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.     

Greenhouse impacts of anthropogenic CH4 and N2O emissions in Finland

The Finnish anthropogenic CH₄ emissions in 1990 are estimated to be about 250 Gg, with an uncertainty range extending from 160 to 440 Gg. The most important sources are landfills and animal husbandry. The N₂O emissions, which come mainly from agriculture and the nitric acid industry are about 20 Gg in 1990 (uncertainty range 10–30 Gg). The development of the emissions to the year 2010 is reviewed in two scenarios: the base and the reduction scenarios.According to the base scenario, the Finnish CH₄ emissions will decrease in the near future. Emissions from landfills, energy production, and transportation will decrease because of already decided and partly realized volume and technical changes in these sectors. The average reduction potential of 50%, as assumed in the reduction scenario, is considered achievable.N₂O emissions, on the other hand, are expected to increase as emissions from energy production and transportation will grow due to an increasing use of fluidized bed boilers and catalytic converters in cars. The average reduction potential of 50%, as assumed in the reduction scenario, is optimistic.Anthropogenic CH₄ and N₂O emissions presently cause about 30% of the direct radiative forcing due to Finnish anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. This share would be even larger if the indirect impacts of CH₄ were included. The contribution of CH₄ can be controlled due to its relatively short atmospheric lifetime and due to the existing emission reduction potential. Nitrous oxide has a long atmospheric lifetime and its emission control possiblities are limited consequently, the greenhouse impact of N₂O seems to be increasing even if the emissions were limited somehow.     

基层环境影响评价工作存在的问题与对策

目前环境影响评价普遍存在滞后现象和水平低及周期长等问题,提出广泛开展环评法宣传教育;加强环评队伍建设,提高环评人员的素质;把环评纳入总量控制轨道,突出浓度与总量同时评价;大众参与以及进一步规范和完善环境影响报告书的审批等对策与措施.     

1994年江淮伏旱及其影响研究

利用江谁地区18个站点1951～1995年6～8月降水量资料,用Z指数建立了历年夏季旱涝序列,着重对1994年江淮伏旱及其对农业、水资源的影响进行了分析评述,获得了一些有意义的结论。     

Impacts on industry of Europe's emerging chemicals policy REACh

For Europe, a new regime in chemicals regulation is about to start. After the proposal of the European Commission concerning the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACh) passed its readings in the European Parliament and some differences with the European Council of Ministers were resolved, the regulation will come into force in June 2007. This paper is focused on the question how serious the cost burdens for industry induced by REACh will be, and whether the New European Member States (NMS) which joined the European Union in May 2004 will be able to cope with the regulation. This evaluation has been done by assessing the legislative, administrative and economic framework in New Member States and by analysing real business cases in companies. The empirical showcase business impact studies are at the same time of interest for companies of EU-15 states, other European countries who may implement the regulation, and even for exporters of raw materials and chemicals outside Europe, who will also have to comply with REACh if they market in the European Community. The results give no indications that REACh adoption will bring significant drawbacks to companies in the NMS. The emerging regulation will bring challenges for individual companies, especially for small and medium-sized ones, but for the European chemical industry as a whole, there is no question that it will be able to cope with REACh burdens without losing its global competitiveness.     

柚园间种作物及施用不同有机肥对土壤与柚果的影响

柚树间种短期经济作物在提高柚园经济效益的同时,还可提高土壤的有机质和N、P、K养分质量分数,改善柚园小区气候,增加有机肥来源。间种物残余体作为绿肥,可显著地提高柚果产量和质量。     

从环境立法进程展望中国大气污染防治战略的发展方向2002年9月12日在能源与环境中美研讨会上的讲话

本文从中国环境立法，特别是再次修改《大气污染防治法》等展望中国大气污染防治的重要战略方向。     

广州城市污泥中重金属的存在特征及其农用生态风险评价

分析了广州7种城市污泥中Zn、Cu、Pb、Cr、Mn、Ni的含量,研究了其中5种污泥中重金属的形态特征,并利用地累积指数（Igeo）和潜在生态危害指数法（RI）对污泥农用过程中重金属的潜在生态风险进行了综合性评价. 结果表明,广州不同来源城市污泥中Cu、Zn、Mn、Ni含量较高,变化幅度较大,而Pb、Cr含量较低. 除一种污泥中Cu超标外,其他重金属基本符合国家农用控制标准（GB18918-2002）,但所有污泥中重金属含量都超过珠江三角洲耕地土壤均值.不同重金属在不同污泥中的形态分布差异较大. 其中,含工业污水污泥中Cu、Cr还原态占很大的比例,Pb、Fe主要以还原态和残渣态存在;生活污水污泥中重金属主要以可氧化态和残渣态存在,酸可交换态中Mn的比例较高,易还原态中Zn的比例较高;5种污泥中Cu、Zn、Mn潜在迁移性最强.Igeo和RI评价结果表明,污泥中Cu、Zn、Mn是潜在的强生态风险元素,污泥在农用过程中具有一定生态风险性. Igeo和RI用于污泥农用过程中重金属的生态风险评价是可行的,与其它评价方法相比较, RI能更好地反映污泥中重金属对生态环境的综合影响.     

移动通信基站电磁辐射环境保护与评价浅析

通过对移动通信基站天线的电磁辐射分析和探讨,归纳了移动通信基站建设在施工期、营运期环境保护工作的重点与措施,对电磁环境影响评价制度与方法进行了系统的描述,并指出了今后的工作方向。     

贵阳市城区路侧土壤重金属分布特征及污染评价

研究了贵阳市城区各交通干线两侧表层土壤中重金属的质量分数、空间分布特征及其影响因素.以基线作为参比值,采用地积累指数法对其污染程度进行评价.结果表明:各交通干道两侧土壤中重金属质量分数存在显著差异,除Pb和Cr外,其余重金属质量分数均高于中国表层土壤重金属元素背景值和贵阳市表层土壤重金属元素基线值. 整体上,贵阳市路侧土壤尚未受到Pb和Cr的污染,其w(Hg),w(Cd)和w(Zn)已达中度污染甚至强污染水平,同时各路段也受到了不同程度的As,Cu和Ni污染,但并不严重. 据调查,路侧土壤中重金属质量分数及其分布格局主要受到燃煤、交通运输、地形及路况、气象因素以及城市建设等的影响.