Federal and local government spending on invasive flora and fauna amounts to almost $3 billion annually. That’s over three times the $830 million in actual damages caused by these non-natives. As the battle against invasive species mounts, PERC Enviropreneur Institute alum Paul Schwennesen, asks, “might our fascination with biotic menace be somewhat overblown?” As a rancherContinue reading “Scourge: Illegal Aliens in our Midst”
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Little Green Lies: Twelve Environmental Myths
Sometimes “little green lies” bend the truth and become the basis for government policies that harm the environment.
To the U.S. Forest Service: Sustaining everything sustains nothing
New Forest Service policy calls for more sustainability even for communities and recreation. Trying to make everything sustainable simply makes no sense.
No New Coal: New Source Performance Standards Don’t Clear the Air
The current administration continues to push for cleaner air. That means reducing carbon emissions according to the 2009 EPA ruling that defines carbon dioxide as an air pollutant. It should be no surprise then, that the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) on newly constructed power utilities reduces allowable carbon emissions. The new emission levels, however,Continue reading “No New Coal: New Source Performance Standards Don’t Clear the Air”
Why The Sackett Case Is Far From Over
For these Idaho landowners, complying with EPA demands meant paying to throw away their property.
A legal chasm on reservations
The uncertainties of tribal governance and judicial systems has a chilling effect on economic development on reservations. A point in case is the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
The Political Economy of Environmental Collapse
Madren Conference Center Clemson University Clemson South Carolina April 12–15, 2012 Directed by Rob Fleck and Andy Hanssen Agenda Participants Papers Introduction The objective of the conference is to examine whether (and why or why not) environmental change causes societies to collapse, as famously hypothesized by Jared Diamond, and how that depends (if so) onContinue reading “The Political Economy of Environmental Collapse”
Silent Spring at 50: Reflections on an Environmental Classic
In this PERC Policy Series, Roger E. Meiners and Andrew P. Morriss argue that Rachel Carson’s red flag was raised too high.
Solving New Zealand Biodiversity Decline, One Possum Pelt at a Time
The invasive possum, or paihamu, now occupies more than 99 percent of New Zealand. Introduced from Australia in 1837 from British immigrants hoping to kick start the fur industry, 50 to 70 million possums are now wreaking havoc on the ecology of the island nation. Without any natural predators, the possums eat 20,000 tons ofContinue reading “Solving New Zealand Biodiversity Decline, One Possum Pelt at a Time”
Earth Day 1970 revisited
On Earth Day, Bruce Yandle offers a sobering proposition: The blueprints of our major air and water pollution control statutes were flawed at birth.