Senate panel delays utility emission meeting till Oct
USA: September 20, 2001
 
WASHINGTON - The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee yesterday
rescheduled a key meeting to consider changes to Clean Air Act regulations on
power plant emissions for Oct. 4-5.
 

The so-called "stakeholder meeting" for environmental groups, lawmakers and
utility industry executives will consider changes to multi-pollutant
legislation that could change the amount of emissions power plants are
allowed to release.
The invitation-only meetings, originally scheduled for Sept. 11-12, were
canceled after attacks in Washington and New York.

Senator Jim Jeffords, an independent from Vermont who chairs the committee,
has introduced a bill with Democrat Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut that
would cut power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury
and carbon dioxide.

That bill differs from a Bush administration proposal that would exclude
carbon dioxide emissions.

The Environmental Protection Agency is currently circulating a proposal for
phasing in cuts in sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and mercury emitted by
power plants from 2008 through 2012.

REUTERS NEWS SERVICE 

Dean touts clean energy
September 19, 2001

By DAVID GRAM The Associated Press

BURLINGTON — Gov. Howard Dean said Tuesday that Vermont can meet electricity
demand for the next decade through a combination of renewable energy,
efficiency and use of small power plants.

“We now believe it's possible to meet all the energy growth of the state
essentially using renewable energy and efficiency and relying less on large
fossil-fuel plants,” the governor told a news conference.

Dean said Vermont is the fifth most expensive state in the nation in terms of
electric rates, but 22nd most expensive in terms of a typical household's
electric bill. He said that's a result of strong conservation measures
already in place.

He said Vermont is likely to face two big holes in its existing power supply
portfolio in the next decade: The license for the Vermont Yankee nuclear
plant, from which Vermont gets about a third of its power, is due to expire
in 2012. Vermont utilities' contract to get another third of the state's
power from Hydro-Quebec phases out later in the next decade.

But Dean said Vermont's power supplies appear to be adequate until then,
providing some small, renewable sources like wind turbines and solar power
systems are installed and that the state's push for efficiency continues.

Dean said he would devote $750,000 from a settlement the state received from
the oil industry for past overcharges to help with the effort; he said the
state most likely would use the money to pay for rebates for solar and wind
systems.

Dean and Christine Salembier, commissioner of the Department of Public
Service, added that they would encourage development of small power systems
that produce both heat and electricity for specific facilities like factories
and ski areas. The governor said the state is incorporating such a system as
it builds a new prison in Springfield.

Dean's remarks Tuesday were different from statements he made six months ago.
In March, Dean said Vermont needed to begin planning for a major new power
plant and that such a plant might burn coal. He later backed off those
remarks, saying then and again Tuesday that his call for a coal-fired power
plant was merely to focus the state's attention on energy issues.

The governor said he was encouraged to consider efficiency as a bigger slice
of Vermont's energy pie by the first-year performance of Efficiency Vermont,
a statewide “efficiency utility” set up to take over energy conservation
programs previously run by individual utilities, which had been lagging.

In its first year, Salembier said, Efficiency Vermont had saved Vermonters
$17.7 million on their electric bills, trimming demand by enough power to
supply 3,000 homes. She said the savings in greenhouse gas emissions equaled
those that would have been achieved by taking 2,100 cars off the road.

______________________________________________________
UPCOMING JOINT FAITH MEETING
Information for those living in the DC area:
Sunday 7 October 2001, 2:30-5pm
15th Joint Faith Meeting on the Environment
Perry Auditorium - Washington National Cathedral
Wisconsin and Massachusetts Avenues, Washington DC
info:  beverlymeeker@aol.com,  202 966 8041

Animal Blessings/Animal Ethics
Science challenges Religion on the Animal-Human Hierarchy
by cracking the Human Genome Code

Blessing of the animals.  It's the season!  What do religions tell us about
the
human-animal relationship?  Are animals also created in the image of God?
Do they have souls?  What about:  "Dominion" over animals?  Animal sacrifice?
Sacred animals?  Reincarnation into animals?  Boundaries between animals and
us?
How might we rethink animal ethics in the light of recent scientific research:
comparative genomics, stem cell research, cloning, cross species gene
splicing?

2:00-2:30   Booths, Coffee & Dessert
Browsing booths on animals in diverse faiths, animal ethics, comparative
genomics.
You may bring to share:  papers on your congregation's environmental work, and
also, light finger food to share.

2:30-5:00   Program
1)  Sharing news of your environmental activities
        1-minute open mike to explain projects of your religious community
2)  Speakers and audience discussion

Dr Mark Adams  Science & Animals:
Comparing human and animal gene codes, similarities and differences
Vice President for Genome Programs, Celera Genomics Corporation
Editor:  Automated DNA Sequencing and Analysis

Dr Paul Waldau  Religion & Animals:
Rethinking animal ethics since cracking the human genome code
Professor, Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine;  Lecturer, Harvard Law School
Author:  The Specter of Speciesism:  Buddhist and Christian Views of Animals

5:00-5:30   Book Signing & Booths
Book signing.  Browsing booths.  Coffee and dessert.

____________________________________________________________________
The JFM offers an opportunity for people of all faiths in the Washington area
to
network on subjects related to the environment and to hear experts on
specific issues.
It is sponsored by the Environment Committee of the Peace Commission of the
Episcopal
Diocese of Washington.  For further information, please contact: 
beverlymeeker@aol.com
(202 966 8041).  The meeting is free.  Donations are welcome.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has
not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making
such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of
environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and
social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any
such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this
site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior
interest in receiving the included information for research and educational
purposes. For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your
own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner.

Return to News Home

Return to Climate Change Campaign Home