)
posted by sheauga on Feb 14, 2002 - 8 comments

As if one really need another reason to hate the Bush Administration. I mean, who needs clean air if some of GWB's oil buddies can make some more money?
posted by Bag Man on Jan 8, 2002 - 17 comments

Bush to unveil global warming plan. Because our world isn't warm enough.
posted by solistrato on Jun 11, 2001 - 58 comments

Bush's energy plan. We knew it was coming. Arguing the United States "faces the most serious energy shortage since the oil embargoes of the 1970's," Bush proposes the expansion of drilling, a new commitment to nuclear power, and a review of vehicle mileage standards. If you really want to dig--er, I mean drill--into it, the proposal is available on the White House website.
posted by mrbula on May 17, 2001 - 36 comments

Bush Admin., Scientists at odds over power issues. I've been trying to give the President a chance, but it seems as though conservation efforts and alternative evergy sources are being completely ignored. Mere difference of opinion-or something else?
posted by black8 on May 6, 2001 - 14 comments

Bush Tries to Change Advisor's Mind on pollution policy. That does not work. President Bush does what he wants. EPA leaks Witman's Private Memo.
posted by vanderwal on Mar 27, 2001 - 19 comments

Most of the world rejects the USAmerican attempt to end-around-run the Kyoto protocols. Surely we'll get our way (I use the pronouns reluctantly in this case). Who can stop us? Besides, who cares? Not President-elect (de facto) Bush. Add the guiltless bloodshed in Israel/Palestine to this and my last post and it's hard to be thankful at the global level.
posted by Sean Meade on Nov 22, 2000 - 3 comments

"The vice president says he would rather protect this refuge than gain the energy, but this is a false choice ..."
~G.W. Bush (on Gore's plan to keep the protected status of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, while Bush plans to open up parts of the protected land to oil prospecters.)
posted by tamim on Sep 30, 2000 - 25 comments

Will Bush or Gore do anything viable to help the environment? I can't even believe Bush agreed to submit answers. On the other hand, Al "Earth in the Balance" Gore doesn't have much credibility either.
posted by norm on Sep 21, 2000 - 1 comment