CENSUS BUREAU DISTORTIONS HIDE SERIOUS
IMMIGRATION CRISIS

David Pimentel, Ph.D.
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

October 11, 2006

NEWS RELEASE CONTACT: Dr. David Pimentel
(607) 255-2212
EMBARGOED UNTIL NOON, October 11, 2006
News Conference @ 12:00 Noon
The National Press Club
529 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20045

I strongly endorse Dr. Virginia Abernethy's assessment of the Census Bureau Distortions that hide the serious immigration crisis that impacts on the people living in the United States. My concerns center on the effect of a rapidly escalating population has on all our basic natural resources that sustain life for everyone, are related to future food supplies and the environment.

LAND
Land Required for Living: Each person requires 1 acre of land for unbanization and
transportation.

Land Required for Food: Each person requires 3.6 acres of land for food production.
Food Consumed: The average American consumes 2,200 lbs of food per year, including
about 186 lbs of meat.

WATER
Water Required: Each person requires 530,000 gallons of water per year, about
420,000 gallons are expended for food production.

Water for Crops: An acre of corn uses 500,000 gallons of water per growing season.

ENERGY
Oil Imported: More than 63% of U.S. oil is imported at a cost of $120 billion/year.
More than 90% of U.S. oil reserves have already been removed.

Energy Consumption: Each person uses fossil energy in the equivalent 2,800 gallons of
oil per year with 500 gallons devoted for food.

Biomass Energy from Wood: Currently 3% of U.S. fuel comes from burning wood per
year.

Ethanol Production: The U.S. is now producing 4.5 billion gallons of ethanol.
This uses 18% of all U.S. corn but the ethanol yield represents only 1% of U.S. petroleum use.
If 100% of U.S. corn were used, the estimated yield would provide only 6% of current U.S. petroleum use.

Ethanol Subsidies: Government subsidies for ethanol are 45 times greater than the
subsidies per gallon of gasoline and is stressing the economy.

POPULATION
Population Growth: U.S. population growth rate now is more than twice that of China.
At our current growth rate, including all the illegals, in about 100 years the U.S. population will have expanded to about 1.2 billion or nearly that of China.
Is this what we want?

Illegal Immigrants Stressing the U.S. Life System: Illegal immigrants are stressing
U.S. schools and medical facilities, increasing disease incidence (like
tuberculosis), causing unemployment, and causing a drain on the
economy.

ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
Environmental Degradation Increased by Population Growth: Population growth increases water and air pollution and loss of prime land.

This growth also increases the loss of biodiversity.

Plus it destroys our natural ecosystems and environment.

Note: CCN is anti-mass immigration but NOT anti-immigrant.