Articles by Geoff Dabelko

In depth on damn dams

If you liked yesterday's Daily Grist story on the Sardar Sarovar dam in India, check out two books from astute observers of global dam protests and the power of emerging non-state networks of activists. Both Sanjeev Khagram (University of Washington) and Ken Conca (University of Maryland) are academics, but they write in clear, comprehensible prose for those who are willing to work a little.

Ports punting pollution

Recognizing they can't grow unless they clean up, the huge ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will soon unveil a $2 billion effort to address the incredible air pollution they produce every day. According to today's Washington Post, the two ports that account for 40% of the nation's container trade will launch a plan next month to "reduce particulate matter by 81 percent and nitrogen oxides by 62 percent in five years."

And it sounds like it is needed; incomprehensibly, the L.A. port alone emits daily the equivalent particulate matter and nitrogen oxide produced by a half million cars, a typical refinery, and a typical power plant combined.

But looking at the numbers, it starts to make sense.

More detail on environment in National Security Strategy

Back in March I wrote about how the Bush White House issued a new National Security Strategy (NSS) that included environmental issues, something they had taken out of their 2002 version. In short, Hurricane Katrina put the environment back on the U.S. security agenda when it overwhelmed our civilian and military capacities.

We have done more in-depth analysis of this NSS, now available on the Woodrow Wilson Center's website. The Stanley Foundation has also written a well-argued critique of the 2006 NSS, although it is not specifically focused on the environment.

An assist from an angler scribe

I must admit I reach first for the sports page in the morning. The headlines on the front page of the Washington Post these days are just too depressing to be the first things I face.

So imagine my surprise last weekend when I found biting environmental-policy commentary in section E. Never one to read fishing or hunting commentaries, the pictures of bloviating politicians smack in the middle of renowned wildlife columnist Angus Phillips' column caught my attention.

Titled "Party Talk Leaves Plenty of Room for Action," Phillips absolutely dismantles a Washington press event on the Potomac (literally -- there were optional canoe trips) to announce the everything's-voluntary-and-we-won't-really-fund-it National Fish Habitat Action Plan.

Showing that he could have a second career as a political reporter, Phillips concludes with: