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Newslinks - Rochester, NY area
Today's environmental news for our area. (A model of what could and should be in every community's news.)
Page Contents: Today's Newslinks | Posted earlier this month| Newslinks Archives | Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) NewsLinks
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Environmental NewsLinks for the Rochester, NY area
Posted Today - Saturday, August 30, 2014
Climate change's health toll: 'We can save millions of lives, even now' While the effects of climate change on the environment are gaining wide attention, there's a lack of awareness about the impact on human health. The WHO's Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum tells DW how both can be adressed. As the earth warms, it makes it easier to transmit diseases in many parts of the world - diseases like malaria, which kills around 600,000 people every year, or diarrheal disease, including cholera and other forms of diarrhea, which also kills almost 600,000 just children every year, particularly in developing countries. And as we get more frequent precipitation, perhaps more frequent flooding and drought, it makes it harder to supply safe water sanitation services to populations. (August 28, 2014) Deutsche Welle (DW) [more on Climate Change and Environmental Health in our area]
Naomi Klein: Why global warming changes everything Among the world's most popular anti-capitalist revolutionaries is a woman who once idolized capitalism. Global CEO profiles an intellectual giant. In December 1989, a 25-year-old man was denied admission to École Polytechnique in Montreal, took a firearm into one of its engineering classrooms, shouted: "You're all a bunch of feminists," and killed 14 female students before turning the gun on himself. His suicide note outlined his rage regarding women's occupation of traditional male roles. He claimed feminists had ruined his life. (August 22, 2014) Global CEO [more on Climate Change in our area]
Obama Attempts to Sidestep Congress by Forging an International Climate Agreement - Under the U.S. constitution, the President may only enter into a legally binding treaty if two-thirds of the Senate approve it. President Obama hasn't had much luck getting Congress to approve of anything, much less climate change, so how can he make any progress on forging an international alliance to reduce carbon emissions? The answer involves a game of legal limbo. In 2015, a UN summit meeting will gather the leading industrial countries on the planet to hash out an international climate change policy. The UN's two previous attempts to regulate its members' emissions have ended in failure, both times with fingers left pointing at America. (August 27, 2014) Planet Experts [more on Climate Change in our area]
Service adds 190 acres to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Supporting our nation's wildlife heritage through the Land and Water Conservation Fund Residents and visitors to upstate New York now have greater opportunities to experience wildlife in its natural habitat, thanks to the recent addition of more than 190 acres to Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. The newly-added acreage includes a variety of habitat, such as seasonal streams, wet woodlands, wooded hillsides, small fields and one small pond. The acquisition is funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which provides money to federal, state and local governments to purchase land, water and wetlands. "Nations are defined by the natural and cultural heritage they choose to preserve, which is why the Land and Water Conservation Fund is such a vital conservation tool," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. "It's fitting that as we mark the 50th anniversary of this conservation milestone, we do so by protecting important habitat here at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and across the nation for current and future generations of Americans to enjoy." (August 26, 2014) US Fish and Wildlife Service [more on Wetlands in our area]
Rabies clinic scheduled in Canandaigua The Ontario County Public Health Department will hold a rabies clinic in Canandaigua from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 13 at the Hurley Bulding, 205 Saltonstall St. to vaccinate pets. The clinic is free, and all animals must be older than 3 months. (August 28, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Rabies in our area]
Pennsylvania Finally Reveals Fracking Has Contaminated Drinking Water Hundreds Of Times For the first time, Pennsylvania has made public 243 cases of contamination of private drinking wells from oil and gas drilling operations. As the AP reports, Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection posted details about the contamination cases online on Thursday. The cases occurred in 22 counties, with Susquehanna, Tioga, Lycoming, and Bradford counties having the most incidences of contamination. In some cases, one drilling operation contaminated the water of multiple wells, with water issues resulting from methane gas contamination, wastewater spills, and wells that simply went dry or undrinkable. The move to release the contamination information comes after years of the AP and other news outlets filing lawsuits and Freedom of Information Act requests from the DEP on water issues related to oil and gas drilling and fracking. (August 29, 2014) Think Progress/Climate Progress [more on Fracking in our area]
Local citizens to attend NYC People's Climate March A group of local citizens planning to participate in the People's Climate March on Sunday Sept. 21st have arranged for bus transportation. The People's Climate March is a response to the UN Climate Summit called by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to "urge governments to support an ambitious global agreement to dramatically reduce global warming pollution." (August 29, 2014) WKTV [more on Climate Change in our area]
Disruption: Watch It Sept. 7 "When it comes to climate change, why do we do so little when we know so much?" This is the question that Disruption investigates in the 60-minute documentary with narration based on the writings of Bill McKibben. Disruption takes a fearless look at the devastating consequences of inaction on climate change. The film calls for bold action now and shows how building a renewable energy future can help provide solutions to our fossil-fuel addicted economy. "We're the first generation to feel the impacts of climate disruption, and the last generation that can do something about it," says the films synopsis. (August 29, 2014) EcoWatch [more on Climate Change in our area]
News Highlight:
Photo: 100_2357 & 100_2356 = Photo credits: Steve Rosenfeld (Board), Hugh Mitchell (Sierra Club), Jim Howe (Director) .Hugh Mitchell Receives The Nature Conservancy "Friend of the Land" Award
For many years Hugh Mitchell worked to preserve the rare and beautiful Hemlock/Canadice Lakes Areas.
His efforts were recognized by the Central & Western NY Nature Conservancy by the award of a plaque which Reads, "In recognition of your role in permanently protecting the Hemlock/Canadice Lakes."
Although Rochester City had done a good job over 135 years protecting the Upland Watershed of These reservoir lakes, because of budget shortages they were anxious to sell the 7,200 acres to New York State. This transfer was accomplished in June 2010 after more than 30 years of effort to permanently protect the land.
(Above scripts from Dynamic Drive)
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Posted earlier this month
These article are in order they were posted with the most recent at the top.
'Urgency of Climate Change' to Debut as Legal Defense As protests go, Ken Ward's and Jay O'Hara's daylong blockade of a coal delivery was low-key. There were no kerfuffles involving authorities and nobody was arrested — the men learned of criminal charges later by mail. But the duo's trial, scheduled to begin Sept. 8 in a Massachusetts district court, is shaping up as a high-profile affair, featuring an unusual defense and planned testimony by some of the biggest names in climate science. The men's attorneys are planning to deploy a novel strategy. It's called the necessity defense. They will argue that the urgency of climate change and greenhouse gas pollution was so great that their clients' actions were legally justifiable. (August 28, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Blue-green algae on Conesus Lake Livingston County, N.Y. – The Health Department says blue-green algae blooms are prevalent in Conesus Lake, especially in the northern end of the Lake. "We're trying to be optimistic for the holiday weekend," said Mark Grovanz, Environmental Health Director. "We're doing everything we can to clear it but we're dealing with Mother Nature here so there's only so much we can do." (August 28, 2014) WHAM Rochester [more on Conesus Lake in our area]
As Obama Settles on Nonbinding Treaty, "Only a Big Movement" Can Take on Global Warming As international climate scientists warn runaway greenhouse gas emissions could cause "severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts," the Obama administration is abandoning attempts to have Congress agree to a legally binding international climate deal. The New York Times reports U.S. negotiators are crafting a proposal that would not require congressional approval and instead would seek pledges from countries to cut emissions on a voluntary basis. This comes as a new U.N. report warns climate change could become "irreversible" if greenhouse gas emissions go unchecked. If global warming is to be adequately contained, it says, at least three-quarters of known fossil fuel reserves must remain in the ground. We speak to 350.org founder Bill McKibben about why his hopes for taking on global warming lie not in President Obama's approach, but rather in events like the upcoming People's Climate March in New York City, which could mark the largest rally for climate action ever. "The Obama administration, which likes to poke fun at recalcitrant congressmen, hasn't been willing to really endure much in the way of political pain itself in order to slow things down," McKibben says. "The rest of the world can see that. The only way we'll change any of these equations here or elsewhere is by building a big movement — that's why September 21 in New York is such an important day." (?August 28, 2014) Democracy Now! [more on Climate Change in our area]
California Assembly Passes Statewide Plastic Bag Ban The California State Assembly today voted 44-29 to phase out plastic shopping bags across the state. The legislation now advances to the State Senate where it is expected to come up for a vote before the legislature adjourns on August 31. The measure, SB 270, authored by Los Angeles Democrat Senator Alex Padilla, and two other Democrats, would prohibit grocery stores, drugstores, and convenience stores from distributing single-use plastic bags starting July 2015. Stores could sell paper, durable reusable bags, and compostable bags with a minimum charge of 10 cents each. The charge aims to encourage shoppers to bring their own reusable bags. (August 28, 2014) Environmental News Service [more on Recycling in our area]
Food security faces growing pest advance A world with more people will see more competition for food. Many of our competitors may not be human, because natural pests are spreading far and wide. Coming soon to a farm near you: just about every possible type of pest that could take advantage of the ripening harvest in the nearby fields. By 2050, according to new research in the journal Global Ecology and Biogeography, those opportunistic viruses, bacteria, fungi, blights, mildews, rusts, beetles, nematodes, flies, mites, spiders and caterpillars that farmers call pests will have saturated the world. Wherever they can make a living, they will. None of this bodes well for food security in a world of nine billion people and increasingly rapid climate change. (August 29, 2014) Climate News Network [more on Food and Climate Change in our area]
New Regulations Seek to Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species in New York State DEC and Agriculture & Markets Issue Final Regulations to Address Damage Caused by Invasive Species New state regulations will prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species and help to preserve New York's ecosystems, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. The regulations are the latest step in the state's efforts to combat invasive species and were developed by DEC in cooperation with the state Department of Agriculture and Markets (DAM). "Invasive species can cause serious harm to other species and impair natural ecosystems," Commissioner Martens said. "These regulations will establish strict limits to better control the spread of invasive species and help to protect natural resources, habitats and biological diversity, including trees, crops and native species that are threatened by the presence of invasives." State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "Invasive species pose a serious threat to New York agriculture, which is why we dedicate so much time and energy to combat these non-native threats to our farms. We are pleased to actively partner with DEC in these efforts to protect our state's food supply, ecosystems and economy and will work to ensure that these rules provide maximum protection for consumers and all affected industries." (August 27, 2014) The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Climate change panel issues blunt warning on carbon emissions Over the past few months, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a series of reports containing stern warnings about global warming. The panel's scientists have clearly stated that climate change is here, it's creating a long list of harms and risks, and governments need to act on greenhouse gas emissions to avert the worst impacts. But the latest document, sent yesterday to governments across the world, says it may already be too late to avoid serious impacts. According to reports in major media outlets, the panel's draft synthesis report — which combines the previous assessments into one comprehensive volume — warns that the global trend of rising average temperatures may be irreversible. An Associated Press article includes this excerpt: "Continued emission of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems," the report says. (August 27, 2014) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Climate Change in our area]
U.N. Draft Report Lists Unchecked Emissions' Risks Runaway growth in the emission of greenhouse gases is swamping all political efforts to deal with the problem, raising the risk of "severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts" over the coming decades, according to a draft of a major new United Nations report. Global warming is already cutting grain production by several percentage points, the report found, and that could grow much worse if emissions continue unchecked. Higher seas, devastating heat waves, torrential rain and other climate extremes are also being felt around the world as a result of human-produced emissions, the draft report said, and those problems are likely to intensify unless the gases are brought under control. The world may already be nearing a temperature at which the loss of the vast ice sheet covering Greenland would become inevitable, the report said. The actual melting would then take centuries, but it would be unstoppable and could result in a sea level rise of 23 feet, with additional increases from other sources like melting Antarctic ice, potentially flooding the world's major cities. (August 26, 2014) New York Times [more on Climate Change in our area]
Health summit to show bold climate action will save lives Leading health experts are urging strong climate action, as the first every global climate and health conference kicks of in Geneva. The World Health Organisation's three-day conference will bring together meteorologists, diplomats and medics, and aims to highlight the growing threat climate change poses to public health, as well as joint solutions to the two issues. (August 27, 2014) tcktcktck [more on Climate Change and Environmental Health in our area]
What Global Warming Might Mean for Extreme Snowfalls While the average annual snowfall in most parts of the world is indeed expected to decline, the extreme snowfalls — those that hit a place once every 10 or 20 years and can cause major headaches and economic impacts — may decline at a slower rate, and could even increase in particularly cold places, a new study detailed in the Aug. 28 issue of the journal Nature finds. Essentially, in a warming world, there are "more muted changes in [the intensity of] snowfall extremes than in average snowfall," said study author Paul O'Gorman, a climate researcher at MIT. (August 27, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Zoomed-In Climate Models Help Alaska Communities Plan for Uncertain Future The urgency for climate modeling known as downscaling' is greatest in Alaska, which has warmed twice as fast as the rest of the country. Hunters in the Alaskan village of Wainwright, a community of about 550 Inupiat Eskimos at the lip of the Chukchi Sea, have long harvested bowhead whales from the ocean. Each spring, crews of 15-25 hunters set out in umiaqs—boats made from seal skins and caribou sinew. The hunters usually launch from Point Belcher, where the ice cracks open to expose the water in slivers called "leads." Then the whalers follow these narrow channels to the sea. They may land whales as long as 55 feet, but a young whale that is as round as it is long—about 30 feet—called a "butterball," is considered the most succulent. Successful captains share the fresh catch in a big home feast right after the harvest. The rest of the thousands of pounds of meat feeds the villagers through the next winter. (August 26, 2014) Inside Climate News [more on Climate Change in our area]
Wayne County supervisors oppose Lake Ontario plan If the International Joint Commission's PLAN 2014 goes into effect, the resultant and significant raising and lowering of Lake Ontario will be felt by everyone in Wayne County, warns the county Board of Supervisors. Wayne County Board Chairman Jim Hoffman said the plan would benefit the hydropower industry because more water would be available, and it would have a positive effect on the environments of St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties — but everyone else, from Niagara Falls to Oswego, stands to lose. (August 27, 2014) Wayne Post [more on Great Lakes in our area]
Montreal sewage waste dumped directly into rivers After a storm, sewage waste mixes with rainwater and is spewed directly into the St. Lawrence While the city of Montreal says it's studying the idea of creating more beaches on its territory, CBC's French-language service Radio-Canada has learned that sewage waste is dumped directly into the St-Lawrence River and the Rivière des Prairies after heavy rainfalls. The data collected near one of the proposed beach sites in the borough of Verdun shows that, on some days, the levels of coliform bacteria were more than 20 times higher than the acceptable levels for swimming. (August 25, 2014) CBCNews [more on Water Quality and Great Lakes in our area]
Plastic Pollutants Found Throughout Great Lakes Food Chain Scientists have been spending the summer studying the impact of micro-plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Sherri Mason, professor of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences at SUNY Fredonia, led the team of researchers that first called attention to pollution from plastic microbeads found in personal care products - everything from facial scrubs to shampoo. Mason says these plastic beads are too small to be filtered by sewage plants, and they're making their way into all five of the Great Lakes and the fish and birds that swim in those waters. (August 26, 2014) WXXI News [more on Great Lakes, Water Quality, and Food in our area]
Obama Pursuing Climate Accord in Lieu of Treaty WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is working to forge a sweeping international climate change agreement to compel nations to cut their planet-warming fossil fuel emissions, but without ratification from Congress. In preparation for this agreement, to be signed at a United Nations summit meeting in 2015 in Paris, the negotiators are meeting with diplomats from other countries to broker a deal to commit some of the world's largest economies to enact laws to reduce their carbon pollution. But under the Constitution, a president may enter into a legally binding treaty only if it is approved by a two-thirds majority of the Senate. (August 26, 2014) New York Times [more on Climate Change in our area]
Draft Of Upcoming IPCC Report Presents Stark View Of The Future As Climate Change Rages On WASHINGTON (AP) — Global warming is here, human-caused and probably already dangerous — and it's increasingly likely that the heating trend could be irreversible, a draft of a new international science report says. The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on Monday sent governments a final draft of its synthesis report, which combines three earlier, gigantic documents by the Nobel Prize-winning group. There is little in the report that wasn't in the other more-detailed versions, but the language is more stark and the report attempts to connect the different scientific disciplines studying problems caused by the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas. The 127-page draft, obtained by The Associated Press, paints a harsh warning of what's causing global warming and what it will do to humans and the environment. It also describes what can be done about it. (August 26, 2014) The Huffington Post [more on Climate Change in our area]
LIEBREICH: CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS – THE ROCKY ROAD TO PARIS Albert Einstein once said that doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome was the definition of insanity. How then are we to view the continuing attempts of the climate community to corral the world into a binding deal on greenhouse gases? This December sees the fifth anniversary of the UN's COP15 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference. The great and good gathered together to sign climate change's death warrant. Newly-minted President Barack Obama had noted his inauguration as "the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal". Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown proclaimed we had "50 days to save the world and no Plan B". Expectations could not have been higher. Sadly, it turned out the world had other priorities. Developing countries refused to sacrifice their growth prospects on the altar of Western green sensibilities. Developed countries proved strangely focused on not disappearing down the plug-hole of the financial crisis. The apparent academic sharp practice revealed in the Climategate emails did not help. (August 26, 2014) Bloomberg Energy and Finance [more on Climate Change in our area]
The Quest to Scan Millions of Weather Records Scientists are embarking on data rescue missions all over the world to find and digitize old climate information. Deep in the dusty catalogs of weather stations and meteorological offices all over the world are hidden treasures. They're easy to miss if you're not looking for them—often taking the form of, well, piles of moldy papers. But on those pieces of paper are hundreds of years of weather records—data that could make climate science far more accurate. The International Environmental Data Rescue Organization (IEDRO) estimates that there are 100 million paper strip charts—records that list weather conditions—sitting in meteorological storage facilities throughout the world. That's about 200 million observations unused by scientists, data that could greatly improve their models. Now, a few small groups of scientists are trying digitize these records, but they're facing all kinds of obstacles. (August 25, 2014) The Atlantic [more on Climate Change in our area]
New York creates $40M energy technology contest New York state will hold a $40 million competition designed to spur research and development of independent power grids that would allow local communities to keep the lights on during power failures. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the New York Prize competition, which would award funding to companies or utilities that suggest the best ways to create so-called "microgrids." Microgrids are small power systems that are able to function independently when storms or other emergencies knock out electricity. (August 26, 2014) WHEC Rochester [more on Energy and Climate Change in our area]
Women to watch ahead of the UN's 2015 climate summit International climate conferences are usually a sea of dark suits – like a mass audition for Men in Black – only there's not much action. It's a situation UN climate chief Christiana Figueres describes in an interview with RTCC, published on Monday: "I don't think I am the only woman who is very acutely aware, every time I walk into a room, how many men and how many women are sitting round the table." But dig a little deeper, and the influence of women in the climate sector is more profound than it looks, evident across most countries and all sectors. Below are 20 women who are set to play a vital role in shaping the conversation and structure around a proposed emissions reduction treaty. (August 7, 2014) Responding to Climate Change [more on Climate Change in our area]
FEMA halts flood assistance for properties with gas leases In fall 2011, about a month after the flooded Meshoppen Creek spilled over its banks and into their basement, Pete and Sharon Morgan applied for federal flood assistance to help them move out of their home. They won't get it, at least not anytime soon, due to a little-known policy the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued May 5. It's because of their gas lease with Chief Oil & Gas LLC. FEMA indefinitely banned the use of hazard mitigation assistance money for properties that could eventually host horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, even if the leases don't allow for development on the surface. (August 21, 2014) TheTimes-Tribune.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Outdoors: Controlling sea lamprey is vital task Two U.S. Fish & Wildlife fisheries staffers visited Western New York waterways last week and did some extensive surveys of stream waters, searching for ammocetes, the early-stage larvae of sea lamprey, a dreaded aquatic invader. Biologist Dave Keffer and biology sciences technician Ed LaFuente surveyed for sea lamprey larvae mainly in Cattaraugus Creek and found samples of these aquatic intruders at all five sites in Seneca Nation of Indians waters as well the mouth of the waterway. Keffer and LaFuente strap battery packs and electro-shocking units on their backs and work positive and negative strainer-like wands along mud-bottomed shallows in search of larvae that stage for one to three years in silted areas of streams. The process looks something like an outer space adventure; for Keffer, it approximates that. (August 23, 2014) Buffalo News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Journalism, Science Groups Decry EPA Move to Muzzle National Science Advisers Journalists and scientists are urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop banning leading national scientists from talking to media outlets and the public. The EPA is placing new restrictions on independent scientists who advise the agency, according to a memorandum from the EPA's chief of staff. The memo instructs Science Advisory Board members to get permission before talking to the press, which inhibits their ability to speak freely to the public about important scientific issues, including air pollution, toxic chemicals and water quality. "The EPA wants to control what information the public receives about crucial issues affecting Americans' health and well-being," said Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) President David Cuillier. "The people are entitled to get this information unfiltered from scientists, not spoon-fed by government spin doctors who might mislead and hide information for political reasons or to muzzle criticism." (August 12, 2014) Union of Concerned Scientists
Swipe the photos and see Hurricane Katrina disaster dissolve into present-day recovery Drag your cursor (on a computer) or swipe your finger (on a phone or tablet) across each photo below. The 2005 Hurricane Katrina photo will dissolve into a picture from the identical vantage point nine years later. (August 25, 2014) NOLA The Times-Picayune
Which U.S. cities have the worst urban heat islands? Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Denver lead the list of U.S. cities with the most intense urban heat islands, according to a report released this week by research organization Climate Central, which is based in Princeton, N.J. "Urban heat islands have hotter days, far hotter nights, and more extremely hot days each summer than adjacent rural areas," said Alyson Kenward, lead author of the report and senior scientist with Climate Central. (August 21, 2014) USA Today [more on Climate Change in our area]
Battle over climate change heats up In 2011, Riverdale resident Jennifer Scarlott was arrested on the White House lawn for protesting the Keystone Pipeline, along with 1,200 other demonstrators. But the arrest was hardly a stumbling block for Ms. Scarlott, who is now part of a growing group of activists in the northwest Bronx working to combat climate change. In Riverdale and Kingsbridge, Ms. Scarlott and fellow activists are gearing up for a climate change rally set for Sunday, Sept. 21. Participants in the People's Climate March will start at 59th Street in Manhattan, march down Sixth Avenue to Times Square, and proceed across 42nd Street to 11th Avenue on the west side. Organizers predict the march will be the largest focusing on climate action to date. (August 20, 2014) The Riverdale Press [more on Climate Change in our area]
Massive People's Climate March in NYC planned for Sept. 21 Hundreds of organizations are recruiting participants for the massive People's Climate March in New York City on Sept. 21. Organizers say the march could become the largest demonstration for climate action in history. It is set to take place just two days before President Barack Obama and other world leaders gather for an emergency Climate Summit at the United Nations. Marchers will demand those leaders go beyond rhetoric and commit to bold action. More than 750 organizations around the world are supporting the march, from the largest transit workers union in New York City to a coalition of Buddhist monks. These groups, according to a news release, represent about 100 million people. (August 22, 2014) The Wisconsin Gazette [more on Climate Change in our area]
Winged Warnings: Our series day-by-day More than 1,300 birds are perched perilously on a global list of threatened species. Each one is sending us a message, and scientists are struggling to decipher them. EHN's series, Winged Warnings, reveals the surprising new discoveries that are emerging about the global threats to birds. "Canary in the coalmine" isn't just a proverb: Birds are showing us what ails their environment – and sometimes, what ails us.Their nesting, their parenting, their brains, their hormones – even their songs – have been changed by pollutants, climate change and other threats they encounter. Our team of reporters traveled to the islets of Iceland, the prairies of Canada, the shores of Lake Michigan and the backyards of Alaska, among other places, to bring these stories to life. Unfolding over the next six weeks, Winged Warnings is published in conjunction with National Geographic. (August 22, 2014) National Geographic and Environmental Health News [more on Wildlife in our area]
In Old Forge, can bears stay wild and coexist with humans? The hamlet of Old Forge sees huge numbers of tourists this time every year. Many people come from all over the country to have their annual wilderness experience, along with all the creature comforts of Old Forge's main street. But for years, residents of Old Forge and wildlife experts have been working to strike a balance with tourists: how to let humans have their fun but keep the wild animals of the Adirondack park like bears, wild, without turning any of that tourism away. (August 22, 2014) North Country Public Radio [more on Wildlife in our area]
Invasive weed black swallow-wort spreads in Monroe Gardeners in the Rochester region are seeing an emergence of an invasive plant. Black swallow-wort, also known as cynanchum louiseae, is a weed in the shape of a V and resembles a swallow's tail. Swallow-wort is pervasive in Monroe County, says Hilary Mosher of Finger Lakes PRISM, or Partnership for Invasive Species Management. Right now, there is not a park in Monroe County where the black swallow-wort cannot be found, says Walt Nelson of Cornell Cooperative Extension. (August 22, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Waukegan spends $30K to replace 110 infected ash trees Waukegan took the first step this week toward replacing the trees doomed by the emerald ash borer, as the City Council approved the purchase of $30,000 worth of new trees to plant on parkways and other public areas. But 3rd Ward Ald. Gregory Moisio asked the public to be patient, pointing out that the purchase is a relative handful of what will be needed long-term. "They're not going to replace the 4,000 ash trees that we have had to take down," Moisio told the council at its Aug. 18 meeting. "It's 110 trees, and at this point we've got to decide [where] we want to place them." The city contracted Acres Group Landscaping in Wauconda to perform the tree planting, with the $30,000 to be taken out of general funds until grant dollars come in from a reforestation effort funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and coordinated locally by the Waukegan Park District. (August 22, 2014) Lake County News-Sun [more on Plants in our area]
These Inspiring Posters Will Remind New Yorkers Why The People's Climate March Is So Important The organizers of what may become the largest climate-change march in history have just announced the winners of a poster design contest to promote the event in one of New York City's most visible locations. The two winning designs, which were chosen by a panel of judges including Shepard Fairey, Barbara Kruger and Moby, will appear on one out of every 10 train cars on the New York City subway from August 25 until the People's Climate March on September 21, according to the video from the campaigning community Avaaz. The march, which is expected to include more than 750 groups and businesses, is timed to coincide with a gathering of world leaders for the 2014 United Nations Climate Summit on September 23. President Obama has already pledged to attend the summit, and the U.N. has also invited many mayors and business leaders. "In a rational world, policymakers would have heeded scientists when they first sounded the alarm 25 years ago," Bill McKibben said in a Rolling Stone article announcing the march in May. "At the moment, the overwhelming sense around the world is nothing will happen in time... A loud movement – one that gives our "leaders" permission to actually lead, and then scares them into doing so – is the only hope of upending that prophecy." (August 20, 2014) Huffington Post [more on Climate Change in our area]
One Month Countdown Until Major Climate Marches in NYC and Around the World One-month out from what's expected to be the largest march on climate change in history, groups launch massive recruitment push NEW YORK — With just one month to go until the People's Climate March in New York City this September 21, more than 100 organizations are taking part in an online recruitment drive to sign people up for the demonstration. In the first hours of the push, thousands of new signups have already begun to flow in. The People's Climate March is expected to be the largest demonstration for climate action in history. The march takes place just two days before President Obama and world leaders gather for an emergency Climate Summit at the United Nations. Marchers are demanding leaders go beyond rhetoric and commit to bold action at the summit. More than 750 organizations around the world are supporting the People's Climate March, from the largest transit workers union in New York City to a coalition of buddhist monks. In total, the groups represent roughly 100 million people worldwide. (August 22, 2014) People's Climate March [more on Climate Change in our area]
Maryland Fracking Study Cites Toxic Air Emissions as Top Concern Drilling-wary Maryland is one of several East Coast states considering whether to open their lands to fracking as public health concerns mount. A state-commissioned report found that air emissions trump water pollution and drilling-induced earthquakes as a top public health threat posed by future fracking projects in Maryland. For nearly a year, experts at the University of Maryland's School of Public Health examined past research into the link between oil and gas activity and health. The findings, released Monday, stand in stark contrast to public concern in heavy-drilling states such as Maryland's neighbor Pennsylvania. Those concerns have tended to focus on tainted water, not air. (August 21, 2014) Inside Climate News [more on Fracking in our area]
Groups push for and against lake levels plan Back in June, the US and Canadian governments received for their consideration Plan 2014, a proposal to regulate water levels in Lake Ontario, from the International Joint Commission. Supporters and opponents of Plan 2014 have been making their voices heard throughout the process. This week, a group of 40-plus environmental and sportsmen's groups sent a letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry urging the State Department to sign off on the plan. They cited several positives, such as increased hydropower production at St. Lawrence River dams and benefits to international shipping. (August 21, 2014) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Great Lakes in our area]
EPA Report Shows Progress in Reducing Urban Air Toxics Across the United States WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Second Integrated Urban Air Toxics Report to Congress - the final of two reports required under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to inform Congress of progress in reducing public health risks from urban air toxics. "This report gives everyone fighting for clean air a lot to be proud of because for more than 40 years we have been protecting Americans – preventing illness and improving our quality of life by cutting air pollution - all while the economy has more than tripled," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "But we know our work is not done yet. At the core of EPA's mission is the pursuit of environmental justice - striving for clean air, water and healthy land for every American; and we are committed to reducing remaining pollution, especially in low-income neighborhoods." (August 21, 2014) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [more on Air Quality in our area]
County against nuclear facility on shoreline The Cheboygan County Board of Commissioners voted to support a resolution opposing the development of an underground nuclear waste facility in Kincardine, Ontario. This proposed "deep geological repository" nuclear storage waste facility is planned by Ontario Power Company to be built less than one mile from the Lake Huron shoreline. The facility would store low-to-intermediate level radioactive waste approximately 2,200 feet underground. "A similar resolution has been recently passed by Lake County, Alpena County, unanimously by Eaton County, by the Michigan Senate," said county commissioner Bruce Gauthier. (August 20, 2014) Cheboygan Daily Tribune [more on Great Lakes in our area]
Global warming 'hiatus': Scientists duel over which ocean steals some heat Many scientists say natural climate variability is behind a slowdown in the pace of global warming over the past 15 years. And the key to the variability is the way oceans can act as heat sinks. The deeper researchers dig into the dramatic slowdown in global warming during the past 15 years, the more their findings point to natural climate variability as the cause – rather than any purported end to human-triggered climate change. The latest example of this conclusion comes from a pair of scientists from the United States and China trying to identify where the expected heat has been hiding. (August 21, 2014) Christian Science Monitor [more on Climate Change in our area]
Drillers Illegally Using Diesel Fuel to Frack An analysis by an environmental group finds hundreds of cases in which drillers used diesel fuel without obtaining permits and sometimes altered records A new report charges that several oil and gas companies have been illegally using diesel fuel in their hydraulic fracturing operations, and then doctoring records to hide violations of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The report, published this week by the Environmental Integrity Project, found that between 2010 and July 2014 at least 351 wells were fracked by 33 different companies using diesel fuels without a permit. The Integrity Project, an environmental organization based in Washington, D.C., said it used the industry-backed database, FracFocus, to identify violations and to determine the records had been retroactively amended by the companies to erase the evidence. (August 15, 2014) Scientific American [more on Fracking in our area]
EPA Provides $331,000 Loan to Remove 100 Tons of Contaminated Soil in Rochester, New York The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is providing a $331,000 low-interest loan to the City of Rochester, New York to clean up abandoned and contaminated properties. The funding is being awarded under the EPA's brownfields program, which helps communities assess, clean up, and reuse properties at which moderate contamination threatens environmental quality and public health and can interfere with redevelopment. "Cleaning up brownfields allows abandoned and contaminated properties to be cleaned up and revitalized as new parks, new housing and businesses that create jobs," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. "This funding will protect the health of area residents, and will help revitalize neighborhoods." (August 15, 2014) EPA News Releases from Region 2 [more on Brownfields in our area]
Blown away by wind power in Denmark, a model for clean energy Back in the United States, I have to travel far beyond my Washington suburb to spot any signs of wind energy. In Denmark, it's ever-present. You can't drive more than a few kilometers on the country's flat roads without seeing a turbine. They are fully integrated into society and part of the landscape everywhere. And that's not by accident. (August 12, 2014) Environmental Defense Fund blog [more on Wind Power in our area]
Transportation Safety Board slams Transport Canada in Lac-Mégantic disaster Inspectors reported problems but 'nobody was looking at it from a big-picture point of view to say, "Have we got a systemic problem? Have we got a pattern here?" ' TSB chief Wendy Tadros said Lac-Mégantic — Transport Canada was slammed Tuesday in a long-awaited report into last summer's train disaster that claimed the lives of 47 people, for not forcing Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway to improve its safety record. "Each time (Transport Canada inspectors) were saying, 'OK, we found this, you've got to do this,' but nobody was looking at it from a big-picture point of view to say, 'Have we got a systemic problem? Have we got a pattern here?' " Wendy Tadros, president of the Transportation Safety Board, said in an interview. Time and again, Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway, owners of the errant train involved in the Lac-Mégantic disaster, were found to have lax safety standards, yet no government inspectors stayed on top of the problem until it was fixed. (August 20, 2014) The Gazette
Motivating Millions: People's Climate March design contest! This summer the People's Climate March (http://www.peoplesclimatemarch.org) design contest lined up a jury panel of art, ad world and activism stars (Shepard Fairey, Barbara Kruger, Swoon, Moby, DJ Spooky and more), and drew submissions from artists worldwide to find a killer design that can help get hundreds of thousands of people on the streets of NYC for the People's Climate March on September 21. Not one but TWO artists took the top prize -- $10k and RT trip travel to NYC to attend the march, the largest ever. The winning designs are informing a massive, creative NYC subway ad campaign to highlight both the depth of the climate crisis facing us, and the hope that organized people power can push our governments to take bold action. The unprecedented ad campaign will be seen by millions in New York City in the lead up to the march.(August 20, 2014) AvaazOrg [more on Climate Change in our area]
Watkins Glen Village Board Passes Resolution Against LPG Storage Facility The Watkins Glen Village Board has voted in favor of a resolution that opposes Crestwood's proposed Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) facility along Seneca Lake. The Village Board took the vote on Monday night, just a little while after hundreds rallied against the facility on Route 14. The vote was three in favor of the resolution, none opposed, and two abstaining. The main concern for the trustees who voted for the resolution: the increased truck traffic through the Village of Watkins Glen, which can already be heavy with the bottleneck of Routes 14 and 414. (August 19, 2014) MyTwinTeirs.com
This Pristine and Glorious Wilderness is At Risk Bristol Bay is a magical wonderland, supporting a ridiculous number of fish and wildlife species. Don't take my word for it, take a look and decide for yourself. Browse the categories below to see what's really at stake if mining activities are allowed. Is it worth the risk? (August 19, 2014) National Wildlife Federation
Greenland ice loss doubles from late 2000s A new assessment from Europe's CryoSat spacecraft shows Greenland to be losing about 375 cu km of ice each year. Added to the discharges coming from Antarctica, it means Earth's two big ice sheets are now dumping roughly 500 cu km of ice in the oceans annually. "The contribution of both ice sheets together to sea level rise has doubled since 2009," said Angelika Humbert from Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute. "To us, that's an incredible number," she told BBC News. (August 20, 2014) BBC News [more on Climate Change in our area]
EPA to Require Air Pollution Measurements in Black Communities WASHINGTON (NNPA) – For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency may require oil refineries to regularly measure the air quality at their perimeters. These fence line measurements will give surrounding communities – largely low-income communities of color – data on the level of pollution they are exposed to each day. The EPA's proposed rule changes are the result of a lawsuit brought against them by environmental advocacy nonprofit, Earthjustice and a few grassroots groups around the country, including the Community In-Power Development Association. The group is based in Port Arthur, Texas, a historically Black neighborhood turned fence line community surrounded by four oil refineries, six chemical plants, one international incineration facility, and one pet coke facility. Pet coke is both a refining byproduct and a fuel source that, when burned, emits more carbon dioxide than coal. Hilton Kelley founded the association in 2000. He says the lawsuit was years in the making. (August 19, 2014) Black Press America [more on Environmental Health in our area]
West Nile Found in Erie County West Nile virus has turned up in mosquitos in Erie County. John Ricci of the Monroe County Health Department says New York officials have confirmed one case of West Nile Virus in a human this year. According to Ricci, most people are asymptomatic. (August 19, 2014) WXXI News [more on West Nile Virus in our area]
Dangerous algae blooms found in part of Conesus Lake The Livingston County Health Department is warning people who are planning on spending time along Conesus Lake about blue-green algae. (August 20, 2014) WHEC [more on Water Quality and Conesus Lake in our area]
Why the Scientific Case Against Fracking Keeps Getting Stronger Anthony Ingraffea argues that fugitive methane emissions turn natural gas from a climate benefit into yet another strike against fossil fuels. On the political right, it's pretty popular these days to claim that the left exaggerates scientific worries about hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." In a recent National Reviewarticle, for instance, a Hoover Institution researcher complains that 53 percent of Democrats in California support a fracking ban "despite the existence of little if any credible scientific evidence of fracking's feared harms and overwhelming scientific evidence of its environmental benefits, including substantial reductions in both local and global pollutants." Three or four years ago, a statement like that may have seemed defensible. The chief environmental concern about fracking at that time involved the contamination of drinking water through the fracking process—blasting water, sand, and chemicals underground in vast quantities and at extreme pressures to force open shale layers deep beneath the Earth, and release natural gas. But the science was still pretty ambiguous, and a great deal turned on how "fracking" was defined. The entire mega-process of "unconventional" gas drilling had clearly caused instances of groundwater contamination, due to spills and leaks from improperly cased wells. But technically, "fracking" only refers to the water and chemical blast, not the drilling, the disposal of waste, or the huge industrial operations that accompany it all. (August 15, 2014) Mother Jones [more on Fracking in our area]
Gas storage opponents asked to risk arrest WATKINS GLEN Opponents of a gas storage facility near Seneca Lake have been asked to be willing to be arrested for their cause. More than 300 opponents of a plan by Texas-based Crestwood Midstream, an energy company, to store liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas in underground salt caverns in the Town of Reading protested Monday at the site of the storage facility on state Route 14 along Seneca Lake. Sandra Steingraber, co-founder of Concerned Health Professionals of New York and distinguished scholar in residence in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences at Ithaca College, told the gathering near Route 14 that the lake is the source of drinking water, as well as the micro-climate that allows wine grapes to thrive. "We turn water into wine with this lake. That's what we do," she said. "This lake is not the Houston Shipping Channel, and you, Crestwood, are a dangerous trespasser into our home, and we are asking you to leave." Steingraber asked protestors to consider making a solemn commitment and take a pledge to protect Seneca Lake. (August 19, 2014) Press Connects [more on Energy in our area]
September 2014: Climate Summit and Global Mobilisation What's the Peoples Climate March and the Global Day of Action? As Heads of Government prepare to attend a historic summit on climate change, mobilisations will take place all around the world, made up of people who want a world and economy that works for both people and the planet. They want Action Not Words. The mobilisations across the weekend of September 20-21 will be crowned by the People's Climate March in New York City. Expected to make history, thousands of people are anticpated to walk through the city in support of climate action. Solidarity marches and actions will take place around the world, including in Berlin, Paris, London, Rio and Delhi. You can also create and register your own event. This mobilisation is not the work of one particular group, but rather the combined effort of many, ranging from faith groups, unions, front-line and impacted communities. There are many organizing structures for the Marches, and communication is occurring through various tables, list serves, and online hubs. This will be a convergence of a large, broad, and diverse movement urging that governments take meaningful action on climate now. Climate Action Network International
July Checks In as 4th Warmest on Record Worldwide If you spent your summer in the Midwest or almost anywhere in the U.S. south of New York where the season was mild, it may have been easy to miss that most of the rest of the world was baking last month. New National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) data show that last month was the fourth-warmest July on record worldwide, even though two giant cool spots in the Northern Hemisphere — one over Siberia and the other over the U.S. Midwest — made it easy for people living there to think that summer 2014 has been a mild one. The world's fourth-warmest July comes just after the globe'swarmest June, which was driven mostly by the hottest ocean temperatures since recordkeeping began 130 years ago. 2014 is on track to become the earth's third-warmest year in on record. (August 18, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Many Republicans Privately Support Action On Climate In stark contrast to their party's public stance on Capitol Hill, many Republicans privately acknowledge the scientific consensus that human activity is at least partially responsible for climate change and recognize the need to address the problem. However, they see little political benefit to speaking out on the issue, since congressional action is probably years away, according to former congressmen, former congressional aides and other sources. In Bloomberg BNA interviews with several dozen former senior congressional aides, nongovernmental organizations, lobbyists and others conducted over a period of several months, the sources cited fears of attracting an electoral primary challenger as one of the main reasons many Republicans choose not to speak out. (August 15, 2014) Bloomberg [more on Climate Change in our area]
Detroit's sewage overflow feeds Lake Erie algae growth The near-historic rainfall this week that left cars stranded and roads closed across Metro Detroit also will likely make Lake Erie's algae-fouled beaches worse for neighbors to the south. #About 30,000 Michigan and 400,000 Ohio residents along Lake Erie's western basin had just shrugged off last week's algae contamination in their water supply when Mother Nature dumped up to six inches or more of rain in a few hours Monday on parts of Metro Detroit. And when it rains here, the region's fertilizers, chemicals and wastewater head toward Lake Erie. #For a decade, nutrients like phosphorus that washed into the lake from both states increasingly have been turned into algae that spoils local beaches and interferes with fishing. During the last two summers, it also has led to water consumption advisories. (August 16, 2014) Monroe News [more on Water Quality and Great Lakes in our area]
Wineries, Municipalities, and Residents Say No to Gas Strorage in the Finger Lakes (August 18, 2014) Texas-based Crestwood-Midstream has proposed to use salt caverns along Seneca Lake to increase its storage of natural gas. The proposal has generated opposition from over 200 businesses, over 50 wineries, 10 municipalities and thousands of residents in the Finger Lakes region who are concerned about the threat it poses to one of the state's largest supplies of drinking water, the local economy, and the area's growing wine and tourism industries. Despite the widespread opposition to the company's proposals to store methane, propane and butane along the shore of Seneca Lake and the DEC announcing a conference to address "significant and substantive issues" with it, the Texas-based company filed plans to begin construction on Monday August, 18.
As Oysters Die, Climate Policy Goes on the Stump OLYMPIA, Wash. — Billions of baby oysters in the Pacific inlets here are dying and Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington is busy spreading the bad news. "It used to be the canary in the coal mine," Mr. Inslee said in a recent interview. "Now it's the oyster in the half shell. You can't overstate what this means to Washington." Or to Mr. Inslee's ambitions. The Democratic governor, aided by what is expected to be millions of dollars from his billionaire friend Tom Steyer, is using the story of Washington's oysters — scientists say a rise in carbon levels has spiked the acidity of the Pacific and is killing off shellfish — to make the case for passing the most far-reaching climate change policies in the nation. (August 3, 2014) New York Times [more on Climate Change in our area]
A New Frontier for Fracking: Drilling Near the Arctic Circle Hydraulic fracturing is about to move into the Canadian Arctic, with companies exploring the region's rich shale oil deposits. But many indigenous people and conservationists have serious concerns about the impact of fracking in more fragile northern environments. Among the dozens of rivers that flow unfettered through the Canadian North, the Natla and the Keele may be the most picturesque and culturally important. They are especially significant to the Dene people of the Sahtu region, which straddles the Arctic Circle in the Northwest Territories. Both of the rivers flow crystal clear out of the Mackenzie Mountains along the Yukon/Northwest Territories border before coming together in their final course to the Mackenzie River. (August 18, 2014) Yale: Environment 360 [more on Fracking in our area]
People's Climate March swells to global mobilisation for action Large marches and rallies in Delhi, Jakarta, London, Rio de Janeiro, and Berlin will ensure world leaders heading to the UN Secretary General's Climate Summit in September will be met with the largest mobilisation on climate change in history. Coinciding with the People's Climate March in New York City – which will see hundreds of thousands of people on the streets of the city - the People's Climate Mobilisation will provide a global call to action for governments around the world. August 14, 2014) tcktcktck [more on Climate Change in our area]
Marcellus Watch | Peter Mantius Twenty years ago, the roof of the largest salt mine in North America collapsed in the hamlet of Retsof, 35 miles southwest of Rochester. Twenty years ago, the roof of the largest salt mine in North America collapsed in the hamlet of Retsof, 35 miles southwest of Rochester. Fresh water from a major aquifer above gushed in to the sprawling mine at the rate of 18,000 gallons per minute. Giant sinkholes formed, one growing to 800 hundred feet across. Highways buckled. Bridges cracked. Methane and hydrogen sulfide gases accumulated in the basements of a hotel, homes and water wells. Other wells went dry across the Genesee Valley. The effects of the disaster linger. Last December, state regulators quietly gave up their long battle to save a second large aquifer under Livingston County that is now being permanently ruined by brine leaking from the flooded salt mine. The ground nearby continues to sink. In the early 1990s — as today — regulators were complacent, non-confrontational, in the thrall of presumed corporate expertise. And why not? The Retsof mine had operated continuously for a century and had grown nearly as large as the island of Manhattan. (August 17, 2014) The Leader
Communicating climate change – without the scary monsters The climate disaster narrative hasn't worked. Ignorance is bliss. So how do experts plan do wake up the world? Clocks are ticking. The sand is dribbling from the hourglass. Mercury levels are rising. And yet, if you pop your head out of the window, life goes on as normal. It's a major headache for climate communication professionals in the developed world, charged with delivering a message of urgency to a public focused on more immediate concerns. Who has time to worry about sea levels rising so high London could be submerged, or extreme weather events driving people from their homes in Africa? Why worry about the potential to break the 2C barrier, when you have to pay the mortgage? Who's buying the next round? Or (and this is tough) convince the kids they've watched too much Peppa Pig for one day? It's a question exercising Pete Bowyer, who heads up the climate arm of PR firm Havas, charged with promoting UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon's climate summit. (August 18, 2014) Responding to Climate Change [more on Climate Change in our area]
Mayor: DEC off on oil Sheehan says state agency illegally approved surge in oil shipments at Port of Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan sharply rebuked the state Department of Environmental Conservation over its review of a planned oil terminal expansion at the Port of Albany, claiming the state agency has illegally approved a surge in oil shipments piecemeal, rather than taking an overall perspective. In a letter to DEC last month, the mayor accused DEC of something called segmentation, which is a review of a project's environmental impact in isolated segments, rather than as a unified whole. Segmentation is illegal under the state Environmental Quality Review Act. Sheehan wrote DEC has not only segmented its review of plans by Massachusetts-based Global Partners to add a crude-oil heating facility to its terminal, but also segmented reviews over the last several years on permits that allowed Global and another company, Buckeye Partners of Houston, to increase crude oil traffic into the port from the Midwest from 1 billion gallons to 2.8 billion gallons. (August 12, 2014) Albany Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
Evangelicals Pressure Florida Governor on Climate Change Evangelicals are frequently called out for appearing to care only about the unborn and giving little attention to post-birth conditions. The 21-year-old Evangelical Environment Network, which describes itself as "a ministry that educates, inspires and mobilizes Christians in their effort to care for God's creation, to be faithful stewards of God's provision and to advocate for actions and policies that honor God and protect the environment," is working to change that impression. Led by its president Rev. Mitch Hescox, the group is delivering petitions with more than 60,000 signatures to Florida Governor Rick Scott, asking him to lead on climate change, which is already impacting the state in a multitude of ways. Hescox requested a meeting with Scott, a request Scott first honored and then retracted. (August 15, 2014) EcoWatch [more on Climate Change in our area]
Marine Economy Takes a Dive as Ocean Acidity Rises LONDON − The waters off the U.S. state of Alaska are some of the best fishing grounds anywhere, teeming with salmon and with shellfish such as crab. But a new study, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), says growing acidification of Alaska's waters, particularly those off the southern coast, threatens the state's whole economy − largely dependent on the fishing industry. The study, which appears in the journal Progress in Oceanography, says that not only will the state's commercial fishing sector be badly hit by a growth in acidification, but it will also affect subsistence fisher people whose diet mainly consists of the catch from local waters. (August 17, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Ticks — and Lyme risk — on the rise in Ontario County, Finger Lakes You don't need to go far to get bitten by a tick. While disease-carrying ticks used to plague mostly southern New York and New England, and were rare in the Finger Lakes region, that is changing. Scientific studies show ticks carrying Lyme disease are expanding their range northward, westward and into higher elevations. A new field study launched in the spring will document outbreaks of ticks in the Adirondacks and create a baseline to study their spread. Meanwhile, in Ontario County, health officials, business owners and people who enjoy the outdoors are seeing evidence that the tiny, disease-spreading insects are all too prevalent. (August 14, 2014) Penfield Post [more on Lyme Disease in our area]
Bakken crude oil could be made less volatile WASHINGTON – North Dakota officials are considering requiring drillers to partly refine Bakken crude oil so it's less volatile before it's shipped by rail to refineries on both coasts. The proposal could ease safety concerns around the nation along freight rail routes used to ship the crude. One of those routes runs through Monroe County on either the CSX West Shore line, through some of the southern suburbs, or main line — through the city of Rochester. The idea is to separate natural gas liquids from the crude oil before shipment to reduce vapor pressure and flammability. The Bakken Formation, which runs through parts of North Dakota, Montana and two Canadian provinces, has produced an economic boom for that region. North Dakota's June unemployment rate of 2.7 percent was the lowest in the nation. (August 15, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Energy in our area]
Southern Tier, Hudson Valley Oppose Fracking 51 to 35 Percent Southern Tier, Hudson Valley Oppose Fracking 51 to 35% Majorities Agree: Hydrofracking Will Generate Jobs & Be Economic Benefit…But Over 50% Concerned Environmental Risks are Unacceptable Loudonville, NY., Fifty-one percent of voters oppose the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) allowing hydrofracking to move forward in parts of upstate New York while 35 percent support the initiative according to the third part of a new Time Warner Cable News/Siena College Poll of registered voters of the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes and Catskills/Hudson Valley regions. A majority of voters from the two regions, including 60 percent of voters from the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes regions, agree that hydrofracking would be an economic benefit to local communities in business activity and tax revenues. And, 55 percent of voters, including 65 percent from the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes region, agree that hydrofracking will generate much needed jobs for New Yorkers. At the same time, 60 percent of all voters believe that hydrofracking runs the unacceptable risk of contaminating ground water, and small majorities agree both that fracking is too dangerous as it leads to unsafe levels of methane gas being released, as well as due to the migration of gases and chemicals to the surface. (July 30, 2014) Sienna College [more on Fracking in our area]
Rally at the New York State Fair! The campaign to ban fracking is kicking into even higher gear! Governor Cuomo is ramping up his events and appearances across the state this summer. We've rallied outside of his many appearances all across the state, and the NYS Fair is one of the most important opportunities we have. Every year, Governor Cuomo attends the first day of the great New York State Fair – as the day is coined, "Governors Day" – and every year we rally outside his appearance to make our voices heard. Let's make this year's rally even bigger! We are calling on hundreds of people from all corners of upstate NY to join us this year. The Fair is a prime opportunity to send a message to Governor Cuomo that the movement calling for a statewide ban on fracking is strong and growing. The New York Fair is also an opportunity to talk about protecting farming, agriculture, wineries, breweries and tourism – the fabric of New York's economy. Join us on Thursday, August 21st from 11am to 3pm outside the NY StateFair Main entrance to rally with hundreds of New Yorkers against fracking from across the state. We'll stand together to say no to fracking and yes to a renewable energy economy that protects our most vital resources, public health and agriculture. New Yorkers Against Fracking [more on Fracking in our area]
NYS To Hold Conference On Propane Storage Facility (AP) State regulators say they'll hold an ``issues conference'' on a proposed propane storage facility in a depleted Finger Lakes salt cavern to determine if an official hearing before a judge is needed. The Department of Environmental Conservation says Monday that the conference will be scheduled because of extensive public interest in the proposal by Houston-based Crestwood Midstream to store propane beside Seneca Lake. Finger Lakes winemakers traveled to Albany last month asking Gov. Andrew Cuomo to reject the proposal, saying it would bring heavy industry, truck traffic and the risk of catastrophic accidents to the region. (August 12, 2014) WXXI News
Humans to Blame for Much of Recent Glacier Melt From Alaska to the Alps, photos of today's diminished glaciers contrasted with grainy black-and-white images of their former, more massive states are some of the most widely used examples of the impact of human-caused climate change, with their melt threatening water supplies, enhancing sea level rise, and posing threats like floods from bursting glacial lakes. "Everybody is using [these photos]," said Ben Marzeion, a climate scientist with the University of Innsbruck in Austria. "But nobody actually looked at whether it's justified to do this." Marzeion wanted to know how much of the ice loss is attributable to anthropogenic warming vs. natural drivers of change in glaciers? He and his colleagues used climate models and the measurements of glaciers contained in theRandolph Glacier Inventory, released in 2012, to see if they could answer that question. Their conclusions, detailed online Aug. 14 in the journal Science Express, were that while just 25 percent of the melt since the mid-19th century could be linked to human-induced warming — suggesting that natural variation was the dominant factor behind melt early in the period — that fraction increased to 69 percent for the period from 1991 to 2010. (August 14, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
'This is a huge success story': 2 Maine scientists say acid rain effects reversing much faster than expected UNITY, Maine — Two Maine scientists are celebrating good news about the environment, after a decades-long study has shown that the negative effects of acid rain have been reversed much faster than expected. Steve Kahl, a sustainability professor at Unity College, said Thursday that the study looked at lakes throughout most of New England and New York, and it found that environmental regulations and the voluntary actions of industry have sharply reduced sulfur emissions in rain and snow. It also found that soils are recovering quickly, without taking centuries to bounce back that some had predicted would be necessary. Finally, the scientists learned that some of the acidity in the watersheds is organic, occurring naturally, and should not be targeted by the Clean Air Act policy. "Success stories are possible," Kahl said, adding that the reduction of emissions since the 1970s and 1980s has been critical for water quality. "This is a huge success story for the environment." The study was published this spring on the website for the journal Environmental Science & Technology. (August 16, 2014) The Bangor Daily News [more on Acid Rain in our area]
NY Police Approve Route for Historic Climate March NY Police Approve Route for Historic Climate March Huge crowds expected for "People's Climate March" on September 21 NEW YORK — Organizers of the People's Climate March announced this afternoon that the New York City Police Department has approved a route for the march on September 21 through the center of Manhattan. The march will begin at Columbus Circle, proceed over on 59th Street to 6th Avenue, down 6th Avenue to 42nd Street, then right on 42nd Street to 11th Avenue. The route passes by some of New York City's most famous landmarks, from Rockefeller Center to Times Square. Eddie Bautista, Executive Director of the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance, had this to say in response to the route approval-"People are seeing this crisis unfold all around them, especially in low-income and communities of color. That's why the People's Climate March won't only be the largest, but also the most diverse global day of action on climate change–from unions to immigrants to parents to students to communities of faith. Our message to anyone anywhere concerned about the way the climate crisis will impact our jobs, health, children and communities is simple: join us." (August 15, 2014) People's Climate March
Keystone Could Add 400% More CO2 Than State Dept Estimated 'Our simple model shows that...the pipeline's effect on oil prices could substantially increase its total GHG impact,' finds a peer-reviewed study. Building the Keystone XL pipeline to bring Canadian tar sands oil to refineries in the United States could add more than 100 million additional metric tons of carbon dioxide to world emissions—four times more than the maximum estimated in the State Department's study of the project's environmental impact, according to a new study. (August 11, 2014) Inside Climate News [more on Climate Change in our area]
Schumer wants polluter tax reinstated to boost Superfund program The former Diaz Chemical site in the Village of Holley is something of a poster child for state and federal Superfund programs. Back in 2002, the plant accidentally released a 75-gallon steam cloud laced with chemicals, including some so potent that, even as they spread through the air and dissipated over the village, they wrecked the paint on some residents' cars. Some of the neighbors couldn't go into their homes without feeling sick or suffering from breathing difficulties. The government ended up buying some of their houses. (I started working at the Journal-Register in Medina shortly after the release, and I covered some of the aftermath. I'll never forget how upset those neighbors were about giving up their homes.) (August 14, 2014) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Brownfields in our area]
Environmental Defence unveils plan to fight Great Lakes algae Toledo water ban was result of toxins from algae earlier this month An environmental organization has come up with a four-point plan on how to stop algal blooms from blanketing the Great Lakes. Toledo tap water drinking ban lifted after toxin scare Water safe to drink, Windsor Utilities Commission reports How blue-green algae is taking over Canadian lakes Lake Erie's algae explosion blamed on farmers The report called Clean, Not Green: Tackling Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes was unveiled in Kingsville, Ont., Wednesday, southeast of Windsor. "The Great Lakes supply drinking water for millions of people, and are critical to Ontario's fishing, boating and tourism industries," said Nancy Goucher, water program manager with Environmental Defence. "Allowing them to be covered in green slime every summer is simply not an option." The plan includes suggestions on finding creative ways to pay farmers to stop nutrient pollution that drains into the water. (August 13, 2014) CBCNews [more on Water Quality and Climate Change and Great Lakes in our area]
Algae Blooms in the Great Lakes WATER—the thing that we take for granted become a commodity for more than 400,000 people in northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan over the weekend as they were told not to drink, cook or bathe in the water flowing from their tap. The reason? An algae bloom crisis in Lake Erie, which affected the city and surrounding areas' water supply. While this issue surfaced over the weekend, scientists agree it is anything but shocking. Record-setting algae bloom in Lake Erie caused by agricultural and meteorological trends have caused this problem, which scientists predict won't be the last crisis of its kind. So, what can we do about it? Is it preventable, and if so, how? Great Lakes Now produced a special interview with Christy McDonald and Dr. Patrick Doran, Director of Conservation for The Nature Conservancy in Michigan. Dr. Doran leads statewide and Great Lakes‐wide investigations of conservation priorities. This includes the identification and prioritization of important conservation areas, as well as the development and implementation of conservation strategies and measures of success. Great Lakes Now [more on Water Quality and Climate Change and Great Lakes in our area]
Climate Smart Communities Webinar: Climate Smart Community Certification Our Climate Smart Communities webinar entitled Climate Smart Community Certification will be held on Thursday, September 11, 2014 at 10:30 AM. In April 2014, the New York State Climate Smart Communities program launched a formal certification program to recognize leading Climate Smart Communities and to provide a more robust framework to guide the climate actions of local governments. There are four levels of certification: Certified, Bronze, Silver, and Gold (450 points). Achievement of each level requires completion of a specified number of "priority actions" and a sufficient number of voluntary actions to achieve the required number of points. The activities and documentation submittals required for each action are described in the Climate Smart Communities Certification Manual at http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/96511.html . (August 14, 2014) The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) [more on Climate Change in our area]
Swamped by Rising Seas, Small Islands Seek a Lifeline The world's 52 small island developing states (SIDS), some in danger of being wiped off the face of the earth because of sea-level rise triggered by climate change, will be the focus of an international conference in the South Pacific island nation of Samoa next month. Scheduled to take place Sep. 1-2, the conference will provide world leaders with "a first-hand opportunity to experience climate change and poverty challenges of small islands." According to the United Nations, the political leaders are expected to announce "over 200 concrete partnerships" to lift small islanders out of poverty – all of whom are facing rising sea levels, overfishing, and destructive natural events like typhoons and tsunamis. "We are working with our partners – bilaterally and multilaterally – to help resolve our problems," said Ambassador Ali'ioaiga Feturi Elisaia, permanent representative of Samoa to the United Nations. "You don't have to bring the cheque book to the [negotiating] table," he added. "It's partnerships that matter." (August 11, 20140 Inter Press Service [more on Climate Change in our area]
Only a balanced 2015 climate agreement acceptable: BASIC countries BASIC countries are expected to reach out to other key developing country blocks in order to find common grounds for negotiations The 2015 climate agreement will have to be based on all four pillars of the negotiations — mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology — for the four emerging economies, India, China, Brazil and South Africa ,to accept the new global pact. This was decided in the closed-door meeting of the ministers of the BASIC group held in Delhi on Thursday and Friday. The four powerhouse economies have also agreed to table their respective international targets to the UN climate talks after mutual consultation. (August 9, 2014) Business Standard [more on Climate Change in our area]
US climate change debate heats up Groups for and against US government plans for new regulations aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions have been slugging it out at a series of heated debates across America. Achieving progress in cutting back on greenhouse gas emissions and preventing serious global warming is never easy. But just how difficult a task that is became clear at a series of recent meetings across the US held to discuss the Obama administration's latest plans for tackling climate change. Those plans, announced in early June by the government's Environmental Protection Agency, call for substantial nationwide cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Power companies − in particular, those operating coal-fired plants − will have to make big adjustments, reducing overall CO2 emissions by 25% on 2005 levels by 2025 and by 30% by 2030. The EPA-sponsored public meetings, held in four US cities, were packed. (August 11, 2014) Climate News Network [more on Climate Change in our area]
Copenhagen's newest bike lane totally rules In Copenhagen, where bicycles outnumber people and nearly 40 percent of residents cycle to work, bike-friendly infrastructure is key. But, even though more than 200 miles of bike lanes wind throughout Copenhagen, congestion is a common issue. The city is home to the world's busiest bike lane, on which up to 40,000 cyclists travel daily. (August 8, 2014) Grist [more on Transportation in our area]
Heavy rains force millions of gallons of raw sewage into area waterways Monday's rains overwhelmed sewer systems across metro Detroit, forcing millions of gallons of untreated and partially treated sewage into rivers and lakes. "As far as the significance of the volumes, this is incredible," said Laura Verona of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. "We estimate that this was a 350-year event." Macomb County alone logged more than 1 billion gallons in overflows from storm-retention basins and sewers countywide, according to data posted on its website. At least 67 million gallons of the overflow failed to meet federal pollution standards. DEQ officials are still collecting data to see what happens to E. coli levels in the waterways. Elevated levels are expected and that could prompt beach closures and other public health measures. (August 12, 2014) Detroit Free Press [more on Water Quality and Climate Change in our area}
Tuvalu climate refugees granted residency in New Zealand A family from Tuvalu has been granted New Zealand residency after claiming they would be affected by climate change and rising sea levels if they returned home. It is the first successful application for residency on humanitarian grounds where climate change has been a factor. Sigeo Alesana and his family moved to New Zealand from Tuvalu in 2007, but has had no legal status in the country since 2009. The family's case was originally dismissed by the tribunal in March but was successfully appealed on humanitarian grounds because of their strong family and community links to New Zealand. (August 7, 2014) tcktcktck [more on Climate Change in our area]
11 ways young people have revolutionized the climate debate Little people mean big business when it comes to climate change, as these 11 victories show - Young people are often the most passionate voices on climate change, and with reason – as the planet warms over the coming century, it is the future of the youngest at stake. As such, it is often youth that are the loudest and the most ambitious in calling for action, proving to be anything from serious combatants to potential allies to the politicians in charge. But do their pickets and their pleas actually achieve anything? For RTCC's Youth Week, we've picked 11 moments where young people have made climate history. (August 11, 2014) Responding to Climate Change (RTCC) [more on Climate Change in our area]
10 Images Show & Explain the Northeast Flooding Records fell along with the torrential rain that swamped parts of the East Coast from Baltimore up to Long Island from Tuesday through Wednesday morning. A series of storms parked themselves over certain parts of the region, dumping enough rain to inundate roads, parking lots, front lawns and backyards. On Tuesday, Baltimore-Washington International Airport recorded 6.3 inches of rain, a record amount for the date. That's also the second-highest rainfall total in the books for that station on any day. The highest mark was set in August 1933 when a hurricane swept across the Chesapeake Bay area. Because rain fell so fast and hard, standing water quickly rose in a number of spots around the airport including the long-term parking lot. (August 13, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Teachout a hit among fracking opponents Law professor Zephyr Teachout's campaign for governor survived a court challenge yesterday. That clears the way for Teachout's own challenge: to Gov. Andrew Cuomo in next month's Democratic primary. A New York judge dismissed a suit brought by Cuomo supporters who argued that Teachout didn't meet the state's 5-year residency requirement to run. The Fordham University professor spent last weekend rallying liberal voters against the governor. At a rally in Cooperstown where she said, if elected, she'd ban hydrofracking her first day in office. (August 12, 2014) North Country Public Radio [more on Fracking in our area]
Pennsylvania auditor blasts state oversight of fracking Pennsylvania regulators failed to properly supervise drillers during the fracking boom that began several years ago, the state's auditor general has found. In a 158-page report, the auditor says the state Department of Environmental Protection: -- Failed to issue orders to drillers to replace and restore damaged water supplies. -- Failed to properly inform people whose water supplies could be contaminated. -- Didn't properly monitor how drillers get rid of fracking wastewater -- Failed to post accurate inspection information online. The report could have implications in New York, where a moratorium on fracking is in its sixth year and is still under review. (August 11, 2014) Syracuse.com [more on Fracking in our area}
Ban Ki-moon appoints Mary Robinson as special climate envoy Former Irish President Mary Robinson has been appointed as the U.N. Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Climate Change in a drive to mobilise political will and action ahead of a climate summit Ban Ki-moon will host in New York on Sept. 23. Robinson has long advocated for "climate justice", and has her own foundation that works to secure justice for people vulnerable to the impacts of climate change who are often forgotten - the poor, disempowered and marginalised across the world. In a statement issued on Monday, Ban said Robinson would build on this work as his special envoy for climate change, engaging heads of state and government to raise ambition on tackling climate change ahead of the September summit and advising him based on her consultations. (July 15, 2014) Thomas Reuters Foundation [more on Climate Change in our area]
Why Restoring Wetlands Is More Critical Than Ever Along the Delaware River estuary, efforts are underway to restore wetlands lost due to centuries of human activity. With sea levels rising, coastal communities there and and elsewhere in the U.S. and Europe are realizing the value of wetlands as important buffers against flooding and tidal surges. The work began at low tide on the Mispillion marsh on Delaware Bay. A field team hauled coconut fiber logs the size and heft of rolled carpets out beyond the tall cordgrass to the gray mud flat that extended from the marsh edge. Ten or so yards out, where the mudflat met the open water, an array of gray stacked blocks made of marine limestone and oyster shell was already set out. Looking like the battlements of a buried castle, this permeable reef was designed to deflect and dissipate the energy of the bay's water as it flows toward the marsh. (July 28, 2014) Yale: Environment 360 [more on Wetlands in our area]
EU Commission backs 30 percent energy efficiency target for 2030 The European Commission has proposed a 30 percent EU-wide energy savings target for 2030, officials confirmed in July. The proposal is the third and final component of the draft 2030 climate and energy framework, which the bloc's leaders are aiming to finalise this coming October. The three-pronged climate and energy strategy would take effect from the end of this decade, and would be in place through 2030. The process of shaping this new framework has fuelled debate over what effect the potential strategies will have on job creation and sustainable and inclusive growth within the 28-country bloc, as well as what signals the final result may send for ongoing UN-level talks for a new global climate deal. (August 4, 2014) International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development [more on Climate Change in our area]
Kerry raises climate change in brief Solomons stop U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry flagged cooperation on tackling climate change during a brief stop in the Solomon Islands on Wednesday, where he emphasised ties dating back to World War Two. Kerry is the first secretary of state to visit the Solomon Islands. His trip is viewed as an important part of President Barack Obama's strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific region, something that has irked China and been questioned by allies who wonder about the extent of U.S. commitment there. "We have huge historical ties that we respect enormously," Kerry said in the capital, Honiara. "There is a lot that ties us together." Kerry said the Solomon Islands stands to benefit from U.S. funding for programmes to deal with the effects of climate change in the Asia-Pacific region. (August 13, 2014) Reuters [more on Climate Change in our area]
Solar Power on the Rise: The Technologies and Policies behind a Booming Energy Sector Solar power – clean, reliable, and increasingly affordable – is experiencing remarkable growth across the U.S. DOWNLOAD: Solar Power on the Rise: The Technologies and Policies behind a Booming Energy Sector (2014) Solar power generates electricity with no global warming pollution, no fuel costs, and no risks of fuel price spikes, and has the potential to help move the country toward cleaner, reliable, and affordable sources of electricity. Small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, typically on rooftops, account for the majority of solar installations, while large-scale PV systems and concentrating solar power (CSP) systems constitute the majority of solar's overall electricity-generating capacity. All three are undergoing rapid growth. Given the abundance of sunshine across the country, solar power has the potential to supply a significant amount of electricity that is both environmentally and economically attractive. (August 7, 2014) Union of Concerned Scientists [more on Solar Power in our area]
Why A New Study Thinks Next Year's Climate Talks Won't Keep The World Under 2°C The hopes that the world will do something meaningful to reduce its carbon emissions now hang on the next big round of international climate talks in Paris in 2015. And according to a new analysis from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it's probably going to be a letdown. The Paris talks will be the twenty-first gathering of nations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with the goal of cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions enough to hold any rise in global temperatures under 2°C. At this point, very few public commitments have been made by any of the countries involved, so what deal could emerge in 2015 is anybody's guess. Nonetheless, the MIT researchers wanted to take a stab at a prediction, and see how close it could get the world to the 2°C goal. (August 6, 2014) Think Progress/Climate Progress [more on Climate Change in our area]
City to consider solar power at water plant The city's environmental committee will hear a proposal Tuesday that would create solar power at the water treatment plant. Jim Abraham will brief council members at Tuesday's meeting with the plan to erect solar panels on the Saltonstall Street building. Also on Tuesday's agenda is a review of the county's solid waste management plan by Supervisor David Baker. (August 11, 2014) Daily Messenger [more on Solar Power in our area]
Scientist: Plants can remove toxin from drinking water PORT CLINTON – Toledo and other water plants along Lake Erie likely will see high amounts of toxin in water this summer, but they should be equipped to remove it, a scientist said Friday. After Toledo could not provide safe drinking water to its more than 400,000 customers in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan last weekend, officials and scientists collaborated finding the most effective ways to remove it, said Jeff Reutter, director of Ohio State University's Ohio Sea Grant College Program and Stone Laboratory. "That condition of the lake will repeat itself several times during the rest of the year," he said during a webinar regarding harmful algae. (August 9, 2014) Port Clinton News Herald [more on Water Quality and Great Lakes in our region]
DEC plans conference on Seneca Lake LPG proposal State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens announced Monday that an issues conference will be scheduled regarding the proposal to construct a liquefied petroleum gas storage facility in the Schuyler County Town of Reading. A news release said the conference was being planned because of extensive public interest. The conference — for the applicant, DEC staff and any individual or or group that has filed a petition for party status — will be scheduled through DEC's Office of Hearings "to determine if there are any significant and substantive issues that require an adjudicatory hearing," according to the news release. (August 11, 2014) Star Gazette
Safer Streets? Yes, Please! A new report by the League of American Bicyclists reveals that our cities need bike lanes and protected routes more than ever. Of the 628 cycling-related fatalities studied, most were caused by careless or inattentive drivers—something dedicated cycling lanes would help alleviate. In the 628 fatalities, police reportedly cited motorists 285 times. But authorities took legal action in only 135 of the cases resulting in just 77 sentences. Bicycling.com [more on Transportation in our area]
Climate Contrarians Overrepresented in Media Coverage, New Survey Finds Scientific survey finds media may be skewing its coverage of climate science by seeking out views of a small minority who questions man-made warming. There is an overwhelming consensus among expert scientists studying climate change that man-made pollution is the main cause of global warming. But the media may be skewing its coverage of the issue by persistently seeking out the views of a contrarian minority, according to a new study. In an opinion survey of nearly 1,900 scientists, 90 percent of the respondents with more than 10 peer-reviewed articles to their name "explicitly agreed with anthropogenic greenhouse gases being the dominant driver of recent global warming," the study found. (August 11, 2013) Inside Climate News [more on Climate Change in our area]
Genetics reveal effects of deadly frog fungus A deadly fungus has decimated certain populations of amphibians globally for the past few decades, but scientists remain unclear about the exact mechanisms that lead to its disease. For example, while some species have become threatened or gone extinct, others appear unaffected, or the disease persists at reduced frequencies following an outbreak A new Cornell study, published in the July issue of the journal G3: Genes, Genomics, Genetics, teased out the mechanisms at play by examining which genes are turned on and off in the highly susceptible Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki) following infection of the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). (August 6, 2014) Cornell Chronicle Online [more on Wildlife in our area]
Finger Lakes region gets $1M grant from Department of Health The Finger Lakes Performing Provider System, which includes Monroe and other Rochester-area counties, was awarded a $1 million grant by the state Department of Health as part of a program to promote community-level collaborations and focus on system reform. The Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment program aims to achieve a 25 percent reduction in avoidable hospital use over five years. The department on Wednesday announced $21.6 million in DSRIP Project Design Grant Awards for emerging performing provider systems statewide. (August 7, 2014) Rochester Business Journal [more on Environmental Health and Climate Change in our area]
Greater Rochester Area Bicycling Map 2014 Edition Now Available The 2014 Greater Rochester Area Bicycling Map, prepared by the Genesee Transportation Council utilizing road ratings provided by volunteer members of the Rochester Bicycling Club, is now available. The ratings represent the opinions of experienced bicyclists on the rideability of major roads based on existing road conditions and features such as pavement width and quality, traffic volumes, presence and type of shoulders, and posted speed limits. Copies of the map are available at the following locations: from Genesee Transportation Council
Regionally Speaking: Finger Lakes Issues Briefing On the morning of Saturday June 7 2014, the Finger Lakes Regional Watershed Alliance held its first (and most likely, annual) Finger Lakes Issues Briefing at the Gould Hotel in Seneca Falls. Event facilitators were Lisa Cleckner, Director of the Finger Lakes Institute and Hilary Lambert, 2014 President of the Finger Lakes Regional Watershed Alliance (FLRWA). During this two-hour event, FLRWA members and invited experts gave brief presentations on several of the water-related challenges facing our region, and engaged in a lively two-way conversation with elected officials, legislators and their aides who were able to attend. The event focused on issues of concern regarding the environmental health and economic well-being of the beautiful and unique Finger Lakes region in central New York State. Among the many issues current today, for this first briefing the speakers and topics were as follows. Speakers and topics Lisa Cleckner, Director of the Finger Lakes Institute, began the morning with a brief introduction to the Finger Lakes Regional Watershed Alliance, and explained that groups like this one, working cooperatively across the region to solve problems, will be necessary for successfully moving toward a sustainable future. She also discussed the recent flooding in several lake towns, and the need for a higher awareness and preparedness in the face of climate change. (August 1, 2014) Happenings: the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute [more on Finger Lakes and Climate Change in our area]
DEC Proposes Changes for Petoleum, Hazardous Chemical Storage The Department of Environmental Conservation is taking public comment through November 4 on proposed changes to regulations for tank storage of petroleum and hazardous chemicals. Commissioner Joe Martens says the proposed changes clarify existing requirements. He says the rules should make it easier to comply with equipment and handling standards needed to prevent contamination of soil, groundwater, surface water and public water supplies. (August 7, 2014) WXXI News [more on Brownfields in our area]
Gas industry tries to revive challenge to fracking bans ALBANY – The trustee for a defunct oil-and-gas company is attempting a last-ditch effort to revive a lawsuit challenging hydraulic fracturing bans by local governments in New York. The state Court of Appeals in June ruled in favor of the towns of Dryden, Tompkins County, and Middlefield, Otsego County, which saw their local natural-gas-drilling bans challenged by pro-fracking interests. The ruling set a precedent allowing New York's local governments to use zoning ordinances to ban fracking and gas drilling within their borders. (August 6, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Fracking in our area]
Lakes rising but group warns it won't last Lake levels have risen more than 30 centimetres above those seen this time last year, thanks largely to a memorably cold winter which froze lakes, limited evaporation and let snow pile up. They've continued to rise over the summer thanks to a wetter June and are now 37 cm above last year's levels in the lake Michigan/Huron/Georgian Bay basin as of Aug. 4, said Chuck Southam, an Environment Canada lake levels expert. Now levels are within 10 cm, or about four inches, of the longterm average for this time of year. With a wet late summer and fall, they could hit or beat the average by year's end, Southam said in a telephone interview Tuesday. Average July levels haven't been so high since July 1998, when levels were still above the longterm average, Southam said. But Mary Muter, chair of the Great Lakes section of Sierra Club Canada, said don't be fooled by unusually high precipitation over the past 1 1/2 years and by last winter's cold stretches which froze the lakes and minimized evaporation. "This is temporary relief," she said. (August 5, 2014) OwensSound Suntimes [more on Great Lakes and Climate Change in our area]
Behind Toledo's Water Crisis, a Long-Troubled Lake Erie TOLEDO, Ohio — It took a serendipitous slug of toxins and the loss of drinking water for a half-million residents to bring home what scientists and government officials in this part of the country have been saying for years: Lake Erie is in trouble, and getting worse by the year. Flooded by tides of phosphorus washed from fertilized farms, cattle feedlots and leaky septic systems, the most intensely developed of the Great Lakes is increasingly being choked each summer by thick mats of algae, much of it poisonous. What plagues Toledo and, experts say, potentially all 11 million lakeside residents, is increasingly a serious problem across the United States. (August 4, 2014) New York Times [more on Great Lakes and Water Quality in our area]
West Nile Virus is alarming example of climate change's effects The message gets to the Santa Clara County Mosquito and Vector Control District that a dead bird was found in Sunnyvale. If it's a crow or a jay, the district sends out a team to collect the bird and bring it back to their in-house lab to test it for West Nile Virus. If the bird tests positive, a team of five technicians in white pick-up trucks goes out and sets 40 mosquito traps in a one-mile radius of the site. At this point, Dr. Noor Tietze, Entomologist is called in for mapping and planning strategies. After one night of trapping, the team returns in their white pick-up trucks to collect the mosquitoes and bring them back for testing. "If we get any positive mosquitoes, we go to the next step and fog the area," said Tietze. They spray with Ultra Low Volume (ULV) fog, an insecticide strong enough to knock down the mosquito population by 60-80 percent but mild enough to use in residential areas. In case this brings to mind "Silent Spring" images of children running behind a DDT truck and polluting their lungs, you should know that Tietze's trucks only put out 1.5 fluid ounces per acre, not enough to affect honeybees or dragonflies, much less larger mammals like us. (July 11, 2014) SFGate [more on West Nile Virus in our area]
ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY URGES SWIFT ACTION TO PROTECT GREAT LAKES DRINKING WATER Alliance for the Great Lakes * American Rivers * �Environment Ohio �* Freshwater Future * �Lake Erie Charter Boat Association �* Lake Erie Waterkeeper Inc. �* Ohio Environmental Council�* National Wildlife Federation �* Sierra Club Groups urge swift action to reduce nutrient pollution, protect Great Lakes Toledo drinking water crisis showcases pollution threat, urgent need for action Although the immediate crisis in the city of Toledo has passed, the threat to drinking water supplies in Toledo and other Lake Erie communities has not. The same factors that led to nearly 500,000 Lake Erie residents not being able to drink the water for two days will return until measurable reductions in nutrients, particularly phosphorus, are implemented on a clear and swift timetable. Nutrient pollution is a clear danger not only to our drinking water, but our way of life and economic well-being. While the Great Lakes region is focusing on developing a "blue economy" for the Midwest, we must realize that this new economic future cannot stand with national headlines declaring Great Lakes water unsafe to drink. Until we stop polluting our lakes, our economy, drinking water and way of life are in jeopardy. (August 6, 2014) Ohio Environmental Council [more on Great Lakes and Water Quality in our area]
What Toledo's Water Crisis Reveals About Industrial Farming As you may have heard, about half a million people in the Toledo, Ohio area lost their municipal drinking water supply on Saturday because of possible microbial toxin contamination from Lake Erie. A combination of heavier spring rains, exacerbated by climate change, and runoff of phosphorus from fertilizer applied to crops is the likely cause. The good news is that farmers can adopt better practices to eliminate this problem. The bad news is that the agriculture industry, and the public policies that it lobbies for, work against these solutions. A toxic microbe, or cyanobacteria (a.k.a. blue-green algae), has been causing big water problems in Lake Erie and other bodies of water around the country for the last several years. Scientific research pointed to the combination of agricultural and climate change as the cause of the historic 2011 toxic Lake Erie microbe "bloom" and subsequent dead zone. And research shows that farm pollution, which feeds the explosion of toxic microbe growth, especially from phosphorus fertilizer, has been increasing since the 1990s. Now, new research published in the Journal of Great Lakes Research has further solidified the connection between industrial ag, climate change, and an explosion of toxic algae. (August 5, 2014) Civil Eats [more on Food and Water Quality in our area]
Canadians Can't Drink Their Water After 1.3 Billion Gallons Of Mining Waste Flows Into Rivers Hundreds of people in British Columbia can't use their water after more than a billion gallons of mining waste spilled into rivers and creeks in the province's Cariboo region. A breach in a tailings pond from the open-pit Mount Polley copper and gold mine sent five million cubic meters (1.3 billion gallons) of slurry gushing into Hazeltine Creek in B.C. That's the equivalent of 2,000 Olympic swimming pools of waste, the CBC reports. Tailings ponds from mineral mines store a mix of water, chemicals and ground-up minerals left over from mining operations. The flow of the mining waste, which can contain things like arsenic, mercury, and sulfur, uprooted trees on its way to the creek and forced a water ban for about 300 people who live in the region. That number could grow, as authorities determine just how far the waste has traveled. The cause of the breach is still unknown. (August 5, 2014) Think Progress/Climate Progress
Health experts question handling of songbird-killing Superfund site Health experts are questioning the Environmental Protection Agency and Michigan state officials for their decades-long delays in cleanup of a Superfund site that is killing songbirds in yards, possibly leaving people at risk, too. After years of complaints from residents, researchers recently reported that robins and other birds are dropping dead from DDT poisoning in the mid-Michigan town of St. Louis, which was contaminated by an old chemical plant. "The more we know about DDT the more dangerous we find out it is for wildlife, yes, but humans, too," said Dr. David Carpenter, director of the University at Albany - State University of New York's School of Public Health and an expert in Superfund cleanups. Velsicol Chemical Corp., formerly Michigan Chemical, manufactured pesticides at the plant until 1963. DDT, known for accumulating in food webs and persisting for decades in soil and river sediment, was banned in the United States in 1972. (August 6, 2014) Environmental Health News [more on Brownfields in our area]
See Power Plants Most Vulnerable to Flooding It doesn't take rising seas for electric power plants and other energy infrastructure in the U.S. to flood. Major 100-year floods can do that without the help of climate change. The U.S. Energy Information Administration's new mapping tool announced Wednesday shows how such a flood could drown some of the nation's most critical energy infrastructure — power plants, oil and gas wells, solar power installations, etc. The tool uses Federal Emergency Management Agency flood hazard data together with the EIA's energy infrastructure data to show which power plants, oil wells and other installations are most vulnerable to flooding. It's clear from the map that a lot of our power sources could easily be flooded in a hurricane or flash flood. (August 6, 2014) Climate Central (August 6, 2014) Climate Central
Ag secretary briefed on nutrition, dairy, climate research In an agrarian world fraught with complication, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack met with Cornell faculty members July 29 to learn about solutions in the realm of dairy, nutrition and climate change. Kathryn Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), organized the event. More than two dozen faculty members, primarily from CALS and the College of Veterinary Medicine, and scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service met with Vilsack to discuss dairy herd health, dairy and food processing, workforce development, and Cornell's teaching, research and extension missions (August 1, 2014) Cornell Chronicle Online [more on Climate Change and Food in our area]
First 100°F Temperature on Record in the Baltics The 37.8°C (100.0°F) temperature observed at Ventspils, Latvia on August 4th was the first time on record that a reading of 100°F has been measured in any of the Baltic nations (Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania). The heat wave has also affected Poland, Belarus, and Sweden where a massive forest fire, said to be the worst in the nation's modern history, rages out of control. The record was especially unusual since Ventspils (also known as Ventspili) is a coastal location situated right along the shores of the Baltic Sea. The previous Latvian record of 36.4°C (97.5°F) on August 4, 1943 (same date!) was measured at Daugavpils which is an inland location near the border of Belarus and where hotter temperatures might be expected vis-à-vis a coastal location. The reason for the excessive temperature at Ventspils, this time around, was a strong offshore flow caused by a high-pressure system centered over northeast Russia and Finland. (August 5, 2014) WeatherUnderground [more on Climate Change in our area]
New Report: Solar Capacity in New York Grew 30% in 2013 Progress Fueled by the NY-SUN Initiative New York, NY – Today, Environment New York Research & Policy Center released a new report: "Lighting the Way" showing strong solar growth across the nation including a 30% increase in New York in 2013. The report emphasizes that it is not availability of sunlight that makes states solar leaders, but the degree to which state and local governments have created effective public policy to help capture the virtually unlimited and pollution-free energy from the sun. New York's progress on solar has helped fuel a tripling of solar energy nationwide between 2011 and 2013. In 2013, solar capacity in New York grew from 175 MW to 250 MW. "Solar energy is emerging as a go-to energy option here in New York and across the country," said Heather Leibowitz, Director of Environment New York. "Thanks to the commitment of New York's leaders, this pollution-free energy option is poised to play a major role in helping us meet New York's goal of a 44% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030." (August 5, 2014) Environment New York [more on Solar Power in our area]
Bill McKibben issues 'call to arms' for New York climate summit Veteran campaigner plans largest ever march in Big Apple during Ban Ki-moon's climate meet in September Activists have issued a "call to arms" on climate change, hoping to assemble tens of thousands of people in New York ahead of a landmark UN Summit in September. Led by Bill McKibben, environmental activist and founder of the 350 campaign group, over a thousand people have already said they will take part in a march through New York on 20-21 September, hoping to send a message to world leaders that tough action is needed on climate change. The march will take place ahead of a one-day UN climate summit, which will be hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on 23 September. He has asked leaders of governments, businesses and civil society to come equipped with "bold pledges" on how they will combat global warming. (May 22, 2014) Responding to Climate Change RTCC [more on Climate Change in our area]
NY Rising Program to help 6,575 homeowners impacted by extreme weather ALBANY - Up to $300 million has been made available through the State's NY Rising Housing Recovery Program to support home elevations for 6,575 homeowners. Individuals eligible for this round of funding experienced damage to their homes as a result of Superstorm Sandy, Tropical Storms Irene and Lee. The Optional Home Elevation and Mitigation Initiative is being offered in addition to other housing recovery assistance that has been made available through NY Rising. "As we continue to adjust to the new normal of extreme weather, it is critically important that our communities are as safe and resilient as possible," Governor Andrew Cuomo said. "That is why the state is stepping up to support home elevations for thousands of New Yorkers who were hit hard by Sandy – because we're not just rebuilding from the damage that was done, but building back with the next storm in mind. This level of housing recovery assistance is unprecedented, and I am confident that it will go a long way toward creating a New York that is stronger, smarter, and safer than ever before." To date, the agency has issued 8,000 storm-impacted homeowners with more than $350 million, helping communities throughout New York to recover from recent storms and build back even better than before. (July 31, 2014) EmpireStateNews.net [more on Climate Change in our area]
City gets grant for cleanup of brownfield sites The city of Rochester has received $300,661 to clean up brownfield sites, its first federal award since its designation as a manufacturing community. The grant, from the Environmental Protection Agency, will be part of the city's brownfield revolving loan fund, which provides low-interest loans to small businesses for brownfield remediation, city officials said last week. The revolving loan fund is administered jointly by the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development and the Department of Environmental Services. (August 4, 2014) Rochester Business Journal [more on Brownfields in our area}
Growing Milkweed for Monarchs One of the keys to having monarchs—for their survival now and in the future—is having lots of milkweed. Because of modern changes, such as suburbanization and Roundup-Ready crops, there's a lot less milkweed than there was in the past. This is a disaster for monarchs since monarch caterpillars can eat nothing but milkweed. No milkweed, no monarchs! We want lots of monarchs, so we plant lots of milkweed for them to lay their eggs on. We've tried to maximize our milkweeds in a number of ways—especially since it's sometimes difficult to find them for sale or at least to find them for sale at an affordable enough price to buy more than just a few. Organics Consumer Organization
What is water worth? But that said, the water scarcity problem is real … and serious … and global. Since the 1970s, droughts worldwide have gotten longer and more intense over wider areas, according to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Throw in the effects of pollution, overconsumption, and relentless population growth, and there is little for the political left and the right to debate: We have a genuine, burgeoning, boundary-crossing crisis over water. That isn't new, of course. NGO types, geologists, and climate scientists have been warning about freshwater scarcity for some time. What's striking today is the sheer number of gray suits who are sounding the alarm. "Water now gets discussed at the board level," David Grant, the senior manager for water risks and partnerships at SAB Miller, tells Fortune. (That Miller has a senior manager for water risks is telling in itself.) PepsiCo PEP CEO Indra Nooyi says, "The world water crisis is one of the most pressing challenges of our age." (May 1, 2014) Fortune [more on Water Quality in our area]
Toledo's water trouble not likely here Similar toxins have been found in more than 140 New York lakes, ponds and reservoirs in the past, and some of them serve as public drinking water supplies. It's possible there could be cause for concern in a small number of those water bodies, one expert said Monday. But Metzger, the authority's chief engineer, was able to offer Noce a note of reassurance as he stood Sunday on the sandy shore of Lake Ontario, from which the authority draws its drinking water: Not a bit of blue-green algae in sight, and a Toledo scenario is very unlikely to happen in Monroe County. "You can never say never," Metzger said. "But western Lake Erie and Lake Ontario where our water intakes are located are two very different lakes." (August 4, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Water Quality and Great Lakes in our area]
Derailments May Increase as 'Sun Kinks' Buckle Tracks In a warming world, the U.S. could see its cities inundated with water, its power grids threatened by intense storms, its forests devastated by wildfire and insect infestations, and its coastlines washed away by storm surges. Climate change also threatens roads, pipelines, power lines and rail lines in ways that may not be quite as in-your-face as the stark images of homes washed away on a hurricane-eroded beach. Bridges and highways can be weakened or destroyed in floods. Power lines can be burned in wildfires and damaged in major storms. Roads and airport runways are vulnerable to extreme heat, which can soften and deteriorate asphalt. You can add 'sun kinks,' or railways that buckle in extreme heat, causing derailments, to the list of things that are already taking a toll on U.S. transportation, a problem that figures to grow significantly as the U.S. warms. (July 31, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change and Transportation in our area]
Species Spotlight: Hydrilla Hunters Needed in Seneca and Cayuga County Lakeside Communities The Hydrilla Task Force of the Cayuga Lake Watershed has developed an active and successful program to eradicate the hydrilla found in Cayuga Inlet in August 2011. With an aggressive program of chemical application and continual monitoring, there is no growing hydrilla in the Inlet and the viable hydrilla tuber count in the sediments of Cayuga Inlet has dropped steeply. The adjacent patch of hydrilla found last summer in Ithaca's Stewart Park waterways is now also being treated and watched carefully. More information is available here: http://www.stophydrilla.org The early August 2013 discovery of a small but thriving patch in Stewart Park, not far from the original successful treatment area, has set off an alarm for many. We are concerned that hydrilla may already be growing along the lake in other locations – the plants having traveled via drift or by being entangled in boat and trailers and dropped off at new locations. We need eyes on the water, along the shoreline and off our docks – Hydrilla Hunters who know how to identify hydrilla and where to report it. We also need to convey the importance of cleaning boats and trailers of every single plant segment, before and after a lake or waterway outing. (August 1, 2014) Happenings: the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Farmers Troubled by Rain LeRoy, N.Y. – It has been a headache of a year for farmers. Recently, the rainy weather has been troubling. "We gamble every single day with the weather so all we can do is, when we can go, we hammer down and go," said Dan Stella, 33, of Pagen Farm in LeRoy. This past week, the area got a month's worth of rain in a week. This after farmers already got off to a late start because of the frost, The Stella family has been running Pagen Farm since 1959. Their main focus is on dairy but they have 700 acres for crops. Stella has been keeping a close watch over his hay. "When you get it over to the bottom that's where it was kind of sopping wet." He said the farm cut some on Saturday, but they were again disappointed by the rain. (August 4, 2014) WHAM
Extreme weather challenges Finger Lakes farms While a certain amount of extreme weather events are to be expected, the frequency and severity of such dramatic events — from floods to drought and from overwhelming heat to bitter cold — present evidence of climate change. In New York, the average summer temperature is 2 degrees warmer than in 1970, and the average winter temperature is 4 degrees warmer. The earth is now warmer than it has been during the past several 1,000 years, and the climate models project a continuation of this trend, according to Cornell Institute for Climate Change and Agriculture, which facilitates research, education and outreach to reduce the collective impact of agriculture on the climate and help farmers become more resilient to climate change. (August 3, 2013) Daily Messenger [more on Plants and Climate Change in our area]
New Study Sees Atlantic Warming Behind a Host of Recent Climate Shifts Using climate models and observations, a fascinating study in this week's issue of Nature Climate Change points to a marked recent warming of the Atlantic Ocean as a powerful shaper of a host of notable changes in climate and ocean patterns in the last couple of decades — including Pacific wind, sea level and ocean patterns, the decade-plus hiatus in global warming and even California's deepening drought. The study, "Recent Walker circulation strengthening and Pacific cooling amplified by Atlantic warming," was undertaken by researchers at the University of New South Wales and University of Hawaii. Read on for the abstract, a related news release and three cautionary reactions (this is an understatement) from seasoned climate scientists uninvolved with this new paper (they help one keep in mind the importance of avoiding "single-study syndrome"). Here's the abstract: (August 3, 2014) New York Times | Dot Earth [more on Climate Change in our area]
The Blue Dot Tour: The Right to Breathe Fresh Air, Drink Clean Water and Eat Healthy Food A now-famous 1972 photo of Earth taken by Apollo 17 astronauts from 45,000 kilometres away became known as "the blue marble." The late scientist Carl Sagan described a 1990 picture taken from six billion kilometers away by the unmanned Voyager 1 as a "pale blue dot." The vision of Earth from a distance has profoundly moved pretty much anyone who has ever seen it. "When we look down at the earth from space, we see this amazing, indescribably beautiful planet," International Space Station astronaut Ron Garan said. "It looks like a living, breathing organism. But it also, at the same time, looks extremely fragile." Referring to the atmosphere, Garan added "it's really sobering … to realize that that little paper-thin layer is all that protects every living thing on Earth." July 29, 2014) EcoWatch
Making the Great Lakes safer for swimming, fishing and drinking the water Just in case the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement isn't on your summer reading list, here's the gist of it: It's an agreement between the U.S. and Canada. One of the goals of that agreement is to make the Great Lakes more swimmable, fishable and drinkable. The International Joint Commission is an independent bi-national organization. It gives advice to the U.S. and Canada on meeting those goals, among other things. The IJC has a Health Professionals Advisory Board, and the board's come out with a reportproposing five ways to measure risks to our health from contaminants and other hazards in the Great Lakes. (July 31, 2014) Michigan Radio [more on Great Lakes in our area]
Farming practices and climate change at root of Toledo water pollution • Toxic algal blooms in Lake Erie caused by phosphorus runoff • 400,000 affected by unsafe water supply in Ohio city The toxins that contaminated the water supply of the city of Toledo – leaving 400,000 people without access to safe drinking water for two days – were produced by a massive algae boom. But this is not a natural disaster. Water problems in the Great Lakes – the world's largest freshwater system – have spiked in the last three years, largely because of agricultural pollution. Toledo draws its drinking water from Lake Erie. Residents were warned not to drink the water on Saturday, after inspectors at the city's water treatment plant detected the toxin known as microcystin. The toxin is produced by microcystis, a harmful blue-green algae; it causes skin rashes and may result in vomiting and liver damage if ingested. It has been known to kill dogs and other animals and boiling the water does not fix the problem; it only concentrates the toxin. (August 3, 2014) The Guardian [more on Water Quality and Climate Change in our area]
There is no magic bullet to slow climate change The solutions are already available; we just need more political will to implement them A recently released draft report (PDF) prepared for the United Nations makes an ambitious attempt at showing how 15 major carbon-emitting countries, including the United States and China, can make deep reductions in their emissions to help keep global temperatures from increasing more than 2°C above preindustrial levels — a goal at the heart of international climate negotiations. Prepared by a group of independent international experts, it confirms that a variety of low-carbon technology solutions are already available. However, given the planet's current high emission trajectory, sharply curbing carbon emissions in line with the 2°C goal may be just barely technologically feasible — with a lot of effort — and only provided countries quickly adopt a robust set of policies to drive that outcome. Progress on this front, unfortunately, is checkered. Australia's repeal of its carbon tax last month is a stark example of shorter-term, narrow political priorities taking precedence over global interests in the fight against climate change. China, on the other hand, is considering a mandatory cap on coal use, though the speed and scope of its implementation is still up in the air. (August 3, 2014) Aljazeera America [more on Climate Change in our area]
IMF's Blunt Message to Nations: Raise Fossil-Fuel Taxes to Fight Climate Change 'Many energy prices in many countries are wrong. They are set at levels that do not reflect environmental damage, notably global warming.' Countries all over the world, including the United States, should be collecting much higher pollution taxes on fossil fuels—stiff enough to reflect the long-term cost of global warming's damage, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday in an important new study. The IMF, one of the world's leading development institutions, has long favored putting a price on carbon as an essential defense against the mounting damages of climate change. But its advice has never been so blunt, or so detailed. August 1, 2014) Inside Climate News [more on Climate Change and Energy in our area]
Planted acres increase in region; warming climate among reasons More crops were planted in the northern Midwest this year than last year, including Michigan, according to a federal report. The U.S. Department of Agriculture report says that Michigan farmers planted 300,000 more acres of principal crops this year than last year. One reason may be that warmer temperatures are allowing for a longer growing season, said Jim Byrum, president of the Michigan Agri- Business Association. With frost starting later in the year, crops have more time to mature, he said. And higher temperatures are prompting crop production to expand to the north. You can expect that trend to continue, Byrum said. (August 2, 2014) Great Lakes Echo [more on Climate Change in our area]
Finger Lakes say 'no' to storing natural gas liquids Winery owners are stepping up their pressure on Governor Cuomo to reject a proposal to store natural gas liquids in the salt caverns along scenic Seneca Lake. A small but passionate group of career vineyard farmers and winery owners had one united message to deliver to Albany, Wednesday. "We demand that Governor Cuomo do the right thing and deny all these permits for gas storage on the west side of Seneca Lake." That's Doug Hazlet, a Seneca Lake vineyard owner. Hazlet, like other members of the group, said the Finger Lakes identity was based on their world class wines and scenic beauty. That, says Will Olean owner of O-Neh-Da & Eagle Crest Vineyards on Hemlock Lake, can't be recreated. (August 1, 2014) Innovation Trail
RIT student takes on climate advocate role Susan Spencer sees potential for the Rochester region to lead on technology that could prevent the acceleration of climate change. In particular, she says she sees promise in the solar cell research and development work happening across the area, especially at Eastman Business Park. And that makes sense: Spencer is a Ph.D. candidate at Rochester Institute of Technology who studies solar cell technology. Her dissertation, which she defends at the end of August, deals with ways to optimize solar cells at the molecular level. In a sense, Spencer is trying to fight climate change from inside a lab. But she says she also wants to talk to the public about climate change, and solutions including renewable energy. And to that end, she'll give a free presentation — "The Climate Crisis and Renewable Energy Solutions" — at 6 p.m. tomorrow at RIT, in the Xerox auditorium in Gleason Hall. It'll last 45 minutes to an hour, and a question-and-answer session will follow. (July 31, 2014) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Climate Change in our area]
Federal funds released for Braddock Bay project Rochester, N.Y. – The Environmental Protection Agency will provide $575,000 in federal funds for the final part of the restoration project at Braddock Bay, Senator Charles Schumer announced Friday. The project is meant to address the falling number of boaters in the area after erosion of beaches in the area has made Lake Ontario difficult to access for boaters. (August 1, 2014) WHAM
WORLD LEADERS MUST ACT IN 2015: TUTU, MALALA AND BONO'S STARK WARNING Today is Mandela Day. Desmond Tutu, Bono, Malala Yousafzai, Graca Machel, Muhammed Yunus and Mo Ibrahim have written a powerful letter to world leaders to make 2015 a transformative year in the fight against poverty, inequality and climate change. Dear World Leaders, We write to sound a warning. A warning that 2015 will be a year of huge opportunity, but also of huge risk. What is at stake here could not be greater, for it is not less than the future of our human family and the world upon which we all depend. Two global processes – the replacement of the current UN development framework and the conclusion of a new climate treaty – culminate within months of each other at the end of 2015. They require us to decide which future we want for people and planet. For there are two dramatically different futures we could live in by 2030. Down one hopeful path we have built on progress, and learned how to eradicate extreme poverty, hunger, as well as put an end to preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths. In so doing, we will give everyone everywhere opportunity and the right to lead their lives with dignity without jeopardising our planet's ability to provide for its people now and into the future. This is an entirely possible outcome if we do the right thing. (July 18, 2014) Save the Children [more on Climate Change in our area]
These Maps Show How Big Data Can Fight Climate Change New maps released Tuesday illustrate the toll climate change and pollution are taking on several communities in Los Angeles, many of the same areas that also hold the greatest potential for clean energy investment. The Los Angeles Solar and Efficiency Report (LASER) is the result of a partnership between the Environmental Defense Fund and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. The groups say their work is a prime example of how big data can be used to engage citizens in the challenges and opportunities associated with climate change right in their own neighborhoods. While climate change will drive up temperatures in Los Angeles, a particular concern for at-risk communities already burdened by pollution, the analysis found major potential for solar and energy efficiency projects. Realizing just ten percent of the city's untapped rooftop solar potential, for instance, would create 47,000 solar installation jobs and could reduce carbon pollution by nearly 2.5 million tons annually — the equivalent of taking more than half a million cars off the road every year. (July 30, 2014) Think Progress/Climate Progress
Soggy season threatens farms Bill Carr peered through his truck window at his fields as Monday's torrential downpour beat down on the roof. What he saw was a small river rushing over the road and filling his cornfield with over 2 feet of rainwater. "By midday, this field looked like a pond," said Carr, owner of Carr Farms in Le Roy, Genesee County. "Every once and while, you just throw your hands up … there's really nothing you can do." The storm, which brought over 4 inches of rain to the Rochester area and added to an already high precipitation amount for July, hit western New York farmers right in the middle of the harvest and growing periods of various crops and vegetables. The wetness can cause crops to mold or sprout — which would render them unusable to buyers looking for top-quality harvests — and the wet soil is too soft to handle heavy farm equipment needed for harvest tasks. (August 1, 2014) Democrat and Chronicle [more on Plants in our area]
Monroe a bit gloomy on solar energy When it comes to solar energy, the sun may be shining in Erie County, but in Monroe, it's still overcast with a chance of rain. A first-ever release of data on small- to medium-sized solar energy installations in New York state over the last decade shows Erie County first overall in estimated annual generation and Westchester County first in residential production. Monroe was 18th overall and 13th in residential. Monroe residents undertook 183 home solar projects over the 10-year period, according to one piece of the state database. Westchester, which has about 25 percent more people than Monroe, had nearly 400 percent more residential projects, clocking it at 717. Much smaller Tompkins County had 304 home solar projects, which made it third in the per-capita residential installation rankings calculated by the Democrat and Chronicle. Tompkins also led the state in installed capacity in government facilities. (August 1, 2014) Democrat and Chronicle [more on Solar Power in our area]
Tensions Stir At EPA Hearings On New Emission Rules The coal industry made its presence known in Pittsburgh this week for public hearings on President Obama's controversial plan to address climate change. A key element is rules the Environmental Protection Agency proposed in June. They would cut greenhouse gas emissions — chiefly carbon dioxide — from existing power plants. The national goal is 30 percent by 2030, based on 2005 levels. Coal has much to lose under the rules. The EPA says power plants make up about a third of the greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., and coal is used to generate nearly 40 percent of electricity today. States have a variety of options for meeting their reduction targets, but in coal country the industry and its workers are worried about the future. (August 1, 2014) North Country Public Radio [more on Energy in our area]
DEC Extends Public Comment Period for Global Permit at Port of Albany The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today extended the public comment period for the Global Companies permit application at the Port of Albany for an additional 60 days until Sept. 30, due to broad public and community interest, the agency announced. The public comment period was set to expire Aug. 1. Global Companies submitted a permit application to modify its Air Title V Facility permit to allow the company to heat petroleum products, including crude oil, residual fuel and biofuels at its facility at the Port of Albany. The draft permit was listed in the Jan. 29, 2014 Environmental Notice Bulletin. (July 30, 2014) The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Go Green Report: Building Healthy Wetlands RIT students are giving nature a helping hand. Kim Lodge, an RIT undergraduate, enjoys the hard work, "Being able to participate in restoring wetlands is really rewarding." In the shadow of the High Acres Landfill in Perinton, there is a nature preserve, owned by Waste Management. Christy Tyler, an Associate Professor at RIT, said, "The students have been working on planting native plants, removing invasive species, and improving habitat quality for the wildlife that lives here." The federal government requires landfills to replace the wetlands they displace, "We are losing wetlands at a really rapid rate. The us as a whole we've lost more than half of our wetlands." July 31, 2014) RochesterHomePage.net [more on Wetlands in our area]
Youth Climate Action Celebrated in Heart of New York City The World Bank initiative Connect4Climate has partnered with MTV Voices to celebrate youth climate action documentaries, exhibiting a 30 second compilation of Action4Climate competition submissions on two massive Broadway displays on Times Square. The short video is part of Action4Climate, a global documentary competition that inspired more than 230 young filmmakers in 70 countries and gave them a platform to discuss their concerns about the future. The Action4Climate jury, headed by film director Bernardo Bertolucci, features award-winning film directors, producers and international organization representatives, including Atom Egoyan, Marc Forster, Mika Kaurismaki, Rachel Kyte, Rose Kuo, Cynthia López, Fernando Meirelles, Mira Nair, Bob Rafelson, Walter Salles, Pablo Trapero and Wim Wenders. (July 31, 2014) EcoWatch [more on Climate Change in our area]
Exhibit highlighting plastic pollutants in Great Lakes opens Friday in Hamburg An exhibition of plastic – from the tiniest microbeads piling up along Great Lakes beaches to a 500-pound plastic mass of tangled fishing nets and line pulled from the world's waters – will be on display for the month of August along Lake Erie's shoreline in the Town of Hamburg. The "Plastic Waters: From the Great Lakes to the Ocean" exhibit is designed to show the harmful effects of plastic pollution in the Great Lakes and other bodies of water, according to the Alliance for the Great Lakes and California's 5 Gyres Institute – a research group that has collected plastics in sailing expeditions around the globe and partnered with SUNY Fredonia in studying pollution in the Great Lakes. The exhibit opens Friday with a 7 p.m. gallery opening and reception at the Lake Erie Seaway Trail Center, 4968 Lake Shore Road, Hamburg. "Plastics do not belong in our water. Period," said Marcus Eriksen, executive director and co-founder of 5 Gyres. "We need to stop trash where it starts, and that's why public awareness and smarter product design is so critical. Our goal, with the help of the public, is to have zero plastic pollution from our lakes to the sea." (July 31, 2014) Buffalo News [more on Great Lakes in our area]
The climate change revolution begins with you September 21, 2014 is shaping up to be a day for the history books. Echoing the words of Paulo Coelho, "Life was always a matter of waiting for the right moment to act." That moment is now. When people ask: "Where were you when the world came together and changed for the better?" Without hesitation you will tell them: "I was in the streets of New York City, part of the People's Climate March." Surrounded by old friends, and new friends, by family, by neighbors and by tens of thousands of people from all walks of life and every ethnic, religious and political background, we will tell them: "We came together to let the world know that we want and demand a brighter future for our children and ourselves." The Secretary General of the United Nations has put out a call to world leaders to join him at a summit in New York City on September 23, the day before the opening of the Annual United Nations General Assembly: (July 30, 2014) MSNBC [more on Climate Change in our area]
These Maps Show How Big Data Can Fight Climate Change New maps released Tuesday illustrate the toll climate change and pollution are taking on several communities in Los Angeles, many of the same areas that also hold the greatest potential for clean energy investment. The Los Angeles Solar and Efficiency Report (LASER) is the result of a partnership between the Environmental Defense Fund and UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation. The groups say their work is a prime example of how big data can be used to engage citizens in the challenges and opportunities associated with climate change right in their own neighborhoods. While climate change will drive up temperatures in Los Angeles, a particular concern for at-risk communities already burdened by pollution, the analysis found major potential for solar and energy efficiency projects. Realizing just ten percent of the city's untapped rooftop solar potential, for instance, would create 47,000 solar installation jobs and could reduce carbon pollution by nearly 2.5 million tons annually — the equivalent of taking more than half a million cars off the road every year. (July 30, 2014) Think Progress/Climate Progress [more on Climate Change in our area]
Report: World faces water crises by 2040 Wind, solar power increase needed to avoid global drought The world will face "insurmountable" water crises in less than three decades, researchers said Tuesday, if it does not move away from water-intensive power production. A clash of competing necessities — drinking water and energy demand — will cause widespread drought unless action is taken soon, researchers from Denmark's Aarhus University, Vermont Law School and the CNA Corporation, a nonprofit research and analysis organization, said in the reports. "It's a very important issue," said lead study author Paul Faeth, Director of Energy, Water, & Climate at CNA Corporation. "Water used to cool power plants is the largest source of water withdrawals in the United States," said Faeth in a press release on two new reports released Tuesday. (July 29, 2014) Aljazeera American [more on Climate Change in our area]
The Centerpiece of Obama's Energy Policy Will Actually Make Climate Change Worse Wishful thinking and corporate greed are leading us down the wrong path to solving our climate crisis. Albert Einstein is rumored to have said that one cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that led to it. Yet this is precisely what we are now trying to do with climate change policy. The Obama administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, many environmental groups and the oil and gas industry all tell us that the way to solve the problem created by fossil fuels is with more fossils fuels. We can do this, they claim, by using more natural gas, which is touted as a "clean" fuel—even a "green" fuel. Like most misleading arguments, this one starts from a kernel of truth. That truth is basic chemistry: when you burn natural gas, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced is, other things being equal, much less than when you burn an equivalent amount of coal or oil. It can be as much as 50 percent less compared with coal, and 20 percent to 30 percent less compared with diesel fuel, gasoline or home heating oil. When it comes to a greenhouse gas (GHG) heading for the atmosphere, that's a substantial difference. It means that if you replace oil or coal with gas without otherwise increasing your energy usage, you can significantly reduce your short-term carbon footprint. (July 28, 2014) The Nation [more on Climate Change in our area]
Get used to the downpours Rochester has had a pretty wet July. Going by National Weather Service records, the area has had 7.51 inches of rain this month through yesterday, when the normal level is 3.11 inches. And yesterday's intense rains broke the daily record: the 2.42 inches measured by the NWS at the Rochester airport topped the 1966 high water mark of 1.94 inches. Outside of the city, some areas received much more rain: Richmond Fire Chief Ken Adami told the Democrat and Chronicle that the town, which suffered substantial flood damage, received 7 inches. It's worth looking at the storm through the lens of climate change, with the caveat that it's difficult to tie individual weather events to climate change. It's more about long-term shifts in weather patterns, driven by man-made greenhouse gas emissions. But climate scientists say that the Rochester region and much of the Northeast will experience extreme precipitation events — downpours and heavy snowstorms, for example — more often, and they will be more intense. The US government's 2014 National Climate Assessment says that the Northeast states have already seen a 70 percent increase in precipitation from the heaviest 1 percent of storms. And yesterday, the Rochester region got a glimpse of what this trend will mean: flooding. And not just creeks spilling over their banks a little bit; whole sections of road were washed away in several places. (July 29, 2014) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Climate Change in our area]
Finger Lakes winemakers ask NY: Deny gas storage permits along Seneca Lake ALBANY — Finger Lakes winemakers and other business owners asked Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday to deny permits for natural gas and propane storage facilities in former salt mines along Seneca Lake, saying the projects would bring heavy industry, more truck traffic and an unacceptable risk of catastrophic accidents to a region that thrives on tourism. Opponents of Houston-based Crestwood Midstream's project said at a news conference in Albany that it would endanger drinking water, the local economy and the region's wine and tourism industry. "There is no justification for jeopardizing the Finger Lakes' place as an international destination for world-class agri-tourism," said Lou Damiani, owner of Damiani Wine Cellars. "There is no propane shortage, and we have worked too hard to get where we are now." (July 30, 2014) Daily Messenger
ENDANGERED: American eel numbers in the St. Lawrence River are plummeting CORNWALL, Ontario - They may look snake-like and come complete with a revoltingly slimy exterior - but biology experts are working to save the American eel. The eel was once a staple part of the St. Lawrence River ecosystem, but experts are now worried the animal could be in danger of seeing its numbers plummet beyond the staggering statistics suggested to date. "Now it's rare to meet someone that has seen a wild eel in Ontario, and the public is losing the important connection that First Nations and European settlers once had with this species," said St. Lawrence River Institute research scientist Matt Windle. "Eel populations in the Great Lakes system declined severely in the 1990s, likely as a cumulative result of habitat loss, overfishing, and climate change." (July 29, 2014) Seaway News [more on Wildlife in our area]
Australian Repeal Deals Blow to Global Carbon-Emission Plans International Coordination on Global Warming Struggles Ahead of Climate-Change Talks Australia's repeal of a pioneering tax on carbon emissions has dealt a sharp blow to struggling international efforts to coordinate on global warming and comes ahead of key climate-change talks next year. On July 17, Australia's parliament pulled the plug on the 2012 tax, which charged 348 businesses such as steelmakers and power companies A$25.40 (US$24) per ton of carbon dioxide emitted. The levy was slated to evolve next year into an emissions-trading system that would link to the European Union's. (July 27, 2014) Wall Street Journal [more on Climate Change in our area]
Environmental moves make good business sense Bob Bechtold built a successful manufacturing company by embracing new technology, not treating it as a threat. Bechtold founded Harbec, Inc., almost 40 years ago in the Wayne County town of Ontario as an all-purpose machine shop. Computerized machine tools were just starting to make their way to shop floors, and some in the toolmaking and machining industries worried that the technology would supplant highly skilled workers. Bechtold says he believed that computers would be the best tool that toolmakers ever had. "And so I began wherever I could to change Harbec general purpose machine shop into Harbec, utilizer of technologies and opportunities to forge new business opportunities," he says. (July 30, 2014) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Green Business in our area]
Ginna will host information night The Ginna nuclear power plant in Ontario, Wayne County, will host its first-ever community information night on Tuesday. Employees at the plant, which is owned by Exelon Corp., will be on hand to talk about plant operations, safety systems and emergency preparedness. Tours of the control room simulator will be offered as well. Refreshments and printed information will be available. Advance registration is required for the free event, which runs from 4 to 7 pm on Tuesday. To register, email email@example.com or call (585) 771-5402. The deadline for reserving a spot is Friday. (July 30, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Energy in our area]
People's Climate March—Largest Climate March in World History—Launched in Times Square A spirited press conference in Times Square today launched the People's Climate March, the largest climate action in world history. Scheduled for Sept. 21 in New York City, the People's Climate March will coincide with September's UN Climate Summit, where world leaders including President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in attendance in answer to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon summons to consult on climate change. Key organizations, representing hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and millions nationwide, hosted the press conference today to explain the goals of the mobilization and to share expectations for the UN summit. Representatives from New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, Sierra Club, 350.org, UPROSE and a number of local unions were there, as well as faith leaders, speakers from superstorm Sandy-impacted communities and millennials. (July 30, 2014) EcoWatch [more on Climate Change in our region)
Massive Green Algae Outbreak a Threat on Lake Erie as Waters Warm Ohio state officials released the first beach advisory on July 23 after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a June 2014 report predicting a significant threat to Lake Erie due to harmful algal blooms (HAB). The blooms are a malignant type of cyanobacteria that crowd water areas, typically late in the summer to early fall for the Great Lakes region. When the toxic algae blooms in a massive outburst, water conditions can prove unsafe for swimmers and animals. Lake Erie endured an extreme bloom in 2011 that turned waters a putrid green and closed beaches due to health risks. Researchers expect 2014 blooms to be milder, though public safety could still be impacted. (July 30, 2014) AccuWeather [more on Water Quality in our area]
Climate Change and Network News Major television network Sunday programs discussed climate change more during the first half of this year than they did during all of 2013. In fact, according to Media Matters, the 65 minutes of climate change coverage so far this year is the same amount of combined coverage in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 on ABC's "This Week," CBS' "Face The Nation," NBC's "Meet The Press," and Fox's "Fox News Sunday." In a letter last Jan. 16, Sen. Bernie Sanders asked network television executives why there had been "shockingly little discussion" about global warming on the Sunday shows. The letter from Sanders and eight other senators cited a Media Matters for America study of the network news coverage of climate change. "This is a step in the right direction," Sanders said of the mid-year report by Media Matters. "Global warming is the most serious environmental crisis facing our planet." (July 21, 2014) Bernie Sanders, senator Vermont {more on Climate Change in our area]
METHANE PLUMES OBERSEVED RISING FROM ARCTIC OCEAN HYDRATES Researchers at Stockhom University announced that just a week into the sampling program and SWERUS-C3 scientists have discovered vast methane plumes escaping from the seafloor of the Laptev continental slope. These early glimpses of what may be in store for a warming Arctic Ocean could help scientists project the future releases of the strong greenhouse gas methane from the Arctic Ocean. This is disturbing news because The amount of methane released from microorganisms dwelling in lakes and freshwater beds will increase severalfold for each degree Celsius the Earth's temperature rises, according to a new study from Nature. While much attention is given to climate change-linked rises in carbon dioxide, methane is roughtly 30 times more potent as a heat-trapping gas, and as temperatures rise, methane output from freshwater sources – the primary methane emissions source – will will outpace carbon dioxide output. (July 29, 2014) Raw Science [more on Climate Change in our area]
Warming Threatens Roads, Ports and Planes, Report Says The transportation sector is a major contributor to climate-changing carbon dioxide emissions, and, worldwide, it's also one of the most vulnerable sectors to the effects of climate change, according to a new report. In other words, climate change could mean "sun kinks" could warp train tracks in the heat, airplanes will be more expensive to fly, highway surfaces could soften in heat waves, roadways and bridges could be washed away in rising seas and storm surges, and storms in the open ocean could increase the cost and risks associated with shipping.Those are the findings of a new report, "Climate Change: Implications for Transport," released Monday by Cambridge University and sustainable business advocacy group BSR, Inc., outlining what the conclusions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fifth Assessment Report mean for global transportation. (July 28, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change and Transportation in our area]
White House: $150 Billion a Year Will Be Cost of Climate Inaction Damage to public health and biodiversity, as well as physical impacts from rising seas and more severe storms, droughts and wildfires will add up quickly. Seeking to blunt Congressional criticism of its climate agenda, and in particular its new power plant rule, the White House released a report on Tuesday that argues the world could face severe economic consequences if it doesn't act now to curb global warming. (July 29, 2014) Inside Climate News [more on Climate Change in our area]
Governor Cuomo Announces $3.3 Million in New Projects to Improve Resiliency and Efficiency to State Electric Grid Projects to Improve Power Delivery in New York State, Lower Cost to Ratepayers and Prepare for Future Severe Weather Events Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that $3.3 million has been awarded to seven research teams to develop technologies that add resiliency and efficiency to New York State's electric grid. These "smart grid" technologies will use innovative methods to enhance grid performance, reduce the risk of power outages and lessen environmental impacts and energy consumption, all while reducing the cost of power delivery. "As we continue to witness the impacts of extreme weather, it is more important than ever to invest in making our energy infrastructure stronger and smarter," said Governor Cuomo. "These projects will improve grid resiliency, strengthen utility performance and make the delivery of energy more efficient. By investing in these seven smart grids, we are further readying the State for the new reality of severe weather, and ensuring that the work we do today will mean fewer power outages and more deliberate energy consumption in the future." (July 23, 2014) The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) [more on Climate Change and Energy in our area]
How invasive species changed the Great Lakes forever Zebra mussels, quagga mussels have turned the lakes' ecosystem upside down June 1, 1988, the day everything changed for the Great Lakes, was sunny, hot and mostly calm — perfect weather for the young researchers from the University of Windsor who were hunting for critters crawling across the bottom of Lake St. Clair. Sonya Santavy was a freshly graduated biologist aboard the research boat as its whining outboard pushed it toward the middle of the lake that straddles the U.S. and Canadian border. On a map, Lake St. Clair looks like a 24-mile-wide aneurysm in the river system east of Detroit that connects Lake Huron to Lake Erie. Water pools in it and then churns through as the outflows from Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron swirl down into Erie, then continue flowing east over Niagara Falls into Lake Ontario, and finally out the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean. (July 27, 2014) Journal Sentinel [more on Great Lakes and Water Quality in our area]
Researchers tackle link between climate change and public health Australian Academy of Science brings experts together to map out effects global warming on extreme weather events, infectious disease and food security Climate change may threaten Australians' livelihoods, affect the viability of communities and put pressure on social stability, the co-chairman of a thinktank hoping to influence public health responses has warned. Emeritus professor Bruce Armstrong, of the University of Sydney's school of public health, told Guardian Australia the issue was both publicly and scientifically important. "Whatever some people might think, global warming is occurring and the climate is changing and it is easy to see how health can be impacted, but until now there has been a relatively small scientific contribution into these health impacts. (July 24, 2014) The Guardian [more on Environmental Health and Climate Change in our area]
Appeal filed in fracking lawsuit against Gov. Andrew Cuomo ALBANY – A mid-level state court will have a chance to weigh in on a lawsuit seeking to force Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration into a decision on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York, a Binghamton-based group of pro-fracking property owners, filed an appeal Monday with the state Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, which will decide whether to uphold Acting Supreme Court Justice Roger McDonough's decision to toss the group's lawsuit. The landowners organization first filed suit against Cuomo and his administration in February. The lawsuit, which McDonough dismissed earlier this month, accuses Cuomo of unnecessarily delaying a decision on whether to allow high-volume hydrofracking in New York and asks the courts to step in. (July 28, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Fracking in our area]
The Facts on Climate Change Though the science behind climate change is indeed complex, one basic fact is not — global warming is happening and it is driving climate change today. We are now seeing the impacts on the climate with record-breaking heat waves, floods, and extreme weather events, all of which were predicted decades ago by the first scientific climate models. Now, with a growing body of evidence, including examples of dramatic systemic change such as rapidly melting arctic glaciers as well as more subtle scientific measurements of atmospheric gases such as Carbon-12 isotopes – it has been possible to determine that this increase in the warming of both air and sea temperatures is being driven primarily by human influence. tcktcktck The Global Call for Climate Action (more on Climate Change in our area]
GAO Report: Drinking Water at Risk from Underground Fracking Waste Injection The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) publicly released its report today finding that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is "not consistently conducting two key oversight and enforcement activities for class II programs" for underground fluid injection wells associated with oil and gas production. The report shows that the EPA's program to protect drinking water sources from underground injection of fracking waste needs improvement. According to the report, "The U.S. EPA does not consistently conduct annual on-site state program evaluations as directed in guidance because, according to some EPA officials, the agency does not have the resources to do so." The report also found that "to enforce state class II requirements, under current agency regulations, EPA must approve and incorporate state program requirements and any changes to them into federal regulations through a rulemaking." July 28, 2014) EcoWatch [more on Fracking in our area]
Toxic weed — giant hogweed — found in Naples NAPLES — A giant, noxious weed that likes the moist, lush land of the Finger Lakes is majestic to see — and dangerous to touch. Giant hogweed, growing at hundreds of sites statewide, is a huge, non-native, invasive plant whose sap can cause painful burns, permanent scarring and even blindness, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. On Thursday, Sylvia Albrecht, a technician with the DEC's Giant Hogweed Program, removed 40 giant hogweed plants along Naples Creek behind East Avenue in the village, in addition to a plant on the opposite side of the creek along the walking trail near the Ontario Street bridge. Wearing rubber boots, gloves and protective clothes, Albrecht carefully cut off the plants' flowers, sealing them in plastic bags, and dug up and severed the roots of the plants. The cluster of 40 that were within about 20 feet of the creek indicate giant hogweed seeds are floating from a source upstream. (July 25, 2014) Daily Messenger [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Grant to help RIT researchers on electric grid work A research team at Rochester Institute of Technology was awarded a $78,000 state grant for a project to improve economic and environmental costs of the state's electric grid. RIT looks to improve the grid's energy flexibility by increasing allowable "microgrid density." Researchers would develop controls for microgrids to allow cooperation between utilities and microgrids. Microgrids growing increasingly popular among businesses, universities, hospitals and other large entities, officials said. The technology is a concern for local utilities—the added on-site power could cause power quality issues that could affect end-users on the same line. (July 25, 2014) Rochester Business Journal [more on Energy in our area]
Harvard historian: strategy of climate science denial groups 'extremely successful' Professor Naomi Oreskes says actions of climate denialists are laying the foundations for the government interventions they fear the most In 1965, US President Lyndon Johnson had a special message for the American Congress on conservation of the environment. Worried about the "storm of modern change" threatening cherished landscapes, Johnson said: "This generation has altered the composition of the atmosphere on a global scale through… a steady increase in carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels." The same quote appears at the beginning of the 2010 book Merchants of Doubt: How A Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming by science historians Erik Conway and Professor Naomi Oreskes. Plainly the line – almost half a century old now – was picked to show just how long the impacts of fossil fuel burning have been known in the corridors of the highest powers. (July 24, 2014) The Guardian [more on Climate Change in our area]
Study: Earth in the midst of sixth mass extinction The loss and decline of animals around the world — caused by habitat loss and global climate disruption — mean we're in the midst of a sixth "mass extinction" of life on Earth, according to several studies out Thursday in the journal Science. One study found that although human population has doubled in the past 35 years, the number of invertebrate animals – such as beetles, butterflies, spiders and worms – has decreased by 45% during that same period. "We were shocked to find similar losses in invertebrates as with larger animals, as we previously thought invertebrates to be more resilient." said Ben Collen of the U.K.'s University College London, one of the study authors. (July 24, 2014) USA Today [more on Wildlife in our area]
World's religions unite for New York climate summit Leaders from Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and other communities to gather ahead of Ban Ki-moon climate summit Religious leaders from across the globe will travel to New York in September to participate in a landmark UN climate summit. Preparations for the summit, hosted by UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, are gathering momentum. President Obama recently confirmed that he will attend. Thirty leaders from a wide selection of faiths are joining the action. They will congregate for a two-day meeting before 23 September, when world leaders are expected to announce "bold actions" on tackling climate change. Present will be leaders from Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Jewish Orthodox, Shinto, Taoist, Jain, Sikh, Baha'i, Indigenous, Brahma Kumaris and multi-spiritual communities. (July 28, 2014) Responding to Climate Change, RTCC [more on Climate Change in our area]
Albany Nears Oil-Hub Status as 100-Car Trains Jam Port | Albany, New York's capital city, may join the ranks of U.S. energy hubs such as Houston and Cushing, Oklahoma, as oil-terminal operator Global Partners LP (GLP) pushes an expansion plan after already quadrupling its capacity. For the last two years, more oil from the Bakken shale formation has rolled 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) by rail acrossNorth Dakota and around the Great Lakes to Albany. There, companies including Global Partners and Buckeye Partners LP (BPL) load barges bound for New Jersey and New Brunswick refineries. Albany's importance as a link in the energy-production chain is poised to grow under Global Partners' effort to win state permission to handle oil-sands crude and biofuels for shipping over objections of neighbors and environmental groups. (July 24, 2014) Bloomberg [more on Energy in our area]
DEC Guidance for Discouraging Black Bear Nuisance The summer outdoor recreation season is well underway and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is advising homeowners and tourists about ways to discourage bears from becoming a nuisance. Black bears will take advantage of almost any readily available food source. Once bears learn about human food sources, it is not easy to recondition them to the wild and this can lead to conflicts between bears and people. It is against the law to feed bear, deer and moose. During midsummer and dry conditions, the black bear's natural foods are much more difficult to find. DEC Wildlife and Law Enforcement staff respond with technical advice as quickly as possible but local residents and visitors are responsible for preventing bears from gaining access to food items such as bird food, garbage and unattended coolers. (July 24, 2014) The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) [more on Wildlife in our area]
Wheelchair-accessible signs getting makeover in NY ALBANY – The iconic white-and-blue sign marking wheelchair accessibility will soon be getting a makeover in New York. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday signed a bill into law requiring future wheelchair-accessible signs to depict a wheelchair in motion, rather than the sedentary stick-figure image that has marked parking spots and ramps for decades. The new law also will prevent future accessibility signs from using the word "handicapped," a term advocates say is outdated and offensive to wheelchair users. "New York has long been a leader when it comes to fighting discrimination to protect New Yorkers including people with disabilities," Cuomo said in a statement Friday. "This bill is an important step toward correcting society's understanding of accessibility and eliminating a stigma for more than one million New Yorkers, and I am proud to sign it into law today." (July 25, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Transportation in our area]
Faux Pause 3: More Evidence Global Surface Temperatures Poised To Rise Rapidly A new study finds that when climate models factor in the temporary warming and cooling impact of El Niño and La Niña, they accurately predict recent global warming. And that is consistent with recent studies that led one climatologist to say, "Global temperatures look set to rise rapidly." GLOBAL WARMING CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE A study last year found that global warming has accelerated in the past 15 years, especially in the ocean. As scientists had predicted, 90 percent of that warming ended up in the oceans. And we reported that Greenland's ice melt increased five-fold since the mid-1990s. Anotherstudy that month found "sea level rising 60% faster than projected." (July 22, 2014) Think Progress/Climate Progress [more on Climate Change in our area]
Will 2014 be the hottest year on record? After the hottest May and June ever recorded and with a looming El Niño predicted to cause global temperatures to spike, Karl Mathiesen, with your help, asks are we living through the hottest year since records began? (July 23, 2014) The Guardian [more on Climate Change in our area]
Florida poll: More than 7 in 10 voters concerned about climate change, back EPA action plan Nearly eight in 10 likely Florida voters want limits on carbon pollution from power plants and as many as 71 percent say they're concerned about climate change, according to a new poll conducted for an environmental group during the hotly contested governor's race. "The takeaway from this poll is simple: People think carbon pollution is a problem, and they think our political leaders should take action and fight pollution," said Susan Glickman, a spokeswoman for the Natural Resources Defense Council, which sponsored the 1,005-likely voter poll by SurveyUSA. (July 25, 2014) Miami Herald [more on Climate Change in our area]
Powerful insecticide turns up in major Midwest rivers Insecticide at heart of debate over honeybee deaths found in six states. A pervasive agricultural insecticide that has been linked to the decline of honeybees is now a near-constant presence in the small and great rivers that flow through Midwestern farm country, according to the first major review of its kind. Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey tracked the toxins called neonicotinoids in six states and nine Midwestern rivers, including the portion of the Mississippi that drains southern Minnesota, and found that they were universally present throughout the growing season in every watershed tested. The results, published this week, raise significant questions about possible threats to the insects that form the base of the food chain in aquatic ecosystems, and they follow another study last month that found sharp declines in birds wherever the insecticides were widely used in Holland. (July 25, 2014) Star Tribune [more on Pesticides in our area]
New Data on Extreme Temperatures Underscore Planet's Warming Trend, Scientists Say 'It is more often the climate extremes that noticeably impact society, infrastructure, and ecosystems,' a new report warns. This past June was the warmest ever recorded by scientists since record keeping began in the 19th century. The average surface temperature of the earth was 61.2 degrees Fahrenheit, up 1.3 degrees from the 20th century's typical June. May 2014 set a comparable new record. That month, too, the planet's average surface temperature was about 1.3 degrees above the normal warmth of May. It's reasonable to expect that the whole year may end up with the warmest surface temperatures ever recorded—especially if El Niño, the periodic shifting of warm waters in the Pacific now thought to be incipient, develops robustly. (July 23, 2014) Inside Climate News [more on Climate Change in our area]
County's algae solution: suck it up Ontario Beach Park has had odor problems for a long time. The culprit: the algae that forms rotting, stinky piles where the beach meets the Charlotte pier. The muck and its odor have been a stubborn nuisance for years, despite periodic efforts to haul some of the accumulation away. Often, the hotter the day, the worse the beach smells. But yesterday, despite temperatures close to 90 degrees, the fishy smell was subdued; it might have ranked three or four on a scale of 10. And there was a good reason: no noticeable algae pool near the pier. County-contracted crews have started construction on a project in that corner of the beach — one that they say offers a long-term way to keep the algae piles from forming. And that should mean less odor and more swimming days at the beach. (July 23, 2014) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Water Quality in our area]
Pool Owners Sought to Participate in Citizen Science Survey to Identify Invasive Insects Monitoring Pool Filters for Asian Longhorned Beetles Can Prevent Infestation and Help Protect Trees and Forests Pool owners are invited to join in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) third annual Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) Swimming Pool Survey now through August 29 in order to help keep watch for these exotic, invasive beetles before they cause serious damage to our forests and street trees. The Citizen Pool Survey takes place this time of year when ALBs are expected to become adults, emerge from the trees they are infesting and become active outside those trees. Earlier this month, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued a proclamation designating New York's first ever Invasive Species Awareness Week to educate New Yorkers on the ALB and other invasive species that can be harmful to human health, animal habitat, agriculture and tourism. The Swimming Pool Survey continues those education efforts and allows residents to actively engage in the efforts to stop the spread of ALB. (July 24, 2014) The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Global warming culprit-nations likely to change by 2030 While developed countries and regions have long been culprits for Earth's rising greenhouse gas emissions, Cornell researchers – balancing the role of aerosols along with carbons in the equation – now predict a time when developing countries will contribute more to climate change than advanced societies: 2030. Published in Environmental Research Letters (July 11), the new study was designed to inform international policymakers on the role of aerosols, as opposed to strictly greenhouse gases, when considering climate change mitigation. "Historically, between 1850 and 2010, the United States and the European Union have contributed the most to Earth's climate change. But the portion of global surface temperature change from human activities attributable to developing countries is increasing," said Dan Ward, Cornell postdoctoral researcher and the study's lead author. Natalie Mahowald, associate professor of earth and atmospheric sciences, is the senior author. (July 16, 2014) Cornell Chronicle [more on Climate Change in our area]
Disgust and outrage along Scajaquada Creek Two state senators are demanding the Department of Environmental Conservation take aggressive action to address sewer overflows that have contaminated Scajaquada Creek. Senators Mark Grisanti and Tim Kennedy, whose districts include the creek, called for action Monday after witnessing a repulsive scene that included trash filled creek water, three dead ducks, and a fourth paralyzed and gasping for air in a pool of garbage and sewage. Grisanti and Kennedy, sickened by what they saw in the creek near Delaware Park's Hoyt Lake, said they will make it a priority to clean up Scajaquada Creek and advocate for more money to repair antiquated sewer systems throughout the region. (July 24, 2014) Investigative Post [more on Water Quality in our area]
How would you fix damage caused by Onondaga Lake pollution? As work continues on cleaning up mercury and other toxins from Onondaga Lake, regulators are now looking at step 2: How to fix the damage caused by decades of industrial pollution. The public is being asked for ideas on the best ways to compensate the public and the environment for the damage done by pollution. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is one of three governments running the program, has come up with a new form and is asking residents to submit their ideas. (We've scanned in the form below.) (July 24, 2014) Syracuse.com [more on Water Quality in our area]
Kodak number one for releasing most toxic chemicals in New York waterways, study finds According to a June report from Environment New York Research & Policy Center, Eastman Kodak Co. has been named the top discharging facility in 2012, weighted by toxicity concentration, in all of New York State, putting 12,151 pounds of toxic pollution into the Lower Genesee River. In addition, the report found, in 2012, industrial facilities discharged over 5.3 million pounds of toxic chemicals into New York's waterways overall, and Anheuser-Busch Inc. facilities dropped over 1.3 million pounds of toxic waste into the Oswego River in Baldwinsville, N.Y. (July 9, 2014) Minority Reporter [more on Brownfields and Genesee River and Water Quality in our area]
New UK Government Science Report Confirms Burning Forests Bad for Climate Conservation Groups Call on UK to Take Swift Action to Stop Destruction of Forests in the Southern US Today the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) released its long-awaited Biomass Emissions and Counterfactual Model Calculator and an accompanying reportLifecycle Impacts of Biomass in 2020 report. The findings from the tool and associated report confirm what U.S. and European ENGOs have been claiming for the last few years – that burning forests for electricity is bad for our climate. At the heart of the debate is the dramatic growth in new wood pellet production to meet the surging demand from the UK. Drax, the UK's largest utility, has already converted one of its coal-fired boilers to burn wood pellets and plans to convert three more. This increased demand for wood as a fuel source in the UK is driving the expansion of wood pellet manufacturing and export in the US South. Enviva, a wood pellet supplier to Drax, has come under heavy fire from conservation organizations, having been tied directly to the clearcutting of wetland forests in its production of wood pellets. The new report clearly shows that whether it is whole trees or so-called leftover "residuals" from logging operations, Enviva's wood pellets, when burned, release too much carbon to be considered a solution to climate change or a feasible alternative to coal. (July 24, 2014) Dogwood Alliance [more on Climate Change in our area]
Court Ruling May Reverberate on 'Social Cost' of Carbon Greenhouse gas emissions from burning and extracting coal, oil and natural gas drive climate change, and as communities feel the effects of a warming world — rising seas, burning forests and withering crops — communities' pocketbooks take a hit, too. That's called the social cost of carbon. And if a recent federal court decision stands, the U.S. government may have to calculate those climate-related costs from any new fossil fuels development on public lands before a new project can be approved. (July 23, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Hudson River water quality fails in environmental group's report Riverkeeper's just released latest water quality report shows Hudson River water quality falls short of its goals. Riverkeeper Paul Gallay said the results were somewhat disheartening. "Twenty-three percent of our samples failed safe swimming guidelines for bacteria and there were failures at over 60 percent of our 74 sampling locations along the Hudson River," Gallay said. "We also found that rainfall triggers a three-fold increase in failure rates against dry weather and that certain tributaries of the Hudson are extremely contaminated and often act as sources of pollution to the main stem of the Hudson." (July 21, 2014) EmpireStateNews.net [more on Water Quality in our area]
New safety proposals for oil trains Rochester, N.Y. - A new federal proposal would phase out thousands of older rail cars that carry crude oil and alert emergency responders when crude oil tankers are traveling through their state. "With these kinds of hazardous materials as volatile as they are, specifically crude oil, responding and initially knowing what we're getting into is certainly going to help us out," said East Rochester Fire Chief Mike Romach. (July 23, 2014) WHAM Rochester [more on Energy in our area]
Poll: U.S. Leads The World… In Climate Denial A poll of 20 countries and over 16,000 people has found that the United States leads the world when it comes to climate denial. That result is based on two questions asked by the British survey company Ipsos Mori in its first ever Global Trends Survey. The poll, conducted between September and October last year, analyzed views from around the world on a variety of issues, including science and technology, privacy, the environment, health, and government. The poll found that 52 percent of Americans agreed with the statement "The climate change we are currently seeing is a natural phenomenon that happens from time to time." India was tied with the U.S. in this belief, and China came in a close second, with 51 percent of respondents agreeing. In contrast, only 34 percent of Swedes, 26 percent of South Koreans, and 22 percent of Japanese agreed with the statement. (July 22, 2014) Think Progress/Climate Progress [more on Climate Change in our area]
Connections: Is Organic Food Better? Two new studies offer more details about organic food is, and what it is not. So is it worth spending more money on organic produce? What is the certification process for organic growing? What are the evidence-based health benefits? Why is Wegmans so supportive of organic? We discuss this with our panel: Jane Andrews, Wegmans nutrition and product labeling manager Denis Lepel, Lakestone Family Farm Todd Lighthouse, Lighthouse Gardens Anne Ruflin, Executive Director of the Northeastern Organic Farming Association of New York (July 23, 2014) WXXI Connections [more on Food in our area]
Attack of the Chicago climate change maggots The effects of climate change are creeping into Chicago's low-income neighborhoods. CHICAGO — Sewage gushed up Lori Burns's toilet. It swept the floor. It wrecked the water heater, the deep freezer, her mother's wedding veil. This basement invasion was the third in five years. Burns, 40, could no longer afford to pay a cleanup crew. So she slipped on polka dotted rain boots, waded into the muck, wrenched out the stand-pipe and watched the brown water drain. The South Side native, a marketing specialist, estimated damages at $17,000. And that did not include what she could not replace: the family heirlooms, the oriental rugs, her cashmere sweaters. The bungalow had flooded four times from 1985 to 2006, when her parents owned it. Lately, it flooded every other year. Burns felt nature was working against her. In a way, it was. As Washington still fights over whether or not climate change is real, people across the country are already paying costs scientists ascribe to it — sometimes in unexpected places. You might think about climate change in terms of rising sea levels threatening coastal cities. But all over the Midwest, from Chicago to Indianapolis and Milwaukee, residents face just as many difficult issues as changing weather patterns collide with aging infrastructure. The costs — for governments, insurance companies and homeowners — are measured not only in dollars, but in quality of life. July 23, 2014) Washington Post [more on Climate Change in our area]
Ontario Beach Algae Removal Project Begins Monroe County officials are announcing the start of work on a project to help cut down on the algae problems at Ontario Beach. The hot humid weather we're having this week makes you want to go to the beach...maybe take a swim..but that's not always possible at some of the local beaches due to problems with algae, which causes bad odors and also occasionally forces the temporary closing of the beaches for swimming. (July 22, 2014) WXXI News [more on Water Quality in our area}
Part One: The Rivers that run through it: A basin of toxins (With video) While some think urban sprawl is to blame for the shoddy state of the Windsor-Essex watersheds, Money says the fertilizers and pesticides used on rural farmlands are just as much to blame as the industry pollution within the city. The real problem to tackle is what ERCA dubs "non-point source pollution," meaning pollution caused by the buildup of a variety of sources rather than a singular one. "We can't point a finger at one individual company, or one individual problem and say, 'That's the problem,'" Money says. "It's everybody — but all of that collectively makes a problem." (July 22, 2014) The Winsor Star [more on Water Quality and Great Lakes in our area]
Pennsylvania Auditor: State Department of Environmental Protection Was Unprepared For Shale Industry's Growth The Pennsylvania auditor general on Tuesday confirmed what was never up for debate for environmental groups and residents—the state was unprepared for the growth of the shale gasindustry. "(The audit) shows that the meteoric growth of the shale gas industry caught the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) unprepared to effectively administer laws and regulations to protect drinking water and unable to efficiently respond to citizen complaints," Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said. (July 22, 2014) EcoWatch [more on Fracking in our area]
Superstorm Sandy ranks high in disaster report | Superstorm Sandy ranks as the world's second costliest disaster linked to weather, climate or water extremes from 1970 to 2012, according to a new atlas. And such disasters are on the rise, according to the atlas. Sandy caused $50 billion in damages in 2012 compared with $146.9 billion linked to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, according to the Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes 1970-2012. Hurricane Andrew ranked third, causing $43.4 billion in damages in 1992, according to the atlas. It's coauthored by the World Meteorological Organization and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters at the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium. (July 14, 2014) Asbury Park Press [more on Climate Change in our area]
China's Dirty Pollution Secret: The Boom Poisoned Its Soil and Crops Soil pollution has received relatively little public attention in China. Despite the fact that it poses as big a threat to health as the more widely covered air and water pollution, data on soil pollution has been so closely guarded that it has been officially categorized as a "state secret." Until recently, the Chinese government also resisted media efforts to draw attention to local epidemics of cancer in China's newly industrial areas. It was not until February 2013 that the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) finally admitted that "cancer villages" existed in China, and released a list that included the area around Lake Tai and the villages of Fenshui and Zhoutie. Some civil society experts have estimated that there are 450 cancer villages in China, and they believe the phenomenon is spreading. (June 30, 2014) Yale: Environment 360
Environmental Group Trying to Ban Plastic Bags A group in Ontario county is looking to to ban single use plastic bags in Canandaigua and Geneva. The group met last week in Geneva and plan to meet later this summer as well. (July 21, 2014) Rochester HomePage.net [more on Recycling in our area]
Ontario County leaders weigh EPA's proposed water rules CANANDAIGUA — With Ontario County home to four Finger Lakes and a focal point for New York agriculture, possible changes to federal control of waterways present a big concern. For months now, county officials in their respective communities have been debating a proposed rule change that would clarify what waterways are protected under the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Water Act. At the county level, discussions continue this week about taking a formal stand on the matter, with many supervisors opposed to the proposal. "Basically, this is a good example of government overreach," Gorham Town Supervisor Fred Lightfoote said earlier this month after attending a forum June 27 in Syracuse led by EPA representatives aimed at explaining the change. (July 22, 2014) Victor Post [more on Water Quality in our area]
2014 NHL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT The NHL represents the highest level of hockey in the world. But before many of our players ever took their first stride on NHL ice, they honed their skills on the frozen lakes and ponds of North America and Europe. Our sport can trace its roots to frozen freshwater ponds, to cold climates. Major environmental challenges, such as climate change and freshwater scarcity, affect opportunities for hockey players of all ages to learn and play the game outdoors. The purpose of the 2014 NHL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT is to address our recent efforts and the challenges we face from an environmental perspective. NHL [more on Climate Change in our area]
World marks hottest June since 1880: NOAA Last month was the hottest June since record-keeping began in 1880, according to a monthly report by US government climate scientists. The combined average temperature over land and ocean surfaces was a "record high for the month at 61.20 Fahrenheit (16.22 Celsius)," said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That meant June was a total of 1.30°F (0.72°C) warmer than the 20th century average for the month, surpassing the last record high temperature for June set in 2010, said NOAA. Taken alone, the ocean's global surface temperature in June was the highest for any month on record, breaking the past record set in 1998, NOAA added. (July 21, 2014) The Raw Story [more on Climate Change in our area]
500 days from crucial Paris summit, momentum grows for climate deal 500 days ahead of a crucial UN climate summit in Paris, momentum is growing for a global climate deal. A diplomacy push by the world's two biggest emitters has seen the US and China working on concrete initiatives to cut carbon emissions, while China has also suggested that it could announce an emissions cap as early as June 2015, maybe even in the first quarter, then meeting the UN deadline for national contributions to the Paris agreement. Many of the major government players gathered in Paris for the two-day Major Economies Forum last weekend, which was immediately followed by the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, where German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed her commitment to a tough UN climate change agreement in 2015, promising EU and German leadership. She also used the opportunity to pledge $1 billion to the Green Climate Fund, spurring calls for more countries to follow suit. NGOs have urged developed countries to pledge at least $15 billion in climate finance before this year's COP in Lima, and expectations are high for some of that money to come during the UN Climate Leaders Summit in September. (July 18, 2014) tcktcktck [more on Climate Change in our area]
California Halts Injection of Fracking Waste, Warning it May Be Contaminating Aquifers State's drought has forced farmers to rely on groundwater, even as California aquifers have been intentionally polluted due to exemptions for oil industry. California officials have ordered an emergency shut-down of 11 oil and gas waste injection sites and a review more than 100 others in the state's drought-wracked Central Valley out of fear that companies may have been pumping fracking fluids and other toxic waste into drinking water aquifers there. The state's Division of Oil and Gas and Geothermal Resources on July 7 issued cease and desist orders to seven energy companies warning that they may be injecting their waste into aquifers that could be a source of drinking water, and stating that their waste disposal "poses danger to life, health, property, and natural resources." The orders werefirst reported by the Bakersfield Californian, and the state has confirmed with ProPublica that its investigation is expanding to look at additional wells. The action comes as California's agriculture industry copes with a drought crisis that has emptied reservoirs and cost the state $2.2 billion this year alone. The lack of water has forced farmers across the state to supplement their water supply from underground aquifers, according to a study released this week by the University of California Davis. (July 18, 2014) ProPublica [more on Fracking in our area]
Obama Administration Opens Eastern Seaboard To Oil Drilling Surveys On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved the use of seismic airguns to explore the seabed from Cape May to Cape Canaveral for oil and gas. These sonic cannons are compressed airguns that get towed behind ships, using dynamite-like blasts to produce sound waves 100,000 times louder than a jet engine underwater every ten seconds. The waves travel through the water and through the ocean floor, bouncing back up at different rates to provide prospective drillers and researchers a better sense of where oil, gas, minerals, and sand lie beneath the waves. It's not a surprise that this is dangerous: even BOEM estimates that this practice will disrupt, injure, or kill millions of marine animals, including the most endangered whale species on the planet. It is less surprising that this risky tactic would be approved in large part to ferret out another source of fossil fuels, risking another BP disaster and emitting more pollution that causes global warming. It's more surprising that this gambit is being entertained in an area that may not even have that much oil or gas. (July 18, 2014) Think Climate/Think Progress
Turn signals for bicycles? SU student creates app to advance bike safety SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse University student Jeremy Mingtao Wu has developed a better way to navigate a bicycle. Wu, 23, is a graduate mechanical engineering student at the L.C. Smith College of Engineering. In China he received his undergraduate degree in automotive technology, specializing in automotive safety. As he considered the history of automotive safety devices, from seat belts to air bags to impact-absorbing bumpers, the contrast with advances in bicycle safety was stark. "In the last 100 years, the bicycle helmet has been pretty much the only device to make riders safer," said Wu. (July 17, 2014) Syracuse.com [more on Transportation in our area]
Service Reopens Comment Period on Proposal to List the Northern Long-eared Bat as an Endangered Species The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has reopened the comment period for 60 days, through August 29, 2014, on a proposal to list the northern long-eared bat as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Service has also extended the agency's deadline to April 2, 2015, to make its final decision on whether to list the species. The Service proposed to list the bat as endangered on October 2, 2013, citing white-nose syndrome, a disease that has killed millions of bats, as the greatest threat to the species. During the reopened comment period, the Service seeks information regarding the interpretation of scientific studies cited in the proposed rule, along with any additional scientific information not already considered in the proposal. (June 30, 2014) US Fish and Wildlife Service [more on Wildlife in our area]
The Pope and the Sin of Environmental Degradation Pope Francis has called environmental exploitation the sin of our time. He is working on an encyclical about humanity's relationship with nature. Christiana Peppard, Assistant Professor of Theology, Science and Ethics at Fordham University and author of the book Just Water, discusses the Pope's call to "care for God's creation" with host Steve Curwood. (July 18, 2014) Living On Earth
U.S. Ranks Near Bottom on Energy Efficiency; Germany Tops List Overall dismal report shows the U.S. outperformed only three of the world's largest economies on energy efficiency—Russia, Brazil and Mexico. Germany leads the world in harnessing the benefits of energy efficiency, followed by Italy, the European Union, China and France, according to a new ranking of the world's 16 largest economies. The United States was near the bottom, placing 13th. (July 18, 2014) Inside Climate News [more on Energy in our area]
Gillibrand: List microbeads as Great Lakes threat Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand wants the Environmental Protection Agency to list microbeads as Great Lakes contaminants. Microbeads in personal care products like facial scrubs and hand cleaners can wash into water bodies, where they can be ingested by birds and fish. (July 18, 2014) WHEC Rochester [more on Great Lakes in our area]
Australia's carbon reversal sets new tone for global climate talks Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's move to repeal his country's carbon tax provides an international boost for the Harper government, which has regularly attacked opponents who propose putting a price on emissions in Canada. Australia's reversal on carbon pricing comes at a critical time, just two months prior to a United Nations climate summit to be hosted by secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, who is looking for countries to commit to post-2020 emission reductions and new policies to achieve those targets. (July 17, 2014) The Globe and Mail [more on Climate Change in our area]
Climage change with EPA's Judith Enck: New York NOW The Environmental Protection Agency recently released plans it argues will lower the nation's collective carbon footprint through the Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The plan aims to cap the C02 emission from coal-fired power plants, identified as the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions. EPA Region 2 (including New York and New Jersey) Administrator, Judith Enck sits down with the Innovation Trail's Jenna Flanagan to discuss the Greenhouse Gas Initiative, acid rain in the Adirondacks and the beginning stages of the clean-up of the Hudson River. (July 16, 2014) Innovation Trail [more on Climate Change in our area]
City of Canandaigua changes proposed pesticide ban The ordinance committee is now considering a modified ordinance that would ban the chemicals only on right of ways, not all city-owned property After recent city discussions surrounding a pesticide ban on city property have not yielded any results, the city is now considering a modified ordinance that would ban the chemicals only on city-owned right of ways. (July 17, 2014) Daily Messenger [more on Pesticides in our area]
Climate data from air, land, sea and ice in 2013 reflect trends of a warming planet Increases in temperature, sea level and CO2 observed; Southern Hemisphere warmth and Super Typhoon Haiyan among year's most notable events In 2013, the vast majority of worldwide climate indicators—greenhouse gases, sea levels, global temperatures, etc.—continued to reflect trends of a warmer planet, according to the indicators assessed in the State of the Climate in 2013 report, released online today by the American Meteorological Society. Scientists from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., served as the lead editors of the report, which was compiled by 425 scientists from 57 countries around the world (highlights, visuals, full report). It provides a detailed update on global climate indicators, notable weather events, and other data collected by environmental monitoring stations and instruments on air, land, sea, and ice. (July 17, 2014) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) [more on Climate Change in our area]
Climate Scientists See 'Very Rapid Declines' in Annual NOAA Report Leading climate scientists on Thursday issued their annual physical of Earth, comparing the planet in 2013 to a patient that's only getting worse and highlighting problems with key vital signs: from record warmth in Australia and China to sea levels that continue to rise and Arctic sea ice in continued decline. The vital signs reflect "the largest changes that we've been able to witness in the historical record," said Tom Karl, director of the National Climatic Data Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "The planet is changing more rapidly … than in any time of modern civilization." (July 17, 2014) NBC News [more on Climate Change in our area]
One of offshore wind power's best hopes is fading on Lake Erie Offshore wind farms power more than six million homes in Europe. How many homes in America? Zero. That's despite the fact that, according to the Department of Energy, the US has offshore wind capacity that's four times larger than all of the electric power plants in the country combined. Yet wind energy projects in many states are being delayed or even cancelled. In recent years, an offshore project was abandoned in New York; Pennsylvania has focused on natural gas as an energy source; and in Michigan the legislature introduced a bill to prohibit issuing permits for offshore wind turbines. For years, efforts to install wind turbines off Cape Cod in the Atlantic have also faced strong opposition. But as recently as this spring, plans for a proposed wind farm near Cleveland on Lake Erie looked promising. (July 16, 2014) PRI [more on Wind Power in our area]
Environmentalists Denounce Repeal of Australia's Carbon Tax SYDNEY, Australia — Opposition politicians and environmentalists in Australia reacted with dismay Thursday to the country's repeal of laws requiring large companies to pay for carbon emissions, saying that it made Australia the first country to reverse progress on fighting climate change. The Senate voted 39 to 32 on Thursday to repeal the so-called carbon tax after Prime Minister Tony Abbott's conservative government secured the support of a number of independent senators. The House of Representatives had voted earlier in the week to repeal the unpopular measure, which has been a highly contentious issue in Australian politics for seven years. The tax was devised to penalize hundreds of Australia's biggest producers of carbon emissions, setting a price of 23 Australian dollars, or $21.50, per metric ton of carbon dioxide when it was put into effect in 2012 under then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard of the Labor Party, which is now in the opposition. The price rose to 25 Australian dollars this month. (July 17, 2014) New York Times [more on Energy and Climate Change in our area]
Zebra, quagga mussels trump pollution as change agents in lake erie Over the last half century, Lake Erie has been known for its level of pollution and its population of invasive species. Of the two, the invasive species seems to have had the greater effect on the lake's zoobenthic community. That community—creatures living on, near, or below the bottom of the lake—is "fundamentally changed from its past," according to a paper published online in the current journal of the Journal of Great Lakes Research. Lyubov Burlakova, who works with the Great Lakes Center at SUNY Buffalo State, is the first author. The coauthors are Alexander Y. Karatayev, director of the center; Christopher Pennuto, a research associate with the center and biology professor at Buffalo State; and Christine Mayer, associate professor of ecology at the University of Toledo. "The story of Lake Erie shows how profoundly human activity can affect an ecosystem," said Burlakova. She traces that activity as far back as the early 1800s, when people cut down forests and built sawmills and dams. In 1918, the first report documenting the deterioration of water quality was published by the International Joint Commission. (July 16, 2014) Phys.org [more on Zebra Mussels in our area]
Researchers troll for plastic on Great Lakes fishing boat ABOARD THE NANCY K – As David Brooks readies the Nancy K to cast off for its latest Lake St. Clair adventure, he speculates about the source of what he hopes to catch. It is not fish that he pursues. It's plastic. "The sweater I'm wearing is plastic and when it goes through the laundry some of the plastic goes down the drain, some of it makes it through the sewage streaming plant and some of it is floating down the Clinton River in front of us," Brooks said. Brooks is furnishing a ride this summer for researchers sailing the Great Lakes in search of tiny bits of plastic. They're testing how harmful they are to the environment. (July 16, 2014) Great Lakes Echo [more on Great Lakes and Water Quality in our area]
Preparing Communities for the Impacts of Climate Change | We've been talking a lot recently about the need to rebuild and strengthen our nation's infrastructure. As the President has made clear, a world-class infrastructure system is a vital part of a top-performing economy. But there's another important reason why we need to rebuild our infrastructure: climate change. Communities across America need more resilient infrastructure that can withstand the impacts of climate change -- like more extreme weather and increased flooding. That's part of the reason why the President established the State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience last November. The Task Force, made up of 26 governors, mayors, and county and tribal officials from across the country, advises the President on how the federal government can best help American communities dealing with the effects of climate change. Today, the Task Force came to the White House for their fourth and final meeting, and will give the President final recommendations this fall. (July 16, 2014) White House [more on Climate Change in our area]
As jellyfish come in waves off Maine coast, questions follow The early summer invasion appears to be heavier than normal this year, surprising some and distressing others. For weeks, Maine's marine research centers have been flooded with questions about a seeming jellyfish invasion in local waters, primarily Casco Bay. They've ranged from the urgent – should I let my kids go in the water, or are they going to get stung? – to expressions of longer-term fears, namely, is this the result of global warming? Ocean acidification in the warming Gulf of Maine? Proof of a hypothesis that we're headed for an ocean ecosystem clogged by jellies, creatures that cause many beachgoers to shudder in revulsion? Researchers across the board say they just don't know what the cause is. It could be climate change, including warmer waters. It could be a depletion of oxygen in coastal waters because of runoff from the land, or some response to overfishing. (July 16, 2014) Portland Press Herald
Over protests, Schuyler lawmakers maintain support for gas storage facility WATKINS GLEN — Frustrated and angered by a failed attempt to turn back the Schuyler County Legislature's support of the proposed gas storage facility, opponents of the project chanted "Shame on you!" and "Fagan's gotta go!" as lawmakers left Monday night's meeting. Ninety minutes earlier, the mood was different as between 300 and 400 people gathered on the shore of the "the grand old lady of the Finger Lakes" to use Seneca Lake as the rallying point against the proposed Crestwood Midstream Partners project to store liquid petroleum gas in depleted salt caverns in the town of Reading, north of Watkins Glen. (July 15, 2014) The Ithaca Journal [more on Energy in our area]
Top regional EPA official will talk climate change, carbon emissions in Syracuse Update: The location of this talk has been changed from the Center of Excellence to the Syracuse City Hall Commons atrium, 233 E. Washington St., Syracuse. Syracuse, N.Y. -- A top regional EPA official will speak in Syracuse Wednesday on how climate change will affect New York. Judith Enck, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency region that includes New York, will also talk about the Obama administration's new rules about reducing carbon emissions from power plants. Enck will speak during the roundtable discussion on environmental and energy systems at the Syracuse City Hall Commons atrium, 233 E. Washington St., Syracuse. The roundtable runs from 1:30 to 3 p.m. (July 15, 2014) Syracuse.com
US appeals court upholds dismissal of lawsuit seeking barriers to keep carp out of Great Lakes The U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago has upheld a lower court ruling dismissing a lawsuit filed by five states seeking the placement of barriers to keep Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes. (July 14, 2014) Start Tribune [more on Great Lakes and Invasive Species in our area]
History will condemn climate change denialists Tony Abbott was elected by the right-wing of his party for a single purpose: to destroy any meaningful action in Australia against the threat of climate change The argument for radical action on climate change– which Australia will soon at least temporarily reject with the shameful decision to repeal the carbon tax – is embarrassingly simple. For the past 200 years, western culture has granted science pre-eminent cultural authority. A quarter century ago, a consensus formed among contemporary scientists specialising in the study of the climate. The consensus comprised one principal idea: the primary source of energy on which industrial civilisation relied – the burning of fossil fuels – was dangerously increasing the temperature of the earth. Thousands upon thousands of scientific studies have been conducted estimating the impact of this warming. Hundreds of outstanding books have been published making the conclusions of the scientists available to the general public. To anyone willing to listen, these scientists have explained that unless human beings derive their energy from sources other than fossil fuels, the future that we face over the next decades and centuries involves the rendering of large parts of the earth uninhabitable to humans and other species – through the melting of the ice caps and glaciers and thus steadily rising sea levels, the acidification of the oceans, the destruction of forests and coral reefs, and the increase in the prevalence and intensity of famines, insect-borne diseases, droughts, bush fires, floods, hurricanes and heat-waves. (July 15, 2014) The Guardian [more on Climate Change in our area]
CSX: 20-35 oil trains per week cross upstate NY CSX Transportation says it hauls an average of 20 to 35 trains a week loaded with crude oil from North Dakota's Bakken region across 17 upstate New York counties en route to coastal refineries. Canadian Pacific says it hauls an average of five to nine crude oil trains a week through five counties from the Canadian border to Schoharie County. The information was released to The Associated Press Tuesday by the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services in response to a Freedom of Information Law request. (July 16, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Brownfields in our area]
Scientists use birds to track pollution Research project measures contaminants in Great Lakes swallows that likely affect humans, too Birds are providing some insight into contamination in the Great Lakes. Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey are observing the nesting patterns of tree swallows along the banks of the lakes and are collecting blood from their babies to monitor levels of some toxins including mercury, chromium and cadmium. If these metals and chemicals are in birds, they likely are in humans as well, researchers say. The program started in 2010 with 20 testing sites as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which aims to clean up the lakes and surrounding areas. (July 13, 2014) Columbus Dispatch [more on Wildlife in our area]
Industries push for relief from oil-train rules A string of fiery train derailments across the country has triggered a high-stakes but behind-the-scenes campaign to shape how the government responds to calls for tighter safety rules. Billions of dollars are riding on how these rules are written, and lobbyists from the railroads, tank car manufacturers and the oil, ethanol and chemical industries have met 13 times since March with officials at the White House and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Their universal message: Don't make us pay for increased safety because that's another industry's problem. The pitches illustrate why government officials, who must show that safety benefits outweigh the economic costs of rules, often struggle for years, only to produce watered-down regulations. The Association of American Railroads, for example, is pushing for tougher safety standards for tank cars than the current, voluntary standards agreed to by industry in 2011. Railroads, though, typically don't own or lease tank cars and so wouldn't have to buy new cars or retrofit existing ones. The oil and ethanol industries that own the cars want to stick with the voluntary standards, also known as "1232" tank cars. (July 14, 2014) Penfield Post [more on Brownfields in our area]
Report: N.Y. ranks 38th in energy efficiency New York ranks among the most expensive states for energy bills, a new report from WalletHub shows. WalletHub—a social website launched by Evolution Finance that offers financial tools and information for consumers and small-business owners—ranked New York 38th among the 50 states and District of Columbia based on energy efficiency. The report, 2014's Most & Least Energy-Expensive States, looked at six key metrics, including electricity cost, consumption, natural gas prices and fuel prices. New Yorkers average $365 a month in energy costs, including electricity costs of $126 and natural gas costs of $80. Drivers pay some $160 a month for gasoline, on average. (July 14, 2014) Rochester Business Journal [more on Energy in our area]
Climate model shows Australia's rainfall decline due to human-caused climate change New climate model will help improve regional climate predictions in U.S. NOAA scientists have developed a new high-resolution climate model that shows southwestern Australia's long-term decline in fall and winter rainfall is caused by increases in manmade greenhouse gas emissions and ozone depletion, according to research published today in Nature Geoscience. "This new high-resolution climate model is able to simulate regional-scale precipitation with considerably improved accuracy compared to previous generation models," said Tom Delworth, a research scientist at NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, N.J., who helped develop the new model and is co-author of the paper. "This model is a major step forward in our effort to improve the prediction of regional climate change, particularly involving water resources." (July 13, 2014) The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) - or "NOAA [more on Climate Change in our area]
State judge tosses lawsuits challenging NY fracking delay ALBANY A state judge on Monday blocked attempts to force Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration to decide whether to authorize large-scale hydraulic fracturing. Acting Supreme Court Justice Roger McDonough of Albany County tossed a pair of lawsuits Monday afternoon, ruling that a group of upstate landowners and the bankruptcy trustee for a defunct oil-and-gas company lack the authority to bring the legal challenge. The Binghamton-based Joint Landowners Coalition of New York and Mark Wallach, the trustee for Norse Energy, had separately sued Gov. Andrew Cuomo and members of his administration, arguing that Cuomo has acted based on politics -- not science -- in delaying a decision on whether to allow large-scale hydraulic fracturing. The lawsuits were dismissed, however, because the landowners group and the gas company hadn't suffered any environmental harm, McDonough ruled. (July 14, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Fracking in our area]
Seneca Nation commits to native-only landscaping CATTARAUGUS RESERVATION – The Seneca Indian Nation is strengthening its roots to the land with a new commitment to use only indigenous plants and trees in public landscaping. The western New York tribe is believed to be the first to formalize a practice that tribes throughout the country are embracing as a way to preserve Native American culture and the environment. From now on, instead of Austrian pines, Japanese maples and other foreign species, there will be native balsam firs, sugar maples and white ash trees outside Seneca schools, office buildings and casinos. Wild bee balm, cinnamon fern and butterfly weed that grew in abundance on their own will take the place of the Dutch bulbs and other non-native flowers and shrubbery that have become typical in commercial landscaping. (July 13, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Plants in our area]
EPA Proposes to Replace and Reduce Harmful Greenhouse Gases WASHINGTON – Today, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to prohibit the use of certain chemicals that significantly contribute to climate change where safer, more climate-friendly alternatives exist. This is the agency's second action aimed at reducing emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a class of potent greenhouse gases, under President Obama's Climate Action Plan. This action is estimated to reduce greenhouse gases by up to 42 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2020, equal to the carbon dioxide emissions from the annual electricity use of more than five million homes. "President Obama called on us to take action against potent greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Today, we are issuing a new proposal that builds on the innovative work businesses across the country have already made to reduce and replace some of the most harmful chemicals with safer, more climate-friendly alternatives that are available and on the market today," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "This action will not only result in significant reductions of harmful greenhouse gases, but it will also encourage businesses to continue bringing safer alternatives to market." (July 10, 2014) EPA News Releases from Headquarters [more on Climate Change in our area]
More than 5,500 buildings to compete in EPA's Fifth-Annual Energy Star Battle of the Buildings/Commercial buildings around the US are in a race to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the 2014 Energy Star Battle of the Buildings: Team Challenge. More than 5,500 buildings nationwide are going head-to-head to reduce their energy use. In support of President Obama's Climate Action Plan, which calls for businesses to cut in half the amount of energy they waste over the next 20 years, the competition specifically targets wasted energy in commercial buildings, and will motivate businesses to improve energy efficiency, reduce harmful carbon pollution, and save money. "The competitive spirit is alive and well among the building teams working to improve their energy efficiency in this year's Battle of the Buildings," said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. "After four successful years, we're excited to see the innovative ideas that will emerge from the competitors as they find new ways to save energy and money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the environment." In the only coast-to-coast competition of its kind, dozens of different types of commercial buildings are facing off in this year's Energy Star Battle of the Buildings. This year's theme, "Team Challenge," features teams of five or more buildings who will work together to reduce their collective energy use as much as possible over the course of a year. For example, "Team Staples" includes 17 Staples stores, while 15 Whole Foods stores will support each other as part of "Team Whole Foods Market." In New Castle County, Del., 13 elementary schools will compete as part of a team, and they're going up against their county's five middle schools and six high schools. In Hillsborough County, Fla., fire stations will team up to compete against libraries. (July 10, 2014) EPA News Releases from Headquarters [more on Green Living in our area]
Efficiency, renewables, biofuels key to stopping climate change The positive message from a scientific report for the UN Climate Summit is that the tough task of cutting greenhosue gas emissions to limit global temperature rise to below two degrees is definitely achievable by following a set of bold, practical steps. SCIENTISTS OFTEN HESITATE to give a cut-and-dried, yes-or-no answer when asked how serious climate change is going to be, and whether the world can still escape significant damage. Surprisingly, perhaps, a report prepared for a United Nations conference in September is unequivocal. Yes, it says − the worst is not inevitable. The good news is that the world can keep climate change within what are thought to be acceptable limits. The less good news is that while it is possible, it certainly won't be easy. The report shows how the countries that emit the most greenhouse gases (GHGs) can cut their carbon emissions by mid-century to prevent dangerous climate change. Prepared by independent researchers in 15 countries, it is the first global co-operation to identify practical pathways to a low-carbon economy by 2050. The Deep Decarbonisation Pathways Project (DDPP) report is an interim version prepared for the UN Climate Summit to be held in New York on 23 September. The full DDPP report will be ready in 2015. (July 14, 2014 ABC.net [more on Climate Change in our area]
Methane May Leak From 40% of Gas Wells in Parts of Pennsylvania Study published in PNAS is based on inspection records of 41,000 wells drilled between 2000 and 2012. People who live among the fracking fields of Pennsylvania should expect considerable leaking of methane from natural gas wells into the groundwater and atmosphere, according tonew research by a professor who has been a consistent critic of the boom in hydraulic fracturing. A research team led by Anthony Ingraffea of Cornell University reached this conclusion after examining state inspection records of more than 41,000 wells drilled from 2000 through 2012 throughout Pennsylvania. Because of flaws detected by inspectors in the concrete or casing of the wells, up to 40 percent of the oil and gas wells in some parts of the state may end up leaking methane, they reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (July 10, 2014) Inside Climate News [more on Fracking in our area]
Climate Change Gets Up Close and Personal If you've ever wondered how much little things really matter, consider the mountain pine beetle. Roughly the size of a grain of rice, the glossy black insect lives only about a year, but a female beetle can travel as far as 30 miles to find a pine tree, where its larvae can hatch and eat the inside of the bark. A throng of beetles can ravage a pine as tall as an eight-story building, as the tree first oozes sap, then its needles turn rusty red. In the past decade, in the pine forests that bristle across the U.S. West and Southwest, from Alaska to southern California, millions of acres of pines have died in one of the worst pine beetle epidemics anyone has ever seen. (July 7, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Miami, the great world city, is drowning while the powers that be look away Low-lying south Florida, at the front line of climate change in the US, will be swallowed as sea levels rise. Astonishingly, the population is growing, house prices are rising and building goes on. The problem is the city is run by climate change deniers A drive through the sticky Florida heat into Alton Road in Miami Beach can be an unexpectedly awkward business. Most of the boulevard, which runs north through the heart of the resort's most opulent palm-fringed real estate, has been reduced to a single lane that is hemmed in by bollards, road-closed signs, diggers, trucks, workmen, stacks of giant concrete cylinders and mounds of grey, foul-smelling earth. It is an unedifying experience but an illuminating one – for this once glamorous thoroughfare, a few blocks from Miami Beach's art deco waterfront and its white beaches, has taken on an unexpected role. It now lies on the front line of America's battle against climate change and the rise in sea levels that it has triggered. "Climate change is no longer viewed as a future threat round here," says atmosphere expert Professor Ben Kirtman, of the University of Miami. "It is something that we are having to deal with today." (July 11, 2014) The Guardian [more on Climate Change in our area]
New York won't further cloak oil train details New York's homeland security agency is refusing requests from freight railroads to further restrict public information about their crude oil shipments, concluding it's not sensitive security information and will be given to local emergency planners. Federal officials reached a similar conclusion in June, ordering railroads to give state officials details about oil-train routes and volumes so emergency responders can better prepare. Railroads sought to keep the information secret following a string of fiery accidents. A derailment and explosion in Quebec last July killed 47 people. (July 11, 2014) WHEC Rochester
U-M computer model shows Straits pipeline break would devastate Great Lakes A rupture of 61-year-old, underwater oil pipelines running through the Straits of Mackinac would be "the worst possible place" for a spill on the Great Lakes, with catastrophic results, according to a University of Michigan researcher studying potential impacts of a spill. David Schwab, a research scientist at the U-M Water Center, retired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where he studied Great Lakes water flows and dynamics for more than 30 years. He's the author of a new study done in collaboration with the National Wildlife Federation looking at different scenarios for potential oil spills in the Straits from Canadian oil transport giant Enbridge's Line 5. "I can't think — in my experience — of another place on the Great Lakes where an oil spill would have as wide an area of impact, in as short of time, as at the Straits of Mackinac," Schwab said. (July 10, 2014) Detroit Free Press [more on Great Lakes in our area]
Study: bike lanes save money and lives Researchers find that bike infrastructure can return $24 for every dollar spent by city governments As the number of bike riders seems to increase dramatically in cities across the country, there's been a backlash from people who say bikes are dangerous, and that the added infrastructure that comes with them — namely bike lanes — is an unnecessary burden in a time of large budget shortfalls. But a new study — the first that analyzes several different models of how bike infrastructure affects cities — concludes that policies and projects supportive of bike lanes are worth every penny, and then some. The study, published by several researchers at universities in New Zealand in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, argues that for every dollar spent on bike-related infrastructure, cities can receive anywhere from $6 to $24 in cost savings in the form of reductions to pollution and traffic congestion, as well as lowered health care costs from decreased traffic fatalities and increased exercise. (July 11, 2014) Aljazeera America [more on Transportation in our area]
Coal-reliant Pa. faces election showdown over EPA, natural gas and carbon trading The nation's third-largest carbon dioxide-emitting state is in the middle of a fierce election fight that could determine whether it stays on its current path of challenging U.S. EPA climate rules, or instead slows fossil fuel development and enters a regional carbon trading program. In coal-reliant Pennsylvania, Republican Gov. Tom Corbett -- who has overseen the state's natural gas boom and called the EPA proposed carbon rule on existing power plants a "cap-and-trade tax" -- is facing a formidable challenge from Democrat Tom Wolf, a businessman with a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Wolf is pledging to expand the state's alternative energy portfolio standard and implement new measures to cut greenhouse gases. The race is considered a tossup by independent political analysts like the Cook Political Report, although some polls give Wolf a double-digit lead. (July 11, 2014) E&E Publishing, LLC [more on Energy in our area]
Banned chemical a concern in great lakes A chemical that's been banned in Minnesota and is being reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. has a group in Ontario concerned about its potential effects on the great lakes. It would be hard to find someone who doesn't use the chemical in one way or another. And by most, it's used quite frequently on a daily basis. But the Canadian Environmental Law Association is now warning people about triclosan. It's done a study which has found that it's toxic to our waterways and is impacting our great lakes ecosystem. The chemical is found in numerous consumer products ranging from hand sanitizer to soap, deodorant, even toothpaste. And because its use is quite temporary, usually to wash hands, the chemical ends up going straight down the drain and ends up in the waterways. The environmental law association says there is evidence that triclosan is building up in the great lakes and affecting the aquatic-life's ability to survive. It's pushing for Canada to ban this antibacterial chemical, as well as all states that border the great lakes, saying that people's health is at risk. (July 10, 2014) ChChing [more on Water Quality and Great Lakes in our area]
Green groups protest transatlantic trade deal Green activists are protesting a transatlantic trade deal they say could harm the environment Protest is ramping up against a transatlantic trade treaty critics say could weaken environmental protection. The Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership is intended to boost commerce between Europe and the US, by cutting tariffs and aligning regulations. Green groups on both sides of the ocean have expressed fears this could mean watering down environmental safeguards and increasing fossil fuel consumption. A national day of action is planned for Saturday 12 July in the UK to highlight concerns with the TTIP ahead of further negotiations in Brussels next week. This will include a protest outside the business department building in London. The UK Green Party, which supports the protests, said the TTIP was a "corporate power grab" that "must be stopped". (July 11, 2014) Responding to Climate Change RTCC [more on Climate Change in our area]
Clear differences between organic and non-organic food, study finds Research is first to find wide-ranging differences between organic and conventional fruits, vegetables and cereals Organic food has more of the antioxidant compounds linked to better health than regular food, and lower levels of toxic metals and pesticides, according to the most comprehensive scientific analysis to date. The international team behind the work suggests that switching to organic fruit and vegetables could give the same benefits as adding one or two portions of the recommended "five a day". The team, led by Prof Carlo Leifert at Newcastle University, concludes that there are "statistically significant, meaningful" differences, with a range of antioxidants being "substantially higher" – between 19% and 69% – in organic food. It is the first study to demonstrate clear and wide-ranging differences between organic and conventional fruits, vegetables and cereals. (July 11, 2014) The Guardian [more on Food in our area]
Ginna owner seeks deal to keep nuclear plant open The owner of the Ginna nuclear power plant, hoping to stave off closure of the facility, has asked New York regulators to help secure a deal with RG&E to sustain Ginna's operations. Exelon Corp., which owns the Wayne County nuclear plant, wants Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. to sign a contract promising payments keep the plant running. Chicago-based Exelon filed a petition Friday asking the state Public Service Commission to enter into a multiyear contract by the end of 2014. The contract would be based on the conclusion that Ginna, which provides a good part of all the electricity used by RG&E's customers, must continue to operate to ensure the continued reliability of that service. (July 11, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Energy in our area]
Germany gains in renewables In the first six months of 2014, Germany got more than one-third of its electricity from renewable sources, according to a new report. The country's solar power production was 28 percent higher over that time than it was during the same period in 2013, says a report from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, a German research organization. Its wind power production was 19 percent higher. (July 9, 2014) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Energy in our area]
Here's another complication for fracking — radioactive waste At the Chemung County landfill in Elmira, New York, piles of drill cuttings from Pennsylvania shale oil wells are scattered around the yard. The cuttings look like heaps of wet black sand, wrapped in a black plastic liner — and they're radioactive. Those radioactive drill cuttings — the waste pulled to the surface when a new well is drilled — are opening a new front in the already-contentious battle over hydraulic fracturing, know as fracking. All rocks have some radiation in them, explains Matt Richmond, a reporter for WSKG and the Allegheny Front, who has been following the story. But the Marcellus Shale in the eastern US, one of the regions where fracking is booming, is an unusually radioactive underground formation. A recent study found radiation levels three times higher than in other rock layers. States in and around the fracking boom are trying to figure out what to do about all this naturally radioactive waste from drilling. Pennsylvania is conducting a study of radiation in the Marcellus Shale. West Virginia passed a law to segregate drill cuttings within landfills. New York State has a moratorium on fracking, but it accepts radioactive drilling waste from nearby Pennsylvania — and that has touched off an intense debate. (July 9, 2014) PRI [more on Fracking in our area]
Climate Politics Are Stranger Than Fiction In Australia When Australia first passed the Clean Energy Plan with a carbon price in 2011 it was because the Green party held the balance of power in the Senate. This week, a conservative government led by fossil fuel-friendly prime minister Tony Abbott was unable to repeal the carbon pricing due to another faction holding sway in the Senate — a group of four Palmer United Party (PUP) senators, a new party founded by mining multimillionaire Clive Palmer. With the Senate recently back in session, Abbott had been expecting to celebrate the repeal of the carbon price after touting it as a major goal of his administration since last summer. However, with the left-leaning Labor party and the PUP uniting against it, his coalition is stuck trying to find a quick new way forward. It was Abbott's second attempt to pass the legislation in the upper house, and it narrowly failed 37-35. Palmer had been on board with Abbott's plan to scrap the carbon tax, but changed his mind at the last minute after asserting that the Liberal-National coalition government had "double-crossed" his party with final amendments to the legislation. Palmer's fussiness and refusal to toe the line are a setback for Abbott's latest anti-climate move, part on an agenda that's included angering world leaders by downplaying the issue, axing Australia's climate commission, and abandoning greenhouse gas emissions targets. (July 10, 2014) Think Progress/Climate Progress [more on Climate Change in our area]
14 percent of rural NY bridges 'deficient' Just 7 percent of roads in rural New York counties were in "poor" condition in 2012 while 14 percent of bridges were "structurally deficient," a report released Thursday by a transportation research group found. New York's rural bridges ranked 17th in the nation for their condition, according to the report from TRIP, a Washington D.C.-based group backed by the construction industry. New York's rural roads fared better, with just seven states having a smaller share of poorly paved roads. The data is based on road and bridge ratings from various federal agencies, including the Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The report looked at counties that aren't home to a city with more than 50,000 people. (July 10, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Transportation in our area]
Winning at Tonawanda Coke: Our Story Continues On March 28th, 2013 twelve jurors found Tonawanda Coke and its environmental control manager guilty of 14 criminal charges violating the Clean Air Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Some of the charges included releasing coke oven gas, containing enormous amounts of benzene, into the air through a pressure relief valve and not reporting the emissions to regulators. This landmark verdict is only the second time in US history that a company has been indicted and convicted under the Clean Air Act and has set precedent for a number of environmental cases to come. Justice was served in our community. It all started with a few of us wanting to breathe cleaner air and wondering if air pollution was the cause of so many sick people in our community. In 2005, we formed the Clean Air Coalition and used a 5-gallon bucket from Home Depot, baggies and a hand-held vacuum to test our air. (June 4, 2014) GrowWNY
Major Scientific Document Shows Why NY Fracking Moratorium Is Imperative Less than two weeks ago, local communities triumphed over the fracking industry in a precedent-setting case decided by the New York Court of Appeals. The court ruled that the towns of Dryden and Middlefield can use local zoning laws to ban heavy industry, including oil and gas production within municipal borders. While the court decision is a victory for the two towns, many New Yorkers continue to rally and push for a statewide fracking moratorium. In this vein, Concerned Health Professionals of New York (CHPNY) today released a major resource to the public, including public officials, researchers and journalists—the Compendium of Scientific, Medical and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking. (July 10, 2014) EcoWatch [more on Fracking in our area]
New Report Says Expenses Rise For NY's Public Authorities ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) A new report shows New York's 46 state public authorities spent $30.3 billion in operating expenses last year, up $1.5 billion over 2012. The state Authorities Budget Office says the spending has risen 17.6 percent since 2009 while staffing has declined by more than 2,800 over those five years. That's double direct state government's 8.6 percent spending increase (July 10, 2014) WXXI News
Unions Backing Historical Peoples Climate March "With our future on the line and the whole world watching, we'll take a stand to bend the course of history. We'll take to the streets to demand the world we know is within our reach: a world with an economy that works for people and the planet; a world safe from the ravages of climate change; a world with good jobs, clean air and water, and healthy communities. To change everything, we need everyone on board." Jeremy Brecher Labor Network for Sustainability Delegates to Connecticut State Council of Machinists (CSCM) conference at the end of June voted unanimously to endorse and participate in the historic People's Climate March set for Sunday, September 21, 2014 in Manhattan. This was just the most recent of a growing number of union endorsements for the March. New York area locals endorsing the March [http://peoplesclimate.org/participating-organizations/] (July 7, 2014) Portside [more on Climate Change in our area]
Food And Field: Getting to Market- Transportation Costs From A Farmer's Perspective As consumers we often associate farmers markets with minimizing food miles. While this is true—farmers markets do offer a valuable alternative to the thousand-plus mile treks some of our food is known to take in getting to consumers—someone has to take on the seemingly negligible transportation cost of getting the produce to the consumer. In this case, it's the farmer who internalizes the transportation cost of the 10-30 miles that separate their farm from the market venue, including the significant time set aside in preparation and the four-hour duration of the market itself. I want to stress here that I haven't met a single farmer who begrudgingly attends farmers markets or dreads the work that goes into participating in them – in fact, they value these opportunities just as much as the customers that frequent them. Not simply because it is one of their main sources of revenue, but because they genuinely care about building relationships with their surrounding community and providing them with high-quality, healthy food. That being said, it is worth understanding the lived reality of what it takes for the farmers that you see lined up on a sunny Saturday morning to get there, and consequently what it means to buy their produce. (July 1, 2014) Happenings the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute {more on Food in our area]
Ambition Is Key to 2015 Global Climate Accord, but the Lift Is Heavy Three new studies show that much greater ambition on tackling climate change is needed to reach a climate treaty that staves off disaster. The word is "ambition," and it's being voiced this summer with extra urgency by those who worry that the world's leaders won't soon commit themselves to measures strong enough to combat climate change. In September, heads of state are to gather at a United Nations climate summit to cheer each other on. In December in Peru negotiators are supposed to produce a draft treaty binding the world to decades of steep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. And early next year each country is expected to spell out just how deeply it will cut its own global warming pollution. The hope is to have a deal done in Paris by the end of 2015. It's a daunting timetable. But the way to keep on pace, experts warn, is not to lighten the load. (July 8, 2014) Inside Climate News [more on Climate Change in our area]
Global Warming Interactive: How Hot Will Your City Get? Type in your town in the box below and find out what summer could feel like if climate change continues unabated. If Americans think record-breaking summer heat in recent years has been brutal, just wait several decades. That's the message of a new project from Climate Central, a nonprofit climate news and research organization based in New Jersey. According to the research, U.S. cities could be up to 12 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than they are today by 2100. St. Paul, Minnesota could feel like Dallas, Texas. Las Vegas could feel like places in Saudi Arabia, with average temperatures of 111 degrees Fahrenheit. Phoenix could feel like Kuwait City, one of the hottest cities in the world, with average temperatures of 114 degrees Fahrenheit. (July 10, 2014) Inside Climate News [more on Climate Change in our area]
NPR: First Responders Unprepared For Another Oil Train Disaster This week, we've been looking at the aftermath of that deadly train derailment in Quebec that left 47 people dead. The accident in Lac-Megantic one year ago has opened a new debate over the safety of the massive oil-tanker trains that are passing daily through towns here in the North Country. It's also caused communities across the US to ask whether their fire departments and emergency crews are ready if that kind of train disaster occurred here? As NPR's David Schaper reports, many first responders say they don't have the equipment, the manpower or the training to respond. (July 9, 2014) North Country Public Radio
Wastewater injection induces Oklahoma earthquakes The dramatic increase in earthquakes in central Oklahoma since 2009 is likely attributable to subsurface wastewater injection at a handful of wastewater disposal wells, finds a study published in the journal Science July 3. The research team was led by Katie Keranen, professor of geophysics at Cornell, who says Oklahoma earthquakes constitute nearly half of all central and eastern U.S. seismicity from 2008 to 2013, many occurring in areas of high-rate water disposal. (July 8, 2014) Cornell Chronicle online
DEC Reminds New Yorkers Of State Law Restricting Use Of Lawn Fertilizers Containing Phosphorus The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is reminding New Yorkers not to use lawn fertilizers that contain phosphorus. The 2012 Dishwasher Detergent and Nutrient Runoff Law prohibits the use of phosphorus fertilizers unless a new lawn is being established or a soil test shows that the lawn does not have enough phosphorus. "Too much phosphorus is harmful to the state's water resources," said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. "Rain and snow runoff carries phosphorus to ponds, rivers, lakes and streams. Once in the water, phosphorus can cause algae that turn waterbodies green, degrading drinking water and using up vital oxygen that fish need to breathe. We are asking New Yorkers to continue to exercise good environmental stewardship." (July 8, 2014) The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) [more on Water Quality in our area]
Cuomo announces awareness week for preventing spread of invasive species Invasive species that are invading waterways and public lands statewide including the Finger Lakes region now have their own week — a week to promote stopping them dead in their tracks, that is. Invasive species that are invading waterways and public lands statewide including the Finger Lakes region now have their own week — a week to promote stopping them dead in their tracks, that is. Invasive Species Awareness Week, July 7-12, is a campaign supported by events statewide hosted by 36 organizations, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced. During the week, participants will learn how to identify, survey, map, report or manage invasive species. People will also help remove invasive species from public lands, as well as join experts on the trails or on the water to see invasive species firsthand. The events will also include presentations so people can become informed about what can be done to help fight these ongoing threats. (July 8, 2014) Daily Messenger [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Seneca Lake algae testing will be done Potentially toxic blue-green algae may have bloomed in Seneca Lake last year. Then again, maybe it didn't. There was a certain amount of confusion on that point at the largest Finger Lake last year, partly because no one was sampling to see if it really was algae that folks kept seeing. That should be a thing of the past. The Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association announced Tuesday that the group and the state Department of Environmental Conservation have arranged to begin regular observation, sampling and analysis of Seneca water for the presence of algal toxin. "We welcome this initiative from DEC to create an organized and effective program to monitor this threat to public health and safety. Last year we had a number of questions from residents and no way to respond to their concerns," said Edwin Przybylowicz, who will coordinate the sampling for the lake association. As the Democrat and Chronicle reported last summer, the five largest Finger Lakes -- Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka, Canandaigua and Skaneateles -- had been left out of the extensive toxin sampling that's been done in recent years by the state. Mainly this was because the lake associations there either didn't know about the state algal-toxin testing or chose not to get involved. (July 8, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Finger Lakes and Water Quality and Seneca Lake in our area]
Specialist Calls for Climate Change Strategy A specialist with the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation says the last couple of weeks have really been an effective demonstration of the impact of climate change. Coastal Resources Manager Geoff Peach points to heavy rain, strong winds and extreme droughts in various locations throughout North America — as well as the flooding in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and heavy storms through the Maritimes. (July 8, 2014) Blackburn News [more on Great Lakes and Climate Change in our area]
World can still stop globe from warming more than 2 C, experts tell UN Study finds concentrated effort at reducing carbon output could keep temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius Significant climate change may not be inevitable if governments take swift and decisive action now to reduce greenhouse gases, according to a report released Tuesday that rolls back some of the bleaker and more pessimistic assessments of recent climate negotiations. The report, prepared for the United Nations by experts from leading research institutes from 15 countries, challenges the idea that the world can't avoid breaching a 2 degrees Celsius rise in global average temperature — many climate scientists have warned that an increase of 3 to 4 C is now inevitable. Moreover, they suggest defeatism on the 2 C limit target would contribute to dithering by heavily industrialized countries most responsible for climate change — the United States, China, India, major European economies and rising economic powers like Brazil and South Africa. "We do not subscribe to the view held by some that the 2 C limit is impossible to achieve and that it should be weakened or dropped altogether," the authors of the report from the Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project (DDPP) wrote. (July 8, 2014) Aljazeera America [more on Climate Change in our area]
Get ticked off: Beware of Lyme disease Posters warning of Lyme disease are going up in Monroe County parks, testament to the growing prevalence of the tick-borne disease in this part of the state. Lyme disease, transmitted by the bite of deer ticks that get on people's clothing and skin when they brush against shrubs or tall grass, is mild if treated quickly but quite debilitating if it is not. Pets, especially dogs, are susceptible to the disease as well. Until a few years ago, infected deer ticks were not believed to be present in this part of the state and there had been no known locally acquired cases. But the ticks have moved into western New York in numbers and are now commonplace here. According to the Monroe County Department of Public Health, the number of diagnosed Lyme cases among Monroe residents doubled in 2012 compared with the year before and doubled again last year, reaching 80. (July 6, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Lyme Disease in our area]
Species Spotlight: Invasive Species Are On The Move; Everyone Can Help Stop Their Spread This year marks the first Invasive Species Awareness Week in New York State and the Finger Lakes region is poised and ready with a lineup of great activities and events to mark the occasion. Some of the greatest harm to our environment and agriculture is caused by invasive plants and animals—organisms that have been accidentally or intentionally introduced to new areas and spread uncontrollably. Invasive Species Awareness Week promotes opportunities for citizens to learn about the most threatening species and ways to prevent and manage their spread. Everyone is encouraged to participate in Awareness Week activities to learn about important steps to take to protect their favorite places. The line-up of events in the Finger Lakes region includes an array of interactive activities such as an invasive species teacher training at the Finger Lakes Institute, Hydrilla Task Force public update meeting and water chestnut pull. The full schedule of events is online at http://nyis.info/blog. Most events are free, but pre-registration may be requested. (July 1, 2014) Happenings the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute {more on Invasive Species in our area]
Air quality in Buffalo is improving Less than 10 years ago the Buffalo region's nitrogen dioxide levels were on par with larger cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, New York and Denver. But the region's smog has diminished quite a bit since then, including steep drops in nitrogen dioxide. The gas is one of numerous air pollutants that can agitate asthma, a respiratory disease that plagues neighborhoods in both east and west Buffalo, especially near the Peace Bridge. "The gas is produced primarily during the combustion of gasoline in vehicle engines and coal in power plants," according to NASA. "It's also a good proxy for the presence of air pollution in general." To illustrate the national decline, NASA has new maps and animations on itswebsite. This animation presents changes in levels in the Northeast air from 2005 to 2011. The Buffalo-Niagara region goes from red to an orangish-yellow in the animation, which means the concentrations have dropped. (July 3, 2014) Investigative Post [more on Air Quality in our area]
RTS Holds Forums To Talk About Service Changes There are informational sessions this week to provide information about changes coming to some services provided by RTS. That includes the Lift Line Service. Officials say they are proposing changes to meet the changing needs of the population served by Lift Line, such as those who have mobility issues. Several informational sessions are scheduled including one on Tuesday night from 6 to 8pm at ABVI on South Clinton Avenue. Daniele Coll-Gonzalez is Chief Operating officer for the RGRTA. She says the organization does try to take feedback it gets from customers into account. (July 7, 2014) WXXI News [more on Transportation in our area]
Empire Farm Days to host experts on weather and climate change The Cornell Climate Change Institute and a WHEC News 10NBC meteorologist will be at Empire Farm Days on Tuesday, Aug.5 and Wednesday, Aug. 6, respectively, to offer insight of interest to farmers. The Aug. 5 presentation will be by Allison M. Chatrchyan, director of the new Cornell University Institute for Climate Change. She will speak on Farming in a More Extreme and Variable Climate. The Aug. 6 presentation will be by WHEC News10 NBC Meteorologist Josh Nichols, who also teaches weather and climate at Monroe Community College. He will speak on Weather from the Farmers' Point of View. Both presentations will be at 10:30 a.m. See http://www.empirefarmdays.com/ (July 7, 2014) Daily Messenger [more on Plants and Climate Change in our area]
Algae report: Good news for Honeoye Lake users RICHMOND — A report from the state Department of Environmental Conservation on the status of blue-green algae in the lake bodes well for local recreation programs that take advantage of the lake, including the Richmond program, which uses Honeoye Lake for its swim lessons. After the DEC's report on June 27, based on lab samples, listed the lake as having a widespread blue-green algae bloom, the report of June 30 based on a visual sampling stated the algae status was "suspicious" and "small localized." Richmond Recreation Director Holly Stoddard stressed that they have not had blue-green algae, the toxic form of algae, at the beach in Honeoye since the original report that the blue-green algae was widespread. She said she works closely with the New York State Department of Health to ensure that the water is safe to swim in. The Richmond Recreation Program, which began on June 30, provides an opportunity for around 130 children to get Red Cross-certified swimming lessons, take field trips to local businesses such as Roseland Waterpark and Seabreeze Amusement Park; and participate in Bristol Town Park Days, when the kids make crafts and plays games such as kickball. (July 8, 2014) Daily Messenger [more on Water Quality and Honeoye Lake in our area]
The Green Hand: How We Get Around at HWS As another school year at Hobart and William Smith Colleges (HWS) approaches, we become closer and closer to our climate neutrality (i.e. zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions) deadline of 2025 in 2009, President Gearan signed The American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). Strides in recent years from the administration, students, and faculty have led to progress in our GHG emission mitigation. Increased energy efficiency has been pursued for The Colleges' facilities through renovations, replacements to heating systems, energy efficient lighting fixtures, etc., but improvements to the existing building stock were just the beginning. In 2011, President Gearan signed a contract to purchase wind energy credits through August 2014. This means that HWS pays a premium to support wind energy in an amount that offsets 100% of the electricity used by The Colleges. As for the transportation sector, the HWS fleet is made up of four electric utility vehicles, several biodiesel vans, and many gasoline engine vehicles. The first GHG inventory for HWS was conducted in 2007 at this point transportation made up 39% of HWS' GHG emissions at 6,083 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCDE). In 2011, this number decreased to 4,831 MTCDE, and 34% respectively, of HWS' GHG emissions. This reduction is due to the steps outlined in the transportation section of the Climate Action Plan, which achieves net-zero GHG emissions by implementing system changes that give emission reduction projects priority while simultaneously guaranteeing timely and meaningful net emission reduction in the form of an offset strategy. Some of the ongoing transportation strategies to reduce emissions include: (July 1, 2014) Happenings the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute {more on Transportation in our area]
Keystone XL pipeline facing another obstacle TransCanada must recertify South Dakota permit, regulator says TransCanada Corp. faces another regulatory hurdle and potentially more legal challenges in its effort to build the Keystone XL pipeline in that it will now need to recertify the Alberta-Nebraska conduit where it passes through South Dakota. The state approved the project on June 29, 2010, and while the permit has not expired, TransCanada needs to "certify the conditions placed on the pipeline" by the regulator South Dakota Public Utilities Commission are all still valid and that the company will meet all of those conditions. "I would anticipate there will be challenges," PUC chairman Gary Hanson said in an interview. "There will certainly be challenges by a number of organizations and possibly citizens. Some of those persons or entities will probably not have any standing. But I believe some of them are certainly more mature organizations that understand the process." (July 1, 2014) Vancouver Sun
Canada Struggles with Melting Permafrost as Climate Warms Warming temperatures in the Great White North are melting important ice roads and heating waterways beyond optimal temperatures for some fish In 2006, reduced thickness of ice roads forced the Diavik Diamond Mine in Northern Canada to fly in fuel rather than try to transport cargo across melted pathways, at an extra cost of $11.25 million. The mountain pine beetle outbreak in British Columbia—fueled by higher winter temperatures that allow insects to survive—expanded in recent years to be 10 times greater than any previously recorded outbreak in the province. Mortality rates of sockeye salmon, meanwhile, have increased because of higher water temperatures in the Fraser River. These examples are among many in Canada's national climate assessment—an overview from the national government of existing climate science affecting the country. It also includes government and industry adaptation activities, such as new electricity forecasts for hydropower because of projected water flow shifts. (July 7, 2014) Scientific American [more on Climate Change in our area]
CLIMATE CHANGE MAY HIT URBAN POOR THE HARDEST, ACCORDING TO NEW REPORT People of color, low-income neighborhoods may be more vulnerable to exposure to toxins, other damaging effects of extreme storms like Sandy Lower-income and minority communities are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of climate change, which should make protecting them a societal priority, according to a recent report. The report, by the New Jersey Climate Change Alliance, focused on so-called environmental justice communities -- areas especially burdened with pollution, particularly for people of color, and its impact during and after Hurricane Sandy. The extreme weather left residents of these communities, as elsewhere, without power and with disrupted communications. But it also drove up rents due to limited housing, among other problems. The storm surge also raised concerns about increased exposure to toxins, according to the report. (July 7, 2014) NYSpotlight [more on Climate Change in our area]
U.N. climate talks edge towards 2015 emissions deal * China, U.S. help build confidence for climate deal * Aid for poorer nations seen as vital to spur process * Rich-poor divide remains a thorny issue - U.N. climate negotiations made tentative progress on Saturday towards a text for a 2015 deal to bind all nations to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The talks, which were heading to a close on Saturday, drew some 1,900 diplomats from 182 countries to Bonn to line up what their leaders will be prepared to sign up to next year to tackle emissions that U.N.-backed scientists say will cause more severe flooding, droughts and the sea level to rise. Negotiators and observers said signs of action from China and the United States, the world's top two emitters, had raised hopes but they warned the talks could break down unless rich nations pledged billions of dollars in aid to poorer states by the end of the year. (June 14, 2014) Reuters [more on Climate Change in our area]
How Citizen Scientists Are Using The Web to Track the Natural World By making the recording and sharing of environmental data easier than ever, web-based technology has fostered the rapid growth of so-called citizen scientists — volunteers who collaborate with scientists to collect and interpret data. Numerous Internet-based projects now make use of citizen scientists to monitor environmental health and to track sensitive plant and wildlife populations. From counting butterflies, frogs, and bats across the globe, to piloting personal drones capable of high-definition infrared imaging, citizen scientists are playing a crucial role in collecting data that will help researchers understand the environment. Environment 360 Yale
Protesters fight oil trains Holding signs with statements such as "No exploding oil trains" and "Clean Energy Now," about 40 protesters gathered Sunday near the railroad tracks at North Main and Railroad streets in the village of Fairport. The protest, organized by six local mothers, was held on the one-year anniversary of a deadly accident in Canada, and is part a growing chorus of concern about train shipments of crude oil, which have sharply increased in recent years. The focus of the protest was freight shipments from the Bakken formation that includes parts of North Dakota and Montana and extends into Canada. Production from Bakken has increased to about 1 million barrels a day, and with the use of fracking is projected to continue to grow. (July 6, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Brownfields in our area]
Court rulings shift fracking fight to local level ALBANY – A key ruling by the state's highest court has shifted the hydraulic fracturing debate to the local level, but the future of fracking in New York still relies on an opaque decision-making process by Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration. The state Court of Appeals ruled Monday that towns can use local zoning ordinances to ban natural-gas drilling and hydrofracking within their borders. The long-awaited ruling put an end to a three-year-long legal debate over the validity of bans in Dryden, Tompkins County, and Middlefield, Otsego County. It's also expected to increase pressure on local governments from activists on both sides of the drilling debate -- fracking opponents looking to pass more local bans, and supporters hoping to hold them off. (July 6, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Fracking in our area]
Pope Francis calls destruction of nature a modern sin Catholic leader, who takes his name from the patron saint of animals and the environment, says humans exploiting Earth Pope Francis called for more respect for nature on Saturday, branding the destruction of South America's rain forests and other forms of environmental exploitation a sin of modern times. In an address at the university of Molise, an agricultural and industrial region in southern Italy, Francis said the Earth should be allowed to give her fruits without being exploited. "This is one of the greatest challenges of our time: to convert ourselves to a type of development that knows how to respect creation," he told students, struggling farmers, and laid-off workers in a university hall. "When I look at America, also my own homeland [South America], so many forests, all cut, that have become land ... that can longer give life. This is our sin, exploiting the Earth and not allowing her to her give us what she has within her," the Argentine pope said in unprepared remarks. (July 5, 2014) Aljazeera America
New economic study shows carbon tax refunded to households would create jobs As recent reports on the impact of climate change underscore the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a new study finds that a tax on carbon can reduce those emissions while also adding jobs to the economy. The study, conducted by Regional Economic Models, Inc., examined a tax on the carbon-dioxide content of fossil fuels. The tax would start at $10 per ton, increasing at $10 per ton each year. Revenue from the tax would be returned to households in equal shares as direct payments. Under this approach, the REMI study found that recycling the revenue back into the economy would add 2.1 million jobs over ten years. Improvements in air quality would save 13,000 lives a year. Emissions would decline by 33 percent. "What this study shows is that by giving the revenue back to the people, a carbon tax will actually stimulate the economy," said Mark Reynolds, executive director of Citizens Climate Lobby, which commissioned the study. "The big knock on a carbon taxes has been that it would kill jobs. That assumption is now blown out of the water." Last month, the National Climate Assessment reported that the impact of climate change is already being felt across the nation in the form of severe drought, rising sea levels, extreme weather, wildfires and heat waves. To reduce the future risk of climate change, the Obama administration last week unveiled new regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. (June 9, 2014) Citizen's Climate Lobby
Dark snow: from the Arctic to the Himalayas, the phenomenon that is accelerating glacier melting Industrial dust and soil, blown thousands of miles, settle on ice sheets and add to rising sea level threat When American geologist Ulyana Horodyskyj set up a mini weather station at 5,800m on Mount Himlung, on the Nepal-Tibet border, she looked east towards Everest and was shocked. The world's highest glacier, Khumbu, was turning visibly darker as particles of fine dust, blown by fierce winds, settled on the bright, fresh snow. "One-week-old snow was turning black and brown before my eyes," she said. The problem was even worse on the nearby Ngozumpa glacier, which snakes down from Cho Oyu – the world's sixth highest mountain. There, Horodyskyj found that so much dust had been blown on to the surface that the ability of the ice to reflect sunlight, a process known as albedo, dropped 20% in a single month. The dust that was darkening the brilliant whiteness of the snow was heating up in the strong sun and melting the snow and ice, she said. The phenomenon of "dark snow" is being recorded from the Himalayas to the Arctic as increasing amounts of dust from bare soil, soot from fires and ultra-fine particles of "black carbon" from industry and diesel engines are being whipped up and deposited sometimes thousands of miles away. The result, say scientists, is a significant dimming of the brightness of the world's snow and icefields, leading to a longer melt season, which in turn creates feedback where more solar heat is absorbed and the melting accelerates. (July 5, 2014) The Guardian [more on Climate Change in our area]
Environmental news roundup: Massive Peoples Climate March at UN Sept. 21 On Sept. 21 at the United Nations in New York City, there will be a massive People's Climate March to coincide with a summit of world leaders called by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. Moon called this summit because thus far the negotiations set up by the UN to finalize a climate change agreement have floundered. Called by 350.org, the online environmental activist website founded by Bill McKibben, the demonstration promises to be massive. As more and more people become convinced that climate change is real, is caused by human activity, and must be addressed by public policy, they are looking for actions to impact the public debate. As Al Gore says in his recent Rolling Stone essay, "I believe there is a realistic hope that momentum toward a global agreement will continue to build in September and carry through to the Paris negotiations in late 2015." Since action is necessary on local, national, and global stages, a large turnout for this demonstration can impact the struggle everywhere. There is an unholy coalition between climate change deniers and corporate interests who benefit from maintaining business as usual. On the environmental front, there is a confusing and contradictory mix of bad news along with progress to celebrate. (July 2, 2014) People's World [more on Climate Change in our area]
2015 climate pact to be sealed in Paris The clock is ticking for countries to lay the foundations of a 2015 deal to tackle dangerous climate change, ministers warned in Bonn. A special UN summit in September, followed by a round of talks in Lima in December, must lay the first bricks of a highly complex accord due to be sealed in Paris in December 2015, they said. China's top negotiator, Xie Zhenhua, pointed to traumatic memories of the 2009 Copenhagen Summit, the last time countries tried to forge a worldwide deal on curbing Earth-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The much-touted event became a near-fiasco when heads of state were confronted with a sprawling, fiercely contested draft agreement at the last minute. (June 7, 2014) The Indian Express [more on Climate Change in our area]
Warming Puts Emperor Penguins at Risk of Extinction The entire population of Antarctica's famous emperor penguins could fall by a third by the end of the century because of disappearing sea ice, putting them at risk of extinction, researchers said on Sunday. The finding justified protecting emperor penguins under the endangered species act – as America already does for polar bear – the researchers writing in the journal Nature Climate Change said. They also called for marine reserves to buffer the fish stocks penguin need to survive. "The population is declining. Unless something changes to stop that, the population will go into extinction," said Hal Caswell, senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and one of the authors. (July 6, 2014) Climate Central [more on Climate Change and Wildlife in our area]
Court of Appeals decision could prompt end of state moratorium In a 5-to-2 ruling, New York's highest court has upheld the right of local governments to ban hydrofracking within their borders. The decision comes after a nearly three-year court battle over bans passed in the Towns of Dryden and Middlefield. And as Matt Richmond reports, fracking opponents hope to now spread the bans to towns that were waiting for the court's final ruling. The highly anticipated decision from the Court of Appeals spread like wildfire Monday through groups on both sides of the fracking debate. Local anti-fracking activists like Otsego 2000 and the Dryden Resource Awareness Coalition hailed the ruling for offering protection to communities in New York. Others, like Environmental Advocates of New York and the Natural Resources Defense Council, cheered the decision as a rare example of local concerns winning out over a powerful industry. (July 1, 2014) Innovation Trail [more on Fracking in our area]
SCD Concepts: Positive Feedback- Good or Bad for the Climate? Ecologists, engineers, and economists have much in common. Their work involves the study of systems – how things are connected, what makes things start or stop, and whether the system can be stable. Feedback between elements of a system that can be balancingor reinforcing. Balancing or negative feedback loops help a system reach a goal or maintain stability. For example, a thermostat regulates the temperature of a room by turning a furnace on or off to achieve the desired temperature. Reinforcing or positive feedback loops occur when a system element is capable of making more of itself. This can be a good or bad thing when it comes to our climate. For example, the more greenhouse gas we put in the air, the more the Arctic warms – causing the tundra to melt and release methane, which warms the air and melts more tundra – which releases more methane in a process of runaway climate disruption. No wonder this kind of positive feedback is known as a vicious cycle! Unfortunately, we have started a number of vicious cycles in Earth's climate system and they are gaining momentum. (July 1, 2014) Happenings the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute {more on Climate Change in our area]
Coastal Winds Intensifying With Climate Change, Study Says Summer winds are intensifying along the west coasts of North and South America and southern Africa and climate change is a likely cause, a new study says. The winds, which blow parallel to the shore and draw cold, nutrient-rich water from the deep ocean to the surface in a process known as coastal upwelling, have increased over the last 60 years in three out of five regions of the world, according to an analysis published Thursday in the journal Science. Stronger winds have the potential to benefit coastal areas by bringing a surge of nutrients and boosting populations of plankton, fish, and other species. But they could also harm marine life by causing turbulence in surface waters, disrupting feeding, worsening ocean acidification, and lowering oxygen levels, the study says. The shift could already be having serious effects on some of the world's most productive marine fisheries and ecosystems off California, Peru, and South Africa. (July 3, 2014) The National Memo [more on Climate Change in our area]
New York considers releasing oil train details While the federal government ordered railroads a month ago to give states details about shipments of volatile crude oil from North Dakota's Bakken shale region, New York officials haven't decided whether to share that information with the public. The Associated Press and eight environmental groups filed Freedom of Information Law requests with the state Office of Emergency Management this week, arguing that it's in the public interest for communities to know more about the shipments in light of at least eight major accidents during the last year, including one that killed 47 people in Quebec a year ago. The state agency said it will respond to the information requests within 20 days. (July 3, 2014) Brighton-Pittsford Post [more on Brownfields in our area]
Public comments sought on Eastman Kodak hazardous waste permit The DEC will conduct an investigation to assess whether the Genesee River suffered damages associated with discharges from the Kodak's past operations. The state Department of Environmental Conservation announced Thursday it is taking public comment on a draft permit for hazardous waste management at Eastman Kodak Co. The public comment period runs through Sept. 2. The draft hazardous waste management permit is for Kodak and Recycled Energy Development (RED). Kodak's Eastman Business Park in the city of Rochester and town of Greece has two hazardous waste management operations: a multiple hearth incinerator used to incinerate sludge from the Kings Landing Wastewater Treatment Plant and a tank system at Building 322 for hazardous waste storage. The DEC stated in a release it will "carefully consider all comments received before making a final determination on the permit." In 2013, DEC modified the existing hazardous waste management permit to add RED as an operator after the company acquired a number of utilities from Kodak, including the multiple hearth incinerator. Kodak and RED filed an amended application for renewal of the permit in 2013. (July 3, 2014) Brighton-Pittsford Post [more on Brownfields in our area]
THE EMERGING POWER OF MICROGRIDS After more than a century with little change, electricity infrastructure is being remade. Over many decades, the centralized power grid — a one-way flow of electricity, generated by large, remote power plants and distributed over miles of transmission lines to homes and businesses — succeeded in delivering electricity across continents to billions. But in recent years the system's shortcomings have become increasingly evident. The conventional grid is largely dependent on planet-warming fossil fuels. And because it's so big and interconnected, it's vulnerable to massive disruption by natural disasters and susceptible to physical or cyberattack. In August 2003, 50 million people in parts of Ontario, Canada, and eight U.S. states lost electricitywhen a sagging power line in a suburb of Cleveland touched an overgrown tree limb and malfunctioned, triggering a cascading sequence of events resulting in the largest blackout in American history. More recently, Superstorm Sandy in the U.S. and Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines have shown the havoc extreme weather can wreak. Across the globe, regulators, policy makers and businesses are collaborating on creating a new and better electricity delivery system — one that will be more stable and secure, cleaner and cheaper, and able to accommodate larger shares of variable renewable energy sources. Prepare for the arrival of the renewable energy microgrid. (July 3, 2014) Ensia [more on Energy in our area]
Study links Oklahoma earthquake swarm with fracking operations Oklahoma has seen a boom in two things in recent years: oil and gas production and earthquakes. To many residents, the timing says it all. Before the oil and gas industry started drilling so many underground injection wells, they say, it was rare to feel an earthquake. Today, Oklahoma is the second-most seismically active state in the continental United States, behind California. Now they have some fresh scientific evidence to back up their observations. Researchers from Cornell University and the University of Colorado say a large swarm of earthquakes in central Oklahoma was probably caused by activity at a few highly active disposal wells, where wastewater from drilling operations — including hydraulic fracturing — is forced into deep geological formations for storage. Four high-rate disposal wells in southeast Oklahoma City probably induced a group of earthquakes known as the Jones swarm, which accounted for 20% of the seismicity in the central and eastern United States between 2008 and 2013, the team reported Thursday in the journal Science. (July 3, 2014) Los Angels Times [more on Fracking in our area]
The Wheels of Justice The wheels of justice turn slowly, perhaps more so on the most important matters. Yet the courts, with their ability to take a long view and minimize politics, are crucial in the fight to stabilize climate and preserve our planet for young people and future generations. Here I comment on the status of "atmospheric trust" cases and note the appeal of an "equal rights" case. I also argue that the legal approach is an essential component in a coordinated multi-front approach that is required for success in what will be a long battle for justice. Atmospheric Trust. I wrote recently[1] about Alec L. v. McCarthy, a suit filed by young people against the (U.S.) federal government. Their case is based on the trust concept, that we have an obligation to future generations, a concept well appreciated by the founders of our nation[2], specifically the atmospheric trust concept[3] developed especially by legal scholar Mary Wood. On the face of it, the 5 June ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, affirming the earlier dismissal of the youths' case, is a setback. However, the Court's ruling positions the case to proceed to the Supreme Court on the question of whether the federal government has a public trust obligation to its citizens. The Court of Appeals focused on a recent U.S. Supreme Court case, PPL Montana v. Montana, which the D.C. Circuit found to exclude any federal public trust obligation, leaving all public trust obligations to the states. However, that interpretation leads to the implausible requirement for states to take actions to stabilize climate and negotiate international agreements for that purpose. Thus one route to the Supreme Court will entail challenging the concept that the federal government has no trust obligations, with the climate case itself providing clear evidence to the contrary. (July 2, 2014) Earth Institute | Columbia University [more on Climate Change in our area]
What Every Governor Really Believes About Climate Change, In One Handy Map With all the recent talk at the federal level about the EPA's proposed carbon regulations for new and existing power plants, it's easy to forget about the executives that have front row seats to cutting American carbon pollution. And though climate deniers run rampant through the halls of Congress, a new analysis from the CAP Action War Room reveals that half of America's Republican governors agree with the anti-science caucus of Congress. Fifteen out of twenty-nine sitting Republican governors deny climate science despite the overwhelming level of scientific consensus, the enormous cost to taxpayers, and the critical place governors occupy in implementing new limits on carbon pollution. None of the country's Democratic governors have made public statements denying climate change. This map from the analysis categorizes governors into four groups: green for those who both accept climate science and are taking action to fight climate change; orange for those who either accept or haven't openly denied climate science, but also have yet to take serious action to address climate change; red for those who have failed to take action or openly rejected to federal safeguards to address climate change, and red with stripes for climate deniers. (July 2, 2014) Think Progress/Climate Progress [more on Climate Change in our area]
Fish Populations Down Due to Mountaintop Mining Number of Species in Studied Streams Drops by Half KEARNEYSVILLE, W.Va. – Appalachian streams impacted by mountaintop mining have less than half as many fish species and about a third as many fish as non-impacted streams, according to U.S. Geological Survey research published this week in the journal Freshwater Science. The researchers used data from several time periods to track changes in fish diversity and abundance in the Guyandotte River basin in West Virginia, including streams with and without headwater mining operations. The original fish data were collected by a team from Pennsylvania State University between 1999-2001, and USGS collected additional data from 2010-2011. "The Appalachian Mountains are a global hotspot for freshwater fish diversity," said Nathaniel Hitt, a USGS research fish biologist and lead author of the study. "Our paper provides some of the first peer-reviewed research to understand how fish communities respond to mountaintop mining in these biologically diverse headwater streams." Hitt, along with USGS biologist and co-author Douglas Chambers, found no evidence that fish communities have recovered over time, and instead observed persistent effects of mountaintop mining associated with water quality degradation. Prior research has linked water quality deterioration from mountaintop mining to the degradation of stream insect communities. The new USGS paper is the first to evaluate this issue for stream fish communities. (July 1, 2014) U.S. Geological Survey [more on Wildlife and Energy in our area]
Local moms plan protest against oil trains About a half-dozen local mothers plan to mark the one-year anniversary of a deadly oil train derailment in Canada with a protest of shipments of the same type of fuel by freight rail through Rochester and its surrounding suburbs. The women plan to meet at 3 p.m. Sunday near the tracks at North Main and Railroad streets in the village of Fairport. Neely Kelley of Rochester, a member of the group, said protesters are concerned about possible derailments of tanker cars carrying crude oil from the Bakken shale formation in the northwestern U.S. "People just don't know that these incredibly explosive and flammable trains are coming through our downtowns and our communities," she said. Domestic crude oil shipments by rail have quadrupled since 2005, according to federal estimates. Trains carrying Bakken crude pass through the Rochester area en route to oil terminals in Albany and points south. (July 3, 2014) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Landmark Decision for Local Control – Major Setback for Fracking Supporters ALBANY, N.Y. — Towns across New York State and as far away as Texas and Colorado may soon feel the aftershocks of a landmark decision June 30 by the highest court in New York that towns have the authority to ban drilling for natural gas. The 5-2 ruling by the state Court of Appeals has emboldened opponents of high-volume hydraulic fracturing, for fracking, and they hope to make the most of it. "Any town that has held off banning fracking for fear of getting sued by the frackers just got a neon green light to proceed with a ban," said Chip Northrup, an energy investor turned anti-drilling activist from Cooperstown. "While they are at it, they should ban frack waste, since most New York towns are more liable to being dumped on than fracked." (July 3, 2014) DC Bureau [more on Fracking in our area]
Climate change poses serious threat for militaries, warn reports Climate change poses a serious threat to militaries, as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, drought and food shortages threaten their operations and leave them tackling greater instability around the world. That's the warning from two new reports coming out of the UK and the US this week. In a new study, the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) placed climate change as one of the key 'megatrends' faced to 2045, acting as a threat multiplier for existing global security issues – such as migration and food security – while creating new ones of its own. No country will escape its impacts and unless a global consensus can be found on climate change, militaries will be left to pick up the pieces, facing a sharp increase in disaster relief and humanitarian work, the MoD warns. (July 3, 2014) tcktcktck [more on Climate Change in our area]
A Disappearing Planet Animal species are going extinct anywhere from 100 to 1,000 times the rates that would be expected under natural conditions. According to Elizabeth Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction and other recentstudies, the increase results from a variety of human-caused effects including climate change, habitat destruction, and species displacement. Today's extinction rates rival those during the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. by Anna Flagg, Special to ProPublica [more on Wildlife in our area]
Aggressive Tactic on the Fracking Front A Pennsylvania gas company offers residents cash to buy protection from any claims of harm. For the last eight years, Pennsylvania has been riding the natural gas boom, with companies drilling and fracking thousands of wells across the state. And in a little corner of Washington County, some 20 miles outside of Pittsburgh, EQT Corporation has been busy – drilling close to a dozen new wells on one site. It didn't take long for the residents of Finleyville who lived near the fracking operations to complain – about the noise and air quality, and what they regarded as threats to their health and quality of life. Initially, EQT, one of the largest producers of natural gas in Pennsylvania, tried to allay concerns with promises of noise studies and offers of vouchers so residents could stay in hotels to avoid the noise and fumes. But then, in what experts say was a rare tactic, the company got more aggressive: it offered all of the households along Cardox Road $50,000 in cash if they would agree to release the company from any legal liability, for current operations as well as those to be carried out in the future. It covered potential health problems and property damage, and gave the company blanket protection from any kind of claim over noise, dust, light, smoke, odors, fumes, soot, air pollution or vibrations. (July 2, 2014) ProPublica [more on Fracking in our area]
DEC Announces Proposed Renewal of Hazardous Waste Management Permit for Eastman Kodak Company and Recycled Energy Development DEC Accepting Public Comments on the Draft Permit Through Sept. 2 A draft hazardous waste management permit for Kodak and Recycled Energy Development (RED) is available for public review and comment through Sept. 2, the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. Eastman Business Park (EBP), located in the city of Rochester and town of Greece, currently has two hazardous waste management operations: a multiple hearth incinerator (MHI) used to incinerate sludge from the Kings Landing Wastewater Treatment Plant, and a tank system at Building 322 for hazardous waste storage. The draft permit and related documents for Eastman Business Park (Kodak) are available for public review and comment on DEC's website. DEC will carefully consider all comments received before making a final determination on the permit. In 2013, DEC modified the existing hazardous waste management permit to add RED as an operator after the company acquired a number of utilities from Kodak, including the MHI. Kodak and RED filed an amended application for renewal of the permit in 2013. (July 2, 2014) The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) [more on Brownfields in our area]
NY League of Conservation Voters gives Legislature a B grade for environmental progress The Environmental Progress Report gave the Legislature a "C+" on public health and "B" on sustainable economic development, climate change and resiliency, natural resource protection. The New York State Legislature has earned a "B" grade for its progress on sustainability issues in the 2014 legislative session that ended last month, according to the The New York League of Conservation Voters. The league issued the grade in its 2014 Environmental Progress Report, released Wednesday. The report is available at http://www.nylcv.org/. The NYLCV's 2014 Environmental Progress Report tracks the Legislature's progress on a wide range of legislation from clean energy and transportation, to climate resiliency and sustainable economic growth. NYLCV set the bar for sustainability progress in the 2014 legislative session with its New York State Policy Agenda issued in January. (July 2, 2014) Daily Messenger
CSI: invasive species The Erie Canal revolutionized transportation and commerce by giving farmers and merchants a cheaper, easier way to move goods across the state. The present-day canal is primarily a recreational waterway, though it might also be taking on a new, undesirable role as a pathway for the spread of aquatic invasive species between some state waters, including the Great Lakes. That's why Nature Conservancy researchers are on the canal this summer, collecting water samples. The samples, which will be location-tagged, will be tested to see if they contain DNA markers that match up with known genetic sequences from some key invasives, such as Asian carp, northern snakehead, killer shrimp, Asian clam, and hydrilla. (July 2, 2014) Rochester City Newspaper [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Beyond the pavement… Like most wildlife biologists, I am a lover of wild places, a seeker of remoteness, a despiser of the din of traffic. Yet I am employed by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) as an Environmental Specialist. Environmental Specialist (ES) working for a DOT may sound like a conflict of interest, even an oxymoron. But we ES see it very differently. Environmental staff at transportation agencies is deeply involved in environmental conservation. Our job is to ensure the development and maintenance of roads in an environmentally sound manner. Much of this work is straightforward, but also wide-ranging: it involves obtaining federal and state wetlands and stormwater permits, working with designers to ensure that road projects avoid sensitive wildlife habitat, minimizing and mitigating environmental impacts to streams, wetlands, and endangered species, and managing invasive species. (July 1, 2014) Happenings the monthly newsletter of the Finger Lakes Institute {more on Transportation in our area]
Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change in New York On Thursday, April 10th, I was given the opportunity to go to a seminar at the University at Buffalo entitled "Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change in New York." I am very passionate about the environment as well as climate change and was hoping this seminar would be a good learning experience. The presentation covered a ton of fascinating "dark green" information, so I will do my best to summarize. Professor Arthur DeGaetano from Cornell University started his presentation by stating that a lot of his information and charts had come from the United States National Climate Assessment among other similar studies. With a viewpoint specifically on the Northeast, it was clear that the average annual temperature is increasing. Although we have seen warming across all of the major seasons, the biggest anomaly is seen in winter, which has seen double the temperature increase of the other seasons. However, when looking at the number of heat waves (stretches of above average heat) the data was inconclusive. With that being said, the amount of cold waves is clearly decreasing according to the graphs he presented. In regard to precipitation, the data showed an average increase of 0.39 inches every 10 years with most of it coming down in autumn. But that doesn't mean we have a couple extra rainy days every year. He explained that the atmosphere is soaking up more water like a sponge and is releasing large amounts of precipitation less frequently. Therefore, we actually have fewer days with precipitation, but on the days it does precipitate we see extreme cases of heavy precipitation. (May 5, 2014) GrowWNY [more on Climate Change in our area]
How Climate Change Influences the Path of Malaria-Carrying Mosquitoes Malaria predictions serve an obvious purpose, but they don't always tell you how susceptible a particular town or village might be. In fact, a group of professors and researchers found that the likelihood of malaria-carrying mosquitoes showing up in particularly can vary more than most would imagine. "People might have an interest in predictions for global malaria trends and even more so for regional patterns, but they probably care most about what's going to happen in their own town or village," said Matthew Thomas, a Penn State University professor and Huck Scholar in ecological entomology. "What is likely to happen in one location can be very different from another location just 50 miles down the road." Thomas and others from Penn State, the Barcelona Centre for International Health Research and the universities of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts found that climate changestrongly influences the ability of mosquitoes to transmit malaria and where they might travel. (July 2, 2014) EcoWatch [more on Environmental Health and Climate Change in our area]
Onondaga County: Best thing for environment is to leave wastebeds where they are Syracuse, N.Y. -- Trying to remove millions of cubic yards of old industrial wastebeds along Onondaga Lake would do more environmental harm than good, says a top Onondaga County official. Deputy County Executive Matt Millea said it's better for people and the environment to cover over the wastebeds on the western shore where the county wants to build an amphitheater. "It's not necessarily good for the environment in general to simply take this material and make it a problem elsewhere," Millea said. "All of the science shows it's not harmful to the environment to leave it where it is and that a proper cover will ensure full protection of human health and the environment." (June 28, 2014) Syracuse.com [more on Brownfields in our area]
Spiny water flea poised to invade Lake Champlain Spiny water flea isn't actually a flea at all. It's an invasive zoplankton that cuts down on food supply for fish and annoys anglers. Spiny water flea's in the Great Lakes. In 2008, it made its way to Great Sacandaga Lake, and then to Lake George in 2012. Now, it's headed for Lake Champlain. Timothy Mihuc directs the Lake Champlain Research Institute at SUNY Plattsburgh. He says it's just a matter of time before spiny water flea invades Lake Champlain. "Chances are there are some organisms that have made it into to Lake Champlain we just haven't established a population yet." Mihuc says the canal system that connects the Hudson River and the lake is "full of spiny water fleas. And this year, we documented a big expansion in that population in the feeder canal." (July 1, 2014) North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]