I am subscribed to Google News Alerts for "Longview Power" and
recently received alerts for what is essentially the same article by
the same author in three different news outlets.
The first is August 8, 2008 Charleston Daily Mail:
http://www.dailymail.com/Business/200808070355 . The other two are
http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewarticle+articleid_2491731.html
and
http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/1515457/mammoth_power_plant_taking_sh…
.
It says Longview is a "sprawling" complex and "... the 10,000 tons of
steel used in the boiler building and the 2,800 tons in the turbine
deck were made and fabricated in China, shipped to Houston, then
trucked overland to the construction site."
How many West Virginia workers were in China for the fabrication, I wonder?
Longview Power's general manager Charlie Huguenard claims that the
project "is ahead of schedule and on budget. " I suppose that
depends on which schedule and which budget you choose. ....
certainly not the $940 million plant that will be online in 2007
budget and schedule we were told originally.
Duane sent out a July 30, 2008 letter to this list from Longview's
attorney (Leonard Knee) to the WV Public Service Commission that said,
Longview is about 40% complete with the construction of the Power
Plant. Most of the foundations have been constructed, and steel
erection is well under way. To date, Longview has spent about $770
million of the anticipated $1.8 billion construction cost, About 550
craft workers are currently employed. By the end of the year,
approximately 1500 craft workers will be working, with the number
growing to about 2000 craft workers in 2009. Plant construction is
ahead of schedule, and the plant is on track to be operational in the
last quarter of 2010.
It will be interesting to see if there ever will be 1,500 or 2,000
workers on that site. Nothing else they have said has come to
pass. The photos in the article show the steel frame. A resident of
the Fort Martin Community pointed out to me that no equipment
(boilers, etc.) is on site, and wonders how the large equipment will
be squeezed into the erected steel frame if it ever does get on
site. Apparently, power plants are usually built one floor at a time
with the equipment being installed as they go up with the steel. It
doesn't look 40% done.
The coal is apparently all coming out of Pennsylvania and will be
delivered to the site by a 4+ mile conveyor and by truck. I assume
there will be no WV severance tax on that coal (?). How does that work?
- paula
_Two New Asbestos Suits Filed in West Virginia_
(http://www.asbestos-post.com/two-new-asbestos-suits-filed-in-west-virginia.…)
July 26th, 2008
Two new asbestos-related lawsuits filed in West Virginia in June name more
than 100 defendants between them.
The first was filed by Mary Kathryn Black on behalf of the estate of her
deceased husband, Steve Black. The second was filed on behalf of Joseph M.
Hutchison III and his wife, Ann Hutchison. Both lawsuits were filed in Kanawha
County Circuit Court on June 6.
Mary Kathryn Black, the widow of steelworker Steve Black, claims that her
husband died as a result of asbestos exposure which caused him to develop lung
cancer and esophageal cancer.
Steve Black worked for companies such as Armco Steel. Other defendants in the
suit include six corporations which reside in West Virginia: McJunkin
Corporation, Ohio Valley Insulating, State Electric Supply, Union Boiler Company,
Vimasco Corporation and West Virginia Electric Supply.
The suit alleges that Steve Black developed asbestos-related cancers as a
result of working for companies involved in the manufacture, distribution, sale,
installation, and removal of products containing asbestos.
According to the lawsuit, Steve Black’s lifespan and enjoyment of life was
greatly diminished as a result of his asbestos exposure. His widow, Mary
Kathryn Black, is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
The second lawsuit was filed on June 6 on behalf of Joseph M. Hutchison III
and his wife, Ann Hutchison.
The lawsuit names a total of 79 different defendant companies, and claims
that the defendants are responsible for Joseph M. Hutchison III having developed
asbestosis and mesothelioma.
Joseph Hutchison worked in South Charleston as a laborer, and was employed
with Union Carbide. Hutchison was also student and faculty member of West
Virginia University.
The lawsuit claims that Joseph Hutchison was exposed to asbestos while
working with and around products in use at sites where he was employed. The sites
were located in and across West Virginia.
The suit includes fifteen counts, relating to the financial, physical, and
emotional losses suffered by both Joseph and Ann Hutchinson. They are seeking
compensatory and punitive damages for their losses.
[Note. Joseph Hutchinson died July 26th in Morgantown, as shown in the
Obituary below. He was a leader in the founding of the National Youth Science
Camp, held each year at Bartow in West Virginia. For the National Youth Science
Camp, see the following: _http://www.nysc.org/_ (http://www.nysc.org/) ]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
_Mass Asbestos Lawsuit Dismissal in West Virginia_
(http://www.asbestos-post.com/mass-asbestos-lawsuit-dismissal-in-west-virgin…)
July 18th, 2008
A mass dismissal of asbestos-related lawsuits in West Virginia has left many
plaintiffs dismayed over the decision. People suffering from asbestos-related
diseases such as asbestosis and mesothelioma must now wait much longer for
their day in court.
The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals this week dismissed more than one
thousand asbestos-related lawsuits laid by railroad workers against the
companies they once worked for.
The more than one thousand plaintiffs had filed lawsuits against their
employees, CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern.
Previously, Circuit Judge Arthur Recht of Wheeling had dismissed the
lawsuits. Following an appeal by plaintiffs, the West Virginia Supreme Court of
Appeals upheld Circuit Judge Arthur Recht’s decision to dismiss all one thousand
suits.
In upholding the decision, the Supreme Court of Appeals has rejected a plea
that the United States Constitution provides every American with the right to
sue in West Virginia, regardless of whether or not they have a real
connection to the state.
In West Virginia, as in many other states, a plaintiff can file a lawsuit
even if they live out of state. To do so, however, they must be able to show
that either a plaintiff or a defendant in the case has some type of connection
to West Virginia.
The Court chose to ignore a 2006 decision known as Morris vs. Crown
Equipment, which had granted West Virginia jurisdiction to a dispute which originated
in another state. The Court says that this decision did not apply because in
the Morris case, one of the defendants was a West Virginia corporation.
The claims were filed under the Federal Employers Liability Act, which
applies to railroad and some other types of workers, regardless of where they
live.
After the suits had been filed, the Supreme Court of Appeals consolidated
them into the Kanawha County Circuit Court, and assigned them all to Judge
Recht.
The railway companies had already asked for a move to dismiss the cases while
the Supreme Court of Appeals was discussing whether or not the plaintiffs
could file their suits in West Virginia. Judge Recht then granted the defendants
’ motion, saying that the Morris case was not applicable, and that the
railroad workers could not file suit in West Virginia.
The plaintiffs’ appeal was subsequently rejected, and now all one thousand
cases have been freed and may be tried in other state courts.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
_ALA Report finds Deaths from Lung Disease Increasing_
(http://www.asbestos-post.com/ala-report-finds-deaths-from-lung-disease-incr…)
July 26th, 2008
The latest report from the American Lung Association, entitled Lung Disease
Data, indicates that death rates due to lung disease are on the increase, and
death rates due to other leading causes of death, such as cancer, heart
disease, and stroke, are decreasing.
The American Lung Association publishes the Lung Disease Data report
periodically to provide a resource with information about information about lung
disease trends in the United States for the media, healthcare professionals,
researchers, patients, and the public.
The report indicates that lung disease rates are increasing so rapidly that
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may be the third leading cause of death
as early as 2020.
Lung diseases include any diseases or disorders in which impairment of lung
function is an effect or result of the condition. Lung diseases may be caused
by cigarette smoking, exposure to smoke, air pollution, and exposure to
occupational hazards such as asbestos and silica dusts.
Bernadette Toomey, President and CEO of the American Lung Association, says,
“Every year, about 400,000 Americans die from lung disease. With our report,
Lung Disease Data, we hope to provide valuable information on lung disease to
the public, especially to people who become ill and their family members who
are caring for them.”
Types of lung disease covered in the ALA report data include the following:
• Obstructive lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and
asthma, as well as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. All of these diseases
affect the person’s airways, and limit or block the flow of air in or out of
the lungs.
• Lung cancer, caused by uncontrolled growth of abnormal lung cells. Lung
cancer may be caused by a variety of factors, including cigarette smoking and
exposure to asbestos.
• Infectious diseases such as influenza, pneumonia, respiratory syncytial
virus, and tuberculosis, caused by viruses or bacteria which can affect both
lung tissue and the membrane which surrounds, protects, and supports the lungs.
• Respiratory failure, pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism and pulmonary
hy-pertension. These diseases are caused by problems with gas exchange and blood
flow in the lungs.
• Pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis. These diseases are characterized by
stiffen¬ing and scarring of the lungs, which prevents normal lung function.
• Occupational diseases, such as mesothelioma and asbestosis, caused by
expo¬sure to hazardous substances such as asbestos and silica dust. These
occupational diseases have no other known causes apart from exposure to inhalable
toxic dusts.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Source of above three entries: _http://www.asbestos-post.com/_
(http://www.asbestos-post.com/)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Submitted by: Duane Nichols, Ph.D., President of CLEAR [Cheat Lake
Environment & Recreation Assn.]
and Spokesperson for MonValley Clean Air Coalition [MVCAC],
Address: 330 Dream Catcher Circle, Morgantown, WV 26508
Phone: 304-599-8040
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
OBITUARY FOR JOSEPH HUTCHINSON
**************Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget?
Read reviews on AOL Autos.
(http://autos.aol.com/cars-BMW-128-2008/expert-review?ncid=aolaut00050000000… )
This clearly demonstrates the flaws in Longview's "Desigh/Build"
approach, and shows why the PSC should have required complete
engineering plans up front, before the start of construction.
Jim Kotcon
>>> "Paula Hunt" <pjhunt(a)xemaps.com> 8/4/2008 9:11 AM >>>
================================================================
Updates on Longview's Continuing Troubles -- paula
================================================================
Longview Power plans to obtain its water from the Mon River, not from
treated mine water. Longview obtained approval to do this from
Pennsylvania, where the intake will be located. It turns out that
treating all that water by the very expensive process of reverse
osmosis
is cost prohibitive. * As if they didn’t know that from the very
beginning ….. *
Construction on the Longview Power Plant, located in the Community of
Fort
Martin near Maidsville, WV (just north of Morgantown), has begun but
is
going very slowly. Rumor has it that they are fighting subsidence
problems on site and are having trouble finding workers. * Where are
all
those unemployed union workers that packed the public meeting, I wonder…
?
*
Bids are being accepted until the end of August 2008 to buy part or all
of
Longview Power, LLC. Merrill Lynch is conducting the auction and PPL
Corp
(PPL EnergyPlus), FirstEnergy, PSEG, International Power America, and
Energy Investors Funds are thought to be bidders. PPL EnergyPlus has
already committed to taking 300 megawatts (MW) of the 695 MW. Goldman
Sachs and WestLB have funded part of the construction, putting $1.15
billion into the project last year. Apparently that wasn’t enough,
and
another $950 million was supposed to come from other sources. The
original $900 Million power plant has turned into a $2 Billion power
plant
(and counting). It appears that this new $950 Million funding is no
longer
available. Presumably this is why the auction is needed. GenPower
supposedly wants $3,500 per kW or more, which is higher than the
$3,000-3,250 per kW, which is usual for electricity from a new plant.
=================================================
_______________________________________________
MVCAC mailing list
MVCAC(a)cheat.org
http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/mvcac
EPA RELEASES REPORT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN HEALTH
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has released a report developed by
_The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP)_
(http://www.climatescience.gov/) titled "Analyses of the Effects of Global Change on Human Health and
Welfare and Human Systems."
The report identifies strategies on how to respond to the challenges of a
changing climate and identifies near- and long-term research goals that address
data and knowledge gaps. The report is thus far the most up-to-date
scientific assessment on the impact of global change on human health, welfare and
settlements in the country.
For more information, go to
_Information on Analyses of the Effects of Global Change on Human Health and
Welfare and Human Systems_
(http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=197244)
and
_The Office of Research and Development's Global Change Research Program_
(http://www.epa.gov/ord/npd/globalresearch-intro.htm)
**************Get fantasy football with free live scoring. Sign up for
FanHouse Fantasy Football today.
(http://www.fanhouse.com/fantasyaffair?ncid=aolspr00050000000020)
Moody's release on Longview Power Llc
Wed Feb 7, 2007 7:59 pm GMT
Market News
(The following statement was released by the ratings agency)
Feb 7 - Moody's Investors Service has assigned a Ba3 rating to Longview
Power, LLC's $1.1 billion senior secured credit facilities, including $900
million in term and construction loans, a $100 million revolver, and a $100
million synthetic letter of credit facility. The outlook is stable.
Along with $930 million of equity, proceeds of the term and construction
loans will be used to help finance the construction of a $1.8 billion
coal-fired power plant. The revolver will be available to fund working capital
needs while the synthetic LC will be used to fulfill the debt service reserve
requirement upon substantial completion and post LCs to the project's
counterparties.
The Ba3 rating reflects the strong economics of the project, driven by low
variable costs. Supported by the significant equity commitment, projected
operating company financial metrics are robust for a single-asset merchant
plant despite the high capital costs. According to Moody's analyst Aaron
Freedman, these fundamental strengths offset multiple risks, related to both
construction and operations, though most of these are adequately mitigated
while few are very significant on their own.
Longview will be a 695 MW supercritical pulverized coal-generating station
with an 8,600 Btu/kWh heat rate located in Maidsville, WV, just south of the
Pennsylvania border and approximately 70 miles south of Pittsburgh. The
project
sponsor is a fund managed by First Reserve, a private equity firm specializing
in energy industry investments.
The developer is GenPower LLC. The plant will have a five year, 300 MW
power purchase agreement (PPA) with PPL Energy Plus for energy and capacity
(guaranteed by PPL Energy Supply, LLC; Baa2 sr. sec.), with the balance of its
capacity and energy expected to be sold on a merchant basis in PJM's wholesale
energy and capacity markets. The project's very low variable costs are
expected
to result in around the clock dispatch. The project will be constructed by
Aker
Kvaerner Songer, with equipment including the turbine island supplied by
Siemens North America and the boiler supplied by Foster Wheeler pursuant to a
separate fixed price, date certain engineer-procure-construct (EPC) contracts
wrapped by a coordination agreement. Aker Kvaerner SA and Siemens North
America
will provide a joint and several guarantee of their subsidiaries pursuant to
the coordination agreement, including performance and liquidated damages. The
boiler design incorporates a first-of-its kind design innovation intended to
improve efficiency and reduce operating costs. Coal is expected to be provided
by an adjacent mine through a long term supply contract; currently, however,
only half of the facility's expected demand has been secured with a binding
letter of intent. Water supply will be provided from water pumped from nearby
flooded mines and treated by a non-profit joint-venture to which Longview is a
party. The water treatment process, which involves a novel application of
existing technology, has reportedly garnered environmental support for the
project.
Moody's has identified the following project strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths/Opportunities
- Robust projected financial metrics at the operating company are supported
by
significant equity contribution, including potential additional debt issued by
an intermediate holding company.
- With good economics resulting from low variable costs, the project is
expected to dispatch whenever available.
- Efficient design with a heat rate up to 10% lower than new conventional
sub-critical plants results in lower fuel requirements and emissions, while
the
relatively large boiler allows greater use of cheaper, unwashed coal.
- Located adjacent to a coal mine that is expected to provide a long-term
source of low cost, high quality fuel, helping to reduce transportation and
coal washing costs relative to alternatives and resulting in a delivered cost
30% lower on a BTU basis.
- Additional locational advantages include proximity to the Monongahela
River,
which provides access to alternative sources of fuel and a potential backup
water supply, a limestone quarry 10 miles away, and a nearby ash landfill.
- 300 MW PPA locks in energy and capacity prices for 43% of the project's 695
net capacity for five years with an investment grade counterparty. Capacity
payments commence June 1, 2011, but energy payments do not commence until
January 1, 2012, ten months after scheduled substantial completion.
- Long-term firm transmission rights have been secured to various nodes in
PJM, assuring access to PJM's well established, transparent, and liquid
wholesale energy market. PJM is projected to demonstrate continued growth in
demand and a reduction in reserve margins, helping to sustain an expected
robust pricing environment.
- Adequate construction risk mitigants include a joint-and-several guarantee
provided by experienced, reputable contractors of their obligations under the
fixed-price, date-certain EPC contract, adequate liquidated damages, and a
reasonable provision for contingencies in the construction budget.
- Financing and corporate documentation will provide standard project lender
protections and effective ring-fencing, including a waterfall, a conservative
restricted payments test, and dividend limitations, with a 100% cash sweep
after restricted payments that is expected to result in rapid debt paydown
under the sponsor's base case scenario.
Weaknesses/Risks
- Merchant risk, particularly in the first year of operation, exposes the
project to potential wholesale power market volatility.
- PJM's new capacity market price setting mechanism is unproven and could
produce lower than expected capacity revenues, though these are not expected
to
account for a significant portion of the project's total revenues.
- High capital costs ($2,200/ net kW excluding fees and interest during
construction), due in part to use of supercritical technology.
- Prospect of a significant amount of additional leverage at the holding
company could reduce the rate of senior debt paydown and increase refinancing
risk, though the potential impact is limited by deep structural subordination
and the expectation that interest on the holding company debt will either be
equity funded or become payment-in-kind (PIK) if the operating company's
conservative restricted payments test is not met.
- Significant portion of the equity commitment is provided by an unrated
entity, albeit one with ample financial resources. No bank LC backstops this
portion of the equity, which is not expected to be provided until midway
through construction. Failure to provide the equity could result in an
insufficiency of funds to complete construction.
- Developer's lack of significant experience with coal plants could increase
risk of change orders, cost overruns, and operational challenges.
- Construction risk - this is a complex, greenfield project with new
technology. Additionally, the debt service reserve fund LC will not be issued
until substantial completion is reached, which could cause liquidity problems
in the event of a delay in completion.
- Already high projected water supply costs could potentially exceed
expectations due to uncertainties relating to the cost of pumping and
treatment
of water in sufficient quantities to meet expected demand.
- Coal costs could potentially exceed expectations due to issues related to
the ability of the adjacent mine that is the expected source of supply to
produce sufficient quantities of coal to supply the plant's full requirements
at projected cost levels. Alternative sources of fuel are expected to be
significantly more costly.
- Absence of signed operating agreement could result in higher operating and
maintenance costs than currently projected. Operating risks are potentially
higher t
**************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for
fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)
===========================================================
Thursday, July 3, 2008 @ 5:37 PM
===========================================================
Public Notice -- 2009 Proposed Rules
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection has scheduled
public
hearings for its 2009 proposed legislative rules. All hearings will take
place
at the DEP’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
www.wvdep.org/2009rules
after Monday, July 7. You may also obtain hardcopies of the information by
calling the phone numbers listed below.
Written comments may be submitted to the Public Information Office at the
above
address. Comments may also be e-mailed to comments(a)wvdep.org. The hearing
dates, locations and comment deadlines are as follows:
Secretary’s Office
60CSR3 – Voluntary Remediation and Redevelopment Rule
The public hearing will take place at 6 p.m. on August 4, 2008 in the
Coopers
Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of the
hearing.
For more information call 304-926-0455.
Division of Air Quality
45CSR1 – Control & Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides from Non-Electric Generating
Units as a Means to Mitigate Transport of Ozone Precursors
45CSR8 – Ambient Air Quality Standards
45CSR13- Permits for Construction, Modification, Relocation and Operation of
Stationary Sources…(minor source permits)
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
45CSR25 – Control of Air Pollution from Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage
and
Disposal Facilities
45CSR26 – NOx Budget Trading Program as a Means of Control and Reduction of
Nitrogen Oxides from Electric Generating Units
45CSR34 – Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants
45CSR37 – Mercury Budget Trading Program to Reduce Mercury Emissions
The public hearing for all air quality rules will take place at 6 p.m. on
Aug.
11 in the Coopers Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the
conclusion of the hearing. Upon authorization and promulgation of revisions
to
45CSR8, 45CSR13 and 45CSR14, the DAQ will submit the rules to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as revisions to the State
Implementation
Plan pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act (CAA). Rules 45CSR16, 45CSR25 and
45CSR34 will also be submitted to EPA to fulfill other federal obligations
under the CAA, including delegations, plans and program approvals. Rules
45CSR1, 45CSR26 and 45CSR37 are proposed to be repealed.
For more information on any of the DAQ rules call 304-926-0475.
Division of Mining and Reclamation
38CSR2 – WV Surface Mining Reclamation Rule
The public hearing will take place at 6 p.m. on August 12, 2008 in the
Coopers
Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of the
hearing.
47CSR30 – WV/NPDES Rules for Coal Mining Facilities
The public hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. on August 12, 2008 in the
Coopers Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of
the hearing.
For more information on any of the DMR rules call 304-926-0490.
Division of Water and Waste Management
33CSR20 – Hazardous Waste Management System
The public hearing will take place at 7 p.m. on August 12, 2008 in the
Coopers
Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of the
hearing.
33CSR 24 – Hazardous Waste Management Fee
The public hearing will take place at 7:30 p.m. on August 12, 2008 in the
Coopers Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of
the hearing.
47CSR32 – Regulations Governing Environmental Laboratories Certification and
Standards of Performance
The public hearing will take place at 6 p.m. on August 14, 2008 in the
Coopers
Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of the
hearing.
33CSR22 – Assessment of Civil and Administrative Penalties (Hazardous and
Solid
Waste)
The public hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. on August 14, 2008 in the
Coopers Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of
the hearing.
47CSR56 – Assessment of Civil and Administrative Penalties (Groundwater)
The public hearing will take place at 7 p.m. on August 14, 2008 in the
Coopers
Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of the
hearing.
47CSR34 – Dam Safety
The public hearing will take place at 7:30 p.m. on August 14, 2008 in the
Coopers Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of
the hearing.
47CSR2 – Requirements Governing Water Quality Standards
The public hearing will take place at 6 p.m. on August 18, 2008 in the
Coopers
Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of the
hearing.
47CSR 31 – State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund Program
The public hearing will take place at 7 p.m. on August 18, 2008 in the
Coopers
Rock Training Room. The comment period will end at the conclusion of the
hearing.
For more information on any of the Water And Waste Management Rules call
304-
926-0495.
**************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for
fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)
EPA AWARDS GOLD MEDALS TO CLEAN AIR ACT SETTLEMENT LITIGATION TEAM
EPA's Richard Killian, Donna Mastro and Doug Snyder received gold medals from
EPA Headquarters at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C. on May 20, for
their nearly ten year effort in the investigation, litigation and settlement of
the largest environmental case in history. The outcome of the case against
American Electric Power significantly reduced the level of air pollution in
many states, (including Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia). Eight
states, a dozen environmental groups and the EPA brought the lawsuit against AEP
in 1999, accusing the energy company of rebuilding coal-fired power plants
without installing pollution controls as required under the Clean Air Act.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Carbon Pollution Regulation in U.S. Moving Ahead With EPA Rules
By Jim Efstathiou Jr., www.bloomberg.com
June 20 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, after seven
years of declining to regulate carbon- dioxide emissions under President
_George W. Bush_
(http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=George+W.+Bush&site=wnews&client=wnews…
getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) , is taking its first steps to control the
main gas blamed for global warming.
Ordered to act by the U.S. Supreme Court, the EPA will begin developing
limits on greenhouse gases emitted by power plants, vehicles and large
manufacturers. In April 2007, the U.S. high court ruled that carbon dioxide is a
pollutant subject to government regulation.
Next week, the EPA will formally seek public and industry comment on how the
U.S. should respond to the court ruling, the first step in developing new
rules, agency spokesman _Timothy Lyons_
(http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Timothy
Lyons&site=wnews&client=wnews&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8
&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) said in a June 17
interview. While new gas limits aren't likely to emerge during the Bush
administration, utility and refinery lobbyists say they see the EPA action as a
prelude to setting caps on carbon emissions.
``Anybody that wants to build anything is extremely concerned with what EPA
may do in regulating global greenhouse gases,'' said _Scott Segal_
(http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Scott+Segal&site=wnews&client=wnews&pr…
wnews&outpu
t=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) , a partner in the Washington law offices of Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
who represents energy companies.
The EPA will give industry 90 days to respond to the landmark Supreme Court
ruling, according to a draft of the public comment notice obtained by
Bloomberg. Offering industry time to comment will slow down rule-setting process,
environmental groups say.
The request for comment amounts to ``a step back from regulation,'' _David
Bookbinder_
(http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=David+Bookbinder&site=wnews&client=wne…
etfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) , chief climate counsel for the _Sierra
Club_ (http://www.sierraclub.org/) , said in an interview June 19. ``The
industry will put in 10,000 pages of stuff each on this. It will take years to go
through the information.''
Industry Conversations
_Michael McKenna_
(http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Michael+McKenna&site=wnews&client=wnew…
lter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) , president of the Washington
consulting firm MRW Strategies, a lobbyist for Southern Co., a utility that is the
second largest U.S. coal burner, declined to speculate on what form
regulation might take. Utilities collectively are the world's biggest industrial
producers of gases that create the warming, greenhouse effect.
Power companies are ``starting to have some relatively serious conversations
with career staff at EPA,'' McKenna said in a June 16 interview. Southern is
based in Atlanta.
The likelihood that the U.S. will set emission limits for utilities and
refiners such as Southern and San Antonio-based Tesoro Corp., as well as
automakers, will increase after January when EPA Administrator _Stephen Johnson_
(http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Stephen+Johnson&site=wnews&client=wnew…
tylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&s
ort=date:D:S:d1) and other political appointees will be replaced by a new
president. That's because both Senators _John McCain_
(http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=John+McCain&site=wnews&client=wnews&pr…
xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) and
_Barack Obama_
(http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Barack+Obama&site=wnews&client=wnews&p…
getfields=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) say a climate-change law will be a
priority if they become president.
`Environmental Threat'
``You can almost guarantee one of the first acts of the new president is to
declare that global warming is an environmental threat,'' _Frank O'Donnell_
(http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=Frank+O'Donnell&site=wnews&client=…
&proxystylesheet=wnews&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&filter=p&getfields=
wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) , president of _Clean Air Watch_
(http://www.cleanairwatch.org/) , said in a June 12 interview. ``That will set in motion
administrative attempts to reduce carbon dioxide.''
In Europe, a potential model for a U.S. pollution plan, 11,000 power plants
and factories must buy permits to emit carbon if they exceed their government
allowance. A 2008 permit to release one ton of CO2 cost 27.64 euros ($42.83)
yesterday, on the European Climate Exchange in London. U.S. utilities spew
about 2.3 billion tons a year into the skies.
Every hour, fossil-fuel combustion generates 3.5 million tons of emissions
worldwide, helping create a warming effect that ``already threatens our
climate,'' the Paris-based International Energy Agency said in a June 6 report. The
IEA, the energy adviser to 27 oil-consuming nations, said inaction may allow
global temperatures to climb by 6 degrees Celsius (10.8 degrees Fahrenheit)
by the year 2100.
`Very Substantial'
``In the end, a final rule will lead to something very substantial and
address greenhouse gas emissions and perhaps a regulatory framework,'' Lyons, the
EPA spokesman said from his office in Washington.
The EPA's request for comment will delay actual regulations, said _David
Doniger_
(http://search.bloomberg.com/search?q=David+Doniger&site=wnews&client=wnews&…
=wnnis&sort=date:D:S:d1) , policy director at the New York-based Natural
Resources Defense Council, in a June 12 telephone interview.
The Supreme Court's ruling last year said the EPA needed to determine whether
carbon dioxide is a harmful pollutant as defined by 1963 Clean Air Act.
Congress failed this month in its first bid to promote laws to control CO2
from electricity plants and factories. Their debate exposed partisan divides
over global-warming measures and tensions within the Democratic Party between
advocates of regulation and lawmakers from states that mine coal, the dirtiest
fuel for power plants.
The EPA already used the Clean Air Act, amended in 1990, to control the
release of sulfur dioxide, called acid rain, from power plants through emissions
trading. That is the closest model the U.S. has for a possible cap-and-trade
system for carbon dioxide. Obama and McCain both have said they would support
a cap and trade approach.
Last Updated: June 20, 2008 00:01 EDT
**************Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos for
fuel-efficient used cars. (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)
EPA LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE MAP OF REGIONAL AIR POLLUTION MONITORING STATIONS
EPA Region 3's Web site has launched an interactive map utilizing the
Microsoft Virtual Earth® geospatial technology platform pinpointing the locations
of its mid-Atlantic region air pollutant monitoring stations including those
of some surrounding states. The user-friendly geographical search features lo
cate air quality condition in any county, city, state or street address and
can be used to identify the area's air quality monitor locations in the event of
a chemical spill or other environmental release.
View the map at _http://www.epa.gov/reg3artd/airquality/r3monitors.htm_
(http://www.epa.gov/reg3artd/airquality/r3monitors.htm) .
For information on air pollution monitoring stations nationwide,
visit _EPA's AirData web site_ (http://www.epa.gov/air/data/) .
**************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with
Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.
(http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4&?NCID=aolfod00030000000002)
Hi. I just wanted to let you know that Dr. Timothy Nurkiewicz, Ph.D. will
be presenting "Airborne Particle Pollution and Cardiovascular Health" at our
the Mended Hearts, Inc. Chapter # 209 meeting next week.
Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Time: 7pm
Location: Ruby Memorial Hospital, 10th Floor Conference Room
The meeting is open to all. Individuals do not have to be a member of
Mended Hearts, only interested in the topic to be presented. The presentation
portion of our meetings usually lasts about 1 hour and the business portion of
the meeting follows.
If you think that any one from the Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition would be
interested in hearing this presentation, please pass along.
Thanks.
Peggy Filios
for Mended Hearts Chapter # 209 (and MVAC member
**************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family
favorites at AOL Food.
(http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)
To: Mon Valley Clean Air Coalition ..................
Memorial Day Weekend is coming and -- in spite of gas prices -- more
Americans than ever are planning to getaway by car. (1) But that doesn't have to
cost as much as you think.
There are lots of ways to save gas (checked your tires lately?) but the
easiest and most effective way is to slow down (just a little bit). When you add
up the savings, it's like getting paid to relax.
So before you get behind the wheel for the upcoming holiday, show us what
you're made of. Pledge to Drive 55 (or whatever the speed limit is on the roads
you're traveling) for Memorial Day Weekend. Poor _Sammy Hagar can't do it_
(http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=K0EE88vsX0xIF2X7I0EUBw..) , but we bet
you can. After all, even jets are slowing down to save money! (2)
The Union of Concerned Scientists tells us that dropping from 70 to 60 mph
improves fuel efficiency by an average of 17.2 percent. Dropping from 75 to 55
improves fuel efficiency by 30.6 percent!(3)
Put another way, in a family sedan, every 10 mph you drive over 60 is like
paying 54 cents per gallon more for gas you bought at $3.25 a gallon. (4) That
extra cost is even higher for big SUVs and other less-efficient vehicles.
And the time you save by going easy on the accelerator may not add up to as
much as you thought. On a 300-mile trip, driving 65 instead of 70 mph would
cost you only 20 minutes -- but save money and spew less carbon.
_Take the Pledge_
(http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=MLlaQD-R7muoxlV-dnimcA..) !
Learn about _other ways to avoid a "pain in the gas"_
(http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=LvJfbgitA5VeS7uPoLDU3A..) when it comes to getting from here
to there.
Is driving to your destination more fuel-efficient than flying? _Take our
"How Green Is My Getaway" quiz_
(http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=ro80sPmCebsJ6gRc-aNa9g..) . You might be surprised.
Our April 29 post about driving the speed limit in our Green Life blog led
many to share the wisdom of their personal road trip experiences. _You can
read all of them here, and share your own_
(http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=W8WDiDX9DvZx3nq9EyFsQQ..) .
Have a great Memorial Day,
Greg Haegele
Director of Conservation, The Sierra Club
**************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family
favorites at AOL Food.
(http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)