IN legislative action – Tell the IN Senate that coal and nuclear are not renewable energy

Just passing this along from the Indiana Chapter of the Sierra Club.  I urge you to take a few moments and get on the phone.  It starts today!

On Thursday, the Senate utilities committee is scheduled to hear a bill that would send Indiana on a dangerous path to dirty and more expensive electricity. Senate Bill 420 is labeled a “Renewable Energy” bill, but it won’t help Indiana find clean sources of electricity. Instead, it commits the state to develop dirty coal and dangerous nuclear energy, both of which will cost consumers much more than electricity from clean sources like solar, wind and geothermal.

The timing of the committee hearing couldn’t be worse, coming just two days after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in a letter to the Sierra Club that it will take the first steps toward regulating carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. Regulating such emissions will drive up the cost of electricity derived from coal and make renewable sources the sensible alternative.

At a time when other states are turning away from coal, the Indiana Senate is contemplating actions that will keep our state in the dark ages of power generation. It is time for Indiana to get over its infatuation with dirty and expensive sources of electricity. Instead, it should see the light and feel the breeze of new ways to produce our power.

Please contact Senator James Merritt, the chair of the Senate Utilities and Technology Committee (s31@in.gov or 317-232-9533), and your state senator (www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/) and tell them to oppose Senate Bill 420.

Tell Sen. Merritt and your state senator to support a true renewable energy standard to promote solar, wind, and geothermal (20% by 2020) by passing Senate Bill 283.

(another) raw sewage overflow alert

You know the drill.  Stay out of the Indianapolis waterways cause there be poop in them. This is somewhat strange as I checked how much precipitation we’ve experienced recently and our  accumulated precipitation, month to date for 2/10/09 (the day of the alert), was only .24 inches.  Hardly seems like enough precipitation to enable a sewage overflow.  I know we’ve had a lot of snow melting, but it was gone before last weekend.  Something doesn’t seem right.

free pharmaceuticals for all!

It’s known, but not well known, that we are finding trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in our drinking water.  There are a number of potential non-point source culprits like hospitals and consumers flushing un-used pills down the toilet and the like.   This sort of stuff can be regulated through awareness campaigns and disposal regulations for hospitals.  But trace amounts of these drugs are also being found in our own waste.  So, what to do?  ‘take back’ campaigns to regulate and eliminate these trace amounts that industry representatives declare to be too costly and ineffective? Perhaps private industry is right on this one (shudder).  The best campaign is consumer awareness. So in short, DON’T FLUSH YOUR PILLS DOWN THE TOILET!  Go here for more information.

This depresses me.  Time for a swig from the drinking fountain.

Did you hear the one about Indiana state govt. being environmentally conscious?

I know, what a hilarious zinger. But there is a glimmer of hope for a greener Indiana.  Despite Daniels seemingly deliberate dismantlingof IDEM, the state legislature has introduced a number of bills aimed at protecting Hoosiers from environmental nastiness.  So there’s a bill for you whether public transit is your passion, tackling those disgusting CAFOs, or increasing your chances of landing a green job here in Indiana.  Call your state House or Senate rep. on the issues that matter most to you:

Indiana Green Jobs Development Act  (HB 1349 and SB 283)
These bills both include a renewable energy standard (RES) and an increase in net metering wattage.

House Bill 1349, authored by Representative Ryan Dvorak (D-South Bend) has been assigned to the House Commerce, Energy, Technology and Utilities Committee. 

Senate Bill 283, co-authored by Senator Dennis Kruse (R-Auburn) and Senator Sue Errington (D-Muncie) has been assigned to the Senate Utilities and Technology Committee.

Improving and Expanding Public Transit in Indiana (HB 1660 and SB 479)
 HB 1660 (Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson) and SB 479 (Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson) would improve public transit and increase funding.
 
HB 1660 is assigned to the House Roads and Transportation Committee. SB 479 is assigned to the Senate Homeland Security, Transportation, and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. 
 

Protecting our air and water from industrial livestock operations (CAFOs)
(SB 217, SB 221, HB 1074, HB 1075, HB 1558 )

Senate Bill 217 and Senate Bill 221 are assigned to the Senate Energy and Environmental Affairs Committee. 
SB 217 would protect air and water quality, and minimize off-site impacts.
SB 221 establishes a “good character” review for CAFOs seeking a new or renewed permit.

House Bill 1074, House Bill 1075, and House Bill 1558 are assigned to the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee.
HB 1074 would establish a good character disclosure requirement for CAFO operators.

HB 1075 would require CAFOs and land application areas to be at least 2 miles from the boundary of state park, reservoir or other DNR property.
HB 1558  would establish a good character disclosure requirement for CAFO operators; establishes a 1 mile setback from school, health facility, municipal boundary or water body; requires financial assurance for specified operators.

via The Hoosier Environmental Council

Remembering the Bush enviro years the only way I see fit

I can’t believe the Simpsons are still taking over my life. Not content with the combined weeks of my life dedicated to the show, they presented American & Western philosophical schools of though in ways I could digest. Then I found out I could Simpsonize myself. Now thanks to Grist.org, I can remember the environmental blunders of these past eight years with my favorite security blanket for reality.

Why not remember Michael Brown of “Heck of a job Brownie!” fame to be likened to Chief Wiggum? Christine Todd Whitman as a powerless Lisa Simpson while she was the EPA chief? Makes sense to me. They were smart to give Cheney the mantle of Montgomery Burns. But that makes Bush Wayland Smithers. Not sure if that would have been my first pick and neither the staff at Grist it seems like.