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Elevated Ozone in New England

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:43:47 +0000

This past June and July have been some of the hottest months ever for the northeastern United States. The unwelcome heat wave has not only raised the mercury, but also the concentration of ground-level ozone. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has predicted that the elevated ozone will significantly decrease air quality in parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine.

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Elevated Ozone in New England

The Arctic Continental Shelf

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:43:47 +0000

The Arctic still has unmapped and unknown areas. In particular, there is the continental shelf that extends out from the American and Canadian northern lands. Who controls it? Who has the right to drill for example which then leads into the complicated morass of environmental rules and controls. American and Canadian scientists are setting sail this summer to map the Arctic seafloor and gather data to help define the outer limits of the continental shelf. Each coastal nation may exercise sovereign rights over the natural resources of their continental shelf, which includes the seabed and subsoil. These rights include control over minerals, petroleum, and sedentary organisms such as clams, crabs and coral.

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The Arctic Continental Shelf

Ten key indicators show global warming "undeniable"

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:43:47 +0000

Melting glaciers, more humid air and eight other key indicators show that global warming is undeniable, scientists said on Wednesday, citing a new comprehensive review of the last decade of climate data. Without addressing why this is happening, the researchers said there was no doubt that every decade on Earth since the 1980s has been hotter than the previous one, and that the planet has been warming for the last half-century. This confirms the findings of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which reported in 2007 with 90 percent certainty that climate change is occurring. The IPCC also said that human activities contribute to this phenomenon. The new report was released after U.S. Senate Democrats delayed any possible legislation to curb climate change until September at the earliest. Prospects for U.S. climate change legislation this year are considered slim.

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Ten key indicators show global warming "undeniable"

Galapagos Removed From Endangered List

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:43:46 +0000

The Galapagos Islands have been removed from the UNESCO list of sites endangered by environmental threats or overuse. The island chain, about 620 miles off Ecuador’s coast, is home to unique animal species that inspired Charles Darwin’s ideas on evolution.

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Galapagos Removed From Endangered List

Can’t afford an electric car? Rent a Nissan Leaf

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:37:25 +0000

by Todd Woody. Judging by the comments on my previous post comparing the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid and Nissan Leaf electric car, more than a few readers are suffering sticker shock at the price of greening their rides. Now there’s another option for those wanting to take the occasional trip down the electric highway without forking over $41,000 for a Volt or $32,780 for a Leaf (before a $7,500 federal tax incentive). This week, rental car giant Enterprise Holdings announced it had placed an order for 500 Leafs that will be available in early 2011 at Enterprise Rent-a-Car locations in Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz.; Knoxville and Nashville, Tenn.; San Diego; Los Angeles; Portland, Ore.; and Seattle. (Not coincidentally, those cities are also where Nissan will first roll out the Leaf later this year and where a Department of Energy-funded network of charging stations will be built.) “There is a lot of conversation and buzz about the electric car and we would like to offer it to our customer base as it comes commercially and economically viable,” Lee Broughton, Enterprise Holdings’ director of sustainability, told me.

Here’s why renewable energy needs a boost from Congress

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:19:24 +0000

by Randy Rieland. On Tuesday, ground was broken for what will likely become the largest wind farm in the country — 600-some turbines in the Mojave Desert north of Los Angeles that will eventually provide electricity to 600,000 homes in Southern California. Clearly, renewable energy is taking off in the U.S.

Oil spill sends more than a million gallons into Michigan waters

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:30:14 +0000

by Agence France-Presse. CHIGAGO — A new oil spill is sullying waters in Michigan after a pipeline leak sent more than a million gallons of crude into a river tributary, officials said Wednesday. The Environmental Protection Agency said the spill began Monday when a 30-inch pipe in Marshall, Mich., burst, spewing crude into Talmadge Creek, a waterway that feeds into the Kalamazoo River. Officials said the pipeline belongs to the Canadian company Enbridge Inc. The agency said it is directing and monitoring all aspects of oil spill cleanup and containment efforts over 30 miles of the Kalamazoo River, including marshlands, residential areas, farmland, and businesses. “This is a serious spill that has the potential to damage a vital waterway and threaten public health,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. “Staff from EPA’s regional and headquarters office are on the scene and ensuring the leaked oil is contained and cleaned up as quickly and effectively as possible.” On Tuesday, the EPA requested that the U.S. Coast Guard make $2 million available for the federal response to the spill, and said the money eventually will be reimbursed by Enbridge. Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) criticized both EPA and Enbridge Wednesday for what she described as a slow response so far. “The situation is very, very serious,” Granholm said in a conference call with the news media, adding that oil could reach Lake Michigan if more intensive containment measures are not put in place. The Calgary, Alberta-based Enbridge said in a statement that it views the incident “very seriously.” “We’re treating this situation as a top priority,” the company statement said. “We are committed to thoroughly cleaning up the site as quickly as possible. The safety of people and the protection of the environment are our highest priorities during the cleanup.” Enbridge said that the faulty pipeline has been shut down and isolation valves closed, stopping the flow of oil. An investigation is underway into the cause of the leak, the company added. Related Links: Can’t afford an electric car? Rent a Nissan Leaf Here’s why renewable energy needs a boost from Congress Lessons from Senate climate fail

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Oil spill sends more than a million gallons into Michigan waters

Ford: Lincoln Hybrid Now Priced Equal to Non-hybrid Models

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:08:40 +0000

Many consumers have become comfortable with hybrid cars’ higher sticker price, figuring they will save money on gas in the long run. Now Ford is turning hybrid pricing on its head. Its 2011 Lincoln MKZ hybrid, upon this fall’s release, will have a sticker price identical to its twin that runs solely on gasoline. Ford touts that it is the first automaker to offer a luxury hybrid vehicle with a manufacturer’s suggest retail price equal to the same model only using gas.

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Ford: Lincoln Hybrid Now Priced Equal to Non-hybrid Models

BP gets "wake-up call" and $32 billion in spill charges

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:38:27 +0000

BP Plc’s newly named chief executive on Tuesday called the Gulf oil spill a “wake-up call” for the entire industry as the company tallied up its losses and disclosed two U.S. investigations. Bob Dudley, who will replace gaffe-prone Tony Hayward as chief executive on October 1, said safety would be among his highest priorities as the first American to lead BP tries to refurbish the British oil company’s battered reputation. Image repair may become even tougher after BP said it would offset the cost of the spill against its taxes, costing U.S. taxpayers almost $10 billion. BP reported a second-quarter loss of $17 billion, including $32 billion in charges related to the oil spill, the largest in U.S. history. It also announced plans to sell $30 billion in assets over the next 18 months to help cover its liabilities.

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BP gets "wake-up call" and $32 billion in spill charges

U.N. declares access to clean water a human right

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:48:26 +0000

by Agence France-Presse. UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday recognized access to clean water and sanitation as a human right. After more than 15 years of debate on the issue, 122 countries voted in favor of a compromise to a Bolivian resolution enshrining the right, while 41 abstained. The text “declares the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of the right to life.” The resolution laments the fact that 884 million people lack access to safe drinking water and that 2.6 billion do not have access to basic sanitation. It notes that roughly 2 million people die every year from diseases caused by unsafe water and sanitation, most of them small children. And it points to the pledge made by world leaders in 2000 as part of the poverty-fighting Millennium Development Goals to reduce by half, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The resolution urges states and international organizations to provide financial and technological assistance to help developing countries “scale up efforts to provide safe, clean, accessible, and affordable water and sanitation for all.” Related Links: Smart Growth is great, unless it created the housing bubble Congress rolls out its spill bills On day 100 of the Gulf gusher, a timeline of the tragedy

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U.N. declares access to clean water a human right

Smart Growth is great, unless it created the housing bubble

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:22:00 +0000

by Jonathan Hiskes. Did land-use regulation contribute to the housing bubble? The idea is no comfort to Smart Growth fans, but it’s the conclusion of new research [PDF] from a pair of economists. Haifang Huang and Yao Tang, of the University of Alberta and Bowdoin College respectively, found that any limits on where homes can be built — be they lakes and mountains or urban growth boundaries such as Portland’s — corresponded to both higher price gains and steeper price drops for residential property: In a sample covering more than 300 cities in the U.S. between January 2000 and July 2009, we find that more restrictive residential land use regulations and geographic land constraints are linked to larger booms and busts in housing prices. The natural and man-made constraints also amplify price responses to an initial positive mortgage-credit supply shock, leading to greater price increases in the boom and subsequently bigger losses. Obviously, growth restrictions, geographic or political, limit the supply of available land. And zoning limits on density and building height limit the supply of available dwellings and drive up prices. It’s less clear why such restrictions would correspond with sudden price drops, as the research suggests. It’s something that supporters of compact (walk-, bike-, transit-friendly) neighborhoods will want to answer. Any takers? (Hat tips to Matt Yglesias and Adam Ozimek ) Related Links: U.N. declares access to clean water a human right Congress rolls out its spill bills On day 100 of the Gulf gusher, a timeline of the tragedy

Congress rolls out its spill bills

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:55:23 +0000

by Randy Rieland. We finally got a look at what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) considers climate and energy legislation. Don’t cheer all at once.

The Surface of Mars

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:47:55 +0000

A century ago an astronomer by the name of Lowell “discovered” the canals of Mars. Since then better images has shown that there are no canals. Now a camera aboard NASA’s Mars Odyssey spacecraft has helped develop the most accurate global Martian map ever. Researchers and the public can access the map via several websites and explore and survey the entire surface of the Red Planet and imagine what it might be on the surface.

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The Surface of Mars

Gulf Environment Forum 2011

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:47:54 +0000

ENN is proud to be a media sponsor of the The Gulf Environment Forum. Environmental issues in the middle east are taken very seriously, and there are challenges to living and operating industries in an area with limited water and cooling capacity for industry. The Gulf Environment Forum (GEF) is Saudi Arabia’s official environment event, spearheaded by the presidency of Meteorology & Environment. Combining an international exhibition and conference, GEF provides a unique business platform for industry experts to demonstrate their expertise and play an active part in establishing a sustainable and environmentally responsible region for generations to come.

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Gulf Environment Forum 2011

On day 100 of the Gulf gusher, a timeline of the tragedy

admin — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:30:40 +0000

by Agence France-Presse. April 20: The Deepwater Horizon oil rig explodes in the Gulf of Mexico, 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana, killing 11 workers. April 22: The rig, dangerously listing and still ablaze two days after the explosion, sinks to the bottom of the Gulf, some 5,000 feet below the surface. April 25: Energy giant BP, which leased the rig, says oil is escaping from the well — after officials initially denied such a possibility. April 29: The first oil reaches the shores of Louisiana . May 2: President Obama visits Louisiana for the first time since the spill. May 27: Obama unveils a six-month moratorium on new oil drilling and exploration. May 30: BP CEO Tony Hayward makes the controversial comment that he “would like my life back” as he struggles to deal with the aftermath of the massive spill. June 1: The United States launches a civil and criminal investigation into the oil spill. BP shares slump after the company reveals the disaster has cost it $990 million so far. June 14: Obama begins a two-day, three-state tour of the oil-slick Gulf, his fourth visit to the region. June 15: Obama uses his first Oval Office address to discuss the crisis, vowing to “make BP pay.” His administration raises the estimate of the size of the leak to between 35,000 to 60,000 barrels a day. June 16: BP announces it will create a $20 billion fund to compensate people affected by the catastrophe. June 18: Mississippi-born Robert Dudley replaces Hayward as leader of BP’s day-to-day response to the oil spill. June 22: A New Orleans judge blocks a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling, striking a blow to the Obama administration. June 30: Hurricane Alex , the first major storm of the Atlantic season, churns waters in the Gulf of Mexico, putting containment efforts on hold. July 4: Cleanup efforts resume after Alex dissipates over Mexico. July 5: Tar balls hit the Texas coast, as BP’s costs in the disaster soar above $3 billion. July 10: Underwater robots remove a loosely fitting cap over the leaking oil well, the first step in an operation to replace it with a tighter containment cap. July 12: Obama administration announces a second moratorium on deepwater drilling.

Energy bill could save PACE clean-energy program—if a Republican will help

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:14:09 +0000

by Jonathan Hiskes. The Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) finance tool helped thousands of homeowners pay for green improvements to their homes until Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac came out against it . Here’s the latest in the fight to save it: PACE programs may soon run up against the same barrier that’s blocked so much progress of late: a Senate that can’t manage to get much done. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he is willing to add PACE-restoring legislation to a scaled-back energy bill, but only if a Republican cosponsor signs on to the plan, according to Brad Penney of the Alliance to Save Energy . That may be the best hope of restoring the popular finance tool, which helped thousands of homeowners pay for home-energy retrofits and rooftop solar arrays until Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac told mortgage lenders to avoid it , throwing PACE programs across the nation into uncertainty. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) introduced a bill last week that would require Fannie and Freddie to adopt standards that allow for PACE, which lets homeowners pay for improvements through a surcharge on their property tax bills. Boxer has three Democratic cosponsors but no Republican supporters . Reid, already short on time to pass an energy bill this year, may not be willing to add any provisions that could gum up the process. Penney said his group had spoken to Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Olympia Snowe (Maine), Richard Lugar (Ind.), George LeMieux (Fla.), and George Voinovich (Ohio) about cosponsoring a PACE-fixing plan. So far, none have been willing. “The time is too short to do this without Republican cosponsors,” said Cisco DeVries , who developed PACE three years ago as chief of staff to the mayor of Berkeley and now runs a company that sets up PACE programs. “We know there are Republicans who support this. We need them to sponsor and cosponsor bills.” The PACE model should have bipartisan appeal. By reducing the upfront costs of improvements like insulation, sealing, and high-efficiency furnaces, it lets homeowners cut energy use and emissions, save on monthly utility bills, and give work to local contractors. It should also appeal to opponents of big government.

What to do with the CO2

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:40:05 +0000

Burning fuel releases a lot of carbon dioxide. For more is emitted than any other air emission. What can we do with it all? A basic reuse of carbon dioxide or CO2 is to have plants and trees use it to make new plants and trees. Recently, the U.S. government has been funding more than $100 million to six research projects that will turn carbon dioxide into fuel, plastics, cement and more. Though the US is spending some money even more comes from private investors.

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What to do with the CO2

What to do with the CO2

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:40:05 +0000

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What to do with the CO2

Pollution makes quarter of China water unusable

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:40:05 +0000

Almost a quarter of China’s surface water remains so polluted that it is unfit even for industrial use, while less than half of total supplies are drinkable, data from the environment watchdog showed on Monday. Inspectors from China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection tested water samples from the country’s major rivers and lakes in the first half of the year and declared just 49.3 percent to be safe for drinking, up from 48 percent last year, the ministry said in a notice posted on its website (www.mep.gov.cn).

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Pollution makes quarter of China water unusable

Pollution makes quarter of China water unusable

admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:40:05 +0000

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Pollution makes quarter of China water unusable