Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery With Daily Postings Since 2002
“Almost one in seven of the world’s children, 300 million, live in areas with the most toxic levels of outdoor air pollution – six or more times higher than international guidelines – reveals a new UNICEF report. Clear the Air for Children uses satellite imagery to show for the first time how many children are …
Foot Traffic Ahead – Ranking Walkable Urbanism in America’s Largest Metros 2016 By Christopher B. Leinberger & Michael Rodriguez, The George Washington University School of Business. “The end of sprawl is in sight. The nation’s largest metropolitan areas are focusing on building walkable urban development. For perhaps the first time in 60 years, walkable urban …
Zach Baron, GQ: “All around us, every day, things are disappearing—birds, butterflies, coral reefs, islands. Places we used to live. Things we used to eat. But what if there was a way to bring some of it back? Well, it turns out there is. A few miles north of San Diego, scientists are gathering up …
New York Times: “The world’s biggest marine reserve, almost as large as Alaska, will be established in the Ross Sea in Antarctica under an agreement reached by representatives of 24 nations and the European Union in Australia on Friday. The policy makers and scientists agreed unanimously to create a zone that will encompass 600,000 square …
“Global biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate, putting the survival of other species and our own future at risk. The latest edition of WWF’s Living Planet Report brings home the enormity of the situation – and how we can start to put it right. The Living Planet Index reveals that global populations of fish, …
USAToday – “A federal judge on Tuesday approved one of the largest consumer settlements in U.S. history, a nearly $15 billion U.S. deal concerning Volkswagen Group’s diesel car emissions scandal. The settlement sets in motion a massive vehicle buyback program and environmental remediation efforts.” See also previous posting –Volkswagen Agrees to Record Settlement in Emissions Case and Volkswagen …
Ocean Dumping Act: A Summary of the Law, Claudia Copeland, Specialist in Resources and Environmental Policy. October 18, 2016: “The Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) has two basic aims: to regulate intentional ocean disposal of materials, and to authorize related research. Permit and enforcement provisions of the law are often referred to as …
Virtual Human Interaction Lab: “This experience is free to download and can be viewed on the HTC Vive. There are two ways to download: Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/409020; Viveport: https://www.viveport.com/apps/01fc6ba4-e24e-476b-9682-b40839614213 “Most people have never heard of ocean acidification—the process by which the ocean becomes more acidic as it absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) that has been emitted into the …
Follow up to previous postings on water contamination in Flint, Michigan – see the EPA IG report, Management Alert: Drinking Water Contamination in Flint, Michigan, Demonstrates a Need to Clarify EPA Authority to Issue Emergency Orders to Protect the Public – and accompanying pocast and video, posted on October 201, 2016: “This report is an …
Water Infrastructure: Information on Selected Midsize and Large Cities with Declining Populations, GAO-16-785: Published: Sep 15, 2016. Publicly Released: Oct 17, 2016 “EPA estimates water and sewer utilities will need to spend $655 billion over the next 20 years to maintain, upgrade, or replace water infrastructure. Many midsize and large cities that lost a large …
Environmental Protection: Information on Federal Agencies’ Expenditures and Coordination Related to Harmful Algae, GAO-17-119: Published: Oct 14, 2016. Publicly Released: Oct 14, 2016. “Harmful overgrowths of algae—called algal blooms—are a problem in all 50 states. These blooms can hurt aquatic plants and animals by producing toxins, consuming oxygen, and limiting light penetration in the water. …
Via NOAA – “The ocean…is not infinite in its bounty. After decades of decline, America has turned the corner on ending overfishing, and with the help of scientists, fishermen, fish farmers and managers today, our nation’s fisheries are among the most sustainable in the world. The shift wasn’t easy – it took hard work, collaboration, and …
