Sustainable WNC

Greetings Friends!
Time flies and here we are, June already. Amid all the challenges and issues we face, I’m glad to say there’s been a little ‘Progress’ made. Just a little, but we take what we can get often in life.
Progress Energy has just announced it’s self selected Community Energy Advisory Council to advise on regional energy issues in WNC, while also trumpeting the incredible new idea that energy efficiency, load shifting, technologies, renewable sources and more, might just delay the need for new coal and nuclear power plants! Oil fired power plants are still inplay, but it’s a nice start.
One media outlet has already signed onto the Progress boilerplate press release and stated directly that anyone who doesn’t appreciate this effort is “cynical” (you guess which newspaper), but in fairness and defense of the citizens themselves, after all the years of problems, greeting this proposal with open arms and adoration is naive, while being skeptical is not cynical, just practical.
That said, congratulations and thanks are due to Progress Energy for making this quantum leap forward (however long overdue) and recognizing that we all have a stake in the process of energy and sustainability issues, and for recognizing that energy efficiency and renewable technologies must play a role. This alone is historic, so - as a long time sustainable advocate and regular utility critic - let me personally say Thank You to Progress Energy, Ken Maxwell in particular, and those that made this bold decision. Just weeks ago, we were told that EE/RE and so on were incapable of any meaningful impact on energy policy. Nice move forward.
At the same time, the Progress Council is lacking in actually representing the community, missing many of the health & medical, low income, faith based, energy, social and sustainable adovcates.. in favor of a very business oriented make up. Overall most of the choices Progress Energy has made are fine people, a few I hope I can call good friends. However, the overall Council is not likely to fully represent the community concerns of health issues, quality of life, global warming, climate change or economic and social impacts of conventional power generation.
As a direct result, a soon-to-be-announced REAL HONEST TO GOODNESS citizen’s based, grass roots “Energy Committee/Council” is being formed. At this press time of the blog, the name is not decided on, but the over arching mission is clear: Provide full opportunites for all of the community, citizens and issues in developing a sustainable energy, environmental and economic future for WNC. Stay Tuned!
Now that’s a little ‘progress’, don’t you think?
Peace, Ned

As many of you have no doubt seen, a mass of emails are circulating encouraging us to not buy gas on May 15th. Well, it sounds good, and I sure support it on principle, sadly it is a useless effort in the larger picture.
Aside from some of the urban legends (gas costs dropping 30 cents and so on), the fact is this email effort only means that the gas you don’t buy is replaced the next day, in effect shifting profits from one day to the next. I cannot swear by it, but I did read a theory that it actually INCREASES overall sales a slight fraction, when folks re-fill in the ‘make up’ mode the next day.
SOOOO, rather than point by point bash the emails, I shall assume they mean well, a far better effort would be to NOT USE ANY GAS that day THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY USE!!, and find ways to use less on ALL days. One day out of 365 is not really very much of an effort. According to the news this AM, gasoline demand is UP 2.5 % from this time last year. If you pledged to use one gallon less per day, that is 365 gallons less in the next year, then we would be talking about making a point.
If we all boycotted Exxon/Mobil ALL THE TIME, such as I do after Valdez adventure, that would make an impact. Inflammatory as it might seem, buying ONLY from Citgo would divert revenue from the Middle East to South America. Yes, we would still be destroying the world with gas/carbon/CO2, etc. but the money would not go to Middle Eastern terror organizations.
The answer is not ‘feel good’ one day boycotts on buying, however nice the idea is in prinicple to some, but the answer is reducing our fossil fuel use dramatically, overall. The answer is in mass transportation (which we sadly lack on any real scale), better community planning (the suburbia shuffle to work, for example), walkable communities, encouraging bike and walking paths, and so on. Say THANKS next time you pass someone on a bike
And just for the record, biofuels (biodeisel, ethanol, etc.) cannot replace the amounts of oil we are using currently, not to mention projected growth. Can’t be done. We MIGHT make a dent in some of the demand with some biofuels, perhaps algae biodiesel, but the bottom line is we have to learn to do far more with far less fuels when it comes to transportation. Hard reality, yes, but them’s the physics.
Peace, Ned

It’s May 5 and the absence from my blog postings on energy and issues has been due to several adventures on these fronts. Certainly news and thoughts on Progress Energy’s next efforts coming up.
Along with that adventure, it turned out a certain developer in Henderson County has laid claim to developing several tracts along the French Broad river with conservation areas and wetlands and floodplains in a small community that would be impacted by run off, water levels, sewer issues, existing traffic safety and congestion issues, air quality problems, fire services issues, school infrastructure questions, energy demands, floodplain remapping, sewer pump stations in a wetlands, wildlife and habitat loss …… all amid pending new regulations that might address some of these very issues…. You can imagine my surprise!
So, looked into it and testified at a vested right hearings, because the developer claims a right to do what he wants despite the unresolved problems. Fortunately, the County Commissioners decided to deliberate the matter, and postponed granting them the right to destroy this area. We’ll see what happens May 16th, next time it’s on the agenda.
Back to Energy, Progress Energy is rumored to be rooting about looking for a new location for another oil fired power plant. At least we can hope it’s oil, they also are quite fond of nuclear power, let’s not forget. The Canary Coalition has successfully gotten the public documents to prove legally that the lease for the Woodfin site, which Progress still has for $1 a year, let’s not forget, is invalid. They put a lot of effort and time and money into it, so if it’s OK in a blog, may I suggest you send a donation to the Canary Coalition Legal Fund. They are in the red on this, so thanks to them for going above the call of duty. So, the lease issue is not over yet until it’s voided. Might be good to ention this to elected officials?
On a related note of the Progress efforts, since Progress Energy refused to share and data on energy use, consumption, habits and so forth, and since this is information critical to figuring out what we really can - and can’t - do, there’s now the website survey www.oursoutherncommunity.org for Residential Energy use. This is 42 questions and takes between 10-15 minutes at most, asking if you think planning for a sustainable energy future makes sense. You can also say no, it doesn’t. The Goal: 10,000 respondents from WNC by Energy Independence Day, July 4th. If you love America…. Please pass the website link onto friends and organizations in WNC if you think planning makes sense.
While I am responisble for this website and survey, I should express thanks to the many great folks that have been meeting ad hoc to discuss and act on issues. Canary Coalition, NIRS, CWforNC, CSNC, WNCA, TTA, SACE, WNCPSR, RT, and the elected reps and private folks that have asked the questions have helped me to build the survey. If it works to change the course of our energy future, they get the credit.

Progress Energy was denied a conditional use permit for the proposed Woodfin oil fired power plant this morning at approximately 12:30 AM, 4-3-07. Yes, the town meeting lasted until the next day, Tuesday. In the end, after hours of public and expert testimony, the application was denied.
To the untrained eye, this was a clear and resounding victory for -foremost - the residents of Woodfin who would bear the brunt of the impact of burning millions of gallons of oil in their community, the entire WNC region in terms of additional air pollution and the option now of developing a sustainable economic energy plan for WNC.
On the other hand, Progress has already suggested they will appeal this decision. It’s hard to imagine they will fight in court for the right to burn imported oil, contribute tons of greenhouse gases and polluting the environment, add to the medical burdens and costs of citizens, devalue property and then issues with 2 million gallons of diesel stored along the banks of the French Broad River. Thank goodness it never floods in WNC.
But they came up with this idea in the first place, so never say never. They could sue.
The Turning Point is now where we, as the WNC community, have a responsibility to take part in our own energy, environmental and economic planning. Yes, an oil plant was lunacy, but the underlying responsibility of providing reliable power, as Progress Energy is lawfully charged with, is still the central issue. Proven technologies and programs, some from Progress Energy in FL, can meet our immediate demands for peak power, as demonstrated in many states. This is not a new idea.
Fortunately as well, it may well be less expensive to cooperate with our community initiatives and partner in utility regulation restructing and decoupling to make a profit….. than fight it out in court. Since we have to work together eventually and at some point, let’s make this the Turning Point. When our utility company and the community simply work together, and first engage energy technologies, direct solar, L.E.E.D. building, rational planning, Zero Energy Homes, wind power and create jobs in these fields……. then after that, if we still need an oil fired power plant, let’s talk again. In the meantime, we catch up with the rest of the world and invest in the best investment, sustainable living.
Stay tuned for the launching of the WNC Community Sustainability Survey… where everyone who takes the survey will have a ‘vote’ in how we move forward, simply by finding ways to save energy or money yourself. Because, after all, if the power plant is permanently planted (sorry), we have to take care of the peak demand by 2010 anyway.
Finally, a big Thank You to the good folks in Woodfin who stood up for all the citizens of WNC. Go Woodfin!

Greeting Friends!
This being my first ‘official’ blog effort, any problems stem from my lack of experience with this website and second, my sincere gratitude to the good folks at sustainablewnc.org and MAIN for the opportunity.
Basic premise #1: Energy, environment and economics are all part of one larger picture. Hardly breaking news these days in some circles, however we still face the dis-association of the elements in many areas of every day life and in our public policies which in turn impacts these very issues.
Basic premise #2: We are all sharing one planet -being borrowed from future generations of all life. If you don’t really care what happens, this blog will not interest you, and possibly even irritate you!
So, from here, my hope would be a running dialogue of positive options for moving into a sustainable framework for the future, not only WNC but the Earth. Pointing out problems is fine in the context of offering a solution based on the problems as you see them, but let’s not use this forum to just complain about issues. And feel free to smile and have fun, if we don’t laugh about all this, we’ll go insane

March 20th at Jubilee! hosts a forum on Clean Energy Options, 7:00 pm, following County Commissioners meeting where folks will be attending to again protest the Progress/Woodfin power plant proposal, among other issues. Facts show that we (WNC ) can save more money, make more money, far better protect our environment and reduce health impacts if we reject an oil powered plant and instead adopt currently available renewable energy & energy efficiency technologies and programs.
Any comments? Peace, Ned
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It’s now March 30th, and I’m gearing up for the Woodfin Town meeting Monday the second, regarding a conditional use permit for the Progress oil fired power plant. PEC is moving to strong arm the town of Woodfin with threats of a lawsuit if they are denied their ‘right’ to build the plant, while the citizens and residents will have the opportunity to speak to the issue.
Incredibly, at the same time, this week Gov. Easely, at the prompting of Duke & Progress, has suggested cutting funding for the State Energy Office!!! Before the ‘anti-government, anti-tax’ folks jump on me, keep in mind that for all practical purposes, NC taxpayers have paid virtually ZERO to fund the SEO over the years, funding came (until this year) from a Petroleum Escrow Account (long story). SO, NC has reaped MILLIONS of dollars in direct and indirect savings as a result, at no cost, begun alternative fuels programs, refilling stations, wind programs, green building efforts, and more, more more… All effort that directly impact the revenue stream to Duke & Progress.
On the bright side, there are TWO bills in the General Assembly, H839 & S939, both of which would provide full funding for the SEO. PLEASE PLEASE contact your legislators and tell them you support these bills!!! There has never been, nor may never be, a better investment for the State of NC than the State Energy Office. Sound ‘over the top’? Do the math, chekc the figures, the SEO has saved millions of dollars for citizens and businesses, created jobs, protected the environment and increased education opportunities.