To register for this webinar:

https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/422648418

On June 30^th, the State Court of Appeals in a 5-to-2 decision found that the Town of Dryden in Tompkins County and the Town of Middlefield in Otsego County have the authority to prohibit fracking through local land use regulations.  Opponents of fracking immediately celebrated the ruling whereas a lawyer for one of the energy companies in the suit indicated that the ruling made it increasingly unlikely that gas drilling companies would invest in New York State.

The Greene County Legislature is fighting a proposed modification to the Clean Water Act that lawmakers say will burden farmers with “costly and time-consuming permitting and regulatory protocols,” according to a resolution passed last week.

The change was proposed in April by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with the stated intention of clarifying protections for streams and wetlands, which became confusing and complicated after Supreme Court decisions in 2001 and 2006.

 European cities’ sewer water exposes use of cocaine, cannabis, meth and ecstasy
Imagine you could let your city urinate in a cup and submit the sample to a laboratory for drug testing. Would it pass?

Researchers in Europe did something similar with 42 major cities, and many of them failed.

Lab tests on sewage water to detect chemicals excreted after drug use turned up high levels of cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, meth and other amphetamines.

A new study released by the Utah State University Buried Structures Laboratory praises PVC pipe and confirms it as a sustainable pipe material with a longevity in excess of 100 years.  The research laboratory examines previous pipe excavations, testing, and life cycle analysis and has significantly contributed to water and wastewater research internationally for over 50 years.

On May 29, 2014, EPA will host a webcast on public engagement opportunities to address harmful algal blooms entitled, “The Role of Citizen Scientists in Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring and Response”.  This webcast is the beginning of a series with a discussion of involvement with volunteer monitoring initiatives, and how people can get involved in a project to monitor for potentially toxic algal species and collect meaningful data from their local, state, or federal agency.

Follow along as we examine solutions to the challenge of fats, oils and grease in the country’s sewer lines and treatment plant works

Security Advisory: DHS Reports U.S. Utility’s SCADA System Hacked

National Rural Water Association (Washington, DC)

Study explores link between cows’ water quality, milk production
A study to determine what effect quality of dairy herd water has on milk production is being conducted at 100 dairy farms across a six-county region by educators from Cornell Cooperative Extension. Twenty farms each will be surveyed in Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties, and the remainder will be in Franklin, Clinton and Essex counties.