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Category Archives: Natural Resources and Environment
Securing Anthrax (and Other Dangerous Pathogens)—the Risk of “Incomplete Inactivation”
In 2015, the Department of Defense discovered that one of its laboratories had inadvertently sent live anthrax to almost 200 other labs worldwide over 12 years. Labs routinely inactivate samples of dangerous pathogens so they can be shipped to other … Continue reading
The National Park Service Is Turning 100—How Are Its Finances?
The National Park Service is celebrating its centennial on August 25, 2016. For 100 years, the Park Service has helped the public enjoy its parks and worked to protect its resources. It currently manages 413 parks covering 84 million acres. That number … Continue reading
Worker Safety at Meat and Poultry Plants
Buying meat for your summer cookout is certainly faster than hunting for it. But that doesn’t mean that getting all of those burgers, wings, and hot dogs from the farm to the grill is easy. Today’s WatchBlog takes a look … Continue reading
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July 7, 2016
Tagged Department of Labor, food, injury, Labor, meat and poultry plants, NRE, safety, workers
Examining Ocean Acidification on World Oceans Day
Increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and oceans are resulting in chemical changes known as “ocean acidification.” These changes may pose risks for some marine species and ecosystems, as well as for the coastal communities that rely on them … Continue reading
74 Years Since the ‘Battle of Midway’—What Happens Now?
It was 74 years ago this week—June of 1942—that one of the major naval battles of World War II raged around the Midway Atoll, a chain of three small islands that are about 1,300 miles from Honolulu. Today, the atoll … Continue reading
Expanding Drinking Water Options
Providing clean and fresh water is one of the most essential municipal services. Recent reports about lead-contaminated drinking water in Flint, Michigan and ongoing drought in several parts of the nation, highlight the importance of ensuring the public has a … Continue reading
Forest Health
When Earth Day started in 1970, our nation’s forests needed help. That’s still the case today. For today’s Earth Day, the WatchBlog looks at federal efforts to restore large swaths of the nation’s forests.
Drinking Water and Fracking (podcast)
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, has helped increase domestic oil and gas production. But fracking, along with other drilling methods, produces wastewater, which can contain various chemicals and metals, among other things. Listen to Alfredo Gomez, a director in our Natural … Continue reading
Beyond Deepwater Horizon (podcast)
When the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico 2010, it resulted in 11 deaths, serious injuries, and the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history. It also raised serious concerns about the how the federal government … Continue reading
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March 18, 2016
Tagged Deepwater, drilling, environment, Frank Rusco, Gulf of Mexico, NRE, oil spill, the gulf
Dry, Hot American Summer
Wildland fires are a natural part of a healthy ecosystem. By removing old or dead vegetation, they stimulate new growth and improve wildlife habitats. But wildland fires can also be destructive and deadly. With fires raging in California, today’s WatchBlog … Continue reading
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September 29, 2015
Tagged aerial firefighting, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, fighting wildfires, fire preparedness, fire suppression, firefighting, firefighting aircraft, Fish and Wildlife Service, forest service, National Park Service, NRE, preventing wildfires, Smokey Bear, what causes wildfires, wildfires, wildland fires
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