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At German airports, bees help monitor air quality
The New York Times
Airports in Germany have come up with an unusual approach to monitoring air quality. The Düsseldorf International Airport and seven other airports are using bees as "biodetectives," their honey regularly tested for toxins. "Air quality at and around the airport is excellent," said Peter Nengelken, the airport's community liaison. The first batch of this year's harvested honey from some 200,000 bees was tested in early June, he said, and indicated that toxins were far below official limits, consistent with results since 2006 when the airport began working with bees. More FAA awards $125 million in 'CLEEN' aircraft technology contracts
Air Transport World
U.S. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt announced at ATW's Eco-Aviation Conference that the agency has awarded $125 million to five companies to "develop and demonstrate technologies that will reduce commercial jet fuel consumption, emissions and noise." The five-year contracts are part of FAA's Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise program, or CLEEN. More
Obama funds research into algae-based biofuels
USA Today
In its push for clean energy sources, President Obama's administration is exploring all options — including algae-based biofuels. The U.S. Department of Energy announced that it's awarding up to $24 million for three research groups to figure out how to make such biofuels commercially viable. More IG: EPA toxics standards for cities are 10 years late
Greenwire via The New York Times
More than 10 years after releasing a plan to reduce health risks from toxic emissions in urban areas, U.S. EPA has not followed through with new rules or updated risk assessments for smaller local sources, according to a new report by the agency's inspector general. Upon the release of the Integrated Urban Air Toxics Strategy in 1999, the agency sounded an alarm about city-dwellers' exposure to emissions from smaller pollution sources such as cars, dry cleaners and gas stations. More
FAA: Plane makers must show freezing rain, drizzle effects
Bloomberg BusinessWeek
Aircraft and engine manufacturers must show their new models can withstand freezing rain and drizzle, U.S. aviation regulators said, expanding rules to cut risks from icing in response to a fatal 1994 crash. Complying with the requirement would cost $71 million, mostly absorbed by manufacturers such as airplane makers Boeing Co. and Airbus SAS as well as engine manufacturers General Electric Co. and United Technologies Corp.'s Pratt & Whitney, the Federal Aviation Administration said in the proposed rule to be published in the Federal Register. More LAWA receives LAX Coastal Area Chamber's Sustainability Award
Globe Newswire via The Earth Times
Los Angeles World Airports received the LAX Coastal Area Chamber of Commerce's Sustainability Award during the chamber's recent installation dinner at the Westin Los Angeles International Airport Hotel. "Our mission has always been to balance the needs of the traveling public and the needs of the surrounding community," said LAWA Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey. "This is an exciting honor for LAWA and the fact that it comes from our immediate neighbor gives us great satisfaction that our efforts are making a difference." More Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority considers more sound walls
The Washington Post
For years, neighborhoods along the Dulles Toll Road in the Washington, D. C. area have complained about traffic noise. Shouse Village, a Vienna community of 260 houses, has lobbied federal and local officials for sound walls, but to no avail. … The neighborhood could finally get some relief under a proposal to build sound walls or improve existing ones along the toll road's path. The proposal is part of a draft noise policy being considered by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which controls the 12-mile stretch in the community. More |
