Why Environmentalism Needs High Finance § SEEDMAGAZINE.COM

Why Environmentalism Needs High Finance § SEEDMAGAZINE.COM

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High Hazard coal ash disposal sites in NC

A coalition of environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, formally asked the Dept of Homeland Security, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency to make public a list of 44 "high hazard" coal ash disposal sites across the country. With 12 (10 controlled by Duke Energy, 2 by Progress Energy), North Carolina topped the list.

Coal ash sites contain harmful amounts of mercury, lead, arsenic and other toxins, which can leak slowly into neighboring water supplies or rapidly, as the toxic sludge disaster in Tennessee illustrated. Bruce Nilles, Director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign said about the release of the high hazard list, "People have a right to know if mountains of toxic coal ash are threatening their communities so they can take action and put pressure on their local utilities to demand clean up."

Find coverage all over the place. Busy? Start here: Institute for Southern Studies, Charlotte Observer. Important to note: the high hazard status doesn't reflect current safety but the likelihood of public harm should the dams fail. Want to see where they are and who's running the sites? Visit our coal ash page.

Long-time activist on Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Long-time GSMNP activist Ted Snyder's on the park:

What is the greatest threat or risk to this park?

The greatest threat to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the construction of a 30+ mile parkway road inside the park near its southwest boundary. An Environmental Impact Statement issued in 2007 estimated the cost (in 2006 dollars) at $729 million. The Department of the Interior is contractually bound to Swain County, N.C. to build this road. Throughout the EIS process Swain county urged that the road obligation be dropped and that Swain be paid $52 million as a substitute. Based on these representations of Swain County, and the urging of the conservation community, the preferred alternative chosen in the Final EIS was a financial settlement with Swain County and no road construction. After the fact, Interior is trying to dicker over the amount, and now nothing will happen until a new agreement is written. Failure to settle with Swain County will revive the road, an environmental disaster of the greatest magnitude. Worse, politics can change, and the election of a new County Board of Commissioners, or a new Congressman, or a new US Senator could renew the jeopardy to the park.

What is the "take action"?

Letters to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, are urgently needed. The letters should ask him to approve a Swain County Settlement of $52 million, and to help secure its payment. Ken Salazar’s address is: Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20240. Email reaches him at exsec@ios.doi.gov.

Has the Sierra Club played a role in some major battle in the past, either in establishing the park or in protecting additional areas?

From its first presence in the two Carolinas in the late 1960’s the Sierra Club has been the major organization in preventing the building of the North Shore Road in the Smokies. The battle has been continuous. We can say with authority that for forty years the Club has held back the road and prevented the despoiling of the park. The fragile, steep terrain, laced by finger ridges, and home of acidic rocks has been kept intact. The massive cuts and fills, and the sterilization of the streams have not been allowed to gouge the pristine landscape. The only question is whether we can hold out long enough to see a Swain County settlement, and a final rescission of the contract to build this killer boondoggle.

What are a few compelling facts - total number of acres, specific landmarks, major species, what makes it special? This is the kind of info they can get from the national park service websites if the local staff/volunteers can't provide it.

• The park contains 521,495 acres, lying in North Carolina and Tennessee.
• The park receives approximately 9 million recreation visits a year, making it the Nation’s most visited park.
• The park is one of nine National Park units to be designated both as an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site. The World Heritage Site nomination states, in part:
  
  “A similar level of floristic diversity is found in no other temperate zone protected area of comparable size in the world. The park exhibits almost as many kinds of natural tree species as does all of Europe.”
  
  “An internationally significant feature is the remnant stands of undisturbed virgin forest, offering unique primeval vistas of Pleistocene North America.”
  
  The nomination also sums up that the park is “an outstanding example representing ongoing biological evolution, . . .” And, in detailing that, continues:
  
  “Great Smoky Mountains National Park harbors the largest remaining remnant of the diverse Arcto-Tertiary geoflora era in the world. . . . No other existing protected tracts are of comparable size.”
  
  Since 1977 an All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory has been underway in the park, with the purpose of identifying all species within it. As of 2004, 3,350 new records of species occurrence had been documented, and 543 species new to science had been discovered. It is thought that the final inventory could contain as many as 40,000 entries.

3 great trail recommendations for the park?

Trail information: The most comprehensive trail guide is “Hiking Trails of the Smokies” published by the Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association. The park contains 70 miles of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, mostly along the high, continuous, state-line ridge. For details see www.appalachiantrail.org. Another long trail on a designated route through the park is a portion of the Benton MacKaye Trail. See www.BMTA.org.

Albright Grove Loop. This is a 0.7 mile loop through massive and ancient silverbells, poplars, maples, Fraser magnolias, hemlocks, and others, a spectacular remnant of the original cove forests. To reach the beginning of the Albright Grove Loop, it is necessary to hike 3.0 miles up the Maddron Bald Trail. Since the loop ends higher up on the Maddron Bald Trail, a total distance of 7.0 miles, in and out, is covered. To reach the trailhead take US 321, 15.4 miles east of the Gatlinburg, TN Chamber of Commerce Building, or 2.9 miles west of the Cosby Post Office. From US 321 turn south on Laurel Springs Road, crossing Indian Camp Creek, and reach a parking area and gate in 0.2 miles. There is room for only 2-3 cars here.

Boogerman Trail. This is a 7.1 mile hike from Cataloochee Valley, where the main park Elk herd can be seen, most often at sundown. The hike begins on the Caldwell Fork Trail (adjacent to the campground), immediately crossing Cataloochee Creek on the park’s longest footlog. After 0.8 miles turn left (south) onto the Boogerman trail (signposted) on an old sled road. Much old growth forest is found on this trail. The Boogerman Trail returns to Caldwell Fork Trail after 3.8 miles. The hiker then turns downstream on Caldwell Fork to return to the starting point, 2.5 miles away.

Gregory Ridge Trail. Gregory Bald, the destination for this hike, is noted for its rainbow display of flame Azaleas, in the first half of June. Due to hybridization, the azaleas take on colors from yellow, to orange, to red, to white, to pink, to purple in a dazzling dance. The shortest route is by the Gregory Ridge Trail. This takes one to Rich Gap after 5.0 miles. A right (west) turn and another 0.7 miles takes one to Gregory Bald. Total distance, in and out, is 11.4 miles, with an elevation gain of 3,000 feet. Trailhead is off the Cades Cove Loop Road. Halfway around the one-way Cades Cove Loop, pass by the Cable Mill area, and turn right (south) on to the Forge Creek Road. Parking is at a gate, 2.3 miles up this road. Note: Traffic is heavy and slow on the Cades Cove Loop Road on high visitor days, and road is closed Saturday mornings for use by bicycles. In winter Forge Creek Road may be closed, adding 4.6 miles to the hike.

Plastic Bags Banned from OBX

http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/bill_in_a_banned_bag

Gov. Beverly Perdue signed legislation Wednesday that bans plastic shopping bags for large retailers on the Outer Banks and sent the new law back to its chief patron, Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, in -- wait for it -- a plastic shopping bag.

CCS is in the same league as fusion power : The Energy Grid

CCS is in the same league as fusion power : The Energy Grid

CCS stands for "carbon capture sequestration." The above link is to an interesting article on ScienceBlogs that presents a strong counterpoint to political and coal rhetoric about Clean Coal. Choice quotes:

Still, if it's just a matter of improving efficiency levels of a technology based on well understood principles, then why should we treat CCS any differently from photovoltaics, which still costs about five times as much as coal-fired electricity? Because photovoltaics are coming down in cost rapidly. CCS, which uses concepts at least as old as solar panels, shows no signs of following a similar path. Consider the example of the Mountaineer coal-fired power plant in New Haven, W.Va., which is being equipped with demonstration CCS technology:

Of the 8.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emitted annually by the Mountaineer plant, only 100,000 to 300,000 will be removed with the new technology. And American Electric and the maker of the technology, Alstom, are spending $100 million on the initiative -- a daunting expense for some producers. (New York Times, Feb. 15, 2009)

Colbert vs Jim Rogers

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www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Stephen Colbert in Iraq

NC Coastal Federation's State of the Coast released

http://www.nccoast.org/publication/socreports/2009SOC

Inside, you'll find:

• the history of beach hardening
• how state and coastal policies encourage risky development
• sea level rise and it's impact on NC
• a sweeping set of recommendations to protect state beaches
• a fitting tribute to Jim Stephenson, an excellent and thoughtful advocate for our beautiful coast, who will be sorely missed.

Chevron debates Sierra Club

No permit required

An excellent editorial at the Charlotte Observer.

The beginning:

Here's a genuinely troubling idea: Groups of lawmakers in both the House and Senate are proposing to allow billboard companies and businesses to cut a lot more vegetation in the publicly-owned rights of way of many state roads and even some urban ones.

The end:

Given the dramatic change in roadside cutting this bill would allow, and the lack of a groundswell of support for cutting trees and vegetation in the Tar Heel landscape, this legislation ought to go on the cutting block to be sliced, diced and dumped. No DOT permit required.

Watch out for that tree...

For the fourth year in a row, billboard companies want to cut down more trees along North Carolina’s roadsides. This year it’s even worse. A measure before the General Assembly would allow tree-cutting around not just billboards, but all businesses along highways and main roads through our communities.

Currently, local governments and communities have veto power on these types of requests. If HB 1583 becomes law, towns lose that right.

Here's what the bill does:

1. Allows billboard companies to increase the area in front of billboards from which trees could be cut by at least 30%.


2. Roadside businesses would be allowed to cut trees from the public right-of-way; up to 1000 line feet of roadside footage. Language in the bill says thinning should be kept to 20% --but that is 20% of whatever is left from the last cut. Over time, adjacent businesses could theoretically cut a serial swath along a road.


3. For the first time, tree-cutting would be allowed on main arteries through communities, or so-called primary roads that do not receive federal support. In addition to highways, this bill would allow tree cutting along well-known community arteries like Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh and Durham's Gregson/Duke Streets.


4. Local governments lose veto power. Current rules require that state vegetation removal defer to local ordinances, but such language is missing in this bill.

Of course, we hope you contact your representative.

Smartersafer.org

SmarterSafer is a diverse coalition of consumer advocacy, taxpayer, environmental and insurance industry groups that has joined together to raise concerns about natural catastrophe legislation being considered in Congress. We also advocate responsible legislation that gives homeowners incentives for, and assistance in, protecting their homes.

Coalition members strongly support measures pending in Congress that would encourage and assist homeowners in taking mitigation steps to protect their homes against hurricanes. These include bills to create a new hurricane mitigation tax credit, as well as a new loan program that would provide low-interest loans to homeowners undertaking risk mitigation. A big part of the effort is not turning natural disasters into financial disasters. Sign the petition.

Weekly News Round Up

Faster on Falls News and Observer

Falls Lake wasn't polluted overnight, and it won't be cleaned up overnight,
either. Yet when it comes to preserving and protecting the lake that is Wake
County's most heavily used drinking water source, what's wrong with a sense of
urgency? Nothing, that's what.

Alert issued for air pollution Charlotte Observer

Forecasters have predicted Code Orange conditions for the Charlotte and Triad metropolitan areas, as well as high-elevation areas near Asheville on Tuesday. Coee Orange means air quality in these areas is likely to be unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Our beaches have been sandbagged Fayetteville Observer

As time passes, the beach continues to retreat in front of the wall, narrowing until it eventually disappears. The lost beach means that breaking waves can no longer transport an adequate amount of sand to adjacent beaches — that is, the sand supply from these beaches is removed and their erosion rate increases. This can lead to a need for more seawalls, which is why seawalls, whether sand bags or concrete, are a no-compromise issue. If you allow any, you must eventually allow all, which would be a disaster.As time passes, the beach continues to retreat in front of the wall, narrowing until it eventually disappears. The lost beach means that breaking waves can no longer transport an adequate amount of sand to adjacent beaches — that is, the sand supply from these beaches is removed and their erosion rate increases. This can lead to a need for more seawalls, which is why seawalls, whether sand bags or concrete, are a no-compromise issue. If you allow any, you must eventually allow all, which would be a disaster.

Frayed but still wonderful after all these years News & Observer

On the cusp of its 75th birthday, America's most-visited national park remains a stunning place to give your heart.