Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.law From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: law Thu, Feb 20 1992 Date: Thu, 20 Feb 92 06:16:57 EST Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: Business Law USA TODAY Update Feb. 20, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network JUDGE BANS LOGGING: Federal Judge Helen Frye, in Portland, Ore., Wednesday banned logging in U.S. Bureau of Land Management old-growth forests to protect endangered northern spotted owls. Frye extended a temporary ban issued Jan. 30 until a full hearing and ruling within 60 days. A Seattle federal judge has banned logging on U.S. national forest land. Logging continues on BLM land that is not owl habitat. COURT RULES AGAINST WOMEN: A federal appeals court where Clarence Thomas was a judge before moving to the Supreme Court, ruled Wednesday that women are not entitled to special preference when the government awards broadcast licenses, in a decision Thomas. The 2-1 ruling from the appeals court in Washington, D.C. said the Federal Communications Commission affirmative action program discriminates against men. SENATE PASSES ENERGY BILL: The Senate Wednesday passed an energy bill. Among other things, the bill: Speeds licensing for nuclear power plants; adopts new energy efficiency standards for lighting and industrial motors; promotes wider use of solar power; and allows independent power producers to compete with the utility industry in providing wholesale electricity. DRILLING DEBATED: Offshore drilling was among the most hotly debated issues in the Senate's energy bill - Passed Wednesday. The bill bars new offshore oil and gas drilling until the year 2000 along California, Oregon, Washington, New Jersey, New England and parts of Florida. But it allows for the possibility of drilling off the Florida panhandle, the rest of the Gulf of Mexico, the mid-Atlantic states and Alaska. DOW CORNING MAY OFFER MONEY: Dow Corning Corp., the leading maker of silicone gel breast implants, said Wednesday it is considering paying up to $1,000 to help any woman needing removal of the company's implants. Also, experts representing implant makers, speaking before an FDA panel, said health concerns are not supported by scientific evidence. A recommendation on implant use is expected Thursday by the panel. LAWYER WARNS OF CHURNING: Lawyer Daniel Solin of Solin & Breindel warns investors to beware of a type of stock churning that has not received much attention - mutual-fund churning. Solin says, "There is a perceptible increase in churning cases involving bond funds, unit trusts and stock mutual funds." Churning funds is, "the quickest way for brokers to make a (commission) hit," Solin says. COURT SAYS SAFETY OVERLOOKED: A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., Wednesday said the safety of small cars was not taken into account in U.S. fuel economy standards. The panel ruled that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 1989 decision to keep the standard at 27.5 miles per gallon illegally ignored potential safety hazards of the smaller, lighter cars needed. BELL HEARINGS BEGIN: Congressional hearings began Wednesday on the question of whether to allow the regional Bell phone companies to move into new businesses, such as electronic services. Newspaper publishers argued that the Bells would have an illegal monopoly because they control the phone lines that information would be transmitted over. The Bells said they need to branch out to remain competitive. LONG BATTLE EXPECTED: The battle over allowing the regional Bell phone companies to provide news and advertising electronically, manufacture phone equipment and transmit long-distance calls, is a difficult one for lawmakers. Many lawmakers say they don't want to pick sides between the Bells and newspaper companies. The debate, which began before the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday, could go on for years. CARD DEFENDS BUDGET PROPOSAL: Transportation Secretary-designate Andrew Card on Wednesday defended the Bush administration's plan to slow development of an American-made magnetically levitated train. But Sen. Harris Wofford, D-Pa. and Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y., let Card know during a committee hearing that the futuristic trains are a high-priority item. STAR BANK GRANTED JUDGMENT: Star Bank, N.A. has been granted summary judgment on all claims against it in lawsuits involving American Continental Corp. which have been consolidated in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona in Tucson. Star Bank serves as indenture trustee, registrar, and paying agent for the ACC subordinate debentures issued prior to ACC's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1989. SUIT DISMISSED: A defamation suit filed by former Michigan National Corp. Chairman Stanford C. Stoddard, against the bank holding company and its Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary Lawrence L. Gladchun, has been dismissed by Oakland County (Mich.) Circuit Court Judge Barry Howard. The suit, alleging $20 million in damages, was over statements made to the Detroit News. Business Law Editor: Jason P. Smith. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. 08:0002200000D0220 ENER- R E Senate-passes-energy-bill............. A D0220 This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM