while on his visit to the Wethersfield Wind Project
7/31/2008
Renewable Energy Tax Credit Legislation Voted Down in U.S. Senate
| A bill introduced by Senate Tax Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) containing a one-year renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) extension and a small wind turbine investment tax credit has failed to move past a Cloture Vote in the U.S. Senate once again. |
East Coast Gas Rush?
| On Wednesday, July 23, Gov. David A. Paterson signed a bill that permits additional natural gas wells and drilling activity in New York State and allows for new and under-researched methods. The Environmental Conservation Law had previously established requirements for a spacing unit (the area of land from which a well recovers oil or gas) and set back measurements (the distance between the well and the boundaries of the spacing unit), but Paterson's pen changed that: the legislation passed Wednesday reduces required well spacing from 640 acres per well to 25. This change is significant, and potentially devastating to the Finger Lakes region, as the Southern Tier of New York has been discovered as the Mother Lode of Marcellus Shale, a rock layer that some geologists predict could meet the nation's natural gas needs for more than two years. Three companies in the natural gas industry have submitted drilling applications for gas wells in Chenango, Tioga, and Chemung Counties in New York. On his Web site, the Governor claimed that "natural gas exploration has the potential to increase domestic supplies of natural gas, create jobs, expand the tax base and benefit the upstate economy." But because of New York's geological formation and the techniques required to reach the desired resources, Paterson's decision has created anger among locals who understand the potential consequences. What is Marcellus Shale, exactly? It is a Devonian-age black, low density, carbonaceous (organic-rich) shale that occurs beneath much of New York, Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Marcellus Shale is said to have "favorable mineralogy" in that it is a lower-density rock with more porosity, which means it may be filled with more free gas. In its 2002 Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Appalachian Basin Province, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) calculated that the Marcellus Shale contained an estimated undiscovered resource of about 1.9 trillion cubic feet of gas. (Click to read entire article) |
Testing the Torqeedo Electric Outboard Motor
After seeing the Torqeedo electric motor last fall at the Cottage Life Show, I wanted to try one to see if it had the guts to move a boat at a reasonable speed. Tim of Green Boat Supply said earlier ""This is not water-skiing speed, obviously. But you’ll cruise along at a respectable clip and enjoy your surroundings so much more. Many people aren’t looking for a faster, noisier boat ride." which pretty much nailed it. The design is absolutely lovely an... |
The Tata Nano: World's Cheapest (Electric) Car?
 So it looks like the world's cheapest car (the Tata Nano) could soon be the world's cheapest electric car as well.The price of the Nano is just above $2,500 and Tata's chairman Ratan Tata says he expects demand to exceed supply. Tata's plant in the city of Singur in the state of West Bengal will eventually have the capacity to make 350,000 Nanos a year. Tata Motors plans to make a second generation of its four-passenger Nano with a diesel engine. But initially, it will have a gasoline engine capable of 50 miles to the gallon. But the interesting news out of Mr. Tata's talk to shareholders at the annual general meeting last week was that the company is competing for an Eco car in Thailand and looking at other ways to make even more fuel-efficient versions of the Nano. (Click to read entire article) |
The People versus the State of New York
| D-Day is here for the mother of all taxpayer lawsuits. We’ve been working towards this moment since April. The hard work has paid off. We are ready to file suit against the State for billions of dollars in illegal subsidies to private corporations. The timing could not be better–the governor just announced that he needs to cut more than one billion from the state budget. On Monday, August 4th, at 12 noon in Niagara Square in downtown Buffalo, we will release the complaint to the press. On Tuesday, August 5th, at noon, in front of the state capitol in Albany, we will announce the filing of the lawsuit that very day in State Supreme Court, Albany County. This will be the shot heard around the state. For more information about this lawsuit, contact me. Please stay tuned to my blog for all news about this case. http://blog.jimostrowski.com/ Thanks. Jim Ostrowski jameso@apollo3.com (716) 435-8918 |
7/30/2008
Paterson’s plan
| Here’s Gov. David Paterson’s budget plan in a nutshell: To save $630 million, Paterson is ordering a 7 percent state agency cut, on top of the 3.35 cut he’s already enacted in the budget. Then he’s calling for an “immediate hard hiring freeze,” with all hires needing Division of Budget Approval. Then when the Legislature comes back, he’ll be looking for $1.2 billion in savings, including $600 million tht will require legislative approval (that’s where the fight will likely occur since he could be talking about school aid and Medicaid cuts) During the Aug. 19 special session, Paterson will call for the property tax cap, which he’s dubbing Help for Working Familes (I wonder how the Working Families Party which opposes a straight out cap, feels about that) He’s also calling for more home heating aid and “public private” partnerships for capital needs but they are precluding the outright sale of assets. Not off the table, though are cuts to school aid. Here’s a link to the budget projections. |
7/29/2008
New York State Should Enact a Natural Gas Depletion Tax
| The newly discovered natural gas reserves in the deep layer of rock of the Marcellus Shale, which lies under the Southern Tier, are potentially worth more than $70 billion. On Wednesday, Gov. David Paterson signed a bill making it easier for companies to drill for natural gas. Unfortunately, he didn't sign a bill to make it easier for the public to benefit from this drilling. Unlike the majority of states, New York lacks a natural resource depletion or severance tax. Thus, soaring gas prices and dramatically expanded recoverable reserves will do little to replenish shrinking public budgets. If New York were to impose a tax similar to that of other top natural gas producing states, public services could receive nearly $500 million in additional annual revenue. This revenue could prove critical in maintaining a high level of public services in a time of rising unemployment, soaring food and energy prices and a massive housing crisis. Many states distribute depletion tax revenue directly to local governments experiencing the associated environmental and economic costs of drilling. As more wells are drilled, increases in reports of incidents involving gas wells will follow. Last year, an accident at a nearby natural gas drilling site left dozens of homeowners in Brookfield without drinking water for days, some for months. Many houses had to be fitted with water purification systems that are costly to maintain. New York could emulate states such as Alaska, New Mexico and Wyoming and set aside a portion of those revenues in trust funds whose benefit will continue long after the natural gas disappears. New Mexico and Wyoming each draw more than $150 million in annual budget revenue from the interest earned on their funds, while Alaska pays dividends directly to its citizens. (Click to read entire article) |
BEGWS electric upgrade gets OK
| Village board members Monday unanimously approved a multimillion-dollar upgrade of the electric infrastructure owned and operated by Bath Electric Gas and Water Systems. A $7.1 million cap was established and will eventually be financed through the issuance of municipal bonds, according to Mayor David Wallace. Trustees Monday approved a resolution to adopt the capital project with the understanding BEGWS work crews would handle a share of the labor associated with the project. Matthew Benesh, director of utilities for BEGWS, said local crews would provide as much assistance as possible while also performing regular maintenance work. Village officials gave the project the go-ahead with the understanding BEGWS workers' participation would help keep overall construction costs in check. Engineers for BEGWS have warned the current electric infrastructure is vulnerable to spot failures during peak use; Village residents' electricity consumption also is likely to eventually exceed the existing capacity of the system, according to the utility. (Click to read entire article) |
7/28/2008
GM Volt Gains a Cylinder, Loses a Turbo-charger
 GM Volt to Use 1.4-Liter Gasoline Engine The GM Volt series plug-in hybrid should be able to drive about 40 miles in all-electric mode before a gasoline engine kicks in to recharge the batteries and produce electricity to move the car. Originally, that generator was supposed to be a 1-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder, but the man in charge of the development of the Volt drivetrain, Larry Nitz, has confirmed the switch to a 1.4-liter non-turbo 4-cylinder that will be E85 capable. Why Make the Change?Mr Nitz has explained that the four cylinder is less expensive and lighter because it lacks the turbocharging of the three cyli... |
Pipeline crew ‘digging in’
| Building the 77-mile natural-gas pipeline known as the Empire Connector Project is in full swing in Ontario County, with some 265 workers on the job along sections of the 33 miles the pipeline will cross in the county. The $177 million project is crossing Ontario, Yates, Schuyler, Chemung and Steuben counties, burying 24-inch-diameter pipe that will transport natural gas from Buffalo to a link-up with the New York-city area. Through Ontario County it will cross 182 properties en route from Victor to the Yates County border in the town of Seneca. All but four property owners have signed right-of-way agreements, said Julie Coppola Cox, spokeswoman for Buffalo-based National Fuel Gas Company. Reasons for the delay in reaching agreements vary, she said. They include a recent re-routing of the pipeline on a property near the Thruway and arrangements that must be made to accommodate a septic system. The entire pipeline project is on schedule, said Coppola Cox. The gas should begin flowing this November. It will serve 1 million customers. Meanwhile, some mighty powerful machines and a number of work crews have come to town to prepare the right-of-ways, dig the trenches and bury the pipe. The pipeline is being built in sections, with 80-foot-long lengths trucked up from Louisiana, said Joseph Gezik, ombudsman for the project. Each section weighs 8,000 pounds, he said, and must be strategically placed and maneuvered according to strict government guidelines. (Click to read entire article) |
Power Authority chairman steps down
| The chairman of the State Power Authority is resigning unexpectedly with two years left on his term. The departure of Frank S. McCullough Jr., coupled with the forced resignation of Roger Kelley, the authority’s chief executive officer, creates a leadership void that Gov. David A. Paterson will play a large role in filling. Kelley, like McCullough, will leave office Thursday. McCullough did not return a phone call seeking comment. McCullough is the authority’s most senior board member, having served for 11 years after his appointment by then- Gov. George E. Pataki. He’s been chairman for two years, earning $90,800 annually, and served the previous four years as vice chairman. Michael Townsend, a board member from Rochester, will succeed McCullough as interim chairman. (Click to read entire article) |
Questions surround gas-drilling waste water
| Try pouring 10 gallons of industrial waste into a 10-ounce cup, and there you have the disposal problem regulators face with the natural gas industry settling into the Twin Tiers. Once the drilling starts and millions of gallons of waste water begin flowing from thousands of wells, it will become everybody's problem, environmentalists say. Treatment plants set up in the region aren't designed to handle the volume or type of waste expected from tapping the Marcellus Shale Formation, the rich reserve of natural gas running under the Southern Tier and Catskill region, throughout Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. "It's just the sort of question people are puzzling over here," Jim Tierney, assistant commissioner for water resources with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said late last week. Sparky Delong, who operates a private treatment plant in Franklin, Pa., has an answer: Build more plants. (Click to read entire article) |
7/27/2008
Information Sheet on Natural Gas Exploration
| Advice to landowners Gas leases are legal, binding documents, i.e., contracts. When entering into a lease agreement with a gas company, have the document reviewed by an attorney experienced in mineral rights issues. Property owners generally have the right to explore and develop minerals under their property. Owners may lease the right to explore for gas to a company that has the equipment and expertise to recover or receive the gas for a period of time. The property owner may accept payment for the lease and royalties for the value of the gas. Public records, deeds, and real estate titles will indicate whether such rights have been leased, sold, or otherwise transferred. Do not accept out of hand pre‐printed leases provided by gas companies, but rather use these as a starting point for negotiations. Retain the ability to negotiate for new terms when the lease is up. There is no legal requirement forcing a landowner to sign a lease with a gas company; however, under New York State Environmental Conservation Law, compulsory integration is required when any owner in a spacing unit does not voluntarily integrate his/her interests with those of the unit operator. Compensation to compulsory integrated interests will be established by the DEC Commissioner ’s Order after a public hearing. Be aware of the different types of lease payments: bonus, rental, royalties, and shut‐in royalties. When entering into a lease, please make sure you know who you are dealing with. Verify the following: Is the company registered as an operator with the DEC? Has the company drilled any wells in New York? Does the company have any violations on record in NYS or elsewhere? How can the company and supervisor be contacted? GasDrillingInfoSheet.pdf |
State must take lead on drilling
| Natural gas burns cleaner than oil and coal. We should extract it in an environmentally responsible way and under contracts that protect our land. But, as Elmira lawyer Chris Denton said, gas company contracts are "designed to help them in every way possible and to make your life miserable." The state must provide minimum contract language requirements that protect the landowner. We also have to keep our water and air pure. However, the 2005 Energy Act exempted gas drillers from the Clean Water, Clean Air and Safe Drinking Water Acts. That is why I'm calling for an immediate moratorium on leases and drilling for natural gas. Let's look at what these land-men leases don't tell us: *what our communities will be like with a gas well every mile; *what the drilling process entails; *that these wells require millions of gallons of water; *what chemicals they're mixing in the water; *what companies will do with this water mixture after drawing it from wells; *that there is no guarantee that aquifers won't be affected; *that neither the state Department of Environment Conservation nor the federal Environmental Protection Agency is regulating these water issues; *that local road damage will be the taxpayer's problem; *that buried gas lines will run through properties; and *that leases may hurt our ability to sell our property Environmentally safe extraction can deal with these problems, but the state Legislature leaves it up to us to protect ourselves and our land. We also need to know where natural gas extraction fits into our long-term energy independence plan. Unfortunately, our representatives haven't made informed decisions that protect our interests; instead, they've decided in favor of the gas companies. As your next state senator, I will do better. Don Barber Brooktondale Barber is town of Caroline supervisor and a candidate for state Senate in the 51st District. |
Paul Emens Letter to the Editor
| The push by Pickens and others for alternative energy sources is admirable and, at the same time, frightening. Why? Because in the rush for these sources a lot of regular people are being hurt. In upstate New York we are struggling to deal with a Wild West scenario. The State mandated alternative energy and the power companies have stampeded into the countryside. They make promises that aren't kept, suborn local officials and pay pennies on the dollar through what are known as PILOT funds (payment in lieu of taxes). Often local officials who vote on turbine laws stand to gain by having turbines on their own land and devil take their neighbors. It's out of control. The State has provided no standards. Standards, such as they are, are left up to each town, village and county. Lost in the rush for cash are the poor souls who live with the issues of turbines in close proximity - noise, flicker, view, property value decline, etc. Those citizens are trying to fight back but money talks and talks loudly. Upstate New York is a rural-residential area. The 450 foot-tall turbines were never meant to be placed in areas such as that. Congress dropped the ball with ethanol (resultant higher food costs). We now face another fiasco with ill-planned alternative energy. A little planning and foresight would be in order by those in government. What a concept! Paul Emens, Chairman Citizens for Responsible Energy Development 4284 Fairview Rd Castile, New York 14427 410-991-8381 |
Ethanol carries huge costs to the environment, people
| For years, Congress has promoted corn ethanol, touting its purported environmental benefit. Mounting data now suggest these assumptions were wrong. Expanded use of food for fuel is exacerbating environmental threats, including pollution in U.S. waterways. New data out this week on the growing "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico starkly highlight this concern. Dead zones are created when large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorous run off into warm waters, spawning algae blooms. When these algae decompose, they deplete oxygen from the surrounding water below the level needed to support marine life. Now, scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Louisiana State University and Texas A&M University predict that the 2008 Gulf Dead Zone could be the largest since tracking began in 1985. They forecast that this year it could span some 8,800 square miles — about the size of New Jersey. An A&M researcher said this week their most recent measurements off the Louisiana coast support this prediction. (Click to read entire article) |
The Light Is Green, and Yellow, on Drilling
| It wasn’t the kind of bill to set metropolitan toes to tapping — a measure to extend New York State’s uniform well spacing system to allow additional gas wells and energy production, including intensive horizontal drilling. But when Gov. David A. Paterson signed a measure on Wednesday essentially ushering in a new era of energy production upstate, it was hard to be sure what mattered more, the green light or the yellow one he added. Either way, the quandary was the same: the economic rewards from thousands of new gas wells, or the risk that they could be drilled in some of the most scenic parts of the state and at the doorstep of New York City’s water supply. Sometimes big issues coalesce with people barely seeing them. That’s exactly what has happened over the past six months as an upstate land rush, important new legislation and belated environmental awareness converged at the same time over the prospects of extensive gas drilling upstate. “This new law will ensure greater efficiency in the processing of requests to permit oil and gas wells, while maintaining environmental and public health safeguards,” Mr. Paterson said in a statement. (Click to read entire article) |
Focus on cleanup efforts
| ALBANY - To help jump-start redevelopment projects across the state, Gov. David A. Paterson signed a law yesterday that reforms the state's Brownfield Cleanup Program. The legislation caps redevelopment tax credits and increases incentives for the cleanup of affected areas. While the Brownfield Cleanup Program was created in 2003 to encourage developers to rehab polluted properties, the original tax credit program was based on the amount invested instead of remediation. "We will now be able to break down barriers to economic development in struggling neighborhoods across New York," Paterson said. "Our goal should be for every former industrial site in New York State to be returned to safe and productive use." The former program provided tax credits of 10 to 22 percent of the cost of cleanup and redevelopment. Now the credits are capped at $35 million for nonmanufacturing projects, or three times the cost of cleanup, and $45 million for manufacturing projects, or six times the cost of cleanup. (Click to read entire article) |
7/20/2008
Local landowners may profit from underground gas
| "Royalties are likely to be substantially greater than upfront checks" for leasing the mineral rights, said Thomas Murphy, of the Penn State Cooperative Extension Service in Williamsport, Lycoming County. The price of natural gas leases have jumped 1,900 percent in just about two years -- from about $15 an acre in 2006 to $300 an acre in February 2008, Murphy said. The it took another big leap in March, rising from $300 to $1,500 an acre, Murphy said. "It's on a pace to reach $2,500 to $3,000 an acre in Clearfield County," Murphy said. (Click to read entire article) |
7/17/2008
CWW Media/Press Release - AG Industrial Wind Investigation
| COHOCTON WIND WATCH Seeks Wind Industry Public Accountability Cohocton Wind Watch is gratified with the decision of New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to launch a formal investigation into the business practices of First Wind/UPC Wind and Noble Environmental Power. This groundbreaking inquiry includes conduct of Public Officials and evidence of Wind Industry Anti-Competitive Practices. CWW has compiled comprehensive evidence, volumes of empirical data and a paper trail of proof that public officials, developers and their agents and leaseholders have acted collectively to defraud NYS. With this AG announcement of an active investigation, claims and allegations of the industrial wind fraud and wrongdoing will finally be scrutinized by the highest level of law enforcement. A special thanks goes to District Attorney Derek Champagne of Franklin County who profiles the very best traits of public service and enforcement of the rule of law. New York State has heard the outrage of thousands of exploited residents and scores of courageous community organizations. The diligent efforts, research, and documentation of scores of ordinary people finally bears fruit. Now this evidence will hopefully serve as the basis and proof of illegal conduct. All New Yorkers deserve judicial accountability for corruption and predatory developers. The penalties of Anti-trust transgressions are severe. As the legal system works its way through the inquiry, CWW is confident that the evidence will justify grand juries, indictments, trials and convictions. Cohocton Wind Watch supports the advancement of rational and economically beneficial alternative energy technology. First Wind/UPC Wind and Noble Environmental Power projects are not able to fulfill those standards. Industrial Wind developers want the public to believe their venture generates meaningful "Green Electricity". The use of NYSERDA public funds by wind developers places an obligation on them to prove that ample prevailing wind patterns exist at their project sites. Wind developers refuse to release the data from test towers. Implication is clear! Much of the New York State has insufficient wind for these industrial turbines to become a reliable electric generating source. More important, both companies and their dozens of corporate variants engage in a scheme of deception and duplicity. Remember the lesson of Enron's lies and criminal activity, which lead to disastrous consequences for utility ratepayers. The Industrial Wind Swindle will be exposed in court. |
Public Service Commission to audit National Grid
| Albany, New York (WSYR-TV) - The New York State Public Service Commission is looking to audit the management and operations of National Grid. The PSC says it plans to hire a third-party consultant to review how well the utility company lives up to its goals and objectives, as well as internal procedures like planning, scheduling and quality control. The PSC isn't necessarily looking for specific problems; it's in the process of auditing utility companies across the state. The results from national grid's audit are expected in late 2009. For more details, read the PSC press release. |
7/16/2008
Wind-Farm Firms Face Investigation - WSJ
| New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has opened a probe of two companies that develop and operate wind farms over allegations of improper dealings with public officials and anticompetitive behavior. Mr. Cuomo said his office has subpoenaed First Wind -- formerly UPC Wind -- and Noble Environmental Power LLC, which has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to go public this year. "The use of wind power, like all renewable energy sources, should be encouraged to help clean our air and end our reliance on fossil fuels," Mr. Cuomo said. "However, public integrity remains a top priority of my office, and if dirty tricks are used to facilitate even clean-energy projects, my office will put a stop to it." Mr. Cuomo said the investigation is looking into whether the companies improperly sought or obtained land-use agreements with citizens and public officials; whether improper benefits were given to public officials to influence their actions; and whether the companies entered into anticompetitive agreements or engaged in anticompetitive practices. The attorney general said his office has received numerous complaints about the companies from citizens, public-interest groups and local officials. First Wind, of Newton, Mass., has three operational wind farms, including one in Erie County, and 48 others in development across the country, Mr. Cuomo said. The company has wind farms in development in Steuben, Chautauqua, Genesee and Wyoming counties in New York, he said. Noble Environmental, of Essex, Conn., has three active wind farms and five in development in Allegany, Chautauqua, Clinton, Franklin and Wyoming counties in New York, Mr. Cuomo said. A First Wind spokesman didn't have a comment; a Noble Environmental spokeswoman declined to comment. |
7/15/2008
Utility merger accord sought
| ALBANY -- U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer is urging Iberdrola SA and state regulators to hammer out a settlement on the Spanish utility's $4.5 billion merger with Energy East Corp. Schumer, who has been outspoken about the potential benefits of the deal for the state's alternative energy supply, met last Friday with Garry Brown, chairman of the five-person Public Service Commission that must approve the deal. "It was a very positive meeting," Schumer said Monday in a conference call with reporters. The PSC isn't expected to vote on the deal until its August meeting at the earliest. Iberdrola and Energy East have been going through a process, much like a legal trial, in which the two companies have tried to justify the merger to an administrative law judge. (Click to read entire article) |
Some wind turbines are being sited near homes
| A consumer advice report in the July 7 News was headlined: “With new wind, solar projects, why are electric rates rising?” The Associated Press writer notes correctly that electric power from coal is still less expensive than from wind and solar. But he should have added that so is power from most other major conventional sources he mentions, and those sources provide power on demand, when it is needed, not just when the wind blows. Land-based wind turbines produce their rated output only about 20 percent of the time, and coal plants in particular simply cannot ramp up and down their fires fast enough to take advantage of that power. Also, much wind power is produced at night, when the grid has a surplus of power, and is thus largely wasted. I wish his remark about wind turbines being placed far from populated areas was true. Here we have 450-foot-tall turbines being placed 333 yards from homes, and 167 yards from property lines without compensation to those so affected. David Amsler |
ATTORNEY GENERAL CUOMO LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO WIND POWER COMPANIES’ CONDUCT ACROSS UPSTATE NEW YORK
| ATTORNEY GENERAL CUOMO LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO WIND POWER COMPANIES’ CONDUCT ACROSS UPSTATE NEW YORK Allegations of Improper Dealings with Public Officials and Anti-Competitive Practices Subpoenas Served on First Wind/UPC Wind and Noble Environmental Power, LLC ALBANY, NY (July 15, 2008) - Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo announced today the launching of an investigation into two companies developing and operating wind farms across New York state amid allegations of improper dealings with public officials and anti-competitive practices. Wind farms are clusters of large electricity-generating turbines powered by wind and connected to the electric grid. Subpoenas were served on Newton, Massachusetts-based First Wind (formerly known as UPC Wind) and Essex, Connecticut-based Noble Environmental Power, LLC. They are part of an investigation into whether companies developing wind farms improperly sought or obtained land-use agreements with citizens and public officials; whether improper benefits were given to public officials to influence their actions, and whether they entered into anti-competitive agreements or practices. In recent months, the Office of the Attorney General has received numerous complaints regarding the two companies from citizens, groups and public officials in eight counties alleging improper relations between the companies and local officials and other improper practices. “The use of wind power, like all renewable energy sources, should be encouraged to help clean our air and end our reliance on fossil fuels,” said Attorney General Cuomo. “However, public integrity remains a top priority of my office and if dirty tricks are used to facilitate even clean-energy projects, my office will put a stop to it.” The Attorney General’s subpoenas seek, among other things: All documents concerning any benefits conferred on any individual or entity in connection with wind farm activity. All agreements, easements or contracts with individuals regarding placement of wind turbines. Agreements between wind companies that may indicate anti-competitive practices. All documents pertaining to any payments or benefits received from local, state or federal agencies. First Wind has three operational wind farms and 48 others in development across the country, according to its web site. First Wind developed the Steel Winds wind farm in Erie County and has wind farms in development in Steuben, Chautauqua, Genesee and Wyoming (GenWY Wind) counties. Noble Environmental Power, LLC, has three active wind farms and five in development in Allegany, Chautauqua, Clinton, Franklin and Wyoming Counties. The investigation is being led by Assistant Attorney General Andrew Heffner of the Syracuse Regional Office under the supervision of Special Deputy Attorney General Ellen Biben, who oversees the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Bureau. Assisting in the case are Investigators Thomas Wolf, David Bruce and Andrea Burnham. |
Pa. to lease 74,000 forest acres for gas drilling
| One of Appalachia's largest landowners, Pennsylvania's state forestry agency, wants in on any windfall from drilling a potentially lucrative natural gas formation. More than 74,000 acres, or more than 115 square miles, in three north-central Pennsylvania state forests went up for bid Monday to natural gas companies that are in hot pursuit of the mostly untapped Marcellus Shale gas formation. The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources posted legal notices on Monday announcing the lease sale. The department had said earlier this year that it would allow new drilling to resume following a five-year moratorium, a decision that pleased exploration companies and angered environmental groups. (Click to read entire article) |
Officials to air gas-rush questions
| How do you tax a natural gas well installed on private property? Who pays the bill when oversized drilling equipment damages roads? Municipal officials will address these and other questions dealing with the natural gas rush in the Southern Tier at a meeting tonight in the Town of Chenango. More than 100 officials reserved spots to attend the private meeting at the Town of Chenango municipal office. Another 100 will view it at various locations over the Internet, said Rod Howe, an organizer with Cornell Cooperative Extension. "It's critical that municipal leaders learn as much as they can on this topic," said Assemblywoman Donna A. Lupardo, D-Endwell, a sponsor of the seminar. "The water and infrastructure issues alone merit their full attention." Presenters include officials from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, the state Office of Real Property Services and the New York State Farm Bureau. (Click to read entire article) |
7/12/2008
Bill could spur N.Y. natural gas boom
| ALBANY -- With the stroke of a pen, Gov. David Paterson could give a significant boost to the natural-gas boom in the Southern Tier or slow the process to better plan for the expected surge in drilling. Paterson so far isn't saying publicly what he intends to do to the bill, passed last month by the Legislature, but insiders expect him to sign it. Supporters and opponents are lining up on either side of the bill as they await Paterson's decision. The measure would streamline the permitting process for new wells and bring it up to date with new technology that allows explorers to drill horizontally as well as vertically. The new drilling technique is considered crucial as developers go after what might be the largest pool of natural gas in the country beneath a geologic formation that stretches from the Southern Tier west into Ohio and south as far as West Virginia. The largest estimate of the gas waiting to be extracted from the formation, about 500 trillion cubic feet, is two and a half times as much as the entire country uses in a year. (Click to read entire article) |
Eco-friendly hybrid trucks to come
| The future might see medium and large trucks with hybrid electric-combustion engines running on the roads, provided their production starts in a big way. According to a report in New Scientist, sales of small- to medium-size hybrid passenger cars, like the Toyota Prius, are growing fast, but hybrid technology for trucks is about a decade behind. "We are just now starting to see hybrid trucks coming into production," said Richard Parish of the Hybrid Truck Users Forum, an organisation partly supported by the US Army to develop the industry. Compared to passenger cars, trucks operate for more hours a day at lower fuel efficiency, meaning hybrid technologies could offer greater cuts in fuel use and emissions per vehicle. "Hybrid trucks have developed slowly because the complexity of hybrid vehicles is a bad fit with the way trucks are built," said Parish. (Click to read entire article) |
7/11/2008
DEC explains gas drilling regulations
| LIBERTY, NY — It was supposed to be a closed meeting with state officials and town officials only, to talk about gas drilling regulations, but when people heard about it, they crowded into the meeting room. Everybody has gas drilling on their minds lately. The meeting was hosted by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and held at the Cornell Cooperative Extension on July 1. Bradley J. Field, director of the Bureau of Resource Management and Development, was on hand to answer questions. What came across more than any other concern was that the town officials want the DEC to help them deal with the many issues that drilling raises. “I’m concerned with the open ponds at the drilling sites,” said Callicoon supervisor Linda Babicz. “We’re in a flood zone and it would make more sense to have steel collection ponds.” Babicz was referring to the on-site storage of the fluids used in drilling—each well requires about two million gallons of water, which is mixed with sand and a “recipe” of toxic materials and collected in a pond. This pool of water must then be removed and taken to a treatment plant. (Click to read the entire article) |
New, Cost Effective Solar Energy Devices from MIT
 No more solar cells covering a roof, but around the edges of a flat glass panel, as shown in the artist’s representation by NSF.MIT engineers say they’ve created a new approach to harnessing the sun’s energy that provide windows with a clear view and illuminate rooms at the same time without the need for tracking devices. According to a news release from MIT , the solar concentrator collects light at the edges, and dye molecules coated on the glass absorb sunlight and re-emits it at different wavelengths. The light is trapped within the glass and transported to solar cells along the edge, creating electricity and allowing light into the room as well. The mixture of dyes is applied to the surface of the glass and allows light to travel a much longer distance. Mapel said, that as a result, light transportation losses were significantly reduced, resulting in a “tenfold increase in the amount of power converted by the solar cells.” Marc A Baldo, leader of the work, is quoted as saying; “the focused light increases the electrical power obtained from each solar cell by a factor of over 40″. The article went on to say that because of its simplicity and ease of manufacture, the system could be implemented within three years. It could even be added to existing solar-panel systems, increasing their efficiency by 50 percent for minimal additional cost. Other researchers involved in the project are Michael Currie, Jon Mapel and Timothy Heidel, all students of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Shalom Goffri, a postdoctoral associate in MIT’s Research Labortary of Electronics. The new technology will be developed and commercialized by a new company, Covalent Solar, formed by Mapel, Currie and Goffri. |
Landowners group hires law firm
| The Apalachin Landowners Group has hired Levene Goulden & Thompson to assist with gas lease negotiations. The group is accepting new members who own property in Apalachin, South Owego, Lounsberry, Nichols, Vestal and Campville. Membership will be closed July 31. For information, call Loretta Sullivan at 625-4543 or Annette Gibson at 625-2743, or go online to www.apalachinlandowners.blogspot.com. A public meeting is planned for 6:30 p.m. July 17 at Apalachin Elementary School, 405 Pennsylvania Ave. |
Landowners group forms in Northeastern Pa.
| Susquehanna Wayne Oil and Gas Group, along with Rails-to-Trails, have agreed to combine resources to negotiate gas leases with energy companies seeking to drill in northeastern Pennsylvania. The group has roughly 340 landowners in Susquehanna and Wayne counties, and covers approximately 24,000 acres, according to a news release. |
7/09/2008
Alberta Tar Sands Go All High Tech and Futurist
| Use Blimps to Move Stuff to the Tar Sands First up is the Skyhook JHL-40 Rotorcraft. A cross between a dirigible and a helicopter, Skyhook prez Peter Jess says the patented craft will be capable of hauling 40-tonne loads up to 320 kilometres in areas without basic infrastructure such as roads. Boeing will build them for Skyhook, and says that "the blimp would be environmentally friendly because it would eliminate the need to build roads and rail lines to remote locations, where transportation can be costly, inadequate or unreliable." Right. So how are they going to get the crap out? ::Calgary Herald  Put a Dome over the Tar Sands Bucky thought he could put one over Manhattan; oil company Petro-Canada wants to put a giant inflatable dome over the tar sands. According to the Globe and Mail, Measuring 200 metres by 200 metres, and 50 metres high, the proposed "superdome" would allow work to continue even during northern Alberta's punishing winter months, when the cold grinds construction to a standstill. Petrocan is looking at whether the inflatable structure would cut transportation and construction costs by allowing more key work to be done on site, Neil Camarta, the company's vice-president of oil sands, told investors at an energy conference. "Working up north can be kind of inhospitable and looking at this kind of technology is something that we're constantly doing," said Petrocan spokesman Peter Symons. ::Globe and Mail |