Is ALEC Behind State Lawsuits Against EPA & The Clean Water Act?

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On June 29th, thirteen states—Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming—filed a lawsuit in the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Missouri, challenging certain aspects of new regulations under the Clean Water Act as issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. No sooner was that lawsuit underway than nine other states—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin—filed a similar lawsuit against the regulations in the US District Court for the Southern District of Georgia. Ohio and Michigan promptly filed a their lawsuit against the new regulations in US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. And now Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas have filed their suit, the fourth in this series, in Houston.

Twenty-seven states in all—even more than the current number of Republican candidates for president. If states’ rights are involved in something, chances are so is ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council), which, following the ALEC paradigm, focuses squarely on the states. Thus, it’s interesting to compare what’s being reported about the states’ claims in the 13-state lawsuit to what’s in ALEC’s “Resolution Regarding Clean Water Act Regulations of EPA Definition of ‘Waters of the U.S.’” which was issued October 11, 2014.

Wisconsin’s Climate Gag Order Part Of ALEC’s War On Science

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On April 7, Wisconsin’s Board of Commissioners of Public Lands voted 2-1 to ban those employed by the agency from doing any work pertaining to climate change or global warming while doing public lands related work.

Although the story was covered by multiple media outlets, lost in the public discussion so far is how the vote fits into the broader multi-front industry attack in America’s Dairyland-turned-Petro State and which industry interests may have played a role in the vote.

The historical roots of the vote appear to trace back to an April 2009 congressional testimony given by Tia Nelson, executive secretary for the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands and daughter of former Wisconsin Democratic Governor Gaylord Nelson, in favor of passage of the American Clean Energy Security Act of 2009.

Fracked Earth News: More Bomb Trains, More Alternatives

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Every week, Kate Lanier gathers the most important climate change, energy and sustainability news, including:

* One of Warren Buffett’s BNSF trains derailed near Galena, Illinois, 5 March, sending railcars “across two sets of tracks,” flames “several hundred feet high” and emitting dark smoke “seen for miles.” 103 of the 105 cars on the train were loaded with crude. Firefighters still on the scene Sunday.

* Oil storage is at 90% of capacity in Europe, 70% in the US and +/- 80% in other parts of the globe. A new term: contango, wherein buyers purchase oil based on what they think the price will be in the future. Doing the contango is catching on and storage space rent is taking off, leaving oil producers with fewer buyers since they can’t afford to pay the rent on storage space for the oil. Will oil hit $20/barrel as a result?

* Deadly methane explosion at Ukraine’s Zasyadko coal mine in a rebel-held section. Some 30 mine workers presumed dead. Update: 34 miners killed, “Kremlin-backed separatists have arrested” the mine’s director; criminal investigation under way.

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