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My name is Keith Michaud and this is “Letters From Away,” a blog written by a Mainer living outside the comfortable and sane confines of New England. The blog is intended for Mainers, whether they live in the Pine Tree State or beyond, and for anyone who has loved ’em, been baffled by ’em or both. Ayuh, I am “from away.” Worse still, I live on the Left Coast – in California. Enjoy! Or not. Your choice.
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Tag Archives: Gulf of Mexico
Lab goes to sea: USM science team sails south to study oil spill’s effects on whales | Portland Press Herald
PORTLAND, Maine — A University of Southern Maine professor and a crew of students are embarking on an expedition to learn how the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is affecting the health of whales.
The research vessel, Odyssey, a 93-foot, two-masted sailboat packed with laboratory equipment, is now berthed at DiMillo’s Marina. The vessel is scheduled to depart Portland next Friday.
John Wise, a professor of toxicology and molecular epidemiology at the University of Southern Maine, is the lead scientist. At least 10 USM students will be on board for some portion of the three-month expedition.
The vessel is carrying Wise’s cellular molecular laboratory – the only laboratory of its kind at sea, according to Iain Kerr, chief executive officer of Ocean Alliance, the Massachusetts nonprofit that owns the $1.5 million ketch.
Wise and the crew will be hunting for cell samples of sperm, humpback and Bryde’s whales. Wise will study DNA extracted from the cells to examine the effects of pollution.
He will use his lab to grow additional cells, which in effect become a permanent living sample for further study.
The creation of new cell lines from wild marine animals is difficult if not impossible to do because the cells degrade within hours, Wise said. That’s why it’s important to have a floating laboratory.
Click on the link for the rest of this story by Tom Bell in the Portland Press Herald.
Posted in Economy, Education and Schools, Energy, Environment, Food and Drink, Maine, Outdoors, Politics and government
Tagged Gulf of Mexico, laboratory, molecular epidemiology, Ocean Alliance, Odyssey, oil spill, pollution, Portland, students, toxicology, U.S. Coast Guard, University of Southern Maine, USM, whales
Maine heating oil prices hold steady | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram
Posted in Economy, Energy, Environment, Maine
Tagged Gulf of Mexico, heating oil, homeowners, Maine, oil spill
Mainers go to Gulf with helpful tools, run into obstacles | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram
Posted in Energy, Environment, Maine, Outdoors, Politics and government
Tagged booms, BP, environmental disaster, EPA, Gov. John Baldacci, Gulf of Mexico, oil spill, optical spectroscopic techniques, Orono Spectral Solutions Inc., Packgen, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, UMaine, University of Maine
Mainers head south to Gulf as oil continues to flow | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram
Dine Out for the Gulf Coast
From June 10-12, 2010, participating restaurants throughout the United States will set aside a portion of profits to help those directly affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and to support the long-term restoration of the treasured coast.
Posted in Disaster, Economy, Energy, Environment, Food and Drink, Outdoors, Politics and government
Tagged BP, British Petroleum, Deepwarter Horizon, diners, Gulf Coast, Gulf of Mexico, oil spill, restaurant
Snowe praises Coast Guard’s preparations for spill in Maine | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram
Solution for Gulf of Mexico oil spill
We should plug the oil spill with BP executives. It might not actually stop the spill, but it sure would be some justice.
Posted in Disaster, Economy, Energy, Environment, Outdoors
Tagged BP, BP executives, British Petroleum, environmental disaster, Gulf of Mexico, oil spill
Maine oil booms on the way to help Gulf spill | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram
Posted in Disaster, Energy, Environment, Maine, Outdoors, Politics and government
Tagged BP, British Petroleum, cleanup, Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Maine Responder, Marine Spill Response Corp., oil spil, oil spill containment boom, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree
Maine monitoring gulf oil spill | Bangor Daily News
Posted in Economy, Energy, Environment, Maine, Politics and government
Tagged BP, British Petroleum, coastline, Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf Stream, Maine, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, marine resources, oil spill, U.S. Coast Guard, University of Maine School of Marine Sciences, wildlife
Mainers call for an end to offshore drilling | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram
Posted in Disaster, Economy, Energy, Environment, Maine, Outdoors
Tagged Aquaholics Surf Shop, BP America, British Petroleum, Casco Bay, Gulf of Mexico, Mainers, offshore oil drilling, oil spill, Sierra Club
Unveiling of climate bill will include offshore drilling clauses | SustainableBusiness.com News
The long-awaited climate change bill is due to be unveiled in the U.S. Senate today. But a summary of the bill circulated in the media yesterday.
The Associated Press reported that under the new bill, coastal states could veto offshore drilling plans of nearby states, if they can prove negative impacts from an accident.
This clause is undoubtedly part of last-minute changes made in response to the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf.
Click on the lick for the rest of this story on SustainableBusiness.com.
Posted in Economy, Energy, Environment, Outdoors, Politics and government
Tagged bill, BP, British Petroleum, climate change, drilling plans, Energy, Environment, government, Gulf of Mexico, legislation, offshore drilling, oil spill, politics, poll
Poll: Gulf spill influences public’s desire for clean energy legislation | SustainableBusiness.com News
Seven in ten Americans say clean energy legislation must be fast-tracked in the wake of the catastrophic Gulf oil spill, according to a new Natural Resources Defense Council poll.
In addition, two-thirds want all new offshore drilling delayed pending the outcome of a full and independent investigation into the disaster and the implementation of new safeguards to protect against such debacles in the future.
The survey queried 803 registered voters nationwide May 4-6, and suggests that the public – if not Congress–is ready to support reasonable climate change and energy legislation.
“It’s no surprise to me that Americans watching this ghastly disaster unfold are seeing it as a wake-up call for action we urgently need to take,” NRDC Director of Programs Wesley Warren said. “Now is the time for Washington to give America the change in direction it deserves.”
Click on the lick for the rest of this story on SustainableBusiness.com.
Letters From Away 