Western Governors Ask Obama for National Green Energy Plan

In a letter to President-elect Barack Obama, the Western governors are urging swift action in adopting and implementing a national energy plan that would transform the country’s energy infrastructure and economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The group of 19 governors from both political parties are calling for near-zero greenhouse gas emissions from new coal-fired electricity generation in 10 years and from existing generation no later than 2030.

Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., chairman of the Western Governors’ Association, and Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, vice chairman, discussed the association’s recommendations with John Podesta, co-chair of Obama transition team.

“The transformation we are talking about is broad based and will require new policies, incentives, market mechanisms and private-public partnerships to be in place by the end of next year,” said Huntsman, a Republican. “We plan to work with the new administration and Congress in addressing the multitude of energy challenges ahead.”

The 19 Western governors represent many of the nation’s largest energy-producing states such as Texas, which is first in both oil and wind power production, and Wyoming, which ranks first among the states in coal production. They represent California, which leads the nation in electricity generation from non-hydroelectric renewable energy sources – a combination of geothermal power, wind power, fuel wood, landfill gas, and solar power.

The governors’ letter outlines policies and incentives that would help states and the country move more quickly to develop clean and renewable energy resources that include wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydro and fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage.

“Western states are the country’s energy breadbasket, but energy efficiency has also got to play a much bigger role,” said Schweitzer, a Democrat. “That includes everything from manufacturing more fuel-efficient vehicles to changing regulatory structures so they reward utilities for achieving reduced energy usage among their customers.”

In their letter, handed to the transition team late last week, the governors said a national energy policy must promote energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a scale necessary to contribute to climate stabilization.

The Obama administration’s policy must maximize the economic development opportunities offered by clean energy; ensure energy costs are affordable and support a sustainable, growing economy, the governors said.

They urge the incoming administration to increase the proportion of energy supplies that come from domestic resources and friendly trading partners; and minimize adverse environmental impacts. Within the first 100 days, the governors are calling on the Obama administration to:

• Establish an aggressive and achievable national greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal that will put the United States on a path to contribute to global climate stabilization.
• Propose a mandatory national system for reducing greenhouse gas emissions that makes maximum use of market-based mechanisms. Revenue raised should not be used as a means of sustaining or expanding general governmental operations.
• Pursue a national energy efficiency program to reduce existing and future energy demand and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Establish an oil import reduction goal that strengthens energy security and independence. Since nearly 90 percent of oil is used for transportation, an energy plan must bring more fuel-efficient and near-zero emission vehicles into the market; increase the supply of domestically produced, low-carbon fuels; minimize the economic and technological uncertainties inherent in deploying high efficiency vehicles and developing and using non-petroleum transportation fuels; and reduce vehicle miles traveled and increase mass movement of people and goods.
• Create a substantial, long-term national public investment on the scale of tens of billions of dollars annually, along with a similar investment from the private sector, to support the kind of basic and applied research and deployment of clean energy technology and infrastructure that will result in:

• Near-zero greenhouse gas emissions from new coal-fired electricity generation in 10 years and from existing generation no later than 2030.
• Dramatically increased energy from wind, solar, geothermal, hydro and biomass resources.
• Expansion and upgrade of the electricity transmission grid and storage capabilities
• Advanced vehicle and battery technologies and alternative transportation fuels.
• Next generation energy efficiency technologies and practices.

The governors also urge affordability for lower income energy consumers through energy efficiency and cost assistance programs.

They support workforce development and clean energy jobs, adaptation to climate change impacts, reduced consumer impacts – particularly for low-income consumers – and transition assistance to industries.

“While the first 100 days are critical, these actions only represent the first steps,” the governors say in their letter. “Within the next year, a comprehensive energy plan must be enacted that will set the direction of this nation for the next 50 years. This plan, though adjustable over time, must establish measurable goals, strategies, milestones and funding to ensure that we are moving towards affordable and environmentally responsible energy security and independence.”

“We must not repeat the mistakes of the past,” the governors declared in their letter. “We must have the collective political will and resolve to create and implement a long-term comprehensive energy policy despite short-term political and market fluctuations. The future of our nation depends upon it.”

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Article Source: Environment News Service

Senate Plans Climate Bills for January

Senate Democrats yesterday moved to make good on president-elect Barack Obama’s commitment to deliver meaningful action on climate change early in his administration, announcing that they are to begin work on drafting a US climate legislation to be introduced early next year.

Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer, who chairs the Senate Environment and Public Works committee, said that the Senate would put forward two new bills as early as January, one cementing Obama’s campaign commitment to invest $15bn a year in clean tech over 10 years and the other directing the US Environmental Protection Agency to set up a national carbon cap-and-trade scheme.

“The time to start is now,” she said, adding that the election of Obama would mark a “sea change” in US climate change policy.

“Instead of denial we will have resolve, instead of procrastination, we will have action. Instead of listening to the voice of the stagnant status quo, our committee hears the voice of our president-elect,” she said.

Boxer declined to give precise details about the new legislation, but said it would be consistent with Obama’s campaign pledges. Obama has said he favours a federal cap-and-trade scheme designed to return carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and deliver deep 80 per cent cuts by 2050.

The news comes just two days after the president-elect again reiterated his commitments to tackling climate change, telling a conference hosted by Californian governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that there would be a “new chapter in America’s leadership on climate change”.

Source: BusinessGreen Staff.  For additional information visit: www.wihresourcegroup.com

Clean Energy Opens First Large-Scale California LNG Production Plant

Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (Nasdaq:CLNE) has started up its California LNG Plant at Boron, California, the largest LNG (liquefied natural gas) production plant in the Southwest and the first large-scale plant in California. Built to produce up to 160,000 gallons per day of LNG, the plant is designed to expand production to 240,000 gallons per day as demand increases. The facility includes a 1.8-million-gallon LNG storage tank as an important regional supply source and to provide reserves for unanticipated demand.

The plant is located in the Mojave Desert approximately 125 miles from Los Angeles, California and the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Over 500,000 gallons of LNG have been produced during its start-up phase and initial deliveries have been made to Clean Energy?s new LNG port truck fueling station in Carson, California. The Clean Truck Program at the ports anticipates replacing over 8,000 old diesel trucks with new trucks that are proven to be cleaner than diesel, such as LNG trucks, within five years. These trucks are anticipated to be a major consumer of the LNG fuel produced at the California LNG Plant.

“We have built the new LNG production facility to respond to the critical need in Southern California and the Southwest for cleaner, more efficient fuel for port trucks and regional trucking,” said Andrew J. Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy.

“Already, new, cleaner LNG trucks are rolling at the ports and throughout Southern California, lowering emissions pollution and providing cheaper fuel from domestic sources for trucking fleets,” noted Littlefair. “We also have begun construction on our second regional LNG truck fueling station, which is scheduled for completion in March 2009.”

?Besides the Ports? Clean Truck Program vehicles, the California LNG Plant will supply other transportation fuel customers throughout California and Arizona,? Littlefair concluded.

Clean Energy (Nasdaq:CLNE) is the leading provider of natural gas (CNG and LNG) for transportation in North America. It has a broad customer base in the refuse, transit, ports, shuttle, taxi, trucking, airport and municipal fleet markets, fueling more than 14,000 vehicles daily at over 170 strategic locations across the United States and Canada.

Please visit our website for more details related to WIH’s service offerings in the clean energy and renewable fuels sector at www.wihresourcegroup.com

Western Governors call for swift adoption, implementation of national energy plan

Concepts and Solutions

Letter to President-elect Obama focuses on affordadble, clean energy to sustain economy, stimulate efficiency, stengthen energy security, reduce greenhouse gases

WASHINGTON — In a letter to President-elect Barack Obama, Western governors today urged swift action in adopting and implementing a national energy plan and proposed a number of measures that would transform the country’s energy infrastructure and economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Governors Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., Chairman of the Western Governors’ Association, and Brian Schweitzer, Vice Chairman, discussed the WGA’s bipartisan recommendations with John Podesta, co-chair of Obama transition team. “The transformation we are talking about is broad based and will require new policies, incentives, market mechanisms and private-public partnerships to be in place by the end of next year,” Huntsman said. “We plan to work with the new Administration and Congress in addressing the multitude of energy challenges ahead.” The governors’ letter outlines policies and incentives that would help states and the country move more aggressively to develop clean and renewable energy resources that include wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, hydro and fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage. “Western states are the country’s energy breadbasket, but energy efficiency has also got to play a much bigger role,” Schweitzer said. “That includes everything from manufacturing more fuel-efficient vehicles to changing regulatory structures so they reward utilities for achieving reduced energy usage among their customers.” In their letter, the governors said a national energy policy must promote energy efficiency; reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a scale necessary to contribute to climate stabilization; maximize the economic development opportunities offered by clean energy; ensure energy costs are affordable and support a sustainable, growing economy; increase the proportion of energy supplies that come from domestic resources and friendly trading partners; and minimize adverse environmental impacts. The governors’ recommendations include: Establishment of an aggressive and achievable national greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal that will put the United States on a path to contribute to global climate stabilization. A mandatory national system for reducing greenhouse gas emissions that makes maximum use of market-based mechanisms. Revenue raised should not be used as a means of sustaining or expanding general governmental operations. A national energy efficiency program to reduce existing and future energy demand and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Establishment of an oil import reduction goal that strengthens energy security and independence. Since nearly 90 percent of oil is used for transportation, an energy plan must bring more fuel-efficient and near-zero emission vehicles into the market; increase the supply of domestically produced, low-carbon fuels; minimize the economic and technological uncertainties inherent in deploying high efficiency vehicles and developing and using non-petroleum transportation fuels; and reduce vehicle miles traveled and increase mass movement of people and goods. Affordability for lower income energy consumers through energy efficiency and cost assistance programs. Measures that support workforce development and clean energy jobs, adaptation to climate change impacts, reduced consumer impacts — particularly for low-income consumers — and transition assistance to industries. Creation of a substantial, long-term national public investment on the scale of tens of billions of dollars annually will be needed, along with a similar investment from the private sector, to support the kind of basic and applied research and deployment of clean energy technology and infrastructure that will result in: Near-zero greenhouse gas emissions from new coal-fired electricity generation in 10 years and from existing generation no later than 2030. Dramatically increased energy from wind, solar, geothermal, hydro and biomass resources. Expansion and upgrade of the electricity transmission grid and storage capabilities. Advanced vehicle and battery technologies and alternative transportation fuels. Next generation energy efficiency technologies and practices. Additional information on WIH Resource Group’s energy solutions and programs can be found on the Web at www.wihresourcegroup.com. The Western Governors’ Association is an independent, nonprofit organization representing the governors of 19 states and three U.S.-Flag islands in the Pacific.  Through their Association, the Western governors identify and address key policy and governance issues in natural resources, the environment, human services, economic development, international relations and public management.

Local Governments Organize to Make Producers Responsible for Their Product Waste

Right On!

A growing movement to transform how products are managed at the end of their useful life — and thereby how they’re designed — is spreading across North America and has taken root in Vermont. Local governments have joined together to form the Vermont Product Stewardship Council (VTPSC).

The VTPSC champions Product Stewardship, also known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a policy approach that shifts waste management costs and responsibilities from being a taxpayer or ratepayer responsibility to one where the primary responsibility falls on the producers who design products. In EPR programs, producers are incentivized to redesign products to make them less toxic and wasteful, more durable and repairable, and easier to reuse, recycle and compost.

Vermont joins the Northwest, California and the Midwest Product Stewardship Councils as they each pave the way for strong state frameworks for product-focused environmental policies. Partnering with businesses and non- governmental organizations, these councils seek to advance sustainable production and consumption.

“We are excited about the momentum that is building among local governments across the country for product stewardship,” said Bill Sheehan, Executive Director of the Product Policy Institute (PPI) in Athens, Georgia. “Taxpayers should not continue to fund recycling and disposal of waste that could be prevented earlier in the production process.”

PPI is leading the formation of independent local government product stewardship councils in the United States and was instrumental in the formation of the VTPSC.

“We appreciate the guidance the Product Policy Institute has offered us,” said Jen Holliday, Founder and Chairperson of the VTPSC and Environmental and Safety Compliance Manager of the Chittenden Solid Waste District. “As members of municipal solid waste districts and alliances, we are all concerned about the ever-increasing volume, disposal costs and toxicity of products found in our waste stream.”

Holliday also credited the Boston-based Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) for its years of education and outreach in Vermont that prepared the groundwork for the VTPSC.

“PPI, working with PSI and product stewardship councils, will make a difference in changing our country’s disposable mindset,” Sheehan said.

SOURCE Product Policy Institute

For more about the Product Policy Institute, go to http://www.productpolicy.org,

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7 Depressing Environmental Stories

The following stories aren’t getting front-page treatment in the nation’s major newspapers, but they are arguably among the most important — and depressing — of the day. Normally, we might write a post about each of these stories, but frankly, that would just be too depressing. So, here they are, subjectively, from least to most depressing:

1. Detroit May Kill the Electric Car (Again)

Facing the prospect of financial ruin, the Big Three American automakers, Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, may abandon fledgling efforts to create electric cars, according to Reuters. It’s a speculative article, but when one considers that tackling global warming or freeing ourselves from dependence on foreign oil will almost certainly require electrifying the vehicle fleet, it’s a depressing setback.

 

2. The Largest Forest Infestation in North American History

The infestation of mountain pine beetles is growing “exponentially,” according to the New York Times, with tens of millions of acres of Rocky Mountain forests from New Mexico through Canada succumbing. It’s called the largest infestation in the known history of North America. Drought, global warming and fire suppression all play a role in the outbreak, and the death of trees will make the region susceptible to more violent wildfires, among other ills.

3. Highly Polluting School Buses May Not Be Upgraded

The economic crisis will likely prevent many school districts, states and even the federal government from continuing to pay for the upgrading and replacement of old, dirty diesel school buses, according to Environmental Health News. These pollution nightmares pump out 90% more pollution than their cleaner counterparts, including fine particulates and cancerous chemicals that tend to build up inside the bus, where children are sitting.

4. Bush Opens Land to Oil Shale Development

In the latest in a series of last-minute lame-duck decisions that will have far-reaching consequences for the environment, the Bush Administration set new rules in place that will allow the development of oil shale on 2 million acres of public lands in Colorado Utah and Wyoming, according to the New York Times. This highly polluting process essentially liquefies rock to make oil, creating massive pollution in the process. More depressing, it’s only one of many decisions that will not only harm the environment, but may be difficult for the next president to easily reverse.

5. 25% of Desert Storm Vets Has Gulf War Syndrome

Despite years of government denials, it appears that about one in four veterans of the first Iraq war, Desert Storm, suffer from Gulf War Syndrome due to chemical exposure, according to a new congressional investigation detailed by the Cox Newspapers. Worse, the 175,000 men and women suffering from the multisymptom illness aren’t getting better with treatment and time.

6. European and North American Soils Are Dying

Despite recent successes in curtailing pollution, decades of acid rain have so decimated soils across the industrialized world (and downwind from it) that they are on the brink of collapse, according to new research from the U.S. Geologic Survey, the University of Colorado, the University of Montana and the Slovak Academy of Sciences. The soils are so depleted that additional acid rain — which in the U.S. now comes mainly from burning fuel in cars — will cause soils to lose fertility, and allow toxic metals to leach into surface waters, poisoning streams. This news is doubly depressing because not only does it mean soils — which we need to grow food — are imperiled, but also that environmental problems we considered solved — acid rain — turn out to have much more far-reaching and long-lasting consequences than we’d suspected.

7. Half the World Will Go Without Clean Water

In the lifetime of many of those reading, half of the world’s population will be going without clean, potable fresh water, because of global warming. As glaciers melt, flooding contaminates water supplies, ocean waters rise and other changes occur due to the changing climate, as many as 3.2 billion people will face water shortages by 2080, according to a new report.

Source: thedailygreen

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Casella Waste Comments on Lower Commodity Prices

Casella Waste Systems Inc., Rutland, Vt., has reported preliminary year-over-year revenue improvements for the first two months of its second quarter of fiscal year 2009.

The regional solid waste and recycling company has also emphasized that its “risk management programs are substantially mitigating commodity pricing impacts,” according to a Casella news release.

Regarding that the company terms “negative pressures from softer commodity pricing,” Casella Waste Systems’ news release says, “The company’s commodity risk mitigation programs are effectively managing the majority of commodity pricing exposure during this volatile period. The company seeks to limit its exposure to fluctuating commodity prices through the use of hedging agreements, floor price contracts, and long-term supply contracts with customers.”

Casella’s news release states, “Average commodity pricing is currently down 24 percent from our first quarter of fiscal year 2009, and based on our present knowledge of the commodity markets we expect November commodity pricing to be down approximately 54 percent from our first quarter of fiscal year 2009. Using these commodity pricing projections, the company estimates a $3 to $5 million negative impact to operating income for the last two quarters of our fiscal year 2009.”

The Casella release also notes that the company “derives its recycling revenues from tipping or processing fees and from the sale of recyclable materials. Tipping fees, which make up approximately 10 percent of total recycling revenues, are generally stable and do not vary with commodity pricing. The company sells over 90 percent of its commodities to the domestic markets, reducing exposure to international market volatility and currencies. By selling primarily to the domestic markets, the company has built solid long-term relationships with domestic mills and manufacturers.”

In breaking down the company’s commodity stream, the company cites the risk mitigation factors that it has pursued:

Fiber (newspapers, cardboard, and mixed papers) makes up approximately 66 to 68 percent of the company’s commodity revenue stream. Approximately 50 percent of these materials are exposed to minimal commodity volatility because Casella purchases the materials based off an index price less a processing fee, and then resells the materials off the same index within a short period of time. In addition, the company is party to 29 commodity hedge contracts that manage pricing fluctuations on approximately 80 percent of its remaining OCC and ONP volumes. These contracts expire between October 2008 and December 2011. The company does not use commodity hedges for trading purposes, it says.

Aluminum makes up approximately 8 to 10 percent of the company’s commodity revenue stream. The company sells the majority of its aluminum under fixed price contracts, with current contracts extending through April 2009.

Plastics (PET and HDPE) make up approximately 20 percent of the company’s commodity revenue stream. The company currently sells the majority of its plastics at spot market rates. It has floor prices in place on most PET contracts and is working to add fixed price contracts to help manage plastic pricing fluctuations in the future. There are no hedging instruments available for recovered plastics because, historically, recovered plastics are not highly correlated with market indices for virgin plastic resin sales prices, according to Casella.

Ferrous metals make up approximately 3 to 4 percent of the company’s commodity revenue stream. The company currently sells the majority of its ferrous metals at spot market rates.

For information on WIH Resource Group, visit their website at www.wihresourcegroup.com or contact them at admin@wihrg.com

Source Casella Waste Systems 10-31-08 News Release.

Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority’s Director Leaving

The Oneida-Herkimer Solid Waste Authority’s only executive director is leaving his long-term position to pursue other interests.  Executive Director Hans Arnold, who has held the post since the authority’s inception in 1988, plans to step down in January.  When thinking back on his 20 year span with the authority, Arnold said the first thing that comes to mind is building the recycling center, which was completed in 1991 in Utica, and establishing recycling programs in the region.

“We made Oneida and Herkimer Counties one of the more progressive communities with solid waste management,” said Arnold.  He also mentioned the regional landfill facility in Ava, which opened in 2006, as one of his favorite memories. He said the landfill will be reliable, cost effective and environmentally safe while serving the community for the next 60 years.

Another of Arnold’s proud moments involved winning the “Flow Control Case” with the United States Supreme Court, which set a national precedent for public solid waste systems in 2007. The case required haulers to deliver garbage to a public owned facility, such as the authority’s facility.
“It was rewarding to win that case,” said Arnold.

Authority board Chairman Donald Gross said Arnold, the board and staff have worked hard over the past 20 years to build a system that provides first class services and facilities for the community. “Hans helped us navigate some difficult times and the board is appreciative of his service,” said Gross.

Arnold will use remaining vacation and personal time upon leaving in January, which will last through March 4, at which time Deputy Executive Director William Rabbia will take over. Rabbia has served his current post since 2002. Rabbia has worked with local governments and haulers and took over the operational responsibility for the landfill in 2006.

Other authority facilities include the green waste compost facility, household hazardous waste facility, land clearing debris facility and three transfer stations, as well as programs for public school recycling and college food waste composting.  “I am very fortunate to have been a part of these efforts,” added Arnold.

For additional information visit our website: www.wihresourcegroup.com – Solid Waste, Recycling, Environmental and Logistical Solutions – Solid Waste Planning and Consulting.

Obama Brings Biden Birthday Cupcakes (Source CNN)

The day before Vice President-elect Joe Biden turns 66, President-elect Barack Obama presented his running mate with 12 candlelit cupcakes after their weekly lunch on Wednesday. He also gave Biden Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bears hats as well as a bucket of Garrett’s popcorn as presents.

“You’re 12 years old!” Obama told Biden according to a Democratic source.

“Maybe in dog years!” Biden responded, laughing.

Obama and the staff then sang Biden ‘Happy Birthday.’

Rarely did Biden make a stop on the campaign trail and not mention his age. “I want you to know,” he would tell supporters, “there are only four members of the Senate who are senior to me. But the very important thing to know is there are still 39 older than me.”

Source CNN Political Ticker

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STB Study on Railroad Regulation Prompts Different Interpretations

The Surface Transportation Board released its latest study on the status of railroad competition this month.

The STB is seeking comments from the public on the study until Dec. 21. The board plans to use the study and the comments in setting policies for rail regulation and resolving rate disputes.

The STB commissioned its “Study of Competition in the U.S. Freight Railroad Industry and Analysis of Proposals that Might Enhance Competition” in September 2007.

It concluded that Class 1 railroad rate increases in recent years result largely from “declining productivity growth” and higher costs rather than because railroads are exerting monopoly power over their customers.

Greater regulatory control over rail rates in areas served by a single railroad would hurt the carriers financially, the study said. They could be forced to raise rates in other areas to make up the difference.

Nevertheless, the rail shipper coalition Consumers United for Rail Equity (CURE) used other portions of the study as a basis for finding that railroads do exert monopoly power. For example, the study said shippers with few transportation options other than rail usually pay higher rates than other shippers.

“In ruling after ruling, the STB has denied captive rail shippers their due process for reasonable rates and fair treatment by the railroads, even though that was the charge given the board when Congress created it in 1995,” said CURE Executive Director Bob Szabo in a statement. The new study proves CURE’s allegations of unfair pricing, he said.

The Association of American Railroads interpreted the study results far differently. The trade association for major railroads said in a statement that the study shows “both railroads and their customers benefited” from partial rail deregulation in the Staggers Rail Act of 1980.

The AAR interpreted the study to show railroads must earn sufficient revenue to maintain their privately funded rail networks, but their revenues since 1980 generally have not reached the level of revenue sufficiency. Only now are a few railroads coming close to the threshold, the AAR said.

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