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Archive for November 11th, 2011
Pennsylvania Hunting and Fracking Vie for State Lands
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on November 11th, 2011
New York Times: For those who have ever stalked deer, turkey and bear here in “God’s Country” in north central Pennsylvania, this hunting season is like no other. For one thing, it is louder. The soundtrack of birds chirping, thorns scraping against a hunter’s brush pants and twigs crunching underfoot is now accompanied by the dull roar of compressor stations and the chugging of big trucks up these hills. Some of this state’s most prized game lands lie atop the Marcellus Shale, a vast reserve of natural gas. And...
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Wis. DNR: Coal-ash spill no risk to human health
Posted by Associated Press: Dinesh Ramde on November 11th, 2011
Associated Press: A recent mudslide that swept tons of coal ash and debris into and around Lake Michigan will likely have a limited environmental impact and shouldn't affect human health, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said Friday.
Test results show elevated levels of several elements in the coal ash still on land, as well as in the water and sediment, two DNR officials said. However, the contaminants are confined to areas not accessible to humans, and the chemicals can be cleaned up and safely disposed...
Poaching blamed for loss of Western Black Rhino
Posted by Associated Press: Frank Jordans on November 11th, 2011
Associated Press: Lax anti-poaching efforts are to blame for the loss of the last wild specimens of Western Black Rhino, leading the rhinoceros subspecies to be declared officially extinct this week, conservationists said Friday. Researchers estimate about 10 of the long-legged West African variety of Black Rhino survived in Cameroon until 2000. Prized by poachers for their horns, which are used as trophies and in traditional medicine, the Western Black Rhino now exists only in zoos. "There were very limited anti-poaching...
Plea to restrict ‘tar sands’ oil
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on November 11th, 2011
Press Association: The UK Government was urged today to back moves to restrict "tar sands" from entering Europe, after the US delayed a decision on a controversial pipeline carrying the oil from Canada.
The White House has put off a decision on the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline, in a move which could hold up action on the project until after next year's presidential elections.
President Barack Obama said the pipeline, which would carry up to 700,000 barrels of oil a day from the site of tar sands extraction...
Irrigation Device Pulls Water From the Air in Driest Conditions
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on November 11th, 2011
Yale Environment 360: A student at Australia’s Swinburne University this week received the James Dyson Award for a device he says is capable of harvesting moisture from the air for use in irrigation, even in the world’s driest places. Developed by Edward Linnacre, the Airdrop is a wind- or solar-powered device that sucks air underground through a coiled metal pipe, where the cooler temperature of the surrounding soil slowly causes it to condense. The device ultimately collects the water in an underground tank before it...
Obama delays Keystone decision until after 2012 reelection bid
Posted by The Hill: Ben Geman on November 11th, 2011
The Hill: The Obama administration announced Thursday it would delay a politically explosive decision on the proposed Keystone XL oil sands pipeline until after the 2012 elections.
The pipeline is especially treacherous waters for President Obama because it splits key elements of his base. While green groups oppose it, several major unions are pushing for approval.
Keystone had become a serious thorn in Obama’a side, with environmental groups warning they’d feel betrayed if the pipeline moved forward....
Alaska faces severe storm with less ice to protect its coasts
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on November 11th, 2011
ClimateWire: A rare and powerful storm hit the western coast of Alaska yesterday, battering communities from the Aleutian Islands to the Bering Sea with rain, snow, strong waves and hurricane-force winds.
As the storm began to move out last night, the National Weather Service warned that a lack of sea ice along Alaska's shoreline left some villages more vulnerable to severe coastal erosion and flooding from storm surge.
One area of concern is the tiny village of Kivalina, an Inupiat Eskimo whaling community...
Atmospheric rivers caused the UK’s worst floods
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on November 11th, 2011
New Scientist: YOU may not even know they are there, but their impact is immense: huge atmospheric rivers that wind their way through the skies have been linked to the 10 largest winter floods in the UK since the 1970s. A study of similar systems in California suggests that such floods could become more frequent and severe if greenhouse gas emissions accelerate.
Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are giant ribbons of moist air, at least 2000 kilometres long and several hundred kilometres across, which move water across...
Investors thirsty for new markets looking to water
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on November 11th, 2011
Reuters: Oil and water may not mix, but managing water -- moving it, filtering it, recycling it and ultimately exhausting it -- is one of the fastest growing sectors of the oil and gas industry, industry experts and investors said on Thursday.
Because getting U.S. oil and natural gas out of the ground requires billions of gallons (liters) of water a year, "oil companies are the largest water companies in the world," Amanda Brock, CEO of the water treatment company Water Standard, told a conference on water...
U.S. faces shale gas backlash without action: panel
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on November 11th, 2011
Reuters: A federal energy panel on Thursday warned that rigorous action must be taken if government and industry hope to prevent major environmental damage and subdue the public backlash against the U.S. shale gas boom.
Charged with helping to guide the future of U.S. shale gas development, the Energy Department subcommittee expressed disappointment that more had not been done on the 20 recommendations laid out in August in its initial report on the practice.
"The progress to date is less than the subcommittee...