December 06 news

Urban forestry grant awards announced - Approximately $300,000 in Urban and Community Forestry Grants for 32 tree planting projects in local urban neighborhoods and parks were announced Thursday. The grants are designed to promote energy savings, habitat creation, increased property values, and improved quality of life for New York’s urban residents. The grants to cities, villages, towns and not-for-profit organizations across the state are for community tree planting projects that will result in the planting of an estimated 3,000 new trees. The grants are made possible through the Urban and Community Forestry program, which is funded by New York State and the United States Forest Service and administered by the State Department of Environmental Conservation. - Monroe County · Town of Greece - $7,500 – The Department of Public Works will plant 150-175 trees. · Village of Brockport - $7,400 – The Village of Brockport will plant 48 trees on public rights of way along Village streets. (December 31, 2006) New York State News on the Net!
Greece to purchase 28 more open acres — GREECE — Within the next few weeks, the town plans to add 28 acres off Manitou Road to its inventory of more than 3,000 acres of open space. The Town Board approved making a purchase offer on the land on Dec. 19. (December 31, 2006)Democrat & Chronicle
Ice wine prospects are melting away - Ice wine makers in the region, as well as Canada, are in dire straits because of this winter's mild weather, and some fear there will be no product at all if January doesn't bring icy temperatures. Ice wines, which are very sweet, dessert-style drinks, are unique because the grapes used are harvested and pressed while frozen. Finger Lakes Times Online
Brooks Announces Christmas Tree Recycling Programs - Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks announced that residents can once again recycle their Christmas trees, free of charge, at a number of locations across Monroe County. A list of drop-off locations, instructions, and hours of operation is attached, and can also be found at www.monroecounty.gov. MyMonroe. Opening Up Government. | Monroe County, NY
City is Ready to Recycle Christmas Trees - ROCHESTER, NY Chances are your Christmas tree is still up, but when the time comes to recycle it, the city has five locations you can drop it off. (2006-12-27) WXXI NewsRoom
MPNnow.com: Manchester bans outdoor furnaces - During the next six months, town officials will write rules meant to head off problems with smoldering chimneys. MANCHESTER — The Town Board has adopted a six-month moratorium on outdoor wood-burning furnaces to give officials time to write regulations for them. (December 20, 2006) Messenger Post Newspapers
MPNnow.com: State wants more detail on South Bristol project-The Department of Environmental Conservation had 11 pages of questions for Ketmar Development. SOUTH BRISTOL — The developer of Seneca Point Landing, a proposed upscale subdivision, has more work to do on its environmental impact statement before the document can be released to the public, a state official said. (December 21, 2006) Messenger Post Newspapers
MPNnow.com: Here a bear, there a bear ... ..People are seeing bears everywhere, but wildlife experts are having a little trouble keeping tabs on them. (December 26, 2006) Messenger Post Newspapers
How to recycle Tannenbaum - The city of Rochester has designated five locations for residents to recycle Christmas trees that have been stripped of their lights and ornaments through Jan 27: (December 27, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle
Mild weather leaves us wondering where the snow is - According to National Weather Service data, only 4.2 inches of snow has fallen in Rochester since Oct. 1, with 3.3 inches of that this month. The normal snowfall for December to date is 17.9 inches. And in an average winter, 25 inches of snow falls on Rochester for all of December. (December 27, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle
Second audit of water deals coming - Office says Hevesi scandal won't affect it — State Comptroller Alan Hevesi is gone, but his pending second audit of the Monroe County Water Authority has not been forgotten. With Hevesi's resignation Friday, an obvious question is what may happen to a highly anticipated audit that is expected to delve into alleged conflicts of interest at the Water Authority. But a Comptroller's Office spokeswoman said Tuesday that the audit won't be derailed by Hevesi's departure. Hevesi, a Democrat, resigned and pleaded guilty to defrauding the government by using a state worker as his wife's chauffeur and aide. (December 27, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle
DEC begins second season of wild turkey studies - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Denise Sheehan has announced that DEC is preparing for the second field season of two large-scale wild turkey research projects. The first project is a turkey banding program, being done in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, researchers from Pennsylvania State University, and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF). The second project is a statewide winter flock survey. These studies will provide information that DEC biologists need to help guide future management efforts for this popular game bird. (December 27, 2006) New York State News on the Net!
N.Y. Power Authority sets record for energy efficiency funding - The New York Power Authority invested about $110 million in energy efficiency and clean energy projects during 2006, breaking the Authority’s previous one-year record of $103.8 million, set in 2001. NYPA set the new record in a year in which it also passed the $1 billion mark for total investments in energy efficiency and clean energy initiatives since the late 1980s. (December 27, 2006) New York State News on the Net!
NRG Energy, Inc. Receives Conditional Award to Build Advanced Coal-Gasification Power Plant in Western New York: Will Enter into a Strategic Alliance with NYPA - Company Release - 12/19/2006 17:29 In a landmark decision today, NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG) received a conditional award of a contract from the New York Power Authority to build an innovative, 680 net megawatt (MW), Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant at its Huntley facility in Tonawanda, New York. The project, which represents a total project cost of approximately $1.5 billion, is scheduled to go into commercial operation in 2013. Unlike other technologies some refer to as "clean coal," this plant can be designed to capture and sequester carbon from the first day of operation. "New York should be commended for exercising great courage and leadership in tackling head on the country's single biggest issue, global warming, while embracing coal--our most affordable, abundant domestic fuel source," said David Crane, NRG President and Chief Executive Officer. "While we realize this is only the beginning of a long road to implementation, we are gratified to be part of such an important milestone and we look forward to working with New York to begin construction of this important technology by 2008." --from NRG Energy, Inc.
New Energy Plant to Rochester - Alternative energy advocates tout cellulosic ethanol as the next big thing. The Rochester area is ready to be part of it. Governor Pataki delivered $25.2 million in state funding for a new cellulosic ethanol plant. Corn is the main ingredient in most ethanol produced in our country, but cellulosic ethanol can be made from grass and wood. (December 21, 2006) R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
environment: green Christmas - Eco-friendly alternatives to gift-wrap - Gifts sure do look purdy when they're wrapped in shiny paper and decorated with ribbons and bows. But is that necessary? After all, it's what's inside that counts, right? (December 13, 2006) http://www.rochesterinsider.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage
Free electronics recycling program - This time of year a lot of television sets, computers and phones are being given as gifts but the electronics they replace can damage the environment if disposed of improperly. One local processing facility in Victor is urging people to take advantage of its annual free Christmas electronics recycling program. Regional Recycling and Recovery has launched its annual household electronics recycling program. Now through the end of February, Rochester area residents can properly dispose of computer equipment, televisions, phones and many other electronics. There are 2 drop off locations. The Rochester location is at 395 Central Avenue. The Victor location is 2 miles South of Eastview Mall at 7318 Victor Mendon Road. (December 20, 2006) WROC TV NEWS 8 NOW ROCHESTER NEW YORK
Over $25 million dedicated for development of two cellulosic ethanol facilities - Governor George Pataki Wednesday announced that two companies have been selected to develop and construct pilot commercial cellulosic ethanol facilities in New York State. The state has awarded a total of up to $25.2 million to the companies to increase the production of clean and renewable fuels and reduce our dependence on imported energy. One of the companies – Mascoma Corporation – will build a 500,000 gallon/year facility in the Town of Greece, Monroe County. This project, which is a collaborative effort with Genencor, an enzyme company in Greece, along with Clarkson University, Cornell, and Khosla Ventures, has been awarded a $14,800,000 State grant and will include more than $15 million in private investment. (December 21, 2006) New York State News on the Net!
Agreement reached for advanced clean coal plant in western New York - Governor George Pataki Wednesday announced the conditional award of a power purchase agreement that would support plans by NRG Energy to construct an advanced clean coal power plant in western New York that would help to reduce our dependence on imported energy. The agreement is part of a strategic alliance being developed between the State and NRG to help the company obtain the necessary financial resources to build a clean coal facility at its Huntley Generating Station in the Town of Tonawanda, Erie County. (December 21, 2006) New York State News on the Net!
Pioneer fuel plant to be built in Greece - State to help finance $29.8M ethanol site that doesn't use corn.— A $14.8 million state grant will help build a next-generation ethanol plant in Greece that will be the first of its kind in the United States and could position the region as a leader in a growing field. Gov. George Pataki and other officials made the announcement Wednesday. In a swing across upstate, Pataki unveiled several projects aimed at making the state a leader in alternative energy development. (December 21, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle
BORROWING APPROVED FOR WATER PLANT - The budget may have dominated last week's CountyLegislature meeting, but there was one other important bit of action. The CountyLegislature gave the Monroe County Water Authority its go-ahead to borrow money for a proposed eastside water treatment plant. The plant has already sparked controversy, most recently at a public hearing held by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (see "Water Plant Wars," December 6). Rochester - News, Music, Restaurants, Events, Arts and Entertainment Newspaper - City Newspaper
State's bald eagle population soars - Abnormally warm weather produced a record hatch this year, state DEC says - ALBANY -- Global warming, while disastrous for the planet, might be helping to produce a baby boom of bald eagles in New York state. There was a record hatch of eaglets this spring, likely driven by abnormally warm temperatures before and during the birds' mating season, according to the state's annual eagle report released Tuesday. Field crews from the state Department of Environmental Conversation counted 172 fledgling eagles this summer, a figure that "blew away" a record of 112 birds set just a year ago, said Peter Nye, head of the DEC Endangered Species Unit. (December 20, 2006) Albany NY News - Times Union - Serving Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Troy
Teachers can get 'Truth' film - Laurie David, a producer of the global warming documentary An Inconvenient Truth has announced that 50,000 DVDs will be donated to teachers across the country interested in using the film as a teaching tool. The DVDs will be given away through Jan. 18. Teachers are encouraged to go to www.participate.net to request the DVD. (December 19, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle
Live-fire plans withdrawn - Coast Guard to review its plans for ammunition training on lakes - — The U.S. Coast Guard has scuttled plans to establish 34 zones in the Great Lakes for live-ammunition training. One of those zones would have sat about six miles north of Irondequoit Bay. The Coast Guard announced Monday that it had decided to withdraw plans it made public in August to establish these training zones. All of the zones would have been at least five miles offshore and periodically closed to private boat traffic, allowing crews to train and get certified in the use of boat-mounted M240 machine guns. The plan generated criticism from a number of boaters, environmentalists and politicians. The Coast Guard hosted a series of public hearings in the Great Lakes region this fall, including one Oct. 30 in Rochester. (December 19, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle:
Impact of pollution plan debated -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY ALBANY -- Power plant executives and environmentalists squared off Thursday over the cost of the state's ambitious proposal to combat global warming. Under proposed rules for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, plant owners would be forced to purchase state-issued credits to emit carbon dioxide, a leading greenhouse gas. Starting in 2009, the state would sell credits for 63.4 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. The target is to cut emissions 10 percent starting in 2015 by reducing the amount of credits. (December 17, 2006) Albany NY News - Times Union - Serving Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Troy
Pitting lakes vs. water needs - As county, city talk merger, our resource may lose protection— The systems that allow hundreds of thousands of Rochester-area residents to tap into one of their most precious resources — clean water — may soon be overhauled. And that could determine the fate of two pristine Finger Lakes. (December 17, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle:
The cause of bacteria at Durand Eastman Beach - News - MSNBC.com Rochesterians have been swimming at Durand Eastman Beach for well over 100 years, but legal swimming was prohibited in the 1960's because of pollution concerns. The culprit- several streams that empty onto the beach from Durand Eastman Park, and neighborhoods just south of Lakeshore Boulevard. (December 11, 2006) Rochester, NY news from WHEC-TV - MSNBC.com
MPNnow.com: Thinking globally, working locally A forest-saving arm of the Nature Conservancy has a new home in Canandaigua. CANANDAIGUA — As the Nature Conservancy was working earlier this year toward the purchase of 218,000 acres of forestland across 10 states, to the tune of about $311 million, one of the people making it happen was simultaneously planning a more personal transaction. Messenger Post Newspapers
Fayette explores new land program - FAYETTE - The Town Board agreed Thursday to let the Planning Board look into the possibility of creating a purchase-of-development-rights program. Under the voluntary program, a land trust or other agency would be able to buy the development rights to a piece of property. A permanent deed restriction would then be placed on the land, limiting what kind of activities could take place there. The agency involved would then retire the development rights upon purchase, creating a legally binding guarantee that the land would stay agricultural or open space forever. (December 15, 2006) Finger Lakes Times Online
Study Looks at Effect of Environment on Breast Cancer - Researchers at the National Institutes of Health are looking for sisters in the Rochester area to participate in a new study of breast cancer and the environment. To register for the study or find out more information, call 1-(877)-4SISTER or 1-877-474-7837. (December 15, 2005) 13WHAM-TV || Rochester
Big Prices for Small Fish New regulations force minnow costs to rise - Fishermen in New York and the rest of the Great Lakes region might want to budget a few extra dollars for bait in 2007. Minnow prices - now as low as $1 a dozen in some Central New York bait shops - are likely to increase as a result of emergency regulations issued by state and federal strictures to slow the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia, a disease implicated in recent die-offs of fish in the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario and Conesus Lake. Just how much the cost of bait will go up, and when, isn't yet known. (December 15, 2006) Latest News and More From Syracuse.com
Monroe cutback stuns Cornell co-op - Farm agency loses $175,000; new MCC institute to get funding instead— Cornell Cooperative Extension-Monroe County is warning that it may have to drop half its programs after the County Legislature abruptly cut a substantial portion of its funding this week. In the 11th hour Tuesday night, the Republican-controlled Legislature voted as part of the 2007 budget to cut $175,000 and use the money instead for an Agriculture and Life Sciences Institute at Monroe Community College. (December 14, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle:
City seeks to sterilize stray pets - Mayor notes growing health, safety problem — An increasing number of stray and unwanted pets might lead Rochester to mandate sterilization for all dogs and cats picked up by animal control or adopted from the shelter. "The city is experiencing a significant overpopulation of unwanted cats and problems related to stray and roaming dogs," said Mayor Robert Duffy in a message seeking the mandate from City Council. "These matters affect public health, safety and the quality of life." (December 14, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle:
Adirondack oversight questioned — ALBANY — How did the agency responsible for monitoring the environment of the Adirondack Park rapidly clear out its backlog of cases? By sweeping thousands of potential violations under the rug simply because the agency didn't have enough people to investigate, according to a report issued Tuesday by a group that monitors the 6-million-acre-wilderness. (December 13, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle:
MPNnow.com: Towns, farmers cultivate new trends in agriculture Since the 1980s, farming has steadily declined as a way of life for fourth-and-fifth generation agricultural families. Increasingly, lifelong farmers choose to sell their property — sometimes to developers — to support themselves in their golden years and to leave their children an inheritance. But that can be at odds with what many residents want — wide open spaces and less sprawl. To that end, the town of Penfield is making progress on the second phase of open space preservation. It also finds ways to support working farms that provide agricultural entertainment and tourism (December 9, 2006). MPNnow.com: Rochester and Western Finger Lakes News, Entertainment, Sports, Opinions, Photos and More
MPNnow.com: No welcome mat for wind farms in Canadice CANADICE — Canadice is not outlawing wind farms, but the town wants to make it pretty difficult for any 400-foot turbines to get built here. That’s the gist of a proposed wind-farm law up for public inspection on Monday, Dec. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall. It’s not the official hearing that precedes a Town Board vote; that could come in January. But it is the first time the public can read and comment on a full text that the Wind Farm Study Group has been revising over the last year. The 11-page law would prohibit industrial towers in places where the Planning Board feels they would detract from the view. MPNnow.com: Rochester and Western Finger Lakes News, Entertainment, Sports, Opinions, Photos and More
Durand beach fails its health test - As alarming data emerge, second season becomes unlikely — Durand-Eastman beach is unlikely to reopen for a second season in 2007, county health officials said Friday, citing water sampling data they say showed alarming contamination levels after heavy rains. "We've never seen anything like this at Lake Ontario Beach, or in the river," said Dr. Andrew Doniger, the county's public health director. "We were sort of blown away when we saw this. That is why we've been so gun-shy." (December 9, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle:
Wind power agreements to serve government customers in New York City - Clean, renewable power is the underlying energy for contractual arrangements by the New York Power Authority with two wind power companies, on behalf of the Authority’s large governmental customers in New York City and the thousands of public facilities they operate. (December 9, 2006) New York State News on the Net!
MPNnow.com: Alternative energy: The new gold rush Decayed Corn Belt and Rust Belt communities have seen the future and it's ... ethanol! The gleaming $110 million ethanol plant is still rising over their cornfields, but locals in Heron Lake, Minn. say it’s already the best thing to happen here in decades. Farmers and other residents plunked down a minimum of $20,000 each to buy stock in the plant, and the electric co-op kicked in a $740,000 loan. The Hotel Whiskey Bar & Grill fills up on some nights with the plant’s construction workers. And Mayor John Hay figures the plant will triple his city’s tax base, making it possible to upgrade area roads and fix the leaky roof on the city-owned nursing home. (December 4, 2006) Messenger Post Newspapers
Monroe County to award scouting patch for recycling - Twelve Monroe County area scouts were awarded a newly-crated recycling patch Tuesday night. The patch was created to recognize local scouts for their dedication to protecting the air we breathe and the water we drink. New York State News on the Net!
Webster water plant postponed 18 months - Talks over city-authority pact to delay construction — Construction on a long-planned and controversial water-treatment plant has been put on hold for at least 18 months. Just before critical public meetings began Thursday on the public water-treatment plant in Webster, the Monroe County Water Authority agreed to delay the construction start of the plant until it concludes critical negotiations with Rochester. Edward Marianetti, the authority's executive director, and Paul Holahan, the city's environmental services commissioner, said Thursday afternoon that authority and city officials had agreed earlier in the day that they would begin negotiations shortly on a new city-authority pact. (December 1, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle:
Lakes' health is 'about kids' Conferees issue a call to heal the waters 'before it's too late' — It was an intentional reminder to those attending the inaugural New York State Healing Our Waters Coalition Conference on Saturday at the Seneca Park Zoo. "It's really about the next generation of kids," said the program coordinator for the Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance. About 60 people from more than 30 different environmental organizations and groups met for six hours to learn about the importance of taking action to save the Great Lakes. There was talk of many initiatives and the need for funding — in some cases thousands and in other cases millions of dollars. --(December 3, 2006) Democrat & Chronicle:
GLOBAL WARMING REPORT PREDICTS INCREASE IN HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES, ASTHMA & FLOODING, INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE FOR NYS - Environmental Advocates of New York Releases Forecast for New York Report Documenting Global Warming Impacts & Next Steps - (Albany, NY)—On November 29, Environmental Advocates of New York released Forecast for New York: Projected Global Warming Impacts & Next Steps, a report projecting the impacts of climate change on New York State, including the effects of global warming on the state’s public health, infrastructure, agriculture industry, and water supply, among other impacts. Forecast for New York also describes the state’s current strategies to address global warming and policy recommendations to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These recommendations are particularly relevant in light of the anticipated release of the state’s rule for implementation of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) in New York, a seven-state plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions from electric power generators in the Northeast. -- from Environmental Advocates of New York
Media Release: Cities fouling the Great Lakes with raw sewage TORONTO, ONTARIO – Sierra Legal released its first Great Lakes Sewage Report Card today, an investigative report that analyzes twenty cities in the Great Lakes basin and grades them based on how well they manage their sewage. The results are appalling. Although many cities have made efforts to clean up their act, waters surrounding urban areas throughout the Great Lakes are still commonly unsafe for recreational use and many parts of the vast freshwater ecosystem are in peril. “The Great Lakes basin is one of the most important freshwater ecosystems on the planet – holding one fifth of the world's freshwater,” said report author Dr. Elaine MacDonald. “Yet, the twenty cities we evaluated are dumping the equivalent of more than 100 Olympic swimming pools full of raw sewage directly into the Great Lakes every single day.” --from Sierra Legal Defence Fund
- To download a Media Backgrounder, grading methodology or a copy of the Report, follow the links. For further information please contact:
- Elaine MacDonald, Sierra Legal, Staff Scientist, P.Eng., Ph.D.
  (416) 368-7533 ext. 27
- Jode Roberts, Sierra Legal, Communications Director
  (416) 368-7533 ext. 25
globeandmail.com: Wave of raw sewage escapes treatment Billions of litres dumped into Great Lakes annually from Canada, U.S., report says - TORONTO -- The first comprehensive look at the amount of raw sewage flowing into the Great Lakes from cities in Canada and the United States has found that billions of litres are being dumped untreated every year into the sources of drinking water for communities on both sides of the border. The largest discharges came from big cities such as Detroit, Cleveland and Toronto, where antiquated sewage treatment systems are regularly overwhelmed when it rains and their contents swept untreated into the lakes. But even smaller communities, such as Ontario's London and Kingston, release large quantities of raw sewage. (December 03, 06) globeandmail.com: Canada's National Newspaper