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Archive for October 8th, 2014
Floods Will Be Chronic Problem for East Coast Cities by 2030, Study Says
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on October 8th, 2014
Yale Environment 360: By 2030, residents of Washington, D.C., and Annapolis, Maryland, could be experiencing more than 150 tidal floods every year -- up from an average of just 50 today -- according to a recent study of sea level rise and coastal flood risk along the U.S. East Coast by the Union of Concerned Scientists. In another 15 years, that number could jump to 400 floods annually, the study says. A home purchased in some of the more flood-prone parts of those two cities could see daily flooding before a 30-year...
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Outrage as the EU Commission fails to label tar sands oil as highly polluting
Posted by Blue and Green: Ilaria Bertini on October 8th, 2014
Blue and Green: The European Commission has scrapped plans to label tar sands oil as ‘highly polluting’ after years of lobbying from the Canadian government and the industry, in a move that has concerned campaigners.
In a controversial decision on Tuesday, the commission has paved the way for Canadian oil being shipped to Europe by refusing to label it as highly polluted – with the UK among the states supporting the import of the fuel.
Oil from tar sands is a particularly carbon-intensive and polluting type...
Maine has seen warmer weather as climate has changed — and that’s not a good thing
Posted by Bangor Daily News: Corey Park on October 8th, 2014
Bangor Daily News: When we look forward to the not-too-distant future, what type of Maine will we see? Maine is unique, a rural state with four distinct seasons, connected by a series of small communities. As much as we are open for business, our state’s economy and social well-being — agriculture, forestry, fishing, and tourism and recreation — are inextricably linked, and absolutely dependent on the environment. Climate is an integral part of Maine’s environmental and economic vitality. But, driven by heat-trapping...
US tidal floods will be ‘chronic’ in 15 yrs, study claims
Posted by Agence France-Presse: Kerry Sheridan on October 8th, 2014
Agence France-Presse: Many US coastal communities already struggle with flooding at high tides, a problem that will become "chronic" in the coming 15 years due to global warming, scientists said Wednesday.
As shorelines are growing more populated, sea levels are swelling due to melting glaciers and polar ice sheets, putting more populations at risk, said a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Particularly dire consequences are expected along the US east coast and the Gulf Coast, the report warned.
"Our...
EPA Increases Public Access to Chemical Data
Posted by Hill: Laura Barron-Lopez on October 8th, 2014
Hill: The Environmental Protection Agency moved on Tuesday to increase the amount of data made available to the public on regulated chemicals.
The changes are being made to its "one-stop online tool" called ChemView, the agency said, which provides information on chemicals regulated under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
"In the absence of Treform, EPA is moving ahead to improve access to chemical health and safety information, and increase the dialogue to help the public choose safer ingredients...
Keystone Be Darned: Canada Finds Oil Route Around Obama
Posted by Bloomberg: Rebecca Penty, Hugo Miller, Andrew Mayeda and Edward Greenspon on October 8th, 2014
Bloomberg: So you’re the Canadian oil industry and you do what you think is a great thing by developing a mother lode of heavy crude beneath the forests and muskeg of northern Alberta. The plan is to send it clear to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast via a pipeline called Keystone XL. Just a few years back, America desperately wanted that oil.
Then one day the politics get sticky. In Nebraska, farmers don’t want the pipeline running through their fields or over their water source. U.S. environmentalists...
U.S. East Coast Cities Face Frequent Flooding Due to Climate Change
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on October 8th, 2014
Guardian: Dozens of America’s east coast cities face routine tidal flooding under climate change, researchers said on Wednesday.
Miami – where the habitues of South Beach are used to sloshing through water at high tide – will deploy new pumps this week to hold back the waters of the King Tides, the highest annual high tides, which are projected to crest at 3.5 feet (1.07m).
Other cities are going to have to undertake similar measures if they want to avoid soggy streets in the future, the researchers...
Affluent Seattle suburb making progress against E. coli in water supply
Posted by Reuters: Eric M. Johnson on October 8th, 2014
Reuters: A Seattle suburb was making progress cleansing its E. coli-contaminated water supply through system-wide flushes and chlorine injections, a task made more urgent after the potentially deadly bacteria sickened a child, officials said on Tuesday.
Tests first showed the bacteria in the water supply on Mercer Island on Sept. 26, forcing area schools to close for a day as health officials collected thousands of samples to try to locate the source of the contamination.
The alert was lifted last week...
French envoy says Canada needs catch up to others on climate change
Posted by Globe and Mail: Campbell Clark on October 8th, 2014
Globe and Mail: The man tasked by France's President with building support for a global climate change treaty sees Canada as one of those countries unwilling to face up to the facts.
Nicolas Hulot, French President François Hollande's special envoy for the protection of the planet, sees the prospects of reaching an accord to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in negotiations in Paris next year as daunting.
But he is optimistic. The two biggest players, the United States and China, now have reasons to deal with...