Government

When A Pipeline Runs Afoul Of Government Rules, Authorities Change Rules

August 12, 2018 By Kate Mishkin and Ken Ward Jr., The Charleston Gazette-Mail, and Beena Raghavendran, in ProPublica. Educate! Government, Oil and Gas, Pipelines, Regulation

A week ago, the federal government halted work on a massive pipeline project that runs from Northern West Virginia through Southern Virginia. The government said it had no choice but to order work on the multibillion-dollar Mountain Valley Pipeline stopped after a federal appeals court ruled that two federal agencies had neglected to follow important environmental protections when they approved the project. The court had found that the U.S. Forest Service had suddenly dropped — without any explanation — its longstanding concerns that soil erosion from the pipeline would harm rivers, streams and aquatic life.

Government Secrecy On Rise, Sets Record For FOIA Denials

March 14, 2018 Ted Bridis, Apnews.com Educate! Censorship, FOIA, Government

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government censored, withheld or said it couldn’t find records sought by citizens, journalists and others more often last year than at any point in the past decade, according to an Associated Press analysis of new data. The calculations cover eight months under President Donald Trump, the first hints about how his administration complies with the Freedom of Information Act. The surge of people who sought records but ended up empty-handed was driven by the government saying more than ever it could not find a single page of requested files and asserting in other cases that it would be illegal under U.S. laws to release the information. People who asked for records under the Freedom of Information Act received censored files or nothing in 78 percent of 823,222 requests, a record over the past decade.

Nearly 50,000 Farmers March 112 Miles, Indian Government Agrees To Demands

March 13, 2018 Rajendra Jadhav, Reuters.com Resist! Class Struggle, Farmers, Government, March

MUMBAI (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of protesting farmers from India’s Maharashtra state marched into the state capital of Mumbai on Monday to demand government support to address hardship in a sector that employs the majority of the country’s workforce. The protesters walked 180 km (112 miles) from the town of Nashik to Mumbai over several days demanding waivers of agricultural loans and the transfer of forest lands to villagers who have been tilling them for decades. “For three generations my family has cultivated crops on a two acre-plot, but we still don’t own it,” said 74 year-old Murabhai Bhavar as she poured water to soothe her aching feet. “The land we till should be registered in our name,”

Infographic: The Preston Model

February 14, 2018 Staff, Thenextsystem.org Create! Government, Local Government

The “Preston Model” is helping inspire a new conversation about the role of local government in catalyzing locally-driven economic revitalization and transforming patterns of ownership towards democratic alternatives. (We first featured a story about the Preston Model here in 2016.) Today, the work in Preston to redefine how—and for whom—local economic development works is at the forefront of the agenda for local Labour councillors in the UK —and front and center at the upcoming “Alternative Models of Ownership” conference in London on 2/10, featuring, among many others, The Democracy Collaborative’s Ted Howard. Major coverage for the model has recently appeared in The Guardian in the inaugural story in Aditya Chakrabortty’s new series “The Alternatives”...

Carillion Catastrophe & Limits Of Privatized Government

January 26, 2018 By Derek Royden, Nationofchange.org Educate! Corruption, Development, Government, Privatization

To say that British Prime Minister Theresa May has been having a rough time since rolling the dice on an early election and losing her party’s parliamentary majority in June, is probably a bit of an understatement. Headaches abound and multiply, from a widely covered speech being interrupted by a prankster, a falling back drop and a coughing fit, to Brexit ‘negotiations’ that seem to go nowhere, to buffoons in her own party, most comically the British version of Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, who recently suggested building a bridge over the English Channel to connect France and the U.K., a feat of engineering that could only be matched by the U.S. President’s proposed border wall.

Homeland Security’s Multibillion Dollar Comedy Show

December 30, 2017 By James Bovard, Counterpunch.org Educate! Government, Homeland Security

After the 9/11 attacks, Congress and the Bush administration pretended that unlimited federal spending was one of the best ways to thwart terrorist threats. In 2002, Congress created the Homeland Security Department (DHS), sweeping some of the most inept federal agencies, such as the Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), into the new mega-department. Congress also created numerous programs — some run directly by FEMA — to shovel out more than $30 billion in anti-terrorism funding to local and state governments. As Sen. Tom Coburn (R–Okla.) observed a few years ago, “FEMA’s lax guidelines and oversight made the agency a virtual rubberstamp for most anything that grant recipients creatively justified as related to homeland security — regardless of how loosely related.”

Protest Gov. Cuomo’s Birthday Fundraiser Over Failed Policies

December 15, 2017 Erik McGregor, erikmcgregorphotography.blogspot.com Resist! Government, New York City (NYC), Policy, Protests

New York, NY - Hundreds of New Yorkers joined NYC progressive groups on a mock “Voters Over Donors” birthday party outside Governor Cuomo's 60th birthday fundraiser event on December 14, 2017 at Cipriani Wall Street, demanding he puts renewable energy, affordable housing, and voters over his Wall Street donors. The “Voters Over Donors” event highlights how Cuomo’s failure to enact major legislation is hurting New Yorkers. Cuomo's Voters called on the governor to strengthen rent laws and invest in housing for the homeless; halt all fracking infrastructure, move to 100% renewable energy and institute a fee on corporate climate polluters...

In Kids’ Climate Lawsuit; Gov Effort To Dismiss Case

December 14, 2017 Nicholas Kusnetz, insideclimatenews.org Resist! Climate Change, Government, Lawsuit

The Trump administration's efforts to block a major climate change lawsuit that was brought on novel grounds by a group of young people appeared to suffer a setback Monday at a hearing before a federal appeals court. The lawsuit, Juliana v. United States, was filed in 2015 on behalf of 21 youths who are accusing the government of violating their constitutional rights by failing to address climate change and continuing to subsidize fossil fuels. A federal district judge earlier this year set a trial date for February. But in July, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals paused the case after the Justice Department invoked an unusual legal maneuver to try to block the lawsuit.

Industrial Strength: How U.S. Gov Hid Fracking’s Risks To Drinking Water

November 18, 2017 Neela Banerjee, insideclimatenews.org Educate! Fracking, Government, Water

By Neela Banerjee for Inside Climate News - Most mornings, when his 7-year-old son Ryan gets up for school at 6:55, Bryan Latkanich is still awake from the night before, looking online for another home in some part of Pennsylvania with good schools and good water. Six years ago, Latkanich signed on to let an energy company tap natural gas beneath his property by pumping water, sand and chemicals into rock formations, a process called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Soon after, Latkanich's well water got a metallic taste, he developed stomach problems, and his son one day emerged from a bath covered in bleeding sores. More recently, Ryan became incontinent. Testing by state regulators and a researcher at nearby Duquesne University showed the well water had deteriorated since gas extraction started but no proof of the cause. The state recently began another round of testing. Latkanich is a single parent. He's jobless and blind in his right eye from brain surgery. "I worry about my son getting sick, about my getting sick and what would happen to him if I did," he said. "I'm doing this all alone. And I keep asking myself, 'How do we get out?'"

Oklahoma City Changes Street Name Removes KKK Leader

October 26, 2017 Nick Hazelrigg, www.oudaily.com Resist! Activism, Government, Racism

By Nick Hazelrigg for Oudaily - In a meeting filled with emotional appeals from members of the Norman community, the Norman City Council voted unanimously to rename DeBarr Avenue by June 1, 2018. Spurred by local activists at its Oct. 24 meeting, the council agreed to amend its original resolution regarding DeBarr Avenue, named for former OU professor and Ku Klux Klan chaplain Edwin DeBarr, to better meet the requests of the community. Norman Citizens for Racial Justice, a new activist group, led the night’s push on city council as part of its “DeBarr Avenue Action Week.” The council’s original resolution proposed sending the issue of renaming city streets to the City Council Oversight Committee, a solution that caused many demonstrators to accuse the council of dragging its feet and being complicit in racism. After hearing hours of public commentary, the city council unanimously passed an amendment added by council member Breea Clark promising to change the street name by June 1 of 2018, if not earlier. The council also voted to remove two sections from its original resolution which said the city council did not originally name DeBarr Avenue, since many demonstrators said they saw this section as the city’s attempt to avoid blame.

Portuguese Children To Sue European Govs Over Climate Change

October 21, 2017 Staff, www.heraldscotland.com Resist! Climate Change, Europe, Government, Lawsuit

By Staff of The Herald - Seven children are to sue European governments in a landmark lawsuit over the impact that climate change is having on their lives. The Portuguese youngsters, some from the Leiria region which has been devastated by wildfires twice this year, are seeking a ruling to force 47 countries to dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions. And they want the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg to order nations to keep remaining fossil fuel reserves in the ground. One of the children spearheading the unprecedented case is 18-year-old Claudia from the Leiria district, who said older generations have a responsibility to stop releasing dangerous pollution. "What worries me the most about climate change is the rise in temperatures, which has contributed to the number of fires taking place in our country," she said. Claudia said she is taking the case "for the children and for the future generations who are not responsible for the current state of the environment". Three days of national mourning are being held in Portugal after scores of people died as deadly forest fires twice hit the country this year. Outbreaks in June claimed 64 lives and another 41 are believed to have been killed in the last week after winds associated with Storm Ophelia fanned flames sparked in drought-like conditions.

Bigoted, Unprofessional Police Chief Backed By Governor

October 13, 2017 William Boardman, www.readersupportednews.org Educate! Government, Michigan, Police, Police abuse

By William Boardman for Reader Supported News - This is an unsurprisingly nasty internet meme that was publicly shared by the director of the Michigan State Police on her Facebook page on Sunday, September 24. Director Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue apparently gave no thought to her pre-packaged, knee-jerk reaction to NFL players kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police treatment of African Americans in America. Col. Etue was apparently unprepared for the intense reaction to her casual castigation of fellow citizens, predominantly black athletes, acting on principle. A Michigan State Police spokesperson actually asserted that Col. Etue’s slanderous social media post was “not about race” — even though the issue wouldn’t exist without a racist justice system that allows cops (mostly white) to kill unarmed, innocent black people without suffering significant consequences. Roughly two days after the posting, Col. Etue issued a brief, substance-free non-apology apology for it, posted on the Michigan State Police website (not on Facebook): It was a mistake to share the message on Facebook and I sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended. I will continue my focus on unity at the Michigan State Police and in communities across Michigan.

Catalonia’s Battle ‘Is A Big Problem For Europe’

September 26, 2017 Greg Russell, www.thenational.scot Create! Catalonia, Government, Nationalism, Spanish

By Greg Russell for The National - A LEADING Catalan official has said Catalonia is in a de facto state of emergency and that its battle with Spain’s central government to hold a referendum on independence is a “big problem for Europe”. In an exclusive interview, Sergi Marcen, head of the Catalan Delegation to the UK, told The National the Catalan Government would work “to the last minute” to try to reach agreement with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s government to go ahead with the October 1 poll. He said he believed Europe had remained quiet because Rajoy’s Parti Populaire (People’s Party) wielded significant influence and had been pressurising countries to stay out of it. But he added: “It is a European problem because 7.5 million European people – Catalans – cannot vote on their future; the Spanish Government does not have a majority in parliament and are using the laws in a bad way and this kind of behaviour is like the times of the dictator Franco. “So it’s a big problem for Europe, not only Catalonia.” Spain’s actions, he said, were denying Catalan citizens their basic rights. “Spanish Government and the police are going into media offices, lawyers, people’s houses looking for ballots,” he said. “Freedom of expression is banned. Police are seizing Catalan flags, posters or anything related to the referendum. Public events and meetings about it have been banned, so we don’t have the right to speak in public about the right of self-determination in Catalonia.

Federal Employees Ordered To Attend Anti-Leaking Classes

September 25, 2017 Michael Biesecker, www.lastrealindians.com Educate! EPA, Government, Police State, Workers, Workers Rights and Jobs

By Michael Biesecker for Mint Press News - WASHINGTON (AP) — Employees at the Environmental Protection Agency are attending mandatory training sessions this week to reinforce their compliance with laws and rules against leaking classified or sensitive government information. It is part of a broader Trump administration order for anti-leaks training at all executive branch agencies. The Associated Press obtained training materials from the hourlong class. Government employees who hold security clearances undergo background checks and extensive training in safeguarding classified information. Relatively few EPA employees deal with classified files, but the new training also reinforces requirements to keep “Controlled Unclassified Information” from unauthorized disclosure. The EPA occasionally creates, receives, handles and stores classified material because of its homeland security, emergency response and continuity missions. EPA employees also work closely with contractors and other federal agencies that more regularly handle classified information. President Donald Trump has expressed anger repeated leaks of potentially embarrassing information to media organizations in recent months. In a speech last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said those responsible for the “staggering number of leaks” coming out of the administration would be investigated and potentially prosecuted.

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