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Ethane increasing dramatically in Earth's atmosphere
by Duane 03 May '16

03 May '16

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ETHANE_POLLUTION_MTOL-?SITE=AP&SE… STUDY: US OIL FIELD SOURCE OF GLOBAL UPTICK IN AIR POLLUTION BY MICHAEL BIESECKER AND MATTHEW BROWN, ASSOCIATED PRESS, APRIL 29, 2016 WASHINGTON (AP) -- An oil and natural gas field in the western United States is largely responsible for a global uptick of the air pollutant ethane, according to a new study. The team led by researchers at the University of Michigan found that fossil fuel production at the Bakken Formation in North Dakota and Montana is emitting roughly 2 percent of the ethane detected in the Earth's atmosphere. Along with its chemical cousin methane, ethane is a hydrocarbon that is a significant component of natural gas. Once in the atmosphere, ethane reacts with sunlight to form ozone, which can trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory problems, especially in children and the elderly. Ethane pollution can also harm agricultural crops. Ozone also ranks as the third-largest contributor to human-caused global warming after carbon dioxide and methane. "We didn't expect one region to have such a global influence," said Eric Kort, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of climatic science at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The study was launched after a mountaintop sensor in the European Alps began registering surprising spikes in ethane concentrations in the atmosphere starting in 2010, following decades of declines. The increase, which has continued over the last five years, was noted at the same time new horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques were fueling a boom of oil and gas production from previously inaccessible shale rock formations in the United States. Searching for the source of the ethane, an aircraft from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2014 sampled air from directly overhead and downwind of drilling rigs in the Bakken region. Those measurements showed ethane emissions far higher than what was being reported to the government by oil and gas companies. The findings solve an atmospheric mystery - where that extra ethane was coming from, said Colm Sweeney, a study co-author from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The researchers said other U.S. oil and gas fields, especially the Eagle Ford in Texas, are also likely contributing to the global rise in ethane concentrations. Ethane gets into the air through leaks from drilling rigs, gas storage facilities and pipelines, as well as from intentional venting and gas burnoffs from extraction operations. "We need to take these regions into account because it could really be impacting air quality in a way that might matter across North America," Kort said. Helping drive the high emission levels from the Bakken has been the oil field's meteoric growth. Efforts to install and maintain equipment to capture ethane and other volatile gases before they can escape have lagged behind drilling, said North Dakota Environmental Health Chief Dave Glatt. Glatt's agency has stepped up enforcement efforts in response. Last year, the state purchased a specialized camera that can detect so-called fugitive gas emissions as they escape from uncontained oil storage tanks, leaky pipelines, processing facilities and other sources. "You're able to see what the naked eye can't and it reveals emissions sources you didn't know where there," Glatt said. "It's a game changer. A lot of the companies thought they were in good shape, and they looked through the camera and saw they weren't." Regulators at the Environmental Protection Agency were reviewing the study's results. Spokeswoman Laura Allen said Friday that new clean air rules recently announced by the Obama administration to curb climate-warming methane leaks from oil and gas drilling operations should also help address the harmful ethane emissions. There are other ways ethane gets into the atmosphere - including wildfires and natural seepage from underground gas reserves. But fossil fuel extraction is the dominant source, accounting for roughly 60 to 70 percent of global emissions, according to a 2013 study from researchers at the University of California. See also: www.FrackCheckWV.net

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Clean Air Council active on eminent domain in Penna.
by Duane330＠aol.com 05 Mar '16

05 Mar '16

Legal update: Council Wins First Round Against Sunoco From: Clean Air Council, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, & Wilmington, DE Source: http://www.cleanair.org/ Sunoco has been behind many of the pipelines now criss-crossing Pennsylvania, including the proposed Mariner East pipelines. Now Sunoco is trying to use eminent domain to build pipelines. Eminent domain allows Sunoco to seize landowners' property for construction, regardless of whether the landowner agrees to it or not. How can Sunoco, a private company, get away with this? Part of the reason lies with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC). The PUC is able to grant or deny public utility status, which comes with the right of eminent domain. The PUC is supposed to do this by determining what best serves the public needs of Pennsylvanians. Sunoco is saying that its Mariner East pipelines, which would carry chemicals dug up during fracking operations, serve a public need. The Council recently took Sunoco to court over this claim. While it's sometimes true that pipelines deliver chemicals that serve a public need for Pennsylvanians, it's not true of the Mariner East pipelines specifically. Sunoco will be delivering chemicals to the Marcus Hook Industrial Complex in Philadelphia for export overseas, meaning the residents of Pennsylvania would see little benefit from their construction. Sunoco tried to quash the Council's argument before it gained steam, asking the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas to throw out our case. But on February 5th, the court ruled against Sunoco and sent the case to the next highest court, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, to hear and decide on. No date has been set for the next hearing on this case, but the Council will keep its members and supporters updated on the case as it progresses through the courts. For more information on this case please contact Alex Bomstein at 215-567-4004 ext. 118 or email _abomstein(a)cleanair.org_ (mailto:abomstein@cleanair.org) Clean Air Council, 135 S. 19th Street, Suite 300, Philadelphia, PA 19103 P: (215) 567-4004, F: (215) 567-5791

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Longview Power Plant Background Story
by Duane Nichols 29 Feb '16

29 Feb '16

DOMINION POST Sunday 28 Feb 16 Op-Ed commentary Power plants can afford to mitigate harm BY LARRY HARRIS On Feb. 9 an article in The Dominion Post described Rep. David McKinley’s visit to Longview Power Plant, and his promotion of the use of coal for energy. He correctly pointed out that this power plant was one of the cleanest in the United States, and suggested that the technology used would make other coal-burning plants cleaner also. What is missing from this story is how Longview came to be this clean. Back in 2004 Longview obtained an air quality permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Three environmental groups legally appealed that permit: Trout Unlimited, Sierra Club and the National Parks Conservation Association. Longview asked if we would consider a settlement of our appeal. We enlisted the aid of an environmental lawyer and expert energy engineer to recommend ways to make Longview even cleaner. The result was lower SO2 (sulfur dioxide, NOX (mono-nitrogen oxides) and particulate emissions, the first mercury monitor on a coal burning plant, and a mitigation fund to support measures to overcome the damage done by mining and burning coal. The agreement also called for the establishment of a nonprofit organization to administer these funds: The Appalachian Stewardship Foundation (ASF). Since the plant went on line in 2011, ASF has distributed more than $1 million for projects that reduce energy consumption, lower carbon emissions and restore streams damaged by coal mining and burning. ASF has funded projects ranging from providing low-energy light bulbs in Preston County to allowing Downstream Strategies to evaluate ways to lower energy consumption in Morgantown. Other projects have been funded to increase solar power opportunities, monitor streams to detect pollution related to energy development, and to help communities improve energy efficiency. Most importantly, we have supported several youth education projects designed to focus young people on striving for a cleaner energy future. So while McKinley is touting the cleaner technology that Longview uses, we would encourage him to acknowledge the mitigation funds that should be a part of every energy project. No matter what fossil fuel is used there is significant damage to the environment and to public health that the energy company should pay to mitigate. West Virginia coal mining communities are at the top of the list of populations impacted by the adverse health effects of coal-fired electricity, including increased rates of birth defects, neurological damage, cancer, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, and significantly reduced life expectancy. If fossil fuels continue to be part of the mix, as McKinley suggests, we will need even cleaner plants than Longview. Continued emissions of CO2 (carbon dioxide) and other greenhouse gases are now recognized as contributing to climate change. We must lower these emissions to prevent further environmental and health damage. Most of the world communities recognize the need to lower the use of fossil fuels and are moving in that direction, while McKinley continues to promote the coal industry without addressing the health and environmental issues. As citizens he represents, we deserve a cleaner and healthier energy future. Larry Harris is the chairman of the Appalachian Stewardship Foundation. He lives in Morgantown.

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Air pollution raises risk of death 'for decades after exposure' | Environment | The Guardian
by Duane 11 Feb '16

11 Feb '16

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/feb/09/air-pollution-raises-ris… Air pollution raises risk of death 'for decades after exposure' Longest-running study to date analyses long-term mortality risks of Britons exposed to historic particulate pollution <<< High pollution levels were recorded in London in late January. And, a new study shows that health impacts from air pollution persist for a long time. >>> From an Article by Damian Carrington, February 9, 2016 Air pollution raises the risk of death for many decades after exposure, according to the longest-running study to date. The analysis of 368,000 British people over 38 years also showed that those living in the most polluted places have a 14% higher risk of dying than those in the least polluted areas. Those exposed to particulate air pollution were more likely to die from respiratory problems, like pneumonia, emphysema and bronchitis, and also from cardiovascular problems, like heart attacks. “What this study shows is that the [health] effects of air pollution persist for a very long time,” said Dr Anna Hansell, at Imperial College London, who led the new study. “There is an imperative that, because the effects are so long-lasting, we really ought to act on it. We have to think about what we are doing to the long-term health of the population.” Many Britons are currently exposed to illegal levels of air pollution, with 29,000 premature deaths a year - or 5% of all deaths - blamed on air pollution. The UK government lost a supreme court legal battle in 2015 and was forced to produce an action plan. If successful, this will cut air pollution to legal levels by 2020 in most cities and 2025 in London. The impact on children, whose lungs can be stunted for life, has been of particular concern to experts. The truth about London's air pollution The new research, which is published in the journal Thorax on Tuesday, selected individuals at random from anonymised Office of National Statistics data and tracked them via the national censuses in 1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001. The study also estimated their exposure over time to particulate air pollution, which is produced mainly by the burning of fossil fuels in power stations and by vehicles. “We found a statistically significant association between [air pollution] exposure in 1971 and mortality in 2002-09,” said Hansell. The risk of death rises by 2% for each extra unit of pollution (10 micrograms of particulates per cubic metre) a person was exposed to in 1971.” Hansell added: “The more recent exposures appear to be the more harmful to health.” For each extra unit of pollution exposure in 2001, the risk of death in 2002-09 rises by 24%. Hansell said this gave another urgent reason to reduce air pollution, as cuts now would improve health in the next few years as well as in the long term. The reason the risk of death falls with time since the exposure is probably because the health impacts of air pollution fade over time, said Hansell, although the different mix of pollutants today compared to 1971 might be more toxic. The researchers found that the 36,800 people exposed to the highest levels of air pollution had a 14% greater risk of dying than those exposed to the lowest levels of air pollution. By coincidence, that applied to exposure in both 1971 and in 2001, although overall particulate pollution levels have fallen significantly - about 80% - in the decades between. Gary Fuller, an air pollution expert at King’s College London and not part of the new new study, said: “It feeds into the developing body of evidence about air pollution affecting us throughout the course of our lives. It increases the imperative for action to reduce the way in which the air that we breathe today can compromise our health and our children’s health later in life.” The research did not assess the impact of nitrogen dioxide, a toxic pollutant present at very high levels in some of the UK’s cities, which is linked to the failure of car manufacturers including Volkswagen to produce cars with emissions below official limits in real driving conditions. Hansell said: “It’s important to remember that the effects of air pollution are small compared to other risk factors. Your risk of dying early is much more dependent on other aspects of your lifestyle, like whether you smoke, how much you exercise and whether you are overweight.” In the study, those who died in accidents or could not be traced in later censuses were excluded. The researchers adjusted the data for the effect of age, sex, and social deprivation. They also accounted for lung cancer deaths, which are strongly related to smoking, but this made little difference to the conclusions. Duane Nichols, www.FrackCheckWV.net

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Supreme Court Puts Obama's Clean Power Plan on Hold - ABC News
by Duane 09 Feb '16

09 Feb '16

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/supreme-court-puts-obamas-clean-po… Supreme Court Puts Obama's Clean Power Plan on Hold By Michael Biesecker, ABC News, February 9, 2016 A divided Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to halt enforcement of President Barack Obama's sweeping plan to address climate change until after legal challenges are resolved. The surprising move is a blow to the administration and a victory for the coalition of 27 mostly Republican-led states and industry opponents that call the regulations "an unprecedented power grab." By temporarily freezing the rule the high court's order signals that opponents have made a strong argument against the plan, which aims to stave off the worst predicted impacts of climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions at existing power plants by about one-third by 2030. A federal appeals court last month refused to put it on hold. The appeals court is not likely to issue a ruling on the plan until months after it hears oral arguments begin on June 2. But any decision likely would be appealed to the Supreme Court, meaning resolution of the legal fight is not likely to happen until Obama leaves office. The high court's four liberal justices said Tuesday they would have denied the request for delay. Compliance with the new rules isn't required until 2022, but states must submit their plans to the Environmental Protection Administration by September or seek an extension. Many states opposing the plan depend on economic activity tied to such fossil fuels as coal, oil and gas. They argued that power plants will have to spend billions of dollars to begin complying with a rule that may end up being overturned. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia, whose coal-dependent state is helping lead the legal fight, hailed the court's decision. "We are thrilled that the Supreme Court realized the rule's immediate impact and froze its implementation, protecting workers and saving countless dollars as our fight against its legality continues," Morrisey said. Implementation of the rules is considered essential to the United States meeting emissions-reduction targets in a global climate agreement signed in Paris last month. The Obama administration and environmental groups also say the plan will spur new clean-energy jobs. To convince the high court to temporarily halt the plan, opponents had to convince the justices that there was a "fair prospect" the court would strike down the rule. The court also had to consider whether denying a stay would cause irreparable harm to the states and utility companies affected. —— >> Duane Nichols, www.FrackCheckWV.net

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World faces narrow window to cut carbon emissions — study
by Duane 09 Feb '16

09 Feb '16

http://www.governorswindenergycoalition.org/?p=16054 World faces narrow window to cut carbon emissions — study By Amanda Reilly, E & E News, February 9, 2016 Humans have only a small window to zero out carbon dioxide emissions that could lead to changes affecting the globe for tens of thousands of years, according to new research published today. The study in the journal Nature Climate Change warned that the climate change debate has focused on time frames that are too short, largely ignoring long-term changes to the ecology and geology of the world. The only way to avert these long-term changes, the authors wrote, is by shaping a new energy system with net-zero or net-negative carbon dioxide emissions within the next few decades. “Much of the carbon we are putting in the air from burning fossil fuels will stay there for thousands of years — and some of it will be there for more than 100,000 years,” Peter Clark, an Oregon State University paleoclimatologist and lead author, said today in a statement. “People need to understand that the effects of climate change on the planet won’t go away, at least not for thousands of generations.” Researchers from the United States, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, France, Australia and the United Kingdom participated in the study. The authors contend that researchers and policymakers have overwhelmingly focused on relatively short-term shifts linked to climate change, changes in the last 150 years and their effects up to the year 2100. Using computer models, the research team projected how human actions will affect the globe over the next 10,000 years. It found that humans have only a few decades to halt “potentially catastrophic climate change that will extend longer than the entire history of human civilization thus far.” “Our greenhouse gas emissions today produce climate-change commitments for many centuries to millennia. It is high time that this essential irreversibility is placed into the focus of policymakers,” said Thomas Stocker, a climate modeler at the University of Bern in Switzerland. “The long-term view sends the chilling message [about] what the real risks and consequences are of the fossil fuel era.” The team predicted that sea levels will rise by 25 meters with warming of 2 degrees Celsius and 50 meters with warming of 7 C, over a time frame of the next several centuries to millennia. On the low end, 122 countries will see at least a tenth of their population affected by higher sea levels. The latest report by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change found that sea levels could rise by 1 meter by 2100. “It takes sea-level rise a very long time to react — on the order of centuries,” Clark said. “It’s like heating a pot of water on the stove; it doesn’t boil for quite a while after the heat is turned on — but then it will continue to boil as long as the heat persists.” According to the authors, studies that focus only on near-term risks, as well as the economic practice of discounting future climate impacts, tend to play down the future, more severe impacts. While short-term emission reduction targets — such as the ones nations committed to in the recent Paris climate deal — are “important,” the authors said, only a “complete transformation” of the globe’s energy system within the next few decades will halt severe impacts. They called for a “fourth industrial revolution” entailing changes in energy, land use and agriculture. “We are making choices that will affect our grandchildren’s grandchildren,” said Harvard University geology professor Daniel Schrag, a co-author of the study. “We need to think carefully about the long-term scales of what we are unleashing.” >>>> Duane Nichols, www.FrackCheckWV.net

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States, industries make final pleas to Supreme Court - Governors' Wind Energy Coalition
by Duane 09 Feb '16

09 Feb '16

http://www.governorswindenergycoalition.org/?p=16034 States, industries make final pleas to Supreme Court By Robin Bravender, E & E News, February 8, 2016 Dozens of states, utilities and coal groups Friday made their final arguments in an attempt to urge the Supreme Court to block the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan. The request to the court to step in and block the controversial rule as a lower court weighs the case is widely seen as an unusual legal maneuver, but that shouldn’t stop the court from taking action, a coalition of more than two dozen states led by West Virginia said in its filing to the justices. “To be sure, requests of this Court for a stay of agency action pending review in the court of appeals appear to be rare. The States have not identified any case ‘in which this Court has granted a stay of a generally-applicable regulation pending initial judicial review in the court of appeals,'” the states’ attorneys wrote. Litigation over the rule is still pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Judges on that court refused requests to block the rule while the case proceeds. However, the states said, “EPA and its intervenors have not identified a single instance where this Court has rejected such a request. Critically, there is nothing to suggest that the scarce precedent reflects anything more than that the circumstances rarely warrant the time and expense of seeking such a stay from this Court.” The states added that “the Power Plan is the most far-reaching and burdensome rule EPA has ever forced onto the States.” In a separate document to the court, utility groups responded to EPA’s claims that a stay would be “extraordinary.” This is “not an ordinary case. Never before has EPA claimed such sweeping authority to reorganize an entire sector of the economy in the name of reducing emissions,” the groups said. And coal industry groups warned the court that those seeking a stay will suffer from “irreparable harm” if the rule is allowed to go forward (see related story). “Concrete evidence shows many examples of closures attributable to the Power Plan, as well as examples of long-term planning by utilities, which are currently making plant shut-down and resource decisions that will be implemented or made permanent in 2016.” Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is weighing the arguments from both sides and is expected to issue a reply soon. He could act on his own or consult with his colleagues before deciding whether to grant a stay. Click here to read the states’ reply. Click here to read coal industry groups’ reply. Click here to read utilities’ reply. Click here to read business groups’ reply. >>>> Duane Nichols, www.FrackCheckWV.net

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Eating Crickets is Good for You—and the Planet | The Allegheny Front
by Duane 22 Jan '16

22 Jan '16

........... Shall we go for less greenhouse gases ....... ? http://www.alleghenyfront.org/story/eating-crickets-good-you%E2%80%94and-pl… Eating Crickets is Good for You—and the Planet From the Allegheny Front, Pittsburgh, January 22, 2016 At an artsy hipster bar in downtown Youngstown, Ohio—and yes, there is an artsy hipster bar in Youngstown—they serve gourmet hot dogs with 50 different kinds of toppings. The golden pickled beets and root beer BBQ sauce are definitely among the most unique. But if you really want to get adventurous, you’ll go for the deep-fried crickets. “We go through quite a bit of them. More than you’d think actually,” says the cook at Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts, tossing a batch into the deep frier. They get the crickets from a farm just a mile down the road. It’s owned by Kevin Bachhuber and his partner, who left their jobs in software and finance in California to start the farm. Why Youngstown? It had cheap space to rent and plenty of water. But Bachhuber’s farm doesn’t look like any farm you’ve probably ever seen. Big Cricket Farms is basically a warehouse. “The whole thing with indoor agriculture is that you’re moving away from the traditional sprawling farms into something that’s much more condensed,” Bachhuber says. You want crickets with that? At Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts in Youngstown, Ohio you can get hot dogs with more than 50 different toppings—including deep-fried crickets. Photo: Julie Grant In the section of the warehouse where they raise and breed the crickets, there are eight bins—each about the size of a large bathtub. Half of them are low to the ground with the others lofted above like bunk beds. In each bin, there are stacks and stacks of cardboard—like egg cartons, but bigger—layered with peat moss. And the crickets are everywhere—hopping around on the cardboard and trays piled with cricket food. “They eat anything, they’re consummate omnivores,” Bachhuber says. The organic mash that he’s serving them is made of the same grains found in pig or chicken feed. And the peat moss—that’s vital for breeding. “If you look, right here, this is a lady cricket,” Bachhuber says, pointing out a cricket with a long stinger-like structure extending from its back. “That’s an ovipositor. She’ll use that to deposit her eggs into a moist, dirtlike substrate. So that’s the peat moss stuff.” The farm only breeds a small percentage of their crickets because each female cricket can lay more than a thousand eggs per season. Crickets are fast growers too and can be ready for harvest in just six to eight weeks. Bachhuber says they try to use every part of the cricket. A worker at the farm sifts out the legs, which are sold to a local fish farmer. And they also separate the insect waste, which is full of nitrogen and phosphorous, and sell it to be mixed with compost. “The farmers and the composters—they freakin’ love it.” It’s not super fancy, but crickets don’t need much high-tech gadgetry to do their thing. Some bathtub-sized bins, cardboard, peat moss and food is about all Kevin Bachhuber needs to keep his cricket population happy. Photo: Julie Grant The cleaned crickets go out to customers like Suzie’s Dogs and Drafts. Some of the bugs even make it into cricket flour, which is used in things like protein bars. There’s even such a thing as “ gourmet” crickets. Bachhuber’s partner, Jaci Ampulski, says they tinker with the taste by feeding the crickets basil from another nearby farm. “They got to eat it for about seven days, and when we harvested them, they tasted like basil,” Ampulski says. “We did it with mint too, and those turned out fantastic. It’s like ‘hint-of-mint’ cricket.” Bachhuber got the idea to raise crickets in 2006. He was drinking beer and watching bad TV in a Thailand bar when someone put out a basket of fried crickets. He loved them. Then in 2013, he saw the United Nations report pushing crickets and other insects as an environmentally friendly protein. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization found that edible insects contain high-quality protein, vitamins and amino acids. Insects also need six times less feed than cattle—and half the feed required by pigs and broiler chickens—to produce the same amount of protein. Insects also emit fewer greenhouse gases. The report got Bachhuber to look more seriously at the cricket industry, which ultimately led him to his life as a cricket farmer. But that’s not the reason he got into it. “The sustainability thing is great. But I got into this because of taste. I like having a wide palate. I like the taste of bugs. I like eating them.” And the taste? The crickets are salty and crunchy, with a unique meaty texture. It might take a little getting used to. But Bachhuber says with orders on the rise, he expects we’ll get more chances to try them. ### In Pittsburgh, you can find Bachhuber’s crickets at Strip District Meats.

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Clean Power Plan stay motion denied! Full steam ahead on implementation!
by Duane 21 Jan '16

21 Jan '16

> Clean Power Plan stay motion denied! Full steam ahead on implementation! > > NEWS: Federal Court Rejects Fossil Fuel Industry Effort to Delay #CleanPowerPlan Implementation http://bit.ly/1SAb3wB #ActOnClimate > View as webpage > > Federal Court Rejects Fossil Fuel Industry Effort to Delay Clean Power Plan Implementation > Court rejects motions to block nation’s first-ever limits on carbon pollution > > Washington D.C.-- Today, in a decision applauded by clean energy companies, public health and environmental groups, and many states, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the fossil fuel industry’s legal attempt to block the implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan (CPP), which sets the first-ever protections against dangerous carbon pollution from U.S. power plants. > > Under the Clean Power Plan, states will have 15 years to fully implement the new standards, which incorporate a broad array of flexible, cost-effective compliance options to reduce dangerous pollution. The CPP builds on existing trends in the power sector that have allowed many states around the country to reduce pollution at a rapid rate over the last decade. > > In response Joanne Spalding, Sierra Club’s Chief Climate Counsel, released the following statement: > > “We applaud the Court’s denial of polluter-backed efforts to block the Clean Power Plan. This decision clears the way for states to continue implementing this common-sense standard. The only people who won’t be cheering this decision are those who profit from pollution and their political allies. > > “This is just the latest attack from the fossil fuel industry on the Clean Power Plan to be rejected by a federal court, and it won’t be the last. The fact is, the Clean Power Plan is based on legislation passed by Congress, upheld by the Supreme Court, and implemented by the President. It's a vital, lifesaving policy that draws on the strength and ingenuity of American innovation to curb dangerous carbon pollution being dumped into our air, while driving investment and creating jobs in energy efficiency and clean energy. In limiting the pollution that is causing climate disruption, the Clean Power Plan will also reduce pollution that causes serious respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and premature death -- effects that disproportionately burden communities of color and the most vulnerable members of our society. > > “Today’s decision allows states, power providers, and clean energy companies to continue building on the momentum from the Paris climate summit, moving us closer to powering the nation with 100% clean energy.” > > Rudhdi Karnik > Associate Press Secretary, Federal Affairs > Sierra Club, Beyond Coal Campaign > (o) 202.495.3055 > > >

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Fwd: Good News on Methane Pollution in Pennsylvania!
by Duane 21 Jan '16

21 Jan '16

> From: Group Against Smog and Pollution <jamin(a)gasp-pgh.org> > Date: January 21, 2016 > > Subject: Good News on Methane Pollution in Pennsylvania! > > > > > > Group Against Smog and Pollution improves air quality to ensure human, environmental, and economic health for our region. > GASP Needs YOU! > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Good News on Methane Pollution! > > Yesterday, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf released details on actions his administration will soon take to reduce methane pollution from the unconventional natural gas industry. These proposals will reduce emissions of the potent greenhouse gas in a very cost-effective manner, since they help the industry keep more of the gas they're trying to gather and sell. By enacting these proposals, Pennsylvania stands to be a national leader on this issue. > > We now need the DEP to follow through on this proposal and put strong regulations into place soon. We also need action on the federal level, since Pennsylvania is only one of many states that produce natural gas. Stay tuned to these alerts and our blog for more information as this work continues. > > Take a look at the DEP's proposals for yourself. > > You can also find some media coverage here, here, and here. > Make My Trip Count: > Survey Results Are In! > > The Green Building Alliance (GBA) and their partners (including GASP) labored hard to create a survey that investigated how people heading to Downtown or Oakland get to work or school and back. GBA and its partners will use this new dataset to better understand what planning needs to be put in place to improve our commutes while reducing our environmental impact. > > See the results! > > > In the Air: Visualizing > What We Breathe > > The environmental, social, and economic effects of air quality can hardly be overestimated. But they are often hard to visualize. In the Air: Visualizing What We Breathe is a photography exhibit at Pittsburgh Filmmakers that shows how the lives of Western Pennsylvanians are affected by the quality of the air that they breathe. Four photographers spent a year documenting people and places in our region affected by poor air quality, and their images (such as the one at the top of the email) are sure to make you think about this important issue in new ways. > > The exhibit runs until February 26 and is free to attend. Learn more about the exhibit or peek at some of the images. > Upcoming Events > > 4th Urban Transition Cities Movement Workshop > > Join the Kingsley Association for free training on reducing your energy and water use, minimizing exposure to air pollution, saving money, and more. Partners include GASP, the Pittsburgh Mayor's Office, and many others. > > Friday and Saturday, 1/22 (6-8:30 p.m.) and 1/23 (12-5 p.m.) > More info/RSVP > > Monitoring Groundwater Variability from Space > > Hear from Dr. Matthew Rodell of NASA's Hydrological Sciences Laboratory. He'll present on the importance of and difficulties in using satellites to monitor groundwater levels worldwide. Groundwater isn't just a vital local resource--it's a key marker for understanding climate change. > > Wednesday 1/27, 4 p.m. > More info/RSVP > Together, we can make a difference in our region's environment. We won't trade or sell your email address with other organizations or inundate you with messages. Visit our website at gasp-pgh.org or call us at (412) 924-0604 for more information or to become a member today. We can't do this without you! > > > Our mailing address is: > Group Against Smog and Pollution > 1133 South Braddock Avenue > Suite 1A > Edgewood, PA 15218 > > Add us to your address book > >

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