Declarations

Good and Bad

“The range of options available to many good drivers is much worse than the range available to many bad drivers. No amount of shopping around can change that.”

—A report by MassPIRG, a Bay State consumer advocacy group, on the opening up of Massachusetts auto insurance market. The criticism comes amidst a push by the state and some industry groups urging potential customers to shop around for better rates.

Coal Mine Safety

“Flooding is not a risk inherent to coal mining. This will not occur where there is a proper mapping and drilling.”

—Allegheny County, Pa. Judge R. Stanton Wettick Jr. who ruled that eight of the nine miners trapped underground in July 2002 when a mineshaft flooded can continue their suit against PBS Coals, the firm that controlled the mine. Six other miners who narrowly escaped can also sue. Investigators determined inaccurate maps of previous mining in the area — about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh — caused the miners to dig into an abandoned mine.

Protest Policy

“We just want people to have the right to protest in Newark without facing unconstitutional barriers… We’re tired of going round and round on this; the city needs to take free speech rights seriously, fix their forms and train their staff.”

—Bennet D. Zurofsky, a volunteer lawyer for the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which is suing the city of Newark, N.J. over a 3-year-old law that requires demonstrators to obtain a $1 million insurance policy before being issued a permit. The lawsuit is on behalf of an activist group, the Peoples Organization for Progress.

Toxic Toys

“We really want to ensure that we are not basically allowing children to play with toxic toys.”

—Ruth Ann Norton, executive director of the Baltimore-based Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, on a Maryland proposal that would hire inspectors to check toys for lead. More than 25 states are considering tainted toy measures after high-profile national recalls of toys found to contain dangerous levels of lead. If approved, the bill would fine companies $10,000 for selling tainted toys.

Heart Damage

“They just put a hole in us is what they did, right in our hearts and it hurts. And they took part of our soul.”

—Mike Webber, 47, an artist and fisherman from Cordova, Alaska, commenting on Exxon’s restitution efforts following the 1989 Valdez spill. The Supreme Court heard arguments last month on whether the oil giant should pay $2.5 billion in damages to Alaskans. A decision is expected in July.