News for March, 2006 - most recent stories are at the bottom.

• New York lakes getting less ice, group says - Report links trend to global warming — From the air, western New York is covered with islands of white snow. But the large lakes that shape this region's identity remain dark spots on the landscape. Statewide, lakes are experiencing 10 fewer days of ice coverage than in past decades. And with 2006 the second-warmest January on record in New York, ice has been particularly late this winter, disrupting winter activities such as ice fishing and snowmobiling — and worrying environmentalists. (March 2, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Coyote carcass left in driveway of hunt foe John Street of Richmond had posted his land and written a letter to the editor criticizing a coyote hunt that offers prizes.  - A man who has spoken out against a coyote-hunting contest co-sponsored by the Honeoye Fish and Game Club got a rude awakening this morning when he discovered a coyote carcass at the entrance of his driveway. Daily Messenger
•  WXXI: Sierra Club Opposes County Water Plant (2006-03-07) ROCHESTER, NY (2006-03-07) The Rochester chapter of the Sierra Club is calling on the Monroe County Water Authority not to go ahead with plans for a 140-million dollar water treatment plant in the Town of Webster. Hugh Mitchell of the Sierra Club says it's an example of "water sprawl" that's driven by real estate and construction interests and not by actual need. The report says subdivisions "follow the pipes," and the new plant will drive more suburban sprawl.wxxi NewsRoom
•  Spring to bring pest notes - While local lawn care companies plan to send pesticide notices, larger firms might skirt law - — You may soon be one of the hundreds of Monroe County residents who receive a letter of notice that your neighbors are planning to treat their lawns, gardens or fields with pesticides this spring. Monroe County last year approved legislation requiring, among other changes, that all neighbors be notified at least 48 hours in advance that pesticides will be commercially sprayed near their homes. The law took effect Jan. 1. (March 6, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Troubled waters for lake fish - Invaders thrive as trout stock plummets - — HENRIETTA — The complex web of interrelationships in Lake Ontario never fails to surprise, said state and federal fisheries biologists who held an annual "State of the Lake" meeting Wednesday night at Rochester Institute of Technology. The declining population of native lake trout continues to be a concern, with numbers down 50 percent since last year and 71 percent since peak populations in the 1980s. And fishermen can expect particularly challenging seasons for lake trout over the next few years because the state's stocking program, which supplements naturally reproducing lake trout populations, suffered a blow this year. (March 9, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Water plant in Webster opposed - What's at stake Water and sprawl. The Monroe County Water Authority says that a new water treatment facility in Webster is needed to meet demand and to reduce reliance on its plant on the west side of the county. Environmentalists are concerned that the new plant would promote urban sprawl. — The local chapter of the Sierra Club wants the Monroe County Water Authority to shelve a planned $128 million water treatment plant, saying it would promote urban sprawl. "This is a major unnecessary development in this region, which the Sierra Club feels will lead to more sprawl, growth and less open space and more pollution," Hugh Mitchell, a member of the Rochester Regional Group of the Sierra Club, said Tuesday. March 8, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Wind power debate no smooth sailing — ALBANY — To some upstate residents, massive windmills are "a blight on the landscape." To environmentalists and energy companies, they are a low-cost energy source that can reduce society's dependence on oil. The two sides squared off Tuesday at an Assembly hearing over the direction of the state's renewable energy programs. One thing both sides could agree on: this is a fight that is rippling across New York. (March 8, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Brownfields forum is Friday - A regional forum on redeveloping brownfields, sites of urban environmental contamination, is scheduled for 12:30 to 5 p.m. Friday in City Council chambers at Rochester City Hall, 30 Church St.  (March 8, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Brooks Accepts Grant Funding from NYSERDA for Energy Efficiency Work - Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks joined New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) President Peter R. Smith in announcing the NYSERDA has provided $252,061 in grant funding to help the County pay for energy efficiency improvements at the Irondequoit Bay Pump Station. Monroe County
•  State Health Commissioner Novello Urges New Yorkers to Test Their Homes for Radon ALBANY, March 9, 2006 - State Health Commissioner Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., today reminded New Yorkers about the importance of testing their homes for radon and better protect their health. Testing for radon, which is the second leading cause of lung cancer, is simple and inexpensive, and is a precaution everyone should take. "We've made real progress in advancing anti-smoking and tobacco control initiatives in New York State, with cigarette use among adults declining to a record low of 18.1 percent statewide in 2004," Dr. Novello said. "Nevertheless, we continue to find ways to improve initiatives to protect the public health. Radon is another area where we want to continue to increase public awareness and education. New Yorkers are encouraged to test their homes for radon levels and take action to reduce levels if necessary." New York State Department of Health
•  Hard line taken on rules for cleanups - Residents at state hearing urge strict standards for brownfields — BRIGHTON — "Clean" is a relative term when it comes to the pollution that makes dozens of contaminated Rochester properties, known as brownfields, unappealing to developers. And local residents and environmental activists Thursday told state officials that they won't settle for "clean enough" in new state rules that define when a brownfields remediation project is complete.  (March 10, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Fuel Cell Today - U.S., Rochester Aiming to Become a Power in Fuel Cells As global worries deepen about the future of oil prices, fuel cells are increasingly viewed as an environmentally friendly alternative to the internal combustion engine. The switch to hydrogen-powered fuel cells could have profound effects on businesses, from automakers to gasoline companies. It is Rochester's automotive history that helped push it toward fuel cell development. Longtime employers General Motors Corp. and Delphi Corp. both have established fuel cell research centers here. GM employs about 300 people in Honeoye Falls, and Delphi employs about 450 at its technical research center in Henrietta. Researchers at the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology are also exploring fuel cells. And smaller companies are springing up as well. -- Fuel Cell Today - Opening doors to fuel cells commercialisation
•  New Tests for CWD - Scientists uncover new information about a widespread disease that's killing deer. Chronic wasting disease is killing deer and elk across North America, and scientists are trying to learn more about this fatal illness. It's caused by an abnormal protein that destroys the nervous system of an infected animal, and scientists recently discovered that this protein gets into muscle tissue as well. That means anyone or anything that's exposed to meat from an infected deer might be exposed to the molecule that causes the disease. Earthwatch Radio
•  Nature's calendar springing forward - Whiff of warmth, early buds point to stronger and stronger trend — The budding trees on Rochester streets are a testament to this extraordinarily warm winter. But earlier springs have been a reality for the past 30 years as the climate began to change, according to data collected across New England and discussed by researchers during a telephone conference Friday. "Stronger and stronger evidence of climate change is upon us," said David Wolf of Cornell University. "Nature's calendar is responding to the warming." Warming trend Many records suggest that spring is arriving earlier in the Northeast. All figures reflect average changes over at least the past 30 years. Lake ice is disappearing nine to 16 days earlier. Average winter temperatures are 4.4 degrees warmer. The growing season has increased by eight days. The period of time with snow on the ground has decreased by 16 days. Plants are blooming four to eight days earlier. (March 11, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Brownfields offer an opportunity — Rochester has a reputation for being proactive about cleaning up brownfields — contaminated sites that impede development in most American downtowns. But at the current rate of 5 to 15 acres cleaned up each year, it would take several centuries to address the problems that exist today. That's why private developers are critical to solving Rochester's brownfields problem, said Mark Gregor of the city's Department of Environmental Services, during a brownfields seminar Friday at City Hall. (March 11, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  WXXI: Hevesi Cuts Ribbon, Preaches Brownfield Cleanup (2006-03-10) ROCHESTER, NY (2006-03-10) New York's top fiscal officer helped celebrate completion of a renovated housing project, and encouraged developers to clean up and re-use former industrial lands during a visit to Rochester on Friday. Hevesi led state and local officials in cutting a ribbon to formally complete the renovation of a major senior citizen housing project in Rochester. wxxi NewsRoom
•  Planned rules set cleanup guidelines -- Page 1 -- TimesUnion.com Proposed regulations that would set standards for developers building on polluted sites called inadequate by critics   ALBANY -- In a state polluted with toxins, carcinogens and heavy metals since colonists began tanning animal hides in the 1600s, the now is: how clean is clean? Newly proposed regulations are designed to help the state catch up on a 400-year backlog of cleanup work. (March 6, 2006) Albany NY News - Times Union - Serving Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Troy
•  Mercury in tooth fillings targeted - New rules in effect to safeguard dentists, protect environment — Chances are that you have mercury amalgam in your mouth. Most American adults have at least one of the silvery fillings, an alloy composed of mercury and other metals. While some controversy remains, it is generally accepted that the fillings themselves do not release significant amounts of mercury into the human body. The environment is another story. And so new regulations were approved last week by a state board in hopes of keeping dental mercury out of New York's air and water. The issue is drawing particular focus in Monroe County because mercury levels in the water are already slightly elevated as a result of other forms of pollution, and ongoing efforts are aimed at improving water quality in the Great Lakes. - (March 6, 2006)  Democrat and Chronicle
•  CBS News | Worst 100 U.S. Cities For Asthma | February 8, 2006 14:04:32 Scranton, Pa. is the worst city in the U.S. for asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The foundation has released its “2006 Asthma Capitals” list. The annual list names the 100 U.S. cities the foundation considers to be the nation’s most challenging places to live for people with asthma.  Rochester, NY is 75th. CBSNews.com - Breaking News Headlines and Video from CBS News
•  2005 Deer Harvest Down as Expected but Hunting Safety Up During the 2005 season, hunters harvested slightly more than 180,200 deer, including 89,000 bucks and approximately 91,200 antlerless deer. The total deer harvest for 2005 represents a 14 percent reduction from the 208,000 deer taken in 2004 and is the lowest total deer take since 1994. Declines in 2005 were expected following an intentional 35 percent reduction in deer management permit (DMP) availability, an action intended to rebuild and stabilize the deer population in many areas of the state. --New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Protecting NY's Environment and Managing its Natural Resources
•  Scientists oppose altering species act — You need only look to the skies above Hemlock Lake in Livingston County to see the impact of the federal Endangered Species Act, according to local scientists who protested proposed changes to the law last week with an open letter to the U.S. Senate. The bald eagles known to nest near this small Finger Lake are one of the great recovery stories of the act's 33-year history. More than 350 eagles are now living in New York, up from just one nesting pair in 1979 — evidence that the law works, they said. But in Washington, criticism of the act's slow pace and complexity has prompted a debate over the future of species protection in the United States. Last year, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would drastically change the Endangered Species Act. - (March 13, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Group protects Zoar Valley habitat - Six hundred acres of Zoar Valley habitat, which offers some of western New York's only surviving old-growth forest, will be preserved, the Nature Conservancy announced recently. - (March 13, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Riga Mill Seat Landfill project would make watts from waste A proposed new building on the Mill Seat Landfill site in Riga would house the equipment necessary to generate electric power from gas created in the decomposition of landfilled materials. - (March 5, 2006) Westside News Inc.
•  Maple syrup production begins Maple syrup production begins Maple syrup producers (sugarbush operators) in the Rochester region are reporting the start of tapping as of February 22. Sugarbush operators are tapping trees as much as 10 days ahead of average due to the current weather pattern of freezing temperatures at night and above freezing temperatures for at least an eight-hour period during the day which provides ideal conditions for sap flow, according to Bob King, Cornell Cooperative Extension. A major sap run can last as long as six weeks. - (March 5, 2006) Westside News Inc.
•  Pesticide notification assisted - Applicators can use county's new online system — For Monroe County lawn care companies, complying with the new pesticide neighbor notification law may be as simple as pointing and clicking. County Executive Maggie Brooks announced a new searchable online system that uses county Geographic Information Systems data to identify neighbors of a given address. To learn more Even homeowners must comply with the new pesticide notification law. They are required to place signs on their lawn when applying any chemical pesticide (including granular) to more than 100 square feet of property. (If a commercial applicator is used, the company will take care of the notifications.) For more about the law or to download signs, go to www.monroecounty.gov  and click on "Public Health." - (March 16, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Rochester gets $70,000 federal parks grant — Rochester is one of two cities in New York to receive a federal Preserve America 2006 grant and will use the money to help pay for identification and interpretive signs at three public parks. The $70,000 grant will cover half of the $140,000 signage expenses, with remaining money coming from the city, Monroe County and the Landmark Society of Western New York. Signs will be placed in Seneca, Genesee Valley and Highland parks. - (March 15, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  City Newspaper: Cover Story: Cover story: Rail to trail: Creating an urban green space "You see, people do use this," says Frey, the former MonroeCounty executive. Technically speaking, people using the path right now are trespassing on CSX property; the company has removed the rail bed but still owns the land. But Frey hopes the city will buy the property some day and convert it into something he's dreamed about for more than two decades: an urban trail. City Newspaper
•  Great Lakes funding 'moving in wrong direction'  — The fate of a multibillion-dollar Great Lakes cleanup is at stake this week as federal legislators begin to discuss reinstating the funding that was not included in the president's budget. "Overall, the funding is moving in the wrong direction," said Dave Miller of New York Audubon. Authors of the Great Lakes Regional Collaborative agreement estimated the cost of cleaning up America's biggest source of fresh water at $20 billion over the next 15 years. (March 16, 2006)Democrat and Chronicle
•  SPRING CLEANING - Paul Noto knows all about big cleaning jobs. He's the operations manager for the city's environmental-services department. And this week, his department begins working on one of its more unusual assignments: cleaning the Genesee River. Each spring, environmental workers begin removing debris that collects in what the department calls "the river pool" --- the stretch of water from the Court Street dam north to the HighFalls. The debris consists mostly of trees and brush, drawn into the water by erosion from melting ice and strong currents along the river banks from as far south as the Mount Morris Dam. But there's more interesting stuff, too. (March 15, 2006) City Newspaper
•  Looking for homes for Katrina dogs We really need volunteers at the Scottsville office to care for these dogs on weekends and especially during the week. They would be expected to walk the dogs in a fenced-in yard, spend time with them, socialize the pets and clean the cages.” Call 585-889-8340 for information. - Westside News Inc.
•  Residents appeal for choice at trash hearing It was the second public hearing on a trash proposal for the Village of Brockport and while only a handful of people spoke on the subject, the meeting room at the Sweden Senior Center was filled to capacity. Village Trustee David Wagenhauser outlined the village's proposal to contract with refuse collectors to provide a village-wide trash collection service at the March 6 meeting. The proposal would entail refuse collection companies bidding on a contract prepared by the village with the winning bidder providing service to either the entire village or through one or more village districts that would be developed as part of the proposal.- Westside News Inc.
•  City's lead-paint measure gets a 'go' — Legislation aimed at reducing lead-based paint hazards in Rochester's older housing cleared a state review Wednesday to keep rolling toward a July 1 start date. The state Fire Prevention and Building Code Council reviewed the city initiative during a 2½-hour hearing in Albany, only to decide that the matter was outside its responsibilities because it was largely a health issue. --- (March 16, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Web Site To Help Lawn Cos. Comply - Area lawn care companies are getting some help from Monroe County when it comes to the state's new Pesticide Neighbor Notification Law. At a news conference Thursday morning, the county showed off a new Web site where licensed companies can go, to assist with notification. (March 15, 2006) R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
•  Coyote hunt sparks debate - Contest to kill common predator upsets some in Ontario County— In the greater Rochester area, most residents' only knowledge of coyotes is the occasional sound of their yips and howls on clear nights. But in Ontario County, where local hunters have fanned out through the woods to kill as many of the predators as possible for a $2,000 prize, coyotes are a hot topic. So hot, in fact, that one vocal opponent of the Honeoye coyote derby awoke last week to find what he took to be a bloody message in his front yard. - (March 20, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  GardenScape prompts a bit of spring fever - More than 23,000 weekend weeders attend annual event — HENRIETTA — Even if only for the weekend, spring was in full bloom at the Monroe County Fair and Expo Center on East Henrietta Road. "This is wonderful," said Shirley Cunliffe of Rochester, gazing at the thousands of yellow daffodils, blue hyacinths, tulips, peonies, shrubbery and flowering trees surrounding a 180-foot manmade lake (complete with a waterfall) at the center of GardenScape 2006. - (March 20, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  13WHAM-TV || Rochester - Monroe County Prepares In Case Bird Flu Threatens (Rochester, NY) - If bird flu arrives in the United States, Monroe County is prepared to screen airport passengers coming from other continents through Toronto. The county will draw up plans to close schools and businesses if it should become necessary. If a wider outbreak hits, the county will ask infected people to stay home. March 23, 2006) 13WHAM-TV || Rochester
•  STATEMENT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL ELIOT SPITZER REGARDING GENERAL ELECTRIC’S NEW REQUEST TO FURTHER DELAY DREDGING OF THE HUDSON RIVER Today’s announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency that the General Electric Company has requested yet another delay in dredging its cancer-causing PCBs from the Hudson River is deeply troubling. In 2002, the EPA finally issued its "Record of Decision," requiring that dredging of the Hudson River begin in 2005 and be completed by 2010. Since 2002, GE has twice convinced the EPA to delay this long overdue cleanup of the nation’s largest superfund site. Yesterday, the company requested yet another delay that will push the beginning of dredging well into 2008. The first Record of Decision on this project was issued by the EPA in 1984. The federal government has been examining this environmental problem for more than 22 years. --from Office of New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer
•  $70,000 PRESERVE AMERICA GRANT TO BENEFIT OLMSTED PARKS Rochester will receive a $70,000 Preserve America 2006 grant for identification and interpretive signs at three major city parks which make up the original park system designed in the 1890s by Frederick Law Olmsted, known as America's greatest landscape architect. Rochester is one of only two cities in N.Y. State, and one of 45 nationwide to receive the Preserve America Grant. Mrs. Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States, and honorary chair of Preserve America, announced the grants during a ceremony on Capitol Hill yesterday (Mar. 9). The $140,000 project will be funded with $70,000 in matching funds and in-kind services from three partners: the City, the Landmark Society of Western New York (through a grant from the Rochester Area Community Foundation) and the County of Monroe. Each has an ongoing role in the project: the City of Rochester owns all of the Olmsted parks, Monroe County manages some of the parks, and the Landmark Society of Western New York provides historical expertise, as one of the oldest and largest historic preservation organizations in the country. --from Welcome to the City of Rochester
•  2005 Deer Harvest Down as Expected but Hunting Safety Up During the 2005 season, hunters harvested slightly more than 180,200 deer, including 89,000 bucks and approximately 91,200 antlerless deer. The total deer harvest for 2005 represents a 14 percent reduction from the 208,000 deer taken in 2004 and is the lowest total deer take since 1994. Declines in 2005 were expected following an intentional 35 percent reduction in deer management permit (DMP) availability, an action intended to rebuild and stabilize the deer population in many areas of the state. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Protecting NY's Environment and Managing its Natural Resources
•  Environmental Protection Agency - EPA Press Release: Hudson Cleanup Plans Near Completion; EPA Also Releases Community Health and Safety Plan (NEW YORK, NY) Reaching another important milestone in the cleanup of the Hudson River PCBs site, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has received a draft of the final design plan for the first phase of the cleanup project from the General Electric Company (GE). The document, which will be thoroughly reviewed by the Agency, contains key information about the dredging operations to be performed in the Upper Hudson and a detailed layout of the sediment dewatering and transfer facility that will be built in Fort Edward, New York. A community health and safety plan is also included as an appendix to the draft Phase 1 Final Design Report. -- Environmental Protection Agency - Press Releases from Region 2
•  New York Daily News - City News - An airing for N.Y. pollution You might want to breath carefully: The polluted air in New York State is the deadliest in the nation, federal officials said yesterday. Data show dirty air puts New Yorkers - especially people in New York City - at the greatest risk of getting cancer, the Environmental Protection Agency warned. Next on the worst-air list are California, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey. The safest places to fill your lungs are Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana, the feds said. New York Daily News
•  WXXI: Rochester Area Volunteers Sought for "Bird Flu" Vaccine Study (2006-03-22) ROCHESTER, NY (2006-03-22) Researchers at the University of Rochester working on an experimental bird flu vaccine are looking for some volunteers. 250 people are needed to take part in one of two research studies at the University of Rochester Medical Center. It's an effort to develop a vaccine that would protect against the H5N1 "bird flu" virus if the disease gains the ability to spread from person to person. Anyone interested in participating in the study should call 585-273-3990.  wxxi NewsRoom
•   Toronto Renewable Energy Co-operative (TREC) "TREC developed an innovate proposal for a community-owned wind turbine located along Toronto's Lake Ontario waterfront. Interest in the project from the public was strong, and in 1999, TREC formed WindShare, which formed a joint venture with Toronto Hydro Energy Services to develop the first urban-based wind turbine in North America." News in the Great Lakes Region
•  Dead dog found bound in duct tape, reward being offered - The Humane Society at Lollypop Farm is offering a $1,000.00 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the killing of a 3-year-old female Pit Bull mix dog. The dog was found Saturday with her legs bound with duct tape near railroad tracks behind 317 LaGrange Avenue in Rochester. 10NBC / WHEC TV-10
•  Kodak tower falcon lays egg ROCHESTER, N.Y. The prolific peregrine falcon that nests atop the Eastman Kodak headquarters building in Rochester has laid an egg. Mariah has has been seen courting her mate, Kaver, in recent weeks. Kodak's "birdcam" monitors the nest continually, and Mariah's egg was spotted early yesterday morning. WSTM.co
•  Analysis: Sewage a major polluter of water here — Sewage is a major source of water pollution in Western New York, according to a new analysis of federal data which revealed that most local treatment plants have released pollution into lakes and rivers in recent years. In the ten-county area, at least 25 facilities were responsible for 260 pollution releases between July 2003 and Dec. 2004, according to a U.S. Public Interest Research Group report released this week.  (March 24, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Hybrid Drivers Save on Thruway - If you drive a certain make hybrid car get ready to save more than just gas money along the New York State thruway. Governor Pataki approved a program that will discount tolls for drivers of the Honda Insight, Honda Civic Hybrid, and the Toyota Prius.  (March 24, 2006) R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
•  Health Center Proposed at URMC - Community leaders are working together to improve health care. Leaders from Monroe County, the City of Rochester and the University of Rochester announced the creation of a new community health center. It's purpose -- to combine all the community's resources in order to strengthen the health care system and improve access. (March 24, 2006) R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
•  Gas Guzzlers May Be Regulated - Pickup trucks, minivans and most SUV's may have to get better gas mileage in coming years. The federal government is expected to complete its overhaul of fuel economy rules for those types of vehicles next week. The rules would require the auto industry to raise standards for light trucks beginning in 2008.  (March 23, 2006) R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
•  Local Teens Walk for Water - In the U.S. we take for granted how easy it is to get a clean cup of water. In some countries water is miles, away. A group of teens in our area is trying to do its part to help one community in India. The teen service group Rotary Interact is holding a Walk for Water on April 8th in Canandaigua to raise $3,000 for a life saving project that could impact 100,000 people in Gujarat India.  (March 23, 2006) R News: As It Happens, Where It Happens
•  Local fleets look at hybrid trucks — HENRIETTA — In the next decade, hybrid engines could be installed in garbage trucks, school buses and delivery trucks, drastically reducing pollution from diesel engines idling all over America. On Friday, nearly 60 local business and government leaders attended a forum to learn more about the developing technologies that may soon change the transportation sector. (March 27, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Dog parks hogtied by funds - County won't unleash canines without $50,000 - (March 27, 2006) — When the Monroe County Legislature in 2003 approved a proposal to establish four dog parks, the expectation was that the community would soon have designated areas for dogs to roam unleashed. But almost three years have passed and still no dog parks. The stumbling block has been the failure to raise the $50,000 needed, mostly for fencing, to set up the four dog parks. Although the county would own the dog parks, county officials, in the face of financial difficulties, insisted that private funds be used to establish them.  (March 27, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  City residents weigh in on pesticides The Environmental Committee, which is considering further restrictions, will host a meeting next month.   - Though officials aren't ready to put the kibosh on all pesticide use within the city, the Environmental Committee is considering further restrictions. Daily Messenger
•  'Gold rush' for biofuel plants beginning upstate - Quest for clean energy gains momentum - If every day is a learning experience, then Jason Masters knows how to pay attention to the lessons that matter most. The native of Livonia, Livingston County, was a greenhouse gas scientist working in the Middle East in the 1990s when he had several chances to speak to Arab sheiks — people whose lives revolve around oil. Not surprisingly, the conversation frequently would turn to energy. But the sheiks didn't want to talk about the commodity that had made them rich and powerful. Instead, they were most interested in alternatives to petroleum. That was enough to get Masters thinking like an entrepreneur. Largely because of the sheiks' interest, the 36-year-old has joined a "gold rush" of entrepreneurs in greater Rochester and across the nation seeking opportunity from the field of alternative energy.  (March 26, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Clinton praises local lead paint efforts - Senator calls city a 'national model,' touts bill for federal credits for removal  — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton called Rochester a "national model" in addressing lead poisoning during a Monday event at the epicenter of the city's lead problem — School 17 on Orchard Street. Children at the urban elementary school have exhibited one of the state's highest incidences of elevated blood lead levels for many years. That lead harms brain development, affecting children's capacity to learn and ability to control their behavior, holding them "back from fulfilling their God-given potential," Clinton said. (March 28, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  South Bristol moves to strengthen logging law But the proposals wouldn't go as far as policing every timber operation.  SOUTH BRISTOL - The town has proposed some new rules for loggers, including a five-day advance notice before cutting starts. Daily Messenger
•  Company wants to measure Hamlin's wind speed and direction While other towns are studying placing moratoriums on wind tower construction, the Town of Hamlin is hosting a public hearing on a notion to construction meteorological towers (METs) in the town. The towers would measure whether wind energy would be viable in the town. At the April 10 public hearing, Competitive Wind Ventures of Massachusetts will make a presentation to the town on the construction of two towers that would be used to gather wind speed and direction statistics. The towers would be six inches in circumference and 197 feet tall. Town of Hamlin Supervisor Denny Roach said the towers would be equipped with "passive" antenna and anemometers. "The MET equipment would gather data of wind velocity at various heights," he said. "After a determined period of time the data would be collected, analyzed and the town would have to make a decision then as to if, or when, we would want to install wind towers." (March 29, 2006) Westside News Inc.
•  Mayor says water, sewer hikes unavoidable LYONS — The water and sewer rate increases that the Village Board approved last night are unfortunate but unavoidable, Mayor Corrine Kleisle told taxpayers who attended a public hearing. The new rates go into effect April 1, and the money they generate will help alleviate negative balances in the sewer and water funds, Kleisle said. Finger Lakes Times Geneva, NY
•  United Press International - NewsTrack - Study: Lead may be osteoporosis linked ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 27 (UPI) -- University of Rochester scientists are starting a study to better understand the role environmental lead exposure plays in bone maturation and loss. For decades, scientists have known the human skeleton is a repository for lead in people who were exposed to high levels of lead, an environmental toxin, during their childhood. But, previously, that storage was believed benign. Now studies indicate lead in bones actually sets off a bizarre chain reaction, first accelerating bone growth and then eventually limiting it so that a high peak bone mass is not achieved. And preventing a high peak bone mass will predispose a young person to osteoporosis later in life. (March 29, 2006) United Press International - News. Analysis. Insight.
•  UR finds bird-flu vaccine may work but it's no fast solution— The University of Rochester has helped the federal government find a vaccine that may protect some people against avian flu. But the doses needed are so high it would be impossible to make enough for the entire U.S. population, according to a UR study to be published today in The New England Journal of Medicine.  - (March 30, 2006) Democrat and Chronicle
•  Press Room - Bird Flu Research at Rochester Bird-Flu Vaccine Works at High Doses; Focus Turns to Ways to Stretch Vaccine SupplyAn experimental vaccine against bird flu is safe and spurs the immune response considered necessary to protect against the deadly illness, at a dose several times larger than the traditional flu shot and in slightly more than half of people who received the largest dose, scientists said in results to appear March 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine. --from University of Rochester Medical Center