Tuesday, January 31, 2012

2011 Long-Term Plan for Watershed Protection -- NYC DEP

2011 Long-Term Plan presents New York City’s Revised Long-Term Watershed Protection Program (the Program), submitted to the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) for continuation of the 2007-2017 filtration waiver for the Catskill/Delaware Systems.

Highlights of the Watershed Protection Program
Since the program’s inception in 1991, New York City has invested more than $1.5 billion
to ensure the long-term protection of its extraordinary water supply.
Achieving such an extensive network of watershed safeguards would not have been possible without the support and cooperation of other interested parties. Although the City was initially hesitant to delegate control of certain programs to upstate partners, what has evolved is a thriving collaboration
among City, state, and federal agencies, as well as watershed governments and residents, working together to protect the waters of the Catskill and Delaware watersheds while supporting the economic vitality of the region.

Key elements of the program, including major progress made since the last FAD, include:
Land Acquisition. When the Land Acquisition Program began 15 years ago, New York City
owned just 3.5% of the land in the Catskill/Delaware watershed. Today, including conservation
easements (CEs), that proportion has jumped to 15%.
Waterfowl Management Program. The management of waterbird populations at terminal and distribution reservoirs in the New York City water supply system is an integral part of DEP’s continued ability to meet the Surface Water Treatment Rule’s (SWTR) standards.

Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Upgrades. By 2002, DEP had completed, at a cost of
$240 million, upgrades of six City-owned wastewater treatment facilities that together account
for 40% of the WWTP flow in the West of Hudson watershed, using technologies that include
phosphorus removal, sand filtration, back-up power, back-up disinfection, microfiltration or an
approved equivalent, flow metering, and alarm telemetering.

Stream Management. The primary goal of the Stream Management Program (SMP) is to preserve
and/or restore sustainable levels of stream system stability and ecological integrity by
encouraging and supporting the long-term stewardship of streams and floodplains.

Wastewater Infrastructure Programs. The MOA New Infrastructure Program (NIP) anticipated
that DEP would fund new WWTPs in seven communities. 
Managing Use of City-owned Lands. As noted below, DEP has taken significant steps
towards increasing the acreage of its lands available to the public. DEP welcomes the opportunity
to share its water supply lands with the public so long as that can be achieved with no
adverse impacts to water quality.

Watershed Agricultural Program. In the early 1990s, the City proposed extensive regulation
of farms within the watershed. The farming community expressed concern that further regulation
would drive farms out of business, leaving farmlands vacant and available for development.
Watershed Partnership Programs. In addition to the programs already mentioned, the City
and its partners continue to broaden their efforts to improve the environmental infrastructure of
the watershed as well as stimulate the local economy.

Water for the Future: The Delaware Aqueduct Rondout-West Branch Tunnel Repair -- NYC DEP

Water for the Future: The Delaware Aqueduct Rondout-West Branch Tunnel Repair is the draft enviornmental impact statement of the work the New York City Department of Environmental Protection need sto perfomr to repair and upgrade the Deleware aqueduct providing water to the City of New York.

The public comment period will remain open and written comments will be accepted until February 17, 2012. Notification of these public hearings will appear in regional and local newspapers at least 14 days before the hearing. This will be followed by preparation and circulation of the Final EIS, which will include written responses to address public comments made on the Draft EIS. Any questions, comments, or requests for a CD should be addressed in writing to:

Jennifer Farmwald, Project Manager
Office of Water Supply Infrastructure and Watershed Assessment
Bureau of Environmental Planning and Analysis
New York City Department of Environmental Protection
59-17 Junction Boulevard, 11th Floor
Flushing, New York 11373
Fax: (718) 595-4479
Email: jfarmwald@dep.nyc.gov

The Impact of Wind Power on European Natural Gas Markets -- IEA

The Impact of Wind Power on European Natural Gas Markets was published by the International Energy Agency and examines three vital questions associated with this premise: 1) Is natural gas indeed the best partner fuel for wind power? 2) If so, to what extent will an increasing market share of wind power in European electricity generation affect demand for natural gas in the power sector? and 3) Considering the existing European natural gas markets, is natural gas capable of fulfilling this role of partner for renewable sources of electricity?

Monday, January 30, 2012

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Draft Phase I Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Draft Phase I Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment from the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration consists of 8 projects that are listed in Table ES-1, and more fully described in this document. They address an array of injuries and are located throughout the Gulf
(Figure ES-2). Specifically, this proposed plan includes two oyster projects, two marsh projects, a nearshore artificial reef project, two dune projects, and a boat ramp enhancement project.

These projects address injuries in 4 of the 5 impacted states, on the coast and offshore, to mammals and marine organisms, and/or compensate for lost recreational opportunities for the public. While this plan includes a suite of proposed projects, each project was viewed as independent from the others. This Phase I Early Restoration Plan will be finalized after consideration of public comment and may include some or all of these proposed projects.

The Trustees anticipate that additional projects will be proposed and approved in subsequent rounds of the early restoration process until funds made available under the Framework Agreement are exhausted. It is important to emphasize that restoration proposals developed pursuant to the Framework Agreement are not intended to provide the full extent of restoration needed to satisfy the Trustees’ claims against BP. Restoration will continue until the public is fully compensated for the natural resources and services that were lost as a result of the spill.

Climate Change & Human Rights: A Primer -- CIEL

Climate Change & Human Rights: A Primer was published by the Center for International Environmental Law (CEIL) and offers a "summary of how climate change impacts and response measures are affecting the full and effective enjoyment of human rights; includes a summary of relevant activities and decisions taken at the Human Rights Council, UNFCCC and other policy processes."






EUWI Annual Report 2011

The European Union Water Initiative Annual Report 2011, dated October 17, 2011 presents the main achievements of the EU Water Initiative during 2010 and the first part of 2011. It includes a Foreword highlighting the policy development during the Hungarian Presidency of the EU, and indications on the preparation of a new EUWI strategy, which was discussed during the Multistakeholder Forum in Stockholm on 25 August 2011



Conference on Renewable Energy Law 2012: Market Design and System Transformation for a Renewable Energy Future


Conference on Renewable Energy Law 2012: Market Design and System Transformation for a Renewable Energy Future

When: 8 March 2012

Where: Club of the University Foundation, Brussels

Participation Fee regular: € 585,-

reduced for RELP-subscribers and members of EREF as well as EREC: € 495,-

reduced for full-time academics: € 415,-

VAT added if applicable. Special rates for students on request.

Overview

With the world's attention focused on the rapidly increasing potential and need for renewable energy, Lexxion decided to not only publish the Renewable Energy Law & Policy Review (RELP) but to also establish a new events series in this particular field of law.

On Thursday, 8 March 2012, the following two topics are on the agenda:
• Market Development and support and incentives for renewables
• Grid Development and system transformation

The event is organised in cooperation with the European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF) and the Brussels branch of Becker Büttner Held (BBH).

Target Group
The conference targets the growing international community of
• renewable energy practitioners,
• lawyers specializing in this particular field of law and
• thought leaders.

Benefits of Attending
• Hear top-level experts exchanging their views on the challenges of the
renewable energy sector!
• Get updated on the latest developments i.e. regarding the Commission's
Roadmap 2050!
• Meet professionals from all over Europe and enjoy a great networking opportunity
just a stone's throw away from Brussels' European Quarter!
• Earn 6,25 CPD points for this event!

Friday, January 27, 2012

Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents -- WHO

Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents -- From the Wrold Health Organisation


Concise International Chemical Assessment Documents (CICADs) are similar to Environmental Health Criteria (EHC) documents in providing internationally accepted reviews on the effects on human health and the environment of chemicals or combinations of chemicals.
 
They aim to characterize the hazard and dose-response of exposure to chemicals and to provide examples of exposure estimation and risk characterisations for application at the national or local level.
 
They summarise the information considered critical for risk characterisation in sufficient detail to allow independent assessment , but are concise not repeating all the information available on a particular chemical.
 
For more detail readers of individual CICADs are to the original source document for the CICAD (either a national or regional chemical evaluation document or an existing EHC(chemicals series).




Second WHO Meeting on Global Collaboration in Chemical Risk Assessment

Second WHO Meeting on Global Collaboration in Chemical Risk Assessment

Date: 29-30 March 2012, in conjunction with workshops to be held 28 March

Venue: WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, Bonn, Germany

Background

In March 2010, the World Health Organization convened a Meeting on Strengthening Global Collaboration in Chemical Risk Assessment to discuss common interests, activities and needs in the field of chemical risk assessment and help shape future activities of the risk assessment community internationally. Participants identified a number of key issues and priority actions to address these needs, such as in the areas of:

capacity building/training,

chemical risk assessments/sharing knowledge,

risk assessment methodology and

research.

Meeting participants also discussed means of strengthening collaboration globally to support chemical risk assessment, including the recommended option of establishing a WHO International Risk Assessment Network.

Hydraulic Fracturing: Facts, Frictions, and Trends -- BNA Webinar

Hydraulic Fracturing: Facts, Frictions, and Trends -- BNA

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET

Already a hot topic, the friction over “fracking” is shaking up even more with recent quakes in Ohio and other areas. The “shale rush” trend, prompted by technology breakthroughs in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing over the last decade, has raised questions about environmental and public health impacts. Water is a particular concern.


In this two-hour webinar, Ben Grumbles, president of Clean Water America Alliance, and former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assistant administrator for water, will set context and moderate diverse perspectives from an expert panel including Mike Paque, executive director of Ground Water Protection Council; Richard Simmers, chief, Oil and Gas Resource Management Division, Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Mike Baker, chief, Drinking and Ground Water Divisions, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency; Stephanie Meadows, senior policy advisor for the American Petroleum Institute-Upstream; and Patrick O’Toole, president of the Family Farm Alliance.

Webinar objectives include:

•Identifying key facts, legal issues, and policy choices for hydraulic fracturing.

•Describing what states are doing across the country.

•Addressing recent events in Ohio with input from key state officials.

•Providing an industry perspective on hydraulic fracturing issues, opportunities, and actions to reduce environmental impacts.

•Sharing a western, agricultural perspective on concerns over water quantity and battles brewing over energy, water, and food.


Wednesday, January 25, 2012

New Lighting Technologies -- DOE Webcast

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) will kick off this year's First Thursday Seminars on February 2 with a live webcast titled New Lighting Technologies.

The webcast will take place from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Experts Jeff McCullough of DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Brian Liebel of The Lighting Partnership, and Shawn Herrera of FEMP, will offer training in the uses and benefits of spectrally enhanced lighting and outdoor solid state lighting.

Specifically, the instructors will provide training on how to:
  • Select optimal lighting solutions designed for a range of applications, based on performance data collected from a variety energy-saving lighting products
  • Calculate life-cycle costs and assess the feasibility of various system designs and installation options
  • Measure the savings you gain from energy-efficient lighting projects to verify the benefits of your decisions
  • Use DOE and industry resources to support your selections and facilitate your work
Participants are encouraged to email or call in their questions before and during the program to receive tailored advice from the experts during the live "Q&A" segment. Questions submitted before the program can be sent to FTS@energyworkshops.org.

The 90-minute webcast is free of charge, but you must register in advance to obtain an Internet URL for the presentation. The broadcast of New Lighting Technologies will take place Thursday, February 2, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. EST.

Recent Law Review Articles -- January 2012

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW.
Craig, Robin Kundis.  Agencies interpreting courts interpreting statutes:  the deference conundrum of a divided Supreme Court.  61 Emory L.J. 1-68 (2011).

Johnson, Stephen M.  Disclosing the President’s role in rulemaking:  a critique of the reform proposals.  60 Cath. U. L. Rev. 1003-1044 (2011).

O’Connell, Anne Joseph.  Agency rulemaking and political transitions.  105 Nw. U. L. Rev. 471-534 (2011).

AGRICULTURE.
Gonzalez, Carmen G.  Climate change, food security, and agrobiodiversity:  toward a just, resilient, and sustainable food system.  22 Fordham Envtl. L. Rev. 493-522 (2011).

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY.
Kimmell, Kenneth and Dawn Stolfi Stalenhoef.  The Cape Wind offshore wind energy project:  a case study of the difficult transition to renewable energy.  5 Golden Gate U. Envtl. L.J. 197-225 (2011).

ANIMAL LAW.
Rodriguez, Sheila.  The morally informed consumer:  examining animal welfare claims on egg labels.  30 Temp. J. Sci. Tech. & Envtl. L. 51-79 (2011).

Schrengohst, Karina L.  Note.  Animal law — cultivating compassionate law:  unlocking the laboratory door and shining light on the inadequacies & contradictions of the Animal Welfare Act. 33 W. New Eng. L. Rev. 855-900 (2011).

CHINA.
Moser, Adam and Tseming Yang.  Environmental tort litigation in China.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10895-10901 (2011).

Zhang, Xuehua.  China’s environmental administrative enforcement system.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10890-10894 (2011).

CLEAN AIR ACT.
Stensvaag, John-Mark.  Preventing significant deterioration under the Clean Air Act:  the BACT requirement and the BACT definition.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10902-10920 (2011).

CLEAN WATER ACT.
Dahab, Nadia H.  Note.  Muddying the waters of Clean Water Act permitting:  NEDC reconsidered.  90 Or. L. Rev. 335-358 (2011).

CLIMATE CHANGE.
Babie, Paul.  Choices that matter:  three propositions on the individual, private property, and anthropogenic climate change.  22 Colo. J. Int’l Envtl. L. & Pol’y 323-356 (2011).

COASTAL AREAS.
Hellums, Sandy D. and Katharine D. David.  Slip slidin’ away:  easements, avulsion, access, and the ever changing law of beach front property.  43 Urb. Law. 813-822 (2011).

CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
Conservation Easements:  New Perspectives in an Evolving World.  Foreword by James L. Olmsted; articles by Jeff Pidot, Daniel Halperin, James L. Olmsted, Jesse J. Richardson, Jr., Amanda C. Bernard, Julie Ann Gustanski, John B. Wright, Adena R. Rissman, Laurie A. Wayburn, Jessica Owley, W. William Weeks, Richard Brewer and Nancy A. McLaughlin.  74 Law & Contemp. Probs. 1-295 (2011).

McLaughlin, Nancy A.  Conservation easements and the doctrine of merger.  74 Law & Contemp. Probs. 279-295 (2011).

CORPORATIONS.
Bodie, Matthew T.  NASCAR green:  the problem of sustainability in corporations and corporate law.  46 Wake Forest L. Rev. 491-522 (2011).

Ferrey, Steven.  The new climate metric:  the sustainable corporation and energy.  46 Wake Forest L. Rev. 383-427 (2011).

Wagner, Wendy E.  Imagining corporate sustainability as a public good rather than a corporate bad.  46 Wake Forest L. Rev. 561-589 (2011).

ENERGY POLICY.
Offshore Energy Projects:  New Priorities in the Wake of the BP Gulf Disaster.  Introduction by Paul Stanton Kibel and student Angela Haren Kelley; articles by Rebecca M. Bratspies, Leila Monroe, Alfred R. Light, Rachael Salcido, Danielle Murray, Christopher Carr, Jennifer Jeffers, Alejandra Núñez-Luna, Kenneth Kimmell, Dawn Stolfi Stalenhoef and Linda Krop.  5 Golden Gate U. Envtl. L.J. 1-251 (2011).

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
Merjian, Armen H.  Washington Park Lead Committee, Inc. v. United States Environmental Protection Agency:  Helen Person and the landmark struggle against environmental injustice.  30 Chicana/o-Latina/o L. Rev. 65-95 (2011).

Roesler, Shannon M.  Addressing environmental injustices:  a capability approach to rulemaking.  114 W. Va. L. Rev. 49-107 (2011).

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW.
Deatherage, Scott D.  Environmental law.  64 SMU L. Rev. 239-252 (2011).

Recent developments.  In the Congress.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10957-10958 (2011).

Recent developments.  In the courts.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10958-10960 (2011).

Recent developments.  In the federal agencies.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10960-10965 (2011).

Recent developments.  In the state agencies.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10965-10968 (2011).

FEDERALISM.
Hammitt, Jennifer.  Note.  Who’s afraid of the Supremacy Clause?  State regulation of air pollution from offshore ships is upheld in Pacific Merchant Shipping Ass’n v. Goldstene.  66 U. Miami L. Rev. 53-77 (2011).

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
Patterson, Katie.  Note.  Overcoming barriers to indigenous peoples’ participation in forest carbon markets.  22 Colo. J. Int’l Envtl. L. & Pol’y 417-445 (2011).

INTERNATIONAL LAW.
Mayer, Benoit.  The international legal challenges of climate-induced migration:  proposal for an international legal framework.  22 Colo. J. Int’l Envtl. L. & Pol’y 357-416 (2011).

INTERNATIONAL TRADE.
Shaffer, Jacob R.  Note.  Rescuing the international arbitral model:  identifying the problem in natural resources trade and development.  114 W. Va. L. Rev. 309-346 (2011).

LAND USE.
Salkin, Patricia E.  Failure to articulate clear ethics rules and standards at the local level continues to haunt local land use decision makers.  43 Urb. Law. 757-773 (2011).

Salkin, Patricia E. and Amy Lavine.  Regional foodsheds:  are our local zoning and land use regulations healthy?  22 Fordham Envtl. L. Rev. 599-632 (2011).

LEGAL PROCESS.
Wilson, Paul D. and Noah C. Shaw.  Robber barons, back-stabbers and extortionists:  how far does Anti-SLAPP protection go?  43 Urb. Law. 745-756 (2011).

MILITARY.
Gilman, Ryan.  Comment.  Expanding environmental justice after war:  the need for universal jurisdiction over environmental war crimes.  22 Colo. J. Int’l Envtl. L. & Pol’y 447-471 (2011).

NATIVE AMERICAN LANDS.
Agee, Erin B.  Note.  In the Federal Government we trust?  Federal funding for tribal water rights settlements and the Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act.  21 Cornell J.L. & Pub. Pol’y 201-226 (2011).

Erlinder, Peter.  Treaty-guaranteed usufructuary rights:  Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians ten years on.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10921-10935 (2011).

NATURAL GAS.
Krop, Linda.  How states can affect federal deepwater port LNG licensing decisions:  a case study involving the Deepwater Port Act and the Coastal Zone Management Act.  5 Golden Gate U. Envtl. L.J. 227-251 (2011).

NATURAL RESOURCES.
Holmes, Elisabeth A. and Charles M. Tebbutt.  Power, politics, and poison:  the story behind National Cotton Council of America v. U.S. EPA.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10946-10956 (2011).

Liss, Jodi.  Negotiating the Marcellus:  the role of information in building trust in extractive deals.  27 Negotiation J. 419-446 (2011).

OCEANS.
Murray, Danielle, Christopher Carr, Jennifer Jeffers and Alejandra Núñez-Luna.  Riding the wave:  confronting jurisdictional and regulatory barriers to ocean energy development.  5 Golden Gate U. Envtl. L.J. 159-195 (2011).

Salcido, Rachael.  Siting offshore hydrokinetic energy projects:  a comparative look at wave energy regulation in the Pacific Northwest.  5 Golden Gate U. Envtl. L.J. 109-158 (2011).

OIL.
Brown, Richard F.  Oil, gas and mineral law.  64 SMU L. Rev. 417-442 (2011).

Koons, Judith E.  Earth jurisprudence and the story of oil:  intergenerational justice for the post-petroleum period.  46 U.S.F. L. Rev. 93-138 (2011).

OIL SPILLS.
Bratspies, Rebecca M.  A regulatory wake-up call:  lessons from BP’s Deepwater Horizon disaster.  5 Golden Gate U. Envtl. L.J. 7-60 (2011).

Guajardo, Joseph.  Comment.  Deepwater Horizon:  rethinking OPA’s liability limitations in the wake of environmental disaster.  48 Hous. L. Rev. 625-657 (2011).

Light, Alfred R.  The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trust and the Gulf Coast Claims Facility:  the “Superfund” myth and the law of unintended consequences.  5 Golden Gate U. Envtl. L.J. 87-108 (2011).

PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.
Monroe, Leila.  Restructure and reform:  post-BP Deepwater Horizon proposals to improve oversight of offshore oil and gas activities.  5 Golden Gate U. Envtl. L.J. 61-85 (2011).

PUBLIC TRUSTS.
Bussiere, William J.  Note.  Extinguishing dried-up public trust rights.  91 B.U. L. Rev. 1749-1781 (2011).

TAKINGS.
Kleeger, Jeffrey.  Blight makes right:  utilization as public use.  43 Urb. Law. 889-900 (2011).

Thomas, Robert H.  Recent developments in condemnation law:  public use, private property.  43 Urb. Law. 877-888 (2011).

Wade, William W.  Sources of regulatory takings economic confusion subsequent to Penn Central.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10936-10945 (2011).

Wheelock, David S.  Note.  Every grain of sand:  would a judicial takings doctrine freeze the common law of property?  61 Duke L.J. 433-468 (2011).

TORTS.
Rosenthal, Brent M.  Toxic torts and mass torts.  64 SMU L. Rev. 583-596 (2011).

TOXICS.
Key Issues for Reform of TSCA.  Leslie Carothers, moderator; Connie Detford, J. Clarence Davies, Mark A. Greenwood and Andy Igrejas, panelists.  41 Envtl. L. Rep. News & Analysis 10873-10874 (2011).

TRANSPORTATION.
Silverman, David S.  Green transportation:  roadblocks and avenues for promoting low-impact transportation choices.  43 Urb. Law. 775-788 (2011).

WATER LAW.
LaManna, Eva Melody.  Note.  Three’s a crowd:  examining Georgia’s options in the Tri-State Water Wars under principles of international law.  39 Ga. J. Int’l & Comp. L. 215-239 (2010).

Masten, Scott E.  Public utility ownership in 19th-century America:  the “aberrant” case of water.  27 J.L. Econ. & Org. 604-654 (2011).

ZONING.
Anderson, Arthur J.  Zoning and land use.  64 SMU L. Rev. 617-634 (2011).

Sullivan, Edward J.  Recent developments in comprehensive planning law.  43 Urb. Law. 823-837 (2011).

New Library Acquisitions -- Week of January 25

Animal Law
Considering animals : contemporary studies in human-animal relations / edited by Carol Freeman, Elizabeth Leane, and Yvette Watt

Fear of the animal planet : the hidden history of animal resistance / Jason Hribal ; introduction by Jeffrey St. Clair

The moral lives of animals / Dale Peterson

Asbestos
Dust-up : asbestos litigation and the failure of commonsense policy reform / Jeb Barnes

Ecotourism
Governing the wild : ecotours of power / Stephanie Rutherford

Ethics

European Union
The new climate policies of the European Union : internal legislation and climate diplomacy / Sebastian Oberthür and Marc Pallemaerts (eds.) ; with Claire Roche Kelly

European environmental law : after Lisbon / Jan H. Jans & Hans H.B. Vedder

Forests
Conserving southern longleaf : Herbert Stoddard and the rise of ecological land management / Albert G. Way

Song of the forest : Russian forestry and Stalinist environmentalism, 1905-1953 / Stephen Brain

International Trade
Green trade agreements / Dale Colyer

Mining
Combating mountaintop removal : new directions in the fight against big coal / Bryan T. McNeil

Nanotechnology
Advances in nanotechnology and the environment / edited by Juyoung Kim

New York City
High Line : the inside story of New York City's park in the sky / Joshua David and Robert Hammond

Urban Environment
Bird on fire : lessons from the world's least sustainable city / Andrew Ross

Zoning
Zoning and planning deskbook / by Douglas W. Kmiec, Katherine Kmiec Turner

Combining Bioenergy with CCS -- IEA

Combining Bioenergy with CCS- Reporting and Accounting for Negative Emissions under UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol is a publication from the International Energy Agency explains that "Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is a carbon reduction technology that offers permanent net removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. This has been termed 'negative carbon dioxide emissions', and offers a significant advantage over other mitigation alternatives, which only decrease the amount of emissions to the atmosphere.

The benefits inherent within this technology are currently receiving increased attention from policy makers. To facilitate the development of appropriate policy incentives, this paper reviews the treatment of 'negative carbon dioxide emissions' under current and planned international carbon accounting frameworks. It finds that, while current frameworks provide limited guidance, proposed and revised guidelines could provide an environmentally sound reporting framework for BECCS.

However, the paper also notes that, as they currently stand, new guidelines do not tackle a critical issue that has implications for all biomass energy systems, namely the overall carbon footprint of biomass production and use. It recommends that, to the best extent possible, all carbon impacts of BECCS are fully reflected in carbon reporting and accounting systems under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol."

Friday, January 20, 2012

The Greening of Consumer Products: Legal, Regulatory, and Strategic Considerations -- BNA Webinar

The Greening of Consumer Products: Legal, Regulatory, and Strategic Considerations is a Bloomberg BNA webinar offerd on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM.

Agenda

Consumer product manufacturers are challenged today as never before. Materials selection for consumer products invites a dizzying range of considerations: Are the chemicals hormone disruptors, carcinogens, or persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic? What toxicogenomic biomarkers might make the product the next celebrity tort case? What labeling requirements apply? What are the implications of genetic variations among the demographic to which the product is to be marketed? These considerations, in turn, invite legal, marketing, and technical issues that go well beyond questions of core compliance with the law. What exactly is the professional’s role? How are regional differences in regulatory standards, consumer perceptions, ingredient restrictions, and related factors to be addressed? Given the complexity of the global issues and the high stakes involved, what must a professional do to remain competent, socially aware, and scientifically proficient? This webinar will explore these questions and urges professionals–whether lawyers, product stewards, scientists, or others in the field–to remain vigilant and as prepared as possible in recognizing the constantly shifting demands on professionals in this area.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Yale Conservation Finance Camp

The 6th annual Yale Conservation Finance Camp will be held at Yale University, Monday, June 4 through Friday, June 8, 2012. The course offers the latest information on a wide range of innovative conservation finance tools, including new sources of philanthropic funds, public capital and private investment, as well as a framework for analyzing and packaging them.

The camp is focused on useful, hands-on tools for conservation practitioners and board members, foundation leaders, private investors and graduate students. This highly interactive course is limited to 20 participants. Registration is on a first-come-first-served basis. For further information please contact Amy Badner at amy.badner@yale.edu

Southeast Regional Land Conservation Conference

The Southeast Regional Land Conservation Conference offers two days of intense learning and networking, including concurrent seminars, keynote sessions and roundtable discussions.

The conference will take place at the Sea Palms Resort St. Simon's Island, GA on March 14 - 16 2012.

"Assessment of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United States -- DOE

This report from the Department of Energy Assessment of Energy Production Potential from Tidal Streams in the United StatesPDFdated June 29, 2011 finds that tidal stream energy is one of the alternative energy sources that are renewable and clean. This project created a national database of tidal stream energy potential, as well as a GIS tool usable by industry in order to accelerate the market for tidal energy conversion technology.

Tidal currents are numerically modeled with the Regional Ocean Modeling System and calibrated with the available measurements of tidal current speed and water level surface. The performance of the model in predicting the tidal currents and water levels is assessed with an independent validation. 

The results of the regional assessment show that the state of Alaska (AK) contains the largest number of locations with considerably high kinetic power density, and is followed by, Maine (ME), Washington (WA), Oregon (OR), California (CA), New Hampshire (NH), Massachusetts (MA), New York (NY), New Jersey (NJ), North and South Carolina (NC, SC), Georgia (GA), and Florida (FL). The average tidal stream power density at some of these locations can be larger than 8 kW/m2 with surface areas on the order of few hundred kilometers squared, and depths larger than 100 meters. The Cook Inlet in AK is found to have a substantially large tidal stream power density sustained over a very large area.

Mapping and Assessment of the United States Ocean Wave Energy Resource -- DOE

This Department of Energy report Mapping and Assessment of the United States Ocean Wave Energy ResourcePDFdated 2011 was prepared by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), with support and data validation from researchers at Virginia Tech and DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

"The report describes the methods used to produce geospatial data and to map the average annual and monthly significant wave height, wave energy period, mean direction, and wave power density in the coastal United States. NREL incorporated the data into a new marine and hydrokinetic energy section in their U.S. Renewable Resource atlas.

In addition to the wave and tidal resource assessments released today, DOE plans to release additional resource assessments for ocean current, ocean thermal gradients, and new hydropower resources in 2012. To support the development of technologies that can tap into these vast water power resources, DOE's Water Power Program is undertaking a detailed technical and economic assessment of a wide range of water power technologies in order to more accurately predict the opportunities and costs of developing and deploying these innovative technologies. The Program is currently sponsoring over 40 demonstration projects that will advance the commercial readiness of these systems, provide first-of-a-kind, in-water performance data that will validate cost-of-energy predictions, and identify pathways for large cost reductions.

These resource assessments, techno-economic assessments, and technology demonstration projects are critical elements of DOE's strategy to capture the very real opportunities associated with water power development, and to further define the path to supplying 15% of the nation's electricity through water power technologies."

Fouling Our Nest: Is An (Environmental) Ethic Impotent Against (Bad) Economics?-- Pace Law School Dyson Lecture

The annual Dyson lecture will be held on February 9, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. in the Judicial Institute Lecture Hall on the Pace Law School campus.

Speaker: Heidi M. Hurd, former Dean of the University of Illinois College of Law, and Professor of Law and Philosophy

Topic: Fouling Our Nest: Is An (Environmental) Ethic Impotent Against (Bad) Economics?

What is the moral nature of nature's capital?  How do market failures contribute to the degradation of the environment?  Why is there no comprehensive ethical and philosophical account of why environmental damage and destruction is immoral?  This lecture will explore the problem posed by the very field of environmental ethics and reveal the philosophical conflict that undergirds of our moral ambivalence towards nature and the environment.

The event is free and open to the public.  To obtain additional information, contact Prof. Brigit Crawford at bcrawford@law.pace.edu.  

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Beyond 2012: Meeting the Nation's Environmental, Energy, and Resources Challenges -- ABA Webinar

This ABA sponsored CLE program will focus on law and policy challenges the nation is likely to face in mid-2013 in the environmental, energy, and resource areas, and possible approaches to address them. These challenges will exist regardless of who controls the White House and Congress at that time.

For that reason, the speakers will concentrate on assisting lawyers and clients in anticipating and responding to critical issues without regard to the outcome of the 2012 election. Many current controversies and dilemmas seem likely to persist, but the speakers, who have vast experience in their fields, will identify and comment on emerging topics as well. The program will include remarks by each speaker centered on his or her area of expertise, followed by a discussion among the speakers of topics on cross-cutting importance.

Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Format: Live Webinar
Duration: 90 minutes
Time: 10:30 AM-12:00 PM Eastern


Net Worth: The Economic Value of Fisheries Conservation - US FWS

This report from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service dated Fall 2011 highlights the $3.6 billion in annual contributions to the U.S. economy made by the Fisheries Program and
its many partners: states, tribes, NGOs and private organizations.

Secure Water Act Report to Congress -- DOI

This report  Reclamation Climate Change and Water 2011 from the Bireau of Reclamation assesses climate change risks and how these risks could impact water operations, hydropower, flood control, and fish and wildlife in the western United States.

The report to Congress represents the first consistent and coordinated assessment of risks to future water supplies across eight major Reclamation river basins, including the Colorado, Rio Grande and Missouri river basins.  The report, which responds to requirements under the SECURE Water Act of 2009, shows several increased risks to western United States water resources during the 21st century.

The report notes that projected changes in temperature and precipitation are likely to impact the timing and quantity of stream flows in all western basins, which could impact water available to farms and cities, hydropower generation, fish and wildlife, and other uses such as recreation.

Arctic Report Card 2011 Update - NOAA

This report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration finds that  Persistent warming has caused dramatic changes in the Arctic Ocean and the ecosystem it supports.

Ocean changes include reduced sea ice and freshening of the upper ocean, and impacts such as increased biological productivity at the base of the food chain and loss of habit for walrus and polar bears.