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Energy development is an integral part of enhanced economic development. The fact that expanded provision and use of energy services is strongly associated with economic development leaves open how important energy is as a causal factor in economic development, however; and energy development competes with other opportunities for scarce capital and opportunities for policy and institutional reform. In this paper we first give a brief conceptual discussion that seeks to identify the channels through which increased availability of energy services might be a key to stimulating economic development along different stages of the development process. We then examine some empirical work to see what evidence it might provide...
The 576 abstracted references on nuclear facility decommissioning, uranium mill tailings management, and site remedial actions constitute the tenth in a series of reports prepared annually for the U.S. Department of Energy's Remedial Action Programs. Citations to foreign and domestic literature of all types—technical reports, progress reports, journal articles, symposia proceedings, theses, books, patents, legislation, and research project descriptions—have been included. The bibliography contains scientific, technical, economic, regulatory, and legal information pertinent to the U.S. Department of Energy's Remedial Action Programs. Major sections are (1) Surplus Facilities Management Program, (2) Nuclear Facilities...
Developing consistent region-wide information to ensure enough water for people and wildlife.
This project was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using geothermal effluents for developing and maintaining waterfowl wetlands. Information in the document pertains to a seven State area the West where geothermal resources have development potential. Information is included on physiochemical characteristics of geothermal effluents; known effects of constituents in the water on a wetland ecosystem and water quality criteria for maintaining a viable wetland; potential of sites for wetland development and disposal of effluent water from geothermal facilities; methods of ‘disposal of effluents, including advantages of each method and associated costs; legal and Institutional constraints which could affect geothermal...
Social effects of building and operating nuclear power plants result from impacts upon (1) socially-valued aspects of the physical environment and (2) the social structure itself. Sudden, temporary population growth during construction may strain financial and organizational resources of rural areas. Large increases in tax base result from operation of privately-owned power plants, affecting tax structures and land use balances in site-specific fashion. Assessment of impacts involves dimensioning with fourteen descriptors, and analysis of impact recipient groups. Dissociation of social costs and benefits may occur (1) through time-lag between costs and benefits, (2) when different groups are beneficiaries and payees,...
Stream habitats for this project were classified using six primary attributes: size, gradient, temperature, hydrology, buffering capacity, and confinement.
This exploratory case study examines the social, economic, and political/institutional impacts of two operating nuclear power complexes on two New England communities. This work is one of a series planned to broaden knowledge of the effects of large energy generating facilities upon the social structure of local communities. Its primary objectives are to investigate and assess social and economic impacts resulting from construction and operation of nuclear power plants and to generate hypotheses about such impacts for future testing. The report includes discussions of the study design and objectives, profiles of the towns of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Waterford, Connecticut, and analysis of the social, economic,...
This report, released by the Energy andBiodiversity Initiative (EBI), is the resultof a collaborative effort by representa-tives of the nine member companiesand conservation organizations of theInitiative. The views expressed hereindo not necessarily represent the viewsof every EBI member.EBI members recognize that there is a continuing public debate aroundbiodiversity conservation and oil andgas operations. Although EBI was notintended to resolve all the issues in-volved in this debate, we believe theEBI products and process will make a significant contribution to con-structive dialogue to accompany thatdebate. We welcome your commentsand feedback on this document or any other EBI products.
The success of carbon capture, storage and sequestration as a greenhouse gas mitigation strategy will be, in part, dependent on the regulatory framework used to govern its implementation. Creating a science-based regulatory framework that is designed with enough flexibility to encourage greenhouse gas offset activity, effective means of measuring the costs of taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and ample protection for human and ecosystem health may prove challenging. For the purposes of this paper we will assume that there is an existing incentive to capture, store and sequester carbon and focus on how to regulate the process. Accounting practices and precursory crediting rules for biological sinks...
This study developed a mapped classification system for stream and river systems in the Appalachian LCC region to inform conservation planning for aquatic biodiversity. Stream habitats were classified using six primary attributes: size, gradient, temperature, hydrology, buffering capacity, and confinement. Information on each variable was based on extensive data compiled or modeled. Variable classes were then combined to yield a regional taxonomy.
Unifying state-based stream classifications into a single consistent system, principal investigators at The Nature Conservancy developed a hierarchical classification system and map for stream and river systems for the Appalachian LCC that represents the region’s natural flowing-water aquatic habitats. This river classification information is needed to develop and implement instream flow standards and management recommendations so that environmental flows can become integral to all water management decisions from the onset.The study includes a report describing the methods used to evaluate and develop the classification system, a literature review of existing stream classifications, and a GIS stream data set. The...
Some analysts think that biomass offers great potential as a renewable fiel for electricity generation. Biomass’ emissions of greenhouse gases, over its whole fiel cycle, are relatively insignificant when compared to even the “cleanest” of the fossil energy technologies — natural gas. Yet, the external costs (and benefits) of biomass fuel cycles, which stem from impacts other than those associated with greenhouse gases, are not necessarily trivial. Some of these impacts are similar to those that result from the combustion of fossil fbels. Other impacts are unique to biomass fiel cycles. This report describes methods to estimate many of the more important external costs (and benefits) of biomass fiel cycles.
Noise exposure is known to cause hearing loss and a variety of disturbances, such as annoyance, hypertension and loss of sleep. It is generally accepted that these situations are caused by the acoustical events processed by the auditory system. However, there are acoustical events that are not necessarily processed by the auditory system, but that nevertheless cause harm. Infrasound and low frequency noise (ILFN, <500Hz) are acoustical phenomena that can impact the human body causing irreversible organic damage to the organism, but that do not cause classical hearing impairment. Acoustical environments are normally composed of all types of acoustical events: those that are processed by the auditory system, and those...
Because of the inevitable depletion of fossil fuels and the corresponding release of carbon to the environment, the global energy future is complex. Some of the consequences may be politically and economically disruptive, and expensive to remedy. For the next several centuries, fuel requirements will increase with population, land use, and ecosystem degradation. Current or projected levels of aggregated energy resource use will not sustain civilization as we know it beyond a few more generations. At the same time, issues of energy security, reliability, sustainability, recoverability, and safety need attention. We supply a top-down, qualitative model—the surety model—to balance expenditures of limited resources...
Request for Applications for the Stream Classification Project
Identifying aquatic ecosystems requires a classification of stream and lake features into recognizable categories. Although a number of nationally recognized terrestrial community classifications exist, currently there is no national or international standard for classifying aquatic communities or ecosystems. Despite the lack of a national aquatic community classification, aquatic ecosystem classifications and frameworks have been developed at a variety of spatial scales to reflect the distribution of aquatic biological communities. This report reviews these freshwater classification frameworks, providing detailed analysis and application examples of taxonomic, environmental, and hydrologic classifications in use...
The classification unifies existing geomorphic and hydrologic classifications that occur within the LCC. It represents aquatic habitat types across this region in a manner that is appropriate and useful for building ecological flow ecology relationships and other conservation planning tools.
Social effects of building and operating nuclear power plants result from impacts upon (1) socially-valued aspects of the physical environment and (2) the social structure itself. Sudden, temporary population growth during construction may strain financial and organizational resources of rural areas. Large increases in tax base result from operation of privately-owned power plants, affecting tax structures and land use balances in site-specific fashion. Assessment of impacts involves dimensioning with fourteen descriptors, and analysis of impact recipient groups. Dissociation of social costs and benefits may occur (1) through time-lag between costs and benefits, (2) when different groups are beneficiaries and payees,...
The goal of this project is to develop a hierarchical classification for stream and river systems within the Appalachian Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC). This classification system will identify and consistently map ecologically similar types of rivers and streams using a flexible hierarchical set of geomorphic and hydrologic variables deemed appropriate for classification by the participating states and relevant to the spatial scale of management.