Friday, October 27, 2017

Bill to remove environmental assessments in forests, JFK files

“The forest management activities designated under this section for a categorical exclusion [from preparation of environmental assessment or environmental impact statements] are forest management activities carried out by the Secretary concerned on National Forest System lands or public lands where the primary purpose of such activity is—
(1) to address an insect or disease infestation;
(2) to reduce hazardous fuel loads;
(3) to protect a municipal water source;
(4) to maintain, enhance, or modify critical habitat to protect it from catastrophic disturbances;
(5) to increase water yield;
(6) produce timber; or
(7) any combination of the purposes specified in paragraphs (1) through (6).”



JFK Assassination Records
“The National Archives is releasing documents previously withheld in accordance with the JFK Assassination Records Collection Act.  The vast majority of the Collection (88%) has been open in full and released to the public since the late 1990s. The records at issue are documents previously identified as assassination records, but withheld in full or withheld in part.”

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Whitefish Energy, EPA Nominees

"Today I am calling on the Government Accountability Office to investigate the circumstances surrounding the multi-million dollar contract awarded to Whitefish Energy—a brand new company with two employees."

EPW Committee Moves Nominations Forward at Business Meeting
“Michael Dourson, nominee to be assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention at the EPA….
William Wehrum, nominee to be assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Regulation at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)”


“Regrettably, I am concerned that Dr. Dourson is not the leader that we need for that job. Never in the history of the EPA has a nominee to lead the Chemical Safety Office had such deep ties to industry. Never has a nominee had such a long record of recommending chemical safety standards that are as much as thousands of times less protective, thousands of times less protective than those recommended by regulators. Never has a nominee, to my knowledge, so consistently underestimated the risks of chemical exposures to the most vulnerable among us.”- STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE THOMAS R. CARPER, (pg 9).

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Mining Pollution and Off-shore Oil

Zortmanand & Landusky Mines
“The 1993 and 1995 federal and state water quality complaints that resulted in the Consent Decree also resulted in a $2 million fine against Pegasus for alleged unlawful discharges to surface and ground waters. A review of agency files between 1977 and 1995 documented acid mine drainage from historic and contemporary mine workings, multiple releases of cyanide to surface and ground water from leaks, spills, overflows, and emergency cyanide solution disposals, and elevated metals in surface and ground water samples in many areas of the Zortman and Landusky mines.”


Monday, October 23, 2017

Taxing Retirement



There will be NO change to your 401(k). This has always been a great and popular middle class tax break that works, and it stays!