Letters sent to Congressman Tom Perriello (D-5th Dist.) from at least six Charlottesville-based minority groups opposing the American Clean Energy and Security Act were forged, the Charlottesville Daily Progress reported today. Congressman Perriello, a freshman Congressman from the Charlottesville area was considered a swing vote on the legislation. It is unclear whether other Congressmen received similar fake letters. Continue reading
We've got the POWER!
And the resources to repower Virginia without the construction of new coal plants or drilling off our coasts. Some might think this is crazy talk but the numbers are there to back me up. I attended a Senate briefing on offshore wind potential that blew me a way! (no pun intended… okay maybe a little pun intended)
It is safe to say now that wind both on and offshore is a REAL solution to meet our energy demands. The tides, times and technologies are changing and it’s about time we start construction on Virginia’s first offshore wind turbine.
Here’s why:
1. We have relatively shallow water and few strong hurricanes, which make us a good candidate.
2. We have the highest wind potential in the South.
3. The wind industry CREATES jobs- construction, welding, maritime, ship design and architecture. (slide 8 )
4. Nearly 25% of the investment in wind projects engage the LOCAL community (this number has the potential to grow)
5. We have sites that don’t interfere with commerce or the Navy
(Click on the image to view larger size)
Then we can get into the numbers a little bit and do a simple cost comparison between offshore oil drilling and offshore wind.
Offshore wind can create 330,000 MW vs Oil from the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) can create 18,000 MW (in 20 years).
Wind has 16 times the potential of offshore oil drilling! As if that’s not compelling enough, lets look at it through a lens of reducing oil imports. There is a growing trend that is pushing us towards electric vehicles (EV). One EV draws 400 W (.4kW) of electricity. Mid Atlantic cars draw 29,000 MW (EEEK!). Atlantic OCS oil could run 30% of Mid Atlantic cars for 20 years, while offshore wind would run 100% of those cars…. forever! This analysis comes from Willett Kempton’s presentation, which I’m having trouble finding online. he bottom line is there enough wind to matter and we’ve got it right here in Virginia!
It would appear Bob Dylan got it right. The answer my friend is blowing in the wind.
Dendron, Va. chooses its own future.
Dendron, Virginia, has more than its share of challenges. The community of around 300, located in the southern corner of Surry County, struggles with an outdated municipal water system, crumbling sidewalks and no major businesses within the town.
Prior to the Great Depression, Dendron had been a company town of more than 3,000, fueled by the lumber industry’s presence there. Private business thrived in a town that revolved around the processing and export of timber across the country. Despite its character as an industrial one-trick-pony, the town of Dendron had something to stand for, and an industry to be proud of.
Today’s Dendron little resembles that historic vision of the 1900’s boomtown. Largely forgotten by the industry that once supported a thriving community, and facing serious municipal and community problems, such as an unexpected $10,000 water bill, you’d think the small town would take anything at this point to give it an economic boost.
The Old Dominion Electric Cooperative assumed this to be true when executives within the cooperative approached Dendronites with a plan for a new 1,500-megawatt coal-fired power plant, the second largest of its kind in Virginia. ODEC presented the Cypress Creek project with the promise of new jobs, tax revenue, and the idea that one major industry would bring others to the cash-strapped community. Despite local environmental effects and immediate hazards to human health, ODEC worked to assure Dendron residents that they stood to benefit from such a plant’s construction. ODEC also assumed that they’d buy into it without any major hiccups.
The cooperative, which has endlessly dispelled misinformation concerning the proposed plant (see “Hope for Surry Shines through smog”, 3 June), encountered a major hiccup Monday evening. As the Dendron Town Council met for its third meeting to deliberate the adoption of an ordinance that would allow the coal-friendly county board of supervisors to assume the community’s zoning rights, tensions
Mark Warner hosts energy summit at Hampton University.
This was written by fellow CCAN intern, Jes Kidder. Great job!
Mark Warner’s VA Summit on Energy Opportunities was held on Friday, July 10 at Hampton University. HU’s president, Dr. William Harvey, started off the summit by talking about how green and sustainable HU is becoming. In fact, one of the first things I noticed once we stepped onto the campus was that the police there drive Toyota Priuses. Maybe one reason I found this so intriguing is that the police on my college campus drive Ford Explorers. My favorite part, however, was how he completely avoided the word “coal”. He would say how they were replacing their existing steam plant system with geothermal because the steam was loaded with tons of greenhouse pollutants, yet never related coal to causing the pollutants. Of course, with all of this talk about becoming green, I found it ironic that there were no recycling bins, considering it’s a pretty simple step to take to become more sustainable. They had plastic plates and utensils, but nothing but a trashcan to put them in. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why HU scored a D+ on their environmental report card last year. Though that’s not to say that I don’t applaud their efforts; it always makes me happy when someone is trying to become more sustainable.
The first out of 3 panels was about weatherization. The panelists included people from the Department of Energy, the VA Department of Housing, the SE Tidewater Opportunity Project, and Rebuilding Together. The main source of discussion was the $37 million, out of $94 million, that was just given to Virginia’s Weatherization Assistance Program through the Recovery Act. Money given to the program will increase twofold, which allows for a 54% increase in the number of houses that can apply for weatherization. All panelists mentioned how their department or organization will be able to assist those who qualify and how this will help not only the people but also the environment.
We missed the second panel on stimulus funds for state and local governments because we were presenting our Put a Cap on It poster to Senator Mark Warner. The three of us from the Richmond CCAN team, along with around 20 others from Sierra Club, VA League of Conservation Voters, and other environmental organizations met with him. The main topic was the Climate Bill that is being drafted by the Senate. Warner seemed interested in what we had to say; he even offered us a few suggestions that could help us get his and Senator Webb’s approval on strengthening and passing the Climate Bill. Warner said that environmental issues were a priority to him and something he thinks needs to be taken care of. He seemed impressed with our poster, which included over a thousand pictures of VA residents who want a science-based cap on carbon emissions (he seemed even more pleased when he learned it was his to keep). Overall, he spent a good 10 minutes speaking with us, and it felt like he really cared about what we had to say.
The final panel was on the smart grid. This diverse group of panelist included people from the Department of Energy, Old Dominion Electric Cooperatives, Dominion’s Alternative Energy Solutions, Aker Wade, and the Navy Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic. The Recovery Act allotted $4.5 billion for the smart grid, and each panelist talked about how their organization is planning on spending the portion of the money that was granted to them. There were good ideas being shared, such as making industrial fast charging batteries for electric cars and storing and transporting energy created from renewables. I was surprised and impressed that even the lady from Dominion had good plans on how to use the money. She talked about the smart grid in Charlottesville, and Dominion’s plan on making it state-wide in the next 4 years; however, the man from ODEC did not share any ideas. He spent his time complaining how ODEC did not have the time to fill out the application for the stimulus money, so they hardly have any money at all and are unable to really do anything. I found this interesting since they want to build another coal-fired power plant. I’m no expert but I’m pretty sure you need money for that.
On the whole, the summit was a great way to learn about what sustainable ideas and practices are going on at the federal, state, and local levels across the state. It also gave us the chance to tell Warner face-to-face what we thought of the Climate Bill and what more needs to be done.
Glenn Nye's balancing act.
Glenn Nye is experiencing an identity crisis.
As the American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R .2454) prepared to go to vote two weeks ago, Virginians remained in doubt as to how the Congressman from the Eastern Shore would vote. A Blue Dog Democrat at a sprightly 34 years of age, Nye represents a largely conservative constituency on the shore, and his voting record has so far reflected that demographic.
Nye opted to vote against ACES, citing worries for the impact on his constituency, particularly concerning potential rate increases for utilities. The bill, according to Nye, would impose “another tax on American families.”
I drew that quotation from a recent blog post by David Campbell, entitled “Nye: Two Faces on ACES.” Campbell, who had written the Congressman earlier this summer, asking for his support on the bill, received two separate responses from Nye’s office after its passage. One appears to be strongly in favor (and as the author notes, does not once mention that Nye voted, “no”), while the other laments a new tax on Americans, one that would be inefficient and wrong in today’s struggling economy. One bill, two letters
Don't put climate on back burner
By Mike Tidwell
President Barack Obama may have made history last November, but he seems deaf to history’s loudest call right now. The president clearly believes that health care reform, above all else, will define his early presidency. But even if Mr. Obama scores total success on health care, few future Americans will care or remember as long as the Earth’s ailing atmosphere goes untreated.
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.
Truth in Cartoons: Virginian-Pilot editorial cartoon
Cross-posted from Article XI
Right now, a Virginia utility is considering building a massive new coal plant in Hampton Roads. At a time when Virginia – and the nation – must move towards a clean energy future, this $6 billion coal plant is a giant step in the wrong direction.
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.
Dominion 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.