More news from today

Asian carp may have breached barrier. The decade-old battle to keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes might be over. New research shows the fish likely have made it past the $9 million electric fish barrier on the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin. 20 November 2009.
EPA intervention in Florida cleanup unwelcome, says DEP. A panel of experts spoke out Monday in opposition to a federal judge's decision allowing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set surface water pollution standards for Florida -- the first time any state's standards have been overridden in this manner. Suwannee Democrat, Florida. 20 November 2009.
Lawsuit abuse charge by western lawmakers enrages enviro groups. Poor government oversight has allowed advocacy groups to squander taxpayer money on frivolous lawsuits that drain the budgets of federal land management agencies without the knowledge of the public or Congress, a group of Western lawmakers charge. Greenwire. 20 November 2009.
Average UK woman wears 515 chemicals a day. The average British woman "hosts" 515 chemicals on her body every day, according to a new study. Reuters. 20 November 2009.
Culture clash in medicine. Two new recommendations, calling for delaying the start and reducing the frequency of screening for breast and cervical cancer, have been met with anger and confusion from some corners, not to mention a measure of political posturing. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Doctors group advises Pap smear every two years for women in 20s. Most women in their 20s can have a Pap smear every two years instead of annually, say new guidelines that conclude that is enough to catch slow-growing cervical cancer. Associated Press. 20 November 2009.
Group issues clarification on mammography advice. The federally funded task force that loosened guidelines for breast-cancer screening this week clarified its position Thursday, in response to an intense backlash generated by its new recommendations. Wall Street Journal. 20 November 2009. [Subscription Required]
Mammogram debate took group by surprise. The Preventive Services Task Force, which urged women to get less-frequent screening for breast cancer, was created to be apolitical. Yet some observers say its apolitical nature may have made it clueless about just how strongly people would react. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
The mammogram storm: Benefits vs. risks. Common sense tells women that while mammography is an imperfect defense against a disease that will kill 40,000 of them this year, it's better than nothing. No wonder new breast-cancer screening guidelines issued this week went over with a thud. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Mild asthma leads to higher risk of kids getting H1N1: Study. Even mild asthma increases a child's risk of being hospitalized with more severe H1N1 flu, researchers in Toronto are warning. Canwest News Service. 20 November 2009.
US panel votes against new bug-based flu vaccine. More safety data would be needed before a new type of influenza vaccine made in insect cells should get approval, federal advisers said on Thursday. Reuters Health. 20 November 2009.
As Yule approaches, Santas seek H1N1 help. Holiday season is colliding with swine flu season, and that has Santas concerned. The cheerful Christmas ambassadors come in contact with millions of children each year, and many are being advised to take special precautions. All Things Considered, NPR. 20 November 2009.
Deaths not linked to H1N1 vaccines. About 40 people have died after being inoculated against H1N1 pandemic flu, but investigations so far show the fatalities were not caused by the vaccine, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday. Reuters Health. 20 November 2009.
Less vaccine, but a lot of problems. When the nation's swine flu vaccination program began in early October, health officials predicted it was going to be "messy." They were right. Associated Press. 20 November 2009.
Last year's flu shot may help ward off swine flu, study shows. People who received last year's seasonal flu vaccine may have gained some protection against the swine flu virus, according to a study presented Thursday at the 58th annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, in Washington, D.C. USA Today. 20 November 2009.
Guidelines push back age for cervical cancer tests. New guidelines for cervical cancer screening say women should delay their first Pap test until age 21, and go for screening less often than had been previously recommended. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Group recommends less-frequent Pap tests. Only days after a federal panel scaled back on breast cancer screening recommendations, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has done the same for Pap smears. Los Angeles Times, California. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Scientists make mad cow discovery. Scientists at the University of Leeds say they have made a significant discovery which could help in the treatment of "mad cow disease". BBC. 20 November 2009.
Using fish as livestock feed threatens global fisheries. Fish doesn't just feed humans. Millions of tons of fish are fed every year to chickens, pigs, and even farmed fish even in the midst of rising concerns over fish stocks collapses around the world. Mongabay. 20 November 2009.
UW scientists creep closer to solving mystery of mammoths' extinction. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin have taken an important step toward solving the mystery of what wiped out mammoths, mastodons and dozens of other animal species that roamed North America at the end of the last ice age. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin. 20 November 2009.
Army Corps liable for Katrina damage, US court finds. The Army Corps' 'myopic' maintenance of a shipping channel led to the levee failure, and much Katrina damage, a U.S. court judge ruled. An appeal is expected. Christian Science Monitor. 20 November 2009.
Compensation urged for Katrina floods. Louisiana officials called on the Obama administration Thursday to compensate residents after a federal judge's ruling that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was responsible for some of the worst flooding in and around New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Washington Post. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
In New Orleans, elation over Katrina liability ruling. The day after a judge ruled that flooding in two areas of New Orleans was caused by negligence, city residents were trying to decipher the implications of the decision. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
A cleaner coal? Underground coal gasification is one of a handful of techniques being tested across the West to make coal--the cheapest, most plentiful fuel around--more palatable to a carbon-constrained world. High Country News. 20 November 2009.
Tiny Elk Horn, Iowa, has plenty of electric car chargers - but cars might not make it to town. Establishing a national network of charging stations is a daunting task, but the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Vehicle Technologies has said it is one that must be accomplished before electric cars can become commonplace. Associated Press. 20 November 2009.
Climatologists baffled by global warming time-out. Global warming appears to have stalled. Climatologists are puzzled as to why average global temperatures have stopped rising over the last 10 years. Some attribute the trend to a lack of sunspots, while others explain it through ocean currents. Der Spiegel. 20 November 2009.
Oil sands pipeline to West Coast gains backing. Commercial support is building for a new pipeline to carry oil sands crude on its way to Asia, as Canada's energy industry seeks diversification from the U.S. market and an escape valve from potentially punitive climate-change regulations. Toronto Globe and Mail, Ontario. 20 November 2009.
Air panel urged to deny pollution permit for Xcel coal plant. Neighborhood, university, religious and other group representatives packed a state air-quality regulators' hearing Thursday night — pushing for cleaner energy. Denver Post, Colorado. 20 November 2009.
Energy leaders back climate change deal. Energy industry leaders on Thursday called for an international deal on climate change to tackle financial uncertainty and prevent potentially catastrophic global warming. Agence France-Presse. 20 November 2009.
Australia carbon deal failure may spur poll. A senior Australian government minister said Friday that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd could call an early election if Parliament fails to pass his carbon trading program. Wall Street Journal. 20 November 2009. [Subscription Required]
Climate change causing 'corrosive' water to affect Arctic marine life. Waters in the Canadian Arctic have been so altered by climate change and melting sea ice that plankton, shellfish and fish may have trouble building their protective shells and skeletons, an international team reports Friday in the journal Science. Canwest News Service. 20 November 2009.
Dutch build more dunes against rising seas. On the beach at Monster, bulldozers painstakingly turn sand dredged from the bottom of the North Sea bed into dunes in an ambitious effort to safeguard the Netherlands from flooding. Agence France-Presse. 20 November 2009.
Kerry still optimistic on Copenhagen. President Obama is undecided as to whether to attend the Copenhagen climate meetings. Senator John Kerry has some advice for Mr. Obama: Go. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Ontario considers energy-hog flat screen TV crackdown. Ontario is looking at tougher energy efficiency rules for flat-screen TVs that suck electricity like SUVs guzzle gas, saving consumers money on their hydro bills but possibly forcing television prices higher. Toronto Star, Ontario. 20 November 2009.
The 'tres amigas' project. Wind and solar power farms are sprouting up, but they have reliability problems. Wind doesn't always blow, and sun doesn't always shine. To keep the lights on, utilities want to grab power from any solar and wind farm that is working. Environment Report, Michigan. 20 November 2009.
Dusty thinking settles across wide brown land. Amid a pitched battle for the centre of the Liberal Party, ACCI's chief executive Peter Anderson managed to align the country's biggest business group - with those in the Opposition who would do nothing to address climate change, perhaps ever. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Melting sea ice dilutes water, endangers sea life. Melting of the Arctic sea ice due to global warming is diluting surface waters and this is endangering some species of shellfish which need minerals in the water to form their shells and skeletons, scientists have found. Reuters. 20 November 2009.
Across the board, GOP Senate candidates shy away from cap and trade. The next wave of potential GOP officeholders offers unanimous opposition. Greenwire. 20 November 2009.
McCain: Odd man out on climate bill? Sens. Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman have been working overtime to craft a climate bill that can attract significant GOP support. But they aren’t exactly scoring points with their mutual best friend in the Senate, John McCain. Politico. 20 November 2009.
Industrialized nations unveil plans to rein in emissions. Prior to a climate change meeting scheduled for Copenhagen, industrialized countries, except the United States, are offering targets to curb greenhouse gases. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
How storms can trigger earthquakes. Scientists are increasingly pointing to storms as a trigger for earthquakes and mudslides. That's raising questions about the effects that climate change might have on one of the world's deadliest natural catastrophes, and to what extent, if any, insurers and governments could be adapting to the interplay between atmosphere and earth. ClimateWire. 20 November 2009.
Land of the rising sea. On the front line of climate change, the people of the Pacific Islands are desperately looking for higher ground. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Climate risk won't dampen desires. Climate change risks are unlikely to make a dent in Australians' love of waterfront real estate. But one analyst says some will turn to rural areas as an alternative, and tree-change properties, often considered the poor cousins of sea-change locations, may get a boost. Sydney Australian, Australia. 20 November 2009.
Women's carbon print is small but climate change hits them harder. Women have a lower carbon footprint than men but are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of global warming, according to the United Nations’ State of World Population report. London Times, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
The global heat is on. The Earth's natural ability to absorb carbon dioxide is declining and global temperatures are on course to rise by 6°C by the end of the century, according to a study. Johannesburg Mail & Guardian, South Africa. 20 November 2009.
Seeking wind energy, some consider the sea. Last June in Norway, a 213-foot-tall wind turbine did something large wind turbines normally don’t do: it headed out to sea. The project, called Hywind, is the world’s first full-scale floating wind turbine. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Clean, green goo to power engines. A handful of scientists and venture capitalists are willing to gamble on the next big thing, believing a bright green future lies in pond scum. Inter Press Service. 20 November 2009.
Google spywear will help vigilantes save rainforests. Environmentalists across the world are to be enlisted as armchair detectives to monitor satellite images of rainforests and report any illegal logging. London Times, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
A renewable energy lobby seeks power in Brussels. The European Renewable Energy Council thinks renewables could supply 100 percent of Europe's future energy needs. GlobalPost. 20 November 2009.
Maybe they're not such a bright idea after all. Energy-saving light bulbs lose a fifth of their brightness over their lifetime, according to new research. Edinburgh Scotsman, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
In pursuit of a smarter grid. Getting the so-called smart or super grid off the ground is far easier said than done. Such was the message percolating through the two-day GreenBeat 2009 Conference on the Smart Grid kicked off Wednesday evening in San Mateo, Calif. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Asia surging in clean-tech manufacturing. If the United States government does not invest more money in clean technology, it risks losing out to China, South Korea and Japan, according to a new study from two American policy institutes. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Minister urges family planning to help climate change. Family planning and access to contraception are key proponents of fighting climate change, according to Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs. Copenhagen Post, Denmark. 20 November 2009.
Saskatchewan premier takes green scheme south. Brad Wall is finding open doors on Washington's Capitol Hill and at the White House, as he pitches the province's carbon capture and shoratage projects for one of the U.S.'s biggest emissions problems — greenhouse gases released from aging coal-fired power plants. Canwest News Service. 20 November 2009.
'Green' trains chug into Avon. CSX Transportation unveiled two trains called GenSet Locomotives that will help reduce pollution and will help to bring in cleaner air to the town of Avon and surrounding areas. Terre Haute WTHI TV, Indiana. 20 November 2009.
Google says it doesn’t want to be a utility. Ed Lu, the former astronaut and now program manager for advanced products at Google, wants to be clear: Google is not interested in competing with utilities--and is not in the business of providing electric power. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Military wary of offshore wind energy development. The O'Malley administration's desire to build offshore wind turbines as part of its renewable energy program is running into an unlikely source of resistance: the military. Gaithersburg Gazette, Maryland. 20 November 2009.
First test for record solar plane. The prototype of a solar-powered plane destined for a record round-the-world journey has made its first trip across a runway. BBC. 20 November 2009.
World's first wave energy machine goes online. The world’s first hydro-electric wave machine which is producing power went online off the coast of Orkney on Friday afternoon. Scottish Television, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
REDD may increase the cost of conservation of non-forest ecosystems. Policy-makers designing a climate change mitigation mechanism that will reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation aren't doing enough to ensure that the scheme protects biodiversity outside carbon-dense ecosystems, argues a recent Current Biology editorial. Mongabay. 20 November 2009.
Financial crisis is 'green' for the environment. New studies are projecting that carbon dioxide emissions — greenhouse gas emissions — will decrease for the year 2009. That is thanks to the global recession. But the reprieve is small and expected to be short lived. Morning Edition, NPR. 20 November 2009.
The hidden costs of fossil fuels - and biofuels, too. The 'hidden' costs of burning fossil fuels and biofuels aren't factored into their market prices, but someone has to pay them. Christian Science Monitor. 20 November 2009.
Bristol University scientists hot on the trial of Antarctica's climate history. A new study of Antarctica's climate history shows that in some brief warm periods between ice ages, temperatures were up to 60°C warmer than the present day. Bristol Daily Western Post, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
Record year for CO2 emissions, even with economic slowdown. 8.7 billion tons of carbon dioxide was emitted into the earth's atmosphere in 2008, a growth of 2 percent despite the economic crisis. This averages out to each person contributing a record high of 1.3 tons of carbon, according to a report in the journal Nature Science. Mongabay. 20 November 2009.
Prince Charles announces funding scheme to protect rainforests. A global emergency funding scheme to drastically reduce the destruction of tropical rainforests over the next five years was announced by the Prince of Wales today, with the US pledging $275m (£165m) towards rainforest protection. London Guardian, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
Companies for the climate bill. As Congress begins debate on climate change legislation, American businesses are watching very closely. Some are worried that a new law could bankrupt them with energy costs. But others see a bright future under carbon limits. Environment Report, Michigan. 20 November 2009.
Details on US-China climate and energy plans. Appearing with President Hu Jintao, President Obama on Tuesday told reporters that the United States was determined to work with China and other countries to help produce a substantive agreement in Copenhagen climate talks next month. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
UN climate chief seeks $10 bln rich-nations pledge. The U.N. environmental chief called on rich nations on Thursday to pledge $10 billion a year for three years at next month's Copenhagen summit to help poor states begin to tackle the impact of climate change. Reuters. 20 November 2009.
Guyana may cut more forests despite Norway deal. An agreement by Norway to pay Guyana for preserving forests to help slow climate change will still allow the South American nation to increase its rate of deforestation, Guyana's President Bharrat Jagdeo said. Reuters. 20 November 2009.
Copenhagen summit will be 'success': UN climate chief. Efforts to craft a comprehensive climate treaty in Copenhagen next month will certainly "yield a success," the UN's top climate official pledged on Thursday. Agence France-Presse. 20 November 2009.
Coal company source of big political gifts. The coal company that has found itself embroiled in controversy over the firing of a key state mining regulator has been a major contributor to political campaigns and committees in Kentucky the past five years. Louisville Courier-Journal, Kentucky. 20 November 2009.
Greenpeace welcomes halt in Indonesia's Kampar deforestation. Environmentalists claimed a small victory on Thursday after Indonesia ordered one of the country's biggest pulp and paper companies to halt forest clearing in the Kampar Peninsula. Agence France-Presse. 20 November 2009.
Indonesian government suspends license of logging company in controversial forest area. The Indonesian government today temporarily suspended the license of Asia Pacific Resources International Holding Limited for developing an area of forest and peatland in Sumatra pending a review of the company's permits, reports Greenpeace. Mongabay. 20 November 2009.
Climate change negotiations hit stumbling block. Climate change negotiations between the Rudd Government and the Opposition have hit a stumbling block just days before an agreement was to be taken to the Coalition party room. Queensland Courier Mail, Australia. 20 November 2009.
Turnbull burnt by revolt on climate. More than half the Coalition's 37 senators have formally declared their opposition to Malcolm Turnbull's desire to cut a deal with Labor on the emissions trading scheme, setting up a showdown next week that many fear could tear the Opposition apart. Sydney Morning Herald, Australia. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Australia should wait on climate laws, opposition senator says. Australia’s carbon-reduction plans are “fatally flawed” and shouldn’t become legislation before December’s global climate change summit, amid fading hopes for a binding international accord, an opposition senator said. Bloomberg News. 20 November 2009.
Turnbull loses vital ETS ally. Malcom Turnbull is facing a growing shadow of cabinet pressure to vote down the government's emissions trading bills, with former minister Tony Abbott abandoning his earlier support for the Opposition Leader's strategy to try to amend and pass the scheme. Sydney Australian, Australia. 20 November 2009.
Australia's Rudd faces showdown on carbon vote. Australia's parliament votes next week on Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's plan for a sweeping carbon trade scheme with hopes it will finally win approval after two years of divisive debate. Reuters. 20 November 2009.
Adaptation is the name of the game. Uruguay must start focusing on efforts against global warming, and work in a coordinated manner with its South American neighbors, said one scientist. Inter Press Service. 20 November 2009.
Polar bears suffer brutal deaths in a new advert by climate change campaigners Plane Stupid. The controversial climate change group Plane Stupid has been criticised over an advert which shows bloodied polar bears falling from the sky. London Daily Telegraph, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
Corps' MR-GO claims should be settled, and fast, attorneys say. Hundreds of homes in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish were destroyed or washed away after Hurricane Katrina. Attorneys say the government should move quickly to settle out of court damage claims against the Army Corps of Engineers. New Orleans Times-Picayune, Louisiana. 20 November 2009.
US Army Corps blamed for Katrina floods. A US judge has ruled that negligence by the US Army Corps of Engineers led to massive floods in parts of New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. BBC. 20 November 2009.
Corps' doomed homes in St. Bernard, Lower 9th Ward, judge rules. A federal judge ruled that the Army Corps of Engineers' mismanagement of maintenance at the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet was directly responsible for flood damage in St. Bernard Parish and the Lower 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans Times-Picayune, Louisiana. 20 November 2009.
Hurricane Katrina: It was not an act of God. The US government could be facing a bill running to hundreds of billions of dollars after a federal judge ruled that failures by the US Army Corps of Engineers were responsible for the worst flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina. London Independent, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
Victims of flooding during Hurricane Katrina win compensation. The US government faces billions of dollars in compensation claims from victims of Hurricane Katrina after a federal judge found that negligence on the part of the Army Corps of Engineers was directly responsible for some of the most extreme flooding. London Guardian, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
Sustainable surfing rides the waves. Green Foam Blanks, a Ca. company, aims to reduce demand for new surfboards made with the carcinogenic compound, polyurethane. They recycle the considerable amount of waste produced when shaping a surfboard from a slab of foam. New York Times. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Taiwan firm uses recycled paper in shoemaking. Confronted with an ever-growing pile of old newspapers, Taiwanese fashion designer Colin Lin came up with the idea of using them to make shoes and tote bags for her environmentally friendly footwear company. Associated Press. 20 November 2009.
Revealed... the 515 chemicals women put on their bodies every day. According to a new report, most of our favourite cosmetics are cocktails of industrially produced and potentially dangerous chemicals that could damage our health and, in some cases, rather than delivering on their potent 'anti-ageing' promise, are causing us to age faster. London Daily Mail, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
My 669 chemical romance. They turn us into natural beauties while zapping zits and waging war on wrinkles. What could be bad about that? Well, quite a lot, it seems. Everyday cosmetics and toiletries are full of chemicals - some potentially harmful. London Daily Mirror, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
State issues alert on seven children's products. Oregon authorities alerted the public on Thursday that seven products for children sold in Target, Wal-Mart and other big retailers contain excessive amounts of lead. Portland Oregonian, Oregon. 20 November 2009.
Vicks spray recalled after bacteria found. Procter & Gamble Co is voluntarily recalling about 120,000 bottles of Vicks Sinex nasal spray after finding the bacteria B. cepacia in a small amount of the product made at its plant in Gross Gerau, Germany, and sold in the United States. Reuters Health. 20 November 2009.
Nigeria still battles to make food, drugs safe—NAFDAC boss. The Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control Dr. Paul Orhii, has said Nigeria is still grappling with the challenge to make safe qualitative, affordable food and medicines available to the people. Lagos Daily Champion, Nigeria. 20 November 2009.
Queen's Speech blow for asbestos campaigners. A despondent asbestos campaigner fears industrial disease victims suffering from pleural plaques could be back to square one. Shields Gazette, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
Water, water everywhere, but not a drop of money to spend on completing Edinburgh's flood defence network? Despite being allocated £126m by the Scottish Government for flood prevention measures across the city, a funding gap resulted from a year's worth of extra work on the Water of Leith. Edinburgh Scotsman, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
Palestinians accuse Israel settlements of diverting water. Israel settlements use more than four times as much water as Palestinians and the absence of a peace agreement is stalling negotiations to improve the situation. Christian Science Monitor. 20 November 2009.
25 years after Live Aid, Ethiopia tries to cover up a new famine. The UN warns that 6.2 million Ethiopians will need food aid soon. But the Prime Minister would rather the world took notice of his representing Africa in the climate change negotiations next month than his country’s never-ending dependency on food aid. London Times, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
Lifting Kenyans out of poverty - one dam at a time. Simon Maddrell quit a career in big business to found Excellent Development - a charity that helps provide clean water to thousands of Kenyan farmers. London Daily Telegraph, United Kingdom. 20 November 2009.
Disease rife as more people squeeze into fewer toilets. Water and sanitation services in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, are getting worse as a growing urban population tries to squeeze more out of already skeletal services. UN IRIN. 20 November 2009.
What drives China? Soon, cleaner fuel. Lorry driver Zhang Jianwei isn't worried about cleaner fuel requirements that come into force in China next year, raising the price of motor fuels -- he will just keep buying cheaper, dirtier diesel at smaller stations. Reuters. 20 November 2009.
Plastic bottles are safe, claims forum. The use of plastic water bottles is safe, says the Malaysian Plastics Forum (MPF). Petaling Jaya Star, Malaysia. 20 November 2009.
City air: from foul to critical. Calcutta began the week as a polluted city but will end it as a critically polluted city. Calcutta Telegraph, India. 20 November 2009.
Bhopal victims protest against Dow as anniversary looms. Indian survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster on Thursday protested outside the offices of the US company blamed for the toxic leak ahead of the 25th anniversary of the notorious accident. Agence France-Presse. 20 November 2009.
Health Dept fails to install incinerators. Scientific management of hospital waste seems a far cry as the Punjab Health Department has failed to install 11 out of 19 incinerators sponsored by the federal government after a delay of two years. Karachi News International, Pakistan. 20 November 2009.
State school asbestos assessment reveals 80,000 risky sites. The massive scale of asbestos risk in Queensland schools has been revealed for the first time with almost 80,000 confirmed and presumed sites. Queensland Courier Mail, Australia. 20 November 2009.
Switch to organic easy. When Pungarehu dairy farmer Kevin Barrett decided to go organic, his mates thought he'd be broke within three years. Five years later, Mr Barrett's farm is not only thriving but also healthier, he says. Taranaki Daily News, New Zealand. 20 November 2009.
Heat is a health hazard in Sydney. Authorities warn that poor air quality during the NSW heatwave may harm people with asthma or other respiratory conditions. As the state bakes for the second day running, NSW Health says high ozone levels, caused by car exhaust and industrial fumes, are a big problem. Australian Associated Press. 20 November 2009.
Don't like desal? Then don't splash out. Premier Anna Bligh's plan to build two new desalination plants by 2017 could be delayed for a further five years if existing water restrictions stay in place in the long term. Brisbane Times, Australia. 20 November 2009.
'Unfair' levy blows out cost of stream work. The cost of cleaning up one of New Zealand's most polluted streams has blown out by $250,000 because of a new law. Investigations have shown the contamination is worse than initially thought, with an extra 800 cubic metres of toxic sludge added in the past month. Wellington Dominion Post, New Zealand. 20 November 2009.
Seized web drugs overwhelmingly fake, often dangerous. Buying discount drugs over the Internet can be like playing Russian roulette with your health. BC Local News, British Columbia. 20 November 2009.
Wells running dry at seniors complex. Getting a glass of water from the tap at Shoreham Village seniors complex is no easy feat these days. Halifax Chronicle Herald, Nova Scotia. 20 November 2009.
Big oil to Congress: Expand offshore drilling. Executives from two major oil companies told Congress on Thursday that the federal government should open more offshore areas to oil and natural gas drilling so the U.S. can rely less on foreign suppliers. Reuters. 20 November 2009.
EPA sends ship emission rules to White House. U.S. EPA moved closer yesterday to finalizing new engine and fuel standards for the largest ocean-bound ships by sending the draft rules to the White House for review. Greenwire. 20 November 2009.
Environmental groups file lawsuit to halt Delaware River dredging. Five environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit in New Jersey Thursday to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from deepening the shipping channel in the Delaware River with a $379 million dredging project that could begin within a few weeks. Newark Star-Ledger, New Jersey. 20 November 2009.
Frack 2, Scene 1. In 2006, Grand Junction and Palisade, Colorado lost a long battle to keep natural gas drilling off the land that supplies the two communities' drinking water. Now, the drilling boom has moved out East--and the political landscape of the oil and gas fight appears to have undergone a tectonic shift. High Country News. 20 November 2009.
Work on water treatment plant begins. Town residents are about a year away from the completion of a new water treatment facility. The official ground-breaking ceremony was held Tuesday, Nov. 17, on a picture perfect day at the plant's future site at 500 Route 107. Exeter Hampton Union, New Hampshire. 20 November 2009.
Fines paid for air quality lapses. State environmental regulators have reached a settlement with a New Jersey company that calls for a $355,000 fine and the installation of new monitoring equipment in response to air emissions violations in 2007. New Haven Register, Connecticut. 20 November 2009.
Agreement reached over plans for power plants in New Haven. When city officials and environmental groups heard that PSEG Power, an energy company that owns some of the state's most offensive power plants, wanted to build new "peaking" power plants near New Haven's East Shore neighborhood, they became outraged. Hartford Courant, Connecticut. 20 November 2009.
Ithaca gas protesters: payout not worth risk. Hundreds of people turned out to hear comments about the potential for high-volume hydraulic natural gas drilling into the Marcellus Shale that runs underneath the region. Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin, New York. 20 November 2009.
Statewide tire dump cleanup nears completion. Five years after the state started a cleanup program funded by a fee on new tires, 102 of New York’s 146 tire dumps are gone, state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis said Thursday. Associated Press. 20 November 2009.
Company breaks ground on 'flywheel' energy-storage plant. Beacon Power Corp. broke ground today on a 20-megawatt, energy-storage facility in southeastern New York. Greenwire. 20 November 2009.
Mercury discharges drastically lower as Onondaga County's trash-to-energy plant owner asks NY to renew permit. Ten years ago, the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency’s trash incinerator was a leading source of mercury pollution in Central New York. But the plant has cut mercury emissions 50-fold since then. Syracuse Post-Standard, New York. 20 November 2009.
Gas-drilling oversight reconsidered. Who's going to pay to ensure local water wells are not polluted by Marcellus Shale drilling? The state's proposal that would require local health departments to oversee gas drilling is being reconsidered in light of an order by Gov. David Patterson. Gannett News Service. 20 November 2009.
Contractors to check cleanups. Private oversight of contaminated site cleanups quietly began this month with almost 100 people receiving temporary licenses from the state Department of Environmental Protection to do the work. Bergen County Record, New Jersey. 20 November 2009.
Berks environment OK but could be better, group says. Berks County has made strides to improve its environmental profile but needs to do better in some key areas. Reading Eagle, Pennsylvania. 20 November 2009.
Lawsuit hits natural gas driller. Fifteen families living in an area identified by state environmental regulators as having contaminated drinking water infused with methane have sued Cabot Oil & Gas to repair alleged damage to their properties “as a consequence of drilling for natural gas.” Wayne Independent, Pennsylvania. 20 November 2009.
Farm family staves off sprawl in Bucks. When 90-year-old Sam Snipes was a boy in the 1920s, Falls Township was a bucolic place with about 2,500 people. Nearly all the land was occupied by farms. Today, the township population is about 35,000, and only two farms remain. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
Advocacy groups file suits to stop river deepening. A host of environmental advocacy groups filed two lawsuits Thursday in an effort to stop the Army Corps of Engineers from deepening the Delaware River. Bucks County Courier Times, Pennsylvania. 20 November 2009.
Conservationists sue over Delaware River dredging. Five environmental groups sued Thursday to block Army Corps of Engineers plans to deepen the Delaware River shipping channel to 45 feet, arguing that the agency's plan violates federal and state environmental protection laws. Wilmington News Journal, Delaware. 20 November 2009.
Rift over Delaware River dredging widens. Dueling sides in the bitterly contested Delaware River deepening project took aim yesterday. Environmental groups filed two lawsuits seeking to block deepening a 102.5-mile stretch of the river by five additional feet. Philadelphia Inquirer, Pennsylvania. 20 November 2009. [Registration Required]
4 groups threaten to sue over Mirant's P.G. landfill. Four environmental groups are threatening to sue the owners of a Prince George’s County landfill they say is dumping toxic chemicals into a creek feeding the Patuxent River watershed. Baltimore Daily Record, Maryland. 20 November 2009.
Is it the beginning of the end of surface mining in SW Virginia? Coal is a lifeline for much of Southwest Virginia, and mountain-top mining - or surface mining- represents about a third of coal industry jobs. There’s been an ongoing tug-of-war between mining companies and environmentalists. Bristol Herald Courier, Tennessee, Virginia. 20 November 2009.
Parents ask for mercury answers. Parents of students at Temple High School attended the Carroll County Board of Education meeting Thursday to get their questions answered about the mercury found in the school’s gymnasium and to air their concerns. Georgian Times, Georgia. 20 November 2009.
Tybee eyes rainwater showers. For the past 10 weeks, students in a Savannah College of Art and Design class have been brainstorming innovative ways for Tybee Island to cut its water usage while still allowing beachgoers to rinse themselves clean and use toilet facilities. Savannah Morning News, Georgia. 20 November 2009.
White Rock claims EBSCO illegally dumped hazardous waste. White Rock Quarries Thursday presented findings that apparently show EBSCO Industries illegally dumped more than 15 tons of hazardous waste in Vincent over 15 years. Columbiana Shelby County Reporter, Alabama. 20 November 2009.
EPA: Water systems dioxin free. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 said today that results from a second round of samples collected from the Midland, Saginaw and Bay City water supply systems show no dioxin or furan contamination. Midland Daily News, Michigan. 20 November 2009.
'Green' trains chug into Avon. CSX Transportation unveiled two trains called GenSet Locomotives Thursday, which they said will help reduce pollution bring in cleaner air to the town of Avon and surrounding areas. Along with reducing fuel consumption and emissions, the new locomotives are also a lot quieter. Indianapolis WISH-TV, Indiana. 20 November 2009.
U.S. Steel permit hearing draws mostly positive comments. U.S. Steel Gary Works general manager Sharon Owen said nearly 15 percent of the limits in the 2009 draft are more stringent than in the current permit. Merrillville Post-Tribune, Indiana. 20 November 2009.
Soil cleanup proposed at 7 Chanute sites. The Air Force has proposed removing 6 inches or more of soil from seven separate sites on the old Chanute Air Force Base property as a way of cleaning up the property and making it available for redevelopment. Urbana-Champaign News-Gazette, Illinois. 20 November 2009.
Parts of Missouri run afoul of air quality standards. The St. Louis and Kansas City areas, along with part of southeast Missouri, have violated 2008 air quality standards and may be forced to impose new restrictions, the state said Thursday. Associated Press. 20 November 2009.
Judge scolds attorneys in Oklahoma poultry case. A federal judge scolded the 30-some attorneys on Oklahoma's pollution case against the Arkansas poultry industry Thursday, accusing them of bombarding him with "thousands" of documents as the bench trial dragged into its 25th day. Associated Press. 20 November 2009.
EPA removing 'public health threat' in Wiggins. Some 30,000 tons of contaminated soil are being removed from the site of an old wood preserving plant in Wiggins. The EPA began the clean-up in late September, saying the property was “a threat to public health and the environment." Biloxi WLOX TV, Mississippi. 20 November 2009.
KC is branded a habitual violator of ozone standards. The Kansas City area has violated the federal Clean Air Act, exceeding the ozone standard eight times over the summer, Missouri officials said Thursday. Kansas City Star, Missouri. 20 November 2009.
Texas plant won't burn Mexican hazardous materials. The company cited the economy for its decision to abandon the chemical waste importation plan, but environmental groups claimed victory in stopping the area from becoming a "dumping ground for the world." Associated Press. 20 November 2009.
The electronics recycling gap. Beaumont and Port Arthur - along with most other Texas cities - fail to provide residents with information that could help them properly dispose of old electronics at low or no cost, according to a study released this week by Public Research Works and Texas Campaign for the Environment. Beaumont Enterprise, Texas. 20 November 2009.
Geothermal lease steams some Chalk Creek residents. Chalk Creek area property owners near the proposed Bureau of Land Management geothermal lease site worry that water pollution, erosion, and other environmental issues weren't fully addressed when the land was opened for mineral leasing. Salida Mountain Mail, Colorado. 20 November 2009.
Environmental groups move to stop strip mine. A coalition of environmental groups have filed a petition to stop the state's first coal strip mine on private land near Bryce Canyon National Park, which has already received preliminary approval from the state. Salt Lake Tribune, Utah. 20 November 2009.
EPA wants to get more lead out of the air. Like the gasoline motorists pump into their vehicles, Utah's air is unleaded. It has been for the past three decades. But, to prove that to federal regulators, the state DEQ will have to expand its network of lead monitors the next few years to collect data at key locations, a task that could cost an estimated $100,000. Salt Lake Tribune, Utah. 20 November 2009.
Dairy submits plan to clean up contamination. New Mexico Environment Department representatives have said they’ve found groundwater pollution at a local dairy, but the owner said he has decreased existing contamination since taking over the property. Clovis News Journal, New Mexico. 20 November 2009.
Hidden hazard: ice rink air. Ice rink air -- is it healthy enough for you and your family to breathe? Sacramento KOVR TV, California. 20 November 2009.
Galt plans to help residents with energy-efficient projects. The city of Galt is in the process of applying to become a pilot city for a statewide clean energy program. Lodi News-Sentinel, California. 20 November 2009.
Farmers and USDA cooperatively remove significant amounts of air pollution from San Joaquin Valley. Farmers in the San Joaquin Valley have helped remove the same amount of air pollution as removing 153,000 cars from California highways, announced Congressman Cardoza. Beverly Hills California Chronicle, California. 20 November 2009.
The science behind moving smoking bans outside. As indoor smoking bans gain traction worldwide and efforts to spread the bans to more U.S. states continue, researchers and public health officials are increasingly setting their sights on the next frontier in the battle against second hand smoke: the outdoors. Time Magazine. 20 November 2009.
Africa heading for 'smoking epidemic.' According to some researchers, Africa is on the brink of a smoking epidemic. BBC. 20 November 2009.
Soon, no smoking in public housing? Property owners can be subject to legal action from tenants who are not being protected from secondhand smoke, according to a local group. North Platte Telegraph, Nebraska. 20 November 2009.
UK goes smoke-free. Kentucky's flagship public university gave the official heave-ho to tobacco on Thursday, touting the health benefits of a smoke-free policy covering all of its sprawling campus in the heart of burley tobacco country. Associated Press. 20 November 2009.