And now:[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
States ranked in war against sprawl
-- In the struggle against sprawl,
Maryland, Oregon, Rhode Island and Virginia are leading all other states,
according to a Sierra Club report released Monday. Their examples, the
activist group said, should provide lessons to the dozens of states that
rated "not effective" when it comes to preserving green areas, preventing
traffic jams and protecting communities. (MSNBC)
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Environmentalists, Unions Unveil New Alliance -- Labor unions and
environmental activists -- often bitter foes in the battle over natural
resources -- announced a new alliance Monday to fight rogue corporations
and 'misguided' international trade pacts like the World Trade
Organization (WTO). (Reuters)
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Toxics found in snowcaps -- Scientists testing the snowcaps from the
coastal mountains to the Rockies have found large concentrations of toxic
chemicals -- including PCBs, linked to birth defects and reproductive
problems. (Associated Press)
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Floyd's Toxic Wake -- It's been more than two weeks since Hurricane Floyd
trampled North Carolina. In many towns people are beginning to put their
lives back together, but in other areas flooding has barely retreated.
And more rains didn't help. The standing water and saturated earth have
left officials with huge public health problems. (Living on Earth)
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Extinction warning for freshwater species -- The most endangered species
in North America are those living in fresh water, according to a Canadian
study. (BBC)
also:
MASS EXTINCTION OF FRESHWATER CREATURES FORECAST
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Canada, October 4, 1999 (ENS) - The first estimate of
extinction rates of North America's freshwater animals, just released, has
found they are the most endangered species group on the continent. The
Canadian study warns that the U.S. could lose most of its freshwater
species in the next century if steps are not taken to protect them.
Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 1999
For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens.lycos.com/ens/sep99/1999L-10-04-02.html
Golf Course Erodes Support (part 1) -- The Great Lakes boast some of the
finest beaches in the country... and more and more developers are
snapping up lake shore property to build everything from condominiums to
golf courses. But coastline development presents some challenges and
potential risks to the lakes. In the first of a two part series, the
Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Wendy Nelson reports on one small
community that's struggling with change. (Great Lakes Radio Consortium)
Noise Pollution -- Donna Wiench of member station KPLU reports from
Olympic National Park in Washington State, that the National Park Service
is increasingly concerned about the noises humans are introducing into
previously quiet, natural environments. Not only do the noises bother
people who are seeking peace and quiet, but they adversely affect, and
even endanger, wildlife. What to do about the noise pollution will be
addressed in the new Park Service management policies expected later this
month. (NPR)
Stories on the web at: http://www.envirolink.org/environews/
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GROWING BIOTECH INDUSTRY PROMPTS INDEPENDENT REVIEW
WASHINGTON, DC, October 4, 1999 (ENS) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has
reached an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to undertake an
independent scientific review of USDA's regulatory process for biotechnology derived
plants. NAS will establish a standing committee of about 15 members for ongoing
reviews of the USDA process. In its first year, the committee will examine the
environmental impacts of commercializing transgenic plants and how best to assess and
mitigate those risks. "We need to embrace the potential of biotechnology, but with
sound science as our guide," said Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman.
Last Thursday, Glickman announced USDA grants totaling $1.3 million for research on
the environmental effects and risks associated with agricultural biotechnology. "These
research projects will provide government, industry, and consumers with valuable
additional information on the effect of introducing genetically modified organisms
into the environment," Glickman said. Six universities and the USDA’s own Agricultural
Research Service will get grants to study topics ranging from the evolution of insect
adaptations to crops modified for pest resistance, to the spread of modified genes
from domestic to wild plants. More information about the grants and USDA's
Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program is available online at:
http://www.reeusda.gov/crgam/biotechrisk/biotech.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BIOLOGISTS CATCH BIRDS TO STUDY RARE VIRUS
WASHINGTON, DC, October 4, 1999 (ENS) - Wildlife biologists from the U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS) are studying the West Nile like virus which has been blamed for the
deaths of three people in New York City and the deaths of many birds in the city and
surrounding areas. The virus was uncovered last week after having been mistakenly
identified as St. Louis encephalitis. On Wednesday, USGS biologists issued a Wildlife
Health Alert to federal and state wildlife conservation agencies, parks and refuges
east of the Mississippi River to be on the lookout for dead crows and other birds
which may indicate that this mosquito borne virus has appeared.
USGS biologists, teaming with scientists from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, are working to determine the extent of the problem in the Northeast. Field
teams are capturing live birds this week and taking blood samples. The samples will be
tested for the virus, and for antibodies to the virus. "We're trying to map the
distribution of this disease in birds both spatially and temporally. And we want to
try to determine if it is expanding," said Dr. Robert McLean, the USGS wildlife
biologist who is leading the study. "We're watching areas particularly south of New
York for crows which have died from diseases and then try to determine if this virus
was responsible. We would like also to determine what other bird species are involved
and if species besides crows are at risk of dying from the disease."
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PLAN FOR YUCCA MOUNTAIN PERMANENT NUCLEAR WASTE DEPOT PROBED
LAS VEGAS, Nevada, October 4, 1999 (ENS) - The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC)
Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste has scheduled a public meeting October 12 and 13
in Las Vegas, Nevada. The meeting, open to the public, is at the Alexis Park Resort,
375 East Harmon Avenue. On October 12 during the day, a roundtable will cover safety
assessment of nuclear waste transport and storage and the most effective means to
communicate assessment methods to the public. The committee will seek public comments
on the role of risk assessment in licensing and regulating the proposed permanent
waste repository at Yucca Mountain.
That evening, the Committee will meet with stakeholders to discuss their concerns
regarding the Yucca Mountain site. On October 13, local government officials will
discuss scientific investigations of waste transportation to the site. County
representatives will speak, and federal officials will discuss their repository design
and site characterization projects. On October 14, the Committee will visit the
proposed Yucca Mountain site and the Department of Energy's Losee Road facility. The
meeting agenda, and committee meeting notices, transcripts, and letter reports are
available online at: http://www.nrc.gov/ACRSACNW
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WASHINGTON FARMLANDS HAVE LESS DIOXIN THAN CITIES
OLYMPIA, Washington, October 4, 1999 (ENS) - Agricultural soils in Washington have
lower levels of dioxins than any other type of land in the state, including cities,
open land and forested areas, a new study by the Washington Department of Ecology
(Ecology) shows. The median concentration for dioxin in farmland samples was 30 times
lower than the same measure of urban soils. "While we don't have enough information to
draw broad conclusions about dioxins in farm soils, we can say that land where
Washington's crops are grown generally has less dioxin than other parts of the state,"
said Greg Sorlie, Ecology's hazardous waste manager. "The challenge for all of us now
is to make sure it stays that way."<<<
Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine
of international copyright law.
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Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
UPDATES: CAMP JUSTICE
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