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Archive for October 28th, 2013
Scientists: Asian Carp Breeding In Great Lake Tributaries
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on October 28th, 2013
National Public Radio: Scientists have confirmed for the first time that at least one variety of Asian carp is living and breeding in the Great Lakes watershed, where it threatens stocks of native fish.
A U.S. Geological Survey and Bowling Green State University study published Monday says Asian carp taken from the Sandusky River in Ohio show the fish are "the result of natural reproduction within the Lake Erie basin."
"It's bad news," USGS Duane Chapman told The Associated Press. "It would have been a lot easier...
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Gold mining in the Amazon rainforest surges 400%
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on October 28th, 2013
Mongabay: The extent of gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon has surged 400 percent since 1999 due to rocketing gold prices, wreaking havoc on forests and devastating local rivers, finds a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The assessment, led by Greg Asner of the Carnegie Institution for Science, is based on a combination of satellite imagery, on-the-ground field surveys, and an advanced airplane-based sensor that can accurately measure the rainforest canopy...
Hundreds of oil spills kept secret by North Dakota
Posted by Grist: None Given on October 28th, 2013
Grist: North Dakota`s fracking frenzy is leaking like a sieve. And you haven`t heard about it because fracking companies, oil pipeline owners, and state officials have been keeping information about hundreds of oil spills secret for years.
After a huge spill of more than 20,000 barrels on a wheat farm was hushed up for 11 days, the Associated Press discovered the extent of the years-long cover-up:
Records obtained by the AP show that so far this year, North Dakota has recorded 139 pipeline leaks that...
In flood-damaged Colorado, a race against winter
Posted by LA Times: Molly Hennessy on October 28th, 2013
LA Times: Six weeks after floods ravaged Colorado, this small town at the foot of the snow-covered Rockies was still without utilities, with 20% of homes damaged, most businesses shuttered and all roads in closed to the general public.
One of the few businesses that reopened was St. Vrain Market, Deli & Bakery, named after the nearby creek that overflowed its banks. Still, prospects are dim: 80% of inventory lost, staff reduced from 16 to four. And no flood insurance.
"We can get back up to operations,...
The climate change era is upon us
Posted by Daily Climate: Jane Lubchenco and Thomas E. Lovejoy on October 28th, 2013
Daily Climate: We have been given a sobering glimpse into the speed of our changing climate and the vulnerabilities of our world. It turns out we must focus greater attention to the tropics, where so much of humanity and wildlife live, and to our oceans.
While policymakers posture, dither and deny, the unraveling has already begun.
A sophisticated analysis, published in the premier scientific journal Nature by a team of young scientists at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, shows that impacts of climate change...
Artist Blacklisted by Canada Over Criticism of Climate Policy Takes Show to U.S.
Posted by InsideClimate News: Katherine Bagley on October 28th, 2013
InsideClimate News: Three years ago, Franke James was a little-known artist who found herself blacklisted by the Canadian government for making art that lambasted the rapidly expanding tar sands. Infuriated and emboldened by the censure, James churned out a slew of pieces criticizing the government, published a book and in the process became one of Canada's most outspoken environmental activists. Now, the Toronto resident is embarking on a new mission. She wants to raise awareness in the United States about what she...
Enbridge files application to run pipeline across northern Minnesota; opponents gird for fight
Posted by MPR: Dan Kraker on October 28th, 2013
MPR: Canadian pipeline builder Enbridge will file applications this week to build a $2.5 billion oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. Opponents, though, are organizing already for a fight. The 610-mile "Sandpiper" line would carry more than 200,000 barrels per day from western North Dakota's Bakken fields to the company's terminal in Superior, Wis. The web of pipelines that transport Bakken oil now is straining to keep up with supply, so a new line is crucial, company officials say. While environmental...
Flooding, travel disruption and power cuts
Posted by Guardian: Andrew Culf on October 28th, 2013
Guardian: Storm-force winds gusting up to 99mph are battering southern parts of the UK, bringing widespread travel disruption, flooding and power cuts. The intense storm, which swept in overnight, was causing a chaotic start to the working week with roads impassable because of fallen trees and surface water, and major bridges closed because of the high winds. UK Power Networks said 140,000 homes were without power in southern counties, while Western Power Distribution said 6,000 homes were affected in the...
Climate change may make coastal flooding like Sandy’s more frequent
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on October 28th, 2013
CBS News: When Superstorm Sandy struck the New York and New Jersey area on Oct. 29, 2012, it caused more than $50 billion in damage, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Much of that cost came from coastal flooding that ravaged downtown Manhattan, Staten Island, parts of Brooklyn, and many New Jersey beach towns, among other areas.
Dr. Radley Horton, a climate scientist at Columbia University and NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, says three environmental...
Water, wealth and whites – South Africa’s potent anti-fracking mix
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on October 28th, 2013
Reuters: Stretching across the heart of South Africa, the Karoo has stirred emotions for centuries, a stunning semi-desert wilderness that draws artists, hunters and the toughest of farmers.
It is now rousing less romantic passions.
If energy companies and the ruling African National Congress (ANC) get their way, it will soon be home to scientists and geologists mapping out shale gas fields touted as game-changers for Africa's biggest economy, and working out whether fracking will work here.
As with...