20 Predictions for Solar

2013 predictions for Solar Energy
Solar Industry Mag

As we close out 2012 and look ahead to 2013, what is in store for solar manufacturers, installers and everyone in between? Market research firm IHS foresees little relief from some of the key challenges that rocked the industry this year, but positive signs are also appearing.

"The photovoltaic industry is in the midst of wrenching change - buffeted by government incentive cuts and nose-diving prices that has hurt solar suppliers worldwide, rocked by trade disputes among its major players, and hamstrung by a sputtering global economy," says Ash Sharma, director of solar research at IHS.

"However, there are some bright spots ahead," he continues. "Solar installations are on the rise, technology is becoming more efficient, and a weak European (EU) market roiled by financial turmoil will be offset by an ascendant China and the U.S."

Here are the top 10 predictions for 2013 from the IHS solar research team…click here

Renewables get boost in the EU
Renewable Energy News

BRUSSELS -- The European Union granted 1.2 billion euros ($1.58 billion) in subsidies to 23 renewable- energy projects under a program to promote low-carbon technology as a part of the fight against global warming.

The aid for the projects located in 16 EU countries including France, Germany, Greece, Poland and the U.K. comes from the sale of allowances to emit carbon dioxide set aside in a special reserve under Europe’s cap-and-trade program, known as NER300. Today’s announcement covers proceeds from the first tranche of 200 million allowances sold this year and last year.

The projects, ranging from biofuels to solar and wind power, will boost annual renewable energy output in Europe by around 10 terrawatt-hours, an amount equivalent to the yearly fuel consumption of more than a million passenger cars, the European Commission, the bloc’s executive, said in a statement. The aim is to demonstrate technologies that will help scale up clean energy production in the region…click here

Links

‘Master Computer Controls Universe?’ Economist View

Group Launches to Encourage Transparency & Aggressive Journalism, Help WikiLeaks Survive Blockade Firedoglake

Writer of ‘I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother’ Blog Post Criticized as Unfit Mother with Own History of Violent Tendencies, Mental Illness Gawker

Rape Case Unfolds on Web and Splits City New York Times

Don’t Believe the Gasoline Hype Oil Price

Bundesbank’s downside forecast MacroBusiness

Senator John Kerry Sold His Soul to Be Secretary of State Kabul Press

Reporter: Fiscal cliff ‘brinksmanship’ over due to Newtown shooting Raw Story

Obama makes a substantial counteroffer on fiscal deadline Los Angeles Times

Is Obama a Man of Destiny? SF Gate

When it Comes to the Fed and Jobs, Robert Samuelson Is Worried About Inflation and Martians Firedoglake

NYSE Volume Chart is Deceptively Informative Big Picture

Banks Seek a Shield in Mortgage Rules New York Times

US Business Confidence Surges, Even As Fiscal Cliff Uncertainty Jump Business insider

Millions live on $2 a day in America. The problem isn’t just the safety net, it’s the whole economy Daily Kos (Carol B)

Morgan Stanley fined over Facebook Financial Times

The Second Great Betrayal: Obama and Cameron Decide that Banks are above the Law New Economic Perspectives

Wal-Mart’s bribery in Mexico New York Times

Robots confusing economists MacroBusiness

Electric Cabs will not be coming to Arlington County, VA.

Electric Vehicle report from Lanny Hartman of the EVA/DC
EVA/DC

The Arlington County Board voted against a recommendation to place 40 electric taxicabs on area streets in what could have been the first all-electric taxi fleet in the US. EVA/DC members Eric Cardwell and Lanny Hartmann were at the meeting when they voted.

Board member Jay Fisette initiated the motion to award 40 taxi certificates to EV Taxicabs. Fellow board member, Libby Garvey, supported the motion.

In his remarks, Mr. Fisette said, "the bulk of the testimony, the bulk of the letters have been supportive of the Manager's recommendation around the EV cabs. I see this as a very effective leveraging of resources through a public / private partnership." He added, "This is exactly the kind of innovation, the kind of opportunity that is needed for us to meet the goals we've adopted in the community energy plan to date around reducing greenhouse gases, competitiveness and energy security."

Dissenting board member, Chris Zimmerman, remarked, "I don't think we, at this point, know for sure exactly how that technology is going to shake out, and so the concerns of the Transportation Commission resonated with me."

Walter Tejada thanked the speakers who gave public testimony in the prior meeting. He said, "there was a lot of good information shared and I appreciate it, particularly those who currently own electric vehicles." "I have questions about the infrastructure... "I feel though, that with the infrastructure, that [it] is currently not in place to support electric vehicles yet."

Mr. Fisette retorted, "There is no question that we do not have the infrastructure and part of this application's strength was that, in fact, after the end of two years we would, without any public investment."

All the board members seemed to agree that electric vehicles may be the way to go in the future. The next consideration for adding more taxicabs in Arlington County will be in two years.

EVA/DC members, Dave Goldstein, Jeffrey C. Jacobs and Joseph Lado joined us as we gathered nearby after the vote.

Links

New Zealand SPCA teaches rescue dogs how to drive a Mini Autoblog

Arizona woman’s creative holiday sign gets humorous point across using far less juice New Daily News

‘Jedi’ religion most popular alternative faith Daily Telegraph

Head of new U.S.-backed Syrian coalition endorses al Qaida-linked rebel faction McClatchy

Deutsche Bank offices raided amid tax evasion inquiry Guardian

Police raid Deutsche HQ in tax probe FT

Deutsche Bank watchdog dismisses false accounting claims – sources Reuters

Thomson Reuters seeks to run new Libor FT

European Central Bank says it has ‘much to learn’ from Latam robust financial systems MercoPress

Catalan parties agree referendum on independence within two years El Pais

The Fed Turns Aggressively Dovish With ‘Evans Rule’ Businessweek

Fed’s bond buying will continue until jobless rates drops McClatchy

“Right to Work” Isn’t a Civil Right. But Unionizing Should Be The New Republic

New MSM Trillion Dollar Coin Wave Misses the Big Story: Hayes and Carney New Economic

Is the new boom in domestic natural gas production an economic bonanza or environmental disaster? Phys.org.

Work on Keystone XL Halts in Texas over “Wrong Type of Oil” Claim OilPrice

New Report Could Effect Huge Change in the Pipeline Industry OilPrice

Enbridge Pipeline Faces Scallop-Farmers Fight Bloomberg

There is so much data stored in the world that we may run out of ways to quantify it Daily Mail

The Fungus in Your Cheese Is Having Weird Sex Smithsonian

Stone Age people were making cheese over 7,000 years ago Independent 

Hatership VS Black Leadership in the Age of Obama Black Agenda Report

The Silent Treatment: A Day in the Life of a Student in ‘No Excuses’ Land EduShyster.

Smith Electric Vehicles to open plant in Windy City

Smith Electric Vehicles announced this past Wednesday that Smith will open an electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Chicago, creating hundreds of direct and indirect jobs and boosting the already rapidly growing battery and electric vehicle sector in the City. Smith’s decision to locate a facility in Chicago is influenced by the Mayor’s innovative voucher system created to accelerate the conversion from diesel to zero-emission, all electric commercial vehicles, the large number of fleets interested in vehicle electrification, and the development incentives made available to Smith.

“I’m proud to welcome another growing company with a great mission to Chicago. Soon hundreds of Chicagoans will be able to put their skills to use providing businesses worldwide with high-quality, zero-emission, American-made vehicles,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Smith Electric Vehicles is an innovative company in a forward-looking, essential industry that is a central part of Chicago’s economic future.”

Smith is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of all-electric commercial vehicles, which are zero-emission and less expensive to own and operate when compared with traditional diesel trucks. The company produces trucks for multiple industries, including food & beverage, utility, telecommunications, retail, grocery, parcel and postal delivery, school transportation, military and government. Smith’s customers include many of the world’s largest fleet operators, including PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division, FedEx, Staples, TNT, Sainsbury’s, Coca-Cola, DHL, and the U.S. Military.

 

Chicago will be Smith’s third location in the United States, joining their headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., and a manufacturing facility in New York City.

 

Additionally, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced a comprehensive, $15 million incentive program that will encourage companies and individuals to modernize their fleets and convert to electric vehicles. The first of its kind in the US, this plan rewards fleets on an increasing scale for replacing their most diesel-consuming vehicles. The program’s initial $15M is funded by resources from the federal CongestionMitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) program and will provide vouchers to assist companies in reducing the costs of converting their vehicles to electric. The City is also considering additional incentives such as preferential loading zones and decreased registration costs to complement the voucher program. Fleets can stack the State of Illinois’ Alternative Fuel Vehicle and EV Charging Station Rebates on top of the City’s incentive. Through similar federally funded incentive programs, the City has helped deploy 404 cleaner vehicles, including 159 compressed natural gas (CNG) livery/taxi vehicles and 223 alternative fuel stations, including 17 CNG and 202 electric vehicle charging stations – the densest network of any major city. These vehicles and stations have displaced 200,000 barrels of oil and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2,850 tons.

 

“A mass urban deployment of commercial electric vehicles is an important next step in catalyzing mainstream adoption,” said Smith CEO Bryan Hansel. “Chicago’s location, commitment to adoption in municipal fleets, concentration of commercial vehicles, talented workforce and importance to the global business community make it a perfect choice to grow our company and this industry. The leadership being shown with the mayor’s CDOT voucher program is a prime example of how Chicago is creating the template for a new energy city.”

 

In addition to the announcement of the manufacturing facility, Smith provided an update today on two of its global fleet customers. FedEx Express has initiated the deployment of 100 Smith vehicles in the U.S., adding to the electric vehicles already in service throughout the company’s global fleet.

“FedEx continually works toward goals to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions of its global vehicle fleet in big and small ways,” said Dennis Beal, Vice President of Global Vehicles at FedEx Express. “Electric vehicles are often conducive to operate on routes in urban environments like Chicago, where FedEx introduced the first purpose-built all-electric parcel delivery trucks in the United States in 2010.”

 

Coca-Cola’s pilot deployment of Smith Electric Vehicles has been successful. The Company plans to deploy additional electric vehicles in 2013.

 

“These electric vehicles meet our delivery needs while significantly reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions,” commented Steven Saltzgiver, director of fleet operations, Coca-Cola Refreshments. “Mayor Emanuel’s incentive program is evidence of his commitment to building a more sustainable Chicago. We are proud to support this effort by deploying electric vehicles in Chicago as part of Coca-Cola’s expanding alternative fuel vehicle fleet.”

Smith Electric Vehicles is currently considering locations for its manufacturing facility in conjunction with City officials. The company expects to begin hiring efforts immediately and announce this new location when the incentive and development packages tied to the site are complete.

Fiat unveils new electric vehicle with an estimated 80-mile range
Daily Tech

 

Fiat has unveiled an all-new electric vehicle this week called the 2013 Fiat 500e. This is first electric vehicle in the Fiat Cinquecento line and should deliver an estimated 116 MPGe fuel rating in the city. Fiat also promises that the little electric car will get 100 MPGe on the highway.

The estimated driving range for the 500e is 80 miles on a full charge (although Chrysler points out that city driving could see that range extended past 100 miles). The vehicle has a new battery-electric powertrain producing 111 hp and the battery packs are able to recharge in under four hours when combined with the Level 2 onboard charging module.

 

Fight climate change like a German
Renewable Energy World

 

The in-progress Doha Climate Change Conference presents the perfect opportunity to read Global Cooling: Strategies for Climate Protection by Hans-Josef Fell. Green parliamentarian Fell is one of the fathers of Germany’s Renewable Energy Law, the seminal legislation guiding the country's Energiewende.

Fell refutes the tired line that saving the planet’s climate requires sacrifice, vast riches, and endless red tape. Rather than focusing on costs, he points out the gains of proactive policies overhauling our economies within clean energy frameworks.

In a nutshell, there’s serious money to be made (and saved) in the greening of our societies, as well as other perks like energy security, reduced energy imports, job creation, poverty reduction, the generation of substantial tax revenue – not to mention quotidian environmental protection.

 

Links

Arctic sea ice larger than US melted this year Associated Press

Keep the net beyond the autocrats’ reach Financial Times (furzy mouse)

High-Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to Diabetes WebMD

IMF discovers Chinese over-investment Macrobusiness

Why one of China’s richest men is squaring off against Obama in court Christian Science Monitor

UK banks face up to £50bn shortfall Financial Times

Greek deal frays as IMF threatens walk-out on debt buy-back impasse Telegraph

Egypt’s draft constitution approved Guardian

UN general assembly recognises Palestinian state Guardian.

Why rich guys want to raise the retirement age Washington Post

Republicans Reject Cliff Offer From Obama Wall Street Journal

Drones: Despite Problems, A Push to Expand Domestic Use San Francisco Chronicle

Online schools spend millions to attract students USA Today

The Insourcing Boom The Atlantic

McJobs Should Pay, Too: Inside Fast-Food Workers’ Historic Protest For Living Wages The Atlantic

Sales at Nation’s Retailers Fell Short of Expectations in November New York Times

Kansas City Fed: Manufacturing Activity Declines Again in November 2012 Global Economic Intersection

November 26, 2012

Nissan Teams with Coca-Cola Central Japan to Test e-NV200 100% Electric Commercial Vehicle Ahead of Market Launch

·       Nissan and Coca-Cola Central Japan Co. will partner to test the 100% electric

·       e-NV200 commercial vehicle starting in mid-November

·       Coca-Cola will give feedback on e-NV200's prowess in meeting commercial demands

·       Test results will help finesse the future commercial version

YOKOHAMA, Japan (November 12, 2012) - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is providing Coca-Cola with the e-NV200, a commercial vehicle that's 100% electric, for field testing starting in mid-November.

Coca-Cola's regional organization, Coca-Cola Central Japan Co., Ltd., will use Nissan's multipurpose commercial van as regional sales vehicle in Yokohama, evaluating its performance and practical usability against conventional internal-combustion engine vehicles. The van will be recharged only at night when electricity consumption is low. The test will determine if the nightly charge is sufficient to meet user needs during the day. Overall, Nissan is looking for feedback as to e-NV200's suitability for commercial use.

Coca-Cola Central Japan Test e-NV200

Nissan has already road tested the e-NV200 this year with several other major companies, including AEON Retail Co., Ltd., FedEx Express and British Gas in Japan and Europe. Nissan is using the feedback from the field testing to refine and enhance the final development of e-NV200, scheduled to launch by fiscal year 2014. The commercial vehicle will be Nissan's second mass-produced 100% EV. It follows Nissan LEAF, the world's first globally produced EV for the consumer market.

Providing a large, multi-functional interior space to both business and private users, the e-NV200 commercial EV will deliver innovation in the commercial vehicle market and further Nissan's leadership in the EV market. Combining the advanced powertrain of the Nissan LEAF with the innovative and practical NV200 base vehicle will not only deliver zero CO2 emissions, but also superior acceleration and quietness. In addition, e-NV200 has class-leading levels of operating costs, one of the most critical factors for businesses using commercial vehicles.

GM Plans 500,000 Vehicles with Electrification by 2017

General Motors will have up to 500,000 vehicles on the road with some form of electrification by 2017 with a focus on plug-in technology, the company’s top product development executive said Wednesday.

“The plug-in offers a unique opportunity to change the way people commute,” Mary Barra, senior vice president of Global Product Development told media attending the GM Electrification Experience in San Francisco. “Plug-based solutions will play a significant role in our technology portfolio going forward.”

The plug-in Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, introduced in 2010, has become more than a statement for GM in the electric vehicle space, Barra said by satellite from Detroit.

“What started out as a technology proof point… has turned into a real-world starting point to push EV technology further and faster than we thought possible five years ago,” she said. “The unique propulsion technology pioneered in the Volt – the same technology that will be featured in the Cadillac ELR – will be a core piece of our electrification strategy going forward.”

Learning from the Volt is being liberally applied to the Chevrolet Spark EV, which will go on sale next year in the certain U.S. markets and South Korea with other markets to be announced soon.

“We’ll meet requirements set by certain regulatory agencies, but we’re not building the Spark EV to check a regulatory box,” Barra said.

GM is on track to sell more than 50,000 vehicles this year with electrification – between the Volt and eAssist light electrification technology on the Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Malibu. The 2014 Chevrolet Impala also will offer an eAssist model when he debuts next year.

“Our commitment to eAssist is unwavering,” Barra said. “In fact, our future portfolio calls for eAssist to be on hundreds of thousands of GM vehicles annually by 2017.”

Links

Electricity from the marshes PhysOrg (Robert M)

Seeing the light: Ed Boyden’s tools for brain hackers Wired

B.C. First Nation members evict pipeline surveyors, set up road block Globe and Mail

Shale Gas Bubble About to Burst: Art Berman, Bill Powers Steve Horn

China’s ‘Go West’ boom offers bonanza for British banks Telegraph

Holocaust Survivors Criticize Israeli Policy Towards Palestinians

Report: White House considering corporate donors for inauguration The Hill. So if you didn’t buy his good will during the campaign, it’s not too late.

Will President Obama Restore the Rule of Law During His Second Term? Truthout

Attention Americans: the Revolution has begun. You must choose a side. Fabius Maximum

U.S. Headed For Fiscal Cliff Onion.

20,000 Sacrificed In Annual Blood Offering To Corporate America Onion

Marginal Rates and Economic Growth: They Go Up Together Angry Bear

Surprise! Report says income inequality still getting worse in most states Daily Kos

Millions will qualify for new options under the health care law. Most have no idea. Washington Post

Federal Judge Announces Wageless Job Opening, Calls Working for Free a ‘Moral Commitment’ Alternet

Why Black Friday Is a Behavioral Economist’s Nightmare New York Magazine.

Shoppers scrutinise Black Friday deals Financial Times. The NYT was more positive on shopper activity.

Local police disperse, arrest Black Friday protesters on behalf of Walmart Dispatches from the Underclass

Failure of the American Conscience: Walmart Reports Record Black Friday Sales Despite 100-City Worker Strike Firedoglake.

The National Mortgage Settlement….REPORT YOUR CONCERNS NOW! Matt Weidner

Economists, Obama administration at odds over role of mortgage debt in recovery Washington Post.

US cash piles built on more than anxiety Financial Times.

November 19, 2012

If Nissan EVs Falter, What Company Will Champion Electric Cars? PlugInCars

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has finally admitted what EV sales numbers have been clearly indicating since January, and what even the most casual observer of the electric car market could clearly see: Nissan will not meet its 2012 sales target for the all-electric LEAF.

So far this year, Nissan has sold 6,791 LEAFs, down 15.6 percent from this time a year ago. The company had predicted that sales would double this year.

With each passing week over the past few months, as Ghosn continued to deny the obvious, the company’s credibility as the leader in EVs was being eroded. In fact, just a few days ago, he refused to step back from the larger goal of Nissan-Renault cumulatively selling 1.5 million EVs by 2015. He instead suggested to Automotive News that electric car sales from Renault, including the Zoe model to be introduced next year, could help reach sales targets.

“On top of this, we're opening a lot of doors for the LEAF,” Ghosn said. “We're becoming more competitive with the LEAF and putting our act together.”

Focus Electric needs more range Boston Herald

The long and winding road to building a better electric car continues, though it is a very long road, indeed. Case in point is the Focus Electric, the first passenger vehicle from Ford to be powered solely by electricity.

It looks like a gas-powered Focus and rides like one, too. So far, so good.

Unfortunately, you won’t be going very far. A full charge will only get you about 75 miles down the road (maybe a 100 miles if you drive gingerly). That’s a real deal-breaker for most drivers. Who wants to worry about making it to work or getting home before the battery runs down?

Links

Diabetes rates rise dramatically, CDC reports Los Angeles Times

Air pollution in towns and cities ‘ages brains of over-50s by three years’ Daily Mail

Anonymous Saved The Election? Addicting Info

France blows up at Economist cover Guardian

Thousands of Spanish police officers march against austerity  RT

Israel pounds Gaza Strip from air and sea Aljazeera

Gaza braces for invasion as death toll mounts Guardian

US Continues to Blindly Back Israeli Attacks on Gaza AntiWar

US intelligence: The downfall of P4 Financial Times

World’s Wealthiest Lose $26 Billion as Fiscal Cliff Nears Bloomberg

In Leaked Docs, Honeywell Cites Obama Ties As Key to Anti-Union Strategy Mike Elk

Don’t Worry, Hostess’ Top Executives Still Got Richer As Company Collapsed Gawker.

Help Change The Economy — Join Walmart Workers Striking On Black Friday Dave Johnson

Walmart Strikers Food Fund WePay.  

OccupySandy feeds FEMA workers: Government incompetence at its peak RT

Occupy hatches plot to destroy payday loan industry The Raw Story.

‘Occupy’ Doctor Had Bomb-Making Chemicals In Ridgewood Basement, Authorities Charge NJ Patch

Bernanke Wants Looser Lending Standards in Bubble Reinflation Effort Firedoglake

Electric vehicles in the news and more

Ford triples number of EV dealers

In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a hybrid, plug-in and all-electric vehicle war raging in the U.S. new car market right now and Ford is one of the parties engaged in it.

Attacking Toyota and its Prius range claiming that its own hybrids are superior isn’t the only way the Blue Oval plans to boost the sales of its “green” fleet that by early 2013, will include the hybrid and plug-in (“Energi” in Ford-talk) versions of the C-MAX and the Fusion, and the pure-electric Focus EV.

The most successful Electric Car cities

The most successful EV region is the Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan. Of all registered cars in the area, 2,183 are electric. The local authorities aim to have 3,000 EVs on the road by the end of 2013, which is a modest objective considering that more than 3,000 hybrids were sold within the first five years of their introduction to the market.

The second most successful EV city is Los Angeles. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants to turn the “car capital of the world” into the “electric car capital of the world.” The ambitious goal of 80,000 EVs by 2015 may be a surprise for those who are familiar with the history of plug-in vehicles in that region. In the 1990s, car manufacturers in California produced nearly 5,000 electric cars. A few years later, they were all destroyed or donated to museums as the local government “grew doubtful of consumers’ willingness to accept the cars.” The u-turn in LA’s policy has resulted in more than 2,000 registered electric cars.

Firefighters prepare for electric car fires

MERIDIAN -- We've seen electric cars become more popular as gas prices rise. Now firefighters are seeing the need to prepare for situations involving hybrid cars.

Firefighters from all over the state came to Meridian Saturday to learn about the dangers from fires involving electric cars. Small logos are the only things that make electric cars look different than other cars on the road. But for first responders, they can be an unexpected danger.

"We had one pull off in a field one time and the tires were still spinning, and the car was sitting there, but you couldn't tell that the car was on," said Jim Hitch, who used to be a firefighter in Moscow. Now he's with the Parma Volunteer Fire Department and Idaho Emergency Services Training.

Auto insurance for electric cars has its implications

After many struggles over several decades, the electric car is finally starting to get some mainstream attention, but many would-be drivers are still finding that the cost of auto insurance is holding them back from purchasing the vehicles that they would like to drive.

The cost of insuring these vehicles – which are already on the pricy side – is presenting a setback.

Though slow progress is being made in the introduction of electric cars as people want to make choices that are more environmentally friendly, the price tag of the vehicle isn’t the only concern anymore. Now, auto insurance can be the barrier that comes between an interested buyer and an actual purchase.

The cost of auto insurance for an electric vehicle is negating the benefit of savings from avoiding gasoline.

Cars that are completely electric are already the most pricey in their class sizes, so adding additional long term costs through ongoing auto insurance premiums that are more expensive than a standard gas guzzlers can make their ownership cost prohibitive. Though many people would like to reduce the emissions caused by the cars they drive, they still need to be able to afford the cost of their choices.

Links

Japan’s economy shrinks annualised 3.5% Financial Times
Debt crisis: Greece passes tough budget in bid to unlock vital aid Telegraph
Hanging in quiet desperation is (becoming) the Greek way Yanis Varoufakis
Venice hit by floods – in pictures Guardian
White House Grand Bargain offer to Speaker Boehner Obtained by Bob Woodward Press Pass
Hawks and Hypocrites New York Times
Don’t fear fiscal cliff, says Democrat Financial Times
Banks should fear ominous new rulings in Fannie/Freddie MBS cases Reuters
Administration Housing Policy in a Second Term Firedoglake

Heavy metals: Study links water contamination to fracking

This is a press release by State Rep. Jesse White, D-Allegheny/Beaver/Washington:

HARRISBURG, Nov. 1 – State Rep. Jesse White, D-Allegheny/Beaver/Washington, today called for state and federal law enforcement agencies to investigate the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for alleged misconduct and fraud revealed by sworn testimony given by a high-ranking DEP official.

White said he received a letter and corresponding documents highlighting the sworn testimony of DEP Bureau of Laboratories Technical Director Taru Upadhyay, who was deposed in a lawsuit alleging nearby natural gas drilling operations contaminated drinking water supplies in Washington County, causing serious health issues. In the deposition, Upadhyay said that the DEP was clearly aware of water impacts from Marcellus Shale drilling, but no notices of violation were filed – a violation of the state’s Oil & Gas Act.

Of more critical concern to Pennsylvania residents, according to White, was that the deposition revealed that the DEP developed a specialized computer-code system to manipulate the test results for residents whose water was tested by the DEP over concerns of adverse effects from gas drilling operations.

According to the transcripts, which have been filed as exhibits in a related lawsuit in Washington County Court of Common Pleas (Haney et al. v. Range Resources et al., Case No. 2012-3534), the DEP lab would conduct water tests using an EPA-approved standard, but the DEP employee who requested the testing would use a specially designed ‘Suite Code’ which limits the information coming back from the DEP lab to the DEP field office, and ultimately to the property owner.

The code in question, Suite Code 942, was used to test for water contamination associated with Marcellus Shale drilling activities, yet specifically screens out results for substances known to be hazardous and associated with Marcellus Shale drilling. Similar codes, Suite Code 943 and 946, are also used by the DEP in similar circumstances; both of these codes omit the presence or levels of drilling-related compounds.

As a result, if Suite Code 942 is applied, the report generated for the homeowner by DEP only includes eight of the 24 metals actually tested for: Barium, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Sodium and Strontium. The homeowner would not be given results for: Silver, Aluminum, Beryllium, Cadium, Cobalt, Chromium, Copper, Nickel, Silicon, Lithium, Molybdenum, Tin, Titanium, Vandium, Zinc and Boron.

“This is beyond outrageous. Anyone who relied on the DEP for the truth about whether their water has been impacted by drilling activities has apparently been intentionally deprived of critical health and safety information by their own government,” White said. “There is no excuse whatsoever to justify the DEP conducting the water tests and only releasing partial information to residents, especially when the information withheld could easily be the source of the problem. This goes beyond incompetence; this is unlawful and reprehensible activity by the DEP. If these allegations are true, there needs to be a thorough and objective investigation to determine if someone belongs in a jail cell.”

White continued: “I am not releasing this information to hurt Marcellus Shale development in Pennsylvania, but to help ensure the reality matches the rhetoric. The Marcellus boom was built on the assumption that the DEP was competent and capable of balancing the positive impacts of the industry with its job of keeping residents safe and secure, but we now know that simply isn’t the case. Like most of us, I want the Marcellus Shale industry to succeed by doing things the right way, so it is crucial to find out what exactly the DEP was up to. If the system is indeed rigged, we must do everything in our power to root out corruption and restore public confidence in our ability to have an honest conversation with one another about developing a responsible energy policy for Pennsylvania.”

Due to the strong possibility of unlawful conduct, White is calling on the U.S. Attorney’s office, the Environmental Protection Agency, state Attorney General Linda Kelly and any other appropriate law enforcement agency to pursue an investigation of the DEP to discover the scope and depth of this scheme to withhold important information from Pennsylvanians. White is also sending a letter to the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NJ-NELAP), to investigate whether the DEP’s conduct and practices violated the accreditation standards for the DEP laboratories. If accreditation standards were violated, White is requesting the DEP’s accreditation be stripped, rendering the agency unable to conduct and certify its own tests.

White said he is sending a letter to DEP Secretary Michael Krancer seeking a summary of how many constituents in his legislative district, which includes communities with high levels of Marcellus Shale drilling activity, had DEP tests done using Suite Codes 942, 943 or 946. White also intends to make a blanket request on behalf of his constituents that DEP release the full testing data directly to the individual property owners in question.

Any Pennsylvania resident who received water quality test results from the DEP should look for the number 942, 943 or 946 as a ‘Suite Code’ or ‘Standard Analysis’. White encouraged anyone with questions to contact his district office at 724-746-3677 for more information and noted that the property owner should be entitled to the complete testing results from DEP.

“This isn’t a technicality, and it isn’t something which can be ignored,” White said. “We are talking about people’s health, safety and welfare. The sworn testimony from inside the DEP about a scheme to withhold vital information about potential water contamination is truly alarming. An investigation is necessary to answer these serious allegations.”

The letter sent to Rep. White alerting him of these issues can be found at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/111821139

The deposition of TaruUpadhyay, technical director of PA DEP Laboratory can be found at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/111821978

Links:

Why Great Sign Language Interpreters Are So Animated The Atlantic

 The 2012 U. S. Presidential Elections: Reversals, Revelations and Renewal Threshold Consulting

Against Voting: “As long as we live, we shall have to live together with ourselves”  Power of Narrative

Third party laziness Pruning Shears

Obama, Romney & Enthusiasm Angry Bear

The Politics of Fear NY review of books

Video: The Undecided The New Yorker

The Difference Between Bush’s First Term Vs. Obama’s First Term In One Devastating Chart Business Insider

Watchdog inspectors divided on fault activity at Oi nuclear plant site Asahi Shimbun

Useless Liberal Intellectuals FDL. Until the last college President is strangled with the entrails of the last post-structuralist…

How MIT Became the Most Important University in the World Boston Magazine

Attacks on Social Security Are Attacks on Today’s Youth, The Seniors of 2050 and Beyond Firedoglake

A crazy story – wow! - The professional ‘cuddler’ who makes $260 a day by inviting strangers to take a nap with her at home Daily Mail

New: Energica Motorcycle

Italian manufacturer CRP is set to reveal a prototype of its upcoming Energica motorcycle, Motorcycle.com reports. The company will present its new electric streetbike to the masses at the Casa Enzo Ferrari Museum on November 7.

The bike is the result of concentrated efforts by the company to improve its electric offerings. CRP spent the year focusing on developing a new bike for production instead of racing in the e-Power series, despite past success in the circuit. As CRP’s background is in racing, there are somemotorsports influences seen in the 2012 prototype. See more here...

Sunlight: Anywhere you want it

A joint venture company, Sunportal, set up by British and South Korean scientists, promises that it can deliver natural sunlight to any windowless space via pipes.

The technology works by using a mirror to track the sun throughout the day and reflect the light onto a parabolic dish. The parabolic dish focuses the sun’s rays into a small whole which leads to the pipe. This concentrated light then travels along the pipe, passing through a series of relay lenses to ensure that the light doesn’t spread out in different directions. A diffuser guarantees that the light travels along the pipes in an even concentration.

The company assures that their ‘light pipes’ offer between 80lux and 500lux of light (lux is the SI unit of luminance, and one lux is equivalent to light intensity during early twilight). Jong H. Kim, the Global Sales and Marketing Director, claims that the system can lower energy costs by 20-25 percent. Read the story here...

 

Links

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