WaterWired

Paper: 'Analysis of Blood Lead Levels of Young Children in Flint, Michigan Before and During the 18-Month Switch to Flint River Water'

Hernán F. Gómez, Dominic A. Borgialli, Mahesh Sharman, Keneil K. Shah, Anthony J. Scolpino, James M. Oleske & John D. Bogden (2019): Analysis of blood lead levels of young children in Flint, Michigan before and during the 18-month switch to Flint River water, Clinical Toxicology, DOI: 10.1080/15563650.2018.1552003

Download Gomez_Flint

Abstract

Background: The toxicity of lead, like any xenobiotic, is directly linked to the duration of exposure and toxin concentration in the body. The elevation in blood lead levels (BLLs) in young Flint, Michigan children noted in time-periods before, and during the 18-month exposure to Flint River water (FRW) from 25 April 2014 to 15 October 2015 is well-known internationally. The length of time BLLs were elevated is unknown, yet key in understanding the potential health impact of the event. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether BLLs in Flint children were increased during the entire 18-month FRW exposure compared to similar earlier time periods.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study analyzing BLLs from Flint children aged 5 years and under. The geometric mean (GM) BLLs and percentages of BLLs ≥5.0 μg/dL in Period I: 25 April 2006 to 15 October 2007 (earliest timeframe available for study) and Period II: 25 April 2012 to 15 October 2013 (timeframe immediately before the water switch), were compared to Period III, 25 April 2014 to 15 October 2015 (FRW exposure).

Results: There were 5663 BLLs available for study. GM ± SE BLLs decreased from 2.19 ± 0.03 μg/dL in Period I to 1.47 ± 0.02 μg/dL in Period II [95% CI, 0.64, 0.79]; p<.001 and decreased further to 1.32 ± 0.02 µg/dL during the FRW Period III [95% CI, 0.79, 0.95]; p<.001. The percentage of BLLs ≥5.0 μg/dL decreased from Period I (10.6%) to Period II (3.3%) [95% CI, 5.7, 8.8]; p<.001 and from Period I to Period III (3.9%) [95% CI, 5.0, 8.2]; p=.002. The 0.6% increase from Period II to Period III was not statistically significant [95% CI, −1.9, 0.57]; p=.30.

Conclusion: Analyses of GM and percentages ≥5.0 μg/dL of BLLs do not support the occurrence of a global increase in BLLs in young children of Flint during the entire 18-month period of FRW exposure.

Cutting to the chase....

Conclusions

The exposure of young children to FRW from 25 April 2014 to 15 October 2015 in Flint coincided with a decrease in BLLs of young children when compared to prior time-periods controlling for time-length studied, months and seasons. Over the three 18-month time-periods studied, GM BLLs decreased 39.7% and the percentage of children with BLLs above the CDC reference value decreased 63.2%; this occurred across all 9 wards in the community. Analyses of GM BLLs and percentages !5.0lg/dL do not support the common perception of an occurrence of a global increase in BLLs occurring during the 18-month FRW change in the young children of Flint. Additionally, national, state and local BLLs have historically been down-trending for years. Although the environmental hazard of the FRW switch was significant, it did not result in globally increased BLLs nor percentages above the CDC reference value during the entire 18-month FRW switch. These findings suggest that public health efforts to reduce BLLs of Flint children have been effective. Nevertheless, public health officials, legislators and clinicians should continue efforts and allocate resources to further decrease environmental lead exposure of all children in the nation.

Thanks to friend G. Tracy Mehan III for sending this paper my way.

Enjoy!

“The reports of my demise are well overblown.” - Former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, quoted in the Lansing State Journal 

CRS Report: 'Federal Lands and Related Resources - Overview and Selected Issues for the 116th Congress'

Katie Hoover, Laura B. Comay, R. Eliot Crafton, Mark K. DeSantis, Marc Humphries, Sandra L. Johnson, Anne A. Riddle, Harold F. Upton and Carol Hardy Vincent authored this CRS report (updated 18 March 2019): Federal Lands and Related Resources: Overview and Selected Issues for the 116th Congress.

This report contains information on issues related to water, energy and related resources. 

Download CRS_Federal_Land_Overview_Issues_Congress_18March2019 

Summary

The Property Clause in the U.S. Constitution (Article IV, §3, clause 2) grants Congress the authority to acquire, dispose of, and manage federal property. The 116th Congress faces multiple policy issues related to federal lands and natural resources. These issues include how much and which land the government should own and how lands and resources should be used and managed. These issues affect local communities, industries, ecosystems, and the nation.

There are approximately 640 million surface acres of federally owned land in the United States. Four agencies (referred to in this report as the federal land management agencies, or FLMAs) administer approximately 608 million surface acres (~95%) of federal lands: the Forest Service (FS) in the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and National Park Service (NPS), all in the Department of the Interior (DOI). The federal estate also extends to energy and mineral resources located below ground and offshore. BLM manages the onshore subsurface mineral estate and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, also in DOI, manages access to approximately 1.7 billion offshore acres in federal waters on the U.S. outer continental shelf. However, not all of these onshore or offshore acres can be expected to contain extractable mineral and energy resources.

This report introduces some of the broad themes and issues Congress has considered when addressing federal land policy and resource management. These include questions about the extent and location of the federal estate. For example, typically Congress considers both measures to authorize and fund the acquisition of additional lands and measures to convey some land out of federal ownership or management. Other issues for Congress include whether certain lands or resources should have additional protections, for example, through designation as wilderness or national monuments, or protection of endangered species and their habitat.

Other policy questions involve how federal land should be used. Certain federal lands are considered primary- or dominant-use lands as specified in statute by Congress. For example, the dominant-use mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is the conservation of fish, wildlife, and plant resources and associated habitats for the benefit of current and future Americans, and the dual-use mission of the National Park System is to conserve unique resources and provide for their use and enjoyment by the public. BLM and FS lands, however, have a statutory mission to balance multiple uses: recreation, grazing, timber, habitat and watershed protection, and energy production, among others. Conflicts arise as users and land managers attempt to balance these uses. Congress often addresses bills to clarify, prioritize, and alter land uses, including timber harvesting, livestock grazing, and recreation (motorized and nonmotorized). With respect to energy uses, in addition to questions about balancing energy production against other uses, other questions include how to balance traditional and alternative energy production on federal lands.

Additional issues of debate include whether or how to charge for access and use of federal resources and lands, how to use any funds collected, and whether or how to compensate local governments for the presence of untaxed federal lands within their borders. Congress also faces questions about wildfire management on both federal and nonfederal lands, including questions of risk management and funding suppression efforts.

Enjoy the first day of spring or autumn, wherever you may be!

"Always be wary of any helpful item that weighs less than its operating manual." - Terry Pratchett

Josh's Water Jobs and More! 19 March 2019 (Updated 23 March 2019)

1) Josh's Jobs

Josh’s Pick:
 
1) Research Associate (Water and Sanitation) – Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)(Stockholm): 2 April
 
Highlighted:
 
2) Junior Rapporteur (World Water Week) – Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)(Stockholm): 14 April (One of the best ways to get involved in World Water Week!)
 
3) Sector Analyst – water.org (Kansas City, MO, USA): Until filled
 
4) Post-doctorant-e (Questions hydropolitiques) – Geneva Water Hub (Geneva): 31 March
 
5) Consultant for UNDP-GEF Midterm Review (IWRM/Transboundary) – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Home-Based): 25 March
 
6) Global Advisor For Gender & Sustainable Water Development – Oxfam (Negotiable): 1 April
 
7) Programme Expert on Disaster Risk Reduction and Water – United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) (Tokyo): 2 April

Minimum years experience requested:

0-2 years
 
8) Junior Specialist in Irrigation & Water Management Research Group – University of California-Davis (Davis, CA, USA): 1 April
 
9) High Divide Headwaters Hydrology Technician & Restoration Assistant – The Nature Conservancy (TNC) (Dillon, MT, USA): 2 April
 
10) Project Manager (SALT) – FishWise (Washington, DC or Santa Cruz, CA, USA): 31 March

3-4 years
 
11) Policy Advisor (Adaptation) – International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) (Ottawa, ON, Canada): Until filled
 
12) Catchment Partnership Manager – Wessex Chalk Stream & Rivers Trust (United Kingdom): 3 April
 
13) Science Officer – Future Earth (Montreal, QC, Canada): 10 April
 
14) Programme Analyst: Training Programme – United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) (Home-Based): 24 March
 
15) Canada nationals: Water Resources Engineer – Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority (Kingston, ON, Canada): 26 March
 
16) Director of Development Partnerships (New England) – League of Conservation Voters (Boston, MA or Washington, DC, USA): 11 April
 
17) Development and Membership Coordinator – Freshwater Future (Petoskey, MI, USA): Until filled

5-7 years
 
18) Environmental Affairs Officer – United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission(DRC): 25 March
 
19) Policy Specialist (Climate Change) – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (New York): 25 March
 
20) Environmental, Social and Governance Integration Specialist – United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) (Home-Based): 24 March
 
21) Academic Officer (Head of VARMAP Section) – United Nations University (UNU)(Germany): 31 March – PhD required
 
22) Programme Management Officer – United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (Bangkok): 30 March
 
23) Chief of Party and Technical Specialists – Tetra Tech (Cambodia): Until filled
 
24) Communications Manager (Political Affairs & Climate) – Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) (Washington, DC): Until filled
 
25) Regional Environmental Economics Coordinator – World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) (Central and Eastern Europe): 31 March
 
26) Policy Advisor (International Climate Policy) – The Nature Conservancy (TNC)(Washington, DC): 8 April
 
27) Spanish speakers: Estudios Hidrometeorológico, de Variabilidad Climática y de Riesgo Climático en las Cuencas Binacion – World Food Programme (WFP)(Colombia): 22 March
 
28) Communications Officer STTA (Knowledge Management Specialist) – DAI (Haiti): 5 April
 
29) Arabic speakers: National Research Officer: Water Resources Management and Accounting – International Water Management Institute (IWMI) (Cairo): 22 March
 
30) Local recruitment: E T Consultant (Disaster Risk Management) – The World Bank (Mali): 20 March
 
31) Local recruitment: E T Consultant (Disaster Risk Management) – The World Bank (Niger): 20 March
 
32) Local recruitment: E T Consultant (Disaster Risk Management) – The World Bank (DRC): 20 March
 
33) Local recruitment: Local Water Finance Specialist – Tetra Tech (Philippines): 29 March

8-9 years
 
34) Senior Climate Change Specialist – The World Bank (Washington, DC): 29 March
 
35) Technical Programs Director – Nexus for Development (Cambodia): 29 March

10+ years
 
36) Senior Land and Water Officer (Integrated Landscape Management) – United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (Rome): 4 April
 
37) Local recruitment: E T Consultant (Urban Resilience) – The World Bank(Washington, DC): 20 March
 
38) Senior Technical Specialists (Multiple positions) – Chemonics (Various): 31 March
 
39) Resilience and Climate change adaptation senior advisor (Caribbean OCTs) – Expertise France (Sint Maarten): 1 April
 
40) Team Leader (Ocean Governance) – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (Brussels): 7 April
 
41) Albania nationals: Expert Roaster Consultant for the Needs of Project – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Albania): 31 March
 
42) Zambia nationals: Senior National Expert on Agricultural Water management and Horticulture Value Chains – Niras (Zambia): 29 March
 
43) Zambia nationals: National Expert on Agricultural Water management and Dairy Value Chains – Niras (Zambia): 29 March

Not specified:
 
44) Data Science Assistant – IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) (Winnipeg, MB, Canada): 31 March
 
45) Latin America Director – The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI)(Peru): 5 April
 
46) German speakers: Director – German Development Institute (DIE) (Germany): 28 March
 
47) Australia nationals: Board Members – Victorian Water Corporation (Australia): 1 April
 
48) Australia nationals: Climate Research Scientist – Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (Australia): 4 April
 
49) French speakers: Source2Sea Project Co-Ordinator – Kent Wildlife Trust (United Kingdom): 2 April
 
50) U.S. nationals: Hydrologist – U.S. National Park Service (Washington, DC): 26 March
 
51) U.S. nationals: Interdisciplinary (Water Resources Planner) – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) (Sacramento, CA, USA): 25 March
 
52) U.S. nationals: Interdisciplinary (Water Resources Planner) – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) (Sacramento, CA, USA): 27 March
 
53) U.S. nationals: Large Infrastructure Project Aquatic Resources Impacts – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Dallas, TX, USA): 15 April
 
54) Executive Director – Flathead Lakers (Polson, MT, USA): Until filled
 
55) Project Manager – Washington Water Trust (Ellensburg, WA, USA): 28 March
 
56) Project Manager (Outreach and Communications - Healthy Watersheds California) – Pacific Forest Trust (San Francisco, CA, USA): Until filled

Not specified (academic):

• Professors/lecturers

57) Assistant Research Professor (Water Consortium Director) – Penn State University (University Park, PA, USA): Until filled
 
58) Lecturer in Geology (Non-Tenure Track, Water Resources) – Southern Utah University (Cedar City, UT, USA): 26 March
 
59) Assistant Professor of Environmental Science – Arkansas State University-Jonesboro (Jonesboro, AR, USA): 30 March
 
60) Lecturer/Senior Lecturer (Hydraulic Engineering) – La Trobe University(Melbourne, VIC, Australia): 27 March
 
61) Tenure-eligible lecturer position in Hydraulic Engineering – Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) (Barcelona): 1 April
 
62) Lecturer Geo-informatics – University of Twente (Netherlands): 1 April
 
63) Lecturer/Senior Lecturer – University of Exeter (United Kingdom): 5 April
 
64) Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) Regional Climate & Climate Change Research – National University of Singapore (NUS) (Singapore): 13 April
 
65) Swedish speakers: Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science – Linnaeus University (Sweden): 31 March

• Postdocs

66) Post-doctoral Researcher Trust in Water Governance – Wageningen University & Research (Netherlands): 1 April
 
67) Wisconsin Water Resources Science-Policy Fellowship with a focus on groundwater-surface water interactions – University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI) (Madison, WI, USA): 14 April
 
68) Postdoctoral positions in Hydrology, Fluvial hydrodynamics and Hydraulic engineering – Université de Liège (Belgium): Until filled

• Researchers/other

69) Researcher (Transitioning Landscapes) – International Water Management Institute (IWMI) (Addis Ababa): 31 March
 
70) Red River Watershed Management Institute Director – Louisiana State University(Shreveport, LA, USA): 31 March
 
71) Research Coordinator – University of Wisconsin-Madison (Superior, WI, USA): 29 March
 
72) Polar Science/Remote Hydrology - Assistant/Associate/Full Researcher (Earth Section) – Scripps Institution of Oceanography (San Diego, CA, USA): 5 April
 
73) Spanish speakers: Assistant Project Scientist: Water Resources Engineering – University of California-Davis (Davis, CA, USA): 25 March
 
74) Europe nationals: Studying of Innovative Processes for the Removal of Pollutants in Water – Università del Salento (Italy): 25 March
 
75) Economics of Irrigation Water in Apulia Region – Regione Puglia (Italy): 25 March
 
76) Europe nationals: Legal and Administrative Relations Between the State, Local Authorities and Private Companies for Environmental Management of Surface Water Network – Universita' degli Studi della Tuscia (Italy): 24 March
 
77) Post Masters Research Associate, Waterpower Engineer – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (Richland, WA, USA): 30 March
 
78) Research Associate in FutureDAMS project – University of Manchester (United Kingdom): 2 April
 
79) Modelling drainage systems for flood risk assessment in urban areas – Università di Pavia (Italy): 4 April
 
80) Social scientist in people-environment studies – The James Hutton Institute(Scotland): 5 April

WASH:

0-2 years

81) WASH Program Manager – Solidarités International (Syria): Until filled
 
82) French speakers: Eau, Hygiène et Assainissement: Mobile Implementation Officer – Médecins Sans Frontières (Home-Based): 31 March
 
83) Project Co-Ordinator (WASH) – School Health Annual Report Programme (New Delhi): 3 April
 
84) French speakers: Responsable de Projet EHA – Solidarités International (Burkina Faso): Until filled
 
85) Nigeria nationals: WASH Assistant – International Medical Corps (Nigeria): 26 March
 
86) Angola nationals: WASH Officer – United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)(Angola): 29 March
 
87) Niger nationals: WASH in Emergency Officer – United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Niger): 28 March

3-4 years
 
88) Nigeria nationals: WASH Technician – International Medical Corps (Nigeria): 26 March
 
89) Nepal nationals: Project Coordinator-WaSH – Oxfam (Nepal): 30 March

5-7 years

90) Water Programs Manager – charity: water (New York): Until filled
 
91) Technical Coordinator WASH and Infrastructures – ACTED (Central African Republic): 28 March
 
92) Spanish speakers: Especialista en Agua y Saneamiento – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Peru): 24 March
 
93) Programme Effectiveness Coordinator – WaterAid (Sierra Leone): 26 March
 
94) WASH Coordinator – CARE (Bangladesh): Until filled
 
95) Local recruitment: Water Supply and Sanitation Specialist – The World Bank(Mali): 28 March
 
96) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Coordinator – Accion Contra El Hambre(Lebanon): Until filled
 
97) Philippines nationals: WASH Specialist – United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Manila): 31 March
 
98) Nigeria nationals: WASH Officer – International Medical Corps (Nigeria): 26 March

10+ years

99) India nationals: Senior Environment Specialist (HSE Safeguard) – Department Of Water Supply & Sanitation Punjab (India): 7 April
 
Not specified
 
100) French speakers: Country Director – WaterAid (Madagascar): 25 March
 
101) Marketing Specialist – Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP)(London): 24 March

Consultancies:

102) WASH Advisor: Governance and Sector Strengthening – United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Papua New Guinea): 29 March
 
103) Lead Researcher/Team Leader – Asian Development Bank (ADB) (Home-Based): 20 March
 
104) Consultancy for Water Supply System Design – Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) (Somalia): 24 March
 
105) Various WASH Consultants – United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (India): 25 March
 
106) Consultancy: Review of the Effectiveness and Efficiency of the Ramsar Convention – Ramsar Convention Secretariat (Home-Based): 15 April
 
107) Leishmaniasis, Vector-Borne Disease and WASH Regional Needs Assessment Consultant – MENTOR Initiative (Iraq): 4 April
 
108) French speakers: Avis d’appel d’Offres: AO pour services professionnels - Ministère de l'Hydraulique et de l'Assainissement du Sénégal – DAI (Senegal): 8 April
 
109) French and Portuguese speakers: Final Evaluation: Improvement of Hygiene and Sanitation Conditions, Access to Drinking Water and Water Point Maintenance Services for Rural Communities – Inter Aide (Mozambique): 1 April
 
110) Human Rights and Climate Change Consultant – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Fiji): 21 March
 
111) International Consultant: Climate Change Modelling Expert – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Bosnia and Herzegovina): 21 March
 
112) International Consultant on Preparation of a Green Climate Fund Proposal – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Home-Based): 25 March
 
113) Myanmar nationals: Consultancy for Sanitation Policy Discussion Paper – Oxfam (Home-Based): 23 March
 
114) Burundi nationals: Consultant National en gestion de l’information WASH – United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) (Burundi): 1 April

RFP:

115) Request for Quotation: GEF Large Marine Ecosystem Project Briefs – LME:LEARN (Institution-based): 27 March

Internships:

116) Internship (Support to Environment Unit) – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (Cairo): 19 March
 
117) Intern: Environmental Affairs – United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) (Geneva): 20 March
 
118) Internship: Sustainable Development Mechanisms – The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (Germany): 28 March
 
119) International Bachelors of Excellence (IBEX) Summer Internship (Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research (BIDR)) – Ben Gurion University (Israel): 4 April
 
120) Environmental Education Internship Application – Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership (Portland, OR, USA): 8 April
 
121) Water Resource Strategy Intern – Denver Water (Denver, CO, USA): 24 March
 
122) Internship – Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(Geneva): 3 April

Scholarships:

123) PhD Research Project: Integrating Low-Cost Wireless Sensor Networks into Hydrological Risk Governance for Community-Based Disaster Resilience Building in Developing Countries – University of Birmingham (United Kingdom): 31 March
 
124) PhD student in Climate, Ecohydrology and Meteorology – Ghent University(Belgium): 31 March
 
125) French speakers: PhD student in Hydrology and Remote Sensing – University of Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke, QC, Canada): 27 March
 
126) PhD position in research topic Soil Science; Agricultural Water Management – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) (Sweden): 23 April
 
127) PhD in Soil Science (Soil structure and water management in agricultural soils in a changing climate) – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)(Sweden): 23 April
 
128) Doctoral positions in Hydrology, Fluvial hydrodynamics and Hydraulic engineering – Université de Liège (Belgium): Until filled
 
129) M.Sc. Opportunities in Northern Hydrometeorology – University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) (Prince George, BC, Canada): 15 April
 
130) EU/UK nationals: Community Water Management for a Liveable London (CAMELLIA) – University College London (London): 26 April

Fellowships:

131) MSCA Individual Fellowship: Hydrological Risk Assessment – Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway): 25 March
 
132) Delaware River Watershed Fellow – The Nature Conservancy (TNC)(Wilmington, DE, USA): 6 April
 
133) Babbitt Dissertation Fellowship Program – Lincoln Institute of Land Policy(United States): 1 April
 
134) Research Fellow in FutureDAMS project – University of Manchester (United Kingdom): 2 April
 
135) Researcher European Landscape Transitions – International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (Brussels): 15 April
 

Other:

136) Junior EU Aid Volunteer (WASH) – European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (Tunisia): 12 April
 
 
Last week’s list, in case you missed it
 
Post a job

2) Additional Jobs from WaterWired

157) Position: @ChesResearch (Edgewater, MD) - Executive Director. OUF; App review: 31 March https://bit.ly/2FXQIRP  #JobWaWi (tnx @fowler_lara)

158) Position: @sunyesf (Syracuse, NY) - Asst/Assoc Professor, Forest Ecosystem Management. OUF https://bit.ly/2MKCXqX  #JobWaWi

159) Position: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (Pendleton, OR) - Fisheries Habitat Biologist II. OUF; First screening: 1 March 2019. Download Fisheries_Habitat_Biologist_II

160) Positions (many): @IIDatWork (El Centro, CA & vicinity) - 1) Integrated Resources Planner; 2) Supervisor - Standards; 3) Internal Auditor; 4) Real-Time Trader; 5) Superintendent System Planning; 6) Managers; Others. Closing: Various https://bit.ly/2GBq8y5  #JobWaWi

161) Postdoctoral Position: @OKH2O (Norman, OK) - Groundwater Modeler - Job Number: 190284. OUF. https://bit.ly/2TLifty  #JobWaWi

162) Position: South Fork John Day Watershed Council (John Day, OR) - Program Assistant. Closes: 29 March Download Program_Asst_SFJDWC

163) Position: NM Environment Department (Santa Fe, NM) - Environmental Scientist and Specialist-Operational (NMENV #34940). Closes: 6 March https://bit.ly/2mxs6nU  #JobWaWi

164) Position: California Water Environment Association (Oakland, CA) - Executive Director. Closes: 4 April. https://sforce.co/2tnqfWr  #JobWaWi

165) Postdoctoral and Post-Masters Positions: Wisconsin Sea Grant (Madison) - J. Philip Keillor Wisconsin Coastal Management-Sea Grant Fellow. Closes: 28 March Download Wisconsin_Keillor_Fellowship_Announcement_2019

166) Position: Trout Unlimited (Klamath Falls, OR) - Water Quality Project Coordinator - Oregon. OUF.
Download TU_Water_Quality_Proj_Coordinator_Klamath

167) Position: City of Keizer (OR) - Environmental Program Technician, Outreach Coordinator. OUF; Second app review: 6 March https://bit.ly/2NjBND2  #JobWaWi

168) Position: @PSUEarth (University Park Campus/State College, PA) - Assistant Research Professor in Climate Risk Management (non-T-T). OUF. https://bit.ly/2ty7akd  #JobWaWi (tnx @fowler_lara)

169) Positions (2): Trout Unlimited (Wenatchee, WA) - Beaver Restoration Project 1) Field Lead; 2) Intern. OUF; App review for both: 5 March. 
Download Trout_Unlimited_Beaver_Restoration Field_ Lead_Intern

169) Position: @SFU (Burnaby, BC, Canada) - Associate Professor in Watershed Sciences. Closes: 1 May https://bit.ly/2NtLhvy  #JobWaWi

170) Position: @CleanWaterNews (Hillsboro, OR) - Engineer - Environmental / Water Resources. Continuous. http://bit.ly/2tGmwTU  #JobWaWi

 

171) Position (Seasnal) - McKenzie River Trust (Eugene, OR) - Restoration and Stewardship Associate. Closes: 22 March https://bit.ly/2Uh2mvg  #JobWaWi

 

172) Position: Water Replenishment District of Southern California (Lakewood, CA) - Assistant General Manager/Chief Operating Officer. App review: 8 March https://bit.ly/2C5DdNa  #JobWaWi

 

173) Positions (2): @Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs (Billings, MT) - Civil Engineers/Ag Engineers. Closes: 27 March https://bit.ly/2EJ3cKT  #JobWaWi

 

174) Position: @SantaClaraCity (CA) - Water and Sewer Operations Manager. Closes: 20 March https://sforce.co/2EDZl1t  #JobWaWi

 

175) Position: @NEIWPCC (Albany, NY) - Environmental Analyst - Drinking Water Specialist. Closes: 22 March https://sforce.co/2Tobd1S  #JobWaWi

 

176) Position: @NCSUgeospatial (Raleigh, NC) - Teaching Assistant/Associate Professor. (Non-Tenure-Track). OUF. https://bit.ly/2HgqhIG  #JobWaWi

 

177) Position: Coquille Watershed Association (Coquille, OR) - Restoration and Noxious Weed Control Project Manager. Closes: 25 March  Download Project_Manager_Position_Description

 

178) Postdoc Position: @Penn_State (State College, PA - University Park Campus) - Sustainability Assessment Modeling at the Food-Energy-Water Nexus. OUF; App review: 10 April https://psu.jobs/job/86248  #JobWaWi

179) Position: @PSIEE (State College, PA - University Park Campus) - Assistant Research Professor (Water Consortium Director). OUF; App review: 10 April https://psu.jobs/job/86066  #JobWaWi

Posted: 23 March 2019

180) Position: @WDFW (Olympia, WA) - Environmental Planner 5 (Policy Lead for Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead Team). Closes: 2 April https://bit.ly/2HPCgvX  #JobWaWi

181) Position: Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (Baker City or La Grande) - Natural Resource Specialist 4 (Regional Program Representative). Closes: 8 April https://bit.ly/2U7jBlY  #JobWaWi

3) Some General Employment Resources

AGU Career Center for research/academic jobs

GoodWorkCanada - Canada's Green Jobs Site

Congressional Research Service Positions 

Check out @AidJobs - Vacancies in aid, development, humanitarian & nonprofit sector (volunteers, consultants or F-T employment) https://aidjobs.org

UN Jobs in Water Resources

UN Jobs in Water Management

UN Jobs in Water and Sanitation

Global Water Jobs

WASH Vacancies

Academic Jobs Online

Higher Education Job Site

Get Hydrology Jobs

AAG Jobs

@BCWaterNews Jobs Click 'View Jobs' at https://bcwaterjobs.com 

@EcologyWA - Current Openings - Updated every few days. Click here. 

King County (WA) Jobs

Geoscience Job Board

California DWR Jobs

AZ Water Career Center 

Florida Water Jobs

NYC DEP 

Nature Conservancy jobs

State of Washington Careers

Idaho DEQ 

OSU Water Resources Program

Water District Jobs

Academic Jobs in Schools of Physical/Earth Sciences

Mac's List - Jobs in Portland and Beyond!

New Zealand Hydrological Society Jobs Board

California Water Jobs 

Government Jobs

Association of Oregon Counties Job Postings

Soil Science Societies Career Center

How to Find Work Overseas, with Marcelle Yeager. https://bit.ly/1pIopLT  

For the full list of Josh's active water jobs, please visit www.joshswaterjobs.com/jobs

"Dear faculty: Please remember we are in our annual fundraising drive. Before we go to donors,we need to show faculty believe in the mission of the college enough to make a contribution! Make your contribution today! Also, we’ll be making reappointment decisions soon."- @ass_deans

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Management - 18 March 2019

70 degrees and sunny today in Corvallis. Still winter, too! Elaine reports more snow in the mountains around Reno. 

Last week we had Groundwater Awareness Week. This week we have Fix-A-Leak Week. Got some nice graphics from EPA's WaterSense program.

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Here are Elaine's BBs as Word/PDF documents:     

As PDF: Download Bulletin_Boards_18March2019

As Word: Download Bulletin_Boards_18March2019

The weekly water news is here.

Geoscience Bulletin Board – 18 March 2019 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

The rain came to Death Valley creating a lake

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/rare-10-mile-long-lake-forms-in-death-valley-after-heavy-rains-and-flooding/ar-BBUDUgw

Slide Show:  Rock columns on Hua’ao Island in China

• http://www.bbc.com/travel/gallery/20190312-chinas-colossal-columns-carved-by-nature

Severe subsidence induced by Chengchao iron ore mine in China

• https://blogs.agu.org/landslideblog/2019/03/12/chengchao-iron-ore-mine-1/

Simulating the magma ocean that characterized Earth billions of years ago

• https://www.livescience.com/64970-early-earth-spin-magma-ocean.html

Advanced laboratory techniques simulate conditions in the core of Earth

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190312123650.htm

Geologist app “Inconvenient Facts” removed from Apple’s platform – suspects the company is biased toward Al Gore alarmism political narrative

• https://www.dailysignal.com/2019/03/11/inconvenient/

Coring in Antarctica

• https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/journey-to-antarctica-coring-thwaites-glacier-sea-pig-806769/

Anthropocene does not exist & future species will not recognize it

• http://theconversation.com/anthropocene-doesnt-exist-and-species-of-the-future-will-not-recognise-it-111762

Will American deep-sea oil platforms withstand impacts of underwater avalanches?

• https://psmag.com/environment/are-oil-platforms-ready-for-underwater-avalanches

Roughly one-third of active US volcanoes are under-monitored

• https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article227248509.html

New method for identifying “safe” homesites in gypsum dissolution & sinkhole region in Britain

• https://www.ripongazette.co.uk/news/ripon-s-sinkhole-problem-new-method-to-help-select-safe-sites-for-homes-1-9643493

Natural wonders in Norway

• https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/europe/111192112/norway-six-of-the-best-natural-masterpieces

Studying meteorite that fell in western province of Pinar del Rio in Cuba

• https://www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=39656&SEO=cuban-geologists-study-recent-meteorite

Threat of sediment runoff to Great Barrier Reef was underestimated

• https://www.smh.com.au/national/queensland/threat-of-sediment-runoff-to-great-barrier-reef-worse-than-thought-20190311-p513e2.html

Subtle gravitational signatures precede EQs – may provide early warning technique

• http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/New_earthquaking-sensing_method_could_give_earlier_warnings_999.html

Abandoned mercury mines in San Luis Obispo County, California

• https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/slo-weird/article225953860.html

“Bomb cyclone” in the Great Plains

• https://www.vox.com/2019/3/13/18263630/bomb-cyclone-2019

Younger Dryas impact hypothesis – fragmented comet hit Earth roughly 12,800 years ago

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190313140616.htm

Rethinking evolutionary activity – bursts of activity – not just the Cambrian Explosion

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190311125146.htm

Does “marine snow” help cool the planet?

• https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-03/uos-hms031319.php

Last 3 major ice ages were preceded by tropical arc-continent collisions

• https://www.livescience.com/64994-tectonic-collisions-fueled-ancient-ice-ages.html
• https://phys.org/news/2019-03-tectonics-tropics-trigger-earth-ice.html
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190314192549.htm

Landslides induced by 2010 Chilean megathrust EQ

• https://blogs.agu.org/landslideblog/2019/03/15/2010-chile-megathrust-earthquake/

Regulating deep-sea mining?

• https://theecologist.org/2019/mar/15/deep-sea-mining-regulating-unknown

Agricultural lime may distort strontium isotopic maps

• https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/strontium-isotope-map-re-examination-casts-doubt-on-bronze-age-migration-theories/3010235.article

Waterfalls can form spontaneously

• https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/going-with-the-flow-waterfalls-can-form-spontaneously/

25 myo palm fossils reveal geologic history of Tibetan Plateau

• https://www.techexplorist.com/palm-fossils-suggest-tibet-high-mountains-deep-valleys/21690/

Professor Martin Menzies to be honored with International Science & Technology Cooperation Award

• https://www.bracknellnews.co.uk/news/17500555.ascot-man-has-been-nominated-by-the-chinese-academy-for-his-collaborative-work-in-research/

Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 18 March 2019 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

This is “Fix a Leak” Week – average household leaks account for ~10,000 gallons of water per year

• https://www.epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week

Rabid goat may have transmitted rabies to 9 people in rural South Carolina

• https://www.thestate.com/news/state/south-carolina/article227456944.html

Measles, tetanus, mumps, chickenpox and other vaccine-preventable diseases

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/its-not-just-measles-tetanus-mumps-and-other-vaccine-preventable-diseases-are-still-present-throughout-the-us/ar-BBUyQ0u

Conflict & violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo inhibiting efforts to combat Ebola outbreak – now 2^ndlargest outbreak ever recorded

• https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00805-7

USDA launches new website on “Pests and Diseases”

• https://www.drovers.com/article/aphis-launches-webpage-pests-and-diseases
• Website: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/pests-diseases/pests-and-diseases/pests-and-diseases

FEMA rejects California request for $306M for repair of Oroville Dam of pre-existing damage

• https://apnews.com/83ccebfffbd1497abbcdd138fd251f83

Jaguar at wildlife park in Arizona will not be euthanized as result of human selfie-taking stupidity

• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/jaguar-wont-be-euthanized-after-zoo-attack-on-selfie-taking-arizona-woman-officials-say/ar-BBUDhM1
• https://www.marketwatch.com/story/a-jaguar-clawed-a-woman-who-got-too-close-to-its-cage-trying-to-take-a-selfie-2019-03-11

Projects to get farmers in California more water may endanger environment

• https://www.npr.org/2019/03/11/701205836/trump-administration-shortcuts-science-to-give-california-farmers-more-water

CRS Report:  Evolution of the Meaning of “Wates of the US” in the Clean Water Act

• https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44585.pdf

Underground transmission line proposed from Iowa to Illinois to transmit wind energy

• https://www.saukvalley.com/2019/03/11/underground-transmission-line-would-slice-through-ogle-carroll-counties/a3c781v/
• SOO Green Renewable Rail Project: http://www.soogreenrr.com/

Houston, Texas, may increase water bills to help pay $2B project to reduce sewer spills

• https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-water-bills-could-rise-under-2B-deal-to-13677431.php

Technological hazard:  World Wide Web hits 30 and encourages hate speech & raises privacy concerns

• https://apnews.com/1a944fcf10c445f2a87fcd5c2d0320e5

Photo-essay:  Plastics in the once pristine waters of the Verde Island Passage in the Philippines

• https://www.treehugger.com/plastic/plastic-pollution-invades-epicenter-global-marine-biodiversity.html

The ceiba tree, 400 years old, in Puerto Rico blooms as a symbol of hope in hurricane recovery

• https://www.huffpost.com/entry/vieques-hurricanes-ceiba-tree_n_5c7ea647e4b0e62f69e6e32c

Cover crops offer financial & environmental benefits

• https://www.agriculture.com/crops/cover-crops/cover-crops-offer-financial-and-environmental-benefits

Puppy rescued but missing British backpacker vanished on volcano in Guatemala

• https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/catherine-shaw-backpacker-missing-search-puppy-found-guatemala-a8818216.html

Plans for a planet-wide biodiversity census

• http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Scientists_share_plans_for_planetwide_biodiversity_census_999.html

8 years after the EQ & tsunami hit Fukushima the clean-up continues

• http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Fukushima_current_state_of_the_clean-up_999.html

Ultrafine dust particles produced by coal-fired power stations may modify and redistribute rainfall

• https://phys.org/news/2019-03-coal-power-stations-disrupt-rainfall.html

Global warming alarmism is alive & well at least in models – seeking geoengineering to “control” climate

• https://phys.org/news/2019-03-dose-solar-geoengineering.html
• https://phys.org/news/2019-03-pathways-climate-future-action.html

California & Arizona continue to miss deadlines on Colorado River water agreement – major battle among California agencies

• https://www.apnews.com/dfb622077f354df4a5fb8997ebc19dd6

UN issues warning on deadly effects of pollution & environmental damage on public health

• https://www.dw.com/en/un-issues-dire-warning-on-the-deadly-effects-of-pollution/a-47887188
• https://www.dw.com/en/undp-head-the-entire-economy-thriveson-the-destruction-of-nature/a-47214485
• GEO-6: https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/global-environment-outlook-6
• UN GEO: https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/global-environment-outlook-6-regional-assessments

Pangolins are the most poached mammals in the world & they are being driven to extinction

• https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/03/these-odd-scaled-mammals-are-most-poached-world-and-they-re-going-extinct

$2.75B plan to divert flood waters around Fargo, North Dakota – will it work?

• http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-fargo-flood-prevention-north-dakota-climate-change.html

Many animal species hibernate

• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/03/animals-winter-hibernation-turtles/

Will proposed budget cuts limit US Army Corps of Engineers propensity toward expensive, but ineffective structural controls for flooding?

• https://www.enr.com/articles/46502-trump-2020-budget-has-deep-cut-in-corps-construction

Sapphire mining in Madagascar destroys habitat driving lemurs toward extinction

• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/03/sapphire-mining-fuels-lemur-deaths-in-madagascar/

Type D or subAntarctic killer whale is identified as a species

• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/03/new-killer-whale-species-discovered/

Mayor of New York City unveils $10B flood protection plan – the money does not exist

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/03/14/de-blasio-lower-manhattan-storm-surge-plan/

Coastal Zone Management Bulletin Board – 18 March 2019 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Coastal drive from Melbourne to Sydney offers phenomenal views, natural features

• https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/melbourne-sydney-coastal-drive-australia/index.html

Voluntary relocation or elevation efforts underway in Southwest Coastal Louisiana

• https://www.nola.com/environment/2019/03/project-to-raise-homes-move-families-insouthwest-coastal-louisiana-moves-forward.html

“Gold Rush-type phenomenon” – ongoing poaching of coastal succulents for Asian Black Market

• https://www.petaluma360.com/news/9376739-181/in-a-gold-rush-type-phenomenon

• https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/9327697-181/plant-smugglers-take-massive-toll

Iconic Apollo 9 image of Outer Banks of North Carolina – 50 years ago

• https://www.coastalreview.org/2019/03/iconic-apollo-9-image-of-nc-coast-turns-50/

Alaska Marine Highway budget may be slashed by 75%

• https://www.juneauempire.com/news/rally-calls-attention-to-coastal-connection-to-marinehighway/

Coastal risk management works part of £150M program to repair, replace & create new defense systems

• https://www.dredgingtoday.com/2019/03/12/wales-to-build-new-coastal-defenses/

March signals the beginning of avian migration on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

• https://www.coastalreview.org/2019/03/march-kicks-off-spring-migration/

Shoaling is reducing access to Chatham Harbor in North Carolina

• https://capecod.wickedlocal.com/news/20190311/coastal-study-finds-north-inlet-is-closing

10 “Best Beach Festivals” on the Gulf Coast of Florida

• https://www.coastalliving.com/travel/gulf-coast/best-festivals-florida-gulf-coast

Back Bay Coastal New Jersey town copes with nearly $1.6B annual damages

• https://www.philly.com/science/climate/new-jersey-climate-change-sea-rise-trump-armycorps-20190304.html

• https://whyy.org/articles/barriers-flood-walls-could-help-protect-back-bays-army-corps-says/

• Report:

https://www.nap.usace.army.mil/Portals/39/docs/Civil/NJBB/Interim%20Report/1NJBB_Main_Report_Interim.pdf?ver=2019-02-28-135220-997

Mississippi spending $1M on “Coastal Mississippi: The Secret Coast” ad campaign to draw tourists

• https://www.sunherald.com/news/local/article227330349.html

IUCN launched Gender Analysis Toolkit (GAT) to improved coastal resource management in Asia

• https://vietnamnews.vn/environment/506884/iucn-launches-toolkit-to-boost-genderintegration-in-coastal-resource-management.html#bFPqHI7Cw7cmOjUw.97

Jekyll Creek $6M dredging pilot project to begin in April to restore channel depth

• https://thebrunswicknews.com/news/local_news/jekyll-creek-dredging-pilot-project-set-forapril/article_3d6819d1-a695-517a-9487-7d1056d5efc7.html

North Carolina CRC approved preliminary boundaries & building rules under Inlet Hazard Maps

• https://www.coastalreview.org/2019/03/crc-advances-new-inlet-hazard-maps-rules/

Trinidad Rancheria wants harbor property placed in federal trust – raises concern about access, environment & tribal rights in northern California

• https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2019/mar/6/trinidad-rancheria-wants-harbor-property-placed-fe/

• Exhibits: https://lostcoastoutpost.com/loco-media/loco-media/blog/post/23435/Th10b-3-2019-exhibits.pdf

Coastal GasLink resumes work following archeological mitigation plan in British Columbia

• https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/business/coastal-gaslink-cleared-to-resumeconstruction-south-of-houston-1.23659778

• Information Bulletin: https://www.bcogc.ca/node/15375/download

China-Somalia fishing deal may trigger another round of piracy in the Gulf of Aden

• https://www.trtworld.com/africa/china-somalia-fishing-deal-may-revive-sea-piracy-24879

Israel conducted first national tsunami simulation even – Caribbean countries to carry out drill

• https://www.unisdr.org/archive/64189

• https://www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=39638&SEO=unesco-announces-drill-torespond-to-tsunamis-in-caribbean

Planning €15B high-speed rail tunnel under the Baltic Sea between Finland & Estonia

• https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/finland-estonia-high-speed-rail-tunnelbaltic-sea-a8818896.html

Modeling helps prioritize planning & mitigation efforts along coastal areas

• https://csengineermag.com/coastal-modeling-helps-prioritize-planning-and-mitigation-effortsdue-to-rising-seas-and-storms

"Keen insight from the administrator’s bible - 'Working as a cook is a different thing from working as a university dean.' " - @ass_deans

Renewable Resources Journal Trifecta: 1) Climate Change Adaptation; 2) Paris Agreement and Its Future; 3) Open Access at a Crossroads

Tim Smith sen this email around and provided summaries of the climaye change articles. I have added hot links where appropriate.The RRJ is published by the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation. 

Download RRJV33N2

This issue (Volume 33, Number 2) of the Renewable Natural Resources Journal has two papers that relate to climate change:

Adapting Infrastructure and Civil Engineering Practice to a Changing Climate: Civil Engineering Sectors

American Society of Civil Engineers Committee on Adaptation to a Changing Climate (click on the title to access the entire report).

The Paris Agreement and Its Future (click on the title to download the full report) by Todd Stern

1) The first article defines potential impacts on engineering practices and civil engineering sectors. The needs, approaches and changes in practice presented in this article are applicable not only to civil engineering but also to many other engineering disciplines.

A number of civil engineering sectors are covered in the article, but this text includes only a partial summary. The sectors are:

• buildings and other structures (buildings of all types and structural aspects of other infrastructure)

• transportation (highways, culverts, bridges, rail, airports, ports, navigation, pipelines)

• water resources (dams, levees, irrigation, reservoir management, flood risk management, drought management)

• urban water systems (stormwater, water supply and wastewater systems)

• coastal management (erosion, seawalls, groins, dredging)

• energy supply (power generation: hydropower, wind engineering, thermal plant cooling, fuel supply)

• cold regions (freeze-thaw cycling, changes to permafrost environments, snow accumulation and distribution)

In the water resources sector, the frequency of hydrologic events is called into question, and methods for coping are suggested. This uncertainty means that methods for incorporating change into the decision system will be important in the future. For urban water systems, the problem of predicting effects in small areas must be incorporated into infrastructure planning. The interaction between surface and ground water systems becomes more important. Coastal flooding and erosion can be affected by increases in water level increases. Deficiencies in analysis techniques for coastal flooding also will be reflected in institutional arrangements to cope with floods.

In the energy supply sector, damage from flooding and storms caused by sea-level rise can cause impacts on infrastructure. Climate change could cause impacts on wildfire occurrence, as well as problems in extraction of hydrocarbon resources, their transportation and storage. Increased temperature would cause demand for greater energy for space cooling in human habitations. Energy demand also means increased water demand, which could affect the exploration and development of the resources needed. There can also be direct impacts of sea-level rise on coastal infrastructure like power plants, pipelines and transmission lines. Infrastructure changes also mean impacts on the decision process for financing projects that are both large and require a long time to complete. 

The full ASCE report can be accessed here.

2) In the second article, the author describes how the Paris agreement was developed along the lines of requirements of individual nations. The compromises and shortcomings of earlier agreements formed impacts on what could be achieved. Mitigation by limiting emissions and aggregate emission goals were both included. Long range science-based goals and periodic review cycles were included as a way to achieve both top-down and bottom-up approaches.

A delicate balance is set up to accommodate both the developed nations with more technology and the lesser developed nations which have lesser capacity. Implementation via legal systems continues to be a problem, both due to the differing capacities and the widely differing legal systems of the nations involved. There is at least a partial reliance on moral persuasion as a substitute for legal measures.

The end result is a set of compromises that rely not only on well-known decision structures, but also on the psychological effect of actions by all nations. This reliance on group norms can have both a positive and negative effect, and the end result remains to be seen.

3) The third article is by David Kramer, a news editor at Physics Today, where it was originally published (access here): Open Access at a Crossroads.

Here are the first few paragraphs of Kraner's article:

Publishers of scientific journals are facing renewed threats to their business models from both sides of the Atlantic. As European science funders promote a radical new open-access (OA) publishing mandate they unveiled last month, the Trump administration is considering changes to a five-year-old directive governing the public release of research literature sponsored by federal agencies.

A delegation led by Robert-Jan Smits, the European Commission’s special envoy on OA, visited with officials of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and other federal agencies as part of an effort to gain broad support for the new European policy, known as Plan S. Due to take effect in January 2020, the initiative would require recipients of research grants from a dozen European national funding agencies to publish their research solely in journals whose contents are immediately available for free. It would prohibit researchers funded by those agencies from publishing their findings in most high-prestige journals, including Nature and Science, which are subscription based and make papers from those agencies available for free only after a one-year delay.

Plan S has been endorsed by both the European commissioner for research, science, and innovation and the European Research Council, which administers the European Union’s research program. Officials say it will apply to the EU’s next $100 billion, seven-year research “framework” plan, which is to take effect in 2021. “For the last 20 years, libraries, universities, and [others] had the possibility to sort this out. But they did not,” Smits says. “Now the funders have stepped in, and they now call the shots.” Smits said at a 3 October briefing in Washington, DC, that the Plan S coalition hopes to expand its model globally, though it was too early to expect any commitment from the US. “The publishers tell us that we can only flip our journals [to an OA model] if this happens at the global level,” he said. Plan organizers have received invitations to visit with officials of South Africa, India, China, and Japan.

Interesting times indeed!

Enjoy!

"Computers let you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila." - Mitch Ratliffe (quoted in The Funny Times)