Martin O'Malley's environmental agency has decided to enforce air pollution rules at coal-fired power plants that were routinely ignored under past administrations. Environmental groups praised the O'Malley administration yesterday for reversing the policy of his predecessors and deciding to enforce even routine opacity violations at the power plants. Lee Walker Oxenham, director of the Patapsco River Conservation Assocation, which under a different name in 2005 filed notice of intent to...

The 75-year effort to save the polluted resource would cut it to about a fifth its current size and add sections of wildlife habitat. It calls for a drastically shrunken lake, the creation of a new "marine sea" and creation of thousands of separate wildlife habitats. The plan calls for the creation of a 62,000-acre "saline habitat complex," a series of 1,000-acre cells that would include bits of shoreline, islands and peninsulas to be habitat for birds, fish and invertebrates. A special...

The Water & Contaminants Monitoring System (W&CMS) makes possible, for the first time, a simple, fast and cost-effective monitoring tool that provides real time data on water and contaminate transport in the areas above the groundwater level, known as the "Vadose Zone. The Water & Contaminants Monitoring System (W&CMS) makes possible, for the first time, a simple, fast and cost-effective monitoring tool that provides real time data on water and contaminate transport in the areas above the...

The valley air district last week passed two exemptions allowing agricultural waste burning through 2010 for orchards less than 20 acres and for citrus, apples, pears, quince, figs and rice. SB 705, passed in 2003 and written by Florez, eliminated burning effective this June 1 with criteria for exemptions, including a requirement for state air board concurrence on exemptions made by the local board. When asked if the valley air district would be required to repeal the exemptions or...

As a team, Fresh think it is essential for companies, be them large or small to care for the environment in which they live and work. As a team, they collected waste from various popular beaches in Sliema in order to give a helping hand and possibly promote ecological awareness amongst teenagers. Youths help freshen up the environment and fundraise for charity. Thus, as part of their humanitarian activities they opted to help out the environment. Aloysius' College, producing mini,...

The way I see it, citizens concerned with the environment simply exchanged ground water pollution for air pollution. We waited some more along the curb of the highway and then we were assembled into three rows of waiting cars alongside the old health building. The collection of hazardous waste brought out literally hundreds of cars, trucks and SUVs. The many cars had to line up and wait in the new Human Services building parking lot. There must be some humor somewhere in this illogical...

An air pollution advisory issued Thursday for Clark, Greene, Miami and Montgomery counties has been extended through today as high levels of particle pollution are expected to continue this afternoon. Brian Huxtable, an air pollution control specialist for the agency, said an air quality index of 90 or above is cause for an advisory. Particle pollution is made up of microscopic particles and liquid droplets in the air. These particles, invisible to the naked eye, appeared collectively as...

Chronic air pollution problems during the first year of operations at the Hardin Generating Station are prompting the state to take enforcement action against the coal-fired power plant. Officials with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality said there have been numerous violations of sulfur dioxide, opacity and carbon monoxide limits, although none has exceeded air quality standards. The alleged violations met criteria to be considered high priority, which means the Environmental...

Every dollar that is spent toward Louisiana's forests and streams also enhances the habitat for many nongame species to include birds, tortoises, hawks, eagles, reptiles, amphibians and even insects. Over a million acres of public lands throughout Louisiana offer habitat to a multitude of species of wildlife, and the species that live here often are experienced in our own backyards. Unfortunately administrators will have to pick and choose what to keep funding - should precious wildlife...