Eco Report – June 24, 2021

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HEADLINES

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has given the green light to AES Indiana to acquire the 195-Megawatt Hardy Hills solar project in Clinton County.

—Norm Holy

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is accepting comments on a proposed wetland permit drafted after state lawmakers removed protections for more than half of Indiana’s remaining wetlands.

—Norm Holy

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management said it is monitoring Cheeney Creek in Fishers after a lift station failure caused raw sewage to spill into the creek, killing thousands of fish.

—Norm Holy

Now that companies are gaining approval for re-reimbursing homeowners with rooftop solar on the basis of instantaneous net metering, rooftop solar has suffered a huge blow.

—Norm Holy

A proposal to build a two-billion-dollar methanol plant on the banks of the lower Columbia River in Washington state is dead. The plant would have converted fracked natural gas from Canada into methanol to be shipped to China and manufactured into plastics.

—Linda Greene

On June 8th, the EPA announced that it had reached an agreement to phase out the endocrine-disrupting pesticide propazine within one year.

—Linda Greene

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is launching a new conservation research campaign in Brazil to protect the dolphins of the Amazon River.

—Linda Greene

If the trend of declining coral growth continues at the current rate, the world’s coral reefs may cease calcifying around 2054, a new Southern Cross University study has found.

—Norm Holy

The rush is on to mine precious metals. Including cobalt, nickel and manganese. They’re important in batteries for electric vehicles and renewable-energy storage, but corporations like the Ford Motor Company are eyeing a brand-new destructive practice, deep sea mining, for extracting those metals.

—Linda Greene

The Pine Island Glacier is currently Antarctica’s greatest contributor to sea level rise, and now a new study warns that it could be closer to collapse than previously thought.

—Norm Holy

CALENDAR

Open Days at the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead on Saturday, June 26th, from 1 to 4 pm, will feature an American Musical Celebration with a collection of historic musical selections performed by Sarah Strickland.  Social distancing will be in place.  Masks are not required but preferred while touring the Farmhouse.

Visit Brown County State Park on Monday, June 28th, from 2 to 2:30 pm to learn about Creek Critters.  Meet at the Strahl Lake parking area to explore what critters you can find in the creek.  Wear weather appropriate clothing and shoes you do not mind getting wet.  Rocks can be slippery in the creek.

The Roving Naturalist will be at the Paynetown State Recreation Area at Monroe Lake on Wednesday, June 30th, from 5:45 to 7:45 pm, ready to teach you about Bird Nests.  Meet at the Campground to explore the differences and similarities between bird nests.

Have you ever wondered what the different types of clouds mean?  The Paynetown State Recreation Area at Monroe Lake is having a Cloud Keepers class on Saturday, July 3rd, from 2 to 3:30 pm.  Drop by the Swimming Beach to learn how to predict the weather by looking at the clouds.  A guide pamphlet will be available for you to take home.