Bush Ready to Reshape Federal Forests

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Warming Prompts Petitions to Expand World Heritage Danger List

PARIS, France, November 18, 2004 (ENS) – Petitions from three developing countries were presented to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris today asking that sites in Belize, Nepal and Peru be protected from the effects of climate change. The petitions ask the Committee urgently to place the Belize Barrier Reef, the Huascran National Park in Peru, and the Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The petitioners are urging the Committee to consider these danger listing at their next annual meeting in June 2005. Placement on the Danger List is a legal mechanism under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention requiring an increased level of protection for the listed site. Governments that are Parties to the Convention have a legal obligation to transmit World Heritage Sites to future generations. Belize Barrier Reef World Heritage Site The Belize Barrier Reef, described by Charles Darwin in 1842 as "the most remarkable reef in the West Indies," has already been damaged by higher temperatures, and will be damaged further, according to the petitioner, the Belize Institute of Environmental Law and Policy. Candy Gonzalez on behalf of the Institute, said, "The Belize Barrier Reef is a magnificent feast […]

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Smart Growth Awards Honor Eco-Friendly Development

WASHINGTON, DC, November 18, 2004 (ENS) – Five communities in three states have been awarded the 2004 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement given by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Smart growth development practices help protect the environment by preserving open space and parkland, protecting critical habitat, improving transportation choices to reduce emissions from automobiles, cleaning up and reusing brownfields, and reducing paved surfaces to minimize polluted run-off. EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt Wednesday presented the honors for: Overall Excellence to the Town of Davidson, North Carolina, Planning Department for creating vibrant neighborhoods in an historic setting. The town is revitalizing existing buildings, and has issued design guidelines that preserve its small town atmosphere. New neighborhoods feature parks within a five minute walk of homes, along with a variety of lot sizes and housing types, including affordable housing. Built Projects to the City of Greensboro, North Carolina, Department of Housing and Community Development for the Southside Neighborhood, located close to Greensboro's historic main street. New development and revitalization of existing structures transformed this blighted area into a thriving, attractive district. Policies and Regulations to the City of Santa Cruz, California, Department of Housing and Community Development for its Accessory Dwelling […]

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