Improving diet sustainability through evolution of food choices: review of epidemiological studies on the environmental impact of diets.

PubMed

Perignon, Marlène; Vieux, Florent; Soler, Louis-Georges; Masset, Gabriel; Darmon, Nicole

2017-01-01

The Food and Agriculture Organization defines sustainable diets as nutritionally adequate, safe, healthy, culturally acceptable, economically affordable diets that have little environmental impact. This review summarizes the studies assessing, at the individual level, both the environmental impact and the nutritional quality or healthiness of self-selected diets. Reductions in meat consumption and energy intake were identified as primary factors for reducing diet-related greenhouse gas emissions. The choice of foods to replace meat, however, was crucial, with some isocaloric substitutions possibly increasing total diet greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, nutritional adequacy was rarely or only partially assessed, thereby compromising the assessment of diet sustainability. Furthermore, high nutritional quality was not necessarily associated with affordability or lower environmental impact. Hence, when identifying sustainable diets, each dimension needs to be assessed by relevant indicators. Finally, some nonvegetarian self-selected diets consumed by a substantial fraction of the population showed good compatibility with the nutritional, environmental, affordability, and acceptability dimensions. Altogether, the reviewed studies revealed the scarcity of standardized nationally representative data for food prices and environmental indicators and suggest that diet sustainability might be increased without drastic dietary changes. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute.

Woody biomass outreach in the southern United States: A case study

Treesearch

Martha Monroe; Annie Oxarart

2011-01-01

Woody biomass is one potential renewable energy source that is technically feasible where environmental and economic factors are promising. It becomes a realistic option when it is also socially acceptable. Public acceptance and support of wood to energy proposals require community education and outreach. The Wood to Energy Outreach Program provides science-based...

[Identification of capacities in environmental health from environmental authorities in Colombia].

PubMed

Agudelo-Calderón, Carlos A; García-Ubaque, Juan C; Robledo-Martínez, Rocío; García-Ubaque, Cesar A; Vaca-Bohórquez, Martha L

2016-08-01

Objectives To diagnose the capabilities that environmental authorities and the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development have to assume their role in environmental health, based on the capacity model of the United Nations Program for Development UNDP. Method Document review, interviews on key issues and a commented survey were conducted. 84 entities were selected for a tailored survey; complete information was obtained from 76 institutions. Results The valuation of environment favorability was within the acceptable and unfavorable categories; knowledge management capabilities were found to be precarious and assessment of functional capabilities ranged between appropriate and acceptable. The assessment of specific capabilities had a rating of poor or barely acceptable. Conclusions Two major problems were found: a. The environmental authorities do not conceive or implement these capabilities based on the UNDP model but on the conventional model of the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Territorial Development; b. Environmental authorities show an incipient level of incorporation of environmental health policies in their field of action.

Legionella detection by culture and qPCR: Comparing apples and oranges.

PubMed

Whiley, Harriet; Taylor, Michael

2016-01-01

Legionella spp. are the causative agent of Legionnaire's disease and an opportunistic pathogen of significant public health concern. Identification and quantification from environmental sources is crucial for identifying outbreak origins and providing sufficient information for risk assessment and disease prevention. Currently there are a range of methods for Legionella spp. quantification from environmental sources, but the two most widely used and accepted are culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). This paper provides a review of these two methods and outlines their advantages and limitations. Studies from the last 10 years which have concurrently used culture and qPCR to quantify Legionella spp. from environmental sources have been compiled. 26/28 studies detected Legionella at a higher rate using qPCR compared to culture, whilst only one study detected equivalent levels of Legionella spp. using both qPCR and culture. Aggregating the environmental samples from all 28 studies, 2856/3967 (72%) tested positive for the presence of Legionella spp. using qPCR and 1331/3967 (34%) using culture. The lack of correlation between methods highlights the need to develop an acceptable standardized method for quantification that is sufficient for risk assessment and management of this human pathogen.

Environmental Performance of North American Wood Panel Manufacturing

Treesearch

R. Bergman; D. Kaestner; A. Taylor

2015-01-01

Manufacturing building products such as wood panels has environmental impacts, including contributions to climate change. This paper is a compilation of four studies quantifying these impacts using the life-cycle assessment (LCA) method on five wood-based panel products made in North America during 2012. LCA is an internationally accepted and standardized method for...

Summer Undergraduate Research Program: Environmental studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McMillan, J.

1994-12-31

The purpose of the summer undergraduate internship program for research in environmental studies is to provide an opportunity for well-qualified students to undertake an original research project as an apprentice to an active research scientist in basic environmental research. The students are offered research topics at the Medical University in the scientific areas of pharmacology and toxicology, epidemiology and risk assessment, environmental microbiology, and marine sciences. Students are also afforded the opportunity to work with faculty at the University of Charleston, SC, on projects with an environmental theme. Ten well-qualified students from colleges and universities throughout the eastern United Statesmore » were accepted into the program.« less

Consumer acceptability of cucumber pickles produced by fermentation in calcium chloride brine for reduced environmental impact

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fermentation of cucumbers in calcium chloride brine has been proposed as an alternative process to reduce the environmental impact of traditional, high salt fermentations. The objective of this research was to determine whether consumer acceptability of pickle products would be impacted by fermentat...

Acceptance of drinking and driving and alcohol-involved driving crashes in California.

PubMed

MacLeod, Kara E; Karriker-Jaffe, Katherine J; Ragland, David R; Satariano, William A; Kelley-Baker, Tara; Lacey, John H

2015-08-01

Alcohol-impaired driving accounts for substantial proportion of traffic-related fatalities in the U.S. Risk perceptions for drinking and driving have been associated with various measures of drinking and driving behavior. In an effort to understand how to intervene and to better understand how risk perceptions may be shaped, this study explored whether an objective environmental-level measure (proportion of alcohol-involved driving crashes in one's residential city) were related to individual-level perceptions and behavior. Using data from a 2012 cross-sectional roadside survey of 1147 weekend nighttime drivers in California, individual-level self-reported acceptance of drinking and driving and past-year drinking and driving were merged with traffic crash data using respondent ZIP codes. Population average logistic regression modeling was conducted for the odds of acceptance of drinking and driving and self-reported, past-year drinking and driving. A non-linear relationship between city-level alcohol-involved traffic crashes and individual-level acceptance of drinking and driving was found. Acceptance of drinking and driving did not mediate the relationship between the proportion of alcohol-involved traffic crashes and self-reported drinking and driving behavior. However, it was directly related to behavior among those most likely to drink outside the home. The present study surveys a particularly relevant population and is one of few drinking and driving studies to evaluate the relationship between an objective environmental-level crash risk measure and individual-level risk perceptions. In communities with both low and high proportions of alcohol-involved traffic crashes there was low acceptance of drinking and driving. This may mean that in communities with low proportions of crashes, citizens have less permissive norms around drinking and driving, whereas in communities with a high proportion of crashes, the incidence of these crashes may serve as an environmental cue which informs drinking and driving perceptions. Perceptual information on traffic safety can be used to identify places where people may be at greater risk for drinking and driving. Community-level traffic fatalities may be a salient cue for tailoring risk communication. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acceptance of drinking and driving and alcohol-involved driving crashes in California

PubMed Central

Karriker-Jaffe, Katherine J.; Ragland, David R.; Satariano, William A.; Kelley-Baker, Tara; Lacey, John H.

2016-01-01

Background Alcohol-impaired driving accounts for substantial proportion of traffic-related fatalities in the U.S. Risk perceptions for drinking and driving have been associated with various measures of drinking and driving behavior. In an effort to understand how to intervene and to better understand how risk perceptions may be shaped, this study explored whether an objective environmental-level measure (proportion of alcohol-involved driving crashes in one's residential city) were related to individual-level perceptions and behavior. Methods Using data from a 2012 cross-sectional roadside survey of 1,147 weekend nighttime drivers in California, individual-level self-reported acceptance of drinking and driving and past-year drinking and driving were merged with traffic crash data using respondent ZIP codes. Population average logistic regression modeling was conducted for the odds of acceptance of drinking and driving and self-reported, past-year drinking and driving. Results A non-linear relationship between city-level alcohol-involved traffic crashes and individual-level acceptance of drinking and driving was found. Acceptance of drinking and driving did not mediate the relationship between the proportion of alcohol-involved traffic crashes and self-reported drinking and driving behavior. However, it was directly related to behavior among those most likely to drink outside the home. Discussion The present study surveys a particularly relevant population and is one of few drinking and driving studies to evaluate the relationship between an objective environmental-level crash risk measure and individual-level risk perceptions. In communities with both low and high proportions of alcohol-involved traffic crashes there was low acceptance of drinking and driving. This may mean that in communities with low proportions of crashes, citizens have less permissive norms around drinking and driving, whereas in communities with a high proportion of crashes, the incidence of these crashes may serve as an environmental cue which informs drinking and driving perceptions. Perceptual information on traffic safety can be used to identify places where people may be at greater risk for drinking and driving. Community-level traffic fatalities may be a salient cue for tailoring risk communication. PMID:25980918

Comparative research on NIMBY risk acceptability between Chinese and Japanese college students.

PubMed

Wu, Yunqing; Zhai, Guofang; Li, Shasha; Ren, Chongqiang; Tsuchida, Shoji

2014-10-01

Along with the progressive acceleration of urbanization, the need to identify potentially troublesome "Not In My Back Yard" (NIMBY) facilities in the city is inevitable. To resolve NIMBY conflict, it is important to know people's NIMBY risk acceptability for these facilities. A questionnaire survey was used among Chinese and Japanese college students to identify NIMBY risk acceptability. LISREL was used to construct a structural equation model to analyze the difference in NIMBY risk acceptability between the Chinese and Japanese college students. Factors that may affect NIMBY risk acceptability were analyzed: "perceiving utility," "perceiving risk," "trust in government," "reasonable compensation," and "procedural justice." The findings show that Japanese students' concerns were greater than Chinese students' concerns. Perceiving utility and perceiving risk were the most important factors that affect people's NIMBY risk acceptability, followed by procedural justice, trust in government, and reasonable compensation. There is a difference between the different cultural backgrounds in confronting the risk: Chinese students focus more on the reputation and value of real estate, while Japanese students pay more attention to environmental pollution and damage to health. Furthermore, cultural influences play a role in students' risk perception. To improve the risk acceptability for NIMBY facilities and provide a basis for resolving NIMBY conflicts, it is necessary to ensure the benefits of the NIMBY facility while reducing environmental pollution. The findings of this study may be of interest for policy makers and practitioners to devise future NIMBY strategies.

Consumer acceptance of cultured meat: A systematic review.

PubMed

Bryant, Christopher; Barnett, Julie

2018-09-01

Cultured meat grown in-vitro from animal cells is being developed as a way of addressing many of the ethical and environmental concerns associated with conventional meat production. As commercialisation of this technology appears increasingly feasible, there is growing interest in the research on consumer acceptance of cultured meat. We present a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature, and synthesize and analyse the findings of 14 empirical studies. We highlight demographic variations in consumer acceptance, factors influencing acceptance, common consumer objections, perceived benefits, and areas of uncertainty. We conclude by evaluating the most important objections and benefits to consumers, as well as highlighting areas for future research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 21551 - New York City Department of Environmental Protection; Notice of Application Accepted for filing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-10

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 13287-004] New York City Department of Environmental Protection; Notice of Application Accepted for filing And Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public...

Environmental Communications Today: An Educator's Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoenfeld, Clay

1979-01-01

The article traces the origins of environmental communications and focuses on several categories of environmental communication. It specifies the common denominators of the various forms of environmental communications. An appendix of journals that accept freelance environmental articles is included. (RE)

A proposed model of factors influencing hydrogen fuel cell vehicle acceptance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imanina, N. H. Noor; Kwe Lu, Tan; Fadhilah, A. R.

2016-03-01

Issues such as environmental problem and energy insecurity keep worsening as a result of energy use from household to huge industries including automotive industry. Recently, a new type of zero emission vehicle, hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (HFCV) has received attention. Although there are argues on the feasibility of hydrogen as the future fuel, there is another important issue, which is the acceptance of HFCV. The study of technology acceptance in the early stage is a vital key for a successful introduction and penetration of a technology. This paper proposes a model of factors influencing green vehicle acceptance, specifically HFCV. This model is built base on two technology acceptance theories and other empirical studies of vehicle acceptance. It aims to provide a base for finding the key factors influencing new sustainable energy fuelled vehicle, HFCV acceptance which is achieved by explaining intention to accept HFCV. Intention is influenced by attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control from Theory of Planned Behaviour and personal norm from Norm Activation Theory. In the framework, attitude is influenced by perceptions of benefits and risks, and social trust. Perceived behavioural control is influenced by government interventions. Personal norm is influenced by outcome efficacy and problem awareness.

A systematic review of patient acceptance of consumer health information technology.

PubMed

Or, Calvin K L; Karsh, Ben-Tzion

2009-01-01

A systematic literature review was performed to identify variables promoting consumer health information technology (CHIT) acceptance among patients. The electronic bibliographic databases Web of Science, Business Source Elite, CINAHL, Communication and Mass Media Complete, MEDLINE, PsycArticles, and PsycInfo were searched. A cited reference search of articles meeting the inclusion criteria was also conducted to reduce misses. Fifty-two articles met the selection criteria. Among them, 94 different variables were tested for associations with acceptance. Most of those tested (71%) were patient factors, including sociodemographic characteristics, health- and treatment-related variables, and prior experience or exposure to computer/health technology. Only ten variables were related to human-technology interaction; 16 were organizational factors; and one was related to the environment. In total, 62 (66%) were found to predict acceptance in at least one study. Existing literature focused largely on patient-related factors. No studies examined the impact of social and task factors on acceptance, and few tested the effects of organizational or environmental factors on acceptance. Future research guided by technology acceptance theories should fill those gaps to improve our understanding of patient CHIT acceptance, which in turn could lead to better CHIT design and implementation.

Changes in the Factors Influencing Public Acceptance of Nuclear Power Generation in Japan Since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster.

PubMed

Tsujikawa, Norifumi; Tsuchida, Shoji; Shiotani, Takamasa

2016-01-01

Public support for nuclear power generation has decreased in Japan since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in March 2011. This study examines how the factors influencing public acceptance of nuclear power changed after this event. The influence factors examined are perceived benefit, perceived risk, trust in the managing bodies, and pro-environmental orientation (i.e., new ecological paradigm). This study is based on cross-sectional data collected from two online nationwide surveys: one conducted in November 2009, before the nuclear accident, and the other in October 2011, after the accident. This study's target respondents were residents of Aomori, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures in the Tohoku region of Japan, as these areas were the epicenters of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the locations of nuclear power stations. After the accident, trust in the managing bodies was found to have a stronger influence on perceived risk, and pro-environmental orientation was found to have a stronger influence on trust in the managing bodies; however, perceived benefit had a weaker positive influence on public acceptance. We also discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

A perspective on the potential development of environmentally acceptable light-duty diesel vehicles.

PubMed Central

Hammerle, R; Schuetzle, D; Adams, W

1994-01-01

Between 1979 and 1985, an international technical focus was placed upon potential human health effects associated with exposure to diesel emissions. A substantial data base was developed on the composition of diesel emissions; the fate of these emissions in the atmosphere; and the effects of whole particles and their chemical constituents on microorganisms, cells, and animals. Since that time, a number of significant developments have been made in diesel engine technology that require a new look at the future acceptability of introducing significant numbers of light-duty diesel automobiles into the European and American markets. Significant engineering improvements have been made in engine design, catalysts, and traps. As a result, particle emissions and particle associated organic emissions have been reduced by about 10 and 30 times, respectively, during the past 10 years. Research studies to help assess the environmental acceptability of these fuel-efficient engines include the development of an emissions data base for current and advanced diesel engines, the effect of diesel emissions on urban ozone formation and atmospheric particle concentrations, the effect of fuel composition, e.g., lower sulfur and additives on emissions, animal inhalation toxicology studies, and fundamental molecular biology studies. PMID:7529704

Lightweight Combat Vehicle S and T Campaign

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-06

research in nano-materials, self - healing /diagnosing materials, multi-functional materials, and environmentally acceptable materials. The application...research includes nano-materials, self - healing /diagnosing materials, multi-functional materials, and environmentally acceptable materials.5 The 2003...hubs must be led by a not-for-profit organization, provide 50% cost share match, and are expected to become self -sufficient in 5 years. So far, all

18 CFR 5.22 - Notice of acceptance and ready for environmental analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Notice of acceptance and ready for environmental analysis. 5.22 Section 5.22 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REGULATIONS UNDER THE FEDERAL POWER ACT INTEGRATED LICENSE APPLICATION PROCESS § 5.22 Notice o...

76 FR 21877 - Environmental Management Advisory Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-19

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Environmental Management Advisory Board AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of call for nominations for appointment to the Environmental Management Advisory Board. SUMMARY... Environmental Management Advisory Board. DATES: Nominations will be accepted through May 13, 2011. ADDRESSES...

Institutional environmental impact statement (space shuttle development and operations) amendment no. 1. [space shuttle operations at Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Data are presented to support the environmental impact statement on space shuttle actions at Kennedy Space Center. Studies indicate that land use to accommodate space shuttle operations may have the most significant impact. The impacts on air, water and noise quality are predicted to be less on the on-site environment. Considerations of operating modes indicate that long and short term land use will not affect wildlife productivity. The potential for adverse environmental impact is small and such impacts will be local, short in duration, controllable, and environmentally acceptable.

Fuel quality/processing study. Volume 4: On site processing studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, G. E., Jr.; Cutrone, M.; Doering, H.; Hickey, J.

1981-01-01

Fuel treated at the turbine and the turbine exhaust gas processed at the turbine site are studied. Fuel treatments protect the turbine from contaminants or impurities either in the upgrading fuel as produced or picked up by the fuel during normal transportation. Exhaust gas treatments provide for the reduction of NOx and SOx to environmentally acceptable levels. The impact of fuel quality upon turbine maintenance and deterioration is considered. On site costs include not only the fuel treatment costs as such, but also incremental costs incurred by the turbine operator if a turbine fuel of low quality is not acceptably upgraded.

77 FR 15091 - Environmental Management Advisory Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-14

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Environmental Management Advisory Board AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of Solicitation of Nominations for Appointment as a member of the Environmental Management... Environmental Management Advisory Board (EMAB). DATES: The deadline for nominations for members will be accepted...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - PORTABLE GAS CHROMATOGRAPH - PERKIN-ELMER PHOTOVAC, INC. VOYAGOR

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency, through the Environmental Technology Verification Program, is working to accelerate the acceptance and use of innovative technologies that improve the way the United States manages its environmental problems. Reports document the performa...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - CHROMATOGRAPH/MASS SPECTOMETOR INLICON, INC. HAPSITE

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through the Environmental Technology Verification Program, is working to accelerate the acceptance and use of innovative technologies that improve the way the United States manages its environmental problems. As part of this program, the...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - PORTABLE GAS CHROMATOGRAPH - SENTEX SYSTEMS, INC. SCENTOGRAPH PLUS II

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through the Environmental Technology Verification Program, is working to accelerate the acceptance and use of innovative technologies that improve the way the United States manages its environmental problems. This report documents demons...

MOBILE ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETER OPERATED BY PACE ENVIRONMENTAL FOR METALS-CONTAMINATED SOIL CHARACTERIZATION

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through the Environmental Technology Verification Program, is working to accelerate the acceptance and use of innovative technologies that improve the way the United States manages its environmental problems. This report describes ...

Geographic variation in social acceptability of wildland fuels management in the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brunson, M.; Schindler, Bruce A.

2004-01-01

Contemporary natural resource management requires consideration of the social acceptability of management practices and conditions. Agencies wishing to measure, respond to, and influence social acceptability must understand the nuances of public perception regarding controversial issues. This study explores social acceptability judgments about one such issue: reduction of wildland fuel hazards on federal lands in the western United States. Citizens were surveyed in four locations where fire has been a significant ecological disturbance agent and public land agencies propose to reduce wildland fuel levels and wildfire hazards via prescribed burning, thinning, brush removal, and/or livestock grazing. Respondents in different locations differed in their knowledge about fire and fuel issues as well in their acceptability judgments. Differences are associated with location-specific social and environmental factors as well as individual beliefs. Results argue against using a??one-size-fits-alla?? policies or information strategies about fuels management.

Case Studies of Physics Graduates' Personal Theories of Evolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Ke-Sheng

2005-01-01

This paper reports an interview case study with two physics doctoral students designed to explore their conceptions about the theory of evolution. Analysis of interview transcripts reveals that both students mistakenly constructed a "theory of evolution by environmentally driven adaptation" instead of the commonly accepted "theory…

EPA New England Opens Nomination Period for Annual Environmental Merit Awards

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency office in New England is accepting nominations for New England people, organizations, government entities or businesses whose environmental achievements during the past year deserve recognition.

Meanings and implications of acceptability judgements for wilderness use impacts

Treesearch

Amy F. Hoss; Mark W. Brunson

2000-01-01

While the concept of “acceptability” is central to the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) framework, there is inadequate understanding of how “acceptability” is judged and how unacceptable conditions affect visitor experiences. To address this knowledge gap, visitors to nine wilderness areas were interviewed. Judgments of social and environmental conditions fell into...

Functional sensorial complementation during host orientation in an Asilidae parasitoid larva.

PubMed

Pueyrredon, J M; Crespo, J E; Castelo, M K

2017-10-01

Changes in environmental conditions influence the performance of organisms in every aspect of their life. Being capable of accurately sensing these changes allow organisms to better adapt. The detection of environmental conditions involves different sensory modalities. There are many studies on the morphology of different sensory structures but not so many studies showing their function. Here we studied the morphology of different sensory structures in the larva of a dipteran parasitoid. We occluded the putative sensory structures coupling the morphology with their function. First, we could develop a non-invasive method in which we occluded the putative sensorial structures annulling their function temporarily. Regarding their functionality, we found that larvae of Mallophora ruficauda require simultaneously of the sensilla found both in the antennae and those of the maxillary palps in order to orient to its host. When either both antennae or both maxillary palps were occluded, no orientation to the host was observed. We also found that these structures are not involved in the acceptance of the host because high and similar proportion of parasitized hosts was found in host acceptance experiments. We propose that other sensilla could be involved in host acceptance and discuss how the different sensilla in the antennae and maxillary palps complement each other to provide larvae with the information for locating its host.

PARTS WASHING ALTERNATIVES STUDY - UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

EPA Science Inventory

This report has been written to assist the United States Coast Guard (USCG) industrial managers in determining the most cost effective and environmentally acceptable parts washing alternatives for their specific applications. An; evaluation was conducted on four different cleane...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - PORTABLE GAS CHROMATOGRAPH ELECTRONIC SENSOR TECHNOLOGY MODEL 4100

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through the Environmental Technology Verification Program, is working to accelerate the acceptance and use of innovative technologies that improve the way the United States manages its environmental problems. As part of this program, the...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT - PHOTOACOUSTIC SPECTROPHOTOMATER INNOVA AIR TECH INSTRUMENTS MODEL 1312 MULTI-GAS MONITOR

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Through the Environmental Technology Verification Program, is working to accelerate the acceptance and use of innovative technologies that improve the way the United States manages its environmental problems. This report documents demons...

Are We Meeting the Goal of Responsible Environmental Behavior: An Examination of Nature and Environmental Education Center Goals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Deborah A.

1991-01-01

Through two surveys of nature and environmental centers throughout the United States, the author compares the centers' expressed goals with the goals of environmental education. These goals were determined by an accepted behavior model that is considered conducive to environmentally responsible behavior. (17 references) (MCO)

Space Station Freedom Environmental Health Care Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richard, Elizabeth E.; Russo, Dane M.

1992-01-01

The paper discusses the environmental planning and monitoring aspects of the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Environmental Health Care Program, which encompasses all phases of the SSF assembly and operation from the first element entry at MB-6 through the Permanent Manned Capability and beyond. Environmental planning involves the definition of acceptability limits and monitoring requirements for the radiation dose barothermal parameters and potential contaminants in the SSF air and water and on internal surfaces. Inflight monitoring will be implemented through the Environmental Health System, which consists of five subsystems: Microbiology, Toxicology, Water Quality, Radiation, and Barothermal Physiology. In addition to the environmental data interpretation and analysis conducted after each mission, the new data will be compared to archived data for statistical and long-term trend analysis and determination of risk exposures. Results of these analyses will be used to modify the acceptability limits and monitoring requirements for the future.

INTERLABORATORY STUDY OF THE COLD VAPOR TECHNIQUE FOR TOTAL MERCURY IN WATER

EPA Science Inventory

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted a joint study of the cold vapor technique for total mercury in water, before formal acceptance of the method by each organization. The method employs an acid-permang...

Accuracy, resolution, and cost comparisons between small format and mapping cameras for environmental mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clegg, R. H.; Scherz, J. P.

1975-01-01

Successful aerial photography depends on aerial cameras providing acceptable photographs within cost restrictions of the job. For topographic mapping where ultimate accuracy is required only large format mapping cameras will suffice. For mapping environmental patterns of vegetation, soils, or water pollution, 9-inch cameras often exceed accuracy and cost requirements, and small formats may be better. In choosing the best camera for environmental mapping, relative capabilities and costs must be understood. This study compares resolution, photo interpretation potential, metric accuracy, and cost of 9-inch, 70mm, and 35mm cameras for obtaining simultaneous color and color infrared photography for environmental mapping purposes.

International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System Acceptance Testing for Node 1 Temperature and Humidity Control Subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, David E.

2011-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Node 1 Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) System is comprised of five subsystems: Atmosphere Control and Storage (ACS), Atmosphere Revitalization (AR), Fire Detection and Suppression (FDS), Temperature and Humidity Control (THC), and Water Recovery and Management (WRM). This paper will provide a summary of the Node 1 ECLS THC subsystem design and a detailed discussion of the ISS ECLS Acceptance Testing methodology utilized for this subsystem.The International Space Station (ISS) Node 1 Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) System is comprised of five subsystems: Atmosphere Control and Storage (ACS), Atmosphere Revitalization (AR), Fire Detection and Suppression (FDS), Temperature and Humidity Control (THC), and Water Recovery and Management (WRM). This paper will provide a summary of the Node 1 ECLS THC subsystem design and a detailed discussion of the ISS ECLS Acceptance Testing methodology utilized for this subsystem.

Examining Trends in Adolescent Environmental Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors Across Three Decades

PubMed Central

Wray-Lake, Laura; Flanagan, Constance A.; Osgood, D. Wayne

2009-01-01

Since the Environmental Movement began, adolescents’ views have been largely ignored in studies of public opinion. The article presents a descriptive analysis of trends in the environmental attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of high school seniors from 1976 to 2005 using data from the Monitoring the Future study. Across a range of indicators, environmental concerns of adolescents show increases during the early 1990s and declines across the remainder of the three decades. Declining trends in reports of personal responsibility for the environment, conservation behaviors, and the belief that resources are scarce are particularly noteworthy. Across all years, findings reveal that youth tended to assign responsibility for the environment to the government and consumers rather than accepting personal responsibility. Recent declines in environmental concerns for this nationally representative sample of youth signal the need for a renewed focus on young people’s views and call for better environmental education and governmental leadership. PMID:20046859

Guidance for Determining the Acceptability of Environmental Fate Studies Conducted with Foreign Soils

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

International and U.S. soil taxonomical classification systems, distribution of soil orders in the United States, specific criteria to help scientists determine when foreign soils are representative of U.S. soils at intended pesticide use sites.

Assessment of the environmental fate and effects of azilsartan, a selective antagonist of angiotensin II type 1.

PubMed

Weltman, R; Brands, C M J; Corral, E; Desmares-Koopmans, M J E; Migchielsen, M H J; Oudhoff, K A; de Roode, D F

2012-06-01

In this paper the results of a thorough evaluation of the environmental fate and effects of azilsartan are presented. Azilsartan medoxomil is administered as a pro-drug for the treatment of patients with essential hypertension. The pro-drug is converted by hydrolysis to the active pharmaceutical ingredient azilsartan. Laboratory tests to evaluate the environmental fate and effects of azilsartan medoxomil were conducted with azilsartan and performed in accordance with OECD test guidelines. The predicted environmental concentration (PEC) in surface water was estimated at 0.32 μg L(-1) (above the action limit of 0.01 μg L(-1)), triggering a Phase II assessment. Azilsartan is not readily biodegradable. Results of the water sediment study demonstrated significant shifting of azilsartan metabolites to sediment. Based on the equilibrium partitioning method, metabolites are unlikely to pose a risk to sediment-dwelling organisms. Ratios of the predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) to the predicted-no-effect concentrations (PNECs) did not exceed the relevant triggers, and the risk to aquatic, sewage treatment plant (STP), groundwater and sediment compartments was concluded acceptable. A terrestrial assessment was not triggered. Azilsartan poses an acceptable risk to the environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential of hydrogen fuel for future air transportation systems.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Small, W. J.; Fetterman, D. E.; Bonner, T. F., Jr.

1973-01-01

Recent studies have shown that hydrogen fuel can yield spectacular improvements in aircraft performance in addition to its more widely discussed environmental advantages. The characteristics of subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic transport aircraft using hydrogen fuel are discussed, and their performance and environmental impact are compared to that of similar aircraft using conventional fuel. The possibilities of developing hydrogen-fueled supersonic and hypersonic vehicles with sonic boom levels acceptable for overland flight are also explored.

Awareness of environmental issues and the acceptance of CFC-free inhalers.

PubMed

Goh, S Y; Arulanandam, S; Ho, C L; Zhang, L; Goh, D Y; Chew, F T; Lee, B W

1998-09-01

With the recent availability of a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-free metered dose inhaler (MDI) (Airomir), a patient survey was carried out to evaluate awareness of the role of CFCs in our environment and acceptance of this new inhaler. A questionnaire survey was conducted on parents and guardians of 201 children. Depending on respondents' preference, the interview was conducted in English (71%), Chinese (23%), Malay (5%) or Tamil (1%). A 'taste' test was also conducted on 103 of these children. Only 13% (26/201) of parents/guardians were aware that MDIs contained CFCs. Although 70% of children were in favour of the new taste of the CFC-free inhaler, the cost of the new inhaler was an important consideration for parents and guardians in their decision to switch to the new inhaler. The majority (93%) were willing to switch if its cost were equivalent to their current inhaler. This study has provided pertinent information with regard to acceptance of CFC-free inhalers which should be considered when making the inevitable switch to environmentally friendly inhalers.

Environmental auditing in hospitals: approach and implementation in an university hospital.

PubMed

Dettenkofer, M; Kümmerer, K; Schuster, A; Mühlich, M; Scherrer, M; Daschner, F D

1997-05-01

Medical audit in infection control today is accepted as an important element in the quality assurance of health care. In contrast, environmental auditing, which was approved in 1993 by the Council of the European Communities for industry ("Eco-Management and Audit Scheme-EMAS), has not so far been used as a tool to control and reduce environmental pollution caused by medical care in hospitals. The aim of this study was to investigate, whether environmental auditing in hospitals is useful. This process should also be cost effective. In this paper, methodological and organizational issues are described. Initially an environmental review of activities at the University Hospital, Freiburg and an eco-analysis of the input and output were performed. The first results of the study and a critical discussion will be presented in another paper.

The physiological basis for spacecraft environmental limits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waligora, J. M. (Compiler)

1979-01-01

Limits for operational environments are discussed in terms of acceptable physiological changes. The environmental factors considered are pressure, contaminants, temperature, acceleration, noise, rf radiation, and weightlessness.

The stakeholder preference for best management practices in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region.

PubMed

Qiu, Jiali; Shen, Zhenyao; Chen, Lei; Xie, Hui; Sun, Chengchun; Huang, Qin

2014-11-01

A qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 92 farmers and 42 policy managers in Wuxi County, the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, was conducted to identify stakeholder preferences for alternative best management practices (BMPs) and to determine the factors that affect their acceptance. Policy manager support for most of the practices was relatively stronger than support by farmers, except for the grade stabilization structure (GSS), hillside ditch (HD) and constructed wetland alternative, owing to their perceptions of soil benefits, economic advantages and environmental advantages. Farmers opposed those practices that occupied cultivated lands or changed the conventional planting methods, such as field border, conservation tillage (CT) and contour buffer strips. They tended to accept the BMPs with off-farm pollution reduction, such as GSS, riparian forest buffer and HD, and the BMPs associated with soil benefits, such as nutrient management and Terrace. The result that almost all respondents did not accept CT differed from reports in the existing literature. There is a significant correlation between the acceptance of some BMPs and the townships where the farmers lived (P ≤ 0.05). The environmental conditions and social factors would affect farmer support for BMPs, including local soil conditions, farming methods, economic income, education level and age. The economic advantages of the BMPs were the main motivation for farmers to accept the practices. Furthermore, intensive education efforts, financial incentives or economic subsidies may promote the adoption of the BMPs in our study area.

The Stakeholder Preference for Best Management Practices in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Jiali; Shen, Zhenyao; Chen, Lei; Xie, Hui; Sun, Chengchun; Huang, Qin

2014-11-01

A qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 92 farmers and 42 policy managers in Wuxi County, the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, was conducted to identify stakeholder preferences for alternative best management practices (BMPs) and to determine the factors that affect their acceptance. Policy manager support for most of the practices was relatively stronger than support by farmers, except for the grade stabilization structure (GSS), hillside ditch (HD) and constructed wetland alternative, owing to their perceptions of soil benefits, economic advantages and environmental advantages. Farmers opposed those practices that occupied cultivated lands or changed the conventional planting methods, such as field border, conservation tillage (CT) and contour buffer strips. They tended to accept the BMPs with off-farm pollution reduction, such as GSS, riparian forest buffer and HD, and the BMPs associated with soil benefits, such as nutrient management and Terrace. The result that almost all respondents did not accept CT differed from reports in the existing literature. There is a significant correlation between the acceptance of some BMPs and the townships where the farmers lived ( P ≤ 0.05). The environmental conditions and social factors would affect farmer support for BMPs, including local soil conditions, farming methods, economic income, education level and age. The economic advantages of the BMPs were the main motivation for farmers to accept the practices. Furthermore, intensive education efforts, financial incentives or economic subsidies may promote the adoption of the BMPs in our study area.

Environmental health risks of toxic waste site exposures--an epidemiological perspective.

PubMed

von Schirnding, Y E; Ehrlich, R I

1992-06-06

A general account is given of the problems of assessing the impact of human exposure to toxic waste sites, including the identification of truly exposed populations and of exposure pathways. Epidemiological studies of populations at risk are briefly reviewed and methodological problems summarised. These include the use of relatively weak study designs, inadequate exposure assessment and recall biases associated with symptom reporting among anxious residents living in the vicinity of waste sites. In South Africa, health risks associated with exposure to toxic waste sites need to be viewed in the context of current community health concerns, competing causes of disease and ill-health, and the relative lack of knowledge about environmental contamination and associated health effects. A nonspecific deterioration of health and well-being is more likely to result from waste site exposures than is overt clinical disease. Socially acceptable policies and controls may have to be based on criteria other than demonstrable ill-health. Detailed inventories and registries of the nature of disposed materials need to be maintained, sites of poorly controlled disposal in the past identified and selective environmental monitoring conducted. Epidemiological studies may be justified in situations where exposures well in excess of acceptable norms are demonstrated. An integrated national waste management policy for the country is urgently needed.

Utilization of Meteorological Satellite Imagery for World-Wide Environmental Monitoring the Lower Mississippi River Flood of 1979 - Case 1. [St. Louis, Missouri

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helfert, M. R.; Mccrary, D. G.; Gray, T. I. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

The 1979 Lower Mississippi River flood was selected as a test case of environmental disaster monitoring utilizing NOAA-n imagery. A small scale study of the St. Louis Missouri area comparing ERTS-1 (LANDSAT) and NOAA-2 imagery and flood studies using only LANDSAT imagery for mapping the Rad River of the North, and Nimbus-5 imagery for East Australia show the nonmeteorological applications of NOAA satellites. While the level of NOAA-n imagery detail is not that of a LANDSAT image, for operational environmental monitoring users the NOAA-n imagery may provide acceptable linear resolution and spectral isolation.

77 FR 47827 - Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Kissimmee Basin Modified Water...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-10

... more acceptable balance among flood control, water supply, aquatic plant management, and natural... achieve a more acceptable balance among flood control, water supply, aquatic plant management, and natural...

Report: Potential environmental impact of exempt site materials - a case study of bituminous road planings and waste soils.

PubMed

Bark, Marjorie; Bland, Michael; Grimes, Sue

2009-09-01

The use of waste materials for ecological benefit, agricultural improvement or as part of construction works are often exempt from waste management control in order to maximize the reuse of material that would otherwise be disposed of to landfill. It is important, however, to determine whether there is potential for such waste to cause environmental harm in the context of the basis for granting exemptions under the relevant framework objective to ensure that waste is recovered or disposed of without risk to water, air, soil, plants or animals. The potential for environmental harm was investigated by leaching studies on two wastes commonly found at exempt sites: bituminous road planings and waste soils. For bituminous road planings, the organic components of the waste were identified by their solubility in organic solvents but these components would have low environmental impact in terms of bioavailability. Leaching studies of the heavy metals copper, lead and zinc, into the environment, under specific conditions and particularly those modelling acid rain and landfill leachate conditions showed that, except for copper, the amounts leached fell within Waste Acceptance Criteria compliance limits for defining waste as inert waste. The fact that the amount of copper leached was greater than the Waste Acceptance Criteria level suggests that either additional testing of wastes regarded as exempt should be carried out to ensure that they are in analytical compliance or that legislation should allow for the potential benefits of reuse to supersede deviations from analytical compliance.

LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORIES: LASER-INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROMETER FOR METALS-CONTAMINATED SOIL CHARACTERIZATION

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through the Environmental Technology Verification Program, is working to accelerate the acceptance and use of innovative technologies that improve the way the United States manages its environmental problems. This report describes ...

MELOK INSTRUMENTS, INC. LASER-INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROMETER FOR METALS-CONTAMINATED SOIL CHARACTERIZATION

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through the Environmental Technology Verification Program, is working to accelerate the acceptance and use of innovative technologies that improve the way the United States manages its environmental problems. This report describes ...

Consumer acceptance of irradiated food: theory and reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruhn, Christine M.

1998-06-01

For years most consumers have expressed less concern about food irradiation than other food processing technologies. Attitude studies have demonstrated that when given science-based information, from 60% to 90% of consumers prefer the advantages irradiation processing provides. When information is accompanied by samples, acceptance may increase to 99%. Information on irradiation should include product benefits, safety and wholesomeness, address environmental safety issues, and include endorsements by recognized health authorities. Educational and marketing programs should now be directed toward retailers and processors. Given the opportunity, consumers will buy high quality, safety-enhanced irradiated food.

GY SAMPLING THEORY IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES 2: SUBSAMPLING ERROR MEASUREMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Sampling can be a significant source of error in the measurement process. The characterization and cleanup of hazardous waste sites require data that meet site-specific levels of acceptable quality if scientifically supportable decisions are to be made. In support of this effort,...

Activated carbon, biochar and charcoal: Linkages and synergies across pyrogenic carbon's ABC

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biochar and activated carbon, both carbonaceous pyrogenic materials, are important products for environmental technology and intensively studied for a multitude of purposes. A strict distinction between these materials is not always possible, and also a generally accepted terminology is lacking. How...

International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System Acceptance Testing for Node 1 Atmosphere Control and Supply Subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, David E.

2009-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Node 1 Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) System is comprised of five subsystems: Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS), Atmosphere Revitalization (AR), Fire Detection and Suppression (FDS), Temperature and Humidity Control (THC), and Water Recovery and Management (WRM). This paper provides a summary of the Node 1 ECLS ACS subsystem design and a detailed discussion of the ISS ECLS Acceptance Testing methodology utilized for that subsystem.

Stakeholder involvement in agri-environmental policy making--learning from a local- and a state-level approach in Germany.

PubMed

Prager, Katrin; Freese, Jan

2009-02-01

Recent European regulations for rural development emphasise the requirement to involve stakeholder groups and other appropriate bodies in the policy-making process. This paper presents two cases involving stakeholder participation in agri-environmental development and policy making, targeted at different policy-making levels. One study was undertaken in Lower Saxony where a local partnership developed and tested an agri-environmental prescription, which was later included in the state's menu of agri-environmental schemes. In Sachsen-Anhalt, state-facilitated stakeholder workshops including a mathematical model were used to optimise the programme planning and budget allocation at the state level. Both studies aimed at improving the acceptance of agri-environmental schemes. The authors gauge the effectiveness of the two approaches and discuss what lessons can be learned. The experience suggests that the approaches can complement one another and could also be applied to rural policy making.

Affective Learning: Environmental Ethics and Human Ecology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gough, Noel P.

1977-01-01

This discussion of home economics as a discipline which should focus on its affective foundations, covers the following areas: Affective context of home economics education, the adequacy of the home economics value complex for coping with environmental problems, and toward an acceptable environmental ethic. (SH)

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT: ECR TECHNOLOGIES, INC., EARTHLINKED GROUND-SOURCE HEAT PUMP WATER HEATING SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has created the Environmental Technology Verification program to provide high quality, peer reviewed data on technology performance. This data is expected to accelerate the acceptance and use of improved environmental protection technologies. The Greenhouse Gas Technology C...

Social acceptability of phytoremediation: The role of risk and values.

PubMed

Weir, Ellen; Doty, Sharon

2016-10-02

A former gas production site that was converted to a public park was chosen as the research location for the present study. Some of the contaminants at the site have been remediated; however, much of the soil is still contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are toxic pollutants that have been shown to have numerous negative health effects. The primary form of remediation at the site has been capping, which is usually considered a temporary remediation strategy since it does not remove contaminants from the site but simply covers them, and this requires repeated re-capping efforts. Endophyte-assisted phytoremediation using willow shrubs is an alternative remediation strategy that could improve soil quality and permanently reduce contaminant levels in the soil. The goal of the present study was to explore the social acceptability of utilizing phytoremediation strategies. Surveys were used to explore public perceptions of the park and of using phytoremediation to clean up existing contamination. Results indicated a high level of social acceptability of phytoremediation at the park. Additionally, ecocentrism was shown to be a significant predictor of phytoremediation acceptability. Risk and anthropocentrism were not significant predictors of acceptability. Results suggest that messages intended to encourage the use and acceptability of phytoremediation should focus on the environmental benefits of phytoremediation.

75 FR 7467 - Gary E. Hall and Rita C. Hall; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing With the Commision...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-19

... Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, Intent To Waive Solicitation of Additional Study... study should be conducted in order to form a factual basis for complete analysis of the application on its merits, the resource agency, Indian tribe, or person must file a request for the study with the...

Ensuring Environmentally Sustainable Production of Dedicated Biomass Feedstocks

Treesearch

V.R. Tolbert; D.A. Mays; A. Houston; D.D. Tyler; C.H. Perry; K.E. Brooks; F.C. Thornton; B.R. Bock; J.D. Joslin; Carl C. Trettin; J. Isebrands

2000-01-01

Ensuring acceptance of dedicated biomass feedstocks by landowners, agricultural communities, environmental and public interest groups, requires that the environmental benefits, concerns, and risks associated with their production be quantified. Establishment and management measures to benefit soil and water quality are being identified by ongoing research. Field...

36 CFR 215.6 - Comments on proposed actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) Environmental Assessment. Comments on the proposed action shall be accepted for 30 days following the date of publication of the legal notice. (ii) Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Comments on the proposed action... period for the opportunity to comment on environmental assessments shall not be extended. (2) Computation...

36 CFR 215.6 - Comments on proposed actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) Environmental Assessment. Comments on the proposed action shall be accepted for 30 days following the date of publication of the legal notice. (ii) Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Comments on the proposed action... period for the opportunity to comment on environmental assessments shall not be extended. (2) Computation...

36 CFR 215.6 - Comments on proposed actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Environmental Assessment. Comments on the proposed action shall be accepted for 30 days following the date of publication of the legal notice. (ii) Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Comments on the proposed action... period for the opportunity to comment on environmental assessments shall not be extended. (2) Computation...

36 CFR 215.6 - Comments on proposed actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) Environmental Assessment. Comments on the proposed action shall be accepted for 30 days following the date of publication of the legal notice. (ii) Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Comments on the proposed action... period for the opportunity to comment on environmental assessments shall not be extended. (2) Computation...

36 CFR 215.6 - Comments on proposed actions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) Environmental Assessment. Comments on the proposed action shall be accepted for 30 days following the date of publication of the legal notice. (ii) Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Comments on the proposed action... period for the opportunity to comment on environmental assessments shall not be extended. (2) Computation...

An environmental, economic, and social assessment of improving cattle finishing weight or average daily gain within U.S. beef production.

PubMed

White, R R; Capper, J L

2013-12-01

The objective of this study was to assess environmental impact, economic viability, and social acceptability of 3 beef production systems with differing levels of efficiency. A deterministic model of U.S. beef production was used to predict the number of animals required to produce 1 × 10(9) kg HCW beef. Three production treatments were compared, 1 representing average U.S. production (control), 1 with a 15% increase in ADG, and 1 with a 15% increase in finishing weight (FW). For each treatment, various socioeconomic scenarios were compared to account for uncertainty in producer and consumer behavior. Environmental impact metrics included feed consumption, land use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe), and N and P excretion. Feed cost, animal purchase cost, animal sales revenue, and income over costs (IOVC) were used as metrics of economic viability. Willingness to pay (WTP) was used to identify improvements or reductions in social acceptability. When ADG improved, feedstuff consumption, land use, and water use decreased by 6.4%, 3.2%, and 12.3%, respectively, compared with the control. Carbon footprint decreased 11.7% and N and P excretion were reduced by 4% and 13.8%, respectively. When FW improved, decreases were seen in feedstuff consumption (12.1%), water use (9.2%). and land use (15.5%); total GHGe decreased 14.7%; and N and P excretion decreased by 10.1% and 17.2%, compared with the control. Changes in IOVC were dependent on socioeconomic scenario. When the ADG scenario was compared with the control, changes in sector profitability ranged from 51 to 117% (cow-calf), -38 to 157% (stocker), and 37 to 134% (feedlot). When improved FW was compared, changes in cow-calf profit ranged from 67% to 143%, stocker profit ranged from -41% to 155% and feedlot profit ranged from 37% to 136%. When WTP was based on marketing beef being more efficiently produced, WTP improved by 10%; thus, social acceptability increased. When marketing was based on production efficiency and consumer knowledge of growth-enhancing technology use, WTP decreased by 12%-leading to a decrease in social acceptability. Results demonstrated that improved efficiency also improved environmental impact, but impacts on economic viability and social acceptability are highly dependent on consumer and producer behavioral responses to efficiency improvements.

CROSS-DISCIPLINARY PHYSICS AND RELATED AREAS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Environmental Impacts on Spiking Properties in Hodgkin-Huxley Neuron with Direct Current Stimulus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Chang-Qing; Zhao, Tong-Jun; Zhan, Yong; Zhang, Su-Hua; Liu, Hui; Zhang, Yu-Hong

2009-11-01

Based on the well accepted Hodgkin-Huxley neuron model, the neuronal intrinsic excitability is studied when the neuron is subject to varying environmental temperatures, the typical impact for its regulating ways. With computer simulation, it is found that altering environmental temperature can improve or inhibit the neuronal intrinsic excitability so as to influence the neuronal spiking properties. The impacts from environmental factors can be understood that the neuronal spiking threshold is essentially influenced by the fluctuations in the environment. With the environmental temperature varying, burst spiking is realized for the neuronal membrane voltage because of the environment-dependent spiking threshold. This burst induced by changes in spiking threshold is different from that excited by input currents or other stimulus.

Aircraft Optimization for Minimum Environmental Impact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antoine, Nicolas; Kroo, Ilan M.

2001-01-01

The objective of this research is to investigate the tradeoff between operating cost and environmental acceptability of commercial aircraft. This involves optimizing the aircraft design and mission to minimize operating cost while constraining exterior noise and emissions. Growth in air traffic and airport neighboring communities has resulted in increased pressure to severely penalize airlines that do not meet strict local noise and emissions requirements. As a result, environmental concerns have become potent driving forces in commercial aviation. Traditionally, aircraft have been first designed to meet performance and cost goals, and adjusted to satisfy the environmental requirements at given airports. The focus of the present study is to determine the feasibility of including noise and emissions constraints in the early design of the aircraft and mission. This paper introduces the design tool and results from a case study involving a 250-passenger airliner.

[Environmental Hazards Assessment Program annual report, June 1992--June 1993]. Summer undergraduate research program: Environmental studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McMillan, J.

1993-12-01

The purpose of the summer undergraduate internship program for research in environmental studies is to provide an opportunity for well-qualified students to undertake an original research project as an apprentice to an active research scientist in basic environmental research. Ten students from throughout the midwestern and eastern areas of the country were accepted into the program. These students selected projects in the areas of marine sciences, biostatistics and epidemiology, and toxicology. The research experience for all these students and their mentors was very positive. The seminars were well attended and the students showed their interest in the presentations and environmentalmore » sciences as a whole by presenting the speakers with thoughtful and intuitive questions. This report contains the research project written presentations prepared by the student interns.« less

Quality of life and satisfaction with life of malaria patients in context of acceptance of the disease: quantitative studies

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Health status is one of the basic factors of a high quality of life and the problem of the acceptance of illness is important for adaptation to the limitations imposed by it. The purpose of the study was the evaluation of the quality of life, satisfaction with life and the acceptance of illness by malaria patients, as well as the discovery of a relationship between studied parameters. Methods The study was undertaken in August 2010, on 120 Nigerian patients with confirmed malaria. A method of diagnostic survey, based on standardized scales - Acceptance of Illness Scale, The Satisfaction With Life Scale and a standardized survey questionnaire World Health Organization Quality of Life/BREF - was used in this study. Descriptive statistics, variability range, 95% confidence interval, correlation analysis, Spearman’s non-parametric correlation coefficient, Mann–Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied and the, so called, test statistics was calculated, followed by the calculation of the test probability p. Results of analyses were presented in a box graph, and a graph of dispersion. Results A dominating share in the adjective scale of the AIS scale was the category of “no acceptance”, given by 71.7% of respondents. The average level of a “somatic domain” was 41.7, and of a “social domain” was 62.8. The mean satisfaction of life evaluation in the SWLS scale was 18 points. The correlation between acceptance of the disease and quality of life for the psychological domain was 0.39***, and between acceptance of the disease and satisfaction with life was 0.40***. The correlation between satisfaction with life and quality of life for the psychological domain was 0.65***, and between satisfaction with life and quality of life for the environment domain was 0.60***. The mean level of AIS for the studied population of men was 16.5, and test probability: p = 0.0014**, and for the environment domain the level was 50, and the test probability: p = 0.0073**. For quality of life in the social sphere the test probability: p = 0.0013** in relatively older individuals. Conclusion The majority of people do not accept their condition. Evaluation of the quality of life was the highest in the social domain, and the lowest in the somatic domain. There is a statistically significant correlation between the level of acceptance of illness and the quality of life and satisfaction with life. The strongest correlation is found between satisfaction with life and the evaluation of the quality of life in psychological and environmental domains. Men evaluate their quality of life in the environmental domain higher and demonstrate a higher acceptance of their disease. There is a correlation regarding a significantly higher quality of life in the social sphere in relatively older people. PMID:22616635

Feasibility of multi-sector policy measures that create activity-friendly environments for children: results of a Delphi study.

PubMed

Aarts, Marie-Jeanne; Schuit, Albertine J; van de Goor, Ien Am; van Oers, Hans Am

2011-12-15

Although multi-sector policy is a promising strategy to create environments that stimulate physical activity among children, little is known about the feasibility of such a multi-sector policy approach. The aims of this study were: to identify a set of tangible (multi-sector) policy measures at the local level that address environmental characteristics related to physical activity among children; and to assess the feasibility of these measures, as perceived by local policy makers. In four Dutch municipalities, a Delphi study was conducted among local policy makers of different policy sectors (public health, sports, youth and education, spatial planning/public space, traffic and transportation, and safety). In the first Delphi round, respondents generated a list of possible policy measures addressing three environmental correlates of physical activity among children (social cohesion, accessibility of facilities, and traffic safety). In the second Delphi round, policy makers weighted different feasibility aspects (political feasibility, cultural/community acceptability, technical feasibility, cost feasibility, and legal feasibility) and assessed the feasibility of the policy measures derived from the first round. The third Delphi round was aimed at reaching consensus by feedback of group results. Finally, one overall feasibility score was calculated for each policy measure. Cultural/community acceptability, political feasibility, and cost feasibility were considered most important feasibility aspects. The Delphi studies yielded 16 feasible policy measures aimed at physical and social environmental correlates of physical activity among children. Less drastic policy measures were considered more feasible, whereas environmental policy measures were considered less feasible. This study showed that the Delphi technique can be a useful tool in reaching consensus about feasible multi-sector policy measures. The study yielded several feasible policy measures aimed at physical and social environmental correlates of physical activity among children and can assist local policy makers in designing multi-sector policies aimed at an activity-friendly environment for children.

Food acceptability in field studies with US army men and women: relationship with food intake and food choice after repeated exposures.

PubMed

de Graaf, Cees; Kramer, F Matthew; Meiselman, Herbert L; Lesher, Larry L; Baker-Fulco, Carol; Hirsch, Edward S; Warber, John

2005-02-01

Laboratory data with single exposures showed that palatability has a positive relationship with food intake. The question addressed in this study is whether this relationship also holds over repeated exposures in non-laboratory contexts in more natural environments. The data were collected in four field studies, lasting 4-11 days with 307 US Army men and 119 Army women, and comprised 5791 main meals and 8831 snacks in total. Acceptability was rated on the nine point hedonic scale, and intake was registered in units of 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, or 1 or more times of the provided portion size. Correlation coefficients between individual acceptability ratings and intakes varied from 0.22 to 0.62 for the main meals (n=193-2267), and between 0.13 and 0.56 for the snacks (n=304-2967). The likelihood of choosing a meal for the second time was positively related to the acceptability rating of the meal when it was consumed for the first time. The results reinforce the importance of liking in food choice and food intake/choice behavior. However, the magnitude of the correlation coefficients between acceptability ratings and food intake suggest that environmental factors also have an important role in determining intake and choice.

10 CFR 51.108 - Public hearings on Commission findings that inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... CFR 52.103(b), the Commission will not admit any contentions on environmental issues, the adequacy of... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR DOMESTIC LICENSING AND RELATED REGULATORY FUNCTIONS National Environmental Policy Act-Regulations Implementing Section 102(2...

76 FR 52656 - Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-23

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 14211-000] Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications On June 10, 2011, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management...

49 CFR 1200.2 - Adoption of generally accepted accounting principles issued by the Financial Accounting Standards...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Financial Accounting Standards by the FASB, and provided that the Office of Economics, Environmental... regulations, the Office of Economics, Environmental Analysis, and Administration shall issue an Accounting... ASC. The ASC issued by the Office of Economics, Environmental Analysis, and Administration will remain...

49 CFR 1200.2 - Adoption of generally accepted accounting principles issued by the Financial Accounting Standards...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Financial Accounting Standards by the FASB, and provided that the Office of Economics, Environmental... regulations, the Office of Economics, Environmental Analysis, and Administration shall issue an Accounting... ASC. The ASC issued by the Office of Economics, Environmental Analysis, and Administration will remain...

49 CFR 1200.2 - Adoption of generally accepted accounting principles issued by the Financial Accounting Standards...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Financial Accounting Standards by the FASB, and provided that the Office of Economics, Environmental... regulations, the Office of Economics, Environmental Analysis, and Administration shall issue an Accounting... ASC. The ASC issued by the Office of Economics, Environmental Analysis, and Administration will remain...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT, TEST REPORT OF MOBILE SOURCE EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES: MITSUI ENGINEERING & SHIPBUILDING DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER

EPA Science Inventory

EPA‘s Environmental Technology Verification program is designed to further environmental protection by accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost effective technologies. This is done by providing high-quality, peer reviewed data on technology performance to those in...

Environmental and Genetic Influence on Dimensions of Perceived Parenting: A Twin Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, David C.

Determinants of Schaefer's (1965) three dimensions of perceived parenting (Acceptance vs. Rejection, Psychological Control vs. Psychological Autonomy, and Firm vs. Lax Control) were investigated by administering a shortened Children's Reports of Parental Behavior Inventory to adolescent twins. The sample consisted of 46 pairs of identical twins…

Cost/Benefits of Solid Waste Reuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulz, Helmut W.

1975-01-01

Municipalities and industry are being forced to seek alternatives to sanitary landfills and incineration as means of eliminating solid wastes. Based on the Columbia study, the two most cost-effective, environmentally acceptable alternatives are the high temperature, oxygen-fed pyrolysis process and the co-combustion of refuse-derived fuel in…

Kudzu -- Goat Interactions

Treesearch

Peter R. Mount

1994-01-01

Researchers at Tuskegee University have joined together to study the impact of grazing Angora goats on kudzu (Pueraria lobata). A pilot project funded by the Southern Forest Experiment Station of the USDA Forest Service was started in 1990. The problem was to find an environmentally acceptable way to control and eradicate kudzu in forest situations...

16 CFR 260.5 - Interpretation and substantiation of environmental marketing claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... reasonable basis substantiating the claim. A reasonable basis consists of competent and reliable evidence. In... reliable scientific evidence, defined as tests, analyses, research, studies or other evidence based on the... qualified to do so, using procedures generally accepted in the profession to yield accurate and reliable...

40 CFR 600.007 - Vehicle acceptability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... a different maximum value for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell... 600.007 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL... Administrator will judge the acceptability of a fuel economy data vehicle on the basis of the information...

40 CFR 600.007 - Vehicle acceptability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... a different maximum value for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell... 600.007 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL... Administrator will judge the acceptability of a fuel economy data vehicle on the basis of the information...

40 CFR 600.007 - Vehicle acceptability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... a different maximum value for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell... 600.007 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL... Administrator will judge the acceptability of a fuel economy data vehicle on the basis of the information...

Chlorophyll derivatives for pest and disease control: Are they safe?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Azizullah, Azizullah, E-mail: azizswabi@gmail.com; Murad, Waheed

2015-01-15

Chlorophyll derivatives are getting widespread acceptance among the researchers as natural photosensitizers for photodynamic control of pests and disease vectors; however, rare attention has been given to evaluation of their toxicity to non-target organisms in the environment. This perspective article highlights that chlorophyll derivatives may not be as safe as believed and can possibly pose risk to non-target organisms in the environment. We invite the attention of environmental biologists, particularly ecotoxicologists, to contribute their role in making the application of chlorophyll derivatives more environmentally friendly and publicly acceptable.

International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System Acceptance Testing for the Pressurized Mating Adapters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, David E.

2008-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS) Pressurized Mating Adapters (PMAs) Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) System is comprised of three subsystems: Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS), Temperature and Humidity Control (THC), and Water Recovery and Management (WRM). PMAs 1 and 2 flew to ISS on Flight 2A and Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA) 3 flew to ISS on Flight 3A. This paper provides a summary of the PMAs ECLS design and a detailed discussion of the ISS ECLS Acceptance Testing methodologies utilized for the PMAs.

Ozone Response to Aircraft Emissions: Sensitivity Studies with Two-dimensional Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, Malcolm K. W.; Weisenstein, Debra; Jackman, Charles H.; Douglass, Anne R.; Bureske, K.; Weubbles, Donald J.; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Brasseur, G.; Pyle, J.; Jones, Anna

1992-01-01

Our first intercomparison/assessment of the effects of a proposed high-speed civil transport (HSCT) fleet on the stratosphere is presented. These model calculations should be considered more as sensitivity studies, primarily designed to serve the following purposes: (1) to allow for intercomparison of model predictions; (2) to focus on the range of fleet operations and engine specifications giving minimal environmental impact; and (3) to provide the basis for future assessment studies. The basic scenarios were chosen to be as realistic as possible, using the information available on anticipated developments in technology. They are not to be interpreted as a commitment or goal for environmental acceptability.

40 CFR 240.200 - Solid wastes accepted.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Solid wastes accepted. 240.200 Section 240.200 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES GUIDELINES FOR THE THERMAL PROCESSING OF SOLID WASTES Requirements and Recommended Procedures § 240.200 Solid...

40 CFR 240.200 - Solid wastes accepted.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Solid wastes accepted. 240.200 Section 240.200 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES GUIDELINES FOR THE THERMAL PROCESSING OF SOLID WASTES Requirements and Recommended Procedures § 240.200 Solid...

Environmental impact of biogas: A short review of current knowledge.

PubMed

Paolini, Valerio; Petracchini, Francesco; Segreto, Marco; Tomassetti, Laura; Naja, Nour; Cecinato, Angelo

2018-04-13

The social acceptance of biogas is often hampered by environmental and health concerns. In this study, the current knowledge about the impact of biogas technology is presented and discussed. The survey reports the emission rate estimates of the main greenhouse gases (GHG), namely CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O, according to several case studies conducted over the world. Direct emissions of gaseous pollutants are then discussed, with a focus on nitrogen oxides (NO x ); evidences of the importance of suitable biomass and digestate storages are also reported. The current knowledge on the environmental impact induced by final use of digestate is critically discussed, considering both soil fertility and nitrogen release into atmosphere and groundwater; several case studies are reported, showing the importance of NH 3 emissions with regards to secondary aerosol formation. The biogas upgrading to biomethane is also included in the study: with this regard, the methane slip in the off-gas can significantly reduce the environmental benefits.

Designing Base and Subbase to Resist Environmental Effects on Pavements

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-02-02

MnDOTs current pavement thickness design procedures do not characterize the effects of subgrade soil frost susceptibility. Previous research indicates frost action is the most severe environmental factor on pavement performance. The most accepted ...

Teaching a Cross-Disciplinary Environmental Science, Policy, and Culture Course on Costa Rica's Ecotourism to Business Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lester, Toni; Rodgers, Vikki L.

2012-01-01

Within the business world, there is growing evidence and increasing acceptance that sustainability and environmental practices are the main drivers for current innovation and success. We developed an interdisciplinary, offshore course where undergraduate business students could truly investigate and experience the benefits of environmentally and…

Diversity and Equity in Environmental Organizations: The Salience of These Factors to Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Dorceta E.

2007-01-01

Diversity in environmental institutions is of increasing concern to scholars and practitioners. The author examined student perceptions of the importance of 20 diversity and equity factors in their decisions to accept a job. A national sample of 1,239 students in 9 environmental disciplines (biological sciences, geosciences, natural resources,…

Cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment of syngas electricity from woody biomass residues

Treesearch

Hongmei Gu; Richard Bergman

2017-01-01

Forest restoration and fire suppression activities in the western United States have resulted in large volumes of low-to-no value residues. An environmental assessment would enable greater use while maintaining environmental sustainability of these residues for energy products. One internationally accepted sustainable metric tool that can assess environmental impacts...

Educational Reflections on the "Ecological Crisis": EcoJustice, Environmentalism, and Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mueller, Michael P.

2009-01-01

There is a tendency by scholars arguing for a more just and sustainable future to position the "ecological crisis" as a fundamental reason for major educational reforms. Relying on crisis-talk to fuel social and environmental justice and environmentalism reinforces the thinking of the past, which inadvertently perpetuates the acceptance of present…

Feasibility Study of Economics and Performance of Biomass Power Generation at the Former Farmland Industries Site in Lawrence, Kansas. A Study Prepared in Partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency for the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tomberlin, G.; Mosey, G.

2013-03-01

Under the RE-Powering America's Land initiative, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided funding to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to support a feasibility study of biomass renewable energy generation at the former Farmland Industries site in Lawrence, Kansas. Feasibility assessment team members conducted a site assessment to gather information integral to this feasibility study. Information such as biomass resources, transmission availability, on-site uses for heat and power, community acceptance, and ground conditions were considered.

An operational application of ERTS-1 imagery to the environmental inventory process. [environmental impact statement for Atchafalaya basin of Louisiana and Mississippi

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oneal, J. D.; Bwins, J. R.

1974-01-01

A discussion is presented of how The Engineer Agency for Resources Inventories utilized ERTS remotely sensed imagery as a/supplement to airphotos and collateral data for an environmental impact study of the Atchafalaya Basin for the New Orleans engineer district. This single overall inventory permitted a systematic approach and substantial economy for a number of engineering projects for which environmental impact statements would be required. The study area covered approximately 25,000 square miles and included all or part of 36 parishes in Louisiana and 8 counties in Mississippi. It was concluded that as a supplementary source, used in conjunction with airphotos, ERTS had proven itself as a significant means of economy. As a primary source, the Engineer Agency is not yet ready to accept ERTS for their own particular applications.

Sinks as limited resources? A new indicator for evaluating anthropogenic material flows

PubMed Central

Kral, Ulrich; Brunner, Paul H.; Chen, Pi-Cheng; Chen, Sih-Rong

2014-01-01

Besides recyclables, the use of materials inevitably yields non-recyclable materials such as emissions and wastes for disposal. These flows must be directed to sinks in a way that no adverse effects arise for humans and the environment. The objective of this paper is to present a new indicator for the assessment of substance flows to sinks on a regional scale. The indicator quantifies the environmentally acceptable mass share of a substance in actual waste and emission flows, ranging from 0% as worst case to 100% as best case. This paper consists of three parts: first, the indicator is defined. Second, a methodology to determine the indicator score is presented, including (i) substance flows analysis and (ii) a distant-to-target approach based on an adaptation of the Ecological Scarcity Method 2006. Third, the metric developed is applied in three case studies including copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) in the city of Vienna, and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in Switzerland. The following results were obtained: in Vienna, 99% of Cu flows to geogenic and anthropogenic sinks are acceptable when evaluated by the distant-to-target approach. However, the 0.7% of Cu entering urban soils and the 0.3% entering receiving waters are beyond the acceptable level. In the case of Pb, 92% of all flows into sinks prove to be acceptable, and 8% are disposed of in local landfills with limited capacity. For PFOS, 96% of all flows into sinks are acceptable. 4% cannot be evaluated due to a lack of normative criteria, despite posing a risk for human health and the environment. The examples demonstrate the need (i) for appropriate data of good quality to calculate the sink indicator and (ii) for standards, needed for the assessment of substance flows to urban soils and receiving waters. This study corroborates that the new indicator is well suited as a base for decisions regarding the control of hazardous substances in waste and environmental management. PMID:25368543

Acceptance of Nordic snack bars in children aged 8-11 years.

PubMed

Holmer, Anna; Hausner, Helene; Reinbach, Helene C; Bredie, Wender L P; Wendin, Karin

2012-01-01

A health promoting diet is suggested to be tailored to regional circumstances to preserve the cultural diversity in eating habits, as well as contribute to more environmentally friendly eating. It may influence consumer acceptance, however, if the components of the diet differs considerably from their habitual food. This study aimed to investigate whether snack bars composed of Nordic ingredients were accepted by 8-11 year-old Danish (n=134) and Swedish (n=109) children. A seven-point hedonic scale was used to measure the children's acceptance of five snack bars that varied in their composition of whole grains, berries and nuts. A preference rank ordering of the five bars was also performed. The results showed that samples that were rated highest in liking and were most preferred in both countries were a kamut/pumpkin bar and an oat/cranberry bar. The sample with the lowest rating that was also least preferred was a pumpernickel/sea buckthorn bar. Flavour was the most important determinant of overall liking followed by texture, odour and appearance. Children's acceptances and preferences were highly influenced by the sensory characteristics of the bars, mainly flavour. In agreement with earlier studies, the novel food ingredients seemed to influence children's preferences. The Nordic snack bars may have a potential to be a snack option for Danish and Swedish school children, but repeated exposures to the products are recommended to increase children's acceptance.

Potential roles of omics data in the use of adverse outcome pathways for environmental risk assessment

EPA Science Inventory

The current approach to assessing adverse effects of chemicals in the environment is largely based on a battery of in-vivo study methods and a limited number of accepted in-silico approaches. For most substances the pool of data from which to predict ecosystem effects is limited ...

Value for money? A contingent valuation study of the optimal size of the Swedish health care budget.

PubMed

Eckerlund, I; Johannesson, M; Johansson, P O; Tambour, M; Zethraeus, N

1995-11-01

The contingent valuation method has been developed in the environmental field to measure the willingness to pay for environmental changes using survey methods. In this exploratory study the contingent valuation method was used to analyse how much individuals are willing to spend in total in the form of taxes for health care in Sweden, i.e. to analyse the optimal size of the 'health care budget' in Sweden. A binary contingent valuation question was included in a telephone survey of a random sample of 1260 households in Sweden. With a conservative interpretation of the data the result shows that 50% of the respondents would accept an increased tax payment to health care of about SEK 60 per month ($1 = SEK 8). It is concluded that the results indicate that the population overall thinks that the current spending on health care in Sweden is on a reasonable level. There seems to be a willingness to increase the tax payments somewhat, but major increases does not seem acceptable to a majority of the population.

The use and acceptance of Other Scientifically Relevant Information (OSRI) in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program.

PubMed

Bishop, Patricia L; Willett, Catherine E

2014-02-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) currently relies on an initial screening battery (Tier 1) consisting of five in vitro and six in vivo assays to evaluate a chemical's potential to interact with the endocrine system. Chemical companies may request test waivers based on Other Scientifically Relevant Information (OSRI) that is functionally equivalent to data gathered in the screening battery or that provides information on a potential endocrine effect. Respondents for 47 of the first 67 chemicals evaluated in the EDSP submitted OSRI in lieu of some or all Tier 1 tests, seeking 412 waivers, of which EPA granted only 93. For 20 of the 47 chemicals, EPA denied all OSRI and required the entire Tier 1 battery. Often, the OSRI accepted was either identical to data generated by the Tier 1 assay or indicated a positive result. Although identified as potential sources of OSRI in EPA guidance, Part 158 guideline studies for pesticide registration were seldom accepted by EPA. The 93 waivers reduced animal use by at least 3325 animals. We estimate 27,731 animals were used in the actual Tier 1 tests, with additional animals being used in preparation for testing. Even with EPA's shift toward applying 21st-century toxicology tools to screening of endocrine disruptors in the future, acceptance of OSRI will remain a primary means for avoiding duplicative testing and reducing use of animals in the EDSP. Therefore, it is essential that EPA develop a consistent and transparent basis for accepting OSRI. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Environmental projects. Volume 14: Removal of contaminated soil and debris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kushner, Len

1992-01-01

Numerous diverse activities at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex (GDSCC) are carried out in support of six parabolic dish antennas. Some of these activities can result in possible spills or leakages of hazardous materials and wastes stored both above ground in steel drums and below ground in underground storage tanks (UST's). These possible leaks or spills, along with the past practice of burial of solid debris and waste in trenches and pits, could cause local subsurface contamination of the soil. In 1987, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), retained Engineering-Science, Inc. (E-S), Pasadena, California, to identify the specific local areas within the GDSCC with subsurface soil contamination. The E-S study determined that some of the soils at the Apollo Site and the Mars Site were contaminated with hydrocarbons, while soil at a nonhazardous waste dumpsite at the Mojave Base site was contaminated with copper. This volume is a JPL-expanded version of the PE209 E-S report, and it also reports that all subsurface contaminated soils at the GDSCC were excavated, removed, and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable way, and the excavations were backfilled and covered in accordance with accepted Federal, State, and local environmental rules and regulations.

Human annoyance, acceptability and concern as responses to vibration from the construction of Light Rapid Transit lines in residential environments.

PubMed

Wong-McSweeney, D; Woodcock, J S; Peris, E; Waddington, D C; Moorhouse, A T; Redel-Macías, M D

2016-10-15

The aim of this paper is to investigate the use of different self-reported measures for assessing the human response to environmental vibration from the construction of an urban LRT (Light Rapid Transit) system. The human response to environmental stressors such as vibration and noise is often expressed in terms of exposure-response relationships that describe annoyance as a function of the magnitude of the vibration. These relationships are often the basis of noise and vibration policy and the setting of limit values. This paper examines measures other than annoyance by expressing exposure-response relationships for vibration in terms of self-reported concern about property damage and acceptability. The exposure-response relationships for concern about property damage and for acceptability are then compared with those for annoyance. It is shown that concern about property damage occurs at vibration levels well below those where there is any risk of damage. Earlier research indicated that concern for damage is an important moderator of the annoyance induced. Acceptability, on the other hand, might be influenced by both annoyance and concern, as well as by other considerations. It is concluded that exposure-response relationships expressing acceptability as a function of vibration exposure could usefully complement existing relationships for annoyance in future policy decisions regarding environmental vibration. The results presented in this paper are derived from data collected through a socio-vibration survey (N=321) conducted for the construction of an urban LRT in the United Kingdom. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

77 FR 25995 - Western Technical College; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing With the Commission...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-02

... Technical College; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing With the Commission, Soliciting Motions To Intervene and Protests, Ready for Environmental Analysis, Intent To Waive Scoping, Soliciting Comments....: 13417-002. c. Date filed: October 21, 2011. d. Applicant: Western Technical College. e. Name of Project...

Improved harvesting systems for wet sites

Treesearch

Bryce J. Stokes; Alvin Schilling

1997-01-01

Environmentally acceptable and economical forest operations are needed for sustainable management of forest resources. Improved methods for harvesting and transporting timber are especially needed for wet sites. As the demand for hardwood lumber continues to increase, improved and alternative methods are needed to ensure acceptance of timber harvesting for the wet site...

40 CFR 35.917-6 - Acceptance by implementing governmental units.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Acceptance by implementing governmental units. 35.917-6 Section 35.917-6 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Grants for Construction of Treatment Works-Clean...

WHEN HAS A MODEL BEEN SUFFICIENTLY CALIBRATED AND TESTED TO BE PUT TO EFFICIENT USE?

EPA Science Inventory

The question of what degree of predictive error is acceptable for environmental models is explored. Two schools of thought are presented. The universalist school would argue that it is possible to agree on general acceptance criteria for specific categories of models, particula...

40 CFR 205.57-7 - Acceptance and rejection of batch sequence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Acceptance and rejection of batch sequence. 205.57-7 Section 205.57-7 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) NOISE ABATEMENT PROGRAMS TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT NOISE EMISSION CONTROLS Medium and Heavy Trucks § 205...

40 CFR 205.57-6 - Acceptance and rejection of batches.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Acceptance and rejection of batches. 205.57-6 Section 205.57-6 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) NOISE ABATEMENT PROGRAMS TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT NOISE EMISSION CONTROLS Medium and Heavy Trucks § 205.57-6...

40 CFR 600.009 - Hearing on acceptance of test data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Hearing on acceptance of test data. 600.009 Section 600.009 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES General Provisions § 600.009...

40 CFR 600.009 - Hearing on acceptance of test data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Hearing on acceptance of test data. 600.009 Section 600.009 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES General Provisions § 600.009...

40 CFR 600.009 - Hearing on acceptance of test data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Hearing on acceptance of test data. 600.009 Section 600.009 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES General Provisions § 600.009...

Acceptability of tick control interventions to prevent Lyme disease in Switzerland and Canada: a mixed-method study.

PubMed

Aenishaenslin, Cécile; Michel, Pascal; Ravel, André; Gern, Lise; Waaub, Jean-Philippe; Milord, François; Bélanger, Denise

2016-01-05

Lyme disease control strategies may include tick control interventions in high risk areas. Public authorities may be interested to assess how these types of interventions are perceived by the public which may then impact their acceptability. The aims of this paper are to compare socio-cognitive factors associated with high acceptability of tick control interventions and to describe perceived issues that may explain their low acceptability in populations living in two different regions, one being an endemic region for LD since the last 30 years, the Neuchâtel canton, in Switzerland, and another where the disease is emerging, the Montérégie region, in Canada. A mixed methods' design was chosen. Quantitative data were collected using web-surveys conducted in both regions (n = 814). Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare socio-cognitive factors associated with high acceptability of selected interventions. Qualitative data were collected using focus group's discussions to describe perceived issues relative to these interventions. Levels of acceptability in the studied populations were the lowest for the use of acaricides and landscaping and were under 50 % in both regions for six out of eight interventions, but were higher overall in Montérégie. High perceived efficacy of the intervention was strongly associated with high acceptability of tick control interventions. A high perceived risk about LD was also associated with a high acceptability of intervention under some models. High level of knowledge about LD was negatively associated with high acceptability of the use of acaricides in Neuchâtel. Perceived issues explaining low acceptability included environmental impacts, high costs to the public system, danger of individual disempowerment and perceptions that tick control interventions were disproportionate options for the level of LD risk. This study suggests that the perceived efficacy and LD risk perception may be key factors to target to increase the acceptability of tick control interventions. Community-level issues seem to be important considerations driving low acceptability of public health interventions. Results of this study highlight the importance for decision-makers to account for socio-cognitive factors and perceived issues that may affect the acceptability of public health interventions in order to maximize the efficacy of actions to prevent and control LD.

Assessment of the Physicochemical Quality of Drinking Water Resources in the Central Part of Iran.

PubMed

Nikaeen, Mahnaz; Shahryari, Ali; Hajiannejad, Mehdi; Saffari, Hossein; Kachuei, Zahra Moosavian; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2016-01-01

The aim of the study described in this article was to assess the physicochemical quality of water resources in Isfahan province, located in the central part of Iran, from June to November 2012. Comparison of the results with the acceptable limits recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water showed that nitrate, chloride, iron, and fluoride concentrations exceeded the maximum acceptable level in 12.3%, 9.2%, 6.8%, and 1.5% of samples, respectively. Total dissolved solids (TDS) and turbidity values also exceeded the maximum acceptable level in 9.2% and 3.1% of samples, respectively. In general, the quality of drinking water resources in the central part of Iran at present is mostly acceptable and satisfactory. It may be deteriorated in the future, however, because water quantity and quality in arid and semiarid areas are highly variable over time. Therefore, continued monitoring of the water resources quality is extremely important to environmental safety.

Environmental aspects of large-scale wind-power systems in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robson, A.

1983-12-01

Environmental issues relating to the introduction of large, MW-scale wind turbines at land-based sites in the U.K. are discussed. Areas of interest include noise, television interference, hazards to bird life and visual effects. A number of areas of uncertainty are identified, but enough is known from experience elsewhere in the world to enable the first U.K. machines to be introduced in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner. Research currently under way will serve to establish siting criteria more clearly, and could significantly increase the potential wind-energy resource. Certain studies of the comparative risk of energy systems are shown to be overpessimistic for U.K. wind turbines.

Environmentally Compliant Coating Remover Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-30

22 9 Total of 491 products evaluated 7 Background • Many DoD depainting operations currently use environmentally compliant peroxide -assisted... benzyl alcohol strippers • These strippers have acceptable coating removal rates with minimal physical damage to metallic substrates • However, several...Coatings • Environmentally compliant benzyl alcohol product • Passed corrosion testing conducted by SMI in 2011 11 Laboratory Testing Scope

Teacher Candidates' Perception Level of Environmental Pollutant and Their Risk Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oztas, Fulya; Kalipci, Erkan

2009-01-01

It is generally accepted that the environmental education deals with a wide range of environmental experiences, methods and processes. Teaching the subject of the environment should not be considered as an easy task. It should not only cover pure ecology education; but also include the citizenship responsibilities and the problems that are sourced…

39 CFR 775.11 - Environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... approaches or generally accepted research methods. For purposes of this subsection, “reasonably foreseeable...)), the environmental impacts and the alternatives are presented in comparative form, thus sharply... comparative merits. (iii) Identify the preferred alternative or alternatives in the draft and final statements...

39 CFR 775.11 - Environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... approaches or generally accepted research methods. For purposes of this subsection, “reasonably foreseeable...)), the environmental impacts and the alternatives are presented in comparative form, thus sharply... comparative merits. (iii) Identify the preferred alternative or alternatives in the draft and final statements...

39 CFR 775.11 - Environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... approaches or generally accepted research methods. For purposes of this subsection, “reasonably foreseeable...)), the environmental impacts and the alternatives are presented in comparative form, thus sharply... comparative merits. (iii) Identify the preferred alternative or alternatives in the draft and final statements...

39 CFR 775.11 - Environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... approaches or generally accepted research methods. For purposes of this subsection, “reasonably foreseeable...)), the environmental impacts and the alternatives are presented in comparative form, thus sharply... comparative merits. (iii) Identify the preferred alternative or alternatives in the draft and final statements...

39 CFR 775.11 - Environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... approaches or generally accepted research methods. For purposes of this subsection, “reasonably foreseeable...)), the environmental impacts and the alternatives are presented in comparative form, thus sharply... comparative merits. (iii) Identify the preferred alternative or alternatives in the draft and final statements...

75 FR 8339 - Difenzoquat; Product Cancellation Order for Certain Pesticide Registrations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-24

... stakeholders including environmental, human health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry... Cancellation Order for Certain Pesticide Registrations AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION... registrant and accepted by the Agency, of products containing the pesticide difenzoquat, pursuant to section...

[Policy analysis: study of public policy of environmental health in a metropolis of northeastern Brazil].

PubMed

Lyra, Tereza Maciel; Araújo Júnior, José Luiz do Amaral Correa de

2014-09-01

The analysis of health policies has improved in Brazil despite a plethora of different methodological approaches. Based on the model developed by Walt and Gilson in 1994, the Environmental Health Program (EHP) of Recife as a policy based on the Health Promotion principles of the Unified Health System (SUS) and Agenda 21 was analyzed. An attempt was made to understand the context during the development and implementation of the EHP, the drafting process and which actors influenced the EHP agenda content and proposal. A qualitative case study was conducted, with semi-structured interviews with key actors. In terms of context, the findings include the influence of the municipal election, the socio-sanitary characteristics of Recife, the choice of the Secretary of Health and the management teams, acceptance by the technicians and the funding increase. In terms of the process, the acceptance of the managers must be stressed. Regarding the actors, the managers, sector technicians, non-sectorial actors with viability studies stood out. The content of the EHP coincided with the SUS and Health Promotion principles. Implementation was influenced by the dengue fever epidemic (2002), and cultural institutional factors that put pressure on the order of implementation of the planned actions.

Tangible evidence, trust and power: public perceptions of community environmental health studies.

PubMed

Scammell, Madeleine Kangsen; Senier, Laura; Darrah-Okike, Jennifer; Brown, Phil; Santos, Susan

2009-01-01

Communities with environmental health concerns in the USA frequently request studies from their local or state departments of public health. This paper presents findings from three focus groups conducted in communities north of Boston that have been the subject of two different environmental health studies. The focus groups were designed to elicit residents' perceptions of environmental health, and of the particular studies conducted in their communities. In all focus groups, participants had difficulty accepting the findings of health studies that contradicted their own experiences of environmental exposures and illness. Our results suggest that lay knowledge, informed in varying degrees by the experience of what we term "tangible evidence," creates a lens through which communities interpret a health study's findings. The differences in reliance on tangible evidence were related to participants' sense of trust in public officials, and the institutions responsible for conducting health studies. Participants from the wealthier, predominantly white communities discussed trust in study design and methodologies used. In contrast, participants from the lower-income, higher-minority communities assessed health studies with reference to their trust (or lack thereof) in study sponsors and public health institutions. Participants' experience of tangible evidence, trust or distrust in health agencies and research institutions, and a sense of relative community power, influence how they assess the findings of environmental health studies and may have implications for pubic health.

Assessing the utility of TAM, TPB, and UTAUT for advanced driver assistance systems.

PubMed

Rahman, Md Mahmudur; Lesch, Mary F; Horrey, William J; Strawderman, Lesley

2017-11-01

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are intended to enhance driver performance and improve transportation safety. The potential benefits of these technologies, such as reduction in number of crashes, enhancing driver comfort or convenience, decreasing environmental impact, etc., have been acknowledged by transportation safety researchers and federal transportation agencies. Although these systems afford safety advantages, they may also challenge the traditional role of drivers in operating vehicles. Driver acceptance, therefore, is essential for the implementation of these systems into the transportation system. Recognizing the need for research into the factors affecting driver acceptance, this study assessed the utility of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) for modelling driver acceptance in terms of Behavioral Intention to use an ADAS. Each of these models propose a set of factors that influence acceptance of a technology. Data collection was done using two approaches: a driving simulator approach and an online survey approach. In both approaches, participants interacted with either a fatigue monitoring system or an adaptive cruise control system combined with a lane-keeping system. Based on their experience, participants responded to several survey questions to indicate their attitude toward using the ADAS and their perception of its usefulness, usability, etc. A sample of 430 surveys were collected for this study. Results found that all the models (TAM, TPB, and UTAUT) can explain driver acceptance with their proposed sets of factors, each explaining 71% or more of the variability in Behavioral Intention. Among the models, TAM was found to perform the best in modelling driver acceptance followed by TPB. The findings of this study confirm that these models can be applied to ADAS technologies and that they provide a basis for understanding driver acceptance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic, Environmental and Moral Acceptance of Renewable Energy: A Case Study-The Agricultural Biogas Plant at Pěčín.

PubMed

Vochozka, Marek; Maroušková, Anna; Šuleř, Petr

2018-02-01

The production of renewable energy in agricultural biogas plants is being widely criticized because-among other things-most of the feedstock comes from purpose-grown crops like maize. These activities (generously subsidized in the Czech Republic) generate competitive pressure to other crops that are used for feeding or food production, worsening their affordability. Unique pretreatment technology that allows substitution of the purpose-grown crops by farming residues (such as husk or straw) was built 6 years ago on a commercial basis in Pěčín (Czech Republic) under modest funding and without publicity. The design of the concept; financial assessment and moral viewpoint were analyzed based on practical operating data. It showed that the apparatus improves economic, environmental and moral acceptance as well. However, according to the government's view, public funding for this type of processing was shortened, "because waste materials represent a lower cost". The impact of such governance was analyzed as well.

Tangible Evidence, Trust and Power: Public Perceptions of Community Environmental Health Studies

PubMed Central

Scammell, Madeleine Kangsen; Senier, Laura; Darrah-Okike, Jennifer; Brown, Phil; Santos, Susan

2009-01-01

Communities with environmental health concerns in the USA frequently request studies from their local or state departments of public health. This paper presents findings from three focus groups conducted in communities north of Boston that have been the subject of two different environmental health studies. The focus groups were designed to elicit residents’ perceptions of environmental health, and of the particular studies conducted in their communities. In all focus groups, participants had difficulty accepting the findings of health studies that contradicted their own experiences of environmental exposures and illness. Our results suggest that lay knowledge, informed in varying degrees by the experience of what we term “tangible evidence,” creates a lens through which communities interpret a health study’s findings. The differences in reliance on tangible evidence were related to participants’ sense of trust in public officials, and the institutions responsible for conducting health studies. Participants from the wealthier, predominantly white communities discussed trust in study design and methodologies used. In contrast, participants from the lower income, higher minority communities assessed health studies with reference to their trust (or lack thereof) in study sponsors and public health institutions. Participants’ experience of tangible evidence, trust or distrust in health agencies and research institutions, and a sense of relative community power, influence how they assess the findings of environmental health studies and may have implications for pubic health. PMID:18995942

Assessing the environmental characteristics of cycling routes to school: a study on the reliability and validity of a Google Street View-based audit.

PubMed

Vanwolleghem, Griet; Van Dyck, Delfien; Ducheyne, Fabian; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Cardon, Greet

2014-06-10

Google Street View provides a valuable and efficient alternative to observe the physical environment compared to on-site fieldwork. However, studies on the use, reliability and validity of Google Street View in a cycling-to-school context are lacking. We aimed to study the intra-, inter-rater reliability and criterion validity of EGA-Cycling (Environmental Google Street View Based Audit - Cycling to school), a newly developed audit using Google Street View to assess the physical environment along cycling routes to school. Parents (n = 52) of 11-to-12-year old Flemish children, who mostly cycled to school, completed a questionnaire and identified their child's cycling route to school on a street map. Fifty cycling routes of 11-to-12-year olds were identified and physical environmental characteristics along the identified routes were rated with EGA-Cycling (5 subscales; 37 items), based on Google Street View. To assess reliability, two researchers performed the audit. Criterion validity of the audit was examined by comparing the ratings based on Google Street View with ratings through on-site assessments. Intra-rater reliability was high (kappa range 0.47-1.00). Large variations in the inter-rater reliability (kappa range -0.03-1.00) and criterion validity scores (kappa range -0.06-1.00) were reported, with acceptable inter-rater reliability values for 43% of all items and acceptable criterion validity for 54% of all items. EGA-Cycling can be used to assess physical environmental characteristics along cycling routes to school. However, to assess the micro-environment specifically related to cycling, on-site assessments have to be added.

77 FR 67352 - City of New York; Notice of Application Ready for Environmental Analysis and Soliciting Comments...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-09

... accepted and is now ready for environmental analysis. l. Project facilities would include: (1) An existing... 42,281 megawatt-hours of electricity annually. m. A copy of the application is available for review...

TESTING INDOOR AIR PRODUCTS: ONE APPROACH TO DEVELOPING WIDELY ACCEPTED PROTOCOLS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper describes an approach to developing widely acce ted products for testing indoor air products. [NOTE: Research Triangle Institute (RTI) is a partner in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program with responsibil...

Physiological spacecraft environment data documentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The physiological limits of exposure to environmental parameters encountered during space flight was documented. The environmental limits which have been previously established were described in terms of acceptable physiological changes. The process of coordinating data and assembling the completed data book is described in this report.

48 CFR 1552.215-71 - Evaluation factors for award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... award. 1552.215-71 Section 1552.215-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... acceptable, equal price (cost) offers, the Government will consider socioeconomic, environmental and other similar factors, as listed below in descending order of importance: (b) Factors and significant subfactors...

48 CFR 1552.215-71 - Evaluation factors for award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... award. 1552.215-71 Section 1552.215-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... acceptable, equal price (cost) offers, the Government will consider socioeconomic, environmental and other similar factors, as listed below in descending order of importance: (b) Factors and significant subfactors...

48 CFR 1552.215-71 - Evaluation factors for award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... award. 1552.215-71 Section 1552.215-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... acceptable, equal price (cost) offers, the Government will consider socioeconomic, environmental and other similar factors, as listed below in descending order of importance: (b) Factors and significant subfactors...

48 CFR 1552.215-71 - Evaluation factors for award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... award. 1552.215-71 Section 1552.215-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... acceptable, equal price (cost) offers, the Government will consider socioeconomic, environmental and other similar factors, as listed below in descending order of importance: (b) Factors and significant subfactors...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gaba, J.M.

Three areas are addressed in this paper: generic issues that arise simply in the process of decision-making under environmental statutes; different decision-making standards under various environmental statutes; and efforts to legislate a {open_quotes}safe{close_quotes} or {open_quotes}acceptable{close_quotes} risk from exposure to carcinogenic chemicals.

49 CFR 1200.2 - Adoption of generally accepted accounting principles issued by the Financial Accounting Standards...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... principles issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). 1200.2 Section 1200.2 Transportation... COMMERCE ACT § 1200.2 Adoption of generally accepted accounting principles issued by the Financial... Financial Accounting Standards by the FASB, and provided that the Office of Economics, Environmental...

Payload test philosophy. [JPL views on qualification/acceptance testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gindorf, T.

1979-01-01

The general philosophy of how JPL views payload qualification/acceptance testing for programs that are done either in-house or by contractors is described. Particular attention is given to mission risk classifications, preliminary critical design reviews, environmental design requirements, the thermal and dynamics development tests, and the flight spacecraft system test.

24 CFR 51.105 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Exceptions. 51.105 Section 51.105... ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA AND STANDARDS Noise Abatement and Control § 51.105 Exceptions. (a) Flexibility for non... acceptability standard of 65 decibels, the Acceptable Zone may be shifted to Ldn 70 on a case-by-case basis if...

24 CFR 51.105 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Exceptions. 51.105 Section 51.105... ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA AND STANDARDS Noise Abatement and Control § 51.105 Exceptions. (a) Flexibility for non... acceptability standard of 65 decibels, the Acceptable Zone may be shifted to Ldn 70 on a case-by-case basis if...

24 CFR 51.105 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Exceptions. 51.105 Section 51.105... ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA AND STANDARDS Noise Abatement and Control § 51.105 Exceptions. (a) Flexibility for non... acceptability standard of 65 decibels, the Acceptable Zone may be shifted to Ldn 70 on a case-by-case basis if...

24 CFR 51.105 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Exceptions. 51.105 Section 51.105... ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA AND STANDARDS Noise Abatement and Control § 51.105 Exceptions. (a) Flexibility for non... acceptability standard of 65 decibels, the Acceptable Zone may be shifted to Ldn 70 on a case-by-case basis if...

24 CFR 51.105 - Exceptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Exceptions. 51.105 Section 51.105... ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA AND STANDARDS Noise Abatement and Control § 51.105 Exceptions. (a) Flexibility for non... acceptability standard of 65 decibels, the Acceptable Zone may be shifted to Ldn 70 on a case-by-case basis if...

76 FR 12719 - City of Escondido, California, and Vista Irrigation District; Notice of Application Accepted for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-08

..., California, and Vista Irrigation District; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Ready for Environmental... Filed: December 3, 2010. d. Applicant: City of Escondido, California, (Escondido) and Vista Irrigation District (Vista). e. Name of Project: Bear Valley Powerhouse Project. f. Location: On the San Luis Rey...

76 FR 12720 - City of Escondido, CA, and Vista Irrigation District; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-08

..., CA, and Vista Irrigation District; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Ready for Environmental...: City of Escondido, California (Escondido) and Vista Irrigation District (Vista). e. Name of Project... owned by the La Jolla, San Pasqual, and Rincon Indian Tribes. g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power Act...

Hydrological processes and model representation: impact of soft data on calibration

Treesearch

J.G. Arnold; M.A. Youssef; H. Yen; M.J. White; A.Y. Sheshukov; A.M. Sadeghi; D.N. Moriasi; J.L. Steiner; Devendra Amatya; R.W. Skaggs; E.B. Haney; J. Jeong; M. Arabi; P.H. Gowda

2015-01-01

Hydrologic and water quality models are increasingly used to determine the environmental impacts of climate variability and land management. Due to differing model objectives and differences in monitored data, there are currently no universally accepted procedures for model calibration and validation in the literature. In an effort to develop accepted model calibration...

49 CFR 1200.2 - Adoption of generally accepted accounting principles issued by the Financial Accounting Standards...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... principles issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). 1200.2 Section 1200.2 Transportation... COMMERCE ACT § 1200.2 Adoption of generally accepted accounting principles issued by the Financial... Financial Accounting Standards by the FASB, and provided that the Office of Economics, Environmental...

78 FR 59919 - Pershing County Water Conservation District; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing With the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-30

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Project No. 14327-000] Pershing County Water Conservation District; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing With the Commission, Intent to Waive Scoping, Soliciting Motions to Intervene and Protests, Ready For Environmental Analysis, and Soliciting Comments, Terms and Conditions,...

Arc tracking of cables for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, D.; Frontzek, F. R.; Hanson, J.; Reher, H. J.; Judd, M. D.; Bryant, D.

1995-01-01

The main objective of this study is to develop a new test method that is suitable for the assessment of the resistance of aerospace cables to arc tracking for different specific environmental and network conditions of spacecrafts. This paper reports the purpose, test conditions, test specimen, test procedure, and test acceptance criteria of seven different (200-250 mm long) cables.

A Slippery Slope: Children's Perceptions of Their Role in Environmental Preservation in the Peruvian Amazon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galeano, Rebecca

2013-01-01

Despite international attention and attempts to preserve the environmental diversity of the Amazon, it is an accepted fact that those who inhabit the forest must be the ones who preserve it. This article presents an analysis of how children in small rural riverine communities along the Amazon understand the importance of environmental preservation…

Environmental Problems: A Global Security Threat. Report of the United Nations of the Next Decade Conference (24th, Hamilton Parish, Bermuda, June 18-23, 1989).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanley Foundation, Muscatine, IA.

The world's political structure and many economic practices are out of harmony with nature. This disharmony threatens environmentally sustainable growth and human survival. United Nations (UN) conference participants discussed the degree of political acceptance of concepts such as environmental security and sustainable development. Their reading…

75 FR 8942 - Maneb; Product Cancellation Order for Certain Pesticide Registrations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-26

... including environmental, human health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide users... Order for Certain Pesticide Registrations AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Order... and accepted by the Agency, of products containing the pesticide maneb, pursuant to section 6(f)(1) of...

40 CFR 164.122 - Final order and order of suspension.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... 164.122 Section 164.122 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... RODENTICIDE ACT, ARISING FROM REFUSALS TO REGISTER, CANCELLATIONS OF REGISTRATIONS, CHANGES OF CLASSIFICATIONS... Environmental Appeals Board shall issue a final decision and order. Such final order may accept or reject in...

40 CFR 164.122 - Final order and order of suspension.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... 164.122 Section 164.122 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... RODENTICIDE ACT, ARISING FROM REFUSALS TO REGISTER, CANCELLATIONS OF REGISTRATIONS, CHANGES OF CLASSIFICATIONS... Environmental Appeals Board shall issue a final decision and order. Such final order may accept or reject in...

A study of the efficiency of hydrogen liquefaction. [jet aircraft applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, C. R.; Shaner, R. L.

1976-01-01

The search for an environmentally acceptable fuel to eventually replace petroleum-based fuels for long-range jet aircraft has singled out liquid hydrogen as an outstanding candidate. Hydrogen liquefaction is discussed, along with the effect of several operating parameters on process efficiency. A feasible large-scale commercial hydrogen liquefaction facility based on the results of the efficiency study is described. Potential future improvements in hydrogen liquefaction are noted.

Environmental Test Screening Procedure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeidler, Janet

2000-01-01

This procedure describes the methods to be used for environmental stress screening (ESS) of the Lightning Mapper Sensor (LMS) lens assembly. Unless otherwise specified, the procedures shall be completed in the order listed, prior to performance of the Acceptance Test Procedure (ATP). The first unit, S/N 001, will be subjected to the Qualification Vibration Levels, while the remainder will be tested at the Operational Level. Prior to ESS, all units will undergo Pre-ESS Functional Testing that includes measuring the on-axis and plus or minus 0.95 full field Modulation Transfer Function and Back Focal Length. Next, all units will undergo ESS testing, and then Acceptance testing per PR 460.

Building of Environmental Literacy among Middle School Students: The Role of In-School, Out of School, and Psychological Factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevenson, Kathryn Tate

Solving environmental challenges will require an environmentally literate citizenry, equipped with ecological knowledge, pro-environmental attitudes, problem-solving skills, and motivation toward environmentally responsible behaviors. This dissertation addresses three approaches to building environmental literacy (EL) among middle school students: through schools (Chapter 1), through activities outside of school (Chapter 2), and through understanding psychological factors that affect environmental perceptions (Chapter 3). Chapter 1. This study examined school-wide EE programs among middle schools in North Carolina, including the use of published EE curricula and time outdoors while controlling for teacher education level and experience, student demographics, and school attributes. Our sample included an EE group selected from schools with registered schoolwide EE programs, and a control group randomly selected from NC middle schools that were not registered as EE schools. Students were given an EL survey at the beginning and end of the spring 2012 semester. Use of published EE curricula, time outdoors, and having teachers with advanced degrees and mid-level teaching experience (between 3 and 5 years) were positively related with EL whereas minority status (Hispanic and black) was negatively related with EL. Results suggest that though school-wide EE programs may vary in effectiveness, the use of published EE curricula paired with time outdoors represents a promising strategy. Further, investments in both new and veteran teachers to build and maintain enthusiasm for EE may help to boost student EL levels. Middle school represents a pivotal time for influencing EL, as improvement was slower among older students. Differences in EL levels based on gender suggest boys and girls may possess complementary skills sets when approaching environmental issues. Our findings suggest ethnicity related disparities in EL levels may be mitigated by time spent in nature, especially among black and Hispanic students. Chapter 2. Significant life experience (SLE) research suggests presence of role models, time outdoors, and nature-related media foster pro-environmental behavior, but most research is qualitative. Based on a random sample of middle school students in North Carolina, USA, we found limited positive associations between presence of a role model and time outdoors with behavior and a negative association between watching nature television and environmental knowledge. The strongest predictors of environmental knowledge and behavior were student/teacher ratio and county income levels, respectively. We also found that Native Americans engaged in environmental behaviors more than Caucasians, and that African American and Hispanic students had lower levels of environmental knowledge. Accordingly, life experiences appear less important than promoting small class sizes and addressing challenges associated with lower incomes in schools. Chapter 3. Though many climate literacy efforts attempt to communicate climate change as a risk, these strategies may be ineffective because among adults, worldview rather than scientific understanding largely drives climate change risk perceptions. Further, increased science literacy may polarize worldview-driven perceptions, making some climate literacy efforts counterproductive among skeptics. Because worldviews are still forming in the teenage years, adolescents may represent a more receptive audience. This study examined how worldview and climate change knowledge related to acceptance of anthropogenic global warming (AGW) and in turn, climate change risk perception among middle school students. We found respondents with individualistic worldviews were 16.1 percentage points less likely to accept AGW than communitarian respondents at median knowledge levels, mirroring findings in similar studies among adults. The interaction between knowledge and worldview, however, was opposite from previous studies among adults, because increased climate change knowledge was positively related to acceptance of AGW among both groups, and had a stronger positive relationship among individualists. Thus, education efforts specific to climate change may counteract divisions based on worldviews among adolescents, versus polarize them as among adults.

Environmental aspects of large-scale wind-power systems in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robson, A.

1984-11-01

Environmental issues relating to the introduction of large, MW-scale wind turbines at land-based sites in the UK are discussed. Noise, television interference, hazards to bird life, and visual effects are considered. Areas of uncertainty are identified, but enough is known from experience elsewhere in the world to enable the first UK machines to be introduced in a safe and environementally acceptable manner. Research to establish siting criteria more clearly, and significantly increase the potential wind-energy resource is mentioned. Studies of the comparative risk of energy systems are shown to be overpessimistic for UK wind turbines.

Overlooking evidence: media ignore environmental connections to breast cancer.

PubMed

Spencer, Miranda C

2009-01-01

In this article, the author reviews seven years' worth of major news media coverage of the role of environmental pollutants in the etiology of breast cancer. The time frame was 2002-2008 and the outlets studied included prominent newspapers, national news magazines, and network television news programs. Noting that a growing body of private, university, and government environmental health research has implicated a variety of common chemicals and radiation in the disease, the author looked for quantity and quality of coverage of two scientific metastudies during the specified time frame: State of the Evidence: The Connection Between Breast Cancer and the Environment and Environmental Pollutants and Breast Cancer: Epidemiological Studies. She also examined reporting on breast cancer in the month of October ("National Breast Cancer Awareness Month") during the seven years. Despite recent scientific findings, the news media have downplayed and frequently overlooked the evidence. None of the outlets studied covered the State of the Evidence report, and only one covered the Environmental Pollutants report. Breast Cancer Awareness Month similarly saw few articles or newscasts about environmental connections. The author attributes the dearth of coverage to several factors: journalists' lack of awareness about environmental health science, the seemingly higher standards of proof for research findings that implicate chemicals in disease than for other types of scientific research, establishments' lack of acceptance of environmental theories of breast cancer, and economic pressures on news outlets not to alienate their advertisers.

Some factors influencing the nonexpert's perception and evaluation of environmental risks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vaughan, E.

Policy makers and decision analysts have been limited somewhat in their ability to predict public reactions to regulatory decisions about hazardous substances or technologies. Most studies of the nonexpert's evaluation of environmental risks have relied on survey data and correlational analyses which preclude the determination of interactive effects, effects that could explain apparent inconsistencies. Three experimental studies were designed to test empirically the effect of six dimensions of environmental risk on judgments of (1) perceived risk, (2) acceptability of risk, (3) subjective probability of negative outcomes due to exposure, and (4) perceived severity of consequences. Factors examined included: (a) familiaritymore » with the terms used to describe a hazard, (b) environmental persistence of a chemical, (c) personal relevance of data used to evaluate cancer-causing potential, (d) personal relevance of possible adverse consequences, (e) perceived control over exposure, and (f) vividness of the exposure pathway. The findings were discussed in terms of their implications for the nonexpert's formulation of risk perceptions, and public policy in the domain of environmental risks.« less

Mechanical Performance of Nail-Laminated Posts Manufactured from Reclaimed Chromated Copper Arsenate-Treated Decking Lumber

Treesearch

John J. Janowiak; Robert H. Falk; Brad A. Gething; John A. Tsirigotis

2014-01-01

This study determined the mechanical properties of nail-laminated (nail-lam) posts manufactured from reclaimed chromated copper arsenate (CCA)–treated decking lumber. Though CCA-treated lumber is no longer accepted for use in residential applications, it is permitted in agricultural and industrial applications where health and environmental impacts are deemed to be...

The Relationship between Divorce and the Psychological Well-Being of Children with ADHD: Differences in Age, Gender, and Subtype

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heckel, Leila; Clarke, Adam; Barry, Robert; McCarthy, Rory; Selikowitz, Mark

2009-01-01

It is generally accepted that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) results from a dysfunction of the central nervous system, which has led to a commonly held belief that environmental factors play little role in the behavioural problems of children identified as having ADHD. Therefore, the two studies reported in this article…

Environmentally Responsible Happy Nation Index: Towards an Internationally Acceptable National Success Indicator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng, Yew-Kwang

2008-01-01

Amidst increasing attention to happiness studies by economists, the New Economics Foundation launched in July 2006 the Happy Planet Index (Marks et al. 2006). This is the ratio of the average happy life years (HLY) to the per capita ecological footprint of the country concerned. HLY is in turn the product of the average happiness (or life…

Providing the Missing Link: the Exposure Science Ontology ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Although knowledge-discovery tools are new to the exposure science community, these tools are critical for leveraging exposure information to design health studies and interpret results for improved public health decisions. Standardized ontologies define relationships, allow for automated reasoning, and facilitate meta-analyses. ExO will facilitate development of biologically relevant exposure metrics, design of in vitro toxicity tests, and incorporation of information on susceptibility and background exposures for risk assessment. In this approach, there are multiple levels of organization, from the global environment down through ecosystems, communities, indoor spaces, populations, organisms, tissues, and cells. We anticipate that the exposure science and environmental health community will adopt and contribute to this work, as wide acceptance is key to integration and federated searching of exposure data to support environmental and public health research. In particular, we anticipate acceptance of the concept that exposure science provides the spatial/temporal narrative about the intensity (concentration) of a stressor at the boundary between two systems: one functioning as an “environment” (stressor) and one functioning as a target (receptor). An agreed-upon exposure ontology with clear definitions and relationships should help to facilitate decision-making, study design and prioritization of research initiatives by enhancing the capacity for data colle

Integrated Environmental Risk Assessment and Whole-Process Management System in Chemical Industry Parks

PubMed Central

Shao, Chaofeng; Yang, Juan; Tian, Xiaogang; Ju, Meiting; Huang, Lei

2013-01-01

Chemical industry parks in China are considered high-risk areas because they present numerous risks that can damage the environment, such as pollution incidents. In order to identify the environmental risks and the principal risk factors in these areas, we have developed a simple physical model of a regional environmental risk field (ERF) using existing dispersal patterns and migration models. The regional ERF zoning was also conducted and a reference value for diagnostic methods was developed to determine risk-acceptable, risk-warning, and risk-mitigation zones, which can provide a risk source layout for chemical industry parks. In accordance with the environmental risk control requirements, this study focused on the three stages of control and management of environmental risk and established an environmental risk management system including risk source identification and assessment, environmental safety planning, early risk warning, emergency management, assessment of environmental effects, and environmental remediation of pollution accidents. By using this model, the environmental risks in Tianjin Binhai New Area, the largest chemical industry park in China, were assessed and the environmental risk zoning map was drawn, which suggested the existence of many unacceptable environmental risks in this area. Thus, relevant suggestions have been proposed from the perspective of the adjustment of risk source layout, intensified management of environmental risk control and so on. PMID:23603866

Integrated environmental risk assessment and whole-process management system in chemical industry parks.

PubMed

Shao, Chaofeng; Yang, Juan; Tian, Xiaogang; Ju, Meiting; Huang, Lei

2013-04-19

Chemical industry parks in China are considered high-risk areas because they present numerous risks that can damage the environment, such as pollution incidents. In order to identify the environmental risks and the principal risk factors in these areas, we have developed a simple physical model of a regional environmental risk field (ERF) using existing dispersal patterns and migration models. The regional ERF zoning was also conducted and a reference value for diagnostic methods was developed to determine risk-acceptable, risk-warning, and risk-mitigation zones, which can provide a risk source layout for chemical industry parks. In accordance with the environmental risk control requirements, this study focused on the three stages of control and management of environmental risk and established an environmental risk management system including risk source identification and assessment, environmental safety planning, early risk warning, emergency management, assessment of environmental effects, and environmental remediation of pollution accidents. By using this model, the environmental risks in Tianjin Binhai New Area, the largest chemical industry park in China, were assessed and the environmental risk zoning map was drawn, which suggested the existence of many unacceptable environmental risks in this area. Thus, relevant suggestions have been proposed from the perspective of the adjustment of risk source layout, intensified management of environmental risk control and so on.

Working the Dark Edges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weston, Anthony

2014-01-01

Environmentalism's wider and wilder possibilities today appear as regions of seeming darkness that bracket or frame acceptable environmental thinking. One of these barely-mentionable darknesses is outer space--the cosmos. Another is the inner and chthonic powers of the land and natural beings generally. This essay aims to bring these two kinds of…

Resources, Number 39. Some Highlights of 1971.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Resources for the Future, Inc., Washington, DC.

Focusing on some significant events of 1971 relating to the use and management of natural resources, this report points out that environmental concern is coming of age. Government activities, congressional messages and action, major court cases, and citizen action are reviewed in the light of growing public acceptance of environmental quality as…

32 CFR Enclosure 1 - Requirements for Environmental Considerations-Global Commons

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the responsible decision-making official to be informed of pertinent environmental considerations. The... making an appropriate record with respect to this requirement is for the decision-maker to sign and date...-making process. Other means of making an appropriate record are also acceptable. 9. Timing. No decision...

Genetically-engineered baculovirus pesticides and their environmental safety

Treesearch

H. Alan Wood; Yu Zailin

1991-01-01

Baculoviruses such as the Lymantria dispar nuclear polyhedrosis virus (LdMNPV) are ecologically attractive alternatives to chemical insect pesticides but have a slow rate of control. To overcome this we have developed and are field testing an environmentally acceptable strategy which can be used for the introduction and expression of pesticide-...

TEST DESIGN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION (ETV) OF ADD-ON NOX CONTROL UTILIZING OZONE INJECTION

EPA Science Inventory

The paper discusses the test design for environmental technology verification (ETV) of add-0n nitrogen oxides (NOx) control utilizing ozone injection. (NOTE: ETV is an EPA-established program to enhance domestic and international market acceptance of new or improved commercially...

The "New Environmental Paradigm"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunlap, Riley E.; Van Liere, Kent D.

2008-01-01

The "New Environmental Paradigm" or NEP appears to have gained considerable popularity in academic and intellectual circles, as well as among many college students; however, very little is known concerning the degree to which the general public has come to accept the ideas embodied in it. Thus, although there have been dozens of studies…

10 CFR 503.34 - Inability to comply with applicable environmental requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... environmental compliance of the facility, including an analysis of its ability to meet applicable standards and... will be based solely on an analysis of the petitioner's capacity to physically achieve applicable... exemption. All such analysis must be based on accepted analytical techniques, such as air quality modeling...

10 CFR 503.34 - Inability to comply with applicable environmental requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... environmental compliance of the facility, including an analysis of its ability to meet applicable standards and... will be based solely on an analysis of the petitioner's capacity to physically achieve applicable... exemption. All such analysis must be based on accepted analytical techniques, such as air quality modeling...

Why the WTA - WTP disparity matters

Treesearch

Brown Thomas C.; Gregory R.

1999-01-01

The disparity between willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to accept compensation (WTA) has been demonstrated repeatedly. Because using WTP estimates of value where a WTA estimate is appropriate tends to undervalue environmental assets, this issue is important to environmental managers. We summarize reasons for the disparity and then discuss some of the...

Group size adjustment to ecological demand in a cooperative breeder.

PubMed

Zöttl, Markus; Frommen, Joachim G; Taborsky, Michael

2013-04-07

Environmental factors can determine which group size will maximize the fitness of group members. This is particularly important in cooperative breeders, where group members often serve different purposes. Experimental studies are yet lacking to check whether ecologically mediated need for help will change the propensity of dominant group members to accept immigrants. Here, we manipulated the perceived risk of predation for dominant breeders of the cooperatively breeding cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher to test their response to unrelated and previously unknown immigrants. Potential immigrants were more readily accepted if groups were exposed to fish predators or egg predators than to herbivorous fish or control situations lacking predation risk. Our data are consistent with both risk dilution and helping effects. Egg predators were presented before spawning, which might suggest that the fish adjust acceptance rates also to a potential future threat. Dominant group members of N. pulcher apparently consider both present and future need of help based on ecological demand. This suggests that acceptance of immigrants and, more generally, tolerance of group members on demand could be a widespread response to ecological conditions in cooperatively breeding animals.

Online solid phase extraction liquid chromatography using bonded zwitterionic stationary phases and tandem mass spectrometry for rapid environmental trace analysis of highly polar hydrophilic compounds - Application for the antiviral drug Zanamivir.

PubMed

Lindberg, Richard H; Fedorova, Ganna; Blum, Kristin M; Pulit-Prociak, Jolanta; Gillman, Anna; Järhult, Josef; Appelblad, Patrik; Söderström, Hanna

2015-08-15

Zanamivir (Za) is a highly polar and hydrophilic antiviral drug used for the treatment of influenza A viruses. Za has been detected in rivers of Japan and it's environmental occurrence has the risk of inducing antiviral resistant avian influenza viruses. In this study, a rapid automated online solid phase extraction liquid chromatography method using bonded zwitterionic stationary phases and tandem mass spectrometry (SPE/LC-MS/MS) for trace analysis of Za was developed. Furthermore, an internal standard (IS) calibration method capable of quantifying Za in Milli-Q, surface water, sewage effluent and sewage influent was evaluated. Optimum pre-extraction sample composition was found to be 95/5 v/v acetonitrile/water sample and 1% formic acid. The developed method showed acceptable linearities (r(2)≥0.994), filtration recovery (≥91%), and intra-day precisions (RSD≤16%), and acceptable and environmentally relevant LOQs (≤20ngL(-1)). Storage tests showed no significant losses of Za during 20 days and +4/-20°C (≤12%) with the exception of influent samples, which should be kept at -20°C to avoid significant Za losses. The applicability of the method was demonstrated in a study on phototransformation of Za in unfiltered and filtered surface water during 28 days of artificial UV irradiation exposure. No significant (≤12%) phototransformation was found in surface water after 28 days suggesting a relatively high photostability of Za and that Za should be of environmental concern. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Status of DOE efforts to renew acceptance of foreign research reactor spent nuclear fuel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Head, C.R.

1997-08-01

This presentation summarizes the efforts being made by the Department of Energy to renew acceptance of spent nuclear fuel shipments from foreign research reactors. The author reviews the actions undertaken in this process in a fairly chronological manner, through the present time, as well as the development of an environmental impact statement to support the proposed actions.

Draft environmental assessment: Lavender Canyon site, Utah. Nuclear Waste Policy Act (Section 112). [Contains glossary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1984-12-01

In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Lavender Canyon site in Utah, as one of nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Lavender Canyon site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites h

Design-with-Nature for Multifunctional Landscapes: Environmental Benefits and Social Barriers in Community Development

PubMed Central

Yang, Bo; Li, Ming-Han; Li, Shujuan

2013-01-01

Since the early 1970s, Ian McHarg’s design-with-nature concept has been inspiring landscape architects, community and regional planners, and liked-minded professionals to create designs that take advantage of ecosystem services and promote environmental and public health. This study bridges the gap in the literature that has resulted from a lack of empirical examinations on the multiple performance benefits derived through design-with-nature and the under-investigated social aspect emanated from McHarg’s Ecological Determinism design approach. The Woodlands, TX, USA, an ecologically designed community development under McHarg’s approach, is compared with two adjacent communities that follow the conventional design approach. Using national environmental databases and multiple-year residents’ survey information, this study assesses three landscape performance metrics of McHarg’s approach: stormwater runoff, urban heat island effect, and social acceptance. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to assess the development extent and land surface temperature distribution. Results show that McHarg’s approach demonstrates benefits in reducing runoff and urban heat island effect, whereas it confronts challenges with the general acceptance of manicured landscapes and thus results in a low safety perception level when residents interact with naturally designed landscapes. The authors argue that design-with-nature warrants multifunctionality because of its intrinsic interdisciplinary approach. Moreover, education and dissemination of successful examples can achieve a greater level of awareness among the public and further promote multifunctional design for landscape sustainability. PMID:24169408

Design-with-nature for multifunctional landscapes: environmental benefits and social barriers in community development.

PubMed

Yang, Bo; Li, Ming-Han; Li, Shujuan

2013-10-28

Since the early 1970s, Ian McHarg's design-with-nature concept has been inspiring landscape architects, community and regional planners, and liked-minded professionals to create designs that take advantage of ecosystem services and promote environmental and public health. This study bridges the gap in the literature that has resulted from a lack of empirical examinations on the multiple performance benefits derived through design-with-nature and the under-investigated social aspect emanated from McHarg's Ecological Determinism design approach. The Woodlands, TX, USA, an ecologically designed community development under McHarg's approach, is compared with two adjacent communities that follow the conventional design approach. Using national environmental databases and multiple-year residents' survey information, this study assesses three landscape performance metrics of McHarg's approach: stormwater runoff, urban heat island effect, and social acceptance. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to assess the development extent and land surface temperature distribution. Results show that McHarg's approach demonstrates benefits in reducing runoff and urban heat island effect, whereas it confronts challenges with the general acceptance of manicured landscapes and thus results in a low safety perception level when residents interact with naturally designed landscapes. The authors argue that design-with-nature warrants multifunctionality because of its intrinsic interdisciplinary approach. Moreover, education and dissemination of successful examples can achieve a greater level of awareness among the public and further promote multifunctional design for landscape sustainability.

Medications at school: disposing of pharmaceutical waste.

PubMed

Taras, Howard; Haste, Nina M; Berry, Angela T; Tran, Jennifer; Singh, Renu F

2014-03-01

This project quantified and categorized medications left unclaimed by students at the end of the school year. It determined the feasibility of a model medication disposal program and assessed school nurses' perceptions of environmentally responsible medication disposal. At a large urban school district all unclaimed medications were collected at the end of a school year to determine the extent and nature of this problem. Nurses documented unclaimed medications and transported them to a central district location. An environmentally responsible medication disposal program, consisting of sealed containers bound for a local hospital's disposal system, was implemented. In a school district of approximately 133,000 students, there were 926 different medications abandoned at the end of a school year brought to a central disposal area. Nurses complied with the newly implemented protocol. Information collected from nurses indicates acceptance of the program. Disposal of unclaimed medications at a central location, use of secured containers, and transportation to a hospital for environmentally responsible disposal proved to be feasible and acceptable to the staff. Unclaimed medications at school each year pose a potentially huge environmental risk when disposed of improperly. It is feasible to implement an environmentally responsible medication disposal protocol at schools. © 2014, American School Health Association.

[Evaluation of eco-environmental quality based on artificial neural network and remote sensing techniques].

PubMed

Li, Hongyi; Shi, Zhou; Sha, Jinming; Cheng, Jieliang

2006-08-01

In the present study, vegetation, soil brightness, and moisture indices were extracted from Landsat ETM remote sensing image, heat indices were extracted from MODIS land surface temperature product, and climate index and other auxiliary geographical information were selected as the input of neural network. The remote sensing eco-environmental background value of standard interest region evaluated in situ was selected as the output of neural network, and the back propagation (BP) neural network prediction model containing three layers was designed. The network was trained, and the remote sensing eco-environmental background value of Fuzhou in China was predicted by using software MATLAB. The class mapping of remote sensing eco-environmental background values based on evaluation standard showed that the total classification accuracy was 87. 8%. The method with a scheme of prediction first and classification then could provide acceptable results in accord with the regional eco-environment types.

The affective profiles, psychological well-being, and harmony: environmental mastery and self-acceptance predict the sense of a harmonious life

PubMed Central

Al Nima, Ali; Kjell, Oscar N.E.

2014-01-01

Background. An important outcome from the debate on whether wellness equals happiness, is the need of research focusing on how psychological well-being might influence humans’ ability to adapt to the changing environment and live in harmony. To get a detailed picture of the influence of positive and negative affect, the current study employed the affective profiles model in which individuals are categorised into groups based on either high positive and low negative affect (self-fulfilling); high positive and high negative affect (high affective); low positive and low negative affect (low affective); and high negative and low positive affect (self-destructive). The aims were to (1) investigate differences between affective profiles in psychological well-being and harmony and (2) how psychological well-being and its dimensions relate to harmony within the four affective profiles. Method. 500 participants (mean age = 34.14 years, SD. = ±12.75 years; 187 males and 313 females) were recruited online and required to answer three self-report measures: The Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule; The Scales of Psychological Well-Being (short version) and The Harmony in Life Scale. We conducted a Multivariate Analysis of Variance where the affective profiles and gender were the independent factors and psychological well-being composite score, its six dimensions as well as the harmony in life score were the dependent factors. In addition, we conducted four multi-group (i.e., the four affective profiles) moderation analyses with the psychological well-being dimensions as predictors and harmony in life as the dependent variables. Results. Individuals categorised as self-fulfilling, as compared to the other profiles, tended to score higher on the psychological well-being dimensions: positive relations, environmental mastery, self-acceptance, autonomy, personal growth, and purpose in life. In addition, 47% to 66% of the variance of the harmony in life was explained by the dimensions of psychological well-being within the four affective profiles. Specifically, harmony in life was significantly predicted by environmental mastery and self-acceptance across all affective profiles. However, for the low affective group high purpose in life predicted low levels of harmony in life. Conclusions. The results demonstrated that affective profiles systematically relate to psychological well-being and harmony in life. Notably, individuals categorised as self-fulfilling tended to report higher levels of both psychological well-being and harmony in life when compared with the other profiles. Meanwhile individuals in the self-destructive group reported the lowest levels of psychological well-being and harmony when compared with the three other profiles. It is proposed that self-acceptance and environmental acceptance might enable individuals to go from self-destructive to a self-fulfilling state that also involves harmony in life. PMID:24688843

Decision makers, scientists and the public as stakeholders: the connection between traffic intervention policy and air quality in a local context.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiand, L.; von Schneidemesser, E.; Schmitz, S.; Niehoff, N.

2017-12-01

Urban mobility is a key issue to make cities more inclusive, safer, and more environmentally friendly. To ensure a sustainable future, local policy should, among other actions, aim to improve access to sustainable transport systems and enhance mobility opportunities, while at the same time addressing critical environmental and health targets. In order to assess whether these objectives are met, measures should be informed and evaluated from a social and environmental perspective. Citizens' opinions and the acceptance of environmental policies are crucial to successful implementation of urban mobility measures. The complexity of urban air quality issues require transparent decision-making processes that are grounded in evidence-based research and embrace local knowledge. From this basis, our research group and the city council collaborated to assess a new policy action intended to address environmental and health targets. This talk will present the results from the assessment of this new policy, that was implemented in large part to alleviate air quality exceedances, from the perspective of public acceptability of the measure and the approach taken by the city council to implement the measure. Parallel to assessing the effect of this policy on the recorded levels of air pollution and traffic counts, we conducted a social survey to examine public opinions of this measure, as well as the link between air quality awareness and mobility decisions. 4661 responses were collected over a one month period. Survey participants were those most affected by the traffic measure, including commuters and local residents. The results show that there is an overall low acceptance rate of the measure (8%) as well as low concern for air quality (2,90 - where 1 = not concerned and 6 = very concerned). We also found that there is a negative relationship between air quality rating and air quality concern. A similar approach was taken to understand climate change concern, which will be discussed further in the talk as well as how concern for air quality can increase acceptability for climate change mitigation policies.

Applying behavioral-ecological theory to plant defense: light-dependent movement in Mimosa pudica suggests a trade-off between predation risk and energetic reward.

PubMed

Jensen, Evelyn L; Dill, Lawrence M; Cahill, James F

2011-03-01

Many animal species tolerate different amounts of predation risk based on environmental conditions and the individual's own condition, often accepting greater risk when energetically stressed. We studied the sensitive plant Mimosa pudica to see whether it too accepts greater risk of predation when less light energy is available. This plant displays a defensive behavior of rapidly folding its leaves when stimulated by touch, thereby decreasing visibility to herbivores. Averting herbivory involves a trade-off because leaf closure results in a reduction in light foraging. We manipulated the light environment of individual M. pudica plants and recorded the time it took a plant to reopen its leaves following stimulation as a measure of tolerance of predation risk. As predicted by theory, avoidance behavior was sustained longer under high light conditions than under more light-limited conditions. These findings suggest this species balances the risk and reward of antiherbivore behavior in relation to current environmental conditions and that behavioral-ecological theory is a useful framework for understanding plant responses to predators.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huetter, J.J. Jr.

The overall feasibility of retrofit for hydroelectric power generation at the Patillas Reservoir, an existing impoundment located near the town of Patillas, Puerto Rico, was studied. The scope of work and project intent is limited to establishing valid acceptance or non-acceptance criteria for this specific site as an example of power generation potential at existing dams of relatively low head (less than or equal to 20 m) in the United States. Information is included on hydrologic conditions at the site, retrofit plant design, economic analysis, environmental, legal, social and institutional aspects, and availability of plant equipment. It is concluded thatmore » generation of hydropower at Patillas is entirely practical and uncomplicated from an engineering viewpoint, has no adverse environmental effects and is economically justifiable for the island of Puerto Rico. The final agency or contractor roles for development are reasonably well-established. There are no prohibitory laws or regulations concerning this development. In fact, according to Puerto Rico legislation, such hydropower developments appear to be mandated. The installed capacity of the site ranges from 665 kW to approximately 1500 kW depending on extent of development of the available options. (LCL)« less

How Participatory Should Environmental Governance Be? Testing the Applicability of the Vroom-Yetton-Jago Model in Public Environmental Decision-Making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lührs, Nikolas; Jager, Nicolas W.; Challies, Edward; Newig, Jens

2018-02-01

Public participation is potentially useful to improve public environmental decision-making and management processes. In corporate management, the Vroom-Yetton-Jago normative decision-making model has served as a tool to help managers choose appropriate degrees of subordinate participation for effective decision-making given varying decision-making contexts. But does the model recommend participatory mechanisms that would actually benefit environmental management? This study empirically tests the improved Vroom-Jago version of the model in the public environmental decision-making context. To this end, the key variables of the Vroom-Jago model are operationalized and adapted to a public environmental governance context. The model is tested using data from a meta-analysis of 241 published cases of public environmental decision-making, yielding three main sets of findings: (1) The Vroom-Jago model proves limited in its applicability to public environmental governance due to limited variance in its recommendations. We show that adjustments to key model equations make it more likely to produce meaningful recommendations. (2) We find that in most of the studied cases, public environmental managers (implicitly) employ levels of participation close to those that would have been recommended by the model. (3) An ANOVA revealed that such cases, which conform to model recommendations, generally perform better on stakeholder acceptance and environmental standards of outputs than those that diverge from the model. Public environmental management thus benefits from carefully selected and context-sensitive modes of participation.

How Participatory Should Environmental Governance Be? Testing the Applicability of the Vroom-Yetton-Jago Model in Public Environmental Decision-Making.

PubMed

Lührs, Nikolas; Jager, Nicolas W; Challies, Edward; Newig, Jens

2018-02-01

Public participation is potentially useful to improve public environmental decision-making and management processes. In corporate management, the Vroom-Yetton-Jago normative decision-making model has served as a tool to help managers choose appropriate degrees of subordinate participation for effective decision-making given varying decision-making contexts. But does the model recommend participatory mechanisms that would actually benefit environmental management? This study empirically tests the improved Vroom-Jago version of the model in the public environmental decision-making context. To this end, the key variables of the Vroom-Jago model are operationalized and adapted to a public environmental governance context. The model is tested using data from a meta-analysis of 241 published cases of public environmental decision-making, yielding three main sets of findings: (1) The Vroom-Jago model proves limited in its applicability to public environmental governance due to limited variance in its recommendations. We show that adjustments to key model equations make it more likely to produce meaningful recommendations. (2) We find that in most of the studied cases, public environmental managers (implicitly) employ levels of participation close to those that would have been recommended by the model. (3) An ANOVA revealed that such cases, which conform to model recommendations, generally perform better on stakeholder acceptance and environmental standards of outputs than those that diverge from the model. Public environmental management thus benefits from carefully selected and context-sensitive modes of participation.

Impact of the Diamond Light Source on research in Earth and environmental sciences: current work and future perspectives

PubMed Central

Burke, Ian T.; Mosselmans, J. Frederick W.; Shaw, Samuel; Peacock, Caroline L.; Benning, Liane G.; Coker, Victoria S.

2015-01-01

Diamond Light Source Ltd celebrated its 10th anniversary as a company in December 2012 and has now accepted user experiments for over 5 years. This paper describes the current facilities available at Diamond and future developments that enhance its capacities with respect to the Earth and environmental sciences. A review of relevant research conducted at Diamond thus far is provided. This highlights how synchrotron-based studies have brought about important advances in our understanding of the fundamental parameters controlling highly complex mineral–fluid–microbe interface reactions in the natural environment. This new knowledge not only enhances our understanding of global biogeochemical processes, but also provides the opportunity for interventions to be designed for environmental remediation and beneficial use. PMID:25624516

Multifunctional Agriculture in Policy and Practice? A Comparative Analysis of Norway and Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bjorkhaug, Hilde; Richards, Carol Ann

2008-01-01

Ideals of productivist agriculture in the Western world have faded as the unintended consequences of intensive agriculture and pastoralism have contributed to rural decline and environmental problems. In Norway and Australia, there has been an increasing acceptance of the equal importance of social and environmental sustainability as well as…

76 FR 17487 - Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: New Substitute in the Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning Sector...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-29

... and to disapprove substitutes that present overall risks to human health and the environment more.... Acceptability Decision B. Use Conditions C. Environmental Impacts D. Health and Safety Impacts E. Retrofit Usage...: Protection of Children From Environmental Health and Safety Risks H. Executive Order 13211: Actions That...

Facilitating Comprehension, Connection and Commitment to Environmentally Responsible Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boehm, Sarah

2015-01-01

Given the increased awareness of the negative effects the building industry has on the environment, designs produced without considering sustainability of the planet can no longer be accepted. Although the concepts of sustainability and environmental responsibility are not new to the field of interior design, a review of the literature reveals…

78 FR 18665 - Proposed Keystone XL Project; Public Meeting Following Release of the Draft Supplemental Impact...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-27

... Keystone XL pipeline. The document is a draft technical review of potential environmental impacts. It does... responding to questions or comments at the meeting. Written comments will also be accepted. The date... comments on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement in written form. Department of State...

Work-Integrated Learning and Professional Accreditation Policies: An Environmental Health Higher Education Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Louise; Nicholson, Rosemary; Ross, Kirstin; Bricknell, Lisa; Davies, Belinda; Hannelly, Toni; Lampard, Jane-Louise; Murray, Zoe; Oosthuizen, Jacques; Roiko, Anne; Wood, James

2018-01-01

The introduction of a new work-integrated learning (WIL) policy for university environmental health education programs seeking professional accreditation identified a number of problems. This included how to evaluate the acceptability of differing approaches to WIL for course accreditation purposes and a need to develop an agreed understanding of…

Establishing an Environmental Scanning System to Augment College and University Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, James L.

A plan to establish an environmental scanning and forecasting system for colleges and universities is discussed as a way to maximize long-range planning. After proposing a program structure, attention is directed to methods of gaining organizational acceptance, developing a comprehensive taxonomy with an electronic filing system, identifying and…

78 FR 13376 - Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Cottonwood Cove and Katherine Landing Development...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-27

... Environmental Impact Statement for the Cottonwood Cove and Katherine Landing Development Concept Plans, Clark...) for the Cottonwood Cove and Katherine Landing Development Concept Plans, Lake Mead National Recreation... environment. DATES: The National Park Service will accept comments on the Draft EIS from the public for 60...

76 FR 34763 - Biweekly Notice; Applications and Amendments to Facility Operating Licenses Involving No...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-14

... approved [Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI)] 04-10, Rev. 1 in accordance with the TS SFCP. NEI 04-10, Rev. 1... environmental impact statement or environmental assessment need be prepared for these amendments. If the... by the proposed amendment. The proposed amendment adopts the NRC-accepted guidelines of NEI [Nuclear...

Understanding and applying principles of social cognition and decision making in adaptive environmental governance.

PubMed

DeCaro, Daniel A; Arnol, Craig Anthony Tony; Boama, Emmanuel Frimpong; Garmestani, Ahjond S

2017-03-01

Environmental governance systems are under greater pressure to adapt and to cope with increased social and ecological uncertainty from stressors like climate change. We review principles of social cognition and decision making that shape and constrain how environmental governance systems adapt. We focus primarily on the interplay between key decision makers in society and legal systems. We argue that adaptive governance must overcome three cooperative dilemmas to facilitate adaptation: (1) encouraging collaborative problem solving, (2) garnering social acceptance and commitment, and (3) cultivating a culture of trust and tolerance for change and uncertainty. However, to do so governance systems must cope with biases in people's decision making that cloud their judgment and create conflict. These systems must also satisfy people's fundamental needs for self-determination, fairness, and security, ensuring that changes to environmental governance are perceived as legitimate, trustworthy, and acceptable. We discuss the implications of these principles for common governance solutions (e.g., public participation, enforcement) and conclude with methodological recommendations. We outline how scholars can investigate the social cognitive principles involved in cases of adaptive governance.

Understanding and applying principles of social cognition and decision making in adaptive environmental governance

PubMed Central

DeCaro, Daniel A.; Arnol, Craig Anthony (Tony); Boama, Emmanuel Frimpong; Garmestani, Ahjond S.

2018-01-01

Environmental governance systems are under greater pressure to adapt and to cope with increased social and ecological uncertainty from stressors like climate change. We review principles of social cognition and decision making that shape and constrain how environmental governance systems adapt. We focus primarily on the interplay between key decision makers in society and legal systems. We argue that adaptive governance must overcome three cooperative dilemmas to facilitate adaptation: (1) encouraging collaborative problem solving, (2) garnering social acceptance and commitment, and (3) cultivating a culture of trust and tolerance for change and uncertainty. However, to do so governance systems must cope with biases in people’s decision making that cloud their judgment and create conflict. These systems must also satisfy people’s fundamental needs for self-determination, fairness, and security, ensuring that changes to environmental governance are perceived as legitimate, trustworthy, and acceptable. We discuss the implications of these principles for common governance solutions (e.g., public participation, enforcement) and conclude with methodological recommendations. We outline how scholars can investigate the social cognitive principles involved in cases of adaptive governance. PMID:29780425

Fluvial geomorphology and river engineering: future roles utilizing a fluvial hydrosystems framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilvear, David J.

1999-12-01

River engineering is coming under increasing public scrutiny given failures to prevent flood hazards and economic and environmental concerns. This paper reviews the contribution that fluvial geomorphology can make in the future to river engineering. In particular, it highlights the need for fluvial geomorphology to be an integral part in engineering projects, that is, to be integral to the planning, implementation, and post-project appraisal stages of engineering projects. It should be proactive rather than reactive. Areas in which geomorphologists will increasingly be able to complement engineers in river management include risk and environmental impact assessment, floodplain planning, river audits, determination of instream flow needs, river restoration, and design of ecologically acceptable channels and structures. There are four key contributions that fluvial geomorphology can make to the engineering profession with regard to river and floodplain management: to promote recognition of lateral, vertical, and downstream connectivity in the fluvial system and the inter-relationships between river planform, profile, and cross-section; to stress the importance of understanding fluvial history and chronology over a range of time scales, and recognizing the significance of both palaeo and active landforms and deposits as indicators of levels of landscape stability; to highlight the sensitivity of geomorphic systems to environmental disturbances and change, especially when close to geomorphic thresholds, and the dynamics of the natural systems; and to demonstrate the importance of landforms and processes in controlling and defining fluvial biotopes and to thus promote ecologically acceptable engineering. Challenges facing fluvial geomorphology include: gaining full acceptance by the engineering profession; widespread utilization of new technologies including GPS, GIS, image analysis of satellite and airborne remote sensing data, computer-based hydraulic modeling and geophysical techniques; dovetailing engineering approaches to the study of river channels which emphasize reach-scale flow resistance, shear stresses, and material strength with catchment scale geomorphic approaches, empirical predictions, bed and bank processes, landform evolution, and magnitude-frequency concepts; producing accepted river channel typologies; fundamental research aimed at producing more reliable deterministic equations for prediction of bed and bank stability and bedload transport; and collaboration with aquatic biologists to determine the role and importance of geomorphologically and hydraulically defined habitats.

Technology issues for high-speed civil transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dollyhigh, Samuel M.

1989-01-01

Current efforts to prepare the technology for a new generation of high-speed civil transports are focused primarily on environmental issues. This paper reports on studies to provide: (1) acceptable engine emissions; (2) reduced airport/community noise; and (3) sonic-boom minimization. Attention is also given to technologies that allow a lighter, more efficient vehicle and to other high-payoff technologies, such as supersonic laminar flow; these have the potential for yielding not only better mission performance but also enhanced environmental compatibility for these new vehicles. The technology issues are reviewed in terms of the technologies themselves and their impact on the equally crucial need for economic success.

Investigating the Transport and Fate of Polychlorinated Biphenyls with Stable Chlorine Isotopes

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-30

recently accepted in the journal Organic Geochemistry. We published another manuscript in Environmental Science and Pollution Research on the...Chlorine in the Environment a book written by Ruth Stringer and Paul Johnson. This review will soon appear in the journal Environmental Science and...Heraty, L.J., Holt, B.D., Sturchio, N.C., Eglinton, T.I., Drenzek, N.J., Xu, L., Lake, J.L., Maruya, K.A., 2000. Environmental Science and

Static yields and quality issues: Is the agri-environment program the primary driver?

PubMed

Peltonen-Sainio, Pirjo; Salo, Tapio; Jauhiainen, Lauri; Lehtonen, Heikki; Sieviläinen, Elina

2015-10-01

The Finnish agri-environmental program (AEP) has been in operation for 20 years with >90 % farmer commitment. This study aimed to establish whether reduced nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) use has impacted spring cereal yields and quality based on comprehensive follow-up studies and long-term experiments. We found that the gap between genetic yield potential and attained yield has increased after the AEP was imposed. However, many contemporary changes in agricultural practices, driven by changes in prices and farm subsidies, also including the AEP, were likely reasons, together with reduced N, but not phosphorus use. Such overall changes in crop management coincided with stagnation or decline in yields and adverse changes in quality, but yield-removed N increased and residual N decreased. Further studies are needed to assess whether all the changes are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable, and acceptable, in the long run. The concept of sustainable intensification is worth considering as a means to develop northern European agricultural systems to combine environmental benefits with productivity.

The Role of Satellite Earth Observation Data in Monitoring and Verifying International Environmental Treaties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Shaida

2004-01-01

The term verification implies compliance verification in the language of treaty negotiation and implementation, particularly in the fields of disarmament and arms control. The term monitoring on the other hand, in both environmental and arms control treaties, has a much broader interpretation which allows for use of supporting data sources that are not necessarily acceptable or adequate for direct verification. There are many ways that satellite Earth observation (EO) data can support international environmental agreements, from national forest inventories to use in geographic information system (GIs) tools. Though only a few references to satellite EO data and their use exist in the treaties themselves, an expanding list of applications can be considered in support of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs). This paper explores the current uses of satellite Earth observation data which support monitoring activities of major environmental treaties and draws conclusions about future missions and their data use. The scope of the study includes all phases of environmental treaty fulfillment - development, monitoring, and enforcement - and includes a multinational perspective on the use of satellite Earth observation data for treaty support.

Rapid evolution in insect pests: the importance of space and time in population genomics studies.

PubMed

Pélissié, Benjamin; Crossley, Michael S; Cohen, Zachary Paul; Schoville, Sean D

2018-04-01

Pest species in agroecosystems often exhibit patterns of rapid evolution to environmental and human-imposed selection pressures. Although the role of adaptive processes is well accepted, few insect pests have been studied in detail and most research has focused on selection at insecticide resistance candidate genes. Emerging genomic datasets provide opportunities to detect and quantify selection in insect pest populations, and address long-standing questions about mechanisms underlying rapid evolutionary change. We examine the strengths of recent studies that stratify population samples both in space (along environmental gradients and comparing ancestral vs. derived populations) and in time (using chronological sampling, museum specimens and comparative phylogenomics), resulting in critical insights on evolutionary processes, and providing new directions for studying pests in agroecosystems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental strategies: A case study of systematic evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherman, Douglas J.; Garès, Paul A.

1982-09-01

A major problem facing environmental managers is the necessity to effectively evaluate management alternatives. Traditional environmental assessments have emphasized the use of economic analyses. These approaches are often deficient due to difficulty in assigning dollar values to environmental systems and to social amenities. A more flexible decisionmaking model has been developed to analyze management options for coping with beach erosion problems at the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area in New Jersey. This model is comprised of decision-making variables which are formulated from a combination of environmental and management criteria, and it has an accept-reject format in which the management options are analyzed in terms of the variables. Through logical ordering of the insertion of the variables into the model, stepwise elimination of alternatives is possible. A hierarchy of variables is determined through estimating work required to complete an assessment of the alternatives for each variable. The assessment requiring the least work is performed first so that the more difficult evaluation will be limited to fewer alternatives. The application of this approach is illustrated with a case study in which beach protection alternatives were evaluated for the United States National Park Service.

Health Effects of Environmental Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC.

This booklet notes that for a long time the American people were willing to pay any price for progress. Now may refuse to accept an environment that menaces their health and lowers their enjoyment of life. They are embracing a new environmental consciousness, a broader vision of reality, a more profound sense of their place in nature. Among the…

10 CFR 51.108 - Public hearings on Commission findings that inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... CFR 52.103(b), the Commission will not admit any contentions on environmental issues, the adequacy of the environmental impact statement for the combined license issued under subpart C of part 52, or the... finding under 10 CFR 52.103(g). [72 FR 49517, Aug. 28, 2007] materials licenses ...

10 CFR 51.108 - Public hearings on Commission findings that inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... CFR 52.103(b), the Commission will not admit any contentions on environmental issues, the adequacy of the environmental impact statement for the combined license issued under subpart C of part 52, or the... finding under 10 CFR 52.103(g). [72 FR 49517, Aug. 28, 2007] materials licenses ...

10 CFR 51.108 - Public hearings on Commission findings that inspections, tests, analyses, and acceptance criteria...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... CFR 52.103(b), the Commission will not admit any contentions on environmental issues, the adequacy of the environmental impact statement for the combined license issued under subpart C of part 52, or the... finding under 10 CFR 52.103(g). [72 FR 49517, Aug. 28, 2007] materials licenses ...

76 FR 64893 - Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Rosemont Copper Project on the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-19

... 90-day public comment period, which begins with the Environmental Protection Agency's publication of... contact information, will be accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide the... Elementary School, 23 Elgin Road, Elgin, AZ 85611 (tentative). 3. November 12, 2011, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Palo...

Production and cost of a live skyline cable yarder tested in Appalachia

Treesearch

Edward L. Fisher; Harry G. Gibson; Cleveland J. Biller

1980-01-01

Logging systems that are profitable and environmentally acceptable are needed in Appalachian hardwood forests. Small, mobile cable yarders show promise in meeting both economic and environmental objectives. One such yarder, the Ecologger, was tested on the Jefferson National Forest near Marion, Virginia. Production rates and costs are presented for the system along...

Early Childhood Development and Obesity Risk-Factors in a Multi-Ethnic, Low-Income Community: Feasibility of The "Five Hundred under Five" Social Determinants of Health Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hearst, Mary O.; Martin, Lauren; Rafdal, Brooke H.; Robinson, Ronel; McConnell, Scott R.

2013-01-01

Objective: First, to describe a community-academic partnership that piloted a parent and home-based programme focused on the intersection of health and education from a social determinants foundation and determine the feasibility and acceptability of such work. Second, to examine trends and co-occurrence of social and environmental context,…

Using Transformative Learning Theory to Explore the Mechanisms of Citizen Participation for Environmental Education on the Removal of Invasive Species: The Case of Green Island, Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chao, Ren-Fang

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the process of participation in the transformative learning process for invasive species by community volunteers and voluntourists. The results show that children play an important role in motivating adults to accept new ideas, and for both community volunteers and voluntourists, "dialogue" has…

Live What You Teach & Teach What You Live: Student Views on the Acceptability of Teachers' Value-Related Statements about Sustainability and Climate Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torkar, Gregor

2013-01-01

This paper presents the results of a survey among pre-service and in-service students of pre-school education and students of environmental sciences on the acceptability of value-laden statements made by their teachers on issues of sustainable development and climate change. Fifteen statements were provided, and students had to choose among the…

Practical measures for reducing the risk of environmental contamination in shale energy production.

PubMed

Ziemkiewicz, Paul; Quaranta, John D; McCawley, Michael

2014-07-01

Gas recovery from shale formations has been made possible by advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technology. Rapid adoption of these methods has created a surge in natural gas production in the United States and increased public concern about its environmental and human health effects. We surveyed the environmental literature relevant to shale gas development and studied over fifteen well sites and impoundments in West Virginia to evaluate pollution caused by air emissions, light and noise during drilling. Our study also characterized liquid and solid waste streams generated by drilling and hydraulic fracturing and evaluated the integrity of impoundments used to store fluids produced by hydraulic fracturing. While most shale gas wells are completed with little or no environmental contamination, we found that many of the problems associated with shale gas development resulted from inattention to accepted engineering practices such as impoundment construction, improper liner installation and a lack of institutional controls. Recommendations are provided based on the literature and our field studies. They will address not all but a great many of the deficiencies that result in environmental release of contaminants from shale gas development. We also identified areas where new technologies are needed to fully address contaminant releases to air and water.

Effects of Place Identity, Place Dependence, and Experience-Use History on Perceptions of Recreation Impacts in a Natural Setting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Dave D.; Virden, Randy J.; van Riper, Carena J.

2008-10-01

It is generally accepted that recreation use in natural environments results in some degree of negative social and environmental impact. Environmental managers are tasked with mitigating the impact while providing beneficial recreation opportunities. Research on the factors that influence visitors’ perceptions of environmental and social conditions is necessary to inform sound environmental management of protected natural areas. This study examines the effect of prior experience with the setting and two dimensions of place attachment (i.e., place identity and place dependence) on visitors’ perceptions of three types of recreation impacts (i.e., depreciative behavior, environmental impacts, and recreation conflict). Principal components analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were used to test the study hypotheses using data collected from 351 visitors through on-site questionnaires (response rate of 93 percent). The results show that prior experience exhibited a moderate and significant direct positive effect on place identity, place dependence, and visitors’ perceptions of recreation impacts. Contrary to study hypotheses and prior research, neither place dependence nor place identity exhibited a significant effect on the dependent variables. The results show that prior experience causes visitors to be more sensitive to depreciative behaviors, environmental impacts, and recreation conflict. These findings raise concerns over potential visitor displacement and deterioration of site conditions. Implications for resource managers are discussed, which include education, modifying visitor use patterns, and site design strategies.

Effects of place identity, place dependence, and experience-use history on perceptions of recreation impacts in a natural setting.

PubMed

White, Dave D; Virden, Randy J; van Riper, Carena J

2008-10-01

It is generally accepted that recreation use in natural environments results in some degree of negative social and environmental impact. Environmental managers are tasked with mitigating the impact while providing beneficial recreation opportunities. Research on the factors that influence visitors' perceptions of environmental and social conditions is necessary to inform sound environmental management of protected natural areas. This study examines the effect of prior experience with the setting and two dimensions of place attachment (i.e., place identity and place dependence) on visitors' perceptions of three types of recreation impacts (i.e., depreciative behavior, environmental impacts, and recreation conflict). Principal components analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were used to test the study hypotheses using data collected from 351 visitors through on-site questionnaires (response rate of 93 percent). The results show that prior experience exhibited a moderate and significant direct positive effect on place identity, place dependence, and visitors' perceptions of recreation impacts. Contrary to study hypotheses and prior research, neither place dependence nor place identity exhibited a significant effect on the dependent variables. The results show that prior experience causes visitors to be more sensitive to depreciative behaviors, environmental impacts, and recreation conflict. These findings raise concerns over potential visitor displacement and deterioration of site conditions. Implications for resource managers are discussed, which include education, modifying visitor use patterns, and site design strategies.

Evaluation of mobile smartphones app as a screening tool for environmental noise monitoring.

PubMed

Ibekwe, Titus S; Folorunsho, David O; Dahilo, Enoch A; Gbujie, Ibeneche O; Nwegbu, Maxwell M; Nwaorgu, Onyekwere G

2016-01-01

Noise is a global occupational and environmental health hazard with considerable social and physiological impact and, therefore, there is a need for regular measurements to boost monitoring and regulations of environmental noise levels in our communities. This necessitates a readily available, inexpensive, and easy to use noise measuring device. We aimed to test the sensitivity and validity of mobile "smart" phones for this purpose. This was a comparative analysis of a cross sectional study done between January 2014 and February 2015. Noise levels were measured simultaneously at different locations within Abuja Nigeria at day and night hours in real time environments. A sound level meter (SLM) (Extech407730 Digital Soundmeter, serial no.: 2310135, calibration no: 91037) and three smartphones (Samsung Galaxy note3, Nokia S, and Techno Phantom Z running on Android "Apps" Androidboy1) were used. Statistical calculations were done with Pearson correlation, T-test and Consistency within American National Standards Institute acceptable standard errors. Noise level readings for both daytime and night with the SLM and the mobile phones showed equivalent values. All noise level meters measured were <100dB. The daytime readings were nearly identical in six locations and the maximum difference in values between the SLM and Smartphone instruments was 3db, noted in two locations. Readings in dBA showed strong correlation (r = 0.9) within acceptable error limits for Type 2 SLM devices and no significant difference in the values (p = 0.12 & 0.58) for both day and night. Sensitivity of the instrument yielded 92.9%. The androidboy1 "app" performance in this study showed a good correlation and comparative high sensitivity to the Standard SLM (type 2 SLM device). However there is the need for further studies.

Acceptable aluminum additions for minimal environmental effect in iron-aluminum alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sikka, V.K.; Viswanathan, S.; Vyas, S.

A systematic study of iron-aluminum alloys has shown that Fe-16 at. % Al alloys are not very sensitive to environmental embrittlement. The Fe-22 and -28 at. % Al alloys are sensitive to environmental embrittlement, and the effect can be reduced by the addition of chromium and through the control of grain size by additions of zirconium and carbon. The Fe-16 at. % Al binary, and alloys based on it, yielded over 20% room-temperature (RT) elongation even after high-temperature annealing treatments at 1100[degree]C. The best values for the Fe-22 and -28 at. % Al-base alloys after similar annealing treatments were 5more » and 10%, respectively. A multicomponent alloy, FAP, based on Fe- 16 at. % Al was designed, which gave an RT ductility of over 25%.« less

Acceptable aluminum additions for minimal environmental effect in iron-aluminum alloys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sikka, V.K.; Viswanathan, S.; Vyas, S.

A systematic study of iron-aluminum alloys has shown that Fe-16 at. % Al alloys are not very sensitive to environmental embrittlement. The Fe-22 and -28 at. % Al alloys are sensitive to environmental embrittlement, and the effect can be reduced by the addition of chromium and through the control of grain size by additions of zirconium and carbon. The Fe-16 at. % Al binary, and alloys based on it, yielded over 20% room-temperature (RT) elongation even after high-temperature annealing treatments at 1100{degree}C. The best values for the Fe-22 and -28 at. % Al-base alloys after similar annealing treatments were 5more » and 10%, respectively. A multicomponent alloy, FAP, based on Fe- 16 at. % Al was designed, which gave an RT ductility of over 25%.« less

77 FR 6790 - Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board, Portsmouth

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-09

.... Federal Coordinator's Comments. Liaisons' Comments. Presentations: [cir] The Ohio Valley Regional Development Center (OVRDC) Overview, John Hemmings, Executive Director of OVRDC. [cir] Waste Acceptance...

Employee's perceived exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, passive smoking risk beliefs and attitudes towards smoking: a case study in a university setting.

PubMed

Duaso, M J; De Irala, J; Canga, N

2006-02-01

Despite the growing literature on workplace smoking policies, few studies have focused on the implementation of such policies in university settings. Smoking in the workplace is still very common in many countries, including Spain. While the law is about to change and more non-smoking policies are to be implemented, it is not clear what kind of restrictions Spanish workers would find acceptable. This study investigated perceived exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), passive smoking risks beliefs and attitudes towards smoking at the University of Navarra (Spain). A questionnaire was sent by E-mail to 641 randomly selected employees and a response rate of 70.4% was obtained. The survey results suggest that 27.3% of the university employees were smokers and 26.6% were exposed to ETS on a daily basis. The majority of respondents (81.7%) supported a restrictive non-smoking policy. Acceptance among active smokers was significantly lower (59.2 versus 89.3%). Smoking prohibition with the provision of smoking areas was the most favored option (46.9%). Results suggest that employees are ready to restrict smoking in the university, but there was not enough support for a total ban. Employers considering adopting a ban on smoking should be encouraged to conduct a similar survey to identify potential barriers to policy implementation.

Use of QSARs in international decision-making frameworks to predict ecologic effects and environmental fate of chemical substances.

PubMed Central

Cronin, Mark T D; Walker, John D; Jaworska, Joanna S; Comber, Michael H I; Watts, Christopher D; Worth, Andrew P

2003-01-01

This article is a review of the use, by regulatory agencies and authorities, of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) to predict ecologic effects and environmental fate of chemicals. For many years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been the most prominent regulatory agency using QSARs to predict the ecologic effects and environmental fate of chemicals. However, as increasing numbers of standard QSAR methods are developed and validated to predict ecologic effects and environmental fate of chemicals, it is anticipated that more regulatory agencies and authorities will find them to be acceptable alternatives to chemical testing. PMID:12896861

The human factors of color in environmental design: A critical review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wise, Barbara K.; Wise, James A.

1988-01-01

The literature on environmental color to enhance habitability in the design of Space Station interiors is reviewed. Some 200 studies were examined to determine the relative contributions of the three dimensions of color (hue, saturation, and brightness or lightness) to responses to environmental colorations. Implications of the study for color usage in novel settings and locales include: (1) There are no hard-wired linkages between environmental colors and particular judgmental or emotional states; (2) Perceptual impressions of color applications can, however, affect experiences and performances in settings; (3) Color behavior studies cannot yet specify an optimal color scheme, but instead must consider differing objectives, the relative importance of each, and design features such as the coordination of geometry, color, texture, etc.; (4) Some color-behavior effects are governed by low-level retinal and limbal mechanisms as well as by cognitive processes; and (5) Colors should first be specified in terms of what they are to do instead of what they are. Some exercise of choice is therefore needed to establish a sense of personal competence in the setting, since color must be ultimately be accepted by the people who are to live with it.

Environmental policies, politics, and community risk perception: case study of community contamination in Casper, Wyoming.

PubMed

Tajik, Mansoureh; Gottlieb, Karen; Lowndes, Nita; Stewart, Gloria

2007-01-01

We identify and explain factors that affected a community's perception of risk due to extensive industrial contamination and people's distrust of government agencies regarding the environmental investigations. Intrinsic bounded case study methodology was used to conduct research about extensive environmental contaminations due to activities of an oil refinery in North Casper, Wyoming, and the citizens' response. Data were collected from multiple sources that included public testimonies, observations, public hearings and meetings minutes, newspaper articles, archived records obtained from federal and state environmental and health agencies, as well as industry records obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The overarching theme that emerged was lack of trust due to several critical events and factors such as no response or delay in response time to community concerns, lack of transparency, perceived cover up, vague and fragmented communication by government and state officials, perception of pro-industry stance, and perceived unfair treatment. People's perception of environmental risks and their willingness to accept official explanations and outcomes of environmental investigations are strongly affected by their direct experiences with government agencies and the evidence of influence the powerful industries exert over relevant investigations. The government cannot successfully address public and community concerns about environmental health impacts of contaminations and in turn the public perception of risk unless it adopts and implements policies, procedures, and protocols that are clear, timely, transparent, and free from industry influence.

Is climate change an unforeseen, irresistible and external factor - A force majeure in marine environmental law?

PubMed

Saul, Roxanne; Barnes, Richard; Elliott, Michael

2016-12-15

Several environmental laws include provisions on natural causes or force majeure, which except States from their commitments if it can be proven that the failure to meet the commitment is due to factors outside their control. The European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) has a pivotal role in managing EU marine waters. This paper analyses natural causes and force majeure provisions of the MFSD and other marine legislation, and addresses their interaction with climate change and its consequences, especially the effect on the obligation of ensuring seas are in Good Environmental Status. Climate change is an exogenic unmanaged pressure in that it emanates from outside the area being managed but in which the management authority has to respond to the consequences of climate change, such as sea level rise and temperature elevation, rather than its causes. It is suggested that a defence by a Member State of force majeure may be accepted if an event was proven to be due to an externality of control, irresistible and unforeseeable. The analysis contends that countering such a legal defence would centre on the fact that climate change is a well-accepted phenomenon, is foreseen with an accepted level of confidence and probability and is due to human actions. However, as yet, this has not been legally tested. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-Redundancy Draft Sequencing of 15 Clinical and Environmental Burkholderia Strains

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

Environmental Burkholderia Strains 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f...Environmental Burkholderia Strains v Sanghamitra Mukhopadhyay, 1t Maureen K. Thomason, 1t Shannon Lentz, 1 Nichok Nolan, 1 Kristin Willner, 1§ Jay E. Gee...PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Ned/and~, WA 6009, Australia:< Received 20 Au~,rust 2010/Accepted 30 August 2010 The Gram-negative Burkholderia genus

The language of nature matters: we need a more public ecology

Treesearch

Bruce R. Hull; David P. Robertson

2000-01-01

The language we use to describe nature matters. It is used by policy analysts to set goals for ecological restoration and management, by scientists to describe the nature that did, does, or could exist, and by all of us to imagine possible and acceptable conditions of environmental quality. Participants in environmental decision making demand a lot of the language and...

Environmental Assessment of Beale AFB Grazing Lease Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

Beale AFB will use livestock (cattle, sheep and goats ) on its properties throughout the year as needed for the control of noxious weeds, reduction...initiating a wildfire. California Farm Bureau Federation policy recognizes that grazing is the most practical and environmentally acceptable way to...Site Monitoring Well Installation and Annual Targeted Goat Grazing Project, Placer County, California. 21 September 2011.  

Understanding and applying principles of social cognition and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Environmental governance systems are under greater pressure to adapt and to cope with increased social and ecological uncertainty from stressors like climate change. We review principles of social cognition and decision making that shape and constrain how environmental governance systems adapt. We focus primarily on the interplay between key decision makers in society and legal systems. We argue that adaptive governance must overcome three cooperative dilemmas to facilitate adaptation: (1) encouraging collaborative problem solving, (2) garnering social acceptance and commitment, and (3) cultivating a culture of trust and tolerance for change and uncertainty. However, to do so governance systems must cope with biases in people’s decision making that cloud their judgment and create conflict. These systems must also satisfy people’s fundamental needs for self-determination, fairness, and security, ensuring that changes to environmental governance are perceived as legitimate, trustworthy, and acceptable. We discuss the implications of these principles for common governance solutions (e.g., public participation, enforcement) and conclude with methodological recommendations. We outline how scholars can investigate the social cognitive principles involved in cases of adaptive governance. Social-ecological stressors place significant pressure on major societal systems, triggering adaptive reforms in human governance and environmental law. Though potentially benefici

Acceptability and Feasibility of Using a Novel Geospatial Method to Measure Neighborhood Contexts and Mobility Among Transgender Women in New York City

PubMed Central

Goedel, William C.; Reisner, Sari L.; Janssen, Aron C.; Poteat, Tonia C.; Regan, Seann D.; Kreski, Noah T.; Confident, Gladyne; Duncan, Dustin T.

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose: To date, no studies utilizing global positioning system (GPS) technologies to measure mobility and environmental exposures have been conducted among a sample of transgender women despite the potential salient role neighborhood contexts may play in the health of this population. As such, the purpose of this study was to assess the acceptability and feasibility of a weeklong GPS protocol among a sample of transgender women in New York City. Methods: A sample of 14 transgender women residing in the New York City metropolitan area were recruited through community based methods to wear and charge a GPS device for 7 days to measure daily mobility. The acceptability of these methods was assessed using a pre- and postprotocol survey and their feasibility was measured using objective data derived from the GPS device. Pre- and postprotocol survey measures were compared using McNemar's test. Results: Participants reported high ratings of preprotocol acceptability, as well as few concerns regarding safety, appearance, and losing the device, all of which were maintained after completing the protocol. All 14 devices that were distributed were returned. In addition, all 14 participants had GPS data for at least 1 h on 1 day, and nine participants (64.3%) had at least 8 h of GPS data on all days. Conclusion: The findings of this pilot study demonstrate that the GPS methods are both acceptable and feasible among this sample of transgender women. GPS devices may be used in research among transgender women to understand neighborhood determinants of HIV and other STIs. PMID:29082330

Measures and metrics of sustainable diets with a focus on milk, yogurt, and dairy products

PubMed Central

Drewnowski, Adam

2018-01-01

The 4 domains of sustainable diets are nutrition, economics, society, and the environment. To be sustainable, foods and food patterns need to be nutrient-rich, affordable, culturally acceptable, and sparing of natural resources and the environment. Each sustainability domain has its own measures and metrics. Nutrient density of foods has been assessed through nutrient profiling models, such as the Nutrient-Rich Foods family of scores. The Food Affordability Index, applied to different food groups, has measured both calories and nutrients per penny (kcal/$). Cultural acceptance measures have been based on relative food consumption frequencies across population groups. Environmental impact of individual foods and composite food patterns has been measured in terms of land, water, and energy use. Greenhouse gas emissions assess the carbon footprint of agricultural food production, processing, and retail. Based on multiple sustainability metrics, milk, yogurt, and other dairy products can be described as nutrient-rich, affordable, acceptable, and appealing. The environmental impact of dairy farming needs to be weighed against the high nutrient density of milk, yogurt, and cheese as compared with some plant-based alternatives. PMID:29206982

A qualitative study of community perception and acceptance of biological larviciding for malaria mosquito control in rural Burkina Faso.

PubMed

Dambach, Peter; Jorge, Margarida Mendes; Traoré, Issouf; Phalkey, Revati; Sawadogo, Hélène; Zabré, Pascal; Kagoné, Moubassira; Sié, Ali; Sauerborn, Rainer; Becker, Norbert; Beiersmann, Claudia

2018-03-23

Vector and malaria parasite's rising resistance against pyrethroid-impregnated bed nets and antimalarial drugs highlight the need for additional control measures. Larviciding against malaria vectors is experiencing a renaissance with the availability of environmentally friendly and target species-specific larvicides. In this study, we analyse the perception and acceptability of spraying surface water collections with the biological larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis in a single health district in Burkina Faso. A total of 12 focus group discussions and 12 key informant interviews were performed in 10 rural villages provided with coverage of various larvicide treatments (all breeding sites treated, the most productive breeding sites treated, and untreated control). Respondents' knowledge about the major risk factors for malaria transmission was generally good. Most interviewees stated they performed personal protective measures against vector mosquitoes including the use of bed nets and sometimes mosquito coils and traditional repellents. The acceptance of larviciding in and around the villages was high and the majority of respondents reported a relief in mosquito nuisance and malarial episodes. There was high interest in the project and demand for future continuation. This study showed that larviciding interventions received positive resonance from the population. People showed a willingness to be involved and financially support the program. The positive environment with high acceptance for larviciding programs would facilitate routine implementation. An essential factor for the future success of such programs would be inclusion in regional or national malaria control guidelines.

Thematic mapper flight model preshipment review data package. Volume 4: Appendix. Part B: Scan mirror assembly data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Data from the thematic mapper scan mirror assembly (SMA) acceptance test are presented. Documentation includes: (1) a list of the acceptance test discrepancies; (2) flight 1 SMA test data book; (3) flight 1 SMA environmental report; (4) the configuration verification index; (5) the flight 1 SMA test failure reports; (6) the flight 1 data tapes log; and (7) the requests for deviation/waivers.

Conception et validation d'un modele d'analyse et de suivi pour une politique energetique durable et acceptable de l'energie eolienne: Une etude comparative France-Quebec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feurtey, Evariste

In this research, we built a conceptual model of a sustainable and acceptable wind power policy that we tried to validate through the case study of France and Quebec in the wind energy sector. Our qualitative and comparative approach helps us to illustrate the interaction of institutional variables studied, including the national context of emergence, the balance of power between pressure groups, the supranational and exogenous influences, level of political commitment, policy and regulatory instruments, social acceptance and energy policy mechanisms. The research confirms that the neo-corporatism is present in France as in Quebec. With the unfavorable energy context (low cost of electricity tariff, lack of electricity demand, and an already low zero carbon electric mix), it is an important factor explaining : 1) the 20 years delay accumulated by France and Quebec in the development of wind projects or industrial sector; 2) the 10% limited penetration scale given to wind energy. We also demonstrate that the political commitment to develop wind energy fluctuates with the government majority, the energy context or the influence of pressure groups. This manifests itself in a lack of continuity of policies and tariff instruments used. In both national case studies, the results also show that balanced policies and regulations ensure sustainable development of wind energy only if they allow a sufficient market size. The search results also illustrates that the conceptual division made between acceptance of wind sector, acceptance of ownership, local acceptance is very instructive. Social controversies, though multifactorial, are connected to both a critique of the development model too industrial and private, territorial dilemmas (closed environment), energy context (electric surplus in Quebec), or related to strategic planning system and centralized decision. An important issue for a more acceptable wind policy in the future will come to a greater plurality of ownership, variety of wind projects scale, diversity of financial support mechanisms. This transformation to a more territorial policy that require renewables also calls for decentralization and ecological modernization of institutions. Sustainable and acceptable energy policy requires obtaining a stabilized consensus on the long-term energy mix, which should be done by a comprehensive energy and public debate upstream the development of energy policy. Keywords: energy policy, social acceptance, wind energy, environmental assessment, components, interactions.

Sulfide tails management within the framework of sustainable development in mineral sand mines--the case study of Sierra Rutile Ltd.

PubMed

Kallon, Senesie B; Jabati, Ansu M; Samura, Alusine

2011-01-01

The study discussed here assessed Sierra Rutile Ltd.'s (SRLs) water-cover sulfide tails management method. Monthly and quarterly water samples from SRLs Sulfide Tails Pond (STP), Total Tails Pond (TTP), and the Titan Domestic Pond (TDP) were analyzed for 15 months. Results indicated acceptable quality for the STP. From Student's t-test analysis, it was found that the mean pH of the TTP was significantly lower than that of the TDP (p < .05). Results did not indicate pollution of the TDP by SRLs tailings management. The water-cover method significantly suppressed sulfide oxidation in the STP. Concerns to be addressed, however, include potential overtopping of the pond, water level fluctuations, and the need for periodic reinforcement of the tailings embankments. A dedicated environmental monitoring campaign that includes other proximate water bodies is suggested; this should inform timely mitigation of any environmental contamination and promote sound environmental and public health outcomes.

45 CFR 96.136 - Independent peer review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... technology, resources, and patient/client circumstances, will meet accepted standards and practices which... approach to addictions treatment, and must be sensitive to the cultural and environmental issues that may...

Social Determinants of Health in Environmental Justice Communities: Examining Cumulative Risk in Terms of Environmental Exposures and Social Determinants of Health

PubMed Central

Prochaska, John D.; Nolen, Alexandra B.; Kelley, Hilton; Sexton, Ken; Linder, Stephen H.; Sullivan, John

2014-01-01

Residents of environmental justice (EJ) communities may bear a disproportionate burden of environmental health risk, and often face additional burdens from social determinants of health. Accounting for cumulative risk should include measures of risk from both environmental sources and social determinants. This study sought to better understand cumulative health risk from both social and environmental sources in a disadvantaged community in Texas. Key outcomes were determining what data are currently available for this assessment, clarifying data needs, identifying data gaps, and considering how those gaps could be filled. Analyses suggested that the traditionally defined EJ community in Port Arthur may have a lower environmental risk from air toxics than the rest of the City of Port Arthur (although the entire city has a higher risk than the average for the state), but may have a larger burden from social determinants of health. However, the results should be interpreted in light of the availability of data, the definitions of community boundaries, and the areal unit utilized. Continued focus on environmental justice communities and the cumulative risks faced by their residents is critical to protecting these residents and, ultimately, moving towards a more equitable distribution and acceptable level of risk throughout society. PMID:24771993

Social Determinants of Health in Environmental Justice Communities: Examining Cumulative Risk in Terms of Environmental Exposures and Social Determinants of Health.

PubMed

Prochaska, John D; Nolen, Alexandra B; Kelley, Hilton; Sexton, Ken; Linder, Stephen H; Sullivan, John

2014-01-01

Residents of environmental justice (EJ) communities may bear a disproportionate burden of environmental health risk, and often face additional burdens from social determinants of health. Accounting for cumulative risk should include measures of risk from both environmental sources and social determinants. This study sought to better understand cumulative health risk from both social and environmental sources in a disadvantaged community in Texas. Key outcomes were determining what data are currently available for this assessment, clarifying data needs, identifying data gaps, and considering how those gaps could be filled. Analyses suggested that the traditionally defined EJ community in Port Arthur may have a lower environmental risk from air toxics than the rest of the City of Port Arthur (although the entire city has a higher risk than the average for the state), but may have a larger burden from social determinants of health. However, the results should be interpreted in light of the availability of data, the definitions of community boundaries, and the areal unit utilized. Continued focus on environmental justice communities and the cumulative risks faced by their residents is critical to protecting these residents and, ultimately, moving towards a more equitable distribution and acceptable level of risk throughout society.

Personalized Exposure Assessment: Promising Approaches for Human Environmental Health Research

PubMed Central

Weis, Brenda K.; Balshaw, David; Barr, John R.; Brown, David; Ellisman, Mark; Lioy, Paul; Omenn, Gilbert; Potter, John D.; Smith, Martyn T.; Sohn, Lydia; Suk, William A.; Sumner, Susan; Swenberg, James; Walt, David R.; Watkins, Simon; Thompson, Claudia; Wilson, Samuel H.

2005-01-01

New technologies and methods for assessing human exposure to chemicals, dietary and lifestyle factors, infectious agents, and other stressors provide an opportunity to extend the range of human health investigations and advance our understanding of the relationship between environmental exposure and disease. An ad hoc Committee on Environmental Exposure Technology Development was convened to identify new technologies and methods for deriving personalized exposure measurements for application to environmental health studies. The committee identified a “toolbox” of methods for measuring external (environmental) and internal (biologic) exposure and assessing human behaviors that influence the likelihood of exposure to environmental agents. The methods use environmental sensors, geographic information systems, biologic sensors, toxicogenomics, and body burden (biologic) measurements. We discuss each of the methods in relation to current use in human health research; specific gaps in the development, validation, and application of the methods are highlighted. We also present a conceptual framework for moving these technologies into use and acceptance by the scientific community. The framework focuses on understanding complex human diseases using an integrated approach to exposure assessment to define particular exposure–disease relationships and the interaction of genetic and environmental factors in disease occurrence. Improved methods for exposure assessment will result in better means of monitoring and targeting intervention and prevention programs. PMID:16002370

Market study: Biological isolation garment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The biological isolation garment was originally designed for Apollo astronauts to wear upon their return to earth from the moon to avoid the possibility of their contaminating the environment. The concept has been adapted for medical use to protect certain patients from environmental contamination and the risk of infection. The nature and size of the anticipated market are examined with certain findings and conclusions relative to clinical acceptability and potential commercial viability of the biological isolation garment.

Microbial Impact on Success of Human Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierson, Duane L.; Ott, C. Mark; Groves, T. O.; Paloski, W. H. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The purpose of this study is to identify microbiological risks associated with space exploration and identify potential countermeasures available. Identification of microbial risks associated with space habitation requires knowledge of the sources and expected types of microbial agents. Crew data along with environmental data from water, surfaces, air, and free condensate are utilized in risk examination. Data from terrestrial models are also used. Microbial risks to crew health include bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses. Adverse effects of microbes include: infections, allergic reactions, toxin production, release of volatiles, food spoilage, plant disease, material degradation, and environmental contamination. Risk is difficult to assess because of unknown potential changes in microbes (e.g., mutation) and the human host (e.g., immune changes). Prevention of adverse microbial impacts is preferred over remediation. Preventative measures include engineering measures (e.g., air filtration), crew microbial screening, acceptability standards, and active verification by onboard monitoring. Microbiological agents are important risks to human health and performance during space flight and risks increase with mission duration. Acceptable risk level must be defined. Prevention must be given high priority. Careful screening of crewmembers and payloads is an important element of any risk mitigation plan. Improved quantitation of microbiological risks is a high priority.

Harmonization of good laboratory practice requirements and laboratory accreditation programs.

PubMed

Royal, P D

1994-09-01

Efforts to harmonize Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) requirements have been underway through the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) since 1981. In 1985, a GLP panel was established to facilitate the practical implementation of the OECD/GLP program. Through the OECD/GLP program, Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) agreements which foster requirements for reciprocal data and study acceptance and unified GLP standards have been developed among member countries. Three OECD Consensus Workshops and three inspectors training workshops have been held. In concert with these efforts, several OECD countries have developed GLP accreditation programs, managed by local health and environmental ministries. In addition, Canada and the United States are investigating Laboratory Accreditation programs for environmental monitoring assessment and GLP-regulated studies. In the European Community (EC), the need for quality standards specifying requirements for production and international trade has promoted International Standards Organization (ISO) certification for certain products. ISO-9000 standards identify requirements for certification of quality systems. These certification programs may affect the trade and market of laboratories conducting GLP studies. Two goals identified by these efforts are common to both programs: first, harmonization and recognition of requirements, and second, confidence in the rigor of program components used to assess the integrity of data produced and study activities. This confidence can be promoted, in part, through laboratory inspection and screening processes. However, the question remains, will data produced by sanctioned laboratories be mutually accepted on an international basis?(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Perception of Obesity in African-American and Arab-American Minority Groups.

PubMed

McClelland, Molly L; Weekes, Carmon V N; Bazzi, Hussein; Warwinsky, Joshua; Abouarabi, Wassim; Snell, Felicia; Salamey, Tarick

2016-03-01

Effectiveness of health education programs and interventions, designed to improve obesity rates, may vary according to perceptions of health within cultural groups. A qualitative approach was used. Two minority cultural groups (Arab-American and African-American) living in the same county were studied to compare perceptions of health, nutrition, and obesity and subsequent health behaviors. Control, expectations, bias, acceptance, and access were the five themes identified. Arab-Americans that had lower weights, lower prevalence of chronic diseases, expected healthy weights, reported age and gender bias related to being overweight were not as accepting of being overweight and did not report difficulties in accessing healthy food choices compared to their African-American counterparts. Health interventions aimed at reducing obesity rates and related chronic diseases should be culturally specific and aimed at changing expected and accepted cultural norms. Cultural group's void of certain disease states should be studied and used as models to ameliorate the problem in other cultures. Changing health behaviors within a certain cultural group may produce better outcomes when initiated from a member of that same group. The impact of economic and environmental factors on health behaviors must also be considered.

An investigation into waste charges in Ireland, with emphasis on public acceptability.

PubMed

Dunne, Louise; Convery, Frank J; Gallagher, Louise

2008-12-01

There are 34 local authorities in Ireland with legal responsibility to deal with waste arising in their jurisdictions. In 2003 the National government introduced legislation that allows local authorities to recover the costs of waste collection and disposal, and to do so by 'executive function', i.e., not requiring support or agreement by the relevant local political representatives. The year 2005 was set as the date by which implementation of a pay by weight or volume was to be introduced. The local authorities were given autonomy as to how they addressed this challenge, so we have - in theory - 34 potentially different experiences from which to learn. This paper examines the pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) waste system in Ireland as it develops in line with EU and National demands, with a view to assessing economic and environmental efficiency. All local authorities were surveyed and thirteen responded. While this only represents about 38% of the total number, it includes jurisdictions that contribute in total more than 50% of waste arising. Key figures in the policy and business community were also interviewed in order to identify how the charging schemes were implemented, and to what effect. These insights and parallel investigations are used to review the potential for problems regarding public acceptability of environmental taxes and examine the evidence for economic and environmental efficiency, as well as problem areas, using data from each of the responding local authority jurisdictions. Concentrating on the incentives and drivers across households, municipalities and private waste contractors, the variations in charging system, annual charges and landfill charges are compared where information was available. The various jurisdictions are also examined in terms of relative successes and problems encountered in the transition from fixed charge or free waste collection to PAYT systems. The Irish situation is placed in the context of the international literature on PAYT, the growing waste crisis, environmental attitudes vs. behaviours, and the acceptability of environmental taxes generally.

Environmental acceptability of high-performance alternatives for depleted uranium penetrators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kerley, C.R.; Easterly, C.E.; Eckerman, K.F.

1996-08-01

The Army`s environmental strategy for investigating material substitution and management is to measure system environmental gains/losses in all phases of the material management life cycle from cradle to grave. This study is the first in a series of new investigations, applying material life cycle concepts, to evaluate whether there are environmental benefits from increasing the use of tungsten as an alternative to depleted uranium (DU) in Kinetic Energy Penetrators (KEPs). Current military armor penetrators use DU and tungsten as base materials. Although DU alloys have provided the highest performance of any high-density alloy deployed against enemy heavy armor, its low-levelmore » radioactivity poses a number of environmental risks. These risks include exposures to the military and civilian population from inhalation, ingestion, and injection of particles. Depleted uranium is well known to be chemically toxic (kidney toxicity), and workplace exposure levels are based on its renal toxicity. Waste materials containing DU fragments are classified as low-level radioactive waste and are regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. These characteristics of DU do not preclude its use in KEPs. However, long-term management challenges associated with KEP deployment and improved public perceptions about environmental risks from military activities might be well served by a serious effort to identify, develop, and substitute alternative materials that meet performance objectives and involve fewer environmental risks. Tungsten, a leading candidate base material for KEPS, is potentially such a material because it is not radioactive. Tungsten is less well studied, however, with respect to health impacts and other environmental risks. The present study is designed to contribute to the understanding of the environmental behavior of tungsten by synthesizing available information that is relevant to its potential use as a penetrator.« less

Oil shale development and its environmental considerations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, R.T.; Johnson, H.; Decora, A.

1974-01-01

The petroleum shortage recently experienced by many nations throughout the world has created an intense interest in obtaining new and supplemental energy sources. In the United States, this interest has been centered on oil shale. Any major action by the federal government having significant environmental effects requires compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Since most oil shale is found on federal lands, and since its development involves significant environmental impacts, leasing oil shale lands to private interests must be in compliance with NEPA. For oil shale, program planning began at approximately the same time that NEPA was signed into law. By structuring the program to permit a resource and technological inventory by industry and the federal agencies, the Department of the Interior was able simultaneously to conduct the environmental assessments required by the act. This required: 1. Clearly defined program objections; 2. An organization which could integrate public policy with diverse scientific disciplines and environmental concerns; and 3. Flexible decisionmaking to adjust to policy changes as well as to evolving interpretations on EPA as clarified by court decisions. This paper outlines the program, the organization structure that was created for this specific task, and the environmental concerns which were investigated. The success of the program has been demonstrated by meeting the requirements of NEPA, without court challenge, and by industry's acceptance of a leasing program that included the most stringent environmental protection provisions ever required. The need for energy development has spurred the acceptance of the program. However, by its awareness and willingness to meet the environmental challenges of the future, industry has shown a reasonable understanding of its commitments. The pros and cons of development were publicly considered in hearings and analyzed in the final environmental statement. This action aided greatly in preventing legal challenges. The prototype oil shale program is now under way and this new energy source, developed with strict environmental safeguards, may soon be available to our nation.

78 FR 54868 - New England Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-06

... the Omnibus Essential Fish Habitat Amendment Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) based on... year 2014. The Scientific and Statistical Committee will report on its acceptable biological catch (ABC...

“You have to hunt for the fruits, the vegetables”: Environmental Barriers and Adaptive Strategies to Acquire Food in a Low-Income African-American Neighborhood

PubMed Central

Zenk, Shannon N.; Odoms-Young, Angela; Dallas, Constance; Hardy, Elaine; Watkins, April; Hoskins-Wroten, Jacqueline; Holland, Loys

2013-01-01

This qualitative study sought to understand food acquisition behaviors and environmental factors that influence those behaviors among women in a low-income African American community with limited food resources. We drew upon in-depth interviews with 30 women ages 21 to 45 recruited from a community health center in Chicago, Illinois. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Emergent themes revealed that women identified multiple environmental barriers—material, economic, and social-interactional—to acquiring food in an acceptable setting. In response, they engaged in several adaptive strategies to manage or alter these challenges including optimizing, settling, being proactive, and advocating. These findings indicate that efforts to improve neighborhood food environments should address not only food availability and prices, but also the physical and social environments of stores as well. PMID:21511955

Smoking at the workplace: Effects of genetic and environmental causal accounts on attitudes towards smoking employees and restrictive policies

PubMed Central

Dar-Nimrod, Ilan; Zuckerman, Miron; Duberstein, Paul

2014-01-01

People hold diverse beliefs regarding the etiologies of individual and group differences in behaviors which, in turn, might affect their attitudes and behaviors. It is important to establish how perceived etiologies for smoking might affect the effectiveness of policy initiatives and prevention efforts. The present study assessed whether exposure to genetic vs. environmental accounts for smoking affects attitudes towards a) workplace-related smoking policies and b) smokers at the workplace. Results indicate that exposure to a genetic explanation led to stronger objections to a smoking restrictive policy compared with a non-genetic explanation. Additionally, participants in the genetic condition were more accepting of a smoker in the workplace than in the environmental condition. Evidently, beliefs about the etiology of smoking influence a range of attitudes related to smokers and smoking related policies. PMID:25530710

Sustainable remediation of mercury contaminated soils by thermal desorption.

PubMed

Sierra, María J; Millán, Rocio; López, Félix A; Alguacil, Francisco J; Cañadas, Inmaculada

2016-03-01

Mercury soil contamination is an important environmental problem that needs the development of sustainable and efficient decontamination strategies. This work is focused on the application of a remediation technique that maintains soil ecological and environmental services to the extent possible as well as search for alternative sustainable land uses. Controlled thermal desorption using a solar furnace at pilot scale was applied to different types of soils, stablishing the temperature necessary to assure the functionality of these soils and avoid the Hg exchange to the other environmental compartments. Soil mercury content evolution (total, soluble, and exchangeable) as temperature increases and induced changes in selected soil quality indicators are studied and assessed. On total Hg, the temperature at which it is reduced until acceptable levels depends on the intended soil use and on how restrictive are the regulations. For commercial, residential, or industrial uses, soil samples should be heated to temperatures higher than 280 °C, at which more than 80 % of the total Hg is released, reaching the established legal total Hg level and avoiding eventual risks derived from high available Hg concentrations. For agricultural use or soil natural preservation, conversely, maintenance of acceptable levels of soil quality limit heating temperatures, and additional treatments must be considered to reduce available Hg. Besides total Hg concentration in soils, available Hg should be considered to make final decisions on remediation treatments and potential future uses. Graphical Abstract Solar energy use for remediation of soils affected by mercury.

Use and acceptance of long lasting insecticidal net screens for dengue prevention in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico.

PubMed

Jones, Catrin H; Benítez-Valladares, David; Guillermo-May, Guillermo; Dzul-Manzanilla, Felipe; Che-Mendoza, Azael; Barrera-Pérez, Mario; Selem-Salas, Celia; Chablé-Santos, Juan; Sommerfeld, Johannes; Kroeger, Axel; O'Dempsey, Timothy; Medina-Barreiro, Anuar; Manrique-Saide, Pablo

2014-08-14

Dengue, recognized by the WHO as the most important mosquito-borne viral disease in the world, is a growing problem. Currently, the only effective way of preventing dengue is vector control. Standard methods have shown limited effect, and there have been calls to develop new integrated vector management approaches. One novel tool, protecting houses with long lasting insecticidal screens on doors and windows, is being trialled in a cluster randomised controlled trial by a joint UADY/WHO TDR/IDRC study in various districts of Acapulco, Mexico, with exceptionally high levels of crime and insecurity.This study investigated the community's perspectives of long lasting insecticidal screens on doors and windows in homes and in schools, in order to ascertain their acceptability, to identify challenges to further implementation and opportunities for future improvements. This was a sequential mixed-methods study. The quantitative arm contained a satisfaction survey administered to 288 houses that had received the intervention examining their perspectives of both the intervention and dengue prevention in general. The qualitative arm consisted of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with those who had accepted the intervention and key informant interviews with: schoolteachers to discuss the use of the screens in schools, program staff, and community members who had refused the intervention. Overall satisfaction and acceptance of the screens was very high, with only some operational and technical complaints relating to screen fragility and the installation process. However, the wider social context of urban violence and insecurity was a major barrier to screen acceptance. Lack of information dissemination and community collaboration were identified as project weaknesses. The screens are widely accepted by the population, but the project implementation could be improved by reassuring the community of its legitimacy in the context of insecurity. More community engagement and better information sharing structures are needed.The screens could be a major new dengue prevention tool suitable for widespread use, if further research supports their entomological and epidemiological effectiveness and their acceptability in different social and environmental contexts. Further research is needed looking at the impact of insecurity of dengue prevention programmes.

Designer carbon nanotubes for contaminant removal in water and wastewater: A critical review.

PubMed

Sarkar, Binoy; Mandal, Sanchita; Tsang, Yiu Fai; Kumar, Pawan; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Ok, Yong Sik

2018-01-15

The search for effective materials for environmental cleanup is a scientific and technological issue of paramount importance. Among various materials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess unique physicochemical, electrical, and mechanical properties that make them suitable for potential applications as environmental adsorbents, sensors, membranes, and catalysts. Depending on the intended application and the chemical nature of the target contaminants, CNTs can be designed through specific functionalization or modification processes. Designer CNTs can remarkably enhance contaminant removal efficiency and facilitate nanomaterial recovery and regeneration. An increasing number of CNT-based materials have been used to treat diverse organic, inorganic, and biological contaminants. These success stories demonstrate their strong potential in practical applications, including wastewater purification and desalination. However, CNT-based technologies have not been broadly accepted for commercial use due to their prohibitive cost and the complex interactions of CNTs with other abiotic and biotic environmental components. This paper presents a critical review of the existing literature on the interaction of various contaminants with CNTs in water and soil environments. The preparation methods of various designer CNTs (surface functionalized and/or modified) and the functional relationships between their physicochemical characteristics and environmental uses are discussed. This review will also help to identify the research gaps that must be addressed for enhancing the commercial acceptance of CNTs in the environmental remediation industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of Bayesian networks in a hierarchical structure for environmental risk assessment: a case study of the Gabric Dam, Iran.

PubMed

Malekmohammadi, Bahram; Tayebzadeh Moghadam, Negar

2018-04-13

Environmental risk assessment (ERA) is a commonly used, effective tool applied to reduce adverse effects of environmental risk factors. In this study, ERA was investigated using the Bayesian network (BN) model based on a hierarchical structure of variables in an influence diagram (ID). ID facilitated ranking of the different alternatives under uncertainty that were then used to evaluate comparisons of the different risk factors. BN was used to present a new model for ERA applicable to complicated development projects such as dam construction. The methodology was applied to the Gabric Dam, in southern Iran. The main environmental risk factors in the region, presented by the Gabric Dam, were identified based on the Delphi technique and specific features of the study area. These included the following: flood, water pollution, earthquake, changes in land use, erosion and sedimentation, effects on the population, and ecosensitivity. These risk factors were then categorized based on results from the output decision node of the BN, including expected utility values for risk factors in the decision node. ERA was performed for the Gabric Dam using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method to compare results of BN modeling with those of conventional methods. Results determined that a BN-based hierarchical structure to ERA present acceptable and reasonable risk assessment prioritization in proposing suitable solutions to reduce environmental risks and can be used as a powerful decision support system for evaluating environmental risks.

76 FR 20071 - Environmental Impact Statement: Oakland and Genesee Counties, MI

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-11

... pavement rehabilitation projects, safety improvement projects, intersection operation projects, and... when the narrow boulevard was found to be equal from a traffic standpoint and acceptable from a design...

Evaluating and operationalizing an environmental auditing program: a pilot study.

PubMed

Gordon, Laura; Bruce, Natalie; Suh, Kathryn N; Roth, Virginia

2014-07-01

Environmental auditing is an important tool to ensure consistent and effective cleaning. Our pilot study compared an alcohol-based fluorescent marking product and an adenosine-5'-triphosphate bioluminescence product for use in an environmental auditing program to determine which product was more practical and acceptable to users. Both products were tested on 15 preselected high touch objects in randomly selected patient rooms, following regular daily cleaning. A room was considered a "pass" if ≥80% of surfaces were adequately cleaned as defined by manufacturers' guidelines. A qualitative survey assessed user preference and operational considerations. Using fluorescent marking, 9 of 37 patient rooms evaluated (24%) were considered a "pass" after daily cleaning. Using adenosine-5'-triphosphate bioluminescence, 21 of 37 patient rooms passed (57%). There was great variability in results between different high touch objects. Eighty percent of users preferred the alcohol-based fluorescent marking product because it provided an effective visual aid to coach staff on proper cleaning techniques and allowed simple and consistent application. Environmental auditing using translucent, alcohol-based fluorescent marking best met the requirements of our organization. Our results reinforce the importance of involving a multidisciplinary team in evaluating and operationalizing an environmental auditing program. Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental impacts caused by cemeteries and crematoria, new funeral technologies, and preferences of the Northeastern and Southern Brazilian population as for the funeral process.

PubMed

da Cruz, Nicholas Joseph Tavares; Lezana, Álvaro Guillermo Rojas; Freire Dos Santos, Paulo da Cruz; Santana Pinto, Ibsen Mateus Bittencourt; Zancan, Claudio; Silva de Souza, Gustavo Henrique

2017-11-01

Cemeteries and crematoria are the main funeral ways used in the world nowadays. It is a little-studied segment in the present days, mainly as for the possible environmental impacts in the environment, such as those derived from dental amalgam, prostheses, and dioxins, among other. This article aimed to identify the environmental impacts caused by cemeteries and crematoria and to point out new trends in funeral processes such as freeze-drying and alkaline hydrolysis. The study is justified due to the large part of the Brazilian population that do not know the environmental impacts caused by cemeteries and crematoria, as well as to bring information about the new processes. For that, a research was carried out with 400 people. The main results show that among all the funeral processes, the new freeze-drying process was opted by 33% of the sample. We also identified that the main reasons for choosing the funeral process were less environmental impact (28%), no after-death expenses (grave payment) (16.1%), and the possibility of putting away or throwing away the remains wherever you want (14.9%). Finally, new funeral processes were well accepted by the Brazilian population-those who were interviewed-due to their benefits.

The Social Acceptance of Community Solar: A Portland Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weaver, Anne

Community solar is a renewable energy practice that's been adopted by multiple U.S. states and is being considered by many more, including the state of Oregon. A recent senate bill in Oregon, called the "Clean Electricity and Coal Transition Plan", includes a provision that directs the Oregon Public Utility Commission to establish a community solar program for investor-owned utilities by late 2017. Thus, energy consumers in Portland will be offered participation in community solar projects in the near future. Community solar is a mechanism that allows ratepayers to experience both the costs and benefits of solar energy while also helping to offset the proportion of fossil-fuel generated electricity in utility grids, thus aiding climate change mitigation. For community solar to achieve market success in the residential sector of Portland, ratepayers of investor-owned utilities must socially accept this energy practice. The aim of this study was to forecast the potential social acceptance of community solar among Portland residents by measuring willingness to participate in these projects. Additionally, consumer characteristics, attitudes, awareness, and knowledge were captured to assess the influence of these factors on intent to enroll in community solar. The theory of planned behavior, as well as the social acceptance, diffusion of innovation, and dual-interest theories were frameworks used to inform the analysis of community solar adoption. These research objectives were addressed through a mixed-mode survey of Portland residents, using a stratified random sample of Portland neighborhoods to acquire a gradient of demographics. 330 questionnaires were completed, yielding a 34.2% response rate. Descriptive statistics, binomial logistic regression models, and mean willingness to pay were the analyses conducted to measure the influence of project factors and demographic characteristics on likelihood of community solar participation. Roughly 60% of respondents exhibited interest in community solar enrollment. The logistic regression model revealed the percent change in utility bill (essentially the rate of return on the community solar investment) as a dramatically influential variable predicting willingness to participate. Community solar project scenarios also had a strong influence on willingness to participate: larger, cheaper, and distant projects were preferred over small and expensive local projects. Results indicate that community solar project features that accentuate affordability are most important to energy consumers. Additionally, demographic characteristics that were strongly correlated with willingness to enroll were politically liberal ideologies, higher incomes, current enrollment in green utility programs, and membership in an environmental organization. Thus, the market acceptance of community solar in Portland will potentially be broadened by emphasizing affordability over other features, such as community and locality. Additionally, I explored attitudinal influences on interest in community solar by conducting exploratory factor analysis on attitudes towards energy, climate change, and solar barriers and subsequently conducting binomial logistic regression models. Results found that perceiving renewable energy as environmentally beneficial was positively correlated with intent to enroll in community solar, which supported the notion that environmental attitudes will lead to environmental behaviors. The logistic regression model also revealed a negative correlation between community solar interest and negative attitudes towards renewable energy. Perceptions of solar barriers were mild, indicating that lack of an enabling mechanism may be the reason solar continues to be underutilized in this region.

Spatial heterogeneity of the relationships between environmental characteristics and active commuting: towards a locally varying social ecological model.

PubMed

Feuillet, Thierry; Charreire, Hélène; Menai, Mehdi; Salze, Paul; Simon, Chantal; Dugas, Julien; Hercberg, Serge; Andreeva, Valentina A; Enaux, Christophe; Weber, Christiane; Oppert, Jean-Michel

2015-03-25

According to the social ecological model of health-related behaviors, it is now well accepted that environmental factors influence habitual physical activity. Most previous studies on physical activity determinants have assumed spatial homogeneity across the study area, i.e. that the association between the environment and physical activity is the same whatever the location. The main novelty of our study was to explore geographical variation in the relationships between active commuting (walking and cycling to/from work) and residential environmental characteristics. 4,164 adults from the ongoing Nutrinet-Santé web-cohort, residing in and around Paris, France, were studied using a geographically weighted Poisson regression (GWPR) model. Objective environmental variables, including both the built and the socio-economic characteristics around the place of residence of individuals, were assessed by GIS-based measures. Perceived environmental factors (index including safety, aesthetics, and pollution) were reported by questionnaires. Our results show that the influence of the overall neighborhood environment appeared to be more pronounced in the suburban southern part of the study area (Val-de-Marne) compared to Paris inner city, whereas more complex patterns were found elsewhere. Active commuting was positively associated with the built environment only in the southern and northeastern parts of the study area, whereas positive associations with the socio-economic environment were found only in some specific locations in the southern and northern parts of the study area. Similar local variations were observed for the perceived environmental variables. These results suggest that: (i) when applied to active commuting, the social ecological conceptual framework should be locally nuanced, and (ii) local rather than global targeting of public health policies might be more efficient in promoting active commuting.

Developmental and Environmental Influences on Young Children’s Vegetable Preferences and Consumption123

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Food intake patterns begin to be shaped at the earliest points in life. Early exposures and experiences are critical for the acceptance of some foods, particularly healthful foods such as vegetables, which often have a bitter component in their flavor profiles. In addition to repeated exposure to these foods, the quality and emotional tone of parent-child interactions are important in facilitating children’s acceptance of vegetables. During early childhood, parents are challenged by children’s developmental characteristics related to eating, such as the emergence of child neophobia, and by individual characteristics of the child that are more biologically based, including genetic predispositions to bitter taste and sensory sensitivities. Experimental studies consistently show that repeated exposure to novel and rejected familiar foods is the most powerful method to improve acceptance. However, the manner and persistence with which these exposures are performed are critical. Research investigating influences on children’s vegetable acceptance and ingestion has focused on associations among availability, parent intakes, child neophobia, and the parental feeding response to children’s reluctance to try and consume vegetables. Because young children’s dietary intakes are low and below dietary recommendations, investigations have focused more on factors that impede children’s vegetable acceptance, such as controlling feeding practices, than on positive influences. Research that addresses the multifaceted nature of these interactions among different levels of social-ecological environment, individual traits, parental feeding styles and practices, and socioeconomic influences and that uses longitudinal designs and complex statistical approaches is called for to ascertain more effective methods to improve children’s vegetable acceptance. PMID:26773030

Developmental and Environmental Influences on Young Children's Vegetable Preferences and Consumption.

PubMed

Johnson, Susan L

2016-01-01

Food intake patterns begin to be shaped at the earliest points in life. Early exposures and experiences are critical for the acceptance of some foods, particularly healthful foods such as vegetables, which often have a bitter component in their flavor profiles. In addition to repeated exposure to these foods, the quality and emotional tone of parent-child interactions are important in facilitating children's acceptance of vegetables. During early childhood, parents are challenged by children's developmental characteristics related to eating, such as the emergence of child neophobia, and by individual characteristics of the child that are more biologically based, including genetic predispositions to bitter taste and sensory sensitivities. Experimental studies consistently show that repeated exposure to novel and rejected familiar foods is the most powerful method to improve acceptance. However, the manner and persistence with which these exposures are performed are critical. Research investigating influences on children's vegetable acceptance and ingestion has focused on associations among availability, parent intakes, child neophobia, and the parental feeding response to children's reluctance to try and consume vegetables. Because young children's dietary intakes are low and below dietary recommendations, investigations have focused more on factors that impede children's vegetable acceptance, such as controlling feeding practices, than on positive influences. Research that addresses the multifaceted nature of these interactions among different levels of social-ecological environment, individual traits, parental feeding styles and practices, and socioeconomic influences and that uses longitudinal designs and complex statistical approaches is called for to ascertain more effective methods to improve children's vegetable acceptance. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Comparison of DOE and Army Advisory Boards: Application of a Conceptual Framework for Evaluating Public Participation in Environmental Risk Decision Making

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Branch, Kristi M.; Bradbury, Judith A.

This article is part of a growing body of literature evaluating public participation approaches and implementation efforts. It compares the characteristics and performance of citizen advisory boards established by the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Program (DOE/EM) and by the U.S. Department of Defense's Army (DoD/Army) as a major part of the public participation programs that were undertaken to help the agencies plan and implement the cleanup of their contaminated installations. We first present the elements of the Acceptability Diamond, an evaluative framework developed by the authors through extensive fieldwork on public-federal agency interactions that identifymore » five objectives of agency/public interactions and public participation programs, and link them to existing literature. We then use the Acceptability Diamond as a basis for comparing the performance of the DOE/EM and DoD/Army advisory boards. In the early 1990s, both DOE and DoD participated in the Federal Facilities Environmental Restoration Dialogue Committee (known as the FFER Dialogue Committee) and were influenced by the Committee's recommendations on public participation. However, the Site Specific Advisory Boards (SSABs) subsequently established by DOE/EM and the Restoration Advisory Boards (RABs) subsequently established by DoD and the Army were governed by significantly different policies and management. We describe some of these key differences and compare the performance of the SSABs and RABs. The article draws on a series of research studies conducted by the authors on the DOE/EM public participation program from its inception in the early 1990s through its transition to accelerated cleanup in 2002 and also on a recently completed study of seven Army RABs.« less

"It's not really worth my while": understanding contextual factors contributing to decisions to participate in community aphasia groups.

PubMed

Lanyon, Lucette; Worrall, Linda; Rose, Miranda

2018-01-10

Community aphasia groups represent a formalised opportunity for social participation. The potential barriers and facilitators to accessing and maintaining group participation remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore environmental and personal factors contributing to community aphasia group participation. A framework analysis (FA) was used to analyse the semi-structured interview data from 22 current and past members of community aphasia groups. People with aphasia weigh up the benefits of group participation in the context of a range of personal and environmental factors. These include personal coping mechanisms, perceptions of existing social support as well as the practicalities of accessing the group. Understanding factors that contribute to participation experiences is critical to ensure that, people with aphasia are well supported to access and engage in community aphasia groups. This study found that people may be more able to participate when they are accepting of the chronic nature of the aphasia, when they identify tangible benefits to participation, and when they have easy access to the group. This suggests a role for speech pathologists to recognise critical periods of need and support people with aphasia and their significant others to access and engage in group services. Implications for Rehabilitation Critical stages exist when people with aphasia may feel more ready and able to participate in community aphasia groups. These critical stages include an acceptance of the chronic nature of aphasia, as well as a desire to make positive change. There is a need for clinicians to minimise barriers to participation early in the therapeutic relationship. Proliferation of community aphasia groups will function to alleviate environmental barriers associated with poor public awareness of groups and group accessibility.

Environmental durability of graphite.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-01-01

The increasing acceptance and incorporation of fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites (PMCs) as engineering construction materials have led many to look to the infrastructure as an application for these versatile materials. One such system is pul...

40 CFR 68.56 - Maintenance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL... testing procedures shall follow recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. The...' recommendations, industry standards or codes, good engineering practices, and prior operating experience. ...

40 CFR 68.56 - Maintenance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL... testing procedures shall follow recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. The...' recommendations, industry standards or codes, good engineering practices, and prior operating experience. ...

40 CFR 68.56 - Maintenance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL... testing procedures shall follow recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. The...' recommendations, industry standards or codes, good engineering practices, and prior operating experience. ...

40 CFR 68.56 - Maintenance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL... testing procedures shall follow recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. The...' recommendations, industry standards or codes, good engineering practices, and prior operating experience. ...

40 CFR 68.56 - Maintenance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL... testing procedures shall follow recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices. The...' recommendations, industry standards or codes, good engineering practices, and prior operating experience. ...

76 FR 27925 - Requirements for Maintenance of Inspections, Tests, Analyses, and Acceptance Criteria

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-13

... State Compatibility IX. Voluntary Consensus Standards X. Environmental Impact--Categorical Exclusion XI... endorsed guidance developed by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) in NEI 08-01, ``Industry Guideline for...

Drivers of an urban community's acceptance of a large desalination scheme for drinking water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, Fiona L.; Tapsuwan, Sorada; Walker, Iain; Randrema, Elodie

2015-09-01

Changing climates and growing populations have prompted policy makers to shift to more climate resilient, technology-driven water sources, such as seawater desalination. Desalination is a prominent water resource in the Middle East but countries in other parts of the world with similar scarcity issues and good access to sea water, such as Australia, have been comparatively slow to adopt it. This paper explores attitudes to desalination in Perth, Western Australia, and the factors that influence its acceptance. We compared individuals' acceptance of desalination over two time periods by using identical surveys administered in 2007 and 2012. We then examined the attitudinal factors - attitudes towards desalination and attitudes towards the environment - that influence acceptance. Acceptance of desalination was reasonably high and stable at both times (74% and 73% in 2007 and 2012 respectively). We found that respondents' attitudes to perceived outcomes and benefits, fairness, environmental obligation and risk were important predictors of their acceptance of desalination in both surveys. However the weight given to these aspects varied over time. The findings show that there is still mixed community sentiment towards desalination, which helps to explain why acceptance has not increased since desalination was introduced in 2006.

Design approaches to more energy efficient engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saunders, N. T.; Colladay, R. S.; Macioce, L. E.

1978-01-01

The status of NASA's Energy Efficient Engine Project, a comparative government-industry effort aimed at advancing the technology base for the next generation of large turbofan engines for civil aircraft transports is summarized. Results of recently completed studies are reviewed. These studies involved selection of engine cycles and configurations that offer potential for at least 12% lower fuel consumption than current engines and also are economically attractive and environmentally acceptable. Emphasis is on the advancements required in component technologies and systems design concepts to permit future development of these more energy efficient engines.

Culture and the environment in Ghana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyasi, Hubert M.

1985-03-01

The traditional culture of Ghana stressed a strong relationship with the environment, and a culturally acceptable environmental management resulted from strictures and taboos related to the land. Following its independence in 1957, Ghana has enacted laws that reflect an enlightened environmental policy. These are especially important because of the difficulties Ghana has had in its economic development using Western technology that has damaged the fragile tropical ecosystem. A key aspect of Ghana's policy is the attempt to marry scientific knowledge and traditional beliefs for environmentally sound management of Ghana's resources.

Determinants of Visitor Pro-Environmental Intentions on Two Small Greek Islands: Is Ecotourism Possible at Coastal Protected Areas?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafyri, Andriani; Hovardas, Tasos; Poirazidis, Konstantinos

2012-07-01

A relatively under-researched question is whether there is a possibility of influencing environmentally aware tourists regarding ecotourism at destinations that continue to develop under a pattern of mass `seaside' tourism. Our objective was to assess the pro-environmental intentions of visitors at two small Greek islands, which are within a Natura 2000 site, specifically Paxoi and Antipaxoi. Intentions involved willingness to receive information about the protected area, willingness to accept pro-environmental limitations on recreational experience, and willingness-to-pay a conditional environmental conservation value added tax. In addition, we aimed to identify determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions among visitor and visit characteristics, visitor satisfaction, and self-reported environmental knowledge, as well as anticipated outcomes of tourism development and suggestions for protected area management. We randomly collected 324 usable questionnaires during the summer season; 242 (74.69 %) by Greek visitors and 82 (25.31 %) by foreign visitors. Visitor satisfaction was quite high; however, visitors reported low levels of environmental knowledge. Our findings showed that the unique characteristics of the destination were not salient among visitors and that there is a lack of effective outreach campaigns, interpretation, and on-site environmental education programs. However, our study revealed high levels of visitor pro-environmental intentions that might support the promotion of ecotourism on the two islands. We provide recommendations based on determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions, which might assist towards advancing visitor participation in environmental education projects, environmentally responsible behavior among visitors, and financial contribution to environmental conservation by visitors.

Determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions on two small Greek islands: is ecotourism possible at coastal protected areas?

PubMed

Kafyri, Andriani; Hovardas, Tasos; Poirazidis, Konstantinos

2012-07-01

A relatively under-researched question is whether there is a possibility of influencing environmentally aware tourists regarding ecotourism at destinations that continue to develop under a pattern of mass 'seaside' tourism. Our objective was to assess the pro-environmental intentions of visitors at two small Greek islands, which are within a Natura 2000 site, specifically Paxoi and Antipaxoi. Intentions involved willingness to receive information about the protected area, willingness to accept pro-environmental limitations on recreational experience, and willingness-to-pay a conditional environmental conservation value added tax. In addition, we aimed to identify determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions among visitor and visit characteristics, visitor satisfaction, and self-reported environmental knowledge, as well as anticipated outcomes of tourism development and suggestions for protected area management. We randomly collected 324 usable questionnaires during the summer season; 242 (74.69 %) by Greek visitors and 82 (25.31 %) by foreign visitors. Visitor satisfaction was quite high; however, visitors reported low levels of environmental knowledge. Our findings showed that the unique characteristics of the destination were not salient among visitors and that there is a lack of effective outreach campaigns, interpretation, and on-site environmental education programs. However, our study revealed high levels of visitor pro-environmental intentions that might support the promotion of ecotourism on the two islands. We provide recommendations based on determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions, which might assist towards advancing visitor participation in environmental education projects, environmentally responsible behavior among visitors, and financial contribution to environmental conservation by visitors.

Decentralised water systems: emotional influences on resource decision making.

PubMed

Mankad, Aditi

2012-09-01

The study of emotion has gathered momentum in the field of environmental science, specifically in the context of community resource decision-making. Of particular interest in this review is the potential influence of emotion, risk and threat perception on individuals' decisions to acceptance and adopt decentralised water systems, such as rainwater tanks and greywater systems. The role of message framing is also considered in detail, as well as the influences that different types of framing can have on decision making. These factors are considered as possible predictors for analysing community acceptance of decentralised water in urban environments. Concepts believed to be influenced by emotion, such as trust and framing, are also discussed as potentially meaningful contributors to an overall model of community acceptance of decentralised water. Recommendations are made for how emotion-based concepts, such as risk and threat, can be targeted to facilitate widespread adoption of decentralised systems and how researchers can explore different types of emotions that influence decision making in distinct ways. This review is an important theoretical step in advancing the psycho-social understanding of acceptance and adoption of on-site water sources. Avenues for future research are recommended, including the need for greater theoretical development to encourage future social science research on decentralised systems. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigations of the environmental acceptability of fluorocarbon alternatives to chlorofluorocarbons.

PubMed Central

McFarland, M

1992-01-01

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are currently used in systems for preservation of perishable foods and medical supplies, increasing worker productivity and consumer comfort, conserving energy and increasing product reliability. As use of CFCs is phased out due to concerns of ozone depletion, a variety of new chemicals and technologies will be needed to serve these needs. In choosing alternatives, industry must balance concerns over safety and environmental acceptability and still meet the preformance characteristics of the current technology, the only viable alternatives meeting the safety, performance, and environmental requirements for the remaining 40% of demand are fluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). HCFCs and HFCs possess many of the desirable properties of the CFCs, but because of the, hydrogen, they results in shorter atmospheric lifetimes compared to CFCs and reduces their potential to contribute to stratospheric ozone depletion or global warming; HFCs do not contain chlorine and have no potential to destroy ozone. This paper provides an overview of challenges faced by industry, regulators, and society in general in continuing to meet societal needs and consumer demands while reducing risk to the enviroment without compromising consumer or worker safety. PMID:11607257

Dynamic analysis of a photovoltaic power system with battery storage capability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrill, W. C.; Blaha, R. J.; Pickrell, R. L.

1979-01-01

A photovolataic power system with a battery storage capability is analyzed. A dual battery current control concept is proposed, which enables the battery to either supply or accept power depending upon system environment and load conditions. A simulation of the power system, including the battery current control, is developed and evaluated. The evaulation demonstrate the visbility of the battery control concept of switch the battery from a charge to discharge mode and back as required by load and environmental conditions. An acceptable system operation is demonstrated over the entire insolation range. Additionally, system sensitivity, bandwidth, and damping characteristics of the battery control are shown to be acceptable for a projected hardware implementation.

Overcoming scepticism: Interacting influences of geographical location on perceived climate change adaptation measures to water resources in Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iglesias, Ana; Garrote, Luis; Bardaji, Isabel; Iglesias, Pedro; Granados, Alfredo

2016-04-01

Though many climate adaptation efforts attempt to be defined with the participation of local communities, these strategies may be ineffective because among citizens affected equally, a local risk perception rather than scientific understanding largely drives adaptation choices. Further, the geographical location may polarize climate risk perceptions, making some adaptation efforts ineffective among sceptics. This study examines how the local degradation of the environment and water resources relates to adaption choices and in turn, climate change risk perception among a range of citizens in the Tagus basin, Spain (n = 300). We find respondents of less degraded areas have individualistic responses, and are significantly less likely to accept adaptation strategies than respondents in water stressed communities. The interaction between climate knowledge and adaptation choices is positively related to acceptance of adaptation choices in both groups, and had a stronger positive relationship among individualists. There is no statistical difference in acceptance of adaptation between individualists and communitarians at high levels of knowledge (top decile). Thus, education efforts specific to climate change may counteract divisions based geographical location and environmental stress.

Approaches to acceptable risk

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whipple, C

Several alternative approaches to address the question {open_quotes}How safe is safe enough?{close_quotes} are reviewed and an attempt is made to apply the reasoning behind these approaches to the issue of acceptability of radiation exposures received in space. The approaches to the issue of the acceptability of technological risk described here are primarily analytical, and are drawn from examples in the management of environmental health risks. These include risk-based approaches, in which specific quantitative risk targets determine the acceptability of an activity, and cost-benefit and decision analysis, which generally focus on the estimation and evaluation of risks, benefits and costs, inmore » a framework that balances these factors against each other. These analytical methods tend by their quantitative nature to emphasize the magnitude of risks, costs and alternatives, and to downplay other factors, especially those that are not easily expressed in quantitative terms, that affect acceptance or rejection of risk. Such other factors include the issues of risk perceptions and how and by whom risk decisions are made.« less

DEPOT: A Database of Environmental Parameters, Organizations and Tools

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

CARSON,SUSAN D.; HUNTER,REGINA LEE; MALCZYNSKI,LEONARD A.

2000-12-19

The Database of Environmental Parameters, Organizations, and Tools (DEPOT) has been developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) as a central warehouse for access to data essential for environmental risk assessment analyses. Initial efforts have concentrated on groundwater and vadose zone transport data and bioaccumulation factors. DEPOT seeks to provide a source of referenced data that, wherever possible, includes the level of uncertainty associated with these parameters. Based on the amount of data available for a particular parameter, uncertainty is expressed as a standard deviation or a distribution function. DEPOT also provides DOE site-specific performance assessment data, pathway-specific transport data,more » and links to environmental regulations, disposal site waste acceptance criteria, other environmental parameter databases, and environmental risk assessment models.« less

Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Winnersville Weapons Range, Lanier and Lowndes Counties, Georgia

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-01

proposed range . 54 Table 4.4. HUD site acceptability standards ... ........... .. 55 Table 4.5. Predicted pollutant emissions for flight activties...Current flight operations from Moody contribute particulatmatter, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen, and oxides of sulfur to the...regional pollution levels, but because of the amounts emitted and the altitudes at which they typically occur, these emissions have only minor impact on

Life Support Systems Microbial Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roman, Monserrate C.

2009-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the current microbial challenges of environmental control and life support systems. The contents include: 1) Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) What is it?; 2) A Look Inside the International Space Station (ISS); 3) The Complexity of a Water Recycling System; 4) ISS Microbiology Acceptability Limits; 5) Overview of Current Microbial Challenges; 6) In a Perfect World What we Would like to Have; and 7) The Future.

Final Environmental Assessment for the California Space Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-02

Operations and maintenance OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration P2 Pollution prevention Pb Lead PFC Perfluorocarbon PG& E Pacific... lounge , a warehouse, Chapter 2. Description of the Proposed Action and Alternatives Final Environmental Assessment - California Space Center...Pacific Gas & Electric (PG& E ) for the entire Center, once a planned line is completed by PG& E . Acceptance of this approach is dependent on

Defining indicators and standards for tourism impacts in protected areas: Cape Range National Park, Australia.

PubMed

Moore, Susan A; Polley, Amanda

2007-03-01

Visitors' perceptions of impacts and acceptable standards for environmental conditions can provide essential information for the sustainable management of tourist destinations, especially protected areas. To this end, visitor surveys were administered during the peak visitor season in Cape Range National Park, on the northwest coast of Western Australia and adjacent to the iconic Ningaloo Reef. The central focus was visitors' perceptions regarding environmental conditions and standards for potential indicators. Conditions considered of greatest importance in determining visitors' quality of experience included litter, inadequate disposal of human waste, presence of wildlife, levels of noise, and access to beach and ocean. Standards were determined, based on visitors' perceptions, for a range of site-specific and non-site-specific indicators, with standards for facilities (e.g., acceptable number of parking bays, signs) and for negative environmental impacts (e.g., levels of littering, erosion) sought. The proposed standards varied significantly between sites for the facilities indicators; however, there was no significant difference between sites for environmental impacts. For the facilities, the standards proposed by visitors were closely related to the existing situation, suggesting that they were satisfied with the status quo. These results are considered in the context of current research interest in the efficacy of visitor-derived standards as a basis for protected area management.

Nutrition and physical activity self-assessment for child care (NAP SACC): results from a pilot intervention.

PubMed

Benjamin, Sara E; Ammerman, Alice; Sommers, Janice; Dodds, Janice; Neelon, Brian; Ward, Dianne S

2007-01-01

To determine the feasibility, acceptability, and reported impact of a nutrition and physical activity environmental intervention in child care. Self-assessment instrument completed pre- and post-intervention by randomly assigned intervention and comparison child care centers. Child care centers in 8 counties across North Carolina. A convenience sample of 19 child care centers (15 intervention and 4 comparison). Intervention centers completed the self-assessment instrument at baseline and then selected 3 environmental improvements to make over the 6-month intervention period with assistance from a trained NAP SACC Consultant. Changes in pre- and post-intervention self-assesment of the nutrition and physical activity child care environment with additional process measures to evaluate project implementation, feasibility and acceptability. Comparison of pre- and post-test scores for the intervention group using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test and descriptions of environmental changes. Intervention centers rated themselves higher at follow-up than at baseline, and relative to comparison centers, reported a variety of environmental nutrition and physical activity improvements confirmed by research staff. The NAP SACC pilot intervention shows promise as an approach to promote healthy weight environments in preschool settings. Additional evaluation of the project is needed using a greater number of centers and a more objective outcome measure.

Sinks as integrative elements of the anthropogenic metabolism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kral, Ulrich; Brunner, Paul H.

2015-04-01

The anthropogenic metabolism is an open system requiring exchange of materials and energy between the anthroposphere and the environment. Material and energy flows are taken from nature and become utilized by men. After utilization, the materials either remain in the anthroposphere as recycling products, or they leave the anthroposphere as waste and emission flows. To accommodate these materials without jeopardizing human and environmental health, limited natural sinks are available; thus, man-made sinks have to be provided where natural sinks are missing or overloaded. The oral presentation (1) suggests a coherent definition of the term "sink", encompassing natural and man-made processes, (2) presents a framework to analyse and evaluate anthropogenic material flows to sinks, based on the tool substance flow analysis and impact assessment methodology, and (3) applies the framework in a case study approach for selected substances such as Copper and Lead in Vienna and Perfluorooctane sulfonate in Switzerland. Finally, the numeric results are aggregated in terms of a new indicator that specifies on a regional scale which fractions of anthropogenic material flows to sinks are acceptable. The following results are obtained: In Vienna, 99% of Cu flows to natural and man-made sinks are in accordance with accepted standards. However, the 0.7% of Cu entering urban soils and the 0.3% entering receiving waters surpass the acceptable level. In the case of Pb, 92% of all flows into sinks prove to be acceptable, but 8% are disposed of in local landfills with limited capacity. For PFOS, 96% of all flows into sinks are acceptable. 4% cannot be evaluated due to a lack of normative criteria, despite posing a risk for human health and the environment. The case studies corroborate the need and constraints of sinks to accommodate inevitable anthropogenic material flows.

Acceptability of Mental Health Apps for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Povey, Josie; Mills, Patj Patj Janama Robert; Dingwall, Kylie Maree; Lowell, Anne; Singer, Judy; Rotumah, Darlene; Bennett-Levy, James; Nagel, Tricia

2016-03-11

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians experience high rates of mental illness and psychological distress compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. E-mental health tools offer an opportunity for accessible, effective, and acceptable treatment. The AIMhi Stay Strong app and the ibobbly suicide prevention app are treatment tools designed to combat the disproportionately high levels of mental illness and stress experienced within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. This study aimed to explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members' experiences of using two culturally responsive e-mental health apps and identify factors that influence the acceptability of these approaches. Using qualitative methods aligned with a phenomenological approach, we explored the acceptability of two culturally responsive e-mental health apps through a series of three 3-hour focus groups with nine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members. Thematic analysis was conducted and coresearcher and member checking were used to verify findings. Findings suggest strong support for the concept of e-mental health apps and optimism for their potential. Factors that influenced acceptability related to three key themes: personal factors (eg, motivation, severity and awareness of illness, technological competence, and literacy and language differences), environmental factors (eg, community awareness, stigma, and availability of support), and app characteristics (eg, ease of use, content, graphics, access, and security and information sharing). Specific adaptations, such as local production, culturally relevant content and graphics, a purposeful journey, clear navigation, meaningful language, options to assist people with language differences, offline use, and password protection may aid uptake. When designed to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, e-mental health tools add an important element to public health approaches for improving the well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cold Aero Performance of a Two-Dimensional Mixer Ejector Nozzle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balan, C.

2005-01-01

Since 1986, NASA and the U.S. aerospace industry have been assessing the economic viability and environmental acceptability of a second-generation supersonic civil transport, or High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). Environmental acceptability in terms of airport community noise and economic viability are critical elements in this endeavor. Development of a propulsion system that satisfies strict airport noise regulations (FAR36 Stage III levels), at acceptable performance and weight, is critical to the success of any HSCT program. Two-dimensional mixer-ejector (2DME) exhaust systems are one approach in achieving this goal. In support of HSCT development, GEAE (GE Aircraft Engines), under contract to the NASA Glenn Research Center, conducted this test program at the NASA Langley 16 ft transonic wind tunnel to evaluate the cold aerodynamic performance aspects of the 2DME exhaust system concept. The effects of SAR (SAR, suppressor area ratio, = mixed-flow area/primary nozzle throat area), MAR (MAR = overall exhaust system exit/mixing-plane area), flap length, CER (suppressor chute expansion ratio), chute alignment, and free stream Mach number were investigated on a 1/11th cold aerodynamic scale model of a 2DME exhaust system.

Water Softeners: How Much Sodium Do They Add?

MedlinePlus

... away the saltshaker and cutting back on processed foods. With Sheldon G. Sheps, M.D. Drinking water advisory: Consumer acceptability advice and health effects analysis on sodium. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. http://www. ...

Improvement of environmental health and hygiene practices--case study in the Northern Province.

PubMed

Mathekgana, M A; Chauke, L K; Otieno, F A

2001-01-01

The primary purpose of an improved water supply and sanitation is the achievement of acceptable health and hygiene standards as well as the sustainable improvement of the environment. Many governments recognize this and so they budget for large sums of money to improve these services to the communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the different gaps in environmental health and hygiene practices with the aim of suggesting a strategy of improving this in the Northern Province of South Africa. To do this, 231 households and 30 schools were surveyed. Workshops and visits to different government departments were also used. This paper reports the results from this study which indicate that the situation in schools was not any better than that in households, with more than 90% of the villages still dependent on the unimproved pit latrines and 56,6% relying on standpipes which were (70% of the time) non-operational. The main problems identified seem to those associated with implementation and maintenance. The study concludes that with proper training of the water committees and their active involvement with the government and NGOs, environmental health and hygiene problems can be minimized or eliminated.

Environmental monitoring handbook for coal conversion facilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salk, M.S.; DeCicco, S.G.

1978-05-01

The primary objectives of the Department of Energy's (DOE) coal conversion program are to demonstrate the environmental acceptability, technical feasibility, and economic viability of various technologies for gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels from coal. The Environmental Monitoring Handbook for Coal Conversion Facilities will help accomplish the objective of environmental acceptability by guiding the planning and execution of socioeconomic and environmental monitoring programs for demonstration facilities. These programs will provide information adequate to (1) predict, insofar as is possible, the potential impacts of construction and operation of a coal conversion plant, (2) verify the occurrence of these or any other impactsmore » during construction and operation, (3) determine the adequacy of mitigating measures to protect the environment, (4) develop effluent source terms for process discharges, and (5) determine the effectiveness of pollution control equipment. Although useful in a variety of areas, the handbook is intended primarily for contractors who, as industrial partners with DOE, are building coal conversion plants. For the contractor it is a practical guide on (1) the methodology for developing site- and process-specific environmental monitoring programs, (2) state-of-the-art sampling and analytical techniques, and (3) impact analyses.To correspond to the phases of project activity, the subject matter is divided into four stages of monitoring: (1) a reconnaissance or synoptic survey, (2) preconstruction or baseline, (3) construction, and (4) operation, including process monitoring (prepared by Radian Corp., McLean, Va.). For each stage of monitoring, guidelines are given on socioeconomics, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, air quality and meteorology, surface and groundwater quality, geohydrology and soil survey, and surface water hydrology.« less

Kiel sensors for the EPD instrument on-board Solar Orbiter - An overview of the qualification and acceptance test campaigns in phase D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravanbakhsh, A.; Kulkarni, S. R.; Panitzsch, L.; L Richards, M.; Munoz Hernandez, A.; Seimetz, L.; Elftmann, R.; Mahesh, Y.; Boden, S.; Boettcher, S. I.; Kulemzin, A.; Martin-Garcia, C.; Prieto, M.; Rodriguez-Pacheco, J.; Sanchez Prieto, S.; Schuster, B.; Steinhagen, J.; Tammen, J.; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.

2016-12-01

Solar Orbiter is ESA's next solar and heliospheric mission which is planned to be launched in October 2018. The Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) on board on Solar Orbiter will provide key measurements for the Solar Orbiter science objectives. The EPD suite consists of four sensors; STEP, SIS, EPT and HET. The University of Kiel in Germany is responsible for the design, development, and building of STEP, and the two identical units EPT-HET 1 and EPT-HET 2. ESA's Solar Orbiter will explore the heliosphere at heliocentric distances between 0.28AU and 0.9AU and with inclination up to 38deg with respect to the Sun's equator. The spacecraft uses a heat shield to protect the bus and externally mounted instruments from the solar flux at the close distances to the sun. All three EPD-Kiel units are mounted externally but in different positions on the spacecraft outer deck. Although being protected by the spacecraft heat shield from high solar flux, EPT-HET1 and EPT-HET-2 as well as STEP experience a harsh environmental condition during the course of the mission. In addition due to the highly demanding science requirements, the qualification and acceptance test requirements of these externally mounted units are quite challenging. In this paper we present the development status of the EPT-HET 1, EPT-HET 2 and STEP sensors focusing on the activities performed in phase D and the qualification and acceptance test campaigns. The main objective of these test campaigns is to ensure and demonstrate the compatibility between the scientific requirements and the harsh environment expected during the mission. This paper includes the results summary of the environmental tests on the EPT-HET and STEP Proto-Qualification Models (PQMs) as well as Proto-Flight Models (PFMs). Only an adequate selection of environmental qualification and acceptance campaigns will guarantee the success of the scientific space missions.

Toward the definition of specific protection goals for the environmental risk assessment of chemicals: A perspective on environmental regulation in Europe.

PubMed

Brown, A Ross; Whale, Graham; Jackson, Mathew; Marshall, Stuart; Hamer, Mick; Solga, Andreas; Kabouw, Patrick; Galay-Burgos, Malyka; Woods, Richard; Nadzialek, Stephanie; Maltby, Lorraine

2017-01-01

This critical review examines the definition and implementation of environmental protection goals for chemicals in current European Union (EU) legislation, guidelines, and international agreements to which EU countries are party. The European chemical industry is highly regulated, and prospective environmental risk assessments (ERAs) are tailored for different classes of chemical, according to their specific hazards, uses, and environmental exposure profiles. However, environmental protection goals are often highly generic, requiring the prevention of "unacceptable" or "adverse" impacts on "biodiversity" and "ecosystems" or the "environment as a whole." This review aims to highlight working examples, challenges, solutions, and best practices for defining specific protection goals (SPGs), which are seen to be essential for refining and improving ERA. Specific protection goals hinge on discerning acceptable versus unacceptable adverse effects on the key attributes of relevant, sensitive ecological entities (ranging from organisms to ecosystems). Some isolated examples of SPGs for terrestrial and aquatic biota can be found in prospective ERA guidance for plant protection products (PPPs). However, SPGs are generally limited to environmental or nature legislation that requires environmental monitoring and retrospective ERA. This limitation is due mainly to the availability of baselines, which define acceptable versus unacceptable environmental effects on the key attributes of sentinel species, populations and/or communities, such as reproductive status, abundance, or diversity. Nevertheless, very few regulatory case examples exist in which SPGs incorporate effect magnitude, spatial extent, and temporal duration. We conclude that more holistic approaches are needed for defining SPGs, particularly with respect to protecting population sustainability, ecosystem function, and integrity, which are implicit in generic protection goals and explicit in the International Programme for Chemical Safety (IPCS) definition of "adverse effect." A possible solution, which the chemical industry is currently assessing, is wider application of the ecosystem services approach proposed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for the risk assessment of PPPs. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:17-37. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Clearfell controversies and alternative timber harvest designs: how acceptability perceptions vary between Tasmania and the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

PubMed

Ribe, Robert G; Ford, Rebecca M; Williams, Kathryn J H

2013-01-15

Perceptions of the acceptability of alternative "variable retention" timber harvests, that keep trees standing in harvested areas, were compared between regions beset by major forestry conflicts. Data from similar studies of similar harvest systems were compared between Oregon and Tasmania. These comparisons were related to attitudes and to differences in ecosystems, silvicultural prescriptions, forestry outcomes, aesthetics, and social-political context. Findings showed that perceptions measured in one region cannot be assumed valid in another. Substantial regional differences arose not from general sociological differences but from differences in local forestry outcomes. These largely arose from different regeneration requirements of commercial tree species and consequent differences in the design of otherwise analogous harvests. Comparisons of perceptions by people with similar attitudes yielded substantial regional differences. Those prioritizing ecological conservation were mainly influenced by habitat outcomes, and consequently preferred harvests with aggregated tree retention patterns in Tasmania but not in Oregon. People sympathetic to timber industry interests in both regions showed little association between forestry outcomes and acceptability and favoured more intensive harvests. Tasmanian harvest advocates perceived harvests that keep more standing trees as less acceptable than those in Oregon. This may be due to sampling differences or to greater risk perceptions towards new harvest designs in Tasmania. Tasmanians generally disliked clearfelling more than Oregonians, likely due to different political narratives framing these perceptions or to higher aesthetic impacts in Tasmania due to burning. Dispersed retention was perceived as more acceptable in Oregon than in Tasmania, likely because Oregon had much higher post-harvest tree densities. Regional differences in wildfire-risk and logger-safety were not strongly associated with different acceptability perceptions because these were confounded by other more influential concerns. More and better cross-regional studies of environmental perceptions are needed and would benefit from more standardized or coordinated methods. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Technology sensitivity studies for a Mach 3.0 civil transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coen, Peter G.

1988-01-01

The level of technological sophistication required for the economic viability and environmental acceptability of a Mach 3.0-cruise SST is evaluated, with a view to the development schedule and initial operating date into which the maturity of various essential technologies will translate. Attention is given to the effect of advanced aerodynamic, propulsion, structural and subsystem technologies on takeoff gross weight. A dramatic impact is noted to result from the combination of prospective technological advances in flow laminarization, advanced structures and materials, etc.

Exploring environmental literacy in low-literate communities of Pakistan: A descriptive study to recommend strategies for planning environmental education programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daudi, Sabiha Shafique

2000-10-01

The widely accepted definition of environmental education as stated by The Tbilisi Declaration of 1978 focuses on developing an environmentally literate citizenry which is capable of working "...individually and collectively toward solutions of current [environmental] problems and the prevention of new ones". The two basic tenets of environmental literacy are further defined in this study as the ability to understand environmental problems and the ability to address those environmental problems in a responsible manner. Acquisition of knowledge has also been considered an important element when developing environmental literacy programs. However, a large sector of the world population is non- or low-literate and communication is through channels other than the written word. The challenge for environmental educators is to reach the low-literate learners who have not had many opportunities to participate in formal education activities through established institutions. The purpose of this study was to describe levels of environmental literacy in communities with varying levels of formal literacy in two cities, Karachi and Islamabad, Pakistan to determine the role formal literacy plays in enhancing environmental literacy and decision making in relation to age, sex, location, number of years spent in formal education, and the socio-economic status (SES) of adult learners. Based on the outcomes, recommendations were made for designing effective programs to ensure involvement of low-literate communities in established decision-making processes through relevant program planning. This study suggested strategies to program planners and environmental educators for designing programs that reach low-literate communities, highlight local environmental concerns, and empower these communities in addressing local environmental issues. A purposive sample was identified from the constituencies of five non-governmental organizations in Karachi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Two instruments, one to measure levels of formal literacy, and the other to assess environmental literacy of the participants at the nominal, functional, and operational levels, were developed for this study. Negligible correlations were found between environmental literacy and the demographic or "external" variables of age, sex, location, number of years participants had spent in formal education institutions, socio-economic status, and formal literacy. However, some low and moderate positive correlations were found between formal literacy and age, sex, location, number of years participants had spent in formal education institutions, and socio-economic status of the participants. No correlations were found between environmental literacy and formal literacy indicating that the ability to read and write did not relate to environmental literacy or awareness in the participants.

Development of food acceptance patterns in the first years of life.

PubMed

Birch, L L

1998-11-01

As young omnivores, children make the transition from the exclusive milk diet of infancy to consuming a variety of foods. They must learn to accept a set of the foods available in their environmental niche, and they 'come equipped' with a set of predispositions that facilitate the development of food acceptance patterns, constrained by predisposition and limited by what is offered to them. While children are predisposed to like sweet or salty foods and to avoid sour or bitter foods, their preferences for the majority of foods are shaped by repeated experience. The predispositions that shape food acceptance patterns also include neophobia and the predisposition to learn to prefer and accept new foods when they are offered repeatedly. In addition, the predisposition for associative conditioning affects children's developing food acceptance patterns, resulting in preferences for foods offered in positive contexts, while foods presented in negative contexts will become more disliked via the learning of associations with the social and environmental contexts. Children also learn to prefer energy-dense foods when consumption of those foods is followed by positive post-ingestive consequences, such as those produced when high-energy-density foods are eaten when hungry. Although children are predisposed to be responsive to the energy content of foods in controlling their intake, they are also responsive to parents' control attempts. We have seen that these parental control attempts can refocus the child away from responsiveness to internal cues of hunger and satiety and towards external factors such as the presence of palatable foods. This analysis suggests that taking a closer look at what children are learning about food and eating may provide clues regarding the formation of children's food acceptance patterns, and that this approach also suggests potential causative factors implicated in the aetiology of obesity and the emergence of weight concerns. Current data, although limited, suggest that child-feeding practices play a causal role in the development of individual difference in the controls of food intake, and perhaps in the aetiology of problems of energy balance, especially childhood obesity. These relationships should be pursued in future research.

Leptospirosis in American Samoa – Estimating and Mapping Risk Using Environmental Data

PubMed Central

Lau, Colleen L.; Clements, Archie C. A.; Skelly, Chris; Dobson, Annette J.; Smythe, Lee D.; Weinstein, Philip

2012-01-01

Background The recent emergence of leptospirosis has been linked to many environmental drivers of disease transmission. Accurate epidemiological data are lacking because of under-diagnosis, poor laboratory capacity, and inadequate surveillance. Predictive risk maps have been produced for many diseases to identify high-risk areas for infection and guide allocation of public health resources, and are particularly useful where disease surveillance is poor. To date, no predictive risk maps have been produced for leptospirosis. The objectives of this study were to estimate leptospirosis seroprevalence at geographic locations based on environmental factors, produce a predictive disease risk map for American Samoa, and assess the accuracy of the maps in predicting infection risk. Methodology and Principal Findings Data on seroprevalence and risk factors were obtained from a recent study of leptospirosis in American Samoa. Data on environmental variables were obtained from local sources, and included rainfall, altitude, vegetation, soil type, and location of backyard piggeries. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to investigate associations between seropositivity and risk factors. Using the multivariable models, seroprevalence at geographic locations was predicted based on environmental variables. Goodness of fit of models was measured using area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic, and the percentage of cases correctly classified as seropositive. Environmental predictors of seroprevalence included living below median altitude of a village, in agricultural areas, on clay soil, and higher density of piggeries above the house. Models had acceptable goodness of fit, and correctly classified ∼84% of cases. Conclusions and Significance Environmental variables could be used to identify high-risk areas for leptospirosis. Environmental monitoring could potentially be a valuable strategy for leptospirosis control, and allow us to move from disease surveillance to environmental health hazard surveillance as a more cost-effective tool for directing public health interventions. PMID:22666516

Combined cumulative sum (CUSUM) and chronological environmental analysis as a tool to improve the learning environment for linear-probe endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) trainees: a pilot study.

PubMed

Norisue, Yasuhiro; Tokuda, Yasuharu; Juarez, Mayrol; Uchimido, Ryo; Fujitani, Shigeki; Stoeckel, David A

2017-02-07

Cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis can be used to continuously monitor the performance of an individual or process and detect deviations from a preset or standard level of achievement. However, no previous study has evaluated the utility of CUSUM analysis in facilitating timely environmental assessment and interventions to improve performance of linear-probe endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of combined CUSUM and chronological environmental analysis as a tool to improve the learning environment for EBUS-TBNA trainees. This study was an observational chart review. To determine if performance was acceptable, CUSUM analysis was used to track procedural outcomes of trainees in EBUS-TBNA. To investigate chronological changes in the learning environment, multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to compare several indices before and after time points when significant changes occurred in proficiency. Presence of an additional attending bronchoscopist was inversely associated with nonproficiency (odds ratio, 0.117; 95% confidence interval, 0-0.749; P = 0.019). Other factors, including presence of an on-site cytopathologist and dose of sedatives used, were not significantly associated with duration of nonproficiency. Combined CUSUM and chronological environmental analysis may be useful in hastening interventions that improve performance of EBUS-TBNA.

Individual, Parental, and Environmental Correlates of Cigar, Cigarillo, and Little Cigar Use Among Middle School Adolescents.

PubMed

Trapl, Erika S; Yoder, Laura D; Frank, Jean L; Borawski, Elaine A; Sattar, Abdus

2016-05-01

Youth use of cigars, cigarillos, and little cigars (CCLC) is increasing. While correlates of cigarette smoking have been well documented, use of CCLC is not as well understood among young adolescents. This study assessed whether smoking beliefs, parenting practices, and environmental exposures were associated with CCLC use among 7th to 8th grade youth in an urban, mid-Western city. The Cleveland Youth Risk Behavior Survey was conducted with 7th to 8th grade students in spring 2012. CCLC use was assessed by asking if students had smoked CCLC in the past 30 days. Covariates include self-reported gender, race, grade, acceptability of smoking, parental monitoring, hours of self-care, visits to corner stores, and current cigarette smoking. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine associations with current CCLC use. Overall, 14.3% of youth reported current CCLC use. Students reporting higher acceptability of smoking, lower parental monitoring, longer periods of self-care, more visits to corner stores and current cigarette smoking were more likely to report current CCLC use in both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models. CCLC use is associated with multiple levels of influence, indicating that prevention of youth CCLC use must utilize a multilevel approach. Increased utilization of corner stores was associated with higher odds of CCLC use, and could indicate that youth stopping at corner stores may be exposed to increased tobacco retail advertising and tobacco products. The findings of this study have implications for FDA regulation to prevent CCLC initiation among youth. While correlates of cigarette smoking have been well documented, use of CCLC is not as well understood among young adolescents. This is the first study that has examined the association between individual, family, and environmental characteristics and CCLC use. The results of this study illustrate that youth attitudes, perceived parenting practices, and environmental exposure are associated with adolescent CCLC use. This is important as the tobacco control community begins to identify strategies to prevent and reduce CCLC use. The findings of this study have clear implications for FDA regulation to prevent CCLC initiation among youth. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of pyrolysis temperature on chemical form, behavior and environmental risk of Zn, Pb and Cd in biochar produced from phytoremediation residue.

PubMed

Huang, Hui; Yao, Wenlin; Li, Ronghua; Ali, Amjad; Du, Juan; Guo, Di; Xiao, Ran; Guo, Zhanyu; Zhang, Zengqiang; Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar

2018-02-01

This study aimed to evaluate the chemical forms, behavior and environmental risk of heavy metal (HMs) Zn, Pb and Cd in phytoremediation residue (PMR) pyrolyzed at 350 °C, 550 °C and 750 °C, respectively. The behavior of HMs variation during the PMR pyrolysis process was analyzed and the potential HMs environmental risk of phytoremediation residue biochars (PMB) was assessed which was seldom investigated before. The results showed that the pyrolysis temperature increase decreased the soluble/exchangeable HMs fraction and alleviated the HMs bioavailability. When the temperature was over 550 °C, the adsorbed Zn(II), Pb(II) and Cd(II) were turned into oxides forms and concentrated in PMB with more stable forms exhibiting lower risk assessment code and potential ecological risk index. The ecotoxicity test showed higher pyrolysis temperature favored the reduction of PMB ecotoxicity. It is suggested that pyrolysis temperature above 550°C may be suitable for thermal treatment of PMR with acceptable environmental risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 39385 - Payment Policy Change for Access to NOAA Environmental Data, Information, and Related Products...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-06

... accepted forms of payment are Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, wire transfers and Automated.... currency, by VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Cardholder's name, charge card number...

PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINATION OF SEDIMENT PARTICLE SIZE (GRAIN SIZE)

EPA Science Inventory

Sediment quality and sediment remediation projects have become a high priority for USEPA. Sediment particle size determinations are used in environmental assessments for habitat characterization, chemical normalization, and partitioning potential of chemicals. The accepted met...

Toward a standard lexicon for ecosystem services

EPA Science Inventory

The complex, widely dispersed, and cumulative environmental challenges currently facing society require holistic, transdisciplinary approaches to resolve. The concept of ecosystem services (ES) has become more widely accepted both as a framework that cuts across the dimensions of...

Successfully performing a university student's role despite disabilities: challenges of an inclusive environment and appropriate task modification.

PubMed

Rochette, Annie; Loiselle, Frederic

2012-01-01

To reflect on what it means to successfully perform a university student's role despite the presence of impairments. The Disability Creation Process (DCP) model is used as a tool to zoom in the different activities and tasks required for a successful education as well as to describe how the social and physical environment can be as inclusive as possible to compensate for different impairments. One activity in the student's role (reading) is used to illustrate and reflect on potential challenges in compensating for impairments by way of environmental or task modifications. The student's role is a complex one, characterized by different actions such as getting admitted, moving around, attending courses, studying and participating in student life. Environmental factors or time can facilitate or impede the level of participation in the education domain. One challenge may be to differentiate between compensation for learning (processes) as compared to outcomes (competency level for future employment) as well as to determine how much assistance is acceptable. Intuitive single-case analysis should be replaced by a systematic analysis relying on a conceptual model such as the DCP. To avoid discrimination and to ensure transparency, acceptable amount of compensation for an activity should be defined.

Are the noise levels acceptable in a built environment like Hong Kong?

PubMed Central

To, Wai Ming; Mak, Cheuk Ming; Chung, Wai Leung

2015-01-01

Governments all over the world have enacted environmental noise directives and noise control ordinances/acts to protect tranquility in residential areas. However, there is a lack of literature on the evaluation of whether the Acceptable Noise Levels (ANLs) stipulated in the directive/ordinance/act are actually achievable. The study aimed at measuring outdoor environmental noise levels in Hong Kong and identifying whether the measured noise levels are lower than the stipulated ANLs at 20 categories of residential areas. Data were gathered from a territory-wide noise survey. Outdoor noise measurements were conducted at 203 residential premises in urban areas, low-density residential areas, rural areas, and other areas. In total, 366 daytime hourly Leq outdoor noise levels, 362 nighttime hourly Leq outdoor noise levels, and 20 sets of daily, that is, 24 Leq,1-h outdoor noise levels were recorded. The mean daytime Leq,1-h values ranged 54.4-70.8 dBA, while the mean nighttime Leq,1-h values ranged 52.6-67.9 dBA. When the measured noise levels were compared with the stipulated ANLs, only three out of the 20 categories of areas had outdoor noise levels below ANLs during daytime. All other areas (and all areas during nighttime) were found to have outdoor noise levels at or above ANLs. PMID:26572703

The replacement of alkyl-phenol ethoxylates to improve the environment acceptability of drilling fluid additives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Getliff, J.M.; James, S.G.

1996-12-31

Alkyl-phenol ethoxylates (APEO) are a class of surfactants which have been used widely in the drilling fluid industry. The popularity of these surfactants is based on their cost effectiveness, availability and the range of hydrophilic-lipophilic balance values obtainable. Studies have shown that APEOs exhibit oestrogenic effects, and can cause sterility in some male aquatic species. This may have subsequent human consequences and such problems have lead to a banning of their use in some countries and agreements to phase out their use e.g. PARCOM recommendation 92/8. The use of APEOs as additives in detergents, lubricants and stuck-pipe release agents formore » drilling fluid applications is discussed. The effectiveness of products formulated with APEOs are directly compared with alternative products which are non-persistent and less damaging to aquatic species. Lubricity measurements using standard and in-house designed equipment and washing tests to compare the efficiency of surfactants are explained and product performance results presented. The results show that alternatives to products containing APEOs are available and that in some cases they show a better technical performance. In addition to the improved environmental acceptability of the base chemicals, the better performance enables lower concentrations to be used, hence reducing the environmental impact even further.« less

TRU waste absorbent addition project at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory.

PubMed

Colson, R Griff; Auman, Laurence E

2003-08-01

ABSTRACT In order to meet a commitment to ship 3,100 m3 of transuranic waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) developed a process to add absorbent to TRU waste drums that did not meet WIPP waste acceptance criteria. The development, implementation, and safe completion of this project contributed to the INEEL's success in meeting the commitment three months early.

Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Winnersville Weapons Range, Lanier and Lowndes Counties, Georgia

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-01

pollutant emissions for flight activities over the proposed range (grams of pollutant per sortie)a Carbon Unburned Oxides of Particulates Oxides Aircraft...Table 4.4. HUD site acceptability standards ... ........... .. 55 Table 4.5. Predicted pollutant emissions for flight activties over the proposed range...matter, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, oxides of nitrogen, and oxides of sulfur to the regional pollution levels, but because of the amounts emitted and

Implementation of Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) in basic scientific research: Translating the concept beyond regulatory compliance.

PubMed

Jena, G B; Chavan, Sapana

2017-10-01

The principles of Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) are mainly intended for the laboratories performing studies for regulatory compliances. However, today GLP can be applied to broad disciplines of science to cater to the needs of the experimental objectives, generation of quality data and assay reproducibility. Considering its significance, it can now be applied in academics; industries as well as government set ups throughout the world. GLP is the best way to promote the reliability, reproducibility of the test data and hence facilitates the international acceptability. Now it is high time to translate and implement the concept of GLP beyond regulatory studies. Thus, it can pave the way for better understanding of scientific problems and help to maintain a good human and environmental health. Through this review, we have made an attempt to explore the uses of GLP principles in different fields of science and its acceptability as well as looking for its future perspectives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

JV Task 92 - Alcoa/Retec SFE and SPME

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steven Hawthorne

2009-02-15

This report summarizes the work performed by the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) under the U.S. Department of Energy Jointly Sponsored Research Program JV Task 92, which is a continuation of JV9. Successful studies performed in 1999 through the end of 2008 demonstrated the potential for using selective supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method for measuring sediment pore water polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to mimic the bioavailability of PAHs from manufactured gas plant and aluminum smelter soils and sediments both in freshwater and saltwater locations. The studies that the EERC has performed with the commercialmore » partners have continued to generate increased interest in both the regulatory communities and in the industries that have historically produced or utilized coal tar products. Both ASTM International and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have accepted the pore water method developed at the EERC as standard methods. The studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of our techniques in predicting bioavailability of PAHs from ca. 250 impacted and background field sediments and soils. The field demonstrations from the final years of the project continued to build the foundation data for acceptance of our methods by the regulatory communities. The JV92 studies provide the single largest database in the world that includes measures of PAH bioavailability along with biological end points. These studies clearly demonstrated that present regulatory paradigms based on equilibrium partitioning greatly overpredict bioavailability. These investigations also laid the foundation for present (non-JV) studies being applied to PAHs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at EPA Superfund sites, investigations into PAH and PCB bioavailability at U.S Department of Defense sites, and the application of the techniques to investigating the bioavailability of chlorinated dioxins and furans from impacted sediments.« less

Environmentally safe fluids for hydraulics used in civil engineering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wirzberger, E.; Rexroth, M.

1995-12-31

The majority of hydraulic units used in civil engineering are operated with pressure fluids based on mineral oil. Most civil engineering projects are installed near or immediately next to bodies of water, therefore, any leakage signifies danger for the environment. We try to avert this danger with increasingly safe hydraulic drives. However, growing environmental awareness and stricter laws are demanding more and more environmentally safe hydraulic fluids. Today, the manufacturers of fluids and hydraulic drives have to accept this challenge. What exactly is an environmentally safe hydraulic fluid? The major objectives are: (1) they have to be biodegradable, (2) nomore » fish toxicity, (3) no water pollution, and (4) food compatibility.« less

Eco-environmental vulnerability assessment for large drinking water resource: a case study of Qiandao Lake Area, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Qing; Li, Jun; Deng, Jinsong; Lin, Yi; Ma, Ligang; Wu, Chaofan; Wang, Ke; Hong, Yang

2015-09-01

The Qiandao Lake Area (QLA) is of great significance in terms of drinking water supply in East Coast China as well as a nationally renowned tourist attraction. A series of laws and regulations regarding the QLA environment have been enacted and implemented throughout the past decade with the aim of negating the harmful effects associated with expanding urbanization and industrialization. In this research, an assessment framework was developed to analyze the eco-environmental vulnerability of the QLA from 1990-2010 by integrating fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and geographical information systems (GIS) in an attempt to gain insights into the status quo of the QLA so as to review and evaluate the effectiveness of the related policies. After processing and analyzing the temporal and spatial variation of eco-environmental vulnerability and major environmental issues in the QLA, we found that the state of eco-environmental vulnerability of the QLA was acceptable, though a moderate deterioration was detected during the study period. Furthermore, analysis of the combination of vulnerability and water quality indicated that the water quality showed signs of declination, though the overall status remained satisfactory. It was hence concluded that the collective protection and treatment actions were effective over the study period, whereas immediately stricter measures would be required for protecting the drinking water quality from domestic sewage and industrial wastewater. Finally, the spatial variation of the eco-environmental vulnerability assessment also implied that specifically more targeted measures should be adopted in respective regions for long-term sustainable development of the QLA.

Assessment of risk to human health from simultaneous exposure to multiple contaminants in an artisanal gold mine in Serra Pelada, Pará, Brazil.

PubMed

de Souza, Edna Santos; Texeira, Renato Alves; da Costa, Hercília Samara Cardoso; Oliveira, Fábio Júnior; Melo, Leônidas Carrijo Azevedo; do Carmo Freitas Faial, Kelson; Fernandes, Antonio Rodrigues

2017-01-15

Contamination of soil, water and plants caused by gold mining is of great societal concern because of the risk of environmental pollution and risk to human health. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the risk to human health from ingestion of As, Ba, Co, Cu, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Se and Ni present in soil, sterile and mineralized waste, and water and plants at a gold mine in Serra Pelada, Pará, Brazil. Samples of soil, sterile and mineralized waste, water and plants were collected around an artisanal gold mine located in Serra Pelada. The mean concentrations of potentially toxic elements in the soil were higher than the soil quality reference values as defined in the legislation, which may be attributeable to past mining activities. Water from the area close to the mine exhibited As, Ba and Pb concentrations exceeding the reference values established by the World Health Organization, deemed unfit for human consumption. Plants exhibited high Pb concentrations, representing a food safety risk to the population. The mean hazard index (HI) values were below the acceptable limit (1.0) established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, although the highest HI values observed for adults and children were higher than the respective acceptable limits. Environmental contamination and risk to human health were heterogeneous in the surroundings of the mine. Mitigation strategies need to be adopted to decrease the risks of contamination to the environment and to the local population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How can nanobiotechnology oversight advance science and industry: examples from environmental, health, and safety studies of nanoparticles (nano-EHS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jing; Asbach, Christof; Fissan, Heinz; Hülser, Tim; Kuhlbusch, Thomas A. J.; Thompson, Drew; Pui, David Y. H.

2011-04-01

Nanotechnology has great potential to transform science and industry in the fields of energy, material, environment, and medicine. At the same time, more concerns are being raised about the occupational health and safety of nanomaterials in the workplace and the implications of nanotechnology on the environment and living systems. Studies on environmental, health, and safety (EHS) issues of nanomaterials have a strong influence on public acceptance of nanotechnology and, eventually, affect its sustainability. Oversight and regulation by government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play significant roles in ensuring responsible and environmentally friendly development of nanotechnology. The EHS studies of nanomaterials can provide data and information to help the development of regulations and guidelines. We present research results on three aspects of EHS studies: physico-chemical characterization and measurement of nanomaterials; emission, exposure, and toxicity of nanomaterials; and control and abatement of nanomaterial releases using filtration technology. Measurement of nanoparticle agglomerates using a newly developed instrument, the Universal NanoParticle Analyzer (UNPA), is discussed. Exposure measurement results for silicon nanoparticles in a pilot scale production plant are presented, as well as exposure measurement and toxicity study of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Filtration studies of nanoparticle agglomerates are also presented as an example of emission control methods.

Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Final Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Air Force Reserve Mission Change (C-130 to C-5A Aircraft) and Westover Metropolitan Development Corporation (Expansion of Civil Aviation Operations through 1995) at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-01

many of which would not be acceptable under current environmental regula- tions but which were in compliance with the standards in effect at tK2 ...waste management regulations and issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) citing specific deficiencies in hazardous waste management procedures. The focus of...materials are handled and disposed of in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Specific deficiencies cited in the NOV included

Defining criteria for good environmental journalism and testing their applicability: An environmental news review as a first step to more evidence based environmental science reporting.

PubMed

Rögener, Wiebke; Wormer, Holger

2017-05-01

While the quality of environmental science journalism has been the subject of much debate, a widely accepted benchmark to assess the quality of coverage of environmental topics is missing so far. Therefore, we have developed a set of defined criteria of environmental reporting. This instrument and its applicability are tested in a newly established monitoring project for the assessment of pieces on environmental issues, which refer to scientific sources and therefore can be regarded as a special field of science journalism. The quality is assessed in a kind of journalistic peer review. We describe the systematic development of criteria, which might also be a model procedure for other fields of science reporting. Furthermore, we present results from the monitoring of 50 environmental reports in German media. According to these preliminary data, the lack of context and the deficient elucidation of the evidence pose major problems in environmental reporting.

Islam and Environmental Consciousness: A New Scale Development.

PubMed

Emari, Hossein; Vazifehdoust, Hossein; Nikoomaram, Hashem

2017-04-01

This research proposed a new construct, Islamic environmental consciousness (IEC), and developed a measurement scale to support this construct. Churchill's (J Mark Res 16(1):64-73, 1979) paradigm, adapted by Negra and Mzoughi (Internet Res 22(4):426-442, 2012), was utilized. A total of 32 items were generated based on the verses of the Qur'an from nine interviews with teachers in an Islamic seminary. This set of items was reduced to 19 after dropping redundant or non-representative items. In a pilot study, factor analysis of the 19-item scale yielded a two-factor structure scale of seven items with a reliability ranging from 0.7 to 0.8. The Islamic environmental consciousness scale (IECS) was statistically confirmed and validated in a subsequent investigation. The proposed measurement scale warrants further exploratory study. Future research should assess the IECS's validity across different Muslim countries, locales, and various Islamic schools of thought and practice. IEC is proposed as a new construct that focuses primarily on the Qur'an and seeks to achieve acceptance by both Sunni and Shia denominations. In this study, both cognitive attitudes and behavioral aspects were considered in the design of the IECS.

Quantifying the measurement uncertainty of results from environmental analytical methods.

PubMed

Moser, J; Wegscheider, W; Sperka-Gottlieb, C

2001-07-01

The Eurachem-CITAC Guide Quantifying Uncertainty in Analytical Measurement was put into practice in a public laboratory devoted to environmental analytical measurements. In doing so due regard was given to the provisions of ISO 17025 and an attempt was made to base the entire estimation of measurement uncertainty on available data from the literature or from previously performed validation studies. Most environmental analytical procedures laid down in national or international standards are the result of cooperative efforts and put into effect as part of a compromise between all parties involved, public and private, that also encompasses environmental standards and statutory limits. Central to many procedures is the focus on the measurement of environmental effects rather than on individual chemical species. In this situation it is particularly important to understand the measurement process well enough to produce a realistic uncertainty statement. Environmental analytical methods will be examined as far as necessary, but reference will also be made to analytical methods in general and to physical measurement methods where appropriate. This paper describes ways and means of quantifying uncertainty for frequently practised methods of environmental analysis. It will be shown that operationally defined measurands are no obstacle to the estimation process as described in the Eurachem/CITAC Guide if it is accepted that the dominating component of uncertainty comes from the actual practice of the method as a reproducibility standard deviation.

Low-Cost Aqueous Coal Desulfurization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalvinskas, J. J.; Vasilakos, N.; Corcoran, W. H.; Grohmann, K.; Rohatgi, N. K.

1982-01-01

Water-based process for desulfurizing coal not only eliminates need for costly organic solvent but removes sulfur more effectively than an earlier solvent-based process. New process could provide low-cost commercial method for converting high-sulfur coal into environmentally acceptable fuel.

Progress and Challenges in Coupled Hydrodynamic-Ecological Estuarine Modeling

EPA Science Inventory

Numerical modeling has emerged over the last several decades as a widely accepted tool for investigations in environmental sciences. In estuarine research, hydrodynamic and ecological models have moved along parallel tracks with regard to complexity, refinement, computational po...

A Policy of Options

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fri, Robert W.

1975-01-01

The Energy Research and Development Administration's program to deal with the relationship of energy and the environment is examined. Alternatives include the development of new energy sources that offer a viable choice for the future for economically feasible and environmentally acceptable technologies. (BT)

NASA/Marshall's lithium battery applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paschal, L. E.

1980-01-01

A general lithium battery is described and a summary of lithium battery applications is presented. Four aspects of a particular lithium battery, the inducement environmental contamination monitoring battery, are discussed-design and construction details, thermal vacuum tests, projection tests, and acceptance tests.

32 CFR 651.44 - Incomplete information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... approaches or research methods generally accepted in the scientific community. ... 32 National Defense 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Incomplete information. 651.44 Section 651.44 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY...

32 CFR 651.44 - Incomplete information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... approaches or research methods generally accepted in the scientific community. ... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Incomplete information. 651.44 Section 651.44 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY...

PROTOCOL FOR VERIFICATION OF URBAN RUNOFF MODELS

EPA Science Inventory

The ETV program was created by the USEPA to accelerate the marketplace acceptance of commercial-ready environmental technologies. This objective will be achieved by conducting credible third-party performance assessments and reporting the results. Access to this data allows users...

CONSTRUCTING A GENERAL SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS THEORY

EPA Science Inventory

Sustainability atracts enormous interest in the minds of the public and the scientific and engineering community because it holds the promise of a long-term solution to environmental problems. Sustainability, however, is mathematically loosely defined. There is no widely accepted...

CONSTRUCTING A GENERAL SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS THEORY

EPA Science Inventory

Sustainability attracts enormous interest in the minds of the public and the scientific and engineering community because it holds the promise of a long-tem solution to environmental problems. Sustainability, however, is mathematically loosely defined. There is no widely accepted...

How credible are the study results? Evaluating and applying internal validity tools to literature-based assessments of environmental health hazards

PubMed Central

Rooney, Andrew A.; Cooper, Glinda S.; Jahnke, Gloria D.; Lam, Juleen; Morgan, Rebecca L.; Boyles, Abee L.; Ratcliffe, Jennifer M.; Kraft, Andrew D.; Schünemann, Holger J.; Schwingl, Pamela; Walker, Teneille D.; Thayer, Kristina A.; Lunn, Ruth M.

2016-01-01

Environmental health hazard assessments are routinely relied upon for public health decision-making. The evidence base used in these assessments is typically developed from a collection of diverse sources of information of varying quality. It is critical that literature-based evaluations consider the credibility of individual studies used to reach conclusions through consistent, transparent and accepted methods. Systematic review procedures address study credibility by assessing internal validity or “risk of bias” — the assessment of whether the design and conduct of a study compromised the credibility of the link between exposure/intervention and outcome. This paper describes the commonalities and differences in risk-of-bias methods developed or used by five groups that conduct or provide methodological input for performing environmental health hazard assessments: the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group, the Navigation Guide, the National Toxicology Program’s (NTP) Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) and Office of the Report on Carcinogens (ORoC), and the Integrated Risk Information System of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-IRIS). Each of these groups have been developing and applying rigorous assessment methods for integrating across a heterogeneous collection of human and animal studies to inform conclusions on potential environmental health hazards. There is substantial consistency across the groups in the consideration of risk-of-bias issues or “domains” for assessing observational human studies. There is a similar overlap in terms of domains addressed for animal studies; however, the groups differ in the relative emphasis placed on different aspects of risk of bias. Future directions for the continued harmonization and improvement of these methods are also discussed. PMID:26857180

How credible are the study results? Evaluating and applying internal validity tools to literature-based assessments of environmental health hazards.

PubMed

Rooney, Andrew A; Cooper, Glinda S; Jahnke, Gloria D; Lam, Juleen; Morgan, Rebecca L; Boyles, Abee L; Ratcliffe, Jennifer M; Kraft, Andrew D; Schünemann, Holger J; Schwingl, Pamela; Walker, Teneille D; Thayer, Kristina A; Lunn, Ruth M

2016-01-01

Environmental health hazard assessments are routinely relied upon for public health decision-making. The evidence base used in these assessments is typically developed from a collection of diverse sources of information of varying quality. It is critical that literature-based evaluations consider the credibility of individual studies used to reach conclusions through consistent, transparent and accepted methods. Systematic review procedures address study credibility by assessing internal validity or "risk of bias" - the assessment of whether the design and conduct of a study compromised the credibility of the link between exposure/intervention and outcome. This paper describes the commonalities and differences in risk-of-bias methods developed or used by five groups that conduct or provide methodological input for performing environmental health hazard assessments: the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group, the Navigation Guide, the National Toxicology Program's (NTP) Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) and Office of the Report on Carcinogens (ORoC), and the Integrated Risk Information System of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-IRIS). Each of these groups have been developing and applying rigorous assessment methods for integrating across a heterogeneous collection of human and animal studies to inform conclusions on potential environmental health hazards. There is substantial consistency across the groups in the consideration of risk-of-bias issues or "domains" for assessing observational human studies. There is a similar overlap in terms of domains addressed for animal studies; however, the groups differ in the relative emphasis placed on different aspects of risk of bias. Future directions for the continued harmonization and improvement of these methods are also discussed. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The effect of membrane filtration on dissolved trace element concentrations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.; Lum, K.R.; Garbarino, J.R.; Hall, G.E.M.; Lemieux, C.; Demas, C.R.

1996-01-01

The almost universally accepted operational definition for dissolved constituents is based on processing whole-water samples through a 0.45-??m membrane filter. Results from field and laboratory experiments indicate that a number of factors associated with filtration, other than just pore size (e.g., diameter, manufacturer, volume of sample processed, amount of suspended sediment in the sample), can produce substantial variations in the 'dissolved' concentrations of such elements as Fe, Al, Cu, Zn, Pb, Co, and Ni. These variations result from the inclusion/exclusion of colloidally- associated trace elements. Thus, 'dissolved' concentrations quantitated by analyzing filtrates generated by processing whole-water through similar pore- sized membrane filters may not be equal/comparable. As such, simple filtration through a 0.45-??m membrane filter may no longer represent an acceptable operational definition for dissolved chemical constituents. This conclusion may have important implications for environmental studies and regulatory agencies.

The psychology of drinking water quality: An exploratory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syme, Geoffrey J.; Williams, Katrina D.

1993-12-01

Perceptions of drinking water quality were measured for residents at four locations in Western Australia. The total dissolved solid levels for the locations varied. Four scales of drinking water satisfaction were measured: acceptability of water quality; water quality risk judgment; perception of neighborhood water quality; and attitudes toward fluoride as an additive. Responses to each of these scales did not appear to be highly related to total dissolved solids. The relationship between attitudes toward water quality and a variety of psychological, attitudinal, experiential, and demographic variables was investigated. It was found that responses to the acceptability of water quality and water quality risk judgment scales related to perceived credibility of societal institutions and feelings of control over water quality and environmental problems. For the remaining two scales few significant correlations were found. The results support those who advocate localized information and involvement campaigns on drinking water quality issues.

Environmental Lead Pollution in an Urban Soft-water Area

PubMed Central

Beattie, A. D.; Moore, M. R.; Devenay, W. T.; Miller, A. R.; Goldberg, A.

1972-01-01

An investigation has been reported on the clinical and metabolic effects of lead acquired by soft domestic water from lead plumbing systems in 23 Glasgow households. The lead content of water from cold taps was up to 18 times the upper acceptable limit and was proportional to the amount of lead in the plumbing system. The blood lead of 71 inhabitants of these houses showed a significant positive correlation with water lead content. Delta-aminolaevulic acid dehydrase activity, an extremely sensitive indicator of lead exposure, showed a significant negative correlation with water-lead content. Atmospheric lead was within acceptable limits in all but one house and no significant correlation could be found with biochemical measurements. A small number of clinical abnormalities were found but could not be directly attributed to lead toxicity. The results of the study underline the possible danger to health of lead plumbing systems in soft-water regions. PMID:5031207

Lean, premixed, prevaporized combustion for aircraft gas turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mularz, E. J.

1979-01-01

The application of lean, premixed, prevaporized combustion to aircraft turbine engine systems can result in benefits in terms of superior combustion performance, improved combustor and turbine durability, and environmentally acceptable pollutant emissions. Lean, premixed prevaporized combustion is particularly attractive for reducing the oxides of nitrogen emissions during high altitude cruise. The NASA stratospheric cruise emission reduction program will evolve and demonstrate lean, premixed, prevaporized combustion technology for aircraft engines. This multiphased program is described. In addition, the various elements of the fundamental studies phase of the program are reviewed, and results to date of many of these studies are summarized.

Phase 0 study for a geothermal superheated water proof of concept facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Douglass, R. H.; Pearson, R. O.

1974-01-01

A Phase 0 study for the selection of a representative liquid-dominated geothermal resource of moderate salinity and temperature is discussed. Selection and conceptual design of a nominal 10-MWe energy conversion system, and implementation planning for Phase 1: subsystem (component, experiments) and Phase 2: final design, construction, and operation of experimental research facilities are reported. The objective of the overall program is to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of utilizing moderate temperature and salinity liquid-dominated resources with acceptable environmental impact, and thus encourage commercial scale development of geothermal electrical power generation.

An in-home study of subjective response to simulated sonic booms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, David A.; Brown, Sherilyn A.; Hilliard, R. David

1994-01-01

The proposed development of a second-generation supersonic commercial transport has resulted in increased research efforts to provide an environmentally acceptable aircraft. One of the environmental issues is the impact of sonic booms on people. Aircraft designers are attempting to design the transport to produce sonic boom signatures that will have minimum impact on the public. Current supersonic commercial aircraft produce an 'N-wave' sonic boom pressure signature that is considered unacceptable by the public. This has resulted in first-generation supersonic transports being banned from flying supersonically over land in the United States, a severe economic constraint. By tailoring aircraft volume and lift distributions, designers hope to produce sonic boom signatures having specific shapes other than 'N-wave' that may be more acceptable to the public and could possibly permit overland supersonic flight. As part of the effort to develop a second-generation supersonic commercial transport, Langley Research Center is conducting research to study people's subjective response to sonic booms. As part of that research, a system was developed for performing studies of the subjective response of people to the occurrence of simulated sonic booms in their homes. The In-Home Noise Generation/Response System (IHONORS) provides a degree of situational realism not available in the laboratory and a degree of control over the noise exposure not found in community surveys. The computer-controlled audio system generates the simulated sonic booms, measures the noise levels, and records the subjects' rating and can be placed and operated in individuals' homes for extended periods of time. The system was used to conduct an in-home study of subjective response to simulated sonic booms. The primary objective of the study was to determine the effect on annoyance of the number of sonic boom occurrences in a realistic environment.

Occupant perception of indoor air and comfort in four hospitality environments.

PubMed

Moschandreas, D J; Chu, P

2002-01-01

This article reports on a survey of customer and staff perceptions of indoor air quality at two restaurants, a billiard hall, and a casino. The survey was conducted at each environment for 8 days: 2 weekend days on 2 consecutive weekends and 4 weekdays. Before and during the survey, each hospitality environment satisfied ventilation requirements set in ASHRAE Standard 62-1999, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air. An objective of this study was to test the hypothesis: If a hospitality environment satisfies ASHRAE ventilation requirements, then the indoor air is acceptable, that is, fewer than 20% of the exposed occupants perceive the environment as unacceptable. A second objective was to develop a multiple regression model that predicts the dependent variable, the environment is acceptable, as a function of a number of independent perception variables. Occupant perception of environmental, comfort, and physical variables was measured using a questionnaire. This instrument was designed to be efficient and unobtrusive; subjects could complete it within 3 min. Significant differences of occupant environment perception were identified among customers and staff. The dependent variable, the environment is acceptable, is affected by temperature, occupant density, and occupant smoking status, odor perception, health conditions, sensitivity to chemicals, and enjoyment of activities. Depending on the hospitality environment, variation of independent variables explains as much as 77% of the variation of the dependent variable.

Importance of perceived naturalness for acceptance of food additives and cultured meat.

PubMed

Siegrist, Michael; Sütterlin, Bernadette

2017-06-01

Four experiments examined some factors influencing the perceived naturalness of food products and their biasing effect on risk perception. The results of Experiment 1a showed that three food additives displaying their respective E-numbers (i.e., codes for food additives in the European Union and Switzerland) decreased perceived naturalness. Experiment 1b demonstrated that mentioning possible health effects decreased the perceived naturalness of a plant-based food additive. This experiment further showed that it would not matter for perceived naturalness whether the food was synthetic or nature-identical. Moreover, the results of Experiments 2 and 3 suggested that the same risk associated with meat consumption was much more acceptable for traditionally produced meat compared with in-vitro meat. Experiment 3 further indicated that the perceived naturalness of the meat (i.e., traditional or cultured meat) had a full mediation effect on participants' evaluation of the acceptability of the risk of colon cancer associated with the meat consumption. Even if the new production method (i.e., cultured meat) was more environmentally friendly and less harmful to animals, the perceived lack of naturalness might reduce the acceptability of the risk associated with such a product. The present study provides evidence that consumers rely on symbolic information when evaluating foods, which may lead to biased judgments and decisions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification and selection of Environmental Performance Indicators for sustainable port development.

PubMed

Puig, Martí; Wooldridge, Chris; Darbra, Rosa Mari

2014-04-15

In this paper an identification and selection of Environmental Performance Indicators (EPIs) in port areas has been conducted. A comprehensive inventory of existing EPIs in use in the seaport sector has been identified for monitoring performance of operational (e.g. dust, noise, dredging, and waste), managerial (e.g. certification, compliance, and complaints) and environmental condition (e.g. air, water, sediment and ecosystems). These indicators have been filtered against specific criteria and have been assessed and evaluated by port stakeholders in order to obtain a final set of indicators suitable to be implemented at EU level. A user friendly tool has been developed specifically to assist port authorities in calculating and reporting the proposed indicators. This study has drawn on major research projects to blend academic research with input from marine professionals in order to identify, select, evaluate and validate EPIs that are acceptable and feasible to the sector, and practicable in their application and implementation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public participation in strategic environmental assessment (SEA): Critical review and the Quebec (Canada) approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gauthier, Mario, E-mail: mario.gauthier@uqo.c; Simard, Louis, E-mail: lsimard@uottawa.c; Waaub, Jean-Philippe, E-mail: waaub.jean-philippe@uqam.c

2011-01-15

It is widely accepted that public participation must be a part of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) procedures, and yet few studies have been conducted on the implementation of SEA public participation procedures. Accordingly, the theoretical and practical aspects of public participation in SEA remain research priorities for environmental policy-making. This paper presents a review of the Quebec (Canada) model of public participation in SEA through an evaluation of six public hearings on proposed directions and policies concerning, respectively, hazardous waste, forest protection, residual materials, energy, water management and pig farming. First, the authors examine the theoretical dimensions of SEA andmore » public participation in the process. Second, they give a summary of the lessons that can be learned from the few Canadian and international experiences. Third, they outline the Quebec experience. Finally, they conclude by evaluating the opportunities and limitations of the Quebec experience and make some recommendations to improve its application.« less

A simultaneous analysis method of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nicotine, cotinine and metals in human hair.

PubMed

Li, Zhenjiang; Wang, Bin; Ge, Shufang; Yan, Lailai; Liu, Yingying; Li, Zhiwen; Ren, Aiguo

2016-12-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nicotine, cotinine, and metals in human hair have been used as important environmental exposure markers. We aimed to develop a simple method to simultaneously analyze these pollutants using a small quantity of hair. The digestion performances of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for human hair were compared. Various solvents or their mixtures including n-hexane (HEX), dichloromethane (DCM) and trichloromethane (TCM), HEX:DCM32 (3/2) and HEX:TCM73 (7/3) were adopted to extract organics. The recoveries of metals were determined under an optimal operation of digestion and extraction. Our results showed that TMAH performed well in dissolving human hair and even better than NaOH. Overall, the recoveries for five solutions were acceptable for PAHs, nicotine in the range of 80%-110%. Except for HEX, other four extraction solutions had acceptable extraction efficiency for cotinine from HEX:TCM73 (88 ± 4.1%) to HEX:DCM32 (100 ± 2.8%). HEX:DCM32 was chosen as the optimal solvent in consideration of its extraction efficiency and lower density than water. The recoveries of 12 typical major or trace metals were mainly in the range of 90%-110% and some of them were close to 100%. In conclusion, the simultaneous analysis of PAHs, nicotine, cotinine, and metals was feasible. Our study provided a simple and low-cost technique for environmental epidemiological studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epistemic assessment of radon level of offices in Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, L. T.; Mui, K. W.; Law, K. Y.; Hui, P. S.

People spend most of their life working indoors. Human exposure to various air pollutants changed its importance in nature from outdoor to indoor. As some of the pollutant sources basically originate from the building envelope that could not be removed or is costly to mitigate, the remaining questions are: how the indoor air quality (IAQ) is monitored and how the information could be used for the environmental control system to achieve the best air quality delivery. Indoor radon level could be measured with a number of sampling approaches and used to determine the acceptance of an IAQ with respect to certain exposure limits. In determining the acceptable IAQ of a space, this study proposes that the measured indoor radon level must be accompanied with the confidence levels of the assessment. Radon levels in Hong Kong offices were studied by a cross-sectional measurement in 216 typical offices and a year-round longitudinal measurement in one office. The results showed that 96.5% (94.0-99.0% at 95% confidence interval) and 98.6% (97.0% to >99.9% at 95% confidence interval) of the sampled offices would satisfy action radon levels of 150 and 200 Bq m -3, respectively. The same results were then used to quantify the prior knowledge on radon level distributions of an office and the probable errors of the adopted sampling schemes. This study proposes an epistemic approach, with the prior knowledge and a sample test result, to assess the acceptance against an action radon level of an office in Hong Kong. With the certainty of the test results determined for judgmental purposes, it is possible to apply the method to an office for follow-up tests of acceptance.

Assessing the Sustainability Performance of Urban Plans based on Ecosystem Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menteşe, E. Y.; Tezer, A.

2017-12-01

Aiming at efficient and mindful use of natural resources while enabling social cohesion and economic development; sustainable development is one of the most emerging phenomenon in last decade. In this regard, role of urban development is critical by means of achieving sustainability since more than half of the world's population lives in cities. However, there is no solid and widely accepted approach for sustainability assessment in land use planning because there is not enough evidence on the relation between land use plans and environmental sustainability. With the basic aim of setting up relation between environmental sustainability and urban plans, this study utilizes ecosystem services phenomenon to define sustainability performance of a land use plan. Since ecosystem services can easily be related with land cover and land use they can be used as an efficient tool to act as indicators of sustainability. Meanwhile, while urban plans can provide ecosystem services and their level of service provision can be quantified, this is not solely enough for understanding its sustainability. Because it is also known that a land use plan mostly has negative impact on sustainability. Hence, this study embraces land use plans as a source of ecosystem services and environmental impacts. The difference between these entities are assumed to be the sustainability performance of a plan. The analysis relies on four parameters: ecosystem service capacity (environmental impact capacity), areal quantity of a land cover / use function, fragmantation level of the land use / cover and weight of ecosystem services / environmental impacts. Lastly, this approach is adopted for Istanbul's environmental master plan of 2009 and actual land cover of the same period. By calculating both data's environmental performance, the change of sustainability level sourced from environmental plan is analyzed.

Federal environmental standards of potential importance to operations and activities at US Department of Energy sites. Draft

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fowler, K.M.; Bilyard, G.R.; Davidson, S.A.

1993-06-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is now engaged in a program of environmental restoration nationwide across its 45 sites. It is also bringing its facilities into compliance with environmental regulations, decontaminating and decommissioning unwanted facilities, and constructing new waste management facilities. One of the most difficult questions that DOE must face in successfully remediating its inactive waste sites, decontaminating and decommissioning its inactive facilities, and operating its waste management facilities is: ``What criteria and standards should be met?`` Acceptable standards or procedures for determining standards will assist DOE in its conduct of ongoing waste management and pending cleanup activitiesmore » by helping to ensure that those activities are conducted in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and are accepted by the regulatory community and the public. This document reports on the second of three baseline activities that are being conducted as prerequisites to either the development of quantitative standards that could be used by DOE, or consistent procedures for developing such standards. The first and third baseline activities are also briefly discussed in conjunction with the second of the three activities.« less

North Seeking Gyrocompass.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

ENVIRONMENTAL TEST SPECIFICATION FOR GIMBAL MOUNT 67 2 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Title Page 1 NFM Mounted on NSG Gimbals 6 2 NSG Family Tree 9 3 NFM...has a rating of .45 ampere-hours and can provide up to 30 northings on one charge. The NSG is designed to operate either on the vehicle batery or the BB...is included in Appendix B. The acceptance test requirements for the NFM are presented in Appendix C. The environmental test specification for the NSG

Environmental Assessment of Proposed Mixed-Use Business Park on an Enchanced Use Lease at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

remediate past environmental contamination on Air Force installations. Past procedures for managing and disposing wastes, although accepted at the...time, resulted in contamination of the environment. The ERP has established a process to evaluate past disposal sites, control the migration of... contaminants , identify potential hazards to human health and the environment, and remediate the sites. 3.5.2 Existing Conditions GFAFB is a

Environmental Considerations for a Geothermal Development in the Jemez Mountains of Central New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sabo, David G.

The demonstration nature of the Baca Geothermal Project and the contractual arrangements between Public Service Company of New Me (PNM) and Union Geothermal Company of New Mexico (Union) with the Department of Energy mandate on environmental monitoring effort previously not seen for an energy development of this size. One of the most often stated goals of the Baca Project is to demonstrate the acceptability and viability of geothermal energy in an environmentally responsible manner. If this statement is to be followed, then a program would have to be developed which would (1) identify all the environmental baseline parameters, (2) monitormore » them during construction and operation, and (3) alleviate any possible negative impacts. The situation of the Baca project in the Jemez Mountains of north-central New Mexico offers a challenging vehicle with which to demonstrate the acceptability of geothermal energy. A few of the reasons for this are: these mountains are one of the most heavily used recreational resource areas in the state, numerous prehistoric people utilized the canyons and have left considerable archeological resources, the mountains are home for a number of individuals who prefer their serenity to the hustle and bustle of urban dwelling, and finally, the mountains are considered sacred by a number of local Indian tribes, a few of which use the mountaintop as religious sites.« less

40 CFR 265.1 - Purpose, scope, and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....1 Section 265.1 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) INTERIM STATUS STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND... establish minimum national standards that define the acceptable management of hazardous waste during the...

42 CFR 137.285 - Are Self-Governance Tribes required to accept Federal environmental responsibilities to enter...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

....285 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE Construction Nepa Process § 137.285 Are Self...

24 CFR 290.15 - Disposition plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... DEVELOPMENT HUD-OWNED PROPERTIES DISPOSITION OF MULTIFAMILY PROJECTS AND SALE OF HUD-HELD MULTIFAMILY..., the sales price that is acceptable to HUD, and the assistance that HUD plans to make available to a... plan, the environmental reviews required by 24 CFR part 50. ...

Examining maternal age, breastfeeding self-efficacy and health locus of control in psychological wellbeing of mothers.

PubMed

Lawal, Abiodun Musbau; Idemudia, Erhabor Sunday

2017-12-01

We investigated the direct and interaction influence of maternal age, breastfeeding self-efficacy (BSE), health locus of control (HLOC) on six dimensions of psychological wellbeing of breastfeeding mothers in Lagos, Nigeria. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 291 mothers attending health facilities in two suburb local government areas. The survey included socio-demographics (maternal age, marital status, ethnicity, education level and position of the baby currently breastfeeding), breastfeeding self-efficacy, health locus of control and psychological wellbeing scales. Independent variables were tested against sense of autonomy, positive relations with others, purpose in life, self-acceptance, environmental mastery and personal growth using factorial Multivariate Analysis of Variance. Results showed direct influence of BSE, HLOC and maternal age on various dimensions of psychological wellbeing. Interaction influences indicate BSE and HLOC on environmental mastery; BSE and maternal age on self-acceptance and HLOC and maternal age on sense of autonomy, positive relationship with others and self-acceptance respectively. In conclusion, maternal age, breastfeeding self-efficacy and health locus of control are vital for mothers to enjoy plenty dimensions of psychological wellbeing. Breastfeeding mothers need to be confident in their abilities to breastfeed and have control over their health-related behaviour in order to enjoy sufficient dimensions of psychological wellbeing.

Environmental assessment: Richton Dome Site, Mississippi

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

1986-05-01

In February 1983, the US Department of Energy (DOE) identified the Richton Dome site in Mississippi as one of the nine potentially acceptable sites for a mined geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. To determine their suitability, the Richton Dome site and the eight other potentially acceptable sites have been evaluated in accordance with the DOE's General Guidelines for the Recommendation of Sites for the Nuclear Waste Repositories. These evaluations were reported in draft environmental assessments (EAs), which were issued for public review and comment. After considering the comments received on the draft EAs, the DOEmore » prepared the final EAs. The site is in the Gulf interior region, which is one of five distinct geohydrologic settings considered for the first repository. This setting contains two other potentially acceptable sites--the Cypress Creek Dome site in Mississippi and the Vacherie Dome site in Louisiana. Although the Cypress Creek Dome and the Vacherie Dome sites are suitable for site characterization, the DOE has concluded that the Richton Dome site is the preferred site in the Gulf interior region. On the basis of the evaluations reported in this EA, the DOE has found that the Richton Dome site is not disqualified under the guidelines.« less

[Attitudes of adults towards homosexuality and knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases: part one].

PubMed

Tritt, Remigiusz Jarosław

2011-01-01

This doctoral dissertation is the first scientific article in Poland with an in-depth analysis of subjective attitudes of members of various social groups towards persons with a homosexual orientation. The dissertation includes definitions of terms related to homosexuality, as well as changing opinions on gays and lesbians over the centuries from antiquity till modern times. Special attention is devoted to the biological background of human and animal homosexuality. Opinions of various experts are presented and the fate of homosexuals throughout history is discussed together with examples of persecution on one side and growing tolerance on the other. The aim of this study was to (a) investigate the attitudes of adults representing various social groups towards homosexuality; (b) evaluate the knowledge of respondents concerning biological and social aspects of homosexuality; (c) determine the degree of tolerance and acceptance of gays and lesbians. The study was done in 2255 respondents - students of various university faculties, as well as in teachers, servicemen, and cadets of the Military Academy. The study tool was a 24-item anonymous questionnaire. 1. Knowledge of problems relating to homosexuality differed among various social groups. Knowledge was highest among students of cultural studies and teachers. 2. The level of tolerance and acceptance towards homosexuals continues to rise, particularly among students of the humanities. 3. The type and field of studies has an impact on the shaping of attitudes of students towards the homosexually-oriented population. The highest level of acceptance was found among students of cultural studies and philosophy. Students of the military academy and physical education revealed animosity and negative attitudes. 4. Biological factors - gender and environmental factors - parents' social class - have an impact on the shaping of attitudes towards homosexuality. Males and respondents of peasant descent do not accept homosexuality. More positive attitudes are evolving among respondents of worker descent, possibly because of their migration to cities.

The use of piezocone tests for high-resolution stratigraphy of Quaternary sediment sequences in the Brazilian coast.

PubMed

de Mio, Giuliano; Giacheti, Heraldo L

2007-03-01

Correlations between mapping units of costal sedimentary basin and interpretation of piezocone test results are presented and discussed based on examples from Caravelas strandplain, (State of Bahia), Paranaguá (State of Paraná) and Guarujá bays (State of São Paulo), Brazil. Recognizing that the sedimentary environment was mainly controlled by sea level fluctuations led to the interpretation of transgressive and regressive sedimentary sequences, which is in a good agreement with the sea level fluctuation curves currently accepted for these regions. The interpretation of piezocone test results shows that the sedimentary sequences of Caravelas and Guarujá sites are similar and they have a good correlation to the sea level fluctuation curve accepted for Salvador region, State of Bahia. On the other hand, the piezocone test results from Paranaguá site indicate a different sedimentary sequence from the previous ones, relating to the sea level fluctuation curve accepted for Paranaguá region. The results show the high applicability of piezocone testing for stratigraphical logging and suggest that it is possible to integrate it with other current techniques used for paleo-environmental studies in Brazil, in accordance with recent approaches used in international research on the subject.

Implementation of environmentally compliant cleaning and insulation bonding for MNASA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hutchens, Dale E.; Keen, Jill M.; Smith, Gary M.; Dillard, Terry W.; Deweese, C. Darrell; Lawson, Seth W.

1995-01-01

Historically, many subscale and full-scale rocket motors have employed environmentally and physiologically harmful chemicals during the manufacturing process. This program examines the synergy and interdependency between environmentally acceptable materials for solid rocket motor insulation applications, bonding, corrosion inhibiting, painting, priming, and cleaning, and then implements new materials and processes in subscale motors. Tests have been conducted to eliminate or minimize hazardous chemicals used in the manufacture of modified-NASA materials test motor (MNASA) components and identify alternate materials and/or processes following NASA Operational Environmental Team (NOET) priorities. This presentation describes implementation of high pressure water refurbishment cleaning, aqueous precision cleaning using both Brulin 815 GD and Jettacin, and insulation case bonding using ozone depleting chemical (ODC) compliant primers and adhesives.

Attenuating initial beliefs: increasing the acceptance of anthropogenic climate change information by reflecting on values.

PubMed

van Prooijen, Anne-Marie; Sparks, Paul

2014-05-01

Anthropogenic climate change information tends to be interpreted against the backdrop of initial environmental beliefs, which can lead to some people being resistant toward the information. In this article (N = 88), we examined whether self-affirmation via reflection on personally important values could attenuate the impact of initial beliefs on the acceptance of anthropogenic climate change evidence. Our findings showed that initial beliefs about the human impact on ecological stability influenced the acceptance of information only among nonaffirmed participants. Self-affirmed participants who were initially resistant toward the information showed stronger beliefs in the existence of climate change risks and greater acknowledgment that individual efficacy has a role to play in reducing climate change risks than did their nonaffirmed counterparts. © 2013 Society for Risk Analysis.

Some thoughts on problems associated with various sampling media used for environmental monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Horowitz, A.J.

1997-01-01

Modern analytical instrumentation is capable of measuring a variety of trace elements at concentrations down into the single or double digit parts-per-trillion (ng l-1) range. This holds for the three most common sample media currently used in environmental monitoring programs: filtered water, whole-water and separated suspended sediment. Unfortunately, current analytical capabilities have exceeded the current capacity to collect both uncontaminated and representative environmental samples. The success of any trace element monitoring program requires that this issue be both understood and addressed. The environmental monitoring of trace elements requires the collection of calendar- and event-based dissolved and suspended sediment samples. There are unique problems associated with the collection and chemical analyses of both types of sample media. Over the past 10 years, reported ambient dissolved trace element concentrations have declined. Generally, these decreases do not reflect better water quality, but rather improvements in the procedures used to collect, process, preserve and analyze these samples without contaminating them during these steps. Further, recent studies have shown that the currently accepted operational definition of dissolved constituents (material passing a 0.45 ??m membrane filter) is inadequat owing to sampling and processing artifacts. The existence of these artifacts raises questions about the generation of accurate, precise and comparable 'dissolved' trace element data. Suspended sediment and associated trace elements can display marked short- and long-term spatial and temporal variability. This implies that spatially representative samples only can be obtained by generating composites using depth- and width-integrated sampling techniques. Additionally, temporal variations have led to the view that the determination of annual trace element fluxes may require nearly constant (e.g., high-frequency) sampling and subsequent chemical analyses. Ultimately, sampling frequency for flux estimates becomes dependent on the time period of concern (daily, weekly, monthly, yearly) and the amount of acceptable error associated with these estimates.

Persian adaptation of a questionnaire of environmental risk factors in multiple sclerosis (EnvIMS-Q).

PubMed

Sahraian, Mohammad Ali; Naghshineh, Hoda; Shati, Mohsen; Jahromi, Soodeh Razeghi; Rezaei, Niloofar

2016-11-01

It seems that gene-environment interaction play most important role in Multiple Sclerosis development. Increasing the incidence and prevalence of MS during the recent decades in the low prevalence area such as Iran is explained better by environment factors. Environmental Risk Factors in Multiple Sclerosis (the 'EnvIMS-Q') is a 6-page self-administered questionnaire for case control studies. the objectives of study are validation and adaptation of the EnvIMS-Q' then development of a Persian version for case control studies in Persian population. This questionnaire translated literally and in culturally relevant form, then content validation process was done by three groups' experts. According to giving rating to each item, each section and the whole instrument, we calculated their content validation indexes and also added some new questions and a new section to EnvIMS-Q. Finally, we analyzed repeatability of the answers within a 4 weeks interval. Relevancy and clarity indexes of all items were more than 80%. Scale relevancy index equaled 99% and scale clarity index equaled 97%. Repeatability of most items was acceptable. the use of standardized validated questionnaires will assist the researchers to perform local studies on the role of environmental factors on the basis of reliable data. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Disrupting privilege, identity, and meaning: A reflexive dance of environmental education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neilson, Alison Laurie

By inviting educators from diverse backgrounds to participate in creative conversations, I had hoped to reflect on experiences that had helped construct our theories of environmental education, and inform practice. I sought consistency across the espoused ethics of co-participants, namely critical perspectives grounded in environmental justice. However, this quest was interrupted by a growing awareness of the interference of power dynamics between myself and the other participants, and of my own commitment to respect the stories being told. This narrative describes my "dance" of meaning making. The community dance examining privilege, identity and meaning is a study of how I may be contributing to the same oppressive situations I passionately strive to work against. Concepts of knowledge, power, and identity ebbed and flowed within stories drawn from the mountains of Tanzania to the hills of Colombia, and from the frozen shores of Kirkland Lake to the trout filled streams of Karman, Iran. Making meaning is itself an act of power and privilege, so I danced to make room for multiple understandings of these stories, of environmental education, and of research. This work offers an experience of disruption that raises questions and broadens the inclusion of people, ideas and other life into "accepted" research and pedagogical practices. Conventions embedded within research and education were disrupted throughout this reflexive process. As the author of this text, I was uncomfortable with the role of being the dominant voice, and consciously chose not to impose my interpretation on the stories shared by co-participants. The struggle to resist the very privilege in which my own education practice and this research process are so deeply steeped revealed normative forces that often threaten to undermine attempts by educators and researchers to act according to critical theories and environmental justice ethics. To accept the invitation to dance with the text is to step into the rhythmic intricacies of a collaborative process of reflexion. Circling hand-in-hand and giving weight to fellow dancers' movements shifts individuals from being carriers of truths to being community members sharing in the collaborative process of dancing the world into existence.

40 CFR 262.57 - Recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) STANDARDS APPLICABLE TO GENERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE Exports of Hazardous Waste § 262.57 Recordkeeping. (a) For all... at least three years from the date the hazardous waste was accepted by the initial transporter; (2...

Improving continuous monitoring OF VOC’s emissions from alternative fertilizers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Application of alternative fertilizers, such as biosolids, to agricultural fields is an environmentally-beneficial practice. Concerns regarding nuisance odors caused by specific volatile organic compounds (VOC) have lead to public opposition and may ultimately lead to lack of acceptance of biosolids...

Moving Genetic Biomonitoring from a Concept to a Tool

EPA Science Inventory

Molecular genetic techniques like DNA barcoding and environmental DNA have been proposed as tools for aquatic biomonitoring for nearly a decade, but have yet to break through into widespread acceptance. The potential benefits of these methods, such as quicker, cheaper, more detai...

MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE COMBUSTOR ASH DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM - "THE BOATHOUSE"

EPA Science Inventory

The report presents the results of a research program designed to examine the engineering and environmental acceptability of using municipal solid waste (MSW) combustor ash as an aggregate substitute in the manufacture of construction quality cement blocks. 50 tons of MSW combust...

40 CFR 141.24 - Organic chemicals, sampling and analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... available from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL)-Cincinnati... for which the laboratory desires certification. (B) Achieve the quantitative acceptance limits under... contaminants included in the PE sample. (C) Achieve quantitative results on the analyses performed under...

40 CFR 141.24 - Organic chemicals, sampling and analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... available from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL)-Cincinnati... for which the laboratory desires certification. (B) Achieve the quantitative acceptance limits under... contaminants included in the PE sample. (C) Achieve quantitative results on the analyses performed under...

40 CFR 141.24 - Organic chemicals, sampling and analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... available from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL)-Cincinnati... for which the laboratory desires certification. (B) Achieve the quantitative acceptance limits under... contaminants included in the PE sample. (C) Achieve quantitative results on the analyses performed under...

40 CFR 141.24 - Organic chemicals, sampling and analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... available from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL)-Cincinnati... for which the laboratory desires certification. (B) Achieve the quantitative acceptance limits under... contaminants included in the PE sample. (C) Achieve quantitative results on the analyses performed under...

40 CFR 141.24 - Organic chemicals, sampling and analytical requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... available from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL)-Cincinnati... for which the laboratory desires certification. (B) Achieve the quantitative acceptance limits under... contaminants included in the PE sample. (C) Achieve quantitative results on the analyses performed under...

30 CFR 250.1910 - What safety and environmental information is required?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... information including, as appropriate, a simplified process flow diagram and acceptable upper and lower limits, where applicable, for items such as temperature, pressure, flow and composition; and (3) mechanical design information including, as appropriate, piping and instrument diagrams; electrical area...

30 CFR 250.1910 - What safety and environmental information is required?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... appropriate, a simplified process flow diagram and acceptable upper and lower limits, where applicable, for items such as temperature, pressure, flow and composition; and (3) mechanical design information including, as appropriate, piping and instrument diagrams; electrical area classifications; equipment...

30 CFR 250.1910 - What safety and environmental information is required?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... appropriate, a simplified process flow diagram and acceptable upper and lower limits, where applicable, for items such as temperature, pressure, flow and composition; and (3) mechanical design information including, as appropriate, piping and instrument diagrams; electrical area classifications; equipment...

30 CFR 250.1910 - What safety and environmental information is required?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... appropriate, a simplified process flow diagram and acceptable upper and lower limits, where applicable, for items such as temperature, pressure, flow and composition; and (3) mechanical design information including, as appropriate, piping and instrument diagrams; electrical area classifications; equipment...

EXPERIMENTAL AND MATHEMATICAL MODELING METHODS FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF TOXICOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

While procedures have been developed and used for many years to assess risk and determine acceptable exposure levels to individual chemicals, most cases of environmental contamination can result in concurrent or sequential exposure to more than one chemical. Toxicological predict...

48 CFR 1552.215-71 - Evaluation factors for award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... for technical acceptability evaluation: (c) Factors for past performance evaluation (optional): (End... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 true Evaluation factors for award. 1552.215-71 Section 1552.215-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION...

M-X Environmental Technical Report. Environmental Characteristics of Alternative Designated Deployment Areas, Power and Energy.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-22

Vertical Axis Turbine (3.4.2) A vertical axis ( Darrieus ) turbine has the following advantages over a horizontal turbine : I. Accepts wind from all...would be too large, while wind and solar could only achieve capacity factors of 40 to 50 percent. Alcohol fue’s in gas turbines would be too expensive...or biomass base load system. Wind would not be a good choice to supply such a small toad cencer, especially in Nevada/Utah, since the turbine would

Research Priorities in Environmental Risk Assessment. Workshop on Research Needs in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Held in Breckenridge, Colorado on August 16-21, 1987

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-30

accordance with SETAC’s goal of providing a forum for communication among professionals involved with the use, protection, and management of the...templated action. Risk assessment provides technical input to risk management , the process of making decisions about the acceptability of risks and the need... management and computerized information-processing capabilities needed for risk assessment is also essential. Aquatic Toxicology In order to quantify and

Concerning modeling of double-stage water evaporation cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shatskiy, V. P.; Fedulova, L. I.; Gridneva, I. V.

2018-03-01

The matter of need for setting technical norms for production, as well as acceptable microclimate parameters, such as temperature and humidity, at the work place, remains urgent. Use of certain units should be economically sound and that should be taken into account for construction, assembly, operation, technological, and environmental requirements. Water evaporation coolers are simple to maintain, environmentally friendly, and quite cheap, but the development of the most efficient solutions requires mathematical modeling of the heat and mass transfer processes that take place in them.

Analytical methodology for determination of helicopter IFR precision approach requirements. [pilot workload and acceptance level

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phatak, A. V.

1980-01-01

A systematic analytical approach to the determination of helicopter IFR precision approach requirements is formulated. The approach is based upon the hypothesis that pilot acceptance level or opinion rating of a given system is inversely related to the degree of pilot involvement in the control task. A nonlinear simulation of the helicopter approach to landing task incorporating appropriate models for UH-1H aircraft, the environmental disturbances and the human pilot was developed as a tool for evaluating the pilot acceptance hypothesis. The simulated pilot model is generic in nature and includes analytical representation of the human information acquisition, processing, and control strategies. Simulation analyses in the flight director mode indicate that the pilot model used is reasonable. Results of the simulation are used to identify candidate pilot workload metrics and to test the well known performance-work-load relationship. A pilot acceptance analytical methodology is formulated as a basis for further investigation, development and validation.

Evaluating the impact of a tobacco cessation training for military medical providers in a primary care clinic

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-16

contains a food ingredient at or below the level and for a use found to be safe, or agricultural chemical or environmental contaminant at or below the...of payment for benefits or services under those programs Category 32 CFR 219.101(b)(6): This research is a taste and food quality evaluation and/or...consumer acceptance study that w ill involve: (1) the consumption of wholesome foods without additives; and/or (2) the consumption of a food that D

ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION FOR UTILIZATION OF ASH IN SOIL STABILIZATION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David J. Hassett; Loreal V. Heebink

2001-08-01

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) approved the use of coal ash in soil stabilization, indicating that environmental data needed to be generated. The overall project goal is to evaluate the potential for release of constituents into the environment from ash used in soil stabilization projects. Supporting objectives are: (1) To ensure sample integrity through implementation of a sample collection, preservation, and storage protocol to avoid analyte concentration or loss. (2) To evaluate the potential of each component (ash, soil, water) of the stabilized soil to contribute to environmental release of analytes of interest. (3) To use laboratory leaching methodsmore » to evaluate the potential for release of constituents to the environment. (4) To facilitate collection of and to evaluate samples from a field runoff demonstration effort. The results of this study indicated limited mobility of the coal combustion fly ash constituents in laboratory tests and the field runoff samples. The results presented support previous work showing little to negligible impact on water quality. This and past work indicates that soil stabilization is an environmentally beneficial CCB utilization application as encouraged by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This project addressed the regulatory-driven environmental aspect of fly ash use for soil stabilization, but the demonstrated engineering performance and economic advantages also indicate that the use of CCBs in soil stabilization can and should become an accepted engineering option.« less

Environmental risk assessment for plant pests: a procedure to evaluate their impacts on ecosystem services.

PubMed

Gilioli, G; Schrader, G; Baker, R H A; Ceglarska, E; Kertész, V K; Lövei, G; Navajas, M; Rossi, V; Tramontini, S; van Lenteren, J C

2014-01-15

The current methods to assess the environmental impacts of plant pests differ in their approaches and there is a lack of the standardized procedures necessary to provide accurate and consistent results, demonstrating the complexity of developing a commonly accepted scheme for this purpose. By including both the structural and functional components of the environment threatened by invasive alien species (IAS), in particular plant pests, we propose an environmental risk assessment scheme that addresses this complexity. Structural components are investigated by evaluating the impacts of the plant pest on genetic, species and landscape diversity. Functional components are evaluated by estimating how plant pests modify ecosystem services in order to determine the extent to which an IAS changes the functional traits that influence ecosystem services. A scenario study at a defined spatial and temporal resolution is then used to explore how an IAS, as an exogenous driving force, may trigger modifications in the target environment. The method presented here provides a standardized approach to generate comparable and reproducible results for environmental risk assessment as a component of Pest Risk Analysis. The method enables the assessment of overall environmental risk which integrates the impacts on different components of the environment and their probabilities of occurrence. The application of the proposed scheme is illustrated by evaluating the environmental impacts of the invasive citrus long-horn beetle, Anoplophora chinensis. © 2013.

Quality of Life, Coping Styles, Stress Levels, and Time Use in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Comparing Single Versus Coupled Households.

PubMed

McAuliffe, Tomomi; Cordier, Reinie; Vaz, Sharmila; Thomas, Yvonne; Falkmer, Torbjorn

2017-10-01

This study aimed to examine the influence of differences in household status on the parental stress, coping, time use and quality of life (QoL) among mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders. Forty-three single and 164 coupled mothers completed the survey. Data were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. We found that single mothers were 1.05 times more likely to report lower levels of environmental QoL. Whilst they were 1.73 times more likely to use acceptance coping style, this association did not persist after adjusting for total number of children, household income and employment status. There was no difference in time use and stress between these mothers. Possible environmental issues for single mothers and implications for future research are discussed.

The readability and audience acceptance of printed health promotion materials used by environmental health departments.

PubMed

Harvey, Harold D; Fleming, Paul

2003-01-01

A significant part of the work of an environmental health professional is the communication of information to clients, customers, and the public in the context of safety and health promotion or as an adjunct to enforcement activities. While a wide range of communication methods are available today, printed material still forms an important aspect of the communications methodology of environmental health departments. This paper raises a number of questions about the effectiveness of environmental health promotion brochures in common use in the United Kingdom and the problems that could arise from simply assuming that the brochures are conveying the intended message to the target audience. Through a series of case studies conducted in environmental health departments, evaluative data on a range of brochures were gathered in two interlinked stages: a readability test and a target-audience questionnaire survey. The sources of the brochures included the central government, charities, trade unions, and commercial enterprises; some brochures were produced "in house." Results indicated a common mismatch between the estimated reading age of the target audience and the reading age determined by the readability test; concern about the efficacy of using commercially sourced brochures carrying advertising that may conflict with advice on other environmental health issues; "in-house" brochures that appeared to optimize self-promotion rather than the conveyance of topic information; ineffective brochures used as an adjunct to enforcement activity; and the possibility that the latter could be introduced as defense evidence in related legal proceedings. Overall, the study showed that a well-structured method for brochure choice and ongoing evaluation are essential tools for environmental health departments seeking to maximize their resources and effectiveness.

Environmental auditing and the role of the accountancy profession: a literature review.

PubMed

de Moor, Philippe; de Beelde, Ignace

2005-08-01

This review of the literature on environmental auditing and the potential role of accountants distinguishes between compliance audits and audits of the environmental management system. After an extensive introduction to the concept, this review focuses on the similarities and differences between an environmental audit and a financial statement audit. The general approach to both types of audits is similar, except that environmental audits are largely unregulated. Both audits place an emphasis on the evaluation of control systems, which is an argument in favor of external auditors playing a role in environmental audits. Another argument for including external accountants is their code of ethics. However, these professionals seem to be reluctant to enter the field of environmental auditing. It is argued that this reluctance is because of a lack of generally accepted principles for conducting environmental audits. If external accountants are engaged in environmental auditing, they should be part of multidisciplinary teams that also include scientists and engineers to avoid a too strong focus on procedures. Rather than treating these audits as totally different, it is proposed that there be a move towards integrated, or even universal, audits.

Repeatability of a new method for measuring tear evaporation rates.

PubMed

Petznick, Andrea; Tan, Jen Hong; Boo, Shiao Khee; Lee, Sze Yee; Acharya, U Rajendra; Tong, Louis

2013-04-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the repeatability of tear evaporimetry based on infrared thermography in a clinical room setting and to test the effect of changing environmental humidity on ocular surface temperature (OST) and tear evaporation rates (TERs) in a controlled adverse environmental (CAE) chamber. Twenty-six healthy participants were enrolled, of whom 16 underwent repeatability measurements in a clinical room and 10 were exposed to a constant temperature of 30°C with a humidity of 45 and 65% in a CAE. Participants were acclimatized to each condition for at least 20 minutes before OSTs were taken. Tear film breakup time was assessed in the CAE only. Number of blinks and OSTs were continuously measured for 20 seconds for the cornea, conjunctiva, and overall ocular surface with an infrared camera; corresponding TERs were calculated. The OSTs and TERs showed acceptable strength of agreement between the first and second measurements. The coefficients of repeatability were 0.4°C for OST and 6.0 W m for TER. An increase in chamber humidity (from 45 to 65%) increased OST (p < 0.05). The TER was not changed significantly (p > 0.05). The tear film breakup time and number of blinks were not significantly affected by different humidity conditions. This technique has acceptable repeatability and has potential to document individual tear evaporation changes with time where humidity may differ by less than 20%.

Daily intake and hazard index of parabens based upon 24 h urine samples of the German Environmental Specimen Bank from 1995 to 2012.

PubMed

Moos, Rebecca K; Apel, Petra; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Brüning, Thomas; Koch, Holger M

2017-11-01

In recent years, exposure to parabens has become more of a concern because of evidence of ubiquitous exposure in the general population, combined with evidence of their potency as endocrine disruptors. New human metabolism data from oral exposure experiments enable us to back calculate daily paraben intakes from urinary paraben levels. We report daily intakes (DIs) for six parabens based on 660 24 h urine samples from the German Environmental Specimen Bank collected between 1995 and 2012. Median DI values ranged between 1.1 μg/kg bw/day for iso-butyl paraben and 47.5 μg/kg bw/day for methyl paraben. The calculated DIs were compared with acceptable levels of exposure to evaluate the hazard quotients (HQs) that indicate that acceptable exposure is exceeded for values of >1. Approximately 5% of our study population exceeded this threshold for individual paraben exposure. The hazard index (HI) that takes into account the cumulative risk of adverse estrogenic effects was 1.3 at the 95th percentile and 4.4 at maximum intakes, mainly driven by n-propyl paraben exposure. HI values of >1 indicate some level of concern. However, we have to point out that we applied most conservative assumptions in the HQ/HI calculations. Also, major exposure reduction measures were enacted in the European Union after 2012.

Monitoring Intracellular Oxygen Concentration: Implications for Hypoxia Studies and Real-Time Oxygen Monitoring.

PubMed

Potter, Michelle; Badder, Luned; Hoade, Yvette; Johnston, Iain G; Morten, Karl J

2016-01-01

The metabolic properties of cancer cells have been widely accepted as a hallmark of cancer for a number of years and have shown to be of critical importance in tumour development. It is generally accepted that tumour cells exhibit a more glycolytic phenotype than normal cells. In this study, we investigate the bioenergetic phenotype of two widely used cancer cell lines, RD and U87MG, by monitoring intracellular oxygen concentrations using phosphorescent Pt-porphyrin based intracellular probes. Our study demonstrates that cancer cell lines do not always exhibit an exclusively glycolytic phenotype. RD demonstrates a reliance on oxidative phosphorylation whilst U87MG display a more glycolytic phenotype. Using the intracellular oxygen sensing probe we generate an immediate readout of intracellular oxygen levels, with the glycolytic lines reflecting the oxygen concentration of the environment, and cells with an oxidative phenotype having significantly lower levels of intracellular oxygen. Inhibition of oxygen consumption in lines with high oxygen consumption increases intracellular oxygen levels towards environmental levels. We conclude that the use of intracellular oxygen probes provides a quantitative assessment of intracellular oxygen levels, allowing the manipulation of cellular bioenergetics to be studied in real time.

Organochlorines in urban soils from Central India: probabilistic health hazard and risk implications to human population.

PubMed

Kumar, Bhupander; Mishra, Meenu; Verma, V K; Rai, Premanjali; Kumar, Sanjay

2018-04-21

This study presents distribution of organochlorines (OCs) including HCH, DDT and PCBs in urban soils, and their environmental and human health risk. Forty-eight soil samples were extracted using ultrasonication, cleaned with modified silica gel chromatography and analyzed by GC-ECD. The observed concentrations of ∑HCH, ∑DDT and ∑PCBs in soils ranged between < 0.01-2.54, 1.30-27.41 and < 0.01-62.8 µg kg -1 , respectively, which were lower than the recommended soil quality guidelines. Human health risk was estimated following recommended guidelines. Lifetime average daily dose (LADD), non-cancer risk or hazard quotient (HQ) and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for humans due to individual and total OCs were estimated and presented. Estimated LADD were lower than acceptable daily intake and reference dose. Human health risk estimates were lower than safe limit of non-cancer risk (HQ < 1.0) and the acceptable distribution range of ILCR (10 -6 -10 -4 ). Therefore, this study concluded that present levels of OCs (HCH, DDT and PCBs) in studied soils were low, and subsequently posed low health risk to human population in the study area.

Study of high-speed civil transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

A systems study to identify the economic potential for a high-speed commercial transport (HSCT) has considered technology, market characteristics, airport infrastructure, and environmental issues. Market forecasts indicate a need for HSCT service in the 2000/2010 time frame conditioned on economic viability and environmental acceptability. Design requirements focused on a 300 passenger, 3 class service, and 6500 nautical mile range based on the accelerated growth of the Pacific region. Compatibility with existing airports was an assumed requirement. Mach numbers between 2 and 25 were examined in conjunction with the appropriate propulsion systems, fuels, structural materials, and thermal management systems. Aircraft productivity was a key parameter with aircraft worth, in comparison to aircraft price, being the airline-oriented figure of merit. Aircraft screening led to determination that Mach 3.2 (TSJF) would have superior characteristics to Mach 5.0 (LNG) and the recommendation that the next generation high-speed commercial transport aircraft use a kerosene fuel. The sensitivity of aircraft performance and economics to environmental constraints (e.g., sonic boom, engine emissions, and airport/community noise) was identified together with key technologies. In all, current technology is not adequate to produce viable HSCTs for the world marketplace. Technology advancements must be accomplished to meet environmental requirements (these requirements are as yet undetermined for sonic boom and engine emissions). High priority is assigned to aircraft gross weight reduction which benefits both economics and environmental aspects. Specific technology requirements are identified and national economic benefits are projected.

"My husband usually makes those decisions": gender, behavior, and attitudes toward the marine environment.

PubMed

Wester, Misse; Eklund, Britta

2011-07-01

Human behavior impacts the environment we live in. In order to better understand how one group, boat owners, in three Nordic countries adjacent to the Baltic Sea; Sweden, Finland and Denmark, viewed the relationship between the marine environment, leisure boats and issues of responsibility, a survey study was conducted (n = 1701). The results show that there are differences between gender in many areas and those women in general are more environmentally friendly than men in their views and behavior. Men and women seek information about boating by different channels and this knowledge may be used in future information campaigns. Both men and women ranked boat owners as having the lowest impact on the marine environment and perceived these to be responsible for addressing environmental issues caused by leisure boat activities. The results also show that it is important to prove the effectiveness of an environmentally safe product since this factor is ranked higher than price when considering buying a product. The results suggest that once environmentally friendly behavior is established, such as recycling, this behavior continues. One implication of this study is that small changes in human behavior are seen as acceptable but larger commitments are more difficult to achieve. If individuals do not feel responsible for causing environmental damage, this aspect needs to be addressed in information aimed at this group. Novel approaches on framing the information and new ways of disseminating information are needed.

Environmental Health Problems and Indicators in Tabriz, Iran

PubMed Central

Ghozikali, Mohammad Ghanbari; Mosaferi, Mohammad; Naddafi, Kazem

2013-01-01

Background: Environmental Health Indicators (EHIs) are the most important criteria for evaluation of efficiency and effectiveness of the activities of the health sector. The operations and situation of the health system can be analyzed through surveying the indicators and comparing them during different times. The present study aimed to study the EHIs of Tabriz, using the common environmental health processes and national EHIs of the Ministry of Health. Method: The required information for determination of EHIs was collected from different sources, including mainly the Environmental Health Department of the Health Center of East Azerbaijan Province, Iran and other organizations. Results: We found some important desirable and undesirable EHIs in Tabriz,including high percentage of households with access to safe and reliable drinking water, high safety in microbiological and chemical quality of drinking water, acceptable level of BOD5 and COD in the effluent of wastewater treatment plants (WTP), lack of complete municipal wastewater collection and treatment, relatively poor sanitation and health of food markets and public places, undesirable collection,transportation and disposal of municipal solid waste, low EHIs of some school classrooms, unacceptable disposal of medical waste in some hospitals, and finally high level of noise pollution in the city. Conclusion: Considering the poor condition of some EHIs of Tabriz, implementing proper actions for promotion of the indicators especially development of municipal wastewater collection, improvement of solid waste management,environmental health of some schools and mosques, and finally the noise pollution level of the city is recommended. PMID:24688959

Optimizing Environmental Flow Operation Rules based on Explicit IHA Constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dongnan, L.; Wan, W.; Zhao, J.

2017-12-01

Multi-objective operation of reservoirs are increasingly asked to consider the environmental flow to support ecosystem health. Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) is widely used to describe environmental flow regimes, but few studies have explicitly formulated it into optimization models and thus is difficult to direct reservoir release. In an attempt to incorporate the benefit of environmental flow into economic achievement, a two-objective reservoir optimization model is developed and all 33 hydrologic parameters of IHA are explicitly formulated into constraints. The benefit of economic is defined by Hydropower Production (HP) while the benefit of environmental flow is transformed into Eco-Index (EI) that combined 5 of the 33 IHA parameters chosen by principal component analysis method. Five scenarios (A to E) with different constraints are tested and solved by nonlinear programming. The case study of Jing Hong reservoir, located in the upstream of Mekong basin, China, shows: 1. A Pareto frontier is formed by maximizing on only HP objective in scenario A and on only EI objective in scenario B. 2. Scenario D using IHA parameters as constraints obtains the optimal benefits of both economic and ecological. 3. A sensitive weight coefficient is found in scenario E, but the trade-offs between HP and EI objectives are not within the Pareto frontier. 4. When the fraction of reservoir utilizable capacity reaches 0.8, both HP and EI capture acceptable values. At last, to make this modelmore conveniently applied to everyday practice, a simplified operation rule curve is extracted.

76 FR 2892 - City of Ouray; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Ready for Environmental Analysis, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-18

... feet of new pipeline to direct water to a new power plant. The power plant will house one Pelton turbine and induction motor generator with a maximum output of 20 kilowatt. g. Location: Ouray, Colorado...

Empirical observation of the impact of traffic oscillations on freeway safety : final report, OTREC-RR-10-13, September 2010.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-09-01

Traffic oscillations are typical features of congested traffic flow that are characterized by recurring decelerations : followed by accelerations (stop-and-go driving). The negative environmental impacts of these oscillations are widely : accepted, b...

75 FR 51058 - Web-Distributed Labeling User Acceptance Pilot

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-18

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0632; FRL-8840-1] Web-Distributed Labeling User... Pesticide Programs (OPP) is exploring a new initiative called ``web-distributed labeling'' (web-distributed... Internet. Through this Federal Register Notice, OPP is announcing its intention to conduct a web...

MOBILITY AND DEGRADATION OF RESIDUES AT HAZARDOUS WASTE LAND TREATMENT SITES AT CLOSURE

EPA Science Inventory

Soil treatment systems that are designed and managed based on a knowledge of soil-waste interactions may represent a significant technology for simultaneous treatment and ultimate disposal of selected hazardous wastes in an environmentally acceptable manner. hese soil treatment s...

Report: EPA Needs Better Integration of the National Environmental Performance Partnership System

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #2000-M-000828-000011, March 31, 2000. Our work shows that NEPPS as well as PPGs have not been well-integrated into EPA and not all EPA managers and staff buy-into or accept the new performance partnership system.

40 CFR 35.613 - Competitive process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Wetlands Development Grant Program (section 104(b)(3)) § 35.613 Competitive process. Wetlands development grants are awarded on a competitive... process is complete, the recipient can, at its discretion, accept the award as a wetlands development...

40 CFR 35.613 - Competitive process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Wetlands Development Grant Program (section 104(b)(3)) § 35.613 Competitive process. Wetlands development grants are awarded on a competitive... process is complete, the recipient can, at its discretion, accept the award as a wetlands development...

40 CFR 35.613 - Competitive process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Environmental Program Grants for Tribes Wetlands Development Grant Program (section 104(b)(3)) § 35.613 Competitive process. Wetlands development grants are awarded on a competitive... process is complete, the recipient can, at its discretion, accept the award as a wetlands development...

40 CFR 161.60 - Minor uses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Minor uses. 161.60 Section 161.60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS DATA REQUIREMENTS... until it is applied to the major use registrations. (3) EPA will accept extrapolations and regional data...

40 CFR 270.60 - Permits by rule.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) EPA ADMINISTERED PERMIT PROGRAMS: THE HAZARDOUS WASTE PERMIT PROGRAM Special Forms of Permits § 270.60 Permits by... operator of a barge or other vessel which accepts hazardous waste for ocean disposal, if the owner or...

40 CFR 270.60 - Permits by rule.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) EPA ADMINISTERED PERMIT PROGRAMS: THE HAZARDOUS WASTE PERMIT PROGRAM Special Forms of Permits § 270.60 Permits by... operator of a barge or other vessel which accepts hazardous waste for ocean disposal, if the owner or...

76 FR 207 - Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Transit Improvements to the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-03

.... ADDRESSES: Comments will be accepted at the public scoping meetings or they may be sent to Mr. Steve Hands... crucial transit asset into a state of good repair, while reducing travel times, improving access to job...

Aging and the Environment: Importance of Variability Issues in Understanding Risk

EPA Science Inventory

Of the many features of aging that could enhance susceptibility to environmental stressors, including toxic chemicals, the role of variability is arguably the least understood. This conclusion is surprising, since increased variability is a widely accepted feature of old age. In...

Controversial Issues in Learning Disability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sapir, Selma C.

The author discusses controversial issues in the field of learning disabilities (LD). Among topics addressed are conflicting definitions of LD and the impact of the operational definition accepted by the US Government; etiological questions concerning the separation of neurological, environmental, and emotional factors; approaches used in training…

TRANSPORT, FATE AND RISK IMPLICATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE ENDPOINT DECISIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The second and third year project goals are the following: Continue to develop and finalize the expected source zone module incorporating slow release and finalize the contaminated soil screening model. Chemical rate of release data will be obtained and used with t...

SITE CHARACTERIZATION AND ANALYSIS PENETROMETER SYSTEM(SCAPS) LAZER-INDUCED FLUORESCENCE (LIF) SENSOR AND SUPPORT SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

The Consortium for Site Characterization Technology (CSCT) has established a formal program to accelerate acceptance and application of innovative monitoring and site characterization technologies that improve the way the nation manages its environmental problems. In 1995 the CS...

7 CFR 3565.451 - Preclaim requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... take possession of the security collateral and dispose of the property. (b) Due diligence by lender... required, guaranteed lenders shall perform due diligence in conjunction with the appraisal and submit it to... Testing and Materials is considered an acceptable format for due diligence. (c) Environmental review. The...

Learning Style Profile: Examiner's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keefe, James W.; Monk, John S.

This examiner's manual accompanies the Learning Style Profile (LSP), which measures cognitive skills as well as affective and environmental preferences. Charles Letteri's General Operations Model was accepted as the prototype for relating learning styles to cognitive information processing. The LSP was developed from 1983 to 1986; several versions…

ENVIRONMENTAL RELEASE OF ASBESTOS/SUBSTITUTES FROM COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS USE AND DISPOSAL

EPA Science Inventory

For the first time, the release of respirable asbestos fibers has been quantified in terms of standard mechanical forces using widely accepted methodology and specified QA/QC procedures. Both fabrication of new products from asbestos containing materials and repair or removal of ...

Validating Analytical Protocols to Determine Selected Pesticides and PCBs Using Routine Samples.

PubMed

Pindado Jiménez, Oscar; García Alonso, Susana; Pérez Pastor, Rosa María

2017-01-01

This study aims at providing recommendations concerning the validation of analytical protocols by using routine samples. It is intended to provide a case-study on how to validate the analytical methods in different environmental matrices. In order to analyze the selected compounds (pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls) in two different environmental matrices, the current work has performed and validated two analytical procedures by GC-MS. A description is given of the validation of the two protocols by the analysis of more than 30 samples of water and sediments collected along nine months. The present work also scopes the uncertainty associated with both analytical protocols. In detail, uncertainty of water sample was performed through a conventional approach. However, for the sediments matrices, the estimation of proportional/constant bias is also included due to its inhomogeneity. Results for the sediment matrix are reliable, showing a range 25-35% of analytical variability associated with intermediate conditions. The analytical methodology for the water matrix determines the selected compounds with acceptable recoveries and the combined uncertainty ranges between 20 and 30%. Analyzing routine samples is rarely applied to assess trueness of novel analytical methods and up to now this methodology was not focused on organochlorine compounds in environmental matrices.

Acceptability of Mental Health Apps for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Mills, Patj Patj Janama Robert; Dingwall, Kylie Maree; Lowell, Anne; Singer, Judy; Rotumah, Darlene; Bennett-Levy, James; Nagel, Tricia

2016-01-01

Background Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians experience high rates of mental illness and psychological distress compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. E-mental health tools offer an opportunity for accessible, effective, and acceptable treatment. The AIMhi Stay Strong app and the ibobbly suicide prevention app are treatment tools designed to combat the disproportionately high levels of mental illness and stress experienced within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Objective This study aimed to explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members’ experiences of using two culturally responsive e-mental health apps and identify factors that influence the acceptability of these approaches. Methods Using qualitative methods aligned with a phenomenological approach, we explored the acceptability of two culturally responsive e-mental health apps through a series of three 3-hour focus groups with nine Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members. Thematic analysis was conducted and coresearcher and member checking were used to verify findings. Results Findings suggest strong support for the concept of e-mental health apps and optimism for their potential. Factors that influenced acceptability related to three key themes: personal factors (eg, motivation, severity and awareness of illness, technological competence, and literacy and language differences), environmental factors (eg, community awareness, stigma, and availability of support), and app characteristics (eg, ease of use, content, graphics, access, and security and information sharing). Specific adaptations, such as local production, culturally relevant content and graphics, a purposeful journey, clear navigation, meaningful language, options to assist people with language differences, offline use, and password protection may aid uptake. Conclusions When designed to meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, e-mental health tools add an important element to public health approaches for improving the well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. PMID:26969043

Assessment of the Acceptability and Feasibility of Child Potties for Safe Child Feces Disposal in Rural Bangladesh.

PubMed

Hussain, Faruqe; Luby, Stephen P; Unicomb, Leanne; Leontsini, Elli; Naushin, Tania; Buckland, Audrey J; Winch, Peter J

2017-08-01

Indiscriminate defecation among young children and the unsafe disposal of their feces increases fecal contamination in the household environment and the risk of diarrheal disease transmission. Improved sanitary technology for children too young to use a latrine may facilitate safe feces disposal and reduce fecal contamination in the household environment. We assessed the acceptability and feasibility of child potties in rural Bangladesh in 2010. Our team introduced child potties into 26 households for 30 days, and conducted semistructured interviews, group discussions, and observations to assess the acceptability and feasibility of their use for parents and children. Residents of this rural Bangladeshi community accepted the child potties and caregivers found them to be a feasible means of managing child feces. The color, shape, design, and size of the potty influenced its acceptability and use. These residents reported that regular use of the potty improved the household's physical environment and caregiver and child personal hygiene. Regular potty use also reduced caregivers' work load by making feces collection and disposal easier. Primary caregivers viewed 4-6 months as the appropriate age to initiate potty training. Sanitation interventions should integrate and emphasize potties for children's feces management to reduce household environmental contamination.

Enabling propulsion materials for high-speed civil transport engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, Joseph R.; Herbell, Thomas P.

1992-01-01

NASA Headquarters and LeRC have advocated an Enabling Propulsion Materials Program (EPM) to begin in FY-92. The High Speed Research Phase 1 program which began in FY-90 has focused on the environmental acceptability of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). Studies by industry, including Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, GE Aircraft Engines, and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, and in-house studies by NASA concluded that NO(x) emissions and airport noise reduction can only be economically achieved by revolutionary advancements in materials technologies. This is especially true of materials for the propulsion system where the combustor is the key to maintaining low emissions, and the exhaust nozzle is the key to reducing airport noise to an acceptable level. Both of these components will rely on high temperature composite materials that can withstand the conditions imposed by commercial aircraft operations. The proposed EPM program will operate in conjunction with the HSR Phase 1 Program and the planned HSR Phase 2 program slated to start in FY-93. Components and subcomponents developed from advanced materials will be evaluated in the HSR Phase 2 Program.

Experimental Evaluation of Preservation Techniques for Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Total Xylenes in Water Samples.

PubMed

Arnold, Ray; Kong, Deyuan; Douglas, Gregory; Hardenstine, Jeffery; Rouhani, Shahrokh; Gala, William

2018-01-01

An experiment was designed to address the validity of the prescribed maximum allowable holding-time limit of 14 days when acidified at < 2 pH and maintained at 4°C to prevent significant loss of benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in preserved water samples. Preservation methods prescribed by the United State Environmental Protection Agency were used as well as adaptions of that procedure to determine stability between 3 and 21 days. Water samples preserved at 4°C and pH of < 2 with hydrochloric acid did not result in unacceptable (> 15%) BTEX losses during the study as defined by procedures and statistical methods described by the American Society for Testing and Materials International. In addition, water samples preserved only with acid (pH < 2) at ambient temperatures (20-27°C) also provided acceptable results during the 21-day study. These results have demonstrated the acceptability of BTEX data derived from water samples exceeding the standard holding-time and/or temperature limits.

Is there a kink in consumers' threshold value for cost-effectiveness in health care?

PubMed

O'Brien, Bernie J; Gertsen, Kirsten; Willan, Andrew R; Faulkner, Lisa A

2002-03-01

A reproducible observation is that consumers' willingness-to-accept (WTA) monetary compensation to forgo a program is greater than their stated willingness-to-pay (WTP) for the same benefit. Several explanations exist, including the psychological principle that the utility of losses weighs heavier than gains. We sought to quantify the WTP-WTA disparity from published literature and explore implications for cost-effectiveness analysis accept-reject thresholds in the south-west quadrant of the cost-effectiveness plane (less effect, less cost). We reviewed published studies (health and non-health) to estimate the ratio of WTA to WTP for the same program benefit for each study and to determine if WTA is consistently greater than WTP in the literature. WTA/WTP ratios were greater than unity for every study we reviewed. The ratios ranged from 3.2 to 89.4 for environmental studies (n=7), 1.9 to 6.4 for health care studies (n=2), 1.1 to 3.6 for safety studies (n=4) and 1.3 to 2.6 for experimental studies (n=7). Given that WTA is greater than WTP based on individual preferences, should not societal preferences used to determine cost-effectiveness thresholds reflect this disparity? Current convention in cost-effectiveness analysis is that any given accept-rejection criterion (e.g. $50 k/QALY gained) is symmetric - a straight line through the origin of the cost-effectiveness plane. The WTA-WTP evidence suggests a downward 'kink' through the origin for the south-west quadrant, such that the 'selling price' of a QALY is greater than the 'buying price'. The possibility of 'kinky cost-effectiveness' decision rules and the size of the kink merits further exploration. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Road-corridor planning in the EIA procedure in Spain. A review of case studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loro, Manuel, E-mail: manuel.loro@upm.es; Transport Research Centre; Centro de investigación del transporte, TRANSyT-UPM, ETSI Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Prof. Aranguren s/n, 28040 Madrid

The assessment of different alternatives in road-corridor planning must be based on a number of well-defined territorial variables that serve as decision making criteria, and this requires a high-quality preliminary environmental assessment study. In Spain the formal specifications for the technical requirements stipulate the constraints that must be considered in the early stages of defining road corridors, but not how they should be analyzed and ranked. As part of the feasibility study of a new road definition, the most common methodology is to establish different levels of Territorial Carrying Capacity (TCC) in the study area in order to summarize themore » territorial variables on thematic maps and to ease the tracing process of road-corridor layout alternatives. This paper explores the variables used in 22 road-construction projects conducted by the Ministry of Public Works that were subject to the Spanish EIA regulation and published between 2006 and 2008. The aim was to evaluate the quality of the methods applied and the homogeneity and suitability of the variables used for defining the TCC. The variables were clustered into physical, environmental, land-use and cultural constraints for the purpose of comparing the TCC values assigned in the studies reviewed. We found the average quality of the studies to be generally acceptable in terms of the justification of the methodology, the weighting and classification of the variables, and the creation of a synthesis map. Nevertheless, the methods for assessing the TCC are not sufficiently standardized; there is a lack of uniformity in the cartographic information sources and methodologies for the TCC valuation. -- Highlights: • We explore 22 road-corridor planning studies subjected to the Spanish EIA regulation. • We analyze the variables selected for defining territorial carrying capacity. • The quality of the studies is acceptable (methodology, variable weighting, mapping). • There is heterogeneity in the methods for territorial carrying capacity valuation.« less

Trust, confidence, procedural fairness, outcome fairness, moral conviction, and the acceptance of GM field experiments.

PubMed

Siegrist, Michael; Connor, Melanie; Keller, Carmen

2012-08-01

In 2005, Swiss citizens endorsed a moratorium on gene technology, resulting in the prohibition of the commercial cultivation of genetically modified crops and the growth of genetically modified animals until 2013. However, scientific research was not affected by this moratorium, and in 2008, GMO field experiments were conducted that allowed us to examine the factors that influence their acceptance by the public. In this study, trust and confidence items were analyzed using principal component analysis. The analysis revealed the following three factors: "economy/health and environment" (value similarity based trust), "trust and honesty of industry and scientists" (value similarity based trust), and "competence" (confidence). The results of a regression analysis showed that all the three factors significantly influenced the acceptance of GM field experiments. Furthermore, risk communication scholars have suggested that fairness also plays an important role in the acceptance of environmental hazards. We, therefore, included measures for outcome fairness and procedural fairness in our model. However, the impact of fairness may be moderated by moral conviction. That is, fairness may be significant for people for whom GMO is not an important issue, but not for people for whom GMO is an important issue. The regression analysis showed that, in addition to the trust and confidence factors, moral conviction, outcome fairness, and procedural fairness were significant predictors. The results suggest that the influence of procedural fairness is even stronger for persons having high moral convictions compared with persons having low moral convictions. © 2012 Society for Risk Analysis.

Australian Consumers' Awareness and Acceptance of Insects as Food.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Kerry; Muhlhausler, Beverly; Motley, Crystal; Crump, Anna; Bray, Heather; Ankeny, Rachel

2018-04-19

Insects have long been consumed as part of the diets of many Asian, African, and South American cultures. However, despite international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations advocating the nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits of entomophagy, attitudinal barriers persist in Western societies. In Australia, the indigenous ‘bush tucker’ diet comprising witchetty grubs, honey ants, and Bogong moths is quite well known; however, in most Australian locales, the consumption of insects tends to occur only as a novelty. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the awareness and acceptance of insects as food. An online survey of 820 consumers found that 68% of participants had heard of entomophagy, but only 21% had previously eaten insects; witchetty grubs, ants, grasshoppers, and crickets were the most commonly tasted insects. Taste, appearance, safety, and quality were identified as the factors that were most likely to influence consumer willingness to try eating insects, but consumer attitudes towards entomophagy were underpinned by both food neophobia (i.e., reluctance to eat new or novel foods) and prior consumption of insects. Neophobic consumers were far less accepting of entomophagy than neophilic consumers, while consumers who had previously eaten insects were most accepting of insects as food. Incorporating insects into familiar products (e.g., biscuits) or cooked meals also improved their appeal. Collectively, these findings can be used by the food industry to devise production and/or marketing strategies that overcome barriers to insect consumption in Australia.

High-speed civil transport study. Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

A system of study of the potential for a high speed commercial transport aircraft addressed technology, economic, and environmental constraints. Market projections indicated a need for fleets of transport with supersonic or greater cruise speeds by the years 2000 to 2005. The associated design requirements called for a vehicle to carry 250 to 300 passengers over a range of 5000 to 6000 nautical miles. The study was initially unconstrained in terms of vehicle characteristics, such as cruise speed, propulsion systems, fuels, or structural materials. Analyses led to a focus on the most promising vehicle concepts. These were concepts that used a kerosene type fuel and cruised at Mach numbers between 2.0 to 3.2. Further systems study identified the impact of environmental constraints (for community noise, sonic boom, and engine emissions) on economic attractiveness and technological needs. Results showed that current technology cannot produce a viable high speed civil transport. Significant advances are needed to take off gross weight and allow for both economic attractiveness and environment acceptability. Specific technological requirements were identified to meet these needs.

The role of productivity in improving the environmental sustainability of ruminant production systems.

PubMed

Capper, Judith L; Bauman, Dale E

2013-01-01

The global livestock industry is charged with providing sufficient animal source foods to supply the global population while improving the environmental sustainability of animal production. Improved productivity within dairy and beef systems has demonstrably reduced resource use and greenhouse gas emissions per unit of food over the past century through the dilution of maintenance effect. Further environmental mitigation effects have been gained through the current use of technologies and practices that enhance milk yield or growth in ruminants; however, the social acceptability of continued intensification and use of productivity-enhancing technologies is subject to debate. As the environmental impact of food production continues to be a significant issue for all stakeholders within the field, further research is needed to ensure that comparisons among foods are made based on both environmental impact and nutritive value to truly assess the sustainability of ruminant products.

Using offsets to mitigate environmental impacts of major projects: A stakeholder analysis.

PubMed

Martin, Nigel; Evans, Megan; Rice, John; Lodhia, Sumit; Gibbons, Philip

2016-09-01

Global patterns of development suggest that as more projects are initiated, business will need to find acceptable measures to conserve biodiversity. The application of environmental offsets allows firms to combine their economic interests with the environment and society. This article presents the results of a multi-stakeholder analysis related to the design of offsets principles, policies, and regulatory processes, using a large infrastructure projects context. The results indicate that business was primarily interested in using direct offsets and other compensatory measures, known internationally as indirect offsets, to acquit their environmental management obligations. In contrast, the environmental sector argued that highly principled and scientifically robust offsets programs should be implemented and maintained for enduring environmental protection. Stakeholder consensus stressed the importance of offsets registers with commensurate monitoring and enforcement. Our findings provide instructive insights into the countervailing views of offsets policy stakeholders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Standards for Environmental Measurement Using GIS: Toward a Protocol for Protocols.

PubMed

Forsyth, Ann; Schmitz, Kathryn H; Oakes, Michael; Zimmerman, Jason; Koepp, Joel

2006-02-01

Interdisciplinary research regarding how the built environment influences physical activity has recently increased. Many research projects conducted jointly by public health and environmental design professionals are using geographic information systems (GIS) to objectively measure the built environment. Numerous methodological issues remain, however, and environmental measurements have not been well documented with accepted, common definitions of valid, reliable variables. This paper proposes how to create and document standardized definitions for measures of environmental variables using GIS with the ultimate goal of developing reliable, valid measures. Inherent problems with software and data that hamper environmental measurement can be offset by protocols combining clear conceptual bases with detailed measurement instructions. Examples demonstrate how protocols can more clearly translate concepts into specific measurement. This paper provides a model for developing protocols to allow high quality comparative research on relationships between the environment and physical activity and other outcomes of public health interest.

Reducing occupational sitting: Workers' perspectives on participation in a multi-component intervention.

PubMed

Hadgraft, Nyssa T; Willenberg, Lisa; LaMontagne, Anthony D; Malkoski, Keti; Dunstan, David W; Healy, Genevieve N; Moodie, Marj; Eakin, Elizabeth G; Owen, Neville; Lawler, Sheleigh P

2017-05-30

Office workers spend much of their time sitting, which is now understood to be a risk factor for several chronic diseases. This qualitative study examined participants' perspectives following their involvement in a cluster randomised controlled trial of a multi-component intervention targeting prolonged workplace sitting (Stand Up Victoria). The intervention incorporated a sit-stand workstation, individual health coaching and organisational support strategies. The aim of the study was to explore the acceptability of the intervention, barriers and facilitators to reducing workplace sitting, and perceived effects of the intervention on workplace culture, productivity and health-related outcomes. Semi-structured interviews (n = 21 participants) and two focus groups (n = 7) were conducted with intervention participants at the conclusion of the 12 month trial and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Questions covered intervention acceptability, overall impact, barriers and facilitators to reducing workplace sitting, and perceived impact on productivity and workplace culture. Overall, participants had positive intervention experiences, perceiving that reductions in workplace sitting were associated with improved health and well-being with limited negative impact on work performance. While sit-stand workstations appeared to be the primary drivers of change, workstation design and limited suitability of standing for some job tasks and situations were perceived as barriers to their use. Social support from team leaders and other participants was perceived to facilitate behavioural changes and a shift in norms towards increased acceptance of standing in the workplace. Multi-component interventions to reduce workplace sitting, incorporating sit-stand workstations, are acceptable and feasible; however, supportive social and environmental conditions are required to support participant engagement. Best practice approaches to reduce workplace sitting should address the multiple levels of influence on behaviour, including factors that may act as barriers to behavioural change.

Measuring public acceptance on renewable energy (RE) development in Malaysia using ordered probit model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainudin, W. N. R. A.; Ishak, W. W. M.

2017-09-01

In 2009, government of Malaysia has announced a National Renewable Energy Policy and Action Plan as part of their commitment to accelerate the growth in renewable energies (RE). However, an adoption of RE as a main source of energy is still at an early stage due to lack of public awareness and acceptance on RE. Up to date, there are insufficient studies done on the reasons behind this lack of awareness and acceptance. Therefore, this paper is interested to investigate the public acceptance towards development of RE by measuring their willingness to pay slightly more for energy generated from RE sources, denote as willingness level and whether the importance for the electricity to be supplied at absolute lowest possible cost regardless of source and environmental impact, denote as importance level and other socio-economic factors could improve their willingness level. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are used to achieve the research objectives. A total of 164 respondents from local universities in Malaysia participated in a survey to collect this relevant information. Using Ordered Probit model, the study shows that among the relevant socio-economic factors, age seems to be an important factor to influence the willingness level of the respondents. This paper concludes that younger generation are more willing to pay slightly more for energy generated from RE sources as compared to older generation. One of the possible reason may due to better information access by the younger generation on the RE issues and its positive implication to the world. Finding from this paper is useful to help policy maker in designing RE advocacy programs that would be able to secure public participation. These efforts are important to ensure future success of the RE policy.

THE RAPID OPTICAL TOOL (TM) LASER-INDUCED FLUORESCENCE SYSTEM FOR SCREENING OF PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS IN SUBSURFACE SOILS

EPA Science Inventory

The Consortium for Site Characterization Technology (CSCT) has established a formal program to accelerate acceptance and application of innovative monitoring and site characterization technologies that improve the way the nation manages its environmental problems. In 1995 the CS...

Toxicology and senescence: Baseline variability and toluene effects on the motor function of aging brown Norway rats.

EPA Science Inventory

The rapidly expanding population of older adults raises concern in EPA over aging-related vulnerability to environmental exposures. Deficits in motor function are frequent with advancing age. An increase in interindividual variability is also commonly accepted. Increased variabil...

Adverse Outcome Pathways: Moving from a scientific concept to a globally accepted framework

EPA Science Inventory

In 2016, an international multi-sector steering committee focusing on the development of a Society of Environmental Toxicology (SETAC) Pellston Workshop reached out to the membership of the Society of Toxicology as well as other national and international scientific and regulator...

75 FR 68620 - Notice of Lodging Proposed Consent Decree

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-08

... injunctive relief and civil penalties against the defendants for violating Department of the Army Permit..., to purchase mitigation credits, and to pay a civil penalty. The Department of Justice will accept... publication of this Notice. Please address comments to Andrew J. Doyle, Trial Attorney, Environmental Defense...

The Shy Child. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyson, Marion C.; Van Trieste, Karen

This ERIC digest: (1) describes types and manifestations of shyness among children; (2) briefly reviews research on genetic, temperamental, and environmental influences on shyness; (3) distinguishes between normal and problematic shyness; and (4) suggests ways for parents and teachers to help the shy child by accepting the whole child, building…

On Science, Ecology and Environmentalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tulloch, Lynley

2013-01-01

Using ecological science as a backdrop for this discussion, the author applies Michel Foucault's historical genealogical strategy to an analysis of the processes through which sustainable development (SD) gained hegemonic acceptance in the West. She analyses some of the ideological mutations that have seen SD emerge from an environmentalist…

Environmental Policy-Making and Their Impacts in the Case of Acid Rain Abatement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boehmer-Christiansen, Sonja

1992-01-01

Great Britain and Germany accepted European Community acid rain reduction directives. Discusses the differences in the amount of reduction required from each country, the strategies adopted to attain those reductions, and the levels of emission reductions already achieved.(52 references) (MDH)

Nature and Nurture Strike (Out) Again.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarr, Sandra; Weinberg, Richard A.

1979-01-01

A reply to Plomin's critique and some criticisms of Munsinger's review of adopted child literature are presented. Selective bias in adoptee samples, implicit assumptions in models that lead to heritability estimates, and problems produced by lack of an accepted model of environmental transmission are also discussed. (Author/RD)

Health risks of children's cumulative and aggregative exposure to metals and metalloids in a typical urban environment in China.

PubMed

Cao, Suzhen; Duan, Xiaoli; Zhao, Xiuge; Chen, Yiting; Wang, Beibei; Sun, Chengye; Zheng, Binghui; Wei, Fusheng

2016-03-01

Rapid development of industrialization and urbanization results in serious environmental contamination by metal(loid)s, which would consequently cause deleterious health effects to the exposed people through multi-pathways. Therefore, total health risk assessment for the population in urban environment is very important. Unfortunately, few studies to date investigate the cumulative health risks of metal(loid)s through aggregative pathways in Children who are often susceptible population. 12 metal(loid)s including Lead(Pb), Cadmium(Cd), Arsenic(As), Chromium(Cr), Zinc(Zn), Copper(Cu), Nickel(Ni), Manganese(Mn), Cobalt(Co), Selenium(Se), Antimony(Se) and Vanadium(V), were analyzed in PM10, drinking water, food, soil and indoor dust in this study. The cumulative and aggregative risks of these metal(loid)s among the local children were then evaluated on a field sampling and questionnaire-survey basis. The results showed that the environments were heavily polluted by metal(loid)s. For most metal(loid)s, food ingestion accounted for more than 80% of the total daily exposure dose. The non-cancer risks were up to 30 times higher than the acceptable level due to the food ingestion via Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd and Sb, and the PM10 inhalation via Cr and Mn. While, the cancer risks were mainly attributed to Cr via food ingestion and As via food and dust ingestion, and approximately 100 times of the maximum acceptable level of 1.0 × 10(-4). The study highlights the cumulative and aggregative exposure assessment, instead of pollutant investigation to evaluate the potential health risks and emphasizes concerns to improve indoor hygienic and environmental quality and to decrease the potential harmful health effects of children living in urban area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental influence on population dynamics of the bivalve Anomalocardia brasiliana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corte, Guilherme Nascimento; Coleman, Ross A.; Amaral, A. Cecília Z.

2017-03-01

Understanding how species respond to the environment in terms of population attributes (e.g. abundance, growth, mortality, fecundity, and productivity) is essential to protect ecologically and economically important species. Nevertheless, responses of macrobenthic populations to environmental features are overlooked due to the need of consecutive samplings and time-consuming measurements. We examined the population dynamics of the filter-feeding bivalve Anomalocardia brasiliana on a tidal flat over the course of one year to investigate the hypothesis that, as accepted for macrobenthic communities, populations inhabiting environments with low hydrodynamic conditions such as tidal flat should have higher attributes than populations inhabiting more energetic habitats (i.e. areas more influenced by wave energy such as reflective and intermediate beaches). This would be expected because the harsh conditions of more energetic habitats force organisms to divert more energy towards maintenance, resulting in lower population attributes. We found that A. brasiliana showed moderate growth and secondary production at the study area. Moreover the recruitment period was restricted to a few months. A comparison with previous studies showed that, contrary to expected, A. brasiliana populations from areas with low hydrodynamic conditions have lower abundance, growth, recruitment and turnover rate. It is likely that morphodynamic characteristics recorded in these environments, such as larger periods of air exposure and lower water circulation, may affect food conditions for filter-feeding species and increase competition. In addition, these characteristics may negatively affect macrobenthic species by enhancing eutrophication processes and anoxia. Overall, our results suggest that models accepted and applied at the macrobenthic community level might not be directly extended to A. brasiliana populations.

Developing analytical approaches to explore the connection between endocrine-active pharmaceuticals in water to effects in fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones-Lepp, Tammy L.; Taniguchi-Fu, Randi L.; Morgan, Jade; Nance Jr., Trevor; Ward, Matthew; Alvarez, David A.; Mills, Lesley

2015-01-01

The emphasis of this research project was to develop and optimize a solid-phase extraction method and highperformance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionizationmass spectrometry method, such that a linkage between the detection of endocrine-active pharmaceuticals (EAPs) in the aquatic environment and subsequent effects on fish populations could eventually be studied. Four EAPs were studied: tamoxifen (TAM), exemestane (EXE), letrozole (LET), anastrozole (ANA); and three TAM metabolites: 4- hydroxytamoxifen, e/z endoxifen, and n-desmethyl tamoxifen. In aqueous matrices, the use of isotopically labeled standards for the EAPs allowed for the generation of good recoveries, greater than 80 %, and low relative standard deviations (% RSDs) (3 to 27 %). TAM metabolites had lower recoveries in the spiked water matrices: 35 to 93 % in waste/source water compared to 58 to 110 % in DI water. The precision in DI water was acceptable ranging from 8 to 38 % RSD. However, the precision in real environmental wastewaters could be poor, ranging from 15 to 120 % RSD, dependent upon unique matrix effects. In plasma, the overall recoveries of the EAPs were acceptable: 88 to 110 %, with %RSDs of 6 to 18 % (Table 3). The spiked recoveries of the TAM metabolites from plasma were good, ranging from 77 to 120 %, with %RSDs ranging from 27 to 32 %. Two of the TAM metabolites, 4- hydroxytamoxifen and n-desmethyl tamoxifen, were confirmed in most of the environmental aqueous samples. The discovery of TAM metabolites demonstrates that the source of the TAM metabolites, TAM, is constant, introducing a pseudo-persistence of this chemical into the environment.

Influencing factors for household water quality improvement in reducing diarrhoea in resource-limited areas.

PubMed

Zin, Thant; Mudin, Kamarudin D; Myint, Than; Naing, Daw K S; Sein, Tracy; Shamsul, B S

2013-01-01

Water and sanitation are major public health issues exacerbated by rapid population growth, limited resources, disasters and environmental depletion. This study was undertaken to study the influencing factors for household water quality improvement for reducing diarrhoea in resource-limited areas. Data were collected from articles and reviews from relevant randomized controlled trials, new articles, systematic reviews and meta-analyses from PubMed, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and WELL Resource Centre For Water, Sanitation And Environmental Health. Water quality on diarrhoea prevention could be affected by contamination during storage, collection and even at point-of-use. Point-of-use water treatment (household-based) is the most cost-effective method for prevention of diarrhoea. Chemical disinfection, filtration, thermal disinfection, solar disinfection and flocculation and disinfection are five most promising household water treatment methodologies for resource-limited areas. Promoting household water treatment is most essential for preventing diarrhoeal disease. In addition, the water should be of acceptable taste, appropriate for emergency and non-emergency use.

Regional photochemical air quality modeling in the Mexico-US border area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mendoza, A.; Russell, A.G.; Mejia, G.M.

1998-12-31

The Mexico-United States border area has become an increasingly important region due to its commercial, industrial and urban growth. As a result, environmental concerns have risen. Treaties like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have further motivated the development of environmental impact assessment in the area. Of particular concern are air quality, and how the activities on both sides of the border contribute to its degradation. This paper presents results of applying a three-dimensional photochemical airshed model to study air pollution dynamics along the Mexico-United States border. In addition, studies were conducted to assess how size resolution impacts themore » model performance. The model performed within acceptable statistic limits using 12.5 x 12.5 km{sup 2} grid cells, and the benefits using finer grids were limited. Results were further used to assess the influence of grid-cell size on the modeling of control strategies, where coarser grids lead to significant loss of information.« less

Left or right? Sources of political orientation: the roles of genetic factors, cultural transmission, assortative mating, and personality.

PubMed

Kandler, Christian; Bleidorn, Wiebke; Riemann, Rainer

2012-03-01

In this study, we used an extended twin family design to investigate the influences of genetic and cultural transmission as well as different sources of nonrandom mating on 2 core aspects of political orientation: acceptance of inequality and rejecting system change. In addition, we studied the sources of phenotypic links between Big Five personality traits and political beliefs using self- and other reports. Data of 1,992 individuals (224 monozygotic and 166 dizygotic twin pairs, 92 unmatched twins, 530 spouses of twins, 268 fathers, and 322 mothers) were analyzed. Genetically informative analyses showed that political attitudes are genetically but not environmentally transmitted from parents to offspring and that a substantial proportion of this genetic variance can be accounted for by genetic variance in personality traits. Beyond genetic effects and genotypic assortative mating, generation-specific environmental sources act to increase twins' and spouses' resemblance in political beliefs. The results suggest multiple sources of political orientations in a modern democracy.

Environmental Impact of Flame Retardants (Persistence and Biodegradability)

PubMed Central

Segev, Osnat; Kushmaro, Ariel; Brenner, Asher

2009-01-01

Flame-retardants (FR) are a group of anthropogenic environmental contaminants used at relatively high concentrations in many applications. Currently, the largest market group of FRs is the brominated flame retardants (BFRs). Many of the BFRs are considered toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative. Bioremediation of contaminated water, soil and sediments is a possible solution for the problem. However, the main problem with this approach is the lack of knowledge concerning appropriate microorganisms, biochemical pathways and operational conditions facilitating degradation of these chemicals at an acceptable rate. This paper reviews and discusses current knowledge and recent developments related to the environmental fate and impact of FRs in natural systems and in engineered treatment processes. PMID:19440395

Interdisciplinary diagnostics in environmental medicine--findings and follow-up in patients with chronic medically unexplained health complaints.

PubMed

Herr, Caroline E; Kopka, Ines; Mach, Jens; Runkel, Bettina; Schill, Wolf-Bernhard; Gieler, Uwe; Eikmann, Thomas F

2004-01-01

In patients attributing their chronic, medically unexplained complaints to environmental factors the greatest challenge is to overcome their disabling belief in toxicogenic explanations. Patients presenting with health complaints that they attributed to environmental causes in an environmental outpatient department (EOPD) within a university medical center in Germany were studied. An interdisciplinary review of previously diagnosed medical conditions, current clinical consultations, personal risk communication and therapeutic advice is presented. Additionally, patient contentedness, complaint development, and belief in environmental attribution in a follow-up interview are given. The open, prospective study comprises 51 patients reporting more than one complaint. Symptoms had lasted for more than 3 years in 63% of the cases. Seventy percent attributed their complaints to more than one environmental cause. The clinical diagnostic procedure reduced the number of prediagnosed clinical conditions by 50%. Numerous foregoing environmental laboratory analyses had overestimated toxicologically relevant findings. These were not confirmed in 80% (8/10) of the cases. In 8% (n = 4) of the patients a relevant environmental or occupational medical condition was found. A mental or behavioral condition was not considered to have first priority in explaining all complaints in 43% (22/51) of the patients. Among these, mostly respiratory or skin-related diseases were found. All patients contacted participated in a follow-up study after a minimum of 21 months. Sixty-seven percent reported having felt that they were taken seriously, 38% felt better after the beginning of the study, and 45% were no longer certain about the importance of the environmental attribution. Since 83% of the patients with a preceding residential diagnosis of MCS or SBS still believed in environmental causes of their complaints in the follow-up study, we conclude that these prediagnoses appear to be a risk for persisting attribution of the environmental factor. About one third (37%) of these patients with complaints that had not been medically explained by an organic condition during interdisciplinary diagnostics had meanwhile consulted a psychotherapist. Interdisciplinary diagnostics and scientifically based risk assessment in a specialized clinical center were effective and mostly well accepted by the patients and resulted in reduced attribution of complaints to environmental conditions. No indication was found that patients with complaints not medically explained by organic conditions were managed less successfully by this approach. Considering the high costs that these patients have previously caused, it appears valuable to apply an interdisciplinary diagnostic strategy.

A school-based strategy to assess children's environmental exposures and related health effects in economically disadvantaged urban neighborhoods.

PubMed

Sexton, K; Greaves, I A; Church, T R; Adgate, J L; Ramachandran, G; Tweedie, R L; Fredrickson, A; Geisser, M; Sikorski, M; Fischer, G; Jones, D; Ellringer, P

2000-01-01

The School Health Initiative: Environment, Learning, Disease (SHIELD) study is a novel school-based investigation of children's environmental health in economically disadvantaged urban neighborhoods of Minneapolis. This article describes the study design and summarizes lessons learned about recruiting and monitoring this historically understudied population. The SHIELD study focused on measuring children's exposures to multiple environmental stressors [volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), environmental tobacco smoke, allergens, bioaerosols, metals, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), phthalates] and exploring related effects on respiratory health (e.g., lung function) and learning outcomes (e.g., standardized test scores, academic achievement). It involved intensive exposure monitoring, including environmental measurements inside and outside the children's schools and inside their homes, personal measurements with passive dosimeters worn by the children, and biological marker measurements in blood and urine. The SHIELD participants comprised a stratified random sample of 153 "index" children and 51 of their siblings enrolled in grades 2-5 at two adjacent elementary schools. The Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) assisted with identifying, contacting, recruiting, and monitoring this population, which traditionally is difficult to study because families/children are highly mobile, speak a diversity of languages, frequently do not have a telephone, endure economic hardships, often do not trust researchers, and have a spectrum of unconventional lifestyles and living arrangements. Using a school-based approach, the overall SHIELD enrollment (response) rate was 56.7%, with a wide disparity between English-speaking (41.7%) and non-English-speaking (71.0%) families/children. Most children remained involved in the study through both monitoring sessions and exhibited an acceptable degree of compliance with study protocols, including providing blood and urine samples. Results indicate that it is both practical and affordable to conduct probability-based exposure studies in this population, but that it is also important to improve our understanding of factors (e.g., cultural, economic, psychological, social) affecting the willingness of families/children to participate in such studies, with special emphasis on developing cost-effective recruitment methods.

Bioconcentration potential of organic environmental chemicals in humans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geyer, H.; Scheunert, I.; Korte, F.

1986-12-01

A list of environmental chemicals detectable in adipose tissue and/or milk of non-occupationally exposed humans is presented. Besides their physiochemical properties (n-octanol/water partition coefficient and water solubility), their acceptable daily intake (ADI) values, production figures, fate in the environment, concentrations in human adipose tissue, and data from total diet studies from market basket investigations are given. Average bioconcentration factors (BCF) of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), DDT, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dieldrin, hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (alpha-HCH, beta-HCH, gamma-HCH, delta-HCH), pentachlorophenol (PCP), and 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene (BHT) in human adipose tissue are calculated. The bioconcentration factors (wet wt basis) of these compounds are between 3 andmore » 47 times higher in humans than in rats. The environmental chemicals are divided into three groups in respect to their bioconcentration factors in human adipose tissue: group I, high BCF (greater than 100); group II, medium BCF (10-100); and group III, low BCF (less than 10). The bioconcentration factors are useful for hazard assessment of chemicals to humans.« less

Examining the technology acceptance for dismantling of waste printed circuit boards in light of recycling and environmental concerns.

PubMed

Duan, Huabo; Hou, Kun; Li, Jinhui; Zhu, Xiaodong

2011-03-01

The dismantling of printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs) and the recovery of their useful materials can lead to serious environmental impacts mainly due to their complicated physical structure and the variety of toxic elements contained in their material composition. So far, less attention has been paid to their responsible recycling compared to that of bare printed circuit boards. Combined with other materials recovery process, proper dismantling of PCBAs is beneficial to conserve scarce resources, reuse the components, and eliminate or safely dispose of hazardous materials. In analyzing the generation, resources potential and hazardous risk of scrap PCBAs, technologies used for the dismantling of waste PCBAs have been widely investigated and reviewed from the aspects of both industrial application and laboratory-scale studies. In addition, the feasibility of PCBA dismantling has been discussed, the determinants of which, including the heating conditions and mechanical properties have been identified. Moreover, this paper evaluates the environmental consequences caused by the dismantling of PCBAs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Postconstruction report of the United Nuclear Corporation Disposal Site at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Environmental Restoration Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oakley, L.B.; Siberell, J.K.; Voskuil, T.L.

1993-06-01

Remedial actions conducted under the auspices of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) were completed at the Y-12 United Nuclear Corporation (UNC) Disposal Site in August 1992. The purpose of this Postconstruction Report is to summarize numerous technical reports and provide CERCLA documentation for completion of the remedial actions. Other CERCLA reports, such as the Feasibility Study for the UNC Disposal Site, provide documentation leading up to the remedial action decision. The remedial action chosen, placement of a modified RCRA cap, was completed successfully, and performance standards were either met or exceeded. This remedial action provided solutionsmore » to two environmentally contaminated areas and achieved the goal of minimizing the potential for contamination of the shallow groundwater downgradient of the site, thereby providing protection of human health and the environment. Surveillance and maintenance of the cap will be accomplished to ensure cap integrity, and groundwater monitoring downgradient of the site will continue to confirm the acceptability of the remedial action chosen.« less

Evaluation of Columbia, USMARC-Composite, Suffolk, and Texel rams at terminal sires in an extensive rangeland production system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Crossing proven, superior terminal-sire sheep breeds with well-adapted maternal breeds provide opportunity to increase lamb carcass value, while maintaining acceptable environmental adaptation in crossbred lambs. Large, lean terminal-sire breeds, such as the Suffolk and Columbia, have been typicall...

Suck It up

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jansik, Dave

2008-01-01

Benchmarks for cleanliness can be subjective. Now that LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards are gaining a foothold among facilities management and building professionals, there is a benchmark to strive for and a high-quality vacuum is a key part of the equation. LEED is a nationally accepted benchmark and blueprint for…

Geography in School and a Curriculum of Survival

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, David

2013-01-01

The economic and environmental crises that face humanity today require an educational response. This article accepts the proposition that education may play a part in preparing human beings to survive impacts of human-induced climate change for example. However, education, according to some conceptualizations, is also in crisis. It therefore…

77 FR 54818 - Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): Revisions to Manifesting Regulations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-06

... (28221T), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460... deliver 2 copies to the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special...

40 CFR 264.12 - Required notices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; and to the competent... where the owner or operator is also the generator) must inform the generator in writing that he has the appropriate permit(s) for, and will accept, the waste the generator is shipping. The owner or operator must...

42 CFR 65a.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Definitions. 65a.2 Section 65a.2 Public Health... § 65a.2 Definitions. As used in this part: Act means the Comprehensive Environmental Response..., or (ii) is an institution whose credits are accepted, on transfer, by not less than three...

42 CFR 65a.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Definitions. 65a.2 Section 65a.2 Public Health... § 65a.2 Definitions. As used in this part: Act means the Comprehensive Environmental Response..., or (ii) is an institution whose credits are accepted, on transfer, by not less than three...

42 CFR 65a.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Definitions. 65a.2 Section 65a.2 Public Health... § 65a.2 Definitions. As used in this part: Act means the Comprehensive Environmental Response..., or (ii) is an institution whose credits are accepted, on transfer, by not less than three...

24 CFR 50.33 - Action resulting from the assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Action resulting from the... and Related Reviews § 50.33 Action resulting from the assessment. (a) A proposal may be accepted... require an EIS if the EA indicates that significant environmental impacts would result. ...

24 CFR 50.33 - Action resulting from the assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Action resulting from the... and Related Reviews § 50.33 Action resulting from the assessment. (a) A proposal may be accepted... require an EIS if the EA indicates that significant environmental impacts would result. ...

24 CFR 50.33 - Action resulting from the assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Action resulting from the... and Related Reviews § 50.33 Action resulting from the assessment. (a) A proposal may be accepted... require an EIS if the EA indicates that significant environmental impacts would result. ...

24 CFR 50.33 - Action resulting from the assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Action resulting from the... and Related Reviews § 50.33 Action resulting from the assessment. (a) A proposal may be accepted... require an EIS if the EA indicates that significant environmental impacts would result. ...

24 CFR 50.33 - Action resulting from the assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Action resulting from the... and Related Reviews § 50.33 Action resulting from the assessment. (a) A proposal may be accepted... require an EIS if the EA indicates that significant environmental impacts would result. ...

Risk Communication, Metacommunication, and Rhetorical Stases in the Aspen-EPA Superfund Controversy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stratman, James F.; And Others

1995-01-01

Explores the relationship between current theoretical definitions of risk communication, the unique national role that EPA plays in defining health and environmental risks, and possible explanations for EPA's inability to persuade Aspen, Colorado, to accept a cleanup plan. Explores ownership messages conveyed through metacommunication conflict…

The Adoption of e-Learning: An Institutional Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jan, Pi-Tzong; Lu, Hsi-Peng; Chou, Tzu-Chuan

2012-01-01

Several models have been proposed in the literature to understand e-learning acceptance in which social environmental factors are not primarily addressed. This paper aims to improve understanding of what social forces influence employee's attitude and intention of e-learning adoption within an organizational context. Drawing upon the institutional…

75 FR 8340 - Maneb; Product Cancellation Order of a Certain Pesticide Registration

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-24

..., human health, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide users; and members of the... Order of a Certain Pesticide Registration AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice... and accepted by the Agency, of a product containing the pesticide maneb, pursuant to section 6(f)(1...

A Framework to Quantify the Strength of the Ecological Links Between an Environmental Stressor and Final Ecosystem Services

EPA Science Inventory

Anthropogenic stressors such as climate change, fire, and pollution are driving shifts in ecosystem function and resilience. Scientists generally rely on biological indicators of these stressors to signal that ecosystem conditions have been altered beyond an acceptable amount. Ho...

40 CFR 141.100 - Criteria and procedures for public water systems using point-of-entry devices.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... water systems using point-of-entry devices. 141.100 Section 141.100 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER... meet all national primary drinking water regulations and would be of acceptable quality similar to...

Introducing Agronomy Students to the Concepts of Indigenous and Cultural Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schafer, John

1993-01-01

Presents a role for indigenous knowledge in extension education and research programs. Defines indigenous knowledge and then predicts efforts to utilize indigenous knowledge to facilitate the development of agriculture systems that will be agronomically, environmentally, and economically sound and enhance acceptance by practitioners because of the…

Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practices for Rehabilitation of Sewer and Water Mains

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program, several areas of research are being pursued, including a review of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) practices and acceptance testing during the installation of reha...

Quality Assurance and Quality Control Practices For Rehabilitation of Sewer and Water Mains

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program, several areas of research are being pursued including a review of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) practices and acceptance testing during the installation of rehab...

INTERSPECIES EXTRAPOLATION AND IN VITRO SCREENING BASED UPON RECOMBINANT AR AND ER PROTEINS

EPA Science Inventory

While EDCs have the potential to act via several mechanisms of action, one of the most widely accepted is the ability of environmental chemicals to interact directly with either the estrogen (ER) or androgen receptor (AR). Although we know that the steroid receptors of the lower...

40 CFR 86.161-00 - Air conditioning environmental test facility ambient requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... heat loading. (1)(i) Acceptable types of radiant energy emitters that may be used for simulating solar... this section. (3) Radiant energy specifications. (i) Simulated solar radiant energy intensity is... time major changes in the solar simulation hardware occur. (vi) The radiant energy intensity...