Portion of Mississippi reopened after oil spill; ships still stuck 

By: Molly Hennessy- Fiske

After a devastating oil spill, the Mississippi River was closed for 65 miles. (Fiske). This oil spill had occurred at the beginning of the weekend and part of the river was still closed until Monday. The U.S. Coast Guard had said that there were 29 ships stuck because of this conflict. "Officials had closed a 65 mile stretch of the river and the port of New Orleans after 31,500 gallons of light crude oil spilled from a barge that ran into  a towboat Saturday about 50 miles west of New Orleans." (Fiske 1). They had kept this river closed for so long because of the risk that that would cause more pollution. People with the Environmental Safety & Health was urging people to be cautious with the use of water. "As of Monday, there are no reports of contamination to drinking water. (Fiske 1).

The spill had occurred by the town of Vacherie in St. James Parish and then reported that there was no contamination spreading from the river. (Fiske). There is a threat to so much when their is an oil spill. They are worrying about people, animals, vessels, and anything in the river. There is so much to take into consideration and people need to take caution. Overall, this has not been the longest time that a major river like this has been closed for a couple of days, but even with the river closed for a couple of hours, it affects to many people. (Fiske).



http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-mississippi-oil-spill-20140224,0,423160.story#axzz2uHQSGHFc

For Already Vulnerable Penguins, Study Finds Climate Change Is Another Danger

By: Henry Fountain


With the difficult lives that Magellanic penguins already have, they are in for another surprise. (Fountain). With their struggles with predation and starvation, now they are dealing with climate change. This study has been going on for many years, looking at these birds in Punta Tombo, Argentina. Here in Argentina, there are huge storms, damaging habitat, and making it even more difficult to find food. In addtion, with the harsh warm temperatures, these penguins are having a very hard time. "Rainfall is killing a lot of penguins, and so is heat," said P. Dee Boersma, a University of Washington scientist and lead author of the study. "And those are two new causes." (Fountain 1). Another component that is contributing to these intense storms is the release of greenhouse gases.

"For this study, the researchers compiled data on nearly 3,500 chicks that they meticulously tracked by checking nests once or twice a day throughout the six-month breeding season, which starts in September." (Fountain 1). In a result of this, they had discovered that most of these birds died from the intense storms. When these penguins first hatch, they are so vulnerable and are protected by their parents the first week of being born. "Since 1987, the number of breeding pairs in the colony has declined 24 percent, said Dr. Boersma." (Fountain 1). There is so much that these penguins experience the first weeks of being born and now they have to survive throughout warm temperature and harsh storms. (Fountain).



http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/science/earth/climate-change-taking-toll-on-penguins-study-finds.html

Tests Said to Find Formaldehyde in West Virginia Tap Water 

By: Michael Wines


In Charleston, West Virginia, a chemical spill had occurred which ended up affecting more than they thought did. (Wines). About a week after the chemical spill, tests that were taken showed traces of formaldehyde. This was occurring in the city's water system which meant bad news. At this point, the city is still unsure will all of the affects from this spill and what is next for the future. Scott Simonton, a member from the Environmental Quality Board, told the news that people were reporting that they could smell the formaldehyde while taking a shower. Simonton had "said the formaldehyde was a product of the breakdown of the leaked coal-washing chemical, commonly known as MCHM." (Wines 1).

"The secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection, Randy C. Huffman, said the government did not know whether the formaldehyde was related to the chemical spill or whether it was an isolated instance linked to the restaurant where it was found." (Wines 1). Many other people have also been saying that this has been a reoccurring problem that has been going on and that there was more than one chemical spill in this city. As a result of this spill, people in the city are starting to panic and are lacking patience for more information from the government. They have their health to worry about, along with their children and other family members. In the end, "Governor Earl Ray Tomblin ordered the company responsible for the spill, Freedom Industries, to remove the cluster of aboveground storage tanks on the banks of the Elk River, where the spill occurred." (Wines 1).



http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/us/tests-said-to-find-formaldehyde-in-west-virginia-tap-water.html

A Natural Gas Power Plant with Carbon Constraints- and an Expiration Date 

By: Nathanael Massey and ClimateWire


Besides coal plants, there have been a new creation passed, a new natural-gas-fired power plant. Last week in Massachusetts, the construction was cleared to begin work. (Massey). The condition was that they needed to agree to reduce emissions of carbon each year before 2050. Back in 2012, there was a conflict when the Conservation Law Foundation and the Salem Harbor natural gas facility both went at it. "The law in question, the Global Warming Solutions Act, mandates that the state lower its emissions to 25 percent below 1990s levels by 2020 and 80 percent below those levels by 2050. CLF says those goals would be impossible if the plant were to run indefinitely on a business-as-usual basis." (Massey 1). People have explained that this could be a crucial turning point for the United States. Prices have been lowered for these natural gas power plants and is spreading throughout the country of the U.S. Even though this has many advantages, the Conservation Law Foundation have told people to be cautious because of the possible chance of methane leakage. Another negative argument is that even though this reduces our carbon footprint, these plants still release so much carbon dioxide into our air. (Massey).

"This agreement is forward-thinking as it not only ensures electricity reliability for the region but requires GHG reductions," said Richard Sullivan, chairman of the state Energy Facilities Sting Board." [Massachusetts] has some of the most ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets in the nation, and today's decision will help us achieve those targets." (Massey 1). Overall this is a big step, but its whether we take these chances and go for it or not. (Massey).



http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-natural-gas-power-plant-with-carbon-constraintsand-an-expiration-date/