EC September 2009

ec@lists.wvsierraclub.org

9 participants
29 discussions

Fwd: Bruce Nilles' blog post: "MTR Permits Violate Clean Water Act"
by James Kotcon 13 Sep '09

13 Sep '09

WOW!!! EPA said Friday that everyone of 79 pending MTR permits will violate water quality standards. We need to comment on this to press. Letters to the editor anyone? Is the Manchin Administration "soft on crime"? JBK >>> Heather Moyer <Heather.Moyer(a)SIERRACLUB.ORG> 9/11/2009 12:10 PM >>> Howdy folks-- Bruce Nilles' latest blog post (co-written by Mary Anne Hitt) is now available. It's entitled "EPA: All Pending MTR Permits Violate Clean Water Act." Please … [View More]

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Fwd: Coal Front Group Loses Another Member
by James Kotcon 10 Sep '09

10 Sep '09

>>> Virginia Cramer <virginia.cramer(a)SIERRACLUB.ORG> 9/9/2009 3:36 PM >>> FYI, went out to reporters earlier today. Here's a link to the Greenwire story on it that is posted on the NYT right now. <http://tiny.cc/85opM> http://tiny.cc/85opM - ginny View a web <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=lN6b5fWn0aGKzE56VbO5Zw..> version of this email. <http://www.sierraclub.org/raw/images/blackpixel.gif> <http://www.sierraclub.org/raw/… [View More]

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Informed discussion of competing interests of gas v coal in cap & trade legislation
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 07 Sep '09

07 Sep '09

-- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel: 304-342-5588 Fax: 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com This electronic mail is intended to be received and read only by certain individuals. It may contain information that is privileged or protected from disclosure by law. If it has been misdirected, or if you suspect you received this in error, please notify me by replying and then delete this message and your reply. These … [View More]

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Fwd: New Bills/Laws & Resources -- 9-24
by James Kotcon 06 Sep '09

06 Sep '09

You might find some of this useful. JBK >>> Paula Carrell <Paula.Carrell(a)sierraclub.org> 9/3/2009 7:50 PM >>> --------------------------- cc:Mail Users----------------------------- ** Remember to DELETE the 'Sender: ...' lines above before REPLYing ** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS 1. Learn about the "Smart Grid" 2. N. Carolina debates Wind on mountain ridges 3. Recycling Compact Fluorescent Bulbs -- Maine 1. Is it … [View More]smarter than a 5th grader? Ivy Main, a volunteer leader in Virginia, unearthed the below-noted reports. Completely TMI, but still you might share them with your Energy Committee and encourage them to poke around a bit for some basic education. The states' role is ensuring that *renewable* energy can get on the grid through strong state interconnection standards. Both the Department Of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued reports this summer on the nation's energy grid. The DOE report is "Smart Grid System Report," at http://www.oe.energy.gov/DocumentsandMedia/SGSRMain_090707_lowres.pdf contains a good discussion of the status of the smart grid. It also explains the relevance of interconnection standards to the smart grid and describes the overlapping federal/state jurisdiction in this area, making it clear that a lot of states are lagging on adopting acceptable interconnection standards. (See the section starting on page 20.) The FERC document, at http://www.ferc.gov/whats-new/comm-meet/2009/071609/E-3.pdf announces a policy to promote and set standards for transmission system upgrades. FERC claims it has authority to set standards for transmission, but it is apparently not saying these are mandatory. 3. The wind blows where it chooses . . . The North Carolina State Legislature spent some time this past session talking about wind as well as contributing to it. The legislation before them was S 1068, which can be found at http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S1068v3.pdf Molly Diggins says about the bill, "North Carolina's greatest wind resources are off-shore, but there are also commercially viable resources in the mountains and on the coast (sounds). The state currently has no commercial wind and also lacks and environmental permitting process. The bill before the legislature is well-thought out and well-crafted. It is written in two sections--wind on the coast and wind in the mountains. Other Atlantic coastal states may want to review the bill thoughtfully. And here's the view of the "Charlotte Observer" Editorial Board from Aug. 08, 2009: Senate right to block ridgetop wind farms Should North Carolina allow huge wind turbines on its mountain ridges to help meet future energy needs? We don't think so. But it also ought not short-circuit the potential for wind power projects in other mountain areas that may not spoil the views millions of Americans revere. We start with this proposition: One of the wisest things the legislature did in the 1980s is to adopt the mountain ridge law. It bans certain development on ridgetops in Western North Carolina to prevent the spoilage of the state's magnificent vistas. Among the things prohibited are tall condo projects and other structures that alter the viewscape. It's a good law. But controversy has risen over whether its provisions halt development of large wind turbine farms that, under a new sustainable energy law lawmakers adopted a few years ago, would help provide alternative power sources. The goal is to produce 12.5 percent of the state's energy requirements by 2021 with renewable sources such as solar and wind. To meet that goal, many environmentalists argue, the state must use available resources, including the Western N.C. winds that blow most steadily along ridgetops. We don't believe mountaintops are an appropriate place to put wind farms, collections of dozens of wind turbines that can tower up to four hundred feet high, measured from their base to the tips of their rotors. We believe the best spot is along parts of North Carolina's windswept coastline, either offshore or in its more protected sounds. In many of those areas, wind farms could be constructed that do not substantially mar the view and which could take advantage of more reliable winds than many mountain areas. We think Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, D-Dare, has this one right: The coast would be ideal for concentrations of wind farms that could produce significant amounts of electricity. He has talked with Duke Energy about such a possibility in our offshore areas, he says. That's why we like several things about a bill the Senate passed 45-1 Thursday. It sets up a careful process for assessing and issuing permits for coastal area wind farms. And it reasserts the value of the mountain ridgetop law by banning commercial windmill operations. It does allow smaller windmills for residential use. But we'd like to see legislators find a way to encourage the development of emerging wind turbine technology that might be appropriate for some Western N.C. slopes. That includes devices that use much less intrusive turbines than the three-rotor turbines found on many Western United States and European wind farms, for example. There may not be time left in the current legislative session for the House to make suitable revisions to the Senate bill that would allow research and development of mountain wind projects to go forward. But legislators should put their minds to finding a way, before they reconvene next year, to develop appropriate wind energy projects in Western N.C. that do not threaten the very landscape that North Carolinians hold so dear. 3. The Brightest Bulb Maine's LD 973 provides a free and easy way for consumers to recycle compact fluorescent bulbs and sets a standard for the amount of mercury that can be contained in them. Bill text: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_124th/chappdfs/PUBLIC272.… ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To get off this list, send email to: LISTSERV(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Make the message text (not the Subject): SIGNOFF CONS-FRED [View Less]

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Re: [EC] {GT} Some Buildings Not Living Up to Green Label
by Chris Haddox 03 Sep '09

03 Sep '09

thanks, jim. i saw this, or another similar article, recently. i agree that the focus on energy is not strong enough. i can dig up some other articles that strive to show leed buildings are not always performing as expected. some are, some do better, some do worse. unfortunately, our states' first leed building, the dep building, has no benchmarking or tracking of energy costs (at least that is the word from a very knowledgeable inside source). when i asked rep. martin to get the dep's … [View More]

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Some Buildings Not Living Up to Green Label
by James Kotcon 03 Sep '09

03 Sep '09

This article suggests, among other things, that on-going energy monitoring and management are critical to meeting the environemtnal goals of LLED-certified buildings. Enjoy. JBK SCIENCE / ENVIRONMENT | August 31, 2009 Some Buildings Not Living Up to Green Label By MIREYA NAVARRO Builders covet a green certification, but many buildings do not save as much energy as their designs predicted. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/31/science/earth/31leed.html?emc=eta1 ----------------------------… [View More]

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new wind farm proposed for southern WV
by Frank Young 02 Sep '09

02 Sep '09

Blank This would be in southeastern Raleigh County- closer to Hinton than to Beckley.- Frank --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- County plans hearing on Pluto wind farm proposal. A property owner in Pluto is preparing to make his case this month for the advent of a wind farm, installing as many as 18 turbines to generate electricity as an example of clean, renewable energy in Appalachia. Earl Long will get the floor Sept. 15, the next meeting of … [View More]

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PATH letter Washington Times
by Grubb, Karen 01 Sep '09

01 Sep '09

Mike Costello <http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=25817887&ref=nf> I might not always be the biggest fan of the Washington Times, but congrats to my mom, Nancy Williams, for getting published in the Citizen Journalism section. Check out her article about the destructive PATH powerline. <http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=144448957256&h=ljsg6&u=GqBVV& ref=nf> <http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=144448957256&h=ljsg6&u=GqBVV& ref=… [View More]

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Green Party speaks up against Verizon support of MTR rally
by Frank Young 01 Sep '09

01 Sep '09

Here is one more reason why I am proud to be a Green Party / WV Mountain Party member. Frank Young Subject: Is it True? From: Brent McMillan Date: 9/1/2009, 11:53 AM To: Dennis.Strigl(a)verizonwireless.com Is it true that Verizon Wireless is co-sponsoring a pro-mountaintop removal rally on a strip mine site on labor day in West Virginia? Please take note: We are one of your customers and we most certainly do not approve! Global Warming is real and is happening now! Perhaps you should … [View More]

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EC September 2009