Maryland's Public System of Higher Education

Week of July 16, 2012

News from Across the USM Campuses

Sauna-like heat, low rain help keep Chesapeake Bay clean (Submitted by Alexandra Fries, The Washington Post, 7/16/12) [Article quotes Dr. Donald F. Boesch, President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science]

Towson University president backs proposal for 'Bike Beltway' Committee formed by Marks seeking grant for lanes, connections (By Jon Meoli, The Baltimore Sun, 7/13/12)

Fracking hasn't caused a spike in earthquakes (By David A.Vanko, The Baltimore Sun - Opinion, 7/11/12) [Dr. David A. Vanko is a geologist, and dean of the Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics, at Towson University]

July 17^th (Silver Spring), 19^th (College Park) and 24^th (MDE Headquarters) - Public Stakeholder Meetings for 2011 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Act of 2009 Draft Plan. For more information about the time and location for each public meeting, please visit the Maryland Department of the Environment web site.

Energy conservation measures coming to Baltimore Convention Center: No upfront cost to Baltimore Convention Center for renovations (By Steve Kilar, The Baltimore Sun, 7/16/12)

Governor Martin O'Malley Announces Maryland Meets Milestone Goals to Protect and Restore Chesapeake Bay (Maryland Department of the Environment Press Release, 7/9/12)

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Shell Loses Control Of Arctic Drilling Rig In Alaskan Harbor (By Kiley Kroh, ThinkProgress.org - Climate Progress, 7/16/12)

US Drought Disaster Worst In Over 50 Years Forecast: More Heat, More Drought (By Common Dreams staff, CommonDreams.org, 7/16/12)

Leaked Docs Reveal 'Off the Charts' Damage at US Nuke Plant: San Onofre's steam generators in worst shape of all US nuclear plants (By Common Dreams staff, CommonDreams.org, 7/13/12)

Temperatures climbing, weather more unstable, a majority says in poll (By Peyton M. Craighill, The Washington Post - Health and Science, 7/13/12)

Global fight for natural resources 'has only just begun': Academics and business figures gave a grim warning at the Resource 2012 conference, but defended the Rio+20 outcomes (By Fiona Harvey, The [UK] Guardian, 7/12/12)

An Influential Global Voice Warns of Runaway Emissions: Few international figures have been as consistent in warning about the threat posed by global warming as economist Fatih Birol, of the International Energy Agency. In an interview with Yale Environment 360, Birol explains why the situation is worsening and what needs to be done to significantly slow emissions. (By Fen Montaigne, Yale Environment 360 - Interview, 7/11/12)

Green Groups Sue US over Approval of Shell's Arctic Drilling Spill Plans (By Common Dreams staff, CommonDreams.org, 7/11/12)

Climate: Record Heat, Policy Adrift (Institute for Public Accuracy News Release, 7/11/12)

Cooling a Warming Planet: A Global Air Conditioning Surge - The U.S. has long used more energy for air conditioning than all other nations combined. But as demand increases in the world's warmer regions, global energy consumption for air conditioning is expected to continue to rise dramatically and could have a major impact on climate change. (By Stan Cox, Yale Environment 360, 7/10/12)

Confirmed: Fracking can pollute - A new study explodes the gas industry's claim that fracking won't contaminate local drinking water (By Sarah Laskow, Salon.com, 7/9/12)

The Silence on Global Warming: Harrowing predictions of climate scientists are coming true, as glaciers melt, forests burn, heat waves proliferate and freakish weather strikes in unexpected places. But the propagandists of global-warming denial have succeeded in silencing most politicians and the mainstream press (By Robert Parry, Consortium News as reported by CommonDreams.org, 7/9/12)

This is What Climate Change Looks Like: Airplane Sinks Into Boiling Runway (By Brian Merchant, Treehugger.com - Business/Economics, 7/9/12)