HARTFORD, Connecticut, July 28, 2008 (ENS) – There is more to encouraging the use of hybrid-electric vehicles than simply plugging them in, said Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today.

“We need to make sure the state’s electric infrastructure is ready for the additional demand, and we want to avoid problems that could crop up if, say, a high number of EVs are charging on a 98-degree summer day when power is at a premium for air conditioners and other devices,” the governor said.

Rell is preparing her state for a widespread switch to hybrid-electric vehicles that could happen as early as 2010.

GM’s Chevy Volt at the 2007
Washington Auto Show (Photo by
IFCAR)

Governor Rell said she has asked the chairman of the Department of Public Utility Control to work closely with automakers and the state’s electric utilities to encourage and accommodate the plug-in electric vehicles that General Motors and others are planning.

“EVs have enormous promise for helping us reduce our dependence on gasoline and cut the emissions of harmful pollutants,” the governor said.

To date, plug-in hybrid passenger vehicles are not in production. However, Toyota, General Motors, Ford, Chinese automaker BYD Auto, California startups Fisker Automotive and Aptera Motors, and Volkswagen all have announced their intention to introduce their own production versions.

GM has announced it plans to market the Chevy Volt, an electric vehicle designed to run at least 40 miles per day on electricity, beginning in 2010.

As part of the development of the Volt, GM is working with utility companies across the country to address issues such as the timing of recharges and possible incentives or special rates for EV drivers.

“The benefits to our planet, our businesses and families, not to mention the potential cost savings from a coordinated and intelligently planned roll-out of EVs, make Connecticut’s participation in EV integration discussions imperative,” the governor said.

The integration discussions were announced last week. General Motors and 34 utilities will collaborate with the Electric Power Research Institute on research and development to facilitate integration of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles into the power grid.

Today, Governor Rell directed DPUC Chairman Donald Downes to “ensure Connecticut utilities are actively involved in the discussions.”

Environmental groups are behind this alternative form of energy. Environment Connecticut said in June, “Plug-in hybrid vehicles can dramatically reduce carbon dioxide pollution from vehicles while weaning America from its dependence on oil.”

Electric vehicles are designed to be powered primarily by batteries charged through the existing electric power grid. Gasoline or other fuels serve as an auxiliary fuel if the rechargeable electric battery runs down.

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle shares the characteristics of both conventional hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles, having an internal combustion engine as well as batteries for power.

Plug-in hybrids can average nearly 100 miles per gallon using a combination of electricity and gasoline.

“In a time of soaring energy prices,” said Governor Rell, “Connecticut has an opportunity to be a national leader in reducing our dependence on foreign energy sources and in integrating available technologies in a way that will reduce emissions and may potentially lower costs to consumers.”

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ALBANY, New York, June 12, 2008 (ENS) – New York Governor David Paterson Tuesday announced that the state would offer up to $6 million in financial support for construction of a coal-fired power demonstration plant in Jamestown that will be the first of its kind in the world.

The Jamestown coal plant would burn coal in pure oxygen instead of air. This process leaves water and the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, CO2, which can be stored, or sequestered, underground for permanent storage.

Burning coal in oxygen can produce exhaust streams that are close to pure carbon dioxide, according to scientists at Sandia National Lab.

Chris Shaddix, principal investigator for clean coal combustion at Sandia’s Combustion Research Facility, says when coal is burned in pure oxygen, harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides, sulfur compounds, and mercury are virtually eliminated.

The Jamestown plant will serve as a demonstration facility for the promising new technology. The oxy-combustion approach is favored by companies in Japan, Canada and Germany, where pilot plants are under construction.

New York Governor David Paterson visits
Jamestown to announce support for
a clean coal plant there. (Photo courtesy
Office of the Governor)

The geology of Upstate New York is considered favorable for sequestration, the region needs jobs, and Governor Paterson said he views the project as a way to strengthen the ability of New York firms to launch exports of advanced coal technology to the rest of the world.

“Using pure oxygen to burn coal is one of the most cost effective ways of avoiding the impending climate changes associated with the accumulation of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.” said Harvey Stenger, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University at Buffalo.

“Producing pure oxygen from air is a process developed and refined at Praxair,” he said. “Using it to combust coal, our nation’s most plentiful energy resource, is a technology that once refined by Praxair and its partners, will allow us to capture and sequester almost all of the carbon dioxide emitted when coal is burned.”

This research will be conducted by the Oxy-Coal Alliance, which is made up of: Praxair, Dresser-Rand, E&E, Ecology and Environment, Foster Wheeler, Battelle Labs, State University of New York-Buffalo and AES Corporation.

Charles McConnell, vice president of gasification and oxy-coal technology at Praxair, said, “This is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate new, world-class technology right in our own community. Demonstration projects are fundamental to building a road map to commercial implementation of carbon dioxide capture technology in the future.”

Following completion of the research, the Oxy-Coal Alliance group will apply for a federal grant to continue research and development of the proposed Jamestown power plant. Grant notification is expected by the middle of 2009.

The Paterson administration’s new strategy for advanced coal development includes qualified financial support of up to $6 million for the New York Oxy-Coal Alliance in Jamestown.

In addition, the project will enjoy research and development funding from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

The strategy also includes the formation of a Carbon Capture and Sequestration Working Group.

New York’s senior U.S. Senator Charles Schumer said, “Governor Paterson’s decision to support the development of an advanced coal power plant in Jamestown is a knockout win for both Western New York and the country.”

Joe Brown, business manager of Boilermakers Local 7 said, “Being one of the predominant crafts on site we will employ over 100 people for two and a half years, a huge economic impact for the community. I’d like to thank the Governor’s Office for their effort in putting New York State at the forefront of the newest technology to help address climate change.”

The Paterson administration wants to showcase New York’s green credentials and used the announcement of support for the Oxy-Coal Alliance to remind residents that New York is the lead state in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the nation’s first viable carbon cap-and-trade system.

New York is also a leader in renewable energy production with a Renewable Portfolio Standard that ensures New Yorkers will obtain 25 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2013.

New York also is a national leader in energy efficiency, the administration said, pointing to New York’s “15 by 15″ initiative – the nation’s most aggressive energy efficiency goal which calls for a 15 percent reduction in energy use below projected levels by 2015.

Now, if only sequestration works in New York’s geology, the oxy-combustion coal technology could help the state meet its own energy needs using a domestic fuel and spur economic development and clean tech jobs.

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SACRAMENTO, California, April 7, 2008 (ENS) – One of Pepsi Bottling Group’s overland trucking contractors has been fined $280,125 by the state of California for violating air quality laws during 2006-2007.

The California Air Resources Board, ARB, said Friday that New Bern Transport Corporation of Indianapolis, Indiana failed to conduct required inspections of their heavy duty diesel trucks, resulting in higher emissions of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere.

The Board named the California cities affected by the increased emissions from the New Bern trucks – a long list which includes: San Diego, Brawley, Bakersfield, Mojave, Ventura, Santa Maria, Baldwin Park, Carson, San Fernando, Indio, Buena Park, Riverside, Aliso Viejo, Sunnyvale, Santa Rosa, Benicia, Hayward, Ukiah, Fresno, Modesto, Stockton, Salinas, Redding, Eureka and Durham.

“These routine inspections make sure that diesel trucks stay within their target emission levels,” said ARB Chairman Mary Nichols. “Companies that break the law will be held accountable and should also carry the burden of putting public health at risk.”

The issue was brought to the attention of ARB enforcement personnel during a routine inspection of New Bern’s smoke testing records, which brought to light the extent of the violations.

A truck from the New Bern Transport
Corp. Pepsi in-house leasing division
is parked at the Palm Bay, Florida
Albertson’s. (Photo courtesy
Russ MacNeil Collection)

As part of the settlement, the responsible New Bern employees will attend a mandatory diesel education and technology class and provide certificates of completion within one year, place emission control labels on all of their heavy duty vehicles and bring them up to federal emission standards, and provide documentation for the next four years that smoke inspections are being carried out on schedule.

ARB will place $210,094 into the California Air Pollution Control Fund. This fund uses settlement fines to conduct air pollution research and fund several programs aimed at reducing emissions as well as educating the public on pollution prevention.

The remaining $70,031 will go to the Peralta Community College District to fund diesel education classes.

A decade ago, the ARB listed diesel particulate matter as a toxic air contaminant in order to protect public health. Exposure to unsafe levels of diesel emissions can increase the risk of asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory diseases.

California has sought to cut diesel emissions by cleaning up diesel fuel, requiring cleaner engines for trucks, buses and off-road equipment, and limiting unnecessary idling.

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HOUSTON, Texas, January 9, 2008 (ENS) – Sierra Club and Environment Texas filed a lawsuit Tuesday in federal district court against Shell Oil Company and several affiliates. The groups claim that Shell has repeatedly violated the Clean Air Act at its Deer Park, Texas, oil refinery and chemical plant, resulting in the release of millions of pounds of air pollutants over the past five years, including toxic chemicals such as benzene and 1,3-butadiene.

The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring Shell to end its Clean Air Act violations. In addition, Shell faces civil penalties of up to $32,500 per day for each violation of the Clean Air Act. Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell, ranked by “Fortune” magazine as the third largest company in the world.

Shell’s Deer Park facility is a 1,500 acre complex located on the Houston Ship Channel in Harris County, about 20 miles east of downtown Houston. It is the nation’s eighth largest oil refinery and one of the world’s largest producers of petrochemicals.

Shell’s Deer Park refinery
(Photo credit unknown)

The facility is also the second largest source of air pollution in Harris County, which ranks among the worst in the nation in several measures of air quality.

“I live and work downwind from Shell, in Channelview. My family and my employees simply can’t afford to breathe in any more air pollution,” said Sierra Club member and small business owner Karla Land. “We have laws to protect air quality for a reason. Shell is breaking those laws and they need to be made to stop.”

The Clean Air Act contains a “citizen suit” provision that allows private citizens affected by violations of the law to bring an enforcement suit in federal court if state and federal regulators do not.

“On average of more than once a week for at least the past five years, Shell has reported that it violated its own permit limits by spewing a wide range of harmful pollutants into the air around the Deer Park plant,” said Luke Metzger, executive director of Environment Texas. “Because the state of Texas and the U.S. EPA have both failed to put a stop to these blatant violations, ordinary citizens are stepping up to enforce the law themselves.”

Shell’s permits contain both hourly and yearly limits on the amounts of pollutants it can emit into the atmosphere. The lawsuit alleges that equipment breakdowns, malfunctions, and other non-routine incidents at the Deer Park complex result in the release of millions of pounds of pollutants into the surrounding air, frequently in violation of legal limits.

A single such “upset” or “emission event” can result in the release of thousands of pounds of air pollutants in a matter of minutes or hours. Some emission events at Shell Deer Park have involved pollutant releases in the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

It is the first case in Texas in which citizen groups are suing to stop air emissions arising from so-called “upset” events.

According to the groups’ analysis of Shell’s own reports to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, air pollutants released during upsets at Deer Park since 2003 include:

* Over two million pounds of sulfur dioxide

* Over one million pounds of volatile organic compounds, VOCs

* Over 600,000 pounds of carbon monoxide

* Over 250,000 pounds of nitrogen oxides

* Over 90,000 pounds of benzene and 60,000 pounds of 1,3-butadiene

Nitrogen oxides and VOCs contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, or smog, which, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, can trigger a variety of health problems including chest pain, coughing, throat irritation, and congestion.

The company said Tuesday, “Shell Deer Park refining and chemical share the goal of the Sierra Club and Environment Texas to improve air quality.”

“We have a record of continuous improvement in environmental performance achieved through significant investment in emission reduction projects and heightened employee focus on preventing operational incidents,” the company said in a statement.

Shell gave examples including “a 14 percent reduction in reported benzene air emissions in 2006 compared with 2005, and a 67 percent reduction in flaring incidents from our Olefins operations between 2005 and 2007.”

“In December, we met with the law firm representing the environmental groups,” Shell said. “We are committed to an ongoing dialogue with them to discuss their concerns, our operations and the steps we are taking to further reduce emissions.”

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When it comes to combining rigorous sustainability standards with high-end design, it doesn’t get much better than Q Collection [www.qcollection.com], whom we’ve spotlighted before [www.sundancechannel.com] for their excellent work. If you’re looking to combine top-notch design with top-to-bottom sustainability considerations, you can’t go wrong with Q, so we’re excited to see that they’ve extended their offerings to include Q Collection Junior [www.qcollectionjunior.com], a cute line of mod furniture, bedding and accessories that combines beautiful design with very thoroughly considered and impressive sustainable materials and manufacturing.

A great example of how to avoid the indoor air pollution we talked about all week, the furnishings represent a practical guide to greening the interior of your home from the inside out. The list of green practices and materials that go in to the collection are all what we look for in sustainable furnishings: FSC-certified and locally-sourced, responsibly-managed wood; formaldehyde-free, water-based, non-toxic adhesives; non-toxic, low-VOC finishes; low-impact, non-toxic, heavy metal-free fabric dyes; 100% organic cotton. And we aren’t the only ones to give it a thumbs up: Q Collection Junior is the only children’s furniture and bedding line recommended by Healthy Child Healthy World [www.healthychild.org], a leading non-profit organization helping parents find non-toxic and environmentally friendly products for their children. Q Collection Junior’s cribs are the first (and only, so far) in the world to be certified by the Greenguard Environmental Institute [www.greenguard.org] for low-VOC emissions.

Their green-above-all approach makes lots of sense for children’s furniture, from both a planetary and human health perspective: youngsters spend tons of time in their cribs, on a changing table, and surrounded by stuff in their nurseries; exposure to VOCs and other harmful pollutants that are off-gassing from their surroundings can lead to both short and long-term health problems, especially if they’re living with poor indoor air quality during their busiest developmental years. By focusing on the dual “People Safe. Planet Safe” goals, the furnishings can help cut back on some of the risks.

In addition to the killer line of furniture and accessories (that’s the Luna changing table [www.qcollectionjunior.com] and Astronomer stool [www.qcollectionjunior.com] directly above, in addition to the Solare Armoire FSC [www.qcollectionjunior.com] and Claudius the Bear [www.qcollectionjunior.com] above that and the Solare armoire [www.qcollectionjunior.com], Stella stackable storage [www.qcollectionjunior.com] and Solare crib [www.qcollectionjunior.com] in the top image) Q Collection Junior wants to be a resource for greener, healthier parenting; they’ve got a great collection of resources [www.qcollectionjunior.com] and a glossary of terms [www.qcollectionjunior.com] that parents can use to make their homes healthier places to raise children.

Q Collection Junior is available for sale directly from their site [www.qcollectionjunior.com], which has lots more information on their materials choices, manufacturing practices and other green aspects of the business; the collection is also coming to a select number of retailers [www.qcollectionjunior.com] soon.

Chemistry has traditionally been a science that necessitates working with toxic chemicals and pollution-intensive materials. Recently, a new field of chemistry called “Green Chemistry” has begun to be taught in universities. The use of toxic chemicals and harmful pollutants has been stripped out of the scientific process.

The EPA’s mission statement on Green Chemistry aims “to promote innovative chemical technologies that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture, and use of chemical products.”

A green chemistry curriculum is beginning to appear in major universities all over America. Recently, one of the finest academies for science, Carnegie Mellon University, opened up a concentrated set of courses that are designed to teach chemistry with a green philosophy as the backbone. It is great to see that there is a growing concern over living in a world that is dominated by artificial chemical creations. With toxins so prevalent in our lives and cancers and other diseases a continuing concern, then one has to wonder if there might be a correlation between toxicity levels in the air, earth and water and the health of our bodies.

If anyone reading this has had bad experiences with certain chemicals, then please make a map marker that documents your experiences so the next person who encounters a similar situation has a chance of avoiding the dangers.