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Re: [Sustain] Evidence Of Fossil Energy Corp. Funding For 'Vote Solar'
by Eric Brooks 05 Oct '08

05 Oct '08

Hi Bruce and all, Here is an email that I sent out in April that reveals Vote Solar's funding relationship with fossil fuel energy corporations... previously I wrote: Vote Solar just proudly announced its successful fundraising event 'Equinox 2' in which, among its major donors, were PG&E, Edison, Chevron and BP. see http://www.votesolar.org/equinox2/thank_you/ and also the previous year's Equinox fundraiser at http://www.votesolar.org/equinox/thank_you/ Vote Solar is the organization (founded by now SFPUC Commissioner David Hochschild) which also put forward the poorly written solar Prop B in 2001 for 50 mw of solar on City facilities. Prop B passed, but failed to implement because of its poor funding plan combined with the fact that the SFPUC made no effort to find a way to make it work. No solar facilities were ever built through Prop B, although Vote Solar's web site blatantly and falsely claims otherwise. (See http://www.votesolar.org/city-initiatives/successes.html ) David Hochschild is the architect of the Mayor's weak privatized solar proposals. Vote Solar has been one of the most vocal proponents of the Mayor's proposals. Though Hochschild is no longer with Vote Solar, he spoke and hobnobbed at the Equinox fundraiser. As did Phil Ting (who helped Hochschild create and sponsor the Mayor's solar program), along with Mayor Newsom himself, Assemblymember Mark Leno (who has frequently sponsored milquetoast renewable energy legislation which has basically amounted to faux stuff that allows PG&E to remain dominant in our Northwest power market) and, Adam Werbach, the new greenwash champion for Walmart and Wall Street.. David Hochschild -is- however VP for External Relations for Solaria Corp., a private solar technologies company which is one of those proud new Equinox funders of Vote Solar. I didn't even notice the note on Hochschild's corporate position when I saw the press release for his appointment to the SFPUC last year, but now that I've picked up on it I'm pretty shocked. A man with that kind of energy corporation conflict of interest should not have even made it onto the SFPUC commission in the first place, and should certainly at the very least be recusing himself on all votes related to solar power funding. This all puts into even starker contrast the fact that, although Hochschild has vociferously upbraided the SFPUC staff for not creating solar and other renewables programs in San Francisco, he has never once in those tirades mentioned the massively promising Community Choice project, which would have already been out for bids long ago were it not for both constant interference from the SFPUC staff, and a resolute and total lack of support from the SFPUC commissioners themselves (including former commissioner Adam Werbach). It has become clear to me that Hochschild and is his ilk are nothing more than the next generation of private corporate developers manipulating their way into sweetheart deals for their own companies at the expense of the public good, while steering city government away from publicly owned energy projects, into cozy and corrupt 'public/private partnerships'. I would have thought that the visionary renewable energy industry could have avoided this typical, tawdry trough feeding. I guess I was wrong. peace Eric Brooks Bruce Wolfe wrote: > Eric, > Where can I find the evidence that they get funding from those corps? > Bruce > > > Eric Brooks wrote: >> >> Hi all, >> >> See below the verbatim alert from 'Vote Solar' (which gets funding >> from fossil fuel energy corporations like PG&E, Chevron, BP, and >> Edison); an alert that ridiculously says we should tell our >> congressmembers that they should approve the Wall Street bank >> bail-out and sell out the American people and economy to massive >> corrupt mega-banks and insurance companies, just because the >> sell-out/bail-out now contains an amendment that extends solar >> credits. Perhaps 'Vote Solar' would care to address the reality that >> hundreds of thousands of homeowners under mortgage stress and out of >> work because the bail-out bill doesn't help them, will not be able to >> buy solar panels at any price... >> >> Here's 'Vote Solar's' absurd alert: >> >> Vote Solar wrote: >> >> Friends, >> >> Congress is set to vote on the future of solar in America in the next >> 36 hours. >> >> The Senate has included the critical clean energy tax >> incentives--including an 8 year extension of the 30% investment tax >> credit, with removal of residential caps--in the bailout package (aka >> the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008). This adds a >> significant job development enhancement to the package--according to >> this study >> <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2Fa577dIbE2iNftMZLL…> >> by Navigant, 1.2 million of them. Now the bailout is not just >> greenbacks for Wallstreet, but also green jobs for Mainstreet, if you >> will. The bill will likely pass the Senate tonight, but prospects in >> the House are much more uncertain. >> >> If you want to see the tax credits go through, call your >> representative in the House to urge their support for the >> Senate-passed Stabilization Bill. >> >> */-Call Instructions-/* >> >> 1) Call the Capitol Hill Switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask for your >> House Member's office number. >> >> 2) When you call the office, state your name and location and ask to >> be transferred to the Chief of Staff. If she/he isn't available, ask >> to leave a message for her/him. >> >> 3) Sample message: "My name is _____ and I am calling from (location) >> to urge Representative XX to vote "YES" on the Economic Stabilization >> bill coming over from the Senate. The clean energy tax incentives >> extender package was added to the bill, and if signed into law, 1.2 >> million employment opportunities, including 440,000 permanent jobs, >> and $232 billion in new investment would be generated in the U.S. by >> the solar energy sector alone through 2016. Thank you in advance for >> building the clean energy economy of tomorrow by voting YES on the >> Economic Stabilization Bill coming over from the Senate." >> >> >> Onwards, >> >> Annie and the Vote Solar Team >> The Vote Solar Initiative >> 300 Brannan Street, Suite 609 >> San Francisco, CA 94107 >> www.votesolar.org >> >> to subscribe: >> http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/votesolar/signUp.jsp?… >> >> to unsubscribe: >> http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/votesolar/unsubscribe.jsp >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> San Francisco Green Party Active Members List >> To unsubscribe or edit your options, go here: >> https://list.sfgreens.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/active >> -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." – Che Guevara

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[Sustain] PG&E Funded 'Vote Solar' Backs Corrupt Wall Street Bailout For Solar Crumbs
by Eric Brooks 01 Oct '08

01 Oct '08

Hi all, See below the verbatim alert from 'Vote Solar' (which gets funding from fossil fuel energy corporations like PG&E, Chevron, BP, and Edison); an alert that ridiculously says we should tell our congressmembers that they should approve the Wall Street bank bail-out and sell out the American people and economy to massive corrupt mega-banks and insurance companies, just because the sell-out/bail-out now contains an amendment that extends solar credits. Perhaps 'Vote Solar' would care to address the reality that hundreds of thousands of homeowners under mortgage stress and out of work because the bail-out bill doesn't help them, will not be able to buy solar panels at any price... Here's 'Vote Solar's' absurd alert: Vote Solar wrote: Friends, Congress is set to vote on the future of solar in America in the next 36 hours. The Senate has included the critical clean energy tax incentives--including an 8 year extension of the 30% investment tax credit, with removal of residential caps--in the bailout package (aka the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008). This adds a significant job development enhancement to the package--according to this study <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2Fa577dIbE2iNftMZLL…> by Navigant, 1.2 million of them. Now the bailout is not just greenbacks for Wallstreet, but also green jobs for Mainstreet, if you will. The bill will likely pass the Senate tonight, but prospects in the House are much more uncertain. If you want to see the tax credits go through, call your representative in the House to urge their support for the Senate-passed Stabilization Bill. */-Call Instructions-/* 1) Call the Capitol Hill Switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask for your House Member's office number. 2) When you call the office, state your name and location and ask to be transferred to the Chief of Staff. If she/he isn't available, ask to leave a message for her/him. 3) Sample message: "My name is _____ and I am calling from (location) to urge Representative XX to vote "YES" on the Economic Stabilization bill coming over from the Senate. The clean energy tax incentives extender package was added to the bill, and if signed into law, 1.2 million employment opportunities, including 440,000 permanent jobs, and $232 billion in new investment would be generated in the U.S. by the solar energy sector alone through 2016. Thank you in advance for building the clean energy economy of tomorrow by voting YES on the Economic Stabilization Bill coming over from the Senate." Onwards, Annie and the Vote Solar Team The Vote Solar Initiative 300 Brannan Street, Suite 609 San Francisco, CA 94107 www.votesolar.org to subscribe: http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/votesolar/signUp.jsp?… to unsubscribe: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/votesolar/unsubscribe.jsp -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." -- Che Guevara

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[Sustain] PG&E Funded 'Vote Solar' Backs Corrupt Wall Street Bailout For Solar Crumbs
by Eric Brooks 01 Oct '08

01 Oct '08

Hi all, See below the verbatim alert from 'Vote Solar' (which gets funding from fossil fuel energy corporations like PG&E, Chevron, BP, and Edison); an alert that ridiculously says we should tell our congressmembers that they should approve the Wall Street bank bail-out and sell out the American people and economy to massive corrupt mega-banks and insurance companies, just because the sell-out/bail-out now contains an amendment that extends solar credits. Perhaps 'Vote Solar' would care to address the reality that hundreds of thousands of homeowners under mortgage stress and out of work because the bail-out bill doesn't help them, will not be able to buy solar panels at any price... Here's 'Vote Solar's' absurd alert: Vote Solar wrote: Friends, Congress is set to vote on the future of solar in America in the next 36 hours. The Senate has included the critical clean energy tax incentives--including an 8 year extension of the 30% investment tax credit, with removal of residential caps--in the bailout package (aka the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008). This adds a significant job development enhancement to the package--according to this study <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2Fa577dIbE2iNftMZLL…> by Navigant, 1.2 million of them. Now the bailout is not just greenbacks for Wallstreet, but also green jobs for Mainstreet, if you will. The bill will likely pass the Senate tonight, but prospects in the House are much more uncertain. If you want to see the tax credits go through, call your representative in the House to urge their support for the Senate-passed Stabilization Bill. */-Call Instructions-/* 1) Call the Capitol Hill Switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask for your House Member's office number. 2) When you call the office, state your name and location and ask to be transferred to the Chief of Staff. If she/he isn't available, ask to leave a message for her/him. 3) Sample message: "My name is _____ and I am calling from (location) to urge Representative XX to vote "YES" on the Economic Stabilization bill coming over from the Senate. The clean energy tax incentives extender package was added to the bill, and if signed into law, 1.2 million employment opportunities, including 440,000 permanent jobs, and $232 billion in new investment would be generated in the U.S. by the solar energy sector alone through 2016. Thank you in advance for building the clean energy economy of tomorrow by voting YES on the Economic Stabilization Bill coming over from the Senate." Onwards, Annie and the Vote Solar Team The Vote Solar Initiative 300 Brannan Street, Suite 609 San Francisco, CA 94107 www.votesolar.org to subscribe: http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/votesolar/signUp.jsp?… to unsubscribe: http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/votesolar/unsubscribe.jsp

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[Sustain] Audio: Carbon Taxes & Trading Will -Not- Work (15 mins)
by Eric Brooks 28 Sep '08

28 Sep '08

Hi all, Redeye Co-Op radio from Vancouver, Canada had a recent 15 minute program on the climate crisis and why carbon taxes and trading will absolutely not help solve the crisis. To listen go to: http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/29452 -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." – Che Guevara

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[Sustain] Fwd: Monday: "Beyond Elections: Redefining Democracy in the Americas"
by Eric Brooks 26 Sep '08

26 Sep '08

<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=3r0aid%2BvPO4xaPHkOy…> Tell a Friend About GX <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=YHdx5ioOZKSHVw%2FnLu…> Go on a Reality Tour <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=f5nCx2yf8m49tIFOMdeb…> Global Justice - International CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL EXCHANGE <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4MYuVr7dp1ZK%2Fba%2B…> ***please forward widely*** /*Beyond Elections:** Redefining Democracy in the Americas*/ Film screening and Report-back with Filmmakers, Michael Fox and Silvia Leindecker and Activist, Carlos Martinez /From Venezuela's Communal Councils, to Brazil's Participatory Budgeting, from Constitutional Assemblies to grassroots movements, recuperated factories to cooperatives across the hemisphere. This documentary is a journey, which takes us across the Americas, to attempt to answer one of the most important questions of our time: What is Democracy?/ *Monday, September 29th, 2008 7:00 pm At Global Exchange 2017 Mission St. San Francisco, California * Sílvia Leindecker is a Brazilian documentary filmmaker, philosopher and independent photographer. Michael Fox is a freelance journalist, translator, reporter and documentary filmmaker based in South America. Carlos Martinez will be joining them in the panel following the film. Carlos is the Global Exchange Venezuela Program Director and has been living in Venezuela for the past year. / **Visit www.beyondelections.com <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=zwOsyjvFj%2BWtpVS3hv…> for more information** / *Co-sponsors: Global Exchange, Center for Political Education, & Network of Bay Area Worker Cooperatives (NoBAWC)* Global Exchange is an international human rights group that relies on its members - tens of thousands of people like you - to work with us to create social, political and environmental justice. Please become a Global Exchange member today. Your tax-deductible donation helps keep our programs running. Click here to support Global Exchange <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=gD5%2FOrQucYjn1Ak6ht…> WWW.GLOBALEXCHANGE.ORG <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=T2uZIpaIBPRDM2Pxpz7R…> Unsubscribe from this list <http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=mwvGnfztSyHkeYHUBmbM…> -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." – Che Guevara

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[Sustain] Joint Transpo/Sustainability Meeting Canceled For Tomorrow
by Eric Brooks 24 Sep '08

24 Sep '08

Hi all, It looks like election time has us all so over committed right now that there isn't enough critical mass for the regular Transpo/Sustainability meeting tomorrow night. peace Eric B -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." – Che Guevara

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[Sustain] Meeting?
by Eric Brooks 19 Sep '08

19 Sep '08

Hi all, I am going to miss the joint Transpo/Sustainability meeting on the 25th because I need to attend the Power Plant Taskforce meeting. Does someone else want to organize the meeting and be there to open the door etc? Eric B -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." – Che Guevara

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[Sustain] Fwd: GEIS ISL Uranium Mining Alert
by Don Eichelberger 16 Sep '08

16 Sep '08

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[Sustain] Oppose H.R. 6887
by Eric Brooks 13 Sep '08

13 Sep '08

H.R. 6887 To authorize the President or a designee of the President to waive any legal requirement under any provision of Federal law otherwise applicable to a covered energy project as the President or such designee determines necessary to ensure expeditious conduct of such project, and for other purposes. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-6887 =

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[Sustain] (fwd) GP Alameda County endorses NO on Prop.1
by John-Marc Chandonia 27 Aug '08

27 Aug '08

Here's Alameda's analysis of Prop 1 - any thoughts? > We all believe in attractive alternatives to driving, especially sleek > electric trains designed in Europe, but the promises in Proposition 1 > are too good to be true. > > > The cogent reason for Greens to oppose the high-speed rail project is > that it is a public works fraud scheme specifically designed to appeal > to gullible environmentalists. If we vote for Proposition 1, as it is > currently on the ballot, the only guarantee is that billions of > dollars will be spent on engineering, land acquisition, demolition, > and construction of part of a guideway. > > > Out front, the promoters say this is a $45 billion system. The $9 > billion provided by the ballot measure for high-speed rail is only 1/5 > the project cost, and project proponents are likely to come back > asking taxpayers for additional tens of billions from taxpayers. There > is no guarantee that there ever will be a workable rail system, and > under current law, no consequences for project managers if they waste > every dime. The idea is apparently to start a very big hole in the > ground, then come back and ask for more bucks. Federal funding is as > imaginary as private investment, as Amtrak high speed rail funding > belongs to the 20 senators in Northeastern states. > > > The firm which has been prime contractor for all work authorized to > date by the High Speed Rail Authority is Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB), > notorious for unsigned engineering drawings on sections of the > Wilshire Subway that caved in, and for choosing the wrong concrete > epoxy for the tunnel in Boston?s out-of-control Big Dig. The cost of > the Big Dig ballooned from $2 billion to $22 billion over the course > of the project, and the tunnel still leaks seawater. PB and other > firms were fined $450 million under their settlement with the > Commonwealth of Massachusetts, but the rest of the money is gone, with > not very many feet of highway to show for it. > > > PB also was responsible for the multi-billions of cost overruns on the > San Jose light rail line, the Wilshire Subway, and the BART-SFO line, > and their overall business model doesn?t seem to have changed much > since. For example, one of the most recent PB productions was a plan > for a $1 billion Sacramento airport line. > > > On the high-speed rail project, not only the cost figures are > ballooned beyond belief. The Rail Authority predicts an annual > ridership of 117 million passengers on the 24-station line. As a > reality check, France?s most popular high-speed train, the TGV- > Southeast carried 18 million passengers during its 10th year of > operation. Eurostar, the London-Paris high-speed train you may have > heard about, finally managed to carry more than 10 million passengers > for the first time last year, a decade and a half after it started > running. It is hard to believe that California trains will outperform > European routes with more population. > > > The Authority claims that the project will have no operating deficit, > but the Legislative Analyst has produced an opinion in the ballot that > the operating cost would be about $1 billion annually, and suggests > that some proportion of this would have to be covered by state > subsidies (likely in the hundreds of millions annually). This would > directly harm all transit service statewide. > > > The Rail Authority has been actively goosing the Merced County real > estate market with statements about the "new California gold rush" and > its selection of the Pacheco Route, a repeat of the UC Merced land > scam with the same participants. Stations in Gilroy and Palmdale will > be minutes from the Peninsula and Los Angeles, respectively, causing > huge incentives for new exurban sprawl. The staff says they won't > build a Los Banos station but Angelo Tsakopoulos and his investor > corporations have purchased 3500 acres of land there within three > miles of the proposed stop, so the station and sprawl are likely to > happen if the route is built. > > > Severe negative environmental impacts on the Pacific Flyway > (disruption of nesting and avian mortality from striking 220 mph > trains), and noise impacts on communities on the Peninsula, and in > Santa Clara County, Los Angeles County, and Orange County are also a > major concern. > > > Promised environmental benefits are questionable. According to British > studies, 220 mph trains do not produce greenhouse gas reductions or > energy savings, because of the exponential increase in energy > requirement of trains above about 120 mph. France has GHG reductions > from HSR only because the trains are 100% nuclear powered. The > proposal here will depend on additional coal-fired plants in the > Southwest. -- John-Marc Chandonia (jmc(a)sfgreens.org) http://sfgreens.org/

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