Law Commons^™

The Environmental, Social, And Economic Impacts Of Hydraulic Fracturing, Horizontal Drilling, And Acidization In California, Christina Whalen

CMC Senior Theses

The oil extraction mechanisms of hydraulic fracturing, horizontal drilling, and acidization have recently spread throughout the state of California. This thesis explores and assesses whether federal and state legislation should approve of fracking operations in California after studying its effects on human health, the environment, and the economy. This thesis assesses the impacts of fracking; analyzes the role of current legislation and regulation; compares California fracking to fracking in other states and countries; and provides recommendations for future action.

The Effects That Liquid And Solid Cattle Manure Have On The Water Quality Of Drainage Ditches In Putnam County, Ohio, Janelle Horstman

Honors Projects

Lake Erie has experienced harmful algal blooms with increased frequency since the mid-1990s due to excess nutrients from Rivers, such as the Maumee River, and largely agricultural watersheds. Nonpoint source pollution from agriculture contributes to eutrophication, algal blooms, and the degradation of water quality. This creates stress on aquatic fauna, reduced aesthetic quality, odor, and limits of the water for usage of drinking, recreation, and industry. This research paper asks what the contributions of having access to manure application records, soil records, and information about antibiotics have on what is known about manure management and antibiotic resistance, which has been …

Pesticide Regulation Differences Of The U.S., Chile, And Mexico On Imported Berries, Kayla Felicia Gardener

Agribusiness

Growing consumer demand for knowledge in the area of food safety and producer accountability on what is applied to fresh produce is resulting in a greater need for transparency in the industry. Additionally, the demand for safe, fresh produce year round has led to extensive international trade and consumers to wonder if imported produce is of the same quality of that in produced in the U.S. The study analyzes the differences and similarities between pesticide application tolerance standards, and labels for applied use on berries produced in the U.S., Mexico, and Chile. This is done by reviewing tolerance information and …

An Analysis Of Firearms Training Performance Among Active Law Enforcement Officers, John Thomasson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Firearms proficiency is an implicit expectation, held by the public of police officers, due to presumption that the required firearm training is an adequate preparation for a deadly force encounter. However, anecdotal evidence and available data on police shootings suggest that conventional, unrealistic training methods are wholly inadequate. To present stress into firearms training, some departments have opted for exercises such as physical exertion and shoot-house training as a substitute for realistic simulation of force-on-force confrontations.

To determine whether such exercises are comparable, an observation of performance and heart rate levels was conducted on a group of eight police officers, …

Connecting Pixels To People: Management Agents And Social-Ecological Determinants Of Changes To Street Tree Distributions, Shawn Landry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Street trees are an important component of the urban forest that can provide direct and indirect benefits to social and ecological sustainability in cities. Temporal and spatial interactions between human and non-human management agents determine the distribution and health of street tree populations in urban areas. This dissertation seeks to enhance our understanding of the spatial patterns and processes affecting street trees by investigating the agents and social-ecological determinants of changes to street tree distributions in urban residential neighborhoods. The research was guided by three primary questions: (1) Are recent changes to the spatial distribution of street trees influenced by …

Experiments To Measure The Effects Of Timber Harvesting Equipment On Surface Lithic Scatters, Douglas J. Baughman

All Master's Theses

The importance of cultural resource preservation cannot be overstated; however local economies are at least as important. Due to conservative archaeological site protection practices in Region 5 of the United States Forest Service, the economy of Northeastern California is being adversely affected. In an attempt to help the Forest Service make more informed management decisions and improve the Northeastern California economy, I undertook experiments on the effects of timber harvesting on lithic scatters on Modoc National Forest. The experiments involved placement of 225 glass tiles (proxy lithics) in each of three plots subject to vehicle traffic and log dragging by …

The Trans-Pacific Partnership And Japanese Politics, Eliot Francis Watson

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Sediment Removal From The San Gabriel Mountains, Mary C. Ferguson

Pitzer Senior Theses

The issue of sediment removal from the San Gabriel Mountains has been a complex issue that has created problems with beach replenishment, habitat destruction and the need to spend millions of dollars at regular intervals to avoid safety hazards. Most recently 11 acres of riparian habitat, including 179 oaks and 70 sycamores, were removed for sediment placement. Other sites including Hahamongna Watershed Park and La Tuna Canyon also face a similar fate. This thesis questions: How did we get to this point of destroying habitat to dump sediment which is viewed as waste product? What are the barriers for creating …

Intellectual Property And Policy Issues In Biotechnology, Amy Iver Yancey

Masters Theses

Intellectual property, particularly patents, plays a major role in innovation and discovery in biotechnology. Likewise, since the passage of the Bayh-Dole Act in 1981, patents have become an increasingly important factor in U.S. university-driven basic research, especially in the life sciences where patented technologies have transformed agriculture. Specifically, this paper looks at the potential impacts of these trends on university driven research, the university researcher, the pharmaceutical industry, and the farm sector with an emphasis on recent and pending court cases and legislation. This paper examines policy and adoptions issues in biotechnology and biomedicine in depth and touches on important …

Amid The Vipers: Establishing Malware's Position Within The Information Ecosystem, Shawn Louis Everett Robertson

Computer Science and Software Engineering

The paper consists of a detailed examination of malware broken down into three main sections.

1. Introduction: Malware in the World Today. Begins with a definition of terms, examination of the types of malware, research into historical pieces of malicious code, a detailed analysis of the attackers, why malware is so prevalent, and why it is so hard to defend against. This section finishes with a comparison of reasons to create and not to create malware.
2. Background: "Good" Pieces of Malware. Examination of what makes malware effective. Analysis of the existing CVSS standard and proposal of the alternative VIPERS classification system. …

Reflexivity In Financial Markets: A Neuroeconomic Examination Of Uncertainty And Cognition In Financial Markets, Steven Pikelny

Senior Projects Spring 2011

Financial markets exist to disperse the risks of an unknown future in an economy. But for this process to work in an optimal fashion, investors – and subsequently markets – must have a way to interpret uncertainty. The investor rationality and market efficiency literature utilizes a methodology inadequate to address this fact, so I supplement it with the perspectives of epistemology, economic sociology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and philosophy of mind. This approach suggests that what is commonly viewed as market “inefficiency” is not necessarily caused by investor irrationality, but rather by the inherent nature of the epistemological problem faced by …

An Evaluation Of Lead In Imported Candies Within Clark County, Nevada, Usa, Lee Reuben Ibarra

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Imported candies from Latin America pose a danger to children because of the potential for those candies to contain harmful levels of lead. This study sought to identify characteristics of imported candies that typically display higher concentrations of lead. This study also explored the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic model developed by the EPA. Using lead exposure data specific to Clark County, Nevada, the IEUBK model was used to estimate the amounts of candy a child would have to consume in order to raise his blood lead level to over 10µg/dL (the federal allowable limit).

The results showed that candies with …

The Northwest Forest Plan: Up To Our Neck In Owls?, Ashley N. Horvat

Honors Theses

Traversing across the vast Pacific Northwest with the Northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina), one would experience a dynamic landscape that ranged from areas shrouded with ancient forests, mountains dotted with dense young forests, large swathes of empty habitat from clearcuts, and corridors filled with canopies and a plethora of life. The once vibrant forests that blanketed the Pacific Northwest in an abundance of life and sheltered these rare owls in their canopies were threatened by the removal of these primordial giants in these forests. The wild salmon that journey in record numbers through the cold rivers and …

Hedging To Safety: A Political Economy Of Derivatives, Risk And Agriculture In The Developing World, Sasha Coler Breger Bush

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has become common for researchers and international development institutions to recommend the use of derivative instruments to developing country farmers and policymakers as a means of insuring agricultural incomes against the threats posed by volatile global commodity prices. Despite such enthusiasm, very little research to date examines whether or not derivative instruments actually can deliver income support to agricultural producers who face commodity price risk. This dissertation evaluates these recommendations, focusing upon the potential income security benefits of hedging with futures instruments for coffee farmers in Mexico, Brazil and Uganda during the 1998-2002 coffee crisis. The three-part quantitative and …

The Effect Of The Food Allergen Labeling And Consumer Protection Act (Falcpa) On The Accidental Food Allergen Ingestion Rate In Adults With Self-Reported Food Allergies, Susan Liebert

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Background: The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) recently required bolded allergens or “contains” statements on food product labels. Very few U.S. studies have looked at the accidental food allergen ingestion rate in adults. Since the emotional and medical costs of allergic reactions can be high, it is important to determine if the FALCPA is helping to reduce the accidental food allergen ingestion rate in adults with self-reported food allergies.

Background: The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) recently required bolded allergens or “contains” statements on food product labels. Very few U.S. studies have looked at …

Monitoring Stress During Training, Olivita Couso

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The highly stressful job of law enforcement personnel, rescue workers and soldiers requires them to constantly put to the test their previous training. In order too respond effectively under pressure, the training of these personnel must be preformed under conditions that elicit pressure. The research proposed in this thesis evaluates established training regimens for the degree of stressfulness instilled in trainees from physiological (hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis, autonomic nervous system) and psychological perspectives (anxiety). Subjects participating in SWAT and military training were recruited, as well as subjects having no prior SWAT or military training. Individual physiological stress responses measured included heart …

Public Conservation Land And Economic Growth In The Northern Forest Region, David Lewis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Environmental issues frequently revolve around a perceived tradeoff between the economy and the environment. In the Northern Forest region, one of the most important environmental policy issues of recent years has been the ownership of vast stretches of undeveloped forestland. Specifically, the possibility of increasing public conservation ownership on these lands has emerged. Opponents of conservation lands often argue that employment will decline significantly when land is diverted from commodity-oriented uses such as forest products production. Proponents of conservation lands frequently cite the amenity benefits of conservation lands and the potential to diversify and stimulate the economy by designating more …

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Management, Jeffrey C. Fisher

Theses and Major Papers

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and federal management under the U.S. National marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has certainly been contentious. Atlantic bluefin tuna have been managed at the international level by ICCAT for the past 25 years. NMFS is the organization responsible for implementing ICCAT recommended conservation and management measures in the United States. In an attempt to halt an apparent decline in the abundance of bluefin tuna in the western Atlantic, ICCAT has recommended strict management measures including catch quotas, minimum sizes, "no-sale" provisions, and spawning area protection since 1981. ICCAT had recommended in …

Assessing The Impact Of Amendment 2 To The Summer Flounder Fishery Management Plan: Implications Of State-By-State Quotas For Vessel Operators, Karen Ellis Greene

Theses and Major Papers

The state-by-state quota regulation contained in Amendment 2 to the Summer Flounder Fishery Management Plan became effective on January 1, 1993. The research sought to determine the implications that the state-by-state quotas have imposed on federal summer flounder permit holders. commercial fishermen were believed to have landed their summer flounder out-of-state to take advantage of more favorable possession limits in other states, and to have accrued higher costs as a result of their decisions to land out-of-state. A survey was administered to commercial fishermen in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and North Carolina, to ascertain behavioral changes, as a result of state-by-state …

North American Sea Urchin Fishery Management Strategies: Their Applicability To The Maine Green Sea Urchin Fishery, Kate Sullivan

Theses and Major Papers

The Maine green sea urchin fishery has experienced dramatic growth since its inception in 1987. Landings have increased from 1.4 million pounds in 1987 to 41.6 million pounds in 1993 (NMFS, Fisheries Statistics). The reproductive gonads, referred to as roe or 'uni' are shipped fresh from Maine to japan, where the uni is a delicacy item fetching high unit prices on the Japanese fish market. The green sea urchin from Maine, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis, is the third highest priced sea urchin product imported in Japan (Anon., 1989). Country-wide, sea urchin fisheries are one of the fastest growing fishing industries (Phu, …

Factors Influencing The Role Of Women In Indonesian Fisheries Development, Melissa A. Upton

Theses and Major Papers

Gender consideration is an essential component of fishery development activities. The purpose of this thesis is to help guide planners and decision-makers who are concerned with understanding the role of women in fisheries development in general as well as in the Republic of Indonesia. Thus, it is partially based upon field research conducted in Indonesia among fishing communities which are representative of different types of fisheries. Justification for research concerning the role of women in the fisheries sector and the reasons why women should be included in development policy and planning are presented in Chapter I. The general research setting, …

The Canadian-American Dispute Over Dixon Entrance, Mary Kathleen Morrissey

Theses and Major Papers

The body of water between the southern tip of Alaska's panhandle and British Columbia's Queen Charlotte islands, known as Dixon Entrance, is one of four external maritime boundaries between the United States and Canada. This particular boundary has been an area of dispute ever since it was established and settlement does not appear to be imminent. yet, this dispute continues to create poor management of fish stocks, trade disruption, feelings of frustration among fishermen of both nations, and in general, it remains a thorn in the side of United States-Canadian relations. In this paper I intend to review the history …

Tuna Fishery In The East Central Atlantic Region: The Feasibility Of Nigeria's Participation, Aderemi Olasupo Abioye

Theses and Major Papers

Tuna fishery is widely practiced in the east central Atlantic region by many fleets of different nationality. Most of the catch is taken by distant-water fleets. The new Law of the Sea convention, which gives coastal states an exclusive economic zone with outer limit of 200 miles, now allows the coastal states to make the most use of the living resources in their waters. The surplus shall be allocated to other states in the region and those traditionally fishing in the area before. Nigeria with a population of about 100 million people spends substantial foreign exchange annually on the importation …

A Multidisciplinary Analysis Of The Imposition Of Countervailing Duties On Canadian Groundfish Imports, Richard A. Pearson

Theses and Major Papers

This thesis provides a multidisciplinary analysis of the circumstances which surrounded the successful imposition of a countervailing duty on whole Canadian groundfish, and indicates what implications this action may have for the future. First, it will situate the countervailing duty investigation in terms of its relationship with U.S. statutes, and also with the Nation's international obligations. Then, the impact of the duty is examined to see how it might affect a potential free trade agreement with Canada. Similarly, the thesis projects what effect the duty will have in establishing a precedent, and assesses the likelihood of imposing similar duties on …

U.S./Japanese Fishery Relations: Reflections On The Past And The Unsettled Future, Matthew Axel

Theses and Major Papers

U.S.-Japan fisheries history spans over a half-century of controversy. A variety of developments have taken place over this period from past to present illustrating this point. This paper will present this subject in three parts, corresponding to the historical developments that have taken place. The saga begins with U.S. post-World War II aid in rebuilding the Japanese tuna, whaling and salmon fleets. Round two examines the rapid expansion of the Japanese utilization of Alaska pollock and the development of the surimi trawlers in the early 1960s. Finally, round three, which will encompass the majority of the subject matter discussed, begins …

Interstate Fisheries Management Problems: The Case Of Striped Bass, Richard Randall Schneider

Theses and Major Papers

The striped bass (Morone saxatilis), or rockfish, fishery has been important both commercially and recreationally for decades along the Atlantic seaboard. In recent years, though, the fishery has undergone a serious decline and, as a result, has elicited considerable public concern. Although specific reasons for the decline have not been pinpointed, it is clear that inconsistent management practices within the range of striped bass have done little to help the fishery's condition. An anadromous species, striped bass spawn in the fresh water reaches of estuaries, after which many of the individuals return to the coastal ocean. In the Atlantic, the …

Impact Of The Law Of The Sea Treaty On The Soviet Fishing Industry, Gary Lee Roemmich

Theses and Major Papers

The signing of the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) Treaty was the maturation of an idea that was born thirty-six years ago. That treaty placed into effect the 200 mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). A universal 200 mile EEZ could be a death knell for the high-seas fishing fleets we know today as the majority of the major fishing grounds lie within 200 miles of the coast. The Soviet Union presently has the largest fishing fleet in the world and will perhaps feel the largest impact from the treaty signing. This paper intends to evaluate …

Ecology, Economics, And Law In The Conservation And Management Of Cetaceans, John David Roanowicz

Theses and Major Papers

No abstract provided.

Promotion Of Distant-Water Fishing Industry In Taiwan, Dah-Wen Shieh

Theses and Major Papers

The growth of distant-water fishing industry in Taiwan has been steady during the period from 1965-1973. However, since 1973, the slow expansion of distant-water fisheries has been reflected in both the production side and the decreasing catch per unit effort. The increasing operation costs and the shrinking fishing grounds are mainly attributable to the limitation of distant-water fishing industry. The small scale of fishing companies with small-sized vessels also resulted in the inefficient operation in this highly competitive business. For Taiwan, distant-water fishing is not only a means of meeting general protein requirements for its population but also an important …

Gold In The Gulf: A History Of The Rio Grande Valley Shrimp Industry, Thomas M. Blackwell

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Competition over dwindling fishery stocks has become acute. Shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico is part of that competition. Trawling operations shifted to Brownsville. A dispute between the newly arrived louisiana shrimpers and Texas operators drove many of the newcomers south to the Mexican coastline. This led almost inevitably to a conflict with Mexico. That it was almost inevitable was also due to the fact that the two nations had differing interpretations of territorial limits.

The confrontations themselves were often full of adventure with charges, counter-charges, and sometimes bullets hurled through the air. Because of this nation's own past actions, …