11/09/2009

Needles in recycling pose danger at Central Landfill
State urges safe disposal of hypodermic needles in trash instead, to cut risk to recycling-line workers

U.S. judge upholds lobster pot limits
The ruling supports the state’s move to reduce and allocate the number of pot permits

11/08/2009

Environmental Digest:
Jamestown holding workshop on wind energy

11/07/2009

More stimulus money in R.I. for energy programs
Aid earmarked for renewable-energy projects for homes, businesses

11/06/2009

Former Save The Bay director named EPA regional administrator
H. Curtis “Curt” Spalding left Save The Bay in 2008

Governor vetoes R.I. saltwater fishing license
Governor calls proposed $7 fishing license “excessively intrusive”

11/04/2009

Grant to speed production of methane energy plant
$15 million will go toward construction of a larger methane plant at state Central Landfill

DEM OKs cleanup; Cranston to buy property with half-built plant
The work, to remove contaminated soil, is a precursor to the city buying the property

11/03/2009

State explores feasibility of selling or leasing Central Landfill
Carcieri spokeswoman says there could be an opportunity that would be beneficial to taxpayers

11/02/2009

R.I. to distribute $2.3 million in federal aid for energy-efficiency projects
State program aims at weatherizing homes heated by oil or propane

10/31/2009

In R.I.'s South County, 1 million oysters and counting / Video
The goal is to seed every South County salt pond.

11/01/2009

In Rhode Island the luxury market goes green
Luxury-home developer Nick Downes, of Middletown, says that from now on, all of his projects will be designed to meet LEED — Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — specifications, a set of standards formed by the U.S. Green Building Council.

10/30/2009

Study of Providence children: Even slightly high lead levels hurt abilities
Half the Providence students in a new study fell short of reading readiness standards

10/28/2009

$7 license fee not popular with saltwater fishermen
$7 license fee not popular with saltwater anglers, but won’t keep them away from the ocean

10/27/2009

R.I.’s urban children to get nature education
Children from urban areas will get to explore nature firsthand through a federal grant the Audubon Society of Rhode Island has received to promote the study of environmental science.

10/25/2009

Watching the changes in Narragansett Bay for half a century
For 50 years a unique scientific survey has demonstrated dramatic changes in the life of Narragansett Bay.

Worker’s firing stirs up ‘hornet’s nest’ at R.I. State House
On the Friday before Labor Day, Nathan Hannon told his bosses at Rhode Island’s trash agency that he was headed to Westerly in the afternoon to give an elementary school presentation about recycling.

Groups say fired R.I. worker never made visits he reported
Nathan Hannon reported three trips during the summer to the Newport YMCA as part of his job as education coordinator for the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation.

Worker’s firing stirs up ‘hornet’s nest’ at R.I. State House
On the Friday before Labor Day, Nathan Hannon told his bosses at Rhode Island’s trash agency that he was headed to Westerly in the afternoon to give an elementary school presentation about recycling.

Environmental Digest
Reducing the carbon footprint

In South Kingstown, sounding the alarm on climate change
SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Concern about climate change and man’s impact on that change drew more than 40 people to the Peace Dale Congregational Church Saturday, where a Swiss-born piano teacher with a passion for environmental stewardship talked about global warming and what can be done about it.

Groups say fired R.I. worker never made visits he reported
Nathan Hannon reported three trips during the summer to the Newport YMCA as part of his job as education coordinator for the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation.

Worker’s firing stirs up ‘hornet’s nest’ at R.I. State House
On the Friday before Labor Day, Nathan Hannon told his bosses at Rhode Island’s trash agency that he was headed to Westerly in the afternoon to give an elementary school presentation about recycling.

10/23/2009

R.I. General Treasurer seeks to collect on Resource Recovery Corporation’s insurance policies
R.I.’s treasurer says the state should act; a rival, Patrick C. Lynch, says he’s playing politics.

EPA, First Student reach settlement over bus emissions
First Student agrees to retrofit buses with equipment that will reduce harmful emissions and will install GPS-based systems on buses to track their idling.

Utility’s letter says it’s willing to resume wind-energy talks
National Grid cites some conditions for an agreement with Deepwater Wind.

10/22/2009

Survey shows stronger support for wind turbines at other sites in Narragansett
A survey of 430 Narragansett residents conducted last summer by the state Department of Environmental Management found significant support for installing at least one wind turbine on public land at Black Point. However, each of the four other sites in town being considered received greater support.

R.I.’s energy programs recognized
A national report released Wednesday ranks Rhode Island 9th in the nation in energy-efficiency efforts.

Weatherization services available
The services are being offered through community action agencies to low-income households.

Group marks toxic discharges into waterways
PROVIDENCE — An environmental advocacy group Wednesday complained about toxic chemicals being discharged into the state’s waterways at a news conference, but then conceded that most of the pollution came from a company that moved its manufacturing operations out of the state last year.

10/21/2009

Environmentalists decry Black Pt. turbine plan
Six groups send a letter to the governor arguing that the public land shouldn’t be used as a wind turbine site.

Environmentalists decry Black Pt. turbine plan
Six groups send a letter to the governor arguing that the public land shouldn’t be used as a wind turbine site.

10/18/2009

Environmental Digest
Schools encouraged to apply for awards

10/17/2009

R.I. preservation society plans awards
The commission will hold its 2009 awards ceremony on Oct. 29 at which 16 people and preservation projects will be honored.

10/15/2009

Energy Office distributes $15 million in stimulus funds
The stimulus funds will be used largely to help weatherize the homes of low-income residents.

Rescued turtle sent to N.E. Aquarium
The 175-pound loggerhead sea turtle, rescued this week on Cape Cod, is at the New England Aquarium in Boston.

10/11/2009

Cyclo-cross is a lot more than just riding a bike
Races and a trade show continue today at Roger Williams Park.

Environmental Digest
Lead-hazard seminar

10/10/2009

Power program producing savings
Brown students install compact fluorescent bulbs in low- and moderate-income homes.

10/07/2009

R.I. awards $135 million in water-supply loans to communities
Because federal money is involved, the communities must commit to the projects by Feb. 17.

10/06/2009

Potter League’s new animal shelter wins environmental-design award
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. — From the ground-hugging perspective of Panda, an 11-week old puppy, the new $8-million building of the Potter League for Animals may not be home, but it’s a luxury hotel in comparison to the high-kill shelter in North Carolina where he started out.

10/05/2009

Blue Cross goes green with new office tower
The new 13-story office building is good for the workers, the city and the environment, the insurer says.

10/04/2009

Environmental news briefs
Reporters honored

10/03/2009

Utility fined $18 million over Pawtucket mercury spill
A federal judge fines Southern Union for its role in a mercury spill in Pawtucket in 2004.

Utility fined $18 million over Pawtucket mercury spill
A federal judge fines Southern Union for its role in a mercury spill in Pawtucket in 2004.

09/30/2009

Students behind emergency-planning Web site for families
The STEP program was created by two North Providence teachers in cooperation a FEMA official.

State high court hears appeal on Champlin’s Marina expansion
The expansion was approved after the votes of three members of the CRMC were disqualified.

09/27/2009

Smaller cities seen leading the way in urban agriculture
Saturday’s Providence Sustainability Festival offered eclectic events and some positive visions for the future.

09/28/2009

Diversity Calendar: Sept. 28

09/25/2009

White House task force gets input in R.I. on a national oceans policy
Ferry operators were upset that aquaculture operations and wind farms such as the Cape Wind project in Massachusetts might upset their routes.

R.I. gets $3 million in federal aid to help migrating fish
EAST PROVIDENCE — Perhaps if you were a salmon with legendary leaping ability you could beat the steep rapids of Ten Mile River and get up and over the Hunt’s Mills Dam. But if you’re just a gravity-plagued herring or shad, the odds are long you’ll ever make it upstream to spawn.

09/24/2009

R.I. fishermen’s foundation wins grant
A local research foundation created and operated by Rhode Island fishermen has won $6.5 million in federal grants to fund fish conservation research and subsidize efforts to convert to fishing gear that poses less of a threat to North Atlantic right whales.

09/23/2009

New transformer a powerful boost for South County
With the area’s electricity demand growing, a 220-ton transformer is moved into place at a Warwick substation to provide 345,000 more volts of energy.

National panel seeks local views on ocean planning
Federal officials will hold a hearing in Providence Thursday as part of an effort to craft new policies.

09/22/2009

Carcieri's audit: R.I. landfill was "mismanaged and corrupt"
An audit shows the past directors of the state landfill wasted nearly $75 million during the eight-year period the audit focused on.

One of the possibilities: Landfill Links
A golf-course architect in New Hampshire was paid for a “conceptual” design of an 18-hole golf course and driving range next to the landfill.

Short summer was cool and wet
Susan Short, of Richmond, sits with her grandson, Aiden, 2, Monday at Narragansett Town Beach. "It means that fall is coming, which is my special season. I’m glad that summer is over," she said. Meteorologist Mike Ekster, of the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass., said Tuesday marks the official start of fall. He said June and July were cold and wet, with scarcely more than a week of heat and humidity during August. “It’s amazing how fickle the seasons can be,” he said. “You never know,” he joked. “We could be having six inches of snow” before October. — Donita Naylor

09/20/2009

Coast cleanup draws 2,000 to 92 shore sites
BRISTOL — Ever since she was 7, when she saw a group of fairies try to save a rainforest in the animated movie FernGully, Kristin Fitzharris says she has felt a personal responsibility to protect the environment.

09/17/2009

FM Global goes green in a big way
JOHNSTON — Which will get more attention? The three-story glass and cherry-paneled front lobby? Or the forest of young trees that encloses the state’s newest and greenest office building, and somehow dominates every view, even in one of the state’s more scenery-challenged communities.

State to outline energy stimulus fund plans
The state has yet to spend any of the $32 million awarded and has just received another block grant for $9.5 million.

09/16/2009

Brown grad’s environmental online magazine earns award
Chip Giller created grist.org in 1999 and the Web site has been recognized with a $100,000 award.

09/15/2009

Cranston ready with no-bin, no-pickup policy
CRANSTON — It’s easy to take for granted that one day each week, the trash gets picked up. But starting next month, the city will be placing a new condition on this essential service.

R.I. gets carbon tax money
By selling carbon credits to public utilities, the state garners $1.2 million for further energy-efficiency programs.

09/14/2009

In Lincoln, it’s ‘No bin, no barrel’
Six communities now have a policy that requires residents to put out a recycling bin with their garbage.

Wind turbine may be in North Kingstown’s future
North Kingstown could install a turbine to provide clean power and lower energy bills by the end of 2011.

R.I.’s burying beetles gain international renown
For 15 years, local scientists have quietly worked to keep a dramatic-looking beetle on Block Island from dwindling to the point of extinction. Now they are getting international recognition for their work, thanks to noted wildlife conservationist Jane Goodall.

09/12/2009

Providence to host session on ocean policy
A special interagency task force created by the Obama administration to develop a new national ocean policy has scheduled a listening session for 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 at the Rhode Island Convention Center.

09/10/2009

Biologist gives keynote at Brown convocation
PROVIDENCE — A prominent biologist brought Darwin’s theory of evolution home to the College Green at Brown University Wednesday, urging nearly 1,500 freshmen to practice altruistic and cooperative behavior that will help the college become a better place.