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FW: E-DAY 2015 - FEBRUARY, 18TH!
by frank young 27 Jan '15

27 Jan '15

Hello, Friends of the Environment! On February 18th, 2015... We become one at the Capitol! Please join us, as we come together to stand for what matters the most. " <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/margaretme100502.html?src=t_envi…> Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Marium Bria West Virginia Environmental Council Outreach Director 304-807-5873 mariumbria(a)gmail.com

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WE'RE PROUD OF ALL FOUR OF YOU.....KEEP IT UP!!!
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 23 Jan '15

23 Jan '15

Thursday, January 22, 2015 W.Va. House votes to repeal energy law By Whitney Burdette <http://www.charlestondailymail.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=staff&tem…>, Capitol reporter The West Virginia House of Delegates voted Thursday to repeal the state’s energy portfolio in a move they say will save coal jobs and prevent utility rates from skyrocketing. After more than an hour of discussion, House Bill 2001 passed 95-4, with Delegates *Mike Pushkin* and *Nancy Guthrie*, both D-Kanawha; *Stephen Skinner*, D-Jefferson; and * Barbara Fleischauer*, D-Monongalia, casting the dissenting votes. Supporters of the bill say the 2009 legislation hurt the coal industry by mandating utilities also purchase electricity generated from other sources, such as wind or solar. “We can’t say this hasn’t impacted our state because it has,” said Delegate Randy Smith, R-Preston. Smith is the co-chairman of the House Energy Committee and said he first ran for office because he disagreed with the Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Act, championed by then-Gov. Joe Manchin in 2009. He said the market, not government, should decide how electricity is generated. “We’re not here to pick winners or losers or give one group an advantage over another group,” he said. “We’re here to be fair and let the market dictate what wins and what loses.” The 2009 legislation requires 25 percent of electricity to be generated from alternative or renewable energy sources by 2025. Sammy Gray, the manager of state affairs for FirstEnergy, told a legislative committee last week the company could meet that standard without risking jobs or raising rates. Opponents of the bill argued the original legislation could create economic diversification in a declining coal market. “Until we can open our eyes and realize that coal amounts for 6 percent of (gross domestic product) and is sucking up 94 percent of the air in the room, we’re going to wear coal around our neck like a yoke that will drag all of us down,” Guthrie said. She went on to say the debate around House Bill 2001 was “political theater.” Fleischauer said she was bothered by the accusation that anyone against repealing the legislation was against coal jobs. She pointed to coal mines in her area that are doing well. “Repealing this has nothing to do with increasing or decreasing jobs,” she said. “I’m kind of offended that anyone would suggest that people who urge rejection are opposed to coal miners. “I’m tired of coal miners being used to promote a message they don’t necessarily agree with,” she added. Efforts to amend the bill failed on Wednesday. Pushkin wanted to see a jobs impact statement added. Although Republicans passed a rule at the beginning of the legislative session that would allow the House speaker or Senate president request such studies, Speaker Tim Armstead ruled his amendment wasn’t germane to the bill at hand. Delegate Mike Caputo, D-Marion, proposed an educational program to help displaced coal miners, but Armstead again ruled the amendment wasn’t germane. The Senate passed its version, Senate Bill 1, on Wednesday. Both chambers will work on merging the bills to send before sending one to Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin. “I don’t think it will make a big difference if it’s repealed,” he said. Manchin’s thoughts when he advocated for an energy portfolio act in 2009, Tomblin said, were to show the Environmental Protection Agency that West Virginia has resources other than coal at its disposal. “It would be helpful to show West Virginia is not just a coal state, but we do have alternative fuels and lots of investments there,” Tomblin said of the original legislation. Manchin issued a statement last week, blasting House Bill 2001 and Senate Bill 1. He also said the law protects environmental interests while promoting job growth and creating incentives for the use of state-of-the-art energy technology. “The utilities have successfully met the 2015 goals and do not anticipate any issues with meeting the 2020 and 2025 goals,” Manchin said. “West Virginia was the only state that showed, if we take advantage of clean energy technologies, we can reduce emissions while still utilizing coal. It is my belief that West Virginia’s energy policies can be used as a template for future national energy policies to strike that balance between environmental concerns and America’s energy needs.” Contact writer Whitney Burdette at 304-348-5149 or whitney.burdette(a)dailymailwv.com. Follow her at www.Twitter.com/wburdette_DM . - See more at: http://www.charlestondailymail.com/article/20150122/DM0104/150129711/1420#s… 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 non posso respirare !!!

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from ScienceDaily e-newsletter: Sequestration on shaky ground: Natural impediment to long-term sequestration of carbon dioxide
by Paul Wilson 22 Jan '15

22 Jan '15

Sequestration on shaky ground: Natural impediment to long-term sequestration of carbon dioxide <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/Nfb…> Posted: 21 Jan 2015 07:32 AM PST Carbon sequestration promises to address greenhouse-gas emissions by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and injecting it deep below the Earth's surface, where it would permanently solidify into rock. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that current carbon-sequestration technologies may eliminate up to 90 percent of carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. While such technologies may successfully remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, researchers have now found that once injected into the ground, less carbon dioxide is converted to rock than previously imagined. <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=Nfb…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=Nfb…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=Nfb…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=Nfb…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=Nfb…> -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club Military Outings Project Healing Waters Fly-fishing 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 "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle JUSTICE, ONLY JUSTICE, SHALT THOU PURSUE. Deuteronomy 16:20

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from Otherwords: Pipeline to Nowhere
by Paul Wilson 15 Jan '15

15 Jan '15

Pipeline to Nowhere Cheap oil is bankrupting the financial rationale for building the Keystone XL. By Emily Schwartz Greco <http://otherwords.org/authors/emily-schwartz-greco/> [image: Emily Schwartz Greco] <http://otherwords.org/authors/emily-schwartz-greco/> When Maria van der Hoeven summed up the 20-year outlook for global energy investment in London last year, she identified <http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/speeches/140603_ED_WEOinvestment.pdf> a couple of daunting challenges. The amount of money required by 2035 is a staggering $48 trillion, the International Energy Agency chief and former Dutch economy minister said. And it’s not clear how many of those trillions of dollars will power climate-friendly options. “Will policymakers succeed in steering investment towards a cleaner, more secure energy system — or are we locking in technologies and patterns of consumption that store up trouble for the future?” she asked. There’s no better example of what van der Hoeven meant by “storing up trouble for the future” than the Keystone XL pipeline. [image: Keystone XL Pipeline] shannonpatrick17/Flickr After years of being flustered by President Barack Obama’s procrastination, the pipeline’s conservative backers in Congress are trying to force him to greenlight this conduit for some of the world’s dirtiest, most expensive, and most dangerous oil. The House recently voted in favor of building the 1,200-mile pipeline for the tenth time <http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/01/09/3610151/house-approves-keystone…>. The Senate is poised to approve it too. Although dozens of Democrats are siding with Republicans in favor of this boondoggle, those lawmakers lack the votes, so far, tooverride <http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-01-11/cornyn-acknowledges-s…> the veto Obama has threatened <http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/01/06/white-house…> . Senator John Hoeven <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/republican-senator-slams-obamas-keystone-veto-t…>, a North Dakota Republican and a leading Keystone XL proponent, has turned into a broken record touting what he calls “vital energy infrastructure legislation.” Despite their matching names and obsession with all things energy, Hoeven and van der Hoeven are polar opposites. She’s a leading player in the effort to wean the world off its dependence on oil, gas, and coal. He’s a “drill, baby, drill” type. There are many good arguments against the $8-billion pipeline <http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-04/transcanada-says-keystone-xl-proje…> on environmental and labor grounds. People like 350.org founder Bill McKibben <http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/13/bill_mckibben_on_fight_against_keysto…> and groups like Media Matters <http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/01/08/watch-the-keystone-xl-jobs-myth-tha…> need no help explaining them. Here’s another reason why the pipeline shouldn’t be built: It’s a waste of money. First, plunging oil prices matter. A lot. They’ve sunk below $47 a barrel, losing more than half their value since last June. Saudi Arabian Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi declared a few weeks ago that he doesn’t care whether oil goes as low as $20 a barrel <http://oilpro.com/post/9223/mees-interview-saudi-oil-minister-ali-naimi>, a 16-year low <http://www.macrotrends.net/1369/crude-oil-price-history-chart>. It just might. By some estimates <http://www.technologyreview.com/news/533981/low-oil-prices-mean-keystone-pi…>, a barrel of oil must fetch at least $95 for profits to be extracted from Canada’s tar sands. It’s impossible <http://www.ctvnews.ca/business/outlook-grows-gloomier-for-oilpatch-with-no-…> to say when prices will rebound to that level or if companies will give up on that oil patch, leaving the Keystone XL without much (if any) heavy crude to move <http://finance.yahoo.com/news/keystone-still-necessary-oil-gasoline-0845581…> . Ultimately, there could be no oil to haul from Alberta to Louisiana to be refined <http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/aswift/fact_checking_the_wapo_fact_ch.html> — or not <http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/keystone-xl-debate-senate-114205.html>, if the U.S. scraps its ban on exporting crude — and then shipped to, say, China. More importantly, tar sands oil production may stop within a few years even if it does prove profitable. You see, global climate talks <http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/nov/25/todd-stern-fossil-fuels-…> are heading in a direction that’s likely to result in countries and companies leaving large amounts of oil, gas, and coal in the ground. A new study <http://business.financialpost.com/2015/01/08/canada-seen-as-big-loser-if-wo…> published in the journal *Nature* spelled out where and what kind of fossil fuels would need to be left unexploited. Its authors predict that virtually all Canadian tar sands oil production will stop by 2020. If it’s built by then, there’d be nothing for the Keystone XL to transport. As a pipeline to nowhere, it would become a monument to wasting colossal sums of money on dirty-energy infrastructure. John Hoeven should listen to Maria van der Hoeven. If he did, he’d realize the benefits of losing this political battle. Columnist Emily Schwartz Greco is the managing editor of OtherWords <http://otherwords.org/>, a non-profit national editorial service run by the Institute for Policy Studies. OtherWords.org <http://otherwords.org/>. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club Military Outings Project Healing Waters Fly-fishing 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 "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle JUSTICE, ONLY JUSTICE, SHALT THOU PURSUE. Deuteronomy 16:20

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from High Country News: Why Keystone is a Goner
by Paul Wilson 14 Jan '15

14 Jan '15

Four reasons why Keystone is a gonerClimate change? Treaty rights? Sure, but the real killer is The Market. - PRINT <http://www.hcn.org/articles/four-reasons-why-keystone-is-a-goner/print_view> - SHARE <http://www.hcn.org/articles/four-reasons-why-keystone-is-a-goner/#> Mark Trahant <http://www.hcn.org/author_search?getAuthor=Mark%20Trahant&sort_on=Publicati…> Jan. 6, 2015Web Exclusive The new Republican Congress has promised to expedite legislation to promote the Keystone XL Pipeline. North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven <http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/keystone-bill-john-hoeven-113970.html…>is expected to unveil his bill as soon as Jan. 6. The House will quickly follow with a similar proposal. So do the supporters of the Keystone XL Pipeline have a deal? Or is the pipeline done, dead? Here are four reasons why the pipeline might never be built. *Four:* Politics. The new Congress, the Republicans, have always been in favor of this massive construction project. But the Obama administration has been timid, neither saying outright that they're opposed nor jumping on the "this creates jobs" bandwagon. That changes when the Republican Congress passes a bill. Any bill. My bet is that the President will veto the legislation. And if that happens, there are not enough votes for an override, according to New York Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/04/chuck-schumer-keystone-pipeline_n_…> *Three:* Climate change. The fact is that there is no way any politician can justify Keystone and still say it's time to take stronger action on global warming. As Bill McKibben's 350.org puts it: <http://350.org/campaigns/stop-keystone-xl/> "President Obama says that he will reject the pipeline if it poses a risk to the climate. That makes his decision simple: building a 800,000 barrel-per-day pipeline of the world's dirtiest oil will mean more tar sands dug up and burned, and more carbon pollution." This issue is becoming a scorecard for both parties, Republicans for and Democrats against. As we near an election year, that becomes even more important as groups rate candidates based on their votes. *Two:* The opposition remains firm. Tribes, environmental groups, ranchers and other opponents are continuing to press their case in a variety of forums. As Indian Country Today Media Network reported <http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/01/05/yankton-sioux-lead-fig…>this week a coalition of tribes continue to press their case against the project that would include Treaty lands. The Yankton Sioux Tribe promised "opposition and victory of unification which will not concede lands to a foreign entity or compromise the climate for generations to come." What's interesting is the technical nature of the challenges. In addition to conventional protests and prayer circles, the opposition is striking out against the permit process saying, among other things, that it's taken so long that the original permit is no longer relevant. (You got to love that one.) *And the most important reason:* The price of oil. In the State Department's assessment of the Keystone project there is a chapter on market conditions. "Over the long term, lower-than-expected oil prices could affect the outlook for oil sands production, and in certain scenarios higher transportation costs resulting from pipeline constraints could exacerbate the impacts of low prices," the report said. <http://keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/documents/organization/221147.pdf>"The primary assumptions required to create conditions under which production growth would slow due to transportation constraints include: that prices persist below current or most projected levels in the long run; and all new and expanded Canadian and cross-border pipeline capacity, beyond just the proposed Project, is not constructed. Above approximately $75 per barrel (West Texas Intermediate (WTI)-equivalent), revenues to oil sands producers are likely to remain above the long-run supply costs of most projects responsible for expected levels of oil sands production growth." That was then, when even $75 dollar a barrel oil seemed crazy. Yet this week the market price dropped below $50 per barrel. <http://www.bloomberg.com/energy/> The problem from the point of view of oil companies is that demand for oil is slowing at the same time that there is too much oil for sale. So there is a glut of oil, making a costly project like Keystone XL one that could be easily delayed for years. Already Canadian oil producers are debating canceling major projects in the Tar Sands region because the companies no longer have enough capital to pay for them. The National Post reports t <http://business.financialpost.com/2015/01/02/almost-60-billion-in-canadian-…>hat Canadian producers are canceling some $60 billion worth of projects and that the oil decline is seen along the lines of "the dark days of 1999." The price of oil is a game changer. Is it a sure thing? Of course not. But the first thing that large oil companies cut during oil price declines is capital projects. It's much easier to wait until the price climbs again and the math works in the company's favor. Republicans are hellbent on constructing this pipeline, except there might not be customers wanting to buy expensive tar sands oil. *Mark Trahant holds the Atwood Chair at the University of Alaska Anchorage <http://greenandgold.uaa.alaska.edu/blog/25863/mark-trahant-returns-uaas-atw…>. He is an independent journalist and a member of The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. For up-to-the-minute posts, download the free Trahant Reports app for your smart phone or tablet. <http://359ea8e0-d803-40d3-9f83-86e59f90cc5f.mobapp.at/landing/Desktop#.U9-B…>* -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club Military Outings Project Healing Waters Fly-fishing 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 "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle JUSTICE, ONLY JUSTICE, SHALT THOU PURSUE. Deuteronomy 16:20

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Fwd: [CONS-WILDLANDS-INFO] Obama env. legacy
by Paul Wilson 10 Jan '15

10 Jan '15

fyi, paul w. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Clayton Daughenbaugh <claytonhd(a)xmission.com> Date: Fri, Jan 9, 2015 at 10:59 AM Subject: [CONS-WILDLANDS-INFO] Obama env. legacy To: CONS-WILDLANDS-INFO(a)lists.sierraclub.org http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/column/spencer-black/spencer-black-oba… Spencer Black: Obama poised to become the environmental president *Spencer Black represented the 77th Assembly District for 26 years and was chair of the Natural Resources Committee. He currently serves as the vice president of the national Sierra Club and is an adjunct professor of urban and regional planning at UW-Madison.* Amid the happy rituals of the season, Christmas Eve this year also marked a sadder centennial. It was on Dec. 24, 1914, that the great environmentalist John Muir died. Muir, father of the national park system and founder of the Sierra Club, left a lasting environmental legacy. Now, 100 years after Muir's death, someone in many ways quite different than Muir is also creating an imposing environmental legacy. While he is not a reincarnation of Muir, Barack Obama is building a monumental environmental legacy. The president's greatest lasting impact may prove to be moving the nations of the world to finally address the climate crisis. For years, there has been an international logjam on climate while the threat to the well-being of future generations looms larger. Obama has used his executive authority to put America on track to significantly cut the greenhouse gas pollution that causes global warming. Obama's bold action led to a historic agreement with China, the world's biggest greenhouse polluter. The China-U.S. deal in turn set the stage for a preliminary international agreement reached in Lima in December. The nations of the world are convening in Paris later this year to finalize a pact. If Obama's climate initiative leads to a meaningful international agreement, Obama will rightfully secure his environmental legacy. The Obama climate initiative is wide reaching. He has encouraged clean energy, enacted strict conservation standards and used his authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon emissions from coal plants. His policy will double the fuel efficiency of cars and light trucks and for the first time impose emission standards on commercial trucks, vans and buses. His actions have helped lead to tripling the use of wind power to generate electricity and a 400 percent growth in solar energy. Obama has also used his authority under the Clean Air Act to significantly improve air quality by ordering the first-ever national limits for mercury, arsenic and other toxic air pollutants from power plants as well as requiring a sharp reduction in smog pollution that crosses state lines. He has improved water quality by protecting millions of acres of wetlands and limiting water pollution from mountaintop removal coal mining. Using a Teddy Roosevelt-era law, the president created 13 new national monuments, protecting more than a million acres of biologically important public land, including the Organ Mountains in New Mexico and the San Gabriels in California. Additionally, he stopped uranium mining that threatened the Grand Canyon and blocked oil and gas drilling in Bristol Bay, Alaska, one of our most pristine environments. Obama is well on his way to earning a place in history as the environmental president, despite unyielding opposition from the Republican Congress. To cement that legacy, he will have to act boldly. Some upcoming key decisions: Will he reject the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would transport dirty tar sands oil? Will he protect vulnerable public lands by declaring the Grand Canyon watershed and the Greater Canyonlands of Utah as national monuments? Will he veto environmentally destructive bills passed by a polluter-friendly Congress? Will enact tough rules to control methane, an extremely potent greenhouse pollutant? Time will tell, but perhaps Obama will be added to the list of environmental heroes alongside folks like Teddy Roosevelt, John Muir and Gaylord Nelson. Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/opinion/column/spencer-black/spencer-black-oba… - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-WILDLANDS-INFO list, send any message to: CONS-WILDLANDS-INFO-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 Military Outings Project Healing Waters Fly-fishing 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 "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle JUSTICE, ONLY JUSTICE, SHALT THOU PURSUE. Deuteronomy 16:20

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from Science Daily e-newsletter: Which fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground to avoid dangerous climate change?
by Paul Wilson 08 Jan '15

08 Jan '15

Which fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground to avoid dangerous climate change? <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/A-N…> Posted: 07 Jan 2015 10:14 AM PST A third of oil reserves, half of gas reserves and over 80% of current coal reserves globally should remain in the ground and not be used before 2050 if global warming is to stay below the 2°C target agreed by policy makers, according to new research. <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=A-N…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=A-N…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=A-N…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=A-N…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=A-N…> -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club Military Outings Project Healing Waters Fly-fishing 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 "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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Wind supplied 98% of Scotland's household Power in 2014 and other Amazing Green Energy Stories | Informed Comment
by William DePaulo 04 Jan '15

04 Jan '15

http://www.juancole.com/2015/01/supplied-scotlands-household.html William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301 Tel: 304-342-5588 Fax: 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Re: [EC] Pipeline Meetings Across WV ~ Water Events in Charleston Jan. 9
by frank young 03 Jan '15

03 Jan '15

To allow Dominion's proposed Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines to have sufficient volume of gas will apparently require yet another, but shorter, half-billion dollar pipeline project to connect all that to Pennsylvania, Ohio and Northern West Virginia. "Dominion Transmission, Inc. is proposing to construct and operate approximately 39 miles of natural gas pipeline and modify existing compression facilities in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The project, referred to as the Supply Header Project, will provide natural gas supplies to various customers, allowing the transport of natural gas from supply areas in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia to market areas in Virginia and North Carolina." "One of the main customers will be Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC - a joint venture composed of subsidiaries of Dominion Resources, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas and AGL Resources - which is proposing to construct the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. "New pipeline will primarily be constructed along existing pipeline rights of way and will include about four miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline in Westmoreland County, Pa., and 35 miles of 36-inch-diameter pipeline in Harrison, Doddridge, Tyler and Wetzel counties in West Virginia. The cost of the Supply Header Project will be about $500 million. "Modifications and facility upgrades will be made at Dominion's existing compressor stations in Westmoreland and Greene counties in Pennsylvania, and Marshall and Wetzel counties in West Virginia. These modifications will result in approximately 75,000 horsepower of additional compression." Pre-Filing Open Houses - January 26 and 27, 2015 Monday, January 26 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. Doddridge County, WV Doddridge County Park County Route 50/16 West Union, WV 26456 Tuesday, January 27 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. Westmoreland County, PA Franklin Regional Middle School Cafeteria 4660 Old William Penn Highway Murrysville, PA 15668 https://www.dom.com/corporate/what-we-do/natural-gas/supply-header-project Frank From: Chuck Wyrostok [mailto:wyro@appalight.com] Sent: Friday, January 02, 2015 8:36 PM To: Chuck Wyrostok Subject: Pipeline Meetings Across WV ~ Water Events in Charleston Jan. 9 Upcoming Community Meetings on the Proposed Methane Gas Pipelines Monday, Jan 6 (6 pm) Lewis Theater, Lewisburg, WV (Greenbrier Co.) Please join us at the Lewis Theater (113 North Court St. Lewisburg, WV 24901) for a presentation by Elise Keaton with the Greenbrier River Watershed Association and lawyers from Appalachian Mountain Advocates who will answer questions related to landowner rights regarding the proposed Mountain Valley and Appalachian Connector Pipelines. Tuesday, Jan 7 (6 pm) Craigsville Senior Center, Craigsville, WV (Nicholas Co.) Please join the Greenbrier River Watershed Association at the Craigsville Senior Center (35 Library Rd., Craigsville WV) for a presentation and update on the proposed Mountain Valley and Appalachian Connector Pipelines. Lawyers from Appalachian Mountain Advocates will also be there to discuss landowner rights and answer questions from concerned community members. Saturday, Jan 17 (2 pm) Jackson Mill WV Building, Weston, WV (Lewis Co.) Please join the Greenbrier River Watershed Association as Elise Keaton presents an update on the proposed Mountain Valley, Appalachian Connector and Atlantic Coast Pipelines. Lawyers from Appalachian Mountain Advocates will also be there to discuss landowner rights and answer questions from concerned community members. To get up-to-date information about scheduled meetings please visit www.mareproject.org Through January, the companies proposing the Mountain Valley Pipeline and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline will be hosting Open Houses throughout West Virginia. Here is a chance to confront company reps with your concerns and questions. Here are links to their schedules: Mountain Valley Pipeline Open House Schedule <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001FNSPRFfiVUT91sp_oyhigxTf5NWByY1CV09xAxGqu1G4 GayZpJkJsSxWnTUmDupMPqaULhGa1Rn_Q59Rng7IeMnUq_V8xZytPcqUA8KzxpF8S46CJyNpBD4W lWQguMGNAd7e3I7o-mmtz-zRjLZQbQRWJ8wNrbXT_WGJIZDXrdex1VE1RvvuyMld8be5X2LY28rU 51hC9X6ffQy9N7thdA==&c=ZBcG7rN5xr6sBLSSZVejynGgPi7eWz34vAM5zaAKXz1CfH67hey7A Q==&ch=C2t8FmqjVXwTI57ifDNvMt6uboMZAQeNNueV70agEqrQbBfQEizXFg==> Atlantic Coast Pipeline Open House Schedule <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001FNSPRFfiVUT91sp_oyhigxTf5NWByY1CV09xAxGqu1G4 GayZpJkJsSxWnTUmDupMMFVFFW_Ah1wvDltArQ9Y_W5-3cun0dmcdCLI7MzSLQeg4sjO0JrSwCzr 3KbEG-T-Po3klpbE16MmSlxt-whA2_WWsByP7nGEYORzNrnyUD_aqeSu3076Ge-jDv6-oZldX6vP TTL-odD41Bl3w-ImjU1V-5dYE5Vrs-gDN1YfzchchVj4FkfktxEZWveaEe6N&c=ZBcG7rN5xr6sB LSSZVejynGgPi7eWz34vAM5zaAKXz1CfH67hey7AQ==&ch=C2t8FmqjVXwTI57ifDNvMt6uboMZA QeNNueV70agEqrQbBfQEizXFg==> (scroll down and click on "Open Houses and Public Meetings") Many community members are interested in meeting before the Open Houses. For more information please contact elise(a)greenbrier.org 304-647-4792 In addition, there is a Pre-Filing Open House on the so-called Supply Header Project - January 26 - in Doddridge County, which they bill as an "Informational event to share Project details with stakeholders, answer stakeholder questions, and gather information on local stakeholder issues and concerns". Monday, January 26, 5-7:30pm Doddridge County Park County Route 50/16 West Union, WV One Year Anniversary of the Elk River Chemical Leak When/Where: January 9, 2015, events from 3pm until 9pm in and around the WV Culture Center on the State Capitol Grounds. All events are free of charge and open to the public, and are organized by active members of the WV Safe Water Roundtable. 3-5pm: Citizen Education Workshops at the WV Culture Center Two 2-hour free workshops sponsored by the <http://www.wvrivers.org/> West Virginia Rivers Coalition that will inform everyone about clean water issues and give them the tools and support to get involved. The schedule: - 3-3:15 Overview of WV Safe Water Roundtable - 3:15-4:15 Citizen Advocacy Training - 4:15-5:00 Water Policy Issues Update 5-6:15 p.m. Dignitary Remarks and Networking Reception at the WV Culture Center Invited dignitaries include Sen. Joe Manchin III, Sen.-elect Shelley Moore Capito, Rep. David McKinley, Rep.-elect Alex Mooney, Rep.-elect Evan Jenkins, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, DEP Sec. Randy Huffman, Incoming Bureau for Public Health Commissioner Dr. Rahul Gupta, Sen. Bill Cole, Del. Tim Armstead, Charleston-area outgoing and incoming legislative members. Refreshments will be served. 6:30-7:15pm Honoring the Waters Interfaith Vigil One-Year Anniversary Candlelight Vigil at the Kanawha River in front of the WV State Capitol. 7:30-8pm Reception In the WV Culture Center, vigil participants and filmgoers gather. 8-9 p.m. Screening of Elk River Blues Documentary A world premiere of the documentary film by Mike Youngren features West Virginians' response to systemic failures that continue to threaten our water. Film sponsored by the <http://www.wvrivers.org/> West Virginia Rivers Coalition and the <http://uucharlestonwv.org/> Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charleston in the WV Culture Center Theater. For more information: Facebook page for January 9 candlelight vigil: https://www.facebook.com/events/576376669160371/ Facebook page for January: A Month of Water: https://www.facebook.com/events/755859164500031/ About a Month of Water The events on January 9, held to mark the one year anniversary of the Elk River chemical leak, kick-off "January: A Month of Water." Visit the "Events" tab at www.ourwaterwv.org <http://www.ourwaterwv.org/> for details on upcoming events. Chuck Wyrostok Outreach Organizer Sierra Club, WV Chapter T: 877 252 0257 E. outreach(a)marcellus-wv.com www.marcellus-wv.com <http://www.marcellus-wv.com/> Water is Life...Keep It Clean _____ <http://www.avast.com/> Image removed by sender. This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com <http://www.avast.com/>

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ICYMI re Marcellus drilling.....
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 02 Jan '15

02 Jan '15

Natural gas glut puts brakes on West Virginia's boom times*Posted: Dec 29, 2014 8:09 AM EST**Updated: Dec 29, 2014 8:09 AM EST* <http://wvstate.images.worldnow.com/images/595593_G.JPG> - Energy - - Upshur County Marks 9th Anniversary of Sago Mine Disaster <http://www.statejournal.com/story/27747221/upshur-county-marks-9th-annivers…> - Cliffs completes sale of Logan County Coal assets to Coronado Coal for $174M <http://www.statejournal.com/story/27536308/cliffs-sells-logan-county-coal-a…> - Wheeling Power acquires 50 percent of Mitchell Power Plant in $550 million agreement <http://www.statejournal.com/story/27731291/wheeling-power-acquires-50-perce…> - Alpha sells Pa. coal subsidiary to Rosebud Mining for $86m <http://www.statejournal.com/story/27729675/alpha-sells-pa-coal-subsidiary-t…> - Murray Energy expands Marshall County coal preparation plant <http://www.statejournal.com/story/27722005/murray-energy-expands-marshall-c…> More>> <http://www.statejournal.com/category/222501/energy> By Daniel Tyson Register-Herald / For the West Virginia Press Association Scattered along the western part of Tyler County are newly quiet natural gas drilling rigs, their pumps no longer moving up and down like a 24/7 see-saw. Truck traffic rumbling through here, and jack breaks thumping loud enough to disturb the circuit court and commissioners meetings, have slowed. At restaurants here and 12 miles away in Sistersville, business is down. The county's only hotel has witnessed a decline in oil field worker occupancy, one major account having canceled rooms for the winter. "It is not dead yet, but it is slowing down considerably," Charles Winslow, owner of the Historic Wells Inn in Sistersville, said of the recent natural gas production decline. Across central West Virginia something very strange is happening. The economy is still booming because of natural gas, but virtually all the fracking crews have packed up and gone home for the winter. The roustabouts were told sometime in November “don't call us, we'll call you” as a glut of cheap natural gas could send prices to a 10-year low. So what is going on? The answer depends on who is speaking. Lower natural gas prices and the glut in the Appalachian basin has some companies reporting surging production, while sending employees home for the winter with instructions to return in the spring. The simple answer is that natural gas prices, for six to eight months of this year, have been $1 to $2 below the national benchmark of approximately $4 per million British thermal units. Lower prices have not hurt many of the big players or forced them to dial back production. However, it has hurt smaller operators. If prices decline to around $2 per million British thermal units, everyone from the big players to the independent operators — who most likely would not survive such rock-bottom prices — would feel the effect, analysts and executives said. Production is increasing because energy companies are discovering more efficient and cheaper ways to extract natural gas from the Marcellus shale formation. Drillers rarely have an advantage. They were able to lease land and sign good deals on pipeline usage without going deeply into debt. This allows them to survive another couple of years of oversupply and near basement-level prices, analysts predicted before Christmas. Some companies have not had to worry about the economics of their wells. During third-quarter earnings calls with reporters and analysts over the past two weeks, many companies said they still got bargain price deals from long-term contracts or agreements on pipelines that ship to more profitable markets. Range Resources, Southwestern and Consol Energy and some other drillers said they can maintain a growth phase despite the lack of pipelines. “There's going to be sort of a survival of the fittest occurring on who has liquidity and who has the acreage position to stay on the production ramps,” Consol's CEO Nick Deluliis told reporters during a recent conference call. “Not everyone's going to be able to do that, so there will be a supply response. We've seen it many, many times and I don't think this time will be any different.” Another factor is Wall Street. Hedge funds are dumping bullish natural gas positions as a slow start to winter signals a return to the 2012 supply glut. This month alone, natural gas prices have dipped 23 percent, heading for the biggest monthly tumble since 2008, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Surging production and milder weather this year created a record stockpile. “If heating demand doesn't start to pick up, we're going to be below $3 by the end of January," John Kalduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC, a New York-based hedge fund that focuses on energy, told a Pittsburgh business journal. “Supplies are formidable.” Natural gas for January delivery went for $3.144 per million British thermal units during trading Tuesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The Exchange, closed on Christmas, was down 32 cents and at the lowest price since Jan. 9, 2013. Gas inventories total 3.295 trillion cubic feet as of Dec. 12, according to federal data, 47 billion cubic feet more than a year earlier. The surplus will “balloon to just shy of 200 billion cubic feet” by the start of 2015, the EIA statistics show. Temperatures currently may be above normal in the eastern part of the U.S., but around New Year's Day they will become seasonal. An early outlook by the Commodity Weather Group shows colder-than-average weather in the eastern half of the country starting in January. The EIA estimates that nearly half of American homes use gas for heating, which could pull the industry out of the slump if this winter mirrors last year's.

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Re: [EC] AREPS (was: (E&E)Some states use laws and rules to slow growth of renewable energy
by James Kotcon 29 Dec '14

29 Dec '14

??I did not get very much feedback when I first sent this around last week, so I am trying again. At this point, I have about two votes each for Option 1 and 2, and no votes from the other 20+ people on these lists, so I don't feel like there is a consensus yet. Has anyone spoken to any Republican about the proposed repeal? I am leaning toward option # 2, and would preface our approach by saying that we counted votes to repeal AREPS as "anti-environment" in our 2013-14 scorecard, but would not do so in 2015 if the repeal legislation preserved net-metering. Anyone else want to weigh in on the Options below? Options: 1) We could oppose any effort to repeal the AREPS? It is the best we have, and improving it later might be easier than bringing it back, once it is repealed. 2) We might acquiesce in the repeal provided that they retain the net metering provision. 3) We might support a repeal for small utilities only, pointing out that large utilities really don't have to do anything to comply. ________________________________ From: James Kotcon Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2014 10:34 AM To: Vickie Wolfe Cc: Connigl(a)aol.com Subject: Re: AREPS (was: (E&E)Some states use laws and rules to slow growth of renewable energy ?Attached are the reports filed by AEP and FE. The formats differ, but in both, Exhibit # 3 illustrates their future plans. Neither of these utilities has any need for new renewable energy generation until after 2030. If we did not have to work with them, it would be fun to go on the offensive and call the claim that the AREPS hurts coal a bald-faced lie. But I would recommend we bite our tongue, try to talk to the Republican leadership first and try to appear reasonable and based in reality. Perhaps we could tell them we want to do them a favor by preventing them from appearing unhinged, irresponsible, and hysterical. JBK

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Natural gas prices below $3.00 per MMBTU
by James Kotcon 26 Dec '14

26 Dec '14

?Lowest prices since 2012. An unseasonably warm December coupled with record supplies means prices have fallen 30 % since October. While not yet at the point where it is cheaper than coal, that price shift in 2012 triggered a massive shift by electric generators to gas, resulting in plunging coal prices and broken contracts. While temperatures are supposed to return to "seasonal norms" next week, a warm winter would put more downward pressure on gas prices. This will be an important point to make as the Republicans and DINOs in the WV Legislature try to boost coal production. JBK http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-26/natural-gas-futures-drop-below-3-f… Natural Gas Drops Below $3 for First Time Since 2012 - Bloomberg Natural gas slumped below $3 per million British thermal units in New York for the first time since 2012 on speculation that record production will overwhelm demand for the heating fuel. Read more...<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-26/natural-gas-futures-drop-below-3-f…> http://finance.yahoo.com/news/natural-gas-prices-plunge-mild-193800337.html… [http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/6rik6AZwuPGCiADf_9dhPQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7…]<http://finance.yahoo.com/news/natural-gas-prices-plunge-mild-193800337.html…> Natural gas prices plunge in mild winter - Yahoo Finance >From Yahoo Finance: Heating bills across the United States are falling this winter as unusually warm temperatures in the Eastern United States have crimped demand for natural gas as a source of heat. The diminished demand ... Read more...<http://finance.yahoo.com/news/natural-gas-prices-plunge-mild-193800337.html…> http://www.cnbc.com/id/102289402 [http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/img/editorial/2014/12/22…]<http://www.cnbc.com/id/102289402> Nat gas collapses-'This is panic selling' Call it the perfect nonstorm. Mild weather forecasts, a supply surplus and a general energy market swoon are crushing natural gas on Monday. Read more...<http://www.cnbc.com/id/102289402>

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Horizontal well drill waste rules passed
by James Kotcon 21 Dec '14

21 Dec '14

?Barbara has been our hero on this one. Watch for it to come back in January. JBK http://thedpost.com/Horizontal-well-drill-waste-rule TheDPost.com - Horizontal well drill waste rules passed Horizontal well drill waste rules passed- CHARLESTON - Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer, D-Monongalia, succeeded this week in slightly beefing up proposed Department of Environmental Protection rules to govern horizontal well drill cutting waste dumped in certain municipal landfills. The... Read more...<http://thedpost.com/Horizontal-well-drill-waste-rule> Horizontal well drill waste rules passed David Beard TheDPost.com CHARLESTON - Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer, D-Monongalia, succeeded this week in slightly beefing up proposed Department of Environmental Protection rules to govern horizontal well drill cutting waste dumped in certain municipal landfills. The rules stem from HB 107, passed during a special session in March, allowing the DEP to approve certain commercial landfills to receive drill cuttings and drilling waste above their monthly tonnage limits, provided they place the cuttings in separate, specially designed and lined cells. The Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee has been working with the DEP on the rules and expects to deliver them to the full Legislature for approval after the session begins in January. The committee approved two of Fleischauer's three proposed amendments, rejecting one dealing with radiation. The first deals with toxins in the waste. The rule includes a list and members OK'd Fleishauer's proposal to add toulene and xylene. The second deals with leachate from the liner. Fleischauer added quarterly testing for toxins to certify the liner's integrity.

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Fwd: Koch Bros., AFP come to Richmond to kill climate protections!
by James Kotcon 19 Dec '14

19 Dec '14

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Glen Besa <glen.besa(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Dec 18, 2014 at 5:45 PM Subject: Koch Bros., AFP come to Richmond to kill climate protections! To: CONS-FRED(a)lists.sierraclub.org --------------------------- cc:Mail Users----------------------------- ** Remember to DELETE the 'Sender: ...' lines above before REPLYing ** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi folks, See what we are up against below. This letter went out to VA legislators today. Their RASP Act is attached. Glen *MEMORANDIUM* *To:* Members of the Virginia General Assembly *From:* Sean Lansing, State Director of Americans for Prosperity-Virginia *Re:* RASP Act *Date: *Thursday, December 18, 2014 ------------------------------ Dear Members of the General Assembly: On behalf of more than 70,000 Americans for Prosperity activists living in Virginia, I encourage you to support efforts to push back against the overreaching Environmental Protection Agency. The new proposed carbon emissions rule from President Obama's EPA will amount to a federal takeover of the electricity system. EPA proposes that Virginia cut power sector CO2 emissions by 43 percent from 2012 levels by 2030, which will threaten jobs and energy affordability here in our state. That's why I'm writing to urge you to support the Reliable, Affordable, and Safe Power (RASP) Act. This legislation takes a number of common sense steps to protect families and businesses in Virginia from harm brought on by the regulations. First, this legislation prohibits our state from submitting or implementing a State Implementation Plan until the legal questions surrounding the new rules are resolved. This will prevent Virginia from wasting precious resources until EPA’s legal authority is clear. Second, it would empower state legislatures, who are accountable to the people, to approve or deny the state implementation plan before it is submitted to the EPA. Lastly, it includes several provisions that instruct the state agencies developing the plans to ensure that it will protect the affordability and reliability of the state electricity system for its citizens. This legislation also enjoys broad support from conservative organizations. AFP is proud to lead a large coalition of organizations in supporting the the RASP Act, which is online here <http://americansforprosperity.org/article/coalition-supports-state-resoluti…> . I urge you and your colleagues to support this important legislation and protect Virginia families from the harmful impact of these new proposed EPA rules. I look forward to working with you over this upcoming session. Sincerely, Sean Lansing State Director AFP-Virginia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 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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AREPS data
by James Kotcon 18 Dec '14

18 Dec '14

?I finally tracked down the reports to the PSC regarding utility compliance with the Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (AREPS). The AREPS requires utilities to hold "credits" for each MWh sold in WV. In essence that means that 10 % of their electricity must come from alternative and renewable sources by 2015, rising to 15 % by 2020, and 25 % by 2025. Republican legislators have pledged to repeal this Act in 2015. Sounds pretty aggressive right? But up to 10 % of their required credits can come from natural gas, another 10 % from supercritical coal (Fort Martin, Harrison, John Amos, etc.). Unlimited credits can come from coal-fired fluidized bed boilers such as MEA or Grant Town, or from pumped storage facilities, or from burning tires, or from coal with IGCC or CCS. Because utilities get 2 credits per MWh for electricity from wind or hydro, these sources are "favored", but it also means that they need less wind or hydro to meet their demand. Based on the data in their filings, it appears that First Energy (Mon Power and Potomac Edison) is getting most of their credits from fluidized bed boilers such as Grant Town and MEA. They do claim something just under 20 % from a hydropower facility at New Martinsville. But because excess credits can be "banked" for later use, it appears that First Energy would not need to acquire ANY new renewables until after 2035. AEP (ApCo and Wheeling Power) gets a lot from four wind farms they acquired, and from hydro (including pumped storage). Their supply is not quite as robust as FE, as they start drawing down banked credits after 2020. But they also would not need new renewable credits until after 2030. I conclude that, although the utilities are actually using some renewables to meet their AREPS requirements, these are almost all existing facilities. No NEW renewables would be needed before 2030, at the earliest. One other note, the PSC filings included compliance reports from five small utilities in WV (e.g., Harrison electric coop, Philippi, New Martinsville, etc.) Some of these will have to acquire "credits", and the purchase of these in future years may run into the tens of thousands of dollars, so that is a potentially significant burden. In addition, Bill Howley pointed out that the AREPS is the only place in state code that establishes net metering. Any attempt to repeal AREPS in its entirety could also eliminate net metering. (This might be considered a regulatory "takings" for those home-owners who bout solar panels or wind mills on the assumption that the utilities would help pay them back, so that is an argument we might explore.) Options: 1) We could oppose any effort to repeal the AREPS? It is the best we have, and improving it later might be easier than bringing it back, once it is repealed. 2) We might acquiesce in the repeal provided that they retain the net metering provision. 3) We might support a repeal for small utilities only, pointing out that large utilities really don't have to do anything to comply. Whaddya Tink? Jim Kotcon

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Fw: Interesting Article for Context on IRP Planning
by James Kotcon 17 Dec '14

17 Dec '14

?More from Danny. JBK

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Fw: IRP vs. EERS: There's one clear winner among state energy efficiency policies
by James Kotcon 17 Dec '14

17 Dec '14

?Great study out of ACEEE comparing state policies. An EERS clearly produces more EE investment, more energy saved, and better cost savings per customer than an IRP. An IRP alone rarely produces much, although it can be helpful if it includes rate de-coupling and other incentives, especially if it helps utilities meet an EERS (some states have both). Read more below. JBK ________________________________ From: Mark Kresowik <mark.kresowik(a)sierraclub.org> Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2014 2:36 PM To: Bill Price; Daniel Chiotos; James Kotcon; David Muhly; David W. Sturm Subject: Fwd: IRP vs. EERS: There's one clear winner among state energy efficiency policies Interesting take from ACEEE ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "ACEEE News" <aceeenews(a)aceee.org<mailto:aceeenews@aceee.org>> Date: Dec 16, 2014 11:42 AM Subject: IRP vs. EERS: There's one clear winner among state energy efficiency policies To: <mark.kresowik(a)sierraclub.org<mailto:mark.kresowik@sierraclub.org>> Cc: [logo] ACEEE BLOG POST Media Contact: Patrick Kiker pkiker(a)aceee.org<mailto:pkiker@aceee.org>, (202) 507-4043 IRP vs. EERS: There's one clear winner among state energy efficiency policies By Martin Kushler, Senior Fellow With Ohio<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001isYeK1dbZTwih7-myTESlNExPgalEzWWNIhdn8-pHm4S…> and Indiana<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001isYeK1dbZTwih7-myTESlNExPgalEzWWNIhdn8-pHm4S…> having recently made major changes to their utility energy efficiency policy, and other states like Florida<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001isYeK1dbZTwih7-myTESlNExPgalEzWWNIhdn8-pHm4S…> and Arizona<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001isYeK1dbZTwih7-myTESlNExPgalEzWWNIhdn8-pHm4S…> considering it, this is an important time to review the evidence about the relative effectiveness of state policies designed to encourage cost-effective energy efficiency. States have embraced energy efficiency policies because the energy savings result in lower customer energy bills, investments in the local economy, improved reliability, and reduced emissions. But not all efficiency policies are equally effective at delivering results, so let's take a closer look at two commonly touted policies for achieving energy efficiency as a utility system resource: integrated resource planning (IRP) and energy efficiency resource standards (EERS<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001isYeK1dbZTwih7-myTESlNExPgalEzWWNIhdn8-pHm4S…>). ACEEE has examined the relationship between these two widely utilized state energy efficiency policies and their outcomes on efficiency. The two key indicators we used to measure performance are spending on energy efficiency programs ($ as a percent of utility revenues) and annual electricity savings achieved (kWh<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001isYeK1dbZTwih7-myTESlNExPgalEzWWNIhdn8-pHm4S…> as a percent of annual sales). We drew upon data on customer-funded energy efficiency programs from the recently released ACEEE State Energy Efficiency Scorecard<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001isYeK1dbZTwih7-myTESlNExPgalEzWWNIhdn8-pHm4S…> and supplemented that data with information from Synapse and the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP)<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001isYeK1dbZTwih7-myTESlNExPgalEzWWNIhdn8-pHm4S…>, and Pamela Morgan<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001isYeK1dbZTwih7-myTESlNExPgalEzWWNIhdn8-pHm4S…>. It is important to note that every state has a unique mix of circumstances and traditions, as well as a mix of particular individuals in leadership positions at utilities and state government. These factors influence the performance of energy efficiency policies in any particular state. Nevertheless, we believe it is instructive to look at how patterns of performance vary across many states under different policy conditions. These results will be presented and discussed in more detail in a report to be released early next year, but here are our top-line observations... To continue reading the blog post, visit: http://aceee.org/blog/2014/12/irp-vs-eers-there-s-one-clear-winner-<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001isYeK1dbZTwih7-myTESlNExPgalEzWWNIhdn8-pHm4S…> About ACEEE: The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy acts as a catalyst to advance energy efficiency policies, programs, technologies, investments, and behaviors. For information about ACEEE and its programs, publications, and conferences, visit aceee.org<http://aceee.org>. ### Forward email<http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=4rt7cun6&m=1011065179711&ea=m…> [http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/SafeUnsubscribe_Footer_Logo_N…]<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001vfp2I8x5D_0Nl7ICqtN-YA%3D%3…> This email was sent to mark.kresowik(a)sierraclub.org<mailto:mark.kresowik@sierraclub.org> by aceeenews(a)aceee.org<mailto:aceeenews@aceee.org> | Update Profile/Email Address<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&m=001vfp2I8x5D_0Nl7ICqtN-YA%3D%3…> | Rapid removal with SafeUnsubscribe<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001vfp2I8x5D_0Nl7ICqtN-YA%3D%3…>(tm) | Privacy Policy<http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp>. ACEEE | 529 14th Street., N.W. | Suite 600 | Washington | DC | 20045

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New article to explain climate denial
by James Kotcon 14 Dec '14

14 Dec '14

?This provides very interesting insights into how to talk to climate deniers, and it questions some of our current approaches. Enjoy. JBK http://www.vox.com/2014/4/6/5556462/brain-dead-how-politics-makes-us-stupid [https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zFR3s_x08FFQsqDVyAFCULyfTuM=/0x149:2040x12…]<http://www.vox.com/2014/4/6/5556462/brain-dead-how-politics-makes-us-stupid> How politics makes us stupid - Vox There's a simple theory underlying much of American politics. It sits hopefully at the base of almost every speech, every op-ed, every article, and every panel discussion. It courses through the... Read more...<http://www.vox.com/2014/4/6/5556462/brain-dead-how-politics-makes-us-stupid>

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from ScienceDaily e-newsletter: Chesapeake Bay region streams are warming
by Paul Wilson 09 Dec '14

09 Dec '14

may be worth considering during your meeting on Friday.... Chesapeake Bay region streams are warming <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/aVf…> Posted: 08 Dec 2014 11:57 AM PST The majority of streams in the Chesapeake Bay region are warming, and that increase appears to be driven largely by rising air temperatures, research has concluded. Researchers found an overall warming trend in air temperature of 0.023 C (0.041 F) per year, and in water temperature of 0.028 C (0.050 F) per year over 51 years. This means that air temperature has risen 1.1 C (1.98 F), and water temperature has risen 1.4 C (2.52 F) between 1960 and 2010 in the Chesapeake Bay region. <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=aVf…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=aVf…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=aVf…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=aVf…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=aVf…> -- 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 "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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FRACKING. IT'S FUCKING BRILLIANT
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 07 Dec '14

07 Dec '14

FRACKING. IT'S FUCKING BRILLIANT <https://vimeo.com/113010398> -- 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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Fw: NYT investigates ties between energy corporations and state GOP AGs
by James Kotcon 07 Dec '14

07 Dec '14

?Very Interesting article detailing the influence of the energy industry on the Republican Attorneys General. JBK ________________________________ From: West Virginia News Service (WVNS) <wvns(a)publicnewsservice.org> Sent: Saturday, December 6, 2014 7:42 PM Subject: NYT investigates ties between energy corporations and state GOP AGs Includes a bit part by ALEC and WV AG Patrick Morrisey. Energy Firms in Secretive Alliance With Attorneys General<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/07/us/politics/energy-firms-in-secretive-all…> -- [http://www.publicnewsservice.org/images/signature_attachments/wvns_logo.png]<http://wvns.publicnewsservice.org> West Virginia News Service Toll-free: 1-800-317-6705 Email: wvns(a)publicnewsservice.org<mailto:wvns@publicnewsservice.org> Fax: 1-208-247-1830 www.publicnewsservice.org<http://www.publicnewsservice.org> [http://www.publicnewsservice.org/images/signature_attachments/twitter_icon.…]<http://www.twitter.com/PNS_WV> [http://www.publicnewsservice.org/images/signature_attachments/facebook_icon…] <http://www.facebook.com/PublicNewsService>

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from ScienceDaily e-newsletter: Toward a low-cost 'artificial leaf' that produces clean hydrogen fuel
by Paul Wilson 04 Dec '14

04 Dec '14

Toward a low-cost 'artificial leaf' that produces clean hydrogen fuel <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/m-b…> Posted: 03 Dec 2014 08:11 AM PST For years, scientists have been pursuing 'artificial leaf' technology, a green approach to making hydrogen fuel that copies plants' ability to convert sunlight into a form of energy they can use. Now, one team reports progress toward a stand-alone system that lends itself to large-scale, low-cost production. They created a nanowire mesh design. <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=m-b…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=m-b…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=m-b…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=m-b…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=m-b…> -- 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 "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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Check out the WVU Daily Athenaeum today
by James Kotcon 03 Dec '14

03 Dec '14

?Front-page story and photo of SSC's very own Grant Speer! JBK http://www.thedaonline.com/news/article_e5fb01fa-7aa8-11e4-a4ee-b7e9f8a6fff… [http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/thedaonline.com/content/tncms/a…]<http://www.thedaonline.com/news/article_e5fb01fa-7aa8-11e4-a4ee-b7e9f8a6fff…> Mining student compares coal, natural gas - The Daily Athenaeum Online: News The Sierra Student Coalition, a student branch of The Sierra Club - the nation's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization - held a presentation Tuesday. The lecture compared the economic impacts of coal energy and energy created by natural gas on the mining industry, along with the potential future benefits of solar energy. Read more...<http://www.thedaonline.com/news/article_e5fb01fa-7aa8-11e4-a4ee-b7e9f8a6fff…>

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Fwd: Fracking to be permitted in GW National Forest
by Paul Wilson 18 Nov '14

18 Nov '14

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Angie Rosser <arosser(a)wvrivers.org> Date: Tue, Nov 18, 2014 at 9:26 AM Subject: Fracking to be permitted in GW National Forest To: "birthplaceofrivers(a)tws.org" <birthplaceofrivers(a)tws.org> Threat hook… Fracking to be permitted in GW National Forest By BROCK VERGAKIS Associated PressNovember 18, 2014 [image: National Forest-Fracking] In this May 10, 2013 photo, Lynn Cameron of Mount Crawford, Va., looks out at the view while hiking the Mines Run Trail, on Shenandoah Mountain, Va., which is in the George Washington National Forest in Rockingham County, Va. Over the objection of environmental groups and Virginia’s governor, a federal management plan released Tuesday will allow a form of natural gas drilling known as fracking to occur in parts of the George Washington National Forest, the largest national forest on the East Coast. NIKKI FOX — AP NORFOLK, Va. — Over the objection of environmental groups and Virginia's governor, a federal management plan released Tuesday will allow a form of natural gas drilling known as fracking to occur in parts of the largest national forest on the East Coast. The U.S. Forest Service originally planned to ban fracking in the 1.1 million-acre George Washington National Forest, but energy companies cried foul after a draft of the plan was released in 2011. It would have been the first outright ban on the practice in a national forest. "We think we've ended up in a much better place, which is we are allowing oil and gas drilling," Robert Bonnie, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's undersecretary for natural resources and environment, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "From a policy perspective, the Forest Service allows fracking on forest lands throughout the country. We didn't want to make a policy decision or change policy related to fracking. This decision is about where it's appropriate to do oil and gas leasing." Land in national forests is commonly leased out for commercial and recreational purposes, such as mining, timber, and skiing. The plan also addresses timber acreage, wildlife habitat and waterways. Under the new plan, which is subject to appeal, drilling will only be permitted on 167,000 acres where there are existing private mineral rights and on about 10,000 acres that are already leased to oil and gas companies. The leased acreage is in Highland County, while the private mineral rights are scattered throughout the forest. Many local government officials near the forest objected to allowing any drilling, and in September, Gov. Terry McAuliffe told the inaugural meeting of a climate change panel that he wouldn't allow fracking in the forest as long as he was governor. Ken Arney, a regional manager for the U.S. Forest Service whose area includes the George Washington National Forest, had the final word on the plan. It is the first time the management plan has been updated since 1993. Among other things, it eliminates the potential for oil and gas leases on 985,000 acres where it was previously allowed. Arney said local objections led to that decision. The forest is located in Virginia, although about 100,000 acres of it extend into West Virginia. Bonnie said energy companies could already have been drilling on the land they're leasing, but nobody has wanted to. "The economic value of these reserves is very low. We've had very little interest on oil and gas on the forest," Bonnie said. The decision was highly anticipated by environmentalists and the energy industry because about half the national forest sits atop the Marcellus shale formation. The formation is home to a vast deposit of natural gas running from upstate New York to West Virginia and yields more than $10 billion worth of gas annually. A sliver of the formation extends into northwest Virginia. The Forest Service said before any drilling in the forest occurs, additional environmental analysis and opportunities for public comment would occur. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a drilling technique to extract oil and gas from the shale by injecting high-pressure mixtures of water, sand or gravel, and chemicals. Environmental groups fear the drilling would pollute mountain streams that directly provide drinking water to about 260,000 people in the Shenandoah Valley. Another 2.7 million people in Northern Virginia and Washington rely upon the forest for a portion of their water supply. An industry group, The American Petroleum Institute, has said hydraulic fracturing can be done safely and that the drilling poses no risk to groundwater. The science on the impact of fracking has not been conclusive. Besides fears that drilling and its waste would foul pristine mountain streams, opponents have also argued that the trucks, wells and other infrastructure that would come with gas drilling are incompatible with the forest's primary attractions of hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, tourism and its abundant wildlife. The forest includes a section of the Appalachian Trail and attracts more than 1 million visitors annually. It is also home to the headwaters of the James and Potomac rivers, which feed into the Chesapeake Bay. The estuary is amid a multibillion-dollar, multistate restoration directed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/11/18/3819522_fracking-to-be-permitted-in-gw.h… -- 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 "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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WVU Shale Gas Research Center
by James Kotcon 07 Nov '14

07 Nov '14

Some of you may recall legislative efforts to create this at WVU. See news release below. JBK? WVU creates the first-ever field laboratory for the long-term study of shale gas resources - As the Appalachian Region feels the impact of the burgeoning shale-energy industry, a consortium of researchers and industrial partners led by West Virginia University, with the assistance of The Ohio State University, will conduct the first-ever long-term, comprehensive field study of a natural resource that has changed the country's - and the world's - energy supply. The five-year, $11 million agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy will allow the research team to create and manage the Marcellus Shale Energy and Environment Laboratory, a field site and dedicated research laboratory at the Morgantown Industrial Park. Together with the DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory and Northeast Natural Energy - a Charleston-based private oil and natural gas company that owns and operates the site - the lab will engage a unique and diverse team of geoscientists, hydrologists, engineers, ecologists, social scientists and public health professionals. The team will identify and demonstrate technologies required for best practices in environmentally responsible shale development, from drilling to completion through production. Additionally, the lab will offer real-world education and training for undergraduate and graduate students to address the complex technical, environmental and social issues surrounding unconventional energy development and production. "To date, there has been no comprehensive long-term field study that addresses baseline measurements, subsurface development and environmental monitoring with unconventional resource development," said Timothy Carr, WVU's Marshall Miller professor of geology, principal investigator of the award and director of the lab. - See more at: http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/n/2014/11/06/wvu-creates-the-first-ever-field-labor… [http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/resources/1/1415305013_md.jpg]<http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/n/2014/11/06/wvu-creates-the-first-ever-field-labor…> WVU creates the first-ever field laboratory for the long-term study of shale gas resources WVUToday, *the* source for news and information regarding West Virginia University. Read more...<http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/n/2014/11/06/wvu-creates-the-first-ever-field-labor…>

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