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Army Corps of Engineers Water Resource Projects: Authorization and Appropriations

Description: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attracts congressional attention because its projects can have significant local and regional economic benefits and environmental effects, in addition to their water resource development purposes. This report provides an overview of the Corps civil works program. It covers the congressional authorization and appropriation process, the standard project development process, and other Corps activities and authorities. It also includes an Appendix on the evolution o… more
Date: September 29, 2010
Creator: Carter, Nicole T. & Stern, Charles V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Biomass Feedstocks for Biopower: Background and Selected Issues

Description: The production of bioenergy - renewable energy derived from biomass - could potentially increase national energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to rural economic growth. This report provides analyses of commonly discussed biomass feedstocks and their relative potential for power generation. Additional biopower issues - feedstock accessibility, the biomass power plant carbon-neutrality debate, and unintended consequences of legislative activities to promote bioenergy -… more
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has heightened concerns about the region's future. Issues such as Arctic sovereignty claims; commercial shipping through the Arctic; Arctic oil, gas, and mineral exploration; endangered Arctic species; and increased military operations in the Arctic could cause the region in coming years to become an arena of international cooperation, competition, or conflict. This report provides an overview of Arctic-… more
Date: October 8, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Clearing the Waters: A focus on water quality solutions

Description: This report discusses global water issues and offers a variety of proposals for countering the degradation of freshwater ecosystems for the benefit of public health and the environment.
Date: March 2010
Creator: Palanaippan, Meena; Gleick, Peter H.; Allen, Lucy; Cohen, Michael J.; Christian-Smith, Juliet; Smith, Courtney et al.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Coastal Wetland and Wildlife Impacts and Response

Description: The explosion of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, and the resulting oil spill began a cascade of effects on the coastal areas of the Gulf and on the wealth of species that inhabit those areas. This report addresses the importance of wetlands in general, the ecology of the coastal wetlands in the Gulf, impacts of oil spills on wetland habitats, response options, the implications of hurricane season for the spill's impacts, and cleanup and recovery issue… more
Date: October 15, 2010
Creator: Corn, M. Lynne & Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Energy's Water Demand: Trends, Vulnerabilities, and Management

Description: The nation's energy choices embody many tradeoffs. Water use is one of those tradeoffs. The energy choices before Congress represent vastly different demands on domestic freshwater. The energy sector's water consumption is projected to rise 50% from 2005 to 2030. This rising water demand derives from both an increase in the amount of energy demanded and shifts to more water-intense energy sources and technologies. This report discusses this issue as well as related issues that may arise for the… more
Date: November 24, 2010
Creator: Carter, Nicole T.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Executive Order - Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes

Description: This order establishes a national policy to ensure the protection, maintenance, and restoration of the health of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources, enhance the sustainability of ocean and coastal economies, preserve maritime heritage, support sustainable uses and access, provide for adaptive management to enhance understanding of and capacity to respond to climate change and ocean acidification, and coordinate with national security and foreign policy interests. This ord… more
Date: July 19, 2010
Creator: United States. President (2009- : Obama)
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force

Description: This report provides recommendations for a strengthened governance structure to provide sustained, high-level, and coordinated attention to ocean, coastal, and Great Lake issues with a framework that addresses conservation, economic activity, user conflict, and sustainable use of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources.
Date: July 19, 2010
Creator: United States. Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan

Description: This action plan articulates the most significant ecosystem problems for the Great Lakes, and describes efforts to address them. The five areas are toxic substances, invasive species, health and pollution, wildlife and habitat preservation and restoration, and finally a component that covers accountability and evaluation.
Date: February 21, 2010
Creator: United States. Council on Environmental Quality.
Partner: UNT Libraries
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A Human Health Perspective on Climate Change

Description: This report identifies areas of research for understanding the impact of climate change on human health. Research areas include respiratory, cardiovascular, and mental health, as well as infectious diseases, nutrition, and others.
Date: April 22, 2010
Creator: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Impacts of Comprehensive Climate and Energy Policy Options on the U.S. Economy

Description: This study compiles and updates the findings of 16 comprehensive state climate action plans and extrapolates the results to the nation. The study then takes those results and using a widely accepted econometric model projects the national impact of these policies on employment, incomes, gross domestic product (GDP) and consumer energy prices. Finally, using the bottom-up data developed by the states and aggregated here, the study models the national impact of major features of the Kerry-Lieberm… more
Date: July 2010
Creator: Center for Climate Strategies
Partner: UNT Libraries
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Litigation Seeking to Establish Climate Change Impacts as a Common Law Nuisance

Description: This report discusses recent legislative initiatives seeking to establish climate change impacts as a common law nuisance. The report explains what private and public nuisances are, the issues faced by policymakers when litigating a climate-change/nuisance suit, and also discusses five climate-chance/nuisance suits that are now or formerly active, as a basis of comparison. The report also explores arguments of those both for and against addressing the complex issue of climate change through com… more
Date: November 19, 2010
Creator: Meltz, Robert
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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