Crimes Against Nature

by Kennedy, Jr. Robert F.

  14. “Study Shows Airbags a Worthwhile Investment: Risk to Children Must Be Addressed,” Harvard School of Public Health press release, November 4, 1997, viewed at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/press/releases/press11041997.html.

  15. Tammy O. Tengs and John D. Graham, “The Opportunity Costs of Haphazard Social Investments in Life Saving,” in Risks, Costs, and Lives Saved: Getting Better Results from Regulation, Robert W. Hahn, ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996).

  16. “John Graham’s Distortions: Study Was Used by Him to Mislead Congress and the Media About the Cost of Health, Safety and Environmental Regulation,” Public Citizen, August 28, 2001, viewed at http://www.citizen.org/congress/regulations/bush_admin/articles.cfm?ID=5002.

  17. Ibid.

  18. “Testimony of Professor Lisa Heinzerling Concerning the Nomination of John D. Graham.”

  19. “John Graham’s Distortions.”

  20. “Industry Ally, Hostile to Health and Environmental Safeguards, Poor Choice for Key Regulatory Post in Bush Administration,” Public Citizen, viewed at http://www.citizen.org/congress/regulations/graham/edit.html.

  21. Letter from 53 Academics to the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, May 9, 2001, viewed at http://www.citizen.org/congress/regulations/graham/academics.html.

  22. “Senate Confirms Enemy of Regulations for Top Regulatory Post,” NRDC press release, July 20, 2001, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressReleases/010720.asp.

  23. “Rulemaking: OMB’s Role in Reviews of Agencies’ Draft Rules and the Transparency of Those Reviews,” U.S. General Accounting Office, September 2003 (GAO 03-929), viewed at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d03929.pdf.

  24. “Making Sense of Regulation: 2001 Report to Congress on the Cost and Benefits of Regulations and Unfunded Mandates on State, Local and Tribal Entities,” Office of Management and Budget, December 2001, viewed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/costbenefitreport.pdf.

  25. “Economic Issues: Dr. Weida’s Reports,” Grace Factory Farm Project, viewed at http://www.factoryfarm.org/topics/economic/weida/#manure_management_analysis.

  26. “Testimony of Richard J. Dove,” Senate Committee on Government Affairs, March 13, 2002, viewed at http://www.senate.gov/~gov_affairs/031302dove.htm.

  27. See “Waste: Facts and Data,” Grace Factory Farm Project, viewed at http://www.factoryfarm.org/topics/waste/facts/.

  28. “Testimony of Richard J. Dove.”

  29. Arthur Hirsch, “Meet the Choptank’s New Menace: Deadly, Shape-Changing, Tough Algae,” Baltimore Sun, March 16, 1993.

  30. Lynn Grattan et al., “Learning and memory difficulties after environmental exposure to waterways containing toxin-producing Pfiesteria or Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellates,” The Lancet, vol. 352 (1998), pp. 530-39.

  31. “Cattle-Theft Case Won’t Go to Trial As South Dakota Man Has Reached a Plea Agreement in Custer County,” Omaha World-Herald, August 22, 2002.

  32. “Rulemaking: OMB’s Role in Reviews of Agencies’ Draft Rules and the Transparency of Those Reviews,” U.S. General Accounting Office, September 2003 (GAO 03-929), pp. 103-5, viewed at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d03929.pdf.

  33. “Statement of the American Farm Bureau Federation to the Clean Air, Wetlands, Private Property and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Regarding Air Quality Standards,” presented by Adam Sharp, Assistant Director Governmental Relations, American Farm Bureau Federation, October 22, 1997, viewed at http://epw.senate.gov/105th/sharp.htm.

  5 Science Fiction

  1. See the Luntz memo, “The Environment: A Cleaner, Healthier, Safer America,” Environmental Working Group website, viewed at http://www.ewg.org/briefings/luntzmemo/pdf/Luntz Research_environment.pdf.

  2. “Bush Proposes to Cut Nondefense R&D Over the Next Five Years to Reduce Deficit,” American Association for the Advancement of Science, May 7, 2004, viewed at http://www.aaas.org/spp/rd/proj05p.pdf.

  3. Michael Oppenheimer, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., February 2004.

  4. “EPA’s Response to the World Trade Center Collapse: Challenges, Successes, and Areas for Improvement,” EPA Office of Inspector General, August 21, 2003, viewed at http://www.epa.gov/oigearth/reports/2003/WTC_report_20030821.pdf.

  5. “GAO Confirms EPA Stripped Ombudsman Authority,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler press release, November 14, 2002, viewed at http://www.house.gov/nadler/archive107/Ombudsman_111402.htm.

  6. Mike Soraghan, “EPA Leader’s Rulings on Citigroup Probed,” Denver Post, March 11, 2002.

  7. Hugh Kaufman, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., January 2004.

  8. Ibid.

  9. Juan Gonzalez, “It’s Public be Damned at the EPA,” New York Daily News, viewed at http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/112247p-101268c.html.

  10. “Ombudsman Sues to Prevent EPA From Dissolving His Office,” Greenwire, January 11, 2002.

  11. “Ombudsman Quits in Protest After Agency Transfers His Office,” Greenwire, April 23, 2002.

  12. “OSHA Panel Orders Agency to Reinstate Kaufman to Ombudsman’s Office,” Greenwire, July 16, 2002.

  13. “EPA’s Response to the World Trade Center Collapse,” pp. 7, 11.

  14. Ibid., p. 17.

  15. Ibid, p. 8.

  16. Jennifer Lee, “Details Emerge on Post 9-11 Clash Between White House and E.P.A.,” New York Times, October 10, 2003.

  17. “Trade Center Debris Pile Was a Chemical Factory, Says New Study,” UC Davis, September 10, 2003, viewed at http://delta.ucdavis.edu/wtc_debris.htm.

  18. “Analysis Reveals Over 50 % of Responders Experience Pulmonary, ENT and/or Mental Health Symptoms One Year Following NY Terrorist Attacks,” Mount Sinai Medical Center press release, January 27, 2003, viewed at http://www.wtcexams.org/pressrelease-20030127.html.

  19. Dan Tishman, president of Tishman Construction, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., January 2004.

  20. Hugh Kaufman, interview, January 2004.

  21. Peter Waldman, “EPA Bans Staff from Discussing Issue of Perchlorate Pollution,” Wall Street Journal, April 28, 2003, p. A3.

  22. John J. Fialka, “Mercury Threat to Kids Rising, Unreleased EPA Report Says,” Wall Street Journal, February 20, 2003; see also http://www.nrdc.org/bushrecord/articles/br_1258.asp?t=t.

  23. “America’s Children at Risk — Mercury in Fish,” Environmental Protection Agency, viewed at http://www.epa.gov/envirohealth/children/emerging_issues/fish.htm.

  24. “Methylmercury: Epidemiology Update,” presentation by Kathryn R. Mahaffey, U.S. EPA, at the National Forum on Contaminants in Fish, San Diego, January 26, 2004, viewed at http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/forum/2004/presentations/monday/mahaffey.pdf.

  25. “Federal Advisory For Mercury-Contaminated Fish Proves We Need To Remove Mercury From Commerce, Says NRDC,” NRDC, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/040319.asp.

  26. Marc Kaufman, “Women, Children Warned About Tuna Consumption,” Washington Post, March 19, 2004.

  27. David Ludlum, interview with Vas Aposhian, May 27, 2004.

  28. Jeremy Symons, “How Bush and Co. Obscure the Science,” Washington Post, July 13, 2003.

  29. “Report by E.P.A. Leaves Out Data on Climate Change,” New York Times, June 19, 2003.

  30. Guy Gugliotta and Eric Pianin, “EPA Withholds Air Pollution Analysis,” Washington Post, July 1, 2003, p. A03, viewed at http://www.

  washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/

  A54598-2003Jun30?language=printer.

  31. Associated Press, “New Climate Plan Draws Heat,” July 24, 2003, viewed at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/06/19/politics/main559380.shtml.

  32. Michael Oppenheimer, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., February 2004.

  33. “Research on Oil and Gas Practices,” Politics and Science, viewed at http://www.house.gov/reform/min/politicsandscience/example_oil_and_gas.htm.

  34. Letter from Rep. Henry A. Waxman to EPA Secretary Christine Todd Whitman, October 8, 2002, viewed at http://ww
w.henrywaxman.house.gov/issues.htm.

  35. Jeff Ruch, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., January 2004.

  36. Tom Hamburger, “Water Saga Illuminates Rove’s Methods,” Wall Street Journal, July 30, 2003.

  37. “Klamath River Water Levels Set Under Political Pressure,” PEER press release, viewed at http://www.peer.org/

  press/286.html.

  38. Mike Kelly, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., August 29, 2003.

  39. Michael Grunwald, “Warnings on Oil Drilling Reversed,” Washington Post, April 7, 2002.

  40. Michael Grunwald, “Interior: Drilling Won’t Violate Polar Bear Pact; Stance Contradicts Wildlife Agency’s Drafts,” Washington Post, January 18, 2002.

  41. The Fund for Animals v. Norton, 294 F. Supp. 2d 92 (D. D.C. 2003), viewed at http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov/02-2367.pdf.

  42. Roger Kennedy, interview by David Ludlum, December 2003.

  43. Perry Beeman, “Ag scientists feel the heat,” Des Moines Register, December 1, 2002, viewed at http://www.dmregister.com/business/stories/c4789013/19874144.html.

  44. James Zahn, former Agricultural Research Service microbiologist, interview by Robert Kennedy, Jr., April 2002.

  45. “Battle Over IPCC Chair Renews Debate on U.S. Climate Policy,” Science, April 12, 2002.

  46. Allyn Sappa, interview by David Ludlum, January 2004.

  47. John Paul, interview by David Ludlum, January 2004.

  48. David Michaels et al., “Advice Without Dissent,” Science, October 25, 2002.

  49. Deposition of William Banner Jr., M.D., June 13, 2002, in Rhode Island v. Lead Industries Assoc, Ind (Sup Ct. R.I.) (No. 995226), p. 133; cited in “Turning Lead Into Gold: How the Bush Administration is Poisoning the Lead Advisory Committee at the CDC,” by U.S. Rep. Edward J. Markey, October 8, 2002, viewed at http://www.mindfully.org/Health/2002/Lead-Into-Gold-MARKEY8oct02.htm.

  50. Bruce Lanphear, interview by David Ludlum, January 2004.

  51. Tom Devine, interview by David Ludlum, January 2004.

  52. Wes Wilson, interview by David Ludlum, January 2004.

  53. “Park Service Set to Outsource Staff,” PEER press release, January 27, 2003, viewed at http://www.peer.org/PARK_SERVICE/press/311.html.

  54. Wes Wilson, interview, January 2004.

  55. Tyrone B. Hayes et al., “Hermaphroditic, demasculinized frogs after exposure to the herbicide atrazine at low ecologically relevant doses,” PNAS 99: 5476-5480 (2002); viewed at http://www.pnas.org./cgi/content/abstract/99/8/6576 (abstract).

  56. Shanna H. Swan et al., “The Question of Declining Sperm Density Revisited: An Analysis of 101 Studies Published 1934-1996,” Environmental Health Perspective 108: 961-966 (2000), viewed at http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/members/2000/108p961-966

  swan/swan-full.html.

  57. Emily Green, “Regulators to Let Maker Test Chemical Levels,” Los Angeles Times, November 1, 2003.

  58. “Wetlands Pollute, Says Study OKed by EPA: EPA Biologist Resigns in Protest; Study Clears Way for SW Florida Developments,” PEER, October 22, 2003, viewed at http:

  //www.peer.org/press/403.html.

  59. Holly Greening, Tampa Bay National Estuary Program, interview by David Ludlum, January 17, 2004.

  60. Bruce Boler, interview by David Ludlum, February 17, 2004.

  61. Federal Register, vol. 68 (2003); p. 54,023 Rick Weiss, “Peer Review Plan Draws Criticism,” Washington Post, January 15, 2004.

  62. Karl Kelsey, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., March 2004.

  63. “Scientific Integrity in Policy Making,” Union of Concerned Scientists, February 2004, viewed at http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/report.cfm?publicationID=730.

  64. Michael Oppenheimer, interview by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., February 2004.

  6 Blueprint for Plunder

  1. “Energy/Natural Resources: Long-Term Contribution Trends,” Open Secrets, viewed at http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.asp?Ind=E.

  2. “Condoleezza Rice Profile,” Open Secrets, viewed at http://www.opensecrets.org/bush/cabinet/cabinet.rice.asp; see also, “The Bush-Cheney Energy Plan: Players, Profits and Paybacks,” NRDC, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/aplayers.asp.

  3. “The Bush-Cheney Energy Plan.”

  4. “The Cheney Energy Task Force,” NRDC, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/taskforce/tfinx.asp; see also, “The Bush-Cheney Energy Plan.”

  5. See http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/public_laws/acts.html; see also John W. Dean, “GAO v. Cheney Is Big Time Stalling,” at http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20020201.html.

  6. “The Bush-Cheney Energy Plan.”

  7. “Company with Energy Ties to Cheney’s Energy Task Force Faces Criminal Indictment for Gaming California’s Electricity Market,” Online Journal, viewed at http://www.onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/032604Leopold/032604leopold.html.

  8. Ibid.; see also Carl Pope and Paul Rauber, “The Bush Administration: Bright Light Must Shine on Energy Policymaking,” Los Angeles Times, December 21, 2003, p. M2.

  9. “The New Administration: Contributors to Gale Norton’s ’96 Senate Run,” Center for Responsive Politics, viewed at http://www.opensecrets.org/alerts/v6/alertv6_05.asp.

  10. “The Bush-Cheney Energy Plan.”

  11. Ibid.

  12. “ExxonMobil Corporation Announces Estimated First Quarter 2001 Results,” ExxonMobil press release, April 23, 2001, viewed at http://www2.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/Newsroom/NewsReleases/NewsReleaseIndex.asp.

  13. “Slower, Costlier and Dirtier: A Critique of the Bush Energy Plan,” NRDC, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/scd/scdinx.asp.

  14. “Letter From David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States to Rep. Henry Waxman,” January 30, 2002. viewed at http://www.house.gov/reform/min/pdfs/pdf_inves/pdf_energy_cheney_jan_30_gao_let.pdf. This suit was dismissed and the GAO did not appeal the dismissal. See Judicial Watch, “GAO Drops Lawsuit Against Cheney Energy Lawsuit,” at http://www.judicialwatch.org/3140.shtml.

  15. “GAO Suit Against Cheney Energy Task Force Rejected,” NRDC, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/bushrecord/articles/br_1199.asp?t=t.

  16. “GAO Halts Lawsuit Over Cheney Energy Files,” NRDC, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/bushrecord/articles/br_1253.asp?t=t.

  17. “Supreme Court Will Review Lawsuit Over Cheney Energy Meetings,” CNN.com, viewed at http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/12/15/scotus.cheney.ap/.

  18. Ibid.

  19. “High Court Justice a Cheney Guest,” CBSNews.com, viewed at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/11/politics/main599686.shtml.

  20. “Justice’s Blind,” Salt Lake Tribune, February 12, 2004, p. A14.

  21. “The Cheney Energy Task Force: How NRDC Brought the Records to Light,” NRDC, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/taskforce/bkgrd.asp.

  22. “Biography of Richard Cheney,” InfoPlease, viewed at http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0882164.html.

  23. Paul O’Neill, former U.S. Treasury Secretary, interview by Robert Kennedy, Jr., January 2004.

  24. “Energy Task Force: Process Used to Develop the National Energy Policy,” General Accounting Office, August 2003, viewed at http://www.mindfully.org/Energy/2003/Energy-Task-Force-GAO25aug03.htm.

  25. “The Bush-Cheney Energy Plan.”

  26. Ibid.

  27. Michael Grunwald, “Trade Groups in Lock Step Behind Bush Energy Policy,” Washington Post, May 30, 2001.

  28. “The Bush-Cheney Energy Plan.”

  29. “Industry Had Extensive Access to Industry Task Force,” NRDC, viewed at http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/taskforce/tfinx.asp.

  30. Ibid.

  31. Jason Leopold, “Another Slap on the Wrist: How Reliant Energy Withheld Power From California Consumers,” CounterPunch, February 3, 2003, viewed at http://www.counterpunch.org/leopold02032003.html.

  32. Gray Davis, California governor, interview by Robert Kennedy, Jr., January 2004.

  33. Jim Hightower, “Tom Delay Thinks He’s God’s Man
in Congress,” ZNet, December 17, 2003, viewed at http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=43&ItemID=4703; see also Public Citizen website, April 2004, at http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=1686.

  34. Mike Allen and Dana Milbank, “Cheney’s Role Offers Strengths And Liabilities,” Washington Post, May 17, 2001.

  35. Sandra Sobieraj, “Cheney: Energy Woes Take Time to Fix,” Associated Press, May 15, 2001, viewed at http:

  //www.evote.com/index.asp?Page=/

  news_section/2001-05/05142001

  Energy.asp.

  36. See the following NRDC releases: “Heavily Censored Papers Show Industry Writes Energy Report,” at http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/020327.asp; “Data Shows Industry Had Extensive Access to Cheney’s Energy Task Force,” at http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/taskforce/tfinx.asp; “Energy Department Documents Verify Industry Influence,” at http://www.nrdc.org/media/pressreleases/020521b.asp.

  37. “Data Shows Industry Had Extensive Access to Cheney’s Energy Task Force.”

  38. “The Bush-Cheney Energy Plan.”

  39. Eric Pianin and Dan Morgan, “Oil Executives Lobbied on Drilling: Two Went to Cheney Task Force to Push for Gulf of Mexico Sale,” Washington Post, February 27, 2002, p. A1.