Big Coal and Lobbyist At It Again

 One Year Later, Safety Overhaul Stalled-

West Virginia Mine Disaster:

 A year after the worst coal mining accident in decades took the lives of 29 workers, prompting urgent calls to revamp oversight of one of the country's most dangerous jobs, not much has changed in the lives of those who toil deep underground.

Soon after the disaster on April 5, 2010, lawmakers in Congress and West Virginia vowed to overhaul mine safety laws and investigators promised to swiftly find the cause of the explosion that roared through the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia the day after Easter.

Despite the widespread media coverage and passionate speeches, a bill that would have made it easier to shut down problem mines and increased penalties for serious safety violations was quietly defeated in early December. As The Huffington Post reported that month, the legislation died due to a combination of inattention, intensive lobbying efforts by a powerful industry and mine workers' lack of political clout.

Though West Virginia's then-governor Joe Manchin pledged that he would "move quicker than the feds," the state has failed to pass any mine safety package. His successor, Earl Ray Tomblin, did sign two mine safety bills but they were watered down almost completely -- instead of requiring changes, they called for studies -- reports the Charleston Daily Mail.

In the past year, the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration has ramped up its inspections, finding 4,600 violations at more than 200 mines across the country. But mine safety advocates and reformers say that the agency still lacks crucial powers. MSHA could lose a court battle with Massey Energy over whether the Upper Big Branch mine owners can undertake their own investigation into the fatal accident.

"I don't see anything that's happened," said Pat Parenteau, an environmental law professor at Vermont Law School. "This is one of the most powerful entrenched political powers in the country and to get change, it takes relentless pressure relentlessly applied." Parenteau added that while there is no system of laws and regulations to fully prevent such disasters, they can definitely be reduced.

And though Massey has a history of environmental problems and dozens of mining deaths, the company's executives have escaped serious punishment. Notorious CEO Don Blankenship retired in December and is due to receive a $12-million pay package. That same month, more than 18 top Massey officials refused to speak to investigators.

Article Continues at:

Marcus Baram Marcus@huffingtonpost.com

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Consumers Could Be the Losers in Capitol Hill Light Bulb Debate and Other News

Date: Mar 22, 2011

Author(s):

Kissairis Munoz

As light bulbs become a hotter topic on the Hill, the Alliance’s President Kateri Callahan was featured on E&E TV. As Congress becomes embroiled in a broader debate over the government’s role in regulations, it’s unfortunate that it’s happening around the light bulb law, she said, where the consumer could be the loser.

Senior Vice President for Programs Jeff Harris went on Washington’s NBC-4 to explain how new light bulb regulations actually provide consumers with more choice and savings, as 90 percent of the energy that’s paid for with traditional incandescent is radiated as heat, not light.

In other news, while the tax credit for hybrid vehicles expired at the end of 2010, there is still a tax credit of $2,500 to $7,500 for plug-in electric vehicles. The credits can significantly reduce what consumers will end up paying, Senior Policy and Research Associate Tom Simchak told USA Today.

As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rolls out new guidelines as part of the Clean Air Act, Callahan reminded readers of the National Journal’s Energy and Environment blog that while the EPA’s actions might be controversial, enhancing energy efficiency is a sensible answer that transcends politics.

Consumers Could Be the Losers in Capitol Hill Light Bulb Debate and Other News

Students Help Their School, Local Businesses Save Money with Energy Efficiency

What’s a green high school student to do about energy waste? Just ask David Fischer, a student at West Branch High School in Iowa who helped his school save energy with efficiency, and a little help from his classmates.

“We noticed significant energy waste in our school and we decided that something had to be done to fix it,” Fischer said.

Given the tight budget at West Branch, Fischer joined forces with four other students – Ryan O’Neil, Justin Roth, Sarah Fischer and Emily Corr – to form a Total Energy Action Management (TEAM) group. Their goal? To find out how their school could save money and reduce its environmental impact.

Saving Energy Beyond the Classroom

With the support of teacher Hector Ibarra, TEAM found that their school could save $10,000 annually by conserving energy. They spoke with local energy experts, had a professional conduct an energy assessment and zeroed in on recommendations for lowering West Branch’s electric bill. These recommendations included retrofitting lights and wiring a new gym building to be solar-ready.

After uncovering savings opportunities at their school, TEAM visited small businesses to help them do the same. In particular, students helped business owners calculate the savings potential for replacing T12 fluorescent lamps with more efficient T8 lamps using General Electric’s Eco Estimator.

Consequently, TEAM won a $10,000 Lexus Eco Challenge Air/Climate regional contest. TEAM used the money to provide college scholarship to its members and establish a revolving loan fund for businesses to upgrade florescent lighting.

“Our team learned about how doing something simple like completing an energy audit can realize significant savings and can have a tremendous impact on the environment,” Fischer said.

How to Shrink Energy Bills at Your School

If you want to get started in saving energy at your school, check out TEAM’s website, which documents its efforts. In addition, follow Fischer’s recommendations for saving energy at school:

1. Conserve Lighting: Remember that lighting accounts for more than 25% of energy usage in most buildings. So, replace inefficient T12 fluorescent lights with energy efficient T8 or T5 lights. Also, use sensors that turn off lights in areas that are not used continuously, like restrooms and locker rooms.
2. Get an Energy Assessment: Schedule and conduct an energy assessment with a professional energy auditor. Call your utility company to see if they offer a free service.
3. Make Plans: Prepare for the future. Whenever new construction is taking place, look into whether efficient technologies are being designed into the plans or whether they can easily be added on later.
4. Spread the word: Tell neighbors, family, friends and community members about energy efficiency, and encourage them to do their part to save both energy and money.

Iowa Students Help Their School, Local Businesses Save Money with Energy Efficiency

Americans Give Thumbs Up to Appliance Efficiency Standards

Date: Apr 01, 2011

April 1, 2011 — Americans overwhelmingly believe that improving energy efficiency in home appliances is beneficial – especially in shrinking their electric bills – according to a March 8, 2011, survey released by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA). The study also found that Americans strongly support the government’s appliance efficiency standards.

CFA’s national study, “Public Attitudes Toward Energy Efficiency and Appliance Efficiency Standards,” surveyed 1,006 adults in the United States from Jan. 12 to Jan.16 on their knowledge and opinion of appliance efficiency standards.

Q: Why Support Efficiency? A: Lower Energy Bills.

The study revealed that reducing home energy bills is the largest driver of support for appliance efficiency and improved efficiency. In addition, most Americans are OK with paying more for a product when the payback for their investment comes within a few years.

According to the study, Americans believe that:

• Energy Efficiency Lowers Bills: While 96% believe improved appliance efficiency is important for lowering electric bills, 92% also believe it is important to reduce air pollution.
• Energy Efficiency Gives a Return on Investment: Even when appliance efficiency standards increase the price of a product, 79% are in favor of efficiency standards with a payback period of around three years.
• Appliances Should be More Energy Efficient: Overall, 95% of Americans think it is “beneficial for appliances like refrigerators, clothes washers and air conditioners to become more energy efficient.”
• Government Standards Help: Only about two-thirds of Americans are aware that the government requires certain types of new appliances to meet minimum energy standards. However, whether they know about current standards or not, nearly three-fourths of Americans support the government setting appliance efficiency standards.

Efficiency Standards: Putting Benefits into Consumers’ Pockets

The study comes in the midst of heated debate on Capitol Hill over current light bulb regulations – which mandate newly manufactured light bulbs to use less energy – and on the heels of a bill introduced in the U.S. Senate in February that, if passed, would improve efficiency standards on a variety of appliances. Improved appliance efficiency standards as proposed in this bill (INCAAA 2011, S. 398) would yield $43 billion in net economic savings to consumers through 2030, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

“Congress is in the thick of this question [on regulations]. At the same time, it’s clear that people want energy efficient home appliances,” CFA Director of Research and study author Mark Cooper told the Alliance. “Congress has the opportunity to deliver benefits right into consumers’ pocketbooks if it adopts higher standards for appliances and sticks with the higher standards for light bulbs.”

Americans Give Thumbs Up to Appliance Efficiency Standards