October 2003 Small Wind Newsletter
Issue No. 5, September 29, 2003

Editor: Larry Sherwood (Larry@irecusa.org), Interstate Renewable Energy Council

The current Small Wind Newsletter is also available on the web at http://www.irecusa.org/articles/static/1/1064879840_1051597774.html. If you have trouble with links in this e-mail message, try the web version of the newsletter.

Article summaries follow the Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS
(1) California Handbook on Permitting Small Wind Turbines
(2) New Jersey Rebate Program Prompts Small Wind Installation near Coast
(3) New York Financial Assistance for Communities to Facilitate Wind Power Projects
(4) New York Market Development Support for PV and Wind Systems
(5) New England Renewable Energy Owners Reap Green Tag Payments
(6) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Releases Wind Turbine Guidance
(7) Small Wind Grants from USDA
(8) New York Small Wind System Installation Workshop - October 20 - 24, 2003
(9) Upcoming Small Wind Events

INTERCONNECTION AND NET METERING
(10) IREC Interconnection Project Releases Model Net Metering and DG Interconnection Rules
(11) Ohio PUC Adds DG Hookup Info to Web Site

INCENTIVES
(12) Maine Renewable Resources Matching Program

RESOURCES
(13) Pennsylvania Announces Small Wind Consumer's Guide

LINKS TO SMALL WIND IN THE NEWS
(14) Fairfield (IA) Ledger
(15) Register (Yarmouth, MA)
(16) Pittsburgh Business Times
(17) Salt Lake City Tribune
(18) KPVI-TV (Pocatello, ID)
(19) KBCI-TV (Boise, ID)
(20) Hampton (NY) Independents
(21) Caledonian-Record (St. Johnsbury, VT)
(22) Record-Courier (Douglas County, NV)

ABOUT THE SMALL WIND NEWSLETTER
Includes information on how to subscribe and unsubscribe.

NEWS

(1) California Handbook on Permitting Small Wind Turbines
The American Wind Energy Association and the California Energy Commission have released Permitting Small Wind Turbines: Learning from the California Experience, the most comprehensive guide to date for small wind turbine owners and local officials seeking to understand and improve permitting regulations affecting small wind energy systems. Full article.

(2) New Jersey Rebate Program Prompts Small Wind Installation near Coast
A rebate program that covers 60 percent of the installation costs of a small wind turbine prompted Cathy Sims to investigate powering her home with renewable energy. The Sims residence sits on two and half acres of land in the township of Wall, which is about five minutes from the New Jersey coast in a Class 3 wind resource area. Permitting the machine took some unusual twists. Full article.

(3) New York Financial Assistance for Communities to Facilitate Wind Power Projects
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), as administrator of the New York Energy $martSM program, offers an opportunity for communities to actively plan for and develop viable prospects for new wind power generating facilities in New York State. The goal of this program is to support activities at the local town or county level that would help communities prepare for the orderly and efficient development of wind power generating facilities in the participating communities. Full article.

(4) New York Market Development Support for PV and Wind Systems
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) requests proposals for financial support for end-use or customer-owned photovoltaic (PV) and wind market development and implementation activities. This solicitation is intended to compliment other NYSERDA programs that are designed to facilitate sustainable markets and market infrastructures for PV and wind. Full article.

(5) New England Renewable Energy Owners Reap Green Tag Payments
Green Tag payments are available in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The payment is a one-time $100 per kilowatt of capacity for solar photovoltaics and $50 per kilowatt of capacity for wind. That means that a 5kW residential solar system could earn $500, a 20kW wind system could earn $1,000, and a 30kW commercial solar system could earn $3,000. Full article.

(6) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Releases Wind Turbine Guidance
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently published in the Federal Register voluntary interim guidelines to help energy companies avoid and minimize wildlife impacts from wind turbines. Full article.

(7) Small Wind Grants from USDA
The Small Wind E-Newsletter previously reported in the September issue that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced grant awards to 113 applicants for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvement in 24 states totaling $21,207,233. As reported by the American Wind Energy Association, here are details on some of the small wind grants. Full article.

(8) New York Small Wind System Installation Workshop - October 20 - 24, 2003
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will sponsor a five-day training workshop on the installation of a 10 kW Bergey Excel-S wind turbine in Troy, NY on October 20 - 24, 2003. The workshop encompasses an actual turbine installation from foundation construction to utility interconnection and includes supervised tilt-up of a turbine on an 80-ft guyed lattice tower. Prior installation experience is not required for workshop enrollment.
Full article.

(9) Upcoming Small Wind Events
Listing of upcoming small wind events.

INTERCONNECTION

Headlines from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s Connecting the Grid web site.

(10) IREC Interconnection Project Releases Model Net Metering and DG Interconnection Rules
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) has released two new model rules for use as guidance for policymakers considering net metering or interconnection policies in their states. Full article.

(11) Ohio PUC Adds DG Hookup Info to Web Site
The Ohio Public Utilities Commission has recently added a new section to its Consumer Information Index on its website. The new section titled, Distributed Generation: How To Get Interconnected to Your Local Electric Utility Company's System, suggests a number of reasons consumers might be looking to self-generate. Full article.

INCENTIVES

New Incentives reported by DSIRE. The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy. To access state-by-state incentives and policies that promote wind energy technologies, click here and select "wind" from the drop-down menu.

(12) Maine Renewable Resources Matching Program
The Renewable Resources Matching Fund (RRMF), created by Maine's Public Benefits Fund supports renewable resource research & development and community demonstration projects using renewable energy technologies. The RRMF currently contains over $70,000 and is administered by the Maine Technology Institute (MTI). The first request for proposals was issued in 2003. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis. Full article.

RESOURCES

Click here for archived articles and links to Small Wind Resources.


(13) Pennsylvania Announces Small Wind Consumer's Guide
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty announced that an informational guide is available to consumers who may be considering installing small wind energy systems at their home or small business. Small Wind Electric Systems - A Pennsylvania Consumer's Guide answers basic questions on wind energy generation and can help someone decide if wind energy will work for them. Full article.

LINKS TO SMALL WIND IN THE NEWS

(14) Fairfield (IA) Ledger, August 26, 2003, USDA grant will help fund wind turbines. Full article.

(15) Register (Yarmouth, MA), September 4, 2003, Yarmouth landfill wind turbine issue back. Full article.

(16) Pittsburgh Business Times, September 5, 2003, State offers online wind energy guide. Full article.

(17) Salt Lake City Tribune, September 8, 2003. Grants help Idaho study wind energy. Full article.

(18) KPVI-TV (Pocatello, ID), September 8, 2003, Two wind energy projects approved for federal funding. Full article.

(19) KBCI-TV (Boise, ID), September 8, 2003, Idaho wind energy projects get financial jolt from Ag Department. Full article.

(20) Hampton (NY) Independents, September 10, 2003, Is the answer blowing in the wind? Full article.

(21) Caledonian-Record (St. Johnsbury, VT), September 19, 2003, Pols weigh in on wind power. Full article.

(22) Record-Courier (Douglas County, NV), September 19, 2003, Harnessing the sun: home draws comfort from earth and sky. Full article.

ABOUT THE SMALL WIND NEWSLETTER

The Small Wind Newsletter is published electronically every month by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. The Small Wind web site contains news, resources, and links.

To subscribe, go to http://www.irecusa.org/smallwindenergy/newslettersub.html, fill in the subscription form, and then click on subscribe. There is no fee for subscriptions. If you wish to unsubscribe, fill in your e-mail address and click on unsubscribe.

If you have comments or news items, please send them to Larry Sherwood at Larry@irecusa.org.
- posted by Daniel @ 9:39 AM

 
Great Lakes Daily News: 30 September 2003
For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/

Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html


"Tourists" nabbed at U.S. border
----------------------------------------
The arrest of four illegal immigrants entering Michigan a day after Canadian
authorities cleared them as tourists is being pointed to as an example of
the border's reputation as a sieve for those who wish to enter the U.S.
illegally. Source: The Windsor Star (9/30)


$2.5 million to fight water pollution in Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair counties
----------------------------------------
Supporters say a $2.5-million state program -- funded by unclaimed
bottle-deposit money -- will establish the most comprehensive pollution
check ever for Lake St. Clair, the Clinton River watershed and the St. Clair
River. Source: Detroit Free Press (9/30)


Million-dollar grants aid push for Lake Michigan land
----------------------------------------
Members of a group trying to preserve 161 acres of Lake Michigan duneland
near Saugatuck say two $1 million challenge grants will make their goal a
reality. Source: The Grand Rapids Pressi (9/30)


Point Betsie: Grant will help restore beacon
----------------------------------------
The Friends of Point Betsie are beaming about a $431,500 Clean Michigan
Initiative grant that could eventually could lead the federal government to
transfer the 145-year-old lighthouse to local ownership. Source: Traverse
City Record Eagle (9/30)


Ottawa River dredging is scheduled for 2005
----------------------------------------
The Toledo City Council is expected to approve $400,000 in local funding
that will ensure the Ottwaw River shipping channel will finally be dredged
clear. Source: The Toledo Blade (9/30)


Upper Peninsula not short on walleyes
----------------------------------------
Michigan's Upper Peninsula has an abundance of big walleyes, something that
many anglers are just starting to realize. Source: Sioux City Journal (9/30)


Lake Express hires well-known ship operator
----------------------------------------
Ferry service between Muskegon and Milwaukee is one step closer to reality,
with the hiring of a company to operate what is said to be the first
high-speed car ferry in the U.S. Source: The Muskegon Chronicle (9/29)


Wider shipping channel sought
----------------------------------------
The Port of Green Bay is pushing the federal government to dredge a wider
shipping channel, arguing that the narrow outer harbor keeps foreign vessels
from doing business there. Source: Green Bay Press-Gazette (9/29)


EDITORIAL: A sound decision on wetlands
----------------------------------------
A third of Indiana's wetlands enjoy continued protection, thanks to a ruling
last week by the state's Supreme Court. Source: Fort Wayne News Sentinel
(9/29)


Region's officials favor Metra link
----------------------------------------
Top local leaders agreed Monday to move forward with plans to extend
Chicago's Metra commuter trains from Kenosha to downtown Milwaukee, Racine
and the southern suburbs - with the help of $91.5 million in long-unused
federal money. Source: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (9/29)


For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/


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- posted by Daniel @ 9:21 AM

 
AWEA Small Wind News and Alerts:
The AWEA Small Wind News and Alerts list is a timely source for information updates, news clips and action alerts focusing on small wind energy. This list is announcement-only with low-traffic, weekly mailings.

Subscribe: awea-smallwind-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

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Post message: awea-smallwind@yahoogroups.com [message posting moderated by AWEA]

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------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is 1 message in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. NEW HANDBOOK CLEARS THE AIR FOR SMALL WIND TURBINES
From: "awea_smallwind_alert" awea_smallwind_alert@yahoo.com


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 23:11:54 -0000
From: "awea_smallwind_alert" awea_smallwind_alert@yahoo.com
Subject: NEW HANDBOOK CLEARS THE AIR FOR SMALL WIND TURBINES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 29, 2003

CONTACT:
Thom Wallace
Office of AWEA Small Wind Advocate
206-267-2215 / cell 509-520-4970
smallwind@awea.org

NEW HANDBOOK CLEARS THE AIR FOR SMALL WIND TURBINES
Authoritative guide clarifies siting and permitting issues, describes
lessons learned in California

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and the California Energy
Commission have released the most comprehensive guide to date for
small wind turbine owners and local officials seeking to understand
and improve permitting regulations affecting small wind energy
systems.

Prospective turbine owners and planning officials alike will find
this handbook, "Permitting Small Wind Turbines: Learning from the
California Experience," essential reading. It is the first
publication to explain in detail how California's groundbreaking
state law (Assembly Bill 1207) establishing permitting standards for
small wind energy systems applies at local levels. The guide also
directs turbine owners to special state incentives that bring down
the costs of small-scale renewable energy installations.

"The state of California has sent a clear message that it wants
small
wind turbines to help shore up our energy supply. This handbook will
help wind turbine owners negotiate the local permitting process and
let county and other local officials know what they can do to make
that process easier," notes Bob Therkelsen, Executive Director of
the
California Energy Commission.

The handbook is also a valuable resource for counties and residents
outside California because it provides up-to-date information to
address the most common issues raised in response to small wind
turbine installations, including visual impacts, acoustics, concern
for wildlife, and property values. It concludes with a model small
wind zoning ordinance AWEA recommends all counties across the country
adopt, and provides recommendations for best practices with a list
of "Do's and Don'ts" for counties reviewing small
wind permit
applications.

Small wind turbine owners have often faced daunting tasks in sorting
through an array of siting considerations and confusing regulations,
having to seek out various authorities for information. AWEA and the
Energy Commission hope that this handbook will help turbine owners
and planning officials integrate small wind energy systems into
communities across the nation. As the recent blackouts in the
Northeast make clear, distributed generation solutions are needed to
help ease congestion on transmission grids.

"This handbook fills a long-standing need for information about
small
wind turbines and how local agencies make sure prospective turbine
owners are treated fairly in obtaining permits for their machines.
The California Energy Commission deserves a lot of credit for taking
the initiative to make it happen," comments AWEA Deputy Executive
Director Tom Gray.


- MORE -


- pg. 2 -

The landmark handbook is built on lessons learned in a state that has
made significant efforts to promote small wind turbine development.
It uses specific case studies and county ordinances to illustrate the
progress that has been made, highlight personal experiences, and
recommend solutions that could simplify permitting processes in the
future.

Noteworthy sections include:
• A concise review of the most common issues neighbors raise
about small wind turbines, with documented facts that refute the
myths, including web links to crucial reference publications;
• A step-by-step checklist for obtaining a permit for a small
wind energy system in California;
• Explanation of permitting ordinances for small wind systems
in select California counties;
• Descriptions of policies that have proven both productive and
counterproductive for small wind development; and
• An extensive reference section that includes contact
information and links for county officials, state programs that offer
incentives for small wind turbines, wind maps and other resources,
turbine dealers and manufacturers, and advocacy groups that promote
residential energy systems.

As part of the project, AWEA prepared a ranking of windy acreage by
county and zip code based on the new wind maps developed by the
California Energy Commission. "Permitting Small Wind
Turbines" was
written by AWEA's Small Wind Advocate Team, in cooperation with
Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (NW SEED).

• The publication is available online at:
http://www.awea.org/smallwind/documents/permitting.pdf

• To order printed copies of the handbook, contact:
California Energy Commission,
916-654-4058
renewable@energy.state.ca.us

Since 1974 the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) has advocated
the development of wind energy as a reliable, environmentally
superior energy alternative in the United States and around the world.

- END -
- posted by Daniel @ 8:50 AM

 
Missed one from Al Power Digest the other day:

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 06:58:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: AP@alternatepower.com (Alternate Power)
Subject: Energy Bill Gets Worse

Published by New York Times: September 29, 2003:
This country needs a purposeful long-term energy strategy that reduces its dependence on foreign oil and deals with climate change and all the other air-quality issues that are directly related to the burning of fossil fuels like oil and coal. So how has Congress chosen to develop such a strategy? By passing two mediocre energy bills and then handing the task of reconciling them to Senator Pete Domenici and Representative Billy Tauzin, both reliable allies of the fossil fuel industry (although Mr. Domenici is also a big fan of nuclear power) and neither a visionary thinker. Since Labor Day, these two veteran deal makers have been cherry-picking provisions they like, discarding those they don't and for good measure infuriating their colleagues by adding new items of their own.
This process is undemocratic even by Congress's clubby standards. Even worse is the almost certain outcome: a tired compendium of tax breaks and subsidies for energy producers leavened by a few gestures toward energy efficiency. The best evidence of Congress's bias in favor of production as opposed to conservation is the fact that the legislation would authorize oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge while doing nothing to improve the fuel economy of automobiles and light trucks — a more certain and less destructive path to both energy independence and cleaner air.
Indeed, we can think of only a handful of positive provisions in these bills. One — a Senate proposal that Mr. Tauzin is trying to kill — would require power plants to generate 10 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. A second would open up the huge natural gas reserves on Alaska's North Slope, where oil drilling already occurs. Exploiting these reserves would obviate the need to go poking around in ecologically sensitive areas elsewhere, which the administration seems determined to do. A third provision would devote serious money to promising ways of cleaning up coal, the dirtiest but most plentiful of fossil fuels.
None of this, however, propels the country toward a new energy future. What America needs, and what the bill comes nowhere near providing, is a game-changer: a huge effort to help Detroit build entire fleets of fuel-efficient vehicles using available technology, for instance, or an equally ambitious program to convert cellulose to fuel — not just corn but grasses, wood and agricultural wastes of all kinds — in quantities large enough to make a real dent in oil imports.
Instead, Congress insists on thinking small, settling for timid research programs and unnecessary tax breaks for established industries that, as it happens, provide lots of campaign money. Since the Democrats also benefit from this money, they are unlikely to do the honorable thing, which is to filibuster this bill into extinction.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/29/opinion/29MON1.html?ex=1065499200&en=964879105163fac0&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE
========================================


- posted by Daniel @ 8:43 AM

 
Great Lakes Daily News: 01 October 2003
For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/

Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html


Plain Dealer releases pollution data
----------------------------------------
The Plain Dealer has agreed to release a confidential environmental report
that prompted Cleveland City Council members to delay ratifying a deal for
lakefront property. Source: The Cleveland Plain Dealer (10/1)


Volts may fend off invading carp
----------------------------------------
Minnesota natural resource officials said Tuesday that they are studying the
possibility of building an underwater electric barrier across the
Mississippi River to prevent the northward spread of Asian carp into the
state's waterways. Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune (10/1)


Group gets grant to save South Channel Range Lights
----------------------------------------
A 14-year effort to preserve two pre-Civil War lighthouses on Lake St.
Clair's delta got a $600,000 boost from Michigan and local matching funds
this week. Source: The Associated Press (10/1)


No mercy for illegal snaggers
----------------------------------------
Legal snagging is a wise use of a fish resource from Lake Michigan that
otherwise would go to waste. Source: Chicago Sun-Times (10/1)


Minnesota tries to stave off giant carp
----------------------------------------
Resource experts are looking at ways to keep the jumping Asian bighead carp
and its cousins out of the state's waterways. Source: Duluth News Tribune
(9/30)


Dreyer completes 12th and 13th stages of Lake Michigan swim
----------------------------------------
After going more than a day without contacting his support crew, endurance
swimmer Jim Dreyer completed the 12th and 13th of 16 stages in his attempt
to swim the length of Lake Michigan. Source: The Associated Press (9/30)


Lake Erie field guide in the works
----------------------------------------
Lake Erie Coastal Ohio, Inc. and the Ohio Chapter of The Nature Conservancy
have received a $29,500 Lake Erie Protection Fund grant to design a Lake
Erie Islands Field Guide and to develop a survey regarding visitor needs and
expectations. Source: Port Clinton News Herald (9/30)


Conservancy group takes title to Humbug Marsh
----------------------------------------
The Trust for Public Land has taken the title to Humbug Marsh, 400 acres of
environmentally sensitive land along the lower Detroit River. Source: The
Associated Press (9/30)


Low water dries up business
----------------------------------------
Dredging has been commonplace this summer at marinas up and down both the
Ontario and Michigan sides of Lake St. Clair, though low lake levels and
debris at the Thames River mouth have cost Chatham-Kent huge revenue losses
this year from foreign pleasure boaters. Source: The Chatham Daily News
(9/30)


Dam removal a renaissance for fish
----------------------------------------
Nearly three years after removing the Chair Factory dam on the Milwaukee
River, state environmental researchers have more proof that such a move
improves water quality and boosts fish populations. Source: Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel (9/28)


For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/


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Consortium (www.glrc.org), both based in Ann Arbor, Mich.
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- posted by Daniel @ 8:20 AM

 
Another touch from ENN,

Friday, October 03, 2003
By Alister Doyle, Reuters


MOSCOW — Scientists said Thursday that global warming could slash Russia's crucial grain harvests if President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders refuse to endorse the U.N. pact.

About 1,000 scientists at a World Climate Change Conference in Moscow ending Friday were sharply divided over Putin's belief that Russians could benefit overall from a world with less bone-chilling winters. But some experts say that agricultural output in the key southern grain areas could be hit by a forecast decline in rains even though a warmer climate will extend growing areas further north as the permafrost thaws in Siberia.

"Climate change will generally not benefit Russia," said Joseph Alcamo of the University of Kassel in Germany. Harvests in the south might be hit by more frequent droughts, he added. Oleg Sirotenko of the All Russian Institute for Agricultural Meteorology said that Russian grain harvests would dip by about two percent in 2020-30 from current levels due to disruptions from global warming. Fodder crops, however, would benefit, he added.

Putin said Monday that he needed more time to decide whether to ratify the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol, which hinges on Russian ratification to take effect. Kyoto seeks to rein in emissions of gases like carbon dioxide released by cars and factories. The gases are blamed for blanketing the planet and driving up temperatures.

Sergei Shoigu, Russia's Emergencies Minister, said that climate change was likely to trigger more...(Read on in: Scientists say warming could cut Russian crops
- posted by Daniel @ 8:11 AM

 
From ENN, signs of the times to come...

Friday, October 03, 2003
By Associated Press


PORT SULPHUR — For the past decade, something eerie's taken place here. The ground is getting saltier and saltier.

Patty Vogt, a sturdy 49-year-old farm owner who's herded cattle and lived off planting oranges all her working life, looks at her citrus trees and sees what an untrained eye doesn't: Death.

"It should be full and green and full of oranges," she says, a few weeks before harvest.

Salt — lots of it — lies three feet underground. Scientists say all the salt is tied to Louisiana's bigger problem: coastal land loss. As the marsh goes, the sea gets closer and the ground gets saltier.

But the hundreds of citrus growers here aren't about to plow their trees under and say goodbye to a 200-year-old tradition. Research scientists are tinkering with salt-tolerant and salt-resistant root stocks. Dwarf trees with shallower roots are in style. Pumping and draining the salt has caught on.

Since Jesuit priests in the 1790s first stuck orange seeds into this "black land," as Vogt and the other folk call the rich alluvial soil on the banks of the Mississippi River south of New Orleans, orange growers have overcome pests, storms, freezes and diseases.

"This is one we might not be able to solve," says Wayne Bourgeois, the main researcher at the Louisiana State University AgCenter Citrus Research Station. "We might not be able to find tried and true solutions. We might just be able to keep our heads above water."

"Last year I had oranges on my trees for the first time in about six years. I hate to get too doggone optimistic about it, but it gives encouragement," said Gerald Ragas, a 70-year-old farmer in Buras, down the road a few miles from Vogt. He's a fan of draining the salt away. Perforated drainage pipe — 1,100 feet of it — runs along the rows of his navel orange trees to keep the water table low and the salt from reaching the roots.

"Citrus needs dry feet," said Alan Vaughn, the AgCenter county agent who talks with citrus farmers up and down this stretch of land, lends his ear to their woes and spreads the word of scientific advances. "These guys are desperate...(Read on in: Faced with encroaching salt water, Louisiana orange growers fight back)
- posted by Daniel @ 6:21 PM

 
Great Lakes Daily News: 03 October 2003
For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/

Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html


Great Lakes group on track for controlling water sales
----------------------------------------
Despite leadership changes, Great Lakes governors and premiers are on track
to meet their self-imposed deadline for finalizing a 2001 agreement that
calls for local controls on the amount of water that can be diverted or
exported in bulk from the lakes. Source: The Toledo Blade (10/3)


Dunes to get $3.4 million renovation
----------------------------------------
The aging campgrounds at Indiana Dunes State Park along Lake Michigan's dune
country will get a $3.4 million face-lift -- including fewer but roomier
campsites. Source: Chicago Sun-Times (10/3)


Group holds public-policy forum on river cleanup
----------------------------------------
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is awaiting a study by the U.S.
Geological Survey before deciding on a partial cleanup plan for the
Kalamazoo River Superfund site, an EPA official said Thursday. Source: The
Associated Press (10/3)


Invasive spiny waterflea found in Saganaga Lake
----------------------------------------
An angler on Saganaga Lake made an unwelcome catch recently -- a clump of
exotic spiny waterfleas. Source: The Duluth News Tribune (10/3)


Michigan and Indiana study ways to lower bacteria counts
----------------------------------------
Overflowing sewage plants, failing septic systems and unfenced livestock are
all likely contributors to high levels of bacteria polluting the St. Joseph
River. Source: The St. Joseph-Benton Harbor Herald-Palladium (10/3)


Lake Erie area homeowners considering class-action suit
----------------------------------------
Coastal property owners lobbying for changes in state permits and land
leases along Lake Erie said they will consider filing a class action lawsuit
if lawmakers don't get involved. Source: The Fremont News-Messenger (10/2)


Oil spill leaks in Pickering creek
----------------------------------------
Hydro One crews concentrated their efforts along Pine Creek in Pickering,
sucking up the mineral oil-laden water, trying to prevent the 39,000 gallon
leak from flowing into Frenchman's Bay on Lake Ontario. Source: The Toronto
Star (10/2)


EDITORIAL: Erosion studies could be boost for Lake Erie's East Harbor
----------------------------------------
A proposed study of erosion prevention at East Harbor State Park could be a
boon to area tourism and a shot in the arm for local swimmers and
sunbathers. Source: Port Clinton News Herald (10/2)


COMMENTARY: Muskies are feeding on Lake St. Clair, and they're hungry
----------------------------------------
Until the ice and snow cover gets thick, muskellunge will continue to gorge
themselves, and the limiting factor in fall fishing isn't the willingness of
the muskies to feed but the blustery winds that often keep small boats in
port. Source: Detroit Free Press (10/2)


Environment group gives Tories a failing grade
----------------------------------------
Three years after the Walkerton water tragedy, only 19 of 121
recommendations made by inquiry head Mr. Justice Dennis O'Connor have been
implemented by the Tory government, an environment group says. Source: The
Toronto Star (10/1)


For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/


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Consortium (www.glrc.org), both based in Ann Arbor, Mich.
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- posted by Daniel @ 6:16 PM

 
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------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is 1 message in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. Ranchers Declare Energy Independence in Montana
From: "Jennifer Grove" jennifer@nwseed.org


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 09:23:56 -0700
From: "Jennifer Grove" jennifer@nwseed.org
Subject: Ranchers Declare Energy Independence in Montana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MONTANA'S FIRST COOPERATIVE WIND TURBINES TO BE DEDICATED
Ranchers Declare Energy Independence in Judith Basin and Glacier County,
Montana

STANFORD, MT - October 1, 2003 - A declaration of energy independence by
two Montana ranchers and a Liberty County maintenance shop will be
celebrated in a dedication ceremony on Tuesday, October 14th, for the
state's first cooperatively-owned wind turbine installations.

The dedication will take place at 10 a.m. at the home of Stanford
rancher-farmer Jess Alger. It will celebrate the start-up of 10 kilowatt
wind turbines by Alger, East Glacier bison rancher Doug Nelson and a
Liberty County maintenance shop. An open house will be held the
following day at the Nelson ranch. Among those slated to attend the
dedication are state and local political leaders, representatives from
agricultural organizations and utilities, and government agency staff.

The small-scale wind machines featured at the dedication go on line this
fall. Unlike larger utility-scale machines that make up most wind farms,
the three small-scale machines will primarily serve on-site electrical
needs. The surplus of energy generated will be fed into the power grid
for use by other utility customers.

The move to begin harvesting Montana's rich wind resources came about
with funding from the Our Wind Co-op, a partnership that invests in
locally-owned, small-scale wind turbines on farms, ranches and rural
facilities across the Northwest. The co-op model is different from most
wind development models in the U.S., where rural landowners and
communities have participated primarily by leasing land to wind
developers.

"Leasing is a good deal for landowners but ownership is even better,"
notes Heather Rhoads-Weaver, who as director of the nonprofit Northwest
Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (SEED) was instrumental in
forming Our Wind Co-op. "If you own a turbine all the money from selling
power stays in your hands. That spells a healthier farm and rural
economy."

The first turbine supported by Our Wind Co-op went on line in May 2003.
The Montana turbines represent the next three Co-op projects. Six more
turbines are slated to go on line throughout the Northwest in 2004.
"These turbines represent an economic win for rural communities where
they operate, and an environmental win for everyone because they
generate power with zero emissions," notes Peter Moulton, who directs
the Harvesting Clean Energy program for Climate Solutions, another key
Our Wind Co-op partner.

Project funding provided by: United States Department of Energy National
Renewable Energy Lab, United States Department of Agriculture Rural
Development, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, National Center
for Appropriate Technology through the Northwestern Energy USB program
and Montana State Department of Environmental Quality.

Northwest Sustainable Energy for Economic Development (NWSEED) works to
mobilize consumers and maximize the benefits of harvesting "home-grown"
renewable resources. For more on Our Wind Co-op, visit
www.ourwind.org. For more on Northwest
SEED, visit www.nwseed.org. For more on
the Harvesting Clean Energy program, visit
www.harvestcleanenergy.org

jennifer@nwseed.org
# # #
- posted by Daniel @ 5:34 PM

 
From Alt Power Digest:

There are 2 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. Study Finds Net Gain From Pollution Rules
From: greenscitek@webtv.net
2. U.S. Military Looking to Solar Power
From: AP@alternatepower.com (Alternate Power)


________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2003 16:31:33 -0700 (PDT)
From: greenscitek@webtv.net
Subject: Study Finds Net Gain From Pollution Rules

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1802&e=11&u=/washpost/a7586_2003sep26
Sat Sep 27, 1:00 AM ET:
By Eric Pianin, Washington Post Staff Writer:
A new White House study concludes that environmental regulations are
well worth the costs they impose on industry and consumers, resulting in
significant public health improvements and other benefits to society.
The findings overturn a previous report that officials now say was
defective.
The report, issued this month by the Office of Management and
Budget, concludes that the health and social benefits of enforcing tough
new clean-air regulations during the past decade were five to seven
times greater in economic terms than were the costs of complying with
the rules. The value of reductions in hospitalization and emergency room
visits, premature deaths and lost workdays resulting from improved air
quality were estimated between $120 billion and $193 billion from
October 1992 to September 2002.
By comparison, industry, states and municipalities spent an estimated
$23 billion to $26 billion to retrofit plants and facilities and make
other changes to comply with new clean-air standards, which are designed
to sharply reduce sulfur dioxide, fine-particle emissions and other
health-threatening pollutants.
The report provides the most comprehensive federal study ever of the
cost and benefits of regulatory decision-making. It has pleasantly
surprised some environmentalists who doubted the Bush administration
would champion the benefits of government regulations, and fueled
arguments that the White House should continue pushing clean-air
standards rather than trying to weaken some.
"I'm sure the true believers in the Bush administration will brand this
report as true heresy because it defies the stereotype of burdensome,
worthless regulations," Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) said yesterday.
"They clearly don't understand that the government regulations are there
to protect you -- and they work."
John D. Graham, director of OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, which produced the study, said: "Our role at OMB is to report
the best available estimates of benefits and costs, regardless of
whether the information favors one advocacy group or another. In this
case the data show that the Environmental Protection Agency (news - web
sites)'s clean-air office has issued some highly beneficial rules."
But an industry official said the report may have greatly understated
the costs associated with environmental regulations. Jeffrey Marks, a
clean-air policy expert with the National Association of Manufacturers
(news - web sites), said EPA "has traditionally underestimated the costs
of regulations on industry. . . . The tendency to choose benefit numbers
to correspond to favorable policy choices is strong within the agency."
The findings are more startling because a similar OMB report last year
concluded that the cost of compliance with a given set of regulations
was roughly comparable to the public benefits. OMB now says it had erred
last year by vastly understating the benefits of EPA's rules
establishing national ambient air quality standards for ozone and for
particulate matter -- a major factor in upper respiratory, heart and
lung disorders. Also, last year's report covered the previous six years
and did not account for the beneficial effects of the 1990 amendments to
the Clean Air Act that sharply reduced the problem of acid rain.
Many environmentalists had initially expressed fears that Graham,
founder of a Harvard University-based risk analysis institute, would
lead a Bush administration assault on regulatory safeguards. But Graham
has sided with environmentalists on several key issues, including new
rules to sharply reduce diesel engine emissions and the fine airborne
particles that contribute to asthma and other serious respiratory
ailments. The activists were quick to embrace this month's report.
"The bottom line is that the benefits from major environmental rules
over the past 10 years were [five to seven] times greater than the
costs," said Kevin Curtis of the National Environmental Trust. "And
that's a number that can't be ignored, even by an administration that
has blamed 'excessive' environmental regulations for everything from the
California energy crisis to last month's blackout to job losses to the
failing economy."
Environmental groups and some lawmakers assert that the administration
has begun to chip away at clean-air regulations and safeguards just when
the country is beginning to see the fruits of decades of tough
enforcement efforts. Earlier this month, the EPA issued its annual air
trends report showing that, since 1970, emissions of the six principal
air pollutants have declined by 48 percent. At the same time, EPA
officials put the finishing touches on a "New Source Review" rule change
that will enable utilities to extend the lifespan of older, dirtier
power plants without installing new anti-air pollution equipment.
But White House officials and Republicans say the administration
deserves credit for some of the improvement. They noted that the EPA has
approved the new diesel emission standards affecting trucks, buses and
off-road machinery in the coming years.
The OMB is required to report annually to Congress on the costs and
benefits of federal regulations and unfunded mandates on states and
American Indian tribes. This year's report provided cost-benefit
analysis on 107 major federal rules approved during the past decade
dealing with agriculture, education, energy, health and human services
(news - web sites), housing, labor, transportation and the environment.
In all cases, the benefits far exceeded the costs of implementing the
rule. But the most dramatic showing involved environmental protection.
Previous reports have been controversial because of the unavoidably
imprecise methodology used to assess the costs and benefits of a variety
of government regulations. In the absence of solid data or
documentation, analysts often must rely on educated guesses or long-term
impact projections that were prepared when the rules were put into
effect.
"The data is prospective rather than retrospective," said Gary Bass of
OMB Watch, a watchdog organization. "We don't have an adequate data set.
My guess is that if we did, the benefits would exceed the cost in a
wider spread than the OMB report shows."
==================================



________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2003 06:58:05 -0700 (PDT)
From: AP@alternatepower.com (Alternate Power)
Subject: U.S. Military Looking to Solar Power

http://www.news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=1991028
Move to Solar Power Soldiers
By John von Radowitz. Science Correspondent, PA News:
Military chiefs are developing a new "light infantry" that marches with the help of solar power.
The US Army is funding the system to reduce the number of cumbersome batteries soldiers need to carry into combat.
In future, troops may wear lightweight plastic solar panels that turn sunshine into electrical power woven into their uniforms.
The invention uses a special flexible material coated with a film of power-generating particles.
It is more sensitive than conventional solar cells, and able to convert indoor artificial lighting into energy as well as sunlight.
Modern soldiers are becoming increasingly dependent on batteries to power the large amount of portable equipment they take into battle.
Typically this includes communications equipment, satellite positioning devices, and combat aids such as range finders.
Military experts are concerned both by the weight of the batteries, and the need to rely on a power source to recharge them.
If tests of the prototype solar cells prove successful, they could enter service within three years.
Reporting on the development, The Engineer magazine said: "The US Army eventually hopes to use solar cells to make each soldier self-sufficient for electrical power."
Konarka, the Massachusetts-based designers, said ultimately it may be possible to incorporate ultra-thin solar cells into soldiers' uniforms.
The company is also developing a wide range of civilian applications for the technology.
========================================

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø

All-Energy News and Discussion
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/All-Energy

¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø

- posted by Daniel @ 5:46 PM

 
Great Lakes Daily News: 02 October 2003
For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/

Did you miss a day of Daily News? Remember to use our searchable story
archive at http://www.great-lakes.net/news/inthenews.html


Environmentalists pick Oregon as battleground for wolf lawsuit
----------------------------------------
Environmental groups filed suit Wednesday challenging the federal
government's decision to downgrade protection for gray wolves, most of which
are in the Great Lakes region. Source: Environmental News Network (10/2)


Dreaded Snakehead fish found in Wisconsin
----------------------------------------
Fisheries biologists on both sides of the Wisconsin/Illinois border are
wondering if an invasive species will migrate south into Illinois as colder
weather sets in. Source: The Illinois Star Newspapers (10/2)


EDITORIAL: Pollution rules help economy
----------------------------------------
A White House environmental report gives the Bush administration reason to
reconsider its efforts to undermine long-standing environmental protections.
Source: Fort Wayne Journal Gazette (10/2)


New security along Lake Ontario raising concerns
----------------------------------------
A new effort is underway to fight terrorism along Lake Ontario's shoreline.
Source: Rochester 10NBC News (10/2)


Senate Dems force two-week delay on Leavitt nomination
----------------------------------------
Senate Democrats boycotted an Environment and Public Works Committee meeting
Wednesday to force a two-week delay in voting on President Bush's nomination
of Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt as administrator of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. Source: USA Today (10/1)


Coin to put Michigan geography in palm of your hand
----------------------------------------
Gov. Jennifer Granholm will announce today her choice of design for
Michigan's commemorative quarter, which will highlight the state's
distinctive shape -- the Lower and Upper Peninsulas, surrounded by lakes --
with the words, "Great Lakes State." Source: Detroit Free Press (10/1)


Tall ship beauty sinks in Halifax
----------------------------------------
The schooner Larinda, one of the featured attractions at this year's Tall
Ship Celebration in Bay City, Mich., is resting at the bottom of Halifax
Harbor in Nova Scotia. Source: The Bay City Times (10/1)


DNR worker honored for quest to save wetlands
----------------------------------------
Armin Schwengel's living legacy to future generations is more than 10,400
acres of wetlands and grass-covered hills in southeastern Wisconsin that now
provide rest stops for migrating waterfowl, and summer nesting sites for
ducks, meadowlarks and pheasants. Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (10/1)


Deal conserves Wisconsin land
----------------------------------------
An American Indian tribe will protect 21,322 acres of land near Lake
Superior under a deal negotiated by the Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin.
Source: Duluth News Tribune (10/1)


Forum explains state of Great Lakes fisheries
----------------------------------------
The Great Lakes Sea Grant Fisheries Leadership Institute is designed to
provide interested residents with a solid background in fisheries science
and Great Lakes management. Source: Erie Times-News (9/29)


For links to these stories and more, visit http://www.great-lakes.net/news/


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Great Lakes Daily News is a collaborative project of the Great Lakes
Information Network (www.glin.net) and the Great Lakes Radio
Consortium (www.glrc.org), both based in Ann Arbor, Mich.
TO SUBSCRIBE and receive this Great Lakes news compendium daily, see
www.glin.net/forms/dailynews_form.html or send an e-mail message to
majordomo@great-lakes.net with the command 'subscribe dailynews' (minus
the quotes) in the body of the message.
- posted by Daniel @ 5:28 PM