Environmental News Notes 1

Around the Internet but haven't had time to write up - 

• The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has released a ton of records about the ash spill and their investigation of the other Duke Energy coal ash impoundments - it's all here Coal Ash Public Records  
  
  One thing I noticed in a quick trip though the records is that thallium was detected in the water near the Cape Fear Impoundment. (eek!)  

• On March 28 N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued a notice of deficiency to Duke energy concerning a crack in the Cape Fear 1985 Ash Pond dam. 
  

•  Depth of the problem - not strictly environmental, but a really cool graphic explaining how deep the ocean is where they are searching for the wreckage of a missing Malaysian airliner http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/world/the-depth-of-the-problem/931/

• On April 2nd at WIPP two eight-­person teams, suited in anti­‐contamination gear and equipped with powered air­‐breathing units, entered the mine. The first team entered the mine using the Salt Handling Shaft elevator at about 1 p.m. on Wednesday, descending 2,150 feet underground. They did not detect any airborne contamination. The second team entered the mine at about 1:30 p.m. The teams surveyed conditions from the Salt Shaft Station to the Air Intake Shaft Station to establish two useable exit locations. They also established communications with the Central Monitoring Room above ground using a mine pager and landline phone, installed an additional continuous air monitor near the Salt Shaft Station and established an underground base of operations for future entries into the mine. These base will serve as a clean area where employees can safely remove any contaminated clothing and equipment before returning to the surface. A second entry is planned for the near future. http://www.wipp.energy.gov/wipprecovery/recovery.html

• Popular Science has an brief post - The New Spring, Brought To You By Climate Change, In Five Charts which is quite interesting.
   
• Plastic bags are worse than we thought http://thefisheriesblog.com/2014/04/06/plastic-trash-is-an-increasing-but-preventable-hazard-to-fish-health/