EC March 2010

ec@lists.wvsierraclub.org

12 participants
36 discussions

Fw: A Huge Victory for Clean Cars
by Jim Sconyers 29 Mar '10

29 Mar '10

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Mon, 3/29/10, Ann Mesnikoff, Sierra Club <membership.services(a)sierraclub.org> wrote: From: Ann Mesnikoff, Sierra Club <membership.services(a)sierraclub.org> Subject: A Huge Victory for Clean Cars To: jim_scon(a)yahoo.com Date: Monday, March 29, 2010, 4:07 PM Sierra Club #yiv1033776726 #yiv1033776726 .normal, #yiv1033776726 , #yiv1033776726 p, #yiv1033776726 td, #yiv1033776726 tr, #yiv1033776726 h1, #yiv1033776726 h2, #yiv1033776726 h3, #yiv1033776726 h4, #yiv1033776726 h5, #yiv1033776726 h6, #yiv1033776726 ul, #yiv1033776726 li, #yiv1033776726 div, #yiv1033776726 input, #yiv1033776726 textarea, #yiv1033776726 option, #yiv1033776726 select { font-family:verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;font-style:normal;} #yiv1033776726 .normal, #yiv1033776726 , #yiv1033776726 p, #yiv1033776726 td, #yiv1033776726 tr, #yiv1033776726 li, #yiv1033776726 div, #yiv1033776726 input, #yiv1033776726 textarea, #yiv1033776726 option, #yiv1033776726 select {font-size:12px;} #yiv1033776726 .normal {color:#000000;} #yiv1033776726 {background-color:#ffffff;} #yiv1033776726 #yiv1033776726 a {color:#333366;} #yiv1033776726 a:visited {color:#666666;} #yiv1033776726 a:hover {color:#3333ff;} #yiv1033776726 #yiv1033776726 .blackborder {border-color:#000000;} #yiv1033776726 #yiv1033776726 .smalltext {font-size:10px;} #yiv1033776726 .verysmalltext {font-size:9px;} #yiv1033776726 #yiv1033776726 H1, #yiv1033776726 .header { font-size:14px;color:#000000;font-weight:700;} #yiv1033776726 .issueheader { margin-bottom:5px;color:#669900;} #yiv1033776726 #yiv1033776726 H2, #yiv1033776726 .subtitle { font-size:12px;color:#669900;font-weight:700; } View a web version of this email. Dear Jim, Tell Your Representative to Protect the EPA's Ability to Set Clean Car Standards The EPA is poised to announce a historic new clean cars rule that marks the first major increase in fuel economy standards since their inception in 1975. But some members of Congress want to take away the EPA's Clean Air Act authority to set tailpipe standards for global warming pollution. Call your representative and ask Congress to celebrate this victory by protecting the EPA's ability to limit greenhouse gas emissions from our cars. Tired of feeding money into your gas tank? Updated fuel economy standards will save consumers billions of dollars at the pump. Worried about our country's security? The EPA's rule will reduce oil consumption by nearly 2 billion barrels. That's more oil than we imported in 2008 from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya and Nigeria combined! Want America to take the lead in the fight against global warming? Cleaner cars will cut our global warming emissions by 30%. We can't let Big Oil undermine this huge victory for our country and our planet by taking away the EPA's ability to set these standards -- call your representative today. Polluters are trying to portray EPA action to fight global warming as controversial, but the truth is that both the auto industry and the United Auto Workers support new standards. Why? Because in addition to saving us money, making our country more secure, and fighting global warming, the new standards will also help more sustainable and competitive domestic auto industry flourish in the 21st century. A couple of minutes is all it takes to protect our economy, our security and our environment -- please make your call today. Thank you for all you do to protect the environment. Ann Mesnikoff Green Transportation Campaign Director P.S. Please forward this message to your friends and family. 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

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Fw: re: Sierra Club appeals TransGas West Virginia CTL air permit
by Jim Sconyers 29 Mar '10

29 Mar '10

FYI Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 ======================================================== Groups Appeal Mingo County Coal-to-Liquids Facility Air Permit Updated Monday, March 29, 2010; 12:31 PM From: The State Journal ( Charleston , West Virginia ) Sierra Club, Coal River Mountain Watch and others say the proposed plant's air pollution emissions have been underestimated. Story by Pam Kasey CHARLESTON -- State environmental groups filed an appeal March 29 of the permit for a coal-to-liquids plant proposed for Mingo County by TransGas Development Systems of New York. The plant’s air pollution emissions have been underestimated by the company and by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, according to appellants the Sierra Club, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Coal River Mountain Watch and West Virginia Highlands Conservancy. By classifying the facility as a “minor” rather than a “major” source of pollutants, they argue, the WVDEP Division of Air Quality is allowing the developers to avoid expensive analyses and control technologies. TransGas first proposed the plant in December 2008. As proposed, the $3 billion plant would require 3 million tons of locally mined coal each year and would produce more than 6.5 million barrels of gasoline, along with other products; it would employ 3,000 during construction and 200 thereafter. WVDEP’s DAQ issued an air pollution permit on Feb. 25 allowing the company to begin construction. But TransGas and DAQ did not properly estimate the plants emissions, according to the appeal filed with the West Virginia Air Quality Board. Among other questions, the appellants are asking the board to determine whether the TransGas facility has the potential to emit greater than 100 tons per year of sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and/or volatile organic compounds and should therefore be issued a “major source” rather than a “minor source” permit. The appeal would require TransGas and DEP to reveal all expected air pollution and to include control technology to protect human and environmental health. -30-

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Fwd: Fw: Water News Release (HQ): EPA Proposes Veto of Mine Permit Under the Clean Water Act
by Paul Wilson 26 Mar '10

26 Mar '10

A little more info on the Spruce No. 1 mine in Logan County. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Fred Heutte <phred(a)sunlightdata.com> Date: Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 6:19 PM Subject: Fw: Water News Release (HQ): EPA Proposes Veto of Mine Permit Under the Clean Water Act To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)lists.sierraclub.org ------ mail forwarded, original message follows ------ From: usaepa(a)govdelivery.com <U.S. EPA> Subject: Water News Release (HQ): EPA Proposes Veto of Mine Permit Under the Clean Water Act Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:03:30 -0500 (CDT) *CONTACT:* EPA Press Office press(a)epa.gov 202-564-6794 202-564-7873 * * *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* March 26, 2010 *EPA Proposes Veto of Mine Permit Under the Clean Water Act * " " *WASHINGTON* - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced its proposal under the Clean Water Act to significantly restrict or prohibit mountain top mining at the Spruce No. 1 surface mine in Logan County, W. Va. Spruce No.1 mine is one of the largest mountaintop removal operations ever proposed in Central Appalachia. The project was permitted in 2007 and subsequently delayed by litigation. The Spruce No. 1 mine would bury over 7 miles of headwater streams, directly impact 2,278 acres of forestland and degrade water quality in streams adjacent to the mine. EPA's proposed determination comes after extended discussions with the company failed to produce an agreement that would lead to a significant decrease of the environmental and health impacts of the Spruce No. 1 mine. "Coal, and coal mining, is part of our nation's energy future, and for that reason EPA has made repeated efforts to foster dialogue and find a responsible path forward. But we must prevent the significant and irreversible damage that comes from mining pollution -- and the damage from this project would be irreversible," said EPA Regional Administrator for the Mid-Atlantic, Shawn Garvin. "This recommendation is consistent with our broader Clean Water Act efforts in Central Appalachia. EPA has a duty under the law to protect water quality and safeguard the people who rely on these waters for drinking, fishing and swimming." EPA has used its Clean Water Act veto authority in just 12 circumstances since 1972 and never for a previously permitted project. The proposed determination, signed today by Regional Administrator Garvin, identifies numerous potential adverse impacts associated with the Spruce No.. 1 project: . *Water Quality Impacts: *The mine will cause* *adverse impacts to drinking water, native aquatic and water- dependent communities in the Spruce Fork watershed. Drainage from the Spruce No. 1 project is likely to include high levels of total dissolved solids (TDS) and selenium which adversely affect the naturally occurring aquatic communities. These include birth defects in fish and other aquatic life and can also result in toxic effects to embryos, resulting in abnormal development or death for those organisms. . *Fish and Wildlife Impacts:* Mining waste placed into headwater streams will impact fish and wildlife which depend for all or part of their lifecycles on these headwater systems. Ecosystem functions performed by headwaters are lost when the headwater stream is buried or removed. These functions are lost not only to the headwater stream itself, but also to downstream aquatic ecosystems. . *Mitigation Impacts:* The project's mitigation plan inadequately evaluates the nature and extent of mining related aquatic impacts and therefore fails to replace streams' lost ecological services. Natural stream channels buried by mining will be replaced, in part, by ditches being built to drain stormwater off of the mine, not to compensate for natural stream losses. These ditches will also drain water contaminated by mining into streams adjacent to the mine. . *Cumulative Mining Impacts: *EPA believes that the Spruce No. 1 project, in conjunction with numerous other mining operations either under construction or proposed for the Coal River basin, will contribute to the cumulative loss of water quality, aquatic systems, and forest resources. The Coal River basin is already heavily mined and substantially impaired. Landscape and site specific assessments reveal that past and current mountaintop mining has caused substantial, irreplaceable loss of resources and an irreversible effect on these resources within the Coal River basin. CWA Section 404(c) authorizes EPA to restrict or prohibit placing certain pollutants in streams, lakes, rivers, wetlands and other waters if the agency determines that the activities would result in "unacceptable adverse impacts" to the environment, water quality, or water supplies. This authority applies to proposed projects as well as projects previously permitted under the CWA. A final decision to restrict or prohibit the Spruce No.1 mine will be made in EPA Headquarters based on a recommendation from the Regional Administrator, public comments, and discussions with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Mingo Logan Coal Company. The proposed determination is being published in the federal register* *and EPA is taking public comment for 60 days. EPA is also scheduling a public hearing in West Virginia to provide an additional opportunity for public input. The proposed determination: http://www.epa.gov/region03/mtntop/spruce1documents.html R088 Note: If a link above doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser. View all news releases related to water [ http://service.govdelivery.com/service/edition.html?code=USAEPA_26 &format=Web&email_type=bulletin<http://service.govdelivery.com/service/edition.html?code=USAEPA_26%0A&forma…>] ________________________________________________________________________ Please join the conversation on our new open government Web site [ http://www.epa.gov/open/index.html?gd ]. EPA Seal You can view or update your subscriptions or e-mail address at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page [ https://service.govdelivery.com/service/user.html?code=USAEPA ]. All you will need is your e-mail address. If you have any questions or problems e-mail support(a)govdelivery.com for assistance. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [ http://www.epa.gov/ ]. Visit Us on Facebook [ http://facebook.com/epa ] Visit Us on Twitter [ http://twitter.com/epagov ] Visit Us on YouTube [ http://youtube.com/usepagov ] Visit Us on flickr [ http://flickr.com/usepagov ] Sent by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW . Washington DC 20460 . 202- 564-4355 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS list, send any message to: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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FW: Fwd: More state and local victories
by Grubb, Karen 26 Mar '10

26 Mar '10

Yes I do mean that one. From: Frank Young [mailto:fyoung@mountain.net] Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 5:54 PM To: Grubb, Karen Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: More state and local victories Karen, if you mean WV Senate Bill 614, relating to the Public Service Commission and power transmission lines, no, it has not yet been signed into law. Bill Howley writes: The enrolled version is now up on the WV Leg. site. I have just done a post on The Power Line here <http://calhounpowerline.wordpress.com/2010/03/24/final-version-of-sb614 -now-available/> . My post has links to the final version and directions on where to find the changes, because the enrolled version is the new version of the WV statute without annotation of changes. The fact that the enrolled version is now available on the Web means that it is probably on its way to Manchin for signature. Bill Frank ----- Original Message ----- From: Grubb, Karen <mailto:Karen.Grubb@fairmontstate.edu> To: WV Chapter Energy Committee <mailto:EC@osenergy.org> Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 12:44 PM Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: More state and local victories PSC bill? Has it been signed into law? From: ec-bounces(a)osenergy.org [mailto:ec-bounces@osenergy.org] On Behalf Of Paul Wilson Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 12:28 PM To: WV Chapter Energy Committee Subject: [EC] Fwd: More state and local victories Let Scott know if/when we get any notable victories. paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Scott Elkins <scott.elkins(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 11:57 AM Subject: More state and local victories To: CONS-CRP-MEMBERS(a)lists.sierraclub.org A big state victory was registered last week in Colorado, with the Sierra Club helping to win successful passage of the second most aggressive Renewable Electricity Standard in the country. The bill also set in place strong labor standards and small-scale distributed generation standards. Read all about it on the victory tracker here: http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/chapters/tracker/2010/03-10-CO-RES.aspx Has your chapter or group won a victory recently? Did you score a big win in the past year or two that you want to crow about? Tell us about it on our online form at http://tinyurl.com/y8fn9an and we'll get it posted on the tracker within a week. Remember, the Club's professional communications staff use the tracker as a source of stories for online and print publications, so it's a great way to get the word out about your success. Regards, Scott E. Scott Elkins Director for Chapter Coordination - Climate Recovery Campaign Sierra Club 2327 E Franklin Ave Minneapolis MN 55406 tel. 612-659-9124 fax 612-659-9129 cell 612-720-0793 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-CRP-MEMBERS list, send any message to: CONS-CRP-MEMBERS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle ________________________________ _______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC(a)osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec

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Please write LTE's re Spruce; Sierra Club's suggested talking pts below
by Aaron Isherwood 26 Mar '10

26 Mar '10

Jim and others: It would be great if folks could submit letters to the editor praising EPA for its announcement today on Spruce. I'm attaching some suggested talking points to help you prepare letters. Thanks, Aaron Aaron Isherwood Senior Staff Attorney Sierra Club Environmental Law Program 85 Second Street, 2d Floor San Francisco, CA 94105-3441 Phone: (415) 977-5680 Fax: (415) 977-5793 CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL COMMUNICATION/WORK PRODUCT This e-mail may contain privileged and confidential attorney-client communications and/or attorney work product. If you receive this e-mail inadvertently, please reply to the sender and delete all versions on your system. Thank you.

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Re: [EC] Sierra Club statement: EPA Recommends No Mining at Massive Mountaintop Removal Site
by Jim Sconyers 26 Mar '10

26 Mar '10

This is absolutely dynamite - - no, nuclear! Some stuff will surely hit the fan!! Amazingly, environmental justice is even included as one of the objections to Spruce. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Fri, 3/26/10, Aaron Isherwood <aaron.isherwood(a)sierraclub.org> wrote: From: Aaron Isherwood <aaron.isherwood(a)sierraclub.org> Subject: Sierra Club statement: EPA Recommends No Mining at Massive Mountaintop Removal Site To: "Jim Sconyers" <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com>, "Regina Hendrix" <reginahendrix999(a)gmail.com>, "William DePaulo" <william.depaulo(a)gmail.com> Date: Friday, March 26, 2010, 1:07 PM Breaking news... Aaron Isherwood Senior Staff Attorney Sierra Club Environmental Law Program 85 Second Street, 2d Floor San Francisco, CA 94105-3441 Phone: (415) 977-5680 Fax: (415) 977-5793 http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=167241.0 For Immediate Release -- March 26, 2010 Contact: Oliver Bernstein, Sierra Club, 512.477.2152 EPA Recommends No Mining at Biggest Proposed Mountaintop Removal Coal Mine Statement from Sierra Club Director of Environmental Quality Ed Hopkins Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today recommended restricting or prohibiting mining at the nation’s largest proposed mountaintop removal coal mining site, the Spruce No. 1 Mine in Logan County, West Virginia. In response the Sierra Club's Director of Environmental Quality, Ed Hopkins, issued the following statement: "It is good to see the EPA applying more scientifically rigorous analysis to these permits. The best available science tells us that proposed mines like the massive Spruce Mine would pollute waterways, destroy mountains and devastate communities. "We hope that the agency follows through on this recommendation. This massive mine would bury seven miles of streams, destroy thousands of acres of land and disrupt local communities. Mountaintop removal coal mining is an egregious environmental injustice and an embarrassment for America. "Local residents have been actively challenging the approval of this permit at the Spruce No. 1 Mine in Logan County for more than twelve years. With the 40th anniversary of Earth Day approaching, it's time for the Obama administration to fix the Bush administration rulemaking that allows mines to fill waterways with waste." EPA's proposed determination is attached. ### -- Oliver Bernstein Senior Communications Strategist Sierra Club Phone: 512.477.2152 Cell: 512.289.8618

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Fwd: More state and local victories
by Paul Wilson 26 Mar '10

26 Mar '10

Let Scott know if/when we get any notable victories. paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Scott Elkins <scott.elkins(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Fri, Mar 26, 2010 at 11:57 AM Subject: More state and local victories To: CONS-CRP-MEMBERS(a)lists.sierraclub.org A big state victory was registered last week in Colorado, with the Sierra Club helping to win successful passage of the second most aggressive Renewable Electricity Standard in the country. The bill also set in place strong labor standards and small-scale distributed generation standards. Read all about it on the victory tracker here: http://clubhouse.sierraclub.org/chapters/tracker/2010/03-10-CO-RES.aspx Has your chapter or group won a victory recently? Did you score a big win in the past year or two that you want to crow about? Tell us about it on our online form at http://tinyurl.com/y8fn9an and we’ll get it posted on the tracker within a week. Remember, the Club’s professional communications staff use the tracker as a source of stories for online and print publications, so it’s a great way to get the word out about your success. Regards, Scott E. Scott Elkins Director for Chapter Coordination - Climate Recovery Campaign Sierra Club 2327 E Franklin Ave Minneapolis MN 55406 tel. 612-659-9124 fax 612-659-9129 cell 612-720-0793 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-CRP-MEMBERS list, send any message to: CONS-CRP-MEMBERS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/ -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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Demand Side Management in VA
by Jim Sconyers 25 Mar '10

25 Mar '10

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. --- On Wed, 3/24/10, Elena Saxonhouse <Elena.Saxonhouse(a)sierraclub.org> wrote: From: Elena Saxonhouse <Elena.Saxonhouse(a)sierraclub.org> Subject: Fw: State Corporation Commission News Release To: CONS-ELP-TRANS-LINES-FORUM(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 3:32 PM More support for flattening/declining demand in eastern states... ----- Forwarded by Elena Saxonhouse/Sierraclub on 03/24/2010 12:31 PM ----- From: Zainab Kents <Zainab.Kents(a)scc.virginia.gov> To: Date: 03/24/2010 09:54 AM Subject: State Corporation Commission News Release The following link is the SCC News Release. SCC APPROVES FIVE DEMAND-SIDE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS FOR DOMINION POWER CUSTOMERS http://www.scc.virginia.gov/newsrel/e_domdsm_10.aspx Zai Kents State Corporation Commission Division of Information Resources (804) 371-9141; (804) 371-9361 zainab.kents(a)scc.virginia.gov - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-ELP-TRANS-LINES-FORUM list, send any message to: CONS-ELP-TRANS-LINES-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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US EPA priorities
by Duane330＠aol.com 22 Mar '10

22 Mar '10

MESSAGES FROM THE EPA ADMINISTRATOR: WHY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY GO HAND IN HAND AND WHAT EPA'S SEVEN PRIORITIES ARE EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson spoke at the National Press Club on March 8 on how environmental protection and economic prosperity go hand in hand to build a healthier, more prosperous nation, that "…economic opportunity is not possible without sustainability," and that "Without clean energy, the global economy will be running on empty within our lifetimes." _Full text of her remarks_ (http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/8d49f7ad4bbcf4ef852573590040b7f6/7…) . She also spoke earlier to EPA employees about EPA's seven priorities for EPA's future: * Taking Action on Climate Change * Improving Air Quality * Assuring the Safety of Chemicals * Cleaning Up Our Communities * Protecting America's Waters * Expanding the Conversation on Environmentalism and Working for Environmental Justice * Building Strong State and Tribal Partnerships _Read Administrator Jackson's memo_ (http://blog.epa.gov/administrator/2010/01/12/seven-priorities-for-epas-futu…) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Fwd: Oil leasing suspended to address climate change!
by Paul Wilson 20 Mar '10

20 Mar '10

see the reference to EPA cost-effective technologies to reduce methane waste. cheers, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bruce Hamilton <Bruce.Hamilton(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 12:53 PM Subject: Oil leasing suspended to address climate change! To: CONS-AWL-RESILIENT-HABITATS(a)lists.sierraclub.org *WELC Victory! BLM Agrees to Suspend Drilling Leases to Address Climate Change** * Oil well on the Montana plains near Glacier National Park. [image: Oil Pump in Rocky Mountains, Montana] In a groundbreaking federal court settlement agreement reached today, the Bureau of Land Management is required to evaluate climate change concerns on oil and natural gas leases covering over 30,000 acres in Montana. Sixty-one oil and natural gas leases will be suspended pending the completion of that review process. "With Congress failing to exercise meaningful leadership on climate policy, it falls to citizens to step into the breach," said Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, WELC attorney on this case. "That's why we brought this lawsuit, and that's why we're very pleased that BLM came to the negotiating table and agreed to suspend these leases to take a hard look at our concerns." Western Environmental Law Center filed this pioneering climate and energy * lawsuit*<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103208437050&s=1467&e=001S-wTvLtU0Lkd6Lzbg-1F…>in December 2008 working with Montana Environmental Information Center, Earthworks' Oil and Gas Accountability Project, and WildEarth Guardians. The timing of this lawsuit was on the heels of the Bush Administration's final set of oil and natural gas lease sales for Montana. In May 2009, the lawsuit overcame a key hurdle when the district court ruled that an order by the Secretary of the Interior requiring Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to consider climate change could be enforced against BLM. We proceeded to move to the merits of the case, emphasizing concerns with methane, a greenhouse gas 72 times as potent as carbon dioxide over a 20-year time period, which sparked the discussions that led to the * settlement*<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103208437050&s=1467&e=001S-wTvLtU0LkeEF_yi4My…>agreement. EPA has already identified over 120 proven, cost-effective technologies and practices to reduce methane waste and make operations more efficient. Despite these economic and environmental gains, BLM has not considered these proven technologies and practices in its planning documents and does not yet require them as a condition of owning a federal oil and natural gas lease. We hope that the agreement reached today is the first step of many for BLM to ensure responsible oil and gas development in the face of climate change and tap into our country's most important resource: American ingenuity and can-do know how. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-AWL-RESILIENT-HABITATS list, send any message to: CONS-AWL-RESILIENT-HABITATS-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: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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EC March 2010