Regulation-weakening scam favors special interests…..has no economic benefit
A little background
Tom Carper (now Senator) was elected Governor of Delaware in 1992.  His agenda was pure “Chamber of Commerce” and he launched an across-the board attack on protection of the environment, and consumer protection, in Delaware. Continue reading
At the Delaware Audubon annual meeting on December 7th (A nice event, by the way), I had the chance to offer a few thoughts on Delaware, sea level rise, and climate change. Here is an expanded version of those comments.
First, the reality is that climate-changing emissions keep rising and, while humans could act to stop this, there are not a lot of objective grounds for optimism that this will happen. See, for example “ CO2 emissions rises mean dangerous climate change now almost certain.” Continue reading
December 13, 14, and 15, 2012 are forecast to be Code Yellow (“moderately” polluted) bad air days in Delaware. Continue reading
The Delaware Audubon Society Annual Dinner is December 7, 2012. Pearl Harbor Day.
This is an Audubon tradition and one of the few social events to link people involved in Delaware’s “environmental community.” Continue reading
The following press release was issued today by the Delaware House of Representatives:
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Utility’s proposed rate increase up for hearing on Thursday
DOVER – Several legislators are encouraging the public to join them in opposing a proposed Delmarva Power utility rate increase that the Public Service Commission will consider on Thursday.
Newark Rep. John Kowalko is asking residents throughout the state to attend the commission’s 1pm Thursday meeting to consider nearly $50 million in rate increases for Delmarva Power customers. Continue reading
[Note:Â Rep. Kowalko submitted this to The News Journal on October 22, 2012]
In recent years I have voluntarily applied as an intervener in several cases involving DP&L rate increase requests filed before the Public Service Commission. The process itself is cumbersome and complex and requires resources and time that is not always available to me. Unfortunately the reality is that the public, the ratepayers’, and my constituents’ interests have been inadequately represented in many of these proceedings and my obligation and responsibility as an elected public servant is to ensure some semblance of fairness in the discussions and decisions rendered. Continue reading
Comment: This was published in the Greenfield [Mass.] Recorder on Jan 26, 2010, but doesn’t seem to be available online. This is not the only medical society to oppose these burners. Delaware, due to wise actions ten years ago, already has in place laws against “biomass” burners. These laws are under attack and need to be strengthened and clarified.
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The purpose of this article is to describe the process and scientific rationale for the resolution by the Massachusetts Medical Society opposing biomass plants. Continue reading
(Thanks to Meg Sheehan of Ecolaw for a heads-up to this post.)
Most people who aren’t compromised probably get that if global warming is real, belching smokestacks aren’t the way to fix it.
I’ve come to suspect that one reason so many people don’t take climate change seriously is they can’t believe honest people would promote incinerating forests, manure, and garbage as “solutions.” The public is smelling scams. The public nose is working–climate policy has become a feeding frenzy of special interests who don’t give a damn about the future of anything but their pocketbooks. Continue reading
Friends:
Today, January 12, 2010, the Delaware General Assembly goes back into session. As usual, this presents both threats and opportunities.
Delaware has few environmental distinctions. One of these few is a strong law against incinerators.
Since 2000 this law, championed by State Senator David McBride, has protected thousands of people from death and disease caused by air pollution.
Special interests don’t stop conniving to weaken it. Continue reading
This is not light reading, but neither is the subject. Anyone wanting to know more about air pollution and health will find it worthwhile to plow through these 38 pages.
Vyvyan Howard is also a key person behind the longer report The Health Effects of Waste Incinerators from the British Society for Ecological Medicine