- EPA Issues Standards for Mercury
- Estate Planning is Key for Preserving Family Land in Region
- More Now Believe Climate Change is Caused by Humans
- Action Alert – Tell the FDA: Label Genetically Modified Food
- Fishing Lead Sinker and Jig Banned
- EPA Extends Comment Period for the Proposed CAFO Rule
- There’s Still Time to Register For Snowy Owl Camp, December 29 & 30
EPA Issues Standards for Mercury
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, the first national standards to protect American families from power plant emissions of mercury and toxic air pollution like arsenic, acid gas, nickel, selenium, and cyanide. The standards will slash emissions of these dangerous pollutants by relying on widely available, proven pollution controls that are already in use at more than half of the nation’s coal-fired power plants.
EPA estimates that the new safeguards will prevent as many as 11,000 premature deaths and 4,700 heart attacks a year. The standards will also help America’s children grow up healthier – preventing 130,000 cases of childhood asthma symptoms and about 6,300 fewer cases of acute bronchitis among children each year.
"By cutting emissions that are linked to developmental disorders and respiratory illnesses like asthma, these standards represent a major victory for clean air and public health– and especially for the health of our children. With these standards that were two decades in the making, EPA is rounding out a year of incredible progress on clean air in America with another action that will benefit the American people for years to come," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards will protect millions of families and children from harmful and costly air pollution and provide the American people with health benefits that far outweigh the costs of compliance."
“Since toxic air pollution from power plants can make people sick and cut lives short, the new Mercury and Air Toxics Standards are a huge victory for public health,” said Albert A. Rizzo, MD, national volunteer chair of the American Lung Association, and pulmonary and critical care physician in Newark, Delaware. “The Lung Association expects all oil and coal-fired power plants to act now to protect all Americans, especially our children, from the health risks imposed by these dangerous air pollutants.”
More than 20 years ago, a bipartisan Congress passed the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments and mandated that EPA require control of toxic air pollutants including mercury. To meet this requirement, EPA worked extensively with stakeholders, including industry, to minimize cost and maximize flexibilities in these final standards. There were more than 900,000 public comments that helped inform the final standards being announced today. Part of this feedback encouraged EPA to ensure the standards focused on readily available and widely deployed pollution control technologies, that are not only manufactured by companies in the United States, but also support short-term and long-term jobs. EPA estimates that manufacturing, engineering, installing and maintaining the pollution controls to meet these standards will provide employment for thousands, potentially including 46,000 short-term construction jobs and 8,000 long-term utility jobs.
Power plants are the largest remaining source of several toxic air pollutants, including mercury, arsenic, cyanide, and a range of other dangerous pollutants, and are responsible for half of the mercury and over 75 percent of the acid gas emissions in the United States. Today, more than half of all coal-fired power plants already deploy pollution control technologies that will help them meet these achievable standards. Once final, these standards will level the playing field by ensuring the remaining plants – about 40 percent of all coal fired power plants – take similar steps to decrease dangerous pollutants.
As part of the commitment to maximize flexibilities under the law, the standards are accompanied by a Presidential Memorandum that directs EPA to use tools provided in the Clean Air Act to implement the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards in a cost-effective manner that ensures electric reliability. For example, under these standards, EPA is not only providing the standard three years for compliance, but also encouraging permitting authorities to make a fourth year broadly available for technology installations, and if still more time is needed, providing a well-defined pathway to address any localized reliability problems should they arise.
Mercury has been shown to harm the nervous systems of children exposed in the womb, impairing thinking, learning and early development, and other pollutants that will be reduced by these standards can cause cancer, premature death, heart disease, and asthma.
The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, which are being issued in response to a court deadline, are in keeping with President Obama’s Executive Order on regulatory reform. They are based on the latest data and provide industry significant flexibility in implementation through a phased-in approach and use of already existing technologies.
The standards also ensure that public health and economic benefits far outweigh costs of implementation. EPA estimates that for every dollar spent to reduce pollution from power plants, the American public will see up to $9 in health benefits. The total health and economic benefits of this standard are estimated to be as much as $90 billion annually.
The Mercury and Air Toxics Standards and the final Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, which was issued earlier this year, are the most significant steps to clean up pollution from power plant smokestacks since the Acid Rain Program of the 1990s.
Combined, the two rules are estimated to prevent up to 46,000 premature deaths, 540,000 asthma attacks among children, 24,500 emergency room visits and hospital admissions. The two programs are an investment in public health that will provide a total of up to $380 billion in return to American families in the form of longer, healthier lives and reduced health care costs.
More information: http://www.epa.gov/mats/
BEAT Note: It’s about time! The Berkshires are downwind of most of these facilities.
Estate Planning is Key for Preserving Family Land in Region
New Workshop Series Will Help Landowners Build a Vision and a Plan that Meet Their Future Goals
Westhampton, MA—December 23, 2011— The return of sons, daughters and grandchildren for the holidays is a reminder of the deep connections that exist between many families and their land. With the average age of Massachusetts’ landowners edging into the mid-60’s, having an estate plan remains the best way to ensure that those connections exist into the future.
The Highland Communities Initiative and Westhampton Open Space Committee invite the public to two free workshops at 6:30PM on January 11th and 25th at the Westhampton Public Library to learn the process and details of putting an estate plan together for their land. An estate plan ensures that an individual’s assets – including land – are distributed according to their wishes while securing their financial needs and those of their families. Guests attending the two “Your Land, Your Estate Plan” workshops will learn how to assemble information, choose knowledgeable advisors, talk with their family and heirs, and hear the details of taxes, trusts, land conservation, and other legal provisions they will need to be familiar with from an experienced attorney. A light dinner will be served, and guests are asked to commit to attending both sessions.
Subsequent workshops will include an “Introduction to Estate Planning” on January 31st in Charlemont, MA, and a “Woods Forum” to discuss landowner issues ranging from taxes and wildlife management, to land conservation, on February 13th at 7PM at the Grange Hall in Williamsburg, MA. The series is co-sponsored by:The Trustees of Reservations, UMass Extension, Kestrel Land Trust, Hilltown Land Trust, CISA, Westhampton Open Space Committee and the Massachusetts DCR.
Pre-registration is required. For more information, or to let us know you’re coming, call 413.628.4485 x1 or email wsweetser@ttor.org.
Your Land, Your Estate Plan: Getting Your Plan Together
Part 1- Wednesday, January 11th
Part 2- Wednesday, January 25th
6:30 PM | Westhampton Public Library, North Rd., Westhampton | Free, dinner included.
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HCI & The Trustees of Reservations
A program of The Trustees of Reservations, the Highland Communities Initiative is a group of neighbors and volunteers working to enhance the quality of life and rural character of our communities. In 2000, Highland residents worked with the Trustees of Reservations to form HCI in order to protect one of New England’s quintessential rural landscapes as it braced for the tide of unplanned development sweeping across Massachusetts. Now, HCI connects people, towns, and organizations, giving them the tools and support they need to advocate for conservation and community preservation in their own communities and across the region. To find out more, please visit us at www.highlandcommunities.org
Founded in 1891, The Trustees of Reservations is the nation’s oldest regional land trust and nonprofit conservation organization. The Trustees of Reservations welcomes the public to enjoy and experience our nine beautiful properties in the Pioneer Valley and our 100 special places across Massachusetts. The Trustees rely on dedicated staff, volunteers, members and donors to raise community awareness around the importance of preserving exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological landscapes; to interpret the stories that emerge from our local history and define our community character; to sustain local farms and natural resources; and to offer our visitors top notch outdoor experiences. To learn more, please visit www.thetrustees.org or call the Pioneer Valley office at 413.532.1631
Mark Wamsley
Program & Outreach Coordinator
Highland Communities Initiative
The Trustees of Reservations
413.628.4485 x102
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Find Your Place
More Now Believe Climate Change is Caused by Humans
Majority Now Disagree that Economic Concerns Should Prevent Action
from ELM Bulletin, December 23, 2011
A new Yale University study reveals good news about Americans’ increasing understanding about climate change and the need to take steps to combat it. A public announcement on December 7th highlighted some key findings:
– Since May 2011, public understanding that global warming is happening remained essentially unchanged at 63 percent, while belief that it is caused mostly by human activities increased three points to 50 percent, bringing public understanding closer to the scientific consensus.
– A majority of Americans (57%) now disagree with the statement, "With the economy in such bad shape, the US can’t afford to reduce global warming" – an 8 point increase in disagreement since May 2011.
– 65 percent said that global warming is affecting weather in the United States.
Action Alert – Tell the FDA: Label Genetically Modified Food
This time of year is filled with lit up trees, big red bows, festive carols, and holiday treats – and lots of them. But what you might not know is that many of the holiday favorites our kids are eating in school, at home, and at parties – treats like candy canes – are likely made with genetically engineered ingredients.
Don’t we have a right to know what foods our kids are eating?
Unfortunately, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t think so: there’s no requirement for products that use genetically modified ingredients to be labeled. The government estimates that a jaw-dropping 2/3 of processed foods contain genetically engineered ingredients. And the majority of the livestock we consume have been raised on genetically engineered grains. But you’d never know by looking at food labels.
That’s why BEAT supports the Just Label It! Campaign, and why hundreds of thousands of people like you – from moms and teachers to farmers and small-business owners – have contacted the FDA. Over 400,000 people decided to speak out about why labeling is important. Will you join them?
You won’t be alone in your support. Not only have over 400,000 people already contacted the FDA, but a recent study shows that 93% of Americans support mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods. It isn’t the FDA’s job to know how much public support there is for an issue – it’s our job to show them how many of us care about labeling genetically engineered foods.
For this campaign to be successful, we need your help. Unless the FDA hears from more people like us, they’ll think we don’t care about what’s in our food. Please do not be silent – submit your comment today. Together, we can reach our December 31 goal of 500,000 comments.
We have a right to know what’s in our food. Join hundreds of thousands of Americans to ask the FDA to label genetically engineered foods.
Fishing Lead Sinker and Jig Banned
The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) reminds all freshwater anglers that as of January 1, 2012, the use of any lead fishing sinkers and lead jigs weighing less than one ounce is now prohibited in all inland waters (freshwater) of the Commonwealth. In terms of this regulation, “lead sinker” or “lead weight” is defined as any sinker or weight made from lead that weighs less than 1 ounce. A “lead jig” is defined as any lead-weighted hook weighing less than one ounce. Prohibited tackle includes lead sinkers and jigs (weighing less than an ounce) painted, coated with some other substance or with attached “skirts”. Other types of sinkers, fishing lures, and/or fishing tackle including, artificial lures, hooks, weighted flies, lead-core, buzz-baits, spinner baits, or other weighted fishing lines may still be used for freshwater fishing. Ecologically safe alternatives to lead sinkers and lead jigs (such as steel and tin) are readily available from many sources and come in a wide variety of styles, shapes, weights, and sizes to meet every type of fishing need.
In 2009, the Fisheries and Wildlife Board unanimously voted to prohibit the use of lead sinkers and jigs weighing less than an ounce with the provision that the regulation go into effect January 1, 2012. This delay gave manufacturers and anglers time to adjust to these changes. “The regulation was implemented primarily to protect the state’s small population of Common Loon (Gavia immer),” said Dr. Mark Tisa, Assistant Director of Fisheries. Common Loons are a state listed Species of Special Concern.
Historically, the Common Loon nested in Massachusetts, but was extirpated in the late nineteenth century. In 1975, a pair of loons was discovered nesting in Quabbin Reservoir. The population has increased, and today approximately 32 territorial pairs can be found on 14 lakes, ponds, and reservoirs in the Commonwealth, the southern limit of the loon’s breeding range. Large piscivorous (fish-eating) birds that rely on sight to capture their prey, loons require relatively large nesting territories and water of high clarity; hence their population growth here is limited by the availability of this habitat.
Ingestion of lead fishing gear is the single largest cause of mortality for adult loons in fresh water in New England. Veterinarians at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine examined 483 dead adult loons and determined that approximately 44% of these birds died as the result of lead poisoning. Their research documented that ingestion of small lead sinkers and jigs accounted for approximately 79% of the lead objects recovered from loons that died from lead poisoning in fresh water. A single lead sinker or split shot can poison a loon. A bird with lead poisoning exhibits physical and behavioral changes, including loss of balance, gasping, tremors, and impaired ability to fly. The weakened bird is more vulnerable to predators and may have trouble feeding, mating, nesting, and caring for its young. A loon becomes emaciated and often dies within 2 to 3 weeks after ingesting the lead.
Loons ingest lead sinkers and lead jigs in two ways. One is when loons take minnows hooked as bait on a fishing line. The loon breaks off the line and then swallows the hook, line, swivel, and sinker or jig. A second ingestion method apparently occurs when loons ingest small pebbles from lake bottoms to help grind food in their gizzards. It appears they may inadvertently swallow lead sinkers and jigs while engaged in this activity, or are perhaps actively choosing them for some other reason (possibly because of their unique size, shape, or shine).
“Through this new conservation regulation it is possible to reduce the chance of lead poisoning of loons, a goal all sportsmen should support,” said Dr. Tisa. “Most anglers who have experienced the presence of loons would agree that sightings of these magnificent birds and the enjoyment of their iconic, eerie calls adds to the quality of any fishing experience.”
Sporting and fishing clubs, bait and tackle stores, watershed associations, marinas, and other conservation organizations can help get the message about the new regulation in several ways: making announcements at meetings, publishing the information in newsletters or email blasts, or posting a flyer announcing the lead sinker ban available from the DFW website at: www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/fishing/pdf/loons_lead_sinker_flyer.pdf.
Make a wild investment in Massachusetts by buying a license or making a donation to the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Fund or Wildlands Fund!
Sign up for MassWildlife News, a monthly e-newsletter that provides and update wildlife related events, recreation, laws and seasonal safety tips. send an e-mail to the following address: Join-MassWildlife.news@listserv.state.ma.us
Visit the Great Outdoors Blog at: http://environment.blog.state.ma.us/
MassWildlife serves your community from the following Offices:
Western District, Dalton 413/684-1646
Connecticut Valley District, Belchertown 413/323-7632
Central District, W. Boylston 508/835-3607
Northeast District, Ayer 978/772-2145
Southeast District, Buzzards Bay 508/759-3406
Westborough Field Headquarters 508-389-6300
EPA Extends Comment Period for the Proposed CAFO Rule
On October 21, 2011, EPA published a proposed rule that would require concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) to submit basic operational information to the Agency. EPA received requests from the public for additional time to submit comments, and is extending the public comment period to January 19, 2012. EPA proposed the rule in order to more effectively carry out its CAFO permitting programs on a national level and ensure that CAFOs are implementing practices to protect water quality and human health.
For information on the proposed rule, visit http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/afo/aforule.cfm.
There’s Still Time to Register For Snowy Owl Camp, December 29 & 30
A gift of nature for ages 7 to 13
Join us for both days or just one.
Make a coal burned bowl from start to finish!
Enter the throwing stick challenge course!
Make tasty fireside treats!
Play a bounty of exciting woodland games!
Tuition: $65 for one day; $110 for both days