Author: Sarah Vande Brake

This summer was a particularly severe season for ticks and tick-borne diseases in many parts of the Northeastern United States. According to an article in The New York Times, high tick levels this year can be traced back to bumper crops of acorns in 2015.

Many people associate the spread of ticks with deer, but mice are the primary culprits according to Richard Ostfeld, who has studied mouse population ecology for 25 years. Ostfeld went on to say that plentiful crops of acorns allow mice to survive the winter and reach “plague levels,” providing opportunities for infection to spread. In addition, Ostfeld said the lack of natural mouse predators such as foxes may be influencing the increase in tick levels, a trend which has been noted since 2001. While this season’s spike is unusual, rising tick levels will likely remain a problem in the future.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease. “Reported cases of Lyme have tripled in the past few decades,” said epidemiologist Kirsten Kugeler at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). She continued, “Today, we think that the true burden of Lyme disease in the U.S. is about 300,000 cases each year.” Typical symptoms of Lyme disease are fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans, according to the CDC. If Lyme disease is caught early, it can be treated with antibiotics to prevent development of more severe symptoms.

According to a press release by the New York State Department of Health, however, Lyme disease is not the only tick-borne infection being spread this season. The state increased surveillance efforts this August after confirmation of 3 cases of Powassan virus in Saratoga County. Powassan virus is a rare infection that can cause encephalitis, permanent neurological damage, and even death. Powassan virus can be transmitted from a tick to its host in 10-15 minutes, while Lyme disease takes around 36 hours to be transmitted, according to TIME.

Risk for tick-borne diseases is rising, and experts emphasize preventative measures such as regular tick checks, repellent spray, and avoidance of wooded areas. However, an article for The New York Times points out that there is currently no vaccine to prevent the most common tick-borne infection, Lyme disease.

In 1998, a vaccine that was 80% effective against Lyme after three doses was developed and put on the market. The marketing campaign for this vaccine failed because of several factors, as an article for The New York Times reports. Instead of focusing on marketing the vaccine to physicians who could recommend the vaccine to their patients, the manufacturer marketed the vaccine directly to the public. This tactic was unsuccessful, as people are unlikely to push to be vaccinated when their physician is unaware of a vaccine’s existence.

The most significant blow to the success of the Lyme disease vaccine came when volunteer study participants reported developing arthritis after receiving the vaccine. Although rates of arthritis did not differ significantly between the control and experimental groups, sales plummeted, and in 2002 the Lyme disease vaccine was pulled from the market. At this time, there is no vaccine available to help prevent Lyme disease in humans, though dogs can be vaccinated. Experimental vaccines for Lyme disease have been studied since 2002, but manufacturers have remained uncertain after the failure of the first vaccine.  

For those who regularly spend time outside in areas where Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases are present, the best advice is vigilance. Daily tick checks should be routine. If a tick bite occurs, remove it properly and seek medical help if the tick may have been attached for 24-36 hours. Ultimately, don’t panic, but be aware of potential risks.

In late August, Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas as a Category 4 storm. Harvey dropped record amounts of rain in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana, triggering devastating flooding and causing an estimated $180 billion in damage, as reported by NPR. In the wake of the disaster, TIME also confirmed at least 70 Texans have died from Harvey-related causes.

As areas hit by Harvey begin the slow process of rebuilding homes and infrastructure, one of the most powerful storms on record, Hurricane Irma, is barreling through the Caribbean and Florida. Analysts from the U.S. Global Change Research Program have partially attributed this unusually active hurricane season to climate change, and while climate scientists are often able to link extreme weather events to human activity, hurricanes are more complex.

In an article for The New York Times, seasonal hurricane forecaster Gerry Bell said that his team had forecast that this hurricane season would be “above normal,” with 14-19 named storms and 2-5 major hurricanes. Naturally occurring climate pattern, such as the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation, also influence hurricane formation, Bell said. However, Bell did attribute some of the activity to warming temperatures, which allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture to fuel storms, as well as rising sea levels, which can increase the damage caused by storm surges.

To cope with increased need for federal aid after Harvey and Irma, Congress approved a disaster relief bill for $15.25 billion last week. This action assuaged concerns that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would be unable to handle the financial pressure of two major hurricanes as well as wildfires in the western U.S. According to NPR, this relief bill is likely “the first drop in the bucket,” as Harvey is expected to be one of the costliest hurricanes in history. The New York Times reported that the majority of homes in Harvey’s path were not insured against flooding, and FEMA officials estimate that 450,000 people will seek federal assistance.

The scale of the damage has prompted experts to wonder about federal ability to respond to natural disasters. In an NPR article, Gary Webb, professor of emergency management at University of North Texas, said that Irma’s following on the heels of Harvey “tests our capacity to respond at the federal level. Instead of talking about a disaster,” he said, “we may be talking about a catastrophe.”

Federal response to the situation is supplemented by the efforts of people like Houstonian Jim McIngvale, better known as “Mattress Mack.” The owner of several Gallery Furniture stores, McIngvale opened some of his stores to be used as shelters for those whose homes were uninhabitable. MgIngvale welcomed anyone in need to sleep on the new mattresses in his stores, and over 400 people responded. According to TIME, McIngvale spoke of the “incredible outpouring of support” of volunteers and citizens willing to donate items such as baby formula to the flood victims sheltered in his stores. In the aftermath of Harvey, the volunteer effort has encouraged those who lost homes and strengthened resolve, which will be needed: McIngvale said that “the flooding is over and the hard part has just begun.”

National Fuel has proposed the construction of the Northern Access Pipeline to transport hydro-fracked natural gas from Pennsylvania to the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, according to the National Fuel website. Maps provided on the website outline the proposed path of nearly 100 miles of new pipeline infrastructure, beginning in McKean County in Pennsylvania, crossing the edge of Allegany County in New York, and continuing up through Cattaraugus, Erie, and Niagara Counties. The project will also include constructing accessory structures such as gas compressors and dehydration facilities.

Last month, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved construction of the $455 million pipeline project, according to a statement released by National Fuel. The Niagara Gazette reported the pipeline is expected to have a minimal impact on the environment and nearby landowners due to the fact that many sections of the new pipeline will be co-located with existing infrastructure. It is also expected to meet “a new demand,” according to FERC. A statement by National Fuel also anticipated the project will have an economic impact of $930 million, with $735 of that taking place in New York.

However, Time Warner Cable News reported many residents and environmental activists in the affected regions are concerned about the proposed pipeline. The Sierra Club Niagara Group’s website raises concerns about land devaluation and water contamination in the Southern Tier. “The pipeline will trench through or bore under 180 streams, 270 wetlands and 7 ponds,” according to the Sierra Club’s website. The website suggests the stated economic impact does not take into consideration devaluation of property, especially farmland.

The proposed pipeline will cross the Cattaraugus Creek Basin Aquifer for a distance of approximately 13 miles. The Sierra Club noted,  “This is an EPA designated sole source aquifer, meaning it can more readily be impacted by surface pollution, that supplies public water to over 20,000 residents.” While FERC has stated  “environmental impacts were taken into consideration and incorporated into the design of the Northern Access Pipeline,” an EPA report published in 1987 warned “The residents of communities within the area defined by the Cattaraugus Creek Basin Aquifer are entirely dependent upon groundwater for their drinking water supply. If substantial contamination were to occur, it would create a significant hazard to public health.” The Buffalo News commentedthe environmental impact statement released by FERC last July did not suggest safeguards against contamination of the sole source aquifer, but rather suggestedthe majority of construction does not pose a threat due to the localized, shallow nature of the planned excavations.

According to the Niagara News Source, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) held a public hearing in February regarding the pipeline. Representatives for National Fuel, residents, and environmental activists were present. At this hearing, proponents of the project cited regional economic benefits while opponents called to extend the public comment period to discuss health risks as well as evaluate whether this project will hinder New York State’s renewable energy goals.