WaterWired

GAO Report: 'Chemical Assessments - Annual EPA Survey Inconsistent with Leading Practices in Program Management'

This recent report from GAO (released to the public on 19 January 2020): 'Chemical Assessments: Annual EPA Survey Inconsistent with Leading Practices in Program Management'

Download GAO_Chem_Assessments_Highlights Dec2020

Download GAO_Chemical_Assessments_Full_Dec2020

Fast Facts
One of EPA's chemical assessment programs maintains a database of chemicals' toxicity and effects on human health. This information contributes to the development of policies and regulations.

EPA's IRIS Program has not produced timely chemical assessments, and most of its ongoing assessments have experienced delays. Although EPA began soliciting nominations in an annual survey, starting in December 2019, EPA didn't provide sufficient guidance on how to prioritize and submit nominations to meet user needs.

We recommended issuing guidance and criteria for nominating and selecting chemicals for assessment.

What GAO Found
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Program has not produced timely chemical assessments, and most of its 15 ongoing assessments have experienced delays. As we reported in March 2019, the IRIS Program has taken some actions to make the assessment process more transparent, such as increasing communication with EPA offices and releasing supporting documentation for review earlier in the draft development process, but the need for greater transparency in some steps of the assessment process remains. Specifically, the IRIS Program does not publicly announce when assessment drafts move to certain steps in their development process or announce reasons for delays in producing specific assessments. Without such information, stakeholders who may be able to help fill data and analytical gaps are unable to contribute. This could leave EPA without potential support that could help overcome delays.

Delays of Milestones by Quarter for a Selection of the Integrated Risk information System's Assessments in Development 2019 - 2024

In mid-2018, EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) instituted changes to the way it solicits nominations for chemical assessments prepared by the IRIS Program but did so without providing sufficient guidance or criteria, raising questions about its ability to meet EPA user needs. For example, ORD issued a new survey to EPA program and regional offices but did not provide them with guidance for selecting chemicals for nomination, and ORD did not make explicit the criteria it was using for selecting nominations to include in the IRIS Program's list of assessments in development. Furthermore, despite a significant decline in survey participation between 2018 and 2019, EPA did not indicate whether the agency has assessed the quality of information generated by the survey. Leading program management practices state that agency management should internally communicate the necessary, quality information to achieve the entity's objectives and should monitor and evaluate program activities. Without evaluating the quality of the information produced by the survey, ORD cannot know if the survey is achieving its intended purpose and whether ORD has the information necessary to meet user needs.

Why GAO Did This Study
EPA's IRIS Program prepares chemical toxicity assessments that contain EPA's scientific position on the potential human health effects of exposure to chemicals; at present, the IRIS database contains more than 570 chemical assessments. In March 2019, GAO reported on the IRIS Program's changes to increase transparency about its processes and methodologies, including the use of systematic review. However, GAO also found that EPA decreased the number of ongoing assessments in December 2018 from 22 to 13 and continued to face challenges in producing timely assessments.

This report evaluates (1) EPA's progress in completing IRIS chemical assessments since 2018; and (2) EPA's recent actions to manage the IRIS Program, and the extent to which these actions help the Program meet EPA user needs.

GAO reviewed and analyzed EPA documents and interviewed officials from EPA; GAO also selected three standards for program management, found commonalities among them, and compared ORD's management of the IRIS Program against these leading practices.

What GAO Recommends
GAO is making five recommendations, including that EPA provide more information publicly about where chemical assessments are in the development process; and issue guidance for selecting chemicals for nomination and criteria for selecting nominations for assessment. EPA partially agreed with two of our recommendations and disagreed with the other three.

1) Recommendation: The Administrator should direct the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development to provide more information publicly about where chemical assessments are in the development process, including internal and external steps in the process, and changes to assessment milestones. (Recommendation 1)

Agency Affected: Environmental Protection Agency

Status: Open

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

2) Recommendation: The Administrator should direct the Assistant Administrators of program offices and Regional Administrators to develop and make available guidance for chemical assessment nominations. Such guidance could include information such as how to select chemicals for IRIS assessment nomination or for high priority needs, criteria explaining how Assistant and Regional Administrators determine which nominations to support and which they may choose not to support, and how to document these decisions. (Recommendation 2)

Agency Affected: Environmental Protection Agency

Status: Open

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

3) Recommendation: The Administrator should direct the Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development to issue criteria for how chemical assessment nominations are selected for inclusion in the IRIS Program's list of assessments in development and provide quality information about such topics as defining high-priority chemicals, prioritizing assessment work, and determining the IRIS Program's capacity to undertake work. (Recommendation 3)

Agency Affected: Environmental Protection Agency

Status: Open

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

4( Recommendation: The Administrator of EPA should direct the Office of Research and Development to continue evaluating the survey process used to solicit IRIS user needs and assess key elements, such as its purpose and timing, to facilitate the collection of quality information. (Recommendation 4)

Agency Affected: Environmental Protection Agenc

Status: Open

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

5) Recommendation: The Administrator of EPA should include in ORD's strategic plan (or subsidiary strategic plans) identification of EPA's universe of chemical assessment needs; how the IRIS Program is being resourced to meet user needs; and specific implementation steps that indicate how IRIS will achieve the plan's objectives, such as specific metrics to define progress in meeting user needs. (Recommendation 5)

Agency Affected: Environmental Protection Agency

For more information, contact J. Alfredo Gómez at (202) 512-3841 or gomezj@gao.gov.

Enjoy!

“We learn nothing from history except that we learn nothing from history.” – Cicero

CRS InFocus Report: 'A Brief Comparison of Two Climate Change Mitigation Approaches: Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Tax (or Fee)'

From Jonathan L. Ramseur comes this CRS InFocus report (updated 12 January 2021): A Brief Comparison of Two Climate Change Mitigation Approaches: Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Tax (or Fee)'.

The graphic is from EPA.

Download CRS_InFocus_Report_Comparison_CC_Mitigation_12January2021

Overview
Almost all climate scientists agree that greenhouse gas (GHG) emission increases have contributed to observed climate change and that continued increases in GHG emissions will contribute to future climate change. Although a variety of efforts seeking to reduce GHG emissions are currently underway on the international level and in individual states or regional partnerships, federal policymakers and stakeholders have different viewpoints over what to do—if anything—about GHG emissions, future climate change, and related impacts.

For policymakers considering actions to reduce GHG emissions, various policy options are available. Over the last 15 years, many of the legislative proposals have involved market-based approaches, such as a GHG emissions cap-and-trade system or a carbon tax or emissions fee. These particular approaches may be considered in the 117th Congress and are discussed below. The information below provides an overview of two approaches while briefly addressing their similarities and differences.

Cutting to the chase....

Concluding Observations
Discussions of cap-and-trade and carbon tax approaches often center on their potential advantages in terms of emissions uncertainty and price uncertainty, respectively. The degree to which one approach has an advantage in a particular context, such as transparency or administration, would depend on the designs of the programs being assessed. In many cases, these differences may be addressed with specific design elements.

Although recent attention has largely focused on market- based mechanisms, policymakers can address emissions with other policy tools, including performance-based regulations, which currently apply to motor vehicle emissions, or promotion of mitigation technologies, such as carbon capture and sequestration. These tools could support market-based programs or function independently.

Enjoy!

"Progress moves at the speed of trust." - Unknown

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Management - 18 January 2021

It's Martin Luther King, Jr. Day here in the USA.

Celebrate his life and accomplishments. 

Enjoy! 

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Here are Elaine's BBs as a PDF and a Word document:

PDF: Download Bulletin_Boards_18January2021

Word: Download Bulletin_Boards_18January2021

Note: If a link does not work, try pasting the URL into your browser. 

Check out Elaine's coronavirus/COVID-19 section in the ES BB.

Geoscience Bulletin Board – 18 January 2021 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Link between Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)

• https://eos.org/editor-highlights/what-causes-centennial-changes-in-the-indonesian-throughflow

Origins of the 1085 AD eruption of Sunset Crater

• https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/asu-uoo010721.php
• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-arizona-sunset-crater-eruption-years.html

Small cluster of small earthquakes in the southern Appalachians near Georgie-Tennessee border

• https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/nation-world/national/article248421620.html

Disseminated nickel sulfides found in Molopo Farms Complex

• https://www.miningweekly.com/article/nickel-sulphides-found-in-molopo-farms-complex-exploration-2021-01-11

Plan filed for 3D marine seismic survey over leases in Bass Strait, Tasmania

• https://www.offshore-energy.biz/beach-files-seismic-plan-for-prion/

Oldest ice on Earth in buried glacier in McMurdo Dry Valleys

• https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/44950/20210109/oldest-ice-earth-hidden-glacier-mcmurdo-dry-valleys.htm

Dust deposits in peat in southwest China reveal abrupt climate variability since last deglaciation

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-fluxes-peat-reveal-abrupt-climate.html

Stratospheric influences on extreme weather events

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-extreme-weather-stratosphere.html
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-020-00060-z

Engineers will finally have to use the international foot – should make their work more precise

• https://source.asce.org/us-plans-to-retire-survey-foot-length/

Dire wolves were highly divergent lineage split from living canids about 5.7 myo with New World origin

• https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/01/legendary-dire-wolf-may-not-have-been-wolf-all
• https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/01/dire-wolves-arent-wolves-at-all-they-form-a-distinct-lineage-with-jackals/

First high-resolution 3D anisotropic P-wave velocity model of Northern Hikurangi subduction zone

• https://eos.org/editor-highlights/fault-related-anisotropy-in-the-hikurangi-subduction-zone
• Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020JB020433

Improved understanding of cratons and the origin of cratonic mantle

• https://eos.org/articles/modeling-the-creation-of-cratons-earths-secret-keepers

High-resolution imaging & modeling of enhanced atmospheric turbulence due to gravity wave modulation of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities

• https://eos.org/research-spotlights/newly-identified-instabilities-enhance-atmospheric-turbulence
• Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020JD033414
• Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020JD033412

Visualizing the dominance of China in rare earth metals

• https://www.visualcapitalist.com/chinas-dominance-in-rare-earth-metals/

Visualizing gold mining stocks versus gold in bull markets

• https://www.visualcapitalist.com/why-gold-mining-stocks-outperform-gold-bull-markets/

Steamboat Geyser is geothermal enigma

• https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2021/01/geothermal-enigma-steamboat-geyser

M6.8 earthquake struck northern Mongolia – epicenter of shallow quake under Lake Khovsgol

• https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Strong_quake_hits_Mongolia-Russia_border_USGS_999.html
• https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000d7ix/executive

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – little need for crocodile evolution over last 200 million years

• https://scitechdaily.com/crocodiles-have-changed-very-little-since-the-age-of-the-dinosaurs-new-research-explains-why/
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-020-01561-5

Fossils of Quaternary vulture species found in western Cuba

• http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/cathartes-emsliei-09245.html

Soft tissue of Nemacalathus hermanestes is evolutionary link between Ediacaran & Early Cambrian multicellular metazoans

• http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/ediacaran-early-cambrian-metazoans-09242.html
• Paper: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/1/eabf2933

Function and evolution of teeth in Megalodon

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210113090934.htm
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-80323-z

On the importance of physical weathering of rock

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-physical-weathering-breakdown-important-previously.html

“Ocean 100” – small group of transnational companies dominates ocean economy

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-ocean-small-group-companies-dominates.html
• Paper: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/3/eabc8041

Melting icebergs in the Antarctic are key to process that leads to ice age

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-icebergs-key-sequence-ice-age.html

Company has plans to build global network of floating power stations using ocean thermal generators

• https://www.wired.com/story/the-plan-to-build-a-global-network-of-floating-power-stations/

Rube Goldberg idea to use seawater to trap billions of tons of CO2 each year

• https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/using-seawater-to-reduce-co2-in-atmosphere

Updating the World Magnetic Model

• https://eos.org/science-updates/modeling-earths-ever-shifting-magnetism

New model for estimating freshwater & dissolved organic carbon discharge to Gulf of Alaska

• https://eos.org/research-spotlights/determining-dissolved-organic-carbon-flows-into-the-gulf-of-alaska

Tracing the geologic origins of Gulf of Mexico “super basin” oil resources

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-geologic-gulf-mexico-super-basin.html

Intertropical Convergence Zone (ICZ) limits predictions in tropical Atlantic

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-intertropical-convergence-zone-limits-climate.html
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20452-1

Garnet sands in eastern Papua New Guinea record geologic history

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-geologic-history-written-garnet-sand.html

Marine sponge records 600-year of climatic conditions

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-year-old-marine-sponge-centuries-old-climate.html

New lava dome continues to grow in La Soufrière

• https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/dome-of-st-vincents-volcano-grows-6.2.1276563.a9db17fc64

Eruption of Semeru volcano on Java

• https://www.kob.com/news/semeru-volcano-on-indonesias-java-island-spews-hot-clouds/5979774/
• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55689843

Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 18 January 2021 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Ethanol plant processing seed coasted with neonicotinoids & is dangerously polluting Mead, Kansas

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/red-flag-ethanol-plant-dangerously-090046676.html

USEPA denied petition to require Chemours to fund PFAS testing under TSCA at Fayetteville Works – drinking water, groundwater, soil, air, locally produced food & human health impacted

• https://www.coastalreview.org/2021/01/epa-denies-petition-to-address-pfas/

India conducted its largest ever coastal defense exercise – Sea Vigil

• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-to-kick-off-largest-ever-coastal-defence-exercise-tomorrow/articleshow/80216072.cms

2020 accomplishments of North Carolina Coastal Federation

• https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/article_a028cbd0-510c-11eb-803b-df22350f6506.html

Coastal GasLink pipeline causing erosion & sediment control issues across British Columbia watersheds

• https://thetyee.ca/News/2021/01/11/Coastal-GasLink-Harming-Watersheds/

CRS In Focus:  Bureau of Reclamation – FY2021 Appropriations

• https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11465

US Army COE proposes $2B 30.6-mile Barataria levee to protect from 100-year storm surges

• https://www.nola.com/news/business/article_4038ce56-51f1-11eb-9d04-eb2a8d16fa81.html

Another futile effort to stop “global warming” – BHE plan to cut carbon emissions 80% by 2030

• https://www.denverpost.com/2021/01/09/black-hills-energy-colorado-cut-carbon-emissions/

Plan to recycle wind turbine blades into pedestrian bridges

• https://grist.org/energy/todays-wind-turbine-blades-could-become-tomorrows-bridges/

Photographs of the volcanic ash deposits & impacts from Taal Volcano

• https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/incredible-images-show-eerie-aftermath-of-eruption-on-philippine-island/XOIM44DZDN2LN7KPPSH67HCGAE/

European invaders converted land for agriculture & significantly increased erosion rates in America

• https://eos.org/articles/european-colonists-dramatically-increased-north-american-erosion-rates
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-19744-3

Perspective: Geothermal energy on the verge of a big breakthrough?

• https://www.freethink.com/articles/geothermal-energy
• https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2020/10/21/21515461/renewable-energy-geothermal-egs-ags-supercritical

Mapping urban-rural catchment area may help optimize policy & planning for agriculture & development

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-urban-rural-catchment-areas-ways-optimize.html

Oregon commits to instream environmental water flow – irrigation farmers not happy

• https://www.capitalpress.com/state/oregon/oregon-water-allocation-may-complicate-live-flows-irrigation/article_08f3f37e-51f3-11eb-acf4-7f6c4cc4c244.html

Status of drainage overhaul in Baton Rouge since 2016 floods – Stormwater Master Plan pending

• https://www.theadvocate.com/article_d0fbc478-5108-11eb-bb24-638e4a0fa8fe.html

STORM Act signed into law – creates “resilience revolving loan fund” to be led by FEMA

• https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/asce-legislative-victory-storm-act-signed-into-law/

Potpecko Lake in Serbia is completely covered in garbage – mostly plastic – threatens hydroelectric dam

• https://globalnews.ca/news/7571077/garbage-lake-serbia-potpecko-landfills/
• Video: https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/plastic-pollution-serbia-1.5863254

The Rio Grande used to flow through New Mexico

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/river-used-run-mexico-handles-110038843.html

Group to file lawsuit against US F&WS over changing burying beetle status from endangered to threatened

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/environmentalists-fight-move-reduce-beetles-212550792.html

Santa Clara Water District to move forward with plan to build $2.5B dam near Pacheco Pass

• https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/01/12/2-5-billion-pacheco-dam-project-moves-forward-despite-cost-increase/

Oil production, oil demand, price goes up/down – the future for oil shale production

• https://finance.yahoo.com/news/uae-warns-u-shale-companies-060307123.html

Special issue – Perspectives on crisis of insect populations

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/scientists-decry-death-1-000-204526819.html
• Paper: https://www.yahoo.com/news/scientists-decry-death-1-000-204526819.html 
• Links to 13 Related Papers: https://www.pnas.org/cc/the-global-decline-of-insects-in-the-anthropocene-special-feature

Cultivation of Périgord truffle species will increase in central Europe

• https://eos.org/articles/a-culinary-silver-lining-of-climate-change-more-truffles

Here we go again – progressives clamoring for “Green New Deal” to address hyped “global warming”

• https://www.npr.org/2021/01/13/956192132/progressives-gear-up-for-broad-new-push-on-climate-action
• https://theconversation.com/biden-plans-to-fight-climate-change-in-a-way-no-u-s-president-has-done-before-152419
• https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/01/study-finds-were-already-committed-to-more-global-warming-sort-of/
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210113144456.htm
• Paper: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/3/eaay1052
• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-earth-future-outlook-worse-scientists.html
• Paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2020.615419/full

Consumer electronics have evolved beyond management of e-waste systems

• https://theconversation.com/consumer-electronics-have-changed-a-lot-in-20-years-systems-for-managing-e-waste-arent-keeping-up-147972

Visualizing largest state-owned oil companies in the World

• https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-the-worlds-largest-state-owned-oil-companies/

Denmark produced 47% of electricity from wind

• https://www.treehugger.com/almost-half-denmarks-electricity-came-wind-last-year-4866166

Tower of skulls at 700-year-old Templo Mayor in Mexico City – cradle boards, war, debt & human sacrifice

• https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/01/mexico-citys-tower-of-skulls-could-tell-us-about-pre-columbian-life/

Florida vs Georgia over waters of the Apalachicola River basin headed to SCOTUS hearing – is it overuse or is it drought?

• https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Floridas_water_brawl_with_Georgia_nears_historic_SCOTUS_hearing_999.html

30-30 Initiative of the One Planet Summit pledging to reverse accelerating destruction of natural world

• https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/One_Planet_Summit_no_climate_fix_without_biodiversity_999.html

Mexico bans GMO corn and will phase out glyphosate

• https://www.seeddaily.com/reports/Campaigners_hail_Mexican_ban_on_genetically_modified_corn_999.html

Tasmanian tiger (thylacine) killed off by humans but were extraordinarily similar to wolf pups

• https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Tasmanian_tiger_pups_found_to_be_extraordinary_similar_to_wolf_pups_999.html
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-020-01569-x

Experimental underwater Acoustic Deterrent System to be tested against invasive Asian carp

• https://www.usgs.gov/news/media-advisory-study-asian-carp-deterrent-begins-january

Only two northern white rhinos remain in the world – on the brink of extinction due to civil war, habitat loss & extensive poaching

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/then-were-two-northern-white-144233109.html

No-till agriculture in vulnerable areas significantly reduces soil erosion

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-no-till-vulnerable-areas-significantly-soil.html

Rethinking urban planning for cities in Sub-Saharan Africa

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-rethinking-urban-sub-saharan-african-cities.html

USDA to invest $11.65M in projects to trap & control feral swine as part of pilot program

• https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/newsroom/releases/?cid=NRCSEPRD1724635

National Landslide Preparedness Act becomes law

• https://speakingofgeoscience.org/2021/01/13/sliding-through-congress-the-national-landslide-preparedness-act-becomes-law/

CRS In Focus:  USEPA Water Infrastructure Programs & FY2021 Appropriations

• https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11724

USDA to invest $11.65M in projects to trap & control feral swine as part of pilot program

• https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/newsroom/releases/?cid=NRCSEPRD1724635

Racing pigeon from Oregon enters Australia - quarantine risk

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/australia-kill-pigeon-crossed-pacific-050903004.html

National Landslide Preparedness Act becomes law

• https://speakingofgeoscience.org/2021/01/13/sliding-through-congress-the-national-landslide-preparedness-act-becomes-law/

Construction may begin in 2021 for $8B Vegas-to-SoCal rail line

• https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/tourism/vegas-to-socal-rail-line-could-get-spring-construction-start-2252248/

$26B public-private plan for 100 green energy projects in New York

• https://www.amny.com/news/cuomo-announces-26b-public-private-plan-to-kickstart-100-green-energy-projects/

Help migrating birds by planting more trees & turning off lights at night in urban areas

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/cities-help-migrating-birds-way-131705005.html

Wolverine “captured” on trail camera in Yellowstone National Park

• https://earther.gizmodo.com/rare-wolverine-spotted-in-yellowstone-for-the-first-tim-1846065864

Environmentalists to file lawsuit to block plans for 11,000 miles of fuel breaks in Western States – would threaten rare wildlife species & not effective against stopping wildfires

• https://finance.yahoo.com/news/environmentalists-move-toward-lawsuit-over-231337485.html

Perspective:  Rethinking LA River needs to consider people & water – No cost estimate given for Plan which is open for public comment

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/editorial-l-river-rethinking-needs-110030278.html
• LA River Master Plan download link: https://www.larivermasterplan.org/

Developing countries create 14B liters of untreated wastewater each day – where does it go?

• https://theconversation.com/14-billion-litres-of-untreated-wastewater-is-created-each-day-in-developing-countries-but-we-dont-know-where-it-all-goes-151217

Lawsuit challenges USEPA decision to give Florida primary regulatory over State wetlands

• https://apnews.com/article/environment-lawsuits-florida-wetlands-courts-94c43395939f01cb100da226ff3b0c8a

CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus COVID-19 statistics by country (click on USA to get State statistics)

• https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
• https://time.com/5800901/coronavirus-map/
• interactive maps: https://geodacenter.github.io/covid/map.html

No clear evidence of benefit of mandatory lockdowns (mandatory stay at home & business closures) versus voluntary social distancing

• https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/strict-covid-lockdown-no-benefit-voluntary-measures
• Abstract: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eci.13484

Like the virus would really care if a “state of war” is declared – but our personal freedoms would suffer

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-should-declare-a-state-of-war-against-the-coronavirus/ar-BB1cF01C

Incredibly high number of lockdown visitors cause “erosion & trampling” in protected woodland

• https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/19002124.burnham-beeches-lockdown-visits-upset-incredibly-high-number-visitors-protected-woodland-causes-erosion-trampling/

High social & economic costs of mitigation policies in Europe

• https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7002e4.htm?s_cid=mm7002e4_e

Mexico claims USMCA requires US vaccinate illegal aliens

• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mexico-vaccine-access-migrants_n_5fff2155c5b65671988b21aa

Modeling asymptomatic spreaders – how can you accurately model people with no symptoms?

• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/coronavirus-study-asymptomatic-carriers_l_5ff87c90c5b65671988527ce
• Paper: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2774707

WHO scientists finally arrive in Wuhan – may begin long-delayed investigation

• https://www.terradaily.com/reports/WHO_experts_to_arrive_in_Wuhan_for_delayed_virus_probe_999.html

WHO says no herd immunity this year even with vaccinations

• https://www.terradaily.com/reports/WHO_warns_coronavirus_herd_immunity_unlikely_this_year_999.html

Wuhan has recovered from the virus

• https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Year_on_from_first_Covid-19_death_Wuhan_basks_in_recovery_999.html

Lockdowns had less impact on urban air quality – smaller than expected

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-early-covid-lockdowns-impact-urban.html
• Paper: https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/7/3/eabd6696

Changes in work practices due to virus delaying milestones at Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant in Georgia

• https://www.gpb.org/news/2021/01/12/covid-19-delaying-project-milestones-at-plant-vogtle

Rogue antibodies

• https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00017-y
• Paper: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.28.20248807v1.full.pdf

Progress on single-dose vaccine

• https://www.yahoo.com/news/progress-reported-one-dose-j-201302045.html

Coastal Zone Management Bulletin Board – 18 January 2021 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

 New approach to determine coastal scenic beauty & sensitivity under increasing human pressure

•  Abstract: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/1/49

•  Paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/1/49/htm

 Greece to extend territorial waters from 6 to 12 nautical miles along western coastline

• https://www.khon2.com/international/with-eye-on-turkey-greece-to-extend-western-coastal-waters/

 Update to Plan of Conservation & Development – coastal resiliency & zoning issues

• https://ctexaminer.com/2021/01/06/town-plan-outlines-changes-for-housing-retail-and-coastal-properties-in-oldlyme/

 Mumbai Coastal Road Project to include 4-km long tunnels

• https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/tunnelling-for-mumbai-s-coastal-road-set-to-begin-100-workers-to-drill-24x7-101610304343718.html

 Supermoons cause higher level of coastal erosion in swash zone

• https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210109/p2a/00m/0na/011000c

•  Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2020GL089745

 Neighbors play influential role in landowner decisions to armor shorelines

• https://www.tillamookheadlightherald.com/news/neighbors-influence-coastal-landowners-decisions-to-armorshorelines-against-erosion-rising-seas/article_8d3c143e-5065-11eb-8be9-4fffb0ce1dad.html

 Workshop on future of coastal planning addressed coastal issues in Washington State

• https://www.kxro.com/workshop-regarding-the-future-of-coastal-planning-open-to-the-public/

 Marine scientist Kristina Cammen presentation on pinniped populations in coastal Maine waters

• https://www.penbaypilot.com/article/merryspring-talk-pinniped-populations-maines-coastal-waterways/142456

 Perspective: Seawalls are not the answer to coastal bluff erosion

• https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/opinion/seawalls-are-not-the-answer-to-coastal-bluff-erosion/

•  CCC report: https://documents.coastal.ca.gov/reports/2017/5/th17d/th17d-5-2017-report.pdf

 India slowly attempting to restore lost mangroves

• https://blogs.worldbank.org/endpovertyinsouthasia/little-little-india-restores-its-lost-mangroves

 Canaveral National Seashore – in the shadow of rockets

• https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2021/01/canaveral-national-seashore-shadow-rockets

 Olympic National Park updates fishing regulations to conserve steelhead trout

• https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2021/01/changes-olympic-national-park-fishing-regs-conserve-steelhead

 Declining harbor porpoise numbers in German North Sea

•https://www.terradaily.com/reports/Declining_harbor_porpoise_numbers_in_German_North_Sea_worry_scientists_999.html

 US Navy strategic plan calls for more assertive activity in the Arctic

• https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/01/06/US-Navy-strategic-plan-calls-for-more-activity-in-Arcticregion/8901609954542/

•  Plan: https://media.defense.gov/2021/Jan/05/2002560338/-1/-1/0/ARCTIC%20BLUEPRINT%202021%20FINAL.PDF/ARCTIC%20BLUEPRINT%202021%20FINAL.PDF

 On the importance of groundwater discharge into the ocean

•https://www.terradaily.com/reports/New_analysis_highlights_importance_of_groundwater_discharge_into_oceans_999.html

•  Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20248-3

 Record high water levels receding in Great Lakes reducing shoreline erosion

• https://www.mlive.com/weather/2021/01/great-lakes-water-levels-drifting-away-from-record-heights.html

 Arctic Deep Draft Port authorized under 2020 WRDA – to begin design phase cost estimated at $505M – Native community has concerns

• https://www.knom.org/wp/blog/2021/01/12/arctic-deep-draft-port-project-in-nome-authorized-by-congress/

• https://kawerak.org/kawerak-comments-on-unresolved-issues-re-port-of-nome-feasibility-report/

 Urban growth adds mass and increases subsidence in coastal cities

• https://eos.org/editor-highlights/going-down-how-do-cities-carry-that-weight

•  Paper: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2020AV000277

 “Neptune balls” trap plastic in coastal seagrass

• https://phys.org/news/2021-01-seagrass-meadows-marine-plastic-sea.html

•  Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-79370-3

 Urging funding to pursue futile efforts to prevent continuing erosion of Murrough coastal wetland walk

• https://www.independent.ie/regionals/braypeople/news/council-await-report-on-coastal-erosion-39969313.html

"True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice."- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

CRS Insight Report: 'Enactment of the National Landslide Preparedness Act (P.L. 116-323)' and More from the AGS!!

From Anna E. Normand authored (updated 12 January 2021) this CRS Insight report: 'Enactment of the National Landslide Preparedness Act (P.L. 116-323)'.

One of the features of the Insight report series is that there are hot links for those who wish more information. If you can't access the links in the PDF version (below), then click on the title (above) to access the online version.

At the bottom of this post I have some material about landslides, debris flows and similar phenomena and their relationship to precipitation, courtesy of the Arizona Geological Survey. Just FYI - not from this CRS report. The graphics are from the AGS.  

Download CRS_Insight_National_Landslide_Prep_Act_12January2021

Here we go with CRS report.

Introduction
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates landslides kill an average of 25-50 people each year in the United States and account for $1 billion-$2 billion annually in damages. The National Landslide Preparedness Act (P.L. 116-323), signed into law on January 5, 2021, authorized a national landslide hazards reduction program and a complementary 3D elevation program within the USGS. The USGS already operated, under its Organic Act of 1879 and other authorities, a Landslide Hazards Program(funding level of $8.0 million in FY2021) within its Natural Hazards Program and a 3D Elevation Program (funding level of $46.0 million in FY2021) within its National Geospatial Program. The new act broadens the USGS’s current activities and requires coordination with other federal agencies.

Authorizing a Landslide Hazards Reduction Program
P.L. 116-323 directs the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), acting through the Director of the USGS, to establish a program to identify risks and hazards from landslides, reduce losses, protect communities at risk, and improve communication and emergency preparedness. The act requires the program to map and assess landslide hazards; respond to landslide events; coordinate with nonfederal entities to identify regional and local priorities; and develop and implement landslide hazard guidelines for geologists, engineers, emergency managers, and land-use decisionmakers.

Prior to enactment of P.L. 116-323 (H.R. 8810), the 116th Congress considered legislation with the same title: the House passed H.R. 1261 on June 3, 2019, and the Senate passed S. 529 on July 30, 2020. These bills differed from each other and from H.R. 8810 on various provisions, such as those related to reporting, authorization of appropriations, and technical terminology.

Managingthe Program
Section 3 of the act structures the program with elements roughly parallel to the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP; P.L. 115-307). An interagency committee chaired by the Department of the Interior (DOI) is to oversee and coordinate the landslide program and to support the development and execution of a national strategy for landslide hazards and risk reduction. The national strategy is to include an interagency plan for carrying out the national strategy.

Jumping to the very end...

Managing and Advising the Program
Similar to the landslide program and NEHRP, the act authorizes an interagency coordinating committee, chaired by the Secretary. The coordinating committee is to develop a strategic plan and a management plan to implement the strategic plan.

Section 5 creates a subcommittee of the National Geospatial Advisory Committee, an entity authorized under the National Geospatial Data Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-307), to advise the 3D elevation program interagency coordinating committee. The advisory committee is to assess trends in 3D data collection and in science and technology and to assess management, implementation, and activities of the 3D elevation program.

Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Authorization of Appropriations
The act authorizes the 3D elevation program to make grants and enter into cooperative agreements with other federal agencies, as well as with nonfederal governments, institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and other organizations. The objective is to improve nationwide coverage of 3D elevation data, and the agreements are to require making data publicly available and interoperable with other federal datasets, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior.

The act authorizes $40 million annually from FY2021 through FY2024 for the 3D elevation program.

The graphic below is from the AGS:

Here's an online report (from the AGS blog) of some AGS-USGS research: After a wildfire, how intense does rainfall need to be to cause a debris flow?

From the report, just to whet your appetite:

Ann Youberg (UArizona Arizona Geological Survey) and Luke McGuire (UArizona Dept of Geosciences), along with their partner Francis Rengers (US Geological Survey), study how wildfires throughout the Southwest, such as the Bighorn Fire in the Santa Catalina Mountains, Tucson, Arizona, impacts geologic hazards, specifically post-wildfire debris flows.

Debris flows are mixtures of water, soil, and rock (think flowing concrete) that behave different from floods. Because debris flows are a thick slurry and can carry large boulders and trees, they can generate high impact forces which may damage buildings and infrastructure and, more importantly, pose significant threat to human life and safety. In recently burned landscapes, there is frequently a rapid switch from floods to debris flows once a critical rainfall intensity is exceeded. One of the of questions our research addresses is how intense does rainfall need to be to cause a debris flow in the Southwest?

To answer that question, we monitor rainfall rates and debris flow activity within recent burn scars throughout the Southwest. Most recently, we set up a monitoring site at the Tadpole Fire burn scar (Figure 1) in the Gila National Forest north of Silver City, NM.

Read on!

Enjoy!

"We understand. You are for social justice just so long as it doesn’t come out of your research budget." - @ass_deans

CRS Insight Report: 'U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP) - Status and Issues'

Here is a CRS Insight three-pager (14 January 2021) from Anna E. Normand and Elena H. Humphreys: 'U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP): Status and Issues'.

One of the features of the Insight report series is that there are hot links for those who wish more information. If you can't access the links in the PDF version (below), then click on the title (above) to access the online version.

Download CRS_Insight_Report_USACE_CWIFP_Status_Issues_14January2021

Overview
In the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA 2014, P.L. 113-121), Congress authorized the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to provide credit assistance, in the form of secured or direct loans, for a range of water resource projects. This authority was provided in the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 (WIFIA 2014, Title V, Subtitle C of P.L. 113-121; 33 U.S.C. §§3901-3914, as amended). WIFIA 2014 authorized an analogous program for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for water projects outside of USACE mission areas (see CRS In Focus IF11193, WIFIA Program: Background and Recent Developments).

While Congress has appropriated funding since FY2017 for EPA’s WIFIA program to provide assistance to projects, it first funded USACE’s program in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY2021 (P.L. 116- 260). In Division D of that act, Congress created a WIFIA account for USACE and provided appropriations to support credit assistance for nonfederal dam safety projects. Recently, USACE has referred to its program as the Civil Works Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP).

CWIFP
WIFIA 2014 authorized USACE to provide financial assistance to a suite of water resource projects that encompass several USACE mission areas. It authorized the USACE program (i.e., CWIFP) to support the following project purposes:

•   reduction of riverine or coastal storm flood damage;

•   restoration of aquatic ecosystems;

•   improvement of the inland and intracoastal waterways navigation system;

•   improvement of navigation at a U.S. harbor; or

•   a combination of purposes that are supported by the USACE and the EPA WIFIA authorities (e.g., drinking water, wastewater, and/or stormwater system improvements).

Several types of projects eligible for CWIFP have historically been authorized by Congress as federal water resources projects. Financial responsibilities for these projects might take multiple forms. For example, Congress has authorized USACE to construct and operate and maintain some projects, often with a corresponding nonfederal cost-share, while others (e.g., flood control projects) might be authorized by Congress and constructed by USACE, but turned over to local entities to operate. When insufficient federal funding has been available for federally authorized projects, nonfederal entities have sometimes funded the federal portion of project costs themselves. CWIFP appears to provide another financing option for these and other types of water resources projects.

Entities eligible for CWIFP assistance include (1) a corporation; (2) a partnership; (3) a joint venture; (4) a trust; or (5) a federal, state, local, or tribal government or instrumentality. To receive credit assistance, projects carried out by private entities must be publicly sponsored (33 U.S.C. §3907(a)(4)).

Under the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508), appropriations for federal credit programs, such as CWIFP, primarily cover long-term credit subsidy costs (2 U.S.C. §661a). The subsidy costs of such programs reflect potential losses to the government as a result of loan defaults. The subsidy cost is typically presented as a percentage (i.e., a subsidy rate) and largely determines the amount of loans that can be made available. According to the CWIFP website’s Frequently Asked Questions, USACE will calculate the subsidy costs on a project-by-project basis (i.e., a project with lower credit risk would consume less of the credit subsidy than a higher credit risk project).

More to read - keep going!

Enjoy!

"It's funny. All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to." - J.D.  Salinger