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Republicans go to great lengths to avoid taxing oil companies

Recently, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to ten U.S. energy companies awash in big fat piles of cash. He asked them to voluntarily donate 10% of their recent windfall profits to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federal program that helps poor Americans pay their heating bills. (This winter, natural gas prices are expected to jump 61% in the Midwest, and heating oil nearly 30% in the Northeast.)

The Bushies don't think that's a good idea :

The yeas and nays on an amendment that would have protected the refuge

The Senate today voted to allow oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (Yes, yes, we know you've heard that before, but this vote means drilling really is closer to reality than ever before. Really.)

Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington state led the fight to protect the refuge, offering an amendment that would have stripped from a budget bill a provision that calls for drilling. Her amendment was voted down, 48 to 51. See how your senator voted. (A "Yea" vote is a vote to protect the Arctic Refuge.)

Danny’s Contentment: Following the experience of an electric car owner in London

Now this is what I'm talking about.

Take one innovative Brit, one video recorder, one blog, one electric car and ... voi la, you have one cool video blog.

Danny Fleet is chronicling his purchase of, and driving experience with, his REVA on his video blog, Danny's Contentment. Watch clips of the delivery, a HOWTO on watering (!) the REVA, Danny's first time in the driver's seat, his first ticket ... you get the picture.

Any Gristmillers have a video blog of their own that they would like to share?

(Via TH)

The dominoes are falling …

AP:

Vermont has become the first of several Northeastern states that are expected to adopt new rules that seek to cut emissions of greenhouse gasses from cars by improving their gas mileage.

...

New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut and Rhode Island also have been moving to adopt the new carbon-reduction rules so that they can keep pace with California. The federal clean air act allows for two sets of rules governing emissions from cars sold in the United States: the California standard and the less-strict federal standard.

Abramoff’s tentacles

From AP:

Rep. Tom DeLay's staff tried to help lobbyist Jack Abramoff win access to Interior Secretary Gale Norton, an effort that succeeded after Abramoff's Indian tribe clients began funneling a quarter-million dollars to an environmental group founded by Norton.

Update [2005-11-3 13:38:55 by David Roberts]: For background, see TAPPED.

Can’t Hear the Forest for the ORVs

Forest Service unveils new off-road vehicle rules The U.S. Forest Service says its new off-road vehicle (ORV) policy, announced yesterday, will set limits on where the noisy, pollution-spewing machines can […]

In a crisis, sleeves make the man

Big story on CNN.com today about the "flippant" emails of former FEMA chief Mike Brown during Katrina. Some of it is disturbing, some dull, some just silly.

Among the stories of bureaucratic sluggishness is this gem: "A few days later, [Brown's press secretary] Worthy advised Brown: 'Please roll up the sleeves of your shirt, all shirts. Even the president rolled his sleeves to just below the elbow. In this [crisis] and on TV you just need to look more hard-working.'"

Passed on without comment

From a Harris Interactive survey:

GLBT consumers (51%) are significantly more interested in hybrid electric vehicles than their non-gay counterparts (34%) and feel that they are worth paying more money for.

(Via BB)

Oprah, light bulbs, and global warming

Well, I still haven't managed to find a copy of the whole show (where's the bit torrent community when I need it?), but I went and flipped through Oprah's "Global Warming 101" website and watched the video of Leo DiCaprio leading a tour of a green home. It's all quite good. I'll say, echoing Chris, that Oprah deserves enormous credit for bringing this issue to her huge audience in a way they can grasp. The combination of solid (if simplified) science and sexy celebrity is just the ticket. So kudos, Oprah.

That said, what really struck me is the jarring disjoint between the problem described -- a decades-long warming of the entire planet's atmosphere -- and the chipper suggestions of What You Can Do -- namely, switch out your light bulbs.

Rare good news about Environmental Illness/Multiple Chemical Sensitivities

Finally a bit of good news about Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (aka Environmental Illness). And you thought there was no such thing as good MCS news. Or, more likely, you didn't know much about MCS/EI. Anyway, if that's the case, you're hardly alone. Even many who have the condition don't know much about it.

First, a bit of background. MCS is a syndrome characterized by a range of adverse symptoms brought on by exposure to an equally broad array of chemicals, with symptoms usually appearing at exposure levels far below those that would affect the rest of the population. Symptoms vary enormously from person to person but often include severe headaches, confusion, memory loss, random food allergies, digestive issues, skin irritation, and more.