German ornithologist Eric Neuling says there has been a huge increase in Egypt of the hunting of migrant birds headed south from Europe. Given the political crisis in the country, there's not much hope of tackling it.
Steep Rise in Migrant Bird Hunting in Egypt - SPIEGEL ONLINE
Monday, August 5, 2013
Friday, August 2, 2013
Conservation Tour Showcases an Awe-Inspiring Partnership
USDA Blog Post:
NRCS Soil Scientist Roger Windhorn shows participants the differences in soil layers and what makes a healthy soil.
A recent tour in Livingston, Ill. showcased the successes a powerful partnership has had in the Indian Creek Watershed.
The 6th Annual Conservation in Action Tour was organized by the Conservation Technology Information Center to highlight community efforts in the watershed taking place under the auspices of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative.
Through the initiative, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and partners work with landowners and farmers to address nutrient loading in priority small watersheds within the Mississippi River Basin. Program participants implement voluntary conservation practices that improve water quality, restore wetlands and enhance wildlife habitat while allowing them to sustain or improve agricultural productivity. Illinois is one of the 13 states included in the initiative.
More than 270 people from 20 states attended the all-day July tour, including NRCS Chief Jason Weller. Tour attendees visited three farms to listen to local producers and researchers talk about water quality issues being addressed in the watershed. Those attending were federal and state employees, agribusiness representatives and producers.
Producer panels answered questions about their experiences with conservation. They explained the conservation practices they use, such as cover crops, rotational grazing and manure management, and their associated benefits, including increased production, improved soil quality and water quality protection. A live demonstration on aerial seeding of cover crops and a dragline for applying nutrients added to the presentations.
A manure dragline was used to demonstrate how to apply manure on a field.
More than 40 percent of the farmers in the Indian Creek Watershed currently participate in NRCS’s Conservation Stewardship Program. CSP is a voluntary conservation program that encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner, including enhancements that specifically improve water quality.
“We have a lot of family-owned farms,” Eric McTaggart, NRCS District Conservationist in Livingston County, said, “and it’s nice to be able to work hand-in-hand with them to ensure that [preservation for future generations] takes place.”
Terry Bachtold, whose farm was the first tour stop and who is resource coordinator for the Livingston County Soil and Water Conservation District, said the initiative can inspire change beyond its participants.
“A lot of farmers are seeing what one farmer does,” he said, “and they are going to try those same practices on their own land. It is a community effort.”
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Check out other conservation-related stories on the USDA blog.
A stormy sky didn’t deter the tour stations. Presenters discussed uses and mixtures of cover crops.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Final report available from investigation of injection wells at Lahaina wastewater facility
EPA Press Release:
NEWS BRIEF
Final report available from investigation of injection wells at Lahaina wastewater facility
HONOLULU – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a final report, “Lahaina Groundwater Tracer Study” with results from a University of Hawaii investigation of the fate of effluent injected at Maui County’s Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility near the Kaanapali coast.
Funded by the U. S. EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH), the University of Hawaii has been studying the effluent flow from Lahaina’s injection wells to the near-shore ocean water since July 2011.
The results of the study conclusively demonstrate that a hydrogeologic connection exists between two of the Lahaina facility’s injection wells and the nearby coastal waters of West Maui. A tracer dye added to the facility’s injection wells 3 and 4 took approximately three months to first emerge from submarine seeps near the shore along North Kaanapali Beach. The seeps are located roughly one-half mile to the southwest of the facility. The results suggest an average travel time from injection wells 3 and 4 to the seeps in excess of one year. The study also estimated that 64 percent of the treated wastewater injected into wells 3 and 4 discharges within two discrete near-shore zones where the submarine seeps are located. Additional key results detailed in the final report include the temperature, salinity, pH, nutrient concentrations, and discharge rate of the monitored submarine discharges.
EPA is carefully reviewing the final study results and is consulting with the Hawaii DOH on appropriate next steps in light of the research findings.
To see the Final Report please visit: www.epa.gov/region9/water/groundwater/uic-permits.html#lahaina
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Ontario, Calif., Food Processor to Pay $157,000 Fine for Toxic Ammonia Release
EPA Press Release:
For Immediate Release: August 1, 2013
Media Contact Information: Nahal Mogharabi, mogharabi.nahal@epa.gov , 213-244-1815
Media Contact Information: Nahal Mogharabi, mogharabi.nahal@epa.gov , 213-244-1815
Ontario, Calif., Food Processor to Pay $157,000 Fine for Toxic Ammonia Release
LOS ANGELES— The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a settlement with food processing company Ventura Foods, LLC, located in Ontario, Calif. Ventura Foods has agreed to pay $157,900 for violations of federal regulations including failing to notify the proper officials immediately following the release of anhydrous ammonia, failure to submit a required Risk Management Plan, and inadequate chemical accident prevention.
“Facilities using highly toxic substances such as ammonia must abide by federal laws designed to protect the community,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “It is vital they eliminate equipment leaks, and implement plans and procedures to ensure the safety of workers, as well as emergency responders.”
At the request of local agencies, EPA conducted inspections of the Ontario facility. EPA investigators found that the facility had had over 24 ammonia releases since December 2007. A 288-pound release was in excess of the 100-pound reportable quantity that required immediate notification of authorities under the federal laws. Most of the ammonia releases were caused by flaws in the design and operation of systems. The facility has since completed upgrades to equipment to prevent future leaks.
In addition, the facility failed to submit a Risk Management Plan in a timely manner, failed to update process safety information, and didn’t provide current emergency contact information—all of which are necessary to ensure the safe operations of the facility and the proper management of ammonia.
Ventura Foods, located on East Jurupa Street in Ontario, Calif., manufactures, packages, and distributes an extensive line of oil-based food products, including shortenings, oils, margarines, salad dressings, mayonnaise, sauces, and syrups. As part of its processes, the Ontario facility stores and uses anhydrous ammonia in chilling phases of its product processing.
Anhydrous ammonia is a poisonous gas. Exposure to its vapors can cause temporary blindness and eye damage, and irritation of the skin, mouth, throat, respiratory tract and mucous membranes. Prolonged exposure to anhydrous ammonia vapor at high concentrations can lead to serious lung damage and even death.
The Clean Air Act requires owners and operators of stationary sources that manufacture, use, process, or store in excess of 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia to develop and implement a Risk Management Plan (RMP) that includes both accident prevention and emergency response programs, and to submit the RMP to EPA. Ventura Foods maintains 24,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia on-site at its Ontario facility.
For more information on the Clean Air Act, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/
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EPA Awards $2 Million to Small Businesses for Sustainable Technology Development
EPA Press Release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2013
August 1, 2013
EPA Awards $2 Million to Small Businesses for Sustainable Technology Development
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced the awarding of more than $2 million in contracts to seven small businesses to develop sustainable technologies that will help protect human health and the environment.
EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program funded 25 research proposals from small businesses for six months through last year’s Phase I contracts of $80,000. The agency’s Phase I funding allowed each of the companies to investigate its proposed project’s feasibility and potential applications. Following a competitive peer-review process, seven Phase I recipients are now being awarded Phase II contracts for up to $300,000, supporting further development and commercialization of their technology.
“EPA’s dedication to supporting small businesses is spurring green jobs and leading to sound, creative environmental solutions,” said Lek Kadeli, principal deputy assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “The number of ever-increasing green products in today’s marketplace will help the nation meet its environmental and human health goals, while also encouraging green economic growth.”
The following companies received 2013 SBIR Phase II contracts:
• Synanomet, Little Rock, Arkansas
• GVD Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Aerodyne Research, Billerica, Massachusetts
• Okeanos, Covington, Kentucky
• Fluidic MicroControls, Savanna, Illinois
• NanoSonic, Pembroke, Virginia
• Electron Energy Corp, Landisville, Pennsylvania
This year marks 30 years for EPA’s SBIR program, which has made close to 1500 awards to small businesses to develop and market their innovative technologies. One such company, Defiant Technologies, won a Phase II contract in 2011 to develop a portable device to detect and analyze volatile organic compounds (VOC) in water, soil, and air. VOCs include a range of chemicals that occur in the environment naturally, some of which have been associated with health issues following long-term exposure.
Defiant Technologies’ FROG-4000, which is now is available on the market, reduces costs and allows for onsite analysis of VOCs in 10 minutes. With the support of EPA’s SBIR program, Defiant has also helped to more accurately define the area of a contaminate plume, and promote more effective remediation and removal of VOCs at excavation sites.
EPA is one of 11 federal agencies that provides funding to small businesses through its SBIR program, created as a result of the 1982 Small Business Innovation Development Act. To be eligible for funding, small businesses must have fewer than 500 employees and be described as a for-profit. The 2013 SBIR Phase I Request for Applications is now open.
More information on the SBIR Phase II recipients: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/2013sbirph2
More information on EPA’s SBIR program criteria: http://epa.gov/ncer/sbir/
More information on the SBIR Phase I RFA, open until August 13, 2013:
http://www.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/sbir14ph1
NIFA Grant Addresses Climate Issues Related to Beef Cattle Production
USDA Blog Post:
Today, I am on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. When I visit universities across the nation, I look forward to meeting with faculty and students to hear about the work they are doing. On this particular visit, I am excited to meet with a research team working on an issue important to all Americans: climate.
As most people are well aware, last year’s drought put tremendous stress on cattle across the nation, especially in the Southern Great Plains. Drought, along with other extreme weather events and climate patterns, threatens food production across the nation. The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has provided grant funds to land-grant universities across our nation to develop approaches to mitigate or adapt to the impact of climate change on food production. Earlier this year, NIFA awarded more than $9 million in funding to Oklahoma State University (OSU) to address the vulnerabilities of beef cattle under stress from climate variations. OSU’s goal is to safeguard regional beef production against climate change while mitigating the environmental footprint of agriculture.
As we work to develop long-term strategies to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate on agriculture, it will be important to also educate and train the next generation of scientists and producers on these issues. This OSU-led project also includes education and Extension components to educate the pipeline of students interested in agriculture and to deliver knowledge to producers. Using a community- and citizen-science approach, the project will train young students and citizens to use GPS-enabled digital cameras and smartphones and web data portals to participate in field data collection.
This project is but one part of USDA’s larger plan to address climate challenges. Secretary Vilsack laid out his vision earlier this year, including the need to increase collaboration with producers, researchers and industry to develop solutions that will help agriculture mitigate and adapt to extreme weather and climate patterns. This work also builds upon USDA’s strategy that includes the creation of seven regional climate hubs to work in partnership with producers and foresters, the development of technical tools for producers, and researchers and providing new uniform, science-based cover crop guidelines.
USDA is committed to funding quality science that can help discover innovative solutions to the effects of climate on agriculture. By taking collaborative, regionally-appropriate steps today to adapt to threats, USDA can help American agriculture continue its tremendous productivity in the years to come.
Texas Town Gets out the Aresenic with Help from USDA
USDA Blog Post:
Anthony Arredondo takes a water sample at the Freer Water Control and Improvement District Arsenic Removal System Site in Freer, TX on Tuesday, June 18, 2013. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
Arsenic is poisonous. It is also just about everywhere, but it is especially prevalent in the groundwater of the Southwest. In the economically challenged City of Freer, Texas, citizens rely on the Freer Water Control and Improvement District (FWCID) to draw water from the underground Catahoula aquifer and deliver safe drinking water. Naturally occurring arsenic levels have remained constant in the region for more than a century. Then, the Environmental Protection Agency’s new national standards took effect and the City of Freer turned to FWCID to take action.
Aided by financial assistance from the USDA Water and Environmental Program, the FWCID has completed a two-phase approach to meeting the district’s water supply and public safety needs. FWCID first received USDA funding to drill two new water wells, each rated at 167 gallons per minute (now a total of eight wells); 13,600 feet of well collection lines; and 15,000 linear feet of well control line to remotely control the wells, and the delivery of raw water from the well site’s million-gallon holding tank to the new Arsenic Removal System (Phase II). Previously, water flow was manually controlled by FWCID personnel and gravity fed from the well facility to its customers.
Phase II was funded through a combination USDA loan and grant, which provided for the customized arsenic removal system. It includes a new building on a ¾ acre site, and houses the operations room, computer and power system, laboratory room, and pump systems. The entire operation can be monitored through a desktop computer system. The computer-controlled system activates remote well site pumps and valves to supply raw water to the new site, where pumps work in sequence to maintain a consistent pressure to the system when needed. Raw water is pumped through an arsenic removal absorber tank, and then the processed water goes to ground level storage tanks that feed the residential and industrial needs of the city. During the summer, FWCID delivers 750,000 gallons of water a day to more than 1,200 taps. Samples of water are periodically tested; and so far the arsenic levels have been a small fraction of 1 part per billion (PPB), well below the current limit of 10 PPB.
Thanks to the efforts of USDA, local and State personnel, Freer residents have a reliable and safe water source.
To find out more about USDA Rural Development programs and how they can assist your community in meeting its goals click here. To see more photos, go to http://flic.kr/s/aHsjHbMNfr
Arsenic removal absorber vessels, at the Freer Water Control and Improvement District (FWCID) Arsenic Removal System Site, on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, in Freer, Texas. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
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