The Gaia Reports

By Theodora Filis The Subcommittee on Energy and Power held a hearing titled “The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011” on Wednesday, February 9th, to discuss draft legislation, authored by Chairman Upton and Subcommittee Chairman Whitefield, to prevent the EPA from implementing a cap-and-trade national energy tax through regulations under the Clean Air Act. Republicans on the Committee were dominated by oil-producing states, Texas and Lousianna, claiming EPA rules would; cause rolling blackouts, double food prices, destroy family farms, block $300 billion in economic investments that could create 1.5 million new jobs, close US manufacturing plants, kill thousands of jobs, export jobs, etc. The Committee’s lead witness was global warming denier, Senator Inhofe. No scientists were allowed to testify. The EPA's testimony that independent studies show Clean Air Act regulations have provided economic benefits that exceed costs by a factor of 30-1 was ignored. EPA Administrator, Li...

By Theodora Filis On February 10, 2011, Miriam E. Sapiro, Deputy US Trade Representative, urged the European Commission to break its longstanding impasse blocking genetically  modified foods. For the US, genetically modified (GM) seeds offer huge financial benefits over traditional seeds because GM seeds are patented, therefore, making it illegal for a farmer to retain seed from this year's crop to plant next year. "When Europeans come to the United States, they come and enjoy our cuisine with no concerns whatsoever," Sapiro said ahead of talks with European Union trade commissioner Karel De Gucht. A key component of the US plan to dominate world agriculture with GM seeds is the absence of labeling of GM foods. All US foods must carry labels listing the ingredients: salt, sugar, water, vitamins, additives, etc. However, the FDA, USDA, and EPA, have ruled that GM foods deserve an exception. They can be sold without being labeled "genetically modified....

By Theodora Filis Actor Mark Ruffalo, inadvertently, increased the public's awareness of hydraulic fracturing when Pennsylvania's Office of Homeland Security placed him on a terror watch list while he was promoting “Gasland” a documentary by Josh Fox, on the purported dangers of hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”. Fracking is currently used in 90 percent of the nation’s natural gas and oil wells. The practice makes drilling possible in areas that 10 to 20 years ago would not have been profitable. Fracking involves injecting water, sand, and a cocktail of chemicals at high pressure into rock formations thousands of feet below the surface. This opens existing fractures in the rock and allows gas to rise through the wells. Many of the chemicals used in shale gas drilling, such as benzene, are hazardous. Long-term exposure to such chemicals can have serious health consequences. Because the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 exempted hydraulic fracturing from regulation under...