News Articles, Essay Example

Army Overseer Tells of Ouster Over KBR Stir. By James Risen. June 17, 2008, Washington, D.C., This 1,371-word story is about Charles M. Smith, the U.S. Army’s top Iraq contract-manager, being fired after he refused to approve $1 billion in charges he found to be questionable. The dismissal took place in 2004. The contractor was KBR, a provider of supplies and services to American troops. Smith’s replacement then approved the payments. An Army spokesman, Jeffrey P. Parsons, is quoted as confirming the reversal of Smith’s decision. It was done, Parsons said, because KBR had warned that failure to pay the charges would erode services. Heather Browne, a spokeswoman for KBR, is quoted next, saying that KBR abided by the terms of its contract and did nothing wrong. California Democratic Representative. Henry Waxman is then quoted as saying that Smith’s claim confirms his “worst fears”. Vice President Dick Cheney, former KBR head through Halliburton, its parent company, is mentioned.

Smith pointed out that he waited until he retired to speak out, and his earlier career is summarized. Smith’s supervisor, Maj. Gen. Wade H. McManus Jr. is mentioned, as is: Tina Ballard, a deputy assistant secretary; Smith’s deputy Mary Beth Watkins; Lt. Col. Brian Maka, a Pentagon spokesman; Paul Heagen, a spokesman for companies RCI and SercoGroup; and Bob Bauman, a fraud investigator, who is quoted questioning contractors having access to government data in order to “scrub” it. The story ends stating KBR had its contract renewed.

Groups Sue After E.P.A. Fails to Shift Ozone Rules. By John M. Broder. October 11, 2011, Washington, D.C. This 416-word story reports that five health and environmental groups have sued the Obama administration after it rejected stricter standards of ozone air pollution. They contend that the decision illegally continues a Bush administration overruling of the EPA mandating enforcement of the stricter standard. The looser standard is stated as exposure at 75 parts per billion. The tighter standard is 70 parts per billion. Lisa P. Jackson, EPA administrator, is named as wanting the tighter standard. Ozone is defined and its health impacts named.

The latest ruling angered environmental groups, who had suspended an earlier lawsuit against the Bush administration on the assumption that the Obama administration would enforce the tougher standards. The EPA claimed the new standard would put hundreds of counties out of compliance and cost $19 billion to $25 billion to implement, but would have produced health benefits of $13 billion to $37 billion. David Barone, of Earthjustice, is named and quoted.

 (No) Drill, Baby, Drill. By Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times op-ed columnist. April 11, 2009. Liberia, Costa Rica. This 850-word story describes Costa Rica’s “holistic” environmental policies and how they differ from other countries’ policies. The program began in the 1990s, he writes, and it took a radical course to protect its biodiversity. That diversity is described as the product of being at the intersection of two continents and two oceans. Its philosophy is quoted as “payment for environmental services.” Friedman contends that the key to Costa Rica’s success was to put energy, environment, mines, and water all under one minister.

Carlos M. Rodríguez served in that post and is described as vice president for Conservation International. With one person in charge, he is quoted, it is possible to cost natural resources such as renewable energy in future terms. Rodriguez believes renewables will get cheaper over the next 25 years. Costa Rica has invested heavily in hydro-electric power, wind, and geo-thermal, imposed a tax on carbon emissions, and banned oil drilling. Friedman mentions Costa Rica’s policies favorably and worth attention within the context of a “new energy future.”