EC April 2016

ec@lists.wvsierraclub.org

11 participants
11 discussions

Louisiana CPP meeting
by James Kotcon 28 Apr '16

28 Apr '16

Seems to me we did this back in December with our Solar Summit. Perhaps we should do one where we invite the media? JBK A small group of energy efficiency and environmental justice representatives met Thursday to begin putting together a plan that the state of Louisiana could institute to meet requirements of the federal Clean Power Plan <https://www.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan/clean-power-plan-existing-power-plants>. The Clean Power Plan went into effect October 2015 and is meant to help reduce the release of carbon dioxide from power plants. The plan has been... Full story is at: http://theadvocate.com/news/15630527-81/environmental-groups-gather-to-cons…

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Fwd: FW: See the Climate Hustle movie next Monday, May 2, 7:00 PM Regal Theaters, Morgantown
by James Kotcon 28 Apr '16

28 Apr '16

See thread below. Should we plan an action? JBK ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Matthew Golub <msgolub(a)mix.wvu.edu> Date: Thu, Apr 28, 2016 at 12:00 PM Subject: Re: FW: See the Climate Hustle movie next Monday, May 2, 7:00 PM Regal Theaters, Morgantown To: James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> Cc: wvussc(a)googlegroups.com It seems that the professor who sent the email made a special arrangement with the Regal in Morgantown to have a screening, but it doesn't appear to be on the website yet. On Apr 28, 2016 11:57 AM, "James Kotcon" <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> wrote: > Thanks for catching this. According to their website, it is being shown > May 2 in Nitro and Bridgeport. > > > Is there a Morgantown showing? Is this something for a protest action? > > > Jim Kotcon > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* wvussc(a)googlegroups.com <wvussc(a)googlegroups.com> on behalf of > Matthew Golub <msgolub(a)mix.wvu.edu> > *Sent:* Thursday, April 28, 2016 11:23 AM > *To:* wvussc(a)googlegroups.com > *Subject:* Fwd: FW: See the Climate Hustle movie next Monday, May 2, 7:00 > PM Regal Theaters, Morgantown > > This email was just sent to all Engineering majors. I checked the film's > website, and found this interesting tidbit: "CLIMATE HUSTLE will be in > theaters for a one-night event on Monday, May 2nd, and will include an > exclusive panel discussion following the film *featuring Gov. Sarah Palin*..." > I expect credibility to be at an all-time high for this nationwide > screening. If it were free, I would consider going. I could sure use a good > laugh to get me through the end of the semester. > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Statler-StudentServices <Statler-StudentServices(a)mail.wvu.edu> > Date: Thu, Apr 28, 2016 at 10:29 AM > Subject: FW: See the Climate Hustle movie next Monday, May 2, 7:00 PM > Regal Theaters, Morgantown > To: CEMR-STUDENTS(a)listserv.wvu.edu > > > Students and Faculty: > > > > While I was in Washington DC two weeks ago I had a chance to review the > substance of the movie Climate Hustle. It was shown in the Whitehouse and > in a variety of forums in Congress. Since we as engineers are often asked > to opine on situations that relate to the environment and energy production > and more importantly we are required to implement solutions that come from > the policies that are passed based on the current understanding of the day, > I felt it important to provide this same movie in the area for your > edification. I asked the manager at Regal to provide the film for a 7:00 > PM showing this coming Monday May 2nd. This film will be shown once at > hundreds of theaters across the country. I hope you will take the > opportunity to go and see this documentary on Climate Change. Thanks. > > > > Jim Smith > > Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering > > > > ******** > > > > > *Climate Hustle* Be sure to see this movie Monday, May 2 – during its > one-night nationwide engagement > > Without presenting it to the US Senate, as required by the Constitution, > President Obama has signed the Paris climate treaty. He is already using it > to further obligate the United States to slash its fossil fuel use, carbon > dioxide emissions and economic growth … control our lives, livelihoods, > living standards and liberties … and redistribute our wealth. Poor, > minority and working class families will suffer most. > > China, India and other developing economies are under no such obligation, > unless and until it is in their interest to do so. For them, compliance is > *voluntary* – and they cannot afford to eliminate the fossil fuels that > supply 85% of all global energy, generate some 90% of developing nations’ > electricity, and will lift billions of people out of abject poverty. That’s > why these countries have built over 1,000 coal-fired power plants and are > planning to build 2,300 more – while unaccountable EPA bureaucrats are > shutting down US coal-fired generators, and getting ready to block natural > gas production and use. > > *What if the entire foundation for this energy and economic insanity were > erroneous, groundless, fabricated … a climate con job – **a Climate > Hustle? * > > That is exactly what CFACT’s new movie demonstrates is actually going on. > > *Climate Hustle* is the perfect antidote to the destructive, demoralizing > climate alarmism that dominates political decisions and obsesses the Obama > White House and EPA. You owe it to yourself to see it. > > *It’s coming to a theater near you on Monday, May 2, for a special > one-night engagement. * > > I saw *Climate Hustle* April 14, at its U.S. premiere on Capitol Hill in > Washington. The film is informative and entertaining, pointed and humorous. > As meteorologist Anthony Watts > <https://wattsupwiththat.com/2016/04/25/my-review-skeptic-film-climate-hustl…> > says, it is wickedly effective in its using slapstick humor and the words > and deeds of climate alarmists to make you laugh at them. > > It examines the science on both sides of the issue … presents often > hilarious planetary Armageddon prophecies of Al Gore, Leonard Nimoy and > other [image: > https://gallery.mailchimp.com/8fe89cf100dfd0bf13664d610/images/25e3c393-4e0… > … and lets 30 scientists and other experts expose the climate scares and > scams, explain Real World climate science, and delve deeply into the > politics and media hype that have surrounded this issue since it was first > concocted several decades ago > > Sizzling temperatures. Melting ice caps. Destructive hurricanes, > tornadoes, floods and droughts. Disappearing polar bears. The end of > civilization as we know it! The end of Planet Earth! > > Emissions from our power plants, cars, factories and farms are causing > catastrophic climate change! > > Or are they? Is there really a “97% scientific consensus” on this? Or is > “dangerous manmade climate change” merely the greatest overheated > environmentalist con-job and shell game ever devised to advance the Big > Green anti-energy agenda? > > See this amazing film on May 2, and find out for yourself. To learn where > it’s showing near you, and to buy tickets, visitwww.ClimateHustle.com > > You’ll be glad you did. > > > > *Climate Hustle* is hosted by award-winning investigative journalist Marc > Morano. A former communications director for the U.S. Senate Committee on > Environment and Public Works, Morano is publisher of CFACT’s > ClimateDepot.com. The film is a production of the Committee For A > Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) and CDR Communications. See the movie. Bring > your friends. Make it a party. www.ClimateHustle.com > > Paul Driessen > > > > > > -- > "Harmony with land is like harmony with a friend; you cannot cherish his > right hand and chop off his left." ~ Aldo Leopold > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "WVU Sierra Student Coalition" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to wvussc+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/wvussc. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- "Harmony with land is like harmony with a friend; you cannot cherish his right hand and chop off his left." ~ Aldo Leopold --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WVU Sierra Student Coalition" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to wvussc+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/wvussc. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

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Fw: WV Team call today at 10:30AM
by James Kotcon 27 Apr '16

27 Apr '16

________________________________ From: Rudhdi Karnik <rudhdi.karnik(a)sierraclub.org> Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2016 5:20 PM To: Seth Long Cc: Bill Price; James Kotcon; Laura Yokochi; Liz Wiles; David W. Sturm; David Muhly; Nachy Kanfer; Bridget Lee Subject: Re: WV Team call today at 10:30AM Clip from today's event! http://www.statejournal.com/story/31831308/firstenergy-customers-ask-psc-to… [http://wvstate.images.worldnow.com/images/10423601_G.jpg]<http://www.statejournal.com/story/31831308/firstenergy-customers-ask-psc-to…> FirstEnergy customers ask WV PSC to enforce aggressive energy efficiency targets<http://www.statejournal.com/story/31831308/firstenergy-customers-ask-psc-to…> www.statejournal.com FirstEnergy customers are taking a stand to drive the electric utility to shift away from coal-fired power toward cleaner energy. On Tue, Apr 26, 2016 at 11:04 AM, Seth Long <seth.long(a)sierraclub.org<mailto:seth.long@sierraclub.org>> wrote: Here are the edited and unedited letters from the online petition. 145 unedited and about 15 edited. I noticed that there's some extra blank pages at the bottom of the docs, so you may want to delete those to save time and paper when printing. On Tue, Apr 26, 2016 at 8:25 AM, Bill Price <bill.price(a)sierraclub.org<mailto:bill.price@sierraclub.org>> wrote: Hi all, We will have our regular WV Team call today at 10:30. Please let me know of any agenda items other than final prep for the PSC event tomorrow. I know we need to discuss that. Call in number 866-501-6174<tel:866-501-6174> Access code 33907431892 Bill Price, Senior Organizing Representative Sierra Club Environmental Justice Program Beyond Coal to Clean Energy Campaign 922 Quarrier Street, Room 206 Charleston, WV 25301 Phone 304-389-8822<tel:304-389-8822> (cell) Email: bill.price(a)sierraclub.org<mailto:bill.price@sierraclub.org> "If there's no struggle, there's no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet renounce controversy are people who want crops without plowing the ground..." Frederick Douglass 1817-1895 -- Thanks, Seth --- Seth Long - Regional Online Organizer Beyond Coal Campaign, Sierra Club Work: 202-675-6693 | Cell: 603-852-3622<tel:603-852-3622> Email: seth.long(a)sierraclub.org<mailto:seth.long@sierraclub.org> | URL: http://www.sierraclub.org<http://www.sierraclub.org/> Regional Online Organizers' Resource Center<https://sites.google.com/a/sierraclub.org/regional-online-organizing-resour…> Represented by John Muir Local 100 -- Rudhdi Karnik Associate Press Secretary, Federal Affairs Sierra Club, Beyond Coal Campaign (<mailto:rudhdi.karnik@sierraclub.org>o) 202.495.3055

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First Energy Rejects Calls for Public Hearing
by James Kotcon 25 Apr '16

25 Apr '16

First Energy says 7 utilities filed IRPs, but theirs is the only one being picked on! This looks like an opportunity to expand the news attention, and emphasize our message.. http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20160423/first-energy-says-15-year-plan-d… Should we plan a call Monday to get our action in order? JBK

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Earth Day- Environmental advocates sue WVDEP to urge mine cleanup
by James Kotcon 23 Apr '16

23 Apr '16

Great story in WV State Journal. JBK http://www.statejournal.com/story/31792677/environmental-advocates-sue-wvde… A coalition of environmental and community groups are taking legal action to hold West Virginia accountable for cleaning up abandoned coal mine sites. In two separate lawsuits, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, West Virginia Rivers Coalition and Sierra Club allege West Virginia is violating the Clean Water Act by allowing excessive amounts of pollutants to discharge from former coal mine sites in Barbour, Nicholas and Preston counties. When mine operators in West Virginia go out of business before they complete all of the reclamation required by law, the groups explained, the state becomes responsible for finishing the cleanup, including managing any water pollution coming from the site. However, many coal mines in the state continue to generate harmful water pollution long after the mines are shut down, they continued. “It is by now beyond question that coal mines — even reclaimed mines or mines in the process of reclamation — discharge harmful mining pollutants into West Virginia streams,” said Liz Wiles, Chair of West Virginia Sierra Club. “When the State of West Virginia takes responsibility for these toxic sites, it needs to do everything in its power to prevent them from threatening our communities and our clean water.” The lawsuits, filed in two U.S. District Courts for West Virginia’s Northern and Southern districts April 20, allege seven former mine sites in the state are discharging excessive pollutants into various creeks and streams in the state. The groups say this underscores the need for the DEP to require mine operators to pledge additional funds to cover the costs of reclamation or water treatment, in light of the recent, dramatic downturn of the coal industry that has thrown many mining companies into bankruptcy. “By burying their heads in the sand these past two decades and ignoring how the looming crisis of bankrupt coal companies would further deplete the state's inadequate Special Reclamation Fund, West Virginia lawmakers have virtually guaranteed that citizens and taxpayers will be the ones responsible for cleaning up these coal company messes,” said Cindy Rank of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy. However, DEP officials have previously told The State Journal <http://www.statejournal.com/story/31283157/wv-environmentalists-plan-to-sue…> that the high rate of bankruptcy filings does pose a threat to the state’s reclamation funds, but they’re not panicking yet. “We have several companies in bankruptcy right now in West Virginia. Bankruptcy is a very complicated situation, but the fact that the company has filed for bankruptcy does not mean they’re forfeiting bonds,” said Harold Ward, acting mining director for the DEP's Division of Land Restoration. “We have bankruptcies more frequently than we would like to see, but we generally see a restructuring plan worked out.”

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New McKibben article
by Jim Sconyers 08 Apr '16

08 Apr '16

Have you seen Bill McKIbben's article "Global Warming's Terrifying New Chemistry" in *The Nation*? http://www.thenation.com/article/global-warming-terrifying-new-chemistry/ The layperson's take-away: We all, including EPA, have been badly under-reporting methane emission. New data suggests that rather than reducing greenhouse gas effects in recent years, they may have actually increased. Conclusion: every bit of fosil fuels - including coal, oil, and now most notably natural gas - must stay in the ground. Conclusion: referring to gas as a "bridge fuel" is absurd at best, subversive at worst. I would love to see how we can reboot some of our energy work in West Virginia to reflect this "terrifying new chemistry." -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

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Maryland passes 25 % RPS Jobs Bill
by James Kotcon 08 Apr '16

08 Apr '16

"As much a jobs bill as clean energy legislation, Maryland's new expanded RPS not only targets solar and wind energy but also seeks to bolster minority- and women-owned energy businesses. ... Supporters of Maryland's higher RPS say the move ensures 1,300 MW of new clean energy will be generated, and 1,000 solar jobs and 4,600 wind positions created. Maryland's solar industry currently employs 4,300." I think we should start now and begin pushing something similar for WV. We should emphasize the need to transition coal-field economies. And we should make it clear that any politician whose only campaign pitch is to rail about "Obama's War on Coal" is simply not helpful to WV. Full story at: http://www.utilitydive.com/news/maryland-senate-passes-25-rps-in-clean-ener… Thanks to Sally Wilts for posting this first. Jim Kotcon

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from ScienceDaily e-newsletter: Oil and gas wastewater disposal may harm West Virginia waterways
by Paul Wilson 08 Apr '16

08 Apr '16

Oil and gas wastewater disposal may harm West Virginia waterways <https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160407150800.htm> Posted: 07 Apr 2016 12:08 PM PDT Unconventional oil and gas operations combine directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking,' to release natural gas and oil from underground rock. Studies have centered on potential water pollution from this process that may increase endocrine disrupting chemicals in surface and ground water. Now, researchers report high levels of EDC activity in the surface water near a hydraulic fracturing wastewater disposal facility in West Virginia. <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=yaV…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=yaV…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=yaV…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=yaV…> <http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment?a=yaV…> I posted this on the WV Marcellus group facebook page... -- Paul Wilson Project Healing Waters Fly-fishing Sierra Club Military Outdoors 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle JUSTICE, ONLY JUSTICE, SHALT THOU PURSUE. Deuteronomy 16:20

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Major Companies Back Obama's Climate Regulations In Court
by frank young 04 Apr '16

04 Apr '16

"Four big companies have joined the legal battle in favor of the Obama administration's signature climate change regulations that would curb emissions from coal-fired power plants. "Software maker Adobe, candy company Mars, furniture giant IKEA, and insurance behemoth Blue Cross Blue Shield filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., in support of the Clean Power Plan, which aims to reduce climate change-causing pollution." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/companies-climate-regulations_us_56fee2f ee4b083f5c607c33d?utm_hp_ref=business

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from Washington Post: Can coal companies afford to clean up coal country?
by Paul Wilson 02 Apr '16

02 Apr '16

Can coal companies afford to clean up coal country? <http://link.washingtonpost.com/click/6422318.174542/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGl…> A wave of bankruptcies is stoking concern that taxpayers could be stuck with billions of dollars in cleanup costs across a landscape of shuttered mines stretching from Appalachia to the northern Plains. By Steven Mufson and Joby Warrick • Read more » <http://link.washingtonpost.com/click/6422318.174542/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGl…> -- Paul Wilson Project Healing Waters Fly-fishing Sierra Club Military Outdoors 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle JUSTICE, ONLY JUSTICE, SHALT THOU PURSUE. Deuteronomy 16:20

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