Water


How 12 U.S. Cities are Dealing with Water-related Climate Change

As the nation grapples with a record year for storms, drought and weather-related devastation, a new report claims climate change is leaving American cities open to a range of water-related vulnerabilities –- from drought to sea level rise and increased rainfall –- regardless of region or size. The report looks at how communities facing these new extremes are trying to protect their water supplies and waterways.

Detroit Metro Airport Installing Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

DTE Energy, a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide, recently announced that it will install four Plug-in Electric Vehicle charging stations at Detroit Metro Airport – part of a program to deploy 16 such public charging stations throughout Southeastern Michigan.

Study: Stocks of Tuna, Other Fish Threatened with Extinction

A new study by top global fisheries experts presents an alarming assessment of several economically important fish populations. The analysis of 61 species of "scombrids," which include tunas, bonitos, mackerels and Spanish mackerels, and billfishes, which include swordfish and marlins, classified seven as threatened with extinction and four as "near threatened" for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Advances in Lithium-Oxygen Batteries Could Hold More Energy in Less Space

MIT researchers have found a way to improve the energy density of a type of battery known as lithium-air (or lithium-oxygen) batteries, producing a device that could potentially pack several times more energy per pound than the lithium-ion batteries that now dominate the market for rechargeable devices in everything from cellphones to cars.

Mexico City Reduces GHG Emissions by 5.7 Million Metric Tonnes

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been reduced by an accumulated 5.7 million metric tonnes (mt) in Mexico City since it began implementing its Green Plan in 2008, the Mexico City government recently announced.

Climate Change to Potentially Increase Yellowstone Wildfires

An increase in wildfires due to climate change could rapidly and profoundly alter the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, according to a new study authored by environmental engineering and geography Professor Anthony Westerling of the University of California, Merced.

Researchers Float Framework for Relocating Species Threatened by Climate Change

In a paper published in the journal Nature Climate Change, researchers from CSIRO, University of Queensland and United States Geological Survey present a pragmatic decision framework for determining when, if ever, to move species in the face of climate change.

Parasites Help Revise Ecological Theory

An old theory in ecology is that in any ecosystem, a small-sized animal species will be more populous than a large species. All you need is a summer picnic to prove the point: your barbecue might end up attracting thousands of tiny ants — but only a few rotund squirrels.



Study: Increase in Aerosols Has Offset Some Recent Climate Warming

A recent increase in the abundance of particles high in the atmosphere has offset about a third of the current climate warming influence of carbon dioxide (CO2) change during the past decade, according to a new study led by NOAA and published today in the online edition of Science.

University of Texas Faculty Bring Science, Policy to Hydraulic Fracturing Debate

Experts at The University of Texas at Austin and the Cockrell School of Engineering are helping to improve the safety and efficiency of hydraulic fracturing, identify issues that need to be corrected and untangle the knowns and unknowns of a process that is expected to constitute perhaps half of the nation's total natural gas supplies in coming years.

Jersey City, N.J., to Upgrade, Repair Sewer System to Resolve Clean Water Act Violations

A settlement between the United States and the Jersey City, N.J., Municipal Utilities Authority will resolve Clean Water Act violations by JCMUA for failing to properly operate and maintain its combined sewer system, the Department of Justice and the EPA.

Examining the Safety of Next-generation Nuclear Reactors

Scientists from The University of Manchester have been selected to undertake vital safety work on the next generation of the world’s nuclear reactors.

How Dairy Farms Contribute to Greenhouse Gas Emissions

U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists have produced the first detailed data on how large-scale dairy facilities contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases.

The Plan to End the Use of Environmentally Harmful Chemicals on Commercial Crops

Two University of Alberta researchers have published a step-by-step plan to one day end the use of environmentally harmful chemicals on commercial crops by developing plants that produce their own fertilizer.

Forecasting Tool for Future Resources

Understanding how energy can be used efficiently is key to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating future fuel and food shortages. But energy use is only part of the story. The link between resources and final services – such as food, warmth, shelter and transport – is only really complete if water and land use is also factored in.

Texas Natural Gas, Oil Drilling Company Supervisor Pleads Guilty to Negligent Violation of Clean Water Act

Gabriel Henson, a supervisor for Integrated Production Services Inc., a Houston-based natural gas and oil drilling contractor, pleaded guilty to a negligent violation of the Clean Water Act in federal court in Muskogee, Okla.

Dow Pilots Plastics-to-Energy

A Dow Plastics pilot program recovered 96 percent of potential energy from waste plastics burned to fuel an incinerator.

Grazing Management Effects on Stream Pollutants

Surface water quality is important for the proper function of aquatic ecosystems, as well as human needs and recreation. Pasturelands have been found to be major sources of sediment, phosphorus and pathogens in Midwest surface water resources.

EPA to Protect Water Quality in Appalachian Communities from Mountaintop Mining

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released final guidance on Appalachian surface coal mining, designed to ensure more consistent, effective, and timely review of surface coal mining permits under the Clean Water Act and other statutes.

Wildfires Ignite Issues of Land Management and Public Trust in Agencies

The wildfires currently raging in the southwestern United States bring issues of land management into the public eye. Land management actions, such as prescribed fire, grazing, herbicides, felling trees and mowing, can restore native plants and reduce wildfire. However, the public’s view of land management and their trust in land management agencies can pose another obstacle.