The Tragedy of the Risk-perception Commons: Culture Conflict, Rationality Conflict, and Climate Change

Yale University Law School via SSRN / by Dan M. Kahan, Maggie Wittlin, Ellen Peters, Paul Slovic, Lisa Larrimore Ouellette, Donald Braman and Gregory Mandel http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1871503 [Abstract]  The conventional explanation for controversy over climate change emphasizes impediments to public understanding: limited popular knowledge of science, the inability of ordinary citizens to assess technical information, and [...]

Regional Climate Consequences of Large-scale Cool Roof and Photovoltaic Array Deployment

Environmental Research Letters, July 2011 v6 p034001+ (9 pages); doi:10.1088/1748-9326/6/3/034001) http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/6/3/034001/ (open access article) [From Press Release]   While cool roofs and pavements have been found to cool the planet by preventing energy from being radiated back into the atmosphere, previous studies have not accounted for atmospheric feedbacks that may result from changing the surface reflectivity [...]

Will Electric Cars Transform the U.S. Vehicle Market? — An Analysis of the Key Determinants

Belfer Center, Kennedy School, Harvard Univ. / by Henry Lee and Grant Lovellette http://bit.ly/obhg4n [Summary] For the past forty years, United States Presidents have repeatedly called for a reduction in the country’s dependence on fossil fuels in general and foreign oil specifically. Stronger efficiency standards and higher taxes on motor fuels are a step in [...]

Program on Technology Innovation: Integrated Generation Technology Options

Electric Power Research Institute http://my.epri.com/portal/server.pt?Abstract_id=000000000001022782 [From Green Car Congress]  The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) released a report, Integrated Generation Technology Options on the cost, performance, and technology status for eight central-station power generation technologies likely to dominate the US generation mix over the next two decades: pulverized coal; integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC); natural gas [...]

Big Chicken: Pollution and Industrial Poultry Production in America

Pew Environment Group http://bit.ly/qGmIn9 [From the Baltimore Sun's B'More Green blog]   A new report says the industrialization of poultry farming over the last several decades is a major source of pollution fouling the Chesapeake Bay and other waterways around the country. “Big Chicken,” released Wednesday by the Pew Environment Group highlights how poultry production has increased [...]

Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future Draft Report to the Secretary of Energy

US DOE, Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future brc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/brc_draft_report_29jul2011_0.pdf [Global Security Newswire]  The United States should designate one or more long-term atomic waste storage locations to replace canceled plans for an underground repository at Yucca Mountain, Nev., a blue-ribbon task force said in a preliminary report issued on Friday (see GSN, July 6). The [...]

EPA Proposes Air Pollution Standards for Oil and Gas Production

US EPA http://epa.gov/airquality/oilandgas/ [From Press Release]  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today proposed standards to reduce harmful air pollution from oil and gas drilling operations. These proposed updated standards – which are being issued in response to a court order – would rely on cost-effective existing technologies to reduce emissions that contribute to smog [...]

Self-Reported Cancer Rates in Two Rural Areas of West Virginia with and Without Mountaintop Coal Mining

Journal of Community Health via Mother Jones (Published online July 24, 2011; doi 10.1007/s10900-011-9448-5) / by Michael Hendryx, Leah Wolfe, Juhua Luo and Bo Webb https://motherjones.com/files/final_jch_cancer_2011.pdf [Abstract] Mountaintop coal mining in the Appalachian region in the United States causes significant environmental damage to air and water. Serious health disparities exist for people who live in [...]

Summary and Critique of the Benefits Estimates in the RIA for the Ozone NAAQS Reconsideration

National Economic Research Associates for the American Petroleum Institute / by Anne E. Smith http://www.nera.com/67_7390.htm [Abstract] In this report prepared for the American Petroleum Institute, NERA Senior Vice President Dr. Anne E. Smith argues that statements made by the the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on health benefits from lowering the Ozone National Ambient Air [...]

Great Lakes National Parks in Peril: The Threats of Climate Disruption

Natural Resources Defense Council | Rocky Mountain Climate Organization www.rockymountainclimate.org/images/GreatLakesParksInPeril.pdf [From an NRDC Switchboard posting by Theo Spencer] Our report, Great Lakes National Parks in Peril: The Threats of Climate Disruption, features new information on rising temperatures in the Parks. The Parks we focus on are the five largest on the Great Lakes: Indiana Dunes National [...]