Monday, February 14, 2005

[PBDEs] Natural Brominated Bioaccumulators Halogenated organic compounds can accumulate in animal tissues, in some cases with potentially toxic consequences. Some of these, such as the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) used as flame retardants, have industrial origins. The origins of some classes of bioaccumulating compounds, such as methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-BDEs), have been uncertain. Teuten et al. (p. 917) extracted more than 10 kilograms of blubber from a fatally stranded True's beaked whale, and isolated MeO-BDEs at 99% purity for radiocarbon analysis, which reliably distinguishes carbon of ancient and recent origin. The carbon content of MeO-BDEs was overwhelmingly recent, indicative of a natural rather than industrial origin for these compounds. [This Week in Science] 6:30:48 PM Google It!    [Schools] Science Education Takes a Hit at NSF The National Science Foundation's (NSF's) role in improving science and math education in the United States would shrink significantly under the president's 2006 budget request. Author: Jeffrey Mervis [Science: This Week's News] 6:29:05 PM Google It!    [Government policy] Caught in the Squeeze Many U.S. science agencies would have to make do with less under the president's 2006 budget request, which aims to cut the deficit while boosting military and antiterrorism spending and making tax cuts permanent. Author: Jeffrey Mervis [Science: This Week's News] 6:28:33 PM Google It!    [Mercury] Inspector General Blasts EPA Mercury Analysis Last week, the Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency accused EPA officials of deliberately skewing their analyses of the cap-and-trade approach to mercury emissions to make it appear more effective than it really is. Author: Erik Stokstad [Science: This Week's News] 6:27:58 PM Google It!    [Government policy] Scientists Say They Often Censor Selves (AP) AP - Some scientists are thinking twice about doing or reporting certain research, reacting to political and social controversy in addition to legal restrictions. [Yahoo! News: Science] 6:22:45 PM Google It!    [Regulations] e-Rulemaking: Issues in Current Research and Practice Federal Rulemaking Source: International Journal of Public Administration (forthcoming) e-Rulemaking: Issues in Current Research and Practice (PDF; 189 KB) "Internet technology is changing the dynamics of the federal rulemaking process, with major implications for public participation in the traditional notice and comment procedures. The Internet now augments the familiar methods, such as public hearings, postal mail and faxes, for collecting and analyzing responses to proposed rules. The change is, of course, a significant one, and one from which there will be no retreat. However as the work moves forward there are a number of unresolved questions. [ResourceShelf's DocuTicker] 6:21:44 PM Google It!    [Water quality] Bush Budget Impacts on EPA Funding for Water Quality Programs 2005 Federal Budget--Water Quality Source: National Resources Defense Council Bush Budget Impacts on EPA Funding for Water Quality Programs (PDF; 114 KB) "The following is a state-by-state analysis of budget cuts to some of the Environmental Agency's key water quality programs. These include the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, individual project grants made to state and local governments for water infrastructure projects, and specific regional (Great Lakes) funding. The analysis contains information on the FY 2005 enacted level for these programs and projections for FY 2006, based on the Bush administration's proposed budget. The net decrease in funding for each state is also included." [ResourceShelf's DocuTicker] 6:21:08 PM Google It!    [Energy use] Annual Energy Outlook 2005 with Projections to 2025 Energy--Forecasts Source: EIA Recently Released, Annual Energy Outlook 2005 with Projections to 2025 [ResourceShelf's DocuTicker] 6:20:42 PM Google It!

© Copyright 2005 Laura L. Barnes. Last update: 10/25/2005; 12:09:20 PM.