April 2005 news

•  EPA buying Holley houses - Relocations in wake of Diaz Chemical spill to cost $1.3M - The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it would purchase the Trupo house and seven others belonging to families who fled the spill. The EPA said it would spend $1.3 million to permanently relocate the eight families and two tenants displaced by the contamination. (March 31, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  STATES AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SECURE SHARP AIR POLLUTION REDUCTIONS AT OHIO COAL POWER PLANTS Rule Fails To Protect Children From Harmful Mercury Emissions From Power Plants - Attorneys General from nine states filed a lawsuit today challenging a new federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that fails to protect the public adequately from harmful mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, which pose a grave threat to the health of children.  The suit, filed by New Jersey on behalf of the coalition, challenges an EPA rule published today that removes power plants from the list of pollution sources subject to stringent pollution controls under the federal Clean Air Act. EPA announced the rule on March 15, along with a second rule establishing a cap-and-trade system for regulating mercury emissions. The trading scheme will allow some plants to actually increase mercury emissions, creating hot spots of local and regional mercury deposition. Members of the coalition also plan to file suit challenging the cap-and-trade rule once it is published in the Federal Register. - (April 1, 2005) Office of New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer
•  The New York Times > New York Region > Hoping to Reverse History and Pollution From a hillock on the shore of Onondaga Lake, Brad Powless, the newest chief of the Onondaga Nation, traced the outlines of his community's struggles, both ancient and modern. Hundreds of years ago, he said, pointing across the water, a peace delegation representing several Indian tribes crossed from the east side of the lake to persuade the fierce leader of the Onondagas to join a federation of Indian nations. From that meeting evolved the Iroquois Confederacy, or the Haudenosaunee, as its members prefer. The emotional and environmental focus of their legal action, Onondaga officials say, is Onondaga Lake and its watershed, which is now hemmed in by urban development. For decades, the lake, which is in northwest Syracuse and is about a mile wide and 4½ miles long, was used as a dumping ground for industrial refuse. In 1994 it was added to the federal Superfund list of toxic waste sites. Several other Superfund sites are around the lake. The New York Times > Breaking News, World News & Multimedia
•  Deer wasting disease found - New York case is the first confirmed in the East - — State agriculture and environment officials on Thursday confirmed the first New York state case of Chronic Wasting Disease, a brain and nervous system disorder that affects members of the deer family, including white-tailed deer, elk, mule deer and moose. The disease, prevalent in Western states, has previously been found only as far east as Illinois. The disease does not affect humans, domestic livestock or other mammals. The New York case, in Oneida County, is the first on the Eastern Seaboard. (April 1, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Chronic Wasting Disease New York : Positive Case of CWD Found in Oneida County Deer - Mandatory Testing Protocols Find CWD in a Captive White-Tailed Doe  Date: March 31, 2005 Source: New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets
•  City Newspaper: Resurrecting the urban wasteland It took a public shaming from the New York Times before it was released, but state money to fund brownfield cleanups is finally flowing to where it was intended. Last week Governor Pataki and the leaders of both houses of the state legislature announced a breakthrough that freed $30 million to help with the cleanup of some of the state's worst post-industrial wastelands. And $390,000 of that will be headed to Rochester for three separate local efforts. But that money almost didn't materialize, thanks to budget-season politics in Albany. The story has its roots in the state's complex laws regulating brownfields --- a shorthand designation for polluted sites that aren't bad enough to make the Environmental Protection Agency Superfund list. Many of these sites are still too contaminated to be safely redeveloped, frequently requiring substantial --- and costly --- cleanup. And that often translates to the loss of jobs in small to mid-sized cities, greater health risks, and the encouragement of sprawling suburban development. (April 3, 2005) City Newspaper
•  Contagious deer disease discovered upstate - ALBANY - The 6-year-old doe, penned in with 18 other white-tail deer at a game farm in Oneida County, looked perfectly healthy when she was randomly selected March 9 for a mandatory test. Two weeks after the doe had been killed for testing, samples from her organs came back positive for a fatal neurological disease known as chronic wasting disease (CWD). So, wildlife officials went into overdrive.(April 3, 2005)  Messenger Post Newspapers
•  UR seeks expansion in Brighton The college wants to expand on 200 acres off East River Road in the future.  The University of Rochester wants Brighton Town Board to change some of its campus property in preparation of future development. (April 3, 2005)  Messenger Post Newspapers
•  Spring hours begin at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge - Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in Alabama announced that the refuge visitor contact station will be open on weekends through May from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. This is in addition to its regular business hours of Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Flyway Nature Shop, operated by the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Inc., will also operate during these hours. Spring is nesting season for hundreds of species of bird species. During this time the refuge reminds visitors that most areas of the refuge are closed to protect nesting areas and to provide safe, resting and staging areas for migrants. Two nature trails, Onondaga and Kanyoo, as well as the Feeder Road and four overlooks will remain open from sunrise to sunset, seven days a week, for walking and wildlife watching. Fishing will be limited to Oak Orchard Creek and Ringneck Marsh. Contact the refuge at 585-948-5445 or visit our web site at http://iroquoisnwr.fws.gov  for information. --Westside News Inc.
•  Western New York farmers receive - funding to combat agricultural runoff - Over $319,400 in funding has been awarded for three projects in Orleans, Genesee and Monroe counties to help farmers protect the state's soil and water resources from agricultural runoff. The funding is available through the New York State Agricultural Non-point Source Abatement and Control Program (ANSCAP). --Westside News Inc.
•  Hundreds sign up for coyote hunt A western New York coyote hunt has drawn hundreds of contestants -- as well as some protests. The monthlong hunting contest is underway in the Ontario County town of Richmond, south of Rochester. About 300 hunters have signed up for the event sponsored by the Honeoye (HONEY'-oy) Fish and Game Club. More than a dozen other people have written or called the club in protest. John Street of Honeoye says the contest is cruel and pointless. Honeoye News
•  Swan Flies Free Again - (Rochester, NY) 03/30/05 - The DEC freed the tangled trumpeter swan in Irondequoit Bay early Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, members of Rochester's birding association and other nature lovers tried to rescue the bird that had fishing line tangled on its leg. 13WHAM-TV || ROCHESTER
•  78 deer destroyed; plan under budget - Cheektowaga’s deer bait-and-shoot program ended for the winter season on March 17 and Parks Director John Jaroszewski Jr. reports that 78 deer were killed and that the program– expected to cost almost $22,000 in its first season– only cost $6,915. According to Jaroszewski, the program lasted three weeks, and only 14 evenings were used to shoot the animals. This averages to 5.5 deer killed per day. However, Jaroszewski told the Town Board during its Tuesday work session that he does not believe the number of animals harvested was enough to make an impact. He noted that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which first had to authorize the program, gave the town 150 individual deer permits. Unused permits were turned over to the DEC. Cheektowaga Times - Front Page
•  U.S. Army Makes Green Car Pick-Up - Brig. Gen. Nadeau will take the military's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered truck for a test run in Virginia. Researchers at the General Motors plant in Honeoye Falls made the fuel stacks that power the truck. R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
•  Deer wasting disease surfaces in state test - 1st discovery of neurological ailment in East draws call for calm - ALBANY -- A white-tailed deer on an Oneida County farm tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the first such case in the East for an illness that has threatened deer and elk in the Midwest and West. Chronic wasting disease, a neurological ailment, is part of the same family of illnesses as mad cow disease. There is no evidence, however that people can become ill by eating meat from an animal infected with chronic wasting disease. (April 3, 2005) Albany, N.Y. -- timesunion.com
•  DEC to kill 400 deer for testing Albany – The state Department of Environmental Conservation plans to begin hunting wild deer next week in Oneida County to determine whether any have been infected with chronic wasting disease. Officials last week confirmed that two farm-raised deer in the county had tested positive for the disease, which has devastated deer herds in the West and prompted a ban on feeding wild deer in New York. (April 0, 2005) recordonline.com - The Times Herald-Record, serving New York's Hudson Valley and the Catskills
•  One trashy good deed - Scouts sweep up in 'a good, garbage-filled day' on river -- (April 10, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Skunks can make spring not so sweet scented Scientist who study roadkill, (yes, there are scientists who study roadkill) claim a million animals a day are killed on the nation’s four-million miles of highways. Skunks are not alone. An estimated six-million cats, for instance, are killed each year by vehicular traffic, a million more than are euthanized in shelters. Westside News Inc.
•  District Considers Hydrogen Power -published Mar 24, 2005 -The East Rochester Central School District wants to save money on its utility bills. That's why it's considering installing a hydrogen fuel cell on campus. R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
•  The New York Times > Washington > Change to the Clean Air Act Is Built Into New Energy Bill WASHINGTON,  Deep in the energy bill that was approved by a House committee this week, under a section titled "Miscellaneous," is a brief provision that could have major consequences for communities struggling to clean up their dirty air. If it becomes law, it would make one of the most significant changes to the Clean Air Act in 15 years, allowing communities whose air pollution comes from hundreds of miles away to delay meeting national air quality standards until their offending neighbors clean up their own air. The provision could especially affect states like New York, which has some of the nation's dirtiest air, and other Northeastern states that have always had difficulty meeting federal standards for ozone, a leading cause of smog, because much of any state's pollution originates in states to the south and west. (April 15, 2005) The New York Times > Breaking News, World News & Multimedia
•  State Health Department Issues Updated Fish Advisories The New York State Department of Health (DOH) today released changes in New York's health advisories in the 2005-06 'Chemicals in Sportfish and Game.' This year's guide highlights health advisory changes for 25 ponds, lakes and reservoirs across the state. Twenty-four of the 25 advisories were issued due to mercury contamination identified in fish. - Canadice Lake (Ontario County) – The advisory for Canadice Lake trout has been changed to EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of lake trout larger than 25 inches, based on lower PCB levels in smaller lake trout (the previous advisory applied to all sizes of lake trout.) A previous advisory to EAT NO MORE THAN ONE MEAL PER MONTH of brown trout (all sizes) remains in effect. (April 16, 2005 - New York State Department of Health
•  Taking care of Mother Nature - Laurelton-Pardee pupils learn consequences of bad decisions - IRONDEQUOIT — On Friday, students at the Laurelton-Pardee Intermediate School summed up eight months of work. Since September, fifth-graders in three classrooms have been exploring the links between health and the environment. (April 17, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Anxiety over wind tower plan - Livingston town is latest battleground over supertall alternatives to fossil fuel - The towers in the Springwater project would be 396 feet from the base to the peak of an upright blade. According to the proposal, the company would lease the turbine sites from property owners and give the town a payment in lieu of taxes. The amount hasn't been determined, Walker said. If you go - What: Public information meeting on a proposed wind farm in Springwater, Livingston County. When: 1 p.m. Saturday, April 23. Where: Springwater Fire Hall, Route 15. -Format: 1 to 2 p.m., viewing of displays; 2 to 2:45., presentation by PPM Atlantic Renewable; 2:45 to 3:30, presentation by Springwater Preservation Committee; 3:30 to 5, question period. (April 17, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Living large: supersizing the American home - One of a series of articles in observance of Earth Day, April 22.
  By now most of us are familiar with the effects of suburban sprawl; living in Greater Rochester, it'd be almost impossible not to notice them. We've heard about the burdens that uncontrolled growth creates: more traffic, more reliance on cars, longer commute times, more expensive public water and sewer systems. City Newspaper
•  County offers hazard disposal - Monroe County's Department of Environmental Services and the towns of Webster and Penfield will sponsor an appointment-only household hazardous waste collection from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Webster Highway Garage, 1005 Picture Parkway.  (April 17, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Positive cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in New York State have been confirmed in white-tailed deer from captive herds in Oneida County. CWD is a transmissible disease that affects the brain and central nervous system of deer and elk. There is no evidence that CWD is linked to disease in humans or domestic livestock other than deer and elk. Current Situation Regarding Chronic Wasting Disease  --from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Protecting NY's Environment and Managing its Natural Resources
•  DEC expands deer disease hunt - Agency plans to kill, test deer in Hamilton County area in search for cause of chronic wasting disease - ALBANY -- State officials are broadening their search for deer infected with chronic wasting disease to the Adirondacks after discovering that a farmer there supplied deer to the Oneida County herds where the deadly neurological ailment has been found. Albany, N.Y. -- timesunion.com
•  Green team cleans up - Children and volunteers prepare for Earth's big day - — On Friday, about 400 schoolchildren set off into the woods behind their Honeoye Falls school to take an early crack at Earth Day, a U.S. holiday that on April 22 will celebrate its 35th year. For more information about Delta Laboratories, go to www.adopt-a-stream.org  or call (585) 538-9353. To register for an Earth Day cleanup event, go to any Friendly's Restaurant. The chain is supplying free garbage bags for the cleanups, and participants get free sundaes. (April 16, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  State Health Department Urges Careful Pest Control Practices ALBANY, NY, April 20, 2005 - State Health Commissioner Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., today reminded New Yorkers to take precautions and follow manufacturer directions when applying pesticides to their property. Handled properly, pesticides can be useful to control pests typically found in and around the home, lawn, landscape and garden. --New York State Department of Health
•  Sierra Club fetes Earth Day's 35th - — The mother of all area Earth Day events makes its appearance Thursday, the day before the 35th anniversary celebration of Earth Day itself. The annual environmental forum, sponsored by the Rochester Regional Group of the Sierra Club, will be one-stop information shopping for anyone interested in the groups that track issues of regional land, water and air quality. If you go
  What: Sierra Club environmental forum. When: 6 p.m. Thursday. Where: First Unitarian Church, 220 S. Winton Road. Cost: Free and open to the public. For more: http://newyork.sierraclub.org/rochester/ .(April 20, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  City Newspaper: In Monroe County, every waste has its place The term "hazardous waste" calls up images of industrial plants spewing ugly green effluent into the nearest waterway or nuclear energy plants on the verge of meltdown. But you need look no further than your own basement, garage, and storage closets to discover stuff --- much of it seemingly benign --- that is dangerous to you and others today, and potentially harmful to the environment for years to come. (April 20, 2005) http://www.rochester-citynews.com
•  Tested deer free of ailment - DEC reports first 64 animals killed found not to have chronic wasting disease; hundreds more to be taken - ALBANY -- None of the first 64 wild deer killed last week in central New York has chronic wasting disease, according to test results released Thursday.
  That could mean the deadly neurological ailment is restricted to a pair of Oneida County farm-raised herds, where five deer had the wasting disease, although the state plans to kill and test several hundred more wild deer to be sure. (April 23, 2005) Albany, N.Y. -- timesunion.com
•  Olmsted parks getting attention -  — Rochester residents will now be able to identify which parks were designed by the man considered to be the father of American landscape architecture. A committee formed this year has added wooden signs to the entrance of Frederick Law Olmsted's three parks in Rochester. (April 22, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Cleanup of Erie Canal fuel spill coming to an end - — Contractors for Buckeye Pipeline Co. this week will remove the last of the booms used to soak up oil from a December spill in Gates that put a 20-mile slick on the Erie Canal. Roy R. Haase Jr., spokesman for the Pennsylvania-based company, said work on the canal is now complete. No free-floating material was recovered, he said, but several seeps of "product" — the industry term for fuel — were cleaned up with absorbent pads. (April 21, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Spill could postpone Brighton land deal - Underground oil, tank found off Westfall Road -— BRIGHTON — News of an underground petroleum spill could mean delays for those interested in purchasing a controversial piece of land off Westfall Road.  Stantec Consulting Services Inc., a firm hired by the town of Brighton to conduct an environmental audit of the land, found evidence last week of a petroleum spill and an unregistered, underground storage tank on the 68-acre parcel of land, said Brighton Supervisor Sandra Frankel.  (April 19, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  environment: Cars that care - We are a mobile society. We want to get from point A to point D with stopovers at B and C. We also like to have a few bucks in our wallets after filling up the tank. But as much as we like our rides and our cash, we also like clean air. We're a fortunate generation, indeed. For the first time we have the option of driving a cool ride and experiencing the moral joy of being good to Mama Earth! (April 22, 2005) Insider Rochester Remixed
•  Another way to grow - We're all raised to believe a few simple principles of life: the Earth is round, our parents will always love us and plants grow in soil. (April 22, 2005) Insider Rochester Remixed
•  Get The Lead Out --- On Wednesday, the Coalition Of Property Owners and Businesses today outlined a proposal to eliminate lead poisoning in Rochester over the next five years. The proposal calls for the city to provide free lead inspections to home and property owners upon request. (Rochester, NY) 04/20/05 13WHAM-TV || ROCHESTER
•  Wind power talks aren't a breeze — SPRINGWATER — The people who want to build a wind farm in this rural Livingston County town and those who oppose them presented their cases Saturday before an overflow crowd at the Springwater Fire Hall. The public meeting drew people from beyond Springwater's borders — a possible sign that battles over wind power will at some point become fairly common in the Rochester area. What's next - The Springwater Town Board has tentatively scheduled a public hearing on the PPM Atlantic Renewable wind farm project for 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 15, at the Springwater Fire Hall on Route 15.(April 24, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Report: We're smoggier than N.Y.C. - Report says Buffalo is even worse - — ALBANY — Pockets of upstate, including Rochester and Buffalo, have slightly more smoggy days than New York City, according to a new American Lung Association report. (April 28, 2005) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Riga celebrates Arbor Day with an apple tree theme The last Friday in April marks the 133rd anniversary of Arbor Day, the national tree-planting holiday and for the third year, the Town of Riga and the Village of Churchville are coming together to celebrate. (April 30, 20050) Westside News Inc.
•  Saving New York's North Coast While some public officials, eco-skeptics and conservative pundits like to point out how much improved the water quality of the Great Lakes is as compared to thirty years ago when pollution was so bad the surface of Lake Erie caught on fire, they would only be right to congratulate themselves over the improvements in water quality off-shore, the open lake water -- a half to a mile out. (April 30, 20050) Westside News Inc.
•  Enough Land In Henrietta For A Casino - 04/29/05 - After Rochester leaders have debated building a casino downtown for about the past year, is there a chance players could eventually go to gamble... in Henrietta? Tower Investments has an option to buy 700 more acres, and they envision more than just a casino. They want to build an entire resort, including hotel and golf course as well. But if the Town of Henrietta does not approve, the plan won't go anywhere. 13WHAM-TV || ROCHESTER
•  Coalition Calls for Mercury Reductions  - ALBANY, NEW YORK Environmentalists and advocates for children with learning disabilities want Governor Pataki to crack down on mercury emissions from in-state power plants. Mercury, a neurotoxin that can cause learning disabilities in children, has been found to be widespread in fish in New York's lakes, rivers and streams. This spring the State Health Department issued a warning, saying that children under the age of 15 and women of childbearing age should not eat any fish caught in many of New York's waterways, including all bodies of water in the Adirondacks and Catskills, because of mercury and other dangerous deposits found in them. (2005-04-28)  Public NewsRoom
•  WXXI: Cornell Researchers Find (2005-04-28) ITHACA, NY A bird once thought to be extinct has been rediscovered in the Big Woods of Arkansas. Researchers from Cornell University have confirmed that at least one male ivory-billed woodpecker is living in vast areas of bottomland swamp forest. Melanie Driscoll with the Cornell Laboratory of Orinthology says this is an important finding. she says since the bird seems to have hung on through changes in its habitat, that may be a good sign for the future. (2005-04-28) Public NewsRoom
•  Rochester Man Gives Out Free Bikes - A Rochester man is giving kids a free ride around the city; he's doing it one bike at a time. Ray Fitzgerald never imagined his work as a helicopter mechanic in the Army would lead to this. R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
•  District Considers Hydrogen Power - The East Rochester Central School District wants to save money on its utility bills. That's why it's considering installing a hydrogen fuel cell on campus. R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
•  Deer disease found in wild ALBANY — A white-tailed deer from central New York tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the first such finding in the state among deer in the wild, state officials said Wednesday. The Daily Star - Online Edition - Oneonta, NY - The Newspaper for The Heartland of New York