Under Bush's plan, citizens could still sue, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service could not spend any money enforcing the results of the suits, essentially making them meaningless. The U.S. EPA on Monday asked the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the agency's decision in December to order power plants to reduce their mercury emissions. Some environmentalists, eager for good news, rushed to cheer the move, saying it indicated that the Bush administration was going to move forward with a national standard for mercury emissions. Drawing the ire of environmentalists, Japanese whaling ships returned to harbor this morning with a catch of 440 minke whales after five months at sea. The catch was within the limit for minkes set by the International Whaling Commission.
Japan says that research is the main reason for the harpooning, but greenies dispute that.
Last year, Japan provoked international outcry by expanding its whale hunt to include Bryde's and sperm whales, in addition to minkes. A Japanese official said the country will try to convince the IWC this summer to increase the amount of permissible whaling. Twenty-four House Democrats have also asked the administration to stand by the new standard, but an Energy Department staffer said officials were looking at ways to rescind it. All rights reserved.