Climate Change

The King Is Dead - Long Live The King!

Earlier this week, the Kansas Department of Health and the Environment denied a proposed permit for the Sunflower Power Plant, citing the emission of uncontrolled CO2 as the primary reason.  Other permits and proposed permits for coal-fired generation facilities are under siege.  The PSD permit for the Bonanza waste coal unit in Utah is not only being appealed to the Environmental Appeals Board, but is the subject of much verbiage in certain congressional offices.  Senator Reid has announced his steadfast opposition to new coal-fired generation, including two major plants in his home state of Nevada.  The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has declared its intention not to allow a third coal-fired unit at the Intermountain Power Plant in western Utah (which is operated by LADWP), citing the need for the land and facilities to be used for future unspecified renewable energy projects.  California is busily developing the rules to implement its ban on imports of new coal-generated electricity. The mayor of Salt Lake City has been appearing with local rock bands, singing original compositions about the evils of coal.  And that’s just in the West. 

Peace With Nature in Costa Rica

On February 21st, I wrote in my entry, "The Ticos, Their Trees, and Climate Change" about Costa Rica and the avoided deforestation activities taking place there. On September 19th, I visited Costa Rica for what was an exciting culmination of work with the Salt Lake City nonprofit Pax Natura ("Peace With Nature") to sell carbon credits derived from avoided deforestation activities in Costa Rica.