July in US was Hottest Ever in History Books - 8/8 KQED Science News Roundup

Ouch! July in US was hottest ever in history booksFederal scientists say July was the hottest month ever recorded in the contiguous United States. Climate scientist Jake Crouch of the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C., said the U.S. is getting a double whammy of both localized heat and drought along with effects of global warming.

BAAQMD Finds 23 'Potentially Toxic Pollutants' in Air Around Chevron Fire, Says 'Well Under Exposure Levels' | KQED News FixStatement from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District on air quality samples the agency took around the Richmond fire: The Air District had inspectors at the scene of the August 6 Chevron fire, collecting air quality samples from the surrounding area. These were sent to the Air District's lab at 6 a.m.

Report recommends changes at California salmon hatcheries - The Sacramento BeeMost of the salmon caught in California come from hatcheries in the Sacramento Valley, yet it turns out we don't know much about these fish even though we breed them by hand. A new study released Tuesday says the state needs to do a lot more to improve its salmon and steelhead hatcheries, and recommends difficult steps that could upset a lot of anglers.

Politicians struggle to limit genetically altered fishThe latest move by politicians to limit or ban the sale of genetically modified fish has been stymied. A U.S. Senate bill, which would have prohibited the sale of genetically engineered salmon unless the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration could find the fish would cause no significant environmental harm, was withdrawn from the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee late last week.

Marin breast cancer linked to vitamin D?A small pilot study of Marin County women determined through testing to be at high risk for breast cancer found them to be almost twice as likely to have a variant of a vitamin D receptor as the overall population of 338 in the study.

Small refinery leak leads to big disasterMonday's fire at the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond began with a hydrocarbon leak so small that the facility's emergency response team at first thought it posed little threat to the community, a company representative said Tuesday. [...]

Bay Bridge safety concerns trigger local scrutiny and Senate hearing - ContraCostaTimes.comMetropolitan Transportation Commission calls foundation on new eastern span of the Bay Bridge safe, saying design and testing redundancies negate any impacts of a rogue state inspector

Mountain lion hunter may be removed as president of California Fish and Game Commission - San Jose Mercury NewsThe Fish and Game Commission will vote Wednesday to remove Dan Richards, a big game hunter and outspoken conservative, as president of the commission, following his killing of a mountain lion in Idaho