Environmental retrospective: 2007

TRR photo by Sandy Long Dump it, bury it, dig it up. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation ditched tires, drum carcasses, guide rails, storage trailers, stumps, road signs, construction debris, steel cables, concrete, utility poles, scrap metal, tar, line paint and more at its stockpile site in Shohola, PA, then had to dig it up and transport it elsewhere in an ongoing cleanup. Allegations remain that herbicides and pesticides are still buried at the site.

Cleaning up, greening up; losses, gains and threats

By SANDY LONG

UPPER DELAWARE REGION—The River Reporter increased its award-winning environmental coverage of the Upper Delaware Region throughout 2007. Environmentally speaking, it’s been a busy year. While invasive species moved in, other native species dwindled. As dairy farms declined, regional populations climbed. Litterbugs plied their ugly practices, and those on the other side of the coin continued caretaking our roadways and waterways with cleanups. But for all the environmental harms we’ve managed to accumulate, our kids are already working to save the day in a variety of ways. Read on for highlights of the year’s regional environmental events and issues.

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The year the power line issue went national

NYRI is one of many projects that offend residents

By FRITZ MAYER

NORTHEAST—The year 2007 was when anti-power-line activists in the region found allies in other parts of the country in the battle to stop the construction of unwanted electricity lines.

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The crime of cruelty

Time to increase accountability

By SANDY LONG

UPPER DELAWARE REGION—When NFL quarterback Michael Vick was recently sentenced in a Richmond, VA federal court to 23 months in federal prison and three years probation for dog fighting crimes that included the electrocution and hanging of poorly performing dogs, Marlene Metzger was surprised to hear the news.

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Other stories in this issue:

• A look back at the elections
• Dairy farms were in crisis in 2007 – and they still are
• County turned green in ‘07
• A holiday gift of music
• Pennsylvania townships planned for growth together in ‘07

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S