Environmental Awareness Alerts

Here are a couple wake-up calls regarding US environmental and power issues:

The President tries to reverse the most important environmental law you’ve never heard of

“…Unfortunately, the Bush administration is so driven by a pro-industry, pro-development agenda that NEPA poses a bureaucratic obstacle that can only be overcome by waiving environmental protections and by shutting people out of the process. NEPA simply has no value to a White House that prefers making decisions behind closed doors, usually with the help of industry lobbyists and for the sole benefit of corporate interests.”

Behind the Blackout - an Interview with an Oil Exec

“…This blackout ought to be an incredible jolt telling us about a host of energy problems that are ultimately going to prevent any future economic growth. It’s like people have been ignoring annoying phone calls and living in denial about a problem that won’t go away. It’s like the ghost of Enron calling. The event itself was astonishing. Senior people like Governor Pataki or the head of NERC [North American Electric Reliability Council] were asking how this could happen. But the problem was inevitable. The only thing we didn’t know was when it would happen.”

For me, the environmental link is worrying; but the power one is not.

This Simmons geezer sounds like a real investment banker, 'scuse my french. Its in his interest to talk up stuff about an energy crisis because he’s probably sitting on a huge pile of copper and tin futures that he wants to get shot of.

rule number 1: never take an investment banker at face value; there is always an angle.

My guess is that everyone will pretty soon have talked up into a frenzy about a global power crisis, the running down of fossil fuel stocks, and the impossible expense of solar power and then Mr Simmons will start selling.

Merry Christmas Vay! The Bush administration won’t be able to dismantle all environmental protections without a fight.

Court Blocks U.S. Effort to Relax Pollution Rule
By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE and JENNIFER 8. LEE
Published: December 25, 2003

WASHINGTON, Dec. 24