Literary Warrant [13]

• Business Roundtable, More Diverse, More Domestic, More Efficient: A Vision for America's Energy Future (2007)
  
  "Today's energy challenges are not insurmountable, but there are no silver bullets. Long-term progress requires balanced and integrated approaches that take advantage of all promising energy improvement pathways. Despite its superficial appeal, energy independence (the elimination of energy imports) is an unrealistic goal for the foreseeable future. But there is much we can do to enhance our energy security. Policies that promote new technologies, conservation, efficiency, greater diversity of supply, lower energy intensity, and greater access to domestic and global energy resources will over time reduce the nation’s vulnerability to upheavals in global energy markets."—Executive Summary.


• Climate Savers Computing Initiative
  
  "Started by Google and Intel in 2007, the Climate Savers Computing Initiative is a nonprofit group of eco-conscious consumers, businesses and conservation organizations. The Initiative was started in the spirit of WWF's Climate Savers program which has mobilized over a dozen companies since 1999 to cut carbon dioxide emissions, demonstrating that reducing emissions is good business. Our goal is to promote development, deployment and adoption of smart technologies that can both improve the efficiency of a computer's power delivery and reduce the energy consumed when the computer is in an inactive state....
  
  "By 2010, we seek to reduce global CO2 emissions from the operation of computers by 54 million tons per year, equivalent to the annual output of 11 million cars or 10–20 coal-fired power plants. With your help, this effort will lead to a 50% reduction in power consumption by computers by 2010, and committed participants could collectively save $5.5 billion in energy costs."—What Exactly is the Climate Savers Computing Initiative?


• Energy Information Administration (EIA), Annual Energy Review 2006 (Report No. DOE/EIA-0384(2006)) (June 27, 2007)
  
  "The Annual Energy Review (AER) is the Energy Information Administration's primary report of historical annual energy statistics. For many series, data begin with the year 1949. Included are data on total energy production, consumption, and trade; overviews of petroleum, natural gas, coal, electricity, nuclear energy, renewable energy, international energy, as well as financial and environmental indicators; and data unit conversion tables."


• Environmental Defense, California Solutions for Global Warming
  
  "California is seizing new opportunities to protect our people and economy from the dangerous effects of global warming. In August 2006, the Legislature passed a package of bills to reduce California’s emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping pollution. The following month Governor Schwarzenegger signed the bills into law.
  
  "Assembly Bill 32 makes California the first state in the country to limit statewide global warming pollution.
  
  "Senate Bill 1368 makes California the first state in the nation to ensure that electric utilities' new commitments to power plants meet a minimum performance level for global warming pollution."—California Leadership.
  
  The site promotes a "new energy economy" in response to global warming by providing, inter alia, fact sheets and other informational materials.


• Kenneth P. Green, Steven F. Hayward & Kevin A. Hassett, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI), Climate Change: Caps vs. Taxes, (Environmental Policy Outlook, no. 2) (June 1, 2007)
  
  "As the Kyoto Protocol's 2012 expiration date draws near, a general theme dominates the global conversation: leadership and participation by the United States are critical to the success of whatever climate policy regime succeeds the Kyoto Protocol. Two general policy approaches stand out in the current discussion. The first is national and international greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trading, often referred to as 'cap-and-trade.' Cap-and-trade is the most popular idea at present, with several bills circulating in Congress to begin a cap-and-trade program of some kind. The second idea is a program of carbon-centered tax reform—for example, the imposition of an excise tax based on the carbon emissions of energy sources (such as coal, oil, and gasoline), offset by reductions in other taxes. In this paper we will address the strengths and weaknesses of both ideas and the framework by which legislators should evaluate them."—Abstract.


• Beth E. Lachman, Anny Wong & Susan A. Resetar, RAND National Defense Research Institute, The Thin Green Line: An Assessment of DoD's Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative to Buffer Installation Encroachment (Prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense) (2007)
  
  "When first established decades ago, most U.S. military installations were far from major cities and towns. That is no longer true. A growing population and changing land development patterns over the past several decades have led to lands that are vital to military readiness being surrounded by urban, suburban and other types of development. Such development, especially large residential tracts, can limit the installation’s operational capability. Complaints about noise, dust, and smoke from aircraft, weapons, and vehicles force commanders to curtail training of certain types or during certain hours. As development destroys or displaces native species of plants and animals, military posts become their critical refuge, and their presence further restricts military operations. These constraints have been so severe in some cases that installations have had to close.
  
  "Recognizing the gravity of the problem, Congress provided legislative authority to allow military departments to partner with government or private organizations to establish buffer areas around training and testing areas. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) created the Conservation Partnering Program (now known as the Readiness and Environmental Protection Initiative (REPI)2) to implement this authority. Under this program, OSD funds the Services to implement compatible land use partnering projects that aim to relieve encroachment pressures—from either incompatible development or loss of natural habitat—on training, testing, and support operations at U.S. military bases."—Summary.


• Ken Peattie, Director, ESRC Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society (BRASS), Cardiff University & Ben Shaw, Senior Research Fellow, Environment Group, Policy Studies Institute (PSI), Consumption: Reducing, Reusing and Recycling (Economic & Social Research Council, ESRC Seminar Series: Mapping the public policy landscape) (2007)
  
  "Although recycling rates have risen, and the UK is on schedule to meet EU targets, the benefits risk being undermined by the sheer quantity of waste being generated.The economic and environmental impact is considerable. If household waste output continues to rise by three per cent a year, the cost to the economy will be £3.2billion and the amount of harmful methane emissions will double by 2020.
  
  "The policy of the UK Government is to maintain economic growth without causing excessive environmental deterioration or social injustice. The sustainable development strategy was reviewed in 2005 along with a framework for its implementation by the devolved administrations in the context of their own priorities and problems. A new waste strategy for England is currently being finalised and is expected to be published in May. A sustainable consumption and production action plan has also been promised. The hope is that we are moving towards a package of measures—legal, fiscal and voluntary—that will deliver the kind of advanced strategies for products and waste seen in some other countries."—Executive Summary.


• United States Environmental Protection Agency, Power Profiler (June 28, 2007)
  
  "With just a few clicks of the mouse and a ZIP code, consumers can see how their individual energy use is affecting the Earth. EPA's Power Profiler calculates how much air pollution results from individual electricity use, the fuels used to produce that electricity and how to reduce the impact.
  
  "'EPA's Power Profiler makes it easy to research the air emissions that come from using electricity at home,' said Bob Meyers, acting assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. 'All you need is a ZIP code and you're on your way to understanding your environmental impact.'"—Press release.


• United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), South Florida Ecosystem: Restoration Is Moving Forward but Is Facing Significant Delays, Implementation Challenges, and Rising Costs (Report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, GAO-07-520) (May 2007)
  
  "The South Florida ecosystem covers about 18,000 square miles and is home to the Everglades, a national resource. Over the past 100 years, efforts to manage the flow of water through the ecosystem have jeopardized its health. In 2000, a strategy to restore the ecosystem was set; restoration was expected to take at least 40 years and cost $15.4 billion. The restoration comprises hundreds of projects, including 60 key projects known as the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), to be undertaken by a partnership of federal, state, local, and tribal governments."—Why GAO Did This Study.
  
  "There are 27 primary mathematical models that guide the restoration effort. These include (1) hydrological, (2) water quality, and (3) ecological models. Although 21 of the 27 models are able to interface with other models and provide a more comprehensive pictureof the impact of restoration efforts on the ecosystem, many agency officials stated that additional interfaces are needed. Because coordinating the development of these interfaces is resource intensive, it has been a low priority for the agencies."—What GAO Found.

A Bit of Shameless Self-Promotion

Like most Americans, you've probably been wondering where you could learn more about the Ninth Amendment. The answer is finally here!

Not only that, but now you can see the actual author of this book on actual TV (or at least on virtual TV, which is almost the same thing. How about that for the wonders of modern technology?
View Really Cool Ninth Amendment Talk.tv
O.K., so I should connect this posting with the subject of this blog. Does the Ninth Amendment protect environmental rights? It seems like a bit of a stretch as to environmental rights in general, but maybe some kind of argument could be made regarding rights under the public trust doctrine. Maybe.

I really only posted this because the Forum TV people suggested it. I would never do something like this just to be self-promoting. Never.

However, if you should happen by some chance to be moved to buy the book, you could try clicking here.

Literary Warrant [12]

This post, like the previous LW, is going on a bit. I'll submit it now and proceed to compile another, which will consequently consist of materials that came to light before many of those included herein.

• beSpacific, GAO Releases Report Critical of EPA's 9/11 Cleanup (June 20, 2007)
  
  Includes a link to the United States Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, Subcommittee on Superfund and Environmental Health, hearing entitled, EPA's Response to 9-11 and Lessons Learned for Future Emergency Preparedness, and to related materials.


• Marion C. Blakey, Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), An Affirmative Obligation (June 19, 2007)
  
  "Make no mistake about this one. Although aviation represents less than three percent of greenhouse gases, we have an affirmative obligation to drive that number as low as it can go. And why not start by leveraging the great work that the U.S. military is already doing, rather than starting from scratch?
  
  "To put this all in context, we're the largest aviation market in the world. We moved 12 percent more passengers and 22 percent more freight in 2006 than we did at the turn of the century, and did this while producing 10 million tons less of CO2, using 5 percent less fuel. How’s that for improved productivity? Remember, this is in an industry that’s very focused on controlling costs and operating more efficiently . In aviation, that means reducing fuel consumption and the emissions that go along with it."


• Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), Annual Disaster Statistical Review: Numbers and Trends 2006 (May 2007)
  
  "Since 1998, we have learned that a consolidated, rapidly produced statistical overview is much more than a number crunch: it is an invaluable tool for both planning and advocacy. The 2006 disaster figures remind us once more that all countries and all human populations are vulnerable to disasters.
  
  "In 2006, we observed a return to a kind of 'normality' after the major events of the last few years. Even though the disasters in 2006 have not captured as much attention as those of the recent past, it is important to remember that they have had devastating impacts. Every day, lives are irreparably damaged and destroyed by disasters. In 2006, there were 427 reported natural disasters that killed more than 23,000 people, affected almost 143 million others, and were the cause of more than US$34.5 billion in economic damages."—Introduction.


• Augustin Collete, Climate Change Consultant, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Case Studies on Climate Change and World Heritage (2007)
  
  "This publication presents several case studies of selected natural and cultural World Heritage sites in order to illustrate the impacts of climate change that have already been observed and those which can be anticipated in the future. For each of the featured sites, some adaptation measures are also reviewed. It is hoped that these examples would not only be of interest to World Heritage professionals and practitioners but also to the public at large."—Introduction.


• Council on Foreign Relations, Energy Security: What It Means and How to Achieve It (June 21, 2007)
  A video (also available as an audio file) including panelists David L. Goldwyn, President, Goldwyn International Strategies, and Senior Associate, Energy Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies; David Sandalow, Energy and Environment Scholar, The Brookings Institution; and Thomas Wallin, President, Energy Intelligence Group, Inc. The presider is John Gapper, Associate Editor & Chief Business Commentator, New York Bureau, The Financial Times.


• European Environment Agency (EEA), Annual European Community Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990–2005 and Inventory Report 2007: Submission to the UNFCCC Secretariat (Technical report No. 7/2007) (Version 27 May 2007)
  
  "This report is the annual submission of the greenhouse gas inventory of the European Community to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It presents greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2005 by individual Member State and by economic sector. The report shows that between 2004 and 2005 emissions in the 15 pre-2004 Member States decreased by 35.2 million tonnes or 0.8% and total EU-27 emissions decreased by 0.7%. EU-15 emissions in 2005 were 2% below base year levels under the Kyoto Protocol and EU-27 emission were 7.9% below 1990 levels."—DocuTicker summary.
  


• European Environment Agency (EEA), Land-use Scenarios for Europe: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis on a European Scale (EEA Technical report, no. 9/2007) (ISSN 1725–2237) (2007)
  
  "Long‑term contrasting scenarios can provide context and a backdrop against which the debate on land use and our environmental future can take place. The European Environment Agency initiated the PRELUDE project (PRospective Environmental
  analysis of Land Use Development in Europe) to develop coherent scenarios that describe plausible future developments for land use in EU‑25 plus Norway and Switzerland and their potential environmental impacts for the period 2005–2035.
  
  "An analysis of historic and possible future patterns of land use and landscape changes requires good data, scientific rigour, imagination and expertise from different perspectives. The PRELUDE scenarios combine imagination, data, modelling and narratives. The narratives, or storylines, were developed in order to also illustrate the impact of possible events and developments that cannot be represented with state of the art models—and tend to be ignored in policy discussions. With the PRELUDE initiative, the EEA decided to embark on a truly participative scenario building process.... Building on different assumptions about societal, economic, political, technological and environmental change, the panel arrived at five qualitative scenarios. Each scenario implies specific land-use changes and impacts on the environment, which have been analysed and quantified by landuse experts using state‑of‑the art simulation models."—Ch. 1, Landscapes to the living: which way to the future?


• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) & United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), ECOLEX.
  
  "ECOLEX is an information service on environmental law, operated jointly by FAO, IUCN and UNEP. Its purpose is to build capacity worldwide by providing the most comprehensive possible global source of information on environmental law. This unique resource, which combines the environmental law information holdings of FAO, IUCN and UNEP , seeks to put this information at the disposal of users world-wide, in an easily accessible service, employing modern technology. The ECOLEX database includes information on treaties, international soft-law and other non-binding policy and technical guidance documents, national legislation, judicial decisions, and law and policy literature. Users have direct access to the abstracts and indexing information about each document, as well as to the full text of most of the information provided."—What is ECOLEX?


• National Research Council (The National Academies), Major Increase in Federal Research Needed to Determine Size of U.S. Coal Reserves and Meet Increasing Challenges in Mining Safety, Environmental Protection (June 20, 2007)
  
  "Because coal will continue to provide a substantial portion of U.S. energy for at least the next several decades, a major increase in federal support for research and development is needed to ensure that this natural resource is extracted efficiently, safely, and in an environmentally responsible manner, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Research Council. Policymakers also need a more accurate assessment of the extent and location of the nation's coal reserves, the report adds. It recommends an increase of about $144 million annually in new federal funding across a variety of areas."—Press release.


• National Resources Defense Council, Addicted to Oil: Ranking States' Oil Vulnerability and Solutions for Change (June 2007)
  
  "This paper ranks U.S. states on two critical areas related to America's continuing addiction to oil. First, their oil vulnerability—that is, how heavily each state’s citizens are affected by increases in oil prices. Second, states are ranked on their implementation of solutions to reduce their oil dependence—what measures they are taking to lessen their vulnerability and to bolster America's security. The data yield two clear conclusions:
  
  
  • Oil dependence affects all states, but some are hit harder economically than others.
  
  
  • While some states are pioneering solutions, many are taking little or no action. In fact, about one-third of states are not taking any steps to reduce their oil dependence.


• National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse, Enhancing America's Communities: A Guide to Transportation Enhancements (March 2007)
  
  "Enhancing America's Communities showcases 15 projects that illustrate the power of Transportation Enhancements to catalyze community revitalization and provide for an enhanced transportation experience.
  
  "The Congress included Transportation Enhancements (TE) in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) in 1991 to signal its intention to provide funding for a broad array of projects designed to maximize the potential of transportation to invigorate communities. The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
  Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEALU), enacted in 2005, represents a continuing commitment by Congress to focus on more than just the provision of 'ribbons of concrete.' With more than 20,000 projects on the ground around the country, transportation enhancements have proven that transportation projects can do more than efficiently move people. They can simultaneously improve local economies, enhance the environment, and create central community places."


• Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), U.S. Army to Contract Out Environmental Staff (June 20, 2007)
  
  "The U.S. Army is poised to begin contracting out its environmental, natural and cultural resource staff positions, according to agency documents released today by ... PEER. The Army is proceeding despite advice from its own lawyers that privatizing these functions violates the basic conservation law governing Defense Department operations.".—Press release.


• Reconnecting America & the Center for Transit-Oriented Development, TOD 101: Why Transit-Oriented Development And Why Now? (2007)
  
  "Transit-oriented development or TOD is typically defined as more compact development within easy walking distance of transit stations (typically a half mile) that contains a mix of uses such as housing, jobs, shops, restaurants and entertainment. At Reconnecting America we believe projects should also achieve the goals listed here. TOD is really about creating walkable, sustainable communities for people of all ages and incomes and providing more transportation and housing choices (including townhomes, apartments, live-work spaces, and lofts). These neighborhoods provide for a lifestyle that's convenient, affordable and active, and create places where our children can play and our parents can grow old comfortably."—What is Transit-Oriented Development and Why Should You Care?


• UN-Energy/Africa, Energy for Sustainable Development: Policy Options for Africa (Publication to CSD15) (2007)
  
  "Over the last four decades, the gap between energy supply and demand in Africa has been growing. Projections by experts in the field forecast that this gap will continue to grow, and the livelihood of more Africans will continue to be critically impaired by energy poverty, that will seriously slow down the socioeconomic development of the continent. Energy has been supplied in insufficient quantity, at a cost, form and quality that has limited its consumption by the majority of Africa's population, making the continent the lowest per capita consumer of modern energy of all regions of the world. The challenges are indeed daunting, and more than ever, a concerted effort by all actors is required to achieve any significant progress.
  
  "Most UN agencies and programmes have endeavoured to address some aspects of the African Energy challenge in their work programmes. In this UN-Energy/Africa flagship book, key issues related to policy, regulation, renewable energy development, energy access in urban, peri-urban and rural areas, regional strategies for addressing energy poverty, power sector reforms, energy planning, and energy finance are addressed by various UN agencies and programmes, with the objectives to highlight the main challenges and provide some policy guidelines to accelerate energy supply and access in Africa."—Overview.


• United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library, United Nations Documentation: Research Guide—The Environment (June 2007)
  
  "To enable researchers to identify key UN bodies working in the area of the environment as well as related documentation, a special chapter has been added to the Research Guide which also includes: a listing of important meetings which have taken place over the years; full text links to multilateral treaties; a listing of key reference tools issued by the Organization; and tips for identifying environment documentation using UNBISnet and the Official Documents System of the United Nations (ODS)."—Press release (May 2007)


• United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Inspector General (OIG), Overcoming Obstacles to Measuring Compliance: Practices in Selected Federal Agencies (Evaluation Report No. 2007-P-00027) (June 20, 2007)
  
  "Federal regulatory agencies with missions and obstacles similar to EPA use statistical methods to generate compliance information. They use this information to monitor their enforcement and compliance programs and demonstrate program results. These Federal programs extensively use statistical methods to identify and analyze risk, set goals, develop strategies to manage the most significant risks, and report their accomplishments. While the programs we reviewed face similar obstacles as OECA [EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance], they use practical approaches to overcome these obstacles that OECA could potentially apply to its programs."—What We Found.


• United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), Energy Efficiency: Important Challenges Must Be Overcome to Realize Significant Opportunities for Energy Efficiency Improvements in Gulf Coast Reconstruction (Report to Congressional Addressees, GAO-07-654) (June 2007)
  
  "Reconstruction in the Gulf Coast creates a significant opportunity for incorporating energy efficiency improvements that could produce long-term energy costs savings in residential and commercial buildings. The sheer magnitude of the reconstruction effort and Louisiana's and Mississippi's recent adoption of more energy-efficient building codes makes this an opportune time for incorporating energy efficiency improvements in the rebuilding efforts. In partnership with a DOE national laboratory, GAO analyzed energy cost savings opportunities and estimated that adopting these newer building codes could reduce residential energy costs in these two states by at least $20 to $28 million per year, depending on the extent of the rebuilding efforts in these states. Furthermore, the analysis also showed that annual energy expenditures for commercial buildings—hospitals, schools, offices, and retail buildings—built to newer energy standards could be about 7 to 34 percent lower than buildings built to older standards. There also are opportunities for consumers to make additional energy efficiency improvements to both building types by replacing old, damaged equipment."—What GAO Found.


• United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), Hurricane Katrina: EPA's Current and Future Environmental Protection Efforts Could Be Enhanced by Addressing Issues and Challenges Faced on the Gulf Coast (Report to Congressional Committees, GAO-07-651) (June 2007)
  
  "While EPA provided useful environmental health risk information to the public via flyers, public service announcements, and the EPA Web page, the communications were at times unclear and inconsistent on how to mitigate exposure to some contaminants, particularly asbestos and mold. Further, the usefulness of three key reports on EPA's environmental sampling in New Orleans—developed with, among others, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to address potential health risks from exposure to floodwaters, sediments, and air—was limited by a lack of timeliness and insufficient disclosures about EPA's sampling program. For example, EPA did not state until August 2006 that its December 2005 report—which said that the great majority of the data showed that adverse health effects would not be expected from exposure to sediments from previously flooded areas—applied to short-term visits, such as to view damage to homes.
  
  "Mitigating several challenges EPA faces addressing Hurricane Katrina could better protect the environment in the future. First, EPA did not remove hazardous materials from national wildlife refuges in a timely manner as part of its response in part because disaster assistance funding generally is not used for debris cleanups on federal lands. Second, because states generally have authority over landfill decisions, EPA does not have an effective role in emergency debris disposal decisions that could cause pollution. Finally, lack of clarity in federal debris management plans and protocols precluded the timely and safe disposal of some appliances and electronic waste."—What GAO Found.


• United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), Wildland Fire Management: Lack of Clear Goals or a Strategy Hinders Federal Agencies’ Efforts to Contain the Costs of Fighting Fires (Report to Congressional Requesters, GAO-07-655) (June 2007)
  
  "The Forest Service and Interior agencies have initiated a number of steps to address key operational areas previously identified as needing improvement to help federal agencies contain wildland fire costs, but the effects on containing costs are unknown, in part because many of these steps are not yet complete. First, federal firefighting agencies are developing a system to help them better identify and set priorities for lands needing treatment to reduce fuels, but they have yet to decide how they will keep data in the system current. Second, federal agencies have taken some steps to improve how they acquire and use personnel, equipment, and other firefighting assets—such as implementing a computerized system to more efficiently dispatch and track available firefighting assets—but have not yet completed the more fundamental step of determining the appropriate type and quantity of firefighting assets needed for the fire season. Third, the agencies have clarified certain policies and are improving analytical tools that assist officials in identifying and implementing an appropriate response to a given fire, but several other policies limit the agencies’ use of less aggressive firefighting strategies, which typically cost less. Fourth, federal agencies, working with nonfederal entities, have recently taken steps to clarify guidance to better ensure that firefighting costs are shared consistently for fires that threaten both federal and nonfederal lands and resources, but it is unclear how the agencies will ensure that this guidance is followed."—What GAO Found.


• Beth Wellington, Commentary on the Clean Water Protection Act (June 25, 2007)
  
  This brief LLRX.com commentary provides background about H.R. 2169, and includes links to organizations of supporters and opponents.


• Yet Wah Seto, Edmund, et al., Spatial Distribution of Traffic Induced Noise Exposures in a US City: An Analytic Tool for Assessing the Health Impacts of Urban Planning Decisions, International Journal of Health Geographics, v.6 (doi:10.1186/1476-072X-6-24) (June 21, 2007)
  
  "In this paper we present a GIS-based model for evaluating the spatial distribution of traffic-induced noise in an urban environment. Applying the model to the City of San Francisco, we find that the potential risk of annoyance is large, and varies considerably between neighborhoods. This work has implications for building design and construction in new urban neighborhoods, particularly urban infill that may increase density in environments with preexisting noise problems. It also highlights the need for transportation alternatives, as automobiles are the major source of community noise. Finally, the work has implications for environmental justice, as we show that areas of high population density suffer disproportionately from the impacts of urban noise. The relatively simple model presented here may be used to evaluate changes in noise exposures and annoyance as one tool in a larger toolbox for Health Impact Assessments of transportation and land use planning."—Conclusions.

Corps Releases Flood Risk Study

Ever since Katrina, the Corps has been frantically trying to shore up the New Orleans flood control system. It has also been under a mandate to study future risks.The Washington Post reports a new study by the Corps of flood risks in New Orleans:

After nearly two years of levee repairs, the chances are 1 in 500 that nearly all of the city will be flooded again this year with more than six feet of water, according to flood risk maps issued today by the Army Corps of Engineers.

There is a 1 in 100 annual chance that roughly one-third of the city will be flooded with as much as six feet of water. For dozens of city blocks, the chance of significant flooding is twice as high.

* * *
The study of flood risks was conducted by the team of academic and private-sector engineers that issued an eight-volume report on the levee system's failures after Hurricane Katrina. It was led by Ed Link, a senior research engineer at the University of Maryland.

"There is a gnawing sense out there -- 'Can we trust the Corps?' " Powell said. "This team was independent."

The research team based its estimates of the flood risk on the odds of hurricane strikes and an assessment of the region's flood defenses, which consist of 350 miles of levees and flood walls, as well as pumping stations and flood gates.

One of the key findings of the group was a departure from the widely held idea that the flooding a hurricane can cause is almost entirely dependent on its intensity. Instead, the group found, the surge depends significantly on the hurricane's track and its radius.

The study showed that the levee work completed has significantly reduced the flood risks in some neighborhoods, particularly in Lakeview, the site of one of the catastrophic levee breaches caused by Hurricane Katrina. Elsewhere, only slight reductions in risk have been achieved.

Unfortunately, this study probably significantly underestimates the risk. The study assumes that the components of the flood control system will actually function as designed, which seems unlikely given the performance of the system two years ago. Also, the study may assume that system failures are independent, whereas failures of one component may be correlated with failures of others. Finally, the study may not account for the increased risks posed by climate change.

The study is particularly bad news for residents of the Ninth Ward and Gentilly. Even with current improvements (and even assuming the levees function as designed), these areas would be flooded about as badly as they were in 2005.

The Corps Strikes Again

The Washington Post reports a new study by the Corps of flood risks in New Orleans:

After nearly two years of levee repairs, the chances are 1 in 500 that nearly all of the city will be flooded again this year with more than six feet of water, according to flood risk maps issued today by the Army Corps of Engineers.

There is a 1 in 100 annual chance that roughly one-third of the city will be flooded with as much as six feet of water. For dozens of city blocks, the chance of significant flooding is twice as high.

* * *
The study of flood risks was conducted by the team of academic and private-sector engineers that issued an eight-volume report on the levee system's failures after Hurricane Katrina. It was led by Ed Link, a senior research engineer at the University of Maryland.

"There is a gnawing sense out there -- 'Can we trust the Corps?' " Powell said. "This team was independent."

The research team based its estimates of the flood risk on the odds of hurricane strikes and an assessment of the region's flood defenses, which consist of 350 miles of levees and flood walls, as well as pumping stations and flood gates.

One of the key findings of the group was a departure from the widely held idea that the flooding a hurricane can cause is almost entirely dependent on its intensity. Instead, the group found, the surge depends significantly on the hurricane's track and its radius.

The study showed that the levee work completed has significantly reduced the flood risks in some neighborhoods, particularly in Lakeview, the site of one of the catastrophic levee breaches caused by Hurricane Katrina. Elsewhere, only slight reductions in risk have been achieved.

Unfortunately, this study probably significantly underestimates the risk. The study assumes that the components of the flood control system will actually function as designed, which seems unlikely given the performance of the system two years ago. Also, the study may assume that system failures are independent, whereas failures of one component may be correlated with failures of others. Finally, the study may not account for the increased risks posed by climate change.

The study is particularly bad news for residents of the Ninth Ward and Gentilly. Even with current improvements (and even assuming the levees function as designed), these areas would be flooded about as badly as they were in 2005.

Literary Warrant [11]

Catching up here after a month away. Apologies for the extent of this post.

• American Association of University Professors (AAUP), Special Committee on Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans Universities, Report of an AAUP Special Committee: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans Universities (May-June 2007)
  
  "[T]he Special Committee on Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans Universities of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) finds that there was 'nearly universal departure from (or in some cases complete abandonment of) personnel and other policies' by five New Orleans institutions—the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, the University of New Orleans, Southern University at New Orleans, Loyola University New Orleans, and Tulane University—as they contended with the disaster that befell the city and its universities."—Press release (May 15, 2007)


• The Associated Press, Smithsonian Toned Down Exhibit on Climate Change in the Arctic, International Herald Tribune (May 21, 2007)
  
  "The Smithsonian Institution toned down an exhibit on climate change in the Arctic for fear of angering the U.S. Congress and the Bush administration, says a former administrator at the museum.
  
  "Among other things, the script, or official text, of last year's exhibit was rewritten to minimize and inject more uncertainty into the relationship between global warming and humans, said Robert Sullivan, who was associate director in charge of exhibitions at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
  
  "Also, officials omitted scientists' interpretation of some research and let visitors draw their own conclusions from the data, he said. In addition, graphs were altered 'to show that global warming could go either way, Sullivan said."


• Association of State Floodplain Managers, Inc. (ASFPM), National Flood Programs and Policies in Review—2007 (Final draft)
  
  "It is evident that the top-down model used by the United States for managing flood risk and floodplain resources over the past 75 years has achieved only marginal success. This, combined with anticipated impacts of population growth and climate change, and the prevailing upward trend in flood losses, have convinced the ASFPM that now is the time to debate a drastic overhaul of national policy and programs.
  
  "Some ideas for an alternative model have already been offered.... Is flood insurance still the best approach? Should floodplains be preserved for biomass production and carbon sequestration? Can the federal government’s role be redefined?
  
  "Scattered throughout this report, therefore, are recommendations that would certainly entail re-thinking and quite possibly re-shaping today’s federal model of floodplain management, or parts of it, in order to better meet the challenges that
  the nation will face in the future."—Thinking Outside the Box.


• Lenora Ausbon-Odom, Ernst & Young, U.S. Tax Considerations for Energy Infrastructure Projects, National Tax (May 2007)
  
  "Infrastructure projects vary widely with respect to types of assets (e.g., transportation, energy and utility, stadiums), form of investment (direct versus indirect), characteristics of investor (e.g., domestic taxable, domestic tax-exempt, public, foreign) and type of arrangement with public sector (e.g., toll road concession, regulated industry); any of which may alter the tax analysis and raise unique tax issues. While a survey of all potential tax issues is beyond the scope of this article, certain U.S. federal income tax ('Tax') and other tax considerations are discussed below that are common to energy infrastructure projects. This article addresses the recent statutory and legislative changes which impact the tax treatment of energy infrastructure projects."


• Barbara H. Bean, Research Guide on Transboundary Freshwater Treaties and Other Resources (April 2007)
  
  "Approximately 260 of the world’s river basins, with a majority of the world’s freshwater flow, cross or create international political boundaries. 145 countries, with close to half of the world’s population, are located in international river basins. Although conflicts over water resources date back thousands of years, in spite of, or perhaps because of, the essential role water plays in sustaining human civilization, the nations have found a way to cooperate in sharing and managing water resources. In addition to global conventions and rules governing the use of water resources, hundreds of regional treaties and agreements exist between and among nations, covering a wide range of issues, from border security and navigation to hydro-electric power and water quality and water quantity. Many treaties contain mechanisms for conflict resolution and many establish international commissions for water resource management."—Introduction.


• Stacy C. Davis & Susan W. Diegel, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Transportation Energy Data Book, Edition 26 (2007)
  
  " In January 1976, the Transportation Energy Conservation (TEC) Division of the Energy Research and Development Administration contracted with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to prepare a Transportation Energy Conservation Data Book to be used by TEC staff in their evaluation of current and proposed conservation strategies. The major purposes of the data book were to draw together, under one cover, transportation data from diverse sources, to resolve data conflicts and inconsistencies, and to produce a comprehensive document. The first edition of the TEC Data Book was published in October 1976. With the passage of the Department of Energy (DOE) Organization Act, the work being conducted by the former Transportation Energy Conservation Division fell under the purview of the DOE's Office of Transportation Programs, then to the Office of Transportation Technologies. DOE, through the Office of Transportation Technologies, has supported the compilation of Editions 3 through 21. In the most recent DOE organization, Editions 22 through 26 fall under the purview of the Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
  
  "Policymakers and analysts need to be well-informed about activity in the transportation sector. The organization and scope of the data book reflect the need for different kinds of information. For this reason, Edition 26 updates much of the same type of data that is found in previous editions."—About the Transportation Energy Data Book.


• Docuticker, U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook & Interactive Drought Impact Reporter (May 23, 2007)
  
  "On the cusp of the summer season, NOAA meteorologists are anticipating major drought concerns in sections of the U.S. possibly fueling an already busy wildfire season. In today’s updates of the U.S. Drought Monitor and the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook, NOAA scientists are indicating extreme drought to plague areas from Southern California into western Arizona as summer approaches. Meanwhile, drought conditions in the Southeast are expected to show some improvement in the coming weeks and months."—NOAA Press release (May 17, 2007)


• Maggie Eldridge, Bill Prindle, Dan York & Steve Nadel, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), The State Energy Efficiency Scorecard for 2006 (June 2007) (Free registration required.)
  
  "More and more states are turning to energy efficiency as the 'first fuel' in the race for clean and secure energy resources. In their commitments to advance energy efficiency policies and programs, they are outpacing the federal government by a widening margin. States now spend about three times as much on energy efficiency programs as the federal government, and are leading the way on appliance standards, building codes, energy efficiency resource standards, and other key policies that drive energy efficiency investment. In this era of state pre-eminence, it is important to document best practices and recognize leadership among the states, so that other states follow, and to encourage federal action to catch up. Toward that end, ACEEE developed this report as a comprehensive ranking of state energy efficiency policies and identified exemplary programs and policies within each policy category."—Executive Summary (abridged)


• Energy Information Administration, About U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines—Transporting Natural Gas
  
  "This information product provides the interested reader with a broad and non-technical overview of how the U.S. natural gas pipeline network operates, along with some insights into the many individual pipeline systems that make up the network. While the focus of the presentation is the transportation of natural gas over the interstate and intrastate pipeline systems, information on subjects related to pipeline development, such as system design and pipeline expansion, are also included."


• Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook (June 12, 2007)
  
  "The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecast an active hurricane season again this year with 13 to 17 named storms forming in the Atlantic Basin, including 7 to 10 hurricanes. This Outlook includes hurricane-induced production outages of 13 million barrels of crude oil and 86 billion cubic feet of natural gas, primarily occurring in August and September (see this month’s supplemental report, The 2007 Outlook for Hurricane Impacts on Gulf of Mexico Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production) [below]."—Highlights.


• Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook Supplement: The 2007 Outlook for Hurricane Impacts on Gulf of Mexico Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production (June 2007)
  
  "The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts above-normal hurricane activity in the May 22, 2007 version of its Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook. They project 13 to 17 named storms will form within the Atlantic Basin, including 7 to 10 hurricanes of which 3 to 5 will be intense."—Highlights.


• Energy Information Administration, State Energy Consumption, Price, and Expenditure Estimates (SEDS) (June 1, 2007)
  
  "The State data are estimates of consumption for all energy sources by end-use sector beginning in 1960 and estimates of prices and expenditures for the same energy sources by end-use sector beginning in 1970. This release includes all State and sector totals through 2004 and State rankings of consumption, prices, and expenditures by major energy source and end-use sector. Data are provided in tables of PDF and HTML format, as well as in comma-separated data files that are spreadsheet and database compatible. Detailed documentation of data sources and estimation methodologies are also provided."


• Ernst & Young, Global Real Estate Outlook Turns "Green", Global Real Estate Newsline (May 2007)
  
  "For individuals and organizations interested in renting space in green buildings, the most recent Global Real Estate Newsline can be a valuable tool for assessing the impact of energy efficiency, tax incentives, and capital allowances on their behavior, policies, and bottom lines. This 'green' issue—featuring articles about environmental policies in three key countries—helps build a business case for ecological and economic foresight."


• Mary Graham & Elena Fagotto, Brookings Institution, How to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Now (Policy Brief no. 161) (June 2007)
  
  "Support is growing in the 110th Congress for legislation to counter climate change. Yet action on any of the major cap-and-trade proposals will leave a critical policy gap. None of the proposed systems would take full effect for at least five years. Meanwhile, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase and company executives are locking in future emissions as they finalize plans for new power plants, factories and cars. The Administration's latest climate action report, circulated in draft in March 2007, estimates that a 19 percent increase in U.S. emissions between 2000 and 2020 will contribute to persistent drought, coastal flooding and water shortages in many parts of the country and around the world. This policy brief proposes that Congress legislate product-by-product and factory-by-factory disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions to create immediate incentives for companies to cut those emissions. Labeling products and disclosing factory emissions would provide market benefits now by exposing inefficiencies and informing the choices of investors, business partners, employees and consumers and would give companies the information base they need to prepare for cap-and-trade regulation."—Abstract.


• Walter Jetz, David S. Wilcove & Andrew P. Dobson, Projected Impacts of Climate and Land-Use Change on the Global Diversity of Birds (PLoS Biol 5(6): e157) (June 5, 2007)
  
  "Land conversion and climate change have already had significant impacts on biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Using future land-cover projections from the recently completed Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, we found that 950–1,800 of the world's 8,750 species of land birds could be imperiled by climate change and land conversion by the year 2100. These projections are based on the assumption that birds will not dramatically shift their ranges in response to a changing climate, a process that would lessen the range contractions we predict. While climate change will be the principal driver of range contractions at higher latitudes, our projections reveal that land conversion (e.g., deforestation, conversion of grasslands to croplands, etc.) will have a much larger effect on species that inhabit the tropics. This is because birds in the tropics are especially diverse and tend to have small ranges, making them particularly vulnerable to extinction; in contrast, birds at higher latitudes are less diverse and tend to have large ranges. A vastly expanded reserve network in the tropics, coupled with more ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and monitor biodiversity impacts, will be needed to minimize global extinctions."—Author summary.


• William P. Kucewicz, Electricity Prices and the Fuel Function: An Empirical & Global Analysis Economics & Public Policy Report, v.VIII, no.1 (May 2007)
  
  "[P]robably the single biggest factor affecting the price of fuel has been geopolitical risk. Ever since the tragic events of 9/11 and the later U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, global markets have become acutely aware of the potential dangers posed by terrorism and the risk of instability in the oil-rich Persian Gulf. Vital commodities such as oil and safe havens like gold have, not surprisingly, become particularly sensitive to geopolitical risk. Experience has shown, though, that geopolitical risk factors can disappear as quickly as they appear, meaning the potential for a price correction is ever-present."—Executive Summary.


• Local Government Commission, Emergency Response and Traditional Neighborhood Street Design
  
  "In recent years, local governments and developers have been trying to build new neighborhoods with traditional-style streets that are narrow, tree-lined and allow on-street parking. These streets—along with shorter, well-connected blocks—are a shift away from the trend since the Second World War to build large subdivisions with hierarchical networks of wide streets, long blocks and disconnected, dead-end cul de sacs.
  
  "These narrower, traditional-style streets are considered key features of livable, sustainable, and smart growth neighborhoods that are becoming increasingly popular with local governments, developers and home buyers.
  
  "This 12-page fact sheet (PDF, 896 KB) contains case studies illustrating how these issues were handled in three cities. We hope that the lessons learned from these projects will help local governments, emergency responders and developers work together to create safe, livable and walkable neighborhoods with great streets in the future."


• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Research Finds That Earth's Climate is Approaching 'Dangerous' Point (May 30, 2007)
  
  "From a combination of climate models, satellite data, and paleoclimate records the scientists conclude that the West Antarctic ice sheet, Arctic ice cover, and regions providing fresh water sources and species habitat are under threat from continued global warming. The research appears in the current issue of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics."—Press release.


• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, CAMEO Chemicals: An Online Database of Hazardous Materials
  
  "CAMEO Chemicals is an online library of more than 6,000 data sheets containing response-related information and recommendations for hazardous materials that are commonly transported, used, and/or stored in the United States. CAMEO Chemicals also contains the Chemical Reactivity Worksheet (in the Predict Reactivity section of this site), which you can use to predict potential reactive hazards between chemicals of concern."—About CAMEO Chemicals.


• Paul W. Parfomak, Specialist in Science and Technology, Resources, Science, and Industry Division, Congressional Research Service, Vulnerability of Concentrated Critical Infrastructure: Background and Policy Options (CRS Report for Congress, Order Code RL33206) (Updated January 26, 2007)
  
  "Some analysts may argue that little government intervention is necessary to alleviate geographic vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure because the private sector will adjust its practices out of its own financial interest. However, if Congress concludes that federal intervention is needed, it may employ a number of policy options to encourage geographic dispersion (including eliminating policies that encourage concentration ), ensure survivability, or ensure that effective infrastructure recovery capabilities are in place to mitigate impacts of concentrated infrastructure disruption. Addressing geographic vulnerabilities may call for a combination of options. Congress may also consider whether other legislative proposals with the potential to affect critical infrastructure development—directly or indirectly—are likely to relieve or exacerbate geographic vulnerability. The economic efficiency of public critical infrastructure and the efficient use of federal funds for infrastructure development may also be important considerations."—Summary.


• UN Pulse, UN Documentation on the Environment (May 24, 2007)
  
  "The Dag Hammarskjöld Library has prepared a new chapter for the UN Documentation Research Guide on the Environment. The guide provides an overview of the development of UN consideration of issues related to the environment, highlights the major bodies in the UN family currently at work on the topic, and provides information about the kind of documentation produced for each body. Currently available in English, the guide will be translated into the other official languages."


• United Nations Environment Programme, GEO: Global Environment Outlook, GEO Yearbook 2007: An Overview of Our Changing Environment
  
  "The GEO Year Book 2007 is the fourth annual report on the changing environment produced by the United Nations Environment Programme in collaboration with many world environment experts.
  
  "The 2007 Year Book includes global and regional overviews of significant developments over the past year. It highlights linkages among ecosystem health, human well-being, and economic development; examines new thinking on the value of ecosystem services and the threat from ecosystem degradation; and describes recent research findings and policy decisions that affect our awareness and response to global change.
  
  "A special feature focus analyzes the intersection between environment and globalization where ecosystem services and the human well-being that depends on those services are affected by natural resource exploitation in response to global demands. The chapter also explores some of the innovative policy mechanisms that link global supplies of goods and services with sustainable development objectives.
  
  "The emerging scientific and policy challenges of nanotechnology are examined from an environmental perspective. Nanotechnology will bring environmental benefits but it is vital that we adopt appropriate assessment and legislative processes to address the unique challenges presented by nanomaterials and their life cycles."—About GEO Year Book 2007.


• United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Europe, First Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea, Baku, Azerbaijan, 23 – 25 May 2007
  
  "The Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea is the first legally binding agreement signed by all five nations surrounding the Caspian Sea, laying down the general requirements and the institutional mechanism for environmental protection in the Caspian region. Also known as Tehran Convention after the city where it was adopted in November 2003, the Convention aims at protecting the Caspian environment from all sources of pollution and to protect, preserve and restore the marine environment of the Caspian Sea. It is based on a number of underlying principles including the polluter pay principle and the principle of access to information. The Convention includes provisions on sustainable and rational use of the living resources of the Caspian Sea, as well as provisions on environmental impact assessment and environmental monitoring, research and development."


• United States Department of Energy, U.S. Continues to Lead the World in Wind Power Growth: DOE Report Shows Growing U.S. Wind Power Market (May 31, 2007)
  
  "The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released its first Annual Report on U.S. Wind Power Installation, Cost, and Performance Trends: 2006, which provides a detailed and comprehensive overview of development and trends in the U.S. wind power market. Most notably, the Report concludes that U.S. wind power capacity increased by 27 percent in 2006; and that the U.S. had the fastest growing wind power capacity in the world in 2005 and 2006. More than 61 percent of the U.S.’s total wind capacity—over 7,300 Megawatts (MW)—has been installed since President Bush took office in 2001."


• United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Inspector General, Fiscal Year 2006 and 2005 Financial Statements for the Pesticide Registration Fund (Audit Report No. 2007-1-00071) (May 31, 2007)
  
  "To expedite the registration of certain pesticides, Congress authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess and collect pesticide registration fees. The fees collected are deposited into the PRIA Fund. The Agency is required to prepare financial statements that present financial information about the PRIA Fund."—Background.


• United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) & Environment Canada, State of the Great Lakes 2007 (Draft)
  
  "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada today released the 2007 State of the Great Lakes Highlights Report at the International Joint Commission meeting in Chicago.
  
  "Overall, the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem is mixed, with some conditions improving while others are getting worse.
  
  "Every two years the Great Lakes community reports on the condition of the Great Lakes ecosystem at the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference. The last conference was held Nov. 1-3, 2006, in Milwaukee, Wis. The State of the Great Lakes Highlights Report summarizes the information provided in indicator reports presented at the biennial conference."—Press release (June 7, 2007)


• United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA Finalizes Guidances for Pandemic and Seasonal Influenza Vaccines (May 31, 2007)
  
  "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued final recommendations to increase the supply of safe and effective influenza vaccines for both seasonal and pandemic use.
  
  "FDA's goal with the guidances is to outline the regulatory pathways for the rapid development and approval of these products."—Press release.


• United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), Biofuels: DOE Lacks a Strategic Approach to Coordinate Increasing Production with Infrastructure Development and Vehicle Needs (Report to Congressional Requesters, GAO-07-713) (June 2007)
  
  "DOE has not yet developed a comprehensive approach to coordinate its strategy for expanding biofuels production with the development of biofuel infrastructure and production of vehicles. Such an approach could assist in determining which blend of ethanol—E10, E85, or something in between—would most effectively and efficiently increase the use of the fuel and what infrastructure development or vehicle production is needed to support that blend level. In addition, DOE has not evaluated the performance of biofuel-related tax credits, the largest of which cost the Treasury $2.7billion in 2006. As a result, it is not known if these expenditures produced the desired outcomes or if similar benefits might have been achieved at a lower cost."—What GAO Found.


• University of Michigan News Service, Shine On, Shine On, Climate Monitoring Station: Moon-based Observatories Proposed (May 23, 2007)
  
  "Poets may see 'a face of plaintive sweetness' or 'a cheek like beryl stone' when they look at the moon, but [University of Michigan geophysicist] Shaopeng Huang sees something else altogether: the ideal location for a network of observatories dedicated to studying climate change on Earth....
  
  "Global climate change is driven by an imbalance between incoming energy from the sun and outgoing energy from Earth. Without understanding the climate system's inputs and outputs—its so-called energy budget—it is impossible to tease out the relative contributions of natural and human-induced influences and to predict future climate, Huang said.
  
  "But detecting changes in the energy budget is difficult with existing ground-based and space-borne technologies, he noted. Fortunately, instruments left behind by the Apollo 15 astronauts—all U-M alumni, incidentally—inadvertently provided just the necessary measurements."—Press release.


• Walmsley, C. A. et al., UK Climate Impacts Programme, MONARCH (Modelling Natural Resource Responses to Climate Change): A Synthesis for Biodiversity Conservation (May 2007)
  
  "The MONARCH synthesis report is the result of a seven-year partnership programme, involving 15 partner organisations across Britain and Ireland, including governmental agencies and NGOs and a research team led by the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford. The final phase of the MONARCH programme studied the projected change in suitable climate for 120 rare or threatened species that are currently being conserved through the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Thirty-two of these were explored in detail and it was found that a majority are likely to be affected by climate change."

Climate Change: A Friendlier Attitude?

The New York Times reports an incremental change in the U.S. position.

The United States agreed today to “seriously consider” a European proposal to combat global warming by halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, breaking a trans-Atlantic deadlock at a meeting here of the world’s richest industrial nations.

The compromise, hammered out in tough negotiations between the United States and Germany, also endorses President Bush’s recent proposal to gather together the world’s largest emitting countries, including China and India, to set a series of national goals for reducing emissions.

The agreement does not include a mandatory 50 percent reduction in emissions, a key provision sought by Chancellor Angela Merkel. Nevertheless, Mrs. Merkel, the host of the meeting, proclaimed it a “huge success.”

After days of discord between Europe and the United States, which had threatened to veto any reference to concrete reductions, the deal amounted to a face-saving compromise for Mrs. Merkel. It also reaffirmed that climate negotiations should take place under the auspices of the United Nations — something else sought by Mrs. Merkel.

It's clear that there won't be any real progress on climate change at the federal level until Bush is out of office. But these incremental steps are a clear sign of just how strong the political pressure for action has now become. Regardless of who wins the next Presidential election, serious federal action now seems all but inevitable.

A delayed study

The question of how the New Orleans flood control system was botched so badly is yet to receive a definite answer. It sounds like the answer won't be coming anytime soon. Maybe the subject is just a little too politically sensitive -- including the question of why the funding was so badly delayed and why Congress didn't provide better oversight.

According to a story in the Times-Picayune about a visit by the new head of the Army Corps to New Orleans, the new head of the Corps didn't even know the subject was under study:

Indeed, the education still needs some fine-tuning: Van Antwerp admitted he knew nothing about the long-delayed Hurricane Protection Decision Chronology being conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Defense Department.

The study was designed "to enable the corps and the nation to fully understand the long history of federal, state and local decisions that led to the design and construction of the New Orleans-area flood and storm damage reduction system," Maj. Gen. Don Riley, corps director of civil works, said when the study was announced in June 2006 as a companion to the nine-volume forensic report on the levee failures during Hurricane Katrina.

Corps officials and members of the independent team preparing the report have refused to say when it will be released to the public. The lack of such a report on the breaches -- detailing policy and political failures that accompanied engineering and scientific failures -- prompted criticism last year from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

It's not a good sign that the head of the Corps isn't even aware of this crucial study of the Corps' past failings.

What's the old line about those who fail to remember history? Let's hope it doesn't hold true in this case -- since the people who will be doomed are the not the Corps but the populations it is supposed to protect.