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by Renee Kjartan and Environment News Service
OPPOSE THIRD RUNWAY AT SEA-TAC!
A green light was given recently to build a third runway at Seatac,despite evidence presented by the Airport Communities Coalition (ACC)that another runway is not needed, would destroy wetlands and harmsurrounding neighborhoods. ACC points out that the Department ofEcology says Sea-Tac is a major factor in Puget Sound's failure tomeet state and federal air-quality standards. The airport alreadygenerates eight percent of all the total carbon monoxide emissions inall of King County, and five percent of all nitrogen oxide emissions.More airplanes will emit more "airborne pollutants [and] spill toxicjet fuel [which] mix with storm water runoff that poisons streamsleading to Puget Sound."
KYOTO PROTOCOL TO TAKE EFFECT
The US Bush won't sign the Kyoto treaty to reduce global warming, butother countries are, and the Kyoto Protocol is expected to enter intoforce soon, according to Physicians for Social Responsibility. TheProtocol, which puts legal limits on the amount of carbon dioxide eachcountry can produce, will become a legally binding international lawonce industrial nations representing 55 percent of global emissions ofcarbon dioxide ratify the agreement. The fifteen European Unionnations, Japan, Peru, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Brazil, Cameroon, Hungary,Chile, and Costa Rica have signed the treaty. With Canada and Russiaexpected to also sign, the 55 percent "threshold" has "suddenly comeinto view," PSR notes. For more information go tohttp://www.psr.org/enviro.htm.
NATION'S TOP ten GAS GUZZLING CARS
According to the Environmental Protection Agency the followingvehicles are the least fuel efficient. Numbers show mileage forcity/highway/and combined: Lamborghini Murcielago--9/13/10; ChevroletSilverado 2500 2WD--10/12/11; GMC Sierra 1500--10/12/11; ChevroletSilverado 1500--10/12/11; Ferrari 456M--10/15/11; Ferrari 575M--10/16/12;Chevrolet Avalanche--10/13/12; Chevrolet Suburban--10/13/12; GMCYukon--10/13/12; Chevrolet Tahoe--10/13/12
SUPPORT PLANNED PARENTHOOD
Planned Parenthood of Western Washington is appealing for funds due toWashington's financial crisis and right-wing attacks on sources offunding. In 2002 PP served over 65,000 patients with options includingbirth control, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, testing andtreatment for STDs, Pap tests and well-woman exams, HIV/AIDS testingand pregnancy options counseling. PP is at 2001 E. Madison St.
MONTANA KILLS FIRST BUFFALO THIS WINTER
A lone bull buffalo foraging on Gallatin National Forest land on theHorse Butte Peninsula was shot and killed in November by the MontanaDepartment of Livestock (MDOL). The buffalo was killed under theInteragency Bison Management Plan, which aims to reduce the risk ofbrucellosis transmission from bison to cattle although there has neverbeen a documented case of such transmission in the wild. "It is absurdthat the DOL wastes over $1 million per year to haze, capture and killbuffalo which pose no threat to cattle," said a Buffalo Field Campaign(BFC) coordinator. The Bison Management Plan has a $45 million budgetfor 15 years. "Education and social programs in this state are grosslyunder-funded, yet there seem to be limitless funds for the slaughterof bison on our public lands," said a BFC volunteer. "We prioritizethe livestock industry over the future of our children and the healthof this ecosystem." The BFC works to stop the slaughter ofYellowstone's wild buffalo. Volunteers stand with the buffalo anddocument every move made against them. For more information includingvideo footage write bfc-media@wildrockies.org.
BUSH POLITICIZING SCIENCE
The group EnviroHealthAction urges people to sign on to a letter toHealth and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson asking him toretain the integrity of federal science advisory panels. Thompson hasbegun to restructure these committees, eliminating some that werecoming to conclusions at odds with the Bush Administration's views andin many other cases replacing members with handpicked candidates whohave close associations with industry. EnviroHealthAction callsThompson's actions "alarming." Until now, top CDC staff would nominateappropriate scientists for panels and the Health and Human Servicessecretary would approve them. Now, pro-industry members of keycommittees have the potential to severely undercut and set asidedecades of research that public health officials and scientists needto evaluate the health of communities. CDC's Advisory Committee onChildhood Lead Poisoning Prevention is one example of this trend.Thompson has rejected renowned experts on the health effects ofchildhood lead poisoning and in their place has appointed scientistswith deep ties to the lead industry. EnviroHealthAction saysThompson's actions "could have an adverse impact on public health foryears to come." For more information write toinfo@envirohealthaction.org.
NEED INTERNATIONAL ACTION ON MERCURY
Some 150 experts from around the world have called for internationalaction to address the threat caused by exposure to mercury. Physiciansfor Social Responsibility says the United Nations Environment Program(UNEP) met recently to discuss the problem and possible internationalactions to reduce the risks. UNEP estimates that 5,000-10,000 tons ofmercury may enter the global environment each year. As much as 75percent may originate from human activities, with coal-fired powerplants and municipal and medical waste incinerators among the majorsources.
