This relentless noise would wake up the dead.
No resident should be expected to go out in the middle of the night with meter equipment to identify the source and measure noise pollution.
Monday, April 29, 2013
no title
This relentless noise would wake up the dead.
No resident should be expected to go out in the middle of the night with meter equipment to identify the source and measure noise pollution.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
slurry pipelines not diversions
The sludge report by Bob Marshall The Lens
A study suggests diverting river water to salt marshes is killing them
A study suggests diverting river water to salt marshes is killing them
A review of research on Louisiana's freshwater diversions by a panel of experts from outside the state concluded they could find no solid evidence the diversion projects improved adjacent wetlands, but found evidence they might hurt them. The study suggested that the state's Coastal Master Plan, built around large sediment diversions, may be forging ahead while blind to the potential dangers in the river water.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
dialogue
http://aswenowthink.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/as-gwen-ottinger-now-thinks/
Gwen Ottinger "Refining Expertise: How Responsible Engineers Subvert Environmental Justice Challenges"
[note: environmental justice is a goal achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work. ]
dialogue,” which environmental regulators are currently quite fond of as a way to resolve conflict between aggrieved communities and industrial polluters, does not further agencies’ goal of environmental justice or of improving environmental knowledge..............
Gwen Ottinger "Refining Expertise: How Responsible Engineers Subvert Environmental Justice Challenges"
[note: environmental justice is a goal achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work. ]
Friday, April 19, 2013
lessons learned from Caernarvon and MRGO
The article does a good job explaining the pro-diversion point of view. However, it should be noted the "deck was stacked." The reality is that there are quite a few other scientists with serious concerns about the sediment diversions, and none were included in this article. The biggest problem is that, even if the sediment diversions work (right now they only exist in computer simulations), the land-building will take decades to just build small slivers of land. This is a fact. They will not counter the rate of erosion. Other concerns include the magnitudes of freshwater fluxes. The simulations show salinities of 5 ppt almost to Grand Isle with Myrtle Grove at 250,000 cfs.
In general, everyone supports using the river resources. There are differing opinions on how to do it, what flow rates should occur, and how marsh creation through sediment pipes should be done. The one thing we can state with certainty is that these huge sediment diversion will not build enough land in time, and all Louisiana will be pounded by freshwater. We cannot take "on faith" that they will use the diversion correctly. This faith was broken with the way they run the Caernarvon which has violated salinity agreements, the erosion resulting from Caernarvon, and the lack of acknowledgment of this situation.
Its a shame all NOLA readers can't take a boat ride and see the damage Caernarvon has caused. The viewpoints would be swayed immediately.....the erosion is that bad and that obvious. The erosion in this case was caused by the diversion, because freshwater vegetation (which replaced the saltwater marsh) either floats or has weak roots and cannot handle hurricane storm surge like saltwater marsh can. And this is just one problem with diversions. There are several.....all as usual set aside by pro-diversion proponents with rose-colored glasses.
In general, everyone supports using the river resources. There are differing opinions on how to do it, what flow rates should occur, and how marsh creation through sediment pipes should be done. The one thing we can state with certainty is that these huge sediment diversion will not build enough land in time, and all Louisiana will be pounded by freshwater. We cannot take "on faith" that they will use the diversion correctly. This faith was broken with the way they run the Caernarvon which has violated salinity agreements, the erosion resulting from Caernarvon, and the lack of acknowledgment of this situation.
Its a shame all NOLA readers can't take a boat ride and see the damage Caernarvon has caused. The viewpoints would be swayed immediately.....the erosion is that bad and that obvious. The erosion in this case was caused by the diversion, because freshwater vegetation (which replaced the saltwater marsh) either floats or has weak roots and cannot handle hurricane storm surge like saltwater marsh can. And this is just one problem with diversions. There are several.....all as usual set aside by pro-diversion proponents with rose-colored glasses.
drtrout
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Louisiana refineries still use hydrofluoric acid in the refinery alkylation process, as identified in PetroStrategies, Inc. article:
| Louisiana | Chalmette - Chalmette | 192,500 | 12,500 |
| ConocoPhillips - Belle Chase | 247,000 | 38,000 | |
| Marathon - Garyville | 436,000 | 26,600 | |
| Murphy / Valero - Meraux | 125,000 | 8,500 | |
| Placid - Port Allen | 55,100 | 6,750 |
USW Study Warns Public about Dangers of Hydrofluoric Acid Use in Refinery Alkylation Process to Produce Clean-Burning Gasoline
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
45 days until hurricane season
are you ready ?
St. Bernard Parish Department of Homeland Security in conjunction with Duke Engage prepared this informational segment in 2007 to help St. Bernard Parish prepare for hurricane season.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6raCupzkUg
Directed by Ken Winters. Produced by Sam Bowler and Joseph Lanser.
Get a plan !
http://www.getagameplan.org/psa.htm
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
The State of our Air
Enough is Enough.
The air quality in St. Bernard neighborhoods can be so poor at times that residents shelter themselves in place or hold their noses when they are on the roads that pass through the industrial facilities.
Louisiana law prohibits LDEQ from issuing a permit that maintains a nuisance or a danger to public health and safety, and furthermore, technology exists that could protect public health and reduce toxic air emissions. State-of-the-art technology and additional air monitoring should be required to ensure all three major source’s air permit limits are maintained, and air monitoring may even help the plants and refineries become more efficient.
The air quality in St. Bernard neighborhoods can be so poor at times that residents shelter themselves in place or hold their noses when they are on the roads that pass through the industrial facilities.
Louisiana law prohibits LDEQ from issuing a permit that maintains a nuisance or a danger to public health and safety, and furthermore, technology exists that could protect public health and reduce toxic air emissions. State-of-the-art technology and additional air monitoring should be required to ensure all three major source’s air permit limits are maintained, and air monitoring may even help the plants and refineries become more efficient.
