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admin — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:42:40 +0000

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SIDEBAR: The Story of Orphan Uranium Mine

admin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:37:24 +0000

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Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz. — Surrounded by a chain-link fence posted with signs warning of dangerous radiation levels, the abandoned Orphan uranium mine sits on the Grand Canyon’s south rim, three miles from the park’s famous El Tovar Hotel. Nearly 40 years after one of America’s top-producing uranium mines was closed down, it is still leaching radioactive waste into a creek that feeds the Colorado River.

The two major defense contractors responsible for the site, whose lobbyists have close ties to Arizona Sen. John McCain, are refusing to cooperate with the National Park Service to clean up the Orphan Mine Superfund site. The park service has been trying since 2005 to negotiate a clean-up agreement with the companies. But the talks ended abruptly in February of this year with no resolution.

The cash-strapped park service is now being forced to pay for the mine clean up, which could cost taxpayers more than $15 million. A park official said they would try to recover costs from the defense contractors later. “We can’t wait,” said Martha Hahn, the park’s chief of science and resource management. “We need to get this cleaned up.”

McCain, representatives of the defense contractors, General Atomics and DRS Technologies, and key lobbyists including former New York Sen. Alfonse D’Amato and Stephen Ansley, husband of the former staff director for the Senate Armed Services Committee, all did not return repeated telephone calls and email messages seeking comment on the Orphan Mine and the collapse in negotiations with the National Park Service over cleaning up the site.

McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, has also declined to comment on whether the defense contractors’ lobbyists have discussed the Orphan Mine Superfund site with him or his staff. D’Amato gave McCain’s presidential campaign $2,300 in March for the primaries and hosted a dinner in New York in May that raised about $1 million for McCain’s campaign.

Shawn Mulligan, National Park Service senior environmental program adviser, said “negotiations have broken down” with Tech-Sym and Cotter Corp., subdivisions of DRS Technologies and General Atomics, over paying for an engineering evaluation to clean up the site’s surface area. Mulligan said the park service will pay for the initial studies, estimated at between $1 million and $2 million.

Once a clean up plan is designed, Mulligan said the park service would ask the defense contractors to cover the work. If the companies refuse, Mulligan said the government could go ahead with the remediation, and file a lawsuit to collect damages. The cost for remediation of the Orphan Mine’s surface area is estimated at $15 million. This would be the first clean-up phase.

The cost to deal with contamination inside the underground mine and in a nearby creek is unknown. The park service has posted signs on Horn Creek, warning the public not to drink, due to potentially hazardous levels of radioisotopes. The base of the mining area is also the headwater for Horn Creek.

Roger Clark, air and water director for The Grand Canyon Trust, a Flagstaff, Ariz. environmental group, said the environmental assessment should also include the underground portion of the mine and any pollution draining into Horn Creek. "The department of defense contractors should pony up and pay for the assessment. And it should not just be on the surface," Clark said. "It ought to look at the overall depth of the problem."

D’Amato’s firm, Park Strategies Washington Group, is one of a 20 private lobbying firms for General Atomics, a privately-held, San Diego-based defense contractor that manufactures the Predator unmanned aircraft. General Atomics in 2000 purchased Cotter Corp., a Colorado uranium mining and milling company that the park service says is one of the two parties responsible for the Orphan Mine.

Superfund law allows the federal government to impose liability for the entire cost of cleanup of contaminated sites on any of the current or former owners or operators of the site. Cotter Corp. operated the mine from 1967 to 1969, when it was closed.

Cotter attorney John L. Watson declined to comment. Park Strategies and General Atomics did not respond to requests for interviews. General Atomics received $727 million in defense contracts in 2006 and is among the Top 100 defense contractors in the country.

The park service has also identified DRS Technologies, Inc. of Parsippany, N.J., as the other responsible party.DRS bought Integrated Defense Technologies along with its subsidiary,Tech-Sym Corp., in 2004. Tech Sym operated the mine between 1956 and 1967. The park service first contacted Tech-Sym about contamination at the Orphan Mine in 2000.

DRS Technologies gets more than 90 percent of its revenue from Defense Dept. contracts and has a federal contract backlog worth $3 billion. DRS Technologies was sold in May to Italian defense contractor Finmeccanica SpA for $5.2 billion, pending government approval. DRS Technologies did not respond to a request for an interview.

Like General Atomics, much of DRS Technologies’ business comes before the Senate Armed Services Committee, where McCain is the ranking member. During part of McCain’s tenure as chairman, DRS Technologies had a cozy relationship with the committee.

Ansley represented DRS Technologies as a staff lobbyist between 2001 and 2007. Ansley’s wife, Judith Ansley, was staff director for the Armed Services Committee between 2002 and 2005, when McCain was chairman. Stephen Ansley did not return a call requesting an interview. Judith Ansley is now deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security adviser for regional affairs. Stephen Ansley left DRS Technologies in 2007 but continued as an unpaid private lobbyist last year.

DRS Technologies grew rapidly during the period the Ansleys were both lobbying and working for the government. DRS Technologies’ annual revenue jumped from $391 million in 2000 to $3.3 billion for the fiscal year ending Mar. 31, 2008.

GardaWorld Iraq, Baghdad Security Statistics 7/30/08

admin — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:09:07 +0000

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Sidebar: Endangered Species Exemption

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:38:10 +0000

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Sen. John McCain’s 2003 vote to exempt Fort Huachuca from a key provision of the Endangered Species Act was contrary to his usual advice to fellow members of Congress. He is known to tels colleagues that they should not give special protections to a local military base if it faces closure.

Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) had attached the ESA exemption for the southern Arizona fort to a defense appropriations bill. McCain was in position to remove Renzi’s amendment when the bill reached a House-Senate conference committee. He had been pressed by environmentalists to kill the measure because it would threaten a celebrated wildlife area along the San Pedro River, just east of the fort.

Instead, McCain backed the ESA exemption — which helped save Fort Huachuca from expected downsizing during the 2005 base closures. There is little doubt that McCain wouldn’t have known that his vote would shield the base from the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.

Renzi, along with retired Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-AZ, who represented Fort Huachuca, called the ESA exemption the "Fort Huachuca Preservation Amendment." Fort Huachuca supporters ran a full-page newspaper ad in Sierra Vista, urging McCain to vote for the ESA exemption.

McCain co-sponsored legislation in 2001 that authorized the commission to recommend a list of military installations to be closed or downsized. At that time, McCain urged his colleagues to "to put aside local politics for what is clearly in the best interest of our military forces."

States turn down US abstinence education grants

admin — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:32:13 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) — Skeptical states are shoving aside millions of federal dollars for abstinence education, walking away from the program the Bush administration touts for slowing teen sexual activity. Barely half the states are still in, and two more say they are leaving.

Some $50 million has been budgeted for this year, and financially strapped states might be expected to want their share. But many have doubts that the program does much, if any good, and they’re frustrated by chronic uncertainty that it will even be kept in existence. They also have to chip in state money in order to receive the federal grants.

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat, made his decision to leave based on the congressionally mandated curriculum, which teaches "the social, psychological and health gains of abstaining from sexual activity." Instructors must teach that sexual activity outside of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects.

"It was just too strict," said Emily Hajek, policy adviser to Culver. "We believe local providers have the knowledge to teach what’s going to be best in those situations, what kind of information will help those young people be safe. You cannot be that prescriptive about how it has to be taught."

A federal tally shows that participation in the program is down 40 percent over two years, with 28 states still in. Arizona and Iowa have announced their intention to forgo their share of the federal grant at the start of the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

The program was created by Congress in 1996 as part of welfare reform.

Since 2002, lawmakers have approved 19 short-term extensions — usually for three or six months at a time. But on three occasions, the program was extended for just a few days.

Whatever state officials think of the program’s aims, that’s not the kind of bureaucratic consistency they need to budget for employees and to put contracts out to bid.

"The funding stream became inconsistent. We didn’t know from one quarter to the next whether we’d be getting the rest of the money," said Elke Shaw-Tulloch of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. "We got to the point where we didn’t have any infrastructure to put the money to use. At the same time, there was mounting evidence the abstinence programs weren’t proving to be effective."

Throw in a rising pregnancy rate among 15-19 year-olds in Idaho — 2,543 pregnancies in 2006 compared with 2,396 in 2004 — and state officials decided last summer it was time to get out.

Stanley Koutstaal, the federal official who oversees the abstinence-only program at the Administration for Children and Family Services, notes that more than half the states still choose to participate. "Obviously, many states still find it valuable and have adopted it as their approach to addressing the sexual activity of teens," he said.

He called for long-term reauthorization of the block grants so that states and their contractors can be more certain about the future and can plan accordingly.

Some states’ officials do speak favorably of the program.

In Georgia, some 250,000 students have participated in abstinence education since 2000 through schools, church groups and nonprofit agencies.

Teachers in Georgia go beyond the abstinence message. They stress community service and doing better in school, said Jen Bennecke, executive director of the governor’s office for children and families. Bennecke says the program has led to an almost a 50 percent drop in pregnancy rates for Georgia youth ages 15-17 since the mid-90s.

"We really see abstinence education as a clear, concise and positive message," Bennecke said. "We’ve presented it as a healthy lifestyle choice."

The abstinence-only grants have been controversial from the start.

Supporters say comprehensive sex education sends a mixed message and that abstinence is the only method that is 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. Critics say abstinence education simply doesn’t stop teens from having sex, and those teens need more information about how to reduce pregnancy and disease.

In April 2007, a federally funded study of four abstinence-only programs by Mathematica Policy Research Inc., found that participants had just as many sexual partners as nonparticipants and had sex at the same median age as nonparticipants. The four programs had taught students about human anatomy and sexually transmitted diseases, helped them improve their communication skills, manage peer pressure, set personal goals and build self-esteem.

For Colorado, the study results sealed the decision to get out of the program. Dr. Ned Calonge, the state’s chief medical officer, said Mathematica’s methods were the gold standard for scientific studies.

"To show no benefit compared to nothing. That was striking," Calonge said. "These are tax dollars that are going for no useful purpose, and it would not be responsible for us to take those dollars."

Under the program, states have to put up $3 for every $4 they get from the federal government. The program, referred to as Title V, is one of three abstinence education programs funded by the federal government. Of the $50 million budgeted for the program this year, about $21 million has been distributed.

Koutstaal said the study was instructive on how to improve the program, but it wasn’t a signal to scrap it. The study, he noted, focused on middle school children and tracked behavior at the high school level.

"One thing we learned from it was that it may not be enough to do something in middle school and expect that you’re going to continue to see positive outcomes in high school," Koutstaal said.

As a result, applicants seeking abstinence education funding through another government program, called Community Based Abstinence Education, are required to show how they will serve high school students and how they will help young people deal with peer pressure.

Longtime critics of abstinence-only education say the dwindling participation is a signal that Congress should abolish the program or change it.

"If Congress isn’t getting that message, it’s difficult to figure out what will convince them," said William Smith, vice president for public policy at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.

TWI Boards Campaign Plane

admin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:40:00 +0000

WASHINGTON — The national news Web site, The Washington Independent, jetted to the Midwest this week. Its senior political reporter, Sridhar Pappu, boarded Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign plane on Sunday. TWI will continue covering the election from the campaign trail — and the air — joining the press corps on both Obama’s and Sen. John McCain’s charters.

This spring, only five newspapers were on the campaign planes regularly — The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post, as well as wire services and TV networks.* Now, TWI joins the group.

TWI is a non-partisan, independent news site dedicated to putting national news in context.

In Pappu’s first dispatch from the road (online here ), he explains that Obama needs Michigan voters as much as thousands of his roaring fans in Detroit say they need him. Pappu will be using new media tools, filing video footage — his first piece from the Obama plane is here — and blog posts daily.

Despite the expense, TWI’s editor Allison Silver, former editor of The Los Angeles Times Sunday "Opinion" section, says it is critical for readers to get first-hand news about the presidential race.

"This is unlike any election in decades," Silver said. "We have been on the most amazing roller-coaster ride. The turnout and twists and turns have been jaw-dropping. We need smart reporters out in the field to give some context and help explain what it all means."

TWI launched in January 2008 under the direction of Silver, who is a former editor at The New York Times "Week in Review" and former politics producer at "Charlie Rose." Politics reporter Sridhar Pappu wrote for The Washington Post, The Atlantic and The New York Observer.

Close campaign coverage helps to detail inconsistencies and can reveal much about a candidate’s character. The New York Times wrote a smart piece about it here.

TWI is published by the non-partisan, non-profit Center for Independent Media.

Contacts:

Allison Silver

Editor

(202) 387-3670 ex 229

Laura McGann

Managing Editor

(202) 387-3670 ex 228

*As reported by The New York Times in March.

VIDEO: TWI Aboard Obama Plane

admin — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:24:31 +0000

Somewhere between Detroit and Washington, Sen. Barack Obama had an impromptu press conference with reporters traveling with him on the campaign trail. The Washington Independent’s politics reporter Sridhar Pappu catches Obama discussing U.S. oil reserves.

Lieberman E-Mail Announcing ‘Citizens for McCain’

admin — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:22:21 +0000

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To: Fellow McCain Supporters

From: Senator Joe Lieberman

Date: June 5th, 2008

Today, I asked Senator McCain if I could create and chair a new grassroots organization, "Citizens for McCain."

Citizens for McCain is an organization within the McCain campaign for people who put country before political party and support the candidate for President who has a proven record of bipartisanship.

As you know, I caucus with the Democrats as a United States Senator and was the Democrat Party’s nominee for Vice-President of the United States against President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

But first and foremost, I am an American. I have an obligation to do what I think is best for our nation regardless of political party. My love for this country and strong belief in John McCain’s character, judgment, and willingness to work with leaders of both parties has convinced me to support him for President.

I have worked with John McCain for many years in the U.S. Senate and know from experience that he can unite Democrats, Republicans and Independents like no one else in this country. He did it in the United States Senate and he can do it as President of the United States.

But we need help from McCain supporters such as you to reach out to Americans who are not currently involved in the campaign. Will you help us by recruiting your friends, family, and co-workers who may not consider themselves members of the Republican Party and ask them to join the Citizens for McCain organization?

I am confident we will find many Democrats and Independents who, like John McCain and me, put country before political party and will support a leader with a real record of bipartisanship.

Time and time again John McCain has put his country first. He refused early release when he was held captive in Vietnam. He continued to put his country first as a national leader in the U.S. Senate. He put country before party when he fought to pass campaign finance reform, sought a bi-partisan solution to the immigration problem, and consistently supported pro-environment policies. His courage to stand up to the failed Iraq war plan of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and lead the fight for a new strategy in Iraq will go down in history, and it saved American lives. These were not always the easy things to do. In fact, they were usually very difficult, and often threatened his political career. But John McCain did what was right.

He said it best in his speech in New Orleans on Tuesday night:

"(The American people) know I have a long record of bipartisan problem solving. They’ve seen me put our country before any President — before any party — before any special interest — before my own interest. They might think me an imperfect servant of our country, which I surely am. But I am her servant first, last and always."

The phones at the campaign headquarters have been ringing with disaffected Democrats calling to say they believe Senator McCain has the experience, judgment, and bipartisanship necessary to lead our country in these difficult times. Many of these supporters are former supporters of Senator Clinton.

Senator McCain has had a very good working relationship with Senator Clinton and will continue to do so in the future. In the same New Orleans speech he said:

"Senator Clinton has earned great respect for her tenacity and courage. The media often overlooked how compassionately she spoke to the concerns and dreams of millions of Americans, and she deserves a lot more appreciation than she sometimes received. As the father of three daughters, I owe her a debt for inspiring millions of women to believe there is no opportunity in this great country beyond their reach. I am proud to call her my friend."

I am proud to call John McCain my friend and ask you to help our friend become the next President of the United States.

Please forward this email to your lists today and ask your friends, family, and coworkers who do not consider themselves Republicans to join me in filling out the Citizens for McCain form today.

Thank you for your willingness to help me expand this new organization. Together, we will make history.

STATE OF PLAY: Bush on U.S. Troops in Iraq

admin — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:09:47 +0000

Here at The Washington Independent, we’ve decided to track how a top story of the day is played in major publications around the Web and in print. We’re kicking off this feature, which we call "State of Play," with a collection of headlines on George W. Bush’s speech about U.S. troops in Iraq. Check it out:

Bush Defies Calls for Withdrawal of Iraq Troops (The New York Times)

Bush announces shorter deployments in Iraq (The Los Angeles Times)

Bush Backs Petraeus on Indefinite Suspension of Troop Pullout in Iraq (The Washington Post)

Bush embraces halt in U.S. troop withdrawal (USA Today)

W. Puts Freeze on Iraq Pullouts (New York Post)

Bush backs pause in withdrawls from Iraq (CNN)

Bush Cuts Combat Tour Lengths to One Year (NPR)

Bush embraces hold on troop reductions, returns to 12 month combat tours (Fox News)

–Compiled By: Kayda Norman and Chantil Thomas

VIDEO: One Iraq Veteran’s Story

admin — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 22:05:51 +0000

Jon Michael Turner’s story of serving as a Marine in Iraq was documented here by a team of video journalists on behalf of The Washington Independent. Turner testified at the Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan conference, sponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War held in Silver Spring, MD. Our national security reporter Spencer Ackerman also covered the event and reported Turner’s gripping testimony on The Independent Streak.