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Archive for February 26th, 2013
North Dakota Fracking Boom Leaves Oil Hub a Bust: Muni Credit
Posted by Bloomberg: Jennifer Oldham on February 26th, 2013
Bloomberg: Oil extracted from wells ringing Williston, North Dakota, helped push the state’s surplus to a record $1.6 billion and generate the nation’s lowest jobless rate. Drilling also left the city broke.
While the U.S. Census counts about 16,000 residents, Williston says it provides services to more than 38,000, including workers living in temporary camps, hotels, and even vehicles. Keeping up with the load is spurring budget gaps that will deplete rainy-day funds, according to Standard & Poor’s,...
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Australia: Federal Govt stops funding to climate change research facility
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 26th, 2013
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: TONY EASTLEY: One of Australia's key research bodies which has the task of preparing the nation to handle the impacts of global warming is running out of money.
The National Climate Change Adaptation Research facility has been going for about five years but the Federal Government hasn't extended its funding and so from June it's expected to be wound up.
Here's Environment reporter Sarah Clarke.
SARAH CLARKE: Set up by the Howard government, the National Climate Change Adaptation Research...
Plains states hit with second winter storm in a week
Posted by Reuters: Kevin Murphy on February 26th, 2013
Reuters: A potent winter storm bore down on the southern U.S. Plains on Monday, dumping more than a foot of snow and creating blizzard conditions in Oklahoma, Texas and parts of Kansas still digging out from a winter storm last week.
Highways in the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles and parts of Kansas were closed by the heavy and drifting snow that cut visibility and forced flight cancellations at airports across the region.
A man was killed Monday when his car slid off Interstate 70 in Sherman County,...
Maize ‘was key in Andean society’
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 26th, 2013
BBC: New evidence strengthens the argument that maize played an important role in ancient Peruvian civilisation 5,000 years ago, a study has said.
Samples taken from pollen records, stone tool residues and fossilised faeces suggest the food crop was actively grown, processed and eaten.
The authors say it adds more weight to the argument that Andean society was agricultural, not maritime-based.
The findings appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"If you look at the origins...
Global surveys show environment ranks low among public concerns
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 26th, 2013
ScienceDaily: A newly released international study reveals that the issue of climate change is not a priority for people in the United States and around the world.
The surveys showed that when asked to rank priority worries, people were five times more likely to point to the economy over the environment. Additionally, when asked about climate change, people identified the issue as more as a national problem than a personal concern.
Coordinated surveys, conducted by the International Social Survey Programme...