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Fw: Fw: Fw: Fw: info somewhere about more plants
by Barbara Fallon 29 Jul '08

29 Jul '08

Well, here is some good news! Can anyone comment on Pat's question? ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "Pat.Gallagher(a)sierraclub.org" <Pat.Gallagher(a)sierraclub.org> To: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 4:49:06 PM Subject: Re: Fw: Fw: Fw: [EC] info somewhere about more plants Barbara - I see that the PATH project originates at the John Amos station, so the coal plant link couldn't be clearer. We can allocate $10,000 for litigation costs. Also - has the idea of a case against FERC fot its subsidies been explored ? Pat Gallagher Director of Environmental Law Sierra Club 85 Second Street, 4th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 415.977.5709 415.977.5793 fax pat.gallagher(a)sierraclub.org CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL COMMUNICATION/WORK PRODUCT This e-mail may contain privileged and confidential attorney-client communications and/or confidential attorney work product. If you receive this e-mail inadvertently, please reply and notify the sender and delete all versions on your system. Thank you. Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon@yaho o.com> To Pat.Gallagher(a)sierraclub.org 07/21/2008 06:51 cc AM Subject Re: Fw: Fw: Fw: [EC] info somewhere about more plants Pat, Thanks for understanding our perdicament. Can the Law program support us with $10,000? Over time our financial needs are going to be much greater than this amount, but a $10,000 base combined with our local and state fundraising, should put us in the ball-park for expert witness fees. Funding from the Law Program will be a great morale boost as well. As for the Mountaineer plant inquiry, this is a reply from Jim Kotcon. "The Mountaineer IGCC plant was being developed by AEP, while TrAILCo is a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegheny Energy. Thus, Mountaineer was never an explicit part of the justification for TrAIL. Instead, TrAIL based their economic benefits analysis on four unnamed "potential" plants. In the evidentiary hearings, TrAILCo did not explicitly back away form the idea of four new plants, but tended to emphasize the transmission constraints from either new plants or existing unused capacity. They never really were pinned down, and the regional transmission operator, PJM, only indicated a generalized need for new transmission. They argued that it was not possible to identify specific plants from which the electrons would flow, only that plants in the region needed the transmission capacity to supply the East Coast markets. TrAILCo and PATH both argue that the lines are needed even for new commercial wind farms, although the combined capacity of the lines is ten times that needed for all existing and currently planned wind farms." JBK Thank you for your concern and support Pat. Barbara ----- Original Message ---- From: "Pat.Gallagher(a)sierraclub.org" <Pat.Gallagher(a)sierraclub.org> To: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 3:53:04 PM Subject: Re: Fw: Fw: Fw: [EC] info somewhere about more plants Thanks Barbara - I see the bind you're in. How much money are you looking for ? I think something should be doable. One thing I noticed - the Trail line was justified in part by the Mountaineer plant. But that plant was rejected by the PSC, correct ? So has there been an effort to reopen/raise that issue ? Pat Gallagher Director of Environmental Law Sierra Club 85 Second Street, 4th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 415.977.5709 415.977.5793 fax pat.gallagher(a)sierraclub.org CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL COMMUNICATION/WORK PRODUCT This e-mail may contain privileged and confidential attorney-client communications and/or confidential attorney work product. If you receive this e-mail inadvertently, please reply and notify the sender and delete all versions on your system. Thank you. Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon@yaho o.com> To pat.gallagher(a)sierraclub.org 07/17/2008 12:27 cc PM Subject Fw: Fw: Fw: [EC] info somewhere about more plants Pat, Jim has summarized our tentative and unsavory situation. I feel like we are in a holding pattern, yet we need to raise funds in order to be ready for several different outcomes. We are doing chapter fundraising and also directed fundraising. I can't find outside sources of funding because public foundations do not want to fund litagation and expert witnesses. It was a hard blow to find out that we did not get the SES or the National Coal grants. I appreciate your interest in this case and in the difficulty we have in fundraising. If you have any suggestions for fundraising I will pursue them. Otherwise, is there something the Law Program can do for us. I do not know if you have had time to read the grant proposal to National Coal. I have it attached. Best REgards, Barbara ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> To: Duane Nichols <duane330(a)aol.com>; William DePaulo Esq <william.depaulo(a)gmail.com>; James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>; Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 8:51:31 AM Subject: Re: Fw: Fw: [EC] info somewhere about more plants No specific information has been filed for PATH, that I am aware of, as they have not yet filed their application. The PATH website FAQs page sidesteps this issue with double talk about the need to improve "reliability", so it is not clear that they will even raise the issue of additional power plants. They do, however, discuss "increasing demand" as well as retirements of existing power plants as part of te justification for the line. Regardless of whether the increased electricity comes from new plants, or increased generation from existing coal-fired plants, increasing demand means more coal burned. Hence, we should not get bogged down in nit-picking over whether the generation is from new plants versus older ones, in either case it means more coal is burned. Furthermore, the initial justification for the NIETC was an effort to move an additional 5000 MW of "coal-by-wire" from the mid-Ohio Valley to the East Coast. While there are some long-range concerns over transmission (although none would occur sooner than 4 to 8 years from now), the real issue is that coal is cheaper than the existing sources on the East Coast, so if they can overcome the transmission constraints, the coal could displace the more expensive (and cleaner) generating plants on the East Coast. This "economic congestion" is the real driver behind the lines, not the hypothetical peak demand reliability issues. And that would mean even more coal being burned, not just to meet the increased demand, but to substitute for existing higher-priced generation. I believe that our only hope is to delay PATH and TrAIL for a couple more years until we can get Congress to revise the NIETC laws. As long as the utilities are guaranteed an "Incentive Rate of Return" and powers of eminent domain, they will eventually win. Note, the PATH website timeline (http://pathtransmission.com) has them filing in December 2008, so most of our legal expenses would be incurred in 2009. It is also important to note that PATH will actually be filing two separate applications, one for the Amos-to-Bedington (north of Martinsburg, WV) segment, the other from Bedington to a new substation at Kemptown MD. Hence, WV will bear a double load in fighting this line, while the Maryland Chapter will also need to get involved for the second segment. But under this strategy, I suspect that much of the line will be built even if only WV gives approval. In any event, an awful lot will depend on what the WV-PSC does with the TrAIL application, and how we respond. I think the priority for funding in the second half of 2008 should be for appeals of a TrAIL decision. If I were a betting man, my current prediction is that the PSC will rule in favor of TrAIL, and we will have to appeal to the WV Supreme Court. Even if they rule in our favor and against TrAIL, I expect TrAILCo to appeal, and we will need to be involved in that appeal as intervenors. The TrAIL case this year will set the precedents that drive a PATH case next year. And the TrAIL case is the one where they do claim that part of the benefits will derive from four new power plants. Hope this helps. Let me know if you need citations for any of the above. JBK >>> Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> 7/16/2008 4:07 PM >>> Pat is interested in helping us fund the legal aspects of PATH. I have sent him our recent grant request but I am not sure that he has had time to read it. Pat needs information from us re: more coal plants if PATH is constructed. I sent him info re: TrAILCO, but he needs it for PATH if he is going to be able to get us some money. Do you guys have any infor on construction of coal power plants if PATH goes through... ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "Pat.Gallagher(a)sierraclub.org" <Pat.Gallagher(a)sierraclub.org> To: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:10:32 AM Subject: Re: Fw: [EC] info somewhere about more plants Thanks - This pertains to TrailCo - do we have any similar evidence re PATH ? I'm a believer in what you're doing - I just need to tie it directly to coal plants to use coal litigation funds. Pat Gallagher Director of Environmental Law Sierra Club 85 Second Street, 4th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 415.977.5709 415.977.5793 fax pat.gallagher(a)sierraclub.org CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL COMMUNICATION/WORK PRODUCT This e-mail may contain privileged and confidential attorney-client communications and/or confidential attorney work product. If you receive this e-mail inadvertently, please reply and notify the sender and delete all versions on your system. Thank you. -----Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> wrote: ----- To: pat.gallagher(a)sierraclub.org From: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> Date: 07/16/2008 07:21AM Subject: Fw: [EC] info somewhere about more plants Pat, more info on the connection of TrAILCO and more coal fired power plants. Barbara ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> To: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 3:18:35 PM Subject: Re: [EC] info somewhere about more plants My apologies for the delay, hope this is still timely. The testimony submitted by TrAILCo witness Tom Witt calculated the economic benefits of the transmission line. In it, he claimed that the line would support four new 600 MW coal-fired power plants, and further claimed that the economic benefits from these plants were part of the economic benefits to be derived from the line. TrAILCo has not specifically proposed additional plants, but their line was clearly intended to increase sales of coal-fired electricity from WV and Ohio plants to the East Coast. TrAILCo also presented the scenario that the line would merely support increased operation of existing plants. In either case, it would mean a lot more coal being burned to generate electricity to be sold on the East Coast where it would compete with cleaner, but more expensive power plants. This is the main reason that CPV Warren had intervened in the case. They argued that the line would make their proposed natural gas-fired plant in Warren VA economically unviable. The argument appeared to be sufficiently sound that Dominion Energy (Allegheny's partner in TrAILCo) bought the rights to the CPV Warren plant. The specific documentation for the above is filed as part of the official record on the PSC web page, but it is buried among a large number of documents. Let me know if you want me to dig out the specific citations. JBK (See attached file: Coal foundation608.doc)

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What's our greeting? Bush Heading to WV to Speak about Coal
by Jim Sconyers 28 Jul '08

28 Jul '08

What is the message/sound bite/sign text? Seems like "Coal Stinks" might not be quite right. "Blowin in the Wind" "Here Comes the Sun" Energy Forecast: Sunny and Windy" uh.... Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 603.969.6712 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Original Message ---- From: Regina Hendrix <regina1936(a)verizon.net> To: Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com>; Bill Price <bill.price(a)sierraclub.org> Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 2:17:13 PM Subject: [Fwd: Re: [mountainjusticesummer] Fwd: [fom] Bush Heading to WV to Speak about Coal] Looks as if interest is building. I am interested. Regina -----Inline Message Follows----- I know there will be a good handful of MJers at the festival, and I'll bet you ten dollars we can recruit more rabblerousers... Are there already plans in the works that we could coordinate with? mander On Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 10:04 AM, Dana Kuhnline <dana.kuhnline(a)gmail.com> wrote: Oh my lord! I have some signs around that could be utilized. Dana ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Daniel Chiotos <danny(a)seac.org> Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 6:38 PM Subject: [fom] Bush Heading to WV to Speak about Coal To: FOM list <fom(a)lists.riseup.net> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Malyka Knapp-Smith <mknappsmith(a)yahoo.com> Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 6:19 PM Subject: joy of joys....can we go protest??????? To: Daniel Chiotos <trouserdude(a)gmail.com> Friday July 25, 2008 President George W. Bush headed to West Virginia He will speak about importance of coal in national energy future by George Hohmann Daily Mail Business Editor President George W. Bush will speak at the West Virginia Coal Association's annual meeting next Thursday at The Greenbrier Resort, White House spokesman Blair Jones said today. "The president will talk about overall energy issues and the importance of clean coal technologies and nuclear power technologies," Jones said. Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said today, "We're so very honored that the President has chosen to come to West Virginia and to the West Virginia Coal Association's meeting as an opportunity to talk about energy and the needs we have and the important part that West Virginia coal miners and coal mines play in this nation's energy picture." The meeting will be July 31 through Aug. 3. Also scheduled to speak: * West Virginia University Interim President Peter Magrath. * Michael Morris, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power. * Jim Boyd of John T. Boyd Co. will discuss coal markets. John T. Boyd Co. is a mining consulting company. * Hal Quinn, senior vice president of the National Mining Association, will talk about national issues relating to coal. * Randy Huffman, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection. * Homer Hickam, one of the original Rocket Boys and author of the recently released book, "Red Helmet." Contact writer George Hohmann at busin...(a)dailymail.com or 348-4836. Malyka Knapp-Smith 907 Scenic Drive Charleston WV 25311 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! www.seac.org/pledge Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Sí Se Puede - Obama 08 -- Cheers, Daniel Chiotos SEAC Appalachia Organizer 1615 Franklin Ave, Apt D Charleston, WV, 25311 (304)886-3389 {www.seac.org} Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! {www.seac.org/pledge} "We may be poor but we are not for sale" -Great Song -- Dana Kuhnline Alliance for Appalachia PO Box 11701 Charleston, WV 25339 Call: (304) 546-8473 Fax: (304) 342-3183 www.ilovemountains.org Support youth working for climate justice! www.seac.org Nobody made a greater mistake than doing nothing because you can only do a little. Edmund Burke -- Dana Kuhnline Alliance for Appalachia PO Box 11701 Charleston, WV 25339 Call: (304) 546-8473 Fax: (304) 342-3183 www.ilovemountains.org Support youth working for climate justice! www.seac.org Nobody made a greater mistake than doing nothing because you can only do a little. Edmund Burke -----Inline Attachment Follows----- Interesting. Maybe we should make some fliers that could be printed and brought to clifftop and maybe hung up in coffeeshops etc. at Greenbrier cty. Is there anyway we could find out where people interested in going should meet up and where a safe place to park and stand would be? As I recall, the Amtrak station is basically right across from the Greenbrier, so that would be a decent launching spot, any thoughts? They have a gatekeeper there, so I doubt they will let anyone on the grounds or anywhere near where the FOCers will be but a highway presence would be nice to have anyway and maybe Bush will drive by and his security agents will see the signs. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=greenbrier+resort,+white+s… Dana On Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 1:38 PM, Amanda Cagle <caglear(a)gmail.com> wrote: The Greenbrier Resort is in White Sulphur Springs, which is only 50 miles away from the annual Appalachian Old Time Music festival in Clifftop, WV, which just happens to run from the 29th through the 3rd. I know there will be a good handful of MJers at the festival, and I'll bet you ten dollars we can recruit more rabblerousers... Are there already plans in the works that we could coordinate with? mander On Mon, Jul 28, 2008 at 10:04 AM, Dana Kuhnline <dana.kuhnline(a)gmail.com> wrote: Oh my lord! I have some signs around that could be utilized. Dana ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Daniel Chiotos <danny(a)seac.org> Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 6:38 PM Subject: [fom] Bush Heading to WV to Speak about Coal To: FOM list <fom(a)lists.riseup.net> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Malyka Knapp-Smith <mknappsmith(a)yahoo.com> Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 6:19 PM Subject: joy of joys....can we go protest??????? To: Daniel Chiotos <trouserdude(a)gmail.com> Friday July 25, 2008 President George W. Bush headed to West Virginia He will speak about importance of coal in national energy future by George Hohmann Daily Mail Business Editor President George W. Bush will speak at the West Virginia Coal Association's annual meeting next Thursday at The Greenbrier Resort, White House spokesman Blair Jones said today. "The president will talk about overall energy issues and the importance of clean coal technologies and nuclear power technologies," Jones said. Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said today, "We're so very honored that the President has chosen to come to West Virginia and to the West Virginia Coal Association's meeting as an opportunity to talk about energy and the needs we have and the important part that West Virginia coal miners and coal mines play in this nation's energy picture." The meeting will be July 31 through Aug. 3. Also scheduled to speak: * West Virginia University Interim President Peter Magrath. * Michael Morris, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power. * Jim Boyd of John T. Boyd Co. will discuss coal markets. John T. Boyd Co. is a mining consulting company. * Hal Quinn, senior vice president of the National Mining Association, will talk about national issues relating to coal. * Randy Huffman, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection. * Homer Hickam, one of the original Rocket Boys and author of the recently released book, "Red Helmet." Contact writer George Hohmann at busin...(a)dailymail.com or 348-4836. Malyka Knapp-Smith 907 Scenic Drive Charleston WV 25311 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! www.seac.org/pledge Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Sí Se Puede - Obama 08 -- Cheers, Daniel Chiotos SEAC Appalachia Organizer 1615 Franklin Ave, Apt D Charleston, WV, 25311 (304)886-3389 {www.seac.org} Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! {www.seac.org/pledge} "We may be poor but we are not for sale" -Great Song -- Dana Kuhnline Alliance for Appalachia PO Box 11701 Charleston, WV 25339 Call: (304) 546-8473 Fax: (304) 342-3183 www.ilovemountains.org Support youth working for climate justice! www.seac.org Nobody made a greater mistake than doing nothing because you can only do a little. Edmund Burke -- Dana Kuhnline Alliance for Appalachia PO Box 11701 Charleston, WV 25339 Call: (304) 546-8473 Fax: (304) 342-3183 www.ilovemountains.org Support youth working for climate justice! www.seac.org Nobody made a greater mistake than doing nothing because you can only do a little. Edmund Burke

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Re: [EC] [fom] USACE Pub. Notice 2007-134-GAU
by Michael Price 28 Jul '08

28 Jul '08

Regina, Good to hear from you. Glad to see you involved in sending out the info on all of these issues. Aaron Iserwood, attorny for the Sierra Club has asked me to be a declarent in the Powellton Coal case. I know several people who live at Jodie on Rich Creek and I can talk with them about this issue. I do not know Bob Gates but I would like to talk with him and see if we can communicate about this issue with him. Regards, mike ===================== From: Regina Hendrix <regina1936(a)verizon.net> Date: 2008/07/28 Mon PM 12:46:49 EDT To: Bob Gates <photonzx(a)ntelos.net> Cc: All of FOM list <fom(a)lists.riseup.net>, Margaret Janes <mjanes(a)hardynet.com>, ec(a)osenergy.org Subject: Re: [EC] [fom] USACE Pub. Notice 2007-134-GAU And there's a Head Start at the bottom of the steep descent. Bob Gates wrote: > I just came across Gauley Mountain this morning on the way back from > the Appalachian String Band Festival at Clifftop for a couple of days > break. While I did not see the mine, there were quite a few coal > trucks going up and down the mountain between Ansted and Gauley > Bridge. It is amazing that they would run them up and down such a > steep windy road. Will see what I can spot when I go back later this > week. > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Regina Hendrix" > <regina1936(a)verizon.net> > To: "Margaret Janes" <mjanes(a)hardynet.com> > Cc: "All of FOM list" <fom(a)lists.riseup.net>; <ec(a)osenergy.org> > Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 3:21 PM > Subject: [fom] USACE Pub. Notice 2007-134-GAU > > >> Margaret, I just got the Corps' notice on a project at the Muddlety >> Surface Mine No. 1, pending permit number S-3004-07, in Nicholas >> County on Muddlety Creek, a tributary of the Gauley. They also >> reference the NPDES Permit WV1022229. Every time I get one of these >> notices I'm traumatized. >> >> I've added the FOM list and Sierra Club's energy committee as cc's >> because I'm probably not the only one who'd like an update on our >> case in the 4th Circuit. >> Also, I'm hoping you will give us a short update on where this >> project on the Gauley stands, i.e., is this project on hold until we >> get a decision in the 4th Circuit? (They mention proposed Valley >> Fills 1 and 2.) In this instance would the NPDES permit be on hold >> also? >> >> Thanks, once again, for sharing your knowledge of these proposed and >> accomplished criminal acts. >> >> Regina Hendrix >> >> >> >> > > _______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC(a)osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec

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Re: [EC] [fom] USACE Pub. Notice 2007-134-GAU
by Regina Hendrix 28 Jul '08

28 Jul '08

And there's a Head Start at the bottom of the steep descent. Bob Gates wrote: > I just came across Gauley Mountain this morning on the way back from > the Appalachian String Band Festival at Clifftop for a couple of days > break. While I did not see the mine, there were quite a few coal > trucks going up and down the mountain between Ansted and Gauley > Bridge. It is amazing that they would run them up and down such a > steep windy road. Will see what I can spot when I go back later this > week. > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Regina Hendrix" > <regina1936(a)verizon.net> > To: "Margaret Janes" <mjanes(a)hardynet.com> > Cc: "All of FOM list" <fom(a)lists.riseup.net>; <ec(a)osenergy.org> > Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 3:21 PM > Subject: [fom] USACE Pub. Notice 2007-134-GAU > > >> Margaret, I just got the Corps' notice on a project at the Muddlety >> Surface Mine No. 1, pending permit number S-3004-07, in Nicholas >> County on Muddlety Creek, a tributary of the Gauley. They also >> reference the NPDES Permit WV1022229. Every time I get one of these >> notices I'm traumatized. >> >> I've added the FOM list and Sierra Club's energy committee as cc's >> because I'm probably not the only one who'd like an update on our >> case in the 4th Circuit. >> Also, I'm hoping you will give us a short update on where this >> project on the Gauley stands, i.e., is this project on hold until we >> get a decision in the 4th Circuit? (They mention proposed Valley >> Fills 1 and 2.) In this instance would the NPDES permit be on hold >> also? >> >> Thanks, once again, for sharing your knowledge of these proposed and >> accomplished criminal acts. >> >> Regina Hendrix >> >> >> >> > >

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Re: [EC] [Fwd: [fom] Officials announce new $800 million coal-to-gasoline plant]
by Jim Sconyers 28 Jul '08

28 Jul '08

Weep is right - for the poor misguided fools who "represent" us, for we the citizens who elect them, and for the venality of forcing WV taxpayers to subsidize this. Nice touch - a coal sequestration "plan" - even though all would agree that this is the worst kind of dirty-pie-in-the-dirty-sky for the near future. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 603.969.6712 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Original Message ---- From: Regina Hendrix <regina1936(a)verizon.net> To: ec(a)osenergy.org Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 12:21:51 PM Subject: [EC] [Fwd: [fom] Officials announce new $800 million coal-to-gasoline plant] Read it and weep. Your tax money will contribute to this effort. Regina

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[Fwd: [fom] Officials announce new $800 million coal-to-gasoline plant]
by Regina Hendrix 28 Jul '08

28 Jul '08

Read it and weep. Your tax money will contribute to this effort. Regina

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Re: [EC] Bush at Greenbrier next Thursday to Speak about Coal
by Jim Sconyers 28 Jul '08

28 Jul '08

more at http://www.wvcoal.com/content/view/366/58/ Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 603.969.6712 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Original Message ---- From: Regina Hendrix <regina1936(a)verizon.net> To: Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> Cc: Bill Price <bill.price(a)sierraclub.org>; Jonathan Rosenbaum <freesource(a)cheat.org>; ec(a)osenergy.org; Bill DePaulo <william.depaulo(a)gmail.com>; Karen Grubb <kgrubb(a)fairmontstate.edu>; Mike Price <greyhawkwv(a)Verizon.net>; Sandra Cress <sandra.cress(a)gmail.com>; Allan Tweddle <allantweddle(a)msn.com>; Autumn <blisssister(a)hotmail.com>; Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com>; Beth Little <blittle(a)citynet.net>; Dave Saville <daves(a)labyrinth.net>; Duane Nichols <duane330(a)aol.com>; Jim Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>; Kate Stone <klastone(a)cisunix.unh.edu>; Matt Keller <matt.keller(a)wvwild.org>; Paul Wilson <pjgrunt(a)lycos.com>; Rory McIlmoil <rorygep(a)gmail.com> Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 10:18:30 AM Subject: Re: Bush at Greenbrier next Thursday to Speak about Coal http://www.shopfloor.org/tag/west-virginia-coal-association/ See above. It says he will speak at 10:25 on Thursday. It also mentions a Scouts activity on the North Portico. I suspect this will insure he will be late. Jim Sconyers wrote: > Can anyoe find out details - times, etc.? > > Jim Sconyers > jim_scon(a)yahoo.com > 603.969.6712 > > Remember: Mother Nature bats last. > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Bill Price <bill.price(a)sierraclub.org> > To: Jonathan Rosenbaum <freesource(a)cheat.org>; Jim Sconyers > <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> > Cc: Regina Hendrix <regina1936(a)verizon.net>; ec(a)osenergy.org; Bill > DePaulo <william.depaulo(a)gmail.com>; Karen Grubb > <kgrubb(a)fairmontstate.edu>; Mike Price <greyhawkwv(a)Verizon.net>; > Sandra Cress <sandra.cress(a)gmail.com>; Allan Tweddle > <allantweddle(a)msn.com>; Autumn <blisssister(a)hotmail.com>; Barbara > Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com>; Beth Little <blittle(a)citynet.net>; > Dave Saville <daves(a)labyrinth.net>; Duane Nichols <duane330(a)aol.com>; > Jim Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>; Kate Stone <klastone(a)cisunix.unh.edu>; > Matt Keller <matt.keller(a)wvwild.org>; Paul Wilson <pjgrunt(a)lycos.com>; > Rory McIlmoil <rorygep(a)gmail.com> > Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 4:01:16 PM > Subject: RE: Bush at Greenbrier next Thursday to Speak about Coal > > We just found out about this. If you guys want to organize something, > I can see if coalfield groups want to plug into it. > > > > Bill Price, Sierra Club EJ Program > 922 Quarrier Street, Suite 304 > Charleston , WV 25311 > Phone 304-342-3182 > Cell 304-389-8822 > Fax 304-342-3183 > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > *From:* Jonathan Rosenbaum [mailto:freesource@cheat.org] > *Sent:* Saturday, July 26, 2008 3:40 PM > *To:* Jim Sconyers; Bill Price > *Cc:* Regina Hendrix; ec(a)osenergy.org; Bill DePaulo; Karen Grubb; Mike > Price; Sandra Cress; Allan Tweddle; Autumn; Barbara Fallon; Beth > Little; Dave Saville; Duane Nichols; Jim Kotcon; Kate Stone; Matt > Keller; Paul Wilson; Rory McIlmoil > *Subject:* Re: Bush at Greenbrier next Thursday to Speak about Coal > > > > Last year at the CTL Conference > (http://www.clean-coal.info/drupal/2007ctlconference) Bill Price from > Environmental Justice was involved with putting together an organized > protest that included a fly-over. Maybe he already has put together > something for the annual Coal Conference. I am adding him to this thread. > > Interesting to note that the interim President of WVU will be a > speaker, too, along with Bush, but no real surprise. > > -Jonathan > > Jim Sconyers wrote: > > We gotta be there! Can you come to the Greenbrier to protest against > Bush energy "policy," clean coal, coal, nuclear, ... and FOR clean > green energy? > > Does anyone have the schedule to know what time W is to be there? > > Can someone post this on friendly websites? > > > > Jim Sconyers > jim_scon(a)yahoo.com <mailto:jim_scon@yahoo.com> > 603.969.6712 > > Remember: Mother Nature bats last. > > > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Regina Hendrix <regina1936(a)verizon.net> > <mailto:regina1936@verizon.net> > To: ec(a)osenergy.org <mailto:ec@osenergy.org> > Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 8:46:22 PM > Subject: [EC] [Fwd: Re: [fom] Bush Heading to WV to Speak about Coal] > > Oh, Oh, we don't need this. > > > > -----Inline Message Follows----- > > Subject: joy of joys....can we go protest??????? > To: Daniel Chiotos <trouserdude(a)gmail.com <mailto:trouserdude@gmail.com>> > > Daily Mail Business Editor > > President George W. Bush will speak at the West Virginia Coal > Association's annual meeting next Thursday at The Greenbrier Resort, > White House spokesman Blair Jones said today. > > "The president will talk about overall energy issues and the > importance of clean coal technologies and nuclear power technologies," > Jones said. > > Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said > today, "We're so very honored that the President has chosen to come to > West Virginia and to the West Virginia Coal Association's meeting as > an opportunity to talk about energy and the needs we have and the > important part that West Virginia coal miners and coal mines play in > this nation's energy picture." > > The meeting will be July 31 through Aug. 3. Also scheduled to speak: > > * West Virginia University Interim President Peter Magrath. > > * Michael Morris, president and chief executive officer of American > Electric Power. > > * Jim Boyd of John T. Boyd Co. will discuss coal markets. John T. Boyd > Co. is a mining consulting company. > > * Hal Quinn, senior vice president of the National Mining Association, > will talk about national issues relating to coal. > > * Randy Huffman, secretary of the state Department of Environmental > Protection. > > * Homer Hickam, one of the original Rocket Boys and author of the > recently released book, "Red Helmet." > > Contact writer George Hohmann at busin...(a)dailymail.com > <http://dailymail.com/News/statenews/contact/ohfvarff+qnvylznvy+pbz+return=/…> > or 348-4836. > > > > Malyka Knapp-Smith > 907 Scenic Drive > Charleston WV 25311 > > Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! > www.seac.org/pledge <http://www.seac.org/pledge> > > Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! > http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 > > Sí Se Puede - Obama 08 > > > > > > -- > Cheers, > Daniel Chiotos > SEAC Appalachia Organizer > 1615 Franklin Ave , Apt D > Charleston , WV , 25311 > (304)886-3389 > {www.seac.org <http://www.seac.org/>} > > Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! > http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 > > > Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! > {www.seac.org/pledge <http://www.seac.org/pledge>} > > > "We may be poor but we are not for sale" > -Great Song > > > > > -- > My URL: myspace.com/coalriverpaul <http://myspace.com/coalriverpaul> > > > > -----Inline Attachment Follows----- > > Here we go again, our health and mountains on the drawing board. > > On Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 5:38 PM, Daniel Chiotos <danny(a)seac.org > <mailto:danny@seac.org>> wrote: > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: *Malyka Knapp-Smith* <mknappsmith(a)yahoo.com > <mailto:mknappsmith@yahoo.com>> > Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 6:19 PM > Subject: joy of joys....can we go protest??????? > To: Daniel Chiotos <trouserdude(a)gmail.com <mailto:trouserdude@gmail.com>> > > Friday July 25, 2008 > > President George W. Bush headed to West Virginia > > He will speak about importance of coal in national energy future > > by George Hohmann > <http://dailymail.com/News/statenews/contact/ohfvarff+qnvylznvy+pbz+return=/…> > > Daily Mail Business Editor > > President George W. Bush will speak at the West Virginia Coal > Association's annual meeting next Thursday at The Greenbrier Resort, > White House spokesman Blair Jones said today. > > "The president will talk about overall energy issues and the > importance of clean coal technologies and nuclear power technologies," > Jones said. > > Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said > today, "We're so very honored that the President has chosen to come to > West Virginia and to the West Virginia Coal Association's meeting as > an opportunity to talk about energy and the needs we have and the > important part that West Virginia coal miners and coal mines play in > this nation's energy picture." > > The meeting will be July 31 through Aug. 3. Also scheduled to speak: > > * West Virginia University Interim President Peter Magrath. > > * Michael Morris, president and chief executive officer of American > Electric Power. > > * Jim Boyd of John T. Boyd Co. will discuss coal markets. John T. Boyd > Co. is a mining consulting company. > > * Hal Quinn, senior vice president of the National Mining Association, > will talk about national issues relating to coal. > > * Randy Huffman, secretary of the state Department of Environmental > Protection. > > * Homer Hickam, one of the original Rocket Boys and author of the > recently released book, "Red Helmet." > > Contact writer George Hohmann at busin...(a)dailymail.com > <http://dailymail.com/News/statenews/contact/ohfvarff+qnvylznvy+pbz+return=/…> > or 348-4836. > > > > Malyka Knapp-Smith > 907 Scenic Drive > Charleston WV 25311 > > Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! > www.seac.org/pledge <http://www.seac.org/pledge> > > Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! > http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 > > Sí Se Puede - Obama 08 > > > > > > > -- > Cheers, > Daniel Chiotos > SEAC Appalachia Organizer > 1615 Franklin Ave , Apt D > Charleston , WV , 25311 > (304)886-3389 > {www.seac.org <http://www.seac.org/>} > > Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! > http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 > > > Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! > {www.seac.org/pledge <http://www.seac.org/pledge>} > > > "We may be poor but we are not for sale" > -Great Song > > > > > -- > My URL: myspace.com/coalriverpaul <http://myspace.com/coalriverpaul> > > > > > >

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Re: [EC] Bush at Greenbrier next Thursday to Speak about Coal
by Jim Sconyers 28 Jul '08

28 Jul '08

Can anyoe find out details - times, etc.? Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 603.969.6712 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Original Message ---- From: Bill Price <bill.price(a)sierraclub.org> To: Jonathan Rosenbaum <freesource(a)cheat.org>; Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> Cc: Regina Hendrix <regina1936(a)verizon.net>; ec(a)osenergy.org; Bill DePaulo <william.depaulo(a)gmail.com>; Karen Grubb <kgrubb(a)fairmontstate.edu>; Mike Price <greyhawkwv(a)Verizon.net>; Sandra Cress <sandra.cress(a)gmail.com>; Allan Tweddle <allantweddle(a)msn.com>; Autumn <blisssister(a)hotmail.com>; Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com>; Beth Little <blittle(a)citynet.net>; Dave Saville <daves(a)labyrinth.net>; Duane Nichols <duane330(a)aol.com>; Jim Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>; Kate Stone <klastone(a)cisunix.unh.edu>; Matt Keller <matt.keller(a)wvwild.org>; Paul Wilson <pjgrunt(a)lycos.com>; Rory McIlmoil <rorygep(a)gmail.com> Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 4:01:16 PM Subject: RE: Bush at Greenbrier next Thursday to Speak about Coal We just found out about this. If you guys want to organize something, I can see if coalfield groups want to plug into it. Bill Price, Sierra Club EJ Program 922 Quarrier Street, Suite 304 Charleston , WV 25311 Phone 304-342-3182 Cell 304-389-8822 Fax 304-342-3183 ________________________________ From:Jonathan Rosenbaum [mailto:freesource@cheat.org] Sent: Saturday, July 26, 2008 3:40 PM To: Jim Sconyers; Bill Price Cc: Regina Hendrix; ec(a)osenergy.org; Bill DePaulo; Karen Grubb; Mike Price; Sandra Cress; Allan Tweddle; Autumn; Barbara Fallon; Beth Little; Dave Saville; Duane Nichols; Jim Kotcon; Kate Stone; Matt Keller; Paul Wilson; Rory McIlmoil Subject: Re: Bush at Greenbrier next Thursday to Speak about Coal Last year at the CTL Conference (http://www.clean-coal.info/drupal/2007ctlconference) Bill Price from Environmental Justice was involved with putting together an organized protest that included a fly-over. Maybe he already has put together something for the annual Coal Conference. I am adding him to this thread. Interesting to note that the interim President of WVU will be a speaker, too, along with Bush, but no real surprise. -Jonathan Jim Sconyers wrote: We gotta be there! Can you come to the Greenbrier to protest against Bush energy "policy," clean coal, coal, nuclear, ... and FOR clean green energy? Does anyone have the schedule to know what time W is to be there? Can someone post this on friendly websites? Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 603.969.6712 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Original Message ---- From: Regina Hendrix <regina1936(a)verizon.net> To: ec(a)osenergy.org Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 8:46:22 PM Subject: [EC] [Fwd: Re: [fom] Bush Heading to WV to Speak about Coal] Oh, Oh, we don't need this. -----Inline Message Follows----- Subject: joy of joys....can we go protest??????? To: Daniel Chiotos <trouserdude(a)gmail.com> Daily Mail Business Editor President George W. Bush will speak at the West Virginia Coal Association's annual meeting next Thursday at The Greenbrier Resort, White House spokesman Blair Jones said today. "The president will talk about overall energy issues and the importance of clean coal technologies and nuclear power technologies," Jones said. Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said today, "We're so very honored that the President has chosen to come to West Virginia and to the West Virginia Coal Association's meeting as an opportunity to talk about energy and the needs we have and the important part that West Virginia coal miners and coal mines play in this nation's energy picture." The meeting will be July 31 through Aug. 3. Also scheduled to speak: * West Virginia University Interim President Peter Magrath. * Michael Morris, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power. * Jim Boyd of John T. Boyd Co. will discuss coal markets. John T. Boyd Co. is a mining consulting company. * Hal Quinn, senior vice president of the National Mining Association, will talk about national issues relating to coal. * Randy Huffman, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection. * Homer Hickam, one of the original Rocket Boys and author of the recently released book, "Red Helmet." Contact writer George Hohmann at busin...(a)dailymail.com or 348-4836. Malyka Knapp-Smith 907 Scenic Drive Charleston WV 25311 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! www.seac.org/pledge Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Sí Se Puede - Obama 08 -- Cheers, Daniel Chiotos SEAC Appalachia Organizer 1615 Franklin Ave , Apt D Charleston , WV , 25311 (304)886-3389 {www.seac.org} Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! {www.seac.org/pledge} "We may be poor but we are not for sale" -Great Song -- My URL: myspace.com/coalriverpaul -----Inline Attachment Follows----- Here we go again, our health and mountains on the drawing board. On Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 5:38 PM, Daniel Chiotos <danny(a)seac.org> wrote: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Malyka Knapp-Smith <mknappsmith(a)yahoo.com> Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 6:19 PM Subject: joy of joys....can we go protest??????? To: Daniel Chiotos <trouserdude(a)gmail.com> Friday July 25, 2008 President George W. Bush headed to West Virginia He will speak about importance of coal in national energy future by George Hohmann Daily Mail Business Editor President George W. Bush will speak at the West Virginia Coal Association's annual meeting next Thursday at The Greenbrier Resort, White House spokesman Blair Jones said today. "The president will talk about overall energy issues and the importance of clean coal technologies and nuclear power technologies," Jones said. Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said today, "We're so very honored that the President has chosen to come to West Virginia and to the West Virginia Coal Association's meeting as an opportunity to talk about energy and the needs we have and the important part that West Virginia coal miners and coal mines play in this nation's energy picture." The meeting will be July 31 through Aug. 3. Also scheduled to speak: * West Virginia University Interim President Peter Magrath. * Michael Morris, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power. * Jim Boyd of John T. Boyd Co. will discuss coal markets. John T. Boyd Co. is a mining consulting company. * Hal Quinn, senior vice president of the National Mining Association, will talk about national issues relating to coal. * Randy Huffman, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection. * Homer Hickam, one of the original Rocket Boys and author of the recently released book, "Red Helmet." Contact writer George Hohmann at busin...(a)dailymail.com or 348-4836. Malyka Knapp-Smith 907 Scenic Drive Charleston WV 25311 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! www.seac.org/pledge Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Sí Se Puede - Obama 08 -- Cheers, Daniel Chiotos SEAC Appalachia Organizer 1615 Franklin Ave , Apt D Charleston , WV , 25311 (304)886-3389 {www.seac.org} Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! {www.seac.org/pledge} "We may be poor but we are not for sale" -Great Song -- My URL: myspace.com/coalriverpaul

2 1

Re: [EC] WV Gazette Article on Trail and Path
by Jim Sconyers 28 Jul '08

28 Jul '08

Check this out for a hilarious look at the deadly serious energy crisis. http://nozzlerage.com/ Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 603.969.6712 Remember: Mother Nature bats last.

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Re: [EC] USACE Pub. Notice 2007-134-GAU
by Regina Hendrix 28 Jul '08

28 Jul '08

Thank you, Margaret. I wondered why those lists starting showing up in the Corps mailings. Margaret Janes wrote: > Hi Regina - Once we get through the oral arguments in the 4th circuit it > will be several months to the decision - perhaps early 2009. Until that > time WVDEP will issued SMCRA and NPDES permits - Chambers decision will have > no direct influence on that. In order to start mining, however, companies > generally will need to build sediment ponds first and they can't do that > without a 404 permit. At this point because a few months ago Judge Chambers > ordered the Corps to notify us immediately if they issue permits - we know > what is issued pretty much in real time. You may also have noticed that the > Corps is now issuing weekly notices on what individual permits they are > issuing (after violating regulations on notification for many years). So if > the Corps issues permits between now and the decision we could add them to > the Chambers case. There are now 14 mines involved in the case in one way > or the other. Margaret > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Regina Hendrix [mailto:regina1936@verizon.net] > Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 3:22 PM > To: Margaret Janes > Cc: All of FOM list; ec(a)osenergy.org > Subject: USACE Pub. Notice 2007-134-GAU > > Margaret, I just got the Corps' notice on a project at the Muddlety > Surface Mine No. 1, pending permit number S-3004-07, in Nicholas County > on Muddlety Creek, a tributary of the Gauley. They also reference the > NPDES Permit WV1022229. Every time I get one of these notices I'm > traumatized. > > I've added the FOM list and Sierra Club's energy committee as cc's > because I'm probably not the only one who'd like an update on our case > in the 4th Circuit. > > Also, I'm hoping you will give us a short update on where this project > on the Gauley stands, i.e., is this project on hold until we get a > decision in the 4th Circuit? (They mention proposed Valley Fills 1 and > 2.) In this instance would the NPDES permit be on hold also? > > Thanks, once again, for sharing your knowledge of these proposed and > accomplished criminal acts. > > Regina Hendrix > > > > > >

1 0

Bush at Greenbrier next Thursday to Speak about Coal
by Jim Sconyers 27 Jul '08

27 Jul '08

We gotta be there! Can you come to the Greenbrier to protest against Bush energy "policy," clean coal, coal, nuclear, ... and FOR clean green energy? Does anyone have the schedule to know what time W is to be there? Can someone post this on friendly websites? Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 603.969.6712 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Original Message ---- From: Regina Hendrix <regina1936(a)verizon.net> To: ec(a)osenergy.org Sent: Friday, July 25, 2008 8:46:22 PM Subject: [EC] [Fwd: Re: [fom] Bush Heading to WV to Speak about Coal] Oh, Oh, we don't need this. -----Inline Message Follows----- Subject: joy of joys....can we go protest??????? To: Daniel Chiotos <trouserdude(a)gmail.com> Daily Mail Business Editor President George W. Bush will speak at the West Virginia Coal Association's annual meeting next Thursday at The Greenbrier Resort, White House spokesman Blair Jones said today. "The president will talk about overall energy issues and the importance of clean coal technologies and nuclear power technologies," Jones said. Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said today, "We're so very honored that the President has chosen to come to West Virginia and to the West Virginia Coal Association's meeting as an opportunity to talk about energy and the needs we have and the important part that West Virginia coal miners and coal mines play in this nation's energy picture." The meeting will be July 31 through Aug. 3. Also scheduled to speak: * West Virginia University Interim President Peter Magrath. * Michael Morris, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power. * Jim Boyd of John T. Boyd Co. will discuss coal markets. John T. Boyd Co. is a mining consulting company. * Hal Quinn, senior vice president of the National Mining Association, will talk about national issues relating to coal. * Randy Huffman, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection. * Homer Hickam, one of the original Rocket Boys and author of the recently released book, "Red Helmet." Contact writer George Hohmann at busin...(a)dailymail.com or 348-4836. Malyka Knapp-Smith 907 Scenic Drive Charleston WV 25311 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! www.seac.org/pledge Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Sí Se Puede - Obama 08 -- Cheers, Daniel Chiotos SEAC Appalachia Organizer 1615 Franklin Ave, Apt D Charleston, WV, 25311 (304)886-3389 {www.seac.org} Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! {www.seac.org/pledge} "We may be poor but we are not for sale" -Great Song -- My URL: myspace.com/coalriverpaul -----Inline Attachment Follows----- Here we go again, our health and mountains on the drawing board. On Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 5:38 PM, Daniel Chiotos <danny(a)seac.org> wrote: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Malyka Knapp-Smith <mknappsmith(a)yahoo.com> Date: Fri, Jul 25, 2008 at 6:19 PM Subject: joy of joys....can we go protest??????? To: Daniel Chiotos <trouserdude(a)gmail.com> Friday July 25, 2008 President George W. Bush headed to West Virginia He will speak about importance of coal in national energy future by George Hohmann Daily Mail Business Editor President George W. Bush will speak at the West Virginia Coal Association's annual meeting next Thursday at The Greenbrier Resort, White House spokesman Blair Jones said today. "The president will talk about overall energy issues and the importance of clean coal technologies and nuclear power technologies," Jones said. Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said today, "We're so very honored that the President has chosen to come to West Virginia and to the West Virginia Coal Association's meeting as an opportunity to talk about energy and the needs we have and the important part that West Virginia coal miners and coal mines play in this nation's energy picture." The meeting will be July 31 through Aug. 3. Also scheduled to speak: * West Virginia University Interim President Peter Magrath. * Michael Morris, president and chief executive officer of American Electric Power. * Jim Boyd of John T. Boyd Co. will discuss coal markets. John T. Boyd Co. is a mining consulting company. * Hal Quinn, senior vice president of the National Mining Association, will talk about national issues relating to coal. * Randy Huffman, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection. * Homer Hickam, one of the original Rocket Boys and author of the recently released book, "Red Helmet." Contact writer George Hohmann at busin...(a)dailymail.com or 348-4836. Malyka Knapp-Smith 907 Scenic Drive Charleston WV 25311 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! www.seac.org/pledge Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Sí Se Puede - Obama 08 -- Cheers, Daniel Chiotos SEAC Appalachia Organizer 1615 Franklin Ave, Apt D Charleston, WV, 25311 (304)886-3389 {www.seac.org} Support the Coal River Wind Campaign - Sign It! http://www.coalriverwind.org/?page_id=28 Power Vote Pledge for Clean & Just Energy - Sign It! {www.seac.org/pledge} "We may be poor but we are not for sale" -Great Song -- My URL: myspace.com/coalriverpaul

4 3

WV Gazette Article on Trail and Path
by Regina Hendrix 27 Jul '08

27 Jul '08

July 25, 2008 Power line projects moving foward CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As a decision is expected this week on one huge power line, West Virginia residents are learning about the next transmission project in the pipeline. By Ken Ward Jr. <http://www.wvgazette.com/News/contact/xjneq+jitnmrggr+pbz+return=/News/2008…> Staff writer [cnImage] Download detailed maps of the proposed PATH routes <http://wvgazette.com/News/200807240459> [cnImage] What do you think? Click here to leave a comment. <http://wvgazette.com/comments?build=yes&ContID=200807240460> CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As a decision nears on one huge power line across northern West Virginia, plans are taking shape for another high-voltage transmission line from Charleston to Martinsburg. Later this week, the state Public Service Commission is scheduled to announce its ruling on the $1.3 billion Trans-Allegheny Interstate Project, or TrAIL. That 500-kilovolt-transmission line runs from southwestern Pennsylvania, across northern West Virginia into Virginia. And last week, developers began a series of "open house" meetings to discuss the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline, being promoted as PATH. That line would run 290 miles from near the John Amos power plant outside St. Albans to a substation proposed southeast of Frederick, Md. Allegheny Energy proposed the TrAIL project, and PATH is a joint venture between Allegheny and American Electric Power. Supporters say that these projects are needed so the nation's aging electricity grid can continue to provide cheap and reliable power to big Eastern cities and their growing suburbs. But TrAIL has - and PATH is almost certain to - draw intense opposition from West Virginians who fear huge power lines and towers will mar scenic views, lower their property values, and continue what they say is an environmentally damaging reliance on coal-fired electricity. "The Sierra Club will be monitoring this issue closely, and we expect to be involved when the application is filed with the PSC; however a final decision will likely be made at that time," said Jim Kotcon, a spokesman for the group. "A lot may depend on the precedents set in the TrAIL case, as that could revise our opportunities for effectively influencing the outcome." Under state law, the PSC must decide if the TrAIL project "will economically, adequately and reliably contribute to meeting the present and anticipated requirements for electric power of the customers served" and if it is "desirable for present and anticipated reliability of service for electric power for its service area or region." Commissioners must also decide if the project "will result in an acceptable balance between reasonable power needs and reasonable environmental factors." As originally proposed, the West Virginia portion of TrAIL would run about 114 miles through six counties, from north of Morgantown, through Monongalia, Preston and Tucker counties, and then across Grant, Hardy and Hampshire counties into Virginia. Commissioners have set Saturday as their deadline for issuing a ruling in the case.

1 0

USACE Pub. Notice 2007-134-GAU
by Regina Hendrix 27 Jul '08

27 Jul '08

Margaret, I just got the Corps' notice on a project at the Muddlety Surface Mine No. 1, pending permit number S-3004-07, in Nicholas County on Muddlety Creek, a tributary of the Gauley. They also reference the NPDES Permit WV1022229. Every time I get one of these notices I'm traumatized. I've added the FOM list and Sierra Club's energy committee as cc's because I'm probably not the only one who'd like an update on our case in the 4th Circuit. Also, I'm hoping you will give us a short update on where this project on the Gauley stands, i.e., is this project on hold until we get a decision in the 4th Circuit? (They mention proposed Valley Fills 1 and 2.) In this instance would the NPDES permit be on hold also? Thanks, once again, for sharing your knowledge of these proposed and accomplished criminal acts. Regina Hendrix

1 0

Re: [EC] Hildebrand and Opekiska Hydroelectric Projects
by James Kotcon 27 Jul '08

27 Jul '08

I would very much like to look it over. The City of Morgantown is interested in this as a "green power " project. If they cqn meet Low Impact Hydropower Institue guidelines, we should consider supporting the project. JBK >>> Regina Hendrix <regina1936(a)verizon.net> 07/27/08 2:45 PM >>> I got an envelope from San Francisco yesterday that contains a July 11 letter from a consulting firm called Devine Tarbell & Associates, Inc. (For some reason they sent it to San Fran instead of WV Chapter.) The stated purpose of the letter is to: "1. Notify interested governmental agencies, local governments, tribal governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals of the upcoming licensing proceedings; and "2. Request your help in identifying existing, relevant and reasonably available information related to the Hildebrand and Opekiska Project areas. There are maps and other information attached and they are asking that the questionnaire be completed and returned withing 30 days. (The letter is dated Jul 11). Someone please let me know who on Energy Committee should receive this so I can get this in the mail tomorrow. Regina 304-343-5211 _______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC(a)osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec

1 0

Hildebrand and Opekiska Hydroelectric Projects
by Regina Hendrix 27 Jul '08

27 Jul '08

I got an envelope from San Francisco yesterday that contains a July 11 letter from a consulting firm called Devine Tarbell & Associates, Inc. (For some reason they sent it to San Fran instead of WV Chapter.) The stated purpose of the letter is to: "1. Notify interested governmental agencies, local governments, tribal governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals of the upcoming licensing proceedings; and "2. Request your help in identifying existing, relevant and reasonably available information related to the Hildebrand and Opekiska Project areas. There are maps and other information attached and they are asking that the questionnaire be completed and returned withing 30 days. (The letter is dated Jul 11). Someone please let me know who on Energy Committee should receive this so I can get this in the mail tomorrow. Regina 304-343-5211

1 0

[Fwd: Charleston Gazette article]
by Regina Hendrix 27 Jul '08

27 Jul '08

See Mountain State Sierran, July-Aug 2008 issue, "A battle Won, But the War Rages On". The attached Gazette article describes the next engagement of this long running battle. It just keeps coming back. Regina

1 0

[Fwd: Re: [fom] Bush Heading to WV to Speak about Coal]
by Regina Hendrix 26 Jul '08

26 Jul '08

Oh, Oh, we don't need this.

2 1

[Fwd: [fom] rising costs of energy production]
by Regina Hendrix 25 Jul '08

25 Jul '08

Thought you might like to see this. Rory is working on the Coal River Mountain Watch Wind Project. Regina

1 0

Fwd: Stop Mountaintop Removal Mining Petition
by Paul Wilson 25 Jul '08

25 Jul '08

It would be great if folks on this list could help circulate this petition. thanks, paul Hi everyone, Just wanted to let you all know that we've just sent out a link to the new petition featured on StopMountaintopRemoval.org to one of our largest Sierra Club email lists. The link was featured in this week's Sierra Club Insider, and can be viewed here: http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=64341.0. Lets hope we get a great response rate! Very best, Lauren ___________________________ Lauren Trevisan Associate Representative National Coal Campaign 408 C Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 tel: 202.675.6278 fax: 202.547.6009 lauren.trevisan(a)sierraclub.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-6975

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US-EPA releases report
by Duane330＠aol.com 24 Jul '08

24 Jul '08

EPA RELEASES REPORT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN HEALTH The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a report developed by _The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP)_ (http://www.climatescience.gov/) titled "Analyses of the Effects of Global Change on Human Health and Welfare and Human Systems." The report identifies strategies on how to respond to the challenges of a changing climate and identifies near- and long-term research goals that address data and knowledge gaps. The report is thus far the most up-to-date scientific assessment on the impact of global change on human health, welfare and settlements in the country. For more information, go to _Information on Analyses of the Effects of Global Change on Human Health and Welfare and Human Systems_ (http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=197244) and _The Office of Research and Development's Global Change Research Program_ (http://www.epa.gov/ord/npd/globalresearch-intro.htm) **************Get fantasy football with free live scoring. Sign up for FanHouse Fantasy Football today. (http://www.fanhouse.com/fantasyaffair?ncid=aolspr00050000000020)

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Path public meetings scheduled
by James Kotcon 15 Jul '08

15 Jul '08

The Potomac Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH) is a $1.8 billion theft of your ratepayer dollars in order to pump more coal-fired electricity to the East Coast, undercutting cleaner generation sources in those areas. The Company is guaranteed a Rate of return of 14.3 % on any investment, regardless of whether the line ever gets built, so you can be sure they will just keep spending your money to promote this project! Public meetings are now scheduled across West Virginia in the coming weeks. Tell everyone you know, and tell local legislators to attend and to oppose this boondoggle. JBK More information is at: http://pathtransmission.com/meetings/ Open Houses 5 to 8 p.m. July 21 – Stonewall, W.Va. - Stonewall Jackson State Park, Roanoke Building July 22 – Glenville, W.Va. - Glenville State College, Mollohan Community Center July 23 – Spencer, W.Va. - Heritage Park Community Building July 24 – Flatwoods, W.Va. - Days Inn July 28 – Buckhannon, W.Va. - Location To Be Announced July 29 – Elkins, W.Va. - American Legion Post 29 July 30 – Mount Storm, W.Va. - Mount Storm Fire Hall July 31 – Romney, W.Va. - South Branch Inn Aug. 4 – St. Albans, W.Va. - WV State University's College Union Aug. 5 – Davis, W.Va. - Davis Fire Hall Aug. 6 – Martinsburg, W.Va. - Comfort Inn Aug. 7 – Gore, Va. - Location To Be Announced Aug. 11 – Harpers Ferry, W.Va. - Quality Hotel & Conference Center Aug. 12 – Frederick, Md. - Holiday Inn Conference Center Aug. 13 – Boonsboro, Md. - American Legion Post 10 Aug. 14 – Lovettsville, Va. - Location To Be Announced

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Fwd: ocs--update
by Paul Wilson 11 Jul '08

11 Jul '08

This is a good opportunity to add comments about moving away from coal in the paragraph that you can add/edit. Use the link below to send a letter to Shelly Moore Capito or your respective representative. thanks, paul w. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Keren Murphy <Keren.Murphy(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Jul 10, 2008 at 3:44 PM Subject: ocs--update To: CONS-WPST-MARINE-FORUM(a)lists.sierraclub.org *Arctic and OCS Action Day: July 8----Update* Keren O'Brien Murphy On Tuesday, July 8, concerned citizens across the country welcomed Congress back from its July Fourth recess with calls to their Representatives urging them not to open the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge or protected coasts to offshore drilling. We will have the approximate final number of calls made to offices tomorrow Environmental groups, including Sierra Club, circulated alerts to their arctic and OCS activists asking them to call their members of congress. We ran a similar alert nationally asking people to take action and tell their member of congress to oppose any attempts to open the arctic or protected coasts to drilling. This alert is featured on Sierra Club's website, facebook page, Facebook Action Center and ran in this weeks Currents. The national alert can be found here: * https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr009=i2adahp8… *<https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr009=i2adahp8…> Attached is the alert that was circulated to Arctic activists. Also on July 8th, lobbyists from Sierra Club, Alaska Wilderness League, Audubon Society, Earth Justice, Defenders of Wildlife and Environment America hit the hill. Making lobby visits to targeted offices with the message that we need real solutions, not drilling. Specifically asking them to oppose efforts to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, lift the offshore drilling moratorium and lift the moratorium on new oil shale development. *Context: * This week the Interior Appropriations Committee has tentatively scheduled a mark up of the Interior Appropriations Bill. Once again we are expecting a slew of drilling amendments; Peterson's offshore drilling amendment being the most famous. However, we are hearing that the bill will be delayed for the immediate future due in part to these drilling amendments. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-6975

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Fw: WV Chapter National Coal Campaign Funding
by Barbara Fallon 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

FYI.. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Verena Owen <baumling(a)aol.com> To: brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com Sent: Thursday, July 3, 2008 10:17:06 PM Subject: Re: WV Chapter National Coal Campaign Funding Dear Barbara, Thanks for submitting a well thought-out small grant request. As you know, small grants are funded out of a limited pot of money. While we think that your proposal has merit, we feel we cannot pay for litigation and related expert witnesses, the small grant program is not meant for that. However, the Club's Environmental Law Program is interested in working with you and may be able to help you. Please contact Pat Gallagher at Pat.Gallagher(a)sierraclub.org, he is waiting to hear from you. Thanks for all you do for the environment! Best Verena Verena Owen Advisor, Sierra Club National Coal Campaign Verena Owen Advisor, Sierra Club National Coal Campaign -----Original Message----- From: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> To: baumling(a)aol.com Sent: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 8:21 am Subject: WV Chapter National Coal Campaign Funding Vernea, Thank you for considering our request. Barbara Fallon Energy Chair WV Chapter Sierra Club ________________________________ The Famous, the infamous, the lame - in your browser. Get the TMZ Toolbar Now!

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Fw: Fwd: SES request from West Virginia
by Barbara Fallon 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

WE did not get this grant, nor did we get the Coal grant (will forward.) Our grant proposals were good, but our specific needs are not appropriate (does not sit well with me.) Pat Gallagher (Sierra Law Program, Director) is interested in helping us here, and I am waiting to hear from him. I am extremely disappointed in SES. Otherwise, we still need to do the March fundraising letter. Barbara Jim, thanks for getting an update in the Sierran. Attached are the grants and a thankyou letter to recent donars. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Stephen Crowley <scrow(a)sover.net> To: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 8, 2008 1:44:08 PM Subject: Re: Fwd: SES request from West Virginia Barbara, briefly, there was considerable discussion and no resolution about whether powerlines fall within the domain of SES (v. AWL). Some felt this was a good quandary to overlook and go ahead with funding, others felt otherwise. There were also questions raised about whether lawsuits were the best use of our limited funds. There were once again double the requests compared to available funds, so other proposals that had clear and more unanimous support got funded. Yours was not the only good proposal that did not get funded; almost all were excellent proposals, and only half were funded. Steve At 09:03 AM 7/8/2008, you wrote: Steve, This is disappointing and disheartening news. Funding from SES-CIC made the difference in our campaign last year. I am not sure that we can maintain our campaign without SES-CIC funding. Outside sources of funding for litigation and expert witnesses are very hard, if not impossible, to find. I know that the grant we submitted was a good one and the work that we are doing is good work. I had submitted quarterly reports to you in a timely manner last year. What can I tell my committee about why we did not get additional funding this year? I need more to say than we "did not fit in the mix." SES-CIC helped us get to a crossroads on this campaign and now we have to decide what to do. Best Regards, Barbara ----- Original Message ---- From: Stephen Crowley <scrow(a)sover.net> To: jason(a)wyovoters.org; Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Thursday, July 3, 2008 6:25:00 PM Subject: Re: Fwd: SES request from West Virginia Jason and Barbara, The SES team met in January and determined that this was not in the mix for this year. My apologies if this word did not get to you right away. Steve Crowley At 03:37 PM 7/3/2008, you wrote: Hi Steve, I just saw this in my inbox. Not sure what happened here. Anything come to mind that I can tell Barbara? Best wishes for the holiday weekend. Jason Marsden ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com > Date: Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 8:04 AM Subject: SES request from West Virginia To: Jason Marsden <jcmarsden(a)gmail.com> Jason, I hope this note finds you well and with some environmental successes under your belt. Last year (June) you were very helpful to the WVa. Chapter of the Sierra Club by reviewing our SES-CIC request for funding. Apparently our request had gotten lost in the shuffle and you unshuffled it. Well, this seems to have happened again. I am wondering if you are still on the SES committee and if so, if you could look into the status of our funding request. I submitted our letter on inquiry on 1/4/08. I sent a follow up note on 6/23/08. I have still not heard any news one way or another. We are in a position to negotiate with expert witnesses again, and we are reluctant to do so until we know our funding base. Attached is the letter of inquiry I submitted last January. Thank you Jason, and best regards, Barbara Fallon PS. Status from last year....I wouldn't say that Allegheny is winning, but they are not loosing either!!! You know how this goes. -- Jason Marsden Executive Director Wyoming Conservation Voters www.wyovoters.org (307) 265-0870 PO Box 2664 Casper, Wyo. 82602-2664 Content-Type: application/msword; name="Letter of inquiry SES 08.doc" X-Attachment-Id: 0.1 Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="Letter of inquiry SES 08.doc"

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TrAILCo
by James Kotcon 05 Jul '08

05 Jul '08

>From the PSC web page. Senator Byrd got the following message and asked the PSC to give him info to respond. The interesting part is the line in the Oakland MD paper that says the line will run through "a small part of Maryland..." JBK Snapshot Report: lncominu Constituent Message Report Date:6/312008 Mr. James Hc 70 Box 577 Canaan Valley WV sg22cnv@canaantv. tv Dear Mr. Morvay: L-BUS Morvay 26260 USA Message Body: Date Received: 6/2/2008 10:07:21 AM I found the following in the Online Edition of the Oakland, MD Republican. > The assistant director (Frank Shap, Economic Development) also reported that a company contracted to build 500-kilovolt power lines was interested in locating in the Southern Garrett Industrial Park. The lines will run through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and a small portion of Garrett County as part of the PJM grid extension project. > Shap said the company wants a building in the Oakland area to use as its headquarters/maintenance facility while employees would be working in West Virginia. > "That will be a multi-year construction job in support of that operation," he said. > > I realize that it is probably a forgone conclusion that the power line will be built, but can't it for once have West Virginia get something, rather than the appearance that anything power related seems to leave our state.

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Fwd: Coal Campaign Media update
by Paul Wilson 04 Jul '08

04 Jul '08

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ginny Cramer <virginia.cramer(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 4:17 PM Subject: Media update To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)lists.sierraclub.org Hi all, New media materials are now up on our Clubhouse page-- please check them out. http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/conservation/energy/coal/ New talking points: http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/conservation/energy/coal/coal-talking-po ints-063008.doc<http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/conservation/energy/coal/coal-talking-p…> New coal industry ads debunked on our Ad Watch: http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/conservation/energy/coal/coal-ad-respons es.aspx (Watch the ads on our public web site www.sierraclub.org/coal/adwatch) Also, find new letters to the editor and sample op/eds in the Messaging Headquarters: http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/conservation/energy/coal/coal-messaging. aspx Need materials but don't see them on our page? Let us know. Have a great 4th, ginny --------------------- Virginia Cramer Associate Press Secretary Sierra Club tel: 804-225-9113 x 102 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-6975

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Fwd: Story opportunities for July/Aug
by Paul Wilson 03 Jul '08

03 Jul '08

contact Rob with your story ideas asap. paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Public NewsService Web Site <wvns(a)publicnewsservice.org> Date: Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 12:04 PM Subject: Story opportunities for July/Aug To: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com Hi there – We're putting together the story calendar for July for West Virginia News Service, and we have some brainstorming thoughts to share….we have openings for lots of stories this summer. Please let us know if you have something coming up, especially if it's a story that can go out Monday, July 7th – which is a great day to position stories for maximum radio station use because it's the Monday after a long holiday weekend. Pocketbook issues, or any issue that can relate to family budgets, will play well with stations right now. ** High gasoline prices have dramatically changed Americans' views on energy and the environment, with more people now viewing oil drilling and new power plants as a greater priority than energy conservation, according to a new survey. This is a topic worth some "exploration" itself. It's based on the supply-and-demand belief of the American public. Gas usage is already down one percent in the U.S. and prices aren't going down – the public needs to understand that gas prices are not related to supply. If anyone wants to tackle this angle, let us know – I think it's worth it, especially after so many families will spend their 4th of July holiday closer to home to save on gas expenses. **How will that affect the state's tourism industry? Hunting and fishing seasons and outfitters? **Maybe you have tips for how families can save on energy expenses. And why they should do everything they can because it looks like the home heating bill for those using oil could be huge this winter. **How are rising prices for everything changes the budget of the state's nonprofits – which also act as the family safety-nets during tough times? Inflation is stealing food off food pantry shelves. **Tips on how to stretch grocery budgets for families? For farmers and ranchers? **State and city budgets are beginning to feel the pinch of the downturn. How should they react? Historically, they start cutting the very services that help sustain people through the downturn. Can we help educate on a different angle? If you want to brainstorm some more, I'm standing by. Thanks for taking a look and keep us posted - Happy holiday! Deborah Courson Smith and Dave Law, West Virginia News Service 888-692-8362 --- To be removed from this list please send an e-mail to remove(a)publicnewsservice.org and put the word "remove" in the subject line. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-6975

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Fwd: GA court cites carbon in coal-plant ruling
by James Kotcon 01 Jul '08

01 Jul '08

This is BIIIGGGGG!!!!! Can we use it in the TrAILCo case? JBK >>> Ginny Cramer <virginia.cramer(a)SIERRACLUB.ORG> 7/1/2008 11:04 AM >>> Hi all, I wanted to share one of the stories coming out of the great victory in Georgia yesterday. Apologies if you've already seen this. - ginny Georgia court cites carbon in coal-plant ruling Tue Jul 1, 2008 12:00am BST HOUSTON, June 30 (Reuters) - A Georgia state court on Monday invalidated a permit to build a 1,200-megawatt coal-fired power plant, citing the developers' failure to limit emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. An environmental group immediately praised the decision, predicting it would lead to reconsideration of many coal-fired power plants under development in the country. The order, from Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore, reversed an air permit issued earlier this year by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to Longleaf Energy Resources, a joint venture of Houston-based Dynegy Inc (DYN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and LS Power Group. The judge disagreed with regulators' action to reject carbon dioxide as a pollutant that is subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act, citing a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision. In that order, the Supreme Court said carbon dioxide is a pollutant under the existing federal law. A Dynegy spokesman said the company was reviewing the ruling and had no comment on the future of the project, a traditional, pulverized coal plant to be built in Early County, Georgia. The Sierra Club, which is fighting construction of many new coal plants, along with Friends of the Chattahoochee Inc, challenged the Longleaf air permit, which put no restrictions on the expected emissions of 8-million-plus tons of carbon dioxide. "This is the first court of any stripe to interpret the Supreme Court's ruling as it applies to coal-burning power plants," said Bruce Nilles, director of the Sierra Club's national coal campaign. Nilles likened the importance of the Georgia court ruling to Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius' decision last year to reject a new coal plant in that state on grounds that global warming is a public health threat. "In one swift decision, it changes the debate around global warming regulation in the United States because it now means that every coal plant has to consider its CO2 impacts," Nilles said. The Sierra Club hopes the ruling will accelerate the debate to create a strong federal bill to protect the climate, Nilles said. (Reporting by Eileen O'Grady in Houston and Bernie Woodall in Los Angeles; Editing by Christian Wiessner) --------------------- Virginia Cramer Associate Press Secretary Sierra Club tel: 804-225-9113 x 102 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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/

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Fwd: Bill News 21 -- KY & MA approve energy bills
by James Kotcon 30 Jun '08

30 Jun '08

Check out he bill just passed by our neighbor Kentucky. JBK >>> Paula Carrell <Paula.Carrell(a)sierraclub.org> 6/27/2008 7:42 PM >>> CONTENTS 1. KY Acts on Energy Efficiency 2. MA Energy Bill a Mixed Bag 1. KY Acts on Energy Efficiency -- HB 2 signed by the Governor And here's a challenge for other southern states: * Establishes high performance buildings standards and timeframes for state-funded construction, and requires that by 2018, state-leased buildings meet those same standards; * An opportunity for boards of education to conserve more of their funding for instructional and other purposes by requiring enrollment in the very-successful Kentucky Energy Efficiency Program that is offered by the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center and which has demonstrated the ability to conserve energy and save money for its current enrollees through common-sense efforts and monitoring of energy usage; * Residential Energy Efficiency -- Kentucky Income Tax Credits for a percentage of installed costs of upgraded insulation, energy-efficient windows and doors, and heating and cooling systems; * Commercial Property Energy Efficiency -- State Income Tax Credits for a percentage of installed costs of energy-efficiency interior lighting systems and HVAC systems; * Energy Star Home and Manufactured Home Credits -- for builders of ENERGY STAR homes and purchasers of ENERGY STAR manufactured homes. * A directive to the Public Service Commission to consider next-generation residential utility meters when reviewing utility demand management plans. The first step to ratepayers being able to better control their energy bills, and to utilities being able to manage their load in order to avoid or defer costly investments in meeting peak power demands, is so-called “smart metering” that offers customers and utilities a way to work in partnership to manage electricity demand and utility bill costs. * State Income Tax Credits for a percentage of installed costs of active and passive solar space heating systems, solar water heating systems, wind turbines, and solar photovoltaics systems. . . . and there's more. Full bill text at http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/08RS/HB2.htm 2. MA Enacts Problematic Energy Bill -- Gov. expected to sign next week Jay McCaffrey says, "We support the bill, it will make significant strides to put Massachusetts on a path to a sustainable energy future. However, the hydro language is weak on environmental safeguards, and the bill includes a coal gasification proposal that was a total inside deal for a plant here in MA that wants gov handouts to jump start its crummy program. Unfortunately that standard is bad enough to wipe out some of the other gains in the bill." Bill Summary * Instructs the state to meet at least 25 percent of its electric load with demand-side resources like energy efficiency and load management by the year 2020, and 20 percent of the load through renewable and alternative energy generation by the same year. Utility companies would have to acquire 15 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020. * Energy distributors would have to consider all energy options for power, and electric companies would be required to buy resources based on cost effectiveness and stability, with enforcement mechanisms attached. Fossil fuel use in buildings would be cut by 10 percent from 2007 levels by the year 2020, and total energy consumption would have to fall at least 10 percent by the year 2017. * Regional Green House Gas Initiative: Establishes a RGGI trust fund and requires 100% auction. At least 80% of the auction revenues will go to utility-administered efficiency and Demand Response programs, with the rest going to communities affected by RGGI-forced plant closings and "green communities". * Least Cost Procurement: The bill dramatically increases energy efficiency potential in Massachusetts by changing the way utilities (NStar, National Grid, etc) purchase energy. Now they will have to purchase efficiency when possible to cover load requirements. This should spur increased Energy Efficiency opportunities in Massachusetts. * Coal Gasification: The bill does allow coal gasification to receive benefits under RPS. This was a defeat for the advocacy community. The emission cap is weaker than we would have liked, allowing co2 emissions levels equal to those of the Massachusetts Natural Gas plant average. Instead of requiring coal gasification projects to operate as cleanly as a new combined cycle natural gas power plant, they only have to operate as cleanly as an average natural gas plant. Some other states don’t even allow base-load power plants to be built unless they meet a more stringent standard than this, so it is disappointing that Massachusetts would set a lower bar for such projects to qualify for incentives. However, the bill does include some important protections, including a requirement for carbon capture and sequestration. * Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund: The Mass Renewable Trust will still exist but with tighter controls and oversight by a new governing board. The Governing board will create 5-year plans for the regular board and could take Trust money for the new "Green Communities" program. Several new technologies included in fundable items for Renewable Energy Trust (geothermal, for example and improvements to the internal combustion engine). * International Energy Conservation Code (IECC): Massachusetts will adopt and enforce the IECC within 1 yr of each revision, and the state has discretion to adopt more stringent provisions to the extent the relevant agencies “conclude they are warranted” * Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS): Extends the RPS so that it will continue to grow at 1% per year past 2009. Full bill text at http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/185/st02pdf/st02768.pdf

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Re: [EC] AP Trail
by Grubb, Karen 30 Jun '08

30 Jun '08

I can suggest where to look and forward your email in case someone knows of a more recent map. http://www.aptrailinfo.com/ http://www.aptrailinfo.com/index.php?page=propertyowners http://www.aptrailinfo.com/index.php?page=propertyowners_west_virginia Karen Grubb Sierra Club ________________________________ From: Tom Frame [mailto:Tom.Frame@RaymondJames.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 4:47 PM To: Grubb, Karen Subject: AP Trail I am a property owner on the Monongalia / Marion county line and was just alerted that the most recent path of the power line might parallel the existing line which borders my property right by White Day Creek. Can you tell me exactly where I can find a good map of the currently proposed route ? Tom Frame Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. 304-599-7991 800-950-5516 Raymond James Financial Services does not accept orders and/or instructions regarding your account by e-mail, voice mail, fax or any alternate method. Transactional details do not supersede normal trade confirmations or statements. E-mail sent through the Internet is not secure or confidential. Raymond James Financial Services reserves the right to monitor all e-mail. Any information provided in this e-mail has been prepared from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed by Raymond James Financial Services and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision. Any information provided is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation. Raymond James Financial Services and its employees may own options, rights or warrants to purchase any of the securities mentioned in e-mail. This e-mail is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this message in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the material from your computer.

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Re: [EC] energy/coal
by Grubb, Karen 25 Jun '08

25 Jun '08

I hope Jonathan has already put you on the energy committee list, but as Conservation Chair, you should be on that list and get wilderness updates. Can you be Chair and Conservation Chair? ________________________________ From: Jim Sconyers [mailto:jim_scon@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:17 AM To: Barbara Fallon; Grubb, Karen; bill.price(a)sierraclub.org Subject: energy/coal Hi folks- I'm still catching up to speed after being away. I know there is an Energy Committee and an Environmental Justice staffer. As Conservation Chair I hope to learn "what's going on" in those entities. Presently I think it would be accurate to say that the only thing I do know is the work on the TrailCo and Path transmission lines. If you could share more information about your issues/programs/campaigns, I would certainly appreciate it. On a related note, I'm wondering if we have a specific Coal Campaign. Or are the power lines an aspect of opposition to coal, as would be Bill's work I assume. I wonder if one of these days we could recruit more volunteers, lobby Manchin and others, do corporate accountability, picket, etc. Maybe that's already happening. One reason for asking is I'm trying to figure out what we would want potential volunteers to do if we got some resulting from the Coal Film Festival and the MTR Tours among other things. Thanks for educating me about what's going on with WVSC. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 603.969.6712 Remember: Mother Nature bats last.

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Fwd: Story calendar openings - let's brainstorm!
by Paul Wilson 24 Jun '08

24 Jun '08

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Public NewsService Web Site <wvns(a)publicnewsservice.org> Date: Tue, Jun 24, 2008 at 1:33 PM Subject: Story calendar openings - let's brainstorm! To: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com Greetings! We have openings in our story calendar for the remained of June, as well as into July. July 7th will be a great day to position stories as radio stations will be coming back to an empty story folder after the July 4th long holiday weekend. If sending me an email reply - please CC debbienews(a)gmail.com, as we've noticed some email glitches on the regular wyns(a)publicnewsservice.orgaddress and I want to make sure I don't miss a thing! Let us know if there are events, reports, editorials, campaigns, education projects, or anything else on your calendars. The more info, the better! Some notes on current news that may help with brainstorming. The economic downtown - rising prices for just about everything - increases economic pressure on families. Those already predisposed to abuse issues are at a higher risk during tough family budget times. More complaints coming in about Google Earth - from people worried about privacy, and those who being stalked. Google will remove pictures of a person's home by request - but they don't make a big public campaign about it - and maybe we should. If a person leaves a domestic violence situation, or is being stalked, they ought to be able to keep a picture of their safe location out of the public world. James Hansen, one of the world's leading climate scientists, is calling for the chief executives of large fossil fuel companies to be put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature, accusing them of actively spreading doubt about global warming in the same way that tobacco companies blurred the links between smoking and cancer. Pocketbook issues are big because of rising consumer prices – nonprofits are hit hard to deliver services, especially with increasing demand, because the prices hit them, too. "Staycation" is a buzz word this summer as people look for ways to avoid rising travel costs. The number of underinsured U.S. adults--people who have health coverage that does not adequately protect them from high medical expenses--has risen dramatically, finds a new Commonwealth Fund study. As of 2007, there were an estimated 25 million underinsured adults in the United States, up 60 percent from 2003. Microsoft's Bill Gates retires this week – to focus full-time on philanthropy. Will he inspire more philanthropy, spark a revival? New research suggests that the average supermarket shopper is willing to pay a premium price for locally produced foods, providing some farmers an attractive option to enter a niche market that could boost their revenues. Interesting since food prices are rising anyway – how does this fit in with being a healthy, conscious consumer? The study also showed that shoppers at farm markets are willing to pay almost twice as much extra as retail grocery shoppers for the same locally produced foods. Thanks for taking a look! Deborah Courson Smith/ Regional Editor Public News Service/ West Virginia News Service 888-692-8362 dcourson(a)publicnewsservice.org debbienews(a)gmail.com www.publicnewsservice.org --- To be removed from this list please send an e-mail to remove(a)publicnewsservice.org and put the word "remove" in the subject line. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-6975

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info somewhere about more plants
by Barbara Fallon 24 Jun '08

24 Jun '08

I am trying to recall something I read about more powerplants being build if the transmission lines are approved. Can someone direct me to that info. I need a writable byte for a grant...

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FW: PATH Web Site Contact Form
by Grubb, Karen 23 Jun '08

23 Jun '08

________________________________ From: MJLippe(a)aol.com [mailto:MJLippe@aol.com] Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 6:00 PM To: nhooff(a)somersetdev.com; WVBiker98(a)aol.com; bellamy(a)frontiernet.net; tbusithi(a)shepherd.edu Cc: Grubb, Karen; martinburke(a)frontiernet.net; bSPICHER(a)frontiernet.net; jcampbell(a)somersetdev.com Subject: Re: PATH Web Site Contact Form Will do. Beth and I were in Canada (Montreal and Quebec) for a week's vacation. Rainy, but the food was great. so we were unable to go to the meetings. Generally, I understand no information was given on possible routes, but I am sure there were many statements on the need to avoid Antietam. The meetings for the West Virginia route will be held later in the summer. Deliberations on the TrAIL transmission line to the South continue with the results expected by not later than August 2nd. Presumably, many of the arguments in favor and against will be the same for PATH as for TrAIL, so that is being watched closely. In a message dated 6/23/2008 10:36:11 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, nhooff(a)somersetdev.com writes: Michael: Thanks for keeping me informed. I hope you can also add Martin Burke and Barbara Spicher who live on Terrapin Neck as well to your emails on this subject. We all want to keep a close eye on this. I have been forwarding your info to them. Did you go to the informational meetings on June 17 and 18th? I hope all is well with you... Nancy Hooff Somerset Development Company 4115 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 210 Washington, DC 20016 Phone: 202-363-2090 Fax: 202-363-1110 www.somersetdev.com ________________________________ From: MJLippe(a)aol.com [mailto:MJLippe@aol.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2008 2:26 PM To: WVBiker98(a)aol.com; bellamy(a)frontiernet.net; nhooff(a)somersetdev.com; tbusithi(a)shepherd.edu Cc: kgrubb(a)fairmontstate.edu Subject: Fwd: PATH Web Site Contact Form ________________________________ From: taholliday(a)aep.com To: mjlippe(a)aol.com Sent: 6/4/2008 2:14:47 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time Subj: Re: PATH Web Site Contact Form Hello Mr. Lippe, We appreciate your interest in the PATH project. We're in the process of preparing for two initial informational meetings that will take place in Maryland on June 17 and 18. I've provided the information below. We'll be publishing notices of the meetings in local newspapers and on radio stations in the very near future. These first two meetings will provide general information about the project, but the meetings will not feature specific line routes at this time, as the companies are currently studying routing alternatives. Frederick County Holiday Inn and Conference Center (adjacent to Francis Scott Key Mall) 5400 Holiday Drive Frederick, MD * June 17th * 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Washington County The American Legion-Post 10 710 North Main Street Boonsboro, MD * June 18th * 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM We also plan to hold a series of open houses in late July and early August throughout the West Virginia and Maryland study area to present preliminary siting alternatives and to solicit feedback from area residents. Specific dates, locations and times for those meetings have not been finalized yet. I hope this is helpful. Sincerely, Thomas A. Holliday, APR Director Corporate Communications American Electric Power 1 Riverside Plaza - 19th Fl. Columbus, OH 43215-2373 PH: (614) 716-1403 aud. 222 Email: taholliday(a)aep.com <mjlippe(a)aol.com> 06/04/2008 12:15 To PM <askpath(a)pathtransmission.com> cc <jpolk(a)aep.com> Subject PATH Web Site Contact Form PATH Web Site Contact Form ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Name: Michael Lippe E-mail: mjlippe(a)aol.com Phone #: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Comment: Please advise me the schedule and places for your public meetings or surveys for deciding on issues for the routing of PATH, particularly from Bedington to Kemptown. Thank you! Message sent: 6/4/2008 12:15:36 PM

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Re: [EC] energy committee
by James Kotcon 19 Jun '08

19 Jun '08

Duane did decline. Perhaps a committee meeting is in order to plot future startegies. I talked briefly with Bill dePaulo aout where to go from here re TrAIL. He is interested in rsuing some appeals and I think they have merit, but little further action is needed until the PSC issues a decision on August 2. Perhaps a meeting in July is a good idea. Does anyone want to propose a date. JBK >>> "Grubb, Karen" <Karen.Grubb(a)fairmontstate.edu> 06/16/08 3:30 PM >>> Barbara and I are concerned that there is still no energy chair. Jim K. was going to ask Duane and I think he said no. Barbara wants more direction on where we are going with TrAIL and PATH to help her in grant writing. She says that Bill has asked her to also do fundraising for the membership committee, but I'm not sure she has time to be involved with that also. I was hoping that Bill could be energy chair if he is not involved in us paying him, but Barbara says it would not look good on grant applications for him to be the chair and attorney. Also, I don't feel comfortable committing $10,000 to Blackwater Canyon at this time. $5000 would be acceptable since Friends of Blackwater are contributing $5000. Do you know how the vote is going on that motion? People do not always reply to all when voting, so I may have missed a vote. Thanks, Karen P.S. I was able to vote on the Democrat Primary since I was just asked if I wanted a Democrat or Republican ballot. Were you able to vote Dem, Jim?

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Re: [EC] energy committee
by Barbara Fallon 19 Jun '08

19 Jun '08

I am coordinating fundraising now. This is my window of opportunity. Currently I am coordinating a conference call with the fundraising committee. Perhaps prior to that call a conference call should be made with the entire energy committee and the EXCOM. Karen as the vice chair of the Energy coommittee will you please coordinate a conference call of the energy committee. A meeting in July is also in order. As I recall I owe Jim K. a chicken dinnner. Barbara ----- Original Message ---- From: "William V. DePaulo, Esq." <william.depaulo(a)gmail.com> To: James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> Cc: ec(a)osenergy.org Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:03:20 AM Subject: Re: [EC] energy committee JIM THE BIG EXCEPTION TO "LITTLE TO DO RIGHT NOW" IS TO LOCATE AND HIRE AN EXPERT FOR PATH. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL JIM BUFORD, CPV'S GUY, AND ASK WHAT HE'D CHARGE, OR WHO HE'D RECOMMEND. BILL On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 2:32 AM, James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> wrote: Duane did decline. Perhaps a committee meeting is in order to plot future startegies. I talked briefly with Bill dePaulo aout where to go from here re TrAIL. He is interested in rsuing some appeals and I think they have merit, but little further action is needed until the PSC issues a decision on August 2. Perhaps a meeting in July is a good idea. Does anyone want to propose a date. JBK >>> "Grubb, Karen" <Karen.Grubb(a)fairmontstate.edu> 06/16/08 3:30 PM >>> Barbara and I are concerned that there is still no energy chair. Jim K. was going to ask Duane and I think he said no. Barbara wants more direction on where we are going with TrAIL and PATH to help her in grant writing. She says that Bill has asked her to also do fundraising for the membership committee, but I'm not sure she has time to be involved with that also. I was hoping that Bill could be energy chair if he is not involved in us paying him, but Barbara says it would not look good on grant applications for him to be the chair and attorney. Also, I don't feel comfortable committing $10,000 to Blackwater Canyon at this time. $5000 would be acceptable since Friends of Blackwater are contributing $5000. Do you know how the vote is going on that motion? People do not always reply to all when voting, so I may have missed a vote. Thanks, Karen P.S. I was able to vote on the Democrat Primary since I was just asked if I wanted a Democrat or Republican ballot. Were you able to vote Dem, Jim? _______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC(a)osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec -- 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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SIERRA CLUB RESPONSE IN SUPPORT OF HILDEBRAND MOTION TO REOPEN
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 14 Jun '08

14 Jun '08

Folks: I attach the Sierra Club's filing Friday, June 13, supporting a motion to reopen TrAILCo filed by Thomas Hildebrand -- a pro se intervenor who lives in Va but has a planned retirement home in WV. The Hildebrand motion and the materials on which it is based are also attached. The same motion was filed with -- and granted by -- the Virginia State Corporation Commission in Virginia's TrAILCo proceeding. The underlying reason to reopen is simple -- PJM, the operator of the electric grid who in 2006 ordered Allegheny to build the Trail line, filed a May 21, 2008 "update" report with the Maryland PSC. The May 21, 2008 projects, under at least one scenario, that TrAILCo's line is not needed to avoid the 2006 RTEP's projection of reliabiilty issues in June 2011. In somewhat plainer English, the 2006 projection upon which TrAILCo's application was filed in March 2007 is now obsolete -- according to PJM's May 21, 2008 report. As noted, Virginia's State Corporation Commission (equivalent to our PSC) reopened the TrAILCo case there, based on the Maryland filing by PJM. We will see what our own PSC does. If they decline to reopen, it is an important procedural flaw on the record for appeal. If they reopen and admit the report, they then have to grapple with the fact that it contradicts TrAILCo's case for "need", irrespective of the environmental impact. Best regards, Bill ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: William V. DePaulo, Esq. <william.depaulo(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Jun 13, 2008 at 9:20 AM Subject: SIERRA CLUB RESPONSE IN SUPPORT OF HILDEBRAND MOTION TO REOPEN To: jwatkins(a)psc.state.wv.us Dear Mr. Watkins: I enclose a pdf copy of the Sierra Club's response in support of Thomas Hildebrand's June 11, 2008 motion to reopen the case to take judicial notice of the May 21, 2008 PJM report filed with the Maryland public service commission, which report has caused the Virginia State Corporation Commission to reopen the evidentiary proceeding relating to the TrAILCo application pending before it. Copies of this submission are being filed with the Commission today and served on all parties. Please call if you have any questions regarding this filing. Very truly yours, 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 -- 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 -- 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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Fwd: House Natural Resources Committee -- The Weekly Preivew, June 9-13
by Paul Wilson 11 Jun '08

11 Jun '08

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

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

11 Jun '08

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

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

11 Jun '08

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

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

11 Jun '08

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

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

11 Jun '08

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

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

11 Jun '08

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

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

05 Jun '08

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

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

04 Jun '08

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

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

04 Jun '08

ATTACHED IS THE POST HEARING BRIEF FILED ON BEHALF OF THE SIERRA CLUB IN THE TRAILCO CASE AT THE PSC. -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel: 304-342-5588 Fax: 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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

04 Jun '08

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

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

03 Jun '08

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

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NYTimes: Mounting Costs Slow the Push for Clean Coal
by Paul Wilson 30 May '08

30 May '08

New York Times, May 30, 2008 The Energy Challenge Mounting Costs Slow the Push for Clean Coal By MATTHEW L. WALD<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/w/matthew_l_wald…> WASHINGTON — For years, scientists have had a straightforward idea for taming global warming<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/globalwarming/index.html?…>. They want to take the carbon dioxide that spews from coal-burning power plants and pump it back into the ground. President Bush is for it, and indeed has spent years talking up the virtues of "clean coal." All three candidates to succeed him favor the approach. So do many other members of Congress. Coal companies are for it. Many environmentalists favor it. Utility executives are practically begging for the technology. But it has become clear in recent months that the nation's effort to develop the technique is lagging badly. In January, the government canceled its support for what was supposed to be a showcase project, a plant at a carefully chosen site in Illinois where there was coal, access to the power grid, and soil underfoot that backers said could hold the carbon dioxide for eons. Perhaps worse, in the last few months, utility projects in Florida, West Virginia, Ohio, Minnesota and Washington State that would have made it easier to capture carbon dioxide have all been canceled or thrown into regulatory limbo. Coal is abundant and cheap, assuring that it will continue to be used. But the failure to start building, testing, tweaking and perfecting carbon capture and storage means that developing the technology may come too late to make coal compatible with limiting global warming. "It's a total mess," said Daniel M. Kammen, director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. "Coal's had a tough year," said John Lavelle, head of a business at General Electric<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/general_electric_comp…>that makes equipment for processing coal into a form from which carbon can be captured. Many of these projects were derailed by the short-term pressure of rising construction costs. But scientists say the result, unless the situation can be turned around, will be a long-term disaster. Plans to combat global warming generally assume that continued use of coal for power plants is unavoidable for at least several decades. Therefore, starting as early as 2020, forecasters assume that carbon dioxide emitted by new power plants will have to be captured and stored underground, to cut down on the amount of global-warming gases in the atmosphere. Yet, simple as the idea may sound, considerable research is still needed to be certain the technique would be safe, effective and affordable. Scientists need to figure out which kinds of rock and soil formations are best at holding carbon dioxide. They need to be sure the gas will not bubble back to the surface. They need to find optimal designs for new power plants so as to cut costs. And some complex legal questions need to be resolved, such as who would be liable if such a project polluted the groundwater or caused other damage far from the power plant. Major corporations sense the possibility of a profitable new business, and G.E. signed a partnership on Wednesday with Schlumberger<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/schlumberger_ltd/inde…>, the oil field services company, to advance the technology of carbon capture and sequestration. But only a handful of small projects survive, and the recent cancellations mean that most of this work has come to a halt, raising doubts that the technique can be ready any time in the next few decades. And without it, "we're not going to have much of a chance for stabilizing the climate," said John Thompson, who oversees work on the issue for the Clean Air Task Force, an environmental group. The fear is that utilities, lacking proven chemical techniques for capturing carbon dioxide and proven methods for storing it underground by the billions of tons per year, will build the next generation of coal plants using existing technology. That would ensure that vast amounts of global warming gases would be pumped into the atmosphere for decades. The highest-profile failure involved a project known as FutureGen, which President Bush himself announced in 2003: a utility consortium, with subsidies from the government, was going to build a plant in Mattoon, Ill., testing the most advanced techniques for converting coal to a gas, capturing pollutants, and burning the gas for power. The carbon dioxide would have been compressed and pumped underground into deep soil layers. Monitoring devices would have tested whether any was escaping to the atmosphere. About $50 million has been spent on FutureGen, about $40 million in federal money and $10 million in private money, to draw up preliminary designs, find a site that had coal, electric transmission and suitable geology, and complete an Environmental Impact Statement, among other steps. But in January, the government pulled out after projected costs nearly doubled, to $1.8 billion. The government feared the costs would go even higher. A bipartisan effort is afoot on Capitol Hill to save FutureGen, but the project is on life support. The government had to change its approach, said Clarence Albright Jr., the undersecretary of the Energy Department, to "limit taxpayer exposure to the escalating cost." Trying to recover, the Energy Department is trying to cut a deal with a utility that is already planning a new power plant. The government would offer subsidies to add a segment to the plant dedicated to capturing and injecting carbon dioxide, as long as the utility bore much of the risk of cost overruns. It is unclear whether any utility will agree to such a deal. The power companies, in fact, have been busy pulling back from coal-burning power plants of all types, amid rising costs and political pressure. Utility executives say they do not know of a plant that would qualify for an Energy Department grant as the project is now structured. Most worrisome to experts on global warming, the utilities have recently been canceling their commitments to a type of plant long seen as a helpful intermediate step toward cleaner coal. In plants of this type, coal would be gasified and pollutants like mercury, sulfur and soot removed before burning. The plants would be highly efficient, and would therefore emit less carbon dioxide for a given volume of electricity produced, but they would not inject the carbon dioxide into the ground. But the situation is not hopeless. One new gasification proposal survives in the United States, by Duke Energy<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/duke_energy_corporati…>for a plant in Edwardsport, Ind. In Wisconsin, engineers are testing a method that may allow them to bolt machinery for capturing carbon dioxide onto the back of old-style power plants; Sweden, Australia and Denmark are planning similar tests. And German engineers are exploring another approach, one that involves burning coal in pure oxygen, which would produce a clean stream of exhaust gases that could be injected into the ground. But no project is very far along, and it remains an open question whether techniques for capturing and storing carbon dioxide will be available by the time they are critically needed. The Electric Power Research Institute, a utility consortium, estimated that it would take as long as 15 years to go from starting a pilot plant to proving the technology will work. The institute has set a goal of having large-scale tests completed by 2020. "A year ago, that was an aggressive target," said Steven R. Specker, the president of the institute. "A year has gone by, and now it's a very aggressive target." -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-6975

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Re: [EC] Transmission tax
by Jim Sconyers 29 May '08

29 May '08

Looks like grandstanding, doesn't it? Can it be taken seriously? - Rate reductions for West Virginia’s citizens so that they will pay less, not more, for the power they will receive from the line. Are we receiving juice from this line? I thought it was just to pass power through to the East. - Free electricity for all landowners who are affected by the placement of the line. How do you force the company to give free juice? Or are the landowners going to forward their electric bills to Charleston? Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 603.969.6712 ----- Original Message ---- From: James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> To: william.depaulo(a)gmail.com; ec(a)osenergy.org Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 10:56:05 AM Subject: [EC] Transmission tax Below is the Governor's press release regarding his proposal to impose a transmission tax if TrAIL is approved. The first line specifically states that the Governor's Office released this proposal in a response to the Sierra Club FOIA. My question is : "Does the Governor have any other details of this proposed tax? Would it apply only to TrAIL, or to all transmission from the state? If it is specific to TrAIL, would it not violate the Interstate Commerce Clause of the US Constitution? The line would originate in PA and end in VA, so how could one state impose a tax on the privilege of electrons crossing the state, especially if the power is generated in Ohio or PA, not WV? If it applies to all transmission lines, why should other existing transmission companies pay a tax just because TrAIL is being installed? This proposal raises so many questions that I do not know where to begin or how to respond, but you can be sure that these questions will be asked tomorrow, if not at the hearing, then by reporters afterward. Would it be appropriate to request more info on this from the Governor's Office? JBK May 23, 2008 GOVERNOR PLANS TO PROPOSE TRANSMISSION TAX IF TRAIL LINE IS APPROVED Manchin says he wants to protect interests of all West Virginians Contact: Lara Ramsburg, 304-558-2000 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In response to a Freedom of Information Act Request from the Sierra Club of West Virginia, the Governor’s Office has released information on a proposed transmission tax that Gov. Joe Manchin intends to pursue should either the federal government or the state Public Service Commission approve the TrAIL Line project. “This is something I have been thinking about and discussing for some time, primarily because of the possibility of the federal government superseding any decision that may be made on the state level,” Manchin said. In May 2007, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order interpreting the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to say that the FERC had the power to issue a permit for construction of a new power line even if a state lawfully denied a site transmission application. “If the line goes through, I want to do all that I can to make sure that we have a plan in place that will provide a benefit to the communities affected, and the state as a whole, for providing a key piece of America’s energy infrastructure.” The governor’s proposed plan comprises four components: - Rate reductions for West Virginia’s citizens so that they will pay less, not more, for the power they will receive from the line. - Extra revenue for the counties that house the line. - Extra revenue for the state that will allow it to provide additional services to all its citizens. - Free electricity for all landowners who are affected by the placement of the line. “If the TrAIL line is approved, either by the PSC or the federal government, we will stand ready to make sure that our citizens aren’t taken advantage of and instead receive a benefit from its placement in West Virginia,” Manchin said. # # # _______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC(a)osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec

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