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Recent Press Clips
Following are press clips from national publications that relate to PEER issues, campaigns and news releases.
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INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU SQUARED The Huffington Post — May 13, 2008 In one of the more ironic episodes of the Bush Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation last week raided the office and home of the senior official in charge of protecting Federal whistleblowers on suspicion of whistleblower retaliation within his own agency - while he was investigating possible criminal acts within the White House. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ENVIRONMENTALISTS SAY STATE STANDARDS FAIL TO PROTECT WATER The Star-Ledger — May 13, 2008 New Jersey regulators have rejected tougher standards for clean ing and removing soil at contaminated industrial sites, angering environmentalists who claim water supplies are in jeopardy. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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VEHICLES BANNED ON SECTION OF MONUMENT Arizona Republic — May 13, 2008 Starting next month, a huge swath of the Sonoran Desert National Monument, one of the state's most prized parcels of public land, will be closed to off-road enthusiasts. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ARIZONA DESERT MONUMENT AREA TO BAN OFF-ROADERS San Diego Union-Tribune — May 13, 2008 PHOENIX – The federal government has announced a temporary off-road vehicle ban on one of Arizona's most prized parcels of public land because of severe environmental damage. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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THREAT OF CONTAMINATED WATER DRAWS WARY EYE OF LAWMAKERS The Cambridge Chronicle — May 13, 2008 Boston - Perfumes, antibiotics, sunblock and veterinary drugs - parts of a nightmarish cocktail of contaminants described by state officials that threatens the state's water supply. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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SCOTT BLOCH(ED) On the Media — May 9, 2008 The Office of the Special Counsel is supposed to protect government whistleblowers, but watchdog groups charge that under director Scott Bloch the agency has been ineffectual and worse. The FBI raided Bloch’s office this week amid these allegations. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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GOP'S DAVIS URGES BLOCH TO QUIT SPECIAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE Washington Post — May 8, 2008 A veteran Republican lawmaker called on Office of Special Counsel chief Scott J. Bloch to resign yesterday, one day after nearly two dozen FBI agents raided OSC headquarters and carted off boxes of documents and equipment that officials said were related to a probe of Bloch's activities. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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MATTERS OF POLITICAL INCONVENIENCE: SCIENTISTS IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE truthout — May 7, 2008 An interview with Jeff Ruch, Executive Director of PEER, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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POLAR DISTRESS Audubon Magazine — May 6, 2008 With the clock running out in January, the Bush administration, ignoring the concerns of its own scientists and possibly breaking federal law, looks to open a vital stretch of Arctic habitat to offshore oil and gas drilling. So much for saving endangered bears. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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GREENHOUSE GAS TRADING SCAMS? Baltimore Sun - Bay & Environment Blog — May 6, 2008 Recently, power companies have joined with environmentalists in calling for a national "cap and trade" pollution credit system to control global warming pollution. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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REMODELERS TO FACE 'WHITE-GLOVE' TEST ON LEAD Washington Post — May 6, 2008 Remodeling contractors will have to pass a "white-glove" test under a new U.S. rule to prove their work doesn't stir up dangerous dust and debris from lead paint. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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FREE SPEECH: EPA LETS STAFFERS DIS CLIMATE BILL Wall Street Journal - Environmental Capital Blog — May 6, 2008 The Bush administratio–especially its Environmental Protection Agency–has often come under fire for supposedly interfering with science-related work. EPA staffers went ballistic after their boss blocked California’s request to regulate its own automobile emissions. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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SPECIAL COUNSEL'S OFFICE RAIDED AMID OBSTRUCTION PROBE Washington Post — May 6, 2008 WASHINGTON -- Federal agents raided the office and home of U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch on Tuesday while investigating whether the nation's top protector of whistle-blowers destroyed evidence potentially showing he retaliated against his own staff. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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FBI RAIDS BUSH OFFICIAL'S OFFICE ABC News — May 6, 2008 FBI agents raided the downtown Washington, D.C. offices of Special Counsel Scott Bloch Tuesday, a spokesman for the official confirmed. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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OFF-ROAD VEHICLES POSE TWIN THREAT TO SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT Asbury Park Press - Opinion — May 6, 2008 The recent deaths of several young people riding off-road vehicles (ORVs) in New Jersey have focused much-needed attention on public safety problems associated with these powerful machines. It is clearly time to address this issue to prevent future heartaches. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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BUILDERS CRITICIZE PROPOSED DEP REGULATIONS Courier Post — May 2, 2008 TRENTON — Environmentalists and builders butted heads again Thursday over proposed plans, set to be implemented this month, that regulate how the state manages water and pollution cleanups. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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AUDIT FINDS INTERIOR DEPARTMENT FALLING SHORT ON SAFETY MEASURES Washington Post — May 2, 2008 A new report warns that traveling through Yosemite National Park's 74-year-old tunnel to see the views of its iconic granite peaks might literally take your breath away. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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OFF-ROAD RUCKUS Tucson Weekly — May 1, 2008 A roar echoes among low-slung arroyos at the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge. Seconds later, a three-wheeler bursts into view, tearing across the asphalt of Arivaca Road. Just as quickly, the machine disappears into a mesquite bosque on the other side, dust billowing in its wake. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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RIVERFRONT DEVELOPER UNFAZED BY DOWNTURN IN ECONOMY The Herald — April 30, 2008 EVERETT -- When it opens, Everett Riverfront will be one of the largest commercial developments in the city's history with a mix of shops and condos, a hotel, and a movie theater along the Snohomish River. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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BRIGHTON ROAD SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION CAN BEGIN The Herald News — April 29, 2008 CLIFTON -- Construction of a school on the site of a former textile warehouse can begin. On Friday, the city's Building Department issued construction permits to the Board of Education for the high school annex planned for 290 Brighton Road, said Joan Salensky... ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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HIGHLANDS PANEL HINDERED BY POLITICAL DONATIONS The Star-Ledger — April 28, 2008 The former mayor of Parsippany. A Hunterdon County freeholder. A longtime member of the Morristown Planning Board. When the state's landmark Highlands Act was drafted nearly four years ago, legislators called for such local officials to hold at least eight of the 15 spots on the Highlands Council -- ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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TRAIN TALKS KEEP CHUGGING ALONG Raynham Call — April 28, 2008 Taunton - Passenger train service to Fall River and New Bedford won’t just cost taxpayers their hard-earned dollars. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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WILD BISON HERDS CAN WITHSTAND LOSSES, PARK SAYS Billings Gazette — April 26, 2008 More than 2,400 bison from Yellowstone National Park's wild herds have been removed from the population this winter through slaughter, winter die-off and hunting, but park officials say they are not concerned about the animals' ability to rebound or genetic diversity. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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GOVERNMENT BOTCHES ENERGY PLAN Arizona Daily Star - Letter to the Editor — April 25, 2008 The Bush administration failed in its Western energy-corridor process by neglecting clean renewable energy and not talking with local officials on where best to plan for pipelines and power lines. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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MYSTERY HERD: ARE MOUNTAIN BISON STILL IN YELLOWSTONE? Yellowstone Insider — April 25, 2008 While the debate rages about this year's managed killing and winter loss of half the Northern Range bison herd, it is probably not a coincidence that another bison issue has popped up. In a news release Wednesday April 23 by the Park Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)... ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DOES MOUNTAIN BISON STILL ROAM YELLOWSTONE? Jackson Hole News & Guide — April 24, 2008 A faster, darker, hardier, shier subspecies of bison might still roam the Mirror Plateau in Yellowstone National Park, and park officials need to investigate before human intrusion jeopardizes the herd, a bison expert says. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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THE SOUND OF SCIENCE SILENCED High Country News - Goat blog — April 24, 2008 Brad Crowder, a staffer at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Denver office, was trying to speak quietly – he was at the time concerned that talking to a reporter might threaten his job - but his frustration and anger were no match for his vocal chords. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DO MOUNTAIN BISON STILL ROAM YELLOWSTONE? Great Falls Tribune — April 24, 2008 The National Park Service needs to investigate whether a subspecies of bison might still roam Yellowstone National Park, a former park ranger said. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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EX-RANGERS FILE PETITION AGAINST OHVS Billings Gazette — April 22, 2008 Environmentalists are hoping that an executive order passed by President Bush last year may give them leverage to keep off-road vehicles off public lands. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ARIZONA TO STOP KILLING COUGARS New York Times — April 21, 2008 YUMA, Ariz. — Arizona Game and Fish Department officials are suspending a program that targets mountain lions at the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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OFFICIALS HALT MOUNTAIN LION KILLINGS AT KOFA REFUGE Yuma Sun — April 21, 2008 State and federal wildlife officials announced they have suspended the killing of mountain lions at the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge for up to a year. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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APPOINTMENT OF ''FAST TRACK'' SMART GROWTH OMBUDSMAN WORRIES GARDEN STATE ENVIRONMENTALISTS Smart Growth — April 17, 2008 In his electoral campaign before he took office in January 2006, Democratic Governor Jon Corzine criticized the state's 2004 ''fast-track'' law that speeds up development permits ''without allowing for a smart review of environmental considerations,'' but now he faces even sharper criticism... ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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CLIFTON SCHOOL ANNEX SITE AWAITS PERMITS The Herald News — April 15, 2008 CLIFTON -- The construction of a high school annex on a former industrial property will begin as soon as the city approves building permits, the lawyer for the Board of Education said. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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CRITICS FEAR NEW EPA RISK ASSESSMENT CAN ENABLE CORPORATE, POLITICAL MANIPULATION Occupational Hazards — April 14, 2008 EPA's newly revised process for assessing health and environmental risks for chemicals enables chemical manufacturers and federal agencies to inject “corporate influence” into determinations that will affect public health, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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FEDS NOT ADDRESSING DRUGS IN WATER San Francisco Chronicle — April 13, 2008 WASHINGTON (AP) -- A White House task force that was supposed to devise a federal plan to research the issue of pharmaceuticals in drinking water has missed its deadline and failed to produce mandated reports and recommendations for coordination among numerous federal agencies... ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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BARGE INTERESTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ARGUE A PROPOSAL TO EXPAND MISSISSIPPI RIVER NAVIGATION LOCKS St. Louis Post-Dispatch — April 13, 2008 WINFIELD — Fifteen barges — each longer than a MetroLink train — carrying 22,000 tons of corn, soybeans and cement, glided silently into Lock 25. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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FEEDING POLICIES PROMOTE BISON'S RETURN, GROUP SAYS Billings Gazette — April 11, 2008 The feeding of bison at Yellowstone National Park's Stephens Creek capture facility is habituating the wild animals to return to the facility, an environmental group has charged. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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VANISHING ACT National Journal — April 11, 2008 The Environmental Protection Agency is failing to live up to its name these days, its legions of critics agree. At a time when the nation's top environmental regulators face increasingly complex pollution problems, President Bush is pushing for dramatic cuts in EPA's budget... ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DEP LOOKS TO FAST-TRACK PERMITS South Bergenite — April 9, 2008 A new Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) group will look for ways to expedite the agency’s permit-approval process for many projects, according to an administrative order issued by DEP Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ATVS: ARE THEY HARMING PUBLIC LANDS? Lake Powell Chronicle — April 9, 2008 PAGE — Longstanding concerns over illegal off-road vehicle use on public lands have culminated recently with public hearings in Congress and attempts in the Arizona Legislature to bolster regulations and enforcement to prevent serious damage to wildlife, their habitat and the natural environment. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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US ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP EXPELS FLORIDA CHAPTER AMID ENDORSEMENT ROW The Guardian — April 7, 2008 The biggest environmental group in the US has expelled the leaders of its Florida chapter weeks after the local activists accused the group's directors of selling out in a corporate endorsement deal with a bleach manufacturer. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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EPA ISSUES LEAD PAINT RULES FOR RENOVATION PROJECTS Dayton Business Journal — April 7, 2008 The Environmental Protection Agency issued new rules designed to reduce potential exposure to lead paint dust during renovations or repairs to housing, child care facilities or schools built before 1978. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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AERIAL DRONES WILL HUNT CALIFORNIA POT GROWERS IN NATIONAL FORESTS Sacramento Bee — April 4, 2008 The federal government plans to escalate its eradication of marijuana plantations in the backwoods of national forests this year, beginning in California with the deployment of larger strike teams and the controversial launching of miniature, remote-controlled spy planes to outfox growers, a top Bus ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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MOUNTAIN LION KILLED NEAR YUMA FOR TARGETING BIGHORN SHEEP Fox 11 AZ.com — April 4, 2008 YUMA, Ariz. (AP) -- Arizona Game and Fish Department authorities have killed a mountain lion in the Tank Mountains northeast of Yuma, the second big cat to be removed in the area in less than a year for killing desert bighorn sheep. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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SILENT DRONES TO HUNT CALIFORNIA POT GROWERS KCBS — April 4, 2008 VALLEJO, Calif. (KCBS) -- The U.S. Forest Service has purchased two battery-powered drones to fly reconnaissance over the backwoods of national forests in California. Their targets are hidden marijuana plantations. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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FLYING DRONES BEING DEPLOYED TO FIND CALIFORNIA MARIJUANA GROWERS The Mercury News — April 3, 2008 The U.S. Forest Service has purchased a pair of flying drones to track down marijuana growers operating in remote California woodlands. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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EPA SEEN UNDER ATTACK IN BUSH YEARS truthout — April 2, 2008 In remarks at the closing session of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) legislative conference on February 28, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Maryland) noted, "One of the things that you come away with... ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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SAKONNET CLUB DRAWS FINE FOR OUTFALL PIPE Providence Journal — April 1, 2008 LITTLE COMPTON — The Sakonnet Point Club has been slapped with a $33,750 state fine for allegedly building an outfall pipe for a desalination system 7.5 feet underwater while maintaining it was 23 feet below sea level. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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RETIRED RANGERS VISIT DC TO LOBBY FOR ORV RESTRICTIONS Words of the Wild — March 31, 2008 “Rangers for Responsible Recreation” (RRR) is a group of retired federal agency rangers and land managers who banded together last year, with the help of Daniel Patterson, Southwest Representative of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DEM HITS POINT CLUB WITH $40,000 FINE Warren Times Gazette — March 31, 2008 LITTLE COMPTON — The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management has slapped the Sakonnet Point Club with a $40,000 fine for improper discharge from the club's desalinization plant last year. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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PUBLIC LANDS VANDALISM SUSPECT FOUND The Daily Times — March 29, 2008 FARMINGTON — A teenager responsible for building the off-road jump track near a Glade Run Recreation Area trail was identified Thursday and agreed to repair the damage done by heavy machinery, the Bureau of Land Management said. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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REVIVE BILL AIMED AT OFF-ROAD MENACE Arizona Republic - Letters to the Editor — March 28, 2008 Reckless and illegal off-road vehicle use is a top threat to Arizona's scenic and fragile landscapes. Luckily, the Arizona Game and Fish Department and many diverse leaders finally recognize the need to control the off-road menace... ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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CLARIFY THE RULES, DON'T RELAX THEM Asbury Park Press - Editorial — March 28, 2008 The state Department of Environmental Protection has created a task force to recommend ways to reform its permitting process. The DEP panel entrusted with the job must carefully balance the competing interests of the business and environmental communities. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DISPATCHES: EFFICIENCY V. ECOLOGY Cranbury Press - Editorial — March 28, 2008 I’m feeling a sense of déjà vu. The Corzine administration announced Monday it was creating a new task force charged with streamlining environmental regulations with the goal of encouraging sustainable development in the state. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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COUNTY WORKER FIGHTS TO WIN BACK HIS JOB Washington Post — March 27, 2008 A former Loudoun County employee who says he was fired for alerting county supervisors to Loudoun's environmental problems is fighting to get his job back. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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LEGAL BRIEF FILED AGAINST ARMY DEPOT Richmond Register — March 27, 2008 Management of the chemical activity at the Blue Grass Army depot “is still trying to ignore and cover up the existence of a major monitoring failure and safety hazard” at the facility, former depot employee Donald Van Winkle’s attorneys wrote in a legal brief filed this month. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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AN OFFER WE CAN'T REFUGE Grist — March 26, 2008 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering a land swap with a Native-owned energy company that would open up about 200,000 acres of Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Alaska to oil and gas drilling. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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GUN DEBATE PLAYS OUT AT MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK The News Tribune — March 26, 2008 A debate on allowing firearms in national parks splits local residents like the icy fissures that crease the flanks of Mount Rainier. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DEP DENIES TASK FORCE ON PERMITS IS A RETREAT The Star-Ledger — March 24, 2008 The creation of a state task force to review the process for granting permits for new development left some environmentalists suspicious and others openly critical that Gov. Jon Corzine's administration is rolling back environmental protection regulations. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DENTRY: STATE, U.S. RAISE FINES FOR ATV VIOLATIONS Rocky Mountain News — March 24, 2008 There's one thing wrong with the bill Gov. Bill Ritter signed into law Thursday authorizing state peace officers to issue tickets to people who drive all-terrain vehicles and other motor vehicles off limits on federal lands. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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A SPEEDY WAY TO SPEND EASTER The Salt Lake Tribune — March 23, 2008 Forget Mardi Gras. For Utah's off-road crowd, the big party is Easter weekend at this outpost in Utah's west desert. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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PANEL DROPS BYPASS PLANS IN SAN PEDRO Arizona Daily Star — March 22, 2008 The San Pedro Valley is no longer threatened by the possibility of an Interstate 10 bypass running through its fragile riparian environment. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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EVERETT RIVERFRONT STUDY RAISES CONCERNS The Daily Herald — March 22, 2008 The city's attempt to spell out the impacts of a proposed $500 million development with riverfront condos, shops, a movie theater, hotel and boat docks is incomplete. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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U.S. PARKS REMAIN INSECURE The Ledger — March 22, 2008 Many Americans might expect, quite reasonably, that after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. Park Police would increase the number of officers guarding the nation's most prominent landmarks. But, in fact, the force has fewer officers now than it did 20 years ago. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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CALIFORNIA DESERT OMITTED FROM CONSERVATION BILL New Scientist — March 22, 2008 A SIX-million-acre "glitch". That's what US Senator Diane Feinstein called a huge swathe of California desert left out of a major US conservation bill. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ENVIRONMENTALISTS COOL TO STATE'S NEW INITIATIVE The Record — March 21, 2008 The state proposed new rules Thursday that could eventually boost the use of recycled wastewater at North Jersey's factories, farms, power plants and even parks and golf courses. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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SAN PEDRO RIVER VALLEY PROJECT OFF THE TABLE KOLD News 13 — March 21, 2008 In a surprise move, the State Transportation Board has voted to remove the San Pedro River Valley as a possible alternative for a highway bypass around Tucson. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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AT LEAST 35,000 EXPECTED FOR SPRING RITUAL AT LITTLE SAHARA The Salt Lake Tribune — March 21, 2008 Utah's traditional rite of spring began in earnest Friday morning as thousands of people descended upon the Little Sahara Recreation Area west of Nephi. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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GROUP SAYS DEP PERMIT PROCESS IS TAINTED Asbury Park Press — March 19, 2008 NEPTUNE — Some members of a larger group fighting to preserve the Takanassee Beach Club are trying to keep up the pressure by continuing to claim that the state permit review process is tainted. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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OHV MISUSE CRITICIZED IN U.S. HOUSE Ely Times — March 19, 2008 WASHINGTON -- Thousands of square miles of open land in Nevada provide off-road enthusiasts with ample opportunity to ride freely through the desert. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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OFFICIALS TRY TO TRACK RAIL ROUTE WickedLocal Raynham — March 18, 2008 Taunton - More than 10 years after they first eyeballed each other across the table, friends and foes of three commuter rail options were again scrutinizing similar ways to get passenger service to the south coast. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DEPUTY MUM ON ATV USE Albuquerque Journal — March 18, 2008 Doña Ana County Sheriff's Deputy Alan Franzoy was set to travel to Washington last week to testify about reckless off-road vehicle use in southern New Mexico, but he backed out at the last minute, creating a flurry of speculation about why. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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OFF-ROAD CRITICS, FANS FACE OFF Las Vegas Review-Journal — March 17, 2008 Thousands of square miles of open land in Nevada provide off-road enthusiasts with ample opportunity to ride freely through the desert. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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HOUSE PANEL TOLD PUBLIC LANDS OVERRUN BY ORVS Deseret Morning News — March 16, 2008 Witness after witness told a House panel Thursday that off-road vehicle use needs better management. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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SOME DESERT AREAS LEFT OUT OF PROTECTION PLAN The Desert Sun — March 15, 2008 Nearly 7 million acres of California desert would not receive federal protection under a proposal to protect 26 million acres of national monuments, historic trails and wilderness areas that dot the West. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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OFF-ROAD VEHICLES UNDER SCRUTINY Billings Gazette — March 14, 2008 The conflict and landscape damage caused by skyrocketing off-road-vehicle use in national forests and public lands in recent years require new regulations and increased federal law enforcement efforts, officials said Thursday. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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INTERIOR WHISTLEBLOWER REACHES AGREEMENT Indian Country — March 14, 2008 A witness against the federal government in the Cobell v. Kempthorne class action lawsuit over the Individual Indian Money trust has reached an agreement with the Department of the Interior that holds both parties harmless from liability or wrongdoing. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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BRC GIVES CONGRESSIONAL OHV ADVICE MotorcycleUSA.com — March 14, 2008 Today, the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands held a hearing on the impacts of unmanaged off-highway vehicles on federal lands. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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TECHNICALITY MAY CUT CALIFORNIA DESERT AREAS FROM FEDERALLY PROTECTED STATUS Los Angeles Times — March 13, 2008 Congress is considering permanent protection for 26 million acres of beautiful and historic landscapes in the American West, but has quietly excluded millions of acres of California desert. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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CALIF DESERT AREA LEFT OUT OF LEGISLATION United Press International — March 13, 2008 A federal bill that would create a unified system of national landscapes in the U.S. West leaves out almost half of the California Desert Conservation Area. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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PARK SHAMBLES - OPINION The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg) — March 10, 2008 CONSIDER IT an "I told you so" moment. In December 2003, U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers publicly expressed concern that lack of funding for her agency was hindering its ability to protect icons of American culture: the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the memorials and parks... ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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GROUP: STOP KILLING PREDATORS Daily Camera — March 8, 2008 DENVER -- Environmentalists say it's time to stop spending taxpayer money on killing predators to protect sheep and other livestock and are targeting the federal program that does it. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DUNES LURE THRILL-SEEKERS AND SMUGGLERS Houston Chronicle — March 8, 2008 The dirt bikes and dune buggies swarm the sandy slopes by the thousands, turning these giant dunes at California's southeast corner into anthills of frenetic activity. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ENVIRONMENTALISTS URGE END TO FEDERAL PREDATOR-CONTROL PROGRAM Capital Press — March 7, 2008 DENVER (AP) - Environmentalists say it's time to stop spending taxpayer money on killing predators to protect sheep and other livestock and are targeting the federal program that does it. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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MR. KEMPTHORNE'S DECEPTION - EDITORIAL Hartford Courant — March 7, 2008 With the pull of a lever, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne released a 60-hour torrent from the base of Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona, shooting water at a rate of 300,000 gallons per second down the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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FEDERAL PREDATOR-KILLING AGENCY FACES NEW ATTACKS Idaho Statesman - Letters from the West blog — March 7, 2008 A coalition of environmental groups is taking on another one of the federal programs that helps ranchers who run their livestock on public lands across the West. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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GLEN CANYON DAM FLUSH: 'SET THE RIVER FREE ONCE AGAIN' Salt Lake Tribune — March 6, 2008 PAGE, Ariz. - Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne on Wednesday pulled a switch at Glen Canyon Dam to release the sort of springtime torrent rarely seen and sorely missed by native fishes since the 710 vertical feet of concrete blocked the muddy Colorado River. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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FROG DAYS Las Vegas City Life — March 6, 2008 IT SEEMED LIKE JUST ANOTHER small-change BLM land auction: A mere forty acres near Beatty sold in August to a developer based in Atlanta. But now environmentalists are crying foul, saying the BLM has mistakenly sold a crucial natural "highway" for the troubled Amargosa toad. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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PARK POLICE CHIEF RELIEVED OF DUTIES Washington Times — March 5, 2008 U.S. Park Police Chief Dwight E. Pettiford yesterday was relieved of his duties while a panel of federal officials convenes to resolve problems within the agency that were identified last month in an inspector general's report, officials said. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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QUESTIONS ON GRAND CANYON ‘BLOW OUT’ New York Times - The Lede blog — March 5, 2008 An effort to restore the Grand Canyon after years of erosion began today as two pipes in the Glen Canyon Dam were opened wide, the beginning of a 60-hour flood. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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PLAN TO 'FLUSH' GRAND CANYON STIRS CONCERNS Los Angeles Times — March 4, 2008 The Grand Canyon is about to take a bath, and National Park Service officials who oversee the natural wonder are worried. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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EPA CHIEF UNDER FIRE FOR IGNORING SCIENTISTS OneWorld.net — March 4, 2008 The vast majority of scientists and other specialists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have withdrawn from a key labor-management partnership, citing rising distrust of the agency's chief Stephen Johnson. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND PARK WORKERS CRITICISE GRAND CANYON FLOODING Guardian.co.uk — March 4, 2008 A controlled flood of the Grand Canyon due to start today has caused a row within the federal government's department of the interior, pitting environmentalists and officials of the national park service against their colleagues in the bureau of reclamation and the geological survey. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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EPA UNIONS SLAM MANAGERS Associated Press — March 3, 2008 WASHINGTON (AP) — Unionized EPA workers are withdrawing from a cooperation agreement with the political appointees who supervise them over controversies including the agency's refusal to let California regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ARBRITRATOR CRITICIZES EPA FOR LIBRARY CLOSURES; REOPENING PLAN DUE Library Journal — March 3, 2008 Acting in response to grievances filed on behalf of all affected U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees, a federal arbitrator has found that the agency violated provisions of its collective bargaining agreement when it failed to engage the union regarding the closures... ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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EPA SCIENTISTS AND LAWYERS, CITING VIOLATIONS IN SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY, HALT DEALINGS WITH AGENCY BOSS Seattle Post-Intelligencer - Secret Ingredients blog — March 3, 2008 It was an exciting time for EPA scientists in May 2005 when Stephen Johnson was sworn in as the 11th administrator of the beleaguered agency. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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SMUGGLERS HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT Los Angeles Times — March 2, 2008 IMPERIAL SAND DUNES RECREATION AREA, CALIF. -- The dirt bikes and dune buggies swarm the sandy slopes by the thousands, turning these giant dunes at California's southeast border into anthills of frenetic activity. Smugglers in nearby Mexico can't resist trying to blend into the crowd. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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AFTER FLOOD, FIERCE DEBATE Arizona Daily Sun — March 2, 2008 Although all the parties have signed off on a third experimental flood of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon to begin Wednesday, the debate over future releases from Glen Canyon Dam is just beginning. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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A BELEAGUERED FOREST SERVICE CANCELS REORGANIZATION Crosscut.com — March 1, 2008 The once mighty U.S. Forest Service has fallen on hard times in recent decades, ever since the downturn in the timber industry, from which much of its budget and clout derived, and it has been hit by accusations of shoddy science under the Bush administration. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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BAIT AND SWITCH Audubon Magazine — March 1, 2008 Developers continue to call the shots in the western Everglades, where the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act are routinely flouted. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ARBITRATOR RULES AGAINST EPA OVER LIBRARY CLOSURES American Libraries — February 29, 2008 The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (a national alliance of local, state, and federal resource professionals) announced February 28 that a federal arbitrator has ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency engaged in unfair labor practices and acted in bad faith when it abruptly ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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CONGRESS AND THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT NEED TO BAN OFF-ROADING Tucson Weekly — February 28, 2008 Tearing up habitats, destroying vegetation and filling the air with noxious fumes must make for one hell of a ride. How else to explain off-road enthusiasts indulging their motorized inner Neanderthal while leaving the rest of us to suck up their dust? ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ACTIVISTS FILE ETHICS COMPLAINT AGAINST DEP Atlanticville — February 28, 2008 Environmental activists filed an ethics complaint Monday, charging that a top aide at the state Department of Environmental Protection provided "coaching" to a developer for an oceanfront project in Long Branch. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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POLICE FORCE IMPROVEMENTS PROMISED Washington Post — February 28, 2008 A top official vowed yesterday to turn around the troubled U.S. Park Police, which is under fire for inadequately protecting national monuments in New York and Washington. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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PORTRAIT OF AN AGENCY FAILURE - OPINION Charlottesville Daily Progress — February 28, 2008 Here’s a telling clue to the deterioration of the nation’s park police, which must protect monuments such as the Jefferson Memorial: ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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AMARGOSA TOAD PROTECTION SOUGHT Las Vegas Review-Journal — February 28, 2008 Amphibians in the Mojave Desert are literally few and far between, given the scarcity of water and marshes they can hide in. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ATTORNEY, INTERIOR REACH SETTLEMENT The Desert Sun — February 27, 2008 An Interior Department attorney who faced dismissal for publicly disclosing problems in the agency has resigned after reaching an agreement with the federal government. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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PARK SERVICE: CANYON FLOOD FLAWED azcentral.com Waterblogged — February 27, 2008 In its environmental review of a plan to flush out the Grand Canyon with a staged flood of the Colorado River, the Bureau of Reclamation asserts that the plan meets the intended goals and would trigger no lasting damage to the river or the canyon. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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WATCHDOG GROUP ASSAILS POOR STAFFING AT U.S. PARK POLICE Federal Times — February 26, 2008 The U.S. Park Police force has hit its lowest staffing levels in 20 years, according to internal agency figures released Monday by an employee organization. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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PROTECTION SOUGHT FOR AMARGOSA TOAD Las Vegas Sun — February 26, 2008 Two southwestern environmental groups are seeking protection for the Amargosa toad from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the federal Endangered Species Act. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS SEEK PROTECTION FOR NEV. TOAD KTNV — February 26, 2008 Two environmental groups are seeking federal protections for a species of toad in Nevada. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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PARK POLICE FACE SENIOR STAFFING SHORTAGES The Washington Post — February 25, 2008 The number of U.S. Park Police officers has dropped to a 20-year low, with widespread vacancies in senior ranks, leaving the agency strapped despite heightened concern about protecting the nation's landmarks from terrorism, according to officers and a watchdog group. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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WATCHDOG GROUP SAYS PARK POLICE STAFFING AT 20-YEAR LOW The Examiner — February 25, 2008 WASHINGTON - The number of U.S. Park Police officers has dropped to a 20-year low, adding to concerns about the security of national landmarks, a watchdog group said Monday. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DWINDLING FORCE PROTECTING U.S. LANDMARKS United Press International — February 25, 2008 WASHINGTON, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- A watchdog group warns the nation's landmarks may be in jeopardy because the number of U.S. Park Police officers has dropped to a 20-year low. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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IDEA FOR PERMIT REVIEW STIRS OBJECTIONS Boston Globe — February 22, 2008 Environmental groups are fighting a policy change proposed by the Patrick administration that could speed up permitting for some developers by launching the state's environmental review behind closed doors. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ACTIVISTS: DEP, BUILDER TOO CLOSE Asbury Park Press — February 22, 2008 LONG BRANCH — As the deadline nears for the public to have its say on the proposed residential development of the former Takanassee Beach Club, some preservationists are challenging the state's handling of the development application. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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COLO. SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES OFF-ROADING BILL Longmont Times-Call — February 22, 2008 A Colorado Senate committee approved a bill Thursday designed to make it easier to penalize off-road vehicle users who drive off established trails. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DEP BOWING TO BUILDERS, ACTIVISTS SAY The Record — February 21, 2008 Developers may have more leeway in building near some of North Jersey's most sensitive streams, rivers and reservoirs after the state changed a water protection policy last month. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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A TALE OF TWO TOXIC SCHOOLS NJ.com — February 20, 2008 What are we telling our kids when we put them in these environments? Take a look. The issue of children's exposure to toxic chemicals while at schools and day care centers has exploded as a political issue in New Jersey, as a result of several high profile cases reported by media. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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CONSERVATION COMMISSION LAWSUIT MOVES AHEAD The Standard-Times — February 19, 2008 WESTPORT — The lawyer for current and former Conservation Commission members who are suing selectmen said he will start depositions later this month. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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BLM BACKS OFF ON ALLOWING OFF-ROAD VEHICLES ON FURNACE CREEK Amador Ledger Dispatch — February 19, 2008 The Bureau of Land Management announced Jan. 29 that it is withdrawing its environmental assessment on a proposal to allow the construction of a new road through Furnace Creek. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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BOARD MUST RECONSIDER EX-PARK POLICE CHIEF'S WHISTLEBLOWER CASE First Amendment Center/ AP — February 16, 2008 WASHINGTON — A federal court has told the board that ensures fair treatment of federal employees to reconsider part of its ruling upholding the firing of former U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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COURT RULING REDUCES MILK-VETCH HABITAT IN DUNES Yuma Sun — February 16, 2008 Federal wildlife officials have released their final ruling that reduces the number of acres set aside as critical habitat at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area for the federally-protected Peirson’s milk-vetch plant. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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DEP ACCUSED OF EASING STREAM PROTECTION The Star-Ledger — February 15, 2008 A year after conservationists hailed New Jersey for toughening its stream-protection regulations, one group contends the state Department of Environmental Protection has quietly backed down. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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MERIT BOARD ORDERED TO REVISIT FIRING OF U.S. PARK POLICE CHIEF Washington Post — February 15, 2008 A U.S. appeals court ordered a federal merit board yesterday to consider whether former Park Police chief Teresa C. Chambers was unfairly targeted as a whistle-blower when she was fired in 2004. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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COURT ASKS FOR RECONSIDERATION ON CHAMBERS RULING WJLA — February 15, 2008 Supporters of former U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers say a ruling by a federal court could open the door for her firing to be overturned. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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MAUK RAILS AT PRESS RELEASE ON CONCOM CASE EastBayRI.com — February 14, 2008 Selectman Gary Mauk called the four Conservation Commission members who are suing four selectmen "the Fab 4" on Feb. 11, railing at them for a press release that was emailed to the news media. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP COMES TO AID OF 'WESTPORT FOUR' EastBayRI.com — February 14, 2008 An environmental advocacy group has offered its help to four members of Westport's Conservation Commission in their court case against the town's selectmen. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) has established a legal defense fund to assist the "Westport Four" in their case. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
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HABITAT REDUCED FOR MILK VETCH Imperial Valley Press Online — February 14, 2008 A victory for off-road enthusiasts is a loss for environmentalists protecting the Pierson’s milk vetch. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday approved reducing the critical habitat for the milk vetch by more than 9,700 acres in the Algodones Dunes in Imperial County. ...more Read the PEER story >> |
