Digital Commons Network^™

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Grove Gulch Sedimentation Bay 100% Remedial Design/Remedial Action Re-Submittal, Josh Bryson

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou), Draft Residential Metals Abatement Program Construction Completion Report (Non-Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) – Kennedy Elementary (Dated April 17, 2024), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Residential Metals Abatement Program Construction Completion Report (Non‐Residential Parcels – Indoor Dust) – Silver Bow Montessori (Dated April 25, 2024), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou), Draft Final Residential Metals Abatement Program Investigation Summary Report (Non-Residential – Interior School Dust) - Gold Hill Lutheran Church (Creativity Factory Preschool) (Dated April 8, 2024), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou), Draft Residential Metals Abatement Program Construction Completion Report (Non-Residential Parcels - Indoor Dust) – Small World Daycare (Dated April 17, 2024), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Resources In Northeast Nebraska's Waste Could Power The Future, Reese Vanosdel, Emma Kurtz, Tyler Knaak

Project Energy Nebraska: Student Projects

Environmental Engagement in the Community projects, summer 2024

A poster titled Resources in Northeast Nebraska's Waste Could Power the Future for clients City of Norfolk, Nebraska (Steven Rames) and City of Wayne, Nebraska (Wes Blecke and Sandy Brown).

Advisor: David Gosselin

Uplifting The Critical Value Of The Lgbtq+ Climate Workforce, San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, Brenda Castruita, Nicole Fassina

San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative

As the world faces unprecedented environmental challenges, the need for a robust and diverse environmental workforce has never been more critical. Historically, marginalized communities are at the forefront of these challenges and often bear the brunt of impacts from our changing climate. It is vital that the climate workforce reflects the diversity of our communities and is inclusive of individuals with lived experiences that can inform equitable and effective solutions. Among these marginalized communities, the LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, and others) community is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.¹ Research underscores how LGBTQ+ individuals …

Mechanisms And Mass Transfer Kinetics Of Cr(Vi) Adsorbed By Mussel Shell Incorporated Adsorptive Membrane, Mohamad Ali Fulazzaky, Nur Atikah Abdul Salim, Mohd Hafiz Puteh, Tiffany L. Messer, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman, Juhana Jaafar, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail, Mukhlis A. Rahman

UK CARES Faculty Publications

The presence of Cr(VI) results in pollution that threatens human health and aquatic life. Therefore, there is an urgent need for Cr(VI) to be removed from contaminated water. The mussel shell incorporated polyethersulfone (MSPES) membranes designed to form the flat sheet adsorptive membrane (FSAM) crossflow treatment systems was used to remove Cr(VI) from synthetic solution. The physicochemical properties of the MSPES membrane were verified using an atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope, and water contact angle goniometer. The performance of MSPES2.0 to remove Cr(VI) ions ranged from 15.00 to 16.05 % was higher than that of MSPES2.2 ranged from 10.00 …

Mapping Recent Timber Harvest Activity In A Temperate Forest Using Single Date Airborne Lidar Surveys And Machine Learning: Lessons For Conservation Planning, G. Bursh Fisher, Andrew J. Elmore, Matthew C. Fitzpatrick, Darin J. Mcneil, Jeff W. Atkins, Jeffery L. Larkin

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

Effective planning for natural resource management and wildlife conservation requires detailed information on vegetation structure at landscape scales and how structure is influenced by land- use practices. In many forested landscapes, the largest impacts of land use on forest structure are driven by forest management activities, which can include invasive species control, prescribed fire, partial harvests (e.g. shelterwood harvests) or overstory removals and clearcuts. Active timber management is often used to achieve forest conservation objectives, but to be used effectively, managers require knowledge of harvest frequency and extent in adjacent forests and at landscape scales. In this paper, we develop …

Effects Of Simulated Climate Change On Native Southeastern Grassland Vegetation Using Open Top Chambers, Makaila Carpenter

Theses

The southeastern United States is a critical biodiversity hotspot once covered in prairie grassland ecosystems and now facing significant threats due to urbanization, habitat destruction, over-exploitation, biological invasions, pollution, and climate change. This study analyzes the response of Alabama’s native prairie ecosystem to climate change. We used open top chambers (OTCs) to simulate climate change-induced warming. We assessed the response of ecosystem function and structure to higher temperatures (1-3^oC). The indicators of ecosystem function included phenology, leaf surface area (LSA), specific leaf area (SLA), and aboveground and below net primary productivity (ANPP and BNPP respectively). Ecosystem structure was …

Examining The Progress In Additive Manufacturing In Supporting Lean, Green And Sustainable Manufacturing: A Systematic Review, Catherine Maware, Rumbidzai Muvunzi, Tinotenda Machingura, Ilesanmi Daniyan

Institute for Sustainable Manufacturing Faculty Publications

The quest for waste reduction and the development of manufacturing processes that meet the economic, social and environmental requirements necessitate this study. Additive manufacturing is an emerging digital technology that can be used to seamlessly develop a product through material deposition in layers. The study aims to investigate the progress made in the development of additive manufacturing to support lean, green and sustainable manufacturing. The study employs a systematic literature review approach, specifically the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). A total of 158 articles identified from different academic databases that detailed empirical, conceptual and theoretical findings …

Spatial Microsimulation Of Carbon Tax Incidence: An Application To Washington State, Nathan W. Chan, Susan Stratton Sayre

Economics: Faculty Publications

Understanding carbon tax incidence is critical. However, standard approaches for calculating the incidence of subnational policies are prone to inaccuracy due to coarse aggregation. We evaluate an alternative approach: a spatial microsimulation (SMS) method that generates granular household-level incidence estimates. SMS provides unique and more nuanced insights into the distributional consequences of carbon taxes, including across geographies. We demonstrate this method for a recent carbon tax initiative in Washington State and counterfactual variations on its revenue recycling provisions. Comparing across counterfactuals, we pinpoint how different targeting provisions in revenue recycling designs will have disparate consequences for the progressivity/regressivity of the …

Water Current, Volume 56, No. 2, Summer 2024

Water Current Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Exploring Producers' Willingness To Pay For Ecosystem Services: Three Essays On Soil Health, Location Preferences, And Cover Crop Adoption, Kaouter Essakkat

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation comprises three essays: one assessing Midwest producers' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for soil health-enhancing ecosystem services (ES), another examining the impact of policy implementation locations on WTP, and a third identifying factors influencing producers' adoption of cover crops (CC).

The first essay pioneers the understanding of agricultural producers’ valuation of soil health-associated ES amid growing concerns of soil degradation due to agricultural intensification. Using a discrete choice experiment, this study assesses producers’ WTP for a policy that incentivizes ES provision, specifically improved water quality, carbon sequestration, and enhanced crop yield. Surveying producers across Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska, our results show …

Virtual Fencing In Livestock Management: Effects On Beef Cattle Stress And Enhancing Wildlife Conservation, Kaitlyn E. Dozler

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

I examined the effects of virtual fencing on beef cattle stress and how implementing the technology can aid wildlife habitat conservation at the University of Nebraska Gudmundsen Sandhills laboratory (GSL) near Whitman, NE. First, I examined how virtual fencing influences acute heart rate changes in beef cattle fitted with the virtual fencing collars. No significant difference in the average heart rate of a cow (P > 0.05) was observed between the 30 min control and virtual fenced periods for both trial dates. Second, I examined the influence of topography on wildlife species richness and presence at GSL using wildlife camera …

Spatial Ecology Of Mountain Lions Throughout Their Distribution In California, Kyle D. Dougherty

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Mountain lions (Puma concolor) have been studied extensively throughout their wide geographic distribution in the Western Hemisphere, but most research has been conducted at relatively small spatial scales. We used GPS telemetry data contributed by researchers in 16 study areas throughout California to advance understanding of mountain lion spatial ecology. First, we investigated multi-scale resource selection of mountain lions relative to spatially varying risk of intentional human-caused mortality associated with livestock depredation management. We show that individuals that proactively avoided mortality risk when selecting home ranges were able to relax their avoidance of risk when making resource selection …

Assessing Rice Phenological Features With Hyperspectral Imaging Insights From Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (Emit), Shahryar Fazli, Wenzhao Li, Surendra Maharjan, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In California's Central Valley, water management and crop health, particularly in rice cultivation, are critical. This paper details the application of Earth surface Mineral dust source InvesTigation (EMIT) hyperspectral imaging, specifically employing Spectral Correlation Mapper (SCM) and Spectral Information Divergence (SID), for precise phenological analysis. By aligning EMIT data with Hyperion satellite references, we address spectral and geographical discrepancies. Our methodology includes seasonal sampling of spectral curves to capture the phenological stages of rice. Results show a strong correlation (R ² = 0.86) between August EMIT and Reference dataset, emphasizing EMIT's utility in enhancing agricultural practices and water efficiency in …

Optimization Of A Plate Beam System For Energy Harvesting Using A Piezoelectric Material, Jose Manuel Almendros Espantaleon

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

With a continuously growing demand for power, driven by the need to reduce our environmental footprint, this research provides an examination of the potential of energy harvesting with smart materials technology and its practical applications. The energy harvesting system considered here works on generating energy through vibrations of a piezoelectric material beam which will undergo sustained vibrations due to flow of air over its surface. It is assumed that sustained limit cycle oscillations of this system will occur at the flutter velocity. This research creates an optimization framework to obtain the best values of parameters that will result in the …

The Colorado Wolf Reintroduction Portrayal In News Media, Megan K. Mcarthur, Monica V. Ogra

Student Publications

The Colorado gray wolf (Canis lupus) reintroduction began in December 2023 in the hope of restoring this once native population to the area, and it has received mixed responses from the media. By answering the research question of 'How has the wolf reintroduction in Colorado been framed in news media?', this research poster looks at the portrayal of the reintroduction in news articles from six months before and after the first wolves were released. Media is an influential factor in people's opinions and it is important to be aware of the information being shared and any bias within them.

Final 2024 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Park Soil Sampling Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) Submittal #14 [Silver Bow Homes Park, Butte Koa, Fairmont Rv Park, And Cccs Gymnasium], Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Epbc 2010/5491: Weaber Plain Development Project Compliance Report - 1st May 2023 To 30th April 2024, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Irrigated Agricultural Development in the North

The Weaber Plain Development Project (Goomig Project) was approved on 13 September 2011. The approval reference is EPBC 2010/5491 (the Approval).

The Goomig Project comprises irrigated farmland, associated infrastructure, and a buffer area on the Weaber Plain located about 30km north-northeast of Kununurra in Western Australia. Figure 1 shows the location and layout of the Goomig Project and interface with other projects including the Knox Creek Plain Irrigation Development (EPBC 2014/7143), Sorby Hills Silver Lead Zinc mining project, and Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) Stage 1 'Cave Springs' farms.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is the Goomig …

Deciphering Water Quality And Algal Dynamics In Clear Lake Through Hyperspectral Analysis Using Emit Data, Wenzhao Li, Shahryar Fazli, Surendra Maharjan, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

This study evaluates the potential application of hyperspectral Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) remote sensing for monitoring harmful algal blooms (HABs) and water quality in Clear Lake, California. The research focuses on correlating the chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations with EMIT spectral signatures, using waterbody-wide statistical analysis of Chl-a and EMIT data sampling at various lake locations. Results demonstrate distinct spectral signatures associated with varying Chl-a levels, highlighting the potential of hyperspectral imaging in differentiating algae levels and assessing water quality variables. It also indicates the EMIT’s utility in filling data gaps and offering high-resolution monitoring. This study underscores the …

Enhancing Water Sustainability In North Africa: Literature Review And Synthesis Of Current Knowledge Gaps In Sudan, Osman M. A. Adam, Aaron R. Mittelstet, Derek M. Heeren, Troy E. Gilmore

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

This study delves into the critical role of groundwater in addressing global water challenges, with a focus on the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) in North Africa. Groundwater constitutes a source of potable water, irrigation, and industrial use, especially in arid regions where surface water is limited. We analyzed the status of water quantity, withdrawals, recharge, and geological characteristics in the NSAS, specifically in Sudan, Egypt, Libya, and Chad. Though the NSAS is largely an untapped resource, we evaluated various scenarios to determine the quantity of cropland that can be sustainably irrigated. The NSAS is located in an arid region, …

Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Urban Lawn Soil Amended With Biochar And Compost Under Contrasting Redox Conditions, Angel Salinas

Theses and Dissertations

Green fields around the world are being converted to urban land uses to cope with population growth and urbanization. The objective of this study was to investigate how urban lawn soils can contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in relation to soil saturation-drainage cycles. We measured carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions as well as redox potential (Eh) from garden soils amended with biochar, compost, or biochar + compost under a mesocosm scale. Bermuda turfgrass seed was seeded in each column (5-gallon bucket) and three water saturation conditions (half-saturated, full-saturated, and unsaturated soils) were maintained for …

Final 2024 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Park Soil Sampling Field Sampling Plan (Fsp) Submittal #13 [Copper Mountain Park], Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Draft Final Bpsou Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Belle Of Butte (Bres No. 8 & Ur-39) Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final 2024 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Mandan Park Soil Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Revised Draft Final 2024 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) Annual Update (Non-Residential Parcels And Residential Daycares), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Berkeley Pit And Discharge Pilot Project Discharge System Operations Assurance Plan 2024 Update, Revision 1, Wsp Environment & Infrastructure, Inc., Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Spatio-Temporal Analysis Of The Roadside Transportation-Related Air Quality (Startraq 2022): Data-Driven Exposure Analysis By Transportation Modes, Jaymin Kwon, Yushin Ahn, Steve Chung

Mineta Transportation Institute

Particulate matter (PM) pollution poses significant health risks, influenced by various meteorological factors and seasonal variations. This study investigates the impact of temperature and other meteorological variables on PM10 and PM2.5 levels in Fresno County, known for high air pollution. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and generalized additive models (GAMs) assess the significance of these relationships. Analyzing data from Fresno County, we examine PM10 and PM2.5 levels across "hot" (June to August) and "cool" (September to May) seasons. Findings indicate PM10, both MLR and GAM models identify statistically significant variables, excluding temperature and wind direction in each season. However, during the …