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The Hill: Growing first and second generation renewable fuels

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The Hill: Growing first and second generation renewable fuels

Posted 26 July 2013 in

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The Hill: Growing first and second generation renewable fuels

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Another drilling blowout in the Gulf, another explosion

Another drilling blowout in the Gulf, another explosion

On Wings of Care

Natural gas billowing around a drilling rig Tuesday before it exploded.

An offshore natural-gas platform burned through the night off the coast of Louisiana following a blowout and explosion on Tuesday.

A drilling company was completing a sidetrack well 115 miles south of New Orleans on Tuesday morning, which likely means it was boring a new hole into an existing well, when gas began spewing uncontrollably from the seafloor. The rig’s crew of 44 workers was evacuated as natural gas formed a sheen in the waters around it and billowed dangerously into the air.

Hours later, while everybody was at a safe distance, the gas ignited, triggering a conflagration that still had not been extinguished as of this writing.

From the AP:

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire, Eileen Angelico, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, told The Associated Press.

She said it wasn’t known what caused the gas to ignite. It also wasn’t clear early Wednesday how and when crews would attempt to extinguish the blaze. BSEE said earlier Tuesday that a firefighting vessel with water and foam capabilities had been dispatched to the scene.

Wild Well Control Inc. was hired to try to bring the well under control. Angelico said Wild Well personnel approached the well earlier Tuesday night, before the fire, but they determined it was unsafe to get closer when they were about 200 feet (60 meters) away from it.

What was the crew up to when it lost control of the well? We don’t know yet:

The purpose of the sidetrack well in this instance was not immediately clear. Industry websites say sidetrack wells are sometimes drilled to remedy a problem with the existing well bore.

“It’s a way to overcome an engineering problem with the original well,” Ken Medlock, an energy expert at Rice University’s Baker Institute said. “They’re not drilled all the time, but it’s not new.”

If only blowouts and explosions at Gulf drilling rigs were isolated incidents. But a blowout is how the Deepwater Horizon disaster got started. And earlier this month, we showed you a photograph taken by nonprofit On Wings of Care of a slick caused by an out-of-control natural gas well.

With the number of deep-sea rigs tapping the Gulf of Mexico for oil expected to nearly double in the next few years, the chances of more such disasters could yet grow.

John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.

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Another drilling blowout in the Gulf, another explosion

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Historic lawsuit alleges ag-gag is unconstitutional

Historic lawsuit alleges ag-gag is unconstitutional

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Should their suffering be broadcast?

A lawsuit filed in Utah on Monday is the first big legal challenge to an ag-gag law.

Animal welfare groups, journalists, and a woman who was briefly charged with violating Utah’s year-old Agricultural Operation Interference law sued the state in U.S. District Court, alleging that the ag-gag law violates the U.S. Constitution.

The law makes it a misdemeanor to record images or sound while inside an agricultural operation without the owner’s consent. It also makes it a crime to apply for work at a slaughterhouse or farm with the intention of making such recordings, or to obtain access to such an operation “under false pretenses.” The legislation was approved by state lawmakers amid a surge in such laws nationwide.

From the Deseret News:

“In essence the law criminalizes undercover investigations and videography at slaughterhouses, factory farms, and other agricultural operations, thus ‘gagging’ speech that is critical of industrial animal agriculture,” according to the 41-page complaint filed in U.S. District Court.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, CounterPunch magazine and five individuals claim the law violates their rights to free speech and equal protection. They want a federal judge to strike down the law.

Supporters of the law argue that it is simply intended to protect “property rights,” the AP reports:

“It has nothing to do with animals — it’s people trespassing on farms” to make recordings, said state Sen. David Hinkins, R-Orangeville, a cattle operator who also breeds race horses. “If people can sneak onto anybody’s property, then we don’t have any rights.”

But the first person charged with violating the law wasn’t trespassing. Amy Meyer, one of the litigants in the suit, was charged after she filmed a cow being pushed by a bulldozer at Dale T. Smith and Sons Meatpacking. Charges against her were later dropped after a prosecutor reviewed the video footage and concluded that she made her film while standing on nearby public property.

Another litigant is Will Potter, an activist journalist. From his blog:

Utah’s law, and others like it, directly place both me and my sources at risk. There’s a long history of investigative journalism in this country based on exactly the type of research and whistleblowing that these laws criminalize. What if Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle were released today, accompanied by a YouTube video? He would undoubtedly be prosecuted under ag-gag.

Even if journalists themselves escape prosecution, ag-gag laws would make it impossible to report stories that are vitally important to the public. Whistleblowers and undercover investigators shine a light on criminal activity, and also standard industry practices. Without them, there is no meaningful window into animal agriculture; there would be no insight into the industry except for what the industry approves.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund produced this video explaining the case:

John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.

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Historic lawsuit alleges ag-gag is unconstitutional

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A U.S. Battery Recycler Says We Should Keep the Lead In

The head of a lead smelting company calls for an industry cleanup but also an end to policies that send lead-containing batteries, and related pollution problems, to poorer nations. Source – A U.S. Battery Recycler Says We Should Keep the Lead In Related Articles Dot Earth Blog: ‘A Girl With a Book’ – Malala’s Day at the United Nations Iridescent Rivers, Then (Hudson Valley) and Now (Bangladesh) ‘A Girl With a Book’ – Malala’s Day at the United Nations

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A U.S. Battery Recycler Says We Should Keep the Lead In

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Illinois town bans stripping because of fracking

Illinois town bans stripping because of fracking

cobalt123

There will be no more of this in Fairfield.

It’s bad enough that the fracking boom is making it more difficult for Americans to breathe clean air, feel safe drinking their water, and stand on steady ground. Now the boom is preventing anybody in one Illinois town from dancing with their clothes off.

Fairfield, Ill. (population 5,000 and shrinking) is bracing for an influx of frackers, most of whom will be men from out of town. (Despite promises of jobs associated with fracking, fracked communities normally discover that most of the work goes to experienced hands who fly in from Texas and other industry hotspots.)

A city committee charged with preparing the town for fracking warned that it could create a market for strip clubs. So, acting on the advice of the committee, the Fairfield City Council unanimously passed an ordinance this week that prohibits nude, seminude, and exotic dancing. It doesn’t even matter whether the stripping is done for profit or if it’s, er, gratuitous. From the Evansville Courier & Press:

The ordinance makes it “illegal for any person, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or any other entity to operate any kind of business which provides as a form of entertainment either gratuitously or at cost, nude, seminude or exotic dancers.”

The pre-emptive ordinance was drawn up after news accounts began surfacing about strip clubs popping up around the oil work camps in North Dakota, and a resulting increase in criminal activity.

Under the newly enacted Fairfield ordinance, anyone violating the law may be fined $5,000 for each day the violation exists.

Memo to any roughnecks headed to Fairfield for fracking jobs: Pack porn.

John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.

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Illinois town bans stripping because of fracking

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Colorado’s oil and gas boom is polluting the state’s air

Colorado’s oil and gas boom is polluting the state’s air

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Frackers and drillers are sullying Colorado’s air.

The oil and gas industry isn’t just polluting the water in Colorado. It’s also fouling the air.

The 50,000 oil and gas wells in the state are collectively pumping hundreds of tons of pollution into the air every day, making the drilling industry the state’s largest source of airborne volatile organic compounds and third-largest source of nitrogen oxides. That’s according to a report in The Denver Post:

Colorado health officials are mobilizing to deal with air pollution from oil and gas industry sources that emit at least 600 tons of contaminants a day. …

But as the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment emphasizes balance as it edges toward possible new rules to reduce pollution, Front Range residents increasingly are riled by a lack of scientific certainty about whether emissions harm their health.

Anti-drilling groups are making health fears the focus of campaigns against drilling near communities. …

A nine-member panel of air quality control commissioners appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper would vote on any proposed air pollution rules. …

Industry officials from Encana Corp. are already reviewing and commenting on proposed CDPHE rules, “giving input on what kinds of reductions are possible, given current technologies,” spokeswoman Bridget Ford said.

The Fort Collins Coloradoan reports that three-quarters of recent air pollution enforcement cases in the state were related to the oil and gas sector:

Of the 98 air pollution enforcement cases the Colorado Air Pollution Control Division, or APCD, handled in January, February and March, 73 involved oil and natural gas production, exploration or transmission companies, a Coloradoan analysis of the quarterly air quality enforcement summary report shows.

Most of the state’s enforcement actions against oil and gas companies involved emissions and reporting violations.

Of the 12 penalties the state assessed against air quality regulations violators, nine were levied against oil and gas companies.

The fact that only nine of the 73 oil industry violations have so far resulted in fines might offer a clue as to why frackers and drillers continue to flagrantly pollute the air — and it reminds us that new rules will only help if they are enforced.

John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.

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Higher prices at pump – despite oil glut

Higher prices at pump – despite oil glut | Fuels America
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Higher prices at pump – despite oil glut

Posted 2 July 2013 in

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Higher prices at pump – despite oil glut

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Death to All Bees! (And Other Great Videos)

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How to Raise the Perfect Dog – Cesar Millan & Melissa Jo Peltier

From the bestselling author and star of National Geographic Channel’s Dog Whisperer , the only resource you’ll need for raising a happy, healthy dog. For the millions of people every year who consider bringing a puppy into their lives–as well as those who have already brought a dog home–Cesar Millan, the preeminent dog behavior expert, says, “Yes, […]

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Doctor Who: Who-ology – Cavan Scott & Mark Wright

Do you know your Sontarans from your Silurians? What are the 40 best ways to defeat a Dalek? What are the galactic coordinates of Gallifrey? Test your knowledge of the last Time Lord and the worlds he’s visited in Who-ology, an unforgettable journey through 50 years of Doctor Who . Packed with facts, figures and stories from the show’s entire run, this uniqu […]

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The Art of Raising a Puppy (Revised Edition) – Monks of New Skete

For more than thirty years the Monks of New Skete have been among America’s most trusted authorities on dog training, canine behavior, and the animal/human bond. In their two now-classic bestsellers, How to be Your Dog’s Best Friend and The Art of Raising a Puppy, the Monks draw on their experience as long-time breeders of German shepherds and as t […]

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Inside of a Dog – Alexandra Horowitz

The bestselling book that asks what dogs know and how they think, now in paperback. The answers will surprise and delight you as Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive scientist, explains how dogs perceive their daily worlds, each other, and that other quirky animal, the human. Horowitz introduces the reader to dogs’ perceptual and cognitive abilities and then draw […]

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How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend – Monks of New Skete

For nearly a quarter century, How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend has been the standard against which all other dog-training books have been measured. This new, expanded edition, with a fresh new design and new photographs throughout, preserves the best features of the original classic while bringing the book fully up-to-date. The result: the ultimate trai […]

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Paracord Fusion Ties – Volume 1 – J.D. Lenzen

J.D. Lenzen is the creator of the highly acclaimed YouTube channel “Tying It All Together”, and the producer of over 200 instructional videos. He’s been formally recognized by the International Guild of Knot Tyers (IGKT) for his contributions to knotting, and is the originator of fusion knotting-innovative knots created through the merging of […]

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Cesar Millan’s Short Guide to a Happy Dog – Cesar Millan

After more than 9 seasons as TV’s Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan has a new mission: to use his unique insights about dog psychology to create stronger, happier relationships between humans and their canine companions. Both inspirational and practical, A Short Guide to a Happy Dog draws on thousands of training encounter […]

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The Cannabis Grow Bible – Greg Green

The definitive guide to growing marijuana just got better! Greg Green’s original Cannabis Grow Bible set a new standard for handbooks on cannabis horticulture and established Green as the leading authority in the field. Green’s comprehensive and professionally presented work on how to cultivate superior cannabis struck a chord with beginner, amateur and prof […]

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Iyanden – A Codex: Eldar Supplement – Games Workshop

For thousands of years, the Eldar of Iyanden have sailed through the sea of stars, defending the galaxy’s eastern rim from the threat of Chaos. They have won great victories, but have known terrible tragedy also; what was once the most populous of craftworlds is now but a shadow of its former glory. This supplement to Codex: Eldar allows you to ta […]

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Trident K9 Warriors – Michael Ritland & Gary Brozek

As Seen on “60 Minutes”! As a Navy SEAL during a combat deployment in Iraq, Mike Ritland saw a military working dog in action and instantly knew he’d found his true calling. Ritland started his own company training and supplying dogs for the SEAL teams, U.S. Government, and Department of Defense. He knew that fewer than 1 percent of […]

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Death to All Bees! (And Other Great Videos)

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We applaud biofuels support in President Obama’s Climate Action Plan

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We applaud biofuels support in President Obama’s Climate Action Plan

Posted 25 June 2013 in

National

Fuels America commends President Obama’s commitment to reducing our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions through the development and deployment of advanced transportation technologies like renewable fuel. The Administration’s Climate Action Plan is a great blueprint for transitioning America from oil to cost-effective, homegrown alternatives.

Today, the U.S. continues to consume almost 20 million barrels of oil per day, more than any other country. This addiction not only makes American consumers vulnerable to a commodity dictated by global markets and external forces like OPEC, but is also a huge contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. The transportation fuel sector accounted for about 31 percent of U.S. CO2 emissions, in 2011, with nearly two-thirds of those emissions stemming from gasoline consumption for personal vehicle use.

Renewable fuel is already part of the solution. In 2012, the 13.2 billion gallons of ethanol produced in the U.S. reduced greenhouse gas emissions from on-road vehicles by 33.4 million tons. And the industry is working to rapidly develop the next-generation of renewable fuel that will further reduce carbon emissions.

The President’s support of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) recognizes that renewable fuel is already addressing climate change, while reducing consumer pain at the pump, enhancing national security, and fostering economic development.

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We applaud biofuels support in President Obama’s Climate Action Plan

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Oil companies will curb use of air guns that torment marine mammals

Oil companies will curb use of air guns that torment marine mammals

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Finally, some peace and quiet.

Whales, dolphins, and manatees will finally enjoy some peace and quiet in parts of the Gulf of Mexico following a legal settlement that will restrict the use of oil industry air guns.

As if dodging oil spills and dead zones in the Gulf isn’t bad enough, the marine mammals there are also subjected to deafening pulses of noise fired from boats searching for new oil fields to drill. “These super-loud airblasts hurt whales and dolphins,” said Miyoko Sakashita of the Center for Biological Diversity in a statement. “The seismic surveys sound like an underwater explosion, causing deafness and stress that can disrupt whales’ behaviors and even lead to strandings.”

The legal settlement filed Thursday with a federal court will block the use of the sonar guns in parts of the Gulf until the end of 2015. It will also add manatees to the list of species whose presence requires an automatic silencing of sonar blasts. From the Associated Press:

Oil and gas companies working in the Gulf of Mexico have agreed not to use seismic surveys for the next 2 ½ years in three areas considered critical to whales and along the coast during the peak calving season for bottlenose dolphins.

“The very fact of an agreement on this issue is without precedent. There has not been any settlement made with the oil and gas industry on seismic issues here — or, to my knowledge, anywhere in the world,” said Michael Jasny, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Marine Mammal Protection Project.

He said the surveys, in which ships slowly tow arrays of air guns through the water, firing them every 10 to 12 seconds for weeks or months, can reduce whales’ eating and keep baby dolphins from bonding with their mothers. …

The 30-month period will give the government time for environmental studies and give the industry time for research into alternatives, both required as part of the agreement, said Jasny.

The agreement should help the Gulf’s wildlife hear themselves think — and stay alive.

John Upton is a science fan and green news boffin who tweets, posts articles to Facebook, and blogs about ecology. He welcomes reader questions, tips, and incoherent rants: johnupton@gmail.com.

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Oil companies will curb use of air guns that torment marine mammals

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