Thursday, July 02, 2009 - 15:51:19
Pray for Wind: Read Doug Smith's cover story in this week's Times for a report on the viability of wind energy in AR.
Another One Down: Another one bites the dust. Coal plant in Kansas told to go back to the drawing board. States all across the US are turning down coal plants. Will the Turk plant make it through?
Wednesday, July 01, 2009 - 11:50:07
It's a Gas: Sen. Mark Pryor says he wants more natural gas vehicles. Sure works out well for all those doing business in the Fayetteville Shale. Doesn't work out so well for everyone who has or will have their well water ruined, roads destroyed or streams contaminated. Thanks to Citizens' Daily Lobby for the shout out.
Photo by Damon Winter, AEP General James M. Gavin Plant
Big Offender: The Environmental Protection Agency has released a list of 44 "High Hazard Potential Units," or sites where coal combustion residues (CCRs) are stored. CCRs consist of "fly ash, bottom ash, coal slag, and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) residue. CCRs contain a broad range of metals, for example, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, lead, and mercury, but the concentrations of these are generally low. However, if not properly managed, (for example, in lined units), CCRs may cause a risk to human health and the environment and, in fact, EPA has documented cases of environmental damage."
American Electric Power, the corporation that owns SWEPCO is on the list. Eleven times! See the report and the list of sites here. Just think, if they finish the Turk plant, maybe we can be on the list too.
Uphill Battle: Getting the American Clean Energy and Security Act through the Senate will be tough. Especially with Sens. Pryor and Lincoln in the mix. I wonder if they will vote with Democrats, or side with the big energy companies on this one. You never know. Check out John Lyon's report.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 - 10:29:52
Big News: Yesterday's press conference by SWEPCO to announce the appeal of an Arkansas Court of Appeals decision to revoke the permit for the coal-fired power plant in Hempstead County is all over the news this morning. You can read my account below, but you MUST read Ernest Dumas' column that will appear in Thursday's edition of the Times. Very thoughtful, as always.
Here's a rundown of the coverage: AP, the Hope Star, Arkansas Business, GreenAR by the Day, and an incredibly slanted article from Reuters, which repeats all of Chodak's arguments and offers no quotes from opponents.
Gored: Former Vice President Al Gore responds to critics' falsehoods regarding the cost of the American Clean Energy and Security Act passed by the US House last week. Kudos again to Vic Snyder for voting for this bill.
Tips: Always feel free to email me at gerard@arktimes.com. Thanks for staying tuned.
Monday, June 29, 2009 - 15:50:47
SWEPCO reacted today to the Arkansas Court of Appeals' reversal of a permit for construction of the coal-fired Turk Plant in Hempstead County.
At a 2 p.m. news conference, the company said it would appeal the decision, not a surprise given the investment to date. They also said they would continue construction in the meanwhile. They are betting no court in Arkansas will eventually have the brass to tell SWEPCO, "too bad about that investment, but you never justified it."
SWEPCO president and COO Paul Chodak said the Arkansas Court of Appeals got it wrong. He repeated what SWEPCO has been saying since the decision came down, namely that the court's decision was based on technical, legal process and not on the need for/merits of the plant. One theme to look for as this process moves forward: those who oppose this plant are not like us. Chodak referred to the Sierra Club and Audubon Arkansas as elite groups who wanted to "clog up the system." He also took a couple of shots across the bow of the hunting clubs who have fought against the plant saying that most members of those clubs were not even from Arkansas.
Chodak also stressed all of the time and effort that has gone into the plant as of now. He said there were currently over 700 people employed to build the plant and 90 percent of the construction materials had been purchased. SWEPCO took the risk of continuing construction while the appeal was being heard. Now they're gambling even further that the Arkansas Supreme Corut will overturn this (unanimous) decision. At some point they'll have to decide how much time and money they want to throw at this plant, but for the moment, they seem completely content to do so.
A picture of the Turk Plant as of May 21, 2009
SWEPCO has been playing high-stakes gambling from the beginning by spending big money before the hearings process was complete. Critics of the plant also contend full environmental studies haven't been performed. Maybe there's time for that now.
Monday, June 29, 2009 - 10:35:02
What's Next?: SWEPCO plans a full press conference today at 2:00, at the State Chamber of Commerce building at 1200 W. Capitol. They'll discuss plans to appeal the Arkansas Court of Appeals decision to revoke the permit for the proposed plant in Hempstead County. They'll no doubt talk about all the people employed by the plant and make the case for continuing construction. However, they didn't play by the rules and should pay a price. I'll be there and report back this afternoon.
Passed: The American Clean Energy and Security Act passed the House of Representatives on Friday despite opposition from most of the Arkansas delegation (Boozman, Berry and Ross voting against). Vic Snyder had the guts to stand up for a cleaner, more energy efficient future. House Minority Leader John Boehner called the bill a "pile of shit." Paul Krugman writes today about the threat global warming deniers pose to our future.
If you watched the debate on Friday, you didn’t see people who’ve thought hard about a crucial issue, and are trying to do the right thing. What you saw, instead, were people who show no sign of being interested in the truth. They don’t like the political and policy implications of climate change, so they’ve decided not to believe in it — and they’ll grab any argument, no matter how disreputable, that feeds their denial.
A Little Humor: Call this blog what you wil, but it is hardly ever light-hearted. Here's a top ten list from Un-Natural Gas. Sometimes you gotta laugh to keep from crying.
Top Ten Reasons Why Gas Drilling Rocks
10. Creates jobs for road repair crews, EMTs, lawyers, nurses, physicians, marriage counselors, firefighters, law enforcement officers, & meth dealers & has added bonus of providing extra income for corrupt politicians
9. Drilling noise easily drowns out next-door neighbor’s kid’s garage band
8. Devastated landscape, loss of green space, & clouds of killer smog mean less hiking & biking & LOTS more time for TV
7. Eliminates hours of tedious trout fishing by “pre-killing” your catch
6. Flammable tap water livens up any party
5. Putting off the inevitable switch to renewable energy sources is the American way
4. Fulfills your California-dreamin’ fantasies by bringing earthquakes to YOUR home town
3. Makes slow & boring process of disintegration of the American community a lot more exciting by actively setting neighbor against neighbor
2. Provides important object lesson on why you should read a gas lease BEFORE you sign it
1. Helps the kids learn that money is more important than anything else
Friday, June 26, 2009 - 10:57:45
Photo courtesy of Jason Doss
Eating Local: In Arkansas, it's easy.
Shopping Local: If you could just spend $50 at 3 local businesses, it would do wonders for the local economy. Here's how it works.
Disaster: The US Supreme Court says it's okay to dump solid waste in lakes even if you know it will kill all forms of life in the lake. The case originated in Alaska, where Coeur Alaska applied for a permit to dump 4.5 million tons of mining waste into a nearby lake. The US Court of Appeals overturned the permit, but now the supreme court has overturned that decision. What does Alaska Governor Sarah Palin think about it? She said it was "great news for Alaska," and a "green light for responsible resource development." What planet do these people live on? Does this mean that solid waste from natural gas drilling could be dumped in our lakes here in AR? I've sent the question in to the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.
Last Ditch Attempt: Call your Reps to tell them to vote for the American Clean Energy and Security Act.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 13:41:05
Well, maybe not so odd afterall. Sen. Mark Pryor is teaming up with Sen. Jim "global-warming is a hoax" Inhofe to introduce a bill to increase the number of vehicles that use natty gas or propane as fuel. The bill would give tax credits to consumers and would establish a research and development program through the Department of Energy. Where are we going to get all the gas? Probably here (see post below).
Thursday, June 25, 2009 - 11:24:26
According to a survey of petroleum execs, Arkansas is the best place in the world to drill for oil and gas based on royalty rates, taxation and environmental regulations. This is not a list you want to be at the top of. Drillers said the regulatory environment in Colorado was particularly difficult, now that groups have organized to protect that state's air, water and landscape. "Operational, legal, and air quality rules and regulations are being instituted at a dizzying pace," one [executive] said. "It is hard to keep up with as an operator." The article is subscription only, so I've pasted it on the jump.
In Other News: Still reeling from the decision yesterday by the Arkansas Court of Appeals (see post below). There's lots of speculation as to what will happen next. Some think SWEPCO will fight until the end. Others think there's no way it makes sense, financially, for the utility to go through another hearing or continue construction on the plant. Initially, SWEPCO caught environmental advocacy groups asleep at the wheel, but things have changed. Audubon Arkansas and Sierra Club are watching this like hawks and are very well-prepared for another hearing, should one take place. No real word yet from SWEPCO as to how they'll proceed. We'll keep you posted.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 - 16:35:19
Sorry I haven't got this up sooner, but all of my reporting has shown up on the Arkansas Blog today.
The Arkansas Court of Appeals today overturned Public Service Commission approval of a construction permit for SWEPCO's proposed power plant in southwest Arkansas. Inadequate assessment. It ordered a new PSC hearing on environmental and other issues.
Glen Hooks of the Sierra Club says the decision is a tremendous victory for Arkansas. "The Court of Appeals stopped an incredibly dirty coal-burning power plant proposed for the Natural State. By doing so, the Court protected our environmental, public, and economic health. Coal is a risky investment in 2009--Arkansas shouldn't gamble her future on it."
UPDATE: Peter Main, a spokesperson for SWEPCO, says they are disappointed in the Court of Appeals decision and are still reviewing the ruling. Main says the ruling appears to deal with process and not whether or not the plant is the best way to serve their customers. When asked if construction would stop he said, "the plant is under construction," and would not comment any further. He also had no comment on plans to appeal the decision.
UPDATE II: Sierra Club and Audubon will hold a press conference today at 1:00 at the Sierra Club headquarters at 1308 W 2nd Street in Little Rock. Hooks says the groups will call on SWEPCO to stop construction of the plant. He also says that continuing construction is financially risky for the utility and possibly harmful to Arkansas rate-payers.
UPDATE III: Attorney General Dustin McDaniel should be on the next plane to Argentina. From Judge Josephine Linker Hart's concurring opinion:
The Office of the Attorney General acquiesced to the CECPN proceeding, thus abdicating its responsibility to protect the interests of the people of this state. The Consumer Utilities Rate Advocacy Division within the Office of the Attorney General, more commonly referred to as CURAD, was created by the General Assembly in 1981 to provide the people of Arkansas with “aggressive and effective representation in utility rate hearings and other utility-related proceedings."
Read the full decision here. Gerard Matthews has a summary on the jump, followed by some mush from the governor.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 - 08:59:16
Always: Walmart is hosting a sustainability summit in Brazil and using Twitter to drive people to the conference. Can Walmart really be sustainable, though? Check out the video above featuring the founder of Patagonia Yvon Chouinard as he discusses Walmart's possibly greener future.
But not so fast, some argue that the definition of "sustainable" should extend to how a corporation treats their employees. Jeffrey Pfeffer of Stanford University writes: "Consider the case of Wal-Mart. The company which seems very concerned about its effects on the physical environment appears much less interested in the welfare of its employees. For example, in 2005, 46 percent of Wal-Mart employees‟ children were either uninsured or on Medicaid, a state program to provide medical care to low-income people (Rosenbloom and Barbaro, 2009). The company offered health insurance to a relatively small proportion of its employees and it paid its associates so badly that many of its workers were eligible for various income supplement and social welfare programs provided by the states in which it operated."
Greenwashing: Speaking of shopping, a report in the Guardian says that 98 percent of "environmentally friendly" products in US supermarkets aren't so. Companies that claim to be eco-friendly are supposed to follow guidelines set by the Federal Trade Commission, but they don't.
Grassroots: Researchers at Arkansas State University say switchgrass can be grown to protect local water supplies and enrich soil. Check out the article in Arkansas Business.
To-Do: Meet fellow canoeing enthusiasts near you! Join the Central Arkansas Canoe Club tonight at 7 p.m. at the Oyster Bar in Little Rock. See GreenAR by the Day for more info.
Cuts: Chesapeake has cut 50 jobs at its corporate headquarters in Oklahoma City.
Monday, June 22, 2009 - 09:17:33
Green Jobs?: Nah, we'll take the coal, please - despite all the evidence showing it's a bad idea. A Center for American Progress report shows that Arkansas "could see a net increase of about $1.3 billion in investment revenue and 18,000 jobs based on its share of a total of $150 billion in clean-energy investments annually across the country. This is even after assuming a reduction in fossil fuel spending equivalent to the increase in clean energy investments."
Who Dunnit?: Was it frack water that killed 19 cows in Louisiana earlier this year? We'll probably never find out.
CAT Out of the Bag: Central Arkansas Transit is considering buying buses that run on compressed natural gas, even though the fuel is more expensive, there's no infrastructure in place and buses cost $50,000 more. Scott Miller also weighs in at Argenta News.
Take Action: Tell Mike Ross to support the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES). There will be a conference call tomorrow at 7:30 7:00 p.m. with the congressman and you can dial in. Visit GreenAR by the Day, for more info.
Thursday, June 18, 2009 - 11:57:05
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
An Arkansas Congressman at a Saskatoon Conference: Robbie Wills is headed to Canada for an Energy Council conference. Just don't come back all Canadian, okay? Read Wills' blog for more.
A Quaking Model: The Log Cabin reports on the recent spat of earthquakes in Cleburne, Texas. "That's the town used as a model and information source by leaders in the Conway area when the natural gas activity began, that thing many call the Fayetteville Shale Play." What does it mean for Arkansas? Read on.
Rally Round: A clean energy and green jobs rally will be held in Little Rock on Friday in support of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. Green advocates will also rally in Hot Springs today. Time: 11 a.m. Place: the Little Rock office of US Congressman Vic Snyder.
Green Tweets: 75 environmentalists to follow on Twitter (via Mashable)
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 - 10:22:17
A Small Victory: The Arkansas Public Service Commission did what it should have and ruled in favor of letting the Sierra Club and Audubon Arkansas have a place at the table when it comes to talk about energy rate hikes. PSC staff and SWEPCO were trying to keep the groups at bay. The PSC did rule, however, that a citizen's advocacy group organized by the two organizations could not intervene in the proceedings. Go to GreenAR by the Day for more. AR Business also had an item about the ruling.
One quick thing to point out is that the PSC did offer one condition to the environmental groups' participation - that they could not revisit the economic viability of the Turk Plant. Now, it seems to me that if you're about to take up a $50 million rate increase, based partly on construction costs of an already irrelevant plant, that an evaluation of the economic viability of that plant is not only pertinent, but essential.
Hot Shit: It turns out that we might be able to produce energy by burning chicken excrement. Wouldn't that be nice? From Green Inc.: "A growing number of environmentally-minded poultry farmers in the United States, Canada and Australia are looking to peck away at their greenhouse gas emissions by transforming chicken dung into biochar fertilizer, as well as biogas and a form of bio-oil that can be used to run farm operations."
At Odds: As always, rural Democrats are gonna be at odds with a Democratic administration on some issues - usually guns. Roby Brock talks about how this is playing out in terms of energy policy, especially as it relates to Congressman Mike Ross.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 - 09:42:31
Bleak: A report released today by the Obama administration, "Global Climate Change Impacts in the US," outlines a worst-case scenario of what could happen if Americans don't act to curb climate change. For example: "floods in lower Manhattan; a quadrupling of heat waves deaths in Chicago; withering on the vineyards of California; the disappearance of wildflowers from the slopes of the Rockies; and the extinction of Alaska's wild polar bears in the next 75 years." It's part of a larger strategy to win support for Obama's climate change agenda and to boost support for a bill making its way through Congress.
Target: We hardly knew ye. I don't know about you guys, but I love me some Target. As far as big-box stores go, they seem to be a little less evil, or do they? The state of California is accusing the company of routinely dumping hazardous waste from its stores and distribution centers into landfills.
Trash Transition: Will the digital switch create an e-waste nightmare? The NYT takes a look. "U.S. EPA estimates that there were almost 100 million old televisions in storage across the United States at the end of 2007. Though the nation is not likely to see a massive rush of old TVs inundating landfills or recyclers immediately, the volume of waste is expected to increase substantially over the next few years as consumers turn to newer, HD-ready sets and demand for older models declines."
Monday, June 15, 2009 - 13:59:25
Natty Gas: Blanche Lincoln loves it.
Playing Defense: McClendon defends fat pay package.
Quake II: Is drilling the cause of quakes in Texas?
Save First: One of the best ways to cut down on energy use and carbon emissions is to simply use less. How novel? With all the govt. subsidies and talk about renewables, it's easy to forget that sometimes the simplest answer is the best one.
Getting Closer: US Senate ready to put finishing touches on energy bill, then fight it out like ol' gents.
Thursday, June 11, 2009 - 09:39:41
Recycle This: The recycling program put together for this year's Riverfest music festival seems to have been a glowing success. Festival-goers were incentivized to recycle with free T-shirts. Roby Brock at Talk Business has an excellent video about the program here. The program saved 10 tons of recyclables from going into a landfill. Organizers say the effort proves recycling can be cost-effective.
Brockovich is Back: Erin Brockovich is leading a team of investigators in Texas to find out how chromium-6 (the same substance she found in Hinckley, CA) made its way into the water supply of Midland, TX. The suspected source? Schlumberger, and oil and gas drilling services company. The company denies any connection, naturally.
Give Me My Money Back: An Ontario teachers group with significant holdings in Chesapeake Energy is suing the company over what they believe to be an excessive compensation package for CEO Aubrey McClendon. "This is one of the few cases going forward with a lawsuit, said Nadine Côté, author of Executive Compensation: A Director’s Guide. “As shareholders bring these cases forward and start to achieve success this may be the way (excessive pay) will come to an end,” she added. More from the Financial Post.
In Case You Missed It: Check out my account of what happened at yesterday's Public Service Commission hearing over whether or not to allow Sierra Club, Audubon Arkansas and a citizen advocacy group to intervene in rate case hearings at the PSC. It looks like a ruling will be issued by the end of the week. It's hard to tell from the hearing yesterday which way the commissioners are leaning. The petitioners have definitely made their case. The AG's office has withdrawn their objection to the intervention. Consumer and environmental groups are allowed to intervene in similar hearings in other states. The PSC staff seems to think that citizens should not be able to organize into groups and participate in proceedings of this nature.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 16:48:44
The Arkansas Public Service Commission held a hearing today to decide whether the Sierra Club, Audubon Arkansas and Citizens Advancing Reasonable Rates (or CARR) will be able to intervene in future rate cases that come before the commission. Currently, private individuals and companies like Walmart can participate in such cases. Today, the aforementioned advocacy groups tried to make the case that their interests would not be adequately represented by PSC staff or the attorney general's office. The AG usually intervenes on behalf of the citizens of Arkansas.
Attorneys for SWEPCO and the PSC staff argued against the inclusion of the Sierra Club, Audubon and CARR, saying the public already has a chance to participate in such cases by submitting comments and such. I don't know but it seems to me that they're argument contradicts any social studies book I ever learned from in school. People form groups to represent their interests, because the average Joe, beside having to work every day from 8-5, doesn't have enough time to research every issue or hire a lawyer to testify before the PSC. It simply seems like an effort to keep more informed input out of the process. Consumer and environmental groups are allowed to participate in similar rate cases in other states.
Attorneys for SWEPCO and the PSC staff also tried to make the case that the true intention of the groups was not to participate in rate-making cases but to re-evaluate the need for the Turk plant in the first place. The advocacy groups argued that re-evaluating the economic viability of the plant and taking into account the on-going construction cost is relevant to setting rates. Representatives from the attorney general's office seemed to agree. The AG's office has withdrawn their earlier objection to the groups' intervention.
The commission did not make a ruling today. The groups petitioning to intervene hope to get a ruling in the very near future.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 - 10:53:59
Behind Closed Doors: The Arkansas Public Service Commission will meet today to decide whether citizen and environmental groups are allowed to investigate whether SWEPCO's recent proposed rate increase of over $50 million per year is justified. Walmart can. We can't. Be sure to check out this post from Eddy Moore at GreenAR by the Day. The hearing will be today at 1:30 at the PSC headquarters, 1000 Center Street, Little Rock, AR 72201.
Pickens Plan: Natural gas is the way to go. Who cares if its extraction is tearing up the beautiful landscape of the state and ruining our drinking water. Pickens spoke at the Clinton School last night. AB has more.
Quake: A fifth earthquake in Cleburne, Texas, has prompted city officials to hire a geologist. Some suspect the rash of quakes are the result of natural gas drilling in the area.
To and Fro: Sen. Casey's comments FOR legislation that would repeal a Bush administration loophole created for the natural gas industry and would require them to disclose the chemicals used in the hydraulic fracturing process. Wall Street takes the opposing view.
Science and Accountability: are back!
Tuesday, June 09, 2009 - 15:26:48
It's not a repudiation of the entire process but it's a step. A bill to allow the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate hydraulic fracturing, a process where by millions of gallons of water - mixed with sand and other chemicals - are shot into the ground in order to bring up natural gas, was introduced today. Currently it's up to states to regulate hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and some states do a better job than others. Few states, if any - and especially not Arkansas, require gas companies to disclose exactly what chemicals are used in the process. It's suspected that drinking frack water is what killed 19 cows in Louisiana recently. Treating illnesses or emergency health problems due to exposure to frack water is complicated by the secrecy of the formula as well - health professionals don't know what they're dealing with. For more details on the process, check out the Natural Resources Defense Council report Drilling Down. For more info on the bill, check out Amy Mall's blog, Switchboard.
Here's some more resources: For history, fact sheets and all kinds of info, check out EarthWorks, and the Oil and Gas Accountability Project.
Read the House bill, introduced by Diana Degette, D-CO and others.
Read the Senate version, introduced by Sen. Bob Casey, D-PA
Tuesday, June 09, 2009 - 12:48:38
Doomed?: Attorneys for a hunting club based near the Turk power plant site in Hempstead County are arguing that ADEQ issued the permit for the plant based on flawed data. An attorney for SWEPCO fought back saying the coal plant would be the cleanest in the country. But cleaner than what? The fact that the plant is already under construction while an appeal is pending shows you how state regulators think about this issue. Check out KUAR for more. Check out this report for the facts on the Turk plant.
Drown Your Sorrows: Coal plants got you down? Drink the pain away at Little Rock Green Drinks tonight at Star Bar. I shouldn't be so cynical. There'll be lots of good people to mingle with, I'm sure.
Screwed: The governing board of the planned community of Fairfield Bay banned gas drilling in 2006 for fear of what it migh do to their land. Now, they're re-thinking the deal. Chesapeake has offered them $1.5 million plus a 2 percent royalty to drill on 4,600 acres. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't two percent paltry? I think when Chesapeake signed a lease with Arkansas Game and Fish, the royalty was 20 percent. I don't think the people of Fairfield Bay have any idea what's coming to them. Here's a link. Scroll down to the item posted on May 19. KTHV has some video.
Pickens at Clinton School: An addiction to natural gas is better than an addiction to foreign oil. Or is it? I'm confused. Pickens will present his plan tonight at the Great Hall of the William J. Clinton Presidential Center. Lecture begins at 6 p.m.
Waka Waka Waka: Wakarusa recap and some beautiful pics here.
 |
  |
| © 2004 - 07 Arkansas Times. All Rights Reserved. |  |
