• United Airlines Fined $850,000 for Hazardous Waste Violations
  
• Oregon Tribe and Utility Sign Salmon Passage Agreement
  
• Lead-Tainted Mexican Candies Target of California Lawsuits
  
• Los Angeles Seeks Input on Future Wastewater Infrastructure
  
• Small Washington Town Gets $3.6 Million for Water Reclamation
  
• Inventors of the Year Designed Low Emissions Diesel Engines
  
• Human Population Growth Driving Carnivores to Extinction
  
• Billionaire Conservationist Laurance Rockefeller Dies at 94
  

United Airlines Fined $850,000 for Hazardous Waste Violations

The Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of California announced the fine on Monday.

The facility is United’s only aircraft maintenance center in the nation. It currently employs 5,200 people and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As part of the settlement, United worked with the EPA to develop an environmental compliance management system for the facility.

During inspections conducted by the EPA in 1999 and 2001, inspectors found violations of hazardous waste regulations throughout the United aircraft maintenance center. The violations included failure to close hazardous waste containers, improper labeling of hazardous waste containers, and storage of hazardous waste for longer than the allowable limits.

“Hazardous wastes must be handled safely and within the guidelines of the law to prevent any harm to human health and the environment," said Wayne Nastri, administrator of the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. “We are pleased that United Airlines has committed to improve hazardous waste management at its maintenance facility.”

Tom Sansonetti, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said that in addition, United has agreed to conduct an independent audit at the facility of its Environmental Compliance Management System to further promote compliance.

“The resolution of this case demonstrates that state, federal and local agencies can work together to achieve compliance with laws regulating hazardous waste,” said Ed Lowry, Director of California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control.

The settlement agreement is subject to approval by a federal bankruptcy court. United Airlines executives said Monday that the airline is cutting costs in its ground operations and considering cuts elsewhere as the company attempts to arrange bankruptcy exit financing.

Oregon Tribe and Utility Sign Salmon Passage Agreement

The pact is one of the final steps in obtaining a new federal license for Pelton Round Butte, the only hydroelectric project in the United States jointly owned by a Native American tribe and a utility. The 465 million watt project is one-third owned by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs (CTWS) and the remainder owned by Portland General Electric (PGE).

The 20 mile long complex impounds the Deschutes River, a federal Wild and Scenic River and a tributary of the Columbia, about six miles west of Madras, Oregon. The three dams, rising to as high as 440 feet, blocked salmon and steelhead migration in the Deschutes, Metolius and Crooked rivers above the project 36 years ago.

A total of 22 organizations and government agencies, including the project owners, endorsed the agreement. The signing takes place at the Museum at Warm Springs on the Warm Springs Reservation that will be attended by Interior Secretary Gale Norton.

"The settlement demonstrates how water management and hydroelectric operations can be carried out in innovative ways that protect tribal resources, enhance the environment and aid in the recovery of threatened species," Norton said. "With sound science, cutting-edge technology and creative solutions, we can have both healthy rivers and thriving communities."

"Many generations will benefit from this agreement," said CTWS Council Chairman Ron Suppah. "The next 50 years under this new license will create a blueprint for wise natural resources management that is so important to our Indian people and financial resources that are vital to the tribal organization. Adding electric power generation has diversified our economic base and supported programs ranging from public safety to health and education."

"PGE and the Tribes share the stewardship of one of the West's most precious resources, the Deschutes River," said Peggy Fowler, PGE CEO and president. "Our customers depend on us to do the right thing for the environment. They also depend on us for electricity that powers vital aspects of everyday life. We're committed to deliver on both obligations."

Besides reopening 226 miles of streams above the dams to fish migration, the plan allows for continued production of low-cost hydroelectric power at the facility, improves the Tribes' fish harvest and benefits recreational fishing.

"This agreement sets the bar for other dam operators in the Northwest and across the country. PGE, CTWS and the other settlement parties have proven that by working together, we can achieve great outcomes for this river's health, its salmon and steelhead, and its people," said Rebecca Wodder, president of American Rivers.

The hydro project, the largest located completely within Oregon's borders, was completed by PGE in 1964. Although it was constructed with fish passage facilities, the downstream system failed. Under the environmental policies of that era, raising fish in a hatchery was an appropriate way to offset the impact. The fish passage problem was created in large part by the downstream currents in a reservoir taking a wrong turn. Young salmon and steelhead following the currents rarely found their way to the ocean.

In the 1990s, the Tribes and PGE began planning for relicensing the project and restoring fish passage became the top priority.

The solution will be a 270 foot high underwater tower arising from the bottom of the lake behind Round Butte Dam. A 130 foot wide disc at the top of the tower will draw in most of the surface water, turning the currents and fish back downstream toward the dam.

Fish will be screened at the intake and trucked downstream of the dams for release on their journey to the Pacific. The tower will blend waters from various depths to improve the conditions, including water temperatures, for downstream fish.

Species to be reintroduced above the dams include summer steelhead - a federally listed threatened species - and spring Chinook salmon.

PGE and the Tribes are prepared to spend more than $135 million dollars on the project during the 50-year term of the license, the vast majority going to fish-related measures. More than $21 million is planned for fish habitat improvement on Deschutes River tributaries, including water rights acquisition.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is expected to act on the new license later this year or early in 2005.

Lead-Tainted Mexican Candies Target of California Lawsuits

Los Angeles Seeks Input on Future Wastewater Infrastructure

City sanitation planners are considering what infrastructure needs should be included in an Environmental Impact Report to be prepared on the Integrated Resources Plan (IRP).

The IRP integrates planning for the three interdependent water systems: wastewater, recycled water and stormwater.

Over 100 community leaders have joined the city in the IRP planning process. After an intensive three-year process that was built on stakeholder references, 21 initial alternatives were narrowed down to four alternatives. These alternatives will meet the wastewater infrastructure needs of the population of 2020, which is expected to increase by 20 percent over today.

The IRP includes alternatives that emphasize water recycling, and reflect the community’s stated desire to clean up urban runoff and stormwater.

The alternatives do not include a new wastewater or water reclamation plant, but emphasize maximizing use of the city’s existing plants in the San Fernando Valley and at the Hyperion Treatment Plant in Playa del Rey.

The alternatives maximize the beneficial reuse of recycled water and urban runoff, optimize the use of existing city facilities and water resources, reduce pollution, and minimize the city’s dependency on imported water.

At the meetings, Bureau planners will ask for input on a checklist of areas of environmental interests which has been drafted in preparation for development of the Environmental Impact Report.

The meetings will be held at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Bureau of Sanitation offices at 2714 Media Center Dr. in the Glassell Park district of the City. Members of the public are invited to attend either or both of the meetings.

Prior to the meetings, members of the public can view the draft Notice of Preparation online at: www.lacity.org/SAN/irp/index.htm.

Bureau planners also are soliciting invitations from Neighborhood Councils for the opportunity to provide 15 minute briefings on the Integrated Resources Plan, which is an inaugural visionary process by the Bureau of Sanitation for integrated water resources planning with early public input and participation.

Neighborhood Councils wishing to schedule a briefing should contact Amy Jones, of the Bureau, at: 323-342-6233 or by email at aljones@san.lacity.org.

Small Washington Town Gets $3.6 Million for Water Reclamation

Reclaimed water is waste water that is treated to a level that allows it to be used for some types of irrigation, commerce and industry and to recharge underground water sources.

Washington's Reclaimed Water Use Act was passed by the legislature in 1993, ushering in a new era of wastewater management.

"The law recognized that we have new, modern technology and processes that prevent wasting water at a time when the state hasn't a drop to spare," said David Peeler, who manages the state's water-quality program. "We need to look seriously at reclaiming and reusing water all over the state as much as possible, and Quincy leaders should be applauded for their forward-thinking."

The money comes from the Washington State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund, authorized under the federal Clean Water Act. It is loaned to small governments to improve water quality.

"The loan will help make this water quality project much more affordable for the community of Quincy," Peeler said.

In Quincy, the money will be used to refinance the wastewater reclamation plant that treats waste water to very high standards of cleanliness before using it to recharge groundwater supplies. The original loan came from Earth Tech Inc., which built and operates the facility.

The area grows potatoes, apples, wheat, alfalfa, corn, and vegetables with 200,000 irrigable acres under production. There are also several processing plants, packing houses, and light industry in the area.

This fiscal year, Ecology offered $8.3 million for high priority water quality projects across the state as against $230 million requested by local governments.

Governor Gary Locke is warning that wildfire and drought threats have not disappeared despite the rains that have fallen on most of Washington the past month. Planting native and drought-tolerant plants, watering lawns sparingly during the early morning and late evening, fixing leaking toilets and installing low-flow shower heads and toilets are all measures that would save water, he said.

Inventors of the Year Designed Low Emissions Diesel Engines

That invention earned them the 31st annual National Inventor of the Year Award which they will receive today. Presented by the Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO), the award is the most prestigious of its kind, having gone previously to those responsible for the Jarvik Seven Artificial Heart, Bose speaker technology and other patented breakthrough inventions.

Their invention, combined with advanced fuel systems, engine electronics and effective after-treatment make up Caterpillar's patented Advanced Combustion Emissions Reduction Technology (ACERT), which reduces diesel emissions in a cost-effective manner.

Available in most of its truck and bus engines, the company says the technology will reduce emissions 90 percent by 2007. It helped Caterpillar become the first engine manufacturer to earn certifications for 2004 lower-emission standards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"Jim Weber and Scott Leman's efforts to produce more environmentally-friendly diesel engines highlight the value of creativity and the importance of patents," said Herbert Wamsley, executive director of IPO. "Because of their ingenuity, and because a sound patent enabled their company to invest heavily in research and development, millions of Americans can breathe easier."

Founded in 1972, IPO is a national trade association for owners of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets in all industries and fields of technology. Members include large and small businesses, universities, intellectual property attorneys, and independent inventors and authors.

To be eligible for the Inventor of the Year Award, an invention must have been patented or first marketed in the past four years.

Human Population Growth Driving Carnivores to Extinction

Based on projected human population growth, the researchers predict that many carnivore species will join the list of endangered species list by 2030. Most of these species live in Africa, where human populations are growing faster than the global average.

Researchers from the Conservation International Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, from the Department of Biology at the University of Virginia, from the Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College London, from the Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, and from the Global Mammal Assessment team of the IUCN contributed to the new computer model reported today.

The new model based on a phylogenetic analysis of the mammalian order Carnivora, described online in the open-access journal PLoS Biology, could help focus conservation efforts by predicting which species face greatest risk.

Close to a quarter of the world's mammals are already at high risk of extinction. Any chance of reversing this trend depends on understanding what makes some species vulnerable and others resilient, which depends on being able to predict extinction risk.

The model predicts risk based on the density of local human populations combined with various traits of different species of carnivores, such as their population density, gestation length, and habitat range.

The research, by Marcel Cardillo and other conservation scientists from London, Virginia and the IUCN, finds that combining data on species' biology with that on human population densities yields better predictions of extinction risk than either set of data can alone.

For example, a species with a long gestation period that lives close to densely populated human areas are at greater risk than species with similar gestation periods that live near sparsely populated areas.

When under heavy pressure from people - whether hunting or habitat loss - species with long gestation periods cannot repopulate fast enough and become endangered.

Based on the researchers' projections, some species currently considered low conservation priorities - such as members of the weasel-like viverrid family - could soon become endangered.

While most conservation efforts focus on damage control, Cardillo and colleagues argue for interceding before a species reaches the brink of extinction. "There is no room for complacency about the security of species," the authors warn, "simply because they are not currently considered threatened."

Billionaire Conservationist Laurance Rockefeller Dies at 94

Grandson of John D. Rockefeller who founded Standard Oil, his inheritance of $1.5 billion earned him a ranking of No. 377 on this year's "Forbes" magazine list of 587 billionaires.

He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on May 17, 1990 for his efforts to conserve the environment and prevent cancer.

In 1958 Rockefeller established the American Conservation Association to advance knowledge and understanding of conservation; to preserve the beauty of the landscape and the natural and living resources in the United States and elsewhere.

He served under five presidents in several capacities related to conservation and the outdoors. Rockefeller served under Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and John Kennedy as chairman of the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission. He chaired the White House Conference on Natural Beauty in 1965 under President Lyndon Johnson and brokered a deal for California's Redwoods National Park established in 1968.

At his death, Rockefeller was listed on the Board of the League of Conservation Voters.

He served as chairman of the New York Zoological Society, the forerunner of the present Wildlife Conservation Society. He also served as chairman of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and he was the first recipient of the American Cancer Society's Alfred P. Sloan Memorial Award for his contributions to cancer research.

He also was head of Jackson Hole Preserve Inc., a conservation organization that played a major role in protecting parts of the Grand Tetons and redwood trees in California.

Virgin Islands National Park, the only U.S. national park in the West Indies, was authorized in 1956 to protect nearly two-thirds of the land mass and most of the colorful off-shore waters of St. John's Island, in the American Virgin Islands. The park owes its existence to the support of Jackson Hole Preserve, Inc., and Laurance Rockefeller.

Rockefeller also helped to develop national parks in Wyoming and Vermont and

Born in 1910, Rockefeller was one of six children of John D. Rockefeller Jr. Among Laurance's brothers, Nelson served as governor of New York, Winthrop was governor of Arkansas, and the only surviving sibling, David, headed the Chase Manhattan Bank.

He served in the Navy during World War II, becoming a lieutenant commander.

Laurence Rockefeller is the subject of two biographies. One focuses on his support of Eastern Airlines as a venture capitalist, "From the Captain to the Colonel. An Informal History of Eastern Airlines, by Robert J. Serling, New York: Dial Press, 1980.

The other biography explores his work as a conservationist, "Laurance S. Rockefeller: Catalyst for Conservation," by Robin Winks. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 1997.

Rockefeller is survived by four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. His wife died in 1997.

A more complete account of his life is online at: http://www.congressionalgoldmedal.com/LauranceSpelmanRockefellerDeath.htm