News for May, 2006 - most recent stories are
at the bottom.
- Pulling
CO2 out of thin air-
scientists know how to return carbon dioxide to the earth, but nothing may
come of it - ALBANY — Would you be willing to
double the amount you pay for electricity if doing so would remove carbon
dioxide from emissions generated by coal-fired power plants?
Researchers at the National Energy
Technology Laboratory- Albany have proven that carbon sequestration —
pulling carbon dioxide out of the air and returning it to the earth — will
work through several methods, but they doubt anything will come of it on a
national scale unless federal regulations are enacted concerning fossil fuel
greenhouse gas levels. (May 1, 2006)
.: Albany Democrat-Herald :.
democratherald.com
- Environmental
Protection Agency - EPA Press Release: EPA Unveils First-Ever Assessment of
U.S. Wadeable Streams
(Washington, D.C. - May 5, 2006) What's the state of the union's streams?
EPA set out to answer that question in a just-completed, multiyear study of
wadeable streams across the country. The study, Wadeable Streams Assessment
(WSA), is the first consistent evaluation of the streams that feed rivers,
lakes, and coastal waters. Alaska and Hawaii were not included in the report
but have pilot projects underway. "Wadeable streams" are those which are
shallow enough to be adequately sampled without a boat. They are essential
natural resources that have been under-sampled in the past. "This scientific
report card on America's streams will help citizens and governments measure
the health of their watersheds, take actions to prevent pollution, and
monitor for progress," said Assistant Administrator for Water Benjamin H.
Grumbles. "Small streams are connected to the overall health of a
community's ecology and economy and this report underscores their importance
and identifies priority work ahead." Conducted between 2000 and 2004, the
study was based on sampling at 1,392 sites selected to represent the
condition of all streams that share similar ecological characteristics in
various regions. It was a collaborative effort that involved dozens of state
environmental and natural resource agencies, federal agencies, universities
and other organizations. More than 150 field biologists were trained to
collect environmental samples using a standardized method.
(May 5, 2006) U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
- More
than half of US streams polluted: EPA - Yahoo! News
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than half of U.S.
streams are polluted, with the worst conditions found in the eastern third
of the country, according to a study by the Environmental Protection Agency.
In its first-ever study of shallow or "wadeable" streams, the agency found
42 percent were in poor condition, and another 25 percent were considered
fair. Only 28 percent were in good condition, EPA said. Another 5 percent
were not analyzed because of sampling problems in New England.
(May 5, 2006) The top news headlines on
current events from Yahoo! News
- 2006-2007
Health Advisories: Chemicals in Sportfish and Game
The New York State Department of Health (DOH)
issues advisories on eating sportfish and game because some of these foods
contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to health. The advisories
tell people which fish and game to avoid and how to reduce their exposures
to contaminants in the fish and game that they do eat. These advisories are
for sportfish and game that people take and are not for fish and game sold
in markets. The health advisories are (1) general advice on sportfish taken
from waters in New York State; (2) advice on sportfish caught in specific
New York State waterbodies; and (3) advice on eating New York State game.
Fish and game can be nutritious and good to eat. Fish are an important
source of protein and are low in saturated fat. Naturally occurring fish
oils lower plasma cholesterol and triglycerides and may have other health
benefits. However, contaminated fish and game can be the main source of
exposure to some contaminants. People can get the health benefits of fish
and reduce their exposures to unwanted contaminants by following the
advisories in this booklet.
New York State Department of Health
- IUCN
News - Release of the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Release
of the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species reveals ongoing decline of
the status of plants and animals The number of known threatened species
reaches 16,119. The ranks of those facing extinction are joined by familiar
species like the polar bear, hippopotamus and desert gazelles; together with
ocean sharks, freshwater fish and Mediterranean flowers. Positive action has
helped the white-tailed eagle and offers a glimmer of hope to Indian
vultures. Geneva, Switzerland, 2 May 2006 (IUCN) – The total number of
species declared officially Extinct is 784and a further 65 are only found in
captivity or cultivation. Of the 40,177 species assessed using the IUCN Red
List criteria, 16,119 are now listed as threatened with extinction. This
includes one in three amphibians and a quarter of the world’s coniferous
trees, on top of the one in eight birds and one in four mammals known to be
in jeopardy.
- City
Newspaper: Cover Story: Cover story: The hots, for you
The planet is warming up. What does that mean
for Rochester? The short answer is that nobody really knows. A climate is a
complex thing. Change one little part of it and you may change the whole
thing --- and in unpredictable ways. Still, that doesn't mean scientists
can't make some sound educated guesses about what could happen. And if any
of those guesses prove accurate, the Rochester of tomorrow could be a very
different place from the one we know today. May 3, 2006)
City Newspaper
- State
spurs ethanol plant - Work at Orleans County
site may start in June, be first in N.Y. -— SHELBY
— Construction on the state's first ethanol plant could begin as early as
next month, helping to turn New York into a leader in alternative fuel
production, Gov. George Pataki and other officials said here Monday. New
York will spend nearly $6 million to help the process along, officials said.
(May 9, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- Mom
says company skirting pesticide law - Lawn
care firm says its flag notices satisfy spraying rule
— Dina Stein doesn't expect her neighbors to refrain from using lawn
pesticides — that's their right, she says. But this Brighton mother wants
the choice to shield her children, Emma, 4, and Sam, 2, from unnecessary
exposure. She thought that's what the county's new neighbor notification law
provided, and in her suburban neighborhood with its lush green lawns, she
fully expected to receive a letter from a lawn care company at least once
this spring. But when a company showed up to spray her neighbor's lawn last
week, claiming that a small orange plastic flag spiked into the edge of her
lawn a month ago constituted prior notification, Stein was shocked.
- (May 9, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- Four
falcons hatch at Kodak — Peregrine falcons have started hatching in the
nest box above Kodak headquarters in downtown Rochester.- (May 9, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- War
on zebra mussels: 'Now or never'
Small, striped shellfish that reproduce at
explosive rates, zebra mussels have settled into the Mississippi River all
the way up to the Twin Cities, killing native mussels and causing problems
for anglers and river-related businesses. In the past few years, they've
also reached deeper into Minnesota, finding life in the popular Brainerd
lakes area and Lake Mille Lacs, the heart and soul of the state's walleye
industry. Now the sharp-shelled creatures are poised to invade the rest of
the state's 10,000-plus lakes. So forget leisurely wading in bare feet or a
soft, sandy stroll along the shore. (May
12, 2006)
TwinCities.com :
Minneapolis/St. Paul news, sports, entertainment, jobs and real estate
- Area
bird flu strategy forms - Counties set
protocols for pandemic — Area health directors are
working on preparations to deal with a pandemic of avian flu should the
disease break out in this country. Comprehensive response plans for the
region are expected to be finished by the end of August. Area counties are
working on their own plans and on cooperative plans with other counties
through the Finger Lakes Health Alliance. (May 10, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- Ginna
plant gets safety approval from NRC - Annual
report has some 2005 concerns, none serious — The
Robert E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant in Ontario, Wayne County, has operated
safely for another year. Inspectors from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
presented an annual report Tuesday listing 10 safety concerns that occurred
during 2005, though none rose to the level of serious risk. The report was
the result of "thousands of hours" of equipment inspections, environmental
monitoring and constant observation, said Dave Holm, the plant's general
manager. (May 10, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- School
cleansers are eco-targets - Legislation that was approved in August 2005
required the state Office of General Services, or OGS, to adopt stricter and
more environmentally friendly standards for cleaning supplies used in public
schools. (May 16, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- WXXI:
City Begins Rollout of Lead Safety Law (2006-05-17)
- ROCHESTER, NYThe City of Rochester is holding
meetings with landlords and property owners as it gets ready to put its new
anti-lead law into effect. The law requires that all residential structures
built before 1978 be tested for the presence of lead-based paint, and that
any lead hazards be removed or made safe. (2006-05-17)
wxxi NewsRoom
- STATEMENT
BY ATTORNEY GENERAL SPITZER REGARDING THE SUPREME COURT’S RULING ON
HYDROPOWER PROJECTS
The U.S.
Supreme Court today ruled unanimously that the states have broad authority
to regulate construction and operation of hydroelectric dams. (S.D. Warren
Co. v. Maine Board of Environmental Protection, 04-1527.) Many of the more
than 1,500 hydroelectric dams throughout the country affect entire river
systems. While hydroelectric dams generate electricity without air pollution
or global warming emissions, they can also alter the natural ecology of
rivers and wetlands. Since the 1970s, states have used their regulatory
authority to help minimize adverse impacts from such projects. In today’s
decision, the Supreme Court ruled that such actions are not pre-empted by
the federal government.Office of New
York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer
-
Attack
on bird ruffles feathers
- But biologists say mute swan a beautiful pest—
Today, a state biologist is probably hiking somewhere along the shore of
Lake Ontario and sneaking into swan nests to coat the large gray eggs with
vegetable oil so the developing birds inside the eggs will suffocate. With
nearly 1,500 mute swan pairs in New York, each capable of incubating as many
as 10 eggs, it's a massive job. (May 18, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- City
Newspaper: News & Views: News articles: Pataki's corny plan
Is yellow the new green? Governor George
Pataki thinks so. The gov came to Western New York last week to tout a plan
to build a new ethanol plant in the town of Shelby in rural Orleans County,
near the village of Medina. The plant will make the alcohol-based fuel from
corn and be the first in the state to employ what Pataki calls
"state-of-the-art dry mill" technology. When it's built --- the target is
January 2008 --- it will produce 50 million gallons of "fuel grade" ethanol
a year and employ just under 60 people. It will also churn out, as
byproducts, a quarter of a million tons of distiller's grains and a little
less than 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide (in a commercially resalable form,
not as a greenhouse gas). About 30 percent of the estimated 20 million
bushels corn it will use will come from local sources.
http://www.rochester-citynews.com
- SUNY
prof - Gas polluting the lake - More study is
needed to determine if gas spills from motorboats and jet skis on
Canandaigua Lake pose a health threat.
Daily Messenger
- Wind
farm would be visible in Naples - A study
details how the project in Cohocton would look to someone standing on Main
Street in the village.
Daily Messenger
- Ethanol
plant to be developed in Orleans County
Governor George E. Pataki announced nearly $6
million in State funding to assist Western New York Energy (WNYE) in the
development of the first state-of-the-art dry mill ethanol plant in New
York. The $87.4 million facility is to be located on 144 acres in the Town
of Shelby, Orleans County. "Western New York Energy's new facility in the
Town of Shelby will help us take advantage of this opportunity to reduce our
dependence on unstable foreign energy supplies," Pataki said. "The new
facility is expected to produce 50 million gallons of ethanol a year and
create 58 new jobs and represents another significant step in our goal of
developing a strong biofuel industry in the state which will not only
provide an economic boost to our farming community, but keep our energy
dollars here in New York." (May 14, 2006)
Westside News Inc.
- Mill
Seat Landfill to become energy producer
A facility that will burn landfill gas to
produce power will be constructed at the Monroe County-owned Mill Seat
Landfill in the Town of Riga. The plant will produce between 4.8 and 6.4
megawatts of energy derived from the garbage decomposition process. Word of
the approval of the construction of an $8.5 million plant came following the
unanimous vote by the Monroe County Legislature on May 9. Waste Management,
the company that leases and operates the landfill, and Monroe County will
split both the construction costs and proceeds of the electricity sales.(May
14, 2006)
Westside News Inc.
- Lake
Ontario Initiative Announced -
Environmentalists say a new initiative will help preserve the future of Lake
Ontario. They unveiled a 15-year, multi-million dollar program Monday
focusing on the north coast and coastal waters of Lake Ontario. May 15, 2006
R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
- Urban
groups look to grants - State program sets
aside $1M to aid environmental justice efforts —
In urban areas, environmental problems are never as simple as a single pipe
or a solitary smokestack. Industrial pollution is exacerbated by vehicle
exhaust and by the lead paint and mold endemic to some neighborhoods. And
too often, the children who develop asthma and other illnesses are those
least able to afford medical care and to influence their lawmakers.
(May 21, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- State
Health Department Issues Precaution for New Yorkers to Help Avoid Potential
Exposure to Rabies from Wildlife
To help protect New Yorkers from the potential
exposure to rabies from wildlife, the State Health Department today reminded
the public to avoid handling wild animals. The practice of picking up wild
animals, particularly offspring, because of their cute and cuddly
appearance, often requires unnecessary rabies post exposure treatment for
people. Individuals who touch wild animals may have to undergo a month-long
series of rabies shots if they are bitten, scratched or had contact with the
saliva or nervous tissue of a potentially infected animal, unless it can be
euthanized and tested to rule out rabies. Rabies is a fatal disease unless
post exposure treatment is given before symptoms occur. (May
31, 2006) -
New York State Department of Health
- Green
machine is a winner - Irondequoit High team
places first — IRONDEQUOIT — The Irondequoit High
School solar car team is winding down from a big win and gearing up to put
another car on the road next year. The team took first place in the
one-person category of the solar-assisted electric division of the 18th
annual Tour de Sol. The green-car show and competition was held May 10-14 in
Saratoga Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs. Irondequoit competed with the
Zodiac, a three-wheel, solar-electric vehicle that uses solar panels and
batteries for power. - (May 25, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- www.ny.gov
- GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES MAJOR INITIATIVE TO REDUCE MERCURY EMISSIONS
Proposal Would Protect Public Health and
the Environment by Cutting Mercury Emissions from Coal-Fired Power Plants by
90 Percent - Governor George E. Pataki today
announced a new State proposal to reduce harmful mercury emissions from
coal-fired utility power plants by approximately 50 percent from current
levels by 2010 and 90 percent by 2015. “Mercury emissions from coal-fired
power plants can have severe environmental and public health impacts, and we
must take aggressive steps to control these harmful emissions and reduce the
presence of this pollutant in our air and water,” Governor Pataki said. “By
adopting these new standards, all coal-fired power plants in the State would
be required to use pollution control technologies to significantly reduce
their mercury emissions. This initiative is another example of New York’s
leadership in improving air quality and protecting our natural resources,
and will help to ensure a healthy Empire State for all to enjoy.”
(May 2006)
http://www.ny.gov
- Final
Clean Sweep draws 1,000 - 50 tons of trash
picked up in northeast neighborhoods- (May 28,
2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- Store
to put its lawn to the test - Pittsford
Wegmans holds off pesticides — Stock rice noodles
in aisle 12A. Carry out 15 bags of groceries for an overworked mom. Weed the
lawn. Employees at the Wegmans Food Markets Inc. store in Pittsford will
have new duties this summer, as the grocery chain experiments with a
pesticide-free lawn care strategy that relies, instead, upon fertilizer,
irrigation, horticultural oils and old-fashioned hand-weeding. As a rule,
the store contracts with a lawn care company, which treats its trees,
shrubs, flowers and lawns with chemical pesticides to kill weeds and grubs.
Now, a 14,000-square-foot stretch of lawn that runs along Monroe Avenue is
marked with large signs describing the company's experimental effort to go
without chemical pesticides. - (May 31, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- Heat
causes unhealthy ozone levels
— As the temperature topped 90 degrees during
Memorial Day festivities Monday, Rochester marked another annual milestone —
the first day of unhealthy ozone levels. The Buffalo-Rochester region's air
quality is the worst in the state, according to Peter Iwanowicz, vice
president of the New York chapter of the American Lung Association.
-
(May 31, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
- Still
no lifeguards at Durand Eastman Beach -
Summer is just around the corner and there is
still no agreement to put lifeguards back at Durand Eastman Beach. Mayor
Duffy surprised many people when he advocated restoring lifeguards this
summer at Durand Eastman Beach in his state of the city address. Swimming at
Durand Eastman Beach didn't look very appealing, even on a warm day like
Wednesday. There was nasty-looking green stuff in the water all along the
beach.10NBC / WHEC TV-10