EPA sued by environmental groups over Trump-era smog rule

February 15, 2021 KANKENNEWS

A coalition of 14 environmental groups on Thursday sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to challenge the Trump administration’s decision to not pursue tougher smog standards.

The rule finalized in late December kept the Obama-era air quality standard for ozone, the main component of smog, at 70 parts per billion (ppb). Administrations typically tighten the standards when they are updated every five years.

“The Trump administration corrupted and rushed the scientific review process of this rule as it walked out the door, just so industrial polluters can sit and do nothing for the harm they cause,” Seth Johnson, lead Earthjustice attorney on the case, said in a statement.

“These outdated ozone standards must be corrected not just for children’s safety and public health, but also because they are critical to addressing the climate crisis.”

The Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club and the Environmental Defense Fund were among the groups joining the suit. Fifteen states previously sued over the rule.

While ozone provides protection in the stratosphere, ground-level ozone can cause asthma attacks and other respiratory problems.

In finalizing the rule, the EPA said the move was part of an effort to streamline regulations.

“This decision fulfills the Trump administration’s promise to streamline the [National Ambient Air Quality Standards] review process,” now-former EPA Administrator Andrew WheelerAndrew WheelerEPA sued by environmental groups over Trump-era smog rule Environmental groups sue over federal permit for Virgin Islands refinery OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Court rules against fast-track of Trump EPA’s ‘secret science’ rule | Bureau of Land Management exodus: Agency lost 87 percent of staff in Trump HQ relocation | GM commits to electric light duty fleet by 2035 MORE said at the time.

Since President BidenJoe BidenWashington Post economics reporter: Federal Reserve counters arguments that Biden’s COVID-19 plan is too big Marijuana legalization advocate: ‘This could be a priority for Congress’ Blinken, UN head share first call after US rejoins Climate Accords, WHO MORE took office, the EPA has hinted that it might pursue a change in direction on air quality standards.

“The agency’s new leadership is committed to moving forward to fulfill the Biden-Harris Administration’s priorities of protecting public health and the environment, tackling the climate crisis and air pollution, advancing environmental justice, restoring science, and building back better. Because this is potential litigation, EPA has no additional information to share,” an agency spokesperson said by email.

The EPA last month asked the Justice Department to seek a pause in all cases where litigants were challenging Trump-era policies, giving the new administration a chance to reverse course and pledge to issue new regulations.

Trump DOJ officials sought to block search of Giuliani records: report

February 15, 2021 KANKENNEWS

The Trump Justice Department delayed a search warrant for Trump lawyer Rudy GiulianiRudy GiulianiLincoln Project drops ad mid-impeachment trial targeting Republicans over Capitol riot Fox News labels .7B Smartmatic defamation suit ‘meritless’ in motion to dismiss Documentary about ‘the rollercoaster journey’ of Four Seasons Total Landscaping ‘nearing completion’ MORE’s electronic records relating to Ukraine that had been sought by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, according to a report by The New York Times.

Prosecutors were seeking the records in late 2020 as part of a probe into whether Giuliani illegally lobbied the White House on behalf of Ukrainians who sought damaging information on then-presidential candidate Joe BidenJoe BidenFormer Republican officials in talks to form center-right anti-Trump party: report Biden raises concerns with Xi in first call with Chinese leader as president Castro: Trump further incited the mob ‘against his own vice president’ MORE.

The Times reports that when they reached out to senior Justice officials in Washington, a necessary step in obtaining the communications, senior officials at Justice were concerned such action would be too close to the election.

The Justice Department typically seeks to avoid investigations steeped in politics close to an election. In 2016, then-FBI Director James Coney announced he was effectively reopening an investigation related to Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillary Clinton: Trump acquittal ‘will be because the jury includes his co-conspirators’ On The Money: House panel advances measure expanding unemployment benefits in relief package | Powell says more aid needed for full recovery Biden nominee Neera Tanden recalls past discrimination MORE‘s emails as secretary of State just weeks before Election Day. Clinton, at the time the Democratic presidential nominee, has continued to blame Coney for her loss to former President TrumpDonald TrumpHillary Clinton: Trump acquittal ‘will be because the jury includes his co-conspirators’ Former Republican officials in talks to form center-right anti-Trump party: report Gaetz hits back at Kinzinger PAC targeting ‘Trumpism’ MORE.

The New York prosecutors sought the warrant again after the 2020 election, but Trump political appointees again did not sign off on the warrant, citing the fact that Giuliani and Trump were still seeking to overturn the election results in multiple states.

The Times reported that career officials at the Justice Department were largely ready to sign off on the records.

Th blocking led to widespread frustration among the prosecutors, who were skeptical every politically sensitive investigation was being handled the same way after the election. Career Justice Department officials also felt there was enough reason to believe they would uncover evidence of a crime to obtain the warrant, according to the Times.

Senior officials ultimately decided to delay making a decision on the subpoena until after Biden was sworn-in as president. It is unknown whether the prosecutors have since obtained a warrant.

The investigation specifically involves Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash, who is currently under indictment in the U.S. People with knowledge of the situation told the Times that Firtash hired two attorneys with ties to Giuliani to lobby the Justice Department to avoid extraditing him, while Giuliani sought information on Biden and his son Hunter from Firtash.

Giuliani has not been directly accused of wrongdoing and brushed off reports Trump was considering pardoning him preemptively. However, as Trump’s presidency drew to a close he asked associates whether he should lobby for one, according to the Times, citing two people with direct knowledge of the discussions.

The Hill has reached out to Giuliani for comment.

Join the Mat Men NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day watch along tonight

February 15, 2021 KANKENNEWS

Live and free on our YouTube channel tonight, join the Mat Men (Andrew Zarian and Rich Stambolian) for the NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day watch along, starting at 6:30 PM Eastern/3:30 PM Pacific.

Also, we are giving away four free one month WrestlingObserver.com online subscriptions during the show. Join our Discord for your chance to win!

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Subscriptions start at $11.99 per month and include full access to current and past Wrestling Observer and Figure Four Daily newsletters; 12,000 hours of archived podcasts, and access to an exclusive message board. YouTube-only subscriptions for video versions of WOL, Bryan & Vinny, and Figure Four Daily are also available for $7.99 per month.

Court nixes Trump move to open 10 million acres to mining

February 14, 2021 KANKENNEWS

A federal judge on Thursday ruled against a Trump administration decision to open up 10 million acres of land to mining that had previously been protected as habitat for the sage grouse bird.

Lynn Winmill, a federal judge in Idaho, ruled that the administration did not sufficiently justify its decision to remove the protections given to the area.

Winmill said he was not persuaded by the Bureau of Land Management’s argument that its decision to withdraw protections from the lands, located in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming, was based on new data.

“The new data showed that the impacts from locatable mining was more significant than the previous data showed,” the Clinton appointee wrote. “The new data does not, therefore, provide a reasoned explanation for the BLM’s change in position regarding the withdrawal. If anything, this new data indicated a greater need for the withdrawal from locatable mining than the previous data.”

Sage grouse can be found in the Western U.S. Male birds have a notable mating ritual in which they puff out the yellow-ish sacs in their chest to attract female birds.

The Bureau of Land Management declined to comment.

Environmental groups, meanwhile, praised the court’s decision as a win for the birds.

“This illegal gift to the mining industry lifted protections for 10 million acres of the most important sage-grouse habitat and would’ve pushed this beautiful bird closer to extinction,” said Michael Saul, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement.

“Now the new Interior secretary can establish appropriate habitat protections based on science, not favoritism to the mining industry,” Saul added.

Germany implements tighter border restrictions in fight against virus variants

February 14, 2021 KANKENNEWS

Germany has implemented new border restrictions as it seeks to prevent the spread of more infectious coronavirus variants in the country.

The German government will limit border crossings from the Czech Republic and the Tyrol province of Austria, with only health workers, truckers, and residents and citizens of Germany permitted to cross, according to The Associated Press.

Although Germany’s coronavirus cases have seen a slow decline in the past few weeks, the more contagious strains from South Africa and Britain have both been detected within its borders. Far more cases of the British variant have been detected in Tyrol, prompting Austria to require a negative test to travel within the rest of the country.

“[N]ot taking the mutations seriously would mean significant consequences,” said Markus Soeder, governor of Bavaria, which borders both countries.

Infection rates are particularly high in districts along the Czech border, he noted, according to the AP. He also said that the Czech parliament’s failure to extend the country’s state of emergency further complicated matters.

“On top of that comes concern at the moment with our Czech partners that it is unclear what will happen with their corona management,” Soeder said. “We are friends, we help; we gladly take in Czech patients if that’s wanted, but of course if there were to be no measures at all across the border, that means a significant danger.”

German authorities reportedly turned away nearly 300 of 717 people attempting to cross the Bavarian-Czech border Sunday morning, saying they were not among the approved categories. A smaller percentage, 247 people of over 1,000, were turned away at the German-Tyrolean border.

State governors and German Chancellor Angela Merkel reached an agreement last Wednesday to keep most nationwide lockdown measures in place through March 7, with a goal of cutting new weekly cases to 35 per 100,000 people before shops and museums can reopen.

Maryland lawmakers approve nation's first tax on digital ad revenue

February 14, 2021 KANKENNEWS

Maryland’s state Senate on Friday voted to override Gov. Larry Hogan’s (R) veto on legislation imposing a tax on digital ad revenue, making it the first state to adopt such a measure.

The 29-17 vote followed a similar one by the state’s House of Delegates Thursday and comes as more states across the country have begun introducing similar measures to tax tech giants like Google, Facebook and Amazon.

According to The New York Times, Maryland’s tax could bring an estimated $250 million in the first year after enactment, with the money set to go toward schools across the state.

In a Facebook post ahead of the vote Friday, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson (D), a former teacher for Teach for America, wrote the measure is meant to ensure “big tech pays their fair share while making billions of dollars a year using our personal data to sell digital ads.”

“This targeted tax on companies that make over $100,000,000 a year ONLY from digital advertising is a vital mechanism to make sure big tech pays taxes in Maryland, just like our small businesses,” he continued.

He went on to say, “At a time when Maryland’s budget is being impacted in unforeseen and astronomical ways due to COVID-19, Maryland families and businesses can foot the bill, or big tech can start paying their fair share.”

Hogan vetoed the bill last May, arguing at the time that it would “raise taxes and fees on Marylanders at a time when many are already out of work and financially struggling.”

The GOP governor added then, “With our state in the midst of a global pandemic and economic crash, and just beginning on our road to recovery, it would be unconscionable to raise taxes and fees now.”

The Internet Association, a trade group representing companies like Facebook and Google, said in a statement following the Maryland House vote Thursday that the tax would negatively impact small businesses that rely on digital advertising as “a critical lifeline” to gain new customers, according to CNN.

Lawmakers in Connecticut and Indiana have proposed similar tax measures, while other states like West Virginia and New York fell short last year of passing taxes aimed at tech giants.

UK scientists say COVID-19 variant likely linked to higher death risk

February 14, 2021 KANKENNEWS

United Kingdom scientists have found the U.K. coronavirus variant is likely linked to a higher death risk than other coronavirus variants.

A new document shows that there is evidence that the U.K. variant leads to more deaths and hospitalizations, but it is not clear why, The New York Times reported.

It is not clear if the virus is more deadly because it has more of a viral load or if it is due to external factors like it being more prevalent in those who are more at risk for death with the virus.

The coronavirus vaccines that are on the market are able to defend against the U.K. variant, but it is a cause of concern for many as vaccination rollouts have hit snags in some places around the world.

The U.K. strand also spreads quicker than other variants, as the United States already has over 800 cases in 37 states. There are a known 82 other countries that have also seen the U.K. variant.

Despite the variant transmitting faster and likely contributing to more hospitalizations, it is still uncommon for those who are young or are in good health to get seriously ill from the virus.

Along with the U.K. strand, South Africa and Brazil also have their own strands of the coronavirus that are coming out. Those strands are in the U.S. as well but as are not as prevalent.

Oath Keeper wanted to load boat with weapons for Potomac

February 14, 2021 KANKENNEWS

A member of the right-wing paramilitary group the Oath Keepers in the days leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot proposed a plan to transport “heavy weapons” in a boat across the Potomac River, prosecutors said in a Thursday court filing.

Federal prosecutors made the allegation in a memo opposing a motion for release from the attorneys of Thomas Edward Caldwell, who along with fellow Oath Keeper members Jessica Marie Watkins and Donovan Crowl faces conspiracy charges in connection with alleged plans to lead a coup ahead of the deadly pro-Trump mob attack.

Days before the attack, prosecutors in the court filing say Caldwell reached out to a member of the Three Percenters, an extremist gun rights militia, saying with “someone standing by at a dock ramp (one near the Pentagon for sure) we could have our Quick Response Team with the heavy weapons standing by, quickly load them and ferry them across the river to our waiting arms.”

The revelation came the same day prosecutors in a separate memo called for Watkins to be held in jail without bail, saying she had been awaiting instructions from former President TrumpDonald TrumpCapitol Police issues no confidence vote in leaders Graham’s post-election call with Georgia’s Secretary of State will be investigated: report Trump told McCarthy that rioters ‘more upset about the election than you are’: report MORE in the days leading up to the attack.

Prosecutors say that in the days after the presidential election, Watkins told other militia members that she was awaiting cues from Trump before taking action against what the former president had been calling a stolen election.

“I am concerned this is an elaborate trap,” Watkins allegedly wrote in a text message sent on Nov. 9. “Unless the POTUS himself activates us, it’s not legit. The POTUS has the right to activate units too. If Trump asks me to come, I will. Otherwise, I can’t trust it.”

Prosecutors say the filings offer further evidence that the three members of the Oath Keepers played a key role in organizing fellow militia members to attack the Capitol, with text messages discussing potential plans dating as far back as November.

Caldwell’s attorneys on Tuesday claimed that he has worked for the FBI and holds a top security clearance. His attorneys wrote in a court filing that the Navy veteran worked as a section chief for the FBI from 2009 to 2010, and he also ran a consulting firm that performed work for several U.S. government agencies.

Caldwell, 66, has denied being a member of the Oath Keepers.

Federal authorities so far have arrested and brought charges against more than 200 people since the Capitol breach, in which multiple people died amid the chaos, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. Two additional officers who responded to the rioting have since died by suicide.

Friday marks the fourth day of Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, where he faces one article from the House alleging that he incited the violence at the Capitol with his repeated unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

House impeachment managers on Thursday among their oral arguments to the Senate highlighted multiple examples of rioters indicating that they believed Trump had ordered them to overtake the Capitol.

AstraZeneca says vaccines against new variants may take six months to produce

February 14, 2021 KANKENNEWS

AstraZeneca said in a company document published Thursday that producing vaccines focused on combating new COVID-19 variants could take at least six months

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker, which has worked with Oxford University to produce its vaccine, said in a 2020 review that it “hopes to reduce the time needed to reach production at scale to between six to nine months, by utilising existing clinical data and optimising its established supply chain.”

The AstraZeneca vaccine, now rolling out in the U.K. and European Union, was praised for its cheap production costs and its less-constraining storage requirements. But recent data has showed it offers “minimal protection” against a COVID-19 variant that was first discovered in South Africa.

CEO Pascal Soriot acknowledged the vaccine’s faults during a call with reporters, according to Reuters.

“Is it perfect? No it’s not perfect, but it’s great. Who else is making 100 million doses in February?” he asked.

“We’re going to save thousands of lives and that’s why we come to work every day,” he added.

South Africa ordered the AstraZeneca vaccine to stop being administered in the country, where the more contagious strain has become dominant.

Still, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended the vaccine for emergency use for adults, including in countries where variants are the most prominent.

“Even if there is a reduction in the possibility of these vaccines having a full impact in its protection capacity especially against severe disease, there is no reason not to recommend its use even in countries that have the circulation of the variants,” Alejandro Cravioto, the chairman of WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunizations, said on Wednesday.

AstraZeneca also reported on Thursday that it saw double-digit revenue growth last year despite the pandemic.

That financial gain does not include any growth due to the vaccine, which will be reported separately. AstraZeneca has vowed to provide its vaccine on a nonprofit basis throughout the pandemic, The Associated Press noted.

Uber and Walgreens to offer free rides to COVID-19 vaccine sites

February 14, 2021 KANKENNEWS

Uber and Walgreens are partnering to offer free rides to COVID-19 vaccination sites in an effort to expand vaccine availability in communities of color.

The companies said in a joint statement that Uber will offer free transportation to Walgreens and offsite vaccination clinics. Once an individual has made an appointment, they will then be able to schedule a free ride.

The program will begin in Chicago; Atlanta; Houston; and El Paso, Texas.

The effort is part of Uber’s larger commitment from December to offer 10 million free or discounted rides for customers getting vaccinated.

Pharmacies are expected to take on an expanded role in vaccine distribution as a key part of President BidenJoe BidenPostal Service posts profits after surge in holiday deliveries Overnight Defense: Pentagon pushes to root out extremism in ranks | Top admiral condemns extremism after noose, hate speech discovered GOP senators send clear signal: Trump’s getting acquitted MORE’s goal to administer 100 million vaccine doses in his first 100 days in office.

Walgreens said last Tuesday that it is beginning vaccinations in its stores on Friday across 15 states and jurisdictions as part of the Biden administration’s Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.

The free rides are one of several efforts that Uber and Walgreens are taking to address vaccine hesitancy as vaccines become available.

Uber said it will add an in-app feature that will allow its active drivers — including delivery people and freight carriers — to get a vaccine appointment. The companies also plan on partnering with the National Urban League on a new program to address vaccine hesitancy.

People of color are more likely to die of COVID-19 than white Americans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found. However, initial data on coronavirus vaccines show white Americans outpacing minority communities in receiving vaccinations.

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Monthly Archives: February 2021

EPA sued by environmental groups over Trump-era smog rule

Trump DOJ officials sought to block search of Giuliani records: report

Join the Mat Men NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day watch along tonight

Court nixes Trump move to open 10 million acres to mining

Germany implements tighter border restrictions in fight against virus variants

Maryland lawmakers approve nation's first tax on digital ad revenue

UK scientists say COVID-19 variant likely linked to higher death risk

Oath Keeper wanted to load boat with weapons for Potomac

AstraZeneca says vaccines against new variants may take six months to produce

Uber and Walgreens to offer free rides to COVID-19 vaccine sites