Senate approves solar plant siting amendments after debate over local approvals Senators approved second substitute House Bill 16 to tighten state review and require wildlife-impact consultation and reclamation provisions for certain solar plants; debate centered on whether new language would require local approvals for every new solar plant, with sponsors saying the language targets projects on farmland or wildlife habitat. The bill passed and returns to the House.

The Utah Senate has just passed a pivotal bill that could reshape how solar plants are approved, sparking fierce debate over local control versus environmental protection.

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#UT #WildlifeImpact #CitizenPortal #LocalDiscretion #RenewableEnergy

Martinsville staff outline storm response and substation failure that caused localized outages Public works and electric department briefed council on an extended winter storm response and an underground substation failure blamed on wildlife; material and labor costs were tallied and contingency steps outlined, and council praised crews for extended emergency work.

Martinsville's recent winter storm response revealed a costly battle against nature, with wildlife triggering an electrical outage that could take months to resolve.

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#MartinsvilleCity #VA #MartinsvillePublicWorks #WildlifeImpact #CitizenPortal #InfrastructureMaintenance

Reintroduced carnivores’ impacts on ecosystems are still coming into focus When the US Fish and Wildlife Service reintroduced 14 gray wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995, the animals were, in some ways, stepping into a new world. After humans hunted wolves to near-extinction...

Reintroduced carnivores’ impacts on ecosystems are still coming into focus #Technology #Other #Ecosystems #WildlifeImpact #Conservation

5/7 Assessment of the project's impact was woefully inadequate—merely a "desk-top review" of outdated databases and a few days of field work. "If you narrow the criteria for assessing impacts to the narrowest perspective... the results aren't surprising."
#EnvironmentalAssessment #WildlifeImpact

Anti-anxiety meds in waterways are affecting salmon instincts—making them swim faster, break from schools, and face predators. Dispose of meds properly! #EnvironmentalAwareness #WildlifeImpact #SalmonCrisis #WaterPollution #EcoFacts

8/9 Other affected mammals include a bobcat from Connecticut, skunks from Colorado and Kansas, a red fox from Pennsylvania, three black bears from New Jersey, a house mouse from Indiana, and a bottlenose dolphin from Florida.
#WildlifeImpact #MammalInfections

Changes in bats' diets can increase spread of viruses and spillover risk Cornell researcher Raina Plowright and her team observed that when bats in Australia lost access to their habitat and natural food sources, they sought food on agricultural lands. And when the animals' diets changed, they shed more virus, increasing the virus' spread to horses, as well as the risk to people.

Bats' habitat loss leads to viral spread: When bats lose their homes, they raid farms, spreading disease. 🦇🐴 #WildlifeImpact #VirusSpread

Source: phys.org/news/2025-03-diets-virus...

Feral cats kill more native animals than expected Feral cats are killing native animals in Australia. Scientists used DNA to confirm their impact. Even previous estimates were too low.

Feral cats kill more native animals than expected: Feral cats are killing native animals in Australia. Scientists used DNA to confirm their impact. Even previous estimates were too low.

#FeralCats #WildlifeImpact #BiodiversityLoss #Conservation #EcosystemBalance #EarthDotCom #EarthSnap #Earth

Birds are breathing in plastic - what does that mean for us? Researchers found microscopic plastic particles in bird lungs, raising concerns about air pollution and human health.

Birds are breathing in plastic – what does that mean for us?: Researchers found microscopic plastic particles in bird lungs, raising concerns about air pollution and human health.

#PlasticPollution #BirdConservation #EnvironmentalHealth #WildlifeImpact #Sustainability #EarthDotCom #EarthSnap #Earth

Animals secretly reshape landscapes in powerful ways Animals reshape landscapes by moving sediment, redirecting water, and altering ecosystems on a massive scale.

Animals secretly reshape landscapes in powerful ways: Animals reshape landscapes by moving sediment, redirecting water, and altering ecosystems on a massive scale.

#WildlifeImpact #EcosystemEngineering #NatureScience #Biodiversity #HabitatRestoration #EarthDotCom #EarthSnap #Earth

Warming climate making crocodiles hotter with unknown effect Crocodiles in northern Australia trying to keep cool as they experience increasingly stressful temperature extremes driven by climate change.

Warming climate is making crocs hotter, with unknown effects #Science #Biology #Ecology #ClimateChange #WildlifeImpact

Cats have become one of the world’s most invasive predators Beneath the charming exterior of a cat lies one of nature’s most efficient predators - stealthy, adaptable, and relentless.

Cats have become one of the world’s most invasive predators: Beneath the charming exterior of a cat lies one of nature’s most efficient predators - stealthy, adaptable, and relentless.

#InvasivePredators #FeralCats #WildlifeImpact #CatConservation #EcosystemBalance #EarthDotCom #EarthSnap #Earth

Over half of Australian species decline following 2019-20 megafires: report - Yes Punjab News Over half of Australia's animal and plant species experienced declines following the country's 2019-20 megafires, new research has found.

Over half of Australian species decline following 2019-20 megafires: report
yespunjab.com?p=60484

#AustraliaMegafires #BlackSummerBushfires #BiodiversityDecline #WildlifeImpact #AnimalSpeciesDecline #PlantSpeciesDecline