Environmental

Report says Virginia landmarks jeopardized by climate change

More than $200 million in spending and 4,000 Virginia jobs supported by the six million visitors each year to Jamestown, Chincoteague and Shenandoah National Park are at risk if climate change remains on its current path, according to a major new report issued this week by the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Among the possible changes: a loss of Chincoteague’s beach, the complete flooding by higher tidal waters of historic Jamestown Island – site of the continent’s original English settlement in 1607 – and the decline of the brilliant fall colors of Shenandoah National Park.

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Gulf Coast pelicans find new home in Chicago

Even though oil has stopped gushing from a damaged well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, the extent of the environmental damage is still being calculated. Scientists and environmentalists are assessing the long-term effects on wildlife in the region. Some of those creatures injured by the oil spill, but saved from further harm, are finding new homes throughout the United States. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh has more from Chicago:

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Marcellus Shale drilling among threats identified in Penn. forest assessment

A first-ever, federally required review shows that Pennsylvania’s 17 million acres of woodlands will face future challenges requiring continued planning and management, State Forester Daniel Devlin said today. Notably, the reports says that “opening extensive new state forest acreage for gas production may threaten publicly held forest resources beyond sustainable limits.”

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Not ready for hybrid or electric? Basic maintenance can help cut emissions

Not everyone can afford to pay the freight for one of those new electric cars hitting the market this year. Others may be leery of the long-term viability of hybrids. What to do if you’re driving a conventional gasoline-powered car and still want to help the environment? Maintaining your vehicle’s fuel system can improve performance, lower emissions and save you money, too.

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Backyard coyotes becoming a familiar presence

America’s “wild west” was known for the phantom howls of coyotes – often heard, seldom seen. But in the past 20 years, these wild desert dogs, indigenous to the North American wilderness, have been moving into suburbs and cities across the continent:

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Review: U.N. climate panel must ‘fundamentally reform’

A review ordered by the United Nations has determined that the global panel on climate change needs to “fundamentally reform” how it functions in the wake of errors in a key report that damaged the group’s credibility. The review was conducted by the InterAcademy Council, which groups 15 leading science academies. It came about after the “Climategate” scandal erupted in the face of errors and lack of documentation found in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2007 study, which suggested that carbon emissions from burning coal, gas and oil were already hurting the planet.

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Sigourney Weaver narrates project opposing Belo Monte Dam

As opposition to the proposed Belo Monte Dam on the Amazon’s Xingu River grows, Amazon Watch and International Rivers have created a 10-minute Google Earth 3-D tour and video, narrated by actress Sigourney Weaver. The production, entitled Defending the Rivers of the Amazon, supports Brazil’s Xingu River Forever Alive Movement. The Belo Monte Dam would be the third-largest hydroelectric dam in the world. It would divert the flow of the Xingu River, a significant tributary of the Amazon, to produce electricity for industrial mining operations in the region.

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EPA, DOT ask for public comment on new proposed fuel economy labels

As a new generation of hybrid and electric cars and light trucks start appearing on the market, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are jointly proposing changes to the fuel economy labels consumers see on the window of every new vehicle in dealer showrooms. But before a change is made, the agencies are asking the public to comment on the label design options and related issues.

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Pakistani female flood victims struggle to find health care

The Pakistani government says nearly a month of heavy flooding has damaged more than 200 health facilities and displaced roughly a third of the country’s 100,000 female health workers from their homes. VOA Correspondent Sean Maroney traveled to flood-affected areas in northwestern Pakistan and reports on how the disaster has hit women particularly hard across the country:

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Ford and City of Seattle team for electric vehicle project

Ford Motor Company and the City of Seattle today announced they will work together to prepare the city for the operation of electric vehicles. The partnership will include developing consumer outreach and education programs on electric vehicles, as well as information on charging needs and requirements to ensure the electrical grid can support the necessary demand.

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