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Geoscience Bulletin Board – 1 October 2018 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

“Dickinsonia” now identified as earliest known animal in the geological record http://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-and-science/science/scientists-identify-earliest-known-

animal-in-geological-record/article/532665

Improving predictions of tropical cyclones by observing weather conditions in the Arctic https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180921092427.htm

This ostentatious idea was put forth in a peer-reviewed journal article – geoengineering a seafloor barrier wall around Antarctica

https://e360.yale.edu/digest/could-building-massive-seafloor-barriers-around-antarctica-help- slow-sea-level-rise

Paper: https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/2955/2018/tc-12-2955-2018.pdf

ULVZs near the core may result from subducting slabs - magnesiowüstite theory https://phys.org/news/2018-09-subducting-slabs-earth-crust-unusual.html

NASA identifies 3 processes that cause irregularity in the spin of the axis of Earth

https://newatlas.com/nasa-earth-axis-shift/56443/

Proglacial Lake Passaic still floods in New Jersey https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/environment/2018/08/14/route-46-flooding-little-falls-

passaic-river-prehistoric-lake/984954002/

Permafrost releases methane in Alaska causing lake to “bubble”

https://www.iflscience.com/environment/theres-a-bubbling-lake-in-alaska-and-its-a-sign-of- something-very-concerning/

Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-05738-9

Otman-Bozdagh mud volcano erupts in Baku http://georgiatoday.ge/news/12417/Mud-Volcano-Erupts-in-Baku

Will Katla volcano in Iceland erupt – or not? https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/icelandic-volcano-threatens-erupt-

explosion-15200333 https://www.iflscience.com/environment/icelands-katla-volcano-isnt-about-to-erupt-heres-

whats-really-happening/

Understanding the potential for aftershocks from a major earthquake https://phys.org/news/2018-09-big-aftershock.html

What wanton hubris!?! Humans causing Earth to wobble? https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2018/09/24/humans-are-causing-earth-to-wobble-

more-as-it-spins-nasa-finds/#1aedbd27c820 https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a23455770/earth-wobble-nasa-

study/

“Before” & “After” pictures from San Francisco https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6205207/Can-tell-whats-missing-photo-San-

Francisco-bay.html

Earthquake triggered landslides pose threat to hydropower projects in Himalayas https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-06212-8

Retracing the glacial record in Antarctica through sediment cores & foraminifera https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-09/lsu-rag092518.php

Seasonal filling of reservoirs in India causes rock deformation & may trigger earthquakes https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-09/ssoa-srf092518.php

Perspective: vibrant deep-sea life could be threatened by seabed mining https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-06771-w

Geological history of Earth may provide guide for astrobiologists to spot inhabited exoplanets http://www.sci-news.com/astronomy/inhabited-exoplanets-vegetation-red-edge-06452.html

25 Years of Progress in Radar Altimetry Symposium http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Spotlight_on_sea_level_rise_999.html

ESA selects three missions for Earth Explorer http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Three_Earth_Explorer_ideas_selected_999.html

Polynya supported marine life during the last Ice Age https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180927083323.htm

Shock waves from WWII bombing raids impacted (weakened)) the ionosphere https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180926082713.htm

Sand ripples on beaches may be fingerprints for ancient weather conditions https://phys.org/news/2018-09-beach-sand-ripples-fingerprints-ancient.html

Plate tectonics may have begun when Earth formed – not over the course of time https://phys.org/news/2018-09-plate-tectonics-earth.html

Persistent weather pattern in US linked to conditions in the Arctic https://phys.org/news/2018-09-persistent-weather-patterns-linked-arctic.html

Weathering rates are exponential higher on mined lands https://phys.org/news/2018-09-weathering-exponentially-higher-unmined-sites.html

Check out these short videos! From plesiosaurs to EQs to super-volcanos to tornadoes to…

https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/101-videos

Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 1 October 2018 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

Congress considering $1.7B funding package for recovery from Hurricane Florence https://apnews.com/dd023bd44aca4e5380b344a55fc11dd8

$823M Calaveras Reservoir dam reaches peak height of 220 feet (video) – more water for Bay Area https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Crews-topping-off-Calaveras-Dam-shoring-up-

Bay-13245983.php

Flood waters from H. Florence breached dam at L V Power Station – Cape Fear River may be at risk

https://www.greensboro.com/news/north_carolina/dam-breach-at-duke-energy-plant-in- wilmington-coal-ash/article_cf10f482-5032-585a-bc10-e65dd84d7dda.html

Duke Energy says its data show no harm to Cape Fear River from breach at LV Sutton Power Station during Hurricane Florence – isn’t that like asking the fox to guard the henhouse?

https://apnews.com/be5d695d3a654163ba4829c9f7a3ef5c/Duke-says-its-data-show-no- harm-from-flooded-coal-ash-dump

Energy Companies were impacted in various ways by Hurricane Florence – aboveground lines https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-florence-crippled-electricity-and-coal-solar-and-

wind-were-back-the-next-day/

Dead fish remain on roads as flood waters from Hurricane Florence recede https://start.att.net/news/read/article/time-

thousands_of_dead_fish_cover_north_carolina_roads-rtime/category/news

Flood forecasts from receding Hurricane Florence waters are not as bad as they were https://www.apnews.com/165aed3085a6434a88afc3560565b86c/Florence-flooding-slowly-

envelops-South-Carolina-homes

Hog waste pollution in the wake of Hurricane Florence in North Carolina – broken factory farm system

https://www.ehn.org/hurricane-florence-floods-north-carolina-hog-farms-2606610607.html

One Health – Part 2 – Clearer picture of antibiotic resistance http://www.hpj.com/livestock/one-health-series-a-clearer-picture-of-antibiotic-resistance/

article_fef49432-baaa-11e8-8b5e-3f3c03f38851.html

“BPA-free plastics” does not necessarily mean safe https://www.care2.com/greenliving/not-so-fast-bpa-free-products-are-just-as-harmful.html

Georgia lawmakers urge putting “cost cap” on expansion of Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant http://www.augustachronicle.com/news/20180919/lawmakers-urge-utilities-to-cap-costs-on-

plant-vogtle https://apnews.com/bf48d58e8b0c40d68bec43d0a7c414e4/Georgia-nuclear-project-

continues,-but-cost-controls-sought https://www.wsj.com/articles/last-nuclear-plant-being-built-in-u-s-survives-vote-1537816859

Killing predators not the best way for farmers to protect livestock https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article218699825.html Paper:

https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.2005577#pbio.2005577.ref001

Indiana prepping for possibility of African swine fever http://www.winchesternewsgazette.com/news/indiana-officials-prep-for-possibility-of-swine-

fever/article_5acbca94-bcd3-11e8-a25a-4b74bf832006.html

Isoxazoline class drugs you put on your pet may be hazardous to health – neurologic damage

https://start.att.net/news/read/article/bgr- the_fda_says_your_pets_flea_and_tick_treatment_cou-rpenskemc/category/lifestyle

“Selfie” leads to 200-foot fatal fall for California woman at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore http://www.miningjournal.net/news/front-page-news/2018/09/fatal-fall-at-pictured-rocks/ https://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/Fatality-at-Pictured-Rocks-National-

Lakeshore-493788481.html

US State Department approves environmental study for revised route for Keystone XL pipeline https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pipeline-keystone/keystone-xl-pipeline-route-would-

not-harm-environment-state-department-idUSKCN1M12OZ

With climate change, our National Parks may also change – global warming alarmists do not understand that change is the only “constant” in Nature

https://daily.jstor.org/will-national-parks-disappear-due-to-climate-change/

Urbanization cutting off source of sediment and waters to wetlands in New York City https://phys.org/news/2018-09-urbanization-life-nyc-wetlands.html http://www.eurasiareview.com/25092018-urbanization-cutting-off-life-support-to-nycs-

wetlands/

Mountain Valley Pipeline costs escalate to $4.6B – attributed to schedule delays by FERC order https://www.roanoke.com/business/news/estimated-cost-of-mountain-valley-pipeline-

increased-to-billion/article_1b615993-cf0f-5082-bf59-c2f37e365fa9.html

$6.2M wildlife bridge of I-90 near Snoqualmie Pass is almost complete https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/its-a-long-time-coming-6-2-million-wildlife-bridge-

over-i-90-nears-completion/

50 years ago LBJ singed North Cascades National Park into law – lessons to remember https://www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2018/09/essay-50-year-old-lessons-north-cascades-

national-park-still-relevant-timely

Household cats may be banned to protect wildlife species in New Zealand https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/31/17804982/cat-ban-new-zealand-omaui-conservation-

wildlife

Perspective: On climate change, CO2 emissions, and social costs https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-06827-x

Perspective: on the global human population https://www.newsweek.com/global-human-population-explosion-carbon-emissions-

consumption-1138996

1M Attwater prairie chickens once lived in Texas grasslands, bird & habitat now endangered https://www.caller.com/story/sports/outdoors/2018/08/30/endangered-bird-species-texas-has-

must-see-courting-ritual/1055390002/

There are potential consequences should humans “wipe out” mosquitoes

https://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/editorials/we-might-be-able-to-wipe-out-mosquitoes- but-should/article_a17e45a8-c038-11e8-85a3-43575a365b30.html

Glyphosate in Roundup® decreases microbial population in honey bee guts https://www.ehn.org/monsanto-herbicide-roundup-hurts-bees-2607605097.html

Need for assessment of PFAS contamination at military facilities https://www.ehn.org/action-needed-to-address-the-us-militarys-pfas-contamination-

2608141795.html

Davenport, Iowa, adapted to living with the ebbs & flows of the Mississippi River – NO levees/flood walls

https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2018/0925/How-one-Iowa-town-made-peace-with- the-Mississippi-River

Atlantic Forest in Brazil called an “extinction vortex” https://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/brazilian-rainforest-now-

being-called-extinction-vortex

Study suggests how to improve indoor air quality in homes https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2018/09/26/two-teams-have-been-doing/

Utah DEQ testing Price River near Scofield Dam after train derailment dumped 45 tons of coal upstream

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/09/27/train-derailment-sends/

Average life expectancy varies across the US – mean US life expectancy is 78.5 years https://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/09/how_long_will_you_live_check_l.html https://www.newsweek.com/50-us-neighborhoods-and-cities-lowest-life-expectancy-1131176 https://www.cbs42.com/news/us-and-world/cdc-releases-report-states-death-rates-have-

increased-in-several-causes/1462049194 CDC Report: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus17.pdf Infographic: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/spotlight/2017-december.htm

Yellowstone Grizzly bears back on the Endangered Species List – no trophy hunting https://www.outsideonline.com/2346966/yellowstone-grizzlies-return-endangered-list http://www.terradaily.com/reports/

Judge_restores_protections_for_Yellowstone_grizzlies_hunts_canceled_999.html

Invasive species are trapped, poisoned, shot by conservationists to save native species https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/09/is-wildlife-conservation-too-cruel/

569719/

Climate change is NOT the main driver of overall steep decline in amphibian populations http://www.terradaily.com/reports/

Climate_change_not_main_driver_of_amphibian_decline_999.html

Global wetlands disappearing 3 times faster than forests

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/ Wetlands_disappearing_three_times_faster_than_forests_study_999.html

Report: https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/documents/library/strp19_4_bn7_e.pdf

New 993 MW combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant to be built in Willis, Texas https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2018/09/26/mcdermott-to-begin-work-on-1b-

natural-gas-power.html https://communityimpact.com/houston/conroe-montgomery/environment/2018/03/22/new-

power-plant-create-jobs-increase-utility-rates/

Concrete testing conducted at Shasta Dam in anticipation of raising height of the dam by 18.5 feet https://www.redding.com/story/news/2018/09/27/work-begins-raising-height-shasta-dam/

1449293002/

Coastal Zone Management Bulletin Board – 1 October 2018 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford

3-m high tsunami demolishes homes on Sulawesi in Indonesia following 7.5M earthquake https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/powerful-earthquake-triggers-tsunami-sulawesi-

indonesia/35399 http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/09/28/breaking-video-shows-tsunami-hitting-palu-

after-7-7-magnitude-quake.html

Podcast: “Swirling Currents, controversy, Compromise & Dynamic Coastal Change" http://www.capeandislands.org/post/swirling-currents-changes-our-coastal-and-marine-

environments#stream/0

New report on water quality in bays along Maryland coastline

https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2018/09/25/coastal-bays-water- quality-rises-new-high-according-report/1381658002/

Reports: http://eyesonthebay.dnr.maryland.gov/eyesonthebay/Publications.cfm

Environmental Impact Bond (EIB) may reduce coastal land loss in Louisiana https://www.conservationfinancenetwork.org/2018/09/25/louisiana-environmental-impact-

bond-may-reduce-coastal-land-loss

California Coastal Commission warning: prepare for 10 feet of sea level rise – does NOT fit with the California coast as an emerging coastline – what have they been smoking?

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/prepare-for-10-feet-of-sea-level-rise-california- commission-tells-coastal-cities/

Emergency spraying for mosquitoes in wake of H. Florence in coastal North Carolina communities https://www.cbs17.com/weather/hurricane-center/emergency-mosquito-spraying-after-

florence-underway-in-coastal-nc-counties/1477505589

Georgia Park Service accepting public comments on policies to protect species of concern along coast

https://politics.myajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-national-parks-aim- shield-threatened-animals-from-predators/em1VxErvNFhhW5uW9b4BuN/

Sea otter populations along the California Coast – up in some areas, declining in others http://www.lakeconews.com/index.php/news/community/58022-california-sea-otter-numbers-

take-a-slight-dip-from-last-year-but-average-count-exceeds-3-090-for-third-consecutive-year https://pasoroblesdailynews.com/central-coast-sea-otter-population-remains-stable/87089/

Coastal shorelines already littered with wind turbines – proposal would do the same to Lake Erie http://www.cleveland19.com/2018/09/24/future-wind-energy-northeast-ohio/

Court hearing on pros and cons of boardwalk at southern end of Fort Myers Beach in Florida https://www.news-press.com/story/tech/science/environment/2018/09/18/fort-myers-beach-

audubon-florida-bird-lagoon-estero-island/1345159002/

Rebuilding/preserving vulnerable beaches is expensive and is a never-ending process https://www.propublica.org/article/the-high-cost-of-preserving-vulnerable-beaches

Federal judge throws out NOAA rules for fish farms in Gulf of Mexico https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-noaa-regulate-fish-farming-fisheries-law-

58100915

O&G industry goes on defense as studies show offshore exploration could kill zooplankton https://www.resilience.org/stories/2018-09-26/mud-and-confusion-oil-and-gas-industry-goes-

on-defense-as-studies-show-offshore-exploration-could-kill-zooplankton/

USGS acquires data on distribution of gas hydrates offshore from New Jersey to North Carolina https://www.usgs.gov/news/seismic-research-cruise-provides-new-data-us-atlantic-margin-

gas-hydrates