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Environment Tag

In light of the many destructive fires still burning in California, it might seem like a no-brainer that fires such as these could be made less severe by a more effective and frequent use of controlled burns and selective thinning of the forest and brush. But although that idea appears to be basically correct, the situation isn't so simple, nor is it so easy to achieve these burns.

In the wake of the midterm election last week, I remarked to a friend that California remained Satan's playground. Little did I realize that this would be prophetic, as vast portions of our state have become a Hell-scape and over 20 people have died in devastating wildfires that are scattered across the state.
The remains of 14 more victims were found in the ashes of a massive Northern California wildfire, bringing the total number of deaths from blazes raging across the state to at least 25, officials said Saturday.

U.S. District Judge Brian Morris has just ordered a halt to the construction of the $8 billion Keystone XL Pipeline, the next phase of the massive pipeline system, until further environmental analysis is conducted.
The decision comes as TransCanada is preparing to build the oil pipeline beginning in northern Montana, with pipe being shipped to the state by train and trucked to locations along the line.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh is already demonstrating why he is my favorite Supreme Court justice. Kavanaugh survived a confirmation "trial" that rivaled nearly anything seen on the TV series Game of Thrones. Then, on his first day on the job, the court refused to hear an appeal of a D.C. Circuit ruling that limited what the Environmental Protection Agency can do. As an extra bonus, Kavanaugh wrote the original ruling that was to be considered.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to take up a lawsuit challenging a lower court ruling written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh when he was a judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Andrew Wheeler, the acting head of the EPA, signed a proposal that will undo President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan and establish new rules for coal plants. From The Washington Examiner:
The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday morning released its plan, renamed the “Affordable Clean Energy Rule,” that the agency said would provide $400 million in annual benefits, while reducing carbon emission levels by up to 1.5 percent by 2030. President Trump is expected to tout the new rule at a rally in coal-friendly West Virginia Tuesday night.

The wildfires are still raging in California, and six people are reported dead and at least 19 are missing. Tragically, the dead include a great-grandmother who was trying the save the lives of her two great-grandchildren. They were killed in the blaze that is burning near Redding, which has been named the Carr Fire.
The bodies of Melody Bledsoe, 70, and her great-grandchildren, James Robert, 5, and Emily Roberts, 4, were recovered from Bledsoe's home in Redding, relatives said.

Brace yourself: Green justice warriors will be out in force this Sunday. It's the 48th anniversary of Earth Day. Every year since 1970, we have been treated to self-righteous, humanity-deriding antics of environmental activists . . . who usually leave mountains of garbage behind after their celebrations of Earth conclude.

President Donald Trump's administration has already implemented nearly two-thirds of the 334 agenda according to the conservative Heritage Foundation, which is a pace faster than former President Ronald Reagan. One of Trump's biggest promises was to roll back regulations, especially those promulgated under the behemoth of the Environmental Protection Agency. New reports indicate that the agency's enormous power, magnified under Obama, is steadily receding.

California's politicians claim they want to stop pollution, but it appears the bureaucrats who actually implement the regulations our representatives promulgate have different priorities. California's attorney general has charged five former and current employees of Panoche Water District in central California with felonies fraud, abuse . . . and hazardous waste violations.

Until the prof sent me this story, I had never heard of a pangolin, and my initial impression (as a Southerner) was that it looks like a giant armadillo.  The pangolin, however, is an anteater that is currently endangered because its scales are seen as medicinal and its meat a delicacy in Africa and Asia.  As such, this scaly anteater is the most poached and most trafficked mammal in the world. seeks to illuminate the plight of the pangolin and to ensure that this mammal survives into future generations.