World
7 Whales Dead In New Jersey, Wind Farm Protests Continue
BRIGANTINE, NEW JERSEY — In response to the recent deaths of whales in New Jersey and New York, the governor of New Jersey said on Friday that he doesn’t think subsea preparations for offshore wind projects should stop.
After another dead whale washed up in the area, municipal, state and federal officials called for a temporary halt in ocean floor preparation work for offshore wind projects in New Jersey and New York.
Also on Friday, most environmental groups in New Jersey warned against making links between whale deaths and offshore wind projects. They said that such claims were “unfounded and premature.”
This was the seventh death in less than a month. An environmental group and some citizens groups opposed to offshore wind petitioned President Biden earlier this week for a government investigation into the deaths.
The most recent mortality occurred on Thursday when a 20- to 25-foot-long (6- to 7.6-meter-long) humpback whale died. Its remnants washed up on the beach of Brigantine, just north of Atlantic City, which has recently seen two dead whales on its beaches.
No Explanation For latest Whale Death
There was no immediate explanation for the latest death. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine said on Friday that it and a few other groups planned to do an autopsy on the whale’s bones before the body was disposed of, probably by burying it on the beach.
“All offshore wind development activities should be halted until we can determine the cause of death of these whales, some of which are endangered,” said Republican state Sen. Vince Polistina of New Jersey, who represents the area. “The fundamental difference in our waters is the work related to offshore wind projects, and it’s difficult to imagine that the death of whales on our beaches is just a coincidence.”
Murphy believes that delaying offshore wind preparations is unnecessary.
A Tragic Coincidence
“This is tragic,” he remarked.
Murphy referenced the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which stated earlier this week that no humpback whales — the species responsible for the majority of recent whale deaths in New Jersey and New York — were killed due to offshore wind activity.
“They’ve claimed it’s been happening at a higher pace since 2016, long before offshore wind activity,” the governor explained. “It appears that some of these whales had been struck by vessels.”
Orsted, a Danish wind power company, has been chosen to build two of the three offshore wind projects that have been approved so far in the waters off New Jersey. The company has said that its current work off the coast does not involve noises or other activities that could bother whales.
More Specialists Coming To work.
It didn’t say what kind of work it is doing off the coast of New Jersey, and it hasn’t answered The Associated Press’s email from Friday.
According to the environmental organization Clean Ocean Action, such site work often entails probing the ocean floor with focused pulses of low-frequency sound in the same frequency that whales hear and communicate, which might kill or disorient the animals.
Brigantine Mayor Vince Sera joined the request for a temporary halt to offshore wind site preparation, as did Republican Congressman Jeff Van Drew of southern New Jersey.
At a news conference in Atlantic City on Monday, the groups that want Biden to look into the deaths said that offshore wind companies have asked for permission to harass or hurt up to 157,000 marine mammals off the coasts of both states.
NOAA says that 11 of these kinds of applications are currently active in the area. These applications don’t kill marine species but hurt or bother them in minor ways.
No Serious Wind-Related Whale Deaths
“NOAA Fisheries has not allowed, nor has it planned to authorize, any wind-related fatalities or serious injury,” said Lauren Gaches.
Most of New Jersey’s major environmental groups this week supported offshore wind energy.
“The climate crisis requires us to generate renewable energy swiftly, and offshore wind is crucial for New Jersey to meet its economic development and environmental justice goals,” the groups said.
“Blaming offshore wind projects on whale mortality without evidence is not only irresponsible, but it also obscures the real threats to these animals posed by climate change, plastic pollution, and unsustainable fishery management practices,” said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, Sierra Club’s New Jersey director.
“We need to base our decisions on facts and data, not emotions or assumptions,” Allison McLeod, policy director of the New Jersey, added.
SOURCE (AP)
World
Do Microplastics in the Atmosphere Endanger Your Fertility?
(VOR News) – It is quite possible that the presence of small microplastic particles in the air may be a contributing factor to a wide variety of health problems, including malignancies of the lungs and colon.
This is something that needs additional research to be determined. There is one more item to take into consideration, and that is the potential that this is the exact circumstance.
A recent study found that tires and debris that are decomposing shed minute fragments of plastic that go airborne, so creating a form of air pollution that is not particularly widely known. This type of pollution is caused by the degradation of plastic. An example of this type of pollution is that which is discharged into the atmosphere.
The industry refers to microplastic as “air pollution.”
According to the findings of a researcher named Tracey Woodruff, who is a professor of obstetrics, gynaecology, and reproductive sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, “These microplastics are basically particulate matter from air pollution,” and it is common knowledge that this particular type of air pollution is particularly hazardous.
The researchers who supplied background notes stated that the size of microplastics is less than 5 millimetres, which is smaller than a grain of rice.
This information was provided, according to researchers. These details were supplied by the researchers who conducted the study. These particulars were provided by researchers who were responsible for carrying out the study.
The amount of plastic that is created on a yearly basis by enterprises all over the world is roughly 460 million tonnes, as indicated by the data that were provided by academics all over the world. The forecasts indicate that by the year 2050, this quantity is anticipated to have increased to 1.1 billion tonnes.
Driving is a substantial contributor to the amount of plastic that is floating around in the atmosphere, according to the conclusions of the experts who conducted the study about the phenomenon. When tires are worn down to the point where they scrape against the surface of the road, they allow microplastics to be released into the environment.
As a result of the tires wearing down, this occurs. This impact is brought about as a consequence of the inevitable amount of wear and tear that tires are subjected to.
A study that was published on December 18 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology was the result of researchers conducting an examination of data collected from over 3,000 previous investigations.
The paper was published as a consequence of this procedure. The review was constructed with the help of this analysis that was carried out.
Microplastic used this analysis to put together the review.
A number of diseases, such as cancer, lung problems, and infertility, may be influenced by the presence of microplastics in the air, according to the data, which led to the conclusion that this may be the case.
Despite the fact that the vast majority of the studies that were incorporated into the study were carried out on animals, the researchers claimed that it is very certainly plausible that the findings can also be applied to people. The fact that the majority of investigations were conducted on animals does not change the reality that this is the case.
“We urge regulatory agencies and policy leaders to consider the growing evidence of health harms from microplastics, including colon and lung cancer,” stated Nicholas Chartres, the principal investigator and senior research fellow at the University of Sydney.
The organisation reported this comment. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) issued a press release on behalf of the organisation that contained this statement. The news release was disseminated to the public. We are convinced that state officials will act quickly to make sure that no leaks of this kind occur, which is of the highest importance.
SOURCE: USN
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World
Russian Oil Ships In The Kerch Strait Are Undergoing Rescue Operations.
(VOR News) – Following Sunday’s powerful storm, a Russian oil tanker carrying hundreds of tonnes of oil products ultimately broke apart, causing an oil spill into the Kerch Strait below. Additionally, Russian officials reported that the damage was causing problems for another vessel.
Sunday, Russian authorities announced an emergency rescue operation.
According to the Russian state news agency TASS, which claimed the Emergency Situations Ministry as its source, the Volgoneft-212 tanker, carrying fuel oil and carrying thirteen crew members, ran aground and suffered damage to its bow. A shipment of fuel oil was being transported by the tanker.
Authorities have told the public that the damage was brought on by the extreme weather conditions that are currently occurring.
A second tanker, the Volgoneft-239, was damaged during the storm and is currently stranded in the same area with 14 crew members on board, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The tanker was discovered abandoned and alone in the same spot.
Additional tankers also suffered damage. The 132-meter-long cruiser, which was constructed in 1973, hangs the Russian flag around its neck.
The footage posted by state media showed the 136-meter Volgoneft-212 tanker, which was cut in two with its bow underwater, and waves crashing over its deck. At least one person lost his life as a result of this tragedy. This led to the opening of two distinct criminal investigations by the Russian authorities to look into potential violations of certain safety regulations.
Having flown the Russian flag since 1969, the yacht was finished.
Rosmorrechflot, the Russian government agency in charge of water transportation, reported a petroleum product spill.
It is believed that the cargo capacity of each tanker is around 4,200 tonnes of oil products.
The magnitude of the leak and the cause of the substantial damage one of the tankers received were not specified in the official remarks. This is in accordance with the official remarks.
Several news sites cited Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as saying that President Vladimir Putin directed the formation of a working committee to handle the rescue effort and lessen the effects of the oil disaster.
Peskov recommended that the government appoint the working committee’s members. This comment was made public right after Putin met with the ministries responsible for ecology and disaster management.
The Russian government has said that it will be sending more than fifty individuals and pieces of equipment to the area in response to the current crisis. Mi-8 helicopters and rescue tugboats are examples of these people and tools.
The news that experts are presently investigating the damage at the event site was announced by Svetlana Radionova, who is in charge of Rosprirodnadzor, Russia’s natural resources regulating entity.
Kommersant reports that Volgoneft-212 used 4,300 tonnes of fuel oil.
The footage, which showed a partially submerged ship and murky water on rough seas, was posted to Telegram without the owner’s consent.
The warships were located in the Kerch Strait, which separates Crimea from the Russian mainland, when the distress signals were sent out.
The Kerch Strait is a crucial international marine passage that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov, allowing for easier traffic between the two bodies of water. It also acts as a border between Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which is under Russian occupation. The Kerch Strait is located in the centre of the two nations.
The peninsula has remained a major source of contention between the two national governments ever since Russia annexed it from Ukraine in 2014. Russia was the one who seized the peninsula. Ukraine brought legal action against Russia before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016.
Specifically, the lawsuit claimed that Russia intended to illegally take over a location. The argument was supported by evidence pertaining to Russia’s conduct in the region. In 2021, the Russian Federation closed the strait for several consecutive months
SOURCE: VN
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World
Japan List Cannabis as Narcotic Criminalizes Recreational Use
TOKYO – Japan updated its cannabis and narcotics control legislation on Thursday, criminalizing cannabis (Marijuana) use and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), imposing a maximum seven-year prison sentence.
While the possession, transmission, and cultivation of cannabis and THC were already prohibited in Japan, the new rules will classify them as narcotics and criminalize their use as well, with a prison sentence of up to seven years for violations.
The amended regulations also legalize medical items containing cannabis-derived compounds that are beneficial and safe.
In 2019, 1.8 percent of the Japanese population had used cannabis at least once, making it the country’s second most popular illicit substance behind methamphetamine.
In 2023, a record 6,703 people were probed in cannabis-related criminal cases in Japan, topping methamphetamine cases for the first time, according to the Health, Labour, and Welfare Ministry. Seventy percent of instances involved people under the age of thirty.
A nationwide poll performed the same year by the ministry’s research group estimated that approximately 200,000 people had consumed marijuana within the previous year.
Japan previously did not penalize cannabis usage, apparently taking into account farmers who may have accidentally ingested the drug while producing cannabis plants for use in hemp products.
The amendments will also lift a restriction on cannabis-derived medicines, putting them under a licensing system similar to other drugs used for pain relief and other purposes.
Drugs derived from cannabis plants were only allowed in clinical studies in Japan, but patient groups have been advocating for access to cannabis-derived cannabidiol treatments already licensed in Europe and the United States for illnesses like severe epilepsy.
Cannabis cultivation dates back to the Jōmon period of Japanese prehistory, roughly six to ten thousand years ago (source: Wikipedia).
Cannabis hemp, as one of Japan’s first cultivated plants, provided an essential supply of plant fibre for clothing, cordage, and Shinto ritual goods, among other uses.
For much of Japanese history, hemp was common for fabric and food before cotton emerged as the country’s dominant fibre crop during industrialization during the Meiji period.
Following the end of World War II and the occupation of Japan, the Cannabis Control Law prohibited cannabis possession and manufacturing.
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