Environmental Politics

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently denied that it was in denial about climate change. But in filings earlier this year with EPA, it questioned the science behind climate change, suggested air-conditioning would protect people, and theorized that global warming would be good for people anyway.

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) is blocking Senate confirmation of Paul Anastas to head EPA's Office of Research and Development -- demanding that EPA have the National Academy of Sciences review its assessment of formaldehyde risks.

"Nike announced Wednesday that it would resign from the board of the United States Chamber of Commerce, becoming the latest company to break with the group over climate policy."

"Environmentalists and others are concerned over whether the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce can be an unbiased party on a big climate change debate because of his affiliation with Union Pacific."

Alan Carlin, a 72-year-old analyst and economist made a splash in June with his contrarian views on global warming. He -- and conservative commentators and Congressional Repuplicans -- claimed EPA had muzzled him. But documents disclosed in response to a FOIA request show that scientists challenged his views, that his scholarship was shoddy, that he had no academic qualifications on climate, and that he was free to talk to the press.

"Pacific Gas & Electric, the big California utility, has pulled out of the United States Chamber of Commerce over what its chairman, Peter Darbee, termed 'fundamental differences' over the climate change issue."

California taxpayers could be on the hook for millions of dollars in damages if the Schwarzenegger administration moves ahead with plans to close as many as 100 state parks, according to an internal memo drafted by the state parks department's attorneys.

"The Justice Department investigation centers on a 2006 decision to award oil shale leases in Colorado to a Royal Dutch Shell subsidiary. Months later, the oil giant hired Norton as a legal counsel."

A bill to allow offshore oil leasing and a bill to ban BPA in baby bottles both died in the California legislature as it adjourned.

This week, California state parks officials are expected to release a list of up to 100 California parks that will be closed to save money, and the impacts will be felt far and wide.