Coal Miners, Environmentalists Find Common Ground at IL Event...

See more on the Sierra Club blog here. More about Jeff Biggers and his work is available here. Coal Miners, Environmentalists Find Common Ground at IL Event The Sangamon Valley group of the Illiois Sierra Club held an event earlier this month that brought together two groups most normally wouldn't think to find in the same place. Jeff Biggers, author, reporter, and recipient of the 2010 Sierra Club's David Brower Award for Environmental Reporting (PDF) spoke to the crowd about his latest book, "Reckoning at Eagle Creek: The Secret Legacy of Coal in the Heartland." In the crowd were many Sierra Club members and supporters — along with a good number of coal miners. "The front row was all miners, three in uniform, along with the head of the Illinois Coal Association," said Will Reynolds, chair of the Sangamon Valley group and vice-chair of the Illinois Sierra Club. Reynolds said it was Biggers' message that had the environmentalists and the coal miners agreeing. "He made the focus of his talk on miners and mining — saying no one's looking out for the coal miners, especially not the companies. There are a lot of areas of agreement. By the end, everyone wanted to develop clean energy. I think even the miners saw the need for it — they want the jobs." After the talk, the crowd stayed around to chat, with Biggers signing some autographs and getting his picture taken with the miners, who enjoyed what he had to say....

Community Wind across America Wind Mid Atlantic Conference — Date Change to February 2011...

Windustry has announced a date change for the Community Wind across America Wind Mid Atlantic Conference, in State College, PA, originally scheduled for late November, 2010. The new date is February 8-9, 2011State College, PennsylvaniaPenn Stater Conference Center Hotel The Mid Atlantic conference is one of three presented by Windustry, with support from the U.S. Department of Energy funding and national partnering Nordic WindPower, designed to provide the full range of what’s needed for rural landowners, local investors, and community leaders to unlock the economic growth potential of locally-owned wind energy. “We look forward great event in February, with solid information for getting locally-owned wind projects up running.” said Windustry Executive Director, Lisa Daniels. The program will offer two tracks that cover Community Wind and Small Wind. Sessions address organizing local landowners, securing wind project financing, gaining governmental approval for supportive policy, and educating communities about the benefits of wind energy. Attendees will include rural landowners, community leaders, elected officials, clean energy advocates, state and federal agencies, zoning and permitting officials, wind developers, educators and academics and economic development professionals, and a number of national leaders. REGISTRATION is available at www.windustry.org or by phoning Catherine O’ Neill at . Scholarships still available, contact Catherine O’Neill for more information. About Kristin TraczKristin Tracz served MACED’s Research and Policy team from 2009-2012 working on clean energy policy, energy efficiency programs and the Appalachian Transition Initiative. She joined MACED after finishing her Master of Environmental Management degree at the Yale School of...

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: ‘War on coal’ pits miners against environmentalists...

This article is part 2 of 3, in a series by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette focusing on the human aspects and conflicts related to the role of coal and coal mining. The first and third entries are available as well: Part 1: Families and a legacy of coal; Part 3: Mine safety and politics ‘War on coal’ pits miners against environmentalists originally published Monday, November 22, 2010 By Daniel Malloy and Dennis B. Roddy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette WASHINGTON — A constellation of 508 red dots stretches across a wall map in the office of Bruce Nilles, one for every power plant now burning coal in the United States. It is his job to make these stars go dark, one by one. The director of the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign is a skinny Wisconsinite who bikes to work at the environmental group’s warren of offices in adjoining Capitol Hill townhouses. He has no illusions that America can stop burning coal tomorrow, or even 10 years from now, and still generate enough power to function. But the transition, he says, has to start now and to him that means giving no quarter. His group fights every proposed coal plant. They work to shut down the old ones. “It’s such a large source of global warming pollution that if we don’t end coal’s contribution to global warming in two decades, it’s going to be very hard to live on a planet that we recognize,” Mr. Nilles said. A dozen blocks away from Mr....

Rural Development and Faith-Based Groups: Webinar 12/8

December 8, Wednesday, 2 pm Eastern The National Catholic Rural Life Conference, along with USDA’s Rural Development and Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, is presenting a webinar about rural development programming and funding information. Specifically, participants will learn more about connecting faith-based groups with rural development programs. If you are interested in joining the call, please RSVP by email to or call . Log-in information will be sent to you prior to the webinar. Megan Sheldon Rural Sociological Society Business Office Manager (801) 422- 7386 www.ruralsociology.org About Kristin TraczKristin Tracz served MACED’s Research and Policy team from 2009-2012 working on clean energy policy, energy efficiency programs and the Appalachian Transition Initiative. She joined MACED after finishing her Master of Environmental Management degree at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. She now lives and works in Washington,...

Building Clean Energy Careers in Kentucky

A new report by MACED, Building Clean Energy Careers in Kentucky, notes that Kentucky has real potential for job creation in the clean energy economy, but needs changes in energy policy to make those jobs grow and improvements in workforce development to allow more Kentuckians to get the skills needed for those jobs. The emerging clean energy economy has real potential for Kentucky in terms of economic development and job creation opportunities,” said Justin Maxson, President of the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED). “But we need stronger state energy policy to grow the demand for workers along with a workforce development infrastructure that meets the sector’s skill needs in ways that low-income Kentuckians can access.” The report surveys recent studies about the job opportunities in renewable energy and energy efficiency in Kentucky and focuses on the role of workforce development as part of an overall approach to a clean energy economy. The report highlights the importance of a coordinated workforce development strategy built on solid information that maps emerging career pathways in the sector, and underscores the importance of policies that build bridges to new training opportunities for low-income, low-skilled Kentuckians. Noting the necessary role of stronger state energy policy in spurring job growth and sustaining job opportunities, the report emphasizes that job training is effective only if aligned with a deliberate job creation effort. The report makes recommendations for energy policy change that would support a strong market for renewable energy and energy efficiency in Kentucky,...

Berea to Build Solar Energy Farm

Yesterday’s Richmond Register has a cover story on Berea Municipal Utilities’ plans to build a solar energy farm in Madison County, Kentucky. We think this project is a great example the ways towns in Appalachia can make a transition to a more just, sustainable and prosperous future. The farm could generate 10 kilowatts a month and help supply electricity for the utility’s office building. BMU customers will have an opportunity to lease one or more of the solar panels for a few hundred dollars for a lifetime lease. The value of the power they generate will be credited to the customer’s electric bill. A previous post covered the benefits of solar farming and its job-creation potential, specifically regarding the Turning Point Solar project, a 500-acre, 50-megawatt solar project to be built on a former strip mine site in Ohio that is projected to generate between 600 and 700 jobs. BMU’s purchase of the solar panels and efficient T-12 lights for use in city buildings were supported by a $125,000 Energy Efficiency Community Development Block Grant. The article reports that the city also has applied for, and likely will receive, a $19,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to create a database and fund a study of how to further reduce city government’s energy costs. About Kristin TraczKristin Tracz served MACED’s Research and Policy team from 2009-2012 working on clean energy policy, energy efficiency programs and the Appalachian Transition Initiative. She joined MACED after finishing her Master of Environmental Management...

Energy policies relying on cheap coal have no future

By Lisa Abbott In Wednesday’s edition of the journal Nature, an article by authors Richard Heinberg and David Fridley declares that “energy policies relying on cheap coal have no future” and points out that global coal reserves may run out faster than many believe. “World energy policy is gripped by a fallacy — the idea that coal is destined to stay cheap for decades to come. This assumption supports investment in ‘clean-coal’ technology and trumps serious efforts to increase energy conservation and develop alternative energy sources.” Globally, projected supply has been dropping at a rate faster than consumption for several decades. That’s an indication that the official projections offered by many countries aren’t accurate; when those projections are updated, they are most often being revised downward. “Better data on global coal supplies is long overdue and energy policies that assume a bottomless coal pit need rethinking urgently.” The article points out that official estimates of US coal reserves have not been updated since 1974, and US coal production peaked in the 1990’s. The authors cite a number of recent studies that predict global coal production will peak within the next two decades and then enter a period of steep decline. “The inevitable result of soaring demand and dwindling supply will be rising coal prices globally, even in nations that are currently self-sufficient in the resource.” That scenario has important implications for the debate here at home over whether to invest in expensive schemes like carbon-capture and storage or multi-billion...

Kentucky Environmental Foundation’s Call-In Series on Energy Production & Health: Wed 12pm...

Kentucky Environmental Foundation’s Call-In Series on Energy Production & Health Approximately 93% of Kentucky’s energy is generated by coal-fired power plants. Throughout its life cycle, coal is associated with many negative health effects for both workers and the public. Concerns include cardiac and respiratory diseases, cancer, and developmental disorders. Join us as we address and explore these issues through a monthly call-in series for health care providers, educators, students, public health professionals and other interested parties. Wednesday’s topic: “Coal’s Assault on Human Health” Presented by: Dr. Alan Lockwood, M.D., F.A.A.N. Professor of Neurology, University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo NY Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Western NY Health Care System Wednesday November 17, 2010 at 12:00 pm eastern time This call will be recorded for future use. Please RSVP to Deborah Payne at for call-in details and a link to slides for the presentation. Biography Dr. Alan Lockwood, M.D., F.A.A.N. is a professor of neurology and nuclear medicine, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY. He is the past president and current member of the Physicians for Social Responsibility Board of Directors and Board of Sponsors, an organization that won the 1985 Nobel Peace Prize. His areas of expertise include environmental factors and neurological disease with special reference to pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, medical ethics with focus on human testing of pesticides, and the effects of burning coal on health. About Kristin TraczKristin Tracz served MACED’s Research and Policy team from 2009-2012 working...