Breath alcohol ignition interlock devices: controlling the recidivist

This study compares the recidivism rates of two groups of Illinois drivers who had their driver's licenses revoked for alcohol-impaired driving and who received restricted driving permits. Drivers in both groups had more than two driving under the influence (DUI) actions against their record within 5 years or were classed as level III alcohol dependents. Drivers in one group were required to install breath alcohol ignition interlock devices in their vehicles and drivers in the other group were not. The research found that drivers with the interlock were one-fifth as likely to be arrested for DUI during the 1 year the device was installed as the comparison group, which did not have the device. However, once the ignition interlock was removed, drivers in this group rapidly returned to DUI arrest rates similar to those in the comparison group. These findings echo previous literature. Additionally, the study showed that this voluntary program in Illinois reached only 16% of the drivers who met the requirements for installing the interlock device. Finally, this study found that individuals who were removed from the interlock program and returned to revoked status continued to drive. Within 3 years, approximately 50% of this latter group were involved in a crash or were arrested for DUI or with an invalid driver's license. Conclusions drawn from the study suggest that the breath alcohol ignition interlock device is effective in preventing continued driving while impaired. However, the large-scale effectiveness of the device is limited since most of the drivers eligible for the device do not have it installed. To have a significant impact, the interlock device must represent a better alternative to drivers whose licenses were suspended or revoked because of alcohol arrests compared to remaining on revoked status without having the device installed. Finally the research suggests that, given the rapid return to predevice recidivism, the devices should remain installed until drivers can demonstrate an extended period of being alcohol free.     

Seasonal leaching and biodegradation of dicamba in turfgrass

The leaching of surface-applied herbicides, such as dicamba (2methoxy-3,6-dichlorobenzoic acid), to ground water is an environmental concern. Seasonal changes in soil temperature and water content, affecting infiltration and biodegradation, may control leaching. The objectives of this study were to (i) investigate the leaching of dicamba applied to turfgrass, (ii) measure the degradation rate of dicamba in soil and thatch in the laboratory under simulated field conditions, and (iii) test the ability of the model EXPRES (containing LEACHM) to simulate the field transport and degradation processes. Four field lysimeters, packed with sandy loam soil and topped with Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) sod, were monitored after receiving three applications (May, September, November) of dicamba. Concentrations of dicamba greater than 1 mg L(-1) were detected in soil water. Although drying of the soil during the summer prevented deep transport, greater leaching occurred in late autumn due to increased infiltration. From the batch experiment, the degradation rate for dicamba in thatch was 5.9 to 8.4 times greater than for soil, with a calculated half-life as low as 5.5 d. Computer modeling indicated that the soil and climatic conditions would influence the effectiveness of greater degradation in thatch for reducing dicamba leaching. In general, EXPRES predictions were similar to observed concentration profiles, though peak dicamba concentrations at the 10-cm depth tended to be higher than predicted in May and November. Differences between predictions and observations are probably a result of minor inaccuracies in the water-flow simulation and the model's inability to modify degradation rates with changing climatic conditions.     

Trace elements and organochlorines in surf scoters from San Francisco Bay, 1985

Surf scoters (Melanitta perspicillata) were collected from 6 locations in San Francisco Bay during January and March 1985. Overall, mean concentrations of cadmium and zinc were higher in livers of scoters from the southern region of the Bay, whereas mean iron and lead were higher in those from the northern Bay region. Mean concentrations of arsenic, copper, lead, zinc, aluminum (January only) and iron (January) also differed among individual locations. Mean concentrations of copper and zinc increased, arsenic decreased, and cadmium remained the same between January and March. Selenium and mercury concentrations in scoter livers were not significantly correlated (P>0.05), but cadmium concentrations in livers and kidneys were positively correlated (P<0.0001), and body weight was negatively related to mercury concentration in the liver (P<0.05). Body weight differed among locations but not between January and March. Body weight was correlated with lipid content (P<0.0001). DDE and PCBs were each detected in 34 of 36 scoter carcasses. DDE increased significantly between January and March at Richmond Harbor, but BCBs did not differ between January and March at the 3 locations that could be tested.     

THE ISOLATION OF RANDOM ERRORS IN PERIODIC RAINFALL1

This paper deals with the problem of isolating random errors from rainfall measurements in watersheds of relatively small size. The residual variance is shown to be a practical measure for assessing the error term. KEY WORDS: random errors; rainfall; watershed     

Approaches and Methods of Siting Locally Unwanted Waste Facilities

The siting of waste facilities is a popular subject but one constrained by a tendency to advocate a single solution regardless of context. This effort to address the siting of waste facilities from a broader perspective describes three major siting approaches and a range of site selection methods. The application of siting approaches and methods in 10 waste siting examples are described, general conclusions are advanced and suggestions for further initiatives are offered.     

Dynamic adjustment to land taxation policy: Neutrality and welfare implications

In this paper we use a dynamic three sector model to examine the neutrality and welfare effects of land income taxes. We find that (1) taxes that are neutral in long run equilibrium need not be neutral in the short run; (2) short run neutrality depends upon the tax treatment of development costs and losses; and (3) many of the neutrality results hold under both static and rational expectations assumptions. We also find that, even without externality assumptions, nonneutrality in the short run does not necessarily entail a welfare cost and may be welfare-enhancing when agents have less-than-perfect foresight.     

A method for determining volatile organic solvents in chalk pore waters (Southern and Eastern England) and its relevance to the evaluation of groundwater contamination

Conventional methods of sampling groundwater in Chalk aquifers sample the mobile water in the fissures only and not the non-mobile water held in the microporous matrix. However, the microporous matrix can play an important role in modifying groundwater quality by attenuating contaminant migration through diffusion exchange and, in the long term, by acting as a reservoir for contaminant retention.A method for extracting and analysing chalk pore waters for chlorinated solvents has been developed. Chalk pore water-depth profiles at the site of a spillage of tetrachloroethene demonstrated that the immiscible phase of the solvent had migrated to depths of 50 m, producing solvent concentrations in the matrix pore waters of up to 40,000 μg L⁻¹.In addition, the pore water-depth profile indicated that the immiscible phase had ponded upon a less permeable horizon within the Chalk aquifer at shallow depths.     

Effects of Impervious Cover at Multiple Spatial Scales on Coastal Watershed Streams1

Abstract: The spatial scale and location of land whose development has the strongest influence on aquatic ecosystems must be known to support land use decisions that protect water resources in urbanizing watersheds. We explored impacts of urbanization on streams in the West River watershed, New Haven, Connecticut, to identify the spatial scale of watershed imperviousness that was most strongly related to water chemistry, macroinvertebrates, and physical habitat. A multiparameter water quality index was used to characterize regional urban nonpoint source pollution levels. We identified a critical level of 5% impervious cover, above which stream health declined. Conditions declined with increasing imperviousness and leveled off in a constant state of impairment at 10%. Instream variables were most correlated (0.77 ≤ |r| ≤ 0.92, p < 0.0125) to total impervious area (TIA) in the 100‐m buffer of local contributing areas (～5‐km² drainage area immediately upstream of each study site). Water and habitat quality had a relatively consistent strong relationship with TIA across each of the spatial scales of investigation, whereas macroinvertebrate metrics produced noticeably weaker relationships at the larger scales. Our findings illustrate the need for multiscale watershed management of aquatic ecosystems in small streams flowing through the spatial hierarchies that comprise watersheds with forest‐urban land use gradients.