Scientists to Obama: Don’t End Wolf Protections

Cross Posted from Animal Connection

WASHINGTON— In two sharply worded letters sent to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell today, prominent scientists argued for continued protections for gray wolves across the lower 48 states and criticized a draft federal proposal to remove those protections for being premature and failing to follow the best available science. One of the letters came from the American Society of Mammalogists, the other from 16 prominent biologists.

“The science simply doesn’t support removal of protections for wolves,” said Dr. Brad Bergstrom with the American Society of Mammalogists. “Wolves are altogether absent or barely beginning to recover in large swathes of the country that still contain excellent habitat.”

Signatories to the letter include several scientists who conducted research that’s relied on by the government in its draft proposed rule. Those scientists are now criticizing the agency for misrepresenting their work, stating: “Collectively, we represent many of the scientists responsible for the research referenced in the draft rule,” and “We do not believe that the rule reflects the conclusions of our work or the best available science concerning the recovery of wolves.”

“No animal is more important to the North American landscape than gray wolves,” said Bergstrom. “The science shows that wolves are not yet recovered in the Pacific Northwest, California, the southern Rockies and the Northeast.”

Great Plains Activist Accused of Vandalizing Liquor Delivery Truck in Whiteclay

from Earth First! Newswire

LINCOLN, Nebraska – Activist T.R. McKenzie was arrested yesterday, May 24, on charges stemming from an incident on May 3, 2013, where a group confronted a delivery truck. Allegations include someone flashing a knife and telling the driver to leave town while others threw beer containers into the street. The truck’s two front tires were also slashed. (Bravo, to whoever the warriors were behind this bold act!)

McKenzie is an activist with DGR, which has kept up a campaign against the liquor stores in Whiteclay. For the purposes of dialogue it is crucial to discuss this campaign and its tactics. But more than that, it is important now to stand in solidarity with McKenzie and all others under state repression—regardless of whatever infighting (or “horizontal hostility”) might be occurring within the movement. 

McKenzie was picked up in Lincoln prior to his scheduled appearance at a press conference at the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, where he was planning to speak about the most recent in a long history of documented code violations and human rights abuses committed by alcohol sellers in Whiteclay, Nebraska.

This poster was released by Deep Green Resistance, McKenzie is actively involved with DGR Great Plains

McKenzie was held for six hours at the Lancaster County Jail on charges of theft, criminal mischief, third degree assault, and terroristic threats. He was released on bond the same day as his arrest.This arrest comes in the wake of several weeks of protests and encampments on the outskirts of Whiteclay.

“Most of those sleeping at the protest camp are women and children,” McKenzie said shortly after his release. “We are all working to draw attention to the devastation caused to the Lakota people by the sale of alcohol in Whiteclay.”

Whiteclay has a population of 14, yet 4 liquor stores in the town sell 12,500 cans of beer each day.

I-5 Collapse Caused by Megaloads

by Swift

Despite the media’s attempts to blame the collapse of the I-5 bridge in northern Washington on issues of poor infrastructure development, a little birdie told us here at the EF! Newswire that there was something more to the tale. So we dug around, and sure enough, the I-5 collapse was caused by a megaload-baring truck carrying a part of a house across the bridge.

These megaloads are commonplace on a lot of highways, although their weight makes them a formidable opponent to the highway system—particularly roads in more far flung areas of the country. One particular example of the tremendous problems caused by megaloads is occurring in Idaho, where Wild Idaho Rising Tide is trying to stave off tar sands infrastructure from taking its toll on the wild and beautiful highways that trace through places like the Rocky Mountain Front and the gorgeous Blackfoot valley along Highway 200 made famous by the film A River Runs Through It.

The problem is not the crumbling infrastructure—the problem is the megaloads, the system of commerce that burns through fossil fuels as though climate change didn’t exist, and the corporate robber barons that deflect any and all criticism of business as usual onto more development, more development, more development. Industrial civilization might be bringing down its own infrastructure, but hey, it wouldn’t hurt if it had a little help from some friends from time to time.

Activistas de Greenpeace Suben la Estela de Luz Como Protesta

Cross Posted From World War 4 Report

Four activists from the Mexican branch of the international environmental organization Greenpeace climbed the Estela de Luz monument in downtown Mexico City on May 16 to protest efforts by multinational companies to increase the commercial use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the country’s corn crops. The protesters unfurled a 70-meter banner reading “No GMO” and showing an ear of corn with a time bomb. Near the monument Greenpeace spokesperson Aleira Lara told reporters that transgenic corn is a time bomb for the Mexican countryside, since it endangers the 59 native strains of corn. The activists continued the protest for four hours and then left in a van; the Mexico City police made no effort to arrest them.

Fifth Arrest On Day 3 of Anti-Fracking Sit-In in Illinois Governor’s Office

Cross Posted from Root Force

Springfield, IL–For the third day in a row, concerned Illinoisans that have requested a meeting with Governor Quinn and that he reconsider his support of allowing hydraulic fracturing in Illinois, have sat-in in front of Governor Quinn’s office. Today 14 people joined the sit-in and the three people refused to leave as the capitol was closing were arrested. This brings the numbers of arrests for the week up to five.

Citizens sitting-in at Quinn’s office believe that that the voices of people that will be most affected by hydraulic fracturing have been ignored in the process of figuring out how to deal with this controversial practice which has left a wake of health and environmental problems in other states.

Earlier this year, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Law and Policy Center, Illinois Environmental Council and Faith in Place, industry groups and lawmakers were convened by Governor Quinn and worked with Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office to craft a bill to place regulations on hydraulic fracturing in the state of Illinois. The bill, being touted by some of the environmental groups that helped craft it as, “the best in the nation” does not require that companies disclose proprietary chemicals that could be harmful to residents and workers. Local, grassroots environmental groups support a moratorium and were shut out of the regulatory bill discussions.

“It’s sad and enraging that they have trampled democracy by cutting a backroom deal to rush through a bill to regulate fracking. Now that it’s the 11th hour and the people who have not been heard and are politely requesting a meeting are being arrested by the people who should be representing our best interests.” said Jenn Carrillo of Bloomington-Normal, who was at the capitol today.

The sit-in started Tuesday after an executive committee hearing voted to unanimously support the regulatory bill.

Sarnia Pro-Tar Sands Conference Disrupted

by Amanda Lickers (Onondowaga Haudenosaunee) / Toronto Media Co-Op

The impacts of industrial development in the area now known as Chemical Valley are deep. The relationship between the 63 petrochemical industries and the occupied lands they are on is not a coincidence. The devastating affects corporations like Imperial Oil, Enbridge and Polysar have had on the environment, through contamination and corporate irresponsibility disproportionately impact bordering, and downstream Indigenous communities such as Aamjiwnaang and Walpole First Nations. The SunCor Energy refinery alone is responsible for processing 85,000 barrels per-day of gasoline, kerosene, jet and diesel fuels.

In the face of already environmentally devastating conditions in a political context of apartheid against Indigenous peoples, those already impacted by Chemical Valley now seek to say No to further industrial expansion – the proposed Line 9 reversal which will bring Tar Sands crude project much further East. In the spirit of standing ground and speaking out, local First Nations and Sarnia-settler community members as well as supporters from other regions, gathered together at Sarnia’s City Hall at 11am on Tuesday May 21st, 2013. Mike Plain, Anishinabe, Elder, and Aamjiwnaang community member opened the day’s events with an acknowledgement to all of Creation, reminding us that we are not separate from the natural world. Corrine Tooshkenig, Anishinabe-kwe, Elder, and member of Walpole First Nation, spoke to the importance of involving youth in the protection of Mother Earth and resistance to injustices. She led a water acknowledgement, reminding us of our connection to and the importance of water in our lives. Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants were invited to offer tobacco to the water with a spirit of gratitude and healing. She spoke of our relationship with our water, how water takes care of us, and how we have a responsibility to speak for the water now. Next Sam Elijah, Anishinabe-kwe, mother and member of Kettle & Stony Point First Nation spoke to the importance of inter-generational responsibility. Sam expressed her concerns about the ongoing and devastating impacts of the contamination and toxification of the land-base for both our current and future generations.

Local Indigenous and non-Indigenous community members, including elders, mothers and outspoken youth, as well as regional supporters left City Hall to take to the streets. The march, chanting, and carrying banners and signs reading, “No More Chemicals In The Valley”, “Stop Line 9″, “Tar Sands Kill! Pipelines Spill!” and “Cancer Alley” continued on to the site of a Tar Sands industry conference being held at the Best Western Hotel.

Extinct Cockroach Bears Uncanny Resemblance to Jawa

by Erik Franco / Motherboard

Arizona State University scientists recently released their annual list of 10 recently discovered species, and among the otherworldly-looking group is a luminescent cockroach whose otherworldliness is less hyperbole and actually quite specific. The glowing roach is a spitting image of a Jawa.