Frontiers in Soil Science Research : Report of a Workshop

National Research Council
http://tinyurl.com/m824gn
Free with registration
[Description] There has been renewed interest in soil and soil science in recent years as the recognition that biogeochemical processes that occur at the Earth’s surface influence global climate change, land degradation and remediation, the fate and transport of nutrients and contaminants, soil and water conservation, soil and water quality, food [...]

Cost Estimate : S. 787 Clean Water Restoration Act

Congressional Budget Office
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/105xx/doc10507/s787.pdf
[From summary]  S. 787 would amend the Clean Water Act to establish federal jurisdiction over certain bodies of water. The Clean Water Act requires that any person seeking to discharge certain material into waters under federal jurisdiction obtain a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps). The Supreme Court has ruled [...]

Assessing the Role of Economic Instruments in a policy mix for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services provision : a Review of Some Methodological Challenges

Munich Personal REPEC Archive (MPRA) / by D.N. Barton, G. Rusch, P. May, I. Ring, H. Unnerstall, R. Santos, P. Antunes, R. Brouwer, M. Grieg-Gran, J. Similä, E. Primmer, A. Romeiro, F. DeClerck and M. Ibrahim
http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/15601/
[Abstract]  In this paper we review a number of methodological challenges of evaluating and designing economic instruments aimed at biodiversity [...]

U.S.-China Memorandum of Understanding to Enhance Cooperation on Climate Change, Energy and the Environment

US Dept. of State
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/126802.pdf
This Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and China provides for both countries to pursue areas of cooperation where joint expertise, resources, research capacity and combined market size can accelerate progress towards mutual goals. These include, but are not limited to:
1) Energy conservation and energy efficiency
2) Renewable energy
3) Cleaner uses of coal, [...]

Clean Energy-Environment Guide to Action : Policies, Best Practices, and Action Steps for States

EPA
http://epa.gov/cleanenergy/documents/gta/guide_action_full.pdf
“This Environmental Protection Agency publication (EPA430-R-06-001) provides information on how states may save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by adopting clean energy practices in their facilities, operations and vehicle fleets. States spend about 10 percent of their operating budgets on energy bills, yet these costs can be greatly reduced by implementing well-designed energy management [...]

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) : Status and Issues

Congressional Research Service
http://opencrs.com/document/R40197
[Summary]  The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides farmers with financial and technical assistance to plan and implement soil and water conservation practices. EQIP is the largest agriculture conservation financial assistance program for working lands. EQIP was first authorized in 1996 and was most recently revised by Section [...]

Water Stewardship : Ensuring a Secure Future for California Agriculture

California Agricultural Water Stewardship Initiative
http://www.polarisinstitute.org/water_stewardship_ensuring_a_secure_future_for_california_agriculture_0
[Website]  California’s looming water crisis spurs action. The Polaris Institute along with a number of California based agriculture support groups release a report calling for agricultural water stewardship to protect State’s food production The Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association, the California Institute for Rural Studies, the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, [...]

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Climate Stabilization : Framing Regional Options

Environmental Science and Technology (Web Publication Date: February 9, 2009, doi: 10.1021/es801171a) / by Laura Schmitt Olabisi, Peter B. Reich, Kris A. Johnson, Anne R. Kapuscinski, Sangwon Suh and Elizabeth J. Wilson
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es801171a
Free  access article
[Abstract] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated that stabilizing atmospheric CO2 concentrations will require reduction of global greenhouse gas [...]

On Population Growth Near Protected Areas

PLoS ONE / by Lucas N. Joppa, Scott R. Loarie and Stuart L. Pimm
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0004279
[From Nicholas School press release] In 2008, a study in the journal Science reported that the creation of international parks and protected areas as a conservation strategy was backfiring, because it increased population density around the areas’ edges – isolating species [...]

Central Valley Project Improvement Act : Program Activity Review Report

US Bureau of Reclamation / US Fish and Wildlife Service
http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpia/docs_reports/docs/cpar_rpt_dft_fnl_12-22-08.pdf
[EDF blog posting by Ann Hayden] Payments by federal water and power users into the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) Restoration Fund for such projects as doubling salmon populations must continue for many years to come. This is the key conclusion of a recently released [...]