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Valeri Vasquez

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Pump Pain, Big Oil Gain Article
In this September 27, 2011 photo, cars line up at the pumps at an Exxon mini-mart in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. High gas prices are bad for consumers but great for Big Oil, which pulled in a staggering $101 billion in profits during the first nine months of 2011. (AP/Gene J. Puskar)

Pump Pain, Big Oil Gain

The eye-popping first-quarter profits of the five Big Oil companies due to high gas prices clearly indicate the need to eliminate tax subsidies to these companies and invest in cleaner fuels, argues Valeri Vasquez.

Valeri Vasquez

Oil Roulette Article
Ryan Riemath starts to fill his tank at a Shell gas station Tuesday, April 26, 2011, in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Washington. (AP/Elaine Thompson)

Oil Roulette

Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez evaluate soaring oil prices and propose effective, progressive solutions.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

Interactive Map: Fossil Fuel Accidents Interactive

Interactive Map: Fossil Fuel Accidents

Map from Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez shows fossil-fuel-related deaths, injuries, and other costs in every state.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

Fossil Fuels: A Legacy of Disaster Article

Fossil Fuels: A Legacy of Disaster

Fossil fuel workers pay a high price for our reliance on these energy sources, write Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez. Renewable fuels are safer for workers, human health, and the environment.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

CR Compromise Protects Air Pollution Safeguards Article
President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) were able to convince House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), above, to drop a rider in the compromise budget bill stop the EPA from reducing mercury, arsenic, dioxin, soot, and carbon dioxide pollution from coal-fired power plants and other sources.But Speaker Boehner has vowed to continue to push for cuts to environmental programs. (AP/Alex Brandon)

CR Compromise Protects Air Pollution Safeguards

Important air pollution safeguards and investments in clean energy were preserved in the budget deal hashed out last week but Big Oil tax loopholes remain, write Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

Why the EPA Is Important for Latino Families Article
Hispanic farm workers harvest Ranunculus bulbs at the Carlsbad Flower Fields in Carlsbad, California. Eighty-eight percent of our nation’s farm workers are Latino, and these employees and their families are regularly exposed to harmful pesticides in both the air and water. (AP/Sandy Huffaker)

Why the EPA Is Important for Latino Families

The Environmental Protection Agency is a “green line of defense” for Latino families, write Jorge Madrid and Valeri Vasquez. Latinos should reject conservative attacks against it.

Jorge Madrid, Valeri Vasquez

Clean Tech Budget Showdown Article
Sunflower Electric Cooperative's coal-fired power plant rises behind a 30-day-supply of coal in Holcomb, Kansas. The 2011 House spending bill would halt the Environmental Protection Agency from protecting us harmful pollutants from coal-fired power plants, and it fails to invest in oil reduction and clean energy technologies. (AP/Charlie Riedel)

Clean Tech Budget Showdown

The House and Senate spending bills would lead to vastly different energy futures, write Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

Oil Profits from Pump Pain Article
Families have seen a 13 percent increase in gas prices at the pump in the last year. (AP/Rick Bowmer)

Oil Profits from Pump Pain

Big Oil is sure to gain from oil price volatility due to unrest in the Middle East, write Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

Invest and Grow Article
Minnesota state lawmakers unveil the first plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle, or PHEV, to hit Minnesota streets during a news conference at the Minnesota Capitol Building on August 23, 2006. The president has set a fundamental goal to have 1 million plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles on the road by 2015, to further reduce oil use. (AP/Jim Mone)

Invest and Grow

Daniel J. Weiss and Valeri Vasquez compare the investments in the president’s budget to the shortsighted cuts to federal energy programs by the House majority.

Daniel J. Weiss, Valeri Vasquez

Just released!

Interactive: Mapping access to abortion by congressional district

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