• Steelworkers, Enviros Urge Probe of Teflon Chemical in Drinking Water
  
• American Red Cross Benefits from Hurricane Bets on WagerWeb.com
  
• Snake River Hatchery Funded, But Dams Still Block Salmon Recovery
  
• Clean Diesel Expected to Improve Southern California Air
  
• Child Pesticide Study Funded at University of Washington
  
• New York State Buys Former Homestead of Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay
  
• Nutrients in Stormwater Feed Toxic Algae in Lakes
  

Steelworkers, Enviros Urge Probe of Teflon Chemical in Drinking Water

Representatives of the United Steelworkers Union (USW) took the samples in May as part of its ongoing investigation into PFOA contaminated sites around the country.

The union believes the PFOA emissions are from the DuPont Company's Parlin plant where PFOA was used in the manufacturing process. The USW has discovered elevated levels of PFOA in the blood of its members and other workers at DuPont plants.

The USW is calling on the New Jersey Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a full investigation at the site in Parlin, including the monitoring of groundwater and wastewater discharges.

State investigators with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality have informed the USW and the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club that a channel pouring contaminated water into the James River from DuPont's wastewater discharge area probably originated from groundwater seeping to the surface from near the company's wastewater basin.

In their June 12 letter to the EPA and VDEQ, the USW and Sierra Club criticized DuPont's plan for a voluntary investigation as "inadequate" and "designed to delay." The groups also expressed disappointment over the agencies' failure to analyze their own samples for PFOA contamination.

DuPont admits that it has known about the channel for years, but has never analyzed it for PFOA.

"They can't find what they don't look for," said Joe Drexler of the USW Strategic Campaigns Department. "Clearly, DuPont cannot be trusted to clean up its act, and the public needs regulation and not voluntarism."

PFOA was labeled a likely human carcinogen by EPA's Science Advisory Board in January 2006. In April, a lawsuit was filed against DuPont due to PFOA contamination from its plant in Deepwater, New Jersey.

Sampling conducted jointly and independently by the USW, the Sierra Club, and the Riverkeepers has uncovered PFOA surface water and/or drinking water contamination in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Richmond, Virginia, and Deepwater.

PFOA contamination has also been confirmed in Circleville, Ohio and Parkersburg, West Virginia.

In January, the EPA called on DuPont to work toward eliminating PFOA from its products. However, DuPont only agreed to reduce emissions, and, in some cases, the amount of perfluorochemicals in products. DuPont is now the only U.S. manufacturer of PFOA and has resisted calls for the company to stop manufacturing the chemical.

"The discovery of contamination in Parlin is further evidence of DuPont's failure to keep this chemical out of the environment," said Gerald Fernandez, director of USW Strategic Campaign.

American Red Cross Benefits from Hurricane Bets on WagerWeb.com

"This is a win-win situation for our bettors and the inevitable victims of the unfortunate but natural hurricanes and tropical storms coming our way," says Dave Johnson, CEO of WagerWeb.com.

"Although we base our odds on requests by the public, we also feel we have an obligation to give back to the communities where our bettors reside, so this was the perfect solution," Johnson said.

WagerWeb.com odds ask bettors to predict wind speeds, quantities and sizes of the storms.

Payouts are calculated based on total bet.

For example: +110 = Player bets $100 to win $110 profit; +160 = Player bets $100 to win $160 profit

Or, in another example: -140 = Player bets $140 to win $100 profit; -200 = Player bets $200 but only wins $100

National Weather Service statistics/classification for 2006 will be used for grading purposes. Post-season re-analysis will not be counted towards wagers made on this release. Odds were adjusted in favor of the 'over' as a result of Alberto, which was the earliest tropical storm to hit in 40 years.

WagerWeb.com, founded in 1997, is a privately held, offshore online gaming company, fully licensed and located in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The nine year old Wagerweb.com features a sportsbook, a racebook and casino and has accepted more than 56,000,000 wagers in total.

Snake River Hatchery Funded, But Dams Still Block Salmon Recovery

The council’s Independent Scientific Review Panel said earlier this week that there has been no response by the salmon populations to recovery efforts in the Upper Salmon River Basin.

"It is clear that conditions outside the Basin determine the fate of these fish, and there is no evidence that these conditions are likely to improve significantly in the future,” the council said in a report, concluding there is no scientific basis for continuing the program.

Environmentalists say recovery will not occur until the dams downstream of the hatchery are breached to allow the salmon to travel freely to their spawning grounds.

Michael Garrity, associate director of Columbia Basin Programs for American Rivers, said, “American Rivers supports continued efforts to jumpstart Snake River sockeye recovery with emergency hatchery operations. But the council’s decision to keep funding the hatchery operations without doing anything to improve salmon survival by addressing the impacts of downstream dams makes no sense."

“Pouring millions of dollars into hatcheries when scientists say that improving survival past dams is vital to avoiding extinction gives the illusion that the government takes salmon recovery seriously," he said. "But addressing only half the problem is a drain on taxpayers and ratepayers and won’t recover the fish."

Snake River sockeye salmon travel nearly 1,000 miles and climb over a mile high to reach their spawning grounds in the Rocky Mountains.

“Fortunately, there’s a solution that will work for sockeye, other species of Snake River salmon, and Northwest communities, and that is restoring a free-flowing lower Snake River," Garrity said.

American Rivers and other conservation organizations say that only removing the four federal dams on the lower Snake River will allow salmon to recover.

"What these fish need, and what the Northwest needs, is real leadership from the Council and their bosses in the Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana governors’ offices," Garrity said. "This week’s report by the Council’s science panel shows that without bold actions to improve salmon survival through federal dams, it will soon be too late for these fish."

Clean Diesel Expected to Improve Southern California Air

For California, implementation of ultra low sulfur highway diesel fuel will be complete this fall; nationally, by late 2007.

When combined with full implementation of the new highway diesel engine technology by 2030, this will result in the annual reduction of 2.6 million tons nitrogen oxides and 110,000 tons of particulate matter.

When fully implemented, EPA’s new ultra low sulfur diesel fuel requirements and new highway diesel engine standards together are expected to prevent nearly 8,300 premature deaths and tens of thousands of cases of respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and asthma, EPA officials predict.

At a demonstration held at an area truck stop last week, the EPA was joined by representatives from California Air Resources Board, Western States Petroleum Association and International Truck and Engine Corporation to announce the new fuel.

"By drastically cutting the emissions that cause soot and smog, EPA is delivering the American people cleaner engines, cleaner air and cleaner lungs, without affecting our productivity and economic might,” said Wayne Nastri, regional administrator, EPA, Region 9, Pacific and Southwest.

Ultra low sulfur diesel fuel enables advanced pollution control technology for trucks and buses. Consumers will be able to purchase ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and vehicles with clean diesel technology later this year, which will produce the clean air equivalent of eliminating air pollution from 90 percent - or about 13 million - of today's trucks and buses.

More information on EPA's clean diesel initiatives is at: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/highway-diesel/index.htm

The EPA is a member of the Clean Diesel Fuel Alliance, a stakeholder group dedicated to providing the public ULSD-related information. More information is at: http://www.clean-diesel.org

Child Pesticide Study Funded at University of Washington

SEATTLE, Washington, June 16, 2006 (ENS) - The University of Washington has been awarded a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop methods to help determine if children exposed to pesticides are at increased risk of developing health problems because of those exposures.

This project will complement an ongoing, community-based, child cohort research study also funded by EPA and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in the Yakima Valley.

The scientists are using innovative, non-invasive techniques to collect samples. The results will help researchers understand why some children are more sensitive to pesticides than others.

The study is being conducted by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center as part of the university's Center for Children Environmental Health Risks Research (CEHC).

The researchers will use information about a child’s exposure to pesticides; individual genetic differences; and the early effects of pesticide exposure to understand if a child is at increased risk of developing harmful health effects.

"This award provides an excellent opportunity to apply new techniques to samples that were collected last year during the thinning season - a period of pesticide use," said CEHC Director Elaine Faustman, the principal investigator for the award. CEHC.

"Our goal is to improve the use of non-invasive sampling methods to understand the relationship between exposure and effect of pesticides," she said.

“This University of Washington research will help us better understand how individual children may react to pesticide exposure,” said Michael Bogert, EPA Region 10 Administrator. “This research is especially important for children in agricultural communities, like the Yakima Valley, who are likely exposed to higher amounts of agricultural pesticides than children living in metropolitan areas.”

Not all children are exposed to the same amounts of pesticides, and after exposure, children’s bodies react in different ways because of differences in genetics. Because of this, it is important to be able to predict if certain individuals are at higher risk of developing harmful health effects.

The results of this research could be important in future epidemiological studies such as the National Children’s study, a government-wide study that will follow 100,000 children from before birth until age 21.

For more information about the research project visit: http://www.epa.gov/ncer/05childbiomarker For more information about the National Children’s study visit: http://www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov

New York State Buys Former Homestead of Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay

ALBANY, New York, June 16, 2006 (ENS) - New York Governor George Pataki says the state will purchase 426 acres of land along the Taconic Ridge in Columbia County to be added to the Harvey Mountain State Forest.

The property, which consists of two parcels in the Town of Austerlitz, is part of the former homestead of American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay.

“Harvey Mountain is a magnificent site for hiking and other outdoor activities, and offers striking views of surrounding mountain ranges,” Governor Pataki said. “By preserving these forested lands, we will significantly increase public access to this popular outdoor area and enlarge Harvey Mountain State Forest by 27 percent."

State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Denise Sheehan said the purchase "will help preserve a scenic treasure that will greatly enhance Harvey Mountain State Forest.”

DEC is using the State’s Environmental Protection Fund to acquire 230 acres from the Edna St. Vincent Millay Society for $1.69 million and 196 acres from the Millay Colony for the Arts for $1.42 million. The purchase was made possible by the not-for-profit Columbia Land Conservancy.

One of the most popular writers in her time, Edna St. Vincent Millay was a major figure in 20th century American literature and was the first American woman poet to win the Pulitzer Prize.

The Millay Society is responsible for administering and protecting Millay’s literary estate and for the preservation of Steepletop, the poet’s home from 1925 until her death in 1950.

Holly Peppe, Millay Board of Directors, said, "Preserving this land not only fulfills the conservation goals of the Edna St. Vincent Millay Society, but also continues the legacy of the poet herself, who called Steepletop ‘one of the loveliest places in the world.'"

The Millay Colony for the Arts hosts writers, visual artists, and composers for month-long residencies at the adjacent Colony.

Francis Murdock Pitts, president, Millay Colony for the Arts, said, “The Millay Colony for the Arts is enormously grateful for the opportunity provided by Governor Pataki and DEC to safeguard the land by keeping it in public hands. Beyond improved stewardship of this culturally and naturally significant site, the sale provides the Millay Colony an enhanced ability to meet its mission of providing assistance and programs for artists.”

The acquisitions will improve public access to Harvey Mountain State Forest, with substantial new road frontage on East Hill Road and State Route 22. The area is a popular recreational spot used for hiking, wildlife observation, hunting, trapping, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. The property is mostly wooded and will be managed for wildlife habitat, watershed protection, recreation, and timber resources.

Nutrients in Stormwater Feed Toxic Algae in Lakes

OLYMPIA, Washington, June 16, 2006 (ENS) - Following the deaths of two dogs after drinking from Anderson Lake in the Chimacum area of Jefferson County, the Department of Ecology is warning Washington residents to watch for toxic algae in the state's lakes.

The two dogs died after drinking lake water tainted with blue-green algae, according to Jefferson County health officials. Toxic blooms can occur in lakes and ponds nationwide.

"Unfortunately, as our lakes are developed and age, they are more prone to blue-green algae blooms," said Kathy Hamel, an aquatic weed specialist at Ecology. "While not all blooms turn toxic, many of them have the ability to do so and it can happen in a heartbeat."

Residents who live near lakes can help minimize algae growth by avoiding the use of lawn and garden fertilizers. Watering and rain can wash fertilizers out of the yard and garden and into the lake, which can cause nutrients to build up in the water.

Careless discarding of lawn clippings and yard debris near the lake will also cause excess nutrients to pollute the lake, agency officials said.

Blue-green algae, or Cyanobacteria, typically occur in lakes rich with nutrients like phosphate. The algae can multiply rapidly to form extensive blooms that can accumulate near shore as a thin bright green surface scum.

When a bloom dies, the water surface may become colored with a mixture of bright blue and white material, often mistaken for a paint spill. Some blue-green algae blooms may contribute to potential health and water quality problems.

Thread-like green algae is different from blue-green algae and is harmless, though some lake residents consider it to be a nuisance. Thread-like green algae feels slimy when handled and can be raked, while blue-green algae cannot be raked out of the water.

People should keep their pets and children out of the water when they see algae scum on the water's surface, Department of Ecology officials advise. While blue-green algae is most dangerous to pets, people can suffer health effects including intestinal discomfort or skin problems.

Anyone with concerns about a possible blue-green algae bloom in a lake should contact the local county health department.

Shoreline landscaping can have a major impact on swimming, boating and fishing in lakes. Toxins from stormwater runoff, pesticides and fertilizers can lower water quality, trigger algal blooms, kill fish and cause excess weed growth, Ecology officials point out.

A new website offered by the Department of Ecology gives pointers on creating "lake friendly" landscaping that reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers, helps filter harmful contaminants out of runoff before they pollute your lake, and helps control erosion.

On the website, Mary Jo Buza, of Thurston County Community and Environmental Programs suggests leaving some native vegetation along the shoreline instead of replacing it all with landscaping. If native vegetation is gone, Buza advises replanting native species of trees, shrubs and ground cover.

Native plants require fewer pesticides and fertilizers, and once established, need less water than exotic ornamental varieties, Buza says. Buffer areas created with native plants act as a natural filter system, trapping nutrients from stormwater runoff before they enter a lake. She suggests that lawn clippings and yard debris should be disposed of well away from lakes or nearby streams and wetlands.