Dominion announces lunar energy plan

RICHMOND, VA
26 June 2012

Dominion CEO Tom Farrell surveys potential lunar sites for project: Total Dominion

At a press conference earlier today, Dominion unveiled new plans for how the controversial firm may move forward into a cleaner energy future for the planet: harvesting power from the moon. The plan, entitled “Total Dominion,” hopes to revolutionize how Virginians, and the world, will receive energy for years to come.

Dominion hopes to procure federal funding by early next week to begin construction of its very own permanent lunar processing facility for the production and transport of Helium 3, abundant on the moon as a result of the sun’s solar wind, to be used in nuclear fusion reactors back here on earth.

“Just like clean coal,” says CEO Tom Farrell, “helium 3 technology will allow us to move forward into the 21st century without a massive hit to the economy.” Although options such as wind, solar, and geothermal have stayed on the table, they remain unpopular inside Dominion’s corporate culture. “I have a great waterfront property in Virginia Beach,” says Farrell, “and I’ll be damned if some crop of huge windmills is going to ruin my view.”

Governor Deeds McDonnell endorsed the project, calling it “a massive leap forward in Virginia’s energy portfolio,” and the “next step in making the Commonwealth a leader in green technology.”

An example of nuclear fusion. The flash in the center represents electricity.

Although science has yet to find a viable method for large-scale fusion, Dominion isn’t worried. “The technology just isn’t ready yet, but we cannot wait around for it to become commercially viable.” When that technology is expected to go online, nobody knows.

“With the massive failure of the whole

Climate Meetings at Critical Times

Next week is shaping up to be a major turning point in our effort to bring about a clean energy revolution!

If all goes as planned, the House of Representatives is set to vote on the American Clean Energy and Security Act sometime late next week. If strengthened, this bill would represent the beginnings of a shift to an economy built upon green jobs, renewable energy production and the limiting of global warming pollution.

I know you’ve probably been getting bombarded with emails asking you to call or email your Congress member. If that just doesn’t feel like it’s enough for you, we’ve got another option.

We have set up constituent meetings early next week with three Maryland Congressmen: Rep. Bartlett, Rep. Ruppersberger, and Rep. Cummings.

Do you live in District 2, 6, or 7?

If so, join us for a critical meeting at a critical time. Spend a couple of hours next week meeting with your Representative and urging him to strengthen and pass this bill!

Congressman Cummings (Dist. 7); Tuesday, June 23rd @ 11am
Congressman Bartlett (Dist. 6); Wednesday, June 24th @ 11am
Congressman Ruppersberger (Dist. 2); Wednesday, June 24th @ 2:30pm

Urge Obama to end Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining!

Below is an email I received from Matt Wasson from http://www.ilovemountains.org

The pressure on the Obama administration to stop mountaintop removal coal mining is building across the country.

Last week, we asked you to call the White House and tell the administration that it was time to reverse the devastating 2002 Bush Administration “fill rule,” which allows coal companies to dump their toxic mining waste into our nation’s streams.

And next week, on June 23rd, climate scientist Dr. James Hansen will join community members and activists from around the country in Coal River Valley, West Virginia to launch a year of activism to end mountaintop removal coal mining.

Hansen and others will gather at Marsh Fork Elementary — the elementary school that is next to a mountaintop removal mine operated by Massey Energy and just 400 yards downslope from a 2.8 billion gallon coal sludge impoundment that threatens the school.

The activists will then march a short distance to Massey Energy’s office of operations and risk arrest in a line crossing civil disobedience, in order to raise awareness of the devastation that mountaintop removal coal mining is causing to the mountains and communities of Appalachia.

Can you take a moment to stand with them, and help put pressure on the Obama administration to take immediate action to end mountaintop removal coal mining today?

We’re asking every member of iLoveMountains.org to take just three minutes to email the White House to ask President Obama to immediately begin the process of overturning the Bush-era “fill rule,” which allows coal companies to dump their toxic mining waste into our nation’s streams.

Please, click here to email President Obama now.

The Obama administration needs to hear that simply enforcing Bush-era rules and laws is not enough. The administration must overturn the Bush-era rules to begin the process of building a sustainable future for Appalachia.

That’s why the activists gathering at Coal River Valley next week are risking arrest — to send the message that impact on the mountains, communities and waterways of central Appalachia have been ignored for too long.

Please, take a moment to make sure President Obama hears that message:

Email President Obama today.

Thank you for taking action.

Matt Wasson
iLoveMountains.org

PS Contact Annie Sartor (annie@ran.org) at Rainforest Action Network if you are interested in coming to Coal River Mountain on June 23rd.

Column on Waxman-Markey Bill

Cross-posted from: HERE

I have an op-ed out today about how the Waxman-Markey bill is being misrepresented, and despite its flaws we should still support it, and push for strengthening. Sources at the end. By the way, this doesn’t mean I’m not at direct actions protesting what I find objectionable.

The environment: Don’t hate, legislate

MATT DERNOGA

Issue date: 6/18/09

There are multiple perspectives being offered on a federal climate change bill called the American Clean Energy and Security Act. The bill’s authors, Henry Waxman and Ed Markey, laud the bill as strong and tough on coal. The environmental camp is split into those who feel passing this bill is better than passing nothing, and those who think the bill is so weak it should fail. The bill’s opponents think it will bring about economic Armageddon.

For the record, I’d like to see a bill that slashes greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, sells 100 percent of all its “permits to pollute” to industry for a steep price, has zero offsets, prevents construction of all new coal-fired power plants and invests $50 billion a year in clean energy. I’m feeling like Alex Rodriguez in the playoffs: 0 for 5. Continue reading

Guest Post: Boucher Disappoints

The following is an article written by CCAN supporter and Boucher constituent Theresa Burriss. The piece first appeared in the New River Voice.

After watching Congressman Rick Boucher gut the clean energy bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee, Theresa felt compelled to act. After reading an article a couple weeks later written by the heads of Dominion, Duke Energy and American Electric Power, Theresa wrote this important piece.

I recall, sometime during my parochial elementary education, learning about the structure of our federal government and the roles of each branch. Although I was impressed with the administration and judiciary, the legislature held more of an immediate, relevant meaning for me.

Legislators, supposedly, represented their constituents and their constituents’ concerns. They were elected by a direct vote in their district or state to act ethically, create and vote on new bills for the betterment of society, and ultimately serve their constituents. Although I was far too young to vote, I, and my peers, still counted as constituents according to Sister Maria.

Now that I’m well past the minimum voting age, I’m reminded of Sister Maria’s government lessons and the ideals associated with them, especially as I continue to read about my own congressman’s latest actions, which fall far short of those ideals. I’ll begin to enumerate my disappointments with Representative Rick Boucher (D, 9th District) by citing a recent op-ed printed in another media source. Continue reading

Dominion announces "Smart Grid" initiative for Charlottesville.

Dominion power aims to revolutionize the way it distributes electricity, beginning in Charlottesville, VA. On Tuesday morning, members of Albemarle County board of supervisors, the Charlottesville city council, Governor Tim Kaine and Dominion CEO, Tom Farrell, met along the city’s pedestrian mall to announce Dominion’s new Smart Grid initiative. John Casteen, president of the University of Virginia, was also in attendance. With implementation expected to be completed in the next few months, Charlottesville and the surrounding area will be among the first in Virginia to use the technology on a large scale.

Smart Grid meters allow data to be sent in real time from residential and commercial locations to Dominion, allowing very fast monitoring of energy usage, peak hours, and overall efficiency. The system will assist in better calculating better levels of base-load power, in addition to allowing customers to monitor their personal usage and make changes based on on-and-off peak rates.

A digital "smart" meterDominion is strumming a fresh chord with this initiative. Formerly a company who treated the “e” word as if it were lethal, the Smart Grid will hopefully aid Dominion in coming to the realization that money can, and will be, made through more efficient distribution promoting conservation among its customers. In the past, utilities have generated profits through increased demand and production. Massive economies of scale wherein cost is reduced through sheer numbers helped to keep giants like Dominion afloat without the need for increases in efficiency standards. While the world rests in economic purgatory, businesses are forced to remodel the way things get done. We’ve all heard, “small is beautiful.” Well, efficiency is marked by small gains aimed at strategic cost-cutting that serve to save energy producers billions in lost energy due to outdated technology. “Everyone benefits from efficiency,” says Farrell. For the first time in a long time, Dominion may be correcting course from a prolonged history of avoiding improvements in their distribution network and dumping the costs on consumers.

Governor Kaine offered congratulatory words to the town and Farrell, citing gains made by state government through his Renew Virginia initiative as well as applauding the, “passion of locals,” embodying “characteristic humility and modesty.” Kaine, who has stifled on environmental policy throughout his tenure, called for Virginia to remain on the crest of the “tidal wave” that is changing energy priorities. The project, according to Kaine, opens the commonwealth to a “whole series of opportunities” for Virginia to become a real leader in energy tech as we move into the 21st century.

The $600 million project bodes well for Charlottesville, a town characterized by progressive attitudes toward energy and the environment. Hopes are that this initiative, with a total of 47,000 smart meters at its completion, will set an example for other communities and energy companies in the state.

Is this another case of Dominion greenwashing? Yes, and no. The Smart Grid program allows consumers and producers to better structure the way electricity is generated and used, leading to higher profit margins and less waste, ideally to be passed on to ratepayers. These improvements have the potential to be good for all of us. If Dominion learns from this experiment, efficiency will likely become a statewide priority. A corporation that blocked a proposed efficiency bill last year is now taking the lead on a new energy future for Virginia. Now if we could wean them off coal, we’d be going places. However, I’m not holding my breath. You haven’t earned our trust, yet.

Peterson Bought Out

What Could be Inside?
What Could be Inside?

Cross-Posted from: HERE

A month ago, I wrote about the staggering amount of money energy lobbyists had given to members of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and how coincidentally those who had received the most money were causing the most trouble. Ever since the bill passed out of that committee, its main obstacle has been the Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson. Continue reading

Elkton, VA wants clean coal. Who wants to tell them there ain't any?

On Monday, the town council of Elkton, Virignia submitted a request to Governor Kaine asking him to seek out state and federal funding for a proposed “clean” coal research facility outside the Shenandoah town. A short hop from Harrisonburg and James Madison University, the town hopes to harness the 100 or so jobs created by the project as a boost to the local economy.

Called the Elkton Energy Research Center, the facility would focus on developing two different types of carbon capture and sequestration, both of which are not yet commercially viable. Spearheaded by county democrats, hopes are that federal cash devoted to CCS tech will find its way to the town of only 2,000 residents situated along the south fork of the Shenandoah River. The proposal would require massive amounts of start-up cash from state and federal governments, approaching the $100 million mark.

No coal, no compromise

Last night 1Sky and the Energy Action Coalition hosted a conference call with House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairs Henry Waxman and Ed Markey to discuss the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Let me begin by thanking Gillian Caldwell at 1Sky for moderating, and the congressman and their staff for attending the call. The hour long conference call, attended by more than 600 listeners, answered about 15 specific policy questions about the bill. Annette Welch from WV asked about the provisions for coal and CCS in the bill, and what the legislation would do about the practice of mountain top removal coal mining and and pollutants from coal burning power plants…the answer from the chairmen was more than disappointing.

nope

Continue reading