• DOE Delays Plutonium Shipments to South Carolina
  
• U.S. - Russia Task Force Tackles Dirty Bombs
  
• House Defense Bill Approves Environmental Exemptions
  
• 10 Miles of California Coastline Protected
  
• Ship Pollution Treaty Headed for Ratification
  
• Fishing Buybacks Fail to Help Fisheries
  
• DEET Linked to Neurological Damage
  
• Week Long Survey Targets Davidson Seamount
  
• Cleaning Air Could Cost Just Pennies
  
• New York Bans Lead Sinker Sales
  

DOE Delays Plutonium Shipments to South Carolina

On Thursday, DOE spokesperson Joe Davis told the press that the agency will wait until at least June 15 before beginning shipments of surplus, weapons grade plutonium to the DOE's Savannah River Site.

"Given that the governor has elected to throw this matter into litigation, DOE believes that the best way to avoid undue delay in shipments is an expedited briefing schedule that will allow the court the opportunity to make an informed decision on the merits of the matter," Davis said.

South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges filed a lawsuit against the DOE on May 1, seeking a stay against any plutonium shipments until the agency completes environmental studies which Hodges charges the DOE has illegally disregarded.

The DOE plans to ship a total of 34 metric tons of plutonium from various DOE weapons facilities around the nation to the Savannah River Site, where it will be turned into mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for commercial nuclear power reactors.

The plutonium, pure enough to be used in nuclear weapons, is now located at Rocky Flats, at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, and at the PANTEX Facility in Amarillo, Texas. About 76 trailer loads of plutonium are expected to be shipped from Rocky Flats alone.

The DOE had told the governor that shipments from the former Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant outside Denver, Colorado would begin this month in order to meet a Congressionally mandated deadline for closing down the Rocky Flats facility.

The agency will now delay its shipments until after the first hearing in the governor's lawsuit, scheduled for June 13. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie will hear arguments regarding Hodges' request for a preliminary injunction which would bar the plutonium shipments until the lawsuit is settled.

Hodges has pledged to block the shipments, using state troopers to blockade roads if necessary, until he receives assurances that the plutonium will not be stored in South Carolina after it is processed, or remain in the state if the proposed conversion plant is never funded.

"That's good news for us that they've agreed to delay shipments," Hodges said after hearing of the DOE's delay. However, "all this does is move from May to June the day of reckoning," Hodges added.

U.S. - Russia Task Force Tackles Dirty Bombs

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced the agreement at a press conference Thursday with Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Alexander Rumyantsev in Washington DC.

"This effort will be a new logical extension of the work we are already doing together on protecting nuclear materials in the Russian Federation," Abraham said. He explained that radioactive material exists in many forms including medical isotopes, radiography sources and some sources of electric power, which make them "potentially attractive targets for theft" by terrorists.

During a meeting in Moscow last December, the two governments agreed to accelerate their work on protecting nuclear materials that could be used to make bombs.

"As a result of our agreement, we have intensified our efforts in Russia," Abraham said. "We now expect to complete the work of protecting some 600 tons of fissile material by 2008, a full two years earlier than we expected at this time last year."

"Nonetheless, September 11 has made clear to both Russia and the United States that more needed to be done," Abraham added. "Both countries have become concerned with radioactive materials that, while not capable of causing a nuclear explosion, would be very suitable for use in a so called 'dirty bomb,' or radiological dispersal device."

Dirty bombs would not cause devastating nuclear reactions, but they could spread radioactive materials over a large area, endangering the lives and health of thousands of people.

Abraham and Rumyantsev agreed to create a joint U.S.-Russian task force to start looking at the potential for nuclear materials to be stolen to create dirty bombs. Initial funding for the task force will come from the joint Materials Protection, Control and Accounting program.

The United States also is set to resume buying plutonium 238 from Russia, Abraham said, a material used as a power source in the U.S. space program.

The Abraham-Rumyantsev discussions in Washington, which lasted almost three days, were part of a series of cabinet level consultations in preparation for the upcoming Moscow-St. Petersburg summit between Presidents George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin.

House Defense Bill Approves Environmental Exemptions

With a 359-58 vote, the full House passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (HR 4546), which specifies funding for all branches of the U.S. military.

The bill also grants authority to the Secretary of Interior to issue permits to the military under the MBTA for the "accidental removal of migratory birds during military readiness activities." The provision could nullify several court rulings that have found military bombing and munitions training activities on bird nesting islands to be illegal.

Regarding the ESA, the House bill would prohibit designation of critical habitat for threatened and endangered species on military installations, as long as the military has already prepared a species management plan with federal and state authorities.

The measure also provides for the Interior Secretary to revise existing critical habitat designations to exclude military lands, "provided that redesignating the land would not result in harm to, or the extinction of, an endangered or threatened species."

"These exemptions are a potential disaster for migratory birds," said Perry Plumart, director of government relations for the National Audubon Society. "This legislation allows the indiscriminate shelling or bombing of birds in their nesting areas with no oversight or accountability. The overall effect is to exempt an enormous array of activities that can harm birds under the justification that they are related to training and military readiness."

The Audubon Society and other conservation groups argue that national security and military readiness do not require blanket exemptions from the nation's environmental laws. Opponents of the exemptions hope that the Democratically controlled Senate will eliminate the provisions from its version of the Defense budget.

10 Miles of California Coastline Protected

The Big Sur Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy announced their joint acquisition of the ranch on Thursday. The property extends southward from Carmel to the Los Padres National Forest and ranges from near sea level to over 3,000 feet in elevation.

"The Palo Corona Ranch is the gateway to Big Sur," said Corey Brown, executive director of The Big Sur Land Trust. "Millions of people from throughout the world travel alongside this property each year when they visit the internationally renowned Big Sur Coast.

Along with its native plants and wildlife, the Palo Corona Ranch's strategic location made it a prime target for conservation groups. The ranch links up 13 other properties that have already been protected, including Point Lobos State Reserve, Carmel River State Beach, Garrapata State Park, Hatton Canyon State Park, Joshua Creek Canyon Ecological Reserve, Los Padres National Forest, the Ventana Wilderness, and several additional properties that were protected by The Big Sur Land Trust.

Biologists favor connecting protected areas to allow wildlife to migrate.

"This outstanding conservation purchase means that internationally significant natural resources will be preserved, including vital wildlife corridors and a tremendous diversity of wildlife habitats," said Al Wright, executive officer of the California Wildlife Conservation Board.

The Palo Corona Ranch includes most of the former Fish Ranch and seven other properties acquired since 1996 by former landowner Craig McCaw, a pioneer in the cellular telephone business. When McCaw decided not to build a home on the ranch, he chose to sell the property to a buyer who would not develop it and would manage it to preserve its outstanding ecological features.

"I am thrilled that The Big Sur Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy have acquired the Palo Corona Ranch," said McCaw. "I worked to assemble this majestic resource with the hope that it would be protected forever."

The Big Sur Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy used interim loans to meet McCaw's $38 million selling price. The groups plan to sell the land to the state of California and to a regional park district, which will protect the ranch as wilderness and park land.

"Acquiring the Palo Corona Ranch enhances California's wildlands and provides recreational opportunities for millions of Californians, not only for our generation but for all generations to come," said Bill Leahy, director of The Nature Conservancy's Monterey Project. "The Palo Corona Ranch contains superb examples of redwood and Monterey pine forests, as well as mountain lions, eagles, and steelhead trout, natural treasures all protected in one special place forever."

Ship Pollution Treaty Headed for Ratification

The 1997 treaty, known as MARPOL Annex VI, would be transmitted by the president to the U.S. Senate for its advice and consent to ratification. Following transmittal, the administration would work with Congress on new legislation to implement the treaty.

The original MARPOL treaty, which in general regulates disposal of wastes generated by ships, was drafted and signed in 1973. It is administered by the International Maritime Organization in London.

Annex VI of the treaty, covering ship air emissions, would help achieve U.S. air quality goals by, among other things, reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides from certain marine diesel engines up to 30 percent from 1990 levels, and establishing a global cap of 4.5 percent on the sulfur oxides content of marine fuels.

The treaty would ban the deliberate release of ozone depleting substances including halons, chlorofluocarbons and volatile organic substances from ships.

These regulations can not go into force until the national legislatures of 15 nations, representing half of the world's shipping tonnage, ratify the agreement. So far, just five nations, representing only 16 percent of the world shipping fleet, have ratified the agreement.

The State Department says that while the Bush administration intends to move forward toward ratification of the treaty, it will also seek to strengthen the treaty's standards for nitrogen oxides emissions, taking into account the emission reduction potential of control technologies developed since 1997.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for setting U.S. standards for air emissions from large marine engines under the Clean Air Act. On April 30, the EPA issued a proposed rule that would implement U.S. nitrogen oxides standards based on those in Annex VI.

The proposed new rules resulted from a lawsuit settlement reached in 2001 by the Bluewater Network, represented by Earthjustice, challenging EPA's failure to set any standard for smog forming ship emissions under the Clean Air Act.

But the Bluewater Network calls the EPA's proposed rule "a sham regulation that will force public health and environmental groups back to court." The EPA measure would not affect foreign flagged ships in U.S. ports, or require retrofitting of existing marine engines.

Fishing Buybacks Fail to Help Fisheries

In a report released last month, the GAO examines the budget implications of certain reforms which the GAO has recommended in the past, but which the federal government has not adopted. Among those reforms is the overhaul or elimination of buyback programs for fishing permits, vessels and related gear.

The programs are supposed to provide an economic incentive for fishers to stop fishing in a particular region, or for a particular fish type, to reduce fishing capacity and relieve pressure on overfished stocks. Since 1995, the federal government has provided $140 million for these buyback programs.

Because overfishing is a continuing problem in many fisheries, several additional buybacks have been proposed that, if implemented, would cost more than $250 million.

The GAO found that buyback programs in the three fisheries it evaluated "removed from 10 to 24 percent of their respective fishing capacities."

"However, the experiences of these three cases demonstrate that the long term effectiveness of buyback programs depends upon whether previously inactive fishermen or buyback beneficiaries return to the fishery," the GAO noted.

For example, while 79 boats were sold to the government in the New England groundfish buyback, 62 previously inactive boats have begun catching groundfish since the project began. Several participants in the program used the buyback funds to buy new boats and return to the fishery.

"Buyback programs by themselves do not address the root cause of excess fishing capacity, that being the ongoing incentives fishermen have to invest in larger or better equipped fishing vessels in order to catch fish before someone else does," the GAO concluded.

The full report is available at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d02576.pdf

DEET Linked to Neurological Damage

A Duke University Medical Center pharmacologist is recommending caution when using the insecticide DEET, after his animal studies last year found the chemical causes diffuse brain cell death and behavioral changes in rats after frequent and prolonged use

Mohamed Abou-Donia, PhD has called for further government testing of the chemical's safety in short term and occasional use, particularly in view of Health Canada's recent decision to ban products with more than 30 percent of the chemical.

Every year, about one-third of the U.S. population uses insect repellents containing DEET, available in more than 230 products with concentrations up to 100 percent. While the chemical's risks to humans are still being intensely debated, Abou-Donia says his 30 years of research on pesticides' brain effects indicate the need for caution among the general public.

His numerous studies in rats, two of them published last year, demonstrate that frequent and prolonged applications of DEET cause neurons to die in regions of the brain that control muscle movement, learning, memory and concentration. Rats treated with an average human dose of DEET - 40 milligrams per kilogram body weight - performed far worse than control rats when challenged with physical tasks requiring muscle control, strength and coordination.

Such effects are consistent with physical symptoms in humans reported in the medical literature, such as those experienced by some Gulf War veterans, said Abou-Donia.

"If used sparingly, infrequently and by itself, DEET may not have negative effects - the literature here isn't clear," Abou-Donia said. "But frequent and heavy use of DEET, especially in combination with other chemicals or medications, could cause brain deficits in vulnerable populations."

Children are at particular risk for subtle brain changes caused by chemicals in the environment, because their skin more readily absorbs them, and chemicals may affect their developing nervous systems, said Abou-Donia.

Preparations like insecticide based lice killing shampoos and insect repellents are assumed to be safe because severe consequences are rare in the medical literature. Yet subtle symptoms, such as muscle weakness, fatigue or memory lapses, might be attributed to other causes in error, Abou-Donia said.

"The take home message is to be safe and cautious when using insecticides," said Abou-Donia. "Never use insect repellents on infants, and be wary of using them on children in general. Never combine insecticides with each other or use them with other medications. Even so simple a drug as an antihistamine could interact with DEET to cause toxic side effects. Don't spray your yard for bugs and then take medications. Until we have more data on potential interactions in humans, safe is better than sorry."

Week Long Survey Targets Davidson Seamount

Biologically rich deep sea mountains called seamounts provide productive feeding grounds for everything from fishes to sharks, albatrosses and sperm whales. They may be home to vast fields of sponges and forests of centuries old corals, deep water relatives of the tropical corals.

But by and large, little is known about what lives on the slopes of these ancient undersea volcanoes. In a one week survey starting May 17, the secrets of one seamount will begin to be revealed.

Based on a preliminary survey of the seamount conducted in May 2000 by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), scientists expect both biological and geological surprises from the Davidson Seamount, just outside the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The public can share their daily discoveries online at: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02davidson/davidson.html

The researchers will use a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to take their closest look ever at the 2,300 meter (7,874 foot) high underwater mountain - the first deep sea feature to be formally categorized as a seamount.

The interdisciplinary team of explorers will include geologists, marine biologists, educators and resource managers. They will be studying the living creatures found on and around the seamount, taking geological samples and mapping the 40 kilometer (25 mile) long seamount.

"Seamounts are biological hot spots in the world's oceans," De Vogelaere said. "Because they're distant from shore and in deep water, they haven't been heavily exploited - yet. We're eager to bring new scientific tools to the project, and to use the website to reach the public as we're making discoveries about this unique and special place."

Some deep water animals could be collected and become part of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's living deep sea exhibit, "Mysteries of the Deep."

"The expedition may also help shape ocean policy," De Vogelaere said. "If seamounts are as biologically rich as we believe, what we find could show that they're in need of special protection."

Cleaning Air Could Cost Just Pennies

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency, National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service examined the monetary benefits and costs of implementing emissions control strategies developed by the Southern Appalachian Mountains Initiative (SAMI) and found improved public health and visibility in national parks could be inexpensive.

"For pennies a day, children could breathe easier and haze could be lifted in places like Great Smoky Mountains National Park," said Thomas Kiernan, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) president. "It's staggering to think such a small amount of money could significantly improve conditions in some of our most polluted national parks."

In their report, "Impacts of the SAMI Strategies: An Independent Analysis of the Benefits and Economic Impacts," the three agencies estimate implementing the most stringent emissions control strategy SAMI outlined would result in a $12 per year increase in the electric bill of the average household, if all costs were passed on to consumers.

The most rigorous SAMI strategy would cut healthcare costs associated with respiratory illnesses such as asthma and cut agriculture loss from reduced tree growth. In their analysis of a strategy controlling only one pollutant - fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) - the agencies estimate 8,000 fewer premature deaths and 16,000 fewer cases of acute bronchitis in children, with economic benefits ranging from $36 billion to $68 billion a year.

"The EPA report is good news for the 33 million people in the Southeast who live in counties with unhealthy, smoggy air," said Michael Shore, southeast air quality manager for the conservation group Environmental Defense. "Cost can no longer be used as an excuse to avoid cutting pollution from power plants."

SAMI, a voluntary partnership created in 1992 to address regional air pollution concerns, generated an assessment of some of the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of air pollution ranging from visibility impairment to mortality rates. The state and federal government representatives, participants from industrial sectors, and environmental groups that compose SAMI worked to "remedy existing and prevent future adverse effects from human induced air pollution" in national parks and wilderness areas in the Southeast.

"This report helps us understand that the benefits of a healthy environment almost always outweigh the initial costs," said Don Barger, southeast regional director for the NPCA.

New York Bans Lead Sinker Sales

"The toxic effects of lead sinkers are a threat to waterfowl, especially loons, and these new restrictions will help protect birds and other wildlife," said Governor George Pataki, who signed the bill Wednesday. "Fishing is a popular sport in all areas of New York and this law will promote responsible fishing through the use of non-toxic sinkers."

The law bans retail sales of lead fishing sinkers weighing one-half ounce or less. Fishing sinkers are small devices anglers often attach to a fishing line to sink the line below the surface of the water.

Lead sinkers that are lost or become detached from a fishing line are often mistaken for food or grit by waterbirds such as ducks, geese, swans, gulls and loons. Birds ingesting lead sinkers may become sick or die from lead poisoning, or may behave strangely due to toxic effects of the shot, increasing their risk of death from exposure or predators.

For the past several years, DEC has notified anglers of the potential threat to waterfowl from the use of lead sinkers and the availability of non-lead alternatives. Fishers will be allowed to continue using lead sinkers they already own, or reuse sinkers found on shore.

"Sportsmen and women strongly support this measure to prevent waterfowl and other wildlife from being accidentally injured by lead sinkers," said Howard Cushing, president of the New York State Conservation League. "By banning lead sinkers at the point of sale, this will allow stakeholders to pick up and recycle any lead sinkers they find on shores without violating the law."

Many of New York's neighboring states also banned the sale and/or use of lead sinkers, which is expected to limit the availability of these sinkers and promote production and sale of non-lead alternatives.

"This new law is a triumph of cooperation between environmentalists, anglers and committed lawmakers, all of whom were needed to secure the legislature's and governor's approval for the lead sinker ban," said Bernard Melewski, acting executive director of the Adirondack Council. Working together, we will have saved the lives of thousands of loons, herons, swans, geese and other water birds by the end of the decade, and thousands more as the generations pass."