Global Warming- Lessons From A Toxic Waste DumpBy Dan MuellerTexas is home to half the oil and gas exploration and production in the United States. Looking out west is the Permian Basin. To the north is the Barnett. Out east is the Haynesville and due south is the Eagle Ford. Oil and gas is a vibrant industry in Texas. Historically it’s been the lifeblood of the state’s economy. But, as with any industr […]
- I’ll Have the Gulf Red Snapper, Please[This was originally posted in National Geographic's Ocean Views Blog] I’m thrilled to report that Gulf of Mexico red snapper got a little less “red” today. That’s because our partners at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program – the most well-known sustainable seafood program in the United States – announced that they’ve removed the commercial […]
- Latest Mississippi River Delta news: Sept. 19, 2013Mid-Barataria project could be first of 10 in state aimed at reinforcing eroding coast By Amy Wold, The Advocate (Baton Rouge). Sept. 19, 2013. "NEW ORLEANS — Money is finally falling into place for a major new project that would tap the silt-laden Mississippi River to create 50 square miles of wetlands — the first of what officials hope will be 10 such […]
- Lessons From A Toxic Waste Dump
- State Of The Climate
- August 2013 National OverviewThe average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during August was 73.1°F, 1.0°F above the 20th century average — the 28th warmest such month on record. The nationally-averaged August precipitation total of 2.63 inches was 0.03 inch above average.
- August 2013 Global AnalysisNot Available
- August 2013 Synoptic DiscussionAugust: Normally, the subtropical high pressure belt (called the Bermuda High or Azores High) dominates the weather over the U.S. this time of year, and the polar jet stream normally retreats well into Canada during the summer. This month was a departure from this normal pattern. The weather pattern during August 2013 underwent a change part way through the […]
- August 2013 National Overview
- Global Climate Change – Vital Signs of the Planet – News RSS Feed
- Warm ocean rapidly melting Antarctic ice shelf from below[[VIDEO.EMBED||]]After trying for five years, scientific instruments were finally installed on Pine Island Glacier ice shelf in Dec. 2012. Their first scientific results, determining the rate at which warm sea water is eating away the ice from underneath the floating portion of the glacier, were published today. By Maria-José Viñas NASA's Earth Science […]
- Warm ocean rapidly melting Antarctic ice shelf from below
Human Induced Climate Change Experiment
- NOAA
- Global August temperature ties for fourth highest on record; global ocean temperature ties for record highest
- Sanctuaries establishes new business advisory council
- New website features millions of chemical analyses from Deepwater Horizon oil spill
- Contiguous U.S. had eighth wettest and 15th warmest summer
- New online mapping tool for Great Lakes region
- Air
- TOMORROW: EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy Speaks at National Press Club Sept. 20WASHINGTON – EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy will discuss EPA's priorities in addressing climate change at a National Press Club Speakers' event on Friday, Sept. 20 at 9 a.m. Administrator McCarthy will highlight the Administration's commitment to carrying out President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to reduce carbon pollution and address the imp […]
- TOMORROW: EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy Speaks at National Press Club Sept. 20
- Water
- EPA Provides Grant for Organic Gardening and Composting Training in Brooklyn; Community Gardens in Bedford-Stuyvesant to Benefit from Program(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $30,000 to Green Guerillas, a New York City community-based organization, to teach organic gardening skills to a team of Brooklyn young people. The grant was awarded under the EPA’s Environmental Justice Small Grants Program, which supports and empowers communities working on solutions to […]
- EPA Provides Grant for Organic Gardening and Composting Training in Brooklyn; Community Gardens in Bedford-Stuyvesant to Benefit from Program
- Ocean Temperatures
- Kings Point NYRecent Water Temperature: 68.2°F (20.1°C) Observation Date and Time: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 09:54:00 GMT […]
- Naples FLRecent Water Temperature: 83.7°F (28.7°C) Observation Date and Time: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 09:54:00 GMT […]
- Bergen Point NYRecent Water Temperature: 67.3°F (19.6°C) Observation Date and Time: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 09:54:00 GMT […]
- Kings Point NY
- Invasive Species
- Species Profile -- Oriental Fruit FlySpecies Profile -- Oriental Fruit Fly Oriental fruit flies were...
- Largemouth Bass Virus Found in Northern Snakeheads in Virginia (Aug 13, 2013)Largemouth Bass Virus Found in Northern Snakeheads in Virginia (Aug...
- Species Profile -- Oriental Fruit Fly
- Energy Research
- Strong forces at work in simple table saltInside the chemical processes to synthesize simple table salt crystals, or NaCl, intense electric fields occur, according to scientists at DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
- Strong forces at work in simple table salt
- Energy Savers
- Saving Energy as a Renter this FallSaving Energy as a Renter this Fall Use these tips to save some energy—and money—in your rented apartment this fall. […]
- Saving Energy as a Renter this Fall
- Food And Drugs
- FDA and NIH create first-of-kind Tobacco Centers of Regulatory ScienceThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) today, as part of an on-going interagency partnership, have awarded a total of up to $53 million to fund tobacco-related research in fiscal year 2013 to create 14 Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science (TCORS).
- FDA and NIH create first-of-kind Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science
- Consumer Health
- Advances in Saving Lives with BloodAn FDA official in the Office of Blood Research and Review discusses promising technologies involving blood and blood products, from extending the life of blood products to using DNA technology to better match donors and recipients.
- Advances in Saving Lives with Blood
Japan’s Nuclear Fallout Hitting Hawaii
Many observers are providing evidence that the fallout form Japan’s nuclear disaster is effecting Hawaii. Early reports indicate the impact on prenatal and young children. The latest reports warn not to eat Pacific fish.
“It now appears that anywhere from 300 to possibly over 450 tons of contaminated water that contains radioactive iodone, cesium, and strontium-89 and 90, is flooding into the Pacific Ocean from the Fukushima Daichi site everyday. To give you an idea of how bad that actually is, Japanese experts estimate Fukushima’s fallout at 20-30 times as high as as the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings in 1945″
OSHA issued this warning:
On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami caused significant devastation in Japan. The disasters caused cooling systems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to fail.
On March 17, 2011, President Obama, speaking outside the White House, stated “We do not expect harmful levels of radiation to reach the United States, whether it’s the West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, or U.S. territories in the Pacific. ..Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health experts do not recommend that people in the United States take precautionary measures beyond staying informed.” [More...]
Radiation occurs in many forms at low levels as a part of everyday life, from residual cosmic radiation in the atmosphere to medical applications such as x-rays and CT scans. Taking extraordinary steps to prevent exposure to radiation in the absence of a known risk can create problems of its own. For example, potassium iodine pills, which are one such preventive measure, can cause intestinal upset, allergic reactions, and other symptoms, and should only be taken on the advice of emergency management officials, public health officials, or your doctor.
OSHA is working with other federal agencies to monitor domestic reports of radiation concerns and provide up-to-date worker protection information. This includes working jointly with NIOSH on a worker information page. This page provides information to help workers, employers, and occupational health professionals regarding the release of airborne contamination from the damaged Japanese power plant. If you have further questions, please contact the OSHA hotline at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) | TTY 1-877-889-5627.
Incident-specific Information
^ Frequently Asked Questions About the Japan Nuclear Crisis [62 KB PDF, 3 pages]. This is a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) document addressing common questions on radiation, exposure, precautions, travel, etc.
* Radiation Basics. CDC/NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topics Page. Provides answers to questions on radiation, specific to this incident.
* Current Situation in Japan. USA.gov. USA.gov is an interagency initiative administered by the U.S. General Services Administration’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies. It has links to various Government offices and their resources.
* Radiation Dispersal from Japan. CDC/NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topics Page. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health also provides updated information for workers.
* Radiation Protection.US Environmental Protection Agency. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s website for air monitoring data.
Japanese Nuclear Emergency: EPA’s Radiation Monitoring
CBP Statement Concerning Radiation Monitoring of Travelers, Goods from Japan. US Customs and Border Protection is monitoring developments in Japan and has issued field guidance reiterating its operational protocols and directing field personnel to specifically monitor maritime and air traffic from Japan.