Crimes Against Nature

by Kennedy, Jr. Robert F.

  19. Horton, “Texas Economy.”

  20. Natural Resources Defense Council Press Release, “U.S. Beach Closings at Record High for Second Year in a Row Despite Drought, According to Annual NRDC Beach Quality Report,” August 3, 2000, available at http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressReleases/000803b.asp.

  21. Michael King, “A Thousand Points of Darkness,” Austin Chronicle, January 12, 2001; Vulliamy, “Dark Heart of the American Dream.”

  22. Rose Farley, “Bottom of the Ninth,” Dallas Observer, February 12, 1998, viewed at http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/1998-02-12/news2

  .html.

  23. Rose Farley, “Something In The Air,” Dallas Observer, June 19, 1997, viewed at http://www.dallasobserver.com/issues/1997-06-19/feature.html.

  24. Ibid.

  25. Jim Yardley, “Bush Approach to Pollution: Preference for Self-Policing,” New York Times, November 9, 1999.

  26. Texas PEER, “Polluters Bet Big.”

  27. Neil Carman, interview by Dick Russell, February 20, 2004.

  28. Vulliamy, “Dark Heart of the American Dream.

  29. “Texas Air Quality Study 2000,” viewed at http://www.utexas.edu/research/ceer/texaqs.

  30. Herbert, “Bush Goes Green.”

  31. Texas PEER, “Polluters Bet Big.”

  32. Yardley, “Bush Approach to Pollution.”

  33. Jeffrey St. Clair, “Cash and Carry,” In These Times, March 6, 2000.

  34. Janet Hook, “GOP’s Go-To Guy Could Pose Risks for President,” Los Angeles Times, June 16, 2003, p. A1.

  35. George W. Bush, A Charge to Keep (New York: William Morrow, 1999).

  2 Back to the Dark Ages

  1. J. I. Bregman, “How to Clean Up the Mess,” World and I, June 1989, available at http://www.worldandi.com/specialreport/1989/june/Sa16169.htm. No known attempt to prevent air pollution was made until the opening of the fourteenth century, when an antismoke ordinance forbidding the use of “sea coal” in London was established by royal proclamation. It is believed that at least one violator of this law was put to death by order of Edward I.

  2. Gwen Florio, “Coors Has a Reputation, but No Political Record to Run On,” Rocky Mountain News, April 10, 2004.

  3. Russ Bellant, The Coors Connection (Boston: South End Press, 1991), pp. 85-87; Carl Deal, The Greenpeace Guide to Anti-Environmental Organizations (Berkeley, California: Odonian Press, 1993), p. 64; John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton, Toxic Sludge Is Good for You!: Lies, Damn Lies and the Public Relations Industry (Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press, 1995), p. 142.

  4. “Heritage Foundation President Mourns Death of Joseph Coors,” Heritage Foundation press release, March 16, 2003.

  5. David Helvarg, The War Against the Greens (San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1994), p. 20; Deal, The Greenpeace Guide, p. 58.

  6. See “The Heritage Foundation,” Anarchy for Anybody, available at http://www.cat.org.au/a4a/fake25.html.

  7. People for the American Way, “Follow the Money: Funding and Support for Voucher Programs,” viewed at http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=10723; Capital Research Center database, viewed at http://www.capitalresearch.org/search/orgdisplay.asp?Org=HER100#fin.

  8. John Saloma III, Ominous Politics: The New Conservative Labyrinth (New York: Hill and Wang, 1984), p. 14.

  9. Bellant, The Coors Connection, pp. 9-10.

  10. Ibid., p. 87.

  11. Helvarg, The War Against the Greens, p. 69.

  12. Ibid.

  13. Dale Russakoff, “James Watt and the Wages of Influence,” Washington Post, May 4, 1989, p. A21.

  14. Lawrence Mosher, “Move Over, Jim Watt, Anne Gorsuch Is the Latest Target of Environmentalists,” National Journal, October 24, 1981, p. 1899.

  15. Ibid.

  16. Tom Turner, Friends of the Earth, interview by David Ludlum, May 6, 2004.

  17. Michael J. Sniffen, “Watt Charged with Coverup in HUD Scandal,” Associated Press, February 22, 1995.

  18. Helvarg, The War Against the Greens, p. 72.

  19. Ibid.

  20. Ibid., pp. 76-77.

  21. Katherine Long, “His Goal: Destroy Environmentalism — Man and Group Prefer That People Exploit the Earth,” Seattle Times, December 2, 1991.

  22. Helvarg, The War Against the Greens, pp. 260-61.

  23. Michael Lind, “Rev. Robertson’s Grand International Conspiracy Theory,” New York Review of Books, February 2, 1995.

  24. Esther Diskin, “Robertson’s Book Parallels Militia’s Ideas,” The Virginian-Pilot [Norfolk], April 30, 1995, p. A1.

  25. Stauber and Rampton, Toxic Sludge Is Good for You!, pp. 85-87.

  26. Alan Cooperman, “DeLay Criticized for ‘Only Christianity’ Remarks,” Washington Post, April 20, 2002, p. A05.

  27. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., The Riverkeepers (New York: Scribner, 1997), p. 230.

  28. David Greenberg, “The Clinton Warrior,” Washington Monthly, June 1, 2003.

  29. “Evolution Revolution,” PBS.org., viewed at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/religion/revolution/1990.html.

  30. Michael Weisskopf and David Maraniss, “Forging an Alliance for Deregulation,” Washington Post, March 12, 1995, p. A1.

  31. David Rogers, “General Newt: GOP’s Rare Year Owes Much to How Gingrich Disciplined the House,” Wall Street Journal, December 18, 1995.

  32. Pat Williams, University of Montana Center for the Rocky Mountain West, interview by David Ludlum, February 26, 2004.

  33. Ron Arnold, Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise, interview by David Ludlum, February 24, 2004.

  34. Sheila Callahan, National Legal Center for the Public Interest, interview by David Ludlum, February 24, 2004.

  35. Maria Weidner and Nancy Watzman, Paybacks, Policy, Patrons, and Personnel: How the Bush Adminsitration Is Giving Away Our Environment to Corporate Contributors, Earthjustice and Public Campaign, 2002, viewed at http://www.publicampaign.org/publications/studies/paybacks/Paybacks.pdf.

  36. The Center for American Progress & OMB Watch for the Citizens for Sensible Safeguards Coalition, “Special Interest Take-over: The Bush Administration and the Dismantling of Public Safeguards,” May 25, 2004, available at http://www.sensiblesafeguards.org/sit.phtml.

  37. “Rewriting the Rules: The Bush Administration’s Assault on the Environment,” NRDC, April 2004, p. 3, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/rollbacks/rr2004.pdf.

  38.Ibid, p. 1.

  39. Andrew Martin, “Documents Detail Lobbyists’ Impact on Air-Quality Plan,” Chicago Tribune, May 16, 2004.

  40. See Mackinac Sierra Club website, http://michigan.sierraclub.org/issues/cafos/hazards.html.

  41. Eric Schaeffer, former director of the EPA’s Office of Regulatory Enforcement, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., September 2004.

  42. “Koch Industries Indicted for Environmental Crimes at Refinery,” U.S. Department of Justice press release, September 28, 2000, viewed at http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2000/September/573enrd.htm; James Pinkerton, “Koch Slapped with Big Penalty/Guilty of Hiding Pollution Violation,” Houston Chronicle, April 10, 2001.

  43. NRDC, “The Bush-Cheney Energy Plan,” viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/aplayers.asp.

  44. “Ron Arnold named as ecoterrorism expert in major study,” Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise press release, viewed at http://www.cdfe.org/arnold_named_as_consultant.htm.

  45. Paul Krugman, “Noonday in the Shade,” New York Times, June 22, 2004.

  46. In contrast, the environmental “monkey-wrenchers” Earth First and Earth Liberation Front (ELF) ascribe to a strict coda to protect all animal and human life. For example, when ELF activists burned Hummers at a California car dealership, they first entered the shop to move aquariums of live fish to safety. In contrast, anti-abortion terrorists have murdered 11 Americans and caused millions of dollars of property damage. Right-wing terrorists are responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing, which killed 168 people, and countless other attacks and acts of terrorist violence
against American citizens (see David Helvarg, The War Against the Greens; Robert L. Snow, Terrorists Among Us: The Militia Threat [New York: Perseus Books Group, 2002 ]). The Bush administration has taken pains to distract the public from the terrorist threat from right-wing militia and their brethren (see Paul Krugman, “Noonday in the Shade”).

  47. NRDC (citing Yale Law Journal, July 1984), “Gale Norton Biographical Timeline,” viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/legislation/norton/app1.asp.

  48. Oliver A. Houck, “With Charity for All,” Yale Law Journal, vol. 93, p. 8, July 1984.

  49. NRDC, “Gale Norton Biographical Timeline.”

  50. Ibid.

  51. “Gale Norton’s Associations with Anti-Environmental and Wise Use Groups,” Clearinghouse on Environmental Advocacy and Research (CLEAR), viewed at http://www.clearproject.org/reports_nortonWU.html.

  52. Ibid.

  53. NRDC, “Gale Norton Biographical Timeline.”

  54. Susan Threadgill, “Who’s Who,” Washington Monthly, March 2002, viewed at http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/0203.whoswho.html.

  55. Ibid.

  56. See Friends of the Earth website, http://www.foe.org/camps/eco/interior/manson.html.

  57. “Mining Lobbyist Nominated for Key Interior Post,” Friends of the Earth press release, December 2001, viewed at http://www.foe.org/camps/eco/interior/watsonpr.html.

  58. Susan Threadgill, “Who’s Who.”

  59. “George W. Bush’s Anti-Environmental Advisors: Beyond the Official Bios,” Environmental Working Group, viewed at http://www.ewg.org/reports/GeorgeWBush/enviro_advisors.html.

  60. Phillip Babich, “Shafted,” salon.com, December 11, 2003, viewed at http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2003/12/11/griles.

  61. “In the Chief’s Corner,” Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, viewed at http://www.peer.org/Chiefchambers/ChiefChamberspage.html.

  62. David Halvarg, “Gale Norton, Spencer Abraham, Don Evans: A Team Only an Oil Man Could Love,” The Nation, January 29, 2001.

  3 The First Round

  1. “Why Is Election 2000 So Close?” CNN Crossfire, viewed at http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0010/26/cf.00.html.

  2. “Oppose the Kyoto Protocol Because It Is Ineffective, Inadequate and Unfair to America,” GeorgeW

  Bush.com, viewed at http://web.archive.org/web/20010413031333/www.georgewbush.com/issues/environment.html.

  3. “Energy,” GeorgeWBush.com, viewed at http://web.archive.org/web/20010204002000/www.georgewbush.com/issues/energy.html.

  4. Douglas Jehl, “Bush, in Reversal, Won’t Seek Cut in Emissions of Carbon Dioxide,” New York Times, March 14, 2001.

  5. “On the Shoulders of Giants,” NASA Earth Observatory Library, viewed at http://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Library/Giants/Arrhenius/arrhenius_2.html.

  6. James Hansen, “Global Warming, Playing Dice, and Berenstain Bears,” NASA Goddard Institute for Space Study website, January 2000, viewed at http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/intro/hansen_08/.

  7. “World Meteorological Association Statement on the Status of the Global Climate in 2003” (WMO No. 966), viewed at http://www.wmo.ch/web/wcp/wcdmp/home.html.

  8. Ibid.

  9. Michael Oppenheimer, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., February 2004.

  10. Associated Press, March 4, 2004, viewed at http://msnbc.msn.com/id/

  4448584/.

  11. Michael Oppenheimer, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., February 2004.

  12. Michael Peschardt, “Asia-Pacific Climate Change Killing Coral Reefs,” BBC News, August 17, 1999, viewed at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/422759.stm.

  13. Michael Oppenheimer, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., February 2004.

  14. Peter Schwartz and Doug Randall, “An Abrupt Climate Change Scenario and Its Implications for United States National Security,” Environmental Defense, October 2003, viewed at http://www.ems.org/climate/pentagon_climate_change.html.

  15. Ibid.

  16. “FAQ: Global Climate Change,” United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, viewed at http://unfccc.int/press/dossiers/factsheet.html.

  17. Michael Ball, “EPA: Whitman Coasts Through Nomination Vote,” Greenwire, January 31, 2001.

  18. Ron Suskind, The Price of Loyalty (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004), p. 101.

  19. Ibid.

  20. Paul O’Neill, former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., January 2004.

  21. Paul O’Neill, “Science, Politics and Global Climate Change,” (Pittsburgh, Pa.: Alcoa, 1998), p. 5.

  22. Suskind, The Price of Loyalty, p. 114.

  23. Ibid., p 102.

  24. Ibid., p. 120.

  25. Ibid., pp. 121-22.

  26. Ibid., p. 122.

  27. Ibid.

  28. Gregg Easterbrook, “Hostile Environment,” New York Times, August 19, 2001.

  29. Katharine Q. Seelye, “Often Isolated, Whitman Quits as E.P.A. Chief,” New York Times, May 22, 2003.

  30. “NRDC Denounces EPA’s Proposal to Withdraw New Arsenic-in-Tap-Water Standard; Group Says Move Is Unwarranted and Illegal — and Vows to Sue,” NRDC press release, March 20, 2001, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/010320.asp.

  31. Douglas Jehl, “E.P.A. Abandons New Arsenic Limits for Water Supply,” New York Times, March 21, 2001, p. A1.

  32. Physicians for Social Responsibility, “Clinton Era Arsenic Standard Upheld,” Environment and Health Update, October/November 2001, viewed at http://www.psr.org/documents/psr_doc_0/program_3/eupdate101101.pdf; “Bush Administration, Ignoring National Academy Of Sciences, Sticks With Clinton Arsenic-In-Tap-Water Standard,” NRDC, October 31, 2001, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/011031.asp.

  33. “House Rebukes Bush on Arsenic Standards,” Comtex, July 30, 2001, viewed at http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/07/07302001/arsenic_

  44465.asp.

  34. Erik Olson, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., February 2004.

  35. David Frum, The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W. Bush (New York: Random House, 2003), p. 7.

  36. Gregg Easterbrook, “Hostile Environment,” New York Times Magazine, August 19, 2001, section 6, p. 40.

  37. Douglas Jehl, “EPA Delays Its Decision on Arsenic,” New York Times, April 19, 2001, p. A14.

  38. “Arsenic in Drink Water, 2001 Update,” National Academy of Science, viewed at http://www.nap.edu/books/0309076293/html.

  39. Eric Pianin, “EOA to Urge Tighter Rules for Arsenic; Report Raises Agency Concern About Drinking Water Limits,” Washington Post, September 11, 2001, p. A1.

  40. Katherine Q. Seelye, “Arsenic Standard for Water Is Too Lax, Study Concludes,” New York Times, September 11, 2001, p. A20.

  41. “EPA Announces Arsenic Standard for Drinking Water of 10 Parts per Billion,” EPA Newsroom, November 1, 2001, viewed at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/headline_110101.htm.

  42. Erik Olson, interview, February 2004.

  43. “Arsenic in Drinking Water,” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, viewed at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/arsenic.html.

  44. Cyril T. Zaneski, “Rule Breakers,” GovExec.com, January 1, 2002, viewed at http://www.govexec.com/features/0102/0102s4.htm.

  4 Cost-Benefit Paralysis

  1. “OIRA Q&A’s,” Office of Management and Budget, February 25, 2002, viewed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/qa_2-25-02.pdf.

  2. Mary Anne Calamas, assistant to John Graham, e-mail to David Ludlum, April 26, 2004.

  3. Judy Dagastino, Advisory Board Coordinator, American Council on Science and Health, interview by David Ludlum, April 15, 2004. Graham served from 1994 to 2001, until he left to work for the government.

  4. “Panic Attack: ACSH Fears Nothing but Fear Itself,” Center for Media and Democracy, viewed at http://www.prwatch.org/prwissues/1998Q4/panic.html.

  5. “Testimony of Professor Lisa Heinzerling Concerning the Nomination of John D. Graham to Be Adminis
trator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,” May 10, 2001, viewed at http://www.citizen.org/congress/regulations/graham/heinzerling_testimony.html.

  6. Steve Weinberg, “Mr. Bottom Line,” OnEarth Magazine, Spring 2003, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/onearth/03spr/graham1.asp.

  7. “Dr. John Graham’s Biography and Research Interests,” HCRA Harvard, viewed at http://www.hcra.harvard.edu/nomination.

  8. Karl Kelsey, professor at Harvard School of Public Health, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., March 2004.

  9. “HCRA Sources of Support,” HCRA Harvard, viewed at http://www.hcra.harvard.edu/unrestricted.html.

  10. “Advisory Council,” HCRA Harvard, viewed at http://www.hcra.harvard.edu/advisory.html.

  11. “Executive Council,” HCRA Harvard, viewed at http://www.hcra.harvard.edu/executive.html.

  12. “National Organizations Make the Case Against John Graham to the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee,” Public Citizen, viewed at http://www.citizen.org/congress/regulations/graham/govtaffairs.html.

  13. Amy Charlene, “Harvard’s John Graham Releases Results of Cost-Benefit Analysis of Air Bag Safety,” Risk World, March 25, 1997, viewed at http://www.riskworld.com/NEWS/97q1/nw7aa028.htm.