METHOD FOR MAKING DISPERSANT-USE DECISIONS BASED ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT CONSIDERATIONS

1987 ◽  
Vol 1987 (1) ◽  
pp. 211-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. K. Trudel ◽  
S. L. Ross
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Beaufort Sea ◽  
Similar System ◽  
Decision Making System ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S

ABSTRACT A method for making dispersant use decisions on the basis of environmental impact considerations has been developed. It involves formulating and then comparing predictions of the impact of a given spill if treated with dispersants or if left untreated in order to determine whether the use of dispersants might reduce the overall effects of the spill. A workbook describing the method has been used in numerous workshops in Canada and the U.S.A. to train environmental managers, and has served as a basis for the development of a quick, map-based, decision-making system for the Canadian Beaufort Sea. A similar system is currently being developed for the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

A Dialogue-Centric Approach to Environmental-Remediation Decision-Making

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurel Boucher ◽  
James F. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Department Of Defense ◽  
Environmental Remediation ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Remediation Plan ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Poor Management ◽  
Responsible Party

This paper outlines a multi-step approach to streamline and enhance the decision-making process that guides environmental remediation. The inability of the responsible party and the various stakeholders to reach agreement on the remediation plan can delay the remediation, result in financial penalties, and lead to the development of an adversarial stance that inhibits the ability of the parties to work together in a creative and constructive manner. The approach presented by the authors is designed to expand dialogue in a way that moves it beyond technical or fiscal matters by addressing what the authors describe as the “hidden barriers” to productive dialogue. These “hidden barriers” include: self-interests, the perception as to how people are being treated, a lack of clarity or poor management of responsibilities and accountabilities, unclear or convoluted communication protocols, and an underlying tone of conflict and cynicism. A key element of the multi-step approach outlined in this paper is the process of uncovering these “hidden barriers” and addressing them in a way that turns discourse into collaboration. The paper describes a model the authors have used to streamline and enhance the process of creating sustainable agreements both for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management as well as the U.S. Department of Defense for a variety of environmental remediation projects. The results of this approach include the acceleration of an environmental clean-up from a projected 19 years to 11 years, the development of innovative technical strategies, the reduction of a major backlog of environmental proposals requiring review and comment, and the distinction accorded one group of being recognized as a model of effective partnering. The approach described has widespread implications not only because its use can be expanded to include a multitude of decision-making applications but also because of the impact it creates by expanding both the management and leadership skills of those who use it.

Life cycle analysis of mortars and its environmental impact

2005 ◽  
Vol 895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Moropoulou ◽  
Christopher Koroneos ◽  
Maria Karoglou ◽  
Eleni Aggelakopoulou ◽  
Asterios Bakolas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Life Cycle Analysis ◽  
Considerable Research ◽  
Cement Binder ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Lca Results

AbstractOver the years considerable research has been conducted on masonry mortars regarding their compatibility with under restoration structures. The environmental dimension of these materials may sometimes be a prohibitive factor in the selection of these materials. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool that can be used to assess the environmental impact of the materials. LCA can be a very useful tool in the decision making for the selection of appropriate restoration structural material. In this work, a comparison between traditional type of mortars and modern ones (cement-based) is attempted. Two mortars of traditional type are investigated: with aerial lime binder, with aerial lime and artificial pozzolanic additive and one with cement binder. The LCA results indicate that the traditional types of mortars are more sustainable compared to cementbased mortars. For the impact assessment, the method used is Eco-indicator 95

MODELING DEEPWATER OIL SPILLS WITH NEAR FIELD AND FAR FIELD MODELS

2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
pp. 725-730
Author(s):  
Zhen-Gang Ji ◽  
Walter R. Johnson ◽  
Charles F. Marshall ◽  
James M. Price
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Deep Water ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Field Model ◽  
Oil Spills ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Far Field ◽  
Oil Gas ◽  
The U.S

ABSTRACT As a Federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), the Minerals Management Service (MMS) maintains a leasing program for commercial oil and gas development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Oil and gas activities in deep water (areas deeper than 340 meters) have proceeded at an unprecedented rate, and have led to concerns regarding the accidental release of oil near the seafloor. As production increases, the potential for an oil/gas spill increases. In addition to the environmental impacts of the oil spilled, major concerns from a deepwater oil/gas spill include fire, toxic hazard to the people working on the surface installations, and loss of buoyancy by ships and any floating installations. Oil and natural gas releases in deep water behave much differently than in shallow water, primarily due to density stratification, high pressures, and low temperatures. It is important to know whether oil will surface and if so, where, when, and how thick the oil slick will be. To meet these new challenges, spill response plans need to be upgraded. An important component of such a plan would be a model to simulate the behavior of oil and gasses accidentally released in deep water. This has significant implications for environmental impact assessment, oil-spill cleanup, contingency planning, and source tracing. The MMS uses the Clarkson Deepwater Oil and Gas Blowout (CDOG) plume model to simulate the behavior of oil and gas accidentally released in deepwater areas. The CDOG model is a near field model. In addition, MMS uses an adaptation of the Princeton Ocean Model called the Princeton Regional Ocean Forecast and Hindcast System for the Gulf of Mexico (PROFS-GOM). This model is a far field model and is employed to provide three dimensional current, temperature, and salinity data to the CDOG model. The PROFS-GOM model and the CDOG model are used to simulate deepwater oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico. Modeling results indicate that the two models can provide important information on the behavior of oil spills in deepwater and assist MMS in estimating the associated environmental risks. Ultimately, this information will be used in the pertinent environmental impact assessments MMS performs and in the development of deepwater oil-spill response plans.

scholarly journals Belgian environmental impact assessment systems: Legal frameworks and beyond

elni Review ◽  
2008 ◽  
pp. 60-69
Author(s):  
Jan De Mulder
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessment ◽  
Policy Instruments ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Assessment Practice ◽  
The North ◽  
The Impact

As a result of a number of constitutional reforms in recent decades Belgium is now a federal state. The societal evolution and the historical devolution of competencies have resulted in a multi-actor policy approach at different policy levels: municipal, provincial, regional and national (federal). Competencies regarding particular policy fields like the environment are often not attributed to one policy level. The application of policy instruments in such a framework leads to complex processes and regulatory frameworks for decision-making within Belgium. The transposition of the consecutive EU Directives has resulted in a growing environmental impact assessment practice. (E)IA approaches and requirements are found in horizontal as well as in specific legislation. The application of the impact assessment frameworks has raised questions about the coherence of both proponents and authorities have to deal with these institutional features. Institutions provide not only for frameworks; they are also stakeholders in decision-making and have an interest in impact assessment. Most EIA legislation is, however, to be found at the regional level, except for the projects in the Belgian marine environment and nuclear installations which have remained a federal issue. Yet, for certain projects and even plans – e.g. on the North Sea coastline in Flanders, the only coastal region in Belgium – the decision-making process requires the application of both the federal and regional legislations. Later on the transposition of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive of 2001 revealed a more profound “impact” on decision-making processes. The final adoption of federal and regional SEA legislation happened in the course of 2006-2008. This article briefly outlines EIA and SEA (and emerging IA) regulations at the Belgian federal and regional policy levels. Furthermore, some particular issues regarding the involvement of stakeholders and consultants as an element of impact assessment quality requirements are explored.

Examination of Decision Making and Botched Lethal Injection Executions in Texas

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (12) ◽  
pp. 1715-1732
Author(s):  
Talia Roitberg Harmon ◽  
Michael Cassidy ◽  
Richelle Kloch
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Death Penalty ◽  
Single Drug ◽  
Lethal Injection ◽  
Injection Protocol ◽  
The One ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Analyze Data

This research examines the influence of lethal injection drug shortages on Texas criminal justice officials’ decision to change the state’s three-drug lethal injection protocol to the use of pentobarbital as a single drug protocol, without judicial oversight. We analyze data collected under the three- and one-drug protocols from 1982 through 2020 and compare differences in the length of time the lethal injection took, and complications reported by media witnesses. Findings suggest a higher rate of botched executions under the one-drug protocol than the three-drug protocol. We discuss the role compounding pharmacies may play in our results, the impact of this work on the U.S. Supreme Court’s death penalty jurisprudence, and implications concerning the unilateral decision making by Texas state officials.

scholarly journals Resistensi Hubungan Luar Negeri Amerika Serikat dan Iran: Studi Kasus Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 144-175
Author(s):  
Wildan Ilmanuarif Shafar ◽  
Dian Mutmainah
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
The United States ◽  
United States Government ◽  
Comprehensive Plan ◽  
Policy Decision Making ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S

Since 2015 the United States has been a signatory of the historic nuclear agreement with Iran known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which was also agreed by other P5+1 countries. JCPOA is the achievement of the U.S. and other P5+1 countries' negotiations with Iran regarding the limitation of Iran's nuclear program. JCPOA is also known to be the vital instrument to reduce Iran's capabilities regarding its aggressive behavior and malign activities, creating destabilization in the Middle East. However, in 2018 the United States government decided to withdraw its participation from the JCPOA. As we know, this decision had an impact on Iran's behavior, which several times violated the contents of the JCPOA agreement even though they did not leave the agreement. We are also witnessing the impact of this decision increase the conflict between the US and Iran in recent years. This research aims to explain the rationale of the U.S. decision to withdraw from the JCPOA nuclear agreement with Iran in 2018. This research using the foreign policy decision-making framework model by Charles W. Kegley and Gregory A. Raymond. This concept focuses on explaining factors of foreign policy decision-making in three sources of analysis and the process of foreign policy-making based on rational choice.

scholarly journals The Impact of Currency Exchange Rates and Canadian and U.S. Unemployment Rates on Non-Immigrant Visas from Canada to the U.S.

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 217
Author(s):  
W. Andrew Harrell ◽  
Jennifer A. Boisvert
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Exchange Rates ◽  
Cross Correlation ◽  
Matching Law ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Unemployment Rates ◽  
Currency Exchange ◽  
Currency Exchange Rates ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S

Changes in immigration rates by Canadians from 1989 to 2006 were examined for three non-immigrant visa categories. Cross correlation functions (CCF) were calculated relating changes in numbers of visas to changes in Canada-U.S. currency exchange and unemployment rates. Regression analyses tested Han- Ibbott’s (2005) model of immigration decision-making and a variation of Herrnstein’s (1961) matching law. CCF analysis found that currency exchange and unemployment rates were predictive of changes in immigration rates. Regression analyses indicated that a devalued Canadian dollar discouraged migration to the U.S. These findings have implications for Canada-U.S. inequities in bilateral immigration under NAFTA, with Canada experiencing a greater drain in human capital.

A Fuzzy Decision-Making System for the Impact of Pesticides Applied in Agricultural Fields on Human Health

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 42-62
Author(s):  
Karthik S. ◽  
Saroj Kumar Dash ◽  
Punithavelan N.
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Hazards ◽  
Fuzzy Decision Making ◽  
Fuzzy Decision ◽  
Agricultural Lands ◽  
Linguistic Terms ◽  
Decision Making System ◽  
Agricultural Yield ◽  
The Impact

Farmers are widely applying chemical pesticides to the agricultural lands to kill weeds to reduce crop losses and to prevent diseases created by insects. By applying pesticides to the lands, typically have greater agricultural yield. As pesticides have toxic ingredients, they can create so many health problems to humans and will degrade the environment gradually. Since each pesticide is linked to some health hazards when the composition of the pesticides exceeds its limits, uncertainty arises in determining the human health hazards. Hence, fuzzy logic-based decision-making model is designed to diagnose the human health hazards. In the model, the linguistic terms are used to represent the association between pesticides and human health hazards with the aid of chemists and physicians. Fuzzy numbers are used to represent the values for the linguistic terms. Therefore, the intent of the paper is to analyze the human health hazards induced by applying different pesticides in the agricultural lands through the proposed fuzzy decision-making system.

Ecological Impact of a 4-km Causeway on an Arctic Environment

1984 ◽  
Vol 16 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 387-397
Author(s):  
J M Colonell ◽  
G A Robilliard
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Beaufort Sea ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
Arctic Environment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Prudhoe Bay

The Prudhoe Bay Causeway is a gravel-fill structure that extends 4 km into the Beaufort Sea at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Concern over the impact of this structure on the marine Arctic environment prompted regulatory agencies to require owners of the causeway to sponsor a multidisciplinary monitoring program that encompasses the physical and biological realms of possible impact. This paper describes how such concerns are being addressed and also includes results of the initial studies of possible environmental impact of the causeway.

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