EARTHJUSTICE E.BRIEF OKT 2014

I have been a supporter of +Earthjustice for years and am thankful for the work they do. Here's their October 2014 eBrief with updates on issues and campaigns, victories and new environmental concerns.....

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After 150 Years, Maui’s Streams Flow Again Private corporations that diverted Maui’s streams for more than 150 years agreed to finally restore water flows—courtesy of an Earthjustice campaign. READ MORE

Climate Change Threatens Rare Wolverines The famously feisty creature will take on grizzly bears in a fight, but its biggest threat now is the acute loss of habitat due to receding snow pack in the mountains of Idaho, Montana, Washington, Wyoming and northeast Oregon. READ MORE

WOLVERINES NEED LAWYERS TOO We’re fighting in court to save the last 300 wolverines in the lower 48! Join our fight. DONATE NOW

  IN THE WIN COLUMN

	Havasupai Celebrate Ban on New Uranium Mining A million acres of Grand Canyon watershed is less threatened by uranium poisoning, thanks to a court order upholding a 20-year ban on new uranium mining claims. READ MORE
Other recent court victories include: Federal court paves the way for better monitoring of Alaska's industrial groundfishing fleet. Spruce No. 1 Mine—one of the most destructive mountaintop removal mines ever proposed in Appalachia—won’t be allowed to destroy more streams or nearby communities.

  NEWS

EPA Approves Deadly New Herbicide Without bothering to consult the expert agencies about the herbicide’s effects on endangered plants and animals, the EPA is giving the green light to massive increases in the use of 2,4-D, one of the ingredients in ‘Agent Orange.’ READ MORE

Acting to Sidetrack Explosive Trains Earthjustice is suing to prevent a nightmare scenario of mile-long trains—filled with explosive crude oil—rumbling daily into California’s Central Valley. READ MORE

These Aspens Should Tremble Aspens have reason to quake in some roadless areas of Colorado, where the Forest Service is pushing major fossil fuel development, along with miles of scarring roads. READ MORE

A Nation Poisoned by Incinerators When toxic metals like mercury and cadmium poison your favorite lake, it’s time to regulate the local industrial incinerator. Yet the EPA has allowed thousands of such polluting incinerators across the nation to continue fouling our waters. READ MORE

  SPOTLIGHT

The Toxic Secret of California's Salad Bowl The only thing that stands between Maria Aguilara and dangerous pesticides is her scarf. Read her story and others to learn the realities of working in farm fields in the U.S. and why pesticide exposure protections need to be strengthened. READ MORE

  HOW YOU CAN HELP

Act Now on Climate Power plants are the single largest source of carbon emissions. Tell the EPA it's time carbon polluters cleaned up their act. TAKE ACTION

Everyone Has the Right to a Healthy Environment Vice President of Litigation for Healthy Communities Lisa Garcia discusses how Earthjustice is fighting to protect families and communities from pollution-caused health risks they confront on a daily basis. LISTEN

You've been reading e.Brief, Earthjustice's monthly e-newsletter. Having trouble viewing this email? Read it online: earthjustice.org/newsletter Earthjustice. Because the earth needs a good lawyer. Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We wield the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health; to preserve magnificent places and wildlife; to advance clean energy; and to combat climate change. Learn about our work: earthjustice.org Photo Credits (top to bottom): OHA, Erik Mandre, Koji Hirano / Istockphoto, Denton Rumsey / Shutterstock, Chris Jordan-Bloch, Jared Loftus, Samantha Bornhorst, Dave Getzschman, Vadim Petrakov / Shutterstock, Dave Getzschman

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Iran Uranium Mine Partner Would Benefit From Senate Land-Swap Bill 13FEB13

EXPOSING gop / tea-bagger hypocrisy on Iran and Chuck Hagel's nomination for Sec of Defense, Sen john mccain r AZ and Sen jeff flake r AZ want the American people to reward companies who do business with Iran with a sweetheart deal for a land swap that will increase all parties profits. Claims that the Iranian government will not receive any benefit financially because of sanctions in place are meaningless as long as rio tinto and bhp are actively involved in business with the terrorist regime in Tehran, all parties have to be profiting or the relationship would not exist. The Senators from Arizona should withdraw their support and this deal should be rejected by Congress unless the companies involved have absolutely no business, financial and economic relationship with Iran, period. From HuffPost....

WASHINGTON -- A bill offered Thursday by Arizona's two senators would aid a company that partners with Iran in an African uranium mine.

The bill, the Southeast Arizona Land Exchange and Conservation Act of 2013, is sponsored by Sens. Jeff Flake (R) and John McCain (R). It would swap 2,400 acres of federal land in Arizona for 5,500 acres of land that the Department of the Interior deems as “important” for conservation.

The idea is to give the Resolution Copper Mining Co. access to land that would allow it to extract vast amounts of metal, while theoretically boosting the economy and protecting public property. A press release from the senators said the mine would generate more than $64 billion in economic activity, as well as tax revenue, and would meet as much as 20 percent of U.S. demand for copper.

But the bill comes at a time of extreme sensitivity about anything linked to Iran, under stiff sanctions because of its nuclear program. Late last year, America's ambassador to the U.N., Susan Rice, was harshly criticized for her investments in firms that do business with Iran.

Resolution Copper Mining is 55 percent owned by Rio Tinto, a giant mining firm that partners with Iran at Namibia's Rossing uranium mine. The rest of Resolution Copper is owned by BHP-Billiton PLC, an Australian company that reportedly made millions doing business with Tehran. Rio Tinto is the world's second-largest mining company. BHP is the biggest.

McCain told The Huffington Post he didn't know about the mining operation's Iranian links. "I'm not sure what they do ... This is the first I've heard of it," McCain said. Brian Rogers, a spokesman for McCain, later downplayed the benefit Iran gets from its partnership with Rio Tinto.

"The issue of the Namibia mine is often used by anti-mining groups to distract from the benefits of the Arizona project, Resolution Copper," Rogers said in an email. "Rio Tinto is the majority shareholder of the Rossing uranium mine in Namibia. The Iranian Foreign Investment Company technically owns a 15 percent share that it acquired before the fall of the shah. International sanctions prevent Iran from receiving any uranium or any financial windfall from the mine."

Flake's office did not respond to a request for comment. He almost surely would know about the firm's relationship with Iran. He was a lobbyist for the Rossing mine in the early 1990s, according to a National Journal story that also noted Iran was believed to be involved in the operation as far back as the 1970s. Flake co-sponsored similar legislation in the last Congress.

The senators' press release talked up the potential benefits for America.

“We won’t let Congress overlook how important this land exchange is for Arizona and our nation,” said Senator John McCain. “This bill gives us access to the largest copper deposit in North America and creates about 3,700 jobs in an area of our state particularly hard-hit by the economic downturn. It’s shameful that some in Congress have played politics with this proposal for seven years and it is now costing hardworking families their livelihoods as the layoffs announced in December continue. I am grateful for Senator Flake’s dedication to this issue and to my colleagues in the House who are working together across party lines to breathe new life into this tremendous opportunity.”

“This bill presents Congress with a rare opportunity to approve a measure that not only allows for the creation of thousands of private-sector jobs at no cost to the federal government, but to also protect thousands of acres of environmentally sensitive land,” said Senator Jeff Flake.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/iran-uranium-mine-senate-_n_2689999.html?ref=topbar

Bolling opposes the lifting ban on uranium mining in Va.

HERE's a surprising and welcome announcement from Lt. Gov bill bolling r VA in opposition to proposed uranium mining in SW Virginia. From the Washington Post.....

By Laura Vozzella

RICHMOND — Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling traveled to Danville on Friday to announce his opposition to lifting a ban on uranium mining in Virginia, a surprise move by the state’s chief jobs-creation officer that put him uncharacteristically out in front of Gov. Robert F. McDonnell.
Bolling (R), who was raised in coal country and spent much of the past three years trying to bring new jobs to Virginia, said he considered the potential economic benefits of mining. But he ultimately decided that the environmental risks were too great and that the operation could scare away other investments in economically depressed south central Virginia. He also noted local opposition.

“If the political leaders and business leaders and community leaders in the part of the state that stands to gain the most don’t want the ban lifted, that’s a pretty persuasive argument to me,” he said in an interview.
The timing of the announcement had political Virginia abuzz about what it meant for Bolling’s prospects as much as mining’s.
It came two weeks after Bolling suspended his bid for the GOP nomination for governor while also saying he would not endorse Republican rival Ken Cuccinelli II and might run as an independent. And it came on the very day that Cuccinelli, the state attorney general, personally took the Environmental Protection Agency to court.
“This is a move by someone who is far from through with politics,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a University of Mary Washington political science professor. “This very visible step, very early in the process of political deliberation, suggests the lieutenant governor is charting a new, more moderate Republican path. Or perhaps we should say, a new, more moderate independent path.”
Southside Virginia is home to the country’s largest known uranium deposit, but a 30-year ban prevents it from being mined. A working group established by McDonnell (R) has been exploring whether the 119 million-pound, $10 billion uranium lode can be safely mined. The issue is likely to be one of the most contentious of the next General Assembly session, which begins Jan. 9.
In Danville with local business and political leaders, Bolling said he shared their concern that lifting the ban would actually hurt the economy by stigmatizing the area.
Bolling said he informed McDonnell, who is said to still be studying the issue, before making his announcement. He caught many others by surprise.
“I am disappointed by the Lt. Governor’s position on uranium mining,” Sen. John C. Watkins (R-Powhatan), who has proposed a bill to establish rules and standards for uranium mining, said in a written statement. “The legislation I am working on is not even complete and may very well address his concerns. I would have expected a more thoughtful approach to this issue from Bill given his commitment to creating jobs, particularly in Southside.”
In bowing out of the GOP nomination battle, Bolling vowed to be an “independent voice” in the campaign. Bolling said Friday that he remains undecided about whether he will run as a third-party candidate. But he said he is relishing the opportunity to speak more frankly.
“A lot of these big issues, I intend to speak out,” he said.
Bolling said it was coincidence that he made his announcement the same day Cuccinelli was on national television and in federal court in Alexandria arguing against what he called “massive” regulatory overreach by the EPA related to sediment buildup along the Accotink Creek Watershed in Fairfax County. (“I don’t keep up with Mr. Cuccinelli’s schedule,” Bolling said.)
But some political observers thought the juxtaposition could be useful for Bolling should he seek to woo swing voters in 2013 or beyond: As Cuccinelli was duking it out with the EPA, Bolling was making the Sierra Club so happy that it e-mailed around a YouTube video of his announcement.
As Bolling staked out his position on uranium, those still in the governor’s race to succeed term-limited McDonnell were less clear.
“Southside Virginia is in need of jobs and industry — but we owe it to the people that public safety and Virginia’s natural resources are protected,” Cuccinelli said in an e-mailed statement. “I am confident that continued study and analysis will provide the answers all are looking for.”
The likely Democratic nominee, former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe, is said to be undecided.
“Any economic proposal in these tough times merits a hard look,” said McAuliffe spokesman Josh Schwerin. “However, Terry would need to be certain that mining uranium can be done safely and cleaned up completely before a moratorium is lifted.”

Corinne Reilly contributed to this report.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va-politics/bolling-to-announce-position-on-uranium-mining-in-va/2012/12/14/053c842a-4609-11e2-9648-a2c323a991d6_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines 

Kaine Criticizes Allen’s Irresponsible Pipeline Stance 24JAN12

george allen continues to offers reasons why he should not be elected to the Senate. Check this out and click the header to go to Tim Kaine's campaign website for more on his positions on the economy, education, the environment....

Today: Allen told Virginians he would greenlight a pipeline through the Commonwealth without review
Richmond, VA - In a conference call today, Gov. Tim Kaine criticized Republican candidate George Allen for refusing to apply his own standard of safety in energy projects to the Keystone pipeline project. When it comes to uranium mining  in Virginia, Allen says we should wait for a thorough review because "while jobs are important, so is public health and safety." But when it comes to the Keystone pipeline, George Allen and his oil company allies are pushing for approval before a thorough review can be completed. In addition to pointing out Allen's contradictory position, Kaine criticized Allen for saying that he would not require a review or study of any oil or natural gas pipelines through Virginia. Allen made his comments on WINA 1070 in Charlottesville as part of his continuing push for approval of the Keystone pipeline —an effort Allen has pushed since before the affected states had performed their own reviews.
Key quotes from Governor Kaine from today’s call are below:
“In discussions with George at the debate and since, I’ve been surprised to see how adamantly he has been lobbying to build the Keystone pipeline before the full federal review is completed, thereby refusing to apply his own standards of safety and review to the pipeline project.
…
“George Allen said, if Virginia were considering  a natural gas or oil pipeline through the Commonwealth we wouldn’t need to do any review or study it, wouldn’t need to review its effects on homeowners or communities because we’ve built other pipelines before. That’s a position that’s really ridiculous. The notion that we can just approve things, without study, that would affect homeowners and the local community is flat wrong.
…
“There’s a reason that we do these reviews. Reviews help you get it right. I think this is a project that may well be the right thing to do, but until the review is complete, we don’t know the answer. We don’t know whether and how it should be done and hopefully the review will point that out. His decision to jump over the review process and say ‘we can do it anyway because it’s popular with the oil companies, who cares about what the citizens of Nebraska think about the routing of the pipeline,’ that’s irresponsible.  I’m not going to let any Senator from Nebraska put some pipeline through Virginia and just casually opine upon it because it doesn’t affect their own real estate. If I am representing Virginia I’m going to make sure that projects like this get a review and I’m not letting other Senators from other states just dictate what should be done.”

Earlier today on Charlottesville radio station 1070 WINA, George Allen said:

Host Question: Now it’s for the average person, I understand, I understand the differences, but for the average person who kinda just, you know, on, just pays attention a little bit and gets the superfluous kinda information, what we hear in the last few minutes, the President and his administration says we need time to study the pipeline to make sure that its safe, to make sure we have the safety, the safe guards in place, but then with this other one, we say we need more time to make sure uranium mining is legislated properly and regulated properly in Virginia, both have been studied for years, both could create tons of jobs, what is the real difference?
George Allen: Well there’s a big difference, in that there are pipeline, again, throughout Virginia, and throughout Nebraska, and throughout the plains, so that, the pipeline issue has been studied for three years, the uranium mining issue, there’s been a moratorium in Virginia for years, and with a moratorium naturally there’s no studies, the National Academy of Sciences has just issued their report just last month, and, and, we don’t have any regulations, if this were an issue, I guarantee you, if there were an issue, gosh we’d put a natural gas pipeline, or should be put an oil pipeline through Virginia, it wouldn’t be worrying about gosh, let's have a study, let's determine the danger of this, this is something that is already done, it is fairly routine, uranium mining is unprecedented in Virginia, and obviously radioactive waste is a much greater environmental concern than, than is oil, or natural gas, not that you’d want to have an oil spill, that’s, that’s, harmful, but it's not highly radioactive, it’s why there is such high regulations, because of these potential dangers. So they are not at all comparable, in that again, oil pipelines are throughout Virginia and throughout the country, uranium mining is an issue of first impression, that's really science, Academy of Sciences report came out late last year, and so, I think Virginia’s taking the appropriate approach, if Virginia were trying to hold up a gas pipeline, or oil pipeline, it simply wouldn’t happen, because we have them.