Onmaneuvers

The military holds thekey to a rare songbird’srecovery. Our agreementto restore habitat for thegolden-cheeked warblerhas been called a modelfor military basesnationwide. 12

SolutionsVol. 37, No. 4 September 2006

President Theodore Roosevelt estab-lished our nation’s first national monu-

ment, Devil’s Tower, in Wyoming in 1906.He went on to designate17 other monuments,including the GrandCanyon, earning him areputation as the father ofAmerica’s national parks.

In June, PresidentBush took a similarly bold step for theoceans, announcing the establishment ofthe largest marine protected area in theworld. The new Northwestern HawaiianIslands Marine National Monumentencompasses a biologically rich string ofislands and atolls that stretch 1,200 milesnorthwest of the main Hawaiian Islands.

The action will safeguard more than84 million acres of marine wilderness, anarea larger than all of America’s nationalparks combined. “This is huge,” says ourpresident Fred Krupp, who took the casefor the islands’ protection directly to thepresident this spring. “It’s as important asthe establishment of Yellowstone.”

The region includes the world’s most

Victory for the Outer KingdomWe help create the world’s largest marine protected

area in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

remote coral reefs and supports more than7,000 species, including endangeredHawaiian monk seals, tiger sharks and

millions of nestingseabirds. One quarter ofthe species are foundnowhere else.

As a national mon-ument, the archipelagowill enjoy the highest

level of government protection. Fishingwill be phased out in five years and coralmining prohibited. The area will remainopen to Native Hawaiians for traditionaluses and for scientific research.

The designation culminates nearly adecade of work by Environmental De-fense and local allies. “The monument isan extraordinary victory for the environ-ment and for the recognition of NativeHawaiian cultural practices,” says our sci-entist Dr. Stephanie Fried. The islands arerevered by Native Hawaiians.

Despite their remoteness, the islandsshow signs of stress. Among the first to

Farmersand theChesapeake

Midnightmoves onthe Hill

Can coalclean upits act?

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The endangered Hawaiian monk seal survives nowhere else but around these islands.

HAWAI’I

Northwestern Hawaiian

Islands national monument

Hawaiians, fishermen, divers and localactivists to promote protections. Together,we placed the issue on the agenda inWashington, bringing local partners totestify there.

The hui mobilized citizens to speakat more than 100 public meetings andsubmitted more than 110,000 messagesto officials. “Stephanie did the scientific

research to provide thebasis for the actions weasked for,” says VickyHolt Takamine, presi-dent of the ‘Ilio’ulao-kalani Coalition.

In 2000, the huiconvinced PresidentClinton to designate thearea as an ecosystemreserve. We also persuad-ed Governor LindaLingle to withdraw herinitial opposition and, lastyear, to ban fishing instate waters.

Bush’s action builds on those efforts.“Our work isn’t over,” says Fried. “Mon-itoring will be crucial to ensure creationand enforcement of strong regulations.”

Still, it’s a time to celebrate. SaysBuzzy Agard: “This gives me hope thatmy grandchildren will actually see themarine life I saw, without having to readabout it in a book.”

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A new monument as important as Yellowstone

voice concern was Buzzy Agard, a respect-ed elder who first fished the area in the1940s. He soon noticed fish were disap-pearing. “I realized I was helping destroythis unique place,” he says. In recent years,research vessels have added to the problemby dumping raw sewage in the area.

Fried teamed up with Agard andhelped develop a network (hui) of Native

investing in energy efficiency to reducedemand. Some are planning coal-firedplants that can capture the carbon andbury it below ground. Others are offset-ting their emissions by paying for car-bon to be kept out of the atmosphere.

In contrast, TXU’s gamble is a dan-gerous step backwards, out of step with

others in the electricity sector. In TheWall Street Journal, J. Wayne Leonard,CEO of Entergy, contends that utilitiesthat continue to build new plants heed-less of carbon dioxide are “putting allmankind at risk.” So why should TXU beallowed to get a free ride today and en-danger our well-being tomorrow? Envi-ronmental Defense strongly opposes this

plan. We will remind TXU and itsshareholders that they risk being heldfinancially accountable for the utility’sincreased global warming pollution.

Most important, we will pressfor a national cap on carbon emis-sions—and for legislation that en-sures that all new coal plants pro-posed today are held accountable fortheir global warming pollution.

No doubt some utilities will fightus. But for the health of their busi-ness and the health of our children,they should think twice. Doing theright thing has proven time and againto be good for the bottom line.

YOU CAN HELP: Tell board membersof America’s electric utilities what youthink about global warming pollution.

Go to: actionnetwork.org/campaign/txu.

When TXU Power,a Texas electricutility, announcedplans to build 11conventional coal-fired power plantsthat would spewout more carbondioxide pollution

than 21 states, it was betting on afuture devoid of global warming legis-lation. At least in some quarters, itseems, dinosaurs still roam the earth.

Some 150 coal-fired plants areon the drawing boards nationwide.They will be in trouble whenCongress caps and cuts carbon diox-ide pollution. In order to cut overallemissions, new plants will need tocapture or offset all their emissions.

All across America, leadingelectric utilities are starting to grap-ple with global warming. Some are

A foolhardy gamble in Texas

Environmental Defense Solutions

WHERE WE STAND

SolutionsEditor: Peter Klebnikov

Environmental Defense, 257 Park Avenue South,New York, NY 10010. Main number 212-505-2100.

Membership questions: Call 800-684-3322 oremail members@environmentaldefense.org

Mailbag: Mail to address above, call 800-927-6464 oremail editor@environmentaldefense.org

©2006 Environmental Defense. Publishedbimonthly at New York, NY. ASSN 0163-2566

New York • Washington • Oakland Boulder • Raleigh • Austin • Boston

Project offices: Los Angeles • Sacramento • Beijing

Online at www.environmentaldefense.org

By Fred Krupp, President

–––––Why should TXU Power

get a free ride?

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Blueprint for restoration: The islands contain the mostintact coral reef ecosystem on the planet.

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Editor:

I am always happy to see articlessuch as “The learning tree” (JuneSolutions). Yet one thing that seemsto be missing about how to positivelyimpact our environment is simply tobuy less stuff! If we buy less, and buyfrom local producers, we willincrease our positive impact.

Charly Drobeck, Tesuque, NM

Editor:

Regarding “London’s answer to grid-lock” (June Solutions): How doesLondon impose and collect the con-gestion fee? Are you bringing thisidea to the attention of U.S. cities?

HHeennrryy HHaammmmoonndd,, BBoossttoonn,, MMAA

Andrew Darrell, director of our

Living Cities program, responds:

To ensure convenience, London’ssystem is entirely automatic, captur-ing license plate numbers as vehi-cles head into the central city. Tollsare debited from pre-establishedaccounts, or drivers have until mid-night to pay through text messaging,over the Internet, or at select stores.London’s mayor has now proposedthat the fee be based on a vehicle’scarbon emission, with gas-guzzlerspaying as much as $46 a day.

We are conducting a study ofsuch a system for New York City,which our preliminary estimatesshow would reduce tailpipe pollutionand traffic congestion substantially.Our partners include a broad rangeof business and community organiza-tions. Other cities choked with trafficare beginning to look at the idea too,including San Francisco and Boston.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

See addresses at left.

www.environmentaldefense.org

Environmental Defense257 Park Ave. SouthNew York, NY 10003

Member25 Main StreetAnytown, NY 11199

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“Congress could end up making bigdecisions at midnight,” notes our leg-islative director Elizabeth Thompson,“Just like students who wait until thelast minute to do their homework.”As elections loom, Washington hasfocused on issues more symbolic thansubstantive, but Congress still couldact on measures to determine the fateof our climate, wildlife and oceans foryears to come.

Here’s what we’re expecting forthe last half of the year:

Global warming:Signs of progressSenator James Inhofe (R-OK), theSenate’s leading climate skeptic, helda hearing on technologies to reduceglobal warming pollution—a sign ofhow much the politics of the issuehave changed in recent months. A billto cap pollution from power plants,introduced by Senators Carper (D-DE) and Alexander (R-TN), contin-ues to draw bipartisan support. And ifthe Senate takes up energy legislation,

Senators McCain (R-AZ) andLieberman (D-CT) could offer theirClimate Stewardship Act as anamendment, which would mandateeconomy-wide reductions.

Endangered Species Act:No news is good newsThe Senate environment committeeshows no signs of letting Rep. RichardPombo’s destructive EndangeredSpecies Act reform bill (which passedin the House) see the light of day.Environmental Defense is pressingkey Senate allies to stand firm.

Oceans: One step forward,one step backThe Senate unanimously approvedthe Magnuson-Stevens fisheries act,which sets national ocean policy. Itreflects our recommendation to pro-mote “catch shares,” a conservationmethod that assigns fishermen per-centage shares of the allowable catch.

Unfortunately, the Bush admin-istration proposed a measure that

would encouragefish farming in theopen ocean with-out adequate envi-ronmental controls.We have teamedup with fishingorganizations topush for scientifi-cally based aqua-culture standards.

Do you feel strongly

about these issues?

Our campaigns needStrategic Partners. Ifyou are interested ininfluencing future victo-ries by helping in ourlobbying efforts, pleasecontact Wendy Sommerat 202-572-3324.

Washington watch

Late nights ahead on Capitol Hill?

It’s getting hotter and hotter. Congressional action on globalwarming is long overdue.

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their carbon emis-sions will equal thetotal emitted sincethe dawn of theindustrial revolution.

Technologiesdo exist to burn coalmuch more cleanly,including capturingcarbon dioxide andsequestering itunderground. Theobstacle is money:Currently, thesecleaner plants costmore to build, however some of these costscan be offset by using the captured carbondioxide in enhanced oil recovery projects.

They cost more, that is, if you dis-regard the value of reducing carbon pol-lution. Since the enactment of carboncaps in Europe, Japan and the northeast-ern United States, companies can profitby finding ways to reduce carbon emis-sions. Once you put the value of reducingcarbon into the balance sheet, the com-petitive outlook for cleaner coal plants—as well as renewable energy sources andconservation—suddenly improves.

That’s what happened last year,when Xcel Energy in Colorado announcedplans to buy 2,500 megawatts of new elec-tric generating capacity (enough for 2.5million homes). Environmental Defense,Western Resource Advocates and local cit-izen groups showed Xcel a prudent way toaccount for the future financial liability ofcarbon pollution: Xcel would compare bidsfrom competing power producers onlyafter adding in $9 for each ton of carbondioxide those producers would emit.

Using that new accounting, Xcelannounced in December a “Least-CostResource Plan” that includes 775megawatts of new wind energy and 320megawatts of energy efficiency invest-

The 19th century was powered bycoal; the 20th century by oil. The

21st? Well, by 2100, the InternationalEnergy Agency expects half the world’senergy to come from coal. Again.

Oil is expensive, scarce and entan-gled in dangerous geopolitics. Coal ischeap and abundant, especially in theUnited States, which has three times theenergy in its coal reserves that SaudiArabia has in its oil.

But how can we live with the dirt-iest of all fossil fuels? Coal mining isdestructive and dangerous. Burned con-ventionally and without modern pollu-tion controls, coal releases perilousamounts of neurotoxic mercury, plussulfur and nitrogen oxides and particu-lates that contribute to respiratory andcardiac illness.

Coal also emits more carbon dioxideper BTU than virtually any other energysource. (Carbon dioxide is the major pollu-tant causing global warming.) Over thenext 20 years, power companies worldwideare planning to build enough new coal-fired plants to produce 1,400 gigawatts ofenergy; that’s four times the total numberof coal plants operating in the U.S. today. Ifthose plants use conventional technology,

Environmental Defense Solutions

ments, the biggest commitment to cleanenergy resources in Colorado history.

Xcel also is working on anadvanced coal-fired power plant thatwould capture and sequester carbondioxide, a project that recently won thesupport of state lawmakers.

FACTORING IN HEALTHLeading utilities nationwide are gettingserious about global warming pollution,thanks in part to a string ofEnvironmental Defense victories over thepast year. We helped win carbon limits inCalifornia and eight northeastern states,argued successfully for a U.S. Senate reso-lution in favor of a national carbon capand teamed up with allies to persuade theSupreme Court to decide whether EPAhas the authority to regulate carbon diox-ide under the Clean Air Act.

The market’s dawning recognitionthat carbon dioxide belongs on the bal-ance sheet has begun to influence theenergy picture in the West. Environmen-tal Defense scientist Dr. Jana Milfordand our western partners showed thatCalifornia was buying out-of-state ener-gy that didn’t meet its own global warm-ing and clean air standards. Sacramentoresponded by proposing new policies to

Coal’s resurgenceCAN AMERICA LIVE WITH THIS FOSSIL

FUEL IN THE 21st CENTURY?

Today, 40% of the coal burned in America is mined in Wyoming’sPowder River Basin. At what price to the landscape?

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A blueprint for low-carb coalEnergy companies are exploring ways to reduce pollutionfrom coal. The most established of these new technologiesis Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle. As illustrated,IGCC plants turn coal into gas, which is burned to generateelectricity; the heat makes steam to turn a second turbine.

This “combined cycle” is more efficient and cleaner,because pollutants including carbon can be removedbefore combustion; the carbon can then be permanentlystored. None of the 100 IGCC plants currently operatingworldwide (including two in the U.S.) currently capturetheir carbon. But oil companies have been injecting car-

bon dioxide into the ground to improve oil recovery forthirty years, and this “geological sequestration” is nowbeing tested on a big scale. Environmental Defense ener-gy specialist Scott Anderson, a former oil executive, isworking with regulators and corporations including BP(which will sequester the carbon from a new IGCC plantin Carson City, CA) to develop safety protocols.

The ultimate goal is zero emissions. IGCC plants canburn crop waste along with coal. Because growing plantsabsorb carbon, sequestering the combined emissionscould actually subtract carbon from the atmosphere.

extend its global warming pollution stan-dards to all electricity imports, and bysigning a deal to help Wyoming win fed-eral funds for a zero-emission coal plant(see box). Meanwhile, a San Diego utilityscrapped plans for conventional coalplants in Idaho and Nevada, and a NewMexico coal plant was put on holdbecause the owner had not taken a seri-

ous look at advanced coal technologies.While Environmental Defense

supports companies honestly grapplingwith climate and carbon, some compa-nies, such as TXU Power, persist inignoring carbon (see Where we stand,page 2). We will alert the financial com-munity to the investment risks andwork to ensure that national legislation

rewards early actors who invest in cleanenergy production and punishes thosewho increase the cost of solving theproblem. So far, we’re succeeding: Everybill now under consideration, includingthose sponsored by Senators Boxer,Carper, Feinstein and McCain, wouldnot grandfather any of the emissionsfrom TXU’s 11 new plants.

Environmental Defense Solutions6

Regional update

Should nearshore reefs suffer to enable more unsustainablebeachfront construction?

New lease for Florida reefs

Endangered: America’sfamily-owned forests

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Our plan rewards landowners for the many public benefits of pre-serving forests.

landowners for the publicbenefits from forests: cleanwater, clean air, biodiversityand recreation.

Currently, privatelandowners in North Car-olina who preserve theirforests pay higher propertytaxes than those who cutthem down for timber.

We’re pressing forproperty tax relief for thosewho practice conservation.We also are working to

increase support for forests inthe federal Farm Bill.

Our allies includelandowners, foresters andrecreation groups. “If wewant to preserve this naturalresource, we need to worktogether,” says our forestryspecialist Will McDow.

The southern United Statesproduces more timber thanany other region in theworld. But its forests areincreasingly at risk. “Realtorscall all the time wanting meto sell,” says Anne Royster,whose 305-acre forest northof Raleigh has been in herfamily for more than 100years. “I don’t want to sell myforest, but I need some helpto keep it.”

Families manage 70%of southern forests. As theystruggle, industrial landown-ers like International Paperare selling off millions ofacres of timberland, throwingthe future of forest manage-ment into doubt.

Environmental Defensehas released a study, StandingTall, that reveals southernforests are projected in thenext 30 years to lose 30 mil-lion acres of trees—an areathe size of New York State.To stem the destruction, werecommend rewarding

Florida contains the northernmost coral reefs in the Westernhemisphere, and these reefs face a multitude of threats.

Every year, for example, lobbyists for developersdescend on the Florida Legislature with plans to burynearshore reefs with massive, new dredge projects. Theseprojects use taxpayer dollars to subsidize more beachfrontconstruction. Dredging clouds water and buries reefs.

Working with several government agencies, we haveprotected 200 acres of reefs at six east Florida sites. Tra-ditionally, coastal management in Florida has been con-trolled by a small group of consulting engineers, and otherocean users have lacked a voice. Key to our success wasbuilding non-traditional partnerships and giving a voice tofishermen, sea turtle groups, surfers and conservative anti-tax advocates frustrated by the waste of taxpayer dollars.

Our scientist Dr. Ken Lindeman published the firstresearch on the fisheryvalue of Florida nearshorereefs and then empoweredinfluential grassrootsgroups. “Our work to pro-tect reefs has been aided inmany ways by Environ-

mental Defense,” said Captain Rodney Smith, a veteranfishing guide.

Once again linking science with grassroots outreach,this winter we won another victory in the Dry TortugasNational Park, protecting 46 miles of coral reefs. Whencombined with the adjacent Florida Keys National MarineSanctuary, this area becomes the largest fully protectedshallow coral reef reserve in North America.

–––––Linking science

and grassroots

outreach

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–––––“I don’t want to sell

my forest, but need

help to keep it.”

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www.environmentaldefense.org 7

Saving sea turtles:CELEBRATING A QUARTER CENTURY OF PROTECTION

This year more newly hatched Kemp’s rid-ley sea turtles made the perilous scrambleacross Texas beaches to begin their lives atsea than at any time in recent memory.Only 20 years ago these remarkable rep-

tiles had all but disappeared from their tra-ditional nesting beaches, victims of theturtle trade in the 19th century and, morerecently, frequent drownings in shrimpers’nets and the plundering of nesting sites.

The record Kemp’s ridley num-bers—100 U.S. nests so far this year, upfrom one in 1979—would not have beenpossible without protection of nestingbeaches and regulations such as thoseEnvironmental Defense fought for in the1980s to install “turtle excluder devices”(TEDs). These hatch-like devices allowsea turtles—but not shrimp—to escapefrom shrimp nets. At that time a U.S.government survey estimated that 44,000Kemp’s ridley, loggerhead, green, hawks-bill and leatherback sea turtles, all endan-gered or threatened, were drowning inshrimp nets in U.S. waters each year.

Environmental Defense wasinvolved in negotiations with fishing

leaders in the Gulf and Atlantic shrimpfleets to reach consensus on TEDs.When the shrimpers walked away fromthe talks, claiming the new regulationswould cut down their catch, we threat-ened to sue. Later, some in Congresstried to prevent adoption and enforce-ment of the rules, and we helped broker acompromise that called for a NationalAcademy of Sciences study, whichendorsed the regulations. EnvironmentalDefense also leveled the playing field byhelping persuade Congress to pass a banon foreign shrimp caught without TEDs.

Nevertheless, the rules faced consid-erable hostility and non-compliance atfirst. On some occasions, government offi-cials had to attend meetings accompaniedby armed guards. “Over time, however,the shrimpers adjusted,” says attorneyMichael Bean, who led our efforts. “It’srewarding for us all to see the results.”

Kemp’s ridley hatchlings: A testament to theeffectiveness of the Endangered Species Act.

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here. A $580,000 grant from theNational Fish and Wildlife Foundationwill help us scale up the program to 350farmers on 42,000 acres.

Matt Young was one of the first totry the tests and cut his fertilizer use.“Environmentalists and farmers are notenemies,” he says. “We can work togeth-er. Environmental Defense proved that.”

Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County iscelebrated for its Amish communityand its agricultural productivity. It alsois a major source of nitrogen fertilizerrunoff that contributes to vast deadzones in the Chesapeake Bay. To helpheal the nation’s largest estuary,Environmental Defense joined forceswith farmers. We introduced new tech-nologies that reduce fertilizer use andsave farmers money.

“I’m not a radical environmental-ist, but I believe we are to be good stew-ards of what is entrusted to us,” saysMatt Young, one of our partners and adairy farmer in Peach Bottom, PA.

Our goal is to cut the amount ofnitrogen by two-thirds within threeyears. This ambitious reduction isachievable because most area farmershad not been testing their soils todetermine exactly how much fertilizeris needed. They worked from averages,and often added extra as a buffer.

Farmers help to heal the Chesapeake BayApplying excess fertilizer not only

wastes farmers’ money but also harmsthe environment. The county’s crops canabsorb only about half of the 66 millionpounds of manure and commercial fer-tilizer farmers apply. The excess washesinto the Susquehanna River and eventu-ally Chesapeake Bay, where the nitrogenfuels massive algae blooms. The bay’soysters, a key indicatorof ecosystem health,have fallen to 3% ofhistoric levels, in partbecause of dead zones.

Our projectalready is showingresults. About 60 farm-ers are testing nitrogenlevels in their soil andcornstalks, and manyhave cut their fertilizeruse. The technology isused on farms in theMidwest, but is rare

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A return to a simpler time: Amish and “English” farmers arecutting excess fertilizer use.

What if the water commissioner who lim-its construction near her town’s reservoirhad to pay landowners for the houses thatcouldn’t be built? Clearly, that would sabo-tage government’s ability to protect theenvironment and public health.

Astonishingly, a 2004 ballot meas-ure approved by Oregon voters is havinga similar effect. Measure 37 says that if a

government agency enacts aregulation that limits alandowner’s use of hisland—say, to protect theenvironment or managegrowth—then the govern-ment must either exemptthe property owner from theregulation or pay for theloss in economic value.

The effect has been acascade of claims and near-paralysis of environmentalefforts. Thousands of claims

seeking more than $1 billion have beenmade against Oregon cities and counties.This summer, a developer demandedeither $203 million or the right to drillgeothermal wells, expand a pumice mineand build a vacation-home subdivisionwithin the boundaries of NewberryNational Monument.

Voters in Arizona, California, Idaho,

Montana, Nevada and possibly Wash-ington State will vote on similar “regula-tory takings” initiatives this November.The name reflects proponents’ view thatregulating property is tantamount to tak-ing it without compensation. Few of theseinitiatives are home-grown. Rather, theyare funded by national groups likeAmericans for Limited Government.Environmental Defense is part of a broadcoalition of groups and local governmentslaunching public campaigns to educatecitizens about the real price they will payfor such bills.

“These takings initiatives threatenthe very foundation of environmentalprotection,” says Dan Grossman, a for-mer Colorado state senator who is ournew Rocky Mountain regional director.“Funded by a wealthy developer fromNew York, these proposals underminecommunities’ efforts to save habitat andopen space.”

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Should the government have to pay a developer to pro-tect this national monument?

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The battle over “takings” could remake the West

stein, our director of business partner-ships for climate. “They’re locking upsome of the most cost-effective reduc-tions now and are at the forefront ofcreating a new market. That’s a goodmessage to tell your investors, thatyou’re being savvy—you’re buyingahead of the curve.”

While some businesses are shy about tak-ing action to reduce their global warmingemissions, Entergy has no commitmentphobia. Five years after joining us in anagreement to hold their emissions to2000 levels (the first U.S. electricity pro-ducer to do so), the New Orleans–basedcompany is re-upping: committing tokeep their greenhouse gas emissions at20% below 2000 levels through 2010.

“The idea here is to move towardKyoto levels,” said Brent Dorsey,Entergy’s corporate environmental pro-grams director. “We have targeted 1990levels as a long-term aspiration.”

The company also has expandedits agreement, mandating that reduc-tions cover not just emissions generat-ed by Entergy itself, but also emissionsfrom electricity purchased from otherproducers.

Initially, Environmental Defensehelped Entergy set emissions targetsand assess the environmental value of

Entergy recommits on global warmingoffsets, but now our partnership isexpanding. We will work together tostudy the physical and financial impactsof global warming on utility operationsand lobby for effective global warminglegislation using cap-and-trade.

Entergy’s success at reducing itscarbon footprint and beating its targetis remarkable giventhe company’sincreased generationto meet growingdemand. It succeededby employing newtechnologies and pro-duction efficiencies aswell as by buying off-sets, including carbonsequestration creditsfrom no-till farms.

“Entergy is get-ting some real first-mover advantage,”said Mark Brown-

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The New Orleans–based utility Entergy points to Katrina asproof that companies shouldn’t wait to act on global warming.

Thanks to a decade of bipartisan work,the biggest reductions of harmful dieselpollution in American history have final-ly begun.

Environmental Defense worked withEPA on a rule requiring a 97% reductionin the sulfur content of highway diesel fuel.This fuel directly reduces harmful pollu-tion and enables the use of advancedengine technology in new heavy-dutytrucks and buses. Starting with 2007 mod-els, these vehicles must emit 90% less sootand smog-forming pollution. For oldermodels, the cleaner fuel allows retrofitswith modern pollution controls.

We teamed up with Earthjustice todefend the standards against industrychallenges and with the American LungAssociation to spur EPA to proposeadditional standards for diesel construc-tion and farm equipment.

Diesel pollution contributes toheart attacks, asthma attacks, strokes and

premature death. “Reducing diesel pollu-tion,” says Dr. John Balbus, our Healthprogram director, “is among the mostimportant measures we can take to pro-tect human health from dangerous air-borne contaminants.” EPA estimatesthat annual expenditures of about $4 bil-lion will bring $70 billion in environ-mental and health benefits each year.

www.environmentaldefense.org

NEWS BRIEFS

9

The nation’s wetlands narrowly escapedlosing key protections under the CleanWater Act this summer when theSupreme Court ruled on a case involvingtwo Michigan developers. At issue waswhether the court would void 30-year-old rules that protect nearly all the coun-try’s rivers and wetlands.

Justice Anthony Kennedy pro-

vided the pivotal opinion,holding that the Act pro-tects wetlands only if theCorps of Engineers canshow they have a “signifi-cant” connection to down-stream water quality. “Theproof is there,” says ourattorney Tim Searchinger,“but the decision creates abureaucratic headache andgives those who woulddrain and develop wetlandsa political opportunity tocreate mischief.”

This summer, EnvironmentalDefense convened a blue-ribbon groupof scientists to help compile the evidenceto satisfy Justice Kennedy’s definition.

The high court also agreed to heartwo high-profile environmental casesthis fall, involving EPA’s authority toregulate global warming pollution andpollution from old power plants under

On a rainy day this spring, film starIsabella Rossellini stood before flashingcameras in the town of Brookhaven onLong Island and made a dramaticannouncement: “We want to make adream happen. We want to open upthese rivers.”

These weren’t lines from a newmovie. Rossellini, a local resident andsupporter of Environmental Defense,joined us to announce an ambitious newinitiative: Working with local officials,we plan to restore 30 miles of rivers onthe island within 10 years. We havesecured $1.5 million in state funding tolaunch the project.

The rivers once ran fast and cold,teeming with silvery alewives headedinland to spawn. Now they are blockedby dams and threatened by development.The number of alewives has plummeted,leaving ospreys and other wildlife with-out a key source of food.

By removing obsolete dams,installing fish ladders and protectingstreamside land, our scientists will revivesome of Long Island’s natural heritage.“I’ve lived here for 20 years and seendramatic change,” said Rossellini. “I wantto preserve the beauty we have, andrestore what was lost.”

With 94% of U.S. freight moved by diesel, thenew fuel will yield major health benefits.

Removing obsoletedams on Long Island

Supreme Court hands down a murky decision on wetlands

Low-sulfur diesel fuel is here at last

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Rossellini: “I want to preserve the beautywe have and restore what was lost.”

At risk: Millions of acres of prime wildlife habitat.

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the Clean Air Act. EnvironmentalDefense is a party in both cases.

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Guest columnist Jim Motavalli is editor of E/The Environmental Magazine (for subscription infor-mation: 800-967-6572 or emagazine.com). Opinions are the author’s and not those of Environmen-tal Defense staff.

skepticism about the “biodegradable”claims made by some manufacturers. Thedebate might tilt towards disposableswhere water is scarce and cloth wherelandfill space is scarce. Otherwise, usewhat works for you.

Paper or plastic bags?There is ample ammunition on both sidesof this debate too. The production of plas-tic grocery bags from non-renewable poly-ethylene plastic (a crude oil byproduct)consumes 40% less energy than makingpaper bags. But in landfills paper bags—made from renewable trees—decompose,while plastic could still be around in 1,000years. Paper bags use up more landfillspace, but are much more likely to beaccepted for curbside recycling (about 20%of paper bags are recycled; only 1% of plas-tic bags are). In fact the best answer to thequestion, “Paper or plastic?” is, “Neither,thank you.” You can best protect the envi-ronment by bringing your own reusablecloth bags when you go shopping. Some

Which is better...?FOUR EVERYDAY CHOICES FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Everyday choices we make in our livesmake a difference for the environ-

ment, but sometimes the choices are notclear-cut. Even complete lifecycle analy-sis may not provide the final word on thefour issues we explore below, but main-stream thinking continues to evolve.Here’s the latest:

Cloth or disposable diapers? With about 8,000 diaper changes for theaverage baby, it’s not surprising that par-ents get impassioned about this one. Tenyears ago, disposable diapers were a defi-nite no-no for committed environmen-talists, but recent studies suggest it’s notthat simple. Disposables (which use 1.3million tons of wood pulp annually) con-sume more raw materials and generatemore solid waste. Cloth diapers (whichcan be reused as many as 150 times) soakup more energy and water and contributemore to atmospheric emissions and waterpollution. There are concerns about thechemicals released by disposables and

Green living

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Facts behind the myths

On diapers

Mothering magazine’s interestingtimeline on the “politics of diapers”is at mothering.com/articles/new_baby/diapers/politics.html.

The British Environment Agencycommissioned a study of the envi-ronmental consequences of clothversus disposable diapers thatconcludes, “We believe that peopleshould be free to choose whatevernappy suits them.” See the studyat environment-agency.gov.uk/yourenv/857406/1072214/.

A study by a Dartmouth Collegeprofessor for the SustainabilityInstitute concludes, “From theearth’s point of view, it’s not allthat important which kind of dia-pers you use. The important deci-sion was having the baby.” Sus-tainability Institute, 3 Linden Road,Hartland, VT 05048, (802) 436-1277, sustainabilityinstitute.org.

On bags

For an in-depth look at the secretlife of garbage bags and otherrecycling facts, pick up Paper orPlastic: Searching for Solutions to anOverpackaged World, by DanielImhoff (Sierra Club Books, $16.95).

On dishwashing

For more on the environmentalimpacts of household technology,including information on handversus automatic dishwashing,visit www.landtechnik.uni-bonn.de/ifl_research/ifl_research_projects.php?sec=HT.

On idling

Car Talk’s lively take on idling yourengine and other driving practicescan be found at cartalk.com/con-tent/features/fueleconomy.

Another recent study casts a small ray of hope: at least somecoral species, in the right conditions, may be able to adaptto warmer conditions. The researchers say the acclimationprocess may “buy time while measures are put in place toreduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

African farm failures linked to global warmingA new study in the proceedings of the National Academy ofSciences finds that over the past 40 years food production inAfrica dropped dramatically during years associated with ElNiño, the warm ocean currents linked with unusually hotweather. El Niño is likely to become more frequent as globalwarming progresses. The study found that African produc-tion varied enough to feed—or not feed—20 million peoplein the region, which is already beset by desertification.

Rising temperatures mean more forests ablaze in the WestA sharp increase in large wildfires in the West since 1987 isthe result of rising temperatures that melt snowpacks earlierand create longer dry seasons, says a new study to be pub-lished in Science. The average fire season has lengthenedmore than two months and forest fires have increased four-fold in the region, the study finds. Until recently, the morefrequent blazes were attributed to forest management (forexample, decades of fire suppression), but the study showsglobal warming is at least partly to blame.

The study notes that temperatures from 1987 to 2003in the 11 states surveyed were the warmest since 1895,when record keeping began. Co-author Steven Running ofthe University of Montana says, “To me, it’s the equivalentof the hurricanes on the Gulf Coast. This is our hurricane.”

Warmer seas are devastating coral reefsLast summer the same hot water that spawned HurricaneKatrina caused the worst bleaching ever of coral reefs fromFlorida to Panama. A recent federal study confirmed thatreefs are under severe stress from higher water temperatureslinked to global warming. Bleaching occurs when overheat-ed corals expel the colorful algae that provide them withmost of their food. The corals can literally starve to death.In 1997-98 about 16% of the world’s coral reefs wereseverely damaged or killed by hot water.

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enlightened stores will even give discountsto customers who bring in their own bags.

Hand wash or dishwasher?Do dishwashers waste water and ener-gy? Not according to the University ofBonn, where a study last year foundthat dishwashers use half the energyand one-sixth the water of hand wash-ing. Of course, this assumes you washonly full loads, lower the water temper-ature and use the energy-saving “noheat, air dry” cycle. Some dishwashers,including a variety of European models,receive high ratings for both energyefficiency and water savings. The bot-tom line on cost, according to the U.S.Department of Energy: “Washing dish-es by hand several times a day can bemore expensive than operating an ener-gy-efficient dishwasher.”

Idle your engine, or switch it off?Should you “warm up” your car on coldmornings? Should you let it idle if youare stopping somewhere for just a fewminutes? The answer to both these ques-tions is a resounding “No.” Idling yourcar for more than half a minute usesmore gas than it takes to restart theengine, says the National Safety Council.NPR’s “Car Talk” hosts Tom and RayMagliozzi, add that gentle driving is thebest way to ease your car into life. In fact,modern cars do not need to be warmedup except in the coldest of weather (evenwhen the temperature is below 10º F.,cars need at most a minute to runsmoothly). Long idling is actually badfor your engine, because it results inexcess internal carbon buildup.

By Jim Motavalli

The sharp increase in wildfires is a harbinger of global warming.

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Could there be a more meaningful wayto make a difference?

You can create an environmental legacy byincluding Environmental Defense in yourwill or estate plan. Your gift will enable usto continue working to curb global warm-ing. It can also give you income tax relief,provide you with lifetime income, andavoid capital gains tax liability.

To learn more, call toll-free 877-677-7397or write Anne Doyle, Environmental De-fense, 257 Park Avenue So., NY, NY 10010or at ospreys@environmentaldefense.org.

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SolutionsEnvironmental Defense

Can tanks and songbirds coexist?U.S. ARMY COMES TO THE RESCUE OF AN ENDANGERED WARBLER IN TEXAS

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Budding birdwatchers.

The Department of Defense controls28 million acres—land that is home

to more endangered species than ournational parks. But the Pentagon oftenhas won exemptions from species’ pro-tections, claiming they interfere withtraining. Now, a novel programEnvironmental Defense helped design inTexas gives the Army flexibility whiledramatically boosting an endangeredsongbird’s prospects for recovery.

Sprawled across more than200,000 acres in the Texas Hill Country,Fort Hood is the nation’s largest Armybase. It is also home to the world’slargest nesting population of endangeredgolden-cheeked warblers. But there’s aproblem: “Firing large caliber weaponsand maneuvering Bradley fighting vehi-cles is not real good for habitat,” says thebase’s assistant chief of staff Ron Perry.

In 1996, a wildfire destroyed a quar-ter of the bird’s Fort Hood woodlands.Another such fire could force the base tocurtail training to preserve other areas.“That is not a good thing,” says Perry.“We’ve got to train our soldiers.”

In partnership with Texas A&M,the Texas Cattlemen’s Association andothers, Environmental Defense designed aprogram that will give Fort Hood credits

for restoring war-bler habitat on pri-vate lands off post.The credits will gointo a “bank” thatthe base can tap ifhabitat is harmed.“It’s an insurancepolicy for us,”explains Perry.

Landownerslike it too. They getfinancial assis-tance—$500,000this year—forhelping improvewarbler habitat, such as by reducingerosion or adding fences. A number ofranchers are “in the chute,” says SteveManning, a fifth-generation cattlerancher who helped develop the pro-gram. “We’re not going to have aproblem finding willing participants.”

AN ECOLOGIST’S DREAMThe project may also be the best hopefor the warbler, according to our scien-tist David Wolfe, who chaired the sci-entific committee that designed the sys-tem. The tiny songbird winters inMexico and Central America, but itbreeds exclusively in central Texas. Itsnumbers have dwindled as developmentdevours the juniper and oak forestswhere it nests. To recover, it needsviable populations across its breedingrange, almost all of it private land.

To achieve that goal, the pro-gram awards more credit for restoringhabitat where it’s needed most. ForWolfe, it’s an ecologist’s dream cometrue: “You rarely get to target restora-

tion work across a species’ entire breedingrange. With this program, in 10 yearsthis bird could be close to recovery.”

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is interest-ed in our project as a national model toreduce military-species conflicts elsewhere.“Nothing like this has been tried before,but we believe it absolutely could work atother bases,” confirms Perry.

The warbler nests exclusively in juniper forests in central Texas.

What they are saying about

Environmental Defense

“Environmental Defense wants chickenfarmers to stop using antibiotics to spurgrowth. It wants strict controls on thebudding field of nanotechnology. Itwants fewer gas guzzlers on the road.

Not long ago, when it was still thein-your-face Environmental DefenseFund, the group would have looked fora company to sue, boycott or at leastprotest. Nowadays, it is looking forcompanies that can help it out.”

—The New York Times, May 17, 2006

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