THE INCOMING secretary in charge of the environment has described as “madness” the use of open pits to extract minerals, stating to consider the method in the resource-rich country has detrimental effects on the environment.  This stand of Regina Paz L. Lopez, an environmentalist who on Tuesday accepted President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte’s offer to head the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, could set her on a collision course with the industry.  Read more here.