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Archive for July 28th, 2012
Philippines: Rainforests in Panay to be declared critical habitat
Posted by Manila Times: None Given on July 28th, 2012
Manila Times: "Where the Mountains meet the Skies," around 12,000 hectares will be declared as Critical Habitat (CH) within the Central Panay Mountain Ranges (CPMR) by the local government of Valderrama in Antique province.
CPMR is one of the 117 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) according to Birdlife International and the Haribon Foundation. It is also considered as one of the important Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in the Philippines.
The proposed CH covers a huge tropical rainforests comprised of two adjoining...
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Chinese protesters force officials to cancel industrial waste pipeline project
Posted by Guardian: Shiv Malik on July 28th, 2012
Guardian: Officials in eastern China have cancelled a planned industrial waste pipeline project after up to 1,000 environmental demonstrators occupied a government office, overturned cars, destroyed computers and beat police officers.
The demonstration in the city of Qidong was the latest in a string of protests sparked by fears of environmental degradation.
Zhang Guohua, mayor of the eastern city of Nantong, announced the cancellation of the pipeline, which would have emptied waste water from a Japanese-owned...
Drought, searing heat reignite food-fuel debate
Posted by Greenwire: Amanda Peterka on July 28th, 2012
Greenwire: The U.S. ethanol industry's efforts to win public support for putting more corn-based fuel in gasoline has run into a fierce, unmovable enemy.
Horrible weather.
A withering Midwestern drought has reignited the debate over "food versus fuel" as soaring corn prices -- which the Department of Agriculture says will cause as much as a 4 percent spike in retail food prices next year -- become ammunition for livestock as proof that federal biofuels mandates have failed.
The ethanol industry isn't...
In US agency, drillers in Utah have a friend
Posted by New York Times: Eric Lipton on July 28th, 2012
New York Times: Bill Stringer leaned into the office of his top deputy here at the Bureau of Land Management one recent day to share his latest victory. “We got upheld!” Mr. Stringer said, meaning his bosses in Salt Lake City had gone along with his staff’s recommendation to allow oil drilling near Desolation Canyon, a national historic site known for its pristine wilderness and white-water rafting. Despite objections from environmentalists, more oil wells would dot the huge stretch of federal land Mr. Stringer...
Water-use record again shattered in Des Moines as heat wave continues
Posted by Des Moines Register: None Given on July 28th, 2012
Des Moines Register: Whoever asked, “Can it get any hotter?” before Wednesday, you have your answer.
Des Moines’ high was 106 degrees, a degree above Monday’s temperature, and the warmest reading in almost 29 years. It’s hot everywhere: Dubuque made it to 100 degrees Wednesday for the first time in 24 years.
The high temperatures are not helping with efforts to conserve water in central Iowa.
On Tuesday, Des Moines Water Works supplied 96.64 million gallons of water to customers, breaking the previous record...
Canada: British Columbia premier slams torpedo into Alberta’s energy strategy
Posted by Edmonton Journal: Graham Thomson on July 28th, 2012
Edmonton Journal: She didn’t entirely scuttle Alberta’s hopes for a Canadian Energy Strategy but she certainly took the wind out of Alberta’s sails.
In a dramatic – but not unexpected – showdown at the annual premiers’ conference on Friday, British Columbia Premier Christy Clark refused to sign on to a national energy strategy championed by Alberta Premier Alison Redford.
“Until we see some progress in the discussions between British Columbia, Alberta and the federal government with respect to the Gateway pipeline...
Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet restoration plan put on hold
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 28th, 2012
Times-Picayune: The chief of the Army Corps of Engineers has recommended a $2.9 billion plan to restore damage caused by the now-closed Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet navigation channel, but recommends no action be taken on the plan because the state won't pay 35 percent of the cost.
View full sizeMichael DeMocker, Times-Picayune archiveThe $2.9 billion Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet restoration plan proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers would repair damage to wetlands caused by the eroding navigation channel....
Canada: U.S. pipeline agency to probe Enbridge oil spill in Wisconsin
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 28th, 2012
Reuters: The U.S. pipeline safety agency said on Saturday it is investigating an oil spill in Wisconsin on Enbridge Inc's network that forced the Canadian company to close part of the main pipeline system delivering Canadian crude to U.S. refiners.
The U.S. Transportation Department's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration "is investigating the cause of the Enbridge crude oil pipeline failure in Wisconsin," spokesman Damon Hill said in an email, adding that an inspector "has been dispatched...
Drought-tolerant corn efforts show positive early results
Posted by ClimateWire: Tiffany Stecker on July 28th, 2012
ClimateWire: In the midst of the nation's worst drought in 50 years, two of the world's largest agricultural companies are testing corn that is bred and genetically engineered to withstand low rainfall levels. Monsanto's DroughtGard hybrid corn -- the first-ever hybrid genetically engineered for drought tolerance -- was planted this spring in initial field trials. Sowed amid sufficient rain and optimism for a record-breaking crop yield, the company has encountered a close to worst-case scenario to test its product....
Official hopeful Canada will reconsider plan to close freshwater research centre
Posted by Globe and Mail: Gloria Galloway on July 28th, 2012
Globe and Mail: Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger says the federal Environment Minister has offered "a glimmer of hope" that the federal Conservative government may reverse a decision to shut down a world-renowned freshwater research facility in Northern Ontario.
Mr. Selinger, who was attending a meeting of premiers in Halifax on Friday, said he met with Peter Kent at a major international environmental conference in Brazil in June where the two discussed the impending closure of the Experimental Lakes Area.
"We...