Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Wildfire Risk In Mountain West States, 2017-2021, Olivia K. Cheche, Corryn Richardson, Zachary Billot, Miguel Soriano Ralston, Vanessa Booth, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Environment

This fact sheet examines data on wildfire destruction in the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The original report from the Insurance Information Institute presents findings on percent of properties at risk of wildfire destruction, the number of wildfires by state, and numbers of acres burned per state.

Effectiveness Of Plastic Ordinances In Santa Monica, Ca: Do Regulations At The Municipal Level Reduce Plastic Waste?, John W. Hayes

School of Public Policy Capstones

Plastic is a cheap, robust and versatile material with numerous practical uses that contribute to the convenience of modern day life. However the very same properties that make it uniquely diverse and hardy also contribute to the hazards it poses to the ecosystems and human health. If current consumption and manufacturing practices remain unchanged, there will be hundreds of millions of additional tons of plastic introduced into the environment over the coming decades. To mitigate this issue, some cities, such as Santa Monica, have implemented ordinances and policies directly aimed at this growing problem, albeit with ambiguous results. To better …

An Exploration Of Zero Waste Policies And Recommendations For Missoula, Sarah Blyth Lundquist

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

“Zero Waste” is a concept and community goal that has arisen to challenge the current consumerist economic system and offer solutions for a number of environmental issues. In adopting this goal, individuals and communities pledge to reduce and divert at least 90% of their waste in a certain number of years. These goals can be reached by employing policies, programs, and other intervention tactics which establish Zero Waste infrastructure, ensure equitable and widespread access to Zero Waste services, and provide educational outreach and resources to the community. Missoula adopted a Zero Waste goal in 2016 and created a Zero Waste …

An Analysis Of United States Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning Policy And The Public Participation Process, Alexis Stabulas

International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)

As the number of nuclear power plants slated for decommissioning increases, reflecting on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) decommissioning regulations in relation to public participation becomes increasingly important. When plants close, communities lose security in economics, employment, and environmental and human health. The NRC’s regulations on public involvement are very limited and generally stakeholders do not feel supported in the decommissioning process. Local and tribal governments, citizen groups, the general public, and those directly affected have all found the NRC’s public involvement inadequate, ineffective, and infrequent. The case studies of two completely decommissioned plants, Maine Yankee and Big Rock …

Climate Change Litigation And Narrative: How To Use Litigation To Tell Compelling Climate Stories, Grace Nosek

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

No abstract provided.

Incentive Compatible Climate Change Mitigation: Moving Beyond The Pledge And Review Model, Gabriel Weil

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

Climate change represents a global commons problem, where individuals, businesses, and nation-states all lack sufficient incentives to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to levels consistent with meeting their collectively agreed upon mitigation goals. The current “pledge and review” paradigm for global climate change mitigation, which many see as a major breakthrough, relies primarily on moral pressure, reputational incentives, and global public opinion to foster cooperation on mitigation efforts over and above those driven by maximization of narrow conceptions of national interests. Given the scale of the emissions reductions required to meet stated mitigation goals, the substantial economic costs of deep …

It's Always Sunny In Florida: Reexamining The Role Of Energy Monopolies After Recent Solar Ballot Initiatives, Lauren Gillespie

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

No abstract provided.

Black, Gold, And Green: Food Waste Management At Bryant University, Brooke Tomasetti

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

The basis of this project is to examine the food waste management system at Bryant University, and to make feasible, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions for improving the system. An effective, sustainable food waste management system is an important achievement for the university in particular as Rhode Island’s landfill is quickly reaching its capacity. The study focuses on analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of the university’s current solution of sending the waste to a local pig farmer versus alternative options such as composting the waste. Research methods include surveying local food recycling and composting experts and key stakeholders, a numeric ranking …

Enhancing Coastal Resilience: Perspectives On Valuing Ri Coastal Lands, Kyle Nyskohus

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

This paper discusses coastal resilience as an organizing framework for future policymaking, coastal planning, and insurance decisions, and explores the different perspectives of the value of ecosystems held by various stakeholders in Rhode Island’s coastal communities. A grounded theory approach was used in an effort to abstract general insights from the substantive but isolated areas of coastal management and economics. Special attention is given to the perspectives of municipal decision makers, the National Flood Insurance Program, natural economists, and real estate developers. We have (1) conducted a statistical analysis of environmental spending of RI towns, (2) identified key models for …

Brief 3: Clustering Assessment: Enhancing Synergies Among Multilateral Environmental Agreements, Judith Wehrli

Governance and Sustainability Issue Brief Series

Against the background of a widely fragmented and diluted international environmental governance architecture, different reform options are currently being discussed. This issue brief considers whether streamlining international environmental regimes by grouping or ‘clustering’ international agreements could improve effectiveness and efficiency. It outlines the general idea of the clustering approach, draws lessons from the chemicals and waste cluster and examines the implications and potentials of clustering multilateral environmental agreements.

Cellulosic Biofuels: Expert Views On Prospects For Advancement, Erin D. Baker, Jeffrey M. Keisler

Management Science and Information Systems Faculty Publication Series

In this paper we structure, obtain and analyze results of an expert elicitation on the relationship between U. S. government Research & Development funding and the likelihood of achieving advances in cellulosic biofuel technologies. While there was disagreement among the experts on each of the technologies, the patterns of disagreement suggest several distinct strategies. Selective Thermal Processing appears to be the most promising path, with the main question being how much funding is required to achieve success. Thus, a staged investment in this path looks promising. With respect to gasification, there remains fundamental disagreement over whether success is possible even …

Summary Report: Workshop On International Environmental Governance: Grounding Policy Reform In Rigorous Analysis, Center For Governance And Sustainability At Umass Boston

Center for Governance and Sustainability Publications

From June 27 to 28, 2011, the Federal Office for the Environment of Switzerland, the Global Environmental Governance Project of the Center for Governance and Sustainability at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and the World Trade Institute at the University of Bern hosted a workshop on International Environmental Governance: Grounding Policy Reform in Rigorous Analysis. The workshop started a dialogue between academics and researchers on one hand and policymakers on the other in order to provide analytical input to the political negotiations on institutional reform in the run-up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012.

The workshop focused …

Effectiveness Of Agency And Non-Government Organizational Efforts In Rhode Island Environmental Conservation, Kaitlin Goldsmith

Honors Projects in Science and Technology

The effectiveness of woodland conservation in Rhode Island is increasingly important as economic development pressures sacrifice critical forestland for commercial, residential and infrastructure purposes. This study looks to determine components of forest conservation practices that could be better suited to best protect this important land. Through the content analysis of interviews and citizen surveys, the most critical areas in need of improved efforts were revealed. It was discovered that the various lenses used by entities prevented the most beneficial cooperative efforts and further sharing of limited resources would increase efficiency. Additionally, educational efforts are limited and too often performed by …

Carbon Capture And Storage: Combining Economic Analysis With Expert Elicitations To Inform Climate Policy, Erin D. Baker, Haewon Chon, Jeffrey M. Keisler

Management Science and Information Systems Faculty Publication Series

The relationship between R&D investments and technical change is inherently uncertain. In this paper we combine economics and decision analysis to incorporate the uncertainty of technical change into climate change policy analysis. We present the results of an expert elicitation on the prospects for technical change in carbon capture and storage. We find a significant amount of disagreement between experts, even over the most mature technology; and this disagreement is most pronounced in regards to cost estimates. We then use the results of the expert elicitations as inputs to the MiniCAM integrated assessment model, to derive probabilistic information about the …

Environmental Justice: An Analysis, Dennis Bechtel

Native American Forum on Nuclear Issues

Abstract: -Importance of the Environmental Justice -EJ examples -Regulatory backdrop -Stigma effects -Recommendations

Importance Of Early Successional Forest For Wildlife In Southern New England, Amy Wynia

Senior Honors Projects

Many bird species that require early successional forest are declining in the Northeast U.S. because such habitat is relatively rare and when they inhabit the more common mature forests or suburban areas they are less successful. Early successional forest is maintained by regular disturbance (wind, fire, clear-cutting, and flooding) which has been happening less frequently during the past 50 years. Bird species that have declined during this time and which inhabit early successional forest include ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata), chestnut-sided warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica), gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), field sparrow (Spizella pusilla), golden-winged warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera), eastern …

Conservation Element Of The Las Vegas 2020 Master Plan, City Of Las Vegas, Nevada

Publications (SD)

There is a dual purpose to the Las Vegas 2020 Master Plan Conservation Element. The first purpose is to address the requirements of state law, as provided in the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 278.150(4). This section of the NRS requires that governing bodies in Nevada counties with a population of 400,000 or more ensure that their master plans address a stipulated list of subjects, including a conservation plan.

Likwidacja Strefy Ochronnej Wokół Huty Katowice W Dąbrowie Górniczej, Marian Mazur, Robert Oleniacz, Marek Bogacki

Robert Oleniacz

The paper presents the history of the creation, management and liquidation of the protective zone around the Katowice Steelworks and Coke "Przyjaźń" (originally belonging to the "Katowice Steelworks") in Dąbrowa Górnicza (Poland). This zone was created in 1978 on the basis of the air quality impact assessment performed for the steelworks on the assumption steel production capacity of 9 million tons/year and planned production of coke at 3.3 million tons/year. These production volumes have never been achieved. In the 80's and 90's of the 20th century were conducted studies and calculations aimed to verify the nuisance of these plants on …

Likwidacja Strefy Ochronnej Huty Katowice I Zakładów Koksowniczych "Przyjaźń" W Dąbrowie Górniczej, Marian Mazur, Robert Oleniacz, Marek Bogacki

Robert Oleniacz

Legislation changes in Poland concerning the protective zones (created around industrial plants particularly harmful to the environment) were presented in the paper. Conditions connected with forming, developing and partial elimination of the protective zone existing around the "Katowice" steelworks and the coke plant Przyjaźń in Dąbrowa Górnicza (Poland) since 1978 were characterized as well.

English title: Elimination of the protective zone of the Katowice steelworks and the coke plant Przyjaźń in Dąbrowa Górnicza.

Agenda: A Cartography Of Governance: Exploring The Province Of Environmental Ngos, University Of Colorado Boulder. School Of Law, University Of Colorado Boulder. Environmental Program, University Of Tulsa. National Energy-Environment Law & Policy Institute, University Of Colorado Boulder. United Government Of Graduate Students

A Cartography of Governance: Exploring the Province of Environmental NGOs (April 7-8)

Presented by: the Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law and Policy on April 7 & 8, 2001. Symposium director: Lakshman D. Guruswamy.

Co-sponsored by: University of Colorado School of Law, University of Colorado Environmental Program, University of Tulsa National Energy-Environment Law and Policy Institute, University of Colorado United Government of Graduate Students.

The papers and edited proceedings of the conference will be published in a special symposium issue of the Colorado Journal of International Environmental Law & Policy (CJIELP).

"The first objective of the Symposium was to understand and explore the growing importance of nongovernmental actors, and delineate the manner …

Ocena Zasięgu Istotnego Oddziaływania Emisji Zanieczyszczeń Z Huty Katowice Pod Kątem Likwidacji Strefy Ochronnej, Marian Mazur, Robert Oleniacz, Marek Bogacki

Robert Oleniacz

The paper presents the results of air quality impact assessment of Katowice Steelworks in Dąbrowa Górnicza (Poland) in the protective zone. On the basis of calculations, it was found that in terms of air pollution there is a reasonable possibility of complete elimination of existing protective zone around these industrial plants.

English title: Assessment of the extent of significant effects of pollutant emissions from the "Katowice" Steelworks in terms of liquidation of the environmental protection zone.

Analiza Możliwości Likwidacji Stref Ochronnych Wokół Wybranych Zakładów Przemysłu Hutniczego I Koksochemicznego, Marian Mazur, Robert Oleniacz, Marek Bogacki

Robert Oleniacz

Polish industrial plants with protective zones delimited in the past, have been faced with the necessity to liquidation of these zones before 2005. At the same time the plants must not cause any harmful influence over environment outside the area which they have title deed to. Determination of the current range of this impact is very important due to the high costs of a possible purchase of land exposed to the harmful effects. The study analyzes the possibility of verifying the course of borders two existing protective zones: around Katowice Steelworks and Coking Plant "Przyjaźń" in Dąbrowa Górnicza (the first …

Technologia Ciągłego Odlewania Stali I Jej Wpływ Na Ograniczenie Emisji Zanieczyszczeń Z Procesów Hutniczych, Marian Mazur, Marek Bogacki, Robert Oleniacz, Agnieszka Łopata, Anita Niedojadło

Robert Oleniacz

The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the impact of continuous casting of steel technology on air pollutant emissions in one of the Polish steelworks - Huta Katowice S.A. in Dąbrowa Górnicza. Emission sources occurring in the production process and the levels of pollutant emissions into the air were described. Implementation of continuous casting of steel brought significant changes in the production cycle in steelworks and caused an increase in the efficiency of manufacture of products. Calculated environmental effects showed a significant reduction of all pollutant emissions in the whole plant.

English title: Technology of continuous casting of steel and …

Ocena Zasięgu Oddziaływania Emisji Zanieczyszczeń Z Huty Katowice I Zk “Przyjaźń” W Dąbrowie Górniczej W Aspekcie Weryfikacji Wielkości Strefy Ochronnej, Marian Mazur, Marek Bogacki, Robert Oleniacz

Robert Oleniacz

The paper presents the results of an analysis of current pollutant emissions from "Katowice" Steelworks and Coke Plant "Przyjaźń" in the Dąbrowa Górnicza (Poland) and calculations of spreading of these pollutants in the atmosphere. The research have shown that there is a reasonable possibility of reducing the existing protective zone around these plants, which should significantly reduce the costs incurred for the purchase of the land and management of the zone area.

English title: Assessment of the impact extent of pollutant emissions from "Katowice" Steelworks and Coke Plant "Przyjaźń" in the Dąbrowa Górnicza in terms of verification the size of …

Agenda: New Challenges For Environmental Protection: Second Sino-American Conference On Environmental Law, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

New Challenges for Environmental Protection: Second Sino-American Conference on Environmental Law (October 12-13)

Workshop held Sept. 18-19, 1989; conference held Oct. 12-13, 1989, in Boulder, Colorado.

Conference speakers included University of Colorado School of Law professors Daniel Barstow Magraw and Lawrence J. MacDonnell.

Contents of papers from workshop and conference:

To protect developing city by the enactment of local laws and regulations / Wu Zilin -- Legislative control of air pollution & water pollution of the P.R.China / Xiao Longan -- The law of natural conservation in China / Ma Xiang-cong -- 'Weighing environmental risks : EPA's unfinished business', Environment, vol. 30, no. 6, July/August 1988, p. 14-17, 34-39 / Richard Morgenstern, Stuart …

To Protect Developing City By The Enactment Of Local Laws And Regulations, Zilin Wu

New Challenges for Environmental Protection: Second Sino-American Conference on Environmental Law (October 12-13)

13 pages.