skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, November 22, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump announces Pam Bondi of FL as new attorney general pick, hours after Matt Gaetz withdraws; House passes bill targeting nonprofits in NY and nation; NM researcher studies why pedestrian and bicyclist deaths are on the rise; Researchers link better outcomes to MN adoption reforms.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump has a new pick for Attorney General, his incoming "border czar" warns local Democratic officials not to impede mass deportation, and the House passes legislation that could target any nonprofit group accused of supporting terrorism.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The CDC has a new plan to improve the health of rural Americans, updated data could better prepare folks for flash floods like those that devastated Appalachia, and Native American Tribes could play a key role in the nation's energy future.

Wildlife Advocates Condemn Drilling Plan

play audio
Play

Monday, November 27, 2017   

HARRISBURG, Pa. – Conservationists say opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling would be forcing wildlife to pay for tax breaks for the rich.

The refuge, known as ANWR, is home to polar bears, caribou, migratory birds and many other animals.

It may also contain billions of barrels of oil that have been off-limits to drillers since 1980.

In an attempt to offset the estimated $1.5 trillion of tax cuts being considered by the U.S. Senate, a provision has been added to allow selling leases for drilling in part of the refuge.

It's a move David Imgrund, an outreach consultant for the National Wildlife Federation, says would put some of the nation's most important wildlife habitat at risk.

"I don't think this is a good bargain for the wildlife,” he states. “I don't think this is a good bargain for the American people.

“I feel this is a shortsighted, short-term fix for a problem that can be fixed in so many other ways. "

Imgrund says among the species at risk are migratory birds that spend part of their year in Pennsylvania.

Supporters of drilling say technological advances make it possible to drill safely with minimal environmental impact.

But Imgrund points to the recent leak of more than 200,000 gallons of oil from the hotly contested Keystone XL pipeline as an example of risks he says are inevitable.

"There is no way to make sure that something doesn't happen,” he states. “They will happen. And it's devastating anywhere it happens, but it would be extremely devastating in such a fragile arctic ecosystem."

Opponents of the drilling also argue that the oil simply isn't needed.

The U.S. is on track to be a net exporter of energy by 2026, and Imgrund notes that renewables such as wind and solar are rapidly replacing fossil fuels.

"In 10 years, when we've actually reduced our appetite for oil and carbon even more, people will look back and say, 'Why did we do this?'" he states.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to bring the tax reform bill to the Senate floor shortly after senators return from the Thanksgiving holiday.





get more stories like this via email

more stories
The smoking rate among adults in Maryland is 9.6%, much lower than the national average of 12.9%. (Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

A new report on lung cancer by the American Lung Association showed Maryland has quite a bit of room to improve diagnoses and treatment but experts sa…


Social Issues

play sound

La Niña is bringing a cooler, wetter winter to Oregon and likely driving up heating bills as systems work harder. This is the third year of …

Environment

play sound

The number of pedestrians and bicyclists killed on roadways in the U.S. has nearly doubled in the past 12 years and a New Mexico researcher wants to …


Social Issues

play sound

This Saturday is National Adoption Day and the latest findings showed Minnesota has made progress in helping kids in the foster care system secure a b…

Health and Wellness

play sound

By Kyla Russell for WISH-TV.Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service C…

Social Issues

play sound

A recent study from Florida Atlantic University highlights a concerning rise in alcohol-related deaths across the United States, with mortality rates …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021