energy independence

AWEA Wind Power Project Siting Workshop

Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:30 AM - Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:00 PM

With wind power development expanding and with new participants entering the wind development business, this workshop will look at the various ways wind power projects affect - and don't affect - elements of the human and natural environment.

This regionally-focused program will include presentations on emerging issues of project siting, such as bat interactions and wildlife research, wildlife survey techniques and radar concerns, and updates on siting processes.

Topics to be covered include:

* Regulations, Permits & Guidelines – from
stormwater permits to siting guidelines
* Wildlife Issues and Research Results – the latest
on today’s wildlife issues and on-going research
* Technical Issues – radar and military impacts, hunting impacts,
and other considerations
* Community Relations – how to work effectively with communities
and deal with opponents
* Transmission Siting – the Texas CREZ process and other regional transmission initiatives

What attendees will learn:

* Attendees will gain an understanding of the latest wind project
siting issues and developments
* Attendees will hear field research results on regional wildlife
issues such as bats and prairie chickens
* Attendees will learn ways to work with advocates and address

It is rare that you find me praising a Republican, but I do believe in giving credit where credit is due. Republican Governor of Indiana, Micth Daniels, is doing something that Bush has only given lip service to: working towards energy independence. As the newly elected Congressional Democrats from Indiana are working with the Democratic majority in Congress for energy independence, Governor Daniels is taking a small step on a local level.

As portrayed in a recent Current TV segment, Indiana has chosen one small town, Reynolds, Indiana, and declared it "Bio-Town" (locally called "Turd-town" for reasons that will become apparent) in an attempt to show America how local solutions can turn America energy independent.

With government help (the step Bush ignores but Daniels recognizes as critical), Reynolds is going through a three-phase transition to achieve the following goals:

* Developing homegrown, local energy production to become independent from foreign sources

* Creating a cleaner environment

* Implementing solutions to animal waste management issues

* Developing new markets for Indiana agricultural products and byproducts

The main thrust seems to be biofuels, as one might expect from an agricultural state. I want to emphasizez that biofuels are not as good as, for example, wind energy, but let's not kid ourselves. Local solutions mean local solutions, and for an agricultural state, biomass made from sewage and animal waste (hence Turd-town) and ethanol from crops are a reasonable and probably necessary way to go.

Iowa is doing good things. They beat the US Congress in approving a minimum wage increase. Freshman Congressman Dave Loebsack was one of the first of the new Congressmen to visit our troops in Iraq. And now they are progressing on an Energy Independence bill which aims to have Iowa independent of foreign oil by 2025. From Iowa State Representative Elesha Gayman's newsletter:

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE ACT

The House Commerce Committee passed House File 498, which sets a goal for Iowa to become energy independent by 2025. The bill creates an Iowa Energy Independence Office with an advisory council of persons with expertise in energy related fields to assist the office in carrying out its duties, including the following:

• Develop a comprehensive plan to achieve state independence from foreign energy sources by 2025.

• Coordinate all state funded energy related programs.

• Assist all Iowans to increase energy efficiency and use of alternative and renewable energy.

House File 438 also establishes an Iowa Power Fund administered by the Department of Economic Development in coordination with the director of the Iowa Energy Independence Office. The Iowa Power Fund will invest in alternative and renewable energy development and production, energy efficiency research and technological innovation, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently I have written about energy policy at some length, including about how Democrats are the Party with ideas on energy policy, and how clean alternative energy has many benefits for America: reducing pollution and carbon dioxide, creation of local, American jobs, and energy independence. One of my articles was seen by people at the Union of Concerned Scientists and they wrote me to agree with me and send me their statement on the issue. Here is their statement with some links to useful resources:

More States Tackle Global Warming with New and Improved Renewable Standards; Odds of Federal Action Increase

Overshadowed in last week's election was news that the state of Washington became the 21st state plus the District of Columbia to adopt a renewable electricity standard, and the second state to do so via a ballot initiative. Under the provisions of I-937 (known as the "Clean Energy Initiative"), the state's largest utilities will be required to furnish 15 percent of their electricity generation from renewable sources by 2015. In addition, the initiative requires Washington utilities to pursue low-cost energy conservation opportunities with their customers.

Washington voters have created a long-term market for clean energy technologies in their state, a significant step forward in reducing power plant production of heat-trapping gases responsible for global warming. According to a study of the initiative by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), I-937 would result in cutting 4.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually by 2025 - equivalent to taking 750,000 cars off the road.