National (U.S.)

Nearly 800 Dams Already Removed Across U.S.

The last vestiges of the dam-building era continue. But the era of the dam removers is well under way, as communities try to improve river habitat, restore fish migrations, or remove hazardous dams that are crumbling or no longer serve a useful purpose (though dam removal can also have potentially adverse consequences, such as the release of toxic sediments, or reductions in species that had adapted to the dam environment). In 2008, about 60 dams were removed, according to the advocacy group American Rivers. That adds substantially to the more than 300 dams that have been removed since 1999, and about 790 dams removed in the last 100 years, according to the group's tally.

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Bush Pushes Flurry of Last-Minute Regulations

As it leaves office, the Bush administration is rushing to complete regulations that will bind the Obama administration.

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Farm Bill Launches Sweeping New Secrecy Initiative

New language added to the 2007/08 Farm Bill by conferees at the 11th hour could create a sweeping new secrecy mandate that would prohibit the Agriculture Department from disclosing almost any information about individual US farm operations.

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The Really Big Ozone Story: Plants With Asthma

Most news about ground-level ozone pollution focuses on its considerable impacts to human health. But there may be a far broader and potentially bigger story: Ground-level ozone pollution significantly impairs plants' ability to absorb CO2 - which in turn exacerbates climate change, reduces agricultural yields (think: food shortages), and damages ecosystems.

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EPA To Release Proposed Lead Standard Soon

Hot on the heels of the announcement of EPA's controversial revised ground-level ozone standard, the agency is required by court order to release its proposal for a revised airborne lead standard no later than May 1, 2008. A final rule is required by Sept. 1, 2008.

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Floods and Drought in NOAA Forecast

A wet, snowy winter has set the table for spring flooding in much of the eastern US and a few western states. NOAA published a forecast on March 20, 2008, of the areas most likely to get swamped. Among the states at risk are "much of the Mississippi River basin, the Ohio River basin, the lower Missouri River basin, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, most of New York, all of New England, and portions of the West, including Colorado and Idaho."

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Anyone With a Computer Might Be an Earthquake Scientist

Early news about a pending citizen science project has drawn such an overwhelming response that the project's leaders are now declining to talk about it further until its formal launch, potentially in July 2008. The public response suggests it'll be of great interest to some in your audience when it becomes official. Meanwhile, you can learn more online, and get on the notification list for the launch date.

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