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Re: [Sustain] CO2 Cap & Trade?
by Tom Harriman 19 Jul '07

19 Jul '07

Hi, Greg Palist wrote about this in his book, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. What he pointed out is that American government under Bush is NOT setting standards or goals for CO2 reductions, and so there's no real force of law for industries to change. The example he gave was a Taxes coal power plant that was trading CO2 credits with a closed down plant in Russian, What I'm hearing from these people is that the Market will save the planet, and so they don't need to be regulated. Just like Enron and the Texas Savings and Loans. I advise we stay alert! Tom Harriman. >From: "Richard A. Knee" <rak0408(a)earthlink.net> >Reply-To: rak0408(a)earthlink.net >To: "Eric Brooks" <brookse32(a)aim.com>, sustainability(a)sfgreens.org >Subject: Re: [Sustain] CO2 Cap & Trade? >Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 10:36:09 -0700 > >Any time you get legislation that Democrats, Republicans and the likes of >PG&E crow about, that should immediately raise red flags. And one of the >problems with AB 32 is that the bill itself doesn't really accomplish >anything. The real deal will be the implementing regulations, and it's in >the development thereof that vigilance is critical. > >Rick > > >On Sat, 14 Jul 2007 09:18:06 -0700, Eric Brooks <brookse32(a)aim.com> wrote: > > > Well, the idea is that you put a top limit or 'cap' on how much each > > county/state/corporations can emit. Concurrently with that, you create a > > market for trading reductions in CO2 emissions such that corporations > > get 'credits' (which are worth real money) and sometimes (but not > > always) corporations receive financial penalties or taxes for exceeding > > limits. The idea is that you make reducing CO2 emissions desirable by > > making it valuable. > > > > Then, you set up a market in which the CO2 credits get turned into > > electronic trading notes (a lot like stocks). So, one company, say, a > > carpet maker, figures out ways to greatly reduce it emissions, and its > > trading exchange issues that company a given amount of credits for free. > > Then, another company, say, a cement manufacturer, knowing that it is > > going to exceed its limits, buys the credits created by the carpet > > company so that, on paper, the cement company has bought enough credits > > to -not- exceed its limits; and so, it can therefore avoid emissions > > penalties (if there are any) or the cost of installing pollution > > controls (if their state requires any). Depending on the current or > > future cost of pollution control requirements, and taxes and penalties > > on fuel use or CO2 production, some companies may see the credits as > > even more valuable and pay more for them than their set value, and this > > makes the credits rise in value on the trading 'floor'. > > > > Now, as we all know, from any quick glance at the stock market, and > > especially at markets trading currency values, speculators over the last > > many decades have developed incredibly clever and complex ways of making > > money from trading even though they aren't creating any value or > > production whatsoever. Add this to the fact that corporations have high > > incentives to use tricks to pretend on paper that they are reducing > > their emissions when they are not, that corporations will continue to > > get laws passed to reduce pollution controls and penalties and even to > > change the way CO2 trading systems work, and it is easy to see that such > > cap and trade systems are doomed to failure. > > > > Indeed, the cap and trade system adopted a few years ago in Europe is > > already failing dismally. See > > http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=21202 > > > > cheers > > > > Eric > > > > Anne Garrison wrote: > > > > I can't even figure out how this cap and trade business is supposed to > > work. Somebody told me that carbon offsetting > > meant something fairly simple like paying to plant a tree in exchange > > for some sort of excess energy use, but I can't even tell how > > this is supposed to work. If I'm around and anyone can enlighten me at > > the next meeting, I'd appreciate it. I know it's crap, and don't > > much feel like sorting it out, but feel like I should. > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Sustainability mailing list > > Sustainability(a)sfgreens.org > > https://list.sfgreens.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainability > > > > > >_______________________________________________ >Sustainability mailing list >Sustainability(a)sfgreens.org >https://list.sfgreens.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/sustainability

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[Sustain] The Bohos are back!
by Don Eichelberger 16 Jul '07

16 Jul '07

Once again, for almost the 140th year, the Bohemian Grove, in the small Sonoma County town of Monte Rio is hosting the Mid-Summer Gathering of the world's ruling elite. No one locally has stepped forward to host local activity to bring attention to this (what used to be) secret gathering of world leaders in finance, politics, military, academia and the arts. For the past couple of years, the California Green Party Issues Working Group has worked with local activists to sponsor "convergence" events. We did not take on doing so this year for a variety of reasons, chiefly that I had planned to be in Alaska by now. That plan has been delayed, and I find myself here. Bohemian Grove Action Network, which I helped form along with Mary Moore and others, have gotten calls from people wondering if anything was going on this year. NOTHING "OFFICIAL" HAS BEEN PLANNED- No permits, no meeting, no gathering, no parade- just the Bohos coming once again to our back yard to party and build community. BUT... I would like to see spontaneity and flexibility in how We Who Care respond to the affronts America is suffering at the hands of many of the men who make this annual party so they can Burn Care. The "military-industrial complex" is well represented at the Grove. Dick Cheney was attending as CEO of Halliburton long before he became Vice-President. Don Rumsfeld, Bill Crystal, Wolfowitz and other architects of the Iraq War for oil regularly attend, along with CEO's of military contractors, banks, Wall St. financial institutions and high ranking governmental and military leaders. Indeed, this is likely the group of men President Eisenhower, himself a Bohemian, had in mind when he made his famous speech warning us of what we are witnessing today- .the wholesale take-over of our governmental institutions put in service of unaccountable free market enterprises in pursuit of profit, power, and even empire. SO... Historically, the middle week-end has been the focus of the main protest activity at Bohemian Grove. That is the week-end when the main movers and shakers come in, the ones who cannot come for the whole 2 weeks because they are otherwise busy. That is the week-end of the "High Jinx" play, main "Lakeside Chat", and other Boho festivities. So Saturday, July 21st would be a good time for People Who Care to make their presence felt in Monte Rio along Bohemian Highway and at or as close to the front gate of the Grove as possible, noon to whenever. THIS IS A TEST... No one will be "in charge". No prior agreements will have been made with police or the local community. Not much media will be made aware of any "event". The Event is the encampment of these men, and the First Amendment freedom of assembly that is increasingly under attack. Be there if you can, and spread the word to others. AND REMEMBER The Bohemian Grove Encampment will go through 7/30, so if you can't come this week-end, there is still time to go and see what this is all about. Don Eichelberger, speaking on behalf of no one but Care DISCLAIMER: This notice consists of public information protected as free speech under the U.S. Constitution, and is not intended to foment rebellion or instigate any criminal acts or violence against any persons or property.

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[Sustain] State Fish & Game Shoot & Kill San Francisco Coyote Pair!
by Eric Brooks 16 Jul '07

16 Jul '07

Hey all, It is absolutely -unacceptable- that California Fish and Game shot and killed two of San Francisco's handful of coyotes that are making an astounding and beautiful comeback in our city. I am from the Sierras and can tell you from first hand lifetime experience that coyotes pose absolutely no threat whatsoever to humans that would in any way justify killing them. We -must- get Ross to pass some sort of legislation which ensures that this idiocy -never- happens again! See the sfgate report on the incident below or at: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/16/BAG0DR1BA66.DTL&tsp… Two coyotes shot to death in Golden Gate Park Marisa Lagos and Carl T. Hall, Chronicle Staff Writers Monday, July 16, 2007 (07-16) 11:49 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Two coyotes believed to have attacked a pair of leashed dogs in Golden Gate Park on Saturday were shot and killed Sunday night by officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The state's department of Fish and Game decided to destroy the animals after investigating the situation and determining there was a significant public safety risk, Deb Campbell of Animal Care and Control said today. Kyle Orr, a spokesman for Fish and Game, said the animals -- a male and a female -- were shot around 10:30 p.m. within 100 feet of where the dogs had been attacked. Officials cannot be completely sure they were the same animals, he said, but the pair's proximity to the attack site led them to believe that they were the same coyotes. The attack occurred about 9 a.m. Saturday, when a woman was walking her two large dogs along a path just south of Speedway Meadow near a large pile of mulch. Two coyotes bit one of the dogs, inflicting minor injuries, and lunged at the other, according to city animal control officials. On Sunday, a female dog-walker said two coyotes followed her in the same area, authorities said. Experts had theorized Sunday that the pair may have been acting so aggressive because they had a litter of pups. But today, Orr said no pups had been found and the female coyote was not lactating. Orr said today that animal officials had been receiving calls reporting the aggressive pair for about a week. Campbell said wildlife officials believe the normally skittish coyotes turned aggressive because they became used to humans. They warned people not to feed the animals and to make sure garbage cans are securely fastened. City officials and wildlife researchers estimate that about five to eight coyotes live in San Francisco. These include at least two in Golden Gate Park and one on Bernal Hill. There have also been sightings in McLaren Park, Lake Merced and the Presidio. Chronicle reporter Jim Herron Zamora contributed to this report.

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[Sustain] Quake & Nuclear Leak In Japan
by Eric Brooks 16 Jul '07

16 Jul '07

Hi all, There was just an earthquake and fire at a nuclear plant which resulted in a leak of radioactive material. All of the other mainstream media that I checked for the story, including Reuters (and even the CBC), did -not- report the radioactive leak, most of them even saying that there were no radioactive releases! KPFA Radio however, covered the story accurately. see below or http://www.thestar.com/News/article/236347 Deadly Japan quake raises nuclear concerns Rescue workers search a collapsed house in Kashiwazaki, July 16. Jul 16, 2007 02:12 PM KOJI SASAHARA Associated Press KASHIWAZAKI, Japan — A strong earthquake struck northwestern Japan today, causing a fire and radioactive water leak at the world’s largest nuclear plant. At least seven people were killed and hundreds injured in the 6.8 magnitude quake that collapsed wooden houses, ripped apart roads and buckled seaside bridges. Flames and billows of black smoke poured from the Kashiwazaki nuclear plant — the world’s largest in terms of power output capacity. It took two hours to extinguish the fire in an electrical transformer, said Motoyasu Tamaki, a Tokyo Electric Power Co. official. The plant leaked about 1,200 litres of water, said Katsuya Uchino, another Tokyo Electric official. Uchino said the water contained a tiny amount of radioactive material — a billionth of the guideline under Japanese law — and is believed to have flushed into the Sea of Japan. The quake, which left fissures a metre wide in the ground along the coast, hit shortly after 10 a.m. local time and was centred in the Sea of Japan off Niigata state on Honshu Island. Buildings swayed 260 kilometres away in Tokyo. Sirens wailed in Kashiwazaki, a city of about 90,000, which appeared to be hardest hit. Japan’s Meteorological Agency measured the quake at a 6.8 magnitude and said a 6.6 magnitude quake was among the aftershocks. The U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors quakes around the world, said the initial quake registered 6.7. “I was so scared — the violent shaking went on for 20 seconds,” Ritei Wakatsuki, who was working in a convenience store in Kashiwazaki. “I almost fainted by the fear of shaking.” The fire and subsequent leak triggered fresh concern about the earthquake resistance of Japan’s nuclear power plants, which supply nearly a third of the country’s electricity. The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant is the world’s largest nuclear power facility with an output capacity of 8.21 million kilowatts. By comparison, the largest U.S. nuclear power facility, in Palo Verde, Ariz., has an output capacity of 3.88 million kilowatts, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute. Aileen Mioko Smith, of the environmentalist group Green Action, said the fire showed that some facilities at nuclear power plants such as electrical transformers were built to lower quake-resistance levels than other equipment such as reactor cores. “That’s the Achilles heel of nuclear power plants,” said Mioko Smith, who said it took the plant two hours to extinguish the fire. ``Today’s a good example of that... How prepared are they to put out fires when they happen? A string of aftershocks rattled the area, including one with a 6.6 magnitude. The Meteorological Agency warned that the aftershocks could continue for a week. The quake hit on Marine Day, a national holiday in Japan, when most people would have been at home. Four women and three men — all either in their 70s or 80s — were killed, according to the National Police Agency in Tokyo and NHK, which reported more than 800 people were hurt. Nearly 300 homes in Kashiwazaki — a city known mainly for its fishing industry — were destroyed and some 2,000 people evacuated, officials said. A ceiling collapsed in a gym in Kashiwazaki where about 200 people had gathered for a badminton tournament, and one person was hurt, Kyodo reported. The quake also knocked a train car off the rails while it was stopped at a station. No one was injured. Several bullet train services linking Tokyo to northern and northwestern Japan were suspended. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — whose ruling party is trailing in the polls — interrupted a campaign stop in southern Japan for upcoming parliamentary elections, rushed back to Tokyo and announced he would head to the damaged area. He later arrived in a blue uniform to survey the damage. “Many people told me they want to return to their normal lives as quickly as possible,” Abe told reporters in Kashiwazaki. “The government will make every effort to help with recovery.” Japan sits atop four tectonic plates and is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries. The last major quake to hit the capital, Tokyo, killed some 142,000 people in 1923, and experts say the capital has a 90 per cent chance of suffering a major quake in the next 50 years. In October 2004, a magnitude-6.8 earthquake hit Niigata, killing 40 people and damaging more than 6,000 homes. It was the deadliest to hit Japan since 1995, when a magnitude-7.2 quake killed 6,433 people in the western city of Kobe.

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[Sustain] Community Choice Energy Victory Party
by Eric Brooks 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

Hey all, You're all invited! See below. peace, Eric brad(a)sfbaysc.org wrote: Folks, I'm throwing a party for the Sierra Club volunteers that worked on the Community Choice campaign. Please come!! Also, please invite anybody that you know of that did work on the campaign. Here's the actual invite I sent out: Now that we won, its time to party! Seriously, I was at a Midwest Academy organizing training a couple of weeks ago, and we had a conversation about how important it is to celebrate victories. The Midwest Academy was started by organizers that worked during the Mississippi Freedom Summer in 1964, so if those folks think its important to celebrate, who am I to disagree? So thats what were going to do, and I hope you can make it. Well have some tasty local brews to sample, some snacks to eat, and some cool people to hang out with. It will be a great chance to get to know some of your neighbors and fellow Sierra Club folks who have been working on this campaign. Plus, well have a sneak preview of our next campaign. So I hope to see you next Thursday, July 19th at 7pm in the Yosemite Room, on the third floor of the National Sierra Club (85 2nd Street, SF)! ************************* Brad Johnson Conservation Organizer San Francisco Bay Chapter Sierra Club 2530 San Pablo, Ste. I Berkeley, CA 94702 Ph: 510-848-0800x316 Fx: 510-848-3383 Cell: 415-200-8975 brad(a)sfbaysc.org

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[Sustain] Fwd: [TrueGreen_NoNukes] Reuters: California lawmaker seeks vote on nuclear power
by Don Eichelberger 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

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[Sustain] Fwd: There Is -No- Safe Level Of Serpentine Asbestos Exposure
by Eric Brooks 13 Jul '07

13 Jul '07

Below are my public comments recently sent to the Board Of Supervisors regarding the asbestos exposure in Bayview Hunters Point. There Is -No- Safe Level Of Serpentine Asbestos Exposure Dear Supervisor, I just watched the July 9, 2007 Land Use Committee hearing on Lennar BVHP, and was astounded at what I heard coming out of Mitch Katz's mouth. Anyone who knows anything about asbestos, knows full well (as the director of a city health dept. should) that there is -no- safe level of any type of asbestos exposure. Just as with plutonium, exposure to only one microfiber of asbestos is all it takes to cause cancer. Furthermore, this has been well known for decades, since it was first discovered that asbestos is dangerous. Dr. Katz's reliance on federal, state and regional agency standards is completely untenable, because if those standards allow -any- exposure they are unacceptable. Here are a couple of sites which make clear that there is no safe level of exposure to the serpentine asbestos type (chrysotile) which is being disturbed into the air by Lennar. It is specifically noted that early speculation that serpentine asbestos (chrysotile) was less dangerous than amphibole asbestos were unfounded. Asbestos industry obfuscation has been largely responsible for the myth that there is a 'safe' dose of chrysotile (or white asbestos). Because it is so dangerous, chrysotile has already been banned by the European Community, Chile and Argentina (as reported by the United Nations Environment Programme - see first web site). http://www.btinternet.com/~ibas/ramazzini.htm http://www.bwint.org/default.asp?index=216&Language=EN peace Eric Brooks Campaign Coordinator Our City http://our-city.org 415-756-8844 -- "The past is the Textbook of Tyrants; the Future the Bible of the Free" - Herman Melville

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Re: [Sustain] Gore, Coal Mine?
by Eric Brooks 11 Jul '07

11 Jul '07

The Gore family (including Al Jr.) has been deeply involved in, and profited from, Armand Hammer's Occidental Petroleum. Al Gore Sr. ran an Occidental coal mining interest in China. See this and scores of other reports of Al Gore's covered up connections to major environmental destruction at: http://www.debatethis.org/gore/enviro/ rak0408(a)earthlink.net wrote: > Pledge #1 should be rewritten: "To demand that my country join > immediately an international treaty that cuts climate-wrecking > pollution by 90% in developed countries within three years, by at > least 75% worldwide within six years and completely worldwide within > 10 years. > > Pledge #3 should be rewritten: "To recognize that 'clean coal' is an > oxymoron and to fight for an immediate ban on the construction and > operation of industrial plants that burn coal, oil or any other > pollution-generating substance." > > There should be a pledge #8: "To demand federal legislation requiring > that companies, organizations and individuals benefiting financially > from the operation of pollution-producing plants or rolling stock > (trucks, locomotives, delivery vehicles, aircraft, vessels, etc.) > surrender all of their profits to a fund dedicated to environmental > cleanup and public health." > > Doesn't Gore's family own a coal mine in Tennessee? > > By the way, there's a Time Travelers' Convention scheduled at Moscone > Center the final weekend in April, 2005. Hope to have seen you there. > > > On Wed, 11 Jul 2007 10:20:42 -0700, Eric Brooks <brookse32(a)aim.com> > wrote: > >> Hi again all, >> >> Below is the text of the seven point pledge that Gore is asking you to >> sign. As you read it, ask yourself how you would react to it, if the CEO >> of Peabody Coal was the one who was at the microphone reading it; the >> one putting the pledge document into your hands.. Then, below the Gore >> pledge, read a recent press release from Peabody Coal (recently renamed >> Peabody Energy) which indeed quotes their CEO speaking to their vision >> for coal's future. >> >> /I PLEDGE: >> >> 1.To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next >> 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries >> and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to >> inherit a healthy earth; >> >> 2.To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing >> my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become >> "carbon neutral;" >> >> 3.To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating >> facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store >> the CO2; >> >> 4.To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, >> workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation; >> >> 5.To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy >> sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal; >> >> 6.To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and >> protecting forests; and, >> >> 7.To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to >> solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and >> prosperous world for the 21st century. >> >> /Now, the report on Peabody's vision for coal. See below or >> http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=129849&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=57… >> >> >> Peabody Energy Commits $3 Million to Clean Coal Technology Development >> >> ST. LOUIS, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continuing to advance >> development of next-generation coal-fueled technologies, Peabody Energy >> today said it has made a second $1.5 million commitment to support >> America's most sophisticated research facility for coal-fueled >> electricity. >> >> The Power Systems Development Facility in Wilsonville, Ala., is a >> national center for testing cleaner, more efficient and more >> cost-effective coal-fueled technologies for commercial use. Peabody has >> committed a total of $3 million to support facility research since 1997. >> >> "Our nation's ever-growing demand for more energy requires new and >> innovative ways to provide that energy," said Dr. Charles Goodman, >> senior vice president for research and environmental affairs at Southern >> Company, which operates the facility. "We must continue to use coal as >> an energy source, and use it more cleanly than ever before. The support >> of companies such as Peabody are key to the success of our efforts here, >> which will go a long way in securing a balance in energy production that >> our nation so badly needs." >> >> The Power Systems Development Facility began testing advanced century >> power technologies in 1996. The effort reflects a joint partnership >> between the U.S. Department of Energy and a range of energy and >> technology companies including Peabody Energy, Southern Company, the >> Electric Power Research Institute, the Kellogg Brown and Root Company, >> Foster Wheeler and Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation. >> >> A number of applications are being tested, which include a >> high-efficiency gasification system that current studies show may offer >> the most effective clean coal solutions at the lowest cost. High >> efficiency and high temperature gas cleaning devices also are among the >> technologies being assessed. >> >> The facility continues a long track record of improved emissions in the >> United States, even as coal use has increased. Reliable, abundant, >> inexpensive coal-fueled electricity has resulted in significant >> electricity use and economic growth over the last three decades. >> >> "Clean coal technologies have already allowed America to triple the >> amount of coal used for electricity generation since 1970 while reducing >> emissions," said Irl F. Engelhardt, chairman and chief executive officer >> of Peabody Energy. "Advanced coal-fueled technologies such as those >> demonstrated by the Power Systems Development Facility provide a >> continued path toward coal growth and emissions improvement." >> >> Peabody continues to support increased efficiencies at every level of >> energy production as well as enhancement of carbon sinks and development >> of technologies to sequester carbon. Peabody also is an advocate of the >> U.S. Department of Energy's "Vision 21" program, which has established a >> long-range goal of coal-fueled power plants that feature zero emissions. >> >> Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) is the world's largest coal company. Its coal >> products fuel more than 9 percent of all U.S. electricity generation and >> more than 2 percent of worldwide electricity generation. >> >> MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here >> >> http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X11034372 >> SOURCE Peabody Energy >> Web site: http: //www.peabodyenergy.com >> CONTACT: Vic Svec of Peabody Energy, +1-314-342-7798 >> >> > > > -- "The past is the Textbook of Tyrants; the Future the Bible of the Free" - Herman Melville

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[Sustain] Uncovering Gore's Seven Point Pledge (Full Text)
by Eric Brooks 11 Jul '07

11 Jul '07

Hi again all, Below is the text of the seven point pledge that Gore is asking you to sign. As you read it, ask yourself how you would react to it, if the CEO of Peabody Coal was the one who was at the microphone reading it; the one putting the pledge document into your hands.. Then, below the Gore pledge, read a recent press release from Peabody Coal (recently renamed Peabody Energy) which indeed quotes their CEO speaking to their vision for coal's future. /I PLEDGE: 1.To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth; 2.To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become "carbon neutral;" 3.To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2; 4.To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation; 5.To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal; 6.To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and, 7.To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century. /Now, the report on Peabody's vision for coal. See below or http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=129849&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=57… Peabody Energy Commits $3 Million to Clean Coal Technology Development ST. LOUIS, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continuing to advance development of next-generation coal-fueled technologies, Peabody Energy today said it has made a second $1.5 million commitment to support America's most sophisticated research facility for coal-fueled electricity. The Power Systems Development Facility in Wilsonville, Ala., is a national center for testing cleaner, more efficient and more cost-effective coal-fueled technologies for commercial use. Peabody has committed a total of $3 million to support facility research since 1997. "Our nation's ever-growing demand for more energy requires new and innovative ways to provide that energy," said Dr. Charles Goodman, senior vice president for research and environmental affairs at Southern Company, which operates the facility. "We must continue to use coal as an energy source, and use it more cleanly than ever before. The support of companies such as Peabody are key to the success of our efforts here, which will go a long way in securing a balance in energy production that our nation so badly needs." The Power Systems Development Facility began testing advanced century power technologies in 1996. The effort reflects a joint partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy and a range of energy and technology companies including Peabody Energy, Southern Company, the Electric Power Research Institute, the Kellogg Brown and Root Company, Foster Wheeler and Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation. A number of applications are being tested, which include a high-efficiency gasification system that current studies show may offer the most effective clean coal solutions at the lowest cost. High efficiency and high temperature gas cleaning devices also are among the technologies being assessed. The facility continues a long track record of improved emissions in the United States, even as coal use has increased. Reliable, abundant, inexpensive coal-fueled electricity has resulted in significant electricity use and economic growth over the last three decades. "Clean coal technologies have already allowed America to triple the amount of coal used for electricity generation since 1970 while reducing emissions," said Irl F. Engelhardt, chairman and chief executive officer of Peabody Energy. "Advanced coal-fueled technologies such as those demonstrated by the Power Systems Development Facility provide a continued path toward coal growth and emissions improvement." Peabody continues to support increased efficiencies at every level of energy production as well as enhancement of carbon sinks and development of technologies to sequester carbon. Peabody also is an advocate of the U.S. Department of Energy's "Vision 21" program, which has established a long-range goal of coal-fueled power plants that feature zero emissions. Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) is the world's largest coal company. Its coal products fuel more than 9 percent of all U.S. electricity generation and more than 2 percent of worldwide electricity generation. MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT - Click Here http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X11034372 SOURCE Peabody Energy Web site: http: //www.peabodyenergy.com CONTACT: Vic Svec of Peabody Energy, +1-314-342-7798 -- "The past is the Textbook of Tyrants; the Future the Bible of the Free" - Herman Melville

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[Sustain] Hydro Power (Especially New Dams) Emits Greenhouse Gasses!
by Eric Brooks 11 Jul '07

11 Jul '07

Hi all, Yet more proof that large hydro is not the answer. See this section of http://www.crest.org/repp_pubs/articles/envImp/03climatechange.htm "A potentially important aspect of the methane problem, about which little certain information exists, concerns large hydropower facilities. The World Commission on Dams (WCD), set up by the World Bank and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) to assess the role of dams in energy and water development, notes that oxygen-poor hydropower reservoirs can vent substantial quantities of methane, especially early in their lifetime, due to rotting vegetation beneath the waterline. ^*57 <javascript:openWindow('00notes.htm#57', 'Notes', '375', '425')>* (Well-oxygenated reservoirs emit CO2 rather than methane.) For this reason, large, shallow hydropower reservoirs that inundate large quantities of biomass may not be justifiable on the basis of contributions to the mitigation of climate change. For example, the Petit-Saut hydroelectric dam in French Guiana, which supplies power to the launch site of Europe's Ariane rocket program, submerged 365 square kilometers of tropical forest. One study reckons that during its first 20 years Petit-Saut will emit the equivalent of 66 million metric tons of CO2 - about 85% from methane and the remainder from CO2 itself - making French Guiana one of the world's largest per-capita emitters of greenhouse gases. ^*58 <javascript:openWindow('00notes.htm#58', 'Notes', '375', '425')>* While nontropical and more mature hydro-electric systems (including most U. S. facilities) have much lower emission rates, it is clear that tropical hydropower does not necessarily provide climatesafe energy, and may represent an important and poorly understood part of the climate problem.^*59 <javascript:openWindow('00notes.htm#59', 'Notes', '375', '425')> "* -- "The past is the Textbook of Tyrants; the Future the Bible of the Free" - Herman Melville

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