August 2007  News

(The most recent news stories are at the top.)

• Greece equips buses to reduce emissions - State, federal aid funds system for entire fleet — When students in the Greece Central School District climb aboard their buses next week on the first day of school, they'll be able to breathe a little easier. Using federal and state agency grant money, the school district retrofitted its entire 162-bus fleet with emissions systems that reduce particulates and soot in engine exhaust by 60 percent to 90 percent. (August 31, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle 
• The Buffalo News: City & Region: Schumer to press for more funds for "crippled" sewer systems Upgrading Buffalo's system could cost $1 billion -In a typical year, billions of gallons of raw sewage, debris and storm water seep from overflow drains into the Niagara River, Lake Erie and other local waterways. In Buffalo alone, fixing the problem to meet federal mandates could cost from $165 million to $1 billion. (August 30, 07) The Buffalo News
• Lead-in-jewelry bill vetoed - Spitzer says ineffective law would not protect children.  — ALBANY — Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced Wednesday that he vetoed legislation to limit lead in costume jewelry, particularly products marketed to children, saying it would be difficult to enforce and ineffective. (August 30, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Perils of lead also in kiddie jewelry - State wildlife pathologist issues warning after hundreds of tests — ALBANY — While much attention has been focused on the danger of lead paint on children's toys, a state pathologist said Tuesday that another source of the toxic substance also has to be dealt with: children's jewelry. Ward Stone, a state Department of Environmental Conservation wildlife pathologist, found that 60 percent of samples of such jewelry he bought at stores and from vending machines in the eastern part of the state as part of an informal survey contained lead. Stone warned that children can develop intellectual and developmental problems after being exposed to the toxic metal. (August 29, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• www.ny.gov - FIRST LADY SILDA WALL SPITZER ANNOUNCES GREEN BUILDING INITIATIVES Key Components of Spitzer Administration’s 15x15 Plan to Reduce Energy Consumption and Fight Climate Change  "First Lady Silda Wall Spitzer and David D. Brown, Executive Director of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), today announced two important initiatives to promote the construction of green homes and State-owned buildings throughout the State. Building on her effort to encourage homeowners throughout the State to incorporate simple energy reduction features into their homes, the First Lady announced that the Administration will offer legislation that offers a direct incentive to homeowners who build or renovate homes that meet green building criteria. The amount of the incentive will be based on the size of the home, with a cap of $10,000 per home, and help offset the typical 5 percent increase in construction costs when “green” or “sustainable” features are incorporated." (August 28, 07) http://www.ny.gov/
• DOWNTOWN: Ren Square's arts, money, and timetables - News & Opinion - Rochester City Newspaper The environmental review is behind schedule. Why? Part of it involves negotiation of an agreement by state historic-preservation people and the Federal Transit Agency. We have several historic properties that we're going to be touching or affecting in some way: the Edwards building, the Granite building, even Sibley's, because we are going to affect the skywalk that's currently going over to Sibley's. The historic-preservation office wants to have a clear understanding of what we're doing to ensure that those items are protected and preserved. (August 29, 07) Rochester City Newspaper
• Kodak Park tainted past hard to bury - Some claim state oversight isn't stringent enough — Three more Kodak Park buildings will be imploded next month, part of a revitalization program in which 100 structures will have been demolished at the vast manufacturing complex by year's end. But long after the buildings are leveled and rubble is cleared, the impact of decades of pollution will persist. Despite hundreds of millions of dollars in spending, and about $65 million more to come, large swaths of Kodak Park remain contaminated, their soil and groundwater tainted by countless chemical leaks and spills over the years. (August 26, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Experts say Kodak's dust truly clean - No implosion ever takes place until all that's toxic has left the building — When Kodak buildings 65 and 69, at the corner of West Ridge Road and Dewey Avenue, come tumbling down on Sept. 22, all that will remain of the 1950s-era research and engineering structures will be a huge pile of masonry rubble. (August 26, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Pest threatens ash trees - Rochester, NY - MPNnow Canandaigua, N.Y. - An invasive insect species that has attacked ash trees across the Great Lakes states of Michigan, Ohio and now Pennsylvania has not reached New York — yet. But Russell Welser of Ontario County Cornell Cooperative Extension said that it's just a "matter of time" before the emerald ash borer makes its way into this area. (August 28, 07) Homepage - Rochester, NY - MPNnow
• Gun training method sought for Coast Guard - The U.S. Coast Guard is still looking for a way to train crews on using machine guns on the Great Lakes. A proposal to temporarily restrict access to areas of the Great Lakes, including Lake Ontario, so crews could fire live ammunition was withdrawn last year under public pressure. (August 26, 07) Latest News and More from Syracuse.com
• Environmental group sues to protect Lake Superior from fish virus The Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy wants the state to prohibit freighters from dumping untreated ballast water. A state environmental group sued the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency on Monday for allegedly not taking action to protect Lake Superior and other state waters from a deadly fish virus. (August 27, 07) http://www.startribune.com/
• EETimes.com - Rochester, N.Y., bids to be first green U.S. city The United States' first Hydrogen Village—designed to demonstrate the feasibility of switching from fossil fuels to cleaner-burning hydrogen—has broken ground in the Rochester, N.Y., metropolitan area under the auspices of the U.S. Green Building Council. (August 28, 07) EETimes.com
• Smokestack, decried for years, now dismantled — The 198-foot-tall smokestack attached to Kodak Park's chemical waste incinerator, perhaps the most contentious environmental symbol at the industrial complex, was unceremoniously dismantled several months ago. Through the incinerator's 31 years of service, Eastman Kodak Co. stoutly defended it as a safe and efficient way to rid itself of hazardous waste. The unit, southwest of the railroad crossing on West Ridge Road in the Rochester portion of Kodak Park, incinerated as much as 60 million pounds of solid and liquid wastes annually. (August 27, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Pollution limits Kodak Park's uses - A third of complex restricted to commercial or industrial — The future use of sprawling Kodak Park will be dictated in part by the contamination that remains behind as a legacy of past environmental problems. Much of the 1,100-acre site, which was largely farmland before Eastman Kodak Co. moved manufacturing operations there in 1891, has been designated for the same use it has now: industrial and commercial businesses. Kodak is nearly finished demolishing unneeded buildings and clearing sites for reuse by itself or other companies. (August 27, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Surging debate surrounds the use of 'smart' meters - New electrical gauges will cut costs, say advocates; critics wary  ALBANY — As early as next year, some electricity customers in western New York may be able to save money, thanks to new "smart" meters, by doing their laundry and dishes at night or programming their air conditioner to raise the temperature in their homes if power becomes too expensive. Advocates see the new meters as a tool that will help New Yorkers cut their utility bills, reduce the demand for power and help the environment. But critics see a darker side to this idea. They fear that poor and uninformed consumers, who don't have the option of changing the timing of their energy use, will end up paying higher rates on top of a surcharge for a new electric meter they don't need. (August 25, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• West Nile poses a threat, despite dry weather - Rochester, NY - MPNnow With an unusually dry summer slowly winding down, prime season for West Nile virus is here, officials say. So far, there have been no reports of the disease in either Monroe or Ontario counties, but Monroe County Department of Health spokesman John Ricci said the threat heightens at the end of August and early September. (August 24, 07) Messenger Post Newspapers
• Ruling favors ethanol plant - Court: Romulus project can advance without impact statement — ROMULUS — A state court has ruled that construction of an ethanol plant at the former Seneca Army Depot in Romulus can move forward without an environmental impact statement. Acting State Supreme Court Justice Dennis F. Bender, after hearing arguments last month in Waterloo, ruled Friday that the Finger Lakes Future Alliance, which sought the impact statement, lacked standing in the case. Bender said the alliance, made up of about 100 Seneca County residents, would be no more affected than other area residents. (August 21, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Now you can recycle trip trash - The authority placed recycling containers for glass, plastic, newsprint and aluminum cans at six of the Thruway's busiest travel plazas last week. The closest one to Rochester is the Pembroke Travel Plaza in Genesee County, accessible from eastbound lanes just east of Exit 48A. (August 21, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Green Bay Press-Gazette - Area anglers resist permanent controls for fish virus Sunset clause requested for proposal to fight VHS  - A proposal to make permanent measures designed to control and prevent the spread of viral hemorrhagic septicemia, or VHS virus, drew concerns at a public hearing Monday night in Green Bay. The proposed rule, identical to the current emergency rule, affects anglers, boaters, bait dealers, fish dealers and commercial fishermen. (August 21, 2007) Green Bay Press-Gazette
• CTV.ca | Radioactive waste cleanup behind schedule: report PORT HOPE, Ont. -- A planned cleanup of low-level radioactive waste near the shores of Lake Ontario -- the largest project of its kind in North America -- remains years behind schedule and millions of dollars over budget, leaving some residents of a picturesque southeastern Ontario town both frightened and angry. The federal government committed in 2001 to remove more than 2 million cubic metres of uranium-and radium-contaminated soil from beneath neighbourhood houses, roads, schoolyards, farm fields and the bottom of the local harbour. (August 19, 2007) CTV.ca | CTV News, Shows and Sports -- Canadian Television
• EPA boss, Walsh: Lake cleanup — WEBSTER — Rep. James Walsh and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen Johnson stood along Lake Ontario at Webster Park on Wednesday to promote efforts to protect the Great Lakes. "Our lake, Lake Ontario, is the most stressed of all lakes in the system," said Walsh, R-Onondaga, Onondaga County. Because Lake Ontario is at the lowest elevation, pollution from the other lakes flows into it, harming wildlife and water quality. (August 16, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Democrats set green goals - Energy, recycling initiatives proposed for Monroe County — The Democratic minority in the Monroe County Legislature is pitching new ways the county can expand its green-energy initiatives, such as establishing a recycling commission and having renewable energy purchasing procedures. The set of five proposals released this week in a recycled paper handbook is the latest policy rollout by Democrats as they look to pick up seats in the legislature on Election Day, Nov. 6. Republicans hold a 17-12 edge over Democrats on the 29-member legislature. (August 18, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Study: Dredging causing 'leaks' in Great Lakes — TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Erosion caused by dredging and other human activities on the St. Clair River is causing Lakes Huron and Michigan to lose 2.5 billion gallons of water daily, a private Canadian study found. Like a bathtub drain, the artificially deepened river is funneling vast amounts of water into Lake Erie, where it flows east to Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River before eventually being lost to the Atlantic Ocean, the study released Tuesday said. (August 16, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• Boating Goes Green! Green energy is making its way to the Erie Canal. For the first time a boat is traveling an American canalway using solar electric energy as the primary fuel source. (August 13, 2007) R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
• www.ny.gov - GOVERNOR SPITZER ACTS TO PROTECT NEW YORK CHILDREN FROM LEAD-POISONING THREAT IN TOYS With more than 9 million toys under recall worldwide from major manufacturers, Governor Eliot Spitzer today announced initiatives to keep lead-contaminated and hazardous toys off store shelves, raise public awareness, and institute further safety measures. The current voluntary recall required by the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) does not require retailers to remove dangerous toys from store shelves. (August 18, 2007) http://www.ny.gov/
• Press Advisory: State Health Commissioner Participates in Annual Effort to Fight Raccoon Rabies Albany, N.Y. (Aug 17, 2007) - New York State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D., will participate in the annual state rabies bait drop on Monday, August 20 over northeastern New York from a state helicopter to fight the northward spread of raccoon rabies in New York and Canada. This year's annual rabies bait drop mission is targeting eastern Essex and Clinton counties to reduce the chance of human and domestic animal contact with rabid raccoons. Rabies is a fatal disease. (August 18, 07) --New York State Department of Health
• County Executive Hopes "Renaissance Square" Will Enter Its Next Phase This Fall.  Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks is hoping that the Renaissance Square project for downtown Rochester will enter its next phase this fall. The project remains on the slow road to federal environmental approval. Project planners submitted an environmental review document to the Federal Transportation Administration this spring. The planners have been answering questions and providing clarification to federal officials since that document was submitted. It is a lengthy process that moves at its own pace according to Brooks. (August 17, 07) WXXI NewsRoom
• The Buffalo News: Niagara County: Spitzer vetoes hazardous waste limits Governor cites increased expense as fallout from bill that could curtail CWM expansion  Gov. Eliot L. Spitzer on Wednesday vetoed a bill aimed at limiting the siting of hazardous waste facilities in New York, saying the proposal was overly broad and may have had a negative impact on the environment. (August 17, 07) The Buffalo News
• Epoch Times | Wind Energy 'Phenomenal Growth' Expected to Continue in Canada - Experts call for policy support and fact-based discussions - "When the town of St. Lawrence held its groundbreaking ceremony on July 26 for a 27-megawatt (MW) wind project, it marked the start of construction of the first commercial wind farm in Newfoundland and Labrador. "A lot of winners in all of this," says Mayor Wayde Rowsell, "from green energy to revenue generation for the province and community, employment generation, and the spin-off in tourism opportunities." (August 16, 07) http://en.epochtimes.com/
• Bird tests positive for West Nile virus - Kings Park – Suffolk County Health Services Commissioner Dr. Humayun Chaudhry, Thursday that the New York State Department of Health confirmed that a robin collected on July 25th in Kings Park tested positive for West Nile virus. This is the first bird collected this year in Suffolk County to test positive. (August 16, 07) New York State News on the Net!
• PSC issues certificates for Cohocton wind energy projects - Albany -- The New York State Public Service Commission Wednesday authorized the construction and operation of wind energy generating projects capable of generating 127.5 megawatts of electricity in the Towns of Cohocton and Avoca in Steuben County. In addition to granting Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity authorization, the Commission will impose conditions on the Cohocton and Dutch Hill projects to ensure safe, reliable and adequate service using the wind turbines as proposed by Canandaigua Power Partners, LLC and Canandaigua Power Partners II, LLC. (August 16, 07) New York State News on the Net!
• State OKs wind turbines in Steuben County — A wind turbine project in the Steuben County towns of Cohocton and Avoca received final state approval today. The Public Service Commission announced that it had authorized the construction and operation of wind energy generating projects capable of generating 127.5 megawatts of electricity in the two towns. (August 15, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• GREAT LAKES LOWER LEVELS - Scientific data indicate lower Great Lakes water levels might be because of global warming. But, Lester Graham reports many people believe the lower levels are because of water withdrawals: --from The Environment Report from GLRC
• Dirty water... should you eat the fish? - Lake pollutants have dipped, but risks exist - A recent draft report, "State of the Great Lakes 2007," says contaminants of longstanding concern have been markedly reduced but remain a problem. A prime example are PCBs, chemicals once widely used as insulators in transformers until banned from new products in 1977. They continue to be found in offshore Lake Ontario water at levels as much as 140 times higher than the state's strictest guidelines. PCBs have been linked to memory loss, learning and reproductive problems and possibly cancer. (August 12, 07) Democrat & Chronicle
• It's that bloomin' algae again - Rochester, NY - MPNnow Richmond, N.Y. - Richmond Town Supervisor Randall Pawley and Canadice Town Supervisor Bonnie Drake want folks around Honeoye Lake to know that even though the lake is experiencing an algae bloom, last year’s alum treatment may still doing the job it was meant to do: absorbing phosphorus in the lake-bottom sediments. (August 10, 07) Messenger Post Newspapers
• Fond du Lac Reporter - Fish virus VHS difficult to track over summer months For now, people need to change the way they think about boating and fishing in order to stop the spread of the virus. (August 10, 07) Fond du Lac Reporter
• Last call on wind farms in Gorham - Rochester, NY - MPNnow  Gorham, N.Y. - A public hearing Wednesday may be residents' last chance to offer their 2 cents on windmill regulations. The town has discussed a proposed law for more than a year. As it stands, Gorham is poised to effectively ban large-scale wind farms, the type that generate power for sale to the grid, by setting a lower-than-standard height (August 7, 07) Homepage - Rochester, NY - MPNnow
• Lean, Mean, and Green - 13WHAM.com Mayor Duffy wants to save energy as a way to save taxpayers' money—it’s what his push to “go green” is all about and he's created a green team to make it happen. (August 7. 07) - 13WHAM.com
• KEEPING AN EYE ON EAGLES - The bald eagle was protected by the Endangered Species Act for 40 years, but researchers are still finding toxic chemicals in the eagles' plasma. -- The Environment Report by GLRC
• Political Affairs Magazine - Economic Equality and Environmental Stewardship University of Rochester researchers Laura Marsiliani and Thomas Renstrom reviewed hundreds of academic studies of linkages between economic equality and environmental protection and found plenty of evidence to suggest that “poorer individuals tend to prefer less stringent environmental policy.” Previous research also supports their hypothesis that greater income inequality causes lower environmental taxes, regulation and spending around the world. Political Affairs Magazine
• New environmental legislation promoting purchase of green vehicles - Albany -- Governor Eliot Spitzer Friday announced that he has signed legislation designed to increase consumer awareness about greenhouse gas emissions. The law requires that automobile manufacturers affix a “global warming index” sticker to new cars and passenger trucks beginning in the 2010 model year, detailing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. New York is the second state in the nation to pass this innovative environmental legislation. (August 08, 07) New York State News on the Net!
• Tests show more tainted beaches - Bacteria woes chronic but tests curb exposure — Ontario Beach is in the state's top 10 for beach closures, according to a report by an environmental watchdog group. Swimming is not allowed at the Charlotte site about a third of the season because of poor water quality, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Water at Ontario Beach, which is checked daily during the season, failed to meet state and federal standards for bacteria about 31 percent of the time in 2006. Durand-Eastman Beach failed tests about 27 percent of the time. (August 7, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• More wind tower talk on the horizon in Hamlin - Rochester, NY - MPNnow The Hamlin Wind Tower Committee delivered its final report to members of the town board Monday night. The 25-page report defines several recommendations as well as traffic, economic and land usage concerns. In the report's executive summary, the committee recommended wind towers be setback1,500 feet from roadways and 2,640 feet away from existing homes. (August 1, 07) Homepage - Rochester, NY - MPNnow
• Local companies cut energy use that's linked to global warming — Wind, not petroleum, makes the energy to power the presses at Monroe Litho. For the past two years, the commercial printer on the edge of Rochester's downtown has purchased all of its electricity from a broker of wind-energy credits, which means that the $21,000 per month that the company spends on juice ends up going to a wind-energy producer that adds power to the national grid. (August 5, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle
• www.ny.gov - GOVERNOR SPITZER SIGNS INTO LAW NEW ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION PROMOTING PURCHASE OF GREEN VEHICLES Governor Eliot Spitzer today announced that he has signed legislation designed to increase consumer awareness about greenhouse gas emissions. This law requires that automobile manufacturers affix a “global warming index” sticker to new cars and passenger trucks beginning in the 2010 model year, detailing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. New York is the second state in the nation to pass this innovative environmental legislation. “Global warming is one of the most serious environmental problems of our generation,” said Governor Spitzer. “Every level of government, every business and every consumer can play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This new legislation will help make the public aware of vehicle emission levels so that they can make informed choices that will help reduce greenhouse gas pollution.” (August 3, 07) GOV SITE

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