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30 June 2011
From the City of Salem's website:
Next public meeting of the reuse committee
Power Plant Study Public Meeting
Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Bentley Elementary School, 25 Memorial Drive
Link to the presentation shown to the Historic Derby Street Neighborhood Association (on the City's Planning Department page) --
http://www.salem.com/Pages/SalemMA_DPCD/powerplantstudy.pdf
Posted by ahanscom at 6:30 PM
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27 June 2011
City Energy Manager Position Saved
From SAFE Co-Chair, Pat Gozemba
"Thank you … for all of the calls and emails to our city councilors making the case for continuation of the city energy manager position. Your civic involvement is what turned a bleak possibility of the loss of a key position into another positive for the City of Salem. Your sharing of responses from individual councilors and encouraging all of the rest of us to keep calling/emailing on particular points really worked. The city council has had reconfirmed the existence of a forceful and intelligent environmental community in Salem. Go SAFE!
"SAFE especially owes a debt of gratitude to Councilor Joan Lovely who presented the motion to the Council for restoration of the position of city energy manager into the budget. Councilor Lovely had the facts and distributed them to her colleagues and spoke forcefully on the issues....
"Cindy Keegan chair of the Renewable Energy Task Force (RETF) did an outstanding job marshaling the data proving the value of the energy manager position, as did City Energy Manager Paul Marquis....
"Thanks to Jeff Barz-Snell, SAFE co-chair, for being the lead off speaker to the Council in supporting the position....
"Last, I want to thank Mayor Kim Driscoll for continuing to be an environmental visionary for our city and for being such an articulate spokesperson on the issues. We are fortunate indeed to have her as our mayor.
"Great job all around. Democracy in action!"
Posted by ahanscom at 4:00 AM
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27 June 2011
"The Last Mountain"
showing in Cambridge on Friday, June 24
“ The Last Mountain, an official selection of the Sundance festival, opens in Cambridge next Friday, June 24th. Your attendance this weekend can make a difference in the film's overall success. If we can pack the theaters, The Last Mountain will have a great chance of enjoying a wider national release.
“ The Last Mountain documents one West Virginia community's fight to save the last mountain in the valley - Coal River Mountain - from being destroyed by mountaintop removal mining….”
Starts: Friday, June 24
Theatre: Kendall Square Cinema, One Kendall Square, (617) 499-1996
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UPDATE:
From SAFE member, Nancy Gilberg:
The new documentary "THE LAST MOUNTAIN" plays at Kendall Square and West Newton cinemas from Fri (6/24) through Thu (6/30). The folks at Uncommon Productions (the Waltham-based film co.) are organizing an informal group to see it at Kendall Square Cinema on Monday, June 27 at 7:10pm. If you would like to join, please email info@uncommonproductions.com -- a large enough group means we get a group discount. See the movie trailer and reviews @ http://www.facebook.com/l/455efGF-KWq44WHjWNAbIcWp6aQ/www.thelastmountainmovie.com.
The Last Mountain Movie
www.thelastmountainmovie.com
Official Selection 2011 Sundance Film Festival Official Selection 2011
Posted by ahanscom at 3:58 AM
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19 June 2011
Wind turbine project moves forward in Salem
from the Salem Gazette
"The city of Salem has taken a major step toward acquiring a wind turbine.
"Officials have been contemplating construction of wind turbine at Winter Island, after gathering data for a feasibility study. The data collected suggests there is enough wind speed in the area to use as a power source.
“'Based on the wind resource review for the year that the meteorological tower was up — coordinated with wind data and historical trends — it is now clear that there is enough wind at Winter Island to support a wind turbine,' said Cindy Keegan, chairwoman of the Renewable Energy Task Force...."
Posted by ahanscom at 12:00 AM
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18 June 2011
The most powerful climate video you’ll see all week
from the Grist
“Bill McKibben published a must-read op-ed in The Washington Post last month about the connection between climate change and recent extreme weather events. Now Stephen Thomson has combined McKibben's words with striking footage of the events he writes about. The result is a chilling must-see video….”
Posted by ahanscom at 4:06 PM
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18 June 2011
Information about "Community Benefits Agreements"
Could this help Salem?
from the Partnership for Working Families:
“A CBA is a project-specific, negotiated agreement between a developer and a broad community coalition that outlines the project’s contributions to the community and ensures community support for the project. Covering a wide range of issues, CBAs are legally binding and are commonly incorporated into the City’s developer agreements.
“CBAs are just one tool among many that make up a community benefits approach to development. Others include community benefits policies and community impact reports….”
Posted by ahanscom at 4:03 PM
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18 June 2011
from the June 16 Boston Globe:
MBTA rejects anti-Brown ad from environmental group
“The anti-Brown ad shows the senator in front of an orange background. It reads: ‘Senator Brown: On April 6th you voted to gut the Clean Air Act. Was it because dirty energy companies and their corporate front groups poured more than $1.9 million into your campaign last year? Are you working for people or Big Polluters?’’
“The ad targeting Brown is in response to an April 6 vote in which 50 senators, including Brown, voted for a budget amendment that would have taken away the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate greenhouse gases. The measure needed 60 votes to pass.
“The ad was funded by a group called 350.org, a nonprofit organization that focuses on climate change. The group planned to spend $10,000 to put up 17 ads at 10 locations, according to Molly Haigh, the group’s US communications coordinator….”
Posted by ahanscom at 3:48 PM
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18 June 2011
A sign-on letter in support of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
From the New England Clean Energy Council
"The New England Clean Energy Council has developed a sign-on letter in support of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and is sending this Action Alert to urge businesses to add their signatures to the letter.
"Addressed to RGGI state governors, the letter is intended to show that the business community supports the continuing operation and improvement of RGGI's 'cap and invest' program, which has helped to reduce CO2 emissions from power plants in 10 northeast and mid-Atlantic states while guiding close to $900 million to clean energy and other programs over its 2.5 years in operation (more info on RGGI here)...."
Posted by ahanscom at 3:47 PM
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18 June 2011
from SAFE Board Member, Katie Giddings:
City funding for the Energy Manager postion
“Councilor Ronan convinced the Finance Committee not to fund the Energy Manager postiion in the City beyond what is covered in existing grants. There will need to be a public campaign to Councilors for support of this position, prior to the City Council meeting planned for June 23rd. See the Salem Patch article [below].
“There will be more information provided very soon to assist in understanding the position, what's been done so far, and what projects (and financial savings) are at risk without this position funded to help in rallying support. Please stay-tuned.”
http://salem.patch.com/articles/ronan-campaigns-to-limit-city-staff-raises?ncid=M255
Posted by ahanscom at 3:39 PM
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18 June 2011
Example of a company that works with "portfields"
" Ninety-five percent of U.S. foreign trade travels through our nation’s ports. Furthermore, maritime trade is expected to double in the next 20 years. Portfields is a federal interagency partnership addressing brownfields in and around port communities, with an emphasis on the development of environmentally sound port facilities. The goal of the portfields initiative is to improve the nation’s marine transportation system, revitalize waterfront areas, and restore and protect coastal resources."
Posted by ahanscom at 3:34 PM
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18 June 2011
US coal film aims to put wind in green energy sails
from Global Energy Watch
“A new film protesting against US coal mining and starring Robert F. Kennedy Jr. aims to boost green alternatives such as wind power and highlight ‘criminal’ destruction by the industry.
“Five years after ‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ Al Gore's landmark movie about climate change, makers of ‘The Last Mountain’ hope the documentary will engage viewers through the story of a Virginia community threatened by ‘Big Coal....’"
Posted by ahanscom at 3:29 PM
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15 June 2011
Stop the plans afoot to turn the current Salem power plant site into a "biomass" site!
Call Representative John Keenan and Senator Ben Downing
Rep. John Keenan is chair of the committee (Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy) that is going to make a decision by June 10th on Biomass. Please call his office and weigh in on keeping the current regulations. You can make a difference.
Consider that there are plans afoot to turn the current Salem power plant site into a Biomass site.
Here’s a sample script:
Dirty Biomass Combustion Should not Receive Public Subsidies!
Background
Proposed regulations on Woody Biomass Combustion have been sent from DOER (Dept of Energy Resources) to the legislature’s committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy (TUE). The Chairs of that committee will issue a report on the proposed regulations by June 10. The biomass industry wants the committee to assert that the draft regulations are too stringent on biomass and therefore should be changed to make it easier for biomass companies to receive subsidies.
We believe that these draft regulations are a good first step, but they are not at all stringent enough. They need to be strengthened, not watered down any further than they have already been.
If you live in the districts of either Chairman (see below) , you can help this effort by contacting the Chairs with any of the messages below. Both chairs are currently studying the issue and are interested in knowing what their constituents think. Friendly calls from people in their districts would set a positive tone and make these legislators even more receptive to our concerns.
Message Option 1:
“Hello, my name is _______. I’m calling about the proposed DOER regulations on biomass to ask that your committee (Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy) issue a report stating that the DOER regulations on woody biomass are not strong enough. I believe we should not subsidize energy production which is neither clean nor green. While these regulations move us in the right direction, they provide too many loopholes to the biomass industry and thereby threaten our air and our forests. Please support the recommendations you’ve received from the Biomass Accountability Project and other environmental groups. Thank you for your consideration of those recommendations.”
Message Option 2:
“Hello, my name is _______. I’m calling about DOER’s biomass regulations to ask that you support the recommendations you’ve received from the Biomass Accountability Project and other environmental and health organizations. It’s neither fair nor right to force ratepayers to subsidize biomass when it’s neither clean nor green. While these proposed regulations move us in the right direction, the standards they create to protect our air and forests are just too low. Thank you.“
Message Option 3
“Hi my name is________, I am contacting you about the proposed DOER regulations on biomass because they are not strong enough. I believe it is necessary to not subsidize electricity production which is greenhouse gas emitting and particulate matter emitting and is consequently not clean or green. While these regulations move us in the right direction, they provide too many loopholes for the biomass industry and thereby threaten our air and forests. Please support the recommendations you received from the Biomass Accountability Project and numerous environmental groups. And more specifically, please support strengthening DOER’s regulations on Biomass incineration. Thank you.”
Who to call and what districts they represent:
Rep. John Keenan (D-Salem) 617-722-2263
House Chair of the Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Committee
Senator Ben Downing (D-Pittsfield) 617-722-1625
Chair of Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Committee
Posted by ahanscom at 12:00 AM
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13 June 2011
from SAFE Board Member, Katie Giddings
A report from Frank Taormina on the work of the REUSE Committee
Calling all SAFE members in the Derby St. Neighborhood!
On Monday June 13th, 7-9 pm, the Historic Derby St. Neighborhood Association will get a report from Frank Taormina of the City Planning Dept. on the work of the REUSE Committee, which has been studying future possibilities for the power plant site after it shuts down in two years. The meeting will be in St. Joseph’s Hall on Derby St. If you're interested, please attend! It would be wonderful to have some advocates for renewable energy in the crowd! I live very close to the plant, so I will definitely be there, along with a few other Board members who live near by.
Thanks! This is an exciting opportunity for Salem to have a cleaner, healthier future!
-Katie
Posted by ahanscom at 7:00 PM
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12 June 2011
from Stacy Kilb, SAFE member:
A "barnraising" style home weatherization
Paul Marquis, Salem's Energy Manager, has arranged a "barnraising" style home weatherization. My home is one of the ones scheduled to be worked on. The date is Sunday, June 12th and we need lots of volunteers!
39 Northend Ave Salem, MA 01970
You do NOT need to have any experience in anything to volunteer - just be prepared/dress to get dirty. We'll start at 10AM and snacks, drinks, and lunch will be provided.
VERY IMPORTANT:
Please email or call Paul Marquis to RSVP for this event. He needs to know how many volunteers there will be (we need at least a dozen). His contact info is:
Below is some more information about the program. Team leaders with some experience are also needed:
Programs:
the Salem Weatherization Program
The City is getting ready to launch a home weatherization program for
Salem homeowners and renters. The program is similar to that of the Home
Energy Efficiency Training (HEET; see www.heetma.com) program in Cambridge. These programs are offered in the spirit of
old-fashioned New England barnraisings, with neighbor helping neighbor. The
program is being funded by the Green Communities Grant that Salem was recently
awarded.
These “barnraisings” (or weatherization parties) entail teams of
community volunteers, under the guidance of trained & skilled team leaders,
descending upon a home to implement basic energy conservation (and water
conservation) measures such as air sealing, insulating, replacement of
incandescent bulbs with CFLs, installation of programmable thermostats, hot
water pipe insulating, faucet aerator and toilet water-saving device
installation, etc.
These programs operate on the principle that the untrained, through a
series of barnraising events, will eventually develop the skills to implement
conservation measures in their own homes and may even move on to become
technical team leaders. They also operate on the notion that they will undergo a
‘viral’ expansion as more and more volunteers develop their technical skill.
While under programs like HEET, target homes are offered up by
program members or affiliates, in the Salem program we will use a lottery system
to choose the target homes. Within this framework, half of the target homes will
be chosen from an income qualified group of homeowners/ occupants, while the
other half will not be subject to any income restrictions. This would help to
ensure social equity within the program.. Please note that the means testing for
income qualified eligibility would be established to accommodate moderate to
low-income owner’s/ occupants, but will exclude lower-tier households eligible
for Weatherization Assistance Programs administered by Community Action Programs
(see www.nscap.org).
Another difference from the HEET program is that while homeowners/
renters typically cover the cost of conservation materials and supplies in that
program, in the Salem program, they will be offered for free.
Please contact Paul Marquis, Salem Energy and Sustainability Manager
at pmarquis@salem.com if you would like to participate as a general volunteer or team
leader, or would like to have your home or apartment weatherized under the
program (renters must secure landlord permission).
Posted by ahanscom at 12:00 AM
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08 June 2011
Battling the Beetle, Saving the Trees
Sohier Room, Beverly Public Library
June 8, Wednesday evening 7:00 - 8:30pm
Stacy Kilb, the Asian Longhorned Beetle Outreach Coordinator with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, will teach us what we need to know to prevent the spread of the invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) in Massachusetts. With close to 30,000 trees already removed in Worcester and a satellite infestation discovered in Boston this past summer, our state’s hardwood forests are at risk. Learn how to recognize ALB, the tree damage it causes, and how you can help keep this pest in check.
Posted by ahanscom at 7:00 PM
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