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To: Mephisto who wrote (2902)	2/17/2002 4:44:51 PM
From: Mephisto	Respond to of 15516

Global Warming Said Devastating Aquatic Ecosystems [Contact: Brad Bohlander] 13-Feb-2002 unisci.com Global warming is projected to have immense effects on freshwater and wetland ecosystems, according to a report by a team of scientists led by a biologist from Colorado State University. The climate change, which many researchers believe to be inevitable, could be devastating to trout, salmon and several species of aquatic plants and animals. In a report titled "Aquatic Ecosystems and Global Climate Change," researchers forecast substantial shifts in fish habitats, decreasing water quality and disappearing wetlands. According to the study, rivers, lakes and wetlands may be seriously affected by the predicted global warming trend. The report, which includes a review of more than 150 scientific studies, was released recently by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Its authors, freshwater biologist N. LeRoy Poff of Colorado State University, wetlands biologist Mark Brinson of East Carolina University and estuarine biologist John Day Jr. of Louisiana State University, said that increased temperatures forecast for the United States over the next century will disrupt animal and plant distributions and potentially threaten water quality throughout the nation. "Wetlands and aquatic ecosystems are quite vulnerable to climate change," Poff said. "Projected increases in the earth's surface temperature due to global warming are expected to significantly disrupt current patterns of aquatic plant and animal distribution and to alter fundamental ecosystem processes, resulting in major ecological changes." In particular, cold-water fish such as trout and salmon are projected to suffer substantially and disappear from large areas of their current geographic range. Some species attempting to flee warmer waters by migrating north or to higher elevations may become extinct due to natural or man-made barriers blocking their routes. Conversely, fish that thrive in warm-water environments, including large mouth bass and carp, will potentially expand their ranges throughout the United States and Canada. A 4-degree rise in surface temperature would cause aquatic species to migrate 400 miles northward to maintain the same thermal habitat conditions as present. According to the report, water quality will likely decline greatly due to expected reduction in summertime runoff and elevated temperatures. Additionally, warmer waters will likely increase the amount of blue-green and other nuisance algae that can reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. According to Poff, reduced oxygen in lake waters due to increased production of algae could lead to the loss of large predatory fish and have negative effects on the food chain. Poff noted that climate change could have other subtle effects on aquatic ecosystems as precipitation patterns change. In the coming century, areas accustomed to snow may instead get rain in the winter, causing floods that destroy fish eggs left in streams and leaving little snow pack to sustain rivers during the dry summer months. The authors of the Pew Report said that the exact effects of global warming are impossible to predict because neither the specific temperature changes that might occur nor the effect such changes would have on precipitation levels can be known with certainty. However, the authors concluded that, in the face of inevitable climate change, humans can take actions to minimize the risk of ecosystem disruption. The report is the seventh commissioned by the Pew Center, which was formed in 1998 to conduct studies and work with businesses on market-oriented ways to reduce greenhouse gases. [Contact: Brad Bohlander] 13-Feb-2002

To: Mephisto who wrote (2902)	2/17/2002 8:38:54 PM
From: Mephisto	Respond to of 15516

Corps of Engineers Relaxes Wetland Protections " Environmentalists disagree, calling the changes further proof that the BUSH administration is systematically weakening rules created to protect the nation's dwindling supply of wetlands, swamps and stream beds. Wetlands are key to the welfare of fish and waterfowl and also help cleanse water and control flooding." The Los Angeles Times January 15, 2002 E-mail story THE NATION By ELIZABETH SHOGREN and DEBORAH SCHOCH, TIMES STAFF WRITERS WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration weakened federal protections for wetlands on Monday, making it easier for developers to build on land where streams flow part of the year. This was one of several changes the Army Corps of Engineers made to wetland regulations that specify when developers can seek "nationwide permits," which are shortcuts that enable them to begin their projects more quickly and with fewer restrictions. For example, the new rules could allow a developer, using a shortcut permit, to fill in 1,000 feet of a 20-foot-wide seasonal stream. Under the old rules, the limit was 300 feet. The corps had proposed a more extensive rollback of wetland rules in its draft report in August but curtailed those plans amid intense criticism from inside and outside the government. Corps officials in Washington and Los Angeles said new rules represent a limited shift and that the agency is committed to protecting the health of the nation's waterways and wetlands. "The changes are quite minor," said John Studt, chief of regulations at the corps. Environmentalists disagree, calling the changes further proof that the Bush administration is systematically weakening rules created to protect the nation's dwindling supply of wetlands, swamps and stream beds. Wetlands are key to the welfare of fish and waterfowl and also help cleanse water and control flooding. The Clean Water Act gives the corps the authority to decide when and how to issue permits allowing developers to destroy wetlands and streams. Such fragile landscapes can be especially attractive to developers because they offer the allure of water views or access. But the United States already has lost more than half its historic wetlands, making the corps' power to grant permits a lightning rod for environmentalists. The new rule on so-called intermittent streams would allow a developer to fill more stream area with less red tape. This rule could have a significant effect in California, where wildlife and plants depend on the temporary flow of storm runoff and seasonal flows to stay alive. The corps also eased a rule requiring developers to protect or create one acre of wetlands for every acre they destroy. Instead, corps engineers will have the authority to waive the requirement altogether, or to allow developers to plant trees instead of restoring wetlands. "California in particular needs to be worried about these rule changes, because California has lost over 91% of our wetlands already, more than any other state," said Kevin Doyle, director of habitat conservation programs for the National Wildlife Federation's western field office. "When is the corps going to put its foot down?" Before the corps announced its plans, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Environmental Protection Agency joined environmentalists in complaining that the new rules could endanger wetlands. The corps reinstated some of the environmental protections that had been removed in the draft version, which would have given district engineers the authority to allow quicker permitting for all streams--even ones that flow year-round. The agency also said it remained committed to the goal of preventing a net loss of wetlands. Although the agency gave its 37 district engineers leeway to let developers destroy existing wetlands without creating or restoring other wetlands elsewhere, it also ordered these same engineers to document that there would be no net loss of wetlands in their districts. Some districts are small, encompassing several counties, but others include several states. The Los Angeles district stretches east into New Mexico. Developers welcomed what they said is much-needed flexibility in the rules, and they said they are hoping the administration will continue to roll back onerous regulations. "California home builders need as much flexibility as possible to build homes," said Brian White, legislative representative for the California Building Industry Assn. "We look forward to working with the administration for more changes." Intermittent stream beds are filled by seasonal rainfall and ground water. About 10% of the Southern California streams feeding into the ocean are intermittent, according to the corps' L.A. office. Most of Southern California's streams are so-called ephemeral streams--dry washes that flow only after storms. Most of the state's intermittent streams are found in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges. Mark Durham, South Coast section chief in the regulatory branch of the corps' Los Angeles district office, defended the change in the rules, saying the old 300-foot limit on filling intermittent streams was impractical. * latimes.com. Shogren reported from Washington, Schoch from Los Angeles.