EPA, DOJ Announce Hyundai, Kia will pay record $100 million for overstating fuel economy claims

South Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia have agreed to penalties totaling an estimated $350 million for inflating fuel economy claims on 1.2 million vehicles, the Environmental Protection Agency said Monday. The penalty - the largest in Clean Air Act history - stemmed from an investigation by the EPA and the Department of Justice. In a settlement, the automakers agreed to pay a $100-million fine, forfeit environmental credits estimated to be worth $200 million and spend another $50 million on reforms to prevent future violations. The inflated ratings resulted in the emission of an additional 4.75 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, the agency estimated.

Tracking Rhode Island's Remaining Salt Marshes

Over the past 200 years, Rhode Island has lost over 50 percent of its salt marshes due to coastal development, resulting in a loss of approximately 4,000 acres statewide. What remains of this vital ecosystem-which provides critical fisheries and wildlife habitat, as well as water quality and erosion control services-is further stressed by rising sea levels. Sea Grant Coastweeks tour highlights impacts of sea level rise on salt marshes and restoration efforts underway in Rhode Island. "Our salt marshes are drowning in place," said Pam Rubinoff, Rhode Island Sea Grant extension specialist, explaining how sea level rise is already impacting salt marshes. As the sea encroaches, salt marshes are either migrating landward or succumbing to rising waters because they run into barriers such as structures or elevation change. Rhode Island Sea Grant has been working with Rhode Island's Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) and other state agencies, as well as municipalities, to develop the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) to identify existing marsh conditions and vulnerable areas, and predict possible future scenarios.

The man protecting NYC's waterfront: 'There needs to be tens of billions more invested'

New York City has 520 miles of coastline. For a stormproofer, that's 520 winding miles of risk: an 18-marathon-length boundary to protect against coastal surges like the ones we faced during hurricane Sandy. Managing that takes a lot of people. First, there are the thousands of people and organizations that own the waterfront - like homeowners, family businesses, real estate developers and big corporations. Then there's the slew of city, state and federal agencies that regulate the waterfront. Equally important are the civic associations, neighborhood groups and local residents who have a vested interest in the waterfront's wellbeing - groups like the Coalition for Healthy Ports and Harlem River Community Rowing. Luckily, this crowd of disparate players with disparate needs and incentives has a connector.

Christie Administration Announces $50 Million in Grants Available for Local Storm-Resiliency Projects

Municipalities, counties and local government agencies may now apply for grants for projects that improve storm resiliency as part of $50 million in federal funding now available through the Department of Environmental Protection, the Christie Administration announced today. The state is making U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding available for projects that reduce local flood risks and enhance resiliency. The funding comes from HUD's second round of Superstorm Sandy aid for New Jersey, released earlier this year to help the state meet a broad range of post-storm needs.

Climate change could put NJ's wastewater infrastructure in the toilet, new report says

Problems caused by aging wastewater systems in New Jersey and New York will only get worse due to climate change and sea level rise, according to a report released today by the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank. The report, "Rising Waters, Rising Threat," looks at the damage to sewer systems and water treatment facilities wrought two years ago by Hurricane Sandy and the threat presented by future storms. Sandy sent some 11 billion gallons of raw sewage into the region's streets and waterways, according to the report, overcoming New Jersey's sewer systems, some of which date back hundreds of years.

Rising sea level, coastal flooding spells disaster for coastal Maryland towns

All along the ragged shore of Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic coast of the Delmarva Peninsula, north into New England and south into Florida, along the Gulf Coast and parts of the West Coast, people, businesses and governments are confronting rising seas not as a future possibility. For them, the ocean's rise is a troubling everyday reality. In cities like Norfolk, Va., and Annapolis, Md., coastal flooding has become more frequent. Beyond the cities, seawater and tidal marsh have consumed farmland and several once-inhabited islands. Here in Accomack County alone, encroaching seawater is converting an estimated 50 acres of farmland into wetlands each year, according to a 2009 Environmental Protection Agency study. Officials have added more than $100 million in new structures over the past five years and spent $43 million more to fortify the shoreline with sand. Nearly a third of that new sand has since been washed away.

Sediment behind dams affects pollution in the Chesapeake, report finds

A joint report by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Maryland Department of the Environment concludes that a large majority of the pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay from the Susquehanna River comes from runoff from upstream sources. The study was conducted to see what effect sediment had on pollution levels, concluding that the build-up of sediment behind the Conowingo Dam does affect water quality in the bay. The report said nutrients that enter the river upstream of dams and attach to particles of sediment may have a bigger impact on water quality than the sediment itself. The excess nutrients cause algae to bloom, which then suffocates other marine life, according to the report.

Prompt starts to keep beach projects on schedule in North Carolina

After the 2014 renourishment project at Wrightsville Beach extended into June, outside the approved environmental window of mid-November through May 1, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hopes to initiate future renourishment projects earlier to finish on time. Stakeholders from coastal storm damage reduction projects (also known as beach renourishment) on Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure beaches, and Ocean Isle Beach were invited to hear updates from the corps Nov. 6. Wrightsville Beach Town Manager Tim Owens represented Wrightsville Beach at the meeting. For the 2014 project, contractor Weeks Marine arrived at Wrightsville Beach on April 13, more than a month behind schedule, due to increased demand for dredges up and down the coast. Beach renourishment projects are supposed to conclude before May 1 to avoid damage to nesting loggerhead sea turtles. The corps secured an environmental extension through June 13 and lined up Wrightsville Beach Sea Turtle Project volunteers to monitor the beach strand from dusk until dawn while the project continued.

Offshore wind technology energizes South Carolina researchers

Steady wind patterns from the Atlantic Ocean have long inspired hopes of wind turbines dotting the East Coast. Now South Carolina and other Eastern states are exploring the idea with task forces and studies. "Historically, we have not seen utility-scale wind development in this region yet," said Brian O'Hara, president of the Southeastern Coastal Wind Coalition. "That's changing pretty soon." Local universities are already becoming research leaders in the budding regional offshore wind farm industry, common in European waters but foreign to American.

Deepening Jax Port Raises Environmental Concerns in Florida

Jaxport wants to deepen 13 miles of the St. Johns at the mouth of the river - from 40 feet down to 47 feet. That's what modern, supersized ships need to deliver cars, electronics and thousands of jobs to the region, according to industry analysts. "The handwriting is on the wall," said Rubin. "The ships are getting bigger. The industry is moving to economies of scale that require them to put more cargo on one ship that is larger. Many of them are currently too big to call on Jacksonville unless we deepen the river." But critics of the deepening project are calling on Jacksonville to steer clear of the project. Critics like St. Johns Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman, who argues the project is set to deliver not jobs, but environmental damage.

Greening Houston

The U.S. capital of the oil industry could teach other cities a thing or two about fighting climate change-in a politically inhospitable climate. At City Hall, Mayor Annise Parker stands her ground. "I did the skunk-in-the-yard thing," recalls Parker, who took office in 2010 and is now in her third term. "They were talking about greenhouse gas emissions this and that, and I said, 'I don't talk about greenhouse gas emissions.' " As she tells the story, the mayor-her neck bedecked in pearls and her accent bearing the trace of childhood summers spent in Biloxi, Mississippi-smiles. "I said, 'I talk about how doing this, this, and this will save you money. That's what my constituents want to hear.' "

Louisiana Awards Contract for Largest Restoration Project in History of Coastal Program

The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority has awarded a $145.7 million contract to Weeks Marine for the construction of the second increment of the Caminada Headland Beach and Dune Restoration project in Lafourche Parish. This project represents both the largest construction contract awarded and the largest restoration project undertaken in the history of the coastal program. This portion of the Caminada Headland project will complement construction that is currently underway on the headland and scheduled for completion in 2014. The second increment will create approximately 489 acres of beach and dune habitat and restore approximately seven additional miles of beach. In total, the first and second increments will restore a combined 13 miles of beach and 792 acres of beach and dune habitat.

New Orleans hires first chief resiliency officer

Mayor Mitch Landrieu has announced the hiring of the city's first Chief Resiliency Officer as part of a global effort called 100 Resilient Cities, an initiative that helps communities prepare for the social and economic stresses that threaten urban areas. Landrieu on Thursday (Nov. 6) designated Jeff Hebert, the executive director of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, to serve as resiliency officer. While continuing to lead NORA, Hebert will be responsible for developing and implementing a plan that addresses, "rising sea levels, strategies for flood mitigation and protection, including coastal restoration projects and improvements in emergency response planning, as well as ensuring new and existing structures and developments are able to withstand a variety of weather related events," according to the city.

Gulf Coast island again whole 9 years after Katrina thanks to Alabama rock project during BP spill

Nature and a multimillion dollar rock pile built in the Gulf of Mexico after the BP oil spill have healed a large barrier island nine years after it was sliced in two by Hurricane Katrina. Katrina swamped Alabama's narrow Dauphin Island in 2005, creating a pass that grew from a few dozen feet to about 1.5 miles wide by the time the oil spill occurred in 2010. The cut left more than 7 miles of pristine beach inaccessible by foot on the island's uninhabited western end. But then BP's Macondo well blew off the coast of Louisiana and spewed oil - and cash - into the Gulf region.

Washington county to hold open house for berm project

On Saturday, November 8, Whatcom County Public Works will host a public open house to discuss the new Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility project, informally known as the "Birch Bay berm project." The project will improve the beach along Birch Bay Drive by creating a soft-shore protection berm and would also increase safety along the road. The project has been in the works for several years, but planning is finally underway, with construction expected to begin in 2016. The open house will provide local citizens the opportunity to ask questions and provide input for the project. The idea for a shoreline reconstruction project began in 1975, when Wolf Bauer, a renowned coastal hydrogeologic engineer, provided the initial analysis. Whatcom County was able to build part of the project in 1986, but it stagnated after that. In 2004, a formal request for the completion of the project was incorporated into the county's comprehensive plan.

Fukushima radiation identified off northern California

Low-level radiation from Japan's Fukushima nuclear accident has been detected in multiple samples of ocean water off the Pacific Coast of the U.S. and Canada, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is reporting. The sample nearest to shore was taken about 100 miles off the coast of Eureka, in Northern California. The levels are far below those that might pose a risk to human health or marine life, said Ken Buesseler, a WHOI marine chemist who is leading the monitoring effort.

These subsea drones are figuring out just how badly we are messing up the planet

Earlier this year, a pair of alarming studies emerged suggesting that humans may have irrevocably destabilized the West Antarctic ice sheet, which contains some 10 feet's worth of sea level rise. If the entire ice sheet slides in the ocean, coastlines would retreat dramatically around the world. But though scientists know that West Antarctica is melting, they've had a hard time saying precisely why. They suspected, though, that this was occurring not so much because of warmer air temperatures, but rather because warm ocean water was getting underneath the marine-based glaciers at the front of ice sheet.