Newslinks - Rochester, NY area

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Today's environmental news for our area. (A model of what could and should be in every community's news.)

Page Contents: Today's Newslinks | Posted earlier this month| Newslinks Archives | Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) NewsLinks

Tree in Washington Grove These NewsLinks represent a decade of ferreting out local online NewsLinks. The more recent stories are on the top and oldest at the bottom of this list. Rochester Environmental NewsLinks - (Links to local news stories about our environment) GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL STORY ABOUT THE ROCHESTER, NY AREA FROM A CREDIBLE SOURCE? SEND IT TO ME! Looking for something specific. Use Control + F and search for it on this page.

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SEARCH: Use search engine below to find anything posted since 1998.

Environmental NewsLinks for the Rochester, NY area

Posted Today - Saturday, May 19, 2012

New EPA carbon pollution limit draws criticism and record support | masslive.com With the support of more than 1 million Americans, including approximately 31,000 Massachusetts residents, a coalition of environmental groups will deliver comments to the Environmental Protection Agency Friday to support a proposed carbon pollution limit for new power plants. According to the EPA, power plants are the largest individual sources of carbon pollution in the U.S. and there are currently no uniform limits on the amount of carbon pollution that future power plants will be able to emit. (May 18, 2012) Western Massachusetts Local News, Breaking News, Sports and Weather - MassLive.com [more on Climate Change in our area]
Hot summer means more pollution TORONTO - A warm winter followed by what’s expected to be a hotter than normal summer will likely increase both air and water pollution which will in turn pose potential health risks, experts warn. “The urban air pollution will be the worst. There will be smog brought about by sunlight, emissions from people’s cars and the coal industry in the U.S.,” said Prof. Miriam Diamond, a pollution expert from the University of Toronto’s Centre of Environment. Read it on Global News: Hot summer means more pollution (May 17, 2012) Global News [more on Climate Change in our area]
EPA Final Rule Revises Test Procedures For Determining Pollutants in Wastewater | Bloomberg BNA Municipal wastewater treatment plants and companies required to monitor their wastewater discharges will have more flexibility for testing pollutants under an Environmental Protection Agency final rule scheduled for publication May 18 in the Federal Register. The rule, proposed Sept. 23, 2010, will require new technologies and new versions of EPA-approved methods that have been in use for many years (75 Fed. Reg. 58,024; 185 DER A-15, 9/27/10). Legal, Tax, EHS, and HR Expert Information & Analysis | Bloomberg BNA (More on Water Quality in our area]
House, with fewer Democrats, affirms support for Keystone in highway bill - The Hill's E2-Wire The House went on record Friday to insist that lawmakers negotiating a bicameral transportation programs funding bill include approval of the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline. The non-binding 261-152 vote signals political support for the pipeline in the lower chamber, but fewer Democrats went on record this time as supporting the project in the transportation bill. (May 18, 2012) TheHill.com [more on Climate Change in our area]
Backyard Habitat Garden Tour to be held June 23 | News | Brighton-Pittsford News The Backyard Habitat Garden Tour will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 23, hosted by the Genesee Land Trust. Featured gardens in the tour are in Fairport, near Casa Larga, Pittsford, Brighton, Rochester and Webster. The tour serves as a fundraiser for the Genesee Land Trust. Master gardeners are present at stops on the self-guided tour and will answer questions. (May 18, 2012)Brighton-Pittsford News | Community News, Photos, Events, Businesses & Deals [more on Plants in our area]
Richmond voters on Friday OK one water project, reject another - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Richmond, N.Y. — Some Richmond residents living on Honeoye Lake voted last night to extend public water to their properties, although a plan for another water extension project was defeated. The $3.7 million East Lake Road project passed by nearly 100 votes, 192 in favor to 98 opposed. The likely average yearly cost of debt service to these property owners is $705. (May 18, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Honeoye Lake in our area]

News Highlight:

Photo: 100_2357 & 100_2356 = Photo credits: Steve Rosenfeld (Board), Hugh Mitchell (Sierra Club), Jim Howe (Director) .Hugh Mitchell Receives The Nature Conservancy “Friend of the Land” Award

For many years Hugh Mitchell worked to preserve the rare and beautiful Hemlock/Canadice Lakes Areas.

His efforts were recognized by the Central & Western NY Nature Conservancy by the award of a plaque which Reads, “In recognition of your role in permanently protecting the Hemlock/Canadice Lakes.”

Although Rochester City had done a good job over 135 years protecting the Upland Watershed of These reservoir lakes, because of budget shortages they were anxious to sell the 7,200 acres to New York State. This transfer was accomplished in June 2010 after more than 30 years of effort to permanently protect the land.

(Above scripts from Dynamic Drive)

Interested in specific NewsLinks Issues? Check these NewsLinks pages:

Global Environmental News Get environmental news from around the world. The Internet is especially handy at providing environmental news from major environmental news sources, from major media with environmental sections, from government, about businesses turning green, getting environmental news from multimedia sources and blogs where you can interact with others about our environment.

Posted earlier this month

These article are in order they were posted with the most recent at the top.

Ten million dollars later, green roof looks nearly done | 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle The $10.3 million green roof/pedestrian plaza at the downtown Civic Center is, by appearances, mostly done. The project is over budget and behind schedule, but not more than it was the last time we checked on it. (May 17, 2012) 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Developer takes regional approach with Lake Erie project - Wind - Renewable energy news - Recharge - wind, solar, biomass, wave/tidal/hydro and geothermal Entrepreneur Jeffrey DiLaura wants to develop a 2.52GW wind farm in the shallow US waters of Lake Erie, looking to straddle three states to leverage the best resources and achieve economies of scale. The project, Lake Erie Alternative Power (Leap), envisages the placement of 700 turbines in clusters off Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. It would be built in stages, with later phases including related infrastructure that would add up to 300MW in generating capacity from hydrokinetic and solar energy, according to DiLaura. (May 17, 2012) Renewable energy news - Recharge - wind, solar, biomass, wave/tidal/hydro and geothermal [more on Wind Power in our area]
Sterilizing That Blasted Ballast - NYTimes.com The challenge is not trivial: of the 59 invasive species known to have colonized the Great Lakes since the 1950s, for example, about half are likely to have arrived in the ballast discharges of border-crossing vessels. Annually, invasive species introduced by ballast cost an estimated $130 million in damage in the Great Lakes alone. New rules aim to alleviate the problem. Under the Coast Guard’s new regulations, which reflect those issued by the United Nations International Maritime Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency, most ships built after December 2013 that enter United States waters will have to contain an approved onboard ballast treatment system. (May 17, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Invasive Species in our area]
High stakes in fight over Vestal, N.Y. fracking ban | Innovation Trail The town of Vestal, N.Y., near Binghamton, is well-placed for natural gas development. Just across the border in Pennsylvania the industry is in full swing. Vestal is situated in one of the three counties in New York considered to be in the sweet spot of Marcellus Shale development. But not everyone is ready to welcome the industry. (May 17, 2012) Innovation Trail [more on Fracking in our area]
Mega-lawsuit claims nuke contamination in Armstrong | TribLIVE The nearly 100 plaintiffs alleging death, cancer and other illnesses from radioactive emissions from two defunct Armstrong County nuclear fuels plants are awaiting a trial date for what is likely to be a second set of a multimillion-dollar federal lawsuit. The defendants, Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group and Atlantic Richfield, operated a uranium fuel-processing plant founded by the Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corp. (NUMEC) in Apollo and a plutonium plant in Parks Township from 1957 to 1986. (May 16, 2012) Pittsburgh News, Sports, and Events - Tribune-Review [more on Energy in our area]
Pennsylvania Doctors Worry Over Fracking 'Gag Rule' : NPR A new law in Pennsylvania has doctors nervous. The law grants physicians access to information about trade-secret chemicals used in natural gas drilling. Doctors say they need to know what's in those formulas in order to treat patients who may have been exposed to the chemicals. But the new law also says that doctors can't tell anyone else — not even other doctors — what's in those formulas. It's being called the "doctor gag rule." (May 17, 2012) Environment : NPR [more on Fracking in our area]
How much impact did the North Sea gas leak have on the environment? | Erin Hale | Environment | guardian.co.uk Greenhouse gas emissions and hydrocarbon contamination lower than expected, while Total incurs huge financial losses While the Elgin North Sea natural gas leak that was plugged on Wednesday was a massive financial blow for its operator Total, it appears the incident had little impact on the environment in terms of global warming and local marine life. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) says it estimates that during the 52-day leak, Elgin released the equivalent of 47,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, or 18,000 tonnes more than would have been released during normal operations of the well. (May 18, 2012)
Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies 'could provide half of global carbon target' | Environment | guardian.co.uk Such a move could save the equivalent of Germany's annual emissions by 2015, says chief economist at the IEA Eliminating subsidies for coal, gas and oil could save as much as Germany's annual greenhouse gas emissions each year by 2015, according to one of the world's leading energy experts. Speaking to the Guardian, Fatih Birol, chief economist at the International Energy Agency (IEA), said such a move could provide half of the carbon savings needed to stop dangerous levels of climate change. (January 19, 2012) Latest US news, world news, sport and comment from the Guardian | guardiannews.com | The Guardian [more on Climate Change in our area]
NCPR News - Vestal: a hot spot in the debate about hydrofracking Just across the border, the Town of Vestal, near Binghamton, is well-placed for natural gas development. It's in one of three counties in New York considered to be in the sweet spot of Marcellus Shale development. And as the Innovation Trail's Matt Richmond reports, its location is what makes Vestal a hot spot in the larger debate about hydrofracking. (May 18, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Fracking in our area]
Feds Punt on Leadership Over Fracking Rules, Experts Say | InsideClimate News New BLM rule stands up well next to state regulations, says one scientist. "But unfortunately, that's because most state regulations are very poor." Nearly two years after Wyoming became the first state to regulate high-volume hydraulic fracturing, the federal government is finally taking similar steps to supervise oil and gas drilling on public lands. (May 15, 2012) | InsideClimate News [more on Fracking in our area]
CDC Cuts Lead-Poisoning Limit For Kids : Shots - Health Blog : NPR Preventing the exposure of kids to lead is a great idea, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today. The public health honchos agreed with an expert panel that recommended in January that anything greater than 5 micrograms per deciliter of blood for kids 5 and younger should be considered dangerous. That's half the current standard and represents the first reduction since 1991. (May 16, 2012) Environment : NPR [more on Lead Poisoning in our area]
Fracking's Methane Trail: A Detective Story : NPR There are a lot of cheerleaders for the nation's natural gas boom — in part because they believe it's a lot cleaner than dirty coal. It's pretty well-known that power plants that burn coal pump out far more greenhouse gases than power plants that run on natural gas. But there's a hitch: We don't really know how much air pollution is created when companies drill for natural gas. (May 17, 2012) Environment : NPR [more on Fracking in our area]
Converting downtown streets to two-way to be discussed | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information A recent study of converting two of downtown’s primary arteries to two-way traffic will be discussed at an information session Thursday, officials from the city of Rochester announced. The feasibility of North and South Clinton avenues and St. Paul Street and South Avenue becoming two-way streets is the topic from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Kate Gleason Auditorium at the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County on South Avenue. (May 16, 2012) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Transportation in our area]
NRC researching nuke plant licenses past 60 years | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (WTW) — In the midst of a battle over extending the 40-year licenses of two nuclear plants near New York City, federal regulators are looking into whether such plants would be eligible for yet another extension. That would mean the Indian Point plants and others around the county might still be running after reaching 60 years of age. (May 16, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Arctic Death Spiral: More Bad News about Sea Ice | Climate Central The sea ice that blankets the Arctic Ocean each winter peaked in early March this year, as usual, and is now in retreat, en route to its annual minimum extent in September. How low it will go is something scientists worry: ice reflects lots of sunlight back into space, and when the darker ocean underneath is exposed, more sunlight is absorbed to add to global warming. That’s the simple version of the story, but things look even worse when you dig into the details. For one thing, all that open water does re-freeze each winter, but it freezes into a relatively thin layer known as seasonal, or first-year ice. Because it’s so thin, first-year ice tends to melt back quickly the following season, giving the ocean a chance to warm things up even more in what National Snow and Ice Data Center director Mark Serreze has called a “death spiral” that could lead to ice-free Arctic summers by 2030. (May 16, 2012) Climate Change | Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Standard for lead in blood lowered | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ATLANTA — For the first time in 20 years, U.S. health officials have lowered the threshold for lead poisoning in young children. The new standard announced Wednesday means that hundreds of thousands more youngsters could be diagnosed with high levels of lead. Lead is harmful to developing brains and can mean a lower IQ. (May 17, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Lead Poisoning in our area]
DEC seeks public comment on site plan for brownfield - Niagara County - The Buffalo News NIAGARA FALLS—The state Department of Environmental Conservation is seeking public comments on a brownfield investigation plan for a Highland Avenue site, most of which is covered by an abandoned warehouse. Public comments may be submitted until June 8 regarding the Tract I site, as the DEC calls it. The 5.9-acre parcel is more than half-covered by the old Power City Warehouse, constructed in about 1910 as a factory for manufacturing vehicle batteries. It was last used for that purpose by Prestolite Co., which moved out in the mid-1970s. (May 14, 2012) DEC seeks public comment on site plan for brownfield - Niagara County - The Buffalo News [more on Brownfields in our area]
New Training to Help Fight Emerald Ash Borer | WXXI News A new program aims to train people to become early detectors of signs of the emerald ash borer infestation in ash trees in Western & Central New York. The insect has killed millions of ash trees, and is spreading in western New York. (May 15, 2012) WXXI News | The Public Media news source for Rochester, NY and the Finger Lakes [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Medical Records Could Yield Answers On Fracking : NPR A proposed study of people in northern Pennsylvania could help resolve a national debate about whether the natural gas boom is making people sick. The study would look at detailed health histories on hundreds of thousands of people who live near the Marcellus Shale, a rock formation in which energy companies have already drilled about 5,000 natural gas wells. (May 16, 2012) NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR [more on Fracking in our area]
Ocean temperature made Queensland floods worse: study Abnormally high ocean temperatures off the coast of northern Australia contributed to the extreme rainfall that flooded three-quarters of Queensland over the summer of 2010-11, scientists report. A Sydney researcher, Jason Evans, ran a series of climate models and found above average sea surface temperatures throughout December 2010 increased the amount of rainfall across the state by 25 per cent on average. May 16, 2012) The Age - Business, World & Breaking News | Melbourne, Australia [more on Climate Change in our area]
Continued ice loss on the Great Lakes may cause widespread change in ecosystems | Great Lakes Echo Some scientists worry that less ice on the Great Lakes will create low water levels that affect the region’s ecology and economy. A lot of the evaporation occurs during winter, said Henry Vanderploeg, research ecologist at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. If there is no ice cover, the lake water evaporates faster resulting in lower water levels. (May 15, 2012) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Climate Change in our area]
UB Study: NY Regulations Would Prevent Worst of PA Hydrofracking Problems | wgrz.com ALBANY -- New York's proposed regulations for hydraulic fracturing would have sufficiently curbed many of the environmental impacts experienced in Pennsylvania, according to a new study from the University at Buffalo. The study focused on 2,988 violations filed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection from Jan. 2008 through Aug. 2011, covering close to 4,000 gas wells. Of those, 25 violations were considered "major," which include events like blowouts at gas wells, land spills and water contamination. (May 15, 2012) Buffalo News, WNY News | Buffalo, NY | wgrz.com [more on Fracking in our area]
UB institute finds fracking regs successful | NY Daily Record Members of the newly created University at Buffalo Shale Resources and Society Institute released a report Tuesday calling Pennsylvania’s regulation of hydrofracking activity in the Keystone State a success. The authors called the report, titled “Environmental Impacts During Shale Gas Drilling: Causes, Impacts and Remedies,” the first quantitative data review of Pennsylvania’s regulation of the industry. (May 15, 2012) NY Daily Record [more on Fracking in our area]
NY anti-fracking movement gets star-studded boost | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY, N.Y. (WTW) — The anti-fracking movement in New York state turned up the star power Tuesday with a rally in the Capitol and concert at the Empire State Plaza. New Yorkers Against Fracking held a rally at the grand stone staircase inside the Capitol before a concert at The Egg, a 982-seat performing arts center in the state Capitol complex. The coalition called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to ban hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for gas in the Marcellus Shale region of southern New York.(May 15, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Willing to Pay (a Little) More for Clean Energy - NYTimes.com The perception that the American public is adamantly opposed to higher energy costs is at the root of most political opposition to policies favoring the adoption of renewable energy. But a new study of public opinion finds that people are in fact willing to pay to move to cleaner energy. That willingness is fairly modest, to be sure. Analyzing a survey they conducted in 2011, researchers at Harvard and Yale found that the average United States citizen was willing to pay $162 a year more to support a national policy requiring 80 percent “clean” energy by 2035. Nationwide, that would represent a 13 percent increase in electric bills. (May 14, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
New York regulations would prevent Pennsylvania hydrofracking problems, report says | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com New York’s proposed regulations for hydraulic fracturing would have sufficiently curbed many of the environmental impacts experienced in Pennsylvania, according to a study released Tuesday by the University at Buffalo. The report received immediate criticism from environmental and anti-hydrofracking groups, with one accusing its authors of “drawing rosy conclusions based on limited information.” (May 15, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Willing to Pay (a Little) More for Clean Energy - NYTimes.com The perception that the American public is adamantly opposed to higher energy costs is at the root of most political opposition to policies favoring the adoption of renewable energy. But a new study of public opinion finds that people are in fact willing to pay to move to cleaner energy. That willingness is fairly modest, to be sure. Analyzing a survey they conducted in 2011, researchers at Harvard and Yale found that the average United States citizen was willing to pay $162 a year more to support a national policy requiring 80 percent “clean” energy by 2035. Nationwide, that would represent a 13 percent increase in electric bills. (May 14, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Energy in our area]
Global warming threatens pine forests, forcing federal officials to shift strategy - The Washington Post ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK — A few modest features distinguish the trunk of the limber pine standing among the trees near abandoned beaver ponds: a white, plastic pouch attached by a removable staple, a numerical metal tag secured with an aluminum nail and a printed warning: “Pouches on trees to repel mountain pine beetles. Pouches contain chemicals. Do Not Touch-Do Not Remove.” The conifer, with its accoutrements, represents a small salvo in the battle against a beetle infestation, fueled partly by warmer temperatures. But it is also a larger symbol of how researchers from the Forest Service — in concert with National Park Service officials and other scientists — are working to steel high-elevation pine forests in the West against the onslaught of climate change. (May 13, 2012) Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis [more on Climate Change in our area]
Rochester City Hall’s Green Roof - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Rochester City Hall’s Green Roof - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Rochester, N.Y. --- It is one of the first green roofs in Downtown Rochester and it happens to be above City Hall’s Building B. The installation of the green roof was just recently completed and was made possible by a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Water Quality Improvement Program Grant. (May 14, 2012) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Green Living in our area]
Kodak had a nuclear reactor? Yes, and weapons-grade uranium - latimes.com Kodak has the bomb. … OK, not really. But according to a report from the Rochester, N.Y., Democrat and Chronicle, an Eastman Kodak facility had a small nuclear reactor and 3 ½ pounds of weapons-grade uranium for more than 30 years. Kodak. The company that makes cameras and printers. (May 14, 2012) Los Angeles Times - California, national and world news - latimes.com
Research reactor an obscure piece of Kodak history - WSJ.com ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A little-known piece of Kodak's history has emerged as the company struggles for survival: It used to operate a small nuclear research reactor at its Rochester, N.Y., home. (May 14, 2012) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com
With Gas Boom, Pennsylvania Fears New Toxic Legacy : NPR In Pennsylvania, there's an industrial revolution going on. Battalions of drilling rigs are boring into the earth to extract natural gas from an underground layer of shale called the Marcellus formation. EnlargeDavid Gilkey/NPR Rocks on the shore of the Lackawanna River in Duryea, Pa., are discolored by iron oxide and sulfur compounds — pollutants left behind by past coal mining in the state. David Gilkey/NPR Rocks on the shore of the Lackawanna River in Duryea, Pa., are discolored by iron oxide and sulfur compounds — pollutants left behind by past coal mining in the state. And as the wells multiply all along the western end of the state, people worry they may be facing another toxic legacy. (May 14, 2012) Environment : NPR [more on Fracking in our area]
Sick From Fracking? Doctors, Patients Seek Answers : NPR People living near gas well drilling around the country are reporting similar problems, plus headaches, rashes, wheezing, aches and pains and other symptoms. state impact Shale Play: Natural Gas Drilling in Pennsylvania Doctors like Julie DeRosa, who works at Cornerstone, aren't sure how to help people with these mysterious symptoms. (May 14, 2012) NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR [more on Fracking in our area]
Rochester Pedals Toward Bicycle Friendly Status | WXXI News The City of Rochester is launching a new community outreach effort called ROC the Bike! It's one more step toward obtaining Bicycle Friendly Community status from the League of American Bicyclists according to transportation specialist Eric Frisch. "We hope to expand that in the future, put that into print media and others, as we move forward with the idea that yea we want to educate drivers as well as cyclists about rules of the road," Frisch said in an interview on WXXI’s Need to Know Rochester. The City is celebrating Bike Week this week. (May 14, 2012) WXXI News | The Public Media news source for Rochester, NY and the Finger Lakes [more on Transportation in our area]
Congress: Stop Shortchanging U.S. Bicyclists Americans want to ride -- Congress poised to eliminate funding | Washington, D.C. - May 1, 2012 - Americans want to ride their bikes, but Congress is threatening to slam on the brakes. This May, millions of Americans will participate in National Bike Month, showcasing the widespread desire to use bicycles as a healthy, affordable and efficient form of transportation. Sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists and supported by theSierra Club, the month will feature more than 450 events across the nation, highlighting the popularity of bicycling and the need for bike-friendly transportation policies. (May 1, 2012) Sierra Club Home Page: Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet [more on Transportation in our area]
Public meeting Thursday on two-way traffic study | NY Daily Record The city will conduct a public informational meeting next week to discuss the North/South Clinton & St. Paul/South Two-Way Conversion Study. The objective is to determine the feasibility of converting the existing one-way couplet of North and South Clinton Avenues and St. Paul Street/South Avenue to two-way traffic. The goal of two-way conversion is improved visitor-friendliness, enhanced walkability, and increased neighborhood accessibility. (May 14, 2012) NY Daily Record [more on Transportation in our area]
Rochester area adding to bike trails | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Rochester’s ever-expanding trails network has a new two-mile addition, two new bridges and plans for new neighborhood connections as well as more on-street bike lanes and shared-use lanes. Ribbon cuttings are planned for next month. But this week — declared Bike Week in Rochester by Mayor Thomas Richards — residents will have ample opportunity to get out and explore. (May 15, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Transportation in our area]
Utility plans for future fuel shift - Times Union National Grid seeks state OK for program to fund natural gas, electric fueling stations | ALBANY — If the United States ever weans itself off foreign oil, it could have utilities like National Grid to thank. That may not seem logical considering that National Grid delivers natural gas and electricity to homes and businesses, while it is gasoline-powered cars and trucks that drive much of the demand for oil. But National Grid believes that for many economic and environmental reasons, natural gas and electric vehicles could be the future in this country. (May 11, 2012) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Energy in our area]
Global warming threatens pine forests, forcing federal officials to shift strategy - The Washington Post ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK — A few modest features distinguish the trunk of the limber pine standing among the trees near abandoned beaver ponds: a white, plastic pouch attached by a removable staple, a numerical metal tag secured with an aluminum nail and a printed warning: “Pouches on trees to repel mountain pine beetles. Pouches contain chemicals. Do Not Touch-Do Not Remove.” The conifer, with its accoutrements, represents a small salvo in the battle against a beetle infestation, fueled partly by warmer temperatures. But it is also a larger symbol of how researchers from the Forest Service — in concert with National Park Service officials and other scientists — are working to steel high-elevation pine forests in the West against the onslaught of climate change. (May 13, 2012) Washington Post: Breaking News, World, US, DC News & Analysis [more on Plants and our environment in our area]
Hundreds turn out for city's Clean Sweep - again | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com About 1,100 volunteers collected 15 tons of litter and debris in southeast Rochester for another one of the city's Clean Sweep projects on Saturday. Twenty-five beautification projects, such as flower planting, were also completed. The annual spring program kicked off two weeks ago in the city's northwest quadrant. (May 12, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Recycling in our area]
NCPR News - St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario communities at odds over water levels (05/14/12) Water levels in the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario have been regulated since the 1950s. Levels have been controlled, so they can't rise too high, or drop too low. But the International Joint Commission wants to change that, because the IJC says it's been bad for the environment. Many scientists and environmental groups support the IJC's plan to allow the water to flow more naturally. But some lake-shore property owners fear that the high water will wash their homes away. Julie Grant reports. (May 14, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
NCPR News - DOT finds room for bikes on busy Adirondack highway (05/14/12) The state Department of Transportation has modified its plan to repave the highway from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake this summer. The new design will widen the shoulders and accommodate cyclists a little better. The department will now aim to leave as much room as possible along the shoulders of state Route 86. DOT officials say the changes were made following input from local officials and cycling advocates. (May 14, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Transportation in our area]
Wind industry's future in question as tax credit nears end | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com The end of a key federal tax incentive for the wind industry could put a damper on much-needed wind turbine replacement efforts — known as repowering — just as many of the region's iconic windmills are hitting the upper limit of their 30-year lifespan. The credit provides wind developers a tax break of 2.2 cents per kilowatt-hour for the power they generate from utility-scale wind projects for the first 10 years of production. It's set to expire Dec. 31. (May 14, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Wind Power in our area]
Health Departments Team Up Against Mosquitoes State and Central NY Counties Working Together to Protect People from EEE ALBANY, N.Y. (May 10, 2012) - State Health Commissioner Nirav R. Shah, M.D., M.P.H., and health officials from counties in Central New York have joined together to raise awareness about the dangers of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and the importance of taking personal protective measures to reduce the risk of disease. New York State and counties work together each year to monitor mosquito populations and the potential for the spread of disease. They also educate people on how to prevent mosquito bites. This year's efforts are critical in light of three deaths in the past three years in Central New York due to EEE virus, including the death of a young child last summer. (May 10, 2012) New York State Department of Health [more on Environmental Health in our area]
DEC Advises Anglers to be on the Lookout for Lake Sturgeon in the Great Lakes and Oneida Lake - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Anglers should be aware of spawning lake sturgeon in tributaries of the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River, Finger Lakes and Oneida Lake, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today advised. "The return of lake sturgeon to spawn in New York state's tributaries reflects well on efforts by DEC and our partners to restore this valuable native species," said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. "These fish have been part of New York's natural landscape for thousands of years and through sound management they will remain here for future generations to enjoy. It's extremely important that anglers fishing these waters are aware of the presence of spawning sturgeon and take all measures to avoid catching them." (May 10, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
Citizens Announce Nation’s Largest-Ever Fracking Rally in Washington, D.C. « EcoWatch: Uniting the Voice of the Grassroots Environmental Movement Today, citizens from affected communities, together with environmental organizations and community groups, announced a call to action to demand an end to putting oil and gas drilling profits ahead of public health, clean water, air and the safety of our communities. This event will be the largest of its kind and will take place on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 28, 2012. Labeled “Stop the Frack Attack,” the rally will bring thousands to the nation’s capitol to demand greater government responsibility and corporate accountability for harm that existing oil and gas development causes. (May 2, 2012) EcoWatch: Uniting the Voice of the Grassroots Environmental Movement [more on Fracking in our area]
Mapping Waste: Setting the Stage to Clean up Niagara - GrowWNY So, just how contaminated is Western New York? Do we have more than our fair share of historic contamination? Are we still bringing waste here? How much? How do we compare with the rest of New York State? These were the questions that the Waste and Pollution Working Group of the WNY Environmental Alliance asked themselves as we were getting organized in early 2010. Although the members who joined this group were very knowledgeable about some aspect or waste site, we realized that we didn’t have a complete picture of the conditions of our Niagara Region. And so Mapping Waste: Setting the Stage to Clean Up Niagara was born. With support from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and an agreement with the Urban Design Project, School of Architecture and Planning at UB, Professors Lynda Schneekloth and Joe Gardella agreed to ‘map the waste.’ (May 7, 2012) GrowWNY [more on Brownfields in our area]
Bees are being killed: beekeepers take first step to sue EPA over pesticides | Washington Times Communities FREDERIC, Wis., May 9, 2012 — The battle of the bees and the deadly insecticides killing them en mass has taken a first step in a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency for negligence in not protecting the bees. The Washington Times Communities is the first to bring you news about this approaching lawsuit. Buzz on Bees has obtained an exclusive copy of the “Emergency Petition” filed with the EPA, demanding the agency comply with federal law and Congress to protect bees from lethal pesticides. (May 10, 2012) Washington Times - Politics, Breaking News, US and World News [more on Pesticides in our area]
New Legislation Would End More Than $110 Billion in Fossil Fuel Subsidies « EcoWatch: Uniting the Voice of the Grassroots Environmental Movement Today Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) announced legislation that is by far the most comprehensive attempt to end subsidies for the fossil fuels industry in the U.S. Sen. Sanders and Rep. Ellison’s bill would save taxpayers more than $10 billion a year and more than $110 billion over ten years. Friends of the Earth’s Tax Analyst Ben Schreiber issued the following statement about the bill: “Bold leadership, like that which Sen. Sanders and Rep. Ellison have exhibited today, will be necessary if we are to have any hope of avoiding climate catastrophe. We simply must stop paying corporations to cause asthma, lung disease and cancer. (May 10, 2012) EcoWatch: Uniting the Voice of the Grassroots Environmental Movement [more on Energy in our area]
40 Acres and a Rule: Draft Federal Fracking Regs Cover Only A Sliver of Land - ProPublica Last week’s media coverage of the Obama administration’s newly-proposed fracking rules focused so heavily on how drilling companies would have to disclose the chemicals they use that it largely overlooked the toughest provisions: Drillers would be required to test the physical integrity of their wells, and more water would be protected from drilling. Since many wells fail because the cement and casings crack, the new tests could prevent dangerous leakages. One major limitation: Although widely understood as “national” guidelines, the draft rules would in fact only apply to a sliver of the nation’s natural gas supply. That’s because they would apply to mineral rights managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which means areas beneath most BLM and tribal land, but scarcely any U.S. Forest Service, private or state-owned lands – where most drilling occurs. Industry has criticized the proposed rules as too restrictive. (May 8, 2012) ProPublica [more on Fracking in our area]
Germany Rejects Fracking to Tap Natural Gas - SPIEGEL ONLINE Germany has put the brakes on plans to use hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, to extract natural gas in places where it is difficult to access, such as shale or coal beds. Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen and Economy Minister Philipp Rösler have agreed to oppose the controversial process for the time being, SPIEGEL has learned. Sources in the German government said that the ministers were "very skeptical" about fracking, which injects chemicals as well as sand and water into the ground to release natural gas. "There are many open questions which we will first have to carefully examine," Rösler told close associates. (May 7, 2012) International - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News [more on Fracking in our area]
BCC to unveil wind turbine | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com DICKINSON -- Broome Community College President Dr. Kevin Drumm will hold a formal unveiling the newly installed 4kW wind turbine at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The turbine is located between the Applied Technology and Decker Health Science Buildings on campus. The project involved the installation of a four kilowatt vertical axis wind turbine outside the southwest corner of the Applied Technology Building. The turbine stands more than 40 feet above the ground. The turbine was designed by Urban Green Energy in New York City. (May 8, 2012) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Wind Power in our area]
Army Corps plans to speed up action to protect Great Lakes; Rep. Higgins pleased NEW YORK - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will provide Congress and the public the opportunity to identify a potential permanent Asian carp solution by next year, much earlier than initially expected. The Army Corps is currently conducting a Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS). Completion of the feasibility study was not anticipated until 2015. In February, Congressman Brian Higgins (D-27) and other members of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force sent a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers calling on the agency to expedite the timeline for action. (May 10, 2012) New York State News on the Net! [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Big report on Asian carp put off until after options are released by 2013 - chicagotribune.com Instead of completing a massive federal study that would recommend a permanent solution to the Asian carp problem by 2015, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will release an array of preliminary options to Congress by next year, officials announced today. The timeline of the Great Lakes Mississippi River Interbasin Study had come under fire from some members of Congress and Great Lakes states, who criticized regulators for dragging their feet on an urgent issue. (May 8, 2012) Chicago Tribune: Chicago breaking news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and traffic - chicagotribune.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Brooks Announces Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics Collection on County's Eastside Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks announced that the County’s Department of Environmental Services (DES) and the towns of Perinton and Pittsford and the villages of Pittsford, East Rochester and Fairport have collaborated to hold a free household hazardous waste (HHW), paper shredding and electronics collection day on Saturday, May 19th from 7:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Perinton Highway Garage at 100 Cobbs Lane. Appointments are required for the HHW collection, but are not required for electronics recycling. “This one-day collection gives residents the opportunity to dispose of potentially hazardous chemicals in a safe manner while keeping usable items out of landfills,”said Brooks. “These collections also continue to demonstrate how the County and its government partners are collaborating and streamlining services to better serve taxpayers.” To ensure safety and reduce waiting times, appointments are required for all HHW collections. Perinton and Fairport residents should call 223-5115, and Pittsford and East Rochester residents can call 248-6250. This collection is open to all Monroe County residents and appointments can be made online at http://www.MonroeCounty.gov/hhw. Appointments will be accepted until Friday, May 18th. (May 2012) [more on Recycling in our area]
DEC Begins Emergency Rule-Making for Hydrilla Infestation Treatment - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation adopted an emergency rule to allow for herbicide treatment to combat hydrilla, an invasive plant species that has plagued parts of the Cayuga Inlet since last summer, the agency announced today. "Immediate action is necessary to stop the spread of hydrilla to preserve native plants and indigenous aquatic ecosystems throughout New York state," said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. "By amending the regulation to allow the use of fluridone pellets, DEC is helping control the infestation of a destructive species that threatens the Finger Lakes economy and habitat." (May 9, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Cayuga Lake in our area]
Chikungunya disease in NYC due to warming? - TODAY News - TODAY.com NEW YORK — The name of the disease, chikungunya, means "that which bends" in an African language, and it describes the posture of its victims, bent over by severe joint pain. Once a sporadic problem in Africa and Asia, this viral disease has been expanding its range since 2004, even spreading within Italy. And, with some help from global warming, New York City could be next, Laura Harrington, a medical entomologist at Cornell University warned on Tuesday here at Cornell. (May 9, 2012) TODAY.com: Matt Lauer, Ann Curry, Al Roker, Natalie Morales - TODAY show video, news, recipes, health, pets [more on Climate Change in our area]
UR receives funding for crop protection project | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information A biologist at the University of Rochester has received a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for research into how to protect crops without using toxic pesticides, UR officials announced Wednesday. The grant was given to John Jaenike in a program that supports innovative projects that “break the mold” in trying to solve important problems in global health and development, UR officials said. It was one of more than 100 projects funded in the eighth round of the Grand Challenges Explorations program. (May 9, 2012) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more on Food and our Environment in this area]
Landowners assert right to frack for gas | NY Daily Record ALBANY — A coalition of upstate New York landowners seeking to lease land for natural gas drilling pressed state officials Wednesday to consider the rights of property owners as they make decisions on shale gas development. The Joint Landowners Coalition of New York was at the Capitol to present a “Declaration of Rights.” (May 10, 2012) NY Daily Record [more on Fracking in our area]
Report: Pacific Ocean Has 100 Times More Plastic Particles In It Than '70s - US News and World Report There's little scientists can do to clean up the 'Great Pacific Garbage Patch,' experts say. All of those hastily discarded plastic water bottles start to add up. Thousands of miles off the coast of California, millions of tons of plastic make up the so-called "Great Pacific Garbage Patch"—and as it breaks down, it becomes more enticing to the creatures living in the open ocean. (May 8, 2012) Breaking National and World News - US News
Army Corps quickens pace on Asian carp study - WSJ.com TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Obama administration officials say a new timetable developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should speed up the search for a permanent method of protecting the Great Lakes from Asian carp and other invasive species. (May 8, 2012) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Consider this: Shrinking ice cover | syracuse.com What does it mean when Wolf Lake in the remote High Peaks area of the Adirondack Mountains loses three weeks of ice cover in winter, as scientists affiliated with the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse recently determined? It means that the lake’s water chemistry may start changing, along with the types of algae that bloom in the water and plankton that live in it. Warmer water could harm cold-water fish species — like the heritage brook trout that flourish in one of the most pristine lakes in the Northeastern United States. (May 8, 2012) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com [more on Climate Change in our area]
Vermont poised to be first state to outlaw fracking | Reuters (Reuters) - Vermont will be the first state to outlaw a controversial oil and gas drilling method known as fracking when Governor Peter Shumlin signs a bill banning the practice, a largely symbolic move given the state's apparent lack of energy reserves. Hydraulic fracturing has helped companies tap potentially decades of gas supply and huge amounts of oil from previously inaccessible shale formations dotted across the United States in recent years. (May 8, 2012) Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com [more on Fracking in our area]
NCPR News - A personal connection to climate change (05/09/12) Nearly 40 people gathered Paul Johnson's home in Upper Jay on Saturday to draw attention to the ways climate change has affected peoples' lives. The event, called Connect the Dots, was part of Climate Impacts Day, which featured hundreds of similar gatherings worldwide. It was organized by local members of the international climate action organization 350.org, started by former Adirondack writer Bill McKibben. (May 9, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Climate Change in our area]
State of the Climate U.S. temperatures for April third warmest on record Past 12 months and first third of the year were warmest nation has experienced Several warm periods across the contiguous U.S. during April brought the national average temperature to 55°F, 3.6°F above average, marking the third warmest April on record. These temperatures, when added with the first quarter and previous 11 months, calculate to the warmest year-to-date and 12-month periods since recordkeeping began in 1895. The 12-month period of May 2011-April 2012 has a nationally-averaged temperature 2.8°F above the 1901-2000 long-term average, while the January-April 2012 months were 45.4°F, 5.4°F above the long-term average. (April 2012) NESDIS-National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service [more on Climate Change in our area]
Geese at the Mall The geese in the neighborhood near Eastview Mall have made themselves at home for years. But why the increase this year? According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, the average number of geese in New York was at or below 85,000 birds. In 2011, the population rose to more than 207,000. (May 8, 2012) Rochesterhomepage.net [more on Geese Problem in our area]
Mayor to declare bike week | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Mayor Thomas Richards will proclaim May 13-19 Bike Week in Rochester during a 7:30 p.m. Wednesday ceremony at City Hall to raise awareness of city efforts to increase bicycle ridership. (May 9, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Transportation in our area]
More sour notes on fracking | 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Pro Publica, the investigative journalism outfit that’s done the best overall reporting on hydraulic fracturing, published a story the other day about a hydrogeologist who believes that gas drilling fluids can migrate through underground rock much more readily than the industry has said. This migration could imperil drinking-water supplies, the story says. The study, which the Pro Publica piece notes was commissioned by two anti-fracking groups, involved a computer simulation of how fracking fluid moves through existing cracks and fissures in the rock below us after being injected under high pressure. (May 7, 2012) 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Fracking in our area]
From New York to Wyoming, a busy week in fracking news | Innovation Trail The past few days have been busy ones in the world of natural gas extraction: New hydrofracking rules from the Department of Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were met with complaints from both sides. A New York environmental group is questioning whether the state's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) believes wastewater is a real concern. And the EPA withheld a study on aquifer contamination in Wyoming at the request of the governor - who then used the delay to prepare a smear campaign. (May 7, 2012) Innovation Trail [more on Fracking in our area]
Why Don't TV Meteorologists Believe in Climate Change? | InsideClimate News Climate scientists agree in vast majority that human-caused global warming is occurring. But most U.S. weather forecasters don't. Why? In recent years, the world's scientists have begun to show that climate change is altering the magnitude and frequency of severe weather, and polls say a majority of Americans now link droughts, floods and other extremes to global warming. And yet, this country's TV weather forecasters have increasingly taken to denying evidence that warming is affecting weather—or is even happening at all. Only 19 percent accept the established science that human activity is driving climate change, says a 2011 report by the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication, making TV meteorologists far more skeptical than the public at large. (May 7, 2012) | InsideClimate News [more on Climate Change in our area]
Advocacy: Heartland faces a mutiny amid furor over billboard campaign -- 05/07/2012 -- www.eenews.net The Heartland Institute's failed billboard campaign attacking the existence of climate change is driving a surge of corporate donors to abandon the group and prompting a mutiny among its Washington-based staff, which is decamping for less volatile surroundings, according to sources. At the center of the retreat is a contingent of insurance companies and trade groups that donated more than $1 million over the last two years to the libertarian group's Center on Finance, Insurance and Real Estate in Washington, D.C., for programs related to federal insurance reform. (May 7, 2012) E&E Publishing -- The Premier Information Source for Professionals Who Track Environmental and Energy Policy. [more on Climate Change in our area]
Farm Sanctuary co-founder speaks at vegan gathering | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Gene Baur, co-founder and president of Farm Sanctuary, will be the speaker at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Rochester Area Vegetarian Society’s meeting at Brighton Town Park Lodge, 777 Westfall Road, Brighton. The lecture is preceded by a 5:30 p.m. vegan potluck. (May 7, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com
Black bears spotted in Rochester region | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Several black bears have been spotted wandering in the Rochester region this week. Monday morning marked the most recent sighting, near Hamlin Parma Town Line and Burritt roads. Art Kirsch, senior wildlife biologist for the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said a passerby spotted the bear about 10 a.m. (May 7, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Wildlife in our area]
DEC shrouds fate of drilling waste - Times Union ALBANY — An environmental lobbying group challenged the state Department of Environmental Conservation in a report Friday claiming that the state fails to keep track of waste generated by low-volume natural gas hydrofracking. After examining DEC paperwork for 100 existing gas wells located in Western New York and the Finger Lakes region, researchers for Environmental Advocates of New York claimed the agency's records made it "nearly impossible" to track drilling waste from individual wells to disposal. (May 4, 2012) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Fracking in our area]
U.S. to Set Fracking Rules on Federal Land - WSJ.com The Obama administration will soon issue sweeping new environmental-safety rules for hydraulic fracturing on federal land, setting a new standard that natural-gas wells on all lands eventually could follow. (May 3, 2012) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [more on Fracking in our area]
SUNDAY EXCLUSIVE: Webster's water conflict a microcosm of issues others are facing | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com An unexpected drama is playing out in the village of Webster focused on water, land and, perhaps, part of the village’s heritage. Alone among Monroe County’s villages and towns, the village of Webster has its own drinking water supply — wells first sunk during the Great Depression on wooded land with a dramatic overlook of Irondequoit Bay. (May 7, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Water Quality in our area]
Recycle electronics, buy plants tomorrow (May 5) at Webster church - Webster, NY - Webster Post Webster, N.Y. — Two events are being held tomorrow, Saturday, May 5, at Webster United Church of Christ, 570 Klem Road, Webster. An Electronics Recycling Event is being held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, May 5. Accepted items will include computers, printers, phones, TVs and computer monitors, stereos, microwaves, personal electronics, game consoles, GPS units and more. (May 4, 2012) Homepage - Webster, NY - Webster Post
New Report: NYS Does Not Safely Monitor Treatment or Disposal of Fracking Wastewater from Existing Gas Wells Proposed Two-Tier System for Fracking Waste Endangers Public Health, Environment (05/04/2012)—The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has failed to responsibly monitor the transport, treatment, or disposal of waste from the state’s active gas wells, according to a new report released today by Environmental Advocates of New York. The report examines how wastes from existing gas drilling operations are disposed in an effort to shed light on how public health and the environment may be affected by the anticipated influx of waste from gas drilling by means of high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” operations. As of 2009, the state was home to 6,628 gas wells, approximately 90 percent of which use low-volume fracking to extract the gas. The report also notes that the state’s proposed oversight of high-volume fracking would create a two-tier regulatory system, even though all fracking waste poses a threat to the safety of New York’s waters and communities. (May 4, 20120 ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES OF NEW YORK
Report finds state at fault in handling drilling waste - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Richmond, N.Y. — A new report claims the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation does not safely monitor treatment or disposal of waste from existing natural gas wells. The report by Environmental Advocates of New York examines how wastes from existing gas drilling operations are disposed in an effort to shed light on how public health and the environment may be affected by the anticipated influx of waste from gas drilling by means of high-volume hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," operations. (May 4, 20120 Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Fracking in our area]
Sneak peek: Rochester City Hall's new green roof | Innovation Trail The city of Rochester just completed work on its first ever "green roof." The roof of City Hall's Building B is now home to 8,700 square feet of succulent plants. "It's basically for storm water management," says Anne Spaulding, the city's sustainability manager, during a rooftop tour. "All of the rainwater - instead of running into the storm system - is consumed by the plants on the roof." (May 4, 2012) Innovation Trail [more on Climate Change in our area]
Using spring temperatures to predict summer slime | Great Lakes Echo To predict how much muck will wash up on Lake Ontario beaches in the summer, it might make sense to look at spring temperatures. Lots of things cause algae – too many nutrients, zebra mussels, storms, sunlight. But new research suggests that earlier, warmer spring temperatures that quickly heat Lake Ontario’s nearshore areas spur summer growth of smelly, slimy algae. And if that’s the case, Great Lakes beach managers have a long summer ahead. (May 1, 2012) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
DEC Accepting Applications for Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Applications are now being accepted for federally funded "Volunteer Fire Assistance" grants to help rural fire departments enhance their wildfire fighting capabilities, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. The deadline for applications is May 15. "Fire departments in rural areas are the backbone of fire protection for thousands of New Yorkers," Commissioner Martens said. "Rural fire departments work with state Forest Rangers to fight wildfires that threaten our natural resources and these grants will help them prepare for the challenge of fighting wildfires." The grant program is funded by the U.S. Forest Service and administered by DEC. If awarded, fire departments will receive 50/50 matching funds up to the amount of $1,000. Last year, the program allocated more than $400,000, which provided $1,000 grants to 475 fire departments. It is anticipated $350,000 will be allocated for 2012. (May 3, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Wastewater Disposal Is an Issue in Hydrofracking - NYTimes.com Vexed by declining revenue, officials of the Niagara Falls water utility seized on a new moneymaking idea last year: treat toxic waste from natural-gas drilling at its sewage-treatment plant once hydrofracking gets under way in New York State. Accepting the waste would both offset the drop in revenue and help keep water rates down for customers in the economically strapped region, they reasoned. But the thought of having fracking fluids trucked into the city, treated and discharged into the Niagara River frightened local residents, many of whom still recall the Love Canal environmental crisis of the 1970s. In a unanimous vote, the Niagara Falls City Council blocked the plan this spring by banning the treatment, transport, storage and disposal of drilling fluids within city limits. (May 3, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Fracking in our area]
Why Groundwater is Another Sea Level Rise Concern | Climate Central Sea level rise brings to mind the threat of coastal flooding from menacing storm surges, with growing risks to shore-based infrastructure — but a new study indicates there’s another sea level rise-related threat that has so far slipped under the radar. According to the study, as sea level rises, so will groundwater levels, and since underground infrastructure — including sewer pipes and utility equipment — was built with historical groundwater levels in mind, this could lead to expensive headaches for coastal communities. (May 4, 2012) Climate Change | Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
TransCanada to reapply 'imminently' for Keystone XL permit - The Globe and Mail TransCanada Corp. (TRP-T42.95-0.49-1.13%) is set to reapply for a U.S. permit to build the controversial Keystone XL pipeline as early as Friday, opening a new round of contentious debate in the midst of the presidential election campaign. Expectations are running high in Calgary and Ottawa that, if he wins re-election in November, U.S. President Barack Obama will approve the 2,700-kilometre pipeline that would stretch from Alberta’s oil sands to Houston’s refinery complex. (May 3, 2012) Energy & Resources - The Globe and Mail [more on Energy in our area]
Greenland's Ice Melting More Slowly Than Expected : NPR A new study has some reassuring news about how fast Greenland's glaciers are melting away. Greenland's glaciers hold enough water to raise sea level by 20 feet, and they are melting as the planet warms, so there's a lot at stake. A few years ago, the Jakobshavn glacier in Greenland really caught people's attention. In short order, this slow-moving stream of ice suddenly doubled its speed. It started dumping a whole lot more ice into the Atlantic. Other glaciers also sped up. (May 3, 2012) Environment : NPR [more on Climate Change in our area]
Ontario County waits for DEC solid waste comments - Finger Lakes Times: Local CANANDAIGUA — Ontario County Administrator John Garvey told the Board of Supervisors’ Environmental Quality Committee Wednesday the state DEC will want the county’s draft solid waste management plan to emphasize reduction of the waste stream. The Department of Environmental Conservation’s comments on the plan were originally due last October. And, although Garvey said he was told they would be forthcoming Wednesday, he went to the meeting without them. (May 3, 2012) Finger Lakes Times: Finger Lakes Times [more on Recycling in our area]
State, non-profit team up for 'I Love My Park Day' | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — The state and an Albany-based advocacy group will team up for the first-ever “I Love My Park Day,” a volunteer effort to clean up and promote New York’s parks. The clean-up day will take place Saturday at more than 35 parks and historic sites statewide, according to Parks & Trails New York, a non-profit group. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will be participating, according to his office. (May 3, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Parks in our area]
NY regulations for drilling waste too lax | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY, N.Y. (WTW) — A new report from an environmental group says New York's oversight of waste disposal from existing natural gas-drilling operations is too lax, making it virtually impossible to track how much waste is produced and how drillers dispose of it. The report released Friday by Environmental Advocates of New York examines Department of Environmental Conservation records related to 100 of the state's 6,628 active gas wells. It finds industry reporting forms provide little detail on where drilling wastewater was sent and whether it actually got to the intended disposal site. (May 4, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Sewage-pollution disclosure bill advances | 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle The state Assembly has passed a bill that would require wastewater treatment plant operators to notify the public when they release untreated or partially treated sewage. Several environmental groups heaped praise on lawmakers for acting on the bill, which has not yet been passed by the state Senate. (No local lawmakers sponsored the bill in either house, though everyone in the Assembly did vote for it last week and Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, Niagara County, did vote for it in committee.) (May 2, 2012) 520 – An Environmental Blog | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle [more on Water Quality in our area]
Anti-Fracking Claims the Upper PR Hand | WXXI News Anti fracking groups presented Governor Cuomo with 200,000 signatures asking for a ban on the gas drilling process in New York, and a State Senator predicts the opposition will have an effect on the governor. The coalition New Yorkers Against Fracking delivered boxes containing 200,000 signatures to Governor Cuomo’s offices that they say are from state residents who want the gas drilling process banned. An aide politely accepted them, but Governor Cuomo, whose public schedule listed him as being in Albany, did not appear. (May 2, 2012) WXXI News | The Public Media news source for Rochester, NY and the Finger Lakes [more on Fracking in our area]
DEC'S Earth Week Crackdown Targets Dirty Diesels from Buffalo to Long Island - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation To mark the end of Earth Day celebrations last week, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today released the results of the agency's statewide clean air initiative, a week-long crack down on smoke-spewing diesel trucks in check-point operations across New York. DEC's environmental conservation officers (ECOs) inspected hundreds of trucks and issued 206 tickets. From Buffalo to Long Island, ECOs targeted trucks churning out plumes of visible exhaust - in violation of state air regulations. Dubbed DEC's "Stop Smoking Initiative for Trucks and Buses," the enforcement operation was carried out in strategically chosen neighborhoods known for heavy truck traffic. (May 2, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Air Quality in our area]
Exclusive: U.S. shale causes rise in waste gas pollution | Reuters (Reuters) - The U.S. shale energy boom is fuelling a rise in the burning of waste gas after years of decline, a World Bank source told Reuters ahead of the release of new data, giving environmentalists more ammunition against the industry. Global gas flaring crept up by 4.5 percent in 2011, the first rise since 2008 and equivalent to the annual gas use of Denmark, preliminary data from the World Bank shows. (May 2, 2012) Business News - Indian Stock Market, Stock Market News, Business & Finance, Market Statistics | Reuters India [more on Fracking in our area]
Weather Insider: What Tomorrow's Shift in the La Nina-El Nino Cycle Means | InsideClimate News A shift away from this year's La Nina to El Nino could dramatically alter temperature and extreme weather patterns—and global warming may play a role. Changes are brewing in the equatorial Pacific, and they could profoundly affect weather across the U.S. and much of the globe next winter and spring. La Niña, which has held sway since last fall, will be officially declared a goner Thursday, an official at the Climate Prediction Center in Maryland told InsideClimate News. And while nobody is quite certain what will happen next, some long-range forecast models are pointing to the possible emergence of the opposite phenomenon: El Niño. (May 2, 2012) | InsideClimate News [more on Climate Change in our area]
Town of Brighton hosts Clean Sweep event | Environment | Brighton-Pittsford News The Town of Brighton is hosting a clean sweep event on Saturday, May 5th. Those interesting in helping clean can register the day of the event at the Brighton Town Hall at 9 a.m. (May 2, 2012) Brighton-Pittsford News | Community News, Photos, Events, Businesses & Deals
PARKS: Planning the future of Powder Mills Park - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper The still-developing master plan for Powder Mills Park should be back in front of the public in late spring. The plan will list needed and desired park projects, and will serve as a guide for potential uses of the park. It's been more than a year since county officials held a public input meeting on the plan, and little has been said since then. It's the 380-acre park's first-ever master plan, so a variety of conditions and features have to be studied and recorded, says County Parks Director Larry Staub. Much of the work has been taking place out of the public eye, he says. (May 1, 2012) Rochester NY Local News, Rochester NY Politics, NY News Coverage, Rochester NY Opinion - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Parks in our area]
In fracking fight, protests influential | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — It was a familiar sight early Wednesday afternoon outside the Senate chamber. In front of the bright lights of television cameras and a handful of microphones and recorders, a coalition of groups and lawmakers opposed to hydraulic fracturing for natural gas stood next to six boxes packed with petitions supporting a statewide ban on the technique. The petitions had more than 200,000 signatures, according to the groups. (May 3, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
TRANSPORTATION: Building bike-friendly campus connections - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper The Erie-Lackawanna bike-pedestrian bridge should open in June, connecting the University of Rochester campus with both sides of the Genesee River. The bridge will provide a convenient way to cross the river, but it's significant in another way, too: it's another step toward creating a cohesive bikeway between some of Rochester's higher-ed institutions. (May 1, 2012) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Transportation in our area]
Research Project Develops Collaborative Tool for Water Quality Data | GantDaily.com Scientists with federal and state agencies, academic researchers, environmental consultants, and watershed group volunteers have collected water-quality data for years as part of efforts to monitor the health of Pennsylvania’s waterways. However, while there is virtually a deluge of water-quality data, much of it has never been incorporated into a sustainable database accessible to both researchers and the public. That has just changed. A new database, using a platform supported by the National Science Foundation that channels available water quality data into a searchable format, was demonstrated at the Shale Network 2012 Workshop at Penn State’s University Park campus in April. The workshop was part of the Shale Network, a multi-institutional initiative funded by NSF to track potential impacts of gas shale activity, including that of the Marcellus. (April 29, 2012) GantDaily.com Local News for Clearfield, Philipsburg, DuBois and surrounding areas! [more on Fracking in our area]
Great Lakes said to be on 'crisis pathway' - Windsor - CBC News Ontarians are being asked to imagine what it would be like if the Great Lakes disappeared. The Council of Canadians said that could happen if something is not done to protect the lakes. The citizens' group will soon tour the province suggesting a whole new approach. (May 1, 2012) CBC News - Latest Canada, World, Entertainment and Business News [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
US DOE says test shows potential for natgas hydrates | Reuters May 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. Energy Department on Wednesday announced a breakthrough in research into tapping a possibly vast fuel resource that could eventually bolster already massive U.S. natural gas reserves. By injecting a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen into a methane hydrate formation on Alaska's North Slope, the department was able to produce a steady flow of natural gas in the first field test of this method. (May 1, 2012) Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com [more on Fracking in our area]
New Study Predicts Frack Fluids Can Migrate to Aquifers Within Years - ProPublica A new study has raised fresh concerns about the safety of gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale, concluding that fracking chemicals injected into the ground could migrate toward drinking water supplies far more quickly than experts have previously predicted. More than 5,000 wells were drilled in the Marcellus between mid-2009 and mid-2010, according to the study, which was published in the journal Ground Water [1] two weeks ago. Operators inject up to 4 million gallons of fluid, under more than 10,000 pounds of pressure, to drill and frack each well. (May 1, 2012) ProPublica [more on Fracking in our area]
NCPR News - DOT rejects bike lane on popular Tri-Lakes Route 86, cyclists ask for safe shoulder (05/01/12) The state has already said no to bike lanes on state Route 86 between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. Now, cycling advocates are petitioning the state to create a usable shoulder when transportation crews repave the highway later this spring. (May 1, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Transportation in our area]
Bio-energy project launches in Wyoming County | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Back in frigid late November, there was a sense of urgency about getting the power flowing on the Synergy Dairy farm in Covington, Wyoming County. Tuesday, though, things were looking much brighter as politicians and farm and energy officials gathered again to celebrate the grand opening of the 1.4-megawatt, manure-powered electrical generation project, Synergy Biogas. The power project produces gas by digesting food and cattle waste, generating enough electricity to run about 1,000 homes. (May 1, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Energy in our area]
Shale gas leads green agenda - Times Union Pending hydrofracking rules draw attention during 22nd annual Earth Day Lobby Day ALBANY — Nearly 200 people fanned out through the state Capitol on Wednesday for the annual environmental lobbying day, urging lawmakers to support bills on natural gas hydraulic fracturing, climate change, solar power, and chemicals in children's products. Beforehand, participants in the 22nd annual Earth Day Lobby Day heard from Sen. Mark Grisanti, a Buffalo Republican and head of the Environmental Conservation Committee, who said he shared concerns about the controversial drilling technique known as hydrofracking. (April 26, 2012) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Fracking in our area]
Canada Geese Still Overabundant in New York State | WXXI News New York State’s resident Canada Geese population is around 200,000, despite the annual harvest of about 50,000 of the birds during hunting season. And the state DEC says the birds, while a valuable natural resource, can become a problem because of the droppings they leave behind. (April 30, 2012) WXXI News | The Public Media news source for Rochester, NY and the Finger Lakes [more on the Geese Problem in our area]
04/27/2012: EPA Honors New York State Environmental Leaders (New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that it has honored 26 individuals, organizations and businesses from across New York State with Environmental Quality Awards for their achievements in protecting public health and the environment. EPA also recognized a student from Jericho, N.Y. who is one of ten students selected from across the country to receive the President’s Environmental Youth Award. EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck was joined by Mayor Dana Redd of Camden, New Jersey to present the awards to this year’s recipients at a ceremony at EPA’s offices in Manhattan. (April 27, 2012) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases
Health: Climate change is expanding allergy risks -- 04/30/2012 -- www.eenews.net Watery eyes, runny noses and puffy faces will abound this year as a warm winter, human development and climate change converge to create a brutal allergy season that will likely get worse for years to come, according to experts. Plants like ragweed are in pollen overdrive from very favorable weather, while stinging insects like yellow jackets and hornets are findings new homes farther north. More people are becoming susceptible to allergies over time as pollen seasons are getting longer. (April 30, 2012) E&E Publishing -- The Premier Information Source for Professionals Who Track Environmental and Energy Policy. [more on Climate Change in our area]
AEP disputes study linking plants to 3,200 deaths - Business, Government Legal News from throughout WV TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Energy giant American Electric Power is disputing an environmental group's study that finds air pollution from the company's 26 coal-fired plants caused as many as 3,200 deaths and more than 20,000 asthma attacks last year. The analysis done for the New York-based Natural Resources Defense Council also estimates that the pollution emitted by AEP plants, two of which are in Oklahoma, led to more than 1 million lost work days and lists the economic toll as high as $24 billion in 2011. It accuses the Columbus, Ohio-based electric company of using its wealth to promote laws designed to stop or delay the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from cleaning up the air. (April 30, 2012) Business, Government Legal News from throughout WV - Home [more on Air Quality in our area]
Will Ohio Continue To Be a Regional Dumping Ground for Fracking Wastewater? | InsideClimate News In 2011, drillers pumped more than 500 million gallons of toxic fluid into Ohio's injection wells. More than half of the wastewater came from other states. A series of earthquakes that rumbled from an oil and gas wastewater well in Ohio last year has highlighted the state's new role in the regional drilling landscape. Over the last couple of years, Ohio has becoming a dumping ground for wastewater. (May 1, 2012) | InsideClimate News [more on Fracking in our area]
Millions of people throwing away old electronics, but a new movement is to e-cycle instead | www.WHEC.com Most people know they can recycle paper, plastic and aluminum. There is one thing millions of people don't realized can be recycled that's adding tons of waste to our landfills. We've all heard the three R's about recycling -- reduce, reuse and recycle, but now there may be a forth word to that list -- e-cycle. (April 30, 2012) Rochester, NY News | www.WHEC.com [more on Recycling in our area]
Protecting nature is Chili woman's passion | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Nature is something that Pat Tindale often appreciates. Even inside the Chili Public Library, where she works, she takes a moment to either look outside the window throughout the day or take a short jaunt when she’s free. The sight of birds flying, leaves changing colors and a bountiful blue sky always leaves her with a greater appreciation of the outdoors. It was a seed planted by her father, Warrant, who took her on long trail walks as a young girl. And it’s the reason she is involved in numerous conservation and preservation projects in the town of Chili. The Gates-Chili Chamber of Commerce recently named Tindale its Citizen of the Year. (April 30, 2012)Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com
Arbor Day Celebrated in New York State with Announcement of $750k in Urban Forestry Grants Available - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation New Yorkers Encouraged to Recognize Numerous Contributions Provided by Trees Grants Will Add and Enhance Green Spaces in Cities throughout the State At least $750,000 in Urban Forestry Grants is now available for urban communities to apply for, New York State Department of Environment Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens announced today at the New York State Arbor Day Celebration. Applications are now being accepted by DEC to support urban forestry projects across the state. These grants, funded by the Environmental Protection Fund, will be of particular interest to those communities faced with the infestation and eradication of the Emerald Ash Borer. Proposals for tree inventories, tree planting, maintenance, management plans and invasive pest detection studies will be accepted. The grants will be awarded to large cities and small communities across the state. Applications must be postmarked by June 21. (April 27, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Plants in our environment]
Mild winter could lead to huge honeybee die-off come fall | The Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME Beekeepers need to be especially careful this year. click image to enlarge Bees climb over frames of an open box as Roy Cronkhite checked one of his hives in Livermore Falls to make sure the queen bee had plenty of empty cells left in the wooden frames of the hives to deposit eggs. Staff photo by Joe Phelan click image to enlarge Roy Cronkhite checked one of his hives in Livermore Falls to make sure the queen bee had plenty of empty cells left in the wooden frames of the hives to deposit eggs. He pulled out three frames until he found the queen. �I see there�s plenty of cells over here, so she�s fine,� he said. �She has plenty of room.� Staff photo by Joe Phelan Select images available for purchase in the Maine Today Photo Store A mild winter and unseasonably warm early spring have created conditions reminiscent of 2010, when beekeepers were caught off guard from an explosion of mite populations that killed off many honeybee colonies, according to a state expert. (April 29, 2012) Central Maine news, sports & weather & breaking news around Waterville | The Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME [more on Wildlife in our area]
China Takes Charge in Fight Against Climate Change | Climate Central For too long, developed countries have used the excuse there is little point in acting to tackle climate change, if China, now the world's biggest emitter, doesn't act too. Sandbag's new report into the emergence of emissions trading in China shows the speed and extent to which things are changing and we argue that Europe must now increase its own ambitions. (April 29, 2012) Climate Change | Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
NCPR News - State says community support will be major part of fracking decisions (04/30/12) Earth Day came and went in New York without too much discussion of what many environmentalists believe to be the biggest issue facing the state--when and where the gas drilling process known as hydrofracking will occur. (April 30, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Fracking in our area]
Gas drilling job-training programs pop up in NY - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow In anticipation of the shale gas boom spreading northward from Pennsylvania, educators in New York have begun training programs giving workers the skills industry needs to fill entry-level positions. (April 28, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Fracking in our area]
Hundreds turn out to clean up Rochester | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com About 600 volunteers participated in the city’s first of four Clean Sweeps on Saturday, collecting 15 tons of litter and debris. Twenty-six beautification projects, such as flower planting, also were completed. The annual spring program kicked off Saturday in the city’s northwest quadrant. The program will run three more consecutive Saturday mornings through May 19. (April 29, 2012)Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Recycling in our area]
Gas-drilling protesters to march on NY Capitol | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY, N.Y. (WTW) — Young people from around New York state are heading to the Capitol to call on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to ban "fracking" for natural gas and lead the state toward a clean energy economy. (April 30, 2012)Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Env Comm Says Local Opposition Will be a Factor in Future Fracking Permits | WXXI News Earth Day came and went in New York without too much discussion of what many environmentalists believe to be the biggest issue facing the state- when and where the gas drilling process known as hydro fracking will occur. The future of fracking has been stalled in New York for several months now, as the State Department of Environmental Conservation plows through what Commissioner Joe Martens says is a “mountain” of over 60,000 public comments, collected during an environmental review. (April 27, 2012) WXXI News | The Public Media news source for Rochester, NY and the Finger Lakes [more on Fracking in our area]
NY Sea Grant funds Lake Ontario algal bloom research on Sodus Bay | Save Our Sodus Ithaca, NY — In August 2010, Sodus Bay, Lake Ontario, suffered from algal bloom (Microcystis sp.). Now, with New York Sea Grant (NYSG) funding, a team led by Dr. Gregory Boyer, from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, and Joseph Atkinson form the University of Buffalo, is developing a model to provide better understanding of the nutrient and algal dynamics of Sodus Bay. (April 25, 2012) Save Our Sodus [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
Climate Change Has Intensified the Global Water Cycle | Climate Central Climate scientists have been saying for years that one of the many downsides of a warming planet is that both droughts and torrential rains are both likely to get worse. That’s what climate models predict, and that’s what observers have noted, most recently in the IPCC’s report on extreme weather, released last month. It makes physical sense, too. A warmer atmosphere can absorb more water vapor, and what goes up must come down — and thanks to prevailing winds, it won’t come down in the same place. (April 26, 2012) Climate Change | Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Private Water Companies Join Forces With Fracking Interests | ThinkProgress Two of the country’s largest private water utility companies are participants in a massive lobbying effort to expand controversial shale gas drilling — a heavy industrial activity that promises to enrich the water companies but may also put drinking water resources at risk. The situation — which some watchdogs describe as a troubling conflict of interest — underscores the complex issues raised by the nationwide push to privatize infrastructure and services like water, prisons, and roads. (April 23, 2012) Climate Progress | ThinkProgress [more on Fracking in our area]
Binghamton's ban on drilling faces legal challenge | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com BINGHAMTON -- A legal battle is brewing over the fine print of the city's two-year drilling moratorium. Attorneys representing Southern Tier landowners notified the City of Binghamton on Friday they are "prepared to pursue available judicial remedies" over the two-year ban on drilling in city limits, which went into effect last December. (April 20, 2012) Press & Sun-Bulletin | Binghamton news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Binghamton, New York | pressconnects.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Cuomo's "energy highway" slowly taking shape | Innovation Trail Earlier this year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said one of his top priorities is to create an “energy highway” for New York State’s aging power grid. So what exactly does that mean? No one is quite sure yet. (April 26, 2012) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
Pollution Prevention Institute to Help NY Companies Use Green Technologies to Create Green Jobs and Be More Competitive - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Initiative Will Market Green Products and Create Green Manufacturing Supply Chains Rochester-Based Complemar is First Company Enrolled in Program The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) at Rochester Institute of Technology today launched its Green Initiative to provide a sustainable road map for New York businesses, state Department of Environment Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens and NYSP2I Director Anahita Williamson announced. The Green Initiative programs will propel nascent green technologies and products to the next step in commercialization and provide expertise in developing more sustainable manufacturing supply chains. (April 26, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Green Business in our area]
Will climate change tip poor nations' health systems over the edge? - AlertNet Killer health problems such as diarrhoea, malnutrition, malaria and dengue are highly sensitive to climate change and could worsen in the coming decades, health experts agree. But how, where and to what extent remains unclear. More than 140,000 lives lost per year - that’s the number of excess deaths global warming since the 1970s was causing by 2004, according to the World Health Organisation. (April 26, 2012) AlertNet - A Thomson Reuters Foundation Service - AlertNet [more on Climate Change in our area]
Study Hints at Greater Threat of Extreme Weather - NYTimes.com New research suggests that global warming is causing the cycle of evaporation and rainfall over the oceans to intensify more than scientists had expected, an ominous finding that may indicate a higher potential for extreme weather in coming decades. By measuring changes in salinity on the ocean’s surface, the researchers inferred that the water cycle had accelerated by about 4 percent over the last half century. That does not sound particularly large, but it is twice the figure generated from computerized analyses of the climate. (April 26, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Climate Change in our area]
WKSU News: Great Lakes bill passes House along party line vote Lawmakers positioned it as a showdown between business and the environment | The House has passed a bill that would put into place the Great Lakes Compact, a multi-state deal to prevent massive withdrawals of water from the Lakes. Ohio Public Radio’s Karen Kasler reports lawmakers positioned it as a showdown between business and the environment. The bill sets a daily limit of 2.5 million gallons of water that can be taken from Lake Erie daily without a permit, and allows withdrawals from certain streams to be averaged out over 90 days. (April 26, 2012) WKSU - News, Classical, other smart stuff [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
Citizens Converge On Capitol For Earth Day Lobby Day | New York League of Conservation Voters Hundreds of New Yorkers from across the state converged on the Capitol in Albany Wednesday to urge their representatives to enact critical legislation that will protect the environment and build a clean-energy economy. (April 26, 2012) New York League of Conservation Voters | Electing for the Environment
Fracking secrecy alleged in court case in Pennsylvania - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — Those alleging secrecy by the natural gas industry in a court case focused on the gas drilling method of hydrofracking are getting help from a coalition of advocates that include doctors, scientists and researchers. (April 26, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Fracking in our area]
Steve Orr: Corn Hill's old lead smelter is cleaned up | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Our sister newspaper USA Today has published an impressive package on the lingering environmental threat posed by abandoned lead smelters. Its “Ghost Factories” package documents the existence of hundreds of lead-processing plants in American cities — including one that for decades was located in Rochester’s Corn Hill. The good news is that contaminants left behind at Rochester Lead Works’ old site on Exchange Boulevard have been cleaned up (April 26, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Brownfields in our area]
Air Quality Improving Here, Much of State & Nation | WXXI News Western New York, along with much of the country, is showing improvement in its air quality according to the American Lung Association's 2012 "State of the Air" report. Michael Seilback is vice president of public policy and communication with the Lung Association. (April 25, 2012) WXXI News | The Public Media news source for Rochester, NY and the Finger Lakes [more on Air Quality in our area]
DEC Unveils New Community Air Screen Program to Explore Local Air Quality Issues - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Enables Community Groups to Collect Air Samples The New York State Department of Environment Conservation today launched a Community Air Screen Program designed to partner with community groups to conduct air quality surveillance, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced. Applications to participate in the program will be accepted until May 24. The program will enable local community groups and residents to take air samples in neighborhoods across the state to help identify and address local air quality concerns. DEC will analyze the samplings for possible air pollutants. "The Community Air Screen Program will help us understand air quality concerns at the community level," said DEC Commissioner Martens. "This program focuses on local-scale sampling and empowers environmentally-conscious residents to get involved in improving the air quality in their communities." (April 25, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Air Quality in our area]
Pollution report: More Americans breathing easier | Money - Home NEW YORK (CNNMoney) - While dangerous pollutants still threaten the health of millions of Americans, the United States has made great strides in clearing the air, according to the American Lung Association. In its annual State of the Air 2012 report, the organization said that between 2001 and 2010, ozone levels dropped 13 percent, year-round particle pollution declined 24 percent and short-term particle pollution 28 percent thanks to the Clean Air Act. (April 25, 2012) Local 10 | Miami News, Fort Lauderdale News, Florida News, Weather | WPLG Local 10 [more on Air Quality in our area]
Governments failing to avert catastrophic climate change, IEA warns | Environment | The Guardian Ministers attending clean energy summit in London to be gravely warned about continuing global addiction to fossil fuels | Governments are falling badly behind on low-carbon energy, putting carbon reduction targets out of reach and pushing the world to the brink of catastrophic climate change, the world's leading independent energy authority will warn on Wednesday. The stark judgment is being given at a key meeting of energy ministers from the world's biggest economies and emitters taking place in London on Wednesday – a meeting already overshadowed by David Cameron's last-minute withdrawal from a keynote speech planned for Thursday. (April 24, 2012)Latest US news, world news, sport and comment from the Guardian | guardiannews.com | The Guardian [more on Climate Change in our area]
NY’s Binghamton University pitches energy research - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Albany, N.Y. — The latest plans to transform New York’s four public university centers into top national research facilities and high-technology job producers were released Wednesday in a proposal for a “smart energy” research facility at the University at Binghamton. (April 25, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Energy in our area]
West Bloomfield plans hearing on gas-drilling moratorium - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow MPNnow.com — The town will hold a public hearing tonight on a local law that would place a moratorium on natural gas drilling. If passed by the Town Board, the moratorium would begin when the local law takes effect and expire after 18 months, or when the Town Board resolves that the need for the moratorium no longer exists, whichever is earlier. (April 25, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Fracking in our area]
Air quality in Monroe County improves, report says | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — More than 3.2 million New Yorkers live in counties where unhealthy air endangers their health, but the air quality has improved, a report Wednesday by the American Lung Association said. The report, called the “State of the Air 2012,” found that six of the 34 counties in New York state with air quality monitors received failing grades. In the association’s 2011 report, 16 counties received a failing grade. (April 26, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Air Quality in our area]
Plans for Watkins Glen gas storage facility will be made public | Innovation Trail The DEC will release details on a proposed underground gas storage facility near Seneca Lake. (April 25, 2012) Innovation Trail [more on Fracking in our area]
Electronics recycling event held May 5 in Webster - Webster, NY - Webster Post Webster, N.Y. — A free electronics recycling event, open to the entire Rochester-area community, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 5, at the United Church of Christ, 570 Klem Road, in Webster. (April 24, 2012) Homepage - Webster, NY - Webster Post [more on Recycling in our area]
Partnership Creates New Habitat for Species of Special Concern - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Collaborative Efforts Focus on Habitat Restoration & Breeding of State's Largest Salamander Reaching more than two feet in length, the Eastern Hellbender is one of the largest salamanders found in North America and is classified as a species of special concern by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). A collaborative partnership between DEC and the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to restore the amphibian's critical habitat throughout the Allegheny River Watershed has produced nearly six acres of additional rock cover habitat within hellbender inhabited streams. An ongoing monitoring study is examining hellbender use of this new and enhanced habitat. (April 24, 2012) EPA Newsroom Home | Newsroom | USEPA [more on Wildlife in our area]
Pesticides: EPA is pressed to ban chemicals that studies link to honeybees' demise -- 04/24/2012 -- www.eenews.net Where have all the bees gone? The question has vexed farmers, beekeepers, regulators and scientists since the fall of 2006, when U.S. bee populations began their mysterious decline. Approximately a third of U.S. bees have been dying in each of the last six winters, with a large percentage of deaths being linked to a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder, in which entire populations of worker bees disappear. (April 24, 2012) E&E Publishing -- The Premier Information Source for Professionals Who Track Environmental and Energy Policy. [more on Wildlife in our area]
Report examines effect of warmer winters on outdoor economy in Pa., other states | GoErie.com/Erie Times-News Warmer winters in Erie sound good if you like to go golfing in January, but not if you're a fan of ice fishing on Presque Isle Bay. "No ice means no ice fishing," said Jerry Skrypzak, president of S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie. He and other outdoor enthusiasts, conservationists and biologists gathered on Erie's bayfront Thursday to talk about "On Thin Ice." The new report from the National Wildlife Federation looks at how "warming winters" are putting "America's hunting and fishing heritage at risk." (March 30, 2012) GoErie.com: Erie's #1 Source for News and Information [more on Climate Change in our area]
04/24/2012: EPA Takes Action to Stop Sales of Illegal Pesticides (New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued legal complaints against two Brooklyn stores for violating federal pesticides law by selling and distributing illegal pesticides. Products used to kill pests must be registered with EPA to ensure that they will not make people sick and contain labels with instructions on their proper use. In September 2011, EPA inspections of two Brooklyn establishments, Man Li Trading, Inc. at 5821 8th Avenue and Hong Kong Supermarket at 6023 8th Avenue, revealed that they were selling various pesticide products that had not been registered with the EPA. Among the unregistered products found were mosquito repellants, various types of mothballs and a toilet bowl cleaner. (April 24, 2012) EPA Newsroom Home | Newsroom | USEPA [more on Pesticides in our area)
2-Year Study of Polar Changes Set to Begin - New York Times Scientists from more than 60 countries are preparing to fan out around the North and South Poles in an ambitious two-year effort to understand the vital, shifting dynamics of ice, oceans and life at the ends of the earth. With a budget of about $350 million spread over more than 120 projects, researchers will camp on drifting Arctic Ocean sea ice and trek to largely uncharted Antarctic mountains. (February 26, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Climate Change in our area]
'Snowpril' Dumps Nearly 2 Feet of Snow in Northeast | Climate Central The late-season winter storm, dubbed "Snowpril" via social media networks, dropped heavy, wet snow on portions of West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York into early Tuesday morning. The storm also brought several inches of beneficial rainfall to coastal areas all the way northward to Maine, which have been suffering from moderate to severe drought conditions Interestingly, Rochester, N.Y., set both a daily maximum rainfall and a daily maximum snowfall record, with nearly 3 inches of snow falling there after the rain changed to wet snow. Chautauqua and Erie Counties in New York were also hard hit, with a foot to nearly a foot and a half of snow falling. (April 24, 2012) Climate Change | Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
ALEC and ExxonMobil Push Loopholes in Fracking Chemical Disclosure Rules - ProPublica One of the key controversies about fracking is the chemical makeup of the fluid [1] that is pumped deep into the ground [2] to break apart rock and release natural gas. Some companies have been reluctant to disclose what's in their fracking fluid. Scientists and environmental advocates argue that, without knowing its precise composition [3], they can't thoroughly investigate complaints of contamination. (April 24, 2012) ProPublica [more on Fracking in our area]
NCPR News - E-waste recycling: from bytes to bits and pieces (04/25/12) When the town of Canton opened a drop-off site this week for old electronics, it was not only giving St. Lawrence County residents a convenient way to dispose of unwanted T-Vs, computers, and cellphones - it was also helping them comply with the law. This month marks the one-year anniversary of the New York State law that requires old electronics be recycled instead of simply thrown in the trash. Under the law, manufacturers have to collect and recycle the products they create when consumers are done with them. But a new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council finds the law is having mixed results. (April 25, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Recycling in our area]
Surge in tick bites | www.WHEC.com Warm winter weather could be behind a surge in tick bites and subsequent cases of Lyme disease. (April 24, 2012) Surge in tick bites | www.WHEC.com [more on Lyme disease in our area]
DEC Encourages Property Owners to Help Control Nuisance Canada Geese - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Canada geese are a valuable natural resource and a source of recreation and enjoyment to bird watchers, hunters and others. Flocks in flight this time of year are a welcome sign of the change in seasons. However, local-nesting or "resident" geese have become year-round inhabitants of parks, ball fields, waterways, farms, residential areas and golf courses, where they can cause problems. Information on Nuisance Canada Geese is available on the DEC website to help property owners prevent or reduce problems with Canada geese. Several options are available to alleviate damage and nuisance caused by resident Canada geese during the spring and summer months. DEC issued a General Depredation Permit (GDP) that allows the disturbance or removal of adult or juvenile Canada geese or their nests or eggs under certain situations and conditions without having to apply for individual state and federal permits. (April 20, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on the Geese Problem in our area]
Slaughter aims to protect Great Lakes from Asian carp | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information Rep. Louise Slaughter is pushing for a plan to block Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes through rivers and tributaries. Slaughter, D-Perinton, and Michigan Republican David Camp introduced bipartisan legislation Thursday calling for the quick creation of a plan, she said in a statement. (April 20, 2012) Home | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information [more in Invasive Species in our area]
Michigan takes aim at mute swans; 13,500 to be eliminated | Great Lakes Echo Michigan officials are asking residents to help shoot and kill 13,500 mute swans. But before hunters and fearful lakefront property owners grab their rifles, defenders of the birds are asking for more research to spare the lives of these lake dwellers. One issue is whether there could be confusion with the swans that are native to Michigan. (April 23, 2012) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Democratandchronicle - NY town ponders whether to allow killing coyotes SALINA, N.Y. (AP) — The town board in a Syracuse suburb has decided to hold another hearing on whether to allow residents to hire a wildlife professional to kill coyotes. Board members in Salina Monday night announced a May 14 hearing to consider allowing a shotgun with buckshot to be used. On April 9, residents discussed a motion allowing a bow and arrow or crossbow, but a wildlife professional said that would not work. (April 24, 2012) News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com [more on Wildlife in our area]
Arista Power, General Electric join on energy storage system Rochester-based Arista Power Inc. has reached an agreement with General Electric Co. to sell systems that store electricity for commercial customers and release it when demand is highest, helping to cut bills.The system, which will use GE’s Durathon batteries, can store power from on-site wind or solar sources or from the grid and deliver it during peak periods, when commercial customers are typically subject to “demand charges.” The charges can account for as much as 70 percent of an electric bill for commercial customers. (April 14, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Green Business in our area]
Fracking talk at UR Tuesday | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Tom Wilber, a Southern Tier journalist whose new book about hydraulic fracturing has been called even-handed and hard-hitting, will give a public talk Tuesday evening at the University of Rochester. (April 14, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Rochester’s El Camino Trail project gets ,000 boost - RocNow.com Ribbon cutting planned for June 2 | Of 70 New York state grants for land preservation work that were announced Monday, one small gift for a Rochester project was singled out. That’s because the gift was to support stewardship of the El Camino Trail, an innovative addition to the city of Rochester’s trail system designed to bring a bit of green to hard-scrabble northeast Rochester. (April 23, 2012) rocnow [more on Parks and Trails in our area}
New York Weighs 66,000 Comments on Pending Fracking Regulations | InsideClimate News Department of Environmental Conservation will decide by end of year whether to continue a state-wide ban on hydraulic fracturing. A four-year-old hydraulic fracturing study by New York's Department of Environmental Conservation has broken a state record: It has drawn more public reaction than any other issue in the agency's history. Between September 2011 and January 2012, the DEC received more than 66,000 comments on the agency's revised draft supplemental generic environmental impact statement (SGEIS). That's in addition to the 13,000 comments it received in response to an earlier draft. (April 19, 2012) | InsideClimate News [more on Fracking in our area]
Penfield Adds Electric Charging Station - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Penfield Adds Electric Charging Station - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Penfield, N.Y. - Electric car owners will be able to charge their vehicles free of charge when they're in Penfield. The town installed a free charging station at the Community Center and Library on Baird Road. (April 20, 2012) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Transportation in our area]
MAG recycled tote bag recall | CT Now The Memorial Art Gallery has voluntarily recalled recycled tote bags that were sold in the Gallery Store. The bags were made from banners previously used to promote the Gallery’s art exhibitions. After being alerted of the possibility of the presence of heavy metals, the bags were tested. The inks on the bags were found to contain heavy metals. (April 20, 2012) Campus Times [more on Recycling in our area]
This Week in Clean Economy: Northeast States Bucking Carbon Emissions Trend | InsideClimate News Study finds that cap-and-trade and other clean energy policies have helped Northeastern states cut CO2 emissions faster than the rest of the nation. America's greenhouse gas emissions are headed up again, driven by a recovering economy, federal government data show. The Northeast may be able to buck that trend thanks in part to cap-and-trade, the controversial system for curbing global warming gases that Congress and many state governments scorned in recent years. (April 20, 2012) | InsideClimate News [more on Climate Change in our area]
Commissioner Martens Announces 2012 Earth Day Activities - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Residents Encouraged To Get Involved In Various Activities Throughout the State To Protect the Environment The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will commemorate the 42nd Anniversary of Earth Day with DEC-sponsored events around New York from April 20 through April 30, DEC Commissioner Martens announced today. The earth-friendly activities include tree planting, trail clean up and exhibits to educate New Yorkers on the importance of sustaining the environment. "What started more than 40 years ago with the first Earth Day continues to be a global movement to raise the consciousness of individuals, families, communities, businesses and government about how to co-exist with the environment in a sustainable manner," said Commissioner Martens. "Whether it's implementing green business strategies, planting trees or reducing our carbon footprint, every New Yorker has a role to play in ensuring future generations are able to enjoy the state's natural resources and benefit from a clean environment. (April 19, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
DEC Reports: 2012 Winter Bat Survey Results - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation The results of the winter survey of hibernating bats in New York are now available, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. This survey was a cooperative effort among state wildlife officials, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and numerous volunteers to monitor the effects of white-nose disease, a fungal infection that has devastated regional bat populations since it was first documented in New York in 2006. The most encouraging observations came from surveys of the five hibernation caves in the greater Albany area where the disease was first discovered. Previous reports have suggested that little brown bat counts at these sites seem to be stabilizing in recent years. This year's surveys saw substantial increases in little brown bats at three out of five of these caves. The largest and best documented of these sites saw an increase from 1,496 little brown bats in 2011 to 2,402 this year. It is premature to conclude that population recovery is underway for this species, however, because of the small number of hibernation sites that have experienced increases and the fact that alternate explanations are plausible. Bats are highly social animals and observed increases could be the result of consolidation of individuals from other hibernation sites, for example. (April 19, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Wildlife in our area]
Pennsylvania drought cuts into natgas drilling | Reuters (Reuters) - Drought conditions in Pennsylvania have forced at least one natural gas driller to scale back production as companies were told to temporarily suspend withdrawing water needed for drilling in certain dry areas. (April 19, 2012) Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com [more on Fracking in our area]
How A 'Western Problem' Led To New Drilling Rules : NPR The Environmental Protection Agency's new air pollution rules for the oil and gas industry may seem like odd timing, as President Obama has been trying to deflect Republican criticism that he overregulates energy industries. But the rules weren't the Obama administration's idea. Several years ago, communities in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming complained about air pollution from natural gas booms in their local areas. Jeremy Nichols and his group, the WildEarth Guardians, decided to sue the EPA to force the agency to clean up the drilling industry. (April 19, 2012) Environment : NPR [more on Fracking in our area]
The EPA’s First Fracking Rules — Limited and Delayed - ProPublica The Environmental Protection Agency issued the first-ever national air pollution regulations for fracking on Wednesday. First proposed in July 2011 [1], the final rules [2] have been welcomed [3] by environmental groups as a much-needed initial move in reducing pollution and protecting public health from the toxic chemicals involved in the oil and natural gas drilling process. But many cautioned it was just a first step. “It sets a floor for what the industry needs to do,” said attorney Erik Schlenker-Goodrich of the Western Environmental Law Center. “The reality is we can do far better.” (April 19, 2012) ProPublica [more on Fracking in our area]
GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES COMPREHENSIVE NY-SUN INITIATIVE TO EXPAND SOLAR DEVELOPMENT IN NEW YORK NYSERDA, LIPA, NYPA collaboration will create green jobs and dramatically increase state’s solar capacity Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today launched the NY-Sun Initiative to double the amount of customer-sited solar power installed annually in New York, and quadruple that amount by 2013. The NY-Sun Initiative was first outlined by the Governor in his 2012 State of the State Address. The NY-Sun Initiative brings together and expands existing programs administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and the New York Power (April 19, 2012) New York State Department of Public Service - Home Page [more on Solar Power in our area]
Official: No date yet for fracking update | NY Daily Record ALBANY — Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens says there’s no timeline for a decision on whether fracking of shale gas wells will be allowed in New York state, but the review will likely continue through the summer. (April 19, 2012) Fracking near Rochester NY | news, articles, discussions, and resources for Fracking as it pertains to the Rochester NY region [more on Fracking in our area]
EPA orders controls on ‘fracking’ pollution - Business - The Buffalo News WASHINGTON — The Obama administration Wednesday set the first-ever national standards to control air pollution from gas wells that are drilled using a method called hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” but not without making concessions to the oil and gas industry. President Obama, in his State of the Union address, strongly backed natural gas drilling as a clean energy source and recently announced an executive order calling for coordination of federal regulations to ease burdens on producers. But he has come under criticism by the industry and Republicans for policies they say discourage energy development. (April 19, 2012) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Fracking in our area]
New Report: “No Debate” on Clean Energy Savings for New Yorkers NEW YORK - The debate over climate change may be without end, but a new report says the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is saving New York consumers tens of millions of dollars. The RGGI program is known as "Reggie" for short, and Ross Gould, air and energy program director for Environmental Advocates of New York, says the state's policies of using auction revenue to invest in programs such as home insulation are saving consumers plenty of greenbacks. (April 20, 2012) Public News Service [more on Energy in our area]
Some neighborhoods dangerously contaminated by lead fallout – USATODAY.com Hundreds of soil tests by USA TODAY in neighborhoods near former lead factories show numerous areas where the dirt is so contaminated that children should not be playing in it. Yet they are. (April 20, 2012) News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com [more on Lead Poisoning in our area]
State Dept. of Environmental Conservation says dry-cleaning chemicals in ground next to daycare center in Longwood, Bronx pose big health threat - NY Daily News Toxins found at 1095 Southern Blvd., where dry cleaner burned down in 2008, have been linked to organ damage in humans and cancer in mice Toxic chemicals deemed a "significant threat to public health” by environmental officials taint a vacant lot right next door to a daycare center in Longwood. High levels of perchloroethylene (PCE) a chemical used in dry cleaning that can cause neurological, kidney and liver damage, were found at 1095 Southern Blvd., where a dry cleaner burned down in November, 2008. "It's dangerous enough that we've cited it as a significant threat," said Rodney Rivera, special assistant for the state Department of Environmental Conservation. "If somebody wants to build on it, it would absolutely have to be remediated." (April 17, 2012) News covering New York City, National, and the World - Homepage - NY Daily News [more on Brownfields in our area]
New Rules To Curb Pollution From Oil, Gas Drilling : NPR The Environmental Protection Agency announced new rules Wednesday to control the problem of air pollution coming from wells being drilled by the booming oil and natural gas drilling industry. Currently, waste products from the drilling operations, which include a mix of chemicals, sand and water, can be pumped into open enclosures or pits, where toxic substances can make their way into the air. The new rules will require this fluid to be captured by 2015, and flared — or burned off — in the meantime. (April 18, 2012) Environment : NPR [more on Fracking in our area]
Statements on EPA's Updated, Achievable Air Pollution Standards for Oil and Natural Gas In response to a court deadline, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized standards to reduce harmful air pollution associated with oil and natural gas production. The updated standards, required by the Clean Air Act, were informed by the important feedback from a range of stakeholders including the public, public health groups, states and industry. As a result, the final standards reduce implementation costs while also ensuring they are achievable and can be met by relying on proven, cost-effective technologies as well as processes already in use at approximately half of the fractured natural gas wells in the United States. These technologies will not only reduce 95 percent of the harmful emissions from these wells that contribute to smog and lead to health impacts, they will also enable companies to collect additional natural gas that can be sold. Here’s what people across the country are saying about EPA’s updated, achievable air pollution standards for oil and natural gas: (April 18, 2012) EPA Newsroom Home | Newsroom | USEPA [more on Fracking in our area]
Americans Link Global Warming to Extreme Weather, Poll Says - NYTimes.com Scientists may hesitate to link some of the weather extremes of recent years to global warming — but the public, it seems, is already there. A poll due for release on Wednesday shows that a large majority of Americans believe that this year’s unusually warm winter, last year’s blistering summer and some other weather disasters were probably made worse by global warming. And by a 2-to-1 margin, the public says the weather has been getting worse, rather than better, in recent years. (April 17, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Climate Change in our area]
ENVIRONMENT: New focus on an old legal doctrine - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper James Olson is something of a hero to many people involved in protecting and preserving the Great Lakes or other water bodies. Olson was the attorney for a group of citizens that took Nestle to court: challenging the company's ability to bottle and sell Michigan ground water. The case ultimately led the United States and Canada to develop and approve the Great Lakes Compact, where states and provinces along the lakes must set strict limits on water withdrawals from the Great Lakes basin. Olson is one of several environmental figures pushing for states to write what's known as the "public trust doctrine" into those regulations and laws. (April 17, 2012) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Water Quality in our area]
ENVIRONMENT: Climate change: upsetting the balance - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper This is the first of an occasional series on climate change. It focuses on the effects that changing temperature and precipitation trends will have on ecosystems. Nature is about balance and climate change is already knocking finely tuned systems out of whack. Future installments will look at the effects on agriculture, the economy, and energy. (April 17, 2012) Rochester NY News, Events, Restaurants, Music, Entertainment, Nightlife - Rochester City Newspaper [more on Climate Change in our area]
Speaker to urge stronger water protections | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com A prominent environmental lawyer who urges greater protection for our lakes and rivers will be keynote speaker Thursday evening at the local Sierra Club’s 14th annual environmental forum. Jim Olson, who practices law in northern Michigan, believes that threats to the Great Lakes and other waterways necessitate new state laws to protect them from commercial exploitation and pollution. (April 19, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Water Quality in our area]
Rochester's 'Clean Sweep' dates announced | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Rochester officials have announced the 2012 dates of the city’s annual Clean Sweep program. The city’s annual spring cleanup and beautification program will run four consecutive Saturdays from April 28 to May 19. At each Clean Sweep event, hundreds of volunteers converge on a section of Rochester to remove litter and debris in city neighborhoods, streets and parks. (April 19, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Recycling in our area]
EPA to issue rules limiting air pollution from fracking | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Wednesday set the first-ever national standards to control air pollution from gas wells that are drilled using a method called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, but not without making concessions to the oil and gas industry. President Barack Obama in his State of the Union address strongly backed natural gas drilling as a clean energy source, and recently announced an executive order calling for coordination of federal regulation to ease burdens on producers. But he has come under criticism by the industry and Republicans for policies they say discourage energy development. (April 19, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Rate for reducing carbon lowered - Times Union Adirondack Council's rate cut to honor Earth Day; buyer's get a certificate | ALBANY — Just in time for Earth Day, the Adirondack Council is lowering the price of its carbon reductions. The environmental group competes at the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative auctions, through which member states limit the greenhouse gas emissions of power plants by auctioning off permits to put out a certain amount. (April 16, 2012) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Climate Change in our area]
Preservationists Oppose Fracking | WXXI News An historic preservation group is weighing in on hydro fracking for the first time, and they don't like what they say they’ve been learning about the gas drilling process. They say it would change the nature of the landscape from rural to industrial and would detract from heritage tourism in the Marcellus shale region. (April 16, 2012) WXXI News | The Public Media news source for Rochester, NY and the Finger Lakes [more on Fracking in our area]
Half Of U.S. Legislatures Contemplating Hydraulic Fracturing Bills - International Business Times As natural gas and oil extraction expands across the United States thanks to hydraulic fracturing and advances in horizontal drilling, almost half of the country's state legislatures have enacted or have pending legislation that regulates the controversial practice. (April 17, 2012) Commodities, Futures News - International Business Times - IBTimes.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Americans Link Global Warming to Extreme Weather, Poll Says - NYTimes.com Scientists may hesitate to link some of the weather extremes of recent years to global warming — but the public, it seems, is already there. A poll due for release on Wednesday shows that a large majority of Americans believe that this year’s unusually warm winter, last year’s blistering summer and some other weather disasters were probably made worse by global warming. And by a 2-to-1 margin, the public says the weather has been getting worse, rather than better, in recent years. (April 17, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Climate Change in our area]
Study shows fuel-efficient cars saving New York drivers money - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Finger Lakes, N.Y. — Drivers in 20 states, including New York, are paying less for gasoline than drivers in other states due to fuel-efficient cars, a study shows. (April 17, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Transportation in our area]
Your Stories: Opting Out Of Phone Book Deliveries - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com Your Stories: Opting Out Of Phone Book Deliveries - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com If there's no use for them, how do you get rid of them? “Individuals that choose, can choose the opt out feature and that will take them to a national site that will opt them out of directories and they provide that information back to Frontier,” said Stephanie Schifano with Frontier Communications. (March 22, 2012) Home - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com [more on Recycling in our area]
City of Canandaigua discusses hydrofracking moratorium - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — The city of Canandaigua took another step in passing a one-year hydrofracking moratorium Tuesday as the proposed ordinance passed through the city’s planning committee. Before a vote on the moratorium ordinance can take place, a public hearing needs to be scheduled. After a public hearing, a vote on a temporary ban of the controversial gas-drilling method would take place at a city council meeting. (April 17, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Fracking in our area]
U.S. has a natural gas problem: Too much of it | Innovation Trail There's a boom in natural gas production in the United States, a boom so big the market is having trouble absorbing it all. The unusually warm weather this winter is one reason for the excess, since it reduced the need for people to burn gas to heat their homes. A bigger reason, however, is the huge increase in gas production made possible by new methods of coaxing gas out of shale rock formations. (April 16, 2012) Innovation Trail [more on Fracking in our area]
As air pollution from fracking rises, EPA to set rules | GreenSpot | Kentucky.com The rush to capture natural gas from hydraulic fracturing has led to giant compressor stations alongside backyard swing sets, drilling rigs in sight of front porches, and huge flares at gas wells alongside country roads. Air pollution from fracking includes the fumes breathed in by people nearby, as well as smog spread over a wide region and emissions of the greenhouse gas methane. (April 16, 2012) Kentucky.com [more on Fracking in our area]
04/16/2012: EPA Publishes National U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released the 17th annual U.S. greenhouse gas inventory. The final report shows overall emissions in 2010 increased by 3.2 percent from the previous year. The trend is attributed to an increase in energy consumption across all economic sectors, due to increasing energy demand associated with an expanding economy, and increased demand for electricity for air conditioning due to warmer summer weather during 2010. (April 16, 2012) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more on Climate Change in our area]
U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Headed Up Again - NYTimes.com After dropping for two years during the recession, emissions of the gases blamed for global warming rose in 2010 as the economy heated up, the Environmental Protection Agency reports. Output of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gasses were up 3.2 percent from 2009 as the nation climbed slowly out of the deepest economic downturn since the Great Depression, the E.P.A. said. (April 16, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Climate Change in our area]
Landfill takes fracking waste - Finger Lakes Times: Local SENECA FALLS — The Seneca Meadows Landfill is one of four solid waste disposal facilities in New York that accepts waste from hydraulic fracturing drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale area of Pennsylvania. (April 15, 2012) Finger Lakes Times: Finger Lakes Times [more on Fracking in our area]
NCPR News - Group says fracking would transform the rural landscape, hurting tourism An historic preservation group is weighing in on hydro fracking for the first time, and they don't like what they say they've been learning about the gas drilling process. They say it would change the nature of the landscape from rural to industrial and would detract from heritage tourism in the Marcellus shale region. (April 17, 2012)NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Fracking in our area]
Pump sucks algae from New York beach | Great Lakes Echo Clumps of smelly green algae collect on Ontario Beach in Rochester, N.Y., where Lake Ontario currents herd the glop into the corner of the beach and a manmade pier. Algae accumulates at the beach and gets smelly when it breaks down, said Laura Ortiz, project manager at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It’s contributed to beach closings and has been a concern in Rochester for a long time. But the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers came up with a solution: a machine to pump the algae from the beach out into the lake, where it will break down in the cold, deep water. (April 17, 2012) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Water Quality in our area]
States back website for fracking disclosure - Talia Buford - POLITICO.com For all the anger and divisiveness of the fracking debate, one nonprofit disclosure website may be something that almost everyone can agree on. FracFocus, a year-old site affiliated with coalitions of state governments, has won praise from Hill lawmakers, industry groups and even some environmentalists as a model for states taking the lead in disclosing the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing operations. The site allows the public to pull up a list of the fracking chemicals used in wells operated by a participating company. (April 15, 2012) Politics, Political News - Election 2012 - POLITICO.com [more on Fracking in our area]
AP Enterprise: Docs Say Drilling Law Hurts Health : NPR PITTSBURGH (AP) — Public health advocates and doctors on the front lines of Pennsylvania's natural gas-drilling boom are attacking the state's new Marcellus Shale law, likening one of its provisions to a gag order and complaining that vital research money into health effects was stripped at the last minute. Doctors say they don't know what to tell patients who suspect their ailments are related to nearby gas industry activity because of a lack of research on whether the drilling of thousands of new wells — many near houses and drinking-water supplies — has made some people sick. (April 11, 2012) NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR [more on Fracking in our area]
Propane fracking considered for Marcellus Shale | NY Daily Record High volume water fracking is still under New York Department of Environmental Conservation review, but a group of Tioga County landowners reached an informal agreement in late March to develop up to 135,000 acres of Marcellus and Utica shale utilizing alleged green technology. The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) technology utilizes injected liquid propane or butane instead ... (April 13, 2012) NY Daily Record [more on Fracking in our area]
New Hurdle for Fracking in New York's Marcellus Shale? ALBANY, N.Y. - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to release new standards as early as April 17 for air pollution caused by natural gas development. That includes the process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Plans to extract natural gas by fracking are on hold in New York while environmental assessments continue. Jessica Ennis with the environmental group Earthjustice says it has been 25 years since the EPA last reviewed some of these air pollution standards. (April 16, 2012) Public News Service [more on Fracking in our area]
Park Foundation funds anti-fracking groups | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — The Park Foundation hasn’t been on the front lines trying to beat back attempts to tap into the state’s portion of the gas-rich Marcellus Shale. Nor has it been among the environmental lobbyists working behind the scenes, or among lawmakers who have pushed for bans or moratoriums on hydraulic fracturing, the much-debated extraction process used to unlock natural gas. (April 15, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
City of Rochester may help Fairport with ash borers | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com City employees working on overtime could be hired by the Village of Fairport to treat ash trees there against the invasive emerald ash borer. The village approached city officials about doing the work and were offered a price that was well below estimates, said Village Administrator Ken Moore. The city is asking $5,530 for a six-person crew to treat 52 trees. There are, or were, 226 public ash trees in the village. (April 16, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Invasive Species in our area]
DEC issues guidance to discourage black bear encounters ALBANY - With the onset of warmer weather, New York’s black bear population will be on the move. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued guidance on how to prevent nuisance bear encounters. Black bears will take advantage of almost any readily available food source, including bird feeders and garbage. To prevent encounters between bears and humans, people should never intentionally feed bears and should take every precaution to discourage bears from seeking out food sources in neighborhoods and other residential areas. (March 28, 2012) New York State News on the Net! [more on Wildlife in our area]
04/12/2012: EPA Releases Ground Water Samples from the Lehigh Valley Site; Agency Plans Further Testing to Pinpoint Eastern Edge of Contamination (New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency made available today the results of ground water sampling taken in December 2011 at the Lehigh Valley Railroad Derailment Superfund site in LeRoy, New York. This sampling is part of an ongoing investigation of the nature and extent of the contamination from that site. The results, currently available online, are consistent with previous results from quarterly sampling. These results continue to show that the heaviest contamination is in the western end of the plume area, the source area, with concentrations tailing off as the area moves to the east toward Spring Creek. In previous work, the EPA installed granulated activated carbon treatment systems on 35 private wells affected by the contamination. The EPA also sampled for contaminated vapors in nearby homes and installed vapor intrusion mitigation systems in eleven homes that needed them based on the testing. The mitigation systems have been effective in controlling the vapors. (April 12, 2012) US Environmental Protection Agency [more on Brownfields in our area]
EPA Releases Ground Water Results at Lehigh Valley Site - YNN, Your News Now The Enviromental Protection Agency released the results of a ground water sample taken in December from the Lehigh Valley Railroad Derailment site in LeRoy. (April 12, 2012) TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now [more on Brownfields in our area]
Hydraulic fracturing: Obama sets up unconventional gas working group -- 04/13/2012 -- www.eenews.net The White House is setting up a new interagency working group to promote the safe development of domestic natural gas, President Obama announced today. The group will be chaired by the director of the Domestic Policy Council and will focus on development of so-called unconventional gas, which typically employs a controversial production technique known as hydraulic fracturing. (April 13, 2012) Hydraulic fracturing: Obama sets up unconventional gas working group -- 04/13/2012 -- www.eenews.net [more on Fracking in our area]
Great Lakes watershed bill draws concern - Toledo Blade COLUMBUS Opponents worry too much will be taken from tributaries -- A proposal to regulate water withdrawals from the Lake Erie watershed faces opposition from environmental and sportsmen groups who argue it would inadequately protect inland rivers and streams teeming with life. Gov. John Kasich last year vetoed Ohio lawmakers' first attempt at writing between the lines of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact approved by eight states and Congress. That business-backed bill drew criticism from other states, two of Mr. Kasich's gubernatorial predecessors, and environmental groups, in part, because it would have set the most lenient thresholds for water withdrawals of any of the Great Lakes states. (April 13, 2012) Home - Toledo Blade [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
Can science be bought?: Opponents in fracking debate discredit each other's research | The Ithaca Journal | theithacajournal.com ALBANY — A core issue of the contentious gas-drilling debate is centered on a single question: Can science be bought? In several cases, those on both sides of the argument over hydraulic fracturing have moved quickly to downplay or discredit scientific studies based on the source of their funding. And when it comes to three studies in particular, the gas industry points fingers at the Park Foundation, an Ithaca-based philanthropic group that has funded anti-hydrofracking advocacy efforts. (April 12, 2012) The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, New York | theithacajournal.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Obama Administration Announces New Partnership on Unconventional Natural Gas and Oil Research | Department of Energy WASHINGTON, DC – Today, three federal agencies announced a formal partnership to coordinate and align all research associated with development of our nation’s abundant unconventional natural gas and oil resources. The partnership exemplifies the cross-government coordination required under President Obama’s Executive Order released earlier today, which created a new Interagency Working Group to Support Safe and Responsible Development of Unconventional Domestic Natural Gas Resources. This new partnership will help coordinate current and future research and scientific studies undertaken by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of the Interior – better positioning the Obama administration to ensure that continued expansion of natural gas and oil production happens safely and responsibly as part of an all-of-the-above approach to American energy in which science plays a guiding and critical role. The Memorandum of Agreement outlining this coordination is available here. (April 13, 2012) Energy.gov | Department of Energy [more on Fracking in our area]
Is the Recent Increase in Felt Earthquakes in the Central US Natural or Manmade? Last week, following the publication of an abstract intended to preview an upcoming talk by a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist, a number of news articles started popping up about new scientific evidence of a link between unconventional oil and gas production here in the United States, and seismic activity (earthquakes). Unfortunately – although not surprisingly given the limited information available in the abstract – the accuracy of these media reports varied greatly. With this blog post, I want to clarify a few points about USGS’s important and ongoing work to study induced seismicity. (April 11, 2012) U.S. Department of the Interior [more on Fracking in our area]
Cornell Chronicle: Northeast sees warmest March in 118 years The northeastern United States enjoyed its warmest March in 118 years, beating out the previous warm-winter record set in 1945, according to Cornell's Northeast Regional Climate Center. March 2012, with an average temperature of 44.4 F, was 9.8 degrees F above normal, with highs in the 80s as far north as Maine. Between March 7 and March 23, at least 127 maximum-temperature records were set in the Northeast. (April 13, 2012) Cornell Chronicle Online [more on Climate Change in our area]
Village gets state loan for wastewater system | NY Daily Record The village of Penn Yan has been approved for a $4 million loan from the state Environmental Facilities Corp. to improve its wastewater treatment system with the help of a tiny army of sewage-eating microbes. (April 12, 2012) NY Daily Record [more on Water Quality in our area]
Grave threat of pesticides to bees' billion-pound bonanza is now clear | Damian Carrington | Environment | guardian.co.uk Replacing the pollination of food crops that the UK's bees perform for free would cost £1.8bn. With hard data now linking pesticides to bees' rapid decline, there is no excuse for inaction Two landmark studies, conducted in field conditions, published in Science in March clearly implicated sub-lethal doses of the pesticides with increases in disappeared bees and crashes in the number of queens produced by colonies. Then on 5 April, another study was released, showing the pesticides can cause colony collapse disorder (CCD), the name given to the ghostly hives from which bees have vanished. "The data, both ours and others, right now merits a global ban," said Chensheng Lu, in the department of environmental health at Harvard University, and who led the the CCD study. "I would suggest removing all neonicotinoids from use globally for a period of five to six years. If the bee population is going back up during the after the ban, I think we will have the answer." (April 14, 2012) Latest US news, world news, sport and comment from the Guardian | guardiannews.com | The Guardian [more on Pesticides in our area]
Large lake sturgeon found on Hilton beach | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com In 2003 and ‘04, approximately 1,900 juvenile 8-inch long sturgeon were released into the lower Genesee River as part of a restoration project and water quality study ongoing between DEC and United States Geological Survey. People who accidentally catch a sturgeon should check for a yellow tag with reporting instructions. Call the DEC at (585) 226-2466. (April 14, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Wildlife in our area]
Drought expands throughout USA – USATODAY.com Still reeling from last year's devastating drought that led to at least $10 billion in agricultural losses across Texas and the South, the nation is enduring another unusually parched year. A mostly dry, mild winter has put nearly 61% of the lower 48 states in "abnormally dry" or drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a weekly federal tracking of drought. That's the highest percentage of dry or drought conditions since September 2007, when 61.5% of the country was listed in those categories. (April 13, 2012) News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com [more on Climate Change in our area]
New Federal Guidelines a Step Forward for Bird-Friendly Wind Development On Friday, March 23, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe released unprecedented federal wind guidelines intended to improve siting of wind development across the country and reduce impacts on birds and other wildlife. The guidelines were developed with the assistance of a 22-member Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee which included experts from the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, Massachusetts Audubon, and Bat Conservation International. The committee, created under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) in 2009, worked with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to recommend guidelines to avoid or minimize impacts to birds and their habitats by land-based wind energy facilities. (April 12, 2012) National Audubon Society [more on Wind Power in our area]
The Environment Report: Hard Freeze Hurts Michigan Cherry Crop A hard freeze has wiped out a big portion of the cherry crop in Northwest Michigan this spring. The area produces more than half the state’s cherries that end up in desserts, juice and as dried fruit. An historic early warm-up in March left fruit trees vulnerable to frost once the weather turned cooler again (April 10, 2012) The Environment Report: Home [more on Climate Change in our area]
State Moving Quickly Along Energy Highway | New York League of Conservation Voters Just one week after a summit meeting among New York's leading energy luminaries about Gov. Andrew Cuomo's energy highway proposal, the state has issued a Request for Information (RFI), seeking ideas for potential projects from private developers, investor-owned utilities, the financial community, and others able and willing to construct a robust transmission infrastructure. A conference for interested parties will be held on Thursday, April 19 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown. Advance registration is required as space is limited. Those planning to attend should e-mail info@nyenergyhighway.com. (April 12, 2012) New York League of Conservation Voters | Electing for the Environment [more on Energy in our area]
Thirty years later: Peregrine falcons recovered, thriving in Great Lakes states | Great Lakes Echo Thirty years after vanishing from the Midwest, peregrine falcons are thriving in smokestacks, skyscrapers and cliffs. The population has not only rebounded but quadrupled from its pre-DDT numbers. Peregrine falcons have recovered in the Midwest thanks largely to urban reintroduction efforts. Photo: Judith Yerkey (EPA.gov) “Historically, the Midwest population was about 45 to 50 pairs,” said Patrick Redig, professor at the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota and president of the Midwest Peregrine Restoration Project. “We now have over 200.” (April 13, 2012) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Wildlife in our area]
State urged to block propane-based fracking | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — Environmentalists on Thursday called on the state to block a propane-based form of fracking, claiming that New York law mandates an extensive review of the technique. Fifteen different environmental groups signed on to a letter sent to Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens, making the case that fracking with liquefied petroleum gas — known as LPG — instead of water requires a separate analysis of its potential impacts. (April 12, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
EPA plans tests in Caledonia | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Reversing course, federal officials said Thursday that they would order tests to ensure a plume of toxic solvents isn’t impacting a part of the village of Caledonia in Livingston County that includes a school campus. Officials said several weeks ago that the tests weren’t necessary, but changed their opinion following a Democrat and Chronicle story that prompted calls from public officials. (April 13, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Brownfields in our area]
NCPR News - Lyme disease on the rise in St. Lawrence and other counties If you're like a lot of people in the North Country, you've been finding ticks on yourself, or on your pets. The common dog tick can be easy to find, especially when they become engorged. But Deer ticks, also known as Black Legged-Ticks, are very, very tiny, and are difficult to spot. Deer ticks are the ones that primarily cause Lyme disease. Recent statistics show increasing levels of Lyme disease in the North Country. (April 12, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Lyme Disease in our area]
Fracking with Propane—The Gas Companies’ Latest Tactic to Frack New York « EcoWatch: Uniting the Voice of the Grassroots Environmental Movement A group of landowners in Tioga County in Western New York State have reached an agreement with gas drillers’ eCorp and GasFrac Energy Services to open up 130,000 acres to gas drilling and to use liquid propane gas (LPG) as a fracking agent. The coalition’s strategy appears to be to bypass the current de facto moratorium on high-volume hydraulic fracturing through the use of this alternative fracking agent. Our lawyers have advised us that New York law does not permit fracking with LPG because given its significant risk of adverse environmental impacts any application to use it would first require its own supplemental-generic or site-specific environmental impact statement. It is unfathomable that the state would consider allowing a process that forces explosive liquid propane gas underground under high pressure without first doing the proper environmental review. (April 11, 2012) EcoWatch: Uniting the Voice of the Grassroots Environmental Movement [more on Fracking in our area]
Job seekers gather for NY gas-drilling job fair - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow MPNnow.com — People lined up Wednesday for New York’s first job fair in the shale gas-drilling industry, as prospective employers pinned their hopes on the state lifting a four-year-old ban on hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. Even ahead of the 3 p.m. start at Broome Community College, job seekers and exhibitors gathered outside the doors. Business reps ranged from titans of the oil and gas industry to scientists, wetland specialists and experts on construction site erosion control. More than 700 people turned out for leads on a job. (April 11, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Fracking in our area]
Catskill Mountains town bans natural gas fracking | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com OLIVE, N.Y. (WTW) — The Town of Olive in the Catskill Mountains is the latest community in New York to ban to natural gas drilling using high-volume hydraulic fracturing. (April 12, 2012) [more on Fracking in our area]
Nasa scientist: climate change is a moral issue on a par with slavery | Environment | guardian.co.uk Prof Jim Hansen to use lecture at Edinburgh International Science Festival to call for worldwide tax on all carbon emissions Averting the worst consequences of human-induced climate change is a "great moral issue" on a par with slavery, according to the leading Nasa climate scientist Prof Jim Hansen. He argues that storing up expensive and destructive consequences for society in future is an "injustice of one generation to others". Hansen, who will next Tuesday be awarded the prestigious Edinburgh Medal for his contribution to science, will also in his acceptance speech call for a worldwide tax on all carbon emissions. (April 6, 2012) Latest US news, world news, sport and comment from the Guardian | guardiannews.com | The Guardian [more on Climate Change in our area]
Lecture on hydrofracking to be held in Rush - Henrietta, NY - Henrietta Post Henrietta, N.Y. — The Rush Public Library is sponsoring a lecture on "Hydrofracking and Subsurface Geology Issues" Wednesday, April 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Rush Town Pavilion. (April 11, 2012) Homepage - Henrietta, NY - Henrietta Post
Webster is cohosting Household Hazardous Waste collection day - Webster, NY - Webster Post Webster, N.Y. — The Monroe County Department of Environmental Services (DES) and the towns of Webster and Penfield are collaborating to hold an appointment-only, one-day Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection at the Town of Penfield Highway Garage, 1607 Jackson Road, from 7:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 21. (April 11, 2012) Webster Post
March Came In Like A Lamb, Went Out Like A Globally Warmed Lion On Steroids Who Smashed 15,000 Heat Records | ThinkProgress It’s official. This was “the warmest March on record” since records began in 1895, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. How hot was it? It was so hot that NOAA reports “there were 15,272 warm temperature records broken (7,755 daytime records, 7,517 nighttime records).” (April 10, 2012) ThinkProgress [more on Climate Change in our area]
DEC Reminds New Yorkers of State Law Restricting Use of Lawn Fertilizers Containing Phosphorus - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is urging New Yorkers to be mindful of a new state law that limits the percentage of phosphorus in lawn fertilizers and restricts the time of year and locations where fertilizers can be used. The fertilizer provisions of the NYS Dishwasher Detergent and Nutrient Runoff Law went into effect on January 1. The new restrictions, affecting those who want to fertilize their lawns this spring, will reduce the quantity of phosphorus entering the state's waters, diminishing the degradation to ponds, rivers, lakes and streams. (April 10, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Water Quality in our area]
Protest: Leak shale drill rules Frack Action members seek DEC whistleblowers to reveal how state is handling policy Read | ALBANY — As workers from the state Department of Environmental headquarters on Broadway went outside for lunch Tuesday, a small knot of people at the front door urged them to potentially risk their jobs by revealing how DEC is weighing the issue of natural gas hydraulic fracturing. "We need whistleblowers who possess the truth," said Barbara Warren, a member of the anti-fracking group Frack Action, as she handed a DEC worker a flyer headlined "Calling All Whistleblowers" that contained a telephone number, an email address and a mailing address for anyone to call who was willing to provide information. (April 10, 2012) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Fracking in our area]
Climate Change Could Cripple New York’s Transportation | Climate Central When arriving at La Guardia Airport in New York, it’s easy to see the stark realities it faces in trying to cope with global warming. As jets glide in over the brackish waters of Flushing Bay, one can almost reach out and touch the water as it laps against the small levees at runway’s edge. By mid-century, global warming-related sea level rise is expected to render these levees ineffective against even relatively weak storms, according to a 2011 climate assessment and supported by Climate Central’s report on coastal flooding. And the predicament facing La Guardia is far from unique. All three of the city’s major airports are situated along the ocean and face similar sea level rise-related risks. (April 10, 2012) Climate Change | Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Environmentalists worry that proposed Lake Ontario wind farm threatens wildlife | Great Lakes Echo A proposal to build a wind farm on the Canadian shore of Lake Ontario has created an uproar among people worried about birds and wildlife. The environmental group heading the opposition, Nature Canada, opposes the location at Ostrander Point because it is in the middle of an important bird area. “The important bird areas are the most important places for birds in our country,” said Ted Cheskey, manager of the bird conservation program at Nature Canada. “It’s a global program, so they really represent the most important places for birds on earth.” (April 11, 2012) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Wind Power in our area]
Frost threatens area fruit crops | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Finger Lakes grape growers said they won’t know the extent of any damage to their crops until later. Any damage will show up when the grapes bloom in mid-June, but damage to the trunks may not be apparent until the vines are stressed by a dry spell. (April 11, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Food & Environment in our area]
University at Buffalo institute to analyze shale | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com BUFFALO, N.Y. (WTW) — The University at Buffalo has formed a new institute to conduct and disseminate research about hydraulic fracturing. The Shale Resources and Society Institute will be based in the university's geology department. Director John Martin says the goal is to provide accurate, research-based information that will help guide policymakers. (April 7, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Fracking in our area]
Controversy Deepens Over Pesticides and Bee Collapse | Wired Science | Wired.com A controversial new study of honeybee deaths has deepened a bitter dispute over whether the developed world’s most popular pesticides are causing an ecological catastrophe. Researchers led by biologist Chensheng Lu of Harvard University report a direct link between hive health and dietary exposure to imidacloprid, a so-called neonicotinoid pesticide linked to colony collapse disorder, the mysterious and massive die-off of bees across North America and Europe. The study isn’t without critics, who say doses used in the study may be unrealistically high. But the level of a realistic dose is also a matter of controversy, and even critics say the findings are troubling. (April 6, 2012) Wired Science - News for Your Neurons | Wired.com [more on Wildlife in our area]
Enviros Target Lead Bullets, Pro-Gun Crowd Freaks | Mother Jones On Tuesday, 100 environmental groups petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate lead in bullets and shot, adding fuel to the conspiracy theories of Second-Amendment fans that environmentalists—and the Obama administration—are about to take away their ammo. The groups, led by the Center for Biological Diversity, has asked the EPA to ban lead ammunition and require sportsmen to use nontoxic bullets and shot. Hunters leave 3,000 tons of lead bullets in the woods each year, and shooting ranges generate another 80,000 tons of spent ammo, CBD says. As many as 20 million eagles, condors, swans and other birds die each year due to lead poisoning after consuming what's left behind. The groups argue that the EPA should ban lead ammunition under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the 1976 law governing what chemicals the EPA is allowed to regulate. (March 14, 2012) Mother Jones | Smart, Fearless Journalism
New threat emerges on Asian carp - Toledo Blade WINDSOR, Ont. -- While the battlefront in the war to keep the Asian carp out of the Great Lakes has been in the canals near Chicago or in the marshy area outside Fort Wayne, trucks loaded with thousands of the destructive invasive species likely have been rolling down the interstate highways of Ohio and Michigan, headed for the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit that connects the United States and Canada. Since the first of the year, Ontario officials have seized three shipments of live Asian carp, totaling more than 23,000 pounds, that apparently were headed for markets in Toronto. Since late 2010, six loads of live Asian carp have been seized at the border. (April 8, 2012) Home - Toledo Blade [more on Invasive Species in our area]
U.S. Set More Than 15,000 March Temperature Records, NOAA - Bloomberg More than 15,000 temperature records were broken in the U.S. last month and the country had its first $1 billion weather disaster of 2012, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The average temperature in the contiguous U.S. was 51.1 degrees Fahrenheit (10.6 Celsius), or 8.6 degrees, above the 20th century average and 0.5 degrees more than the previous all-time high set in 1910, according to NOAA. (April 9, 2012) Bloomberg - Business & Financial News, Breaking News Headlines [more on Climate Change in our area]
Sunny Days Are Here Again — But Is That Good? : NPR Across the country, more than 7,700 daily temperature records were broken last month, on the heels of the fourth warmest winter on record. While it might be time to lie on a blanket in the park, climate scientists are worried. They say all these sunny days are actually an extreme weather event, one with local and global implications. (April 7, 2012) Environment : NPR [more on Climate Change in our area]
Michigan Scientists: Don't Roll Back Mercury Regs ANN ARBOR, Mich. - A resolution by Oklahoma Republican Senator James Inhofe has scientists in Michigan concerned. Inhofe is trying to use the Congressional Review Act to block the EPA's new regulations on mercury emissions from power plants. More than 100 Michigan scientists have signed and sent a letter to Congress urging support for the new mercury regulations and explaining why they believe the rules are important. University of Michigan Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Joel Blum says it's been proved scientifically that mercury is insidious as the pollution travels from the air into the water and then builds up in the human body from food fish. (April 10, 2012) Public News Service
Natural gas glut means drilling boom must slow - Yahoo! News Natural gas producers are being forced to scale back as prices fall, storage caverns fill up NEW YORK (AP) -- The U.S. natural gas market is bursting at the seams. So much natural gas is being produced that soon there may be nowhere left to put the country's swelling surplus. After years of explosive growth, natural gas producers are retrenching. The underground salt caverns, depleted oil fields and aquifers that store natural gas are rapidly filling up after a balmy winter depressed demand for home heating. (April 8, 2012) Yahoo! News - Latest News & Headlines [more on Fracking in our area]
NCPR News - Little pushes controls of invasive species A bill introduced in the state Senate aims to make the possession and sale of invasive species illegal. The legislation is sponsored by state Sen. Betty Little, a Republican from Queensbury. Little says invasives are a major threat to water bodies throughout the state. Her bill would strengthen current regulations and help prevent their spread. (April 9, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Report: Farm Bill Budget Cuts Threaten Great Lakes ANN ARBOR, Mich. - With the national Farm Bill up for reauthorization in September, a new report by the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition warns that proposed cuts to it threaten the Great Lakes. The report points out that farm conservation programs funded by the farm bill have lost more than $1 billion in the last two budgets and more cuts are proposed. (April 9, 2012) Public News Service [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
Study links oil and gas production to earthquakes - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Washington, D.C. — A federal report says oil and gas production may explain a sharp increase in earthquakes in the nation's midsection. The researchers found the rate of quakes has jumped six-fold from the late 20th century through last year, with a particularly sharp rise from 2009 to 2011. That includes mild quakes. The researchers said the timing and geography suggest some kind of link to oil and gas production, but it's not clear why the two might be related. (April 7, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Fracking in our area]
National Weather Service issues fire warning | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com High winds and dry conditions increase concerns The National Weather Service is warning of an elevated risk of fire throughout western New York and reminding residents that a statewide ban on all burning is in effect through May 14. The Weather Service warning area includes Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Genesee, Orleans, and Wayne counties, because of an abundance of dead vegetation and dry conditions. (April 08, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Climate Change in our area]
US official skeptical of closing locks to bar Asian carp | Minnesota Public Radio News BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Some people call John Goss the "Asian Carp Czar." He doesn't embrace the title. "That's a term of non-endearment I think," Goss said. "I'm a coordinator to do the comprehensive effort to stop the Asian carp from becoming established in the Great Lakes." Goss is the Obama administration's top official working on the problem of invasive Asian carp. He was in Bloomington, Minn., Thursday for a meeting of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee. Goss, along with other federal and state officials, agree the carp pose a threat to native wildlife in Minnesota's rivers. But Goss indicated he is skeptical the latest proposal would work to stop the fish's spread. (April 5, 2012) Minnesota Public Radio News [more on Invasive Species in our area]
Environmental group details climate change risks Michigan needs to prepare for | MLive.com LANSING, MI — The National Resources Defense Council says Michigan is better prepared than many states, but should engage in more robust planning and implementation to ready itself for climate change. The nonprofit environmental group released a state-by-state analysis of what states are or aren’t doing to prepare for what they say are ever-growing threats to water resources related to climate change, otherwise known as global warming. (April 6, 2012) Michigan Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - MLive.com [more on Climate Change in our area]
Ice age study delivers blow to global-warming skeptics - CSMonitor.com A new study finds that rising levels of carbon dioxide drove rising temperatures at the end of the last ice age. The findings contrast with previous studies, which skeptics of human-triggered global warming said showed that CO2 levels weren't an important factor. (April 5, 2012) The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com [more on Climate Change in our area]
How Murdoch's Aussie Papers Cover Climate Change : NPR Bacon, a professor of journalism at the University of Technology in Sydney, commissioned researchers and graduate students to examine six months' worth of every article, feature piece, editorial and columns in 10 leading Australian papers on a proposal by the governing Labor Party to tax carbon emissions. "What our study showed is that the majority of Australians are not getting a balanced or diverse view on a policy which was designed — at least in a small way — to tackle this problem," Bacon said. (April 6, 2012) Environment : NPR [more on Climate Change in our area]
Roc Easy Ride, a new online service to plan your trip via bicycling, public transportation, and other travel choices | Rochester Cycling Alliance Today the Genesee Transportation Council announces a new online service that provides information on bicycling, public transportation, and other travel choices. roceasyride is a free-to-use rideshare solution allowing you to create a commute profile to find carpool matches and smart commute options specifically for you. Online tools allow you to track the money you save and the environmental benefits that result. roceasyride provides information on bicycling, public transportation, and other travel choices that can help you save money while improving our environment. (April 6, 2012) Rochester Cycling Alliance [more on Transportation in our area]
State responds to climate change - Times Union ALBANY — A new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council says New York is among only a handful of states that have made substantial progress in addressing the causes and effects of climate change and its challenges to water management. (April 5, 2012) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Climate Change in our area]
NWS Issues Fire Weather Watch - YNN, Your News Now - replay Dry weather mixed with gusty winds raises the risks associated with fires. The National Weather Service issued a Fire Weather Watch Friday for Western New York and much of Central New York and the Souther Tier. (April 6, 2012) TOP STORIES - Rochester - YNN, Your News Now
New Leak at Japan Reactor Threatens Ocean - WSJ.com TOKYO—Water containing radioactive substances may have leaked into the ocean from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant on Thursday, the plant operator said, the latest example of continued problems at the stricken plant more than three months after the government declared conditions there stabilized. (April 5, 2012) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [more on Energy in our area]
Yet Another Study Links Insecticide To Bee Losses - Science News Findings point to treated corn seed — and corn syrup — as possible links to a pandemic afflicting North American pollinators. A pair of recent papers indicted neonicotinoids, a widely used class of insecticides, for contributing to the catastrophic loss of honeybees since 2006. Hives across North America have been hammered by this so-called colony collapse disorder, or CCD. Now an additional field trial strengthens even more the case arguing that these pollinators have been poisoned by these chemicals. This latest research also points to a potentially novel source of the chemicals: corn syrup. (April 5th, 2012) Science News [more on Wildlife in our area]
The Future is Now for Sea Level Rise in South Florida | Climate Central It’s not unusual for Keith London to run into people who doubt that global warming is really such a big deal. “I tell them, ‘the ocean is rising,’ ” he said. “They say, ‘so?’ It drives you crazy.” London is no scientist; he’s a city commissioner in Hallandale Beach, Fla., a municipality of about 37,000 that sits on the Atlantic coast between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. But he talks to scientists and engineers all the time as part of his job, and the story they tell him isn’t pretty. “The average elevation in Florida is 6 feet,” London said. “Some places are as little as 3 feet above sea level. And sea level is going to rise as all that ice in the Arctic melts.” (April 6, 2012) Climate Change | Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Letchworth, other state parks get money for upgrades - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Rochester, N.Y. — Three state parks in region are getting a financial boost from the state. Hamlin Beach, Letchworth and Seneca Lake parks will divvy up $8 million of state money that will go to what Gov. Andrew Cuomo calls much-needed upgrades. (April 5, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Parks in our area]
NY Sea Grant publishes new Lake Ontario fish guide | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com OSWEGO, N.Y. (WTW) — A new visual identification guide for salmon and trout in Lake Ontario is available to anglers. The New York Sea Grant says the publication is its first-ever full-color visual identification guide for the salmon and trout species found in the lake. It features 23 anatomically correct illustrations that show the differences among the species, improving correct identification by anglers. (April 6, 2012)Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Wildlife in our area]
State parks gain funds for repairs - Times Union ALBANY — Five state parks in the Capital Region will get a total of $6.8 million in repairs under a statewide parks program announced Wednesday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (April 5, 2012) Albany, Troy, Schenectady, Saratoga News, Weather, Sports, Capitol | timesunion.com - Times Union [more on Parks in our area]
Obama Administration and Great Lakes States Announce Agreement to Spur Development of Offshore Wind Projects Multi-state, multi-agency Memorandum of Understanding enhances coordination and speeds review of potential projects | Washington, D.C. – Ten Federal agencies joined with five Great Lakes states to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will streamline the efficient and responsible development of offshore wind resources in the Great Lakes. This effort underscores the President’s commitment to American made energy, increasing energy independence, and creating jobs. The MOU includes the states of Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania. “President Obama is focused on leveraging American energy sources, including increased oil and gas production, the safe development of nuclear power, as well as renewable energy from sources like wind and solar, which is on track to double in the President’s first term,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. “This agreement among Federal agencies and Great Lakes states is a smart, practical way to encourage the development of homegrown energy that will create jobs, power homes, and help increase our nation’s energy security.” (March 30, 2012) Northeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [more on Wind Power in our area]
Changes Proposed for State Deer Hunting Regulation to Implement Five-Year Management Plan - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation New Rules Would Include Youth Deer Hunt, Longer Bow Seasons, Mandatory Antler Restrictions in More Areas and Other Deer Hunting Changes The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today proposed rules affecting deer and bear hunting in New York to implement the state's Five-Year Deer Management Plan, Commissioner Joe Martens announced today. "Regulation changes are needed to implement many of the strategies of the recently adopted Management Plan for White-tailed Deer," Commissioner Martens said. "The changes to the deer hunting seasons, mandatory antler restrictions, use of Deer Management Permits (DMPs), and development of Deer Management Focus Areas will increase opportunities for New York hunters, consistent with input we've received from the public and deer management goals." (April 4, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Deer Problem in our area]
04/02/2012: EPA to Fund Projects to “Green” Restaurants, Supermarkets and Hotels in New Jersey and New York (New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a total of $441,860 in grants to fund projects in New Jersey and New York that protect people’s health and the environment by preventing pollution. “Pollution prevention is some of the most important work being done to protect the environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “The EPA Pollution Prevention grants help businesses, colleges and state agencies identify strategies to reduce the use of toxic materials, save energy, protect human health and save money. These grants support programs that reduce or eliminate waste at the source, preventing the need to treat it after it is generated.” (April 2, 2012) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases [more Living Green in our area]
Warming climate reveals links to infectious disease — The Daily Climate Researchers are gaining new insight into how pathogens will react to a warmer future: 'It's not just a summer disease. It's becoming a spring and fall disease now.' ATHENS, Ga. – Diarrhea, cholera and tick-borne illness: As the climate changes, a host of health threats are predicted to escalate, experts say. Temperatures and rainfall will have an "overwhelming effecting" on tick-borne disease. Strong winds could spread anthrax. West Nile virus is susceptible to changes in temperature and rainfall. Environmental changes already underway are allowing public health experts to establish stronger links between global warming and infectious disease. (April 5, 2012) The Daily Climate [more on Climate Change in our area]
Pollution Playing A Major Role In Sea Temperatures : NPR The Atlantic Ocean, especially the North Atlantic, is peculiar: Every few decades, the average temperature of surface water there changes dramatically. Scientists want to know why that is, especially because these temperature shifts affect the weather. New research suggests that human activity is part of the cause. Scientists originally thought that maybe some mysterious pattern in deep-ocean currents, such as an invisible hand stirring a giant bathtub, created this temperature see-saw. (April 4, 2012) Environment : NPR
Re-ENERGIZE BUFFALO: NY State Won't Fund Hydrofracking Health Impact Study The $132,600,000,000 budget passed by New York State last week did not include funds for a $300,000 study intended to protect the health of NY residents from the fallout of high-volume hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) already seen in other states. Many lawmakers, as well as the governor and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), seem bent on moving forward on unconventional shale-gas drilling. Sadly, they ignored sound advice from 250 physicians and healthcare/scientific experts [1] who recognize the lack of a Health Impact Assessment as a major flaw in the DEC’s draft hydrofracking regulations. (April 4, 2012) Re-ENERGIZE BUFFALO [more on Fracking in our area]
Arctic Warming is Altering Weather Patterns, Study Shows | Climate Central By showing that Arctic climate change is no longer just a problem for the polar bear, a new study may finally dispel the view that what happens in the Arctic, stays in the Arctic. The study, by Jennifer Francis of Rutgers University and Stephen Vavrus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, ties rapid Arctic climate change to high-impact, extreme weather events in the U.S. and Europe. The study shows that by changing the temperature balance between the Arctic and mid-latitudes, rapid Arctic warming is altering the course of the jet stream, which steers weather systems from west to east around the hemisphere. The Arctic has been warming about twice as fast as the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, due to a combination of human emissions of greenhouse gases and unique feedbacks built into the Arctic climate system. (April 3, 2012) Climate Change | Climate Central [more on Climate Change in our area]
Potential Great Lakes wind farms eyed in deal - City & Region - The Buffalo News Pact streamlines development process | ALBANY -- New York and four other Great Lakes states have struck a deal with the Obama administration to develop offshore wind farms more quickly. The agreement came Friday, just five months after New York State shelved a massive wind turbine project in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. That plan, which was to have been the first wind farm located offshore on any of the Great Lakes, had envisioned as many as 150 turbines stretched offshore between Buffalo and Chautauqua County. (March 30, 2012) The Buffalo News - breaking local news, sports, business, entertainment, weather and multimedia [more on Wind Power in our area]
Lake Ontario alewives help some fish, hurt others and vex officials | Great Lakes Echo The fate of both popular, but non-native, Lake Ontario sport fish and native species depends on alewives. But swings in the population of this invasive fish that other species like to eat forces a constant fish-stocking balancing act. Two years ago, it seemed the small prey fish was heading for a crash because of too many predators. But officials in New York and Ontario released a report this month that says alewife populations are stable and managers will continue stocking the fish that eat them at the same levels they have been. (April 3, 2012) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
Citizen Scientists Set to Track Record Number of Hudson River Eels - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Annual Juvenile Eel Migration is Larger and Earlier than Usual High school students and community volunteers throughout the Hudson Valley are engaging in research on migrating juvenile American eels in Hudson River tributaries as part of New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) American Eel Research Project, the agency announced today. American eels have one of the most unusual life cycles of any fish. They are born in the Sargasso Sea north of Puerto Rico, and every spring they arrive in estuaries like the Hudson River as translucent, two-inch long "glass eels." As part of the research project, volunteers and students check a ten-foot cone-shaped net ("fyke net") specifically designed to catch this small species and then they count and release the glass eels back into the water and record environmental data on temperature and tides. Most of the eels are released above dams and other barriers so that they have better access to habitat. Eels will live in freshwater streams and lakes for up to 20 years before returning to the sea. (April 3, 2012) Press Releases - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation [more on Wildlife in our area]
Environmental Rules: Job Killers or Job Creators? - NYTimes.com It is a rare day that you pick up a newspaper without encountering a reference to “job-killing regulations” from a pro-business Republican complaining about the burden of a new rule from the Environmental Protection Agency or other government office. Sometimes large and scary job loss numbers are attached to the assertion and attributed to a study, most often financed by the affected industry. Institute for Policy Integrity For example, when the E.P.A. issued a final rule in December limiting emissions of mercury and other airborne toxins from power plant emissions, opponents from the coal and utility industries said the regulation would cost 1.4 million jobs. Supporters of the rule, conversely, said the rule would create 1.4 million jobs in environmental restoration, retrofitting of plants and conversion to renewable electricity sources. (April 3, 2012) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Green Business in our area]
London clean energy talks to draw 22 countries | Reuters (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, now seeking to coordinate a release of oil from emergency reserves to subdue prices, will co-chair a meeting of energy ministers from 22 big economies in London later this month on developing cleaner technologies. Ministers from Australia, Canada, Europe and Japan will join counterparts from emerging economies Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates at the April 25-27 gathering, a British government statement said on Tuesday. The European Commission will also be represented. (April 3, 2012) Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com [more on Energy in our area]
Town of Canandaigua to preserve farmland - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — An agreement to preserve farmland in the town of Canandaigua should go into effect later this month, said Supervisor Sam Casella. Specifically, the deal involves the purchase and acquisition of development rights (a PDR) for two Canandaigua farms — the Wyffels farm on Cheshire Road, and the Hicks farm on Seneca Point and Coye Roads. “It makes a very strong statement that the town values agriculture and we want to do what we can to preserve that agriculture,” Casella said. Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow (April 3, 2012) [more on Urban Sprawl in our area]
Project Tracker: Cleanup at Canandaigua plaza to last until summer - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. — The details In January, crews began cleaning up underground manufactured gas from the parking lot in the retail plaza — 659 to 699 S. Main Street in the city of Canandaigua — that is sometimes referred to as the “old Wegmans plaza.” The gas was left over from a former gas plant that shut down in the 1920s. During the winter, a structure was placed over the excavation area. DEC spokesperson Lisa King said the structure was designed to keep inclimate weather out of the site and also to assist with keeping dust, odors and noise down during construction. The structure is portable and can be moved to other areas on the site. (April 3, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Brownfields in our area]
Bill McKibben on Keystone, Congress, and Big-Oil Money Bill McKibben is a patient man. Twenty-three years ago, he published The End of Nature, one of the first books written for a general audience that laid out the issue of global warming. Nearly two decades later, after the U.S. and the international community continued to fail to take action, he moved from journalist to activist, founding 350.org, which has grown into a global movement to solve the challenge of climate change. In January, he and 350.org won a surprising — if short-term — victory when President Obama put the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline on hold pending further review. (April 2, 2012) Yale Environment 360: Opinion, Analysis, Reporting & Debate [more on Climate Change in our area]
New chemicals piling up in environment Replacements for old flame retardants WINDSOR, Ont. -- New flame retardants meant to replace their toxic predecessors are showing up in the air around the Great Lakes in increasing concentrations and travelling as far north as the Arctic. These new findings raise a red flag that these chemicals need to be more closely examined to see if they accumulate in the environment and animals, according to Hayley Hung, a research scientist at Environment Canada, who found concentrations of tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) and tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) in both Canada's High Arctic and the Tibetan Plateau. (April 2, 2012) The Winsor Star [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
Colorado farms planning for dry spell losing auction bids for water to fracking projects - The Denver Post Front Range farmers bidding for water to grow crops through the coming hot summer and possible drought face new competition from oil and gas drillers. At Colorado's premier auction for unallocated water this spring, companies that provide water for hydraulic fracturing at well sites were top bidders on supplies once claimed exclusively by farmers. (April 1, 2012) Colorado Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic - The Denver Post [more on Fracking in our area]
Canadian Environmentalists Call on All Parties to Clean Up the Great Lakes « EcoWatch: Uniting the Voice of the Grassroots Environmental Movement Ontario environmental organizations today handed all parties their vision of the three key elements that should be included in Ontario’s Great Lakes Protection Act (GLPA). The Liberals promised a Great Lakes Protection Act in the Throne Speech and both opposition parties pledged to protect water quality in their platforms. First reading of the new act is expected this spring. (March 26, 2012) EcoWatch: Uniting the Voice of the Grassroots Environmental Movement [more on the Great Lakes in our area]
First State of the Planet Declaration published Scientists issue first “State of the Planet” declaration at the world’s largest gathering of experts on global environmental and social issues in advance of the major UN Summit Rio+20 in June Download declaration. Homepage ::: Planet Under Pressure[more on Climate Change in our area]
NCPR News - Offshore wind remains divisive New York is one of five states joining the Obama Administration in an agreement designed to spur offshore wind development in the Great lakes. But as the Innovation Trail's Zack Seward reports, the issue of offshore wind farms is still a divisive one. (April 3, 2012) NCPR: North Country Public Radio [more on Wind Power in our area]
Grant for Grimes Glen project rejected - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow MPNnow.com — Those who hike Grimes Glen won’t have to worry about being caught on video. On Thursday, the Ontario County Board of Supervisors shot down accepting a state grant that would have held the county to a plan it pitched to put cameras in the glen. (April 3, 2012) Home - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow [more on Parks in our area]
N.Y. offers wildlife rehabilitator, falconry exams | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — If you want to nurse injured wildlife or practice falconry, now’s your chance. The Department of Environmental Conservation has scheduled licensing exams for Friday, April 20, at its regional offices across the state. The deadline for registration is April 13. (April 3, 2012)Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Green Business in our area]
N.Y. Power Authority to fund $30M in solar energy projects | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com ALBANY — The New York Power Authority is launching a $30 million solar energy initiative. The five-year program will fund solar energy research, training and demonstration projects. The goal is to bring down the cost of solar power generation so it will gain wider use. The program is part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s “NY-Sun Initiative,” announced during his 2012 State of the State Address. (April 3, 2012) Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York | democratandchronicle.com [more on Solar Power in our area]

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