Environmental

Recent Posts

Irrigation could be cooling the Midwest
Posted on 22 Apr 2010 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

By Thomas H. Clarke, Jr. Many past entries have noted the complexity of global climate change issues, and the extent to which key issues are and are not well understood. Past entries have also noted the necessity of examining the entire "picture"... Read More

Tags: precipitation , rainfall , irrigation , Climate Change , humid air , summer temperatures , Great Plains , global warming

California sets forth indicators of disproportionate impacts of climate change on environmental justice communities
Posted on 5 Jan 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

To assist Cal-EPA with the examination of potential environmental justice concerns associated with climate change, Cal-EPA requested the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) [best known for its role in setting drinking water related... Read More

Tags: green house gases , watersheds , environmental justice , water tables , biology , carbon dioxide , rainfall , economic loss , Green Buildings , Emerging Issues , drinking water , Water Supply , global temperatures , Climate Change , snow , cost , environment , wildfires , Climate Change/Environmental , logging , carbon footprint , mammals , effects , low income , floods , water shortages , causation , Clean Air Act , storms , water sheds , snowfall , glaciers , farm workers , ocean , CO2 , forest , air pollution , Air Quality , indicators , minority , weather , oceans , color , greenhouse gases , energy , global warming , methane

Rivers are discovered in the atmosphere, and they can convey a lot of water
Posted on 24 Mar 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

As I look out the window and once again view the downpours that have impacted California for months, it seems appropriate to describe one of the more interesting discoveries of the last decade, rivers in the atmosphere. Think of it as the "Pineapple... Read More

Tags: downpours , rainfall , cause , atmosphere , floods , atmospheric rivers , storms , water , H2O , transport , global warming

Ninth Circuit rules that owners of storm water systems (e.g., cities, counties, districts) are liable for discharges of polluted stormwater into rivers and ocean
Posted on 11 Mar 2011 by Thomas H. Clarke, Jr.

It is well known that stormwater gathers a variety of pollutants as it flows across the landscape and even through stormwater drainage systems. See, for example, http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=6 and http://www.epa.gov/owow_keep/NPS/index... Read More

Tags: bacteria , E. coli , contaminants , oil pollution , hazardous , toxicity , stormwater , rainfall , liability , pollution , creeks , aquifers , Hazardous Waste , water treatment , CWA , wastewater , rivers , environmental law , contaminant , Water Quality , storms , storm water runoff , water , weather , waste , systems , Clean Water Act , clean water , standards