The Antiquities Act,national monuments,and the regional economy

Large, landscape-scale national monuments have long been controversial. It has been claimed that large monuments harm local economies by restricting growth of the grazing, timber, mining, and energy industries. Others have asserted that large monuments aid economic growth by reducing reliance on volatile commodity markets and fostering tourism growth. In this study, we use a synthetic control approach to measure the average causal effect of nine national monument designations on county-level per capita income. We find no evidence that monument designation affected per capita income in any of 20 counties hosting nine large (>50,000 acres) national monuments established under the Antiquities Act (six monuments) or by legislative action (three monuments). The broad economic claims of both advocates and critics of large national monuments have little empirical support. The absence of a designation effect for large national monuments is likely due to the attributes of federal land and the legal constraints under which it is managed.     

中国煤矿水灾事故不安全动作原因对比研究

中国是世界上煤矿水灾事故频发的国家之一,重特大水灾事故时有发生.为了分析事故发生原因并从安全管理方面予以预防,采用事故统计、案例分析和分组对比相结合的方法,以1990-2009年发生的142起煤矿水灾事故为例,对煤矿水灾不安全动作等原因进行了研究,得出了不安全动作类型、不安全动作构成比例及不安全动作的发出者在水灾事故中的特点.结果表明:1)1990-2009年,违章放炮等23小类不安全动作一直存在,16小类不安全动作消失,19小类不安全动作新增;2)1990-1999年占比最大的直接不安全动作是违章指挥,但在2000-2009年,违章放炮却成为新的占比最大的直接不安全动作;3)未采取有效探放水措施和未通过安全审批私自生产在2000-2009年分别处于所有不安全动作占比的第一、二位,且比例逐渐增加;4)高层管理人员发出的不安全动作占比最大,一线员工和班组长发出的直接不安全动作占比大于各自发出的所有不安全动作比例.     

Use Impairments and Ecosystem Impacts of the New York Bight

The New York Bight is perhaps one of the most used and abused coastal areas in the world as a consequence of urbanization and the disposal of the waste of some 20 million people who reside by its shores and surrounding bays and estuaries. A variety of sources, including those associated with sewage wastes, industrial wastes, contaminated dredged material, urban runoff, and atmospheric fallout contaminate these coastal waters. Many of the stresses of excess population and industrialization as measured by pollutant loadings and ecosystem impacts can be crudely quantified in terms of use impairments-use impairments that have measurable social and economic relevance. Five broad categories of impairment attributed to pollution in the Bight that are causing significant losses of ecological, economic, or social values are: beach closures, unsafe seafoods, hazards to commercial and recreational navigation, loss of commercial and recreational fisheries, and declines in birds, mammals and turtles. These impairments are generally caused by floatable wastes, nutrients, toxicants, pathogens and habitat loss. Measures of such impairments are not standard, nor in many cases totally quantifiable. We have examined specific subsets of these impairments in terms of their spatial and temporal changes and as a first approximation determined the economic and social significance of these changes. the cost of these impaired uses of the Bight are measured in terms of billions of dollars annually for New York and New Jersey.     

浅谈危险性分析中应注意的问题

该文简要介绍了危险性分析的常用方法,阐明了进行危险性分析的前提,并运用详细的事例说明危险性分析时应注意辨识经验性违章及进行系统或设备隐蔽功能的分析等几个问题.     

The ergonomics of children in playground equipment safety

INTRODUCTION: Annually, some 200,000 U.S. children require hospital emergency room treatment from injuries suffered on playground equipment. Most of these injuries (70%) are the result of falls. While standards for protective surfacing within the play zone areas are very adequate, standards for the prevention of falls are very inadequate. "Climbers" are responsible for the greatest percentage of injuries with most of these injuries the result of falls. Current standards are woefully lacking in regard to these climbers. METHOD: This paper reviews the history of climber research and climber standards. RESULTS: It then presents recommendations for improved standards in this area based on the ergonomics of the users, children.     

Use Impairments and Ecosystem Impacts of the New York Bight

The New York Bight is perhaps one of the most used and abused coastal areas in the world as a consequence of urbanization and the disposal of the waste of some 20 million people who reside by its shores and surrounding bays and estuaries. A variety of sources, including those associated with sewage wastes, industrial wastes, contaminated dredged material, urban runoff, and atmospheric fallout contaminate these coastal waters. Many of the stresses of excess population and industrialization as measured by pollutant loadings and ecosystem impacts can be crudely quantified in terms of use impairments-use impairments that have measurable social and economic relevance. Five broad categories of impairment attributed to pollution in the Bight that are causing significant losses of ecological, economic, or social values are: beach closures, unsafe seafoods, hazards to commercial and recreational navigation, loss of commercial and recreational fisheries, and declines in birds, mammals and turtles. These impairments are generally caused by floatable wastes, nutrients, toxicants, pathogens and habitat loss. Measures of such impairments are not standard, nor in many cases totally quantifiable. We have examined specific subsets of these impairments in terms of their spatial and temporal changes and as a first approximation determined the economic and social significance of these changes. the cost of these impaired uses of the Bight are measured in terms of billions of dollars annually for New York and New Jersey.     

关于自然资源受损评估

自然资源受损赔偿是一个比较复杂、而对环境保护却很重要的问题 ,文中根据国际溢油会议论文集中有关这方面的论述 ,特别是评估方法 ,作一综合介绍     

Program assessment at the 20 year mark: experiences of Massachusetts companies and communities with the Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) program

The Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA) model is widely cited as an effective blend of mandatory and voluntary components, and is considered a model nation-wide and internationally. There is ample documentation of the reductions in toxic chemical use achieved by Massachusetts facilities under TURA. The present study was designed to gather other information about the experience of these facilities. Through an online survey and telephone interviews, the study investigated how these facilities are achieving toxics use reduction, how TURA affects internal company dynamics, what benefits and difficulties facilities experience, and how their experiences in the program have changed over time. Survey results indicate that the benefits experienced most frequently by facilities subject to TURA requirements are increased management attention to environmental practices; improved worker health and safety; and financial savings. Most frequently cited obstacles to TUR implementation are technical feasibility problems; financial costs; concerns about product quality; and customer requirements. Survey results also indicate that the TUR planning process is most useful in the first and second planning cycles, although most respondents indicated that they sometimes identify useful TUR options in subsequent planning cycles as well. Over all, the results indicate that facilities are continuing to experience significant benefits from the TURA program, while they also continue to face some challenges. These results provide a snapshot of the experience of Massachusetts facilities 20 years since the inception of the TURA program. They also provide baseline information that will be useful for later evaluations of the effects of statutory changes to TURA adopted in 2006 and implemented in subsequent years. The study also included a preliminary assessment of the experience of Massachusetts municipal agencies, community organizations, small business associations and others that receive assistance from the TURA program.