Horses, flounder, major measures, coal-to-solar switching

brought to you by Sasha Paris

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.

Human Ecology in Action.

California adopted a "Low Carbon Fuel Standard" to eventually reduce the carbon footprint of vehicle fuel sold there, counting the impact of biofuel-related changes to land use. (Los Angeles Times editorial, set three days before the measure was approved, but--with associated comments--describing the issue's controversy well)
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-lowcarbon20-2009apr20,0,1679884.story

Report-out from the first day of hearings on the current big "climate bill." (Grist, which has since been posting daily updates on the hearings. Keep checking grist.org if you're interested.)
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-23-as-biz-leaders-call-for-a/

For the fourth time in two years, the governor of Kansas vetoed a bill to allow construction of two coal-power plants (Associated Press).
http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1140243.html

The EPA proposed new restrictions on mercury and other toxins emitted by cement kilns, after being sued for not doing so. (Earthjustice)
http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/2009/federal-government-cracks-down-on-mercury-pollution-from-cement-kilns.html

Earthjustice convinced a Florida power company to replace plans for a coal-power plant with plants for a solar-power plant. (Naples Daily News editorial)
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/apr/11/editorial-solar-powered-plant-proposal-looks-winne/

Winter flounder fisheries have declined in New England, and inter-state fishery regulators are considering their options. (Brunswick Times Record)
http://www.timesrecord.com/website/main.nsf/news.nsf/0/CE0A47AE604971EF852575A00059D7B9?Opendocument

Lobster-trap reductions were proposed for reducing whale entanglements. Somehow, the idea is meeting resistance. (Bangor News)
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/104153.html

New York Times
Obama signed a bill newly designating two million acres of "wilderness" in nine states. [It had been rejected by the House in March, but was re-introduced]
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/wilderness-lands-bill-becomes-law/

On the continuing "problem" of wild horses in the western US, and whether equine birth control can solve it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/science/21horse.html?ref=science

Sea life, soot, "renewable" coal, Australia

brought to you by Sasha Paris  

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Human Ecology in Action.

Climate change--locally identified as such--is taking a toll across Australia (Los Angeles Times)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-climate-change-australia9-2009apr09,0,65585.story?page=1 

Six environmental groups sued the federal government for failing to prevent bycatch of protected sea turtles in Gulf of Mexico longline fisheries. (Associated Press) 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30246972/ 

A proposed bill in Indiana would label nuclear and "clean" coal electricity as "renewable," included in tax breaks and future renewable-energy standards. (Grist)

http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-14-indiana-bill-would-define/ 

Report: Atlantic bluefin tuna could "die out" within three years.  The Mediterranean fishing season for them opened on Wednesday.  [What doom upon the seas we wish, to sate our yearnings for raw fish]  (The Times of London). 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6094307.ece 

Bangor News

Two animal-welfare groups sued the state of Maine for not preventing all trapping of endangered Canada lynx. (They've been threatening to do that since at least last June)

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/103716.html 

Federal and state wildlife managers are in dispute over recreational fishing for endangered Atlantic salmon in part of the Penobscot River. 

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/103966.html 

New York Times

Soot, especially in "third world stoves," is newly targeted as an atmospheric heat-trapper.  Cue the miffed comments. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/science/earth/16degrees.html?ref=science 

On efforts to "replant" a dying coral reef off of Japan

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/world/asia/15coral.html?_r=1&ref=science 

Fwd: Carbon-cutting projects, salty farms, Peru

brought to you by Sasha Paris  

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Human Ecology in Action.

The Empire State Building will get renovated for energy efficiency (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/science/earth/07empire.html?ref=science

A coal-power plant in China is capturing and "recycling" (selling) some of its carbon dioxide emissions. (NPR)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102920210

Bangor Daily News
A federal grant went to a project for developing tidal power in Maine.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/103480.html?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=stories&town_id=&page=2

The Maine legislature rejected a proposed tax on plastic shopping bags.
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/103418.html?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=stories&town_id=&page=2

BBC News
On the need--and possibilities--for developing crops that can grow in saltwater as irrigated soils get salty and sea levels rise.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7765109.stm

The EU will actively try to expand is aquaculture industries.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7989295.stm

A small cardboard solar cooker won first prize in an international contest of practical inventions to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7991654.stm

Oil drilling vs. drinkable water: legal and political battles in Peru.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7951182.stm

NOAA, seal products, concrete, pollution controls

brought to you by Sasha Paris  

College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Human Ecology in Action.

Jane Lubchenco, marine biologist and conservation advocate, was confirmed as head of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Woo! (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/20/AR2009032003295.html?hpid=moreheadlines

House Democrats introduced an ambitious bill for cutting CO2 emissions. (Grist; the site layout was recently changed)
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2009/3/31/183040/523

The EU proposed a ban on importing Canadian seal products; Canada's government threatened to "launch a World Trade Organization action" if it does so. [This seems to have happened before]. (CBC; the article doesn't discuss the issue's controversial nature, but the 568+ comments do).
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/04/03/seal-canada.html

A planned coal and petroleum-coke power plant in Louisiana was suspended by the local government (Times-Picayune, New Orleans)
http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2009/03/psc_orders_entergy_to_suspend.html

A bill in the Florida legislature would make it easier for developers to destroy wetlands. (St. Petersburg Times)
http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wetlands/article985783.ece

Earthjustice
A federal court ruling in February gave producers of major toxin-tainted sites less leeway to avoid paying cleanup costs, and the EPA more responsibility to force them.
http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/2009/court-rules-cleanup-tab-for-mines-and-other-hazardous-sites-should-not-fall-to-public.html

Another ruling ordered the EPA to revise its standards for particulate air pollution (soot, smoke etc)
http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/2009/earthjustice-wins-case-seeking-stronger-particulate-pollution-standards.html

New York Times
"Environmentalists" are clashing over renewable energy projects vs. place protection, e.g. solar arrays in desert wilderness. [A Grist writer posted a miffed response along the lines of 'If they stop solar projects to preserve desert, climate change will give them a lot more desert.' Ideologically, it's not that simple.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/science/earth/24ecowars.html?scp=1&sq=%22solar%20panels%22%20%22environmentalists%22&st=cse

On efforts to make concrete more environmentally-friendly
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/31/science/earth/31conc.html?pagewanted=1&ref=science