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Only Six Freshwater Dolphins May Remain in Nepal’s Karnali River

Rhishja Larson — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 05:52:36 +0000

Just 30 years ago, the Karnali River was home to approximately 100 Ganges River Dolphins. But according to conservationists, there are only six of them left.

Time is running out for Nepal’s population of Gange River Dolphins (Platanista gangetica gangetica), a rare freshwater species. Currently classified as endangered by the IUCN, several threats have forced this freshwater dolphin to the verge of regional extinction in the Karnali River:

Water development projects: The construction of dams and barrages has fragmented dolphin populations, and degraded downstream habitats and food supplies. Dolphins also become stranded in canals, with no way to return. For example, when dolphins come down to Girijapuri, they cannot return once they cross the dam, just 15 kilometers from Nepal’s border.
Hunting: Tribal people in the upper Brahmaputra kill the dolphins for their meat, and fishermen in the middle reaches of the Ganges use the dolphin’s oil as a fish attractant.
Pollution: The rivers are at capacity for pollution and can no longer dilute the agricultural poisons that are dumped in them, and this is compounded by upstream water development projects.
Overfishing: In the border areas, both Nepalis and Indian fishermen have reduced the number of small fish to the point where many dolphins have starved to death.

Bush Plans Oil Drilling Off California Coast By 2010

Andrew Williams — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 23:01:14 +0000

The Bush administration has taken steps to open the Californian coast to oil exploration and drilling in as few as three years. The move could potentially tap more than 10 billion barrels of oil, enough to power the U.S. for 17 months.

The proposal has been greeted with horror in environmental circles, wary of the threat of oil spills, air pollution and increased shipping traffic in an area rich with migrating whales, millions of seabirds, sea otters, fish and crab feeding grounds. According to Richard Charter, a lobbyist for the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund, “You couldn’t design a better formula to create adverse impacts on California’s coastal-dependent economy.”

House Gives America An Oil Change In Energy Policy

Jerry James Stone — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 05:22:52 +0000

After a hefty long debate over offshore drilling and new energy policies, the House passed the ever unpopular Comprehensive American Energy Security & Consumer Protection Act. The bill which will open up new areas of the country to oil drilling, but it also comes with increased support for renewables. The bill - weighing in at 290 pages (PDF) - was not formally introduced until 9:45pm on Monday night, but Pelosi had released an outline of it early last week.

“The energy bill puts us onto that path of independence by having a comprehensive legislation which is the result of a bipartisan compromise in favor of sweeping innovation solutions for America’s energy future,” said Pelosi in a press conference today. “It is imperative that we are energy independent, so we can enhance the prospect for a great future of renewables and creating good paying jobs.”

The bill passed in the House by a vote of 236-189, with ten Republican’s supporting the bill and thirteen Democrats opposing it. It includes measures to “extend the tax credits for renewables, curb energy speculation, establish a national renewable electricity standard, release 10 percent of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, repeal subsidies to oil companies, and force oil companies to explore on the land already under lease (”use it or lose it”).” It also comes with provisions on efficiency and public transit. And there are even incentives for “clean coal.”

The act allows drilling 100 miles off the Atlantic coast and Florida’s Gulf coast, but that buffer zone could be reduced if a state’s government allows. It will also let state’s decide on whether or not to permit oil-shale development on federal lands within their borders. Here are some videos from the floor debate:

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Big Oil’s Land Leases: Why Do We Need Offshore Drilling and ANWR?

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:47:44 +0000

Big Oil and some politicians are constantly clamoring to open up more regions for oil exploration, but why? Look at all the land they are already leasing or have been offered for leasing!

Image and Via: Sierra Club