Trading Dams

Over the past forty years, environmental trading systems have emerged as one of the primary innovations of American environmental law. In fields ranging from climate change mitigation to wetlands protection, regulated entities may now proceed with otherwise proscribed activities in return for providing extra protection at some other place or time. At their best, these trades achieve environmental goals while increasing flexibility and lowering the economic costs of regulation. In practice, that promise has not always been achieved, and the emergence of environmental trading systems has at times been quite controversial. But they have become increasingly persuasive. This Article considers environmental trading in a new context. The United States contains tens of thousands of dams, and these dams have drastically altered river systems. While many of these dams also provide important societal benefits, a major reconfiguration of America\u27s dams would greatly improve those dams\u27 collective balance between benefits and harms. To date, that kind of major reconfiguration has not taken place. But a restoration project on Maine\u27s Penobscot River illustrates how trading might create such change. By exchanging reduced environmental regulatory constraints and increased energy generation in some locations for dam removals and other environmental improvements elsewhere, the project will create major environmental improvements without any loss of hydropower. *1044 Using that project as a model, this Article analyzes how trading systems might facilitate better reconciliation of the positive benefits and negative impacts of dams. Our conclusions are qualified; while we argue that trading systems hold promise, applying them to dams will not be easy. Nevertheless, the concept is worth pursuing, and we offer a series of legal reforms to that end. More broadly, the analysis illustrates both the promise and the challenges that face environmental trading systems as they continue their expansion through the field of environmental law

Trading Dams

Over the past forty years, environmental trading systems have emerged as one of the primary innovations of American environmental law. In fields ranging from climate change mitigation to wetlands protection, regulated entities may now proceed with otherwise proscribed activities in return for providing extra protection at some other place or time. At their best, these trades achieve environmental goals while increasing flexibility and lowering the economic costs of regulation. In practice, that promise has not always been achieved, and the emergence of environmental trading systems has at times been quite controversial. But they have become increasingly persuasive. This Article considers environmental trading in a new context. The United States contains tens of thousands of dams, and these dams have drastically altered river systems. While many of these dams also provide important societal benefits, a major reconfiguration of America\u27s dams would greatly improve those dams\u27 collective balance between benefits and harms. To date, that kind of major reconfiguration has not taken place. But a restoration project on Maine\u27s Penobscot River illustrates how trading might create such change. By exchanging reduced environmental regulatory constraints and increased energy generation in some locations for dam removals and other environmental improvements elsewhere, the project will create major environmental improvements without any loss of hydropower. *1044 Using that project as a model, this Article analyzes how trading systems might facilitate better reconciliation of the positive benefits and negative impacts of dams. Our conclusions are qualified; while we argue that trading systems hold promise, applying them to dams will not be easy. Nevertheless, the concept is worth pursuing, and we offer a series of legal reforms to that end. More broadly, the analysis illustrates both the promise and the challenges that face environmental trading systems as they continue their expansion through the field of environmental law

Sodium fast reactors as potential nuclear power plants in Nigeria’s quest for nuclear electricity

The sodium fast reactor (SFR) was x-rayed in this work as a possible candidate for the Nigeria nuclear programme. In particular, the fuel economy and effects of reactivity were analyzed using the BN 600 as a prototype nuclear power plant (NPP). In a regime of closed fuel cycle, fast reactors are reputed for utilizing a large variety of fuels in sharp contrast to conventional reactors. Reaction rates and isotopic compositions of fuel elements were computed using the software “TIME 26”. The radial heat profile in the reactor core (RC) was aligned. Alignment was carried out by fuel enrichment in the peripheral part of the Active Zone (AZ), that is, Zone of Big Enrichment (ZBE). The corresponding fuel enrichment in the Zone of Small Enrichment (ZSE) was equally determined via a prompt enrichment factor (a) that ranges from 1.2 to 1.3. Parameters such as fuel campaign time and time interval between refueling were also determined. These parameters were limited to the maximum allowable burn-up value of the fuel which was set at 10%. With a Breeding Ratio (BR) of 1.2865, it is shown in this work that SFRs are able to reproduce their own fuel in contrast to thermal reactors. Further, the computed reactivity margin of 0.01283 is a key requirement for the plant internal safety. The implication for the Nigeria nuclear energy programme is discussed. Keywords: Nuclear energy, Sodium Fast Reactor, BN 600, Nuclear fuel, Reactivity Effect

Le Québec en Amérique du Nord : Hollywood Nord-Est ? La production de films nord-américains au Québec

La faiblesse du dollar canadien et de généreux programmes de crédits d'impôt ont contri¬bué à créer une industrie du film prospère mais vulnérable au Québec, qui a généré 32 900 emplois au Québec en 2003/2004. Cette note décrit le fonctionnement de l'industrie nord-américaine du cinéma au Québec. Elle se penche sur les cas de Technicolor Services créatifs, une multinationale qui opère au Québec, et Muse Entertainment Enterprises, basée au Québec. Muse, Technicolor et leurs clients se sont installés au Québec en raison de la faiblesse du dollar canadien, mais aussi à cause du climat fiscal favorable. L'industrie québécoise dans ce domaine est techniquement concurrentielle et capable de produire des films de qualité semblable à ceux produits à Hollywood. La hausse du dollar canadien, l'apparition d'incitatifs fiscaux dans les États américains comparables à ceux pratiqués au Québec, le déclin des films produits pour la télévision et une hausse du protectionnisme dans l'industrie américaine du film ont mené à un déclin dans les productions étrangères filmées au Québec

Crop weight measurement sensor for IoT based industrial greenhouse systems

ArticleNo wadays the industrial management systems are changing by means of implementing various Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, allowing a simple integration of sensor technologies with wireless communications and development of cloud based database solution s. The industrial greenhouse management systems are not the exception in this regard, as they are becoming more and more popular with the use of various sensors for the automation of the vegetable and other crop cultivation process.The general aim they hav e is to raise the level of process automation, quality, energy efficiency and other important parameters. The implemented technologies and environment of industrial greenhouse can be different fir the research type laboratories, as they are focused on prod uction, therefore this research is conducted in cooperation with tomato producing industrial greenhouse of SIA ‘ Latgales darzenu logistika ’ focusing on IoT based crop weight measurement

Development and testing results of IoT based air temperature and humidity measurement system for industrial greenhouse

ArticleIn dustrial greenhouse control systems are changing and getting new capabilities, due to the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, allowing wirelessly integrate various sensor technologies and create a cloud - based database and analytic solut ions. Greenhouse systems typically are controlled by consuming single temperature and humidity measurement unit data (treated as an average value), this raises a question about the precision of such approach for application in a large industrial greenhouse . In this article IoT based temperature and humidity measurement system uMOL architecture is described and first measurement results of multi - point data collection with high resolution compared to existing single - point measurements

SARS-CoV-2 infection and venous thromboembolism after surgery : an international prospective cohort study

Funding Information: This study was registered prospectively at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04509986). Funding was provided by: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Unit; Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland; Bowel and Cancer Research; Bowel Disease Research Foundation; Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons; British Association of Surgical Oncology; British Gynaecological Cancer Society; European Society of Coloproctology; Medtronic; NIHR Academy; Sarcoma UK; The Urology Foundation; Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland; and Yorkshire Cancer Research. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funding partners. No other competing interests declared. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Anaesthesia published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association of Anaesthetists.SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with an increased rate of venous thromboembolism in critically ill patients. Since surgical patients are already at higher risk of venous thromboembolism than general populations, this study aimed to determine if patients with peri-operative or prior SARS-CoV-2 were at further increased risk of venous thromboembolism. We conducted a planned sub-study and analysis from an international, multicentre, prospective cohort study of elective and emergency patients undergoing surgery during October 2020. Patients from all surgical specialties were included. The primary outcome measure was venous thromboembolism (pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis) within 30 days of surgery. SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was defined as peri-operative (7 days before to 30 days after surgery); recent (1-6 weeks before surgery); previous (≥7 weeks before surgery); or none. Information on prophylaxis regimens or pre-operative anti-coagulation for baseline comorbidities was not available. Postoperative venous thromboembolism rate was 0.5% (666/123,591) in patients without SARS-CoV-2; 2.2% (50/2317) in patients with peri-operative SARS-CoV-2; 1.6% (15/953) in patients with recent SARS-CoV-2; and 1.0% (11/1148) in patients with previous SARS-CoV-2. After adjustment for confounding factors, patients with peri-operative (adjusted odds ratio 1.5 (95%CI 1.1-2.0)) and recent SARS-CoV-2 (1.9 (95%CI 1.2-3.3)) remained at higher risk of venous thromboembolism, with a borderline finding in previous SARS-CoV-2 (1.7 (95%CI 0.9-3.0)). Overall, venous thromboembolism was independently associated with 30-day mortality (5.4 (95%CI 4.3-6.7)). In patients with SARS-CoV-2, mortality without venous thromboembolism was 7.4% (319/4342) and with venous thromboembolism was 40.8% (31/76). Patients undergoing surgery with peri-operative or recent SARS-CoV-2 appear to be at increased risk of postoperative venous thromboembolism compared with patients with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Optimal venous thromboembolism prophylaxis and treatment are unknown in this cohort of patients, and these data should be interpreted accordingly.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Food security in a COVID-impacted tourism destination: A case study of Queenstown, New Zealand

This report outlines the food (in)security situation in Queenstown, New Zealand in the context of its COVID-affected tourism downturn. It is illustrative of the global pandemic’s disruption to the tourism-dependent town and the ways in which this impacted food security within the community. The project used interview data from 13 interviewees each active in the Queenstown community in food welfare, social support, or local government. Supplementary data was gathered via a desk-based document and media search. Community-based food welfare providers reported high demand for food parcels largely due to COVID-19-related income reductions and job losses. Food welfare demand was strong from the commencement of the nationwide lockdown in March 2020, and remained relatively consistent in subsequent months as national borders remained closed to international visitors. Interviewees reported high numbers of migrants accessing food welfare as the result of tourism job losses, reduced shifts, and loss of access to meals they had received in hospitality roles previously. Many of these migrants were ineligible for government support. COVID-19 food security issues have been exacerbated by high demand for housing and high density living, which has reduced the amount of land available for home vegetable planting. This is limiting own food production and access to affordable high-nutrition foods. Reliance on the food welfare sector as a long term strategy is not sustainable if food security is the goal, however the array of community groups that offer food welfare may be able to proactively bolster food security, concurrent with their food welfare operations, and so enable food welfare recipients to transition to less vulnerability and greater food security in the future. Our findings caution against sectoral ‘self-sufficiency’ because high degrees of independence within sectors can translate to vulnerability in the face of disruption. Inter-sectoral integration – particularly within the agriculture, food and tourism sectors – is one avenue by which each sector could become more resilient. Further research in this area could identify pathways for building resilience

Radiographic assessment of findings in the maxillary sinus using cone-beam computed tomography

OBJECTIVES. To assess the presence of anatomic variations and pathology of the maxillary sinus using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) of the maxilla where pre- implant surgery is planned. MATERIAL AND METHODS. This retrospective study evaluates a sample CBCT scans of 34 dental patients (68 sinuses). CBCT is used to assess maxillary sinus mucosa and outflow and prevalence of septa. The mucosal thickening was measured and the sinus outflow was classified as open or obstructed. RESULTS. Mucosal thickening was found in 48.5%, septa in 20.6% and total opacity in 2.9% of the sinuses. Maxillary sinus outflow was blocked in 26.5% of the scans. Strong association between radiological signs of maxillary sinus ostium blockage and thickened mucosa was observed. CONCLUSIONS. Anatomic variations and lesions of the maxillary sinus were common findings in CBCT examinations of the maxilla required for dental preprosthetic planning. Routine CBCT scans, including maxillary sinus ostium are recommended for risk assessment prior to surgery.publishersversionPeer reviewe