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Archive for December 24th, 2013
Under Arctic Ice, Photographer Captures Climate Shifts In Earth’s Most Rapidly Changing Place
Posted by Weather Channel: Terrell Johnson on December 24th, 2013
Weather Channel: What does the future hold for the parts of the world that will be most affected by Earth's warming climate? This spring and summer, St. Louis-based photojournalist Randall Hyman spent four months getting a preview in Arctic Norway, a place he's visited again and again since the mid-1970s.
What struck him most on this trip, a Fulbright Scholarship project between April and August, was a pace of change that "has really picked up in the last decade," Hyman said, since trips he made there in 2006...
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First oil shale mine in U.S. is coming to Utah
Posted by Grist: John Upton on December 24th, 2013
Grist: As if we didn`t already have enough filthy, inefficient, unconventional oil-extraction techniques in use in North America, here`s one more: oil shale mining.
A Utah company has received the go-ahead from the state’s water-quality department to begin operating the first commercial oil shale mine in North America.
Oil shale is not to be confused with shale oil, or shale gas, or oil sands. So what the hell is it? "Contrary to its name," explains Western Resource Advocates, "oil shale contains...
EPA report on fracking in Texas raises new concerns
Posted by LA Times: Neela Banerjee on December 24th, 2013
LA Times: The Environmental Protection Agency was justified in intervening to examine possible risks of gas drilling to Texas drinking water, the agency's internal watchdog reported Tuesday.
But environmentalists say the report raises fresh concerns about the EPA's 2012 decision to halt its investigation into possible well-water contamination in Parker County, Texas.
The EPA inspector general's report is the latest analysis to spotlight the regulator's handling of high-profile cases of alleged drinking-water...
Scientists call for labeling tar-sands oil
Posted by Grist: John Upton on December 24th, 2013
Grist: For the past four years, European Union officials have been mulling a labeling system that would require fuel companies to tell their customers how much carbon pollution is produced by each of the products they sell.
The idea is deeply unpopular with oil companies, which don`t want their customers thinking about such things every time they fill up their tanks. It`s also deeply unpopular with Canada. That`s because the country`s tar-sands oil is particularly dreadful for the climate, something...
Inspector General Finds EPA Justified in Intervening to Protect Drinking Water from Fracking
Posted by EcoWatch: None Given on December 24th, 2013
EcoWatch: Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Inspector General found EPA Region 6 was justified in legally intervening to protect Parker County, TX residents’ drinking water from drilling impacts. At Sen. Inhofe’s (R-OK) request, the Inspector General investigated to determine if Region 6’s intervention against Range Resources was due to political influence by the Obama administration.
Steve Lipsky, who lives near a fracking operation in Weatherford, TX with his flammable water. Photo...
Organic Farmers vs. Monsanto: Final Appeal to U.S. Supreme Court to Protect Crops from GMO Contamination
Posted by EcoWatch: None Given on December 24th, 2013
EcoWatch: Last week, the Public Patent Foundation filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case, Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) et al v. Monsanto, in the hopes that the highest court in the land would hear and reinstate the case of 73 American organic and conventional family farmers, seed businesses and public advocacy groups that seek protection for America`s farmers from Monsanto`s frivolous patent infringement lawsuits, and their promiscuous genetically engineered pollen...
New ‘Massive Lake’ Threatening Climate Change Debate?
Posted by Design and Trend: Jessica Durham on December 24th, 2013
Design and Trend: Researchers at the University of Utah said that lake, known as "perennial firn aquifer," remains liquid year-round despite the otherwise frozen landscape around it, according to English.chosun.com. "Large amounts of snow fall on the surface late in the summer and quickly insulates the water from the subfreezing air temperatures above, allowing the water to persist all year long," said Rick Forster, lead author and professor of geography at the University of Utah. The 43,500 sq.km body of water...
Repeal of ethanol mandate a cause Congress should support
Posted by Oklahoman: Editorial on December 24th, 2013
Oklahoman: DYSFUNCTION in the federal government may be at an all-time high, but lawmakers are finding bipartisan unity regarding one goal: repeal of the ethanol fuel mandate.
U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Muskogee, has teamed with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to author legislation repealing the federal mandate that requires an ever-increasing amount of ethanol-blended fuels in the U.S. supply, regardless of actual consumer demand, market realities or real-world negative consequences.
The federal Renewable...
China’s pollution problems threaten Australia’s coal exports
Posted by Eco-Business: None Given on December 24th, 2013
Eco-Business: Coal mining companies in Australia have been enjoying the good life in recent years, making millions of dollars from feeding the seemingly insatiable energy appetites of Asia's tiger economies -- particularly that of China.
But a new report by the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment (SSEE) at Oxford in the UK warns that Australia's coal mining party could be coming to an end.
It says coal demand in China looks likely to fall in the years ahead due to concerns about climate change...
Is Interior’s eagle plan good for the birds?
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on December 24th, 2013
Greenwire: In exchange for the right to kill eagles, a San Diego-based wind developer offered to retrofit 75 power poles to reduce eagle deaths near California's Lake San Antonio, prime winter habitat for the iconic birds.
Another California developer agreed to upgrade 11 "problem" power poles, idle certain wind turbines and donate $20,000 for eagle conservation.
The Obama administration argues steps like those will keep eagle populations robust, even as it issues permits of up to 30 years for wind farms...