Friday, 02 Jun 2006

Under the Radar

FAA shuts down work on proposed wind farms

The Federal Aviation Administration has shut down work on at least 15 Midwest wind farms pending ... wait for it ... more research. Last year, Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), a critic of the Cape Wind project planned for Nantucket Sound, added an amendment to a military spending bill directing the Defense Department to study wind turbines' effect on small-aircraft radar signals. Since then, despite the fact that dozens of wind projects currently operate within sight of radar systems and have caused no discernable problems, all proposed turbines within the scope of military radar have been blocked. The stalled projects include an Illinois wind farm that would have been the nation's largest. "Until the potential effects can be quantified and possible mitigation techniques developed, it is prudent to temporarily postpone wind-turbine construction in areas where the ability of these long-range radars that protect our country might be compromised," says a Pentagon spokesflack. That sounds not-at-all promising.

Sulfur, So Good

EPA is jazzed about new rules on ultra-low sulfur diesel

New federal clean-air rules came into effect yesterday, requiring sulfur content to be cut by 97 percent in at least four-fifths of U.S.-refined diesel fuel. The new "ultra-low sulfur diesel" will hit service stations in the fall. The U.S. EPA estimates it will raise the cost of diesel fuel by about five cents a gallon; other estimates range from two to 20 cents. According to the EPA, the reduction in diesel exhaust pollution could annually prevent up to 8,300 premature deaths from respiratory problems. Many 2007-model diesel vehicles will come equipped with particulate-pollution traps that will reduce emissions even more. The EPA is super-pumped (ha!) about the new rules, calling them a "historic milestone"; an EPA spokesflack gushed, "In terms of the cost-benefit ratio, this regulation ranks up there among the top actions that the agency has taken in its history." High praise! OK, medium praise.


Keeping a home aquarium can be a great way to learn (and teach kids) about marine science and fish behavior, says Drew Weiner, head of Reef Protection International and this week's InterActivist. But doing it right involves some homework. In answering reader questions, Weiner helps educate reef enthusiasts about reliable sources for captive-bred marine critters, the (ill) health of reefs worldwide, how divers can be reef stewards, and more.

Man Hatin' Transfer

EPA declines to regulate polluted water transfers

Corporate farms and other businesses would not need to obtain a Clean Water Act permit in many water-transfer cases, under a rule proposed by the U.S. EPA yesterday. The rule would apply regardless of how polluted the water is -- but hey, corporate farming always produces clean water, right? Coincidentally, only not, the EPA proposal comes during a pending Florida court case which pits a Native American tribe and a green group against a water district and the sugar industry. Guess which side the EPA is taking? Before the case went to trial, the agency reversed earlier legal opinions by declaring water transfers the responsibility of state and local managers. The rule could also affect an imminent federal court decision regarding transfer of polluted water into Florida's Lake Okeechobee. EPA water guy Benjamin Grumbles called the rule -- which will soon be subject to a 45-day public-comment period -- "the best, holistic reading of the Clean Water Act." Is this really what holism has come to?

Sustain't Misbehavin'

Portland, Ore., ranked as most sustainable city in U.S.

Portland, Ore., took top honors in SustainLane.com's 2006 ranking of the sustainability of America's 50 most populous cities. The rankings were based on a laundry list of the usual environmental factors: breathable air, clean drinking water, renewable energy, parks, green buildings, farmers' markets, affordable housing, recycling, walkable communities, and, especially, public transit. Commuting was weighted more heavily in the rankings than other factors; nine of the bottom 10 cities have less than 5 percent transit ridership. San Francisco came in second, despite being 49th in affordability (ouch); Seattle rounded out the top three. Philadelphia, somewhat surprisingly, was No. 4; Chicago, Oakland, Calif., New York, Boston, Denver, and Minneapolis made the top 10. Number 50? Columbus, Ohio. Perhaps Columbus should discover some new sustainability strategies. Get it? Columbus? Oh, never mind.

The Truth Is Out There

An Inconvenient Truth opens nationwide today

Having proved a hit in its limited run, An Inconvenient Truth -- the documentary about Al Gore's quest to raise public consciousness of global warming -- opens in wide release today. For better or worse, the nation's chattering classes will view the movie's reception as a barometer of public interest in the issue. We're just saying.