Bush Administration Moves To Gut Endangered Species Act
A secret draft of regulations (pdf) that would fundamentally rewrite the Endangered Species Act was leaked to two environmental organizations, which provided them to the press Tuesday. An article in Salon quotes Earthjustice attorney Jan Hasselman saying, “The proposed changes fundamentally gut the intent of the Endangered Species Act.”
The changes are fiercely technical and complicated, but make future listings extremely difficult, redefine key concepts to the detriment of protected species, virtually hand over administration of the act to hostile states, and severely restrict habitat protections.
Many of the changes — lifted from unsuccessful legislative proposals from then-Senator (now Interior Secretary) Dirk Kempthorne and the recently defeated congressman Richard Pombo — are reactions to policies and practices established as a result of litigation filed by environmental organizations including Earthjustice.
“After the failure of these legislative proposals in the last Congress, the Bush administration has opted to gut the Endangered Species Act through the only avenue left open: administrative regulations,” said Hasselman. “This end-run around the will of Congress and the American people will not succeed.”
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In China I am Famous
The Chinese government does not want its people to see what The Sietch has to offer.
Using the site Great Firewall Of China, you too can see if your website passes the sniff test for the communist leaders in China. I wonder what it was about The Sietch that got them so worked up? Our solar thermal panel project? Our hard hitting coverage of President Bush? Perhaps it was our various mentions of Chinese renewable energy projects? In a way it makes me proud that China sees The Sietch as something dangerous. Must mean we are doing something right.
Cape Wind Wins State Approval, And May Soon Have A Long Term Energy Contract
The plan to build the nations first offshore wind farm passed a major hurdle today. The state’s secretary of energy and environmental affairs, Ian Bowles, approved the report in a ruling announced today,saying it complies with state environmental laws.
“Overall the Cape Wind project will contribute to the long-term preservation and enhancement of our environment,” Bowles said.
It’s nice that after years of going back and forth that the project has a state approved environmental document. Bowles has determined that the Final Environmental Impact Report submitted by the Cape Wind wind farm project “adequately and properly complies” (pdf of approval letter) with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act. The project can now advance to the state permitting process.
Cape Wind involves the development of 130 Wind Turbine Generators on a grid over 25 square miles in Nantucket Sound known as Horseshoe Shoals, located in federal waters. The project also includes cables that transmit the electric power to the mainland, making landfall in the Town of Yarmouth and passing through Massachusetts’s territorial waters, generally three nautical miles from shore. The portion of Cape Wind located in federal waters is currently under federal environmental review led by the US Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service.
“My obligation under MEPA is to ensure that the impacts of construction and operation of the portions of the project within Massachusetts’s jurisdiction have been adequately avoided, minimized, and mitigated. I find that they have,” said Secretary Bowles. “Based on the air quality benefits, as well as the compensatory mitigation measures detailed in this Certificate, I find that the environmental benefits and compensatory mitigation provided by the project are adequate to mitigate the impacts of the project occurring in Massachusetts.”
The $10 million Cape Wind mitigation package consists of:
- $780,000 towards the restoration of Bird Island, off the town of Marion in Buzzards Bay. At 1.5 acres in size, Bird Island provides prime nesting habitat for Roseate and Common Terns, but the island is subject to significant and accelerating erosion. The enhancement of nesting habitat on Bird Island will benefit the same tern population that is subject to potential impacts from the wind turbine array.
- $4.22 million towards natural resource preservation, marine habitat restoration, and coastal recreation enhancement projects in the area of Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha’s Vineyard.
- An estimated $5.6 million in Federal Lease Payments over 20 years, representing 27 percent of the revenues received by the federal government.
Which to me doesn’t look anything like the “public land grab” cape wind opponents have been screaming about. They are going to provide low cost renewable energy to the grid, pay millions in land leases, pay additional millions to restore bird breeding ground, and now have a state approved environmental document. But that’s not all.
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Early Morning Solar Gadget - Solar Furnace
I have always wanted my own solar death ray…but you know that might be a bit dangerous. Instead maybe I will pick up this solar furnace.
This 12″ diameter, parabolic dish lets you safely and easily demonstrate the extraordinary power of the sun by concentrating solar energy. — – Using its reflective mirror, the furnace can generate extreme temperatures to heat materials placed in the attached copper receptacle. Excellent for grades 3-12(via)
Remember if you fashion a bunch of these things into a giant solar earth melting space laser, I was always nice to you.
Renewable Energy Roundup
Its been a busy week in the renewable world. There is only one thing to do, round up that renewable energy news!
The good (and smart) people at NOAA have invented a carbon tracker that will show you where Co2 is being produced in these fine United States.
Speakign of The United States, she should accelerate development of renewable energy sources because of increased risk from terrorist attacks that could cripple the economy, former national security adviser Robert McFarlane said Saturday.
Bigelow Tea has received a lot of money from the state of Connecticut to go solar in a big way.
Speaking of solar,(and a place with lots of Tea) India is seeing its solar industry boom. Could renewable energy jobs be the key to pulling India up out of its economic woes?
Ohh now I know why oil companies don’t think global warming is a problem, all the melting ice caps seems to be providing a lot more area to drill for oil in.
Well I say we say “up yours” to oil companies and all ride our bikes. Paris is down with that plan.
This could be sweet! (pun intended) Juicing up your cell phone or iPod may take on a whole new meaning in the future. Researchers at Saint Louis University in Missouri have developed a fuel cell battery that runs on virtually any sugar source — from soft drinks to tree sap — and has the potential to operate three to four times longer on a single charge than conventional lithium ion batteries, they say.
If you have wind power when you don’t need it what do you do? You store it up for later.
Seems this community has figured it out, they are going renewable instead of building more coal plants. Bravo.
People are finding ways to make biofuel out of damn near anything these days. The latest candidate, plastic that you can recycle into biofuel. Interesting, very interesting. I wonder how long to we have to wait till we have Mr. Fusion cars like in back to the future. “Honey toss the Dunkin Donuts cups into the fuel tank I want to go pick up the kids from the playground>”
Company Spotlight: Advanced Composting Systems
From time to time The Sietch likes to highlight interesting companies that are shaking things up in the sustainable products world. I had the good fortune to check out the booth of Advanced Composting Systems at a recent green building conference. Later I exchanged emails with James Conner, the communications director for ACS, which manufactures the Phoenix Composting Toilet system.
The capacity of the Phoenix system depends on the size of the tank, the temperature of the compost pile, and the frequency and quality of maintenance. Warm tanks have a higher capacity than cold tanks. Our capacity ratings assume a minimum tank room temperature of 65F (18 C), our minimum recommended temperature. Below 55F (13 C), composting is very slow. The R-199 cabin model can be used continuously by two persons. The R-200 accommodates four full-time users. The R-201 accommodates eight full-time users. Model R-200 can be upgraded by adding a midsection. Model R-199 can be upgraded by adding a midsection and/or a 200 level top. Copyright 2007, Advanced Composting Systems, all rights reserved.
The Phoenix composting toilet factory and company headquarters is in Whitefish, Montana, in the northwestern corner of the state, not far from Glacier National Park. The founder and president (and factotum) of ACS is Glenn Nelson. ACS dates back to the early 1970s, getting its start manufacturing composting toilets for another manufacturer. In the mid-1980s, Glenn, who has a graduate degree in physics, designed a new and improved composting toilet, which he named the Phoenix, and began producing it. Phoenix is a family run business (like another composting toilet maker I met, this sort of thing must run in the family) both of his sons, Ried and Brent, work for ACS, with Ried working as the vice president for production and finance. In addition to a seasoned crew of carpenters, welders, and fabricators of small parts, the staff includes an electrical engineer and technical editor.
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A Wind Turbine With A View
This 1Mw turbine in England comes with a little something special. If you are up to a three hundred step climb you can catch a view from just below the turbine itself.
This is a great idea, add observation towers to wind turbines so that the public can use the tower to get a nice view. You can see more from these talented video artists here.
Studies have shown that once people live around a wind turbine they are much more likely to support the installation of others. This is a great way to let the people of that town experience first hand, up close, what turbines are like. Did I mention that the view is stunning?
Early Morning Solar Gadget - The H-Racer
To continue in the vein of more words in the product title the better, here is a wonderful little solar produced hydrgoen fuel cell powered model race car! (woot).
Witness the power of new energy technology in the palm of your hand. Thats right - this car does not need batteries! The car uses a real fuel cell and its own on-board hydrogen storage system. Use this accessory to fuel the H-racer with an unlimited supply of clean energy. To create free hydrogen fuel at the flick of a switch, just add water to the stations tank! Fueling is animated by a special blue light display. Includes the H-Racer, Fueling Station, Instruction Guide and solar panel. The H-Racer requires about 20 minutes of simple assembly and will operate for about 4 minutes (or approx. 100m) from a full hydrogen tank. You’ll want this car for it’s educational “toy” appeal, but be advised it does not perform like a remote control car.(via)
Making The Data Work For Us By Making It Beautiful
With the drama and urgency of a sportscaster, Hans Rosling debunks a few myths about the “developing” world.
(Recorded February 2006 in Monterey, CA. Duration: 20:35) - More here.
Using an set of amazing data presentation tool, Rosling is able to show that all that data that world governments have been collecting for years should not just be sitting around some place, but rather be put to good use. He litterly makes the data into something beautiful. Presenting it in such a way that it is no longer a serious of numbers but rather something that almost anyone can grasp and understand. His blog lays out various ways in which the data can be used to help inform policy, and make real substanative changes in the world.
Rosling is professor of of international health at Sweden’s world-renowned Karolinska Institute, and founder of Gapminder, a non-profit that brings vital global data to life.
11 Megawatt Photovoltaic Power Plant Comes Online
Serpa power plant (pdf) Portugal 52,000 solar panels, 150 acres, 11 MW
Spread across a hillside pasture amid olive trees, 52,000 shimmering photovoltaic modules in one of the world’s largest solar power plants have begun generating enough electricity for 8,000 homes, GE, PowerLight Corp. and Catavento SA announced today.
After eight months of construction and testing, GE Energy Financial Services, a unit of General Electric, PowerLight, a subsidiary of SunPower Corporation and Catavento dedicated the 11-megawatt Serpa solar power plant today, on schedule no less. The facility — a model of clean power generation integrated with agriculture — is in one of Europe’s sunniest areas, in Portugal’s Alentejo agricultural region in the town of Serpa, 200 kilometers (124 miles) southeast of Lisbon.
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