Environmental Health and Protection Commons^™

Gis And Wildlife Management Activities At Airports, Shelley Gray

Bird Strike Committee-USA/Canada Joint Annual Meeting: 5th (2003)

Wildlife observations collected over time at a US Air Force Base (AFB) have been visually displayed through Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. By continuing to expand upon the capabilities of GIS, USDA Wildlife Services has been able to manage the Seymour Johnson AFB airfield and surrounding areas in a practical manner. A Wildlife Hazard Assessment of the AFB used GIS to clearly display the location of birds and mammals observed on the airfield. Baseline themes of natural features (i.e. rivers, woodlands, etc.) were related to wildlife observations to determine areas requiring management. Additionally, GIS has been a useful tool to …

Memorandum Of Agreement Between The Federal Aviation Administration, The U.S. Air Force, The U.S. Army, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, The U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service, And The U.S. Department Of Agriculture To Address Aircraft-Wildlife Strikes

Other Bird Strike and Aviation Materials

The signatory agencies know the risks that aircraft-wildlife strikes pose to safe aviation.

This Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) acknowledges each signatory agency’s respective missions. Through this MOA, the agencies establish procedures necessary to coordinate their missions to more effectively address existing and future environmental conditions contributing to aircraft-wildlife strikes throughout the United States. These efforts are intended to minimize wildlife risks to aviation and human safety, while protecting the Nation’s valuable environmental resources.

Analysis Of Soil Lead Levels In An Historic District Of A South Central Kentucky City, Robert Cummins

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Lead in soil has been shown to be a significant pathway of lead exposure in children. Several factors including age of housing units, exterior composition, and paint loading may affect the amount of lead present in the soil. The purpose of this study was to analyze soil lead levels on properties located in an historic district and relate those levels to the variables previously mentioned. A total of 30 soil samples were collected from housing units in a nationally recognized historic district. Concentrations of lead in the soil were analyzed using a NITON X-ray Fluorescence Spectrum Analyzer, following EPA Method …

A Re-Evaluation Of The Us Epa Radon Risk Categorization For Unicoi County, Tennessee., William Grant Parsons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Effective risk communication is based on appropriate risk characterization. A reevaluation of the 1987 US EPA radon risk categorization of Unicoi County Tennessee was conducted using in-home radon concentrations, determined in a long-term monitoring study. Radon concentrations were measured in 69 homes using Electret Passive Environmental Radon Monitors (E-PERM’s), following standard methods. Radon concentrations determined in this study (avg. 4.03 ± 3.04) were significantly higher than those measured in the USEPA study (avg. 1.96 ± 1.08). Using this study’s data, the risk categorization was recalculated with the US EPA Radon Index Matrix Model. The model re-categorized Unicoi County from a …

Study Of The Distribution And Variation Of The Herbicide Atrazine In Finished Drinking Water At A Small Community Water System In Kentucky, Vijay Golla

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examines the variation in the distribution of the concentration of atrazine, a triazine herbicide used in Kentucky to control weeds primarily in corn fields. Atrazine is known to have carcinogenic properties and is an endocrine disruptor in aquatic species even at low concentrations. Atrazine has the ability to be transported through the environment into water bodies due to its physical and chemical properties favoring its occurrence and distribution. Raw and Finished drinking water samples were collected from the Lewisburg water treatment plant which derives its drinking water supplies from a source water intake namely Spa Lake, which has …

Scwds Briefs: Volume 19, Number 2 (July 2003)

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study: Publications

• CWD Surveillance in the Southeast: The discovery of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in wild deer remote from the historic endemic area in Colorado and Wyoming has fueled concerns among wildlife agencies over the distribution of the disease.
• Monkeypox Introduced with Exotic Pets: During June and July 2003, 72 suspected human cases of monkeypox were reported in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin (37 confirmed).
• SARS: In February 2003, a new coronaviral disease known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) gained international attention as it spread to 32 countries around the world.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife …

Characterization Of Environmentally Friendly Polymers: Amylopectin And Its Blends, Mohammad Osman Melibari

Theses and Dissertations

Biodegradable polymers are desirable for a variety of applications, such as in packaging, agriculture, and medicine. Its biological degradation by microorganisms accelerated the interest in biodegradable polymers during the last decades. Within this group of innovative environmentally friendly biodegradable polymers, starch or Amylpectin plays a predominant role, due to their potential biodegradability. This research was attempted to characterize Amylopectin to obtain its physio-chemical properties. In addition, characterizations were extended to include blends of Amylopectin and biodegradable diluents. Blends of Amylopectin with biodegradable diluents including Polycaprolactone, Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide), and Poly(3- hydroxybutyric acid) were prepared. The physical properties and the thermodynamic characteristics of …

Fisheries Research Contract Report No. 2 - Towards An Assessment Of Natural And Human Use Impacts On The Marine Environment Of The Abrolhos Islands (Phase 1 : Data Consolidation And Scoping - Final Report For Frdc Project 2000/1 66), C. F. Chubb, K. Nardi

Fisheries Research Contract Reports

This project has drawn together existing research data relating to natural and human impacts on the Abrolhos Islands marine habitats. It has surveyed current uses of these habitats and placed anthropogenic impacts within the context of natural perturbations. Through public forum presentation and debate, this work has allowed real issues, not perceptions, to surface and be addressed properly. This was achieved by defining a strategic programme of research through a scientific workshop process involving all community stakeholders. A two volume Fisheries Research Report (WA) summarizes current knowledge and details the workshop proceedings and strategic research plan.

Surface Compositions Of Carbon Sorbents Exposed To Simulated Low-Rank Coal Flue Gases, Charlene R. Crocker, Steven A. Benson, Edwin S. Olson, John H. Pavlish, Michael J. Holmes

EERC Publications, Papers, & Presentations

Bench-scale testing of elemental mercury sorption on selected activated carbon sorbents was conducted to develop a better understanding of the interaction between the sorbent, flue gas constituents, and elemental mercury.

Water Quality Assessment In Cypress Creek Nature Preserve, Jason Flora

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Swamps are unique ecological communities that provide many valuable ecosystem services. In Kentucky, however, many swamps were altered by cypress removal and land development in their watersheds. Cypress Creek Swamp, which lies near Paducah in western Kentucky, is a good example of a swamp whose ecological integrity may be threatened by past and current nearby land use practices. This study was conducted to assess the water quality and macro- and microinvertebrate communities in the swamp. Three sites were monitored for temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, specific conductivity, depth, phosphorus measured as orthophosphate, nitrite (NO2") and nitrate (NO3", NOx collectively), and ammonia …

Pilot-Scale Investigation Of Mercury Control Technologies For Utilities Burning Lignite Coal (03-A-65-Awma), John H. Pavlish, Michael J. Holmes, Kevin C. Galbreath, Ye Zhuang, Brandon M. Pavlish

EERC Publications, Papers, & Presentations

The EERC recently completed the first phase of a 3-year, two-phase consortium project to develop and demonstrate mercury control technologies for utilities burning lignite coal.

An Improved Model For Flue Gas-Mercury Interactions On Activated Carbons, Edwin S. Olson, Jason D. Laumb, Steven A. Benson, Grant E. Dunham, Ramesh K. Sharma, Blaise A.F. Mibeck, Stanley J. Miller, Michael J. Holmes, John H. Pavlish

EERC Publications, Papers, & Presentations

Part of our work has focused on elucidating the nature of the interactions between the mercury and the flue gas components on activated carbon surfaces, particularly the activated carbons derived from Texas (Norit FGD) and from Fort Union lignites (prepared at the EERC). This understanding is crucial to developing a model for mercury chemisorption and subsequent design of carbons with faster kinetics and greater capacities.

The 100th Meridian Initiative In Nevada: Assessing The Westward Movement Of The Zebra Mussel To The Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Megan Mccoy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, are a concern for all bodies of water in North America. East of the 100th Meridian, zebra mussels have infested the waters and dramatically changed the natural ecosystems. The US Fish and Wildlife Services set up the 100th Meridian Initiative project to monitor the boat traffic to and from infested and non-infested waters of the United States and Canada. Surveys were conducted from October 19, 2002 through March 31, 2003, focusing specifically on the Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LMNRA) for the scope of this thesis. This study addresses the movement of trailers, boats, and other …

Qualitative Measurements Of Occupant Comfort In Five U.S. Schools, Anthony Miller

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) performed indoor air quality studies in five U.S. schools during energy retrofits during 1997-98. Four EPA reports and three Environmental Health and Engineering, Inc. (EH&E) reports illustrated the indoor environmental quality before and after heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) retrofits at specific elementary schools in Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, and California. Selected comfort, environmental, physical, and occupant response data were collected in randomly selected areas over a one–week, five–school day monitoring period for each of these schools.

The EPA studied indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant comfort using an EPA Indoor Environmental …

Fluctuations In Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha) Counts At Three Lower Columbia River Spawning Sites, Eric Michael Loomis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Several hypotheses were developed to explore the pronounced increase in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) returning to spawning grounds at the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis Rivers, three tributaries of the lower Columbia River. The study was conducted using data compiled over a ten-year span from 1991-2001. Preliminary indications are that trends in climate are linked to these increases, with the absence of El Niño events and fluctuations in winter precipitation as likely explanations of these phenomena. The unique nature of Chinook life cycles causes them to utilize a variety of habitats that require ideal conditions for maximum survival rates. Correlations between …

An Analysis Of Apartment Complex Recycling In Clark County, Nevada, Noriko Eguchi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to analyze recycling opportunities for people living in apartments and recommend solutions to improve apartment complex recycling programs in Clark County, Nevada. There are two hypotheses for this problem. First, there is not enough space to put recycling containers in some apartment complex dumpster enclosures. Second, there are several obstacles to providing recycling for complex managers. There are two methods involved in testing these hypotheses. Unincorporated Clark County was selected for the study area. The size of dumpster enclosures was measured in 73 apartment complexes out of 240 complexes which do not recycle in …

Water Quality Remediation At The Abandoned Jones-Kincaid Mine Site, Pyramid Mining District, Washoe County, Nevada, Si-Ok Choi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the cost and efficiency of four remediation methods, natural attenuation, permeable reactive barriers, pump and treat systems, and bioremediation, and to determine the best suitable method for preventing further environmental degradation from the abandoned Jones-Kincaid Mine (JKM), located within the Pyramid Mining District, Washoe County, Nevada.

Problems from abandoned mine sites may be divided into four types: water quality, public safety, economic concerns, and scenic interests. The foremost problem is the effect of pollution on water quality. Acid run-off and precipitation may be spread hundreds of miles and influence drinking water sources …

Scwds Briefs: Volume 19, Number 1 (April 2003)

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study: Publications

• USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the availability of $4 million to state wildlife management agencies for chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance and management.
• New Info on Captive Cervids and CWD: including excerpts from "Summary of a Statewide Audit and Inspection of Wisconsin's Captive White-tailed Deer Farms" prepared by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
• New developments since the last CWD update in January 2003 issue: a mule deer buck taken by a hunter on Diamond Mountain near Vernal, Utah, tested positive for CWD. An elk on a Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, farm tested positive …

Trail Conditions And Preferences From A Mountain Bike Users Perspective In Cottonwood Valley, Jeff Frampton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to gather baseline data and user preferences from a mountain bike user’s perspective about the current condition of the multiple use trails in Cottonwood Valley. Cottonwood Valley is an area located at the southern tip of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Multiple use includes hiking, biking and horseback riding and does not include motorized vehicles. The area was set aside for conservation by an act of Congress because of the inherent value that it represents.

Because the public is allowed to access and use the trails in the area, there has been …

Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery 2003 Annual Report

Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery: Annual Reports

Wolves (Canis lupus) in the Northern Rocky Mountain states (Idaho, Montana and Wyoming) continue to increase in distribution and numbers (Figures 1, 5). Estimates of wolf numbers at the end of 2003 were 368 wolves in the Central Idaho Recovery Area, 301 in the Greater Yellowstone Recovery Area, and 92 in the Northwest Montana Recovery Area for a total of 761 (Figure 1, Table 4a). By state boundaries, there were an estimated 345 wolves in the state of Idaho, 234 in Wyoming and 182 in Montana (Table 4b). Of approximately 94 groups of two or more wolves, 51 …

Farm Management Practice For The Prevention Of Soil Erosion In The Carnarvon Horticulture Area 2003 (Version 1), David Parr

Horticulture research reports

Lower Gascoyne Management Strategy

The Carnarvon horticultural area has suffered considerable erosion damage following flooding of the Gascoyne River.

The purpose of this report is to describe the factors that contribute to soil erosion in the Carnarvon horticultural area (Section 1) and provide guidelines for soil management (Sections 2 and 3) which will assist farmers, local government planners and government bodies with responsibility for resource protection and conservation.

The report:

• Provides detailed information on soil management for intensive irrigated cropping
• Details cropping alternatives to better manage the soil erosion risk
• Identifies appropriate plants for soil stabilisation in a range of …

Smart Growth And Land Acquisition Priorities: A Cursory Review, New England Environmental Finance Center

Smart Growth

It is well-known and generally accepted that all undeveloped land in New England cannot forever be protected from development; nor would this be a desirable goal, as continued economic development and population growth are near certainties. For these and other reasons, private land trusts and government agencies generally use explicit criteria to prioritize their land acquisition activities and prospects.

Perspectives On Radioactive Waste Disposal: A Consideration Of Economic Efficiency And Intergenerational Equity, Helen R. Neill, Robert H. Neill

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

There are both internal and external pressures on the U.S. Department of Energy to reduce the estimated costs of isolating radioactive waste, $19 billion for transuranic waste at Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and $57 billion for high level waste at Yucca Mountain. The question arises whether economic analyses would add to the decision-making process to reduce costs yet maintain the same level of radiological protection. This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of using cost-benefit analysis (CBA), a tool used to measure economic efficiency as an input for these decisions. Using a comparative research approach, we find that CBA …

Conservation And Restoration Of Pine Forest Genetic Resources In México, C. Sáenz-Romero, Amy E. Snively, R. Lindig-Cisneros

Student Published Works

Deforestation rates in México are about 670,000 ha/year. This threatens the richness of forest genetic resources in México, causing the disappearance of locally adapted populations and rare and endangered pine species. México is one of the six megadiverse countries in the world, with half of the world’s Pinus species. Pinus is one of the most economically and ecologically important forest genera in México. We suggest that delineation of seed zones and the establishment of a network of Forest Genetic Resource Conservation Units (FGRCUs), linked with forest management and ecological restoration programs will protect this valuable resource. We estimate that FGRCUs …

Guiding Growth: A Survey Of Tax Incentives, New England Environmental Finance Center, Muskie School Of Public Service

Legislation

Current development patterns and increased tax pressures in local municipalities combine to harm both Maine’s natural resources and its quality of life. Previous initiatives such as the implementation of zoning laws did not fully result in the desired outcomes. Zoning laws were often too flexible and often did not resist market and political pressures to change zoning regulations to allow development with possible economic growth. A sound taxation system or fee structure may be the solution to slow down development in natural areas and direct it towards areas appropriate for growth.

To protect Maine’s natural resources more successfully from future …

Tws Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter: Spring 2003 – Volume 10(1)

TWS Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter

Forward; Recent Working Group Activities; Note From The Treasurer; Note From The Editor; Announcements; Application For Membership / The Wildlife Society

Tws Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter: Vol. 10, Issue 2 Fall 2003

TWS Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Newsletter

Forward ; Working Group Annual Meeting Minutes ; 2003 Wildlife Damage Management Working Group Board Member Ballot; News And Announcements; Executive Board Candidates; Application For Membership / The Wildlife Society

Environmental Management Of Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (Weee) In Ireland, Simon Wilkinson

Theses

This thesis follows two previous studies by the Author on the calculation of theoretical WEEE arisings, and an assessment of ecodesign practices in Ireland. It has established collection trials in five different locations throughout Ireland in order to characterise and quantify WEEE arisings, and to examine outlets for collected WEEE. Overall, during the twelve months of collection at the project locations, more than 450 tonnes of WEEE was collected from the public and recycled. Within the catchments of each facility, collection rates of between 2.1 and 3.5 kg/person/year were achieved during the twelve-month trial period. With further public awareness raising …

Fight On! A Thirty Year History Of The Sawmill Slough Conservation Club, Michael W. Woodward, Erin B. Wiggins

Conservation Club

A history of the Sawmill Slough Conservation Club from it's beginnings to 2003

Scwds Briefs: Volume 18, Number 4 (January 2003)

Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study: Publications

• The Latest on chronic wasting disease (CWD): Wisconsin, Illinois, Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Saskatchewan
• The Wildlife Society (TWS) recently published a technical review and draft position statement on the confinement of wild ungulates within fenced enclosures--"Biological and Social Issues Related to Confinement of Wild Ungulates."
• Exotic Newcastle disease (END) was confirmed in backyard poultry flocks in southern California on October 1, 2002.
• Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI): In the northeastern United States, Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is maintained in nature through a cycle involving the white-footed mouse and other rodents …