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Archive for February 4th, 2014
The Great Lakes may be drying up
Posted by Grist: Sarah Laskow on February 4th, 2014
Grist: On Earth, cycles are the norm. Tides, carbon, water, life - they ebb and flow. Change, by itself, isn`t necessarily strange. What is strange is when cycles are broken.
In other words, it`s not strange on its own that the level of the Great Lakes is dropping. It is strange that, when the lakes` levels normally change over a 13 year cycle, they`ve now been going down for 16 years straight. That`s 10 more than they should have been dropping for.
LiveScience:
Water levels have been declining...
Greenland Glacier Races to Ocean at Record Speed
Posted by National Geographic: Jane J. Lee on February 4th, 2014
National Geographic: A Greenland glacier named Jakobshavn Isbrae, which many believe spawned the iceberg that sank the Titanic, has hit record speeds in its race to the ocean. Some may be tempted to call it the king of the glacier world, but this speedy river of ice is nothing to crow about.
A new study published February 3 in the journal Cryosphere finds that Jakobshavn's averaged annual speed in 2012 and 2013 was nearly three times its rate in the 1990s. Its flow rate during the summer months was even faster.
"We...
BP rules out UK shale gas drilling – for now
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 4th, 2014
Guardian: BP has ruled itself out of drilling for shale gas in the UK, at least for now – indicating it fears its damaged safety record from the Gulf of Mexico spill would make it a target for protesters.
Bob Dudley, chief executive of the oil group, claimed BP invented the technique of fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, in the 1940s.
Despite being involved in shale fracking in North America and elsewhere, Dudley said BP would not get involved in Britain. "We think we would attract the wrong kind of...
‘Worse than useless’: Flood-affected locals on the Somerset Levels blame plight on Environmental Agency
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on February 4th, 2014
Independent: Like most of the residents of Muchelney, farmer Graham Walker has had enough of the floods that have left his fields underwater and his sheep scattered for six weeks.
The village in the middle of the Somerset Levels has been cut off from the “mainland” since the New Year and, like most of his fellow residents, Mr Walker puts the blame squarely with the Environment Agency (EA) for its “failure to dredge... local rivers”.
“[It] has been worse than useless,” he said. “We’ve told them for years...
Posted in Water Conservation 
Comments Off on ‘Worse than useless’: Flood-affected locals on the Somerset Levels blame plight on Environmental AgencyNASA Image of Alaska Depicts Spring-like Temperatures and Thaw
Posted by Environment 360: None Given on February 4th, 2014
Environment 360: NASA Earth Observatory Alaska’s warm January As the continental U.S. faced frigid weather and major winter storms in January, Alaska experienced record high temperatures. A map based on NASA satellite data shows that the last half of January was one of the warmest winter periods in Alaska’s history, with temperatures as much as 40 degrees F (22 C) above normal on some days in the central and western portions of the state. A high pressure system off the state's western coast sent warm air and rain...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on NASA Image of Alaska Depicts Spring-like Temperatures and ThawFeds: Oil From Dakota Fields Improperly Classified
Posted by Associated Press: Joan Lowy on February 4th, 2014
Associated Press: Government investigators have found crude oil being transported from North Dakota's Bakken region was misclassified in samples taken from 11 out of 18 truck shipments en route to rail loading stations, federal transportation officials said Tuesday. Hazardous materials shipments are supposed to be classified into one of nine categories depending on the risk involved. If the materials are misclassified, they could wind up being shipped in less protective rail tank cars and emergency personnel might...
United Kingdom: Polls Show Support for Fracking is Waning
Posted by EcoWatch: Robin Webster on February 4th, 2014
EcoWatch: Public opposition to shale gas could be rising, despite the government`s attempts to promote the fuel, according to recent UK polls. The closer the industry gets to reality--and to people`s homes--the more worried the public gets.
Politicians are waxing enthusiastic about the prospect of a new UK shale gas industry. But protesters are worried about the environmental impacts of fracking for shale gas, and what it will mean for the health of local communities.
Media outlets and industry lobby...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on United Kingdom: Polls Show Support for Fracking is WaningSlideshow: Thousands Attend Vigils Last Night Protesting Keystone XL
Posted by EcoWatch: None Given on February 4th, 2014
EcoWatch: Last night, thousands of people attended more than 270 vigils around the country with this unified message: Keystone XL fails President Obama’s climate test. The vigils were in response to the State Department’s release on Friday of the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. Check out this slideshow representing a small sampling of the vigils: This video was tweeted last night by someone attending a local vigil. In addition to being an excellent...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Slideshow: Thousands Attend Vigils Last Night Protesting Keystone XLCanada: Pollution from oilsands greater than first believed, new research suggests
Posted by Edmonton Journal: Marty Klinkenberg on February 4th, 2014
Edmonton Journal: A new study released Monday suggests environmental assessments of oilsands projects have underestimated the impact of pollution, raising questions about the accuracy of data used as part of the approval process.
Despite taking into account emissions from industry-related activities, researchers from the University of Toronto found estimates in environmental impact statements submitted to regulators were insufficient to explain existing contamination levels in northern Alberta.
“Our study shows...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Canada: Pollution from oilsands greater than first believed, new research suggestsKeystone XL clears major hurdle, but opponents see silver lining
Posted by ClimateWire: Christa Marshall and Evan Lehmann on February 4th, 2014
ClimateWire: The State Department's long-awaited environmental review of Keystone XL on Friday sparked cautious optimism on both sides of the contentious pipeline debate, underscoring the public pressure facing the Obama administration before midterm elections.
Supporters of the $5.4 billion TransCanada project cheered the document's ultimate conclusion that the pipeline is unlikely to "significantly impact the rate of extraction in the oil sands," and therefore unlikely to exacerbate global greenhouse gas...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Keystone XL clears major hurdle, but opponents see silver lining