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State Transit Assistance Fund Eliminated In Budget Compromise
by Eric Brooks 14 Feb '09

14 Feb '09

http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/02/13/california-transit-association-armaged… Friday, February 13, 2009 No Comments <http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/02/13/california-transit-association-armaged…> California Transit Association: "Armageddon Scenario Has Arrived" by Damien Newton <http://sf.streetsblog.org/author/damien/> on February 13, 2009 469630574_a27ef14143.jpg Transit advocates around the state are trying to grapple with the new reality that the budget compromise worked out between Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Legislature completely abolishes the State Transit Assistance (STA) and the $536 million that it dedicated to subsidizing transit operations. There are multiple villains in this story, but the blackest hat is reserved for Schwarzenegger. Remember when he was out in front supporting high speed rail last November? This budget will cause major fare hikes and service reductions around the state, as Joshua Shaw, executive director of the California Transit Association, notes in a press release: We will see fare increases. We will see service cuts. We will see layoffs. I can say that with certainty simply because we've already seen those things happening even before the state apparently decided to abandon its responsibility to fund public transportation. Of course, the governor couldn't slash transit funds without the support of the Legislature. While the League of California Environmental Voters, Environmental Defense and the National Resources Defense Council placed the blame at the feet of a "radical minority" of Republicans who used the state's super-majority requirement for any budget to effectively stall democratic efforts, other transit groups blamed the Democratic majority for not holding firm on protecting the environment. "Make no mistake, Californians will breathe dirtier air, spend more time in traffic, and less time with their families as a result of a budget deal that gives zero to public transportation," said Nick Caston, the state transportation advocate for Transform. A spokeswoman for Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said the office is not commenting on the latest budget and cannot confirm any details. In the Bay Area, every transit agency is facing cutbacks and struggling with huge deficits that will deepen without the STA fund. Muni is facing a $100 million gap over the next 16 months. AC Transit announced this week <http://www2.actransit.org/news/articledetail.wu?articleid=c3b6fd56> it's considering its first fare hike in four years as it tries to close a $42 million deficit. Other agencies face similar realities. BART: $90 million. VTA: $40 million. And on. In the short term, readers should call their legislators and demand that transit funding be restored to the budget. In the long term, the environmental groups want to change the super-majority law so a small group of legislators can't hijack the entire budget process. /Bryan Goebel contributed to this story./ /Flickr photo: Anarchytecture <http://www.flickr.com/photos/anarchytecture/469630574/>/ -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." -- Che Guevara

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Israel, California, Southern California Edison sign biggest solar deal ever
by Ann Garrison 13 Feb '09

13 Feb '09

http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enDispWho=Articles% 5El2460&enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enVersion=0&en Zone=Technology&

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We won one. . . no nuke and clean coal loan guarantees in the stimulus bill.
by Ann Garrison 13 Feb '09

13 Feb '09

Believe it or not, we won one, for now. Here's from Nuclear Information and Resource Service regarding defeat of the $50 billion in taxpayer loan guarantee for nuclear power and clean coal. As NIRS Director Michael Marriott says here, they'll be back; and there's already a Senate move to redefine nuclear as "renewable," as the nuclear industry already has, but we won this one last night. Nuclear Information and Resource Service's Notes Nuclear Information and Resource Service's Notes Victory! No Nuke Loan Guarantees in Final Bill Share Today at 10:07am February 12, 2009 Dear Friends, VICTORY! YOU DID IT! Late last night, we got word that the $50 Billion in taxpayer loan guarantees for new nuclear reactors and "clean coal" plants has been stripped from the final economic stimulus bill! Your actions made a huge difference. To recap, you: *sent more than 7,600 letters to your Senators in one week *sent more than 3,000 letters to your Representatives in the House in three days *sent more than 1100 letters to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid just yesterday afternoon (unfortunately, most letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were blocked; we'll work on that problem with our Congressional database service). *made thousands of phone calls to your Senators and Representatives *brought needed attention to the issue through your blogs, letters to the editor, your Facebook and Myspace pages, and much more. The final bill should be voted on in the House later today, and in the Senate probably tomorrow. The final bill almost certainly will pass, and there will be no amendments on this final bill, so the taxpayer money for the dirty and dangerous nuclear/coal industry will stay out of the bill. Take a moment to celebrate today! But make no mistake: the nuclear industry and its Congressional backers will try again, and sooner rather than later. Two days ago, for example, they began a new push to have nuclear power declared a "renewable" energy source in Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman's (D-NM) upcoming Renewable Portfolio Standard bill, which is intended to increase renewable energy production in the U.S. (although first indications are that the bill is much weaker than it should be). This is likely to become a major issue in March. And there will be new efforts to set up a federal "clean energy bank" to finance nuclear reactors with taxpayer dollars in the coming weeks and months. In other words, we'll have to stay vigilant and active, and continue growing this movement if we are to attain the safe, clean, nuclear- free, carbon-free energy future our nation and planet needs. You have now proven your effectiveness, but we can and must do even more. President Obama's campaign was successful in large part because of the support of a constantly growing number of ordinary people, taking action and making small donations, that built into an enormous political force. We are taking the same approach: in the past three months, NIRS contact lists have grown by more than one-third--a key element of today's success. Let's continue building this movement! Please make a small donation on our secure servers so we can continue our outreach and build on this success. Your support is gratefully appreciated and every penny is used as wisely as possible. And from all of us at NIRS: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!!!! Michael Mariotte Executive Director Nuclear Information and Resource Service nirsnet(a)nirs.org

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Please Add To Announce - Meeting To Save SF 50% Clean Energy Program!
by Eric Brooks 12 Feb '09

12 Feb '09

Please add to Announce List: Meeting To Save SF 50% Clean Energy Program! Joint Meeting: Transportation & Sustainability Working Groups When: Monday, 2/16/09, 6:30PM-9:00PM Where: SFGP Office, 1028A Howard St Agenda Items - Getting Greens Onto Water Boards - Legislation To Eliminate Corporate Personhood In SF (dovetail with Campaign Finance Reform) - Important! Getting Rally/Comment Turn Out -This Month- To Save SF 50% Clean Energy Program

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Transpo/Sustain Meeting Monday 2/16
by Eric Brooks 12 Feb '09

12 Feb '09

Hi all, If no one objects, I'll go ahead and put our next joint meeting to the Announcement list for Monday, Feb 16, as decided last meeting. I'll propose and agenda soon. peace Eric B -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." – Che Guevara

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Fwd: Urgent: Contact Reid/Pelosi to stop $50B nuke bailout
by Ann Garrison 11 Feb '09

11 Feb '09

Begin forwarded message: > From: Nuclear Information and Resource Service <nirsnet(a)nirs.org> > Date: February 11, 2009 11:18:08 AM PST > To: anniegarrison(a)mac.com > Subject: Urgent: Contact Reid/Pelosi to stop $50B nuke bailout > Reply-To: nirsnet(a)nirs.org > > Nuclear Information and Resource Service > Urgent: Contact Reid/Pelosi to stop $50B nuke bailout > > February 11, 2009 > > A Senate-House conference committee is now negotiating the > differences between their economic stimulus bills. The Senate > version continues to include $50 Billion in taxpayer loan > guarantees for new nuclear reactors and "clean coal" plants. The > House version does not contain this provision. > > Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and House Speaker Nancy > Pelosi (D-CA) will play crucial roles in determining whether this > pre-emptive nuclear bailout will stay in the final bill. And, given > their positions, both are also national politicians answerable not > only to their constituents, but to all of us across the country. > > Please call Sen. Reid at 202-224-3542 and Rep. Pelosi at > 202-225-4965 and urge them to take the $50 billion for new reactors > and coal out of the bill. Your calls are essential to bring this > issue to the high and noticeable profile it merits. > > And you can e-mail Sen. Reid by clicking here, and Rep. Pelosi by > clicking here. > > Your actions are important and can make a difference. Please act > today--we don't know how long the conference negotiations may go > on; they could be wrapped up quickly. > > Thank you to the many thousands of you who already have contacted > your Senators and Representatives! But please take this one more > action to stop taxpayer support of dangerous and dirty energy > technologies. > > Please send this Alert to all your friends, colleagues, mailing > lists, etc. and please post on your blogs, Facebook and Myspace > pages, and anywhere else people will see it. > > Thanks for all you do, > > Michael Mariotte > > Executive Director > > Nuclear Information and Resource Service > > nirsnet(a)nirs.org > > www.nirs.org > > > You have received this email through your subscription to this > campaign's email list. If you did not subscribe, or would no longer > like to receive email updates unsubscribe here. >

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Fwd: Urgent: Call Rep. Waxman today to stop $50B nuke bailout
by Ann Garrison 11 Feb '09

11 Feb '09

> > The Senate has passed its economic stimulus bill. Unfortunately, it > still includes $50 Billion in loan guarantees intended for new > nuclear reactors and "clean coal" plants. > > Fortunately, the House version does not include this provision. The > Senate-House conference committee will now decide whether that > provision stays in the final bill. > > Rep. Henry Waxman of California is one of the five House members on > the conference committee. Thus his position on this issue will be > crucial. > > Please call Rep. Waxman today: 202-225-3976 and ask that he ensure > that the House position on nuclear and coal loan guarantees > prevails, and that the Senate provision be removed from the final > bill. >

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Liquified Coal
by Ann Garrison 11 Feb '09

11 Feb '09

Liquified coal, a.k.a., coal to liquid transpo fuel, CTL, produces twice the carbon emissions that gasoline produces, so, this writer says that those using it, (including the U.S. Air Force, though this writer doesn't name the world's big CTL users), will need to buy carbon off-set credits to make up for it. http://tinyurl.com/cv2n79 South Africa is way out in the lead in CTL production. The U.S. Air Force buys a great deal of it from the corporation described here, to power its operations in Africa. The Office of Surface Mining, within the Interior Department headed by Ken Salazar, has given the Peabody Coal Mine, in the native Four Corners a renewed "life of mine" lease, but there are no plans to re-open the Mojave Generation Station there, so it seems most likely that this is about the plan to have the whole U.S. Air Force running on CTL by 2011. I'm not yet sure whether they plan to run on 100% CTL or some kind of mix, but the B-1 bomber and other jet fighter bombers are running on CTL or set to. I know that printing a real letter, finding an envelope, and putting a stamp on it is an ordeal in these digital days, but, the Native American Black Mesa Water Coalition has asked us to send letters to Ken Salazar, head of the Interior Dept., asking him to cancel the renewal of Peabody Coal's life-of-mine coal mining lease at Big Mountain/Black Mesa. It seems that they're having trouble finding an e-mail address for Ken Salazar, so here's the postal address: Ken Salazar United States Secretary of the Interior Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, N.W. Washington DC 20240

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$50 billion for nuclear and clean coal passed the Senate version of Obama's economic stimulus bill
by Ann Garrison 09 Feb '09

09 Feb '09

In the economic stimulus bill. Now Nuclear Information Resource Service is asking us to lobby the House: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5502/t/4100/campaign.jsp? campaign_KEY=1057 Obama said, while pitching for this in front of the DOE last week, that we're gonna need a lot of electricity to power all these new vehicles (hybrids and electrics) that are gonna free us from dependence on foreign oil. "Energy independence" is code for clean coal and nuclear.

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Cable/Wire Free Light Rail :)
by Eric Brooks 26 Jan '09

26 Jan '09

Check this out all. A new light rail car design that doesn't require wires. http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/01/23/will-muni-ever-consider-catenary-free-… Will Muni Ever Consider Catenary-Free Light Rail? by Bryan Goebel <http://sf.streetsblog.org/author/bryan/> on January 23, 2009 It's hard not to get excited about the new urban rail technology announced this week <http://www.bombardier.com/en/transportation/sustainability/technology/primo…> by Bombardier. Could we /ever/ see something like this in San Francisco? Similar technology has been on Muni's radar but the future of light rail in the city doesn't seem to be too high on the MTA's priority list, at least, not right now. BT_4086_PRIMOVE_Energy_flow.jpgGraphics by Bombardier. According to Bombardier: The new and unique BOMBARDIER* PRIMOVE* system allows catenary-free operation of FLEXITY* trams over distances of varying lengths and in all surroundings as well as on underground lines -- just like any conventional system with overhead lines. What makes it outstanding is that the power transfer is contactless; the electric supply components are invisible and hidden under the vehicle and beneath the track. BT_4088_PRIMOVE_Pickup_Coils.jpg Tom Radulovich, the executive director of Livable City <http://www.livablecity.org/> who sits on the BART board of directors, said he suggested catenary-free light rail to Muni when he read about Alstom's catenary-free streetcars in Bordeaux <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ground_level_power_supply>. The city wanted a streetcar to run through the historic center, but didn't want the visual impact of the wires. I thought it could overcome some of the objections about extending streetcars along the waterfront, especially Marina Green -- imagine streetcars gliding along a re-fashioned Marina Boulevard on their way from the Presidio to China Basin with no wires! Radulovich points out fixing Muni's light rail system -- a fleet of 151 vehicles that carries 127,000 riders a day -- is not considered in the Transit Effectiveness Project <http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mtep/tepover.htm> (TEP). The way that Muni builds and operates our streetcars generally is quite backwards; we are one of the last in the world to use high-floor cars on the street. The Breda cars that Muni and MBTA bought may be the heaviest in the world, which means more noise, vibration, energy consumption, and track damage. Judson True, the MTA's media relations director, said the agency can't just decide it wants to replace vehicles. He said the "effective life" for many of the current vehicles ends in 2020. "We will replace our light rail vehicles as established by FTA <http://www.fta.dot.gov/> and MTC <http://www.mtc.ca.gov/> guidelines and when we do we'll definitely look at acquiring vehicles with the best available technology." SPUR says regional rail is suffering a midlife crisis <http://www.spur.org/documents/110708_article_01.shtml>. When will Muni come up with a plan to address its light rail crisis? -- "I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." -- Che Guevara

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