4.23.14
Oil Spill
Researchers see signs of progress at Macondo wellhead site
Sun Herald
BY PATRICK OCHS
GULFPORT -- Researchers aboard the vessel Atlantis are encouraged by their
findings from the most-recent excursion through the Gulf of Mexico to the
site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/22/5514948/researchers-see-signs-of-progress.html?sp=/99/184/201/
How much will BP owe? Federal judge sets hearings, meetings in advance of
January trial
The Associated Press
April 22, 2014 at 9:46 AM
NEW ORLEANS -- A federal court magistrate has issued a seven-page schedule
of hearings, conferences and deadlines leading up to January's trial aimed
at determining how much money BP will owe in Clean Water Act fines as a
result of its 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2014/04/how_much_will_bp_owe_federal_j.html#incart_river
BP Trial Date Set, RESTORE Amount Uncertain
WUWF
Four years after the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico resulting from
the Deepwater Horizon explosion, it appears another year will pass before
BP learns how much it will owe under the Clean Water Act.
http://wuwf.org/post/bp-trial-date-set-restore-amount-uncertain
Are Health Issues Connected to BP Oil Spill?
WKRG
On a day like this, it's hard to believe just four years ago Alabama's
beaches were in the middle of the biggest environmental disaster in U.S.
history.
http://www.wkrg.com/story/25313587/are-health-issues-connected-to-bp-oil-spill
DAVID YARNOLD: BP works hard to delay justice
BY DAVID YARNOLD
A McClatchy-Tribune Forum
April 22, 2014
Four years after the largest offshore oil disaster in U.S. history,
scientists are still trying to come to terms with the toll that the
Deepwater Horizon tragedy wreaked on the birds, sea life, waters and
habitats of the Gulf of Mexico. Multitudes of creatures and habitats were
wiped out -- and continue to suffer -- but outrageously, environmental
restoration has barely even begun.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/22/5514451/david-yarnold-bp-works-hard-to.html?sp=/99/728/
State
EPA Talks About Clean Up Process With Residents
WCBI
Columbus, Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus residents learned more about the
contamination cleanup process near the former Kerr- McGee plant at a
community forum Monday night.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/e-p-a-talks-about-cleanup-process-with-residents
Colonial Estates water woes may be coming to an end
WLOX
JACKSON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) -A plan to tie the Colonial Estates area of
Jackson County into the city's water system is welcome news to many people
who live there. More than 30 homes would be impacted, and the project would
be funded with a $600,000 grant from the Mississippi Development Authority.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25310706/water-woes-may-be-coming-to-an-end-in-colonial-estates
County pilot recycling program on target to meet goal
Natchez Democrat
Published 12:00am Wednesday, April 23, 2014
NATCHEZ — Adams County's pilot recycling program is apparently on target to
meet its long-term residential participation goal.
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2014/04/23/county-pilot-recycling-program-on-target-to-meet-goal/
Tishomingo County gets funds to clear illegal dumpsites
WTVA
IUKA, Miss. (WTVA) -- Tishomingo County is getting help from a state agency
to clean up illegal dumpsites in the county.
http://www.wtva.com/news/national/story/Tishomingo-County-gets-funds-to-clear-illegal/vaDZAaprAkShOOV3G735IA.cspx
Volunteers remove lots of litter from Deer Island on Earth Day
WLOX
DEER ISLAND, MS (WLOX) -Deer Island is a lot cleaner, thanks to the efforts
of more than 150 volunteers. They spent the day Tuesday, picking-up litter
on the nearby island. It was part of the kickoff for Mississippi Power
Company's annual "Renew Our Rivers" program.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25309767/volunteers-remove-lots-of-litter-from-deer-island-on-earth-day
Pier Walk focuses on remembering loved ones and environment
WLOX
GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) -Tuesday was Earth Day and as many people took part in
events to preserve our environment over in Gulfport people were using the
day for a dual purpose. The third annual pier walk at the Ken Combs Pier
has been celebrated for three years now.
http://www.wlox.com/story/25315084/pier-walk-focuses-on-remembering-loved-ones-and-environment
Starkville Business Helps Residents Go Green on Earth Day
WCBI
Starkville, Miss. (WCBI) – One Starkville business is doing its part when
it comes to protecting the environment and being kind to nature.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/video-starkville-business-helps-residents-go-green-on-earth-day
Ole Miss Commits to Lowering Environmental Impact
WCBI
University of Mississippi, Miss. (WCBI) – Ole Miss Chancellor Dan Jones
marked Earth Day by signing a pledge to make Ole Miss climate friendly.
http://www.wcbi.com/wordpress/video-ole-miss-commits-to-lowering-environmental-impact
Ethanol not the environmental silver bullet, study finds
Clarion Ledger
Ask any angler what he or she thinks of ethanol and the response
will generally include some rather foul language. For the folks who
have battled water in their fuel tanks, corrosion and paid
top-dollar for outboard repairs, it has all the appeal of fried
crappie fillets topped with chocolate syrup.
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/outdoorsreport/2014/04/22/fuel-boat-motor-fishing-environment-outdoors-recreation/8006681/
Pascagoula council agrees to seek grant for kayak launch
Sun Herald
BY TAMMY LEYTHAM
PASCAGOULA -- The City Council agreed Tuesday to apply for a grant to build
a kayak launch.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/22/5514938/pascagoula-council-agrees-to-seek.html?sp=/99/184/201/
Regional
In South Carolina, leaders reconsider drilling along the coastline
BY SEAN COCKERHAM
McClatchy Washington Bureau
April 22, 2014
WASHINGTON — The push to start drilling in the Atlantic Ocean is gaining
momentum and dividing people along the grand coast of South Carolina, where
some local leaders fear what it could mean for tourism.
http://www.sunherald.com/2014/04/22/5514115/in-south-carolina-leaders-reconsider.html?sp=/99/102/
National
EPA chief: Fighting climate change is top priority
The Hill
By Laura Barron-Lopez
The top priority for the Environmental Protection Agency is "dealing with
climate change," according to agency chief Gina McCarthy.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/204027-epa-chief-fighting-climate-change-is-top-priority
EPA chief: Climate change, not Keystone, is game changer
The Hill
By Laura Barron-Lopez
Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy on Tuesday sought to
downplay the importance of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, and said the Obama
administration will continue to focus on the bigger problem of climate
change.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/204051-epa-chief-climate-change-not-keystone-is-game-changer
Farm Bureau pledges to fight EPA's water rule
The Hill
By Timothy Cama
The American Farm Bureau Federation has promised to fight the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) through multiple avenues on its proposed new
definition of which bodies of water are under its jurisdiction, saying the
rule could "impose unworkable regulations on the nation's farms."
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/204096-farm-bureau-pledges-to-fight-epas-water-rule
EPA retroactively lowers biofuel requirement for 2013
The Hill
By Timothy Cama
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday retroactively lowered
the volume of cellulosic biofuel that refiners must blend into traditional
fuels, aligning the 2013 mandated volume to the actual amount of fuels
produced.
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/204085-epa-retroactively-lowers-biofuel-requirement-for-2013
U.S. EPA cuts 2013 target for cellulosic biofuel
Reuters
By Ayesha Rascoe
WASHINGTON, April 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
on Tuesday slashed its target for 2013 use of cellulosic biofuel to less
than a million gallons, after the industry failed to meet goals for
production of the fuel last year.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/04/22/usa-epa-cellulosic-idINL2N0NE1KB20140422
EPA, States Move Through Early Stages Of Data-Sharing System Development
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Bloomberg
April 21 -- Senior state and Environmental Protection Agency officials have
held four meetings since December as they work through the early stages of
implementing a new data-sharing system that proponents say could transform
how environmental regulators in the country operate.
http://www.bna.com/epa-states-move-n17179889737/
Drought in Southwest Fuels Dispute Over Protections for Silvery Minnow
Environmentalists Say Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Suffering as Colorado, New
Mexico Siphon Off Too Much Water
Wall Street Journal
As water managers in the Southwest parcel out the scarce commodity to
cities and farmers in a prolonged drought, environmentalists are
threatening to sue them for not leaving enough for a tiny fish called the
Rio Grande silvery minnow.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304626304579506182996143744?mg=reno64-wsj
Texas Fertilizer Plant Explosion Was Preventable, Officials Say
Cause of Blast Still Unclear, According to Preliminary Findings
AP
DALLAS—The fertilizer plant explosion that killed 15 people last year in a
tiny Texas town could have been prevented, even if it's still not clear
what started an initial fire that triggered the blast, federal officials
said Tuesday.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304279904579518083734648284?mg=reno64-wsj
Press Releases
EPA Honors Winners of 2013 Campus RainWorks Challenge
University of Florida and Kansas State University lead in innovative design
of green infrastructure on campus
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced
the four winners of its second annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, a design
challenge created to engage college and university students in reinventing
our water infrastructure and developing innovative green infrastructure
systems to reduce stormwater pollution and build resilience to climate
change.
Stormwater is one of the most widespread challenges to water quality in the
nation. Large volumes of stormwater pollute our nation's streams, rivers
and lakes, posing a threat to human health and the environment and
contributing to downstream flooding.
The Campus RainWorks Challenge engages students and faculty members at
colleges and universities to apply green infrastructure principles and
design, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and increase the use of
green infrastructure on campuses across the nation. This year, EPA
introduced two design categories for the challenge—a master plan category,
which examines how green infrastructure could be integrated into a broad
area of a school's campus, and a site design category, which examines how
green infrastructure could be integrated into a particular site on the
team's campus. Teams of undergraduate and graduate students, working with a
faculty advisor, developed innovative green infrastructure designs in both
categories, showing how managing stormwater at its source can benefit the
campus community and the environment.
The 2013 challenge winners are:
University of Florida, Gainsville, FL (1st Place, Master Plan Category) �
��
The team's design plan centers on a 67.6 acre subwatershed in the northeast
corner of campus. To engage students with the journey of water, the
three-phase plan would transform two detention facilities into campus
amenities and daylight the flow of stormwater into above ground pipes and
vegetated bioswales. In addition to treating and retaining stormwater and
improving groundwater recharge, the team's plan would improve aesthetics
and safety along a major road.
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS (1st Place, Site Design Category) –
The team's design plan calls for a stormwater pocket garden in a high
traffic area in front of Hale Library. Consisting of disconnected
downspouts, wet meadows, rain gardens, and stormwater runnels, the system
is designed to retain 100% of runoff from a 1-year storm. The team's plan
also incorporates native prairie vegetation, allowing the site to support
native songbirds and pollinators and reducing maintenance and irrigation
needs.
Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (2nd Place, Master Plan
Category) – The team's design plan centers on a 15 acre area in the center
of campus currently dedicated largely to surface parking. To create new
spaces for interaction while demonstrating sustainable stormwater controls,
the team proposed the addition of several campus amenities interwoven with
green infrastructure. Among the proposed green infrastructure features are
an outdoor amphitheater surrounded by rain gardens, a rain garden system in
the shape of a Spartan shield, and a stormwater cistern with glass viewing
pyramids. The team's plan would reduce runoff from the 10-year 24-hour
storm by 30% and would restore soils and native plant communities.
Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS (2nd Place, Site Design
Category) – The team's design plan centers on the 1.3 acre Union Green in
the heart of campus. To create a multi-functional space that provides an
educational experience, the team proposed a three-phase design. The first
phase adds a 1,000 gallon above-ground cistern, an aqueduct, and
bioretention to the west side of the site. The elevated aqueduct would
provide visual water conveyance and irrigation, and educate passersby about
stormwater management. The design would manage the 95th percentile storm,
and would reduce peak flows for the 2-year 24-hour storm below the
pre-development condition.
Teams from University of Texas at Austin (Master Plan Category), Purdue
University (Master Plan Category), Kansas State University (Site Design
Category), and University of Maryland (Site Design Category) were
recognized as honorable mentions for their entries.
EPA plans to conduct the third annual Campus RainWorks Challenge in the
fall of 2014.
Green infrastructure decreases pollution to local waterways by treating
rain where it falls and keeping polluted stormwater from entering sewer
systems. Green infrastructure reduces water pollution while increasing
economic activity and neighborhood revitalization, job creation, energy
savings, and open space. Green infrastructure builds resilience to the
impacts of climate change, particularly by reducing the burden on local
water infrastructure. Green infrastructure tools and techniques include
green roofs, permeable materials, alternative designs for streets and
buildings, trees, rain gardens and rain harvesting systems. Communities are
increasingly using innovative green infrastructure to supplement or
substitute for "gray" infrastructure such as pipes, filters, and ponds.
More information: http://www.epa.gov/campusrainworks
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| USDA Rural Development Celebrates Earth Day by Supporting Water Quality |
| Projects in 40 States and Puerto Rico |
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| 2014 Farm Bill Enables Record USDA Investments in Rural Water Systems |
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|WASHINGTON, April 22, 2014 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today |
|celebrated Earth Day by announcing record support for 116 projects that will|
|improve water and wastewater services for rural Americans and benefit the |
|environment. |
| |
| |
|"Having reliable, clean and safe water is essential for any community to |
|thrive and grow," Vilsack said. "I am proud that USDA helps build rural |
|communities from the ground up by supporting water infrastructure projects |
|like these. I am especially proud that we can help communities that are |
|struggling economically and those that have urgent health and safety |
|concerns due to their failing water systems." |
| |
| |
|Today's announcement is USDA's largest Earth Day investment in rural water |
|and wastewater systems. Nearly $387 million is being awarded to 116 |
|recipients in 40 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The Department |
|is providing $150 million in grants through the 2014 Farm Bill plus $237 |
|million in loans and grants from USDA's Water and Environmental Program. |
| |
| |
|Also noteworthy this year are USDA's accomplishments to help communities |
|with the greatest needs. Sixteen of the Earth Day projects are in areas of |
|persistent poverty. Twenty-nine are in communities served by USDA's " |
|StrikeForce Initiative for Rural Growth and Opportunity." StrikeForce is a |
|USDA initiative to reduce poverty by increasing investments in rural |
|communities through intensive outreach and stronger partnerships with |
|community leaders, businesses, foundations and other groups that are working|
|to combat poverty. |
| |
| |
|Climate change in particular is putting more stress on municipal water |
|systems. Many areas around the country have seen changes in rainfall, |
|resulting in more floods, droughts, declines in snowpack, intense rain, as |
|well as more frequent and severe heat waves. All of these are placing fiscal|
|strains on communities – causing them to make more frequent (and often more |
|expensive) repairs and upgrades. |
| |
| |
|Among projects funded this year, the city of McCrory, Ark., is receiving |
|$2.1 million to build a water treatment facility and two water supply wells,|
|and refurbish its two water storage tanks. The improvements will reduce high|
|manganese and iron levels in the water supply to provide safe drinking water|
|to McCrory's nearly 800 residents. McCrory is in Woodruff County, a |
|persistent poverty area that is part of USDA's "StrikeForce initiative for |
|Rural Growth and Opportunity." |
| |
| |
|Paintsville, Ky., is receiving a $4.9 million loan and $2.1 million grant to|
|rehabilitate its sanitary and stormwater sewer systems. This is one of 10 |
|projects funded by USDA that will improve water infrastructure in rural |
|areas of Kentucky. The Paintsville project will serve nearly 2,300 residents|
|and businesses and protect the ecosystems of Paint Creek and nearby lakes. |
| |
| |
|The city of San Joaquin, Calif., is receiving a $1 million loan/grant |
|combination to replace a contaminated well. The city had to shut down one of|
|its three wells due to high levels of bacteria. Once completed, this project|
|will ensure San Joaquin residents have safe, clean drinking water. |
| |
| |
|In Ohio, the Erie County Commissioners will use $3 million in loans and |
|nearly $3 million in grants to replace individual on-site waste treatment |
|systems that discharge into and pollute the Sandusky Bay and surrounding |
|areas. The commissioners also will build a wastewater collection system for |
|the Village of Bay View and the neighboring Bay Bridge area. The Bay View |
|peninsula is a vital ecological and economic area in the Western Basin of |
|Lake Erie. |
| |
| |
|Earth Day is observed annually on April 22 to raise awareness about the role|
|each person can play to protect vital natural resources and safeguard the |
|environment. Since the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, the event has |
|expanded to include citizens and governments in more than 195 countries. |
| |
| |
|President Obama's plan for rural America has brought about historic |
|investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President's|
|leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses |
|and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way |
|– strengthening America's economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA's|
|investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands |
|as the backbone of our American values. President Obama and Agriculture |
|Secretary Vilsack are committed to a smarter use of federal resources to |
|foster sustainable economic prosperity and ensure the government is a strong|
|partner for businesses, entrepreneurs and working families in rural |
|communities. |
| |
| |
|USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, has a portfolio of |
|programs designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, |
|businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life |
|in rural America. |
| |
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| On Earth Day, U.S. Forest Service Seeks Applications for Wood to Energy |
| Projects |
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| Announces New App -- Part of the Obama Administration's "All of the Above" |
| Energy Strategy |
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|WASHINGTON, April 22, 2014 -- As part of the national observance of Earth |
|Day, the U.S. Forest Service today announced that it is seeking proposals |
|that expand wood energy use and support responsible forest management. Also |
|today, the Forest Service released a Wood Energy Financial App for use by |
|community and business leaders seeking to replace fossil fuel with wood |
|energy. |
| |
| |
|"USDA through the Forest Service is supporting development of wood energy |
|projects that promote sound forest management, expand regional economies, |
|and create new jobs," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "These |
|efforts, part of the Obama Administration's 'all of the above' energy |
|strategy, create opportunities for wood energy products to enter the |
|marketplace." |
| |
| |
|"Building stronger markets for innovative wood products supports sustainable|
|forestry, reduces wildfire risk, and creates energy savings for rural |
|America," said Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. |
| |
| |
|The U.S. Forest Service published in the Federal Register the announcement |
|of requests for proposals under the Hazardous Fuels Wood-to-Energy Grant |
|program. The program will provide about $2.8 million to help successful |
|applicants complete the engineering design work needed to apply for public |
|or private loans for construction and long-term financing of wood energy |
|facilities. In addition, the agency announced $1.7 million in funding |
|availability under the Statewide Wood Energy Team cooperative agreement |
|program inviting public-private teams to seek funding to advance wood |
|energy. Activities may include workshops that provide technical, financial |
|and environmental information, preliminary engineering assessments, and |
|community outreach needed to support development of wood energy projects. |
| |
| |
|Since 2005, more than 150 Wood-to-Energy grants have been awarded to small |
|businesses, non-profits, Tribes, and State and local agencies to improve |
|forest health, while creating jobs, green energy, and healthy communities. |
|This year, the Wood-to-Energy grant program encourages geographic or |
|sector-based clusters, such as hospitals, prisons, or school campuses, to |
|leverage project similarities to improve economies of scale and expand the |
|use of woody biomass for energy. |
| |
| |
|For more information visit www.na.fs.fed.us/werc. Applicants may also submit|
|their applications through www.grants.gov. Application deadlines are |
|outlined in the Federal Register notice. |
| |
| |
|The Forest Service today also released an eBook which contains a Wood Energy|
|Financial App that allows users to do a simple and quick analysis to see if |
|wood energy is a viable alternative for their community or small business. |
|The App, which can be accessed from the Web or an eBook, is available at |
|www.woodenergy.umn.edu. |
| |
| |
|The App and eBook were developed through a partnership with Dr. Dennis |
|Becker, associate professor and Dr. Steve Taft, extension economist at the |
|University of Minnesota; Eini Lowell, wood technology specialist at the |
|Pacific Northwest Research Station; Dan Bihn, engineer at Bihn Systems and |
|Roy Anderson, senior consultant at The Beck Group. |
| |
| |
|In his State of the Union Address, President Obama pledged that his |
|Administration will continue to do everything in its power to act on climate|
|change. Today's announcements support the president's climate action plan |
|goal of preserving the role of forests in mitigating climate change. |
| |
| |
|The mission of the Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of |
|Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the |
|Nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future |
|generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides |
|assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest |
|forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service|
|manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through |
|visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the Nation's |
|clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency |
|has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of |
|the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres |
|are urban forests where most Americans live. |
| |
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|# |
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|USDA Awards Research Grants to Address the Impact of Climate Change on U.S. |
| Agriculture Production |
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|Des Moines, Iowa, April 22, 2014 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack ||announced today that USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture |
|(NIFA) awarded $6 million to 10 universities to study the effects of climate|
|on agriculture production and develop strategies to provide farmers and |
|ranchers with the solutions they need to supply the nation with quality |
|food. Vilsack made the announcement during remarks at "The Frontier of |
|Climate Change: State and Local Action in the Heartland" conference held at |
|Drake University. |
| |
| |
|"With longer growing seasons and an increased number of extreme weather |
|events, climate-related changes are increasingly posing new challenges and |
|risks for America's producers," said Vilsack. "Every day, farmers and |
|ranchers see the impact that changes in climate patterns have on their |
|operations, and they are contending with drought, floods or extreme |
|temperatures. The discoveries these grants will lead to will be invaluable |
|for American farmers whose livelihoods directly depend on the nation's land |
|and water resources." |
| |
| |
|NIFA made the awards through its Agriculture and Food Research Initiative |
|(AFRI) funding opportunity in the Climate Variability and Change challenge |
|area. NIFA's climate work is focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions |
|and increasing carbon sequestration in agricultural and forest production |
|systems and preparing the nation's agriculture and forests to adapt to |
|changing climates. |
| |
| |
|The fiscal year 2013 awards announced today include: |
| |
| |
| · University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo., $900,000 - This study will |
| provide an integrated social and biophysical assessment of |
| vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and variability in the |
| Blue Mountains ecoregion of Oregon. |
| |
| |
| · Florida International University, Miami, Fla., $250,000 – This project|
| will study the mechanism of Ochratoxin-A toxicity in wine-musts |
| (freshly pressed grape juice for wine making) which is predicted to |
| intensify in winemaking regions because of the increased prevalence of|
| the toxin producing fungi in warmer climates, and create an |
| inexpensive and simple method of detoxification. |
| |
| |
| · Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, $550,000 - The goal of this |
| research is to examine factors that either facilitate or hinder |
| climate adaptation, while assessing the role of human-made |
| infrastructure and policies that protect natural resources, grassland |
| and wetlands. . |
| |
| |
| · Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., $975,000 �
� This |
| project will seek to define the effects of hot and cold temperatures |
| on turkey growth and development and develop management practices to |
| mitigate these effects. |
| |
| |
| · University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn., $25,000 – This is a |
| conference grant to support the National Extension Climate Science |
| Initiative Conference, which will empower Extension professionals and |
| collaborators with the latest in climate science research and delivery|
| methods. |
| |
| |
| · Montana State University, Bozeman, Mont., $800,000 – This project will|
| determine what effects a climate-induced rise in water temperature |
| will have on rainbow trout gut microbial communities and fish |
| metabolism. |
| |
| |
| · Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., $600,000 – This project will |
| evaluate the resiliency of rice production with increasing climate |
| uncertainty by developing models integrating historical rice yield |
| data at the county and farm level, weather variables, and genotypic |
| parameters. |
| |
| |
| · Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., $1,000,000 - The project|
| will provide some of the first climate adaptation tools for beef |
| production systems in the form of water management resources and lead |
| to the development of beef cattle that are adaptable to climate change|
| induced drought. |
| |
| |
| · Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa., $750,000 – This |
| project aims to strengthen farm operators' capacity to manage cropping|
| system's adaptation to climate change by providing real time online |
| decision making tools. |
| |
| |
| · West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.V., $150,000 – This project |
| will study the effect of climate change on interactions among solitary|
| pollinator bees, bee parasites and crops. |
| |
| |
|AFRI is NIFA's flagship competitive grant program established under the 2008|
|Farm Bill and supports work in six priority areas: 1) plant health and |
|production and plant products; 2) animal health and production and animal |
|products; 3) food safety, nutrition and health; 4) renewable energy, natural|
|resources and environment; 5) agriculture systems and technology; and 6) |
|agriculture economics and rural communities. |
| |
| |
|Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension|
|programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues |
|impacting people's daily lives and the nation's future. More information is |
|available at: www.nifa.usda.gov. |
| |
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