GAO Report Released: Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Observations on States' Role, Liabilities at DOD and Hardrock Mining Sites, and Litigation Issues

Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report, titled Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Observations on States' Role, Liabilities at DOD and Hardrock Mining Sites, and Litigation Issues GAO-13-633T (May 22, 2013). The details of the 24-page report, available here, are discussed below:

Why GAO Did This Study

According to EPA, the agency that manages the nation's principal hazardous waste cleanup program, one in four Americans lives within 3 miles of a hazardous waste site. Many such sites pose health and other risks, and their cleanup can be lengthy and expensive. EPA's Superfund program, established under [Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act ] CERCLA, provides a process to address contaminated sites. Under CERCLA, parties that contributed to the contamination of a site are generally liable for cleanup and related costs. These parties may include federal agencies, such as DOD, and companies. Based on the risk a site poses, EPA may place the site on the [National Priorities List] NPL, a list that includes some of the nation's most seriously contaminated sites. As of April 2013, the NPL included about 1,300 sites, and states and federal agencies may address additional contaminated sites outside of EPA's Superfund program. GAO's prior work has identified challenges cleaning up DOD's NPL sites and abandoned mining sites and has assessed litigation related to the Superfund program.

In this testimony, GAO summarizes its work from March 2008 to April 2013 on (1) the role of states in cleaning up hazardous waste sites, (2) DOD's management of its sites on the NPL, (3) federal liabilities from contaminated hardrock mining sites, and (4) litigation under CERCLA and other statutes.

GAO is not making new recommendations but has made numerous recommendations to DOD, EPA, and Interior to better address hazardous waste sites. As described in this statement, the responses to these recommendations have varied.

GAO Report Released: Natural Resources and Environment: Funding for 10 States' Programs Supported by Four Environmental Protection Agency Categorical Grants

Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report, titled Natural Resources and Environment: Funding for 10 States' Programs Supported by Four Environmental Protection Agency Categorical Grants GAO-13-504R (May 6, 2013). The details of the 73-page report, available here, are discussed below:

Why GAO Did This Study

In the last 10 years, appropriations for EPA's categorical grants have generally decreased from a high of $1.17 billion in fiscal year 2004 to $1.09 billion in fiscal year 2012 (in current dollars). Members of Congress and state stakeholders have expressed concerns about the adequacy of EPA categorical grant funding in light of recent economic conditions and the effects on state budgets. 

GAO reviewed four of these grants--the Water Pollutant Control, Nonpoint Source, Air Quality, and Underground Injection Control grants--that made up 60 percent of the total budget for categorical grants in fiscal year 2012. GAO also reviewed funding for state programs that use these grants in 10 states, including Hawaii, Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Vermont, and West Virginia. 

Why GAO Did This Study

GAO is not making any recommendations. GAO provided a draft to the agency for comment. EPA provided technical comments by e-mail, which were incorporated into the report as appropriate. GAO also provided relevant sections of the report to agency officials in the 10 states reviewed. The state agencies provided technical comments, which were incorporated into the report as appropriate.

Nuclear Energy Agency Annual Report Released for 2012

Recently, the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), "a specialised agency within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) . . . [whose mission it is] [t]o assist its member countries in maintaining and further developing . . . nuclear energy for peaceful purposes" released its, 2012 NEA Annual Report (2013). The 63-page publication is available here, as a downloadable pdf.  Prior editions of the report are available here dating back to 1996.

TEEB Report Released: The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Water and Wetlands

Recently, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB), a "a global initiative focused on drawing attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity" released its report The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for Water and Wetlands (2013). According to the executive summary, this 84-page report available here, released for the U.N.'s International Day for Biodiversity, discusses the following:

[t]he “nexus” between water, food and energy has been recognised as one of the most fundamental relationships and challenges for society. Wetlands are a fundamental part of local and global water cycles and are at the heart of this nexus, providing numerous ecosystem services to humankind. Nonetheless, wetlands continue to be degraded or lost and, in many cases, policies and decisions do not sufficiently take into account these interconnections and interdependencies. However, the full value of water and wetlands needs to be recognized and integrated into decision-making in order to meet our future social, economic and environmental needs. Using the maintenance and enhancement of the benefits of water and wetlands is, therefore, a key element in a transition to a sustainable economy.

UNEP Report Released: Natural Solutions for Water Security

Today in celebration of the United Nations International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22nd), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), released a new brochure focued on the 2013 theme: Water & Biodiversity. Titled, Natural Solutions for Water Security (2013) the 49-page report is available here and attempts to raise awareness regarding this finite resource.

UNEP Global Environmental Alert Released for May: A New Eye in the Sky: Eco-drones

Recently, the United Nations Environment Programme released a new Global Environmental Alert titled, A New Eye in the Sky: Eco-drones (May 2013). According to the 13-page alert,

[a] drone is generally thought of as a military weapon or surveillance tool. Commonly referred to as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), unmanned aerial system (UAS) or remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), a drone can also provide a low-cost and low-impact solution to environmental managers working in a variety of ecosystems. Drones used for these purposes are referred to as ‘eco-drones’ or ‘conservation drones.’ Their agility and quality imaging abilities make them advantageous as a mapping tool for environmental monitoring, but there are still several challenges and concerns to be surmounted.

Prior alerts are available here, dating from Aug. 2010 to the present.

USGS Report Released: Seventy-five Years of Science—The U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Fisheries Research Center

Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a report titled Seventy-five Years of Science—The U.S. Geological Survey’s Western Fisheries Research Center (USGS Gen. Info. Product 149). The 54-page report available here, authored by Gary A. Wedemeyer, discusses the following:

[a]s of January 2010, 75 years have elapsed since Dr. Frederic Fish initiated the pioneering research program that would evolve into today’s Western Fisheries Research Center (WFRC). Fish began his research working alone in the basement of the recently opened Fisheries Biological Laboratory on Lake Union in Seattle, Washington. WFRC’s research began under the aegis of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and ends its first 75 years as part of the U.S. Geological Survey with a staff of more than 150 biologists and support personnel and a heritage of fundamental research that has made important contributions to our understanding of the biology and ecology of the economically important fish and fish populations of the Nation. Although the current staff may rarely stop to think about it, WFRC’s antecedents extend many years into the past and are intimately involved with the history of fisheries conservation in the Western United States. Thus, WFRC Director Lyman Thorsteinson asked me to write the story of this laboratory “while there are still a few of you around who were here for some of the earlier years” to document the rich history and culture of WFRC by recognizing its many famous scientists and their achievements. This historyalso would help document WFRC’s research ‘footprint’ in the Western United States and its strategic directions. Center Director Thorsteinson concluded that WFRC’s heritage told by an emeritus scientist also would add a texture of legitimacy based on personal knowledge that will all-to-soon be lost to the WFRC and to the USGS. The WFRC story is important for the future as well as for historical reasons. It describes how we got to the place we are today by documenting the origin, original mission, and our evolving role in response to the constantly changing technical information requirements of new environmental legislation and organizational decision-making. The WFRC research program owes its existence to the policy requirements of Federal conservation legislation originating with the construction of Grand Coulee Dam in 1933. The research program was shaped by laws enacted in subsequent years such as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (1972), National Environmental Policy Act (1973), Endangered Species Act (1974), and Northwest Power Planning Act (1980), to name only a few. The WFRC has not been constrained by direct management or regulatory responsibility for a particular fishery (such as providing sustainable catch limits data to a resource management structure). Thus, WFRC has been able to concentrate on scientific pursuits and information needs required by contemporary environmental legislation. Over the years, we have pioneered in several important areas of fisheries research including the diagnoses and control of diseases in economically important fish, effects of environmental alterations on the physiological quality and survival of Pacific salmon released from federal mitigation hatcheries, applications in biotelemetry, and the bioenergetics of predator-prey interactions in the Columbia River. The WFRC of today is a widely distributed organization in the Western United States. Knowledge of the historical connections and accomplishments of our predecessors is important beyond the sense of pride and unity it instills in the WFRC family of today. For example, a discerning reader will note the evolution of WFRC’s research from a single disciplinary focus (early era—hatchery disease problems), to multiple disciplines (middle to late era—species, populations, habitats; threatened and endangered species), to the present era (multidisciplinary and with increasing process focus). For the benefit of the current WFRC staff, more emphasis has been placed on the early years rather than on the present day because people are quite naturally more familiar with the recent past than with the research done during the first decades of WFRC’s existence. By every rational measure, the WFRC has evolved into a fisheries research organization well positioned to provide the biological information needed to support the continued conservation and management of our Nation’s living aquatic natural resources. The high standard of excellence that connects WFRC’s past to our present research program provides a firm foundation on which to base the work yet to be done. In another 75 years, WFRC will undoubtedly be a very different place than it is today, but its evolution will be forever rooted in the story of the research and of the people related here. More about the diverse fisheries research projects WFRC scientists are conducting today is available at WFRC’s website: http://wfrc.usgs.gov/.

USGS Report Released: Estimating Irrigation Water use in the Humid Eastern United States

Recently, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a report titled Estimating Irrigation Water use in the Humid Eastern United States (USGS Sci. Investgn. Rep. 2013-5060). The 44-page report available here, authored by Sara B. Levis and Phillip J. Zariello, discusses the following:

[a]ccurate accounting of irrigation water use is an important part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Use Information Program and the WaterSMART initiative to help maintain sustainable water resources in the Nation. Irrigation water use in the humid eastern United States is not well characterized because of inadequate reporting and wide variability associated with climate, soils, crops, and farming practices. To better understand irrigation water use in the eastern United States, two types of predictive models were developed and compared by using metered irrigation water-use data for corn, cotton, peanut, and soybean crops in Georgia and turf farms in Rhode Island. Reliable metered irrigation data were limited to these areas. The first predictive model that was developed uses logistic regression to predict the occurrence of irrigation on the basis of antecedent climate conditions. Logistic regression equations were developed for corn, cotton, peanut, and soybean crops by using weekly irrigation water-use data from 36 metered sites in Georgia in 2009 and 2010 and turf farms in Rhode Island from 2000 to 2004. For the weeks when irrigation was predicted to take place, the irrigation water-use volume was estimated by multiplying the average metered irrigation application rate by the irrigated acreage for a given crop. The second predictive model that was developed is a crop-water-demand model that uses a daily soil water balance to estimate the water needs of a crop on a given day based on climate, soil, and plant properties. Crop-water-demand models were developed independently of reported irrigation water-use practices and relied on knowledge of plant properties that are available in the literature. Both modeling approaches require accurate accounting of irrigated area and crop type to estimate total irrigation water use. Water-use estimates from both modeling methods were compared to the metered irrigation data from Rhode Island and Georgia that were used to develop the models as well as two independent validation datasets from Georgia and Virginia that were not used in model development. Irrigation water-use estimates from the logistic regression method more closely matched mean reported irrigation rates than estimates from the crop-water-demand model when compared to the irrigation data used to develop the equations. The root mean squared errors (RMSEs) for the logistic regression estimates of mean annual irrigation ranged from 0.3 to 2.0 inches (in.) for the five crop types; RMSEs for the crop-water-demand models ranged from 1.4 to 3.9 in. However, when the models were applied and compared to the independent validation datasets from southwest Georgia from 2010, and from Virginia from 1999 to 2007, the crop-water-demand model estimates were as good as or better at predicting the mean irrigation volume than the logistic regression models for most crop types. RMSEs for logistic regression estimates of mean annual irrigation ranged from 1.0 to 7.0 in. for validation data from Georgia and from 1.8 to 4.9 in. for validation data from Virginia; RMSEs for crop-water-demand model estimates ranged from 2.1 to 5.8 in. for Georgia data and from 2.0 to 3.9 in. for Virginia data. In general, regression-based models performed better in areas that had quality daily or weekly irrigation data from which the regression equations were developed; however, the regression models were less reliable than the crop-water-demand models when applied outside the area for which they were developed. In most eastern coastal states that do not have quality irrigation data, the crop-water-demand model can be used more reliably. The development of predictive models of irrigation water use in this study was hindered by a lack of quality irrigation data. Many mid-Atlantic and New England states do not require irrigation water use to be reported. A survey of irrigation data from 14 eastern coastal states from Maine to Georgia indicated that, with the exception of the data in Georgia, irrigation data in the states that do require reporting commonly did not contain requisite ancillary information such as irrigated area or crop type, lacked precision, or were at an aggregated temporal scale making them unsuitable for use in the development of predictive models. Confidence in the reliability of either modeling method is affected by uncertainty in the reported data from which the models were developed or validated. Only through additional collection of quality data and further study can the accuracy and uncertainty of irrigation water-use estimates be improved in the humid eastern United States.

IUCN Report Released: World Conservation Congress 2012: Conservation Campus Report

Recently, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), "the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization," released its, World Conservation Congress 2012: Conservation Campus Report(2013). The 24-page publication is available here, as a downloadable pdf. According to the abstract,

[t]he Conservation Campus at the 2012 IUCN World Conservation Congress was designed to provide an interactive learning environment to build capacity in support of the IUCN Programme, drawing on the knowledge and expertise of the Union. This report sets out to provide an overview of the diverse sessions of the Conservation Campus; a summary of the evaluation of the event and feedback received from participants and session organisers; observations and recommendations for anyone looking to organise another Conservation Campus based on our experience; and useful links for where to go for further information. 

IUCN Report Released: Review of Statutory and Customary Law in the Xe Champhone Ramsar Site, Lao PDR

Recently, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), "the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization," released its, Review of Statutory and Customary Law in the Xe Champhone Ramsar Site, Lao PDR: Implications for a Rights-based Approach to Conservation (2013). The 48-page publication is available here, as a downloadable pdf. According to the abstract,

[t]his publication summarizes and analyses the findings of a situational analysis in the Xe Champhone Ramsar Site in Lao PDR, looking specifically at customary law governing natural resources and including its relationship with statutory law. It provides recommendations on how to incorporate customary law governing natural resources into the governance of Ramsar sites in the country.

IUCN Working Paper Released: Ecosystems and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Context of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami

Recently, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), "the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization," released its, Ecosystems and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Context of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: A Scoping Study: Report to the Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund (2013). The 50-page publication is available here, as a downloadable pdf. According to the abstract,

[t]his volume focuses on the perceptions of communities on the role of ecosystems for disaster risk reduction, particularly in the context of the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster in Japan. Key experiences and perspectives of the local communities provide insights on how ecosystems are perceived and how the role of ecosystems during the 3/11 events was perceived. The report also highlights the valuable lessons Japan is learning that can assist other countries to help build resilient communities.

IUCN Report Released: Great Apes and FSC: Implementing ‘Ape Friendly’ Practices in Central Africa’s Logging Concessions

Recently, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), "the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization," released its, Great Apes and FSC: Implementing ‘Ape Friendly’ Practices in Central Africa’s Logging Concessions (2013). The 48-page publication is available here, as a downloadable pdf. According to the abstract,

[t]his volume outlines a framework within which logging companies adhering to Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certification can be the catalyst needed to ensure the long-term preservation of African great apes. Specific guidelines and practical considerations are provided as to how and why forestry and conservation practitioners should col-laborate in maintaining wildlife.

GAO Report Released: Oil and Gas Management: Continued Attention to Interior's Revenue Collection and Human Capital Challenges Is Needed

Recently, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report, titled Oil and Gas Management: Continued Attention to Interior's Revenue Collection and Human Capital Challenges Is Needed GAO-13-647T (May 16, 2013). The details of the 12-page report, available here, are discussed below:

Why GAO Did This Study

Interior issues permits for the development of new oil and gas wells on federal lands and waters; inspects wells to ensure compliance with environmental, safety, and other regulations; and collects royalties from companies that sell the oil and gas produced from those wells. In recent years, onshore and offshore federal leases produced a substantial portion of the oil and gas produced in the United States. In fiscal year 2012, Interior collected almost $12 billion in mineral revenues including those from oil and gas development, making it one of the largest nontax sources of federal government funds. Previous GAO work has raised concerns about Interior's management and oversight of federal oil and gas resources.

This testimony focuses on (1) Interior's oversight of offshore oil and gas resources, (2) Interior's collection of oil and gas revenues, and (3) Interior's progress to address concerns that resulted in its inclusion on GAO's High Risk List in 2011. This statement is based on prior GAO reports issued from September 2008 through February 2013.

GAO is making no new recommendations. Interior continues to act on the recommendations that GAO has made to improve the management of oil and gas resources. GAO continues to monitor Interior's implementation of these recommendations. 

National Academies Report Released: Review of the Research Program of the U.S. DRIVE Partnership: Fourth Report

Recently, the National Academies Press (NAP) released report produced by the Committee on Review of the U.S. DRIVE Research Program, Phase 4; Board on Energy and Environmental Systems; Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences; and the National Research Council titled, Review of the Research Program of the U.S. DRIVE Partnership: Fourth Report (2013). The 185-page report (available free with a one-time registration) discusses how,

Review of the Research Program of the U.S. DRIVE Partnership: Fourth Report follows on three previous NRC reviews of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership, which was the predecessor of the U.S. DRIVE Partnership (NRC, 2005, 2008a, 2010). The U.S. DRIVE (Driving Research and Innovation for Vehicle Efficiency and Energy Sustainability) vision, according to the charter of the Partnership, is this: American consumers have a broad range of affordable personal transportation choices that reduce petroleum consumption and significantly reduce harmful emissions from the transportation sector. Its mission is as follows: accelerate the development of pre-competitive and innovative technologies to enable a full range of efficient and clean advanced light-duty vehicles (LDVs), as well as related energy infrastructure. The Partnership focuses on precompetitive research and development (R&D) that can help to accelerate the emergence of advanced technologies to be commercialization-feasible.

The guidance for the work of the U.S. DRIVE Partnership as well as the priority setting and targets for needed research are provided by joint industry/government technical teams. This structure has been demonstrated to be an effective means of identifying high-priority, long-term precompetitive research needs for each technology with which the Partnership is involved. Technical areas in which research and development as well as technology validation programs have been pursued include the following: internal combustion engines (ICEs) potentially operating on conventional and various alternative fuels, automotive fuel cell power systems, hydrogen storage systems (especially onboard vehicles), batteries and other forms of electrochemical energy storage, electric propulsion systems, hydrogen production and delivery, and materials leading to vehicle weight reductions.

BPC Report Released: New Dynamics of the U.S. Natural Gas Market

Recently, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), "a non-profit organization that drives principled solutions . . .  [and] combines politically-balanced policymaking with strong, proactive advocacy and outreach," issued a report titled, New Dynamics of the U.S. Natural Gas Market (2013). The 57-page report is available here, and discusses the following:

[t]he analysis presented in this report considered the relative impact of a realistic range of supply and demand drivers that will shape future U.S. energy markets and, in particular the market for natural gas.

The scenario analysis revealed that within the suite of natural gas supply and demand assumptions considered, there are ample domestic supplies of natural gas to meet future demand without significant price increases.

Similarly, the analysis shows that the United States is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the economic, environmental, and energy security benefits of the country’s large natural gas resource base. Natural gas resources have the potential to create new market opportunities for expanded natural gas use in ways that will grow the economy and improve the environmental performance of the U.S. energy system, if the environmental challenges associated with natural gas development using horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing are addressed by industry in collaboration with state and federal regulators.

EPA Report Released: Semiannual Report of UST Performance Measures Mid Fiscal Year 2013 (October 1, 2012 - March 31, 2013)

Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), released a report titled, Semiannual Report of UST Performance Measures Mid Fiscal Year 2013 (October 1, 2012 - March 31, 2013) (2013). This 14-page report available here, authored by the Office of Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) discusses the following,

EPA collects data from states and territories regarding [underground storage tank] UST performance measures. This data includes information such as the number of active and closed tanks, releases reported, cleanups initiated and completed, facilities in compliance with UST requirements, and inspections. The reports below provide data in table format for all states, territories, and Indian country for the reporting period indicated.

Previous reports from October 1987 to the present are available here.

New Library Acquisitions -- Week of May 13th

Pace Law Library

AGRICULTURE.
Agriculture and food in crisis : conflict, resistance, and renewal / edited by Fred Magdoff and Brian Tokar

CLIMATE CHANGE.

Climate change and environmental hazards related to shipping : an international legal framework : proceedings of the Hamburg International Environmental Law Conference 2011 / Edited by Hans-Joachim Koch ... [et al.]

The Gulf monarchies and climate change : Abu Dhabi and Qatar in an era of natural unsustainability / Mari Luomi

COMMENTARY.

The future : six drivers of global change / Al Gore

On extinction : how we became estranged from nature / Melanie Challenger

CULTURAL HERITAGE LAW.

The old bridge of Mostar and increasing respect for cultural property in armed conflict / by Jadranka Petrovic

DISASTER LAW.

Disasters and the law : Katrina and beyond / Daniel A. Farber, Jim Chen

ENERGY MARKETS.

Fraud and carbon markets : the carbon connection / Marius-Christian Frunza

HISTORY.

An American river : from paradise to superfund, afloat on New Jersey's Passaic / Mary Bruno

The Forest Service and the greatest good : a centennial history / James G. Lewis

PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.

The pipeline and the paradigm : Keystone XL, tar sands, and the battle to defuse the carbon bomb / Samuel Avery

REMEDIATION.

MTBE remediation handbook / edited by Ellen E. Moyer, Paul T. Kostecki

SCIENCE.

The feeling of risk : new perspectives on risk perception / Paul Slovic

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

Green infrastructure : a landscape approach / David C. Rouse, AICP, and Ignacio F. Bunster-Ossa

WATER RESOURCES.

The struggle for water : politics, rationality, and identity in the American Southwest / Wendy Nelson Espeland

Water law in India : an introduction to legal instruments / [edited by] Philippe Cullet and Sujith Koonan

Water governance : an evaluation of alternative architectures / edited by Asanga Gunawansa, and Lovleen Bhullar

Pace Environmental Law Review Volume 30, Issue 2 Released: Nanotechnology and the Environment

Current Issue: Volume 30, Issue 2 (2013) Nanotechnology and the Environment
Spring 2013

Articles

Environmental Law Confronts the New Industrial Revolution
Leslie Carothers

 

Searching for the Nano-needle in a Green Haystack: Researching the Environmental, Health, and Safety Ramifications of Nanotechnology
Taryn L. Rucinski

 

The Case for an Information-Forcing Regulatory Definition of “Nanomaterials”
David A. Dana

 

Regulatory Concerns and Health/Hazard Risks Associated with Nanotechnology
Louis Theodore and Leo Stander

 

No Laws in Nanoland: How to Reverse the Trend? The French Example
Nadia Kaddour

 

Big Things in Small Packages: Evaluating the City of Berkeley’s Nanotechnology Ordinance Effectiveness as a Model of Targeted Transparency
Drew Lerer

 

Harmony with Nature and Genetically Modified Seeds: A Contradictory Concept in the United States and Brazil?
Heather Leibowitz

 

Carbon Tax with Reinvestment Trumps Cap-and-Trade
Stephen Sewalk

 

International Deployment of Microbial Pest Control Agents: Falling Between the Cracks of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol?
Guy R. Knudsen

 

The Legal Profession’s Critical Role in Systems-Level Bioenergy Decision-Making
Jody M. Endres

 

The Principle of Resilience
Lia Helena Monteiro de Lima Demange

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Report Released: Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Active Chemicals in Minnesota Lakes

Recently, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), a state agency which "monitors environmental quality, offers technical and financial assistance, and enforces environmental regulations," issued a report titled, Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Active Chemicals in Minnesota Lakes  (2013). The 52-page report is available here, while other related studies are available on the MPCA, Water Quality website. 

Pace University Event Climate Change and Sea Level Rise: What Can We Expect?

 

Conservation Cafe´presents  the next Conversations on Conservation   "Climate Change and Sea Level Rise: What Can We Expect?"         June 7, 2013 8:30am- 11am at Pace University Pleasantville Campus Gottesman Room, Kessel Student Center, Entrance 3           In recent years the frequency and intensity of storms in our area has been on the rise, and as we are still in the midst of clean-up from Hurricane Sandy, climate change and its effect on sea level rise is top of mind. Find out what climate change is, what its effects are on our oceans and rivers, and the impacts of extreme weather in our local communities. Speakers * Andy Revkin, Senior Fellow for Environmental Understanding at Pace University's Academy for Applied Environmental Studies, who will give a broad overview of climate change, rising oceans, and their possible impact on New York State.     * Adam Whelchel, Ph.D. Director of Science at The Nature Conservancy/Connecticut Chapter, who will speak about how sea level rise may impact Long Island Sound.    * Mark Lowery, Climate Policy Analyst in the office of Climate Change at New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, who will talk about the sea level rise along the Hudson River and how New York State can respond to it.     A panel discussion with a question-and-answer session will follow the formal presentations.   Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.; the program begins at 8:45 a.m.      This is a FREE program, and all are welcome to join.     To RSVP:                      Online: www.fcwc.org/events                           By Phone: 914-422-4053                      By Email: fcwc@fcwc.org                         Conservation Café programs provide a forum for dialogue about current environmental issues. Co-Sponsored by:  Grassroots Environmental Education,Greenburgh Nature Center,  FCWC, Friends of Westchester County Parks, Mianus River Gorge, Pace University, Teatown Lake Reservation, Westchester County Parks and Planning Departments and Westchester Land Trust.   Please spread news about this program widely.

FAO Forestry Paper Released: Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security

Recently the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a United Nations organization that focues on "rais[ing] levels of nutrition, improv[ing] agricultural productivity, better[ing] the lives of rural populations and contribut[ing] to the growth of the world economy" released a report titled, Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security (2013). The 201-page report is available for free here.

FAO Report Released: Understanding and Integrating Gender Issues into Livestock Projects and Programmes

Recently the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a United Nations organization that focues on "rais[ing] levels of nutrition, improv[ing] agricultural productivity, better[ing] the lives of rural populations and contribut[ing] to the growth of the world economy" released a report titled, Understanding and Integrating Gender Issues into Livestock Projects and Programmes (2013). The 56-page report available here, discusses the following:

[i]n rural societies, where local culture and traditions are still very vibrant, responsibilities and tasks are often assigned to women and men on the basis of traditional gender roles, defined as those behaviours and responsibilities that a society considers appropriate for men, women, boys and girls. These roles change over time, have different characteristics in every local context and are shaped by ideological, religious, cultural, ethnic and economic factors. They are a key determinant of the distribution of resources and responsibilities between men and women (FAO, 2010b). In many cases gender roles are biased and favour certain social constituencies at the expense of others. Rural women, for instance, face serious obstacles more regularly than men, since traditional structures and perceptions tend to prevent them from obtaining the necessary tools to reach their full potential in the agricultural sector. In fact, despite their major involvement in and contribution to livestock management, women tend to have limited access to resources, extension services and less participation in decision making compared to their male counterparts (FAO, 2011a). Recognizing the different roles that women and men play in the agriculture sector is key to identifying the diverse challenges they face and tailoring projects and programmes on their specific needs. Understanding and integrating these diverse roles and specific dynamics into projects and programmes can significantly improve their outcomes and effectiveness (FAO, IFAD, World Bank, 2007; FAO, 2011a).

NRDC Report Released: Benchmarking Air Emissions of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the U.S., 2013

Recently, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), an international non-profit environmental advocacy and action group which focuses on the protection of wildlife and habitat, issued a report titled, Benchmarking Air Emissions of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the U.S. (2013). According to the press release for the 50-page report available here, the following is discussed,

[t]he 2013 Benchmarking report is the product of a collaborative effort among Entergy, Exelon, Bank of America, Tenaska, PSEG, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Ceres, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), highlighting environmental performance and progress in the nation's electric power sector. The Benchmarking series began in 1997 and uses publicly reported data to compare the emissions performance of the 100 largest power producers in the United States. The current report is based on 2011 generation and emissions data. This year's report also provides state-by-state data showing states with the highest to lowest CO2 emissions.

Data on U.S. power plant generation and air emissions are available to the public through several databases maintained by state and federal agencies. Publicly- and privately-owned electric generating companies are required to report fuel and generation data to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Most power producers are also required to report air pollutant emissions data to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These data are reported and recorded at the boiler, generator, or plant level, and must be combined and presented so that company-level comparisons can be made across the industry.

The Benchmarking report facilitates the comparison of emissions performance by combining generation and fuel consumption data compiled by the EIA with emissions data on sulfur dioxide (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO2) and mercury compiled by the EPA; error checking the data; and presenting emissions information for the nation's 100 largest power producers in a graphic format that aids in understanding and evaluating the data. The report is intended for a wide audience, including electric industry executives, environmental advocates, financial analysts, investors, journalists, power plant managers, and public policymakers.