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Coastlines
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Written by Mike Marks
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Saturday, 04 October 2008 |
Gilchrist, Texas -
Bolivar Peninsula on The Great Texas Birding Trail was once a prime
rest stop for birds flying south. It was a spot filled with
tasty bugs, trees that provide cover and fresh
drinking water. Hurricane Ike changed that. With a storm surge of 12'
and 110 mph winds, trees were stripped of leaves and blown over, marsh
grass was flattened and fresh water was made unpotable with salty
brine. The birds now fly a few miles further for R&R. Here's
the full story from Michael Graczyk for AP.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 04 October 2008 )
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Coastlines
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Written by Mike Marks
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Wednesday, 17 September 2008 |
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WASHINGTON -
Fifty miles out and not on Georges Bank, those are two of the key
points in the energy bill passed last night by the US House of
Representatives that would open previously off-limits coastal areas to
oil and gas drilling. Georges Bank, the most important fishing grounds
in new England, was spared at the last minute thanks to hard work by
Massachusetts representatives. more from Boston.com
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 17 September 2008 )
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Coastlines
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Written by Mike Marks
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Monday, 15 September 2008 |
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"Drill Baby Drill" - It'll be good for the environment.
That's the argument advanced by Robert Hahn and Peter Passell in a NY
Times editorial today. Drilling in new areas won't really change the price
of gas they say, but it will generate $1.85 trillion (that's trillion with a
"T") of revenue. After $400 billion (that's billion with a "B")
to compensate for the loss of wilderness, the costs of clean up etc., there's
still a nearly $1.5 trillion upside. They factor in the slight benefit of lower
cost gas and being less vulnerable to supply disruptions and find an additional
$200 billion in upside. Here's the question they ask environmentalists: "If
a big chunk of that $1.7 trillion could be spent on preserving wilderness that
didn’t happen to sit astride vast quantities of oil, would you really
choose to spend it on keeping human hands off the currently protected sites?"
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 18 September 2008 )
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Coastlines
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Written by Mike Marks
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Wednesday, 03 September 2008 |
President Bush is creating a strong
environmental legacy in the Pacific Ocean. In June 2006 the President
created the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands National
Monument, protecting an area 100
times larger than Yosemite National Park and larger than 46 of the 50
states. Now, just before his term ends he's seeking to protect three
far flung areas in the Pacific including the northern Mariana Islands
(location of the Mariana Trench, the deepest spot on earth),
Rose Atoll in American Samoa; and a collection of reefs and atolls
known as the Line Islands.
Thanks to 200 mile territorial limits a total area of more
than 900,000 square miles, larger than Texas and Alaska
combined, larger than all of Mexico, would be protected. The plan is
receiving enthusiastic support from environmental groups. Some
commercial fishing interests are objecting.
More on this story:
NY Times
LA Times
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 03 September 2008 )
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Coastlines
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Written by Mike Marks
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Tuesday, 26 August 2008 |
August 27th - Ballot Measure 4 is failing by a large margin and is projected to lose.
August 26th - Alaska is home to the most productive wild salmon fishery in the United
States. Today Alaskans will vote on a ballot initiative that may
determine the health of that fishery. There's possibly as much as $300
billion worth of gold, copper, and molybdenum in the tundra
surrounding Bristol Bay in southwest Alaska. Mining those minerals would
create as many as 300 jobs. At the same time Bristol Bay is
Alaska's most valuable salmon fishery, with 31 million salmon worth
$108 million landed there in 2007. If Ballot Measure 4 passes today it
would prohibit any new large metal mines from polluting salmon streams or drinking-water
sources. Regardless of the outcome of today's vote there's likely to be
litigation for years to come.
Mining is a messy and toxic business. Digging up minerals in and of
itself releases heavy metals into streams. To make extraction of
valuable ore more efficient some mining operations use cyanide
solutions. Newer technologies are cleaner but are they clean enough?
Today Alaskans are making the call.
More from...
Boston.com
NY Times
Mine Web
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 27 August 2008 )
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Coastlines
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Written by Mike Marks
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Friday, 08 August 2008 |
Dana Point, California - The Ocean Institute is raffling
off a $1.2 million home in Laguna Beach to raise money for
its hands-on marine science, environmental education and
maritime history programs. More than 110,000 K-12 students and 8,000 teachers
annually participate in the Institute's 61 award-winning, immersion
style programs. To learn about oceanography, science, and California
history, students voyage onto the ocean, study in labs and live aboard
tall ships or in the chaparral along the coast where they
can sort through live specimens, observe migrating whales,
collect scientific data and investigate the culture and world around
them. On weekends, the Institute opens its doors to the public.. 20,000
raffle tickets are being sold at a cost $150 each. Additional prizes
include a Lexis Hybrid, $10,000 vacation, 50" plasma TV and more.
Learn more about the Ocean Institute and raffle
here.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 08 August 2008 )
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Coastlines
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Written by Mike Marks
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Thursday, 07 August 2008 |
Clingstone, the House on the Rocks near the mouth of
Narragansett Bay was built
in 1902-1905 by Lovering Wharton, whose family
summer home had been condemned in order to build Fort Wetherill. Three
and a half stories tall and built for rough weather, Clingstone was damaged badly by a
hurricane in 1938 and sat wrecked and forlorn for decades.
In 1961 architect Henry Wood and his first wife, Joan bought the place as a renovation
project for $3600. The place was a mess. All 65
windows were smashed and the roof was torn open. The house
was far more than the couple could handle alone and friends,
collegues and new aquaintances were recruited to help.A unique
Clingstone lifestyle evolved. Penelope Green tells the story of Clingstone in this NY Times article. Here's a nice image by GE Long.
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