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Path public meetings scheduled
by James Kotcon 15 Jul '08

15 Jul '08

The Potomac Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH) is a $1.8 billion theft of your ratepayer dollars in order to pump more coal-fired electricity to the East Coast, undercutting cleaner generation sources in those areas. The Company is guaranteed a Rate of return of 14.3 % on any investment, regardless of whether the line ever gets built, so you can be sure they will just keep spending your money to promote this project! Public meetings are now scheduled across West Virginia in the coming weeks. Tell everyone you know, and tell local legislators to attend and to oppose this boondoggle. JBK More information is at: http://pathtransmission.com/meetings/ Open Houses 5 to 8 p.m. July 21 – Stonewall, W.Va. - Stonewall Jackson State Park, Roanoke Building July 22 – Glenville, W.Va. - Glenville State College, Mollohan Community Center July 23 – Spencer, W.Va. - Heritage Park Community Building July 24 – Flatwoods, W.Va. - Days Inn July 28 – Buckhannon, W.Va. - Location To Be Announced July 29 – Elkins, W.Va. - American Legion Post 29 July 30 – Mount Storm, W.Va. - Mount Storm Fire Hall July 31 – Romney, W.Va. - South Branch Inn Aug. 4 – St. Albans, W.Va. - WV State University's College Union Aug. 5 – Davis, W.Va. - Davis Fire Hall Aug. 6 – Martinsburg, W.Va. - Comfort Inn Aug. 7 – Gore, Va. - Location To Be Announced Aug. 11 – Harpers Ferry, W.Va. - Quality Hotel & Conference Center Aug. 12 – Frederick, Md. - Holiday Inn Conference Center Aug. 13 – Boonsboro, Md. - American Legion Post 10 Aug. 14 – Lovettsville, Va. - Location To Be Announced

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Fwd: ocs--update
by Paul Wilson 11 Jul '08

11 Jul '08

This is a good opportunity to add comments about moving away from coal in the paragraph that you can add/edit. Use the link below to send a letter to Shelly Moore Capito or your respective representative. thanks, paul w. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Keren Murphy <Keren.Murphy(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Jul 10, 2008 at 3:44 PM Subject: ocs--update To: CONS-WPST-MARINE-FORUM(a)lists.sierraclub.org *Arctic and OCS Action Day: July 8----Update* Keren O'Brien Murphy On Tuesday, July 8, concerned citizens across the country welcomed Congress back from its July Fourth recess with calls to their Representatives urging them not to open the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge or protected coasts to offshore drilling. We will have the approximate final number of calls made to offices tomorrow Environmental groups, including Sierra Club, circulated alerts to their arctic and OCS activists asking them to call their members of congress. We ran a similar alert nationally asking people to take action and tell their member of congress to oppose any attempts to open the arctic or protected coasts to drilling. This alert is featured on Sierra Club's website, facebook page, Facebook Action Center and ran in this weeks Currents. The national alert can be found here: * https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr009=i2adahp8… *<https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr009=i2adahp8…> Attached is the alert that was circulated to Arctic activists. Also on July 8th, lobbyists from Sierra Club, Alaska Wilderness League, Audubon Society, Earth Justice, Defenders of Wildlife and Environment America hit the hill. Making lobby visits to targeted offices with the message that we need real solutions, not drilling. Specifically asking them to oppose efforts to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, lift the offshore drilling moratorium and lift the moratorium on new oil shale development. *Context: * This week the Interior Appropriations Committee has tentatively scheduled a mark up of the Interior Appropriations Bill. Once again we are expecting a slew of drilling amendments; Peterson's offshore drilling amendment being the most famous. However, we are hearing that the bill will be delayed for the immediate future due in part to these drilling amendments. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-6975

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Fw: WV Chapter National Coal Campaign Funding
by Barbara Fallon 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

FYI.. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Verena Owen <baumling(a)aol.com> To: brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com Sent: Thursday, July 3, 2008 10:17:06 PM Subject: Re: WV Chapter National Coal Campaign Funding Dear Barbara, Thanks for submitting a well thought-out small grant request. As you know, small grants are funded out of a limited pot of money. While we think that your proposal has merit, we feel we cannot pay for litigation and related expert witnesses, the small grant program is not meant for that. However, the Club's Environmental Law Program is interested in working with you and may be able to help you. Please contact Pat Gallagher at Pat.Gallagher(a)sierraclub.org, he is waiting to hear from you. Thanks for all you do for the environment! Best Verena Verena Owen Advisor, Sierra Club National Coal Campaign Verena Owen Advisor, Sierra Club National Coal Campaign -----Original Message----- From: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> To: baumling(a)aol.com Sent: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 8:21 am Subject: WV Chapter National Coal Campaign Funding Vernea, Thank you for considering our request. Barbara Fallon Energy Chair WV Chapter Sierra Club ________________________________ The Famous, the infamous, the lame - in your browser. Get the TMZ Toolbar Now!

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Fw: Fwd: SES request from West Virginia
by Barbara Fallon 09 Jul '08

09 Jul '08

WE did not get this grant, nor did we get the Coal grant (will forward.) Our grant proposals were good, but our specific needs are not appropriate (does not sit well with me.) Pat Gallagher (Sierra Law Program, Director) is interested in helping us here, and I am waiting to hear from him. I am extremely disappointed in SES. Otherwise, we still need to do the March fundraising letter. Barbara Jim, thanks for getting an update in the Sierran. Attached are the grants and a thankyou letter to recent donars. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Stephen Crowley <scrow(a)sover.net> To: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Tuesday, July 8, 2008 1:44:08 PM Subject: Re: Fwd: SES request from West Virginia Barbara, briefly, there was considerable discussion and no resolution about whether powerlines fall within the domain of SES (v. AWL). Some felt this was a good quandary to overlook and go ahead with funding, others felt otherwise. There were also questions raised about whether lawsuits were the best use of our limited funds. There were once again double the requests compared to available funds, so other proposals that had clear and more unanimous support got funded. Yours was not the only good proposal that did not get funded; almost all were excellent proposals, and only half were funded. Steve At 09:03 AM 7/8/2008, you wrote: Steve, This is disappointing and disheartening news. Funding from SES-CIC made the difference in our campaign last year. I am not sure that we can maintain our campaign without SES-CIC funding. Outside sources of funding for litigation and expert witnesses are very hard, if not impossible, to find. I know that the grant we submitted was a good one and the work that we are doing is good work. I had submitted quarterly reports to you in a timely manner last year. What can I tell my committee about why we did not get additional funding this year? I need more to say than we "did not fit in the mix." SES-CIC helped us get to a crossroads on this campaign and now we have to decide what to do. Best Regards, Barbara ----- Original Message ---- From: Stephen Crowley <scrow(a)sover.net> To: jason(a)wyovoters.org; Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com> Sent: Thursday, July 3, 2008 6:25:00 PM Subject: Re: Fwd: SES request from West Virginia Jason and Barbara, The SES team met in January and determined that this was not in the mix for this year. My apologies if this word did not get to you right away. Steve Crowley At 03:37 PM 7/3/2008, you wrote: Hi Steve, I just saw this in my inbox. Not sure what happened here. Anything come to mind that I can tell Barbara? Best wishes for the holiday weekend. Jason Marsden ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Barbara Fallon <brbr_fallon(a)yahoo.com > Date: Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 8:04 AM Subject: SES request from West Virginia To: Jason Marsden <jcmarsden(a)gmail.com> Jason, I hope this note finds you well and with some environmental successes under your belt. Last year (June) you were very helpful to the WVa. Chapter of the Sierra Club by reviewing our SES-CIC request for funding. Apparently our request had gotten lost in the shuffle and you unshuffled it. Well, this seems to have happened again. I am wondering if you are still on the SES committee and if so, if you could look into the status of our funding request. I submitted our letter on inquiry on 1/4/08. I sent a follow up note on 6/23/08. I have still not heard any news one way or another. We are in a position to negotiate with expert witnesses again, and we are reluctant to do so until we know our funding base. Attached is the letter of inquiry I submitted last January. Thank you Jason, and best regards, Barbara Fallon PS. Status from last year....I wouldn't say that Allegheny is winning, but they are not loosing either!!! You know how this goes. -- Jason Marsden Executive Director Wyoming Conservation Voters www.wyovoters.org (307) 265-0870 PO Box 2664 Casper, Wyo. 82602-2664 Content-Type: application/msword; name="Letter of inquiry SES 08.doc" X-Attachment-Id: 0.1 Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="Letter of inquiry SES 08.doc"

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TrAILCo
by James Kotcon 05 Jul '08

05 Jul '08

>From the PSC web page. Senator Byrd got the following message and asked the PSC to give him info to respond. The interesting part is the line in the Oakland MD paper that says the line will run through "a small part of Maryland..." JBK Snapshot Report: lncominu Constituent Message Report Date:6/312008 Mr. James Hc 70 Box 577 Canaan Valley WV sg22cnv@canaantv. tv Dear Mr. Morvay: L-BUS Morvay 26260 USA Message Body: Date Received: 6/2/2008 10:07:21 AM I found the following in the Online Edition of the Oakland, MD Republican. > The assistant director (Frank Shap, Economic Development) also reported that a company contracted to build 500-kilovolt power lines was interested in locating in the Southern Garrett Industrial Park. The lines will run through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and a small portion of Garrett County as part of the PJM grid extension project. > Shap said the company wants a building in the Oakland area to use as its headquarters/maintenance facility while employees would be working in West Virginia. > "That will be a multi-year construction job in support of that operation," he said. > > I realize that it is probably a forgone conclusion that the power line will be built, but can't it for once have West Virginia get something, rather than the appearance that anything power related seems to leave our state.

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Fwd: Coal Campaign Media update
by Paul Wilson 04 Jul '08

04 Jul '08

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ginny Cramer <virginia.cramer(a)sierraclub.org> Date: Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 4:17 PM Subject: Media update To: COAL-CAMPAIGN-ALERTS(a)lists.sierraclub.org Hi all, New media materials are now up on our Clubhouse page-- please check them out. http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/conservation/energy/coal/ New talking points: http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/conservation/energy/coal/coal-talking-po ints-063008.doc<http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/conservation/energy/coal/coal-talking-p…> New coal industry ads debunked on our Ad Watch: http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/conservation/energy/coal/coal-ad-respons es.aspx (Watch the ads on our public web site www.sierraclub.org/coal/adwatch) Also, find new letters to the editor and sample op/eds in the Messaging Headquarters: http://www.clubhouse.sierraclub.org/conservation/energy/coal/coal-messaging. aspx Need materials but don't see them on our page? Let us know. Have a great 4th, ginny --------------------- Virginia Cramer Associate Press Secretary Sierra Club tel: 804-225-9113 x 102 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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: 304-279-6975

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Fwd: Story opportunities for July/Aug
by Paul Wilson 03 Jul '08

03 Jul '08

contact Rob with your story ideas asap. paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Public NewsService Web Site <wvns(a)publicnewsservice.org> Date: Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 12:04 PM Subject: Story opportunities for July/Aug To: pjgrunt(a)gmail.com Hi there – We're putting together the story calendar for July for West Virginia News Service, and we have some brainstorming thoughts to share….we have openings for lots of stories this summer. Please let us know if you have something coming up, especially if it's a story that can go out Monday, July 7th – which is a great day to position stories for maximum radio station use because it's the Monday after a long holiday weekend. Pocketbook issues, or any issue that can relate to family budgets, will play well with stations right now. ** High gasoline prices have dramatically changed Americans' views on energy and the environment, with more people now viewing oil drilling and new power plants as a greater priority than energy conservation, according to a new survey. This is a topic worth some "exploration" itself. It's based on the supply-and-demand belief of the American public. Gas usage is already down one percent in the U.S. and prices aren't going down – the public needs to understand that gas prices are not related to supply. If anyone wants to tackle this angle, let us know – I think it's worth it, especially after so many families will spend their 4th of July holiday closer to home to save on gas expenses. **How will that affect the state's tourism industry? Hunting and fishing seasons and outfitters? **Maybe you have tips for how families can save on energy expenses. And why they should do everything they can because it looks like the home heating bill for those using oil could be huge this winter. **How are rising prices for everything changes the budget of the state's nonprofits – which also act as the family safety-nets during tough times? Inflation is stealing food off food pantry shelves. **Tips on how to stretch grocery budgets for families? For farmers and ranchers? **State and city budgets are beginning to feel the pinch of the downturn. How should they react? Historically, they start cutting the very services that help sustain people through the downturn. Can we help educate on a different angle? If you want to brainstorm some more, I'm standing by. Thanks for taking a look and keep us posted - Happy holiday! Deborah Courson Smith and Dave Law, West Virginia News Service 888-692-8362 --- To be removed from this list please send an e-mail to remove(a)publicnewsservice.org 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: 304-279-6975

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Fwd: GA court cites carbon in coal-plant ruling
by James Kotcon 01 Jul '08

01 Jul '08

This is BIIIGGGGG!!!!! Can we use it in the TrAILCo case? JBK >>> Ginny Cramer <virginia.cramer(a)SIERRACLUB.ORG> 7/1/2008 11:04 AM >>> Hi all, I wanted to share one of the stories coming out of the great victory in Georgia yesterday. Apologies if you've already seen this. - ginny Georgia court cites carbon in coal-plant ruling Tue Jul 1, 2008 12:00am BST HOUSTON, June 30 (Reuters) - A Georgia state court on Monday invalidated a permit to build a 1,200-megawatt coal-fired power plant, citing the developers' failure to limit emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. An environmental group immediately praised the decision, predicting it would lead to reconsideration of many coal-fired power plants under development in the country. The order, from Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore, reversed an air permit issued earlier this year by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to Longleaf Energy Resources, a joint venture of Houston-based Dynegy Inc (DYN.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and LS Power Group. The judge disagreed with regulators' action to reject carbon dioxide as a pollutant that is subject to regulation under the Clean Air Act, citing a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision. In that order, the Supreme Court said carbon dioxide is a pollutant under the existing federal law. A Dynegy spokesman said the company was reviewing the ruling and had no comment on the future of the project, a traditional, pulverized coal plant to be built in Early County, Georgia. The Sierra Club, which is fighting construction of many new coal plants, along with Friends of the Chattahoochee Inc, challenged the Longleaf air permit, which put no restrictions on the expected emissions of 8-million-plus tons of carbon dioxide. "This is the first court of any stripe to interpret the Supreme Court's ruling as it applies to coal-burning power plants," said Bruce Nilles, director of the Sierra Club's national coal campaign. Nilles likened the importance of the Georgia court ruling to Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius' decision last year to reject a new coal plant in that state on grounds that global warming is a public health threat. "In one swift decision, it changes the debate around global warming regulation in the United States because it now means that every coal plant has to consider its CO2 impacts," Nilles said. The Sierra Club hopes the ruling will accelerate the debate to create a strong federal bill to protect the climate, Nilles said. (Reporting by Eileen O'Grady in Houston and Bernie Woodall in Los Angeles; Editing by Christian Wiessner) --------------------- Virginia Cramer Associate Press Secretary Sierra Club tel: 804-225-9113 x 102 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 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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Fwd: Bill News 21 -- KY & MA approve energy bills
by James Kotcon 30 Jun '08

30 Jun '08

Check out he bill just passed by our neighbor Kentucky. JBK >>> Paula Carrell <Paula.Carrell(a)sierraclub.org> 6/27/2008 7:42 PM >>> CONTENTS 1. KY Acts on Energy Efficiency 2. MA Energy Bill a Mixed Bag 1. KY Acts on Energy Efficiency -- HB 2 signed by the Governor And here's a challenge for other southern states: * Establishes high performance buildings standards and timeframes for state-funded construction, and requires that by 2018, state-leased buildings meet those same standards; * An opportunity for boards of education to conserve more of their funding for instructional and other purposes by requiring enrollment in the very-successful Kentucky Energy Efficiency Program that is offered by the Kentucky Pollution Prevention Center and which has demonstrated the ability to conserve energy and save money for its current enrollees through common-sense efforts and monitoring of energy usage; * Residential Energy Efficiency -- Kentucky Income Tax Credits for a percentage of installed costs of upgraded insulation, energy-efficient windows and doors, and heating and cooling systems; * Commercial Property Energy Efficiency -- State Income Tax Credits for a percentage of installed costs of energy-efficiency interior lighting systems and HVAC systems; * Energy Star Home and Manufactured Home Credits -- for builders of ENERGY STAR homes and purchasers of ENERGY STAR manufactured homes. * A directive to the Public Service Commission to consider next-generation residential utility meters when reviewing utility demand management plans. The first step to ratepayers being able to better control their energy bills, and to utilities being able to manage their load in order to avoid or defer costly investments in meeting peak power demands, is so-called “smart metering” that offers customers and utilities a way to work in partnership to manage electricity demand and utility bill costs. * State Income Tax Credits for a percentage of installed costs of active and passive solar space heating systems, solar water heating systems, wind turbines, and solar photovoltaics systems. . . . and there's more. Full bill text at http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/08RS/HB2.htm 2. MA Enacts Problematic Energy Bill -- Gov. expected to sign next week Jay McCaffrey says, "We support the bill, it will make significant strides to put Massachusetts on a path to a sustainable energy future. However, the hydro language is weak on environmental safeguards, and the bill includes a coal gasification proposal that was a total inside deal for a plant here in MA that wants gov handouts to jump start its crummy program. Unfortunately that standard is bad enough to wipe out some of the other gains in the bill." Bill Summary * Instructs the state to meet at least 25 percent of its electric load with demand-side resources like energy efficiency and load management by the year 2020, and 20 percent of the load through renewable and alternative energy generation by the same year. Utility companies would have to acquire 15 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020. * Energy distributors would have to consider all energy options for power, and electric companies would be required to buy resources based on cost effectiveness and stability, with enforcement mechanisms attached. Fossil fuel use in buildings would be cut by 10 percent from 2007 levels by the year 2020, and total energy consumption would have to fall at least 10 percent by the year 2017. * Regional Green House Gas Initiative: Establishes a RGGI trust fund and requires 100% auction. At least 80% of the auction revenues will go to utility-administered efficiency and Demand Response programs, with the rest going to communities affected by RGGI-forced plant closings and "green communities". * Least Cost Procurement: The bill dramatically increases energy efficiency potential in Massachusetts by changing the way utilities (NStar, National Grid, etc) purchase energy. Now they will have to purchase efficiency when possible to cover load requirements. This should spur increased Energy Efficiency opportunities in Massachusetts. * Coal Gasification: The bill does allow coal gasification to receive benefits under RPS. This was a defeat for the advocacy community. The emission cap is weaker than we would have liked, allowing co2 emissions levels equal to those of the Massachusetts Natural Gas plant average. Instead of requiring coal gasification projects to operate as cleanly as a new combined cycle natural gas power plant, they only have to operate as cleanly as an average natural gas plant. Some other states don’t even allow base-load power plants to be built unless they meet a more stringent standard than this, so it is disappointing that Massachusetts would set a lower bar for such projects to qualify for incentives. However, the bill does include some important protections, including a requirement for carbon capture and sequestration. * Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund: The Mass Renewable Trust will still exist but with tighter controls and oversight by a new governing board. The Governing board will create 5-year plans for the regular board and could take Trust money for the new "Green Communities" program. Several new technologies included in fundable items for Renewable Energy Trust (geothermal, for example and improvements to the internal combustion engine). * International Energy Conservation Code (IECC): Massachusetts will adopt and enforce the IECC within 1 yr of each revision, and the state has discretion to adopt more stringent provisions to the extent the relevant agencies “conclude they are warranted” * Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS): Extends the RPS so that it will continue to grow at 1% per year past 2009. Full bill text at http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/185/st02pdf/st02768.pdf

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Re: [EC] AP Trail
by Grubb, Karen 30 Jun '08

30 Jun '08

I can suggest where to look and forward your email in case someone knows of a more recent map. http://www.aptrailinfo.com/ http://www.aptrailinfo.com/index.php?page=propertyowners http://www.aptrailinfo.com/index.php?page=propertyowners_west_virginia Karen Grubb Sierra Club ________________________________ From: Tom Frame [mailto:Tom.Frame@RaymondJames.com] Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 4:47 PM To: Grubb, Karen Subject: AP Trail I am a property owner on the Monongalia / Marion county line and was just alerted that the most recent path of the power line might parallel the existing line which borders my property right by White Day Creek. Can you tell me exactly where I can find a good map of the currently proposed route ? Tom Frame Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. 304-599-7991 800-950-5516 Raymond James Financial Services does not accept orders and/or instructions regarding your account by e-mail, voice mail, fax or any alternate method. Transactional details do not supersede normal trade confirmations or statements. E-mail sent through the Internet is not secure or confidential. Raymond James Financial Services reserves the right to monitor all e-mail. Any information provided in this e-mail has been prepared from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed by Raymond James Financial Services and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision. Any information provided is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation. Raymond James Financial Services and its employees may own options, rights or warrants to purchase any of the securities mentioned in e-mail. This e-mail is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this message in error, please contact the sender immediately and delete the material from your computer.

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