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Archive for June 19th, 2014
California’s Drought Just Got a Little Worse
Posted by Climate Central: Andrea Thompson on June 19th, 2014
Climate Central: Just when it seemed like California's drought couldn't get any worse, it did: A staggering one third of the state is now in the worst stage of drought.
The latest update from the U.S. Drought Monitor, released Thursday, showed the amount of the state in "Exceptional Drought' -- the highest category -- expanding to about 33 percent from 25 percent. The increase came not because of a lack of rainfall, as the state is in its dry season, but because drought experts and local officials are getting...
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Princeton Study: Up to 900,000 Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells Pollute Pennsylvania’s Air
Posted by EcoWatch: Brandon Baker on June 19th, 2014
EcoWatch: Pennsylvania already has a fracking problem groups struggle to inspire politicians to address. Now, a Princeton University study shows that hundreds of thousands of abandoned oil wells are adding to the state`s pollution.
CO2, Methane, and Brine Leakage through Subsurface Pathways: Exploring Modeling, Measurement and Policy Options is a first-of-its-kind study from Mary Klang that describes how abandoned oil wells serve as leakage pathways for carbon dioxide, methane, brine and more.
Based...
Former Canadian ambassador not confident Keystone project will get approval in U.S
Posted by Canadian Press: Peter Rakobowchuk on June 19th, 2014
Canadian Press: A former Canadian ambassador says he's less confident now than he was a few years ago about the U.S. giving the Keystone XL pipeline project the green light. "Two years ago I was very confident that it would be a positive reaction, a "Yes" would come," Raymond Chretien said Wednesday. "Recently, I'm beginning to see signs that lead me to believe that a "No" is possible." Chretien made his comments during a chat with U.S. Ambassador Bruce Heyman at a luncheon speech. The event was organized by...
Northern Gateway not essential oilsands growth
Posted by Edmonton Journal: Gary Lamphier on June 19th, 2014
Edmonton Journal: In the end, it was an utterly predictable decision.
Ditto for the storm of protest that followed it, particularly on the West Coast.
Despite all the drama, the Harper government’s approval of Enbridge’s Northern Gateway pipeline project was about as shocking as the Oilers’ eighth-straight year out of the NHL playoffs.
Ditto for the Sturm und Drang that erupted among pipeline foes immediately after Ottawa issued a cryptic news release announcing its ruling late Tuesday.
“The war is on:...
A great extinction is on the brink, thanks to mankiind
Posted by Haaretz: Ruth Schuster and Ben Gruber on June 19th, 2014
Haaretz: Planet Earth is on the brink of a mass extinction event comparable in scale to the one that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, a landmark study by an international group of scientists has concluded. It would be the sixth major extinction event in the history of the planet - but this time, the cause is man, and there's precious little time to reverse the trend.
Part is the human predilection for hunting for its own sake, but the greater part is man-made climate change.
The researchers...
Indian Coca-Cola plant shut down for using too much water
Posted by Blue and Green: Richard Heasman on June 19th, 2014
Blue and Green: A Coca-Cola plant in India, which has faced criticism for extracting too much groundwater and releasing high levels of pollutants, is to be closed down, officials have reported. Anti-pollution authorities have declared that the soft drink manufacturing Mehdiganj plant in Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, breached pollution conditions on its operating license, prompting an order closure. Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control board members secretary JS Yadav said, “The plant is closed following...
Russia ‘secretly working environmentalists oppose fracking’
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on June 19th, 2014
Guardian: Russia is secretly working with environmental groups campaigning against fracking in an attempt to maintain Europe's dependence on energy imports from Moscow, the secretary-general of Nato has said.
Speaking at the Chatham House foreign affairs think-tank in London, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Russia was mounting a sophisticated disinformation campaign aimed at undermining attempts to exploit alternative energy sources such as shale gas.
"I have met allies who can report that Russia, as part...
Groups Appeal to UN to Stop Water Cut Offs in Detroit and Restore Basic Human Rights
Posted by EcoWatch: None Given on June 19th, 2014
EcoWatch: In March 2014, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) announced it would begin shutting off water service for 1,500 to 3,000 customers every week if their water bills were not paid, and yesterday, the city council approved an 8.7 percent water rate increase. According to a recent DWSD document, more than 80,000 residential households are in arrears. With thousands of families now without water, and thousands more expected to lose access at any moment, a group of concerned organizations...
New Jersey Congressman Proposes Federal Microbead Ban
Posted by EcoWatch: Brandon Baker on June 19th, 2014
EcoWatch: Illinois became the first state to ban microbeads less than two weeks ago, but one Congress member figures it’s never too early to spur change on a larger scale. U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) on Wednesday introduced legislation that would place a federal ban on microbeads, the small plastic particles found in many beauty and cosmetic products. The exfoliants are tiny enough to slip through water treatment systems after consumers wash them down the drain, pushing them to local streams, rivers...
The brilliance of Elon Musk giving away Tesla trade secrets
Posted by Dallas Morning news: None Given on June 19th, 2014
Dallas Morning News: Elon Musk is the kind of guy who probably spent his high school years asking, “Why?” or “Why not?” each time he ran up against conventional wisdom. He took that mind-set into the business world and became an acclaimed “disruptor,” most recently shaking up the auto world. On his blog last week, the chief executive officer of electric car maker Tesla Motors announced that he is opening up its electric car technology patents to competitors. This move may actually be more brilliant than bizarre. Conventional...