Digital Commons Network^™

Response To Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Butte Reclamation Evaluation System (Bres) Draft 2024 Field Evaluation Summary And Technical Recommendations Report (Dated April 10, 2025), Abby Peltomaa

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Letter With Comment For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) 2025 Revised Draft Final Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-03 Site Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp) (Dated June 2, 2025), 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 2025 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Rock Creek Cattle Company Borrow Submittal #1 (Dated May 23, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) 2022 Draft Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Sampling: Bres No. 37 – Josephine Shaft Site Evaluation Summary Report (December 6, 2024), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Convergence Research For Microplastic Pollution At The Watershed Scale, Heejun Chang, Elise Granek, Amanda Gannon, Jordyn M. Wolfand, Janice Brahney

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Microplastics are found in Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, pedosphere, and ecosphere. While there is a growing interest and need to solve this grand challenge in both the academic and policy realms, few have engaged with academics, policymakers, and community partners to co-identify the problem, co-design research, and co-produce knowledge in tackling this issue. Using a convergence research framework, we investigated the perception of microplastic pollution among different end users, delivered educational materials to K-12 teachers and practitioners, and identified key sampling points for assessing environmental microplastic concentrations in the Columbia River Basin, United States. Three community partner workshops identified regional …

Arts-Based Sustainability: From New York To Malawi, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Recognizing that libraries serve multiple constituencies and subject areas, this chapter documents and advocates for development of transdisciplinary arts-based research (ABR) and culture-related projects linked to environmental challenges. Libraries contribute collections and spaces, as well as the research of library and information scientists. Libraries are currently among invisible contributors to sustainability planning and services. The chapter will link this invisibility to the value of what visual arts refer to as negative space elements in subjects ranging from traditional ecological knowledge to environmental science. Library collections, projects, and research contribute to education for sustainable development (ESD) as required to achieve the …

Having A Cow: Exploring The Economic And Mental Health Challenges Of Dairying In The Upper Valley, Ava J. Ori

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

Until late in the 20th century, the dairyman was an influential actor in the fabric of the Upper Valley consisting of Grafton, Orange, Sullivan and Windsor counties (Rozwenc, 1981 & Weld, 1905). Dairy farmers were critical to both the economic growth of the region and the construction of a local identity centered around distinctive high quality dairy products. However, the dairy farmers responsible for the bucolic feel and scrappy independence unique to the Upper Valley are being traded in for massive operations lacking both quality of milk and the cultural intricacy specific to local dairies. In 1905 there were 4,173 …

Educational Efficacy Of Private Well-Testing Workshops And The Surveillance Of Private Drinking Water Quality In Connecticut, Alec Janis, Michael Dietz, Meredith Metcalf

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

More than 820,000 Connecticut residents rely on groundwater from private wells, yet minimal regulations address well water quality. Extension programs across the United States have begun to provide private drinking water education and testing assistance to address this public health gap. Few studies have analyzed the efficacy of these programs.

We delivered four workshops across Connecticut, from November 2022 to November 2023, where participants were given an educational presentation on private drinking water and an opportunity to test their well-water quality at a subsidized cost. After participating in the workshops, participants believed they were more confident to begin annual testing, …

Ecological Footprint Analysis Of Chatgpt (Gpt-3), Isabella Boulais

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Climate change is an escalating crisis that demands immediate action from all sectors, including the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence (AI). While AI offers climate solutions, its own environmental impact raises concerns. Unfortunately limited research due to rapid development, system complexity, and lack of standardized methodologies hinders our understanding of AI’s environmental consequences. This project aims to conduct a comprehensive ecological footprint analysis of OpenAI’s GPT-3 model that is used to power ChatGPT, establishing guidelines for assessing AI systems’ environmental impact and proposing a framework for improvement. Going beyond tracking carbon emissions, this project will outline the broader lifecycle …

Toward Integrated Urban Observatories: Synthesizing Remote And Social Sensing In Urban Science, Danlin Yu

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Urbanization is reshaping landscapes and posing unprecedented sustainability challenges, necessitating more integrative approaches to urban observation. This review synthesizes recent advancements in traditional remote sensing and emerging social sensing technologies, emphasizing their convergence within urban science. A systematic thematic analysis of 667 peer-reviewed articles highlights the methodological progress, practical applications, and theoretical innovations arising from this integration. Traditional remote sensing effectively captures urban physical features but lacks insights into human behaviors. Conversely, social sensing, leveraging digital traces from social media and mobile data, introduces essential human-centered dimensions into urban monitoring. The fusion of these complementary paradigms through advanced data analytics …

Understanding And Managing Parent–Child Well Interactions In The Bakken, Kyoung Min, Xue Yu, Nicholas A. Azzolina, Darren D. Schmidt, Bethany A. Kurz, James A. Sorensen

EERC Publications, Papers, & Presentations

This study proposes actionable strategies to mitigate parent–child interactions and negative production impacts. Key approaches, including wider well spacing, optimized stimulation designs, and refracturing, minimize interference while enhancing recovery efficiency.

Surface Temperature Analysis Report: Kellogg Creek Restoration & Community Enhancement Project, Dalton Palin

University Honors Theses

Kellogg Creek is located in the Kellogg-Mt Scott watershed which flows through downtown Milwaukie, Oregon into the Willamette River. At the confluence of Kellogg Creek and the Willamette River is the Kellogg Dam. This dam impedes salmon, steelhead, and lamprey movement up Kellogg Creek, which is known historically as a salmon and steelhead rearing and migrating habitat. A plan to remove Kellogg Dam and restore 14 acres of Kellogg Creek is in progress by North Clackamas Watersheds Council (NCWC) and partners. Water temperature studies in Kellogg Creek have been conducted for the past several years, this report analyzed thermal surface …

Rebuilding Consent: Fear, Trust, And The Future Of Nuclear Energy, Austin Dunham

University Honors Theses

This thesis traces the cultural and emotional roots of nuclear fear in the United States and explores how those inherited anxieties continue to shape public resistance to nuclear energy in the face of a worsening climate crisis. Drawing on personal narrative, risk perception theory, and the history of nuclear discourse - from Hiroshima to Chernobyl to today - the research examines how trust, rather than technology, remains the largest barrier to progress. By analyzing the stories we tell about energy, disaster, control, and overall perceived risk, this work asks what it would take for Americans to imagine nuclear energy not …

Raising The Roof For All: Integrating Companion Planting Ecology, Policy And Community In Portland's Green Roof Future, Zoe Edelman

University Honors Theses

Green roofs, or ecoroofs, provide environmental and social benefits in urban areas. Ecoroofs manage stormwater by absorbing rainfall, reducing rooftop temperatures, supporting pollinators, and offering green space in densely developed cities. Portland, Oregon has adopted progressive policies that encourage green roof installation through incentives and building requirements. However, many ecoroofs in the city are underperforming due to poor maintenance, low public awareness, and limited access to rooftop spaces. This thesis explores whether companion planting can improve the ecological performance and long- term viability of extensive green roofs. A rooftop experiment at Portland State University tested the growth of radishes, with …

Revised Draft Final Bpsou Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-05 Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Revised Draft Final Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-03 Site Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Myceli-Yum: Elucidating Structure-Property Relationships For Polymer Degradation By Mycelial Digestion, Jordan Scott Ford

Master's Theses

Since the industrial entrance of polymer plastic materials, plastic has become ubiquitous in both everyday use and waste. Due to inefficiencies and knowledge gaps, current recycling methods are not able to account for the high scale of plastic waste, resulting in the bulk of this waste being landfilled, mishandled, and deposited in the environment. Mycelium, the microorganism responsible for fruiting mushroom bodies and mold growth, holds potential to reduce plastic waste and can potentially be utilized as a method of industrial recycling. Following a drug-design approach, the active site of mycelial enzymes responsible for natural biopolymer degradation have been assessed …

Status And Distribution Of Diseases Caused By Phytoplasmas In Africa, Shakiru Adewale Kazeem, Agnieszka Zwolińska, Joseph Mulema, Akindele Oluwole Ogunfunmilayo, Shina Salihu, Joy Oluchi Nwogwugwu, Inusa Jacob Ajene, Justina Folasayo Ogunsola, Adedapo Olutola Adediji, Olubusola Fehintola Oduwaye, Kouamé Daniel Kra, Mustafa Ojonuba Jibrin, Wei Wei

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Phytoplasma (“Candidatus Phytoplasma” species) diseases have been reported globally to severely limit the productivity of a wide range of economically important crops and wild plants causing different yellows-type diseases. With new molecular detection techniques, several unknown and known diseases with uncertain etiologies or attributed to other pathogens have been identified as being caused by Phytoplasmas. In Africa, Phytoplasmas have been reported in association with diseases in a broad range of host plant species. However, the few reports of Phytoplasma occurrence in Africa have not been collated together to determine the status in different countries of the continent. Thus, this paper …

On-Site Water Management Field Sampling Plan (Fsp), 2025 Update, Mark Thompson, Rampart Solutions

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-03 Site Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final Bpsou Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-05 Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Watersmart Farms - Desalination: Inventory And Analysis, Ela Wendell, Abdulla Rasheed, Sharmina Begum, Vaibhav Patel, Goruck Soubans, John K. Ruprecht

Natural resources commissioned reports

A drying climate means traditional water supply resources of farms in southern Western Australia are frequently unable to meet agricultural production demands. However, extensive, untapped sources of brackish or moderately saline water ( <   20,000mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS) are present in nearly all agricultural areas experiencing water shortages. In response, a small, yet increasing, number of farms have privately financed and installed small-scale desalination units to treat locally sourced, salt-impaired water. This approach not only provides a new source of freshwater to the farm portfolio, but is unaffected by changing climatic and weather conditions. Since the majority of the early adopters of on-farm desalination draw the salt-impaired water from groundwater bores, the technology implementation also mitigates local salinization of agricultural land due to groundwater rise, while decreasing reliance on the heavily subsidized, centralized water supply schemes operated by Water Corporation (WC).

The WaterSmart Farms Desalination (WSFD) project was undertaken to assess the nature and performance of existing, small-scale, on-farm desalination systems, including their economics, sustainability, availability, and weaknesses; and to assess these decentralized systems’ applicability and uncertainties for broader application on farms throughout southern Western Australia. The project was undertaken by three major partners, WA Department of Primary Industries and Region Development (DPIRD), WC, and the Harry Butler …

Integrating A Stakeholder-Centric Approach Into Dynamic Adaptation Policy Pathways For Equitable Coastal Flood Risk Management In East Boston, Shailee M. Desai

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This research aims to illustrate a methodology incorporating diverse stakeholder values in adaptation planning to promote equitable outcomes using a hypothetical case study of the Lower Border Street area in East Boston, using the Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP) framework for managing coastal flood risk. It offers three significant contributions to the field of adaptation planning: (i) It demonstrates how to integrate a stakeholder-specific assessment within the DAPP framework and illustrates individual impacts to a variety of stakeholders, including high- and low-income residents, commercial actors, government actors, and coastal landowners hoping that the planning process remains transparent and motivates local …

2025 Revised Draft Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Mechanisms And Collaborative Prevention And Control Techniques For Various Disasters In Coal Seam Roofs, Zheng Kaige, Zhang Jian, Sun Siqing, Chen Dongdong, Wang Zeyang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The multistage sedimentary and tectonic evolution of coal seams in China has led to the formation of environments with the coexistence of multiple disasters including gas outbursts, water inrushes, and rock bursts. To address the chain evolution of these disasters induced by the coupling of high in situ stress, high water pressure, and intense mining under the condition of deep coal mining, this study systematically investigated the coupling mechanisms and collaborative prevention and control techniques of multiple dynamic disasters in coal seam roofs. Methods Based on the regional tectonic characteristics and the delineation of coal-bearing tectonic units, this study …

Mechanisms And Equation Improvement For Gas Seepage In Coal Seams Around Boreholes Subjected To High-Pressure Co2 Foam Fracturing, Pang Mingkun, Zhang Tianyu, Pan Hongyu, Song Xianfeng, Wu Shan, Zhang Tianjun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The special low-porosity, low-permeability structures of high-gas-content coal seams restrict efficient gas drainage. To address this issue, this study accurately determined the seepage parameters of annularly fractured coals around boreholes subjected to CO₂ foam fracturing to enhance both the design accuracy of boreholes for gas pre-drainage from coal seams and gas drainage efficiency. Methods Using an independently developed apparatus for gas seepage experiments on fractured coals around boreholes, this study investigated the coals with pores and fractures distributed in an annular pattern around boreholes from the perspective of varying initial pore structures. Specifically, this study analyzed the evolutionary …

Dominant Geological And Engineering Factors Controlling The Productivity Of Horizontal Wells For Deep Coalbed Methane In The Southern Shenfu Block, Guo Guangshan, Liu Yancheng, Zhao Gang, Chen Zhaohui, Li Chen, Kang Lifang, Wang Yuchuan, Wang Jianan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The southern Shenfu block along the eastern margin of the Ordos Basin hosts one of the rare gas fields with reserves of over 100 billion cubic meters (bcm) in China, serving as a pilot demonstration area for the exploration and production of deep coalbed methane (CBM) conducted by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC). In this block, the gas production of horizontal wells is 2-10 times that of vertical wells. However, the horizontal wells are challenged by significantly different and rapidly declining gas production. Determining dominant factors controlling the productivity of horizontal wells for deep CBM is the …

Impacts Of The Hydrochemical Characteristics Of Coal Seam Water On The Structures And Metabolic Functions Of Microbial Communities, Wang Gaohao, Duan Shengjie, Wang Bei, Niu Guobin, Liang Yongping, Yu Feilong, Ma Kai, Zhao Weizhong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The core of coalbed methane (CBM) bioengineering is to inject bio-fracturing fluids rich in efficient methanogenic bacteria into coal reservoirs to promote the conversion of coals to methane. However, the relationships of the hydrochemical characteristics of coal seam water with the structures and metabolic functions of microbial communities remain unclear. Methods This study investigated coal seam water from 12 typical mining areas in Ningxia. Based on microbial classification and sequencing, as well as statistical analysis, this study explored the relationships of pH, anions, cations, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of coal seam water with the structures and metabolic functions …

Construction And Application Of A Model For Drainage Via Directional Boreholes Against Water Hazards In Deep Vertical Shafts, Zhao Chunhu, Zhu Mingcheng, Ji Yadong, Wang Shidong, Zhang Wenzhong, Zhu Kaipeng, Liu Yingfeng, Shang Hongbo, Li Chaofeng, Fan Min, Li Kai

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Vertical shafts are typically employed in the deep mining areas of Jurassic coalfields in western China. However, the direct exposure of extremely thick Cretaceous aquifers frequently leads to significant water inflow in shafts. Meanwhile, the continuous sand-carrying water inflow and scouring in vertical shafts pose serious safety hazards to the overall quality of shaft walls. Methods In underground water exploration and discharge boreholes, water outlets are below the floors of aquifers to be drained. This allows unpowered water discharge. In other words, water can flow out naturally. By fully leveraging this advantage, combined with the favorable condition of spatial …

Diffusion Mechanisms Of Power-Law Grouts In Water-Rich Sand Layers During Permeation Grouting, Xie Bao, Cheng Hua, Wang Xuesong, Li Mingjing, Liu Xiangyang, Han Xueyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective This study aims to clarify the spherical diffusion patterns of power-law grouts in water-rich sand layers during permeation grouting and their influential factors. To this end, permeation grouting experiments were conducted to gain insights into the quantitative impacts of varying grouting parameters on grout diffusion.Methods Using model experiments on spherical diffusion during permeation grouting, this study analyzed the macroscopic diffusion morphologies and microscopic infilling effects of grouts, as well as the trends of permeation and soil pressures during grouting. Then, based on the spherical diffusion equations for permeation grouting that consider multi-effect coupling, this study analyzed the factors …