December 2022 - News - lists.frackcheckwv.net

Lanzarote Declaration, MICRO 2022 ~ UNITED NATIONS Treaty on Plastic Pollution
by Frack Check WV: admin 31 Dec '22

31 Dec '22

# [Lanzarote Declaration, MICRO 2022 ~ UNITED NATIONS Treaty on Plastic Pollution](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/31/lanzarote-declaration- micro-2022-united-nations-treaty-on-plastic-pollution/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/12/470999FE-F077-431F-8024-9D55AA66100D-300x204.png)](… content/uploads/2022/12/470999FE-F077-431F-8024-9D55AA66100D.png) Intense study and planning underway for UN treaty on plastic pollution **Welcome to MICRO 2022** >>> [Organized & Presented by UNESCO](https://micro2022.sciencesconf.org/), November 18, 2022 **We are deeply thankful to All MICRO 2022 Speakers, Chairpersons and All Participants, for the intense week we spent, rooted in an Open Science context, Under the Patronage of the the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, sharing the evolving research on plastic pollution from macro to nano, with a core focus on microplastics.** You can find the [Full Programme HERE.](https://www.micro.infini.fr/prog.html) This year, 40 Local Nodes hosted the Chairpersons facilitating an intense week of 500 online presentations, and Friday Nov. 18th’s collective effort to synthesize these intense days into the [Lanzarote Declaration, MICRO 2022 for the UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution.](https://zenodo.org/record/7359316) **Focusing on what We, the MICRO community, think is important for the UN Plastics Treaty, and where We want the research to go from here, this is Our collective effort for the UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution.** Nice to see the [2022 Lanzarote Declaration](https://zenodo.org/record/7359316) begin to circulate, while we start preparing the way towards the in-person **MICRO 2024 : Human edition**. _Very best wishes from Lanzarote, >>> MICRO 2022 Scientific and Organizing Committee_. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/31/lanzarote-declaration- micro-2022-united-nations-treaty-on-plastic-pollution/>

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Nordstream 2 Operator Approaches Bankruptcy for Third Time in Germany
by Frack Check WV: admin 30 Dec '22

30 Dec '22

# [Nordstream 2 Operator Approaches Bankruptcy for Third Time in Germany](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/30/nordstream-2-operator- approaches-bankruptcy-for-third-time-in-germany/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/12/8416517C-22AC-4D28-8831-78F7048CB1002-289x300.png)]… content/uploads/2022/12/8416517C-22AC-4D28-8831-78F7048CB1002.png) After these pipelines were shutdown, three deliberate explosions occurred **Nord Stream 2 Construction Company Approaches Bankruptcy For A Third Time** From an Article by Irina Slav, Oilprice.com, December 29, 2022 The company responsible for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline received a six-month stay of bankruptcy, shielding it from creditors, the AP reported, noting the stay will last from January 2023 to June the same year. The gas pipeline, which doubled the capacity of its twin pipeline Nord Stream 1 to 110 billion cubic meters, was among the first targets of sanction action from Europe against Russia, even before its invasion of Ukraine. Two days before Russian troops entered eastern Ukraine, Germany’s government said it would not certify Nord Stream 2, meaning the billion-dollar piece of infrastructure could not be put into operation. The announcement came following Moscow’s official recognition of two eastern Ukrainian regions, Donetsk and Luhansk, as independent. The United States also imposed sanctions on Swiss-based Nord Stream 2 AG, a day before the invasion began. Soon after, reports emerged that the company was considering filing for insolvency after it let all its employees go following the sanctions announced by Washington. A bankruptcy procedure eventually began but was suspended by a court in Zug, Switzerland, where the company is registered. The first loan repayment moratorium was granted for the period until September 2022, which was then extended until January 2023, Russia’s TASS reported in early September. This is the third, and longest, extension that Nord Stream 2 AG has received from the Swiss court to protect it from its creditors. The same-name pipeline, meanwhile, suffered damage in an act of sabotage on the twin pipelines last summer, which put an end to all gas deliveries via the Nord Stream system. According to Gazprom, damage on the Nord Stream 2 is smaller than on its sister pipeline and it can be repaired. The investigation of the blasts failed to name the perpetrator of the sabotage. #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **SEE ALSO:** [Sweden finds explosive traces at Nord Stream blast sites, confirms sabotage](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/18/nord- stream-sweden-explosives-sabotage/), Emily Rauhala and Ellen Francis, Washington Post, November 18, 2022 URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/30/nordstream-2-operator- approaches-bankruptcy-for-third-time-in-germany/>

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GEO~ENGINEERING: The Earth Does Her Own Natural Engineering!
by Frack Check WV: admin 29 Dec '22

29 Dec '22

# [GEO~ENGINEERING: The Earth Does Her Own Natural Engineering!](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/29/geoengineering-the- earth-does-her-own-natural-engineering/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/12/EBB1972F-4D97-4E4D-8C18-C0F75947A73E.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2022/12/EBB1972F-4D97-4E4D-8C18-C0F75947A73E.jpeg) Geoengineering creates a false sense mankind can manipulate nature **Can Geoengineering Fix the Climate? ~ Hundreds of scientists say not so fast!** From an [Article by Oliver Milman, The UK Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/25/can- controversial-geoengineering-fix-climate-crisis), December 25, 2022 **Proposed geoengineering methods include pumping salt water into clouds to make them more reflective of sunlight, or to place ice particles in clouds to stop them from trapping heat.** As global heating escalates, the US government has set out a plan to further study the controversial and seemingly sci-fi notion of deflecting the sun’s rays before they hit Earth. But a growing group of scientists denounces any steps towards what is known as solar geoengineering. The Biden administration is developing a controversial solar geoengineering research plan to the dismay of many experts. **The White House has set into motion a five-year outline for research into “climate interventions”. Those include methods such as sending a phalanx of planes to spray reflective particles into the upper reaches of the atmosphere, in order to block incoming sunlight from adding to rising temperatures.** **The work is required by Congress. It is “not new research, but a report that highlights some of the key knowledge gaps and recommendations of priority topics for relevant research”, said a spokesperson for the White House’s office of science and technology policy, adding Joe Biden’s administration wants “effective and responsible CO2 removal” as well as deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.** Several American researchers, somewhat reluctantly, want to explore options to tinker with the climate system to help restrain runaway global heating, even as they acknowledge many of the knock-on risks aren’t fully known. “Until recently, I thought it was too risky, but slow progress on cutting emissions has increased motivation to understand techniques at the margins like solar geoengineering,” said Chris Field, who chaired a National Academies of Sciences report last year that recommended at least $100m being spent researching the issue. “I don’t think we should deploy it yet and there are still a ton of concerns, but we need to better understand it,” Field said. “Climate change is causing widespread impacts, it’s costing lives and wrecking economies. We are in a tough position; we are running out of time, so it’s important we know more.” **Previous attempts at running experiments for what is known as solar radiation management (SRM) have faced staunch opposition. Last year, an exploratory flight in Sweden of a high-altitude SRM balloon, led by Harvard University researchers, was halted after objections by environmentalists and Indigenous leaders.** **But at least one US startup is now hoping to leap ahead with solar geoengineering. Make Sunsets, backed by two venture capital funds, launched in October. It claims to have already run two internal test flights for its plan to inject sulphur via balloons into the stratosphere, more than 20km above the Earth’s surface.** The venture, named after the deep red sunsets that would occur if particles were seeded into the stratosphere, says its “shiny clouds” will “prevent catastrophic global warming” and help save millions of lives. “Any human- caused release of carbon dioxide is geoengineering,” it argues on its website, which asks people to buy “cooling credits” to fund its work. “We screwed up the atmosphere, and now we have a moral obligation to fix things!” **Edward Parson, an expert in environmental law at University of California, Los Angeles, says Make Sunsets’ claims that it could return the world to its pre-industrial temperature for just $50bn a year are “absurd”. He explains that most researchers are wary of deploying what they consider to be a desperate, last-ditch option.** But Parson says the risks in researching solar geoengineering have been overblown and that the US “is probably the bold leader on this. It would be a big step forward if we have a research program.” “In my opinion, the probability that a nation makes a serious effort on solar geoengineering over the next 30 years is about 90%,” he adds. “As impacts get much worse and if mitigation doesn’t massively increase, I judge it quite likely that some major nation considers its citizens are suffering climate harms that are intolerable.” This prospect horrifies opponents of solar geoengineering. An open letter signed by more than 380 scientists demands a global non-use agreement for SRM; it also says that growing calls for research in this area are a “cause for alarm”, due to an unknown set of ramifications that will have varying consequences in different parts of the world and could scramble “weather patterns, agriculture and the provision of basic needs of food and water”. Frank Biermann, an expert in global governance at Utrecht University, said he’s also disturbed that solar geoengineering will create a sort of moral hazard where governments ease off efforts to cut emissions and fossil fuel companies use it as cover to continue business as usual. Planet-heating emissions are expected to hit a record high this year, even though they must halve this decade if the world is to avoid dangerous levels of global heating. This debate threatens to derail current climate policies. It’s a huge risk. “I would say the majority of scientists believe this is a crazy idea for a variety of reasons,” said Biermann, who thinks the US is an outlier because of its own large per-capita emissions and inconsistent adherence to global agreements. “Soon, everyone who is dependent on coal, oil and gas will jump on the solar engineering bandwagon and say, ‘we can continue for 40 years with fossil fuels’ now. This debate threatens to derail current climate policies. It’s a huge risk.” Biermann likens research on blocking sunlight to the satirical movie Don’t Look Up, in which researchers who warn of a catastrophic incoming meteoroid are sidelined in favor of an outlandish plan to deal with it. “The only way to find out whether this works is to do it to the whole planet for several years,” he said. “I mean will 8 billion people sit there in our living rooms having our last meal waiting and hoping that elite western universities got it right, that the Americans will not mess it up?” There isn’t any international governance around solar geoengineering for now. Critics fret that unilateral action to alter the climate could spark conflict if one part of the world benefits, while another suffers knock-on droughts or floods. Also, the addition of aerosols would have to be continuous to maintain the cooling – any disruption, either intentional or otherwise, would cause a sort of “termination shock”, where bottled up warming would be unleashed in a disastrously rapid jolt. “Termination shock terrifies me,” said Lili Fuhr, a climate and energy expert at the Center for International Environmental Law. “This is just a gigantic gamble with the systems that sustain life on Earth. It could be weaponized, it could be misused – imagine if, say, India and Pakistan disagreed over one of them doing this. “We need to do more than just emissions cuts and I wish we had a magical fix to this, but this doesn’t turn bad ideas into good ones,” Fuhr adds. The idea of recalibrating the world’s climate to deal with heat-trapping emissions isn’t new. A group of scientific advisers to Lyndon Johnson cautioned the US president about global heating in 1965, musing that “deliberately bringing about countervailing climatic changes therefore need to be thoroughly explored”. Calls for intervention have grown in recent years as countries continue to dawdle over emissions cuts and as an internationally agreed limit of 1.5C of global heating over pre-industrial times looms into view. There are several types of proposed geoengineering, such as pumping a mist of salt water into clouds to make them more reflective of sunlight, or to place ice particles in high-altitude clouds to stop them trapping so much of the heat that bounces off Earth. The most high-profile method, though, is firing a reflective substance such as sulphur or chalk dust from nozzles into the stratosphere, where the particles would then circulate around the world and start deflecting the sun’s rays. David Keith, professor of applied physics and of public policy at Harvard, estimates that around 2m tons of sulphur a year, injected via a fleet of about 100 high-flying aircraft, would cool the planet by around 1C, around the amount it has heated up since the Industrial Revolution. All of this would cost several billion dollars a year according to an estimate, and provide a relatively quick drop in temperatures. Keith argues it is more compelling than various carbon capture technologies that can take a long time and involve complex, expensive infrastructure. “Pretending that climate change can be solved with emissions cuts alone is a dangerous fantasy,” Keith has stated. The basic physics of doing this is well understood, Parson said, likening it to the huge eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991, an event that expelled nearly 20m tons of sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere and caused global temperatures to drop temporarily by about 0.5C. “Most people didn’t notice that and there have been studies since that give us confidence it can be done,” said Parson. “We don’t know how it should be done, yet, and the environmental aspects and the governance remain concerns. It would be reckless to just start deploying this now but we have lost so many easy paths to limit the harms of climate change that we only face worse options.” Spraying sulphur into the skylight of the Earth could deplete the ozone layer, some have suggested, and perhaps make the sky a milky white color. Other effects on regional weather are more uncertain, to the extent one recent novel based on the topic, The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson, depicted India embarking upon solar geoengineering to save itself from deadly heatwaves while another, Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson, conversely had India sabotaging a sulphur deployment system in Texas because it interfered with its monsoon. **The debate over how much we should meddle with the climate is likely to intensify as the fallout from global heating worsens. For now, opponents won’t back down. To Biermann, solar geoengineering should be considered by governments as being akin to landmines or biological weapons and blacklisted internationally.** “This is just another one on this list,” he said. “People talk about the freedom of research, but you don’t have the freedom to sit in your back yard and develop a chemical bomb.” URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/29/geoengineering-the-earth-does- her-own-natural-engineering/>

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West Va. Center on Budget & Policy ~ 10th ANNUAL BUDGET BREAKFAST (1/20/23)
by Frack Check WV: admin 28 Dec '22

28 Dec '22

# [West Va. Center on Budget & Policy ~ 10th ANNUAL BUDGET BREAKFAST (1/20/23)](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/28/west-va-center-on-budget- policy-10th-annual-budget-breakfast-12023/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/12/8A4B2CD5-95C7-4E67-8199-F11685F039FA-214x300.png)](… content/uploads/2022/12/8A4B2CD5-95C7-4E67-8199-F11685F039FA.png) Open budgeting and open spending are realistic goals … **Join the WVCBP at Our 10th Annual Budget Breakfast!** As the 2023 legislative session approaches, the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy staff would like to invite you to join us at our [10th annual Budget Breakfast,](https://wvpolicy.org/2023-budget-breakfast/) taking place on January 20, 2023. Each year, the WVCBP holds this event to provide analysis of the Governor's proposed budget. You'll hear from our executive director, Kelly Allen, our senior policy analyst, Sean O'Leary, and [our chosen keynote speaker](https://www.cbpp.org/about/our-staff/michael-leachman). **Please find further event details below.** [You can register for the event here.](http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ejfr1u… **WHAT: WVCBP 's 10th Annual Budget Breakfast** **WHEN: January 20, 2023.** Breakfast will be available starting at 7:30am. The WVCBP’s analysis of the Governor’s 2024 proposed budget will begin at 8am, followed by keynote speaker presentation and time for Q&A. **WHERE: Charleston Marriott Town Center** (200 Lee Street East, Charleston, WV 25301) **WHO** : · Kelly Allen, WVCBP executive director · Sean O'Leary, WVCBP senior policy analyst · Keynote Speaker: Michael Leachman, Vice President for State Fiscal Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities **PLEASE NOTE:** The cost of a single standard ticket is $50, but if you take advantage of our Early Bird Special (available to all who register by 12/31/22), you will receive $10 off. We appreciate your ongoing support of the WVCBP and we hope you can join us at this upcoming event! #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **SEE ALSO:** [Are tax cuts coming as West Virginia’s budget surplus grows?](https://www.wboy.com/news/west-virginia/are-tax-cuts-coming-as-west- virginias-budget-surplus-grows/) ~ Mark Curtis, WBOY News 12, December 6, 2022 CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WOWK) — West Virginia continues to see record budget surpluses. The question now is how should that money be spent or returned. This is a big change from six and seven years ago when West Virginia’s budget deficits were about $500 million. So far this fiscal year, West Virginia has collected a record-high of $453 million in coal and natural gas severance taxes. At the same time, personal income tax collections from all workers are up 15% over last year and consumer sales taxes from people buying things are up $86 million over last year. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/28/west-va-center-on-budget- policy-10th-annual-budget-breakfast-12023/>

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Significant EARTHQUAKE Shakes Oil & Gas Region of Texas AGAIN
by Frack Check WV: admin 27 Dec '22

27 Dec '22

# [Significant EARTHQUAKE Shakes Oil & Gas Region of Texas AGAIN](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/27/significant-earthquake-shake… oil-gas-region-of-texas-again/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/12/853C9D1F-00C8-44DD-9182-4043FAFD75A6.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2022/12/853C9D1F-00C8-44DD-9182-4043FAFD75A6.jpeg) The leading explanation involves the high pressure injection of residual brines from fracking operations **Magnitude 5.4 earthquake latest in a series of seismic events to shake Texas** From an [Article by Andrew Wulfeck, New York Post](https://nypost.com/2022/12/24/magnitude-5-4-earthquake-latest-in-a- series-of-seismic-events-to-shake-texas/), 12/24/22 Nearly a month after a magnitude-5.4 earthquake rocked parts of the Lone Star State, residents were again caught off guard Friday evening by another magnitude-5.5 quake centered near the town of Midland. The United States Geological Survey reported the quake took place about 3 miles under the rural Texas terrain, but the shaking was reported over a wide area that stretched from New Mexico through the heart of Texas. Seismologists said small earthquakes are not uncommon in Texas, but larger events are rare. Many of the quakes are linked to oil fracking and the reinjection of fluids underground. “The area is known for oil and gas production, so that will research. We’re sure people are going to be looking at the number of wastewater injection sites in the region,” a USGS seismologist said. November’s 5.4-magnitude, which occurred about 100 miles away from the epicenter of Friday’s quake, caused the state’s oil and gas regulators to propose tougher temporary restrictions on oil and gas production to help limit seismic activity. Seismologists said it was still too early to determine whether the most recent quake is linked to wastewater injection. Still, researchers will be working around the clock to determine the cause. There were no initial reports of significant damage around the quake’s epicenter or in other regions of Texas. If the magnitude is not adjusted downward, the quake will rank as one of the strongest to impact the region. According to USGS records, a magnitude-6.0 earthquake that shook the town of Valentine in 1931 holds the record for being the largest to impact the state. #######+++++++#######++++++++ **MORE THAN YOU WANT TO KNOW, LESS WELL EXPLAINED:** [To ease looming West Texas water shortage, oil companies have begun recycling fracking wastewater](https://www.texastribune.org/2022/12/19/texas-permian-basin- fracking-oil-wastewater-recycling/), Dylan Baddour, Inside Climate News, The Texas Tribune, December 19, 2022 Oil and gas companies are increasingly reusing “produced water” as West Texas aquifers are being depleted and the practice of injecting wastewater into disposal wells triggers more earthquakes. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/27/significant-earthquake-shakes- oil-gas-region-of-texas-again/>

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Let’s Examine the Impact of Plastic Use and Reduce Plastic Waste ~ Rethink, Redesign & Reform
by Frack Check WV: Diana Gooding 26 Dec '22

26 Dec '22

# [Let’s Examine the Impact of Plastic Use and Reduce Plastic Waste ~ Rethink, Redesign & Reform](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/26/let%e2%80%99s-examine-the- impact-of-plastic-use-and-reduce-plastic-waste-rethink-redesign-reform/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/12/C9005252-835A-4BD9-B89D-2C271F4EB2BD-300x150.jpg)](… content/uploads/2022/12/C9005252-835A-4BD9-B89D-2C271F4EB2BD.jpeg) Pete Myres, PhD, testifies before Congressional Committee **WATCH: Pete Myers addresses US Senate committee on the dangers of plastic** From the [Staff, Environmental Health News (EHN)](https://www.ehn.org/plastic- pollution-regulations-2658964356.html), 12/19/22 Environmental Health Sciences founder and chief scientist was one of four witnesses testifying for the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment & Public Works. Plastic is overwhelming our planet and this pollution is spurring developmental and reproductive problems in people — but there are ways we can reduce this harmful waste. That was the message Environmental Health Sciences founder and chief scientist Dr. Pete Myers brought to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Environment & Public Works last week. Myers testified along with three others — former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator and current Beyond Plastics president Judith Enck, CEO of the Plastics Industry Association Matt Seaholm and co-founder and president of Nexus Circular Eric Hartz — at the hearing, “ **[Examining the Impact of Plastic Use and Identifying Solutions for Reducing Plastic Waste](https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2022/12/examining-the- impact-of-plastic-use-and-identifying-solutions-for-reducing-plastic- waste)**.” **Read Myers ' full testimony here:** [Pete Myers testimony.pdf](https://roar- assets-auto.rbl.ms/files/48995/Pete%20Myers%20testimony.pdf) “Plastic cannot be considered ‘safe’ until it is thoroughly tested,” Myers said in his testimony. “And no plastic has ever been thoroughly tested using the tools of modern, 21st century medical science.” Myers is a leading voice linking plastic to harmful chemicals that can block, mimic, increase or decrease our body’s hormones. The compounds, often added to plastics as additives, are dubbed endocrine-disrupting chemicals and include bisphenol-A (BPA), phthalates, fluorinated compounds and others. Properly functioning hormones are vital for our health, and exposure to these chemicals is linked to a host of health problems including cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes, impaired brain development and reproductive issues, among others. Myers has spoken extensively about how the rate of plastic production increases the prevalence of these toxics in our environment and bodies. Myers has also worked to chart a healthier future, championing a new set of “3 R’s” — rethink, redesign and reform — to replace the old reduce, reuse and recycle messaging. Myers co-founded the Sudoc company, which aims to reduce and replace harmful chemicals in many different types of products. The company won the On the Rise category of Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards. [Watch the entire hearing here.](https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2022/12/examining-the- impact-of-plastic-use-and-identifying-solutions-for-reducing-plastic-waste) **About EHS** : Environmental Health Sciences, which publishes EHN.org, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news and science organization dedicated to driving good science into public policy and public discussion on our environment and health, including climate change. The organization, founded in 2002, has helped drive science-based changes to policy that led to a moratorium on PBDE flame retardants by several states, a ban on the plastic additive BPA in children’s products by the federal government, and science-based chemical reform in Europe. **Contacts** : Douglas Fischer, Executive Director, dfischer(a)ehsciences.org Angela Marie Hutchinson, Engagement Director, angela(a)ehsciences.org URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/26/let%e2%80%99s-examine-the- impact-of-plastic-use-and-reduce-plastic-waste-rethink-redesign-reform/>

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MAY OUR EARTH BE BETTER, BECAUSE WE MAKE IT SO!
by Frack Check WV: Diana Gooding 25 Dec '22

25 Dec '22

# [MAY OUR EARTH BE BETTER, BECAUSE WE MAKE IT SO!](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/25/may-our-earth-be-better-becaus… we-make-it-so/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/12/F9B35D1F-890E-489D-8842-7C57ADB39D03.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2022/12/F9B35D1F-890E-489D-8842-7C57ADB39D03.jpeg) So much to learn and to understand and to integrate **The “World Peace Diet” Continues Promotion Since 1980** From [Dr. Will Tuttle, Speaker, Author, Traveler, and Spiritual Leader](http://www.worldpeacediet.com/), 12/25/22 **Dear friends** , we have just finished the first month of our **Benevolent Revolution Tour** – 18 beautiful events promoting kindness, freedom, and spiritual health, while crossing from California through AZ, NM, and TX. We greet you now from south Florida. We will be here for a couple of months, offering events through Hippocrates and other venues, and returning in March to California on a slightly more northerly route. Deep thanks to the many caring and creative fellow advocates making this all possible, with whom we are honored to be working, contributing, and learning. >>> May the spirit of Love, Truth and Freedom radiate the living light of awakening - Into our hearts and into the hearts of our fellow humans, Sparking insight and compassion for animals, our Earth, and each other. >>> May the deceptive narratives of exploitation be exposed for all to see. >>> May the beckoning doorway of a vegan world of respect for all living beings draw us ever onward and upward. >>> May we live and embody our commitment to respect the sovereignty of individual beings, and never comply with injustice, oppression, and deceit. >>> May we go forth and multiply the season’s message of peace, harmony, joy, and liberation for all! _That 's it for now - With love and appreciation, **Will & Madeleine** Dr. Will Tuttle, 21373 Highway 175, Middletown CA 95461 USA_ P.S. ~ [Here's a new Interview with Chef AJ](https://youtu.be/cTMPwracDx4) - **Enjoy!!** URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/25/may-our-earth-be-better-because- we-make-it-so/>

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Energy Discovery, Education, Learning & Technology Accelerator (DELTA) Lab Ramps Up in Virginia
by Frack Check WV: admin 24 Dec '22

24 Dec '22

# [Energy Discovery, Education, Learning & Technology Accelerator (DELTA) Lab Ramps Up in Virginia](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/24/energy- discovery-education-learning-technology-accelerator-delta-lab-ramps-up-in- virginia/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/12/1F6AD0BD-C187-428A-ADC2-312AF3F77A55-300x196.jpg)](… content/uploads/2022/12/1F6AD0BD-C187-428A-ADC2-312AF3F77A55.jpeg) Residual surface mine site in southwest Virginia **Energy innovation lab eyes new types of economic development for previously mined lands** From an [Article by Charlie Paullin, Virginia Mercury](https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/12/22/energy-innovation-lab- eyes-new-types-of-economic-development-for-previously-mined-lands/), 12/22/22 Southwest Virginia’s efforts to reclaim its status as a U.S. energy capital intensified with the announcement this fall of a new energy technology testbed initiative. **The Energy Discovery, Education, Learning & Technology Accelerator, or DELTA, Lab began earlier this year with its first location in Wise County.** As the name suggests, the lab is a way for researchers to test innovative energy technologies as emerging electricity generation sources and storage become more prevalent. But the lab isn’t just getting creative with technology. It’s also experimenting with new ways to develop previously mined lands that are different from traditional economic development projects using public industrial sites and prevent them from remaining vacant. Backers see the DELTA Lab as a way to generate economic activity in a region that has struggled economically as coal use declines. **“The role of the lab is as a broker connecting energy companies and prospects, assisting with siting what location is best,” said Will Payne, managing partner of Coalfield Strategies, an economic development consultancy that is one of several organizations involved in the effort.** The lab has also earned the endorsement of the **Virginia Economic Development Partnership** , which has been vocal about the state’s lack of “business ready” sites, a designation meaning that land is immediately ready to be built on. If a site isn’t business ready, breaking ground can take months because of the need to conduct environmental studies to mitigate soil damage or deal with past contamination. “Previously mined lands can require significant work for new development,” VEDP President and CEO Jason El Koubi said. “This seems to be an innovative and effective position to advance clean energy on land that was previously contaminated.” Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has also pushed for greater commitments to site readiness. In a budget proposal unveiled last week, he requested an extra $450 million for site development, to be added to a previous $150 million included in this year’s budget. **The DELTA Lab** ~ The inspiration for DELTA Lab is derived from what Germany has done to redevelop mine sites, said Payne, although that country’s efforts have been located more near population centers. In Southwest Virginia, the lab is envisioned as a network of testbed sites that will be located on lands without any plans for buildings, eliminating another need of traditional economic site development. Instead of the traditional “bench” modeling conducted by universities to develop technologies, the testbed sites will provide power companies a chance to see how their ideas play out in real time. Companies will be able to experiment with their technologies in certain topography types and will have access to the robust power and water sources that are already available at previously mined sites. By creating new sites for this kind of experimentation, local governments will also be able to keep their main industrial parks free for more traditional development. “We’re capturing a moment right now” by capitalizing on incentives for new energy generation technologies in the Virginia Clean Economy Act, Payne said. He said he’s not aware of a similar testbed initiative in the country. “We’ve got to be very intentional and careful with how we do this,” said Will Clear, deputy director of the Virginia Department of Energy. “Energy is a natural fit for what we’re really doing. We’ve got the workforce. We’ve got the infrastructure.” Announced in October, DELTA Lab’s first initiative will be Project Innovation, a test site located on property owned by the Cumberland Forest Limited Partnership and managed by the Nature Conservancy. Project Innovation will hone in on four key areas of research: electricity generation, with a focus on renewables; “geoenergy,” or energy from the earth such as geothermal, “eco- friendly coal” or natural gas; energy delivery systems; and options for reusing renewable energy components and the remains of the fossil fuel industry. **The second concept is Project Oasis, in which data centers will be cooled using water from pools that have collected on previously mined properties. One underground site will provide a consistent 55-degree temperature.** **Third, the lab will host Project Energizer, a small-scale pumped-storage hydroelectric system that generates power by transferring water between reservoirs sited at different elevations in the region’s extremely mountainous terrain. Unlike most hydroelectric plants, Project Energizer will cause minimal land disturbance by using “off-the-shelf” components.** **Currently in the works is another project in Wise County that would connect “islands” of smaller parcels to form a 1,300-acre site**. “Over the next 10 years, I think we can see a dozen locations” that are part of DELTA Lab, Payne said. **VEDP on board** ~ The Virginia Economic Development Partnership is primarily focused on the development of parcels that are 250 acres or larger. As sites get larger and require more work to get up to snuff, their availability shrinks. According to VEDP’s site search tool, 44 of 901 total sites available for business development in Virginia are 250 or more acres. Youngkin has said the lack of business-ready sites has lost Virginia 55,000 jobs and $124 billion in capital investments to surrounding states since 2016 “We have to do so much more,” Youngkin said at the Virginia Economic Summit and Forum on International Trade. El Koubi said efforts like DELTA Lab to repurpose previously mined sites “would complement much of what” VEDP is doing elsewhere in the state. The partnership has a business-ready site program that provides grants to localities to develop parcels of lands that are 100 acres or more. But for the Allegheny Highlands and Southwest Virginia region, the program provides funds for similar projects of 50 acres or less. VEDP says it has helped create 200 jobs in the region since 2021 but Moody’s forecasts project the area will lose almost 1,200 jobs by the end of 2027. Projects with a similar scope to those of DELTA Lab can make a difference in the vitality of the region, El Koubi said. “A handful of projects like this each year could position rural regions to consistently create jobs on a net basis for their citizens,” he said. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/24/energy-discovery-education- learning-technology-accelerator-delta-lab-ramps-up-in-virginia/>

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Russian UPU Gas Pipeline to Europe Explodes
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 23 Dec '22

23 Dec '22

# [Russian UPU Gas Pipeline to Europe Explodes](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/23/russian-upu-gas-pipeline-… europe-explodes/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/12/48FFC5A2-584E-41FF-B7F9-02DFDBD00DD8.jpeg)](https:/… content/uploads/2022/12/48FFC5A2-584E-41FF-B7F9-02DFDBD00DD8.jpeg) Three different Russian natural gas pipelines explode in three days **Russian Gas Pipeline to Europe Incurs Accidental Explosion** From the [Article by Cristen Jaynes, EcoWatch News](https://www.ecowatch.com/russia-gas-pipeline-explosion-europe.html), December 21, 2022 Three repair workers were killed yesterday when a section of the Urengoy- Pomary-Uzhhorod natural gas pipeline in western Russia exploded. One driver was also suffering from shock, Reuters reported. The pipeline transports gas from Siberia to central Europe via Ukraine and is currently the primary gas export route from Russia to Europe. Local officials said the gas flare had been extinguished and supplies rerouted. “The damaged section of the gas pipeline was promptly localised. Gas is being transported to consumers in full through parallel gas pipelines,” said Russian gas company Gazprom Transgaz Nizhny Novgorod in a statement, as reported by Reuters. Governor of Russia’s Republic of Chuvashia Oleg Nikolayev said it wasn’t apparent how long the pipeline repairs would take following the explosion, The Associated Press reported. Built in the 1980s, the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod pipeline has become the primary route for gas from Russia to Europe since the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines exploded beneath the Baltic Sea in September. Nord Stream 1 supplied Germany with Russian gas until Russia stopped supplies in August, claiming that there were equipment issues. Germany dismissed these claims, saying Russia wanted to sow doubt and increase gas prices. Germany stopped the certification process for Nord Stream 2 just before Russia invaded Ukraine, and the pipeline was never used. Gazprom said it anticipated pumping 1,518.5 million cubic feet of gas to Europe through the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod pipeline in the day following the explosion — an amount consistent with recent supply, reported Reuters. However, that’s only 5.4 percent of the approximately 5,473.8 billion cubic feet of natural gas Russia supplied to Europe last year, OilPrice.com reported. Europe has been supplementing its supply of natural gas from Russia with imports of liquified natural gas. According to a report from nonprofit Environment America, in the U.S. a gas pipeline incident happens about every 40 hours. Nearly 2,600 incidents involving the release of pipeline gas that were concerning enough to be reported to the federal government occurred between January of 2010 and October of 2021. Of these, 328 caused explosions and fires that killed 122 people and left hundreds injured. The federally reported leaks have caused 26.6 billion cubic feet of methane gas to be spewed into the Earth’s atmosphere, which has the same effect on global warming as the annual emissions of more than 2.4 million cars. Since 2010, the reported gas leaks have resulted in almost $4 billion in costs and damage. “The amount of gas leaking to the environment is far greater than captured in federal leak reporting or emissions estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency,” the report said. #######+++++++#######+++++++####### **See also:** [A huge fire after explosion of Russian gas pipeline in Chuvashia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXOj7wN0AsQ), TeleTruth Video, YouTube, December 21, 2022 The huge fire broke out after an explosion on a gas pipeline in Vurnarsky region of Chuvashia, Western Russia, local authorities report. Russian Ministry of Emergencies said three people were killed and one injured in an explosion on a natural gas pipeline between Kalinino -Yambakhtino villages. This is the third explosion of Russian gas infrastructure in a matter of days. URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/23/russian-upu-gas-pipeline-to- europe-explodes/>

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German Renewable Energy Act 2023 to Limit GHG in Electricity Production
by Frack Check WV: Duane Nichols 22 Dec '22

22 Dec '22

# [German Renewable Energy Act 2023 to Limit GHG in Electricity Production](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/22/german-renewable-energy- act-2023-to-limit-ghg-in-electricity-production/) [![](https://www.frackcheckwv.net/wp- content/uploads/2022/12/9B9128DA-4239-4099-B3F4-1B0BDBBBBE46-300x154.jpg)](… content/uploads/2022/12/9B9128DA-4239-4099-B3F4-1B0BDBBBBE46.jpeg) Germany planning to maximize alternative energy sources despite recent challenges **EU Approves Germany 's $30 Billion Green Energy Plan** From an [Article by Kenny Stancil, Common Dreams](https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/12/21/eu-approves- germanys-30-billion-green-energy-plan), December 21, 2022 **The European Commission on Wednesday approved the German government 's €28 billion ($29.69 billion) plan to rapidly expand clean energy production. According to Reuters: "The scheme pays a premium to renewable energy producers, on top of the market price they receive for selling their power. Small generators can receive a feed-in-tariff providing a guaranteed price for their electricity."** The **German Renewable Energy Act 2023** , which replaces an existing support measure for green energy, runs until 2026 and is aimed at meeting Germany's goal of generating 80% of its electricity from wind, solar, and other renewable sources by 2030. The European Commission called the policy "necessary and appropriate" to boost the supply of clean energy and slash planet-heating pollution. Officials said that the plan's environmental benefits outweigh its potential negative impacts on competition. "The German Renewable Energy Act 2023 scheme will contribute to further decarbonize electricity production," Margrethe Vestager, the European Union's competition policy chief, said in a statement. Swiftly increasing clean energy production is essential to achieving Germany's objective of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. It is also key to ameliorating potential energy shortages stemming from Russia's decision to cut off most of the gas it sends to Europe amid the war in Ukraine and the E.U.'s recent ban on seaborne crude oil from Russia. **As Reuters reported:** _(1) Berlin 's response to Europe's energy crunch has attracted criticism from some E.U. countries. Concerns focussed on Germany's broader plan to spend up to €200 billion [$212.36 billion] in subsidies to shield consumers and businesses from soaring energy costs—a sum that many other states cannot afford, and which some said would distort competition in the European Union's single market._ _(2) The Commission said Berlin 's renewable state support was limited to the "minimum necessary" and included safeguards to minimize competition distortions. Companies must bid for the aid in government tenders. (3) To avoid compensating companies twice, Germany will also phase out existing support for renewable producers in times of negative power prices by 2027._ **The European Commission 's approval of Germany's new renewable support plan — and a nearly 50% surge in solar installations across the E.U. this year — highlights green progress on the continent. However, it comes after E.U. policymakers — in an attempt to reduce reliance on dirty energy from Russia — moved to expand fossil fuel infrastructure across Europe, with a focus on building capacity to accept higher volumes of “fracked gas” from the United States and other countries.** Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, progressives urged governments around the globe to treat the war as a catalyst for accelerating clean energy efforts. **As researchers warned earlier this year, scaling up non-Russian fossil fuels will lock in decades of heat-trapping emissions** at a time when the window to slash greenhouse gas pollution and avert the most catastrophic effects of the climate crisis is rapidly closing. While greater quantities of wind and solar power are welcome, a simultaneous increase in **dirty energy consumption** runs counter to the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels — beyond which impacts will grow progressively worse for hundreds of millions of people, particularly those living in impoverished nations who have done the least to cause the crisis. **A desperately needed worldwide clean energy transition remains far behind schedule. Despite overwhelming evidence that extracting and burning more coal, oil, and gas will exacerbate deadly climate chaos, the fossil fuel industry — supported by trillions of dollars in public subsidies each year — has no plans to slow down this decade.** URL: <https://www.frackcheckwv.net/2022/12/22/german-renewable-energy- act-2023-to-limit-ghg-in-electricity-production/>

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