Mon.Mar 25, 2024

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New Bill Takes Up Local Oil Drilling Phase-Outs

Legal Planet

When the California Supreme Court ruled last August that Monterey County could not enforce its voter-approved ban on new oil and gas wells, lawyers for Chevron said the company was “pleased” to end the 7 years of litigation. Monterey County is home to the eighth-largest oil field in California, so there was plenty at stake on the face of the case. But this legal battle was about much more than the San Ardo Oil Field; it was the latest in a line of coordinated legal efforts to sow confusion and d

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UCS Testimony on the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit

Union of Concerned Scientists

From March 25 to March 27, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury is hosting a public hearing on the December 2023 proposed regulations governing implementation of the Section 45V Credit for Production of Clean Hydrogen. My comments, to be presented on March 27, are copied below. They focus on four key issues from the full set of technical comments UCS submitted to the record in February: correctness of Treasury’s overall approach; necessity of the three-pillars framework; need for updating u

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Chevron Gets the Headlines, But State Farm May Be More Important

Legal Planet

The Chevron doctrine requires judges to defer to an agency’s interpretation of a statute if that interpretation is reasonable. The State Farm case , which is much less widely known, requires courts to defer to an agency’s expert judgment unless its reasoning has ignored contrary evidence or has a logical hole. As you probably already know, two cases now before the Court will probably result in abandoning or revamping Chevron.

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Dust clouds from the Sahara are reaching Europe more frequently

New Scientist

Changes in wind patterns and desertification may be increasing the amount of dust from the Sahara desert blown over western Europe and the frequency of these events

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Manufacturing Sustainability Surge: Your Guide to Data-Driven Energy Optimization & Decarbonization

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets.

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Wood Ink For 3D Printers Can Turn Old Scrap into New Parts

Scientific American

A 3D-printing ink developed from wood waste recombines its natural components back into wooden products

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Tiny deer from the dry valleys of Peru recognised as new species

New Scientist

A 38-centimetre-tall deer, found in an arid region in the central Andes, is the first new deer species found in South America for over 60 years

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More Trending

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The unexpected reasons why human childhood is extraordinarily long

New Scientist

Why childhood is so protracted has long been mysterious, now a spate of archaeological discoveries suggest an intriguing explanation

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How the Supreme Court’s Mifepristone Ruling Could Affect Abortion Access and Future Drug Approvals

Scientific American

The Supreme Court’s mifepristone decision could make abortions harder to access and challenge the FDA’s authority to regulate all drugs and devices

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Humans spread more viruses to other animals than they give to us

New Scientist

An analysis of viral genomes shows it is more common for viruses to jump from humans to other animals than the other way around

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Taking the Train for Sustainable Travel

Earth 911

For many people, rail travel might suggest romantic images of the old West or the. The post Taking the Train for Sustainable Travel appeared first on Earth911.

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Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

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Your nationality may influence how much you talk with your hands

New Scientist

When recounting an episode of the children's TV show Pingu, people from Italy made an average of 22 gestures per 100 words, compared with 11 for Swedish people

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Earth911 Podcast: Honeywell’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Dr. Gavin Towler, On Accelerating ESG Efforts

Earth 911

Honeywell International is one of the largest companies in the world, ranking 115th in the. The post Earth911 Podcast: Honeywell’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Dr. Gavin Towler, On Accelerating ESG Efforts appeared first on Earth911.

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Martin MacInnes: 'Science fiction can be many different things'

New Scientist

The author of In Ascension, the latest pick for the New Scientist Book Club, on why he wrote his novel, cultivating a sense of wonder and the role of fiction in the world today

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Why Isn't Dental Health Considered Primary Medical Care?

Scientific American

Ailments of the mouth can put the body at risk for a slew of other ills.

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Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

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Wildfire smoke may be deadliest effect of climate change in US

New Scientist

Smoke from wildfires made worse by climate change is set to cause thousands of additional deaths each year in the US

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Monday PA Environment & Energy NewsClips - 3.25.24

PA Environment Daily

The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.” - - Article I, Section 27 Pennsylvania Constitution [It’s Not A Suggestion] House next voting day March 25, 26, 27, Ap

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Cement, Steel—And Pasta—Are About to Get Greener

Scientific American

Factories that produce everything from aluminum to pasta are receiving a combined total of billions of dollars in government funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industry

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March 25 PA Environment Digest Now Available

PA Environment Daily

“The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.” -- Article I, Section 27 Pennsylvania Constitution [It’s Not A Suggestion] Click Here To View Or Print The Entire Mar

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Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

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Alabama’s Embryo Personhood Decision Threatens Patients, Medicine and Advances in IVF

Scientific American

A state court ruling that embryos from in vitro fertilization are unborn children harms access to care for fertility patients, as well as medical innovations

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DEP Issued Conventional Oil & Gas Operators 663 Violations For Abandoning, Not Plugging Wells In Last 15 Months; 392 In 2024 Alone

PA Environment Daily

The Department of Environmental Protection has issued conventional oil and gas well operator 663 violations for abandoned, unplugged wells in the last 15 months. In 2024 alone, DEP issued 392 violations. Information obtained in a Right To Know request shows in 2023, 95 conventional operators were found to be in violation of state law prohibiting well abandonment without plugging for 271 individual conventional oil and gas wells.

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Magical Mucus: On the Benefits of Getting Slimed by a Hagfish

Scientific American

If you take a journey into the depths of the slime all around us, you find yourself starting to understand that mucus is a miracle.

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Stroud Water Research Center Celebrates World Water Day To Support Healthier Delaware River Watershed

PA Environment Daily

The third annual World Water Day event at Stroud Water Research Center , sponsored by M&T Bank and Wilmington Trust, drew a crowd of about 150 people to celebrate and explore freshwater on March 22. This free, local event held each year on the banks of the Stroud Center's long-term research stream, White Clay Creek , celebrates a global United Nations observance day to raise awareness of water issues.

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Wild Birds Gesture ‘After You’ to Insist Their Mate Go First

Scientific American

Like humans, these small Japanese birds communicate abstract concepts with gestures

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Mountain Watershed Assn. Files Appeal Of DEP Decision Not To Accept Unsuitable For Mining Petition Covering 11,000 Acres In Westmoreland County

PA Environment Daily

On March 22, the Mountain Watershed Association filed an appeal with the Environmental Hearing Board challenging the Department of Environmental Protection’s rejection of the nonprofit’s “Unsuitable for Mining” Petition, which could protect 11,000 acres of Laurel Highlands from surface mining in Donegal Borough, Donegal Township and Mount Pleasant Township, Westmoreland County. [ Docket# 2024077 ] In its review letter, DEP said -- “The Department has found that the MWA’s petition lacks sufficien

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This Nova Will Soon Erupt as a Once-in-a-Lifetime ‘New Star’ in the Night Sky

Scientific American

A nova called T Coronae Borealis spectacularly erupts every 80 years.

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Appalachian Sustainable Products Network Launches, Issues Call For Manufacturers In PA, West Virginia, Ohio To Participate In No-Cost Product Life Cycle Assessment; March 26 Webinar

PA Environment Daily

On March 25, the Pittsburgh-based Green Building Alliance, together with West Virginia University, including WVU Extension and Vantage Ventures; Catalyst Connection; Youngstown Business Incubator; and BRITE Energy Innovators, announced the launch of the Appalachian Sustainable Products Network (ASPN) and issued an invitation for regional manufacturers to participate in a no cost Life Cycle Assessment of their product(s), valued at $50,000.

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Bizarre ‘Hot Jupiter’ Planets Keep Surprising Astronomers

Scientific American

Astronomers now have three possible theories to explain how weird hot Jupiter exoplanets form

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Lucien Besnard: Mercury isotope clocks predict coastal residency and migration timing of hammerhead sharks

The Applied Ecologist

Shortlisted for the 2023 Southwood Prize Lucien Besnard reflects on how he and colleagues used mercury isotopes, within the framework of isotopic clocks, to provide a more precise assessment of hammerhead shark movement. As a result, this method may be used as a complementary tool for stock management through predicting the timing of animal migration – a key aspect in the conservation of marine taxa.

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Birds make an 'after you' gesture to prompt their mate to enter nest

New Scientist

Japanese t**s sometimes flutter their wings in an apparent gesture of encouraging their mate to enter their shared nest first

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Sea Level Rise 101

NRDC

The causes and effects of this undeniable consequence of climate change—and how communities can respond.

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OECD Issues Report on First WPMN Workshop on NanoCarriers

Nanotech

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published the report of the first Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) workshop on NanoCarriers. The report states that NanoCarriers (nano-scaled structures loaded with an active substance) “promise benefits for various fields of applications but they also present great diversity in terms of chemical composition, structural features, and applications.

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Adsorptive behavior of engineered biochar /hydrochar for tetracycline removal from synthetic wastewater

Environmental News Bits

Jeganathan, Y., Asharp, T., & Nadarajah, K. (2024). “Adsorptive behavior of engineered biochar /hydrochar for tetracycline removal from synthetic wastewater.” Environmental Pollution, 345, 123452. [link] Abstract In this research, engineered biochar and hydrochar derived from paddy husk were compared for the adsorption tetracycline (TC) in water effluents.

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EPA Will Hold Webinar on Biogas Regulatory Reform Rule Provisions of RFS Program on April 4, 2024

Nanotech

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a public webinar on April 4, 2024, to discuss the implementation of the Biogas Regulatory Reform Rule (BRRR) provisions promulgated as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) final rule for 2023-2025 (the “Set Rule”). 89 Fed. Reg. 15988. EPA states that these regulatory provisions include registration and reporting and updated regulatory provisions for the production, distribution, and use of biogas as a renewable fuel.

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