Organic Agriculture Yields New Weapon Against Global Warming: Groundbreaking study proves organic farming counters greenhouse gases



From Straus Communications
Thursday, October 16, 2003

Kutztown, PA .. After 23 years of field studies on organic farming practices, researchers at The Rodale Institute® have announced exciting new findings with profound implications in the battle against global warming.

The Rodale Institute's groundbreaking Farming Systems Trial®, the world's longest running study of organic farming, has documented that organic soils actually scrub the atmosphere of global warming gases by capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide and converting it into soil material. This is the first study to differentiate organic farming techniques from conventional agricultural practices for their ability to serve as carbon "sinks."

"Organic farming is a powerful new tool in the global warming arsenal," said Anthony Rodale, chairman of the The Rodale Institute. "It puts agriculture into a lead role - in regenerating the environment."

Through a process called carbon sequestration, plants and soils act as "sinks" for atmospheric carbon dioxide. Carbon "sequestered" in vegetation and soil is not readily released as carbon dioxide, providing a significant boost in the efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. While carbon helps stimulate plant growth, scientists estimate carbon dioxide may be responsible for more than 80 percent of global warming.

Although it's not a "silver bullet," carbon sequestration can become a powerful component of a multi-pronged approach to managing the issue of global warming. Since 1981, The Rodale Institute has monitored soil carbon and nitrogen levels in scientifically controlled test fields using organic as well as a wide range of other farming methods. In the organic systems, soil carbon increased 15 to 28 percent.

These results are the extension of findings first published in the journal Nature in 1999 and have undergone additional peer review.

While the effects of carbon sequestration have been known for some time, The Rodale Institute's research provides the most definitive, long-term evidence about organic agriculture's asset as a tool against global warming.

"This is very good news," said Paul Hepperly, The Rodale Institute's research manager. The extent of carbon sequestration found and the impressive ability of organic systems to capture carbon are important results that should be used by policy makers when planning future agriculture development."

The Rodale Institute's studies show an average increase in soil carbon of about 1,000 pounds per acre-foot of soil, or about 3,500 pounds of carbon dioxide per acre-foot per year sequestered. If multiplied over the 160 million acres of corn and soybean produced nationally, 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide could potentially be sequestered using existing low input organic farming methods.

"Because the Farming Systems Trial® found that organic farming practices emit fewer greenhouse gases, the carbon sequestration findings are exciting on their own," said Anthony Rodale. "Additionally, The Rodale Institute's multi-year study also produces compelling evidence about the economic viability of organic agriculture. The field trial findings can be beneficial to all farmers by helping to increase crop yields while decreasing energy, fuel and irrigation costs."

Pennsylvania's Departments of Agriculture and Environmental Protection have agreed to support further study, education and outreach efforts with The Rodale Institute® to better understand the positive effects that organic agriculture can have in reducing the impacts of excess atmospheric carbon on global warming.

"Rodale's data and findings will be most helpful in the development of future greenhouse gas mitigation strategies that will be beneficial to Pennsylvania's citizens, its farmers and its business owners," said Secretary Kathleen McGinty of Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection. "I commend The Rodale Institute for their staying power in conducting this twenty plus-year study that has measured and documented the use of living soil as a sink for carbon dioxide."

"Pennsylvania's partnership with The Rodale Institute presents a one-of-a-kind opportunity," said Dennis Wolff, Secretary of Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture.

"Pennsylvania is fortunate to be at the center of this exciting research," Wolff said. "We have thought for years that carbon sequestration and the development of a market for carbon credits offers new income opportunities for farmers even as they help the environment. Today's research results demonstrate that potential beyond the shadow of a doubt. I am anxious to share this potential with the Commonwealth's farmers."


# # #


The Rodale Institute® is a not-for-profit educational and research organization committed to sharing information globally about successful agricultural solutions to health and environmental problems. The Rodale Institute has worked for sixty years to establish and share knowledge about how to achieve a regenerative food system that renews environmental and human health, bringing to life the philosophy of J. I. Rodale, the founder, that "Healthy Soil = Health Food = Healthy People®." For more information about The Rodale Institute®, NewFarm.org and related programs, please visit www.newfarm.org, www.rodaleinstitute.org, www.kidsregen.org.

Related articles:
Research Facts / excerpts - www.strauscom.com/rodale-facts
Statement of Cooperation - www.strauscom.com/rodale-MOU
The Whitepaper - www.strauscom.com/rodale-whitepaper
About The Rodale Institute - www.strauscom.com/rodale-background





For more information, contact:

Michael Straus
President
Straus Communications
Michael@StrausCom.com
- posted by Daniel @ 8:12 AM

 
From ENN,

EPA defends ads for Bush proposal, despite Democrats' charges


Thursday, October 16, 2003
By John Heilprin, Associated Press


WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency is standing by its advertising from two weeks ago to promote President Bush's plan for reducing power plant pollution, despite House Democrats' charges that it was a serious misuse of public money.

The ads promoting Bush's "Clear Skies" legislation may violate antilobbying laws, say Reps. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.; John Dingell, D-Mich.; and David Obey, D-Wis. But EPA spokeswoman Lisa Harrison insists the ads, which ran Sept. 26 to Oct. 2, were legal.

"It's a moot point, because the ads have run their course," she said Wednesday. "We're not lobbying because we're not advocating an action. We're educating people about the benefits of Clear Skies."

EPA announced on Sept. 29 it was starting a national Spanish-language advertising campaign on the Hispanic Radio Network, timed to coincide with National Hispanic Heritage Month. The agency also took out a full-page color ad promoting Bush's plan in a Spanish-language newspaper in Dallas.

Harrison said the ads were among 27 public service announcements that ran on the network's 160 affiliate stations, covering topics such as asthma, the Energy Star program, radon, school buses, drinking water — and Clear Skies.

Bush's legislation, one of his top environmental priorities, has awaited action in Congress since its introduction in the House and Senate in July 2002 and again last February.

The Democrats called the ad campaign "an inappropriate use of taxpayer dollars, quite possibly in violation of federal law" in a letter Tuesday to EPA Acting Administrator Marianne Horinko.

"We also believe this action is unprecedented," they wrote, asking that EPA staff preserve any documents, including e-mails and computer files, related to the ad campaign.

They said several laws and Congress' appropriations law for EPA, which bans the use of agency funds for "propaganda purposes," may have been violated. Federal law also prohibits federal officials from campaigning on legislation before Congress.

However, Harrison said that EPA was abiding by interpretations of those laws by the Justice Department and General Accounting Office, both of which were consulted by EPA's general counsel before the ads ran.

Horinko said in announcing the ads last month, "EPA is focusing on ways Hispanics can foster a healthy environment in the home, at school, and in their local communities."


Source: Associated Press
- posted by Daniel @ 6:07 PM

 
New Stories from Alt Power Digest on Yahoo! Groups:

There are 2 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. EERE Network News -- 10/15/03
From: greenscitek@webtv.net
2. Higher Energy Prices Make Wind Energy Competitive
From: AP@alternatepower.com (Alternate Power)


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 08:40:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: greenscitek@webtv.net
Subject: EERE Network News -- 10/15/03

EERE NETWORK NEWS -- October 15, 2003
A weekly newsletter from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
http://www.eere.energy.gov
==================================

Featuring:

*News and Events -
Honda Introduces Fuel Cell for Below-Freezing Temperatures:
California and Ohio Support Distributed Generation Projects:
Solar-Powered LED Lamps Help Guide Air Force Jets in Iraq:
Australia's "World Solar Challenge" Car Race Starts Sunday:
Tests of Tidal Energy Turbine Underway in the United Kingdom:
Seattle Bank Offers Mortgage Financing for Energy Efficiency

*Site News
Revamped NREL Web Site Highlights Research Activities

*Energy Connections
EIA Statistics: Newer Homes Tend to Use More Energy

*About this Newsletter

----------------------------------------------
NEWS AND EVENTS
----------------------------------------------

Honda Introduces Fuel Cell for Below-Freezing Temperatures

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. has tackled one of the largest technical barriers
for fuel cell vehicles, producing a fuel cell with advanced electrolyte
membranes that can operate at temperatures as low as 4 degrees
Fahrenheit below zero (negative 20 degrees Celsius). Honda announced
last week that the new fuel cell uses a simplified structure to cut the
number of components by nearly half, while more than doubling the power
output per pound of fuel cell, compared to Honda's previous-generation
fuel cell. Incorporating the new fuel cell into Honda's fuel cell
vehicle, the FCX, yields a 10-percent increase in fuel efficiency and a
20-mile increase in range, to more than 180 miles. Honda delivered the
first of five FCX vehicles to the City of Los Angeles in December 2002;
last month, Honda also agreed to deliver two FCX vehicles to the City of
San Francisco by year-end.

Honda has also developed an experimental "Home Energy Station" that
converts natural gas into hydrogen, which is then purified, compressed,
and stored. The hydrogen can be used either to fuel a fuel cell vehicle
or to supply a stationary fuel cell -- incorporated in the unit -- to
produce electricity and hot water. In addition, Honda has developed a
new Ruthenium-based catalyst that allows water to be converted into its
components, hydrogen and oxygen, more efficiently. Honda has built a
water electrolysis unit that uses power from an advanced solar cell to
generate hydrogen and has added the unit to its hydrogen production
station in Torrington, California. See the press releases on the Honda
Media Web site at: http://www.hondanews.com/forms/honda/fcx/.

For the record, General Motors Corporation (GM) announced a similar
cold-start fuel cell achievement back in September 1999, although it is
not clear if the company ever incorporated that fuel cell into a
vehicle. See the GM press release at: http://media.gm.com/corpcom/99news/g990929a.htm.

Other car companies continue to make progress on fuel cell vehicles. In
late September, Toyota delivered two more fuel cell vehicles to
University of California campuses -- one to Irvine and one to Davis.
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has also built a fuel-cell vehicle based
on a minivan and using a fuel cell from Ballard Power System Inc. Closer
to home, Ford Motor Company is planning to test its Ford Focus fuel cell
vehicle on the streets of Vancouver, British Columbia, next year. See
the press releases from Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Ford at:

http://www.toyota.com/about/news/environment/2003/09/24-1-fchv.html,
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/inter/NEWS/0304-09/0352.html, and
http://media.ford.com/newsroom/release_display.cfm?release=15591.

California and Ohio Support Distributed Generation Projects
Two recent actions in the states of California and Ohio will help groups
and individuals generate their own power on-site, a concept known as
"self-generation" or "distributed generation." The actions bode
particularly well for solar power installations in the two states.
In California, outgoing Governor Gray Davis signed legislation on Sunday
that will extend the state's Self-Generation Incentive Program through
the end of 2007. The program has been critical to the growth of solar
power in the state, and was set to expire at the end of 2004. The new
legislation, Assembly Bill 1685, also sets emissions standards and
requires a minimum conversion efficiency of 60 percent for any
fossil-fueled distributed generation that seeks to qualify for the
incentive payment. Combined heat and power projects can earn credits
against the emission standards based on how much heat they recover. See
the governor's October 12th press release, titled "Legislative Update --
Part III," by selecting "Press Releases" on the governor's Web site at:
http://www.governor.ca.gov/state/govsite/gov_pressroom_main.jsp.
Governor Davis faced a deadline of midnight on Sunday to either sign or
veto 282 bills that awaited his signature; any bills that he didn't sign
or veto would automatically become law. For detailed information about
Assembly Bill 1685, enter "AB 1685" in the search box on the Official
California Legislative Information Web site at:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html.

In Ohio, the Department of Development has awarded a total of $924,019
in grants to 26 distributed generation projects throughout the state.
The projects cover a wide range of technologies to be installed in both
homes and business, including solar power systems, solar thermal
systems, wind turbines, a biomass-to-energy system, a gas turbine, and a
reciprocating engine. Many of the projects involve "hybrid" systems that
combine two or more of the technologies, and several make use of waste
heat produced by the electrical generators. But perhaps the most
interesting award is to the City of Cleveland, which plans to install a
530-kilowatt solar power system at one of its water treatment plants. If
built, it will be the largest solar power system in the Midwest. See the
Ohio Department of Development press release at:
http://www.connectohio.com/newsroom/releases/832.asp.
Aside from financing, the trickiest parts of installing distributed
generation usually involve agreements with the local utility, including
agreements on how to connect to the grid -- referred to as
"interconnection" -- and on how the utility will credit the owner for
any power fed into the grid. Advocates of distributed generation prefer
a "net metering" agreement that credits power fed into the grid against
power drawn from the grid, requiring the owner to only pay the net
difference. To help advance distributed generation, the Interstate
Renewable Energy Council (IREC) recently released new model rules to
help guide policymakers considering net metering or interconnection
rules in their states. See the announcement, with a link to the draft
rules, on the IREC Web site at:
http://www.irecusa.org/articles/static/1/1062865888_987096450.html.

Solar-Powered LED Lamps Help Guide Air Force Jets in Iraq
Solar power may still conjure images of hippies and hot tubs among some
people, but its current use by the U.S. Air Force adds a level of
machismo that should help to dispel that image. Solar-powered lights are
now marking runways at the U.S. Air Force base in Kirkuk, Iraq, and will
soon be used to mark obstructions and a helipad perimeter at the base.
Carmanah Technologies Corporation, which had already provided 400
solar-powered lights to the base, announced in early October that it
received an order for 120 more lights. The second order is a vote of
confidence for the solar technology, which uses energy-efficient
light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, as a light source. More than 2,600 of
the solar lights are now being used at military airfields throughout the
world. See the Carmanah press release at:
http://www.carmanah.com/index.asp?a=iv&m=news&s=031001.
Companies continue to make advancements in LED lighting, opening up new
opportunities for their use in everyday applications. Lumileds Lighting,
for instance, has just released the Luxeon III light source, which uses
LEDs to produce up to 80 lumens of white light while consuming about 3.9
watts of power. That's still fewer lumens per watt than most compact
fluorescent lights, but more energy-efficient than an incandescent
light. For instance, a 60-watt incandescent bulb typically produces
about 900 lumens, or about 15 lumens per watt, compared to 20.5 lumens
per watt for the Luxeon III LED light. Lumileds has recently seen its
lights used for concert and dance-floor lighting, headlights in concept
cars, and even headlights and taillights on Amish buggies. See the
Lumileds Luxeon Web page and press release page at:
http://www.lumileds.com/index.html and
http://www.lumileds.com/newsandevents/press.htm.

Universal Display Corporation is taking an alternative approach, forming
LEDs from organic materials. The company announced last week that it
received a $750,000 award from DOE to advance its development of a
6-inch square panel made of thin films of organic LED materials that
emit white light. See the company's press release at:
http://www.universaldisplay.com/newsroom.php?pr=2003-10-09.

Australia's "World Solar Challenge" Car Race Starts Sunday
The seventh annual "World Solar Challenge" kicks off in Darwin,
Australia, on Sunday, October 19th. Race organizers announced on Tuesday
that 23 solar cars from 10 countries have entered the race, which runs
1,870 miles (3,010 kilometers) down the center of the Australian
continent, ending in Adelaide on October 28th. Unlike the American Solar
Challenge, which is divided into four stages, the World Solar Challenge
is run in one stage. That allows the teams to travel as far as they can
each day, although they must stop by 5 p.m. Apart from compulsory stops
at seven checkpoints, the teams are on their own in the Australian
outback. See the World Solar Challenge Web site at:
http://www.wsc.org.au/.

Links to the latest news from the race, as well as information about the
teams, are available on the Web site's "Daily Updates" page at:
http://www.wsc.org.au/latestupdates.htm.

Tests of Tidal Energy Turbine Underway in the United Kingdom
Sea Power International AB announced in September that it was starting
tests of its prototype tidal energy turbine near the shore of Shetland,
in the far northern reaches of the United Kingdom. The turbine will be
attached to a ship that will be anchored at 10 sites in the Bluemull
Sound, located between the islands of Yell and Unst. The test will
determine the best site to locate a full-scale tidal power station.
According to the company, the prototype tidal energy turbine is based on
an existing wind turbine design. See the Sea Power press release at:
http://www.seapower.se/presseng.htm.

Meanwhile, the Wave Dragon wave energy system continues to press ahead
at its test site in the Danish fjord called Nissum Bredning. In
September, Wave Dragon added six turbines to the wave energy system,
bringing the total to seven. So far, there's no word from the company on
the amount of power being produced by the prototype system. See the Wave
Dragon press release at: http://www.wavedragon.net/news/index.htm.

Seattle Bank Offers Mortgage Financing for Energy Efficiency
Energy-efficient products nearly always pay for themselves -- often in a
short period of time -- but when new homeowners are out buying
appliances, the price premium on the high-efficiency models often leads
them to buy the less-expensive model that will cost them more in the
long run. In an attempt to overcome that shortsighted view, HomeStreet
Bank and the Efficiency Services Group (ESG) are now offering homeowners
a way to use their mortgage to finance energy efficiency improvements.
Through the "Mortgage Options for Resource Efficiency" (MORE) program,
homeowners can add $4,000 to their mortgage, which is placed in an
escrow account. An energy specialist from ESG, a division of Portland
General Electric, will then perform an energy analysis to determine
which upgrades make the most sense. The homeowner can then choose from a
menu of energy-efficiency options, including lighting, appliances,
water-saving devices, and weatherization measures. Unused funds are
applied to the pay the principal on the mortgage. See the September 11th
press release on the HomeStreet Bank Web site at:
http://www.homestreet.com/about/press/default.asp.
See also the MORE program Web site at: http://www.moreprogram.com.

Are you wondering what incentives for energy efficiency might exist in
your area? Well, stop wondering and visit the new database created by
the National Energy Affordability and Accessibility Project (NEAAP). The
database lists such incentives as energy-efficiency audits, rebates, and
low-interest loans. See the NEAPP Residential Energy Efficiency Database
at: http://neaap.ncat.org/db/.

----------------------------------------------
SITE NEWS
----------------------------------------------

Revamped NREL Web Site Highlights Research Activities
http://www.nrel.gov
DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has launched a
redesigned Web site that allows easier navigation while providing a
standard "look and feel" that will be reflected throughout the site.
This new look and feel is already evident in the Web site's revised
sections on Biomass Research, Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Research, and
Advanced Vehicles and Fuels Research. The site is specifically designed
to showcase the latest research activities at NREL.
The NREL Web site is also host to information about the eighth World
Renewable Energy Congress (WREC), to be held in Denver from August 28th
through September 3rd, 2004. The biennial event typically attracts about
800 delegates from more than 100 countries. See the WREC Web page at:
http://www.nrel.gov/wrec/.

----------------------------------------------
ENERGY CONNECTIONS
----------------------------------------------

EIA Statistics: Newer Homes Tend to Use More Energy
Despite an ever-expanding menu of energy-efficient building
technologies, including better methods of sealing out air leaks,
improved insulation, high-tech windows, and other advances, DOE
statistics show that newer U.S. homes still tend to use more energy than
older ones. According to a recent tabulation of residential energy use
statistics by DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA), homes built
between 1990 and 2001 consume, on average, 92.7 million Btu (British
thermal units) of energy per year, which is higher than the average
energy use in homes built in the previous three decades. Only homes
built before 1960 show a higher average energy use than their 1990s
counterparts. Two factors may help explain the trend: first, newer homes
tend to be larger than older homes, and second, the owners of the newer
homes tend to have higher incomes than owners of older homes, which may
lead them to conserve less or to buy more energy-using devices. See the
EIA's 2001 Residential Energy Consumption Survey at:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/recs/recs2001/detail_tables.html.

How much energy should we expect a new home to use? How about zero? It
may sound far-fetched, but DOE's Zero Energy Homes research initiative
is proving it can be done. See the initiative on the DOE Building
Technologies Program Web site at:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/zeroenergy/.

----------------------------------------------
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
----------------------------------------------

You can subscribe to this newsletter using the online form at:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/news/about.cfm. This Web page also allows
you to update your email address or unsubscribe to this newsletter.
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) home page is
located at: http://www.eere.energy.gov/.
If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, please contact
the editor, Kevin Eber, at kevin_eber@nrel.gov.
==================================
__________________________________

==================================
__________________________________

==================================



________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 01:31:06 -0700 (PDT)
From: AP@alternatepower.com (Alternate Power)
Subject: Higher Energy Prices Make Wind Energy Competitive

http://www.helsinki-hs.net/news.asp?id=20031008IE6

It has just become easier to be an environmentally-friendly consumer of electricity in Finland. Fluctuations in the price of electricity now mean that electricity generated by wind power is now cheaper than ordinary electricity.

For instance, the electric utility Kymenlaakson Sähkö is charging households with electric heating 850 euros a year for wind-generated electricity. The energy company Fortum offers standard electricity for EUR 918, and Vattenfall charges EUR 913 for a year's supply. "This is because the market price of
electricity has risen so high that wind energy is becoming competitive. The price of wind energy is determined by investment costs, and we have not raised it, even though other sources of electricity have grown more expensive", says Vesa Pirttilä of Kotkan Energia, which markets wind power to consumers.

Before last winter, when the shortage of hydroelectric power raised the market price of electricity to new heights, wind power was significantly more expensive than ordinary electricity.

Kotkan Energia has two one-megawatt wind generators. According to Vesa Pirttilä there are about 350 households buying their wind power, and the generators have enough capacity to serve twice as many.

The company has had such good experiences with wind power that it is planning to build two or three more generators in the Gulf of Finland off the southeastern city of Kotka.

Wind-generated electricity is also available from electricity market-leaders Vattenfall and Fortum
- at prices that are much higher than that available from Kotka.

Power companies also sell other types of green electricity generated by burning wood, or in old hydroelectric plants.

It is also possible to buy eco-power as part of a home's electricity mix. For instance, Fortum offers wind power packages of different compositions at a fixed monthly rate. In addition to the actual energy, consumers must pay a special transfer fee, which is often just under half of the entire electricity bill.

Consumers may wonder how electricity from windmills can find its way through the power line to the right household. The answer is, of course, that it cannot. The electricity that comes from a socket is a mixture of power in the national grid, and most of it is generated by the nearest power plants. Those buying wind-generated power, or some other type of green electricity, can nevertheless warm their hearts in the knowledge that somewhere an amount of electricity has been generated in an environmentally friendly manner, that corresponds to their electricity bill.

========================================
- posted by Daniel @ 6:01 PM

 
Great Lakes Daily News: 16 October 2003
A collaborative project of the Great Lakes Information Network and the Great
Lakes Radio Consortium

For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/
Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html


Attempt to tighten water quality enforcement fails
----------------------------------------
Environmentalists say lax enforcement of industries that dump waste water
into lakes and rivers would continue under new Michigan State legislation,
allowing 1,500 companies to receive permits that amount to a "permission
slip" to pollute the waterways. Source: The Macomb Daily (10/16)


New York Sea Grant releases strategies report for hooking more anglers
----------------------------------------
New York Sea Grant has released a new Sportfishing Fact Sheet and a report
suggesting "Strategies for Increasing Sportfishing Participation in New
York's Great Lakes Region." Source: Oswego Daily News (10/16)


More trims in walleye fishing
----------------------------------------
The Ohio Wildlife Council last night tightened regulations to restrict
walleye and smallmouth bass fishing on the Ohio waters of Lake Erie.
Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer (10/16)


Winds wreak havoc across Quebec, leave thousands without power
----------------------------------------
A nasty storm that swept across southern Quebec yesterday obliterated the
recent Indian summer conditions in jarring fashion. Source: The Montreal
Gazette (10/16)


Ozone may offset capacity of trees to sop up carbon
----------------------------------------
A new experiment has shown that fairly common concentrations of ozone can
sharply impede the process of photosynthesis by which trees sop up the
heat-trapping greenhouse gas carbon dioxide and stash it in soil. Source:
The New York Times (10/16)


Leavitt nomination to proceed in Senate
----------------------------------------
Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt's nomination to head the Environmental Protection
Agency advanced Wednesday from a Senate committee, but two more Democrats
said they would block a vote in the full Senate. Source: The New York Times
(10/15)


Wetlands issue kills runway
----------------------------------------
The proposed north-south runway project at the Gogebic-Iron County Airport
in Ironwood, Mich., is dead this week, the victim of yet another run-in with
wetlands preservation. Source: Ironwood Daily Globe (10/15)


Opinions offered on Menekaunee Harbor
----------------------------------------
The citizens of Marinette, Wis., want to preserve the rich commercial
fishing history of Green Bay's Menekaunee Harbor, off Lake Michigan, but at
the same time renovate the harbor into a place where families can fish,
picnic and launch their boats. Source: The Marinette and Menominee Eagle
Herald (10/15)


For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/


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Great Lakes Daily News is a collaborative project of the Great Lakes
Information Network (www.glin.net) and the Great Lakes Radio
Consortium (www.glrc.org), both based in Ann Arbor, Mich.
TO SUBSCRIBE and receive this Great Lakes news compendium daily, see
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- posted by Daniel @ 5:22 PM

 
Isolated hamlet in Indian forest gets electricity from seed-powered generator


Wednesday, October 15, 2003
By S. Srinivasan, Associated Press


KAMMEGUDA, India — Deep in the tropical forests of southern India, the Kolam people were untouched by telephones, cars, or television, and they went to bed at dusk because there was no electricity.

Their village is still far from a road or a power line. Yet for the past year, dozens of 40-watt light bulbs have begun to glow in the mud-and-bamboo huts after the sun sets.

The villagers have found that electricity grows on trees — specifically the seeds of the Karanji trees in the nearby forest, which they're turning into biodiesel fuel to power a generator.

Instead of going to sleep at sunset, children are now busy practicing their alphabet in the community center each evening, writing their names on black slates and showing them to proud village elders, who never went to school.

"Our place has changed a lot," said Kammeguda's oldest man, Aathram Maru Patel, who does not recall his age and has never been away from the village.

The Kolams gather the seeds from the surrounding forest and take a few hours to extract the oil, using a mill powered by the generator that provides the electricity. There is substantially less pollution than from petroleum-based diesel and no power bill.

"With lights, we can chase away snakes and animals that stray into our village in the night. We can catch the occasional thief also," said Lakshmi Bai, chosen by her community to manage the tiny power station. "Earlier, we used to put our children to sleep early, but now we make them study under the lights," she said.

Udupi Shrinivasa, a gray-haired, bespectacled mechanical engineering professor at the Indian Institute of Science, walked into the village more than a year ago and lit up the Kolams' lives.

For years, he had been teaching the institute's students about the mechanics of the diesel engine and the plan of its German inventor, Rudolph Diesel, for it to run on vegetable oils as a source of cheap energy.

Researchers around the world are working on replacing oil-based diesel with biodiesel fuels, which can be made from a variety of agricultural products from animal fat to soybeans, and Shrinivasa decided to apply that idea for the benefit of power-starved Indians.

"All we did was to take this rudimentary technology to people who had no means of getting all the energy they needed," he said at his office in Bangalore, 560 miles south of this village in Andhra Pradesh state.

Until about 10 years ago the Kolams hunted animals for food and lived in isolation. The state government then weaned the tribe away from hunting and they now keep poultry and cattle. The electrical system has brought further change, and people from other villages in the forest are coming to see the lights of Kammeguda.

At sunset, the generator starts up and lights about 60 bulbs in 35 households, the 100-square-foot community center with bamboo walls, and the village's single lane. As children study in the center, people sing community prayers and women paint their palms with decorative patterns of henna, a bright red, herbal paste.

Women no longer have to walk several miles to fetch water. The generator runs a pump that draws underground water for storage in an overhead tank.

Next on the village's wish list is a television set and a video cassette player.

Shrinivasa says the experiment in Kammeguda points to a possible solution of the power shortages that hinder economic expansion in India, home to 1 billion people. And biodiesel generators also could help cut India's annual $18 billion bill for oil imports, he said.

Fifty-five percent of all rural households — 77 million village homes — do not have electricity. Even in the cities, only 87 percent of people have connections, and there are frequent power outages. For cooking, lighting, and heat, most villagers have to use firewood or kerosene, a dirty-burning fossil fuel whose sulfur and carbon monoxide can cause skin irritation and respiratory problems. Kammeguda's 120 inhabitants have put that behind them.

"Years ago, they lived primitive lives," said Raj Prakash, an officer with the government's tribal development agency, which began working with the Kolams a decade ago. "We worked with them patiently to change many of their practices. They started wearing full clothes, putting their children in school, vaccinating them against diseases, and cultivating crops. Now, electricity has made them ask for more."

Working with Shrinivasa, the agency has helped the villagers grow Karanji trees and manage the project. Ten thousand trees planted by the Kolams last year will start yielding seeds soon. The generator also is proving a boon for neighboring tribes, who also are making seed oil and selling it to the Kolams.

Suryakala, a 7-year-old in Kammeguda, is happy she can devote more time to studying. She says her father has always told her that God provided from the jungle everything the villagers needed — and now she has proof.

"God has given us light so that we can study," she said.


Source: Associated Press
- posted by Daniel @ 5:07 PM

 
Great Lakes Daily News: 15 October 2003
A collaborative project of the Great Lakes Information Network and the Great
Lakes Radio Consortium

For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/
Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html


Canal set for hibernation
----------------------------------------
Closing the gates on the New York state Canal System is the beginning of an
annual effort to maintain and improve the 524-mile inland waterway linking
the Great Lakes with the Hudson River. Source: Rochester Democrat and
Chronicle (10/15)


EDITORIAL: Proposal to improve Minnesota water quality is admirable
----------------------------------------
Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposal to expand efforts to protect waterways in
Minnesota extends a sensible strategy for reconciling public and private
interests by paying landowners to use their land in ways that avoid
environmental harms. Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press (10/15)


U.S. Army's TACOM unit to develop portable water quality tester
----------------------------------------
A hand-held device that can protect troops and civilians from biological and
chemical threats is being developed by Wayne State University researchers
through a partnership with the U.S. military. The device will first be
tested in pollution-plagued Lake St. Clair to help identify 18 types of
bacteria most common to water. Source: The Macomb Daily (10/15)


Sprawl costly for Toronto, new study says
----------------------------------------
Unless urban sprawl is controlled, Toronto and its surrounding communities
will pay the price in the quality of their air, water and land, says a new
report on the impact of uncontrolled development. Source: The Toronto Globe
and Mail (10/14)


Montreal conference will focus on fresh water, health
----------------------------------------
Fresh water is a main theme of the conference hosted by the Canadian
Environmental Network, which begins Thursday and runs through Saturday.
Source: The Montreal Gazette (10/14)


Exotic clams claim a new toehold
----------------------------------------
The first infestation of exotic zebra mussels in a northern Minnesota inland
waterway has been confirmed at Lake Ossawinnamakee in Crow Wing County.
Source: Duluth News Tribune (10/14)


Pollution prevention starts at home, campaign says
----------------------------------------
With a grant from the Lake Superior Coastal Program, a coalition of local
governments, state agencies and universities are forming the Duluth Regional
Stormwater Protection Team to help prevent nonpoint source pollution.
Source: Duluth News Tribune (10/14)


Limiting walleye take from Erie now up to Ohio, Ontario
----------------------------------------
The Ohio Wildlife Council and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources are
drawing up plans to meet a conservation agreement from last spring aimed at
reducing the Lake Erie walleye catch by 40 to 60 percent. Source: The Toledo
Blade (10/14)


Dams block walleyes' spawning grounds
----------------------------------------
Dams have created a spawning problem for walleyes in the Saginaw River
Watershed, which has more than 300 dams along its 6,000 miles of
tributaries. Source: The Bay City Times (10/13)


For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/
Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html



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- posted by Daniel @ 5:05 PM

 
From ENN, another reason why we should pursue renewable energy sources instead of more fossil fuels. The human costs right now today are combining with the results of "prohibition" creating a lucrative black market to illustrate the abject failure of long-standing federal policy on these two issues:

Tuesday, October 14, 2003
By Rene Villegas, Reuters


LA PAZ, Bolivia — Bolivia's embattled president suspended a controversial project Monday to export natural gas to the United States in a bid to defuse a monthlong wave of protests against him that has resulted in about 30 deaths.

Some 20 protesters were reported killed Sunday after President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada sent thousands of troops backed by tanks to quell increasingly violent protests his government says are led by opponents trying to start a coup.

The project to export natural gas through Chile — which has had tense diplomatic relations with Bolivia because of a border dispute — has become a lightning rod for wider protests against Sanchez de Lozada's failure to tackle endemic poverty.

Thousands of coca farmers angry at a U.S.-backed drive to eradicate illegal crops of coca, the raw material used to make cocaine, are due to join striking workers Monday with roadblock protests of their own.

"The government has decided it will not export natural gas to new markets ... until consultations have been conducted (with the Bolivian people)," Sanchez de Lozada told a morning news conference.

Sanchez de Lozada, a U.S. ally in the antidrug war who is widely disliked for his free market policies, is seeking to head off a return to mayhem seen in February, when a government austerity drive backed by the International Monetary Fund sparked massive riots in which 32 people died.

He has played down recent protests and defied calls to step down. The gas project consultations will be wrapped up by...(Read on in: Bolivia puts brakes on gas project to quell violence)
- posted by Daniel @ 4:09 PM

 
A few more from Alt Power Digest:

Message: 6
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 08:28:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: AP@alternatepower.com (Alternate Power)
Subject: Energy Industry to Win Big on Energy Bill

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/22519/story.htm

USA: October 13, 2003: NEW YORK (REUTERS) - After three years of false starts, Congress could soon pass a sweeping energy bill packed with tax breaks and other benefits for oil, natural gas, coal and power companies - a package that could cost taxpayers nearly $53 billion over the next 10 years. Recently, bitter disagreements on issues such as power grid rules and ethanol have bogged down the bill, possibly delaying a vote by House and Senate negotiators until January. But some analysts say the Aug. 14 blackout and soaring gasoline prices will generate the support needed to pass a bill this year or early in the new year. "If you look at the fundamentals, who benefits from the bill and all the different reasons why members of Congress are likely to vote for it in the end, we're looking at excellent chances of getting the bill done this year," said Prudential Securities Washington analyst James Lucier.

The bill is good news for a broad range of energy companies - from oil producer ConocoPhillips COP.N and power company Exelon Corp. EXC.N to drillers like Nabors Industries NBR.A . It has tax credits to promote drilling unconventional sources of gas, changes the tax code to encourage pipeline and power grid investments and takes steps to open more federal lands to drilling. According to Joint Committee on Taxation estimates, the bill's provisions would reduce net tax payments by $16 billion to $19 billion over the next 10 years. "Longer term, there's a lot of stuff in the bill that could move these stocks," said Friedman Billings Ramsey analyst Jacques Rousseau. For utilities, the bill is even more beneficial. There are financial incentives earmarked for nuclear power, cleaner coal-based power and coal-based synthetic fuels. Lawmakers also hope to restructure power transmission and repeal Depression-era rules to encourage consolidation and investment from outside the energy industry. Critics complain the bill enriches companies that shaped the Bush-Cheney energy policy behind closed doors in 2001. The legislation, they say, does not do enough to reduce energy consumption, curb pollution or develop renewable resources.

"The industry is reaping huge profits from tax credits, yet there are no benefits to the public," said Navin Nayak, an analyst at consumer advocates U.S. Public Interest Research Group. "It's a waste of money." Final figures are likely to change, but legislation passed earlier this year indicates the bill will carry a hefty price tag. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill's total cost to taxpayers, including lost revenue, would reach $40.3 billion through 2008 and $52.6 billion over the next decade. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, in a Sept 10 memo, told lawmakers the tax impact should not exceed $8 billion.

Still, sponsors say the bill is needed to boost U.S. security and reduce dependence on foreign oil.
For example, there are more than $2.5 billion of "Section 29" credits to encourage production of gas from coal-bed methane, deepwater wells and landfills. Analysts say these credits help coal-bed wells, which take years to reach peak production, compete with conventional gas. "I don't think there's any doubt, depending on the exact terms of the tax credit, that you would see shifting in capital toward unconventional projects," Devon Energy DVN.A Vice President Don DeCarlo said at a conference earlier this year. Beyond tax breaks, the bill expands access to domestic resources, most notably opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drillers. Producers also seek permission to drill in federal lands in the Rocky Mountains.

The bill may also finally launch construction of a 3,600-mile pipeline to Alaska's North Slope by Exxon Mobil XOM.N , BP BP.L and ConocoPhillips. BP and Conoco seek credits that would kick in if gas prices fall below $3.50 before committing to the $20 billion project. Ultimately, some analysts say, the most powerful benefit to the industry comes from new tax rules such as a 30 percent depreciation bonus, on top of normal first-year depreciation. This could yield huge savings for an industry that makes big pipeline, power line and other infrastructure investments. "The tax cuts pack a wallop for all asset classes, but the energy industry should benefit the most," Prudential Securities' Lucier said.

Story by Joseph A. Giannone
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
==================================



________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 7
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 01:32:10 -0700 (PDT)
From: AP@alternatepower.com (Alternate Power)
Subject: Energy Bill Thin on Conservation

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=3599289
Energy Bill Thin on Conservation, Critics Say: Sun October 12, 2003 08:40 AM ET:

By Chris Baltimore:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - For conservationists, the behemoth energy bill crawling through Congress is most notable for its lack of stricter automobile mileage standards or any other major attempts to curb the nation's thirst for oil. The bill, the first overhaul of U.S. energy policy in a decade, aims to offer billions of dollars in incentives for oil companies, electric utilities, coal plants and nuclear plant owners to boost production or generate more megawatts.

But while the Republican-written bill is generous in giving industry help to produce more energy, it gives U.S. consumers few reasons to conserve, critics say. "The bill leaves at least three-quarters of the energy savings off the table, which is really a tragedy," said Bill Prindle, deputy director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a research group. "We really can't afford this ... tweaking-around-the-edges strategy."

To the Republican writers of the bill, the solution to the growing U.S. energy shortage is to make it easier for oil and gas companies to drill more. They would accomplish this by opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, easing permitting requirements on Western federal lands, and ordering an inventory of energy reserves in protected offshore areas along the East Coast.

Environmentalists concede that some conservation measures have been included in the bill. These include boosting the efficiency of small everyday gadgets like illuminated building exit signs, traffic signals and fluorescent lightbulbs. But that isn't enough, environmentalists say. "There really aren't any conservation measures in the energy bill," said Betsy Loyless at the League of Conservation Voters. "This energy bill is a public lands and coastal area giveaway."

GAS GUZZLERS
Activists mourn Congress' refusal to require automakers to make more fuel-efficient cars, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks. That would offer the single biggest way to reduce U.S. oil demand and imports, they say. A former environmental official during the first Bush administration also expressed surprise at the lack of conservation measures.

An unsuccessful bill written by Democrats when they controlled the Senate struck more of a balance between energy production and conservation, said Dan Esty, an environmental policy professor at Yale University. But Republicans view "the environment as an obstacle to energy production," said Esty, who worked for the Environmental Protection Agency during the administration of the first President George Bush, the current president's father.

The chance of legislation being passed this year became more doubtful a few days ago when an aide to Republican Sen. Pete Domenici, the bill manager, warned that bitter disputes over electricity and ethanol could delay it until 2004.

Although negotiators agree on the need to make the U.S. electric transmission grid more reliable, Southern lawmakers insist the bill must block federal energy regulators from requiring U.S. utilities to join regional grid groups.

Another major disagreement pits Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, an ethanol advocate, against House Majority Leader Tom Delay, a supporter of a rival fuel additive known as MTBE. Also missing is a measure endorsed by Senate Democrats that would require electric utilities to get 10 percent of their supplies from renewable sources like wind and solar by 2020, versus 2 percent currently.

The Republican-written energy bill is "one of the most disastrous pieces of legislation in terms of the environment that we've seen in years," said Mark Wenzler, an energy expert at the National Environmental Trust, an environmental group.
========================================

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 8
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 01:31:48 -0700 (PDT)
From: AP@alternatepower.com (Alternate Power)
Subject: Tapping Solar Energy to Purify Saline Water

http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=99759

Sharjah |By Ashfaq Ahmed, Staff Reporter | 09-10-2003:
Water desalination and purification with the help of solar energy in the Arab world is one of the top projects on the agenda of the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) - a Sharjah-based organisation of Arab scientists from all over the world. The $11 million research project is expected to finish during the next five years. It will help save precious fuel in the region. Commercial production of silicon chips developed by Arab scientists is yet another mega project in addition to several other projects ranging from $1 million to $300 million.

Dr Abdullah Alnajjar, ASTF president, said: "The Foundation is playing an important role to bridge the gap between scientists, investors and the industry to help scientists turn their research into products. It is a new concept of funding scientists who were finding it difficult to make their research materialise into products."

Dr Alnajjar along with other prominent Arab scientists briefed reporters on Tuesday at the conclusion of a three-day meeting of the ASTF Board of Directors. Also present were Dr Mahmoud Sherif, Research Professor of Materials and Electrical and Computer Engineering at Drexel University in the US; Dr Mowafak Al-Jassim, principal scientist at the National Renewable Energy Lab, Golden Colorado, USA; Professor Fakhri Bazzaz from Harvard University, and Dr Fakhreddine Karray from the University of Waterloo, Canada.

Dr Alnajjar said the ASTF has revised its strategies and reset its priorities. "At the beginning, we thought of getting funds from various resources including Arab governments, but this did not materialise for certain reasons. "Now we identify scientific research projects and then find investors to help projects materialise into marketable products."

Dr Mahmoud Sherif, who showed some disappointment over the lack of interest from Arab governments, said: "We are not backing out from our mission. We are trying hard to make them understand that supporting scientific research is more important than just constructing highrise buildings and bridges because science will pay back. "Arabs were pioneers in the field of science and technology some 1000 years ago, and once again, over 600 Arab scientists have joined hands from around the world under the flag of the ASTF to repeat history".

Dr Alnajjar said the ASTF looked for investors from around the world who were ready to invest in the Arab land. He especially thanked His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, for his continuous support of the ASTF. He also announced that the ASTF would hold its third symposium on Scientific Research Outlook in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from April 4 to 7, 2004.
========================================



________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 9
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 01:31:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: AP@alternatepower.com (Alternate Power)
Subject: Norway's Statkraft Teams Up for Hydrogen Future

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/22538/story.htm (REUTERS)

NORWAY: October 14, 2003: OSLO - Norwegian power company Statkraft SF said on Monday that it would work with Canada's Stuart Energy Systems HHO.TO and Spain's Corporacion Energia Hidroelectrica de Navarra (EHN) to develop hydrogen-based energy systems.

"Hydrogen is the world's most easily available fuel, since it is extracted from water using electricity," Statkraft, Norway's top electricity producer, said in a statement. Hydrogen is considered by many to be a fuel of the future as the only emission from hydrogen when used as fuel is water. It is produced by using electricity to split the gas out of water through a process called electrolysis. "We see and many analyses show that hydrogen will be an important energy carrier for the future," Statkraft's head of research Erlend Broli told Reuters.

Statkraft said its cooperation with the Spanish and Canadian firms aimed "to assess, test and develop ways of producing hydrogen using renewable energy sources" and to be a "platform for long-term commercial collaboration." "We are in a period of intensive research activity," Broli said. "Commercial use of hydrogen is still a few years down the road -- it is difficult to say when." "We are looking 10-15 years ahead, but we have to do our groundwork now with the research and demonstrations," he said. The company said that the partners would establish various research projects, including a demonstration facility that Statkraft will set up in Norway and hydrogen filling stations that EHN will establish in Spain.

"How environmentally friendly hydrogen is depends on how it is produced, and we see our renewable portfolio as a good basis for producing environmentally friendly hydrogen," Broli said. Statkraft said that Stuart Energy Systems is a leader in electrolysis-based production of hydrogen, while EHN is one of Europe's top wind power producers.

Statkraft is Norway's biggest hydropower producer, with average annual electricity output of around 42 terawatt hours. The company says it is Europe's second-biggest producer of electricity from renewable sources after France's EdF [EDF.UL].

"When it comes to environmental goals, whether it is Kyoto or more local environmental rules, this is the one energy carrier linking stationary energy use and the transport sector and so it seems very important for the future," Broli said.
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
========================================
- posted by Daniel @ 3:58 PM

 
From Alt Power Digest on Yahoo! Groups:

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 08:30:16 -0700 (PDT)
From: AP@alternatepower.com (Alternate Power)
Subject: DG Firewire Approved

From: hydrogensun@yahoo.com (light) Date: Sun, Oct 12, 2003, 4:17pm
(PDT+7):
IEEE 1547 Interconnection Standard Approved Monday, July 7, 2003
By Stephen S. Kalland
The IEEE Standards Board approved IEEE 1547 Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources With Electric Power Systems on June 12, 2003. Based on a high-priority schedule by the IEEE Standards Office, the standard will be published in early summer. This standard establishes the long-awaited technical foundation to allow the interconnection of all distributed generation technologies with the electric grid. It also ensures that major investments in distributed generation technology development by the federal government and industry will result in real-world applications providing alternative sources of electric power to the electric utility operating infrastructure.

The approval of the standard will have a significant effect on how the energy industry does business in the future and will influence the way the electrical distribution system will operate — with distributed generators and two-way flow of electric energy. This national standard may be used in federal legislation and rulemaking and state PUC deliberations and by more than 3,000 utilities in formulating technical requirements for interconnection agreements. DOE, industry, and other individuals have provided strong support to the development of IEEE 1547. Their commendable efforts and commitment were instrumental in the success of the standard and in the implementation of the complementary 1547 body of standards development activities. DOE and numerous other organizations have hosted the 1547 meetings, and many companies have supported their workers' participation.

The success of IEEE 1547 is due to these partnerships. The resources provided by DOE were, at a minimum, doubled by industry participation and involvement. The 1547 working group has more than 350 members, and these individuals continue to work on the remaining 1547 series of ancillary standards on testing (P1547.1), applications (P1547.2), and communications (P1547.3). For more information contact NREL staff members Richard DeBlasio, IEEE SCC21/P1547 chair, (303) 275-4333 or Tom Basso, IEEE SCC21/P1547 secretary, (303) 275-3753.

(Source: DOE Distribution and Interconnection R&D Program website, 7/5/03)
www.hydrogensun.com
- posted by Daniel @ 3:36 PM

 
Great Lakes Daily News: 14 October 2003
A collaborative project of the Great Lakes Information Network and the Great
Lakes Radio Consortium.

For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/
Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html


Conservancy deal protects 6,000 acres
----------------------------------------
In a $30.6 million deal, the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy will
purchase more than 6,000 acres of undeveloped land along the Lake Michigan
shoreline. Source: Traverse City Record-Eagle (10/14)


Pawlenty seeks extension of clean-water plan
----------------------------------------
More than 150 square miles of marginal farmland in three Minnesota
watersheds would be retired from production under a $226 million
Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program initiative unveiled Monday by Gov.
Tim Pawlenty. Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune (10/14)


Bills divide environmentalists and legislators
----------------------------------------
Critics say a group of 14 deregulation bills under consideration by the
Wisconsin state legislature go too far in favoring industry over the
environment. Source: The Green Bay News-Chronicle (10/14)


Floating lab keeps check on life in the Great Lakes
----------------------------------------
Discovering what is and isn't in the water is the job of the Lake Guardian,
a 180-foot-long ship operated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
and the largest research vessel on the Great Lakes. Source: Chicago
Sun-Times (10/13)


DNR order: Lake Erie walleye season to open in June
----------------------------------------
A new Michigan Department of Natural Resources order that delays the
beginning of walleye season for Lake Erie to June 1 has some anglers
complaining that the state has eliminated their most prosperous time of
year. Source: Booth Newspapers (10/13)


Superfund cleanups in danger, groups say
----------------------------------------
Environmental groups are fighting with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency over what will happen to Michigan's most polluted sites after federal
funds to clean them up have run out. Source: South Bend Tribune (10/13)


Study finds concern on water issues
----------------------------------------
A new survey suggests that protecting water quality is more important to the
Illinois public than other major issues such as improving public schools,
preventing and reducing crime, and managing growth. Source: The Champaign
News-Gazette (10/12)


EDITORIAL: Protect the Apostle Islands
----------------------------------------
For the 40th anniversary of the Wilderness Act next year, President Bush
should declare Wisconsin's Apostle Islands National Lakeshore the newest
wilderness area. Source: Madison Capital Times (10/11)


COMMENTARY: View grows that scenic beauty is invaluable
----------------------------------------
A consensus is building in Wisconsin about the economic advantage of land
protection, as citizens come to understand that the state's scenic beauty,
its rural character, land, forest and water assets are invaluable. Source:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (10/11)


Spaceship for tourists no mere flight of fancy
----------------------------------------
A group of entrepreneurs are convinced that if they build rockets to ferry
tourists into the ionosphere from places like Lake Huron and the Mojave
Desert, they will establish a multibillion-dollar industry that will cater
to an eager throng of wealthy adventurers. Source: Newhouse News Service
(10/10)


For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/
Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html


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Consortium (www.glrc.org), both based in Ann Arbor, Mich.
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- posted by Daniel @ 3:28 PM

 
Great Lakes Daily News: 13 October 2003
A collaborative project of the Great Lakes Information Network and the Great
Lakes Radio Consortium.

For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/
Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html


Coast Guard preparing ballast standard
----------------------------------------
The U.S. Coast Guard is working to develop new ballast guidelines for cargo
ships to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species. Source: Great
Lakes Radio Consortium (10/13)


Summit targets St. Clair River
----------------------------------------
Native Americans from Walpole Island, which has borne the brunt of chemical
and sewage spills in the St. Clair River for decades, are hosting a summit
to map a strategy on how to respond to environmental accidents. Source: The
Detroit News (10/13)


Bracing for a beetle battle
----------------------------------------
Two armies of tree-killing beetles are converging on London, Ontario from
opposite directions and threaten to wipe out half the Forest City's trees,
experts warn. Source: The London Free Press (10/13)


Navigable waterway law to be challenged
----------------------------------------
State protection for and public access to thousands of miles of Wisconsin
streams could be lifted under new legislation that would redefine what
constitutes a navigable waterway. Source: Green Bay Press-Gazette (10/13)


House passes bill to expand Michigan national park
----------------------------------------
A bill that would expand Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore passed the
House last week, helped by a bipartisan push from Michigan lawmakers.
Source: Booth Newspapers (10/12)


COMMENTARY: Feud over Whiskey Island hurts both city and county
----------------------------------------
The future of Cleveland could be severely damaged by a political fight over
a chunk of lakefront known as Whiskey Island, a largely undeveloped
peninsula at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. Source: The Cleveland Plain
Dealer (10/12)


An icon to birders, a pest to fishermen
----------------------------------------
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that it will allow states,
tribes and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Service more
control and flexibility in managing the double-crested cormorant. Source:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (10/11)


Hole in the border
----------------------------------------
For years, booze and cigarettes have been smuggled across the Canada-U.S.
border near Cornwall - now it could be terrorism. Source: The Toronto Star
(10/11)


Scientists study Lake Michigan for new class of pollutants
----------------------------------------
Scientists are testing water from Lake Michigan in hope of determining how a
new class of chemical pollutants managed to spread through the environment
and how dangerous the toxins are. Source: The Detroit News (10/11)


Endangered plants put hold on power plant
----------------------------------------
Construction of a $1 billion power plant next to the Midewin National
Tallgrass Prairie near Joliet, Ill., is on hold because it may threaten two
endangered plant species. Source: Chicago Sun-Times (10/10)


For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/


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majordomo@great-lakes.net with the command 'subscribe dailynews' (minus
the quotes) in the body of the message.
TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send a message to majordomo@great-lakes.net with the
command 'unsubscribe dailynews' in the body of the message.
TO SUBMIT A NEWS STORY: www.glin.net/forms/news_form.html
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- posted by Daniel @ 1:19 PM