Environmental Issues

Flexible Approach to River Water Withdrawals Needed to Protect Salmon

If Washington state issues additional permits for water to be diverted from the Columbia River for farm irrigation, it should do so only under the condition that withdrawals can be stopped if river flows become critically low for endangered and threatened salmon, says a new report from the National Academies' Water Science and Technology Board.


Report Calls for Better Mapping of US Coastlines

A national project to collect real-time data on tides, topography and ocean depth along US shorelines should be started to provide more accurate information about the country's coastal zones, including improved maps and charts, says a new report from the National Academies' Ocean Studies Board and Board on Earth Sciences and Resources.


Platte River Assessments Are Scientifically Valid

Areas along Nebraska's Platte River are properly designated as "critical habitats" for the river's endangered whooping crane and threatened piping plover, says a new report from the National Academies' Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology and Water Science and Technology Board. Federal recommendations aimed at protecting these and other federally listed species were scientifically valid at the time they were made, although future decisions should be based on newer scientific approaches.


Polar Research Board releases "A Vision for the International Polar Year 2007-2008"

The vision of the US National Committee for the International Polar Year (IPY) is to recognize the event by presenting potential science themes, enabling new technologies, and providing public outreach opportunities to both individuals and scientific communities. The IPY committee recommends that the US scientific community and agencies use the IPY to study environmental change and variability in the polar regions, explore new scientific frontiers ranging from the molecular to the planetary scale, and excite and engage the public by providing useful information about polar regions in the global system, all of which should also help to advance science literacy.


Report Release: "Water and Sustainable Development"

The Board on Chemical Sciences released "Water and Sustainable Development: Opportunities for the Chemical Sciences," based on a workshop organized by the National Academies' Chemical Sciences Roundtable. Government, industry, and academic experts in both water science and chemistry discussed how the two disciplines could work together most effectively to develop and apply simple technologies for addressing some of the world’s critical water and health problems. Global water challenges involve both scientific disciplines, and the chemical sciences can be a key player in improving the lives of billions of people around the world.


National Research Effort Needed to Secure Water Supply

The United States should make a new commitment to water resources research to confront the increasingly severe water problems faced by all parts of the country, says a new report from the National Academies' Water Science and Technology Board. A new mechanism is needed to coordinate water research currently fragmented among nearly 20 federal agencies.


Report Advises on Developing Salmon Research, Restoration Plan in Alaska

A new report from the National Academies' Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology and Polar Research Board provides advice to the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative on developing a research and restoration plan for AYK salmon. The report describes key components of a research and restoration plan as well as frameworks for understanding salmon ecosystems, and identifies several important questions that scientists and community members should strive to answer.


Report Calls for Economic Valuation in Environmental Policymaking

Unless the economic value of ecosystem goods and services is acknowledged in environmental decision making it will implicitly be assigned a value of zero in cost-benefit analyses, and policy choices will be biased against conservation, warns a new report from the National Academies' Water Science and Technology Board. The report identifies methods for assigning economic value to ecosystem services -- even intangible ones -- and calls for greater collaboration between ecologists and economists in such efforts.


Weather Service Should Improve Use of 'Next Generation Radars'

A National Weather Service radar atop Sulphur Mountain in Southern California is well placed to detect approaching storms, operates effectively, and helps the NWS Los Angeles-Oxnard forecast office monitor, predict, and warn of flash floods and other events related to heavy precipitation, says a new report from the National Academies' Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate. But there is room for improvement in how NWS uses such radars to forecast flash floods and to issue warnings about them across the country -- including areas that, like Southern California, have complex terrain.


Report Examines Mississippi-Illinois Waterway Study

The US Army Corps of Engineers has "made good progress" in broadening a study of possible navigation improvements on the Upper Mississippi River-Illinois Waterway system to give greater consideration to ecological restoration, says a new report from the National Academies' Water Science and Technology Board. However, because of flaws in the models used in the study to predict demand for barge transportation, the economic justification for expanding locks on the rivers has not yet been demonstrated. And little attention has been paid to inexpensive, nonstructural navigation improvements that could ease current barge traffic.


Study of Marine Mammal Behavior for Conservation Purposes

How to determine which behaviors of marine mammals should be considered "biologically significant" for conservation purposes is the subject of a new report from the National Academies' Ocean Studies Board. The report is intended to help scientists and policymakers interpret provisions of the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.


Report Examines Future of US Water Supply

Urban sprawl, rapid population growth, non-point source pollution, and non-regulated contaminants are some of the emerging threats to US drinking water supplies that are examined in a new Institute of Medicine workshop summary. Included are articles and abstracts from an October 2003 meeting of the IOM Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine.


Everglades Restoration Effort Should Acquire Land More Quickly

Purchases or protection of land that may be crucial to future efforts to restore the Greater Everglades Ecosystem should proceed even faster than they have been, says a new report from the National Academies' Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology. And given the likelihood that ecological degradation will continue before the restoration can be completed, the report urges a stronger emphasis on strategies that can provide ecological improvements sooner rather than later.


Report Outlines Strategy for Studying Changes to Air Quality Programs

An interim report from the National Academies' Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology describes the approach of the committee that wrote the report to analyze changes to the US Environmental Protection Agency's New Source Review programs, which regulate the modification of large, stationary sources of air pollution. Conclusions about the effects of recent changes to NSR programs will be issued in a final report later this year.


Report Outlines Regional Approach to Solving Water Quality Problems

A comprehensive, watershed-based approach is needed to effectively address water quality problems in southwestern Pennsylvania, says a new report from the National Academies' Water Science and Technology Board. The report outlines a technical framework to deal with these problems, and suggests ways to better unify and coordinate the region's efforts; currently, water planning and management is highly fragmented -- federal and state governments, 11 counties, hundreds of municipalities, and other entities all play roles but with little coordination or cooperation.


Report Examines Drivers of Climate Change

A report from the National Academies' Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate examines the human and natural causes of climate change, including greenhouse gases, aerosols, land-use change, and solar variability. Whereas emphasis to date has been on how these climate forcings affect global mean temperature, the report finds that regional variation and climate impacts besides temperature deserve increased attention. The report also identifies research that should be pursued to improve understanding of climate forcings.


Space Agency Should Prolong Life of Weather Satellite

NASA should extend the use of a satellite measuring tropical and subtropical rainfall until at least December 2005 instead of ending the program early this year, says a new report from the National Academies' Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate. The extension is justified by the satellite's past successes in monitoring hurricanes, forecasting floods, and issuing air traffic advisories.


Reports Address Waste Disposal, Cleanup

Two new reports from the from the National Academies’ Board on Radioactive Waste Management assess the risks of when and how to clean or remove radioactive waste from DOE sites. "Risks and Decisions About Disposition of Transuranic and High-Level Radioactive Waste" calls for formal, risk-informed approaches to decide how to address leftover radioactive waste at some DOE sites. The second report, "Improving the Characterization and Treatment of Radioactive Wastes for the DOE’s Accelerated Site Cleanup Program," says that DOE should consider extending the life of facilities used to treat and process waste at sites that are currently planned to be shut down.


Dispersants Could Prove Helpful in Oil Spill Cleanup

More information is needed to better understand how chemicals could be used to disperse oil spills in complex and sensitive nearshore environments, says a new report from the National Research Council. The report recommends that relevant state and federal agencies, industry, and appropriate international agencies cooperate to design and fund research to learn effective ways to handle future spills that may threaten these important coastal habitats.


Science Academies Issue Statement on Climate Change

The US National Academy of Sciences joined 10 other national science academies today in calling on world leaders, particularly those of the G-8 countries meeting next month in Scotland, to acknowledge that the threat of climate change is clear and increasing, to address its causes, and to prepare for its consequences. Sufficient scientific understanding of climate change exists for all nations to identify cost-effective steps that can be taken now to contribute to substantial and long-term reductions in net global greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. The statement echoes the findings and recommendations of several previous reports by the US National Academies.

THREE NRC REPORTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE:
Climate and Global Change at the National Academies

"Climate and Global Change at the National Academies" is a new monthly update highlighting activities related to climate and associated global changes from throughout the National Academies. Additional information on these and other activities is also available at http://dels.nas.edu/ccgc/. Click on the link below to subscribe to the monthly e-update.


NAS President Testifies Before Congress

At two Senate hearings this week, National Academy of Sciences President Ralph J. Cicerone discussed the current state of scientific understanding on climate change based largely on findings of recent studies by the National Academies.


Emerging Technologies Could Enhance Cleanup at DOE Site in South Carolina

Tanks containing radioactive waste at a US Department of Energy nuclear weapons facility in South Carolina do not necessarily need to be sealed shut as soon as the bulk of the waste has been removed, says a new National Research Council report. Postponing permanent closure buys more time for the development and application of emerging technologies to remove and better immobilize residual waste, without increasing risks to the environment or delaying final closure of the "tank farms."


Sustainability in the Chemical Industry: Grand Challenges and Research Needs - A Workshop Report

Through innovative design, creation, processing, use, and disposal of substances, the chemical industry plays a major role in advancing applications to support sustainability in a way that will allow humanity to meet current environmental, economic, and societal needs without compromising the progress and success of future generations. Based on a workshop held in February 2005 that brought together a broad cross section of disciplines and organizations in the chemical industry, this report identifies a set of overarching Grand Challenges for Sustainability research in chemistry and chemical engineering to assist the chemical industry in defining a sustainability agenda. These Grand Challenges include life cycle analysis, renewable chemical feedstocks, and education, among others.


Broader Effort Needed to Restore Louisiana Wetlands

Most of the projects in a US Army Corps of Engineers plan to reduce wetland losses along the Louisiana coast are scientifically sound, but taken together they do not represent the type of systemwide, large-scale effort needed for such a massive undertaking, says a new National Research Council report. The report recommends that an explicit map of the desired future landscape of coastal Louisiana be developed to guide future projects.


Kentucky Pilot Plant Safely Designed, But More Tests Needed

The design of a pilot plant that will destroy chemical weapons at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond KY includes all the steps required for safe and effective destruction of the weapons, but the steps need to be integrated and tested, says a new report from the National Research Council. Also, large amounts of uncontaminated secondary wastes from the plant should be disposed of off-site at qualified waste-disposal facilities.


Lessons Learned Between Hurricanes: From Hugo to Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne

This report summarizes a March 2005 workshop of the Disasters Roundtable that explored how strategies for countering the challenges presented by hurricanes have changed since Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Workshop participants examined the effectiveness of technological advances and efforts to apply knowledge gained from past hurricane events to the response efforts of the 2004 hurricane season. The workshop occurred prior to the 2005 hurricane season that produced Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, but some of the speakers' statements may seem prescient.


Review of the Draft Research and Restoration Plan for Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (Western Alaska) Salmon

Declines in the abundance of salmon in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim (AYK) region of western Alaska in the late 1990s and early 2000s created hardships for the people and communities who depend on this resource. Based on recommendations from a 2004 National Academies report, the AYK Sustainable Salmon Initiative developed a research and restoration plan to help (a) understand the reasons for this decline and (b) support sustainable management in the region. This report reviews the draft plan, recommending improvements in the relationship between the underlying model and the research questions, as well as a clearer discussion of local and traditional knowledge and capacity building.


State Emissions Standards Scientifically Sound

California's emissions standards for vehicles and off-road equipment, which are generally tougher than those set by the federal government, are scientifically valid, says a new National Research Council report. Continuing its pioneering role in setting emissions standards will help California curb persistent pollution and remain a proving ground for new emissions-control technologies. The Environmental Protection Agency should play a role in other states' adoption of California's standards, the report adds.


Dynamic Changes in Marine Ecosystems: Fishing, Food Webs, and Future Options

At the request of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Academies studied the collective evidence for fishery-induced changes to marine ecosystems and implications for US fisheries management. The report concludes that ecosystem-level effects of fishing are well supported in the scientific literature, including changes in food-web interactions and productivity of important fisheries, and that food-web interactions should be evaluated in future fisheries management decisions. The report recommends use of a modeling framework to examine ecosystem interactions and compare the possible outcomes of different fishery management actions. Decisions about management strategies should take into account the range of uses involved and their relative social, ecological, and economic values.


The Indian Ocean Tsunami Disaster: Implications for US and Global Disaster Reduction and Preparedness

The Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami resulted in one of the greatest "natural" disasters that the world has seen in modern times. The impact of the catastrophe was felt worldwide, and unprecedented government and nongovernment disaster relief and recovery efforts were mounted from every corner of the globe. In June 2005 the Disasters Roundtable convened a workshop to consider (1) knowledge gained by researchers investigating various aspects of the disaster and its implications for implementing effective tsunami mitigation, detection, warning, and emergency response systems, (2) emerging US initiatives and how they are expected to tie into regional and global efforts to reduce the impacts of such disasters, and (3) implications of the disaster for multi-hazard mitigation and preparedness at the national and international scale.


Replacing Indian Point Nuclear Energy

The energy generated by New York's Indian Point nuclear power plant could be replaced if it closes in coming years, but political, regulatory, and financial hurdles would make doing so difficult, says a new report from the National Research Council. With early planning and sufficient resources dedicated to replacing lost capacity and meeting expected increases in demand, the reactors could be retired in 2013 and 2015 without causing a major disruption.


Evidence of Global Warming

There is sufficient evidence from tree rings, retreating glaciers, and other "proxies" to say with confidence that the last few decades of the 20th century were warmer than any comparable period in the last 400 years, according to a new National Research Council report. There is less confidence in reconstructions of surface temperatures from 1600 back to AD 900, and very little confidence in findings on average temperatures before then.


Broader Assessment of Air Pollution Rules Proposed

A new report from the National Research Council illustrates a more comprehensive approach that EPA should use to assess revisions to New Source Review, a part of the Clean Air Act that governs emissions from factories and power plants. The report assesses the likely effects of EPA's recent changes to the rules.


Aging Water Distribution Systems Raise Concerns

A large portion of the 1 million miles of pipes that make up US water distribution systems are nearing the end of their expected life span, and an increasing proportion of waterborne disease outbreaks are linked to contamination of distribution systems, says a new National Research Council report. It proposes that EPA work with states to establish consistent "cross-connection" control programs and to improve and unify plumbing codes, among other recommendations.


Understanding and Responding to Multiple Environmental Stresses

Understanding the impact of environmental changes is essential for developing effective response strategies. Using case studies on drought and other atmosphere-ecosystem interactions, the National Academies held a workshop to gather different perspectives on multiple stress scenarios. The conclusion that emerged from the workshop is that new and improved strategies are required for coping with multiple stresses and their impacts on natural socioeconomic systems. The workshop report describes the specific improvements needed.


Progress Toward Restoring the Everglades

A new National Research Council report evaluates the progress made by the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP), a multibillion-dollar effort to restore historical water flows to the Everglades and return the ecosystem closer to its natural state, before it was transformed by drainage and by urban and agricultural development. The report finds that while progress has been made in some areas, some important projects have been delayed due to factors such as budgetary restrictions and a planning process stalled by unresolved scientific uncertainties. The report outlines an alternative approach to help the initiative move forward as it resolves remaining scientific uncertainties.


Regional Approach Needed to Manage Sheltered Coasts

Owners of property bordering sheltered coasts, such as those along bays and estuaries, often reinforce their shoreline with bulkheads and other structures to prevent erosion, but these constructions can alter the surrounding ecosystem. A new National Research Council report recommends that decision makers take a regional approach to assess wider environmental impacts before permitting structures to be built on sheltered shorelines, and that alternative erosion-control methods, such as planting of marshes, be given greater consideration.


Some Pollinator Populations Declining

Population trends for some North American pollinators -- bees, birds, and other creatures that spread pollen so plant fertilization occurs -- are "demonstrably downward," a new National Research Council report says. It calls for better monitoring of pollinators and improved understanding of their taxonomy and ecology.


Report Recommends Strategic Approach to Atmospheric Research

The National Science Foundation's support of atmospheric research has led to outstanding scientific accomplishments, but a more strategic approach that actively engages the atmospheric sciences community is needed, given the cross-disciplinary, interagency, and international nature of current atmospheric studies, says a new National Research Council report. The foundation also needs to be more proactive in attracting talented students to the atmospheric sciences.


Long-Term Flow Variability in Colorado River Evaluated

Tree-ring reconstructions of the Colorado River's streamflow over the past several hundred years show that average annual flows fluctuate more than previously assumed and that extended droughts are a recurrent feature, says a new report from the National Research Council. The report warns that droughts may be more severe in the future because of a regional warming trend, and more difficult to cope with because of rapid population growth.


Conducting Effective Global Change Assessments

A new National Research Council report identifies the essential elements of effective global change assessments, including strategic framing, engagement of stakeholders, credible treatment of uncertainties, and transparent interactions between policymakers and scientists. The report reviews lessons learned from past assessments, which are intended to inform policymakers about the scientific underpinnings of critical environmental issues such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, and ozone depletion.


International Polar Year Begins

The US opening ceremony for the International Polar Year took place at the National Academies with over 400 people in attendance. Guests viewed recent video from the polar regions and heard from polar scientists about research to begin under this initiative. High-level government officials also participated in the event.


Wind-Energy Use Growing in US, But Guidelines Lacking

Although use of wind energy to generate electricity is increasing rapidly, government guidance to help communities and developers plan wind-energy projects is lacking, says a new report from the National Research Council. The report, which assesses environmental benefits and drawbacks, estimates that by 2020, wind energy will offset about 4.5 percent of the CO2 that would otherwise be emitted by other electricity sources.


Highways Through Habitats: The Banff Wildlife Crossings Project

The April 2007 issue of the Transportation Review Board's bimonthly magazine, TR News, features an article that explores Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, which has been a testing site for innovative passageways to mitigate the effects of roads on wildlife. The Trans-Canada Highway bisects the park, but a range of engineering mitigation measures—including a variety of wildlife underpasses and overpasses—has helped maintain large mammal populations for the past 25 years and has allowed the gathering of valuable data about wildlife crossing structures.


MEETING: Strategic Advice on the US Climate Change Science Program

The National Academies' Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Committee will provide independent advice on the strategy and evolution of the US Climate Change Science Program on Thursday, June 7 at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, CO. This meeting is open to the public. A draft agenda and information about the project are posted at the accompanying links.


Assessing the Performance of Engineered Waste Containment Barriers

President Carter's 1980 declaration of a state of emergency at Love Canal, NY recognized that residents' health had been affected by nearby chemical waste sites. The 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act had just ushered in a new era of waste management disposal to protect the public from harm. It required that modern waste containment systems use "engineered" barriers to isolate hazardous and toxic wastes and prevent them from seeping into the environment. These containment systems are now employed at thousands of US waste sites, and their effectiveness must be continually monitored. This National Research Council report assesses the performance of waste containment barriers to date.


Sediment Dredging Falls Short at Many Site Cleanups

At many projects to dredge contaminated sediments from U.S. rivers and other water bodies, it has not been demonstrated that dredging has reduced long-term risks the sediments pose to people and wildlife, says a new report from the National Research Council. Dredging at many sites has had difficulty attaining short-term cleanup goals, and whether dredging alone can reduce long-term risks was difficult to determine, largely because of inadequate monitoring data. The report calls on EPA to improve monitoring at Superfund sites.


Los Alamos Lab Making Progress in Water Protection, But Challenges Remain

Despite progress in efforts to protect groundwater in the surrounding region, the Los Alamos National Laboratory -- part of the nation's nuclear weapons complex -- needs to address substantial technical challenges in understanding and quantifying its inventories of hazardous wastes and how contaminants from them can migrate to groundwater, says a new report by the National Research Council.


Major Boost Needed in Federal Support for Coal R&D

Because coal will provide a substantial portion of U.S. energy for at least the next several decades, a major increase in federal support for research is needed to ensure that it is extracted efficiently, safely, and in an environmentally responsible manner, says a new report from the National Research Council. Policymakers also need a more accurate assessment of the nation's coal reserves, the report adds.


Secondary Waste Should Be Disposed Off-Site Whenever Possible

Much of the secondary waste produced during the U.S. Army's chemical agent destruction program can and should be dealt with at off-site facilities while destruction operations are carried out, according to a new National Research Council Report.


Clean-Vehicle Research Initiative Making Progress

A public-private effort to develop technologies for more fuel-efficient automobiles and to investigate the feasibility of hydrogen-based vehicles has made significant progress in most research areas, and its potential benefits justify the cost, says a new report from the National Research Council. Several barriers hinder the program from achieving its full objectives, and a strategic reassessment of the program plan should be developed.


Link Between Ozone Pollution and Premature Death Confirmed

In many areas, short-term exposure to current levels of ozone, a key component of smog, is likely to contribute to premature deaths, and deaths are more likely among individuals with pre-existing diseases or other susceptibility factors, says a new National Research Council report. Future research should examine whether longer-term exposure -- weeks to years -- is also associated with premature death.


New Edition of Climate Change Booklet Available

The National Academies have released the 2008 edition of "Understanding and Responding to Climate Change," a free booklet designed to give the public a comprehensive and easy-to-read analysis of findings and recommendations from our reports on climate change.

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Workshop Summary: Transitioning to Sustainability Through Research and Development on Ecosystem Services and Biofuels

The National Research Council’s Roundtable on Science and Technology for Sustainability hosted Transitioning to Sustainability through Research and Development on Ecosystem Services and Biofuels: The National Academies First Federal Sustainability Research and Development Forum in October 2007. The forum discussed sustainability research and development activities related to ecosystem services and biofuels. A new report summarizes the discussions from the forum.

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With Government and Industry Support, Hydrogen Vehicles Could Reduce U.S. Oil Use and Emissions

A transition to hydrogen vehicles could greatly reduce U.S. oil dependence and carbon dioxide emissions, but challenges remain, including high costs and a lack of infrastructure, says a new report from the National Research Council. These obstacles could be overcome, however, with continued support for research and development from the automotive industry and the federal government.

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Public Participation Usually Improves Environmental Decisions

When done correctly, public participation improves the quality and legitimacy of federal agencies' decisions about the environment, says a new report from the National Research Council. Agencies should recognize public participation as valuable to their objectives, not just as a formality required by law. The report details principles and approaches to successfully involve the public.

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Texas to Invest Record Amount into Renewable Energy

Texas utility regulators announced the largest renewable-energy investment in the U.S. when they recently approved a $4.9 billion plan that will build extensive transmission lines to carry wind-generated electricity from remote western parts of the state to urban centers. In 2007, the National Research Council issued the report Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects, which analyzes the environmental benefits and drawbacks of wind energy. It says that government guidance to help communities and developers evaluate and plan proposed wind-energy projects is often lacking, and offers an evaluation guide to aid decision-making about projects.

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Global Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events: Understanding the Contributions to Infectious Disease Emergence

Long before the germ theory of disease was described, late in the nineteenth century, humans knew that climatic conditions influence the appearance and spread of epidemic diseases. Today, evidence is mounting that earth’s climate is changing at a faster rate than previously appreciated, leading researchers to view the longstanding relationships between climate and disease with new urgency and from a global perspective. On December 4 and 5, 2007, the Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop to consider the possible infectious disease impacts of global climate change and extreme weather events on human, animal, and plant health, as well as their expected implications for global and national security.

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Recap of Summit on America’s Energy Future

A workshop report of the energy summit held earlier this year by the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering provides summaries of speaker presentations and discussions on energy security, energy and the environment, and energy and the economy. The workshop report is the first release of the academies' America’s Energy Future project, an initiative designed to stimulate discussion about U.S. energy options.

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For additional information visit The National Academies Subject page.