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EPA active in air quality
by duane330＠aol.com 16 Feb '10

16 Feb '10

EPA'S NEW NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARD FOR NITROGEN DIOXIDE WILL BETTER PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH EPA has strengthened the health-based National Ambient Air Quality Standard for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to better protect public health. "We're updating these standards to build on the latest scientific data and meet changing health protection needs," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "In addition to limiting annual average concentrations, we're preventing high NO2 levels for shorter periods of time and adding stronger monitoring in areas near roadways, where the highest levels of NO2 are often found. This will fill current standard gaps and provide important additional protections where they are needed most." Details about the proposal: http://www.epa.gov/air/nitrogenoxides EPA UPDATES DATA TO ITS SCHOOL AIR TOXICS WEBSITE On Jan. 22, EPA posted additional school air toxics data to the www.epa.gov/schoolair website reflecting data collected through Dec. 21, 2009 for all 9 schools in Region 3. EPA is analyzing the data to determine the health effects, if any, from long term exposure to these air toxics and is writing the reports for schools that have completed monitoring. To date, most of the school air toxics monitors in Region 3 have not shown any toxics above the levels of concern for long term level of exposure. There have been some elevated levels of manganese at Follansbee Elementary School in Follansbee, W. Va. and elevated levels of benzene at South Allegheny Middle/High School in Allegheny County, Pa.

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AE value = $4.7 (stock) + $3.8 (debt)..???
by Duane330＠aol.com 11 Feb '10

11 Feb '10

FirstEnergy, owner of Jersey Central Power & Light, agrees to buy Allegheny Energy for $4.7B By _The Associated Press_ (http://connect.nj.com/user/njoapnews/index.html) , February 11, 2010, 8:13AM Utility company FirstEnergy said today it is buying rival Allegheny Energy for about $4.7 billion in stock in a deal that will create one of the nation's largest power companies with customers from Ohio to New York. The combined company will have about $16 billion in annual revenue and $1.4 billion in profit and serve more than 6 million customers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and West Virginia. "The combination of our companies is a natural fit that will accelerate our efforts to strengthen the operating performance of our generating fleet while building on our long-standing dedication to customers, shareholders and employees," Anthony J. Alexander, CEO of FirstEnergy, said in a statement. Alexander will remain the top executive of the combined company, which will be based at FirstEnergy's headquarters in Akron, Ohio. The deal is expected to close within 14 months. Shareholders of Allegheny, based in Greensburg, Pa., will receive 0.667 shares of FirstEnergy common stock in exchange for each share they own. Based on Tuesday's closing price, those shares will be valued at $27.65 and represent a 32 percent premium over Allegheny's closing price of $21.02 on Wednesday. Allegheny shares rose 19 percent to $25 in premarket trading. The deal will also include FirstEnergy's assumption of $3.8 billion in debt.

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"the mother of all verticals"
by Duane330＠aol.com 30 Jan '10

30 Jan '10

____________________________________ January 29, 2010, 9:47 am Private Equity Is Bullish on Clean Energy By _CEZARY PODKUL_ (http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/author/cezary-podkul/) With strong interest from corporations eyeing the clean energy sector, 2010 could turn out to be a good time for private equity and venture capital firms to pursue investments. “One of the most exciting things about the space now – this applies all the way down the bottom to the early-stage technology firms – is that there is a tremendous amount of strategic interest in this space,” said Hovey Kemp, a private equity lawyer at the law firm _Goodwin Procter_ (http://www.goodwinprocter.com/) , said at the _Dow Jones Private Equity Analyst Outlook 2010_ (http://peaoutlook.dowjones.com/) meeting in New York earlier this week. He added that one could easily put together a long list of “very large corporations” that are paying “very close attention” to the sector, among them networking equipment maker _Cisco_ (http://www.cisco.com/) and electronics manufacturer _Samsung_ (http://www.samsung.com/us/) . “There are buyers out there that are going to emerge here,” he said. For private equity and venture capital firms, which collectively _invested $6 billion into the clean energy sector in 2009_ (http://www.newenergymatters.com/download.php?n=NEF_Q4_Fact_Pack_07_01_2010.… ses) , according to the consulting firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance, this could translate to a variety of selling opportunities as a way of exiting their investments. Investors at the event also saw good reasons to be buyers in the sector. Chris Hearn of the private equity firm _First Reserve Corporation_ (http://www.firstreserve.com/go.asp?Go=!SiteStation&x=TPLGen&ResType=Folder&… PL=HomePage.htm) said long-term electricity needs in the United States would continue to rise, thanks in part to greater use of electric vehicles. Tucker Twitmyer of the clean-energy private equity firm _EnerTech Capital_ (http://www.enertechcapital.com/) , pointed to smart gird technology as an area where investors can get a quick return on their capital. It may take a few years for private equity and venture capital firms to figure it out, Mr. Hovey said, but the clean energy sector could become “the mother of all verticals” for private investors.

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<action item> Coal ash dump sites are huge and toxic
by duane330＠aol.com 28 Jan '10

28 Jan '10

We have waited far too long for comprehensive protections against the toxic coal ash threat. Please take a moment to stand up for public health! Take action today! Dear colleague, People living near coal ash dump sites often tell similar stories of illness, poisoned drinking water supplies and environmental destruction. For decades, these massive toxic dumps, sometimes millions of gallons deep and hundreds of acres wide, have been unregulated, unmonitored and ignored. But on Dec. 22, 2008, everything changed. That night, more than 1 billion gallons of toxic coal ash burst through a dam and flooded 300 acres in rural Tennessee. Dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed, and the Environmental Protection Agency vowed to act. Citizens just like you sent letters and made phone calls to the EPA, pleading for swift action to guarantee the safety and environment for millions of Americans living near these dangerous sites. But, one year later, we still wait for federal oversight. The EPA has a plan to regulate coal ash as hazardous waste, but well-funded lobbyists for the coal and power industries are blocking EPA's attempt to protect public health and the environment. They are meeting with White House officials, spreading false information about coal ash and obscuring the need for strong federal oversight. Please take a moment to stand up for public health by calling, faxing or emailing the White House to tell them that coal ash must be immediately regulated as hazardous waste: http://action.earthjustice.org/campaign/coalash_0110/7unw7g407j37ddm?#start… America has waited far too long for comprehensive protections against this toxic coal ash threat. Industry should not be allowed to flex its lobbyist muscle and stand in the way of better health and a cleaner environment. — Earthjustice

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Fwd: EPA proposes to stiffen ozone standard
by duane330＠aol.com 11 Jan '10

11 Jan '10

-----Original Message----- From: John Gever <jgever(a)gmail.com> To: Duane330(a)aol.com <Duane330(a)aol.com>; James Kotcon <jkotcon(a)wvu.edu> Sent: Thu, Jan 7, 2010 12:56 pm Subject: EPA proposes to stiffen ozone standard http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/D70B9C433C46FAA3852576A40058B1D4 The agency is proposing to set the “primary” standard, which protects ublic health, at a level between 0.060 and 0.070 parts per million ppm) measured over eight hours. Children are at the greatest risk rom ozone, because their lungs are still developing, they are most ikely to be active outdoors, and they are more likely than adults to ave asthma. Adults with asthma or other lung diseases, and older dults are also sensitive to ozone. EPA is also proposing to set a separate “secondary” standard to rotect the environment, especially plants and trees. This seasonal tandard is designed to protect plants and trees from damage occurring rom repeated ozone exposure, which can reduce tree growth, damage eaves, and increase susceptibility to disease. - ohn Gever edPage Today el. 1-304-243-0826 ell 1-304-780-9772 kype 1-412-567-2949 (pre-arranged interviews only) .gever(a)medpagetoday.com or jgever(a)gmail.com ttp://www.medpagetoday.com =

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Fwd: PennFuture Appeals AMDRI permit for Dunkard Creek
by James Kotcon 05 Jan '10

05 Jan '10

The actual appeal (filed Dec. 30) mentioned below is available at the link at the end of this article. It appears to be a very well-documented case and ties together Dunkard Creek, Longview, ConSol (Himphrey Mine), Dana Mining, PA-DEP, and AMD Reclamation, Inc. This is some important reading. JBK >>> Betty Wiley betty.w304(a)gmail.com> 1/4/2010 11:27 PM >> ( mailto:betty.w304@gmail.com> ) http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view… Business Wire January 04, 2010 05:12 PM Eastern Time PennFuture, Friends of Dunkard Creek File Appeal on Mine Water Treatment Permit Allowing Dirty Water to Be Released into Creek Permit Changed without Public Notice HARRISBURG, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Attorneys with Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) last week filed an appeal before the Environmental Hearing Board challenging an amendment to the permit for the Shannopin Mine Dewatering Project. The appeal was filed on behalf of Friends of Dunkard Creek, as well as PennFuture. "The relaxed standards do not apply to the water being pumped from Consol's permitted Humphrey No. 7 Mine, which is not being done to avert a disaster, but to allow mining of the coal reserves above the Humphrey Mine." The Shannopin Mine Dewatering Project, which was designed to prevent a catastrophic breakout of acid mine water from the abandoned Shannopin Mine into Dunkard Creek, was originally granted a permit allowing less stringent cleanup of the dangerous water. The challenged permit amendment, for which no public notice was given, would allow the project to collect water from Consolidation Coal Company's (Consol) permitted Humphrey No. 7 Mine, where no breakout risk exists, and to treat that water to the less than optimal cleanup allowed in the original emergency situation. The permit amendment was granted by the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Mining Program despite a finding nine months before by a DEP biologist that the Shannopin Project's discharge into Dunkard Creek contained high levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and other pollutants, which were causing harm to aquatic life in the creek. The permit amendment was issued two months after a massive kill of fish, mussels, and salamanders occurred in more than 40 miles of Dunkard Creek. "The lax water cleanup standards were allowed originally to avert an emergency - an impending breakout of acid mine pollution from the abandoned Shannopin Mine that would have severely polluted miles of Dunkard Creek and the Monongahela River," said PennFuture Senior Attorney Kurt Weist. "The relaxed standards do not apply to the water being pumped from Consol's permitted Humphrey No. 7 Mine, which is not being done to avert a disaster, but to allow mining of the coal reserves above the Humphrey Mine. "In March, DEP's water quality experts recommended that more stringent water quality limits be included in the renewal of the discharge permit for the Shannopin Project, which is now nearly sixteen months overdue," continued Weist. "It obviously is unreasonable to issue an amendment allowing another source of mine drainage to be connected to the Shannopin Project's treatment system before DEP renews the existing permit and puts the more protective limits into effect." Jim O'Connell of Friends of Dunkard Creek agreed, "How anyone could have granted this permit revision after the destruction we experienced last summer is beyond me. And you can bet that if there had been any public notice, DEP would have heard our objections loud and clear. It's time to reverse this backroom deal and clean up the water." A copy of the appeal filed by PennFuture is online at http://www.pennfuture.org/userfiles10/CalvinRunNOAwithoutattachments.pdf Contacts Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future Jeanne K. Clark, 412-258-6683 or 412-736-6092 info(a)pennfuture.org www.pennfuture.org ( http://www.pennfuture.org/ ) At A Glance Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture) Headquarters: Harrisburg, PA Website: http://www.pennfuture.org ( http://www.pennfuture.org/ ) CEO: Jan Jarrett Employees: 21 Organization: Non-profit Source: via Business Wire Updated 03/24/2009 by company Permalink: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100104006386/en/PennFuture%2C-Frien…

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Longview is back at the PSC
by James Kotcon 22 Dec '09

22 Dec '09

In a filing on Nov. 11, Longview opened a new proceeding by asking the PSC to approve that Industrial Revenue Bonds to be issued by the WV EDA "do not offend the public interest", and further asked that this not be considered a "material modification" of the 2006 certificate. Staff filed a response on Dec. 14 indicating they had no objection, but asked the PSC to order Longview to file a notice to all parties in the earlier proceedings and allow time for public comment. Longview on Dec. 21 filed a one-paragraph letter indicating they had no response to Staff's recommendation. The IRB's would be used to finance "solid waste facilities" such as scrubbers, and other air pollution control equipment, including "solid waste disposal and recycling facilities" and "solid waste landfills". Although Longview claims that the footprint of the facility has not changed, I would point out that a MepCo subsidiary, Coresco, LLC. has pending an application for surface mine permit modification to expand a flyash disposal landfill to serve Longview on property immediately west of the current Longview site. In that application, Coresco indicates that they are exempt from solid waste landfill regulations because the disposal constitutes a "beneficial use". The IRBs would also be used to finance wastewater systems including discharge process water, storm water runoff, and sanitary sewage. Longview included a map indicating to location of the water treatment plant and pipelines running from the Mon River to the plant. In a separate matter, Longview filed a request on Dec. 16 asking that the 2008 complaint about the alternate water source be dismissed because the various regulatory agencies have all granted the appropriate permits to approve their new water treatment plant and pipeline to the plant. Does anyone else think that these changes, if approved, would constitute the PSC's blessings for al that Longview wants to do, as well as the dismissal of the 2008 complaint. Merry Christmas. JBK

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Re: [MVCAC] Diesel Resolution
by James Kotcon 05 Dec '09

05 Dec '09

As a general rule, I tend to be leery of anti-diesel stuff, but this one is from the Clean Air Task Force (which has loads of good stuff) and appears to be a very credible proposal. My only concern is that "Plans" are overly vague, but this would be a good start and I recommend that WVEC and MVCAC consider it. Diesel smoke is substantially more toxic than the particulates from power plants, so cleaning these up is a good start. I especially like the part about retro-fitting old diesels. JBK --- On Thu, 12/3/09, Ryan Bodanyi <rbodanyi(a)catf.us> wrote: From: Ryan Bodanyi <rbodanyi(a)catf.us> Subject: Re: Jim, the Sierra Club, and Diesel Date: Thursday, December 3, 2009, 3:37 AM Hi Jim, My name is Ryan Bodanyi, and I work with the Clean Air Task Force. I’m writing to ask for your chapter's support for the attached “Diesel Clean-up Platform,” which has already been endorsed by five chapters of the Sierra Club nationwide – Connecticut, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Why clean up diesel emissions? Here’s a few reasons: 1. Health.Fine particle pollution produced by diesel engines causes 21,000 deaths a year – on a par with drunk driving (17,000), HIV/AIDS (14,000) and firearm homicide (12,000). (1) Diesel engines are known for their durability, but older engines emit a toxic mixture of particles, metals, and gases, including over 40 “hazardous air pollutants” as classified by EPA. On average, the US cancer risk posed by diesel pollution is 7 times greater than the cancer risk from all other 133 air toxics tracked by EPA combined. 2. Climate Change. As a warming pollutant, black carbon in diesel pollution is about 2000 times more potent than CO2. Diesels account for over half of the US black carbon emissions. The lifetime of soot in the air (weeks to months) is much less than carbon dioxide (50 to 200 years). As such, removing soot emissions may have a faster effect on slowing global warming than removing carbon dioxide emissions. (2) 3. West Virginia. In West Virginia alone, diesel emissions contribute to 73 premature deaths, 79 non-fatal heart attacks, and 6,616 lost work days each year (see http://www.catf.us/projects/diesel/dieselhealth/state.php?site=0&s=54 ), with the monetized value of health impacts estimated at $580 million. 4. Children. Children breathe 50% more air per pound than adults, and therefore consume more airborne pollution. Additionally, particles are known to pose a host of health risks to children such as lung growth retardation and asthma. 5. Worker Safety. Workers are exposed to unnecessary levels of diesel pollution on the job from construction equipment, transit buses, long-haul trucks and other diesel sources. For example, a study of diesel mechanics, train crewmen, and electricians working in a closed space near diesel generators suggested that diesel exposure may have caused both airway obstruction and serious impairment to the central nervous system. The report concluded that “impaired crews may be unable to operate trains safely.” (3) Studies have documented a 50% higher chance of heart disease in truckers and have found heartbeat irregularities in otherwise healthy, young North Carolina state troopers. (4) (5) (6) 6. Environmental Justice. EJ communities are often most impacted due to proximity to polluting sources. 7. Economic. Using accepted valuation methodology employed by the EPA in recent regulatory impact analyses, Abt Associates finds that the total monetized cost of the U.S. diesel fleet’s fine particle pollution will be a staggering $139 billion in 2010. (7) However an analysis by Keybridge Associates estimates that a $1B investment in clean diesel technology would yield 19,000 jobs. About the Platform Your support for the platform does not include support for any legislation. Instead it is a broad call to action which has already been endorsed by 320 groups nationwide, including the American Lung Association, Environmental Defense, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, and others. A complete list can be found in the attached platform. How to Endorse Simply email me – Ryan Bodanyi – at rbodanyi(a)catf.us ( about:/mc/compose?to=rbodanyi@catf.us ), and I’ll be sure to add you! Questions? If you’d like more information about any of the points I’ve mentioned above, or more information in general, simply email me at rbodanyi(a)catf.us ( about:/mc/compose?to=rbodanyi@catf.us ) and I’ll respond to your request straightaway! In the meanwhile I hope you’ll look over the platform and consider giving it your endorsement! Yours sincerely, Ryan B. Citations (1) Diesel and Health in America: The Lingering Threat by Conrad G. Schneider and L. Bruce Hill, Ph.D. Published by the Clean Air Task Force, February 2005. Available online at http://www.catf.us/publications/view/83. (2) See http://news.stanford.edu/pr/02/jacobsonJGR1023.html. (3) Kilburn, K.H., Effects of Diesel Exhaust on Neurobehavioral and Pulmonary Functions, Archives of Environmental Health, Vol. 55, No. 1, (2000), pp. 11-17. (4) Riediker, M., Cascia, W., Griggs, T., Herbst, M.m Bromberg, P., Neas, L., Williams, R., and Devlin, R. (2004). Particulate matter exposure in cars is associated with cardiovascular effects in healthy young men. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, v. 169, p. 934-940. (5) Riediker, M, Williams, R., Devlin, R., Griggs, T., and Bromberg, P. (2003). Exposure to particulate matter, volatile organic compounds and other air pollutants inside patrol cars. Environmental Science and Technology, v. 37, p. 2084-2093. (6) Laden, F., Hart, J., Smith, T., Davis, M., and Garshick, E. (2007) Cause-specific mortality in the trucking industry. Environmental Health Perspectives, v. 115, no. 8. p. 1192-1196. (7) Diesel and Health in America: The Lingering Threat by Conrad G. Schneider and L. Bruce Hill, Ph.D. Published by the Clean Air Task Force, February 2005. Available online at http://www.catf.us/publications/view/83. *************** Ryan Bodanyi Special Projects Coordinator, Diesel Campaign Clean Air Task Force http://www.catf.us/ rbodanyi(a)catf.us Cell: (401) 829-6192

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Fwd: GASPalert: Let PA DEP know you want strong Coal Combustion Waste regulat...
by Duane330＠aol.com 04 Dec '09

04 Dec '09

For your information. Duane

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PUBLIC CAN TRACK SO2 AND NOx EMISSIONS
by Duane330＠aol.com 30 Nov '09

30 Nov '09

PUBLIC CAN TRACK SO2 AND NOx EMISSIONS AT COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS VIA WEBSITE EPA has improved its interactive tracking tools on EPA's website to help the public track sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from coal-fired power plants and other indicators at individual coal-fired power plants subject to the _Acid Rain Program_ (http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/progsregs/arp/index.html) . The Acid Rain Program requires power plants to reduce emissions of SO2 and nitrogen oxides (NOx) - the primary causes of acid rain - and since 1995 has achieved significant environmental and public health benefits. In 2008, electric generating units (subject to the market-based cap and trade SO2 program) emitted 7.6 million tons of SO2, a level well below the current annual emission cap of 9.5 million tons. The interactive tracking tool and quarterly updates of emissions data from coal-fired plants is available at _http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/quarterlytracking.html_ (http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/quarterlytracking.html) Note: If a link above doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser.

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