• New England Utilities Pump Power and Pollution
  
• Tribal Wildfire Prevention Bill Signed Into Law
  
• No Oceans Protection as Congress Goes on Summer Break
  
• Circle Hooks Safeguard Turtles on Atlantic Fishing Grounds
  
• One Million Comments Sought in Support of Roadless Rule
  
• Interior Secretary’s Park Visit Renews Funding Debate
  
• Bison, Eagle Conservation Groups Seek Rehearing on Appeal
  
• Hot Pink Trash Skimmer Wins Gulf Guardian Prize
  

New England Utilities Pump Power and Pollution

In addition, unhealthy levels of fine particles are expected in New Haven, with moderate levels expected throughout the rest of New England.

The same power plants that emit problem pollutants will be taxed to run air conditioners across the region as the hot weather is expected to cause the demand for electricity to reach high load levels.

“We are expecting Friday to be another unhealthy air quality day in New England,” said Robert Varney, administrator of EPA's New England office. “On these days, EPA and the medical community suggest that people limit their strenuous outdoor activity. Also, we can all help to limit the formation of ozone by using public transportation or carpooling.”

Ground level ozone, the main ingredient of smog, is unhealthy when average concentrations exceed 0.08 parts per million over an eight hour period. So far this year, there have been seven days when ozone monitors in New England have recorded concentrations above this level. Concentrations are also expected to exceed this level today in the Springfield, Massachusetts area and in western Connecticut.

Exposure to elevated ozone levels can cause serious breathing problems, aggravate asthma and other pre-existing lung diseases, and make people more susceptible to respiratory infection. Exposure to elevated particulate levels can increase the likelihood of respiratory symptoms in sensitive individuals, aggravate heart or lung disease, and cause premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the elderly.

Smog forms when volatile organic compounds and oxides of nitrogen interact in the presence of sunlight. Cars, trucks and buses give off the majority of the pollution that makes smog. Fossil fuel burning at electric powerplants, particularly on hot days, give off a lot of smog-making pollution. Gasoline stations, print shops, household products like paints and cleaners, as well as lawn and garden equipment also add significantly to the ozone smog.

Major sources of particulate pollution are power plants, factories, trash incinerators, motor vehicles, construction activity, and fires.

Although New England as a whole is expected to have adequate power this summer, Southwest Connecticut and Northeast Massachusetts/Greater Boston have transmission constraints that could create electricity reliability concerns. Both areas have the highest electricity use in New England, with Northeast Massachusetts/Greater Boston making up approximately one-fifth of New England’s total electricity use.

“Since New England’s wholesale power markets were launched five years ago, generation has increased by one-third. As a result, we expect to have enough power to meet New England’s electricity use this summer,” said Stephen Whitley, ISO New England Inc.’s senior vice president and chief operating officer.

“At the same time, last summer’s blackout, which affected areas of the New England region, demonstrates the need for continued vigilance and the ability to quickly respond to any unforeseen transmission or generation outages,” Whitley said.

The EPA is asking homeowners and employers to make a special effort to reduce their electricity consumption. Employers can help reduce energy demand by asking their employees to dress casually, turning the air conditioning to a higher temperature setting, and turning off lights and computers when not in use.

Homeowners can help reduce energy demand in the same ways and also by leaving household activities like laundry until later hours.

In order to help New England residents prepare for poor air quality this summer, EPA and the New England states provide real-time ozone data and air quality forecasts. The real-time air quality data and forecasts are available at: http://www.epa.gov/ne/aqi/index.html.

Tribal Wildfire Prevention Bill Signed Into Law

In the summer of 2003, 18 Indian reservations were devastated by wildfire that came from adjacent federal lands. Over half of these fires occurred in Southern California where 10 people died, and more than 30,000 acres and 130 homes were consumed. Two reservations were burned to the ground.

House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, a California Republican, who introduced the legislation, said, "The Healthy Forests Restoration Act focused needed attention and assistance on serious problems concerning forest health, particularly the explosive build-up of hazardous fuels in federal forests. We emphasized community participation and protection in that bill, and that is exactly what we are doing for Native American tribes in this new legislation."

In a rare show of unanimity, the House approved the measure on June 21.

California Senator Diane Feinstein, a Democrat, introduced the companion bill passed by the Senate on June 25.

"California Tribes have suffered from devastating wildfires in recent years," Feinstein said. "By involving Tribes in brush-clearing projects on federal lands near their reservations, this legislation will give Native American Tribes across the country the chance to protect their ancestral lands from catastrophic fires."

No Oceans Protection as Congress Goes on Summer Break

Circle Hooks Safeguard Turtles on Atlantic Fishing Grounds

All species of marine turtles found in these waters are endangered.

During the three year closure, NOAA Fisheries worked with the longline industry to develop technology and fishing methods that reduce sea turtle mortalities. New fishing techniques allow longline vessels to avoid sea turtles and protect them from becoming hooked on gear, and a new type of circular hook has been developed that turtles are less likely to swallow.

Vessels with deepwater, or pelagic, longline gear onboard may now fish on the Grand Banks, but are limited at all times to possessing and using 18/0 or larger circle hooks with an offset not to exceed 10 degrees. In addition, only whole finfish and squid baits may be possessed or used.

Effective August 5, “J” hooks will be banned in all Atlantic longline fisheries, including the Gulf of Mexico and the U.S. Caribbean.

NOAA Fisheries says the elimination of "J" hooks will help sea turtles survive since the majority of sea turtle mortalities in longline fisheries are caused by ingestion of “J” hooks.

Waters outside the Grand Banks may only possess and use 16/0 or larger non-offset circle hooks and 18/0 or larger circle hooks with an offset not to exceed 10 degrees. Only whole finfish and squid baits may be possessed or used.

The new regulation also requires pelagic longline vessels to possess and use sea turtle handling and release gear consistent with NOAA Fisheries’ careful release protocols. The required gear is described in “NOAA Fisheries - Approved Models For Equipment Needed For The Careful Release of Sea Turtles Caught In Hook And Line Fisheries.”

The initial list of approved models is available on the Highly Migratory Species Management Division’s Web site at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms and upon request at 727-570- 5447. A training video on release and disentanglement techniques is also available.

A new sea turtle bycatch reduction rule was published by NOAA Fisheries on July 6, requiring that all vessel operators in the pelagic longline fishery must use new release equipment and handling techniques.

NOAA Fisheries is offering a series of voluntary workshops this summer to learn the new techniques. The workshop schedule from July 27 in Louisiana to September 17 in Massachusetts is online at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/rillingnews/TurtleFaxNotice.pdf

One Million Comments Sought in Support of Roadless Rule

"The Bush administration is out of touch with the vast majority of Americans who want our last pristine National Forests protected," said Robert Vandermark, co-director of Heritage Forests Campaign (HFC). "When their mailboxes are jammed with letters overwhelmingly opposing their special interest giveaway, we hope they will get the message."

On July 16, the administration announced a 60 day comment period for public input on their plan to overturn the Roadless Area Conservation Rule approved in the last days of the Clinton administration. It keeps logging roads from being built in 58.5 million acres of national forest land that has been inventoried as roadless, but allows roadbuilding for fire protection.

The groups says the Bush administration plans to replace the rule "with a process that allows governors to petition for protection of roadless areas in their states - or for more logging, mining and drilling."

"We're very disappointed that the Bush administration has decided yet again to act against the interests of American sportsmen and women on roadless protection. Roadless area protection is a bellwether issue for hunter and angler conservationists," said Steve Moyer, vice president for government affairs and volunteer operations at Trout Unlimited.

At events in 15 states, activists are calling on the Forest Service to hold local public meetings, as they did during the drafting of the roadless rule when they held 600 meetings. To date, the Forest Service has yet to schedule any local hearings to consider the new rule.

The events are being held in: Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington State and Wisconsin.

"With the stroke of a pen, the Bush administration has radically altered policy regarding National Forests," said Larry Schweiger, president of the National Wildlife Federation.

"One week ago, a policy was in effect to protect 58 million forest acres from road building. Today, outside designated wilderness areas, not a single acre of National Forest lands is secure against the threat of new road building," Schweiger said. "This administration's priorities are wrong in replacing a plan that truly protected our forests with a plan that protects nothing."

Republicans for Environmental Protection are part of the coalition to keep these areas roadless. "We believe that protecting roadless areas is 100 percent consistent with traditional Republican values of fiscal responsibility, sound economics, and environmental stewardship," said Martha Marks, president of REP America. "Republicans also believe government ought to listen to the millions of citizens who have spoken up strongly for protecting roadless areas in national forests that all of us own."

People can send comments to the Forest Service online at: http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/bush_giveaway/.

Interior Secretary’s Park Visit Renews Funding Debate

In a refrain that has become familiar in recent weeks, Norton said there is “more money today per acre, per employee and per visitor in the National Park system than at any time in the history of the parks."

Norton said the administration is meeting the President’s commitment to wipe out the $5 billion maintenance backlog that plagues the national park system.

In the past three years, the Park Service nationwide has undertaken 4,000 repair and maintenance projects, said Norton, who toured projects at the park that was once part of the maintenance backlog list.

"We are addressing the long-standing neglect that we inherited when we took office by keeping up with the maintenance of buildings, facilities, roads and protecting habitat in our national parks," Norton said. "Preserving the natural beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park and our many other special places while enabling millions of people to enjoy them each year takes work - lots of it - by Interior employees, partner groups and volunteers."

Her comments did little to convince critics, who believe the administration is using creative accounting and misleading statements to hide the problems faced by the National Park Service.

"Proof that our national parks are in trouble is in the parks themselves,” said Craig Obey, vice president of the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA).“Instead of spinning the facts on a PR tour, the administration should focus on meeting the unmet needs of the individual parks that American families are visiting this summer.

The statement that there is more money for parks per acre, per visitor and per employee than ever before is only true, critics say, because in the past three years total employment in the Park Service has dropped, the number of visitors has declined and the acreage of the park system has remained static.

Park advocates say the Bush administration has slowed the average increase of the Park Service’s budget and has siphoned off operating funds for other purposes.

During the Bush tenure, more than $170 million in operating funds have been diverted to pay for damage from Hurricane Isabel, homeland security and Congressionally mandated pay increases.

In addition, the administration has failed to ask Congress for additional funds to pay for tourism promotion and competitive outsourcing studies.

All this is happening within an agency that has been historically underfunded. According to the NPCA, the national parks are on average operating with only two-thirds of the needed funding - the system-wide annual shortfall is some $600 million.

“There are fewer staff and fewer resources in parks across the country, impacting the experiences of visitors and worsening the backlog,” said Obey.

In Colorado, Obey said, staff shortages are putting Rocky Mountain's archaeological sites at risk, educational programs have been cut at Colorado National Monument, and law enforcement and educational programs at Mesa Verde are threatened by funding shortfalls.

“Neither the administration nor Congress has yet made much progress toward eliminating the backlog or ensuring that our national parks have the annual operating funds needed to educate and inspire visitors and protect the natural, cultural, and historic treasures in their care," Obey said.

Bison, Eagle Conservation Groups Seek Rehearing on Appeal

The Buffalo Field Campaign, The Ecology Center, and Cold Mountain, Cold Rivers said Thursday that they will ask the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to rehear their case although it was dismissed by a three judge panel on July 14.

A majority of the appellate court's active members must officially approve the conservation groups' attempt to gain another hearing.

The groups first filed their lawsuit in May 2001, claiming the state of Montana and federal agencies' efforts to haze and capture buffalo on public lands outside Yellowstone National Park are illegally harming American bald eagles and their habitat. The eagles are officially recognized as threatened with extinction.

Gallatin National Forest officials are ignoring written agreements with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the groups contend, by allowing agents of the Montana Department of Livestock to harm bald eagles while capturing and slaughtering wild buffalo migrating from Yellowstone National Park to nearby winter range and calving grounds.

The groups are asking the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to affirm the Forest Service's legal responsibilities to prepare an environmental impact statement, adhere to commitments to protect the bald eagles, and secure endangered species' critical habitat.

At the center of the dispute is Horse Butte, a 10,000 acre peninsula surrounded by Hebgen Lake just outside West Yellowstone, Montana. Primarily Forest Service public lands, Horse Butte is recognized as critical habitat for threatened bald eagles and for Yellowstone's migrating bison. Yellowstone's buffalo herd is the last wild and genetically pure herd to occupy its native habitat in the United States.

The groups cite research by Dr. Mary Meagher, who studied Yellowstone bison ecology for more than 30 years, as evidence that Yellowstone's bison herd have occupied Yellowstone's northern range for more than 8,000 years.

While attempting to migrate to Horse Butte and other winter habitats, 3,545 bison have been slaughtered by the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) and the National Park Service in the last 20 years. These agencies slaughtered 280 buffalo during the winter of 2003-2004 under a multi-agency bison management plan.

The management plan is designed to keep bison that might be carrying the abortive disease brucellosis away from Montana livestock, but there has never been a documented transmission from bison to cattle, and cattle do not graze in the area at issue at the same time of year as the bison.

Forested hillsides on the Horse Butte peninsula provide habitat for three bald eagle nests, but they have experienced failure to reproduce since the Forest Service permitted the DOL's bison capture facilities on Horse Butte, according documents the conservation groups filed in court.

On July 14, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the groups' efforts to overturn a March 28, 2003, decision by Montana District Court Judge Charles Lovell. Lovell's ruling dismissed claims that the Forest Service was in violation of the Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act.

Dan Brister of the Buffalo Field Campaign said, "The Horse Butte trap is directly harming the recovery of America's threatened bald eagles and is being used to slaughter America's last wild buffalo."

Hot Pink Trash Skimmer Wins Gulf Guardian Prize

Launched in June 2003, the skimmer vessel, a TrashCat™ brand model from United Marine International, will clean a 16 mile stretch of this 65 mile historic waterway which connects downtown Houston with Galveston Bay and the Port of Houston.

The hot pink boat is a public art project, created by The Art Guys. It can be seen looking for trash with its cartoonish eyes five days a week from Shepherd Drive to the East Loop 610. In addition to capturing debris washed into the bayou from storm drains and street runoff, the boat is equipped with special attachments to remove trash located in trees and on the bayou banks.

TrashCat Mighty Tidy removes floating trash between seawall and a ship in Houston Ship Channel (Photo courtesy UMI)

The Mighty Tidy contributes to the health of watersheds over 400 square miles that empty into the Port of Houston and flow south to the significant national estuary of Galveston Bay and then into the Gulf, the EPA said.

The 21 foot garbage guzzler is part of phase one of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership’s 20 year Master Plan - Buffalo Bayou and Beyond.

The EPA credited the Mighty Tidy for "dramatic visual improvement," "improving water quality," saving aquatic life from ingesting trash, and generally helping to restore marine ecological function.

"Fish and other wildlife no longer suffer the effects from eating debris or getting caught up in and then dying in floating trash flushed from Houston area streets," the EPA said in its award statement.

Beyond the dramatic visual improvement of three major bayous and the port, the water quality is improving without the toxicity created during the breakdown of floating debris. More than 1,000 cubic yards of floatable litter have been collected to date - nearly double the anticipated amount.

Harris County officials are delighted with the positive visibility achieved through a launch media event with more than 250 attendees, a Name The Skimmer contest at area schools that won fourth grader Haley Hendrix a $500 savings bond for the name Mighty Tidy, and the visually bold and unforgettable vessel that has attracted public attention to the issue of floatable pollution.