Green Scales

EJ in Michigan today: Coal Ash and Cleanup

Coal Ash Cleanup Concerns Lead to Meeting

So I guess there's a lot going on around Michigan this week that can be called environmental justice.

This little story just popped up over at the Lansing State Journal--apparently some locals are concerned about the effects of a coal ash cleanup plan:

Lansing City Council committee to discuss coal ash concerns

... as, I think, they should be. Here's Carol Woods' announcement of the meeting.

Check out this post I wrote a while back when there was a big accidental ash spill in Tennessee:
Fly Ash Spill in Tennessee

and, there was that one article in Scientific American saying that coal ash is more radioactive than nuclear waste.

And here's a longer article from the Center for Public Integrity about the long-term hazards of coal ash:

Coal Ash: The Hidden Story

so, I'd say this is a worthwhile meeting. Maybe we should all go.

Pine River Meetings Continue

Oh, and speaking of cleanup. There's another meeting today about the Pine River Superfund site cleanup which includes DDT wastes, fire retardants, radioactive wastes, and more.

The Citizen's Task Force page is here, and it mentions regular meetings on the third Wednesday of the month
Pine River Superfund Citizen's Task Force

John Dingell's Letter on Nuclear Power

This letter being sent out by Congressman Dingell's office was forwarded to me today. He appears to be a pretty clear cut (no pun intended) supporter of nuclear energy. What do you think? I'll be posting a lot of information in the coming days about nuclear energy as well as some other environmental justice goings-on in Michigan.

July 20, 2010

(Internal address removed for privacy)

 Dear (constituent):  

Thank you for contacting me regarding nuclear energy.  I appreciate hearing from you.   

As you may know, President Obama's fiscal year (FY) 2011 budget request included $28.4 billion, $2 billion above the FY 2010 enacted level, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).  The budget significantly expands support for new nuclear power plant construction by increasing DOE loan guarantees authority for such plans by $36 billion, for a total of $54.5 billion. The budget also includes $793 million for research and development (R&D) activities to hasten expansion and commercialization of nuclear power, renewable energy, energy efficiency technologies, and carbon capture and storage.  DOE's emboldened loan guarantee program and R&D investments will encourage new nuclear facilities that create jobs and advance us along a path towards a diverse energy portfolio and energy independence. On July 15, 2010, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water marked up the draft FY 2011 energy and water funding bill. The draft bill includes $50 billion in new DOE loan guarantees authority, split evenly between renewable energy systems, efficient end-use energy technology projects, and nuclear power facilities.As you may know, on March 24, 2010, with my support, the House passed H.R. 4899, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010.  The Senate passed its version of the bill on May 27, 2010 by a vote of 67 to 28; differences between the two versions must now be worked out in conference.  Among other things, the legislation authorizes $90 million in supplemental 2010 appropriations for DOE nuclear energy loan guarantees, which will result in $9 billion in nuclear energy loans.  DOE Secretary Steven Chu has said that this additional loan guarantees authority will allow DOE to approve three large projects before the current fiscal year ends on September 30, 2010.     

       I believe that nuclear power has the potential to be a key part of the solution to America's energy problems, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on foreign oil.  That is why I introduced the Nuclear and Advanced Technology Amendment in H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES).  This amendment addresses inadequate nuclear and advanced technology funding by making key reforms to existing federal loan guarantee programs and creating a new Clean Energy Deployment Administration at the Department of Energy.  H.R. 2454 passed the House on June 26, 2009 and currently awaits consideration by the Senate. 

Several nuclear energy programs in Michigan have received funding over the past few years.  Most recently, DOE awarded Michigan State University (MSU) $550 million to establish a Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) that will advance research and understanding of rare nuclear isotopes.  This selection will bring an estimated $1 billion dollar increase in economic activity and hundreds of much needed new jobs to Michigan.  While Michigan has always known that our universities are leaders in their field, this decision shows the DOE also recognizes MSU's strong record in nuclear physics.

The federal government has also invested in nuclear engineering education in Michigan. In H.R. 3288, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010, I helped secure $200,000 in federal funding for Monroe County Community College (MCCC) to implement on its campus a Nuclear Engineering Technology Program.  Michigan has nearly 700,000 displaced workers looking for a fresh start and training in a new and growing industry.  It is my hope that the funding through the U.S. Department of Education will help encourage displaced workers and students to pursue a career in nuclear engineering.  This is especially critical as the Nuclear Energy Institute estimates that 30 percent of the nuclear energy workforce will be retiring in the next five years.  MCCC has also partnered with DTE Energy in an internship program to provide students with the skills and equipment necessary to succeed after graduation.  This workforce development will be crucial in order to support DTE's plans for construction of Fermi 3, the first nuclear plant planned for construction in the U.S. in three decades, near Newport, Michigan.

Addressing climate change and reducing America's dependence on foreign oil are some of my top priorities in Congress.  As Chairman Emeritus of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, I work closely on legislation that addresses America's energy crisis. Michigan has the resources and workforce to bring the U.S. to the forefront of clean energy innovation; rest assured, I will continue to support investments in new energy technologies in our state.  Again, thank you for being in touch.  For news on current federal legislative issues, please visit my website at www.house.gov/dingell; you can also sign up there to receive my e-newsletter.  In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me again if I may be of assistance with this or any other matter of concern. With every good wish,                                                                             Sincerely yours,

                                                                                                    John D. Dingell
                                                                                                    Member of Congress
 

Stand for the Land and mining in Northern Michigan

On June 3, I attended the Stand for the Land rally at Michigan's capitol building in Lansing.

The basics of the story are that Rio Tinto wants to do some sulfide mining on land that includes a place called Eagle Rock, which is religiously and culturally important to Michigan's Anishinaabe Indians as well as non-native locals in the area.

A group of Upper Peninsula residents came to Lansing and staged this rally--one they classified as an environmental justice effort-- to oppose the Eagle Mine project projected to occur on the Yellow Dog Plains in Marquette County.

They had a number of complaints that they aired, including that the plan would desecrate a sacred site, that it did not adhere to previously agreed-upon treaty rights, and that the community was not engaged in the decision making about this mining site.

What I found interesting was that the presentations on the capitol steps were largely inclusive; one tribal spokesperson noted that the treaty made many years ago between the Anishinaabe and the US government was an agreement made by both sides--and that non-native Michiganders should be as offended at the breaking of promises as many natives were. 

Here is one of many websites organized by the community around the yellow dog plains; it journals their efforts to stop the mining project: http://yellowdogsummer.wordpress.com/

There's also a local watershed protection group that is involved in the campaign: http://www.yellowdogwatershed.org/blog/

And just one more, a broader UP protection group: http://www.savethewildup.org/

Rio Tinto does promise jobs and industry, and lays claim to the resources (copper and nickel) that they have identified there. Here's one document from the company:

Rio Tinto's Finds in the Eagle East Project

.

Here, Rio Tinto calls MDEQ's approval of their mining plan an environmental success

By coincidence the project chair for this mining effort is named Jon Cherry. 

Green Scales will keep an eye on this project-- look for video clips from the capitol rally soon!

Environmental Justice updates in Lansing

My apologies for the long break in posts. I wanted to update readers, though, on some events of interest coming up in the Lansing area in the next few days.

On June 3, the Stand for the Land coalition will be coming to Lansing for a protest at the state capitol.  The group is protesting a large mining operation that they say would desecrate culturally important land as well as pose an environmental risk to local waters.

You can visit the Stand for the Land website here.You can also read about the goings-on in the UP here: at the Save the Wild UP site. Their schedule for the day is below.

     June 3rd

       11:00 am  Meet on Capitol Lawn

       11:30 am  Reading of the Environmental Justice Petition

                       Reading a Tribal Rights Statement

                       Eagle Rock - sung by Drew Nelson

                       Other Voices Joining In
                        Rachel & Dominic Davis, Jen Sygit, and Sam Corbin

         1:00 pm  Deliver the petitions and Tribal Rights Statement to the
                       Governor's office

         3:00 pm  Walk to Natural Resources Commission Meeting - 333 E.
                       Michigan Ave - Lansing Center

GreenScales will cover this event-- look for more news soon!

Update on Michigan House decisions on Coal, December 17

Below is the text of an email I received about legislation going through this evening. This is copied content--I have not edited. Looks like things are happening pretty quickly, though if you read this blog you may already know this. What do you think of this?  I will add my commentary here shortly...

Some Michigan politicians seem DETERMINED to make it to Jon Stewart’s Daily Show as topping the “stupid” chart.  Newest trick – Senators today voted 21-15 to try to PROHIBIT our DEQ from turning down air permits for coal plants even if it was determined they were not needed for the electricity, or that there were in fact BETTER and cheaper alternatives to meet the need.  YES!  Let us wrap that anchor around the state of Michigan’s economy a few more times for good measure before dropping us as a whole into the deepest part of Lake Superior!

 
An amended version of House Bill 5220 which would do this also tie-bars two outrageous bills that would make certain that Michigan would never be allowed to protect anything in our environment any better than the worst federal standards, was passed fast by the Senate this morning.  As the legislature moves to close down this lackluster year, the Senate is looking to undo Governor Granholm’s bold Executive Director 2009-2 regarding feasible and prudent alternative consideration before coal plants can be considered for air permits.  At the same time, they seem determined to send us back to the dark ages –  Stop enforcing groundwater laws! Gut the CAFO regulations!  The heck with mercury emissions!  New Senate Motto for Michigan: We Strive to Be # 50 When it comes to Clean Air, Clean Water and Public Health!
 
Mainly, this Senate bill seems bound and determined to assure that Michigan electric ratepayers will get left holding the bag on dinosaur coal plants as the rest of the US and the world moves forward with clean energy!  In fact, an article about WE Energies, which services the western half of the UP, points out again that they are looking for 33% increase in electric rates to pay for coal plants in Wisconsin.  If the Consumers Energy and Wolverine plant proposals currently before the DEQ were to be built, best guesses are rates could run from 25% increases to tripling the electric rates for Michigan’s residential customers.
 
Good article by Michigan Liberal provides additional insight.
 
http://michiganliberal.com/diary/15921/state-senate-tries-to-gut-governors-coal-eo
 
Please contact you State Representative TONIGHT to urge him/her to BLOCK HB 5220 if it comes up in House at the very last minute! The House is expected to be in session for many hours to come -- Go to http://www.house.mi.gov/find_a_rep.asp for your representatives email and phone number! 

 

Here is the wording in amended version of House Bill 5220. Taken from the article in Michigan Liberal that Anne Woiwode of Sierra Club cited (URL is posted below to article) :

Snip:

15) IN MAKING A DETERMINATION ON AN APPLICATION FOR A PERMIT

19 TO INSTALL AN ELECTRIC GENERATING FACILITY, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL

20 NOT REVIEW OR CONSIDER ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: 21 (A) THIS STATE'S NEEDS FOR ELECTRICITY.

22 (B) ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR ELECTRIC GENERATION.

23 (C) ALTERNATIVES TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC GENERATING

24 FACILITIES.

Snip: Passed the Senate, 21-15. I hear that someone is saying that the environmental community has gotten behind this ... the  permitting of coal plants to be built in this state wihtout consideration of alternatives or even the associated proections for ratepayers. That would be a most interesting thing for the environmental community to do ... to reverse itself wholesale on its most basic position taken these last two years.

Meanwhile, I hear that this is tie-barred to two other pieces of legislation, one that would essentially privatize the permitting process, and one that would forbid the state from setting tougher environmental standards than the federal government....

http://michiganliberal.com/diary/15921/state-senate-tries-to-gut-governors-coal-eo

Anne Woiwode, State Director
Sierra Club Michigan Chapter
109 E. Grand River Ave, Lansing, MI 48906
517-484-2372     anne.woiwode@sierraclub.org