Rebecca Preston Burke

October 5, 2007

Illegal aliens an environmental threat?

On Monday, October 1, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff defended the construction of a fence on the United States-Mexico border by saying the fence is better for the environment than actually allowing illegal immigrants to cross into the U.S. Chertoff claimed that illegal aliens "really degrade the environment." He explained that he has seen pictures of human waste, garbage, discarded bottles and other litter left by illegal aliens in pristine areas and stated that "[b]elieve me, that is the worst thing you can do to the environment." Environmentalists fear the fence construction will deprive the Rio Grande Valley of its rich biological diversity by isolating wildlife species.

MSNBC News Services, Chertoff Defends Border Fence Construction, MSNBC, Oct. 1, 2007, available at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21089671.

Greenwire, Chertoff Calls Illegal Immigrants a Bigger Enviro Threat than Border Fence, Oct. 2, 2007, available at http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/2007/10/02/8/#8.

MSNBC News Services, Environmental Rules Waived for Border Fence, Jan. 15, 2007, available at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16635054/.

Nature Conservancy President resigns

Nature Conservancy President Steven McCormick abruptly resigned on October 1 following thirty years with the organization. In 2003, the Washington Post ran articles accusing the organization of logging forests and drilling for oil under the last native breeding ground of an endangered bird species amongst other things. McCormick stated in his resignation email that he is "[p]roud that despite a withering, and potentially irreversible, crises following the Washington Post series, and the consequent investigation by the Senate Finance Committee, the organization rallied and not only survived, but improved."

Joe Stephens, Nature Conservancy's President Abruptly Announces Resignation, Wash. Post, Oct. 2, 2007, available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/01/AR2007100100769.html?nav=hcmodule.

Press Release, Nature Conservancy, Nature Conservancy Thanks President and CEO Steve McCormick for Years of Service, Leadership (Oct. 2, 2007), available at http://www.nature.org/pressroom/press/press3148.html.

U.S. urged to adopted carbon emission trading system

Many of the world's largest banks— including Citigroup, Lehman Brothers Holdings and Morgan Stanley— will push for the United States and other developing countries this week to introduce a lightly regulated system for trading carbon emissions permits. This move implies that Wall Street wants the U.S. to clear the way to reduced emissions using a trading system based on the Kyoto Protocol, an agreement the United States did not ratify, as opposed to enacting a carbon tax. The EU has already adopted such an emissions trading system.

James Kanter, Banks Urging U.S. to Adopt the Trading of Emissions, N.Y. Times, Sept. 26, 2007, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/26/business/26bank.html?ref=environment.

Ayles Ice Island breaks in two off the coast of Canada

Much earlier than anticipated by scientists, Ayles Ice Island, off the coast of Canada, has broken in two. Scientists attribute the break to a season of record summer melting in the region. Many fear the shifting island will disturb oil and gas exploration off the coast of Alaska.

BBC News Service, Artic Ice Island Breaks in Half, Oct. 1, 2007, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7022192.stm.

BBC News Service, Ice Withdrawal 'Shatters Record', Sept. 21, 2007, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7006640.stm.

Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic Race for First Biofuel Flight

Air New Zealand is planning its first test flight of a commercial airliner partially powered by biofuel in late 2008. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic is hoping to beat out Air New Zealand by having its own biofuel flight in early 2008. The flight is part of a deal signed by the Air New Zealand, engine producer Rolls-Royce and aircraft manufacturer Boeing to research "greener" flying.

Press Release, Air New Zealand, Air New Zealand Announces Biofuels Research Initiative (Sept. 28, 2007), available at http://www.airnewzealand.com/aboutus/mediacentre/pressreleases/bio_fuel_research_initiative_28sep07.htm.

MSNBC News Services, Air New Zealand to Conduct Biofuel Trial Project, Sept. 28, 2007, available at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21034314.

BBC News Service, Biofuel Trial Flight Set for 747, Sept. 28, 2007, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7017694.stm.