New York, NY -(ENEWSPF)–November 1, 2010—U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has named John H. Hankinson, Jr. to be the executive director of the newly established Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. President Obama signed an executive order earlier this month establishing the task force, which will[Read More…]
Science
Government, Independent Lab Results Confirm Recent Anomaly Algal Bloom, Not Oil
NEW ORLEANS–(ENEWSPF)–October 29, 2010. Final lab results, from government and independent labs, came back Thursday showing that samples taken of reported oil in West Bay, La., were absent of any crude oil, confirming initial findings that the discolored water was the result of an algal bloom. The large, orange blooms[Read More…]
Halliburton and BP Knew of Cement Flaws Before Spill, Panel Says
From the New York Times: WASHINGTON — Halliburton and BP knew weeks before the fatal explosion of the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico that the cement mixture they planned to use to seal the bottom of the well was unstable but still went ahead with the job, the[Read More…]
Halliburton and BP Knew of Cement Flaws Before Spill, Panel Says
From the New York Times: WASHINGTON — Halliburton and BP knew weeks before the fatal explosion of the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico that the cement mixture they planned to use to seal the bottom of the well was unstable but still went ahead with the job, the[Read More…]
Haiti: UN Health Official Cautions Cholera Outbreak Not Yet Contained
NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–27 October 2010 – A United Nations health official cautioned today that the cholera outbreak in Haiti is not yet contained and stressed the need to continue enhancing treatment, prevention and response preparedness measures even in areas that have not been affected by the epidemic. “I do not think[Read More…]
Unified Area Command Weekly Update, October 27, 2010
NEW ORLEANS–(ENEWSPF)–Oct. 27, 2010. The following information is an operations update from the Unified Area Command for the response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Approximately 11,186 personnel are currently responding to protect the shoreline, wildlife and cleanup vital coastlines. Fourteen shoreline cleanup assessment teams are working in Louisiana, Mississippi,[Read More…]
Nearly 500,000 Acres Enrolled in Cooperative Federal Effort to Protect Birds in Spill Zone
WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–Oct. 27, 2010—Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today announced that a coordinated effort with landowners across eight states to protect and feed birds migrating toward the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill zone in the Gulf of Mexico had more than tripled expectations, enrolling more than 470,000 acres. [Read More…]
UN and Partners Step Up Response to Cholera Epidemic in Haiti
NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–25 October 2010 – The spread of the cholera outbreak in Haiti is beginning to slow down, even as humanitarian agencies continue to step up treatment and preventive measures, with the number of cases having risen to more than 3,000, including 254 deaths, the United Nations reported today. Efforts[Read More…]
Lessons Learned From The H1N1 Pandemic
The H1N1 pandemic influenza provided several important lessons that may help in preparing for future influenza outbreaks, write Drs. Donald Low and Allison McGeer in an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) (pre-embargo link only) http://www.cmaj.ca. (PDF) Although the death rate was lower than initially projected, the years of life lost was[Read More…]
Haiti: Doctors Without Borders Intervening in Cholera-Affected Areas
HAITI–(ENEWSPF)–October 22, 2010. Following the outbreak of acute diarrhea in the Artibonite region of Haiti, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) medical teams—including doctors, nurses, and logisticians—immediately traveled to the affected areas along the Artibonite River, between the cities of Saint-Marc and Mirebalais. According to Haitian health authorities, at least[Read More…]
