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AmeriScan: May 1, 2006

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Federal Agencies Issue Joint Strategy to Cut Fire Risk

WASHINGTON, DC, May 1, 2006 (ENS) - With wildfire season looming, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have released a new joint strategy for addressing hazardous fuels to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires on more than 180 million acres of public forests, woodlands and rangelands.

In the joint strategy released Friday, two techniques are given for reducing flammable materials on public lands - burning and cutting.

The report, "Protecting People and Natural Resources: A Cohesive Fuels Treatment Strategy," outlines a coordinated approach to fuels treatment adopted by the five major federal land management agencies - the Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service; and the Agriculture Department's Forest Service.

"Fires in public forests and rangelands threaten people, communities and natural resources in ways never before seen in the nation’s history, with estimates of millions of acres of federal lands at risk from unusually severe fires," said Tom Weimer, assistant secretary of the interior for policy, management and budget.

"Because the geographic scope of the potential fire-fuels problem is enormous, a coordinated federal approach is absolutely essential for reducing and combating this threat," Weimer said.

The strategy calls for first priority to be given to the wildland urban interface areas where there is the greatest threat to human life and property. These are areas where there has been a rapid increase in the number of people building homes and communities in and near forests, woodlands, shrub lands and grasslands.

Outside these areas, priority is given to reducing fuels in areas where dense, over-grown vegetation is most likely to support catastrophic fires, especially where important watersheds or wildlife habitat is at risk.

"The past five years have highlighted the importance of addressing wildland fire effects on people and natural resources. We have joined with our federal and state partners and local communities to increase fire suppression capacity, treat hazardous fuels and help communities increase their capacity to reduce losses from wildfires," said Under Secretary of Agriculture Mark Rey.

The agencies say that many forests have unprecedented levels of flammable materials, including underbrush, needles and leaves. Trees in tightly packed forests are smaller, weaker, and more susceptible to insects and diseases. "These forests form huge reservoirs of fuel awaiting ignition, and pose an even more significant threat when drought is a factor," they say.

Since the late 1990s, federal agencies have more than doubled their annual efforts to reduce hazardous fuels and more than 60 percent of that program is focused in and around communities at risk to wildland fire.

Critics of the government's hazardous fuels treatment program point to the 40 percent that is not focused on communities. They say the logging components of the program strip remote forests of commercial valuable trees without regard for their contribution to the potential of wildland fires.

Some conservationists believe fires are a natural part of the growth cycle of healthy forests.

Across the West, we’re spending tens of millions of dollars every year on huge efforts to put fires out in the back country away from communities. But decades of Smokey the Bear policy of suppressing wildfire is in part why our forests are in trouble," said Randi Spivak, executive director of American Lands Alliance on April 7. Spivak was commenting on a California court ruling that the Forest Service must involve the public, consider alternatives, and disclose environmental impacts as it decides how and when to use or suppress fires on national forests.

"Forests need fire like soil, sun and rain. We need to invest resources up front to protect communities at risk from forest fires and we then we need to create conditions in which fire can safely return to its essential role in maintaining ecosystem health," Spivak said.

Without expanding the ability of the private sector to remove biomass from public lands, we cannot address the excessive fuels problem in a timely and efficient way, the agencies say in their strategy. "As a contract work force and as consumers of biomass removed during fuels treatments, the private sector plays a fundamental role in the program." The administration has streamlined contracting procedures, publicized the availability of biomass, and if Congress approves, will launch an expanded contracting program.

From 2001-2005, federal land management agencies treated a total of 15 million acres for hazardous fuels. By the end of FY 2006, that total will approach 20 million acres. As to the effectiveness of its treatments, the agencies point to a February wildfire in Arizona that was more easily contained because it burned into an area where hazardous fuels had been removed.

The report, "Protecting People and Natural Resources: A Cohesive Fuels Treatment Strategy" is online at: www.fireplan.gov

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Colorado Groups File Formal Protest of Oil and Gas Lease Sales

CRAIG, Colorado, May 1, 2006 (ENS) - The city of Craig, residents, and citizens from northwestern Colorado are making a last-ditch effort to protect the area’s special places and a critical water supply by asking the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to remove wild and important places from the May 11 oil and gas drilling lease sale.

Groups filed formal protests April 26 asking the BLM to remove selected parcels from the sale.

The May lease sale will be one of the largest on record for Colorado, and includes more land than all four sales for 2005 combined – 191,000 acres for 2005 versus the over 195,000 acres slated for sale on May 11.

"Colorado has experienced this before, where oil and gas companies come in change our landscape and then move on regardless of the impacts to our public lands and area residents," said Jane Yazzie, a Craig area resident. "BLM’s prudent course would be to remove parcels from the sale that would negatively impact our water, recreation and tourist industry, quality of life, and the area’s wilderness quality lands and wildlife habitat."

For sale are parcels that the City of Craig plans to develop for recreational opportunities as well as parcels near Elkhead Reservoir and drainage basin - an emergency source of drinking water for the City of Craig.

"Water is as good as gold in arid Colorado," said Pete Kolbenschlag of Colorado Environmental Coalition, objecting to the inclusion of portions of the Elkhead Reservoir basin in the upcoming lease sale. "As northwest Colorado continues to grow we can’t afford to put our water supply in jeopardy just to benefit the oil and gas industry."

Tens of thousands of acres of public lands that are currently undergoing Resource Management Plan (RMP) revisions are up for sale, including the Little Snake Resource Area – Pinion Ridge. This federal public process provides management guidelines for public lands.

The primary purpose of the plan revision is to determine the management prescriptions for future oil and gas development, if any, and to consider new protective measures for the area’s resources.

"BLM is currently considering no leasing alternatives to protect the backcountry in Pinion Ridge through the current planning process. In fact, a draft is due out this summer, but yet, BLM has slated this area for lease in the upcoming sale," said Reed Morris of the Colorado Wilderness Network. "BLM is supposedly taking public comment on the future of the area, but if the lease sale goes forward as is, Pinion Ridge will go from a sportsman’s playground to an oil and gas field."

The groups point out that the BLM seems to have missed the fact the one of the parcels listed for sale falls within the Colorado State Parks Elkhead Reservoir Recreation Master Plan.

Recreation is big business in northwestern Colorado. According to the BLM 2003 report, "Public Rewards from Public Lands," of the 67.8 million recreation visitor days on BLM-managed lands, nearly 30 million were spent camping and picnicking, over seven million hunting or fishing, nearly five million in interpretation, education, and viewing public land resources, nearly six million in nonmotorized travel, and nearly five million in specialized non-motor sports, events, and activities.

"Hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts come to our area because of the recreational opportunities it offers. Our natural resources are the city of Craig’s biggest asset," said Wes McStay, a northwest Colorado rancher. "I’m just not sure how a rush to drill provides any real long-term benefits to local residents. What happens when the oil and gas companies leave?"

Also at issue in this lease sale are 20 parcels in Rio Blanco County that are managed as a reintroduction and recovery site for black-footed ferrets. Despite the recommendations of local BLM officials and biologists to defer leasing in this area, all of the Wolf Creek Management Area for black-footed ferret recovery is offered up in this sale.

"After two decades of hard work and the expenditure of millions of dollars of private and public money, the black-footed ferret remains in a very precarious position," said Dr. Rich Reading, director of conservation biology at the Denver Zoological Foundation. "It makes no sense to throw another major challenge at this critically endangered species just as we are beginning to see progress toward recovery."

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Tighter Standards, More Flexibility for Large Municipal Incinerators

WASHINGTON, DC, May 1, 2006 (ENS) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a new tougher rule Friday for large municipal waste combustors (MWC) units. Large MWC units are those that burn more than 250 tons per day of municipal solid waste - about the contents of 25 garbage trucks.

The stricter limits are applied to new source performance standards (NSPS) and emissions guidelines.

For toxic emissions of dioxins and furans 30 to 35 nanograms were allowed per dry standard cubic meter - now the standard is only 13.

For cadmium, a toxic heavy metal, 35 micrograms were allowed per dry standard cubic meter - now the standard is 10.

For lead, 400 micrograms were allowed - now the standard is 140.

For particulate matter, the standard is tightened from 25 milligrams to 20 milligrams per dry standard cubic meter

Mercury emissions remain at 50 micrograms per dry standard cubic meter.

These revised limits reflect the emission control levels achieved by large MWCs as a result of maximum achievable control technology (MACT) retrofits completed in 2000. After installing and operating these required controls, large MWCs achieved emissions reductions better than expected. These final amendments will ensure that these air emissions levels are maintained, the EPA said.

For both the emission guidelines and NSPS, the compliance testing provisions have been revised to require increased data availability from continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS). The revisions require CEMS to generate at least 95 percent data availability on a calendar year basis and at least 90 percent data availability on a calendar quarter basis.

The emission guidelines and NSPS have also been revised to allow the optional use of CEMS to monitor particulate matter and mercury.

EPA also is finalizing several changes to the rules that the agency says will simplify implementation.

Now, a provisionally certified control room operator is allowed to stand in for only 12 hours without notifying EPA; for up to two weeks if EPA is notified; and longer if EPA is notified and the MWC owner demonstrates to EPA that a good faith effort is being made to find a certified operator.

When the new rule takes effect, a provisionally certified operator who is newly promoted or recently transferred to a shift supervisor position or chief facility operator position can serve up to six months without notifying the EPA before taking the American Society of Mechanical Engineer’s certification test.

The new rule waives operating parameter limits during the annual mercury performance test and during the two weeks preceding the test.

The rule adds flexibility to the annual compliance testing schedule so that a facility tests once per calendar year, but no less than nine months and no more than 15 months since the previous test. The revision provides flexibility to facilities that are facing scheduled and unscheduled outages, or adverse local weather conditions.

The new rule, found online at: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg, takes effect 180 days after publication in the Federal Register.

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RIMPAC Sonar Likely Cause of 2004 Kauai Whale Stranding

WASHINGTON, DC, May 1, 2006 (ENS) - More than 150 melon-headed whales that stranded on a Kauai beach on July 3, 2004 were likely disoriented by sonar emitted by U.S. Navy vessels, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a final report on the incident issued Thursday.

The U.S. Navy was conducting RIMPAC sonar exercises off the coast of Hawaii on July 2 and 3, 2004.

"Sound propagation models suggest that sonar transmissions were likely detectable over a large area around Kauai for many hours on the day prior to the stranding, as well as within Hanalei Bay when the animals were there," said Brandon Southall, NOAA Fisheries Service's Acoustics Program Director.

"Active sonar transmissions on the 2nd and 3rd of July are a plausible, if not likely, contributing factor to the animals entering and remaining in the bay," the NOAA report states.

At the time of the stranding, the Navy was conducting RIMPAC exercises in the area, and the NOAA Fisheries Service formally requested that the Navy suspend its activities temporarily, in hopes that the whales would move farther out to sea. The Navy cooperated and ceased operations of its active sonar, and the stranding network moved the animals out of the bay.

"This event happened very quickly and the response to assist these animals was outstanding," said Bill Hogarth, NOAA Fisheries Service director. "There was a successful team effort to get these whales out of the bay. Following this event we have carefully completed the analyses of the necropsy results to determine the cause for this stranding."

Usually found in deep water, the whales swam into the shallow waters of Hanalei Bay on Kauai's north shore. The NOAA Fisheries Service notified the local marine mammal stranding network, and placed veterinarians and a response team onsite to assist the whales.

The response team used canoes and kayaks to form a flotilla and gently urge the whales back to open water. The whales were successfully moved out of the bay, with the exception of a single young calf that was found dead on July 5, 2004.

NOAA said a full necropsy did not yield a cause of death for the calf. "Results from the necropsy of the calf suggest that it died as a result of malnutrition, dehydration and stranding-related stress. We don't know why the calf was malnourished or left behind when the group was herded out of the bay," said Teri Rowles, NOAA Fisheries Service's lead marine mammal veterinarian and lead author of the report.

The U.S. Navy last week applied for a permit to again use sonar in Hawaiian waters during another RIMPAC exercise this summer. The Navy says it will turn off the sonar if marine mammals are spotted in the area of the exercises.

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Volunteers Plant Hundreds of Large Trees on National Arbor Day

TRENTON, New Jersey, May 1, 2006 (ENS) - New Jersey state and local officials celebrated Arbor Day Friday by planting 80 large shade trees and 300 shrubs and perennials at Paramus High School in Bergen County.

Governor Jon Corzine joined Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Lisa Jackson and representatives of the DEP's Community Forestry Program, the New Jersey Community Forestry Council, and the New Jersey Tree Foundation in the tree planting. More than 300 volunteers planted trees on a two-acre site at the school.

"Arbor Day offers us an opportunity to renew our commitment to planting and caring for trees in New Jersey so that our residents and future generations can appreciate the beauty and immeasurable value they bring to our lives," Governor Corzine said.

The trees and shrubs planted today are part of a $78,000 grassroots environmental project for Paramus High School funded by Westfield Corporation and United Kingdom-based Prudential plc, joint owners of Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus. Once completed, the land will feature walking trails, benches and vegetation to be used by the school and the Paramus community.

"We celebrate trees and honor the people who are devoted to their care for many good reasons," Jackson said. "Trees significantly improve the quality of life in New Jersey's communities, particularly in our urban areas. Not only do they make our neighborhoods more attractive, trees keep our air cleaner and cooler, help filter pollutants before they reach our waterways and reduce noise and erosion."

The DEP presented Tree City USA awards to communities marking their 30th, 25th, 20th and 1st anniversaries and the prestigious Joyce Kilmer Award, which honors individuals who have demonstrated a strong commitment to New Jersey's community forests.

Recipients of the Joyce Kilmer Award this year are William Comery, superintendent of the Paramus Shade Tree and Parks Commission and president of the New Jersey Shade Tree Federation, and Connie Wagner, Borough of Paramus Council member and educator.

Sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, the Tree City USA awards recognize cities, counties and military bases that have developed a comprehensive tree management program. In New Jersey, 145 communities have earned Tree City USA status - the largest number in the Northeast.

Ten cities received grants from The Home Depot Foundation for Arbor Day celebrations. On Friday, the National Arbor Day Foundation held tree planting events in Albany, Boston, Dallas, Phoenix, and Reno funded by Home Depot Foundation grants. About 100 large trees were planted in each location.

On April 25, Shaklee Corporation welcomed 2004 Nobel Peace laureate Wangari Maathai to its corporate headquarters in Pleasanton, California for a special tree planting ceremony to celebrate Shaklee's 50th anniversary global environmental initiative, "A Million Trees. A Million Dreams."

Roger Barnett, chairman and CEO of Shaklee, thanked Dr. Maathai for her groundbreaking work with the Green Belt Movement in Kenya and for providing the inspiration for the environmental campaign. Barnett presented the tree planting pioneer with a check for $100,000 to plant one million trees in Kenya through the Green Belt Movement.

National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April, but many states observe Arbor Day on different dates according to their best tree-planting times.

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Corvallis Celebrates Green Power Community Status

CORVALLIS, Oregon, May 1, 2006 (ENS) - Corvallis today attained the distinction of being named the first Green Power Community on the West Coast by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The city of Moab, Utah became the first Green Power Community in 2004, and Boulder, Colorado achieved this status in 2005.

"While other communities are beginning to buy green power to support clean, renewable sources of electricity, Corvallis is the first Northwest community to join the Green Power Partnership and purchase clean energy at a level high enough to meet the program’s requirements," said Matt Clouse, director of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership.

Clouse presented two colorful road signs to Corvallis City Council members today with the words, "Welcome to a Green Power Community – we exceed EPA guidelines for buying clean, renewable energy."

Green Power Communities are a new type of partner for EPA’s Green Power Partnership, which provides assistance and recognition to organizations that demonstrate environmental leadership by choosing green power.

Green Power Communities are recognized by EPA’s Green Power Partnership for having area homes, businesses, organizations and local governments that purchase renewable energy.

If the community uses 100,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of power two percent must be generated by renewable sources of energy; between 100,000 and 10,000 MWh, three percent must be renewable; and under 10,000 MWh, six percent must be renewable.

At a gathering of Corvallis business leaders and citizens this afternoon, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski said, "Oregonians want a bright future with clear skies that is fueled by clean, renewable energy, and today we have the opportunity to honor the citizens of Corvallis who are leading not only the state, but the entire West Coast to make this vision a reality. With partners in the business community, state and local governments, the federal government, and individual citizens, Oregon can and will be a national leader in renewable energy use and production. Today represents another step in that direction."

Congresswoman Darlene Hooley told the gathering that working for cleaner air is one issue all Oregonians can agree upon. "Buying renewable power is something we can do together to support the growing wind power industry in our region and help reduce greenhouse gases," Hooley said. "I’m so proud of Corvallis for achieving this EPA designation as a result of their efforts to foster sustainable energy solutions. Corvallis is always a leader in supporting innovative ideas to preserve our environment."

Corvallis ranks first among Oregon cities for the percentage of customers supporting renewable energy through an optional renewable energy program – Pacific Power’s Blue Sky.

There are 2,811 households and 93 businesses enrolled in the Blue Sky program, which accounts for nearly 12.5 percent of the company’s customer base in the Corvallis area. The city itself purchases 75,000 kilowatt-hours of Blue Sky wind energy each month.

Pacific Power President Stan Watters said the Blue Sky program supports local wind farm development. "We recently purchased 40,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy credits from the Nine Canyon Wind Project on the Oregon-Washington border on behalf of our Blue Sky customers," he said.

Green-powered organizations in Corvallis include Fortune 500 companies such as Hewlett-Packard and FedEx Kinko’s, as well as small businesses such as Harrison House B&B and Riverside Window and Door. Citizens who want their power to come from clean, renewable sources also are buying into the Blue Sky program.

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Biodiesel Cars for Rent in Three States

PORTLAND, Oregon, May 1, 2006 (ENS) - Oregon, California and Hawaii now have companies offering rental car customers diesel vehicles that burn plant-based biodiesel. The fuel burns 95 percent cleaner than petroleum diesel.

The company that will "pick you up" is picking up biodiesel. Enterprise Rent-A-Car has announced a program to offer diesel Jeep Liberties to its rental customers in the Portland, Oregon, area. One of its branches has acquired five of the vehicles and is offering customers this environmentally friendly rental option.

"We have heard from a number of our customers that they have a keen interest in alternative fuels," said Kevin Neary, vice president and general manager for Enterprise’s Oregon operations. "We’re very pleased to respond by offering these biodiesel SUVs to consumers who may be checking out biodiesel as they look into purchasing their next vehicle, or who just want to experience these vehicles for themselves."

The Liberty CRDs rented from the 1623 West Burnside Street location will have a full tank of B20, which is available at SeQuential stations around Portland. A brochure from SeQuential containing addresses and directions to biodiesel filling stations will be provided to customers when they rent the vehicle.

"This pilot program will help raise awareness of the availability of biodiesel fuel and, we hope, drive further consumer demand for this cleaner burning alternative," said Tyson Keever, managing partner of SeQuential Biofuels LLC.

Based on demand for the biodiesel vehicles, Neary said, more may be added to the local Enterprise fleet this summer. Portland area customers can call to reserve these vehicles at 503-220-8200.

Meanwhile, Bio-Beetle, a Volkswagen rental company fueling its vehicles with B100, has expanded to mainland United States.

The company based on the island of Maui, Hawaii recently opened its second location in Los Angeles, California. The company rents diesel Beetles, Jettas and Passats.

Shaun Stenshol, Bio-Beetle founder and president says the company slogan is, "Give the planet a vacation the next time you take one."

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