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EarthWINS Daily #3.47
1/12/98
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 12:39:30 -0800 (PST)
From: Alice McCombs <amccombs@igc.apc.org>
Contents
1. Excellent Legal Resource: LawGuru.com
2. Information Request
3. Copper Mining Destroying RainForests
4. ACTION ALERT: Ecuador
5. Pegasus Gold Goes Bust* You Get The Bill?
6. Non Profits reach out on the Web
7. MAI MAI
a. Big News !!
b. MAI Internet Sites (fwd)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1. Excellent Legal Resource: LawGuru.com
Date: Fri, 9 Jan 1998 02:56:50 -0600
From: "LawGuru.com" <lawtalk@lawguru.com>
From: Bahman Eslamboly
Attorney at Law
e-mail: lawtalk@lawguru.com
URL" http://www.lawguru.com
I have carefully assembled more than 340+ legal related search
engines onto our site into a "gigantic" metaindex search tool. These
are not just links to the search engines but the actual search forms
for each engine. It is a great tool for legal research allowing you
to
access for free much of what major commercial service still charge
lots
of money for.
Our listTool - Mailing and Discussion List Manager makes the process
of subscribing, unsubscribing and sending commands to over 500+
mailing and discussion lists easy. Enter your email address, select
the
mailing list, pick the command and press the "Send Command to List"
button and our software will do the rest. Users can also search
our
database of thousands of legal questions and answers or post a free
question to our network of 190+ attorneys across the United States.
Attorneys can join the network for free.
If you do wish to link to us the url for our Home Page is:
http://www.lawguru.com/. The url for the Legal Research page is:
http://www.lawguru.com/search/lawsearch.html although a link to the
Home Page is always preferred.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 1998 10:56:24 -0700
From: Gene Bernofsky <wwfe@ism.net>
Reply-To: wwfe@ism.net
Organization: World Wide Film Expedition
Does anyone have any information on the titanium mine Dupont plans to
build on the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia? Would greatly
appreciate any leads. Please contact Gene Bernofsky, World Wide Film
Expedition <wwfe@ism.net> Thank you!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
3. Copper Mining Destroying RainForests
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 07:02:06 -0800 (PST)
Sender: owner-rags-rap@igc.apc.org
To anyone who thinks that computers are an answer to reducing paper
consumption so as to save forests, guess where all that copper for
the
information superhighway's coming from. . .
Drillbits & Tailings
Volume 3 , Number 1
January 7, 1998
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY SUBSIDISES WORLD'S BIGGEST COPPER MINE
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) - a joint project of the World
Bank,
the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations
Environment Program (UNEP) - is subsidizing Codelco, the world's largest
copper producer.
Compania del Cobre de Chile, a Chilean state company known by the acronym
Codelco, is the largest single producer of copper in the world which
operates the largest subterranean mine in the world, El Teniente, and
the
world's largest open-pit mine, Chuquicamata.
The GEF was created in 1990 as a vehicle to pay for the implementation
of
environmental agreements like the Biodiversity and Climate Change
convention. In the last eight years it has often served to "greenwash"
environmentally destructive projects from coal mining in Singrauli,
India,
to dams in Laos. The latest GEF scheme is to give a US$1.7 million
grant to
Codelco to replace relatively inefficient motors with high-efficiency
ones
at Codelco's huge El Teniente copper refinery near Rancagua, about
100
kilometers south of Santiago. The company hopes that this will hopes
to
slash its electricity bill, cut production costs and indirectly reduce
the
amount of carbon dioxide it spews into the atmosphere every year.
Carlos del Castillo, UNDP representative, told journalists that the
deal
between his agency and Codelco's El Teniente unit "will serve as an
example
for the rest of Chilean industry." Codelco spent US$200 million last
year
to buy a quarter of the electricity in Chile. More efficient motors
at
Codelco would slash production costs by 2-6 percent, say experts.
The World Bank's International Finance Corporation recently played a
major
role in building up Chile's electricity industry when it made a loan
to
develop the Pangue dam on the Bio-Bio river in Chile which has had
a major
impact on the traditional territories of the Mapuche indigenous peoples.
Meanwhile Codelco is looking into destroying a vast area of fragile
rainforest in Junin, northern Ecuador, where it has a joint venture
to mine
for copper on the slopes of the Toisan Cordillera which forms a part
of the
natural limits of the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve. The exploration
would damage over 2,100 square kilometers of tropical forests which
are
home to over 20 species of endangered animals.
SOURCES: "Codelco Update Of Machinery Is Also Boost To Environment"
By
Larry Luxner, Miami Herald, January 3, 1998; "Green Groups Blast Chile's
Mining Plans In Ecuador", Reuters, August 27, 1997; pers. comm. with
Aleta
Brown, International Rivers Network; DATE TK; "New Environment Fund
To
Admit Activists To Meetings" by Pratap Chatterjee, Inter Press Service,
July 15 1994.
__________________________________________________
R A I N F O R E S T R E L I E F
Dedicated to the Preservation of the World's Rainforests
Rainforest Relief works to protect the
world's remaining tropical
and temperate rainforests by reducing the demand for the
products
and materials of rainforest destruction such as timber,
plantation agricultural
products such as bananas, beef, coffee,
chocolate, and cut flowers and mining products
such as gold, oil and other metals.
Brooklyn, NY: phone/fax: (718) 832-6775
Portland, OR: (503) 236-3031
Email: relief@igc.apc.org
http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/rainrelief
P.O. 150566 * Brooklyn, NY 11215 USA
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
nfnena
en.alerts
7:31 AM Jan 12, 1998
(at sover.net)
mstone@zoo.uvm.edu
Subject: secoya v occidental
by Jen Smith
>ACTION ALERT
>
>"Occidental brought gifts of pots and pans for our kitchens.
But what we
>need to realize is that with the company's presence on our land, we
will
>have nothing to put in those pots and pans. We need long term
sustainable
>life and buisness in our jungle, not toxic chemicals contaminating
our
>rivers." Secoyan Naturlist Guide
>
>Native Secoyan people from Northeastern Ecuador along the Aguarico
River
>are sending out an action alert to supporters of their efforts.
>
>The last six months have been full of struggle. The United States
based
>company, Occidental Petroleum (OXY), has been pressuring the 450 remaining
>Secoya people to sell the rights to drill for oil on all 42,000 hectares
>of traditional territory. Until recently, the Secoya people,
who rely
>heavily on hunting, fishing, and gathering to complement small scale
>cultivation of cash and subsistence crops, have prohibited oil development
>in their forest.
>
>OXY has used deceitful tactics to divide native people. Aluminum
canoes,
>solar panels, computers, less than $1000 per family, and Christmas
toys
>have infiltrated the schools and homes of the community. Political
>officials from the Secoya community have been taken to five star hotels
in
>the capital and led on vacations to the coast and United States.
Secoya
>people have been promised top positions and highly paid jobs within
the
>company. Following this insidious game of bribes and unlikely
promises,
>the community opened into electoral process over the question of the
>company's exploration. 70% voted for OXY's right to enter while
30%
>strongly defended the right to remain independant from oil drilling
on
>traditional land.
>
>For the past 30 years neighboring peoples in the Ecuadorian Amazon
have
>been poisoned by the process of oil exploration. Occidental
Petroleum has
>already reeked havoc in Quichua communities where they have shown
>absolutley no regard for settled areas, destroying gardens and homes
in
>the town of Limoncocha. These communities affected by petroleum
>development have been plagued by an onslaught of health problems such
as
>cancer, skin rashes, spontaneous abortion, and birth defects.
Due to
>ruptures in pipe lines and waste pits left unlined and open next to
>drilling sites, raw crude oil, toxic drilling waster, formation water
>(pumped with the petroleum containing arsenic, cyanide, lead, and
mercury)
>is dumped into water sources. The heavy rains and lack of environmental
>controls in the Ecuadorian Amazon further exacerbates the problem
of waste
>run off, allowing US companies to contaminate the entire zone with
no
>consequences. A severely contaminated Shuara community near the oil
boom
>town of Lago Agrio, has a 98% malnutrition rate because the main source
of
>protein, fish in local rivers, have been killed by pollutants.
And in
>the past twenty-five years three major ruptures have coated the Aguarico
>River with a 40 centimeters deep petroleum cap, forcing Secoya people
to
>fish miles away in smaller tributaries.
>
>The first stage of exploration on Secoya land has already begun.
This has
>involved seismic studies by gridding the entire concession with trails
and
>detonating underground explosives at regular intervals along the trails.
>Explosions have scared away local game that will never return to cleared
>areas. Outraged by corporate bribery and the beginning stages
of clear
>cuts for highways, heliports, and drilling station, the 30% opposed
are on
>campaign to halt OXY's destruction of their livelihood and sustenance.
>
>The opposed are asking that we in the United States demand that OXY
remove
>itself from Secoya territory. They believe that the means they
used to
>buy out a culture is inhumane and ultimately forcing a peole to work
>towards its own ethnocide is against human rights. They are
inviting
>delegates from all interested parties to come witness and document
what is
>occurring to the Secoya people and their rainforest. All interested
>supporters can contact Cesar Piaguaje in Ecuador at Casa de La Cultura,
18
>de Noviembre y Av. Colombia, Nueva Loja, Sucumbios, telf:06-830-624
or
>fax:06-830-115. The CEO of Occidental Petroleum, Ray Irani, can be
located at
>10889 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90024, at 213-879-1700.
Demand
>that OXY leave Secoya territory.
For further information please contact Jen Smith <mstone@zoo.uvm.edu>
*******************************************************************
Informaltion transfer via:
NATIVE FOREST NETWORK
Eastern North America Resource Center
POB 57
Burlington, VT 05402 USA
(802)863-0571
(802)863-2532 Fax
PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF OUR NEW Email: nfnena@sover.net
http://www.nativeforest.org
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
5. Pegasus Gold Goes Bust* You Get The Bill?
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 14:05:07 -0500
From: JEFF BERMAN <BERMAN@nwf.org>
http://www.nwf.org/lands/mining/zortman.html
When a mining company fails to reclaim a mine, it is the public that
ultimately pays the price for inadequate regulation of hard rock mining
on
public lands, thanks to the Mining Law of 1872. A case in point is
unfolding today in Montana.
Surrounded on three sides by the Fort Belknap Indian reservation, the
Zortman-Landusky (Z-L) gold mine, Montana*s largest, was historically
part
of the tribal lands of the Assiniboine and Gros Ventre tribes.
The area
continues to be held sacred by these peoples despite water pollution
and a
completely destroyed landscape. According to Gus Helgeson, President
of
Island Mountain Protectors, "Clean Water Act violations are still occurring
daily. On the southern drainage in Montana Gulch the water is
still
running red."
Environmental problems began almost from the day Pegasus Gold of Canada,
who owns Z-L, commenced mining there. To extract tiny specks
of gold from
large masses of rock, massive quantities of cyanide are sprayed on
crushed
heaps of ore. Lax environmental controls at the mine have allowed
water
pollution from spills, leaks and discharges through almost every route
possible. They even had to spray cyanide solution on a hillside
to avoid
failure of a dam holding back a stew of mine waste. Meanwhile,
toxic heavy
metals and acid mine drainage have found their way from the mine into
local
waterways, killing aquatic and other wildlife.
Today, an ominous threat looms even larger over the land -and the peoples
that rely on it. Pegasus Gold of Canada is teetering on the edge
of
bankruptcy, according to recent news accounts in the Billings Gazette
(MT).
If Pegasus goes belly-up, much of the cleanup tab will be left with
the
taxpayers of Montana and the whole U.S. Sometimes a bond (i.e.
insurance
policy) is collected by the state or federal government to cover cleanup
costs should the mining corporation fail. Too often, however,
the bond is
woefully insufficient to pay for the necessary cleanup. The Mining
Law of
1872 - which governs mining operations on public lands - does not even
require mining companies to post a bond to ensure the clean-up of such
mine
sites. The American public may soon be pegged with the clean-up
bill if
Pegasus fails to live up to its obligation to cleanup the mine and
restore
the water to productive use.
What You Can Do:
Contact the Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, and tell him to
strengthen the bonding requirements contained in the BLM*s mining rules:
so they clearly apply to both surface and groundwater,
so that water quality is monitored over many years to ensure that the
long
term problems often associated with hard-rock mines is accounted for
and
cleaned up,
and so that bonding requirements are set to levels that guarantee cleanup
of both land and water resources.
In particular, to ensure that long term water pollution problems are
addressed at Z-L and taxpayers don*t get stuck with the bill if Pegasus
Gold goes belly-up, request that Secretary Babbitt reassess the BLM*s
liability to ensure that the bond for Z-L is sufficient. You can reach
Secretary Babbitt by writing to:
The Honorable Bruce Babbitt
Secretary of the Interior
1825 C St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20240
fax: 202-452-5113
Also, write Jan Sensibaugh at the Montana Permitting and Compliance
Division. Insist that no part of Z-L*s bond is returned until
Pegasus
shows it can operate the water treatment plant to meet the requirements
of
the forthcoming MPDES (Montana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System)
permit. She can be reached at:
Jan Sensibaugh, Administrator
Montana Permitting and Compliance Division
Box 200901, Helena, MT 59620-0901
fax: 406-444-1374
email: jsensibaugh@mt.gov
This alert was prepared by the National Wildlife Federation. NWF
works to
publicize damaging mine proposals now on the drawing board throughout
North
America, and to help correct the pollution and taxpayer problems so
often
associated with older mines. Each month in 1998, NWF will publicize
a
single mine problem or proposal such as Zortman-Landusky, coupled with
the
information you need to help stop the environmental,. fiscal, and social
problems so often associated with hard-rock mining. To learn
more, contact
Jeff Berman at 303-786-8001, ext. 13, or on email at berman@nwf.org.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
6. Non Profits reach out on the Web
stop-the-slaught
en.alerts
1:15 PM Jan 10, 1998
(at wildrockies.org)
Hans Anderson Business Columns, Missoulian, Missoula, MT
Non Profits reach out on the Web
"Grassroots organizations use the Internet as an inexpensive way to
spread
their message"
Many non-profit grass roots organizations that cannot afford the big
budget
media and publicity campaigns are finding that email and web sites
can
level the playing field.
Non-profits are a good model for much of "what's right" with the Internet.
Through the inexpensive medium of web sites and email, the grass roots
groups can reach thousands of people.
"We like to look at it as another tool in our belt," said Jim Coefield,
Executive Directory of the WildRockies Information Network. Coefield
points
out that web sites and person to person email isn't all there is to
a good
online campaign. "As I see it, the web is just one portion of our online
strategy." Other avenues include hosting files on an FTP server,
sending
bulk email to
subscribers that have signed up for more information, as well as the
standard faxed or mailed press release. One of Coefield's web sites,
at
http://www.wildrockies.org, is a centerpiece to many Rocky Mountain
West
activist groups. Coefield himself helps many non-profits groups become
better acquainted with the web. He consults groups on how to best use
email, FTP and
the World Wide Web, as well as recommending software and hardware,
internet
access providers and web site hosting services.
Says Coefield, "in one sense we can broaden our constituency, reach
more
people" by using techniques such as electronic mailing lists and web
sites.
Reach used to be limited to newspaper ads and faxed or mailed press
releases. As always, the web is not replacing these other mediums,
as the
VCR didn't replace the movie theater, but it is broadening the potential
of
these
small groups who don't, as Coefield puts it, have the infrastructure
to
generate propaganda like the usually well-funded corporations small
activist groups attempt to counter.
Many groups are thankful for the services of Coefield. Sue Gregerson
is an
activist who is working on stopping the killing of bison near Yellowstone
National Park. "Jim is doing valuable work, excellent work." Gregerson
adds
that Coefield gives small, low budget grass roots organizations access
to
technology that is effective in spreading the word.
Gregerson herself is a volunteer who spends whatever time she can working
on the bison issue. "I'm just a concerned mom," she said when asked
how she
got started. Gregerson took an interest in the bison issue in early
1997,
when she "went down there when (the killing of bison) topped 1000.
It was
how do I get the word out that they've killed over a 1000?'" In May
she
turned to the web, putting up pages on space supplied by Coefield's
non-profit. The web site,
online at http://www.wildrockies.org/Talus/Bison/bison.html has graphic
pictures of dead bison from last winter, as well as "action" information
such as how to boycott the beef industry or how to reach Senator Max
Baucus.
These are good examples of how the web is assisting in the spread of
information. Whether you agree with these activists is not the
point.
Grass roots organizations are small, usually staffed by inexperienced
yet
passionate people, and are typically on a shoe-string budget. In other
words,
they are like most small businesses. Despite all of this, these
organizations are getting the word out, often a difficult task in sparsely
populated regions like Montana.
These groups are an excellent model for using the Internet to it's best
potential. Any small business should study how an activist organization
works and develop similar online tactics. They know how to market
themselves by being visible and they keep their web sites up to date.
Gregerson estimates she spends five to 10 hours per week working on
bison
and web related issues. That's a lot of time spent gathering information,
sending email, writing press releases
and updating a web page. But that is the kind of time it takes to put
up a
good web site and to keep that site visible.
Gregerson believes that the Internet's power is best revealed in the
activist leader of Zapatista rebels in the mountains of Mexico,
Subcomandante Marcos. Marcos has been using email and a web site to
increase the visibility of his cause and plight to the international
community while remaining hidden from the Mexican Army. It brings
new
meaning to a one-man army, and it's
just the start of what your business can do against tough competition.
Hans Anderson is an independent Internet consultant.
Hans Anderson, LLC
(406) 549-6524 ~ hans@westernmt.com
or search the text of past columns at
http://www.westernmt.com/columns
POB 426
Missoula, MT 59806
***********************
If you are a web weaver and have a link to the buffalo pages...drop
me a
quick note...i have a suprise for you!
su
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
zenekar
US Green Discussion Forum 8:55
PM Jan 9, 1998
(at sonic.net)
>Date: 09 Jan 1998 16:27:52
>Reply-To: Conference "gpty.uk.forum" <gpty.uk.forum@conf.igc.apc.org>
>From: joe.otten@virgin.net
>
>On Tue, 06 Jan 1998 22:29:41 -0800, in talk.politics.european-union
>jgile@vanisle.net (John Gile) wrote:
>
>>The Canadian Parliament in November held eleven public investigative
>>meetings on the Multilateral Agreement on Investments (MAI).
The
>>transcriptions of the testimony and debates from the subcommittee
hearings
>>are now on the Parliament web site.
>>
>>This is the FIRST public hearing in the world that I know of, and
now the
>>previously SECRET or behind-the-scenes information is out in public!
>>
>>This is REALLY BIG NEWS - and Canada and all the organizations working
on
>>it deserve great applause - the world will benefit. The debates
are
>>fascinating.
>>
>>This agreement has substantial consequences to laws and all jurisdictions
>>to all the other 27 countries in OPEC.
>>
>>You can download these hearings, the final report, plus commentary
pages on
>>the MAI from around the world at the MAI web site -
>>http://www.islandnet.com/~ncfs/maisite/
>>
>>John Gile, Victoria, B.C. Canada
>>---------------------------------
>>NEW! - Canadian Government reveals details of
>>previously SECRET MAI international trade agreement !!
>>--------------------------------------
>>See at http://www.islandnet.com/~ncfs/maisite/
--------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 1998 10:36:44 -0500 (EST)
Sender: owner-corporations@envirolink.org
From: Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>
For those interested in the Multilateral Agreement on Investment, some
relevant web sites (collected by the Preamble Center in Washington,
D.C.)
follow.
Robert Weissman
Essential Information
| Internet: rob@essential.org
PREAMBLE CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY
SOME MAI INTERNET SITES
January, 1998
"Anti-MAI" Web Sites
http://www.citizen.org/pctrade/mai.html
Public Citizen's Global Trade
Watch MAI web page. A wealth of information on the subject including
the
complete MAI text.
http://www.islandnet.com/~ncfs/maisite
The Island Centre for Community initiatives and the National Centre
for
Sustainability in Canada. Everything from articles to a massive
links
page to pros and cons to updates.
Http://www.foe.org/ga/mai.html
Friends of the Earth - US. Information on MAI and the potential
environmental impacts.
Http://www.nassist.com/mai/
The Canadian Polaris Institute. A collection of high-quality
articles on
the MAI such as Tony Clarke's MAI-DAY article and information on the
Ethyl
case.
http://www.flora.org/mai-not
The Ontario Public Interest Research Group. Lots of links to other
good
sites, well organized and good information.
Http://www.crisny.org/not-for-profit/unions/mai.htm
New York Solidarity. This site has a great deal of basic info on the
MAI.
Very nice for those just learning about the agreement.
"Pro-MAI" Web Sites
http://www.oecd.org/daf/cmis/mai//maindex.html
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's site created
to promote the MAI. Lots of information.
http://www.ustr.gov.html
The United States Trade Representative's office. Official negotiators
of
the MAI for the U.S. government.
http://www.state.gov.html
The United States Department of State. Official negotiators of
the MAI
for the U.S. government.
http://www.imex.com/uscib/policy/mailtr.htm
A letter written by the United States Council on International Business
defending the MAI. Deals primarily with environmental issues.
Other
http://www.rtk.net:80/preamble/mai/maihome.html
The Preamble Center for Public Policy in Washington, D.C. In-depth
analysis, both pro and con, of the Agreement. Numerous original
research
papers on the MAI covering topics from the impact on jobs and the economy
to the impact on women world-wide. A 20-page bibliography of
MAI
materials from around the world.
Disclaimer
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