All Things Whistleblower: A GAP Blog

Pelosi Rolls Out “Energy Independence” Package; Climate Change Issues await Fall Legislation

In honor of the July 4 holiday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has rolled out her “energy independence” package. A few days after the Senate voted on their energy legislation, this new House energy bill sets new efficiency standards for appliances (although not vehicles), increases funding for renewable fuels, and eliminates the royalty-in-kind program, among other things.

However, sharp division remains within the Democratic Party. Many of the “tough issues” – including motor vehicle fuel economy, coal-to-liquids incentives and a renewable portfolio standard – were left out of the Speaker’s proposal, which may make negotiations with the Senate somewhat difficult.

According to Pelosi and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Dingell, these issues will be addressed in a fall climate change bill.

Warning Signs

On the heels of GAP’s Climate Science Watch program outing the Bush administration’s decision to limit monitoring climate change from space (against the decries of the scientific community), new studies emerged today showing how the world’s weather systems are marching dangerous and costly conditions.  

First is a story from the New York Times detailing the expanding desertification of Africa that the U.N. is stating could turn into an “environmental crisis of global proportions” if the problem is not addressed. This effect, it appears, is stemming from climate change.

The second story, from the same publication, details how many of Alaska’s infrastructure projects (roads, sewers) are bound to wear out more quickly due to climate change. The overall cost of fixing these problems (just due to climate change alone) is likely to be $5 billion.

Maybe the U.S. should fund solid, sound climate change research to avoid future catastrophes and huge economic burdens? Perhaps?

-- Dylan Blaylock

Greenwashing

Home Depot has begun a marketing campaign that calls for its suppliers to pitch the retail-giant “green” products that are good for the environment. Of the 60,000 responses, only 2,500 products have been included in the sale thus far, as many manufacturers attempt to stretch the truth about how eco-friendly their products really are:

“Plastic-handled paint brushes were touted as nature-friendly because they were not made of wood. Wood-handled paint brushes were promoted as better for the planet because they were not made of plastic.”

Companies like these are rushing to join the “mad scramble” to claim that some of their business is eco-friendly. In an age where companies are realizing the profitability in selling green products, consumers should scrutinize exactly what makes a product friendly to the environment. Skirting qualifications strikes a chord with previous GAP stances regarding some companies’ less-than-true organic products.

Zoellick Almost Official...

It’s almost official that Robert Zoellick will be the next president of the World Bank, as he was the only one nominated (only the U.S. submitted a candidate). One has to wonder if this will be the last time that the U.S. will solely nominate the next executive, given the scandals emerging from Paul Wolfowitz’ tenure – it is possible a spoken deal was reached between America and the Board last month, for which Wolfowitz would agree to resign if the U.S. retained the right to name his successor (at least this time). (Bloomberg, Reuters)

Senate Energy Bill a Bittersweet Victory

In what is seen as a “major defeat” for car manufacturers, the Senate passed an energy bill that, among other things, sets new fuel mileage standards for cars and light trucks. By 2020, the average fuel mileage of these vehicles will have to increase to 35 miles per gallon – a move that, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists, is the “equivalent of removing 30 million of today’s cars from the road.”

Although the vote has encouraged many environmental lobbyists and congressmen, the victory is bittersweet. In order to prevent a Republican filibuster, Senate Democrats were forced to remove two of the bill’s key provisions. First, a plan to raise taxes on oil companies, a move that would have channeled thousands of dollars into research on alternative energy. Second, a “Renewable Portfolio Standard” – a requirement that electric utilities produce at least 15 percent of power from renewable fuels by 2020.

According to the American Petroleum Institute, who launched a massive lobbying and advertising campaign about the issue, these measures would “lead to higher gasoline prices.” According to Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader and a key supporter of the bill, this is just another case of the Republicans “pandering to the big oil and energy companies.”

GAP Celebrates 30th Anniversary on Monday

Dear GAP Supporters:

On Monday, June 25^th, GAP will celebrate its 30^th anniversary. Founded on June 25, 1977, GAP was created in response to Watergate and the defense and intelligence agency scandals that emerged in the 1970’s. Today, GAP is the nation’s leading whistleblower protection organization, becoming a beacon of hope for those who believe in the values of honesty, integrity, and openness. With a growing staff of over twenty individuals, and a budget over $2 million, GAP has touched the lives of thousands and has built a legacy of achievement and reform. GAP would not exist today without the sustained interest and involvement of many committed supporters, scores of volunteers, and the pioneering spirit of our courageous whistleblowers. Thank you all for making our work possible.

Problems With GNEP

In April, GAP teamed up with the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) and Friends of the Earth to release a report, Radioactive Wastes and the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership written by IPS Senior Scholar Robert Alvarez. The report examines the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP), a program that proposes to expand nuclear energy usage worldwide. In mid-June, Alvarez made a presentation at Town Hall in Seattle detailing the report and the problems with GNEP, and addressing the “solution” of increased nuclear energy usage to combat global warming.

Sign Up for GAP Conference Calls

Tonight, GAP is hosting a live conference call with David Ross, the former FDA medical officer who blew the whistle on the mishandling of the approval process for the antibiotic Ketek, and Mark Cohen, GAP Food and Drug Safety Director.

The revelations that Dr. Ross and others made resulted in significant restrictions in the approved uses for Ketek.

Last month’s conference call focused on GAP’s role in the Paul Wolfowitz scandal. That call has been archived on this page.

The announcement of these conference call are made by GAP eAlerts, which anybody can sign up to receive by entering your email address on the right of any GAP Web page in the box marked “Get GAP Email Updates”

Katrina-Related Whistleblowers

A new wave of criticism has come over insurance companies along the gulf coast, who are being accused of fraud in their handling of claims in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Multiple articles have appeared recently in the New Orleans Times-Picayune detailing a whistleblower lawsuit against eight major insurance companies. Many insurance companies cover wind damage but not flood damage, which is often covered by the National Flood Insurance Program. A group of former insurance adjusters have come forward claiming that the companies, after inspecting homes damaged by Katrina, overbilled the government for flood damage and underestimated the damage caused by wind.

State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. is one of the eight companies being accused of overestimating damage caused by floods in order to transfer some of the cost to the government. Two whistleblowers – sisters who worked for a company which contracts with State Farm – turned over thousands of records which indicate that the company manipulated engineering reports so that some policyholders received notification that their homes were not damaged by the extremely high winds, but that all damage was caused by flooding. These policyholders, therefore, received absolutely no compensation from their insurance company. Some of those homes completely destroyed in the storm.

State Farm has now asked a federal judge to disqualify the lawyer who is representing the homeowners, claiming that in working with the whistleblowers, he is committing “serious and repeated ethical violations.”

Undermining Important Food Safety Protections in Farm Bill

Today, GAP joined consumer, environmental, farmer and animal welfare groups in opposing a sneak attack on critical food safety protections in the 2007 Farm Bill. Section 123 would deny state and local governments the ability to prohibit the commercial use of food ingredients that have been approved by the Secretary of Agriculture.

At a time when the country faces one food safety scare after another, from E. coli-contaminated spinach to melamine-laced pet food, it is critical that states and localities have the authority to continue protecting their citizens. Write Representative Collin Peterson today and ask him to remove Section 123 from the Farm Bill and stop usurping the power of States and municipalities to protect the public!