Entries by Cody Pope

HSBC dips its toes into the water index market

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In line with the trend toward alternative energy and global natural resource indices, HSBC has announced the creation of the new water-centric HSBC Optimised Global Water Index. The index will focus on companies that concentrate on water collection, storage, purification, distribution, metering, desalination and sanitation, but isn’t pure play — leaving room for many companies […]

Op-ed: WaterWired recommends Peter Gleick as “White House Water Advisor”

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WaterWired, an online resource for “all things fresh water”, has recommended Peter Gleick, President of the Pacific Institute, as a possible choice for a new White House Water Advisor cabinet position. According to WaterWired, Gleick, long time advisor to Circle of Blue, “is the best person for the job.” President-Elect Barack Obama needs to appoint […]

Sugarcane plant, production, to remain as bid to save Everglades is scaled back

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MIAMI — After months of speculation and planning on the part of Florida’s Governor Charlie Crist, a scaled back deal was finally reached Monday to help restore Florida’s Everglades. The agreement between U.S. Sugar and the State of Florida would keep the company’s basic operations intact for at least a decade. The proposal, reduced from […]

Obama, With Emanuel, May Spell Greater Conservation Efforts for the Great Lakes

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Advocacy groups and political analysts predict strong Great Lakes conservation and restoration policies under President-Elect Barack Obama, the Detroit Free Press reports. The appointment of Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) as Obama’s White House Chief of Staff, further bolsters these hopes. Cameron Davis, president of the Alliance for the Great Lakes and an Obama campaign advisor, told […]

Following the hardest rains in 35 years, Hanoi floods begin to recede

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HANOI — At least 92 people are dead after heavy rains and flooding in Vietnam’s capital. The rains were the worst in the last 35 years, forecasters say. “Our main pump station is running 24 hours a day, pumping 4 million cubic meters of excess water a day,” Nguyen Anh Tu, a representative of the […]

Minnesota voters pledge $5.5 billion to protect lands and waterways

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SAINT PAUL — Passing the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment Tuesday, Minnesotans vowed to protect the natural resources of the land of 10,000 lakes. The ballot measure is the largest by any state to focus on conservation, surpassing the previous record of $2.9 billion set by New Jersey in 1998. “Minnesota voters are willing […]

Endeavor mission to include water recycling equipment, other upgrades

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WASHINGTON — Seven astronauts are set to blast off to the International Space Station on November 14, carrying with them vital equipment to expand the capacity of the station. With the upgrades in place, the station will be able to support double the crew — six astronauts — and conduct a larger array of scientific […]

Cyclone survivers to face freshwater shortages

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MYANMAR – Survivers of the worst natural disaster to hit Myanmar (Burma) in recorded history — Cyclone Nargis — are now facing the prospect of freshwater shortages as the dry season approaches. According to Reuters, local wells and ponds that many of the villagers depend on for drinking water are still flooded and contaminated with […]

Wet season could compound mining problems in Peru

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LIMA, Peru — With the approaching rains threatening to destabilize tailing ponds near Lima, Peru’s government is preparing for the worst. The ponds, a byproduct of a local mining operation, could overflow or be caught in a landslide, potentially threatening the drinking water of some 8 million Peruvians living in the capital. “With the rains, […]

Cali water agencies under pressure to lower arsenic levels

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SAN FRANCISCO — Arsenic levels in eleven Californian water systems are too high says the Environmental Protection Agency. In a press release, the agency told local managers to lower the levels or face a $32,500 fine per day for each violation. “Providing people with safe drinking water is essential and public water systems must take […]

Check “water” at the ballot box in Pennsylvania?

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Pennsylvania’s aging water delivery and treatment infrastructure needs a boost to keep the pipes clear, says Department of Environmental Protection acting Secretary John Hanger. Voters in the Keystone State get a chance to approve a $400 million referendum for water systems maintenance this November. If passed, the fund is to be dispersed to every region […]