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States sue EPA

Christine — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:07:04 +0000

The Associated Press

ATLANTA — Georgia joined a growing number of states on Thursday seeking to block the Environmental Protection Agency’s new pollution restrictions.

The complaint filed by Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens targets the EPA’s new cross-state pollution rules, which are designed to decrease smokestack emissions in 27 states that contribute to unhealthy air in other states.

Olens said federal regulators have “overstepped their authority with a heavy-handed federal takeover of the enforcement of environmental regulations.”

Seven other states have also sued over the rule, and GOP presidential contender Texas Gov. Rick Perry has used it as campaign fodder to claim that the EPA his meddling in state affairs during tough economic times.

The rule requires the 27 states to cap and regulate sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, which mostly come from coal-fired power plants. The first deadline is Jan. 1.

It’s aimed at helping to reduce smokestack pollution causing smog and soot in downwind states. For example, regulators say forcing Georgia to decrease emissions of the pollutants could help clean the air in neighboring states.

Georgia’s move comes the same day the EPA proposed easing some of the restrictions for 10 states, but Georgia wasn’t one of them.

Seven other states have filed a similar lawsuit. They are Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Christine adds: That’s their take on it, but the fact is that a Green Economy will create more jobs and better jobs while building a better world. David Roberts writes in Mother Jones:

Even as it tallies up specific jobs in specific industries, the green-jobs crew is missing a chance to confront the toxic premise that sustainability is at odds with economic growth. A country that takes on the massive task of creating a clean and efficient economy will put more people to work, create competitive industries, and ultimately make all jobs a little greener.

Green technology for lead cleanup

Christine — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 19:22:00 +0000

Soil polluted with lead has long plagued the South Prescott neighborhood of West Oakland. But cleanup is finally getting underway.

This Saturday, June 25, the community is invited to learn more about the new green technology this project will use to clean up residential properties there.

This story is a preview of Oakland Local’s upcoming series of feature stories on polluted properties in West Oakland: “Toxic Tour 2: Right Beneath Our Feet.” This package is Oakland Local’s sequel to the 2009 award-winning investigative series, Bay Area Toxic Tour.

The June 25 Community Open House will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the EPA Incident Command Post for this cleanup project: 349 Mandela Parkway, between Third and Fifth streets.

The purpose of this event is to inform residents of the South Prescott neighborhood about free lead cleanup services available to them and to answer their questions about the new cleanup technology being tried there.

New Clean Air Rules Could Create 1.5 Million Jobs: Report

MacKensie — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:03:22 +0000

Photo Courtesy: The Huffington Post

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Looming U.S. rules that power utilities face on air pollution could create nearly 1.5 million jobs over the next five years, according to a report.

Engineering, construction and pipefitting are some of the professions that could see a rise in jobs as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules push utilities to invest in new capacity and pollution controls, said the report “New Jobs – Cleaner Air”. The report was commissioned by Ceres, a coalition of environmentalists and institutional investors.

Read the full story from The Huffington Post here.

Building A Green Economy, From Jobs To Policy

MacKensie — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:54:09 +0000

Phaedra, 34, is the CEO of Green For All, which works to get people back to work through green jobs. Partnering with individuals, small businesses and cities, and the Obama Administration, the organization is working to make the green economy a central part of the economic recovery.

Phaedra got her start in the labor movement in San Jose, California, fighting for airport employees and helping to establish universal healthcare for children in Santa Clara County.

It was there that she realized that while Silicon Valley executives forged ahead, many of the people behind the scenes were falling behind. She recalls one janitor who cleaned the offices of “people who made a lot of money” sleeping in a garage with several other workers. “The glamorousness of Silicon Valley doesn’t translate to the reality,” she said.

Read the full story from The Huffington Post here.

The Jobs Project: Unemployed Coal Miners Install Solar Panels In West Virginia

MacKensie — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:37:07 +0000

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A group devoted to creating alternative energy jobs in Central Appalachia is building a first for West Virginia’s southern coalfields region this week – a set of rooftop solar panels, assembled by unemployed and underemployed coal miners and contractors.

The 40- by 15-foot solar array going up on a doctor’s office in Williamson is significant not for its size but for its location: It signals to an area long reliant on mining that there can be life beyond coal.

Via The Huffington Post. Read full story here.

San Luis Obispo County could be a green leader

Christine — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:34:33 +0000

Ken Haggard, principal architect for the San Luis Sustainability Group and Professor Emeritus, Cal Poly School of Architecture; John Ewan, owner of Pacific Energy Company; and Tom Murray, vice president of SLO Green Build and a building contractor got together to write an op-ed on how the cou nty can move forward:

San Luis Obispo County has the opportunity to become a leader in the emerging “green economy” — one of the few growing sectors of the national economy.

In a rare confluence of time, place and events, we can create new jobs for our county while assuring a better environment. However, we must plan appropriately.

Central to the new “green” economy is renewable energy development. Renewable energy has become a necessity for both the nation’s economic recovery and for national security.

California is uniquely positioned to lead the way. Our state has the renewable energy resources, existing clean energy legislation and a state government committed to achieving this shift. Many states have only one or two of these resources in place.

Local Opportunity for Water Specialists

Trish Riley — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:32:51 +0000

The Lake County Water Authority is seeking applications for more than $300,000 in stormwater grants designed to help Lake cities lessen the impact of stormwater runoff going into local lakes.Removal of pollutants — including grease, pesticides, heavy metals and animal wastes — from stormwater provides an important benefit by reducing pollution that causes excessive algae blooms and turns lakes green.

via Water Authority offers aid to fight pollution – OrlandoSentinel.com.

Going Solar in California

Christine — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 23:16:28 +0000

David Sneed produced a detailed report on solar energy for the San Luis Obispo Tribune, a sunny Central Coast location that should be ideal for solar power.

Rooftop solar panels provide energy over your head

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/12/12/1405003/rooftop-solar-panels-provide-energy.html#storylink=mirelated

In several stories, he covers

Rooftop solar panels a renewable investment for businesses
Read more: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/12/13/1405921/rooftop-solar-panels-a-renewable.html#ixzz182H5HJBJ

Feed-in tariffs used to increase use of solar get mixed reviewsRead more: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/12/13/1405904/feed-in-tariffs-increase-solar.html#ixzz182HEmW3I

Grand jury shines light on solar power

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/06/28/1196965/grand-jury-shines-light-on-solar.html#storylink=mirelated

Road to rooftop panels needs to get easier, solar advocates say
Read more: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/12/13/1405918/road-to-rooftop-panels-needs-to.html#ixzz182ICxcDU

Pismo family sees electricity bill go from $400 a month to $5 with solar panels
Read more: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2010/12/11/1404983/pismo-family-solar-panels.html#storylink=mirelated#ixzz182ILgxz9

Save some energy for the solar rebate process

Clean Energy adds jobs

Christine — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 19:05:06 +0000

Recent state policy and federal funding initiatives are driving the demand for clean energy in both the short and long term. This increased demand has created the need for many more workers trained or retrained in a variety of clean energy jobs. In response, states are utilizing funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to expand existing workforce training efforts and to create new programs that will meet the demand. “Enhancing State Clean Energy Workforce Training to Meet Demand”: http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/1011CLEANENERGYWORKFORCE.PDF; press release, http://bit.ly/fYsPNs.

More information about State Energy Sector Partnership and Training Grants is at http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20100078.htm; EnergyTraining Partnership Grants: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20091526.htm; Pathways Out of Poverty: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20100039.htm; and State Labor Market Information Improvement and Green Capacity Building Grants: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20091439.htm.

Cinema Verde Fundraiser at Urban Flats: Nov. 9

Trish Riley — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:16:25 +0000

Cinema Verde Fundraiser at the new Urban Flats – Please bring your friends and join us for this opportunity to raise funds for Cinema Verde! From 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 9, Urban Flats (115 SE 1st Avenue) will host a fundraiser for Cinema Verde. All-you-can-eat and drink wine, flatbread and spreads for your $20 donation. We will be screening trailers of some of the films that we are considering for Cinema Verde. I hope to see you there!