June 22, 2006

Hottest in 400 years

Filed under: Outdoors — Mike @ 11:54 am

 You mean Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge and Sean Hannity were wrong about global warming?  Shocking.

 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13474997/

Humans behind Earth’s warming, scientists say.

WASHINGTON - Weighing in on the highest profile debate about global warming, the nation’s premier science policy body on Thursday voiced a “high level of confidence” that Earth is the hottest it has been in at least 400 years, possibly even longer.

A panel convened by the National Research Council reached that conclusion in a broad review of scientific studies, reporting that the evidence indicates “recent warmth is unprecedented for at least the last 400 years.”

The panel of top climate scientists told lawmakers that the Earth is running a fever and that “human activities are responsible for much of the recent warming.” Their 155-page report said average global surface temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere rose about 1 degree F during the 20th century.

Gas leases make inroads into roadless areas

Filed under: Outdoors — Mike @ 8:30 am

http://www.newwest.net/index.php/main/article/gas_leases_make_inroads_into_roadless_areas/

Parts of the White River National Forest and an adjacent forest that are currently designated as roadless areas could be opened up to drilling after an auction of oil and gas leases set for August.

Some environmentalists say that would circumvent a state process designed to make recommendations to the federal government about which roadless areas should receive stiffer protections.

With the state roadless task force set to meet in Glenwood Springs on Wednesday to discuss the White River National Forest, environmentalists are criticizing the decision by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to offer up these parcels before the group’s work is done.