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GEOL 221 - Environmental Geology

GEOLOGY 221A ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY Spring 2003
Dr. McConnell Office Jepson 438 Office phone: 654-1423.
e-mail address: rmcconne@umw.edu.
Office hours: 9.15-10.00 MWF; 1.15-2.00 Tu, and by appointment.
Text: Our Geologic Environment, H. Blatt, 1997. Prentice Hall. Study of text is an integral part of the course and will be tested on all exams.

General schedule of topics

Week Topic

  • 1(15 Jan) Introduction. Objectives. Issues. Critical thinking and the process of analysis.
  • 2(20 Jan) Quantifying environmental issues; the atmosphere, energy, population, oil consumption and living standards; etc.
  • 3(27 Jan) Important environmental legislation. Geological hazards. Mass movement hazards: nature of events, deposits.
  • 4(3 Feb) Floods. Flood hazard mapping. Case studies of floods.
  • 5(10 Feb) Earthquakes and earthquake hazards. Case studies from the following: Alaska, 1963; Calif. 1971, 1989, 1995; New Madrid, Mo.1811-12; Kobe, Japan, 1995.
  • 6(17 Feb) Other geological hazards; volcanoes, hurricanes.
  • 7(24 Feb) Review. First test Wednesday. Water: world and domestic supplies, use, projections.
  • 8(3 Mar) Water, surface- and groundwater. The Everglades and other case studies.
  • 9(10 Mar) SPRING BREAK
  • 10(17 Mar) Environmental issues; energy and materials consumption.
  • 11(24 Mar Environmental issues: fossil fuels and transportation.
  • 12(31 Mar) Environmental issues: fossil fuels and electricity. California case study.
  • 13(7 Apr) Renewable resources. Environmental impact of population growth.
  • 14 (14 Apr) Review. Second test Wednesday. Mineral resources: aluminum.
  • 15(21 Apr) Waste. Environmental geology and global change.

Honor system followed on all work.
Reading assignments in text are those germane to daily topic. Ask for details.
Grade based on 2 exams + final: all count same (80%). Students with A average on tests are exempt from final. Class participation (20%).
Grades on 100-point scale. For mid-semester grade purposes, A,B,C = S.
An important component of this course has always been in-class consideration of "late-breaking" topics, such as volcanic eruptions, floods, national energy policy reports, research findings on environmental issues, etc. To that end, regular attendance is expected. Please do not take this class if your schedule or lifestyle will not permit regular attendance. Note that 20% of the grade is based on participation.
As part of the second test, you will prepare a two-to-three-page detailed summary of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, which should include EPA's latest regulations for addressing ozone and fine particulates. This is to be handed in at the beginning of the test.
Course details will be posted on the departmental home page. I do not use Blackboard.
Course objectives: fundamentals of environmental geology; an ability to use math and metrics to analyze environmental issues; an appreciation of the impact of human population growth on the global environment; an understanding of the nature of geological hazards, and the extent to which human activity affects them; a knowledge of the geology of energy sources and any economic subsidies that favor fossil fuels over renewables; a knowledge of basic hydrologic principles, the significance of water and the implications of global water use; an understanding of the nature and causes of air and water pollution, especially the impact of interjurisdictional movement of pollutants.