Protection policy for Hawaii's native wildlife during geothermal energy development

Hawaii possesses abundant geothermal resources and rare native wildlife. Geothermal energy development has not posed a threat to native wildlife in the past, but development potential has recently reached a level at which concern for native wildlife is warranted.Potential geothermal resource areas in Hawaii intersect important native forest and endangered species habitat. The ability of existing laws to constrain development in these areas is in question. State and federal endangered species and environmental reporting laws have little ability to constrain geothermal development on private land. Hawaii's Land Use Law had been viewed by conservationists as protecting natural areas important to native wildlife, but recent decisions of the state Land Board sharply challenge this view.While this dispute was being resolved in the courts, the state legislature passed the Geothermal Subzone Act of 1983. Wildlife value was assessed in the geothermal subzone designation process mandated by this act, but the subzones designated primarily reflected inappropriate developer influence. All areas in which there was developer interest received subzone designation, and no area in which there was no developer interest was subzoned. This overriding emphasis on developer interest violated the intent of the sub-zone act, and trivialized the importance of other assessment criteria, among them native wildlife values.     

Sustainable Development and Environmental Impact Assessment in Egypt: Historical Assessment

The achievement of sustainable development demands the integration of environment and development. To achieve sustainable development requires a close collaboration and cooperation between environmentalists and the decision-makers. The evidence is that in developing countries (Egypt, as an example) the gap is widening rather than closing. Intensive research programs are needed, for instance in the field of sustainable development and urban environmental management, to narrow that gap. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has become a management tool for achieving acceptable forms of environmentally sound development and sustainability; at best it is proving nothing more than a permit to move a project ahead.It is recommended that indicators for sustainable development and their progress be fully monitored. Performance indicators should always be established, not only for project implementation, but also during and after the implementation process to make sure that all mitigation measures are satisfactorily implemented. This can be achieved by linking the license granting authority for action to the actual implementation of these measures. To secure the environmental sustainability of an environmental project, it is also important to have the EIA document as an integral part of the license application document, and to make it available to inspectors during their necessarily frequent inspection visits.     

环境政策法律的经济分析和程序设计

本文对环境政策法律经济分析的对象、目的、作用机制进行了分析,对环境政策法律经济影响经济分析的角度、内容和方法进行了研究.其中包括供给-需求和产业结构角度的分析评价,以及环境政策法律经济影响的分析方法.给出了环境政策法律经济分析程序设计的基本思路.     

考虑岩体损伤的爆破振动速度衰减多元非线性模型

为准确预测爆破振动的衰减规律,控制爆破振动的影响,分析了现有的几种具有代表性的爆破振动预测经验公式的不足;在此基础上,引入岩体累计损伤对爆破振动效应的影响,经过无量纲分析,建立了岩体累计损伤下爆破振动衰减规律的多元非线性数学模型;根据实际工程的监测数据,用1stOpt 软件进行了多元非线性回归分析。结果表明:所提出的多元非线性回归公式预测精度高于传统的预测公式,能为同类露天爆破工程提供科学的指导。     

化工园区安全规划发展历史回顾

系统回顾了化工园区安全规划的发展历史,简要介绍不同国家化工园区安全规划的分区制思想以及相应的法律法规要求。以1970年代中期为界,化工园区安全规划历史大体可分为两个阶段。第一阶段基本确立了土地利用规划分区制的思想,风险越大,工业活动就建设在距人居环境越远的区域。但由于没有量化的理论和方法支持,因此,不能准确确定合适的安全距离。第二阶段从科学的土地利用规划开始并得益于定量风险评价的日趋成熟和广泛使用。由于能够定量计算出比较准确的安全距离和可承受风险,因而可以更好地进行工业活动分区和安全规划。目前单纯基于风险的安全规划暴露出一定的局限性,人们不仅要考虑工业活动的潜在风险,而且需要综合考虑经济、社会、环境、生态以及人文历史等诸多因素,因此,急需研究能够综合处理复杂问题的安全规划理论和方法。回顾历史并分析和比较,笔者认为,科学的安全规划是预防重特大事故的根本措施之一,健全的法制基础是实施安全规划的必要保障,风险评价技术是实施安全规划的有力武器。取得的研究成果对我国化工园区以及其他工业园区的建设具有一定的借鉴和启迪作用。     

英国职业卫生法规、监管及统计体系

英国按照《职业安全和卫生法(1974)》,以职业安全卫生执行局(HSE)为执法和调查统计的主管机构,建立了以RIDDOR95规程为基础的企业雇主对其作业场所职业卫生记录和报告制度,同时HSE采取多种形式的政府主动调查,形成了较为完善的职业卫生调查统计体系。目前,我国职业卫生的调查统计体系尚未形成。以系统的方法和思路,从英国的职业卫生法规、监管入手,分析其调查统计体系,并采用对比分析的方法,将英国的体系与美国进行对比,学习工业发达国家的共同经验,为我国建立职业卫生统计体系提供借鉴。研究认为,上层法律及配套规范齐全、形成了政府主动调查与企业雇主主动记录和报告相结合的统计方式,以及调查统计数据定期向公众发布和实现信息共享是英美两国体系的共同特征。     

我国煤矿安全生产法律法规实效分析

根据目前我国煤矿安全生产法律法规执行情况以及近年来煤矿发生的重特大安全事故的原因和所汲取的教训,本文比较全面、系统地分析了我国煤矿安全生产法律法规存在的问题:煤矿安全立法存在的不足,包括立法指导思想落后、立法目的的多元化、立法背景发生了变化,法律更新没有跟上、矿难事故责任追究立法疏漏等;煤矿安全执法存在的不足,包括矿工维权难、法制意识淡薄、安全培训不到位、煤矿安全监察执法存在的不足。为我国煤矿安全生产法律法规的修订提供了相关理论依据。     

我国职业卫生法规标准体系现状分析

建国以来,职业卫生监管职能几经调整,我国的职业卫生法规标准体系因此呈现出与职业安全分离、涉及多部门、缺乏总体规划和尚不完善等特点,亟需统一科学规划。本文就目前我国职业卫生法规标准体系存在的主要问题进行初步探讨,并提出进一步规划与发展完善的建议。     

Factors related to seat belt use among fatally injured teenage drivers

PROBLEM: In the United States, teenage drivers have a higher crash risk and lower observed seat belt use than other age groups. METHOD: Seat belt use was examined for teenage (16-19 years) drivers who were fatally injured in traffic crashes occurring in the United States during the years 1995-2000. Vehicle, driver, and crash factors potentially related to belt use were examined. State differences in belt use rates among fatally injured teenage drivers were related to states' observed belt use rates for all ages and other state-level variables. RESULTS: During 1995-2000, mean belt use was 36% among fatally injured teenage drivers and 23% among fatally injured teenage passengers. One of the strongest predictors of higher belt use for both drivers and passengers was whether the crash occurred in a state with a primary seat belt law. Belt use rates for 1995-2000 for fatally injured teenage drivers ranged from 20% or less in six states to more than 60% in two states. States with the highest use rates were those with strong primary belt use laws and those with high rates of observed belt use for all ages. Lower belt use among fatally injured teenage drivers was associated with increasing age; male drivers; drivers of SUVs, vans, or pickup trucks rather than cars; older vehicles; crashes occurring late at night; crashes occurring on rural roadways; single vehicle crashes; and drivers with BACs of 0.10 or higher. Teenage driver belt use declined as the number of teenage passengers increased, but increased in the presence of at least one passenger 30 years or older. IMPACT ON TRAFFIC SAFETY: It is suggested that to increase teenage belt use, states should enact strong primary belt use laws and mount highly publicized efforts to enforce these laws. Graduated driver licensing systems should incorporate strong provisions that require seat belt use by teenage drivers and passengers.     

A research agenda for increasing safety belt use in the United States

On November 13-14, 2003, a symposium on high-visibility safety belt use enforcement in Raleigh, NC: (a) celebrated the 10th anniversary of North Carolina's Click It or Ticket program; (b) documented current knowledge regarding safety belt use; (c) proposed strategies to increase use further; and (d) discussed research to support these strategies.