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F. X. Browne, Inc.'s Sustainable Environments January 2011
Perhaps Love  By John Denver "Oh love to some is like a cloud, to some as strong as steel. For some a way of living, for some a way to feel. And some say love is holding on and some say letting go. And some say love is everything, some say they don't know."   To view the lyrics, click here. To view a video of Placido Domingo and John Denver singing Perhaps Love, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaEj421RDv8		Photo credit:   Beverly & Pack on Flickr.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkadog/3327968822/

Sustainable Snow Salt and Removal Typically, rock salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) is used to deice roads and sidewalks by lowering the freezing point of ice and snow.  This can have negative environmental impacts including contaminating drinking water, harming plants and animals, and corrodes roads and bridges.  An alternative is calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), which is made from limestone treated with acetic acid.  Though it may be more expensive and harder to find, it has less potential to affect the environment and is not as corrosive as salt.  Another alternative is MagicSalt, a patented blend of magnesium chloride and condensed distiller solubles, which is non-toxic and biodegradable. By Emily DeMasi, The Inspired Economist, December 9, 2010 http://inspiredeconomist.com/2010/12/09/let-it-snow-sustainable-snow-salt-and-removal/ To view EPA’s publication "Safer Roads What You Should Know About Safe Winter Roads and the Environment (2005)", visit http://www.epa.gov/ne/topics/water/pdfs/winterfacts.pdf

	Florida Sues EPA Over New Water Pollution Controls Florida has filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop new water pollution controls that set specific numerical limits on nutrient pollution levels in lakes, rivers, streams and springs.  Florida is concerned that these regulations will have negative economic impacts.  The EPA believes that the rules would help enhance the tourism industry, which accounts for 21 percent of the state sales tax and employs almost one million Floridians. By Tom Brown, Edited by Anthony Boadle, Reuters, December 7, 2010 http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B66YB20101207
	EPA Announces 2010 Enforcement and Compliance Results The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its annual enforcement and compliance results from fiscal year (FY) 2010.  Polluters were required to pay over $110 million in civil penalties and spend approximately $12 billion on pollution controls, cleanup, and environmental projects.  These actions will reduce approximately 400 million pounds of air pollution per year and will reduce, eliminate or property manage approximately 1 billion pounds of water pollution per year.  Additionally, approximately 11.8 billion pounds of hazardous waste will be treated, minimized, or property disposed of.  During FY 2010, 289 defendants were charged with environmental crimes and 198 criminals were convicted.  The EPA has also provided an interactive mapping tool to allow the public to access information about enforcement actions.  For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/reports/endofyear/eoy2010/index.html EPA News Release, December 6, 2010 http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/bd4379a92ceceeac 8525735900400c27/78264683b1a9874e852577f10059b840!OpenDocument
	EPA Seeks Comments on New Web-Based Tool for Accessing Wastewater Pollutant Discharge Information The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a “beta” version of a new web-based tool that provides information on the amount, type, and location of wastewater pollutant discharges.  The EPA is seeking comments on how to improve this tool.  The tool has been designed for both the general public and technical users. Comments will be accepted through February 4, 2011.  To view the tool or learn how to submit comments, visit http://cfpub.epa.gov/dmr/.

 

 

"You have your way.  I have my way.  As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist."

~Friedrich Nietzsche
 

 

EPA Administrator and NAS President Recognize EPA 40th Anniversary, Announce Groundbreaking National Research Council Study The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is celebrating its 40th anniversary.  The EPA has commissioned a National Research Council (NRC) study, the Green Book, to define how to incorporate sustainability concepts into EPA programs. This tool will provide recommendations to support the modern-day environmental challenges with sustainable techniques.    EPA News Release, November 30, 2010 http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/6427a6b7538955c585257359003f0230/ 1f9965cad1f8e941852577eb0073a9d0!OpenDocument

 

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

~Albert Einstein

 

Grants and Awards: To view our list of available grants, click here.   New grants and awards added this month include:   New York DEC - Urban Forestry Project Grants PA DCNR Community Conservation Partnership Grants NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife's 2011 Native Fish Art and Writing Contest PA American Water 2010-2011 Stream of Learning Scholarship Program Coldwater Conservation School – NJ DEP Division of Fish and Wildlife & the NJ State Council of Trout Unlimited

 

 

“All that’s necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”

~Edmund Burke

Tools and Publications:

Riparian BUFFers – Making our Riparian Areas Strong (4-H project book)

The Penn State Cooperative Extension and the Pennsylvania 4-H Program have developed a new 4-H project book discussing the importance of healthy riparian buffers along stream corridors.  This book provides hands-on activities and information on providing maintenance to a recently restored riparian buffer.  Youth that are involved in Riparian BUFFers 4-H projects will learn valuable lessons and assist landowners with maintaining buffer restoration projects.

Penn State Cooperative Extension, December 10, 2010

http://extension.psu.edu/water/discovery-watersheds/newsletter/news/2010/new-opportunity-for-combining-education-and-community-service

 

 

 

F. X. Browne, Inc.  – Environmental Consulting

Engineers – Planners – Scientists
31 Years of Excellence & Innovation

 

 

 

Corporate Office: Lansdale, PA
Pocono Office: Marshalls Creek, PA
New York Office:  Saranac Lake, NY

 

For more information, call us at (215) 362-3878 or visit: http://www.fxbrowne.com 

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