Commentaries

NCPA Commentaries by H. Sterling Burnett

H. Sterling Burnett is a Senior Fellow for the National Center for Policy Analysis. While Burnett works on a number of issues, he specializes in issues involving environmental policy and gun policy.

Aug 04, 2010

Lessons from the Horizon blowout: more hype than harm

Only two weeks after BP began capping the Deepwater Horizon oil rig blowout, people have begun to ask, "Where's the oil?" The fact that skimmer ships sent out to clean the water of oil are unable to find oil to clean is leading the mainstream media to question whether environmentalists tried to exploit this unfortunate event by making it seem worse than it really was for political reasons.

Jul 13, 2010

Alaska Challenges Obama's Polar Bear Habitat Designation

Alaska state officials are objecting to the Obama administration's decision to list more than 187,000 square miles-almost the entire U.S. polar bear population's range-as critical habitat. Critical habitat is defined as an area containing features essential to the conservation of species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Jun 14, 2010

BURNETT: Murkowski vote isn't end of the story

Democrats persist in efforts to turn out the lights

On June 10, by a 53-to-47 vote, Senate Democrats defeated a bipartisan effort to halt the attempt by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Obama administration to mount a regulatory takeover of the U.S. economy.

Jun 10, 2010

Gun-studded rallies safest places in America

Besides a police station, the safest place in America on April 19 would likely have been any of the numerous Patriot's Day rallies held around the country where thousands of people, many carrying firearms, celebrated the opening shots in America's war for independence.

May 03, 2010

The truth behind green jobs

In his State of the Union speech President Obama claimed that, "Jobs must be our number one focus in 2010." No surprise, since for months the Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown the unemployment rate to be hovering dangerously close to 10 percent.

Mar 30, 2010

NCPA: Nuclear Power Development: Removing Roadblocks

The use of nuclear power to generate electricity is growing worldwide. More than 100 nuclear power plants are under construction or in various stages of planning, and many existing plants are expanding.

Mar 30, 2010

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Decline

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions fell by more than 6 percent in 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Energy Information Administration report. U.S. greenhouse gas emissions as a whole fell almost 3 percent.

Mar 11, 2010

FRANKO & BURNETT: Enron values at EPA

Environmental agency has some explaining to do

Our nation's capital has always been a place of paradoxical twists. From canings on the Senate floor in the 1800s to President Reagan and Speaker Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill sharing drinks at the end of the day, it takes a lot for Washington to be surprised. Even so, we find ourselves surprised at events on Capitol Hill likely to take place over the coming weeks.

Feb 25, 2010

Bipartisan Revolt against EPA's Proposed Warming Regs

Bipartisan groups of legislators in both the U.S. House and Senate are attempting to pass legislation to halt the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed greenhouse gas regulations.