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Fw: Vote in MTR poll
by Frank Young 09 Aug '11

09 Aug '11

Currently showing 63 percent "No". Let's make it 90 percent! ----- Original Message ----- From: Vernon Haltom To: FOM, List ; MJSlist, MJSlist Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 10:59 PM Subject: [fom] Vote in poll "Should surface mining be allowed on Coal River Mountain?" Vote NO at http://wowktv.com/ -- Vernon Haltom Executive Director, Coal River Mountain Watch 304-854-2182 www.crmw.net

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Fwd: We. Must. Stop. This.
by James Kotcon 08 Aug '11

08 Aug '11

Long, but interesting call to action. "Essentially game over" for the climate. That's what climate scientist James Hanson calls the proposed Keystone XL pipeline -- which would carry oil out of Canada's vast tar sands oil fields to Texas, where it will be refined, then burned across the globe, dealing a catastrophic blow to our chance of returning earth to a stable climate. See the rest below. JBK >>> "Elijah Zarlin, CREDO Action" <act(a)credoaction.com> 8/6/2011 10:19 AM >>> Tell President Obama: Stop the Keystone XL pipeline. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230956&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=20 Pres. Obama alone has the power to stop this massive blow to our climate. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230956&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=21 Clicking here will automatically add your name to this petition to President Obama: "The tar sands represent a catastrophic threat to our communities, our climate, and our planet. President Obama, you have the final word. You do not have to negotiate with Congress or industry. We urge you to demonstrate real climate leadership by rejecting the requested permit for the Keystone XL pipeline." http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=23 Automatically add your name: http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=24 Learn more about this campaign http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230956&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=26 Dear James, "Essentially game over" for the climate. That's what climate scientist James Hanson calls the proposed Keystone XL pipeline -- which would carry oil out of Canada's vast tar sands oil fields to Texas, where it will be refined, then burned across the globe, dealing a catastrophic blow to our chance of returning earth to a stable climate. This project requires a presidential permit to start building -- and it is President Obama's decision alone to grant or deny that permit. He will make the decision as soon as September. Tell President Obama: Stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Click here to automatically sign the petition. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=27 The Alberta tar sands are a carbon bomb. The 3rd largest oil field in the world, the difficult extraction and transportation of the tar sands oil ultimately produces up to three times the carbon emissions of traditional oil. (And extreme environmental devastation along the way.)1 The Keystone XL pipeline is the fuse to this bomb -- a highway to swift consumption of this dirty, dangerous crude. As if that wasn't enough, it poses a massive spill risk in the six states along the pipeline route, including over the Ogallala Aquifer which provides up to 30% of our nation's agricultural water. We. Must. Stop. This. Tell President Obama: Stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Click here to automatically sign the petition. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=28 Twenty leading climate scientists have just sent a letter to President Obama urging him to deny the permit. And from August 20th to September 3rd, there will be a massive, historic, daily sit-in outside the White House where more than 1500 people, including CREDO staff, have already signed up to risk arrest in peaceful protest. (For more about the sit-in, see below.) The administration's previous decisions on climate do not inspire confidence that they will deny the permit. Just this week, the administration approved offshore oil drilling in the Arctic. They have opened vast new areas to coal mining, and late last year, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton even said that she was "inclined" to approve Keystone XL. But President Obama still has the final word. He does not have to negotiate with Congress or industry. As his State Department reviews the permit, the decision -- which could have a devastating impact on the livability of our nation, and our world -- is entirely in his hands. We've lost too many climate fights already. We need a massive, historic show of pressure to make sure we don't lose this one. Please sign the petition and read below for other ways to get involved. Tell President Obama: Stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Click here to automatically sign the petition. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=29 Thank you for fighting for an oil-free future. Elijah Zarlin, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=11&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=30 1. "Keystone XL Pipeline http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230958&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=31 ," Friends of the Earth -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Because this fight is so important, leading climate activists including Bill McKibben, Naomi Klein and climate scientist James Hansen are organizing a historic, daily series of peaceful protests between August 20th and Sept. 3rd. The CEOs and Directors of nearly 30 leading Environmental Organizations, including CREDO's Michael Kieschnick and Laura Scher, are urging people to participate http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230959&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=32 .. More than 1500 people from across the country, including CREDO staff, have already signed up to join the sit-in outside the White House and risk arrest. Please read the invitation letter below for more information. If you would like to sign up to join the protest, and possibly be arrested, click here to sign up. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230961&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=33 Dear Friends, This will be a slightly longer letter than common for the internet age -- it's serious stuff. The short version is we want you to consider doing something hard: coming to Washington in the hottest and stickiest weeks of the summer and engaging in civil disobedience that will quite possibly get you arrested. The full version goes like this: As you know, the planet is steadily warming: 2010 was the warmest year on record, and we've seen the resulting chaos in almost every corner of the earth. And as you also know, our democracy is increasingly controlled by special interests interested only in their short-term profit. These two trends collide this summer in Washington, where the State Department and the White House have to decide whether to grant a certificate of 'national interest' to some of the biggest fossil fuel players on earth. These corporations want to build the so-called 'Keystone XL Pipeline' from Canada's tar sands to Texas refineries. To call this project a horror is serious understatement. The tar sands have wrecked huge parts of Alberta, disrupting ways of life in indigenous communities -- First Nations communities in Canada, and tribes along the pipeline route in the U.S. have demanded the destruction cease. The pipeline crosses crucial areas like the Ogallala Aquifer where a spill would be disastrous -- and though the pipeline companies insist they are using 'state of the art' technologies that should leak only once every 7 years, the precursor pipeline and its pumping stations have leaked a dozen times in the past year. These local impacts alone would be cause enough to block such a plan. But the Keystone Pipeline would also be a fifteen hundred mile fuse to the biggest carbon bomb on the continent, a way to make it easier and faster to trigger the final overheating of our planet, the one place to which we are all indigenous. As the climatologist Jim Hansen (one of the signatories to this letter) explained, if we have any chance of getting back to a stable climate "the principal requirement is that coal emissions must be phased out by 2030 and unconventional fossil fuels, such as tar sands, must be left in the ground." In other words, he added, "if the tar sands are thrown into the mix it is essentially game over." The Keystone pipeline is an essential part of the game. "Unless we get increased market access, like with Keystone XL, we're going to be stuck," said Ralph Glass, an economist and vice-president at AJM Petroleum Consultants in Calgary, told a Canadian newspaper last week. Given all that, you'd suspect that there's no way the Obama administration would ever permit this pipeline. But in the last few months the administration has signed pieces of paper opening much of Alaska to oil drilling, and permitting coal-mining on federal land in Wyoming that will produce as much CO2 as 300 powerplants operating at full bore. And Secretary of State Clinton has already said she's 'inclined' to recommend the pipeline go forward. Partly it's because of the political commotion over high gas prices, though more tar sands oil would do nothing to change that picture. But it's also because of intense pressure from industry. The US Chamber of Commerce -- a bigger funder of political campaigns than the RNC and DNC combined -- has demanded that the administration "move quickly to approve the Keystone XL pipeline," which is not so surprising -- they've also told the U.S. EPA that if the planet warms that will be okay because humans can 'adapt their physiology' to cope. The Koch Brothers, needless to say, are also backing the plan, and may reap huge profits from it. So we're pretty sure that without serious pressure the Keystone Pipeline will get its permit from Washington. A wonderful coalition of environmental groups has built a strong campaign across the continent -- from Cree and Dene indigenous leaders to Nebraska farmers, they've spoken out strongly against the destruction of their land. We need to join them, and to say even if our own homes won't be crossed by this pipeline, our joint home -- the earth -- will be wrecked by the carbon that pours down it. And we need to say something else, too: it's time to stop letting corporate power make the most important decisions our planet faces. We don't have the money to compete with those corporations, but we do have our bodies, and beginning in mid August many of us will use them. We will, each day, march on the White House, risking arrest with our trespass. We will do it in dignified fashion, demonstrating that in this case we are the conservatives, and that our foes -- who would change the composition of the atmosphere are dangerous radicals. Come dressed as if for a business meeting -- this is, in fact, serious business. And another sartorial tip -- if you wore an Obama button during the 2008 campaign, why not wear it again? We very much still want to believe in the promise of that young Senator who told us that with his election the 'rise of the oceans would begin to slow and the planet start to heal.' We don't understand what combination of bureaucratic obstinacy and insider dealing has derailed those efforts, but we remember his request that his supporters continue on after the election to pressure his government for change. We'll do what we can. And one more thing: we don't just want college kids to be the participants in this fight. They've led the way so far on climate change -- 10,000 came to DC for the Powershift gathering earlier this spring. They've marched this month in West Virginia to protest mountaintop removal; a young man named Tim DeChristopher faces sentencing this summer in Utah for his creative protest. Now it's time for people who've spent their lives pouring carbon into the atmosphere to step up too, just as many of us did in earlier battles for civil rights or for peace. Most of us signing this letter are veterans of this work, and we think it's past time for elders to behave like elders. One thing we don't want is a smash up: if you can't control your passions, this action is not for you. This won't be a one-shot day of action. We plan for it to continue for several weeks, till the administration understands we won't go away. Not all of us can actually get arrested -- half the signatories to this letter live in Canada, and might well find our entry into the U.S. barred. But we will be making plans for sympathy demonstrations outside Canadian consulates in the U.S., and U.S. consulates in Canada -- the decision-makers need to know they're being watched. Twenty years of patiently explaining the climate crisis to our leaders hasn't worked. Maybe moral witness will help. You have to start somewhere, and we choose here and now. If you think you might want to be a part of this action, we need you to sign up here. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230961&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=34 As plans solidify in the next few weeks we'll be in touch with you to arrange nonviolence training; our colleagues at a variety of environmental and democracy campaigns will be coordinating the actual arrangements. We know we're asking a lot. You should think long and hard on it, and pray if you're the praying type. But to us, it's as much privilege as burden to get to join this fight in the most serious possible way. We hope you'll join us. Maude Barlow -- Chair, Council of Canadians Wendell Berry -- Author and Farmer Tom Goldtooth -- Director, Indigenous Environmental Network Danny Glover -- Actor James Hansen -- Climate Scientist Wes Jackson -- Agronomist, President of the Land Insitute Naomi Klein -- Author and Journalist Bill McKibben -- Writer and Environmentalist George Poitras -- Mikisew Cree Indigenous First Nation Gus Speth -- Environmental Lawyer and Activist David Suzuki -- Scientist, Environmentalist and Broadcaster Joseph B. Uehlein -- Labor organizer and environmentalist -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Share on Facebook Post to your wall http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230962&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=36 Tweet this Post to Twitter http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230967&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=38 References Visible links .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230956&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=20 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230956&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=21 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230956&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=22 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=23 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=24 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=25 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230956&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=26 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=27 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=28 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230957&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=29 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=11&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=30 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230958&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=31 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230959&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=32 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230961&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=33 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230961&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=34 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230962&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=35 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230962&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=36 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230967&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=37 .. http://act.credoaction.com/r/?r=230967&id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx&t=38 ________________ To remove yourself (James Kotcon) from this list, please visit our subscription management page at: http://act.credoaction.com/s?i=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx To change your email address or update your contact info, please visit: http://act.credoaction.com/subscrip/coa.html?id=25349-2577149-5IfUfNx

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WSJ.com - Gas Drilling Bringing Jobs to Pennsylvania, but How Many?
by diapalino 02 Aug '11

02 Aug '11

You have received the following link from diapalino(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: WSJ.com - Gas Drilling Bringing Jobs to Pennsylvania, but How Many? This article will be available to non-subscribers of the Online Journal for up to seven days after it is e-mailed. 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. ********************

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WSJ.com - Left for Extinct, a Steel Plant Rises in Ohio
by diapalino 02 Aug '11

02 Aug '11

You have received the following link from diapalino(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: WSJ.com - Left for Extinct, a Steel Plant Rises in Ohio This article will be available to non-subscribers of the Online Journal for up to seven days after it is e-mailed. 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. ********************

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Fwd: EPA REFUSES TO STUDY RISKS OF COAL ASH USES IT ENDORSES
by Jim Sconyers 02 Aug '11

02 Aug '11

coal ash in cattle feed? Eeeeewww! ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Russ Maddox <russmaddox(a)yahoo.com> Date: Mon, Aug 1, 2011 at 3:29 PM Subject: EPA REFUSES TO STUDY RISKS OF COAL ASH USES IT ENDORSES To: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE(a)lists.sierraclub.org http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1499 For Immediate Release: July 18, 2011 Contact: Kirsten Stade (202) 265-7337 *EPA REFUSES TO STUDY RISKS OF COAL ASH USES IT ENDORSES * — Scientists Told Agency Does Not Want Safety Concerns Raised about Coal Ash Washington, DC — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prevents its scientists from examining health risks of coal combustion wastes being added to consumer, agricultural and commercial products even though the agency promotes these practices as safe, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Despite a scathing Office of Inspector General (IG) report earlier this year taking the agency to task for failing to complete a single safety review on the 60 million tons of coal ash and other combustion wastes entering the U.S. marketplace each year, EPA indicates that it has no intention of doing any risk assessments in the near future. In a June 16, 2011 reply to the IG, EPA Assistant Administrator Mathy Stanislaus stated that while “protection of human health and the environment is a critical prerequisite to promoting the beneficial use of coal combustion residuals…we do not yet have a timeline for developing the evaluation process regarding the beneficial use” of coal wastes. He indicated EPA will wait until it finalizes regulations governing coal ash (2013, at the earliest) before considering dangers of how coal ash is actually used. “EPA just gave its IG the middle finger,” said PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, noting that most all of the safety information on coal ash in products comes from the industry. “Thanks to EPA, Congress and the public have no idea which, if any, applications of coal ash are safe or environmentally benign.” Compounding this data gap, IG investigative materials PEER obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show EPA scientists’ safety concerns about coal ash are routinely “steamrolled” and ignored. Scientists could not even get the answer to the basic question of “What’s in this stuff?” For example – - EPA gave an award to a company that sold coal ash in cement “by putting the mixture into plastic bags and selling it to customers at Home Depot” despite knowing of a prominent study finding that particulate matter in these wastes “caused a morbidity and mortality spike in humans”; - Some coal combustion wastes have radiation levels comparable to those at Superfund sites but no warnings are issued for people living close to where these wastes are stored or used; and - Officials downplayed scientific recommendations against including combustion wastes in agricultural products, such as livestock feeders and soil treatments. “It is disturbing that EPA applauds consumers being sold bags of toxic waste,” added Ruch, noting that although EPA shut down its formal partnership with industry to promote coal ash reuse in mid-2010 under pressure from both PEER and the IG, it continues to push coal ash as a “beneficial use” through other programs. “EPA claims to be a science-based agency but it is bending over backward to ensure that its decisions about coal ash occur in a science-free zone.” ### Read the EPA response to the IG<http://peer.org/docs/epa/7_18_11_EPA_reply_IG.pdf> Look at the IG report and how EPA continues to promote coal ash <http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1469> See how EPA prevents scientists from asking or answering questions <http://peer.org/docs/epa/7_18_11_EPA_sci_suppression.pdf> View the array of products containing coal ash<http://www.peer.org/campaigns/publichealth/coalash/everywhere.php> Examine push to use coal ash in agricultural products despite questions<http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1266> <http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1499#top> Contact PEER <http://www.peer.org/about/contact.php> Tell-a-Friend<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/823/t/3694/tellafriend.jsp?tell_a_frie…> Your Privacy <http://www.peer.org/about/privacy.php> Ph: (202) 265-7337 • Fax: (202) 265-4192 • email: info[at]peer.org all content © peer.org 2011 website by puffinworks <http://www.puffinworks.com/> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE list, send any message to: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

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Fwd: 8 coal-burners closed Fwd: Ontario Waves Bye-Bye To Coal Fired Power Generation
by James Kotcon 28 Jul '11

28 Jul '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jane Feldman <feldman.jane(a)gmail.com> Date: Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 11:19 AM Subject: 8 coal-burners closed Fwd: Ontario Waves Bye-Bye To Coal Fired Power Generation To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)lists.sierraclub.org Hi,all - THIS is what today's technology and today's grid can do. It looks like a feed-in-tariff led the way. Jane --- Ontario Waves Bye-Bye To Coal Fired Power Generation by Energy Matters [image: Coal fired power generation phaseout - Ontario Canada] Ontario, Canada's most populated province, has seen a boom in renewable energy jobs, with 20,000 employed in the sector. It's not such a rosy picture for the coal industry though, with coal fired power generation in Ontario slated to go the way of the dodo by 2014. Ontario's Ministry of Energy says the province's Green Energy Act is on track to create 50,000 clean energy jobs by 2012 and coal usage for the first six months of 2011 was 94 per cent lower than for the same period in 2003. According to Ontario's recently released 2011 Progress Report<http://www.ontario.ca/en/initiatives/progressreport2011/index.htm>, eight coal fired power generation units have been closed already and two more will close later in 2011. Thanks to initiatives such as feed-in tariffs, renewable energy is rapidly replacing fossil fuels. To date, over 2,000 medium and large-scale feed in tariff projects have been announced, representing enough electricity each year to provide the power requirements for around 900,000 homes. Ontario's government says it will be one of the first places in the world and the first in North America to cease coal-fired power generation totally. It has set a goal of eliminating coal entirely by 2014. It believes shutting down coal will save Ontario's health care system CAD$3 billion annually and in relation to emissions, will be the equivalent of taking up to 7 million cars off the roads. The Ministry predicts that by 2018, 10.7 gigawatts of clean renewable electricity from wind<http://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-energy/wind-energy/> , solar <http://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-energy/solar-power/> and bio-energy will be operational; producing enough electricity for 2 million households. Residents of Ontario are also becoming more energy efficient, saving 1,700 megawatts of electricity through conservation - which is the equivalent of taking half a million homes off the grid. Ontario's clean energy economy has generated more than $20 billion in new private-sector investment. The province's energy plan will rebuild 70 per cent of its electricity infrastructure over the next 2 decades. While Ontario's commitment to renewables and the end of coal is admirable; its continuing love affair with nuclear power has been criticised. Nuclear power has been part of Ontario's energy mix since the 1960's and currently provides more than half of the power used by Ontarians every day. ### - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the TOIYABE-ENERGY-TF list, send any message to: TOIYABE-ENERGY-TF-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/ -- Jane Conservation Chair, Southern Nevada Group of the Sierra Club Energy Chair, Toiyabe Chapter of the Sierra Club - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

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Public hearing report from Clarksburg
by James Kotcon 28 Jul '11

28 Jul '11

It was standing room only, with over 800 in attendance. 115 people spoke with comments limited to 90 seconds, so it was 11:30 PM before we finished. Several other area Delegates attended, but again, no one from the State Senate. Del. Tim Manchin chaired and indicated the Senate was tied up in re-districting meetings, but was there "in spirit" Industry did pull out the stops, as a lot of people had the "Natural Gas" stickers on their shirts. They got in early, and 22 of the first 24 speakers were from industry. But they also mostly left early, which prompted some complaints from those landowners speaking near the end, but a number from the pro-regulation side also left early, so I am not sure that was a valid complaint. The pro-regulation side ended up with 64 speakers, the industry reps had 49, and 2 were so unclear, convoluted and confused that I could not tell which side they were on. My final count for the three hearings is 74 pro-industry, 136 pro-regulation, 10 unclear. The tally should probably be even higher because most of the pro-industry reps said they supported a clean environment and "reasonable" regulations, but always emphasized jobs, which I interpret as code for "No More Regs" because they always insisted they were already doing a great job. JBK

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Gazettee discovers Tomblin weakened Executive Order
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 28 Jul '11

28 Jul '11

http://wv4mom.org/content/charleston-gazette-discovers-tomblin-weakened-exe… -Jonathan

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Fwd: FW: [fom] Manchin's millions from coal
by Jim Sconyers 26 Jul '11

26 Jul '11

Read it and weep. In the U. S. Senate, this is not a conflict of interest! ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Vivian Stockman <vivian(a)ohvec.org> Date: Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 1:12 PM Subject: FW: [fom] Manchin's millions from coal To: Jim Sconyers <jimscon(a)gmail.com> Great quote!**** ** ** *From:* fom-owner(a)lists.riseup.net [mailto:fom-owner@lists.riseup.net] *On Behalf Of *Vernon Haltom *Sent:* Tuesday, July 26, 2011 1:01 PM *To:* FOM, List *Subject:* [fom] Manchin's millions from coal**** ** ** Just in case anybody had any doubts about why Manchin doesn't mind MTR killing us: http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/07/26/26greenwire-sen-manchin-maintains-l… -- Vernon Haltom Executive Director, Coal River Mountain Watch 304-854-2182 www.crmw.net**** ** ** -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

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Re: [EC] In Beckley paper: Money to Sierra Club prompts boos
by Jim Sconyers 26 Jul '11

26 Jul '11

Translation: "Coal now, coal forever! And to hell with the consequences!" On Sat, Jul 23, 2011 at 8:29 AM, Vivian Stockman <vivian(a)ohvec.org> wrote: > July 22, 2011 **** > Money to Sierra Club prompts boos<http://www.register-herald.com/local/x202401951/Money-to-Sierra-Club-prompt…> > **** > > By Mannix Porterfield Register-Herald Reporter<http://www.register-herald.com> > **** > > > http://www.register-herald.com/local/x202401951/Money-to-Sierra-Club-prompt… > **** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > An industry leader joined a union chief and political luminaries in West > Virginia in a sustained chorus of boos directed Thursday at billionaire New > York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s hefty gift to an environmental group bent on > wiping out the coal industry. > > Bloomberg disclosed he handed a $50 million donation to the Sierra Club > from his own pocket for use in the group’s quest to shut down coal mining > the two consider an environmental hazard. > > His action triggered a swift and predictable response in coal-rich West > Virginia. > > “The next time the lights go out, the people in New York City will all know > exactly whom to blame — their mayor, Michael Bloomberg,” Rep. Nick Rahall, > D-W.Va., said from his Capitol office. > > Bloomberg said his gift would enable the Sierra Club to close as many as > one-third of America’s oldest coal-fired power plants by 2020. > > Acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin weighed in on the latest controversy involving > the industry, calling coal “the most stable, cost-effective means of meeting > the energy demands of our country and the world.” > > “With the use of our natural resources here in West Virginia, our country > becomes more energy-independent,” Tomblin said. > > Tomblin helped break ground on the new Willow Island hydro-electric project > near Saint Marys. > > “The fact, however, that we are looking for other sources of energy — and > developing clean coal technologies — does not mean that our country can > afford to no longer use coal,” the governor said. “Coal must be a part of > any realistic solution to meet our growing demand for energy.” > > Given the size of the charitable gift that could be spent on hiring lawyers > to challenge coal production and power plants alike, Bill Raney, president > of the West Virginia Coal Association, said the industry must view > Bloomberg’s threat seriously. > > “It sends a terrible message to coal miners and families that depend on > coal, not only in West Virginia but across this country,” Raney said. “It > has provided energy to make steel and power throughout the history of this > country. Now, all of a sudden, he’s made a lot of money doing something, and > he wants to put it into something that sounds pretty shallow, pretty > selfish.” > > Raney noted the mercury hovered at 100 degrees in both New York and > Washington, D.C., and was 97 in Charleston, and questioned how Bloomberg > would act if the electricity suddenly stop-ped with a lack of coal. > > “Let’s assume he takes all the coal generation off the grid,” he said. “If > he accomplishes quickly what he wants to do, I’m wondering what he’s going > to do?” > > The industry has been in a roiling feud with the Obama administration over > its Environmental Protection Agency’s approach to mining permits, and Raney > said coal operators must brace themselves for a well-heeled assault by the > Sierra Club in a bid to stop coal plants and force others to retreat from > remodeling plans. > > “They’ll just be flinging grenades, is what I think,” he said. “It’s simply > not fair to the people who have made a living trying to provide energy in > this country. It’s just like he thumbed his nose at it. It doesn’t make a > lick of sense.” > > Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., found it disappointing that Bloomberg launched > an attack on coal, rather than work to achieve a balance between production > and environmental concerns. > > “Coal not only built this country, but it built the skyscrapers of New York > City, and, without coal, the lights of that city would be dark and its > economy would be devastated,” the senator said. > > “I have said from day one, and will say until my last breath, that there > has to be a balance in our country between the environment as well as our > economic and national security, which are threatened by this country’s > addiction to foreign oil.” > > Sen. Richard Browning, D-Wyoming, pointed to a time when the lights indeed > went out in the Big Apple, in a major blackout that crippled much of the > eastern seaboard. > > And with one of the worst heat waves to ever paralyze much of that region > now in sway, Browning said coal takes on an even more critical role in > supplying the energy to keep the air conditioners humming. > > “Can you imagine what it would be like today without electricity right now, > as far as air conditioners go?” > > If coal weren’t being burn-ed to supply energy needs, he said, those swept > up in the heat would be at nature’s mercy without benefit of relief. > > “That’s not the kind of leadership that I would want to set for the people > I represent, to advocate something that’s going to be detrimental to their > way of life,” Browning said. > > Browning said he considers himself both an environmentalist and a realist. > > “In today’s life, we need to make electricity, and the only feasible way to > do that at this point is with coal,” the senator said. “There will come a > day we can do better with coal. We’re all trying to achieve that today.” > > Browning pointed to research in progress in both Pittsburgh and West > Virginia University aimed at cleaning up the use of coal. > > “We all want to have cleaner coal, and we’re getting there,” he said. “In > the meantime, we can’t stop using it until we get an alternative.” > > The Sierra Club says it has applied the brakes to more than 150 new > coal-fired power plants in recent years through the use of the courts and > local action. > > “If we are going to get serious about reducing our carbon footprint in the > United States, we have to get serious about coal,” Bloomberg said in making > his announcement. > > “Coal is a self-inflicted public health risk, polluting the air we breathe, > adding mercury to our water and the leading cause of climate disruption.” > > Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Maloney vowed to take on Bloomberg, > the Sierra Club, President Obama “and anybody else who attacks one of the > pillars of our state’s economy.” > > “I’m convinced that when you get elected to office, there must be some > magic potion they feed you that causes you to become completely detached > from reality and lose touch with regular people,” he said of Bloomberg. > > “This is just another example of career politicians with half-baked ideas > that would devastate our economy.” > > United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts likewise decried Bloomberg’s > gift, saying that it would throw miners out of work and plunge them deeper > into the throes of a recession. > > In some parts of Appala-chia, the union executive said, mining jobs provide > the only decent incomes that allow workers to sustain a solid, middle-class > lifestyle. > > Moreover, he suggested, there is a measure of hypo-crisy to the > environmental cause trumpeted by groups such as the Sierra Club. > > “I suspect that many of their members and supporters spend thousands of > dollars every year on automobiles, computers, smart phones and other goods > made in China, India and other countries, which are rapidly building > economies more robust than ours by using more and more coal as their chief > source of energy,” he said. > > “I would also point out that China is swiftly becoming the world’s leader > in developing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, which will meet > the goal of reducing and eventually eliminating greenhouse gas emissions > when commercially applied to coal-fired power plants.” > > Delegate Randy Swartz-miller, D-Hancock, suggested Bloomberg not try to run > for office in West Virginia because his vote total would be scant. > > “That is, if he didn’t get run out of the state first,” Swartzmiller said. > > “Just have to wonder if someone that rich is smart enough to know what > truly powers that little switch that makes the lights come on.” > > — E-mail: mannix(a)register-herald.com**** > > [image: http://w.sharethis.com/chicklets/email.gif]**** > > ** ** > -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

2 1

Re: [EC] In Beckley paper: Money to Sierra Club prompts boos
by James Kotcon 25 Jul '11

25 Jul '11

I think we need to attack the short-sighted leaders who think of coal first, and deny the reality of global warming, especially during this year of unprecedented weather. Manchin ran his campaign by literally shooting at the Cap-And-Trade bill, which would have included the subsidies for Clean Coal and the economic incentives needed for CCS. West Virginia's political leaders do not have any plans for developing a transition to a post-coal future, and are therefore blind to the possibilities and are locking us into ever-increasing dependence on an industry doomed to run out, and sooner than they imagine. Projections show a 40 % decline ion coal produciton in WV within 5 years, yet they continue to talk as if coal is the future of West Virginia's economic development. I believe we need to respond soon. It will expose us to a lot of attacks, but it will also position us as credible leaders on the issues. I think we need a press release, or even a press conference by Monday. Whaddya Tink? JBK >>> Jim Sconyers 07/23/11 8:43 AM >>> Translation: "Coal now, coal forever! And to hell with the consequences!" On Sat, Jul 23, 2011 at 8:29 AM, Vivian Stockman <vivian(a)ohvec.org> wrote: July 22, 2011 Money to Sierra Club prompts boos By Mannix Porterfield Register-Herald Reporter http://www.register-herald.com/local/x202401951/Money-to-Sierra-Club-prompt… An industry leader joined a union chief and political luminaries in West Virginia in a sustained chorus of boos directed Thursday at billionaire New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s hefty gift to an environmental group bent on wiping out the coal industry. Bloomberg disclosed he handed a $50 million donation to the Sierra Club from his own pocket for use in the group’s quest to shut down coal mining the two consider an environmental hazard. His action triggered a swift and predictable response in coal-rich West Virginia. “The next time the lights go out, the people in New York City will all know exactly whom to blame * their mayor, Michael Bloomberg,” Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., said from his Capitol office. Bloomberg said his gift would enable the Sierra Club to close as many as one-third of America’s oldest coal-fired power plants by 2020. Acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin weighed in on the latest controversy involving the industry, calling coal “the most stable, cost-effective means of meeting the energy demands of our country and the world.” “With the use of our natural resources here in West Virginia, our country becomes more energy-independent,” Tomblin said. Tomblin helped break ground on the new Willow Island hydro-electric project near Saint Marys. “The fact, however, that we are looking for other sources of energy * and developing clean coal technologies * does not mean that our country can afford to no longer use coal,” the governor said. “Coal must be a part of any realistic solution to meet our growing demand for energy.” Given the size of the charitable gift that could be spent on hiring lawyers to challenge coal production and power plants alike, Bill Raney, president of the West Virginia Coal Association, said the industry must view Bloomberg’s threat seriously. “It sends a terrible message to coal miners and families that depend on coal, not only in West Virginia but across this country,” Raney said. “It has provided energy to make steel and power throughout the history of this country. Now, all of a sudden, he’s made a lot of money doing something, and he wants to put it into something that sounds pretty shallow, pretty selfish.” Raney noted the mercury hovered at 100 degrees in both New York and Washington, D.C., and was 97 in Charleston, and questioned how Bloomberg would act if the electricity suddenly stop-ped with a lack of coal. “Let’s assume he takes all the coal generation off the grid,” he said. “If he accomplishes quickly what he wants to do, I’m wondering what he’s going to do?” The industry has been in a roiling feud with the Obama administration over its Environmental Protection Agency’s approach to mining permits, and Raney said coal operators must brace themselves for a well-heeled assault by the Sierra Club in a bid to stop coal plants and force others to retreat from remodeling plans. “They’ll just be flinging grenades, is what I think,” he said. “It’s simply not fair to the people who have made a living trying to provide energy in this country. It’s just like he thumbed his nose at it. It doesn’t make a lick of sense.” Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., found it disappointing that Bloomberg launched an attack on coal, rather than work to achieve a balance between production and environmental concerns. “Coal not only built this country, but it built the skyscrapers of New York City, and, without coal, the lights of that city would be dark and its economy would be devastated,” the senator said. “I have said from day one, and will say until my last breath, that there has to be a balance in our country between the environment as well as our economic and national security, which are threatened by this country’s addiction to foreign oil.” Sen. Richard Browning, D-Wyoming, pointed to a time when the lights indeed went out in the Big Apple, in a major blackout that crippled much of the eastern seaboard. And with one of the worst heat waves to ever paralyze much of that region now in sway, Browning said coal takes on an even more critical role in supplying the energy to keep the air conditioners humming. “Can you imagine what it would be like today without electricity right now, as far as air conditioners go?” If coal weren’t being burn-ed to supply energy needs, he said, those swept up in the heat would be at nature’s mercy without benefit of relief. “That’s not the kind of leadership that I would want to set for the people I represent, to advocate something that’s going to be detrimental to their way of life,” Browning said. Browning said he considers himself both an environmentalist and a realist. “In today’s life, we need to make electricity, and the only feasible way to do that at this point is with coal,” the senator said. “There will come a day we can do better with coal. We’re all trying to achieve that today.” Browning pointed to research in progress in both Pittsburgh and West Virginia University aimed at cleaning up the use of coal. “We all want to have cleaner coal, and we’re getting there,” he said. “In the meantime, we can’t stop using it until we get an alternative.” The Sierra Club says it has applied the brakes to more than 150 new coal-fired power plants in recent years through the use of the courts and local action. “If we are going to get serious about reducing our carbon footprint in the United States, we have to get serious about coal,” Bloomberg said in making his announcement. “Coal is a self-inflicted public health risk, polluting the air we breathe, adding mercury to our water and the leading cause of climate disruption.” Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Maloney vowed to take on Bloomberg, the Sierra Club, President Obama “and anybody else who attacks one of the pillars of our state’s economy.” “I’m convinced that when you get elected to office, there must be some magic potion they feed you that causes you to become completely detached from reality and lose touch with regular people,” he said of Bloomberg. “This is just another example of career politicians with half-baked ideas that would devastate our economy.” United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts likewise decried Bloomberg’s gift, saying that it would throw miners out of work and plunge them deeper into the throes of a recession. In some parts of Appala-chia, the union executive said, mining jobs provide the only decent incomes that allow workers to sustain a solid, middle-class lifestyle. Moreover, he suggested, there is a measure of hypo-crisy to the environmental cause trumpeted by groups such as the Sierra Club. “I suspect that many of their members and supporters spend thousands of dollars every year on automobiles, computers, smart phones and other goods made in China, India and other countries, which are rapidly building economies more robust than ours by using more and more coal as their chief source of energy,” he said. “I would also point out that China is swiftly becoming the world’s leader in developing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, which will meet the goal of reducing and eventually eliminating greenhouse gas emissions when commercially applied to coal-fired power plants.” Delegate Randy Swartz-miller, D-Hancock, suggested Bloomberg not try to run for office in West Virginia because his vote total would be scant. “That is, if he didn’t get run out of the state first,” Swartzmiller said. “Just have to wonder if someone that rich is smart enough to know what truly powers that little switch that makes the lights come on.” * E-mail: mannix(a)register-herald.com -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

6 5

Re: [EC] Delegates Schedule Public Hearings on Gas Drilling
by James Kotcon 23 Jul '11

23 Jul '11

I suggested this to a Committee staffer last Thursday night, and he implied that just was not realistic. We will need more than one person saying it Monday nioght to have an impact. I think I will make the point that the landscape has changed since March. At the end of the regular session, the issue being debated was whether or not to regulate. Now, the issue is whether the regulate, or ban Marcelus fracking. And the momentum for a ban will increase if there is not comprehensive regulation imposed before more fracking gets done. Unless the Legislature gets serious about comprehensive rules, the controversy will continue to grow, as will demands for a permanent ban. A moratorium on new permits and a comprehensive bill imposing emergency rules on existing permits are the only way to demonstrate that the Legislature is serious and is proceeding in a logical manner to develop the industry responsibly. JBK >>> Jim Sconyers 07/22/11 11:57 PM >>> I agree - the more the delay, the more drilling gets done fast before regulation, and their mess becomes a fait accompli. On Fri, Jul 22, 2011 at 8:54 PM, John Garlow <ecomodjag(a)gmail.com> wrote: The problem with Earl Ray's emergency is that it really must not be an emergency since even if the DEP does come up with any meaningful regulation and enforcement system, and even if the house comes up with 2 million to pay for monitoring and inspections, it will take about a year to get "ramped up" according to DEP. So, the drilling and fracking will continue on for at least another year with the blessing of the state and the who knows what might happen to the environment attitude. This is similar to the days when anyone could dig a hole in their bank for coal that left us with lots of yellow boy streams and clean up costs. I want to keep pushing hard for a moratorium since the lack of control of this industry has already been called an emergency. Since this is a valuable national resource, it should be regulated in terms of how it is used. Companies should disclose their end consumer. Perhaps this should be coupled with conversion programs from gasoline to compressed gas vehicles. Why should we risk our environment so that a few people can make money selling our gas to China? I want to keep pushing the word "emergency" as used by the gov. He needs to take action and be a leader. He is already being attacked by Mahoney for lack of leadership saying something should have been done years ago. Is he going to stand up for WV's environment or bend to China's desire for our gas? John Garlow On Sat, Jul 16, 2011 at 12:03 PM, James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> wrote: The WV4MoM discussed this last night, and we agree that it needs to have a good turnout, preferably at all three hearings. Chuck, can you start contacting folks in the Northern Panhandle and Clarksburg areas? The Upshur County group should also get out, as Clarksburg is pretty close. I have a call in to get more details as to the format, but this is a great opportunity, and we need to start preparing ASAP. I suspect that there will be an opportunity for a few invited speakers, but whether this will be an open opportunity for everyone to speak is not clear. Two key themes will be: 1) Follow the Money. If industry says they support "Responsible Regulation" does that mean they will withhold campaign contributions from legislators that block "Responsible Regulation"? I suspect that the Doug Facemire's of the Committee will change their tune pretty quickly if industry says they will, but I also suspect that "Responsible Regulation" will turn out to be code words for "Do Nothing". If we can demonstrate to the Legislature that the industry propaganda actually means "Continue poisoning the water", we may sway a few votes, in spite of the industry campaign contributions. And when the industry says they want decisions based on facts and not "emotionalism", we need to point out that it is the industry "experts" that have let their pursuit of profits blind them to real science, and their greed that creates the emotional disconnect with reality. 2) Discredit the claims that fracking is safe and has never contaminated ground water. I am putting together news accounts of well contamination, spills, and violations to demonstrate that the industry claims that they are clean do not match reality. For example, PA-DEP identified seven cases of gas migrating into ground water for every 1000 wells in 2010. They issued over 1000 citations for violations of environmental protection rules between 2008 and August 2010. But WV-DEP has only 15 inspectors for 59,000 wells, so drillers here know they are unlikely to ever get an inspection. It is certainly true that some wells can be drilled without problems, and that some companies are doing a better job than others. That is why we need real regulations, to rein in the rogue operators and put everyone on a level playing field. If we can couple this demonstration that real problems exist, that industry experts are distorting the facts, and that the industry is in denial, with an assertion that strong regulations mean we can have both gas drilling and clean water, we will win. JBK >>> "Chuck Wyrostok" <wyro(a)appalight.com> 7/16/2011 9:57 AM >>> FYI, folks.c Chuck Wyrostok Sierra Club Outreach Organizer Toll free 877 252 0257 E: outreach(a)marcellus-wv.com www.marcellus-wv.com _____ From: Julie Archer [mailto:julie@wvsoro.org] Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2011 9:31 AM To: undisclosed-recipients: Subject: WV-SORO Update: Delegates Schedule Public Hearings on Gas Drilling Delegates Schedule Public Hearings on Marcellus Drilling The House members of the legislature's Select <http://www.legis.state.wv.us/committees/interims/committee.cfm?abb=marcellu s> Committee on Marcellus Shale have announced they will hold three public hearings on drilling issues to get input on how problems and concerns related to natural gas drilling should be addressed. In media reports, Delegate Tim Manchin, House chairman of the committee said, "The committee members have heard much about both the potential benefits and problems associated with the Marcellus Shale development - what we are now looking for are suggestions on measures that should be included in a new state law that encourages efficient development of the resource while addresses local and environmental concerns." The hearings are set for Wheeling on July 21, Morgantown on July 25, and Clarksburg on July 27. The times and locations will be announced early next week. We'll send out more details once they become available. They will also be posted on the Legislature's website, www.legis.state.wv.us. The entire Select Committee met earlier this week, and heard presentations from a variety of experts and interest groups including WV-SORO. The full committee plans to reconvene and hold three working meetings during the August interim meetings of the legislature (August 1-3). Also this week, Senator President Earl Ray Tomblin, acting as Governor, signed an executive <http://www.governor.wv.gov/Documents/20110713150559476.pdf> order directing the Department of Environmental Protection to develop rules to regulate Marcellus Shale gas drilling. The plan is a positive first step, but is no substitute for legislative action which is needed to address the problems surface face in their dealings with the drillers. You can read Tomblin's press release and the executive order here <http://www.governor.wv.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/Pages/GovernorAnnouncesMa rcellusShaleRegulation.aspx> . We have posted links to a number of news stories related to the Select Committee meetings and Tomblin's announcement at www.wvsoro.org. -- Julie Archer WV Surface Owners' Rights Organization 1500 Dixie Street Charleston, WV 25311 (304) 346-5891 (304) 346-8981 FAX www.wvsoro.org _______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC(a)osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

1 0

Re: [EC] Delegates Schedule Public Hearings on Gas Drilling
by James Kotcon 22 Jul '11

22 Jul '11

The WV4MoM discussed this last night, and we agree that it needs to have a good turnout, preferably at all three hearings. Chuck, can you start contacting folks in the Northern Panhandle and Clarksburg areas? The Upshur County group should also get out, as Clarksburg is pretty close. I have a call in to get more details as to the format, but this is a great opportunity, and we need to start preparing ASAP. I suspect that there will be an opportunity for a few invited speakers, but whether this will be an open opportunity for everyone to speak is not clear. Two key themes will be: 1) Follow the Money. If industry says they support "Responsible Regulation" does that mean they will withhold campaign contributions from legislators that block "Responsible Regulation"? I suspect that the Doug Facemire's of the Committee will change their tune pretty quickly if industry says they will, but I also suspect that "Responsible Regulation" will turn out to be code words for "Do Nothing". If we can demonstrate to the Legislature that the industry propaganda actually means "Continue poisoning the water", we may sway a few votes, in spite of the industry campaign contributions. And when the industry says they want decisions based on facts and not "emotionalism", we need to point out that it is the industry "experts" that have let their pursuit of profits blind them to real science, and their greed that creates the emotional disconnect with reality. 2) Discredit the claims that fracking is safe and has never contaminated ground water. I am putting together news accounts of well contamination, spills, and violations to demonstrate that the industry claims that they are clean do not match reality. For example, PA-DEP identified seven cases of gas migrating into ground water for every 1000 wells in 2010. They issued over 1000 citations for violations of environmental protection rules between 2008 and August 2010. But WV-DEP has only 15 inspectors for 59,000 wells, so drillers here know they are unlikely to ever get an inspection. It is certainly true that some wells can be drilled without problems, and that some companies are doing a better job than others. That is why we need real regulations, to rein in the rogue operators and put everyone on a level playing field. If we can couple this demonstration that real problems exist, that industry experts are distorting the facts, and that the industry is in denial, with an assertion that strong regulations mean we can have both gas drilling and clean water, we will win. JBK >>> "Chuck Wyrostok" <wyro(a)appalight.com> 7/16/2011 9:57 AM >>> FYI, folks.c Chuck Wyrostok Sierra Club Outreach Organizer Toll free 877 252 0257 E: outreach(a)marcellus-wv.com www.marcellus-wv.com _____ From: Julie Archer [mailto:julie@wvsoro.org] Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2011 9:31 AM To: undisclosed-recipients: Subject: WV-SORO Update: Delegates Schedule Public Hearings on Gas Drilling Delegates Schedule Public Hearings on Marcellus Drilling The House members of the legislature's Select <http://www.legis.state.wv.us/committees/interims/committee.cfm?abb=marcellu s> Committee on Marcellus Shale have announced they will hold three public hearings on drilling issues to get input on how problems and concerns related to natural gas drilling should be addressed. In media reports, Delegate Tim Manchin, House chairman of the committee said, "The committee members have heard much about both the potential benefits and problems associated with the Marcellus Shale development - what we are now looking for are suggestions on measures that should be included in a new state law that encourages efficient development of the resource while addresses local and environmental concerns." The hearings are set for Wheeling on July 21, Morgantown on July 25, and Clarksburg on July 27. The times and locations will be announced early next week. We'll send out more details once they become available. They will also be posted on the Legislature's website, www.legis.state.wv.us. The entire Select Committee met earlier this week, and heard presentations from a variety of experts and interest groups including WV-SORO. The full committee plans to reconvene and hold three working meetings during the August interim meetings of the legislature (August 1-3). Also this week, Senator President Earl Ray Tomblin, acting as Governor, signed an executive <http://www.governor.wv.gov/Documents/20110713150559476.pdf> order directing the Department of Environmental Protection to develop rules to regulate Marcellus Shale gas drilling. The plan is a positive first step, but is no substitute for legislative action which is needed to address the problems surface face in their dealings with the drillers. You can read Tomblin's press release and the executive order here <http://www.governor.wv.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/Pages/GovernorAnnouncesMa rcellusShaleRegulation.aspx> . We have posted links to a number of news stories related to the Select Committee meetings and Tomblin's announcement at www.wvsoro.org. -- Julie Archer WV Surface Owners' Rights Organization 1500 Dixie Street Charleston, WV 25311 (304) 346-5891 (304) 346-8981 FAX www.wvsoro.org

4 3

Report from Wheeling Marcellus hearing
by James Kotcon 22 Jul '11

22 Jul '11

The Select Committee on Marcellus held their first public hearing in Wheeling last night. About 150-200 attended, and 34 people spoke. Attending were at least four House members of the Committee, as well as one State Senator. Also attending were about 4-5 other legislators from the northern panhandle region. Industry reps got there early and were 9 of the first 12 speakers. Almost all spoke mostly about jobs and economic development, very few raised specific suggestions for legislation, or even stated they opposed regulation. ALL of the last 20 speakers supported stronger regulations, and had numerous suggestions for specific issues that need to be addressed. I mention this because the tv cameras left after the first half and probably did not convey that calls for regulations outnumbered industry people by over 2-to-1. Two people (of the 34 who spoke) gave statements so convoluted and confusing that I could not figure out what side they were on, or what they wanted. So my count is 10 pro-industry, 22 pro-regulation, and two unclear. The only substantive comment from industry was when Mike McCowan of IOGA said they "would SUPPORT reasonable INCREASES in fees". (Perhaps the key word there is "reasonable"). Lots of concerns were expressed about water and air pollution, several people objected to forced pooling, a couple raised safety issues, explosions, property rights issues, or concerns about foreign exports of gas. Recommendations for future hearings next week. 1) Keep your points focused. The chair allowed only 2 minute per person, and everyone almost always ran out of time to say very much. I recommend writing out some key points and do a practice with a stop watch to make sure you get in the key statements. ( I hate it when I have a really powerful finish planned and never get to use it because I run out of time, it just leaves the whole presentation with a weak, dangling end.) If the Morgantown crowd is even bigger, the time allowed will likely be cut proportionately. 2) Show up early. I recommend at least one hour before the start if you want to speak early. We were there 40 minutes early, and there were already 18 speakers signed up ahead of me. 3) Coordinate who says what. With only 120 seconds to speak, it is important to avoid wasting valuable seconds repeating a point that has already been made a dozen times. Practice your statement with a stop watch. 4) Write out specific suggestions for rules, as this is more likely to get included into a bill than vague statements of support or opposition to drilling generally. Even if you don't have time to say everything, written comments are more easily incorporated into a bill by Committee staff. 5) Practice your statement with a stop watch. Jim Kotcon

1 0

Bloomberg gives $50 M to SC
by Jim Sconyers 21 Jul '11

21 Jul '11

Awesome! ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michael Brune and Robin Mann, Sierra Club < membership.services(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Jul 21, 2011 at 10:53 AM Subject: Congratulations! You're Making History! To: jimscon(a)gmail.com View a web version of this email.<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=Rnl09JkC9Y-xR7WfqVVU5A..> [image: The Sierra Club] Dear Jim, As the Sierra Club's Executive Director and President, we've had many opportunities to communicate with you about the work we all do together as America's largest grassroots environmental organization. Today we're thrilled to announce that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Bloomberg Philanthropies, in recognition of our efforts nationwide, has provided a donation of $50 million to accelerate the Sierra Club's history-making fight against coal and to support America's clean energy future<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=Nqxj0K6CPkVvjWlYceoRag..>. We can all celebrate this as a game-changing new start for the most important environmental campaign of the 21st century and a watershed moment for our Sierra Club. Every one of you -- from those working with the Angeles Chapter on cleaning up ports to those protecting Vermont's beautiful rivers and streams -- can take pride in, and will benefit greatly from, this contribution Bloomberg Philanthropies is giving this major donation to our Beyond Coal campaign because of the Club's remarkable success in working with allies and local communities to stop more than 150 new coal plants. Mayor Bloomberg believes that people coming together in communities across the country to end America's use of this dirty, 19th-century fuel is the single biggest step we can take to improve public health, combat the pollution of our water and air, and address climate disruption. Those of you who have worked tirelessly for years to confront the fossil fuel industry can rest assured that this investment will lead to important new victories. We will quickly build our grassroots activism across the country to retire existing coal plants and confront coal's corrupting influence on American politics. We will rapidly increase our support of the innovative energy technologies that are already generating new jobs and building the foundation for future prosperity. We're confident, too, that this ringing endorsement of our organization will attract new members and supporters and encourage new donations to increase the success of all the critically important work we do in every one of our chapters from Alaska to Florida, and in all of our conservation campaigns, from protecting Arizona's deserts to taking young people hiking on the Appalachian trail. You'll be hearing more about this exciting announcement in the media and in an upcoming call. We look forward to answering your questions and hearing your thoughts about how we can build on this moment to become bigger, stronger, and more successful in our mission to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet. Thank you again for helping to make this incredible announcement possible. Today, we encourage everyone to show your appreciation for this donation and support for our united efforts by pledging to end coal and usher in a new clean-energy future<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=zWqgLT_HFXaCEPoiMWnGvw..>. Onward! Michael Brune, Executive Director Robin Mann, President Sierra Club [image: Share this page on Facebook]<http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?pub=johnmuir&s=facebook&url=http%3A//ac…>[image: Share this page on Twitter]<http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?pub=johnmuir&s=twitter&url=http%3A//act…>[image: Share this page with other services]<http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?pub=johnmuir&url=http%3A//action.sierra…> Update My Profile<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=hRGunUFTpIIh0d4cbP3QWA..>| Manage My Email Preferences<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/CO?i=AlIAYYLrdMwE-phzBDbwhUMBlZmbGgHO&cid…> | Update My Interests<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=1xwZBJ4cPF73u6uCfDtkyg..> | Unsubscribe <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=rxjAtq6MqNy0P5uNM1-HRQ..> Sierra Club 85 Second St. San Francisco, CA 94105 -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

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IS SHALE GAS A PIPE(LINE) DREAM?
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 21 Jul '11

21 Jul '11

Is Shale Gas a Pipedream? Billions for Infrastructure Needed Ken Silverstein <http://www.energybiz.com/author/ken-silverstein> | Jul 21, 2011 [image: Share/Save]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.energybiz.com%2Fart…> <http://www.energybiz.com/article/11/07/shale-gas-pipedream?utm_source=2011_…> Don't get starry-eyed over all that projected shale-gas. It's one thing to dig it out. It's another to transport it. And at least one trade group says that massive amounts of investment must now go into creating the pipelines that would carry that fuel. That's a huge task. But add in the concerns of community organizations that fear such development would not just disrupt their local ecologies but also increase the dangers from pipeline accidents. While that angst is legitimate and must be addressed by pipeline companies, shale-gas has the potential to supply energy here for the next century. "The good news is that the natural gas industry has a proven track record of constructing and financing this level of infrastructure," says Don Santa, chief executive of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America.<http://www.ingaa.org/15391.aspx> Santa's organization commissioned ICF International<http://www.ingaa.org/Foundation/Studies/7828/9115.aspx?layoutChange=Print&C…>to review the country's anticipated pipeline infrastructure needs in a world where unconventional forms of gas such as shale gas are expected to make up two-thirds of the total natural gas mix by 2035. It makes a few assumptions that range from a price of $4-$7 per million Btus as well as an increase of 1.3 percent in the expected electricity demand per year for at least a decade. To get there, the United States and Canada will require an average yearly investment of $8.2 billion, or $205 billion over the next quarter century. Santa notes that the industry has invested $8 billion during a three year period from 2006 to 2010 -- a "strong indication" that it will continue to make the necessary capital allocations if the regulatory environment permits. By 2030, the U.S. and Canada will need approximately 29,000 to 62,000 miles of additional natural gas pipelines as well as 370 billion to 600 billion cubic feet of additional storage capacity, says the study. If the country does not to rise to the challenge, it would create supply disruptions and price volatility would increase. But developers are hard-pressed to invest if the impediments to construction are too onerous and there is not enough gas to keep the new lines filled to capacity. Developers also want to make it easier for gas distributors to enter into long-term contracts that help pay for the lines. Regulators are, largely, sympathetic. They are concerned about potential energy shortages and any subsequent rolling blackouts. To cope, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission<http://www.ferc.gov/industries/gas/indus-act/pipelines.asp>is trying to get all regulatory agencies to coordinate their schedules and reviews. The goal is not to subvert the permitting process but rather, to streamline it. "To meet the growing demand for natural gas, the Commission must continue to respond quickly when companies propose to expand and construct needed pipelines and related facilities," says FERC. "The Commission has expedited the certification of natural gas pipelines by having Commission staff actively participate in projects (that pre-file)." More conciliation The first step for developers is to determine whether new pipelines are needed and whether the price of natural gas supports construction such that companies can obtain firm contracts to finance them. The next step is to propose a route the line will take. Overall, there still must not be any significant affect on either the natural habitat or the landowners who lease their rights-of-way. Those precautions will inevitably lead to the rerouting of any pipeline system, although in some cases the federal government may exercise its right of eminent domain. Under the best of circumstances, the opposition to new construction is intense. The process to get the permits and to overcome the environmental and zoning questions is lengthy and expensive. And in the aftermath of a gas pipeline explosion that killed 7 people in Northern California a couple years ago, the outcry for reforms has magnified. "The American public is apprehensive about natural gas pipelines - and understandably so," says Santo, with the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America. "One accident is too many. Still, despite recent accidents, pipelines are the safest way to transport energy -- safer than rails or roads -- according to the U.S. Department of Transportation." Generally, the need for new gas supplies and the infrastructure to carry the gas remains a top priority. Achieving a consensus among stakeholders is key. Shale-gas producers are at the heart of this debate and have been asked to be more conciliatory and share the chemicals they are using to drill. Likewise, the pipeline developers that will transport the fuel must acquiesce to safety and environmental concerns. Only then can the natural gas sector fulfill its promise. EnergyBiz Insider has been named Honorable Mention for Best Online Column by Media Industry News, MIN. Ken Silverstein has also been named one of the Top Economics Journalists by Wall Street Economists. Follow Ken on www.twitter.com/ken_silverstein energybizinsider(a)energycentral.com. -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Fwd: E&E Daily: Industry showers members of Congress with contributions
by Jim Sconyers 20 Jul '11

20 Jul '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Lisa Evans <levans(a)earthjustice.org> Date: Wed, Jul 20, 2011 at 9:01 AM Subject: E&E Daily: Industry showers members of Congress with contributions To: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE(a)lists.sierraclub.org Environment and Energy Daily story on political contributions from the coal industry, highlighting McKinley- author of the House coal ash bill. COAL: Industry showers members of Congress with contributions (07/20/2011) Manuel Quinones, E&E reporter Coal-related companies have spent tens of millions of dollars in campaign donations and lobbying to push back against what many industry leaders and lawmakers call the Obama administration's war on coal. The industry's allies in Congress are fighting back -- with rhetoric and legislative attempts to handcuff environmental regulations. In a recent hearing on legislation to regulate the disposal of coal ash and pre-empt U.S. EPA rulemaking, Rep. David McKinley (R-W.Va.) spoke about the economic benefits of the American coal industry and warned against "further attacks in this war on coal." "It's gotta stop," he said. McKinley is not only one of coal's most ardent and vocal supporters, he has also emerged as one of the top recipients of industry donations. The congressman has received more than $200,000 in electricity and coal-related contributions so far this year, according to figures compiled by the Environmental Integrity Project. McKinley's take, EIP says, is much higher than other heavy hitters on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) with $96,650 and Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) with $51,250 in electricity- and coal-related contributions. McKinley raised a total of $300,455 in the second quarter of 2011 and more than twice that so far this year, with the help of donations from the political action committees of energy giants Koch Industries Inc., Arch Coal Co., Consol Energy Inc. and Alpha Natural Resources Inc. Alpha CEO Kevin Crutchfield, who recently led his company's purchase of Massey Energy Co., gave McKinley $1,000 in April. "I'm going to defend the coal industry all across America," McKinley said. "Twenty-five of our states make coal, mine it and ship it to the 48 that burn it. And I think it's time we stand up for those jobs." Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) has also been a top coal industry supporter, ushering legislation through the House this month to undercut EPA's crackdown of mountaintop removal mining pollution in Appalachia. This year, he has received $2,000 from the National Mining Association's COALPAC, $7,500 from the United Mine Workers' Coal Miners PAC and and $2,500 from Arch's ARCHPAC. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is touting his support for coal as part of his campaign to secure re-election in 2012. Like Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Manchin has become one of coal's top backers in the upper chamber of Congress. And the industry is rewarding him handsomely this year -- he received $5,000 from the NMA's COALPAC, $3,500 from the UMW and $2,500 from Peabody Energy Corp.'s PEABODY PAC. Like Rahall and McKinley, Manchin has received plenty of donations from coal burning utility PACs. Dominion Resources Inc. has poured $3,500 into the senator's coffers, American Electric Power Co. Inc. has provided $5,000, and the Edison Electric Institute has chipped in $2,500. Manchin is the only Democratic senator to have received money this year -- $5,000 -- from Koch Industries' KOCHPAC, which tends to favor conservative contenders. The National Mining Association has also been generous with Ohio Republican Reps. Bob Gibbs and Bill Johnson, two freshmen from coal country who have blasted EPA's Clean Water Act oversight of coal mining operations. Both lawmakers have received several thousand dollars from the NMA's COALPAC and MINEPAC. Mining PAC dollars have flowed as well to McKinley, Upton, House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) and Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.). Shimkus -- who this month helped broker a bipartisan agreement on coal-ash disposal, which the industry supports and EPA opposes -- received $3,500 from ARCHPAC and $5,000 from Exelon Corp. Watchdogs cry foul Overall, between January and May of this year, Alpha's ALPHAPAC doled out $120,500, the NMA's COALPAC and MINEPAC $143,000 combined and the Edison Electric Institute $217,000. While lawmakers insist campaign donations do not influence their vote, watchdog groups like EIP see a direct correlation between campaign donations and the hostility many lawmakers show for increased regulation. "No doubt the Congressmen receiving these large sums are sincere in their support for legislation that coal interests want so badly," the EIP said in its report. "But are politicians who raise such large sums of money from coal the best qualified to rewrite regulations that affect the industry?" In another new report, Polluting Democracy: Coal Plays Dirty on the Hill, Greenpeace listed 15 lawmakers -- including House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) and Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.), a presidential candidate -- who are in particular supporters of the fossil fuel energy industry. Almost all of them have also been top recipients of industry dollars, the report said. "We must urge our representatives to let EPA do its job," said Greenpeace senior legislative representative Kyle Ash, "by protecting us from dangerous toxins produced by coal-fired power plants." Lobbying dollars flow For the industry and its supporters, EPA is going beyond its mandate by working on numerous, burdensome regulations that will cost thousands of American jobs. As a result, companies and associations are spending big dollars to make sure lawmakers know what's at stake. When it comes to lobbying Congress, the National Mining Association has spent more than $1 million this year, AEP more than $5 million and Edison Electric Institute roughly $4 million, according to the latest numbers, which are sure to increase when new quarterly lobbying disclosure reports come due today. Lisa Evans Senior Administrative Counsel Earthjustice 21 Ocean Ave. Marblehead, MA 01945 T: (781) 631-4119 F: (212) 918-1556 www.earthjustice.org *please consider the environment before printing The information contained in this email message may be privileged, confidential and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution or copying is strictly prohibited. If you think that you have received this email message in error, please notify the sender by reply email and delete the message and any attachments. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE list, send any message to: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

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Fwd: FYI - PJM Reform and Coal Retirements in your state
by James Kotcon 16 Jul '11

16 Jul '11

Attached is a report on reforms to the regional planning process used by PJM to predict electricity demand. The report discusses issues related to energy efficiency, renewables, and the shut down of old coal-fired plants to illustrate the need for reform of the planning process used to determine the need for transmission lines like PATH. I recommend reading this report, it is long but worthwhile, as we will need to understand some of these issues as we move forward with plans for our overall energy campaigns. One aspect I found most striking was the concept of "Reliability Must Run" contracts. For example, several old dirty plants like Albright or that must install scrubbers or shut down (under the new rules EPA finalized last week). These would normally be shut down as it is not cost effective to install scrubbers on such old plants. But PJM could order them to stay open under an RMR contract and install scrubbers at ratepayer expense if PJM determines that they are needed for reliability purposes. Such RMR contracts would keep old dirty plants on line longer, raise consumer costs, reduce the incentives for renewables, and distort the market signal that utilities need to plan properly. So including energy efficiency and renewables in the PJM planning model is important to avoid the needless expense of installing scrubbers on plants that are not cost-effective. I am not sure we need to go to this level of detail for our public meetings, but we certainly need more people who understand the implications of this as we develop energy campaigns. Enjoy! Jim Kotcon >>> Jim Sconyers <jimscon(a)gmail.com> 7/16/2011 10:08 AM >>> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Craig Segall <Craig.Segall(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Jul 14, 2011 at 4:56 PM Subject: FYI - PJM Reform and Coal Retirements in your state To: nancymoore.desierra(a)gmail.com, gwynjones(a)aol.com, jack.darin(a)sierraclub.org, dmaidenberg(a)gmail.com, alicehowell(a)insightbb.com, ron.henry(a)mdsierra.org, awoiwodesc(a)earthlink.net, jeff.tittel(a)verizon.net, vkloepfer(a)suddenlink.net, sierrabob(a)oh.rr.com, jeff.schmidt(a)dejazzd.com, kdpendleton1(a)aol.com, glenbesa(a)gmail.com, jimscon(a)gmail.com Cc: Mark Kresowik <Mark.Kresowik(a)sierraclub.org>, Josh Stebbins <Josh.Stebbins(a)sierraclub.org> Hi all, For those of you I haven't yet had the chance to work with, let me introduce myself: I'm one of the attorneys on the national law staff, where I work mostly on greenhouse gas and regulatory issues. As part of that work, I've been focused lately on PJM (www.pjm.com) which, as you likely know, is the regional transmission grid operator for much of the mid-Atlantic and midwest. I'm writing because PJM is working on reforming its processes to allow it to better handle both the ramp-up of clean energy measures and the retirement of a large chunk of old coal generation. Because PJM covers your states, I want to make sure that you know what Mark Kresowik, of the coal campaign, Josh Stebbins, in the law program, and I are up to as we work on these issues. Basically, PJM's existing transmission planning process does not allow it to react nimbly to coal plant retirements or to new clean energy opportunities -- which could delay both of them, and add to ratepayer costs. PJM has launched a reform process, through its Regional Planning Process Task Force (the RPPTF) -- see http://pjm.com/committees-and-groups/task-forces/rpptf.aspx for more -- that would help fix many of these problems. To succeed, PJM must move its reforms through a series of internal committees this fall, which are dominated by generation interests, and then file its proposed changes with FERC this December. We're closely monitoring the process, and are working with national allies, including the Project for a Sustainable FERC, NRDC, Earthjustice, Audubon, and the Piedmont Environmental Council, to advocate for useful reforms. As part of that work, we commissioned an expert report on transmission reform, which we've shared with each of the PJM state's utility commissions and ratepayer advocates. I'm attaching that report and a short memo summarizing its recommendations. We'd, of course, appreciate any help you can offer in generating positive state pressure on PJM to keep moving down the path to reform. I will certainly keep you informed as PJM moves forward, and can schedule a call to discuss possible grasstops organizing options if you are interested -- just drop me a line. Chees, Craig Craig Holt Segall Associate Attorney Sierra Club Environmental Law Program 50 F St NW, Eighth Floor Washington, DC, 20001 (202)-548-4597 (202)-547-6009 (fax) Craig.Segall(a)sierraclub.org CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL COMMUNICATION/WORK PRODUCT This e-mail, and its attachments, may contain privileged and confidential attorney-client communications and confidential attorney work product. If you received this e-mail inadvertently, please notify me and delete all versions on your system. Thank you. -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

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FW: [ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS] Fw: Agenda Item 5: Energy Policy Documents for Board
by Grubb, Karen 15 Jul '11

15 Jul '11

From: National Hydrofracking Team [mailto:ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG] On Behalf Of Jessica Helm Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 12:36 PM To: ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Subject: [ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS] Fw: Agenda Item 5: Energy Policy Documents for Board Jessica Helm 631 219 6449 helm_jessica(a)yahoo.com ~~Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell~~ - Edward Abbey ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: David Scott <david.scott(a)SIERRACLUB.ORG> To: BOD-OPEN(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Thu, July 14, 2011 7:44:32 PM Subject: Agenda Item 5: Energy Policy Documents for Board Colleagues, I will be offering the following motion on the July 25 board call: “The board of directors adopts the proposed revisions to the Energy Resources Policy. The following policies are sunsetted because they have been superseded by the new comprehensive policy: Energy Promotion – May 2-3, 1970; Energy Conservation – January 20-21, 1973; Energy Research & Development – January 12-13, 1974; Solar Energy – April 1-2, 1976 [which itself superseded an earlier policy on this subject of Dec. 13-14, 1975; Solar Energy – February 3-4, 1979; Energy Conservation & Research – July 21-22, 1979; Building Energy Conservation – July 21-22, 1979; Global Warming – May 7-8, 1988” I am attaching the following documents with this message, which is also attached: • Energy Policy Rewrite (sent June 29th) • Cover letter for energy policy, sent June 29th • “The BoD sunsets the following policies…” • ECL-Bioenergy explanation for the Board These documents will all be posted on the Board documents site. Regarding the policies to be sunsetted, Gene Coan pointed out that these are now redundant and were superseded by the 2006 Energy Resources Policy – this is really just a housekeeping measure. Regarding the new, revised policy, a great deal of work has gone into these proposed amendments. I urge you to read them over so that you can raise any questions or concerns before the July 25th call. The comments we received fill nearly 100 pages. If anyone wants that entire file, you’re welcome to read them – just contact either Bruce Hamilton or me and we’ll get them to you. But it’s a big file. The June 29th cover letter briefly explains the rationale for the proposed revisions. The board has received two recent messages about the proposed revisions. One message concerns the forest bioenergy language. Some activists would like less restrictive language to allow for ecological restoration projects. The attached “ECL-Bioenergy memo” responds to this concern, which gets into our member-adopted policy opposing commercial logging on federal lands. A second message, from Alan Carlton, Ed Mainland and Jim Stewart, requests an additional comment period. I will be sending you a response to that message in the next few days. The many comments we received were read thoughtfully and closely. This revision process began last year, and revisions have already been discussed by the board once. Both Mike and Bruce Hamilton have been involved, along with two volunteer campaign leaders and other Club energy experts. The most substantial changes are in the transitional fuels section. Again, if you have questions or concerns, please email them to the board list or feel free to contact any members of the drafting team, who are listed on the June 29th cover letter. I look forward to our discussion on the 25th. Dave - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the BOD-OPEN list, send any message to: BOD-OPEN-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This email list is associated with the Hydrofracking Team on the Sierra Club's Activist Network. Join the Hydrofracking Team at http://sc.org/frac. This list is open to the public and subscribers are not moderated. Please be aware that information you share may be forwarded to or read by others beyond this list. To unsubscribe from the ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS list, send any message to: ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS-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

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Tomblin's Executive Order
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 14 Jul '11

14 Jul '11

Attached is Tomblin's executive order concerning gas drilling. -Jonathan

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Robert Kennedy, Jr. Accepts Post on DEC Fracking Panel
by Frank Young 14 Jul '11

14 Jul '11

"Because of the reckless conduct of the industry over the past several years, as well as my growing concerns about the greenhouse gas impacts associated with shale gas extraction and about the potential for the investment and infrastructure required by aggressive natural gas exploitation to divert resources away from the development of alternative fuels, I have changed my thinking and have asked members of the industry to stop using any statements I may have made in the past in support of natural gas. My position now is that I oppose moving forward with permitting of all new horizontal hydrofracking activities until more responsible leadership emerges within the industry, best practices are required by law, and state and federal regulatory agencies have the staff and resources to provide reliable oversight."- Robert F. Kennedy (underlined emphasis added- F.Y.) ----- Original Message ----- From: Judith Cartisano To: ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Thursday, July 14, 2011 11:01 AM Subject: [ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS] Robert Kennedy Jr. Robert Kennedy, Jr. Accepts Post on DEC Fracking Panel View more images on our Flickr site Will advocate for rigorous environmental protections On Friday, July 1, 2011, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation announced its new recommendations regarding limits to be placed on high-volume hydraulic fracturing in New York State, including a ban on hydrofracking in the New York City and Syracuse watersheds, over primary aquifers and on state lands. In addition, DEC Commissioner Joe Martens announced the formation of an Hydraulic Fracturing Advisory Panel charged with developing recommendations to ensure proper oversight and enforcement with respect to hydraulic fracturing activities and mitigation of impacts to local governments and communities. Commissioner Martens asked Robert Kennedy, Jr., as the President of Waterkeeper Alliance, to be a member of the panel, along with several industry representatives, as well as representatives from other environmental organizations including NRDC and the Environmental Defense Fund. Governor Cuomo has assured Kennedy that his goal is to have DEC put in place the most rigorous regulations in the 50 states governing shale gas extraction activities in New York. In addition, the Governor and Commissioner Martens want to make certain that oversight and enforcement is adequately funded by the industry itself. Having been invited to play an inside role in guiding the State's efforts to put adequate protections in place to ensure that hydraulic fracturing will be done safely and responsibly in New York, Kennedy decided that he would be in the strongest position to negotiate on behalf of protecting the environment as a member of the panel. "I felt that it would be counter-productive and chicken-hearted for the Waterkeeper Alliance to sit on the sidelines and allow an industry-dominated panel attempt to influence the development of a less than fully protective regulatory framework, and then lob bombs at the final work product." Kennedy is committed to playing an active and forceful role on the panel to make certain that voices speaking for the environment and in particular, for our precious water resources, are heard, and to ensure that the best possible regulations and financial assurances are part of the regulatory protocols. This role is consistent with the position on the natural gas industry that Kennedy has taken since this spring, when he re-examined his support for natural gas as a reasonable substitute for the destructive practice of mountain top coal mining. "Because of the reckless conduct of the industry over the past several years, as well as my growing concerns about the greenhouse gas impacts associated with shale gas extraction and about the potential for the investment and infrastructure required by aggressive natural gas exploitation to divert resources away from the development of alternative fuels, I have changed my thinking and have asked members of the industry to stop using any statements I may have made in the past in support of natural gas. My position now is that I oppose moving forward with permitting of all new horizontal hydrofracking activities until more responsible leadership emerges within the industry, best practices are required by law, and state and federal regulatory agencies have the staff and resources to provide reliable oversight." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This email list is associated with the Hydrofracking Team on the Sierra Club's Activist Network. Join the Hydrofracking Team at http://sc.org/frac. This list is open to the public and subscribers are not moderated. Please be aware that information you share may be forwarded to or read by others beyond this list. To unsubscribe from the ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS list, send any message to: ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS-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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Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order
by DSGJr＠aol.com 14 Jul '11

14 Jul '11

Maloney fired the first salvo with his interview with Ry Rivard in the Daily Mail. The acting governor fired back with his executive order. I see the press conference as the third salvo. He began by blasting the EPA (again) over the Spruce permit, and blasted them again later in responding to a reporter's question. And he assembled a bunch of legislators and industry officials to surround him at the podium. Maloney has fired back, charging the acting governor is not showing leadership. This will probably escalate by itself. But Chuck's idea of providing Maloney with the Sierra Club position paper is not a bad one. In the interview Maloney gave to Ry, he has already come close to supporting some of it. don In a message dated 7/13/2011 9:47:27 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, fyoung(a)mountain.net writes: Is there a way to bait them into engaging in a political game of "out Marcellus" one another? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Wyrostok" <wyro(a)appalight.com> To: "'Jim Sconyers'" <jimscon(a)gmail.com>; "'James Kotcon'" <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> Cc: <DSGJr(a)aol.com>; <ec(a)osenergy.org>; <jbc329(a)earthlink.net> Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 10:41 PM Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order I'm thinking we should send our position paper to Maloney to give him an complete picture of what's needed...c Chuck Wyrostok Sierra Club Outreach Organizer Toll free 877 252 0257 E: outreach(a)marcellus-wv.com www.marcellus-wv.com -----Original Message----- From: Jim Sconyers [mailto:jimscon@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 12:13 AM To: James Kotcon Cc: ec(a)osenergy.org; wyro(a)appalight.com; DSGJr(a)aol.com; jbc329(a)earthlink.net Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order I'd say this is classic co-opting. On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 5:12 PM, James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> wrote: > Thank you Jonathon. Not sure how you got this, but it makes interesting reading. > > At first glance this seems like a major step forward, but the cynic in me read it again. > > * Nothing in here requires permits for or limits air emissions. > > * Nothing requires a permit for water withdrawals. This order give the operator the authority to submit a plan, and as long as the plan meets the methods approved by DEP, DEP can not deny or reject a plan submitted by the operator. > > * Nothing prohibits on-site burial of pit wastes. It says pits can be "managed on site in a manner otherwise approved by the Secretary of the WVDEP", and DEP currently approves on-site burial? > > So I am wondering if it is time to blast this proposal as too little, too late, and a prescription for continued outrage among citizens and uncertainty for industry. It is a classic example of Tomblin's continuing failure to provide leadership. > > JBK > >>>> Jonathan Rosenbaum <freesource(a)cheat.org> 7/12/2011 4:10 PM >>> > Attached is Tomblin's executive order concerning gas drilling. > > -Jonathan > > > _______________________________________________ > EC mailing list > EC(a)osenergy.org > http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec > -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last. _______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC(a)osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec

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Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order
by John Christensen 13 Jul '11

13 Jul '11

Sounds like a plan....see how strict they will go to get elected and how much they will attempt to protect our water and air as an afterthought -----Original Message----- >From: Frank Young <fyoung(a)mountain.net> >Sent: Jul 13, 2011 9:47 PM >To: Chuck Wyrostok <wyro(a)appalight.com>, 'Jim Sconyers' <jimscon(a)gmail.com>, 'James Kotcon' <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> >Cc: DSGJr(a)aol.com, ec(a)osenergy.org, jbc329(a)earthlink.net >Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order > >Is there a way to bait them into engaging in a political game of "out >Marcellus" one another? > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Chuck Wyrostok" <wyro(a)appalight.com> >To: "'Jim Sconyers'" <jimscon(a)gmail.com>; "'James Kotcon'" <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> >Cc: <DSGJr(a)aol.com>; <ec(a)osenergy.org>; <jbc329(a)earthlink.net> >Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 10:41 PM >Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order > > >I'm thinking we should send our position paper to Maloney to give him an >complete picture of what's needed...c > >Chuck Wyrostok >Sierra Club Outreach Organizer >Toll free 877 252 0257 >E: outreach(a)marcellus-wv.com >www.marcellus-wv.com > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Jim Sconyers [mailto:jimscon@gmail.com] >Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 12:13 AM >To: James Kotcon >Cc: ec(a)osenergy.org; wyro(a)appalight.com; DSGJr(a)aol.com; jbc329(a)earthlink.net >Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order > >I'd say this is classic co-opting. > >On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 5:12 PM, James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> wrote: >> Thank you Jonathon. Not sure how you got this, but it makes interesting >reading. >> >> At first glance this seems like a major step forward, but the cynic in me >read it again. >> >> * Nothing in here requires permits for or limits air emissions. >> >> * Nothing requires a permit for water withdrawals. This order give the >operator the authority to submit a plan, and as long as the plan meets the >methods approved by DEP, DEP can not deny or reject a plan submitted by the >operator. >> >> * Nothing prohibits on-site burial of pit wastes. It says pits can be >"managed on site in a manner otherwise approved by the Secretary of the >WVDEP", and DEP currently approves on-site burial? >> >> So I am wondering if it is time to blast this proposal as too little, too >late, and a prescription for continued outrage among citizens and >uncertainty for industry. It is a classic example of Tomblin's continuing >failure to provide leadership. >> >> JBK >> >>>>> Jonathan Rosenbaum <freesource(a)cheat.org> 7/12/2011 4:10 PM >>> >> Attached is Tomblin's executive order concerning gas drilling. >> >> -Jonathan >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> EC mailing list >> EC(a)osenergy.org >> http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec >> > > > >-- >Jim Sconyers >jimscon(a)gmail.com >304.698.9628 > >Remember, Mother Nature bats last. > > >_______________________________________________ >EC mailing list >EC(a)osenergy.org >http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec > > John Christensen Mountain View Solar and Wind LLC 410-499-4873 cell 304-258-4733 office

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Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order
by John Christensen 13 Jul '11

13 Jul '11

As a certified garbage crazy this thread is exciting to me and I have forwarded most of this to Clint Hogbin who is also very interested. In Berkeley County we have a project to change the local waste stream to a waste to fuel facility and we are working hard to get our siting plan update approved, I am on that board with Clint. My fear is that with less than normal supply coming in to LCS they will solicit this type of business to make up the difference and more, trouble for our aquifer will result, I'm afraid. I included Clint on this reply and hope we add him to the discussion from now on. JB -----Original Message----- >From: Beth Little <blittle(a)citynet.net> >Sent: Jul 13, 2011 8:14 AM >To: 'Frank Young' <fyoung(a)mountain.net>, ec(a)osenergy.org >Cc: wyro(a)appalight.com, DSGJr(a)aol.com, jbc329(a)earthlink.net >Subject: RE: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order > >Frank, I don't doubt that they have not been classified as hazardous, >because of all the exemptions gas development has from federal laws. That's >the problem. And I seriously doubt that a regular landfill has the >capability of testing for some of the nasties they contain, especially the >NORMs. Granted, a landfill is better than buried on site, but the landfill >in Greenbrier Co has leachate that goes into the Greenbrier River. > >-----Original Message----- >From: ec-bounces(a)osenergy.org [mailto:ec-bounces@osenergy.org] On Behalf Of >Frank Young >Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 10:20 PM >To: ec(a)osenergy.org >Cc: wyro(a)appalight.com; DSGJr(a)aol.com; jbc329(a)earthlink.net >Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order > be >Beth, > >By what legal determination are these drilling cuttings "hazardous >materials"? Somehow I doubt that they have been legally determined to be >hazardous materials. > >I think I'd rather see them taken to a legal landfill than disposed of on >site by the usual "fold the liner into the hole and bury" method. > >Frank > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Beth Little" <blittle(a)citynet.net> >To: "'James Kotcon'" <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>; <ec(a)osenergy.org> >Cc: <wyro(a)appalight.com>; <DSGJr(a)aol.com>; <jbc329(a)earthlink.net> >Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 8:29 PM >Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order > > >> Furthermore, Leslee and I are trying to track down the facts behind >> hearing >> that the Greenbrier landfill is taking cuttings from wells in Greenbrier >> Co. >> Leslee said she heard they have a permit. If it's a permit from the DEP, >> then they are allowing hazardous materials in regular landfills. >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: ec-bounces(a)osenergy.org [mailto:ec-bounces@osenergy.org] On Behalf >> Of >> James Kotcon >> Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 5:12 PM >> To: ec(a)osenergy.org >> Cc: wyro(a)appalight.com; DSGJr(a)aol.com; jbc329(a)earthlink.net >> Subject: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order >> >> Thank you Jonathon. Not sure how you got this, but it makes interesting >> reading. >> >> At first glance this seems like a major step forward, but the cynic in me >> read it again. >> >> * Nothing in here requires permits for or limits air emissions. >> >> * Nothing requires a permit for water withdrawals. This order give the >> operator the authority to submit a plan, and as long as the plan meets the >> methods approved by DEP, DEP can not deny or reject a plan submitted by >> the >> operator. >> >> * Nothing prohibits on-site burial of pit wastes. It says pits can be >> "managed on site in a manner otherwise approved by the Secretary of the >> WVDEP", and DEP currently approves on-site burial? >> >> So I am wondering if it is time to blast this proposal as too little, too >> late, and a prescription for continued outrage among citizens and >> uncertainty for industry. It is a classic example of Tomblin's continuing >> failure to provide leadership. >> >> JBK >> >>>>> Jonathan Rosenbaum <freesource(a)cheat.org> 7/12/2011 4:10 PM >>> >> Attached is Tomblin's executive order concerning gas drilling. >> >> -Jonathan >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> EC mailing list >> EC(a)osenergy.org >> http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec > > > >_______________________________________________ >EC mailing list >EC(a)osenergy.org >http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec > > >----- >No virus found in this message. >Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >Version: 10.0.1390 / Virus Database: 1516/3760 - Release Date: 07/12/11 > John Christensen Mountain View Solar and Wind LLC 410-499-4873 cell 304-258-4733 office

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Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order
by John Christensen 12 Jul '11

12 Jul '11

I always thought that it was considered haz mat by what was in it or potentially in it, no requirement to test the flowback or cuttings to determine the toxicity before disposing... -----Original Message----- >From: Frank Young <fyoung(a)mountain.net> >Sent: Jul 12, 2011 9:19 PM >To: ec(a)osenergy.org >Cc: wyro(a)appalight.com, DSGJr(a)aol.com, jbc329(a)earthlink.net >Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order > >Beth, > >By what legal determination are these drilling cuttings "hazardous >materials"? Somehow I doubt that they have been legally determined to be >hazardous materials. > >I think I'd rather see them taken to a legal landfill than disposed of on >site by the usual "fold the liner into the hole and bury" method. > >Frank > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Beth Little" <blittle(a)citynet.net> >To: "'James Kotcon'" <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>; <ec(a)osenergy.org> >Cc: <wyro(a)appalight.com>; <DSGJr(a)aol.com>; <jbc329(a)earthlink.net> >Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 8:29 PM >Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order > > >> Furthermore, Leslee and I are trying to track down the facts behind >> hearing >> that the Greenbrier landfill is taking cuttings from wells in Greenbrier >> Co. >> Leslee said she heard they have a permit. If it's a permit from the DEP, >> then they are allowing hazardous materials in regular landfills. >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: ec-bounces(a)osenergy.org [mailto:ec-bounces@osenergy.org] On Behalf >> Of >> James Kotcon >> Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 5:12 PM >> To: ec(a)osenergy.org >> Cc: wyro(a)appalight.com; DSGJr(a)aol.com; jbc329(a)earthlink.net >> Subject: [EC] Fwd: Tomblin's Executive Order >> >> Thank you Jonathon. Not sure how you got this, but it makes interesting >> reading. >> >> At first glance this seems like a major step forward, but the cynic in me >> read it again. >> >> * Nothing in here requires permits for or limits air emissions. >> >> * Nothing requires a permit for water withdrawals. This order give the >> operator the authority to submit a plan, and as long as the plan meets the >> methods approved by DEP, DEP can not deny or reject a plan submitted by >> the >> operator. >> >> * Nothing prohibits on-site burial of pit wastes. It says pits can be >> "managed on site in a manner otherwise approved by the Secretary of the >> WVDEP", and DEP currently approves on-site burial? >> >> So I am wondering if it is time to blast this proposal as too little, too >> late, and a prescription for continued outrage among citizens and >> uncertainty for industry. It is a classic example of Tomblin's continuing >> failure to provide leadership. >> >> JBK >> >>>>> Jonathan Rosenbaum <freesource(a)cheat.org> 7/12/2011 4:10 PM >>> >> Attached is Tomblin's executive order concerning gas drilling. >> >> -Jonathan >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> EC mailing list >> EC(a)osenergy.org >> http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec > > John Christensen Mountain View Solar and Wind LLC 410-499-4873 cell 304-258-4733 office

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New Report Reveals Toxic Air Near Natural Gas Operations
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 12 Jul '11

12 Jul '11

http://wv4mom.org/content/new-report-reveals-toxic-air-near-natural-gas-ope… -Jonathan

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Fwd: FW: Teleconference - Drilling in an Abandoned Field: Hydrofracking in the Absence of Federal Regulation, Thurs. July 14
by Paul Wilson 12 Jul '11

12 Jul '11

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: DAVID E ORTMAN <deortman(a)msn.com> Date: Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 12:40 AM Subject: FW: Teleconference - Drilling in an Abandoned Field: Hydrofracking in the Absence of Federal Regulation, Thurs. July 14 To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)lists.sierraclub.org FR: David E. Ortman, Seattle, WA While NG fracking is not exactly coal, members on this listserve or others may be interested in this ABA program on Thursday. It doesn't specifically say you have to be an attorney or a member of the ABA to listen in. ------------------------------ To: deortman(a)MSN.COM Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:30:00 -0500 From: irr(a)americanbar.org Subject: Teleconference - Drilling in an Abandoned Field: Hydrofracking in the Absence of Federal Regulation, Thurs. July 14 - Section Home <http://www.americanbar.org/groups/individual_rights.html> • - Contact Us<http://www.americanbar.org/groups/individual_rights/contact_us.html> Drilling in an Abandoned Field: Hydrofracking in the Absence of Federal Regulation This panel will consider the legal landscape and environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing ("hydrofracking"), the use of horizontal drilling and high-volume fluid injection to free up natural gas found in shale and other deposits. The process makes drilling in places such as the Marcellus shale region feasible but introduces a number of regulatory challenges. For the process to work, millions of gallons of water must be piped or transported to well sites. Similar amounts of wastewater, containing hydrocarbons and proprietary chemicals, must be handled. Much of the wastewater remains below the surface where it can migrate into aquifers. Residents must endure noise, vibrations, lower property values, and air pollution from gas leaks, flaring, and truck exhaust. Hydrofracking is largely exempt from federal environmental laws, leaving the states to fend for themselves. This panel, composed of experts with many years of experience regulating and litigating hydrofracking-related issues, will discuss the New York and Pennsylvania experiences with this form of natural gas extraction. We will draw lessons from their struggles with environmental review, zoning, preemption, enforcement, and other practices. Their experience will be of use to environmental attorneys working in any of a growing number of states that has decided to consider or approve the use of hydrofracking in local communities. Speakers include: - *Al Appleton<http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/events/individual_rights/appleto…> *, Senior Advisor, The Cooper Union<http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/events/individual_rights/appleto…> - *Kate Hudson<http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/events/individual_rights/hudson_…> *, Watershed Program Director, Riverkeeper, Inc.<http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/events/individual_rights/hudson_…> - *Gregg Macey<http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/events/individual_rights/macey_b…> *, Brooklyn Law School<http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/events/individual_rights/macey_b…> - *Jeff Zimmerman<http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/events/individual_rights/zimmerm…> *, Zimmerman & Associates<http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/events/individual_rights/zimmerm…> THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2011 2:00 P.M. Eastern ** To join the 90 minute call please dial 1-877-317-0419 and reference the "Hydraulic Fracturing Call" or "Conference ID 80530313" ** The ABA is not seeking CLE credit for this program, you will not receive CLE credit for listening to this program. This message was sent to deortman(a)msn.com. Your e-mail address will only be used within the ABA and its entities. We do not sell or rent e-mail addresses to anyone outside the ABA. Update your profile<http://apps.americanbar.org/abanet/common/MyABA/home.cfm>| Unsubscribe<http://apps.americanbar.org/unsubscribe.shtml?email=deortman@msn.com>| Privacy Policy <http://www.americanbar.org/utility/privacy.html> American Bar Association | 321 N Clark | Chicago, IL 60654 | 1-800-285-2221 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 -- 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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Re: [EC] Interim Committee meetings
by DSGJr＠aol.com 09 Jul '11

09 Jul '11

Here is the agenda as I know it from staff. Meeting begins Tuesday evening at 6 PM and will go as long as they can. Then will continue on Wednesday at noon. 1. Presentation on tax revenues from Marcellus by Mark Muchow of Dept. of Revenue 2. Presentation on economic benefits of a cracker plant by Keith Buredette of Econ Development Office 3. Standard presentation on horizontal drilling and fracking by someone from WVU 4. Presentation by Don Garvin (whoever he is) 5. Presentation by two Morgantown city council members 6. Presentation by Dave McMahon And, yes, Sconyers, you are always paranoid. But that's not a bad thing! don garvin In a message dated 7/9/2011 3:22:33 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jimscon(a)gmail.com writes: Am I paranoid? Neither meeting of the Marcellus select committee has an agenda posted. On Sat, Jul 9, 2011 at 1:21 PM, James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> wrote: > The Interim Committee schedule is out. Looks like some meetings start as early as 9 AM Monday. > > The Select Committee on Marcellus is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 6 PM, and again Wednesday at noon. > > Others of interest include > > Monday > 10 AM. Joint Commission on Economic Development. Update on Marcellus gas "cracker" plants. House Gov Org. Room 215 E > > 11 AM. Joint Commission on Water Resources. Senate Judiciary Room. 208 W. The agenda posted is from 2010, but I expect it may be worth covering. > > 2 PM. Finance Sub Committee B. Senate Finance room. Funding Issues Regarding Marcellus Shale. > > 3 PM. Judiciary Subcommittee C. Senate Judiciary Room Revision of rule-making procedures. > > Tuesday > 6 PM. Select Committee on Marcellus. Senate Judiciary > > Wednesday > 10 AM Legislative Rule-Making Review. Senate Judiciary. No on-line agenda yet, the posted one is from January. > 11 AM. Joint Judiciary Committee. House Chamber. Review of Supreme Court election finance decision. > 12:00 Noon. elect Committee on Marcellus. Senate Judiciary > > There may be other interesting things happening, but these ought to be a good start. > > JBK > > > > > _______________________________________________ > EC mailing list > EC(a)osenergy.org > http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec > -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

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Interim Committee meetings
by James Kotcon 09 Jul '11

09 Jul '11

The Interim Committee schedule is out. Looks like some meetings start as early as 9 AM Monday. The Select Committee on Marcellus is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 6 PM, and again Wednesday at noon. Others of interest include Monday 10 AM. Joint Commission on Economic Development. Update on Marcellus gas "cracker" plants. House Gov Org. Room 215 E 11 AM. Joint Commission on Water Resources. Senate Judiciary Room. 208 W. The agenda posted is from 2010, but I expect it may be worth covering. 2 PM. Finance Sub Committee B. Senate Finance room. Funding Issues Regarding Marcellus Shale. 3 PM. Judiciary Subcommittee C. Senate Judiciary Room Revision of rule-making procedures. Tuesday 6 PM. Select Committee on Marcellus. Senate Judiciary Wednesday 10 AM Legislative Rule-Making Review. Senate Judiciary. No on-line agenda yet, the posted one is from January. 11 AM. Joint Judiciary Committee. House Chamber. Review of Supreme Court election finance decision. 12:00 Noon. elect Committee on Marcellus. Senate Judiciary There may be other interesting things happening, but these ought to be a good start. JBK

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Re: [EC] Interim Committee meetings
by DSGJr＠aol.com 09 Jul '11

09 Jul '11

Don't forget the air rules, Jim. "The public hearing for all air quality rules will take place at 6 p.m. on July 11 in the Dolly Sods Room at DEP’s Charleston headquarters, 601 57th Street S.E., Charleston, WV 25304. The comment period will begin on June 10 and end at the conclusion of the hearing." don In a message dated 7/9/2011 12:21:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jkotcon(a)wvu.edu writes: The Interim Committee schedule is out. Looks like some meetings start as early as 9 AM Monday. The Select Committee on Marcellus is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 6 PM, and again Wednesday at noon. Others of interest include Monday 10 AM. Joint Commission on Economic Development. Update on Marcellus gas "cracker" plants. House Gov Org. Room 215 E 11 AM. Joint Commission on Water Resources. Senate Judiciary Room. 208 W. The agenda posted is from 2010, but I expect it may be worth covering. 2 PM. Finance Sub Committee B. Senate Finance room. Funding Issues Regarding Marcellus Shale. 3 PM. Judiciary Subcommittee C. Senate Judiciary Room Revision of rule-making procedures. Tuesday 6 PM. Select Committee on Marcellus. Senate Judiciary Wednesday 10 AM Legislative Rule-Making Review. Senate Judiciary. No on-line agenda yet, the posted one is from January. 11 AM. Joint Judiciary Committee. House Chamber. Review of Supreme Court election finance decision. 12:00 Noon. elect Committee on Marcellus. Senate Judiciary There may be other interesting things happening, but these ought to be a good start. JBK

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Re: [EC] Interim Committee meetings
by DSGJr＠aol.com 09 Jul '11

09 Jul '11

I always attend the Forest Management Review meeting -- it's Monday at 9 AM. The Water Resources Meeting at 11 AM Monday has been canceled and rolled into the Select Committee meetings. don In a message dated 7/9/2011 12:21:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, jkotcon(a)wvu.edu writes: The Interim Committee schedule is out. Looks like some meetings start as early as 9 AM Monday. The Select Committee on Marcellus is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 6 PM, and again Wednesday at noon. Others of interest include Monday 10 AM. Joint Commission on Economic Development. Update on Marcellus gas "cracker" plants. House Gov Org. Room 215 E 11 AM. Joint Commission on Water Resources. Senate Judiciary Room. 208 W. The agenda posted is from 2010, but I expect it may be worth covering. 2 PM. Finance Sub Committee B. Senate Finance room. Funding Issues Regarding Marcellus Shale. 3 PM. Judiciary Subcommittee C. Senate Judiciary Room Revision of rule-making procedures. Tuesday 6 PM. Select Committee on Marcellus. Senate Judiciary Wednesday 10 AM Legislative Rule-Making Review. Senate Judiciary. No on-line agenda yet, the posted one is from January. 11 AM. Joint Judiciary Committee. House Chamber. Review of Supreme Court election finance decision. 12:00 Noon. elect Committee on Marcellus. Senate Judiciary There may be other interesting things happening, but these ought to be a good start. JBK

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Fwd: The Pulse: Global warming worsens asthma and respiratory illnesses
by James Kotcon 08 Jul '11

08 Jul '11

Some fascinating tidbits from The Union of Concerned Scientists. I am especially intrigued by their approach to the questions of whether the floods, tornados and other severe storms are caused by Global Warming. While one can never ascribe single weather events, or even a single year of weather, to "climate" change, the models all predict, and the weather trends all show, that increasingly severe storms are coming. The powerful storms of 2011 are "the new normal", and it is going to keep getting worse. JBK >>> Union of Concerned Scientists <action(a)ucsusa.org> 7/7/2011 6:33 PM >>> ***************************** Union of Concerned Scientists The Pulse: Facts You Need from Experts You Trust http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=0GQWYnO4d3TK4Nu6BRZ0_g.. ***************************** Dear James, A new UCS report reveals that global warming threatens public health and increases health care costs by exacerbating ground-level ozone--the primary component of smog. "Climate Change and Your Health: Rising Temperatures, Worsening Ozone Pollution," explains how climate change-induced ozone increases are likely to result in millions of additional respiratory illnesses and thousands of more hospitalizations due to serious breathing problems in 2020. And what will all these health-related impacts cost? Approximately $5.4 billion. The good news is that both ozone pollution and climate change are fundamentally caused by the same activities--human beings burning fossil fuels--and we have ready-to-roll solutions for this problem. To check out our new report online, visit: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=jSKHvaaOe4IV5Z54-Ee3wA.. -Karla SCIENCE IN ACTION Tell Congress: Global warming could take our breath away. Unchecked global warming could lead to more serious respiratory illnesses like asthma and cost us billions in health costs. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working right now to draft new regulations that would help protect us from the dangerous effects of global warming. Send a message to your members of Congress today urging them to let the EPA protect our health and save us money by reducing global warming emissions. Click Here to Take Action: http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=GWvmnyyVs21uz9lafdi9GQ.. LINKS FOR YOU: :: UCS ticker shows the enormous amount of money the Clean Air Act has saved the country from 1970 through today. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=3ggdhWSDKi8tDUTDqYMz2w.. :: USA today: UCS warns climate change could increase breathing problems and health costs. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=sK-Pk6aQr8oVo3vOyzXWog.. :: New Climate Hot Map shows effects of global warming around the world. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=dNQ9d7U9xDDkCvSsq3lq-A.. :: Don't miss your chance to win a carbon-neutral trip for two to research climate change in Brazil! Embark on our Climate Hot Map Scavenger Hunt today. http://action.ucsusa.org/site/R?i=n-f4DpSedy8G8liT_eGo4A.. ASK THE SCIENTIST: How much ozone depletion has occurred over the past two decades, and to what degree are more harmful UV rays now reaching Earth? --K. Roumph, Fremont, NE. Answered by Peter Frumhoff, Ph.D., Director of Science & Policy Earth's ozone layer, high in the atmosphere, which had thinned significantly by the 1980s and early 1990s, has actually stabilized over the past two decades. Its recovery is uneven and complicated by global warming, but overall, a scientific and political success story averted a much more serious threat from ultraviolet radiation, or UV rays. When ozone is created near Earth's surface, however, it's called ground-level ozone and this type of ozone is a human health irritant and component of smog. Unfortunately, warmer temperatures increase ground-level ozone. 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Fwd: Fracking fluids foul national forest
by Paul Wilson 07 Jul '11

07 Jul '11

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Bruce Hamilton <Bruce.Hamilton(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Jul 7, 2011 at 12:14 PM Subject: Fracking fluids foul national forest To: CONS-AWL-RESILIENT-HABITATS(a)lists.sierraclub.org *Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility News Release (** www.peer.org* <http://www.peer.org/>*)* For Immediate Release: July 6, 2011 Contact: Kirsten Stade (202) 265-7337 *FRACKING FLUIDS POISON A NATIONAL FOREST *— New Study Details Changes in Soil Chemistry and Devastation of Trees and Plants Washington, DC — A new study has found that wastewater from natural gas hydrofracturing in a West Virginia national forest quickly wiped out all ground plants, killed more than half of the trees and caused radical changes in soil chemistry. These results argue for much tighter control over disposal of these “fracking fluids,” contends Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The new study by Mary Beth Adams, a U.S. Forest Service researcher, appears in the July-August issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Environmental Quality. She looked at the effects of land application of fracking fluids on a quarter-acre section of the Fernow Experimental Forest within the Monongahela National Forest. More than 75,000 gallons of fracking fluids, which are injected deep underground to free shale gas and then return to the surface, were applied to the assigned plot over a two day period during June 2008. The following effects were reported in the study: - Within two days all ground plants were dead; - Within 10 days, leaves of trees began to turn brown. Within two years more than half of the approximately 150 trees were dead; and - “Surface soil concentrations of sodium and chloride increased 50-fold as a result of the land application of hydrofracturing fluids…” These elevated levels eventually declined as chemical leached off-site. The exact chemical composition of these fluids is not known because the chemical formula is classified as confidential proprietary information. “The explosion of shale gas drilling in the East has the potential to turn large stretches of public lands into lifeless moonscapes,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, noting that land disposal of fracking fluids is common and in the case of the Fernow was done pursuant to a state permit. “This study suggests that these fluids should be treated as toxic waste.” For the past twenty-five years, the Forest Service has not applied any environmental restrictions on private extraction efforts, even in wilderness areas. As a result, forests, like the Monongahela, which sits astride the huge Marcellus Shale gas formation, have struggled with many adverse impacts of widespread drilling. By contrast, the nearby George Washington National Forest (NF) has recently proposed to ban horizontal drilling, a practice associated with hydrofracking, due to concern about both the ecosystem damage and also the huge amount of water required for the fracking process. Two subcommittees of the House of Representatives will hold a joint hearing this Friday to examine the George Washington NF’s singular pro-conservation stance. “Unfortunately, the Forest Service has drilled its head deeply into the sand on oil and gas operations harming forest assets,” Ruch added, noting the National Wildlife Refuges also lack regulations to minimize drilling impacts. “The Forest Service needs to develop a broader approach than asking each forest supervisor to cast a lone profile in courage or cowardice.” -- 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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Oil and Hydraulic Fracking
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 05 Jul '11

05 Jul '11

Argentina Hopes for a Big Payoff in Its Shale Oil Field Discovery By CLIFFORD KRAUSS<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/clifford_kraus…> Published: July 4, 2011 Just east of Argentina’s Andean foothills, an oil<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/oil-petroleu…>field called the Vaca Muerta — “dead cow” in English — has finally come to life. Michael Stravato for The New York Times Extracting oil from shale formations in South Texas. Enlarge This Image An oil field called Vaca Muerta came to life. In May, the Argentine oil company YPF announced that it had found 150 million barrels of oil in the Patagonian field, and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner rushed onto national television to praise the discovery as something that could give new impetus to the country’s long-stagnant economy. “The importance of this discovery goes well beyond the volume,” said Sebastián Eskenazi, YPF’s chief executive, as he announced the find. “The important thing is it is something new: new energy, a new future, new expectations.” Although there are significant hurdles, geologists say that the Vaca Muerta is a harbinger of a possible major expansion of global petroleum supplies over the next two decades as the industry uses advanced techniques to extract oil from shale and other tightly packed rocks. Exploration of similar shale fields has already begun in Australia, Canada, Poland and France. Indian and Chinese oil companies are investing in pilot projects that, if successful, could make their countries significant oil producers, possibly reshaping energy geopolitics and stemming future price rises. Ukraine and Russia are also thought to have sizable shale fields of oil and gas, as do many North African and Middle Eastern countries. “The potential is huge, on the order of hundreds of billions of barrels of recoverable reserves,” said Michael C. Lynch, president of Strategic Energy and Economic Research, a consulting firm, who is preparing a report on global shale oil. Similar fields in North Dakota and Texas are already beginning to gush oil. The techniques used to extract it include hydraulic fracturing, in which high-pressure fluids are used to break up shale rock to release the oil, and horizontal drilling, which allows drillers to tap thin layers of oil-filled shale that are sandwiched between layers of other rock. Oil experts caution that geologists have only just begun to study shale fields in much of the world, and thus can only guess at their potential. Little seismic work has been completed, and core samples need to be retrieved from thousands of feet below the surface to judge how much oil or gas can be retrieved. Skeptics also say that even if oil is found in many of these fields, some may not be recoverable using current technology. Hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, has drawn significant opposition in the United States and France because of concerns that the fluids used can pollute groundwater. Also, the process requires vast amounts of water, a problem since many of the fields are in dry regions. Another barrier to widespread exploitation of oil shale is that few companies have the expertise and experience to do the work. Chinese and Indian oil companies are investing in joint shale ventures in the United States and other countries in part so they can learn the new exploration and drilling techniques. The search for oil in tight rocks began in the United States about three years ago, and the potential for oil has been found from Texas to Michigan, California to Ohio. Domestic oil production from shale has grown to more than half a million barrels a day since 2009 and could reach three million barrels a day by 2020. Oil companies are speculating that the early successes in the United States can be duplicated around the world. Exploration for gas from shale began a couple of years ago in China and around Europe, particularly Poland, and experts say some of those fields have oil potential as well. “It could potentially be a game changer,” said Fadel Gheit, a managing director and senior oil analyst at Oppenheimer & Company. “We are going to see much wider distribution of oil reserves, to the benefit of the whole world. It could rerank countries, in which the very needy might become self-sufficient. Countries like Canada and Australia could potentially become the new Saudi Arabia for energy.” Argentina certainly has high hopes for shale oil from the southern Patagonian province of Neuquén. The 150 million barrels of recoverable shale oil found in the Vaca Muerta represents an increase of 8 percent in Argentina’s reserves, and the find was the biggest discovery of oil in the country since the late 1980s. Oil experts say the Vaca Muerta is probably just a start for Argentina, long a middle-ranked oil producer. Mr. Lynch noted that YPF had explored only 100 square miles out of 5,000 square miles in the whole shale deposit, and other oil companies working in the area had not announced any discoveries yet. Argentina has long struggled to meet its own oil and gas needs, and energy price controls and other economic policies have dissuaded oil companies from making major investments there. That is now changing, with the French oil company Total and the American companies Apache, Exxon Mobil and EOG Resources making major investments in Argentine shale fields. “Argentina certainly has the chance of becoming a significant oil exporter,” said Mark G. Papa, chief executive of EOG, which pioneered oil shale drilling in the United States and recently acquired access to 100,000 acres of Argentine shale. So far, nearly all of the oil exploration in the shale fields in Argentina and elsewhere has been pursued with traditional vertical wells. Plans are just beginning for horizontal drilling. Some experts caution that the fast advance of oil production from shale in the United States is no guarantee of similar successes abroad, at least not in the near future. Aubrey K. McClendon, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, a major domestic shale oil and gas producer, said that production would be constrained by the small number of companies with shale expertise and limits on access imposed by some countries. “I am pretty confident that during the next 10 years the best oil volume growth story in the world will be the U.S.,” he said in an e-mail message. But he added, “I believe there’s shale oil and tight sand oil to be found all over the world.” One of the big potential winners is China, which has at least two shale pilot projects exploring for oil and gas. BP and Royal Dutch Shell are already working with the Chinese, and several other international companies are seeking shale opportunities in the country. The Chinese are working alone on some projects. “China will probably be able to grow fast because of the single ownership of the resources,” said Bob Fryklund, vice president for global exploration and production analysis at IHS Cera, an energy consultant firm. Mr. Fryklund said it was still early to know how big global oil production from shale would become. But he noted that oil companies had already taken the potential seriously enough to invest billions of dollars in initial exploration projects. “Tight oil is the new revolution in oil production, and it’s not just the U.S.,” Mr. Fryklund said. “It’s worldwide.” -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Is gas the new "Nuclear"?
by James Kotcon 05 Jul '11

05 Jul '11

>>> Betty Wiley <betty.w304(a)gmail.com> 6/25/2011 9:47 PM >>> Web pressure on gas By Mike Benard (guest columnist) Published: June 24, 2011 Mike Benard, founder of Spectra Energy Watch, is a former gas leaseholder in Bedford County. Technology and the Internet are doing to the energy industry what they did to the music and photo industries. They are collapsing the status quo and the industry is rattled by what it understands is a shift in power. At a natural gas industry symposium, GasMart 2011, worried voices were reported by an industry publication, NGI's Shale Daily. David Ciarlone of Alcoa said: "I clearly remember how a promising energy technology, the nuclear industry, lost the confidence of the public and billions of dollars that had been invested were abandoned. Without significant changes, shale gas, like nuclear power, could be more remembered for promises made than hopes realized." Three indicators characterize this shift: n Rise of public opinion via a global "neighborhood watch" - It isn't just the energy industry that is global. Property owners and citizens worldwide know about "gaz de schiste" in France and the National Assembly vote there to prohibit hydraulic fracturing. Australia's Frackman has his own Facebook page. n Rise of the transparent culture - It is increasingly damaging to corporate brands for gas/oil companies to pretend the industry's drilling, storage and pipeline practices have no adverse affects on health, environment and the communities in which they operate. n It's personal - Every student of social media knows that "authenticity" is the watchword. Today's global, wired challenge to the energy industry is motivated by personal testimony. The Times-Tribune account of Bradford County resident Crystal Stroud's compelling testimony about the adverse health effects of drilling is but the latest example. And such personal testimony is much more credible than slick TV ads sponsored by the industry. While the energy industry ramps up spending for more lobbying and legal firewalls, it struggles to understand why the status quo is collapsing. There are three reasons: n The energy industry speaks in absolutes that were not seriously challenged until recently. n The industry characterizes citizen opposition as left-wing environmental wackos and even extremists. It ignores its trampling on property rights, which offends conservatives. n The industry demonstrates it is not capable of living up to its own published principles such as environmental protection, accountability and transparency. (After seven months, the Marcellus Shale Coalition cannot explain what its second guiding principle means it will do at the well site.) Even Texas is no longer a sanctuary for the energy industry. The Dallas Morning News recently editorialized: "Local governments across North Texas are sounding alarms about the possibility of increased air pollution, groundwater contamination, noise and declining property values coinciding with drilling companies' push into urban areas. "These concerns are not overblown. ... But the industry's tendency has too often been to deny, deflect and use judicial bullying to get its way." To return to the comparison with the nuclear industry, the shale gas fracking industry is radioactive in terms of public trust. And it achieved this distinction the old fashioned way - it "earned" it. Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/editorials-columns/guest-columnists/web…

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Fwd: Republican Bill Maloney urges Marcellus shale regulations - Charleston Daily Mail
by James Kotcon 04 Jul '11

04 Jul '11

>>> Mark Blumenstein <markb(a)mountain.net> 7/4/2011 8:26 AM >>> July 4, 2011 8:23:53 AM EDT - Republican Bill Maloney urges Marcellus shale regulations by Ry Rivard Daily Mail Capitol Reporter CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Maloney said West Virginia's leaders need to pass new Marcellus shale regulations to protect communities, state roads and the environment and to give legal certainty to the industry. "We need to come up with the exact rules and do it because there's a lot of investment being held back right now," Maloney said in a Friday telephone interview. He provided his first extensive comments on one of the state's most pressing issues. Maloney said he supports raising permit fees for Marcellus well sites so the Department of Environmental Protection has enough money to hire the oil and gas inspectors it needs. He also said the state can do more to make sure communities near gas wells benefit from severance taxes, something he feels has not happened enough in the coalfields. State lawmakers have tried and failed to come up with regulations for what many expect will be a natural gas boom in West Virginia. Maloney wasn't too critical of the Legislature, although he said it might have lost an opportunity to pass regulations sooner because of "the inactivity of all parties involved." He said there was a lack of leadership by acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, the Democrat Maloney faces in the Oct. 4 general election. "I got to give Joe Manchin credit, at least he would lead on something like this," Maloney said. Tomblin began acting as governor by virtue of being president of the state Senate in mid-November, following former Gov. Manchin's departure for the U.S. Senate. Maloney said there's already a "great blueprint" for a new law in a recent deal that gas company Northeast Energy struck with the Morgantown Utility Board. City officials were concerned because Northeast's well is near a public water supply. To get gas from the Marcellus, companies use a water-intensive technique known as hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," to free gas from shale rocks. In a three-page memo to assuage the city's worries, Northeast promised to pressure-test wells to prevent blowouts and to take extra steps to prevent spills of frack water, which is laced with chemicals. The company also promised to detail how it disposed of the frack fluid that returns to the surface after it has been shot deep into the earth. But the City Council remained concerned and - mostly because officials in Charleston had repeatedly failed to act - voted last month to ban fracking in and around Morgantown. Maloney said the city's total ban was "driving him crazy." "People are afraid to work with anybody from Morgantown because of that deal," he said. Maloney earned his fortune in the coal mineshaft drilling business. He also has drilled water wells and invests in oil and gas interests. He said he is not invested in Marcellus shale wells. "We need to protect property owners, we need to protect residents, we need to protect health and safety, we need to protect communities - but you need to do it in a logical manner," Maloney said. He said there are valid concerns about dangers to the environment, but "if the well is constructed properly, there's never been a case of contamination." "The real environmental concern is when you pump in all this frack fluid and they then flow back like two-thirds of that, and when they're flowing back, you've just got to avoid spills and make sure it's contained," Maloney said. "You've got to have controls in place to make sure that water wasn't dumped in a creek or isn't being taken somewhere it's not supposed to be taken." He also said any rules should make sure gas rigs or trucks hauling water aren't allowed to tear up state roads without the state being reimbursed. He said there could be some limits on how loud operations can be within earshot of communities. "You don't want to see roads ruined by all the truck traffic, the dust, the noise," Maloney said. He said it's probably not wise to burden Marcellus shale regulations with anything about the controversial practice known as "forced pooling," which lets companies extract gas from beneath a large tract of land even if they can't agree to a lease with all of the mineral rights owners. Wrangling over a forced pooling provision stalled gas regulations earlier this year in the state House of Delegates. More Articles in State News 1 | 2 | Next Page »

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Fwd: NEWS ADVISORY: Milestone Passed - Renewable Energy Overtakes Nuclear Power
by James Kotcon 04 Jul '11

04 Jul '11

This is great news! JBK >>> Kenneth Bossong <sustainableenergy_news(a)yahoo.com> 7/3/2011 10:38 AM >>> SUN DAY CAMPAIGN 6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite #340; Takoma Park, MD 20912 301-270-6477 x.11 sun-day-campaign(a)hotmail.com News Advisory RENEWABLE ENERGY REACHES MILESTONE DOMESTIC PRODUCTION SURPASSES NUCLEAR AND CLOSES IN ON OIL RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY EXPANDS BY 26% REACHES 13% OF NET U.S. ELECTRICAL GENERATION For Immediate Release: Tuesday - July 5, 2011 Contact: Ken Bossong, 301-270-6477 x.11 Washington DC – According to the most recent issue of the "Monthly Energy Review" by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), renewable energy has passed a milestone as domestic production is now greater than that of nuclear power and is closing in on oil. During the first quarter of 2011, renewable energy sources (biomass/biofuels, geothermal, solar, water, wind) provided 2.245 quadrillion Btus of energy or 11.73% of U.S. energy production. More significantly, energy production from renewable energy sources in 2011 was 5.65% more than that from nuclear power, which provided 2.125 quadrillion Btus and has remained largely unchanged in recent years. Energy from renewable sources is now 77.15% of that from domestic crude oil production, with the gap closing rapidly. Looking at all energy sectors (e.g., electricity, transportation, thermal), production of renewable energy, including hydropower, has increased by 15.07% compared to the first quarter of 2010, and by 25.07% when compared to the first quarter of 2009. Among the renewable energy sources, biomass/biofuels accounted for 48.06%, hydropower for 35.41%, wind for 12.87%, geothermal for 2.45%, and solar for 1.16%. Looking at just the electricity sector, according to the latest issue of EIA’s "Electric Power Monthly," for the first quarter of 2011, renewable energy sources (biomass, geothermal, solar, water, wind) accounted for 12.94% of net U.S. electrical generation - up from 10.31% during the same period in 2010. Non-hydro renewables accounted for 4.74% of net U.S. electrical generation. In terms of actual production, renewable electrical output increased by 25.82% in the first three months of 2011 compared to the first quarter of 2010. Solar-generated electricity increased by 104.8%, wind-generated electricity rose by 40.3%, hydropower output expanded by 28.7%, and geothermal electrical generation rose by 5.8%. Only electricity from biomass sources dropped - by 4.8%. By comparison, natural gas electrical output rose by 1.8% and nuclear-generated electricity increased by only 0.4% while coal-generated electricity dropped by 5.7%. “Notwithstanding the recent nuclear accident in Japan, among many others, and the rapid growth in energy and electricity from renewable sources, congressional Republicans continue to press for more nuclear energy funding while seeking deep cuts in renewable energy investments,” said Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign. “One has to wonder ‘what are these people thinking?’” # # # # # # # # The U.S. Energy Information Administration released its most recent "Monthly Energy Review" on June 28, 2011. It can be found at: http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly. The relevant charts from which the data above are extrapolated are Tables 1.2 and 10.1. EIA released its most recent "Electric Power Monthly" on June 9, 2011; see: http://www.eia.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm_sum.html. The relevant charts are Tables ES1.B, and 1.1.A. ======================= The SUN DAY Campaign is a non-profit research and educational organization founded in 1993 to promote sustainable energy technologies as cost-effective alternatives to nuclear power and fossil fuels.

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Natural gas prices set to jump with exports
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 04 Jul '11

04 Jul '11

Interesting article. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_741745.html

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Fwd: Statewide Antifracking rally--July 11, Charleston
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 02 Jul '11

02 Jul '11

Everyone from around the state is invited to attend this event. Goal is 1000 people strong. Mt Party candidate Bob Baber will be attending. FB event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=250055288343466 -Jonathan -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Statewide Antifracking rally--July 11, Charleston Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2011 22:53:42 -0400 From: Nancy Ganz <suncrestna(a)gmail.com> To: nbandana(a)aol.com ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: *South Park Association of Neighbors MorgantownWV* <spanwv(a)yahoo.com <mailto:spanwv@yahoo.com>> Date: Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 4:29 PM Subject: Fw: Statewide Antifracking rally--July 11, Charleston To: spanwv(a)yahoo.com <mailto:spanwv@yahoo.com> FYI --- On *Wed, 6/29/11, Candace Jordan /<44ace(a)live.com <mailto:44ace@live.com>>/* wrote: From: Candace Jordan <44ace(a)live.com <mailto:44ace@live.com>> Subject: Statewide Antifracking rally--July 11, Charleston To: "Candace" <44ace(a)live.com <mailto:44ace@live.com>> Cc: cashkathy(a)gmail.com <mailto:cashkathy@gmail.com> Date: Wednesday, June 29, 2011, 7:46 PM Hello. I am writing on behalf of WV4MoM (West Virginia for a Moratorium on Marcellus). We are having a statewide rally in Charleston on July 11 around the topic of Marcellus Shale drilling and fracking in West Virginia. We hope that in addition to sending representatives to this very important demonstration, your organization will spread the word to your community members and encourage them to attend. We are at a crucial turning point in the battle against Marcellus, and your presence on July 11 is critical, as the interim legislature will meet that day. We need to send them a strong message that this a statewide concern. Please share the information below with all of your contacts and your social media pages. I have attached a Word document that can be printed and used as a flyer. We will be sending further information regarding speakers, agenda, and transportation over the next few days. If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at frackinquestions(a)gmail.com <mailto:frackinquestions@gmail.com> We also have a Facebook group called Stop the Fracking in Morgantown Industrial Park. Please address questions about carpooling to wv4momcarpool(a)gmail.com <mailto:wv4momcarpool@gmail.com> Thank you in advance for your support, and we hope to see you at the Capitol! Best, Candace Jordan WV4MoM Morgantown IT’S TIME TO STAND TOGETHER AND LET OUR VOICES BE HEARD! COME TO A STATEWIDE RALLY TO SUPPORT *MORATORIUM ON MARCELLUS (MOM)* Date: Monday, July 11, 2011 Time: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Where: Charleston, West Virginia, State Capitol Building Why: We are at a crucial turning point in the battle against Marcellus. Our presence on July 11 is critical, as the interim legislature will meet that day. If you can do only one thing to stop the Marcellus madness, show up at this rally. Contact your representatives and make appointments to see them that day, and make July 11 a day to lobby againstMarcellus. *EVERYONE IS WELCOME! HELP MOM!* We’ll have speakers, music, and a chance to meet others throughout West Virginia who want to stop Marcellus drilling and fracking. *SPEAK UP FOR MOM!* *This event is sponsored by WV4MOM (West Virginia for a Moratorium on Marcellus). *More messages about an agenda, speakers, transportation, and parking will follow this one. For more information contact frackinquestions(a)gmail.com <http://us.mc1616.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=frackinquestions@gmail.com>

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FW: [MarcellusGasInfo] NJ Assembly and Senate ban fracking
by Beth Little 30 Jun '11

30 Jun '11

Easy for them to do - they don't have any Marcellus shale. From: marcellusgasinfo(a)googlegroups.com [mailto:marcellusgasinfo@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Kim Knight Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 10:45 PM To: ShaleShock; shaleshockcny CNY; marcellusgasinfo(a)googlegroups.com Subject: [MarcellusGasInfo] NJ Assembly and Senate ban fracking The NJ Senate banned fracking with a vote of 33-1 and the NJ Assembly banned it with a vote of 58-11. It is now down to whether the governor, Chris Christie, will sign it. Article: http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/nj-lawmakers-pass-ban-on-gas-drilli ng-technique-1.2994891 Kim -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MarcellusGasInfo" group. To post to this group, send email to marcellusgasinfo(a)googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to marcellusgasinfo+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/marcellusgasinfo?hl=en This listserv is managed and owned by the Binghamton Regional Sustainabiliy Coalition (BRSC) For our email list policy, visit For BRSC email list policy, visit http://groups.google.com/group/marcellusgasinfo/files _____ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1388 / Virus Database: 1516/3735 - Release Date: 06/30/11

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Re: [EC] [wvec-board] E-Council Green Jam-Tues. Oct. 4th
by Frank Young 30 Jun '11

30 Jun '11

Thank you for the notice, Greg. That is the evening of special election day- October 4th. We could look at it as a victory party, or as an occasion to cry in our beer- whichever the election returns indicate. Frank ----- Original Message ----- From: Carroll, Greg B To: dsgjr(a)aol.com ; clrank2(a)gmail.com ; fyoung(a)mountain.net Cc: wvec-board(a)yahoogroups.com ; ec(a)osenergy.org ; wyro(a)appalight.com ; djsoeder(a)yahoo.com Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2011 10:55 AM Subject: [wvec-board] E-Council Green Jam-Tues. Oct. 4th Dear Folks , I wanted to make sure I got the right date out. NOT the 2nd but the 4th of Oct. That’s a Tuesday evening. The benefit will be at the Empty Glass in Charleston, Food –Music-Fun…after work from 6 to 10…..many local musicians! Please pass the word. Long time away but good to start in advance. Greg From: wvec-board(a)yahoogroups.com [mailto:wvec-board@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of dsgjr(a)aol.com Sent: Friday, June 24, 2011 3:10 PM To: clrank2(a)gmail.com; fyoung(a)mountain.net Cc: wvec-board(a)yahoogroups.com; ec(a)osenergy.org; wyro(a)appalight.com; djsoeder(a)yahoo.com Subject: Re: [wvec-board] Gas drilling hazardous waste landfill in Preston County? Actually, I have heard rumors that the other landfills in the area that DEP has authorized to receive this waste are none to happy about this new proposed landfill -- They don't want the competition! Like everything else in this world, it's all about the money. Don Garvin In a message dated 6/24/2011 12:15:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, clrank2(a)gmail.com writes: Yes, Frank. This has been and is a hot button issue for Friends of Cheat, the PA-WV watershed COMPACT, Upper Mon River Assoc. and all the Dunkard Creek, Sierra and other folks in northern WV where the bulk of the horizontal marcellus drilling is happening -- especially the two in Morgantown near the water intake... and the two in the Dunkard Creek watershed.... Chesapeake and others have already reduced or eliminated entirely the drilling pits and have been catching the drilling muds, etc in open truck beds (don't know the official terminology for them) and taking them to other already existing landfills ----- ... Dan may be aware of the attitudes of these landfill operators, but with the growing amount of waste generated by the drilling in these northern WV Counties i'm sure they can see their projected capacity quickly being stressed or stretched to the limits and welcome this new project to relieve pressure on their limits. .... Needless to say others in the communities are none too happy... Cindy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On Fri, Jun 24, 2011 at 12:36 PM, Frank Young <fyoung(a)mountain.net> wrote: This would seem to indicate public acknowledgement of serious waste disposal issues related to the by-products of shale gas drilling. ----- Original Message ----- From: Rick Buckley To: Frank Young ; Gordon Jones ; gary singleton ; John Gorrell ; Mike Reese Cc: Rick Buckley Sent: Friday, June 24, 2011 11:30 AM Subject: Landfill in Preston County I guess this issue did not go away. This is what I had mentioned last evening regarding creating a landfill in Preston County related to Marcellus drilling. (see attached) __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity: Visit Your Group MARKETPLACE Stay on top of your group activity without leaving the page you're on - Get the Yahoo! Toolbar now. Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use. __,_._,___

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Re: [EC] ash for Thursday
by Jim Sconyers 28 Jun '11

28 Jun '11

OK - How about instead I make up a handout: Coal Ash Top Ten Toxics Arsenic Selenium Cadmium Lead Mercury Jim et al - next five please. We have that for the media and to present to McKinley, along with a statement of our concerns...? Also - I'll have several signs for folks - unless you want to make your own. On Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 10:18 AM, Petra&John Wood <pbjmwood(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Jim - as I said in my earlier email, I have no access to getting fly > ash. sorry - petra > > > On Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 10:09 AM, Jim Sconyers <jimscon(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Hi Petra - can you get some actual ash for the Thursday event please? >> >> >> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> From: Jim Sconyers <jimscon(a)gmail.com> >> Date: Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 10:07 AM >> Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tr-Ash Talk: W.V. Rep. McKinley Sells Out >> Constituents >> To: Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> >> Cc: James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>, ec(a)osenergy.org, Nicole Good >> <nicolegood.wv(a)gmail.com>, Gwen Jones <gwenjones23(a)yahoo.com>, >> Petra&John Wood <pbjmwood(a)gmail.com> >> >> >> Folks - >> >> We're on for Thursday at 11:00 AM. >> Basic outline: >> Picket on sidewalk in front of the building, work with media if they >> come, then go inside to give our gifts of real coal ash to Congressman >> McKinley. We'll be sending a media alert later today - it is attached. >> >> Come on down - it'll be fun! >> >> <Sally - the time is now definite, so please send the request to Mon >> Group for folks to participate whenever you're ready - thanks.> >> >> On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 7:40 PM, Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >> > Can you join us for this on Thursday? We need numbers - you can speak if >> > you >> > like, but that is not required. Hold a sign, be one of the number >> > distressed >> > about McKinley on coal ash protection. >> > >> > Jim Sconyers >> > jim_scon(a)yahoo.com >> > 304.698.9628 >> > >> > Remember: Mother Nature bats last. >> > >> > ________________________________ >> > From: Jim Sconyers <jimscon(a)gmail.com> >> > To: James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> >> > Cc: ec(a)osenergy.org; Nicole Good <nicolegood.wv(a)gmail.com>; Gwen Jones >> > <gwenjones23(a)yahoo.com>; Petra&John Wood <pbjmwood(a)gmail.com> >> > Sent: Mon, June 20, 2011 4:56:57 PM >> > Subject: Re: [EC] Fwd: Tr-Ash Talk: W.V. Rep. McKinley Sells Out >> > Constituents >> > >> > Does 11:00 Tursday work? Or do we need to move to 10:00? >> > >> > On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 4:23 PM, James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> wrote: >> >> I agree tomorrow is too short notice. I have one meeting Thursday >> >> afternoon, but could possibly do things in the morning or at noon. >> >> >> >> JBK >> >> >> >>>>> Jim Sconyers <jimscon(a)gmail.com> 6/20/2011 4:15 PM >>> >> >> Folks - I don't see how we can do this tomorrow - haven't sent >> >> anything to media yet, they need at least 24 hours. >> >> >> >> How about we set it for Thurs 11:00? I know the mark-up may have >> >> already happened by then - or it may not. If not, we're fine. If it >> >> has, we blast him for what he did, not for what he's about to do. >> >> >> >> Feedback? >> >> >> >> On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 3:50 PM, Jim Sconyers <jimscon(a)gmail.com> >> >> wrote: >> >>> Here's what I think we need if we want to make this happen. >> >>> People - critical mass would be 4 - 5, more is good. >> >>> Signs - I can make 2 - "McKinley to Citizens: Kiss My Ash" "Coal Ash >> >>> in Our Air and Water - What the Health?" >> >>> Baggie of coal ash for each person >> >>> >> >>> A "plan" >> >>> The Morgantown office is staffed 9 - 5 M - F. >> >>> We go there, picket in front of the building (can anyone describe >> >> it, >> >>> location, sidewalk, etc.?) >> >>> Meet media in front if they show. I would say 11 AM - -? >> >>> Talk to media - what happened (is about to happen), why we're >> >>> concerned, story line being northern WV is epicenter of massive ash >> >>> dumping, yet McKinley wants to stop the EPA from protecting or >> >> health >> >>> through commonsense - or ANY - regulation of toxic coal ash. Who is >> >>> McKinley serving in Washington? Sure isn't the people of his >> >> district. >> >>> >> >>> Media alert - needs to go out within an hour or two of now. >> >>> >> >>> Can at least 4 - 5 commit to doing this? >> >>> >> >>> I can. >> >>> >> >>> Please use reply all..... >> >>> >> >>> Sally = please forward to Mon Group. >> >>> >> >>> 709 Beechurst Ave., Suite 14B >> >>> Morgantown, WV 26505 >> >>> Phone: 304.284.8506 >> >>> Hours: M-F: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m >> >>> >> >>> On Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 3:31 PM, James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> >> >> wrote: >> >>>> Note: The markup (on McKinley's bill) was rescheduled for next >> >> Tuesday, >> >>>> June 21 at 4 p.m. Actions Tuesday morning? >> >>>> >> >>>> JBK >> >>>> >> >>>>>>> Jim Sconyers <jimscon(a)gmail.com> 6/17/2011 3:24 PM >>> >> >>>> Jim - >> >>>> I think we need to do something. This worthless SOB needs some >> >>>> consequences. What can we do? How about picketing his Morgantown >> >>>> office and getting media there? Or.......? >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >> >>>> From: Raviya Ismail <rismail(a)earthjustice.org> >> >>>> Date: Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 9:13 AM >> >>>> Subject: Tr-Ash Talk: W.V. Rep. McKinley Sells Out Constituents >> >>>> To: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE(a)lists.sierraclub.org >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> Here is our latest Tr-Ash Talk blog: >> >>>> >> >> >> >> >> >> http://earthjustice.org/blog/2011-june/tr-ash-talk-w-v-rep-mckinley-sells-o… >> >> >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> Emily Enderle >> >>>> Tr-Ash Talk: W.V. Rep. McKinley Sells Out Constituents >> >>>> Congressman’s district is home to largest coal ash pond >> >>>> >> >>>> Here we go again. >> >>>> >> >>>> Some of our elected leaders are once more maneuvering to block >> >>>> much-needed health protections against coal ash. Rep. David >> >> McKinley >> >>>> (R-WV) has sponsored a bill that would broadly remove federal >> >>>> authority for any regulation of coal ash ever. This bill, if >> >> enacted, >> >>>> also would conveniently protect his business interests. In April, >> >>>> Politico exposed Rep. McKinley’s business interest in ensuring >> >> that >> >>>> coal ash is not regulated. Rep McKinley owns the largest >> >> engineering >> >>>> firm in West Virginia and his company uses coal ash in concrete, as >> >>>> fill for roads and other uses. >> >>>> >> >>>> Rep. McKinley also represents a district that has the largest coal >> >> ash >> >>>> pond in the nation, and his bill goes against what he promised West >> >>>> Virginian Curt Havens, veteran and constituent. Havens was at the >> >>>> Energy and Commerce hearing in April, when Rep. McKinley said, >> >> about >> >>>> prior coal ash threats, "I want to make sure that never happens >> >> again >> >>>> to another family in America." (Those comments start at minute >> >> marker >> >>>> 2:26:26.) Again, business interests are coming before the interest >> >> of >> >>>> protecting public health. >> >>>> >> >>>> During the House budget negotiations February frenzy, Rep. McKinley >> >>>> sponsored amendment 217 that would have prohibited the EPA from >> >> using >> >>>> any of their funds to move forward with the health protective >> >> Subtitle >> >>>> C regulation. Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) introduced amendment 10, >> >>>> trying to achieve the same thing. It’s no surprise that both >> >>>> congressmen are heavily supported by the energy sector. >> >>>> >> >>>> During his 2010 campaign Rep. McKinley received $43,300 from energy >> >>>> companies, and $22,751 of that came from mining interests, >> >> according >> >>>> to the Center for Responsive Politics. >> >>>> Rep. McKinley’s current effort to stop the regulation of this >> >> potent >> >>>> waste, H.R. 1391, would “amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to >> >>>> exempt >> >>>> fly ash waste, bottom ash waste, slag waste and flue gas emission >> >>>> control waste generated primarily from the combustion of coal or >> >> other >> >>>> fossil fuels from regulation as hazardous waste under such Act.” >> >>>> >> >>>> H.R. 1391 was scheduled to be marked up in the Environment and >> >> Economy >> >>>> subcommittee of Energy and Commerce this morning. The markup had to >> >> be >> >>>> rescheduled for next Tuesday, June 21 at 4 p.m. due to a drafting >> >>>> error. The bill, as written, couldn’t have been much worse and >> >>>> it’s >> >>>> doubtful there will be any improvements as they fix the drafting >> >>>> error. >> >>>> >> >>>> Rep. McKinley and the bill supporters will continue to put public >> >>>> health at risk. Further, they will undermine the public coal ash >> >>>> rulemaking currently underway that generated a record-breaking >> >> 450,000 >> >>>> comments. This is a tragic example of how some elected officials >> >> bow >> >>>> to dirty polluters rather than heeding the concerns of their >> >>>> constituents. >> >>>> >> >>>> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To >> >>>> unsubscribe from the COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE list, send any message >> >> to: >> >>>> COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check >> >> out >> >>>> our Listserv Lists support site for more information: >> >>>> http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp >> >>>> >> >>>> >> >>>> -- >> >>>> Jim Sconyers >> >>>> jimscon(a)gmail.com >> >>>> 304.698.9628 >> >>>> >> >>>> _______________________________________________ >> >>>> EC mailing list >> >>>> EC(a)osenergy.org >> >>>> http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> -- >> >>> Jim Sconyers >> >>> jimscon(a)gmail.com >> >>> 304.698.9628 >> >>> >> >>> Remember, Mother Nature bats last. >> >>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Jim Sconyers >> >> jimscon(a)gmail.com >> >> 304.698.9628 >> >> >> >> Remember, Mother Nature bats last. >> >> >> > >> > >> > >> > -- >> > Jim Sconyers >> > jimscon(a)gmail.com >> > 304.698.9628 >> > >> > Remember, Mother Nature bats last. >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > EC mailing list >> > EC(a)osenergy.org >> > http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec >> > >> >> >> >> -- >> Jim Sconyers >> jimscon(a)gmail.com >> 304.698.9628 >> >> Remember, Mother Nature bats last. >> >> >> >> -- >> Jim Sconyers >> jimscon(a)gmail.com >> 304.698.9628 >> >> Remember, Mother Nature bats last. > > -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

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Fwd: Hydrofracked: One man's quest for answers about natural gas drilling
by Paul Wilson 28 Jun '11

28 Jun '11

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: High Country News <enewsletter(a)hcn.org> Date: Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 4:29 PM Subject: Hydrofracked: One man's quest for answers about natural gas drilling To: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com View in a browser window<http://whatcounts.com/dm?id=E61606FADDB7639A154B815D5C014BF6B42BD6281DE2FE61> [image: High Country News Commons] Subscribe to the Magazine<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FED:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Renew<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FEE:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Donate Now<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FEF:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Feedback<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF0:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> [image: Better World Club - Get 6 Months Membership FREE]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF1:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…><http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FED:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> The Magazine<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF2:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Topics<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF3:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Blogs & Opinion<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF4:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Jobs & Classifieds<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF5:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Conferences<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF6:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Hydrofracked: One man seeks answers [image: Hydrofracked: One man's quest for answers about natural gas drilling and water contamination]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF7:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> In many ways, it's a sad story: The groundwater a Wyoming couple relies on to sustain their little farm suddenly turns foul. So landowner Louis Meeks embarks on a six-year crusade to discover how it happened, suspecting that nearby natural gas wells are somehow involved. He battles corporations and federal and local governments and alienates many of his neighbors, yet today his water is still contaminated. There's no justice in sight. But Meeks has accomplished something important: He and other activists have drawn attention to the possible risks of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." When a gas or oil well is fracked, chemicals and water are injected deep underground to fracture rock formations and release gas and oil. The industry insists that fracking is safe. But some of the chemicals used in the process are carcinogenic. And though fracking is used in many thousands of gas and oil wells from the Southwest to New York state, there's never been a comprehensive scientific study of its possible impacts on drinking water. That is now changing, thanks to people like Meeks and determined staffers within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA is finally launching the first real study of the risks posed by fracking. So the saga of Louis Meeks is not just sad; it also offers hope. Determined citizens can make a difference. Read about Meeks' quest for justice<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF7:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…>in a *High Country News* collaboration with the nonprofit news organization * ProPublica*<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF8:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> . *FEATURES* [image: Encountering a California condor takes one writer back in time]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF9:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Encountering a California condor takes one writer back in time<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF9:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> An interaction with a rare vulture sparks reflections on dinosaurs and extinction. [image: States work conservation into trust lands management]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FFA:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> States work conservation into trust lands management <http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FFA:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Urban sprawl helps spur new efforts at compromise in managing state trust lands. View the latest issue »<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FFB:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> [image: RSS]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FFC:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> RSS »<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FFC:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> <http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FFD:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Listen to* ProPublica* reporter Abrahm Lustgarten discuss new research into the relationship between fracking and water contamination in our latest *High Country Views*<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FFE:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…>podcast . [image: High Country Views]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FFE:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Also available via our RSS feed<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FFF:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…>and through iTunes<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778000:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> . *WRITERS ON THE RANGE* [image: Why the Southwest is burning]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778001:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Why the Southwest is burning<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778001:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> This season's wildfires are caused by three things: Climate change-induced drought, bureaucratic blindness and old-fashioned human folly. [image: Subscribers only]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778001:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> [image: ORV riding needs on-the-ground enforcement]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778002:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> ORV riding needs on-the-ground enforcement<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778002:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Reckless, illegal off-road vehicle riding is a serious problem, but better law enforcement -- rather than road closures -- is the way to solve it. [image: Monster wildfires have become the new normal]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778003:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Monster wildfires have become the new normal<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778003:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Wildfires cannot be entirely prevented by logging or anything else, but small-scale prescribed burns can help make them less destructive. [image: Subscribers only]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778003:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> More Writers on the Range »<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778004:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> [image: Blog RSS]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778005:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> RSS »<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778005:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> *BOOK REVIEWS* [image: A review of Permanent Vacation]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778006:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> It's not just a job, it's an adventure: A review of *Permanent Vacation*<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778007:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> The 20 essays in this collection take us into the wacky and wonderful lives of some of the many people who work in the country's national parks. [image: A land of subtle beauty: A review of Llano Estacado] <http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778006:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> A land of subtle beauty: A review of *Llano Estacado*<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778006:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> The photos and essays gathered in this collection of photographs and essays celebrate the austere beauty of a vast dry landscape. More Book Reviews »<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778008:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> *FROM THE BLOGS* The GOAT Blog The wacky world of immigration<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778009:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Reform still distant but the debate seems at least a little more human The Range Blog Throw away the old playbook<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=377800A:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Tribes and counties are better off working together as neighbors. The GOAT Blog Spotties get a new plan<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=377800B:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> The feds draft a new recovery plan for the Mexican spotted owl. The Range Blog To Drill or Not to Drill is Not the Only Question<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=377800C:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> We may worship the derrick less than polls and reporting suggest More from the blogs »<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=377800D:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> [image: Blog RSS]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=377800E:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> RSS »<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=377800E:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> [image: Follow us on Tumblr]<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=377800F:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Follow *High Country News *images and musings on Tumblr<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=377800F:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> . *Comment of the week* Big surprise. This guy makes money as a consultant from dam owners and those proposing new dams. More dams are not the answer, at least not main stem dams. *Matt S.* on Siltation expert: we need more dams<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778010:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> *FEATURED SPONSORS* San Francisco Herb and Natural Food Co.<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778011:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> Herbs, spices and tea blends both bulk and packaged www,herbsspicetea.com.com<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3778011:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…> High Country News 119 Grand Avenue PO Box 1090 Paonia, CO 81428 We appreciate your feedback! Please, send us your comments and suggestions<http://wc4.net/t?r=1873&c=2631826&l=58707&ctl=3777FF0:E61606FADDB7639A154B8…>. Want off the list? remove me from the list<http://wc4.net/u?id=E61606FADDB7639A154B815D5C014BF6B42BD6281DE2FE61> This email was sent to: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com ©2011 High Country News. Feel free to forward this newsletter. -- 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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LOE: Natural Gas and Greenhouse Gasses
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 27 Jun '11

27 Jun '11

The quick: http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=11-P13-00025&segmentID=4 <http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=11-P13-00025&segmentID=4> The long ..... In the Stop the Fracking in Morgantown Industrial Park Facebook Group Jeff Young initiated a discussion about the recent MIT report, http://web.mit.edu/mitei/research/studies/natural-gas-2011.shtml . He said, This is important reading for anyone who wants a serious, broader view of the environmental implications of the gas boom. Key findings are that we could cut the country's greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector by 20% simply by switching from coal to existing natural gas plants. There would also be enormous benefits in reducing mercury, SOx, NOx and other pollutants. As one could easily predict, the discussion became very long, and Jeff recently deleted it. Early in the discussion I introduced him to the Tyndall Study, http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/shalegasreport to provide another perspective. And this is the result: http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=11-P13-00025&segmentID=5 <http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=11-P13-00025&segmentID=5> On a side note: Some of you probably remember how in the past I have spoken about the MIT report, John Deutch, the DOE, and Cheniere. :) Note: In the same LOE show there is also a discussion about injection induced earthquakes: http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=11-P13-00025&segmentID=4 <http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=11-P13-00025&segmentID=4> -Jonathan

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Low hanging fruit in energy conservation = to all electric use of state of MD for one year.....year in and year out
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 26 Jun '11

26 Jun '11

Atop TV Sets, a Power Drain That Runs Nonstop By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/r/elisabeth_rose…> Published: June 25, 2011 Those little boxes that usher cable signals and digital recording capacity into televisions have become the single largest electricity drain in many American homes, with some typical home entertainment configurations eating more power than a new refrigerator and even some central air-conditioning systems. Todd Heisler/The New York Times A new study has found that some home entertainment systems eat more energy than refrigerators or central air-conditioning systems. Multimedia Comparing Energy Use - Green: A Blog About Energy and the Environment<http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/?ref=us> There are 160 million so-called set-top boxes in the United States, one for every two people, and that number is rising. Many homes now have one or more basic cable boxes as well as add-on DVRs, or digital video recorders, which use 40 percent more power than the set-top box. One high-definition DVR and one high-definition cable box use an average of 446 kilowatt hours a year, about 10 percent more than a 21-cubic-foot energy-efficient refrigerator, a recent study found. These set-top boxes are energy hogs mostly because their drives, tuners and other components are generally running full tilt, or nearly so, 24 hours a day, even when not in active use. The recent study, by the Natural Resources Defense Council <http://www.nrdc.org/energy/files/settopboxes.pdf>, concluded that the boxes consumed $3 billion in electricity per year in the United States — and that 66 percent of that power is wasted when no one is watching and shows are not being recorded. That is more power than the state of Maryland uses over 12 months. “People in the energy efficiency community worry a lot about these boxes, since they will make it more difficult to lower home energy use,” said John Wilson, a former member of the California Energy Commission who is now with the San Francisco-based Energy Foundation. “Companies say it can’t be done or it’s too expensive. But in my experience, neither one is true. It can be done, and it often doesn’t cost much, if anything.” The perpetually “powered on” state is largely a function of design and programming choices made by electronics companies and cable and Internet providers, which are related to the way cable networks function in the United States. Fixes exist, but they are not currently being mandated or deployed in the United States, critics say. Similar devices in some European countries, for example, can automatically go into standby mode when not in use, cutting power drawn by half. They can also go into an optional “deep sleep,” which can reduce energy consumption by about 95 percent compared with when the machine is active. One British company, Pace <http://www.pace.com/global/>, sells such boxes to American providers, who do not take advantage of the reduced energy options because of worries that the lowest energy states could disrupt service. Cable companies say customers will not tolerate the time it takes to reboot the system once the system has been shut down or put to sleep. “The issue of having more efficient equipment is of interest to us,” said Justin Venech, a spokesman for Time Warner Cable. But, he added, “when we purchase the equipment, functionality and cost are the primary considerations.” But energy efficiency experts say that technical fixes could eliminate or minimize the waiting time and inconvenience, some at little expense. Low-energy European systems reboot from deep sleep in one to two minutes. Alan Meier, a scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, said of the industry in the United States, “I don’t want to use the word ‘lazy,’ but they have had different priorities, and saving energy is not one of them.” The Environmental Protection Agency has established Energy Star standards<http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGr…>for set-top boxes and has plans to tighten them significantly by 2013, said Ann Bailey, director of Energy Star product labeling, in an e-mail. The voluntary seal indicates products that use energy efficiently. But today, there are many boxes on the list of products that meet the Energy Star standard<http://www.energystar.gov/ia/products/prod_lists/set_top_boxes_prod_list.pdf>that do not offer an automatic standby or sleep mode. “If you hit the on/off button it only dims the clock, it doesn’t significantly reduce power use,” said Noah Horowitz, senior scientist at the natural resources council. Energy efficiency is a function of hardware, software, the cable network and how a customer uses the service, said Robert Turner, an engineer at Pace, which makes set-top boxes that can operate using less power while not in active use. Sometimes energy efficiency can be vastly improved by remotely adjusting software over a cable, Mr. Turner said. In this way, Pace reduced the energy consumption of some of its older boxes by half. Cable boxes are not designed to be turned completely off, and even when in deep sleep mode, it takes time to reconnect and “talk” with their cable or satellite network, though that time is highly variable depending on the technology. Mr. Wilson said he routinely unplugged his set-top boxes at night and waited only 45 seconds for television in the morning. But Dr. Meier said that when he tried to power down his home system at night, it took “hours” to reboot because the provider “downloaded the programming guide in a very inefficient way.” Cable providers and box manufacturers like Cisco Systems, Samsung and Motorola currently do not feel consumer pressure to improve box efficiency. Customers are generally unaware of the problem — they do not know to blame the unobtrusive little device for the rise in their electricity bills, and do not choose their boxes anyway. Those devices may cause an increase of as little as a few dollars a month or well over $10 for a home with many devices. In Europe, electricity rates are often double those in the United States, providing greater financial motivation to conserve. Cisco Systems, one of the largest makers of set-top boxes, said in an e-mail that they would offer some new models this year that would cut consumption by 25 percent “through reduced power used in ‘on’ and standby states.” There will be no deep sleep or fully “off” setting. But Cisco said that taking advantage of the potential energy savings for a box would also depend on “how it is operated by the service provider.” Cable and satellite providers will have to decide whether the boxes can automatically go to standby, for example, and whether customers will be able to adjust their own settings. Currently, providers often do system maintenance and download information at night over the cable, so an ever-at-the ready cable box is more convenient for them. Cable companies can become Energy Star “partners” if they agree to install or upgrade boxes so that 25 percent to 50 percent of the homes they serve have “energy star qualified” equipment. The E.P.A. merely encourages providers to use units that can automatically power down at least partly when not in use. But as of Sept. 1, typical electricity consumption of Energy Star qualified products would drop to 97 kilowatt hours a year from an average of 138; and then by the middle of 2013, they must drop again to 29 kilowatt hours a year. Companies have fought the placement of the “Energy Star” seal on products and the new ambitious requirements, which may still be modified before enacted. Mr. Wilson recalled that when he was on the California Energy Commission, he asked box makers why the hard drives were on all the time, using so much power. The answer: “Nobody asked us to use less.” The biggest challenge in reducing energy use is maintaining the rapid response time now expected of home entertainment systems, Mr. Turner said. “People are used to the idea that computers take some time to boot up,” he said, “but they expect the TV to turn on instantly.” -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Natural Gas Industry Doubts About Shale Gas
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 26 Jun '11

26 Jun '11

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/26/us/26gas.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&gwh=D91… Drilling Down Insiders Sound an Alarm Amid a Natural Gas Rush Jennifer Pitts/The Journal Record, via Associated Press, left; Mark Peristein for The New York Times “It's time to get bullish on natural gas," said Aubrey K. McClendon, left, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy. "This could have profound consequences for our local economy," said Deborah Rogers, a committee member at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. By IAN URBINA<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/u/ian_urbina/ind…> Published: June 25, 2011 - - Natural gas companies have been placing enormous bets on the wells they are drilling, saying they will deliver big profits and provide a vast new source of energy for the United States. Multimedia Interactive Feature <http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…> Documents: Leaked Industry E-Mails and Reports<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…> Graphic Overestimating Natural Gas Production Graphic Sweet Spots, but Not Many Drilling Down *Natural Gas Investments* Articles in this series will examine the risks of natural-gas drilling and efforts to regulate this rapidly growing industry. Complete Series »<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/us/series/drilling_down/index.html> Enlarge This Image Brandon Thibodeaux for The New York Times Ministers, pastors and deacons of Fort Worth churches. Dozens of black churches in Fort Worth signed gas leases. But the gas may not be as easy and cheap to extract from shale formations deep underground as the companies are saying, according to hundreds of industry e-mails and internal documents<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>and an analysis of data from thousands of wells. In the e-mails, energy executives, industry lawyers, state geologists and market analysts voice skepticism about lofty forecasts and question whether companies are intentionally, and even illegally, overstating the productivity of their wells and the size of their reserves. Many of these e-mails also suggest a view that is in stark contrast to more bullish public comments made by the industry, in much the same way that insiders have raised doubts about previous financial bubbles. “Money is pouring in” from investors even though shale gas is “inherently unprofitable,” an analyst from PNC Wealth Management, an investment company, wrote to a contractor in a February e-mail<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>. “Reminds you of dot-coms.” “The word in the world of independents is that the shale plays are just giant Ponzi schemes and the economics just do not work,” an analyst from IHS Drilling Data, an energy research company, wrote in an e-mail on Aug. 28, 2009<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>. Company data for more than 10,000 wells in three major shale gas formations raise further questions about the industry’s prospects. There is undoubtedly a vast amount of gas in the formations. The question remains how affordably it can be extracted. The data show that while there are some very active wells, they are often surrounded by vast zones of less-productive wells that in some cases cost more to drill and operate than the gas they produce is worth. Also, the amount of gas produced by many of the successful wells is falling much faster than initially predicted by energy companies, making it more difficult for them to turn a profit over the long run. If the industry does not live up to expectations, the impact will be felt widely. Federal and state lawmakers are considering drastically increasing subsidies for the natural gas business in the hope that it will provide low-cost energy for decades to come. But if natural gas ultimately proves more expensive to extract from the ground than has been predicted, landowners, investors and lenders could see their investments falter, while consumers will pay a price in higher electricity and home heating bills. There are implications for the environment, too. The technology used to get gas flowing out of the ground — called hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking — can require over a million gallons of water per well, and some of that water must be disposed of because it becomes contaminated by the process. If shale gas wells fade faster than expected, energy companies will have to drill more wells or hydrofrack them more often, resulting in more toxic waste. The e-mails were obtained through open-records requests or provided to The New York Times by industry consultants and analysts who say they believe that the public perception of shale gas does not match reality; names and identifying information were redacted to protect these people, who were not authorized to communicate publicly. In the e-mails, some people within the industry voice grave concerns. “And now these corporate giants are having an Enron moment,” a retired geologist from a major oil and gas company wrote in a February e-mail<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>about other companies invested in shale gas. “They want to bend light to hide the truth.” Others within the industry remain optimistic. They argue that shale gas economics will improve as the price of gas rises, technology evolves and demand for gas grows with help from increased federal subsidies being considered by Congress. “Shale gas supply is only going to increase,” Steven C. Dixon, executive vice president of Chesapeake Energy, said at an energy industry conference in April in response to skepticism about well performance. *Studying the Data* “I think we have a big problem.” Deborah Rogers, a member of the advisory committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, recalled saying that in a May 2010 telephone call to a senior economist at the Reserve, Mine K. Yucel. “We need to take a close look at this right away,” she added. A former stockbroker with Merrill Lynch, Ms. Rogers said she started studying well data from shale companies in October 2009 after attending a speech by the chief executive of Chesapeake, Aubrey K. McClendon. The math was not adding up, Ms. Rogers said. Her research showed that wells were petering out faster than expected. “These wells are depleting so quickly that the operators are in an expensive game of ‘catch-up,’ ” Ms. Rogers wrote in an e-mail on Nov. 17, 2009, to a petroleum geologist in Houston, who wrote back that he agreed. “This could have profound consequences for our local economy,” she explained in the e-mail. Fort Worth residents were already reeling from the sudden reversal of fortune for the natural gas industry. In early 2008, energy companies were scrambling in Fort Worth to get residents to lease their land for drilling as they searched for so-called monster wells. Billboards along the highways stoked the boom-time excitement: “If you don’t have a gas lease, get one!” Oil and gas companies were in a fierce bidding war for drilling rights, offering people bonuses as high as $27,500 per acre for signing leases. The actor Tommy Lee Jones signed on as a pitchman for Chesapeake, one of the largest shale gas companies. “The extremely long-term benefits include new jobs and capital investment and royalties and revenues that pay for public roads, schools and parks,” he said in one television advertisement about drilling in the Barnett shale in and around Fort Worth. To investors, shale companies had a more sophisticated pitch<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>. With better technology, they had refined a “manufacturing model,” they said, that would allow them to drop a well virtually anywhere in certain parts of a shale formation and expect long-lasting returns. For Wall Street, this was the holy grail: a low-risk and high-profit proposition. But by late 2008, the recession took hold and the price of natural gas plunged<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>by nearly two-thirds, throwing the drilling companies’ business model into a tailspin. In Texas, the advertisements featuring Mr. Jones disappeared. Energy companies rescinded high-priced lease offers to thousands of residents, which prompted class-action lawsuits. Royalty checks dwindled. Tax receipts fell. The impact of the downturn was immediate for many. “Ruinous, that’s how I’d describe it,” said the Rev. Kyev Tatum, president of the Fort Worth chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Mr. Tatum explained that dozens of black churches in Fort Worth signed leases on the promise of big money. Instead, some churches were told that their land may no longer be tax exempt even though they had yet to make any royalties on the wells, he said. That boom-and-bust volatility had raised eyebrows among people like Ms. Rogers, as well as energy analysts and geologists, who started looking closely at the data on wells’ performance.* * In May 2010, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas called a meeting to discuss the matter after prodding from Ms. Rogers. One speaker was Kenneth B. Medlock III, an energy expert at Rice University, who described a promising future for the shale gas industry in the United States. When he was done, Ms. Rogers peppered him with questions. Might growing environmental concerns raise the cost of doing business? If wells were dying off faster than predicted, how many new wells would need to be drilled to meet projections? Mr. Medlock conceded that production in the Barnett shale formation — or “play,” in industry jargon — was indeed flat and would probably soon decline. “Activity will shift toward other plays because the returns there are higher,” he predicted. Ms. Rogers turned to the other commissioners to see if they shared her skepticism, but she said she saw only blank stares. *Bubbling Doubts* Some doubts about the industry are being raised by people who work inside energy companies, too. “Our engineers here project these wells out to 20-30 years of production and in my mind that has yet to be proven as viable,” wrote a geologist at Chesapeake in a March 17 e-mail<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>to a federal energy analyst. “In fact I’m quite skeptical of it myself when you see the % decline in the first year of production.” “In these shale gas plays no well is really economic right now,” the geologist said in a previous e-mail to the same official on March 16<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>. “They are all losing a little money or only making a little bit of money.” Around the same time the geologist sent the e-mail, Mr. McClendon, Chesapeake’s chief executive, told investors, “It’s time to get bullish on natural gas.” In September 2009, a geologist from ConocoPhillips, one of the largest producers of natural gas in the Barnett shale, warned in an e-mail to a colleague<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>that shale gas might end up as “the world’s largest uneconomic field.” About six months later, the company’s chief executive, James J. Mulva, described natural gas as “nature’s gift,” adding that “rather than being expensive, shale gas is often the low-cost source.” Asked about the e-mail, John C. Roper, a spokesman for ConocoPhillips, said he absolutely believed that shale gas is economically viable. A big attraction for investors is the increasing size of the gas reserves that some companies are reporting. Reserves — in effect, the amount of gas that a company says it can feasibly access from its wells — are important because they are a central measure of an oil and gas company’s value. Forecasting these reserves is a tricky science. Early predictions are sometimes lowered because of drops in gas prices, as happened in 2008. Intentionally overbooking reserves, however, is illegal because it misleads investors. Industry e-mails, mostly from 2009 and later, include language from oil and gas executives questioning whether other energy companies are doing just that. The e-mails do not explicitly accuse any companies of breaking the law. But the number of e-mails, the seniority of the people writing them, the variety of positions they hold and the language they use — including comparisons to Ponzi schemes and attempts to “con” Wall Street — suggest that questions about the shale gas industry exist in many corners. “Do you think that there may be something suspicious going with the public companies in regard to booking shale reserves?” a senior official from Ivy Energy, an investment firm specializing in the energy sector, wrote in a2009 e-mail<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>. A former Enron executive wrote in 2009<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>while working at an energy company: “I wonder when they will start telling people these wells are just not what they thought they were going to be?” He added that the behavior of shale gas companies reminded him of what he saw when he worked at Enron. Production data, provided by companies to state regulators and reviewed by The Times, show that many wells are not performing as the industry expected. In three major shale formations — the Barnett in Texas, the Haynesville in East Texas and Louisiana and the Fayetteville, across Arkansas — less than 20 percent of the area heralded by companies as productive is emerging as likely to be profitable under current market conditions, according to the data and industry analysts. Richard K. Stoneburner, president and chief operating officer of Petrohawk Energy, said that looking at entire shale formations was misleading because some companies drilled only in the best areas or had lower costs. “Outside those areas, you can drill a lot of wells that will never live up to expectations,” he added. Although energy companies routinely project that shale gas wells will produce gas at a reasonable rate for anywhere from 20 to 65 years, these companies have been making such predictions based on limited data and a certain amount of guesswork, since shale drilling is a relatively new practice. Most gas companies claim that production will drop sharply after the first few years but then level off, allowing most wells to produce gas for decades. Gas production data reviewed by The Times suggest that many wells in shale gas fields do not level off the way many companies predict but instead decline steadily. “This kind of data is making it harder and harder to deny that the shale gas revolution is being oversold,” said Art Berman, a Houston-based geologist who worked for two decades at Amoco and has been one of the most vocal skeptics of shale gas economics. The Barnett shale, which has the longest production history, provides the most reliable case study for predicting future shale gas potential. The data suggest that if the wells’ production continues to decline in the current manner, many will become financially unviable within 10 to 15 years. A review of more than 9,000 wells, using data from 2003 to 2009, shows that — based on widely used industry assumptions about the market price of gas and the cost of drilling and operating a well — less than 10 percent of the wells had recouped their estimated costs by the time they were seven years old. Terry Engelder, a professor of geosciences at Pennsylvania State University, said the debate over long-term well performance was far from resolved. The Haynesville shale has not lived up to early expectations, he said, but industry projections have become more accurate and some wells in the Marcellus shale, which stretches from Virginia to New York, are outperforming expectations. *A Sense of Confidence* Many people within the industry remain confident. “I wouldn’t worry about these shale companies,” said T. Boone Pickens, the oil and gas industry executive, adding that he believes that if prices rise, shale gas companies will make good money. Mr. Pickens said that technological improvements — including hydrofracking wells more than once — are already making production more cost-effective, which is why some major companies like ExxonMobil have recently bought into shale gas. Shale companies are also adjusting their strategies to make money by focusing on shale wells that produce lucrative liquids, like propane and butane, in addition to natural gas. Asked about the e-mails from the Chesapeake geologist casting doubt on company projections, a Chesapeake spokesman, Jim Gipson, said the company was fully confident that a majority of wells would be productive for 30 years or more. David Pendery, a spokesman for IHS, added that though shale gas prospects had previously been debated by many analysts, in more recent years costs had fallen and technology had improved. Still, in private exchanges, many industry insiders are skeptical, even cynical, about the industry’s pronouncements. “All about making money,” an official from Schlumberger, an oil and gas services company, wrote in aJuly 2010 e-mail<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>to a former federal regulator about drilling a well in Europe, where some United States shale companies are hunting for better market opportunities. “Looks like crap,” the Schlumberger official wrote about the well’s performance, according to the regulator, “but operator will flip it based on ‘potential’ and make some money on it.” “Always a greater sucker,” the e-mail<http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/us/natural-gas-drilling-down-documents-4…>concluded. Robbie Brown contributed reporting from Atlanta. A version of this article appeared in print on June 26, 2011, on page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: Insiders Sound an Alarm Amid a Natural Gas Rush. -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Conrad Volz on the problems of extraction for energy
by Beth Little 25 Jun '11

25 Jun '11

This starts out as an exposure of contamination of water with drilling waste, but toward the end, he indicts mtr and talks about environmental justice and how WV is paying the cost of providing energy for everyone else. It is long, but extremely moving in its depth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWwjWFcCIgY <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWwjWFcCIgY&feature=youtube_gdata_player> &feature=youtube_gdata_player

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FYI - China blends Imported coal to meet local environmental standards....A Green Solution, or the Dark Side to Cleaner Coal?
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 25 Jun '11

25 Jun '11

[image: The New York Times] June 14, 2011 A Green Solution, or the Dark Side to Cleaner Coal? By KEITH BRADSHER<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/keith_bradsher…> LIANYUNGANG, CHINA — The six massive silos standing beside this industrial port in northeastern China hold seemingly contradictory promises: They could help improve the quality of China’s polluted air, but they might also contribute to faster global warming<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/globalwarming/index.html?…>. The silos, which are scheduled to start operation in July, are designed to blend cleaner-burning imported coal<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/coal/index.h…>with China’s own high-polluting domestic coal, which is contaminated with sulfur and dust. Coal blending will produce a mixture that will help electric utilities meet China’s steadily tightening environmental regulations. It will also increase the efficiency of coal-fired plants by slightly reducing the quantity of coal needed. Burning less coal means less greenhouse gases emitted. But critics argue there is a darker side to cleaner coal. “Anything that makes coal more cost effective, like blending, which is only enabling China to burn more coal, is bad news for the global struggle against carbon emissions,” said Orville Schell, the Arthur Ross director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society in New York. The Chinese government’s decision this month to import more coal in order to lessen power outages — and control rising coal prices — ensures that blending will increase rapidly. Industry executives are quick to tout the practice’s environmental benefits. Blending “is a sound solution to reducing greenhouse gas and pollutants emissions from coal-fired power plants,” said Howard Au, the director and chairman of Petrocom Energy Ltd., which owns the blending facility here. But environmentalists worry that by reducing the amount of sulfur and dust emitted from burning coal, blending makes coal more acceptable in the short-term and stalls the conversion to cleaner or renewable fuels. They say coal blending strengthens the case for companies — and countries — that want to continue to rely on coal for decades. “Does it help with acid rain? Yes,” said Allen Hershkowitz, a specialist in Appalachian coal fields at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group based in New York. “It hurts us when it comes to global warming.” Coal remains a particularly dirty form of electricity generation when it comes to producing climate-changing gases. The global warming calculus for coal blending is less clear. Blending makes it easier to feed a power plant with exactly the right coal mixture at which its boilers work most efficiently. This means the plant can burn less coal and emit less greenhouse gas. How much less — and how does that improvement compare with switching to other fuels — varies a lot depending on the power plant and the coal it burns without blending. Better operating efficiency at the power plant helps offset the cost of blending, which can add up to 4 percent to the price tag of the coal. China does not just have an ancient civilization, it also has a lot of very old coal. Much of it has been tightly compressed over millions of years. That has pluses and minuses. Chinese coal releases a lot of heat when burned and has very little moisture left, two very desirable features, according to coal traders. But Chinese coal deposits also contain a lot of sulfur as well as so-called fly ash — dust that is not combustible and contributes to particulate air pollution. China also has some deposits of young coal which has fairly low heat content and requires blending before it can be burned. China has the third-largest coal reserves, after the United States and Russia, and consumes more coal than any other country. It accounted for nearly half the 7.3 billion metric tons burned around the world last year. Four-fifths of China’s reserves, however, do not comply with the country’s standards for industrial use, according to the government-run China Coal Research Institute. Complicating matters, the China’s environmental regulators have signaled plans to reduce further the allowable levels of sulfur. China led the world last year in clean energy investments, with $54.4 billion, according to a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts. But coal is still China’s dominant energy source, accounting for 73 percent of electricity capacity. Because coal-fired plants run day and night — while alternatives like wind turbines<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/w/wind_power/i…>and hydroelectric<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/h/hydroelectri…>dams only run when enough wind or water is available — coal accounted for 83 percent of electricity generation last year. China has led the world in recent years in the construction of high-efficiency coal-fired power plants. These plants heat water to higher temperatures and pressures than earlier designs, so that less coal is burned to produce the same kilowatt-hours of electricity. But the newer power plants need coal of a precise makeup, making it even harder for China to rely exclusively on domestic coal fields. To meet the needs of the new plants, China has gone on a twin binge of importing coal and buying coal mines abroad. Wood Mackenzie, the global energy consulting company, predicts that Indonesia will be the world’s fastest-growing exporter of coal in the next five years because of Chinese demand. While coal blending facilities may provide a short-term environmental benefit, they also make it possible for countries like China to plan on consuming a lot more coal for decades into the future. People have been blending coal for more than a century, often in surprisingly simple ways. Richard Elman, the chairman of the Noble Group, one of the world’s largest commodity companies, is skeptical of newer blending technologies. He says bulldozers have been roughly mixing different grades of coal at power plants and mines for years. A single coal mine may have different qualities of coal in different seams, and will often stir them together with bulldozers before shipment so as to provide a mixture that better meets the customer’s specifications, he said. In the United States, big engineering companies like Bechtel and the Roberts & Schaefer subsidiary of KBR have been designing elaborate systems of conveyer belts that take coal arriving by rail and barge and distribute it to various stockpiles, blending it along the way. The most elaborate approach, developed in Europe and put into effect here, is to build a series of silos, each containing a different grade of coal. A large conveyor belt and scales are mounted underneath the silos. Coal from each silo is sprinkled onto the conveyor belt, then the mixture is dropped into rail cars, ships or a storage yard. “It’s not easy for this new technology to be accepted, so I’m using my network because I believe this would be good for the country,” said Li Anqing, the retired top administrator of Lianyungang’s big coal port, who is now the general manager of the operation here. Bob Williams Jr., the vice president for sales and marketing at Roberts & Schaefer, said that using specially built silos for blending coal is an unusually expensive approach, and would barely be considered except at large coal ports. But Mr. Au said that the blending cost per ton using silos, about $5, had not changed for the last several years. By contrast, coal prices have doubled in the past five years, to $130 a ton in China for coal with high heat content. So blending costs have halved as a percentage of the overall cost of coal. That reduction in relative costs, combined with tighter regulations in China aimed at reducing acid rain, have increased its attractiveness. “Blending didn’t make sense prior to 2003 as prices of coal were low,” Mr. Au said. But now, Petrocom is making plans for dozens of coal-blending facilities in China, to accommodate a flood of imports that could last for decades.

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Fw: Cumulative impacts, aggregation for Marcellus pipelines
by James Kotcon 25 Jun '11

25 Jun '11

This is a pretty major issue, and I think the Army Corps is on the right track. JBK >>> "Donald C. Strimbeck" <dcsoinks(a)comcast.net> 6/25/2011 4:23 AM >>> Army Corps of Engineers, Marcellus Shale firms spar Marcellus companies worry new permitting rules may delay pipeline projects Premium content from Pittsburgh Business Times - by Anya Litvak Date: Friday, June 24, 2011, 6:00am EDT The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is butting heads with some Marcellus Shale companies who say the agency’s latest permit rules will delay pipeline projects. The federal agency, which regulates construction that involves dredging or filling of U.S. waters, has issued a clarification on how projects, such as pipelines that cross such waters, should be evaluated on their environmental impacts. The Corps says the clarification, which defines what constitutes a single project big enough to require the agency’s approval, won’t have an impact on how the Corps functions and is meant to be a guide to applicants. Yet, some in the Marcellus Shale industry are convinced the agency’s approach will mean more projects will fall under its scope and more of them will be delayed because of it. “Under the new (standard) they’re saying everything from the wellhead to the transmission line is a single project,” said Rob McHale, manager of environmental regulatory affairs at MarkWest Liberty Midstream & Resources LLC, a division of Denver-based MarkWest Energy Partners LP. McHale said the staffing constraints at the Corps and at other agencies required to review pipeline projects, such as the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission, will mean, “the timing (of permits) will slow significantly.” But Wade Chandler, Pennsylvania permits chief for the Corps’ Baltimore District, which processes two-thirds of Marcellus activity applications in the state, cautions that if there are more permits coming his way, it’s because there’s simply more activity in the Marcellus shale. “Our scopes are limited to our permit areas,” which have not changed, Wade said. “We’re not expanding anything else.” WHAT MAKES A PROJECT Since 1988, the Army Corps, which regulates impacts to rivers, streams and wetlands, has allowed the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to unilaterally issue permits for projects whose impact to such waters is limited to less than 250 feet. If the impact is more than that, the application must be sent to the Corps for approval before the DEP can permit it. This program, which is revised every five years, is starting a new iteration July 1, with the definition of what constitutes a single project now spelled out in a newly added definitions section to make sure each permittee and regulatory agency is administering the law the same way. Whether a gas pipe will be judged as a single and complete project depends on the Corps’ new standard of whether it has independent utility: That is, would it be built even if other pipelines around it weren’t? According to Mark Haibach, vice president of ecological services with Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc., some Corps districts considered each stream crossing as a single and complete project, so a pipeline crossing five streams would be counted as five projects, with each one’s impact judged against the 250-foot threshold. Other districts, especially those in the area of the Marcellus within the past year, have treated all five crossings as part of a single project, summing up impacts and thereby making more projects fall under the Corps’ domain. The Army Corps’ new guidance makes it clear that regulators should consider as a single project all stream crossings that fit into a single pipeline project. INDUSTRY CONCERNS Currently, MarkWest’s stream crossing projects that don’t reach the 250-foot threshold get a DEP permit within 45 to 60 days, according to McHale. Those that need Army Corps approval take 60 to 75 days for MarkWest, though McHale said other companies have complained of longer waiting periods. MarkWest has had only a handful of projects go through the Corps review thus far, but McHale expects that number to jump once everything is consistently evaluated as a combined impact. For CONSOL Energy, getting a pipeline permit takes between nine months to a year, according to Katharine Fredriksen, vice president for environmental strategy and regulatory affairs, because many of its projects go through exceptional quality waters and require a more in-depth review. “Right now, pipelines are really the biggest bottleneck to actually getting Marcellus gas to market,” she said. The increased activity in general and what Fredriksen described as the Corps’ “expanded role” in pipeline projects will cause further delays, she said. Last year, testifying before the state’s House Republican Policy Committee, Ted Wurfel, Chief Oil & Gas’ environmental, safety and regulatory affairs manager, spoke on behalf of the industry, saying the “Marcellus Shale Coalition believes the DEP should return to … considering individual stream crossings as single and complete projects consistent with the applicable regulations.” “There’s always some difference in the way individual Corps districts will implement regulations,” Haibach said. But if the new permit program will cause the Corps to review more projects, it will be following a trend already in motion, he said. “For the last year, the Corps kind of reacted to the Marcellus Shale activity and the increase in project activity by increasing their scrutiny of projects,” he said. “Especially on pipeline projects, they’ve been opting to review projects more frequently.” Not everyone is convinced the Corps’ regulation will cause problems. The issue may be less about the actual permitting time lines than a general “sense that this is an attempt to federalize gas collection projects,” said Tom Johnston, assistant VP for environmental services with Harrisburg-based engineering group Skelly and Loy Inc., who dismissed the sentiment. “I don’t know that this is going to add as much burden to the gas companies as the gas companies think it is,” he said.

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Fwd: US House committee delays markup on coal ash bill to seek more support
by Jim Sconyers 24 Jun '11

24 Jun '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Blair John <ecoserve1(a)aol.com> Date: Fri, Jun 24, 2011 at 11:37 AM Subject: US House committee delays markup on coal ash bill to seek more support To: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE(a)lists.sierraclub.org US House committee delays markup on *coal* ash bill to seek more support<http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedDetailedNews/…> Platts Introduced by David McKinley, a West Virginia Republican, the bill would require EPA to conform to its 2000 finding that *coal combustion* residuals, commonly called *coal* ash, do not warrant regulation as a hazardous substance under subtitle C of the*...* See all stories on this topic »<http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://news.google.com/news/story%3Fncl%3D…> Check out the Valley Watch website at: *http://valleywatch.net*<http://valleywatch.net/> *John Blair* "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." Mahatma Gandhi *800 Adams Avenue* *Evansville, IN 47713* *812-464-5663* *** In accordance with title 17 U. S. Code, Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. * * * - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE list, send any message to: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE-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 -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628 Remember, Mother Nature bats last.

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Morgantown's Horizontal Fracking Ban
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 24 Jun '11

24 Jun '11

http://www.scribd.com/doc/58653036/Morgantowns-horizontal-fracking-ban Today, the attempt to get a temporary restraining order against the ban failed miserably on the part of the plaintiffs! -Jonathan

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Re: [EC] [wvec-board] Gas drilling hazardous waste landfill in Preston County?
by DSGJr＠aol.com 24 Jun '11

24 Jun '11

Actually, I have heard rumors that the other landfills in the area that DEP has authorized to receive this waste are none to happy about this new proposed landfill -- They don't want the competition! Like everything else in this world, it's all about the money. Don Garvin In a message dated 6/24/2011 12:15:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, clrank2(a)gmail.com writes: Yes, Frank. This has been and is a hot button issue for Friends of Cheat, the PA-WV watershed COMPACT, Upper Mon River Assoc. and all the Dunkard Creek, Sierra and other folks in northern WV where the bulk of the horizontal marcellus drilling is happening -- especially the two in Morgantown near the water intake... and the two in the Dunkard Creek watershed.... Chesapeake and others have already reduced or eliminated entirely the drilling pits and have been catching the drilling muds, etc in open truck beds (don't know the official terminology for them) and taking them to other already existing landfills ----- ... Dan may be aware of the attitudes of these landfill operators, but with the growing amount of waste generated by the drilling in these northern WV Counties i'm sure they can see their projected capacity quickly being stressed or stretched to the limits and welcome this new project to relieve pressure on their limits. .... Needless to say others in the communities are none too happy... Cindy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On Fri, Jun 24, 2011 at 12:36 PM, Frank Young <_fyoung(a)mountain.net_ (mailto:fyoung@mountain.net) > wrote: This would seem to indicate public acknowledgement of serious waste disposal issues related to the by-products of shale gas drilling. ----- Original Message ----- From: _Rick Buckley_ (mailto:r_w_buckley1@yahoo.com) To: _Frank Young_ (mailto:fyoung@mountain.net) ; _Gordon Jones_ (mailto:gordonjoneswin@gmail.com) ; _gary singleton_ (mailto:gary-singleton@hotmail.com) ; _John Gorrell_ (mailto:john.gorrell@mail.wvu.edu) ; _Mike Reese_ (mailto:mgreese77@gmail.com) Cc: _Rick Buckley_ (mailto:r_w_buckley1@yahoo.com) Sent: Friday, June 24, 2011 11:30 AM Subject: Landfill in Preston County I guess this issue did not go away. This is what I had mentioned last evening regarding creating a landfill in Preston County related to Marcellus drilling. (see attached) __._,_.___ _Reply to sender_ (mailto:clrank2@gmail.com?subject=Re:%20[wvec-board]%20Gas%20drilling%20hazardous%20waste%20landfill%20in%20Preston%20County?) | _Reply to group_ (mailto:wvec-board@yahoogroups.com?subject=Re:%20[wvec-board]%20Gas%20drilling%20hazardous%20waste%20landfill%20in%20Preston%20County?) | _Reply via web post_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJxZ2xwaW1zBF9TAzk3… MgRtc2dJZAMyMjA2BHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3JwbHkEc3RpbWUDMTMwODkzNTczMw--?act=reply&m essageNum=2206) | _Start a New Topic_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmYnUzdTY3BF9TAzk3… SWQDMTcwNTM2NTM5MgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNudHBjBHN0aW1lAzEzMDg5MzU3MzM-) _Messages in this topic_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board/message/2205;_ylc=X3oDMTM1Z2hkdW1m… cwNTM2NTM5MgRtc2dJZAMyMjA2BHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3Z0cGMEc3RpbWUDMTMwODkzNTczMwR0cG NJZAMyMjA1) (2) Recent Activity: _Visit Your Group_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wvec-board;_ylc=X3oDMTJmYmEwNG9pBF9TAzk3MzU5N… nRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzEzMDg5MzU3MzM-) (http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJlb2xmZ242BF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzIxN… Mw--) Switch to: _Text-Only_ (mailto:wvec-board-traditional@yahoogroups.com?subject=Change Delivery Format: Traditional) , _Daily Digest_ (mailto:wvec-board-digest@yahoogroups.com?subject=Email Delivery: Digest) • _Unsubscribe_ (mailto:wvec-board-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe) • _Terms of Use_ (http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/) . __,_._,___

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Gas drilling hazardous waste landfill in Preston County?
by Frank Young 24 Jun '11

24 Jun '11

This would seem to indicate public acknowledgement of serious waste disposal issues related to the by-products of shale gas drilling. ----- Original Message ----- From: Rick Buckley To: Frank Young ; Gordon Jones ; gary singleton ; John Gorrell ; Mike Reese Cc: Rick Buckley Sent: Friday, June 24, 2011 11:30 AM Subject: Landfill in Preston County I guess this issue did not go away. This is what I had mentioned last evening regarding creating a landfill in Preston County related to Marcellus drilling. (see attached)

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from ScienceDaily: Large numbers of birth defects seen near mountaintop mining operations
by Paul Wilson 24 Jun '11

24 Jun '11

Large numbers of birth defects seen near mountaintop mining operations<http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/%7E3…> Posted: 23 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT Birth defects are significantly more common in areas of mountaintop coal mining and are on the rise as the practice becomes more common, according to a new study. -- 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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Re: [EC] Press on coal ash picket
by James Kotcon 24 Jun '11

24 Jun '11

Press from yesterday's protest. First, the Charleston Daily Mail had a story announcing the protest: http://dailymail.com/News/statenews/201106230478 I was told WV Public Radio also announced the protest, but I can't find a link. Television: http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=102028 http://www.wowktv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=101883 (Charleston-Huntington) http://www.wtrf.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=101883&catid=3&printvi… (Wheeling) News articles: Vicki Smith's AP story http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WV_COAL_ASH_PROTEST_WVOL-?SITE=AP&SE… It got picked up by numerous papers http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/2011/06/wva-sierra-club-fights-mckinleys… http://www.weirtondailytimes.com/page/content.detail/id/140629/W-Va--Sierra… http://timeswv.com/westvirginia/x2099992739/Activists-fight-McKinley-s-coal… (Fairmont) (Capito's District) http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201106230481 (I think the Charleston Gazette got it, but their web page does not load today.) http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/563669/W-Va--Sierra-Club… (Martinsburg, WV) The Morgantown paper requires a paid subscription, but here is their story: DOMINION POST page 4A Friday 24 June 2011: http://ee.dominionpost.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RFBvc3QvMjAxMS8wNi8yNCNBcj… Area Sierra Club protests McKinley’s coal ash bill BY DAVID BEARD The Dominion Post One day after a House subcommittee OK’d Rep. David McKinley’s coal ash regulation bill, the Sierra Club West Virginia Chapter picketed his Morgantown office and handed over a letter asking him to withdraw the bill. Club members contend coal ash is toxic and needs Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversight. The Republican’s bill, HR 1391, comes in response to an EPA proposal to reclassify coal ash - a byproduct of coal combustion used in such things as cement and drywall, and on surface mines to mitigate acid drainage - as a hazardous waste. It reinforces states’ powers to enforce their own standards, which may exceed EPA standards. According to the bill memo, the EPA proposes two alternate rules. One would make coal ash a hazardous waste under subtitle C of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (called RCRA), calling for protective measures including landfill liners, groundwater monitoring and fugitive dust controls. The second proposal would keep it nonhazardous under RCRA subtitle D, but calls for the same protective measures. The EPA said neither rule would revise most aspects of “beneficial reuse” in cement, bricks, drywall and such. HR 1391 would preclude the EPA from regulating coal ash in any way under subtitle C. West Virginia Reps. Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican, and Nick Rahall, a Democrat, are among the cosponsors. The House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy approved the bill in a voice vote Wednesday. Club members picketed alongside Beechurst Avenue on Thursday morning, bearing such signs as “Coal Ash + Our Water = Toxic Brew.” Then they headed inside the Seneca Center and downstairs to McKinley’s office to present a packet of papers and speak briefly with McKinley’s field representative, Pam Krushansky. In a letter to McKinley, Sierra Club Energy Committee Chairman James Kotcon says, “In essence, your bill blocks EPA from doing its job. ... Dozens of coal ash dumps around the nation are polluting air and water with hazardous materials such as arsenic, cadmium, selenium, mercury and lead.” The Morgantown Energy Associates power plant near the Seneca Center produces coal ash used on area surface mines. After the meeting, members said there are safer alternatives - such as limestone - for treating mine drainage. The letter also notes that West Virginia’s 1st Congressional District has a “high concentration of coal ash disposal facilities,” including the Albright landfill in Preston County. The Sierra Club, the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy and West Virginia Rivers Coalition are suing Mon Power, and its parent company FirstEnergy, over the Albright coal ash landfill for allegedly discharging excessive levels of arsenic into Daugherty Run and the Cheat River. Bill proponents contend coal ash doesn’t meet EPA toxicity standards, while opponents contend EPA has updated its science. Proponents also say the proposed EPA rules could kill hundreds of thousands of jobs and raise utility rates by as much as 25 percent. Subcommittee Chairman John Shimkus said state agencies, including the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, support the bill and say they can regulate this without federal control. McKinley sent this statement to The Dominion Post in response to the protest: “I appreciate the citizens who came to my office today to voice their opinion. While we do disagree on the issue of coal ash, I am glad they are engaging in the debate. “My legislation ... actually strengthens state regulatory authority over these materials. The legislation would prevent the Obama administration’s attempt to reclassify these materials as a hazardous waste - a designation previous administrations have deemed inappropriate. “Even this week during an Energy and Commerce subcommittee, both Democrats and Republicans voted to classify coal ash as a nonhazardous material because the science proves it is nonhazardous. “In addition, the economic consequences of a hazardous designation are disastrous; one study found it would cost America more than 300,000 jobs in the next 20 years across a variety of industries. Public health is just as important as jobs, and they are not mutually exclusive in this case. By passing this bill, we will strengthen environmental protections and protect hundreds of thousands of jobs.” The bill’s next step is consideration by the full Energy & Commerce Committee. No date has been set yet, according to House sources. Let me know if you find anything else? Jim Kotcon >>> Jeff Stant <jstant(a)environmentalintegrity.org> 6/23/2011 6:08 PM >>> I heard from Sam that you had twelve people there and generated some press. Do you have any links to it? GREAT JOB!!! I'd like to keep this thing going and growing. But that's fantastic that you did it! Please post any press to Sierra's CCW listserve. Thanks Jeff Jeff Stant Director, Coal Combustion Waste Initiative Environmental Integrity Project 5819 Lowell Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219 Phone: 317-359-1306 Mobile: 317-331-3607 Email: Jstant(a)environmentalintegrity.org

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Fw: DAILY UPDATE 22 June 2011. News of interest to Mon river watershed denizens.
by James Kotcon 22 Jun '11

22 Jun '11

News from Morgantown. Pay particular attention to what Governor Tomblin and Randy Huffman are saying. The pressure on the Governor must continue. JBK >>> "Donald C. Strimbeck" <dcsoinks(a)comcast.net> 6/22/2011 4:47 AM >>> DOMINION POST headline Wednesday 22 June 2011: Council OKs ban Gas company plans to sue city The Dominion Post The Morgantown City Council voted 6-1 to pass the Marcellus shale drilling ban in the city and within a 1-mile radius beyond the city’s boundaries. Dozens of people showed up to both support and speak against the drilling ban. The meeting began at 7:30 p.m., and people were still commenting after 11 p.m. Enrout Properties LLC, which owns the surface and mineral rights to the gas pad at the Morgantown Industrial Park, is already planning a lawsuit. The company hired Jackson Kelly to represent them in a lawsuit against the city. Work began last month, and $7 million has been invested in the well site so far. Drilling supporters rally at Courthouse http://ee.dominionpost.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=RFBvc3QvMjAxMS8wNi8yMiNBcj… Energy independence touted as benefit BY ALEX LANG The Dominion Post To show their support for the gas drilling industry and its employees, about 100 people gathered on Courthouse Square on Tuesday. “Economic growth through energy independence” and “Local energy=local jobs” were two of the signs on display in the crowd. “We’re responsible, we do things right,” Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia President Michael McCown told the crowd. “Our industry is responsible for 35,000 jobs.” That number represents both the direct and indirect jobs tied to the drilling industry. He also said the workers are going to fight for their jobs and their honor. McCown was one of four speakers at a rally at the courthouse. Those involved in the gas drilling industry, most notably Marcellus shale, attended the rally before heading to the Morgantown City Council meeting. The council voted to ban Marcellus shale drilling in the city and within a 1-mile radius of city limits. One of those employees in attendance was Zach Toothman. He recently graduated from WVU with a degree in petroleum engineering. He said he is a field engineer for Chesapeake Energy and spends most of his time around Marcellus shale drilling. He said he was happy the rally was organized. “We need to do more like this,” Toothman said. Delegate Doug Skaff, DKanawha, told those at the rally that students like Toothman will have a chance to stay in West Virginia and raise a family thanks to the drilling industry. He said the state is at a crossroads and production of natural gas can be a game-changer for the state. The drilling industry must work with the various government environmental protection agencies, Skaff said. He added “we’re not going to this half-heartedly.” Chesapeake Energy Vice President of Corporate Development and State Government Regulations Scott Rotruck said safety is the number one priority. Not only in terms of worker safety, but environmental safety as well. “That is extremely important to us,” Rotruck said. Matt Sutton, who helped organize the rally, said it wasn’t in reaction to the several recent Marcellus shale protests. He added it was an idea that was talked about in the past. “They want to get out and show support for workers in the area,” Sutton said. MORGANTOWN COUNCIL City Marcellus drilling ban officially in place Byrer only one on council to vote no BY TRACY EDDY The Dominion Post Marcellus shale drilling is illegal in Morgantown and areas within a mile of the city limits. During its Tuesday meeting, Morgantown City Council voted, 6-1, to approve a law to ban horizontal drilling and fracturing — or fracking — in Morgantown and up to one mile beyond its borders. Mayor Bill Byrne and council members Ron Bane, John Gaddis, Jenny Selin, Marti Shamberger and Don Spencer voted for the law. Councilman Charlie Byrer voted against it. The vote didn’t take place until after midnight. Council spent nearly the first three hours of the meeting taking public comment on the issue and the smoking ban law. Spencer questioned the length of the public hearing at about 10:30 p.m. City Council has an 11 p.m. curfew when making decisions. Council unanimously voted to suspend the rules and work past curfew. Byrer said he voted against the ban because he supports the negotiations between the Morgantown Utility Board (MUB) and Northeast Natural Energy — the company drilling at the Morgantown Industrial Park. The drilling company agreed to implement extra safeguards at MUB’s request. He said it’s up to the governor to call a special session so the state legislature can address Marcellus shale drilling and permitting regulations. Council members also approved minor amendments to the ordinance. Byrer was the lone vote against them. The law now includes a definition of horizontal drilling and the phrase “horizontal drilling with fracturing” instead of “horizontal drilling and/or fracturing.” Council chambers overflowed with people and a crowd gathered in the lobby of City Hall to watch the meeting on TV. Several residents voiced their concerns for Morgantown’s water, air and general quality of life. Wetzel County residents also attended the meeting to talk about their experience with Marcellus shale drilling. Industry representatives spoke about how the industry could do its work responsibly. Mike John, president of Northeast Natural Energy, said the company wouldn’t be drilling at the industrial park if it didn’t think it could do it safely. He also cited the company’s agreement with MUB and said about $7 million was invested in the two wells, so far. “We believe it is impossible for an incident to occur that would impact Morgantown’s drinking water,” he said. Mike McCown, president of the Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia, read City Council a letter from acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, in which the governor requested Morgantown keep its authority within its city limits. Tomblin’s letter said the Marcellus wells at the Morgantown Industrial Park would be good for the city’s economy. “It sends a negative signal to a business to change the rules after permitting has already been completed,” McCown read. Larry Schwab, Collins Ferry Road, said the state and federal government don’t have regulations in place to protect residents. “We are looking to you, our elected officials, to protect us.” May seek injunction to stop the law from taking effect BY DAVID BEARD The Dominion Post The wheels are already in motion to sue Morgantown over its horizontal gas drilling and fracking ban, a Jackson Kelly attorney said Tuesday. Al Sebok said Enrout Properties LLC, which owns the surface and mineral rights to the Morgantown Industrial Park Marcellus gas pad, has retained him to represent Enrout in litigation against the city. Sebok was one of the scheduled speakers at Jackson Kelly’s seminar, “Marcellus Shale in WV: Emerging Issues,” held at the Waterfront Place Hotel. Morgantown based its ban on state code 8-12-19, which allows cities to extend their jurisdiction one mile beyond their boundaries when required to reasonably exercise their powers and authority. Sebok listed several reasons why the city may be wrong. One, 8-12-19 was written in 1969. When the Legislature updated the zoning law in 2004, it didn’t include the same extraterritorial provision; while Morgantown is changing its business and taxation code, the ban is really more of a zoning issue. Two, code 8-12-2, regarding home rule powers, forbids city laws that conflict with the state constitution or other general law. The ban does conflict. Three, cities have the power to legislate against public nuisances, but the law clearly defines public nuisance, and the city can’t “arbitrarily and capriciously” declare a legally permitted activity a public nuisance. Sebok said Northeast Natural Energy, the natural gas firm at the site, worked closely with the Morgantown Utility Board, a city agency, even before the permit was approved, and agreed to extra provisions — containment, berms, casings and testing — after the permit was issued. “This is what I view as a win-win situation for everyone. This is how the permitting [process] should work,” he said. He called the city’s action a regulatory taking of property without just compensation. He later told The Dominion Post that he didn’t know how soon Enrout would file suit — they’re evaluating options — but it likely will be quickly. He also said the company may seek an injunction or restraining order to suspend the ordinance until litigation is completed. Northeast President Michael John said that litigation is under consideration, and the company has been working with attorneys to map out strategies. Bottom line, though, he said: “I do not want to sue the city of Morgantown.” Northeast is in the business of drilling, not taking cities to court, he said. Morgantown City Manager Terrence Moore said the city has anticipated legal action and is acting with due diligence to prepare for and support City Council’s action, and will respond accordingly. He believes state code supports the city’s position. Rob Alsop, chief of staff for acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, also spoke at the Jackson Kelly seminar. He equated the city’s ban to what the Environmental Protection Agency did to Arch Coal’s Spruce Mine in Logan County: Retroactively revoked a water permit, effectively halting $250 million worth of planned operations. Alsop referred to Northeast’s $7 million-plus investment at the Morgantown site. “Now, after the fact, there’s the potential they could be told to stop.” That could have a chilling impact on business across the state, he said, when Tomblin wants to promote the industry and its ancillary businesses. “Marcellus shale is a great development for West Virginia,” Alsop said. “We are doing all we can to make it a phenomenal development for West Virginia.” Tomblin appointed a Marcellus and Manufacturing Task Force to explore the promise of ethane, a natural gas by-product that could spur all sorts of plasticsrelated manufacturing to replace the lost chemical industry in the Kanawha Valley and the lost steel works in the Northern Panhandle. “We want this type of investment here,” he said. DEP: 1,600 Marcellus permits issued; 400 in works BY DAVID BEARD The Dominion Post Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Randy Huffman told a Morgantown audience Tuesday that the DEP is on pace to permit 400 more Marcellus wells this year; it needs more inspectors; and it needs the Legislature to take some action. Huffman was one of the featured speakers at Jackson Kelly’s seminar, “Marcellus Shale in WV: Emerging Issues,” held at the Waterfront Place Hotel. He said that in some ways, he is pleased Marcellus legislation failed last session. The DEP submitted a bill, SB 204, which the House ignored, and the Senate rewrote, scrapped and replaced with a different House bill. The only thing that survived was the bill number, Huffman said. “We bit off more than we could chew.” It was too much work for a part-time citizen legislature, and it’s better nothing passed than something deeply flawed and subject to many challenges, he said. The DEP expects to have a seat at the table for the Legislature’s Marcellus select committee drafting a new compromise bill, and its contribution will be different this time, based on new things it has learned — such as the aggregate effects on air quality and public notice provisions. While some have publicly said it’s already too late to keep the industry from running roughshod over the state, Huffman is more optimistic. “I strongly believe we are way in front of the Marcellus play from a regulatory standpoint. I’m really confident a lot of things are going to happen in the coming months.” Huffman said the DEP has issued 1,602 Marcellus permits, with 942 of those already completed. The remaining 660 have either not been drilled, are in process, or awaiting fracking to begin. The agency expects to approve another 400 permits this year, he said. It’s permitting at a greater capacity than the industry can drill. That’s understandable, he said, because gas fir ms have to take steps to secure and retain their leases. The expected legislation needs to have one thing: Money for inspectors, Huffman said. The DEP doesn’t have the power to raise fees without legislative action. Huffman did say, though, that without legislation, the DEP is doing what it can to adapt its growing knowledge of the state’s needs. Permit applications are different now from a year ago, and may be different again in two months. Acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s Chief of Staff Rob Alsop also spoke at the seminar, and told The Dominion Post that if the select committee could have something ready as early as August, Tomblin would be willing to consider putting it on the call with redistricting. THE STATE JOURNAL: Morgantown City Council Bans Horizontal Drilling with Hydraulic Fracturing Posted Wednesday, June 22, 2011 ; 12:59 AM President of company now developing two wells asked what the city is prepared to compensate him for his $7 million investment. By Pam Kasey Morgantown City Council voted 6-1 on June 21 to pass an ordinance prohibiting horizontal drilling with hydraulic fracturing within a mile outside city limits. It’s been an issue of hot discussion in Morgantown since early May, when the city’s residents learned after the fact that Northeast Natural Energy of Charleston had been permitted to drill two Marcellus Shale natural gas wells just upriver from the area’s drinking water intake on the Monongahela River. Residents expressed concerns about the possibility of an drilling or hydraulic fracturing accident that would contaminate drinking water, as well as air quality and other concerns, and they expressed frustration that there is no public notification and comment process for gas wells. NNE’s well pad is located outside but within a mile outside city limits; the Morgantown council is following Wellsburg’s lead in relying on a provision of state code that allows cities to extend their authority for up to a mile beyond their boundaries when needed to carry out city functions. Tuesday's second reading of the ordinance drew comments from dozens both for and against the ban. Mike McCown, president of the Independent Oil and Gas Association, read a letter from acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin urging the city to keep its ban within city limits. The industry won't take kindly to a ban, McCown said. “If a city says there shouldn’t be drilling and doesn’t support the industry, it’s going t be hard for industry members to support that city, to do commerce in that city,” he said. “That’s a decision the city’s going to have to take seriously, in my opinion.” Several who addressed council had traveled from adjacent Wetzel County, where Chesapeake Energy has a high concentration of Marcellus gas production activity. “Coming with this Marcellus development you’re going to have tons of air pollution, water pollution — I’ve submitted copies of accidents, road issues, water contaminations,” said Wetzel County resident Ed Wade. “In our area we’ve found crime rates have gone up, drug usage has gone up,” Wade said. “It’s going to put a strain on your volunteer fire departments, your EMS, your law enforcement. All of this is going to have to be doubled and tripled. … For the people of Morgantown and their best interest, I hope you guys make the right decision.” NNE President Mike John addressed council for the first time. John noted that his company’s wells have received permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection. He added that his company met the additional assurances of the Morgantown Utility Board, the provider of drinking water for about 90,000 in the region — assurances that he viewed as having come from the city through MUB. “Given this history, we were surprised that, despite our good faith effort to work with the city to their apparent satisfaction, we find ourselves before council tonight as you move forward to ban drilling and fracking within a mile of city limits,” John said. “While there is risk associated with any industrial process, given the safeguards that we have implemented and the nature of the site, we believe it is impossible for an incident to occur that would impact Morgantown’s drinking water in any meaningful way,” he added. He asked what the city is willing to compensate his company for the $7 million it has invested in its site based on good faith interactions with the city. Councilman Charles Byrer alone voted against the ordinance. He expressed a preference for regulation at the state level and cited concerns about the rights of mineral owners, including the city itself. “I think we’re basically going to be regretting this down the road. We have opportunity here. We’re sitting on a treasure,” he said. “And I think we’re on a slippery slope from a legal perspective.” Council takes this action, concluded Mayor William Byrne just before the vote was taken, in the absence of effective state regulation — mentioning in particular the need for public notification and comment on gas wells. “We do not do this with a lot of gusto,” Byrne said. FirstEnergy: Unconventional Gas an Additional Challenge to Coal-Fired Power Industry Posted Tuesday, June 21, 2011 ; 10:34 Updated Tuesday, June 21, 2011; 11:46 AM Power sector could represent one-third of U.S. natural gas demand by 2020. By Pam Kasey MORGANTOWN -- The boom in production of natural gas from formations like the Marcellus shale is presenting an additional challenge to an already challenged coal-fired power industry. That was one observation from Lauren Quamm, manager of market analytics for FirstEnergy Solutions, when he spoke June 21 at the “Marcellus Shale in West Virginia: Emerging Issues” seminar hosted in Morgantown by Jackson Kelly. FirstEnergy, Quamm said, operates from Illinois to Maryland and is the nation’s largest industrial utility based on customers served; FirstEnergy Solutions is the largest competitive retailer of electricity. “Natural gas is poised to become (an even more) important part of the fuel mix for generating electricity in this country,” while coal as a fuel for the generation of electricity is getting squeezed, Quamm said. That is based in part on the recent growth in supply of natural gas due to horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, Quamm said. That growth has resulted in reduced prices. Not long ago, natural gas was the most expensive generation fuel that represented a significant part of the market. But the price of gas has halved since 2008, Quamm said, from $9 per million British thermal units in 2008 to $4.50 now; with that, the price of electricity has fallen approximately by half. And because all power plants in a region earn what the most expensive plant is charging per megawatt-hour, all power plants are earning less, he said. At the same time, planned and expected environmental regulations on air emissions and other aspects of power generation will affect coal-fired plants more than others. Given that squeeze, moderate projections are that 30 to 70 megawatts or about 20 percent of coal-fired generation capacity could be shut down east of the Rocky Mountains. “The replacement power plants will largely be fired by natural gas,” he said. The combination of gas plants added to the grid and increased firing of existing plants “could be a significant source of demand for the industry,” he said. If 50 to 70 gigawatts of coal-fired generation capacity is shuttered, he said, it could mean 8 to 9 trillion cubic feet per year of power sector gas demand by 2020: roughly one-third of U.S. natural gas demand. Agencies Say They Are Now More Prepared June 22, 2011 By J.W. JOHNSON JR. With AP Dispatches - Staff Writer , The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register A year after a natural gas well burst into flames in Marshall County, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection is drafting legislation focused on well sites, water management and permit fees. In the early hours of June 7, 2010, Marshall County 911 dispatchers began receiving calls reporting a loud explosion and flames shooting 75 feet into the air on Beam's Lane outside of Moundsville. As emergency management teams from Marshall and Belmont counties arrived at the site of a natural gas well operated by AB Resources Inc., they began to assess the situation: A fire was raging and appeared to be unextinguishable, and seven workers had been seriously injured. After getting the fire under control and containing it for 12 hours until crews trained to handle well fires could arrive, emergency management officials remained at the site for nearly five days until the fire burned out. Now the DEP is paring down legislation it presented for this year's regular session, spokeswoman Kathy Cosco said. Out is language addressing such topics as forced pooling, which involves drilling in areas with multiple mineral rights owners, and the rights of surface owners, she said. The regular session bill died after substantial amendments in both chambers. Department Secretary Randy Huffman criticized lawmakers Tuesday for its fate. He told a Morgantown conference on Marcellus Shale issues that the changes disregarded provisions developed by his staff during the better part of the year. The new draft will also propose hiking permit fees above their current rate, which is usually around $600 per well, but not likely as high as the $10,000 proposed in the regular session bill, Cosco said. DEP's goal is enough funding for eight to 10 more inspectors - the department now has 17 positions - along with additional office staff, she said. Huffman said a serious fee hike would allow "more of a presence on the ground at these sites." Some companies have even offered to pay higher fees, but Huffman said he was forced to decline because his agency has no structure for accepting such sums. Huffman agreed the fee amount could prove a sticking point as a new House-Senate select committee attempts to find a compromise that can pass in special session. The industry argues that fees higher than those charged in other Marcellus states would make West Virginia less competitive. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., warned the Morgantown conference that if state legislators can't agree on Marcellus regulations, the federal government is likely to do the job for them. The federal Environmental Protection Agency is already cracking down on the coal industry and is "slathering" to get at the natural gas industry, too, Capito said. Locally, a lot has changed since the Beams Lane fire regarding the way local emergency management crews and first responders react when faced with a well explosion. They cited equal parts planning practice for the adaptations. "There was a steep learning curve when we arrived for that first fire," said Marshall County Emergency Management Director Tom Hart. "We found out that the best way to prepare for those situations and learn how to be able to respond was to actually deal with them." The fire was the first of three separate gas-related incidents in a four-month period in the county, and Hart said each incident presented a new challenge from which to learn. Hart said as a result of dealing with those incidents, local fire departments and law enforcement agencies now are more prepared and have a better idea of what to expect if a well fire is reported. He added his office has created a checklist and implemented other protocols in the emergency management comprehensive plan, which is shared not only with offices in Marshall County but around the state. The biggest change, Hart said, is that the lines of communication between county officials and gas company representatives are open, allowing for information to be shared on a more frequent basis. First responders at the Beam's Lane fire said it was unclear who was supervising the site, and county officials said they had not been informed of any drilling activity in that area or been given information as to how many employees had been working there. "Since that first incident, companies have been very forthwith in providing us with information on where their sites are and what is happening," he said, adding that information comes via weekly email updates and at monthly meetings of the Marshall County Energy Exploration Task Force, which was created last August. Hart said having frequent communication and knowing who to contact in the event of an emergency is key to allowing first responders to get to a site and on task as quickly as possible. He added many companies have also been proactive in investing in their own emergency plans and training for their workers. "They know that for public safety officials to assist them, they need to provide accurate information on their locations, and we need that information to protect the public and the people working at their sites," he said. Marshall County fire departments have also been able to upgrade their equipment and seek further training using donations from Chief Oil and Gas and Chesapeake Energy, which donated $100,000 and $221,000, respectively, following well fires on their properties. Hart said those funds were used to purchase equipment and supplies that would be used in the event of a similar incident. Hart said he has heard from representatives from counties around the state who have expressed concern over increased drilling activity in their areas. He said he will continue to share the information that Marshall County has gathered in the past year so they can be one step ahead in the event of an emergency. "I hate to say it, but I am kind of glad we dealt with it when we did and were able to become better prepared," he said.

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Fwd: WV_Crucial House Vote - Please Call Your Representatives
by James Kotcon 22 Jun '11

22 Jun '11

This is urgent. Drop what you are doing and call today. If you are not in the First District, call Capito and Rahall and ask them to call McKinley to ask him to withdraw the bill. JBK >>> Sam Flenner <samf.environmentalintegrity(a)gmail.com> 6/21/2011 8:42 PM >>> *HR 1391 – The very bad McKinley Coal Ash Bill is scheduled for a vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee this Thursday, June 23rd. * The following House Representative from your state is on the Committee. Phone calls in opposition to HR 1391 are urgently needed to your member to ensure he opposes HR 1391. If you live in the District of the following Representative, please call him at *David McKinley 202-225-4172 * https://mckinley.house.gov//index.cfm?sectionid=58<https://mckinley.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=58>Phone calls are preferred And ask other members of your group or network to call him as well. The message is simple. --McKinley’s amended bill, HR 1391, derails the ongoing EPA coal ash rulemaking and would prevent EPA from regulating coal ash in a way that protects health and the environment. --EPA must be allowed to proceed with its coal ash rulemaking, consider the hundreds of thousands of public comments it has received, and make its decision based on the best available science. --Your representative should protect the health and environment of your community and those of other Americans who live around coal ash sites and honor the public rulemaking process. Again…Please: 1) Call your House Committee members today to ask him to oppose HR 1391; 2) Ask your members and any others in your network to call their Representatives to oppose HR 1391; 3) We lost in Subcommittee by only 1 vote – Please make the call. Thank you, Jeff Stant Director, Coal Combustion Waste Initiative Environmental Integrity Project 5819 Lowell Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219 Phone: 317-359-1306 Mobile: 317-331-3607 Email: Jstant(a)environmentalintegrity.org -- Samuel E. Flenner III Outreach Coodinator Environmental Integrity Project www.environmentalintegrity.org samf.environmentalintegrity(a)gmail.com 317.352.2339 c-317.850.0436

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Fwd: San Antonio's Deely Coal Plant is Closing, Here is the Press Release
by Paul Wilson 21 Jun '11

21 Jun '11

maybe Rep. Mckinney should see this? fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Oliver Bernstein <oliver.bernstein(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 4:28 PM Subject: Fwd: San Antonio's Deely Coal Plant is Closing, Here is the Press Release To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)lists.sierraclub.org ---------- Forwarded message ---------- This went out to local press in SA and to national coal press. http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=209362.0 June 20, 2011 Contacts: Eva Hernandez, Sierra Club, 512-299-1550, or Ryan Rittenhouse, Public Citizen, 440-796-9695 Sierra Club and Partners Celebrate First Announced Closing of a Publicly-owned Coal Plant in Texas San Antonio's Deely Plant Expected to Close by 2018, Replaced by Clean, Solar Power San Antonio -- Monday afternoon, San Antonio Mayor Joaquin Castro announced that City Public Service’s (CPS) Deely coal-fired power plant will shut down by 2018. Additional solar power contracts for the San Antonio area will replace that dirty electricity and bring clean energy jobs to Texas. The planned retirement of the two coal boilers at Deely marks the 189th and 190th generators to begin plans for retirement in 2011. In response to today's announcement, the Sierra Club, SEED Coalition, and Public Citizen issued the following statement: The announcement today confirms the new direction taken by CPS Energy which has committed to meeting 20% of its energy needs through renewable energy by 2020, and reducing its peak demand through energy efficiency by 780 megawatts. CPS Energy recently began receiving power from a 14 MW solar plant in South San Antonio, and has signed a contract with SunEdison for an additional 30 MWs of solar power. Mary Anne Hitt, director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign stated that, "Today's announcement in Texas shows that cities around the country are taking strides to move beyond coal. Mayors and concerned citizens in many states have taken it upon themselves to prove that solar and other forms of clean energy are ready to replace dirty and dangerous sources of power to meet our energy needs." "San Antonio’s decision to phase out the Deely coal plant signals the beginning of the end of the coal-burning era and its associated air pollution and illness in Texas,” said Eva Hernandez, with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign. “We are ready for Austin to follow suit and for other municipal utilities, the electric co-ops, retail electric utilities, and indeed the State of Texas to move forward with a clean energy economy. This is how we will create more jobs while breathing cleaner air in Texas.” However, environmental groups do not support the west Texas Summit coal plant that could be part of San Antonio’s plan. “Any purchase of coal power from the Summit coal plant should be conditional upon phasing out Deely,” said Ryan Rittenhouse of Public Citizen. “Furthermore, CPS should commit to running Deely's two dirty coal boilers as little as possible leading up to the phase out.” The CPS Deely plant is the first publicly-owned coal plant slated for retirement in Texas. The Sierra Club has called for the phase-out of the Lower Colorado River Authority's Fayette coal plant, which is partially-owned by the City of Austin. The Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign has also called for the phase-out of several privately owned coal plants: TXU-Luminant’s Big Brown coal plant in Fairfield, the Martin Lake coal plant near Henderson, and the Monticello coal plant near Mount Pleasant. Several recently permitted coal plants in Texas have been prevented from starting, and three, White Stallion, Las Brisas, and Tenaska face additional obstacles. # # # -- Cheers, Sean Sarah Communications Manager (South East & North East) Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign C: 330 338-3740 P: 202 548-4589 E: Sean.Sarah(a)sierraclub.org -- Oliver Bernstein National Communications Strategist Sierra Club Phone: 512.477.2152 x102 Cell: 512.289.8618 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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 -- 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: Tr-Ash Talk: W.V. Rep. McKinley Sells Out Constituents
by James Kotcon 21 Jun '11

21 Jun '11

Note: The markup (on McKinley's bill) was rescheduled for next Tuesday, June 21 at 4 p.m. Actions Tuesday morning? JBK >>> Jim Sconyers <jimscon(a)gmail.com> 6/17/2011 3:24 PM >>> Jim - I think we need to do something. This worthless SOB needs some consequences. What can we do? How about picketing his Morgantown office and getting media there? Or.......? ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Raviya Ismail <rismail(a)earthjustice.org> Date: Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 9:13 AM Subject: Tr-Ash Talk: W.V. Rep. McKinley Sells Out Constituents To: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE(a)lists.sierraclub.org Here is our latest Tr-Ash Talk blog: http://earthjustice.org/blog/2011-june/tr-ash-talk-w-v-rep-mckinley-sells-o… Emily Enderle Tr-Ash Talk: W.V. Rep. McKinley Sells Out Constituents Congressman’s district is home to largest coal ash pond Here we go again. Some of our elected leaders are once more maneuvering to block much-needed health protections against coal ash. Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) has sponsored a bill that would broadly remove federal authority for any regulation of coal ash ever. This bill, if enacted, also would conveniently protect his business interests. In April, Politico exposed Rep. McKinley’s business interest in ensuring that coal ash is not regulated. Rep McKinley owns the largest engineering firm in West Virginia and his company uses coal ash in concrete, as fill for roads and other uses. Rep. McKinley also represents a district that has the largest coal ash pond in the nation, and his bill goes against what he promised West Virginian Curt Havens, veteran and constituent. Havens was at the Energy and Commerce hearing in April, when Rep. McKinley said, about prior coal ash threats, "I want to make sure that never happens again to another family in America." (Those comments start at minute marker 2:26:26.) Again, business interests are coming before the interest of protecting public health. During the House budget negotiations February frenzy, Rep. McKinley sponsored amendment 217 that would have prohibited the EPA from using any of their funds to move forward with the health protective Subtitle C regulation. Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) introduced amendment 10, trying to achieve the same thing. It’s no surprise that both congressmen are heavily supported by the energy sector. During his 2010 campaign Rep. McKinley received $43,300 from energy companies, and $22,751 of that came from mining interests, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Rep. McKinley’s current effort to stop the regulation of this potent waste, H.R. 1391, would “amend the Solid Waste Disposal Act to exempt fly ash waste, bottom ash waste, slag waste and flue gas emission control waste generated primarily from the combustion of coal or other fossil fuels from regulation as hazardous waste under such Act.” H.R. 1391 was scheduled to be marked up in the Environment and Economy subcommittee of Energy and Commerce this morning. The markup had to be rescheduled for next Tuesday, June 21 at 4 p.m. due to a drafting error. The bill, as written, couldn’t have been much worse and it’s doubtful there will be any improvements as they fix the drafting error. Rep. McKinley and the bill supporters will continue to put public health at risk. Further, they will undermine the public coal ash rulemaking currently underway that generated a record-breaking 450,000 comments. This is a tragic example of how some elected officials bow to dirty polluters rather than heeding the concerns of their constituents. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE list, send any message to: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp -- Jim Sconyers jimscon(a)gmail.com 304.698.9628

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Fw. Clarksburg (WV) Considers Selling Effluent Water for Fracking
by Frank Young 17 Jun '11

17 Jun '11

Well, if you can sell it to someone else instead of discharging it into a stream, maybe you can avoid having to meet effluent NPDES permit limits! ----- Original Message ----- From: Denise Binion To: WVEC Board Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2011 4:42 PM Subject: [wvec-board] Clarksburg Considers Selling Effluent Water for Fracking The City is obviously unaware of WHY the water should be put back into the West Fork River. http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=101571 __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity: Visit Your Group Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest . Unsubscribe . Terms of Use. __,_._,___

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Bizarre, awesome, fascinating, and beyond belief!!!
by Jim Sconyers 16 Jun '11

16 Jun '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: david sconyers <dsconyers(a)yahoo.com> Date: Thu, Jun 16, 2011 at 11:02 AM Subject: Toward A Green Future To: DV <donnaventriss(a)yahoo.com>, Jim <jimscon(a)gmail.com>, Armygrunt69(a)aol.com, barneyusmc6669(a)hotmail.com, bromley <bromhood(a)gmail.com>, brownk(a)southflorida.edu, steve burke <oldindianrider(a)aol.com>, Brent Davis < marine6(a)roadrunner.com>, days(a)americanfast.com, jerry dejonge < dejongej(a)southflorida.edu>, dennisinor(a)aol.com, Fpwingfield(a)aol.com, FUSMCRVN(a)verizon.net, GeneMarine(a)aol.com, Frank Gill <frgill(a)sbcglobal.net>, Frank and Jody Gill <frankgill(a)comcast.net>, clay gooch < clay_gooch(a)hotmail.com>, guentherd1(a)aol.com, Mark <MSconyers(a)olc152.com>, mcleodm(a)southflorida.edu, sandy/joe molineaux <sjmolino823(a)cox.net>, richard morey <moreyr(a)southflorida.edu>, lou piantadosi <LouPiant(a)aol.com>, pwingfld(a)comcast.net, ray.morris(a)comcast.net, Jim Sconyers < jim_scon(a)yahoo.com>, sgt_major(a)earthlink.net, ToMaui21(a)comcast.net, Jan Harrod <jsharrod(a)cox.net>, Jennifer Lawton <jennifer.lawton(a)gmail.com>, Mike <msconyers(a)sbcglobal.net>, Sarah <srstolfa(a)gmail.com>, Jeff Sconyers < jeff.sconyers(a)seattlechildrens.org>, Curtis Ventriss <clventriss(a)msn.com>, RA Ventriss <rventriss(a)aol.com>, Lisa Ventriss <lisa(a)vtroundtable.org>, Beverly Ventriss <bventris(a)pacbell.net> Or maybe too much time on his hands?? You decide. http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=HSKyHmjyrkA&feature=email "If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." (Albert Einstein) "True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country" (Kurt Vonnegut) "What better way for a ruling class to claim and hold power than to pose as the defenders of the nation." (Christopher Hitchens)

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Fwd: Re: [wvec-board] Marcellus Special Session
by James Kotcon 16 Jun '11

16 Jun '11

>>> Julie Archer <julie(a)wvcag.org> 6/16/2011 10:07 AM >>> FYI... Don Strimbeck's Daily Update included this article from the Dominion Post... *Marcellus committee OK'd * /Bicameral group to study drilling rules, regulation / */BY DAVID BEARD The Dominion Post /* CHARLESTON --- Marcellus regulation took a major step forward Wednesday afternoon, and if you had sneezed, you would have missed it. In the opening moments of the Joint Committee on Government and Finance meeting --- after the gaveling and the order for a silent roll --- acting Senate President Jeff Kessler moved to authorize a select committee to study Marcellus regulation. The motion passed without fanfare or discussion, and the panel --- the two chamber leaders, and political party and major committee heads --- moved on with its regular business. It took little more than 15 seconds. The audience was still settling down and the motion was hard to hear. But that little blip opens the door to a special session to pass Marcellus regulations. Kessler, Speaker Rick Thompson and acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin met Wednesday morning and agreed to create the committee. It will consist of five members each from the House and Senate. Thompson and Kessler said they hadn't yet appointed members. But they're confident the two chambers can reach an agreement --- each had passed a bill during the regular 2011 session but couldn't reach a compromise --- and bring it to Tomblin so he can call a special session. No one knows for sure when that will be. If there's an agreement in time, Kessler speculated, perhaps August --- the time also considered for a redistricting special session. Thompson said, "I think it would be very good if we could finish it this summer." He said a special session --- without the distractions of nearly 1,900 other bills --- is the best way to take it up. The failed mega-bills, in their various incarnations, took on environmental issues, surface owner rights, inspectors, permits and fees, fracking fluid, water withdrawals and discharges, forced pooling, road maintenance and more. Since then, following the permitting of two wells in the Morgantown Industrial Park, other issues have arisen --- including well locations near water supplies and the rights of cities to ban drilling and fracking. Thompson and Kessler said the select committee --- working with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the governor's office and various stakeholders --- has no limits on its discussions. Kessler used the term "pretty broad" while Thompson chose "wide open." "It's crucial to have a regulatory framework that protects the environment," provides regulatory certainty for the business community and protects surface and mineral owner rights, he said. While Tomblin previously said the DEP is already equipped to regulate the industry by making rules, DEP Secretary Randy Huffman said the agency is not, in fact, prepared to handle it. And Kessler opposes the idea on principle. "We can't just wait on bureaucratic administrative agencies to set the policy. That has to be done by the Legislature," he said. Thompson doesn't expect major progress by the July interims --- July 11-13 --- but that the committee and other parties could coordinate and "get some movement" during the interims. Asked about the governor's goals for the committee, Tomblin spokeswoman Jacqueline Proctor said he prefers to leave it in the hands of the committee, although he's happy to work with members as they see fit. The timeline to ready a bill or bills and bring them to him for a special session call is also up to the committee, she said. She speculated unofficially that August may be a little soon to get it all together. Asked if letters and resolutions from the public and public bodies --- including Morgantown, Monongalia County and the WVU Faculty Senate --- and proposed drilling bans helped spark Wednesday's actions, Proctor said Tomblin has had the discussion on his agenda for a while. But he's paying attention to what's going on, she said. "He's keeping everything on his radar as much as possible." Julie Archer WV Citizen Action Group 1500 Dixie Street Charleston, WV 25311 (304) 346-5891 (304) 346-8981 FAX www.wvcag.org On 6/15/2011 9:55 PM, dsgjr(a)aol.com wrote: > > After lobbying hard for a special session on Marcellus regulation for > two days, and hearing only very negative replies that it wasn't going > to happen, there was a sudden turn of events on Wednesday. > Wednesday afternoon, before they left town, the Joint Committee on > Government and Finance voted to form a Select Committee to prepare for > a special session on Marcellus drilling regulation. The committee > will consist of five Senate members and five House members, who will > be appointed by the Speaker and the acting Senate President. > Julie Archer and I were attending another Interim Committee meeting > when this occurred, so we don't have any more details at this time. > I will do some nosing around on Thursday to see if I can learn more. > Don Garvin > WVEC Legislative Coordinator > >

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Google makes Business Case for Wind
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 16 Jun '11

16 Jun '11

Google makes Business Case for Wind Bill Opalka <http://www.energybiz.com/author/bill-opalka> | Jun 16, 2011 [image: Share/Save]<http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.energybiz.com%2Fart…> <http://www.energybiz.com/article/11/06/google-makes-business-case-wind?utm_…> Renewable energy developers agree: The lack of clear, long-term signals from policymakers stalls investments in the clean energy space. As the new kid on the block, and not an energy company, Google is plowing ahead. While Congress seems absent on energy policy this year – except for the predictable hearings on high gasoline prices – clean energy companies are looking for a signal that investments will pay off once various credits and subsidies expire at the end of this year and next. The message came through at a press conference at the American Wind Energy Association <http://www.awea.org/> conference in Anaheim. But along with the policy imperative, Google said there’s a business case<http://www.google.com/green/>to be made. “We believe in a clean energy future so we’re trying to do what we can to help enable that, but we also believe very strongly that all the things we are doing make good business sense,” said Rick Needham, director of green business operations and strategy at Google. The company has invested $400 million in large scale renewable energy<http://www.renewablesbiz.com/article/10/05/google-buys>projects. “Also, these investments provide strong financial returns, and are a way to diversify our cash holdings with good returns given those risks,” Needham added. [image: IBM Webcast]<http://ads.energycentral.com/a.aspx?Task=Click&ZoneID=838&CampaignID=8318&A…> <http://ads.energycentral.com/a.aspx?ZoneID=838&Task=Click&Mode=HTML&SiteID=…> And as a large energy consumer, Google has procured two 20-year long-term power purchase agreements for 250 megawatts of wind providing clean energy for its data centers. But that only goes so far, as uncertain policy and recent history illustrate. Ned Hall, AES executive vice president and AES Wind Generation<http://www.aes.com/aes/index?page=wind>president, said: “We have a lot of examples in our industry as to what hasn’t worked out well for us. In the late 90s we built 35,0000 megawatts of natural gas generation in our rush to excitement to what was viewed as a disruptive technology. That drove natural gas prices to $13. And that ended badly for a lot of businesses.” The current mania over shale gas and the lack of a commitment to clean energy affects markets now. Hall is the incoming chairman of AWEA, so he’s clearly in the space for the long haul, too. But he’s seen this movie before, too. “The disruptive nature of shale gas has changed the map again and there’s a rush back to gas. If we’re always chasing what we view as the current least-cost opportunity, we won’t get the diversity that I think we would benefit from,” Hall said. He spoke approvingly of the market signals for renewables outside of the U.S.: “AES does business in 28 countries. Most of our time and effort on wind development is focused outside the U.S. because we don’t see what exists today as a motivator to come and put in the time and effort.” Does Google want to lead by example? “We would welcome and encourage other companies that may not be investing or offtaking (procuring) to do something that makes business sense for them to drive the industry forward,” Needham said. The uncertain regulatory environment is taking its toll. But some of that pain is being eased by the likes of Google and AES. Bill Opalka is editor of RenewablesBiz Daily -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Fwd: DEP Public Notice - 2012 Proposed Air Rules Hearing Set
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 14 Jun '11

14 Jun '11

At the Skyview meeting in Morgantown, Bill Hughs of WCAG said that attempts to have air emissions from aggregated sources from drilling sites properly monitored under WVDEP's rules have repeatedly failed. In fact, their lawyers blocked any such requests. WVDEP's rules need to be changed. An opportunity to request changes is coming up as shown below. -Jonathan -------- Original Message -------- Subject: DEP Public Notice - 2012 Proposed Air Rules AvailaHearing Set Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:49:39 -0400 From: <dep.online(a)wv.gov> To: <freesource(a)cheat.org> The following was sent to you because you are a Member of the DEP Public Notice mailing list. =========================================================== Monday, June 13, 2011 @ 4:49 PM =========================================================== 2012 Proposed Air Rules Hearing Set and Rules Available on DEP Website for Review The West Virginia Division of Air Quality has scheduled a public hearing on July 11, 2011 for its 2012 proposed legislative rules, which will take place at the Division of Environmental Protection’s Charleston headquarters, 601 57th Street S.E., Charleston, WV 25304. Oral and written comments will be limited to the proposed revisions and will be made a part of the rulemaking record. Copies of the rules are available from the Secretary of State’s office or from the DEP at http://www.dep.wv.gov/pio/Pages/Rules.aspx. You may also obtain hard copies of the information by calling the phone number listed below. Written comments may be submitted to the Public Information Office at the above address. Comments may also be e-mailed to dep.comments(a)wv.gov. The hearing dates, locations and comment deadlines are as follows: Division of Air Quality 45CSR8 – Ambient Air Quality Standards 45CSR14 – Permits for Construction and Major Modification of Major Stationary Sources of Air Pollution for the Prevention of Significant Deterioration 45CSR16 – Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources 45CSR18 - Control of Air Pollution from Combustion of Solid Waste 45CSR19 – Permits for Construction and Major Modification of Major Stationary Sources of Air Pollution Which Cause or Contribute to Nonattainment 45CSR25 – Control of Air Pollution from Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities 45CSR30 – Requirements for Operating Permits 45CSR34 – Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants 45CSR35 – Requirements for Determining Conformity of General Federal Actions to Applicable Air Quality Implementation Plans (General Conformity) 45CSR42 – Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Program The public hearing for all air quality rules will take place beginning at 6 p.m. on July 11, 2011 in the Dolly Sods Conference Room. The comment period will begin on June 10, 2011 and end at the conclusion of the public hearing on July 11, 2011. Upon authorization and promulgation of revisions to 45CSR8, 45CSR14, 45CSR19 and 45CSR35, the DAQ will submit the rules to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as revisions to the State Implementation Plan pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act. Upon authorization and promulgation of revisions to 45CSR18, the DAQ will submit the final rule to the U.S. EPA for approval as a part of West Virginia’s Section 111(d)/129 Plan and program delegation of the federal New Source Performance Standards. Rules 45CSR16, 45CSR25 and 45CSR34 will be submitted to EPA to fulfill other federal obligations under the Clean Air Act, including delegations, plans and program approvals. Upon authorization and promulgation of 45CSR30, the rule will be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a revision to the State’s Operating Permit Program under Title V of the federal Clean Air Act. Rule 45CSR42 is proposed to be repealed. For more information on any of the DAQ rules call 304-926-0475. =========================================================== To view past notices of open public comment periods or to unsubscribe from this Mailing List, login at: http://apps.dep.wv.gov//MLists2/

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Robert Bryce: America Needs the Shale Revolution - The Wall Street Journal.
by William DePaulo 13 Jun '11

13 Jun '11

I thought you would be interested in the following story on WSJ.com. Robert Bryce: America Needs the Shale Revolution http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304432304576369140191493636.h… The Wall Street Journal Mobile Reader for iPhoneTM delivers the latest global news, financial events, market insights and information to keep you ahead of the curve. Get the information you depend on plus entertainment, culture, and sports coverage when, where, and how you want it from the most credible source for news and information. Click below to download the WSJ Mobile Reader for free from the iTunes App Store. http://www.wsj.com/iphoneinstall William V DePaulo, Esq 179 Summers Street #232 Charleston WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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AEP plant closings.
by James Kotcon 13 Jun '11

13 Jun '11

I expect such statements from the likes of Manchin and McKinley, but here is the quote that troubles me. "Kessler said he would like to see the EPA guidelines changed so that plants like Kammer would be able to remain viable producers of electricity, adding he will work to make that change happen." JBK Both Anger And Optimism Voiced On Fate of Plant June 10, 2011 By J.W. JOHNSON JR. Staff Writer , The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register Congressman David McKinley said Thursday that the more than 240 West Virginia workers affected by the closure of five American Electric Power plants deserve an explanation, not from AEP, but from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and, ideally, the president. "President (Barack) Obama and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson should come to West Virginia and see first-hand the faces of the folks that no longer have jobs because of their extreme regulatory policies," he said. McKinley, R-W.Va., is one of many local and state representatives who voiced anger at Thursday's announcement that AEP's Kammer Plant could be closed by 2014 as a result of proposed EPA regulations. Representatives from AEP said the plant would close under the company's new compliance plan, which was introduced Thursday. The plan would close five plants in West Virginia and one in Ohio in an effort to become compliant with the proposed regulations. The move would affect 60 employees at the Kammer Plant and 242 statewide. McKinley said that decision is the best example of why unemployment numbers are so high across the country, and he hoped Obama would accept his invitation. "Just this week the president said he is concerned that we are not producing jobs as quickly as he would like it to happen," McKinley said. "The men and women who lost their jobs at American Energy Power know exactly why we continue to hemorrhage jobs, and that is an ideologically driven agenda that is out of touch with working men and women and businesses large and small." Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said he would make himself available to the AEP employees affected by the closures and that proposed EPA regulations are an example of government run amok. "It's decisions like the one made by AEP that demonstrate the urgent need to rein in government agencies like the EPA, preventing them from overstepping their bounds and imposing regulations that not only cost us good American jobs, but hurt our economy," he said. "Onerous regulations issued by the EPA are the reason that 242 West Virginians will lose their jobs, and that's simply wrong." Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., echoed Manchin's statement, adding that in this instance, the EPA did not properly analyze the situation to understand the loss of jobs and increase in cost to consumers. "This is a perfect example of the EPA implementing rules and regulations without considering the devastating impact they may have on local economies and jobs," she said, adding she will be drafting a letter to Jackson to see documentation that economic impact was taken into account when creating the new regulations. Representatives from Marshall County said they were notified of the planned closure Thursday morning by AEP representatives, though many of them chose to remain optimistic about the news. Delegate Mike Ferro said the news was "devastating," especially after recent talk of bringing an ethane cracking plant to the county had officials expecting an economic boost. "Now all of sudden you kind of get kicked a bit," he said, adding he hoped those involved would have "a change of heart." State Sen. Jeff Kessler said although AEP has said a number of the 60 employees would be reaching retirement age in the coming years and that the company would attempt to find new positions for the remaining employees, he is not interested in job creation by attrition. "I am more concerned about long-term growth and maintaining a vibrant work force in Marshall County," he said. "We have to see if we can pick up the slack." Kessler said he would like to see the EPA guidelines changed so that plants like Kammer would be able to remain viable producers of electricity, adding he will work to make that change happen. County Commissioner Jason "Jake" Padlow said he was glad AEP gave employees such advance notice - nearly three years - and that he hoped that was enough time for the county to show that it deserves to keep the plant. "Hopefully with what is going on in Marshall County with the increase in business and industry, we can convince them to change their plans," he said.

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email changing
by Jim Sconyers 13 Jun '11

13 Jun '11

I am slowly switching over to gmail from Yahoo. I intend to use gmail only starting July 1, 2011. Please change my email address to jimscon(a)gmail.com Thanks Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last.

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NYTimes.com: Prices Fall for Some Gas-Rich Shale Land
by william.depaulo＠gmail.com 12 Jun '11

12 Jun '11

This page was sent to you by: william.depaulo(a)gmail.com. BUSINESS DAY | June 10, 2011 Reuters Breakingviews: Prices Fall for Some Gas-Rich Shale Land By CHRISTOPHER SWANN and REYNOLDS HOLDING The Marcellus shale has offered some of the hottest wildcat real estate in recent years, but if Exxon Mobil's recent $1.7 billion acquisition is any indication, the days of eye-watering prices are over. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/10/business/10views.html?emc=eta1 ---------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This e-mail was sent to you by a friend through NYTimes.com's E-mail This Article service. For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help(a)nytimes.com. NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Copyright 2011 The New York Times Company

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Re: [EC] [WVHCBOARD] The cost of wind and solar energy
by Frank Young 10 Jun '11

10 Jun '11

Two excerpts from the article: "The math is simple: to have 8,500 megawatts of solar capacity, California would need at least 23 projects the size of Ivanpah, covering about 129 square miles, an area more than five times as large as Manhattan." "The Roscoe wind farm in Texas, which has a capacity of 781.5 megawatts, covers about 154 square miles. Again, the math is straightforward: to have 8,500 megawatts of wind generation capacity, California would likely need to set aside an area equivalent to more than 70 Manhattans. Apart from the impact on the environment itself, few if any people could live on the land because of the noise (and the infrasound, which is inaudible to most humans but potentially harmful) produced by the turbines." (emphasis added- F.Y.) ----------------------------------------- Frank's commentary- If we are going to mathematically render uninhabitable all lands on which "inaudible" but harmful effects emanate from power generating facilities, we would include all areas downwind of coal fired generating facilities that generate particulate matter- because such particulates are demonstrably responsible for thousands of premature human deaths. See the related map and narrative data here: http://www.catf.us/coal/problems/power_plants/existing/ "In 2000 and again in 2004, Abt Associates issued a study commissioned by the Clean Air Task Force quantifying the deaths and other health affects attributable to the fine particle pollution from power plants. In this newly updated study, CATF examines the progress towards cleaning up one of the nation's leading sources of pollution. The report finds that over 13,000 deaths each year are attributable to fine particle pollution from U.S. power plants." "Simple" and "straightforward" math- indeed! Frank ----- Original Message ----- From: "Hugh Rogers" <hugh.rogers(a)gmail.com> To: "WVHCBOARD" <WVHCBOARD(a)yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2011 9:00 AM Subject: [WVHCBOARD] The cost of wind and solar energy Robert Bryce ("Power Hungry" author) is back w/ some figures on "energy sprawl." Once again, he's good at debunking the notion that wind and solar are "free"--but five words from the end of the piece he gets to his pet alternatives, natural gas and nuclear power. Op-Ed Contributor The Gas Is Greener: The Cost of Renewable Energy Sources By ROBERT BRYCE Published: June 7, 2011 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/opinion/08bryce.html IN April, Gov. Jerry Brown made headlines by signing into law an ambitious mandate that requires California to obtain one-third of its electricity from renewable energy sources like sunlight and wind by 2020. Twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia now have renewable electricity mandates. President Obama and several members of Congress have supported one at the federal level. Polls routinely show strong support among voters for renewable energy projects — as long as they don’t cost too much. But there’s the rub: while energy sources like sunlight and wind are free and naturally replenished, converting them into large quantities of electricity requires vast amounts of natural resources — most notably, land. Even a cursory look at these costs exposes the deep contradictions in the renewable energy movement. Consider California’s new mandate. The state’s peak electricity demand is about 52,000 megawatts. Meeting the one-third target will require (if you oversimplify a bit) about 17,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity. Let’s assume that California will get half of that capacity from solar and half from wind. Most of its large-scale solar electricity production will presumably come from projects like the $2 billion Ivanpah solar plant, which is now under construction in the Mojave Desert in southern California. When completed, Ivanpah, which aims to provide 370 megawatts of solar generation capacity, will cover 3,600 acres — about five and a half square miles. The math is simple: to have 8,500 megawatts of solar capacity, California would need at least 23 projects the size of Ivanpah, covering about 129 square miles, an area more than five times as large as Manhattan. While there’s plenty of land in the Mojave, projects as big as Ivanpah raise environmental concerns. In April, the federal Bureau of Land Management ordered a halt to construction on part of the facility out of concern for the desert tortoise, which is protected under the Endangered Species Act. Wind energy projects require even more land. The Roscoe wind farm in Texas, which has a capacity of 781.5 megawatts, covers about 154 square miles. Again, the math is straightforward: to have 8,500 megawatts of wind generation capacity, California would likely need to set aside an area equivalent to more than 70 Manhattans. Apart from the impact on the environment itself, few if any people could live on the land because of the noise (and the infrasound, which is inaudible to most humans but potentially harmful) produced by the turbines. Industrial solar and wind projects also require long swaths of land for power lines. Last year, despite opposition from environmental groups, San Diego Gas & Electric started construction on the 117-mile Sunrise Powerlink, which will carry electricity from solar, wind and geothermal projects located in Imperial County, Calif., to customers in and around San Diego. In January, environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit to prevent the $1.9 billion line from cutting through a nearby national forest. Not all environmentalists ignore renewable energy’s land requirements. The Nature Conservancy has coined the term “energy sprawl” to describe it. Unfortunately, energy sprawl is only one of the ways that renewable energy makes heavy demands on natural resources. Consider the massive quantities of steel required for wind projects. The production and transportation of steel are both expensive and energy-intensive, and installing a single wind turbine requires about 200 tons of it. Many turbines have capacities of 3 or 4 megawatts, so you can assume that each megawatt of wind capacity requires roughly 50 tons of steel. By contrast, a typical natural gas turbine can produce nearly 43 megawatts while weighing only 9 tons. Thus, each megawatt of capacity requires less than a quarter of a ton of steel. Obviously these are ballpark figures, but however you crunch the numbers, the takeaway is the same: the amount of steel needed to generate a given amount of electricity from a wind turbine is greater by several orders of magnitude. Such profligate use of resources is the antithesis of the environmental ideal. Nearly four decades ago, the economist E. F. Schumacher distilled the essence of environmental protection down to three words: “Small is beautiful.” In the rush to do something — anything — to deal with the intractable problem of greenhouse gas emissions, environmental groups and policy makers have determined that renewable energy is the answer. But in doing so they’ve tossed Schumacher’s dictum into the ditch. All energy and power systems exact a toll. If we are to take Schumacher’s phrase to heart while also reducing the rate of growth of greenhouse gas emissions, we must exploit the low-carbon energy sources — natural gas and, yes, nuclear — that have smaller footprints. Robert Bryce, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, is the author, most recently, of “Power Hungry: The Myths of ‘Green’ Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future.” ------------------------------------ Working since 1967 for the conservation and wise management of West Virginia's natural resourcesYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WVHCBOARD/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WVHCBOARD/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: WVHCBOARD-digest(a)yahoogroups.com WVHCBOARD-fullfeatured(a)yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: WVHCBOARD-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

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Fw: Re: renewable energy output
by Jim Sconyers 09 Jun '11

09 Jun '11

Sweet news! Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Jane W. <japlapoo(a)NETZERO.NET> To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Thu, June 9, 2011 5:37:40 PM Subject: Fw: Re: renewable energy output Just passing along... ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- From: Buffalo Bruce <buffalobruce1(a)GMAIL.COM> To: NE-FORUM(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Subject: Re: renewable energy output Date: Thu, 9 Jun 2011 11:39:42 -0700 For those of you who may not have heard yet, Renewable Energy production now exceeds that of Nuclear Power in the U.S. U.S. Renewable Energy Now 11.6% of Domestic Energy Production, Exceeding Nuclear Power: U.S. Energy Information Administration, May 26, 2011 http://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/monthly/index.cfm In its latest "Monthly Energy Review," the EIA reports that for the first two months of 2011, renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass/biofuels, geothermal, solar, water, wind) accounted for 11.6% of domestic energy production - compared to 10.7% for the same period in 2010. Moreover, the combined energy output from all renewable energy sources exceeded that of nuclear power. The latter actually declined by 0.2% from 2010. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the NE-FORUM list, send any message to: NE-FORUM-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- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-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

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Fwd: WV-SORO Action Alert: Energy Panel Needs to Hear from You
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 09 Jun '11

09 Jun '11

-------- Original Message -------- Subject: WV-SORO Action Alert: Energy Panel Needs to Hear from You Date: Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:05:27 -0400 From: Julie Archer <julie(a)wvsoro.org> Organization: WV-SORO To: undisclosed-recipients:; /An action alert from our friends at the Oil and Gas Accountability Project <http://www.earthworksaction.org/oil_and_gas.cfm>: / *U.S. Department of Energy to hear from citizens of the Marcellus Shale ~ Share your knowledge and tell your story! * *Monday, June 13, 2011 7:00pm -- 9:00 pm (sign up to speak begins at 6:30 pm) Washington Jefferson College 60 South Lincoln Street, Washington PA* In May, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced the establishment of the Energy Advisory Board Natural Gas Subcommittee on Fracking Issues to make recommendations on improving the "safety and environmental performance" of hydraulic fracturing in shale formations. It's very positive that this critical issue is being investigated at the federal level. But many organizations and citizens loudly voiced concern that many of the Subcommittee's members are closely tied to the oil and gas industry, that no one directly impacted by shale gas development was included, and that meetings were only being held in Washington, DC, far from the areas already damaged by drilling. Thanks to this outcry, the Subcommittee just announced it will hold a meeting in Washington, PA, next week. / _Members need to hear from people whose water, property, and health have been impacted by gas drilling, and they need to be told why current industry practices and regulations are not nearly enough to protect our communities._/ */This meeting is open to the public but space is limited and comments will be limited to two minutes. Those wishing to speak should arrive early to sign up. /* *If you can't make it there in person or have more information to share, you can submit a written statement and other documentation to:* Renee Stone U.S. Department of Energy 1000 Independence Avenue, SW Washington D.C. 20585 or by email to: shalegas(a)hq.doe.gov. *For more information see:* /New York Times/ article: Energy Dept. Panel to Revise Standards for Gas Extraction, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/07/science/earth/07frack.html?_r=2&hpw Natural Gas Subcommittee on Fracking Issues website: www.shalegas.energy.gov OGAP Press release on the make-up of the Subcommittee: http://earthworksaction.org/PR_DOE-fracking-panel.cfm -- Julie Archer WV Surface Owners' Rights Organization 1500 Dixie Street Charleston, WV 25311 (304) 346-5891 (304) 346-8981 FAX www.wvsoro.org

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Fwd: "Stop the Fracking in Morgantown Industrial Park" sent you a message on Facebook...
by James Kotcon 09 Jun '11

09 Jun '11

Check out the attached to see a summary of what is happening in Morgantown. JBK

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Fw: EPA Webinar June 15 - Guidance Development on Permitting the Use of Diesel Fuels in Hydraulic Fracturing
by Jim Sconyers 07 Jun '11

07 Jun '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "fracturing_hydraulic(a)epamail.epa.gov" <fracturing_hydraulic(a)epamail.epa.gov> Sent: Mon, June 6, 2011 3:08:17 PM Subject: EPA Webinar June 15 - Guidance Development on Permitting the Use of Diesel Fuels in Hydraulic Fracturing You are receiving this information because you opted to be informed of activities related to hydraulic fracturing when registering for hearings on EPA's draft study plan in summer and fall 2010. EPA is hosting a public informational webinar on June 15, 2011, from 2:00 - 5:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time, to discuss and to solicit input on a guidance the Agency is developing to assist the Underground Injection Control Program in issuing permits for the use of diesel fuels in oil and gas hydraulic fracturing. The webinar is open to the public, and all interested stakeholders are invited to attend. Stakeholders interested in attending the webinar are invited to pre-register at this website, https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/854776506, at least three (3) days in advance. Pre-registering for the meeting will allow EPA to improve meeting planning. The webinar will begin with a presentation by the EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water on the Underground Injection Control program and possible approaches the Agency may recommend in a guidance for permitting the use of diesel fuels in hydraulic fracturing activities related to oil and natural gas extraction. EPA will answer questions and take comments submitted by webinar attendees for the remainder of the webinar. Persons who are successfully registered for the webinar via the website, https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/854776506, may (1) submit questions and comments to EPA during the online registration process and during the webinar, or (2) submit written comments to hydraulic.fracturing(a)epa.gov by June 29, 2011. Due to time limits, EPA may not be able to answer every question submitted during the registration process and during the webinar. Persons wishing to contribute written comments to EPA regarding the development of permitting guidance for oil and gas hydraulic fracturing activities using diesel fuels may also send written comments to hydraulic.fracturing(a)epa.gov with the words "Diesel Fuels Guidance Comments" in the subject line by June 29, 2011. EPA will not provide individual responses to written comments received by email. For more information and registration link, please see http://www.epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing. ______________________________________________________________________________________ Please respond to hydraulic.fracturing(a)epa.gov. For more information on the EPA activities related to hydraulic fracturing, please see http://epa.gov/hydraulicfracturing. To report non-emergency suspicious activity related to oil and gas activity, please call the EPA Eyes on Drilling toll-free tipline at 1-877-919-4EPA or send email to eyesondrilling(a)epa.gov.

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Marcellus Fw: Perfectly safe
by Jim Sconyers 07 Jun '11

07 Jun '11

A perfect example of what can go so wrong. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Don Sauter <dtsauter(a)frontiernet.net> To: Susan Sauter <stsauter(a)frontiernet.net>; Sandra Fallon <sfallon3(a)comcast.net>; Rick Sanders <Ridewva(a)aol.com>; Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Mon, June 6, 2011 9:43:02 PM Subject: Perfectly safe http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11156/1151527-503.stm

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Fw: Maryland Moratorium
by Jim Sconyers 07 Jun '11

07 Jun '11

Awesome news. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Don Sauter <dtsauter(a)frontiernet.net> To: Susan Sauter <stsauter(a)frontiernet.net> Cc: Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com>; Sandra Fallon <sfallon3(a)comcast.net>; John (wnpb) Nakashima <jnakashima(a)wvpubcast.org>; Nadine Grabania <greenacres(a)deepcreekcellars.com>; Kay & Bill Miller <kaybill(a)frontiernet.net>; Janine Breyel <jbreyel(a)gmail.com>; Kathy Evans <EvansKnob(a)aol.com>; larj <larj(a)frontiernet.net>; Rick Sanders <Ridewva(a)aol.com>; TV <HopZo(a)verizon.net> Sent: Mon, June 6, 2011 9:39:49 PM Subject: Maryland Moratorium Today the Governor of Maryland signed an executive order placing a moratorium on all Marcellus Shale drilling. It is very strict and requires (among other things) the industry to establish a plan of how they will pay for any damage created by the process. Hopefully the papers will have the full story tomorrow. Maryland's governor only has one first name. Don

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Permit Party June 21 - learning opportunity.
by James Kotcon 07 Jun '11

07 Jun '11

Many facilities need various environmental permits to operate, and these almost always must go through a "public comment" process. But how do you develop useful comments that will actually improve environmental protection? Join us as we review the Coresco fly ash permit and develop comments for the WV Chapter of Sierra Club. See the various parts of the permit, learn to decipher the jargon, identify gaps, and spot weaknesses. Good comments provide the basis for all future appeals and activity, and we need more people able to help draft these comments. You can be the critical link in the environmental protection process. (Desserts welcome). Tuesday, June 21. 6:30 PM home of Jim Kotcon & Candice Elliott 414 Tyrone Avery Road Morgantown, WV 26506 Directions: >From I-68 Exit 7, go North 1.0 mile on Rt 857. Turn Right onto Tyrone Avery Road and go 1.0 mile. Look for 4 mailboxes on the right, ours is the second from the end. Turn right up the gravel driveway and come to the second house on the right tan 2-story. Call 304-594-3322 for directions. Jim Kotcon

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NYTimes.com: U.K. Company Suspends Controversial Drilling Procedure
by william.depaulo＠gmail.com 04 Jun '11

04 Jun '11

This page was sent to you by: william.depaulo(a)gmail.com. BUSINESS DAY | June 02, 2011 U.K. Company Suspends Controversial Drilling Procedure By DAVID JOLLY Cuadrilla acted after two small earthquakes occurred near a test well in Lancashire, England, where the company was using fracking to explore for natural gas. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/02/business/global/02fracking.html?emc=eta1 ---------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This e-mail was sent to you by a friend through NYTimes.com's E-mail This Article service. For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help(a)nytimes.com. NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Copyright 2011 The New York Times Company

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Fwd: Rapid Response LTEs, RSVP for Health Effects call
by Paul Wilson 03 Jun '11

03 Jun '11

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Sierra Club Activist Network <community.manager(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Fri, Jun 3, 2011 at 11:37 AM Subject: Rapid Response LTEs, RSVP for Health Effects call To: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com Paul, you have a group bulletin from *Hydrofracking Team<http://connect.sierraclub.org/Team/Hydrofracking_Team> *. *Visit Hydrofracking Team.<http://connect.sierraclub.org/Team/Hydrofracking_Team> * Message: When news stories on fracking appear, but you can't find the right words to respond, it can help to have a template to start from. When you want to write your representative about a bill, it helps to have a template outlining some key points. The Rapid Response Project<http://connect.sierraclub.org/project/Hydrofracking_Rapid_Response>'s *collaboration space* is a place to find templates and to add your own for others to use. It also has a *blog* to post articles that need attention, forwarding, praise, or critical response. Join the Rapid Response Project<http://connect.sierraclub.org/project/Hydrofracking_Rapid_Response> to be a first responder, and help keep fracking front and center in the news, on the web, and on the desks of our representatives. Thank you! ------------------------------ *Visit Hydrofracking Team.<http://connect.sierraclub.org/Team/Hydrofracking_Team> * ------------------------------ Reply? Or other thoughts? If you have questions about the bulletin CONTENT, please visit the group's page and leave a comment<http://connect.sierraclub.org/Team/Hydrofracking_Team>, or contact the group owner. *Technical Issues?* Please reply to this message (or email community.manager(a)sierraclub.org) if you have questions or problems with the bulletin itself. If you want to stop getting email, you can either leave (unjoin) or set your email preferences<http://connect.sierraclub.org/editor/app/group/managegroupmembership.aspx?O…> . -- 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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nonpartisan independent research: Headwaters Economics
by Paul Wilson 03 Jun '11

03 Jun '11

This site looks like it might be of value on energy issues. check out the home page article on Fossil Fuel Extraction and Western Economies. fyi, paul http://headwaterseconomics.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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Fwd: [MVCAC] Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF)
by James Kotcon 03 Jun '11

03 Jun '11

You're gonna love this. I especially like the line that says corporations in violation of the prohibition shall not have legal status as "persons". Unfortunately, the US Constitution and the US Supreme Court still trump a City Ordinance, but it would give the lawyers something to do. See attachment. JBK >>> <Duane330(a)aol.com> 6/2/2011 11:53 PM >>> The Concerned Citizens for Safe Air and Water were formed by Kathy Cash, Sandra Fallon, Alice Meehan, Ann Payne, Catherine Tall out of concern for the Marcellus shale drilling permits at the Morgantown Industrial Park. They organized a large meeting at the Morgantown High School on Friday night, May 20th. The attendees divided up into 5 committees – one of which was the legal committee chaired by Kitty Lozier and Duane Nichols. I was unable to attend the meeting at MHS. The legal committee was interested in finding out how the cities of Pittsburgh, Buffalo and other locations had adopted their bans against shale gas extraction. They learned that the technical assistance had been provided to each of these city councils by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund. The program director responsible for the ban ordinances was Ben Price. Price was familiar with the Wellsburg ordinance and has been working with the Pocahontas County citizens in WV as well. Kitty and Duane were able to set up a conference call with Ben Price and with the some of the rest of the committee members at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 26. The legal committee asked Jenny Selin and me to join them because of our council activity in support of the resolutions that I drafted before the previous City Council Meeting on May 17. During the first conference call Price offered to draft an ordinance and to come to Morgantown to speak in its support. The committee members on the call were pleased with his offer. Nichols offered to coordinate the arrangements. A second call was set up for May 27 at 4 p.m. in which I was unable to participate. Late Thursday afternoon I did, however, call the City Manager and asked him to place the consideration of an ordinance “protecting public health, public safety and public welfare” on the agenda for the May 31 Committee Of The Whole Meeting – even though at that time (because Chambersburg services being disabled by the violent storm earlier Thursday), we had not yet received a copy of the draft. The first draft became available for the 4 p.m. Friday call. I received my draft about 8 p.m. that evening when I returned home (May 27). On Saturday a.m. I made several calls (which were difficult to complete due to the holiday weekend), and then called Price back on Monday (May 30) noon with some recommended changes and corrections that had been suggested by different persons. I received a copy of the revised draft that would be presented at the meeting by Councilor Selin late Monday evening. All of this push was deemed necessary because of the state of the drilling plans and preparation on the drill site across the Mon river. Waiting a month until the June COW made no sense at all to anyone on the committee. I was unable to contact Mayor Byrne throughout the weekend and finally after consultations with Councilor Selin did sent out the copy of the proposed ordinance to the full Council at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning. I did not consult with the City Manager before sending out the material to the Council. But copies of the email and the ordinance were sent to Terrance Moore and Jeff Mikorski simultaneously with the 9 a.m. Council mailing. The names of the persons on the original conference call on May 26 were as follows: Kitty Lozier, League of Women Voters Jenny Selin, City Council Member Don Spencer, City Council Member and Deputy Mayor until June 30 Linda Shuster, Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition Robert Bastress, Professor, WVU College of Law Evan Hansen, Environmental Consultant, Downstream Technologies Duane Nichols, Monongahela Area Watersheds Compact Members of the legal committee of the Concerned Citizens for Safe Air and Water hosted Price and paid for his travel and lodging from Chambersburg, PA. Don Spencer, Morgantown City Council >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> THE DRAFT ORDINANCE, ATTACHED, WAS INTRODUCED TO CITY COUNCIL IN THE "COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE" THIS PAST TUESDAY. AFTER EXTENDED DISCUSSION IT WAS "FORWARDED TO RESEARCH" RATHER THAN BEING "FORWARDED TO THE AGENDA FOR THE UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETING ON JUNE 7TH. THREE OTHER RESOLUTIONS HAVING TO DO WITH THE MARCELLUS DRILLING WERE "FORWARDED TO THE AGENDA" FOR THE JUNE 7TH MEETING, ONE OF WHICH WAS A BAN ON DRILLING WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND EXTENDING OUT ONE MILE PATTERNED AFTER THE WELLSBURG (wv) BAN ON SUCH DRILLING. Mayor Bill Byrne says that the CELDF ordinance (attached) has a very weak legal foundation, and is no consistent with State law. Ben Price of the CELDF says that the Wellsburg ban has a weak foundation and can be easily overturned in the future. We shall see if anything gets done in future City Council meetings.

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Drilling along Dunkard Creek
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 28 May '11

28 May '11

Anyone remember the Dunkard Creek debacle? Now Northeast Natural Energy, the same inexperienced company that is now drilling 3000 feet from Morgantown's water source, is going to be drilling in that watershed, too. http://www.dailymail.com/ap/ApTopStories/201105280432 -Jonathan

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fracking for OIL
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 28 May '11

28 May '11

Shale Boom in Texas Could Increase U.S. Oil Output Michael Stravato for The New York Times By CLIFFORD KRAUSS<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/clifford_kraus…> Published: May 27, 2011 ose<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/28/business/energy-environment/28shale.html?…> CATARINA, Tex. — Until last year, the 17-mile stretch of road between this forsaken South Texas village and the county seat of Carrizo Springs Now the region is in the hottest new oil<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/oil-petroleu…>play in the country, with giant oil terminals and sprawling RV parks replacing fields of mesquite. More than a dozen companies plan to drill up to 3,000 wells around here in the next 12 months. The Texas field, known as the Eagle Ford, is just one of about 20 new onshore oil fields that advocates say could collectively increase the nation’s oil output by 25 percent within a decade — without the dangers of drilling in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico or the delicate coastal areas off Alaska. There is only one catch: the oil from the Eagle Ford and similar fields of tightly packed rock can be extracted only by using hydraulic fracturing, a method that uses a high-pressure mix of water, sand and hazardous chemicals to blast through the rocks to release the oil inside. The technique, also called fracking, has been widely used in the last decade to unlock vast new fields of natural gas<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/natural-gas/…>, but drillers only recently figured out how to release large quantities of oil, which flows less easily through rock than gas. As evidence mounts that fracking poses risks to water supplies, the federal government and regulators in various states are considering tighter regulations on it. The oil industry says any environmental concerns are far outweighed by the economic benefits of pumping previously inaccessible oil from fields that could collectively hold two or three times as much oil as Prudhoe Bay, the Alaskan field that was the last great onshore discovery. The companies estimate that the boom will create more than two million new jobs, directly or indirectly, and bring tens of billions of dollars to the states where the fields are located, which include traditional oil sites like Texas and Oklahoma, industrial stalwarts like Ohio and Michigan and even farm states like Kansas. “It’s the one thing we have seen in our adult lives that could take us away from imported oil,” said Aubrey McClendon, chief executive of Chesapeake Energy, one of the most aggressive drillers. “What if we have found three of the world’s biggest oil fields in the last three years right here in the U.S.? How transformative could that be for the U.S. economy?” The oil rush is already transforming this impoverished area of Texas near the Mexican border, doubling real estate values in the last year and filling restaurants and hotels. “That’s oil money,” said Bert Bell, a truck company manager, pointing to the new pickup truck he bought for his wife after making $525,000 leasing mineral rights around his family’s mobile home. “Oil money just makes life easier.” Based on the industry’s plans, shale and other “tight rock” fields that now produce about half a million barrels of oil a day will produce up to three million barrels daily by 2020, according to IHS CERA, an energy research firm. Oil companies are investing an estimated $25 billion this year to drill 5,000 new oil wells in tight rock fields, according to Raoul LeBlanc, a senior director at PFC Energy, a consulting firm. “This is very big and it’s coming on very fast,” said Daniel Yergin, the chairman of IHS CERA. “This is like adding another Venezuela or Kuwait by 2020, except these tight oil fields are in the United States.” In the most developed shale field, the Bakken field in North Dakota, production has leaped to 400,000 barrels a day today from a trickle four years ago. Experts say it could produce as much as a million barrels a day by the end of the decade. The Eagle Ford, where the first well was drilled only three years ago, is already producing more than 100,000 barrels a day and could reach 420,000 by 2015, almost as much as Ecuador, according to Bentek Energy, a consultancy. Multimedia Slide Show <http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/05/29/business/energy-environment/fra…> Fracking Raises Hope for an Onshore Oil Rush<http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/05/29/business/energy-environment/fra…> What makes the new fields more remarkable is that they were thought to be virtually valueless only five years ago. “Everyone said the oil molecules are too large to flow in commercial quantities through these low-quality rocks,” said Mark G. Papa, chief executive of EOG Resources. EOG began quietly buying the rights to thousands of acres in the Bakken and Eagle Ford after an EOG engineer concluded that the techniques used to extract natural gas from shale — fracking, combined with drilling horizontally through layers of rocks — could be used for oil. Chesapeake and a few other independents quickly followed. Now the biggest multinational oil companies, as well as Chinese and Norwegian firms, are investing billions of dollars in the fields. The new drilling makes economic sense as long as oil prices remain above $60 a barrel, according to oil companies. At current oil prices of about $100 a barrel, shale wells can typically turn a profit within eight months — three times faster than many traditional wells. But water remains a key issue. In addition to possible contamination of surface and underground water from fracking fluids, the sheer volume of water required poses challenges, especially in South Texas, which faces a severe drought and rapidly diminishing water levels in the local aquifer. At the rate wells are being drilled, “there’s definitely going to be a problem,” said Bay Laxson, a local water official. Dave Thompson, regional production superintendent for the oil company SM Energy said the industry knew that water issues were “an Achilles heel.” He said his company was building a system to reuse water in the field. But unlike Pennsylvania and New York, where fracking for natural gas has produced organized opposition, the oil industry has been mostly welcomed in western and southern states. Thanks to the drilling boom, the recession<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/r/recession_an…>bypassed North Dakota entirely. Here in Dimmit County, Tex., the unemployment rate has fallen in half, and sales tax receipts are up 70 percent so far this year, allowing the county to hire more police officers and buy sanitation and road repair equipment. “In my lifetime, this is the biggest thing I’ve ever seen,” said Jose Gonzalez, 78, a retired teacher and son of migrant farm workers, who leased mineral rights to Chesapeake for $27,000 and sold another plot for $100,000 to a company building an RV park for oil workers. “You can see I’m happy.”

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Fw: Coal ash song for WV Siera Club
by Jim Sconyers 27 May '11

27 May '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: tom neilson <tomneilsonmusic(a)yahoo.com> To: jim_scon(a)yahoo.com; heatherheilman(a)yahoo.com; fooce(a)hotmail.com; gwenjones23(a)yahoo.com; freesource(a)cheat.org; sallywilts(a)yahoo.com; fyoung(a)mountain.net; ginelson(a)hughes.net; bhaddaka(a)gmail.com; jkotcon(a)wvu.edu; mdavis(a)wvu.edu; paynestake(a)verizon.net; ATDK(a)aol.com; shirley.rosenbaum(a)gmail.com; mooshy17(a)yahoo.com; blittle(a)citynet.net; djsoeder(a)yahoo.com; reginahendrix999(a)gmail.com; pjgrunt(a)gmail.com; celliot2(a)comcast.net; gregg(a)wvwc.edu; bill.price(a)sierraclub.org; michael.costello(a)wvwild.org Sent: Fri, May 27, 2011 2:15:12 PM Subject: Coal ash song for WV Siera Club WV Sierra Club Friends, My Biomess song (previously sent to you) about the proposed power plant aka wood incinerator in Greenfield has been picked as a Finalist and is awaiting deliberation by Sonic Bids judges for Music of the Earth 2011 Song of the Year. Now my coal ash song about the spill in Harriman, TN is one of 5 Finalists that has been nominated for Song of the Year for Social Action by Independent Musicians Awards. This is the second year in a row that I am a Finalist with IMA. Last year’s song was about the cancers at the nuclear weapons plant in Paducah, KY. There are 2 winners. One has already been picked by IMA. The public is being asked to vote for the other. Can you please circulate among your state chapters and other contacts? It is great publicity for both the issue of MTR and for all the groups working to protect our air, water, mountains and those who live therein. Thx for taking the time to do this. If you want to hear the songs and participate in the voting, go to http://www.independentmusicawards.com/imanominee/10th/Song/Social-Action Please share with anyone who might want to hear the music or be able to use it in their work. best, Tom 413-774-2411

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Fwd: TransGas says construction starts mid-summer
by James Kotcon 26 May '11

26 May '11

" Victor ... said TransGas has received commitments for a first portion of financing through private placement -- sale to one or a few large institutional investors -- and it's enough to begin construction by mid-summer. " See full articles below. JBK THE STATE JOURNAL: TransGas Development Systems of New York broke ground May 9 on the Adams Fork facility it has been preparing to build in Mingo County since December 2008. By Pam Kasey Back in 2007 and 2008, conventional wisdom said investors needed two conditions to feel comfortable backing the conversion of coal to liquid transportation fuels in the U.S. First, a sustained high price for oil -- above, say, $50/barrel. The price was that high at the time and, after a big dip during the recession, is that high again. That dip underscores the second, more fundamental condition: Assurance that, if the price of oil drops below a threshold, there still will be a market for the more expensive coal-to-liquid, or CTL, fuels. A favorite approach to that assurance was long-term purchase commitments by the Department of Defense -- an arrangement that would both establish a large market for the nascent industry and forestall any OPEC price manipulation to nip the industry in the bud. DoD commitments have not materialized. Nor have any other large institutional purchase commitments. Nor has a single commercial-scale CTL plant. Yet, TransGas Development Systems LLC of New York, the only company still in the running among several that have proposed CTL plants in West Virginia, broke ground May 9 on the Adams Fork facility it has been preparing to build in Mingo County since December 2008. What makes TransGas think they can make a go of it? Difficult Conditions The CTL industry in the U.S. has been trying to get its start under difficult conditions, according to Julie Dawoodjee, a spokeswoman for synthetic fuels developer Rentech Inc. In 2006, Rentech proposed the first CTL project in West Virginia. Since then, it has shelved that project but has other synthetic fuels projects under way. Oil price volatility challenges both investors and potential customers, she said. "Whenever crude reaches a high, suddenly everyone's interested in alternative energy. But then it's too late -- it's a four-to-five-year plan to get a plant producing," she said. "When crude comes down, everyone forgets, and that's when you should be building." Also making developers think twice is environmental interests' track record at holding up or stopping projects that have a coal component, she said. And, yes, government support has been lacking, she added, including long-term DoD contracts. However, Dawoodjee did say DoD contracts are not the only route to viability. "It would be very helpful if the government was interested and had the ability to sign these long-term off-take agreements," she said. "But there are other customers interested in long-term purchases." TransGas' Business Model "I've always taken issue with the people that were looking to get projects financed through an off-take agreement -- by getting a long-term contract with, say, the Defense Department," said TransGas Manager Adam Victor. It's an old model, he said, typical for building a power plant: Buy, for example, natural gas under long-term contracts at a certain price, and secure long-term power purchase agreements to sell it as electricity for, maybe, twice that price. "But in coal-to-liquids, the commodity price that you pay for coal is significantly less as a percentage of the revenue that you get from gasoline than what it would be when you buy natural gas and sell it as electricity," he said. There's plenty of cushion, he seems to feel. "The break-even price of oil for this project is between $45 and $50" per barrel, he said -- half of today's price, and a price that oil has dipped below for only about a month in the past six years. "That's when you're buying coal in the ground at today's current price of about $50/ton delivered." Victor expects to sell the fuel on the spot market and do a "back-to-back hedge," he said. "It's like if you have a floating rate on your mortgage but you don't want a floating rate, you go and enter into a hedge, a long-term swap and you get a fixed rate on your mortgage," he explained. "Same concept, but with fuel." Financing Victor's confidence seems to have convinced investors, in spite of last year's bankruptcy of an energy company he developed. Although he does not give out specifics, he said TransGas has received commitments for a first portion of financing through private placement -- sale to one or a few large institutional investors -- and it's enough to begin construction by mid-summer. To simplify the financing, the state Economic Development Authority in April authorized the potential issuance of up to $3 billion in industrial revenue bonds, or IRBs. The bonds are not tax exempt and will not implicate the EDA or any state body in the event of default, according to Brian Helmick, a lawyer with Spilman, Thomas & Battle, which serves as TransGas's bond counsel to the EDA. But the bonds simplify financing in that, while no single lender or investor would put up $3 billion, Helmick said, TransGas could, say, find five banks willing to lend. "Instead of doing five loan agreements, they could do it through one IRB structure, and each bank would buy a bond that represents its portion of the debt -- that's a simpler way to put the debt together," he explained. The bonds can be issued to bondholders at different times. In the event of default, Helmick said, the bondholders are liable or, if the bonds are insured, the insurer. Typically, although details haven't been worked out, title is pledged to the bondholders, who could take the project over just as a bank forecloses when a mortgage goes into arrears. DoD, Climate Change and Deficit Congress is considering legislation now that would extended the DoD's multi-year contract authority, according to Carol Raulston, spokeswoman for the National Mining Association. However, as currently configured, the Adams Fork plant would not be able to sell to the DoD. The 2007 energy bill prevents the government from purchasing motor fuels that will contribute more to climate change than do conventional motor fuels. CTL produces more greenhouse gases than petroleum-based fuels, and this plant will not store its carbon dioxide emissions. Victor said he believes storing CO2 underground is dangerous, citing a 1987 mudslide in Cameroon that released volcanically generated CO2 that suffocated 1,700 people. If the government requires the CO2 to be stored away, he said, he would most like to send it to the Gulf of Mexico for enhanced oil recovery, to help increase oil well yields. But, he said, he will follow the law and the cost will not hurt his competitiveness because capturing the CO2 is an integral part of his process, whereas crude oil refineries will need large capital investments to make that capture. TransGas's output would represent slightly more than 2 percent of imported gasoline, according to Victor, and enough similar plants could make the country a gasoline exporter and pay down the trade deficit. "I think this is a game changer and important for people to rally around, for us to show it can be done here in West Virginia and then throughout the country," he said. Proposed W.Va. Coal-to-Liquid Plant Proceeds as Other Companies Hold Off on Similar Projects Posted Wednesday, May 25, 2011 ; 04:36 PM Updated Wednesday, May 25, 2011; 05:30 PM No commercial coal-to-liquid plants currently exist in U.S. By PAM KASEY and JIM ROSS pkasey(a)statejournal.com jross(a)statejournal.com With TransGas Development Systems LLC expecting to begin construction on its Adams Fork coal-to-liquids plant in Mingo County in a few weeks, it seems fair to ask: Why isn't anyone else doing this? For all the talk over the years of the need to develop liquid fuels from coal, and for all the statements by political leaders that coal-to-liquids is a bright opportunity for West Virginia, the idea just hasn't caught on with the people who would invest the time and money in siting, designing, building and operating such plants. Synthetic fuels developer Rentech Inc. of Los Angeles, Calif., which at one time considered a coal-to-liquids, or CTL, project in Mingo County, shelved its project for now. "It just kind of naturally evolved to the point where both parties (Rentech and the Mingo County Redevelopment Authority) felt there wasn't a project there at this time," said spokeswoman Julie Dawoodjee. "Energy is such a dynamic industry that you never know when a project can be resurrected, but that's not an active opportunity for us at this time." The company has one project under way for producing alternative liquid transportation fuels: its Gulf Coast Synthetic Energy Center at Natchez, Miss. As initially planned, that project would have used coal as its feedstock. "The difficult macro-economic and regulatory environments have made seeking financing for such a design challenging," according to the company's website. "Rentech is evaluating alternative configurations that could make the Natchez Project more feasible in the near term." Dawoodjee said the company is considering other feedstocks. "That could use coal or could use some other type of fossil feedstock including natural gas," she said. "We even sit in an area where we have the opportunity to use petcoke (a refinery byproduct) or biomass." West Virginia University chemical engineer Elliot Kennel noted the new abundance and affordability of natural gas for producing domestic liquid transportation fuels in a conversation last month with The State Journal. His laboratory developed a process for liquefying coal directly through dissolution. The process that TransGas would use is "indirect" in that it first gasifies the coal -- performing an energy-intensive industrial process to make a synthetic gas similar to natural gas -- then liquefies it. "There are going to be questions asked about why you want to gasify coal given the current low price of natural gas," Kennel said, not of TransGas specifically but of CTL in general. "Natural gas itself as a feedstock looks tough to compete against economically in North America." And, of course, the electric industry lately has turned to natural gas over coal for new plants. One example of that is in Meigs County, Ohio, where American Municipal Power planned to build a new coal-fired power plant a few miles down the Ohio River from Ravenswood, W.Va. Construction workers and others were looking forward to such a large project. As with most large-scale coal projects, though, that project was challenged by several groups on environmental and economic grounds. Eventually, AMP bought an existing gas-fired plant and abandoned its coal plans. American Electric Power had considered sites in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky for new power plants using the integrated gasification combined cycle, or IGCC, technology that converts coal to gas. But those plans have fallen by the wayside. "The proposed IGCC plant in West Virginia would have been in the rate base for Appalachian Power, which meant the plant required rate-recovery approval from both West Virginia and Virginia. West Virginia provided approval. Virginia denied it," said Pat Hemlepp, director of corporate media relations for AEP. "The proposed IGCC plant in Ohio ended up tangled in litigation. The Ohio Consumers Counsel and others challenged the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's authority to approve new generation under the current Ohio rules. The Supreme Court remanded the decision to the PUCO. It's still there... "The economic downturn has delayed the need for new generation. And the changing energy dynamics caused by the abundance of shale gas, combined with the variety of pending EPA regulations that target coal-fueled generation, has made natural gas the likely fuel of choice for new generation." It all adds up to one basic fact: Should TransGas build its facility in Mingo County, it would be unique in the United States. "There are no commercial coal-to-liquid plants in the U.S right now," Nicholas Paduano, a coal analyst with the Energy Information Administration, said in an e-mail to The State Journal when asked whether any such plants are in operation. "There is one commercial coal-to-gas plant operating in the U.S. in North Dakota. It uses North Dakota lignite coal to produce pipeline-quality synthetic gas. "There are plans right now in Illinois and Indiana to build coal-to-gas plants. The Air Force did have a coal-to-liquids project to produce fuel for aircraft, but plans for building a full-scale operation in Montana were scrapped about two years ago. West Virginia had approved a CTL project a few years ago before the recession. Consol Energy had planned to build a CTL plant in West Virginia, but that got scrapped in late 2008 after the credit crunch and drop in oil prices." Nevertheless, TransGas Manager Adam Victor is confident. "Everybody has been waiting for the government to fund these things, and I think that's been a waste of time," he said. Asked what he thinks is the reason no commercial-scale CTL plant has yet been built, he pointed to the nation's social capital over any lack of investment capital. "We have simply failed to educate people into the maths and sciences," he said. "Whether political, financial, legal -- we are not giving a rigorous enough technical education to people. We are not producing the engineers who would say, 'Of course we can do this.'"

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Fw: BACKGROUND: PEV News
by Jim Sconyers 25 May '11

25 May '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Edward Mainland <emainland(a)COMCAST.NET> To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Tue, May 24, 2011 2:32:42 PM Subject: BACKGROUND: PEV News http://www.environmentalleader.com/2011/05/20/fleet-briefing-ge-to-open-ve-… May 20, 2011 Fleet Briefing: GM to Open VE Plant; 60% Would Consider a PEV; New Steel Cuts Life-Cycle Emissions by 70% General Motors broke ground Tuesday for the $269.5 million addition to the facility housing its two-mode hybrid and heavy duty transmission operations. The electric motor plant near Baltimore will be the first by a major U.S. automaker dedicated to making the components for vehicle electrification, and is slated to open in 2013. The campus will be powered in part by a 1.23 megawatt rooftop solar array by Constellation Energy, expected to generate nine percent of its annual energy consumption and save approximately $330,000 during the life of the project. Constellation Energy will build, own and maintain the solar power system, and GM will purchase all of the electricity generated by the solar panels under a 20-year power purchase agreement, the company reported. The majority of consumers would consider buying a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) for their next car purchase, according to a global study, Plug-in Electric Vehicles: Changing Perceptions, Hedging Bets, from Accenture. However, consumer preferences for charging PEVs could increase the cost and complexity of managing the electricity grid and charging infrastructure, Accenture said. 60 percent of consumers would consider buying a PEV for their next car purchase. 68 percent would “probably” or “certainly” do so within the next three years. Respondents in China are by far the most enthusiastic, 96 percent of them probably or certainly considering a purchase in the next three years, according to the findings. Consumers’ preferences for charging PEVs, however, could challenge utilities and charging service providers by increasing grid congestion and peak time electricity demand. Two thirds of the survey’s 7,000 respondents are not willing to let charge-point operators limit when they can charge their PEV. A further 20 percent would only accept limits if they fell within time periods they had chosen. Additionally, 62 percent are not keen on the concept of battery swapping, where empty batteries are quickly replaced at service stations for fully charged ones, preferring to plug in their car to recharge their own battery. This could limit the opportunity for charging off peak, when battery swapping companies would most likely refuel batteries, Accenture said. Consumers would also need more supportive charging infrastructure in order to adopt fully electric PEVs. Only 29 percent of car drivers would buy fully electric PEVs. 71 percent would prefer plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs), which also run on gasoline / diesel if the battery gets low. 85 percent say fully electric PEVs have insufficient battery range to cover their daily driving needs, the study found. The successful launch of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) depends greatly on the deployment of a robust residential and commercial network of charging equipment, according to the findings of the “Pike Pulse Report: Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment” from Pike Research. This market is in its infancy with many companies selling their product for less than five years, but the competition in this sector is set to intensify. The report evaluates electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) suppliers and rates them on 12 criteria for strategy and execution, including go-to-market strategy, product portfolio, partnerships, innovation, reach, market share, pricing, and staying power. According to Pike, two EVSE vendors are early standouts: Coulomb Technologies and ECOtality. Coulomb attained the highest overall score in the Pike Pulse report due to the company’s successful technology partnerships, global sales network, and extensive product portfolio. ECOtality is assessed as second. ECOtality’s contract to provide equipment to the federally funded EV Project, which it is also managing for the U.S. Department of Energy, is driving the majority of the company’s sales, and ECOtality likewise has formed extensive partnerships and has a strong product portfolio./ span> Rounding out the top ten are Elektromotive, AeroVironment, General Electric, Siemens, Eaton, Leviton, ClipperCreek and GoSmart, the company reported. The Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI), in collaboration with WorldAutoSteel, has released results of a three-year program to develop steel-intensive designs for electrified vehicles that reduce greenhouse gas emissions over their entire life cycle. The FutureSteelVehicle (FSV) program features steel body structure designs that reduce mass by more than 35 percent over a benchmark vehicle, and reduce total life cycle emissions by nearly 70 percent. This is accomplished while meeting a broad list of global crash and durability requirements, enabling 5-star safety ratings and avoiding high-cost penalties for mass reduction, according to the groups’ statement. The FSV program developed optimized advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) body structures for four proposed 2015 to 2020 model-year vehicles: battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV-20) for A-/B-Class vehicles; and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV-40) and fuel cell (FCV) for C-/D-Class vehicles. The FSV concepts are efficient and lightweight. FSV’s BEV concept weighs 188 kg and reduces mass by more than 35 percent over a baseline internal combustion engine body structure adjusted for a battery electric powertrain and 2020 regulatory requirements. FSV’s A-/B-Class PHEV20 vehicle weighs 175 kg, and the larger C-/D-Class vehicle versions weigh 201 kg. The FSV portfolio of advanced steel and steel technologies, including more than 20 new AHSS grades of materials, are expected to be commercially available in 2015 to 2020. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-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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West Virginia rated last in development of clean energy
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 23 May '11

23 May '11

CLICK<http://www.energybiz.com/article/11/05/wva-last-clean-energy-leadership?utm…> -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Fw: Please Call Your Senators and Ask them to REFRAIN from Signing a Bad Coal Ash Letter Being Circulated
by Jim Sconyers 20 May '11

20 May '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Lisa N. Widawsky <lwidawsky(a)environmentalintegrity.org> To: "COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG" <COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG> Cc: grassroots <grassroots(a)environmentalintegrity.org> Sent: Fri, May 20, 2011 11:34:22 AM Subject: Please Call Your Senators and Ask them to REFRAIN from Signing a Bad Coal Ash Letter Being Circulated Coal Ash Allies – Thank you to the 102 groups that quickly signed on to our letter asking Senators to stand up for human health and the environment by STAYING OFF the anti-Subtitle C letter being circulated by Senators Conrad and Enzi (see attached). The Conrad-Enzi letter asks President Obama for weak coal ash protections, but we all know that Subtitle C is the most protective option for human health and the environment because it would require basic, common-sense protections for our communities. Now, we need you all to CALL YOUR SENATORS’ offices and say: “On behalf of our members and supporters, please ask the Senator to REFRAIN from signing the Conrad-Enzi coal ash letter asking President Obama for weak coal ash protections.” You can find your Senators’ phone numbers here: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm. After you do, please reply to let me know which offices you called and how they responded. Thanks again for continuing to fight for safe communities and a healthy environment! Sincerely, Lisa Widawsky Attorney Environmental Integrity Project 1 Thomas Circle, Suite 900 Washington, DC 20005 202.263.4452 (direct) 202.296.8822 (fax) The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any use of this information other than by the intended recipient is prohibited. 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.

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Fwd: Register today for the Sportsmen Marcellus Shale Summit, June 4
by Paul Wilson 20 May '11

20 May '11

Dam! I am already booked for June 4 tabling event! But this looks quite good. fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Katy Dunlap, Trout Unlimited <trout(a)tu.org> Date: Fri, May 20, 2011 at 9:02 AM Subject: Register today for the Sportsmen Marcellus Shale Summit, June 4 To: "Paul Wilson, Jr." <pjgrunt(a)gmail.com> [image: Trout Unlimited] <http://www.tu.org> Saturday, June 4th, 2011 University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown Campus In the heart of the Marcellus Shale region, sportsmen and women, and conservation groups are working together to identify and propose solutions to mitigate the impacts from gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing on hunting, fishing and trapping experiences. *REGISTER TODAY.<http://www.tu.org/conservation/eastern-conservation/marcellus-shale-project…> * *Learn more about the Sportsmen Alliance for Marcellus Conservation efforts and listen to experts in the field, along with sportsmen and women with first-hand experience, discuss the following topics*: - Potential impacts of Marcellus Shale gas development on wildlife, coldwater fisheries, and habitat and forest ecosystems; - Impacts of Marcellus Shale gas development on the outdoors experience; - Lessons from oil & gas development in the West; - What you can do as an individual outdoorsmen; and - How sportsmen and women interests can be protected through policies and best management practices that protect fish, wildlife and the outdoors experience. To register and to learn more about the program, visit * www.sportsmenalliance.org. <http://www.sportsmenalliance.org>* *Brought to you by:* *The Sportsmen Alliance for Marcellus Conservation* * ------------------------------ *Over 84 cents from every dollar contributed to TU goes directly into conservation programs. You have received this message because this email address is associated with a Trout Unlimited membership record. To remove yourself from future TU National notice emails, click on the first unsubscribe link below. To stop receiving all email communications from TU National, including appeals, action alerts and the quarterly e-newsletter, click on the second link below. All other inquiries may be directed to trout(a)tu.org or 1-800-834-2419. Please note TU Member Services staff will be unable to handle inquiries for several days due to a database upgrade. Trout Unlimited 1300 N. 17th Street, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22209 © 2011 Trout Unlimited Remove yourself from this mailing<http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=enJKLQMkF5JDIYK&s=djKPK9NQJdJULcOPKtF&m=hkK…> . Remove yourself from all mailings from Trout Unlimited<http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=hqLQIZNwH8IKK8J&s=djKPK9NQJdJULcOPKtF&m=hkK…> . -- 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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on gas oil oil drilling: “Your authority goes as far as nobody challenges it,”
by Frank Young 19 May '11

19 May '11

BlankEven the Mayor and the Utility Board of Morgantown presumed that there is public notice of oil and gas drilling permit applications. But no; such permits are routinely issued, and without any public notice whatsoever. http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=99726 “We are very accustomed to public comment opportunities being provided and public input being solicited when water and wastewater systems are concerned,” Ball told The State Journal on May 10. “It’s a natural part of our world and it is quite surprising to us that those opportunities do not exist in the permitting of oil and gas wells.” Morgantown Mayor William Byrne said the lack of public notification put the city “behind the eight ball.” Huffman acknowledged that public notice is required for all other permits DEP issues and that it would be a good idea for oil and gas wells too, but said he doesn’t know if he has the authority. “Your authority goes as far as nobody challenges it,” he said. “But the Legislature has made a requirement that there be public notification of mining permits and water permits, but not on oil and gas permits,” he continued. “Just because I might think today that it’s the right thing to do, it’s not the public policy of the state to do that, so I think it’s better addressed by the Legislature.”

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Fw: Fwd: Here it comes! A Nonviolent Action Workshop
by Jim Sconyers 18 May '11

18 May '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Ann Payne <Paynestake(a)frontier.com> To: Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Wed, May 18, 2011 2:09:20 PM Subject: Fwd: Here it comes! A Nonviolent Action Workshop FYI - I forwarded this to my list. Begin forwarded message: > > >The stars are indeed aligned. A Nonviolent Action Workshop will be held here in >Morgantown on this coming Sunday! Must register! Please read on. > > >Ann > > > >Begin forwarded message: > >> >> >>Hi Friends and Concerned Citizens! >>A spur of the moment-planned event. Somehow the stars aligned for us to have a >>nonviolence trainer friend staying with us this weekend.. Could you please share >>this with your communities, especially those looking for responses to the Shale >>Drilling... >> >> >>Introduction to Nonviolent Action >>Sunday, May 22nd 7-9pm >>Morgantown Church of the Brethren/Mennonite Church USA >>464 Virginia Ave. >> >>This workshop will lay the foundation of nonviolence and direct action, >>including opportunities for role play and practice responding nonviolently >>in situations of civil disobedience. Bob Gross, facilitator, is a nonviolence >>educator and Executive Director of On Earth Peace. >> >>For more information contact Carrie at 304-292-0711, ceikler(a)morgantowncob.org >>Please RSVP so we can adequately prepare our facilitator >> >> >>-- >>Carrie A. Eikler >>co-pastor >>Morgantown Church of the Brethren, Mennonite Church USA >>304-292-5616 >>www.morgantowncob.org >> >>"Even when we don't desire it, God is ripening." Rainer Maria Rilke >> >> >> >>-- >>Carrie A. Eikler >>co-pastor >>Morgantown Church of the Brethren, Mennonite Church USA >>304-292-5616 >>www.morgantowncob.org >> >>"Even when we don't desire it, God is ripening." Rainer Maria Rilke >> >> >

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Fwd: a bit of news
by James Kotcon 18 May '11

18 May '11

>>> Vickie Wolfe <ibtreehugger(a)gmail.com> 5/18/2011 1:04 PM >>> In case you haven't already heard, Stephanie Timmermeyer has taken a job with Chesapeake Energy's Eastern Division, in "Regulatory Affairs." -- ```````````````````````````````````````````````````` Vickie L. Wolfe PHONE: (304) 744-8777 E-MAIL: IBTreehugger(a)gmail.com ```````````````````````````````````````````````````` "It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save our environment." -Ansel Adams

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Marcellus driller fined record $1.1M
by Frank Young 18 May '11

18 May '11

BlankOne would think that after more than 100 years, the drilling industry could get it right. Are there reasons other than carelessness on the part of drilling crews that this could happen? According to the consent agreement signed on Monday, the DEP investigated at least seven instances of methane migration that contaminated 16 residential water wells in Bradford County last year. The DEP blamed improper cement casings of Chesapeake gas wells for allowing the natural gas to seep into drinking water supplies. . http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20110517_Marcellus_driller_fined_reco…

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Rally - Morgantown Water Threat from Gas Drilling
by Jim Sconyers 16 May '11

16 May '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "dfvet(a)aol.com" <dfvet(a)aol.com> To: jkotcon(a)wvu.edu; wyro(a)appalight.com; fmoose39(a)hotmail.com; karen.grubb(a)fairmontstate.edu; jim_scon(a)yahoo.com; blittle(a)citynet.net; heatherheilman(a)yahoo.com; nicolegood.wv(a)gmail.com Sent: Sun, May 15, 2011 10:08:09 AM Subject: Fwd: May 18: URGENT CALL TO ACTION!! DRINKING WATER AT RISK!! -----Original Message----- From: Kathleen Cash <cashkathy(a)gmail.com> To: Ann Payne <paynestake(a)frontier.com> Sent: Sun, May 15, 2011 9:01 am Subject: May 18: URGENT CALL TO ACTION!! DRINKING WATER AT RISK!! We’ve Heard from the Drillers, Now Let YOURVoice be Heard!! Marcellus Gas Drilling is Scheduled to Begin in Morgantown Industrial Park Upstream of Morgantown’s Drinking Water Plant Near County Schools PLEASE COMEto a Community-wide Rally to Express YOUR Concerns and Questions WHERE: Mon County Courthouse Square. High Street, Downtown Morgantown WHEN: Wednesday, May 18, 10:00 to Noon Bring Your Kids and Bring a Sign (G-rated) Please forward this announcement to your friends, family and neighbors. For your information: Morgantown Utility Board’s letters to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection stating its concerns are attached and can be downloaded from the Charleston Gazette blog: http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2011/05/13/morgantown-utility-board-see… Organized by concerned Morgantown area citizens: Kathy Cash, Sharon Goodman, Ann Payne, Marc Glass, Catherine Tall, Sandra Fallon, Cindy O'Brien

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Rally Time - change back
by Jim Sconyers 16 May '11

16 May '11

Sorry folks - rally is still at 10:00 AM to Noon on Wednesday. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ________________________________ From: Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> To: ec(a)osenergy.org; Dave & Robin Barnett <atwoodwv(a)gmail.com>; Steve Benson <mrbenson(a)frontiernet.net>; David Brisell <dbrisell(a)mindspring.com>; Jeremy Cooper <jeremybcooper(a)gmail.com>; Brad Durst <bdurst(a)wvca.us>; Sam Dyke <irisatfarm(a)hotmail.com>; Sandra Fallon <sfallon3(a)comcast.net>; Lawrence Fraley <lfraley(a)citilink.net>; Becky Friend <enlowb(a)yahoo.com>; Dee Fulton <dfvet(a)aol.com>; Kathy Furbee <kf3(a)hotmail.com>; Nicole Good <nicolegood.wv(a)gmail.com>; Leejay Graffious <lejay(a)frontiernet.net>; Evan Hansen <ehansen(a)downstreamstrategies.com>; Dave Houser <houserr(a)labyrinth.net>; Gordon Keyes <gkeyes(a)hsc.wvu.edu>; Lew & Carolyn McDaniel <lewmcdan(a)hrea.coop>; Connie Miller <calm9654(a)gmail.com>; Amanda Pitzer <amanda(a)cheat.org>; Steven Runfola <stevenrunfola(a)yahoo.com>; Susan & Don Sauter <stsauter(a)frontiernet.net>; Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com>; Rob Seese <vgseese(a)gmail.com>; Rachel and Frank Stevens <fstevens4(a)aol.com>; Mary Kay Stiles <stilesm(a)frontiernet.net>; Martha Summers <msummers(a)hsc.wvu.edu>; Bill Thorne <anglerbill(a)access.mountain.net>; Martin Tingley <riverwaker(a)gmail.com>; Sarah Veselka <sarah(a)deckerscreek.org>; Charlie & Sandy Walbridge <ccwalbridge(a)cs.com>; Sally Wilts <sallywilts(a)yahoo.com>; Carolyn Wotring <itsgranny(a)gmail.com> Sent: Mon, May 16, 2011 12:14:01 PM Subject: Fw: [EC] Fwd: [FODC] Morgantown Rally Time Changed, Now from Noon to 1 PM Note time change of Wed rally. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Jonathan Rosenbaum <freesource(a)cheat.org> To: Energy Committee <ec(a)osenergy.org>; Kitty Lozier <clozier(a)gmail.com>; Aira Loren Burkhart <airaloren(a)gmail.com>; Deb Fulton <dfvet(a)aol.com>; Cindy O'Brien <cobandyo(a)frontier.com> Sent: Mon, May 16, 2011 11:59:49 AM Subject: [EC] Fwd: [FODC] Morgantown Rally Time Changed, Now from Noon to 1 PM Is this time change correct? -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [FODC] Morgantown Rally Time Changed, Now from Noon to 1 PM Date: Mon, 16 May 2011 11:53:37 -0400 From: Sarah Veselka <sarah(a)DECKERSCREEK.ORG> Reply-To: Sarah Veselka <sarah(a)DECKERSCREEK.ORG> To: FODC-L(a)LISTSERV.WVNET.EDU Marcellus Gas Drilling is Scheduled to Begin in Morgantown Industrial Park Upstream of Morgantown’s Drinking Water Plant Near County Schools The Morgantown Utility Board has Expressed Concerns and Requested Additional Safeguards to the WVDEP PLEASE COMEto a Community-wide Rally to Express YOUR Concerns and Questions WHERE: Mon County Courthouse Square. High Street, Downtown Morgantown WHEN: Wednesday, May 18, Noon to 1 PM Bring Your Kids and Bring a Sign (G-rated) Please forward this announcement to your friends, family and neighbors. For your information: Morgantown Utility Board’s letters to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection stating its concerns can be downloaded from the Charleston Gazette blog: http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2011/05/13/morgantown-utility-board-see… Organized by concerned Morgantown area citizens: Kathy Cash, Sharon Goodman, Marc Glass, Catherine Tall, Sandra Fallon, Cindy O'Brien

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Fw: Fwd: [FODC] Morgantown Rally Time Changed, Now from Noon to 1 PM
by Jim Sconyers 16 May '11

16 May '11

Note time change of Wed rally. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Jonathan Rosenbaum <freesource(a)cheat.org> To: Energy Committee <ec(a)osenergy.org>; Kitty Lozier <clozier(a)gmail.com>; Aira Loren Burkhart <airaloren(a)gmail.com>; Deb Fulton <dfvet(a)aol.com>; Cindy O'Brien <cobandyo(a)frontier.com> Sent: Mon, May 16, 2011 11:59:49 AM Subject: [EC] Fwd: [FODC] Morgantown Rally Time Changed, Now from Noon to 1 PM Is this time change correct? -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [FODC] Morgantown Rally Time Changed, Now from Noon to 1 PM Date: Mon, 16 May 2011 11:53:37 -0400 From: Sarah Veselka <sarah(a)DECKERSCREEK.ORG> Reply-To: Sarah Veselka <sarah(a)DECKERSCREEK.ORG> To: FODC-L(a)LISTSERV.WVNET.EDU Marcellus Gas Drilling is Scheduled to Begin in Morgantown Industrial Park Upstream of Morgantown’s Drinking Water Plant Near County Schools The Morgantown Utility Board has Expressed Concerns and Requested Additional Safeguards to the WVDEP PLEASE COMEto a Community-wide Rally to Express YOUR Concerns and Questions WHERE: Mon County Courthouse Square. High Street, Downtown Morgantown WHEN: Wednesday, May 18, Noon to 1 PM Bring Your Kids and Bring a Sign (G-rated) Please forward this announcement to your friends, family and neighbors. For your information: Morgantown Utility Board’s letters to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection stating its concerns can be downloaded from the Charleston Gazette blog: http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2011/05/13/morgantown-utility-board-see… Organized by concerned Morgantown area citizens: Kathy Cash, Sharon Goodman, Marc Glass, Catherine Tall, Sandra Fallon, Cindy O'Brien _______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC(a)osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec

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Fwd: [FODC] Morgantown Rally Time Changed, Now from Noon to 1 PM
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 16 May '11

16 May '11

Is this time change correct? -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [FODC] Morgantown Rally Time Changed, Now from Noon to 1 PM Date: Mon, 16 May 2011 11:53:37 -0400 From: Sarah Veselka <sarah(a)DECKERSCREEK.ORG> Reply-To: Sarah Veselka <sarah(a)DECKERSCREEK.ORG> To: FODC-L(a)LISTSERV.WVNET.EDU *Marcellus Gas Drilling is Scheduled to Begin in * *Morgantown Industrial Park* *Upstream of Morgantown’s Drinking Water Plant* *Near County Schools* ** *The Morgantown Utility Board has Expressed Concerns and* *Requested Additional Safeguards to the WVDEP* *PLEASE COME*to a Community-wide Rally to Express *YOUR *Concerns and Questions *WHERE*:Mon County Courthouse Square. High Street, Downtown Morgantown *WHEN*:Wednesday, May 18, Noon to 1 PM *Bring Your Kids and Bring a Sign (G-rated)* Please forward this announcement to your friends, family and neighbors. For your information:Morgantown Utility Board’s letters to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection stating its concerns can be downloaded from the Charleston Gazette blog: /http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2011/05/13/morgantown-utility-board-seeks-drilling-safeguards/ Organized by concerned Morgantown area citizens: Kathy Cash, Sharon Goodman, Marc Glass, Catherine Tall, Sandra Fallon, Cindy O'Brien

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Drilling this Monday - MUB's reaction
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 14 May '11

14 May '11

http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2011/05/13/morgantown-utility-board-see… -Jonathan

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FW: [MarcellusGasInfo] Fwd: Announcement: Extractive Industry Accountability Project Conference, May 23-25, 2011
by Beth Little 13 May '11

13 May '11

Pretty poor notice on this. The main reason I am forwarding it is to point up how much is going on. From: marcellusgasinfo(a)googlegroups.com [mailto:marcellusgasinfo@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of J Sent: Friday, May 13, 2011 3:41 PM To: grassrootsVSgas; Shaleshock(a)yahoogroups.com; MarcellusGasInfo Subject: [MarcellusGasInfo] Fwd: Announcement: Extractive Industry Accountability Project Conference, May 23-25, 2011 And another movement networking opportunity. I can't make it there, but if anyone is able to head to DC and represent Marcellus region that'd be great! See below for info ~Julian ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: <jim(a)oei-dc.org> Date: Mon, May 9, 2011 at 10:38 PM Subject: Announcement: Extractive Industry Accountability Project Conference, May 23-25, 2011 To: Press Climate Camp <press(a)climatecamp.org.uk>, Sac <sacsustainaction(a)gmail.com>, RQIC <rqic(a)ciso.qc.ca>, S Weigel <sweigel(a)sonoraninstitute.org>, Erika <erika(a)equit.org.br>, Esr <esr41(a)verizon.net>, Powder River <resources(a)powderriverbasin.org>, Nal <nalu(a)sof.org.br>, Native Movement <nativemovement(a)gmail.com>, NC Warn <ncwarn(a)ncwarn.org>, NCI <info(a)ncipl.org>, NEC <rwhkc(a)earthlink.net>, Sonoran Institute <sonoran(a)sonoraninstitute.org>, WV Rivers Coalition <wvrivers(a)wvrivers.org>, UMD <umdvolunteerhouse(a)gmail.com>, Western Colorado Congress <info(a)wccongress.org>, Pblase <pblasenheim(a)gmail.com>, Nirsnet <nirsnet(a)nirs.org>, Northern Plains <info(a)northernplains.org>, Northern Rockies Rising Tide <northernrockiesrisingtide(a)riseup.net>, Mary <Maryo(a)nirs.org>, Matt <matt(a)energyjustice.net>, MEP <info(a)mepartnership.org>, Mississippi <mississippi(a)climateaction.net>, MM <mm2222ut(a)aol.com>, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness <info(a)friends-bwca.org>, GBF <gbf(a)greatbear.org>, GCM <info(a)gcmonitor.org>, GRIP <grip(a)gilaresources.info>, Greater Yellow <gyc(a)greateryellowstone.org>, Groundwater Awareness Leauge <contact(a)g-a-l.info>, Hurricane Creek Keeper <hccreekkeeper(a)gmail.com>, Info WNC <info(a)wncpsr.org>, Jel <jelosegui(a)gmail.com>, Parras <parras.juan(a)gmail.com>, julian <Julian(a)risingtidenorthamerica.org>, Julie <julie(a)wnca.org>, Justin <justin(a)actnh.org>, JW <jwfarm(a)centurytel.net>, Kat <katuarkonada(a)gmail.com>, Lorax <lorax(a)riseup.net>, WK <wkatzfishman(a)igc.org>, Rafael <rberrocal(a)prensa.com>, Ramsey <ramsey(a)miningwatch.ca>, RANTWIN <rantwincities(a)riseup.net>, Regenwald <info(a)regenwald.org>, Resource Renew <rrenew.collective(a)riseup.net>, Rising Tide Bay Area <risingtidebayarea(a)gmail.com>, Rising Tide NA <contact(a)risingtidenorthamerica.org>, Rising Tide NT <risingtident(a)riseup.net>, Rootforce <rootforce(a)riseup.net>, Montana Environ Info <meic(a)meic.org>, Montana LR <info(a)mtlandreliance.org>, Wise <wiseamster(a)antenna.nl>, MWF <mwf(a)mtwf.org>, Sarah <sarah(a)voiceforthewild.org>, Stop Cliffside <info(a)stopcliffside.org>, WW4report <feedback(a)ww4report.com>, amy.anderson(a)oei-dc.org <mailto:amy..anderson@oei-dc.org> , jim(a)oei-dc.org, maginfo(a)blacksmithinstitute.org, Press CC <press(a)commoncause.org>, pblasenh <pblasenheim(a)riseup.net>, Save the Front <info(a)savethefront.net>, Smart <smartgrowth(a)mcn.net>, NRDC <nrdcaction(a)nrdc.org>, Loretta <Loretta(a)oglala.org>, Louisiana <louisiana(a)climateaction.net>, Lovely Goat <lovelygoatplantmedicine(a)riseup.net>, Manolan <manolan(a)uvm.edu>, Mario <mariociid@gmail..com <mailto:mariociid@gmail.com> >, "Marion Inst." <info(a)marioninstitute.org>, "Wild West Inst." <info(a)wildwestinstitute.org>, ORA <info(a)oregonrural.org>, Survival International <info.usa(a)survivalinternational.org>, Proletariat <proletariat04(a)gmail.com>, Stop Suits <stopthesuitscoalition(a)gmail.com>, Student Environmental AC <nationalcouncil(a)seac.org>, Pas <pasalavoz(a)movimientos.org>, OD <od(a)riseup.net>, Peaceful Uprising <info(a)peacefuluprising.org>, Philadelphia Rising Tide <phillyrisingtide(a)riseup.net>, Pollinators <pollinators(a)beehivecollective.org>, Powder River <info(a)powderriverbasin.org> Hemispheric Social Alliance / Rising Tide Mexico/ Natural Resources Project Management / Alliance for Responsible Trade / Our Earth Institute International Extractive Industry Accountability Conference May 23-25, 2011 George Washington University Washington, DC Our Earth Institute, along with it's partners, proudly presents the first "International Extractive Industry Accountability Conference" at the George Washington University in Washington, DC on May 23 - 25, 2011. The primary goal of this Conference will be to develop and implement an effective International Strategy to hold Extractive Industries accountable for the consequences of their actions and to force them to change. The conference will have several components. First, we will be holding Working Groups that will take steps to form a strategy to unite the anti-extraction groups in the United States, Central and South America, and Northern Europe to function as a united front. We will create an action plan that will allow our movement to have a more effective impact. Tentative topics include: . Creating a dynamic and interactive international union of anti-extraction organizations, which can share resources, speak with one voice, and effectively foster positive change. . Forcing extractive corporations to reimburse communities and people for any damage done to the environment, health and livelihoods of individuals, and to make them responsible for cleaning up and repairing any damage they have done. . Convincing investors in extractive industry companies to divest themselves of these assets if the corporations do not adopt safer and more fair extraction practices. . Persuading the U.S. and other nations to pass legislation requiring extractive companies to use "best practices" and to abide by domestic and U.N. treaties and standards, even when operating overseas. . Developing a "certification" system--similar to the Fair Trade label--to inform the public of the extent to which a company lives up to being environmentally healthy and socially fair. . Creating a strategy to protect Indigenous People's Land Rights, Livelihoods, and Health. Second, there will be a series of Workshops addressing topics such as: creating a successful anti-extraction campaign, ballot initiatives, effective activist strategies, fundraising, working with the media, lobbying and working with legislators, and effective public speaking on environmental issues. Lastly, the third day of the Conference will be devoted to actually Working on Capital Hill to lobby U.S. Senators and Representatives, and officials at the U.S. Bureau of Mines. It is our hope the Conference will be the first step in forming a dynamic and resilient international network that will make each individual anti-extraction group stronger, more effective, and better prepared to deal with this important battle that is getting more contentious each day. Please Join Us! Event Calendar Monday / May 23 Welcome Session 9:00am Working Groups 10:00am Lunch 12:30 - 1:30pm Working Groups 1:30 - 6:00pm Social Gathering 6:30pm Tuesday / May 24 Working Groups 9:00am - 12:30pm Lunch 12:30 - 1:30pm Workshops 1:30 - 5:30pm Summary Session 5:30 - 6:30pm Social Gathering 7:00pm Wednesday / May 25 Legislative and Government Office Visits * We suggest that you schedule your own appointment with your Senator, Representative or Mining Official at least 60 days in advance. If you need help with this scheduling we will be happy to assist. Please contact Abygale at Abygale.Lund(a)oei-dc.org Event Registration To Register for the Conference Registration Continues through: May 23, 2011 By Email: Send your and your organization's name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number to Abygale.Lund(a)oei-dc.org. Please submit your registration fee by clicking on the PayPal/Donate button on the Home Page of Our Earth Institute at www.oei-dc.org. You will receive an email confirmation of your registration and payment. By Regular Mail: Send your and your organization's name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and a check or money order made out to "Our Earth Institute" to: Our Earth Institute 4410 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., #174 Washington, DC 20016 USA Registration Rates If you have special circumstance that do not allow you to pay, contact Abygale.Lund(a)oei-dc.org Individual rates: (USD) . Working Attendees: $40 . Low-income seniors/college students/partially employed: $30 . International Attendees: $10 Organization rates: Two individuals from your organization are allowed for this fee. (USD) . Organizations: $80 Workshop Proposals You must be registered for the conference to submit a workshop. Workshops are limited to 45-50 minutes. Proposals are due by: May 16, 2011. Please submit your proposals to jim(a)oei-dc.org Posters & Tabling There will be space provided for registered organizations to present a poster and to accommodate organizational outreach materials. Space is limited and the deadline for requests is May 18, 2011. There is no charge for tabling. Contact us if your want to table: jim(a)oei-dc.org <mailto:jim@oei-dc..org> Accommodations Affordable hotels and alternative housing are being arranged as we speak. Please consult future publications on the conference for this information. Sponsorships If you or your organization would like to be a sponsor of the event, please contact Jim Polk at jim(a)oei-dc.org Sponsorships include registration for up to four individuals from your organization and registration to give a workshop, as well as special recognition in the program. Venue The event will be held at the Cloyd Heck Marvin Center 800 21st Street Northwest, Washington D.C., at the George Washington University, which is three blocks east of the Foggy Bottom / GWU Metro Stop on the Orange/Blue line. Directions to The George Washington University Campus Cloyd Heck Marvin Center and University Conferences 800 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC 20052 By Plane . If you are traveling by plane and flying directly into Ronald Reagan National Airport, you can reach the campus by taxi, which will cost approximately $15. You can also reach campus by taking the Metro Blue Line (heading in the direction of Largo Town Center). Exit at the stop marked Foggy Bottom - GWU. . If you are flying into Dulles International Airport, you can take the Washington Flyer Shuttle Bus to downtown Washington. Tickets can be purchased at the airport. You may also take a taxi directly form the airport. By Train If you are traveling by train, you will arrive at Union Station and can take a taxi for the approximate cost of $10. You can also take the Metro Red Line (heading toward Shady Grove). When you reach the Metro Center stop, transfer to the Blue Line (heading toward Franconia-Springfield) or the Orange Line (heading towards Vienna). Exit at the stop marked Foggy Bottom-GWU. By METRO/ Public Transit If you are traveling by Metro to campus, exit at the stop marked Foggy Bottom/GWU. As you exit the station, you will be at 23rd and I Streets. By Car . From North Interstate 95 south to Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) toward Silver Spring/Northern Virginia. Take exit 33, heading south on Connecticut Avenue for about 9 miles. Turn right onto Florida Avenue (just past the Washington Hilton) and turn left immediately onto 21st Street. The Marvin Center is located at 800 21st Street (between H and Eye Streets). . From Northwest Interstate 270 to Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway) toward Silver Spring. Take exit 33, heading south on Connecticut Avenue for about 9 miles. Follow directions as given in From North. . From West Interstate 66 and Route 50 both connect with the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge. Cross the bridge and exit left at E Street, then again at Virginia Avenue. Bear left, following signs for 23rd Street. Turn right on 23rd 1Street and continue a few blocks to campus. Turn right on H Street. The Marvin Center is on your left between 22nd and 21st Streets. . >From South Interstate 95 to Interstate 395 Arlington Memorial Bridge exit. Cross the bridge and bear left at the Lincoln Memorial. Turn left onto 23rd Street, NW, and follow directions as given in From West. Parking The Marvin Center Garage operates from 7am - midnight Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends. Make sure you have your car out by 11:45pm. A visitor's parking garage is located between 23rd and 22nd Streets and H and Eye Streets. The visitor entrance is on Eye Street. Parking on campus is at a premium and visitors are encouraged to use public transportation when visiting the campus. The nearest METRO stop, Foggy Bottom/GWU located on the Orange/Blue lines, is a short 3-block walk from the Marvin Center. Any Questions whatsoever, call: Jim Polk 202-257-9333 or Abygale Lund 860-304-9789 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MarcellusGasInfo" group. To post to this group, send email to marcellusgasinfo(a)googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to marcellusgasinfo+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/marcellusgasinfo?hl=en This listserv is managed and owned by the Binghamton Regional Sustainabiliy Coalition (BRSC) For our email list policy, visit For BRSC email list policy, visit http://groups.google.com/group/marcellusgasinfo/files _____ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1375 / Virus Database: 1500/3635 - Release Date: 05/13/11

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Fw: Financial Times: France to ban fracking of fossil fuels
by Jim Sconyers 12 May '11

12 May '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Peter Gollon <PGollon(a)AOL.COM> To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Thu, May 12, 2011 1:14:22 PM Subject: Financial Times: France to ban fracking of fossil fuels France to ban fracking of fossil fuels By Peggy Hollinger in Paris Published: May 11 2011 22:39 | Last updated: May 11 2011 23:06 French lawmakers have voted to ban a controversial technique used to extract shale gas and oil that opponents say contaminates the environment. If the vote by the lower house of parliament passes the Senate next month, France will be the first country to ban hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. The process injects water, chemicals and sand into rock formations to break them open and extract previously unattainable fossil fuel deposits. Please respect FT.com's ts&cs and copyright policywhich allow you to: share links; copy content for personal use; & redistribute limited extracts. Email ftsales.support(a)ft.com to buy additional rights or use this link to reference the article - http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/907fd72c-7c06-11e0-9b16-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1M9… The overwhelming vote by the National Assembly follows months of protest across France against a technique that environmentalists say threatens to pollute the water table. Many were outraged at the beginning of the year when it was discovered that several exploration permits had been granted without public consultation. The issue has become highly political as the government prepares for a difficult presidential campaign next year. Far from claiming victory, environmentalists and opposition Socialists accused the government of yielding to industry lobbying, because last-minute amendments to the draft law will allow scientific research to be conducted on shale gas and oil and its environmental impact, albeit under the control of state entities. The government will deliver an annual report to parliament on the conditions of this research, the first due by the end of the year. France relies on nuclear power for most of its electricity, but the Fukushima disaster has encouraged interest in other energy sources. The government has found itself caught between the possibility of exploiting new energy sources and addressing public concern over the environmental consequences. A report by the industry ministry recommended that test wells be drilled as it would be “damaging for the economy and for jobs for our country to forbid itself a deeper evaluation of this potential wealth”. Industry sources said they were relieved that the law had not revoked the permits already granted. A study published this week by scientists at Duke University in North Carolina found no sign that fracking chemicals were polluting the water supply, but there was evidence that gas was leaking from shale wells into drinking water, creating an explosion risk. A report by the European Centre for Energy and Resource Security last week found that Europe could cover its energy needs for the next 60 years if it was able to develop its unconventional gas resources. Nonetheless the French oil companies association Union Francaise des Industries Petrolieres said it “strongly regrets” the ban. Assuming the bill is not significantly changed when it is debated in the upper house next month, companies will have to deliver a report on the techniques they plan to use to explore for fossil fuels. If these techniques include hydraulic fracking, their permits will be cancelled. If they fail to report the use of the banned technology and are found to be using it, executives could face a €75,000 ($107,000) fine and prison sentences. Additional reporting by Ed Crooks in New York Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2011. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/907fd72c-7c06-11e0-9b16-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1M1… - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-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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Fwd: wowza - this is interesting commentary on the power industry's PR needs
by James Kotcon 11 May '11

11 May '11

Is this for real? JBK >>> West Virginia News Service WVNS <wvnsnews(a)gmail.com> 5/10/2011 2:24 PM >>> This is brilliant. ------------------------------ *From:* send23-proxymailing(a)peabodyusa.com [mailto: send23-proxymailing(a)peabodyusa.com] *On Behalf Of *Peabody Energy *Sent:* Tuesday, May 10, 2011 7:50 AM *To:* *Subject:* Peabody Announces "Coal Cares," Nationwide Campaign to Fight Asthma Stigma *Peabody** Energy (NYSE: BTU) Announces "Coal Cares™" Initiative, New Nationwide Campaign Against Stigma of Childhood Asthma* ST. LOUIS, May 10, 2011 / PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Peabody Energy today announced the creation of an innovative new public health initiative designed to combat the stigma of asthma among American children ages 0-18. With Coal Cares™ (www.coalcares.org), Peabody will offer free, custom-branded inhaler actuators <http://coalcares.org/freeinhalers.html> to children living within 200 miles of a coal plant, along with coupons worth $10 towards the purchase of the asthma medication itself. "Too many young Americans face daily schoolyard taunting and bullying because of a condition over which they have no control," said Gregory H. Boyce, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Peabody Energy. "By re-branding the inhaler as a cool, individualized, must-have accessory, Coal Cares™ will empower children to tell bullies: ‘suck it up.’" Children can choose from a variety of youth-themed inhaler cases, from tween faves like "the Bieber" and "My Little Pony," to the "Emo" and "Diamond" inhalers for older, style-conscious youth. There’s even "My First Inhaler," for tots. Coal Cares™ launches today in commemoration of Asthma Awareness Month<http://www.epa.gov/asthma/awm/>, the Environmental Protection Agency’s effort to call attention to rising asthma rates<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/04/health/research/04asthma.html?_r=3>, especially among children. Coal Cares™ and its Puff-Puff™ line of inhalers is the first, and most ambitious, market-friendly public health initiative of this scope of any privately-owned American company, and testifies to the energy industry’s commitment to the well-being of all citizens, including the youngest. "Our actions are guided by a singular mission: to be a leading worldwide producer and supplier of balanced energy solutions, which power economic prosperity and well-being," said Boyce. "Coal Cares™ brings this mission to life, empowering children everywhere to take control of their destinies, beginning with their own lungs." "Coal Cares™ is emblematic of the return to self-reliance that healthy entrepreneurship demands," said James Miasmus, Vice President of Government Affairs at Peabody USA. "Costly ‘scrubbing’ technology, on the other hand, is an untested and heavy-handed intrusion into our still-vulnerable economy. At Peabody, we're thinking globally but acting locally, and locating preventive action at the point of consumption, where it belongs." "Coal Cares™ isn’t just the name of a campaign," said Kevin Briesslau, Vice President of Communications at Peabody Coal. "It’s a philosophy, a way of doing business in harmony with the community we are a part of. After all, coal is the fastest-growing fuel in the world. We're part of America’s heritage, and we’re here to stay." To learn more about Peabody's Coal Cares™ initiative, visit: www.coalcares.org. Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) is the world's largest private-sector coal company and a global leader in clean coal solutions. With 2010 sales of 246 million tons and nearly $7 billion in revenues, Peabody fuels 10 percent of U.S. power and 2 percent of worldwide electricity. CONTACT: Vic Ganey Phone (314) 472-5539 SOURCE Peabody Energy -- West Virginia News Service (WVNS) Toll Free: 1-800-317-6705 Fax: 540-301-0801 E-mail: wvns(a)publicnewsservice.org

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Fwd: Fw: Statement from Mary Anne Hitt on Peabody "Coal Cares" prank by the Yes Men
by James Kotcon 11 May '11

11 May '11

So I guess it was a prank. JBK >>> Orli Cotel <Orli.Cotel(a)SIERRACLUB.ORG> 5/10/2011 5:01 PM >>> Hi, wanted to make sure everyone saw this statement that went out earlier today. Orli Orli Cotel Deputy Communications Director Sierra Club (415)977-5627 (work) (646)522-7751 (cell) -----Forwarded by Orli Cotel/Sierraclub on 05/10/2011 02:00PM ----- To: orli.cotel(a)sierraclub.org From: "Orli Cotel, Sierra Club" <orli.cotel(a)sierraclub.org> Date: 05/10/2011 11:52AM Subject: Statement from Mary Anne Hitt on Peabody "Coal Cares" prank by the Yes Men View a web version of this email. Contact: Orli Cotel (415) 977-5627 or (646) 522-7751 Statement of Beyond Coal Campaign Director Mary Anne Hitt, in response to the Yes Men prank launching fake “Coal Cares” website from Peabody Coal Today, a website reported to be from Peabody Coal , called "Coal Cares" www.coalcares.org, announced that the company would offer reimbursement vouchers to any family of a child with asthma living near a coal-fired power plant. The website was recently revealed to be a prank by The Yes Men. Mary Anne Hitt responds: “Today’s prank from the Yes Men may have been a fake, but it drew attention to a very real issue. Pollution from coal plants is making kids sick, triggering asthma attacks and more. Coal pollution causes over 12,000 visits to the emergency room each year – and over $100 billion in health costs. Low-income families are struggling to pay health care bills for their kids, while polluters like Peabody should be paying for the mess they create. It's clear that, well, coal doesn’t care. Peabody’s response today showed that the company is not planning to help the families that are bearing the burden of the pollution they’re creating. While this prank may have been satirical, the real effects of coal pollution on kids with asthma is not funny. This is yet another reminder that we need to transition to cleaner sources of energy like wind and solar that don't make people sick." Sierra Club | 85 Second St., San Francisco, CA 94105 | Change Media Type | Contact Us | Visit the Press Room Update My Profile | Manage My Email Preferences | Update My Interests | Unsubscribe - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS list, send any message to: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp

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Fw: Wind Power and Wildlife: Set the Record Straight
by Frank Young 05 May '11

05 May '11

Wind Power and Wildlife: Set the Record StraightJim and all- Here is an AWEA alert about some of what I was telling you about at the ExCom meeting Saturday. I am not familiar with the draft guidelines USFWS has formulated. But AWEA is obviously mounting a campaign to weaken them. Frank ----- Original Message ----- From: Denise Bode, AWEA To: Franklin Young Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2011 5:36 PM Subject: Wind Power and Wildlife: Set the Record Straight Dear Franklin, The future of the American wind industry is at stake - draft guidelines from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) threaten to halt the development of 34,000 megawatts of wind projects (enough to power nearly 9 million homes) and endanger 27,500 American jobs, all without achieving benefits to wildlife beyond those available from less intrusive means. The deadline for public comments is just two weeks away and we need you to write to FWS and set the record straight. Let them know that: a.. Deploying wind power and protecting wildlife are important and complementary goals - and that the wind energy industry has worked with states, wildlife conservation organizations, scientists, tribes, and federal officials to provide recommended guidelines that would achieve just that. Click here to read more about this initiative. b.. Expanding the use of wind power improves environmental conditions for wildlife because wind power has none of the harmful emissions, water use, mining, drilling and hazardous waste of other energy sources. c.. While birds do collide with wind turbines at some sites, modern wind power plants are collectively far less harmful to birds than numerous other manmade projects like radio towers, tall buildings, airplanes or vehivcles. The National Academy of Sciences estimated in 2006 that wind power is responsible for 3 of every 100,000 bird detahs caused by humands and pets. With two weeks left in their public comment period there's still time for you to submit a comment to FWS to urge them to adopt guidelines that are workable for wind power and wildlife. We have drafted a letter for you that includes the facts referenced in this e-mail. Please personalize this letter with a sentence or two about the importance of growing wind energy development in the U.S. and click submit to send it along to FWS. Thanks so much for your help on this important issue. Sincerely, Denise Bode CEO, American Wind Energy Association If you no longer wish to receive e-mail from us, please click here.

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FW: [mountainpartyexcom] Bob Henry Baber interview with Beckley newspaper
by Grubb, Karen 02 May '11

02 May '11

April 24, 2011 Gubernatorial candidate profiles: the Mountain Party’s Bob Henry Baber<http://www.register-herald.com/todaysfrontpage/x461201913/Gubernatorial-can…> <http://www.register-herald.com/> BECKLEY — Editor’s Note: Through May 4, The Register-Herald will publish a daily story featuring in-depth interviews we conducted with candidates seeking the office of governor of West Virginia. Each of the 16 people who filed were issued an invitation to appear before our editorial board, and 14 of those came to Beckley to meet with us and discuss some of the key issues in West Virginia. The stories will appear in the order in which the candidates were interviewed. Today’s story focuses on Mountain candidate Bob Henry Baber, of Glenville. 1 — It certainly appears that Marcellus shale regulation will remain a major topic of interest for the next several years. What are the key features that you see that need to be included in West Virginia law in order to best serve the interests of all the parties involved? Obviously, I’m for the development of this relatively green energy source. We do have to have regulation, no doubt about that. That’s going to mean we’re going to have to have some fees, the tax. We’re going to have to increase the filing fees. Even the DEP says right now they really don’t have enforcement capabilities for these now about 3,000 new employees that are pretty much gallivanting around the state. It’s really, really important that we protect our water and that we make sure that the environment is protected as this new wave of development takes place. I do want to say, interestingly enough, I have a farm in Greenbrier County. And I do not own the mineral rights. It’s a broad form deed. I actually brought two of them with me. I’ll leave them with you. These are the deeds to my grandparents’ farm, and they actually outline the rights of the surface owner as opposed to the mineral owner, and/or the gas owner in this case. And really, as I jokingly said, it’s a broad form of deed; all grandpa, all you bought, was the air. These broad form deeds were revised, you might say outlawed, for strip mining purposes in every state in the union. Kentucky was the last in 1980. But the only thing the landowner is protected from, the private landowner, is from strip mining. They’re not protected from gas interests. And that gives me real pause because, guess what, I got a letter from a gas company saying we want to come in and test on your farm. I’ve got 30 acres in Greenbrier County. I’m surrounded by 300,000 privately held acres in Westvaco, and it kind of makes me wonder why they want to come in on my 30 when there’s 300,000 around me. It also gives me pause for my well, my land, my surface. I’ve only got seven acres that are cleared. The test might not be that big. But if an actual well came in, it could be significant. This poses a real growth opportunity for West Virginia. But we need to protect the environment. And there’s one thing that I’m going to say, and that is, this can probably open to maybe another conversation a little about mountaintop mining and coal mining. But we need to, with this Marcellus development, create what I’m calling the energy dividend. We need to rake some money off the top of gas and coal. I’m talking new taxes, or severance taxes, to create the new green economy. We are an energy-producing state. That’s kind of insulated us a little bit. You know, everything is happening in the country. Of course, we didn’t have a big bubble to pop. But we’ve got to bridge the future to the new energy future. We have that opportunity, being an energy-producing state now, with fossil fuels, to move into the future, to plan the West Virginia of 50 years from now. And I don’t really see anyone looking at that. 2 — As the debt for OPEB continues to rise, what steps need to be taken to stem the tide and begin reversing this trend? It’s a huge problem, and I have to say I really don’t have a ready solution for it, and I’m not sure any other politicians really do. A lot of our politicians say cut taxes and make jobs. I have no idea what that actually really means. We’re going to have to continue to be extremely fiscally responsible in West Virginia. I’ve been mayor. Even though I’m a liberal in the Mountain Party, I’m as tight as the bark on a tree. I was as tight as the bark on a tree in Richwood. You can’t spend money. Now, people say you’ve got to cut waste and use the waste to cut down the liability. Unfortunately, you know, waste is not like a slab of fat on the side of a steak. It’s not like that. So waste is extremely difficult to cut. It can be done. I found out when I was in Richwood. But it’s not a very small level. I’d like to speak from specificities of my experiences. Really, 10 percent of our budget was being wasted. We had a $1 million budget; about $100,000 was being wasted on equipment you couldn’t need, couldn’t use, couldn’t fix. Plus, and this is something you kind of get into, this is sort of a difficult issue, you have to have an investment strategy for your state. Sometimes you have to invest to save. We all know that. When your car gets really, really old, sometimes you’re better off to take a loan and buy a new one. In Richwood, when I became mayor, I found out that we had old computers that no one was trained on. We weren’t paying anybody anything to work them either, $7 or $8 an hour. Well, guess what? At the end of the year, we had to hire all the accountants to come in and redo all our books and spend a small fortune doing it, because all the data we had was garbage. So what did we do? We invested and spent some money on buying new computers and training our people to use them. We gave them pay raises from $7-$8 to $10-$12, and guess what, we saved money. So sometimes you do have to invest to save. And that’s a complex issue for people to understand, I think, sometimes. You can’t just say, well, cut, cut, cut, cut. You’re a newspaper. Sometimes you have to spend money to save money or move forward. Waste is awful hard to get at. I think we should try to do that. But that’s going to be an ongoing issue for our state. I applaud Gov. Manchin’s first forays into paying down some of our unfunded liabilities. He was a fiscally responsible governor, rolled up his sleeves and did a few things. I worked very closely in Richwood to do some things. We’re just going to have to watch our budget like a hawk and try to pay down these unfunded liabilities as best we can. 3 — Transportation remains a significant issue, especially in our region. What, specifically, will you do as governor to try to resolve the funding crisis as it relates to financing new construction and providing for adequate maintenance of our existing roads and bridges? It is a big issue. I do think that one of the hidden costs of coal is its toll on our roads, particularly in the southern part of the state. And we’re starting to see this with Marcellus shale, too, where a lot of these small roads in the rural areas are being torn all to pieces. So that’s another issue we have to take a look at. If you look at the state budget, 50 percent of it goes to education. Another 20 percent goes to welfare and social systems. Another 15 to 20 percent for security. And actually, when you start getting down to the nitty gritty, there’s not a whole lot of slack in our budget. So, I think, the federal government is not in great shape. Federal money is going to get tougher, and tougher and tougher to get. We’re going to have to get very aggressive about linking with and utilizing the federal government to... We’re already getting more than our fair share of the pie, but we’re going to have to continue to do that. We’re going to need federal dollars. It’s going to have to be part of the Marcellus shale solution, too. We’re going to have to factor in the cost to the roads and what the damage to the roads is going to be. (Would you have signed the $40 million increase in motor vehicle fees?) I’m not too happy about the vehicle tax, to be honest with you. Vehicles are something everybody has to have. I think it tends to be harder on and unfair for the lower-class person. I’m more vice-oriented. I think that taxes on cigarettes should go up. Liquor and things like that. I really don’t like raising taxes, but if you do have to raise taxes, I don’t like to do it on necessities. I am glad that we lowered the food sales tax by one percent. I hope eventually we’ll get rid of that. 4 — One of former Gov. Joe Manchin’s major platform issues was education reform. While much was discussed, no wide-ranging changes to the way we educate our children have been made in the recent past. What are your plans when it comes to education reform? Well, first, I want to say I really am a big supporter of small schools, and I think we should maintain as many of those as we possibly can, particularly our little elementary schools out in the rural area. Now, I come from Richwood. Richwood is continuing to be in decline. The elementary school would be fine. Richwood High School is hanging in there. Richwood High School actually is the heart and soul of that town right now, the town itself economically. Richwood used to be the Lewisburg of the mountains. It’s now like a bubble of southern West Virginia with the loss of coal jobs and the emergence of Summersville as a regional hub. If Richwood lost its high school, it would literally have no heart left. On the other hand, I’m in Gilmer County right now. Gilmer has lost half its population in 20 years. We have five little, tiny, old elementary schools, and frankly, they don’t want to lose them, because these little towns that have them, Normantown, whatever, if they lose their school, that’s kind of the end of their town, last little focal point. On the other hand, when you’re in a county that’s lost half of its population, you may have to consolidate in some cases. And that’s to be avoided. I hate long bus rides for the kids. But it may have to happen. Going up to the next level, we definitely need to link higher education more effectively with our students coming out of high school. So many students showing up at Glenville don’t have the skills to make it. They really don’t. And I really love what our colleges are doing. You know, we have the hidden P.R.O.M.I.S.E. Scholarship program. It’s actually the wave of the future of West Virginia. I’m going to tap my institution at Glenville. We’ve caught the wave, you might say. And our idea is to identify great students who might be first generation and have specific needs and start cultivating them in the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, 10th grade, bring them to camps, get them introduced to college. Give them some scholarship money. If they come to Glenville, great. But if they go to college, great. If you look at the United States today, 25 percent of United States citizens have bachelor’s degrees. In West Virginia, it’s 17 percent, and in central West Virginia it’s 13 percent. And I’m going to say something here that’s probably going to be a little unpopular with some of your readers. But I do believe that the P.R.O.M.I.S.E. Scholarship should be needs-based. Really. I’m a professor myself. And I’ve been a single dad. I’ve raised three kids. I’m not making any big money. I’ve got two in college. So it’s a bit of a struggle for me. But I’m making a decent salary, too. But you know, traditionally, the vehicle by which people could move up in our society was through higher education. And really, when you have doctors and lawyers and professors such as myself, those kids are more apt to get P.R.O.M.I.S.E. Scholarship but don’t have as great a need. We need to reach down here and help these students who are not going to make it to school unless we help them out. And I will say on the federal level, even though this is not specifically about West Virginia, Obama has called for $44 billion for Pell Grants and loans. The Republicans want $17 billion. To me, that’s a cut that should not be made. That’s an investment strategy. We’re now No. 9 in the world in terms of graduation and sinking fast. If we’re going to compete in the world of the future, we’ve got to continue to get college graduates, and that means giving them the money to go to school. Even as it is, the students... My son is going to Glenville right now. He’s borrowing some serious money. He’s going to be $30,000 in debt, or more, when he gets out. Well, that’s daunting to me, to think about starting out life that way. We’ve got to help our students. (On the issue of dropouts) I think this program we’ve got at Glenville... We’ve got a mentoring component, identifying students who are leader students. We’ve really got to start reaching down in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades. You cannot wait until the ninth, 10th and 11th grades. They’re lost to you by then. So we’ve got to start intervening early in identifying the at-risk students and trying to get them interested in going to college and keeping them going. Also, we traditionally in West Virginia, unfortunately, have sort of brought up the rear in terms of community colleges. We’ve made some progress that way. But they really are the gateway institutions. So, linkages to those students who may not want to do a traditional four-year school but would want to be in the different trades. I’ll give you a great example from Glenville. We have a land resources program. Those students are doing very, very well now, with everything that’s going on in the gas fields. Well, you know a bunch of our programs are associate degree programs. Most people don’t know that, even though we’re a four-year school. So you can get a two-year degree and leave Glenville and go right out into the oil and gas fields and make a good salary for yourself and a good living. So, these are the kinds of things we need to look at, very pragmatic linkages with what our state’s needs are and the needs of our students. (On charter schools) I’m not opposed to charter schools. They don’t really seem to be that big of an issue in West Virginia. We really don’t have the wherewithal to make a whole lot of charter schools. In urban areas, charter schools have been used and some by the Republicans, I think, as kind of a wedge into the public school system. I like the public school system and support the public school system. To come back to one of your earlier questions, I would like to see us have sort of... Obama had sort of a Race to the Top. I like the idea that we would put out grant programs that would not penalize schools that are necessarily doing poorly but reward schools for doing very well and reward teachers who are doing well. So I think that would be a way to improve our schools. 5 — We are constantly being told, and are witnessing every day the far-reaching impacts of drug abuse. What will you do as governor to address the epidemic and do you have any specific plans for interdiction efforts? That is a deep, deep-breath question. I saw plenty of it in Richwood. We’ve got plenty of opportunity to walk around the corner and get some OxyContin if you’ve got a mind to do it. And OxyContin is terribly frightening to me. These designer drugs are so enticing. I feared for my own children, to be honest with you, when they were in Richwood. You’re just thinking, “Hey, you know, it’s one thing to be smoking marijuana, and a lot of our kids do, right?” That doesn’t really frighten me that much. But when you think about them crushing up the first OxyContin pill and doing it, and knowing their brain circuitry is going to be rewired, that’s a terribly frightening thought. I think we’ve just got to — our education system — we’ve just got to get our kids interested in making a life for themselves. And it’s tough. I know in Richwood, you know, that town is very depressed. The kids are depressed. And the temptation, you know, to self-medicate, is very, very strong. So I think we need to do education. We need to be talking to students about the perils of this. To be honest with you, I think our “Just Say No” strategy is a bit naive and foolish, because you can say that and the kids will be with that until they’re about 10 or 12, and they’re going to try marijuana, and they’ll get a little high and kind of enjoy it. And then they’ll start drinking and saying, “Well, you say drinking was bad, but I kind of enjoyed those first couple of beers. Now maybe I’ll hit it a little bit harder.” So I think some reality-based discussions with the, about the true nature of what can happen to you if you head down the serious drug road. We need to get that word out there. Maybe we need to get people who have really lost it and fallen apart, have them in schools talking more about this to kids, where they can see people who have gone to prison, people who have lost their families and their jobs. A little reality-based talking. Please highlight the key points of your platform. I want to say a couple of things. First, I run kind of as a common person. You might say in the Mountain Party, we’re sort of the bake-sale party. And I think that actually speaks well of us. Because as the big money is raised by the Republicans and Democrats, you got to be wondering, you know, what influence is that buying? It will buy influence. I’ve lived all over West Virginia. I have a child born here in Beckley. I’ve been in Beckley, Williamson, Montgomery, Richwood, Charleston, Huntington and Glenville. I’ve lived all over the state. And I’ve been everything from a house painter and a landscaper to an executive director, a Kellogg fellow, and a mayor. I’ve really got a breadth of experience that I think probably many of the other politicians don’t have. One thing that has to be addressed in our discussion here today is the issue of mine safety. I’m very unhappy with what happened at Upper Big Branch. I am not an enemy of coal. However, if coal is gong to put profits above the lives of 29 miners, and that’s what happened at Upper Big Branch... We all know there were no carbide tips on the front of the machine. The mine was laced with coal dust. So those sparks followed the coal dust to the methane. It’s murder. I’m not against coal. We are going to be dependent on coal. We are going to mine coal in West Virginia. But we need to do it safely and responsibly. Also, in regard to mountaintop mining, which is a huge plank of the Mountain Party, none of the Republicans or Democrats who are running are going to say they’re against mountaintop removal, because they want to be governor, and if you say that, you can’t get to be governor, which is unfortunate. >From an ecological point of view, we should stop mountaintop removal today. However, we have to take a reality bite here and that is right now, there are 6,000 miners directly tied to that employment, and probably another 10 to 15,000 indirect jobs. So we need to phase out mountaintop removal. We need to put the bulldozers in reverse, actually, and start reclaiming the land that’s already behind us. And I have a proposal to do that. We should take abandoned mine land; that’s what the money is for. We’ve got to start a transition in those southern counties toward what I call a green economy. We take some money off of coal and gas, and we create solar manufacturing plants and solar collector stations, and we transition to the new green economy, which is coming. And we need to get ahead of the curve and think forward, not backward. We have a lot of politicians now digging in their heels, looking backward, trying to defend coal. No, let’s take this last window of opportunity with coal and this new window of opportunity with fracking and create the new green that’s coming. I wanted to say this about jobs. So we have green energy jobs. I’ll not talk about the West Virginia Development Office. You may not be aware of this. I’ve been in grant writing and have written $21 million grants in my life. West Virginia is getting one-fourth of the federal and private grant dollars that Mississippi is getting. Why? We don’t have enough people in West Virginia that know how to write grants to get our fair share of the pie. Our West Virginia Development Office should have 10 grant writers that do nothing but follow the big foundations around — Wal-Mart, Lumina, putting out huge money for education. And on the list goes. Grants for health care, obesity — all the issues that our state needs to address. We’re not getting the private dollars to augment what we need. Tourism. I’m huge on tourism, and that is one place I would invest more money in. Tourism is huge for West Virginia’s future; that would include bringing the retirees back. We’re seeing quite a bit of that. Tourism is huge for West Virginia. We need to push, push, push on that. But unfortunately, mountaintop removal is antithetical to tourism. So, we’ve got to protect our environment. One little catch phrase I’d like to throw out to you — what I call the “green new deal.” I want to talk about the jobs that are going to be the new green jobs for West Virginia. Does coal have a future in green energy world? Coal is going to be with us for awhile. It does not matter. Right now, the environmental groups are trying to end mountaintop removal. You know, the Spruce Knob has been significantly downsized, or even stopped, by EPA for now. They had other alternatives, and they did not submit them. They could have done 80 to 90 percent of what they wanted to do, but they got a little greedy. Here’s the big story that’s not being told to West Virginia: Mountaintop removal will end, and it’s not going to end because of the EPA or the environmentalists. It’s going to end because we are in competition with the Powder River basin in Wyoming, which is now producing 400 million tons of coal a year, 40 percent of all the electrical energy made by coal in the United States. And that mine is growing by leaps and bounds. We’re not going to compete much longer with that mine. I believe that mountaintop removal is going to end in West Virginia, no matter what, probably at a maximum 15 to 20 years. My biggest fear is that it’s going to end, and in its wake, the coal companies are going to pull out and leave behind massive chunks of unreclaimed land. That’s the worst possible scenario that can happen. The country is going to continue to consume coal. We’re hooked on it. We’re hooked on coal, and we’re hooked on oil. We have no place else to go. So, coal’s not going anywhere. Now, our metallurgical coal will continue to be a very viable export. When people say I’m an environmentalist, but guess what, I tanked up my car to drive down here to see you guys here today. And I like to turn on the lights in my house, too. I’m just as dependent as you are. We’re all part of the problem. So, I haven’t got my head stuck in the clouds, saying, “We’re just going to pull the plug on coal,” and say, “Oh, well, that’s it for coal.” That ain’t going to happen. Mountain Party's Bob Henry Baber talks about green jobs and the economy in W.Va. gov race<http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/3166f997419540adba798a7afe4236c6/WV--…> * BRITTANY ERSKINE Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Preparing West Virginia for the economy of the future is exactly what Bob Henry Baber wants to do. "We're just not doing what we need to do to move forward," Baber said. "West Virginia should be able to educate our people and move our people forward and be a cutting edge state." The 60-year-old former mayor of Richwood is one of two Mountain Party candidates competing for the party's nomination, which will be decided at convention Sunday. Six Democrats and eight Republicans are running in the May 14 primary election. This year's special gubernatorial election is to fill the remaining term of former Gov. Joe Manchin, who was elected to the U.S. Senate last year following the death of Sen. Robert C. Byrd. Baber sees the state gradually transitioning to producing and using green energy. "We could have solar factories making solar panels and selling them around the world," he said. "We're in a key position to make a transition to becoming the new green energy state." As governor, his two priorities would be "education and tying education to jobs." As a major gifts officer and former professor at Glenville State University, Baber praises the school's Hidden Promise program. The program identifies sixth-graders with promise, but in "need some help getting to go to college." Participants receive tutoring, mentoring and other activities designed to keep them in school and help them get into college. A small schools person, Baber wants to see the state's merit-based PROMISE scholarship shift to a needs-based scholarship to better help those in the middle class and below. "Needs should get it first," he said. "Fair is fair." Tying the curriculum of vocational schools to industry would help create jobs, particularly for the work force that will be demanded by Marcellus shale development, Baber said. He said community development could be enhanced by expanding access to high-speed internet and by fiscally empowering communities. "We tell people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but they have no capital," Baber said. ""It's not like these little towns don't know what they need to do. They know what they need to do, but the ones with no money don't have the capital to invest so they can't do it." One way to get money to communities for economic development projects may be through foundation grants, he said. According to FoundationSearch.com, in 2010 over $3.1 billion in grants were distributed throughout the nation. Only $4.8 million of that went to West Virginia. "One of the first things I would do as governor, I would hire 10 new people for the West Virginia Development office who would do nothing but link state needs with what the foundations were giving away nationally," he said. Calling the Republicans and Democrats "more alike than different," Baber said the Mountain Party offers voters a truly alternative platform.

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FW: Bob Henry Baber Wins Mountain Party Nomination for State Governor
by Grubb, Karen 02 May '11

02 May '11

Please read and forward widely to your organizational groups. Karen Grubb Mountain Party Secretary ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Ronda Gregory <ronda.gregory4(a)gmail.com> To: dhcorcoran(a)gmail.com; BErkskine(a)ap.org; russell(a)earthday.net; atoma68(a)yahoo.com; Roger.Sublett(a)myunion.edu; kmw(a)wvexecutive.com; mark(a)imagesbyromano.com; dbeard(a)dominionpost.com Sent: Mon, May 2, 2011 9:40:56 AM Subject: Bob Henry Baber Wins Mountain Party Nomination for State Governor Folks: Attached is the press release announcing that Bob Henry Baber was nominated yesterday as the Mountain Party candidate for governor. If you have any questions, please contact either me or Mr. Baber. Thank you for your time and attention to this wonderful news. Ronda Gregory Ronda Gregory Communications Director Bob Henry Baber for Governor Campaign Cell: (304) 685-3557 E-mail: ronda.gregory4(a)gmail.com<mailto:ronda.gregory4@gmail.com> Bob Henry Baber Home: (304) 462-0320 Cell: (304) 904-2440 E-mail: mayorbobhenrybaber(a)yahoo.com<mailto:mayorbobhenrybaber@yahoo.com>

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Fwd: Breaking News from InsideEPA.com
by Paul Wilson 29 Apr '11

29 Apr '11

I don't subscribe to this service but thought this story would be of interest to many..... ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: InsideEPA.com <epa-alerts(a)iwpnews.com> Date: Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 1:08 PM Subject: Breaking News from InsideEPA.com To: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com [image: InsideEPA.com] <http://insideepa.com/> Breaking News from InsideEPA.com . . . . The stage has been set for one of the most important years of energy policymaking in decades now that the Obama administration is calling on the natural gas to agree to new environmental controls. One key natural gas regulation the administration is developing targets greenhouse gas and other emissions from drilling operations *but EPA has made a deal with environmental lawyers to delay its release until next February.* There is only one way to get to the action before the rules are proposed and that’s InsideEPA.com. We’ll give you a trial subscription free for 30 days<http://insideepa.com/component/option,com_trialuser/code,4282011>to prove it. *Here’s the story:* *EPA Stalls Gas Drilling Air Rules But Consensus Emerges On Methane Limits<http://insideepa.com/Inside-EPA-General/Inside-EPA-Public-Content/epa-stall…> * *And here’s the offer:* Try InsideEPA.com free for a full 30 days and experience our trademark investigative business reporting for yourself. There's no cost, no risk and nothing to lose. Your trial subscription to Inside EPA.com will include regular email updates on emerging regulations for fracking and natural gas drilling. *Sign up right now<http://insideepa.com/component/option,com_trialuser/code,4282011> * * *Now is the best time to subscribe to InsideEPA.com to get the behind-the-scenes story on these upcoming regulations for the natural gas industry, as well as the Obama administration's aggressive agenda on a host of environmental issues, from climate change to water quality regulations. For the past 30 years Inside EPA has been the leading news sources for tracking emerging policy debates at EPA and within the federal government, and our out-ahead coverage on the latest dust-up over fracking builds on that award-winning stature. Regards, The Editors InsideEPA.com/Inside EPA Weekly Report Try InsideEPA.com Today *You can start a 30-day free trial of InsideEPA.com right now* -- it only takes seconds, no credit card is required and you'll receive no bill or invoice. Just click here to sign up today<http://insideepa.com/component/option,com_trialuser/code,4282011> . Customer Service 703-416-8505 iepa(a)iwpnews.com Site Licenses Available Want to share access to InsideEPA.com with your colleagues? We have economical site license packages available to fit any size organization, from a few people at one location to company-wide access. For more information on how you can get greater access to InsideEPA.com for your office, contact our Online Customer Service department at 703-416-8505 or iepa(a)iwpnews.com <+iepa(a)iwpnews.com>. *Mailing address:* 1919 South Eads Street, Suite 201, Arlington VA 22202 *Telephone:* 703-416-8500 or 1-800-424-9068 Please do not respond to this e-mail, as it was sent from an unmonitored mailbox. If you have a customer service inquiry, please contact us at iepa(a)iwpnews.com. If you wish to unsubscribe from InsideEPA.com email notifications please click here<http://iwp.lyris.net/t/44576/762982/77274/0/?3e076d18=cGpncnVudEBnbWFpbC5jb…>. Copyright © 2011 Inside Washington Publishers. All rights reserved. -- 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: Sierra Club Launches Interactive Map of U.S. Coal-fired Power Plants
by Paul Wilson 28 Apr '11

28 Apr '11

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Oliver Bernstein <oliver.bernstein(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 12:11 PM Subject: Sierra Club Launches Interactive Map of U.S. Coal-fired Power Plants To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)lists.sierraclub.org *Special thanks to Adam Kapp and Megan Siems for all of their programming and research on this project. Thanks also to Ginny Cramer, Adrian Cotter, Mary Anne Hitt, Verena Owen and the Online Organizing Department.* ---------------------------------------- BLOG POST about the new coal map from Mary Anne Hitt -- Grist - http://www.grist.org/article/2011-04-28-is-there-a-toxic-mercury-hot-spot-n… Daily Kos - http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/28/971045/-Is-There-a-Toxic-Mercury-H… Compass - http://sierraclub.typepad.com/compass/2011/04/is-there-a-toxic-mercury-hot-… Alternet - http://blogs.alternet.org/maryannehitt/2011/04/28/is-there-a-toxic-mercury-… PRESS RELEASE LINK -- http://sc.org/jRtc5T For Immediate Release – April 28, 2011 Contact: Oliver Bernstein, 512.289.8618 *Sierra Club Launches Interactive Map of U.S. Coal-fired Power Plants* * * *Powerful New Tool Highlights Toxic Mercury Hotspots, Outlines Roadmap for Moving America Beyond Coal* SAN FRANCISCO – After recently celebrating the defeat of the 152nd proposed coal-fired power plant prevented or abandoned in the past decade, the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign announced today that it would shift its focus toward replacing the nation’s existing fleet of dirty coal plants with clean energy sources. A new comprehensive, interactive map<http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/map/>of the approximately 500 existing U.S. coal-fired power plants will help guide concerned Americans and public officials as they seize this historic opportunity to stand up for clean energy. Find the coal plants nearest to you at http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/map/. While the priority for the Beyond Coal Campaign remains opposing the remaining handful of proposed new coal plants, it is the orderly phase-out of the nearly 500 existing coal-fired power plants that will truly protect public health and help avoid irreparable climate disruption. "These aging coal plants – some of which date back to the 1920's – are the largest sources of health-threatening, climate-disrupting pollution and the largest obstacles to a clean energy future," said *Verena Owen, volunteer chair of the Beyond Coal Campaign*. "We begin this exciting new phase of the Beyond Coal Campaign on a strong foundation, having recently won important victories in the Tennessee Valley, Colorado and Washington State." The interactive map announced today <http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/map>allows users to see the dirty coal plants nearest to them, to learn more about the toxic pollution and health threats caused by those plants and to sign up to get involved in the local Sierra Club effort to phase out those coal plants and replace them with clean energy. Just as the Sierra Club used its signature Coal Plant Tracker <http://sc.org/coaltracker> to empower activists and to monitor progress in the effort to prevent new coal pollution, this new tool will play a key role in the fight to phase out coal plants that already exist. The map currently focuses on toxic mercury, an alarming health threat from coal-fired power plants. Because toxic mercury from coal plants gets into local waterways, most states have warnings against eating fish caught locally. New protections proposed last month by the Environmental Protection Agency would reduce toxic mercury by more than 90%, and the Sierra Club is mobilizing Americans in support of the proposed new protections. The mapping tool can evolve as needed to highlight the devastation coal causes throughout its life cycle. For instance, when coal pollution causes air quality to reach unhealthy levels in many towns and cities during the summer months, the map can adapt to highlight the worst emitters of soot and smog. "As major sources of life-threatening mercury, soot and smog pollution, existing coal plants are finally coming under increasing scrutiny," said *Mary Anne Hitt, Director of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign*. "America can replace dirty coal plants with clean energy solutions like energy efficiency, wind, solar and geothermal to meet America’s energy needs and create jobs. The wind industry already employs more people than the coal mining industry in the United States. As clean energy deployment continues to accelerate nationwide, we can repeat and greatly expand this economic success by moving beyond coal and opening new opportunities for innovation and job creation." The success of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign throughout the past eight years rests largely on the dedicated activists volunteering on the ground in almost every state. “Every day, more Americans join the effort to push for cleaner energy options for their area,” added Owen. ”The Sierra Club is proud to present this new roadmap <http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/map/> to track their successes.” PRESS RELEASE LINK -- http://sc.org/jRtc5T ### -- Oliver Bernstein National Communications Strategist Sierra Club Phone: 512.477.2152 Cell: 512.289.8618 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS list, send any message to: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "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: press on WV DEP appeal of New Hill West victory
by James Kotcon 27 Apr '11

27 Apr '11

>>> Peter Morgan <peter.morgan(a)apps.sierraclub.org> 4/27/2011 3:12 PM >>> As expected, WV DEP has appealed our win before the WV Environmental Quality Board in which we successfully challenged a CWA discharge permit for a surface mine that failed to contain limits on conductivity, TDS, sulfate, and selenium. I've also heard that the company filed its own appeal, though I have not seen that yet. This Greenwire story puts this case in context of recent EPA action on conductivity. It also includes good quotes from local Sierra Club member Petra Wood. We intend to defend the EQB's good decision. 6. WATER POLLUTION: W.Va. officials bicker over conductivity standard for mountaintop mining (04/27/2011) Manuel Quinones, E&E reporter West Virginia environmental regulators are at odds over setting a water conductivity standard and other safeguards to protect the environment from mountaintop removal mining. The discussion comes amid a White House review of a U.S. EPA interim guidance document setting a federal conductivity standard for reviewing Appalachian mining permits. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is appealing in court a decision by the state's Environmental Quality Board ordering the agency to modify its permit for a Patriot Mining Company Inc. strip mining project in Monongalia County. In issuing its decision, the board sided, at least in part, with environmentalists who urged permit modifications, including a numeric standard for conductivity in nearby waterways. "This particular permit had no limits on conductivity, sulfates, really not much of anything," Petra Wood, a Sierra Club member involved in appealing the permit, said in an interview. At issue is a state National Pollutant Discharge Elimination system or NPDES permit, which EPA reviews. This particular project does not require a Section 404 Clean Water Act permit from the Army Corps of Engineers. The Environmental Quality Board -- a panel of five experts appointed by the governor for five-year terms -- did not set the conductivity standard as environmentalists wanted but called on the DEP to include one as part of a revised permit. The decision thrust the board into a national debate over the proper way to examine mining's effects to Appalachian waters. Conductivity is the measure of how well waters can carry an electric charge. An EPA study has found higher conductivity levels downstream from mountaintop mines and valley fills ( <http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2010/04/01/archive/1> E&ENews PM, April 1, 2010). While conductivity is not in itself a pollutant -- a point DEP is stressing in its appeal -- environmentalists and researchers are increasingly using it as a barometer of water health. "The board finds that the mining operation has the opportunity and potential to improve water quality," said Board Chairman Edward Snyder when issuing the ruling last month. "The board finds that there is a strong positive correlation between conductivity and diminishing macro invertebrate community health." But the DEP believes the board overstepped its legal bounds by mandating a conductivity standard. "Neither [the Environmental Quality Board] nor the DEP have the authority to impose a water quality standard that does not currently exist in state law," DEP attorney Jennifer Hughes said in an email exchange. And even though the board's decision applied to a specific permit, DEP officials believe it sets a precedent for future action. "This appeal has never been about this one permit modification," Hughes said. "It has always been an attempt to impose a statewide numeric standard for conductivity through a back-door process." Environmental advocates are dismayed at what they see as the state's assault on efforts to protect the environment from mining. "It's kind of hard to understand in my mind," Wood said. But West Virginia politicians have usually been keen to protect the mining industry, worried about jobs and the economy. "This was the worst ruling I've ever seen out of the Environmental Quality Board as far as a lack of respect for the rule of law," DEP Secretary Randy Huffman told reporter Ken Ward Jr. with The Charleston Gazette. Part of the appeal, pending before the Kanawha County Circuit Court, is the DEP's objection to the board considering EPA's interim guidance and related information, including the agency's study on conductivity, something the Sierra Club highlighted as part of its efforts to modify the mining permit. "DEP believes that, at best, the evidence presented by the Sierra Club demonstrated that there may be a correlation between high conductivity levels and the loss of certain sensitive species," Hughes said. "The evidence did not show that high conductivity levels cause harm to aquatic life." The National Mining Association is fighting the guidance in court, saying it amounts to rulemaking without the agency going through the proper channels, and the state of West Virginia along with DEP are plaintiffs in the case. Earlier this month, the mining group released a study of its own aimed at undercutting EPA's findings. The report, prepared by Denver-based GEI Consultants Inc., questioned EPA's assumptions about aquatic bugs and considered other findings flawed ( <http://www.eenews.net/eenewspm/2011/04/01/archive/4> E&ENews PM, April 1). Testing conductivity Opponents of EPA's guidance, especially lawmakers in Congress, say commercially sold water like San Pellegrino and Perrier exceed the agency's numeric standard for conductivity. They say it is evidence of the agency's overreach and its agenda to curtail coal mining in Appalachia. "People who are working the mines in my district are very concerned that the waters coming out of the mines have to be better than Perrier," said Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) in an interview earlier this year while pushing a budget rider to stop EPA from enforcing the guidance. The website PolitiFact, which routinely checks politicians' assertions, found that Evian, Perrier and San Pellegrino did in fact exceed EPA's standard. However, scientists and advocates say opponents are missing the point and ignoring the effects of conductivity on Appalachian wildlife. "The science demonstrates that stream life present in waters contaminated by mine waste is killed when salinity levels rise above levels that would not be toxic to humans who may drink such water," EPA spokesman Richard Yost told PolitiFact. "Aquatic organisms and people respond to salinity in very different ways, so it is not technically valid to make direct comparisons between healthy levels of salinity in central Appalachian streams and acceptable levels of salinity in drinking water." ____________________________________ Peter Morgan Project Attorney Sierra Club Environmental Law Program 1650 38th St. Ste. 102W Boulder, CO 80301 (303) 449-5595 x102 (303) 449-6520 (fax) CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL COMMUNICATION/WORK PRODUCT This email may contain privileged and confidential communications and/or confidential attorney work product. If you receive this email inadvertently, please reply and notify the sender and delete all versions from your system. Thank you.

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Fwd: Hydrofracking Team Call tonight
by Paul Wilson 27 Apr '11

27 Apr '11

anybody planning on being on this call? thx, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Sierra Club Activist Network <community.manager(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Wed, Apr 27, 2011 at 12:46 PM Subject: Hydrofracking Team Call tonight To: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com Paul, you have a group bulletin from *Hydrofracking Team<http://connect.sierraclub.org/Team/Hydrofracking_Team> *. *Visit Hydrofracking Team.<http://connect.sierraclub.org/Team/Hydrofracking_Team> * Message:Don't forget to join the Hydrofracking Team on our biweekly call, tonight at 5pm PT/8pm ET! National Conference Calls 1 (866) 501-6174 Hydrofracking Team code: 900 367 87 337 # *Call Agenda: * Introduce David Meiser as Team co-leader Welcome new members Gasland House Parties Frac Act, Natural Gas Act State bans vs moratoria ------------------------------ *Visit Hydrofracking Team.<http://connect.sierraclub.org/Team/Hydrofracking_Team> * ------------------------------ Reply? Or other thoughts? If you have questions about the bulletin CONTENT, please visit the group's page and leave a comment<http://connect.sierraclub.org/Team/Hydrofracking_Team>, or contact the group owner. *Technical Issues?* Please reply to this message (or email community.manager(a)sierraclub.org) if you have questions or problems with the bulletin itself. If you want to stop getting email, you can either leave (unjoin) or set your email preferences<http://connect.sierraclub.org/editor/app/group/managegroupmembership.aspx?O…> . -- 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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WVDEP appeals major water quality ruling for New Hill mine/ash dump
by James Kotcon 27 Apr '11

27 Apr '11

>From Coal Tattoo. JBK WVDEP appeals major water quality ruling April 26, 2011 by Ken Ward Jr. Well, WVDEP Secretary Randy Huffman called it the worst ruling I’ve ever seen out of the EQB as far as a lack of respect for the rule of law, so it probably is no surprise that the agency has appeal the state Environmental Quality Board’s decision in the case over International Coal Group’s New Hill West surface mine in Monongalia County. I’ve posted a copy of the WVDEP appeal, filed in the circuit court of Kanawha County, here. Among other things, WVDEP lawyers argue in the appeal: The board’s findings that numerous scientific studies have shown that declines in stream macroinvertebrate communities directly downstream of surface mining operations are caused by the combined effects of heightened concentrations of ions was clearly wrong in the view of the reliable, probative and substantial evidence in the record.

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Re: [EC] interesting energy reading
by James Kotcon 23 Apr '11

23 Apr '11

am more than a little concerned about the Obama Administration's continued emphasis on nuclear and "Clean Coal" technologies, but if he is successful in cutting tax subsidies for fossil fuels by $46 billion, that would go a long way toward letting the market lead us to a clean energy future. I am also impressed by their predictions of 6 cents/kwh for residential solar power by 2030. If that happens, coal is done, because when a home solar panel is cheaper than coal, no one will be investing in coal. Our emphasis shjpould be on shutting down the old dinosaurs over the next ten years. JBK >>> Daniel Soeder 04/22/11 5:29 PM >>> Two fossil energy-related reports came my way today that I wanted to pass along. The final report and recommendations from the commission that reviewed the Macondo well disaster (i.e. Deepwater Horizon - BP) in the Gulf last year is available at http://www.oilspillcommission.gov/final-report. It makes for some very sobering reading - even the cover photo is dreadful. The second report is the "Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future" from the White House, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/blueprint-secure-energy-future. This is the plan that the federal government will be expected to follow for energy R&D under the Obama Administration. Cheers! - Dan Soeder

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Fw: iMatter March May 8th
by Jim Sconyers 20 Apr '11

20 Apr '11

Fascinating initiative. Anyone interested in putting one together in WV? Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Sarah Hodgdon <sarah.hodgdon(a)SIERRACLUB.ORG> To: CCL-CHAPTER-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Wed, April 20, 2011 6:44:27 PM Subject: iMatter March May 8th Hello, I wanted to alert your chapter to an inspiring and exciting organization that the Sierra Club is supporting called iMatter. iMatter is an organization that is mobilizing youth (primarily aged 13-18) to raise awareness about climate change. Their large out-of-the-gate action is a youth-led march happening across the globe on Mother's Day, May 8, 2011. The event is gaining momentum with nearly 60 marches already planned around the world. The attached spreadsheet is the confirmed list and more marches are being added every day. Check here for the most recent additions near you: http://imattermarch.org/march/find-march/ If you're interested in getting involved with iMatter, either to identify a host, help drive attendance or just help support a march organizer with your guidance and expertise (remember - all marches are lead by youth) please feel free to contact Andrew Peake at andrew(a)kvgw.orgor (530) 574-3803. More information can be found on iMatter's website at http://imattermarch.org/ Please forward this email within your chapter. Best, Sarah Hodgdon 415-977-5541 828-423-7590 (cell) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CCL-CHAPTER-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CCL-CHAPTER-CHAIRS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/

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Feds, wind sector agree to regional Habitat Conservation Plan for 8 states
by Frank Young 19 Apr '11

19 Apr '11

Wind Energy SmartBriefThis does not include West Virginia. I would think that HCPs are location and habitat dependent. I wonder if a "regional" HCP that covers 8 states would be effective in all areas of those states. But it is a start. To my knowledge, USFWS has not yet developed an HCP for any clusters of wind turbines anywhere. - Frank ----------------------------------- Today, a group that includes the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and USWFS, signed an agreement to develop a plan that will outline measures to conserve threatened and endangered species that may be affected by wind farm developments. In particular, the plan calls for conservation of Indiana bats as well as other protected species in eight states including Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. http://domesticfuel.com/2011/04/18/wind-industry-takes-step-to-protect-wild… ----- Original Message ----- From: Wind Energy SmartBrief To: fyoung(a)mountain.net Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 3:14 PM Subject: Feds, wind sector agree to create conservation plan for 8 states Reading this on a mobile device? Try our optimized mobile version here: http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/cSiHCazNzuBZcUsKCicPfDCicNjCwJ April 19, 2011 Sign up Forward Archive Advertise News for wind power professionals and advocates Industry Update a.. Feds, wind sector agree to create conservation plan for 8 states The American Wind Energy Association and wind-power companies have signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a habitat-conservation plan for protected species that may be at risk from wind projects in eight states. "It is the industry's expectation that development of the regional HCP will streamline the permitting process, allowing effective conservation of wildlife and easing the service's administrative burden while also allowing for more wind energy to be deployed nationally," said John Anderson, director of siting policy for AWEA. DomesticFuel.com (4/18) a.. Joint venture plans to invest $6.3B in Australia's renewables market A joint venture involving Australia-based CBD Energy, China Datang Renewable Power and Baoding Tianwei Baobian Electric is planning to invest up to $6.3 billion over eight years in renewables projects in Australia. AusChina Energy Group is seeks 33% of Australia's renewable-energy market by developing wind, solar-thermal and energy-storage facilities, according to documents submitted to the Australian Stock Exchange. Bloomberg (4/19) a.. Strong U.S. market boosted EDP Renewables' output capacity in Q1 EDP Renewables said its output capacity in the first quarter rose 21%, to 4,421 gigawatt-hours, helped by strong U.S. performance. The company's U.S. output capacity reached 2,430 GWh in the first quarter, up 37% from the same period in 2010, EDPR said. Europe grew in the first quarter by 7%, to 1,985 GWh, the firm added. Reuters (4/18) a.. Other News a.. State Grid Corp. of China added 33.16 GW of installed wind-power capacity in Q1 Reuters (4/18) a.. Singapore-based Keppel wins more than $50M contract for offshore North Sea project Today (Singapore) (4/19) Enterprise Asset Management: Running Smarter Buildings By using IBM Maximo solutions, facilities have been able to move from a preventative maintenance system to a predictive maintenance system, enabling true efficiencies throughout the organization. In this video from IBM, learn how to run your building smarter and in turn, create innovation for your organization and end consumers. Project Focus a.. Salazar approves construction of Cape Wind project Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced today the approval of the final construction and operation plan for the 130-turbine Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound off Massachusetts. Federal regulators issued the final permits for the offshore wind project in January, allowing developers to proceed to the construction phase. Cape Wind said construction could begin in autumn. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (4/19), Google/The Associated Press (4/18) a.. Ore. wind project secures $500M investment from Google, others The proposed Shepherds Flat Wind Farm near Arlington, Ore., has secured a $100 million investment from Google and $400 million from Sumitomo Corp. of America and Tyr Energy. The wind farm, which could become the world's biggest when construction is finished next year, is expected to deliver 845 megawatts of electricity, or sufficient supply for more than 235,000 houses. Google's investment in Shepherds Flat is part of the company's clean-energy outlay of more than $350 million. The Oregonian (Portland) (4/18), Google/Agence France-Presse (4/18) a.. Pattern Energy, Samsung acquire land for wind project in Canada Pattern Energy Group and Samsung have purchased land hosting wind projects by Suncor Energy and Northland Power in Ontario. The acquired properties will be included by Pattern and Samsung in their 270-megawatt South Kent Wind Farm, they said. "Pattern and Samsung will be able to accelerate the development of [Suncor and Northland's] projects by combining them with our nearby South Kent Wind Farm and its transmission connection," said Mike Garland, CEO of Pattern Energy. Bloomberg (4/18) The Plum Card® RETURN PROTECTION . If a store or vendor won't return an eligible item you purchased with your Card, we'll refund your purchase price up to $300 per item (excluding shipping and handling), up to $1,000 per account each year. Plum Card® from American Express OPEN. Apply Now. Economy, Energy & Trends a.. Obama expected to tout renewable-energy plans in town-hall meetings President Barack Obama is expected to tout the importance of renewable energy in his debt-reduction strategy during three town hall meetings this week, one each in Virginia, California and Nevada. In the meetings, Obama is expected to discuss his plan to continue making "the smart investments needed to create jobs and grow our economy," according to a White House statement. Las Vegas Sun/The Policy Racket blog (4/18) Help protect your employees by managing business travel risks with Zurich's white paper 'Managing the Risks of Business Travel: What every business needs to know'. Click here for the FREE download! Policy Watch a.. Rep. Upton: Environmental goals should go along with economic ones The goal of keeping the country's air and water clean does not need to go against the preservation of jobs and improvement of the economy, writes House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich. Republicans are working on an energy policy that would reconcile economic and environmental objectives, Upton says. "We can do that with three sensible goals: stopping government policies that are driving up energy prices, expanding U.S. energy production to lower costs and create more jobs, and promoting an 'all of the above' strategy to increase all forms of U.S. energy," he writes. Politico (Washington, D.C.) (4/15) a.. Proposal to raise utility rates for renewables irks Fla. governor Florida Gov. Rick Scott raised concerns about state legislative proposals that would allow utilities to charge ratepayers as much as $1.5 billion over four years to offset the cost of renewable-energy projects. The bills would require utilities to prove that the projects are cost-effective. A spokesman for Florida Power & Light said the cost to customers would be less. The Palm Beach Post (Fla.)/Sun Sentinel (4/18) Featured Content a.. A Closer Look: Industry Trends & Women-Owned Businesses American Express OPEN a.. A Closer Look: State Trends & Women-Owned Businesses American Express OPEN a.. A Closer Look: Economic Clout & Women-Owned Businesses American Express OPEN a.. State And Local Tax Surprises For Your Small Business Barbara Weltman a.. Unconventional Measures Of Customer Service Excellence Julie Rains AWEA News a.. SMALL & COMMUNITY WINDPOWER 2011: Reserve a booth AWEA is accepting abstracts for the AWEA SMALL & COMMUNITY WINDPOWER conference taking place in Des Moines, Iowa, Sept. 15 to 17. Get more information and submit an abstract -- deadline to submit is April 20. Reserve your booth. The online floor plan and booth sales are now officially open and there are many great booth locations available. Learn more about AWEA -> AWEA Home | AWEA and Wind News | Events | Take Action SmartQuote Never say a humorous thing to a man who does not possess humor. He will always use it in evidence against you." --Herbert Beerbohm Tree, British actor These stories were selected and summarized by independent editors at SmartBrief Inc., not by AWEA's staff, and do not represent AWEA positions. They reflect the variety of daily coverage of American wind power. This SmartBrief was created for fyoung(a)mountain.net Subscriber Tools Update account information | Change e-mail address | Unsubscribe | Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy Advertise Account Executive: Diana Angel (202) 470-1146 a.. Download Media Kit Read more at SmartBrief.com A powerful website for SmartBrief readers including: a.. Industry Home b.. Readers' Choice c.. Search d.. Archive e.. Get this RSS Feed f.. Publish your Press Release Recent Wind Energy SmartBrief Issues: a.. Monday, April 18, 2011 b.. Friday, April 15, 2011 c.. Thursday, April 14, 2011 d.. Wednesday, April 13, 2011 e.. Tuesday, April 12, 2011 Lead Editor: Bryan McBournie Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 © 1999-2011 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information

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The Court and Global Warming
by Frank Young 19 Apr '11

19 Apr '11

BlankThis had been beyond my radar until today. "The case about global warming scheduled to be argued on Tuesday before the Supreme Court is a blockbuster. Eight states — from California to New York, plus New York City — sued six corporations responsible for one-fourth of the American electric power industry’s emissions of carbon dioxide." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/19/opinion/19tue1.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

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Perdue Says He Will Lead on Shale
by James Kotcon 18 Apr '11

18 Apr '11

Perdue Says He Will Lead on Shale April 17, 2011 By JOSELYN KING Political Writer , The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register WHEELING - West Virginia's next governor must take the lead in making certain the state and its residents reap the benefits of Marcellus Shale drilling, State Treasurer John Perdue said in Wheeling on Saturday. Perdue, a current Democratic candidate for governor, addressed a town hall meeting at the Stone Church Volunteer Fire Department, where nearby roads show the negative effects of trucks transporting natural gas from drilling sites. He criticized three other candidates in the race - present acting governor Earl Ray Tomblin; acting Senate President Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall; and House Speaker Richard Thompson, D-Wayne - for the failure of legislation to regulate Marcellus Shale drilling to pass into law at this year's regular legislative session. Perdue, 60, a native of Boone County, said he comes from coal country and the state's first "gold mine" of coal. "Coal is important to West Virginia," he said. "I'm you're treasurer. I would never deny that. But what do we have left of coal today? Thirty to 35 years? It doesn't take long for that to go. When it comes to Marcellus Shale - the next 'gold mine' that God has blessed us with - we're putting the cart before the horse." He noted it was "arguably the most important issue in the state" that the West Virginia Legislature address the issue of Marcellus Shale when members met earlier this year. "At the end, when the bell rang, they weren't there for you," Perdue said. "They walked away. If I'm governor, I'm going to say, 'We're going to stay here until we get those checks and balances in place. We're going to stay here until we protect the people and their rights.'" He said if he had similarly failed to do his job as treasurer, "You would be running me out of office." "Leadership comes from experience," Perdue said. "It comes from someone who understands how to put the checks and balances in place ... and solve the problems for the people of this state. "We have to make sure we do this one right. Big Daddy (the late U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.) is no longer here to bring millions and millions of dollars from the federal government to help us with our infrastructure and the future of this state. The federal government is broke, bankrupt." West Virginia needs a long-term plan to maintain and improve its infrastructure - including roads, water and sewer lines, and broadband Internet access, Perdue said. And to pay for this, he proposes the state set aside some tax revenues resulting from Marcellus Shale. Addressing other issues, Perdue called for a moratorium on utility rates. He noted "people are struggling to pay utility bills bigger than their car payments." He also suggests a change in the composition of the state Public Utilities Commission. Currently the commission's three members are all Kanawha County residents, Perdue said, and he would like to instead see members representing each of the state's three Congressional districts. Democrats seeking the governor's office in the May 14 special primary election are Perdue, Tomblin, Kessler and Thompson, as well as Secretary of State Natalie Tennant and Charleston resident Arne Moltis. Republicans in the race are former Secretary of State Betty Ireland, current state Sen. Clark Barnes of Randolph County; Delegate Mitch Carmichael, of Jackson County; former Delegate Larry Faircloth of Berkeley County; Putnam County Prosecutor Mark Sorsaia; and businessmen Bill Maloney and Ralph William Clark and Cliff Ellis, all of Monongalia County.

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WSJ.com - House Democrats Say Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids Contain Toxic Ingredients
by william.depaulo＠gmail.com 17 Apr '11

17 Apr '11

*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: WSJ.com - House Democrats Say Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids Contain Toxic Ingredients This article will be available to non-subscribers of the Online Journal for up to seven days after it is e-mailed. 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. ********************

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Fwd: Huge Clean Air Victory -- TVA Phasing Out 18 Coal Plants
by James Kotcon 14 Apr '11

14 Apr '11

>>> Oliver Bernstein <oliver.bernstein(a)SIERRACLUB.ORG> 4/14/2011 11:50 AM >>> *HUGE news! Congrats to everyone who worked so hard on this.* http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=203101.0 For Immediate Release – April 14, 2011 Contacts: Shannon Andrea, National Parks Conservation Association, 202.365.5912 Tiffany Schauer, Our Children's Earth Foundation, 415.596.5576 Oliver Bernstein, Sierra Club, 512.477.2152 *Blockbuster Agreement Takes 18 Dirty TVA Coal-Fired Power Plant Units Offline;* * * *Southeastern U.S. Takes Huge Step to Slash Air Pollution Thanks to Pressure from Environmental Groups, State and Federal Officials* CHATTANOOGA, TENN. – The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) board of directors approved a landmark agreement today with three citizen groups, four states and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), marking one of the largest pollution reduction agreements in the nation’s history. This agreement requires TVA to phase out 18 units at dirty, coal-fired power plants and install modern pollution controls on three dozen additional units, thanks to more than 11 years of pressure from environmental groups, Southeastern states and the EPA. The blockbuster agreement – which includes the affected states of Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee – represents the largest ever reduction in air pollution in the Southeastern United States. This agreement permanently retires an unprecedented 2,700 megawatts of dirty coal-fired electricity and will drastically reduce TVA’s emissions of dangerous sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury and carbon pollution. Clean Air Task Force estimates that coal-fired power plants in the region cause more than 1,800 premature deaths and more than 2,400 heart attacks each year in the four-state region, and are a major source of area air pollution woes. TVA’s coal plants are also responsible for visibility problems and acid rain damage in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the country's most visited national park. "For decades, the Smoky Mountains has suffered from a slow motion crisis," said *Don Barger, senior regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association*. "Air pollution from TVA’s coal-fired power plants has degraded scenic vistas, damaged plant species, and impaired human health. Today’s settlement halts that trend and sends us in the right direction." The settlement, approved today in conjunction with TVA charting out a new course as laid out in its new 10-year Resource Plan, represents a welcome change in focus for the federally owned utility. Under the agreement, TVA will modernize its aging infrastructure, invest in clean energy and slash its pollution. Specifically the settlement agreement requires TVA to reduce pollution at its 59 coal-fired power generating units, phasing out 18 of those units no later than 2018. This phase-out represents a major victory for clean air and public health, with 10 units at TVA’s Johnsonville Plant in middle Tennessee to be taken offline, along with two units at the John Sevier Fossil Plant in eastern Tennessee and six units at the Widows Creek Fossil Plant in northern Alabama. The John Sevier Fossil Plant and Widows Creek Fossil Plant are some of the oldest units in the TVA system, dating back to the early 1950's, and have never upgraded with modern pollution controls. In addition, the agreement also requires TVA to invest $350 million in the four states of Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee on additional air pollution-reduction projects over the next five years, including funds to help consumers and business cut their energy bills, support local businesses that are creating jobs in local clean energy projects and cut carbon pollution. "There is a demonstrated link between pollution and asthma in children," said *Tiffany Schauer, Executive Director of Our Children's Earth Foundation *. "Thanks to today's action, every family in Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee can breathe a little easier." This agreement resolves a series of legal challenges against TVA brought by the environmental groups and the four states. The legal actions stemmed from allegations that TVA had unlawfully extended the life of its coal plants without installing modern pollution controls, otherwise known as the New Source Review program. "Today's landmark agreement is a game changer for how we power our homes and businesses in the Southeast, said *Mary Anne Hitt, Director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign."* By phasing out the most dangerous coal plants and charting a course focused on less pollution and more clean energy, TVA is demonstrating that we don’t have to choose between clean air and affordable energy – we can and must have both." The plaintiff groups – National Parks Conservation Association, Our Children's Earth Foundation and the Sierra Club – are represented by George Hays, William Moore, Wade Davies, Reed Zars, and Mike Costa. For a copy of the settlement agreement please contact Oliver.Bernstein(a)sierraclub.org. ### -- Oliver Bernstein National Communications Strategist Sierra Club Phone: 512.477.2152 Cell: 512.289.8618 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS list, send any message to: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/

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all WV reps sign on to coal ash bill
by Grubb, Karen 14 Apr '11

14 Apr '11

McKinley Introduces Coal Ash Legislation with Bipartisan, Cross-Industry Support Apr 7, 2011 Issues: Economy and Jobs<http://mckinley.house.gov/issue/economy>, Energy<http://mckinley.house.gov/issue/energy> McKinley Introduces Coal Ash Legislation with Bipartisan, Cross-Industry Support Freshman lawmaker aims to strip EPA power to regulate coal ash as hazardous Washington, DC - Rep. David B. McKinley, P.E. (R-WV) introduced legislation (H.R. 1391) late Wednesday evening that would prohibit the EPA from moving forward with plans to classify fossil fuel combustion waste, also known as coal ash or fly ash, as a hazardous waste under subtitle C of the Solid Waste Disposal Act. Regulating coal ash, which is recycled into dry wall and concrete and widely used in schools, homes and public buildings such as the one housing EPA itself, as a hazardous waste would trigger a large increase in disposal expenses for coal-fired power plants and other coal ash generators, likely increasing energy costs for manufacturers and consumers. Ten Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee - including Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), Chairman Emeritus and senior Republican on the committee - and three Democrats signed on as original co-sponsors of H.R. 1391<http://www.congress.gov/cgi-lis/bdquery/D?d112,d111:1:./temp/~bdQ2Id:dbs=y:…>. West Virginia Rep. Nick Rahall is one of those Democrats, and Reps. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Bob Gibbs of southeast Ohio are also among the original co-sponsors. A broad cross-section of companies and organizations representing various industries have also endorsed the bill (see below). In a floor speech Thursday, McKinley discussed the economic harm that would be caused if the EPA's plans on coal ash are not stopped. For video of McKinley's speech as delivered, click here<http://www.youtube.com/user/RepMcKinley?feature=mhum>. "Fly ash is an unavoidable byproduct of burning coal to produce electricity, and the EPA has repeatedly studied and approved its beneficial use prior to President Obama," McKinley said. "Not only would the EPA's plan reduce demand for coal - by design to be sure - but it would also increase costs for dozens of industries, having a ripple effect that would ultimately destroy jobs and raise electricity prices. Recycled fly ash helps to keep electric generation costs down which in turn keeps electricity affordable for consumers. If the EPA persists with its plans to designate fly ash as a hazardous material, the expense of handling the material will increase logarithmically and so will our energy prices. Why would this administration want to increase the cost of electricity on our senior citizens, hospitals, schools and working families? By increasing the cost of power, it causes the price of producing American-made products to increase and puts America at a severe disadvantage against our foreign competition. President Obama's relentless 'War on Coal' has now expanded to include the many industries and consumers that depend on coal. It's critical that we stop the EPA now, and that's why I'm proud to introduce this bill with bipartisan support." McKinley's legislation has been referred to the Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill is similar to one of McKinley's amendments, #217, to the long-term continuing resolution passed by the House in February. The amendment overwhelmingly passed the House<http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll136.xml>, with 19 Democrats in support. Organizations and companies supporting McKinley's legislation include: American Coal Ash Association AEP First Energy Allegheny Power National Rural Electric Cooperative Association National Mining Association American Public Power American Municipal Power American Road & Transportation Builders Association Citizens for Recycling First National Ready Mixed Concrete Association Ash Grove Resources ASK Chemicals Beneficial Reuse Management Boral Material Technologies CERATECH, Inc. Charah, Inc. Clayton Engineering and Consulting, LLC DC Goss LLC Electric Energy, Inc Essex Cement LLC Full Circle Solutions Gypsoil, LLC Headwaters Resources Intermountain Power Agency John Ward Inc. LB Industrial Systems Muscatine Power & Water National Gypsum Company Phoenix Cement Company PMI Ash Technologies Public Service of New Hampshire Richard W. Goodwin Environmental Engineering Rosenmerkel Engineering SEFA Group Separation Technologies LLC Southern Illinois Power Cooperative Sphere One, Inc. Taulbee Chemical Consulting, LLC Titan America LLC USC Technologies U.S. Minerals, Inc.

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Fw: Lawsuits challenge waste dumping by gas drillers
by Frank Young 14 Apr '11

14 Apr '11

BlankTrying again.- Frank -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 13, 2011 Lawsuits challenge waste dumping by gas drillers By Ken Ward Jr. The Charleston Gazette CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A federal judge in Wheeling this week issued a temporary restraining order against Chesapeake Energy in one of three pending cases that challenge widespread waste-dumping practices of northern West Virginia's growing natural gas industry. U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp blocked Chesapeake from hauling contaminated soil out of a waste pit it built on a Wetzel County couple's property while the couple pursues its demand for a more comprehensive cleanup plan. Larry and Jana Rine allege that Chesapeake unlawfully disposed of drilling wastes in the pit, then buried it and planned to leave it on a 210-acre property the Rines use as a part-time home and hunting camp at Silver Hill, east of New Martinsville. Now, they allege, the company is using repair of a slip on its well pad as an excuse to haul away the wastes and potentially cover up what was really dumped into the pit. Preliminary testing found the soil contained diesel fuel, benzene and a variety of other contaminants, court records show. Complete article at: http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201104131039?page=1

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Fwd: Studies Say Natural Gas Has Its Own Environmental Problems (Attn: T. Boone
by James Kotcon 13 Apr '11

13 Apr '11

Energy Committee: As I think about this, I believe that this Cornell study adds weight to our call for a moratorium on drilling Marcellus until adequate regulations are in place. The quote from Dave Hawkins of NRDC in the article below emphasizes that this is only one study (although NRDC has a reputation for trying to find business-friendly solutions) and the gas industry simply does not recognize this as a problem. What is becoming clear is that the amount of gas that leaks during fracking is substantial, that capturing at least part of that gas is technically possible and may be profitable, and that the states with the strongest air regs require the equipment that will significantly reduce the air emissions. Since West Virginia has no air regs on gas drilling at all, and negligible regs on compressors, pipelines, tanks, etc., we are in a worst-case situation. Hence, a conservative, prudent, reasonable, and scientifically-defensible approach is to put a moratorium on new well permits until we identify the kinds of regulations needed to protect the environment, and this should include requirements for appropriate pollution control equipment to limit air emissions using the Best Available Control Technologies. Jim Kotcon On 4/12/11, Edward Mainland <emainland(a)comcast.net> wrote: > > http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/12/business/energy-environment/ > 12gas.html?_r=1&ref=business > > April 11, 2011 > Studies Say Natural Gas Has Its Own Environmental Problems > By TOM ZELLER Jr. > New York Times > > Natural gas, with its reputation as a linchpin in the effort to wean > the nation off dirtier fossil fuels and reduce global warming, may not > be as clean over all as its proponents say. > > Even as natural gas production in the United States increases and > Washington gives it a warm embrace as a crucial component of America’s > energy future, two coming studies try to poke holes in the > clean-and-green reputation of natural gas. They suggest that the rush > to develop the nation’s vast, unconventional sources of natural gas is > logistically impractical and likely to do more to heat up the planet > than mining and burning coal. > > The problem, the studies suggest, is that planet-warming methane, the > chief component of natural gas, is escaping into the atmosphere in far > larger quantities than previously thought, with as much as 7.9 percent > of it puffing out from shale gas wells, intentionally vented or flared, > or seeping from loose pipe fittings along gas distribution lines. This > offsets natural gas’s most important advantage as an energy source: it > burns cleaner than other fossil fuels and releases lower carbon dioxide > emissions. > > “The old dogma of natural gas being better than coal in terms of > greenhouse gas emissions gets stated over and over without > qualification,” said Robert Howarth, a professor of ecology and > environmental biology at Cornell University and the lead author of one > of the studies. Mr. Howarth said his analysis, which looked > specifically at methane leakage rates in unconventional shale gas > development, was among the first of its kind and that much more > research was needed. > > “I don’t think this is the end of the story,” said Mr. Howarth, who is > an opponent of growing gas development in western New York. “I think > this is just the beginning of the story, and before governments and the > industry push ahead on gas development, at the very least we ought to > do a better job of making measurements.” > > The findings, which will be published this week, are certain to stir > debate. For much of the last decade, the natural gas industry has > carefully cultivated a green reputation, often with the help of > environmental groups that embrace the resource as a clean-burning > “bridge fuel” to a renewable energy future. The industry argues that it > has vastly reduced the amount of fugitive methane with new technologies > and upgraded pipe fittings and other equipment. > > Mark D. Whitley, a senior vice president for engineering and technology > with Range Resources, a gas drilling company with operations in several > regions of the country, said the losses suggested by Mr. Howarth’s > study were simply too high. > > “These are huge numbers,” he said. “That the industry would let what > amounts to trillions of cubic feet of gas get away from us doesn’t make > any sense. That’s not the business that we’re in.” > > Natural gas is already the principal source of heat in half of American > households. Advocates like the former oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens have > also long sought to promote it as a substitute for coal in electricity > generation or gasoline in a new generation of natural gas cars. And the > development of new ways to tap reserves of natural gas means production > is likely to increase sharply. > > Two weeks ago, President Obama included natural gas in his vision for > America. Clark Stevens, a White House spokesman, said that the > administration’s energy priorities were not about picking one energy > source over another, but about diversifying the nation’s energy mix. > “This process will continue to be based on the best science available > to ensure our energy sources, including our nation’s natural gas > reserves, are developed safely and responsibly,” Mr. Stevens said on > Friday. > > The ability to pull natural gas economically from previously > inaccessible formations deep underground has made huge quantities of > the resource available in wide areas of the country, including Texas, > Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New York, Wyoming and Colorado. > > Such unconventional gas production accounts for nearly a quarter of > total production in the United States, according to the latest figures > from the Energy Information Administration. That is expected to reach > 45 percent by 2035. > > But the cleanliness of natural gas is largely based on its lower carbon > dioxide emissions when burned. It emits roughly half the amount of > carbon dioxide as coal and about 30 percent that of oil. > > Less clear, largely because no one has bothered to look, are the > emissions over its entire production life cycle — that is, from the > moment a well is plumbed to the point at which the gas is used. > > Methane leaks have long been a concern because while methane dissipates > in the atmosphere more quickly than carbon dioxide, it is far more > efficient at trapping heat. Recent evidence has suggested that the > amount of leakage has been underestimated. A report in January by the > nonprofit journalism organization ProPublica, for example, noted that > the Environmental Protection Agency had recently doubled its estimates > for the amount of methane that is vented or lost from natural gas > distribution lines. > > Chris Tucker, a spokesman for Energy in Depth, a coalition of > independent oil and natural gas producers, dismissed Mr. Howarth as an > advocate who is opposed to hydraulic-fracturing or “fracking,” a > practice associated with unconventional gas development involving the > high-pressure injection of water, sand and chemicals deep underground > to break up shale formations and release gas deposits. Mr. Howarth said > his credentials as a scientist spoke for themselves. > > Mr. Howarth included methane losses associated with flow-back and > drill-out processes in hydraulic fracturing and other unconventional > gas drilling techniques. > > The study combined these emissions with studies of other methane losses > along the processing and distribution cycle to arrive at an estimated > total methane loss range from 3.6 to 7.9 percent for the shale gas > industry. > > The researchers include a recent study from the Goddard Institute for > Space Studies at NASA suggesting that an interaction of methane with > certain aerosol particles significantly amplifies methane’s already > potent greenhouse gas effects, particularly over a 20-year time > horizon. When all is factored together, Mr. Howarth and his colleagues > conclude that the greenhouse gas footprint of shale gas can be as much > as 20 percent greater than, and perhaps twice as high as, coal per unit > of energy. > > David Hughes, a geoscientist and research fellow at the Post Carbon > Institute, an energy and climate research organization in California, > used Mr. Howarth’s research as part of a broader look at natural gas as > a substitute for coal in electricity generation and oil in > transportation. > > Mr. Hughes’s full report is scheduled to be released in May, but in a > draft version shared with The New York Times, Mr. Hughes suggested that > while natural gas would play an important role in the nation’s energy > mix, both cases were practical impossibilities. > > “I think it’s going to be very challenging, to put it mildly, to ramp > up shale gas production by fourfold, which is the federal government’s > projection for 2035,” Mr. Hughes said. “I’m not saying it can’t be > done, but if it was done, the amount of drilling you’re looking at to > make that happen is staggering.” > > Mr. Hughes, using Mr. Howarth’s calculations, also concludes that > replacing coal with natural gas for base load electricity production > will most likely make greenhouse gas emissions worse. It would be > better, he argues, to improve energy efficiency, rely on natural gas in > niche vehicle markets and balance continued construction of wind and > solar power to produce electricity. > > David Hawkins, the director of climate programs with the Natural > Resources Defense Council, said that much could be done by regulators > to nudge drillers to capture more of the fugitive methane, but that it > is often more economical for industry to simply let it escape. > > Mr. Hawkins also said that too little was known about just how much > methane was being lost and vented, and that studies like Mr. Howarth’s, > while needed, relied on too slim a data set to be considered the final > word. > > “This is a huge and growing industry, and we just don’t have the > information we need to make sure that this resource is being developed > as cleanly as it can be,” Mr. Hawkins said. > > “We view his shining a flashlight into this dark closet to be a > service,” Mr. Hawkins added, “but the flashlight is still a dim one, > and we still can’t see everything in the closet.” > > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Fw: ANNOUNCEMENT: small grant application now available
by pjgrunt＠gmail.com 13 Apr '11

13 Apr '11

Fyi, Paul Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry® -----Original Message----- From: Verena Owen <verena_owen(a)PRODIGY.NET> Sender: "Announcements from the National Coal Campaign team." <COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG> Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:58:23 To: <COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG> Reply-To: Verena Owen <verena_owen(a)PRODIGY.NET> Subject: ANNOUNCEMENT: small grant application now available Below please find the new application form for the Beyond Coal Campaign's small grant program. There is money still available. Verena Owen ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ BEYOND COAL SMALL GRANT Small grant money is available at two levels: up to $5000 and up to $10,000 to Sierra Club entities: chapters, groups or ad hoc teams, to work on Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign priorities: 1. Stop construction of new coal-fired power plants (incl. coal-to-liquid and coal-to-gas) 2. Replace 500 existing coal-fired power plants with clean energy no later than 2030 3. Keep the massive US coal reserves underground and out of world markets Preference will be given to creative projects that cover a geographical or content area where the Beyond Coal Campaign has not put enough resources yet. We are looking especially for ideas that enable Club activists to work on the Club-wide strategies: 1. Confront the dominance of coal and oil on the American economy, politics, and our environment. 2. Cultivate an activist base that is capable and willing both to take action at the Sierra Club’s behest and also to self-organize within their networks. 3. Build powerful alliances with those communities that have a vested interest in the success of a clean energy economy, including clean-tech businesses and entrepreneurs, people of color groups, organized labor and low-income organizations. Reimbursement will be directly to Chapters; reimbursable items are limited to C3 and non-staff time expenses. There is no deadline for applying. All projects must have prior Chapter approval. Please fill out the below application and send to Judy.Hofrichter(a)sierraclub.org NAME OF PROJECT AND CHAPTER: WHO: is applying: name of entity; names, email, phone number of team member(s) WHAT : do you want to do: Briefly first describe the problem and what you want to see happen and then share your project idea. Show how the project can help achieve your outcome. HOW : How will your project further the goals of the Beyond Coal Campaign? How will you use some the Club strategies outlined above? WHEN : Please give a start date, important milestones, and an end date. HOW MUCH: What is your budget and what will the money be spent on? Does your budget cover the entire project or please list who will cosponsoring it. You will be required to use a budget template. If you apply for the second level of funding, up to $10,000, you will also be required to develop an MOU and a work plan. REPORT: A written, video and/or oral report or reports will be required. Please identify the responsible person. Name, email, telephone. ALL materials produced (fact sheets, post cards, t-shirts, etc) for a project MUST HAVE C3 approval from Sierra Club compliance prior to distribution. Please identify the person responsible: Name, email, telephone Note that HELP is available for the asking, contact Judy Hofrichter . Once an application is accepted as complete, a decision takes 2-4 weeks. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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

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Rockefeller needs thank you
by Jim Sconyers 12 Apr '11

12 Apr '11

Forwarded from WV Sierra Club webpage <below>. Senator Rockefeller voted right - to continue to enable the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases. Please call and thank him. 202-224-6472 "Senator" Manchin voted wrong - to take away the EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gases. Please call and let him know you are disappointed that he feels burning West Virginia coal is more important than protecting the health of all humans and the future of the Planet. 202-224-3954 "Our Senator Rockefeller voted against removing the power from the EPA to regulate Greenhouse gases. I believe this is a time we need to call and thank him for taking this action, and remember our other senator who voted to take this power away from the EPA." Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last.

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Fwd: Clean Energy Webinar Invite
by Paul Wilson 08 Apr '11

08 Apr '11

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Verena Owen <verena_owen(a)prodigy.net> Date: Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 9:00 PM Subject: Clean Energy Webinar Invite To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)lists.sierraclub.org Friends, We hope you can join us for our first Beyond Coal Webinar on Monday, April 11 at 8 PM ET /7 CT/ 5 MT/ 5 PT. Members of the Beyond Coal Campaign's leadership team will present how the Campaign is working to replace coal with clean energy and energy efficiency. There will be an overview, a presentation and time for Q and A. You need to register in advance and space is limited! Please go here to reserve your seat: *https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/530765040* After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar. PRESENTERS: Mary Anne Hitt, Director, National Coal Campaign. Vanessa Pierce, Deputy Director, Beyond Coal Campaign Verena Owen, Volunteer co-lead Dick Fiddler, coal leadership team member TECHNICAL ISSUES: First time Webinar participants: Don't worry, this is easy! Please log into the webinar 5-10 minutes before the call to ensure that you are able to see the presentation when we begin. In testing the system, we found that Google Chrome required some additional effort. We recommend logging in using Firefox or Internet Explorer. Finally, if you are unable to get the technology to work, you can simply join the conference call and follow the presentation manually. We will send out the call-in number shortly before the call. System Requirements PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer See you Monday, Mary Anne, Vanessa, Verena and Dick - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS list, send any message to: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "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: Explore Appalachia's Enchanted Flatlands.....
by James Kotcon 01 Apr '11

01 Apr '11

You will want to open the photo too! JBK >>> Jeff Schmidt <jeff.schmidt(a)sierraclub.org> 4/1/2011 12:47 PM >>> Happy April Fool’s Day!! Exploring Appalachia's Enchanted Flatlands April 1, 2012 Photo: Alice McKeown Trip Number: 124001a Price: $4,111 (12-15) Deposit: $400 Capacity: 15 Leader: Don Blankenship Highlights: · Explosions · Toxic rubble · Buried streams · Monster trucks & exhaust Includes: · Guides, cooks, lobbyists, and all equipment for the ride · Ride in stretch Hummer · Non-local, factory-farmed food Itinerary | Accommodations | Equipment | References | Leader The Trip Photo: Alice McKeown This exhilarating, once-in-a-lifetime foray will take you into the ripped-open heart of some of the most recently exposed scenery in Appalachia. Your friendly trip leader will provide nonstop tutorials on the hidden beauty (and intense profitability) of a once-lush mountain that's just been blown to smithereens. In your two days amid the magnificent rubble, you will experience the awesome silence of a newly buried stream. Gaze in disbelief as a toxic rainbow slick dances atop a sun-dappled waste pond. Playfully dive for cover as a herd of monster coal trucks rumbles past. And then, just when you think you've seen it all, witness the wonder of an explosion lofting ancient and precious forest habitat into the bright Kentucky sky. The shockwave will reverberate forever in your soul. Up to Top Itinerary Day 1: We meet you at the airport in our special stretch Hummer and travel directly to the site of a thriving mountaintop-removal coal mine. The drive itself is often a thrill as we plow through a line of hippie protestors at the gate. Some of them are pretty smelly, so keep those windows rolled up! Once inside, no lollygagging. We immediately don our hazmat suits and wade into the waste pond, a rich stew of heavy (we prefer "precious") metals like arsenic, lead, mercury, and selenium. The day ends with a long, hot shower and scrub-down in our relaxing decontamination chamber. Day 2: We journey to the site of a stream that's been forever preserved beneath the rich overburden produced by ripping apart pristine forest habitat. It's not an arduous journey, because such waterways abound: more than 2,000 miles of degraded streams in Appalachia alone! Many people weep with joy at the sight of this cornucopia of environmental destruction. Getting There The trip begins with pick-up from Frankfort, KY. The leader will provide guidance and contact information for a recommended travel agent who can arrange flights from your home city once you are approved for the trip. Up to Top Accommodations and Food Photo: Alice McKeown Double-occupancy rooms are included with the trip. Our hotel features rooms with private baths, hot showers, and decontamination facilities. It's centrally located within walking distance of formerly hilly terrain. Up to Top Trip Difficulty If you're not much of a hiker, don't worry: All mountainous terrain has been repurposed and horizontally optimized for retail and commercial development. Up to Top Equipment and Clothing A detailed equipment list will be sent to approved trip participants. Hazmat suit will be provided, but you will need to bring your own waterproof and chemical-resistant footwear as we will be fording some seriously degraded waterways. Up to Top References Books: The following books should give you a feel for what the trek will be like. Your local library is also a good resource. a.. Barton, Joe, Cry, the Beloved Mountaintop Removal b.. Donahue, Tom, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Guide to Winning Friends and Influencing Politicians c.. Gingrich, Newt, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Mercury in My Water Maps a.. Available at any service station. Be sure not to get a topographical map -- it will be out-of-date after the first dynamite blast. Conservation Coal is not yet critically endangered in America, but failure to destroy the mountain habitats that shelter it could lead to its extinction. Already, many majestic old-economy power plants on which coal depends have been shut down because they were unable to adapt to clean-energy standards. Coal extraction is also seriously threatened by clean-water standards, public-health concerns, and common sense. Up to Top Trip Price This trip requires a $200 per-person deposit. An additional payment of $300 per person is due six months prior to trip departure. International trip prices are subject to change and are based on double-occupancy or group accommodations as described above. Single rooms may not be available or may cost more than the listed price. If you have any questions regarding double occupancy, please contact the trip leader. See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner. The Sierra Club accurately and fairly budgets and prices our trips. However, unforeseen costs such as devaluation of the dollar compared to other currencies and fuel surcharges assessed by our international providers may necessitate adjustment in trip price. We will make every effort to mitigate and absorb these fees. If a price increase is necessary, however, you will have 14 days after announcement to cancel without penalty. ----------------------------------------------------------------------

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Refuting the case for shale gas being better for global warming
by Beth Little 27 Mar '11

27 Mar '11

http://marcelluseffect.blogspot.com/2011/03/shale-gas-wells-have-bigger-carb on.html

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Fw: New Record for German Renewable Energy in 2010
by Jim Sconyers 25 Mar '11

25 Mar '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Edward Mainland <emainland(a)COMCAST.NET> To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Fri, March 25, 2011 2:16:34 PM Subject: New Record for German Renewable Energy in 2010 New Record for German Renewable Energy in 2010 One-Quarter Million New Solar-Electric Systems Installed New World Record: 7,400 MW of Solar Photovoltaics Installed in One Year Renewable Electricity Penetration More than 30% of Supply on February 7th New Renewables Near 17% of Electricity Supply Renewable Generation Greater than Natural Gas--Closing in on Nuclear March 24, 2011 By Paul Gipe As the nuclear reactor accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant continues to dominate the world's attention, Germany has quietly broken more renewable energy records. The conservative government of Chancellor Angela Merkel, struggling to stay ahead of public attitudes toward nuclear power in the run-up to regional elections, issued its annual report on the contribution of renewable energy to the German energy market in 2010. Wind turbines, hydroelectric plants, solar cells, and biogas digesters now provide nearly 17% of Germany's electricity. Meanwhile, the German network agency (Bundesnetzagentur) issued its final update on the installation of solar photovoltaics (solar PV) in 2010. The results are nothing short of startling and will add fuel to the heated debate about how countries such as Japan can meet their electricity needs without reliance on nuclear power. In the immediate aftermath of the Japanese nuclear accident, Germany's Merkel closed two reactors permanently, and another five temporarily. She also called on her government to revisit its controversial decision to extend the life of its aging reactors. The reactors at Fukushima Daiichi are 40 years old and their license to operate had been extended by the Japanese government. The reports on the rapid growth of renewable energy in Germany may give Merkel's government the cover it needs to reverse direction on nuclear power, and by doing so reverse its faltering political fortunes. Germany uses an advanced system of feed-in tariffs to pay for renewable energy generation, and has an aggressive target of meeting 39% of its electricity supply with renewable energy by 2020. Its system of advanced renewable tariffs has enabled Germany to exceed its 2010 target of 12.5% by a wide margin. New Renewables Near 17% of Electricity Supply in 2010 The German Ministry for the Environment and Reactor Safety reports that in 2010 renewable energy generated more than 100 TWh (billion kilowatt-hours) of electricity, providing nearly 17% of the 600 TWh of supply. Wind turbines and biomass plants delivered more than 70% of renewable generation. Biogas plants powered with methane from manure alone generated nearly 13 TWh. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp In 2010 renewables generated more electricity in Germany than gas-fired power plants--nearly as much as hard coal--and are fast approaching the contribution of nuclear power. 7,400 MW of Solar PV Installed in One Year Doubling their previous record, the German solar PV industry installed 7,400 MW from nearly one-quarter million individual systems in 2010, according to the finial report by the Bundesnetzagentur. In December alone, Germans installed more than 1,000 MW of solar PV, enough solar capacity to generate 1 TWh of electricity under German conditions. While they represent only half that installed in June 2010, the December installations were 50% greater than total solar PV installed in the USA in 2010 and as much as that rumored to have been installed in Japan last year. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Nearly 700 MW from some 100,000 systems were installed in a size range typical of that installed by German homeowners. An astounding 3,700 MW from more than 135,000 systems were installed in a size range representative of that installed by farmers and other small businesses. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Another 1,700 MW were installed in a size class characteristic of small businesses and large industrial rooftops. Large, multi-megawatt systems comprised 1,400 MW of capacity or nearly one-fifth of total capacity installed in 2010. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Renewable Electricity More than 30% of Supply on February 7th A further sign that renewable energy has come of age as a commercial generating technology, certainly in Germany, is that penetration of wind and solar reached more than 30% of supply on February 7, 2010, according to data posted publicly by Germany's electricity transmission exchange, EEX. The exchange posts online the amount of capacity of conventional generation, wind generation, and solar PV generation delivered to the grid by time of day. On Monday, February 7, 2011, the combined real-time wind and solar generation varied from a high of 32% of supply at midnight to a low of 18% of supply at sunrise. Solar PV generation delivered more than 8,000 MW for the two-hour period from just before noon until 2:00 pm, reaching a peak of nearly 8,500 MW at noon. During the same time period, conventional sources contributed 50,000 MW and wind delivered another 10,000 MW to the network. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp There is 16,500 MW of solar PV capacity now on line in Germany. Solar insolation is weakest in mid winter, and highest in mid summer. The solar industry's February 7th performance bodes well for this coming summer, when solar PV can be expected to break new records. In other observations: • PV produced 13% of supply at noon on February 7, 2011, • Wind reached nearly 1/3 of generation at midnight, • Wind and solar's combined 18,500 MW at noon met 29% of demand, • PV was producing 1/2 of its nameplate in mid winter, and • Wind was producing near its total installed capacity. With the Japanese nuclear calamity fresh in everyone's mind and upcoming elections staring the government in the face, the success of Germany's rapid development of renewable energy may give Chancellor Merkel's conservative government the flexibility it needs to weather the nuclear crisis. It would not be surprising to find the government proposing an even more aggressive pace of renewable energy development than that seen in 2010. -End- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-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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Fwd: Nuclear: What You Need to Know
by Paul Wilson 25 Mar '11

25 Mar '11

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Architecture 2030 <info(a)architecture2030.org> Date: Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 2:00 PM Subject: Nuclear: What You Need to Know To: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com [image: Architecture 2030]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=0mv6EWcdLZj68g%2Fxr8W…> Architecture 2030<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=bB6PrmvnE%2BKSPoG%2BM…> about us <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=XK247inBtnFAi0Vjq1VkP…> hot topics <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=AtBcJbrn1cvBGvzY2TNYO…> e-news <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1m9VccphoiGb3sGdZ2JWn…> publications <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=mAch5C7c%2BkCmgmdyWw2…> videos<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=RMqR%2Fb0xggbM8DO%2BK…> faq <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=EYDrB7%2FHfoZWxFmwkaE…> contact <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=1vYho2%2FhSEvvnSmsiAj…> Originally Released: March 22, 2011 Subscribe/ Unsubscribe<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ymF9qvOWZfKrVpq6tskZw…> Printer Friendly Version<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=6CP4RdW8swpOiOMio9jtl…> Nuclear Energy: Fact Check How Much Does the United States Use? With the nuclear reactor crisis in Japan continuing to unfold, an important discussion has been taking place in the U.S. about the current and future role of nuclear energy and our aging nuclear reactors. We have noticed that in the media, there is sometimes a gap between what is being stated as fact, and what is actually fact. For example, prominent U.S. officials have stated recently, *"We get 20 percent of our energy right now in the United States from nuclear power."* In fact, nuclear power is responsible for 8.6% of total U.S. energy consumption. Twenty point seven percent of total U.S. *electricity consumption*, including electrical energy generation and transmission losses, is attributed to nuclear power. The 20.7%, or 8.39 QBtu, is made up of 2.19 QBtu of electricity delivered to the place of use, and 6.2 QBtu of energy losses from generation (waste heat) and transmission. The following graph illustrates total U.S. energy consumption (delivered energy and electrical energy losses from generation and transmission), total U.S. electricity consumption, and the total U.S. energy consumption attributed to nuclear power: <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=vKNEdO6maKsuEPi03uxhr…> *Assumptions:* Average U.S. nuclear plant efficiency is calculated at 32.6% (Source: EIA [3]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=GQYN8E27vJWR2zEqR13po…> [4]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=oRB3qayuB%2FG6NL4Rw6A…>), and transmission losses at 6.5% (Source:EIA [5]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ATry0JfAUjlPoKeFXCdPG…>). ------------------------------ More to Know About U.S. Nuclear Energy: - There are 104 nuclear reactors currently operating in the U.S. (Source: NEI) [1]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=nh%2FY8RvUqNRDBIiHgR1…> - The 104 reactors have a net summer capacity of 100,755 MW. (Source: Architecture 2030 & NEI) [2]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=8kcxrHt3lt1DZly%2BTp%…> - Nuclear energy provides 3.1% of total U.S. delivered energy; 8.6% of total U.S. energy consumption is attributed to nuclear energy. (Source: Architecture 2030 & EIA) [3]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=aWwl2SWKud4xQwGUw%2FG…> [4]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=z6Ne4HdBBrdR3nPm3HyqC…> [5]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=jQmRUVjKBqW%2BNKNkuHB…> - Nuclear energy provides 17.1% of total U.S. delivered electricity; 20.7% of total U.S. electricity consumption is attributed to nuclear energy (Source: Architecture 2030 & EIA) [3]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=oomq%2BcnKOIXteMDssme…> [4]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4YY1Ue31fMQ761W0b%2FU…> [5]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=W%2BAqFUnlSdjhmA7YmIl…> - It takes approximately thirty-seven 1000MW nuclear reactors to produce one Quad (quadrillion Btu) of delivered energy. (Source: EIA, Table 6.1.2) [6]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2FadmSaV1WU4uLSLOiyQ…> - The last nuclear reactor to be built in the U.S. was Watts Bar 1 in Tennessee in June 1996 (1,123 MW). (Source: NEI) [1]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=C%2FSCBhfW0TcZIUuNwfH…> - Of the 104 nuclear reactors in the U.S., 4.8% are older than 40 years, 38.5% are older than 35 years, and over half are older than 30 years. (Source: Architecture 2030 & EIA, Table 3) [7]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Nd5z0X0vb2K2fQHpFT84P…> - Nuclear reactors in the U.S. are licensed to operate for 40 years. Owners can file with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for operating extensions. (Source EIA) [8]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=wKOyglcv%2FuA0Rr4ok1u…> - It costs approximately $300-500 million to decommission a nuclear plant. (Source: NEI) [9]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ZSN%2B2z6uHODW2LdyfrX…> - There are 13 potential reactors that are currently under review for a new commercial license. (Source: EIA) [10]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=SGjWqBw0UL0OdkwHBc%2B…> - The EIA estimates that the initial capital cost (overnight cost) of a new reactor is $5,339 per kW, or $5.3 billion for a 1000 MW reactor. Financing cost, long construction periods, and escalating costs can push the total cost well above the overnight cost. (Source: EIA, Table 2) [11]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=RM4MhUL92qmGYjQpzAtAq…> - Subsidies for ongoing nuclear reactors range from 0.74 - 4.16 c/kWh for investor owned utilities (IOUs) and 1.53 - 5.77 c/kWh for publicly owned utilities (POUs). Subsidies for new reactors range from 5.01 - 11.42 c/kWh for IOUs and 4.20 - 8.68 c/kWh for POUs. At the higher end of these ranges, the subsidies exceed the value of the energy produced. The subsidies come from a wide range of sources: federal loan guarantees (Title 17 of the Energy Policy Act, EPACT, 2005), accelerated depreciation, subsidized borrowing costs, property tax abatements, depletion allowances for uranium mining, under-priced water for cooling, and production tax credits. In addition, the federal government helps significantly with security, risk, waste, and decommissioning management. (Source: UCS) [12]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=TuEEztkQPgAlD%2FAW3WA…> - The IAEA estimates that approximately 20 percent of nuclear reactors around the world are currently operating in areas of significant seismic activity. (Source: IAEA) [13]<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=znxVnMMAu8O8KI7t9Utyw…> ------------------------------ *Reported by Architecture 2030 Researchers:* *Vincent Martinez* *Director of Research* *Francesca Desmarais* *Principal Researcher* Upcoming talks with Ed Mazria: Washington, DC – April 18 AIA DC / CUA Lecture<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=JEKx4zy%2Fx7cuedfwozK…> 12pm. The Catholic University of America, Koubek Auditorium. $25 members. $40.00 non-members. Free for students and AIA+2030 participants. Registration required. Learn more<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=3RHQNuvLmlNbGCjbZs6OR…> New York, NY – April 20 AIA NY Committee on the Environment / Cooper Union<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=RgDL3aU6W9OYTBIttcl95…> 6:30pm. Cooper Union, Great Hall. Free for AIA members and Cooper Union students with RSVP and Membership ID at the door. $5 for all other students. $15 for general public. Learn more<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=veuoD%2Bxzc6XyndXzliW…> Vancouver, BC – May 26 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) *2011 Festival of Architecture*<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=kss3UjpjLd6RAE4UyiqQt…> 7pm. Simon Fraser University – Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema. Free and open to the public. Learn more<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=YID0Bl5Tr7z%2FuMu0h1X…>(also see below) <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=5QwPaeaYnZZhqt0bHxzpH…> Edward Mazria Inducted as Honorary Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Delivering Convocation Keynote at *2011 Festival of Architecture.*<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=lv7UKps7sNP4N0nJhXnfl…> <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=P5MB%2FZ%2FBDW%2FcBoT…> Sign Up Here.<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KQgsetW8DHBPNZQmvsqqJ…> <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Gmr7rEbLlUWm0dCdVZVbt…> The Latest Climate Science From Our Top Scientific Organizations.<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=WfqKJuJInLneYxQ4i%2FX…> . . . For the latest updates from Architecture 2030, go to the Hot Topics<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=z5tcQxOHRPypFkIwaEOd%…>section of our website. . . . Comments and suggestions for future Architecture 2030 E–News issues should be sent to: info(a)architecture2030.org Architecture 2030 607 Cerrillos Road Santa Fe, NM 87505 www.architecture2030.org<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=9A1vaOSfEZNEd76VeLru7…> <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=PHoigPF1HLKGkYr4zLDy5…> <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Q67WAzZzsP0btrr1NF64Y…> <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=crUl2dMzgAJ4Kb60qfQ0J…> <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=pcZpWUmh3FolDXxgqBOgK…> <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=2YxdkKGTfpllJp2NH%2F5…> Having trouble viewing this email? - Click here to view an online version.<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=WWax5pJ6bHnorfmfU9S4g…> Help us spread this important news by sending this E-News Bulletin to a colleague or friend. -- 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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Surely We Can Do Better than Nuclear Socialism
by James Kotcon 22 Mar '11

22 Mar '11

I had not heard this statistic before (in the paragraph below), but it sure resonates with Republicans like me. Enjoy. JBK "Vulnerability lessons are not new. After World War II German military leaders pointed out that the U.S. could have ended the War two years sooner by bombing the big coal power plants. Instead the allies were bombing individual industrial sites like steel mills, failing to recognize that the big coal plants powered 80% of Germany’s manufacturing. In contrast, Japan’s electric power was provided by a huge number of small dams that were not attractive targets for attack because no single one was crucial for the power system of the nation." ---------- Forwarded message ---------- ------------------------------ Surely We Can Do Better than Nuclear Socialism<http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DalyNews/~3/ICIEJIYZCAI/?utm_source=feedburn…> Posted: 21 Mar 2011 08:28 PM PDT by Brent Blackwelder They were in the news a half century ago when they were called “too cheap to meter.” Now “absolutely safe” nuclear reactors are once again in the news. As the horrifying scene in Japan unfolds this month, many politicians and media pundits are acting as if the only electricity choice for the U.S. is nuclear reactors or coal power plants. This is a false choice. A sustainable economy requires a sustainable energy supply, one that is not subject to the vulnerabilities of big central energy systems. A steady state economy would run on a decentralized set of renewable energy sources that is clean and resilient. It would be an economy powered by the sun, the wind, the natural heat content of the Earth, and other renewable sources. Advanced designs for where we live and how we travel would be a key part of this energy transformation. For example, buildings would be designed to generate power rather than requiring external energy supplies for cooling and heating. And let’s not forget about conservation – we need to set up the economy such that it uses less energy in the first place. The energy system that would run a steady state economy does not have the severe security problems that plague current systems, nor would it require massive subsidies in the form of liability limits, loan guarantees, externalization of health damages, etc. You don’t have to worry about a solar or wind “spill” contaminating the air, land and water; you don’t need liability caps for a wind farm or for solar collectors on roofs; and finally, you don’t need to bill consumers (instead of stockholders or investors) in advance for a nuclear reactor that may never be completed. The strength and resilience of decentralized power, its superior employment intensity, and the potential for community involvement are all features that make a different energy model very attractive. Various European nations such as Spain, Germany, and Denmark have demonstrated the huge potential of wind and solar power, as has the state of Texas in the case of wind with 9,700 megawatts installed. But look at the powerful forces today pushing nuclear reactor construction in the southeastern U.S. and obstructing the clean energy path of the future. Even after the terrible nuclear meltdown in Japan, two big southern utilities, South Carolina Electric & Gas and Georgia Power, announced that they are not pausing to consider some lessons to be learned before proceeding full speed ahead with four new reactors. To pay for two new reactors at Plant Vogtle, Georgia Power has begun billing its Georgia customers this month for the intended construction. Ironically, the proposed new reactors being billed to Georgia consumers are intended to supply customers in Florida. Consumers and taxpayers are bearing all the risks, not investors. The energy systems used to power the global economy are highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, sabotage, terrorism, and war. The Japanese catastrophe this month certainly brings to mind the nuclear disasters at Chernobyl in 1986 and Three Mile Island in 1979. But the nuclear and fossil fuel industries have supplied many less well-known disasters. A brief review of some of the accidents will accentuate the difference between the polluting energy of today’s economy and the clean energy future that would, by its very nature, avoid these messes: - In July of 1979, at the Navajo community of Church Rock, New Mexico, an earthen dam at United Nuclear Corporation’s uranium mill broke, releasing 95 million gallons of radioactive wastewater into the Rio Puerco. The spill sent contaminants over 100 miles downstream. This unpublicized spill is estimated to have contained over triple the amount of radiation (curies) that the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor released in the very same year. - Last year tornado warnings near Detroit forced the shutdown of the Fermi 2 atomic reactor. This was the same site where a meltdown in 1966 nearly irradiated the Greats Lakes Region. - For much of 2010 the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was an ongoing saga of futility and despair. - In July of 2007 a major earthquake in Japan badly damaged one nuclear reactor in a complex of nuclear reactors. - In December of 2008 a Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir, which was storing the contaminated ash from one of its power plants, burst and sent a toxic stew of waste 100 times larger than the Exxon Valdez oil spill into a tributary of the Tennessee River. Despite assurances that such dam bursting was unusual and would never happen again, scarcely a month had passed when yet another coal waste reservoir (this one in Alabama) failed and spewed contamination downstream. Vulnerability lessons are not new. After World War II German military leaders pointed out that the U.S. could have ended the War two years sooner by bombing the big coal power plants. Instead the allies were bombing individual industrial sites like steel mills, failing to recognize that the big coal plants powered 80% of Germany’s manufacturing. In contrast, Japan’s electric power was provided by a huge number of small dams that were not attractive targets for attack because no single one was crucial for the power system of the nation. The energy for a steady state economy can be supplied by a huge number of solar panels and wind mills<http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=a-path-to-sustainable-ener…>as outlined by physics professors Jacobson and Delucchi at Stanford University (*Scientific American*, November, 2009) and by many others. It would be a refreshing change to see President Obama propose such an ambitious solar/wind plan in the aftermath of the meltdown in Japan, but he seems content merely to suggest a thorough review of nuclear reactors. Before having to hear how high the costs of renewable energy are, I’ll close with a brief reminder of the government subsidies the U.S. nuclear industry is slated to receive. Here are some components of the $46 billion being offered up over the next 5 years in addition to the cap on liability for any accident: - $22.5 billion in loan guarantees for new reactors; - $12.3 billion in nuclear waste fund liability payments; - $3 billion for mixed oxide activities; and - $1.9 billion for fusion energy. For more details, please see the green scissors report<http://www.greenscissors.com/> . Seeing this list of handouts, one might think that Republican leaders would recoil at what might be termed nuclear socialism. One would think that the Tea Party activists would revolt at the sight of this massive government program to fund something that Wall Street would not touch even before the catastrophe in Japan. You are subscribed to email updates from Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy <http://steadystate.org/> To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now<http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailunsubscribe?k=ddEHy4HeNsHyT2gOSoQyE5N…> . Email delivery powered by Google Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-FICC-INTERNATIONAL list, send any message to: CONS-FICC-INTERNATIONAL-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp -- Conservation Chair, Southern Nevada Group of the Sierra Club Energy Chair, Toiyabe Chapter of the Sierra Club - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp

3 2

Fwd: [Justice] Clean Water Advocates Win First Round of Challenge Against Masontown Coal Plant
by James Kotcon 22 Mar '11

22 Mar '11

Another ash dump has to clean up their discharges. This sets a precedent for Albright, and reinforces the Patriot victory. JBK >>> Cindy Rank <clrank(a)hughes.net> 3/22/2011 2:34 PM >>> OF INTEREST ..... cindy FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 22, 2011 Contacts: Raviya Ismail, Earthjustice, (202) 667-4500 (office) or (202) 841-7619 (cell), rismail(a)earthjustice.org Abigail Dillen, Earthjustice, (212) 791-1881 (office), adillen(a)earthjustice.org Lisa Graves-Marcucci, Environmental Integrity Project, (412) 653-4328 (home) or (412) 897-0569 (cell), lgmarcucci(a)environmentalintegrity.org Aimee Erickson, Executive Director, Citizens Coal Council, (412) 257-2223 (office) or (724) 470-3982 (cell), aimee(a)citizenscoalcouncil.org Clean Water Advocates Win First Round of Challenge Against Masontown Coal Plant First step to securing cleaner water for 350,000 people PITTSBURGH, PA – Clean water advocates have won the first round in a legal fight ( http://earthjustice.org/documents/legal-document/pdf/hatfield-s-ferry-judgm… ) over permit limits that would prevent the Hatfield’s Ferry coal-fired power plant from dumping polluted water into the Monongahela River. Allegheny Energy is challenging the limits in an effort to avoid installation of pollution controls that would eliminate wastewater discharges of mercury, arsenic, selenium, and other toxic metals as well as salts and dissolved solids that are currently impairing water quality in the river, which is a drinking water source for more than 350,000 people living south of Pittsburgh. After 40 years of operation without effective controls for air pollution, Hatfield’s Ferry has finally installed a scrubbing system that limits the amount of sulfur dioxide and other pollutants that the plant pumps into the air. However, the company has resisted installing equally effective pollution controls that would limit the amount of contaminated water discharged by the scrubbers. As a result, dangerous pollutants that are no longer going into the air are ending up in the river. “Taking coal waste from smokestacks and dumping it into our rivers makes no sense because coal is no cleaner in our water,” said Aimee Erickson, Executive Director, Citizens Coal Council. “The Citizens Coal Council is committed to working with others around the country to ensure that protecting America’s air from coal burning power plant emissions does not come at the expense of the American people's drinking water.” “We shouldn’t have to choose between air that is safe to breathe and water that is safe to drink,” said Abigail Dillen, Earthjustice attorney. “This decision by Pennsylvania’s Environmental Hearing Board is important because it affirms that Hatfield’s Ferry has to meet all necessary limits to protect water quality in the river.” “This is an important victory, and we applaud the state of Pennsylvania and Earthjustice for defending protective limits on water pollution,” said Lisa Graves-Marcucci, of the Environmental Integrity Project. “While the Hatfield’s Ferry scrubber will help clear the air, the court’s recent decision brings us one step closer to keeping the same pollutants out of the Monongahela River, the most important source of drinking water for communities on its shorelines.” Specifically, Allegheny Energy sought to classify its new scrubber system as an existing source of pollution instead of a “new discharger” - subject to the most stringent pollution control requirements. In rejecting this argument, Chief Judge Thomas W. Renwand wrote: “We specifically reject Allegheny Energy’s contention that its facility does not fall within the definition of a ‘new discharger’ because it discharges at an existing outfall on the Monongahela River…We also agree with the Department and the Interveners that Allegheny Energy’s position cannot be reconciled with either the plain language of the regulations or the overarching intent of the Clean Water Law.” Judge Renwand further stated that Allegheny Energy’s argument “would substantially gut the congressional goal to eliminate pollutant discharges to the waters of the United States as quickly as possible.” Earthjustice, Environmental Integrity Project and Citizens Coal Council joined together to defend protective limits for sulfate and total dissolved solids in the discharge permit for Hatfield’s Ferry, and they are challenging the failure to impose limits on metals such as arsenic and selenium. The first phase of the legal proceedings involves only the sulfate and total dissolved solids limits. If Allegheny is ordered to comply with them, they will need to install pollution controls that eliminate the discharge of heavy metals as well. A copy of the summary judgment: http://earthjustice.org/documents/legal-document/pdf/hatfield-s-ferry-judgm… A copy of the appeal: http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/library/legal_docs/hatsfield-fe…

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Re: [EC] Fwd: [Justice] Clean Water Advocates Win First Round of Challenge Against Masontown Coal Plant
by Jim Sconyers 22 Mar '11

22 Mar '11

Excellent news! Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ________________________________ From: Cindy Rank <clrank(a)hughes.net> To: mbecher(a)appalachian-center.org; jlovett(a)appalachian-center.org; derek_teaney(a)yahoo.com; bluckett(a)appalachian-center.org; adawson(a)appalachian-center.org; mjanes(a)hardynet.com Cc: peter.morgan(a)apps.sierraclub.org; jkotcon(a)wvu.edu; jim_scon(a)yahoo.com; sminney(a)wvrivers.org Sent: Tue, March 22, 2011 2:34:13 PM Subject: Fwd: [Justice] Clean Water Advocates Win First Round of Challenge Against Masontown Coal Plant OF INTEREST ..... cindy FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 22, 2011 Contacts: Raviya Ismail, Earthjustice, (202) 667-4500 (office) or (202) 841-7619 (cell), rismail(a)earthjustice.org Abigail Dillen, Earthjustice, (212) 791-1881 (office), adillen(a)earthjustice.org Lisa Graves-Marcucci, Environmental Integrity Project, (412) 653-4328 (home) or (412) 897-0569 (cell), lgmarcucci(a)environmentalintegrity.org Aimee Erickson, Executive Director, Citizens Coal Council, (412) 257-2223 (office) or (724) 470-3982 (cell), aimee(a)citizenscoalcouncil.org Clean Water Advocates Win First Round of Challenge Against Masontown Coal Plant First step to securing cleaner water for 350,000 people PITTSBURGH, PA – Clean water advocates have won the first round in a legal fight over permit limits that would prevent the Hatfield’s Ferry coal-fired power plant from dumping polluted water into the Monongahela River. Allegheny Energy is challenging the limits in an effort to avoid installation of pollution controls that would eliminate wastewater discharges of mercury, arsenic, selenium, and other toxic metals as well as salts and dissolved solids that are currently impairing water quality in the river, which is a drinking water source for more than 350,000 people living south of Pittsburgh. After 40 years of operation without effective controls for air pollution, Hatfield’s Ferry has finally installed a scrubbing system that limits the amount of sulfur dioxide and other pollutants that the plant pumps into the air. However, the company has resisted installing equally effective pollution controls that would limit the amount of contaminated water discharged by the scrubbers. As a result, dangerous pollutants that are no longer going into the air are ending up in the river. “Taking coal waste from smokestacks and dumping it into our rivers makes no sense because coal is no cleaner in our water,” said Aimee Erickson, Executive Director, Citizens Coal Council. “The Citizens Coal Council is committed to working with others around the country to ensure that protecting America’s air from coal burning power plant emissions does not come at the expense of the American people's drinking water.” “We shouldn’t have to choose between air that is safe to breathe and water that is safe to drink,” said Abigail Dillen, Earthjustice attorney. “This decision by Pennsylvania’s Environmental Hearing Board is important because it affirms that Hatfield’s Ferry has to meet all necessary limits to protect water quality in the river.” “This is an important victory, and we applaud the state of Pennsylvania and Earthjustice for defending protective limits on water pollution,” said Lisa Graves-Marcucci, of the Environmental Integrity Project. “While the Hatfield’s Ferry scrubber will help clear the air, the court’s recent decision brings us one step closer to keeping the same pollutants out of the Monongahela River, the most important source of drinking water for communities on its shorelines.” Specifically, Allegheny Energy sought to classify its new scrubber system as an existing source of pollution instead of a “new discharger” - subject to the most stringent pollution control requirements. In rejecting this argument, Chief Judge Thomas W. Renwand wrote: “We specifically reject Allegheny Energy’s contention that its facility does not fall within the definition of a ‘new discharger’ because it discharges at an existing outfall on the Monongahela River…We also agree with the Department and the Interveners that Allegheny Energy’s position cannot be reconciled with either the plain language of the regulations or the overarching intent of the Clean Water Law.” Judge Renwand further stated that Allegheny Energy’s argument “would substantially gut the congressional goal to eliminate pollutant discharges to the waters of the United States as quickly as possible.” Earthjustice, Environmental Integrity Project and Citizens Coal Council joined together to defend protective limits for sulfate and total dissolved solids in the discharge permit for Hatfield’s Ferry, and they are challenging the failure to impose limits on metals such as arsenic and selenium. The first phase of the legal proceedings involves only the sulfate and total dissolved solids limits. If Allegheny is ordered to comply with them, they will need to install pollution controls that eliminate the discharge of heavy metals as well. A copy of the summary judgment: http://earthjustice.org/documents/legal-document/pdf/hatfield-s-ferry-judgm… A copy of the appeal: http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/library/legal_docs/hatsfield-fe…

1 0

Fw: Fwd: [CONS-FICC-INTERNATIONAL] Surely We Can Do Better than Nuclear Socialism
by Jim Sconyers 22 Mar '11

22 Mar '11

Good reading. Note: Congress LEGISLATED a cap on nuke plant liability. The insurer of nuke plant liability is WE, the PEOPLE, also legislated by Congress. This is old info.... Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Jane Feldman <feldman.jane(a)GMAIL.COM> To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Tue, March 22, 2011 1:52:42 PM Subject: Fwd: [CONS-FICC-INTERNATIONAL] Surely We Can Do Better than Nuclear Socialism The article below is a great argument for small generators of clean energy - like real clean, solar, wind, geothermal - and a list of all the reasons to reject nuclear. jane ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Janet McGarry <Zzzpuck(a)aol.com> Date: Tue, Mar 22, 2011 at 8:20 AM Subject: [CONS-FICC-INTERNATIONAL] Surely We Can Do Better than Nuclear Socialism To: CONS-FICC-INTERNATIONAL(a)lists.sierraclub.org This is an interesting newsletter --- the Daly news which refers to the economist Herman Daly. Janet McGarry ________________________________ Surely We Can Do Better than Nuclear Socialism Posted: 21 Mar 2011 08:28 PM PDT by Brent Blackwelder They were in the news a half century ago when they were called “too cheap to meter.” Now “absolutely safe” nuclear reactors are once again in the news. As the horrifying scene in Japan unfolds this month, many politicians and media pundits are acting as if the only electricity choice for the U.S. is nuclear reactors or coal power plants. This is a false choice. A sustainable economy requires a sustainable energy supply, one that is not subject to the vulnerabilities of big central energy systems. A steady state economy would run on a decentralized set of renewable energy sources that is clean and resilient. It would be an economy powered by the sun, the wind, the natural heat content of the Earth, and other renewable sources. Advanced designs for where we live and how we travel would be a key part of this energy transformation. For example, buildings would be designed to generate power rather than requiring external energy supplies for cooling and heating. And let’s not forget about conservation – we need to set up the economy such that it uses less energy in the first place. The energy system that would run a steady state economy does not have the severe security problems that plague current systems, nor would it require massive subsidies in the form of liability limits, loan guarantees, externalization of health damages, etc. You don’t have to worry about a solar or wind “spill” contaminating the air, land and water; you don’t need liability caps for a wind farm or for solar collectors on roofs; and finally, you don’t need to bill consumers (instead of stockholders or investors) in advance for a nuclear reactor that may never be completed. The strength and resilience of decentralized power, its superior employment intensity, and the potential for community involvement are all features that make a different energy model very attractive. Various European nations such as Spain, Germany, and Denmark have demonstrated the huge potential of wind and solar power, as has the state of Texas in the case of wind with 9,700 megawatts installed. But look at the powerful forces today pushing nuclear reactor construction in the southeastern U.S. and obstructing the clean energy path of the future. Even after the terrible nuclear meltdown in Japan, two big southern utilities, South Carolina Electric & Gas and Georgia Power, announced that they are not pausing to consider some lessons to be learned before proceeding full speed ahead with four new reactors. To pay for two new reactors at Plant Vogtle, Georgia Power has begun billing its Georgia customers this month for the intended construction. Ironically, the proposed new reactors being billed to Georgia consumers are intended to supply customers in Florida. Consumers and taxpayers are bearing all the risks, not investors. The energy systems used to power the global economy are highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, sabotage, terrorism, and war. The Japanese catastrophe this month certainly brings to mind the nuclear disasters at Chernobyl in 1986 and Three Mile Island in 1979. But the nuclear and fossil fuel industries have supplied many less well-known disasters. A brief review of some of the accidents will accentuate the difference between the polluting energy of today’s economy and the clean energy future that would, by its very nature, avoid these messes: * In July of 1979, at the Navajo community of Church Rock, New Mexico, an earthen dam at United Nuclear Corporation’s uranium mill broke, releasing 95 million gallons of radioactive wastewater into the Rio Puerco. The spill sent contaminants over 100 miles downstream. This unpublicized spill is estimated to have contained over triple the amount of radiation (curies) that the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor released in the very same year. * Last year tornado warnings near Detroit forced the shutdown of the Fermi 2 atomic reactor. This was the same site where a meltdown in 1966 nearly irradiated the Greats Lakes Region. * For much of 2010 the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was an ongoing saga of futility and despair. * In July of 2007 a major earthquake in Japan badly damaged one nuclear reactor in a complex of nuclear reactors. * In December of 2008 a Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir, which was storing the contaminated ash from one of its power plants, burst and sent a toxic stew of waste 100 times larger than the Exxon Valdez oil spill into a tributary of the Tennessee River. Despite assurances that such dam bursting was unusual and would never happen again, scarcely a month had passed when yet another coal waste reservoir (this one in Alabama) failed and spewed contamination downstream. Vulnerability lessons are not new. After World War II German military leaders pointed out that the U.S. could have ended the War two years sooner by bombing the big coal power plants. Instead the allies were bombing individual industrial sites like steel mills, failing to recognize that the big coal plants powered 80% of Germany’s manufacturing. In contrast, Japan’s electric power was provided by a huge number of small dams that were not attractive targets for attack because no single one was crucial for the power system of the nation. The energy for a steady state economy can be supplied by a huge number of solar panels and wind mills as outlined by physics professors Jacobson and Delucchi at Stanford University (Scientific American, November, 2009) and by many others. It would be a refreshing change to see President Obama propose such an ambitious solar/wind plan in the aftermath of the meltdown in Japan, but he seems content merely to suggest a thorough review of nuclear reactors. Before having to hear how high the costs of renewable energy are, I’ll close with a brief reminder of the government subsidies the U.S. nuclear industry is slated to receive. Here are some components of the $46 billion being offered up over the next 5 years in addition to the cap on liability for any accident: * $22.5 billion in loan guarantees for new reactors; * $12.3 billion in nuclear waste fund liability payments; * $3 billion for mixed oxide activities; and * $1.9 billion for fusion energy. For more details, please see the green scissors report. Seeing this list of handouts, one might think that Republican leaders would recoil at what might be termed nuclear socialism. One would think that the Tea Party activists would revolt at the sight of this massive government program to fund something that Wall Street would not touch even before the catastrophe in Japan. You are subscribed to email updates from Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Email delivery powered by Google Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-FICC-INTERNATIONAL list, send any message to: CONS-FICC-INTERNATIONAL-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp -- Conservation Chair, Southern Nevada Group of the Sierra Club Energy Chair, Toiyabe Chapter of the Sierra Club - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-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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Re: [EC] PATH Celebration
by James Kotcon 19 Mar '11

19 Mar '11

While it is certainly true that the PATH application was withdrawn "without prejudice" (meaning they can and probably will re-file), it is also important that we celebrate what victories we can. We rarely get a definitive end to issues as the bad guys are famous for simply fading away in a slow, long, drawn-out silence, so even though this one is not over, this is as definitive of a decision point as we are likely to see. Feel free to attend and party down, as we need to make a big noise now. If nothing else, it helps cement our reputation as "giant killers". Keep in mind that the Club's expert witness testimony on need, reliability, and demand side management was a critical turning point in the battle in Virginia, and established this as the key issue ion MD and WV. The more we loudly proclaim the "victory", the better it is cemented in the minds of politicians that the issue is over, and the more credibility they will give us as new issues emerge. I favor holding PATH victory parties in every County in WV, and invite the press. We Done Good. JBK >>> <glnelson1(a)frontier.com> 3/19/2011 11:02 AM >>> This is a premature celebration because path is not out of the utility companies minds. They are just regrouping for another assault for the line. One of the local conservationists here, that fought the path project, tells me they see this withdrawl only as a delaying tactic, and they will return with the same application for this line. Thanks! Gary Nelson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Sconyers" <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> To: ec(a)osenergy.org, "Heather Heilman" <heatherheilman(a)yahoo.com>, "Gwen Jones" <gwenjones23(a)yahoo.com>, "Jim Kotcon" <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>, "Gary Nelson" <glnelson1(a)frontier.com>, "Jim Sconyers" <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com>, "Frank Young" <fyoung(a)mountain.net> Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2011 10:49:35 AM Subject: PATH Celebration Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Doug Kaplan <doug.kaplan(a)sugarloafconservancy.org> To: CONS-ELP-TRANS-LINES-FORUM(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Sat, March 19, 2011 10:08:18 AM Subject: A Celebration is Required! Join us! All, Many of you have already received our invitation. I am sending it to the Sierra Club disti list as some may not have received our attached invitation. Everyone is welcomed! We especially hope to see many attend from our neighboring states of Virginia and West Virginia. Spread the word. Please see attached invitation for details! Doug Douglas S. Kaplan President Sugarloaf Conservancy www.sugarloafconservancy.org www.nomoretowers.org Description: cid:image001.gif@01CBDCED.3895C390 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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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PATH Celebration
by Jim Sconyers 19 Mar '11

19 Mar '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Doug Kaplan <doug.kaplan(a)sugarloafconservancy.org> To: CONS-ELP-TRANS-LINES-FORUM(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Sat, March 19, 2011 10:08:18 AM Subject: A Celebration is Required! Join us! All, Many of you have already received our invitation. I am sending it to the Sierra Club disti list as some may not have received our attached invitation. Everyone is welcomed! We especially hope to see many attend from our neighboring states of Virginia and West Virginia. Spread the word. Please see attached invitation for details! Doug Douglas S. Kaplan President Sugarloaf Conservancy www.sugarloafconservancy.org www.nomoretowers.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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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Fw: DAILY UPDATE 18 March 2011. News of interest to Mon river watershed denizens.
by James Kotcon 18 Mar '11

18 Mar '11

You might enjoy the first news story here. JBK >>> "Donald C. Strimbeck" <dcsoinks(a)comcast.net> 3/18/2011 4:31 AM >>> Washington PA OBSERVER REPORTER: Waste hauler accused of illegal dumping 3/18/2011 3:31 AM By Tara Kinsell, Staff writer tkinsell(a)observer-reporter.com WAYNESBURG - A well-known Greene County waste hauler and his corporation were charged Thursday with illegally dumping millions of gallons of wastewater from natural gas drilling, sewage sludge and restaurant grease into streams and mine shafts in a six-county area. After a two-year investigation, the state attorney general's office filed 98 criminal counts against Robert Allan Shipman, 50, of 432 Renner Creek Road, New Freeport, and 77 counts against his company, Allan's Waste Water Service Inc. of 1487 Toms Run Road, Holbrook. "This was a calculated and long-running scheme to personally profit by illegally dumping wastewater, regardless of the potential for environmental damage," said acting Attorney General Bill Ryan. Shipman is accused of orchestrating a scheme to dump waste products into streams, mine shafts and business properties across Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Proecutors said the activities took place between 2003 and 2009. Charges include participating in a corrupt organization, criminal conspiracy, theft, forgery, receiving stolen property, pollution of waters, tampering with public records and violations of the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law, Solid Waste Management Act and Fish and Boat Codes. According to grand jury testimony, Shipman and his company were hired by multiple businesses in the region to haul and dispose of wastewater by-products. Several former employees testified that Shipman instructed them to mix various wastewater products together in what they referred to as a "cocktail" and then dump that mixture at various locations throughout the region. Ryan said the reason behind the cocktail was to conceal the true contents of the wastewater, allowing it to be disposed of in an improper manner, as well as to increase the volume of disposals that were billed to various customers. According to the grand jury, Shipman directed his drivers to falsify manifests so his company could bill customers for the full capacity of their trucks, regardless of the amount of waste actually being transported and disposed of. Agents from the attorney general's office said they identified forged manifests for numerous businesses operating in Southwestern Pennsylvania, including Penneco Oil Co., American Oil and Gas, Luzerne Township Sewage Authority, Menallen Township Sewer Authority, Washington Penn Plastics and others. Ryan said Shipman is accused of stealing in excess of $250,000 from clients as a result of the over-billing practices. April Morris, a former administrative assistant for Shipman's company, told the grand jury she was often instructed by Shipman to shred or discard the customer's copy of the manifest. She said Shipman would then instruct her to complete blank manifests with fraudulent information regarding the quantity of waste hauled, sign drivers' names to the manifests and send the manifests to customers. Testimony by former drivers indicated that Allan's Waste Water was responsible for transporting and disposing of production water from gas wells owned and operated by CNX Gas. According to the drivers, CNX's gas wells began to generate more production water in the summer of 2007 than the company was capable of handling. "It is a lot of information we need to digest," said Shipman's attorney, Christopher Blackwell of Washington. "Our contention has always been that this is a group of disgruntled employees who have made these accusations." Blackwell said it appears the case is going to come down to the credibility of the witnesses who may have "an ax to grind with Allan Shipman." The drivers told the grand jury that Shipman showed them how to leave water valves open at gas wells in order to allow production water to flow onto the ground and into nearby waterways. The drivers said this was typically done after dark or during heavy rains in order to conceal the illegal discharge. Areas where Shipman is alleged to have directed wastewater to be dumped include Green Hill Tank Farm along Rush Run in Greene County, Morris Run Creek and Rush Run. It was further alleged by the former employees that Shipman directed them to dump residual wastewater left in the trucks at the end of the day down a drain at his business. The drain leads to Tom's Run, a tributary of Dunkard Creek. It is also alleged that Shipman directed waste products to be dumped into the Morris Run air shaft at the abandoned Blacksville No. 1 Mine along Morris Run Creek in Brave. Consol Energy is permitted by the EPA to dump production water into the Morris Run shaft via a series of piping inlets. The airshaft leads to a mine pool that ultimately discharges into Dunkard Creek, according to Samuel Harper, DEP Water Management Environmental Program manager, who verified that Shipman and his company were not permitted to discharge waste into that location. The criminal charges filed Thursday carry substantial prison terms upon conviction, along with fines in excess of $1.5 million for Shipman and $1.2 million for his company. Blackwell said the defense is in the process of interviewing drivers from the company who have indicated that Shipman never directed them to do any of the things alleged in the complaint. Blackwell said these witnesses have also said that they never witnessed Shipman illegally dumping anything. "There were a number of documents found in the trucks that Allan was unaware of what the drivers were doing while they were out," Blackwell said. "Maybe the lines at the dumping facilities were so long that they didn't feel like waiting in line there." Christopher M. Capozzi, attorney for Allan's Waster Water Services Inc., had no comment. Shipman is free on $500,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 6-7 before District Judge Glenn Bates. Copyright Observer Publishing Co. EDITORIAL: 'Proactive' approach, well after the fact 3/17/2011 3:33 AM It's interesting to juxtapose the comments made by Consol Energy and environmental officials when Consol announced that it would pay $6 million to settle claims stemming from hundreds of violations of the Clean Water Act at six of its coal mines in West Virginia, including discharges that resulted in a massive fish kill along Dunkard Creek in 2009. The energy company will pay $5.5 million to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, and another $500,000 to West Virginia agencies in connection with the fish kill, but it is doing so without admitting any liability. One company official talked about Consol's desire to avoid "pointless litigation." By pointless, we have to assume Consol means ligitation from which it no doubt would emerge on the losing side. We doubt the company would make such a payment out of the goodness of its corporate heart. Of course, for an outfit that had revenue of $4.6 billion and profit of $540 million last year, perhaps $6 million is viewed as simply a minor annoyance, a pittance to be paid as a cost of doing business the wrong way, in terms of the environment, all those years. Consol announced that in addition to paying the penalties, it would spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a new water-treatment plant to counter high levels of chlorides discharged from four of its mines in northern West Virginia. In a news release, Consol President Nick Deluliis touted the company's "proactive demonstration" of its commitment to operating in an environmentally friendly manner. Hardly. A proactive approach would have been to install the necessary water-purification equipment before the company's discharges repeatedly fouled the water and wiped out aquatic life along 30 miles of Dunkard Creek. Statements from environmental officials carried a different tone. Shawn Garvin, regional EPA administrator, said, "We are committed to cleaning up the waters of Dunkard Creek and the Monongahela watershed, and holding those who pollute it accountable." And Ignacia Moreno, assistant attorney general for the Environmental and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice, noted that in the settlement, "Consol takes responsibility for its past failures to abide by the terms of its Clean Water Act permits." Consol might not admit liability, but accountability and responsibility will work just fine. Now, if Consol would only drop its appeals and ante up the money needed to repair the dam at Ryerson Station State Park's Duke Lake, which the state Department of Environmental Protection determined was damaged by the company's longwall mining operations in the area. Another "proactive" approach would be much appreciated by the people who have lost the use of that wonderful recreational resource. Copyright Observer Publishing Co. Charleston Gazette Friday 18 March 2011: 19 delegates call for Marcellus permit moratorium March 17, 2011 by Alison Knezevich In the final hours of the legislative session Saturday night, Delegate Mike Manypenny, D-Taylor, was writing to state Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Randy Huffman and collecting signatures from fellow delegates for the letter. With the failure to pass any legislation to regulate Marcellus drilling, Manypenny and others are asking Huffman to issue a moratorium on new permits. Manypenny and Delegate Barbara Fleischauer, D-Monongalia, plan a Capitol press conference tomorrow at 1 p.m. to discuss the proposal. According to the West Virginia Surface Owners’ Rights Organization, the other delegates who signed the letter are: Larry Barker, D-Boone; Anthony Barill, D-Monongalia; Bonnie Brown D-Kanawha; Ray Canterbury, R-Greenbrier; John Doyle, D-Jefferson; Nancy Guthrie, D-Kanawha; Bobbie Hatfield, D-Kanawha; Linda Longstreth, D-Marion; Dale Martin, D-Putnam; Clif Moore, D-McDowell; Don Perdue, D-Wayne; Mary Poling, D-Barbour; Virginia Mahan, D-Summers; Pete Sigler, R-Nicholas; Margaret Staggers, D-Fayette; Joe Talbott, D-Webster; and Danny Wells, D-Kanawha. This entry was posted on Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 7:18 pm and is filed under Environment, House of Delegates. March 17, 2011 House, Senate conferees wrap up state budget work House and Senate budget conferees completed work on the 2011-12 state budget bill (HB2012) Thursday evening -- a bill that designates how state agencies are to spend a total of more than $11 billion for the budget year that begins July 1. By Phil Kabler The Charleston Gazette CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- House and Senate budget conferees completed work on the 2011-12 state budget bill (HB2012) Thursday evening -- a bill that designates how state agencies are to spend a total of more than $11 billion for the budget year that begins July 1. The bill does not include additional funding to hire additional inspectors for new Marcellus Shale drilling sites. On Wednesday, Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, acting as governor, had requested an additional $2 million for the Department of Environmental Protection budget, in light of the Legislature's failure to pass a bill to regulate Marcellus drilling. However, House Finance Chairman Harry Keith White, D-Mingo, said conferees will recommend that Tomblin submit a supplemental appropriation bill that would direct about $1.05 million of state funds that will be left over when the current budget year ends on June 30 to the DEP. Legislators are expected to vote to approve the 2011-12 spending plan -- and act to correct and re-pass any bills vetoed by Tomblin for technical errors -- Friday. That would mark the first time in recent years that the budget session, which this year started Sunday immediately following the end of the regular session, has not extended into the weekend. White said it helped that the House and Senate versions of the budget bill were relatively similar, and that the Legislature did not pass a lot of bills with new spending initiatives. "When we sat down and looked at the bills, we were really pretty close," he said. Senate Finance Chairman Roman Prezioso, D-Marion, did have to build in about $67 million for pay raises for state and public school employees, judges and the adjutant general. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- House and Senate budget conferees completed work on the 2011-12 state budget bill (HB2012) Thursday evening -- a bill that designates how state agencies are to spend a total of more than $11 billion for the budget year that begins July 1. The bill does not include additional funding to hire additional inspectors for new Marcellus Shale drilling sites. On Wednesday, Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, acting as governor, had requested an additional $2 million for the Department of Environmental Protection budget, in light of the Legislature's failure to pass a bill to regulate Marcellus drilling. However, House Finance Chairman Harry Keith White, D-Mingo, said conferees will recommend that Tomblin submit a supplemental appropriation bill that would direct about $1.05 million of state funds that will be left over when the current budget year ends on June 30 to the DEP. Legislators are expected to vote to approve the 2011-12 spending plan -- and act to correct and re-pass any bills vetoed by Tomblin for technical errors -- Friday. That would mark the first time in recent years that the budget session, which this year started Sunday immediately following the end of the regular session, has not extended into the weekend. White said it helped that the House and Senate versions of the budget bill were relatively similar, and that the Legislature did not pass a lot of bills with new spending initiatives. "When we sat down and looked at the bills, we were really pretty close," he said. Senate Finance Chairman Roman Prezioso, D-Marion, did have to build in about $67 million for pay raises for state and public school employees, judges and the adjutant general. New initiatives in the budget also include about $6 million of additional funding for the Public Employees Insurance Agency and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), to expand coverage to include treatment for children with autism spectrum disorders, and $6 million of Lottery revenue for a fund to allow Eastern Panhandle counties to upgrade wastewater treatment facilities under a federal mandate to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. White noted that, unlike many states, West Virginia's economy has been relatively stable. He said the budget bill does not impose any significant funding cuts, even though the current budget was balanced using about $200 million of one-time federal stimulus funds. "The Senate president and ourselves feel pretty comfortable with the future finances of the state," he said. However, he noted that the state budget is heavily reliant on extractive industries, including production of coal and natural gas, and on gambling. The 2011-12 general revenue budget -- the portion of the budget funded through state tax collections -- will top $4 billion for the first time in state history, an increase of about $250 million. Overall, though, the total $11 billion spending plan will decrease by about 2 percent from the current budget, primarily because of reductions in federal funds. "We've tried to keep it as tight as we can," Prezioso said of the budget plan. Reach Phil Kabler at ph...(a)wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220. New initiatives in the budget also include about $6 million of additional funding for the Public Employees Insurance Agency and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), to expand coverage to include treatment for children with autism spectrum disorders, and $6 million of Lottery revenue for a fund to allow Eastern Panhandle counties to upgrade wastewater treatment facilities under a federal mandate to reduce pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. White noted that, unlike many states, West Virginia's economy has been relatively stable. He said the budget bill does not impose any significant funding cuts, even though the current budget was balanced using about $200 million of one-time federal stimulus funds. "The Senate president and ourselves feel pretty comfortable with the future finances of the state," he said. However, he noted that the state budget is heavily reliant on extractive industries, including production of coal and natural gas, and on gambling. The 2011-12 general revenue budget -- the portion of the budget funded through state tax collections -- will top $4 billion for the first time in state history, an increase of about $250 million. Overall, though, the total $11 billion spending plan will decrease by about 2 percent from the current budget, primarily because of reductions in federal funds. "We've tried to keep it as tight as we can," Prezioso said of the budget plan. Reach Phil Kabler at ph...(a)wvgazette.com or 304-348-1220. Wheeling WV THE INTELLIGENCER: Halt To Drilling Permits Wanted Some lawmakers seek moratorium until new rules are put into place March 18, 2011 - By CASEY JUNKINS Staff Writer WHEELING - A group of West Virginia legislators wants the state's Department of Environmental Protection to stop issuing natural gas drilling permits until new regulations are in place. State Sen. Orphy Klempa, D-Ohio, is not sure such a moratorium on new drilling permits would be worthwhile, however, because the DEP has already issued more than 900 such permits for gas companies to work in the Marcellus Shale. "Having 15 inspectors for 59,000 wells is clearly inadequate. We need to drastically increase the number of inspectors," said Delegate Barbara Evans Fleischauer, D-Monongalia. DEP Secretary Randy Huffman has said his Office of Oil and Gas now has 17 positions for well inspectors, but not all of those jobs may be filled. If there currently are 15 inspectors, that means each would be responsible for overseeing 3,933 wells. Fleischauer and about 20 other legislators have already signed the moratorium request they are forwarding to Huffman. However, none of these legislators hail from the Northern Panhandle. Acting Senate President Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, said he was unaware of the moratorium request, emphasizing his commitment to see the natural gas industry operate in an effective and safe manner throughout the state. Klempa recognizes the need for action, but said preventing the issuance of more drilling permits would not solve the problem. "I am hearing now that the industry doesn't really need any more permits right now. Now, their problem seems to be that they don't have enough drilling rigs to act on the permits they already have," he said. There are now several well sites established in Ohio County that have recently seen gas rigs in use, including the Didriksen site on Dement Road and the Gantzer site near The Highlands. "I think that after the special primary election, we will be able to have a special session to get this Marcellus Shale legislation done," Klempa said in reference to the May 14 gubernatorial primary election. "I feel we will get some meaningful legislation on this." During the regular legislative session that ended Saturday, senators passed a bill that would have increased horizontal well drilling permit fees from $650 to $5,000. The bill failed to clear the House, however. "We were close to an agreement, but just ran out of time," Fleischauer said. "There was no one thing that de-railed it." The delegate said she does not believe allowing the industry to operate the way it does now is "an alternative worth tolerating." Fleischauer also questions acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's plan to ask the legislators to increase revenues for the DEP as part of a new state spending plan. "Our proposal would have made the drilling companies pay for more inspectors," Fleischauer said. "The governor wants us to direct money that we would already be using for something else to pay for the inspectors. If this industry is going to reap such huge profits, they should have to pay for more inspectors." The governor has also told Huffman to pursue new regulations for these drilling operations, in the absence of legislative action. Tomblin cited Huffman's in-house rulemaking powers and said that "West Virginians deserve a comprehensive regulatory structure" governing this industry." However, Fleischauer does not see this as a real solution. "The regulations as written are the law. The fees to charge for permits are written in the law," she said. Natural gas compressor station worries Fayette residents By Cindy Ekas FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW Friday, March 18, 2011 Fayette County residents expressed concerns about water, soil, air and noise pollution Thursday night at an informational open house for Burnett Oil Co. Inc.'s proposed construction of a natural gas compressor station. The site is on county-owned property in the New Salem area. Evelyn Hovanec, a member of the Fayette County Marcellus Shale Task Force created by county Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink, called the session held at the McClellandtown Volunteer Fire Department informative. "I'm concerned about how the compressor station will affect soil, water and air quality in the future," Hovanec said. "If you look at history, what's taking place now is very similar to what happened with the coal industry in this area. We have to be concerned about protecting the environment for future generations. We also have to concerned about protecting tourism and our natural resources." More than 100 residents who attended the open house were directed to various informational tables where Burnett officials and subcontractors answered questions about the project. Erin Fronczek of 72 E. Main St., New Salem, said she lives across the street from another compressor station that was recently constructed. "No one even told us that the first compressor station was coming," Fronczek said. "We were never even given an opportunity to voice our concerns. At least, we're getting a chance to ask questions and talk about our concerns this time." Burt Walker, engineering manager for Burnett Oil Co. Inc's Canonsburg office, said the proposed compressor station site is about 200 feet south of New Salem Road. He explained that a compressor station takes low pressure natural gas from multiple wells and prepares it for transfer into a transmission pipeline by removing water from the gas and increasing the pressure to match the transmission line pressure. The proposed Shoaf compressor station would have six compressors and water removal equipment. Burnett Oil Co. has reached an agreement with Texas Eastern Transmission Co. to feed gas into its pipeline, Walker said. "This pipeline travels from east to west across Fayette County north of the intersection of Krulock and New Salem Roads," he said. "The natural gas will be transported along the East Coast from Baltimore, Md., to New York City." The proposed location for the compression station was selected specifically because of its distance from homes and other buildings, he said. Walker said there will be vehicles traveling to and from the site while building is under way. "We anticipate this traffic to amount to 20 to 30 vehicles per day," he said. "Construction is expected to last about three to four months. After construction, typically, one vehicle per day will enter the compressor or meter station once construction is complete." Walker said state Department of Environmental Protection prohibits companies from allowing odors to escape from such sites. DEP will conduct periodic inspections of the facilities to ensure that they are within compliance, he said. Zimmerlink attended the open house. Commissioners Vince Vicites and Vincent Zapotosky did not. Murrysville mayor voices Marcellus concerns By Daveen Rae Kurutz MURRYSVILLE STAR Friday, March 18, 2011 Concerns about air and water quality spurred a Murrysville official to ask state legislators for help. Mayor Bob Brooks, after reading a series of articles in The New York Times detailing hazards associated with wastewater from the Marcellus shale fracking process, sent a plea to Sen. Don White (R-41), Rep. Eli Evankovich (R-54) and Rep. Joe Markosek (D-25). In his letter, Brooks requested the legislators take a stand to protect water and air near shale drilling sites. "Air and water are state responsibilities because you are supposed to have access to the expertise," Brooks said in the letter. "Surely, the state can get the money from that industry to police it and protect us. There can be no excuse accepted. You must depend on accountability. It seems to me that 'your responsibility' must be to stop the process until the state gets it fixed." This was not Brooks' first public support of a moratorium on Marcellus shale drilling. Last year, he sent a letter to legislators requesting a two-year moratorium from the state so that the Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies would have enough time to prepare for shale drilling. "What you've got to do is hold up a little bit," Brooks said. "Then, let the permits get going again. It needs to slow down a bit." Currently, there are no permits issued to drill a Marcellus well in the municipality. Council is reviewing a proposed ordinance that would restrict where drilling occurs in Murrysville; however, that ordinance has been met with a mix of resistance and support from the community. Recent public hearings, as well as regular council meetings, have had numerous resident comments against drilling in the municipality. However, the past few meetings have seen additional residents supporting the ordinance. Brooks said he addressed the state legislators because local officials have no authority to regulate air and water. The state Oil and Gas Act gave that responsibility to state officials. "If people want to put those restrictions or controls or tests on Marcellus shale, they need to go to the state," Brooks said. Evankovich, who serves on the House Environmental Resources and Energy committee, said he has received a lot of information about shale drilling since taking office in January. "The simple truth is we are being presented with a mixture of information, some factual, some emotional," Evankovich said. "We have to separate the two and understand what is going on. We need to make sure this process is being done as safely as possible." Evankovich said he isn't against drilling, but he wants to make sure his constituents and their communities are safe. "I support fixing the industry," he said. "I do not support destroying the industry. We need to make sure what needs to be done and what is being done meet the high standards we set for ourselves." Evankovich said there will be public hearings and many more discussions about the air and water quality near shale drilling. Joe Pittman, White's chief of staff, said the same thing will be coming out of the Senate. Pittman said White has been concerned about the negative impacts drilling could have on water and air quality in the commonwealth. White sits on the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy committee, which is taking a closer look at the New York Times report, which questions the safety of Pennsylvania's water. That committee is planning hearings and reviewing legislation that would institute additional water and air protections, Pittman said. "Sen. White absolutely believes we need to make sure public safety is the number one priority," Pittman said. "If there are pollution issues, they need to be addressed and corrected." But so far, there haven't been major pollution issues, according to DEP. The department reported Monday that tests of water located downriver from treatment plants that handle shale wastewater didn't show dangerous levels of radioactivity. The samples, which were taken in November and December, came from the Monongahela, Conemaugh, Allegheny, Beaver and Tioga rivers, South Fork Ten Mile Creek and the west branch of the Susquehanna River. Daveen Rae Kurutz can be reached at dmclaughlin(a)tribweb.com or 412-856-7400 x8627. ----- Original Message ----- From: Julie Archer To: Beth Little Cc: Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 1:34 PM Subject: Lewisburg drilling resolution, ordinance http://www.register-herald.com/local/x449494771/Gas-drilling-regulations-in… March 17, 2011 Gas drilling regulations inadequate, council says By Tina Alvey Register-Herald Reporter The Register-Herald Thu Mar 17, 2011, 12:03 AM EDT LEWISBURG — State regulations pertaining to the development of the Marcellus shale gas reserves are inadequate, according to a resolution that Lewisburg City Council voted Tuesday evening to send to legislators and the acting governor. In the resolution, city officials expressed their concerns about the lack of protection afforded the state’s water resources, particularly the Greenbrier River watershed, which is the source of water for Lewisburg’s regional system, serving 4,732 customers. “State regulations do not adequately regulate the amount of water that can be withdrawn from aquifers and public bodies of water by Marcellus shale development companies in West Virginia,” the resolution reads. Reference is also made to “contamination from liquid byproducts of hydraulic fracking technologies being released into public bodies of water.” The resolution points to a lack of funding for adequate numbers of inspectors at the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to monitor the Marcellus developers. “Its not (DEP’s) fault,” Mayor John Manchester said, noting that regulatory legislation proposed but not acted upon this year would have increased permit fees, thereby providing a revenue source for hiring more inspectors. The mayor said DEP currently employs only 19 inspectors, but the state has issued more than 50,000 gas drilling permits. The resolution calls for the governor to call a special session of the legislature to address the regulatory issue in a timely fashion and to declare a moratorium on horizontal drilling permits in the Marcellus shale until adequate regulations protecting water supplies are in place. Acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has shown no inclination to convene a special session on the Marcellus issue, instead calling on legislators to find more money in the budget to hire additional DEP inspectors and instructing DEP Secretary Randy Huffman to formulate new regulations within the department. In a related matter, council approved the second and final reading of an ordinance prohibiting “locating, drilling, equipping or producing of any oil and gas” in any district within the city limits. In other business: Council adopted a general fund budget of $4.37 million for fiscal year 2011-12, as well as a $15,000 coal severance budget. The coal severance revenue is once again being allocated to parks projects and, upon the mayor’s request, $8,000 from contingency funds will be set aside “to allow for projects as they may show themselves” to tout Lewisburg’s recent selection as America’s Coolest Small Town in a Budget Travel magazine contest. Public Works director Mark Carver predicted the Route 219 North sidewalk project will begin in late April or early May. When complete, the sidewalk will link the downtown business district to Wal-Mart. Carver noted interest in recycling is increasing, leading the city to obtain containers from the Greenbrier County Recycling Center in Ronceverte for pre-sorting at the city shop. He also reminded would-be recyclers to wash out containers before depositing them for pickup. — E-mail: talvey(a)register-herald.com Julie Archer WV Citizen Action Group 1500 Dixie Street Charleston, WV 25311 (304) 346-5891 (304) 346-8981 FAX www.wvcag.org From: Beth Little To: Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2011 9:23 AM Subject: Lawsuit over gas royalties Ah, those gas companies. http://www.timesleader.com/news/ap?articleID=6694922 Don Strimbeck, Sec/Treas Upper Mon River Assoc UpperMon.org MonRiverSummit.org WVU t-shirts & prints - FindHarri.com 109 Broad Street, P. O. Box 519 Granville WV 26534-0519 304-599-7585 (fax 4131) dcsoinks(a)comcast.net

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Re: [EC] [CLEAR] Dunkard Creek Fish Kill Settlement
by James Kotcon 14 Mar '11

14 Mar '11

Major news today on Dunkard Creek. Please recall that the Sierra Club had filed a Notice of Intent to sue ConSol over this one, but did not actually file the lawsuit after EPA got involved. Also note that this Consent Decree is subject to a 30-day Pubic Comment period. Some are wondering why such a massive and prolonged spill resulted in only $500,000 in Natural Resources Damage assessments in Monongalia County. Now if ConSol can spend that kind of money on he headwaters of Dunkard Creek and other streams, do you suppose that Longview/AMDRI might be required to use this technology on their discharges at the Steele Shaft near the mouth of Dunkard Creek? For information on specifics of the consent decree, please review the press release from EPA. It does not have quite the "cheerleading for coal" tone that the DEP press release does. And perhaps if DEP had ben more diligent in their enforcement back in 2007-09, the fish kill might never have happened. Available at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/ab2d81eb088f4a7e85257359003f5339/1… More details, including a link to the Consent Decree (58 pages), are available at: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/cases/civil/cwa/consol.html Jim Kotcon 304-293-8822 (office) 304-594-3322 (home) >>> <Duane330(a)aol.com> 3/14/2011 5:46 PM >>> DUNKARD CREEK FISH KILL SETTLEMENT ============================================================ Monday, March 14, 2011 @ 3:07 PM ============================================================ The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection and the state Division of Natural Resources have entered into a proposed settlement with CONSOL Energy in which the company has agreed to pay $500,000 for natural resources damages in Dunkard Creek in Monongalia County. The $500,000 settlement is in addition to a $5.5 million civil penalty the company will pay and nearly $200 million the company will spend on the construction of an advanced water treatment plant to address high levels of chlorides discharged from four of its underground mines in northern West Virginia. Both the civil penalty and the water treatment plant are part of a settlement the company entered into with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the WVDEP. In September 2009, thousands of fish, mussels and amphibians were killed in Dunkard Creek because of toxins produced by Golden Algae that had begun blooming in the stream. Golden Algae, which is not native to West Virginia’s fresh water streams, is more commonly found in brackish or salty water bodies. Although it was never determined how the Golden Algae was introduced into Dunkard Creek, research indicated that nutrients and high levels of chlorides and dissolved solids can contribute to its growth. “In the days immediately following the fish kill in Dunkard Creek, CONSOL voluntarily worked with the DEP and the EPA to proactively manage their mining operations to minimize the risk of another algae outbreak while at the same time keeping their miners working,” said DEP Cabinet Secretary Randy Huffman. With requirements put in place by the WVDEP to reduce the amount of chlorides and total dissolved solids (TDS) in Dunkard Creek, the Monongalia County stream continues to avoid dangerous algae blooms that can threaten aquatic life. Additionally, the state DNR reports that fish are returning to Dunkard Creek following the massive kill. A fish survey conducted at one station on Dunkard Creek a month following the September 2009 fish kill revealed only four species of fish. By July 2010, sampling revealed 29 species at that same station. In 2005, the same location had 33 species. On Dec. 18, 2009, the WVDEP issued the first of two orders to CONSOL that addressed the company’s mine water management in relation to CONSOL pumping water from its underground mining operations into Dunkard Creek; established Golden Algae monitoring requirements for CONSOL; called for the company to monitor for chlorides, TDS, selenium and specific conductance at various outlets on Dunkard Creek; and set chloride and specific conductance levels for CONSOL discharges. Patrick Campbell, of the WVDEP’s Division of Water and Waste Management, said Dunkard Creek has been free of Golden Algae since January 2010. “Multiple locations on Dunkard Creek have been monitored weekly by the company and periodically by us (WVDEP) since January and nothing has turned up,” Campbell said. “We also sampled 40 other locations around the state last summer and didn’t find Golden Algae, which I think is significant. As far as we can tell right now, this was isolated to Dunkard Creek.” Still, Campbell said the WVDEP would likely monitor for Golden Algae “for the next four or five years or until we get some confidence level that this was an isolated event.” Although it will likely take decades for the mussel population to return, DNR biologists found that fish such as minnows, darters and suckers are returning to Dunkard Creek from tributaries and some reproduction is occurring. “This is a reflection that water quality has improved and is being maintained,” Campbell said. Mining is critical to our state’s economy, but clean water is paramount. The cooperative efforts by all involved are protecting both. According to CONSOL, not one job will be lost, but the plan will result in clean water. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> _http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consol-energy-reaches-ground-breaki ng-clean-water-agreement-with-us-epa-and-west-virginia-dep-117939064.html_ (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consol-energy-reaches-ground-breakin g-clean-water-agreement-with-us-epa-and-west-virginia-dep-117939064.html)

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Marcellus - Request a special session from the Governor
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 14 Mar '11

14 Mar '11

New Jersey just banned hydraulic fracturing in their state. West Virginia doesn't even keep track of where the millions of gallons of toxic waste water are going. PLEASE take two minutes and call Acting Governor Tomblin's office and leave a message with his secretary (she's very nice) requesting he call a special session to regulate Marcellus Shale gas drilling. 304-558-2000. -Jonathan

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Re: [EC] DP article re: Albright
by Cindy Rank 14 Mar '11

14 Mar '11

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Re: [EC] DP article re: Albright
by Jim Sconyers 14 Mar '11

14 Mar '11

I hadn't seen it - thanks Cindy. Frankly I find this shocking - that a right-wing newspaper would set itself up to refute - in their view at least - the science behind the charges. And it's bizarre that they want to dispute the company's own reported discharges. All the more reason to be glad this is moving ahead to litigation. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ________________________________ From: Cindy Rank <clrank(a)hughes.net> To: mbecher(a)appalachian-center.org; jlovett(a)appalachian-center.org; derek_teaney(a)yahoo.com; mjanes(a)hardynet.com Cc: sminney(a)wvrivers.org; jkotcon(a)wvu.edu; jim_scon(a)yahoo.com; hugh.rogers(a)gmail.com Sent: Mon, March 14, 2011 9:24:11 AM Subject: DP article re: Albright In case you haven't seen this article: Local page 9-A DOMINION POST Monday 14 March 2011: UPDATE Test: Water meets standards Groups say Mon Power is polluting BY MICHELLE WOLFORD The Dominion Post KINGWOOD — Three environmental groups have threatened to file suit against Mon Power over arsenic levels from coal ash dumps near the Albright Power Plant, which the company owns. The groups — West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, W.Va. Rivers Coalition and Sierra Club of West Virginia — claimed in a letter sent to the company in February that those levels are “unlawfully high” in the Cheat River. The groups also claim the company is not reporting selenium discharge with enough accuracy to determine if it violates its DEP permit. On Feb. 22, The Dominion Post collected water samples from the Cheat about one mile upstream from the Albright Power Plant, and a quarter of a mile downstream from the plant. The samples were tested for arsenic and selenium by Reliance Laboratories Inc. of Bridgeport. Results received this week show that the water in the Cheat River meets Water Quality Standards. Neither sample revealed either mineral at a level above the permit restrictions. The samples were not obtained on Mon Power property nor at the same sites where the company checked its discharge. But they were collected before drainage from the coal ash dumps enters the river and after. Numbers provided by the groups, which the state DEP has confirmed are Mon Power’s (then known as Allegheny Power) readings at the Albright plant, indicate the company did exceed its discharge limit for arsenic from July to December of 2010. “Each discharge amount that exceeds permit limits is an unlawful and unpermitted discharge, and therefore, is not shielded from liability” under the Clean Water Act, the groups told the company in a letter, which threatens a lawsuit seeking civil penalties and “for an injunction compelling it to come into compliance with the Act and its permit requirements if no remediation steps are outlined.” According to Kathy Cosco, a spokeswoman for the West Virginia DEP, exceeding permit limits “does not always trigger notices of violation or penalties.” If the DEP notices a pattern of “exceedences,” she said, “the DEP will work with the company to determine what the problem is. If the company can’t get them in line, or if they fail to take steps necessary to rectify the situation, then the agency will start down the path of assessing penalties. “There are instances where the nature or severity of a single violation may result in the assessment of a penalty,” Cosco said. “Generally speaking, however, an individual exceedance reported on a Discharge Monitoring Report would not trigger an enforcement action. The company is expected to take necessary measures to achieve compliance with the permit.” The environmental groups also claim Allegheny Power isn’t accurately reporting selenium discharges into the Cheat River. “From March 2010 through October 2010, Allegheny Energy reported the concentration of selenium in its effluent with only three significant digits — too few for the undersigned, the DEP, or the public to determine whether a violation had occurred.” According to Cosco, “the company has what is a called a variance: A condition that allows the facility a threeyear period during which it may exceed its selenium limits three times before a violation is triggered.” In other words, if the company exceeds the 0.005 mg/l (milligrams per liter) four times in a 36-month period then the exceedence is considered a violation. When the legislature passed this variance, it applied to monitoring that began Jan. 25, 2010, so the permit just completed the first year of the threeyear period. In the letter to Allegheny Energy, the three groups claim Allegheny Energy “has met and possibly exceeded its limit of 0.005 mg/L on at least five separate occasions. ... Because Allegheny Energy is apparently rounding to the nearest part per billion (equivalent to a thousandth of a mg/L), a reported 0.005 mg/L could reflect a discharge with a selenium concentration from 4.51 parts per billion to 5.49 parts per billion.” Testing done on behalf of The Dominion Post showed the selenium level at less than 0.004 mg/L upstreamm and downstream from the plant, which is in compliance with its permit limit. The letter asserts that by rounding off the numbers, the company “has the potential to hide violations of its permits, and is therefore not in accordance with the monitoring and reporting requirements of the Clean Water Act.” “Our concern is that the standards set by DEP to protect human health and the environment are not being met,” said Mike Becher of the Appalachian Center for the Economy and the Environment, who represents three nonprofits. “An additional consideration is that just downstream of this discharge is a trout stream —- Daugherty Run,” he said. Becher said the technology exists to treat pollutants, such as arsenic. “The best result from our perspective is to achieve compliance with the legal limits in the permit.” David Neurohr, an Allegheny Energy spokesman, said the company had no comment “until we can see something a little more definite.” He said he had not seen the letter sent to Daniel C. McIntire, Allegheny’s vice president of Generation Operations.

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CELEBRATING THE "GREEN" FUITURE...on March 17th
by Allan Tweddle 12 Mar '11

12 Mar '11

I goofed... I forgot to give you the date...17th of Irish/March! So...come and hear Charlie speaking of "Celebrating the Green (Energy)" on St. Patrick's Day, and to learn more about Global Climate Change, I urge you to attend a presentation by one of the State's successful and respected native sons who is knowledgeable about the utility industry, Global Climate Change and future trends. Charles E Bayless, Retired President of WV Tech in Montgomery, former CEO of BOTH New Hampshire Power and Light as well as Tucson Electric, will speak at the Engineering Hall on the WV Tech Campus at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday March 17th. (The Engineering Hall is at the West end of the Campus, the closest building on campus to Charleston) Dr. Bayless is an internationally recognized and pragmatic source of experience and knowledge of the electric power industry. He serves on several international Boards including the Ontario Power Authority in Toronto and West Virginia Water in Charleston. He is a double degreed electrical engineer (WV Tech & WVU), with an MBA (Michigan) and a law degree from WVU. Allan

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GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE; CRISIS OR OPPORTUNITY FOR WEST VIRGINIA?
by Allan Tweddle 12 Mar '11

12 Mar '11

Global Climate Change is real and West Virginia needs to step up and participate in correcting this major man made threat to our planet. If you want to learn about the science, and participate in a dialogue as to how we can and must take corrective action, come to one of the most thoughtful and informative presentations you will ever hear on the subject. Please notify all you can about a speech and slide presentation next week that will be well worth you and your colleagues (and members/readership) to attend. As the announcement in the Charleston Daily Mail announced last week; "Charles Bayless, former president of WVU-Tech will speak next week in Montgomery about his belief that global climate change is the greatest danger facing humanity. Bayless will speak at 1:00 p.m. in WVU Tech's Engineering Auditorium. A native of Dunbar, Bayless is a former CEO of Tucson Electric Power, former President and CEO of Illinois Power Co's Illinova Group, an integrated electric and gas utility. (The Engineering building is at the West end of the campus.) Bayless earned a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering (EE) from Tech, an Masters Degree in EE from WVU, an MBA from Michigan and a Law Degree form WVU. For more information about Bayless Presentation, call Amy Moore [at the College] at (304) 442-3169 On a personal note, I will tell you that I have had the privilege to get to know Charlie Bayless as he has been a member of our emerging company's board of directors and an angel investor. Together, we are building a manufacturing business that will not only cut the carbon footprint of every Boeing and Airbus plane that uses our patent pending system, but we will operate a manufacturing plant whose carbon footprint will be ZERO by 2020. Come, hear and see the truth and science from this global expert, for what I believe, is the critically serious nature of the complex issues of global climate change. And, then you too will be better informed, can think about, and maybe act upon, the many opportunities for innovation to solve humanity's most critical threat in history. Hope to see you there Allan

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WV EQB rules in favor of Sierra Club on conductivity re: NPDES permits
by Frank Young 10 Mar '11

10 Mar '11

Blank Word just coming in this afternoon that the West Virginia Environmental Quality Board has ruled for the Sierra Club in a major permit appeal that put the spotlight on conductivity pollution from strip mines and on the U.S. EPA’s effort to crack down on mountaintop removal. http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/2011/03/10/wvdep-ordered-to-set-permi…

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Fw: Released today: A Risky Proposition: The Financial Hazards of New Investments in Coal Plants
by Jim Sconyers 10 Mar '11

10 Mar '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: LuCinda Hohmann <LHohmann(a)UCSUSA.ORG> To: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Wed, March 9, 2011 6:17:03 PM Subject: Released today: A Risky Proposition: The Financial Hazards of New Investments in Coal Plants FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Randy Rieland, 202-331-6959 NEW REPORT WARNS AGAINST INVESTMENTS IN NEW OR EXISTING COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS REPLACING COAL PLANTS WITH CHEAPER, CLEANER, LESS RISKY ALTERNATIVES WOULD SAVE LIVES AND CURB CLIMATE CHANGE EMISSIONS WASHINGTON (March 9, 2011) – The cost of constructing or retrofitting coal-fired electric power plants and the rising cost of coal have made coal power an extremely risky long-term investment, according to a report released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The report, “A Risky Proposition: The Financial Hazards of New Investments in Coal Plants,”also identified a number of other factors that make investing in coal a gamble, including its continuing threat to public health and the environment. “We have a fleet of ancient, dirty coal plants in this country that are increasingly unreliable and long past due for retirement,” said Barbara Freese, a co-author of the report and senior policy analyst for the UCS Climate and Energy Program. “Plant owners have to decide whether to sink more money into retrofitting those old plants or replacing them with much cleaner energy technologies. But even if they retrofit them with the pollution controls available today, the plants will still emit massive amounts of carbon pollution. “Replacing old, dirty coal plants with cleaner, cheaper, less risky alternatives would be a much better bet,” she added. “And it would save lives, protect our health and reduce the emissions that cause climate change.” More than 70 percent of U.S. coal-plant-capacity is already more than 30 years old—the operating lifetime for which coal plants were typically designed—and a third went online before 1970. Some plant operators have announced they will retire old plants. Others are planning to retrofit their plants with modern pollution control technology—which would reduce emissions of several dangerous pollutants, but not carbon. Such investments would not only make it harder to protect the climate, the report concluded, but also expose investors and ratepayers to a host of financial threats. The factors that make coal power such a precarious investment include: · U.S. coal prices are rising and could be driven much higher by soaring global demand, especially from Asia. Spot prices for Appalachia coal spiked dramatically in 2008, largely due to international demand, and those prices are steadily rising again with the global economic recovery. And the price for a one-month contract for coal from Wyoming’s Powder River Basin rose 67 percent between October, 2009 and October, 2010. While western coal has been less exposed to volatile global markets, that situation appears to be changing since major coal producers in the West have announced plans to increase their exports to China and other Asian markets. · Coal prices could also be driven higher by constraints on supply. The amount of economically-recoverable coal reserves may be smaller than previously thought. · Major coal projects face high, unpredictable construction costs. The cost of building a new coal plant in the United States has roughly doubled in the past five years. · The cost advantage coal power traditionally enjoyed over cleaner energy options has largely disappeared when it comes to new plants. Power from new coal plants now costs more than power from new gas plants, wind facilities and the best geothermal sites, and much more than investing in energy efficiency. · Coal power is the largest U.S. carbon pollution source—contributing about one-third of all energy-related emissions and more than the entire surface transportation sector. Coal-fired power plants inevitably will face increasingpressure to dramatically cut emissions to help curb climate change. The cost of generating electricity from new coal plants could increase 11 to 37 percent under a range of carbon prices in the future. · Carbon-capture and storage (CCS) retrofits cannot be counted on to affordably cut emissions. Federal studies show that adding CCS to a new plant could increase the cost of generating electricity 36 to 78 percent, while retrofitting an existing plant could increase its costs by 330 percent. · Federal and state governments are promoting energy efficiency and clean energy sources, which will cut demand for coal power. Twenty-seven states have energy efficiency standards or a standard pending, and several states now require annual reductions in electricity use of at least 2 percent. Twenty-nine states now have a standard requiring utilities to increase their reliance on renewable energy sources, more than doubling since 2004. · Coal plants also face new costs associated with such harmful emissions as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which are associated with thousands of deaths annually, and mercury, which threatens the brain development of infants and children. The owners of the most damaging older coal plants have been taking advantage of a legal loophole for decades, Freese pointed out. Clean air legislation and rules put in place in the 1970s did not require existing plants to install pollution control equipment until their next major modification. It was assumed that they would either modify or shut down within a few years. “But coal operators kept these plants running well beyond their expected retirement dates and never installed the pollution controls newer plants were required to use,” Freese said. Even with this loophole, federal air regulations have gone a long way to protect the public health. The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, for example, signed into law by George Herbert Walker Bush, prevented as many as 160,000 premature deaths last year alone, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The amendments also were cost effective. According to the EPA, they’ve cost $65 billion to implement, but their overall financial benefit could reach $2 trillion by 2020. “The success of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments shows that requiring coal plants to cut their pollution leads to public health and economic benefits many times higher than the cost for old coal plants to comply with the law,” Freese said. “The amendments have done a lot of good, but we need to do more. Coal plants are still linked to the deaths of thousands of Americans yearly and many other health threats.” Finally, according to the report, the electric power industry could retire many old coal-fired plants without causing reliability problems with the power grid, Freese said. “First, there is a lot of extra generating capacity on the grid right now. And second, energy efficiency and renewable energy investments are reducing the need for coal. It’s a good time to retire coal plants.” ### The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C. For more information, go to www.ucsusa.org. LuCinda Hohmann Midwest Outreach Coordinator Union of Concerned Scientists Midwest Office 1 North LaSalle St, Suite 1904 Chicago, IL 60602 312-578-1750 x12 LHohmann(a)ucsusa.org www.ucsusa.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE list, send any message to: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/

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Please stop complete reading of bills in house.
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 10 Mar '11

10 Mar '11

Ron, Please do not let your conflict with Rich Thompson be grounds to slow down the legislative process by requiring that all bills be read in full. There are important bills that will be put at risk. It's not you who will suffer the outcome if these bills do not pass, but rather the people of WV that you were chosen by to serve as a public servant. Please reverse this decision. Thank-you, -Jonathan

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CNG as a transportation fuel.
by Allan Tweddle 09 Mar '11

09 Mar '11

Professor Carr. Congratulations on the subtle but excellent wake up call that you issued as part of the article that was published originally in the Wheeling Register, and published today in the Charleston Daily Mail. Your comments, as reported, are right on. Natural gas is abundant, relatively less expensive than either gasoline or diesel fuel, and better for the environment and the engines...the only caveat is the cost of the delivery system. There is also an underplayed benefit to compressed natural gas (CNG). It is the cleanest of the fossil fuels, and until we get to an all solar, wind, geothermal and hydrogen economy, it appears to be the most economical fuel for BOTH transportation and power generation. (The recent analysis by Harvard's School of Public Health certainly shed yet another light on the true economics or coal fired power that would, if the real costs were borne by coal, make natural gas the cheapest fuel for power generation as well. But that's another topic.) I am attaching an op-ed that I wrote and was printed in the Charleston Gazette in 2009 when it was announced that the KRT here in Kanawha County was buying hybrid diesel busses. It spells out my background, experience and posture with regard to CNG as a fuel, particularly for dedicated diesel bus and truck fleets. What can we do collectively to start, foster, incite or encourage an acceleration of a transition to CNG? We all have unique perspectives and experience that should get policy maker's attention. Probably too late for this Legislative session, but it takes time to educate the legislators...so I invite your ideas as to how we can bring about change in thinking. Surely the Legislators who will profit from the Marcellus Shale gas will be interested. I am copying three other WVU professors that I know. Dr. Atkinson and I just met last week at the ARPA-E Energy Summit in D.C. His specialty is engine design. Dr. Carl Irwin of the Industries of the Future Office is an old friend who has been a wise counselor to me as I build a manufacturing business that will reduce the carbon footprint of every Boeing and Airbus aircraft. He too was at the ARPA-E Energy Summit. Dr. Kotcon has been quite active in environmental matters in the State, and always offers stimulating and knowledgeable thoughts about cleaning up our energy infrastructure and advocating conservation. And while there are serious environmental issues surrounding the extraction of the Marcellus Shale natural gas, I am sure that environmentally sound practices will eventually be in place that will enable this State to benefit from its vast potential. Getting the State's fleet of school busses BACK on CNG, and all the other diesel engines as well, will surely help the budget shortfall, clean up the air and switch our fuel acquisition sources from those that hate us to our own shores...indeed our own neighbors in this State. I look forward to hearing your good thoughts... Allan Tweddle, CEO & Chairman Composite Transport Technologies Inc. Charleston WV p.s. My company does not have ANY vested direct financial interest in these ideas...I am just an engineer with 50 years of experience in environmental matters and a very concerned grandfather and taxpayer...

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FW: [NoCoal] Coal Free NW takes a giant step f/w
by Beth Little 08 Mar '11

08 Mar '11

See highlighted text. From: nonewcoalplants-bounces(a)energyjustice.net [mailto:nonewcoalplants-bounces@energyjustice.net] On Behalf Of Bruce Nilles Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 10:53 AM To: nonewcoalplants(a)energyjustice.net Subject: [NoCoal] Coal Free NW takes a giant step f/w Dear Friends, In a giant step forward on our path to systematically ending coal use in the United States we just finalized an agreement with WA Gov Gregoire, Trans Alta, and WA senators to close the massive 1460MW coal plant in Washingon State. Notably, the press release below includes our brothers and sisters at IBEW, reflecting how we were able to thread this needle in a way that works for our beyond coal goals and for the workers. This agreement was finalized Friday and passed the state senate late yesterday. House passage will be tough, but should be doable. This latest step forward builds on our successful campaign to lock in closure of the PGE plant in Oregon earlier this year and once this WA legislation is finalized we will have an enforceable timeline and plan to rid the Pacific NW of both of its coal plants. This WA coal plant has been the target of a concerted two-year campaign, with a great group of allies, including Earthjustice, Washington Environmental Council, Climate Solutions, NPCA (who is still vetting this agreement) and NW Energy Coalition. Over the past two years we jump started a statewide discussion about the dangers of coal, and systematically shifted the discussion from a) WA state has a filthy coal plant, to b) should this plant get retired, to c) "when" should this plant be retired? This agreement is all the more remarkable (and made earlier retirement difficult) because Trans Alta spent over $500M in the past decade to install SO2 scrubbers and is one of the newer plants in the US (1972-unit 1, 1973-unit2). The agreement requires the first unit close in 9 years (2020) and second unit in 14 years (2025). In the interim Trans Alta must install Nox controls to mitigate the pollution impacts on downwind communities and the haze pollution in a large number of our most treasured public lands, including Mt. Ranier and North Cascades National Parks. In this agreement we also did something we have never done before - establish a $55M transition fund as a way to help workers and the community get weaned off of coal. While we had hoped for a quicker timeline this schedule provides the workers w/plenty of lead time - that is why IBEW supports this agreement - and gives us time to reconfigure the NW electric grid to replace the largest power plant in the region w/mix of wind, solar and geothermal and minimize the use of natural gas. The Oregon and Washington plants (Boardman and Trans Alta) generate about 15,000 GWH of electricity annually. If this is replaced with wind and solar it will require about 6,000MW of new wind/solar installations over the next 9-14 years. This would represent the largest new clean energy market opportunity that this region has ever seen, given that last year the entire US installed 1200MW of solar and 5,000MW of wind. Step by step we are changing the politics, weakening our opponents in the coal industry, and seeding the country for a serious discussion about combating global warming. Cheers, Bruce ----- Forwarded by Bruce Nilles/Sierraclub on 03/05/2011 05:28 PM ----- From: "Shagren, Karina (GOV)" <Karina.Shagren(a)GOV.WA.GOV> To: "Shagren, Karina (GOV)" <Karina.Shagren(a)GOV.WA.GOV> Cc: Date: 03/05/2011 05:24 PM Subject: Gov. Gregoire announces agreement with TransAlta _____ CHRISTINE O. GREGOIRE Governor STATE OF WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR P.O. Box 40002 • Olympia, Washington 98504-0002 • (360) 902-4111 For Release: Immediate Media Contact: Governor’s Communications Office Date: March 5, 2011 Phone: 360-902-4136 Gov. Gregoire announces agreement with TransAlta Company agrees to transition off of coal, invest in energy efficiency projects and innovative energy technologies OLYMPIA— Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced a proposed agreement has been reached with TransAlta to significantly reduce emissions from the company’s coal-fired power plant in the Centralia area. The agreement was negotiated by TransAlta, the state of Washington and members of the environmental community to ensure a transition to cleaner power while allowing the necessary time to provide economic stability to Southwest Washington. “What a proud day for the Centralia community, and all of Washington state,” Gregoire said. “I congratulate all of the parties involved who worked in good faith, and spent countless hours to achieve this agreement. This compromise promises cleaner air for our future, while providing the necessary time to ensure economic stability, job protection and enough power on the grid to keep our homes and businesses running. I encourage the Legislature to take timely action to ensure this agreement moves forward.” In 2009, Gregoire signed an executive order directing the Department of Ecology to work with TransAlta to establish an agreed order that would apply the greenhouse gas emissions performance standards by no later than December 31, 2025. Today’s agreement moves up the performance standards for one of two boilers to Dec. 31, 2020 and the other boiler on Dec. 31, 2025. “We’re pleased to see all parties agree on legislation that balances the interests of jobs, the economy, energy and the environment,” said Stephen Snyder, President and CEO of TransAlta. “This legislation meets our commitment to a low-carbon future through transition from coal to gas in Washington, significantly reduces our environmental risk and allows us to provide fair shareholder value through favorable long-term contracts while protecting jobs and the economy of the local community.” Senator Phil Rockefeller introduced an amendment which would incorporate the new agreement into SB 5769, which would establish the first coal-free date in law. This amendment includes: * TransAlta will be allowed in the interim to sell coal power under long-term contracts within Washington – which will give the company the financial stability needed to transition to a cleaner source of energy; * The plant’s two coal boilers will meet the state’s emissions performance standard for new and modified power plants, which will require the boilers to shut down. The standard will apply to one boiler on Dec. 31, 2020, and to the other boiler on Dec. 31, 2025 – essentially ending coal-fired power in Washington state in the next 14 years; * In 2013, TransAlta will install additional air pollution control technology to further reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides at the plant. This technology is called selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR). The TransAlta plant is the state’s largest single industrial source of nitrogen oxide emissions. Nitrogen oxides are one of the causes of visibility-limiting regional haze in national parks and on federal lands; and * TransAlta agrees to contribute $30 million in a community investment fund to help with energy efficiency projects, as well as $25 million in an energy technology transition fund, which must be spent on supporting innovative energy technologies and companies in Washington state. “It’s great news that TransAlta and the people interested in the future of the Centralia community and clean air have come together on a proposed agreement,” said Rockefeller. “I congratulate them, but at the same time recognize we have a lot of work ahead of us. The amendment I have prepared will capture the recent agreement in legislative language. Sen. Dan Swecker from Lewis County has signed onto this amendment and I hope others follow. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, the company and the governor to arrive at a final agreement.” “Clean air and water have always been my top priority,” Rep. Marko Liias said, “and this compromise goes a long way towards protecting our environment and preserving good jobs. I’m glad to see TransAlta has agreed to this solution, which will provide $55 million towards the local community and economy.” “This is a giant step forward toward a healthier and safer Washington, free from coal,” said Bruce Nilles, Deputy Conservation Director with the Sierra Club. “We are leaving coal pollution in the past as we continue building the clean energy economy of today. We thank the Governor, TransAlta, Sen. Rockefeller, Rep. Liias, the people of Lewis County and the Environmental Priorities Coalition for their efforts in achieving this historic agreement.” “We are excited to be a part of this solution, which will help Washington transition to a clean energy economy, safeguard public health, and provide a secure economic future for Lewis County. We look forward to working closely with the Legislature to ensure passage of this groundbreaking agreement,” said Rod Brown, President, Washington Environmental Council. “Our priority was maintaining family-wage jobs in the Centralia area,” said Bob Guenther from the Thurston-Lewis-Mason Central Labor Council, IBEW 77. “That’s what every community needs to thrive, and Centralia is no exception. TransAlta provides critical employment opportunities to ensure a strong economy in Southwest Washington, and I’m pleased that our goal of sustaining good jobs was met with this agreement while providing certainty for all involved including the community, labor, the company, the environment and the grid.” # # #

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Marcelus shale Campaign planning meeting
by Beth Little 07 Mar '11

07 Mar '11

This is to make sure I didn't miss anyone on the Energy Committee, so I'm sorry if you get this twice. Monday, Marcy 21 at noon at Jim Kotcon's house (Jim please follow up with some directions). Jonathan, if I missed anyone on the Energy Committee, please let me know and I'll forward this to them. We will be updating our campaign plan based on what has, or most likely hasn't, happened at the 2011 legislative session. We will also discuss the upcoming governor's race. Let us know if you are likely to come. More later..

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Fwd: Wind energy discussion at WVU Law
by James Kotcon 07 Mar '11

07 Mar '11

>>> Walton Christopher Shepherd <waltonchristophershepherd(a)gmail.com> 3/6/2011 8:41 PM >>> Hello colleague: On Monday, March 14 at noon at the Law School, Grant Shuman, a lawyer from Spilman, Thomas and Battle in Charleston will be discussing legal issues surrounding wind energy development in WV that I think you will find interesting. Grant is extremely bright, a native West Virginian, and he has worked on most of the major wind energy cases in WV, both in the court and at the PSC, including on Mount Storm and on the fascinating Beech Ridge case. He has long been an immense value to me personally in understanding the realities of wind development. I hope you can make it! I'll send another reminder between now and then. Have a great week, Chris Shepherd 206.7907 PS: And of course, please forward to any and all that may be interested.

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Re: [EC] Comments on Sierra Club Energy Policy Amendments
by James Kotcon 06 Mar '11

06 Mar '11

The Sierra Club is proposing to revise its Energy Policy. It was first proposed in 2006, and has been amended a couple times, but some of these new revisions are pretty major. This document guides the Club's positions on numerous specific projects, so this basically tells us what we are supposed to support, what we should oppose, and where we have case-specific wiggle room. We are supposed to submit comments by March 31, and the Energy Committee was asked to develop comments for the WV Chapter. Attached is the draft policy with revisions highlighted in yellow. Also attached is the first draft of my comments on these revisions. Some are strictly editorial, but some are substantive policy comments. I propose that the Chapter finalize any comments this week, so that we can circulate them to other entities to gather support for our position. Please let me know if you have any additional thoughts or suggestions. Jim Kotcon 304-293-8822 (office) 304-594-3322 (home) _____ From: Bill Price [mailto:bill.price@sierraclub.org] Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 11:39 AM To: 'Gary Nelson'; 'Gwen Jones'; 'Jim Kotcon'; 'Jonathan Rosenbaum'; 'Sally Wilts'; 'Heather Heilman'; 'Jim Sconyers'; 'Paul Wilson'; 'Regina Hendrix'; 'Frank Young'; 'Kevin Fooce' Cc: 'David Muhly'; 'Mark Kresowik' Subject: Comment period on Sierra Club Energy Policy Amendments All, Sierra Club is circulating a set of proposed amendments to the Club's Energy Policy. I've attached a copy of the policy with the revisions highlighted. I wanted to be sure that everyone knew about this and had the opportunity to comment. Please pass along to others that would be interested. <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=CaUTPF71cLdaiKw-X5yzFA..> Seeking Comments on Energy Policy Amendments At the request of the Board of Directors, we are circulating a set of proposed amendments to the Sierra Club's 2006 Energy Resources Policy for review and 60-day comment period. Read the <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=fxjP-eQcKaISDN-gS8_buQ..> introduction and proposed amendments, then submit your comments <http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=BLWJBGGlSaALMrKFHXt_5A..> . Bill Price, Sierra Club EJ Program 922 Quarrier Street, Suite 304 Charleston, WV 25311 Cell 304-389-8822 Fax 304-342-3182 Voices from the Mountains-September 25-27th For more information go to www.appalachiarising.org

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Re: [EC] Diane Rehm show on Hydro-fracking
by Paul Wilson 03 Mar '11

03 Mar '11

Greetings: if you are sitting by your computer -in WV- Public Radio's Diane Rehm show will be on Hydro-Fracking this morning at 10am. You can listen at www.wamu.org If you miss the show, it will be posted on their website archives and you can listen after the fact. A lot of NPR affiliates carry the Diane Rehm show, but not WV NPR!! good luck, paul -- 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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NYTimes: Regulation Lax as Gas Wells’ Tainted Water Hits Rivers
by William DePaulo 02 Mar '11

02 Mar '11

From The New York Times: DRILLING DOWN: Regulation Lax as Gas Wells’ Tainted Water Hits Rivers A method to extract more natural gas often produces wastewater laced with toxic substances. http://nyti.ms/gIcm36 Get The New York Times on your iPhone for free by visiting http://itunes.com/apps/nytimes William V DePaulo, Esq 179 Summers Street #232 Charleston WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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NYTimes: Wastewater Recycling No Cure-All in Gas Process
by William DePaulo 02 Mar '11

02 Mar '11

From The New York Times: Wastewater Recycling No Cure-All in Gas Process Though it has helped the natural gas industry reduce its wastewater, recycling has not eliminated all the hazards. http://nyti.ms/fobxs0 Get The New York Times on your iPhone for free by visiting http://itunes.com/apps/nytimes William V DePaulo, Esq 179 Summers Street #232 Charleston WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Fwd: PATH press release
by James Kotcon 28 Feb '11

28 Feb '11

I plan to put out something tonight, hopefully by 8 PM. Does anyone want to add a quote? Jim Kotcon 304-293-8822 (office) 304-594-3322 (home) >>> "Cramer, Virginia" <virginia.cramer(a)sierraclub.org> 2/28/2011 4:16 PM >>> Hi all, Attached please find a press release drafted by Earthjustice. This version focuses on VA, but please feel free to adapt and send out in your states. It should only take a moment to change the dateline, add your contact info and substitute your quote from Glen's. Let me know if you have questions or want me to send it out in your state. I'm already planning to send to VA outlets. - ginny On Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 12:23 PM, Pollard, Kate <kate.pollard(a)sierraclub.org > wrote: > I'm happy to help with VA press , but interested in others' thoughts on the > appropriate response. > Kate > > > On Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 12:07 PM, Mark Kresowik < > Mark.Kresowik(a)sierraclub.org> wrote: > >> Is somebody doing pews on this? Sierra >> Club joint or coalition? >> >> -----Forwarded by Mark Kresowik/Sierraclub on 02/28/2011 12:02PM ----- >> >> ======================= >> To: Northeast <Northeast(a)earthjustice.org>, 'Elena Saxonhouse' < >> Elena.Saxonhouse(a)sierraclub.org>, 'Joanne Spalding' < >> Joanne.Spalding(a)sierraclub.org>, "'Dwooley(a)ef.org'" <Dwooley(a)ef.org>, >> Mark Kresowik <Mark.Kresowik(a)sierraclub.org>, 'Bob Fagan' < >> rfagan(a)synapse-energy.com>, 'Hyde Merrill' <HM(a)MerrillEnergy.com>, >> 'George Loehr' <gloehr(a)elucem.com> >> From: Abigail Dillen <adillen(a)earthjustice.org> >> Date: 02/28/2011 11:19AM >> Cc: "'Willard R. Burns'" <wburns(a)burnslegal.net>, Rishi Garg < >> rgarg1976(a)gmail.com>, Terry Black <tblackigc(a)comcast.net>, Patti Goldman >> <pgoldman(a)earthjustice.org>, Trip Van Noppen <tvannoppen(a)earthjustice.org >> > >> Subject: Great news on PATH >> ======================= >> All, >> >> We have just learned that PJM has ordered the PATH project to be held in >> abeyance. While it is not officially cancelled (yet), the most recent >> modeling runs ordered in our Virginia case have shown that the line is not >> needed for several years to come, and PATH's backers have been ordered to >> suspend work on the project. It is extremely difficult to reverse momentum >> on these multi-billion dollar projects once they have been ordered in >> service, but I am cautiously optimistic that that's what we are doing! >> Notably, the PJM Board affirmed: >> >> In particular, the growth of Demand Response can contribute to lower >> expectations for future peak demand, thereby extending the time period when >> transmission upgrades are needed. >> >> This, of course, is the precise argument that we have been making. >> >> While this project may come back to life at some point, for now, we can >> celebrate an important victory. Thanks very much to David Wooley and the >> Energy Foundation and to our excellent experts, Bob Fagan, Hyde Merrill, and >> George Loehr. >> >> The relevant language in the attached PJM announcement is copied below: >> >> As part of its 2011 RTEP, and in response to a request by a Virginia >> Hearing Examiner, PJM is conducting >> >> a series of analyses using the most current economic forecasts and Demand >> Response commitments, as >> >> well as potential new generation resources. Preliminary analysis reveals >> the expected reliability violations >> >> that necessitated PATH have moved several years into the future. >> >> Based on these latest results, the Board has decided to hold the PATH >> project in abeyance in its 2011 >> >> RTEP. The Board further directs the sponsoring Transmission Owners to >> suspend current development >> >> efforts on the PATH project, subject to those activities necessary to >> maintain the project in its current state, >> >> while PJM conducts more rigorous analysis of the potential need for PATH >> as part of its continuing RTEP >> >> process. This action, however, does not, at this time, constitute a >> directive by PJM to the sponsoring >> >> Transmission Owners to cancel or abandon the PATH project. >> >> >> >> Abigail Dillen >> Staff Attorney >> Earthjustice >> 156 William Street, Suite 800 >> New York, NY 10038 >> (212) 791-1881 ext. 221 >> Fax: (212) 918-1556 >> >> >> >> > > > > > -- > Kate Pollard > Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign > Associate Field Organizer > w: (571) 970-0275 > c: (703) 963-5800 > www.sierraclub.org/coal/va/ > <http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/va/> > Join us on facebook.com/SCNOVAHub > Follow us on twitter.com/SCNOVAHub > > In the digital age, half our electricity still comes from coal. > > -- Virginia Cramer Deputy Press Secretary Sierra Club tel: 804-225-9113 x 102

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PATH announces application "suspension"
by Frank Young 28 Feb '11

28 Feb '11

Hot Damn! ------------------------------------------------------------ COLUMBUS and AKRON, Ohio, February 28, 2011 - American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) and FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) today announced their affiliates will file to withdraw their applications for state regulatory approval of the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH) project following an announcement by regional grid operator PJM Interconnection that the project has been suspended. http://www.pathtransmission.com/ ----- Original Message ----- From: Cindy Rank To: WVHCBOARD(a)yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, February 28, 2011 12:04 PM Subject: [WVHCBOARD] PATH delayed by PJM http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/ Breaking news: PJM puts PATH on hold February 28, 2011 by Ken Ward Jr. Here’s the announcement just in from PJM Interconnection: The outlook for a slower economic recovery has led the Board of PJM Interconnection to direct transmission owners to suspend efforts on the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH). The news release doesn’t appear to be on PJM’s Web site yet, and apparently the board decision was made on Friday. Here’s more: ... for more follow the link: http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/ __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity: Visit Your Group Working since 1967 for the conservation and wise management of West Virginia's natural resources Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use. __,_._,___

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Fw: PATH Going Down?
by Frank Young 28 Feb '11

28 Feb '11

WordPress.comSee Bill Howley's blog post below. And here is the PJM news release: PJM BOARD DIRECTS DELAY IN PATH TRANSMISSION LINE http://www.pjm.com/~/media/about-pjm/newsroom/2011-releases/20110228-RTEP-a… ----- Original Message ----- From: The Power Line To: fyoung(a)mountain.net Sent: Monday, February 28, 2011 11:36 AM Subject: [New post] PATH Going Down PATH Going Down Bill | February 28, 2011 at 11:36 am | Tags: Power Companies & PATH | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/piwFb-1fv Here is the link to PJM's announcement dated February 28, 2011. As part of its 2011 RTEP, and in response to a request by a Virginia Hearing Examiner, PJM is conducting a series of analyses using the most current economic forecasts and Demand Response commitments, as well as potential new generation resources. Preliminary analysis reveals the expected reliability violations that necessitated PATH have moved several years into the future. Based on these latest results, the Board has decided to hold the PATH project in abeyance in its 2011 RTEP. The Board further directs the sponsoring Transmission Owners to suspend current development efforts on the PATH project, subject to those activities necessary to maintain the project in its current state, while PJM conducts more rigorous analysis of the potential need for PATH as part of its continuing RTEP process. This action, however, does not, at this time, constitute a directive by PJM to the sponsoring Transmission Owners to cancel or abandon the PATH project. PJM will complete this more rigorous analysis of the PATH project and other transmission requirements and then report the results to stakeholders when it is available. The Board will review this comprehensive analysis as part of its consideration of the 2011 Regional Transmission Expansion Plan. Note that PJM is not calling for a cancellation of PATH -- yet. It is clear that the analysis that the VA SCC required PJM to perform is not going to bring good news for AEP/FirstEnergy. It is quite likely, however, that holding PATH "in abeyance" means that PJM is not going to specify a new required in service date for PATH in the 2011 RTEP. The old in service date will go from June 2015 to "well, maybe sometime, but then again maybe never." So, if PJM is not willing to set a definite in service date for PATH, what does that mean for AEP/FirstEnergy's applications in MD, WV and East Virginia? If PJM is no longer "requiring" PATH, is there any there there? WordPress.com | Thanks for flying with WordPress! Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe | Express yourself. Start a blog. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://subscribe.wordpress.com

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Natural gas not necessarily cleaner than coal - Beckley Register-Herald
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 27 Feb '11

27 Feb '11

It's good to observe these types of articles making it into the media: Natural gas not necessarily cleaner than coal - Beckley Register-Herald (http://www.register-herald.com/marcellus/x186200283/Natural-gas-not-necessa…) Beth Little, of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, said the damage from a natural gas site compared to a mountaintop removal site is “near equal.” -Jonathan

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WV - Longview plant
by James Kotcon 25 Feb '11

25 Feb '11

This morning, for the first time, I am seeing smoke from Longview's main smoke stack, as well as steam from Longview's cooling towers. Based on the attached press release, it is not clear that they have burned coal yet, but if smoke or steam is coming from the stack, it suggests they at least have all the pipes put together. JBK This press release from the developer has details about their boiler tests: http://www.longviewpower.com/news-events/press-release-detail.php?id=49

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FACES of WVU SGA
by Jonathan Rosenbaum 24 Feb '11

24 Feb '11

This morning I observed the headline article in The Daily Athenaeum was WVU's "SGA supports coal industry regulation", good I thought, the SGA supports strong EPA regulation. However, that wasn't what the article was about at all. Instead the SGA came out with an informational proclamation that supports the organization 'FACES of Coal" which has the exact opposite goal. This is a complete reversal of face for WVU SGA which in the past has been progressive. I am curious about how this happened. Has the coal industry infiltrated the SGA or are a larger percentage of WVU students simply unable to see anything in the future other than coal? http://www.thedaonline.com/news/sga-supports-coal-industry-regulation-1.201…

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FW: DFA Campaign Training Coming to WV April 9-10, 2011
by Grubb, Karen 24 Feb '11

24 Feb '11

Denise is a member of the WVEC board. From: Denise Binion [mailto:dbinion@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 9:57 PM To: Frank Young; Grubb, Karen; Kevin Smith; Gary Zuckett Subject: DFA Campaign Training Coming to WV April 9-10, 2011 For the first time ever, the national Democracy for America (DFA) will hold a campaign training session in WV, April 9-10, 2011. Founded in 2004 by former DNC Chairman Howard Dean, DFA is a people-powered political action committee working to change our country and the Democratic Party from the bottom up. Dean's 50-State Strategy was responsible for the 2006 Democratic gains in the House and Senate and the Presidency in 2008. The DFA Campaign Academy mission is to focus, network, and train grassroots activists in the skills and strategies needed to take back our country, manage successful campaigns, or run for office themselves. In addition to general campaign related topics, the training includes issue advocacy and lobbying with an emphasis on organizing around an issue, generating public pressure, and citizen lobbying of elected officials. Considering the numerous social, environmental and economic problems facing WV, this individualized training will be invaluable. The training academy will be located at the WVU Jackson's Mill campus http://jacksonsmill.ext.wvu.edu/ The cost of the training is $70 per person or if you are unable to afford the full cost, reduced rates of $35 are available for low income or students via online pre-payment. This contribution helps DFA cover its costs, including the venue rental and a personal copy of the 180 page training manual, as well as lunch and coffee (both days). At the door charges paid with check or credit card will be $80/$45. To register and prepay online: http://www.democracyforamerica.com/events/2506-weston-wv-dfa-campaign-acade… Lodging is reasonably priced: Lodge rooms are $65.00 per night, dormitory style facilities are only $11.00 per night, per individual (open sleeping quarters and shared bath with bed linens provided). Breakfast and dinner may be purchased onsite for $6.25 and $9.25 respectively. Saturday will feature a social event with participants, current legislators and candidates and potential candidates. This training is sponsored by North Central WV Democracy For America in an effort to reinvigorate WV Democratic politics and to assist progressives in electing politicians who uphold and represent progressive principles. It is a great opportunity to network with other like-minded individuals from around the state who are serious about putting West Virginia's government back into the hands of the people. Open to all those who are interested in advancing progressive politics in WV. For further information and to sign up for email updates contact NCWVDFA Chair Denise Binion at ncwvdfa(a)gmail.com<mailto:ncwvdfa@gmail.com> or call 304-669-0247. Please feel free to distribute and post the attached flyer to advertise the training.

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Fw: Alert from from WV Environmental Council, Sierra Club, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition
by Jim Sconyers 24 Feb '11

24 Feb '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: WVEC - Don Alexander <paradox(a)spectrumz.com> To: Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Wed, February 23, 2011 6:23:13 PM Subject: Alert from from WV Environmental Council, Sierra Club, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition WVEC Action Alert West Virginia Environmental Council Action Alert February 23, 2011 WVEC Alerts Archive ________________________________ >From WV Environmental Council, Sierra Club, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition: Please contact the following Legislators (be sure to identify yourself if you leave a message) IMMEDIATELY - bills in danger of stalling! Also please say that if no regulatory bill can be moved, we need a moratorium on new permits! * House Judiciary Chair Tim Miley - (304) 340-3252 Message: Move 2878! (This bill is first on the agenda at 8:30 AM tomorrow morning (Thursday)!!! * House Speaker Richard Thompson - (304)340-3210 Message: Dispense reference to Finance Committee for 2878 * House Finance Chair Harry Keith White - (304) 340-3230 Message: Take up 2878 immediately if it comes to Finance Committee * Senate President Jeff Kessler (304)357-7801 Message: Urge Senate to move 424 * Senate EIM Chair Mike Green (304)357-7831 Message: Move 424 * Senate Judiciary Chair Corey Palumbo (304)357-7880 Message: Move 424 immediately if it comes to Judiciary ________________________________ Don Alexander WVEC E-mail List Coordinator Subscribe or Unsubscribe Online

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Fwd: WVNS story: 'Invest The Boom' Proposal For WV Gas Severance Tax Trust Fund
by Paul Wilson 24 Feb '11

24 Feb '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Public News Service <wvns(a)newsservice.org> Date: Thu, Feb 24, 2011 at 4:43 AM Subject: WVNS story: 'Invest The Boom' Proposal For WV Gas Severance Tax Trust Fund To: PaulWilson <pjgrunt(a)gmail.com> Public News Service-WV February 24, 2011 'Invest The Boom' Proposal For WV Gas Severance Tax Trust Fund CHARLESTON, W.Va. - West Virginia could help ease the effects of its chronic natural-resources boom-and-bust cycles by investing part of the revenue from natural-gas drilling. Projections suggest most natural gas now being drilled in the state will be gone in 30 years. Sean O'Leary, executive director of the *West Virginia Center On Budget And Policy*, says a 1 percent severance tax could fund hundreds of millions of dollars for job creation, funding now missing in desperate coalfield areas. "The communities' fortunes fluctuate with the price of coal. We don't want to see that happen to the communities that develop natural gas. The gas won't be there forever. Once we drill it, it'll be extracted - and in a couple of decades it'll be gone and we'll be left wondering, 'Now what do we do?' " The mineral trust fund plan would increase severance taxes, and tax increases are often attacked as bad for job creation. In this case, however, O'Leary says, the reverse is true. "The exact opposite of taking away jobs. This can be used to lower taxes on other industries, clean up some of the environmental concerns, revitalize downtown areas, building bridges, roads. Those types of things really help attract jobs." Unlike some businesses, O'Leary notes, the industry can't move out of state if the taxes go up. "The gas and the coal, it's here. If you want to produce the gas, you have to do it where the gas is." Several states have similar mineral trust funds. If West Virginia had starting setting aside 1 percent in coal severance taxes 30 years ago, O'Leary says, the state would have $2 billion in the bank even after having invested $1 billion in job creation. Click here to view this story on the Public News Service RSS site and access an audio version of this and other stories: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/18663-1<http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/18663-1> --- To be removed from this list please send an e-mail to remove(a)publicnewsservice.org <remove(a)publicnewsservice.org?subject=remove>and put the word "remove" in the subject line. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "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: Mt. Storm-Doubs Hearings scheduled at VA SCC
by Jim Sconyers 24 Feb '11

24 Feb '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Elena Saxonhouse <Elena.Saxonhouse(a)sierraclub.org> To: CONS-ELP-TRANS-LINES-FORUM(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Wed, February 23, 2011 11:36:56 AM Subject: Mt. Storm-Doubs Hearings scheduled at VA SCC -----Forwarded by Elena Saxonhouse/Sierraclub on 02/23/2011 08:36AM ----- From: Zainab Kents <Zainab.Kents(a)scc.virginia.gov> >Date: 02/23/2011 07:00AM >Subject: State Corporation Commission News Release > > >The following link is the SCC News Release. > >SCC SCHEDULES LOCAL HEARINGS TO RECEIVE TESTIMONY ON MT. STORM-DOUBS >TRANSMISSION LINE > >http://www.scc.virginia.gov/newsrel/e_doubstrans_11.aspx > > >Zai Kents >Information Resources >email: zainab.kents(a)scc.virginia.gov >804 371-9361 >fax 371-9221 > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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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Fw: Express your disappointment - your Rep. voted for mountaintop removal
by Jim Sconyers 24 Feb '11

24 Feb '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "Matt Wasson, iLoveMountains.org" <matt.wasson(a)ilovemountains.org> To: jim_scon(a)yahoo.com Sent: Wed, February 23, 2011 11:14:06 AM Subject: Express your disappointment - your Rep. voted for mountaintop removal Dear Jim, Express your disappointment to your Representative for voting against protections for Appalachian mountains and streams. You can watch Rep Griffith's speech here. Late Friday night, the House passed three amendments designed to give a green light to new mountaintop removal mines and to prevent the EPA from fulling its duties under the Clean Water Act to oversee the permitting of valley fills - the waste disposal sites for mountaintop removal mines. Thank you to all who picked up the phone last week to ask your member of Congress to oppose these attacks on the Clean Water Act. We regret to inform you, however, that your member of Congress voted to roll back protections for Appalachian mountains, streams and communities. Do not be discouraged! This was only the first vote and there will be several more opportunities to remove these amendments when the Senate takes up the budget bill next week. However, it's important to share your disappointment with your Congressperson before the next vote on mountaintop removal comes up in the House: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Wg9vdJrvNMEwlp9iNcmr… The good news is that, while we were unable to defeat the bad amendments, we received more than enough votes to ensure that a Presidential veto can be sustained in the House. It was also exciting to hear debate on mountaintop removal on the floor of the House, something that has not occurred in over 30 years. With your ongoing support, we will continue to demonstrate America's commitment to ending mountaintop removal. We'll need your help again next week when the fight moves to the Senate. It's a shame when members of Congress choose to put coal company profits ahead of protections for the oldest and most biologically diverse mountains and streams on the continent. Please take a moment to send your Congressperson a message now. Thanks for standing up for Appalachia, Matt Wasson iLoveMountains.org P.S. -- Please help us spread the word on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter. You are receiving this message because you expressed an interest in ending mountaintop removal coal mining to one of the partner organizations of www.iLoveMountains.org. To modify your subscription preferences, click here.

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Fwd: WVNS story: Deep Public Concern About Marcellus Drilling In WV
by Paul Wilson 18 Feb '11

18 Feb '11

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Public News Service <wvns(a)newsservice.org> Date: Fri, Feb 18, 2011 at 8:10 AM Subject: WVNS story: Deep Public Concern About Marcellus Drilling In WV To: PaulWilson <pjgrunt(a)gmail.com> Public News Service-WV February 18, 2011 Deep Public Concern About Marcellus Drilling In WV CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Legislators got an earful Thursday from people worried about the impact of the fast-growing practics of extracting natural gas from West Virginia's Marcellus shale. More members of the public wanted to speak on proposed Marcellus drilling regulations than time allowed during the open hearing. Most, such as Wetzel County farmer Marty Whiteman, say they are concerned about water pollution and damage to roads and land. Whiteman says drilling cost him a big portion of his hay production. "When they come in, they told us we would not be affected at all, that this would be a minor inconvenience. And it's been devastation." One key issue is "pooling," designed to deal with the way gas moves under property lines by allowing production that crosses the boundaries and dividing profits among neighbors. Some of the smaller gas companies oppose pooling, and landowners are divided. Many large drillers argue that it would limit damage to the land and water, while being fair to mineral-rights owners. Scott Rotruck, vice president of Chesapeake Energy, takes that position. "We need pooling. Pooling will help us limit the environmental impact of shale development, and it will help protect people's property rights. It's good environmentally and it's good economically. Everybody will get paid for their property." Not yet included in the legislation is regulation of possible air pollution resulting from the drilling and processing of natural gas. Elizabeth Mow of Buckhannon, who describes herself as a concerned citizen, wants the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to tackle that issue. "I'm particularly concerned about the protection of air quality, the release of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds. If the DEP does not have the authority to regulate this, it should be given the authority." New figures from the *West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy* suggest the counties with the most gas production are the ones that need economic development the most. Some speakers were worried that over-regulation could stall one of the state's fastest-growing industries, but some companies within the industry support the rules now being drafted, including increased fees to pay for new well inspectors. Click here to view this story on the Public News Service RSS site and access an audio version of this and other stories: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/18565-1<http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/18565-1> --- To be removed from this list please send an e-mail to remove(a)publicnewsservice.org <remove(a)publicnewsservice.org?subject=remove>and put the word "remove" in the subject line. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "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: STILL TIME TO MAKE A CALL: ASK YOUR REP TO VOTE NO ON 10 AND 217
by Jim Sconyers 17 Feb '11

17 Feb '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Lisa Evans <levans(a)EARTHJUSTICE.ORG> To: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Thu, February 17, 2011 11:32:07 AM Subject: STILL TIME TO MAKE A CALL: ASK YOUR REP TO VOTE NO ON 10 AND 217 Friends- The House has not yet voted on the anti-ash amendments. Please make a call to your congressional representative immediately to ask them to vote NO on Amendments 10 and 217 that would defund public health protection from toxic coal ash. The two amendments, Amendment 10 offered by Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and Amendment 217 offered by David McKinley (R-WV), would prevent EPA from regulating coal ash as a hazardous waste by explicitly prohibiting the funding of a subtitle C rule. If passed, the amendments, which are nearly identical, would require EPA to regulate coal ash as a nonhazardous waste under subtitle D. EPA’s only option would be to issue guidelines for states that not mandatory and that are unenforceable by EPA. The amendments would maintain the status quo of lax (or absent) state oversight of coal ash dumping and would guarantee that polluters will have the legal right to continue to dump coal ash in unlined pits and ponds. Please call your representatives in Congress TODAY- ASAP- and ASK THEM TO VOTE NO ON AMENDMENTS 10 AND 217. PLEASE SEND this email to the members of your organization to maximize our impact. To locate the telephone number of your member of Congress, just insert your zip code. http://www.contactingthecongress.org/ THANK YOU for your help. Sincerely, Lisa Evans Lisa Evans Senior Administrative Counsel Earthjustice 21 Ocean Ave. Marblehead, MA 01945 T: (781) 631-4119 F: (212) 918-1556 www.earthjustice.org *please consider the environment before printing The information contained in this email message may be privileged, confidential and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution or copying is strictly prohibited. If you think that you have received this email message in error, please notify the sender by reply email and delete the message and any attachments. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE list, send any message to: COAL-COMBUSTION-WASTE-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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Fwd: Harvard Study on the true cost of coal-fired electricity
by Paul Wilson 16 Feb '11

16 Feb '11

If you haven't seen it already, here's a piece that details an impressive new study on the true costs of using coal to produce electricity. regards. paul w. http://climateprogress.org/2011/02/16/life-cycle-study-coal-harvard-epstein… -- 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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Re: [EC] [WVHCBOARD] Please vote in MTR poll
by Martinjul＠aol.com 15 Feb '11

15 Feb '11

Just voted we are ahead at 51% In a message dated 2/15/2011 5:33:57 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, fyoung(a)mountain.net writes: The poll question is: "Are you in favor of mountain top removal mining?" Please share with friends. Scroll down in center column to see poll. _http://www.wkyt.com/_ (http://www.wkyt.com/) __._,_.___ _Reply to sender_ (mailto:fyoung@mountain.net?subject=Re:%20Please%20vote%20in%20MTR%20poll) | _Reply to group_ (mailto:WVHCBOARD@yahoogroups.com?subject=Re:%20Please%20vote%20in%20MTR%20poll) | _Reply via web post_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WVHCBOARD/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwMTcwZWxvBF9TAzk3M… BGdycElkAzEwODEwOARncnBzcElkAzE3MDUwNjQxNzcEbXNnSWQDMTY0ODEEc2VjA2Z0cgRzbGsD cnBseQRzdGltZQMxMjk3ODA5MjM1?act=reply&messageNum=16481) | _Start a New Topic_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WVHCBOARD/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJkYWdub2FzBF9TAzk3M… YwRzdGltZQMxMjk3ODA5MjM1) _Messages in this topic_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WVHCBOARD/message/16481;_ylc=X3oDMTM1bGg1MHNn… UwNjQxNzcEbXNnSWQDMTY0ODEEc2VjA2Z0cgRzbGsDdnRwYwRzdGltZQMxMjk3ODA5MjM1BHRwY0 lkAzE2NDgx) (1) Recent Activity: _Visit Your Group_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WVHCBOARD;_ylc=X3oDMTJkdnRnYjM4BF9TAzk3MzU5Nz… RzbGsDdmdocARzdGltZQMxMjk3ODA5MjM1) Working since 1967 for the conservation and wise management of West Virginia's natural resources (http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJjOHJrZGtiBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzEwO… ) Switch to: _Text-Only_ (mailto:WVHCBOARD-traditional@yahoogroups.com?subject=Change Delivery Format: Traditional) , _Daily Digest_ (mailto:WVHCBOARD-digest@yahoogroups.com?subject=Email Delivery: Digest) • _Unsubscribe_ (mailto:WVHCBOARD-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe) • _Terms of Use_ (http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/) . __,_._,___

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Please vote in MTR poll
by Frank Young 15 Feb '11

15 Feb '11

The poll question is: "Are you in favor of mountain top removal mining?" Please share with friends. Scroll down in center column to see poll. http://www.wkyt.com/

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Re: [EC] Fwd: URGENT: House vote could end coal ash safeguards TODAY - call your Congressional member
by fmoose39＠hotmail.com 15 Feb '11

15 Feb '11

Would it help to show a msds report on coal ash osha believes it is hazardous. sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC ----- Reply message ----- From: "Jim Sconyers" <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> Date: Tue, Feb 15, 2011 2:01 pm Subject: [EC] Fwd: URGENT: House vote could end coal ash safeguards TODAY - call your Congressional member To: "James Kotcon" <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu>, <CLEAR(a)cheat.org>, <pbmjwood(a)gmail.com>, <ec(a)osenergy.org> What I didn't know - not only did Stearns of FL put in this amendment - our very own District 1 Congressman McKinley did the same, inserting an amendment of his own to prevent any designation of coal ash as toxic or hazardous. In my view this is an egregious insult to the people of his district - where leaking ash dumps, feared groundwater pollution from ash, and more are already real. I have a call in with his scheduler to see when we can meet with him here in the district. Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ________________________________ From: James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> To: CLEAR(a)cheat.org; pbmjwood(a)gmail.com; ec(a)osenergy.org Sent: Tue, February 15, 2011 1:34:58 PM Subject: [EC] Fwd: URGENT: House vote could end coal ash safeguards TODAY - call your Congressional member Please forward widely. I sent my e-mail, please send yours today. Jim Kotcon >>> Lisa Graves-Marcucci <lgmarcucci(a)environmentalintegrity.org> 2/15/2011 1:11 PM >>>>>> Please Excuse Duplications Please Distribute Widely Dear Friend, Unfortunately, Rep. Stearns of Florida has inserted the following amendment into a House appropriations bill - currently on the House floor and likely for vote today or tomorrow. It would withhold funding from US EPA to regulate coal combustion waste as hazardous, putting many Americans' health at risk. Please urge everyone to call their member of Congress today and ask them to: *1. Vote against this egregious amendment * *2. Let** the US EPA protect public health - without interference from special interests and Congress* * * *Locate your member of Congress using the link below - just insert your zip code* *http://www.contactingthecongress.org/* AMENDMENT H.R. 1 OFFERED BY.:MR. STEARNS of FLORIDA At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following:

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Fwd: URGENT: House vote could end coal ash safeguards TODAY - call your Congressional member
by James Kotcon 15 Feb '11

15 Feb '11

Please forward widely. I sent my e-mail, please send yours today. Jim Kotcon >>> Lisa Graves-Marcucci <lgmarcucci(a)environmentalintegrity.org> 2/15/2011 1:11 PM >>> Please Excuse Duplications Please Distribute Widely Dear Friend, Unfortunately, Rep. Stearns of Florida has inserted the following amendment into a House appropriations bill - currently on the House floor and likely for vote today or tomorrow. It would withhold funding from US EPA to regulate coal combustion waste as hazardous, putting many Americans' health at risk. Please urge everyone to call their member of Congress today and ask them to: *1. Vote against this egregious amendment * *2. Let** the US EPA protect public health - without interference from special interests and Congress* * * *Locate your member of Congress using the link below - just insert your zip code* *http://www.contactingthecongress.org/* AMENDMENT H.R. 1 OFFERED BY.:MR. STEARNS of FLORIDA At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: 1 SEC. . None of the funds made available by this 2 Act may be used to regulate or classify coal combustion 3 residuals as a hazardous waste or material. *After all our hard work, it would be tragic to have public health protections derailed by an appropriations amendment. Please make these important calls today.* Many thanks, Lisa Graves Marcucci Sam Flenner -- * Lisa Graves Marcucci Environmental Integrity Project PA Coordinator, Community Outreach lgmarcucci(a)environmentalintegrity.org 412-897-0569 (cell) * -- Samuel E. Flenner III Outreach Coodinator Environmental Integrity Project www.environmentalintegrity.org samf.environmentalintegrity(a)gmail.com 317.352.2339 c-317.850.0436

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Fw: URGENT: House vote could end coal ash safeguards TODAY - call your Congressional member
by Jim Sconyers 15 Feb '11

15 Feb '11

Call please! Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Lisa Graves-Marcucci <lgmarcucci(a)environmentalintegrity.org> To: James Kotcon <James.Kotcon(a)mail.wvu.edu>; Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com>; Bill Price <bill.price(a)sierraclub.org> Sent: Tue, February 15, 2011 1:11:22 PM Subject: URGENT: House vote could end coal ash safeguards TODAY - call your Congressional member Please Excuse Duplications Please Distribute Widely Dear Friend, Unfortunately, Rep. Stearns of Florida has inserted the following amendment into a House appropriations bill - currently on the House floor and likely for vote today or tomorrow. It would withhold funding from US EPA to regulate coal combustion waste as hazardous, putting many Americans' health at risk. Please urge everyone to call their member of Congress today and ask them to: 1. Vote against this egregious amendment 2. Let the US EPA protect public health - without interference from special interests and Congress Locate your member of Congress using the link below - just insert your zip code http://www.contactingthecongress.org/ AMENDMENT H.R. 1 OFFERED BY.:MR. STEARNS of FLORIDA At the end of the bill (before the short title), insert the following: 1 SEC. . None of the funds made available by this 2 Act may be used to regulate or classify coal combustion 3 residuals as a hazardous waste or material. After all our hard work, it would be tragic to have public health protections derailed by an appropriations amendment. Please make these important calls today. Many thanks, Lisa Graves Marcucci Sam Flenner -- Lisa Graves Marcucci Environmental Integrity Project PA Coordinator, Community Outreach lgmarcucci(a)environmentalintegrity.org 412-897-0569 (cell) -- Samuel E. Flenner III Outreach Coodinator Environmental Integrity Project www.environmentalintegrity.org samf.environmentalintegrity(a)gmail.com 317.352.2339 c-317.850.0436 ____________________________________________________________________________________ TV dinner still cooling? Check out "Tonight's Picks" on Yahoo! TV. http://tv.yahoo.com/

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Fwd: venting methane from gas wells
by James Kotcon 14 Feb '11

14 Feb '11

Joe: EPA is aware of the releases, and has estimates of how much is released at each well. Unfortunately, many of their estimates had not been updated in years. A recent update indicates that releases from "completion" of horziontal wells (e.g., Marcellus) releases about 9000 times more methane than they had previously estimated. While this makes natural gas more of a greenhouse problem, it is still marginally better than coal. But the data show that the real answer to climate change has to be to conserve energy and switch to non-fossil fuel alternatives. Jim Kotcon

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Fwd: Public hearing on Marcellus bill
by James Kotcon 14 Feb '11

14 Feb '11

>>> Leslee McCarty <lesleemac1(a)frontier.com> 2/14/2011 11:47 AM >>> Thursday 3:30 house chamber--rally the troops,please! Sent from leslee's iphone

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venting methane from gas wells
by Jim Sconyers 14 Feb '11

14 Feb '11

FYI Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Joe Jarrell <earthlingprimate(a)suddenlink.net> To: truthseeker23(a)hotmail.com; "Matt Wasson, iLoveMountains.org" <matt.wasson(a)ilovemountains.org>; Sierra Club - West Virginia Chapter <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com>; Cindy Rank <clrank(a)hughes.net> Sent: Mon, February 14, 2011 1:07:26 AM Subject: more hard on the planet industrial stuff as a late night ramble. Random quote from the news: "Composting releases methane," said . . . and methane gas, as even the most warming-conscious among us have to admit, traps atmospheric heat far more efficiently than carbon dioxide, the usual bugaboo of the climate-change crowd. End quote. You know, they blow their wells. This means they open a pipe to the atmosphere and let natural gas out, which gets the crap out of the pipes. The valve has a two inch diameter; the pressure is over a hundred psi. I live a few hundred yards from one. When they vent it, it sounds like a jet engine (not a little whine, but a resounding throaty roar that goes out over the landscape, across the valleys and maybe to the next mountain past the adjacent one). This continues for (several) minutes at a time; I think it is done once a month. I am of the opinion that they do this tens of thousands of times per year across this country. Natural gas is methane. The waste is large. The damage to the environment may be enormous. An administrator from the local gas company told me this is legal. Why is this legal? How can this be efficient? [rhetorical questions] Years ago I read the the Mexican oil industry vented vast quantities of methane into the atmosphere, but I read later that they stopped this behavior. I'm sure at least some other countries did and likely still do vent the methane (maybe not so much now that it is worth at least a bit), but I guess I can't do much about that. Maybe I can sound an alarm that there may be room for improvement here. Without encouragement to change, the gas production companies do not want to stop doing this. If any of the recipients of this email have time and extra energy, please forward the text to someone who cares, in case this is under the radar of both the regulators and the environmentalists. jj

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Fw: Allowing Utilities to Earn More for Helping Customers to Consume Less Benefits Both
by James Kotcon 12 Feb '11

12 Feb '11

Important new study looks at the effectiveness of policies to encourage energy efficiency. definitely worth a look. JBK >>> Paula Carrell <Paula.Carrell(a)sierraclub.org> 1/24/2011 3:22 PM >>> NEWS RELEASE Contact: Dan York, 608-243-1123 Sara Hayes, 202-507-4747 Media Contact: Glee Murray, 202-507-4010 Allowing Utilities to Earn More for Helping Customers to Consume Less Benefits Both Washington, D.C. (January 24, 2011): The ability for utilities to profit from their energy efficiency programs provides strong motivation to create, support, and deliver successful programs according to a report released today by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). Research conducted by ACEEE found that electric and natural gas utilities able to earn a financial return on their achievements with customer energy efficiency programs are likely to be industry leaders in terms of their financial support for customer energy efficiency programs. "The traditional utility business model doesn't provide opportunities to earn financial returns on energy efficiency comparable to the opportunities that exist for investments in new power plants," observes Dan York, ACEEE Utilities Program Director and a co-author of the study. Sara Hayes, ACEEE Senior Associate and primary author of the study, notes: "These companies are responsible to their shareholders for earning profits. States that are still using the traditional utility business model have policies that discourage utility investments in customer energy efficiency programs." To address this fundamental problem, regulators and policymakers in a growing number of states have revised the traditional utility business model and adopted "shareholder incentive mechanisms" that allow utilities to earn financial rewards from successful energy efficiency programs. ACEEE's new report, Carrots for Utilities: Providing Financial Returns for Utility Investments in Energy Efficiency, highlights 18 states that have adopted and implemented shareholder incentive policies and also provides guidelines for what is working and what isn't. Some of the key findings include: When states have set energy savings goals for utilities under a shareholder incentive structure, the utilities have thus far consistently met or exceeded them; There is widespread agreement among industry experts that shareholder incentives are making efficiency programs a more attractive investment opportunity for utility decision-makers; and States are rewarding utility programs that are cost-effectively producing energy savings. While a shareholder incentive policy does increase earnings opportunities for utility shareholders, the data to date indicates that these incentives are not excessive relative to the benefits provided by the programs. Steven Nadel, ACEEE Executive Director and co-author of the report, points out: "In states where the amount of the incentive a utility may earn is based on program benefits, such as energy savings, utility shareholder incentives are equivalent to an average of 11% of program benefits. That means that the vast majority of the benefits of these programs are passed on to utility ratepayers." While these types of policies are very important, the report stresses that a suite of complementary policies need to be in place to properly encourage utility commitment to energy efficiency. "Shareholder incentives are a powerful and important tool available to states. However, capturing the full economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency requires policymakers to look carefully at how all of their regulations combine to influence utilities," concludes Martin Kushler, ACEEE Senior Fellow and co-author of the study. The full report includes detailed discussion of the trends, successes, and challenges states have faced in the implementation of shareholder incentives. It draws upon the expertise of industry experts across the nation and makes recommendations for policymakers seeking to design or modify shareholder incentives in their states. States surveyed in the report include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. ### About ACEEE: The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing energy efficiency as a means of promoting economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental protection. For information about ACEEE and its programs, publications, and conferences, visit www.aceee.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr! If you no longer wish to receive electronic communications from ACEEE, please contact us at: aceeeinfo(a)aceee.org Forward email This email was sent to paula.carrell(a)sierraclub.org by aceeenews(a)aceee.org | Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. ACEEE | 529 14th Street., N.W. | Suite 600 | Washington | DC | 20045

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Flier for environmental justice program
by James Kotcon 10 Feb '11

10 Feb '11

Attached is a flyer for the Mon Group Program meeting next Thursday, Feb. 17. Please circulate widely, I am hoping for a big crowd, so let's beat the bushed. Leslie Field is the Sierra Club's National Director for Environmental Justice, and she will be speaking Thursday evening at 7 PM on EJ and Mountaintop removal. Hope to see you there. (Bring a friend). Jim Kotcon 304-293-8822 (office) 304-594-3322 (home)

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Republican Congressmen Vote Away Scientific Facts
by James Kotcon 10 Feb '11

10 Feb '11

The link takes you to a blog by David Hawkins of NRDC. I first met him almost 20 years ago, and he has always impressed me as a pretty knowledgeable expert on Clean Air issues. This should be required reading for the Energy Committee. JBK http://www.grist.org/article/2011-02-09-republican-congressmen-vote-away-sc…

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Fwd: Power Plant Pollution strategy meeting February 12
by James Kotcon 08 Feb '11

08 Feb '11

The WV Chapter of Sierra Club recently filed a Notice of Intent to sue Allegheny Energy over pollution discharges from their Albright power plant. The initial issue deals with water pollution violations from their coal ash impoundments, resulting in excessive discharges of arsenic into tributaries of the Cheat River. While a few of us have been discussing this quietly for a couple weeks, now that the NOI is public, we want to expand our interest group, and identify what issues and opportunities could be obtained to improve our air and water. Coal ash activists will recognize this as another ash impoundment in our back yards. We are also collecting data on mercury emissions. There are issues related to new fine particulate and toxics emissions rules. Oh, and did we mention global warming, and more. This region is home to one of the largest concentrations of Sierra Club members in West Virginia. The meeting Saturday is intended to set goals and start planning for what will almost certainly be major issues in the next year or two regarding Albright. The Albright Power plant is one of the oldest and dirtiest in the Allegheny Energy fleet. No scrubbers, limited emissions controls, etc. Yet Allegheny is proposing to use this plant to meet its requirements for "Renewable and Alternative Energy" under former Governor Manchin's Alternative and Renewable energy standard. But retrofitting this plant would be enormously expensive, and the most fiscally sound option for ratepayers may well be to shut it down and invest in energy efficiency instead. At a minimum, we want Allegheny to clean up their arsenic discharges to the Cheat. But that is not likely to be the last issue for this old plant. Please plan to join us if you are in the region Saturday. If so, bring a friend. If not, please suggest names of others who might want to get involved. Jim Kotcon 304-293-8822 (office) 304-594-3322 (home) >>> Sally Wilts <sallywilts(a)yahoo.com> 2/6/2011 10:55 AM >>> WV Chapter of Sierra Club will hold a strategy meeting about our campaign on pollution from Albright Power Station on Saturday February 12 at 1 pm. We have reserved a room in the basement of the Morgantown Public Library (no food or drinks allowed). The library is located on Spruce Street with parking across the street. We apologize for the short notice. Jim Sconyers and Jim Kotcon will be coming loaded with information.

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Fw: Fwd: A PATH/ FERC Comments offer - to save a stamp and some time
by Jim Sconyers 07 Feb '11

07 Feb '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Tina Rappaport <tinazipp(a)gmail.com> Sent: Mon, February 7, 2011 4:26:53 PM Subject: Fwd: A PATH/ FERC Comments offer - to save a stamp and some time Dear PATH opposers, If you haven't been following Ali Haverty and Keryn Newman's challenge to PATH's accounting procedures, see the link below, as it makes great reading and your help to support this challenge is needed. FERC (Federal Energy Regulation Commission) has received Ali & Keryn's formal complaint and we have until noon Feb. 10 to submit our support for FERC to look into the charges raised. Please read Ali's email below and follow her instructions. Please also follow all the PATH news on Bill Howley's blog: http://calhounpowerline.com/ >and Keryn Newman's blog: http://www.stoppathwv.com/ If you have any questions, please direct them to Ali at almahaverty(a)gmail.com Thanks for your "energy"! My best always, Tina Rappaport 304-655-0003 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Alison Haverty <almahaverty(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 9:46 PM Subject: A PATH/ FERC Comments offer - to save a stamp and some time To: Hello again, There have been many people who have already taken the time to send in their comments to FERC about the PATH Challenge. http://www.stoppathwv.com/documents/formalchallenge.pdf Keryn and I thank every one of you! Just yesterday I found out I could file other folks' comments electronically, saving a long trip to the post office. So for those of you who would still like to speak your mind regarding the millions of dollars PATH has collected from us rate payers to fund their advertising and astroturf campaigns, but have not put their comments in the mail yet here is the offer: Email me your comments making sure to use the FERC address, docket nos, title used in the attached "comment template". Comments need to be as a "word doc" or a "PDF". The way you can sign your doc is - for example /S/ Alison Haverty Alison Haverty address...etc. This will make scanning unnecessary also. One other quick step that you need to take for me to eFile your comments is - you have to eRegister your email address w/FERC. It takes a minute just go to this link! https://ferconline.ferc.gov/eRegistration.aspx That's it - easy as pie, especially with this beautiful weather we have been having! And we might still yet get some one's attention over there at FERC!! DEADLINE for me to receive your comments is before noon on Thurs. FEB.10th Please do forward this offer to anyone it might help! Thank you all, Ali

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fracking shale gas- From hydro-fracking to petro-fracking?
by Frank Young 06 Feb '11

06 Feb '11

----- Original Message ----- From: Beth Little To: WVHCBOARD(a)yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 2:27 PM Subject: RE: [WVHCBOARD] Wall Street Journal on "The Shale Revolution" E-gads! About the worst part of fracking is that they use diesel fuel or some other form of petroleum distillates in the water, which contain benzene, among other nasties, and benzene is carcinogenic at 5 parts per billion. Now they are going to use just oil? The irony of all this is: we used to be pumping oil out of the ground. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: WVHCBOARD(a)yahoogroups.com [mailto:WVHCBOARD@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Peter Shoenfeld Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2011 7:02 PM To: WVHCBOARD(a)yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [WVHCBOARD] Wall Street Journal on "The Shale Revolution" I get email every day from stock market touts focused on energy companies. With Marcellus Shale, the environmental problems are generally mentioned as the economic downside. At least one of these guys is now talking about a new process called "petro-fracking" that would replace hydro-fracking and supposedly avoid some of the problems. This process uses oil instead of water as the basic element of the fracking fluid. On Sat, Feb 5, 2011 at 5:44 PM, Hugh Rogers <hugh.rogers(a)gmail.com> wrote: FYI: This opinion piece was forwarded to me by a high school classmate (as an investment opportunity?). Typically for the WSJ, it completely ignores environmental effects, concentrating instead on shale gas development as an example of entrepreneurial bravado. http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB1000142405274870470930457612413348780… -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1435/3426 - Release Date: 02/06/11 __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (3) Recent Activity: Visit Your Group Working since 1967 for the conservation and wise management of West Virginia's natural resources MARKETPLACE Stay on top of your group activity without leaving the page you're on - Get the Yahoo! Toolbar now. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Get great advice about dogs and cats. Visit the Dog & Cat Answers Center. Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest . Unsubscribe . Terms of Use. __,_._,___

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Oil and Gas Group Urges Oscar Judges to Steer Clear of 'Gasland'
by Frank Young 05 Feb '11

05 Feb '11

BlankOil and Gas Group Urges Oscar Judges to Steer Clear of 'Gasland' By MIKE SORAGHAN of Greenwire Greenwire Published: February 1, 2011 The oil and gas industry doesn't want a golden Oscar statuette to grace the mantel of "Gasland" filmmaker Josh Fox. "The filmmaker alternates between misstating and outright ignoring basic and verifiable facts related to the impact of these activities on the health and welfare of humans, wildlife and the environment," said Lee Fuller, executive director of Energy in Depth (EID), in a letter (pdf) today to the academy. Complete article: http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/02/01/01greenwire-ioil-and-gas-group-urge…

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Fwd: Re: polling: Americans Oppose Upton and Gingrich-style Attacks on Pollution Safeguards
by James Kotcon 03 Feb '11

03 Feb '11

You all need to take a close look at this new report, because many in Congress are moving in a direction opposed by most Americans. Last night's conference call with Executive Director Michael Brune was refreshing in that the Club leadership is finally recognizing the threat of the new Congress and is gearing up to oppose Congressional limits on EPA. But West Virginia's delegation is almost uniformly on the anti-EPA side of this issue, and we need to put some pressure on them, or risk losing to the Friends of Coal. JBK >>> Anne Woiwode <anne.woiwode(a)sierraclub.org> 2/2/2011 4:52 PM >>> --------------------------- cc:Mail Users----------------------------- ** Remember to DELETE the 'Sender: ...' lines above before REPLYing ** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >From Michigan, the state the brought you John Dingell during the auto regulatory era, my profound apologies for now bringing you Mr. Fred "Never Seen a Fossil Fuel I Didn't Like" Upton. Sorry. Anne ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Anne Woiwode, State Director Sierra Club Michigan Chapter 109 E. Grand River Ave, Lansing, MI 48906 517-484-2372 anne.woiwode(a)sierraclub.org Support Sierra Club Michigan Chapter! Go to <http://tiny.cc/MISierraClubSupport> http://tiny.cc/MISierraClubSupport to make your donation! "Is it fair to call climate denial a form of treason? Isn't it politics as usual? Yes, it is - and that's why it's unforgivable." Paul Krugman, NYT, 6.29.09 _____ From: FRED [mailto:CONS-FRED@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG] On Behalf Of Paula Carrell Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 4:19 PM To: CONS-FRED(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Subject: Fw: polling: Americans Oppose Upton and Gingrich-style Attacks on Pollution Safeguards --------------------------- cc:Mail Users----------------------------- ** Remember to DELETE the 'Sender: ...' lines above before REPLYing ** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- apologies for duplication, but I thought this was useful info for ALL the state lobby corps, not just chapter directors paula -----Forwarded by Paula Carrell/Sierraclub on 02/02/2011 01:18PM ----- FROM Peter Altman, NRDC Climate Campaign Director <http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/paltman/americans_oppose_upton_and_gin.ht ml> http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/paltman/americans_oppose_upton_and_gin.htm l Americans Oppose Upton and Gingrich-style Attacks on Pollution Safeguards There has been a lot of talk - and bills - from politicians who think that the EPA shouldn't be allowed to do its job of protecting our health from air pollution. Last week, <http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/paltman/who_loses_if_gingrich_gets_his.ht ml> Newt Gingrich proposed eliminating the EPA and putting in its place a bureaucracy that would cater to polluters. Some in Congress want to eliminate the EPA's ability to update Clean Air Act standards in order to reduce life-threatening pollution like carbon dioxide, soot, smog and toxic pollution. And today, one of the more anticipated bills is supposed to make its appearance: The Hill reports <http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/677-e2-wire/141635-upton-inhofe-to-float-p lan-wednesday-that-blocks-epa-climate-rules> today that House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton will unveil a bill to block the Environmental Protection Agency from limiting life-threatenting carbon pollution. Thing is, Americans just don't support the Gingrich - Upton agenda. Public opinion polling released today by the Opinion Research Corporation finds that Americans don't want to eliminate the EPA as Gingrich suggests, nor do they want Congress to stop it from doing its job of protecting public health, as Chairman Upton and others want to do. Health professionals take such proposals seriously. As Health Care Without Harm's Climate Policy Coordinator Brenda Afzal, MS, RN, says: "Chairman Upton's bill, which is expected to block the Environmental Protection Agency from updating the Clean Air Act to limit carbon pollution, puts our nation's health at risk. Leading health organizations and experts consider carbon dioxide pollution to be a wide-ranging threat to public health, which contributes to the same air pollution problems that worsen asthma and other chronic respiratory illnesses that affect millions of Americans and children. Our health should not suffer so that members of Congress can put corporate profits ahead of the public's health." Here's the bottom line: More than three out of four Americans (77 percent) - including a clear majority of Republicans (61 percent) - oppose efforts in Congress to block Clean Air Act updates for carbon, smog and other pollution, according to a national opinion survey by Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) International for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). You can find the full report <http://bit.ly/fXmFyX.> here. And here are some more details: * Americans want the EPA to do more, not less. Almost two thirds of Americans (63 percent) say "the EPA needs to do more to hold polluters accountable and protect the air and water," versus under a third (29 percent) who think the EPA already "does too much and places too many costly restrictions on businesses and individuals." Well under half of Republicans (44 percent), less than a third of Independents (29 percent) and under a fifth of Democrats (16 percent) think the EPA is going too far today. * Americans do not want Congress to kill the EPA's anti-pollution updates. Only 18 percent of Americans - including fewer than a third of Republicans (32 percent) -- believe that "Congress should block the EPA from updating pollution safeguards," after being told: "Some members of Congress are proposing to block the Environmental Protection Agency from updating safeguards to protect our health from dangerous air pollution, saying they will cost businesses too much money." By contrast, more than three out of four Americans (77 percent) -- including 61 percent of Republicans - say "Congress (should) let the EPA do its job." * The vast majority of Republicans - and all Americans - oppose the Newt Gingrich plan to dismantle the EPA. Overall, only 25 percent of Americans agree with Newt Gingrich's call to eliminate the EPA. More than two out of three Americans (67 percent) oppose abolishing the EPA, including half (49 percent) who strongly oppose it. Among those opposing the Gingrich plan: 61 percent of Republicans, 57 percent of Independents, and 79 percent of Democrats. You can get the full news release and other materials here. ======================= Peter Altman Climate Campaign Director Natural Resources Defense Council Phone: 202-289-2435 Email: <mailto:paltman@nrdc.org> paltman(a)nrdc.org Blog: <http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/paltman/> http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/paltman/ Twitter: <http://twitter.com/PeteatNRDC> http://twitter.com/PeteatNRDC Web: <http://www.nrdc.org/> http://www.nrdc.org_________________________________________________________ ___ You received this message as a subscriber on the list: stationary-clean(a)lists.usclimatenetwork.org To be removed from the list, send any message to: stationary-clean-unsubscribe(a)lists.usclimatenetwork.org For all list information and functions, see: http://lists.usclimatenetwork.org/lists/info/stationary-clean - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-FRED list, send any message to: CONS-FRED-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To get off this list, send email to: LISTSERV(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Make the message text (not the Subject): SIGNOFF CONS-FRED

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Fw: Southern Calif Edison Buys 20 Years of Solar Power for Less than Natural Gas
by Jim Sconyers 03 Feb '11

03 Feb '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: F.J. Morris <frankmorris(a)ECOLOGICINVESTOR.COM> To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Thu, February 3, 2011 3:35:03 PM Subject: Southern Calif Edison Buys 20 Years of Solar Power for Less than Natural Gas Ed M, Good stuff…Like Ned Ford keeps saying, efficiency with distributed renewables, are competitive now. Good stuff. Get efficient, build distributed renewables, and bankrupt fossil. Money’s like calories, and so are Killowatts. Control the money, control the kws, and control the polluting industries. Frank Morris ________________________________ From:Chp & Grp Global Warming Energy Chairs [mailto:CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG] On Behalf Of Edward Mainland Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 3:05 PM To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Subject: [GW-ACT-LEADERS] SCE Buys 20 Years of Solar Power for Less than Natural Gas Solar panel prices have decreased by about 40% in just the past couple years, a trend that is continuing. Doesn't this call into question outdated assumptions about natural gas being the Club's go-to "transition" or "bridge" fuel? Can NG be a "bridge" to anywhere once it becomes ever more costly (levelized) than renewables? And note how small renewable projects in many cases can now come on stream faster than large central-station, environmentally impactful desert projects. That these small solar projects in California have now broken through the discriminatory (in favor of natural gas) "market price referent" barrier under a "renewable standard contract" is highly significant. -- Ed M. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SCE Buys 20 Years of Solar Power for Less than Natural Gas 1 comment February 1, 2011 in Solar Energy Southern California Edison has selected 250 MW worth of solar bids from companies able to produce solar electricity for 20 years for less money annually than the 20 year levelized cost of energy of a combined-cycle natural gas turbine power plant. SCE’s bidding process for smaller renewable projects is smart. These small projects do not face the multi-year bureaucratic delays for extensive reviews, like most utility-scale solar, so each small unit can be built as quickly as normal commercial rooftop solar projects. They are made up of multiple distributed solar installations of under 20 MW, which in combination total a power plant-sized 250 MW. The utility already gets more than 19% of its electricity from renewable sources, placing it in the lead between California’s three big utilities to reach the Renewable Energy Standard requirement to get 20% of its electricity from renewables (which excludes large hydro and nuclear) by 2013. This year SCE had put out a request for bids to get 250 MW of just solar power, made up of multiple smaller rooftop arrays. Fremont-based Solyndra was one of the early bidders to be accepted. Solyndra will supply 20 years of power , with its unique cylindrical solar panels, to be installed by its subsidiary, Photon Solar. With a bidding process, SCE can save money by making renewable energy companies compete to offer the lowest price for supplying the utility some of its electricity through its Renewable Standard Contract The requirement is that the renewable energy has to be priced to cost no more than the Market Price Referent (MPR) – which is an annual calculation of the 20 year levelized cost of energy of a combined cycle gas turbine. This year, the solar bids are below the MPR, meaning that they cost less than the annual cost of getting the same amount of electricity from natural gas over the same time period. Even more interesting, SCE says that they received over 2.5 GW – 2,500 MW – of offers from solar companies eager and apparently able to supply solar power for less than the cost of gas. I was not able to locate that price in their detailed filing with the California Public Utilites Comission (PDF), a hefty tome. but the MPR for 2010 appears to be in the 11 cent range. According to Adam Browning at Vote Solar, “prices are kept confidential for something like 3 years. All we know is whether it is above or below MPR—and the advice letter says it is below”. Susan Kraemer @Twitter- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-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

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Fwd: CoalSwam resources on coal plants
by Paul Wilson 03 Feb '11

03 Feb '11

Lots of information compiled here. Most of it due to the work of the Club's National Coal Campaign. See the credits below. regards, paul w. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ted Nace <ted(a)tednace.com> Date: Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 4:05 AM Subject: CoalSwam resources on coal plants To: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com Having trouble viewing this email? Click here <http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=4zpfzucab&v=001UGlpv9WiH…> *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* *Some useful CoalSwarm coal plant wiki pages and compilation pages -- now with sortable tables and Google search * *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* Attention coal nerds! Below are some compilations for those doing research on existing and proposed coal plants. I'm happy to report that MediaWiki now allows us to have a sort button for CoalSwarm's wiki tables. This makes all of the tables more useful: for example, now you can sort coal plant retirements by plant name, state, or company. There are also individual profiles, including coordinates and Google maps, for 675 existing U.S. coal plants<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…>. Hopefully we'll soon have profiles for all Australian and Canadian plants as well. (For information on other topics such as mines, coal waste, and protests, see the CoalSwarm portal page.)<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> Another development with the site is that we now have a real Google search bar for CoalSwarm content <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…>-- the most requested feature that was previously lacking. Yay! *Compilations on coal plants:* - Existing U.S. Coal Plants<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Coal plant retirements<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Campus coal plants<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Coal plant conversion projects<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Coal plants near residential areas<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - EPA coal plant settlements<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Scrubber retrofits at existing coal plants<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Proposed coal plants in the United States<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Proposed coal plants (international)<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Coal plant cancellations<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Proposed synfuels plants in the U.S.<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Existing coal plants in Canada<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> - Existing coal plants in Australia<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> *Many thanks** to Adrian Wilson, Bob Burton, Christine Shearer, Joshua Frank, and the experts at the Sierra Club for building this body of information.* *Contact Information* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ phone: 415-206-0906 *Research discussions and questions always welcome!* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Links...* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CoalSwarm website<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> CoalSwarm wiki portal page<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> Climate Hope website<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&et=1104392636319&s=250&e=0018qGY3yp…> Forward email<http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=4zpfzucab&m=1102356594495&ea=…> <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001vbp07uPGAQtP-ATgZtjcDg%3D%3…> <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=news01> This email was sent to pjgrunt(a)gmail.com by ted(a)tednace.com | Update Profile/Email Address<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&m=001vbp07uPGAQtP-ATgZtjcDg%3D%3…> | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001vbp07uPGAQtP-ATgZtjcDg%3D%3…>™ | Privacy Policy <http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp>. CoalSwarm | 1254 Utah Street | San Francisco | CA | 94110 -- 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: [ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS] Fwd: Call with Michael Brune on Protecting Public Health and Building a Clean Energy Economy Tuesday Feb 1
by Grubb, Karen 01 Feb '11

01 Feb '11

-----Original Message----- From: National Hydrofracking Team [mailto:ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG] On Behalf Of Oliver Bernstein Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 10:30 AM To: ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Subject: [ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS] Fwd: Call with Michael Brune on Protecting Public Health and Building a Clean Energy Economy Tuesday Feb 1 FYI ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Subject: Call with Michael Brune on Protecting Public Health and Building a Clean Energy Economy Friends, Please join us for an activist call with Executive Director Michael Brune on Protecting Public Health and Building a Clean Energy Economy. This call is open to all Sierra Club volunteers. WHAT: Call to Action: Protecting Public Health and Building a Clean Energy Economy WHEN: Tuesday, February 1st at 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT HOW: Dial (866) 501-6174; when prompted enter access code 223 9223 # AGENDA: 1.) Vision: Protecting Public Health and Building a Clean Energy Economy - Michael Brune, Sierra Club Executive Director 2.) Health Campaign Overview - Mary Anne Hitt, National Beyond Coal Campaign Director 3.) Defending the Clean Air Act - Melinda Pierce, Deputy Director of National Campaigns 4.) Questions and Answers 5.) Your Charge: Translating this Work to the Local Level 6.) Questions and Answers Please submit questions that you have for Michael Brune to energy.intern(a)sierraclub.org by 5:00pm ET on Tuesday with the subject line: "Question for Michael Brune." Hope you can make it. -- Oliver Bernstein Senior Communications Strategist Sierra Club Phone: 512.477.2152 Cell: 512.289.8618 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS list, send any message to: ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To subscribe to the ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS list, or one of the Sierra Club's other lists, visit us at http://lists.sierraclub.org

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Fwd: SNL Energy News interview with Deb Nardone
by Paul Wilson 01 Feb '11

01 Feb '11

in case you missed this.... paul w ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Oliver Bernstein <oliver.bernstein(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 2:36 PM Subject: SNL Energy News interview with Deb Nardone To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)lists.sierraclub.org FYI http://www.snl.com/InteractiveX/article.aspx?CDID=A-12249018-12850&KPLT=2 Wednesday, January 26, 2011 12:06 PM ET Sierra Club's natural gas reform campaign to focus on industry accountability By Bryan Schutt The newly appointed director of the Sierra Club's natural gas reform campaign said that the group will be focused on safeguarding communities from the potential hazards associated with shale gas development and that the campaign will strive to hold industry accountable for its actions. The campaign supports natural gas as a cleaner alternative to coal and oil but advocates strong federal and state oversight of hydraulic fracturing to ensure that extraction of the fossil fuel does not come at the expense of land, water and community health. Deborah Nardone, whose appointment as director was announced on Jan. 25, said her role will be to advance that mission. "The overall goal is to protect our communities, our land, our air and our water," she said. "The strength of the Sierra Club is our members. They are well-informed, incredibly organized, and they are pushing to hold the industry accountable to higher standards." To increase accountability, the campaign will push a myriad of measures. First and foremost, Nardone said, the industry should be held to the same environmental laws all other industries are required to adhere to. "It's pretty unacceptable that they're exempt from [multiple] federal regulations," she said. Nardone said it will also be vital for adequate resources to be appropriated at all levels of government to provide for more thorough oversight and enforcement. Speaking of oversight, she noted that drilling should never be considered appropriate in certain areas, a point many in New York City have been adamant about. "Our more sensitive wild lands, our drinking water source watersheds ... and other significant natural resources should be left off limits to drilling," she said. The Sierra Club's overall mission of increasing energy efficiency and reliance on renewable energy will play a large part of the campaign, too. "As natural gas is being pushed to play a larger role on the scene, we're seeing that reliance on renewables and efficiency is starting to decline," Nardone said. "We should also be looking at pushing renewable energy sources." Nardone's comments about clean energy were echoed by President Barack Obama during his State of the Union address Jan. 25. Some in the fossil fuels industry pounced on the president's remarks, saying a focus on clean energy should not compromise the economic engine of the exploration and production industry. While the oil and gas industry is able to tout the economic benefits and jobs created by drilling, Nardone said, that boom cannot be used as an excuse to ignore environmental stewardship. "If we can't protect our communities and we can't protect our natural resources, than we shouldn't drill for gas," she said. "The argument of jobs versus the environment, they're not opposite each other. If you don't have a healthy community ... then you can't have jobs." Nardone joins the Sierra Club after working with the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited. With Trout Unlimited, Nardone served as a coldwater resource specialist developing conservation plans to protect the headwaters of streams. She has also worked on watershed protection for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Allegheny Ridge Heritage Area. Sierra Club Director of Conservation Sarah Hodgdon hailed the announcement. "Deb has been a leader in protecting watersheds throughout Pennsylvania from unsound development," she said in a statement. "We look forward to her bringing her wealth of experience and successful campaigns to this huge challenge on the national stage." -- Oliver Bernstein Senior Communications Strategist Sierra Club Phone: 512.477.2152 Cell: 512.289.8618 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS list, send any message to: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "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: [WVFirstCongressionalOFA] Fwd: HB2025 Energy Efficiency
by Jim Sconyers 01 Feb '11

01 Feb '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Denise Binion <dbinion(a)gmail.com> To: WVFirstCongressionalOFA <WVFirstCongressionalOFA(a)groups.barackobama.com> Sent: Tue, February 1, 2011 9:53:03 AM Subject: [WVFirstCongressionalOFA] Fwd: HB2025 Energy Efficiency >From our friend Mike Harman. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Mike Harman <mph1946(a)gmail.com> Date: Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 9:42 AM Subject: Fwd: HB2025 Energy Efficiency To: Dear friends, Now is the time to take action in support of HB 2025, the Energy Efficiency bill introduced in the House of Delegates and referred to the Government Organization Committee. Sponsors are Mike Manypenny and Barbara Fleischauer. This bill establishes specific energy savings targets to be met by utilities over the next 15 years, with incentives as well as penalties, and an option for large industrial customers to achieve comparable savings under their own plans (a "self-direct" provision). Attached is everything you need to help get started. Feel free to spread the word by sharing this email! The attached "Fact Sheet" describes HB2025 and how it will help. Be sure your legislator gets a copy of it, along with a request to support the bill. The "Talking Points" is an outline of points for advocates to use in conversation with legislators. On the reverse is a roster of the Gov Org committee. We did not include email addresses in the roster, but you can easily obtain them by going to http://www.legis.state.wv.us/ The Government Organization Committee must take up the bill and vote to send it out to the floor for a vote. This is our top concern for now. We need for at least half the members to support the bill. If you have a representative on this committee, it is urgent that you connect with them ASAP. Note that home telephone numbers are included for most members. We have found that calls to their homes on the weekend are usually more productive than trying to reach them at the Capitol. Keep in mind that legislators are paid for 60 consecutive days! Most will welcome hearing from concerned citizens. Democracy only works when we all participate. Try to get specific feedback from your representative! Ask if they will support this bill. Will they vote to report it out? If not, then what specifically are their concerns? What information do they need about the bill? We need to have your feedback from your contacts. Please send any feedback, questions or concerns to John Christensen, WV Environmental Council, at 410-499-4873, email jbc329(a)earthlink.net. Many thanks to John for his help at the Capitol, and to Cathy Kunkel who has written our materials. Mike Harman ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to 17 members of WVFirstCongressionalOFA This email was sent from Denise Binion dbinion(a)gmail.com Listserv email address: WVFirstCongressionalOFA(a)groups.barackobama.com Your reply will be sent to: WVFirstCongressionalOFA(a)groups.barackobama.com Unsubscribe or change your email settings: http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/WVFirstCongressionalOFA/listserv-unsub -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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USE OF DIESEL AS PART OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING PROCESS SAID TO VIOLATE SAFE WATER DRINKING ACT
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 01 Feb '11

01 Feb '11

Gas Drilling Technique Is Labeled Violation By TOM ZELLER Jr.<http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/z/tom_jr_zell…> Published: January 31, 2011 Oil and gas service companies injected tens of millions of gallons of diesel fuel into onshore wells in more than a dozen states from 2005 to 2009, Congressional investigators have charged. Those injections appear to have violated the Safe Water Drinking Act, the investigators said in a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/e/environ…>on Monday. The diesel fuel was used by drillers as part of a contentious process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which involves the high-pressure injection of a mixture of water, sand and chemical additives — including diesel fuel — into rock formations deep underground. The process, which has opened up vast new deposits of natural gas<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/natural-gas/…>to drilling, creates and props open fissures in the rock to ease the release of oil<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/energy-environment/oil-petroleu…>and gas. But concerns have been growing over the potential for fracking chemicals — particularly those found in diesel fuel — to contaminate underground sources of drinking water. “We learned that no oil and gas service companies have sought — and no state and federal regulators have issued — permits for diesel fuel use in hydraulic fracturing,” said Representative Henry A. Waxman<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/w/henry_a_waxman…>of California and two other Democratic members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, in the letter<http://democrats.energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?q=news/waxman-markey-an…>. “This appears to be a violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act.” Oil and gas companies acknowledged using diesel fuel in their fracking fluids, but they rejected the House Democrats’ assertion that it was illegal. They said that the E.P.A. had never properly developed rules and procedures to regulate the use of diesel in fracking, despite a clear grant of authority from Congress over the issue. “Everyone understands that E.P.A. is at least interested in regulating fracking,” said Matt Armstrong, a lawyer with the Washington firm Bracewell & Giuliani, which represents several oil and gas companies. “Whether the E.P.A. has the chutzpah to try to impose retroactive liability for use of diesel in fracking, well, everyone is in a wait-and-see mode. I suspect it will have a significant fight on its hands if it tried it do that.” Regardless of the legal outcome, the Waxman findings are certain to intensify an already contentious debate among legislators, natural gas companies and environmentalists over the safety of oil and gas development in general, and fracking in particular. Oil services companies had traditionally used diesel fuel as part of their fracturing cocktails because it helped to dissolve and disperse other chemicals suspended in the fluid. But some of the chemical components of diesel fuel, including toluene, xylene and benzene, a carcinogen, have alarmed both regulators and environmental groups. They argue that some of those chemicals could find their way out of a well bore — either because of migration through layers of rock or spills and sloppy handling — and into nearby sources of drinking water. An E.P.A. investigation in 2004 failed to find any threat to drinking water from fracking — a conclusion that was widely dismissed by critics as politically motivated. The agency has taken up the issue again in a new investigation started last year, although the results are not expected until 2012 at the earliest. The House committee began its own investigation in February last year, when Democrats were in the majority. In Monday’s letter, Mr. Waxman, along with Representatives Edward J. Markey<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/edward_j_marke…>of Massachusetts and Diana DeGette of Colorado, said that they were so far “unable to draw definitive conclusions about the potential impact of these injections on public health or the environment.” Still, the investigators said that three of the largest oil and gas services companies — Halliburton<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/halliburton_company/i…>, Schlumberger<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/schlumberger_ltd/inde…>and BJ Services — signed an agreement with the E.P.A. in 2003 intended to curtail the use of diesel in fracking in certain shallow formations. Two years later, when Congress amended the Safe Water Drinking Act to exclude regulation of hydraulic fracturing, it made an express exception that allowed regulation of diesel fuel used in fracking. The Congressional investigators sent letters to 14 companies requesting details on the type and volume of fracking chemicals they used. Although many companies said they had eliminated or were cutting back on use of diesel, 12 companies reported having used 32.2 million gallons of diesel fuel, or fluids containing diesel fuel, in their fracking processes from 2005 to 2009. The diesel-laced fluids were used in a total of 19 states. Approximately half the total volume was deployed in Texas, but at least a million gallons of diesel-containing fluids were also used in Oklahoma (3.3 million gallons); North Dakota (3.1 million); Louisiana (2.9 million); Wyoming (2.9 million); and Colorado (1.3 million). Where this leaves the companies in relation to federal law is unclear. Mr. Waxman and his colleagues say that the Safe Drinking Water Act left diesel-based hydraulic fracturing under the auspices of E.P.A.’s “underground injection control program,” which requires companies to obtain permits, either from state or federal regulators, for a variety of activities that involve putting fluids underground. No permits for diesel-based fracking have been sought or granted since the Safe Drinking Water Act was amended in 2005. Lee Fuller, a vice president for government relations with the Independent Petroleum Association of America, said that was because the E.P.A. had never followed up by creating rules and procedures for obtaining such permits and submitting them for public comment. The agency did quietly update its Web site last summer with language suggesting that fracking with diesel was, indeed, covered as part of the underground injection program, which would suggest that permits should have been obtained. But Mr. Fuller’s organization, along with the U.S. Oil and Gas Association, has gone to court to challenge the Web posting, arguing that it amounted to new rule-making that circumvented administrative requirements for notice and public commentary. The E.P.A. said Monday that it was reviewing the accusations from the three House Democrats that the companies named were in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act. “Our goal is to put in place a clear framework for permitting so that fracturing operations using diesel receive the review required by law,” Betsaida Alcantara, an E.P.A. spokeswoman, said in an e-mail message. “We will provide further information about our plans as they develop.” -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Fw: Fw: Free Solar Panels in UK - THIS is What We Need HERE!
by Allan Tweddle 30 Jan '11

30 Jan '11

Why not WV? From: fmoose39(a)hotmail.com Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 5:54 PM To: Jim Sconyers ; ec(a)osenergy.org Subject: Re: [EC]Fw: Free Solar Panels in UK - THIS is What We Need HERE! Solar is basic free in many states now. Take the instance Ohio has carbon credits when one takes these in conjunction with tax credits by its self and not including cost savings from the electric bill the payback is less then one year in many cases. sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC ----- Reply message ----- From: "Jim Sconyers" <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> Date: Sun, Jan 30, 2011 11:03 am Subject: [EC] Fw: Free Solar Panels in UK - THIS is What We Need HERE! To: <ec(a)osenergy.org> Awesome!! Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Peter Gollon <PGollon(a)AOL.COM> To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Sun, January 30, 2011 8:53:22 AM Subject: Free Solar Panels in UK - THIS is What We Need HERE! HomeSun offers free solar panels to UK homes UK company HomeSun is offering free solar panels to homes with south-facing roofs in return for receiving the Government’s feed-in-tariff. The company says it will provide and install 2..5 kWh- 4 kWh systems, which typically cost £11,000-15,000 for free on homes with optimally sited and sized roofs. Households will be able to benefit from the free electricity generated to lower their household energy bills, while HomeSun will receive the feed-in tariff over its 25 year guaranteed lifetime. At any time, households will be able to buy the system from HomeSun on a straightline depreciation basis and start receiving the feed-in tariff themselves. Homes with less optimal positions can also benefit from the scheme, but for a one-off fee of £500 and a £5 per month maintenance and repair charge. HomeSun says it plans to install 100,000 systems over the next three years. “Our SolarShare offer is all about making renewable energy more affordable to more people,” says Daniel Green, from HomeSun. “We believe it is precisely the kind of enterprise-inspired solution that the Government is looking for to drive the green agenda.” (taken from http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/policy/i/3291/) For further information: www.homesun.com/- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ EC mailing list EC(a)osenergy.org http://osenergy.org/mailman/listinfo/ec

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Re: [EC] Fw: Free Solar Panels in UK - THIS is What We Need HERE!
by fmoose39＠hotmail.com 30 Jan '11

30 Jan '11

Solar is basic free in many states now. Take the instance Ohio has carbon credits when one takes these in conjunction with tax credits by its self and not including cost savings from the electric bill the payback is less then one year in many cases. sent from my AT&T Smartphone by HTC ----- Reply message ----- From: "Jim Sconyers" <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> Date: Sun, Jan 30, 2011 11:03 am Subject: [EC] Fw: Free Solar Panels in UK - THIS is What We Need HERE! To: <ec(a)osenergy.org> Awesome!! Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Peter Gollon <PGollon(a)AOL.COM> To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Sun, January 30, 2011 8:53:22 AM Subject: Free Solar Panels in UK - THIS is What We Need HERE! HomeSun offers free solar panels to UK homes UK company HomeSun is offering free solar panels to homes with south-facing roofs in return for receiving the Government’s feed-in-tariff. The company says it will provide and install 2..5 kWh- 4 kWh systems, which typically cost £11,000-15,000 for free on homes with optimally sited and sized roofs. Households will be able to benefit from the free electricity generated to lower their household energy bills, while HomeSun will receive the feed-in tariff over its 25 year guaranteed lifetime. At any time, households will be able to buy the system from HomeSun on a straightline depreciation basis and start receiving the feed-in tariff themselves. Homes with less optimal positions can also benefit from the scheme, but for a one-off fee of £500 and a £5 per month maintenance and repair charge. HomeSun says it plans to install 100,000 systems over the next three years. “Our SolarShare offer is all about making renewable energy more affordable to more people,” says Daniel Green, from HomeSun. “We believe it is precisely the kind of enterprise-inspired solution that the Government is looking for to drive the green agenda.” (taken from http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/policy/i/3291/) For further information: www.homesun.com/- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-signoff-request(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp

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Fw: Free Solar Panels in UK - THIS is What We Need HERE!
by Jim Sconyers 30 Jan '11

30 Jan '11

Awesome!! Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Peter Gollon <PGollon(a)AOL.COM> To: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Sent: Sun, January 30, 2011 8:53:22 AM Subject: Free Solar Panels in UK - THIS is What We Need HERE! HomeSun offers free solar panels to UK homes UK company HomeSun is offering free solar panels to homes with south-facing roofs in return for receiving the Government’s feed-in-tariff. The company says it will provide and install 2.5 kWh- 4 kWh systems, which typically cost £11,000-15,000 for free on homes with optimally sited and sized roofs. Households will be able to benefit from the free electricity generated to lower their household energy bills, while HomeSun will receive the feed-in tariff over its 25 year guaranteed lifetime. At any time, households will be able to buy the system from HomeSun on a straightline depreciation basis and start receiving the feed-in tariff themselves. Homes with less optimal positions can also benefit from the scheme, but for a one-off fee of £500 and a £5 per month maintenance and repair charge. HomeSun says it plans to install 100,000 systems over the next three years. “Our SolarShare offer is all about making renewable energy more affordable to more people,” says Daniel Green, from HomeSun. “We believe it is precisely the kind of enterprise-inspired solution that the Government is looking for to drive the green agenda.” (taken from http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/policy/i/3291/) For further information: www.homesun.com/- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS list, send any message to: CONS-SPST-GLOBALWARM-CHAIRS-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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WSJ ARTICLE: ALPHA NATURAL RESOURCES TO ACQUIRE MASSEY ENERGY CO FOR 7 BILLION DOLLARS
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 29 Jan '11

29 Jan '11

Alpha CEO: Premium for Massey Well Worth It By KRIS MAHER<http://online.wsj.com/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=KRIS+MAHER&bylinesearch=true> Alpha Natural Resources<http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=ANR>Inc. CEO Kevin Crutchfield said Massey Energy <http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=MEE>Co. has been at the top of Alpha's list of companies to acquire for a while because the combination would create a global leader in metallurgical coal reserves, production and sales. He said the 21% premium Alpha had agreed to pay for Richmond, Va., based Massey is well worth it. With the announcement Saturday that Alpha reached an agreement to acquire Massey in a cash and stock deal valued at $7.1 billion, Alpha is now poised to become the world's third-biggest producer of coal used by steelmakers just when global demand for the resource is growing and supplies are increasingly scarce. The combined company will have more than 110 miles and 5 billion tons of coal reserves, including reserves of high quality metallurgical coal used in steelmaking. More - * Alpha Reaches Deal to Buy Massey<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703956604576110702830808140.h…> * "We've always thought the combination between Massey and Alpha could be very compelling," Mr. Crutchfield said in an interview Saturday evening. "We were fundamentally convinced that the world was going to remain fundamentally under-supplied for metallurgical coal for the foreseeable future." Alpha, based in Abingdon, Va., announced that it expects to gain $150 million in synergies within the second year of operations of the combined company. Mr. Crutchfield said that is likely a conservative estimate, as he ran through a list of potential synergies: the combined company will produce a broader range of coal qualities that can be blended into new products to market to steel makers. He also expects savings on production and transportation. In the past, Alpha often trucked its coal past Massey coal preparation plants in Central Appalachia to get to its own facilities. Mr. Crutchfield said Alpha will also be better able to take advantage of long-term export opportunities for U.S. coal producers as demand in China and India and short-term supply disruptions like recent massive flooding in Australia and other countries. He said the combined company will have 25 million tons of port capacity. He said port capacity wasn't a big deal for coal producers until recently. "Now, it's a hot commodity." Mike Quillen, Alpha's chairman, and Kurt Kost, Alpha's president, will fill those posts at the combined company, said Mr. Crutchfield, who will be CEO. He said he expects that Massey's current CEO, Baxter Phillips, who has extensive knowledge of the industry and Massey, will have some kind of advisory role. "I can't imagine going at this without Baxter," he said. Mr. Phillips said in a statement Saturday, "This transaction represents a tremendous opportunity for Massey to partner with our Central Appalachian neighbor, Alpha, to create a new industry leader." Mr. Crutchfield said that Massey's longtime CEO Don Blankenship, who opposed a sale and retired at the end of the year, will not be part of the new company. "We certainly wish him the best of luck in his ongoing endeavors," Mr. Crutchfield said. Some coal industry watchers have wondered whether a Massey-Alpha linkup could run into anti-trust issues. But Mr. Crutchfield said he does not expect any headwinds. "Our sense is … that the customers are going to be pretty receptive to this," he said. "We're very confident that we'll clear the (Federal Trade Commission)." Rather than shut mines or sell off assets, Alpha is more likely to ramp up production to take advantage of the current hot international market for metallurgical coal. It will be looking to optimize equipment and personnel to increase margins, but Mr. Crutchfield said, "There's the possibility that we actually stoke production, which is our thinking now based on what we're seeing in the marketplace." It's not clear how Alpha will approach some of the problems that plagued Massey since the accident last April at its Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, W.Va., that killed 29 miners -- from litigation to contentious relations with federal mine regulators. The families of two miners have sued Massey for wrongful death under state law, and federal and state investigations, including a criminal probe into the accident, are ongoing. Mr. Crutchfield said he believes the combined company will eventually enjoy the same good relationship Alpha has with regulators currently, and he hopes that some issues related to the disaster are resolved prior to when the acquisition closes. "The industry and family, everybody, needs closure on it," he said. Mr. Crutchfield noted that during Alpha's past effort to acquire Massey several years ago "the stars just didn't align." But he added, "Sometimes things that make sense take some time to happen and we're thrilled that this one finally got to the finish line." *Write to * Kris Maher at kris.maher(a)wsj.com

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Alpha to Buy Massey Energy in $7.1 Billion Deal
by Frank Young 29 Jan '11

29 Jan '11

Blank January 28, 2011, 9:44 pm Mergers & Acquisitions Alpha to Buy Massey in $7.1 Billion Deal By MICHAEL J. DE LA MERCED Jon Bolt/The Daily Telegraph, via Associated Press Massey Energy’s chief executive, Don L. Blankenship. 3:57 p.m. | Updated Alpha Natural Resources announced on Saturday that it has agreed to buy Massey Energy, the embattled coal mine operator, for about $7.1 billion in cash and stock in a deal that creates a new giant in coal production. http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/01/28/alpha-nears-deal-to-buy-massey-for-a…

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EPA: Methane emissions from Marcellus wells greater than previously reported.
by James Kotcon 29 Jan '11

29 Jan '11

The initial press story I saw was Tuesday, but it appears the story may be a couple months old by now. It suggests that methane emissions from Marcellus wells may be 9000 times greater than previously estimated. Climate Benefits of Natural Gas May Be Overstated by Abrahm Lustgarten ProPublica, Jan. 25, 2011, 8:34 a.m. The United States is poised to bet its energy future on natural gas as a clean, plentiful fuel that can supplant coal and oil. But new research by the Environmental Protection Agency—and a growing understanding of the pollution associated with the full “life cycle” of gas production—is casting doubt on the assumption that gas offers a quick and easy solution to climate change. More available at: http://www.propublica.org/article/natural-gas-and-coal-pollution-gap-in-dou… The actual EPA report (Technical Support Document: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems) was apparently released in November and is available at: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads10/Subpart-W_TSD.pdf In particular, Tables 1 and 2 (pages 8-10) describe the updates to the emissions factors. Those referencing "unconventional wells" represent some changes that are truly astronomical. If each Marcellus well is, in fact, leaking 177 tons of methane per well each time they hydro-frack, then that makes them significant sources of emissions. Finally, the story is explained in more lay terms in the blog at the site below: http://theenergycollective.com/david-lewis/48209/epa-confirms-high-natural-… I recommend reading all three of these, as I think this is a game changer for the natural gas industry. It certainly changes the game on the Wetzel air permit appeal. Jim Kotcon

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Re: [EC] from Center for Media and Democracy; "Clean Natural Gas?" Not So Fast.
by Paul Wilson 28 Jan '11

28 Jan '11

Jonathan: think you can get this on the facebook page? cheers,paul Spins Of The Week "Clean Natural Gas?" Not So Fast.<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=OXjJdW6wxvr39E%2BsHq…> Source: ProPublica, January 25, 2011 Acquiring "clean natural gas"<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=PmPGjUWzZ6IXUApLCknt…>and "getting off of foreign oil"<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=kqwgjNCRumQKF7bb80Ch…>are pitched as reasons to continue natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=RopcAjP5O0wEqUEqCtGh…>. And yet, beyond all the problems associated with fracking<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=w2dPNkX0mz78FqAtYM%2…>, Pro Publica<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=0XVtUXNfGWwrWfV%2Fj9…>'s Abrahm Lustgarten revealed in a January 25, 2011 article<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=zDuQhD%2FPocQX8ioWVp…>that "clean natural gas" isn't all that clean after all. Lustgarten<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=xWXW3gE5oXPLg%2FHxUg…> writes<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KNgAdDQVFVz%2FITi2rj…> , The United States is poised to bet its energy future on natural gas as a clean, plentiful fuel that can supplant coal and oil. But new research by the Environmental Protection Agency ... is casting doubt on the assumption that gas offers a quick and easy solution to climate change ... Advocates for natural gas routinely assert that it produces 50 percent less greenhouse gases than coal and is a significant step toward a greener energy future ... The EPA now reports that emissions from conventional hydraulic fracturing are 35 times higher than the agency had previously estimated. It also reports that emissions from the type of hydraulic fracturing being used in the nation's bountiful new shale gas reserves, like the Marcellus, are almost 9,000 times higher than it had previously calculated ... Environmental groups say we should be certain of the factual data about emissions and environmental effects of shale gas drilling before making major policy decisions that push the nation into dependence on methane gas obtained through drilling. Read the rest of this item<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KQzgYrZNSdspR3pUT0Kj…> -- 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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Exxon projections on use of shale gas worldwide increase significantly, passing coal use. Exxon bought XTO -- innovator of fracking -- to become largest gas producer in world.
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 27 Jan '11

27 Jan '11

- JANUARY 27, 2011 Exxon Predicts Gas Use Will Surpass Coal's By ANGEL GONZALEZ<http://online.wsj.com/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=ANGEL+GONZALEZ&bylinesearch…> In Exxon Mobil<http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=XOM>Corp.'s crystal ball, the future of natural gas is looking increasingly rosy. Global demand for natural gas, commonly used for heating homes and businesses and for generating electricity, will increase 2% a year through 2030, the Texas oil giant says, raising the 1.8% estimate it made last year. This is no small change. It means that Exxon expects the world in 2030 to burn seven quadrillion British thermal units of gas more than the company predicted a year ago. That's about the same amount of energy consumed by California in a year. While oil will remain the dominant fuel, even in 2030, gas will have surpassed coal to become the world's second-largest source of energy, supplying 26% of world needs to oil's 32%, according to Exxon's annual Outlook for Energy, scheduled to be released Thursday. Gas usage is expected to grow three times as fast as that of oil and coal as developing countries scramble to bring electricity to billions of people and rich nations replace aging coal-fired power plants with gas-fired facilities, the report says. Clean-burning natural gas represents less of a global warming threat than coal or oil. Other low-emitting forms of energy, such as nuclear and renewable power, also are expected to expand their share of the world's energy pie. Exxon's Outlook for Energy is closely watched, as it underpins the strategy of the world's largest publicly-traded oil company. "It provides the foundation for the different [Exxon] businesses to present their investment plans," says Bill Colton, Exxon's vice president for corporate strategic planning. It's no surprise that Exxon is enthusiastic about natural gas. The company last year became the largest gas producer in the U.S. when it bought XTO Energy Inc. for $25 billion. XTO was one of several North American companies that perfected a method to extract gas economically by fracturing tight rock formations called shales. Exxon also bought small shale producer Ellora Inc. for $695 million and natural-gas shale assets from Petrohawk Energy<http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=hk>Corp. for $575 million. Experience WSJ professional<https://buy.wsj.com/shopandbuy/order/subscribe.jsp?trackCode=aaad7qvo&extHe…> Editors' Deep Dive: Natural Gas Grows in Importance<http://professional.wsj.com/professional-search/search.html?ar=1&dt=4&mf=0&…> - ENERGY WASHINGTON WEEK<http://professional.wsj.com/professional-search/search.html?ar=1&dt=4&mf=0&…>Impact of Cheap Natural Gas <http://professional.wsj.com/article/TPIEPA000020110125e71q00005.html?mod=ws…> - Economist Intelligence Unit - Business Middle EastIsrael Banks on Natural Gas - Natural Gas IntelligenceGlobal Sales of NGVs Set to Jump Access thousands of business sources not available on the free web. Learn More<https://buy.wsj.com/shopandbuy/order/subscribe.jsp?trackCode=aaad7qvo&extHe…> But Exxon's optimism comes amid some Wall Street criticism of its recent bets on natural gas, which has traded cheaply since the financial crisis started, while oil has surged of late and thus has been more profitable. Other energy forecasts aren't as bullish about natural gas as Exxon's. The International Energy Agency and the U.S. Energy Information Administration put natural gas's global market share at slightly above 22% in 2030, behind oil and coal in supplying the world's needs. Natural-gas prices have fallen to about $4.49 a million BTUs this month from above $13 a million BTUs in mid-2008. Oil prices, on the other hand, were trading as low as $40 a barrel in early 2009 as a result of the recession, but have recovered steadily. On Wednesday, crude futures in New York settled at $87.33 a barrel, up $1.14. Nonetheless, Exxon, which has its roots in John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, believes the world is tilting toward a natural-gas dominated future and is preparing to embrace it. Some other large Western energy companies are heading that direction. Earlier this month, Royal Dutch Shell<http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=RDSB>PLC Chief Executive Peter Voser <http://topics.wsj.com/person/v/peter-voser/495> said in an internal publication the Anglo-Dutch oil giant in 2012 would for the first time produce more natural gas than oil. Mary Barcella, a consultant with IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates, says that new technology making shale-gas discoveries economic "is a game changer" that revolutionized the once waning U.S. natural-gas business; Exxon and others intend to take that expertise to other regions of the globe. Exxon's Mr. Colton says shale and other unconventional types of gas began playing a prominent role in the company's predictions about three years ago, when it realized that a major technological shift had occurred. Exxon forecasters say that the world will consume about 35% more energy in 2030 than in 2005, driven by population growth and the rapid enrichment of developing nations, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Mr. Colton's team analyzed statistics for 100 countries and Exxon scientists gauged potentially disruptive technologies, such as electric-car batteries. Natural gas will quench 26% of the world's demand, up from about 21% in 2005, the report says. That means that gas usage will double from 2000 levels, but a supply crunch is unlikely, due to the newfound abundance of the fuel, says Mr. Colton. "The world is looking at a very robust supply of natural gas," he said. —Russell Gold contributed to this article. *Write to * Angel Gonzalez at angel.gonzalez(a)dowjones.com -- William V. DePaulo, Esq. 179 Summers Street, Suite 232 Charleston, WV 25301-2163 Tel 304-342-5588 Fax 304-342-5505 william.depaulo(a)gmail.com www.passeggiata.com

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Fwd: FW: [ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS] FW: Climate Benefits of Natural Gas May Be Overstated
by James Kotcon 25 Jan '11

25 Jan '11

Check out the story form this link, it is a real game-changer! Methane levels from hydraulic fracturing of shale gas were 9000 times the previous estimates. Gas drilling emissions alone account for at least one-fifth of human-caused methane in the world’s atmosphere, studies show that maintaining and installing equipment to capture the leaking emissions pays for itself within 24 months. JBK >>> "Grubb, Karen" <Karen.Grubb(a)fairmontstate.edu> 1/25/2011 12:19 PM >>> From: National Hydrofracking Team [mailto:ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS@LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG] On Behalf Of Deb Nardone Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 11:47 AM To: ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS(a)LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Subject: [ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS] FW: Climate Benefits of Natural Gas May Be Overstated Climate Benefits of Natural Gas May Be Overstated by Abrahm Lustgarten<http://www.propublica.org/site/author/Abrahm_Lustgarten/> ProPublica, Jan. 25, 2011, 8:34 a.m. The United States is poised to bet its energy future on natural gas as a clean, plentiful fuel that can supplant coal and oil. But new research by the Environmental Protection Agency-and a growing understanding of the pollution associated with the full "life cycle" of gas production-is casting doubt on the assumption that gas offers a quick and easy solution to climate change. MORE<http://www.propublica.org/article/natural-gas-and-coal-pollution-gap-in-dou…> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS list, send any message to: ACTNET-FRAC-NEWS-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

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Alternative and Renewable Energy Plans
by James Kotcon 23 Jan '11

23 Jan '11

Allegheny Energy on Dec. 30 filed with the WVC PSC their "Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard Compliance Plan" as specified in Governor Manchin's bill mandating an "Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard". As we suspected, this provided relatively little actual incentive to promote renewable energy. Their report states: "Mon Power and Potomac Edison anticipate they will generate enough credits based upon currently available resources for the 15-year term that no additional development, purchase or procurement will be necessary." All I can add is to say: "See We Told You So!" The plan is available at: http://www.psc.state.wv.us/scripts/WebDocket/ViewDocument.cfm?CaseActivityI…'WebDocket' Jim Kotcon

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Albright and Allegheny's Alternative and Renewable Energy Plan
by James Kotcon 23 Jan '11

23 Jan '11

Mike, Josh, et al. In 2009, then Governor Manchin pushed through what he called an "Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard". This allowed utilities to claim various coal and gas facilities as "alternative fuels. At the time, we criticized the bill because it was so weak that we did not think it required utilities to do anything. Allegheny Energy on Dec. 30 filed their "Plan" with the WV PSC which states: "Mon Power and Potomac Edison anticipate they will generate enough credits based upon currently available resources for the 15- year term that no additional development, purchase or procurement will be necessary." (See We Told You So!) The report lists the following as producing alternative energy credits: "The generating units identified for the production of credits include units owned by Mon Power including Bath County Pumped Hydro, Albright #3 and Willow Island #2 all of which have been, or will be, submitted for certification in accordance with Section 5 of the Order. Additionally, Mon Power takes service from three (3) Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (“PURPA”) facilities including the Grant Town project (“Grant Town”), the West Virginia University project (‘WVU”) and the Hannibal Lock & Dam project (“Hannibal”)." As you can see, all of Allegheny's credits will be coming from coal-fired plants. No actual renewables are involved. Later in the Plan, Allegheny does describe some minimal energy efficiency efforts and they indicate they plan to get these certified for credits under WV's requirements. I am curious why Albright Unit 3 qualifies as an "Alternative" source. The bill does allow some generation from "Supercritical" as well as "Advanced supercritical" and "Ultrasupercritical" boilers to qualify as "Alternative" fuels. Is it worth intervening before the PSC to argue that Albright is likely to be shut down, and that Allegheny needs to make "real" investments in renewables and energy efficiency? Deadline to Intervene is Feb. 7. Intervenor testimony is due May 3. Jim Kotcon Allegheny's Plan is available at: http://www.psc.state.wv.us/scripts/WebDocket/ViewDocument.cfm?CaseActivityI…'WebDocket' The PSC Order giving Public Notice is at: http://www.psc.state.wv.us/scripts/WebDocket/ViewDocument.cfm?CaseActivityI…'WebDocket'

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Fwd: [Charleston Newspapers] Article - Bonds approved for John Amos plant upgrades
by James Kotcon 23 Jan '11

23 Jan '11

These new bonds for "landfill improvements" appear to be for the coal ash landfill. As I understand it, the bonds approved for the John Amos (AKA Big Scary) power plant do not directly incur a cost for state taxpayers, but do provide tax exemptions for those who provide the financing. Thus the state does not assume any direct costs, but loses some income tax revenue to help subsidize these. We need to start paying more attention to the welfare that taxpayers are providing for coal. JBK >>> <articles(a)cnpapers.com> 1/22/2011 8:18 AM >>> jkotcon(a)wvu.edu sent you this article ----- January 20, 2011 Bonds approved for John Amos plant upgrades ( http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201101201265 ) By Staff reports The Charleston Gazette P>CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Economic Development Authority authorized Appalachian Power Thursday to issue up to $95 million in bonds to finance landfill improvements at the John Amos Power Plant near Winfield. Authority memb ... Read more ( http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201101201265 ) -----

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Fw: EPA Administrator Jackson to Speak at 2011 Green Jobs Conference
by Jim Sconyers 21 Jan '11

21 Jan '11

Jim Sconyers jim_scon(a)yahoo.com 304.698.9628 Remember: Mother Nature bats last. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: 2011 Green Jobs Conference <event-information(a)certain.com> To: Jim Sconyers <jim_scon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Fri, January 21, 2011 4:34:52 PM Subject: EPA Administrator Jackson to Speak at 2011 Green Jobs Conference Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference and Expo 2010 EPA Administrator Jackson to Speak at 2011 Green Jobs Conference The 2011 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference — February 8-10 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, D.C. — will bring together thousands of union members, environmentalists, community and business leaders from all over the country to share ideas and strategies to build a sustainable economy that creates good jobs and protects our environment for future generations. And now, an exciting speaker has been added to the agenda. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson will speak at the morning plenary on Tuesday, February 8. In addition, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood will speak Wednesday morning, February 9, followed by a discussion on sustainable communities, moderated by WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi and featuring U.S. Representative Keith Ellison of Minnesota. Also, don’t forget about the extensive and informative workshops available during the Conference. Today, we’re highlighting two more exciting workshops. In The Global Clean Energy Race: Policy Matters, listen and participate as leaders in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries talk about the Pew Environmental Group’s latest report projecting global clean energy investments. Find out how federal policies can create good jobs in energy efficiency in Capturing Building Energy Efficiency Potential: Creating New Jobs and Markets through Federal Policies. Register todayfor the 2011 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference— the leading forum for sharing ideas and strategies on how to create good, green jobs across the United States. Don’t forget to visit www.greenjobsconference.org for updates, and follow the Conference on Twitter or Facebook for the latest news about this great event. Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation Registration Powered by Certain Meetings Event Management Software :: Online Event Management :: Online Registration Meeting Management Software :: Conference Registration :: Event Planner Software © 2009 Certain Software ®, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy.

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EPA right says WVU student paper
by Frank Young 21 Jan '11

21 Jan '11

Michael Levy writes: "Of course the industry is going to resent and resist any new regulation. It is the most predictable response in the world. Corporations exist for a single purpose : to maximize profits. Not just to make money, but to maximize how much they make. It turns out Arch Coal had an alternate plan from the engineering firm Morgan Worldwide that would have reduced the amount of stream buried by Spruce No. 1 by more than half. But it would have increased costs by 1 percent of the final sale price of the coal, so they buried it. The EPA, rightly in revoking the permit, cited Arch Coal's "failure to adequately evaluate less environmentally damaging alternatives." But that should surprise no one. Arch Coal is from St. Louis. The destruction of Appalachian watersheds and communities means nothing to them. Only their bottom line matters and that's exactly why strong regulation is necessary. Regulation, brought about via the democratic process, is one of the primary tools the public has at its disposal to protect itself against the interests of the powerful - those who seek to exploit us and our land base to enrich themselves. They have the power in the market. We can take power through policy. But to do that we have to see clearly who's on whose side. The coal industry gave $4 million to political candidates in the 2010 election cycle, and they've spent over $63 million on lobbying in the last five years. Manchin is in their pocket and so is Tomblin. It's time we find out who's really there for us, who will stand up for our mountains, our health, our communities and support them and give everyone else the boot. " Complete editorial article at: http://www.thedaonline.com/opinion/epa-was-right-to-revoke-mountaintop-remo…

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