RENewsletter December 2, 2012

RENewsletter | December 02, 2012

The Free environmental newsletter from RochesterEnvironment.com

“Our Environment is changing: Keep up with the Change.”

[11/25/2012 – 12/02/2012]

Opening Salvo: “Climate Change talks in Doha, Qatar: ya gotta laugh”

One of the more startling moments in Plastic Ocean comes when Captain Moore (the book’s author) reveals the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to world leaders and they tell him to prove that it’s doing any harm. Ya gotta laugh. That’s like discovering a bomb in the nation’s capitol and having the police dismiss you because they don’t think bombs do any damage. Another amazing point in the book is learning that chemical companies in the US have to pull their products off the market only if their studies prove their product’s toxicity, which means these companies have zero incentive to do their own studies. How their products radiate out into our environment is anyone’s guess.

This all comes to mind as I review this week’s amazing environmental news. There’s a study that proves our Great Lakes are filled with plastic bits. Besides making pseudo food for birds and fish that provides no nourishment but fills them up, plastic bits have a nasty habit of attracting and accumulating toxins. Another story deals with the dropping lake levels this year, but fails to mention Climate Change being a factor in determining lakes levels, even though one of the studies used for the article includes just that. Then there’s a story about how difficult it is to rid our drinking water of pharmaceuticals because our wastewater treatment plants were not designed to remove the myriad drugs that fill our Great Lakes. And, pharmaceuticals are not even the half of it; our Great Lakes are filled with Chemical Pollutants.

Ok, what that says to me is that we have some potentially significant public health issues before us. So you have to wonder why Governor Cuomo is keeping the Fracking process moving along that will finalize the regulations so drilling permits can be issued in New York State, instead of waiting until the health review is completed. (I know, this Fracking debacle is all very bewildering: Check this great summary: DEC to take public comments on fracking regs from December 12). The skinny is Fracking takes a lot of our precious fresh water (most which comes from the Great Lakes) and we really ought to find out if we have enough fresh clean water to spare for an industry that has hijacked our state’s energy program—especially during anticipated droughts in our region because of Climate Change.

That brings us to Climate Change itself. If you’ve only been listening to mainstream media, you probably haven’t heard much about this year’s Doha Climate Change Conference. You can watch the proceedings yourself, unfiltered by pundits with their own loony agendas, by going here: UNFCCC Webcast. If you do, you can get a free book that you can download or read online Climate, Development and Equity about equality and Climate Change. Because, when you come right down to it, Climate Change is about giving everyone, everywhere, and for all time, an equal chance at living while addressing a world-wide warming.

How are those talks going? Just about everyone thinks the Doha Climate Change Conference is going to fail, except UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres. Anticipating that, the folks over at 350.org have sent an open letter to the world leaders to get off their duff. It’s quite a conundrum because the more Climate Change takes hold, with melting glaciers and more extreme weather, the less likely we’ll get even modest gains at our increasingly ineffective climate talks because as time passes the solutions become costlier --while most of the world, who don’t enjoy our standard of living, dig their heels in deeper into the fossil fuels gig to get where we got—even though it’s warming the planet.

All this intractable implacability sounds eerily familiar as I watched Spielberg’s Lincoln. It’s the scene where Lincoln asks the couple if they would encourage their senator to pass the thirteenth amendment if Lincoln could win the war without it. No, they said, they’d just as soon have slavery and no more war. Humans. Ya gottoa laugh. We all want our cake and eat it too, but we cannot.

FrankRegan@RochesterEnvironment.com (Click on my email for feedback)

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* Got news? | Go to my blog: Environmental Thoughts - Rochester, NY or Tweet me @ http://twitter.com/#!/FrankRrrr On Twitter and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RochesterEnvironment and Examiner/RochesterEnvironment, I post local environmental events, news, and commentary as soon as it happens. If you think this newsletter, which continually informs our community on our local environmental news, events, actions, is worthwhile, please encourage others to sign up. We who care about our environment and future need to ‘Occupy’ the Rochester media to change how the public views environmental news.

The great conundrum of our times is that in a time of rapidly occurring Climate Change and a rapid disintegration of the environment that we need to thrive and survive, mainstream media still marginalizes environmental concerns. [Check often for this continually updated list on the possible consequences of Climate Change in our region--supported by facts.] If there isn’t a quick and substantial change in how environmental concerns are reported, edited, and chosen in mainstream media, the public will continue to believe that environmental concerns are merely special interest matters, issues they can avoid if they choose. How can we inform the public and monitor our environment without abridging our Freedoms--in enough time to safe ourselves?

Anything else you're interested in is not going to happen if you can't breathe the air and drink the water. Don't sit this one out. Do something. You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of our planet. -- Carl Sagan

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NewsLinks – Environmental NewsLinks – [Highlights of major environmental stories concerning our area from the past week]

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Updates – Daily Updates – [Connecting the dots on Rochester’s environment. Find out what’s going on environmentally in our area—and why you should care? Clicking on -DISCUSSION – will take you to my blog “Environmental Thoughts, NY, where you can add your comments.]

12/01/2012 - Hard to determine what countries’ efforts at reducing Climate Change are if you don’t know their emissions. Go here for that: Climate Action Tracker "This "Climate Action Tracker" is an independent science-based assessment, which tracks the emission commitments and actions of countries. The website provides an up-to-date assessment of individual national pledges to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. "
12/01/2012 - Both Great Lakes algae and water levels will be affected by Climate Change, but media never mentions that. How come? Lower Water Levels Dry Up Business On Great Lakes The Great Lakes drought is affecting the survival of some of the small harbor towns located on North Michigan's shore. Melissa Block speaks with Russell Dzuba, the harbormaster in Leland, Mich., where a line of sand is cutting through his harbor. (November 29, 2012) NPR
12/01/2012 - Before we here in NYS even think of Fracking shouldn’t we get the contaminates out of our drinking and fishing water? The Fracking process uses a lot of our fresh water and it can possibly contaminate our water from leakages and improper disposal of Fracking waste. But our drinking and fishing water is already full of contaminants and pharmaceuticals that we haven’t even begun to figure out how to fitter out. Why not hold off on Fracking for at least ten years, find out that works in Pennsylvania, clean up our present water and ramp up Cosmos’s Energy Highway? What the hurry to Frack New York? New Report Calls for Prioritizing, Preventing Great Lakes Contaminants The Great Lakes are home to 20 percent of the world’s surface freshwater and, increasingly, host to a worrisome class of chemical compounds known as contaminants of emerging concern. Often originating from everyday products ranging from shampoos and pharmaceuticals to textiles and home furnishings, as well as from common agricultural practices around the Midwest, these compounds can have impacts on people and wildlife that are far from benign and are raising concerns about their effects on the body’s endocrine system -- the driver of key functions such as growth and development, metabolism and reproduction. (November 27, 2012) Alliance for the Great Lakes [more on Water Quality in our area]
12/01/2012 - Trying to figure out the new bewildering Frack Rush Job and what to do about it? Go here: Fracking Regulations Out "The DEC’s defense lawyers have finally pushed the fracking regulations out the door. 30 day comment period begins 12/12. Will have responses ready soon. http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/77353.html This is of course, willfully bass-ackwards, since neither the SGEIS nor the health study have been finished. But that is how the DEC does everything – bass ackwards at the behest of the gas lobby - and as a function of whatever its defense attorneys thinks they can get away with.As Senator Avella politely points out to Governor Cuomo. So now they are sending notice so that they can get a 90 day extension – and issue the proposed new fracking regulations on December 12 – as sort of a Christmas present to frackers. Here is a copy of the notice, with some of the usual boiler-plate rationalizations on what the DEC did to come up with what they are going to try to push out the door, some rationalizations for the changes, etc. - without stating who authored the proposed revisions. http://www.scribd.com/doc/114905698/Notice-of-Revised-Rule-Making-HVHF Might sign the letter asking the DEC to put the cart back behind the horse – issue regulations after the SGEIS and health study are complete. http://www.toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/letters/2012/11/28/cuomo"
11/30/2012 - Kudos for reporter Matthew Leonard unpacking this complicated Fracking update so quickly and comprehensively. Wish our state’s energy solutions didn’t have to be so arcane and hurried, but there you are. If we weren’t such a hasty folks, we would step back and rethink our state energy future at this point and only consider Fracking as a possible transitional energy source, once the Wind Tax Credit was renewed by the federal government, so folks can have good jobs and help our environment. We shouldn’t have the Fracking tail wagging the energy dog. DEC to take public comments on fracking regs from December 12 The DEC has decided that the traditional holiday period is the ideal time to aggregate public comments on its Proposed Regulations for High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing with public comment commencing on December 12 and running until January 11th.* Thursday, November 29th marked the extinction of a regulatory deadline for the filing of the revised deadlines, but the DEC (in a totally surprise move) filed for a 90-day extension of the review period with the U.S. Department of State utilizing a provision of the SAPA, (State Administrative Procedures Act). (November 30, 2012) Innovation Trail [more onFracking in our area]
11/30/2012 - If I were governor of New York State, I wouldn’t even think of Fracking before the health professionals in my state gave the go-ahead. And that’s not happening at the moment, when the Fracking horse SGEIS in NYS put before the Health Assessment results. High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Proposed Regulations Concerned Health Professionals of New York "“By insisting on a comprehensive health impact assessment as a precondition for a decision to permit or prohibit hydraulic fracturing in our state, Concerned Health Professionals of New York is upholding the fundamental principles of preventive medicine. The unique vulnerability of children to chemical contaminants and air pollution – of the kind we know are associated with drilling and fracking operations – means that we must undertake the most thorough investigation and seek the input of many experts. This is no time for secrecy. Members of New York’s medical community must have access to the documents that are now under review by the team of outside reviewers. The public – who are being asked to assume risks of fracking – must likewise have input to the scientific process that is judging those risks.” "
11/30/2012 - ACTION: Make public comment on Fracking: Fracking horse SGEIS in NYS put before the Health Assessment results, but you can still make public comment from December 12, 2012 through 5:00 PM on January 11, 2013. High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Proposed Regulations 6 NYCRR Parts 52, 190, 550-556, 560, and 750 DEC filed a Notice of Continuation under the State Administrative Procedure Act that extends the rulemaking process for ninety days. Revised Express Terms: Revised Proposed Express Terms 6 NYCRR Parts 52 and 190 Revised Proposed Express Terms 6 NYCRR Parts 550 through 556 and 560 Revised Proposed Express Terms 6 NYCRR Parts 750.1 and 750.3 Public Comment Period Comments will be accepted on the revisions to the regulations from December 12, 2012 through 5:00 PM on January 11, 2013. --fromNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation
11/30/2012 - Can’t be there? Watch the proceeding of humanity’s attempt to adapt to and mitigate Climate Change from this year’s Doha Climate Change Conference - November 2012 Go here: UNFCCC Webcast
11/30/2012 - You’d think that even before NYS considered Fracking which will grab a lot of our water, we’d find out what potential contaminates are already in our Great Lakes waters. Keeping Great Lakes Water Safe: Priorities for Protecting against Emerging Chemical Pollutants "More than 85,000 chemicals are in production and use in the United States today and the number is growing. Of those, more than 2,200 are produced at a rate of 1 million-plus pounds a year, and nearly 20,000 registered pesticide products have entered the market since registration began in 1947. Still more are on the way. Advances in chemistry and biotechnology mean new compounds are being synthesized at an unprecedented rate. These chemicals don’t simply disappear after fulfilling their intended uses, but find their way into the environment and the water. As the number of chemicals around us continues to grow, the potential for these chemicals to end up in the Great Lakes — with retention times of up to nearly 200 years — also grows. "November 27, 2012 , Alliance for the Great Lakes
11/30/2012 - Read this 14 page study on Great Lakes water levels in the future which include how Climate Change will affect that: International Upper Great Lakes Study "FINAL REPORT TO THE INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION MARCH 2012 LAKE SUPERIOR REGULATION: ADDRESSING UNCERTAINTY IN UPPER GREAT LAKESWATER LEVELS SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS | Changing water levels can have significant effects on the lives of the more than 25 million people who live and work in the upper Great Lakes region. The front cover shows an integrated view of the key interests served by these waters. In the centre of the image is a photograph of the control structures at the outlet of Lake Superior on the St. Marys River, the only location in the entire Great Lakes basin upstream from Niagara Falls where water levels can be affected by regulation. Under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909, domestic and sanitary water uses, navigation, and power and irrigation are given order of precedence. These uses must be taken into account in the development of regulation plans. Today, it is recognized that other interests have rights under the Treaty, consistent with the International Joint Commission’s balancing principle – providing benefits or relief to interests affected by water levels and flows without causing undue detriment to other interests. With this in mind, the International Upper Great Lakes Study added the interests of ecosystems, coastal zone uses and recreational boating and tourism to its analysis of Lake Superior regulation and uncertainty in future upper Great Lakes water levels. In addition, the Study recognized that First Nations in Canada, Native Americans and Métis represent an important perspective in the upper Great Lakes. For thousands of years, and continuing into the present, many Native American communities and First Nations have relied on the natural resources of the Great Lakes to meet their economic, cultural and spiritual needs. " from International Joint Commission
11/30/2012 - As mentioned on Doha Climate Change Conference’s webcasts, download or read online this book about equality and Climate Change. Addressing Climate Change will have to include issues of equality. Learn about this: Climate, Development and Equity "Climate change already affects all of us, but those most vulnerable to its impacts have done the least to cause the problem. Unless radical cuts in emissions take place soon, the world is set for dangerous climate change, with all of humanity at peril. This Volume presents voices from across the North and South, addressing the combined challenges of climate, development and equity. It highlights the urgency of taking action, but also shows why any attempt to tackle climate change must be grounded in equity. How will humanity fairly divide the rapidly diminishing global carbon budget, while allowing billions of people in the global South (and North) the means for economic, social and environmental well-being? How can United Nations negotiations move forward, and what are the real and false solutions? " -from The Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation
11/29/2012 -Because of politics, our economy, Fracking boom, Climate Change, we hardly notice plastics in Great Lakes and our oceans. And yet Nature will have her way. GREAT LAKES FILLED WITH PLASTIC BITS The world’s largest freshwater ecosystem is added to the list of natural places filled with massive swirls of plastic pollution. The Great Lakes are swimming with tiny specks of floating plastic, posing threats to both wildlife and human health. Adding to years of research that have already documented gyres of plastic pieces swirling in the oceans, the new study is the first to officially add the world's largest freshwater ecosystem to the list of natural places affected by plastic pollution. As scientists continue to investigate how much plastic is out there, where it's coming from and how it's moving between lakes and from lakes to sea, the findings may eventually offer strategies for mitigating the problem. (November 28, 2012) Discovery News [more on Great Lakes in our area]
11/29/2012 - Instead of being a transitional fuel between fossil fuels and renewables, the lure of Fracking is gutting Wind Power. It we don’t extend the Wind Tax Credit before the deadline next month, we will have proven that we don’t get Climate Change at all. Expiration Of Wind Tax Credit Kills Jobs, Senators Say WASHINGTON -- A bipartisan group of legislators said Wednesday that the failure to expand a critical subsidy for renewable energy could cost Americans tens of thousands of manufacturing and construction jobs. Sens. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Reps. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) and Steve King (R-Iowa) released a petition signed by 3,500 veterans across the country, hundreds of whom have found post-military work in the wind energy industry, urging Congress to extend the wind production tax credit (PTC). "Already over the past several months we’ve seen the real-life effects of Congress’ failure to quickly extend what is a common sense tax credit," Udall told reporters at the Capitol. (November 28, 2012) The Huffington Post [more on Wind Power in our area]
11/29/2012 - Great tragedy as Wind Tax Credit is allowed to expire at end of year andFracking looms in NYS. SNUFFING OUT A NEW INDUSTRY If Congress doesn't act, 37,000 jobs could be gone with the wind The wind doesn't distinguish between red states and blue, but that hasn't stopped wind power from becoming a political flashpoint. At issue is the renewable-energy production tax credit, a subsidy President George H.W. Bush signed into law in 1992. At a cost of about $1.6 billion annually, it has helped make the U.S. wind industry second only to China's as the world's largest. This summer the installed capacity of U.S. wind turbines hit 50 gigawatts–as much as can be generated by 44 coal-fired power plants, or 11 nuclear-powered ones. Wind might account for an even bigger part of the U.S. power supply today had this tax credit not been allowed to lapse three times in the past two decades. Each time it did, the number of new installations cratered. It takes roughly 18 months to develop a new wind field, and without the certainty of subsidies, investment dries up. (The far greater subsidies for oil–$2.7 billion to $4 billion a year–have never been allowed to lapse.) The American Wind Energy Association, an industry group, says that if the wind tax credit is not renewed at the end of the year, 37,000 American jobs could be lost. (November 2012) Sierra [more on Wind Power in our area]
11/29/2012 - Will Cuomo be able to fight the pro-fracking ads, the lure of US energy self-sufficiency and finish Fracking health studies—as he promised? It takes a leader to protect our environment and our public health. America’s geopolitical gusherISTANBUL — Fatih Birol, the International Energy Agency’s chief economist, is not prone to hype. So industry executives listen when he calls the surge of U.S. oil and gas production “the biggest change in the energy world since World War II.” “This is bigger even than the development of nuclear energy,” said Birol in an interview just minutes after he had briefed dozens of the world’s leading energy players and policy makers over breakfast at the fourth annual Atlantic Council Energy and Economic Summit here on the IEA’sWorld Energy Outlook 2012. “This has implications for the whole world.” (November 26, 2012) Reuters
11/29/2012 - Local article on Great Lakes levels fails to mention Climate Change. It seems strange nowadays to talk about Great Lake water levels without talking about Climate Change—though the study linked as an ‘environmental interest’ in the article mentions ‘climate change throughout the article. It’s still a debate among scientists whether, and at what points, the Great Lakes water levels will rise and fall, but to not mentioned Climate Change and lakes levels at this late date in mainstream media (except inside a link) is weird. It’s weird because out of all the things that will affect our Great Lakes future—pollution, invasive species, water privatization, and fish diseases like VHS--the most dramatic change will come from Climate Change—and we need to prepare for that. Here’s another study just out that will help: National Climate Assessment: Midwest Technical Input Report There’s more studies on Climate Change and the Great Lakes here: Go there to read the D&C article: Dropping water levels affect Lake Ontario, Irondequoit Bay Weather has affected Lake Ontario, Irondequoit Bay The bay, which flows into Lake Ontario, is a local manifestation of a larger problem. The Great Lakes, the world’s biggest freshwater system, are shrinking because of drought and rising temperatures, a trend that accelerated with this year’s almost snowless winter and scorching summer. Water levels have fallen to near-record lows on Lakes Michigan and Huron, while Erie, Ontario and Superior are below their historical averages. The decline is causing heavy economic losses, with cargo freighters forced to lighten their loads, marinas too shallow for pleasure boats and weeds sprouting on exposed bottomlands, chasing away swimmers and sunbathers. Lake levels rely on rain, snow and ice melt to stay high. A winter ice cap also prevents evaporation off the lake into the atmosphere. In short, hot or mild weather means lower water. (November 28, 2012) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Great Lakes in our area]
11/28/2012 - Fracking decision for NYS could take up to 6 months. What if during that time New Yorkers went to Pennsylvania and saw for themselves how’s that’s working out? Go on a pro-Fracking tour and an anti-Fracking tour and ask questions and really think about what Fracking will mean to NYS. What about educating ourselves on the most important environmental issue in a century for this state, instead of ignoring this issue or just listening from inside our own silos? Could be time well spent. Cuomo: State To Miss Thursday Fracking Deadline The state’s environmental agency confirms it will miss a key deadline and delay approval of hydro fracking in New York once again. Anti fracking forces see an opportunity in the likely new delay, while those waiting to benefit economically from the gas drilling process are feeling frustrated. Governor Andrew Cuomo said earlier Tuesday that he expected the State’s Department of Environmental Conservation would fail to meet a November 29th deadline to propose new rules for the gas drilling process known as hydro fracking. November 27, 2012)WXXI News [more on Fracking in our area]
11/28/2012 - I’m puzzled. If The United Nations Climate Change Conference beginning in Doha is a farce, what good is that? Maybe some kind aliens from outer space will come and solve our problem with Climate Change for us. We’re a very nice species when we’re not being selfish and addicted to fossil fuels. Failed CO2 TargetsGoing Through the Motions in Doha Protecting the climate is incredibly important to Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, as evidenced by all the resolutions it has adopted in the past to save the planet. Germany has climate funds and reduction targets, building and transportation programs, and even an entire strategy to wean itself off nuclear power and shift to green energy, which has been dubbed the Energiewende, or "energy revolution." But at some point there is such a thing as overkill. Can a member of parliament be expected to be chauffeured around Berlin in a small car? Or should he even stoop to the level of taking a cab? Now that, the Bundestag recently decided, would be asking too much. But because the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the elegant limousines normally used to chauffeur German lawmakers exceeds standards set three years ago, the Bundestag came up with a convenient solution. They simply raised the previously established limit of 120 grams of CO2 per kilometer to 140. (November 26, 2012) Spiegel Online [more on Climate Change in our area]
11/28/2012 - Get serious about Climate Change, continue Wind Tax Credit: from Journal Star (Nebraska): Editorial, 10/25: Extend wind tax credit Just when it seemed that wind turbines would start sprouting on the Nebraska prairie in numbers equivalent to those in surrounding states, dysfunction in Congress threatens to pull the plug on progress. The Production Tax Credit for wind energy is set to expire at the end of the year, and there is little assurance that gridlock-plagued Congress will extend it. The tax credit helps make wind energy competitive with other forms of energy. It is widely seen as a tool that has helped launch the wind energy industry in the United States. (October 24, 2012) Journal Star
11/27/2012 - Get serious about Climate Change, continue Wind Tax Credit: from Denver Post: Editorial: Wind tax credit is an easy call Congress can kill two birds with one stone: It can aid the wind industry and make itself look effective. If Congress wants to boost its abysmal public image, it could start by getting its business donebeforecries of panic begin to rain down upon it. It could pass a budget when a budget is supposed to be passed. It could deal with the deficit before the nation finds itself on course to endure a fifth straight year of more than $1 trillion in red ink. (November 15, 2012) Denver Post
11/27/2012 -Trying to find more opportunities for citizen scientists… Got programs? I’ll list them here: Monitoring our Environment How to track road kill on your smart phone (seriously) Plattsburgh, NY, Nov 27, 2012 — We've all seen or experienced it - unfortunate wildlife dashes in front of a car at just the wrong time--and its remains splatter across the road. But Danielle Garneau, a wildlife ecologist at SUNY Plattsburgh, says the road kill we're likely to see on roads this holiday season can teach us a lot. (November 27, 2012) North Country Radio [more on Wildlife in our area]
11/26/2012 - Climate Change has to be solved from the top down, because of its scope and immediacy: So world leaders and Climate Talks matter. Obama's Action On Climate Change Boils Down To Two Words Barack Obama is being pressed for proof of his intent to act on climate change ahead of next week's United Nations global warming summit in Doha. The proof might boil down to just two words: two degrees. An early statement at Doha that America remains committed to the global goal of limiting warming to 2C above pre-industrial levels would be a clear sign. (November 23, 2012) Business Insider[more on Climate Change in our area]
11/26/2012 - Probably won’t get a whole lot of coverage on Climate talks in Doha for COP18 if you only watch US media, start here: The Climate Question: Degrees of Change As delegates gather in Doha for COP18, we examine communities on the front line of global warming. Climate change has become one of the biggest, most complex issues of our time. And the warnings from some of the world's leading scientists are getting louder. But sceptics remain. Despite the data, many are unconvinced that the science is on target. So, we ask: Is climate change man-made and, if so, what can we do to stop it? From the crumbling ice caps of the Arctic to the shifting sands of the Arabian Gulf, Al Jazeera takes you around the world to see first-hand the impact mankind is having on our planet. Against the backdrop of a major UN climate change conference in Qatar, join Nick Clark as he looks at the efforts that have been made to address climate change, the failures of previous agreements and the challenges that lay ahead. (November 26, 2012) Aljazerra [more on Climate Change in our area]
11/26/2012 - Interesting to speculate whether Climate Change will flood NYC; it would be more helpful to stop warming. Is This the End? WE’D seen it before: the Piazza San Marco in Venice submerged by the acqua alta; New Orleans underwater in the aftermath of Katrina; the wreckage-strewn beaches of Indonesia left behind by the tsunami of 2004. We just hadn’t seen it here. (Last summer’s Hurricane Irene did a lot of damage on the East Coast, but New York City was spared the worst.) “Fear death by water,” T. S. Eliot intoned in “The Waste Land.” We do now. (November 25, 2012)New York Times The Opinion Pages
11/26/2012 - View the tempest that is Fracking in American from outside of mainstream American media: Fracking in America With the US looking to ease its reliance on foreign oil, Fault Lines investigates the impact of natural gas extraction. For years now, the United States has tried to lower its dependence on foreign oil for its energy needs. With stability in the Middle East in question, drilling at home has never been more attractive. But it often comes at a cost. Natural gas extraction - fracking - is being touted as the answer. But questions are being asked about the process and its implications. (November 21, 2012) Aljazerra [more on Fracking in our area]

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Events – Rochester Environmental Events Calendar – [The most complete listing of all environmental events around the Rochester, New York area.] If you don’t see your event, or know of a local environmental event, please send me the info: FrankRegan@RochesterEnvironment.com with (EV event) in the subject line. Also, be sure to check other calendars and environmental series for multi-day events.

December 2012

Sunday, December 2, 2012 from 10 am – 4 pm WHERE: Braddock Bay Park, 199 East Manitou Road, Greece, NY
- Holiday for Hawks! Live Raptor Program & Fundraising Gift Sale - FREE Admission for all ages WHEN: Sunday, December 2, 2012 from 10 am – 4 pm WHERE: Braddock Bay Park, 199 East Manitou Road, Greece, NY Come to Braddock Bay Park on December 2 and celebrate the holidays with some hawks (and other raptors)! This will be BBRR's 3rd annual Holiday for Hawks fundraising sale, giving visitors a chance to get some great holiday gifts for the nature lovers on their gift list. The sale will take place throughout the day from 10 am until 4 pm. There will also be a LIVE bird of prey program with hawks and owls from the Institute for Environmental Learning at 1:00 pm. (http://www.ielraptors.org/) You can also get a fun holiday photo taken with the Incredible Hawk! Gift items for sale include wildlife t-shirts, stuffed animals and toys, handy travel field guides, wildlife photos, nest boxes, note cards and stationery, and more! We will also be featuring wildlife ornaments from SwallowsQuest, created by Finger Lakes artist Lynda Proper.http://www.swallowsquest.com/ Adopt-a-Hawk Sponsorships and BBRR Memberships are available and make great, unique gifts! Plus, get a free gift with any membership purchased! CONTACT: Daena Ford, Braddock Bay Raptor Research, information@bbrr.org, 585-267-5483
December 3, 2012 | 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Louise Slaughter Hall (formerly the CIMS Building) on the RIT campus REGISTER HERE
- 2012 Community Salute to the Environment Join us at the area's premier networking opportunity with up to 200+ individuals from government, business and industry, civic and environmental groups, professionals and citizens concerned about the environment in our region in attendance. Keynote speaker: Leecia Eve, J.D., Deputy Secretary to the Governor for Economic Development, New York State Topic: Economic Development and Environmental Protection December 3, 2012 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM Tours of the newly-constructed $38 million, LEED Platinum home of the Golisano Institute for Sustainability 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM Reception, Dinner, Awards and Program Louise Slaughter Hall (formerly the CIMS Building) on the RIT campus. See our website for details (click here) -from Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI)and Finger Lakes region through education, collaboration and informed action. "
Thursday December 6 from 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM | Montezuma Audubon Center 2295 State Route 89 Savannah, NY 13146
- MONTEZUMA AUDUBON CENTER LEADS VAN TOUR OF BIRDING HOTSPOTS Birders can find a plethora of gifts at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex if they know where to go! Hop in our van on Thursday December 6 from 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM to tour Montezuma’s birding hotspots in search of bald eagles, northern harriers, tundra swans, snow geese and more. Thousands of birds are using the Complex right now! Some are resting during their arduous migration journey. Others are hunkering down to overwinter here. Still others are already courting their mate in anticipation of the breeding season. You never know what you will see at Montezuma but it is guaranteed to be wild! Participants are encouraged to bring their camera and binoculars. Fee: $7.50/child; $12.50/adult. Space is limited. Registration required. To register or for more information about the Montezuma Audubon Center, please call 315-365-3588 or email montezuma@audubon.org. Montezuma Audubon Center 2295 State Route 89 Savannah, NY 13146 The Center is Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am- 4 pm Visit http://ny.audubon.org/montezuma for more information about our programs, facilities, trails, and events.

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Action – Take Action - Often, I receive request to pass on alerts, petitions, Public Comments on local developments, and environmental items needing action by the Rochester Community and around the world. I’ll keep Actions posted until their due date.

ACTION: Due Date: Public Comment Period Comments will be accepted on the revisions to the regulations from December 12, 2012 through 5:00 PM on January 11, 201
- Make public comment on Fracking: Fracking horse SGEIS in NYS put before the Health Assessment results, but you can still make public comment from December 12, 2012 through 5:00 PM on January 11, 2013. High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Proposed Regulations 6 NYCRR Parts 52, 190, 550-556, 560, and 750 DEC filed a Notice of Continuation under the State Administrative Procedure Act that extends the rulemaking process for ninety days. Revised Express Terms: Revised Proposed Express Terms 6 NYCRR Parts 52 and 190 Revised Proposed Express Terms 6 NYCRR Parts 550 through 556 and 560 Revised Proposed Express Terms 6 NYCRR Parts 750.1 and 750.3 Public Comment Period Comments will be accepted on the revisions to the regulations from December 12, 2012 through 5:00 PM on January 11, 2013. --from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
ACTION: Due Date: Now!
- Can you imagine what our world would look like if everyone used their smartphones to report environmental crimes? Healthier! Become an environmental crime stopper Polluting a stream and getting away with it? Violating the Clean Air Act without detection? Now, anyone with a smartphone can help bust abusers of the environment. New York State Crime Stoppers announced a new phone app that makes it very easy for people to instantly report environmental crimes to the appropriate agency. Cellfare created the app in collaboration with Crime Stoppers, Waterkeeper Alliance, state police and local law enforcement agencies across the state. (November 21, 2012) Investigative Post
ACTION: Due Date: Now.
- When you consider that our planet is warming and the fossil fuel industry get billions in US subsidies, it’s immoral to end wind tax credits this year. Tell Congress you really care that renewable energy gets a chance on a warming planet. Congress: Show Your Support for Wind Energy! Congress continues to delay renewing the Production Tax Credit, an important financing provision for wind energy. Every day of stalling means more American jobs are in jeopardy. Already, wind-turbine orders for next year are drying up, creating a crisis where layoffs are imminent. Right now, Congress is sitting on a gold mine of clean-energy jobs, but to them partisan politics is more important. You can bet that Big Coal and Big Oil have plenty of allies in Congress, but when it comes time to invest in wind energy, the door is being shut. It's up to you to help open that door again. Tell Congress to support extending the Production Tax Credit, ensuring a job-creating industry continues to grow. Sierra Club
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- As Climate Change increase the changes of combined sewer overflows due to increase frequency of heavy rain fall in the spring, this issue will become more critical. We must plan for this and it will be expensive, but more so if we wait. Take action here: Help Keep Sewage Out of the Great Lakes Billions of gallons of combined raw sewage and storm runoff are dumped into the Great Lakes each year. Raw sewage, trash and personal hygiene products — along with industrial wastewater, household chemicals, urban runoff, herbicides and pesticides — often flow into the lakes after heavy rains. Urge Congress and the president to support sustained and increased investment in the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Help keep untreated sewage out of the Great Lakes! --fromAlliance for the Great Lakes
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- Sign this online petition against Fracking in Monroe County: Prohibit All Fracking Related Activities on Monroe County Properties, NY Last Tuesday, over 4, 000 petition signatures to ban all Fracking and related activities were delivered to Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and members of the Monroe County Legislature. But presumably that wasn’t enough because the press didn’t even show up. Here’s the news that the local news media couldn’t bother themselves to print: Thousands Sign Petition to Ban Fracking and Related Activities On Monroe County Properties. Don't let New York State become a Resource Curse. It would be great if we could march into the Monroe County Legislature next time and fork over 20,000 signatures. Maybe that will wake our local government up to the fact that Fracking must be stopped here and in New York State. Find out more about this petition and download hard copies for your church group or other organization here. Numbers count. Don't be sorry after the fact, act now.
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- When you think of how mad/crazy folks are for Fracking in NYS and that the fossil fuel industry gets billions each year in tax subsidies, taking away the tax credit for renewable energy is horrific. Take action on this critical issue: SAVE USA WIND JOBS "Don’t let wind and solar and other renewable energy die so the fossil fuel industry can thrive and warm the planet. SAVE USA WIND JOBS Congress is currently in recess and will reconvene for a “lame duck” session following the November 6th elections. We need to keep reminding our legislators of the urgency of extending the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) as soon as they return to session throughout this recess period. We urge you to write to your legislators today." from Power of Wind
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- Help get the word out about Climate Change, from a local perspective: When you consider that so many people are uninformed about Climate Change because of the media that won’t connect the dots between the recent rise in extreme events Climate Change and some spectacularly popular media which outright dissembles (Read: Fox News Climate Coverage 93% Wrong, Report Finds ) on the science of Climate Change, we need other outlets to inform the public in this planetary crisis. To help understand Climate Change from a local perspective, help out this local film get off the ground and into the public arena. COMFORT ZONE A Film about Climate -- and Change COMFORT ZONE is almost ready for distribution, but we need your help! The film has been almost six years in the making, and now we are weeks away from being able to release it. But we need YOUR help to make it over the line. Comfort Zone makes a global crisis into a personal issue. The film strikes a nerve whether or not you accept that climate change is real, whether or not you believe that human beings are responsible. The filmmakers, once the documenters, became the documented. The film is grappling with powerful questions that we ourselves could not skirt, and that all of us will need to confront. The filming is complete. The editing is complete. People are asking us for the film. But we can't take the final steps without you. And your donation will be tax-deductible, because Comfort Zone is fiscally sponsored by New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT), a 501(c)(3) organization.
ACTION: Due Date: Now.
- Feel like you’re stuck in an energy rut? You crave energy but almost everything out there warms the planet. How about Clean Energy Victory Bonds? There’s no getting around it: If you give the fossil fuel billions in tax subsidies they will take it and not give it back; and when they melt the Arctic with their greenhouse gases, they see opportunity with the pristine Arctic environment and start drilling. So what are you going to do? Why not launch a public effort to fund renewable energy, energy that won’t pollute the planet and warm it up beyond our sustainability level, with the collective might our own monies like we did back in World War Two? Victory Bonds. Help push this bill to put renewable energy out in front: Clean Energy Victory Bonds On August 2, Representative Bob Filner and 10 cosponsors introduced the Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act of 2012, H.R. 6275 in the House of Representatives. The bill, officially entitled “To promote the domestic development and deployment of clean energy technologies required for the 21st century,” will allow all Americans to invest in Treasury Bonds for as little as $25 each that will fund a clean energy future. The $50 billion raised from the bonds will fund clean energy programs that support wind, solar, energy efficiency, and electric vehicles in the United States.
ACTION: Call Governor Cuomo Today.
- Stopping Fracking in New York State may be the most important thing you do today. Tell Governor Cuomo that Fracking is not a good idea for New York; don’t give into despair that this cannot be stopped; and, make sure your children can’t blame you for not trying stopping this disaster that will befall them. "Despite a record-breaking 74,000 public comments, we still need your help to make Governor Cuomo hear that fracking has yet to be proven safe. It will only take you a couple of minutes. Please tell Governor Cuomo not to put New Yorkers' health at risk. Call 1-866-584-6799 and leave a simple message like, "Protect New York's water, land and air by not permitting fracking in New York. Instead, support renewable energy that will bring good, long-term jobs to New Yorkers!" This phone number goes through Food & Water Watch who is keeping track of the number of calls, and is directed to a recording from the Governor's office asking for your name, address and comments. This is part of a state-wide initiative to get a record number of calls in to Governor Cuomo this August. PLEASE MAKE THAT CALL THIS WEEK!!! "
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- Tired of meteorologists failing to connect the dots between Climate Change and our daily weather? Do something about it. Take action: Forecast the Facts WE NEED OUR TV METEOROLOGISTS TO REPORT THE FACTS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. According to a recent national survey, more than half of TV weather reporters don’t believe in human-induced climate change. Meanwhile, their viewers are facing unprecedented climate-change induced heat waves, droughts, and flooding.
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- Tell the NRC: Expand emergency evacuation zones Today, NIRS and 37 other organizations submitted a formal Petition for Rulemaking to the NRC to expand emergency evacuation zones around U.S. nuclear reactors and make other improvements in emergency preparedness. We're calling this the Nuclear 911 campaign. You can join us as a co-petitioner below! The widespread radioactive contamination caused by the Fukushima nuclear disaster (and Chernobyl before it) makes clear that the current 10 mile Emergency Planning Zones in the U.S. are woefully inadequate to protect the American people. "Nuclear Information and Resource Service - NIRS
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- What to do something concrete about solving Climate Change? Go here: "Are you passionate about changing the conversation about the climate crisis? Are you interested in leading the climate movement? What if I said you have the chance to be personally trained by Al Gore to educate others about climate change? This summer, you could have that chance. I'd like to invite you to apply to be one of our esteemed Climate Reality Presenters -- impassioned volunteer leaders who bring the reality of climate change to people around the world. We call our grassroots network of Presenters the heart of our Climate Leadership Corps. Learn more: "Climate Reality "To reveal the complete truth about the climate crisis in a way that ignites the moral courage in each of us. "Climate Reality | Climate Reality Training Application

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Award – Environmental Site of the Month Award – [On the last Sunday of each month, we present an environmental award for the Rochester-area environmental web site or blog that best promotes the need to protect and offers solutions for our area's environmental issues.]