Geosciences » environment

Natural Gas Funding for the Sierra Club

Geology.com — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:01:59 +0000

Between 2007 and 2010 the Sierra Club accepted over $25 million in donations from the gas industry but declined recent offers of $30 million.

You Don’t Have Earthquake Coverage

Geology.com — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:26:48 +0000

Out of nearly 6000 homes damaged by the August 23 earthquake in Virginia , only a few percent will be covered by earthquake insurance. A bill in the Virginia legislature, if passed, will require insurance companies to notify all homeowners who have purchased a homeowners insurance policy that does not cover earthquakes.

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You Don’t Have Earthquake Coverage

Fracking = Profanity?

Geology.com — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:43:36 +0000

Some people don’t like the word “fracking” and want the term hydraulic fracturing to always be used in its place.

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Fracking = Profanity?

Solar Activity Causing Spectacular Aurora Displays

Geology.com — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:36:49 +0000

High latitude areas around the Earth are seeing spectacular aurora displays in response to an intense solar storm that occurred last week. These displays are expected to be very frequent over the next two years as the sun goes through a period of frequent activity

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Solar Activity Causing Spectacular Aurora Displays

Abandon California Highway 39 Because of Landslides?

Geology.com — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:09:24 +0000

An article in the Los Angeles Times reports that the California Department of Transportation would like to abandon State Highway 39 because landslide and other problems are costing $1.5 million per year to repair.

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Abandon California Highway 39 Because of Landslides?

Small Asteroid Just Misses Earth

Geology.com — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:16:02 +0000

An asteroid measuring somewhere between 20 and 60 feet in diameter came within 37,000 miles of hitting the Earth – that’s about 1/6 of the distance between Earth and Moon .

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Small Asteroid Just Misses Earth

Progress on Emissions and Acid Rain

Geology.com — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:26:05 +0000

“Since the establishment of the Acid Rain Program, of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, there have been substantial reductions in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions from power plants that use fossil fuels, which are known to be the primary causes of acid rain. As of 2009, emissions of SO2 and NOx declined by about two-thirds relative to levels in the 1990s.” Quoted from the USGS press release.

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Progress on Emissions and Acid Rain

A New Class of Planets

Geology.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:46:07 +0000

“Using data from NASA ’s Kepler Mission, astronomers announced the discovery of two new transiting “circumbinary” planet systems–planets that orbit two stars.” Quoted from the San Diego State University press release.

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A New Class of Planets

Bacterial Living Under Glaciers

Geology.com — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:06:12 +0000

“The bottom of a glacier is not the most hospitable place on Earth, but at least two types of bacteria happily live there.” Quoted from the Penn State press release.

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Bacterial Living Under Glaciers

Fracking Backlog in North Dakota

Geology.com — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:35:57 +0000

Even though oil production from North Dakota ’s Bakken Formation has propelled the state to new production records there is still a backlog of wells to be fracked.

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Fracking Backlog in North Dakota