December 29

The birth of environmental law, a yacht race ends in disaster, and monarch butterflies at risk.

Sat, Dec 29 2012 at 12:00 AM

Dec. 29, 1965: In what some call “the birth of environmental law,” a U.S. Appeals Court rejects a license for Consolidated Edison, New York City’s electric utility, to build a “pump-storage” facility at Storm King Mountain north of the city. The project would have carved away the face of the scenic mountain, drawn water from the Hudson River, and released that water to turn electricity-generating turbines. Con Ed abandons the project in 1981.

Dec. 29, 1998: An elite yacht race ends in disaster in Australia, as immense waves capsize many of the 115 boats in the Sydney-to-Hobart race. Six sailors die.

Dec. 29, 2008: A report says that about half of the forest west of Mexico City that is the wintering ground for monarch butterflies has been leveled by illegal logging.

Photo of Storm King Mountain: Abbynormy/Flickr.

This feature is compiled by Peter Dykstra, an MNN contributor and publisher of Environmental Health News and The Daily Climate.

The opinions expressed by MNN Bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of MNN.com. While we have reviewed their content to make sure it complies with our Terms and Conditions, MNN is not responsible for the accuracy of any of their information.

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