People Before Profit blog

Obama unveils historic carbon emission plan

Tue, 03 Jun 2014 16:40:00 +0000

In what could become a defining moment in environmental history, President Obama unveiled a plan on June 2 to cut carbon emissions by nearly a third within 15 years. It is the centerpiece of a larger climate action plan, and could prove to be one of the most important initiatives ever to fight climate change.

"Right now," said Obama, "there are no national limits to the amount of carbon pollution that existing plants can pump into the air we breathe - none. We limit the amount of toxic chemicals like mercury, sulfur, and arsenic that power plants put in our air and water. But they can dump unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into the air. It's not smart, it's not safe, and it doesn't make sense."

The plan is already facing a wave of hostility from Republicans, who believe it will kill jobs. Obama dismissed this criticism, noting, "Special interests and their allies in Congress will claim that these guidelines will kill jobs and crush the economy. But let's face it, that's what they always say. They warned that doing something about the smog choking our cities, and acid rain poisoning our lakes, would kill business. It didn't. Our air got cleaner, acid rain was cut dramatically, and our economy kept growing." In fact, if this carbon reduction goal is met, it could produce "net climate and health benefits totaling $48-82 billion," according to the EPA.

EPA administrator Gina McCarthy said the new rules would be critical in moving the rest of Obama's climate action plan forward. "The EPA is delivering on a vital piece of the plan by proposing a clean power plan that will cut harmful carbon pollution from plants. This is not just about disappearing polar bears and melting ice caps. This is about protecting our health, our homes, our local economies, and our jobs."

Pollution reduction targets will vary based on what is best for each state; for example, the Rust Belt relies heavily on coal-fired plants, but some states, like Iowa, now generate over 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources. Plans will thus be adjusted accordingly. Some activists believe the state-by-state setup could be problematic, particularly in those that heavily lean on coal. Indiana, for instance, gets 80 percent of its electricity from coal. Republican Gov. Mike Pence vowed to fight the plan, remarking, "Indiana will oppose these regulations using every means available."

Obama's counselor John Podesta addressed the concerns, stating, "While I am sure there will be holdouts amongst the states, most utilities will also want to work with their regulators to ensure successful implementation." He acknowledged that Republicans will "find various ways to try and stop us from using the authority we have under the Clean Air Act. All I would say is that those have zero percent chance of working, and we're committed to moving forward."

Greenpeace applauded the ruling, remarking, "The plan shows that President Obama is serious about pushing the power sector away from coal and toward renewable energy, and that commitment couldn't come any sooner. Global warming is already affecting the lives of Americans in every single corner of our country, and things will get dramatically worse if we don't switch from coal, gas, and oil to renewables like wind and solar."

In a separate statement, Greenpeace Climate and Energy Campaign director Gabe Wisniewski warned that the opposition would come not just from right-wing politicians, but industries and lobbyists like the American Legislative Exchange Council. While that pushback is to be expected, he added, it makes little sense, as "the most successful and innovative businesses in the country are sprinting to adopt renewable energy."

"The President promised he would act to tackle the climate crisis and protect the health of our children and grandchildren, and he is keeping his word," said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club. "These aren't just the first-ever protections to clean up carbon pollution from power plants, they also represent the largest single step any president has ever taken to fight climate disruption."

EcoWatch founder and CEO Stefanie Spear said June 2 was "a really historic day for our country. These guidelines will help foster clean energy and efficiency while cleaning up the nation's air. We really need to show how renewables do work. We can power our country from wind, from solar, from other renewable sources, and energy efficiency has a vital role in all of this."

Sheryl Carter, co-director of the Natural Resources Defense Council's energy program, added, "Energy efficiency is the cheapest, fastest, and cleanest way to cut carbon emissions, and it benefits local communities enormously by putting people to work and lowering bills. We are already seeing clear examples of efficiency in action, with huge job and money-savings benefits based on real-world experience by states. This analysis shows that carbon standards that use efficiency as a key strategy will expand these benefits to a much bigger scale. We need to do this now."

Photo: Charlie Riedel/AP

California wildfires blaze on, striking hard and early

Fri, 16 May 2014 17:09:00 +0000

The Golden State is being blackened by the most menacing brushfires in nearly two decades. As climate change continues to rear its ugly head, thousands of places including homes, a university campus, a nuclear plant, and parts of military bases have been evacuated in southern California.

Nine fires have already burned more than 10,000 acres, and unfortunately, the blazes have merely gotten off to an early start. Experts believe the fires will worsen and spread more quickly as summer approaches.

The fires broke out on May 13, prompting Gov. Jerry Brown to declare a state of emergency for San Diego County. Paul Mendes, police captain of Carlsbad, Calif., remarked, "This is May. This is unbelievable. This is extreme. This has gone from dry conditions to volatile conditions."

So far there is one reported fatality, and at least 20 buildings were destroyed in Carlsbad alone, with one burning house visibly exploding from an unknown cause. Santa Ana winds were whipping up and fanning the flames, making the situation direr. Several firenados were observed - devastating flaming cyclones that develop during very intense wildfires. Though those winds have begun to die down now, Mayor Matt Hall warned, "That does not mean they may not pick up again."

"A heat wave and tinder-dry brush have created a dynamic, dangerous situation," California fire captain Mike Mohler said. "It's just unfortunately a recipe for a large fire and that's what we're seeing right now."

Something of a reprieve, at least, was expected today, according to meteorologist Jon Erdman. He said, "Santa Ana winds, record heat, and low humidity will persist in southern California through Thursday. Beginning Friday, winds will begin to turn onshore, with much cooler 60s and 70s returning to the coast this weekend."

In Carlsbad today, however, it is currently still almost 90 degrees. On a more positive note, firefighters are reporting that the fire there is about 50 percent contained - a large uptick from the mere 10 percent two days ago. Some evacuation orders have been lifted. Officials estimated the Carlsbad wildfire alone has caused $18.5 million in damage so far.

Another fire near San Marcos is only five percent contained and has produced smoke plumes so large they can be seen from space. Seven more fires are still being fought in other areas. Meanwhile, some 2,300 people across San Diego County are dealing with power outages, according to San Diego Gas and Electric.

Gov. Brown stated, "The heat is terrible. The last few years have been the driest in recorded California history. They think they've got this [Carlsbad fire] contained, or are about to have it contained. But they've got other fires all over the place, and most serious of all, California has a fire season that is getting longer. And the most serious fires have occurred in the last decade, so things are getting worse."

He said the blazes were undeniably tied to global warming, adding, "Despite what you hear in Washington, climate change is a factor here. It's not about theory. It's not about politics. This is about fires on the ground, people's homes, firefighters. And yes, these conditions are definitely caused by climate change; global warming induced by human activity. So we've got to make changes. But right now in California we are dealing with it and handling it as best we can."

San Diego fire chief Javier Mainar said, "It is pretty amazing to see these fires in May. We certainly have seen climate change and the impact of climate change. My understanding is we've seen twice the number of wildfire starts in the state of California as we typically see this time of year."

On Thursday, some Carlsbad residents returned to find their homes gone. The fires, and in particular the firenadoes, in many cases demolished and flattened entire houses. "We walked up to our place, and it was like a bomb went off," said resident Anya Bannasch. "I can't even explain just how horrific it was." The fires are an ongoing disaster, and far from over, she said. There are "other families out there that are going through this right now," she added. "There's fires everywhere."

Photo: A firenado, fueled by a larger brushfire, tears through a neighborhood near the town of Chillicothe, Calif. Janae Copelin/Instagram

The Lakota vow to die rather than let the KXL pipeline pass

Thu, 15 May 2014 13:15:00 +0000

The Oglala Lakota and activists of the American Indian Movement have taken a vow that the only way the KXL Pipeline will pass through South Dakota is if they are dead or in prison. This vow was taken back on Feb. 27, Liberation Day, an event to commemorate the infamous 1890 massacre of Native people by U.S. soldiers.

A four-directions walk is held each year which ends at Wounded Knee to honor the murdered innocents and the Lakotas' honored and continued history of resistance.

This year's commemoration was to face a new threat in the form of the Keystone XL Pipeline. The Oglala Lakota Nation is actively organizing to oppose the construction of the pipeline. The 1,700 mile-long pipeline would transport a whopping 830,000 barrels of crude oil daily from western Canada through South Dakota and points south before emptying its toxic product in refineries on the Texas coast. These oil pipelines have a history of disastrous leaks.

The proposed Keystone Pipeline would cross at two points with a pipeline that is the main water source for the Oglala Lakota Pine Ridge Reservation and also for the neighboring Sicangu Rosebud Reservation.

The first Keystone Pipeline which stretches from Alberta, western Canada, to Illinois spilled 12 times in just its first year of operation. The company that constructs the pipelines, TransCanada, had predicted that its pipelines would only sustain spills once every seven years. Quite, frankly, any spill is too much. The Lakota, in conjunction other native nations along the proposed pipeline route have sworn to engage in direct action to halt the heinous pipeline of death.

The native nations of the Dakotas have already seen the deadly effects of the "pipelines of death" on the native communities of western Canada. A frightening example, is Fort McMurray, a First Nations reserve in northern Alberta, Canada whose health is being destroyed as the meat from the bush is now contaminated. Also, arsenic levels, resulting from the pipelines in the Fort McMurray communities are 453 times above the acceptable risk level.

In Fort Chipewyan, Alberta and other Native reserves, cholangiocarcinoma, a very rare form of cancer of the bile duct is now appearing. Also, appearing are colorectal and gastrointestinal cancers.

In January, 2010 there was a 3,000 gallon spill of Alberta tar sands oil near Pembina, North Dakota. As is so often the case with these spills , there is still no official report on the cause of the spill. Pipelines usually weaken at the weld points and there are many such points on the tar sands pipelines.

Tar sands are ecologically considered the most destructive oil production projects on earth.

Everything about the tar sands pipelines is considered inimical to human existence. For example, one barrel of tar sands oil requires between 2 and 4.5 barrels of water and produces two barrels of toxic waste and one barrel of oil. That water becomes mixed with toxic sludge and is stored in huge tailings ponds many of which can be seen even from space with the naked eye. Canadian tar sands is licensed to use more water than Alberta's two major cities, Calgary and Edmonton combined.

Reportedly, in the U.S., a final decision on the pipeline is due to be made by President Obama sometime in 2014. Native nations are prepared to give their all to stop the project, while hoping that the president will not approve the deadly pipeline.

The Lakota are also working with other tribes in organizing Moccasins on the Ground, a direct action movement to prepare people for massive actions if Keystone receives approval. Many have already received training in opposition tactics.

All things considered, it is small wonder that the Lakota are willing to risk death or imprisonment to stop Keystone.

Photo: Popular Resistance

U.S. and Cuban scientists sign historic pact

Tue, 13 May 2014 13:55:00 +0000

U.S. and Cuban scientists engaged in "science diplomacy" recently when they signed an agreement that furthers scientific and medical cooperation. The deal was inked after a delegation from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) visited Havana for a three-day tour hosted by the Cuban Academy of Sciences and other institutions. Although Cuba is a logical partner for the United States to collaborate with on medical research and development, the longstanding U.S. embargo severely limits trade, travel and exchanges with the island nation.

"This trip was a wonderful opportunity to reinvigorate the long-standing friendship between U.S. and Cuban scientists and to form a specific plan of action," biologist Gerald Fink said. Fink is current President of AAAS, the largest organization of scientists in the United States. The plan of action covers four areas in the life sciences: emerging infectious diseases, brain disorders, cancer and antimicrobial drug resistance.

An article in Science April 24, 2014, published by AAAS, reports, "The country has committed a large amount of its resources to its scientific, medical and public health systems, including a hardy biotechnology industry that exports a number of vaccines, antibody based drugs, and other medical technologies." (The magazine does not add that the U.S. blockade prevents people in the United States from benefiting from Cuban medical exports.)

Science also reports that life expectancy in Cuba is as high as in the United States. A large aging population gives rise to many common interests in fighting cancer and diseases of older people. Both countries are also at risk for mosquito-carried viruses such as dengue and chikungunya. To date, there is no vaccine for either disease.

Neither Cuba nor the U.S. has ever had a known case of chikungunya. But it is spreading across Caribbean Islands and both countries are concerned. In December it was spreading In Saint Martin by mosquitoes infected with the disease. That is just the kind of issue where international cooperation among scientists can save lives and turn back the disease. However, scientists from both Cuba and the U.S. noted that U.S. scientists were still limited in their travel to Cuba.

To read more about the AAAS trip and a fascinating history of Cuban science and medicine go to "Science diplomacy visit to Cuba produces historic agreement" on aaas.org.

Photo: Science diplomacy in action: The AAAS-led science diplomacy group (left) meets with its hosts at the Cuban Academy of Science. (Kathy Wren/Flickr)

New Jersey Senate passes fracking waste ban

Tue, 13 May 2014 13:35:00 +0000

On May 12, the New Jersey Senate passed a ban on the disposal, treatment, and discharge of toxic fracking waste by a vote of 33 to 4. Now the State Assembly must vote in favor of it, as well, and there's only a limited amount of time, as the state legislature goes on recess in late June. If approved, it lands on Republican Gov. Chris Christie's desk.

Though the odds may seem long, environmentalists are hopeful. Doug O'Malley, director of Environment New Jersey, stated, "Dumping fracking waste in New Jersey waterways is still legal, and that's why today's bipartisan Senate majority ban of the waste is so needed. We urge the State Assembly to move quickly to ban fracking waste [as well], and send this bill to Gov. Christie's desk."

Not only must the Assembly largely vote in favor of the bill, but if its supporters want it to be veto-proof, a three-quarters majority must approve of it. If not, the chances of the legislation not being vetoed by Christie are slim. The governor vetoed a similar bill during the last legislature, claiming that it violated the interstate commerce clause of the U.S. constitution.

But activists feel that Christie was simply continuing to support corporate fossil fuel interests, to the detriment of the state's wellbeing. The governor previously broke the law to do so in 2011, when he decided that New Jersey power plants no longer needed to comply with pollution limits previously established on the federal level. He thus ended the Garden State's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a nine-state East Coast program that has reduced power plant emissions for the past five years.

On Mar. 25 this year, the state Superior Court officially declared this was illegal, and ruled in favor of Environment New Jersey and the National Resources Defense Council, who had brought a lawsuit against Christie's state Department of Environmental Protection, which turned a blind eye to the law's violation.

Christie's withdrawal from the initiative had allowed power plants to operate without proper regulation or accountability - and many feel he wants the same level of free reign for fracking companies.

"Fracking waste is a clear and present threat to our communities," said Jim Walsh, New Jersey director of Food & Water Watch. "Banning the dumping of this toxic mess will help make sure drinking water is clean and safe for future generations."

"Kudos to the Jersey Senate for taking the right action to protect our water, now it's the Assembly's turn," added Dave Pringle, campaign manager for Clean Water Action. "We can't move fast enough. From earthquakes caused by natural gas drilling to the climate crisis, to dirty water and air toxins, fracking and its waste are an increasing threat that has to be stopped, and this legislation is an important step in that direction."

Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, concluded, "We need to protect our waterways, roadways, and the people of New Jersey from these toxic chemicals. We need to send a loud and clear message that you cannot dump on New Jersey."

Photo: EcoWatch

Beverly Hills becomes a frack-free zone

Fri, 09 May 2014 15:29:00 +0000

Starting June 6, a ban on fracking will go into effect in Beverly Hills, making it the first municipality in California to say "no" to the harmful gas extraction process, which has been linked with tainted water, earthquakes, and other environmental destruction.

After an initial push for the ban in April, a May 6 city council vote was unanimous in its favor. Council spokesperson Therese Kosterman remarked, "Industrial processes such as mining and oil drilling really are not appropriate in Beverly Hills." The area has long disliked the fact that fracking operations still occur in neighboring areas, and the practice is seen to raise many red flags for California as a whole, given that the state is largely situated in a seismically active zone.

"This is not a 'not in my backyard,' issue," said council member John Mirsch. "It should not be in anyone's backyard. And we also need to think long-term, even if our city is not a center of drilling; injecting millions of gallons of water and chemicals at high pressure into the earth can't be good."

Meanwhile, the city of Los Angeles is paying attention, and taking steps of its own to do away with fracking. LA's city councilman Mike Bonin said, "Fracking and other unconventional drilling is happening here in Los Angeles, and without the oversight and review to keep our neighborhoods safe."

Sen. Mark Leno, D-Calif., added, "We are currently allowing fracking operations to expand despite the potential consequences on our water supply, including availability and price of water, the potential for drinking water contamination, and the generation of billions of barrels of polluted water."

Activists in Beverly Hills now hope the state itself will look to the example they are setting. Brenna Norton, southern California organizer of Food & Water Watch, remarked, "We look forward to seeing this ordinance take effect and setting a positive example for other communities and Gov. Brown, who should immediately enact a statewide moratorium on fracking to protect all Californians."

Ashley Kissinger, project manager from Esperanza Community Housing, a south LA community development company, said she hopes that at the very least, her city follows in Beverly Hills' footsteps. She noted that a fracking site in south LA owned by AllenCo, an oil and gas well servicing company, has caused many problems for the people exposed to the operations there. "Residents have felt the effects of spontaneous nosebleeds, lingering headaches, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and loss of smell. Families have been in and out of emergency rooms due to these burdening symptoms, which are all relative to exposure to hydrocarbons. The city of Beverly Hills gives us hope that more cities, in California and nationwide, will initiate similar bans and prioritize the community's health over potential profit."

Photo: EcoWatch

Climate change already impacting U.S., report confirms

Thu, 08 May 2014 14:39:00 +0000

The just-released National Climate Assessment confirms that growing impacts from climate change, predicted by scientists, are already hitting the U.S. They include significant shifts in precipitation patterns, melting permafrost, longer fire seasons, severe and sustained drought especially in the Southwest, storm and erosion impacts from rising sea level, and much more.

The report, released by the White House on Tuesday, looks at the difference in regional impacts. Particularly hardest hit is Alaska, with small communities already having to move inland due to permafrost melting, coastal erosion and the more rapid increase in average temperatures in the Arctic. The Southeast, though it has observable impacts, shows the least changes thus far due to global warming. Some areas of the Midwest will have longer growing seasons, at least in the short term, but areas dependent on snow pack melting for water are already facing earlier springs with earlier melting of the snow, causing serious problems for agriculture in the late summer.

Unless there is a shift away from still-escalating greenhouse gas emissions, the report warns, U.S. average temperatures by the end of this century could reach 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The impacts could be catastrophic.

Already, growing stress on water resources is causing conflicts between urban dwellers, farmers, other agricultural interests. The drought currently experienced in California is just a taste of longer and more severe droughts in that region, already significantly water-stressed.

In the eastern U.S., the number of extreme weather events, including very heavy rain events, has increased already. The number of extreme rain events has already increased over 70 percent in the Northeast.

These varying impacts are being seen across many industries. The report notes, "Corn producers in Iowa, oyster farmers in Washington State, and maple syrup producers in Vermont are all observing climate related changes."

The report concludes:

"Americans are noticing changes all around them. Summers are longer and hotter, and extended periods of unusual heat last longer than any living American has ever experienced. Winters are generally shorter and warmer. Rain comes in heavier downpours. People are seeing changes in the length and severity of seasonal allergies, the plant varieties that thrive in their gardens, and the kinds of birds they see in any particular month in their neighborhoods."

Also noted is the impact on human health:

"... increasingly frequent and intense heat events lead to more heat-related illnesses and deaths and, over time, worsen drought and wildfire risks, and intensify air pollution. Increasingly frequent extreme precipitation and associated flooding can lead to injuries and increases in waterborne disease. Rising sea surface temperatures have been linked with increasing levels and ranges of diseases. Rising sea levels intensify coastal flooding and storm surge, and thus exacerbate threats to public safety during storms."

The National Climate Assessment report, the third in the last 14 years, implicitly rejects the anti-science approach of the climate change deniers and the climate "confusionists." It insists upon an evidence-based observation of reality as we are already experiencing it:

"Multiple lines of independent evidence confirm that human activities are the primary cause of the global warming of the past 50 years. The burning of coal, oil, and gas, and clearing of forests have increased the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by more than 40 percent since the Industrial Revolution, and it has been known for almost two centuries that this carbon dioxide traps heat. Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture and other human activities add to the atmospheric burden of heat-trapping gases."

While Republicans and coal-state Democrats have obstructed all efforts to develop a national response to climate change, many cities and states are beginning to make policy shifts to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and to adjust to the changes now upon us.

While this assessment focuses on the science, on the observed changes in process, and on public policy changes for policy makers to consider, it does not deal with the many different and growing struggles taking place on environmental and climate issues.

The struggle against the Keystone XL pipeline is bringing together unique coalitions such as the Cowboy and Indian Alliance that recently sponsored a week of actions in Washington D.C. Farmers, Native American tribes, and environmental groups are uniting to oppose the interests of the big energy corporations, which propose to trample on the land these groups depend on.

Anti-fracking struggles are taking place in many parts of the country, opposing the threats to our drinking water systems, the increases in earthquakes due to fracking, and the devastation wreaked on nearby communities.

The movement to demand that cities, states, pension funds, and university endowment funds divest from fossil fuel companies got a boost from the decision this week by Stanford University to withdraw all of its funds from fossil fuel "investments." The divestment movement, already successful at several major universities and cities such as Seattle, is growing internationally. 350.org is coordinating these efforts here in the U.S. and working with many organizations worldwide to put the fossil fuel companies on notice that they will pay political, public relations, and economic prices for their profit-taking on production destructive of our common future.

The assessment says, "Adaptation and mitigation are closely linked; adaptation efforts will be more difficult, more costly, and less likely to succeed if significant mitigation actions are not taken." Action must be taken on the individual, city, regional, national, and international levels if humanity as a whole is to avoid the worst consequences of global warming which will occur if there isn't a change from business as usual. The sooner we act, the cheaper and more effective our policy responses will be.

As millions or people around the world engage in struggle on climate issues, they are bringing democratic pressure to bear on those who want to confuse us, who want to delay collective action so their private interests can continue to make excess profits.

Photo: U.S. National Climate Assessment cover. U.S. Global Change Research Program Facebook page

UN: Spread of polio now a world health emergency

Mon, 05 May 2014 15:29:00 +0000

LONDON (AP) - For the first time ever, the World Health Organization on Monday declared the spread of polio an international public health emergency that could grow in the next few months and unravel the nearly three-decade effort to eradicate the crippling disease.

The agency described current polio outbreaks across at least 10 countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East as an "extraordinary event" that required a coordinated international response. It identified Pakistan, Syria, and Cameroon as having allowed the virus to spread beyond their borders, and recommended that those three governments require citizens to obtain a certificate proving they have been vaccinated for polio before traveling abroad.

"Until it is eradicated, polio will continue to spread internationally, find and paralyze susceptible kids," Dr. Bruce Aylward, who leads WHO's polio efforts, said during a press briefing.

Critics, however, questioned whether Monday's announcement would make much of a difference, given the limits faced by governments confronting not only polio but armed insurrection and widespread poverty.

"What happens when you continue whipping a horse to go ever faster, no matter how rapidly he is already running?" said Dr. Donald A. Henderson, who led the WHO's initiative to get rid of smallpox, the only human disease ever to have been eradicated.

The WHO has never before issued an international alert on polio, a disease that usually strikes children under 5 and is most often spread through infected water. There is no specific cure, but several vaccines exist.

Experts are particularly concerned that polio is re-emerging in countries previously free of the disease, such as Syria, Somalia and Iraq, where civil war or unrest now complicates efforts to contain the virus. It is happening during the traditionally low season for the spread of polio, leaving experts worried that cases could spike as the weather becomes warmer and wetter in the coming months across the northern hemisphere.

The vast majority of new cases are in Pakistan, a country which an independent monitoring board set up by the WHO has called "a powder keg that could ignite widespread polio transmission."

Dozens of polio workers have been killed over the last two years in Pakistan, where militants accuse them of spying for the U.S. government. Those suspicions stem at least partly from the disclosure that the CIA used a Pakistani doctor to uncover Osama bin Laden's hideout by trying to get blood samples from his family under the guise of a hepatitis vaccination program. U.S. commandos killed the al-Qaida leader in May 2011 in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad.

At the end of last month, there were 68 confirmed polio cases worldwide, compared with just 24 at the same time last year. In 2013, polio reappeared in Syria, sparking fears the civil war there could ignite a wider outbreak as refugees flee to other countries across the region. The virus has also been identified in the sewage system in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, although no cases have been spotted.

In February, the WHO found that polio had also returned to Iraq, where it spread from neighboring Syria. It is also circulating in Afghanistan (where it spread from Pakistan) and Equatorial Guinea (from neighboring Cameroon) as well as Nigeria, Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya.

Officials also worry countries torn by conflict, such as Ukraine, Sudan and the Central African Republic, are rife for polio reinfection.

Some critics say it may even be time to accept that polio may not be eradicated, since the deadline to wipe out the disease has already been missed several times. The ongoing effort costs about $1 billion a year.

"For the past two years, problems have steadily, and now rapidly mounted," Henderson said in an email. "It is becoming apparent that there are too many problems (for the polio eradication effort) to overcome, however many resources are assigned."

Henderson and others have suggested the extraordinary efforts needed for polio eradication might be better spent on other health programs, including routine vaccination programs for childhood diseases. But he conceded that transitioning to a control program would be difficult. "If not eradication, how does one accomplish a 'soft landing' which could sustain the global program on immunization?" Henderson said.

Aylward said the WHO and its partners, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, aren't yet considering pushing back their latest deadline to eradicate polio by 2018.

CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said the reemergence and spread of polio out of Pakistan, Cameroon and Syria pose "a serious threat to our ability to eradicate polio."

"Conflicts in many areas where polio is circulating are hampering efforts to vaccinate but success remains within reach," Frieden said.

Still, the independent board monitoring the progress being made on polio has called for overhauling the program.

"Few involved in (polio eradication) can give a clear account of how decisions are made," concluded a recent report by the group. "If a billion-dollar global business missed its major goal several times, it would be inconceivable that it would not revisit and revise its organizational and decision-making structure."

Photo: AP

Oil train explosion rattles and poisons Virginia town

Fri, 02 May 2014 17:21:00 +0000

Oil trains throughout the U.S. are literally crashing and burning. One could easily produce a long list of such disasters from last year alone. Another incident can now be added to that list: On Apr. 30, a train derailed in the town of Lynchburg, Virginia, sending three blazing tanker cars careening into the James River and potentially polluting the water with as much as 50,000 gallons of crude. The ensuing explosion forced large-scale evacuations and has left the town and environment in a state of disarray.

The train was headed toward a storage facility in Yorktown owned by Plains All American, after departing from the Bakken oil reserve area in North Dakota and passing through Chicago. Ironically, some of its cars were the new ones (CPC-1232) deemed "safer" by the oil industry than the outdated DOT-111's. This train had a mix of both, but it is thought likely that one or more of the cars that exploded were CPC-1232's. Plains All American, meanwhile, is a company that owns a mega-complex in Cushing, Oklahoma, which stores tarsands oil intended for use in the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

Flames reportedly shot at least 19 stories upward into the sky. Travis Uhle, manager in-training at local restaurant the Depot Grille, remarked, "We noticed that the train sounded a lot louder than usual. The whole floor shook. That's when flames just started going up. The train and the rails were toast."

Merely weeks before this occurred, on Apr. 5, Glen Besa of the Sierra Club's Virginia chapter stated his concerns about crude oil transportation in the area. He said, "These trains are traveling through Lynchburg along the James River, through Richmond, and on to the York County facility on the York River. We're concerned that a train derailment could result in an explosion and the loss of life, or an oil spill that could jeopardize our drinking water supplies and the environment."

The latter consequence has indeed been realized, and it may be the beginning of a larger problem: the James River feeds directly into the Chesapeake Bay, a vulnerable estuary with a sensitive ecosystem. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, an environmental group focused on preserving the area, stated its concerns around the same time as the Sierra Club, with its president William C. Baker stating, "The bay is living on borrowed time in the face of a major oil spill."

Pat Calvert, with the nonprofit environmental group James River Association, said he has already received reports of "blobs of black glue" floating in the river after the derailment, and there are fears that crude will soon show up on the riverbanks. The river is particularly high after recent heavy rainfall, sparking further concerns that the contamination will spread quickly. "We've had train derailments on the river before," said Calvert, "but it's never before been a toxic substance. I hope a real national discussion will ensue so this doesn't happen to anyone else's river or community. I just wish it wasn't happening to our river."

The exact cause of this derailment and explosion are not yet known. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, but that could take time. According to InsideClimate, "the Board, which conducts investigations following major accidents, recently noted that it has just 10 rail inspectors to handle 20 ongoing investigations involving railroad oil tankers."

And understaffing isn't the only issue the Board is concerned about. Chairman Deborah Hersman said on Apr. 23 (seven days before the disaster) that the Obama administration needs to take new steps to protect the public from potentially catastrophic oil train accidents, "even if it means using emergency authority." Hersman said, "This issue needs to be acted on very quickly. There is a very high risk here that isn't being addressed. And there isn't time to wait for the cumbersome federal rulemaking process." She added that there is a "tombstone mentality" amongst the Transportation Department: "We know the steps that will prevent or mitigate these accidents. But there's a lot of difficulty concerning safety rules being implemented if we don't have a high enough body count."

Photo: LuAnn Hunt/AP