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NYTimes.com: Expanding Use of Wind Power Feasible, but May Be Costly
by william.depaulo＠gmail.com 25 Jan '10

25 Jan '10

This page was sent to you by: william.depaulo(a)gmail.com. link to summary of wind study potential by Obama's DOE http://www.nrel.gov/wind/systemsintegration/pdfs/2010/ewits_executive_summa… BUSINESS / ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT | January 21, 2010 Expanding Use of Wind Power Feasible, but May Be Costly By MATTHEW L. WALD According to a study, heavy reliance on wind energy is "technically feasible," but will require significant expansion of the power grid. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/business/energy-environment/21wind.html?e… ---------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This e-mail was sent to you by a friend through NYTimes.com's E-mail This Article service. For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help(a)nytimes.com. NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company

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Underground Injection of Gas Industry Brine Taking Off
by Frank Young 24 Jan '10

24 Jan '10

Blank "Several years into the developing Marcellus Shale gas boom, West Virginia well operators are opening new brine disposal injection wells to handle the waste fluids. " http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=73947

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Fwd: FYI: Republican Poll- "BIPARTISAN PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR CLIMATE LEGISLATION"
by James Kotcon 24 Jan '10

24 Jan '10

FYI. This is a pretty important survey, and the pdf has some very important advice on word choice. How we talk about this matters. Terms like "Carbon Neutral" and "Green Jobs" are jargon and they are NOT reaching Americans, whereas concerns about energy security, health, and sustainability matter a lot. "It's not what you say, it's what they hear." JBK >>> Paula Carrell <Paula.Carrell(a)sierraclub.org> 1/22/2010 12:39 PM >>> ----- Forwarded by Bob Bingaman/Sierraclub on 01/22/2010 11:08 AM ----- Bob Bingaman/Sierraclub 01/22/2010 11:07 AM

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Fwd: 2010 coal campaign small grant program announcement
by Paul Wilson 23 Jan '10

23 Jan '10

fyi, incase some of you are not on this listserve. best, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Verena Owen <verena_owen(a)prodigy.net> Date: 2010/1/22 Subject: 2010 coal campaign small grant program announcement To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)lists.sierraclub.org Beyond Coal Campaign * * * * * Small Grant * *Request for Proposals* *January, 2010* *ANNOUNCEMENT * * * The Beyond Coal Campaign is soliciting proposals from Sierra Club entities seeking to pursue its Campaign goals in 2010. Eligible entities include Sierra Club committees, chapters, groups, and ad hoc project teams. The small grants are reserved for volunteer-led efforts and are on a reimbursement-basis only. We cannot pay for staff time. Projects must align with the following primary goals of the National Coal Campaign: - Prevent the construction of a new coal-fired power plants, - Retire and/or replace existing coal plants with clean energy, - End mountaintop removal mining, prevent mining and infrastructure expansions in the Power River Basin, Alaska and other locations with destructive mining practices, - Increase opposition to and defeat dirty fuels : tar sands, oil shale, liquid coal and coal gas The Beyond Coal Campaign will give priority to projects where funds are used to increase grass roots volunteer involvement, to empower activists to engage others to help win on coal, and are used to coordinate local, state and national efforts and help build coalitions with other public interest and public health groups. Priority will also be given for issues or areas where we currently not have enough capacity. We are looking for innovative ideas, and ideas that could be translated or used for other locations. The coal campaign fully supports the Club’s diversity policy and encourages projects that further the goals of the policy. There are only limited *C3* funds (that means no lobbying), a total of about $50,000, available for these small grants. The suggested budget range is $5000 or less. Depending on demand, available funds, and a good pitch, a larger project may be considered. The Coal Campaign Small Grants Application Form is available on the Coal Campaign’s Clubhouse website or by contacting Judy.Hofrichter(a)sierraclub.org . There is no deadline for applying. Please inquire about available funds. It is expected that once applied for, funding decisions about projects will be made in two to four weeks and applicants will be notified of the outcome. If you do not hear from us, please follow up! * * * * For the coal team, Verena Owen Volunteer co-lead ------------------------------ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS list, send any message to: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS-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/ -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha

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Fwd: drop in electricity usage, especially coal-generated
by Jim Sconyers 22 Jan '10

22 Jan '10

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Fri, 1/22/10, Jane Feldman <feldman.jane(a)GMAIL.COM> wrote: From: Jane Feldman <feldman.jane(a)GMAIL.COM> Subject: Fwd: drop in electricity usage, especially coal-generated To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Date: Friday, January 22, 2010, 1:28 PM Hi, all - Maybe you have seen this already. Good stuff. The EIA has a nice monthly report on electricity usage in the US at http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm_sum.html The latest one shows electrical usage dropping 4.6% in 2009 vs. 2008 and coal-generated electricity decreasing a whooping 12.4%. Factor in a recession, but I think this is still very good news. -- Jane Conservation Chair, Southern Nevada Group of the Sierra Club Energy Chair, Toiyabe Chapter of the Sierra Club - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-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/

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Fwd: EPA News Release (HQ): EPA Increases Transparency on Chemical Risk Information
by James Kotcon 21 Jan '10

21 Jan '10

Wonder if this covers fracking fluids in gas well drilling? JBK CONTACTS: Dale Kemery kemery.dale(a)epa.gov 202-564-7839 202-564-4355 Enesta Jones jones.enesta(a)epa.gov 202-564-7873 202-564-4355 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 21, 2010 EPA Increases Transparency on Chemical Risk Information Action part of continued comprehensive reform of toxic substance laws WASHINGTON — As part of Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s commitment to strengthen and reform chemical management, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a new policy to increase the public’s access to information on chemicals. Starting today, EPA has announced its intention to reject a certain type of confidentiality claim, known as Confidential Business Information (CBI), on the identity of chemicals. The chemicals that will be affected by this action are those that are submitted to EPA with studies that show a substantial risk to people's health and the environment and have been previously disclosed on the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Inventory. This action represents another step to use the agency’s authority under the existing TSCA to the fullest extent possible, recognizing EPA’s strong belief that the 1976 law is both outdated and in need of reform. “Assuring the safety of chemicals is one of Administrator Jackson's top priorities for EPA's future,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. “The American people are entitled to transparent, accessible information on chemicals that may pose a risk to their health or the environment. We will continue taking steps that increase transparency and assure the safety of chemicals in our products, our environment and our bodies.” Under TSCA, companies may claim a range of sensitive, proprietary information as CBI. Under Section 8(e) of TSCA, companies that manufacture, process, or distribute chemicals are required to immediately provide notice to EPA if they learn that a chemical presents a substantial risk of injury to health or the environment. The Section 8(e) reports are made available on EPA’s Web site. However, until today, companies would routinely claim confidentiality for the actual identity of the chemical covered by the Section 8(e) submission, so the public posting of the information would not include the name of the chemical. The new policy announced today ends this practice for chemicals on the public portion of the TSCA Inventory. This new policy will increase the amount of information available by granting the public access to the chemical identification information submitted, along with other health and safety data under Section 8(e). In the coming months, EPA intends to announce additional steps to further increase transparency of chemical information. EPA’s new policy on TSCA Section 8(e) submissions is being published in the Federal Register. More information on the new policy: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/tsca8e/ More information on EPA’s principles for comprehensive TSCA reform: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/principles.html R016 Sent by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW · Washington DC 20460 · 202-564-4355

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Fw: Report on future of Central Appalachian coal
by Jim Sconyers 20 Jan '10

20 Jan '10

FYI - very important new report on the future of coal in WV. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Wed, 1/20/10, Evan Hansen <ehansen(a)downstreamstrategies.com> wrote: From: Evan Hansen <ehansen(a)downstreamstrategies.com> Subject: Report on future of Central Appalachian coal To: "Jim_Kotcon" <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>, "Duane_Nichols" <Duane330(a)aol.com>, "Jim Sconyers" <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 6:13 AM Hi Jim, Duane, and Jim: I thought you might be interested in this report that we just released. Here’s a good description in the Coal Tattoo blog: http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/2010/01/19/must-read-report-the-decli… Evan Evan Hansen, President Downstream Strategies 219 Wall Street Morgantown, WV 26505 304.292.2450 www.downstreamstrategies.com From: Downstream Strategies [mailto:info@downstreamstrategies.com] Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 9:25 AM To: ehansen(a)downstreamstrategies.com Subject: Release: Report on Central Appalachian Coal Argues for Diversification FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 19, 2009 CONTACT Rory McIlmoil, Staff Research Analyst Energy and Climate Change Program (304) 292-2450 (o) (304) 376-0045 (c) rmcilmoil(a)downstreamstrategies.com New Report Warns of Decline of Central Appalachian Coal Argues for New Focus on Economic Diversification and Renewable Energy for the Region MORGANTOWN, WV - As the legislative season begins across Central Appalachia, a new report by Downstream Strategies details future challenges to coal production in the region and argues that policy-makers should strongly support renewable energy and the development of new economic opportunities for coal-producing areas. "Coal has contributed significantly to local and state economies in Central Appalachia, but production has fallen substantially over the last 12 years as other coal basins and sources of fuel have become more competitive," said lead author Rory McIlmoil. "This trend is expected to continue as mining costs increase due to the depletion of the lowest cost coal reserves, and as new environmental regulations are implemented. As this happens, local and state economies will need new sources of jobs and revenue to replace coal mining jobs and taxes." According to the report, Central Appalachian coal production is projected to fall by nearly 50% within the next ten years. Central Appalachia includes the coal-producing counties in southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, southwest Virginia, and eastern Tennessee The report points to renewable energy and energy efficiency as two sectors where new jobs and tax revenues can be created, as the region has a wealth of clean energy resources. The report concludes that losses related to the decline of the coal industry can be recaptured by gains from wind, solar, low-impact hydro, and sustainable biomass production, and from a strong focus on energy efficiency improvements. To support the diversification of the regional energy economy, the report outlines a series of policy instruments, including requiring each state to provide 25% of their energy from renewable sources; the provision of grants, tax credits, clean energy bonds, or low-interest loans to support renewable energy development and manufacturing; the implementation and strengthening of net metering laws; and the development of workforce programs aimed at providing the skills and knowledge required for renewable energy industries. The study also argues for strong incentives for local ownership of energy development, to help maximize the local economic benefits of renewable energy projects. "Given that coal production is projected to decline significantly in the coming decades, diversification of Central Appalachian economies is now more critical than ever," said co-author Evan Hansen, President of Downstream Strategies. "State leaders should use this legislative session to increase support for new economic development across the region, especially in the rural areas set to be the most impacted by a sharp decline in the region's coal economy." In December 2009, West Virginia Senator Robert C. Byrd stated, "West Virginians can choose to anticipate change and adapt to it, or resist and be overrun by it. The time has arrived for the people of the Mountain State to think long and hard about which course they want to choose." According to McIlmoil, "The same is true for all of Central Appalachia, and we hope this report helps policy-makers understand the changes that are coming so that they can support new industries. The renewable energy sector offers one of the greatest opportunities for economic development." Downstream Strategies is an environmental consulting company in Morgantown, West Virginia, with program areas in environmental policy, environmental science, and geographic information systems. The company provides science, research, and tools to organizations, businesses, and agencies. It offers clients an alternative to mainstream environmental consulting by combining sound interdisciplinary skills with a core belief in the importance of protecting the environment and linking economic development with natural resource stewardship. Download the full report or visit the Downstream Strategies publications page. # # # Forward email This email was sent to ehansen(a)downstreamstrategies.com by info(a)downstreamstrategies.com. Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Email Marketing by Downstream Strategies | 219 Wall Street | Morgantown | WV | 26505

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Use of diesel fuel in gas drilling as fracing material
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 20 Jan '10

20 Jan '10

[image: Green Inc. - Energy, the Environment and the Bottom Line]<http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/> <http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=cookie&pos=Position1B> January 20, 2010, 9:20 am Gas Drilling Techniques Under Fire … Again By JOHN COLLINS RUDOLF<http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/author/john-collins-rudolf/> Drilling companies are side-stepping regulations on use of diesel fuel in the extraction process, a new report suggests. Federal government oversight of hydraulic fracturing – a drilling technique that boosts natural gas extraction by blasting water, sand and chemicals underground at high pressure – is sorely lacking, putting drinking water supplies at risk, an environmental policy group claimed in a report<http://www.ewg.org/drillingaroundthelaw>released Tuesday. According to the Environmental Working Group <http://www.ewg.org/>, a research and advocacy group based in Washington, drilling companies are side-stepping a permitting requirement for the use of diesel fuel in their fracturing fluids by using similar petroleum distillates that contain the same toxins as diesel, but require no permitting. The report also cites evidence that drilling companies continue to inject diesel fuel underground without the proper permits. “The industry has been able to operate above the law,” said Dusty Horwitt, the group’s senior counsel. “They’re doing an end-run around what little oversight is left.” The use of hydraulic fracturing has vastly boosted the productivity of existing natural gas wells and opened new territory to drilling, helping lift natural gas reserves in the United States by nearly a third, and igniting a drilling boom from New York to Wyoming. Yet as gas companies explore drilling in sensitive regions like the New York City watershed in upstate New York, concern over the technology’s potential to pollute water supplies has mounted. The drilling boom – and the growing controversy over the risk of water contamination – was outlined in a December article<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/08/business/energy-environment/08fracking.ht…>by Times reporters Jad Mouawad and Clifford Krauss. As they noted, the evidence of groundwater pollution attributable to fracturing is thin — though environmental groups contend that is because governments have been slow to react to the drilling boom and are not looking hard for contamination. Gas companies, meanwhile, acknowledge the validity of some concerns, but they claim that their technology is fundamentally safe. In 2004, the United States Environmental Protection Agency released a report<http://www.propublica.org/feature/buried-secrets-is-natural-gas-drilling-en…>declaring that hydraulic fracturing posed little threat to human health. The following year, drawing support from the E.P.A. report, Congress voted to exempt hydraulic fracturing from oversight under the Clean Water Act. The law made one exception, however – that companies acquire permits when using diesel fuel in their fracturing fluid. Diesel contains benzene and other cancer-causing agents. Obeying the letter of the law, many drilling companies switched from diesel to other petroleum distillates. Yet these distillates also contain toxics such as benzene, sometimes in even greater levels than the diesel they are replacing, according to the Environmental Working Group report. “These substitutes are extremely toxic,” Mr. Horwitt said. The group also contacted environmental agencies in New York, Pennsylvania, Montana, Texas and Wyoming – states where hydraulic fracturing has been used extensively – seeking information on the continuing use of diesel fuel in drilling. Only one state, Wyoming, provided information on permitting, the report states. “It’s not even clear if companies are getting permits if they’re using diesel,” Mr. Horwitt said. “This whole area has been shrouded in secrecy and lax regulation.” Drilling companies maintain that hydraulic fracturing is safe and have launched a fierce lobbying and public relations effort<http://www.energyindepth.org/projectbrief/record-of-safety/>to resist further regulation. Congress will have a chance to revisit the controversy over the safety of the technology this week as it weighs approval<http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/76831-exxon-ceo-to-tout-safety…>of the Exxon Mobil Corporation’s proposed $41 billion acquisition of XTO Energy, a major player in natural gas extraction. [image: DCSIMG] -- 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 restrictions apply to any attachment to this email.

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Fw: New Community & Environmental Protection Resources
by Jim Sconyers 19 Jan '10

19 Jan '10

FYI Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Tue, 1/19/10, Richard Klein <Rklein(a)ceds.org> wrote: From: Richard Klein <Rklein(a)ceds.org> Subject: New Community & Environmental Protection Resources To: jim_scon(a)yahoo.com Date: Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 10:38 AM Dear Mr. Sconyers I wanted to make you aware of three new resources for citizens seeking to preserve communities and the environment from the impact of sprawl and other poorly planned projects... Citizen's Hotline 1-800-773-4571 for those concerned about flawed projects who need assistance in addition to that available from the Sierra Club and other not-for-profit groups; Coal-By-Wire & Transmission Lines webpage for citizens concerned about proposed high-voltage or extra-high voltage transmission projects facilitating more pollution from coal-fired power plants: ceds.org/tl; and Making Pollution Laws Work webpage providing guidance on reporting pollution problems so they are quickly corrected along with advice on identifying existing problems and managing watershed growth to prevent new ones: ceds.org/compliance. As a former Sierra Club group chair and National Sprawl Committee member, I know that the Club simply cannot help everyone who seeks our assistance. I created these and other resources to provide citizen activists with an alternative to hiring an expensive lawyer when they require assistance beyond that available through the Club's 63 Chapters and 274 Groups. I would deeply appreciate it if you would consider letting conservation chairs and others who receive requests for assistance know about these new resources. A complete description of all our no-cost citizen assistance is available on our main webpage: ceds.org. While more then half the folks we help find that our free assistance is all they need, a small portion of the remainder hire CEDS to manage their campaign, which is how we can afford to offer all the no-cost help. Our Politically Oriented Advocacy webpage describes the unique approach we developed which is achieving a 90% success rate while expanding the base of public (voter) support for responsible growth- and environmental-management. Thank you. -- Richard D Richard D. Klein Community & Environmental Defense Services 811 Crystal Palace Court Owings Mills, Maryland 21117 410-654-3021 410-654-3028 Fax 443-421-5964 Mobile Web Page: www.ceds.org/

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NYTimes.com: Luminous 3-D Jungle Is a Biologist's Dream
by william.depaulo＠gmail.com 19 Jan '10

19 Jan '10

This page was sent to you by: william.depaulo(a)gmail.com. If you want to persuade someone to join the fight against mountain top removal or global warming, send them to see AVATAR...a "Minds and Hearts" for the environment, if ever there was one. SCIENCE | January 19, 2010 Essay: Luminous 3-D Jungle Is a Biologist's Dream By CAROL KAESUK YOON The new film "Avatar" explores life forms both familiar and fantastic, but a viewer does not have to be a scientist to enjoy the experience. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/science/19essay.html?emc=eta1 ---------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This e-mail was sent to you by a friend through NYTimes.com's E-mail This Article service. For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help(a)nytimes.com. NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Copyright 2010 The New York Times Company

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Kennedy v. Blankenship MTR debate
by Frank Young 16 Jan '10

16 Jan '10

For those of you not attending this debate in person, it will apparently be available via WV Public Broadcasting, as well as on several websites. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jan. 21: The Big Debate Broadcast on Radio, TV, Web As one news story said, it is the hottest ticket in town: "Forum on the Future of Energy." At 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21, the University of Charleston will present a "public conversation" between Waterkeeper Alliance President and environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Massey Energy Chairman and CEO Don Blankenship. Tickets for seats in the auditorium have all been given away. The university will open up a gymnasium and broadcast the debate live there. West Virginia Public Broadcasting will air the debate live, so people anywhere can tune in. You can also watch the "Forum on the Future of Energy" on assorted websites, as noted here. __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity: Visit Your Group Start a New Topic Working since 1967 for the conservation and wise management of West Virginia's natural resources MARKETPLACE Going Green: Your Yahoo! Groups resource for green living Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use. __,_._,___

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Storm No Problem For Houses "Off The Grid"- Public News Svc. story
by Frank Young 15 Jan '10

15 Jan '10

BlankWith apologies for dual postings: ------------------------------------------------------- CHARLESTON, W.Va. - This winter's unusually cold weather has created snarls around the nation. Here in Appalachia, a fierce December storm knocked out power to nearly 400,000 people and cost more than $60 million to clean up. Not everyone lost electricity, however, because some weren't connected to the power grid in the first place. Mary Wildfire lives with her husband in a house they built outside Spencer in Roane County. They run their lights, computers, appliances and the pump for their well on eight solar panels located in their front yard. "Our immediate neighbors were out of power for a week; they got it back Christmas Eve. And we did really pretty well, because there were some partly sunny days." She says the solar panels actually work better when it snows, because of the amount of light they get. Wildfire admits that anyone who heats with wood or generates their own electricity loses a lot in terms of convenience. In her household, they have to pay attention to how much power they use and how much sun they get, but it's part of a lifestyle that has advantages, despite the trade-offs. "We had to check whether we had wood in the shed, whether we were using too much power for how much light we'd gotten lately, but then to live on the grid we'd have to have, probably, full-time jobs." Wildfire admits the system was expensive to install, at about $4,000 after tax breaks. But she says they're counting on it lasting for decades. Dan Heyman, Public News Service - WV http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/12190-1

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Re: [EC] Fwd: MA Chapter Biomass Policy/Resolution
by Jim Sconyers 15 Jan '10

15 Jan '10

SC (Bill Price, Mary Ann Hitt, Bruce Nilles) have been, I believe, very supportive of that proposed facility. I agree that most biomass plants would cause deforestation, regardless of how they claim to use only "waste" wood. I don't like wood biomass at all. But this seems to be only about forest biomass. What about other biomass? switchgrass/kenaf/sugar cane/ethanol/etc? I don't know the numbers, whether burning switchgrass is carbon neutral or not... Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Fri, 1/15/10, James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> wrote: From: James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> Subject: [EC] Fwd: MA Chapter Biomass Policy/Resolution To: ec(a)osenergy.org, mwimmer(a)wvu.edu Date: Friday, January 15, 2010, 3:11 PM I guess we just don't have enough to do. The Massachusetts Chapter has adopted a policy to oppose biomass facilities and opposes designation of biomass as "renewable". Have they gone too far? Or are we behind the times? Does this mean I should stop using my wood stove? A wood-to-electricity facility in southern WV (I think Mingo or McDowell County) was recently announced. Do we have a position on it? JBK >>> James McCaffrey <director(a)SierraClubMass.org> 1/15/2010 2:12 PM >>> Dear Club Leaders and fellow state directors / lobbyists et al: Attached is the MA Chapter’s new biomass policy, as recently adopted, and a letter to our legislature. We are battling several large-scale biomass proposals. Incentives to develop biomass infiltrated various bits of MA legislation/regs and other initiatives, and a rush ensued. These plants could devastate the Massachusetts landscape and cause a huge net increase of CO2 at this time. There was a very vocal and intense outcry from both members and the general public in opposition to the proposals here in MA. Much of our research has been conducted by Alexandra Dawson (former Chapter Excom) and her colleague, Mary Booth, an environmental scientist. That combined with the extensive work and legacy of the Club on related issues (forestry, energy etc) provided us with a solid background to oppose the proposed facilities. I have spoken to a few other New England states that are tracking this issue, and the biomass momentum creates a significant threat nationwide. Biomass proponents are working hard to have the same kind of incentives that created our problems here written into the federal energy bill. A few key points to note about our policy/letter: • The Chapter policy is based heavily on very careful review of Club guidance documents and polices, including Energy Policies, Forest Policies, and the Biomass Guidance docs. The letter and policy borrow rather extensively from these existing Club polices and work. Many sections are exact wording from the existing Club policy/guidance docs. If there is interest in an annotated version that highlights Club polices and documents, I could generate a new version late next week. • The policy is specific only to woody biomass harvested from living forests and being used for utility-scale electricity generation. The Chapter has “reserved judgment” on small-scale combined heat and power facilities, while acknowledging that there is still every possibility of “death by a thousand cuts”. • The policy does not deal with other biofuels (switch-grass or algae crops etc) that are currently being reviewed by other entities within the Club. This is noted in the adopted policy. • Although our chapter also opposes the burning of C&D, and several of our proposed plants would burn C&D, that is being dealt with in separate chapter polices. Our Chapter leaders are hopeful that our work here will lead to the strongest possible stance by the Club on this issue. The support from our members has been very enthusiastic since release of the policy. In December, as a direct result of our work, our administration agreed to suspend the applicability of renewable energy credits for biomass plants pending the outcome of a sustainability study. There are more details about this in our letter to the legislature. Please respond if you have any comments or thoughts on the policy, and feel free to forward this info to anyone else in the Club who may find it helpful. Jay McCaffrey MA Chapter Director ________________________________ James McCaffrey Director Massachusetts Sierra Club 10 Milk Street, Suite 632 Boston MA 02108 617.423.5775 voice 617.890.0338 fax www.sierraclubmass.org director(a)sierraclubmass.org __________________________________ The Sierra Club is a non-profit environmental organization with 21,000 members in Massachusetts and 700,000 members nationwide dedicated to the preservation, protection, and exploration of the earth’s natural environment. Join us! www.sierraclubmass.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-FRED list, send any message to: CONS-FRED-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC(a)osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec

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Fwd: MA Chapter Biomass Policy/Resolution
by James Kotcon 15 Jan '10

15 Jan '10

I guess we just don't have enough to do. The Massachusetts Chapter has adopted a policy to oppose biomass facilities and opposes designation of biomass as "renewable". Have they gone too far? Or are we behind the times? Does this mean I should stop using my wood stove? A wood-to-electricity facility in southern WV (I think Mingo or McDowell County) was recently announced. Do we have a position on it? JBK >>> James McCaffrey <director(a)SierraClubMass.org> 1/15/2010 2:12 PM >>> Dear Club Leaders and fellow state directors / lobbyists et al: Attached is the MA Chapter’s new biomass policy, as recently adopted, and a letter to our legislature. We are battling several large-scale biomass proposals. Incentives to develop biomass infiltrated various bits of MA legislation/regs and other initiatives, and a rush ensued. These plants could devastate the Massachusetts landscape and cause a huge net increase of CO2 at this time. There was a very vocal and intense outcry from both members and the general public in opposition to the proposals here in MA. Much of our research has been conducted by Alexandra Dawson (former Chapter Excom) and her colleague, Mary Booth, an environmental scientist. That combined with the extensive work and legacy of the Club on related issues (forestry, energy etc) provided us with a solid background to oppose the proposed facilities. I have spoken to a few other New England states that are tracking this issue, and the biomass momentum creates a significant threat nationwide. Biomass proponents are working hard to have the same kind of incentives that created our problems here written into the federal energy bill. A few key points to note about our policy/letter: • The Chapter policy is based heavily on very careful review of Club guidance documents and polices, including Energy Policies, Forest Policies, and the Biomass Guidance docs. The letter and policy borrow rather extensively from these existing Club polices and work. Many sections are exact wording from the existing Club policy/guidance docs. If there is interest in an annotated version that highlights Club polices and documents, I could generate a new version late next week. • The policy is specific only to woody biomass harvested from living forests and being used for utility-scale electricity generation. The Chapter has “reserved judgment” on small-scale combined heat and power facilities, while acknowledging that there is still every possibility of “death by a thousand cuts”. • The policy does not deal with other biofuels (switch-grass or algae crops etc) that are currently being reviewed by other entities within the Club. This is noted in the adopted policy. • Although our chapter also opposes the burning of C&D, and several of our proposed plants would burn C&D, that is being dealt with in separate chapter polices. Our Chapter leaders are hopeful that our work here will lead to the strongest possible stance by the Club on this issue. The support from our members has been very enthusiastic since release of the policy. In December, as a direct result of our work, our administration agreed to suspend the applicability of renewable energy credits for biomass plants pending the outcome of a sustainability study. There are more details about this in our letter to the legislature. Please respond if you have any comments or thoughts on the policy, and feel free to forward this info to anyone else in the Club who may find it helpful. Jay McCaffrey MA Chapter Director ________________________________ James McCaffrey Director Massachusetts Sierra Club 10 Milk Street, Suite 632 Boston MA 02108 617.423.5775 voice 617.890.0338 fax www.sierraclubmass.org director(a)sierraclubmass.org __________________________________ The Sierra Club is a non-profit environmental organization with 21,000 members in Massachusetts and 700,000 members nationwide dedicated to the preservation, protection, and exploration of the earth’s natural environment. Join us! www.sierraclubmass.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-FRED list, send any message to: CONS-FRED-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp

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Fwd: Fleischauer Bills
by James Kotcon 14 Jan '10

14 Jan '10

The top three bills mentioned are priorities for the WV Sierra Club. Unleash those letter writers and get letters of support to our Delegates. And for the policy wonks, new junkies, and legal beagles, go to the WV Legislature web page, type in the number of the bills, and read over HB 3254 and HB 3279. WOW! JBK >>> <dsgjr(a)aol.com> 1/13/2010 5:38 PM >>> Some of our bills were introduced today. HB 4001 Relating to water pollution control Pending House Government Organization -- TDS bill HB 4008 Green Buildings Act Pending House Government Organization HB 4012 West Virginia Energy Efficiency Act Pending House Government Organization also these others came up today HB 2314 Relating to a severance tax imposed on surface mining activities Pending House Energy, Industry and Labor, Economic Development and Small Business 01/13/10 HB 2328 Increasing the Public Service Commission appointees and requiring that there be one appointee from each congressional district and two at-large appointments Pending House Government Organization HB 2764 West Virginia Public Campaign Financing Act Pending House Judiciary HB 3023 Relating to oil and gas surface owner's bill of rights Pending House Energy, Industry and Labor, Economic Development and Small Business HB 3254 Requiring county commissions to adopt and implement county farmland protection programs Pending House Government Organization HB 3279 Prohibiting any permits authorizing the construction, enlargement or modification of any coal mine waste Pending House Energy, Industry and Labor, Economic Development and Small Business HB 4023 Relating to the Public Service Commission Pending House Government Organization

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Fwd: Principles for Safeguarding Nuclear Waste at Reactors
by James Kotcon 13 Jan '10

13 Jan '10

The Physicians for Social Responsibility have asked WVEC to endorse the attached Principles. Based on my review, these are such common sense that it makes me wonder why they are not already the rule, but I suspect that the parts about community involvement and independent monitoring have raised alarm at DOE. Whaddya Tink? JBK >>> dsgjr(a)aol.com> 1/11/2010 10:45 PM >> ( mailto:dsgjr@aol.com> ) From: mpinnell(a)psr.org To: dsgjr(a)aol.com Sent: 1/11/2010 2:03:56 P.M. Eastern Standard Time Subj: Principles for Safeguarding Nuclear Waste at Reactors Dear Don, Gary Zuckett suggested I contact you. We at PSR are working on issuing a policy statement on safeguarding nuclear waste at reactor sites in the next few weeks and are really hoping to get at least 1 group from all 50 states on board with our position. Attached you will find the Principles for Safeguarding Nuclear Waste at Reactors. We are really hoping to get at least 1 group from all 50 states on board with our position, and right now we don’t have a representative for West Virginia. The Obama administration has stated, in its opposition to Yucca Mountain, that it will be reevaluating nuclear waste policy in the U.S. so it is a critical time to make a statement in support of safe and sane waste management practices. It would be fantastic if West Virginia Environmental Council could sign on and if you would like to forward this statement to other groups you work with, that would be great too. We’re hoping to issue these to the public next week, so the sooner you can reply, the better. Morgan Pinnell Safe Energy Program Coordinator Physicians for Social Responsibility Phone: 202-587-5232 Email: mpinnell(a)psr.org

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Re: [EC] Science article on MTR
by Paul Wilson 12 Jan '10

12 Jan '10

On the Diane Rehm Show on WAMU public Radio last Thursday, a couple of the guest referred to an embargoed article from Science magazine. Attached is a pdf of that article. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha

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Fwd: Re: Wind Siting Guidelines
by James Kotcon 12 Jan '10

12 Jan '10

The State Government Program Leaders List-serve has been soliciting wind energy siting guidelines from the state to use as models. Attached are the wind energy siting guidelines from Arizona, which appear to be pretty good. They include things like recommending "Bird Flight Diverters" on towers which have been shown to reduce collisions by up to 86 %, as well as requirements for acoustic monitoring for bats, and coordination with state wildlife plans. Does WV-DNR have anything like this? Should we push for something like this from WV-DNR? It would be a way to support the wind industry by providing clear guidance while also providing protections for critical wildlife species. Whaddya Tink? JBK --------------------------- cc:Mail Users----------------------------- ** Remember to DELETE the 'Sender: ...' lines above before REPLYing ** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> Sandy Bahr <sandy.bahr(a)sierraclub.org> 1/11/2010 6:03 PM >>> These are pretty good from our Game and Fish Department. Sandy Bahr Chapter Director Sierra Club - Grand Canyon Chapter 202 E. McDowell Rd, Suite 277 Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone (602) 253-8633 Fax (602) 258-6533 sandy.bahr(a)sierraclub.org From:FRED [mailto:CONS-FRED@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG] On Behalf Of Kenneth C. Winston Sent: Monday, January 11, 2010 1:32 PM To: CONS-FRED(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Subject: Wind Siting Guidelines --------------------------- cc:Mail Users-----------------------------** Remember to DELETE the 'Sender: ...' lines above before REPLYing **---------------------------------------------------------------------- Does anyone have a really good set of wind siting guidelines? I have looked at the material that Sandy Bahr (and others) were working on at the time of Colloquium and looked at Kansas’s guidelines. I also looked up the Wisconsin guidelines, but they appear to just direct the PSC to develop guidelines. The chairman of the Natural Resources Committee has indicated that he is open to the idea of guidelines and I have another key member of the committee who is pushing the idea so I need to come up with something fast. Any helpful ideas would be appreciated. Ken Winston - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-FRED list, send any message to: CONS-FRED-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-FRED list, send any message to: CONS-FRED-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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Fwd: a "green" project by a Brunswick MD group
by James Kotcon 10 Jan '10

10 Jan '10

Anybody know anything about this group or this project? JBK >>> "Peter Maynard" <excelsior6(a)verizon.net> 1/8/2010 5:50 PM >>> Jim, we are a group of environmentally-concerned people who are now undertaking the restoration of the old Harper's Ferry hydroelectric plant, now owned by Park Service, decommissioned several years ago as, one supposes, not worth the bother. Yet at one time it was a significant source of electric power. And no significant damming of the Potomac is required -- which would make this a very "green" project. Keepers of the Green have taken the first step toward returning to viability this old plant. We have asked the Park Service for its approval. The next step would be a feasibility study. We will need a lot of help to move this project forward. Do you think your Sierra Club people might be interested? Can you give me any suggestions about other people who might be enlisted? -- Peter Maynard

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Fwd: You are invited to register as a Climate Leader for the Online phonebank next week Fwd: Thank you for signing up to phone bank!
by Jim Sconyers 08 Jan '10

08 Jan '10

Great phone bank system - and now the calls are about the Murkowski amendment that would strip the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Thu, 1/7/10, Jane Feldman <feldman.jane(a)GMAIL.COM> wrote: From: Jane Feldman <feldman.jane(a)GMAIL.COM> Subject: Fwd: You are invited to register as a Climate Leader for the Online phonebank next week Fwd: Thank you for signing up to phone bank! To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Date: Thursday, January 7, 2010, 7:27 PM Hi, Energy Chairs and GW Chairs - I am working hard to recruit people to participate in the online phonebanks that Sierra Club calls "Winning Wednesdays." I just sent out an email to my local conservation crew, asking them to sign up for the online phonebank. The email that I sent them is below. I thought that maybe you would like to sign up for the online phonebank, too. And maybe you might like to send an email of your own to your energy and GW committee people. Thx for all the hard work you do. Jane Las Vegas ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jane Feldman <feldman.jane(a)gmail.com> Date: Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 4:21 PM Subject: You are invited to register as a Climate Leader for the Online phonebank next week Fwd: Thank you for signing up to phone bank! To: best-conservation-crew Hi, all - I just signed up to do the online phonebank next Wed. I'd love to have each ofyou join in, too. We will be calling Sierra Club members in targeted states, and transferring them into their Senator's office voicemail to leave a message. We will urge the Senators to oppose Sen Murkowski's proposal that would limit the EPA's ability to manage green house gases. We are mobilizing in a major way to protect administrative controls on greenhouse gases and to pass a climate and energy bill in the Senate. Here's how the online phonebank works: You need a computer on the Internet and a telephone. (The computer system feeds the phone calls into your telephone - you don't even have to dial the phone.) You can work at home, at your office, at your favorite coffee shop - anywhere that you have Internet and a telephone. You can work for a half hour or for 4 hours. You can apply immediate, incisive pressure to protect administrative action to manage greenhouse gases, and pave the way for a good climate and energy bill in the Senate. Here's how to sign up: Go to www.sierraclub.org/climateleaders. Register to be a Climate Leader. Use the same web page to find the button to "Sign up for Winning Wednesday Phonebanks." Christina and Nicole will then automatically send you an email (see below) with instructions. If you have any questions at all - email or call me. I'll look forward to being on line with you on Wednesday! Thank you. -- Jane 648-0699 landline at home Conservation Chair, Southern Nevada Group of the Sierra Club Energy Chair, Toiyabe Chapter of the Sierra Club ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Christina & Nicole, Sierra Club <online.advocacy(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 8:12 AM Subject: Thank you for signing up to phone bank! To: feldman.jane(a)gmail.com Jane, Thank you for signing up to phone bank! Here's the info. When: Wednesday, January 13th Time: Phone banks from 6-10 pm ET, 3-7 pm PT Dial In: 866-501-6174, Conference Code: 211-1742 Learn how to use our Winning Connections system on one of two training session conference calls at 6:00 pm ET/3:00 pm PT and again at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT. This is a new system for 2010. Even if you've taken a training before, you'll want to join to see what's new. Before the call, please review the instructions on how to use the phone bank system on the sign up page. We'll post the instructions for the new system the week of January 11th. http://action.sierraclub.org/climateleaders_phone We look forward to working with you, and please don't hesitate to send us any questions you have at online.advocacy(a)sierraclub.org. Thanks for leading the way, Christina Yagjian National Conservation Organizer Nicole Ghio Sierra Club Online Organizing Sierra Club 85 Second St. San Francisco, CA 94105 Sierra Club Home Join/Donate -- Jane Conservation Chair, Southern Nevada Group of the Sierra Club Energy Chair, Toiyabe Chapter of the Sierra Club - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-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/

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Fwd: Club-wide "Call to Action on Clean Energy and Climate" - TUESDAY at 8:30pm ET
by Paul Wilson 08 Jan '10

08 Jan '10

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Verena Owen <baumling(a)aol.com> Date: Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 6:54 PM Subject: Club-wide "Call to Action on Clean Energy and Climate" - TUESDAY at 8:30pm ET To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-FORUM(a)lists.sierraclub.org *Subject: Club-wide "Call to Action on Clean Energy and Climate" - TUESDAY at 8:30pm ET PLEASE FORWARD TO YOUR LISTS * Last month President Obama's EPA declared that global warming pollutionendangers human health and welfare, and announced plans to limit emissions from big polluters. This plan is now under attack by Senator Lisa Murkowskiof Alaska and other friends of Big Coal and Oil. Join us for a *Club-wide conference "Call to Action on Clean Energy and Climate" on Tuesday, January 12th at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT*. <>We will discuss critical action needed to protect the Obama Administration's ability to clean up greenhouse gas emissions and protect public health. <>We will also share legislative projections for 2010 regarding clean energy and climate solutions. When: *Tuesday, January 12th at 8:30pm Eastern * Number: 866.501.6174 code: 223 9223 Call Agenda: Welcome and Context Legislative and Administrative Strategy Campaign Tactics, Tools and Resources Questions and Answers We need your help to create a create the groundswell of support needed to defend and win a clean energy economy in 2010! Tools for Action: Action Alert (take and forward to your lists!) - * https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction… *<https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction…> Talking Points (username and password: clubhouse, explore) - * http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/communications/talking-points/politics/murk… *<http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/communications/talking-points/politics/murk…> LTEs - * http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/communications/talking-points/templates/mur… *<http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/communications/talking-points/templates/mur…> Hope you can join, for Christina Christina.Yagjian(a)sierraclub.org, Verena Owen - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 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/ -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha

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Obama to meet with Manchin - send a PATH message
by Jim Sconyers 06 Jan '10

06 Jan '10

We have been told that Gov. Manchin has a meeting set with President Obama for next week, Jan. 12 to be specific. It would be a GREAT help if all our PATH opponents could flood the White House email system with messages asking the President to stand with us, the public, rather than coal and energy interests! And ask all your family, friends and co-workers to do the same - let's see if we can't get thousands of emails sent by the 12th! Send your message using this link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/ (Cut and paste into your browser if it's not a live link in this email.) Following is a sample message. Feel free to use all or part of it, or compose your own! Dear Mr. President: I am told you will meet with West Virginia Governor Manchin on January 12, 2010, to discuss energy issues. He will no doubt promote increasing coal fired electricity to be transmitted to the mid-Atlantic and northeast states via a 765 kV transmission line known as PATH. Please reject the Governor for the following reasons: 1) Coal is horribly polluting today. Clean coal experiments are starting, but clean coal combustion will not be achievable for decades to come; 2) The PATH application in Virginia has been declared unnecessary by the applicant due to significantly flawed planning by PJM (the electricity planner for this region); 3) PATH is viable only because FERC promised a 14.3% profit on all costs associated with the project to be paid by 50 million electricity consumers in 13 states even if no power ever flows through the PATH lines and regardless of who consumes the electricity that PATH transmits; 4) PATH passes very close to hundreds of homes ruining home values and assuring a spike in childhood leukemia, breast cancer, certain brain tumors and Alzheimer's disease. The sponsors of PATH refuse to purchase the affected homes; In summary, pollution-free electrical generation is your goal to meet future needs and to replace existing production as polluting units retire. The plan to do that is well underway in this region of America. PATH and the associated increase in highly polluting coal-fired electricity transmitted hundreds of miles by the largest extension cord ever built is WRONG and NOT NEEDED. Please reject Governor Manchin and continue to promote conservation, and wind and solar power sources for electrical generation. Expansion of unneeded coal-fired electricity generation today is totally unacceptable. Sincerely, Your Name Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last.

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Public Radio program on Mountaintop Removal scheduled for 10am on Thursday January 7th
by Paul Wilson 06 Jan '10

06 Jan '10

While listening to the Diane Rehm show on WAMU public radio, I heard that tomorrow's show will be on Mountaintop Removal mining. If your public radio station does not carry the Diane Rehm show, you can listen in on their website via the link below. It would be nice to get some call or emails in to this show. You can email Diane Rehm at drshow(a)wamu.org I think this will be a 10am (ETZ) program as a book author is scheduled for 11am according to the website. http://wamu.org/programs/dr/ -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha

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FW: NYT (Friedman -- While Detroit Slept)
by James Kotcon 05 Jan '10

05 Jan '10

From my father-in-law. JBK >>> "Bob Elliott" <rdelliott(a)socal.rr.com> 12/12/2008 7:29 AM >>> <http://www.nytimes.com/> <http://www.nytimes.com/> The New York Times <http://www.nytimes.com/> _____ December 10, 2008 Op-Ed Columnist While Detroit Slept By <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/tho maslfriedman/index.html?inline=nyt-per> THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN As I think about our bailing out Detroit, I can't help but reflect on what, in my view, is the most important rule of business in today's integrated and digitized global market, where knowledge and innovation tools are so widely distributed. It's this: Whatever can be done, will be done. The only question is will it be done by you or to you. Just don't think it won't be done. If you have an idea in Detroit or Tennessee, promise me that you'll pursue it, because someone in Denmark or Tel Aviv will do so a second later. Why do I bring this up? Because someone in the mobility business in Denmark and Tel Aviv is already developing a real-world alternative to Detroit's business model. I don't know if this alternative to gasoline-powered cars will work, but I do know that it can be done - and Detroit isn't doing it. And therefore it will be done, and eventually, I bet, it will be done profitably. And when it is, our bailout of Detroit will be remembered as the equivalent of pouring billions of dollars of taxpayer money into the mail-order-catalogue business on the eve of the birth of eBay. It will be remembered as pouring billions of dollars into the CD music business on the eve of the birth of the iPod and iTunes. It will be remembered as pouring billions of dollars into a book-store chain on the eve of the birth of Amazon.com and the Kindle. It will be remembered as pouring billions of dollars into improving typewriters on the eve of the birth of the PC and the Internet. What business model am I talking about? It is Shai Agassi's electric car network company, called Better Place. Just last week, the company, based in Palo Alto, Calif., announced a partnership with the state of Hawaii to road test its business plan there after already inking similar deals with Israel, Australia, the San Francisco Bay area and, yes, Denmark. The Better Place electric car charging system involves generating electrons from as much renewable energy - such as wind and solar - as possible and then feeding those clean electrons into a national electric car charging infrastructure. This consists of electricity charging spots with plug-in outlets - the first pilots were opened in Israel this week - plus battery-exchange stations all over the respective country. The whole system is then coordinated by a service control center that integrates and does the billing. Under the Better Place model, consumers can either buy or lease an electric car from the French automaker Renault or Japanese companies like Nissan (General Motors snubbed Agassi) and then buy miles on their electric car batteries from Better Place the way you now buy an Apple cellphone and the minutes from AT&T. That way Better Place, or any car company that partners with it, benefits from each mile you drive. G.M. sells cars. Better Place is selling mobility miles. The first Renault and Nissan electric cars are scheduled to hit Denmark and Israel in 2011, when the whole system should be up and running. On Tuesday, Japan's Ministry of Environment invited Better Place to join the first government-led electric car project along with Honda, Mitsubishi and Subaru. Better Place was the only foreign company invited to participate, working with Japan's leading auto companies, to build a battery swap station for electric cars in Yokohama, the Detroit of Japan. What I find exciting about Better Place is that it is building a car company off the new industrial platform of the 21st century, not the one from the 20th - the exact same way that Steve Jobs did to overturn the music business. What did Apple understand first? One, that today's technology platform would allow anyone with a computer to record music. Two, that the Internet and MP3 players would allow anyone to transfer music in digital form to anyone else. You wouldn't need CDs or record companies anymore. Apple simply took all those innovations and integrated them into a single music-generating, purchasing and listening system that completely disrupted the music business. What Agassi, the founder of Better Place, is saying is that there is a new way to generate mobility, not just music, using the same platform. It just takes the right kind of auto battery - the iPod in this story - and the right kind of national plug-in network - the iTunes store - to make the business model work for electric cars at six cents a mile. The average American is paying today around 12 cents a mile for gasoline transportation, which also adds to global warming and strengthens petro-dictators. Do not expect this innovation to come out of Detroit. Remember, in 1908, the Ford Model-T got better mileage - 25 miles per gallon - than many Ford, G.M. and Chrysler models made in 2008. But don't be surprised when it comes out of somewhere else. It can be done. It will be done. If we miss the chance to win the race for Car 2.0 because we keep mindlessly bailing out Car 1.0, there will be no one to blame more than Detroit's new shareholders: we the taxpayers. _____ Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and favorite sites in one place. Try <http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000 010> it now.

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Fwd: a new month and a new year
by Paul Wilson 05 Jan '10

05 Jan '10

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: West Virginia News Service WVNS <wvnsnews(a)gmail.com> Date: Mon, Jan 4, 2010 at 3:36 PM Subject: a new month and a new year To: I'm open to hearing story ideas for January. Best, Dan Heyman -- West Virginia News Service (WVNS) Toll Free: 1-800-317-6705 Fax: 540-301-0801 E-mail: wvns(a)publicnewsservice.org -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha

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