Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Assessing The Relationships Between The Spatial Variation In Land-Use Spatial Patterns And Surface Water Quality, Majed A. Khater

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the association between the spatial patterns of urban land uses and surface water quality parameters at the watershed outlet. The aim of the study was to understand the strength and nature of this relationship, and examine new methods of classifying and quantifying contributing urban land-uses and their spatial patterns. The hypothesis of this research was: in an urban watershed, the variation in the spatial patterns of contributing land uses will have a significant impact on the surface water quality parameters at the watershed outlet.

This relationship between urbanization and water quality is …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Company's Online Health And Safety Training Program By Assessing Its Employees Perceptions And Knowledge., Jo Nell Maynard Mullins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate a company’s online H & S training program. The ABC Company’s online 8-hr HAZWOPER refresher course is based on current OSHA standard topics required for certification and principles flexible to fit site- or task-specific situations and conditions.

An 18-question survey was used to evaluate employee perceptions of online training compared to traditional classroom training. Perceptions were compared by demographic variables (e.g. gender, position, race, age and longevity with the ABC Company), which suggested that only age had an influence on employee response. Fifty-five percent of the employees surveyed preferred online training as compared …

Valuing Wildfire Risk Mitigation In Kyle Canyon, Nevada, James P. O'Brien

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The federal government lists Kyle Canyon, Nevada, as an at-risk wildland-urban interface community. Stakeholders' attitudes and preferences about wildfires and mitigation options were assessed through a survey. 541 surveys were sent and 107 returned. More than a majority of stakeholders report the chances of wildfire occurrence as very likely. Stakeholders demonstrate consensus in reporting high concern about wildfire potential for Kyle Canyon, Nevada. Fire fighters assign the greatest responsibility for mitigating wildfire risks to Clark County, Nevada, and the federal government, while resident property owners do not assign responsibility consistently to any particular group. Trimming is the most favored mitigation …

Using A Systems Dynamics Approach To Determine What Can Be Done To Minimize Ozone Production, Jusdi Mcdonald

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Ground level ozone is an air pollutant that affects people of all ages and origins in many urban areas including the Las Vegas Valley. The purpose of this study is to examine the best strategy to minimize tropospheric ozone generation through using a system dynamics approach via LUTAQ is used to formulate a solution to the reduction of ozone in the Clark County non-attainment area. By increasing housing density, decreasing average distance per trip, and decrease average number of trips per person per day is the most effective strategies to improving ozone levels in Las Vegas Valley.

Streamlining The National Environmental Policy Act Reporting Requirements: A Hard Look At The Healthy Forests Initiative, Jeffrey Alan Geller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has implemented the Healthy Forests Initiative (HFI) (2002), which streamlines the NEPA process for proposed forest fuel reduction projects. A key question is whether the USFS’s streamlined NEPA process produces an adequate environmental document and fulfills regulatory requirements. This thesis evaluates whether the streamlined approach practiced by the USFS under the HFI satisfies the NEPA requirements. A review of four streamlined documents assesses whether these requirements are met. The following NEPA requirements in particular are explored for each project to determine whether the NEPA requirements are met: consideration of a reasonable range of alternatives to …

An Evaluation Of Tennessee's Early Action Compacts To Achieve Compliance With New Ozone Standards: A Dynamic Analysis Of Reduction Strategies To Decrease Tropospheric Ozone Formation, Christopher W. Hayes

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

On June 19, 2002, the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) endorsed the Early Action Compact (EAC), a mechanism designed to aid potential nonattainment areas throughout the United States to comply with the new 8-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set for ground-level ozone. Under the Compact, local areas will have the flexibility to design and implement ozone reduction control measures specific to the area's needs. The EAC will also defer nonattainment designation from April 15, 2004 to a date no later than December 31 , 2007. A nonattainment designation carries with it negative repercussions that affect the local economy …

Preliminary Study Comparing Precipitation Quality Between Nominal Land Uses In Portland, Oregon, Lacey Sullivan

Environmental Science and Management Professional Master's Project Reports

The purpose of this study is to analyze the precipitation quality in various land use categories throughout Portland. Because of its significance in the removal of atmospheric pollutants, wet deposition is an important component to study. In addition to its significant role in cleansing the atmosphere, wet deposition can have a direct impact on the ecosystem due to its potential pollutant load. Various land uses may provide different emission sources, each uniquely affecting the composition of the atmosphere. A literature review found few studies comparing precipitation quality between local land uses within an urban area. Wet deposition studies seem to …