Saturday, November 15, 2008

Enviromental groups prepared to use Clean Water Act to force the EPA to respond to ocean acidification From the Dot Earth blog from the New York Times (Andrew C. Revkin): Environmental groups have sought to force the federal government to restrict carbon dioxide emissions using the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act (because of threats to polar bears from global warming) and other federal laws, and now they are poised to add the Clean Water Act to the list. The Center for Biological Diversity says it is prepared to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to use the water law to respond to the threat of ocean acidification. This is the drop in seawater pH as the oceans absorb an estimated 22 million tons of carbon dioxide from the 80 million tons emitted each day by human activities. The result is a buildup of carbonic acid, which is lowering the pH of seawater. That trend toward acid conditions could threaten corals and plankton with shells containing calcium, biologists have warned. The Bush administration has strongly opposed legal maneuvers aimed at limiting greenhouse gases with existing environmental laws. Dana Perino, the White House spokeswoman, has warned that such efforts constitute a "regulatory train wreck." "colorado water" 8:38:43 AM     Coming Together: Coordination of Science and Restoration Activities for the Colorado River Ecosystem Hurry and book your travel arrangements for Scottsdale for the next Colorado River Basin Science and Resource Management Symposium titled Coming Together: Coordination of Science and Restoration Activities for the Colorado River Ecosystem organized by the U.S. Geological Survey. From their press release: Invasive species, long-term drought, climate change. These are hard challenges to resource managers as they attempt to conserve native species and natural systems while also meeting human needs for water and hydropower in the Colorado River Basin. Leading natural resource scientists and experts in economics, tribal perspectives, conflict resolution and sustainability will examine these subjects in a three-day symposium in Scottsdale, Arizona, November 18-20, 2008. The conference will address a number of critical issues, including the spread and the ecological impacts of the quagga mussel in Lake Mead, endangered native fishes, extreme weather events, and the adaptive management approach to balancing multiple needs in a complex ecosystem. Who: Research scientists, leading experts, resource managers, decision makers and other stakeholders will give oral and poster presentations. Kameran Onley, Acting Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, U.S. Department of the Interior, will give a keynote address on DOI management efforts in the Colorado River Basin. What: A symposium held in Scottsdale, Arizona, November 18[^]20, to exchange information about research and management activities related to the conservation and restoration of the Colorado River Basin. This symposium represents the first formal opportunity for resource managers, stakeholders, and scientists working throughout the Colorado River Basin to come together to share what they have learned and exchange ideas for achieving success. In partnership with: Bureau of Reclamation, Colorado River Fish and Wildlife Council, Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program, Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program, National Park Service, San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program, Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Water Education Foundation Where: Doubletree Resort, 5401 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, Ariz. When: 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 18, to noon on Thursday, November 20 For the complete program and list of speakers, see http://www.watereducation.org/userfiles/USGS_CoRiver_Program.pdf. "colorado water" 8:24:15 AM

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