Tuesday, 30 April 2013
EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule: Revision to Best Available Monitoring Method Request Submission Deadline for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Source Category
28,000 Rivers Disappeared over 20 years in China: What Happened?
The Atlantic: As recently as 20 years ago, there were an estimated 50,000 rivers in China, each covering a flow area of at least 60 square miles. But now, according to China's First National Census of Water, more than 28,000 of these rivers are missing. To put this number into context, China's lost rivers are almost equivalent, in terms of basin area, to the United States losing the entire Mississippi River.
Why have these rivers "vanished" from the maps and national records?
Official explanations from the Chinese government have attributed the significant reduction to statistical discrepancies, water and soil loss, and climate change.
"The disparity in numbers was caused mainly by inaccurate estimates in the past, as well as climate change and water and soil loss. Due to limited technology in the past, the previous figures were estimated using incomplete topographic maps dating back to the 1950s," said Huang He, China's Deputy Director of the Ministry of Water Resources, in an interview with theSouth China Morning Post.
Monday, 29 April 2013
Pre-release — EPA Rule — NY; NAAQS/PM2.5 standard. HAP/NSPS/NESHAP in CA, AZ and NV
Workers’ Memorial Day: 25 Years of Commemorating Fallen Workers
In a report detailing the personal stories of workers who lost their lives on the job in recent years, The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) pairs personal stories with government data to highlight the need for worker health and safety reforms.
The report, "Preventable Deaths: The Tragedy of Workplace Fatalities," was released just days before Workers' Memorial Day, which is held April 28 every year to commemorate the workers who were injured or killed on the job. According to the latest complete data available, more than 4,600 workers were killed on the job in 2011 – workers who spanned many ages, industries and causes of death.
"Each worker killed is a tragic loss to the community of family, friends and co-workers – and the worst part is, these deaths were largely preventable," said Tom O'Connor, executive director of National COSH. "Simply by following proven safety practices and complying with OSHA standards, many of these more than 4,600 deaths could have been avoided. But as companies decry regulations and emphasize profits over safety, workers pay the ultimate price."
The report especially pushes for reforms to better protect temporary workers, immigrant workers and energy workers.
Continue reading at: EHS News Today
http://ehstoday.com/osha/workers-memorial-day-report-urges-safety-reforms-end-preventable-deaths
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Random Analytics: H7N9 Infographic ...total for China to 123-cases including 23-deaths
***** Please note that this infographic of the Avian Influenza A(H7N9) virus and was updated with public source information from late 28 Apr to early 29 April 2013 CET/EST *****
Infographic Details
In the past 24-hours there have been 3 new cases (2x in Jiangxi and 1 in Zhejiang) with no new deaths reported. This brings the total for China to 123-cases including 23-deaths and Taiwan to 1-case without loss of life. (It should be noted that I do not include the asymptomatic Beijing case in my count).
To date 18.5% of all known cases have been fatal. For context the Case Fatality Rate of SARS was 10.9%.
There were no confirmed discharges in the past 24-hours. Note: All known paediatrics and children have recovered.