Belo Monte Dam Construction Halted By Brazilian Court
Opponents of the world’s biggest new hydroelectric project, the Belo Monte dam in Brazil, notched up a rare victory this week, when a federal appeals court ordered construction to be suspended until indigenous groups are properly consulted about the project.
Underwater Ecosystem Inundated by Sediment Plume, Elwha River
Scuba-diver scientists from the U.S.G.S, with support teams from the U.S. EPA, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, and Washington Sea Grant, are returning to the mouth of Washington’s Elwha River this week to explore and catalogue the effect of released sediment on marine life following the nation’s largest dam removal effort.
Yale 360 Video: Belo Monte Dam Controversy
The Belo Monte dam, now under construction in the Amazon, is heralded as an abundant power source for Brazil’s burgeoning economy. But critics contend the project’s benefits are outweighed by the environmental and social costs, the flooding of 260 square miles of rainforest and the displacement of more than 20,000 people. A Yale Environment 360 video report, explores both sides of this controversial project.
Trinidad Leatherback Turtle Hatchlings Crushed
Thousands of leatherback turtle eggs and hatchlings have been crushed by bulldozers on Trinidad’s northern coast.
Fish return to undammed Elwha River
A project to remove two hydroelectric dams from the Elwha River in Washington state is bringing benefits for local wildlife. But the fish are not home free yet.
Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia
Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of Borneo, was once a lush tropical landscape full of some of the most sought-after timber in the world. In recent years, a combination of logging and agriculture has contributed to a rapidly changing landscape. When trees are logged, erosion can become a problem.
Liberia’s Hasty Forest Sell-Off Risks More Conflict
More than half of Liberia’s forests — dense and packed with rare and endangered species, sprawling for hundreds of miles over the small coastal country — have been granted to logging firms, bypassing environmental laws and with few benefits to the people.
Largest Dam Removal Project in California History
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved California American Water’s request to permanently remove the aging San Clemente Dam from the Carmel River on the Monterey Peninsula.
Twenty Beaches Affected by Extreme Coastal Erosion, Java
Lack of mangrove plantations at the southern coast of Malang district, East Java, has caused severe abrasion of shorelines along at least 20 beaches in the region, according to officials.