Got_Water_Cropped_Campana
Aquadoc
Aquadoc

Categories

October 2023

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31        

About

My Photo
Blog powered by Typepad
Member since 12/2006

Favorite Blogs

  • Authentically Wired
    Water and a lot more from Paul F. Miller.
  • AWRA
    The water resources blog of the American Water Resources Association.
  • Blue Marble Earth
    An articulate Earth scientist with an MS in Geography from Oregon State University, Courtney van Stolk explores the 'whys' of this fantastic planet.
  • California Water Blog
    A biologist, economist, engineer and geologist walk onto a bar…From the Center for Watershed Sciences at UC-Davis.
  • Campanastan
    That's 'Campana-stan', or 'Place of Campana', formerly 'Aquablog'. Michael Campana's personal blog, promulgating his Weltanschauung.
  • Chance of Rain
    Journalist Emily Green's take on water and related issues.
  • Dr. Anne Jefferson's Watershed Hydrology Lab
    Anne blogs from Kent State University on a variety of earth science topics.
  • Great Lakes Law
    Noah Hall's blog about - what else - all things wet and legal in the Great Lakes region!
  • International Water Law Project
    Gabriel Eckstein, Professor of Law at Texas A&M University School of Law, comments on international and transboundary water law and policy.
  • John Fleck
    Former science writer @ Albuquerque Journal and current director of the Water Resources Program at U of NM. Topics: Colorado River basin, Western USA water, more!
  • Legal Planet: Environmental Law and Policy
    From the UC-Berkeley and UCLA law schools, it highlights the latest legal and policy initiatives and examines their implications.
  • Maven's Notebook
    A water, science, and environmental policy blog by Chris Austin, aka 'Maven'. Focus is on California.
  • On The Public Record
    A 'low level civil servant who reads a lot of government reports writes about California water and related topics.
  • Wettit - the water reddit
    Water blog with tons of news items, other blogs, etc.
  • Texas Agriculture Law Blog
    Don't let the name fool you - there are lots of water issues in agriculture and Tiffany Dowell of Texas A&M University does a fabulous job with this important Internet resource. Give it a read - I do every day!
  • The Water Blog
    From the Portland, OR, Water Bureau.
  • The Way of Water
    Dr. Jennifer Veilleux records her fieldwork, research, and thoughts about water resources development and management, indigenous rights, ethics, and a host of other issues.
  • Thirsty in Suburbia
    Gayle Leonard documents things from the world of water that make us smile: particularly funny, amusing and weird items on bottled water, water towers, water marketing, recycling, the art-water nexus and working.
  • This Day in Water History
    Michael J. 'Mike' McGuire, engineer extraordinaire, NAE member, and author of 'The Chlorine Revolution', blogs about historical happenings in the fields of drinking water and wastewater keyed to calendar dates.
  • WaSH Resources
    New publications, web sites and multi-media on water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH).
  • Waste, Water, Whatever
    Elizabeth Royte's ('Bottlemania', 'Garbage Land') notes on waste, water, whatever.
  • Water Matters
    News from the Columbia University Water Center.
  • Watershed Moments: Thoughts from the Hydrosphere
    From Sarah Boon - rediscovering her writing and editing roots after 13 years, primarily as an environmental scientist. Her writing centres around creative non-fiction, specifically memoir and nature writing. The landscapes of western Canada are her main inspiration.
  • WaterWired
    All things freshwater: news, comment, publications and analysis from hydrogeologist Michael E. Campana, Professor at Oregon State University and Technical Director of the AWRA.

Western USA

Monday, 25 September 2023

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Management - 25 September 2023

From @AWRAHQ: Last week to submit an abstract for a panel, workshop, poster, or presentation at #AWRA2024 GWTC Conference! Showcase your geospatial water technologies expertise. See you in Orlando, March 2024! tinyurl.com/55a8d3vu

Screen Shot 2023-09-25 at 9.12.02 AM

See you there!

*********************************************************************************************

Dr. Elaine J. Hanford is responsible for the material below, except for the saying at the very bottom. 

Do you know of a colleague and/or student who would be interested in receiving these Bulletin Boards? Please forward to them.  A quick email to [email protected] with the word “subscribe” in the subject line and the email address will be added to the email listing.

*********************************************************************************************

Geoscience Bulletin Board – 25 September 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford 

Mapping and monitoring thermal areas of Yellowstone using high-resolution satellite images

Pink diamonds erupted after supercontinent Nuna broke apart – being mined at Argyle in Western Australia

Exploring the zone between the Sierra de La Demanda & the Sierra de Ubierna – Triassic lutites & evaporites

Using geological science to drive energy innovation

Monitoring water resources in karst topography in Cache Valley, Utah

Pennsylvania Geological Survey building web tool to map subsurface geology for potential CO2 storage

Rocks are anything but boring

Exploring the Black Hills for lithium

Limestone Barrens & 6,000 years of history at Port Au Choix on the NW coast of Newfoundland

4th filling of GERD (Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam) of 24 Billion cubic meters concentrates a mass of 52.9 trillion pounds of water which could trigger seismic activity

3D geological model of Flat Bay Salt Project in SW Newfoundland

China issues geological disaster alerts for regions hit by heavy rains

36-million-year cycle of marine biodiversity booms & busts matches plate tectonic movements

50 years after the Bunker Hill bag-house fire – largest number of lead poisoning cases US history – what they don’t say is production was demanded by the US Government as minerals were needed for miliary in Vietnam implying instead that the Mine did it because of rising profit

Haboobs carry human-made toxic pollutants that impact outdoor & indoor air quality

Will asteroid Bennu hit Earth on 24 September 2182? Chances are low - 1,640-ft diameter asteroid impact could release 1,200 megatons of energy – a fraction of the impact of Chicxulub impact

El Niño and La Niña

Identifying mantle discontinuities revealed by body wave microseisms emerging from ambient noise of the ocean

New terrain smoothing method for modeling downslope winds

Extensive global impact of metal mining contamination of rivers and floodplains

Why the Atlantic transports warm water to the Arctic along the Norwegian coast – thermal coupling & decoupling

455 myo fossil fish from Colorado helps fill in gap in evolution of the skull to protect the brain

X-ray evidence of proteins in fossil dinosaur feathers

Borelis matsudai – new species of large benthic foraminifera found in Ryukyu Islands of Japan

New laser-based sampling system for composition of glacial ice cores

130 myo trace fossils from abyssal plain turbidites of ancient Tethys Ocean – deep sea vertebrates

Tyrannomimus fukuiensis – Early Cretaceous ostrich-mimic dinosaur discovered in Japan

Beginning to clarify timing & causes of Ice Age mammal extinctions in Southern California – La Brea Tar Pits

Drill site in Lorrain region of eastern France reveals rising levels of hydrogen mixed with methane

Lethal final meal preserved the only intact ammonite found in Posidonienschiefer Formation fossil bed

 
**************************************

Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 25 September 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

AI to scan billions of public health records (an invasion of privacy?) to cherry pick drug trial patients (biasing trial results?) to reduce human trials and allow Big Pharma to put sell new pharmaceutical drugs – Do you really want to trust AI to “overestimate the success” of a drug? – isn’t that what they did with covid vaxx?

3 cases of highly contagious TB, along with malaria and dengue fever, confirmed in illegals cross US Southern Border – puts Americans at risk – “total wartime invasion” as more than 2.3 million illegals have crossed the border so far this year

Covid drugs creating super viruses – increasing rates of mutation – warning was issued in 2010 but they did not listen

Nuclear Educators Workshop developed “blueprint for educating next-generation engineers & scientist about nuclear waste management and disposal” – develop narratives – cannot dissolve the legacy of uranium mining and highly radioactive nuclear waste

DEI is “superfluous or even damaging” and “considered to be un-collegial & bullying” – “race-conscious admissions to colleges were unconstitutional” – promoting based not on merit

Chaos, corruption, building on a delta, and an aging dam hit by storm waters in Libya – Natural events are acts of God, disasters are acts of Man

Warning of disease threat in Derna, Libya, following the flood

Eco-restoration project would include removal of Fox River Dam near Elgin resulting in loss of function of intake system near Riverside water treatment plant in Illinois

Proposed legislation would allocate $100M annually to rehab & expand dilapidated International Wastewater Treatment Plant on Mexican border that continues to pollute nearby beaches in San Diego, California

USDA announces $1.13B to plant trees – includes $6M to restore trees damaged by derecho in 2020 in Iowa

US DOD to fund analysis of design options leading to preliminary design for transportable micro-nuclear reactor to be used to initiate regulatory preapplication process

Contract awarded for front-end engineering & design work & construction timeline for $3.5B natural gas to liquid fuel facility in Jefferson County, Arkansas, along the Arkansas River

Pure Water project is in phase one of construction – will be “toilet to tap” recycling of wastewater in San Diego

Variation in chemical & pharmaceutical contaminants in the rivers of London during the Plandemic resulting primarily from wastewater treatment plants & combined sewer overflows – illicit drugs & neonicotinoid pesticides

Online dashboard for tracking 1,600 funded projects under the $13B of the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act

US BLM proposal to protect 4,000+ acres within Placitas area of Sandoval County, New Mexico, to safeguard sacred Tribal lands, support local recreation opportunities & wildlife habitat connectivity

Do you want to get a vaxx that has been approved without clinical trials? Can you really trust Big Pharma “evaluation of manufacturing data” or not since covid is “no longer a Public Health Emergency?”

Big Pharma beginning to get the message – global demand for vaxx has plummeted – pandemic is over

More totally dumb humans get too close to massive bison in Yellowstone & suffers consequences

More tourons behaving badly

Promises that new Anacostia River Tunnel will prevent 98% of sewer overflows into the river in Washington DC

Revised US Army COE plan to limit growth of newly created Neptune Pass along the Mississippi River

Trying to develop a treaty on pandemic prevention & preparedness is futile – what is needed is a treaty to prevent future politically motivated plandemics and ineffective vaccines that cause detrimental health impacts

Wetlands at Long’s Park in Pennsylvania is $1.9M innovative water treatment system

Biden administration stone-walling on efforts to recover billions of taxpayer-funded covid fraud – SBA cites at least $200B

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe rejects draft EIS of the Dakota Access Pipeline – US Army COE seeking public comment on Draft EIS by 13 November 2023

Ultra-processed foods which constitute more than 58% of US diet are harmful to your health

People gather who identify as dogs:  ‘Canine Beings’ – call out animal control! – “Cult-thinking is ubiquitous in normal society and has the effect of obfuscating reality”

***********************************************

Coastal Zone Management Bulletin Board - 25 September 2023 - compiled by Elaine J. Hanford.

Bioluminescent waves along southern California coast

6 of the best coastal rail journeys

Policy progress & challenges of coastal waterbird conservation in China

Study says “Coastal communities to face 100-year floods annually” – nothing new here since the concept of 100-year flood means 1% chance of flooding in a year - does NOT mean flooding only occurs once every 100 years

California Coastal Commission approved Coastal Development Permit for Pillar Point Harbor sand dredging

Understanding coastal droughts – how they differ from inland locations

Marking the 104th anniversary of the 1919 Hurricane in Corpus Christi, Texas

$111.7M Bayfront Parkway Central Corridor Improvement Project to link downtown with Lake Erie Waterfront

Las Virgenes Municipal Water District to study feasibility of harvesting drinking water from desalination pods placed on the ocean floor off the coast of California

Pending legislation in California – Eco Wave Power Global AB directs California Energy Commission to evaluate feasibility, costs & benefits of wave & tidal energy along 840-mile coastline

Salt water wedge in lower Mississippi River – obviously the $8.9M underwater sill that was built is not working to slow progression of salt water caused by over-pumping of freshwater

$2.6B coastal storm protection plan for Norfolk, Virginia

*************************************

"We are happy to announce a series of coffee talks with college departments. We are looking forward to open and honest dialogues about the future of the college! The departments will need to buy the coffee. And we have a list of approved questions faculty may ask."- @ass_deans

Posted on Monday, 25 September 2023 at 11:50 AM in Blogs, Twitters, WWW sites, e-Newsletters, & Lists, Climate Change, Climate & Meteorology, Education, Elaine Hanford's Bulletin Boards, Energy & Water, Events, Extremes: Droughts, Floods, etc., Land, Food & Water , Policy, Planning, Governance, IWRM & Management, Readings, Journals, Videos, Films & Visuals, Western USA, World Water | | Comments (0)

| | | |

Monday, 18 September 2023

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Management - 18 September 2023

This will be a great one! I'll see you there! Info here.

Screen Shot 2023-09-18 at 5.31.26 PMEnjoy!

*************************************************************************************

Dr. Elaine J. Hanford is solely responsible for the content below 

*********************************************************************************************

Geoscience Bulletin Board – 18 September 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Reporting seismic activity associated with volcanoes

Too many dead bodies cause tourist board in Nepal to raise cost of permit to climb Mount Everest

Earth fissures resulting from over-pumping groundwater continue to damage infrastructure & threaten lives

Kilauea erupts yet again, viewing areas are closed, but tourist ignore safety precautions & warnings

Rockfalls on the Eiger and the Matterhorn

Explaining earthquakes – just ask the UN? Or get a more science-based explanation

Using records of 12th and 13th Century eclipses to date volcanic eruptions

Computational models may help identify composition & volume of magmas during continental rift evolution

Proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off the central coast of California

Using seismometers to measure fluvial bedload transport

If conditions in Antarctica recur “once every 7.5 million years” then it is not “unprecedented”

Latest IPCC diatribe on ocean & cryosphere in a changing climate – more “man-made global warming” hype

Can salt caverns be used for hydrogen storage? – Engineers think so

Earthquake lights reported just prior to M6.8 earthquake in Morocco

Using polarization patterns of daylight to locate true north – skylight polarization due to Raleigh scattering

Visualizing mining footprint in British Columbia, Canada

“Melting ice likely triggered climate change 8,000+ years ago” – how about the ice melted in response to changes in the climate and ocean currents & melt waters draining into the Ocean affected the AMOC?

Nonlinear energy processes may shape zonal asymmetry observed in El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) induced Pacific-North American (PNA) wave trains

Patterns & history of freshwater gastropod evolution from Carboniferous to the Late Pleistocene Ice Age

Seasonal cycle in Antarctic sea ice algae

Dominant source of atmospheric mercury in the Arctic is from Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ)

Greatest historic fire death toll followed 1923 M7.9 Kantō earthquake in & around Tokyo, Japan

When the Sahara Desert was periodically green over the past 800,000 years

Flowering plants survived relatively unscathed from the mass extinction event 66 myo

Pampaphoneus biccai – oldest & largest predator in South America – 265 myo fossil

Langiella scourfieldii - photosynthesizing cyanobacteria emerged onto land from the ocean 400 myo

Vectidromeus insularis – new species of Early Cretaceous bipedal herbivorous dinosaurs

Igai semkhu – new genus & species of Late Cretaceous titanosaurian dinosaur discovered in Egypt

Groundwater quality in abandoned underground coal mine aquifers in West Virginia

Applying environmental age tracers to south-central Texas Edwards aquifer to determine karst groundwater vulnerability to land-surface contamination

“Why geologists love to lick rocks” belatedly awarded Ig Noble Prize

Eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai in January 2022 may be “to blame” for ‘record’ world temperatures

*******************************************

Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 18 September 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford 

Mad scrambling to over-allocate an over-allocated Colorado River

95% of wristbands of smartwatches contaminated with disease-causing bacteria – none on gold & silver bands

Rectifying bad law in California that took away patient ability to make decisions - unconstitutionality

Forcing a vote that would effectively prohibit California & other states from implementing planned EV mandates

Biden agrees to pay $6 billion ransom to Iran for 5 US hostages

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-agrees-to-pay-6-billion-ransom-to-iran-for-five-us-hostages/ar-AA1gzwW4

Humans breeding mini-cows for pets – genetic problems, expensive, safety concerns & local zoning laws

Cannabis users have elevated levels of lead & cadmium in blood & urine – Cd linked to kidney disease & lung cancer – Pb unhealthy at any level

55-year-old Virginia hiker dies after attempting rim-to-rim hike of Grand Canyon in one day – that’s 23.9 miles descending 6,000 feet and then ascending 4,500 feet in the heat of summer

Common household products (even those claiming to be “green”) contain VOCs that can cause cancer

Once again expanded development is impinging on prime wildlife habitat – cougars on Olympic Peninsula

Bad policies lead to adverse economic impacts – increased inflation, slower economic growth, fewer jobs

“Alarming increase” in suicide rates on Chippewa Cree Rocky Boy Reservation in Montana

Visualizing the sources of electricity that powered the world in 2022

Visualizing the deadliest earthquakes of the 21st century

Marijuana is not a panacea – it is not harmless – “marijuana use disorder” – impacts fetal development

Book Review:  Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of our Planet – from “massive squishings’ to habitat fragmentation

Cratering demand for EVs causing worker layoffs

Latest IPCC diatribe on the ocean & cryosphere in changing climate – more “man-made global warming” hype

Federal judge declares DACA is illegal – refuses to order deportation – half million+ illegal aliens applied – nearly 200,000 illegals released into US after giving false addresses 

Perspective:  UN Sustainable Development Goals to “save humanity” are ambitious – but no goals are set to be achieved by 2030

Perspective on the Corporate-Practice of Medicine (CPOM) – it is a business not health care

Energy Department Secretary gets dose of reality while making 4-day tour in EV

New BA.2.86 Pirola variant is a “paper tiger” – “the scariant of the moment” while Florida Surgeon General opposes CDC vaxx recommendation & warns against vaxx for those under age 65 – “vaccines are not backed by clinical evidence” - 

Explosion at UP Bailey Railyard in western Nebraska causes heavy toxic smoke and prompts evacuations

CDC confirms:  vaxx prevents death in only 1 out of six million doses in 12 to 17 year olds & can cause 100,000 to 200,000 severe side effects

USDA announces updated National Plan for Wildlife Rabies Management

Murders on Staten Island soar 129% so far this year – major crimes up in every category – migrant crisis on the island – crime due to “misguided and harmful policies visited upon us by outside forces”

Nippah virus outbreak in India – Nippah has case fatality rate of 40% to 75% compared to <1.5% for covid

Trying to save the Joshua tree ravaged by York Fire in Mojave National Preserve in California

Cost of invasive species impacts on crops, wildlife & human health estimated by UN at $423B per year

EPA experts including “key dioxin scientist” were not consulted until month after East Palestine train derailment

Watching hawk migration at Glacier National Park in Montana during Mount Brown Hawk Watch Program on 14 October near Lake McDonald Lodge

Toxicity of particulate matter (PM2.5) involves both chemical composition (OOA) & alveolar cell reactions

Overdose deaths from fentanyl-laced stimulants (i.e, cocaine & meth) have risen 50X since 2010 in the US and drug-overdose deaths have quadrupled from 1999 to 2020

Database tracking indicates cars, chlamydia and canines are devastating South East Queensland koalas

Sexually transmitted HPV causing epidemic of oropharyngeal (i.e., throat) cancer in the US & UK

World’s deadliest disease?  Hint:  It is not a virus – it is a prion (TSE)

***************************************************** 

Coastal Zone Management Bulletin Board  - 18 September 2023 - compiled by Elaine J. Hanfoprd

Hurricane Idalia blamed for spill of mostly raw sewage at Pelican Harbor wastewater treatment facility

Visualizing seaport trade traffic by country – top 10

Record-breaking turtle nesting season on Treasure Coast beaches

Rare influx of Aequorea victoria "crystal jelly" off coast of Cornwall

The estuaries and rivers of the North Coast of California

Major cliff falls attract fossil hunters but risks remain to humans – some fatalities to Jurassic Coast of Dorset

Intercepted ship-to-ship transfer raises questions of sanction, pollution & international law within EEZ

Norwegian Petroleum Directorate announces new edition of continental shelf map 

US Dept of Interior publishes final well control rule to help prevent catastrophic offshore blowouts

Storm surge can modify bathymetry in near-coast seabed

Oil & gas industry in the North Sea also benefits much of Europe

A scheme for modular underwater living

Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) off the coasts of El Cuyo on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico

Panama Canal seeking “new” source of water to regulate artificial reservoir Gatun Lake 

Pilot test for short-term geothermal energy storage – may be cost-competitive with lithium-ion batteries & pumped hydro

Proposed plant in Southwest Washington may convert surplus food into energy

US EPA to throw $100M at recycling initiative

Escalating costs & inflation have hampered offshore wind development

Ocean Explorer expedition cruise ship ran aground in Alpefjord in NE Greenland National Park - pulled loose by research vessel Tarajoq – all on board safe & no environmental damage

Boat strikes pier & seawall in Bar Harbor, Maine, pushed by waves from Tropical Storm Lee - video

History of whaling in Red Bay, Labrador at Red Bay National Historic Site

Surveying public support for combatting nutrient depletion of coastal waters in Seto Inland Sea in Japan – oligotrophication due to lack of nitrogen & phosphorous

"People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day." - A.A. Milne

Posted on Monday, 18 September 2023 at 01:55 PM in Blogs, Twitters, WWW sites, e-Newsletters, & Lists, Climate Change, Climate & Meteorology, Education, Elaine Hanford's Bulletin Boards, Energy & Water, Events, Extremes: Droughts, Floods, etc., Land, Food & Water , Policy, Planning, Governance, IWRM & Management, Readings, Journals, Videos, Films & Visuals, Western USA, World Water | | Comments (0)

| | | |

Saturday, 16 September 2023

CRS InFocus Report: 'Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - Status of Oil and Gas Program'

Laura B. Comay produced this CRS InFocus report (updated: 14 September 2023): 'Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - Status of Oil and Gas Program'.

Download CRS_InFocus_Rpt_ANWR_Status_O&G_Pgm_14Sept2023

Click on the graphic to enlarge it.

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR or the Refuge) comprises 19 million acres in northeast Alaska, administered primarily by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in the Department of the Interior. ANWR’s Coastal Plain—a 1.57-million-acre area in the northern part of the Refuge (Figure 1)—is viewed as an onshore oil prospect, with a mean estimate by the U.S. Geological Survey of 7.7 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil on federal lands (or 10.4 billion barrels if Alaska Native lands and adjacent waters are included). The Refuge also is a center of activity for caribou and other wildlife, with subsistence use by Alaska Natives and critical habitat for polar bears under the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. §§1531-1544).

P.L. 115-97 established a program for oil and gas leasing in ANWR’s Coastal Plain. The law’s 2017 enactment marked a turning point in decades of congressional debate over energy development in the Refuge. Prior to enactment of the law, Section 1003 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA; P.L. 96-487) had prohibited oil and gas development in ANWR unless such activities were explicitly authorized by an act of Congress. Section 20001 of P.L. 115-97 directed the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to establish and administer a competitive oil and gas leasing program for ANWR’s Coastal Plain and added this program as a stated purpose of the Refuge. The law requires at least two lease sales in the Coastal Plain, one within four years of the law’s enactment (i.e., by December 2021) and a second within seven years of enactment (December 2024). Each lease sale must offer at least 400,000 acres and must include those areas with the highest potential for discovery of hydrocarbons. The law also has provisions concerning management of the oil and gas program, minimum royalty rates for ANWR leases, disposition of revenues from the program, rights-of-way, and surface development. (For more information, see CRS In Focus IF10782, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Provisions in P.L. 115-97, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.)

Screen Shot 2023-09-16 at 8.02.15 PM

During BLM’s implementation of the ANWR oil and gas program, Congress has continued to debate leasing in the Refuge. Some Members support the program established in P.L. 115-97, and others seek to repeal it.

January 2021 Lease Sale
On January 6, 2021, under the Trump Administration, BLM held the first oil and gas lease sale for the ANWR Coastal Plain, offering 22 tracts on 1.1 million acres. The sale yielded a total of $14.4 million in high bids on 11 tracts. BLM subsequently issued leases for nine of the tracts, covering 437,804 total acres. Most leases went to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), a state-established public corporation. Two private companies that won leases later relinquished them.

Temporary Moratorium and Environmental Review
On January 20, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 13990. Among other provisions, the order directed the Secretary of the Interior to “place a temporary moratorium on all activities of the Federal Government relating to the implementation of the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program” and to conduct a “new, comprehensive analysis” of the potential environmental impacts of the program in a manner consistent with applicable law. Pursuant to the executive order, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland issued Secretarial Order 3401 on June 1, 2021, with similar requirements. BLM suspended operations on the awarded leases, temporarily prohibiting exploration and development of the leased tracts while a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) was prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. §§4321 et seq.) to reevaluate impacts of the leasing program. BLM released a draft SEIS on September 6, 2023.

Lease Cancellations
Also on September 6, 2023, the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the Secretary of the Interior’s decision to cancel the remaining ANWR leases (the seven leases held by AIDEA) from the 2021 lease sale. According to a DOI press release, the Secretary determined that the earlier NEPA analysis underlying that lease sale was “seriously flawed” and “based on ... fundamental legal deficiencies,” such as failure to analyze a reasonable range of alternatives, to “properly quantify” downstream greenhouse gas emissions, and to “properly interpret” certain provisions of P.L. 115-97. AIDEA announced its intention to challenge the Secretary’s decision in court.

Alaska Native Lands in the Coastal Plain
Some lands within the outer boundary of the Coastal Plain are owned by Alaska Native corporations. (For more information, see CRS Report RL33872, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): An Overview.) A 1983 agreement, known as the Chandler Lake Agreement, provided that energy development would not take place on these Alaska Native lands until Congress approved development of the Coastal Plain. P.L. 115-97 thus opened the possibility of oil and gas development on both the federal lands and the Alaska Native lands of the Coastal Plain. Alaska Native corporations applied for permits to conduct seismic exploration on their Coastal Plain lands, but BLM and FWS did not approve all the necessary permits.

Issues for Congress
The conflict between oil and natural gas potential and valued natural habitat in the Refuge has long created dilemmas for Congress when considering activities on the ANWR Coastal Plain. Broader questions about U.S. energy and climate also have shaped the debate. Supporters of oil and gas leasing assert that development of the Coastal Plain would increase American energy security and substitute U.S.-produced energy for imports developed with fewer environmental safeguards than apply to the Refuge. Supporters also point to potential economic benefits for the Refuge’s Alaska Native communities and for the state of Alaska generally. Opponents contend that ANWR leasing would irremediably damage wildlife habitat and Alaska Native subsistence uses and, more broadly, that it represents a long-term investment in fossil fuels that would slow efforts to address climate change.

The 117th and 118th Congresses have considered further actions regarding oil and gas development on the ANWR Coastal Plain. In the 118th Congress, H.R. 724 and S. 282 would repeal the ANWR leasing program and designate the Coastal Plain as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System under the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. §§1131 et seq.). In the 117th Congress, the House-passed version of budget reconciliation legislation (H.R. 5376) would have repealed the ANWR leasing program, canceled the awarded leases, and returned all related payments to the lessees. Other bills, including H.R. 815 and S. 282, also would have repealed the leasing program, while H.R. 1726 would have promoted oil and gas activity in the Coastal Plain by requiring congressional approval for a presidential leasing moratorium in the Refuge to take effect. None of these 117th Congress bills was enacted.

Regardless of the current lease cancellations, P.L. 115-97 directs BLM to hold a second ANWR lease sale by December 22, 2024. BLM’s work on the SEIS could inform future lease sales in the Coastal Plain. The draft SEIS considers several alternatives with differences in the extent of land that would be offered for leasing, the allowed areas of surface occupancy, and the required operating procedures for lessees to mitigate resource impacts. Some limitations are required by law—for instance, P.L. 115-97 limits surface development to 2,000 acres, which need not be concentrated in a single area. Congress could consider whether to legislate further concerning conditions of oil and gas development in the Refuge—for instance, by revisiting provisions considered in earlier bills (e.g., H.R. 49 and S. 49 in the 115th Congress) related to seasonal closures, land reclamation, species protection, use of the best available technology, employment of Alaska Natives, pipeline construction standards, and other matters.

Enjoy!

"It would be helpful if we opened up ANWR. I think it's a mistake not to..." - George W. Bush

Posted on Saturday, 16 September 2023 at 08:01 PM in Conflict, Cooperation, Vulnerability & Security, CRS, FMSO & GAO Reports, Energy & Water, WaSH, Water Quality, Health & Ecosystems, Western USA | | Comments (0)

| | | |

Monday, 11 September 2023

Elaine J. Hanford's Bulletin Boards: 1) Geoscience; 2) Environmental Science; 3) Coastal Zone Management - 11 September 2023

Screen Shot 2023-09-10 at 8.50.40 PMWe now call 9/11 'Patriot Day'. For me, it will always be the day my younger sister Ann (holding a wombat) was murdered by five Saudi Arabian terrorists who crashed her plane into the Pentagon. Ann Campana Judge was the Travel Director for the Screen Shot 2023-09-10 at 8.48.39 PM National Geographic Society. She and a colleague were escorting grammar-school children and their teachers from the DC area to meet others in LA to see various natural environments in the area. They were on AA #77 that was flying from Dulles Airport to LAX.  

Here's a special tune.

*************************************************************************************

Dr. Elaine J. Hanford is solely responsible for the content below 

*********************************************************************************************

Geoscience Bulletin Board – 11 September 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

M6.8 earthquake in Morocco is deadly and destroys buildings near Marrakech – aftershocks expected – Atlas Mountains are tectonic hot spot

Pacific meridional overturning circulation in Miocene to early Pleistocene resulted in present-day circulation

Low-frequency earthquakes are incident to larger magnitude slow earthquakes in which aseismic slip dominates

Hot spots in the contiguous US for the occurrence of sinkholes

  1. https://eos.org/articles/where-the-ground-gives-way 
  2. Paper:  https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1207689/full 

A much smaller Greenland ice cap existed 416,000 years ago – Greenland was green

Visualizing Antarctic sea ice in 2023 – short term variations in ice extent

Crack in granite on west side of Royal Arches exfoliation dome formation near “Super Slide” forces closure of climbing route in Yosemite

Fragmentation of Tibetan Empire 1,200 years ago attributed to abrupt onset of severe drought

Some insights on Antarctic Sea Ice and the manipulation of data

Making a “baby glacier” in Pakistan – yeah, right, this will work

50-foot-long silver “monster” encountered in Lake Tianchi in Xinjiang Region of NW China – Here be dragons

Understanding the paradox of Himalayan glacier melt

150 myo Fujiavenator prodigiosus may help fill in the gap for the evolution of birds – evolutionary mosaicism

New insights into the evolution of plant biology – episodic bursts

How marine life copes with hurricanes

Lumakoala blackae - New Oligocene species of early Koala relative

Plesiosaur long necks evolved very rapidly

Six billion tonnes of sand & sediment extracted from the ocean every year

Valencia County, Oppenheimer & uranium geology

Active landslide season in Utah

Impacts of the M7.8 earthquake in Turkey & Syria

Field excursion to Long Valley, California – Long Valley Caldera, Bishop Tuff

Chevron starts drilling in expanded area of Bibiyana Gas Field

Ancient oceanic floor lithosphere may wrap around the Core

Perspective:  Engineering geological survey should be conducted prior to building a home in Utah

******************************************** 

Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 11 September 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford 

New research shows “direct link” between GHG emissions & polar bear decline – But loss of Arctic sea ice has STALLED since 2008 – many drivers of biodiversity loss

Using the wrong paradigm – covid is not a seasonal virus

Fauci worried people won’t treat CDC recommendations as mandates – “little to no” evidence that large-scale masking is effective at preventing spread of the virus – masks cause physical & developmental issues in children

Covid pandemic fraud – just how much was stolen & how much money has been recovered?

Covid fear-mongering & falsehoods back in the liberal main stream media – masks do not stop the virus

Groundwater & petroleum – outline & download link

Wildlife or hot springs or being dumb human pose hazards to tourists

California has spent $600M+ for environmental reviews of incomplete high-speed rail line – 78 miles have still not received full environmental approval – history of delays & budget overruns

“Transableism” is the new “abyss” – a “delusional disorder” 

Wantonly sacrificing the countryside at the altar of “net zero”

More than 1,600 scientists declare climate “emergency” is a myth – no cause for panic & alarm – need to strongly oppose “net zero policy” 

Leading academic journals tend to favor climate papers that support preapproved narratives – reject those that don’t & media manipulates the truth

Latest chapter of climate fiction – “the climate Chicken Littles are wrong again”

Start with a bad assumption to create policy that may be costly and of minimal effectiveness

Is the Tesla Supercharger still being powered by a diesel plant?

Serious questions still unanswered about the Chinese underground biolab in Reedley, California – cultures of tuberculosis, dengue, HIV, covid & malaria – “risk group 2 & 3”

First Peoples 3:  States, Feds and the First People Go Fishing

On-going outbreak of meningococcal disease across Virginia reports total of 27 cases

Warning of potential for drinking water crisis in 5 cities

Grand Canyon National Park re-implementing mandatory water conservation measures for the South Rim – concessions must switch to disposable dishes & utensils

Proposed legislation in Pennsylvania would classify produced water as hazardous waste & would require toxicity testing of wastewater, mine tailings & runoff from landfills

Agribusiness Cargill in crosshairs for connections to deforestation in Bolivia

Elk rut has begun in Jasper National Park – tourists beware & keep a safe distance

Ethical and moral?  Human embryo models grown from stem cells

Universal pattern of how many species are common, very rare, or somewhere in between

Large increases in ER visits for traffic injuries involving cannabis in Ontario, Canada

Corruption is a way of doing things in the swamp – affects all our society in many ways

Fighting invasive species is a very expensive, futile, uphill battle

Class action lawsuit against DuPont & Chemours for PFAS forever chemicals

Feds announce will overturn sales of O&G leases in ANWR – unlawful action

Carbon capture pipeline project denied key construction permit in South Dakota – following example of ND

Burning Man organizers have 3 weeks to clean up apocalyptic expanse of abandoned cars and other debris left behind in the Black Rock Desert

Trying to mitigate the impacts of over-tourism at Lake Tahoe – “Keep Tahoe Blue”

Sniffer dogs help find platypus researchers

Microwaving releases hordes of micro-plastic particles from food containers

First ever global estimate of human destruction of natural floodplains

Determining the cause of the 1931 Yangtze River flood – one of deadliest natural disasters in history

Mount Fuji suffering from over-tourism

Factors affecting mortality and maternal abandonment of young free-roaming feral horse foals

***************************************************** 

 

Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 11 September 2023 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford 

New research shows “direct link” between GHG emissions & polar bear decline – But loss of Arctic sea ice has STALLED since 2008 – many drivers of biodiversity loss

Using the wrong paradigm – covid is not a seasonal virus

Fauci worried people won’t treat CDC recommendations as mandates – “little to no” evidence that large-scale masking is effective at preventing spread of the virus – masks cause physical & developmental issues in children

Covid pandemic fraud – just how much was stolen & how much money has been recovered?

Covid fear-mongering & falsehoods back in the liberal main stream media – masks do not stop the virus

Groundwater & petroleum – outline & download link

Wildlife or hot springs or being dumb human pose hazards to tourists

California has spent $600M+ for environmental reviews of incomplete high-speed rail line – 78 miles have still not received full environmental approval – history of delays & budget overruns

“Transableism” is the new “abyss” – a “delusional disorder” 

Wantonly sacrificing the countryside at the altar of “net zero”

More than 1,600 scientists declare climate “emergency” is a myth – no cause for panic & alarm – need to strongly oppose “net zero policy” 

Leading academic journals tend to favor climate papers that support preapproved narratives – reject those that don’t & media manipulates the truth

Latest chapter of climate fiction – “the climate Chicken Littles are wrong again”

Start with a bad assumption to create policy that may be costly and of minimal effectiveness

Is the Tesla Supercharger still being powered by a diesel plant?

Serious questions still unanswered about the Chinese underground biolab in Reedley, California – cultures of tuberculosis, dengue, HIV, covid & malaria – “risk group 2 & 3”

First Peoples 3:  States, Feds and the First People Go Fishing

On-going outbreak of meningococcal disease across Virginia reports total of 27 cases

Warning of potential for drinking water crisis in 5 cities

Grand Canyon National Park re-implementing mandatory water conservation measures for the South Rim – concessions must switch to disposable dishes & utensils

Proposed legislation in Pennsylvania would classify produced water as hazardous waste & would require toxicity testing of wastewater, mine tailings & runoff from landfills

Agribusiness Cargill in crosshairs for connections to deforestation in Bolivia

Elk rut has begun in Jasper National Park – tourists beware & keep a safe distance

Ethical and moral?  Human embryo models grown from stem cells

Universal pattern of how many species are common, very rare, or somewhere in between

Large increases in ER visits for traffic injuries involving cannabis in Ontario, Canada

Corruption is a way of doing things in the swamp – affects all our society in many ways

Fighting invasive species is a very expensive, futile, up-hill battle

Class action lawsuit against DuPont & Chemours for PFAS forever chemicals

 

Feds announce will overturn sales of O&G leases in ANWR – unlawful action

Carbon capture pipeline project denied key construction permit in South Dakota – following example of ND

Burning Man organizers have 3 weeks to clean up apocalyptic expanse of abandoned cars and other debris left behind in the Black Rock Desert

Trying to mitigate the impacts of over-tourism at Lake Tahoe – “Keep Tahoe Blue”

Sniffer dogs help find platypus researchers

Microwaving releases hordes of micro-plastic particles from food containers

First ever global estimate of human destruction of natural floodplains

Determining the cause of the 1931 Yangtze River flood – one of deadliest natural disasters in history

Mount Fuji suffering from over-tourism

Factors affecting mortality and maternal abandonment of young free-roaming feral horse foals

*****************************************************

Coastal Zone Management Bulletin Board - 11 September 2023 - Compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Marine Sand Watch - Removal of 6B tons of sand from the ocean each year pose risk to marine life

Hypoxia cited as reason for downward trend in lobsters off the coast of Massachusetts

Australia includes Southern Ocean in 6 areas for public consultation ahead of planned offshore wind lease sales – South Australia opposed since poses danger to fisheries

Danish company Ørsted to continue survey for pathway for cables to connect offshore wind farm to land

Coastal erosion on Chebeague Island off the coast of Maine especially in intertidal nature preserve

Inception of Building Resilience of Coastal Ecological & Social Systems of Pakistan project

Coastal redwoods take advantage of regular influx of fog – “Cathedral Forests”

California trial court attempts to clarify when coastal property owners are entitled to seawall protection

“Death star” processing plants to produce liquified natural gas are popping up along the Gulf Coast – begs the question:  why are we exporting so much energy when we have an energy shortage here in the US?

Considering an ocean corridor of high-voltage power lines from Maine to New Jersey – pros & cons

Beach from Buxton Beach Access to Buxton jetties temporarily closed in Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Yes, somewhere underneath all those shacks is a Caribbean Island that will be abandoned by 2,000 residents who think their island is “sinking”

Benthic habitat characterization offshore of Morrow Bay, California

Sea lions found dead along California coast died of leptospirosis bacterial infection 
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/california-sea-lions-are-dying-now-scientists-know-why/ar-AA1gqU3Q 

 "We have seen the decency of a loving and giving people who have made the grief of strangers their own.” - President George W. Bush, 9/11/2001

"Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once." -- William Shakespeare (from Julius Caesar)

Posted on Monday, 11 September 2023 at 09:14 AM in Blogs, Twitters, WWW sites, e-Newsletters, & Lists, Climate Change, Climate & Meteorology, Education, Elaine Hanford's Bulletin Boards, Energy & Water, Events, Extremes: Droughts, Floods, etc., Land, Food & Water , Policy, Planning, Governance, IWRM & Management, Readings, Journals, Videos, Films & Visuals, Western USA, World Water | | Comments (0)

| | | |

Saturday, 12 August 2023

CRS Insight Report: 'August 2023 Wildfires in Hawaii'

Linda R. Rowan, Erica A. Lee and Anne A. Riddle have already produced (11 August 2023) this CRS Insight report on 'August 2023 Wildfires in Hawaii'.

I suspect other updates will soon follow. Insight reports contain embedded links, which you can find on the downloadable copies, not the pasted copy here. Click on the graphics to enlarge them. 

Download CRS_Insight_Rpt_11August2023_Wildfires_Hawaii

You can download a companion report here: 'Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery'.

Download CRS_InFocus_Rpt_Fed_Asst_Wildfire_Response_Recovery_11August2023

Impacts of August Wildfires
Due to dry and windy conditions, several damaging wildfires spread on the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Hawaii starting on August 8, 2023 (Figure 1). On August 10, the affected areas received a presidential declaration of major disaster under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act; P.L. 93-288, as amended). The wildfires have caused fatalities and injuries, as well as damage to hundreds of structures across different communities on the two islands.

Screen Shot 2023-08-12 at 7.29.29 PM

Winds and Wildfires on Maui and Hawaii Islands
Beginning on August 8 and 9, wildfires ignited on Maui and Hawaii islands and spread quickly due to strong winds. The National Weather Service (NWS) previously issued red flag warnings, meaning critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or expected, for the leeward side of the Hawaiian Islands for August 8 and 9. The NWS said Hurricane Dora, which passed about 500 miles south of the islands during the same time period, strengthened trade winds and caused gusts of about 60-80 miles per hour. The winds knocked out power, blocked roads with downed powerlines and other debris, grounded firefighting helicopters, and hampered firefighting efforts. Some communications, such as landlines, cellular services, and 911 services, were lost due to the winds and wildfires. According to Maui County press releases and other sources, the wildfires have caused 55 fatalities, injuries, and evacuations of more than 10,000 visitors and hundreds of residents and have forced some people to flee into the ocean. Some of the injured, especially burn victims, have been airlifted to the island of Oahu. The U.S. Coast Guard, the Hawaii National Guard, and various Hawaii emergency services are responding by air, sea, and ground.

Occurrence of Wildfires in the State of Hawaii
According to the Pacific Fire Exchange, wildfires can occur on the islands at any time. Over the last decade, Hawaii has experienced an annual average of over 1,000 ignitions burning more than 20,000 acres each year on the main inhabited islands (Figure 2). The primary drivers of fire occurrence are human-caused ignitions; expansion of nonnative, fire-prone grasslands and shrublands; strong rain shadow effects; and episodic drought. Other natural factors that influence fire risk are the location of the islands, topography, and native ecosystems. Each island has mountains (i.e., extinct or active volcanoes) and gently sloped lowlands. The prevailing northeasterly trade winds bring humid ocean air up against each mountain and produce rain on the east side, leaving the west side dry (also called a rain shadow or the leeward side). The native ecosystems on the dry sides include dry shrublands, dry grasslands, and dryland forests; on the wet sides, they include subalpine grasslands, montane and lowland semi-wet and wet grasslands, and forests.

Screen Shot 2023-08-12 at 7.31.53 PM

Since Hawaii’s native ecosystems evolved without frequent wildfire, they are vulnerable to disturbance by fire. Wildfires have removed about 90% of dryland forests, which have been replaced by nonnative fire- prone grasses. In addition, reductions in ranching and farming in Hawaii have left land fallow and ungrazed, allowing nonnative fire-prone grasses to take over these landscapes, adding to the fire risk.

Challenges to Emergency Response Efforts
Many factors may complicate wildfire response and recovery efforts in Hawaii, including the following:

  • Landline, cellular and emergency communications systems are currently inoperable in many affected areas, jeopardizing efforts to locate and secure survivors.

  • Ongoing power disruptions affecting thousands are likely to continue. Such disruptions may endanger vulnerable populations dependent on electricity.

  • The remote location of the Hawaii islands relative to the contiguous United States inhibits the deployment of emergency resources. Affected communities may wait hours to weeks for the arrival of provisions by air or sea transport.

  • Wildfire debris removal is often complex due to the dangers of ash contaminants.

  • News media report shortages of temporary shelter for survivors, a particular risk following wildfires, which tend to render affected houses uninhabitable.

    Availability of Federal Assistance
    Jurisdiction over wildfire response on the islands is divided between federal and state agencies. In general, the Department of the Interior (DOI) responds to wildfires on DOI lands, Department of Defense (DOD) responds to wildfires on DOD lands, and the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) responds to wildfires on state lands (see CRS In Focus IF12384, Federal Interagency Wildfire Response Framework), including the August wildfires. DOFAW’s fire response maps show firefighting responsibilities. DOFAW has agreements with DOI and DOD regarding firefighting assistance and coordination, and it receives some funding from the U.S. Forest Service for fire management.

On August 10, 2023, President Biden declared a major disaster under the Stafford Act, providing certain counties

  • Public Assistance to nonfederal governments and eligible nonprofits for 75% of the costs of eligible fire suppression and emergency assistance;

  • Individual Assistance to individuals and households for temporary housing, uninsured home repairs, and other losses; and

  • Hazard Mitigation Grant Program assistance to reduce future disaster losses (available statewide).

    The location of DOD facilities on Oahu may help expedite the federal delivery of emergency generators and the execution of “mission assignments.” FEMA is coordinating federal response and recovery efforts in concert with federal and state entities, particularly DOFAW. FEMA increased regional capabilities in Hawaii following compound wildfire and typhoon disasters in the state in 2018. FEMA expanded capacity in distribution centers in Hawaii and the use of advance contracts to minimize delays in the delivery of emergency commodities.

If you wish to make donations go here or here.
 
 
“It is with our passions as it is with fire and water; they are good servants, but bad masters.” ~ Roger L’Estrange
page3image945629376
 

Posted on Saturday, 12 August 2023 at 07:52 PM in Climate Change, Climate & Meteorology, CRS, FMSO & GAO Reports, Current Affairs, Events, Extremes: Droughts, Floods, etc., WaSH, Water Quality, Health & Ecosystems, Water Quantity & Availability, Western USA | | Comments (0)

| | | |

»

Translation


Visitors

  • Visitors
    Locations of visitors to this page
Top_50_water_blogs
Geology Site that Rocks!
Featured in Alltop
TheReefTank
proudly awards
this site as
Recommended Reading
Please vote for it
in the community!





Vote for us!

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Subscribe to WaterWired

Find the best blogs at Blogs.com.

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

More...

Categories

Archives

More...

WWW sites