THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND RECEIVING-WATER STANDARDS1

ABSTRACT: An important enforcement question is, “What should be the relationship between ‘Best Management Practices’ (BMP) and receiving-water standards?” Nonpoint pollution dischargers are concerned about implementing a BMP program, only to find themselves in violation because receiving-water standards still have not been met. They are also concerned about the procedures a regulatory agency will utilize to determine the relative success of a BMP program. Successful management of nonpoint pollution requires that these concerns be addressed. Three alternative relationships have been developed. The recommended alternative is to implement the BMP program and use standards as a measure of the effectiveness of the program. Failure to achieve the standards would lead to a reevaluation of the BMP program. Enforcement activities against nonpoint dischargers would be restricted to the failure on their part to implement the previously agreed upon BMP program. Recommendations are also made as to measures regulatory agencies should take if their procedures to judge the relative success of a BMP program are to be technically and politically effective.     

Small cetacean bycatch as estimated from stranding schemes: The common dolphin case in the northeast Atlantic

Death in fishing gear of non-target species (called ‘bycatch’) is a major concern for marine wildlife, and mostly worrying for long-lived species like cetaceans, considering their demographic characteristics (slow population growth rates and low fecundity). In European waters, cetaceans are highly impacted by this phenomenon. Under the Common Fishery Policy, the EC 812/2004 regulation constitutes a legal frame for bycatch monitoring on 5–10% of fishing vessels >15 m. The aim of this work was to compare parameters and bycatch estimates of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) provided by observer programmes in France and UK national reports and those inferred from stranding data, through two approaches. Bycatch was estimated from stranding data, first by correcting effectives from drift conditions (using a drift prediction model) and then by estimating the probability of being buoyant. Observer programmes on fishing vessels allowed us to identify the specificity of the interaction between common dolphins and fishing gear, and provided low estimates of annual bycaught animals (around 550 animals year⁻¹). However, observer programmes are hindered by logistical and administrative constraints, and the sampling scheme seems to be poorly designed for the detection of marine mammal bycatches. The analyses of strandings by considering drift conditions highlighted areas with high levels of interactions between common dolphins and fisheries. Since 1997, the highest densities of bycaught dolphins at sea were located in the southern part of the continental shelf and slope of the Bay of Biscay. Bycatch numbers inferred from strandings suggested very high levels, ranging from 3650 dolphins year⁻¹ [2250–7000] to 4700 [3850–5750] dolphins year⁻¹, depending on methodological choices. The main advantage of stranding data is its large spatial scale, cutting across administrative boundaries. Diverging estimates between observer programmes and stranding interpretation can set very different management consequences: observer programmes suggest a sustainable situation for common dolphins, whereas estimates based on strandings highlight a very worrying and unsustainable process.     

Conservation Easements: Biodiversity Protection and Private Use

Abstract:  Conservation easements are one of the primary tools for conserving biodiversity on private land. Despite their increasing use, little quantitative data are available on what species and habitats conservation easements aim to protect, how much structural development they allow, or what types of land use they commonly permit. To address these knowledge gaps, we surveyed staff responsible for 119 conservation easements established by the largest nonprofit easement holder, The Nature Conservancy, between 1985 and 2004. Most easements (80%) aimed to provide core habitat to protect species or communities on-site, and nearly all were designed to reduce development. Conservation easements also allowed for a wide range of private uses, which may result in additional fragmentation and habitat disturbance. Some residential or commercial use, new structures, or subdivision of the property were permitted on 85% of sampled conservation easements. Over half (56%) allowed some additional buildings, of which 60% restricted structure size or building area. Working landscape easements with ranching, forestry, or farming made up nearly half (46%) of the easement properties sampled and were more likely than easements without these uses to be designated as buffers to enhance biodiversity in the surrounding area. Our results demonstrate the need for clear restrictions on building and subdivision in easements, research on the compatibility of private uses on easement land, and greater public understanding of the trade-offs implicit in the use of conservation easements for biodiversity conservation.     

油田井场废水配制压裂液处理技术实验研究

针对油田井场废水高悬浮物、高色度、高金属离子浓度的特征,以处理后配制压裂液为目标,通过p H值调节及无机高分子絮凝法对井场废水进行了处理实验。结果表明,碳酸钠作为优选的p H值调节剂,可以在较低的p H值条件下有效去除废水中的高价金属离子;无机絮凝剂聚合硫酸铁在强碱性条件下对于悬浮物、色度的去除效果明显优于聚合氯化铝。聚合硫酸铁絮凝法可以使井场废水达到配制压裂液用水的要求。     

基于探采对比的煤层瓦斯含量分析及预测

针对新建矿井地勘瓦斯含量测值偏低和井下实测瓦斯含量较少的特点,结合工程和科研实践,提出了利用大量的工作面瓦斯涌出量反演煤层原始瓦斯含量技术和基于探采对比的煤层瓦斯含量预测方法。以邹庄井田32煤层为研究对象,在考虑瓦斯抽采情况下计算3204工作面瓦斯涌出量,并反演该工作面煤层原始瓦斯含量。通过对比采掘过程中获得的瓦斯含量和地勘瓦斯含量,得到不同钻孔深度时的地勘瓦斯含量修正系数,并采用瓦斯地质研究方法对32煤层分3个单元进行瓦斯含量预测。结果表明:32煤层瓦斯含量整体呈现"东部大于西部,北部大于南部"的规律,与临近矿井具有相似的瓦斯赋存规律。这表明利用探采对比的方法预测煤层瓦斯含量是可靠的。     

回采工作面瓦斯涌出量遗传投影寻踪回归预测

为快速、准确预测回采工作面瓦斯涌出量,基于投影降维思想,建立一种遗传算法(GA)投影寻踪回归预测方法。选取煤层瓦斯原始含量、埋藏深度、煤层厚度、煤层倾角、工作面长度、推进速度、采出率、临近层瓦斯含量、临近层厚度、临近层层间距、岩层岩性、开采深度作为评价因子,对某矿15个学习样本进行训练,建立GA投影寻踪回归预测模型。利用该矿3个实测样本对模型进行检验,并与主成分分析和BP神经网络方法结果进行对比。研究表明:利用GA投影寻踪回归预测回采工作面瓦斯涌出量,平均误差为3.43%,最大误差为5.7%,精度优于其他2种方法。     

密封充氢环境条件下固态电化学氢气传感器效应试验研究

目的研究密闭充氢环境下固态电化学氢气传感器效应。方法设计能模拟低氧、低氢和压力变化的密闭充氢环境,并在此环境中进行一系列氢气传感器效应试验,分析、评定试验数据。结果得到了不同环境下氢气、氧气浓度随时间变化的规律,提出固态电化学氢气传感器的有效工作环境,并预测了其在不同贮存环境下的工作寿命。结论密闭充氢环境内压力和温度的变化对固态电化学氢气传感器影响较大,湿度影响较小,注气检定合格的氢气传感器,在密封容器内扩散式检定,不合格率高,检定数据误差大于±5%FS。     

Effect of working time on environmental pressures: empirical evidence from EU-15, 1970–2010

There is growing interest in the correlation between working time and environmental pressures, but prior empirical studies mostly focused on static methodologies. This article used dynamic panel regression approaches to examine and compare the relationship among western, southern, and northern European countries over the period 1970–2010, and proved the existence of strongly significant relationships in all models. Furthermore, this article detected the relationship between working hours and environmental indicators (carbon emission and energy use) at different phases. We contribute to a further understanding of the environmental effects of the working time reduction policy by comparing the differences among various periods and country groups in a system generalized method of moments (GMM) dynamic framework.     

中国污染物总量减排数据核算体系研究

"十一五"期间,中国对COD和SO2两种污染物开展总量减排工作,预期指标超额完成。"十一五"期间构建起来的总量减排数据核算体系为中央政府提供了相对准确的减排数据,是减排取得成功的基础。本文通过研究减排数据核算体系来对总量减排的成功进行制度性解释。本文采用文本分析和实地调研的方法,描述了中国减排数据核算体系的组织机构及其基本职责,整理出了自下而上的数据生成、流动机制和自上而下的数据核查、反馈机制,归纳出总量减排数据核算体系相较于传统环境统计的基本特征:一是设立了区域督查中心和各级总量控制部门等专门的组织机构;二是数据的双向流动机制,中央拥有对减排数据的审核权和最终确定权,并且会将正式确定后的数据逐级反馈给地方政府并应用于上级政府对下级政府的行政考核当中去;三是在数据核算中采用环境监测数据,并因此进行了全国范围的环境监测能力建设;四是减排工作全过程数据核算。这些新特征使得中国减排数据核算体系得以提升减排数据质量,对地方政府可能的违规行为进行约束;将减排绩效与地方政府考核相结合,通过政治激励促进地方政府开展减排工作;加强地方政府环境监管能力,保障减排工作的开展和完成。但现有数据核算体系仍然存在监测数据利用不到位而导致行政成本较高、减排量核算细则"一刀切"导致政策公平性缺失等亟需改进完善的问题。     

生物酶对初沉污泥厌氧发酵产短链脂肪酸的调控研究

旨在通过生物酶调节(碱性蛋白酶、中性蛋白酶和α-淀粉酶)提高初沉污泥的厌氧发酵效率,并通过微生物群落结构解析,SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids,SCFAs)组分分析等揭示其调控机理.结果表明,3种生物酶均可增强初沉污泥水解和产酸作用,碱性蛋白酶调控系统对初沉污泥厌氧发酵的促进效果最为明显,发酵第4d SCFAs的产量和产率分别达到1508mg COD/L和0.174g COD/g VSS.对比控制组,SCFAs的产量和产率分别增加了1129mg COD/L和0.13g COD/g VSS.微生物群落结构分析表明,在碱性蛋白酶调控发酵系统中,Lentimicrobium、Proteiniphilum和Bacteroides等发酵相关菌群的相对丰度得到了改善,Methanosaeta、Methanospirillum等产甲烷古菌的活性受到了抑制.同时,生物酶调控对促进发酵过程乙酸占比也有促进作用.