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Archive for February 12th, 2013
Snow falls in U.S. Plains but no drought buster
Posted by Reuters: Sam Nelson on February 12th, 2013
Reuters: Crop-friendly snowfall and some showers were moving across the U.S. Southwest Plains on Tuesday which will help but not eliminate the harmful impact on wheat production from the worst drought in over 50 years, an agricultural meteorologist said.
"It's beginning to snow in the Southwest Plains this morning and that will continue through the day leaving 2.00 to 6.00 inches there," said Don Keeney, meteorologist for MDA EarthSat Weather.
Keeney said it would turn dry in the Plains the remainder...
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Rich moisture feed helped blizzard bury Northeast
Posted by Climate Central: Andrew Freedman on February 12th, 2013
Climate Central: The weekend blizzard in the Northeast, dubbed "Nemo" by The Weather Channel, socked the region with stunning snowfall totals of more than 3 feet in some places. A persistent band of extremely heavy snow, with snowfall rates in excess of 4 inches per hour, sat over parts of Connecticut and Massachusetts for several hours during the height of the storm, resulting in the snow jackpot of 40 inches in Hamden, Conn.
The amazing snowfall totals were, in part, the result of the rich tropical moisture...
Extreme weather creating challenges for UK farming region
Posted by EADT24: None Given on February 12th, 2013
EADT24: The wildly contrasting weather of 2012 made it a dismal year for food production. And the Norfolk Farming Conference later this month will hear that our changing climate could bring yet more challenges for the region`s farmers in future -- but also some opportunities.
From drought to deluge, and from snowfalls to floods – even by its own fickle standards, the British weather set a new benchmark for unpredictably during 2012, making life extremely difficult for East Anglia’s farmers.
Prayers...
NY fracking decision faces further delay on health study
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 12th, 2013
Reuters: New York State's decision to lift a four-year ban on natural gas drilling faced further delay on Tuesday after officials conducting a key health impact study asked for more time to form their conclusions on the divisive issue.
The New York Department of Health, which has been commissioned to study how the drilling process known as fracking affects public health, said the review is ongoing but that a few more weeks are needed due to the "complexity of the issues".
"As we have been reviewing...
Study asks: are plant-based diets environmentally friendly?
Posted by Reuters: Andrew Seaman on February 12th, 2013
Reuters: A nutritious diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables might be healthier for humans but not necessarily healthier for the environment, according to a French study. After analyzing the eating habits of about 2,000 French adults, and the greenhouse gas emissions generated by producing the plants, fish, meat, fowl and other ingredients, researchers concluded in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that such a diet might not be the greenest in environmental impact. "When you eat healthy,...
State of the Union: Executive Action Expected on Climate
Posted by The Hill: Ben Geman on February 12th, 2013
The Hill: President Obama is expected to launch a serious second-term push on climate change with his State of the Union address.
With climate legislation dead in Congress, green groups are hopeful that Obama will follow the “we must act” mantra of his inaugural address and put the full weight of his executive powers behind their agenda.
“We are hoping to see some more substance on exactly what the president’s plan will be like, be it on the clean-energy side or on the side of cleaning up the largest...
Canadian Chamber of Commerce Urges B.C. to Embrace ‘Historic’ Oil Sands Opportunity
Posted by Windsor Star: None Given on February 12th, 2013
Windsor Star: The Canadian Chamber of Commerce will call Tuesday for the B.C. government to look out for the "national interest" and seize an "historic opportunity" to help open up Asian markets to Alberta's vast oilsands riches.
The chamber listed B.C.'s reluctance to embrace pipelines as one of the top barriers in its annual top-10 list of challenges that must be overcome to make the Canadian economy competitive. Chamber chief executive Perrin Beatty said safety and environmental concerns must be addressed...
EPA Releases Data on 7,674 Chemicals
Posted by Philadelphia Inquirer: Sandy Bauers on February 12th, 2013
Philadelphia Inquirer: As publicly-accessible databases go, the U.E. Environmental Protection Agency's chemicals reporting area is a tad mind-boggling.
The 2012 "Chemical Date Reporting" set released today lists 7,674 chemicals that were manufactured, imported or used in quantities over a particular threshold. It related to 4,753 sites and 1,515 companies.
I expect that academics, officials and activists will find plenty to plumb in that database.
One thing that's important is that companies are now required to...
GOP Pressures Obama to Build Pipeline with New ‘Keystone XL Clock’
Posted by The Hill: Zack Colman on February 12th, 2013
The Hill: House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans on Monday put President Obama on the "Keystone Clock."
In a new messaging campaign, the committee’s GOP members have plastered a “Keystone Clock” on its website that shows 1,606 days have passed since TransCanada Corp. filed its September 2008 application for the oil sands pipeline with the State Department.
“Keystone XL remains an opportunity to help create a more secure energy future, but the clock on Keystone XL is still ticking as the president...
Groups Want Broad EPA Probe of Tainted Texas Water
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 12th, 2013
Associated Press: More than 80 environmental groups on Monday demanded a broad investigation into whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency behaved improperly when it abruptly dropped enforcement actions against a gas driller it had accused of contaminating water in Texas.
The 86 groups from 12 states sent a letter to the EPA's inspector general, Arthur Elkins, asking that he widen an existing investigation into the agency's actions. They cited an Associated Press report indicating the agency had scientific...