EC June 2008

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Fwd: House Natural Resources Committee -- The Weekly Preivew, June 9-13
by Paul Wilson 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

Scroll down and check out the special report on oil stockpiles and drilling. best, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Groff, Allyson <Allyson.Groff(a)mail.house.gov> Date: Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 1:23 PM Subject: House Natural Resources Committee -- The Weekly Preivew, June 9-13 To: * * *The Weekly Preview*** *June 9 – 13, 2008* *On the House Floor:* - On Monday, the *House of Representatives* is expected to consider under suspension of the rules the following 5 bills under the jurisdiction of the House Natural Resources Committee: o H.R. 3022 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.03022:>(Costa): To designate the John Krebs Wilderness in the State of California, to add certain land to the Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park Wilderness, and for other purposes. o H.R. 2632 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.02632:>(T. Udall): To establish the Sabinoso Wilderness Area in San Miguel County, New Mexico, and for other purposes. o H.R. 3682 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.03682:>(Bono Mack): To designate certain Federal lands in Riverside County, California, as wilderness, to designate certain river segments in Riverside County as a wild, scenic, or recreational river, to adjust the boundary of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, and for other purposes. o H.Res. 1158<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.res.01158:>(Boozman): Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. o H.R. 5680 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.05680:>(Grijalva): To amend certain laws relating to Native Americans, and for others purposes. *This Week's Hearings**: * *Can't make it to our hearings or markups in person? Stay connected with our live video and audio webcasts, available at http://resourcescommittee.house.gov.* - On Tuesday, the *Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources* will hold an oversight hearing on "How Should the Federal Government Address the Health and Environmental Risks of Coal Combustion Waste?" As coal continues to be a critical component of this nation's energy supply, the federal government has a responsibility to ensure the safe disposal of the roughly 125 million tons of waste generated by coal combustion every year. In light of recent reports by the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Research Council on the problems associated with the disposal of coal combustion waste, the Subcommittee will examine the appropriate role of the federal government in assuring the safe disposal of this waste. The hearing will examine the risks posed by waste disposal in mines and landfills, and how the federal government can foster common sense solutions to safeguard our water supplies and communities. The following witnesses are scheduled to testify: Prof. Mark Squillace, Director, Natural Resources Law Center, University of Colorado School of Law; Ms. Shari Wilson, Secretary of the Environment, State of Maryland; Mr. David Goss, Executive Director, American Coal Ash Association; Mr. Charles Norris, Consultant, GeoHydro, Inc.; Dr. Thomas Burke, Director, Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Ms. Lisa Evans, Project Attorney, Earthjustice; and Mr. Norman Harvey, Community Activist, Maryland. Visit the Committee's Web site to access witness testimony<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…>following the conclusion of the hearing. *(June 10, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., Room 1334 Longworth House Office Building)* - Also on Tuesday, the *Subcommittee on Insular Affairs* will hold an oversight hearing on the "Implementation of the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 between the United States and the Federated States of Micronesia." This is the first implementation hearing held by the Committee since new Compact terms were agreed to and enacted in 2003. The following witnesses are scheduled to testify: The Honorable Fabian Nimea, Director, Office of Statistics, Budget & Economic Management, Official Development Assistance, & Compact Management, Federated States of Micronesia; Mr. Tom Bussanich, Director, Budget Grants Management Division, Office of Insular Affairs, Department of the Interior; Mr. Glyn T. Davies, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Department of State; and Dr. David B. Gootnick, Director, International Affairs and Trade, U.S. Government Accountability Office. ** Visit the Committee's Web site to access witness testimony<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…>following the conclusion of the hearing. *(June 10, 2008, at 11:00 a.m., Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building)* - Later on Tuesday, the *Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans *will hold an oversight hearing on the annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting that will be held in Santiago, Chile from June 23-27, 2008. The hearing will focus on positions expected to be taken by the U.S. delegation at the upcoming 60th annual meeting of the IWC. One prominent issue that is likely to be debated at the IWC meeting is efforts by Norway, Iceland and Japan to lift the 1986 whaling moratorium and replace it with a regulated commercial industry. On May 14, 2008, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee Chairwoman Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), and other Members introduced a resolution (H. Con. Res. 350<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.con.res.00350:>) calling on U.S. leadership to use all appropriate measures to put an end to commercial whaling around the globe. Visit the Committee's Web site to access witness testimony<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…>following the conclusion of the hearing or to view the press release<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&…>with more information about H. Con. Res. 350. *(June 10, 2008, at 2:00 p.m., Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building)* - On Wednesday, the *Committee on Natural Resources *will meet in open markup session to consider the following 9 bills: o H.R. 3981 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.03981:>(B. Miller): To authorize the Preserve America Program and Save America's Treasures Program, and for other purposes. *"Preserve America and Save America's Treasures Act"* o H.R. 5451 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.05451:>(Bordallo): To reauthorize the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, and for other purposes. *"Coastal Zone Reauthorization Act of 2008" * o H.R. 4199 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.04199:>(Turner): To amend the Dayton Aviation Heritage Preservation Act of 1992 to add sites to the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, and for other purposes. o H.R. 2964 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.2964:> (E.B. Johnson): To amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to treat nonhuman primates as prohibited wildlife species under that Act, to make corrections in the provisions relating to captive wildlife offenses under that Act, and for other purposes. *"Captive Primate Safety Act"* o H.R. 5741 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.05741:> (Bordallo): To amend the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to improve the conservation of sharks. *"Shark Conservation Act of 2008"* o H.R. 1423 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.01423:> (Visclosky): To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease a portion of a visitor center to be constructed outside the boundary of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in Porter County, Indiana, and for other purposes.* "Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center Lease Act"* o H.R. 3702 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.03702:> (Rehberg): To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey certain land in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Montana, to Jefferson County, Montana, for use as a cemetery.* "Montana Cemetery Act of 2007"* o H.R. 5710 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.05710:> (T. Udall): To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to provide financial assistance to the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority for the planning, design, and construction of the Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System, and for other purposes. *"Eastern New Mexico Rural Water System Authorization Act"* o H.R. 5511 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.05511:> (Lamborn): To direct the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to remedy problems caused by a collapsed drainage tunnel in Leadville, Colorado, and for other purposes. *"Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel Remediation Act of 2008"* Visit the Committee's Web site to view the markup report<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…>following the markup. ( *June 11, 2008, at 11:00 a.m., Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building)* - On Thursday, the *Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources* will hold an oversight hearing on "Spinning Straw Into Black Gold: Enhanced Oil Recovery Using Carbon Dioxide." Enhanced recovery methods involve the injection of a fluid into the reservoir in order to force more oil to the surface, and can also be used as a way to sequester carbon dioxide and keep it out of the atmosphere. While any number of liquids or gases can be used for enhanced oil recovery, this hearing will focus on the growing use of carbon dioxide for these purposes. Visit the Committee's Web site to access witness testimony<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…>following the conclusion of the hearing. *(June 12, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., Room 1334 Longworth House Office Building)* - Also on Thursday, the *Subcommittee on Insular Affairs* will hold an oversight hearing on the "Implementation of the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Republic of Palau (ROP)." The purpose of the hearing is gather testimony on the overall performance of both the ROP government and the U.S. in carrying out the terms of the existing Compact. The financial provisions in the existing Compact, unless renewed, will expire on September 30, 2009. Visit the Committee's Web site to access witness testimony<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…>following the conclusion of the hearing. *(June 12, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building)* - Later on Thursday, the *Subcommittee on Water and Power* will hold an oversight hearing on "Hydropower: Providing 75% of America's Current Renewable Energy. Exploring its role as a continued source of Clean, Renewable Energy for the Future." Visit the Committee's Web site to access witness testimony<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…>following the conclusion of the hearing. *(June 12, 2008, at 2:00 p.m., Room 1324 Longworth House Office Building)* *In Case You Missed It**:* - On June 4, 2008, the *Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans*approved the following 4 bills: ** - H.R. 2964 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.02964:>(E.B. Johnson): To amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to treat nonhuman primates as prohibited wildlife species under that Act, to make corrections in the provisions relating to captive wildlife offenses under that Act, and for other purposes. (*Captive Primate Safety Act*) - H.R. 5350 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.05350:>(R. Scott): To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to sell or exchange certain National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration property located in Norfolk, Virginia, and for other purposes. o H.R. 5451 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.05451:>(Bordallo): To reauthorize the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, and for other purposes. (*Coastal Zone Reauthorization Act of 2008*) o H.R. 5741 <http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.05741:>(Bordallo): To amend the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act and the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to improve the conservation of sharks. (*The Shark Conservation Act of 2008*) Visit the Committee's Web site to view the markup report<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…> . - Also on June 4, 2008, the *Committee on National Resources* released "The Truth About America's Energy: Big Oil Stockpiles Supplies and Pockets Profits" outlining why increased domestic drilling on public lands will not lead to lower gasoline prices. Visit the Committee's Web site to view the special report<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/images/stories/Documents/truth_about_am…>prepared by the Committee's Majority Staff. ** *Quotable Quotes:* "Even if increased domestic drilling activity could affect the price of gasoline, there is yet no justification to open additional federal lands because oil and gas companies have shown that they cannot keep pace with the rate of drilling permits that the federal government is handing out." *–** As stated in a new report, "The Truth About America's Energy: Big Oil Stockpiles Supplies and Pockets Profits," released last week by the House Natural Resources Committee Majority Staff. Visit the Committee's Web site to view the **special report<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/images/stories/Documents/truth_about_am…> .*** *Calendar**:* *Click on the text within the calendar to be linked directly to our Web site.* *Monday* *6/09* *Tuesday* *6/10* *Wednesday* *6/11* *Thursday* *6/12* *Friday* *6/13* * * Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Oversight Hearing (10:00 AM)<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…> Subcommittee on Insular Affairs Oversight Hearing (11:00 AM) Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans Oversight Hearing (2:00 PM) * * Full Committee Markup of 9 Bills (11:00 AM)<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…><http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…> Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Oversight Hearing (10:00 AM)<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…> Subcommittee on Insular Affairs Oversight Hearing (10:00 AM)<http://resourcescommittee.house.gov/index.php?option=com_jcalpro&Itemid=27&…> Subcommittee on Water and Power Oversight Hearing (2:00 PM) *To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an email to naturalresources.news(a)mail.house.gov and place "Unsubscribe" in the subject line. * *Allyson L. Groff* Communications Director Committee on Natural Resources U.S. House of Representatives 202.226.9019 http://resourcescommittee.house.gov -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-6975

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Fwd: House Natural Resources Committee -- The Weekly Preivew, June 9-13
by Paul Wilson 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

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Fwd: Activist Call Agenda REMINDER: Coal campaign CALL IS TONIGHT
by Paul Wilson 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

I plan to attend this call. Is anybody else going to attend? you won't get a report from me as I am busy catching up after 3 days in DC lobbying. best, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Verena Owens <Baumling(a)aol.com> Date: Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 1:51 PM Subject: Fwd: Activist Call Agenda REMINDER: Coal campaign CALL IS TONIGHT To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-FORUM(a)lists.sierraclub.org Please join us to hear from our guest speakers tonight, Kim and Liz! Kim will be talking about the newest focus group results, specifically on coal messaging. Liz will give an introduction to the Club's leadership development program and then lead an interactive session on team norms. Call-in details below. Verena Verena Owen Advisor, Sierra Club National Coal Campaign 1.847.872.1707 ph 1.224.717.1147 cell *Verena.Owen(a)Illinois.SierraClub.org * ------------------------------ Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife. City's Best 2008<http://citysbest.aol.com?ncid=aolacg00050000000102> . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubsribe from the COAL-CAMPAIGN-FORUM list, send any message to: COAL-CAMPAIGN-FORUM-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: SUBSCRIBE COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS Dana Snead <dsneadsc(a)EARTHLINK.NET> To: CONS-EQST-AIR-MW-COAL-COMM(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:00:20 -0700 Subject: Activist Call Agenda Please join the National Coal Campaign for our next monthly coal activist coal on Wednesday, June 11th at 8:00 p.m. eastern. 866 501 6174 224 0743# Agenda 1. Focus Group Results: Kim Haddow 2. Leadership Development: Liz Pallatto 3. Update: Bruce Nilles & Pat Gallagher 4. Open Forum - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-EQST-AIR-MW-COAL-COMM list, send any message to: CONS-EQST-AIR-MW-COAL-COMM-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-CAMPAIGN-FORUM list, send any message to: COAL-CAMPAIGN-FORUM-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-6975

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FW: Proud of the Sierra Club
by Grubb, Karen 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

________________________________ From: Wildlife and Endangered Species Forum [mailto:CONS-WPST-WES-FORUM@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG] On Behalf Of <Sam> <Booher> Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 9:49 AM To: CONS-WPST-WES-FORUM(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Subject: Proud of the Sierra Club I am very proud that the Sierra Club after much discussion decided to NOT support the Cap and Trade of Carbon pollution Sam Booher, GA "Leading environmentalists" in the U.S. are urging Congress to try to curb global warming by creating a massive public-private bureaucracy to trade pollution permits amongst polluters, instead of simply taxing unwanted emissions. A DISASTER BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE NATION'S LEADING ENVIRONMENTALISTS By Peter Montague This week the U.S. Senate -- arguably the most powerful 100 people on the planet -- began a debate on a bill to curb global warming. The N.Y. Times wrote June 3 <http://www.precaution.org/lib/senate_opens_climate_debate.080603.htm> , "The debate, which could last all week, will force senators to take a stand on some of the most difficult, expensive and potentially life-altering questions the world will face in coming decades." In an editorial May 28 <http://www.precaution.org/lib/climate_leadership_needed.080528.htm> , the New York Times had summarized the issue this way: "The scientific case for action, strong five years ago, is even more persuasive now. Authoritative assessments from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, among other studies, have left little doubt that the world is heating up, that man-made emissions are largely responsible and that swift action is necessary to avoid widespread environmental damage." The bill being debated in the Senate is known as Lieberman-Warner. It is being promoted aggressively by Democrat Barbara Boxer. The bill is co-sponsored by John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. According to the Times June 2 <http://www.precaution.org/lib/allies_differ_on_carbon_caps.080602.htm> , the details of the bill were crafted by a coalition of "some of the most powerful corporate leaders in America [who] have been meeting regularly with leading environmental groups in a conference room in downtown Washington for over two years..." So this is a bill written by our "leading environmentalists." The only "leading environmentalists" named by the Times are staff of the Natural Resources Defense Council, but we know Environmental Defense has had a heavy hand in this, too. The bill would create an enormous new public/private bureaucracy to curb the emission of global warming gases, chiefly carbon dioxide (CO2). The system is called "cap and trade." The basic intent is not a bad one -- to put a price on carbon, which is currently being dumped into the atmosphere for free. There are two basic ways to put a price on carbon -- simply tax it, or wrap it in a large bureaucracy devoted to "cap and trade." The "cap and trade" idea is to force carbon dioxide (CO2) emitters to purchase pollution permits, each of which is a legally-enforceable right to pollute the atmosphere with CO2 -- but only up to a certain level (the "cap"). If polluters reduce their emissions below their permitted level, they can sell their unused permits to other polluters (the "trade"). Every once in a while the total "cap" gets lowered by the iron hand of government (at least in theory) and the "trade" part supposedly allows for super-efficient reductions in CO2 emissions: Those who can reduce their emissions cheaply will do so, and those who can't will buy extra pollution permits in the open market (thus worsening pollution in some unfortunate communities, relative to more fortunate communities). Advocates of "cap and trade" say such a system will minimize the overall cost to the polluters while ratcheting down CO2 emissions rapidly enough to avert climate chaos. At least that's the theory. (It is worth noting that the costs of pollution in the unfortunate communities [asthma, pulmonary disease, cancer, school days lost, emergency room visits, etc.] are kept "off the books" in all these "efficiency" calculations. To some "leading environmentalists" and their corporate-polluter partners, unfortunate communities have a value of zero.) You won't read about it in the New York Times, but there are serious mainstream critics of the "cap and trade" approach who say it is neither economically efficient nor workable. For example, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) -- Congress's own office of economic analysis -- published its study <http://www.precaution.org/lib/cbo_carbon_tax_study.080213.pdf> three months ago concluding <http://www.precaution.org/lib/cbo_favors_carbon_tax.080213.htm> that: ** A carbon tax -- not cap and trade -- is the "most efficient" method to address global warming, both in limiting economic costs and for achieving environmental benefits. What is a carbon tax? A carbon tax is a tried-and-true way of putting a price on carbon emissions. Such a tax can be remarkably simple: you weigh the amount of carbon-containing fuel (coal, oil, or natural gas) as it comes out of the ground (or as it is comes off the ship), calculate the tax per ton of carbon, and collect the tax. End of story. The cost if the tax gets passed along to the purchaser via the market. Or, with considerably more effort, you could tax carbon directly at the point of purchase. Either way, you don't have to measure anyone's emissions -- an exceedingly complex and costly procedure providing untold opportunities for thousands of polluters to fudge the data. The tax has an additional advantage: no one gains a legally enforceable "right to pollute." With a tax, the nation's electric utilities -- and cement, aluminum and steel companies -- couldn't ever be able to go to court to try to stop government from taking away their "right to pollute," a property right they could claim to own because they purchased it with good money. On its face, a cap and trade program is immensely complex. As Robert Samuelson writes in the June 9 issue of Newsweek <http://www.precaution.org/lib/cap_and_tax.080609.htm> , "The chief political virtue of cap-and-trade -- a hugely complex scheme to reduce greenhouse gases -- is its very complexity." Within all the complexity comes endless opportunity for shenanigans. (The BBC reported <http://www.precaution.org/lib/carbon_trading_flawed.080605.htm> this week how the carbon trading scheme built into the Kyoto Treaty is being gamed by polluters at considerable profit to themselves but no benefit to planet Earth.) In a cap and trade program, someone has to sell or auction (or give away free) the pollution permits each year. Someone else has to keep track of who has received how many permits and who has sold how many of their permits to whom. (Permits can be "banked" and used years later, so someone must pay close attention.) Someone else has to measure all the tens of thousands of permitted CO2 emissions to make sure they aren't exceeding permitted levels. Buying and selling rights to pollute will create an enormous private bureaucracy -- a trading exchange -- supported by an army of bankers, lawyers, engineers, accountants, analysts, ad men, publicists, lobbyists, sales people, hucksters and camp followers. The first year of a "cap and trade" program is estimated to create a new "market" in pollution rights worth a $220 billion. A market worth $220 billion per year is as large as the market for computer processors. There's real money to be made here by the clever and the unscrupulous. The British journal New Scientist reported in April <http://www.precaution.org/lib/can_carbon-trading_save_planet.080419.txt > that "what began as a niche market is now attracting major financial institutions such as Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and Barclays Capital..." plus JP Morgan Chase and others. In other words, the new carbon market is being created by the same people who created the ever-deepening mortgage lending disaster. Have they shown that they have society's best interests at heart, or have they shown a cruel focus on making money, no matter the cost to others? It's a fair question. New Scientist summarized the root question this way: "As Nicholas Stern, former chief economist at the World Bank, puts it: climate change is 'the greatest market failure the world has ever seen.' The question now is whether capitalism is able to make amends. Can it provide a mechanism that rewards people for reducing their carbon emissions instead of increasing them? Or will it simply give big polluters a way of dodging their responsibilities?" And New Scientist ends its devastating critique of "cap and trade" with a stark warning about the consequences of manipulation and deception within the carbon trading market: "With Enron, it was the shareholders who suffered. But if the atmosphere continues to be filled with greenhouse gases and the planet's climate crashes as Enron did, no one will be spared." On May 4th, two attorneys working for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] wrote an "open letter to Congress <http://www.precaution.org/lib/epa_lawyers_oppose_cap_trade.080513.pdf> " explaining why "cap and trade" can't work. Attorneys Laurie Williams and Allan Zabel each have roughly two decades of experience in environmental enforcement, and Zabel has extensive experience with prior cap and trade programs run by EPA. Williams and Zabel told Congress that a "cap and trade" system "is an open invitation to fraud and would significantly delay reductions [in carbon emissions]." They went on to list (and document) half a dozen other reasons why a "cap and trade" program will be nothing more than a gift to the financial industry and the polluters but will not reduce CO2 emissions quickly enough to avert climate chaos. So the U.S. Senate is debating how to curb global warming, but is restricting the debate to a single approach -- "cap and trade" -- an approach that was devised by the corporate polluters themselves, locked in a room for two years with their house environmentalists. "Cap and trade" sets up a system that offers endless opportunities to game the system and make even more money by burning fossil fuels, while claiming to be curbing global warming fast enough to avert climate chaos. By the time the system has matured and we learn that it did not work, the billionaires created by the system will be living comfortably in the globally-warmed mountains of Switzerland while the rest of us are learning to deal with more and bigger Katrinas, creeping inundation of all the world's coastal cities, and widespread famine from crop failures caused by drought. This disaster is being created right before our eyes by the "leading environmentalists" in the United States. Pulitzer-prize winning journalist Ross Gelbspan reports in the Boston Globe <http://www.precaution.org/lib/trading_away_our_chances.19990516.htm> that at least one leading environmental organization in the U.S. -- Environmental Defense -- is planning to make money brokering carbon trades. Let's point out for the record that many, many environmentalists in the U.S. oppose this dangerous, self-serving gamble with the future of the planet. Two collaborations of environmental justice advocates (originating on the East <http://www.precaution.org/lib/climate_justice_forum_statement.080602.ht m> and West <http://www.precaution.org/lib/cal_ej_declaration.080219.htm> coasts of the U.S.) have taken unequivocal positions against carbon trading. Clearly, a national (and global) climate justice <http://www.precaution.org/lib/climate_justice.070305.htm> movement is emerging. Let's hope it gathers momentum in time to stop the "leading environmentalists" in the U.S. from creating an irreversible catastrophe. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubsribe from the CONS-WPST-WES-FORUM list, send any message to: CONS-WPST-WES-FORUM-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp

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FW: {Fraud?} Help get $125 million for green jobs / $2B for green cities!
by Grubb, Karen 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

________________________________ From: Van Jones, Green For All [mailto:team@greenforall.org] Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 3:32 PM To: Grubb, Karen Subject: {Fraud?} Help get $125 million for green jobs / $2B for green cities! Green For All banner<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5379/images/green-for-all-ban ner2.jpg> Dear Karen, Raise your voice to support green-collar jobs<http://www.greenforall.org/images/hardhat%20DC.jpg> In the halls of Washington, D.C., there is an awful lot of "talk" these days about green-collar jobs. But in a few weeks, Congress will have the chance to put its money where its mouth is - for the first time. We need your help to tell Congressional leaders to do the right thing. Last year, with your support, Green For All and our allies helped ensure that the 2007 Energy Bill included two critical provisions: the Green Jobs Act and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. Once they are fully funded, these two provisions will dramatically boost the prospects for green-collar job development in the United States. The Energy Bill authorized funding levels for both of these provisions. Now Congress needs to appropriate the money for them. As soon as two weeks from now, Appropriations committees in Congress will vote whether or not to fund these two vital programs. Click here to tell your representative to vote for full funding for the Green Jobs Act and the "Green Block Grant" Program in this year's Appropriations Bill. <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=8DnsNhR7fEuU9mFk% 2BDkPpJ%2BlLzYG3uiI> A fully funded Green Jobs Act will distribute $125 million per year to identify needed skills, develop training programs, and train workers for jobs in a range of green industries. That's enough money to train 30,000 people in green trades - every year. It targets a broad range of populations for eligibility, but it has a special focus on creating "green pathways out of poverty." In other words, this Act can connect the people who MOST need work - to the work that MOST needs to get done. A fully funded Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program will distribute $2 billion per year to cities and local governments for energy conservation, energy audits, fuel conservation programs, and the use of renewable energy. These "Green" block grants could create tens of thousands of green-collar jobs - accessible to low-income city residents who most need opportunities and careers. Click here to tell your representative to vote for full funding for the Green Jobs Act and the "Green Block Grant" Program in this year's Appropriations Bill. <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ezoB%2B6%2BiZ%2Ba ugPRhJGjFmZ8YdQxyCzZa> We must work hard to make sure that Congress understands the importance of funding these green-collar jobs programs. The budget submitted to Congress by the Bush Administration eliminates and under-funds a broad range of worthy programs. Therefore, Congress must wrestle with many competing priorities as its members attempt to make up for this shortfall and pass an Appropriations Bill for 2009. The Green Jobs Act and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program are essential investments in green-collar job creation and job training. These programs will be fundamental to building an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty. Click here to send an email to your representatives and senators telling them to support appropriations for these critical green-collar jobs programs. <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=pdnEHbLXwPeU9mFk% 2BDkPpJ%2BlLzYG3uiI> Thank you for taking action. Sincerely, Van Jones President, Green For All P.S. Please take action now <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=YztY96yz5bSU9mFk% 2BDkPpJ%2BlLzYG3uiI> and then forward this email to your friends, family, and colleagues. ________________________________ Photo credit: Eliza Simon Green For All can't survive without the support of people like you. Please take a moment to support us today: click here <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=wRbfb68GEziU9mFk% 2BDkPpJ%2BlLzYG3uiI> to donate. ________________________________ Did someone forward this to you, but you're not on our list? To receive our messages in the future, follow this link:MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "org2.democracyinaction.org" claiming to be http://www.greenforall.org/contact-us/sign-up <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=3j4whXE9sZeU9mFk% 2BDkPpJ%2BlLzYG3uiI> To unsubscribe from this list, reply to this message with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line, OR follow this link: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5379/unsubscribe.jsp?unsubscribe <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=N96TUTd62GSU9mFk% 2BDkPpJ%2BlLzYG3uiI> Web Bug from http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/TrackImage?key=12628729<http://www .mailscanner.tv/1x1spacer.gif>

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FW: PATH Web Site Contact Form
by Grubb, Karen 05 Jun '08

05 Jun '08

________________________________ From: MJLippe(a)aol.com [mailto:MJLippe@aol.com] Sent: Wed 6/4/2008 2:26 PM To: WVBiker98(a)aol.com; bellamy(a)frontiernet.net; nhooff(a)somersetdev.com; tbusithi(a)shepherd.edu Cc: Grubb, Karen Subject: Fwd: PATH Web Site Contact Form ________________________________ From: taholliday(a)aep.com To: mjlippe(a)aol.com Sent: 6/4/2008 2:14:47 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time Subj: Re: PATH Web Site Contact Form Hello Mr. Lippe, We appreciate your interest in the PATH project. We're in the process of preparing for two initial informational meetings that will take place in Maryland on June 17 and 18. I've provided the information below. We'll be publishing notices of the meetings in local newspapers and on radio stations in the very near future. These first two meetings will provide general information about the project, but the meetings will not feature specific line routes at this time, as the companies are currently studying routing alternatives. Frederick County Holiday Inn and Conference Center (adjacent to Francis Scott Key Mall) 5400 Holiday Drive Frederick, MD * June 17th * 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Washington County The American Legion-Post 10 710 North Main Street Boonsboro, MD * June 18th * 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM We also plan to hold a series of open houses in late July and early August throughout the West Virginia and Maryland study area to present preliminary siting alternatives and to solicit feedback from area residents. Specific dates, locations and times for those meetings have not been finalized yet. I hope this is helpful. Sincerely, Thomas A. Holliday, APR Director Corporate Communications American Electric Power 1 Riverside Plaza - 19th Fl. Columbus, OH 43215-2373 PH: (614) 716-1403 aud. 222 Email: taholliday(a)aep.com <mjlippe(a)aol.com> 06/04/2008 12:15 To PM <askpath(a)pathtransmission.com> cc <jpolk(a)aep.com> Subject PATH Web Site Contact Form PATH Web Site Contact Form ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Name: Michael Lippe E-mail: mjlippe(a)aol.com Phone #: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Comment: Please advise me the schedule and places for your public meetings or surveys for deciding on issues for the routing of PATH, particularly from Bedington to Kemptown. Thank you! Message sent: 6/4/2008 12:15:36 PM

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River Valley Bio-Refinery
by James Kotcon 04 Jun '08

04 Jun '08

This company proposes to build and operate a biodiesel refinery next to the Bayer Chemical plant in New Martinsville. It would produce 20 million gallons per year of biodiesel, mostly from soybean and cottonseed oil. The draft air permit is at the link below. The major emissions would be methanol and some VOCs, but these seem pretty minimal. My main concern is that the monitoring requirements are pretty vague and may be unenforceable. Does anyone know of other potential emissions from such a plant? Is this something we should support? http://www.wvdep.org/Docs/15016_River%20Valley%20CP%202745%20051-00121.pdf JBK

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SIERRA CLUB POST HEARING BRIEF
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 04 Jun '08

04 Jun '08

ATTACHED IS THE POST HEARING BRIEF FILED ON BEHALF OF THE SIERRA CLUB IN THE TRAILCO CASE AT THE PSC. -- 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

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Re: [EC] increased pollution
by James Kotcon 04 Jun '08

04 Jun '08

That is one heck of a lot of trees. Using data from EPA's Airmarkets web page, that would amount to something on the order of 100,000-200,000 tons of wood per year JBK >>> "Nutter, Thomas M." <TNUTTER(a)alleghenyenergy.com> 6/4/2008 9:43 AM >>> Sally, Keith emailed me yesterday with basically the same question- so I'll copy my reply. If there are other questions please let me know. Tom Keith, I believe the permit that we applied for is to construct a biomass cofiring process at Albright Station. As part of an evaluation of the feasibility of the use of renewable energy sources, a demonstration, funded by the USDOE, was performed at Albright which involved the co-firing of 10% woody biomass (sawdust), by weight. Allegheny Energy installed the necessary ancillary equipment to store and deliver the biomass, including a separate injection co-firing system on Unit 3, a tangentially-fired boiler with a generating capacity of 140 MW (net). The demonstration provided favorable results with respect to sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and other pollutants. After completion of the project, the equipment was left intact to be utilized in this modification. The project is not a major modification and does not cause a significant increase in any of the regulated pollutants. Although the addition of the capability to co-fire biomass in each of the three boilers at the Albright power Station will cause changes in emissions, we contend that a PSD review will not be triggered for any of these regulated pollutants while co-firing a maximum of 10% biomass (by weight) in each of the three boilers. The Analysis of Potential PSD Applicability Determination and Emissions Point Data Summary Sheets were presented to the WVDEP, including information on particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions. I can't seem to follow the DEP website link to find these documents but I could provide them if you're interested. Tom Tom Nutter Regional Engineer Allegheny Energy Supply An Allegheny Energy Company Fort Martin/Albright Region Phone: (304) 329-4263 Fax: (304) 329-4278 Email: tnutter(a)alleghenyenergy.com -----Original Message----- From: Sally Wilts [mailto:swilts@cheat.org] Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 8:43 AM To: Nutter, Thomas M. Subject: increased pollution I received the DEP notice abiut increased particulates from the powerstation. Are you burning more poor quality coal or increasing production, or what is causing more particulates? -- Sally Wilts, Administrative Assistant Friends of the Cheat 119 S. Price St. Kingwood, WV 26537 304-329-3621

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[Fwd: DEP Public Notice - County - Preston - Notice of Intent toApprove Permit #R13-2752]
by James Kotcon 03 Jun '08

03 Jun '08

I have not seen or heard anything about this modification at the Albright power plant. While the amounts are relatively small, Albright is one of the oldest and dirtiest in the Allegheny fleet. Furthermore, they are quite close to both Dolly Sods and Otter Creek Wilderness Areas, meaning the even relatively small increases could lead to violations of Class I Air Quality Standards. Furthermore, our settlement agreement with Longview may be relevant, as Longview used up most of the allowable increment. Does anyone know what Allegheny is proposing? JBK >>> Sally Wilts <swilts(a)cheat.org> 6/3/2008 1:03 PM >>> Have you seen this notice? It seems strange that they are increasing their emissions. Any idea what's up? -- Sally Wilts, Administrative Assistant Friends of the Cheat 119 S. Price St. Kingwood, WV 26537 304-329-3621

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EC June 2008