December 2011 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Re: [Utah-astronomy] Alton Mine Update
by Canopus56 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

Guys, My apologies for the double post. I had an internet outage in the middle of the first post, and I thought that the first post had not gone through. - Canopus56

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Alton Mine Update
by Canopus56 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

Joe wrote: > For special places like Bryce, preservation should have high priority. I vote to keep the dark skies and all the other advantages of the national park and to protect BLM land where its natural values are high. -- Joe Joe, A key failure of the BLM's Alton Mine analysis, IMHO, is failure of BLM to perform programmatic environmental analysis for dark sky preservation. In the Alton Mine DEIS, the BLM summarizes its NEPA programmatic analysis and regulatory implementation as ``There are no legal or regulatory requirements with respect to skyglow'' (DEIS at 4-6, 4-7, quoted below). In other words, the DEIS does not consider dark skies a priority because the BLM has never looked at the dark sky aesthetic value on a programmatic level for its substantial Intermountain state's in-holdings. In the absence of programmatic analysis and guidance, the local BLM office suggests some site specific dark sky mitigation efforts (DEIS at 4-7). Those mitigation effects are based on naked-eye aesthetic impacts. The Dark Sky Associates technical report does not analyze, nor does the BLM report address the reduction in telescopic limiting magnitudes. Programmatic analysis NEPA analysis means that a federal agency looks at the regional and national impacts of a policy. Programmatic analysis should guide site specific analysis. An example of programmatic analysis is the development of regional wind power on BLM lands. Any one wind development site may not have adverse environmental impacts, but if the BLM massively expands wind power at many sites, what unanticipated impact might it have on bird migration. What mix of wind, solar and coal development would best advance the nation's needs for a sustainable future? Those are the types of questions that programmatic analysis considers. Recently, the BLM did a Wind PEIS, a West-Energy Corridor PEIS, and, I believe, is revising its 2008 Tar Sands Oil Shale PEIS. Taken collectively, I wonder if any or all of these PEISs consider their individual or cumulative dark sky environmental impact. Looking at any dark sky map of the United States (e.g. http://www.astronomyforum.net/astronomy-locations/usa/ or http://www.darksky.org/ ). It is apparent that the BLM controls the last vestiges of this dwindling aesthetic resource. IMHO, the whole Alton Mine field concept should be put on hold until the BLM does a programmatic EIS for dark skies. Then the agency will be in a position to wisely rule on the Alton Mine proposal. Until then, the BLM is, pun intended, just fumbling around in the dark. However, my view on such matters is similar to the rejected SUWA position rejected in _ Norton v. SUWA_, U.S. Supreme Ct (2004). In that controversy, SUWA sued the local BLM for failing to adequately regulate the use of or plan to regulate the use of ORVs in wilderness study areas. SUWA's claims were rejected by the Supreme Court since the regional BLM plan did discuss ORV use. Clear Skies - Canopus56 =================== Begin Quote =================== The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 requires that the BLM periodically prepare and update its land-use plans. In that process, the agency establishes objectives for management of visual resources, or landscape protection and change. The public lands in the tract are managed under VRM Class IV objectives. The objective of Class IV is to provide for management activities that require major modifications to the existing character of the landscape. These activities may dominate the view and may be the major focus of the viewer‘s attention. There are no legal or regulatory requirements with respect to skyglow. The KFO RMP does not prescribe any specific surface stipulations for management and protection of aesthetic resources in the tract. However, based on the analysis, the successful bidder would be required to employ skyglow minimization measures for nighttime mining operations. These would consist of: - utilizing 250-watt metal halide lamps producing 25,000 lumens each, contained in fully shielded fixtures for fixed-position light poles (or equipment and measures that would further minimize skyglow as a result of these lights); and - utilizing 1,000-watt metal halide lamps producing 110,000 lumens each and typically aimed at 30 degrees below the horizon, though at times (less than 10% of the time) directed straight sideways toward the horizon (or equipment and measures that would further minimize skyglow as a result of these lights). =================== End Quote =================== Alton Mine DEIS at 4-6 and 4-7. P.S. - For almost four decades, U.S. citizens, through their elected representatives, enacted and preserved NEPA to assure that our valuable common federal resources are managed efficiently and wisely. NEPA, in part, has successfully resisting attempts to gut or repeal it, in part, because of the ``silent majority's'' knowledge that our federal resources need to be professional administered for maximum long-term yield and need to be protected from local pressures to develop our resources for short-visioned and short-term greed. It is not a question of what local Utah citizens' feel is the prevailing political will. It is a question of what is best for the nation's interests from a professional planning and administration viewpoint. It's about the rule of law, and it is not about the will of the local political majority.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Alton Mine Update
by Canopus56 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

Joe wrote: > For special places like Bryce, preservation should have high priority. I vote to keep the dark skies and all the other advantages of the national park and to protect BLM land where its natural values are high. -- Joe Joe, A key failure of the BLM's Alton Mine analysis, IMHO, is failure of BLM to perform programmatic environmental analysis for dark sky preservation. In the Alton Mine DEIS, the BLM summarizes its NEPA programmatic analysis and regulatory implementation as ``There are no legal or regulatory requirements with respect to skyglow'' (DEIS at 4-6, 4-7, quoted below). In other words, the DEIS does not consider dark skies a priority because the BLM has never looked at the dark sky aesthetic value on a programmatic level for its substantial Intermountain state's in-holdings. In the absence of programmatic analysis and guidance, the local BLM office suggests some site specific dark sky mitigation efforts (DEIS at 4-7). Those mitigation effects are based on naked-eye aesthetic impacts. The Dark Sky Associates technical report does not analyze, nor does the BLM report address the reduction in telescopic limiting magnitudes. Programmatic analysis NEPA analysis means that a federal agency looks at the regional and national impacts of a policy. Programmatic analysis guides site specific analysis. An example of programmatic analysis is the development of regional wind power on BLM lands. Any one wind development site may not have adverse environmental impacts, but if the BLM massively expands wind power at many sites, what unanticipated impact might it have on bird migration. What mix of wind, solar and coal development would best advance the nation's needs for a sustainable future? Those are the types of questions that programmatic analysis considers. Recently, the BLM did a Wind PEIS, a West-Energy Corridor PEIS, and, I believe, is revising its 2008 Tar Sands Oil Shale PEIS. Taken collectively, I wonder if any or all of these PEISs consider their individual or cumulative dark sky environmental impact. Looking at any dark sky map of the United States (e.g. http://www.astronomyforum.net/astronomy-locations/usa/ or http://www.darksky.org/ ). It's apparent that the BLM controls the last vestiges of this dwindling aesthetic resource. IMHO, the whole Alton Mine field concept should be put on hold until the BLM does a programmatic EIS for dark skies. Then the agency will be in a position to wisely rule on the Alton Mine proposal. Until then, the BLM is, pun intended, just fumbling around in the dark. However, my view is similar to the rejected SUWA position rejected in _ Norton v. SUWA_, U.S. Supreme Ct (2004). In that controversy, SUWA sued the local BLM for failing to adequately regulate the use of or plan to regulate the use of ORVs in wilderness study areas. SUWA's claims were rejected by the Supreme Court since the regional BLM plan did discuss ORV use. Clear Skies - Canopus56 =================== Begin Quote =================== The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 requires that the BLM periodically prepare and update its land-use plans. In that process, the agency establishes objectives for management of visual resources, or landscape protection and change. The public lands in the tract are managed under VRM Class IV objectives. The objective of Class IV is to provide for management activities that require major modifications to the existing character of the landscape. These activities may dominate the view and may be the major focus of the viewer‘s attention. There are no legal or regulatory requirements with respect to skyglow. The KFO RMP does not prescribe any specific surface stipulations for management and protection of aesthetic resources in the tract. However, based on the analysis, the successful bidder would be required to employ skyglow minimization measures for nighttime mining operations. These would consist of: - utilizing 250-watt metal halide lamps producing 25,000 lumens each, contained in fully shielded fixtures for fixed-position light poles (or equipment and measures that would further minimize skyglow as a result of these lights); and - utilizing 1,000-watt metal halide lamps producing 110,000 lumens each and typically aimed at 30 degrees below the horizon, though at times (less than 10% of the time) directed straight sideways toward the horizon (or equipment and measures that would further minimize skyglow as a result of these lights). =================== End Quote =================== Alton Mine DEIS at 4-6 and 4-7. P.S. - For almost four decades, U.S. citizens, through their elected representatives, enacted and preserved NEPA to assure that our valuable common federal resources are managed efficiently and wisely. NEPA, in part, has successfully resisting attempts to gut or repeal it, in part, because of the ``silent majority's'' knowledge that our federal resources need to be professional administered for maximum long-term yield and need to be protected from local pressures to develop our resources for short-visioned and short-term greed. It is not a question of what local Utah citizens' feel is the prevailing political will. It is a question of what is best for the nation's interests from a professional planning and administration viewpoint.

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Alton Mine & Clear Views at NP's
by D P Pierce 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

We spent a total of 10 weeks at te Grand Canyon over a 10 year period. there were many days you couldn't get a clear picture of the canyon because of air pollution that had migrated from LA. Only after a good rain was the air really clear. Deloy Pierce

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Eclipse next Saturday morning
by Chrismo 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

So the weather report for next weekend looks good so far. Who's got a suggestion for best viewing location for low western horizon?

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Comics
by D P Pierce 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

http://www.gocomics.com/brevity/?ref=comics http://www.gocomics.com/brevity/?ref=comics http://www.gocomics.com/lacucaracha enjoy Deloy Pierce

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Next ATM session reminder
by Hutchings, Mat (H USA) 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

Just a reminder that the next ATM session is on Dec. 10th from 9:00 AM to noonish. As usual,email me off list at mat.hutchings(a)siemens.com <mailto:mat.hutchings@siemens.com> and I will give you directions to my house. My garage faces north and so never gets sun in the winter. This means that it is cold now in the garage, so dress accordingly. Mat ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This message and any included attachments are from Siemens Medical Solutions and are intended only for the addressee(s). The information contained herein may include trade secrets or privileged or otherwise confidential information. Unauthorized review, forwarding, printing, copying, distributing, or using such information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you received this message in error, or have reason to believe you are not authorized to receive it, please promptly delete this message and notify the sender by e-mail with a copy to Central.SecurityOffice.Healthcare(a)siemens.com Thank you

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The Utah astro observing list
by Hutchings, Mat (H USA) 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

The "UA deep sky list" has ~ 75 objects on it at the present. If anyone else has any more objects they would like to add, please do so within a few days. I intend the post the list within a week. Keep looking up, Mat ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This message and any included attachments are from Siemens Medical Solutions and are intended only for the addressee(s). The information contained herein may include trade secrets or privileged or otherwise confidential information. Unauthorized review, forwarding, printing, copying, distributing, or using such information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you received this message in error, or have reason to believe you are not authorized to receive it, please promptly delete this message and notify the sender by e-mail with a copy to Central.SecurityOffice.Healthcare(a)siemens.com Thank you

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Dark Skys and Don Hggins
by D P Pierce 04 Dec '11

04 Dec '11

Watching the discussion about the Alton mine and darks skies reminded me of a presentation former SLASer Don Higgins gave at an astronomy conference near Cheyenne years ago. He had moved to SE Arizona but Karen and I kept bumping into him as he traveled the west doing work for the IDA. We arrived on the 2nd day of the conference. As we walked in we were greeted by whomerver was in charge and told a dstinguised guest from the IDA would give a presentation in a half hour. We looked across the room and saw Don setting up. We went up to him and immediately started to harass him. The person in charge was horrified! What I remember from Don's presentation was a series of overhead projections showing NASA's North America At Night pictures in 10 year intervals. It was horrifying to see the amount of dark space shrink by about 50% every decade! Don died in 2004. I did an internet search for "Don Higgins astronomer" and came up with this obituary. There were other articles also. http://www.willcoxrangenews.com/articles/2004/05/19/news/news6.txt Deloy Pierce

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OT: Patrick's donation to the Humane Society
by Canopus56 03 Dec '11

03 Dec '11

With respect to Patrick's donation to the Humane Society earlier this year, yesterday I was at the Humane Society helping a low-income friend to obtain shots and a RFID chip for a companion animal. The waiting room had a plasma TV that was running a Humane Society promo tape. There was a five minute segment that featured Patrick's donation with a photo memorial to his ex-wife. Thanks again Patrick for making such a large donation to the community. Regards, Kurt

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