Environment - Los Alamos Daily Post

Community Invited To Mothing After Dark Sept. 28

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 21, 2016

Visit the Los Alamos Nature Center to see beautiful moths and other nocturnal insects 8-10 p.m., Sept. 28. Photos by Mouser Williams

PEEC News:

Come see moths and other nocturnal insects at the Los Alamos Nature Center 8-10 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28.

Mouser Williams will set up a moth attractor light and a big white sheet for the moths to land on. Over the course of the evening, various moths and other insects will stop by to investigate the lamp and will be easy to examine at close range.

Look for the bright black-light and white sheet near the flower beds in front of the nature center. We will provide Read More

LANL: New Insights Into ‘Plant Memories’

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 21, 2016

Artist’s impression of a long, non-coding RNA system. Grey/blue/red indicates main long non-coding RNA. Green, showing a second RNA interacting with long-noncoding RNA. Magenta ribbons and blue barrels indicated RNA-interacting proteins. Image by Kara Fischer and Karissa Sanbonmatsu/LANL

LANL News:

A special stretch of ribonucleic acid (RNA) called COOLAIR is revealing its inner structure and function to scientists, displaying a striking resemblance to an RNA molecular machine, territory previously understood to be limited to the cells’ protein factory (the ‘ribosome’) Read More

Organic Farm Goes Green With Solar Power System

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 21, 2016

USDA Rural Development State Director Terry Brunner (second from left) presents a certificate of congratulations to Ronald Ice (third from left) and his wife Gayle for the recent completion of construction of a solar power system at their farm; as Karen Paramanandam of SunPower by Positive Energy Solar looks on. Courtesy photo

USDA News:

ALBUQUERQUE ― USDA Rural Development State Director Terry Brunner dedicated the new solar photovoltaic system recently installed at the Ice’s Organic Farm and Tea House in Alcalde.

While presenting a certificate of completion,

Valles Caldera Jemez Mountains Elk Festival Sept. 24

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 21, 2016

The 8th Annual Jemez Mountains Elk Festival is 2-7 p.m., Sept. 24. Courtesy/nps

VCNP News:

The Valles Caldera National Preserve is home to one of the largest elk herds in New Mexico. Each fall, the sound of elk bugling in the mountains marks the start of their mating season, known as the ‘rut’.

To celebrate the upcoming elk rut and to learn about this fascinating creature, the National Park Service will host the 8th Annual Jemez Mountains Elk Festival 2-7 p.m., Sept. 24.

This FREE festival features a food truck, bugling

Heinrich, Flake Introduce Legislation To Complete Parks, Wilderness Areas And Increase Revenues For Schools

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 20, 2016

SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) have introduced legislation to better facilitate land exchanges between Western state land offices and federal public land agencies.

The Advancing Conservation and Education (ACE) Act specifically focuses on state trust land inholdings within the boundaries of federal conservation areas like parks, monuments, and wilderness areas.

“Inholdings present challenges for both public land managers and state trust land commissioners because

PEEC: Fourth Friday Fractal Show Sept. 23

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 20, 2016

PEEC News:

Have you journeyed into the never-ending world of fractals?

Pajarito Environmental Education Center’s dynamic fractal show is back for one evening this month: at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 23 in the Los Alamos Nature Center Planetarium.

This show incorporates math, science, art, and nature in a full-dome planetarium show featuring original music.

This spectacular show starts promptly at 7 p.m. and seating is limited. Tickets may be purchased by phone or at the nature center and are only $10 for adults

Universal News: This Just In – Gravity Waves Are Real

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 18, 2016

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in Livingston, La. Courtesy/CalTech

By ROGER SNODGRASS

Los Alamos Daily Post

Gravity waves were detected in the universe for the first time on Sept. 14, 2015, a hundred years after they were predicted by Albert Einstein in his general theory of relativity. Even at the speed of light, they took 1.3 billion years to get here. The first detected gravitational waves were produced by a specific cataclysmic event, identified as two black holes coalescing, releasing enough energy in the last fraction of a second to warp time

Public Astronomy Dark Night Saturday, Sept. 24

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 18, 2016

PAJARITO ASTRONOMERS News:

The Pajarito Astronomers is holding a County-sponsored Dark Night starting at 7 p.m. (sunset) Saturday, Sept. 24 at Spirio Soccer Field, Overlook Park in White Rock.

Weather permitting, the public is invited to come out, wander among the telescopes and star gaze.

Five planets will potentially be visible during the evening:

Venus;
Mars;
Saturn;
Uranus; and
Neptune.

There will be a tour of the summer and fall constellations, and there will be telescope views of double stars, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Read More

DOE Releases Baseline Study Of Legacy Waste Cleanup Needs At LANL

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 17, 2016

LANL News:

SANTA FE ― In a major development for the efforts of the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities, including Santa Fe, which is advocating for the cleanup of legacy radioactive and chemical waste resulting from historic uses of Los Alamos National Labs, the Department of Energy’s Environmental Management Office has completed and released a Legacy Waste Cleanup Lifecycle Cost Estimate.

The 46-page document was obtained on behalf of and provided to the Coalition thanks to the efforts of Sen. Martin Heinrich, Sen. Tom Udall, and Rep. Ben Ray

Giant Algal Bloom Sheds Light On Formation Of White Cliffs Of Dover

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 17, 2016

The White Cliffs of Dover have been a symbol of England at least since Roman times. New research is teaching scientists more about how this great structure came to be. Photo by Immanuel Giel/Wikimedia Commons

This microscopic view of a coccolithophore shows the saucer-shaped calcite plates the algae build around themselves. Scientists suspect the plates help coccolithophores survive and evade predators. Photo by Alison R. Taylor/University of North Carolina Wilmington Microscopy Facility/Wikimedia Commons

AGU News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A great algae bloom at the bottom

How Nature Works Colloquium Sept. 28

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 16, 2016

SAR News:

SANTA FE ― How does nature work? That’s the question posed by a Sept. 28 advanced seminar discussion at The School for Advanced Research (SAR).

Part of the SAR Colloquium Series on campus, seminar chairs Sarah Besky, Alexander Blanchette, and Naisargi Dave will lead the one-hour discussion at noon in the SAR Dobkin Boardroom that is free and open to the public.

“How Nature Works” aims to study the history, evolution, and future of labor and work that is attuned and accountable to the effects of climate change. Work—defined

Conservation Lands Foundation Applauds First Marine Monument In The Atlantic

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 16, 2016

CLF News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― The Conservation Lands Foundation applauds Thursday’s designation of the New England Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

President Obama’s proclamation will make this the first national monument in the North Atlantic Ocean.

“In taking this action, President Obama has demonstrated the same bold leadership he has shown in protecting America’s mountains, rivers and forests,” said Brian O’Donnell, executive director of the Conservation Lands Foundation. “The monument will advance the important

DNCU Shreds & Recycles 34,780 Pounds Of Paper

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 15, 2016

DNCU News:

Del Norte Credit Union (DNCU), northern New Mexico’s hometown financial cooperative, is proud to announce its 2016 Shred Days have collected 34,780 pounds of paper for recycling. Shred events were held at each of the co-op’s six branches to allow members and the public to dispose of sensitive papers safely.

“We are proud to see the results of our commitment to the environment,” DNCU CEO/President Chuck Valenti said. “One ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees and 60 pounds of air pollutants, so we are happy to have saved almost 300 trees and reduced air pollutants by over 1,000 pounds. Read More

PEEC Amateur Naturalist: Mushrooms Along La Jara Trail

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 15, 2016

PEEC Amateur Naturalist

By ROBERT DRYJA

Mushrooms Along The La Jara Trail

It is late summertime and rain has been falling regularly for several weeks in the Valle Grande. Varieties of mushrooms are emerging from the ground or are growing on the sides of trees.

The trail around the Cerro La Jara dome in the Valle Grande provides a visually pleasing setting in which to look for mushrooms. The Valle Grande is seen in any direction as the trail circles the dome. The dome was created as lava below pushed the level floor of the Valle Grande upwards. Sheets

Northern New Mexico Citizens’ Advisory Board To Hear Presentation On Air Monitoring At LANL

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 15, 2016

NNMCAB News:

The Northern New Mexico Citizens’ Advisory Board (NNMCAB) meets 1-5:15 p.m. Sept. 28, in the Ballroom of the Student Union Building at New Mexico Highlands University, 800 National Ave., in Las Vegas.

The NNMCAB is one of eight site-specific advisory boards established to involve local citizens in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) environmental clean-up decision process at its nuclear facilities. Members of the public are encouraged to attend NNMCAB meetings and provide their unique perspective on environmental issues.

DOE Issues RFI For Low-Level Waste/Mixed Low-Level Waste Disposal 2018 Procurement

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 15, 2016

DOE News:

CINCINNATI, OHIO ― The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management Consolidated Business Center (EMCBC) has issued a Sources Sought/Request for Information (RFI) seeking interested parties with the specialized capabilities necessary to meet the requirements for the Low-Level Waste/Mixed Low-Level Waste (LLW/MLLW) Disposal (2018) procurement.

This effort will require contractors to safely dispose of LLW/MLLW; Section 11e.(2) byproduct material; technologically-enhanced, naturally-occurring radioactive material (TENORM);

Prescribed Burn Planned On Cuba Ranger District

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 14, 2016

SFNF News:

Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest are planning to conduct the Cedar Springs prescribed burn on the Cuba Ranger District sometime between Sept. 23 and Oct. 1. That window is dependent on favorable conditions, including fuel moisture levels, air quality and weather forecasts.

The 2,187-acre Cedar Springs prescribed burn is approximately five miles northeast of the community of Llaves and one mile north of the Dead Man Lookout. When ignitions begin, there will be a forest closure order issued for public safety in areas around Forest Service Roads 6

LANL Clean Up Estimate Still Lacks Details

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 14, 2016

Los Alamos County Councilor Kristin Henderson and Santa Fe Mayor Javier Gonzales at the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities meeting last week in Ohkay Owingeh. Photo by Roger Snodgrass/ladailypost.com

By ROGER SNODGRASS

Los Alamos Daily Post

A delegation from the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities is visiting Washington, D.C. this week to attend a National Cleanup Conference.

In scheduled talks on Capitol Hill and with Department of Energy officials, they will not have the benefit of some missing information that has been blamed

PEEC: Monthly Wildflower Walk Sept.19

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 13, 2016

Wildflower expert Chick Keller leads a wildflower walk for PEEC on September 19. Courtesy photo

PEEC News:

Would you like to learn more about the wildflowers that populate New Mexico?

Pajarito Environmental Education Center’s Jemez Mountain Herbarium curator, Chick Keller, will lead the September Wildflower Walk at 5:30 p.m., Monday, September 19, one of two remaining Wildflower Walks this season.

These monthly outings are easy walks to identify some of the wildflower beauties found in and around Los Alamos. Trails vary each month depending

Luján Advocates For New Mexico Priorities In Energy Conference Committee

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 12, 2016

U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District participated in the first meeting of Senate and House Conferees on the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016.

The conference committee is working out differences between House and Senate legislation. Below are his remarks as prepared.

“Thank you Madam Chair. Our work here today on an Energy Bill is one of great importance for our nation, and particularly for an energy state like New Mexico. We need an energy policy that

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