EC October 2013

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from ScienceDaily e-newsletter: Breakthrough for solar cell efficiency
by Paul Wilson 26 Oct '13

26 Oct '13

Breakthrough for solar cell efficiency<http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/l0D…> Posted: 25 Oct 2013 11:31 AM PDT Scientists have just revealed the fundamental aspect of a new approach to growing InGaN crystals for diodes, which promises to move photovoltaic solar cell technology toward record-breaking efficiencies. -- 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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Sale of Consolidation Coal
by James Kotcon 19 Oct '13

19 Oct '13

Recent reports suggest that ConSol is re-structuring, and will shift its emphasis form coal to natural gas production. The article below identifies Murray Energy as a likely buyer for ConSol's WV mines. Owner Robert Murray gained fame with the 2007 Crandall Canyon Mine collapse in Utah, and has a record as one of the dirtier operators in the industry. I think he will be the next Don Blankenship and, if nothing else, this may provide a window for outreach to UMWA. Note Murray's climate rhetoric below. Also, we may want to pay attention to ConSol's moves in the gas industry. JBK >>>>> First Published October 17, 2013 4:54 am CHARLESTON GAZETTE What if Murray buys CONSOL’s W.Va. mines? October 17, 2013 by Ken Ward Jr. It seems like a lot of folks in the coal and energy media are pretty convinced that Murray Energy <http://www.ohiovalleycoal.com/> is getting ready to buy most of CONSOL Energy’s West Virginia coal-mining operations. We’ve seen stories so far this week from Barron’s<http://blogs.barrons.com/stockstowatchtoday/2013/10/14/consol-energy-how-so…>, the Wall Street Journal<http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/10/15/consols-unexpectedly…>, and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review<http://triblive.com/business/headlines/4886153-74/consol-quarter-wells#ixzz…>. Privately-held Murray Energy was among the companies listed in last week’s Wall Street Journal story<http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1000142405270230452070457912966416485…> about CONSOL’s efforts to restructure itself, as were Chris Cline’s Foresight Energy and Alliance Resource Partners. The more recent Wall Street Journal<http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2013/10/15/consols-unexpectedly…> item also mentioned a possible bid by coal industry veteran Ben Statler<http://alumni.wvu.edu/awards/academy/benjamin_m__statler>, formerly of CONSOL and PinnOak Resources. Much of the media speculation appears to be traced back to this information, recounted by the Tribune-Review in its story<http://triblive.com/business/headlines/4886153-74/consol-quarter-wells#ixzz…>: Coal & Energy Price Report in Knoxville, Tenn., said Consol is “very close” to a deal to sell the mines to St. Clairsville, Ohio-based Murray Energy Inc., newsletter editor Jim Thompson said, attributing his information to multiple industry contacts without identifying them. He said Consol likely will sell its Shoemaker, Robinson Run, McElroy, Blacksville and Loveridge mines, plus related assets such as barges and transportation equipment “as a pure thermal coal domestic play.” Those mines produce coal for electricity generation and have output of 28 million to 30 million tons a year. Thompson did not know the price, but Clarkson Capital Markets analyst Jeremy Sussman in New York said in a report that Shoemaker, Robinson Run and McElroy may be worth about $450 million each. The story continued: Thompson called Murray Energy and CEO Bob Murray a “very strong player in the industry,” and the transaction would double its output, adding 30 million tons to the 30 million in annual production it already has. “It would give them a stronger position in northern Appalachia and better access to reserves they already own. It’s about as close as you can come to a win-win for Consol and Murray, and the people who work at those coal mines.” Murray Energy officials have declined to comment, as they did last night when I contacted them for a response to the continued media reports. Meanwhile, though, Darren Epps at SNL Financial had a piece that examined some of the implications if such a deal ends up happening. The headline is pretty much on the money: Potential deal with CONSOL would make Murray Energy a force in Northern App<http://www.snl.com/InteractiveX/Article.aspx?cdid=A-25407584-10802>. The story explains: A rumored deal involving CONSOL Energy Inc. and Murray Energy Corp. would make the privately held Murray a dominant producer in Northern Appalachia, but also raises questions about the legacy liabilities associated with the mines involved in a potential deal. If Murray were to acquire the mines, the company would own seven of the 13 highest-producing Northern Appalachia mines, based on data from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration. Murray already owns the Century and the Powhatan No. 6 mines in Ohio. The CONSOL mines reportedly for sale are the company’s union assets. Doyle Trading Consultants LLC said Oct. 14 that the union assets have more than $3 billion in legacy liabilities associated with them. In an Oct. 15 note, BB&T Capital Markets analyst Mark Levin placed the number at about $4 billion. Doyle said Murray works with the United Mine Workers of America at Powhatan No. 6. “Assuming [the report] is right, we wonder what will happen to the company’s legacy liabilities (~$4B), and if so, how they will be valued,” Levin said. “We also wonder if CNX would decide to keep the Baltimore export terminal.” Currently, Murray Energy has no active mines in West Virginia, though the company employs West Virginians at its operations across the river in Ohio. And the mines CONSOL is looking to unload — Blacksville 2, Loveridge 22, McElroy, Robinson Run, and Shoemaker — are among the state’s top producers. They’re also probably as well positioned as any coal operations in West Virginia going forward. As we explained in a story on Sunday<http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201310120025?page=2>: Those CONSOL mines are generally considered by industry experts to be more insulated from some of the pressures affecting the rest of the mining business. CONSOL uses advanced longwall mining machines, and its operations generally produce high-sulfur coal that can be burned by scrubber-equipped power plants that are considered less likely to be shuttered by utilities. And generally speaking, Northern Appalachian coal production – which includes Northern West Virginia — has not been projected to show the steep declines that are ongoing in Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky, where large-scale surface mining has been more prevalent and a larger share of high-quality reserves are believed to have been mined out. It’s important to remember that these CONSOL mines have long-standing relationships with the United Mine Workers of America union. Generations of West Virgina UMWA miners have provided for their families by working at CONSOL operations in northern West Virginia and in the north-central part of the state. And that brings us to some of the other potential implications of this rumored deal between Murray Energy and CONSOL. The coal industry isn’t all about tonnage and pricing and stuff like that. As we’ve all learned from the Patriot Coal bankruptcy<http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/2013/10/15/mining-for-victory-umwas-p…>, what financial analysts call “legacy liabilities” our neighbors think of as their health-care benefits and pensions. Hundreds of coal miners and their families stand in line while waiting to attend a rally at the Century Mine near Beallsville, Ohio, for Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012. (AP Photo/The Intelligencer, Scott Mccloskey) West Virginia’s coal industry still provides important jobs and tax revenues, along with the coal it produces for power plants and steel mills. But the state remains at a sort-of crossroads, examining the broader implications of coal on our the climate of our planet, the health of our communities and our environment, the safety and health of the industry’s workers, and where coalfield economies are headed over the long-term. So it’s worth pointing out that the vast majority of Murray Energy’s mines are non-union operations. And at mines where workers were unionized — such as Maple Creek in Pennsylvania and Powhatan in Ohio — the UMWA and Murray Energy have not always gotten along so well (see here<http://old.post-gazette.com/neigh_washington/20010923wacover2.asp>, here<http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/08/17/372685/-The-REAL-Bob-Murray-Broken…> and here<http://www.umwa.org/?q=news/umwa-statement-regarding-layoffs-murray-energy-…>, for example). So far, the UMWA isn’t saying anything about the rumors of a CONSOL sale to Murray, and union officials seem to know little more than the rest of us about what’s happening behind the scenes. Over the years, CEO Bob Murray has been an outspoken opponent of government efforts to force reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, arguing despite the overall scientific consensus<http://skepticalscience.com/97-percent-consensus-cook-et-al-2013.html>, that global warming science is “highly speculative,” as he told a House committee back in 2007<http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-110hhrg34820/pdf/CHRG-110hhrg34820.pdf>: You see, so-called ‘‘global warming’’ is a human issue to me, not just an environmental one. The unfolding debate over atmospheric warming in the Congress, the news media, and by the pundits has been skewed and totally one-sided, in that they have been preoccupied with possible, speculative environmental disasters of climate change. However, few are giving adequate attention to the destruction that we will definitely see for American working people from all of the climate change proposals that have been introduced in the House and Senate to date. While some want us to believe that the science behind so-called ‘‘global warming’’ is certain, to the contrary, the actual environmental risk associated with carbon emissions is highly speculative. It is a fact, however, that every proposal introduced to date will provide a far more certain risk that carbon dioxide emission limits will destroy coal and manufacturing dependent communities and inflict great hardships on America’s families. And it wasn’t so long ago — last July — that one of Murray Energy’s companies, the Ohio Valley Coal Co., pleaded guilty in federal court to criminal violations of the Clean Water Act <http://www.justice.gov/usao/ohs/news/07-13-12_Col.html> arising from two coal-slurry release incidents that prosecutors said polluted Captina Creek in Belmont County, Ohio. The Associated Press reported at the time<http://www.timesleaderonline.com/page/content.detail/id/539904.html> that Murray Energy: … Acknowledged in a statement Friday that it had reached an agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio “to resolve potential charges, stemming from two incidents.” Murray, based in northeast Ohio’s Pepper Pike and in St. Clairsville in southeast Ohio, said Ohio Valley began two years ago to install the “pipe-within-a-pipe system” designed to eliminate the potential for another release. Murray said its independently operated subsidiary also has installed equipment and controls to monitor the pipeline. Of course, another of Murray’s companies, Genwall Resources, also pleaded guilty to two criminal charges<http://www.justice.gov/usao/ut/news/2012/03-09.html> stemming from the 2007 collapse of the Crandall Canyon Mine in Utah<http://www.msha.gov/Genwal/CrandallCanyon.asp>, a disaster that killed six miners and three rescue workers. Murray’s company also later settled with the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration, though the company continued to say the criminal charges and the citations had nothing to do with the cause of the mine disaster.<http://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=23305832&itype=storyID> During last year’s presidential election, Murray Energy was at the forefront of the industry’s “war on coal” campaign to defeat President Obama’s re-election effort<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/04/mitt-romney-campaigns-wit_n_147639…>. Murray raised money and hosted fundraisers and media rallies for Republican nominee Mitt Romney. After the strategy failed, some in the coal industry wanted to reassess their campaign, as the National Journal’s Coral Davenport reported<http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/the-coal-lobby-s-fight-for-survival…>: Privately, many people working for the coal lobby concede that time has finally come for coal to face up to climate change. They don’t want the coal industry to look like a science-denying dinosaur—a charge that’s also been leveled against many Republicans on the far right. They recognize that the game has changed, with a new energy market and administration that will regulate them against their will. They believe it’s time to stop the war, engage the enemy, and to ask it for help, both in developing environmental regulations and researching the new technology. But that thought turns the stomach of the corporate chiefs at some of the country’s oldest coal companies—the titans used to the halcyon days of coal power. Where does Murray Energy fit in to this difference of views among members of the industry lobby group, the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity? Davenport explained: One of ACCCE’s most important members is Ohio-based Murray Energy, the nation’s largest privately owned coal producer. “There is no relationship between the utilization of coal and climate change,” company spokesman Gary Broadbent wrote to me in an e-mail. “Our members of Congress, and particularly the Obama administration, confuse scientific facts and evidence with their own beliefs.” And what about the idea that carbon-capture technology can save coal? “The government has already spent substantially on carbon capture and storage (“CCS”) technology, and we have not made progress,” Broadbent wrote. “The promise of CCS technology is used by politicians to pretend that they are doing something for the coal industry, when they are not.” Just last month, in a speech at the Bluefield Coal Show, Bob Murray continued his harsh criticism of the Obama administration, saying the following: The is no question that the United States coal industry is being destroyed by the actions of President Barack H. Obama and his radical followers and supporters … Mr. Obama’s actions are a human issue to me, as I know the names of many of the Americans whose jobs and family livelihoods are being destroyed as he appeases his radical environmentalist, unionist, liberal elitist, Hollywood character, and other constituents. These folks are my employees. These good Americans only want to work in honor and dignity. But, when their jobs and those of their neighbors are eliminated in the coal mining areas of America, they have no one to sell their homes to, which is generally their only possession. Thus, these people, who only want to work, are prohibited from doing so and fall to the negative side of the economic ledger for the rest of their lives. This is not the America that I have always cherished. Many prominent Americans are now discussing the need to impeach President Obama … Maybe you will want to be a part of this effort. What will happen if Murray Energy buys these CONSOL mines? Stay tuned … we might just find out. This entry was posted on Thursday, October 17, 2013

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Latest from First Energy
by James Kotcon 16 Oct '13

16 Oct '13

Dave, Danny, et al: Sorry I missed the Harrison County meeting tonight, car issues delayed me getting to the field, so I was planting till after dark. Mon Power filed a new case this summer for "vegetation management" of their transmission lines. This was proposed based on an order by the PSC as a result of the derecho wind storm and outages last summer. They propose to treat distribution lines with herbicide, and trim or remove trees where necessary, and are proposing a rate increase to cover costs. They estimate the cost of vegetation management at $15,000 PER MILE. I think I want a job with Mon Power as a lumberjack. JBK

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FW: WV climate change call
by James Kotcon 15 Oct '13

15 Oct '13

Lina was an active student a few years back and is now doing work with the Citizen's Climate Lobby, which advocates for a revenue-neutral carbon tax. She is interested in getting West Virginians organized on the issue. I had earlier expressed some interest, but pointed out that a carbon tax, even a revenue-neutral one, tends to disproportionately impact fossil fuel-producing states like West Virginia, and can exacerbate the transfer of wealth from poor states like West Virginia to the richer states of the northeast and west coast. At any rate, please consider joining us to see where we can go from here. And please forward this invite to anyone you think might be interested. Jim Kotcon ________________________________ From: Lina <bird_lina(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2013 5:49 PM To: James Kotcon Subject: WV climate change call Hi Jim, Lina Bird here - hope things are going well this semester! It was great seeing you at the fracking conference last summer. I just wanted to let you know that the Citizen's Climate Lobby is hosting a conference call specifically for West Virginians - after talking to you last summer, I realized that there are specific issues in WV that weren't being addressed by the national group, and since they really want a WV chapter, we hit on the idea of having a state specific call. Can you pass on the info below to anyone you think might be interested? I know you mentioned there is a student 350.org group - perhaps some of them might want to join the call? And of course, if your schedule allows, it would be great if you'd join as well! WV conference call for the Citizen's Climate Lobby: Wednesday, October 16th, 8 PM EST. We'll be talking about the idea of a revenue neutral carbon tax, and the specific issues West Virginia faces in this framework. To join, simply call 712-432-3900, then enter the code 741043#. Thanks, Lina.

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FE's statement accepting PSC order
by James Kotcon 10 Oct '13

10 Oct '13

The story below includes press statements from FirstEnergy indicates that they view their responsibilities toward energy efficiency as "providing financial contributions for ...weatherization programs...". This suggests that continued emphasis on the Phase II EE plan and stakeholder process will be needed as FE is appears to be re-framing the Settlement in ways to minimize EE. Perhaps the RFP process will be an essential step, but I think FE will continue to stall on EE. JBK >>>>> THE STATE JOURNAL FirstEnergy agrees to PSC terms for WV asset transfer Posted: Oct 09, 2013 5:04 PM EST Updated: Oct 09, 2013 5:06 PM EST FirstEnergy Corp. on Oct. 9 said it had agreed to conditions set by the Public Service Commission of West Virginia pertaining to asset transfers<http://www.statejournal.com/story/23630518/psc-approves-harrison-power-plan…> among its subsidiaries in West Virginia. Following is the text of the company's statement: "Mon Power and Potomac Edison today agreed to conditions included in the Public Service Commission of West Virginia's order authorizing the completion of the companies' generation transaction. The transaction will reduce an average residential customer's bill by about $1.50 per month. The transaction will also provide Mon Power with 100 percent ownership of the Harrison Power Station in Haywood, W.Va., and preserves the opportunity to use locally mined coal, sustaining employment and benefitting the regional economy. "Mon Power and Potomac Edison, as part of the order, will also bring more jobs to the state, as well as provide financial contributions for economic development, weatherization programs and low-income assistance for paying utility bills. "Holly Kauffman, president of FirstEnergy's West Virginia Operations, said further: 'This has been a long and complex proceeding. We appreciate the support of the parties in negotiating a reasonable settlement, and are pleased that the Public Service Commission has allowed us to move forward with implementing our cost-effective plan to provide our customers with electricity generated in the heart of our West Virginia service territory.'" The PSC issued its order on Oct. 7. On Oct. 8, the West Virginia Citizen Action Group said it will appeal the PSC's order to the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.

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from Center for Media & Democracy: FrackSwarm
by Paul Wilson 10 Oct '13

10 Oct '13

FrackSwarm: Harnessing the Power of the Anti-Fracking Movement in Web Resource [image: Image of FrackSwarm logo]Like so many other environmental issues fracking too is controversial – with a profit motive on one side and environmental and human welfare on the other. Who to believe? There is so much information swirling around in the media and at the dinner table it's often difficult to decipher the valid from the outlandish. One thing is for certain, however, all across the U.S. people are organizing and digging through the propaganda in hopes of uncovering the truth. As the movement against fracking grows, and as awareness of the dangers mounts, FrackSwarm will be well positioned to be the key information portal for the movement. Read more<http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=VxThySaCBb%2B347zWWMCMHU3uA1oy…> -- 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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A Community Toolkit on Fracking from UCS
by Paul Wilson 09 Oct '13

09 Oct '13

Dear Paul, [image: Fracking information toolkit]<http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=bqQiTOf5GZO5MHaiCTXkdA> How will my city hold up against the next superstorm? What's the truth about the effect of fracking on my drinking water? These days our communities are faced with more and more complex issues. To make smart decisions that protect the health, welfare, and environment of our communities, we need access to current, accurate scientific information. With tools like our recently-released *fracking information toolkit*<http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=ggp7iE6Bwn4kpR5VUitgIw> that helps citizens and policy makers make informed decisions on hydraulic fracturing (fracking), and our*upcoming webcasted*<http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=oB9Gyti8CDfMumXAK_M3MQ> forum on how communities can improve prediction, response, and recovery in the face of extreme weather events—UCS is working to integrate science into community decision making so we can better plan for a healthier and safer future. *—Karla* -- 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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Cartoon from Union of Concerned Scientists
by Paul Wilson 09 Oct '13

09 Oct '13

See it here: http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/pulse/cartoon-October-2013.html -- 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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Fwd: [Coal Volunteers List] Fwd: News -- 150th Coal Plant Set for Retirement -- Coal on the Declinate
by Paul Wilson 08 Oct '13

08 Oct '13

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Orli Cotel <orli.cotel(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Tue, Oct 8, 2013 at 11:23 AM Subject: [Coal Volunteers List] Fwd: News -- 150th Coal Plant Set for Retirement -- Coal on the Declinate To: #BOD <bod-open(a)lists.sierraclub.org>, #Coal-Volunteers < coal-volunteers-list(a)sierraclub.org> Congratulations, everyone! ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Big news! Sample tweets below -- spread the word!!! Today, @Sierra Club & growing coalition of local allies announced the retirement of its 150th #coal plant. http://sc.org/1a7LPuD Through grassroots activism across the US, we are telling the dirty, outdated & deadly #coal industry that enough is enough. http://sc.org/1a7LPuD #Coal plant #150 just retired. Now we must ensure that the transition to clean energy happens in a way that protects workers. http://sc.org/1a7LPuD http://sc.org/1a7LPuD en español -- http://sc.org/17dTR4n For Immediate Release -- Tuesday, October 8, 2013 Contact: Oliver.Bernstein(a)sierraclub.org *Coal on the Decline -- 150 Coal Plants Set for Retirement Movement sparks shift to clean energy, major carbon reductions * SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Today the Sierra Club and a growing coalition of local, regional and national allies announced the retirement of its 150th coal plant -- a significant milestone in the ongoing campaign to move the country beyond coal no later than 2030. With today’s announcement that the Brayton Point Power Station in Massachusetts would retire by 2017, the campaign officially marked 150 coal plants that have announced plans to retire since 2010. According to the Clean Air Task Force, retiring these 150 coal plants will help to save 4,000 lives every year, prevent 6,200 heart attacks every year and prevent 66,300 asthma attacks every year. Retiring these plants will also avoid $1.9 billion in health costs. Sierra Club has made the announcement public via a video on YouTube featuring a special acoustic performance by indie alternative group Nico Vega <https://content.sierraclub.org/coal/150-plants-retired>. “The closure of the Brayton Point Power Station is a powerful example of how local action can have a global impact," said *Michael R. Bloomberg, philanthropist and Mayor of New York City*. "Over the last three years, action by individual communities - in partnership with the Sierra Club and Bloomberg Philanthropies - has led to the closure of 150 coal plants, one at a time. We will continue to support those who are on the ground working to close the nation's dirty coal plants, which kill 13,000 Americans every year and threaten the future of our planet." “Plant by plant and community by community we are not only curbing our country’s carbon pollution, but we are also saving lives,” said *Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club.* “By moving our country off of dirty, dangerous coal, we are creating new opportunities for clean energy and thousands of new American jobs to protect workers and public health. The transition from coal to clean energy can and will transform our economy by establishing a huge new sector of good jobs that power our communities without poisoning our children.” "New England is leading the nation in the move away from dirty coal and toward innovative renewable energy solutions like our growing offshore wind industry," said *James McCaffery, New England Beyond Coal campaign representative for the Sierra Club*. "This is a testament to the great work of local residents who have been fighting to clean up the air in the region for more than a decade," “Our coalition of environmental, conservation, public health and civil rights groups has achieved a milestone that few thought possible,” said *Verena Owen, a veteran volunteer leader who co-leads the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign*. “In 2010, analysts expected about 30,000 megawatts of coal would retire over the next decade. But in less than three years the campaign has nearly doubled these predictions, securing the retirement of more than 58,000 megawatts: more than one sixth of the entire nation’s coal capacity and more than one quarter of all coal plants in the country. Through grassroots activism and the power of passionate Americans across the country, we are telling the dirty, outdated and deadly coal industry that enough is enough.” The coal industry is facing multiple threats, including rising coal costs, falling clean energy prices, a motivated grassroots coalition of organizers working to move the nation off coal, and the growing national demand to tackle climate-disrupting carbon pollution from coal plants, which was the centerpiece of the climate strategy President Obama announced in June. With strong carbon pollution standards in place, these coal plants must either clean up their pollution through modern pollution controls, or transition away from burning dirty coal. Indeed, as utilities and energy companies realize that coal is an increasingly bad investment, they are transitioning their resources to cleaner, renewable sources of energy like wind and solar. Today, the United States has more than 60,000 megawatts of installed wind capacity, enough to power the equivalent of 15 million American homes. In fact, the state of Texas produces so much wind energy, that if Texas were a country, it would be the world's sixth ranking wind energy producer. Meanwhile, states across the country are already being powered by renewable energy. In 2012, Iowa and South Dakota received more than 20 percent of their energy from wind, and nine states produced more than 10 percent of their electricity from wind energy. What’s more, this year the U.S. joined three other countries with more than 10,000 megawatts of installed solar capacity. Solar is the fastest growing energy option in the US, and in states like New Jersey, North Carolina, California and Illinois, solar power is both creating local jobs and providing clean, affordable electricity. This growth in clean energy has helped to create more jobs across the country. Clean energy industries now employ nearly 200,000 Americans. ### -- Oliver Bernstein National Communications Strategist Sierra Club Phone: 512.477.2152 Cell: 512.289.8618 twitter.com/oliveroliver To access the Beyond Coal Campaign Resource Portal, go to: https://sites.google.com/a/sierraclub.org/beyond-coal-resource-portal/ To sign up for this list, email becki.clayborn(a)sierraclub.org with the subject and message "SUBSCRIBE #coal-volunteer" --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "#Coal-Volunteers" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to coal-volunteers-list+unsubscribe(a)sierraclub.org. To post to this group, send email to coal-volunteers-list(a)sierraclub.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 "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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FW: [Coal Volunteers List] New SACE Blog: Closing Coal Plants - A Billion Dollar Industry
by James Kotcon 06 Oct '13

06 Oct '13

FYI. Fascinating data on power plant closure job impacts. Jim Kotcon ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Angela Garrone <angela(a)cleanenergy.org<mailto:angela@cleanenergy.org>> Date: Wed, Oct 2, 2013 at 12:41 PM Subject: [Coal Volunteers List] New SACE Blog: Closing Coal Plants - A Billion Dollar Industry To: TENNESSEE-NEWS(a)lists.sierraclub.org<mailto:TENNESSEE-NEWS@lists.sierraclub.org>, COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE(a)lists.sierraclub.org<mailto:COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE@lists.sierraclub.org>, coal-volunteers-list(a)sierraclub.org<mailto:coal-volunteers-list@sierraclub.org>, nonewcoalplants(a)energyjustice.net<mailto:nonewcoalplants@energyjustice.net>, TREEHUGS-L(a)list.pace.edu<mailto:TREEHUGS-L@list.pace.edu> We just had a new blog go live all about the potential for significant job creation caused by retirement and decommissioning of coal plants. A good piece to combat the endless "job killing" rhetoric thrown at environmental groups. Enjoy and share! http://blog.cleanenergy.org/2013/10/02/closing-coal-plants-a-billion-dollar… Thanks Angela -- Angela Garrone | Southeast Energy Research Attorney Southern Alliance for Clean Energy P.O. Box 1842 Knoxville, TN 37901 angela(a)cleanenergy.org<mailto:angela@cleanenergy.org> | 865-637-6055<tel:865-637-6055> ex. 23 http://www.cleanenergy.org http://blog.cleanenergy.org<http://blog.cleanenergy.org/> CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL COMMUNICATION / WORK PRODUCT: The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to whom it is addressed, and may contain privileged and confidential attorney-client communications and/or confidential attorney work product. If you receive this message in error, please send a reply e-mail to the sender and delete the material from any and all computers. Unintended transmissions shall not constitute waiver of the attorney-client or any other privilege. -- Angela Garrone | Southeast Energy Research Attorney Southern Alliance for Clean Energy P.O. Box 1842 Knoxville, TN 37901 angela(a)cleanenergy.org<mailto:angela@cleanenergy.org> | 865-637-6055<tel:865-637-6055> ex. 23 http://www.cleanenergy.org http://blog.cleanenergy.org<http://blog.cleanenergy.org/> CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL COMMUNICATION / WORK PRODUCT: The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to whom it is addressed, and may contain privileged and confidential attorney-client communications and/or confidential attorney work product. If you receive this message in error, please send a reply e-mail to the sender and delete the material from any and all computers. Unintended transmissions shall not constitute waiver of the attorney-client or any other privilege. -- To access the Beyond Coal Campaign Resource Portal, go to: https://sites.google.com/a/sierraclub.org/beyond-coal-resource-portal/ To sign up for this list, email becki.clayborn(a)sierraclub.org<mailto:becki.clayborn@sierraclub.org> with the subject and message "SUBSCRIBE #coal-volunteer" --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "#Coal-Volunteers" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to coal-volunteers-list+unsubscribe(a)sierraclub.org<mailto:coal-volunteers-list%2Bunsubscribe@sierraclub.org>. To post to this group, send email to coal-volunteers-list(a)sierraclub.org<mailto:coal-volunteers-list@sierraclub.org>.

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EC October 2013