Power Cost Meters - How & Why

Press Release: Environmental Groups Praise Decision to Give Louisiana a 30-Year EUR

admin — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:30:03 +0000

Russia leads scramble for Arctic.
With the polar icecaps melting, and oil prices at record highs, a scramble for the Arctic’s resources is underway that will transform this forgotten backwater, and Russia is leading the charge.

Climate myths: Global warming stopped in 1998.
Even if the atmospheric temperature near the earth’s surface has become cooler recently, that doesn’t mean the planet as a whole isn’t heating up.

Recycled Plastics Showing Up More In Autos
Recycled plastic is being used for bumpers, splash guards and under the hood. Because recycled plastic is often more brittle or less durable, it is usually mixed with new plastic. For example, many bumpers contain as much as 20 percent recycled plastic.

Going green at work can be beneficial.
In Madison, where only six months ago Mayor Dave Cieslewicz kicked off the citywide MPower campaign to reduce CO2 emissions by one hundred thousand tons by 2011, big-picture solutions to reduce global warming can’t come fast enough.

The cityZenn - Dream Electric Car
Till now we have battery operated cars or hybrid cars. Hybrid cars reduce your gas consumption and air pollution. If you are using battery operated cars, you cant drive on the spur of a moment. You have to PLAN and recharge the batteries. Otherwise your vehicle will carry you for a few miles and [.]

Press Release: Report: Climate Change Threatens Michigan’s Economy and Shipping Industry

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Emily Diamond-Falk, 202-572-3365, ediamondfalk@edf.org

(Washington, DC – July 23, 2008) –A new report released today details the devastating effects climate change will have on Michigan’s economy and environment. The study was produced by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Center for Integrative Environmental Research (CIER) at the University of Maryland. Environmental Defense Fund helped to finance the research and production of the report.

The report found that climate change will have wide-spread consequences across Michigan, including:

· Manufacturing Sector. Manufacturing is the largest economic sector in Michigan, and roughly 18% of goods produced are transported by water. Any disruption to the shipping infrastructure would vastly affect the manufacturing sector. Researchers predict that climate change will disrupt the shipping industry as dredging will be needed to cope with the decrease in the Great Lakes’ water levels.

· Shipping Infrastructure. Michigan is home to more than 40 commercial ports, and the three largest ports oversee more than $1 billion in foreign imports and nearly $4.7 billion in exports. Under certain climate change scenarios, the entire Great Lakes-St. Lawrence shipping route would have to be dredged by 2030 due to lower water levels, costing between $92 million and $154 million annually.

· Agriculture. A recent study conducted by Michigan State University found that 725,000 people are directly employed by the agriculture industry contributing $63.3 billion to Michigan’s economy. Researches say that if temperatures and precipitation levels rise causing soil erosion, the agriculture industry could see economic losses ranging from $11.5 billion to $20.7 billion annually.

The study was part of the report State Economic and Environmental Costs of Climate Change, which examined the impacts of global warming on 12 states around the country. NCSL released the report today during an energy conference at the group’s Legislative Summit in New Orleans. In addition to Michigan, the report looked at how climate change will impact the economy and environment of Colorado, Illinois, Georgia, Kansas, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

The overview of the project can be found at: http://www.ncsl.org/print/environ/ClimatechangeOver.pdf
The Michigan report can be found at: http://www.ncsl.org/print/environ/ClimatechangeMI.pdf

Individual states have already begun to address the issue of climate change: Six states enacted mandatory greenhouse gas reduction laws; 13 states have set voluntary targets; and 26 states have passed renewable energy portfolio standards.

“This report shows that climate change poses a great risk to Michigan’s manufacturing infrastructure,” said John DeCicco, Senior Fellow for Automotive Strategies at EDF who is based near Detroit. “If action is not taken to cut carbon emissions, Michigan’s shipping industry will lose thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in revenue."

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Environmental Defense Fund, a leading national nonprofit organization, represents more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org.

Press Release: Report: Climate Change Threatens Georgia’s Economy and Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Emily Diamond-Falk, 202-572-3365, ediamondfalk@edf.org

(Washington, DC – July 23, 2008) –A new report released today details the devastating effects climate change will have on Georgia’s economy and environment. The study was produced by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Center for Integrative Environmental Research (CIER) at the University of Maryland. Environmental Defense Fund helped to finance the research and production of the report.

The report found that climate change will have wide-spread consequences across Georgia, including:

· Drought. Last year, Georgia experienced an extreme drought costing $1.3 billion in economic damage, much of that stemming from agriculture losses. Researchers predict that if climate change triggers an additional crop shortage of 5%, the economic impacts could cost nearly $110 million annually.

· Infrastructure. Georgia’s expansive road, rail, and air transportation system is vulnerable to increasing disruptions and damage from extreme weather events brought about by climate change.

· Coastal Areas: Scientists warn climate change could bring more powerful hurricanes. In 2004, Hurricane Ivan caused $68.8 million in property damage in Georgia, and it is projected that the cumulative cost of sand for protecting Georgia’s coastline from another hurricane could cost as much $1.3 billion by 2100.

The study was part of the report State Economic and Environmental Costs of Climate Change, which examined the impacts of global warming on 12 states around the country. NCSL released the report today during an energy conference at the group’s Legislative Summit in New Orleans. In addition to Georgia, the report looked at how climate change will impact the economy and environment of Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

The overview of the project can be found at: http://www.ncsl.org/print/environ/ClimatechangeOver.pdf
The Georgia report can be found at: http://www.ncsl.org/print/environ/ClimateChangeGA.pdf

“This report shows that climate change poses a great risk to Georgia’s infrastructure,” said Jerry Karnas, former Regional Outreach Coordinator for National Wildlife Federation in Georgia and now Florida Climate Project Director at EDF. “If severe weather impacts Georgia’s transportation system, the entire U.S. would feel the consequences."

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Speaker tells miners that humans causing global warming is bunk.
An aide to Sen. Orrin Hatch used the friendly confines of the Utah Mining Association’s annual convention Thursday to extol oil shale development and to dismiss global warming concerns.

Changes to European Chemical Standards Affect US Companies
As reported by Lyndsey Layton of the Washington Post, new regulations in Europe about the use of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals are affecting US manufacturers, if those manufacturers want to maintain exports to European countries. It is no surprise that the Bush administration and US chemical manufacturers oppose these new laws, which require companies [.]

African firms start to take action on climate change
With global warming expected to hit Africa hard, some companies in the “forgotten continent” are taking action themselves to fight climate change. “The environment is not being taken very seriously in most of the emerging markets, because we haven’t started feeling the pressure yet,” Adan Mohamed, chief executive of Barclays Bank Kenya, told Reuters.

Calif signs climate pact with Mexican states, PG&E, Registry.
California, six Mexican states, PG&E Corp. and the California Climate Action Registry signed an agreement Friday to cooperate on efforts to cut greenhouse-gas emissions.

Carnegie researchers develop new method to counter greenhouse gas emissions.

admin — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:27:02 +0000

Recycled Content Interiors
3Form Panels By Hunter Douglas 3Form panels are a new interior stand alone partition or wall finish system by Hunter Douglas.The panels are made by sandwiching materials, including organic materials between two layers of recycled high density polyethelyne.More at Platforma Arquitectura

Md. to join others in alternative power deal.

admin — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 11:12:02 +0000

U.S. Renewable Energy Growth Accelerates
Renewable energy markets surged in the United States in the first half of this year despite uncertainty over federal tax credits and a sluggish national economy, according to mid-year figures.

U.K. Biofuels Sources Are Largely Unknown
As biofuels imports increase in the United Kingdom, policymakers remain largely uninformed about the true environmental and social costs of producing these fuels, posing a significant challenge for efforts to mandate their sustainable use.

Press Release: Texas Clean Air Cities Coalition and Environmental Defense Fund Reach Milestone Agreements with NRG Texas on Limestone Station Expansion

HOUSTON, TX; August 4, 2008—NRG Texas LLC, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) has reached agreements with the Texas Clean Air Cities Coalition (TCACC) and Environmental Defense Fund in which Environmental Defense Fund and TCACC have agreed to drop their opposition to the Limestone 3 permit application in response to a number of innovative commitments related to emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and mercury (Hg), and to other environmental issues including reductions in water usage.

Both TCACC and Environmental Defense Fund initially announced their intention to intervene in and oppose NRG’s permit application to add a third unit to Limestone Station. However, after several months of working together and discussing ways to meet Texas’ demand for electricity in a manner that would minimize adverse environmental impacts, these agreements were reached.

“This agreement presents an excellent opportunity for emission reductions, beyond that which the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) would have required,” said Linda Koop, Dallas City Council Member and Chair of the TCACC. “The greenhouse gas reductions—50%—are particularly significant because the TCEQ does not consider carbon dioxide a pollutant and does not regulate or restrict carbon emissions.”

“We applaud NRG committing to offset a significant part of its CO₂ emissions from the Limestone 3 plant. CO₂ is the gas that scientists tell us is the principal cause of global warming,” said Jim Marston, Environmental Defense Fund state climate director. “Offsets, such as the projects that NRG has committed to invest in, are a low-cost way to get the large reductions in greenhouse gases that are necessary to prevent catastrophic impacts of global warming, and NRG has established a precedent for other electricity companies to follow.”

“The Limestone expansion is part of our program to invest in Texas with a balanced portfolio of nuclear, gas, wind and coal,” said Thad Hill, president of NRG Texas. “We have appreciated working with Environmental Defense Fund and the TCACC to bring this additional power to Texas in an environmentally responsible manner and dramatically lower overall average emissions including CO₂.”

The agreements include the following emissions reduction measures:

· Until a Federal climate change program is implemented, NRG will offset or sequester 50% of the carbon generated by the new unit in a manner that is verifiable, which makes the carbon profile of this coal-fueled plant roughly equivalent to that of a gas-fueled plant. These efforts could include agricultural and forestry sequestration, retiring older, less efficient generation assets; bringing new wind or solar generation online; and post-combustion carbon capture and sequestration technology at the WA Parish Plant;

· Sitewide NOx, SO₂ and mercury emissions for all three units will not increase with the addition of the new unit, and will decrease below the 2006 levels of the two existing units following startup;

· NRG will build or support the development of a utility scale solar energy project in Texas, if economically feasible as determined by criteria in the agreement. If NRG does not build or participate in a utility scale solar plant, NRG will contribute to a trust that would fund significant Texas energy efficiency projects;

· NRG will commit to reduce water usage at the new plant by almost 60% (about 5,000 acre-feet per year) through conservation and use of advanced air cooling technology, helping to preserve one of Texas’ most important natural resources;

· NRG will commit resources for a terrestrial sequestration pilot project in West Texas that will remove carbon from the atmosphere and alleviate pressure on the Ogallala Aquifer and a project to demonstrate that geologic sequestration of CO₂ is an effective technique, sequestering a significant amount of carbon in the process. Both projects will be managed by Environmental Defense Fund;

· NRG will retrofit or replace a substantial portion of its non-road diesel equipment with Tier 2 or better, further reducing NOx emissions; and

· NRG will not build another coal-fueled plant in Texas unless the plant uses Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, or ultra-supercritical coal technology, and sequesters or offsets at least 50% of the CO₂emissions of that future plant.

Houston Mayor Bill White said, “We commend NRG for their willingness to work with the citizens of Texas to produce a plant which adds power while reducing emissions from the site.”

“With its commitment to undertake a utility-scale solar project in Texas, either on its own or with other electric generators, NRG can help lower the cost of this emerging and abundant clean energy resource and continue their efforts to advance technologies to reverse the threat of global warming,” Marston said.

The Limestone Electric Generating Station expansion is part of the NRG Texas repowering program, which is designed to provide new, efficient and environmentally responsible power generation.

“NRG’s new build portfolio is focused on helping to meet the growing energy needs of Texas with significantly less emissions per megawatt hour of power produced,” said NRG’s Hill. “These projects also include investments in wind and natural gas generation and ultimately, bridge to zero-carbon, zero emission nuclear power. Collectively, the carbon intensity of these new repowering projects will be 70% less than the current average in Texas. By working with TCACC and Environmental Defense Fund, and implementing the steps listed in these agreements, we will reduce our carbon intensity even further. It is an important step in our efforts to be a leader in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.”

About Limestone Electric Generating Station and NRG Energy:

Currently, the Limestone Electric Generating Station generates over 1,700 MW of baseload generating capacity – enough to supply power to over one million households. The facility, which went into operation between 1985 and 1986, operates throughout the year and employs 250 people full time. The Limestone Generating Station is 100 percent owned and operated by NRG Texas, a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, Inc.

NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG), a Fortune 500 company, owns and operates one of the country’s largest and most diverse power generation portfolios. NRG’s 48 plants provide approximately 23,000 megawatts of generation capacity—enough to power nearly 20 million homes. In November 2007, NRG won two of the industry’s highest honors—Platts Industry Leadership and Energy Company of the Year awards.

Headquartered in Princeton, NJ, NRG is a member of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), a group of business and environmental organizations calling for mandatory legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and a founding member of “3C—Combat Climate Change,” a global initiative taking a leadership role in designing the road map to a low carbon society. For more information on NRG Energy, please visit www.nrgenergy.com.

About Environmental Defense Fund

Environmental Defense Fund is a leading national nonprofit organization representing more than 500,000 members. In 2007, Environmental Defense Fund helped negotiate a landmark agreement with Texas electric provider TXU to withdraw plans for eight new coal plants and increase energy efficiency spending. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics and law to create innovative, equitable and cost-effective solutions to society’s most urgent environmental problems. Environmental Defense Fund is dedicated to protecting the environmental rights of all people, including future generations. Among these rights are access to clean air and water, healthy and nourishing food, and flourishing ecosystems. Guided by science, Environmental Defense Fund evaluates environmental problems and works to create and advocate solutions that win lasting political, economic and social support because they are nonpartisan, cost-efficient and fair. McElroy, Sullivan and Miller L.L.P., a widely respected Austin law firm specializing in energy and administrative matters, has donated time to represent Environmental Defense Fund in this and other coal air permit cases.

About the Texas Clean Air Cities Coalition:

The Texas Clean Air Cities Coalition consists of 37 local governmental entities from around the state representing over half the citizens of Texas. The Coalition was formed by Houston Mayor Bill White and then-Dallas Mayor Laura Miller in 2006 to contest the fast-track permitting of more than a dozen coal-fueled power plants across the state. The Coalition is represented on a pro bono basis by Susman Godfrey, a premier litigation firm. The Coalition’s efforts in protesting six permits filed by energy giant TXU were chronicled in the film “Fighting Goliath.”

Safe Harbor Disclosure

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions and include NRG’s expectations regarding the Limestone Electric Generating Station expansion project and can be identified by the use of words such as “will,” “expect,” “believe,” and similar terms. Although NRG believes that its expectations are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to have been correct, and actual results may vary materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated above include, among others, general economic conditions, hazards customary in the power industry, weather conditions, competition in wholesale power markets, the volatility of energy and fuel prices, failure of customers to perform under contracts, changes in the wholesale power markets, changes in government regulation of markets and of environmental emissions, unanticipated outages at our generation facilities, the inability to implement value enhancing improvements to plant operations and companywide processes, and our ability to achieve the expected benefits and timing of our RepoweringNRG projects.

NRG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The foregoing review of factors that could cause NRG’s actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements included in this news release should be considered in connection with information regarding risks and uncertainties that may affect NRG’s future results included in NRG’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

# # #

Environmental Defense Fund media contact:

Chris Smith,

512.691.3451

TCACC media contacts:

Frank J. Librio

(Director, Public Information Office, City of Dallas)

214.670.3322

Frank Michel

(Director of Communications, City of Houston)

832.393.0800

NRG media contacts:

Meredith Moore

609.524.4522

David Knox (Texas)

713.795.6106

NRG Investor Relations contacts:

Nahla Azmy

609.524.4526

David Klein

609.524.4527

Press Release: Co-sponsor of Global Warming Solutions Act to Provide Testimony at San Jose Public Workshop on Draft Scoping Plan to Implement Law

WHAT: A co-sponsor of California’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), will provide testimony at a public workshop scheduled by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to discuss its draft scoping plan to implement AB 32. EDF economist and policy scientist James “Jamie” Fine will comment on macroeconomic effects of AB 32, its cap-and-trade provisions, clean tech investment and job growth potential, savings opportunities for consumers, the cost of inaction, and the areas where the scoping plan must go further. Dr. Fine also will be available before and after his testimony to speak with reporters.

WHY: The Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32) is the first state-level, economy-wide cap on greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. It sets a firm cap that ensures California’s greenhouse gas emissions are reduced approximately 30% by 2020. Implementing AB 32 successfully will set a precedent for other states and the nation to follow.

WHO: James (“Jamie”) Fine, economist/policy scientist, Environmental Defense Fund, AB 32 Co-sponsor

WHEN: Friday, August 8, 9:30am - 4pm (NOTE: Meeting may conclude prior to 4 pm)

For more information, visit: www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/meetings/meetings.htm

WHERE: County of Santa Clara, Berger Auditorium, 1555 Berger Drive, San Jose, 95112

CONTACT: Jesus Mena, (415) 948-4220-c, jemena@edf.org

James Fine, (916) 710-3371-c, jfine@edf.org

Cockroach King reigns as pest-killers discuss climate change.
More than 100 of Southeast Asia’s hardiest bugs measured up this week in Bangkok, where experts met to discuss new ways of controlling the pests, which they say are a major contributor to global warming.

Off-Road Electric Vehicles
Frontiers for electric vehicles have changed: 10 years ago or even more recently it was almost impossible to consider an electric solution for all-terrain purposes, now on the market we see new products with highly improved performances. Pioneer in this field is the Italian company Alkè (www.alke.com) who invested research and time to develop [.]

Reduce carbon footprint or find more energy sources? Americans want to do both, poll finds
With gas prices topping $4 a gallon and the prospect of record-high heating costs this winter, Americans say they’re driving less and cutting their electricity use to save money and improve the environment.But they also support increased oil drilling and building nuclear power plants, according to a Stanford University/ABC News/Planet Green poll released Saturday.

Md. to join others in alternative power deal.
Gov. Martin O’Malley announced Saturday that Maryland will join Montgomery County, the University of Maryland and other local governments in a long-term commitment to buy wind power and other renewable energy.

Alternative Energy Leads Green Gold Rush!
We all are familiar with the current scenario of the conventional sources of energy. Oil prices are rising and sources of conventional energy are depleting fast. They are not going to last forever. Conventional energy sources come with heinous side effects. We are paying dearly for playing with the eco-balance and situation will not [.]

Endangered again?
The Bush administration wants to modify the Endangered Species Act to allow federal agencies to decide for themselves the effects of their projects on plants and animals. The revised rules are also intended to prevent the ESA from being used to regulate greenhouse gases.

Solar Lens Towers To Power California
A Utah based solar company (IAUS) has begun construction on the first phase of a project they claim could produce electricity for Californians for a cheaper price than either coal or gas. The first solar lenses are being installed near the Great Basin Desert in Eastern California. The unique thin-film lens focuses the sun’s [.]

Palo Alto teen launches climate change nonprofit.

admin — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:32:03 +0000

NYC among 21 cities to disclose carbon output
More than 20 U.S. cities, including New York, Las Vegas and Denver, have agreed to measure their carbon footprints, with a system some 1,300 companies have been persuaded to use, in an attempt to find ways to curb emissions blamed for warming the planet.

Green Jobs Act, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
The website 1sky.org reports thatCongress is now deciding which federal programs will be funded in 2009. Among those programs are the Green Jobs Act, which would invest $125 million in green-collar job training programs, and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, which would authorize grants to local communities to help improve their energy efficiency [.]

Big U.S. retailers look to solar energy
Retailers are typically obsessed with what to put under their roofs, not on them. Yet the biggest store chains in the United States are coming to see their immense, flat roofs as an untapped resource.

Aeroturbine - Next Generation Wind Energy
Right now wind energy is only being harnessed in the windy regions of the earth. Installation of wind energy on individual basis is unpopular because of production and cost inefficiency. Noise pollution and birds getting killed are also not quite attractive side-effects of the windmills. We cant even imagine of installing windmills on high [.]

Give Beijing Some Breathing Space
Images of the Beijing sky-line, seemingly bathed in a soup of smog and haze have been never far from the world’s TV screens over recent days and weeks.International reporters with hand-held air pollution detectors have been popping up on street corners checking the levels of soot and dust.

Ivory Coast toxic sites still a threat: U.N. expert
Tens of thousands of people in Ivory Coast are still suffering serious health problems two years after toxic waste was dumped there, a United Nations human rights expert said on Friday.Okechukwu Ibeanu, an independent U.N. investigator, said in a statement the seven sites around the commercial capital Abidjan had still not been decontaminated, with dire consequences for those living around them.

China raises tax on big cars, impact seen small
China said on Wednesday it would raise taxes on large passenger vehicles and cut the tax on small cars from next month to cut pollution and fuel use.But the policy may only have a limited impact on boosting fuel efficiency in the world’s second-largest oil user, as majority of the cars will be spared the tax hike as Beijing seeks to prevent more damage to an already slowing auto market.

Bush Administration Approves Expanded Wyoming Drilling
PINEDALE, WYO. — As reported by the L.A. Times, Federal land managers are recommending companies be allowed to drill almost 4,400 new natural gas wells in western Wyoming, where energy development already is blamed for a spike in air and water pollution. Shell, Ultra Resources and Questar want to relax drilling restrictions meant to protect [.]

Palo Alto teen launches climate change nonprofit.
The ‘Inconvenient Youth’ group trains high schoolers to be global warming activists as part of a campaign founded by 17-year-old Mary Doerr.

Press Release: USDA Praised for Not Releasing Millions of Acres From Conservation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Sean Crowley, 202-572-3331, scrowley@edf.org
Sara Hopper, 202-572-3379, shopper@edf.org(Washington, DC - July 29, 2008) U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer’s decision today against allowing the penalty-free early release of millions of acres of the land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) will preserve the nation’s most successful conservation program, according to Environmental Defense Fund. Some members of Congress and producer groups had lobbied the administration to release up to 24 million acres from CRP so the land could be put back into crop production. Currently, there are almost 35 million acres of land enrolled in CRP, but contracts for more than nine million acres of CRP land are due to expire over the next three years."Secretary Schafer should be commended for resisting calls to gut the nation’s oldest and most successful farm conservation program," said Sara Hopper, director of agricultural policy for Environmental Defense Fund and a former staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. "Putting millions of CRP acres back into crop production would have resulted in the loss of billions of dollars in taxpayer investments in conservation and caused untold environmental damage, while providing little, if any, relief from high commodity prices."CRP is a federal program designed to reward farmers who take fragile land out of production for 10 to 15 years and instead plant grasses or trees or restore wetlands. Up until now, CRP enrollees who terminated their contracts prior to the end of their 10- to 15-year terms had to reimburse ? with interest ? the federal government for the rental and cost-share payments they had received, plus pay a 25 percent penalty. Some members of Congress and producer groups had proposed that the USDA waive all these costs for program participants.Lands are enrolled in CRP precisely because they are environmentally sensitive, highly erodible, and marginally productive cropland. While these lands are generally less reliable for producing row crops, they deliver significant public benefits by retaining soil and preventing erosion, cleansing polluted runoff, providing important wildlife habitat and serving as natural flood barriers. Wetland restorations on CRP lands function as an important safety valve, reducing peak flows during storm events by holding water, filtering it, and slowly releasing it into streams and groundwater.

Farms in Brazil and India must adapt or roast in heat.
Farmers in Brazil and India may suffer less from climate change than previously assumed EUR if they can continue to adapt to hotter weather.

Small Hydroelectric Dams Not So Green

admin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:05:04 +0000

Press Release: New Report Says Providing Water for Fish is the Surest Way to Create Water Supply Reliability for California Farms and Cities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Sharyn Stein, 202-572-3396, sstein@edf.org

Jennifer Witherspoon, 415-293-6067, jwitherspoon@edf.org

(San Francisco – July 23, 2008) California’s salmon are teetering on the edge of extinction and the salmon fishing industry is facing economic devastation, but a report released today establishes a framework to help address this crisis. The report concludes that providing a more reliable water supply for the San Francisco Bay Delta Estuary could help save fish, including salmon, while also helping to ensure adequate water for farms, cities, and the 25 million Californians who rely on the Bay-Delta’s water.

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) report is titled “Finding the Balance: A Vision for Water Supply and Environmental Reliability in California.” The report outlines steps that state and federal leaders must take to end a vicious cycle of water shortages and environmental near-disasters, and instead create a stable and reliable water supply. That, in turn, should help guarantee environmental reliability – a condition where all necessary ecological, political and economic systems are in place to ensure the Bay Delta and its fisheries are self-sustaining into the future.

“Our water supplies will remain vulnerable as long as we allow the environment to remain at the brink of disaster,” said Laura Harnish, EDF’s Regional Director in San Francisco and an author of the report. “For decades, water users have sought to pump additional water out of our Central Valley streams, then species have declined, and ultimately the courts are forced to step in to prevent an environmental catastrophe. This paper outlines a way to break our endless, self-defeating water cycle and improve both water supply and environmental reliability for California’s future.”

California has been mired in water wars for much of its history, but the situation is now particularly severe. The state’s once prolific and profitable salmon fishery is at its lowest ebb in decades, and this year’s salmon season was closed for the first time ever, resulting in huge economic losses to the fishing industry. Parts of California’s famed agricultural economy also are suffering losses this summer because of severe drought, and courts have been forced to order water cutbacks to protect endangered fish, including salmon and the Delta smelt – the “canary in the coal mine” for the health of the overall Bay-Delta system.

State and policy leaders have launched several efforts to address the crises, including creating the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Delta Vision Task Force, supporting an Assembly bill to release emergency funds raised by earlier bonds, and proposing a new $9.3 billion water bond just announced by the governor. A local think tank, the Public Policy Institute of California, also recently released a report supporting the construction of a new peripheral canal around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

“We have great opportunity right now to create a reliable water supply for future generations of Californians and for salmon as well,” said Cynthia Koehler, an environmental lawyer and consultant for EDF, and an author of the report. “If the plans under development can meet the criteria we set out in this report, we can have a system that meets all our environmental and water supply needs in the long term.”

The report’s recommendations include:

Provide adequate freshwater flows to restore fisheries and habitat in the Bay-Delta to self-sustaining levels, and make sure the projected levels take into account the looming effects of global warming;
Guarantee stable and secure funding so that key restoration projects are not merely planned, but executed;
Create financial incentives that will encourage all Californians to do a far better job of conserving water;
Create legally mandated performance measures and legal safety nets;
Improve enforcement so that water managers will be held accountable and promises will be kept.

“We believe that California has enough water for its people, farms, and fish,” said Harnish. “If we manage our water better, we can protect our state’s economy and our environment. We can have a thriving fishing industry in the future, and we can make sure our farms are able to produce the food and jobs that we need.”

Small Hydroelectric Dams Not So Green
The combined impacts of numerous small hydroelectric dams in one river basin can be at least as harmful as one large dam, warn experts, environmental activists and indigenous groups, who face a flood of new projects along the rivers of the western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso.

Pop chirp bite crunch chew.
The ultrasonic din of dying trees inspires a new kind of research to save forests from beetle attacks EUR

Mini-loan Program Helps Farmers Enroll in Conservation Practices

admin — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:05:02 +0000

US now world leader in wind power production
US wind capacity is expected to increase 45% in 2008 although Congress’ failure to extend the production tax credit (PTC) for the renewable energy industry threatens to derail further development, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

Mini-loan Program Helps Farmers Enroll in Conservation Practices
The future of New Jersey farmers is intertwined with that of the state’s wildlife. For agriculture to stay viable, farmers need innovative programs, and, given that private lands dominate the state, wildlife needs help from farmers. It’s particularly true for New Jersey’s remaining grasslands, which are almost entirely on agricultural landscapes and in danger of disappearing from the state in the near term. Rapidly declining grassland birds represent 41% of the state-listed endangered bird species, 29% of threatened birds and 16% of birds of special concern.With Beneficia Foundation funding in 2005, the New Jersey Audubon Society began exploring an overarching strategy to work closely with farmers and landowners to protect both wildlife and the agricultural heritage of the state’s Delaware Valley region. NJAS discovered that while government conservation programs pay landowners who voluntarily implement conservation practices, enrolling wasn’t feasible for many farmers.

New Jersey lists the bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus), pictured here on a mini-loan property, as a regional priority. (Photo: Courtesy John P. Parke/NJAS)

Farmers limited by funding gap

Frequently farmers have neither the upfront money nor the expertise to initiate the conservation practices government programs fund. In discussions with agency partners, NJAS determined one of the greatest sources of project failure is lack of follow-through. Farmers across the state told NJAS that in some cases they have had to use credit cards or bank loans to purchase materials or rent equipment to implement conservation practices funded through an incentives program. That left farmers out-of-pocket, burdening them with high interest rates and often a lengthy wait for loan approval.NJAS President Tom Gilmore knew the unrealized potential of agency programs to protect watersheds and wildlife habitat was limited resources, not indifferent farmers. “Many farmers opt out of federally subsidized conservation programs,” he observes, “not because they lack the interest but rather because they cannot afford the large upfront costs associated with these programs.”In response, NJAS in 2006 launched a pilot mini-loan program to aid farmers interested in enrolling in existing state and federally sponsored conservation programs to promote agricultural sustainability and improve wildlife habitat. This revolving loan program provides farmers with startup money to fill in the gap until they are reimbursed by the federal or state agencies for implementing the conservation practices. The farmer then repays the loan, and the monies are available for another farmer.

At Howling Wolf Farm, a mini-loan funded fencing to improve wildlife habitat. (Photo: Courtesy John P. Parke/NJAS)

Mini-loans spur successful projects

For tax purposes, NJAS cannot distribute these funds directly to an applicant without charging interest. Mini-loan recipients sign an Agreement for Payment that specifies that minimal interest of 1% must accompany repayment—far less than the interest charged by a credit card or bank loan. All interest collected goes directly back into the fund for the next farmer to use.

Landowners responded enthusiastically, creating a waiting list of farmers for temporary funding. Starting with just $15,000 in 2006 and an additional $15,000 in 2007 from Beneficia, the mini-loan program has fostered several state and federal projects:

With $8,000, a farmer rented machinery and hired another local farmer to clear hedgerows and invasive vegetation and plant marginal fields with warm season grass for wildlife habitat.
An $11,500 mini-loan enabled a farmer to purchase and install exclusionary fencing for a prescribed grazing plan, which will benefit wildlife habitat.
Another farmer used a $27,900 mini-loan to build an ag-chem containment structure to complete his Environmental Quality Incentives Program contract and guard against potentially harmful discharges of chemicals into an adjacent waterway.
With an $18,000 loan, a farmer built a livestock watering facility that improved water quality and wildlife habitat by removing livestock from natural water sources.

A mini-loan enabled a farmer to enroll in the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program and plant a pollinator meadow. (Photo: Courtesy John P. Parke/NJAS)

Following the mini-loan pilot program’s success, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture awarded a $50,000 grant to NJAS in October 2007. The larger “pot” of available money allows more farmers to participate and implement even more conservation practices. Hence NJAS was able to leverage $80,000 funding to loan farmers over $128,400 to date. Conservation practices funded by these loans are also leveraged by some loan recipients who invest their practice payments in additional conservation practices.That’s good news for the state’s Department of Agriculture and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. “We are pleased to partner with the New Jersey Audubon Society to encourage farmers to undertake these projects that not only protect soil and water resources, but increase productivity and profitability for the farmer,” says New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus. “The mini-loan program provides the seed money to help farmers take the next step toward implementing practices that improve water quality, soil health and diverse habitat.”

These turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are benefiting from grassland restoration under an NJAS mini-loan. (Photo: Courtesy John P. Parke/NJAS)

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service also welcomes the help from the NJAS program. “The Farm Bill provides many opportunities for farmers to consider in conserving natural resources on their land,” says NRCS State Conservationist Tom Drewes. “NRCS is happy to see the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and New Jersey Audubon Society working together to help farmers take advantage of these opportunities through this loan program.”For more information about NJAS’s Mini-Loan program, contact John Parke at 908-766-5787 ext 18.Conservation Incentives thanks New Jersey Audubon Society’s John Parke, Stewardship Project Director, and Troy Ettel, Director of Conservation and Stewardship, for this article. Our thanks also go to NJAS volunteer Florence Sandstrom for suggesting the article.

Space-based Solar Power
American scientist Peter Glaser proposed the idea of using space solar power in 1968. The fast depleting conventional energy resources renewed the interest for trapping the solar power via satellites. Right now the usual alternative energy methods have their own shortcomings. Hydro power plants disrupt ecosystems and human habitats. Minimum rain threatens hydro power. [.]

As GMO Sugar Beets Sneak Into the Food Supply, Citizens Fight Back
“Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Anthropologist Margaret Mead

Invent our way out of crisis.
As the emissions trading scheme that is to be the centrepiece of Australian climate policy is whittled away from all sides, the earlier warnings of critics are looking increasingly prophetic.

Humanitarian Aid Politicized

admin — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:16:02 +0000

Coastal “dead zones” spread globally, study finds
“Dead zones” in coastal waters — regions of ocean floor so deprived of oxygen that most marine life cannot survive — are spreading worldwide at an alarming pace, scientists said on Thursday. Driving the trend are nitrogen and phosphorous from chemical agricultural fertilizers that reach coastal waters after flowing off farm fields and into streams and rivers, according to the study published in the journal Science.

Drinking water in Gaza Strip contaminated with high levels of nitrate
Gaza/Leipzig. Palestinian and German scientists have recommended to the authorities in the Gaza Strip that they take immediate measures to combat excessive nitrate levels in the drinking water.

Toyota has the most fuel efficient line of cars in the US
Toyota, as reported by Jamie Lendino of ExtremeTech, has the most fuel efficient line of cars in the US, with an average of 29.7 mpg for actual vehicles sold. Results are based on the 2007 model year. Discussion in the forum goes into upcoming offerings from Honda and VW, but they have to [.]

Forest defenders target snack foods, cosmetics.
Indonesia’s tropical forests, considered some of the world’s great carbon sinks and hence a solid source of defense in the fight against global warming, are disappearing at the rate of 2.5 million acres every year due to clear cutting to make way for palm oil plantations.

Humanitarian Aid Politicized
The damage done to Myanmar by Cyclone Nargis this past May raised familiar problems for the humanitarian community. Almost overnight, governments and NGOs mobilized to help a poor and isolated community deal with the immediate costs of disaster, and the longer-term problems of sickness, displacement, and food shortage.

Bush Lifts Ban on Off-Shore Drilling

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:23:02 +0000

MIT Develops Way to Bank Solar Energy at Home
The fossil fuel scenario is pressing us to look for alternative sources of energy and that too, soon. We all are tightening our purse strings when fuel prices are rising irrespective of whether we own a vehicle or not. We need some dependable alternative source of energy to power our industries, offices and homes. [.]

Bush Lifts Ban on Off-Shore Drilling
In a move destined to have no effect whatsoever on gasoline prices in the near term, and possibly ever, President Bush lifted the ban on offshore drilling. This follows a tradition of disregard for the facts, the science and the truth that has long characterized the administration’s actions.

Comparison of Innovative Tranportation Technologies
Jerry Schneider has put together a comprehensive list of more than 100 ready and emerging alternative transportation technologies. The alphabetical list includes a link to each project’s homepage, as well as a comparison table with the location and status of each. The emerging technologies listed have been self-evaluated by the inventors/developers of that technology, [.]

Much Ado About Phillipe Stark

Turning Airborne Carbon Into Fuel

admin — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:03:02 +0000

Press Release: EDF Urges MTA Board to Delay Transit Fare Hike; Proposes Investment in Innovative Transit and $230 Million in Federal Emergency Funds

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Havelock Nelson, 212-576-2700, ext 235, hnelson@goodmanmedia.com

Heath Fradkoff, 212-576-2700, ext 232, hfradkoff@goodmanmedia.com

(NEW YORK, New York – July 23, 2008) Andy Darrell, New York Regional Director of Enviromental Defense Fund (EDF), today urged the MTA to delay instituting a proposed eight percent fare increase. Instead, he proposed new investment in innovative transit solutions, and urged full use of alternative funding sources like congestion pricing to relieve pressure on the fare box.

Darrell, who also serves as EDF’s Vice President for Living Cities, further urged New York’s Senators to do their part. “A package of bills has passed the House that would make $230 million in emergency transit relief available to New York right away. $1.7 billion nationwide. It hasn’t been introduced in the Senate. Yet. Senators Clinton and Schumer could change that. I ask everyone here in this room today to call them to ask them to lead the charge for a transit stimulus package right now.”

Darrell, who is a member of Mayor Bloomberg’s Sustainability Advisory Board and served as a member of the New York Traffic Mitigation Commission, made these comments in testimony given today at a meeting of the MTA Board. He is available to discuss his testimony, the meeting, and alternatives to MTA’s proposed fare-hike. The full text of Darrell’s statement follows:

“My name is Andy Darrell and I am Vice President for Living Cities at the Environmental Defense Fund. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. News reports indicate that today, the MTA will propose an unprecedented 8% fare hike, following on the heels of a fare hike just last year. Service cuts. Another fare hike. The news could not be worse for the riding public.

“Especially now. High gas prices have pushed transit ridership to an unprecedented high. Not just here in New York, but nationwide. This map shows the cities in every part of the country that are facing soaring transit demand – 400,000 additional trips every day here in NYC’s subway system. 40% ridership increase in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale region. Southern California’s San Fernando Valley: 12%. Denver: 8%. Long Island Railroad (5.5% — 16,000 trips a day), Metro-North (4.3% — 12,000 trips a day).

“Americans are turning to transit like never before. And they’re finding an overcrowded, overburdened system that simply can’t meet demand. Last night, I stood outside Penn Station at rush hour: commuters were being turned away because the station was too full. A 15-minute delay caused the station to overflow. Have you ever seen the bus lines in Jamaica? They snake down the street and around the corner every day. The crisis is real. It is now.

“Government must embrace this demand, not turn people away. Washington, Albany and City Hall … the public is speaking with a powerful voice. Gas prices are high. The climate crisis is real. We need relief. And relief comes in the form of an affordable and sustainable ride to work: transit.

“I ask you today to take two key steps. First, to reorder your capital priorities toward projects that will deliver results for the riding public quickly. That means bus rapid transit for neighborhoods that don’t have easy access to subways. You’ve taken a great step forward with your Select Bus Service in the Bronx – finally, express bus service that is truly express. In Maplewood, New Jersey, commuters get to the train station not by car but by a local van that stops at the corner. For the eastern communities of Brooklyn and Queens, for Nassau, for Westchester – why not there?

“Yes, I know that you will say that service like this can push up operating costs. And so it can. But with so many massive capital projects already under the gun, will we really notice another few years’ delay in a subway project that is already 20 years behind schedule … if we have fast, dependable bus service in our neighborhoods now? At a time when New Yorkers are lining up at the bus stop, the train station, the subway stop to demand more service: is this not the time for a radical reorientation of priorities?

“And second, I ask you to make the fare hike the last option – the choice of last resort. Of course each of us who rides transit must pay our share – it’s only fair. But so must Albany. So must City Hall. So must every commuter – even drivers, with tolls and congestion pricing. And so must Washington.

“Last year, Albany turned away from congestion pricing – despite 67% public support and a 30-20 vote in favor in the City Council. If we had congestion pricing today, nearly 400 buses would be relieving overcrowding this year. New subway cars would be on order. The MTA would be taking steps to meet demand, not turn it away.

“With a higher fare, what are New Yorkers to do? Drive? With gas at $4 a gallon? With our population growing by a million more people? Can you imagine if driving became the commute of choice? That would drive our economy and city into deeper economic gridlock. How can our job market compete with London, Shanghai and other world capitals if we can’t get to work in an affordable and sustainable way? Shanghai just built the world’s fastest train. Are we saying that New York can’t build a few new bus lines?

“No, the fare hike must be the last resort. The Ravitch Commission is working to propose new funding sources, and we look forward to that result. And in addition to more State and City aid, Washington must do its part. A package of bills has passed the House that would make $230 million in emergency transit relief available to New York right away. $1.7 billion nationwide. It hasn’t been introduced in the Senate. Yet. Senators Clinton and Schumer could change that. I ask everyone here in this room today to call them to ask them to lead the charge for a transit stimulus package right now.

“Pick up the phone. Let’s get that done. And delay the fare hike.”

Turning Airborne Carbon Into Fuel
We are already experiencing the ill effects of greenhouse gases in the form of global warming, glaciers and polar ice melting, rise in the sea level and sudden, unpredictable variation in weather, turning catastrophic sometimes. The eventual effect of global warming is sending a chill down the spines of environmentalists. Several teams of researchers [.]

Save the planet? Buy it.
Millionaires are purchasing entire ecosystems around the world and turning them into conservation areas. Their goal? To stop environmental catastrophe.

State begins slow squeeze on emitters.
The state’s top 232 greenhouse polluters, ranging from Bluescope Steel to the Sydney Opera House, will be forced to cut their emissions from this year under new energy-efficiency laws.