Tuesday, October 24, 2017

In the News: EPA pulls scientists before talk; NYC forecast to get flood waters more frequently

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"Scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contributed research to “The State of Narragansett Bay and Its Watershed,” but at the 11th hour the federal agency canceled presentations that were set to be delivered by three staff members at a workshop on Monday to discuss the 500-page report on current conditions in the bay and future threats that include climate change. 
One of the scientists — Autumn Oczkowski, a research ecologist at the EPA laboratory in Narragansett — was set to deliver the keynote address at the workshop at Save The Bay’s headquarters in Providence. She will be replaced by Robinson W. Fulweiler, an ecosystems ecologist at Boston University, whose research has included a study on rising water temperatures in Narragansett Bay. 
“Narragansett Bay is one of Rhode Island’s most important economic assets and the EPA won’t let its scientists talk with local leaders to plan for its future. 
Whatever you think about climate change, this kind of collaboration should be a no-brainer,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., told The Washington Post Sunday night. “Muzzling our leading scientists benefits no one.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20171023/epa-cancels-talks-by-3-agency-scientists-at-rhode-island-event

The Blackstone River runs from Worcester to Narragansett Bay and  close by the Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI where I grew up
The Blackstone River runs from Worcester to Narragansett Bay and
close by the Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI where I grew up

"Within the next three decades, floods that used to strike the New York City area only once every 500 years could occur every five years, according to a new scientific study released just days before the fifth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. 
The study, performed by researchers at several universities and published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, primarily blames the predicted change on sea-level rise caused by global warming. 
“This is kind of a warning,” said Andra Garner, a Rutgers University scientist and study co-author. “How are we going to protect our coastal infrastructure?” 
The researchers based their analysis on multiple models that factored in predictions for sea level rise and possible changes in the path of future hurricanes."
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/zz/news/20171023/study-nyc-could-see-bad-flooding-every-5-years

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