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Tonight's editor: boatsie
Is racism ok when it happens in an environmental context? Whitman's upset that Chevron could not proceed with its project to upgrade a refinery in California that is a major source of pollution. The refinery is located in a minority and low-income community. Studies have shown that decisions to locate polluting facilities in low-income and minority communities are not mere happenstance. The community already suffers high rates of illness and disease and a horrible quality of life. Chevron wanted to upgrade its facility without clearly disclosing what type of crude would be refined, but indications are that the upgrade would allow it to handle dirtier crude oils, resulting in more pollution. When a court stopped the project because Chevron did not comply with our law, Whitman complained that 1,000 construction jobs were lost. This job meme is often used to justify the initial location of the polluting facilities. Why is Whitman not delighted about the lives that so far have been spared more sickness and death had this project moved forward?
Welcome, welcome. Monday is here one more time right on schedule. The time has come to gather around and take a well deserved hiatus from all the politics of the day. Science talk is here. New discoveries, new takes on old knowledge, and other bits of news are all available for the perusing in today's information world. Over the fold are selections from the past week from a few of the many excellent science news sites around the world. Today's tidbits include a new trove of fossils in amber, astronomers discover the most massive neutron star yet, making bone in the laboratory, the blurring of the definition of 'native species' as a result of climate change, miniature human livers created in the laboratory, world's seagrass species faring somewhat better than vertebrates, and tagged narwhals track warming near Greenland. Come in, sit down, and relax. There is plenty of room for everyone. Settle in for one more session of Dr. Possum's science education and entertainment.
You are in the current BP Catastrophe Morning Edition - AUV #418. ROV #417 is here
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PLEASE visit Pam LaPier's diary to find out how you can help the Gulf now and in the future. We don't have to be idle! And thanks to Crashing Vor and Pam LaPier for working on this!