Troy, NY, Feb 01, 2013 — Seesawing temperatures, melting snow and rain, heavy winds...and that's just the latest few days of weather extremes. New research may help explain why patterns are changing. It suggests that even if you live thousands of miles away from a major city, it could still be playing a role in your local weather.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jan 04, 2013 — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he intends to include recommendations from a disaster preparedness commission in his State of the State address next week.

Cuomo says he has both short-term and long-term preparedness in mind.  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, Sep 19, 2012 — If you're fishing for salmon or lake trout in Lake Champlain, you might end up with a fish you didn't bargain for. Sea lamprey are parasitic fish that look like eels. They latch on to larger fish and slowly drain out their body fluids.

Lamprey can decimate entire fish populations, so every four years the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with help from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and New York's DEC, treats Lake Champlain tributaries with pesticides to control lamprey populations. This year's first treatment took place last week in the Saranac River delta in Plattsburgh.  Go to full article

Middlesex, VT, Aug 27, 2012 — Tropical Storm Irene devastated mountain villages across the Northeast a year ago. Vermont was particularly hard hit. Major flooding downed bridges, tore houses off their foundations, washed out roads, and even left some towns inaccessible. The state's been hard at work rebuilding since.  Go to full article

Grand Isle, VT, Aug 09, 2012 — Every few years the Lake Champlain Basin Program publishes a "state of the lake" report, detailing environmental quality in Lake Champlain. This year's report came out last week.

It says that while the overall health of the main lake is good, certain areas, like the Northeast arm and Missisquoi Bay, have higher levels of phosphorus pollution and algae blooms. Sarah Harris spoke with Bill Howland, director of the Basin Program, about the report.  Go to full article

Upper Jay, NY, May 09, 2012 — Nearly 40 people gathered at Paul Johnson's home in Upper Jay on Saturday to draw attention to the ways climate change has affected peoples' lives.

The event, called Connect the Dots, was part of Climate Impacts Day, which featured hundreds of similar gatherings worldwide. It was organized by local members of the international climate action organization 350.org, started by former Adirondack writer Bill McKibben. Chris Morris was there and has this report.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Mar 20, 2012 — Physics professor Aileen O'Donoghue's visit to NCPR studios this morning was a two-fer. O'Donoghue teaches astronomy and climate at St. Lawrence University. So this morning, before talking about where the planets are in the night sky, and how the lovely new moon will rise this week, she explained how the scant snow this winter is contributing to the current hot spell.
She talked with Martha Foley.  Go to full article

Ottawa, ON, Mar 06, 2012 — North Country congressman Bill Owens is praising a Canadian company for its plan to move forward with construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Owens' backing for the controversial pipeline comes at a time when New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is also pushing a plan to import more hydro-electric power from Quebec.

Canada is already the biggest foreign supplier of energy to the US. And across the political spectrum, American leaders see Canada as a safer alternative to energy suppliers in the Middle East and Central America.

But there are growing questions about the environmental costs to Canada's energy boom and the debate is causing some Canadians to rethink their country's image as one of the world's most environmentally friendly societies. Brian Mann has our story.  Go to full article

Ottawa, ON, Feb 20, 2012 — For decades, Canada has enjoyed a reputation as one of the greenest, most environmentally progressive societies in the world. But that image has been rattled recently by debates over Canadian oil development and plans to build the massive Keystone XL oil pipeline to the US. Last year, Canada withdrew from the Kyoto climate treaty, sparking anger from environmental groups.

Brian Mann sat down last week to talk with Elizabeth May, former head of Canada's Sierra Club and now the leader of her country's Green Party. May says Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper has led Canada down a dangerous path when it comes to the energy and environment. But she also says Canada's image as a green leader has been unraveling for decades.  Go to full article

Burlington, VT, Feb 03, 2012 — Thursday was Groundhog day, and Punxsutawney Phil tells us there'll be six more weeks of winter.

But for the North Country, winter doesn't really seem to have started yet: rain instead of snow, temperatures that have often been unseasonably warm, and a real lack of snow.

Nora Flaherty put in a call to the National Weather Service. Meteorologist Brooke Taber says there a few things going on. First, the polar jet stream is farther north than usual, and so far this winter, the North Country has been on the warmer side of the air flow.  Go to full article