Conservative Revolutionary American Party III: Daily Grist: A new Tongass plan, Romney hits McCain on climate, and more

TOP STORY

Out of the Trying Plan, Into the Ire
Bush admin unveils new plan for Tongass forest in Alaska, ticks off enviros

The Bush administration unveiled a new management plan on Friday for the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, which encompasses nearly 17 million acres of coastal rainforest. The Tongass is the largest national forest in the U.S., a rallying point for enviros who want to protect all remaining roadless areas in national forests. The new plan, to be in effect for 10 to 15 years, would continue to allow a maximum of 267 million board feet of timber to be cut in the forest each year. But the area's beleaguered timber industry hasn't come close to meeting that level for years; last year, only an estimated 19 million board feet were logged. The new plan would potentially allow development on about 3.6 million acres of the Tongass, including about 2.4 million acres that are now roadless and untouched, and about 663,000 acres that the government says would be suitable for logging over the next 100 years. Some of the acres would be open to logging right away, but most of the roadless areas wouldn't be opened until the timber industry met benchmarks for significant growth, which many experts think is highly unlikely. Still, many enviros are angry that the plan allows the possibility of logging in roadless areas.

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sources: The Juneau Empire, Los Angeles Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, U.S. Forest Service

It's the New Year all right, but will it be a greener year? Let Grist's eco-solutions be a part of your New Year's resolutions -- grab a copy of Wake Up and Smell the Planet, Grist's eco-guide to everyday life.

TODAY'S NEWS

'Paign and Suffraging
Romney criticized McCain on climate, and more election news

In his victory speech after triumphing in the South Carolina Democratic primary on Saturday, Barack Obama called on Americans to come together to make "energy cleaner" -- but environmental issues weren't a notable factor in the state's contest. Green concerns are more visible in Florida, where Republicans are currently duking it out in advance of Tuesday's primary there. On Sunday, campaigning in the state, Mitt Romney bashed John McCain's Senate climate-change bill, claiming it would put a "financial burden" on Americans and kill 300,000 jobs. But McCain got a boost this weekend when he won the endorsement of Florida's popular and climate-conscious governor, Charlie Crist. "I'm honored and privileged," McCain said. "And I intend to work very closely with [Crist] on the issues. ... We are going to have to work together to save the Everglades and other great environmental treasures of this state." McCain sounded less green in last week's GOP debate, in which he double-talked his way through an explanation of his climate bill.

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sources: The New York Times, CBS News, Associated Press, MSNBC.com
in Gristmill: Mittster attacks McCain on climate, McCain's doubletalk express on global warming
see also, in Grist: How Green Is Your Candidate?

3-2-1 ... Blast Offsets!
Efficacy of House of Reps' carbon offsets questioned

Some greens and congressfolk are questioning the efficacy of the U.S. House of Representatives' recent purchase of $89,000 in carbon offsets as part of their greening the Capitol initiative. "It didn't change much behavior that wasn't going to happen anyway," said Joseph Romm of the Center for American Progress. "It just, I think, demonstrated why offsets are controversial and possibly pointless." Some of the offset funds went to farmers in North Dakota who have been using no-till farming techniques, which retain more carbon in the soil. Critics argue that many of the farmers were already using no-till methods prior to getting the cash due to other benefits of no-till like cheaper fuel costs and potentially higher yields. Funds also went to a power plant in Iowa that switched from burning coal to switchgrass for 45 days in 2006, though it's unclear if the project would have happened without the expectation of carbon-credit cash. Another project planted trees on tribal land in northern Idaho and also may have gone forward even without the offset funds. House administrator Daniel Beard, who brokered the deal with the Chicago Climate Exchange, said that the point wasn't whether or not the offset projects would have happened without the House funds, but "the point is that they did do it."

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source: The Washington Post

Will You Be Mining?
Senate committee considers mining reform, not all that into it

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing last week on mining reform, indicating unwillingness to overhaul the Mining Act of 1872 anywhere near as much as would a House of Representatives bill passed last fall. Senators seemed generally open to creating a cleanup fund and imposing royalties on new mines, but key lawmakers from Western states balked at taxing existing mines or increasing environmental regulation. Committee Chair Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and ranking Republican Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) are adamant that Senate mining legislation be written from scratch rather than jumping off from the House version. Advocates for reform of mining law, including environmentalists, say it's appalling that the federal government is still letting mining companies take valuable mineral deposits from public lands, make big messes in the process, and pay no royalties to the treasury.

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sources: Billings Gazette, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Reuters, Mineweb

Water We Waiting For?
Orange County turns sewage into drinking water

Water treatment plants rarely make news, but a new one in Orange County, Calif., is getting attention for transforming sewage into tap water. Recognizing that its growing population -- currently 2.3 million -- is likely to outpace its supply of fresh water, O.C. is relying on the facility to turn 70 million gallons of water from disgusting to drinkable every day. Officials hope that the plant could eventually churn out up to 130 million gallons per day of water, stripped of all bacteria, viruses, carcinogens, hormones, chemicals, heavy metals, fertilizers, pesticides, and pharmaceutical remnants. The reclamation process uses less energy than transporting water to the county from elsewhere in the state. "All of Southern California should be doing these projects," says Connor Everts of green group Southern California Watershed Alliance. "They represent an efficient use of local resources. They are cost-effective and one of the most environmentally friendly things you can do."

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sources: Los Angeles Times, NPR, Orange County Register

Ride, Sally, Ride
Mexico City encourages transit ridership with women-only buses

Women in Mexico City have long been deterred from riding public transportation by the very real possibility of being groped or verbally harassed while packed in with other passengers. "A woman could enter a metro car a virgin and come out pregnant," says one female rider. The subway system has female-only cars during rush hour to address the problem, but now city officials are taking it a step further, introducing women-only buses along three busy routes. Women's buses, designated by a pink sign in the window, will be added to 15 more routes by April. The city's female riders are delighted. "Otherwise, I have men sticking to me," says passenger Alejandra Lugo. "And here I am, 58 years old. Imagine how they treat the younger girls."

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sources: Associated Press, Agence France-Presse