Small, Sometimes Invisible Invaders Draw Increasing Attention

December 22, 2010–Two recent studies — one examining problems in urban and natural forests, and the other on microbial pests in various settings — reveal the latest knowledge on insect and microscopic invasive species.

Groups Challenge Canada's Secrecy on Breeding Proposal for GM Salmon

December 15, 2010–A coalition of some 60 environmental, fisheries, and consumer groups want to know whether the Canadian government is undertaking a risk assessment before allowing AquaBounty's genetically engineered eggs to be grown on Prince Edward Island.

Global Study Shows Large Lakes Are Warming

December 8, 2010–NASA researchers have found the 104 selected lakes are warming by an average of 0.81 degrees Fahrenheit each decade (with some lakes increasing by up to 1.8 degrees F), and the temperature increase tends to be larger as you work toward the North Pole.

Private Landowners Increase Protected Wetland Acreage

November 24, 2010–Land owners signed up to protect 272,762 acres, which in one year adds about 12% of the total acreage covered during the 15-year history of the voluntary Wetlands Reserve Program. Funding for the 1,414 contracts totaled $592,562,106.

Pavement Sealcoat Contaminates Lakes and Streams

November 10, 2010–A soon-to-be-published study has found elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, probable human carcinogens toxic to fish and other aquatic life, in waterways are originating from coal tar-based pavement sealcoats.

Got TMDLs? Sneak Peek of New Pollutant Loading Tool Could Raise Ruckus

November 3, 2010–EPA in-house tool may be released to public within months. It will give reporters themselves the ability to estimate the cumulative impacts of pollution on water bodies.

25,000 Abandoned Mines Are Just the Beginning

October 27, 2010–The BLM is documenting where the mines are, and ramping up efforts to mitigate threats from them, such as water contamination, traps for people and animals, and deteriorating old explosives lurking in some dark corners.

Peak Water: A New Way To Look at Long-Term Water Issues

October 27, 2010–Viewing local, regional, national, and global water issues through the lens of "peak water," a concept explained in a Pacific Institute paper, can yield some interesting angles on water-related stories and long-term water issues.

Study: Fish Are Getting Whipsawed by People, Climate Change

October 27, 2010–Arizona State University researchers find a major shift in top fish predators in 36 North American waterways, resulting in reduced availability of fish caught for food or sport, and long-term changes in riparian ecology that affect both people and the rest of the environment, sometimes in unpredictable ways.

NOAA Tool Provides Historical Hurricane Insights

October 13, 2010–More than 150 years of historical hurricane information, including accompanying population data, for coastal US locations impacted by these storms may be a helpful tool for preparing for and covering this issue locally.