• Wildfire Blankets Southern California in Smoke
  
• Energy Exploration Approved in Colorado Monument
  
• Gulf War Exposures Not Linked to Illness
  
• Bush Administration Issues Climate Research Report
  
• Portland Saves Water by Replacing Toilets
  
• Tennessee Nuke Plant Licensed to Produce Tritium
  
• Denis Hayes Given Lifetime Achievement Award
  
• Artificial Reef in Chesapeake Ready for Oysters
  

Wildfire Blankets Southern California in Smoke

The Williams fire is burning in the Angeles National Forest, in the San Gabriel Mountains above the Los Angeles Valley. The fire started Sunday afternoon, and by Tuesday morning had grown to 5,000 acres.

A plume of smoke from the Williams fire rises hundreds of feet in the air over the San Gabriel Mountains. (Photo by Rich Hawkins, courtesy Angeles National Forest)

"FEMA is committed to assisting our nation's firefighters by getting them the resources they need to quickly extinguish these fires threatening people's lives and property," said FEMA Director Joe Allbaugh.

About half the vacation cabins in San Dimas Canyon were destroyed by the fire, and all residences in the area were ordered evacuated, along with two juvenile detention camps. Voluntary evacuation recommendations were issued for more than 500 luxury homes in the area.

Smoke from the fire is hampering efforts to fight it, keeping aircraft tasked with dropping water or fire retardant chemicals grounded due to poor visibility.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has issued a special smoke advisory to schools and the public throughout the Los Angeles region, forecasting unhealthy levels of fine particulate pollutants in areas affected by smoke from the Williams fire. All individuals are urged to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in areas affected by the smoke.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. In hopes of preventing new fires in the hot, dry forest, blanketed by 35 years of unburned underbrush, federal officials have closed the more than 650,000 acre Angeles National Forest to all recreational uses.

A second California fire is burning in the Santa Cruz Mountains, five miles west of the town of Morgan Hill. That fire has grown to 1,639 acres and destroyed 15 outbuildings.

Energy Exploration Approved in Colorado Monument

At issue was the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) decision on August 9 approving plans for a seismic survey of the North Mail Trail Mesa area of the monument to benefit oil and gas leaseholders. Four environmental organizations filed a lawsuit challenging the decision.

Chief Judge Lewis Babcock enjoined the project pending further review by the court. The settlement agreement, signed Friday in a Denver United States District Court, lifts this injunction and allows the project to proceed.

The San Juan Citizens Alliance, The Wilderness Society, Colorado Environmental Coalition, and Oil and Gas Accountability Project along with Red Willow Production, LLC; Robert L. Bayless Producer LLC, Legacy Energy Corporation, Western GECO and the BLM have all agreed to the settlement.

The settlement provides for additional archeological and biological monitors to be on site during operations in some of the more sensitive areas, and for closing a historic oil and gas exploration route upon completion of the current seismic study.

"The agreement reduces the impacts of this project on the resources the monument was created to protect," said Mark Pearson, executive director of the San Juan Citizens Alliance. "It moves some of the points where the 60,000 pound vibroseis buggies vibrate the ground out of sensitive wildlife habitat, archeological sites, and undisturbed biological soil crusts to help address our concerns."

Oil and gas exploration is allowed within Canyons of the Ancients Monument under certain circumstances. To date, about 85 percent of the 164,000 acre monument in southwestern Colorado is under lease for oil and gas resources, and wells within the monument produce about 260 billion cubic feet of carbon dioxide, 200,000 barrels of oil and two billion cubic feet of natural gas each year.

The settlement agreement emphasizes that decisions pertaining to future oil and gas leasing within the monument shall be incorporated by the BLM into the Monument Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement.

"The agreement specifies how BLM will analyze future oil and gas leasing proposals for undeveloped areas of the Monument," said Suzanne Jones, associate director of the Wilderness Society's Four Corners office in Denver. "With only 15 percent of the special landscape not leased for oil and gas drilling, future proposals in this area deserve the highest level of scrutiny."

The current seismic survey will allow the oil and gas leaseholders to obtain detailed reservoir data, which allows them to better characterize the reservoirs underlying their leases. Having this data will allow them to better plan the development of their resources, resulting in fewer dry wells being drilled, and less surface disturbance.

"We are committed to conducting this survey in a manner that insures that cultural resources are protected and impacts to wildlife, sensitive plants and soils are minimized," said Claudia Rebne of Legacy Energy. "Legacy welcomes the opportunity to demonstrate that 3D seismic exploration is an environmentally responsible way to explore in the Canyons of the Ancients Monument."

The monument contains the highest known density of archaeological sites in the nation. It is also home to a wide variety of wildlife species, including the Mesa Verde nightsnake, long-nosed leopard lizard, and twin-spotted spiny lizard. Peregrine falcons have been observed in the area, as have golden eagles, American kestrels, red tailed hawks and northern harriers.

Gulf War Exposures Not Linked to Illness

While psychological and physical ailments have been found in higher rates among military personnel deployed to the Gulf War arena, there is no difference between veterans who were exposed to low levels of chemical weapons and those not exposed, said Dr. Linda McCauley of Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU).

"Our findings suggest that veterans who were possibly exposed to very low levels of chemical warfare agents do not differ from other deployed veterans on any health indicator, including self-reported medical diagnoses, hospitalization or disability," the researchers write in the September/October issue of the "American Journal of Preventive Medicine."

The study included data collected through telephone interviews with 1,779 military personnel, 653 of whom had served in the Khamisiyah area where chemical exposure is believed to have occurred. Another 610 were deployed during the Gulf War, but not in an area with chemical exposure, and 516 were not deployed during the conflict.

All those surveyed lived Oregon, Washington, California, Georgia and North Carolina at the time of the interview.

Respondents who had been deployed to the region were more likely than non-deployed personnel to have high blood pressure, heart disease, a slipped disk or a pinched nerve. They were also more likely to have post traumatic stress disorder and be hospitalized for depression.

The deployed veterans were much more likely to report being in fair to poor health or say that they had moderate to severe impairment compared with their non-deployed counterparts, McCauley said. There was also a trend for deployed subjects to report more cases of cancer, although this number did not reach statistical significance.

"Our study, along with other cross sectional studies of [Gulf War] veterans, has been limited in the ability to form conclusions regarding the potential risk of cancer due to small sample size and limited number of cases of cancer," McCauley noted.

The researchers also note that while their model assumed that anyone within 50 kilometers (31 miles) of the site where the chemical weapons were destroyed could have been exposed to low levels of the chemical warfare agent sarin, more complex models suggest this model may not be accurate.

"If the chemical warfare agents were not restricted to the 50 kilometer Khamisiyah area, but dispersed more widely, health effects would be expected in a much larger proportion of veterans than the group that served as the sample in this investigation," they say.

Senior author Dr. Peter Spencer noted that the lack of detectable health effects may be relevant to communities living near U.S. facilities that are about to start destroying munitions containing the same chemical agents that were destroyed at Khamisiyah. The release of small amounts of chemical warfare agents from the incinerators are not likely to cause illness in those who live nearby, Spencer said.

The research study was carried out by OHSU's Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology (CROET) under a grant from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command.

Bush Administration Issues Climate Research Report

Secretary of Commerce Don Evans and Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham submitted the progress update on federal climate change science and technology programs in a letter to President George W. Bush. The update from the cabinet level Committee on Climate Change Science and Technology Integration, chaired by Evans and Abraham, outlines steps taken in four key areas: federal climate research, technology development, voluntary emissions reduction, and collaborative international activities.

The update details actions taken in response to President Bush's initiatives to address global climate change, and the administration's plan for increased incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"President Bush directed us to advance the science of climate change study so policy makers can make critical decisions on how to address this looming global issue," said Evans. "This letter provides an important update on the progress made in meeting the president's climate change goals and objectives."

According to the report, federal agencies are now developing improved climate research, monitoring and decision tools that will provide information on the progression of climate change. Federal investments in ocean and atmospheric observation systems, and efforts to gain international cooperation in expanding these systems, are allowing scientists to better characterize and understand complex global climate systems.

"We're engaged in a landmark scientific endeavor to create new technologies and forge new programs and processes that will reduce greenhouse gases and mitigate the risks associated with climate change," said Abraham. "With the help of partners in the public and private sectors, we are making progress in developing clean technologies and gaining critical knowledge on sequestration processes."

Among the areas the government is focusing on are hydrogen based energy systems, biofuels, low speed wind turbines, fuel cells, zero net energy buildings, carbon dioxide capture and geologic sequestration, and agricultural land management.

"With the U.S. continuing to lead all nations in research and development of climate change technology, we will maintain our support of the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)," said Evans.

The update also details joint climate change programs with Australia, Canada, Central America, the European Union, India, Italy, Japan and the People's Republic of China.

An interagency inventory of climate and global change research programs will be completed later this month. An updated strategy for U.S. global climate change research is now being developed, with a draft report expected to be available for public comment in November. The plan will be subject to a comprehensive review during a three day workshop on U.S. Climate Change Science in Washington, DC, December 3-5, 2002. A final strategic plan is expected to be published in April 2003. For more information on the climate science workshop visit: http://www.climatescience.gov

The committee's report to President Bush is available at: http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/climateletter.pdf

Portland Saves Water by Replacing Toilets

The pilot project has the potential to save more than 30 million gallons of water and hundreds of thousand dollars in water and sewer bills each year.

"Conservation is one of the quickest, cheapest ways to lower utility bills as well as reduce pressure on water supplies and sewage treatment capacity," said council commissioner Dan Saltzman. "This program offers owners a simple solution to reduce their water and sewer bills while upgrading their property. In many cases, the savings alone will cover the cost of the new toilet within a year."

Over the next four months, the Portland Office of Sustainable Development's Multifamily Assistance Program (MAP) will work with the owners of 5,000 apartment units to replace old toilets with new water efficient models that use two to three times less water. City program costs will be covered through an agreement with the Efficiency Services Group of Portland General Electric.

Water savings from ultra low flow toilets in a typical apartment range from 7,000 to 13,000 gallons per year, with annual water and sewer bill savings of $59 to $106. Within a year or two, owners pay for the retrofit in water and sewer bill savings.

The program will also promote recycling of the replaced toilets, with plans to divert the 187 tons of toilets from the landfill and into recycled, reusable road fill material.

The program will run in tandem with a $45 rebate offer from the Portland Water Bureau for installation of water efficient toilets in properties serving lower income households.

The rebate program, "provides a great opportunity to assist our customers who do not directly pay their water/sewer bill, typically a difficult audience for us to target," said Judi Ranton, program manager for the Portland Water Bureau. "Owners and property managers will recognize the immediate benefits of providing their tenants higher efficiency toilets."

The program is available to Portland Metro Area Multifamily Property owners through December 30, 2002. The program implements a key component of Portland's Sustainable City Principles to use resources efficiently and reduce demand for natural resources, like energy, land and water, rather than expanding supplies.

Tennessee Nuke Plant Licensed to Produce Tritium

The license amendment grants TVA permission to use tritium producing burnable absorber rods at the Watts Bar facility, located near Spring City. The DOE has developed technology to produce tritium using lithium, rather than boron, in burnable absorber rods to be installed in the Watts Bar reactor.

The irradiated rods are to be removed from the power plant and shipped to the Savannah River Site, near Aiken, South Carolina, where the DOE plans to extract the tritium.

Radioactive tritium is used in a number of commercial products, including airport runway lights and lighted emergency exit signs. Tritium is also used in medical and biological research, and is one possible fuel for experimental nuclear fusion reactors.

The tritium produced at the Savannah River Site could be used for any of these purposes, but is expected to also be used in nuclear weapons research and potential future weapons production.

The NRC held public meetings on the issue in 1997, and determined that year that the TVA could place 32 of the burnable absorber rods in the Watts Bar reactor core to test the technology. The TVA irradiated the rods until the spring of 1999 and removed them from the reactor. The DOE has examined the rods and confirmed that the technology worked.

A public meeting to discuss the tritium production and the NRC's process for reviewing the TVA license amendment request was held in Tennessee last October.

TVA's license amendment permits it to install up to 2,304 of the rods into the Watts Bar reactor and irradiate them for one fuel cycle, which lasts about 18 months. TVA will then remove the irradiated rods for shipment to DOE's tritium extraction facility at the Savannah River Site.

The DOE plans to have TVA install new rods in the reactor to repeat the process for the life of the plant.

Denis Hayes Given Lifetime Achievement Award

Hayes, president of the Seattle based Bullitt Foundation and chair of the board of Earth Day Network, was the national organizer of the original Earth Day in 1970.

"We honor Denis Hayes for his legendary, and continuing, leadership in the national conservation movement," said Andrea Yank executive director of the Council, which gave Hayes its its Award of Honor.

"During his remarkable career Denis has made an enduring contribution to the cause of environmental stewardship around the world," Yank added. "He has been instrumental in making environmental conservation a permanent part of our national public policy system and imbued millions of people worldwide with a common vision of an environmental ethic."

The Award of Honor was established in 1974 and is presented to extraordinary individuals in recognition of a lifetime of dedicated service to conservation. The Natural Resources Council of America, which represents more than 85 national and regional organizations dedicated to the sustainable management of the world's natural resources, is dedicated to strengthening the conservation movement across the nation.

"I am gratified and honored by this award from the Council and to be included among such distinguished company or those who have been similarly honored in the past," said Hayes. "There is always something extra special about being honored by one's longtime colleagues and friends and it has been my good fortune to be associated with the Council and its tremendous work."

Past honorees include former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrators Russell Train and William Reilly; former Oregon Governor and growth management visionary; Tom McCall, National Geographic Society chair Gil Grovesnor, and Gus Speth, former director of the United Nations Development Program.

Hayes has been at the forefront of the modern environmental movement since signing on with then Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970 as National Coordinator of the first Earth Day. Under President Jimmy Carter, Hayes was director of the federal Solar Energy Research Institute, which sponsored research in solar cells and wind turbines.

Hayes organized the first "Dirty Dozen," a bipartisan campaign to defeat 12 members of Congress with terrible environmental voting records. In 1990, he created Green Seal, a joint effort with Underwriters Laboratories to certify environmentally preferable products.

Hayes founded the Earth Day Network, an international organization supporting 5,500 organizations in 184 countries, and providing educational materials to 95,000 teachers in the United States. He helped found CERES, a coalition of investors and environmental leaders that created the Global Reporting Initiative, which created the equivalent of Generally Accepted Accounting Standards for environmental reporting.

He headed the lobbying team that passed the landmark original Clean Air Act of 1970, which established the health based standards that became a template for much subsequent legislation.

Artificial Reef in Chesapeake Ready for Oysters

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Restoration Center and its partners are celebrating the completion of an oyster reef restoration project called, "Shoreline Restoration Project at Horseheads Wetlands Center," located on Kent Island. The project is a 1.5 acre wetland and shoreline stabilization project that includes an offshore oyster reef breakwater to lessen wave action.

"This important restoration effort may just be one of the best integrated habitat restoration projects NOAA has funded to date," said NOAA Administrator Conrad Lautenbacher. "It incorporates shoreline protection, wetlands restoration, oyster reef habitat, fish habitat, and more."

As part of Thursday's celebration, representatives from NOAA and others will use state of the art planting equipment to place the oysters on an artificial reef created using recycled concrete rubble as base material. Oyster shell forms the reef's veneer, and concrete fish havens were used to create the living reef.

The partners will plant about 500,000 disease free oysters on the reef at the Horseheads site south of Grasonville. The project combines multiple habitat restoration strategies and techniques, including shoreline erosion protection using soft techniques, wetlands restoration, terrapin nesting habitat, oyster reef restoration and fish habitat structures.

The project was funded by NOAA grant awards to the Horseheads Wetlands Center and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Other partners include Restore America's Estuaries, the Oyster Recovery Partnership, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the University of Maryland, Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.