Earthpark
[And see, Nicholas Johnson, "Earthpark: Resources and Updates," December 18, 2007, and its links to additional sources and background.]
There are four things we know this morning, and two things we don't.
We know the media is reporting that President Bush signed the budget bill Congress passed and presented to him.Amy Gardner, "Bush Signs Domestic Spending Bill but Criticizes Pet Projects," Washington Post, December 27, 2007, p. A2.
We have previously been told that, once he signs that bill its provision removing the $50 million matching grant for Earthpark is effective (unless the DOE acts on the grant application before he signs).
We know the media reports he did it on Air Force One while flying from his vacation location at Camp David to his vacation home in Crawford, Texas.
We know how high the budget bill is -- $555 Billion -- a bill taxpayers will someday have to pay, even if we succeed in handing it off to our grandchildren before the economy tanks.
What we don't know is how high he was flying when he signed it, or whether the DOE acted upon the grant request before he did. My best guess is that the DOE's Chicago office is still "reviewing" the Earthpark application. But I won't rely on that guess until I get confirmation from DOE.
Not incidentally, that application remains a "public record" (unless someone can demonstrate the contrary to me) that I continue to request the DOE put up on a Web site for all to see -- especially by those who may continue to be asked for money, since Earthpark's David Oman reports the project plans to continue its fund raising following a board meeting in January. (My recommendation remains what it has been for a couple of years: that Ted Townsend, Bob Ray and David Oman put their considerable expertise, energy and such financial resources as they may have into Ted Townsend's Great Ape Trust, and abandon the notion of a separate rain forest project.)
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