Fig green fight to contain a threat. We are introduced to richmond california. There was a big boom. And i got scared. I got really scared. Then i saw the fire, a big fireball go up in the air. We took off running into the house. On august 6, 2012, Courtney Cummings and her family were in her front yard when a massive fire erupted at the chevron refinery, six blocks away. The smoke and fall out sent more than 16,000 residents to area hospitals with respiratory problems. Investigators later discovered a severe pipe corrosion caused a rupture that sparked a blaze and chevrons inspectors warned the company to replace the ageing pipes. Richmond lies across the bay from san franciscos glittering info tech boom, a city yoked by heavy industry. Where the petrochemical containers are hard to mix. Its a Battle Ground between an industry and a crusading mayor. Gail is the mayor, elected in 2004 as a green party member. Shes upended politics as usual by confronting chevron head on. Its a case of environmental injustice, environmental racism. We see how chef ron operates in nigeria, and ecuador. They disregard communities that are not empowered or organised to fight back. Last fall chevron agreed to pay 2 million in fines and pled no contest to six charges, including failing to protect employees from harm. Many residents insist the 2012 fire is emblem attic of a wilful negligence dating back decades, one continuing at the expense of lowincome minorities, suffering Health Complications and cant afford to leave. According to a 2009 report, 80 of People Living within a mile of the refinery are people of colour. A native american single mother of two, Courtney Cummings called richmond home for 30 years. Shes proud of her community, apart from one exception. Chevron. Which dominates the landscape. I like it here. Richmond is my home. At the same time theres other cities where theres not a chevron in your backyard spewing toxins in the air and no one communicating with you. The sediment is going into our bodies, my children, who have no application except me. That makes me sad. The family has breathing problems that requires them to use inhalers. But kumings says they are not leaving, and neither is chevron. They have occupied the richmond if as ulty for more facility for a more than 100 years. Its the largest employer and taxpayer. Its appearance is felt everywhere, from the storage tanks that dot the hillside to the glossy billboards. Critics complain that little is being invested in richmond. While the top offic emissions and toxic emissions and head line grabbing antics took a toll. The mayor and a group decided to sue chevron. Are you saying that chevron doesnt care . Yes. They are clear that profits come first. In fact, they have been charged with civil charges. I can almost here people saying theres the green mayor spouting hyperballies about the big ball oil company. Why should be listen . Because its the truth. They are batching the people of richmond. When we push back, we are fighting for our lives, for our dignity as a community. Chevron dismissed the lawsuit as a waste of city resources and an example of failed leadership. The mayor bushed the u. S. Chemical safety board to investigate. In december the Richmond City council got a shot in the arm from staff, which blamed chevron for what it judged to be a successful incident. They propose the following recommendations. On january 15th, area resist dents packed city hall for a hearing on the safety refox. We call on you to do what is necessary for our rights. If you and the city and others dont do the job, well do the job. As we said, aint no power like the power of the people, because the power of the people dont stop. In an unusual twist the board refused to adopt recommendations made by its own staff. We thought it would pass, its proactive rather than reactive model. It was a disappoint. Environmental activists in richmond say chevron has a history of polluting the city with impunity. Henry clark is the director. West county toxic coalition, an Environmental Justice group working on behalf of minorities. A lot of people have a move not only because of an issue relating to crime, but investment in the areas. What would you say having industry creates jobs, they put more into the state, they may do harm, but they are doing good . They do create jobs, but the jobs is not coming to the people here, and its not richmond primarily on the front line of the chemical assault chevron and the other workers laugh all the way to the bank, and we crawl to the graveyard burying our people. Across the street is the North Richmond centre for health funded after a fire in 1993, which filled the air with sul feweric acid. Peggy is one of many fewer patients suffering resist pier atry problems. Blaming them on years of exposure. Sometimes i come outside and the air is so thick it takes my breath away. John is an expert on Environmental Health science at the university of california berkeley, who studies the impact of air pollution. Though richmonds choould hood as childhood rates are twice the national av r average, hes says its not fair to compare them. Kids in richmond do have an increased risk of developing asthma in event like the chevron fire could be an exacerbating effect. Theres a vulnerability of the richmond population because its a high minority status. Chevron refused a repeated request for an interview and. In an email statement a state representative said the company worked 1. 9 million hours to improve safety i, adding that chevron provided 10 million to cover medical costs of defective res dents. They installed a Community Air monitoring station that can be checked online. We applaud efforts by chevron and anyone else wanting to do the right thing. It doesnt mean that we give chevron a blanket approval to continue to increase their pollution. They led the drive to hold chevron responsible. Her turn is up in november. There are concerns that the hardwon momentum to hold the country accountable may be lost. The town means a deal to you. Were you worried . Absolutely. I know for a fact that chevron will put more money than ever into this years electoral season. In 2012 they put 1. 2 million into campaigns to attack our candidates. I know that they will be working harder than ever to turn this back. So will we. You are up for the fight. Im up for the fight. We cannot go backwards. Since the chevron fire, courtenay kumings moved further away from the refinery. The trauma of that dark day in augustlingers, and moves august lippingers and moves her to speak up. When chevron happened, the explosion, it was like do i take my girls and go back home. But we didnt . Why not . I have a big problem when people try to take my boys. When we return, a mystery in minnesota woods where have the costs gone. Following the trail of minnesota magestic creatures and tracking what or who across north america there was a shark decline in iconic populations. Something killed the moose. The famed residents of northwest minnesota. Biologists say some animals dropped dead. They dont know why. Adam may travelled to the heart of Moose Country to see what is being done to save them. Its a race against time to save the moose in northern minnesota. The population rapidly moving from endangered to near extinction in this hart of the country. If we continue at this trajectory well be out of moose in 2025. Biologist Michelle Carstensen and her team are scrambling to find out why the maam oath mammals are dying at an alarming rate. This one travelling with her calf is being corralled into a state Research Project led by Michelle Carstensen. The study the largest of its kind anywhere in the world. First they are tranquilized from the air, and then a team of researchers get up close to take samples. The Research Team is taking blood samples from the cow. They have taken hair samples and are measuring the animal for the research. The moose is then outfitted with a gps collar that tracks her movements. If the animal stops moving the Research Team gets an alert. This has a motion sensitive trigger formatality. As long as its moving its in live mode. If its motion less it goes into mortality mode, and its able to transmit the message to our smartphones. Then what do you do . Then we are ready to respond. The aim is to get to the moose within 24 hours of staff. The whole goal is to get a whole carcass out, bringing it to the university of minnesota, to get the best look. The 1,000 pound animals can die anywhere, and they have high levels of body fat that their bodies decompose quickly. This year the team collared more than two dozen moose, and they dont travel in herds. Trying to find them is difficult. Trent brown is a gunner, leaping out of a helicopter, collaring moose five times his size. How crewious are you as to what is happening with the moose . Very curious. We are doing a small part. We are here for a few days and we help catching them. Its the biologists from minnesota trying to answer the questions. The 2 million statefunded promote is in its second year. Minnesotas department of Natural Resources gets up in a helicopter and does a survey. The numbers in the northeastern section of the state have gone from 8,000 to around 3,000 and the dramatic drop off took place in under 10 years. Last year biologists found a moose mortality rate of 20 . Thats almost double what it should be. We dont know the main driver. Getting to the healthrelated ones. Wolves are having an impact. Thats no surprise. Theres a healthy wolf population, and have for a long time. On the house related side theres liver fluke. Brain worm, and, you know, we see winter ticks, and are seeing unknowns. We are talking about more than halfadozen things that contribute, but you havent been able to nail down a cause. No. We are trying. It will take time. Our change is do we have enough time before there arent moose left in minnesota to answer the questions. Photographer nace lives in the heart of Moose Country. He says he barely sees moose any more. Back 10 years ago you see 10 or 12. Or a group of four here and another group of four. You dont see it any more. I saw a single one the other night. Thats where i notice it, us wont see the amounts like that. Thats the easiest way for me to know that its very different. Hagelman spend hours hiking in the woods looking for the moose. When i look for them my eyes see differently into the woods, i learn what it will look lick that others dont see. I watch the ears. Sometimes its 100. Sometimes its within 20 feet. I stand next to the truck. I had them come close. It is more curious and walked within a lane. 1520 feet away, Something Like that. He sells his photos online and is hopeful the research will stave the moose he has grown to love. Its part of what feels wild about the area draws me and a lot of people to the areas that the wolves that assist the north. Moose have been roaming the landscape. The monarch is an icon. They move at their own pace. We are too rushed. We should take a lesson. Chill out. Is it a bad thing . Here the animals image adorns everything from tshirts to coffee cups. Theres moose everything. In counter with the moose is thought to be magical and folks that have the encounters talk about it for years to come. Just the idea of driving up here, knowing moose are there, hoping to see one, having anticipation is something that minnesota wants. For scientists there are reminders that the moose in the woods are in danger. How was the moose behaving. How is it different to normal. The heads were tilted to the left. We were able to walk up to the animal within 10 feet away, within five feet away. It didnt try to get away from us. It walked in circles, was not aware of our appearance. We went out with a team on the ground and got it down to the veterinary diagnostic lad to get a conclusive diagnosis. Seth is a biologist, for a native american tribe near the border. Moose is a primary species. They are very, very interested in understanding what is causing declines from a National Resources standpoint. Hes working with the state using the same gps collars. Hes been studying moose for years, and thinks much of what is happening can be linked to global warming. You think humans are to blame for this . Yes, i do. I believe its a reflection of our climate. The things affecting moose are parasites. Deer increase under warm temperatures, to things affecting moose. Including winter ticks. They are high and indicative of warming climate. Michelle carstensen says she needs to collect more information before saying anything for certain, but says Climate Change is entirely possible. Warming winters, thats the hardest thing for a moose. It has a coat on, which is thick and dense. Thats how they evolve, to have a coat like that. Yet if all of a sudden they are having warmer winter they cant help with the heat. They are planning to use transmitters to check the temperature of the moose. One thing agreed on is the rapid decline of moose in minnesota could mean trouble ahead. Most concerning is we may see declines of other species. Moose is a keystone species. We know an animal like this, if theres change impacts, it would be shown up first in animals like moose in minnesota. Moose populations across north america declining. All eyes on state of the art research, hoping to solve the moose mystery before its too late. We are sent this update. Minnesota released an aerial population survey. Its estimated theres more than 4,000 in the state. It is higher than last year, but the trend points downward. They hope that the collaring process will track and mid gait the slide. After a break, a visit to cannabis country. The business of pot in the netherlands. Could the pioneer in the industry offer lessons to u. S. States joining in now. Its been a month since colorados recreation Marijuana Law took effect. Thats few doze in licences, consumers have descended to colorado to get high legally. Lori jaip gee har travelled to the netherlands to see what we can learn about recreational pot use, they have had that for nearly 30 years. In amsterdam theres plenty of places to purchase pot. Its easy and open. Everyone is so welcoming. They are so normal here. Its comfortable. With the 17th century building, lining the canals, the capital city is a magnet for millions of visitors, many drawn by the easy access to marijuana. Theres about 200 coffee shops like this throughout amster dam. Even though it says coffee shop, its where people buy marijuana. We provide people with cannabis and hashish in their spare time. Jason owns one of the most famous coffee shops in the count rip. You way have seep it seen it featured in ocean 12. Why do people come here . We sell hash and weed. 80 of what we sell is cannabis. The idea behind the approach is that street dealers that sell hard drugs will be put out of business if licensed businesses can provide soft drugs, marijuana and hashih. In the netherlands, its been this way since the 70s. Describe how you do what you do. What is the law. What do you sell here . Theres a difference. Its not legal. Its tolerated. And as a coffee shop you get a licence or permission so sell cannabis. We asked ron to show us his stash. The people behind the bar are dealers. Yes. Each business is restricted to having 500 grams on the premises and customers are limited to buying d 5 grams each. This is roughly 5 gram. How many joints can you make about it. Personally, three out of a gram. The netherlands once tolerated the sale of six times what they do. In 1996 they reduced it. In colorado residents can buy more than five times what is allowed in the methamphetamine. We asked the mayor whether he felt comfortable with that. It was those concerns in amsterdam that fuelled with those of us in opposition. I spent time as a young professional. I had a chance to see and know about their implementation of their Marijuana Laws. Mayor hancock who opposed legalizing marijuana says changes may have to be made. Therell be a lesson learnt. When you do a new law, this is a huge Culture Shift for not only colorado, but the entire United States. There may be more lessons to learn. It may surprise you to know as progressive as the netherlands may seem, the pot laws are more restrictive than those in the american states where the use is legalized. In colorado, you can buy pot of infused candy and brownies. Coffee shops in amsterdam can no longer sell as many. The shop is only allowed to carry space cakes, because marijuanalaced food can be hard to handle for new consumers. Thats one of the side effects, that your sugar level drops and people faint. Its not what people want in amster dam. That they are laying around and gasping for air or something. I dont know how to explain it. Have you seen them gasping for air. Denver hancock says he worries about being young inexperienced as well. Something they eat may give them an impact or cause and effect. The laws restrict how shop owners transport marijuana into the stores. The netherlands adheres to a 1961 Un Convention which banned countries from exporting large quantities of drugs. It leaves sellers in a position where he can sell it, but cant grow it. How do you know where the marijuana comes from. I talk to the people, about which quality i want. They take care of that. Where do they get it . They get it on the black market. They talk to the growers. All that is illegal. So, yes, maybe its better that i dont know. Amsterdam mayor rarely talks to american media. He sat down with america tonight to discuss his countrys drug laws. It is semilegitimate. You can use it, and coffee shops can sell it to users in small amounts, but we have what we call a backdoor problem. It is still forbidden to transport it in huge amounts. So this is what we call tolerate. And that is because many people think that International Rules and regulations forbid us to find legal ways of organising the back door situation. That is advantage of our current system. We have learnt to live with it. Living with it means police tolerate the crackdown on marijuana farms. In january, underneath the shed, dutch police discovered an illegal marijuana farm containing 1200 plants. Police conduct about 5,000 marijuana raids like this annually throughout the count rip. There are signs that some in this country are pushing back against the permissive drug culture. Over the past few years a conservative party in the Coalition Government worked to eliminate drug tourism. It passed a law banning foreigners like jazz wood from entering coffee shops. Do you think its a big deal if they said no to tourists. Yes. You wouldnt be able to go to a holiday where you can smoke freely. It will be more it will be more pointless here. Theres a lot of people coming for cannabis. It will be a big difference. Some cities pushed back, so the government allowed discretion in whether the new law is enforced. Amsterdams coffee shops attract people from all over the world. They are a significant part of the economy. Its why mayor made a compromise with the government to avoid imposing the ban. He promised to reduce the number of coffee shops and to force those within 250 metres of middle schools to limit hours or close. The coffee shops are too close to the old schools. That is the wrong idea. A school or playground or children next to a coffee shop. We are doing a lot of effort to reduce the alcohol drinking amongst the under age. The same goes for the use of cannabis and wheat. Its no good for the brain. Michaels failing shop could be one of the first to close. Hes the spokesman of cannabis retailers association. His shop is one street away from a private school. Youll pretty much have to stop what you do there. Thats why i bought a second coffee shop not affected by that rule. So my customers, regulars from over the world can purchase the cannabis at a different location. As the laws in the United States are starting to loose ep up when it comes to marijuana use, it seems like things are becoming restrictive. Why do you think that is . Its an ebb and flow in the political landscape. Thats why i think to a lot of politicians in the netherlands, who are only nationally centered in their thoughts and in their knowledge, that it came as a surprise that the United States has now leap frogged this country. Ahead on america tonight, outside amsterdam, the backlash against the pot culture. I must ask you to stay over there, because you are a nonresident of the country and not allowed to come into the coffee snoop now now we return to a look at a pot pion year, lori jaip gliha found some dutch communities are pushing back on the spread of a permissive pot culture. Welcome to the coffee shop. This is as far as i go. This is as far as you can go. I can go into the coffee shop, but must ask you to stay there because you are a nonresident of the country and not allowed to come into the coffee shop. Mark is a coffee shop owner. In maastricht. It is at the heart of a backlash against the marijuana policy. The mayor is forcing the ban on foreigners to buy marijuana. They are not in to use the toilet or bathroom. Im forced to discriminate, and i cannot understand why. Maastricht it not far from germany, luxembourg and france. Thousands of foreigners make stops, many coming to the marijuana business mark has owned. Its called easy going. Its a laidback place for a fix. 90 of his customers crossed the border too buy weed. Now his coffee shop is closed. The city shut it down because he refused to honour the ban imposed by the mayor. America tonight requested an interview with the mayor, but he declined saying the law is under national review. A councilwoman did talk to us and explained why shes a supporter of the ban. The coffee shops were to provide the markets with small scale shops, not to supply netherlands, belgium, france, germany, to buy their products in the coffee shop. It was meant to the local market. Its too much for us to handle, so we had to take action. Over the past couple of years, the number of foreign visitors tripled to three million. That, she says, causes crime and traffic jams. An influx of visitors is something denver mayor Michael Hancock wonders about. We are concerned about a lot of things when it comes to marijuana, and the use of it and the availability of it. What we can do best is put regulations in place, fund and equip the employees that will implement the regulations. Everyone that utilizes access to the laws, whether they are visitors or residents, they have a responsibility to do it responsibly. In maastricht they say banning foreigners will not solve problems. The ban increases dangerous street dealers. Theres about 150 street dealers roaming the streets, checking out if they can find a foreigner looking for cannabis products. If they find one, theyll take him away to the suburbs. The areas where people are living, children are playing in the streets, and that is the place where they do the deal. Thats where they hand over the drugs and refuse the money. Things have been saved enormously in a negative way. We understand that there still is dealing on the street, but the supply of dugs drugs is exceeding demand. I am sure the nuisance of dealing on the streets will decrease, because the demand is not there any more. For now machines shop is shut down while he fights the rules in court. How does it affect your business . Ive been a coffee shop owner for 30 years, so ive made by money. Im fine. But coffee shops in other places were working 425 people that lost their jobs, and they cannot find a job anywhere else. If they are asked after their experience, they have to say, ive been a drug dealer for 30 years. Nobody will hire you if you give that as your experience. Thats a problem. In amsterdam the mayor embraces the pod trade and the millions of the pot trade and the millions of tourists. What is happening in colorado is inspirational. The city that is a pioneer is looking for the u. S. For moral support. Steams the dutch have to defend their policy. When the americans stand next to us, it will be accepted more internationally. Assay welcome to the club, thank you for joining us. That was america tonights lori jane gliha. Coming up, taking care of our parents. I dont want her to go through this. If she meself starting to decline, let me go to the desert, dry up and not come visit. The fuf decisions tough decision many of us have to face. A report on the silent army of children parenting parents. That will lead off op a look at ageing america monday on america tonight. Ahe ahead in this hour, growing hope. Why this growing patch in the Jordan Valley may be the best path to peace. Finally, with a deadline looming with the israelipalestine peace talks, diplomats are searching for an avenue for peace that may travel through the Jordan Valley. Its an Israeli Occupied strip. It could offer something of a solution for both sides. We have this report from Nick Schifrin from the Jordan Valley. All his life this man has lived in the Jordan Valley, and all his life hes been a farmer. With the help of his son he harvests egg plants. For the 53yearold the land is not home. Until he was six, he lived a few miles away along the jordan river. The 1967 war israel concurred the valley from jordan. They were forced to move to the fields. My home is down by the river. I consider the place where i grew up, where i was born, our land, where we used to be free. Today they have the keys to the old home. They are are farmers, and beyond the security gate, where he tucks a gun into the pants, beyond the milewide security zone, he harvests date palms. This is a prize plot, a few hundred feet from the border with jordan. Theres not much land. This is the only land that is available to walk and cultivate. The Jordan Valley is a flash point in the israeli peace talks. The u. S. Is trying to create a security plan to ease israeli concerns and transition the valley from israeli to palestine control. We have to enter. The valley provides security yip. The area is flooded with mines through the valley. The sound of yejets, the air foe uses this. The palestinians are not allowed here. This is a bit silly if you have a palestine phoning the army, asking permission to go down to the border. It sounds silly. Why is that. Some of the land is palestine . Its my land. The story of palestine people is a story of a farmer who lost their land. Down the road they are trying to take back the land one village at a time. For decades the doctor has been an activist. Ive been studying what miartin loouther king did, what gandhi did. They need a viable economy. The Jordan Valley has the borders. We can have no import or export. They fight the occupation not with weapons. But with hammers and nails. He advocates nonviolence, and today he is trying to repopulate a village depopulated biest rail after 1967. The village was dead for 47 years. By bringing people back, we are bricking soil back to the land, bringing it to life. They slept in tents,ate cold break fasts and chant that the occupation needs to end, a few feet from armed israeli soldiers. A few hours later, about 1am, the soldiers moved in. They used stun grenades, they rounded up hundreds of activists but the protesters refused to be intimidated, near in an organization ambulance, they patched up a victim. Other visits picked up where he left off. This is a new village than what we thought. This man says hes the rightful owners of the land. As soon as they opened the tents. Calmly the soldiers arrested the activists, and they did not resist. By this nonviolent resistance we are trying to impose peace. We want the israeli establishment to understand that there is a price and cost of occupation and appetite. That price is being paid by israeli farmers. Israels settlement policy led to europeans boycott. In the last year israeli farmers in the Jordan Valley lost 30 million in sales. I came because i wanted to. They are willing to give up profits. Israel is discussing permanently annexing the Jordan Valley. To show me why, high on the hill, through the bunker, the local mayor shows an abandoned military outpost. For his rail the point provide strategic depth. We are what really now stops anything vicious coming from the east. Israels resisting the u. S. Plan to move israeli troops out and International Troops in. Israel insists on taking security in its own hands. I dont believe any Prime Minister will give up the Jordan Valley. For any agreement. Because this is the security of israel. I dont see it happening in my life. I hope we have peace. We live, make a living with all the dreams, we have to bring pride to the table. So theyll be on the border and hozo and his family will live on land they dont consider their own. John kerry is more helpful in helping israel than helping palestinian people. Until the u. S. Find a solution, the dispute over the Jordan Valley will preventest railies and palestinians from finding peace. Thats it for us here on america tonight. If you would like to comment log tonne the website. You can meet the team and preview stories we are working on, and tell us what youd like to see in the nightly Current Affairs program. Join in the conversation at twitter or our facebook page. More of america tonight tomorrow. Youre watching al jazeera america. Im Jonathan Betz in new york with the top stories. Ukraines parliament voted to dismiss viktor yanukovych, but he insists he will not step down. The rival and former Prime MinisterJulia Tymoschenko was released from prison and spoke to protesters in independence square. Its a different ukraine, its the ukraine of free people. And you gave the gift. Every one of those living today and those living in the future. Thats why people who are at maydan, who die at maydan. They are heroes forever. Thousands who supported the government. Protesters say they were accused of starting a coup. The most wanted drug lord Joaquin Guzman was arrested during a mexican operation. He had been on the run since a prison escape in 2001. The National Weather service had several tornados. Several homes were hit with wind gusts of over 100 miles per hour. Those are the headlines. Stay with us, consider this is up next. Ill be back at 11 00 pm eastern, with more news. North korea ripped by the u. N. , well ask u. S. Ambassador to the u. N. Bill richardson if anything will change. How will Hillary Clintons time at the state Department Impact a president ial run. How does she compare to successor john kerry. Only on al jazeera. Taliban terror, a reporter allowed to cover from the inside. And dick cavett on the new tonight show host jimmy fallon. Here is more on what is ahead. United nations