Comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Management for the Electric Generating Industry

Climate change is becoming more visible in the political arena. Electric generating companies will likely be impacted by future regulation of climate change related emissions. Even though few climate related programs are mandatory, electric generating companies should begin to implement greenhouse gas management systems. This report includes a review of issues facing the electric generating industry, an examination of current emission management programs, and recommendations for an effective greenhouse gas management framework. An effective greenhouse gas management program allows a company to continually improve their impact on climate change by reducing emissions using the plan, do, check, act process. To ease the reporting burden, companies should apply de minimis exemptions to sources that produce less than 5% of emissions.

Comparative Evaluation of Groundwater Management Practices of the Ogallala Aquifer

Mining of groundwater, or extracting a larger quantity of water than what is naturally returned to the aquifer through recharge, has been occurring for more than fifty years. The minimal natural recharge to the Ogallala Aquifer makes sustainable use of this resource a daunting task for states across the High Plains that rely on it to support their well-established ways of life. This task is compounded when considering the different combinations of federal, state and local governance, as well as regional economic and social frameworks that each state overlaying the aquifer experiences. This project critically examines factors contributing to groundwater management successes and failures of three states that overlay the majority (87%) of this resource: Nebraska, Kansas and Texas.

Policy Changes to the Federal and State Management of Subsistence Hunting and Fishing in Alaska

Subsistence in Alaska is currently being impacted by naturally occurring factors such as global warming, species migration shifts, and the declination of fishery and wildlife populations. Not only are external factors pressuring the debate, management strategies from the dual management operation appear to have failed. The current national focus has been centered on federal policy changes regarding subsistence. This project extends the federal subsistence review process into the state management of subsistence and provides practical solutions for enhancing both policy programs.

Development of a Cleanup Management Plan for the San Benito River in San Benito County, California

Trash and car/truck bodies in the San Benito River and along its banks continue to present a challenge as state mandated basin plans often fail to address these pollutants. To measure the extent of the problem, an assessment of trash and car/truck bodies was completed along four locations of the river. The survey results indicated a need for a Cleanup Management Plan that should include a streamlining process for the removal of car/truck bodies, as well as guidelines for river cleanups. Existing cleanup plans and internet resources were analyzed for creation of the Cleanup Management Plan for the San Benito River.

The Identification of Best Management Practices in a Materials Recovery Facility to Increase Solid Waste Diversion in the Department of Defense (DoD) Installations along the Front Range of Colorado to Satisfy the DoD Solid Waste Diversion Goal of 40 Percent

The five installations operated by the Department of Defense (DoD) in the Front Range region of Colorado do not meet the DoD non-hazardous solid waste diversion goal of 40 percent, further impacting landfills and generating greenhouse gases. This applied capstone project identifies and evaluates best management practices of a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), qualitatively and quantitatively, to increase solid waste diversion at a DoD MRF. An environmental benefits model quantified the externalities of increasing solid waste diversion at the installations. By implementing best management practices at a MRF, the DoD would divert an additional 1,400 tons of solid waste per year, resulting in the equivalent of 1,502,567 gallons of gasoline being saved, among many benefits presented in this capstone.

Integrated Water Resources Management: Principles for Coordination in the Coal River Watershed, West Virginia

Mountaintop removal (MTR) coal mining has had a significant influence on the water sources within the Coal River watershed of West Virginia. Using an approach such as Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) may improve management for the long-term protection and sustainability of the Coal River watershed‰Ûªs water resources. This Capstone project analyzes current site-specific information related to water quality and quantity and the impacts of MTR in the region, reviews current management challenges, and identifies key stakeholders to be included in IWRM planning. This information provided a foundation for the development of a preliminary IWRM coordination plan for the Coal River watershed based on IWRM principles and guidelines. It is hoped that this preliminary plan will contribute to the development of a final coordinated IWRM plan.

Solid Waste Management And Regulations in the Marshall Islands

The Marshall Islands, a small island developing nation, has a significant solid waste problem. The atoll environment of the Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands, is one of scarce land and overpopulation. Increasing Western influences has been a major factor in this solid waste problem. This problem has created health issues and is an impediment to the development of a tourism industry, which is essential to the development of economic opportunities. Responsibility for solid waste management in Majuro is divided between several governmental and non-governmental agencies. This system is dysfunctional as there is little or no cooperation between the agencies. Although many consultants have developed recommendations, no action has been taken. Developing an action plan to consolidate solid waste management under one authority is important to solving of this solid waste problem. This project proposes legislation creating a solid waste management authority that will have the power to regulate all aspects of solid waste and help implement education and awareness to the people of the Marshall Islands.

The Exploration and Development of Alternative Management Strategies for Mining and Recreational Activities Atop Mount Antero and Mount White; Chaffee County, Colorado

The Mount Antero/White area is a popular prospecting area. Recent expansions in the recreation economy is drawing more visitors to the area. Consequently, visitors may be placing unsustainable pressures on the landscape. In order to help rectify this, the legal, ecological, geologic, aesthetic, recreational, historic, social, and economic character of the Antero/White area has been identified. Four feasible management alternatives have also been recognized. They are a) take no new management actions, b) prohibit motorized activities in the area, c) develop a mineralogical park, and d) a combination of options b and c. Option C has been defended, as it best balances the desires of area users with the underlying ecological and geological character of the area.

Avoiding Extinction: An Evaluation of Short-Term Recovery Recommendations for the Endangered Rio Grande Silvery Minnow

The endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus; RGSM) is nearing extinction and requires immediate recovery actions. In a draft report to the Middle Rio Grande Program, a Program Advisory Panel (PAP) recommended 34 short-term recovery measures to be implemented within the next five years, and 21 long-term recovery actions. However, these recommendations need further analysis to determine if and how the actions could be implemented. This project evaluated short-term recommendations provided by the PAP to identify the most effective and rank the relative importance of the actions. These recommendations were divided into 7 recovery categories: population augmentation (5 recommendations); hydrologic regimen (4 recommendations); physical habitat (3 recommendations); biological component of habitat (2 recommendations); population monitoring (6 recommendations); monitoring, analysis, and modeling (12 recommendations); and information and planning (2 recommendations). Each recommendation was evaluated for its potential to produce anticipated recovery progress for the RGSM based on assessments of the degree of feasibility, cost effectiveness, and associated potential consequences if fully implemented. In addition, other alternatives in a range of options were also considered where applicable. In each case, recommendations were evaluated from on-site visits, interviews with researchers and resource managers, and literature review. Based on the research findings, three major groupings of the recovery categories were identified: natural aspects of recovery, program aspects of recovery, and emergency measures. At least one recovery category within each major grouping was considered important by the respondents, which indicates that each grouping is of high importance in relation to the situation at hand. However, actions within each grouping have varying priorities given constraints on available resources, time, and budget. An integrated approach that accounts for the complexity of the river system and the species itself was considered the best approach to avoid extinction while ensuring long-term sustainability. Results of these analyses were provided directly to the PAP for their review, and it is anticipated that project results could advance implementation of the most appropriate immediate recovery actions needed to prevent extinction of the RGSM.

Guide to Writing a Programmatic Resource Management Plan/ Environmental Impact Statement for the Bureau of Land Management

This guide is written for Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) employees assigned to the Public Lands team who may have some National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) knowledge, possibly have experience with writing Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), and with little or no experience writing programmatic EIS documents. The guide contains information encompassing the preparation of a complete Resource Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (RMP/EIS) for the Bureau of Land Management. The RMP/EIS is a programmatic NEPA document which has many differences and nuances distinct from a typical project type EIS. This guide provides the information necessary for a BAH Public Lands team member to understand the project process and the RMP/EIS document to successfully maneuver through the entire project from beginning to end.

River Recreation Management in Western States: Results of a Recreation Management Survey

This Capstone represents a qualitative analysis of survey responses concerning river recreation management policies and techniques in the Western United States. Respondents were asked about management topics including permits and fees, monitoring, enforcement, resource management, recreational experience, and current and future demand for whitewater rafting. Responses with consistent results include those for questions concerning permits for commercial uses, justification of fees, and enforcement, while responses with variation in results were received for questions concerning permits for private uses, agency self-sufficiency, monitoring, and use capacity. Most respondents do not expect a significant increased demand for commercial or private boating in the next five years. Respondents that do expect an increase do not see a need for additional commercial outfitters.

Noxious Weed Management: A Review of Herbicide Use at Colorado State Parks

Weed control in recreation areas is a complex public land management issue. Colorado State Parks are managed for both recreation and conservation, which often conflict. Noxious weeds affect both recreation and conservation efforts, and Parks often use herbicides to control these weeds. While herbicides are effective, they can be harmful to the environment and human health. Herbicide use at State Parks was reviewed to determine if chemical control is effective, safe, and efficient. The results revealed that many Parks are not using effective herbicides to treat noxious weeds and that some weed management plans lack pertinent information on chemical control. The results and recommendations provided can be used to improve the success of noxious weed control and create healthier Parks.

Reverse Vending Machines: A Potential Solution for the Florida Plastic Waste Management Challenge

The waste of plastic beverage bottles creates environmental problems and takes up a large volume of landfill space. The high rate of consumption of plastics in the State of Florida is challenging the disposal capacity of waste authorities. The lack of the reverse vending machines in the State of Florida, including applicable scientific or technical literature represented an opportunity for this research to discuss the applicability of this equipment as a potential solution for the management of the plastic waste in Florida. With this research document, I will propose a recycling system for plastic bottles made with PET based on the implementation of reverse vending machines, stressing the importance of the creation of policies that promote recycling and public participation.

Review of Desalination and Concentrate Management Issues for Increasing Drinking Water Supplies

Water quantity and quality issues worldwide are causing nations to consider alternate sources for drinking water. Desalination and other membrane processes for treatment of seawater and brackish inland waters have been in use for the past quarter century and are growing in use worldwide. These treatment processes create a highly concentrated waste stream in which the principal constituents are dissolved solids. This report provides an overview of desalination methods and the methods available to dispose of this waste stream. Innovative technologies being studied for possible future use are also discussed.

The Role of Education and Government in Shaping Muslim Women's Rights: Three Contemporary Case Studies

The rise in Muslim terrorist activities has encouraged the West to reevaluate its understanding of Islam, prompting concern for Muslim women's rights. In search of education-based solutions, this project explores three case studies of Muslims living under different government types: a secular state with a primarily Muslim population (Turkey); a secular state with a significant Muslim minority population (France); and a Muslim state with a powerful religious influence (Afghanistan). The type of government plays a significant role in Muslim women's rights, and solutions must be based on individual aspects of each unique place where Muslims live today. The results show that education is a universal solution when accepted at all levels: governmental, communal, and the individual.