Archive for November 12th, 2014

40 Percent Of The World’s Cropland Is In Or Near Cities

National Public Radio: Urban agriculture is clearly taking off around the world - in backyards, on rooftops and on local farms. But just how much of the world's cropland can we really call urban? That's been a big mystery. Now, a study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters has an answer: Somewhere around 1.1 billion acres is being cultivated for food in or within about 12 miles (20 kilometers) of cities. Most of that land is on the periphery of cities, but 16.6 percent of these urban farms are in...

Groups Sue U.S. State Dept. to Stop Alberta Clipper Tar Sands Pipeline

EcoWatch: Yesterday the Washington Spectator ran an investigative piece tearing the veil of secrecy from the Alberta Clipper pipeline project, a plan by Canadian mining company Enbridge to build a pipeline nearly equal in length and capacity to the Keystone XL to transport tar sands crude oil to the Gulf of Mexico for refining and exporting. With the U.S. State Department’s cooperation, Enbridge found a loophole to circumvent the legal approval process needed to cross the international Canadian/U.S. border....

Industry Responds to Denton, Texas Fracking Ban

EcoWatch: This may be the shortest blog I’ve ever written. On Election Day, voters in a number of cities and counties voted on whether to severely restrict or ban oil and gas development—the oil industry poured millions of dollars in an effort to avoid these restrictions. In Richmond, California Chevron spent $3 million to gain control of the city council; this overreach backfired and Chevron’s slate was trounced. In San Benito County, $2 million wasn’t enough to stop a ban on fracking and other intensive...

Bills to approve Keystone pipeline could be headed to U.S. Senate, House

Reuters: Bills to take approval of the contentious Keystone XL pipeline from Canada out of the hands of the Obama administration could be headed for votes in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. Democrat Mary Landrieu, chair of the Senate Energy Committee, said she would propose debate later on Wednesday and a vote on Thursday on a bill floated in May to approve the project, which would deliver heavy Canadian oil sands crude to the U.S. Gulf Coast. Landrieu of Louisiana, who faces a runoff...