Tag: Environment

Jul 1

2013

Tests not best gauge of beach pollution

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Tests used to determine if water at beaches is safe to swim in may not be accurate, according to a new study from the University at Buffalo and Mercyhurst University. The problem: The most commonly used test fails to distinguish from toxic and more benign forms of contaminants. As a result, authorities sometimes close beaches when they don’t need to, or keep them open when they shouldn’t. Health departments in Erie, Niagara and Chautauqua counties take water samples from 22 beaches – Erie on a daily basis at six major beaches – and test for fecal coliform and E. coli.[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Jun 21

2013

DEC’s sewage discharge reports lack details

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The intent of the Sewage Pollution Right to Know law passed 10 months ago was to inform state residents within four hours of sewage overflows into waterways to protect them from the dangers of swimming or fishing in tainted water. Not only would residents know the estimated amount of all overflows, they would know where it happened, the duration, what time, the reason and a description of steps taken to control it from happening again. But only half of the disclosure is happening 45 days since the law went into effect.   The Department of Environmental Conservation and environmental advocates are[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Jun 17

2013

Link between air pollution and learning disabilities

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Researchers have found a link between traffic-related air pollution and more attention deficits in young boys in Boston. The researchers from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Manhattan said this is the first time that an association is made between black carbon exposure and decreasing attention skills among low-income, urban children. The study found boys were more susceptible than girls. Black carbon is an indicator of combustion sources such as diesel and has a wide range of public health impacts. The researchers made the association after adjusting for numerous factors, including IQ, blood-lead levels, stress and tobacco exposure. “Inattention and hyperactivity are[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Jun 11

2013

Ugly month for sewer overflows in Erie County

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For the first time, the numbers are flowing in on sewer overflows across the state and it isn’t pretty. In Erie County, almost 7 million gallons of untreated sewage were discharged into local waterways in May. This information wasn’t publicly available on the Internet until the Sewage Pollution Right to Know Law went into effect last month. Based on what’s reported so far, the biggest repositories of raw sewage were Ellicott Creek (2 million gallons),  Scajaquada Creek (1 million) and the Niagara River (679,000). Heavy rain or snow melt is often the cause of these overflows. The ground water seeps through cracks in the sewer[...]

Posted 11 years ago

Jun 10

2013

Global carbon dioxide emissions rose in 2012

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Energy use was responsible for 31.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions, a 1.4 percent increase for this past year. Not only is this a record, but it also brings the planet closer to temperatures many scientists believe will have catastrophic impacts on life as we know it. A Washington Post report.

Posted 11 years ago

Jun 8

2013

Peace Bridge neighbors to finally see some plans

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Buffalo’s West Side residents will get their first opportunity to see and comment on plans for what the state is calling the “NY Gateway Connections Improvement Project to the U.S. Peace Bridge Plaza.” That’s a clever name for a project that involves work on roads leading to and from the plaza, rather than expansion of the plaza itself. For more detail on this project, read our April 4 report. Tuesday’s meeting is at D’Youville College at 329 Porter Ave. in the Porterview Room on the second floor. The open house parts are from 3-5 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Presentations will be at[...]

Posted 11 years ago
Investigative Post

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