Website Name

Blandit sit amet veroeros

RochesterEnvironment.com

November 2010 NewsLinks Archived 

RochesterEnvironment.com

These archived Newslinks fo represent just one month in over a decade of posting Rochester-area NewsLinks for our area.

GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL STORY ABOUT THE ROCHESTER, NY AREA FROM A CREDIBLE SOURCE? SEND IT TO ME!   

Don't have the time to check this site every day for Rochester environmental news --Get RochesterEnvironment.com Newsletter one a week in your e-mail. & get all the news, events, actions for the week. RENewsletter - a WEEKLY newsletter about Rochester, New York's environment.  Get the most important news of the day and monitor your environment. This newsletter provides you with the news you need, not simply the news you want--like most other media services. 

 

• Cornell Chronicle: On-farm method controls invasive beetle After 21 years of work, Cornell researchers are spreading the word about an on-farm biocontrol method to solve the problems caused by the destructive invasive species alfalfa snout beetle (ASB). The 30-page "Rearing and Applying Nematodes to Control Alfalfa Snout Beetle" manual that condenses the Cornell research on the pest is available online free of charge. (November 29, 2010) Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future - News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Consumers source of modern-day Lake Ontario contamination Industry has greatly reduced the amount of pollution it puts into the Great Lakes, including Lake Ontario. But there are everyday things consumers can do to reduce water pollution even more. “How consumers dispose of their products is very important,” says Paul Helm, who monitors the Great Lakes as a senior research scientist with Ontario’s environment ministry. (November 30, 2010) The Bulletin is Downtown Toronto's Best Read Community Newspaper  [more on Great Lakes in our area]
• New York adopts fracking moratorium ALBANY – State legislature in neighboring New York approves temporary moratorium, sends it to governor The New York State Assembly Monday night approved a resolution calling for a moratorium on hydrofracking in New York.  The Senate had already approved the measure. The bill, if signed into law by the governor, would place a hold on hydrofracking for natural gas or oil until May 15, 2011. (November 30, 2010) New York State News on the Net!  [more on Energy in our area]
• DEC asks people to report discovery of black bear dens | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle With black bears expanding their range from the Southern Tier on a slow but steady pace north, wildlife biologists can't say with certainty the large mammals will never occupy counties rimming Lake Ontario. (November 29, 2010) democratandchronicle.com | Rochester RocEarth | Democrat and Chronicle  [more on Wildlife in our area]
• 11/29/2010: EPA Finalizes 2011 Renewable Fuel Standards WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the 2011 percentage standards for the four categories of fuel under the agency’s renewable fuel standard program, known as RFS2. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) amended the Clean Air Act to greatly increase the total required volume of renewable fuels each year, reaching a level of 36 billion gallons in 2022. To achieve these volumes, EPA calculates percentage-based standards for the following year. Based on the standards, each producer and importer of gasoline and diesel determines the minimum volume of renewable fuel that it must ensure is used in its transportation fuel. The final 2011 overall volume and standards are: Cellulosic biofuel - 6.6 million gallons; 0.003 percent Biomass-based diesel - 800 million gallons; 0.69 percent Advanced biofuel - 1.35 billion gallons; 0.78 percent Renewable fuel - 13.95 billion gallons; 8.01 percent (November 29, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases  [more on Energy in our area]
• Assembly OKs short halt to natural-gas drilling | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle ALBANY — The Assembly approved a temporary moratorium on natural-gas drilling Monday night, with the goal of placing a hold on a controversial extraction process until May. The bill passed, 93-43, according to the unofficial tally. The bill now goes before outgoing Gov. David Paterson for his consideration before it can become law.  (November 30, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
• Climate change will cost a billion people their homes, says report | Environment | The Observer British scientists will warn Cancún summit that entire nations could be flooded | Devastating changes to sea levels, rainfall, water supplies, weather systems and crop yields are increasingly likely before the end of the century, scientists will warn tomorrow. A special report, to be released at the start of climate negotiations in Cancún, Mexico, will reveal that up to a billion people face losing their homes in the next 90 years because of failures to agree curbs on carbon emissions. Up to three billion people could lose access to clean water supplies because global temperatures cannot now be stopped from rising by 4C.  (November 28, 2010) Latest news, comment and reviews from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk [more on Climate Change in our area]
• Seneca County to vote on recycling plan WATERLOO ��” Seneca County residents stand to get an education in all aspects of waste recycling in 2011. The Public Works Committee of the Seneca County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 Tuesday to contract with Cornell Cooperative Extension for a recycling education plan. The full board will vote on the contract at its Dec. 14 meeting. If approved then, Cooperative Extension would be paid about $42,000 to operate the program. The county share is projected to be $11,950, with Cooperative Extension Executive Director Averell Bauder saying grants and in-kind would cover the rest. (November 28, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Recycling in our area]
• Three county parks to undergo upgrades | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle A playground in Highland Park, an off-leash dog park in Ellison Park and a nature play area for children in Abraham Lincoln Park are on the way. As it heads into a new year, the Monroe County Parks Department is in the midst of various projects that will improve the park-going experience. A playground near the Highland Park reservoir could open this spring, financed with a $10,000 grant from the Greater Rochester Health  (November 28, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Parks in our area]
• Rochester seeks to save 4,700 trees from ash borer | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle City officials want to treat and save, at least for now, up to 4,700 ash trees but will cut down an additional 400 in advance of the deadly emerald ash borer. Mayor Robert Duffy asked City Council this week to authorize $460,500 from the city's insurance (November 29, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• $25M study of invasive species suggested | greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette CHICAGO — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' plan to study how to prevent invasive species — including the voracious Asian carp — from migrating between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds, is a "massive and complex" effort that could take years.  The primary focus of the estimated $25 million study will be on Chicago-area waterways, where canals provide the only direct connection between the two basins. But the Corps also will look at other areas where flooding could allow invasive species to slip from one watershed to the other. (November 26, 2010) greenbaypressgazette.com | Green Bay Press Gazette | Green Bay news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Green Bay, WI [more on Invasive species in our area]
• Indian Pt. 2 restarts after fire, has new transformer | LoHud.com | The Journal News BUCHANAN — Indian Point 2 went back online early Wednesday morning, after being shut down for 17 days due to a transformer fire. Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials said the re-start went off without a problem and inspectors had reviewed installation of the new transformer and testing of the plant's electrical system.  (November 25, 2010) LoHud.com | The Journal News | Westchester, Rockland, Putnam news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, New York  [more on Energy in our area]
• NASA study finds Earth's lakes are warming – This Just In - CNN.com Blogs The temperatures of Earth's largest lakes have risen in the past 25 years as a result of climate change, according to a new NASA study. NASA used satellite data to measure the surface temperatures of 167 lakes worldwide and found an average warming rate of .81 degrees Fahrenheit per decade and in some lakes, as much as 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit per decade, NASA said Tuesday. The greatest increases were in the mid- to high- latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, in a pattern consistent with changes associated with global warming, said Simon Hook, a scientist with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California (November 23, 2010) CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News [more on Climate Change in our area]
• Michigan may harness offshore wind if lame duck lawmakers act | Great Lakes Echo Michigan may be one important step closer to offshore wind energy by the end of the year. In early November, state Rep. Dan Scripps, D-Leland introduced a bill to regulate wind farms in Michigan’s Great Lakes waters. The legislation proposes that the state fully oversee offshore wind projects—from initial proposals from developers, through approval and construction. Proponents say it ensures that Michigan controls who, where and how offshore wind projects are developed.  (November 23, 2010) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Great Lakes in our area]
• Asian carp create nagging fear in Lake Erie towns - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Wheatley, Ontario — Well before dawn, Todd Loop takes his fishing tug onto Lake Erie in pursuit of yellow perch, walleye and other delicacies — a livelihood that has sustained his family for three generations but faces a future as murky as the freshwater sea on a moonless night. Already ravaged by exotic species such as the sea lamprey and quagga mussel, the Great Lakes soon may be invaded by Asian carp, greedy giants that suck plankton from the water with the brutal efficiency of vacuum cleaners. Scientists are unsure how much damage they would do, but a worst-case scenario has them unraveling the aquatic food web by crowding out competitors and decimating a fishing industry valued at more than $7 billion. (November 27, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Pennsylvania investigates spill at natural gas well site | theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal HARRISBURG, Pa. -- State officials are investigating a leak of drilling wastewater at a natural gas well site in northcentral Pennsylvania that they say polluted a stream and a spring. The Department of Environmental Protection (November 23, 2010) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY [more on Energy in our area]
• Nuclear power in Ontario: a controversial history Ontario's long-term energy plan, released Tuesday, calls for a re-investment by the government and the private sector to build two new nuclear reactors at Darlington and refurbish 10 older units. It confirms Ontario's intentions to keep getting half of the province's electricity from nuclear and to phase out coal-fired generation by 2014 at the latest, with two coal burning units at Nanticoke set to close next year. In 2009, nuclear power generated 55.2% of Ontario’s power. But the history of nuclear power in this province has not been without ballooning costs and political interference. (November 23, 2010) Global Toronto [more on Energy in our area]
• Solar System Saves ABVI Goodwill - RochesterHomePage.net The sun is helping a Rochester non-profit save. ABVI Goodwill has installed a solar panel system on its call center. Having more than 70 computers and dozens of lights can overload overhead costs. "Fact is, energy costs continue to rise and we want to keep our costs under control," said Lynn Sullivan, CFO.  (November 25, 2010) RochesterHomePage  [more on Solar Power in our area]
• ENVIRONMENT: Building a better sidewalk surface - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper Think about a typical parking lot during or immediately after a rain storm: there's a steady layer of water flowing off of that surface, or water puddles up in some of the depressions. Those traditional surfaces dump gallons of rain - stormwater runoff, technically - into storm drains connected to sewer lines, which then connect with a treatment plant. (November 24, 2010)  [more on Water Quality in our area]
• Shale drilling and the flaming faucet - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper Director Josh Fox will be in Rochester on November 30 for a screening of his film, "Gasland." The event, part of 360/365's new director series, starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Little Theatre, 240 East Avenue. Tickets are $12, $8 for seniors and students. To buy tickets online: film360365.com/festival/tickets-and-passes. As entertainment, the film "Gasland" unquestionably succeeds: combustible tap water really gets your attention.  (November 24, 2010) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Environmental Education in our area]
• Federal probe: Workers felt pressed to ignore safety issues at Knolls nuclear site - Times Union NISKAYUNA -- A federal investigation into radiation released during demolition of a research building at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory found workers felt pressed by bosses to ignore safety issues and get work done faster. A draft report, filed by investigators for the Department of Energy and obtained by the Times Union, also concluded that Washington Group International, a private company performing work under a $69 million contract, made missteps that led to an "uncontrolled spread of radioactive contamination" during the Sept. 29 demolition of a tainted Cold War-era research building at the research complex. (November 24, 2010)  Home - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
• Decision soon on radioactive shipping cargo | thetimesherald.com | The Times Herald The debate about a Canadian power company's plan to ship 16 radioactive steam generators to Sweden via the Great Lakes could be coming to an end. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is expected to decide by mid-December whether Bruce Power will be allowed to move the generators. Some people monitoring the issue said a decision could by made by the end of the month.  (November 23, 2010) thetimesherald.com | The Times Herald | Port Huron, Mich. news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Port Huron, Mich., Michigan {more on Great Lakes in our area]
• Water Authority toils under Lake Ontario | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Here, somewhere below the intersection of Lake and Basket roads, is ground zero of the Monroe County Water Authority's newest water treatment plant, whose $150 million price tag makes it the most expensive public works project in the region. When complete in 2013, the facility will be capable of supplying 50 million gallons of water a day to ratepayers, and better position the authority to continue adding customers, mostly in rural areas that have historically relied on well water or smaller water systems whose infrastructure is aging. (November 24, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Water Quality in our area]
• Green groups take final shot to block Great Lakes nuclear shipment Environmental groups have one last chance to convince Canada’s nuclear-energy watchdog to reject a plan to haul 16 decommissioned radioactive steam generators across the Great Lakes on their way to Sweden for recycling. About 80 organizations from across Canada, the United States and Sweden are submitting their final pleas Monday to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, insisting its panel should reject a plan by Bruce Power to ship about 1,600 tonnes of radioactive waste through Canada’s Great Lakes. (November 22, 2010) National Post | Canadian News, Financial News and Opinion  [more on Great Lakes in our area]  
• Buffalo Sewer Authority receives $2 million to improve water quality BUFFALO – Mayor Byron Brown announced that the Buffalo Sewer Authority has been chosen to receive New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) funding in the amount of $2,125,000. “This grant will be used to improve the quality of life for residents in the City of Buffalo and in surrounding regions,” said Mayor Brown. “I am proud that the Buffalo Sewer Authority has been awarded this funding from the New York State DEC and it will be utilized as part of our city’s continuing practice of environmental responsibility.” (November 23, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Water Quality in our area]
• Rochester to increase bikeability | Campus Times Walking and cycling to UR may soon be made easier, in line with the vision to make Rochester more bikeable. A forum was held on Nov. 15 at the UR Medical Center to impart this vision to the public. “We need to do some work to make the place more bicycle-friendly,” URMC CEO Bradford Berk said. “Changing avenues for getting here will be important.” The Rochester Cycling Alliance (RCA) is working with the UR Center for Community Health to understand the obstacles of cycling to and from the campus, as well as to come up with potential improvements. (November 19, 2010) Campus Times [more on Transportation in our area]
• Grant will help clean up water at Durand-Eastman beach | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle With the recent award of a state environmental grant, Monroe County and Rochester officials are poised to begin a project that should improve water quality at Durand-Eastman beach. The two-part project, which has a total cost of more than $2 million, is designed to remove bacteria and other contaminants from water that drains across the popular beach and into Lake Ontario. The beach at Durand-Eastman, like Ontario Beach to the west of it, is frequently closed to swimming because of water-quality and clarity concerns. Investigation found one problem is several small, intermittent streams that drain across the beach can carry bacteria and other undesirable material into the water. (November 23, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Water Quality in our area]
• Environmental group calls for national moratorium on natural gas drilling YOUNGSVILLE – The Catskill Mountainkeeper organization is calling on President Obama’s administration not to approve any more natural gas drilling permits until the EPA’s study of the impacts of hydrofracking has been completed. Mountainkeeper said that while the United States, especially the Marcellus Shale, have reserves of natural gas and there is interest in developing them, they are “enormously concerned about the idea of fast tracking natural gas exploration and the risks such actions will bring.” (November 19, 2010) New York State News on the Net!  [more on Energy in our area]
• New Yorkers Learn the Troubles Posed by Sea Level Rise Flow Far Beyond Manhattan - NYTimes.com NEW YORK -- New York state is beginning to take the threat of sea level rise attributed to climate change seriously as a new government prepares to settle in next year. Starting Monday, state officials in Albany will gather with members of the public to discuss a recently released 93-page report that recommends major changes to development planning and conservation along coastlines from the tip of Long Island all way up the Hudson River Valley. (November 19, 2010) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Climate Change in our area]
• Sustainability group uses Grand Rapids as model for climate change preparation | MLive.com GRAND RAPIDS -- An international sustainability nonprofit is using Grand Rapids as a yearlong case study by giving city leaders a new data planning process to help them prepare for changing climate. Local Governments for Sustainability USA rolled out their new online "flagship tool" here and in Miami, Fla., this week. The program helps guide community decisions on capital improvement and infrastructure planning in an era of changing weather patterns  (November 19, 2010) Michigan Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - MLive.com [more on Climate Change in our area]
• Plan to expand Perinton landfill put on hold | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle A state Supreme Court Judge has halted plans to raise the vertical height of the High Acres Landfill in Perinton to 286 feet above ground. Judge John Ark found that the Department of Environmental Conservation's approval to expand the landfill was not supported by substantial evidence. Waste Management of New York sought to expand the landfill an additional 144.3 acres.  (November 22, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Recycling in our area]
• Slaughter Congratulates RIT for New Partnership with Federal DOT to Improve the Environment Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-28) congratulated the Rochester Institute of Technology and U.S. Department of Transportation  Congresswoman Louise Slaughter (NY-28) congratulated the Rochester Institute of Technology and U.S. Department of Transportation for their newly created partnership to study ways to reduce the impact of freight transportation on the environment. Yesterday, RIT announced the joint research initiative with the Department of Transportation Maritime Administration and RIT’s Lab for Environmental Computing and Decision Making. According to RIT, the initiative will examine intermodal freight options studying transport by rail, ship and truck with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and American dependence of fossil fuels. (November 18, 2010) PoliticalNews.me [more on Transportation in our area]
• Join the Action: 2010 Environmental Congress - GrowWNY This past weekend, the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo (CFGB) hosted the 2010 WNY Environmental Congress at City Honors School in Buffalo. Although this was the fourth Environmental Congress for WNY, this was the first Congress since April of 2009. Click here to learn more about past Environmental Congresses. The 2010 Congress was attended by over 200 people from throughout Western New York. Urban Design Project from the University at Buffalo facilitated the program and the schedule included presentations by the Standing Committee for the Western New York Environmental Alliance (WNYEA) and by Cara Matteliano from the Community Foundation.  There were small group discussions to revisit our regional Shared Agenda on the environment, and a keynote address on "Building a Movement" by author and climate change activist, Bill McKibben. (November 16, 2010) GrowWNY  [more on Environmental Education in our area]
• Genesee County EDC Launches “Green Genesee County” Website New resource to help the Genesee County community be more energy efficient Batavia, N.Y., NOVEMBER 17, 2010 – Christopher Suozzi of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) announced the launch of www.GreenGeneseeCounty.org , a resource to help Genesee County residents and businesses conserve energy use and lower utility bills. The website provides connections to rebates and incentives, educational resources, tips to manage energy consumption, finding local contractors, and helpful interactive tools. Green Genesee County also highlights county projects and provides coverage of county news and events related to energy conservation. “Genesee County has been active in its efforts to improve its environmental performance and energy efficiency. Green Genesee County supports this approach by giving our community easy access to a website, e-newsletter, and Ask the Expert resources to help our residents, businesses, and not-for-profit organizations save money on their utility bills.” said Suozzi.   www.GreenGeneseeCounty.org  was developed through a partnership with Blue Springs Energy; a company that assists organizations, local governments and individuals to access clean and renewable energy grants, incentives and credits and find local green services and products. (November 17, 2010)  [more on Environmental Education in our area]
• Keeping an eye on the shrinking Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the almost-forgotten Water Compact | cleveland.com Maybe this is a no-brainer, but we think it's a fundamental point to remember as the political waters of the Great Lakes are bubbling up again: Almost nothing is guaranteed -- and everything bears watching. Which brings us to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative -- the thing no longer guaranteed -- and the almost-forgotten Great Lakes Water Compact, which should still be closely monitored. (November 19, 2010) Cleveland OH Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - cleveland.com [more on Great Lakes in our area]
• Businesses Small and Large Recognized in 2010 Environmental Excellence Awards - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Winners Range from a Family-Owned Business in the Finger Lakes to the World of High Finance A small family-owned business that customizes countertops, a manufacturer that makes a better gasket, a lighting company manufacturer that relies solely on renewable energy and a major financial institution's high-performance green building are among the winners of the 2010 Environmental Excellence Awards announced today by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).  (November 19, 2010) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Green Business in our area]
• Two firms receive environmental awards | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information Two local businesses were among the winners of the 2010 Environmental Awards announced Friday by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Garlock Sealing technologies LLC in Palmyra, Wayne County, and Monroe Industries Inc. of Avon, Livingston County, received the awards handed out this week in Cooperstown as part of the state Association of Reduction, Reuse and Recycling's annual conference. (November 19, 2010) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Green Business in our area]
• Waterloo board grilled on mine plan WATERLOO — For months, members of Concerned Citizens of Seneca County have been asking landfill and clay mine questions of the Town Board and getting no response. Tuesday, they finally got some answers. Seven people asked questions about the mine proposed by Seneca Meadows Landfill north of North Road. Each had a single question to ask and planned to stay at the microphone until one or more board members answered. (November 19, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more Recycling in our area]
• Ousted DEC commissioner says staff cuts to impact services | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Next Page 1 | 2 Previous Page ALBANY — Former state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Alexander "Pete" Grannis this week criticized the process the governor's office used for cutting staff as a "shell game" with little thought given to the impact of the cuts. His successor at the agency, meanwhile, said the layoffs would impact services across the state, but were needed as the state makes needed spending cuts.  (November 20, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Environmental Health in our area]
• Cuts hurt New York environment department, officials say | syracuse.com ALBANY, N.Y. — Budget and staffing cuts were hurting the ability of the Department of Environmental Conservation to do its job well, fired Commissioner Pete Grannis and his successor told an Assembly hearing Thursday. Gov. David Paterson fire Grannis last month after his memo warning of the dire consequences of cutbacks was leaked to the media. Acting Commissioner Peter Iwanowicz said at Thursday’s hearing that he agreed with the assertions made in Grannis’ memo, but that budget cuts reflect the state’s economic condition.  (November 18, 2010) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Environmental Health in our area]
• Grannis: DEC job cuts 'out of whack' | poughkeepsiejournal.com | Poughkeepsie Journal ALBANY — Former Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Alexander "Pete" Grannis on Thursday criticized the process the governor's office used to cut staff as a "shell game" with little thought given to the impact of the cuts. His successor at the DEC said the layoffs would affect services statewide, but were necessary as the state makes needed spending cuts. "Decisions were made by people who had never worked in the agency," Grannis told the Assembly Environmental Conservation Committee at a public hearing in Albany. "They were decisions made from on high by people who had very little curiosity about what they would eventually mean." Grannis, a former Democratic assemblyman from Manhattan and the DEC chief for the past three years, was fired in October after an internal unsigned memo critical of the proposed layoffs at the state agency was leaked. Grannis denies he was the source of the leaked memo. (November 19, 2010) poughkeepsiejournal.com | Poughkeepsie Journal | Poughkeepsie news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Poughkeepsie, NY [more on Environmental Health in our area]
• $61.5 million in aid to improve water quality ALBANY - Governor David Paterson announced $61.5 million in aid to local communities across New York to improve water quality, reduce pollution and restore vital habitat. The funds have been awarded to municipalities and Soil and Water Conservation districts to address major sources of water pollution and habitat degradation in dozens of urban, suburban and rural communities. "These grants will help communities throughout the State fulfill a basic responsibility: protecting water quality," Governor Paterson said. "The local governments and conservation districts selected in this grant program all demonstrated a clear need for these funds and proposed innovative approaches for addressing often long-standing problems. These awards are another step my administration has taken to protect New York's clean water supply, from forming the Clean Water Collaborative to securing a record Federal grant for water infrastructure improvements." (November 17, 2010) New York State News on the Net!  [more on Water Quality in our area]
• Pittsburgh Bans Natural Gas Drilling - ProPublica Citing health and environmental concerns, the Pittsburgh, Pa., city council voted unanimously Tuesday to ban natural gas drilling within the city limits. It is the first such ban in a Pennsylvania city. (November 16, 2010) ProPublica [more on Energy in our area]
• Film paints frightening picture of Great Lakes in jeopardy | detnews.com | The Detroit News Recently, the U.S.-Canadian governmental body overseeing the Great Lakes said it is concerned enough about dropping lake levels that it is looking at engineering options to offset the loss. But all of the plans under review have significant drawbacks. Any steps taken to bolster one lake system's levels — like Michigan and Huron's — would likely mean a drop in others, like St. Clair and Erie's. (November 17, 2010) The Detroit News | detnews.com | Thursday, November 18, 2010 | News, sports, features, blogs, photos and forums from Detroit and Michigan [more on Great Lakes in our area]
• Environmental educator training opportunities WATKINS GLEN – Additional sessions for Project Learning Tree workshops for environmental educators in Central New York have been announced. Project Learning Tree, or PLT - as many refer to the program, is an international curriculum developed by the American Forest Foundation. PLT’s mission is to use “the forest as a window on the world to increase students’ understanding of our complex environment; and instill in them a commitment to take responsible action on behalf of the environment.” (November 18, 2010) New York State News on the Net! [more on Environmental Education in our area]
• WXXI: State Funding to Bring Green Roof to Rochester (2010-11-17) ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - Late last week, Governor David Paterson announced more than $60 million for water quality improvements around the state. Slightly over $2 million is coming to the City of Rochester for green infrastructure improvements. Some of that money is going towards building a brand new green roof. It would be the first green roof on a city building in Rochester.  (November 17, 2010) WXXI NewsRoom  [more on Energy in our area]
• ENVIRONMENT: Superfund proposal raises questions - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper Governor David Paterson's recently announced proposal to end the state's involvement in federal Superfund cleanups has members of the environmental community scratching their heads. The exact proposal is unclear. But Erik Kriss, a spokesperson with the state Division of Budget, says New York's not pulling out of the program entirely. He cited only one change: Department of Environmental Conservation staff would no longer perform monitoring activities at federal Superfund sites.  (November 17, 2010) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper  [more on Brownfields in our area]
• Cornell Chronicle: Climate change will affect maple syrup As the climate warms this century, maple syrup production in the Northeast is expected to slightly decline by 2100, and the window for tapping trees will move earlier by about a month, reports a Cornell study. Currently, the best times to tap maple trees are within an eight-week window from late winter to early spring when temperatures cause freezing at night and thawing by day.  (November 19, 2010) Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future - News [more on Climate Change in our area]
• Governor Paterson Delivers Remarks at 2010 High Speed Rail Conference Governor David A. Paterson today delivered remarks to the 2010 High Speed Rail Conference in New York City. This is the first time that the High Speed Rail Conference has been held in New York State. The Governor used the opportunity to highlight some of the many investments made to New York’s high speed rail infrastructure in recent years.   “Fast, reliable and environmentally sound travel is an essential investment in our State’s economic future and I am pleased to say we are on the right track,” Governor Paterson said. “High speed rail is coming to New York, because we along with our Federal partners recognize that retrenchment of our transportation infrastructure goals is not an option. I thank the Federal government and our private partners for working with us to help bring high speed rail to the Empire State and I commend the United States High Speed Rail Association for selecting New York to host their 2010 conference.” (November 15, 2010) http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/index.html [more on Transportation in our area]
• Talkin' broccoli Cornell-led team looks to improve Eastern crop | GENEVA –– Cornell University’s Agricultural Experiment Station has had many research successes in the fruit and vegetable industry. Growing broccoli in the Eastern United States is its latest challenge. Believe it or not, the reason broccoli doesn’t grow well in the East is that it’s too warm at night during the summer.  (November 16, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Food and our Environment in our area]
• Suspected local attack raises specter of growing coyote threat | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and ChronicleCoyotes may be becoming far too comfortable living in close proximity to humans across New York state, experts say. Farmers and sportsmen have long known the impact coyotes can have on livestock and wildlife in rural areas. But residents in suburbia are having more encounters with predators and other wild animals, such as the multiple black bear sightings across Monroe County this summer. (November 17, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Wildlife in our area]
• State grants to make Rochester greener | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle The city of Rochester will use just over $2 million in state grants for eco-friendly projects such as installing a "green roof" on a city-owned building. Gov. David Paterson announced $61.5 million in grants on Friday to fund more than 40 projects across the state geared toward improving water quality and reducing pollution. (November 14, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Green Living in our area]
• Indian Point operators trained as fire brigade BUCHANAN — The Sunday evening blast set off a blur of activity at the Indian Point nuclear power plants. At 6:39 p.m. the transformer explosion outside Indian Point 2 sent an automatic signal that immediately isolated the damaged unit electronically, shut down the reactor and triggered a sprinkler "deluge" system that doused the transformer. The shift manager told a staffer to call 911, but quickly initiated the plant's own internal emergency response plan. (November 14, 2010) LoHudson.com [more on Energy in our area]
• RG&E, NYSEG looking for energy conservation projects to fund Sister utility companies New York State Electric and Gas and Rochester Gas & Electric are looking for large-scale energy-saving proposals to fund. The proposals must be from nonresidential customers or third-party aggregators working with those customers and be expected to save at least 100,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity by October 2012. Proposals that save the most energy at the least cost will receive funding under the utility companies' block bidding program. (November 14, 2010) The Ithaca Journal [more on Energy in our area]
• EPA rejects ban on lead sinkers, ammo; most Great Lakes states educate not regulate A call for a ban on lead fishing tackle and ammunition was recently rejected by the Environmental Protection Agency, which said there was no proof that it would protect the environment. Environmental groups petitioned the EPA in August to prohibit “the manufacture, processing, and distribution” of lead in bullets and fishing gear.  Inresponse to the American Bird Conservancy, EPA Assistant Administrator, Stephen Owens, cited steps already  undertaken to curb lead use: limits on federal land, state regulation, education efforts and the increasing availability of non-lead alternatives. (November 11, 2010) Great Lakes Echo [more on Great Lakes in our area]
• NYPA CEO Cites Benefits Of New Clean Energy And Transmission Improvements For Electric Power System And Jobs:  Remarks By Richard Kessel At Advanced Energy 2010 Conference In NYC NEW YORK—At an energy conference in New York City on Monday, New York Power Authority (NYPA) President Richard M. Kessel cited the importance of clean energy development and transmission upgrades for ensuring a reliable electric power system and creating new construction and manufacturing jobs in New York State. “We ought to dedicate ourselves to making 2011 the year of the ‘green’ job,” Kessel stated, in citing the significant economic development benefits of renewable energy technologies for growing jobs and contributing to the state’s manufacturing base. (November 9, 2010) New York Power Authority  [more on Green Business in our area]  
• Fast treatment urged with rabies | Rabies, as it turns out, is not really treatable. Preventable after a bite, yes. Curable once symptoms develop, no. “There have been a few cases worldwide in the history of the century that sort of survived ��” but not very well,” said Dr. Jane McCaffrey, a pediatrician with Finger Lakes Medical Associates.  (November14, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front  [more on Rabies in our area]
• Seneca Meadows refutes forum claims Landfill officials reject alleged link between diseases and their facilities | Those are some of the words Seneca Meadows Landfill officials used Friday to describe comments made last week at a public forum in Geneva on landfills, toxins and public health. Dr. David Carpenter of SUNY Albany Institute of Health and Environment, Donald Hassig of Cancer Action NY and Barbara Warren of the Citizens Environmental Coalition in Albany spoke at a press conference and then at a panel discussion Monday at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.  (November14, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front  [more on Recycling in our area]
• Interview: Former NY Environmental Commissioner Pete Grannis on Gas Drilling - ProPublica Former state assemblyman Alexander B. "Pete" Grannis, 68, served as the state's top environmental official for two and a half years beginning April 1, 2007. A graduate of Rutgers University, he received a law degree from the University of Virginia Law School and helped organize New York City's first Earth Day in 1970. During his tenure as commissioner, the Department of Environmental Conservation was criticized for underestimating the risks of hydraulic fracturing -- a controversial gas drilling technique that is temporarily banned in the state -- but also praised for creating the nation's first fracturing chemical disclosure rules. He was fired on Oct. 21 by Gov. David Paterson after a memo Grannis wrote criticizing the governor's proposed budget cuts for the DEC was leaked to the press.  (November 12, 2010)  ProPublica  [more on Environmental Health in our area]
• City culling invasive maples from Cobbs Hill | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle City crews and volunteers have been cutting down and uprooting trees in Washington Grove, the highly prized old forest on the slope of Cobbs Hill. They're trying to save the forest by removing the trees — specifically, the Norway maples that have appeared amid the ancient oaks and hickories.  (November 15, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Climate Change in our area]   [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Schumer asks probe of reusable bags | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is seeking a federal investigation after reusable grocery bags here and in Florida were found to have high levels of lead that could cause problems when the bags start to break down. Schumer on Sunday contacted the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Consumer Product Safety Commission to initiate the investigation. (November 15, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Lead Poisoning in our area]
• DEC voices concerns over Broome County natural gas lease review | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin BINGHAMTON -- A proposed plan for a state-mandated review of a Broome County natural gas lease drew concern from a Department of Environmental Conservation official in September, according to internal correspondence. Betty Ann Hughes, then the DEC's chief of State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) and training, said in a pair of messages that without the county completing some analysis of "the potential impacts of typical development activities" on land offered for lease, she would be "concerned that the lease action and supporting SEQR record could be vulnerable to challenge." (November 11, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
• Thruway's wetlands project completed in NYS park near Buffalo - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports- EVANS, N.Y. (AP) - The Thruway Authority says work has been completed on an innovative wetlands project near a state park outside Buffalo. The project involved the creation of 3 new acres of wetlands in Evangola State Park on the Lake Erie shoreline in southern Erie County. Thruway Authority officials say the new acres of wetlands compensate for a road reconstruction this year on nearby Interstate 90 that impacted about two acres of marshland.  (November 11, 2010) WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports- - Home WCAX.com [more on Wetlands in our area]
• Governor Paterson Anticipates Continued Growth for Clean Energy Industry in New York State Governor David A. Paterson today announced, following the conclusion of "Advanced Energy 2010," a statewide conference produced by the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC) at Stony Brook University, that New York's unique qualities will ensure that the State's clean energy economy continues its significant growth. This builds on the Governor's recently released New York State Climate Action Plan, which will help guide the State on its ambitious economic and environmental goals.   "The vast array of companies and cutting-edge research showcased at the Advanced Energy Conference clearly demonstrated that New York has the ingredients to help clean energy companies develop and thrive," Governor Paterson said. "The combination of talent, technological innovation and supportive policies in New York has created a vibrant clean energy industry that is leading the nation in meeting the energy challenges of our future." (November 11, 2010) http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/index.html [more on Energy in our area]
• Gorham fox tests positive for rabies GORHAM — Testing has confirmed a fox that attacked several people in this Ontario County hamlet several days ago was rabid. Mary Beer, director of the county’s Public Health Department, said a test for rabies on the gray fox came back positive Wednesday. The fox was killed by county deputies after attacking two people Monday afternoon. (November 11, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Rabies in this area]
• Transportation projects endangered after election - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Ohio and Wisconsin — High-speed trains flew off the tracks in at least two states and prospects grew cloudier for mass transit, bike trails and transportation in general as a result of the recent elections. Ohio and Wisconsin -- which in January won a combined $1.2 billion in high-speed rail grants from the Obama administration -- both elected governors who have vowed to stop the projects. (November 12, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Transportation in our area]
• Officials seeking input on N.Y. climate plan | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle ALBANY — Gov. David Paterson released an interim New York State Climate Action Plan this week and is seeking public comment on it until Feb. 7. Pending further research and public response, a final report will be released sometime next year. Paterson is leaving office at year's end, to be succeeded by Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo.  (November 12, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Climate Change in our area]
• DEC Reports: "White Nose Syndrome" Spreads, Now Likely in all N.Y. Caves Known to House Bats - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Cavers Asked to Continue to Avoid Known Bat Hibernation Sites "White Nose Syndrome," a condition linked to a large-scale bat die-off, has now been documented in 32 caves and mines in New York, according to a recently completed survey by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Populations of some bat species that traditionally hibernate in New York have declined more than 90 percent, continuing a trend DEC found in its 2009 survey. DEC has been at the forefront of the bat investigation along with federal officials, wildlife agencies and researchers from around the nation, since the disease was first discovered in some New York caves in winter 2006-07. This latest survey, conducted in early 2010 when bats were in hibernation, determined that the fungal disease has continued to spread. (November 9, 2010) DEC Reports: "White Nose Syndrome" Spreads, Now Likely in all N.Y. Caves Known to House Bats - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Wildlife in our area]
• Officials find signs of Asian carp above the electric barrier | freep.com | Detroit Free Press The Army Corps of Engineers has found new signs of Asian carp beyond the electric barrier in Illinois that was built to hold the big fish back. On its website, the Corps noted that it found signs of bighead and silver carp, the two types of Asian carp previously found near and just inside Lake Michigan, at several spots beyond the barriers in testing Oct. 13. Officials did not immediately return calls to discuss those results. (November 9, 2010) freep.com | Detroit Free Press | Detroit news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Detroit, MI [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Panelists air landfill concerns Cancer Action NY president, professor blast state health department | GENEVA — They are called POPs, or Persistent Organic Pollutants. They cause cancer and can be found in meat, fish, chicken, drinking water — and in and around landfills. At a Monday press conference at the Geneva Public Library, the link between toxic chemicals that many people are routinely exposed to and cancer was explored. Cancer Action NY President Daniel Hassig of Colton, St. Lawrence County, and Dr. David Carpenter, director of the SUNY Albany Institute for Health and the Environment, both blasted the state Department of Health for not making reducing exposure to cancer-causing pollution a goal in the state’s 2011 Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan. “We want the Health Department to use existing science, not even new science, to prevent cancer,” Hassig said. (November 10, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Environmental Health in our area]
• Panelists air landfill concerns Speaking at HWS, they say health risks to those living nearby are clear | GENEVA — Living near sanitary landfills may increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and asthma. That was the conclusion of three panelists Monday night at Albright Auditorium on the Hobart and William Smith Colleges campus. (November 10, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Environmental Health in our area]
• Tioga County to monitor Susquehanna waters for natural gas production pollution | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin Concern that natural gas production could eventually pollute the Susquehanna River has led officials to begin monitoring tributaries along the waterway. The Susquehanna River Basic Commission will install two real-time water quality stations in Tioga County, with data available online. Stations will be located along the Apalachin Creek watershed in Owego and the Upper Catatonk Creek watershed in Spencer. With installation expected in December, the stations will be operational by January, according to the SRBC.  (November 9, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York  [more on Energy in our area]
• New York Unveils Plan to Slash Heat-Trapping Gases - NYTimes.com After a 10-month study, Gov. David A. Paterson is leaving his successor an ambitious environmental plan to reduce New York’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by the middle of the century. A blog about energy and the environment. Go to Blog The plan, released in draft form on Tuesday, calls for doubling the state’s sources of renewable energy by 2030, setting stricter efficiency standards for all buildings, shifting private transportation toward electric vehicles and supporting the creation of jobs in research on energy technology and in clean energy industries. (November 9, 2010) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia  [more on Climate Change in our area]
• Environmental invaders - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper Cutting down groups of mature trees in a park usually doesn't sit well with the public. And some people were upset when Sierra Club volunteers and city crews began taking out Norway maples in Washington Grove Park. | But there was a reason for it: the Norway maple tree is an invasive species that grows relatively quickly and can crowd out important native species, says Peter Debes, a Sierra Club member who's been involved with the project (November 9, 2010) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper  [more on Invasive Species in our area]
• Meeting fosters discussion about high-speed rail | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle On Monday evening, state Department of Transportation officials endured an angry tongue-lashing at a public meeting over Route 590 lane changes in Irondequoit. On Wednesday evening, some of the same DOT officials appeared at a very different public meeting, one where citizens and state officials stood in small groups chatting quietly, like a cocktail party without the alcohol. The subject wasn't roads but rail — the state's latest effort to bring 110-mph passenger service to New York, where aging trains now max out at 79 mph but average barely 50 and often show up late.  (November 11, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Transportation in our area]
• Poll: More than half of Broome residents support development of gas drilling in state | pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin More than half of Broome residents polled last month support the development of natural gas in New York. In a Zogby International poll taken Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 52 percent of 401 Broome residents interviewed said they supported the development of natural gas in New York. On the flip side, 34 percent said they were opposed. In the same Zogby poll, 58 percent of Broome residents polled said they supported local government leasing county-land to gas companies to generate revenue. In contrast, 32 percent said they were opposed. (November 7, 2010) pressconnects.com | Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York [more on Energy in our area]
• Learn About the High Speed Rail Project in NY - RochesterHomePage.net Wednesday is your chance to learn more and ask questions about the high speed rail project. An open house is being held by the State Department of Transportation so the public can get a look at the plans for the project.  It's from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the Campus Center Atrium at MCC at 1000 E. Henrietta Road. (November 10, 2010) RochesterHomePage [more on Transportation in our area]
• Governor Paterson Releases Climate Action Plan Governor David A. Paterson today released the New York State Climate Action Plan, which offers a path to rebuild New York's economy and create tens of thousands of jobs by providing a blueprint for reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. By refocusing New York's manufacturing infrastructure to support clean energy policies, the State could reach both economic and environmental goals simultaneously. The Governor's plan details how New York can modernize and transform the State power supply, building codes and agriculture through utilizing clean energy and technology. "The global race for the clean energy economy is on. We can buy solutions to our energy and environmental challenges from others. Or we can take the initiative and develop clean energy industries right here in New York State," Governor Paterson said. "We must make the investment in our future prosperity now by implementing the strategies and policies that will enable us to meet our aggressive clean energy and environmental goals. By reinventing our State's economy to lead in the global race toward energy independence, we can develop clean energy technologies right here in New York. Our present investments will ensure that the Empire State leads the way in utilizing clean, renewable energy as an engine for economic growth."  (November 9, 2010) http://www.ny.gov/governor/press/index.html [more on Climate Change in our area]
• Activists gather at Cobbs Hill to protest hydraulic fracturing | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle A Rochester activist group used open-flame street theater Tuesday to make a point about natural-gas drilling, in the process managing to draw the attention of bemused fire and police officials. A dozen or so members of Genesee Valley Earth First gathered shortly after noon alongside Cobbs Hill reservoir in southeast Rochester to protest what they see as the environmental risks of the controversial natural-gas extraction technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking. (November 10, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
• Are Deer-Related Car Accidents On The Rise? BUFFALO, NY - Chances are you or someone you know has been in an accident involving a deer. Last month alone troopers responded to 102 accidents on the Thruway involving deer. The accidents mostly happened between Rochester and the Pennsylvania state line. (November 7, 2010) Buffalo News, WNY News | Buffalo, NY | wgrz.com  [more on Deer Problem in our area]
• Low Great Lakes levels prompt new call for action | detnews.com | The Detroit News U.S., Canada look at options to slow flow out of Lake Huron | The U.S.-Canadian body overseeing Great Lakes issues could take engineering steps to raise the levels of the Lake Michigan/Lake Huron system to offset nearly a decade of water loss. But steps taken to help one area of the Great Lakes would likely impact the others, creating the potential for a tug of war over water resources within the region. The International Joint Commission has commissioned a study of options to address water problems in Lakes Michigan and Huron, where levels have fluctuated from a few inches to more than a foot below the lakes' historical average since the late 1990s. If implemented, however, those actions would likely have a trickle-down effect on levels in the lower Great Lakes and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers as well. That may not be welcome news in some areas already experiencing problems of their own. (November 8, 2010) The Detroit News | detnews.com | Tuesday, November 9, 2010 | News, sports, features, blogs, photos and forums from Detroit and Michigan [more on Great Lakes in our area]
• Pennsylvania to Become 'Gasland'? Pennsylvanians set to take on gov't, industry, and Karl Rove over one of world's largest gas deposits | On the day after the midterm elections, the outline of Pennsylvania's next battleground was clearly drawn. Pittsburgh hosted the largest conference of companies interested in the massive Marcellus Shale gas deposit, thought to hold enough gas to power the entire U.S. for anywhere from two to thirty years. Drilling communities around the country report serious environmental and public health concerns --The Real News Network [more on Energy in our area]
• Lyons plant goes green Waste water facility to unveil improvements | LYONS — Village leaders will show off $607,000 worth of green improvements at the wastewater plant later this month. The upgrades, which include solar power and new lighting, were largely paid for with $546,000 in federal stimulus money. The village contributed the rest through in-kind services, said Mayor Corrine Kleisle. (November 8, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Water Quality in our area]
• Foodlink teams with Epiphergy to turn its waste into ethanol - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Rochester, N.Y. — Foodlink, the regional food bank for Central and Western New York, is teaming up with a local alternative-energy company to transform its organic food waste into a golden opportunity. Foodlink has partnered with Epiphergy, out Pittsford, to launch a program, which began in August, that diverts its organic waste products from the garbage can into ethanol fuel, an alternative to gasoline. (November 9, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow  [more on Energy in our area]
• Fox attacks three Gorham women and a dog in Ontario County - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Gorham, N.Y. — A grey fox, suspected of having rabies, has attacked several people and at least one dog in an Ontario County community. The fox attacked three women in the South Street area of Gorham in the past 24 hours. One of the attacks was reported on Sunday, and the other two were reported Monday. Two of the three women were treated at Thompson Hospital and received rabies shots. (November 9, 2010) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow  [more on Rabies in our area]
• Vicious fox in Gorham may have been rabid | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle The Ontario County Sheriff's Office and Humane Society are warning Gorham residents to seek medical attention or to contact their veterinarian if they or their pets had contact with a gray fox in the last few days. The fox, which was captured Monday and destroyed, is suspected of being rabid. It attacked three people and at least one dog on South Street in Gorham on Sunday and Monday. (November 9, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York  [more on Rabies in our area]
• Vermont Nuclear Reactor Shuts Down Due To Leak | AHN Vernon, VT, United States (AHN) - The Garden State's only nuclear power plant was forced to shut down Sunday night because of a radioactive leak. A 24-inch pipe in Vermont Yankee's feedwater system is leaking radioactive water at about 60 drops per minute. A spokesman for the reactor, which is owned by Entergy Corp., is quoted in local reports as saying the leak is within a building and does not pose a public health risk (November 8, 2010) AHN | All Headline News | Breaking News and Headlines [more on Energy in our area]
• Alert declared, then lifted, at Indian Point BUCHANAN – Entergy officials declared an alert at the Indian Point 2 nuclear power plant Sunday evening following an explosion of one of its two main electrical transformers. The alert was lifted 3½ hours later. Those devices are located outdoors in a non-nuclear area of the plant and help transfer electricity that is generated at the power plant to the main electrical grid. (November 8, 2010) Hudson Valley News, as it happens! [more on Energy in our area]
• Problems Shut Down Pair Of Nuclear Plants - RochesterHomePage.net Problems forced two of the nation's nuclear power plants to shutdown Sunday. The Indian Point nuclear power plant in Buchannan, New York is closed following a transformer explosion Sunday evening.  Indian Point spokesperson Jerry Nappie says nobody is hurt and there was no release of any radioactive materials.  The power plant is located about 24 miles north of New York City.  (November 7, 2010) RochesterHomePage [more on Energy in our area]
• Lead Laws Changing Business at Consignment Shops - YNN, Your News Now It's a recession proof industry: resale. But dealing with stiff lead laws can make it tough for children's consignment shops. Lead laws now force consignment shop owners to research items that people bring in to check their lead levels against new regulations. (November 7, 2010) TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now  [more on Lead Poisoning in our area]
• Healthy Living: Bed bug problem spreading to Upstate New York - YNN, Your News Now Governor David Paterson recently vetoed a bill that would have required retailers to sanitize used mattresses in New York City before reselling them. The idea behind the legislation was to aid in the fight against bed bugs, a problem that is now spreading to Upstate New York. According to the National Pest Management Association, bed bug infestations are up 57 percent nationwide in the last five years. Exterminators say these pests are hitching a ride from major cities into your neighborhood. (November 8, 2010) TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now  [more on Environmental Education in our area]
• Program helps Brockport track sustainable practices - News The College at Brockport is now a charter participant in a new program that measures and publicly reports environmental sustainability of college operations. The program, called Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS), is administered by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and requires participants to report achievements in the areas of education and research, operations, planning, administration and engagement. AASHE provides resources, professional development and a network of support to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do. (November 3, 2010) The Stylus  [more on Environmental Education in our area]
• Monroe County’s green fleet recognized - Webster, NY - Webster Post Rochester, N.Y. — County Executive Maggie Brooks has announced that Monroe County’s Fleet Division has been ranked the 17th best government “green fleet” in North America by “Government Fleet” magazine. ”Government Fleet” has previously named Monroe County one of North America’s “Top 100 Government Fleets.” Criteria for the award included composition, fuel usage and emissions, future planning and education and support programs. (November 5, 2010) Webster Post [more on Transportation in our area]
• Andrew Cuomo already pushing for high-speed rail funding | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle ALBANY — He doesn't take the job until Jan. 1, but Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo is already calling on the federal government to provide additional aid to New York for high-speed rail. The Republican governors-elect in Ohio and Wisconsin have been critical of the money those states received for high-speed rail. Cuomo said if those states don't want the money, New York will gladly take it.  (November 6, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Transportation in this area]
• Wind industry blows its horn Part assessment, part sales pitch | By 2015, Quebec's wind energy industry will have created more than 1,300 new permanent jobs and 37,000 jobs during construction phases, an industry-commissioned study says. "These are more than just numbers, these are real jobs for people living in areas of the province that have been hit by declines to other industries," Robert Hornung, president of the Canadian Wind Energy Association, said Tuesday. The study, released during CanWEA's annual conference under way in Montreal, is part economic assessment of a fledgling industry, part sales pitch.  (November 3, 2010) Montreal Gazette - Breaking News, Quebec, Opinion, Multimedia & More [more on Wind Power in our area]
• 11/04/2010: EPA Reaches Multi-state Agreement with Major Used Oil Recycler for Improper Handling of PCBs (New York, N.Y. -- Nov. 4, 2010) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced two separate settlements with one of the nation's largest oil recycling companies. The action will resolve violations of federal toxic substance regulations at the company's facilities in New York and several New England states. Under the settlements, Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc. agreed to pay a total of $210,000 in penalties and improve its procedures for sampling and handling polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PCBs are potentially cancer-causing chemicals and can affect the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems. (November 4, 2010) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Brownfields in our area]
• Ontario County targets waste CANANDAIGUA — Reducing the amount of county-generated solid waste deposited in the Ontario County Landfill by 20 percent by 2020 may be one goal of the county’s 10-year solid waste management plan. Achieving “maximum feasible’’ solid waste reduction is among the eight goals in the plan’s current version. (November 4, 2010) Finger Lakes Times Online - Front [more on Recycling in our area]
• New dioxin rules might force more cleanups - Midland Daily News: News MIDLAND (AP) — The government has spent many millions of dollars in recent decades cleaning up sites contaminated with dioxin, but tough new pollution standards proposed by the Obama administration could require additional dioxin cleanups at scores of abandoned factories, military bases, landfills and other locations declared safe years ago, officials say. If the guidelines receive final approval, federal and state officials will examine sites with known dioxin contamination to identify those needing work and what the work will cost. The Environmental Protection Agency plan has escalated a decades-long debate over the danger of dioxin, a family of chemical byproducts from industries such as pesticide and herbicide production, waste incineration and smelting.  (November 4, 2010) Midland Daily News: Community focused. Community driven. Making a difference 7 days a week. [more on Brownfields in our area]
• Kodak pollution case ends | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle A 15-year-old consent decree between Eastman Kodak Co. and federal authorities — a pact that required major investments in pollution control by the company — has officially come to an end. Both company and federal officials say Kodak met all terms of the decree, which settled a federal investigation into pollution-related problems and required an overhauling of the company's then-aging 31-mile industrial sewage system. (November 03, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Brownfields in our area]
• WATER: City, Water Authority in transfer talks - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper The rumor mill seems to have gotten ahead of itself. Word was going around last week that City Council was about to sign off on an agreement to sell or transfer the city's water system to the Monroe County Water Authority. Council never got any such proposal, but there is some truth to the rumors. "I wouldn't say it's any closer than we were a couple of months ago," Deputy Mayor Tom Richards says. "But I don't want to be cute: it's true." The city and the Water Authority are discussing a deal, he says, for the city to transfer its system. The two parties haven't settled on how that would happen, however: would the city lease the system to the Water Authority, for example, or sell it?  (November 03, 2010) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Water Quality in our area]
• Gates will hold hearing on dog limit | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle GATES — Dec. 6 is the day dog friends — or foes — can have their say in a public hearing regarding one of the most strict dog ordinances in the area. The Town Board on Wednesday set the date for the hearing. (November 04, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Wildlife in our area]
• Watertown Daily Times | Wind farm site plan expected in early '11 CAPE VINCENT — St. Lawrence Wind Farm developer Acciona Wind Energy USA is predicting an early 2011 submission of the site plan application for the project. "We've got some work to do," said Timothy Q. Conboy, project manager for Acciona. "It would be January at the earliest, or February, before we'd be ready." The developer first submitted a plan for the wind power project in November 2006, which triggered the state environmental quality review process. That process ended when the town Planning Board approved the final environmental impact statement and adopted findings Sept. 15. (October 31, 2010) Watertown Daily Times | Local News, Sports, Features, and Community Information for Jefferson County, St. Lawrence County, and Lewis County in Northern New York [more on Wind Power in our area]
• Second reactor eyed at Ginna | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Next Page 1 | 2 Previous Page A French company has acquired land near the Robert E. Ginna nuclear power plant in Wayne County and the Nine Mile Point plant in Oswego County for possible new reactors. Electricite de France SA said it has purchased Constellation Energy Group's (November 2, 2010)  Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]
• Recycling advocates say expanded bottle bill is a success | www.WHEC.com State and national recycling advocates are hailing the first year of New York's expanded bottle deposit law as a success. October 31st was the one-year anniversary of the expansion of the bottle law to include bottled water.  (November 3, 2010) Rochester, NY News | www.WHEC.com [more on Recycling in our area]
• After they get picked up, most leaves get recycled | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle As leaves have started to come falling down again this year, many residents find themselves with rake in hand performing an annual rite of homeownership: hauling the leaves to the curb. But do you ever wonder what happens after the leaves disappear from view?  (November 3, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Recycling in our area]
• The Daily News Online: News - Grant will look at dredging Lake Ontario harbors ALBION — The state has approved a $35,000 grant to update a regional dredging plan for harbors in Orleans, Niagara, Monroe, Wayne and Oswego counties, as well as the town of Greece. Orleans is taking the lead in the grant and in preparing the study. Wayne Hale, the county’s tourism and planning director, said the money will pay for a consultant to study the existing characteristics of each harbor and also craft a plan for ensuring the harbors are dredged on a regular schedule.  (November 1, 2010) The Daily News Online: Serving Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties (NY) with local news and events. [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
• Governor Paterson Accepts Final Report from Task Force on the Prevention of Childhood Lead Poisoning Governor David A. Paterson today accepted the Final Report of the Task Force on the Prevention of Childhood Lead Poisoning. The Final Report summarizes the actions taken by the Task Force to implement the enhancements in the Preliminary Report issued last year, as well as the Task Force's recommendations for the future to achieve Governor Paterson's goal of eliminating childhood lead poisoning in New York State. Release of this report coincides with National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, which is October 24-30, 2010.   "The elimination of lead poisoning, a leading environmental poison of children in New York State, has been one of my highest priorities," Governor Paterson said. "I thank the members of the Task Force for working quickly and diligently to identify and implement actions that could be taken immediately to further the State's efforts to ensure that every child in New York State has the opportunity to grow up healthy. I commend them for demonstrating such strong collaboration in order to come up with sensible recommendations that continue towards eradicating this preventable hazard." (October 30, 2010) New York State Department of Health [more on Lead Poisoning in our area]
• Layoffs loom at agency in transition - Times Union ALBANY -- Layoff machinery will grind on at the state Department of Environmental Conservation, where 150 workers could learn this week that they are getting the ax, DEC Acting Commissioner Peter Iwanowicz said. Iwanowicz, who was named to the top spot Thursday after Gov. David Paterson fired Commissioner Pete Grannis Oct. 21 over a leaked DEC memo on the dire impact of planned layoffs, also faced another major environmental downsizing during his first day on the job. (November 1, 2010) Home - Times Union [more on Environmental Health in our area]
• Local families sought for electricity study The state is looking for Rochester-area families to participate in an energy-use monitoring program. Jumpstart NY, a statewide initiative of the Public Service Commission, aims to enroll 250 families. They will be asked to check their energy use, reduce electricity waste and communicate with other families in the program. The objective is to encourage a dialogue on efficient use of household electricity. (November 1, 2010) Democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Energy in our area]