Showing posts with label Duke Power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Duke Power. Show all posts
9/03/2009
Duke Energy Leaving the Dark Side
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-09-02-duke-energy-quits-scandal-ridden-american-coalition-for-clean-co/
6/07/2009
Conservation Insider Bulletin, June 5
Conservation Insider Bulletin
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org
June 5, 2009
Duke announces a big rate hike request, and a huge coastal mining operation receives a new permit, this week in CIB:
--Administrative Watch: Duke Rate Hike Would Bankroll Cliffside
--Coast Watch: Phosphate Mine Gets New Permit
--Conservationists: Yadkin Riverkeeper Wins Recognition
Administrative Watch: Duke Rate Hike Would Bankroll Cliffside
Duke Energy filed a request with the N.C. Utilities Commission this week to hike its rates by 13.5 percent for residential customers, 9.7 percent for commercial and institutional users, and 15.2 percent for industries. Duke pointed to what it said were growing capital expenses as the main reason for the big rate hike request—including its contested new coal plant under construction at Cliffside.
The Cliffside-related costs would represent Duke's largest use of the controversial "construction work in progress" (CWIP) financing technique in decades. Opponents of new coal plant construction predicted this result when North Carolina legislators adopted legislation to radically weaken limits on CWIP in 2007.
Duke's rate hike request must be reviewed and approved by the Utilities Commission before it can take effect. Industrial and other electric customers immediately signaled opposition to the Duke request and can be expected to fight it in front of the state board. The Commission denied Duke's most recent previous rate hike request in 2007—but that was before new CWIP rules went into effect.
Meanwhile, environmental groups continue to challenge the Cliffside plant's air emission permits in federal court. The N.C. Division of Air Quality has now twice approved the plant's permit, and the U.S. District Court for western North Carolina is considering whether to intervene a second time.
Coast Watch: Phosphate Mine Gets New Permit
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this week issued a new permit for the massive PCS Phosphates mining operation on the Pamlico River in Beaufort County. The action may spell the end of a multi-year fight over the terms of expanding surface mining operations there, or could result in further challenges.
The Section 404 water quality permit would allow the company to mine through thousands of additional acres of wetlands near the river. It's the largest single permitted wetlands destruction operation in North Carolina history. The permit was held up by EPA directive earlier this year while the Corps reassessed what it would allow the company to do.
Citizen conservation groups including the Southern Environmental Law Center have been among those challenging PCS' mining expansion plans. Among the key issues has been the company's proposal to mine through a "nationally significant" hardwood swamp forest covering the headwaters of a Pamlico tributary stream.
An EPA spokesperson reacted favorably to some changes included in the Corps-approved permit, but noted that the agency continued to review the details. EPA has a short time within which to decide whether or not to challenge the permit further. Conservation groups are also in the process of reviewing the permit details. (Some facts for this article were drawn from the Washington Daily News, 6/4/09 and 6/5/09.)
Conservationists: Yadkin Riverkeeper Wins Recognition
Dean Naujoks, Yadkin Riverkeeper, received the River Network's 2009 National River Hero Award last weekend at the organization's annual national River Rally, held this year in Baltimore. The River Network promotes clean water restoration and protection, and has about 700 partner groups around the country.
Naujoks, who has worked on the Yadkin since October 2008, previously served for seven years as the Upper Neuse Riverkeeper. Zoe Gamble Hanes, president of the Yadkin Riverkeeper group, noted that Naujoks' work has gained particular attention through his efforts to reduce toxics pollution in Badin Lake associated with the former Alcoa operations there. (Gamble Hanes is also a member of the CCNC board of directors.)
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org
June 5, 2009
Duke announces a big rate hike request, and a huge coastal mining operation receives a new permit, this week in CIB:
--Administrative Watch: Duke Rate Hike Would Bankroll Cliffside
--Coast Watch: Phosphate Mine Gets New Permit
--Conservationists: Yadkin Riverkeeper Wins Recognition
Administrative Watch: Duke Rate Hike Would Bankroll Cliffside
Duke Energy filed a request with the N.C. Utilities Commission this week to hike its rates by 13.5 percent for residential customers, 9.7 percent for commercial and institutional users, and 15.2 percent for industries. Duke pointed to what it said were growing capital expenses as the main reason for the big rate hike request—including its contested new coal plant under construction at Cliffside.
The Cliffside-related costs would represent Duke's largest use of the controversial "construction work in progress" (CWIP) financing technique in decades. Opponents of new coal plant construction predicted this result when North Carolina legislators adopted legislation to radically weaken limits on CWIP in 2007.
Duke's rate hike request must be reviewed and approved by the Utilities Commission before it can take effect. Industrial and other electric customers immediately signaled opposition to the Duke request and can be expected to fight it in front of the state board. The Commission denied Duke's most recent previous rate hike request in 2007—but that was before new CWIP rules went into effect.
Meanwhile, environmental groups continue to challenge the Cliffside plant's air emission permits in federal court. The N.C. Division of Air Quality has now twice approved the plant's permit, and the U.S. District Court for western North Carolina is considering whether to intervene a second time.
Coast Watch: Phosphate Mine Gets New Permit
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers this week issued a new permit for the massive PCS Phosphates mining operation on the Pamlico River in Beaufort County. The action may spell the end of a multi-year fight over the terms of expanding surface mining operations there, or could result in further challenges.
The Section 404 water quality permit would allow the company to mine through thousands of additional acres of wetlands near the river. It's the largest single permitted wetlands destruction operation in North Carolina history. The permit was held up by EPA directive earlier this year while the Corps reassessed what it would allow the company to do.
Citizen conservation groups including the Southern Environmental Law Center have been among those challenging PCS' mining expansion plans. Among the key issues has been the company's proposal to mine through a "nationally significant" hardwood swamp forest covering the headwaters of a Pamlico tributary stream.
An EPA spokesperson reacted favorably to some changes included in the Corps-approved permit, but noted that the agency continued to review the details. EPA has a short time within which to decide whether or not to challenge the permit further. Conservation groups are also in the process of reviewing the permit details. (Some facts for this article were drawn from the Washington Daily News, 6/4/09 and 6/5/09.)
Conservationists: Yadkin Riverkeeper Wins Recognition
Dean Naujoks, Yadkin Riverkeeper, received the River Network's 2009 National River Hero Award last weekend at the organization's annual national River Rally, held this year in Baltimore. The River Network promotes clean water restoration and protection, and has about 700 partner groups around the country.
Naujoks, who has worked on the Yadkin since October 2008, previously served for seven years as the Upper Neuse Riverkeeper. Zoe Gamble Hanes, president of the Yadkin Riverkeeper group, noted that Naujoks' work has gained particular attention through his efforts to reduce toxics pollution in Badin Lake associated with the former Alcoa operations there. (Gamble Hanes is also a member of the CCNC board of directors.)
2/24/2008
12/15/2007
Conservation Insider Bulletin from Dan Besse, Dec. 14
Conservation Insider Bulletin
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, earthvote@ccnccpac.org
December 14, 2007
The CCNC community this week mourns the passing of two of its early champions. That and more news, in this week's CIB:
--Movement Leaders: Early Presidents Pass On
--Around the State: CCNC Draws Big "Town Hall" Turnout in Asheville
--Campaign Watch: No Taylor to Kick Around This Time; More Hats in the Kerr Ring
--South of the Border: Duke Wants Cash Now for Nuke Later, Somewhere, Maybe
Movement Leaders: Early Presidents Pass On
Like Adams and Jefferson, two of our first presidents passed on at virtually the same time over the past week. CCNC's first president, Bob Conner, and its late-'70's president Dave Martin, both passed on after long illnesses.
Conner was the first president of both CCNC and what has since become the CCNC Foundation. An architect by profession, he helped to found the Friends of State Parks and the Piedmont Environmental Center. He served as president of the Catesby Bird Club and the Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers, as well as a member of the Guilford County Advisory Board for Environmental Quality (for 15 years) and the North West Preservation Committee. Conner was a moving force within North Carolina's environmental movement for three decades of his 93 years.
Martin was both an artist and a physicist during his 85 years. As president of CCNC during the 1970's, he led the organization in its fight against the expansion of commercial nuclear power plants. Afterwards, he also served as a leader of the South River Association, and dedicated time and effort toward fighting against stream channelization and the destruction of wildlife habitat.
Both men were smiling, bearded, brilliant individuals with a strong sense of humor and a passionate dedication to protection of the earth. Either could well have served as an artist's archetype for "citizen conservationist".
Bob and Dave are survived by spouses Lib Conner and Betty Martin, both of whom have also served for decades as leaders within the North Carolina citizen environmental movement. The Conner and Martin families have suggested that memorial gifts may be made to groups supported by the two leaders, including the Conservation Council of North Carolina.
Around the State: CCNC Draws Big "Town Hall" Turnout in AshevilleCCNC Political Director Brownie Newman brings us this report on a successful forum held December 13 in Asheville:
"The Conservation Council hosted a town hall meeting on Creating a Clean Energy Future for North Carolina last night in Asheville. I expected to have about 25- 30 participants in the event. To my surprise, we had about 90 people show up and pack themselves into the community room at the Unitarian Church where we held the event!
I received very positive feedback from participants about the event and think it can be a good model for other such town hall forums we may want to hold in other communities around the state in the coming year. I want to express Big Thanks to Robin Smith and her husband Wayne for showing up early with me to help set up and for helping clean up afterwards.
The forum featured a panel that included environmentalists, citizen activists, elected officials from the local and state level and a representative from Congressman Shuler's office. The forum began with a presentation by John Wilson from the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, who previewed their upcoming proposal for a carbon reduction strategy for the state of North Carolina. Their report outlines a series of strategies that would allow North Carolina to reduce our carbon pollution by 40% by the year 2030. Their proposal is based on an aggressive use of existing technologies rather than presuming significant new technological breakthroughs to get there. It is visionary but also believable.
Following John, Robin Cape (a member of Asheville City Council) and Margie Meares (a member of the Sustainable Advisory Committee for Energy and the Environment) reflected on the clean energy policy initiatives that have been put in place in Asheville over the past two years. They also outlined their ideas for continuing these efforts in the coming year.
Next, Rep. Charles Thomas (R-Buncombe) and Rep. Susan Fisher (D-Buncombe) talked about the energy issues that have been addressed in the Legislature in the past session, primarily focusing on the pros and cons of Senate Bill 3. They also shared their ideas about how to move these issues forward in the coming year. Both legislators are on our side. Charles Thomas brings one of the most forward looking, policy-oriented perspectives about the energy issues of any member of the Legislature. These issues are a top priority for him and he understands that we need to be thinking about transforming our energy economy, not just tweaking our current approach.
Finally, Tom Jones, a representative for Congressman Heath Shuler, talked about the energy issues being debated and voted on in Congress. Shuler is doing a good job supporting the right energy/ CAFE standard bills in Congress.
Then we opened the forum up for an interactive dialogue with the citizens attending the forum. The forum lasted from 7- 9 PM. There was roughly equal time given to presentations and the Q&A section. All the presenters did a good job articulating the issues as well as how people could get involved in working on them.
The WNC Alliance, Wenoca Chapter of the Sierra Club and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy were co-sponsors of the forum. The event was videotaped and will be rebroadcast on the local public access television station here in Asheville, which has a fairly large audience. We will be sending out a letter to all the people who signed in to invite them to become members of the Conservation Council and we'll add them to our list to receive the Conservation Insider.
It's heartening to see the growing public interest in clean, renewable energy. I think this format could be a good model for holding additional town hall type meetings in other cities across the state in early 2008, in preparation for the Short Session of the Legislature and the 2008 elections."
Campaign Watch: No Taylor to Kick Around This Time; More Hats in the Kerr Ring
No Taylor to Kick Around This Time: After months of coy non-announcement, defeated former U.S. Representative Charles Taylor publicly announced this week that he would definitely not seek to re-acquire his old seat from its current holder, U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC11)—at least not next year.
More Hats in the Kerr Ring: The District 5 Senate seat held for the past 20 years by John Kerr (D-Wayne) continues to draw bids to a race looking to be crowded with contenders. In addition to the candidates already noted in last week's CIB (Don Davis, Kathy Taft, Marvin Blount, and possibly Don Parrott), two more noted their intentions this week: Edward H. Wilson, Jr., the retired president of Wayne Community College; and possibly former state senator Tony Moore, who switched from Democrat to Republican to run unsuccessfully against Kerr in a consolidated district in 2004, but switched back to a Democratic registration earlier this year.
South of the Border: Duke Wants Cash Now for Nuke Later, Somewhere, Maybe
The Greenville (SC) News reported this week that Duke Energy has asked the S.C. Public Service Commission to approve Duke's decision to spend as much as $230 million in development of its proposed new nuclear plant in that state—even though Duke declined to provide even an indication of when the final decision on whether to build the plant will be made. Oh, and Duke also says that it isn't ready to say where it will build the maybe-nuke, although it confides that it's leaning toward near Gaffney. Thanks for sharing that teaser, friends. Here, take our checkbook and do whatever you think is right.
That's our report for this week.
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, earthvote@ccnccpac.org
December 14, 2007
The CCNC community this week mourns the passing of two of its early champions. That and more news, in this week's CIB:
--Movement Leaders: Early Presidents Pass On
--Around the State: CCNC Draws Big "Town Hall" Turnout in Asheville
--Campaign Watch: No Taylor to Kick Around This Time; More Hats in the Kerr Ring
--South of the Border: Duke Wants Cash Now for Nuke Later, Somewhere, Maybe
Movement Leaders: Early Presidents Pass On
Like Adams and Jefferson, two of our first presidents passed on at virtually the same time over the past week. CCNC's first president, Bob Conner, and its late-'70's president Dave Martin, both passed on after long illnesses.
Conner was the first president of both CCNC and what has since become the CCNC Foundation. An architect by profession, he helped to found the Friends of State Parks and the Piedmont Environmental Center. He served as president of the Catesby Bird Club and the Piedmont Appalachian Trail Hikers, as well as a member of the Guilford County Advisory Board for Environmental Quality (for 15 years) and the North West Preservation Committee. Conner was a moving force within North Carolina's environmental movement for three decades of his 93 years.
Martin was both an artist and a physicist during his 85 years. As president of CCNC during the 1970's, he led the organization in its fight against the expansion of commercial nuclear power plants. Afterwards, he also served as a leader of the South River Association, and dedicated time and effort toward fighting against stream channelization and the destruction of wildlife habitat.
Both men were smiling, bearded, brilliant individuals with a strong sense of humor and a passionate dedication to protection of the earth. Either could well have served as an artist's archetype for "citizen conservationist".
Bob and Dave are survived by spouses Lib Conner and Betty Martin, both of whom have also served for decades as leaders within the North Carolina citizen environmental movement. The Conner and Martin families have suggested that memorial gifts may be made to groups supported by the two leaders, including the Conservation Council of North Carolina.
Around the State: CCNC Draws Big "Town Hall" Turnout in AshevilleCCNC Political Director Brownie Newman brings us this report on a successful forum held December 13 in Asheville:
"The Conservation Council hosted a town hall meeting on Creating a Clean Energy Future for North Carolina last night in Asheville. I expected to have about 25- 30 participants in the event. To my surprise, we had about 90 people show up and pack themselves into the community room at the Unitarian Church where we held the event!
I received very positive feedback from participants about the event and think it can be a good model for other such town hall forums we may want to hold in other communities around the state in the coming year. I want to express Big Thanks to Robin Smith and her husband Wayne for showing up early with me to help set up and for helping clean up afterwards.
The forum featured a panel that included environmentalists, citizen activists, elected officials from the local and state level and a representative from Congressman Shuler's office. The forum began with a presentation by John Wilson from the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, who previewed their upcoming proposal for a carbon reduction strategy for the state of North Carolina. Their report outlines a series of strategies that would allow North Carolina to reduce our carbon pollution by 40% by the year 2030. Their proposal is based on an aggressive use of existing technologies rather than presuming significant new technological breakthroughs to get there. It is visionary but also believable.
Following John, Robin Cape (a member of Asheville City Council) and Margie Meares (a member of the Sustainable Advisory Committee for Energy and the Environment) reflected on the clean energy policy initiatives that have been put in place in Asheville over the past two years. They also outlined their ideas for continuing these efforts in the coming year.
Next, Rep. Charles Thomas (R-Buncombe) and Rep. Susan Fisher (D-Buncombe) talked about the energy issues that have been addressed in the Legislature in the past session, primarily focusing on the pros and cons of Senate Bill 3. They also shared their ideas about how to move these issues forward in the coming year. Both legislators are on our side. Charles Thomas brings one of the most forward looking, policy-oriented perspectives about the energy issues of any member of the Legislature. These issues are a top priority for him and he understands that we need to be thinking about transforming our energy economy, not just tweaking our current approach.
Finally, Tom Jones, a representative for Congressman Heath Shuler, talked about the energy issues being debated and voted on in Congress. Shuler is doing a good job supporting the right energy/ CAFE standard bills in Congress.
Then we opened the forum up for an interactive dialogue with the citizens attending the forum. The forum lasted from 7- 9 PM. There was roughly equal time given to presentations and the Q&A section. All the presenters did a good job articulating the issues as well as how people could get involved in working on them.
The WNC Alliance, Wenoca Chapter of the Sierra Club and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy were co-sponsors of the forum. The event was videotaped and will be rebroadcast on the local public access television station here in Asheville, which has a fairly large audience. We will be sending out a letter to all the people who signed in to invite them to become members of the Conservation Council and we'll add them to our list to receive the Conservation Insider.
It's heartening to see the growing public interest in clean, renewable energy. I think this format could be a good model for holding additional town hall type meetings in other cities across the state in early 2008, in preparation for the Short Session of the Legislature and the 2008 elections."
Campaign Watch: No Taylor to Kick Around This Time; More Hats in the Kerr Ring
No Taylor to Kick Around This Time: After months of coy non-announcement, defeated former U.S. Representative Charles Taylor publicly announced this week that he would definitely not seek to re-acquire his old seat from its current holder, U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC11)—at least not next year.
More Hats in the Kerr Ring: The District 5 Senate seat held for the past 20 years by John Kerr (D-Wayne) continues to draw bids to a race looking to be crowded with contenders. In addition to the candidates already noted in last week's CIB (Don Davis, Kathy Taft, Marvin Blount, and possibly Don Parrott), two more noted their intentions this week: Edward H. Wilson, Jr., the retired president of Wayne Community College; and possibly former state senator Tony Moore, who switched from Democrat to Republican to run unsuccessfully against Kerr in a consolidated district in 2004, but switched back to a Democratic registration earlier this year.
South of the Border: Duke Wants Cash Now for Nuke Later, Somewhere, Maybe
The Greenville (SC) News reported this week that Duke Energy has asked the S.C. Public Service Commission to approve Duke's decision to spend as much as $230 million in development of its proposed new nuclear plant in that state—even though Duke declined to provide even an indication of when the final decision on whether to build the plant will be made. Oh, and Duke also says that it isn't ready to say where it will build the maybe-nuke, although it confides that it's leaning toward near Gaffney. Thanks for sharing that teaser, friends. Here, take our checkbook and do whatever you think is right.
That's our report for this week.
9/29/2007
Conservation Insider Bulletin from Dan Besse
Conservation Insider Bulletin
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, earthvote@ccnccpac.org
September 28, 2007
We consider new developments in environmentally significant local races, and take a look at power plant construction controversies, this week in CIB:
--Campaign Watch: Gantt Supports Transit Tax; More Triangle Endorsements
--Administrative Watch: Duke Hike Aimed at Residential Customers
--Around the States: Power Plant Building Frenzy Drawing Fire
Campaign Watch: Gantt Supports Transit Tax; More Triangle Endorsements
Gantt Supports Transit Tax: With a critical vote on the future of public transit coming up in a little more than a month, a key public figure in Charlotte has weighed in on the debate. Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt this week announced his support for maintaining the half-cent sales tax to support transit in Mecklenburg County. (Gantt was the first black mayor of North Carolina's largest city, and ran as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate against Jesse Helms.)
Gantt spoke at a news conference held to announce the formation of the African American Coalition Against Transit Tax Repeal. He is co-chair of the group, along with former Charlotte City Council Member Ron Leeper. The active support of prominent black leaders like Gantt could be crucial to the outcome of the referendum, since an August poll indicated that a majority of black voters were likely to support repeal. Gantt and others at the news conference this week said that they expected that to be reversed by an active educational campaign. Among other factors, they noted that nearly two-thirds of the revenue from the transit tax goes to support the bus system, which is used most heavily by minority residents who don't have easy access to private autos. Black voter dissatisfaction with the transit tax appears to be linked to concerns regarding where the initial light rail lines are being built and planned. (See Charlotte Observer, 9/26/07.) More information on the debate is also available at www.voteagainstrepeal.com.
In a relevant story, the Texas Transportation Institute's 2007 Urban Mobility Report (released last week) found Charlotte to be one of the nation's most traffic-congested medium-sized cities. Commenting on the study's release, the N.C. Public Interest Research Group noted that its findings indicated the need for more public transit (including light rail) in Charlotte. (Charlotte Observer, 9/23/07.)
More Triangle Endorsements: The Independent Weekly this week announced its endorsements for the October 9 municipal election primaries in Raleigh, Cary, and Durham. In both the Raleigh and Cary elections, the Independent's analysis framed the voting as primarily a choice between competing approaches to growth and development issues. In Raleigh, the paper said, the question is largely whether Mayor Charles Meeker will obtain a working majority on the city council for progressive concepts such as strong land-use planning, inclusionary zoning, transit corridors, and pedestrian-friendly development. Key races can be found in the at-large and District A and B primaries.
In Cary, the paper said, the key question was whether voters would reject the current mayor and board's tendency to override the town's own plans in development/zoning cases. Prior to the election of four years ago, Cary had developed a reputation as a strong land-use planning-oriented city. It could regain that reputation.
For details of the paper's analysis, and its corresponding candidate recommendations, go to www.indyweek.com. The paper also endorsed passage of the upcoming Wake County bond referenda, including the proposed $50 million for continuation of the county's open space acquisition program.
Administrative Watch: Duke Hike Aimed at Residential Customers
In its request to the N.C. Utilities Commission for an electric rate hike, Duke Energy has asked for permission to hit residential customers the hardest. Duke says that it wants to boost residential rates by 6.8 percent, and industrial rates by only about 2 percent. Duke Energy Carolinas president Ellen Ruff denied that this rate "rebalancing" was aimed at hurting residential customers in favor of business customers (Raleigh News & Observer, 9/20/07.)
Duke now projects a net income in 2008 of $1.55 billion, up from $1.47 billion estimated for 2007. (Winston-Salem Journal, 9/12/07.)
Around the States: Power Plant Building Frenzy Drawing Fire
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) board of directors voted this week to pursue a license for its first new nuclear power plant in 30 years, at a site in northeastern Alabama. Previously, Dominion Virginia Power had announced plans to build a new coal-fired power plant in southwest Virginia. Both proposals were the subject of public interest group opposition reported this week.
A coalition of environmental groups has filed a challenge to the Dominion plans with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (that state's equivalent of the N.C. Utilities Commission). The coalition criticizes the proposal for its addition to greenhouse gas emissions, as well as its potential to encourage further mountaintop-removal coal mining in the state. (Associated Press, 9/27/07.)
In immediate response to the TVA nuclear decision vote, a representative of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy offered both public-safety and cost concerns. He also criticized the decision as reflecting "amnesia" regarding the utility's history of problems with its nuclear construction program. (Associated Press, 9/28/07.) (TVA experienced serious fire damage to a partially completed plant at Browns Ferry, which prior to the Three Mile Island accident was the most notorious safety incident at a U.S. commercial nuclear plant.)
Clean energy advocates recall the 1970's-80's era of enormously expensive overconstruction by electric utilities, and fear that the industry may be entering into another period of excessive predictions of future electric demand growth.
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, earthvote@ccnccpac.org
September 28, 2007
We consider new developments in environmentally significant local races, and take a look at power plant construction controversies, this week in CIB:
--Campaign Watch: Gantt Supports Transit Tax; More Triangle Endorsements
--Administrative Watch: Duke Hike Aimed at Residential Customers
--Around the States: Power Plant Building Frenzy Drawing Fire
Campaign Watch: Gantt Supports Transit Tax; More Triangle Endorsements
Gantt Supports Transit Tax: With a critical vote on the future of public transit coming up in a little more than a month, a key public figure in Charlotte has weighed in on the debate. Former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt this week announced his support for maintaining the half-cent sales tax to support transit in Mecklenburg County. (Gantt was the first black mayor of North Carolina's largest city, and ran as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate against Jesse Helms.)
Gantt spoke at a news conference held to announce the formation of the African American Coalition Against Transit Tax Repeal. He is co-chair of the group, along with former Charlotte City Council Member Ron Leeper. The active support of prominent black leaders like Gantt could be crucial to the outcome of the referendum, since an August poll indicated that a majority of black voters were likely to support repeal. Gantt and others at the news conference this week said that they expected that to be reversed by an active educational campaign. Among other factors, they noted that nearly two-thirds of the revenue from the transit tax goes to support the bus system, which is used most heavily by minority residents who don't have easy access to private autos. Black voter dissatisfaction with the transit tax appears to be linked to concerns regarding where the initial light rail lines are being built and planned. (See Charlotte Observer, 9/26/07.) More information on the debate is also available at www.voteagainstrepeal.com.
In a relevant story, the Texas Transportation Institute's 2007 Urban Mobility Report (released last week) found Charlotte to be one of the nation's most traffic-congested medium-sized cities. Commenting on the study's release, the N.C. Public Interest Research Group noted that its findings indicated the need for more public transit (including light rail) in Charlotte. (Charlotte Observer, 9/23/07.)
More Triangle Endorsements: The Independent Weekly this week announced its endorsements for the October 9 municipal election primaries in Raleigh, Cary, and Durham. In both the Raleigh and Cary elections, the Independent's analysis framed the voting as primarily a choice between competing approaches to growth and development issues. In Raleigh, the paper said, the question is largely whether Mayor Charles Meeker will obtain a working majority on the city council for progressive concepts such as strong land-use planning, inclusionary zoning, transit corridors, and pedestrian-friendly development. Key races can be found in the at-large and District A and B primaries.
In Cary, the paper said, the key question was whether voters would reject the current mayor and board's tendency to override the town's own plans in development/zoning cases. Prior to the election of four years ago, Cary had developed a reputation as a strong land-use planning-oriented city. It could regain that reputation.
For details of the paper's analysis, and its corresponding candidate recommendations, go to www.indyweek.com. The paper also endorsed passage of the upcoming Wake County bond referenda, including the proposed $50 million for continuation of the county's open space acquisition program.
Administrative Watch: Duke Hike Aimed at Residential Customers
In its request to the N.C. Utilities Commission for an electric rate hike, Duke Energy has asked for permission to hit residential customers the hardest. Duke says that it wants to boost residential rates by 6.8 percent, and industrial rates by only about 2 percent. Duke Energy Carolinas president Ellen Ruff denied that this rate "rebalancing" was aimed at hurting residential customers in favor of business customers (Raleigh News & Observer, 9/20/07.)
Duke now projects a net income in 2008 of $1.55 billion, up from $1.47 billion estimated for 2007. (Winston-Salem Journal, 9/12/07.)
Around the States: Power Plant Building Frenzy Drawing Fire
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) board of directors voted this week to pursue a license for its first new nuclear power plant in 30 years, at a site in northeastern Alabama. Previously, Dominion Virginia Power had announced plans to build a new coal-fired power plant in southwest Virginia. Both proposals were the subject of public interest group opposition reported this week.
A coalition of environmental groups has filed a challenge to the Dominion plans with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (that state's equivalent of the N.C. Utilities Commission). The coalition criticizes the proposal for its addition to greenhouse gas emissions, as well as its potential to encourage further mountaintop-removal coal mining in the state. (Associated Press, 9/27/07.)
In immediate response to the TVA nuclear decision vote, a representative of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy offered both public-safety and cost concerns. He also criticized the decision as reflecting "amnesia" regarding the utility's history of problems with its nuclear construction program. (Associated Press, 9/28/07.) (TVA experienced serious fire damage to a partially completed plant at Browns Ferry, which prior to the Three Mile Island accident was the most notorious safety incident at a U.S. commercial nuclear plant.)
Clean energy advocates recall the 1970's-80's era of enormously expensive overconstruction by electric utilities, and fear that the industry may be entering into another period of excessive predictions of future electric demand growth.
4/22/2007
Environmental News to Use
Conservation Insider Bulletin
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, earthvote@ccnccpac.org
April 20, 2007
The Navy's proposed landing field adjacent to Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge continued to lose altitude this week. We present that story and more environmental policy news in this week's CIB:
--Washington Watch: More Congressional Voices Add to No-OLF Chorus; EPA Finally Allowed to Act on Small-engine Pollution
--CoastWatch: Endangered Neuse; Nags Head Skeptics
--Administrative Watch: Duke Won't Appeal Half-a-Cliffside Order
Washington Watch: More Congressional Voices Add to No-OLF Chorus; EPA Finally Allowed to Act on Small-engine Pollution
More Congressional Voices Add to No-OLF Chorus: The big turnout in Charlotte against the OLF, including participation from traditionally conservative groups like the NRA and "property rights" organizations, seems to have knocked Elizabeth Dole off the fence. The day after hundreds of North Carolinians from western and central North Carolina turned out to the Navy's final public hearing on the OLF, Senator Dole publicly voiced her opposition to the Navy's "preferred" site adjacent to the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Also speaking out against the site this week were other N.C. members of Congress, including Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC13), who called for the removal of funding for the OLF from this year's defense appropriations bill, pending a satisfactory resolution of the siting question. Both major Democratic candidates for governor in 2008 (Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and State Treasurer Richard Moore) sent representatives to the hearing to oppose the proposed site as well.
EPA Finally Allowed to Act on Small-engine Pollution: It came after years of dispute, including being tied up by Congress at the behest of U.S. Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) (who was doing the bidding of his home-state small-engine-manufacturer, Briggs & Stratton Corp.). This week, the EPA finally issued proposed rules tightening pollution controls on small engines (less than 50 horsepower), primarily lawnmowers and outboard boat engines. (Studies show that in some areas those engines account for up to 10 percent of urban smog-forming emissions.) Environmental groups praised the rules as being needed and long overdue. Comments will be accepted on the rules through August 3.
CoastWatch: Endangered Neuse; Nags Head Skeptics
Endangered Neuse: The national conservation group American Rivers this week released its annual list of the top ten most endangered rivers in the United States, and once again one of our own has received this dubious honor. The Neuse River was included among these threatened waterways, making the list for the fourth time in the last 12 years. According to the group, the Neuse is threatened by sediment and stormwater runoff, excess nutrients, and massive hog waste operations. For more details, go to the Neuse River Foundation website at www.neuseriver.org or American Rivers' site at www.americanrivers.org.
Nags Head Skeptics: The voters of Nags Head went to the polls this week to say neigh...excuse us, nay...on a proposal to subsidize beach renourishment (i.e., sand pumping) in front of threatened private structures. The town's voters turned down a referendum to increase property taxes for five years to pay a $24 million share of a $32 million sand-pumping project. The measure lost both townwide and (narrowly) even within a special oceanfront/oceanside district which would allegedly benefit most from the project. It looks like even beachfront towns are starting to get tired of pouring their cash into the surf.
Administrative Watch: Duke Won't Appeal Half-a-Cliffside Order
This is a good news—bad news kind of item from an environmental standpoint. Duke Energy announced this week that it won't seek court review of the N.C. Utilities Commission's order which authorized it to move forward with plans to build just one of two proposed new coal-fired units at the Cliffside plant in Cleveland and Rutherford counties.
From a clean air and climate change standpoint, that's considered good news, in that it reduces the chance that two new coal plants will be built at that location. Tactically, it's also bad news to some degree for environmental groups fighting the plants, as an appeal by Duke would have taken months or years. If those groups want the Utilities Commission's approval of one unit reviewed by the courts, now they will have to bring the appeal.
Alternatively, they could wait for the N.C. Division of Air Quality (DAQ) to issue the plant's air emissions permit, and challenge it. Duke says it won't make a decision on whether to actually build the plant until it reviews costs further, after DAQ acts on the permit request.
Plant opponents say that the additional coal-fired plant is unnecessary, and that Duke should instead be required to submit a plan for energy efficiency investments—which will cut both costs to consumers and air pollution.
That's CIB's report for this week. Happy Earth Day!
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, earthvote@ccnccpac.org
April 20, 2007
The Navy's proposed landing field adjacent to Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge continued to lose altitude this week. We present that story and more environmental policy news in this week's CIB:
--Washington Watch: More Congressional Voices Add to No-OLF Chorus; EPA Finally Allowed to Act on Small-engine Pollution
--CoastWatch: Endangered Neuse; Nags Head Skeptics
--Administrative Watch: Duke Won't Appeal Half-a-Cliffside Order
Washington Watch: More Congressional Voices Add to No-OLF Chorus; EPA Finally Allowed to Act on Small-engine Pollution
More Congressional Voices Add to No-OLF Chorus: The big turnout in Charlotte against the OLF, including participation from traditionally conservative groups like the NRA and "property rights" organizations, seems to have knocked Elizabeth Dole off the fence. The day after hundreds of North Carolinians from western and central North Carolina turned out to the Navy's final public hearing on the OLF, Senator Dole publicly voiced her opposition to the Navy's "preferred" site adjacent to the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. Also speaking out against the site this week were other N.C. members of Congress, including Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC13), who called for the removal of funding for the OLF from this year's defense appropriations bill, pending a satisfactory resolution of the siting question. Both major Democratic candidates for governor in 2008 (Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and State Treasurer Richard Moore) sent representatives to the hearing to oppose the proposed site as well.
EPA Finally Allowed to Act on Small-engine Pollution: It came after years of dispute, including being tied up by Congress at the behest of U.S. Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) (who was doing the bidding of his home-state small-engine-manufacturer, Briggs & Stratton Corp.). This week, the EPA finally issued proposed rules tightening pollution controls on small engines (less than 50 horsepower), primarily lawnmowers and outboard boat engines. (Studies show that in some areas those engines account for up to 10 percent of urban smog-forming emissions.) Environmental groups praised the rules as being needed and long overdue. Comments will be accepted on the rules through August 3.
CoastWatch: Endangered Neuse; Nags Head Skeptics
Endangered Neuse: The national conservation group American Rivers this week released its annual list of the top ten most endangered rivers in the United States, and once again one of our own has received this dubious honor. The Neuse River was included among these threatened waterways, making the list for the fourth time in the last 12 years. According to the group, the Neuse is threatened by sediment and stormwater runoff, excess nutrients, and massive hog waste operations. For more details, go to the Neuse River Foundation website at www.neuseriver.org or American Rivers' site at www.americanrivers.org.
Nags Head Skeptics: The voters of Nags Head went to the polls this week to say neigh...excuse us, nay...on a proposal to subsidize beach renourishment (i.e., sand pumping) in front of threatened private structures. The town's voters turned down a referendum to increase property taxes for five years to pay a $24 million share of a $32 million sand-pumping project. The measure lost both townwide and (narrowly) even within a special oceanfront/oceanside district which would allegedly benefit most from the project. It looks like even beachfront towns are starting to get tired of pouring their cash into the surf.
Administrative Watch: Duke Won't Appeal Half-a-Cliffside Order
This is a good news—bad news kind of item from an environmental standpoint. Duke Energy announced this week that it won't seek court review of the N.C. Utilities Commission's order which authorized it to move forward with plans to build just one of two proposed new coal-fired units at the Cliffside plant in Cleveland and Rutherford counties.
From a clean air and climate change standpoint, that's considered good news, in that it reduces the chance that two new coal plants will be built at that location. Tactically, it's also bad news to some degree for environmental groups fighting the plants, as an appeal by Duke would have taken months or years. If those groups want the Utilities Commission's approval of one unit reviewed by the courts, now they will have to bring the appeal.
Alternatively, they could wait for the N.C. Division of Air Quality (DAQ) to issue the plant's air emissions permit, and challenge it. Duke says it won't make a decision on whether to actually build the plant until it reviews costs further, after DAQ acts on the permit request.
Plant opponents say that the additional coal-fired plant is unnecessary, and that Duke should instead be required to submit a plan for energy efficiency investments—which will cut both costs to consumers and air pollution.
That's CIB's report for this week. Happy Earth Day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)