Earth Talk: Motorized vehicles in wilderness areas
Dear EarthTalk: I understand there is an effort underway to allow all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, motorbikes, motorboats and other motorized vehicles into wilderness areas, which would overturn a long-standing ban. What’s behind this?
- Harry Schilling, Tempe, Ariz.
A new bill making its way through Congress, the Recreational Fishing and Hunting Heritage and Opportunities Act (H.R. 2834), aims to make federally managed public lands across millions of acres of Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management property more accessible to hunters and anglers. And a key element of the bill calls for allowing motorized vehicles and equipment—as long as they are used for hunting or fishing—into these areas. Leading green groups are outraged because this would undermine 1964’s Wilderness Act which expressly bans motor vehicles on these last wild vestiges of untrammeled American land. Read more
Ken Plum: All aboard!
The buzzards are circling again! They see a struggling Phase II of the Dulles Metrorail Silver Line and are ready to swoop in to clean the bones of the project. They will only go away when a contract is signed for the completion of the rail line past the Dulles Terminal to two stops in Loudoun County.
As one who has been involved with the rail to Dulles project for more than 25 years, I have read the frequent newspaper headlines that the project was dead. Obituaries have appeared more than once. Yet, in little more than a year Phase I will be completed on time and on budget. For every person who has committed to make the project happen there has been a chorus of people saying why the project could not or should not be built. At the same time I have found nothing but overwhelming support from the general public. Read more
Susan Shaer: A Mother’s Day message
Security. It’s something we all want and need. Especially mothers. It is also something that I, as many Americans, often take for granted.
It is different elsewhere in the world. In Afghanistan, women and girls are caught in the crossfire of war. A recent article from CNN said, “At least 140 Afghan schoolgirls and female teachers were admitted to a local hospital … after drinking poisoned water,” after local health officials in Kabul, Afghanistan reported the incident and “blamed the act on extremists opposed to women’s education.” The people responsible for this are doing what they can to ensure that Afghan women and girls cannot feel safe or secure in their own communities. Unfortunately this targeting of women and their fundamental rights is all too common during war. Read more
Earth Talk: Drilling in the Arctic
Dear EarthTalk: The oil industry is planning what some call a dangerous strategy of drilling for oil on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Arctic Ocean. What’s going on?
- Vera Bailey, New Hope, Pa.
In November 2011 the Obama administration began lifting the moratorium on off-shore drilling that had been imposed in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a five year plan including 15 leases for oil development on Alaska’s Outer Continental Shelf and in the Gulf of Mexico. For now the East and West coasts of the continental U.S. have been spared from drilling, but environmentalists are particularly worried about opening up the fragile Alaskan Arctic to off-shore rigs. Read more
Chris Saxman: Cold Fusion-Slurpee Edition
As I shared with you in earlier Cold Fusions, I am blessed with picking up our 12 year old daughter, Nora, from school. Remember that I told you that my job consisted of buying her a Slurpee from the local 7-11 as a way to “transition” her to dwelling amongst the rest of us.
I am happy to report that I have been promoted!
Yes, now I get to buy a Slurpee every day. And it’s not just because temps in the Valley are starting hit in the ’80s. Nope. A couple of these Slurpees have been purchased because I did the primary job – picking her up and just listening – incorrectly. Read more
Russ Ingersoll: Kudos to The College Board!
The College Board has recently launched a new free comprehensive college planning web resource: www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org. At this site, you will get expert advice on everything from planning a strong high school academic program, ideas for summer experiences, searching for college majors, searching for your best fit colleges, financing your education, and tips on college success. This site incorporates slides and videos that feature college students and college admissions professionals. Read more
Earth Talk: The 2012 Farm Bill
Posted May 14, 2012
- Roger Wheeler, Miami, Fla.
Like so much of the legislation coming out of Washington, D.C., green groups are mixed on the new Farm Bill now making its way toward a floor vote. No doubt there are some conservation bright spots in the bill, but the question is: Are there enough and do they go far enough? Read more
Filed under Blogs · Tagged with 2012 farm bill, earth talk, u.s. senate