Evaluation of the california environmental quality act

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) has evolved from a mini-NEPA, first enacted in 1970, into a procedural act that affects the approval process of all large developments in California. In 1990, California local governments produced over 1600 environmental impact reports and 30,000 initial studies under CEQA. Because of its widespread use, CEQA has periodically drawn the attention of the state legislature, most recently in 1993, when over 60 CEQA reform bills were introduced. This paper describes the CEQA process and evaluates its success at meeting its explicit and implicit goals. The research includes a statewide survey of CEQA practice, sent to the planning departments of all 513 local governments in California in 1991. Survey respondents agreed that CEQA helps in evaluating environmental impacts, reducing impacts, informing the public, and coordinating public agency review. It is effective in reducing the environmental impacts of individual projects, but is not as effective in improving environmental quality on an areawide scale. This research concludes that CEQA has led to positive outcomes and is not as deeply flawed as many of its critics claim. Still, CEQA as currently designed may not be the optimal vehicle for ensuring environmental quality.     

Application of a health promotion model to community-based sustainability planning

The future of human health and that of all other species depends on the viability and sustainability of a host of environments and ecosystems. Human behaviours have profound effects (both positive and negative) on such ecosystems. Despite the obviousness of these statements, there remains a lack of clarity around the mechanisms for altering specific behaviours related to sustainability and their impact on environments. This paper offers a conceptual framework for identifying relations between human behaviour and ecosystem health and sustainability. We also discuss strategies for changing target behaviours in the context of a programme or policy planning. Finally, we draw on research that applies this adaptation to a small island community near Vancouver, Canada.     

Nitrogen removal in laboratory model leachfields with organic-rich layers

Septic system leachfields can release dissolved nitrogen in the form of nitrate into ground water, presenting a significant source of pollution. Low cost, passive modifications, which increase N removal in traditional leachfields, could substantially reduce the overall impact on ground water resources. Bench-scale laboratory models were constructed to evaluate the effect of placing an organic layer below the leachfield on total N removal. The organic layer provides a carbon source for denitrification. Column units representing septic leachfields were constructed with sawdust-native soil organic layers placed 0.45 m below the influent line and with thicknesses of 0.0, 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 m. Using a synthetic septic tank effluent, NO(3)-N concentrations at 3.8 m below the influent line were consistently below 1 mg L(-1) during 10 months of operation compared with a NO(3)-N concentration of nearly 12 mg L(-1) in the control column. The average total N removal increased from 31% without the organic layer to 67% with the organic layer. Total N removal appeared limited by the extent of organic N oxidation and nitrification in the 0.45-m aerobic zone. Design modifications targeted at improving nitrification above the organic layer may further increase total N removal. Increased organic layer thicknesses from 0.3 m to 0.9 m did not significantly improve average total N removal, but caused a shift in residual nitrogen from organic N to ammonia N. Results indicate that addition of a layer of carbon source material at least 0.3 m thick below a standard leachfield substantially improves total N removal.     

丹江口水库浮游细菌和氮磷循环基因垂直分布特征及其驱动因素

丹江口水库作为南水北调中线工程水源地,不同深度浮游细菌群落组成、 氮磷循环功能及其驱动因素尚未清晰. 选取丹江口水库5个生态点位,采用宏基因组学研究表层、 中层和底层垂直分布浮游细菌群落组成,分析预测氮磷循环功能及其驱动因素. 结果表明,丹江口水库主要由变形菌门、 放线菌门和浮霉菌门等优势种群组成,不同深度来源的浮游细菌群落结构具有显著差异,水温（T）、 氧化还原电位（ORP）、 溶解氧（DO）和Chla是影响浮游细菌群落组成的主要因素. 氮循环功能基因分析表明,主要涉及生物固氮过程、 硝化作用、 反硝化作用和异化硝酸盐还原作用等7个主要途径的gltB、 glnA、 gltD、 gdhA和NRT等39个氮循环功能基因. 磷循环功能基因分析表明,主要涉及有机磷矿化、 无机磷溶解、 调节等6个主要途径的pstS、 ppx-gppA、 glpQ和ppk1等54个磷循环功能基因. 聚类分析表明不同深度是影响氮磷循环功能基因组成和丰度的主要因素,表层和底层氮磷循环功能基因丰度高于中层样品. 奇异球菌属、 嗜氢菌属、 Limnohabitans和棍状杆菌属等是氮磷循环的关键物种. DO、 pH、 T、 总溶解性固体（TDS）、 电导率（EC）和Chla与氮磷循环功能基因显著相关,以上环境因子随丹江口水库深度增加浓度降低或升高,导致浮游细菌氮磷循环功能基因呈明显的垂直分布特征. 通过揭示丹江口水库不同深度浮游细菌群落组成、 氮磷循环功能及其影响因素,可为丹江口浮游细菌生态功能和多样性保护发挥潜在的作用.     

The optimal tax for maximum economic yield: Fishery regulation under rational expectations

This paper examines the optimal tax to achieve maximum economic yield (MEY) exploitation in a rational expectations model of a competitive open-access fishery. To analyze the dynamic evolution of resource use a structural model which explains the relationship between the firm and the industry is presented. The unregulated equilibrium is contrasted with the potential MEY. Conditions under which the unregulated equilibrium will be MEY are explored. In addition, a tax is devised which will cause non-MEY competitive exploitation to become MEY when the tax is implemented.     

Evidence of degradation of polybrominated biphenyls in soil samples from michigan

Abstract

Soil samples obtained from the former polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) manufacturing site in Michigan were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. The results indicate significant degradation of the PBB residue in the soil sample. The soil sample with the highest concentration of PBB has the greatest degree of degradation. Principal degradation products include 2,3’,4,4’,5‐pentabromo‐biphenyl, 2,2’,4,4’,5‐pencabromobiphenyl and two unidentified tetrabromobiphenyls.

The degradation pattern observed supports a photochemical decomposition mechanism. These degraded residues may be more toxic than the original Firemaster residues. The implications of the results are discussed.     

Assessment of the Enabling Rural Innovation (ERI) approach: Case studies from Malawi and Uganda

This paper presents lessons from applying an innovative action research approach for linking smallholder farmers to markets, in eastern and southern Africa. The Enabling Rural Innovation (ERI) approach aims to strengthen social organization and entrepreneurial capacity in rural communities. It focuses on fostering community‐based capacity for the inclusion of rural women and the poor in analyzing and accessing market opportunities. Using case studies from Malawi and Uganda the paper assesses the outcomes of ERI on rural communities with a focus on human capital, gender issues and investment in natural resource management. Results show that households are benefiting significantly from linkages to markets in terms of increasing household incomes, and accumulating assets. Skills in analyzing markets and in negotiating with traders have increased among smallholder farmers. The integration of gender in the approach has led to changes in gender decision making patterns at household and community level towards a more shared decision‐making process. The results however show a difference in skills between men and women, with women showing lower levels of skills acquisition. Farmer participatory research has increased investments in improved technologies such as fertilizer applications for soil fertility management.     

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the determination of dioxins in contaminated sediment and soil samples

A 96-microwell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was evaluated to determine PCDDs/PCDFs in sediment and soil samples from an EPA Superfund site. Samples were prepared and analyzed by both the ELISA and a gas chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometry (GC/HRMS) method. Comparable method precision, accuracy, and detection level (8 ng kg(-1)) were achieved by the ELISA method with respect to GC/HRMS. However, the extraction and cleanup method developed for the ELISA requires refinement for the soil type that yielded a waxy residue after sample processing. Four types of statistical analyses (Pearson correlation coefficient, paired t-test, nonparametric tests, and McNemar's test of association) were performed to determine whether the two methods produced statistically different results. The log-transformed ELISA-derived 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin values and log-transformed GC/HRMS-derived TEQ values were significantly correlated (r=0.79) at the 0.05 level. The median difference in values between ELISA and GC/HRMS was not significant at the 0.05 level. Low false negative and false positive rates (<10%) were observed for the ELISA when compared to the GC/HRMS at 1,000 ng TEQ kg(-1). The findings suggest that immunochemical technology could be a complementary monitoring tool for determining concentrations at the 1,000 ng TEQ kg(-1) action level for contaminated sediment and soil. The ELISA could also be used in an analytical triage approach to screen and rank samples prior to instrumental analysis.     

Modification of the biochemical pathways of plants induced by ozone: what are the varied routes to change?

When plants are observed under a low dose of ozone, some physiological and metabolic shifts occur. Barring extreme injury such as tissue damage or stomata closure, most of these disruptive changes are likely to have been initiated at the level of gene expression. The belief is oxidative products formed in ozone exposed leaves, e.g. hydrogen peroxide, are responsible for much of the biochemical adjustments. The first line of defense is a range of antioxidants, such as ascorbate and glutathione, but if this defense is overwhelmed, subsequent actions occur, similar to systemic acquired resistance or general wounding. Yet there are seemingly unrelated metabolic responses which are also triggered, such as early senescence. We discuss here the current understanding of gene control and signal transduction/control in order to increase our comprehension of how ozone alters the basic metabolism of plants and how plants counteract or cope with ozone.