Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue) appears twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Today’s edition is the 435th entry in this series. More than 25,015 environmentally oriented stories have now been highlighted in this series since 2006. Inclusion of a story in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it. Here is the most recent previous Green Spotlight.
OUTSTANDING GREEN STORIES
Crimson Quillfeather writes—Magnificent Methane: “I’ve always wanted to see Abraham Lake in the winter. I’ve always wanted to see the methane bubbles in its waters. This week in history saw the birth of Earth Day in 1970. The trend to think in such terms as a global environment was all begun by a fore-mother, the one and only Rachel Carson, whose book became a clarion call for the movement. The oceans are heating up. The Pacific’s warming waters flows up to Arctic Ocean through the Bering Strait. On the other side, the Gulf Stream is heating up, specifically, due to pollution clouds flowing off North America. In 2007 the Arctic sea ice reached its lowest level. It lost twenty percent of its summer coverage from the year before. The sea ice has failed to recover to its 1979-2001 average and in 2011, diminished sea ice reached its second lowest record. Sea ice acts as the Earth’s built-in air conditioner. Because of its light color, Arctic sea ice reflects most of the sunlight reaching it back into space. In contrast, dark ocean water absorbs most of the sunlight. As sea ice continues melting, the increased exposure of ocean water changes the Earth’s albedo—the fraction of sunlight reflected away from the planet. This change in albedo can cause further warming, leading to continued sea ice melt and reinforcing the melting cycle. As summer melt continues to increase, wintertime recovery becomes more difficult to achieve. According to Mark Serreze, senior research scientist at NSIDC, Arctic sea ice could melt completely as early as 2030.”
Dartagnan writes—House And Senate Republicans Form An "Anti-National Park" Caucus To Wreck Our Park System: “The nation’s 405 National Parks welcomed a record-breaking 292 million visits this past year, the most since 1999. This is actually National Park Week, in which access to the parks is free to everyone through April 24th. As millions of Americans understand, these beautiful parks provide an invaluable escape from urban congestion, suburban sprawl and from the deadening Walmart-ification of most of the remaining open spaces between this country’s major cities and towns. Until very recently our country’s hundred-year old National Park System had enjoyed the enthusiastic support of both major political parties, each recognizing the value and wisdom in preserving and protecting these national treasures for the benefit of all Americans and future generations. But that was before a peculiar and malignant strain of Republicanism was introduced into the body politic, one which behaves like a virus programmed to destroy any hint of the effectiveness and social benefits of government, no matter how much the country is permanently harmed in the process. The Republican Party that has emerged in the last ten years is the most anti-environment political party in the nation’s history, so much that an entire caucus comprised of House and Senate Republicans have made it a legislative goal to erode and ultimately destroy the nation’s public lands, including our National Parks.”
citisven writes—How to transform a burst of Bernie Power into a renewable source of Bernergie: “An article posted a few weeks ago at The Atlantic entitled What Americans Don’t Get About Nordic Countries by Finnish native Anu Partanen offers some great insights into Northern European democracies that I don’t think have been addressed in any depth during this historic Democratic primary. Not that Finland, Norway, Denmark, or Sweden should have to be at the center of a U.S. election, but since Bernie Sanders has used them rhetorically — to great applause from millions of Americans — as models of what his reforms/revolution might look like in their full manifestation, I think it’s worth taking a closer look at what has made these countries’ models successful in their own citizens’ eyes and how Americans might find their own version of it, independent of this Democratic primary’s electoral outcome. The question I — and I think many other folks who care about making the United States more economically, socially, and environmentally equitable — have is whether the enthusiasm for Senator Sanders’ vision for this country, especially among young people, can be harnessed into a sustained engine for change, and if so, how best to present and distribute this “renewable Bernergy” so it can be delivered to a majority of Americans in the sort of base load capacity required to operate a functioning clean-powered political, cultural, and psychological grid.”
CRITTERS AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Bobs Telecaster writes—Did birds survive the Dino extinction due to seeds? “The world was full of birds 66,000,000 years ago. Some of them would have seemed familiar — Vegavis, related to modern geese and ducks, would have looked something like a goose or a duck. Ichthyornis Dispar, though not an ancestor and only a cousin of modern birds, would probably have looked exactly like a gull or tern, but with teeth. Others were very different — Enantiornithine birds (or opposite birds) looked like flying velociraptors, with long tails that didn’t fan out and snouts rather than beaks. Then there were the maniraptors — dinosaurs that glided around from tree to tree with four wings. Many palaeontologists have long believed that dinosaurs went extinct gradually, with the Chixculub impact only finishing off what had already begun. But Derek Larson, a paleontologist at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum in Alberta, studied maniraptoran (bird like) dinosaurs over their last 18 million years, and saw no loss in diversity in that time. Then 66 million years ago they completely vanished. These were well adapted bird like creatures — and if birds survived, why not them? Why not the other birds, just as well adapted as the modern forms, and much more numerous? Larson and team have a theory.”
Besame writes—Daily Bucket: Los Angeles Wins Week Long BioBlitz Challenge: “BioBlitzes are citizen science biodiversity events focused on documenting as many species possible over a short burst of time. Although often only 24 hours long, the firstCity Nature Challenge BioBlitz between San Francisco and Los Angeles stretched over a week, April 14 through 21. On Earth Day, Los Angeles County was announced as the winner with 10,456 observations of 1,615 species from 399 people. SF Bay Area reported 9,939 observations of 1,607 species from 491 people (note that SF reported only 8 fewer species than LA). Observations included both common and rare species and may provide new occurrence records. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the most-observed species was the California poppy, and 4 out of the 5 most-observed species were California native plants. In LA County, the most observed species was the Western Fence Lizard, and the next four most documented species are all non-natives. The week-long BioBlitz does more than increase biodiversity data, it motivates people to be out looking closely at nature and sharing observations. People talk about the plants, animals and other organisms (such as lichens), which enhances their interest in the natural world.”
ban nock writes—A Funny Way To Save Snow Leopards: “I follow and read articles by The Wildlife Society, the association of wildlife managers which probably tracks it’s lineage back to Aldo Leopold one way or another. Sometimes they have interesting articles. Such was the case with Snow leopards may eat more big animals than previously thought. Notice the words “may” and “previously thought”. That’s why I love reading the scribblings of scientists. If the article had been written by a science writer the title would have been “Proof of large ungulate predation by snow leopards”. I’m off on one of my favorite tangents. Scientists looked at what species their scat samples came from (mostly red fox that dog gone troublesome canine) and found that by analyzing only the scat of actual snow leopards, they were able to determine the cat’s diet was composed of a much higher percentage of large ungulates than previously assumed.”
Lenny Flank writes—Photo Diary: Center for Marine Science Aquarium: “The Center for Marine Science, part of the University of Georgia, has an Aquarium exhibit on Skidaway Island, just outside Savannah GA, with over a mile of nature trails around the island. Here are some photos from a visit.”
Lenny Flank writes—Daily Bucket: A Walk at Oatland Island Wildlife Center: “The Oatland Island Wildlife Center is located just outside Savannah GA. It consists of several species of birds and mammals, most of them native, surrounded by walking trails in a large tract of forest and marshland. Most of the display animals were alas asleep (the park closes at 4pm, before the nocturnals start waking up), but I had a good time looking for the small natives running around the place.”
DRo writes—Texas man encounters tiger on the loose, says she ‘started licking me on the face’: “Texas man encounters tiger on the loose, says she ‘started licking me on the face’ Jonathan Gessner said he saw the tiger crouching down. At first, he was scared, Gessner But he approached the animal anyway. ‘The closer I got, she started shaking her butt, like cat getting in attack mode, you know?’ he said. ‘I thought about turning around, but I was like, “nah, I want to see what she does.”’ Authorities have captured a tiger seen wandering around Conroe, Tex., on the morning of April 21. Residents say the tiger was friendly, and even offered a few affectionate licks.”
Milly Watt writes—The Daily Bucket - Spring at Kah Tai Prairie: “Last Spring, I wrote about two visits to a preserved prairie in a Port Townsend, WA golf course, one on March 29 and a followup on April 29, 2015. This 1.4 acre prairie is a remnant of the landscape that emerged after the retreat of the ice age glaciers. It survived development because of benign neglect, having been set aside as a "rough" in the golf course. It was recognized as a unique botanical site in 1986 and the Kah Tai Preserve was officially created in 1987. Volunteers from the Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society work to restore and maintain this treasure.”
CLIMATE CHAOS
Mark Sumner writes—Progress happens: 170 countries sign on to Paris climate agreement: “While the news on the climate itself is rarely good there’s good news when it comes to changing directions on how we deal with climate issues. Heads of state and high level diplomats from more than 170 countries signed the Paris Agreement at the United Nations Friday, a key step toward implementing the world’s most significant agreement to address global warming. This isn’t just a big number of small nations signing on, the signatory nations represent 93% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. One of those signers would be the United States. And not only are we signing on, the agreement was intentionally structured so that it could be ratified in the US without needing votes in the Senate. The language in the agreement is particularly helpful for the United States, where a Senate battle could have stalled implementation for years. Kerry said Friday the U.S. would ratify the document by the end of this year, suggesting that the White House would not submit the document for Senate approval.”
The Climate Mobilization writes—Tomorrow: Die in at the UN. Because the Paris Agreement Won't Save Us. Only Mobilization Will: “The Paris agreement is getting signed tomorrow. 160 countries, over 60 leaders, problem solved, right? Unfortunately no. The non-binding agreement puts the world on a collision course towards a 3.5C hotter world, which will likely cause the collapse of civilization. The Paris Agreement calls for net zero greenhouse gas emissions at some point “in the second half of this century” and does not directly cover aviation, shipping or agriculture, which collectively account for, at minimum, between a quarter and a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Further, global average temperature anomalies have approached and even surpassed the 1.5C limit called for in the Agreement, rendering its gradual emissions trajectory irrelevant and dangerous. What we need is a WWII-scale climate mobilization that eliminates net US emissions by 2025 and globally by 2030 (or even sooner if possible!). We need all hands on deck, no industries excluded.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Cato Op-Ed in Newsweek Gives Peek at Weak Paris Critique: “In what has become an increasingly rare win, a denier-for-hire has gotten an op-ed placed in a mainstream media outlet that isn’t owned by Rupert Murdoch. Paul “Chip” Knappenberger of the Koch-founded and funded Cato Institute writes in Newsweek that Obama made a promise in Paris that he can’t live up to. Unsurprisingly, Chip’s argument is more smog than substance. His first point is that because of the stay on the Clean Power Plan (CPP), the US won’t meet its target to reduce emissions 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025. But, this assumes the Plan will never come into force, which few see as likely. And while the delay is unfortunate, 19 states are going ahead with compliance plans compared to 20 that are suspending action, and CPP doesn't call for full compliance until 2030 anyway. It’s not hard to figure out that Chip’s point about the US missing the 2025 target is moot. (In fact, a real expert addressed this very issue back in March.) Chip’s second flimsy piece of evidence to suggest the US won’t meet its target is the recent news that methane emissions have increased over the past decade. Apparently Chip never got the news that last month the EPA proposed new regulations to address methane from oil and gas, so the policies that will reduce methane emissions and help the US meet its targets are already in motion.”
Leslie Salzillo writes—250+ interfaith leaders call on world leaders to address climate change (A lesson for Holy Deniers): “In a public statement, over 250 interfaith leaders urged all heads of state around the world to promptly sign and ratify the Paris Agreement. The statement outlines the positive judgement of the adopted Paris Agreement and urges for its prompt signature and ratification by governments. They also insist there is a substantial ‘increase in the current levels of ambition relating to emission reductions, financial flows, adaptation, loss and damage and a swift phase out of fossil fuel subsidies - so as to keep temperatures within reach of 1.5C.’ ‘Humanity is at a crucial turning point. We as faith communities recognize that we must begin a transition away from polluting fossil fuels and towards clean renewable energy sources. It is clear that for many people significant lifestyle changes will have to be made. We must strive for alternatives to the culture of consumerism that is so destructive to ourselves and to our planet.’ Interfaith signatories of the statement are from all around the world and include His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop, The Most Rev. Desmond Tutu.”
Lefty Coaster writes—Americans lulled by "pleasant" changes in climate for now to experience more drastic changes by 2100: “Ah! That first really warm day of spring. It comes as a relief to know winter’s chill is losing it’s grip and welcome warmth of spring is about to arrive. Only now that first really warm day can show up very early, even on Christmas, as some areas of the country experienced recently. Some of us are alarmed by these changes we see, a new study suggests many more of us perceive it as just some unseasonably pleasant weather. Something we normally welcome. Global Warming Feels Quite Pleasant. In a poll taken in January, after the country’s warmest December on record, the Pew Research Center found that climate change ranked close to last on a list of the public’s policy priorities. Why? In a paper published on Wednesday in the journal Nature, we provide one possible explanation: For a vast majority of Americans, the weather is simply becoming more pleasant. Over the past four decades, winter temperatures have risen substantially throughout the United States, but summers have not become markedly more uncomfortable. [...] Under all likely scenarios, seasonal trends are projected to eventually reverse: Future warming in the United States will be more severe in summer than in winter.Should greenhouse gas emissions proceed unabated, we estimate that 88 percent of Americans will be exposed to less pleasant weather at the end of this century than they are today.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Unpleasant Headlines About “Pleasant Weather” Study: “There’s a new study out in Nature that attempts to identify trends in the weather that Americans experience. Unfortunately, the coverage has focused on a less helpful conclusion of the study, which claims that Americans have experienced more “pleasant” weather over the past four decades due to changes in average seasonal temperatures. A variety of mainstream outlets have jumped on that counterintuitive idea with articles headlined by variations of “Warming giving us weather we prefer, for now” or the researchers' own op-ed in the New York Times about how "Global Warming feels quite pleasant." Critics have been quick to point out flaws in the study, both within original coverage as well as in their own more substantial rebuttals and commentary. The short version of the study's downfall is that the authors looked only at average temperature trends for January and July and annual precipitation levels. This doesn’t capture the extreme heat or cold weather that we experience on a daily and weekly basis, or the droughts or snowstorms that wreak havoc on our economy and infrastructure.”
Jerrymooney writes—Concerted Effort Required To Reverse Global Warming: “Even though Ohio University recently called alternative energy one of the six industries primed for growth, there is growing concern that the current pace to transition off of fossil fuels isn’t fast enough. A recent study shows that we can transition away from fossil fuels in a decade if we have the will and make a concerted effort, but that’s where we must wake up. The consensus is in and we must reverse direction on the most dangerous experiment in human history. It’s understandable how we got here. Inventions like the car, airplane and electricity have created a massive hunger for energy. This energy was provided by fossil fuels over recent history because their consequences were unknown. It made sense to develop gas burning engines and coal burning factories. They were a natural evolution. Now, however, we must stop pretending that these aren’t issues because they are economically disruptive. We are acting like we’re on a sinking ship and we could bail the water out, but the buckets that are on the ship are too expensive for the passengers and crew. This makes no sense. There is no point in having an economy on a planet absent of people.”
Extreme Weather & Natural Phenomena
fqwatkins writes—Humans of Climate Change: Eva Postre, Haiyan Survivor, Two Years On: “This is the second of four ‘Humans of Climate Change”’stories from Tacloban, the Philippines. Tacloban was one of the cities hardest hit by the 2013 supertyphoon dubbed ‘Haiyan’ internationally and ‘Yolanda’ in the Philippines. For an overview of the storm’s impacts in the region and the influence of climate change in increasing the severity of tropical storm impacts, visit the series introduction here. Other stories: Imelda RonaI spoke with Eva Postre on a warm day in February, outside her family’s bunkhouse. She began her story with two sentences. ‘Typhoon Yolanda was very dangerous,’ she said. ‘This was the beginning of my suffering.’”
Pakalolo writes—Climate change is driving locust swarms in Yemen. Potential invasion of the entire Middle East: “Yemen has been suffering such horrific humanitarian disasters recently, and the last thing they need is a plague of locusts consuming their food crops. Unfortunately, what was predicted back in November 2015 has come to pass. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations had warned at the time that due to the heavy and widespread rains that fell in northwest Africa, the Horn of Africa and Yemen could favor Desert Locust breeding. There is nothing that Yemen could do about the warning, as they have been engulfed in a civil war and being bombarded from above by Saudi warplanes. The World Post recently raised the question ‘Can We Care Less About the War in Yemen?’ Fair question. Depressing answer I am afraid.”
EARTH DAY
Meteor Blades writes—On Earth Day: Five Questions for Bill McKibben: “Since it’s Earth Day, I’ve asked five questions of environmental activist, thinker, and educator Bill McKibben. He has published 16 books, including the seminal End of Nature in 1989 and Eaarth: Making Life on a Tough New Planet in 2010, as well as hundreds of articles, all written with a piercing clarity in elegant, straightforward language. In 2014, he was awarded the Right Livelihood Prize, known as the ‘alternative Nobel.’ He won the Gandhi Prize and the Thomas Merton Prize in 2013. With like-minded people he founded the grassroots 350.org to unite climate activists around the planet. He was a key participant in the successful fight against the Keystone XL pipeline and was arrested several times in Washington for civil disobedience in opposition to that project. He has inspired tens of thousands of people to join the effort of getting public institutions, including universities, churches, and municipalities, and even mutual funds to divest their stock portfolios of fossil fuel shares. A pragmatic visionary, McKibben is a guy who likes to start conversations. For more than two decades, he’s been having a long conversation with us about the environment and the economy. One key thing he taught me long ago is how inseparable these two are from one another.”
Meteor Blades writes—Reprise of an Earth Day 2015 interview with Denis Hayes, who coordinated the original in 1970: “For several years afterward, the U.S. led the world in a fairly aggressive tackling of environmental challenges. Denis Hayes was one of the reasons. In 1978, the Carter Administration appointed him head of the Solar Energy Research Institute. That is where I met him when I was hired at SERI's Solar Law Reporter. Along came Ronald Reagan, a man whose twisted views of something as obvious as old growth forest preservation left environmentalists of all stripes aghast: ‘A tree is a tree, how many more do you need to look at?’ [...] Since those days more than three decades ago, Hayes has done prodigious eco-work. He was named a Time magazine hero of the planet in 1999, shortly before he coordinated Earth Day 2000, the biggest Earth Day yet. The Bullitt Foundation where he has served as president since 1992 seeks to promote a model of sustainable development in the Pacific Northwest. Its grants are focused on energy and climate change, transportation, sustainable agriculture, ecosystem protection, green chemistry, and other arenas to—as Hayes puts it—help ‘shape Cascadia into, if you will, a comfortable, progressive, innovative version of ecotopia.’”
Sara R writes—Kitchen Table Kibitzing, April 22, 2016: Earth Day: “Earth Day 2016 — Trees for the Earth. Let’s get planting. Over the next five years, as Earth Day moves closer to its 50th anniversary, we’re calling on you to help us achieve one of our most ambitious goals yet —we’re planting 7.8 billion trees and we’re starting now. Trees will be the first of five major goals we are undertaking in honor of the five-year countdown to our 50th anniversary. On their own and together, these initiatives will make a significant and measurable impact on the Earth and will serve as the foundation of a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet for all. Why Trees? Trees help combat climate change. They absorb excess and harmful CO2 from our atmosphere. In fact, in a single year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the same amount of CO2 produced by driving the average car 26,000 miles.”
ENERGY
Hydraulic Fracturing
Steve Horn writes—Documents: How IOGCC Created Loophole Ushering in Frackquakes and Allowing Methane Leakage: “Earthquakes caused by injection of shale oil and gas production wastes — and methane leakage from shale gas pipelines — have proliferated in recent years, with both issues well-studied in the scientific literature and grabbing headlines in newspapers nationwide. Lesser-mentioned, though perhaps at the root of both problems, is a key exemption won by the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact (IOGCC) via a concerted lobbying effort in the 1980's. That is, classifying oil and gas wastes as something other than ‘hazardous’ or ‘solid wastes’ under Subtitles C and D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), thus exempting the industry from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement. The RCRA exemption has played a front-and-center role in two recent federal lawsuits on both of these issues — the frackquake case just started and the pipeline emissions one recently resulted in a favorable judgment for the industry.”
jamess writes—Fracking Opponents now have a powerful new Movie -- documenting its many Impacts: “‘Dear President Obama’—The movie, narrated by three-time Academy Award nominated actor Mark Ruffalo, looks at the oil and gas industry’s impact on society, highlighting contamination crises, stories from victims, and the boom-and-bust economic impacts on communities. Interviews with scientists, economists, health professionals, geologists, and whistleblowers provide the core narrative. [...] The impacts of these Special Interests on the local populations—in terms of Health, Land Values and Quality of Life, are very real — just ask the locals in Pennsylvania how they feel about the Fracking Fallout that was foisted upon them, by well-compensated local Politicians—who received millions from industry to look the other way. When fracking inevitably harms the local way of life.”
jamess writes—Pennsylvania, A 'Fraccident' waiting to happen: “From earthjustice.org: Pennsylvania and Fracking—The Marcellus Shale that runs beneath most of Pennsylvania has been a key target for the oil and gas industry; it currently accounts for nearly 40 percent of U.S. shale gas production. Between 2011 and 2015, the state approved more than 12,000 permits and almost 6,000 fracking wells, forever altering the landscape of northeastern and southwestern Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, the gas industry has deep ties with the state’s legislators. Between 2007 and 2014, the industry reportedly gave $8 million to elected officials and spent $41 million lobbying the state legislature. A report by the Public Accountability Initiative in 2013revealed that 45 current or former Pennsylvania state officials have ties to energy industry and fracking regulation, including 28 who ultimately traded their government positions for industry jobs.”
Renewables, Efficiency & Conservation
Fake Irishman writes—Boring bureaucrats help save the world: climate change and energy efficiency edition: “When it comes to stopping global climate change, you probably don't think much about vending machines. Fortunately for all us, a lot of non-descript civil servants do. You’ve probably never heard of the Department of Energy's Appliance and Equipment Standards Program(AESP) either. I'm sure it's staffed by lovely, if slightly nerdy khaki-wearing personnel. But it's one of the Obama administrations most effective secret weapons in the fight against global warming. Let's start with the two million beverage vending machines in the United States. Rules issued by AESP in 2015, will lead to machines coming online in 2019 required to be 16 percent more energy efficient in 2019 than today's. Over 30 years, it will save 7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, an average 233,000 tons a year. That's the equivalent of shutting down Ohio's First Energy's Lakeshore Power Plant, which is a medium-sized coal plant in Ohio. It will also save businesses at least $210 million in electrical bills over the same time.”
Douglas Godfrey writes—Net Negative Energy with Solar Electric, Heat and Hot Water: “Every new house should be net negative energy. Every old house that can be, should be renovated to add Efficiency and Solar. With Solar for heat and hot water, only your stove, dryer and backup water heater will show up on your utility bills. Switch to Propane and eliminate your monthly minimum bill from the Gas Company. When the technology becomes affordable, add battery storage.”
OCEANS, WATER, DROUGHT
Kati L writes—A Breakthrough on Coral Reef Restoration: “Stark stories of coral death, and bleaching, as their food-producing algae, zooxanthellae, are expelled under the stress of warm water, abound in the news. BUT, there is hope! The excellent work of Dr. David Vaughan and his associates at the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, in concert with FKNMS and TNC, are developing culture and propagation methods that will speed the regrowth of coral at AMAZING rates! [...] So, similar to the Heirloom Seed Project, there is now an oceanic environmentally controlled broodstock reserve facility for coral, to start restoring coral beds now, and provide support to future generations. With huge thanks to Dr. Vaughan and all his colleagues, who are working assiduously to save the marine biosphere for the rest of humanity!”
Dan Bacher writes—DWR relocates Delta striped bass from Clifton Court Forebay to Bethany Reservoir: ”The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) this week started a controversial operation to remove striped bass from Clifton Court Forebay in the south end of Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and relocate them into Bethany Reservoir. The operation began without any public notice from DWR, spurring outrage by anglers, conservationists and public trust advocates. The three-day per week operation will run through June, according to Stafford Lehr, Branch Chief, Inland and Anadromous Fisheries, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Lehr said this was a task that was identified in the 2009 NOAA/NMFS Biological Opinion (Federal Take Permit under Federal ESA) for the State Water Project (SWP). ‘DWR staff will be conducting boat electrofishing operations in Clifton Court Forebay to test the feasibility of reducing predation on listed juvenile salmonids in that water body prior to their entering the area of the Tracy Pumping Facility,’ said Lehr. There is no target number, but this is a pilot project. “All captured fish will be relocated to Bethany Reservoir where the public can have an opportunity to fish for them,” said Lehr.”
CANDIDATES, STATE AND DC ECO-RELATED POLITICS
poopdogcomedy writes—WI-Sen: Russ Feingold (D) & The LCV Go After Climate Denier Ron Johnson (R) On Earth Day: “Received this e-mail today from Russ Feingold’s (D. WI) U.S. Senate campaign: Friend, Today is my granddaughter Sylvia's first Earth Day, and my grandson Izzy's fifth. When my grandchildren are older, I'll tell them all about how the late Senator Gaylord Nelson, from Clear Lake, Wisconsin, founded the very first Earth Day in 1970. This year's Earth Day carries an important weight, one that wouldn't be lost on Senator Nelson. Leaders around the world are signing the Paris Agreement today. It's the most important agreement we've ever reached in the fight for climate action. But despite the overwhelming scientific consensus, despite its very real and present danger, and despite the will of a clear majority of Americans, congressional Republicans -- including my opponent, Senator Johnson -- refuse to acknowledge that climate change exists. It's time for Republicans to wake up and act. Our children and grandchildren deserve no less.”
poopdogcomedy writes—VT-Gov: For Earth Day, Matt Dunne (D) Spreads The Word About His Green Jobs Initiative: “Received this e-mail today from Matt Dunne’s (D. VT) gubernatorial campaign: If I told you that in my first year as governor we will set up a program that creates jobs all across Vermont and seriously reduces our carbon footprint...all without dipping into the general fund to pay for it, you would think I was dreaming. Well guess what -- I’m not. Let me start from the beginning. Today is Earth Day, and I don’t need to tell you that as our planet warms, Vermont will suffer. Our snowfall will become erratic, sugaring seasons inconsistent, and it will be harder to stem the spread of algae as the average temperature of our lakes rise. We must do our part to combat climate change.”
poopdogcomedy writes—NH-Sen: In Honor Of Earth Day, Hassan (D) Calls For Preserving Our Natural Resources: “Received this e-mail today from Governor Maggie Hassan’s (D. NH) U.S. Senate campaign: From our colorful autumn forests and rolling mountains to our diverse wildlife to our pristine lakes and Seacoast, New Hampshire is home to many beautiful natural resources. Don't you think those are worth protecting for generations to come? We have so many reasons to preserve our beautiful natural resources and combat climate change, and this Earth Day we hope you'll join us in urging Congress to take action. Legislators should listen to the science and take common-sense steps to curb emissions and preserve what's most beautiful about our country.”
WILDERNESS, NATIONAL FORESTS AND PARKS & OTHER PUBLIC LANDS
owktree writes—Devils Postpile National Monument: “Devils Postpile National Monument is a 798-acre national monument created in 1911 by President Taft. It is now within the boundaries Ansell Adams Wilderness, and previously to 1905 the area was within the boundaries of Yosemite National Park. Besides the rock formation there is Rainbow Falls, where the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin River plunges over a 100-foot drop. Access to the trail head is via a shuttle bus that comes down from the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. The shuttle can be busy since this is one of the access points for the John Muir and Pacific Crest trails used by backpackers.”
BYPRODUCTS, TRASH, TOXIC & RADIOACTIVE WASTE
Mark Sumner writes—Flint: first day of charges is just the opening move: “On Wednesday, the Michigan Attorney General, Republican Bill Schuette, filed charges against three low-level workers. Mike Glasgow is the Flint water quality supervisor, while Mike Prysby is an engineer for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Steve Busch was the former DEQ district supervisor. Both Busch and Prysby were suspended from the DEQ in January. To have officials at this level charged is not the way this usually works. ‘These types of charges — charging environmental regulatory officials with falsification and evidence tampering — are extremely unusual,’ said Jane F. Barrett, a law professor at the University of Maryland's Carey School of Law who has practiced environmental law for 40 years. ‘I can't think of another case.’ Though Rick Snyder seems extremely satisfied with the results.”
ECO-ESSAYS & PROPOSALS
Michael Brune writes—A Right Turn for Earth Day: “One of the thickest chapters in human history could be titled ‘It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time.’ Over the centuries, our species has taken plenty of wrong turns -- often because we simply didn't know any better. Well, hindsight may be 20/20, but that doesn't mean we can use it to change the past. What we can do, though, is learn from the past to make the future better. It turns out that a big part of what humans call progress is having the good sense to stop doing dumb things once we wise up. This Earth Day, we mark a major milestone in stopping one of the most dangerous mistakes our species has ever made: Digging up and burning enough fossil fuels to change our planet's climate. Today at the United Nations, more than 150 governments will attend the signing ceremony for the groundbreaking climate agreement that was negotiated and adopted in Paris at the end of last year. The agreement was basically the whole world's way of saying with one voice: ‘Wrecking our climate by burning fossil fuels is crazy and it's got to stop!’”
ECO-ACTION & ECO JUSTICE
racerx writes—Larry Lessig before his arrest - How to save $97 BILLION/yr and the planet. (Video).
Marty Essen writes—Thank an Environmentalist: “This is how I begin Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico: ‘I dedicate this book to environmental heroes everywhere: you may not have holidays named in your honor, and strangers may not approach you in airports to thank you for your service, but the world is a better place because of your efforts.’ Today I will add that it saddens me how politicians in the United States—aided by a brilliant media campaign and scare tactics—successfully convince their constituents that we must spend more and more on our military (The U.S. currently spends roughly 50% of its discretionary budget on the military—more than the next nine most powerful countries combined). On top of that we are often asked to donate to various military fundraisers and are reminded (especially at sporting events and in airports) to give thanks to those who we already support with our tax dollars. Environmentalists, on the other hand, work largely for little or nothing and are often scorned for what they do. And unlike the myth that the military fights for our freedom (we haven’t fought that kind of war since WWII), environmentalists do work now that measurably protects our future.”
AGRICULTURE, FOOD & GARDENING
skohayes writes—Saturday Morning Garden Blogging: Spring Crazy: “When I was driving home (I work down in Oklahoma about 40 miles south), you could see this dark high cloud across the sky looming over the town. I tried to take a picture but it just looks like a storm cloud. This was dirt. Now it wasn’t as bad as the bad old days of the Dust Bowl, those “dusters” as they were called, were monsters full of the black soil of the prairie. But it was probably the worst dust storm I’ve seen since I’ve been here and really had people talking the next day. Now we come to last weekend. Big storm system moves in and it started raining on Friday night and didn’t stop until Sunday. We got almost 3 months rainfall in 2 and a half days.”
racerx writes—Vermont AG demands safety data for GMOs and pesticides. Monsanto says "Go to hell. They're safe": “WSJ: Game on. State Attorney General William Sorrell filed motions this week in several U.S. district courts seeking to compel Monsanto Co., DuPont Co., Syngenta AG and other seed firms to produce studies or research related to ‘potential health or environmental impacts’ of the crops, as well as pesticides used on them… A Monsanto spokeswoman said the Missouri seed giant ‘will oppose the motion as untimely and unwarranted,’ and that the safety of GMO crops is ‘well established.’ No, it hasn’t. No long-term safety studies are available. 90-day studies? Lots. Non-safety studies? Lots.”