Environmental Geochemistry Issues Semi-Monthly

U. S.  Methane Emissions 50% More than EPA Measure (Wendy KOCH, USA Today; November 25, 2013) http:// www.usatoday.com /story/news/nation/2013/11/25/us-methane-emissions-study- epa /3699735/ Article: Anthropogenic Emissions of Methane in the United States   (MILLER et al., 2013) http:// m.pnas.org /content/early/2013/11/20/1314392110.abstract? sid =75f45f52-e74b-43b5-9145-ca1ab8bef442 N. B .:  This article has just been released today as a part of the Early Edition from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ( PNAS ).  Therefore, only the link to this article's abstract has been provided.

A different issue of disturbing Arctic seafloor sediments for Oil & Gas extraction (Blog posts from June 8 and 11, 2013) was brought to my attention this morning.  In this current blog posting, I present articles discussing Methane formed within Seafloor sediments; and how sediment disturbance might cause the release of this potent greenhouse gas from our oceans to the atmosphere.  They are as follows: A Review of the Geochemistry of Methane in Natural Gas Hydrate (K. A. KVENVOLDEN, 1995) http:// www.che.ncsu.edu / ILEET /CHE596web_Fall2011/resources/natural-gas/Methane%20Hydrate- Geochemistry.pdf Twice as Much Methane Escaping the Arctic Seafloor (Betty OSKIN, Livescience , November 24, 2013) http:// m.livescience.com /41476-more-arctic-seafloor-methane- found.html Arctic Storms, Warming Means More Methane Released   (Brian KAHN, Climate Central ; November 24, 2013) http:// www.climatecentral.org /news/storms-warming-mean-more-arctic-methane-being-rel...

Settlement Reached with Kern County Oil Firm for Discharging Fracking Fluid (Pamela MARTINEAU, ACWA ; November 15, 2013) http:// www.acwa.com /news/water-quality/settlement-reached- kern -county-oil-firm-discharging- fracking -fluid $60,000 Penalty for Fracking Fluid in Unlined Kern County Pit (Mark GROSSI, Fresno Bee ; November 15, 2013) http:// www.fresnobee.com /2013/11/15/3611373/60000-penalty-for- fracking - fluid.html N. B .:  Includes Tom FRANTZ's Youtube Video shot in October 2012 ! Draft Settlement Agreement and Stipulation Order for 30 day Public Review and Comment : http:// www.waterboards.ca.gov / centralvalley / board_decisions / tentative_orders / vintage_stip / vintage_stip.pdf

New!   The Camp Fire (2018) Monitoring water quality after wildfires  (Katherine BOURZAC, C&EN ; November 28, 2018) https://cen.acs.org/environment/water/Monitoring-water-quality-wildfires/96/i48 Having run across a recent article today from the Modesto Bee concerning water quality concerns brought about by the Rim Fire in California; my interest was piqued as to how fires, whether prescribed or wild, affect water chemistry and quality.  Below, I have provided the aforementioned newspaper article, as well as four research articles on this rather intriguing subject.  All are as follows: Potential for Rim Fire Ash Runoff Raises Water Quality Concerns in Stanislaus County (J. N. SBRANTI, Modesto Bee ; November 9, 2013) http:// www.modbee.com /2013/11/09/3021465/potential-for-rim-fire-ash- runoffs.html RESEARCH ARTICLES Characterization and evaluation of controls on post-fire streamflow response across western US watersheds (SAXE et al....

This just in.. . Oil Industry Treats California Legislators to $13K Dinner as Fracking Bill Loomed (Capitol Alert, Sacramento Bee ; November 4, 2013) http:// blogs.sacbee.com / capitolalertlatest /2013/11/oil-industry-treated-legislators-to-13k-dinner-as- fracking -bill- loomed.html N. B .:  The aforementioned "alert" contains links for the perusal of California State Senate Bill 4 (SB 4) documentation, as well as Gov. Jerry BROWN's signing said bill on September 20, 2013. Bonus --  The following is a recent industry research article providing a thorough background of Hydraulic fracturing, Shale play formations in the United States, and potential environmental impacts of Shale gas extraction: Evaluating the Environmental Implications of Hydraulic Fracturing in Shale Gas Reservoirs (ARTHUR, J. et al., 2009) http:// energy.wilkes.edu / PDFFiles /Issues/ EvaluatingTheEnvironmentalImplicationsOfHydraulicFracruringInShaleGasReservoirs.pdf