august 2005 news

• Tempers blow on wind farms - As Springwater officials consider regulations, opponents call for at least a short-term ban on turbines. SPRINGWATER - Tempers flared at the Town Board meeting Monday as officials reviewed a proposal to regulate wind turbines - a kind of development some residents don't want to see at all. Messenger Post Newspapers
•  Area beaches offer pleasure, problems - Safety and cleanliness are major concerns - What's at stake- The health and safety of area swimmers. Beaches are tested for bacteria, pollution is a threat, and lifeguards watch for heavy waves, thunderstorms, water too stirred up to see in and boats that get too close. (August 7, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Warrant issued for activist who sneaked into egg farm - Two others who participated in last summer's incident post bail -— An arrest warrant has been issued by the State Police for Megan Cosgrove, a one-time Rochester resident. She was one of three animal rights activists who last summer paid three unauthorized visits to the Wegmans Egg Farm, a 750,000-hen operation in Wolcott, Wayne County.  (August 6, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Keeping Cool--And Energy Efficient - -- If you have been indecisive about buying central air conditioning, a new federal law may speed up your decision. Starting this January, consumers will be required to buy units with a higher efficiency. The systems will cost less to operate but more to install. Some Rochester area homeowners are already buying the units. (August 1, 20050 13WHAM-TV || Rochester
•  Family farm will stay Green - Under conservation easement, the property can't be developed - BRISTOL — Like many of the farms in the scenic Finger Lakes region, Don and Nancy Green's 200-acre farm offers spectacular pastoral views of wooded hillsides, open fields and gently sloping valleys. But while some farm families are cashing in on high prices being offered by developers buying up the scenic acreage and supplanting it with clusters of suburban-style houses, the Greens have taken steps to make sure their farmscape remains intact. (August 6, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  GOVERNOR PATAKI SIGNS CLEAN ENERGY TAX CREDIT BILLS - Bills Will Encourage Use of Solar Energy Technology in New York State - Governor George E. Pataki today announced that he has signed into law two bills to promote the use of solar energy in New York State by offering homeowners tax incentives that would reduce the net cost of solar installation. The bills will encourage the use of clean, alternative sources of renewable energy and better protect New York's environment. (Monday, August 1, 2005) http://www.state.ny.us
•  Trail funding recommended - The City Council's parks, public works and environment committee unanimously recommended Thursday night funding a $5.4 million section of the Genesee Riverview Trail. (August 5, 2005) — Democrat and Chronicle
•  Reforms of gas-drilling rules signed into law - — ALBANY — Gov. George Pataki signed a law Wednesday to overhaul the fledgling natural gas drilling industry in New York state's Southern Tier. The measure would change the system used to divvy up income shares for drillers, land-leasing companies and property owners. (August 4, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Report details threat from invasive species - In the environment, there are no Hell's Angels. But there are outlaws more dangerous than their mild names suggest. They're called invasive species — non-native plants, animals, bugs and microbes that hitchhike into new ecosystems and flourish like bandits. (August 3, 2005) — Democrat and Chronicle
•  Nature Conservancy enlarges park — The Nature Conservancy has acquired a crucial 18 acres of land abutting Harriet Hollister Spencer State Memorial Recreation Area that park officials say creates a continuous protected area for recreational use and wildlife. The addition of the land is important because it does away with a bottleneck that had divided the recreation area into two sections.   (August 3, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Effort to Create New State Forest in New York State - August 04, 2005 — By Trust for Public Land -MORRIS, NY — Governor George Pataki announced today the state's commitment to conserving more than 2,500 acres in Ostego County, including a 1,130-acre property being purchased by the Trust for Public Land (TPL) to create the new General Jacob Morris State Forest in the town of Morris. The State Department of Environmental Conservation is working with the TPL to acquire the property located approximately 14 miles northwest of Cooperstown, along State Highway 51, in the beautiful Butternut Valley. The land will be acquired from Erika Hall, whose deceased husband was a descendant of General Jacob Morris, a Revolutionary War hero who settled in the town that is named in his honor. General Morris' father, Lewis, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The property has been in the family since 1793. ENN: Environmental News Network
•  Advocates offer guide to pick 'Clean & Green' energy — The New York Public Interest Group just released a new consumer guide on how to power your home without polluting the environment. The clear, concise manual "Buying Clean & Green Electricity for Your Home" was debuted at a news conference held by NYPIRG this morning at Liberty Pole Way in Rochester. "Buying Green" gives homeowners basic information to help them choose renewable energy, such as solar, wind, water and organic waste. (August 17, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Predator Fish Grow in Numbers - State environmental officials have their eye on an invasive species of fish that's causing headaches for some Lake Ontario fishermen. The round goby is an aggressive species, and local anglers say they're the reason why the fishing hasn't been quite as good this year. R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
•  Black River's Water Safe, But Not For Fishing Rochester, NY (8/26/05)--Two weeks after a farmer spilled three million gallons of liquid manure into a river, the state health department says the water is once again safe. 13WHAM-TV || Rochester
•  Main Street sewers will be replaced -The $413,000 project could begin at the end of August. - The village of East Rochester is taking one step closer in improving its 100-year old infrastructure. East Rochester Post
•  With Northeastern States Close to Agreement on Regional Global Warming Initiative, Environmental Advocates Urge Swifter, More Targeted Action - “New York can cut global warming pollution from power plants swiftly and cost-effectively, bringing cleaner electricity to the state. We need a faster time table and a stronger program structure to better target the electricity sector and protect consumers for this initiative to achieve the goals set by Governor Pataki,” said Christine Vanderlan, global warming program director with Environmental Advocates of New York, commenting on the draft outline for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative that was obtained by the New York Times yesterday, “We applaud New York for being among the first states to address the threat of global warming, and with the talks ongoing, the negotiators have the opportunity to fix the shortcomings in the draft proposal.” --from Environmental Advocates of New York - Home Page
•  Deer license sales up despite disease ALBANY — The appearance of chronic wasting disease in New York doesn’t appear to have deterred deer hunters. In the first three days that hunting licenses were available, sales were up by 7 percent over the same period last year, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. On Aug. 15, the first day licenses went on sale, hunters snatched up 70,746 of them, a record for single-day sales. The Daily Star - Online Edition - Oneonta, NY - The Newspaper for The Heartland of New York
•  Draft Report from Invasive Species Task Force The New York State departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Agriculture and Markets are seeking public comment on the draft report of the New York State Invasive Species Task Force (ISTF) released on Thursday, July 28, 2005. The draft describes problems associated with invasive plants, animals and pathogens, and discusses existing efforts by government, conservation groups and industry. It also makes recommendations about how New York State can more effectively combat this growing and expensive threat. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Protecting NY's Environment and Managing its Natural Resources
•  Ontario begins pit bull ban - billingsgazette.com TORONTO - Ontario on Monday became the first province in Canada to ban pit bulls in the wake of vicious attacks by the dogs, but defiant owners have already challenged the law. The measure makes it illegal to breed pit bulls or bring the dogs into the province. Those already in Ontario will be allowed to stay on a restricted basis, provided they're spayed, and leashed and muzzled in public. There's a 60-day grace period, until Oct. 28, for owners to comply with the law. Any pit bull born after that will have to be shipped out of the province, sent to a research facility or destroyed. (August 30, 2005) billingsgazette.com
•  City Newspaper: News & Views: News articles: The silent invasion Six-hundred miles west of Rochester, in suburban Chicago, is a structure that just might save Lake Ontario. Connecting the Chicago and Des Plaines Rivers, the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal links up two of the continent's largest water systems: the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes watersheds. At the bottom of that canal lies a $9 million underwater electric fence that's keeping species on one side from migrating to the other. (August 24, 2004) City Newspaper