November 2009 - EC - lists.bikelover.org

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

05 Jan '10

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

3 2

makeup of Oil and Gas Inspectors' Examining Board
by Frank Young 30 Nov '09

30 Nov '09

BlankAt SierraFest in October, and at last week's WVEC board meeting, Beth Little brought up the matter of oil and gas inspectors, and the state "examining board" that employs them. I have highlighted below sections (a) (1) and (2) which outline the makeup of that board. Note that the Chiefs of the Oil and Gas and of the Water Resources Division of DEP are two ex officio members of the five person Oil & Gas examining board, and are appointed by the Director of DEP, and that the only qualifications for their appointments are that they be "competent and qualified persons"- but with no further explanation of what "competent and qualified" means. §22-1-8. Supervisory officers. (a) The secretary shall appoint a competent and qualified person to be the chief executive officer of each office (which includes the offices of Oil & Gas and of Water Resources- F.Y.) specified in section seven of this article. The three bolded paragraphs below summarize the makeup of the O&G examining board. (underlined emphasis mine- F.Y.) §22C-7-3. Oil and gas inspectors' examining board created; composition; appointment, term and compensation of members; meetings; powers and duties generally. (a)(1) There is hereby continued an oil and gas inspectors' examining board consisting of five members, two of whom shall be ex officio members and three of whom shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Appointed members may be removed only for the same causes and like manner as elective state officers. One member of the board shall be the representative of the public at large and shall be a person who is knowledgeable about the subject matter of this article and has no direct financial interest in oil and gas production other than the receipt of royalty payments which do not exceed ten percent of his or her annual income and who by reason of previous training or experience may reasonably be said to represent the viewpoint of surface owners or environmental organizations: Provided, That the public member serving on the board on the first day of January, two thousand one, shall remain on the board until the expiration of his or her term and is also eligible for reappointment. One member shall be a person who by reason of previous training and experience may reasonably be said to represent the viewpoint of independent oil and gas operators. One member shall be a person who by reason of previous training and experience may reasonably be said to represent the viewpoint of major oil and gas producers. (2) The chief of the office of oil and gas of the division of environmental protection and the chief of the office of water resources of the division of environmental protection or their designees shall be ex officio members. (3) The appointed members of the board shall be appointed for overlapping terms of six years, except that the original appointments shall be for terms of two, four and six years, respectively. Any member whose term expires may be reappointed by the governor. (4) The board shall pay each member the same compensation and expense reimbursement as is paid to members of the Legislature for their interim duties as recommended by the citizens legislative compensation commission and authorized by law for each day or portion thereof engaged in the discharge of official duties. (5) The chief of the office of oil and gas or the chief's designee serving pursuant to subdivision two of this subsection shall serve as chair of the board: Provided, That for any level three grievance proceeding the chief or the chief's designee may not serve as a chair or vote. The board shall elect a secretary from its members. (6) Members of the board, before performing any duty, shall take and subscribe to the oath required by section five, article IV of the constitution of West Virginia. (7) The board shall meet at such times and places as shall be designated by the chair. It is the duty of the chair to call a meeting of the board on the written request of two members. Notice of each meeting shall be given in writing to each member by the secretary at least five days in advance of the meeting. A majority of members is a quorum for the transaction of business. (b) In addition to other powers and duties expressly set forth elsewhere in this article, the board shall: (1) Establish, and from time to time revise, forms of application for employment as an oil and gas inspector and supervising inspector, which shall include the applicant's social security number, and forms for written examinations to test the qualifications of candidates, with such distinctions, if any, in the forms for oil and gas inspector and supervising inspector as the board may from time to time deem necessary or advisable; (2) Adopt and promulgate reasonable rules relating to the examination, qualification and certification of candidates for appointment, and relating to hearings for removal of inspectors or the supervising inspector, required to be held by this article. All of such rules shall be printed and a copy thereof furnished by the secretary of the board to any person upon request; (3) Conduct, after public notice of the time and place thereof, examinations of candidates for appointment. By unanimous agreement of all members of the board, one or more members of the board or an employee of the division of environmental protection may be designated to give to a candidate the written portion of the examination; (4) Prepare and certify to the director of the division of environmental protection a register of qualified eligible candidates for appointment as oil and gas inspectors or as supervising inspectors, with such differentiation, if any, between the certification of candidates for oil and gas inspectors and for supervising inspectors as the board may from time to time consider necessary or advisable. The register shall list all qualified eligible candidates in the order of their grades, the candidate with the highest grade appearing at the top of the list. After each meeting of the board held to examine such candidates and at least annually, the board shall prepare and submit to the director of the division of environmental protection a revised and corrected register of qualified eligible candidates for appointment, deleting from such revised register all persons: (a) Who are no longer residents of West Virginia; (b) who have allowed a calendar year to expire without, in writing, indicating their continued availability for such appointment; (c) who have been passed over for appointment for three years; (d) who have become ineligible for appointment since the board originally certified that such persons were qualified and eligible for appointment; or (e) who, in the judgment of at least three members of the board, should be removed from the register for good cause; (5) Cause the secretary of the board to keep and preserve the written examination papers, manuscripts, grading sheets and other papers of all applicants for appointment for such period of time as may be established by the board. Specimens of the examinations given, together with the correct solution of each question, shall be preserved permanently by the secretary of the board; (6) Issue a letter or written notice of qualification to each successful eligible candidate; (7) Hear and determine proceedings for the suspension, dismissal or other discipline of inspectors or the supervising inspector in accordance with the provisions of this article; (8) Make an annual report to the governor concerning the administration of oil and gas inspection personnel in the state service; making such recommendations as the board considers to be in the public interest; and (9) Render such advice and assistance to the director of the division of environmental protection as the director shall from time to time determine necessary or desirable in the performance of such duties. If not for love, then what? There is no wealth but life. (John Ruskin 1819-1900)

2 1

Re: [EC] makeup of Oil and Gas Inspectors' Examining Board
by James Kotcon 29 Nov '09

29 Nov '09

I am in the process of putting together a listing of the legislative changes needed for a comprehensive reform. The fact that the industry has a majority of the Board that appoints their own inspectors does seem like the purest example of a conflict of interest I have seen in a while. How about adding two citizen representatives, one having expertise in water quality issues, and one having expertise in landowner rights issues. We could probably get support from the Farm Bureau for that last one. I would also add that phrase about no direct financial interest in oil and gas production to the qualifications for representatives of the oil and gas industry. Surely the industry can find someone who is retired or otherwise independent of financial conflicts of interest as their representative. Alternatively, I can just imagine the kinds of editorials we could get if we force the industry to try to publicly justify why they are entitled to representatives with a financial conflict of interest on a State Board! Even legislators are required to recuse themselves if they have a personal financial involvement in a vote. :-) But to do this, we will need a laundry list of horror stories for the Legislature. These could include landowner complaints of the non-responsiveness of inspectors specifically, and DEP generally, to problems with gas drillers. But we need to demonstrate that the system is broken, or it will never get fixed. Any horror stories out there? How about other suggestions for reform? JBK >>> "Frank Young" 11/29/09 1:26 PM >>> At SierraFest in October, and at last week's WVEC board meeting, Beth Little brought up the matter of oil and gas inspectors, and the state "examining board" that employs them. I have highlighted below sections (a) (1) and (2) which outline the makeup of that board. Note that the Chiefs of the Oil and Gas and of the Water Resources Division of DEP are two ex officio members of the five person Oil & Gas examining board, and are appointed by the Director of DEP, and that the only qualifications for their appointments are that they be "competent and qualified persons"- but with no further explanation of what "competent and qualified" means. §22-1-8. Supervisory officers. (a) The secretary shall appoint a competent and qualified person to be the chief executive officer of each office (which includes the offices of Oil & Gas and of Water Resources- F.Y.) specified in section seven of this article. The three bolded paragraphs below summarize the makeup of the O&G examining board. (underlined emphasis mine- F.Y.) §22C-7-3. Oil and gas inspectors' examining board created; composition; appointment, term and compensation of members; meetings; powers and duties generally. (a)(1) There is hereby continued an oil and gas inspectors' examining board consisting of five members, two of whom shall be ex officio members and three of whom shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Appointed members may be removed only for the same causes and like manner as elective state officers. One member of the board shall be the representative of the public at large and shall be a person who is knowledgeable about the subject matter of this article and has no direct financial interest in oil and gas production other than the receipt of royalty payments which do not exceed ten percent of his or her annual income and who by reason of previous training or experience may reasonably be said to represent the viewpoint of surface owners or environmental organizations: Provided, That the public member serving on the board on the first day of January, two thousand one, shall remain on the board until the expiration of his or her term and is also eligible for reappointment. One member shall be a person who by reason of previous training and experience may reasonably be said to represent the viewpoint of independent oil and gas operators. One member shall be a person who by reason of previous training and experience may reasonably be said to represent the viewpoint of major oil and gas producers. (2) The chief of the office of oil and gas of the division of environmental protection and the chief of the office of water resources of the division of environmental protection or their designees shall be ex officio members. (3) The appointed members of the board shall be appointed for overlapping terms of six years, except that the original appointments shall be for terms of two, four and six years, respectively. Any member whose term expires may be reappointed by the governor. (4) The board shall pay each member the same compensation and expense reimbursement as is paid to members of the Legislature for their interim duties as recommended by the citizens legislative compensation commission and authorized by law for each day or portion thereof engaged in the discharge of official duties. (5) The chief of the office of oil and gas or the chief's designee serving pursuant to subdivision two of this subsection shall serve as chair of the board: Provided, That for any level three grievance proceeding the chief or the chief's designee may not serve as a chair or vote. The board shall elect a secretary from its members. (6) Members of the board, before performing any duty, shall take and subscribe to the oath required by section five, article IV of the constitution of West Virginia. (7) The board shall meet at such times and places as shall be designated by the chair. It is the duty of the chair to call a meeting of the board on the written request of two members. Notice of each meeting shall be given in writing to each member by the secretary at least five days in advance of the meeting. A majority of members is a quorum for the transaction of business. (b) In addition to other powers and duties expressly set forth elsewhere in this article, the board shall: (1) Establish, and from time to time revise, forms of application for employment as an oil and gas inspector and supervising inspector, which shall include the applicant's social security number, and forms for written examinations to test the qualifications of candidates, with such distinctions, if any, in the forms for oil and gas inspector and supervising inspector as the board may from time to time deem necessary or advisable; (2) Adopt and promulgate reasonable rules relating to the examination, qualification and certification of candidates for appointment, and relating to hearings for removal of inspectors or the supervising inspector, required to be held by this article. All of such rules shall be printed and a copy thereof furnished by the secretary of the board to any person upon request; (3) Conduct, after public notice of the time and place thereof, examinations of candidates for appointment. By unanimous agreement of all members of the board, one or more members of the board or an employee of the division of environmental protection may be designated to give to a candidate the written portion of the examination; (4) Prepare and certify to the director of the division of environmental protection a register of qualified eligible candidates for appointment as oil and gas inspectors or as supervising inspectors, with such differentiation, if any, between the certification of candidates for oil and gas inspectors and for supervising inspectors as the board may from time to time consider necessary or advisable. The register shall list all qualified eligible candidates in the order of their grades, the candidate with the highest grade appearing at the top of the list. After each meeting of the board held to examine such candidates and at least annually, the board shall prepare and submit to the director of the division of environmental protection a revised and corrected register of qualified eligible candidates for appointment, deleting from such revised register all persons: (a) Who are no longer residents of West Virginia; (b) who have allowed a calendar year to expire without, in writing, indicating their continued availability for such appointment; (c) who have been passed over for appointment for three years; (d) who have become ineligible for appointment since the board originally certified that such persons were qualified and eligible for appointment; or (e) who, in the judgment of at least three members of the board, should be removed from the register for good cause; (5) Cause the secretary of the board to keep and preserve the written examination papers, manuscripts, grading sheets and other papers of all applicants for appointment for such period of time as may be established by the board. Specimens of the examinations given, together with the correct solution of each question, shall be preserved permanently by the secretary of the board; (6) Issue a letter or written notice of qualification to each successful eligible candidate; (7) Hear and determine proceedings for the suspension, dismissal or other discipline of inspectors or the supervising inspector in accordance with the provisions of this article; (8) Make an annual report to the governor concerning the administration of oil and gas inspection personnel in the state service; making such recommendations as the board considers to be in the public interest; and (9) Render such advice and assistance to the director of the division of environmental protection as the director shall from time to time determine necessary or desirable in the performance of such duties. If not for love, then what? There is no wealth but life. (John Ruskin 1819-1900)

1 0

Fwd: Fw: 2010 Chapter Leader Training
by James Kotcon 28 Nov '09

28 Nov '09

To Energy Committee: This on-line/conference call training sounds like a good idea, and several Chapter leaders have already reserved. If you would like to participate, let Jim Sconyers know ASAP. The first 2 people in get to do this. JBK >>> Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> 11/20/2009 10:48 AM >>> Interested? I am. This is the campaign that is getting national money - and besides it's the most critical issue of our time. Not to mention all the potential for strengthening the Chapter. Please let me know if you'd like to do the training. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Thu, 11/19/09, Greg Casini <alert(a)sierraclub.org> wrote: From: Greg Casini <alert(a)sierraclub.org> Subject: 2010 Chapter Leader Training To: "Sierra Club Activists" <alert(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 8:00 PM November 18, 2009 To: Chapter Chairs From: The Leadership & Organizing Training Team Re: 2010 Chapter Leader Training NOTE: APPLICATIONS ARE DUE DECEMBER 18 Dear Chapter Chairs, The Sierra Club will be offering Chapter Leader Training beginning in January, 2010. In the past, the training has been a four-day in-person retreat following a standard classroom format. We are now taking a new approach in order to reach more chapter leaders in the most cost effective way possible. Many of you indicated you would be interested in learning more about the Sierra Club's effort to focus on the single most important fight of our lifetime - climate recovery. This learning opportunity is targeted at helping you build the most effective chapter possible to do that work. To increase your power, rather than take up your time, the training will be offered remotely as a conference call and online training, and we are inviting you to recruit a team of 3-5 additional Chapter leaders to participate along with you, so they can support you in your role and help you apply the skills learned in the training to the real work of your ExCom. Training Structure There are two main components to the training: a series of five conference call training sessions that will link all participants by phone, and a coaching call just for your team following each training session. The training sessions will be 90 minutes in length, starting in January, and will be spaced three weeks apart. The roster of sessions is as follows: Session 1: Connecting your Chapter to Climate Recovery Campaign Objectives: Understand how your state and local goals can fit with Climate Recovery Campaign objectives, reflect on the core functions of Chapter ExComs, learn how to inventory and report your Chapter's performance in these areas, review and improve your priority setting process. Session 2: Creating a High-Performing ExCom Team: Examine trust building, team norms, operating procedures, decision-making practices and accountability strategies; learn how to build a high-performing ExCom team that achieves significant results. Session 3: Structuring Effective ExCom Meetings: Explore new ideas on crafting meeting agendas, running productive meetings and following up on action items; learn how to transform your agendas and get important work done. Session 4: Chapter Communications in the 21st Century: Learn how your Chapter can develop an online organizing strategy to expand your outreach and effectiveness; explore the use of Convio, HELEN and other communications technologies. Session 5: Expanding your Leadership Structure to Build a Broader Movement for Climate Recovery: Assess your local resources; learn how to expand your leadership structure in order to build a movement around climate recovery work that engages a broad diversity of people in your communities. Training Benefits Here are some of the benefits you can expect as a result of this training: After this training, you will: --Have more clarity on the role and expectations of the Chapter ExCom --Understand the Club's climate recovery campaigns and how to be a part of them --Improve the functioning of your Chapter ExCom to engage more effectively in climate recovery work --Transform your meetings to get more done in less time --Develop a 21st century communications strategy --Expand your leadership infrastructure in order to build a broader movement around climate recovery work Training Dates (Pacific & Mountain Time Zones) Session 1 Tuesday, January 12 at 6pm PT, 7pm MT Session 2 Tuesday, February 2 at 6pm PT, 7pm MT Session 3 Tuesday, February 23 at 6pm PT, 7pm MT Session 4 Tuesday, March 16 at 6pm PT, 7pm MT Session 5 Tuesday, April 6 at 6pm PT, 7pm MT Training Dates (Eastern & Central Time Zones) Session 1 Thursday, January 14 at 6pm CT, 7pm ET Session 2 Thursday, February 4 at 6pm CT, 7pm ET Session 3 Thursday, February 25 at 6pm CT, 7pm ET Session 4 Thursday, March 18 at 6pm CT, 7pm ET Session 5 Thursday, April 8 at 6pm CT, 7pm ET To Apply for the Training 1. Read the Mutual Agreement below. 2. Recruit 3-5 other Chapter leaders who will commit to participate with you through the entire training program (you must recruit a minimum of three leaders). Some of your best candidates might be your Vice-Chair, Conservation Chair and most senior staff person. 3. Complete the Mutual Agreement form and return it to Greg Casini by December18. Chapters will be chosen based on their level of commitment, and notified no later than December 21. There is no fee to participate. Much of this training will be conducted on the phone and over the internet. You will need to have access to a computer for the duration of these sessions. Questions If you have questions about this training, contact greg.casini(a)sierraclub.org ( about:/mc/compose?to=greg.casini@sierraclub.org ) or 415-977-5651. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Virtual Training for Chapter Leadership Teams - Mutual Agreement RETURN BY DECEMBER 18, 2009 The Training: This training is intended not just for the ExCom Chair, but also for a core leadership team of 3-5 additional leaders who can support the Chair in his/her role. The expectation is that there will be four to six people from each Chapter working together with the Chair to ensure a highly effective ExCom. You may be seasoned leaders or new volunteers, but the common thread should be your commitment to learning and applying new skills to the real work of your ExCom. There are two main components to the training: a series of five conference call-based training sessions, and individual coaching between sessions. Training sessions will be 90 minutes each, starting in January and spaced three weeks apart. Coaching calls will be conducted between the trainings and through June. Each Chapter leadership team will have an assigned coach. The coach will serve as a sounding board and help to facilitate the implementation of training lessons into chapter practices. The coach will also be on point for the teams to give feedback to the trainers. The Trainers' Commitment: --We will be prepared to offer quality training for all participants --We will offer training that is relevant and useful to the chapter teams --We will solicit and accept constructive feedback on the progress of the training sessions and coaching. Your Commitment: --Come to the sessions prepared, and actively participate in all five training sessions. --Complete any pre- or post-session work assignments --Listen to the recording of any missed calls and work with your coach to "make up" a missed session. --Apply the skills and practices learned in the sessions to your Chapter ExCom work --Build a working relationship with your coach. --Provide honest feedback to the coach and trainers to help shape this and future trainings. During this process, we will be using some technologies that are new to the Club and to this group of trainers. There will be a concerted effort to test new technologies in order to mitigate the fact that we are not meeting face-to-face. The trainers will do their best to ensure that the technology is appropriate and functional, but there is an element of experimentation here. All parties need to have some patience and be willing to change plans in the event of technology glitches. APPLICATION FOR 2010 CHAPTER LEADERSHIP TRAINING WE HAVE REVIEWED THIS MUTUAL AGREEMENT AND WE AGREE TO ABIDE BY THE EXPECTATIONS OUTLINED. YES ____ NO ___ DATE: CHAPTER: CHAPTER CHAIR: EMAIL ADDRESS: PHONE NUMBER: OTHER TRAINING PARTICIPANTS (MINIMUM OF 3): NAME POSITION EMAIL ADDRESS HAVE ALL PARTICIPANTS AGREED TO ATTEND ALL SESSIONS? YES ____ NO ___ Return to greg.casini(a)sierraclub.org ( about:/mc/compose?to=greg.casini@sierraclub.org ) by December 1

2 1

Upstate New Yorkers Split by Leasing of Land for Natural Gas Wells - NYTimes.com
by william.depaulo＠gmail.com 28 Nov '09

28 Nov '09

*Please note, the sender's email address has not been verified. You have received the following link from william.depaulo(a)gmail.com ******************** If you are having trouble with any of the links in this message, or if the URL's are not appearing as links, please follow the instructions at the bottom of this email. Title: Upstate New Yorkers Split by Leasing of Land for Natural Gas Wells - NYTimes.com Copy and paste the following into your Web browser to access the sent link: http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMail… Copy and paste the following into your Web browser to SAVE THIS link: http://www.savethis.clickability.com/st/saveThisPopupApp?clickMap=saveFromE… Copy and paste the following into your Web browser to forward this link: http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=forward&etMailT… ******************** Email pages from any Web site you visit - add the EMAIL THIS button to your browser, copy and paste the following into your Web browser: http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=browserButtons&…" ********************* Instructions: ----------------------------------------- If your e-mail program doesn't recognize Web addresses: 1. With your mouse, highlight the Web Address above. Be sure to highlight the entire Web address, even if it spans more than one line in your email. 2. Select Copy from the Edit menu at the top of your screen. 3. Launch your Web browser. 4. Paste the address into your Web browser by selecting Paste from the Edit menu. 5. Click Go or press Enter or Return on your keyboard. ********************

1 0

Fwd: FW: OSM Changes to Improve Oversight of Surface Coal Mining
by James Kotcon 27 Nov '09

27 Nov '09

Does anyone on the Energy Committee want to take a crack at developing comments on these? We have been hollering for years, now here is our chance. OSM is listening, and I hope the coal industry is not the only voice they hear. JBK >>> "Calhoun, Roger W." <rcalhoun(a)osmre.gov> 11/19/2009 10:38 AM >>> The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) announced a series of actions and proposals intended to improve its oversight of state regulatory agencies’surface coal mining programs. OSM is providing information on these actions as well as seeking public input and comment on these and other changes. These actions reflect commitments contained in a June 11, 2009, memorandum of understanding among the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Army Corps of Engineers to reduce the harmful environmental consequences of Appalachian surface coal mining. OSM is seeking review and comment on our oversight improvement actions, which can be accessed at http://www.osmre.gov/topic/oversight/scm/scm.shtm. We are requesting that comments be submitted by December 18, 2009. The preferred method for submitting comments is via e-mail (send comments to Oversight(a)osmre.gov). Comments may also be mailed to: Administrative Record (MS-252) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement 1951 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20240 If you have any questions, please contact me or send an email to Oversight(a)osmre.gov. Roger Calhoun Charleston Field Office Director 1027 Virginia St. E. Charleston, WV 25301 rcalhoun(a)osmre.gov (304)347-7158

1 0

Fw: Coal: the missing numbers
by Jim Sconyers 25 Nov '09

25 Nov '09

good one Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Tue, 11/24/09, Mark Redden <markaredden(a)hotmail.com> wrote: From: Mark Redden <markaredden(a)hotmail.com> Subject: Coal: the missing numbers To: information(a)sierraclub.org Date: Tuesday, November 24, 2009, 10:00 PM http://www.shift2020.com/coalnumbers.html Windows Live Hotmail: Your friends can get your Facebook updates, right from Hotmail®.

1 0

Fw: Power Demand Dims Outlook
by Frank Young 21 Nov '09

21 Nov '09

Subject: Electric Power Demand Power Demand Dims Outlook a.. Article b.. Comments (1) more in Business » By REBECCA SMITH Electricity sales remained weak in the third quarter, prompting speculation that the sluggishness could persist even after the U.S. economy rebounds. Some utilities don't expect power sales to recover to pre-recession levels until 2012 -- if at all -- because so many factories have closed. Getting a read on future demand is crucial for utilities because they require long lead times to build power plants and make other upgrades. Declining sales put pressure on utilities to raise prices, cut costs or make other adjustments to bolster profits. The sector began to feel the recession, which started in late 2007, later than many others. Sales held up well in the first half of 2008 but then declined and have continued falling this year, though some regions are reporting an uptick. The federal Energy Information Administration expects overall electricity sales to decline 3.3% this year and grow modestly next year, but many utilities anticipate far larger declines for the year. Duke Energy Corp. said its energy sales to the textile industry based in the Carolinas fell 20% in the third quarter, versus a drop of 13.7% for sales to all industrial users. For the first nine months of 2009, electricity sales to the textile industry were down 23.5%, from the prior year, and overall industrial sales were down 15.8%. American Electric Power Co. of Columbus, Ohio, which owns utilities in 11 states, saw industrial electricity sales plunge 17% for the third quarter versus the year-ago period. Chief Executive Mike Morris said his company is counting on industrial demand recovering about a third of the lost ground in 2010. Beyond that, he is wary of making predictions. "I don't know if we'll ever get all of it back," he said, acknowledging that factory closings in the auto sector will have a lasting effect. Larry Makovich of consultancy Cambridge Energy Research Associates is among the few who believe electricity sales will experience a "strong rebound" next year. "It is dangerous to misinterpret a short-run phenomenon as a structural change," he said. Atlanta's Southern Co., which owns utilities in four Southeastern states, has seen year-to-date industrial demand drop 15%, including a 9.6% drop in the past quarter. Chief Executive David Ratcliffe said he sees signs of recovery, but added that it feels "fragile." Bill Johnson, chief executive of Progress Energy, which has utilities in Florida and the Carolinas, said he thinks homes mostly have cut use voluntarily, unlike businesses. Total sales fell 10.9% in the first nine months of the year across all customer categories, led by industrial sales that dropped 11.4% in the Carolinas and 12.9% in Florida. "I think there's still a high level of concern and a great deal of unease" about the economy, Mr. Johnson said, adding that he doesn't expect a sharp recovery. Bob Shepard, chief executive of Oncor in Dallas, said he thinks the drop in energy use in 2008 "was so quick that it wasn't structural but was probably cyclical." Nevertheless, he said he doesn't expect a full recovery in total sales volumes until 2012. Portland General Electric in Oregon saw residential sales rise 4.6% for the quarter, but the gain was offset by a 5.3% drop in industrial sales. Utility analyst Chris Ellinghaus at Shields & Company in New York said he isn't hopeful the sector will recover next year but thinks "2011 will look more normal." Write to Rebecca Smith at rebecca.smith(a)wsj.com ********************* Joy Towles Ezell hopeforcleanwater(a)yahoo.com "We are the ones we've been waiting for." http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HopeForCleanWater/ http://grooups.yahoo.com/group/EANoF/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FloridiansAgainstIncineratorsInDisguise/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SaveTaylorCountyFloridaResidents/ 850 584 7087 office & fax 850 843 1574 cell _______________________________________________ No New Coal Plants! (nonewcoalplants(a)energyjustice.net) Energy Justice Network http://www.energyjustice.net Un/Subscribe, change your settings or access the archives at: http://mail.energyjustice.net/mailman/listinfo/nonewcoalplants_energyjustic…

1 0

Gas Drilling vs. Drinking Water: New York City Consultant’s Report Sets Stage for Fight With Albany | FLYP
by william.depaulo＠gmail.com 20 Nov '09

20 Nov '09

*Please note, the sender's email address has not been verified. You have received the following link from william.depaulo(a)gmail.com ******************** If you are having trouble with any of the links in this message, or if the URL's are not appearing as links, please follow the instructions at the bottom of this email. Title: Gas Drilling vs. Drinking Water: New York City Consultant’s Report Sets Stage for Fight With Albany | FLYP Copy and paste the following into your Web browser to access the sent link: http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMail… Copy and paste the following into your Web browser to SAVE THIS link: http://www.savethis.clickability.com/st/saveThisPopupApp?clickMap=saveFromE… Copy and paste the following into your Web browser to forward this link: http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=forward&etMailT… ******************** Email pages from any Web site you visit - add the EMAIL THIS button to your browser, copy and paste the following into your Web browser: http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=browserButtons&…" ********************* Instructions: ----------------------------------------- If your e-mail program doesn't recognize Web addresses: 1. With your mouse, highlight the Web Address above. Be sure to highlight the entire Web address, even if it spans more than one line in your email. 2. Select Copy from the Edit menu at the top of your screen. 3. Launch your Web browser. 4. Paste the address into your Web browser by selecting Paste from the Edit menu. 5. Click Go or press Enter or Return on your keyboard. ********************

1 0

Fwd: Question on WV Tourism Assoc. letter
by Paul Wilson 19 Nov '09

19 Nov '09

see the comment below on the WV Tourism Assoc. Has anyone heard of this? Jenny has outlined some national response, but maybe we want to do something like LTEs, op-eds? just a thought, best, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jenny Coyle <Jenny.Coyle(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 6:33 PM Subject: Greetings Paul! I have a question... To: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com Hey Paul -- Hope all is well for you there in the mountains. I'm doing well, though I had a little accident on my (non-motorized) kick scooter and broke my shoulder about a month ago. It's healing, but man, what a crazy thing to do! I hit some wet pavement and that was all she wrote. The morphine was nice, though. So I'm not sure if you're in the loop on this, but apparently the WV Tourism Association sent out a letter to its members asking them to join a group that supports coal mining. We're doing something in our Climate Crossroads online community, about ten things that really do help tourism in WV, 'cause MTR certainly doesn't. One of those ten things will be great hiking trails. And we'll link to our Sierra Club Trails website, to the page that gives you search results for trails in WV. That URL is here: http://tiny.cc/WVtrails If you click on that link, you'll see that there are seven trails, and four of them are pretty good. Three of them, however - the three with the boring green Trails avatars instead of photos, need to be upgraded with a photo and an actual trail description. Is there any chance you know these trails well enough to do that? Or even provide me with a few paragraphs and photos to do that? Or even do it over the phone and email me the photos? I'm also looking to get some more trails added. I know you're god-awful busy and dedicated to the work of your chapter and all -- but any chance you'd have time to do this? I'm trying to make it happen by week's end... Best, Jenny __________ Jenny Coyle Website Producer Sierra Club (415) 977-5533 --> Check out Sierra Club Trails: http://sierraclubtrails.org -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha

1 0

Nov 1, 2009 MIT STUDY ON FUTURE OF COAL
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 19 Nov '09

19 Nov '09

Attached is a copy of the 190-page MIT Study on the Future of Coal, released Nov 1. It clearly endorses the principle of carbon capture and sequestration as a necessity, but points out in the bluntest possible terms the overwhelming scale of the undertaking and the pathetically inadequate efforts undertaken so far to achieve it. The statistics below, from a table at the beginning, offer compelling reasons to believe that it just aint gonna happen, at least not in a time frame that offers any prospect of meaningful mitigation of the effects of global warming. Table in Exec. Summary at p. ix Today fossil sources account for 80% of energy demand: Coal (25%), natural gas (21%), petroleum (34%), nuclear (6.5%), hydro (2.2%), and biomass and waste (11%). Only 0.4% of global energy demand is met by geothermal, solar and wind.1 50% of the electricity generated in the U.S. is from coal.2 There are the equivalent of more than five hundred, 500 megawatt, coal-fi red power plants in the United States with an average age of 35 years.2 China is currently constructing the equivalent of two, 500 megawatt, coal-fi red power plants per week and a capacity comparable to the entire UK power grid each year.3 One 500 megawatt coal-fired power plant produces approximately 3 million tons/year of carbon dioxide (CO2).3 The United States produces about 1.5 billion tons per year of CO2 from coal-burning power plants. * If all of this CO2 is transported for sequestration, the quantity is equivalent to three times the weight and, under typical operating conditions, one-third of the annual volume of natural gas transported by the U.S. gas pipeline system.* *If 60% of the CO2 produced from U.S. coal-based power generation were to be captured and compressed to a liquid for geologic sequestration, its volume would about equal the total U.S. oil consumption of 20 million barrels per day.* *At present the largest sequestration project is injecting one million tons/year of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the Sleipner gas field into a saline aquifer under the North Sea.*3 Notes 1. IEA Key World Energy Statistics (2006) 2. EIA 2005 annual statistics (www.eia.doe.gov) 3. Derived from the MIT Coal Study -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel: 304-342-5588 Fax: 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com This electronic mail is intended to be received and read only by certain individuals. It may contain information that is privileged or protected from disclosure by law. If it has been misdirected, or if you suspect you received this in error, please notify me by replying and then delete this message and your reply. These restrictions apply to any attachment to this email.

1 0

FW: [wvec-board] WV Environmental Council Fall Fundraising Concert >>> Tues. 11/24 in Charleston
by Grubb, Karen 18 Nov '09

18 Nov '09

Please come to this event if you can. From: wvec-board(a)yahoogroups.com [mailto:wvec-board@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Daniel Chiotos Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 5:42 PM To: hotcayen; wvec-board(a)yahoogroups.com; selliott; mshafiei; lmundy; FOM; Vickie Wolfe; Mary Ellen O'Farrell; Mary Wildfire; Philip Bailey; joseph mathis; Jenny Hudson; Walton C. Shepherd; Michael T. Tierney; michael lipton; Dana Kuhnline; Bill DePaulo Subject: [wvec-board] WV Environmental Council Fall Fundraising Concert >>> Tues. 11/24 in Charleston ***********PLEASE FORWARD************ WV Environmental Council's Fall Fundraiser Tuesday, Nov. 24th from 6 to 9 PM at the Empty Glass in Charleston, WV Only $5 at the Door! MUSIC, FOOD & FUN - Come By After Work! NEW T-shirts available by Charlie Hamilton - Long & Short Sleeve Please come, have a great time, and chip in to support environmental lobbying in West Virginia! Cheers, Daniel Chiotos 2206 Washington St E. Charleston, WV, 25311 (304)886-3389 {www.seac.org} __._,_.___ Reply to sender <mailto:danny@seac.org?subject=WV%20Environmental%20Council%20Fall%20Fundraising%20Concert%20%3e%3e%3e%20Tues.%2011/24%20in%20 %20Charleston> | Reply to group <mailto:wvec-board@yahoogroups.com?subject=WV%20Environmental%20Council%20Fall%20Fundraising%20Concert%20%3e%3e%3e%20Tues.%2011/24%20in%20 %20Charleston> Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board/message/1168;_ylc=X3oDMTM1YmltMXBu…> (1) Recent Activity: Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board;_ylc=X3oDMTJmZnJkcHJhBF9TAzk3MzU5N…> Start a New Topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmM3R0Y3NpBF9TAzk3…> . Web Bug from http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97359714/grpId=21584041/grpspId=1705365392/msgI…<http://www.mailscanner.tv/1x1spacer.gif> __,_._,___

1 0

from Center for Media and Democracy's email list: Drilling Through the Appalachian Shale Gas Hype
by Paul Wilson 16 Nov '09

16 Nov '09

Be A Citizen JournalistDrilling Through the Appalachian Shale Gas Hype<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=hqzZc2Byp1yq6a%2BXNL…> While the U.S. economy continues to reel from the fallout from the global financial crisis, there's a boom on in the gas industry wanting access to Appalachian areas underlain by the Marcellus Shale<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ut0v%2Bltf6raf2Bul0Y…>deposits. The gas-industry boom has environmentalists and many residents worried about the environmental impacts. To make gas production profitable, the industry employs a practice referred to as fracking<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=m8mEO36WVYBC8HefykGl…>, pumping large volumes of water, sand and a mix of chemicals down drill holes to fracture the rock formations and increase the volume of accessible gas. While the Safe Drinking Water Act notionally protects water supplies, the gas industry is the only industry excluded from the scope of the legislation. Nor do many state government's regulate fracking practices. (A useful collection of articles<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BFhlgqORzNLTkdY2JY…>on the issue has been published by the non-profit journalism group, ProPublica<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=zUpJPnDsjjmpZouy0DpF…> ). Right now, the issue is politically hot<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4pPKe17qxrYmnKoebCYd…>. Last week the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution requesting the Environmental Protection Agency<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Xo0PpQMSAxBfYOy%2F6b…>re-examine the potential impact of fracking on water quality. While companies are busy hyping their involvement in Marcellus Shale projects, citizens groups are mobilizing to express their concerns about both fracking practices and gas production more generally. You can help document the environmental and other issues involved with the exploitation of the Marcellus Shale by helping building the SourceWatch article on the issue. See SourceWatch:Project:Documenting environmental and other issues with the exploitation of Marcellus Shale<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=GXtLQzK%2Bo%2BthsuqB…>on our collaborative SourceWatch encyclopedia for more details. If you have never added material to SourceWatch before, don't worry! Our regular editors are at hand to help get you started. If this is your first time editing on SourceWatch, you can register here<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=LWxLd413qaxS6a96wL3f…>, and learn more about adding information to the site here<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=vnseSfF57oiQN%2BvmBx…>, here<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=E6RqLYVIIqPlcji25%2B…>and here<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=U90C14AOoEJ9dR6G1Voo…> . -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha

2 1

Fwd: RSVP NOW: Coal Ash Mega Strategy Call Nov. 18 at 2pm
by Paul Wilson 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Verena Owen <baumling(a)aol.com> Date: Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 3:08 PM Subject: Fwd: RSVP NOW: Coal Ash Mega Strategy Call Nov. 18 at 2pm To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-FORUM(a)lists.sierraclub.org If you want to join us on the coal ash call, pls RSVP per instructions below. Verena -----Original Message----- From: Lyndsay Moseley <Lyndsay.Moseley(a)sierraclub.org> To: baumling(a)aol.com Sent: Thu, Nov 12, 2009 12:31 pm Subject: Fw: RSVP NOW: Coal Ash Mega Strategy Call Nov. 18 at 2pm Verena, Will you forward this to the appropriate activist lists? Lyndsay Moseley Washington Representative Sierra Club 408 C St. NE Washington, DC 20002 tel: 202-548-4581 fax: 202-547-6009 ----- Forwarded by Lyndsay Moseley/Sierraclub on 11/12/2009 01:32 PM ----- *Lyndsay Moseley/Sierraclub* 11/12/2009 01:16 PM To #Coal cc Subject RSVP NOW: Coal Ash Mega Strategy Call Nov. 18 at 2pm Coal Campaigners, Sierra Club is co-hosting a call (with Earthjustice and Environmental Integrity Project) next Wednesay Nov. 18th at 2pm ET to discuss our national strategy on coal ash with grassroots organizers and leaders. This will be a great opportunity to get the current state of play on coal ash, ask questions, find out about resources available to support advocacy around EPA's coming coal ash rule, and participate in shaping our grassroots campaign around coal ash. If you are interested: 1) Please check your schedule and RSVP (see below) asap! 2) Please invite volunteer leaders and coalition partners to join the call as well. Please let me know if you have any questions -- Lyndsay Lyndsay Moseley Washington Representative Sierra Club 408 C St. NE Washington, DC 20002 tel: 202-548-4581 fax: 202-547-6009 ----- Forwarded by Lyndsay Moseley/Sierraclub on 11/12/2009 12:22 PM ----- *"Lisa N. Widawsky" <lwidawsky(a)environmentalintegrity.org>* 11/09/2009 09:50 PM To "Lisa N. Widawsky" <lwidawsky(a)environmentalintegrity.org> cc Subject RSVP NOW: Prevent Another TVA Disaster - Join Our Coal Ash Mega Strategy Call Nov. 18 at 2pm Greetings grassroots organizer, There are *just a few weeks* until U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson will announce new proposed regulations governing coal ash disposal. Please join us *November 18* at *2 pm EST* for a brief telephone discussion with coal ash and media experts to learn how you can organize to build support for EPA rules that finally treat coal ash as the hazardous waste we all know it is. We will provide information about EPA’s upcoming coal combustion waste disposal rule, state-specific fact sheets on coal ash ponds and landfills in 35 states, and media tools to help get the word out to your members and communities about the critical need for EPA to designate coal ash as hazardous. You’ll be able to ask questions, get information, and prepare for public hearings on the coal ash rules. On October 8, well over a hundred organizations from across the country signed onto an important letter to Congress asking members to join Congressman John Lewis’s letter on the dangers of coal ash disposal. We’re asking you now to continue this fight by joining an effort to push EPA and Congress to protect public health and the environment from this hazardous waste. EPA has said repeatedly it plans to propose the first ever regulation for coal combustion waste disposal before the end of this year. The agency has already sent a draft of its proposed regulation to the Office of Management and Budget, which means the proposal could come out very soon. We invite you to join Earthjustice, the Environmental Integrity Project, Sierra Club, and hundreds of other groups in a discussion about the upcoming proposal and ways you can help. Polluters are pushing hard on EPA to avoid designating coal ash as hazardous. However, a hazardous waste designation means much stronger safeguards for communities surrounding hundreds of coal ash ponds and landfills. We’re relying on grassroots groups from across the country to get the word out to your members and engage your local media on the importance of regulating coal ash as hazardous waste. We must push back against industry claims and send a strong, unified message to EPA and our elected officials that the time to clean up toxic coal ash dumps is now! *RSVP* to *Jeremy Graham at Earthjustice (**jgraham(a)earthjustice.org*<jgraham(a)earthjustice.org> * or 202-667-4500, x217*). We’ll send out more information about the call including a telephone number and speaker lineup as the date approaches. If you have any questions, please contact Jared Saylor at Earthjustice (* jsaylor(a)earthjustice.org* <jsaylor(a)earthjustice.org>), Lisa Widawsky at the Environmental Integrity Project (*lwidawsky(a)environmentalintegrity.org*<lwidawsky(a)environmentalintegrity.org>), or Lyndsay Moseley at the Sierra Club (*Lyndsay.Moseley(a)sierraclub.org*<Lyndsay.Moseley(a)sierraclub.org> ). For more information about coal ash and the danger it poses to our water and to the health of communities across the United States, please see the information and reports available at *www.earthjustice.org/coalash*<http://www.earthjustice.org/coalash>. Also, the Sierra Club is in the process of creating a Federal Coal Ash Regulation listserv – stay tuned for details on how you can opt-in to the listserv. Please join us in the fight to protect all communities from the dangers of hazardous coal ash. Sincerely, Lisa Widawsky Attorney Environmental Integrity Project 1920 L Street NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 202.263.4452 (direct) 202.294.3282 (cell) 202.296.8822 (fax) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha

1 0

Re: [EC] Fw: Large-Scale Renewable Energy Guidelines, Open House with Allison Chin, and More
by James Kotcon 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

I had gotten a couple e-mails about this proposed "Large-scale Renewables" guidelines for the Club from the State Gov't Programs folks, as several of these folks have issues in their states too, e.g., Arizona Chapter. The "Off-Shore Wind" issue apparently has a separate task force, so this is mostly focused on commercial solar and wind facilities and transmission lines (like the ones in our back yard). Please look into it, as we should probably prepare comments on behalf of the Chapter. JBK >>> Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> 11/13/2009 12:45 PM >>> Hey Jim- Have you seen this? I didn't know it was in the works - but just because we're the national epicenter, why am I not surprised...? Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Wed, 11/11/09, Clubhouse Updates <clubhouse(a)sierraclub.org> wrote: From: Clubhouse Updates <clubhouse(a)sierraclub.org> Subject: Large-Scale Renewable Energy Guidelines, Open House with Allison Chin, and More To: jim_scon(a)yahoo.com Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 9:07 PM Having trouble viewing our email. Click here to view a web version. Jim, The Board of Directors approved a comprehensive Club energy policy in 2006, but there are still plenty of questions that we have to address, like when to support large-scale renewable energy projects that have potential impacts on public land and the environment. Like big solar collectors in the desert, new wind farms, geothermal energy projects. That's where the Club's board task forces come in. See below for more. We also want to remind you of upcoming open house with Allison Chin on November 16 and a guided tour of the Activist Network on November 23. Seeking Comments on Large-Scale Renewable Energy Guidelines As you know, the Club supports renewable energy, both small-scale project like solar panels on home roofs and large-scale projects like wind farms. But some projects and some sites are better than others, and that's where the Transmission Line and Renewable Energy Siting Task Force comes in, to develop proposed guidelines to enable chapters and groups to assess large scale renewable energy and transmission proposals and their potential impacts on public land and the environment, and determine what the appropriate Club approach to such projects should be. Because of the grave impacts of climate change Sierra Club supports developing some large scale renewables and transmission needed to bring renewable energy to cities. Thus, the guidelines indicate conditions under which projects can be supported, where we may be neutral, and where projects may be opposed; the guidelines also focus on encouraging development in the most appropriate (lower resource value) sites as well as working to ensure necessary mitigation in sites where impacts exist but can be mitigated. You can read the guidelines here, post comments here. Comment period ends January 10. Special thanks to task force members Jim Dodson and Barbara Boyle (co-chairs), and Sandy Bahr, Clayton Daughenbaugh, John Hiatt, Connie Wilbert, Carl Zichella, and Gloria Smith. Join Allison Chin for Open House on November 16 Club President Allison Chin will be hosting an open house at 5 pm Pacific/8 pm Eastern on Monday, November 16. She talk briefly about chapter funding and the November Board meeting, where directors will be addressing the 2010 Budget as well as reports from task forces (Constituent Engagement, Fundraising). She also take questions. RSVP here. Call 1-866-501-6174 [1892-005] Take the Activist Network Guided Tour on November 23 A week after Allison's open house, at the same time and call-in number, we'll be giving another guided tour of the Activist Network — sierraclubactivistnetwork.org — where we are seeking to create a vibrant community where Club activists and supporters work together to get things done. There are plenty of opportunities to discuss and debate things and we encourage that — there are blogs and comment walls and discussion forums — but we designed the Activist Network first and foremost as a place to collaborate and accomplish things. It's a place to do work. RSVP here. Call 1-866-501-6174 [1892-005] We're still in our beta period, but about 30 teams have started creating their online community, and we welcome all national issue teams, groups, chapters, any Club entities to join as well. Team members can communicate and collaborate in a more multi-dimensional way than email, work on projects together, edit documents, brainstorm, solicit feedback, and most important of all, reach out and engage new people in their work. We welcome you to join the Monday evening call, but better yet, we encourage you to schedule a conference call with at least four members of your team. That way, we can focus not just on how to use the online community tools but on making your team site compelling and full of opportunities for interested visitors to get involved. If you have questions about the Activist Network, we've created a Help Team, where you can ask for help, and then later, once you learn the ropes, give help. Enjoy the fall. John Byrne Barry Managing Editor, Clubhouse / Activist Network Update My Profile | Manage My Email Preferences | Update My Interests Sierra Club 85 Second St. San Francisco, CA 94105

1 0

Putting 'Green' Technology Into Bricks
by william.depaulo＠gmail.com 10 Nov '09

10 Nov '09

1 0

Fw: The fate of Coal River Mountain is up to us
by Jim Sconyers 06 Nov '09

06 Nov '09

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Fri, 11/6/09, Mary Ann Hitt, Sierra Club <membership.services(a)sierraclub.org> wrote: From: Mary Ann Hitt, Sierra Club <membership.services(a)sierraclub.org> Subject: The fate of Coal River Mountain is up to us To: jim_scon(a)yahoo.com Date: Friday, November 6, 2009, 8:21 PM Sierra Club #yiv1354240319 #yiv1354240319 .normal, #yiv1354240319 , #yiv1354240319 p, #yiv1354240319 td, #yiv1354240319 tr, #yiv1354240319 h1, #yiv1354240319 h2, #yiv1354240319 h3, #yiv1354240319 h4, #yiv1354240319 h5, #yiv1354240319 h6, #yiv1354240319 ul, #yiv1354240319 li, #yiv1354240319 div, #yiv1354240319 input, #yiv1354240319 textarea, #yiv1354240319 option, #yiv1354240319 select { font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-style:normal;} #yiv1354240319 .normal, #yiv1354240319 , #yiv1354240319 p, #yiv1354240319 td, #yiv1354240319 tr, #yiv1354240319 li, #yiv1354240319 div, #yiv1354240319 input, #yiv1354240319 textarea, #yiv1354240319 option, #yiv1354240319 select {font-size:12px;} #yiv1354240319 .normal {color:#000000;} #yiv1354240319 {background-color:#ffffff;} #yiv1354240319 #yiv1354240319 a {color:#333366;} #yiv1354240319 a:visited {color:#666666;} #yiv1354240319 a:hover {color:#3333ff;} #yiv1354240319 #yiv1354240319 .blackborder {border-color:#000000;} #yiv1354240319 #yiv1354240319 .smalltext {font-size:10px;} #yiv1354240319 .verysmalltext {font-size:9px;} #yiv1354240319 #yiv1354240319 H1, #yiv1354240319 .header { font-size:14px;color:#000000;font-weight:700;} #yiv1354240319 .issueheader { margin-bottom:5px;color:#669900;} #yiv1354240319 #yiv1354240319 H2, #yiv1354240319 .subtitle { font-size:12px;color:#669900;font-weight:700; } View a web version of this email. Dear Jim, Ask the Obama Administration to stop the blasting on Coal River Mountain and preserve our nation's clean energy resources. Photo Credit:Photo by Vivian Stockman / www.ohvec.org; flyover courtesy SouthWings.org The fate of Coal River Mountain is up to us. Last week, Massey Energy began setting off explosives on Coal River Mountain in West Virginia -- the site of a proposed 328-megawatt wind farm -- to prepare for a massive mountaintop removal coal mining operation. Coal River Mountain could be a wind farm that provides 85,000 households with electricity, 700 long-term green jobs, gives back $1.7 million in annual county taxes and stands as a model for clean energy across the region. Or it can be a 6,000-acre dirty coal mining wasteland. Contact the Obama Administration today. Ask them to immediately stop the blasting on Coal River Mountain and preserve our nation’s clean energy resources. The blasting of Coal River Mountain is also endangering lives. Blasting on Coal River Mountain could destabilize the nearby coal slurry pond, unleashing eight billion gallons of toxic sludge on homes and schools. Were the dam to fail, local residents would have mere minutes to evacuate before being overtaken by a 50-foot high wall of coal sludge. Coal River Mountain represents a crossroads -- it can be one of the most dangerous examples of mountaintop removal mining destruction for dirty coal or one of the most profound examples of hope for a clean energy future that exists in our country. We need your help to call on the Obama Administration to step in and intervene today. Ask them to stop the blasting today. Coal River Mountain must become our line in the sand. We can no longer allow fossil fuel interests to build more pipelines, belch out more pollution, and destroy more mountains that could become clean energy wind farms. The Obama Administration must save Coal River Mountain in order to show they are serious about our clean energy future. Thanks for all that you do, Mary Anne Hitt, Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign If you do not wish to receive future emails like this, click here to be removed from this type of email contact. Update My Profile | Manage My Email Preferences | Update My Interests Sierra Club 85 Second St. San Francisco, CA 94105

1 0

PATH Agrees to Extend Procedural Schedule in West Virginia
by Frank Young 04 Nov '09

04 Nov '09

PATH Agrees to Extend Procedural Schedule for Power Line in West Virginia Allegheny, AEP Remain Committed to Project and 2014 In-Service Date November 4, 2009 -- Allegheny Energy (NYSE: AYE ) and American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP ) announced today that their affiliates have filed a response to a motion by the Staff of the West Virginia Public Service Commission ( PSC ) to dismiss an application to build the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline ( PATH ). In today's filing, the PATH applicants agree to postpone a decision in West Virginia if a satisfactory extension of the current procedural schedule is established. The applicants also indicated that a similar request would be filed with the Virginia State Corporation Commission. Requests for revised procedural schedules in West Virginia and Virginia - combined with a decision in the near future to seek approval for the Maryland segments of PATH - would effectively align the proceedings in the three states. It also would enable the project to meet its required in-service deadline in 2014. In September, the Maryland commission ruled that procedurally, The Potomac Edison Company, an Allegheny Energy subsidiary, may not seek authorization to construct PATH on behalf of its affiliate, PATH Allegheny Transmission Company, LLC. Citing the project's uncertainty in Maryland , commission staffs in Virginia and West Virginia last month requested dismissal, without prejudice, of the PATH application. In response to the staff motions, PATH reiterated that the overall project route and eastern terminus at the proposed Kemptown substation near New Market, Md. , remain unchanged. Allegheny Energy and American Electric Power, partners in the joint venture to build the 280-mile multi-state transmission line, remain committed to the PATH project. According to the most recent analysis by regional grid operator PJM Interconnection, PATH is needed by June 2014 to resolve reliability concerns on the existing system. For more information on the project, including maps and full state applications, please visit the project Web site at www.pathtransmission.com. This message was sent from PATH News to fyoung(a)mountain.net. It was sent from: PATH, 800 Cabin Hill Drive , Greensburg, PA 15601 . You can modify/update your subscription via the link below. Email Marketing by Manage your subscription

1 0

MD Sierra Club newsletter all about transmission lines
by Frank Young 03 Nov '09

03 Nov '09

The latest newsletter of the Maryland Sierra Club is all about transmission lines. http://maryland.sierraclub.org/newsletter/

1 0

Fwd: A new month, and a new chance to tell your story
by Paul Wilson 02 Nov '09

02 Nov '09

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: West Virginia News Service WVNS <wvnsnews(a)gmail.com> Date: Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 1:54 PM Subject: A new month, and a new chance to tell your story To: Hi Folks, November is here, bringing with it more chances for WVNS to tell your stories. If you have anything you think is newsworthy, let me know. Even if you think it might be a little too small for statewide attention, go head and pitch it. Together we might be able to find a way to get something good out of it. After all, it couldn't be any less newsworthy the balloon-boy hoax, and look at all the attention that got. But on a more serious note, health care, global warming and the economy are all important national issues that we have covered by looking for local angles. And all of those will continue to be worth attention. So, if you have something related to one of them (or even something unrelated) definitely let me know. drh -- West Virginia News Service (WVNS) Toll Free: 1-800-317-6705 Fax: 540-301-0801 E-mail: wvns(a)publicnewsservice.org -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha

1 0

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

EC November 2009