EPA Vows 'Flexibility' on Overflows in Victory for Strapped Cities
A new EPA guidance promises flexibility in enforcing sewage overflow limits on cash-strapped cities who can not afford to upgrade their systems.
Source: Greenwire, 11/03/2011
Water & Oceans
Corps Puts Searchable National Levee Database Online
Levees have huge environmental and human impacts, but are often neglected by news media until disaster strikes. The NLD should make reporting both routine and crisis stories a lot easier. The bad news is that after several years of work by the Corps, only a small fraction of all the levees in the US have been entered into the database.
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Supreme Court Declines To Take Delta Smelt Case
"The Supreme Court [Monday] decided -- for now -- not to get involved in ongoing litigation over California's endangered delta smelt."
Source: Greenwire, 11/01/2011
"Weather Changes Mean More Dead Zones For Lake Erie: Expert"
"After a celebrated comeback from abysmal water conditions and high pollution levels in the 1970s, Lake Erie is regressing to the highest levels of phosphorous contamination in 40 years, a Great Lakes expert said on Thursday."
Source: Reuters, 10/28/2011
"Army Corps Wants $1 Billion To Repair Flood Damage"
"The Army Corps of Engineers says it desperately needs about $1 billion to repair the damage from this year's catastrophic flooding in the Missouri and Mississippi basins."
Source: Medill, 10/28/2011
Major Wetland Losses Still Occurring in Forests and Estuaries
Wetland acreage in the US declined during 2004-2009, reversing a slightly positive trend of net wetland gains during 1998-2004, according to the latest assessment from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, released Oct. 6, 2011.
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Controversial Pesticide Rule Might Protect Waterways
US EPA, under a court-ordered deadline of Oct. 31, 2011, is to release a final rule establishing a Pesticides General Permit process, which would establish ways to reduce certain pesticide applications on or near waterways for control of mosquitoes, other flying insects, weeds, algae, animals, and forest canopy pests.
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7 Billion: "Water Use Rising Faster Than World Population"
"Like oil in the 20th century, water could well be the essential commodity on which the 21st century will turn."
Source: Reuters, 10/26/2011
"10 Years of Cleanup Bring Ocoee River Back To Life"
"COPPER BASIN, Tenn. — A decade ago, the Ocoee River was dead — devoid of any insect or fish life that normally signals clean water."
Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press, 10/17/2011
Feds Cite BP, Transocean, Halliburton on Gulf Oil Spill Violations
"NEW ORLEANS -- Federal regulators on Wednesday cited oil company BP PLC and two other companies – Transocean Ltd. and Halliburton – for alleged safety and environmental violations stemming from last year's rig explosion and massive Gulf oil spill.
The companies have 60 days to appeal the citations issued by the Interior Department's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.
The bureau says the alleged regulatory violations could result in civil penalties once the appeal period has ended.
Source: AP, 10/13/2011
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