This is the 632nd edition of the Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue). Here is the February 15 edition. Inclusion of a story in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
OUTSTANDING GREEN STORIES
Qasim Rashid writes—Republican Member of Congress Who Is an Environmental Scientist OK-s Poisoning Our Water: “Go down to Colonial Beach in Westmoreland County and you will see streets lined with beach cottages and golf carts, local shops and hotels, and in the summer--people on the sandy shores of the Potomac River. This little town is a pristine getaway from day to day life. It’s economy and culture are centered around being on the Potomac River, which is being put in danger due to rollbacks on water protections. Trump’s budget will cut funding to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by 26%. This is after Trump has already rolled back protections on our freshwater streams. His own handpicked scientists at the EPA warned him and his staff what the implications of such policy would do, but still the GOP has not fought against it. Moreover, Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-01) is an environmental scientist by profession and openly advocates for taking care of our environment. Last week on Twitter, he announced his One Trillion Trees initiative and tweeted ‘Congress has the chance to work in a bipartisan manner to consider legislation that would reduce emissions, promote clean energy, and conserve our natural resources, and I will continue to advocate for our environment.’ But the truth is, he voted in favor of Trump’s cut to the EPA and has done nothing about stopping the chemicals from entering our waters.”
CRITTERS AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Aldous J Pennyfarthing writes—Donald Trump Jr. wants to murder an Alaskan bear for some reason: “I really wish Donald Trump Jr. were restricted to shooting at living things that are less intelligent than he. That would pretty much leave bivalve mollusks and his own foot fungus, and I wouldn’t mind watching him shoot himself in the foot literally for once. According to a story in The Guardian, Trump Jr. was just one of three people to apply for 27 nonresident permits to hunt grizzly bears near Nome, Alaska, so, naturally, he got the gig. To earn the honor of shooting a wild animal in the face, Junior had to pay $1,160 for a nonresident tag and license. I’m not sure what this death fetish is all about, or what he’s trying to prove exactly.”
CaptBLI writes—The Daily Bucket - Sardis Lake, Mississippi is full: “I posted a diary at the end of November, 2019, about the conditions at Sardis Lake, MS. This was a photo I took of Cypress trees when the lake level was at its lowest. Beyond the trees are the muddy flats of the lake bottom. Conditions are sure different this time of year after all of the winter rain.
The following video was taken from the parking lot next to the same Cypress trees (far right of the video frame). The weather was blustery. A 15 knot wind pushed waves onto the asphalt. The temperature was 37 degrees f and the light rain blew at an acute angle. There was about three feet of water over the roots of the Cypress trees.”
CaptBLI writes—The Daily Bucket - The Air is full of Song: “Just beyond my garage door, past the end of the truck, across the pavement, into the neighbor’s yard and our trees and everyone’s sky, birds sang and darted with morning energy. I wanted the world to see and hear, so I grabbed the camera. I hope you enjoy each of the 30 second videos. This is what I captured first. A Cardinal, some Sparrows and Titmouse sang as I spotted a Downy Woodpecker looking for insects. Without traffic from the asphalt or jet stream I could hear the taps of a beak on bark. The, usually quiet, sounds were available and the Woodpecker took his work seriously. Suddenly a Crow interrupted the moment, the woodpecker fled and my attention moved on.”
CaptBLI writes—The Daily Bucket - Bonaparte's Gulls in a Cotton field: “There are cotton fields along the Mississippi river northward from the Gulf of Mexico (in every bordering state) up to Missouri and Illinois. Seeing a flock of gulls wandering and foraging around any pre-plowed field is a natural sight. I’m presenting an unusual circumstance in this article.”
OceanDiver writes—Dawn Chorus: February on the Salish Sea: “We like to go out boating when the weather and tides are agreeable, as often as we can manage it both to enjoy being out at sea and to get a sense of what the birds are like at different seasons and year to year. The last couple of months have not been agreeable at all for it, but last Sunday the 9th we did our usual round trip out to Whale Rocks, a two hour 8 mile trip. The water was pretty flat, not much wind and a slack high tide. The weather was mostly cloudy but with occasional sunbreaks. We keep our 25 foot Albin on a buoy; Mr O kayaks out to it from the beach and then drives half a mile over to the nearby county dock to pick me up. As always, seeing birds on the water is hit or miss, and generally they are quite a ways off. Half the time they are backlit. Because of those limitations I’ve gotten pretty good at IDing them by profile and behavior. I take pictures mainly to look at later to confirm or rule out my gut reaction at the time. What I’m including in this diary are mostly maximum zoom and extreme crop.”
OceanDiver writes—The Daily Bucket - signs of spring in the PNW: “It may still be cool out (30s at night, 40s in daytime) but there are signs that spring has begun around my place. Last year spring was late due to an unseasonably cold and snowy February. All these 2020 observations are several weeks earlier than last year’s but roughly typical otherwise.Chorus Frogs I’ve been hearing land calls off and on for several weeks but the earliest actual chorus of ribbeting was Monday night, Feb 17. Still fairly tentative but definitely there and I heard them Tuesday night too. No pictures, needless to say. The closest ones are in a wetland a quarter mile away, plus on private property. Plus, our chorus frogs are shy, and will stop calling if you get near.”
dot farmer writes—Coyote romance: a short photo diary: “This morning on my farm circle, I witnessed something which, according to The Wild Mammals of Missouri, happens a few times over a space of five days only once a year — a Coyote couple going boom boom. The picture above was taken at a range of about a quarter mile with a Canon PowerShot SX160. I was walking along just inside my fence line and the Coyotes were on a hillside in a grain field. When I first observed them, they were play fighting the way two dogs often do, Next time I stopped and looked, they were back to back. They remained this way as I proceeded up my property line and dropped out of their view. I then crossed the fence, hoping to be near them when I came up over a rise. Bridge was about to cap the rise ahead of me. I cautioned him to wait, so I could cap the rise first.”
6412093 writes—The Daily Bucket—Where Dozens once Hoped, Hundreds now Surge: “Although evening temperatures skirt 32°F, the native Chorus Frogs of NW Oregon continue to meet and mate. I spotted an single egg sac with 20 eggs two weeks ago, but now I can see 30 egg sacs, some containing 50 or more eggs. The male and female frogs must be conducting amplexus sex vigorously to produce that many eggs.I can hear the relentless calls of the male frogs, but I have not yet seen a single frog. They are more invisible than usual. There is still another two months for the frog mating season, too. These frogs adapt to local conditions, meaning that chorus frogs can mate and produce young over a wide variety of temperatures over their entire range of the Northern Hemisphere.”
CLIMATE CHAOS
accumbens writes—Criminal! Just Criminal!!!! Bezos to Give $10 billion for Climate Change: “He’s a multi-billionaire. He must be up to something. Damned his eyes!!! Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com and the owner of the Washington Post, announced Monday that he's pledged $10 billion to fight climate change, which he labels, in an Instagram post, the ‘biggest threat to our planet.’ His Bezos Earth Fund, he says in the post, will fund scientists, activists, nongovernmental organizations and, he says, ‘any effort that offers are real possibility to help preserve and protect the natural world.’ www.marketwatch.com/... Nobody that rich can do any good. And he’s totally dissing his employees too!! mobile.twitter.com/...”
Marissa Higgins writes—Richest person in the world commits $10 billion to fight climate change: “According to his Instagram post, the Bezos Earth Fund will fund non-government organizations, activists, and scientists in research efforts to combat climate change. The fund will start issuing grants in summer 2020, and it’s not yet clear who will be funded. Bezos has previously discussed how important it is that we try to combat climate change. For example, in 2019, Amazon revealed a climate pledge that commits to achieving Paris Agreement goals a decade before the deadline, including becoming carbon neutral by 2040. It also promises that Amazon will use 100% renewable energy by 2030. The company also wants to use 100,00 electric cars for deliveries. The company also promised to launch a fund for restoring wetlands and forests, pledging $100 million for that effort alone. ‘You can go back 10 years or 20 years and there were people who just did not acknowledge that climate change is real,’ Bezos said at the Smbhav summit in January, as reported by CNBC. ‘Anybody today who is not acknowledging that climate change is real—that we humans are affecting this planet in a very significant and dangerous way—those people are not being reasonable’.”
Pakalolo writes—'Unprecedented Threat' from climate change enhanced locust swarms plague, East Africa: “The United Nations Environmental Programme explains how a changing climate is worsening desert locust swarms in East Africa: During quiet periods—known as recessions—desert locusts are usually restricted to the semi-arid and arid deserts of Africa, the Near East and South-West Asia that receive less than 200 mm of rain annually. In normal conditions, locust numbers decrease either by natural mortality or through migration. However, the last five years have been hotter than any other since the industrial revolution and since 2009. Studies have linked a hotter climate to more damaging locust swarms, leaving Africa disproportionately affected—20 of the fastest warming countries globally are in Africa. Wet weather also favours multiplication of locusts. Widespread, above average rain that pounded the Horn of Africa from October to December 2019 were up to 400 per cent above normal rainfall amount. These abnormal rains were caused by the Indian Ocean dipole, a phenomenon accentuated by climate change.”
Angmar writes—‘The only uncertainty is how long we’ll last’: a worst case scenario for the climate in 2050’: “The Future We Choose, a new book by the architects of the Paris climate accords, offers two contrasting visions for how the world might look in thirty years-—(read the best case scenario here)." Because multiple disasters are often happening simultaneously, it can take weeks or even months for basic food and water relief to reach areas pummeled by extreme floods. Diseases such as malaria, dengue, cholera, respiratory illnesses and malnutrition are rampant. www.theguardian.com/… Food production swings wildly from month to month, season to season, depending on where you live. More people are starving than ever before. Climate zones have shifted, so some new areas have become available for agriculture (Alaska, the Arctic), while others have dried up (Mexico, California). Still others are unstable because of the extreme heat, never mind flooding, wildfire and tornadoes. This makes the food supply in general highly unpredictable. Global trade has slowed as countries seek to hold on to their own resources.www.theguardian.com/...”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—What To Do With A Few Hot Models? Contextualizing High-End CMIP6 Warming Results: “Today’s denier roundup is going to be a little different, in that it’s not really addressing deniers directly (although they are certainly watching the issue we’re going to talk about closely, and will pounce on the idea that models are unreliable). Today we’ll be addressing an emerging issue in climate science: that some of the models in the newest generation of models are showing that the climate may be even more responsive to carbon dioxide than we thought. As you may have seen in Vice and Bloomberg, the climate modeling community has been steadily releasing the latest batch of model results from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 6 (aka CMIP6) and around one-fifth of the results are telling us that if we double CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere, the climate would warm by something in the ballpark of 5C, as opposed to the current consensus of around 3C. If these models are correct, then it would suggest we need to do even more to reduce emissions, even faster, if we are to avoid even-more-dangerous climate conditions.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Evil or Stupid? The Two Types Of Climate Change Deniers: “People often wonder what it is that motivates climate change denial. Our response is always that it depends on the person. But it tends to boil down to two very simple answers: deniers are either stupid, or evil. Though that may seem like an overly reductive or cynical answer, it’s hard to find examples of deniers that don’t fit one of the two. For the trolls on Twitter, and indeed most of the everyday people who believe the various Koch-funded voices peddling denial, it’s clear they’re simply not well-versed enough in the science to evaluate it themselves. (And why should they be?) AGU’s Eos ran an op-ed on Monday describing just such a scenario. The op-ed was from Lucas Vargas Zeppetello, whose first peer-reviewed paper was misrepresented by deniers on Twitter.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—What’s Clear About RealClear Energy Is It’s Far-Right, Koch-Funded Bias: “RealClear Politics, which started in 2000 as a news aggregator, is one of the longest-running digital news sites. From the jump, the sit was implicitly explicit about its conservative bias, in that it sought to ‘counterbalance the common liberal bias of the mainstream press by providing a more realistic look at the issues’ and to ‘give readers ideological diversity.’ Please remember that, as blogger Umair Haque put it, the concept of ideological diversity “is not a thing,’ and is what you call it when “a concept has no solid epistemological footing.’ It’s something William Buckley Jr. came up with to attack secularism and Keynesian economics in universities. As Kate Knibbs explained in an article for the Ringer a few years ago, ideological diversity is ‘a Trojan horse...code for granting fringe right-wing thought more credence in communities that typically reject it, and nothing more.’ And that’s exactly what RealClear does. Though its polling averages are well-respected, the content it links to is a mix of real mainstream news and fringe right-wing front group fodder.”
mlmonterey writes—Walls, Pipes and Water: “I see no news of Democrats (nor El Don) talking about walls to protect all our cities, towns, hospitals, schools, malls, office buildings, hotels, casinos and nuclear power plants along the East and West coastlines of North America. If they were realistic, or even just cautious, they would be discussing or planning giant seawalls by now. Really, by the time all those cities, towns, roads and nukes are flooded regularly--or badly by storm surges—it will be too late for best-case results. For example, the best Earth science now proves that the most likely sea-level in 2050 will be at least 60 feet (19 meters) higher. With super-storm surges, seawalls would need to be about 26 meters (80 feet) tall, but that would not be a sustainable solution. All the geologic & thermodynamic processes interacting now, causing an unpredictable rate of accelerating meltdown of glaciers & polar ice.”
CANDIDATES, STATE AND DC ECO-RELATED POLITICS
Deep Throat writes—Trump Administration lawbreaking, global climate change & chyrons: “The political stability of our democracy is on life support as is the capacity of our planet to sustain our species. These are two issues the moderators of previous debates have either pretended didn’t exist or used questions about climate changes as time fillers toward the end of the debate. Journalists have a responsibility to frame their questions to educate their viewers/readers as well as elicit responses from candidates that will truly inform their audience. If a candidate pays lip service to the question and starts spouting talking points, it’s the role on a moderator to interrupt, ‘Stop right now, your talking point avoids my question. Either answer my question or I will ask another candidate to answer it for you.’ These candidates need forums BUT they have to earn the air they are given during the forum. What does granting air time for access say about your ethics and integrity? The values that your parents instilled in you? One the driving forces of today’s journalism is access. Journalists and executive producers control who gets access. It’s NOT the other way around. Use that power to get to the truth.”
Meteor Blades writes—Survey: Most Americans say environment should be a top priority, Democrats say it should be No. 1: “A survey published last Thursday by the Pew Research Center found that a 64% majority of Americans say the president and Congress should make protecting the environment a top priority, and 52% say climate should get the same attention. That’s 14 points better than in a poll three years ago. But for 18 issues ranked in order of preferred priorities, environment ranked 5th and climate ranked a pitiful 11th. It’s the big improvement over a Pew poll last year about this time that gives reason for optimism in these matters. In that survey the rankings were 8th for environment and 17th for climate. [...] As expected, the partisan gap on these priorities continues to be gigantic, with a wider difference of opinion than on any other issues. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 85% set protecting the environment as priority no. 1, and dealing with the climate crisis at 78% is ranked 5th. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, on the other hand, environment ranked 15th at 39% (a slight improvement over the 31% who said so in 2019), and climate ranked dead last at 21%, the same as in last year’s poll.”
poopdogcomedy writes—Elizabeth Warren, "The filibuster gives the fossil fuel industry veto power over legislation": “THIS! 100% THIS!!!! Warren on climate: ‘I believe in science.’ Warren responded to questioning about the country's reliance on fracking and mining, saying that if certain natural resources are needed, it would needed to be done in a sustainable way. ‘We cannot continue to let our public lands be used for profits by those who don't care about our environment and are not making it better,’ she said. Warren tapped into her anti-corruption stump as she defended her stance, arguing Washington's corruption and the filibuster gives the fossil fuel industry veto power over legislation.”
scifiowa writes—Breaking News: Mother Earth Endorses Senator Elizabeth Warren: “In a surprise press conference today, Mother Earth endorsed Senator Elizabeth Warren as her choice for the Democratic Party’s Presidential Nominee. [...] Elizabeth understands the overwhelming importance of partnerships with other countries and bold coordinated action by all my American children of good heart. I need you, with her, to fearlessly speak on my behalf so that we can be heard above the loud and hurtful voices trying to silence us…… Naysayers tell us we cannot achieve our goals. They say that if we change, we must do so slowly. Look at how much damage Donald Trump and Republicans have done with the massive power of our government. Now imagine how much we can achieve if we turn that government power toward doing good…… Those who oppose us do not believe in us or want us to believe in ourselves. I believe in you and Elizabeth believes in you too. As she often says, we must dream big, we must fight hard, and only by doing so will we win.”
Lefty Coaster writes—The Center For Biological Diversity Action ranks Candidate plans to address the Climate Crisis: “You may know addressing Global Warming is my top issue. I won’t a nominee who recognize the urgency, and will use all the powers of the presidency to deal with the climate crisis. Environmental group ranks Bloomberg, Klobuchar last in climate plans. Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor, and Klobuchar each received a score of just one out of 10 on the Center For Biological Diversity Action Fund’s updated climate scorecard released Wednesday. The group measured the six candidates set to appear in Wednesday night’s Nevada debate on 10 actions to protect the climate. Bloomberg and Klobuchar only received a point for a commitment to “end new fossil fuel leasing,’ which each of the six candidates on the scorecard received credit for. ‘The stark differences between how the candidates would address the climate crisis shouldn’t be glossed over,’ Kassie Siegel, climate director at the Center for Biological Diversity Action Fund, said in a statement. ‘Bloomberg’s climate plan contains almost no bold executive actions, firm targets to curb greenhouse pollution, or spending to confront the emergency.”
A Siegel writes—Climate crisis likely to strike Nevada debate: “For far, far too long, climate was essentially a non-existent issue in Presidential campaign debates (and, well, campaigns). This cycle, the Democratic Party candidates are united in understanding science and recognizing that we must act on climate (even with tremendous differences as to what ‘act’ means). Even as Australia burns, the Midwest floods, Antarctica melts, and polls show Americans (especially Democratic Party primary voters) want climate action, pundits seem to ignore climate change in a political sense and most debate moderators seem to think climate is a secondary item little deserving of a question. Though, at least this campaign cycle has finally seen some moderators asking climate-related questions — even if, sigh, they have often been marginally well-informed (“Will your plan save Miami?” Seriously, Rachel?) Tonight this could change … significantly.”
Michael Brune writes—Which Side Are You On? “The Trump administration has undertaken a massive, unprecedented response to the climate crisis. In fact, they clearly see this enormous undertaking as their signature project -- the legacy this administration will leave the nation. I’m not talking about some tree-planting pledge or a sudden change of heart about windmills. Folks, I’m talking about the wall. You might be wondering what building the wall has to do with climate change. There are many reasons migrants and asylum-seekers come to this country, including a desire to escape violence or persecution. But as the climate crisis worsens, it’s becoming a more important factor driving people from their homes. We’re already seeing it happen in places like Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. So the US -- the world’s largest historical contributor to global climate change -- is faced with a choice. Will we offer refuge to families fleeing its impacts and provide them a pathway to citizenship? Or will we attempt to erect a useless, racist, and environmentally destructive wall to keep them out?”
ENERGY
Idontknowwhy writes—New green technology generates electricity 'out of thin air': “This could be HUGE. Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a device that uses a natural protein to create electricity from moisture in the air, a new technology they say could have significant implications for the future of renewable energy, climate change and in the future of medicine. So begins an article on Science Daily. It is a review of peer reviewed science from the highly respected journal Nature (payment required to see the Nature report). [...] As reported today in Nature, the laboratories of electrical engineer Jun Yao and microbiologist Derek Lovley at UMass Amherst have created a device they call an ‘Air-gen’ or air-powered generator, with electrically conductive protein nanowires produced by the microbe Geobacter. The Air-gen connects electrodes to the protein nanowires in such a way that electrical current is generated from the water vapor naturally present in the atmosphere. ‘We are literally making electricity out of thin air,’ says Yao. ‘The Air-gen generates clean energy 24/7’.”
Fossil Fuels & Emissions Controls
Dan Bacher writes—Governor Newsom's 2019 Oil Permits Rival Brown's 2018 Numbers: “While the Gavin Newsom Administration has taken some encouraging initial steps in addressing the expansion of oil and gas drilling in recent years, the total number of oil and gas well permits issued in 2019 under the Newsom Administration rivals the number issued during the last year in office of former Governor Jerry Brown, Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance reported. The Newsom Administration issued just 1% fewer permits for a total of 4,545 in 2019 versus 4,590 for all of 2018, according to the groups. ‘The numbers give fresh urgency on the need to order a 2,500-foot health barrier between oil industry operations and people living as close as just yards away,’ Consumer Watchdog and FracTracker Alliance wrote in a letter to Governor Newsom on the eve of his state of the state address. ‘Action on this and a start to phasing out oil and gas production in the state simply cannot wait for the results of more time-consuming studies’.”
Dan Bacher writes—Coalition holds rally outside State of the State calling on Newsom to phase out oil production: “On the morning of February 19, activists from groups affiliated with the Last Chance Alliance held a spirited rally on the sidewalk outside the west steps of the Capitol just before Governor Newsom delivered his State of the State address. Over 100 climate justice advocates, youth, and members of frontline communities suffering the worst impacts of California's fossil fuel industry called on Governor Newsom to phase out oil production by ending the permitting of new projects and instituting a 2,500-foot health and safety buffer between oil wells and homes, schools, and parks. They remained on the sidewalk outside the Capitol with colorful art and signs, chanting their demands until the start of the speech at 10:30 a.m. The rally was preceded by a projection of images on the west side of the Capitol the night before.”
DButch writes—Coal plants are closing across the West: “I just saw a (somewhat) encouraging Business Section article in The Seattle Times (reprinted from the LA Times). Title in the print version is ‘Coal-fired energy plants burn out in Western states.’ It starts out: For nearly half a century, the deserts and plains of the American West have been punctuated by coal-burning furnaces and towering smokestacks — hulking power stations that have sustained small-town economies and fueled the growth of the region’s major cities, from Los Angeles to Phoenix to Seattle. The first month of the new decade landed like a sledgehammer on those industrial giants. January started with two coal fired generators shutting down for good in Montana, followed by announcements of planned shutdowns in Arizona and New Mexico. At this point, according to the article, there are only 20 coal plants in the Continental US West whose owners have not committed to fully shutting them down and retiring them by specific dates. Since 2010, 49 coal-burning generating stations have shut down units or have announced plans to shut units down.”
DButch writes—Climate Noir - Where is all the Methane Coming From? “Over at Juan Cole’s Informed Comment site, he’s found a report on the “Mystery of the Excess Methane” (cue ominous music). A big mystery is where all the methane in our atmosphere has come from. Since 1820, the average amount of methane has about doubled. Nearly 200 teragrams of methane seems to be going into the atmosphere every year. How much of that is produced by nature? Or are human activities releasing it in unusual amounts? Whodunnit? This is important to know because methane is worse in it’s immediate heat trapping effects than CO2 by a factor of 80 — causing an estimated 20% of warming currently. It’s shorter lived, but as long as it’s increasing, it amplifies the effects of CO2.”
Renewables, Efficiency, Energy Storage & Conservation
Meteor Blades writes—Survey: Solar jobs rise 2.3% to nearly 250,000. But thanks to Trump, that's 10,000 below 2016: “For the first time in three years, the Solar Foundation’s annual census of U.S. solar-related jobs released Wednesday showed a solid increase, with the South—not known in the past for a particular friendliness to renewable energy sources—making significant gains. Last year, 5,600 new solar jobs were added to the nation’s total, according to the 10th survey conducted by the foundation, bringing the total to 249,983, a gain of 2.3% over 2018. The foundation counted 93,000 solar jobs when it conducted its first census in 2010. Growth in the decade since has risen by 167%. Welcome as the gains are, in 2016, the foundation’s census tallied slightly more than 260,000 solar jobs. Thanks to the uncertainty caused by Trump’s solar panel tariffs, investors retreated a bit from the field, reducing the number of projects that might otherwise have been built in 2017 and 2018. But, as David Ferris at Energywire reports from behind a paywall, solar costs have continued falling despite the tariffs, and many proposed fossil fuel projects simply no longer compete financially. The foundation predicts a 7.8% increase in solar jobs this year. At least part of that rise is expected because investors want to complete projects before the federal solar investment tax credit phases out for residential projects at the end of 2021. Utility-scale projects will continue to receive a 10% credit on which Congress has so far not set a sunset deadline.”
Mokurai writes—Renewable Monday: Pricing Carbon High Enough Works to Kill Coal: “Putting a price on carbon to cover externalities has been proposed for decades, but resisted mightily by the Fossil Fool [sic] industries. We have finally been able to try it properly in a few cases, and it works. A price for CO2 emissions set at €25 per tonne in the EU is credited with driving down emissions by 24%. (link below) Also, wind and solar output surpassed coal in 2019. More Good News: Carbon prices seen hitting €55 in 2030, hastening ‘major’ coal-to-gas switch: Longer term (say by 2040), we think the EU power sector will have to be completely decarbonised, with renewables and storage the end-game. Taxes on externalities of all sorts are called Pigovian taxes after economist Arthur Pigou (18 November 1877 – 7 March 1959). He created the term ‘externality’ while teaching at Cambridge, and proposed such taxes in The Economics of Welfare in 1920. (No, not welfare programs for the poor. The General Welfare.) The externality concept remains central to modern welfare economics and particularly to environmental economics. The Pigou Club, named in his honour is an association of modern economists who support the idea of a carbon tax to address the problem of climate change.”
Mokurai writes—Renewable Tuesday: California is in Fact Not Perfect: “Mostly, when Jerry Brown was Governor of California, his plan for going off coal was to switch to natural gas, not renewables. Environmentalists complained bitterly about this policy, and Brown complained bitterly about environmentalists. Gov. Newsom still needs to learn more about where we are now. California Gov. Jerry Brown Was a Climate Leader, but His Vision Had a Fatal Flaw. Too much oil and gas, of which more below. But that time should be over, and now hundreds of local officials are calling on Gov. Newsom to move more aggressively on keeping fossil fuels in the ground. Elected Officials to Ask Gov. Newsom to ‘Show Love for CA’ and Phase Out Fossil Fuel Production.”
Mokurai writes—Renewable Wednesday: Carbon-Free Ammonia Production and Uses: “The major process for making ammonia (NH3) burns the carbon in methane, and attaches the hydrogen from the methane to nitrogen, adding 3% of our excess CO2. There are alternatives when cheap hydrogen from water and renewable energy is available. Let's look at them, and at what ammonia is used for, including cars, trucks, and ships. [...] The Haber process,[1] also called the Haber–Bosch process, is an artificial nitrogen fixation process and is the main industrial procedure for the production of ammonia today.[2][3] It is named after its inventors, the German chemists Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, who developed it in the first decade of the 20th century. The process converts atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3) by a reaction with hydrogen (H2) using a metal catalyst under high temperatures and pressures: • N2 + 3 H2 ⟶ 2 NH3 • ΔH∘ = − 91.8 kJ/mol. The current process is polluting, more expensive than we would like, and demanding due to the high pressure, hydrogen embrittlement of metal vessels, and other technical difficulties. What are the alternatives?”
Mokurai writes—Renewable Thursday: Real Carbon Capture through Mineral Geoengineering: “Three teratons of excess CO2 in the air and oceans (1 Tton of C) should be put somewhere safe and stable—living trees, wood, soil, carbon-negative cement, or—hey, how about rock? There are many carbonate minerals, and many mafic minerals that turn into stable carbonates when exposed to CO2. That includes basalts, olivines, and serpentines, including the false jade in the carving above. Also asbestos, which this process can dispose of in mine tailings, and soapstone/talc, and much more. Various experiments have been done on various of these diverse mineral families. The process works. Now we are working on costs and efficiency. Carbon Sequestration via Mineral Carbonation: Overview and Assessment—E&E News (Energy and Environment) Mining costs appear to be quite low. The mining is similar to copper mining and the amount of peridotite required for a GW power plant is small compared to the amount of ore mined in a large copper mine. Cost estimates, based on other mining operations, suggest a cost of about $8 per ton of CO2. So, for a teraton of CO2, that’s about $8 teradollars for mining.”
Mokurai writes—Renewable Friday: Peak Oil Coming, For Real This Time: “No, we aren't going to run out of oil. But someday they won't be able to give it away, except for petrochemicals. So when will demand start to collapse? And what will happen to markets when oil craters, because nobody will be willing to cut supply first? And what about the rest of the economy? And the world entire? My take first, from two years ago: Peak Gasoline Looming Out of Smog in India, China. As usual, this sort of thing is in the financial and trade press, but not the MSM. I haven’t heard it from any of our Presidential candidates either. They do talk about the demise of coal, but not oil and gas. We have mentioned electric cars, including electric police cars and taxis, along with garbage trucks, buses, and trucks. In other words, the end of the ICE age. Let's begin with some relatively mild Denialists who are trying to hold on as long as possible.”
NAT’L FORESTS, PARKS, MONUMENTS & OTHER PUBLIC LANDS
Meteor Blades writes—Natives and eco-activists begin duel with gov't attorneys over Trump shrinking national monuments: “Nearly two weeks ago, plaintiffs filed a pair of motions in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking summary judgments against Donald Trump’s shrinking of two national monuments in Utah—Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. ‘The proposed summary judgment motions will be 'partial' in the sense that they seek to resolve plaintiffs' entitlement to relief on their core claims that the President lacks constitutional or statutory authority to revoke or reduce a national monument,’ according to the motions. In briefs filed on Wednesday, the Department of Justice is seeking a summary judgment of its own against lawsuits filed by five American Indian tribes and environmental advocates seeking a reversal of Trump’s decision to greatly reduce the size of both monuments, one designated by President Bill Clinton, one by President Barack Obama. Thus begins a months-long court duel over the future of the monuments and constitutional separation of powers.”
REGULATIONS & PROTECTION
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Trump’s EPA Argues Ethics Rules Don’t Apply To Changes It Made Based On Ethics: “Once upon a time, some tobacco lawyers turned climate deniers convinced Republicans in Congress and Trump’s administration to flip the idea of ‘conflict of interest’ on its head. They alleged that scientific advisors funded by public institutions like the EPA were biased, and those funded by polluters facing regulation were not. As a result, Trump’s former EPA administrator and mattress-coveter Scott Pruitt kicked a bunch of experts off of the EPA’s Scientific Advisory Boards and replaced them with people polluters told him to install. Pruitt used the rhetoric that advisors should be ‘objective, independent-minded,’ and otherwise not ethically compromised by grants (from the EPA). Fast forward to yesterday: Trump’s EPA defended itself in front of a panel of judges in a DC Circuit appeal court by claiming that it didn’t need to explain why it changed the policy (see above) but also that this is an ‘internal housekeeping’ matter –so ethics rules don’t apply. Lawyers for the plaintiffs (Physicians for Social Responsibility, joined by the National Hispanic Medical Association, the International Society of Children’s Health and the Environment, and three additional scientists from the boards) pointed out that Trump’s EPA contradicted the guidance of the Office of Government Ethics Regulations, which says explicitly that grants from the government do not constitute a conflict of interest for advisory board members.”
Lefty Coaster writes—Finally! EPA to regulate "Forever Chemicals" like PFAS This hits close to home for millions & me: “Finally after dragging their feet on this for years the EPA has deigned to act! Hallelujah! EPA will regulate 'forever chemicals' in drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday announced it would regulate ‘forever chemicals’ that have been leaching into the water supply in cities across the country. The announcement kicks off a lengthy process to regulate a class of chemicals known as PFAS, which are known for their persistence in both the environment and the human body. The substance has been linked to cancer and other ailments. The decision was welcome news to environmentalists, who often argue the Trump administration EPA has earned a reputation for rolling back environmental regulations rather than bolstering them.”
Lefty Coaster writes—EPA to regulate "Forever Chemicals" like PFAS but Chemical Makers get let off the hook for Liability: “A proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would absolve the nation’s manufacturers of cancer-linked ‘forever chemicals’ from broad financial responsibility for cleaning up their product as it leaches into the water supply across the country. The class of chemicals known as PFAS, which are noted for their persistence in both the environment and the human body, are used in a variety of nonstick products. As PFAS contamination spreads into city water supplies in every state but Hawaii, there has been growing pressure from lawmakers to have manufacturers help fund cleanup efforts. This will shift the burden of cleaning up the messes off of the polluters and put it squarely on the public to pay the resulting costs. Something our utra-corrupt Banana Republicans would go for. They have made a mockery of the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle that created the funding for EPA’s ‘Superfund’ for cleaning up pollutants.”
POPULATION, EXTINCTION, SUSTAINABILITY
Angmar writes—Population:"Every person added makes TREMENDOUS demands on our planet's natural environment”: “As the planet's resources dwindle, a debate on population control is needed more than ever: (As recently as 1800 there were merely only 1 billion people on the planet Earth). Climate change: 12 years to save the planet? Make that 18 months. Jul 24, 2019 · Now it seems, there's a growing consensus that the next 18 months will be critical in dealing with the global heating crisis, among other environmental challenges. Last year, the Intergovernmental Panel said. Humanity under threat from perfect storm of crises – study Climate, extreme weather, biodiversity, food and water crises could lead to ‘systemic collapse’www.theguardian.com/...”
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
Mokurai writes—EV Tuesday: Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Bill: “Ocasio-Cortez and Levin co-sponsor bill to build out nationwide electric vehicle infrastructure. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Andy Levin of Michigan are putting forward infrastructure legislation that would help build out a nationwide network of high-speed charging stations for electric vehicles. Bloomberg News reports that the EV Freedom Act, publicly proposed on Thursday, would create a mandate for the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation to figure out the details of how to ‘establish a network of chargers along public highways within five years.’ Electric Vehicle Freedom Act full text (PDF). The bill gives the designated agencies three years to develop the plan, which would then have to go back to Congress for enabling legislation and funding. The intention is to take two years more to build the network. Five years is an eternity in EV world. The market could finish the job by then.”
OCEANS, WATER, DROUGHT
Marissa Higgins writes—Report: Climate change, pollution could kill up to 90% of coral reefs in next 20 years: “A deadly combination of climate change and pollution could wipe out 70% to 90% of the world’s coral reefs in the next two decades, according to research presented at the 2020 Ocean Sciences Meeting in San Diego, California. The combination of rising temperatures in the ocean, pollution, and acidic water could, according to the research, kill all coral reefs by 2100. Scientists and advocates have pointed out the dangers of climate change for years, but the high rate of bleaching in coral reefs, in spite of increasing anti-pollution efforts, leaves the future for coral reef habitats, in the words of biogeographer Renee Setter, ‘looking quite grim.’ This study evaluated parts of the ocean that would work best for coral restoration efforts. To figure this out, scientists studied such factors as how frequently the areas are fished, water temperature, and human population size. Coral reefs are a virtual powerhouse of ocean ecosystems. Coral reef habitats protect coastlines (which, in turn, protect local communities and bring in tourism) and support diverse marine life systems. Increasing temperatures in the ocean rise (even just several degrees), leading to bleaching. Bleaching is, as the term suggests, when coral turns white, a process that occurs when the waters surrounding the reef warm. While bleaching itself usually doesn’t kill coral reef habitats (though in some severe cases, it can), it makes reefs much weaker and likelier to die.”
PaulaJean2020 writes—Water Emergency in Paden City, WV: “How does a State of Emergency get declared for an entire town, but no one know about it until over two weeks later? Ask the people of Paden City, a small town straddling the line of Tyler and Wetzel counties in West Virginia. On February 4, 2020 Governor Jim Justice finally took executive action over a decades old water crisis plaguing the citizens of this town. Paden City has dangerously high levels of the dry-cleaning chemical Tetrachloroethylene or PCE in their water supply and city officials have known about the abnormally high readings since at least 1999. Even though these levels have been recorded for more than two decades, it wasn’t until March 2019 when the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection sent a letter to them stating that levels had reached 5.5. This is the level declared by the Environmental Protection Agency as dangerous to humans. Water quality readings have been recorded as high as 49.6 (2013) but the WVDEP did not recognize the issue until last March.”
Dan Bacher writes—Breaking: Governor Newsom, AG Becerra vow to sue over Trump water plan: “One day after Governor Gavin Newsom and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said they would sue President Donald Trump over his signing of revised biological opinions in Bakersfield, Becerra, the California Natural Resources Agency and the California Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday evening filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for failing to protect endangered fish species from federal water export operations. ‘The lawsuit asserts that biological opinions prepared by federal agencies under the Endangered Species Act to direct water project operations lack safeguards for protected species and their habitat in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River watersheds, including the Bay-Delta,’ according to a statement from Becerra’s Office. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the lawsuit requests that the court declare the Trump Administration’s adoption of the water diversion rules “unlawful’.”
Dan Bacher writes—Trump Will Visit San Joaquin Valley to Sign Salmon-Killing Water Plan: “In the latest volley in the California Water Wars, President Donald Trump will travel to Bakersfield in the southern San Joaquin Valley on Wednesday, February 19, to sign a Record of Decision (ROD) on his controversial federal Biological Opinion that maximizes water deliveries from the pumps that divert water from the San Francisco Bay-Delta. Big growers in the Valley support the ROD because it will allow the pumping of more water for the irrigation of crops, while fishing and conservation groups say that Trump’s alliance with powerful corporate agribusiness interests like the Westlands Water District will result in less water for fish and the ecosystem, driving endangered Delta smelt and salmon species closer to extinction. The details of Trump’s visit to the Valley have not been disclosed yet, although a statement from the White House released to media said Trump’s Bakersfield visit would focus on efforts to ‘dramatically improve the supply and delivery of water in California and other Western states.’ Trump’s Public Schedule page on the White House website did not mention Trump’s visit to the valley, although it did list a fundraiser at Larry Ellison’s home in Rancho Mirage, CA, on Wednesday afternoon.”
Dan Bacher writes—Winnemem Wintu Chief Caleen Sisk Urges Governor Newsom to Oppose Trump's Salmon Extinction Plan: “Caleen Sisk, Spiritual Leader and Chief of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, who practice their traditional culture and ceremonies in their territory along the McCloud River watershed in Northern California, today issued a statement slamming the signing of a revised water plan (biological opinion) by President Trump in Bakersfield today that maximizes water exports to corporate agribusiness interests in the San Joaquin Valley. She strongly urged Governor Gavin Newsom to ‘oppose this attack on California Tribes and rural communities and to stop Trump, as he promised’.”
Dan Bacher writes—The Single Delta Tunnel Is Still Bad for People, Fish and the Ecosystem: “This great map graphic shows how the ‘new’ Single Tunnel Plan that would be constructed under the Delta “is the same as the old plan. And what is different (not much),” according to Jan McCleery, past president of the Save the California Delta Alliance (STCDA). ‘The only difference is a possible new Eastern route which goes a bit more around-the-Delta than through it. But other than a swath of purple on a map, there are no details yet about construction impacts with an Eastern tunnel route,’ she said. ‘Otherwise, the same construction impacts exists at the North intakes and along the old Through-Delta route (still an option). In addition, regardless of tunnel route, the construction will leave behind muck in the Delta plus the same long-term water quality issues exist,’ McCleery concluded.”
Dan Bacher writes—Fishing and Tribal Groups Slam Trump Administration Actions on Water: “In response to Trump administration plans to sign a revised biological opinion to maximize water deliveries to corporate agribusiness as Trump and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt visit California today and tomorrow, Noah Oppenheim, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA), and Morning Star Gali, member of the Pit River Tribe and Tribal Water Organizer for Save California Salmon, issued the following statements: ‘The Federal Government has a tribal trust responsibility to protect salmon, but instead of honoring Tribes, Trump is doubling down on diverting the rivers we rely on,’ said Morning Star Gali. ‘Tribes have senior water and fishing rights, and clean water and salmon are the center of our cultures, health and way of life. The Trump Administration’s salmon extinction plan would destroy our way of life.’Gali added, ‘Governor Newsom promised to fight the Trump water grab and to honor California’s Tribes. Instead he is siding with the Trump Administration on behalf of California’s wealthiest water users. It's time for Governor Newsom to walk his talk and fight for California’s Tribes, the environment, and for all Californians, not just his political donors’.”
MISCELLANY
Lauren Floyd writes—Inmates determined to change their lives start a forestry company after similar program in prison: “In a three-year time span, two former inmates of a New Mexico prison started their own forestry company after participating in a similar state program while they were incarcerated. Lawrence Jaramillo and Joshua Melendrez told ABC News Tuesday they learned firefighting and prevention strategies while they were inmates at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility. ‘I have a lot of family members that have been in and out of prison. Some of them keep going back. I would like them to see they could make it,’ Jaramillo told the news station. ‘We all have a chance.’ The men began the inmate work program in 2015 and decided they would try to start their own business when they got out, ABC News reported. ‘All we thought was, “Hey, let's start a business and see what we can do. If we fail, we fail. If we don't, awesome,” ‘ Jaramillo told the news station. Melendrez, 34, was released from prison in July 2017, and Jaramillo, 40, followed in January 2018. They obtained a business license for All Around Forestry in November 2019, ABC News reported. The company landed its first contract with Ponderosa Christian Camp months after solidifying the business license, KOAT Action News reported. ‘They've been doing an amazing amount of work, they've gotten an amazing amount done,’ board director Craig Mathews told the news station. ‘We hope this is just a spring board for them, and that they're very successful in the projects they get awarded in the future’.”