Digital Commons Network^™

Presence And Impact Of Herbicides On Intertidal Benthic Communities, Marco Sanderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The growing reliance and widespread use of herbicides on a global scale is negatively affecting non-targeted biota and, consequently, their ecosystems. Herbicide levels and their impacts have been extensively researched around the world in riverine and lacustrine ecosystems. However, studies of the levels and effects of herbicides on coastal intertidal benthic communities have been lacking. This study focused on testing spectrophotometric methodologies for herbicides (atrazine and glyphosate) and documenting their presence and levels in sediment, water, and biotic tissue of intertidal coastal beaches and marshes of Waties Island and Singleton Swash, Horry County, South Carolina. A laboratory microcosm was employed …

Citizen Science As A Long-Term Environmental Baseline: Assessing Impacts Of A Small Dam Removal In Montana, Usa, Bethany Blakey, Natalie Bursztyn

Watershed Sciences Student Research

As dam removals increase in frequency across Europe and North America, most research has focused on the impact of larger dam removals, despite the removal of small dams being much more common. There are hundreds of small dams in Montana, USA, and this research investigates impacts on stream ecology and morphology using citizen science data collected over eight years spanning before and after a 2020 small dam removal in Rattlesnake Creek. We analyzed pebble count grain size distributions and aquatic macroinvertebrate biotic indices from 2017 to 2024 to assess changes in sediment transport and macroinvertebrate population as well as evaluate …

Draft Final 2023 Reclamation Improvement Sites Sampling: Bres No. 31 – Waste Dump #5 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

This Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) Reclamation Improvement (RI) Site Evaluation Summary Report (SESR) presents results of soil sampling conducted on October 16, 2023, at the Butte Reclamation Evaluation System (BRES) No. 31 – Waste Dump #5 Site and adjacent areas (referred to herein as Site) within the BPSOU. The BPSOU Consent Decree (CD) (referred to herein as BPSOU CD; EPA, 2020) Appendix D, Attachment C Further Remedial Elements Scope of Work (FRESOW) prescribed further evaluation of sites reclaimed prior to establishment of the Butte Hill Revegetation Specifications (BHRS) (Appendix A to the BPSOU CD), which were initially established …

Deep Learning-Based Burned Area Mapping Of California Wildfires Using Sentinel-2 And Landsat-8 Imagery Enhanced With Super-Resolution Techniques, Youngmin Seo, Seung Hee Kim, Menas Kafatos, Jinsoo Kim, Yangwon Lee

Institute for ECHO Articles and Research

The increasing frequency of wildfires under a changing climate has led to extensive ecosystem destruction, highlighting the need for reliable burned area assessment using satellite imagery. Single-satellite data are constrained by observation gaps and interference from smoke and clouds, whereas multi-satellite data fusion can mitigate these limitations. Nonetheless, the fusion techniques still encounter challenges such as spatial information loss from resolution differences and cross-satellite domain mismatch. This study presents a burned area mapping framework that integrates super-resolution (SR) with transfer learning to address spatial and domain gaps in multi-satellite data. Specifically, Landsat-8 imagery is super-resolved to 7.5 m resolution, and …

2026 Final Bpsou Backfill And Cover Material Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

This Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) Backfill and Cover Material Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) provides the procedures and protocols necessary to conduct sampling and geotechnical characterization activities on import borrow and other externally sourced materials that will be used in backfill, cover soil, or engineered caps for upcoming BPSOU remediation activities described in the BPSOU Consent Decree (CD) (referred to as BPSOU CD; EPA, 2020a) Further Remedial Elements Scope of Work (FRESOW) (Attachment C of Appendix D to the BPSOU CD), the 2020 Residential Metals Abatement Program (RMAP) Unilateral Administrative Order (UAO) Amendment (EPA, 2020a), and ongoing maintenance …

2026 Final Unreclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

Unreclaimed sites exist within the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) that could pose a threat to human health or surface water quality due to the presence of historical mine waste. Although many source areas have been previously reclaimed, areas still exist in which soil has not yet been evaluated; such sites may provide a pathway for human exposure or impact surface water quality via stormwater runoff. These Unreclaimed sites will be evaluated in accordance with Appendix D, Attachment C, Section 8.0 of the BPSOU Consent Decree (referred to herein as CD) (EPA, 2020a).

This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) …

2026 Final Unreclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

Unreclaimed sites exist within the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) that could pose a threat to human health or surface water quality due to the presence of historical mine waste. Although many source areas have been previously reclaimed, areas still exist in which soil has not yet been evaluated; such sites may provide a pathway for human exposure or impact surface water quality via stormwater runoff. These Unreclaimed sites will be evaluated in accordance with Appendix D, Attachment C, Section 8.0 of the BPSOU Consent Decree (referred to herein as CD) (EPA, 2020a).

This Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) …

2026 Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

Insufficiently Reclaimed sites exist within the Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) that could pose a threat to human health or surface water quality due to the exposure of historical mine waste. Although many source areas have been previously reclaimed, areas exist where reclamation was completed prior to the establishment of the Butte Hill Revegetation Specifications (BHRS) or reclaimed areas that have failed consecutive Butte Reclamation Evaluation System (BRES) inspections and now fall into either the Insufficiently Reclaimed or Reclamation Improvement category. In all these cases, additional work is required to comply with the BHRS to ensure the cap remains …

Molecular Interactions Of The Gas–Solid Interface: Svocs On Swelling Clays And San Joaquin Soil Surfaces, Liesl T. Jensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soil-derived mineral dust plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry by acting as a reactive interface for gas–particle interactions that influence the fate and transport of organic contaminants. Among soil components, clay minerals dominate surface reactivity due to their high surface area, structural complexity, and the presence of chemically active sites arising from cation exchange capacity and surface acidity. Environmental conditions, particularly relative humidity, further regulate these interactions by altering surface accessibility and competitive adsorption processes.

Despite the recognized importance of mineral dust, gas-phase interactions between organic compounds and clay minerals remain insufficiently understood, particularly under atmospherically relevant conditions. This …

Draft Final 2023 Reclamation Improvement Sites Sampling: Bres No. 17 – Paymaster Dump Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

This Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) Reclamation Improvement (RI) Site Evaluation Summary Report (SESR) presents results of soil sampling conducted on October 11, 2023, at the Butte Reclamation Evaluation System (BRES) No. 17 – Paymaster Dump Site and adjacent areas (referred to herein as Site) within the BPSOU. The BPSOU Consent Decree (CD) (referred to herein as BPSOU CD; EPA, 2020) Appendix D, Attachment C Further Remedial Elements Scope of Work (FRESOW) prescribed further evaluation of sites reclaimed prior to establishment of the Butte Hill Revegetation Specifications (BHRS) (Appendix A to the BPSOU CD), which were initially established in …

Final 2022 Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Sampling: Bres No. 16 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

This Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (BPSOU) Insufficiently Reclaimed (IR) Site Evaluation Summary Report (SESR) presents results of soil sampling conducted on August 12, 2022, at the IR source area Butte Reclamation Evaluation System (BRES) No. 16 – Curry Site and adjacent areas (referred to herein as Site) within the BPSOU. The BPSOU Consent Decree (CD) required further evaluation of this IR Site since reclamation was conducted in 1991, prior to establishment of the Butte Hill Revegetation Specifications (BHRS) (EPA, 2020) and because the Site did not meet BRES requirements during the 2017 assessment performed by the Clark Fork Watershed …

Assessment Of The Radionuclide Concentration Levels Of Water And Sediments Along The Mara River, Gasper Kachenge, Abubakary Salama, Abdalah Kileo, Furaha Chuma

Tanzania Journal of Science

For many years, several factors have impacted the water quality of the Mara River, including population growth, agricultural expansion, livestock keeping, mining, and industrial activities. These factors have intensified water pollution and climate change effects around the river. While previous studies have mainly focused on assessing heavy metal pollution risks on the Mara River, this study evaluates the concentration levels of radionuclides in boreholes, water, and sediments along the river and its tributaries. Naturally occurring radioactive materials, including 226Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K, were evaluated. A high-purity germanium radiation detector (HPGe) with a coaxial detector system coupled with Gamma Vision software …

Aeroradio-Spectrometric Geothermal Analysis Of Abeokuta, Southwestern Nigeria, Fidelis O. Ogunsanwo

Tanzania Journal of Science

Weathered basement terrains of Precambrian origin are increasingly recognized as important targets for geothermal assessment and renewable energy exploration; yet systematic assessments integrating airborne radiometric data remain limited in south-western Nigeria. This study applies an aeroradio-spectrometric approach to evaluate and quantify the radiogenic heat production, geothermal gradient, and lithospheric heat flow associated with the diverse lithological assemblages of the Abeokuta area, southwestern Nigeria. The study area comprises of six lithological units, namely; biotite–garnet gneiss and schist, porphyroblastic gneiss, migmatite, pegmatite intrusions, and sedimentary successions of sand-clay-shale and sandstone–limestone. The concentrations of uranium (238U), thorium (232Th), and potassium (40K) were extracted …

Explaining Safety Challenges And Their Relationships Using A Qualitative-Fuzzy Dematel Approach: A Surface Mine Case Study, Neda Molamehdizadeh, Gholam Hossein Halvani, Hossein Ebrahimi, Ali Asghar Farshad, Seyedeh Melika Kharghani Moghadam, Saber Moradi Hanifi

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Safety in surface mining operations is a major organizational management challenge due to the inherently hazardous nature of mining activities. This study aimed to explain safety challenges and identify their interrelationships through a combined qualitative-fuzzy DEMATEL approach in a surface mine in Yazd Province, Iran. The research was carried out in two sequential phases: first, key safety challenges were identified through qualitative interviews with employees, supervisors, and safety experts; then, the relationships among these challenges were analyzed and prioritized using the fuzzy DEMATEL technique. The main challenges identified included insufficient specialized training, inadequate safety equipment, weak organizational safety culture, and …

The Carbon Footprint Of The Hard Coal Sector In Poland In The Context Of The Evolution Of The European Union’S Climate Neutrality Policy, Katarzyna Widera

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The topic of the article is the carbon footprint of coal as a primary source of energy. In light of climate change and the energy transition in the European Union, it is increasingly important to analyse the carbon footprint of individual economic sectors. The aim of this review article is to present an analysis of the carbon footprint of the hard coal sector in Poland against the background of the EU’s climate neutrality policy. The paper reviews EU strategic documents, such as the European Green Deal, the ”Fit for 55” package, and the REPowerEU and Clean Industrial Deal initiatives, in …

Re: Approval Letter For The Diggings East 100% Remedial Design Package Submittal (Dated July 23, 2026), The 100% Sbcca Programmatic Technical Specifications Submittal (Technical Specifications) (Dated May 29, 2026), The Final Revised Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area (Sbcca) Construction Quality Assurance Plan (Cqap) (Dated July 29, 2026), The Final Sbcca Construction Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Dated July 29, 2026), And The Final Sbcca Materials Management Plan (Mmp) (Dated July 29, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Clark Tailings Consolidated Waste Management Area Site Investigation Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Woodard & Curran

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Quantitative Mapping And Mitigation Of Light Pollution At Erau, Desireé Robinson, Marcus Flesher, Axon Deadrick, Conner Callahan, Jarrett Usui, Josef Kaelin, Douglas Griswold, Raiden Keefer, Harrison A. Zimmermann, Cole Gresham, Maya Curtis, Ahnika Gee

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Light pollution is an increasingly urgent environmental and public safety concern that affects energy costs, astronomical research, ecological systems, human health, and aviation. At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), artificial lighting from campus infrastructure and adjacent airport operations contributes to elevated skyglow, limiting the performance of the university’s 1-meter telescope and degrading the nighttime environment. This project seeks to quantitatively map and analyze light pollution across the ERAU Daytona Beach campus using custom-built Sky Quality Meters (SQMs) integrated with environmental sensors and mounted on an unmanned aerial system (UAS). By collecting calibrated sky brightness measurements at multiple altitudes and geospatial coordinates, …

Contrasting Coastal Dune Environments In Chile, Aurora Christianson

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Emerging coastalization and urbanization threats to the prehistoric Concón Dunes and Humedal de Mantagua coastal area of Chile is being investigated by researchers via uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) in "Contrasting Coastal Dune Environments in Chile." Four UAS were utilized: Anzu Raptor T, DJI Mavic 3E, DJI Mavic 3M, and DJI Air 3 to collect various images of the coastal dunes. Multispectral and RGB cameras gather images by photogrammetry to create orthomosaics and monitor vegetation indexes in Pix4Dmapper. Thermal cameras provided images in rainbow, white hot infrared, and black hot infrared schemes to monitor wildlife and vegetation. The normalized difference vegetation …

Polymer Degradation And Their Environmental Impact, Addison Orr, Vanessa Gilbert

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Synthetic polymer material usage has increased significantly within the last several decades due to their durability, resistance to mechanical wear, low density, and inexpensiveness. Despite these advantages, most synthetic polymers are not biodegradable and instead undergo slow degradation processes. The processes are multifaceted, involving physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms influenced by material properties and environmental conditions, such as soil, light, temperature, and moisture levels. As a result, the polymers break into microplastics and contaminate air, water, and soil, posing risks to human health and surrounding ecosystems. Additionally, polymer degradation can release harmful substances that disrupt food chains and can lead …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) 2026 Monthly Progress Report. Consent Decree For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit. Civil Action No. Cv 89-039-Bu-Seh, Josh Bryson

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Long-Term Patterns Of Change Of A Tidal Marsh In Mission Bay, San Diego, California, Carrie A. Shuster, Theresa Sinicrope Talley Ph.D., Drew Talley Ph.D., Zhi-Yong Yin Ph.D., Kellie Uyeda Ph.D.

Theses

Coastal marshes are among California’s most productive ecosystems and the most impacted, having been extensively modified by dredging, filling, and urban development. This thesis investigates over a century of change for a marsh in Northern Mission Bay, San Diego, California using ecological and spatial analyses.

Chapter 1 provides an overview of the environmental history and current land use of the Northern Mission Bay marsh, tracing changes from pre-contact Indigenous stewardship through colonial and modern urban development. It also introduces a restoration plant palette derived from historical and contemporary species occurrences, ecological functions, and documented cultural uses. By integrating ethnobotanical knowledge …

Re: Approval Letter For Draft Final Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area (Sbcca) Butte Reduction Works (Brw) Air Monitoring For Interim Demolition Activities – Phase Ii Data Summary Report (Dsr) (Dated June 26, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Comment Letter For The Draft Final Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Butte Treatment Lagoons (Btl) Groundwater Treatment System Quarterly Operation And Maintenance Report – Quarter 1 2026 (Dated June 26, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Trauma-Informed Care In Supporting At-Risk Students In Alternative Education, Jar'mel D. Taylor Dr.

Transformations

Students with traumatic experiences commonly fail to meet educational goals and control their emotions while also losing their involvement in classes. Standard trauma-informed care practices remain absent from numerous alternative educational institutions, which leaves their teaching community without adequate support to help traumatized students effectively. The application of Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) strategies toward student outcomes requires investigation to develop effective educational approaches that enhance school success. The researcher used qualitative exploratory case study methodology to study TIC practices in alternative education for Black and Brown adolescent students (aged 12–18) in Washington, D.C. Semi-structured interviews and a focus group with 16 …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Final 2024 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-46 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Influence Of Transboundary Wildfire Smoke On Fine Particulate Matter Concentrations At South Texas Border Schools, Sai Deepak Pinakana, Kabir Bahadur Shah, Owen Temby, Dawid K. Wladyka, Juan L. Gonzalez, Md Saydur Rahman, Katarzyna Sepielak, Amit U. Raysoni

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Exposure to air pollutants in indoor and outdoor school environments poses significant health risks to children due to their heightened vulnerability. Increasing wildfire frequency has intensified transboundary smoke transport, with border communities among the first to experience associated air quality impacts. While the impacts of wildfires on air quality are increasingly recognized through satellite observations and modeling, ground-based observations remain scarce in under-monitored regions. Low-cost air sensors were deployed across schools in the Roma and Rio Grande City areas of Starr County, along the U.S.–Mexico border, for 146-days from November 2023 to April 2024. The raw sensor measurements were corrected …

Extreme Heat And Its Impact On Public Transit Ridership In Nyc, Craig Denton

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the connection between extreme heat events and public transit ridership patterns in New York City, with a particular emphasis on low-income communities. It investigates the intersection of socioeconomic factors and heat-related challenges, analyzing how extreme temperature periods influence overall transit use and why certain routes or neighborhoods experience greater declines in ridership during these events.

Utilizing existing literature, NYC-specific transit and climate datasets, and the broader context of transit equity, this research aims to inform strategies that strengthen climate resilience within urban transportation systems. The study’s findings are intended to support policy development and planning initiatives that …

Final Bpsou Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-46 Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Revised Draft Final Butte Mine Waste Repository Operation And Maintenance (O&M) Plan, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.