Sustainable Sandhills Sustainable Saturdays Film Series
Carbon Nation
April 2 and 16, 2011, 11:00 am
CAMEO Art House Theatre, 225 Hay Street, Downtown Fayetteville
$6 per person, $5 for Cameo & Sustainable Sandhills members. Tickets sold the day of the event.
“A high energy film about real life American renewable energy success stories. No pie-in-the-sky projects here - everybody's sleeves are rolled up and work is underway!” – Jon Parsons, Executive Director of Sustainable Sandhills
Join Sustainable Sandhills this Saturday for the next installment of our Sustainable Saturdays Film Series. Carbon Nation is a feature length documentary about climate change solutions. Even if you doubt the severity of the impact of climate change or just don't buy it at all, this is a compelling and relevant film that illustrates how solutions to climate change also address other social, economic and national security issues.
Showing posts with label renewable energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label renewable energy. Show all posts
3/28/2011
Legislative Update, NC League of Conservations Voters
Legislative Watch: Dismembering DENR; Turning Off the Green Lights; Hot Rail
Outrageous attacks on past environmental gains continue in the General Assembly.
Dismembering DENR: The N.C. Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is our state's primary executive agency for implementing state laws and programs managing natural resources, and protecting clean air and water and public health. As such, it is the natural lightning rod for those politicians who do not believe in supporting any of those missions. That opposition is now manifesting itself in the open hostility of bills which would cut away key sub-parts of DENR and send them to other agencies. Last week saw the filing of SB 388, "Transfer Forestry & Forestry Council to DACS", joining the previously filed SB 229, "Transfer DENR Soil & Water to DACS". These bills would remove the forestry management and soil erosion control agencies from DENR and send them to the state Agriculture department, which is run by the independently elected Agriculture Commissioner instead of the governor. (The Ag department has traditionally been regarded as more firmly controlled by the agribusiness lobby and hostile to most environmental regulations.) Other proposals would cut away still other offices from DENR and send them to Commerce or the Wildlife Resources Commission. Commenting on these moves, Rep. Joe Hackney (D-Chatham) told the Raleigh News & Observer, "What I perceive is a generalized attack on all parts of DENR. There are some people who want to dismantle it and reduce it to little or nothing. There are others who want to neuter its regulatory side, which the public will not like. The public places a high value on clean water and clean air."
Turning Off the Green Lights: Meanwhile, the opponents of expanding North Carolina's use of renewable energy sources in the generation of electricity are weighing in through HB 431, "Repeal Senate Bill 3 of the 2007 Session". SB 3 (2007) contained both good (i.e., REPS) and bad (i.e., CWIP financing) provisions, but it's on some groups' hit parade today because of its good points: It directs that electric utilities produce a minimum percentage of their electricity from renewable energy resources. Anti-environmental policy groups like the John Locke Foundation have an abiding disdain for green energy, and continue to wail that the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (REPS) will raise electric rates (without contributing to their friends in the oil and nuclear industries). It's uncertain how far HB 431 will progress, since even the power companies now support the 2007 SB 3 as adopted, and have entered into a number of power-purchase contracts from renewable energy sources as a result.
Hot Rail: Rail has become the energy-efficient transportation system that anti-environmentalists love to hate. Incredibly, a Mecklenburg County legislator (Rep. Ric Killian, R-Mecklenburg) has filed a bill (HB 422, "No High-Speed Rail Money from Federal Gov't.") which would turn back a federal grant which includes $152 million now slated to improve rail safety and efficiency in his home county. That's how much of the total grant of $461 million in high-speed rail-enabling track and intersection improvements is targeted for improvements in Mecklenburg. The rest would go to improving track and addressing rail/street intersection problems across the Piedmont between Charlotte and Raleigh. The excuse for this anti-rail money madness is that high-speed rail would cost tax money to maintain on an ongoing basis. However, does anyone wish to bet that Rep. Killian would be...ahem...tarred & feathered & ridden out of town on a rail...by his constituents if he introduced legislation to turn down Charlotte beltway funds on similar grounds? The hypocrisy involved is staggering. Twelve other Representatives (all Republicans) have signed on to this legislation, which would cost North Carolina up to an estimated 5,000 construction-related jobs at a time when the state's unemployment rate exceeds 9%. The bill is scheduled to be heard in the House Transportation Committee tomorrow (Tuesday, March 29) at noon.
Regulatory Watch: Speak Up for Public Health and a Clean Environment
Two weeks ago CIB advised our readers of a series of so-called "regulatory reform" hearings planned as a means of generating support for stripping clean air and water protections off the rulebooks in North Carolina. Those hearings kicked off last week, and they continue this afternoon in Guilford County.
The good news is that opponents of environmental quality have not had the public stage to themselves thus far. At the first hearing in Wilmington on March 11, supporters of environmental quality were also present in force and spoke eloquently. According to the Wilmington Star-News, area resident Laura Parks kicked off the public comments by reminding committee members, "When you seek to weed through these regulations, know that we also rely on regulations to protect us...We may not be a business, just operating the business of our homes."
Environmental allies cannot afford to rest, however. Several additional hearings are planned by the "Joint Regulatory Reform Committee", including one today (Monday, March 28) from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Jamestown campus of Guilford Technical Community College, 601 High Point Road, Jamestown NC. Speakers will have up to two minutes to address the committee. Sign-up to speak begins at 12:30 p.m. Those who cannot attend can send comments to the committee care of regreform@ncleg.net.
Supporters of protecting clean air and water and public health are being called upon to stand up at these hearings to defend the laws and programs which protect our health and environment. Time and place details for the remaining public hearings (April 4, Winterville; April 15, Flat Rock; and April 21, Raleigh) can be found here: http://www.ncleg.net/documentsites/committees/jointregreform/Joint%20Regulatory%20Reform%20Meeting%20Schedule.pdf.
According to U.S. PIRG (Public Interest Research Group), 108 million Americans live within 50 miles of one of the 104 operating commercial nuclear power plants in the United States. How many of them have received any information on emergency response or evacuation alternatives in the event of radiation releases similar to those taking place in Japan now?
Fears also continued to grow regarding the risk of further radiation leaks from spent fuel rods stored in pools outside the damaged reactors. In Japan as in the United States, tons of highly radioactive waste are stored in pools near but outside the reactor buildings. In the United States, almost 72,000 tons of these spent fuel rods are in temporary storage on plant sites, with more than three-quarters of the waste still very hot and sitting in water-filled pools for cooling. The amount of this intensely radioactive waste, which will remain toxic for tens of thousands of years, is currently growing in the U.S. at a rate of about 2,200 tons per year. When pools with the hot spent fuel are not kept filled with water, the residual heat of the rods can melt their casing and release highly dangerous radioactive isotopes to the environment. There is substantial concern that such releases already may have occurred in Japan.
Campaign Watch: Early Attacks Begin Against Environmental Ally
With the 2012 election year still nine months away, an automated telephone call attack campaign has already been launched against environmental ally U.S. Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC13). Miller's Congressional district is considered a likely target of redistricting efforts this year to reduce his support in 2012. In preparation for the expected campaign targeting Miller, the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee has initiated recorded calls to voters in the 13th District accusing Miller of supporting policies to raise gas prices. The calls implicitly refer to Miller's support for common-sense restrictions on offshore drilling. Miller responds that "according to the Bush Administration's Department of Energy, opening our entire continental shelf to oil drilling without regard to any environmental concern would not lower the price at the pump [for gasoline] at all. No amount of chanting 'drill, baby, drill' is going to change all that."
Education & Resources: Chances to Support Rail Transit
Finally this week, we note that residents of the Research Triangle region will have an opportunity to support development of its local, energy-efficient rail and bus transit system at four public workshops this week (March 28, 29, 30 and 31). For details on when, where, and how, see www.ourtransitfuture.com.
Outrageous attacks on past environmental gains continue in the General Assembly.
Dismembering DENR: The N.C. Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is our state's primary executive agency for implementing state laws and programs managing natural resources, and protecting clean air and water and public health. As such, it is the natural lightning rod for those politicians who do not believe in supporting any of those missions. That opposition is now manifesting itself in the open hostility of bills which would cut away key sub-parts of DENR and send them to other agencies. Last week saw the filing of SB 388, "Transfer Forestry & Forestry Council to DACS", joining the previously filed SB 229, "Transfer DENR Soil & Water to DACS". These bills would remove the forestry management and soil erosion control agencies from DENR and send them to the state Agriculture department, which is run by the independently elected Agriculture Commissioner instead of the governor. (The Ag department has traditionally been regarded as more firmly controlled by the agribusiness lobby and hostile to most environmental regulations.) Other proposals would cut away still other offices from DENR and send them to Commerce or the Wildlife Resources Commission. Commenting on these moves, Rep. Joe Hackney (D-Chatham) told the Raleigh News & Observer, "What I perceive is a generalized attack on all parts of DENR. There are some people who want to dismantle it and reduce it to little or nothing. There are others who want to neuter its regulatory side, which the public will not like. The public places a high value on clean water and clean air."
Turning Off the Green Lights: Meanwhile, the opponents of expanding North Carolina's use of renewable energy sources in the generation of electricity are weighing in through HB 431, "Repeal Senate Bill 3 of the 2007 Session". SB 3 (2007) contained both good (i.e., REPS) and bad (i.e., CWIP financing) provisions, but it's on some groups' hit parade today because of its good points: It directs that electric utilities produce a minimum percentage of their electricity from renewable energy resources. Anti-environmental policy groups like the John Locke Foundation have an abiding disdain for green energy, and continue to wail that the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (REPS) will raise electric rates (without contributing to their friends in the oil and nuclear industries). It's uncertain how far HB 431 will progress, since even the power companies now support the 2007 SB 3 as adopted, and have entered into a number of power-purchase contracts from renewable energy sources as a result.
Hot Rail: Rail has become the energy-efficient transportation system that anti-environmentalists love to hate. Incredibly, a Mecklenburg County legislator (Rep. Ric Killian, R-Mecklenburg) has filed a bill (HB 422, "No High-Speed Rail Money from Federal Gov't.") which would turn back a federal grant which includes $152 million now slated to improve rail safety and efficiency in his home county. That's how much of the total grant of $461 million in high-speed rail-enabling track and intersection improvements is targeted for improvements in Mecklenburg. The rest would go to improving track and addressing rail/street intersection problems across the Piedmont between Charlotte and Raleigh. The excuse for this anti-rail money madness is that high-speed rail would cost tax money to maintain on an ongoing basis. However, does anyone wish to bet that Rep. Killian would be...ahem...tarred & feathered & ridden out of town on a rail...by his constituents if he introduced legislation to turn down Charlotte beltway funds on similar grounds? The hypocrisy involved is staggering. Twelve other Representatives (all Republicans) have signed on to this legislation, which would cost North Carolina up to an estimated 5,000 construction-related jobs at a time when the state's unemployment rate exceeds 9%. The bill is scheduled to be heard in the House Transportation Committee tomorrow (Tuesday, March 29) at noon.
Regulatory Watch: Speak Up for Public Health and a Clean Environment
Two weeks ago CIB advised our readers of a series of so-called "regulatory reform" hearings planned as a means of generating support for stripping clean air and water protections off the rulebooks in North Carolina. Those hearings kicked off last week, and they continue this afternoon in Guilford County.
The good news is that opponents of environmental quality have not had the public stage to themselves thus far. At the first hearing in Wilmington on March 11, supporters of environmental quality were also present in force and spoke eloquently. According to the Wilmington Star-News, area resident Laura Parks kicked off the public comments by reminding committee members, "When you seek to weed through these regulations, know that we also rely on regulations to protect us...We may not be a business, just operating the business of our homes."
Environmental allies cannot afford to rest, however. Several additional hearings are planned by the "Joint Regulatory Reform Committee", including one today (Monday, March 28) from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Jamestown campus of Guilford Technical Community College, 601 High Point Road, Jamestown NC. Speakers will have up to two minutes to address the committee. Sign-up to speak begins at 12:30 p.m. Those who cannot attend can send comments to the committee care of regreform@ncleg.net.
Supporters of protecting clean air and water and public health are being called upon to stand up at these hearings to defend the laws and programs which protect our health and environment. Time and place details for the remaining public hearings (April 4, Winterville; April 15, Flat Rock; and April 21, Raleigh) can be found here: http://www.ncleg.net/documentsites/committees/jointregreform/Joint%20Regulatory%20Reform%20Meeting%20Schedule.pdf.
According to U.S. PIRG (Public Interest Research Group), 108 million Americans live within 50 miles of one of the 104 operating commercial nuclear power plants in the United States. How many of them have received any information on emergency response or evacuation alternatives in the event of radiation releases similar to those taking place in Japan now?
Fears also continued to grow regarding the risk of further radiation leaks from spent fuel rods stored in pools outside the damaged reactors. In Japan as in the United States, tons of highly radioactive waste are stored in pools near but outside the reactor buildings. In the United States, almost 72,000 tons of these spent fuel rods are in temporary storage on plant sites, with more than three-quarters of the waste still very hot and sitting in water-filled pools for cooling. The amount of this intensely radioactive waste, which will remain toxic for tens of thousands of years, is currently growing in the U.S. at a rate of about 2,200 tons per year. When pools with the hot spent fuel are not kept filled with water, the residual heat of the rods can melt their casing and release highly dangerous radioactive isotopes to the environment. There is substantial concern that such releases already may have occurred in Japan.
Campaign Watch: Early Attacks Begin Against Environmental Ally
With the 2012 election year still nine months away, an automated telephone call attack campaign has already been launched against environmental ally U.S. Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC13). Miller's Congressional district is considered a likely target of redistricting efforts this year to reduce his support in 2012. In preparation for the expected campaign targeting Miller, the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee has initiated recorded calls to voters in the 13th District accusing Miller of supporting policies to raise gas prices. The calls implicitly refer to Miller's support for common-sense restrictions on offshore drilling. Miller responds that "according to the Bush Administration's Department of Energy, opening our entire continental shelf to oil drilling without regard to any environmental concern would not lower the price at the pump [for gasoline] at all. No amount of chanting 'drill, baby, drill' is going to change all that."
Education & Resources: Chances to Support Rail Transit
Finally this week, we note that residents of the Research Triangle region will have an opportunity to support development of its local, energy-efficient rail and bus transit system at four public workshops this week (March 28, 29, 30 and 31). For details on when, where, and how, see www.ourtransitfuture.com.
10/15/2009
8/18/2009
Conservation Insider Bulletin, Aug. 14
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org
August 14, 2009
It's time for some environmental scorekeeping from the just-completed legislative session, plus a glance ahead at some of this fall's municipal campaigns, this week in CIB:
Legislative Watch: Done Deals; Lurking Menaces; Live Opportunities
Looking back over the General Assembly session just ended, here are some of the items that stand out, for good or bad.
Done Deals: The General Assembly took final action on a number of environmental priority items this year. They include the following:
--Transit finance: Gaining final passage on the last day of the session, HB 148, "Congestion Relief / Intermodal Transport Fund", could represent a major step forward for mass transit in North Carolina. The bill gives five urban counties in the Triangle and Triad regions the right to hold local referenda establishing an optional half-cent sales tax increment for transit finance—similar to the one which Mecklenburg County has used to underwrite its new light rail line. The other North Carolina counties can hold referenda on an optional quarter-cent sales tax increment for public transit funding. Wake, Durham, and Orange are expected to seek to use their new authority to boost the Triangle Transit Authority's proposed light rail system.
--Reservoir rules: Earlier in the session, environmental advocates achieved an acceptable compromise for rules to clean up Jordan Reservoir, through passage of HB 239, "Restore Water Quality in Jordan Reservoir".
--Energy action: The state's renewable energy tax credit (HB 512) was extended until 2016; and local governments were authorized to establish revolving loan funds for energy improvements (HB 1389). HB 1389 will authorize municipalities and counties to use federal stimulus and other funds to finance loans for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. These two bills will help to keep clean energy development moving in our state during a very tough economic period.
Lurking Menaces: Some worrisome proposals were approved by one chamber or the other, keeping them alive for consideration during the "short session" in 2010, including these:
--Beach bummer: SB 832, "CRC May Permit Terminal Groin", passed the Senate and awaits consideration in the House. This terrible bill would rip a gaping hole in the state's long-standing policy of prohibiting new hard structures on the oceanfront, and lead to accelerated loss of coastal beaches.
--Wind chill: SB 1068, "Permitting of Wind Energy Facilities", which in its current form would effectively ban commercial wind generation in the mountains, was approved by the Senate. The bill started life as a generally positive proposal to systemitize the regulation of wind energy development—which is still needed—but during debate in committee, amendments were added which took a darker turn. Fortunately, the House referred the legislation to the House Energy and Energy Efficiency Committee, to be followed by review in the House Finance Committee, with final action likely in 2010. Conservationists are hopeful of repairing the proposal during that process.
-- Rule-unmaking: HB 1335, "Moratorium on EMC Rule Making", ironically passed the Senate, not the House, in its current form. After almost passing the Senate as a blanket moratorium on all Environmental Management Commission (EMC) rulemaking, it was reduced to a moratorium on rules requiring monitoring of water pollution from hog farms. Hear no evil, see no evil...and evil.
Live Opportunities: On the plus side, there are other bills still alive which offer positive opportunities, including this one:
--Local campaigns public financing: CCNC is one of many citizen groups to endorse HB 120, "Public Municipal Campaigns", which would empower the State Board of Elections to authorize more cities or towns to conduct pilot projects in public financing of local campaigns. It passed the House but couldn't quite pull together the votes for passage on the Senate floor and was returned to committee there. Why is this an environmental issue? Well, consider—the vigorous opposition to this entirely voluntary campaign reform effort was led by development interests, which are perfectly happy with their current heavy financial influence on the election of local officials. There's still a chance to move this bill forward in next year's "short session".
Campaign Watch: Green Fields
Last month, CIB invited comments on contests to watch during this fall's municipal election campaigns. Here's what we've heard thus far:
Greensboro: Joel Landau, the general manager of Deep Roots Market, is running for the Greensboro City Council seat from District 4. His experience includes membership on the Greensboro Community Sustainability Council, the Greensboro Planning Board, and the Greensboro chapter of Cool Cities (which promotes local action on climate change). Greensboro's nonpartisan October 6 primary will narrow the field in District 4 to two candidates for the November 3 general election. More information on this and the other Greensboro council races is available at www.triadpolitics.info , a site containing information prepared by the Triad's alternative newsweekly, YES Weekly.
Raleigh: Raleigh city elections routinely feature environmental themes. This year, state environmental legend Bill Holman appears in advertising for the re-election campaigns of Raleigh City Councillors Nancy McFarlane and Russ Stephenson, under the theme "Environmental Stewardship for Raleigh". Among other issue references, McFarlane touts her involvement with efforts such as "Muddy Water Watch" and the push for stronger stormwater controls. Stephenson features his advocacy for sustainable design and the reform of water resources planning.
Cary: Our Cary correspondent points to a contest of interest in Cary Council District A, where three Democratic challengers face a Republican incumbent in this officially non-partisan race. Incumbent Jennifer Robinson was previously viewed as having "strong environmental leanings", but is seen as having more recently sided with "grow at all costs" interests. The three challengers include Cynthia Sinkez, seen as a supporter of environmental causes. Cary's city elections are October 6.
Winston-Salem: There are hot contests with environmental policy implications in several of this city's districts ("wards"), both in the September 15 primary and the November 3 general election. Of these, perhaps the most interesting is the Democratic primary in the North Ward. The North Ward's current representative, Nelson Malloy (perhaps the "greenest" member of the Winston-Salem City Council), is retiring due to ill health. Three Democrats (D.D. Adams, Wayne Patterson, and Phillip Carter) are competing to take his place, and environmental matters make their lists of concerns. Adams is currently a member of the city's Sustainability Commission. Patterson speaks of his support for more bike lanes and sidewalks, preservation of green space, and expanded use of biodiesel. All three Democrats are African-American. The Democratic primary winner will be heavily favored in the general election in this majority-minority district. More information on these candidates and all the other Winston-Salem contests also can be found at www.triadpolitics.info .
We know that there's more happening out there. Reader tips on where to look for local environmental campaign items are welcome.
Washington Watch: EPA Invites Clean Water Enforcement Plan Comments
The U.S. EPA announced this week that it has created an "online discussion forum" to receive public comments on its national enforcement program on clean water laws. Comments will be received online through August 28. Comments received will be considered by the EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance in its development of a strengthened enforcement action plan.
Information on development of the plan is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/cwa/cwaenfplan.html
Comments will be taken at http://blog.epa.gov.cwaactionplan.
Conservationists: Sustainable Energy Group Seeks Nominees
The N.C. Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) has announced that it is seeking nominations of individuals to serve three-year terms on its board of directors, beginning this October. NCSEA bills itself as a non-profit membership organization "working to ensure a sustainable future by promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency in North Carolina through education, public policy and economic development."
Nominees must be NCSEA members (presumably, by the time they're nominated), and nominations will be accepted until 5 p.m. August 25. The NCSEA website is www.energync.org, and more info on the nominations process is available from Julie Robinson, NCSEA's Director of Marketing & Communications, at julie@energync.org.
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org
August 14, 2009
It's time for some environmental scorekeeping from the just-completed legislative session, plus a glance ahead at some of this fall's municipal campaigns, this week in CIB:
Legislative Watch: Done Deals; Lurking Menaces; Live Opportunities
Looking back over the General Assembly session just ended, here are some of the items that stand out, for good or bad.
Done Deals: The General Assembly took final action on a number of environmental priority items this year. They include the following:
--Transit finance: Gaining final passage on the last day of the session, HB 148, "Congestion Relief / Intermodal Transport Fund", could represent a major step forward for mass transit in North Carolina. The bill gives five urban counties in the Triangle and Triad regions the right to hold local referenda establishing an optional half-cent sales tax increment for transit finance—similar to the one which Mecklenburg County has used to underwrite its new light rail line. The other North Carolina counties can hold referenda on an optional quarter-cent sales tax increment for public transit funding. Wake, Durham, and Orange are expected to seek to use their new authority to boost the Triangle Transit Authority's proposed light rail system.
--Reservoir rules: Earlier in the session, environmental advocates achieved an acceptable compromise for rules to clean up Jordan Reservoir, through passage of HB 239, "Restore Water Quality in Jordan Reservoir".
--Energy action: The state's renewable energy tax credit (HB 512) was extended until 2016; and local governments were authorized to establish revolving loan funds for energy improvements (HB 1389). HB 1389 will authorize municipalities and counties to use federal stimulus and other funds to finance loans for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. These two bills will help to keep clean energy development moving in our state during a very tough economic period.
Lurking Menaces: Some worrisome proposals were approved by one chamber or the other, keeping them alive for consideration during the "short session" in 2010, including these:
--Beach bummer: SB 832, "CRC May Permit Terminal Groin", passed the Senate and awaits consideration in the House. This terrible bill would rip a gaping hole in the state's long-standing policy of prohibiting new hard structures on the oceanfront, and lead to accelerated loss of coastal beaches.
--Wind chill: SB 1068, "Permitting of Wind Energy Facilities", which in its current form would effectively ban commercial wind generation in the mountains, was approved by the Senate. The bill started life as a generally positive proposal to systemitize the regulation of wind energy development—which is still needed—but during debate in committee, amendments were added which took a darker turn. Fortunately, the House referred the legislation to the House Energy and Energy Efficiency Committee, to be followed by review in the House Finance Committee, with final action likely in 2010. Conservationists are hopeful of repairing the proposal during that process.
-- Rule-unmaking: HB 1335, "Moratorium on EMC Rule Making", ironically passed the Senate, not the House, in its current form. After almost passing the Senate as a blanket moratorium on all Environmental Management Commission (EMC) rulemaking, it was reduced to a moratorium on rules requiring monitoring of water pollution from hog farms. Hear no evil, see no evil...and evil.
Live Opportunities: On the plus side, there are other bills still alive which offer positive opportunities, including this one:
--Local campaigns public financing: CCNC is one of many citizen groups to endorse HB 120, "Public Municipal Campaigns", which would empower the State Board of Elections to authorize more cities or towns to conduct pilot projects in public financing of local campaigns. It passed the House but couldn't quite pull together the votes for passage on the Senate floor and was returned to committee there. Why is this an environmental issue? Well, consider—the vigorous opposition to this entirely voluntary campaign reform effort was led by development interests, which are perfectly happy with their current heavy financial influence on the election of local officials. There's still a chance to move this bill forward in next year's "short session".
Campaign Watch: Green Fields
Last month, CIB invited comments on contests to watch during this fall's municipal election campaigns. Here's what we've heard thus far:
Greensboro: Joel Landau, the general manager of Deep Roots Market, is running for the Greensboro City Council seat from District 4. His experience includes membership on the Greensboro Community Sustainability Council, the Greensboro Planning Board, and the Greensboro chapter of Cool Cities (which promotes local action on climate change). Greensboro's nonpartisan October 6 primary will narrow the field in District 4 to two candidates for the November 3 general election. More information on this and the other Greensboro council races is available at www.triadpolitics.info , a site containing information prepared by the Triad's alternative newsweekly, YES Weekly.
Raleigh: Raleigh city elections routinely feature environmental themes. This year, state environmental legend Bill Holman appears in advertising for the re-election campaigns of Raleigh City Councillors Nancy McFarlane and Russ Stephenson, under the theme "Environmental Stewardship for Raleigh". Among other issue references, McFarlane touts her involvement with efforts such as "Muddy Water Watch" and the push for stronger stormwater controls. Stephenson features his advocacy for sustainable design and the reform of water resources planning.
Cary: Our Cary correspondent points to a contest of interest in Cary Council District A, where three Democratic challengers face a Republican incumbent in this officially non-partisan race. Incumbent Jennifer Robinson was previously viewed as having "strong environmental leanings", but is seen as having more recently sided with "grow at all costs" interests. The three challengers include Cynthia Sinkez, seen as a supporter of environmental causes. Cary's city elections are October 6.
Winston-Salem: There are hot contests with environmental policy implications in several of this city's districts ("wards"), both in the September 15 primary and the November 3 general election. Of these, perhaps the most interesting is the Democratic primary in the North Ward. The North Ward's current representative, Nelson Malloy (perhaps the "greenest" member of the Winston-Salem City Council), is retiring due to ill health. Three Democrats (D.D. Adams, Wayne Patterson, and Phillip Carter) are competing to take his place, and environmental matters make their lists of concerns. Adams is currently a member of the city's Sustainability Commission. Patterson speaks of his support for more bike lanes and sidewalks, preservation of green space, and expanded use of biodiesel. All three Democrats are African-American. The Democratic primary winner will be heavily favored in the general election in this majority-minority district. More information on these candidates and all the other Winston-Salem contests also can be found at www.triadpolitics.info .
We know that there's more happening out there. Reader tips on where to look for local environmental campaign items are welcome.
Washington Watch: EPA Invites Clean Water Enforcement Plan Comments
The U.S. EPA announced this week that it has created an "online discussion forum" to receive public comments on its national enforcement program on clean water laws. Comments will be received online through August 28. Comments received will be considered by the EPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance in its development of a strengthened enforcement action plan.
Information on development of the plan is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/cwa/cwaenfplan.html
Comments will be taken at http://blog.epa.gov.cwaactionplan.
Conservationists: Sustainable Energy Group Seeks Nominees
The N.C. Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) has announced that it is seeking nominations of individuals to serve three-year terms on its board of directors, beginning this October. NCSEA bills itself as a non-profit membership organization "working to ensure a sustainable future by promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency in North Carolina through education, public policy and economic development."
Nominees must be NCSEA members (presumably, by the time they're nominated), and nominations will be accepted until 5 p.m. August 25. The NCSEA website is www.energync.org, and more info on the nominations process is available from Julie Robinson, NCSEA's Director of Marketing & Communications, at julie@energync.org.
8/13/2009
Conservation Insider Bulletin, Aug. 7
Conservation Insider Bulletin
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org
August 7, 2009
More complete legislative updates will be provided in future editions, but here's where some major environmental items stand as of today's CIB press time.
Budget Approved: More than a month late and pleasing no one, the General Assembly finally approved a budget. The combination of major program cuts and significant tax increases, in response to plummeting revenues caused by the deep recession, left a sour mood in all camps. In the process, critical environmental programs took their share of hard knocks. Within the context of these very rough times, Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford), chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources, reports what has to be taken as the good news. The Office of Environmental Education was not eliminated, despite a Senate recommendation to do so. The Clean Water Management Trust Fund received a $50 million appropriation—not enough to make up for what was raided by the governor to cover last year's shortfalls, but much better than nothing. Finally, the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund got $2 million. Overall, spending in the categories of "natural and economic resources" took $61.2 million in cuts compared to last year's budget.
An Ill Wind: The Senate this week approved a version of SB 106 "Permitting of Wind Energy Facilities", which would effectively ban commercial wind generation in the mountains. This unfortunate turn has pitted scenic preservationists against advocates of renewable energy development. Clean energy advocates point out that the two perspectives don't have to be taken as in fundamental conflict, and that a reasonable accommodation can both preserve scenic mountain vistas and make use of a clean, reliable energy source. The Senate-passed version of the bill fails to meet that test. Fortunately, the House referred the legislation to the House Energy and Energy Efficiency Committee, to be followed by review in the House Finance Committee. This seems to indicate that the measure will be reviewed with deliberation, and improvements will be sought. Final action will likely come in 2010.
Positive Energy: Not all the energy-related news was bad. Two important energy-related items have received late legislative approval. The state's renewable energy tax credit (HB 512) was extended until 2016; and local governments were authorized to establish revolving loan funds for energy improvements (HB 1389). HB 1389 will authorize municipalities and counties to use federal stimulus and other funds to finance loans for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. These two bills will help to keep clean energy development moving in our state during a very tough economic period.
Judicial Watch: Roadless Rule Restored
There's good news for our national forests from the federal courts this week. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (out in California) has reinstated the 2001 "roadless rule" enacted by the Clinton administration just before he left office. The court's ruling tosses out a 2005 decision by the U.S. Forest Service under the Bush administration, which had reversed the Clinton rule.
The restored Roadless Rule blocks most commercial logging, mining, and other development from 58.5 million acres of roadless areas in the national forests. These roadless areas are de facto wilderness, often including areas of our remaining old growth forest, including areas in North Carolina.
The court's decision should provide regular rule underpinning to secure the Obama administration's temporary moratorium on further development in these important wilderness areas. U.S. Interior Secretary Tom Vilsack had taken personal review of all development proposals in these areas under a directive to the Forest Service on May 28 of this year.
The Other Side: Big Coal Pays for Fake Lobbying Letters
Sometimes the machinations of the forces opposing action on climate change impress even the hardened cynics. One such case was revealed this week with news that the "American Coalition for Clean Coal Energy" was bankrolling a PR firm which sent blatantly fabricated letters opposing climate change legislation to members of Congress.
The "Clean Coal Energy" group, of course, is just a front group for the coal industry itself. Nothing new there. The PR firm it hired, Bonner & Associates, was generating "astroturf" (artificial 'grassroots' lobbying) letters to swing voters in Congress. Ho-hum, old story.
But here's the kicker. These letters weren't just goosed up by Bonner; they were made up. The letterheads of real groups, like a Hispanic network group and a Virginia NAACP chapter, were used to fake letters purportedly coming from those groups, in opposition to climate change action.
According to news reports, the newspaper Charlottesville(Va.) Daily Progress "broke" news of the scandal in the case of the fake letters sent to first-term U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA5). Since then, other similar fakes have been found to representatives from Pennsylvania. The PR firm apparently sought to target recently elected Democrats from swing districts in states where the coal industry has political clout.
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow has had a field day reporting on the scandal this week, including an interview with Perriello. Among her points, she noted that the "shocked, shocked" reaction from the "Clean Coal Energy" group ignored a previous history of similar scams involving the Bonner firm. According to Maddow's research, the "Clean Coal" group even knew about the fake letters before the House voted on ACES (American Clean Energy and Security Act) in late June, but failed to reveal the scam.
Debate in Congress over recent weeks has focused primarily on health care reform efforts—but some scandals are just too juicy to be entirely suppressed. Lettergate may prove to be one of these.
Education & Resources: eRulemaking Site Upgrades Public Access
The EPA announced this week that its eRulemaking Program has launched a "significant upgrade" to www.regulations.gov, the site which provides "one-stop, public access to information related to current and forthcoming regulations issued by the federal government." The 8/3/09 EPA news release specifically touted "improved search capabilities, new navigation tools, and easier access to areas for the public to provide comments on proposed regulations." The EPA acts as managing agency partner for the inter-agency eRulemaking Program.
This is no doubt news eagerly awaited by the burgeoning Green Cybergeek Community, of which there may be more members than I might have thought a couple of years ago. It will probably even be useful for the rest of us who periodically need to check the content or status of a federal rulemaking proposal.
And the odds are, you heard it here first. Another scoop for CIB. Eat out your hearts, mainstream media.
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org
August 7, 2009
More complete legislative updates will be provided in future editions, but here's where some major environmental items stand as of today's CIB press time.
Budget Approved: More than a month late and pleasing no one, the General Assembly finally approved a budget. The combination of major program cuts and significant tax increases, in response to plummeting revenues caused by the deep recession, left a sour mood in all camps. In the process, critical environmental programs took their share of hard knocks. Within the context of these very rough times, Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford), chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural and Economic Resources, reports what has to be taken as the good news. The Office of Environmental Education was not eliminated, despite a Senate recommendation to do so. The Clean Water Management Trust Fund received a $50 million appropriation—not enough to make up for what was raided by the governor to cover last year's shortfalls, but much better than nothing. Finally, the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund got $2 million. Overall, spending in the categories of "natural and economic resources" took $61.2 million in cuts compared to last year's budget.
An Ill Wind: The Senate this week approved a version of SB 106 "Permitting of Wind Energy Facilities", which would effectively ban commercial wind generation in the mountains. This unfortunate turn has pitted scenic preservationists against advocates of renewable energy development. Clean energy advocates point out that the two perspectives don't have to be taken as in fundamental conflict, and that a reasonable accommodation can both preserve scenic mountain vistas and make use of a clean, reliable energy source. The Senate-passed version of the bill fails to meet that test. Fortunately, the House referred the legislation to the House Energy and Energy Efficiency Committee, to be followed by review in the House Finance Committee. This seems to indicate that the measure will be reviewed with deliberation, and improvements will be sought. Final action will likely come in 2010.
Positive Energy: Not all the energy-related news was bad. Two important energy-related items have received late legislative approval. The state's renewable energy tax credit (HB 512) was extended until 2016; and local governments were authorized to establish revolving loan funds for energy improvements (HB 1389). HB 1389 will authorize municipalities and counties to use federal stimulus and other funds to finance loans for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. These two bills will help to keep clean energy development moving in our state during a very tough economic period.
Judicial Watch: Roadless Rule Restored
There's good news for our national forests from the federal courts this week. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (out in California) has reinstated the 2001 "roadless rule" enacted by the Clinton administration just before he left office. The court's ruling tosses out a 2005 decision by the U.S. Forest Service under the Bush administration, which had reversed the Clinton rule.
The restored Roadless Rule blocks most commercial logging, mining, and other development from 58.5 million acres of roadless areas in the national forests. These roadless areas are de facto wilderness, often including areas of our remaining old growth forest, including areas in North Carolina.
The court's decision should provide regular rule underpinning to secure the Obama administration's temporary moratorium on further development in these important wilderness areas. U.S. Interior Secretary Tom Vilsack had taken personal review of all development proposals in these areas under a directive to the Forest Service on May 28 of this year.
The Other Side: Big Coal Pays for Fake Lobbying Letters
Sometimes the machinations of the forces opposing action on climate change impress even the hardened cynics. One such case was revealed this week with news that the "American Coalition for Clean Coal Energy" was bankrolling a PR firm which sent blatantly fabricated letters opposing climate change legislation to members of Congress.
The "Clean Coal Energy" group, of course, is just a front group for the coal industry itself. Nothing new there. The PR firm it hired, Bonner & Associates, was generating "astroturf" (artificial 'grassroots' lobbying) letters to swing voters in Congress. Ho-hum, old story.
But here's the kicker. These letters weren't just goosed up by Bonner; they were made up. The letterheads of real groups, like a Hispanic network group and a Virginia NAACP chapter, were used to fake letters purportedly coming from those groups, in opposition to climate change action.
According to news reports, the newspaper Charlottesville(Va.) Daily Progress "broke" news of the scandal in the case of the fake letters sent to first-term U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA5). Since then, other similar fakes have been found to representatives from Pennsylvania. The PR firm apparently sought to target recently elected Democrats from swing districts in states where the coal industry has political clout.
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow has had a field day reporting on the scandal this week, including an interview with Perriello. Among her points, she noted that the "shocked, shocked" reaction from the "Clean Coal Energy" group ignored a previous history of similar scams involving the Bonner firm. According to Maddow's research, the "Clean Coal" group even knew about the fake letters before the House voted on ACES (American Clean Energy and Security Act) in late June, but failed to reveal the scam.
Debate in Congress over recent weeks has focused primarily on health care reform efforts—but some scandals are just too juicy to be entirely suppressed. Lettergate may prove to be one of these.
Education & Resources: eRulemaking Site Upgrades Public Access
The EPA announced this week that its eRulemaking Program has launched a "significant upgrade" to www.regulations.gov, the site which provides "one-stop, public access to information related to current and forthcoming regulations issued by the federal government." The 8/3/09 EPA news release specifically touted "improved search capabilities, new navigation tools, and easier access to areas for the public to provide comments on proposed regulations." The EPA acts as managing agency partner for the inter-agency eRulemaking Program.
This is no doubt news eagerly awaited by the burgeoning Green Cybergeek Community, of which there may be more members than I might have thought a couple of years ago. It will probably even be useful for the rest of us who periodically need to check the content or status of a federal rulemaking proposal.
And the odds are, you heard it here first. Another scoop for CIB. Eat out your hearts, mainstream media.
7/17/2009
6/12/2009
Waxman-Markey to Pelosi
http://www.1sky.org/pressroom/2009/06/1sky-and-allies-send-letter-to-speaker-pelosi-asking-for-opportunities-to-strength
6/09/2009
3/25/2009
The Future Is Now--Oil Transition
http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/oil-has-peaked-now-begins-the-transition/
2/14/2009
Conservation Insider Bulletin, CCNC
Conservation Insider Bulletin
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org
February 13, 2009
What's green in the stimulus? We may have that answer, plus more news, this week in CIB:
National environmental advocates are praising the reported results of the House-Senate conference committee compromise on the stimulus package, reached surprisingly swiftly this week. As environmentalists had hoped from the start, the huge economy-boosting spending bill includes "game-changing" appropriations for energy efficiency and renewable energy development, and a big fiscal shot for public transit as well.
In the legislative process, it's always dangerous to count one's dollars before the final signature is attached. As a consequence, this week's report comes with the caveat that the proposal must pass final votes in the House and Senate (and get the president's signature, which in this case is assured) before it is truly a done deal. With that caution, however, it appears that we now know the major components of the legislation.
In a statement released 2/12/09, League of Conservation Voters president Gene Karpinski praised the bill's contents, as reported based on conference committee deliberations. He said that it appeared that the conference report "kept the best aspects of the House and Senate versions of the bill. Tens of billions of dollars for clean energy, energy efficiency, public transportation, scientific research and a smart energy grid remain. Tens of billions set to be wasted on coal and other outdated energy sources were removed."
Karpinski also said, "As the first act of a new Congress to promote clean energy and reduce global warming pollution, this bill bodes well for the future."
The positive analysis by Karpinski and other environmental advocates is based on an understanding that the compromise bill retains over $28 billion for a series of major renewable energy and energy efficiency programs and initiatives, plus over $17 billion for rail and other public transit initiatives. Apparently axed during conference negotiations was a Senate proposal to throw $50 billion in loan guarantees at nuclear and coal power development. Again, we'll hold our final judgment until the ink is dry on the president's signature, but if these reports turn out to be accurate, we'll join in pronouncing this to be a green stimulus.
Legislative Watch: House Environmental Committees: Signup for Hot List
House Environmental Committees: Last week we reported on key Senate committee leadership. This week, it's the House's turn. As one might expect from the larger chamber, there are more committees of interest, including some newly created ones. Under Speaker Joe Hackney, there are now eight committees in need of note from an environmental basis:
--Two are Appropriations Subcommittees: Natural and Economic Resources, and Transportation. NER is co-chaired by Reps. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford), Garland Pierce (D-Scotland), and Edith Warren (D-Pitt). Transportation is co-chaired by Reps. Nelson Cole (D-Rockingham) and Grier Martin (D-Wake). This puts two particularly strong environmental legislators (Harrison and Martin) at the head of the two key appropriations subcommittees in the House.
--Six other committees are general subject-area jurisdiction entities: Energy and Energy Efficiency, Environment and Natural Resources, Marine Resources and Aquaculture, Transportation, and Water Resources and Infrastructure. We won't attempt to lay out in this edition a comprehensive listing of the designated leaders, but here are some items of note. Rep. Angela Bryant (D-Nash) is the new chair of Energy, taking over from Pricey Harrison. Rep. Becky Carney (D-Mecklenburg) chairs Transportation—which may be significant in placing a representative of the state's only (so far) county with light rail in legislative transportation leadership. Rep. Cullie Tarleton (D-Watauga) chairs the newly created Water Resources and Infrastructure committee, and Rep. Lucy Allen (D-Franklin) chairs the Environment and Natural Resources committee.
For a complete listing of the chairs, vice chairs, and members of all House committees, you can go to http://projects.newsobserver.com/sites/projects.newsobserver.com/files/house-committees-2009.pdf and see where your representative sits.
To recap from last week, key Senate chairs are the following: Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources—Bob Atwater (D-Chatham); Transportation—Larry Shaw (D-Cumberland); Energy, Science, and Technology—Katie Dorsett (D-Guilford) and Joe Sam Queen (D-Haywood); Appropriations—Linda Garrou (D-Forsyth), Charlie Albertson (D-Duplin), A.B. Swindell (D-Nash), and Charlie Dannelly (D-Mecklenburg).
Signup for Hot List: CIB recipients—would you also like to receive Hot List, the Conservation Council's periodic email bulletin offering a more extended review of pending state legislation of environmental interest? Hot List comes out every week or two during the state legislative session. If you'd like to be added to that list, please just send an email with "subscribe Hot List" in the subject line to CCNC executive director Carrie Clark at carrie@conservationcouncilnc.org.
Common Agenda Detailed: Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP)
This week, we also start a more detailed look at some of the items comprising the "Common Agenda" of citizen environmental groups for this year's General Assembly. FYI, CCNC lobbyist Dan Crawford brings you this summary of the Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP):
Contaminated stormwater runoff is the number one cause of impaired surface waters in North Carolina, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Stormwater is rain runoff from developed areas, such as roads, roofs, parking lots and driveways, that pollutes rivers, lakes and streams and triggers flooding in towns and neighborhoods.
The Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP) is a voluntary, incentive-based program to install stormwater best management practices on urban, suburban and rural lands. CCAP is administered by the N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation, which provides educational, technical and financial assistance to landowners through its network of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Homeowners, businesses, schools, churches and other civic and community groups may be reimbursed up to 75 percent for approved stormwater retrofit projects.
CCAP was created by the General Assembly in 2006 with the support of realtor, homebuilder and environmental organizations, the NC League of Municipalities and the NC Association of County Commissioners. Currently 65 of the 96 Soil and Water Conservation Districts in North Carolina participate in CCAP.
Funding for CCAP will help stimulate the economy by providing new jobs for contractors and landscapers to conduct “public works” projects that retrofit existing sources of stormwater. This green jobs program will result in cleaner rivers, lakes and streams statewide. The Common Agenda this year asks for $3.4 million to support green jobs and water quality through CCAP.
Coast Watch: Salazar Extends Offshore Energy Study
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar this week continued revisiting some of the late Bush blunders, as he turned attention to the 11th-hour Bush Interior Department's effort to crank up offshore drill leasing on a wide front. Instead of simply stopping the process, Salazar extended the public comment period by six months—and expanded its focus to include "offshore energy" options beyond drilling, including offshore wind energy and wave energy. (Offshore wind energy is considered one of the major untapped resources for renewable energy in the United States.)
In announcing the revised public comment plans, Salazar was blunt in his criticism of the Bush initiative, which was published in the Federal Register on the last day of business before Obama's inauguration. Salazar called the Bush proposal "a headlong rush of the worst kind", "a process rigged to force hurried decisions based on bad information", and "a process tilted toward the usual energy players while renewable energy companies and the interests of American consumers and taxpayers were overlooked." (New York Times, 2/10/09.) We can't argue with that assessment.
Administrative Watch: DENR Assistants Named
The N.C. Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) this week announced the rest of its new leadership team under the Perdue Administration and DENR Secretary Dee Freeman. Manley Wilder, previously the DENR assistant secretary for natural resources, has been moved up to chief deputy/chief operating officer. Wilder previously had been director of the N.C. Div. of Soil and Water Conservation, following a 35-year career with the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Filling the position of Assistant Secretary for Natural Resources will be a veteran conservation advocate, David Knight, who will be coming from his current position as director of government relations for the Nature Conservancy. In his new state post, Knight will supervise the DENR divisions and work groups of Soil and Water Conservation, Forest Resources, Marine Fisheries, Parks and Recreation, the Ecosystem Enhancement Program, and Natural Resources Planning and Conservation.
Career state environmental staff person Robin W. Smith will continue as Assistant Secretary for the Environment, which position oversees the divisions of Water Quality, Air Quality, and Coastal Management, among others. Also continuing in their current roles will be Elizabeth Biser, Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Diana Kees, Communications Director.
Mary Penny Thompson, DENR's general counsel, will retain that job and take on a dual role as Assistant Secretary of Information Technology.
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org
February 13, 2009
What's green in the stimulus? We may have that answer, plus more news, this week in CIB:
National environmental advocates are praising the reported results of the House-Senate conference committee compromise on the stimulus package, reached surprisingly swiftly this week. As environmentalists had hoped from the start, the huge economy-boosting spending bill includes "game-changing" appropriations for energy efficiency and renewable energy development, and a big fiscal shot for public transit as well.
In the legislative process, it's always dangerous to count one's dollars before the final signature is attached. As a consequence, this week's report comes with the caveat that the proposal must pass final votes in the House and Senate (and get the president's signature, which in this case is assured) before it is truly a done deal. With that caution, however, it appears that we now know the major components of the legislation.
In a statement released 2/12/09, League of Conservation Voters president Gene Karpinski praised the bill's contents, as reported based on conference committee deliberations. He said that it appeared that the conference report "kept the best aspects of the House and Senate versions of the bill. Tens of billions of dollars for clean energy, energy efficiency, public transportation, scientific research and a smart energy grid remain. Tens of billions set to be wasted on coal and other outdated energy sources were removed."
Karpinski also said, "As the first act of a new Congress to promote clean energy and reduce global warming pollution, this bill bodes well for the future."
The positive analysis by Karpinski and other environmental advocates is based on an understanding that the compromise bill retains over $28 billion for a series of major renewable energy and energy efficiency programs and initiatives, plus over $17 billion for rail and other public transit initiatives. Apparently axed during conference negotiations was a Senate proposal to throw $50 billion in loan guarantees at nuclear and coal power development. Again, we'll hold our final judgment until the ink is dry on the president's signature, but if these reports turn out to be accurate, we'll join in pronouncing this to be a green stimulus.
Legislative Watch: House Environmental Committees: Signup for Hot List
House Environmental Committees: Last week we reported on key Senate committee leadership. This week, it's the House's turn. As one might expect from the larger chamber, there are more committees of interest, including some newly created ones. Under Speaker Joe Hackney, there are now eight committees in need of note from an environmental basis:
--Two are Appropriations Subcommittees: Natural and Economic Resources, and Transportation. NER is co-chaired by Reps. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford), Garland Pierce (D-Scotland), and Edith Warren (D-Pitt). Transportation is co-chaired by Reps. Nelson Cole (D-Rockingham) and Grier Martin (D-Wake). This puts two particularly strong environmental legislators (Harrison and Martin) at the head of the two key appropriations subcommittees in the House.
--Six other committees are general subject-area jurisdiction entities: Energy and Energy Efficiency, Environment and Natural Resources, Marine Resources and Aquaculture, Transportation, and Water Resources and Infrastructure. We won't attempt to lay out in this edition a comprehensive listing of the designated leaders, but here are some items of note. Rep. Angela Bryant (D-Nash) is the new chair of Energy, taking over from Pricey Harrison. Rep. Becky Carney (D-Mecklenburg) chairs Transportation—which may be significant in placing a representative of the state's only (so far) county with light rail in legislative transportation leadership. Rep. Cullie Tarleton (D-Watauga) chairs the newly created Water Resources and Infrastructure committee, and Rep. Lucy Allen (D-Franklin) chairs the Environment and Natural Resources committee.
For a complete listing of the chairs, vice chairs, and members of all House committees, you can go to http://projects.newsobserver.com/sites/projects.newsobserver.com/files/house-committees-2009.pdf and see where your representative sits.
To recap from last week, key Senate chairs are the following: Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources—Bob Atwater (D-Chatham); Transportation—Larry Shaw (D-Cumberland); Energy, Science, and Technology—Katie Dorsett (D-Guilford) and Joe Sam Queen (D-Haywood); Appropriations—Linda Garrou (D-Forsyth), Charlie Albertson (D-Duplin), A.B. Swindell (D-Nash), and Charlie Dannelly (D-Mecklenburg).
Signup for Hot List: CIB recipients—would you also like to receive Hot List, the Conservation Council's periodic email bulletin offering a more extended review of pending state legislation of environmental interest? Hot List comes out every week or two during the state legislative session. If you'd like to be added to that list, please just send an email with "subscribe Hot List" in the subject line to CCNC executive director Carrie Clark at carrie@conservationcouncilnc.org.
Common Agenda Detailed: Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP)
This week, we also start a more detailed look at some of the items comprising the "Common Agenda" of citizen environmental groups for this year's General Assembly. FYI, CCNC lobbyist Dan Crawford brings you this summary of the Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP):
Contaminated stormwater runoff is the number one cause of impaired surface waters in North Carolina, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Stormwater is rain runoff from developed areas, such as roads, roofs, parking lots and driveways, that pollutes rivers, lakes and streams and triggers flooding in towns and neighborhoods.
The Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP) is a voluntary, incentive-based program to install stormwater best management practices on urban, suburban and rural lands. CCAP is administered by the N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation, which provides educational, technical and financial assistance to landowners through its network of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Homeowners, businesses, schools, churches and other civic and community groups may be reimbursed up to 75 percent for approved stormwater retrofit projects.
CCAP was created by the General Assembly in 2006 with the support of realtor, homebuilder and environmental organizations, the NC League of Municipalities and the NC Association of County Commissioners. Currently 65 of the 96 Soil and Water Conservation Districts in North Carolina participate in CCAP.
Funding for CCAP will help stimulate the economy by providing new jobs for contractors and landscapers to conduct “public works” projects that retrofit existing sources of stormwater. This green jobs program will result in cleaner rivers, lakes and streams statewide. The Common Agenda this year asks for $3.4 million to support green jobs and water quality through CCAP.
Coast Watch: Salazar Extends Offshore Energy Study
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar this week continued revisiting some of the late Bush blunders, as he turned attention to the 11th-hour Bush Interior Department's effort to crank up offshore drill leasing on a wide front. Instead of simply stopping the process, Salazar extended the public comment period by six months—and expanded its focus to include "offshore energy" options beyond drilling, including offshore wind energy and wave energy. (Offshore wind energy is considered one of the major untapped resources for renewable energy in the United States.)
In announcing the revised public comment plans, Salazar was blunt in his criticism of the Bush initiative, which was published in the Federal Register on the last day of business before Obama's inauguration. Salazar called the Bush proposal "a headlong rush of the worst kind", "a process rigged to force hurried decisions based on bad information", and "a process tilted toward the usual energy players while renewable energy companies and the interests of American consumers and taxpayers were overlooked." (New York Times, 2/10/09.) We can't argue with that assessment.
Administrative Watch: DENR Assistants Named
The N.C. Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) this week announced the rest of its new leadership team under the Perdue Administration and DENR Secretary Dee Freeman. Manley Wilder, previously the DENR assistant secretary for natural resources, has been moved up to chief deputy/chief operating officer. Wilder previously had been director of the N.C. Div. of Soil and Water Conservation, following a 35-year career with the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Filling the position of Assistant Secretary for Natural Resources will be a veteran conservation advocate, David Knight, who will be coming from his current position as director of government relations for the Nature Conservancy. In his new state post, Knight will supervise the DENR divisions and work groups of Soil and Water Conservation, Forest Resources, Marine Fisheries, Parks and Recreation, the Ecosystem Enhancement Program, and Natural Resources Planning and Conservation.
Career state environmental staff person Robin W. Smith will continue as Assistant Secretary for the Environment, which position oversees the divisions of Water Quality, Air Quality, and Coastal Management, among others. Also continuing in their current roles will be Elizabeth Biser, Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, and Diana Kees, Communications Director.
Mary Penny Thompson, DENR's general counsel, will retain that job and take on a dual role as Assistant Secretary of Information Technology.
10/01/2008
8/03/2008
100 Months and Counting. . .
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/01/climatechange.carbonemissions
7/22/2008
Take the Challenge
Al Gore took a big risk when he called on us to get 100% of our electricity from cheap, clean sources within 10 years.
I just signed a petition to support Al Gore's ambitious challenge. Together, we'll urge Obama, McCain, and Congress to get on board.
Join me? Just click here:
http://pol.moveon.org/gorechallenge?r_by=13302-1471062-huzuJIx&rc=paste
Thanks! Maureen
I just signed a petition to support Al Gore's ambitious challenge. Together, we'll urge Obama, McCain, and Congress to get on board.
Join me? Just click here:
http://pol.moveon.org/gorechallenge?r_by=13302-1471062-huzuJIx&rc=paste
Thanks! Maureen
7/18/2008
Al Gore's Challenge
Gore challenges US to ditch oil
US ex-vice-president Al Gore tells Americans to abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels in 10 years - an idea critics dismiss.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/2/hi/americas/7513002.stm
US ex-vice-president Al Gore tells Americans to abandon electricity generated by fossil fuels in 10 years - an idea critics dismiss.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/2/hi/americas/7513002.stm
11/10/2007
Act NOW to Save Solar, Call Congress
Act Now To Save Solar!
ASES Action Alert
We need to make sure that renewable energy receives the support of Congress. Unfortunately, it appears that this may not occur unless WE ACT NOW.
Speaker Pelosi has stated that before Congress adjourns on November 16th, it must pass an energy bill. Great so far.
On Thursday morning, Senate Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi decided to drop the renewable energy standard AND THE TAX TITLE out of the energy bill. Without the tax title there can be no extension of the investment tax credit for solar and no extension of the production tax credit for wind energy.
In short, this means that our Congressional Leadership is going to vote on an energy bill with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for renewable energy. Eliminating the pro-solar provision from the Energy Act of 2005 JUST AS THE SOLAR INDUSTRY IS STARTING TO RAMP UP. Likewise the elimination of the Production Tax Credit will halt new wind development.
THIS ON-AGAIN-OFF-AGAIN SUPPORT MUST STOP. TIME IS SHORT.
ASES, along with many others, encourages you to pick up the phone and contact your congressional representatives. Please call their Washington offices and tell your Representatives and Senators to demand that Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi include the 8-year extension for the solar investment tax credit and the production tax credit in the energy bill.
Tell them that the challenges we face need to be addressed and these tax titles MUST be included.
If you want to say more here are some additional talking points:
Clean energy means jobs. ASES' report released this week demonstrates that the 8.5 million Americans working in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries today, can grow to 40 million jobs by 2030 IF WE HAVE FEDERAL LEADERSHIP!
America needs carbon-free, local, renewable energy now!
The solution to global warming is to be found in the transition to a sustainable energy economy.
Energy independence comes from growing these industries, NOT FROM PULLING THE CARPET OUT FROM UNDER THEM.
Thank you for your support.
The American Solar Energy Society
Carolyn Beach,
American Solar Energy Society
303.443.3130 x107
The bill numbers are: Senate HR6 and House HR3221
ASES Action Alert
We need to make sure that renewable energy receives the support of Congress. Unfortunately, it appears that this may not occur unless WE ACT NOW.
Speaker Pelosi has stated that before Congress adjourns on November 16th, it must pass an energy bill. Great so far.
On Thursday morning, Senate Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi decided to drop the renewable energy standard AND THE TAX TITLE out of the energy bill. Without the tax title there can be no extension of the investment tax credit for solar and no extension of the production tax credit for wind energy.
In short, this means that our Congressional Leadership is going to vote on an energy bill with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for renewable energy. Eliminating the pro-solar provision from the Energy Act of 2005 JUST AS THE SOLAR INDUSTRY IS STARTING TO RAMP UP. Likewise the elimination of the Production Tax Credit will halt new wind development.
THIS ON-AGAIN-OFF-AGAIN SUPPORT MUST STOP. TIME IS SHORT.
ASES, along with many others, encourages you to pick up the phone and contact your congressional representatives. Please call their Washington offices and tell your Representatives and Senators to demand that Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi include the 8-year extension for the solar investment tax credit and the production tax credit in the energy bill.
Tell them that the challenges we face need to be addressed and these tax titles MUST be included.
If you want to say more here are some additional talking points:
Clean energy means jobs. ASES' report released this week demonstrates that the 8.5 million Americans working in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries today, can grow to 40 million jobs by 2030 IF WE HAVE FEDERAL LEADERSHIP!
America needs carbon-free, local, renewable energy now!
The solution to global warming is to be found in the transition to a sustainable energy economy.
Energy independence comes from growing these industries, NOT FROM PULLING THE CARPET OUT FROM UNDER THEM.
Thank you for your support.
The American Solar Energy Society
Carolyn Beach,
American Solar Energy Society
303.443.3130 x107
The bill numbers are: Senate HR6 and House HR3221
9/23/2007
6/23/2007
Conservation Insider Bulletin
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, earthvote@ccnccpac.org
June 22, 2007
Utilities Try to Use Energy Bill to Renew Old Scam: The leading environmental legislative item this week is the attempted renewal by the electric utilities of a bad old idea whose time has already come and gone: the "construction work in progress" financing gimmick for new power plants.
After lengthy negotiations on the Senate side's version of HB 77, "Promote Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency", an unlovely hybrid emerged into the light. The new SB 3, renamed "Promote Renewable Energy / Baseload Generation", represents an ugly merger of some of the best ideas of this legislative session and some of the worst ones.
CCNC's legislative bulletin, HotList, comments as follows on the result:
"SB 3 is a crucial first step toward...innovation and energy efficiency, saving the state's consumers money, and creating a cleaner environment for the future. However, the current version of SB 3 includes provisions creating substantial incentives for major energy providers to construct more coal and nuclear plants, a major step backward for any kind of clean-energy plan."
It goes on to explain: "The current version of the bill subsidizes the construction of new nuclear power plants, along with allowing for construction costs to be included in calculations of new electric rates. In addition to this, SB 3 lets utility companies include the cost of their environmental compliance measures in their rate calculations, with little review from state agencies. This allows the utilities to pass on these costs to their customers, and removes an important obstacle to new construction. These provisions encourage the power industry to build more new coal and nuclear plants, a serious step backward. These outdated technologies harm the environment, put citizens' health at risk, and only further entrench the state's dependence on foreign energy sources. The General Assembly should reward industry for responsible behavior, not for building new coal or nuclear facilities."
Citizen environmental groups gave mixed reactions to this perverted merger of measures promoting construction of more coal and nuclear baseload plants with the original concept of steps to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy production. Some groups, such as Environmental Defense, continued to stress the bill's original positive measures. Others, such as Environment North Carolina and the N.C. Public Interest Research Group, declared that the negative additions were so bad that they would have to oppose the bill altogether so long as those provisions remained in it. Even if the revised bill passes the Senate, there will be vigorous efforts to remove the offensive provisions during review by the House.
[Editor's Note: CIB's editor sides with those who say that the "baseload construction" measures must be deleted from the bill. These measures include a return to the kind of "construction work in progress" (CWIP) financing provisions which essentially guarantee that any dollar spent on building a new plant gets added to our electric bills—even if it is cancelled during construction. In our view, this guarantee would represent an environmental and economic disaster in the making.
The reason is simple: If the utilities are guaranteed that ratepayers/consumers will pay for whatever plants they build, they will build more than we need--regardless of what is invested in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Utility profits are based primarily on the interplay between the size of their rate base and their rate of return. Therefore, the bigger their rate base (the value of their plants and other facilities), the more potential they have for high profits to their stockholders.
Transferring the entire risk of new construction from their stockholders to the public ratepayers, via CWIP financing, skews their entire planning process. New baseload (coal and nuclear) construction becomes a vastly more attractive proposition, with little or no downside risk to the corporation.
This form of extreme CWIP financing was repealed by the N.C. General Assembly in 1982. The final cancellation of several unneeded nuclear units which were clinging to life via the artificial life support of guaranteed subsidies followed suit. Today is not the time to return to the bad old policy of total assumption of construction risks by the ratepaying public.]
Hog Warriors Occupy the Mall: As noted in last week's CIB, environmental advocates and other concerned parties converged on the mall area adjacent to the legislative building in Raleigh this week, for a 51-hour "Hog Vigil". Participants kicked off the vigil on Wednesday morning with a news conference and unveiling of a model of a hog farm, complete with miniature sprayfield and waste lagoon. Cleanup advocates got an unexpected and ironic PR boost from officials who warned them that if any of their (real) sample hog waste spilled on the ground, it would be considered hazardous waste and they would be fined. Some of the vigil participants live near working farms and sprayfield mist which crosses onto their properties and homes on a daily basis. They just wish that the state would be as aggressive in protecting them as in protecting the sensitivities of our legislators.
Budget Notes: Final budget negotiations continued all week between House and Senate conferees, aimed at resolving the many and wide differences between the chambers' versions of the budget. Treatment of the State Energy Office remains the most important environmental difference. Advocates continue to press House leaders to stand firm in support of their version of the budget on this item. The Senate version dissolves the State Energy Office altogether. That's no way to treat an agency that has saved state taxpayers tens of millions of dollars through its effective leadership in support of implementing energy efficiencies.
On the positive side, both House and Senate budgets this year contain a provision which conservationists have unsuccessfully sought for years: extra inspector positions for the state Sedimentation Control program. (Not enough new positions, but some—which in this case would represent a noteworthy step forward.)
Washington Watch: EPA Proposes Tougher Ozone Standard
Beyond the General Assembly, the other major news we were following this week came from the EPA in the air quality arena. After months of delay, the agency has proposed a tougher standard for ground-level ozone, the major ingredient of urban smog.
Maybe.
The EPA's proposal actually recommended a standard somewhere within a range from 0.070 to 0.075 parts per million (ppm). However, it said at the same time that it would continue taking comments on "alternative standards" from as low as 0.060 ppm to as high as the current standard, 0.080 ppm.
Non-technicians may well be excused for reacting, "Huh?" And, "Whatever it means, why should I care?"
On these questions, we offer our analysis as follows. EPA's scientists think that a tougher standard is appropriate in order to better protect human health from the harmful effects of ozone. It's an irritant which can harm lungs and bronchial passages, trigger asthma attacks, and place additional stress on people with heart conditions and other cardiovascular ailments. On high ozone days, such health complications and emergency room visits for these problems typically go up in impacted areas.
However, pollution-emitting industries strongly oppose the stronger standards. Many local governments, still working on meeting the existing standards, also find the prospect of a new and higher bar to be frustrating. As a result, the ever-timid Bush EPA is keeping its options open. (Stall long enough, and the clock ticks over to a new president.)
By the way, ground-level ozone is formed through a chemical reaction in the atmosphere. Take "precursor" pollutants like nitrogen oxides from power plants and vehicle tailpipes, mix in volatile organic compounds from human and natural sources, and heat well with the summer sunshine. Soon, it produces an unpleasant soup including that unhealthy ozone. That's why ozone pollution tends to be a seasonal problem, associated with weather conditions in addition to pollution levels.
EPA will take comments on its proposal and alternatives for the next three months. For full details, check out its website: http://epa.gov/groundlevelozone/ .
Editor: Dan Besse, earthvote@ccnccpac.org
June 22, 2007
Utilities Try to Use Energy Bill to Renew Old Scam: The leading environmental legislative item this week is the attempted renewal by the electric utilities of a bad old idea whose time has already come and gone: the "construction work in progress" financing gimmick for new power plants.
After lengthy negotiations on the Senate side's version of HB 77, "Promote Renewable Energy / Energy Efficiency", an unlovely hybrid emerged into the light. The new SB 3, renamed "Promote Renewable Energy / Baseload Generation", represents an ugly merger of some of the best ideas of this legislative session and some of the worst ones.
CCNC's legislative bulletin, HotList, comments as follows on the result:
"SB 3 is a crucial first step toward...innovation and energy efficiency, saving the state's consumers money, and creating a cleaner environment for the future. However, the current version of SB 3 includes provisions creating substantial incentives for major energy providers to construct more coal and nuclear plants, a major step backward for any kind of clean-energy plan."
It goes on to explain: "The current version of the bill subsidizes the construction of new nuclear power plants, along with allowing for construction costs to be included in calculations of new electric rates. In addition to this, SB 3 lets utility companies include the cost of their environmental compliance measures in their rate calculations, with little review from state agencies. This allows the utilities to pass on these costs to their customers, and removes an important obstacle to new construction. These provisions encourage the power industry to build more new coal and nuclear plants, a serious step backward. These outdated technologies harm the environment, put citizens' health at risk, and only further entrench the state's dependence on foreign energy sources. The General Assembly should reward industry for responsible behavior, not for building new coal or nuclear facilities."
Citizen environmental groups gave mixed reactions to this perverted merger of measures promoting construction of more coal and nuclear baseload plants with the original concept of steps to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy production. Some groups, such as Environmental Defense, continued to stress the bill's original positive measures. Others, such as Environment North Carolina and the N.C. Public Interest Research Group, declared that the negative additions were so bad that they would have to oppose the bill altogether so long as those provisions remained in it. Even if the revised bill passes the Senate, there will be vigorous efforts to remove the offensive provisions during review by the House.
[Editor's Note: CIB's editor sides with those who say that the "baseload construction" measures must be deleted from the bill. These measures include a return to the kind of "construction work in progress" (CWIP) financing provisions which essentially guarantee that any dollar spent on building a new plant gets added to our electric bills—even if it is cancelled during construction. In our view, this guarantee would represent an environmental and economic disaster in the making.
The reason is simple: If the utilities are guaranteed that ratepayers/consumers will pay for whatever plants they build, they will build more than we need--regardless of what is invested in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Utility profits are based primarily on the interplay between the size of their rate base and their rate of return. Therefore, the bigger their rate base (the value of their plants and other facilities), the more potential they have for high profits to their stockholders.
Transferring the entire risk of new construction from their stockholders to the public ratepayers, via CWIP financing, skews their entire planning process. New baseload (coal and nuclear) construction becomes a vastly more attractive proposition, with little or no downside risk to the corporation.
This form of extreme CWIP financing was repealed by the N.C. General Assembly in 1982. The final cancellation of several unneeded nuclear units which were clinging to life via the artificial life support of guaranteed subsidies followed suit. Today is not the time to return to the bad old policy of total assumption of construction risks by the ratepaying public.]
Hog Warriors Occupy the Mall: As noted in last week's CIB, environmental advocates and other concerned parties converged on the mall area adjacent to the legislative building in Raleigh this week, for a 51-hour "Hog Vigil". Participants kicked off the vigil on Wednesday morning with a news conference and unveiling of a model of a hog farm, complete with miniature sprayfield and waste lagoon. Cleanup advocates got an unexpected and ironic PR boost from officials who warned them that if any of their (real) sample hog waste spilled on the ground, it would be considered hazardous waste and they would be fined. Some of the vigil participants live near working farms and sprayfield mist which crosses onto their properties and homes on a daily basis. They just wish that the state would be as aggressive in protecting them as in protecting the sensitivities of our legislators.
Budget Notes: Final budget negotiations continued all week between House and Senate conferees, aimed at resolving the many and wide differences between the chambers' versions of the budget. Treatment of the State Energy Office remains the most important environmental difference. Advocates continue to press House leaders to stand firm in support of their version of the budget on this item. The Senate version dissolves the State Energy Office altogether. That's no way to treat an agency that has saved state taxpayers tens of millions of dollars through its effective leadership in support of implementing energy efficiencies.
On the positive side, both House and Senate budgets this year contain a provision which conservationists have unsuccessfully sought for years: extra inspector positions for the state Sedimentation Control program. (Not enough new positions, but some—which in this case would represent a noteworthy step forward.)
Washington Watch: EPA Proposes Tougher Ozone Standard
Beyond the General Assembly, the other major news we were following this week came from the EPA in the air quality arena. After months of delay, the agency has proposed a tougher standard for ground-level ozone, the major ingredient of urban smog.
Maybe.
The EPA's proposal actually recommended a standard somewhere within a range from 0.070 to 0.075 parts per million (ppm). However, it said at the same time that it would continue taking comments on "alternative standards" from as low as 0.060 ppm to as high as the current standard, 0.080 ppm.
Non-technicians may well be excused for reacting, "Huh?" And, "Whatever it means, why should I care?"
On these questions, we offer our analysis as follows. EPA's scientists think that a tougher standard is appropriate in order to better protect human health from the harmful effects of ozone. It's an irritant which can harm lungs and bronchial passages, trigger asthma attacks, and place additional stress on people with heart conditions and other cardiovascular ailments. On high ozone days, such health complications and emergency room visits for these problems typically go up in impacted areas.
However, pollution-emitting industries strongly oppose the stronger standards. Many local governments, still working on meeting the existing standards, also find the prospect of a new and higher bar to be frustrating. As a result, the ever-timid Bush EPA is keeping its options open. (Stall long enough, and the clock ticks over to a new president.)
By the way, ground-level ozone is formed through a chemical reaction in the atmosphere. Take "precursor" pollutants like nitrogen oxides from power plants and vehicle tailpipes, mix in volatile organic compounds from human and natural sources, and heat well with the summer sunshine. Soon, it produces an unpleasant soup including that unhealthy ozone. That's why ozone pollution tends to be a seasonal problem, associated with weather conditions in addition to pollution levels.
EPA will take comments on its proposal and alternatives for the next three months. For full details, check out its website: http://epa.gov/groundlevelozone/ .
5/15/2007
Today! Please Call!
[from Helen Livingston, Laurinburg]
Below is an email that I sent to Senator Purcell. In case you have time to make some calls, I have listed committee members of the Senate Ag Committee. The meeting starts at 11:00 am on Tuesday, 5/15. Also included are excerpts from the Senate and the House Bills. I am sorry about the short notice.
Other than including municipal solid waste as a Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS), these are grand bills, so be sure to include appreciation!
Thanks,
Helen
---------- Forwarded message ----------From: Helen Livingston < livingston.helen@gmail.com>Date: May 14, 2007 10:44 PM Subject: SB3To: "Senator William R. Purcell" < Williamp@ncleg.net>
Hello Bill,
I understand that the Senate Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources is taking up SB3, the Renewable Energy Bill, on Tuesday, May 15th. The house equivilant does not include municipal solid waste as a renewable source. The waste industry very much wants state and federal tax dollars for their latest (unproven) "state of the art" technologies, under Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards. To do so would take funds and focus away from research and development leading to genuine energy efficiency progress. More trash leads in the opposite direction to the real solution, zero waste. The industry's interest in corporate profits provides powerful PR and lobbying. Please do not allow that to dilute NC's potential to accomplish true energy efficiency and environmental safety.
With appreciation,
Helen Livingston
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Members of Senate Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources
Chairman
Sen. Charles W. Albertson
Vice Chairman
Sen. Austin M. Allran
Vice Chairman
Sen. Bob Atwater
Vice Chairman
Sen. Janet Cowell
Vice Chairman
Sen. Eleanor Kinnaird
Vice Chairman
Sen. A. B Swindell
Vice Chairman
Sen. David F. Weinstein
Members
Sen. Daniel G. Clodfelter , Sen. Stan Bingham, Sen. Andrew C. Brock, Sen. Harry Brown, Sen. Don East, Sen. Fletcher L. Hartsell, Jr. , Sen. Clark Jenkins, Sen. Ed Jones , Sen. Jean Preston, Sen. Joe Sam Queen , Sen. Fred Smith, Sen. John Snow , Sen. Jerry W. Tillman
Below for both bills:
SECTION 2. Article 7 of Chapter 62 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:"§ 62‑133.7. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS).
(a) As used in this section:
(4) [Senate] 'Renewable energy resource' means a solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, ocean current or wave energy resource; a biomass resource, including agricultural waste, animal waste, wood waste, energy crop, or landfill methane; or hydrogen derived from a renewable energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include a fossil fuel or nuclear energy resource. [note: see house bill below, which "does not include ... municipal solid waste ...".]
(4) [House] 'Renewable energy resource' means a solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, ocean current or wave energy resource; a biomass resource, including agricultural waste, animal waste, wood waste, energy crop, or landfill methane; or hydrogen, metered waste heat, or other metered thermal energy derived from a renewable energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include a fossil fuel, municipal solid waste, or nuclear energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include renewable energy generated as part of the NC Green Power Program. [note: this is the preferred wording for the Senate Bill]
--------------------------------------------------------
Below is further detail about the two bills, FYI.
SB 3
Short Title: Promote Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency.
(Public)
Sponsors:
Senators Albertson; Allran, Atwater, Bingham, Boseman, Cowell, Dalton, Jenkins, Kinnaird, Purcell, Queen, Snow, Stevens, Tillman, and Weinstein.
Referred to:
Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to promote the development of renewable energy and ENERGY EFFICIENCY in the state through implementation of a ten percent renewable ENERGY and ENERGY Efficiency portfolio Standard (REPS).
(1) 'Electric power supplier' means a public utility, an electric membership corporation, or a municipality that sells electric power to retail electric power customers in the State.
(2) 'Energy efficiency measure' means a physical change to a building or equipment implemented on or after 1 January 2007 that results in a permanent reduction in overall demand for electric power while maintaining the same or improved level of energy service.
(3) 'New renewable energy facility' means a facility that generates electric power that is placed into service on or after 1 January 2007 and that delivers electric power generated by the use of a renewable energy resource to an electric power supplier.
(4) 'Renewable energy resource' means a solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, ocean current or wave energy resource; a biomass resource, including agricultural waste, animal waste, wood waste, energy crop, or landfill methane; or hydrogen derived from a renewable energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include a fossil fuel or nuclear energy resource. [note: see house bill below, which also"does not include municipal solid waste".]
HOUSE BILL 77
Short Title: Promote Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency-2.
(Public)
Sponsors:
Representatives Harrison, J. Harrell, Martin, Justice (Primary Sponsors); Adams, Alexander, Allen, Bell, Bordsen, Braxton, Brown, Bryant, Carney, Church, Coates, Cole, Coleman, Dickson, England, Farmer‑Butterfield, Fisher, Glazier, Goforth, Goodwin, Haire, Hall, T. Harrell, Holliman, Hurley, Insko, Jeffus, Jones, Love, Luebke, McAllister, McLawhorn, Owens, Parmon, Pierce, Rapp, Ross, Saunders, Spear, Stiller, Thomas, Tolson, Tucker, Underhill, Wainwright, E. Warren, Weiss, Wiley, Wilkins, Williams, Womble, and Wray.
Referred to:
Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.
February 6, 2007
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to promote the development of renewable energy and ENERGY EFFICIENCY in the state through implementation of a twenty percent renewable ENERGY and ENERGY Efficiency portfolio Standard (REPS).
SECTION 2. Article 7 of Chapter 62 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 62‑133.7. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS).
(a) As used in this section:
(1) 'Electric power supplier' means a public utility, an electric membership corporation, or a municipality that sells electric power to retail electric power customers in the State.
(2) 'Energy efficiency measure' means a physical change to a building or equipment implemented on or after 1 January 2007 that results in a permanent reduction in overall demand for grid‑connected electric power while maintaining the same or improved level of energy service. 'Energy efficiency measure' includes combined heat and power (CHP) or other thermal energy. 'Energy efficiency measure' includes a demand response measure or load limiting measure only to the extent that the measure results in a demonstrated, long-term shift in the consumption of electric power by a retail customer from a peak demand period to a nonpeak demand period.
(3) 'New renewable energy facility' means a facility that generates electric power that was first placed into service on or after 1 January 2007 and that delivers electric power generated by the use of a renewable energy resource to an electric power supplier.
(4) 'Renewable energy resource' means a solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, ocean current or wave energy resource; a biomass resource, including agricultural waste, animal waste, wood waste, energy crop, or landfill methane; or hydrogen, metered waste heat, or other metered thermal energy derived from a renewable energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include a fossil fuel, municipal solid waste, or nuclear energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include renewable energy generated as part of the NC Green Power Program. [note: this is the preferred wording for the Senate Bill]
Below is an email that I sent to Senator Purcell. In case you have time to make some calls, I have listed committee members of the Senate Ag Committee. The meeting starts at 11:00 am on Tuesday, 5/15. Also included are excerpts from the Senate and the House Bills. I am sorry about the short notice.
Other than including municipal solid waste as a Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS), these are grand bills, so be sure to include appreciation!
Thanks,
Helen
---------- Forwarded message ----------From: Helen Livingston < livingston.helen@gmail.com>Date: May 14, 2007 10:44 PM Subject: SB3To: "Senator William R. Purcell" < Williamp@ncleg.net>
Hello Bill,
I understand that the Senate Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources is taking up SB3, the Renewable Energy Bill, on Tuesday, May 15th. The house equivilant does not include municipal solid waste as a renewable source. The waste industry very much wants state and federal tax dollars for their latest (unproven) "state of the art" technologies, under Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards. To do so would take funds and focus away from research and development leading to genuine energy efficiency progress. More trash leads in the opposite direction to the real solution, zero waste. The industry's interest in corporate profits provides powerful PR and lobbying. Please do not allow that to dilute NC's potential to accomplish true energy efficiency and environmental safety.
With appreciation,
Helen Livingston
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Members of Senate Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources
Chairman
Sen. Charles W. Albertson
Vice Chairman
Sen. Austin M. Allran
Vice Chairman
Sen. Bob Atwater
Vice Chairman
Sen. Janet Cowell
Vice Chairman
Sen. Eleanor Kinnaird
Vice Chairman
Sen. A. B Swindell
Vice Chairman
Sen. David F. Weinstein
Members
Sen. Daniel G. Clodfelter , Sen. Stan Bingham, Sen. Andrew C. Brock, Sen. Harry Brown, Sen. Don East, Sen. Fletcher L. Hartsell, Jr. , Sen. Clark Jenkins, Sen. Ed Jones , Sen. Jean Preston, Sen. Joe Sam Queen , Sen. Fred Smith, Sen. John Snow , Sen. Jerry W. Tillman
Below for both bills:
SECTION 2. Article 7 of Chapter 62 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:"§ 62‑133.7. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS).
(a) As used in this section:
(4) [Senate] 'Renewable energy resource' means a solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, ocean current or wave energy resource; a biomass resource, including agricultural waste, animal waste, wood waste, energy crop, or landfill methane; or hydrogen derived from a renewable energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include a fossil fuel or nuclear energy resource. [note: see house bill below, which "does not include ... municipal solid waste ...".]
(4) [House] 'Renewable energy resource' means a solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, ocean current or wave energy resource; a biomass resource, including agricultural waste, animal waste, wood waste, energy crop, or landfill methane; or hydrogen, metered waste heat, or other metered thermal energy derived from a renewable energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include a fossil fuel, municipal solid waste, or nuclear energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include renewable energy generated as part of the NC Green Power Program. [note: this is the preferred wording for the Senate Bill]
--------------------------------------------------------
Below is further detail about the two bills, FYI.
SB 3
Short Title: Promote Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency.
(Public)
Sponsors:
Senators Albertson; Allran, Atwater, Bingham, Boseman, Cowell, Dalton, Jenkins, Kinnaird, Purcell, Queen, Snow, Stevens, Tillman, and Weinstein.
Referred to:
Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resources.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to promote the development of renewable energy and ENERGY EFFICIENCY in the state through implementation of a ten percent renewable ENERGY and ENERGY Efficiency portfolio Standard (REPS).
(1) 'Electric power supplier' means a public utility, an electric membership corporation, or a municipality that sells electric power to retail electric power customers in the State.
(2) 'Energy efficiency measure' means a physical change to a building or equipment implemented on or after 1 January 2007 that results in a permanent reduction in overall demand for electric power while maintaining the same or improved level of energy service.
(3) 'New renewable energy facility' means a facility that generates electric power that is placed into service on or after 1 January 2007 and that delivers electric power generated by the use of a renewable energy resource to an electric power supplier.
(4) 'Renewable energy resource' means a solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, ocean current or wave energy resource; a biomass resource, including agricultural waste, animal waste, wood waste, energy crop, or landfill methane; or hydrogen derived from a renewable energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include a fossil fuel or nuclear energy resource. [note: see house bill below, which also"does not include municipal solid waste".]
HOUSE BILL 77
Short Title: Promote Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency-2.
(Public)
Sponsors:
Representatives Harrison, J. Harrell, Martin, Justice (Primary Sponsors); Adams, Alexander, Allen, Bell, Bordsen, Braxton, Brown, Bryant, Carney, Church, Coates, Cole, Coleman, Dickson, England, Farmer‑Butterfield, Fisher, Glazier, Goforth, Goodwin, Haire, Hall, T. Harrell, Holliman, Hurley, Insko, Jeffus, Jones, Love, Luebke, McAllister, McLawhorn, Owens, Parmon, Pierce, Rapp, Ross, Saunders, Spear, Stiller, Thomas, Tolson, Tucker, Underhill, Wainwright, E. Warren, Weiss, Wiley, Wilkins, Williams, Womble, and Wray.
Referred to:
Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.
February 6, 2007
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to promote the development of renewable energy and ENERGY EFFICIENCY in the state through implementation of a twenty percent renewable ENERGY and ENERGY Efficiency portfolio Standard (REPS).
SECTION 2. Article 7 of Chapter 62 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 62‑133.7. Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS).
(a) As used in this section:
(1) 'Electric power supplier' means a public utility, an electric membership corporation, or a municipality that sells electric power to retail electric power customers in the State.
(2) 'Energy efficiency measure' means a physical change to a building or equipment implemented on or after 1 January 2007 that results in a permanent reduction in overall demand for grid‑connected electric power while maintaining the same or improved level of energy service. 'Energy efficiency measure' includes combined heat and power (CHP) or other thermal energy. 'Energy efficiency measure' includes a demand response measure or load limiting measure only to the extent that the measure results in a demonstrated, long-term shift in the consumption of electric power by a retail customer from a peak demand period to a nonpeak demand period.
(3) 'New renewable energy facility' means a facility that generates electric power that was first placed into service on or after 1 January 2007 and that delivers electric power generated by the use of a renewable energy resource to an electric power supplier.
(4) 'Renewable energy resource' means a solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, ocean current or wave energy resource; a biomass resource, including agricultural waste, animal waste, wood waste, energy crop, or landfill methane; or hydrogen, metered waste heat, or other metered thermal energy derived from a renewable energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include a fossil fuel, municipal solid waste, or nuclear energy resource. 'Renewable energy resource' does not include renewable energy generated as part of the NC Green Power Program. [note: this is the preferred wording for the Senate Bill]
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