The BICEP Bulletin

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:38:00 +0000

might be ready to blog

Great Lakes Are Dead, Long Live The Great Lakes | The New Republic

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 01:30:00 +0000

Great Lakes Are Dead, Long Live The Great Lakes The New Republic

A Clean Energy Hub in the Great Lakes Region

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 01:25:00 +0000

Making a Comback

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Sat, 01 May 2010 00:23:00 +0000

After a very long hiatus from blogging I'm back to give it another go. A lot has happened in the past year. I'll get caught up on blog worthy events over the next couple of weeks. One thing that I will say is that I've started on a new career path in the energy area... more details to come. That's it for now. Signing off...

Big Cities Call Stimulus Distribution Unfair | Planetizen

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:36:00 +0000

Big Cities Call Stimulus Distribution Unfair | Planetizen

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Southeast Michigan Making Progress Going Green

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:55:00 +0000

On April 30, I attended the All Things Green Conference and Expo hosted by the Macomb County Chamber of Commerce. I got a look at several "green" companies and businesses that are either based in Michigan or expanding their operations in the state. It was a good conference. The focus of many of the sessions were on energy.

The presentation by Next Energy focused on the advancement of clean and renewable technologies. There was a presentation by reps from Mariah Power and MasTech who are partnering in Manistee County, MI. They presented a case study on small wind manufacturing.

I enjoyed the "Greening your Business" session. The speakers were:

Loch McCabe, President, Shepard Advisors,

David Mckinney, CEO, Clean Light, Green Light

Mike Dolkowski, President, Carbon Credit Environmental Services, Inc.

All in all it was a good conference. My suggestion for next year's conference is that the organizers include a session on water use conservation and water efficiency.

I also noted the lack of representation of minority and disadvantaged businesses/enterprises in the emerging "green business sector". This was not a fault of the organizers of the conference because this is a problem that is industry wide. As more minority "green" entrepreneurs come to the forefront the industry should make a stronger effort to reach to these groups.

In general, my thoughts are that the "green movement" is a trend that minority entrepreneurs and businesses cannot afford to miss out on, speaking both economically and environmentally for our communities.

My friends at the African American Environmentalist Association have written much on this issue:

Tuesday, January 01, 2008 - Will African Americans Participate In Energy Production? -

Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - Green Jobs? Not From Green Groups For African Americans

Friday, February 27, 2009 - Where Is the Congressional Black Caucus on Energy Ownership?

Apologies for Shameful Negect of the Blog

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 21:01:00 +0000

Boy, its been way too long since my last post. Things have just been so busy. Between family life, working, and my part-time graduate class load, I'm stretched kid of thin. Because I am such a glutton for punishment, I've taken on three classes instead of the normal two for the semester. I feel that by doing this just for the current semester, I can coast through my upcoming last semester of one class and after that I'll be working exclusively on my thesis paper.

I've been staying abreast the developments in environment, land use and government. Just haven't made time to blog on them. President-elect will be sworn in on Tuesday - really exciting. I think he has the opportunity and potential be one of the best Commander-in-Chiefs this country has seen in a long-time. It seems like the time is right for great changes in America. With things like the terrible economy, the war, global climate change, Obama has a lot of work ahead of him. I'm sure we will all be watching the inaugural address on Tuesday, its history in the making.

After the inaugural, I'll post some comments and insights on his speech. After that I'll try post more. But I've said that before, haven't I?

Repost: Environmentalism for All

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:15:00 +0000

Here's a short essay I wrote last year on the state of the environmentalist movement. Original post is here

Being a professional who has worked and lived in different regions of the Midwest and
east coast over the past few years, I've had opportunities to meet more people in the
fields of environment protection and planning. I've been able to gain more insight
about myself as well as about Americans of various races, creeds, and nationalities.
As an African American, an environmentalist and as planner, I am
consistently reminded of how few minorities there are in these fields. There's been
significant talk and writing recently about the state of the environmental movement.
Some have even gone so far as to call the movement "dead". (Nordhaus, 2004) Is this
true? Have we seen the best of what environmentalism, smart growth and other
movements has to offer?

My answer to these questions is no. I would argue that the very best of
environmentalism and regionalism is still yet to come. The ideals
that environmentalism and smart growth are founded on, are a great starting point.
But, if they are to survive, grow and continue to make positive progress, the concepts
of diversity and inclusion has to move to the front of the line. They need to be fully
integrated into our visions, missions and so forth. The face and make up of what
might be called traditional environmentalism has to change or else the movement
"will" die. I don't mean to say that it will disappear but, I think that it could lose its
relevance perhaps even its credibility in America.

In about fifty years, half of America's population will be non-white. (Rast, 2006)
Finally, a whole new population and generation is saying, "Hey, what about us?". The
impoverished, lower income and many members of minority groups biggest
issues, traditionally, were about income, getting food on the table, keeping the lights
on, and getting the rent paid. Anything beyond this was luxury. But things are
changing. Today and into the future, the threats of global warming,
diminishing natural resources and the increased frequency and/or intensity of natural
disasters, are powerful indicators things to come. (Enderle, 2007)

Environmentalism and the planning community has to broaden our view and act to
help the those who are most vulnerable to changing conditions. The white-bread,
privileged image of traditional environmentalism has got to change to show the
realities of America. The real America is in our communities, in our neighborhoods and the neighborhoods that you drive past on your way home to the suburbs.

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:27:00 +0000

The Detroit News
Light Rail Proposal Moves Forward

July 16, 2008 Plans for a light rail system in Detroit progressed this week when a regional planning group green-lighted the proposed development. Officials with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments approved a Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) plan to construct and operate light rail service on Woodward Avenue between downtown and Eight Mile.

"This is an important step toward the establishment of a reliable rail transportation system that will assist Detroiters in getting to and from their destinations," Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick said in a statement. "This approval of DDOT's rail project will also multiply economical opportunities for business growth." Check out Detroit Light Rail for the rest of the story.

Cities Getting Greener, But Not Fast Enough to Keep Up, New Report Reveals

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:09:00 +0000

Press Release from Trust for Public Land

For Immediate Release

July 8, 2008
Contact:Peter Harnik, 202-543-7552
Tim Ahern, 415-495-4014, ext. 425

Note: Complete list of city parkland, facilities,and budgets at TPL.org/cityparkfacts<http://www.tpl.org/cityparkfacts>

Cities Getting Greener, But Not Fast Enough to Keep Up, New Report Reveals Population growth surpasses urban park acreage and spending gains; Crown for largest city park moves from El Paso to Anchorage

WASHINGTON, D. C. - The nation's big cities added 5,375 new acres of parkland in 2007, bringing the total of public urban green space serving an ever-more-urban America to over 1.3 million acres. The total is larger than Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, and Shenandoah National Parks combined.Big-city park departments last year also provided their citizens with 9,945 playgrounds, 1,283 swimming pools, 379 golf courses, and 353 dog parks, while spending a record $5 billion on their park and recreation systems.But it wasn't enough to keep up with population growth.

These and many other urban park statistics were released today by The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit that works to create parks and protect open space. The report is released annually by TPL's Center for City Park Excellence (CCPE), the nation's leading source of data about urban park systems. CCPE statistics are posted at TPL.org/cityparkfacts<http://www.tpl.org/cityparkfacts>."

The numbers reflect the increasing value of city parks to better quality of urban life," said Peter Harnik, director of the Center. "Acreage and spending in bellwether places like New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Phoenix, and San Francisco increased, while the quality of many city parks is improving."

"But as a whole we're still losing ground," Harnik noted.

Factoring in growth, the amount of parkland in the 60 biggest cities declined during the past year, from 18.88 acres per 1,000 residents to 18.72 acres. Cities that lost the most ground include Louisville, El Paso, Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Raleigh.

More than 51 million Americans live in our largest 60 cities.

The single largest urban park in the U.S. - by far - is Chugach State Park in Anchorage, Alaska. At 490,125 acres, it is about the size of New York City and Los Angeles combined.

"Chugach isn't the typical park for an outing with your child or mother-in-law," said Harnik. "It's a huge mountain wilderness. But it is a beloved retreat for its citizens and it is all within the city limits of Anchorage, so it counts as the champion.

"This year TPL added 15 cities to its list for parkland analysis.

"That's how we learned about Chugach," Harnik said. "Anchorage hadn't been in our previous studies. Until then we believed that the biggest park was Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso.

"Harnik noted that city park systems contain numerous different kinds of facilities, from remote natural areas to playgrounds, flower gardens to paved plazas, sports fields to bike trails.In its annual survey, TPL counts every kind of park within the municipal boundary, including national, state, county, regional, and municipal.

There are nearly 20,000 individual parks in the biggest cities. For dog parks look to Portland, Ore., Las Vegas, and San Francisco. For swimming pools per capita turn to Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, and Pittsburgh. For recreation centers head for Chicago and Honolulu.

Aside from Anchorage, cities that provide particularly large amounts of parkland per 1,000 residents include Jacksonville, Albuquerque, El Paso, Virginia Beach, Va., and Kansas City, Mo. Older, more densely-populated cities that provide residents with big swaths of green space include St. Paul, Minn., Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., and Seattle.

Among cities that provide lots of parkland as a percent of the city's area are New York, San Francisco, Boston, San Diego, Raleigh, and Austin.

Cities which gained significant amounts of new parkland between 2006 and 2007 included San Antonio, Pittsburgh, Wichita, El Paso, and Denver.

Based on data from 2006, the best-funded major city park and recreation departments were in Seattle (which spent $242 per resident), St. Paul ($224), Las Vegas ($192), Virginia Beach ($158), and Sacramento ($156). The lowest-funded departments were in Houston ($31), Tulsa ($35), Memphis ($39), Louisville ($40), and Toledo ($40).

"Spending in many respects is the most important measure," said Harnik. "A great park system requires ongoing investment, and it also needs quality programming for citizens and visitors."
Of 123 park agencies studied for operations (many cities have more than one agency handling parks), 62 spent more, 22 spent less and 39 remained constant between 2005 and 2006, according to TPL. Harnik cautioned that spending levels can change significantly from year to year. "Keeping up a great park system needs the constant attention of the city and the constant vigilance of its park users and advocates," he said. "Parks need to be nurtured even in times of tight budgets."

The 15 cities added by TPL this year are: Anchorage; Buffalo, N.Y.; Corpus Christi, Tex.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Glendale, Ariz.; Henderson, Nev.; Jersey City, N.J.; Lexington, Ky.; Lincoln, Neb.; Newark, N.J.; Plano, Tex.; Riverside, Calif.; St. Paul, Minn.; St. Petersburg, Fla.; and Stockton, Calif.
-30-

TPL's Center for City Park Excellence, begun in 1994, supports the creation and rehabilitation of city park systems through research, data collection, evaluation, skill building, fundraising, garden and playground construction, and land purchase. For more information, visit the Center on the web at TPL.org/ccpe<http://www.tpl.org/ccpe>.The Trust for Public Land, established in 1972, specializes in conservation real estate, applying its expertise in negotiations, public finance, and law to protect land for people to enjoy as parks, greenways, community gardens, urban playgrounds, and wilderness. With offices in more than 30 cities, TPL works to increase the number and quality of urban parks and reduce the distance city residents must travel to reach open spaces. TPL depends on the support of individuals, corporations, and foundations. For more information, visit TPL on the Web at TPL.org<http://www.tpl.org/>.

Cool article in the Daily Green

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:04:00 +0000

thought this was really interesting - an article in the Daily Green on Green Insurance for Homeowners Nationwide - Fireman's Fund Insurance Company Stimulates Green Building.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/eco-friendly/green-insurance-homeowners-460708?src=nl&mag=tdg&list=dgr&kw=ist

10 GOOD THINGS ABOUT $4 GAS

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:58:00 +0000

The world had long assumed that Americans were just unrepentant energy pigs (well, we still are).

If gas prices went up, well, we kept our Explorers aimed at the horizon, and little changed. We truthfully didn't have lots of options. Unlike Europeans, we didn't have jobs we could bike to or convenient public transit. Gasoline prices never stayed high enough long enough to force those kinds of shifts in how we lived.

Now here we are. Gas prices are at $4 a gallon, as no one needs to tell you, and they are likely to stay that way. Most of us still don't have the alternatives we need to adapt with grace, which means that many will adapt just by suffering. We will run out of gas on the Interstate, ease our minivans over to the shoulder and tell the kids everything is O.K. We'll fall behind on Visa bills to pay for gas so we can buy food made ever more expensive by energy costs.

But it's also true that Americans are finding options where there seemed to be none. They're ready to change — just waiting for their infrastructure to catch up. They are driving to commuter-rail lines only to find there are no parking spots left. They are running fewer errands and dumping their SUVs. Public-transit use is at a 50-year high. Gas purchases are down 2% to 3%. And all those changes bring secondary, hard-earned benefits.

"You suddenly are reminded how the economy works," says Eric Roston, author of a new book about energy, The Carbon Age. "Nobody wants high prices for oil. But there's also no faster mechanism to change behavior." The suffering will go on. But the story, like any good tragedy, is not without redemption.

1. Globalized Jobs Return Home
The world suddenly seems big again. A family of four can't fly cross-country for much less than $2,000. The cost of shipping a standard 40-ft. (12 m) container of couches from Shanghai to New Jersey has tripled since 2000. Trucking carrots from Mexico to Georgia makes less and less economic sense.

When John Smith started a high-end furniture company in Washington in 2003, he couldn't make everything in the U.S. and stay competitive. So his company, Willem Smith, started operations in Vietnam and Ecuador. He found himself visiting factories 11 time zones away from his four small daughters.

By last year, the cost of making and importing one of his favorite pieces, the Caballero Chair, was ballooning. He was shipping Italian leather to Vietnam and then shipping the large chair back to the States. There were other problems too, like inflation in Vietnam. So last January, Willem Smith "repatriated" the Caballero to Hickory, N.C. That shift helps contain shipping costs and has other perks. "People are happy to buy American," Smith says. "And it felt kind of nice to bring this one home."

In more industries, such as steel, lawn-mower batteries and upscale furniture, doing business in the U.S. is starting to look slightly more feasible.

2. Sprawl Stalls
Across the country, real estate agents are reporting that many home buyers are looking to move closer to cities. Gas prices are shaping their decisions. A May study that examined housing values in five cities found prices had fared worse in the more distant neighborhoods. "The collapse of America's housing bubble — and its reverberations in financial markets — has obscured a tectonic shift in housing demand," wrote economist Joe Cortright in the study, sponsored by CEOs for Cities, a nonprofit group that promotes cities. "Housing in cities and neighborhoods that require lengthy commutes and provide few transportation alternatives to the private vehicle are falling in value more precipitously than in more central, compact and accessible places."

3. Four-Day Workweeks
Companies, colleges and governments are moving to four-day weeks. Brevard Community College in Cocoa, Fla., went to four days for the 2007 summer session and saved $268,000 in energy costs. There were unforeseen benefits too. Over the year, sick leave fell 50%, and turnover among the 1,500-person staff dropped 44%. "We thought the energy savings would be a plus. But the reaction was about what it meant to people's family lives and their ability to take care of themselves," says college president Jim Drake. Brevard is doing four-day weeks again this summer and may make the change year-round.

4. Less Pollution
As people consume less fuel in America, vehicle emissions should drop. Less pollution means bluer skies and longer lives — and the potential to slow global warming, albeit slightly. Lower energy demand means the air will contain fewer toxic agents, like particle pollution, which can get deep into your lungs and cause serious health problems. Bottom line? About 2,220 lives have already been saved over the past year because of higher gas prices and less pollution, according to an estimate calculated for TIME by J. Paul Leigh, a University of California at Davis health-economics professor who co-wrote a study on the topic in the March 2008 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. If prices remain high, we can expect some 2,000 people to avoid dying from pollution in the next 12 months.

5. More Frugality
Trucking companies are using software to help identify optimal places for drivers to refuel and the most efficient delivery routes. Waste haulers are checking tire pressure twice a day instead of every couple of days. We're all wasting less. Vespa scooter sales increased 106% in May compared with the same time last year; Ford SUV sales dropped 55% in June. Columbia, Md., resident Glenn Conrad, 58, bought a Honda Insight a few years ago and like many so-called hypermilers became obsessed with his miles-per-gallon gauge. "That thing is really addictive," he says. Although a police officer recently gave him a warning for going too slowly, he is undeterred. "If I roll both of my windows up," he says, "I instantly get about two more miles per gallon."

6. Fewer Traffic Deaths
Every year, about 40,000 people die in traffic accidents in the U.S. If you are age 5 through 34, you are more likely to die this way than any other way. Ordinary things we do — or don't do — have extraordinary consequences. We know that higher gas prices cause many of us to slow down and drive less — which means fewer people die. Early research into 2006 accident data suggests many lives have already been spared. If gas remains at $4 a gallon for a year or more, expect as many as 1,000 fewer fatalities a month, according to professor Michael Morrisey at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and associate professor David Grabowski at Harvard Medical School, who calculated that estimate for TIME. That means annual deaths could be cut by almost a third — a public-health triumph.

7. Cheaper Insurance
If you are driving less, you could qualify for lower car-insurance rates. For example, if you have stopped driving to work, your classification has changed to "pleasure driver," and you could save 10% to 15% (or $94 to $142 on an average premium), according to the Consumer Federation of America. So if you're parked more, call your insurer.

8. Less Traffic
Travel on all roads dropped 2.1% in the first four months of 2008, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Wherever people can take public transit, they are. Even before the biggest gas-price hikes, a Congressional Budget Office study of California freeways from 2003 to 2006 showed that the number of freeway trips went down 0.7% for every 50� increase in gas prices — but only in areas near public transit. Cities are struggling to keep up. BART, the San Francisco Bay Area rail system, removed seats to open up more standing room. In Boston, where turnpike use declined by 600,000 cars in May, officials are pleading with public-transit passengers to travel at non peak times.

9. More Cops on the Beat
Across the country, police bike and foot patrols are up, and cops are being told to cut down on idling their cruisers — which is sort of like telling a teenager to stop using his cell phone. Georgia state police have been told to cut driving time 25%. In Shelby, N.C., police officers have been ordered to park their cars for 15 min. every 2 hours and to stop taking patrol cars out for lunch. In May the city government's fuel consumption decreased. The longer-term effects may include better community relations — and slimmer police.

10. Less Obesity
People walk more, bike more and eat out less when gas is pricey. A permanent $1 hike in prices may cut obesity 10%, saving thousands of lives and billions of dollars a year, estimates Charles Courtemanche, an assistant professor of economics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. At Orange Cycle, the largest bike store in Orlando, Fla., sales of upright urban bikes from March to June rose 57% compared with the same period last year. The shop was around for the 1970s gas crisis too, but this feels different, says co-owner Deena Breed. "I don't think it's just gas," she says. "It has to do with weight, exercise, community — a general sense of not being so wasteful."

Largest Land Conservation in U.S. Sealed

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:20:00 +0000

When the ink finally dries on the largest conservation land purchase in the history of the United States - 320,000 Montana forest acres for $510 million - nearly nothing will have changed. And that, of course, is exactly the point.

The deal between Plum Creek Timber Co. and conservation buyers is designed to maintain the status quo; the real change would come if those western Montana acres were sold instead to real estate developers. Plum Creek lands to be purchased under the deal announced Monday include forests surrounding the Missoula Valley, on up the Swan and even into the Yaak, and all “are worth more as house lots than as board feet,” said Eric Love, regional director for conservation buyer Trust for Public Lands. “It just would be tragic to lose it all to backcountry sprawl.”

http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/07/01/news/local/news02.txt

Pennsylvania: Lawmakers see opportunity to fix infrastructure

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:01:00 +0000

HARRISBURG - The tentative budget deal between Gov. Ed Rendell and state lawmakers calls for borrowing about $2.5 billion for water and sewer projects, bridge repairs and other infrastructure projects.

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-a3_5pain.6484550jul01,0,2291374.story

Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine Promotes New Transportation Plan

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:31:00 +0000

Last week, Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine unveiled the Commonwealth's transportation plan he will present to the legislature. This is what he says it will do, and how it would be financed:

Goals

Cut the highway maintenance deficit.
Increase local road construction funding and restore support for construction projects statewide.
Invest in targeted projects to reduce traffic congestion in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, the state's two most congested regions.
Create a Transportation Change Fund to increase investment in transit, rail, and innovations that would reduce traffic congestion. (He offers the example of expanding ridesharing.)
Provide incentives for cities and towns to take responsibility for their road construction programs.
Create incentives for localities to use their land more efficiently by providing dedicated funding for transportation improvements in urban development areas.
Clarifies local government flexibility to use secondary and urban road funding for transit projects.

Financing

Increase the statewide motor vehicles sales tax from 3 percent to 4 percent. Do it with a one-half percent increase in January 2009 and another half-percent percent in July 2009.
Dedicate all motor vehicle sales tax funds to maintenance.
Increase the statewide annual vehicle registration fee by $10 and dedicate that extra money to maintenance.
Increase the retail sales tax in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads by 1 percent, except for food and medicine. In our region, the money would go to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.
Increase the statewide grantor's tax by 25 cents, and put the money into the Transportation Change Fund.
Lock it up: Any of these tax increases would expire if used for any purpose other than transportation.

Canada, U.S. increasingly at odds over pollution issues

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:19:00 +0000

Border battles: Canada, U.S. increasingly at odds over pollution issues

After decades of relative cooperation between the nations on either side of the river, border battles over environmental issues are becoming increasingly contentious. DTE officials will appear in a Canadian court July 7 to answer charges concerning how its plants' mercury emissions have affected Canada's waters and soils downstream.

Some legal experts trace these changes to the Bush White House and what they see as the government's go-it-alone approach to dealing with the environment. And there are varying ideas about whether the trend is a good thing.

"The Bush administration has been less interested in solving trans-boundary issues through diplomacy and bilateral cooperation than previous administrations," said Noah Hall, an international law expert at Wayne State University. "They haven't taken the diplomatic bilateral approach, and people have been left with no other option than to go to court."

Previously, disputes have been resolved through groups like the International Joint Commission or the Center for Environmental Cooperation, which was established as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080627/METRO/806270382

Spotlight on easements

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:49:00 +0000

Grand jury probe should lead to tougher penalties for lawbreaking
Rocky Mountain News
Friday, June 20, 2008
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jun/20/spotlight-on-easements/

Some real estate appraisers, property owners and land trusts have manipulated tax credits available from Colorado's conservation easement program in ways that seem downright criminal.
So we welcome Wednesday's decision by Attorney General John Suthers asking a statewide grand jury to look into the more questionable deals. An independent probe is essential.

A grand jury can subpoena witnesses and compel testimony; the AG would not have that authority for this investigation. Subpoena powers will help the grand jury unravel any scams.
The probe should publicly highlight the worst abuses. Exposing obvious loopholes should prod state lawmakers to close those gaps.

No single agency has direct oversight of easement credits, which have drained more than $274 million from state coffers since 2000. Articles in the Rocky have uncovered a host of dubious transactions, some involving what looks like excessive appraisals and multiple tax credits claimed from the same parcel of land.

For some people the temptation to game the system must have been irresistible. It was possible to collect millions in tax credits without drawing any attention. With little risk of getting caught, pushing the limits may have seemed a gamble worth taking.

Indeed, the penalties for illegally cashing in easements are little more than a slap on the wrist - low-level misdemeanors which carry modest fines and minimal jail time, if any.

To be sure, the grand jury might discover evidence of conspiracy, tax fraud or securities fraud - offenses that carry much stiffer penalties. And for months the IRS has conducted its own probe of easement deals that could violate federal tax laws.

If those wider offenses aren't prosecuted, don't count on stiff sentences for those who illegally manipulated easements. Another reason to welcome the grand jury's independence: Tax attorney Rodney Atherton, now under investigation by the Colorado Supreme Court for potential ethics violations related to the easement program, is likely to get a look.

A Rocky investigation of a land trust he organized found that Atherton got two open-space agreements on land he owned in Jefferson County and that these deals led to $360,000 in state tax credits for the attorney and his wife. Atherton may have attracted attention because the state Republican Party is a client of his law firm Zakhem Atherton. Suthers is Colorado's highest-ranking GOP official.

Michael Huttner of ProgressNowAction called for Suthers to recuse himself from the investigation, claiming Suthers had "a conflict of interest with one of his major contributors."
Atherton is hardly a "major contributor," since he did not give Suthers any money for his 2006 campaign. And while Atherton's law partner John Zakhem gave $900 to Suthers' campaign, Atherton did not join the firm until 2007. The most direct link Huttner can make is a contribution from Atherton to Gov. Bill Owens' 2002 re-election campaign.

Huttner's allegation is ludicrous. We have no reason to question Suthers' independence.
Besides, if Suthers wanted to protect Atherton, or any Republican, why wouldn't he take charge of the investigation, so he could cherry-pick who was scrutinized and who was left alone?
We trust the grand jury probe will be thorough, giving lawmakers plenty of ammunition to stiffen the penalties for looting public coffers and abusing a program meant to conserve valuable open space.

Jesse J. Richardson, Jr.
Associate Professor and Program Chair Urban Affairs and Planning
Virginia Tech

Michigan, Last in Efficiency?

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:03:00 +0000

This is a commentary on energy efficiency posted on the Enviro Mich Listserv on Jun 19, 2008

Dear Michigan Citizens, Voters and Ratepayers,

Evidence suggests that Michigan's lack of energy efficiency programs and achievement are hurting our citizens and businesses and putting us deeper in an economic hole. This situation may not improve. Energy efficiency legislation is currently being debated in the Michigan Senate with opposition.

Is Michigan last in Energy Efficiency?
· A quick look at the chart in this site suggests the State of Michigan may be making the least effort to promote energy efficiency of all 50 states. Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana appear to be making more energy efficiency efforts. http://www.dsireusa.org/summarytables/FinEE.cfm?&CurrentPageID=7&EE=1&RE=0
· Michigan is ranked very low in US residential and commercial building codes and only 33
rd in energy efficiency policy according to an ACEEE study. http://www.aceee.org/press/e075pr.htm About 15 years ago, we were one of the leading states in efficiency.

Does Energy Efficiency Matter? (It’s only money and health and …)
· Successful commercial and industrial companies are energy efficient. Wal-Mart became highly efficient in many ways including energy use and prospered. K-Mart didn’t. Cutting energy costs contributes directly to profits and even corporate survival.
· Energy efficient homes allow residents to save and spend on better things (education, retirement, health care, mortgage payments) rather than just creating more smoke, CO2 and other pollution.
· Wisconsin and Vermont have had excellent efficiency programs for years. If Michigan had Vermont’s program and results, we would have put back $3 billion into our economy since 2000.
http://www.focusonenergy.com/Default.aspx
http://www.efficiencyvermont.com/pages/Common/AboutUs/

An Energy Efficiency Program is an Investment, not a Tax
· A mandated, state-wide, utility funded energy efficiency program would communicate and incentivise efficiency products and practices for residential, commercial and industrial electric and heating.
· Such a program would cost less than $1.00 per month on a typical home electric bill. But, it can offset the need for a new coal plant which would increase the monthly electric bill by $3.00 to $4.00 for decades.
· In addition to avoiding a coal plant charge on an electric bill, an energy efficient house can save over $50 per month on combined electric and heating bills.

There is Strong Support for Energy Efficiency program in Michigan
· According to a poll by MUCC and NWF, 79% of Michigan sportsman support a Michigan energy plan which requires investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy, first, before building new coal fired plants to meet our energy needs. http://targetglobalwarming.org/michiganpressrelease
· Other polls confirm public support for energy efficiency.
· Preliminary recommendations from the Michigan Climate Action Council strongly support the need for an energy efficiency program in Michigan. Business, utilities, environs and government are all represented. http://www.miclimatechange.us/index.cfm
From the RCI workgroup: http://www.miclimatechange.us/ewebeditpro/items/O46F17860.pdf
From the Energy Supply workgroup: http://www.miclimatechange.us/ewebeditpro/items/O46F18008.pdf
· Plus, energy efficiency will create Michigan jobs. http://aceee.org/pubs/e07x.htm

Surrounding States already have Energy Efficiency Laws and Programs
· Surrounding states have already passed stronger energy efficiency legislation (mandating energy efficiency programs) which puts them far ahead of Michigan in ratepayer savings. For example: Wisconsin (1.2% of revenue), Minnesota (1.5% of savings), Ohio (2% savings) and Illinois (2% savings).

· Of note, proposed Michigan legislation calls for only a modest 1% energy savings per year. We will never become fully competitive by aiming low.
· A recent Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance study indicates that Michigan could save $1.7 billion a year (2025) with a 1% energy savings program but $3.1 billion a year with a 2% savings program.

Conclusion
Energy efficiency is the quickest, cleanest and least expensive way to achieve our energy goals. It creates jobs, save rate payers money which can flow back into the state's economy and reduces CO2, pollution and health problems. Energy efficiency is an investment in waste and pollution reduction and pays many dividends.

The Senate, House, other government, media and friends need to know of our support for energy efficiency in Michigan. We haven't had an energy efficiency program in years and it is hurting our residents and economy. Quick action and a high energy savings target can help get us out of our economic hole.

Take care, frank

Frank Zaski
A Concerned Citizen
Franklin, Mi.

2008 National Dump the Pump Day

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 02:07:00 +0000

National Dump the Pump day on Thursday, June 19, 2008.

The day is designed to encourage people to get out of their cars and ride public transportation to raise awareness of the financial and environmental benefits of public transportation. Public transportation has the ability to save people money, conserve gasoline, and reduce the harmful greenhouse gases emitted into our environment.

On June 19, public transit agencies from coast to coast will join together to encourage their communities to dump the pump by leaving their cars at home and riding public transportation.

Personally, I have parked my car and opted to take public transit and transportation (a combination of trains and/or buses) to my job for about a year now. It's definitely a lifestyle adjustment. But I think that if more Americans would do this once or twice a week it could have a great effect in reducing traffic congestion, curbing pollution and create household savings.

Find out more at http://www.apta.com/services/dump_the_pump_08/

Forum on National Infrastructure Plan

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:40:00 +0000

From the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy:

In 2008, a new national plan for infrastructure is taking shape, responding to 21st century challenges including economic competitiveness, energy independence, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At “Rebuilding and Renewing America: Toward a 21st Century Infrastructure Investment Plan” on May 9 in Washington D.C., members of Congress, representatives of state government, and civic, business, and labor leaders came together to share ideas on the ambitious task.

See full article here

Commuting costs and housing markets- S&P makes the connection

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:44:00 +0000

A link is below to an interesting paper from a Standard and Poors economist. It validates through changes in housing prices what planners have been saying for a long time: exurban, sprawl development is unsustainable. The author makes the case that the recent rise in gasoline prices and heating and cooling costs have made smaller homes closer to work, schools, and parks more desirable and economically stable than McMansions 2 hours from work. Nice to have it wrapped up with a bow from a credible source. Their conclusions:

During market downturns, home prices fall the least in the most desirable areas of a metropolitan region. As housing affordability improves, home buyers who were previously priced out of their preferred towns and neighborhoods will be able to purchase properties in these areas. So, even as overall sales volume drops, relatively stronger demand for housing will limit price declines in neighborhoods with shorter work commutes, better schools, and easier access to parks, recreation, and retail centers. Because of sharp increases in gasoline prices, living closer to work has become an even more important consideration in the location decisions of home buyers. When combined with large inventories of unsold housing on the edges of urban areas, this shift in preferences will mean that prices for homes in outlying neighborhoods will continue their more rapid decline and will be slower to rebound when housing markets finally start to recover.

See link to article at: http://www2.standardandpoors.com/spf/pdf/index/052708_Housing_bubbles_collapse.pdf

Farm bill and the Great Lakes

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Fri, 30 May 2008 23:17:00 +0000

News release from the Great Lakes Commission

Contact: Tom Crane
E-mail: tcrane@glc.org
Phone: 734-971-9135
Fax: 734-971-9150
For immediate release May 28, 2008

2008 Farm Bill important for the Great Lakes

Ann Arbor, Mich. – Passage by Congress of the 2008 Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) means some good news for the Great Lakes. Provisions of the bill will help efforts to control soil erosion in the Great Lakes basin, and support research on a deadly fish virus in the lakes, among other priorities.

As a member of the Farm Bill Conference Committee and Senate Agriculture Committee, Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) played a leading role in crafting the Food, Conservation and Energy Act, also known as the Farm Bill, which was approved by Congress this month. Sen. Stabenow was instrumental in reauthorizing the only Great Lakes-specific Farm Bill program, the Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control, and adding language linking the program to the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy (GLRC) to restore and protect the Great Lakes. The GLRC strategy was adapted in 2005 by a partnership of federal, state, municipal and tribal interests following a year-long collaboration.

Beyond the Great Lakes-specific provisions of the Farm Bill, many national conservation measures included in the bill will benefit the Great Lakes region. The bill included increased funding and policy improvements for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program to reward farmers for land and water conservation practices. It also boosted funding for Wetland Reserve and Grassland Reserve programs to protect water resources and expand wildlife habitat.

Created by the legislation were both a new conservation loan program to leverage additional funding for agriculture conservation and a new cooperative conservation program to more effectively address natural resource concerns.

“We are pleased that the 2008 Farm Bill includes important provisions to protect and restore the Great Lakes. We congratulate Sen. Stabenow and other members of the Great Lakes Congressional Delegation for their leadership and dedication to protecting the Great Lakes,” said Michigan Lt. Gov. John Cherry, chair of the Great Lakes Commission. “This is one piece of federal legislation that acknowledges the value of the Great Lakes and the wisdom of investing in their protection.”

The Commission also commends Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn., 7th District), chair of the House Agriculture Committee, for his leadership in guiding the bill through the legislative process.

The Great Lakes Basin Program – which gained renewed support in the Farm Bill – is administered by the Great Lakes Commission, with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. The Basin Program supports improved erosion and sediment control and sound land use practices through demonstration grants, technical assistance and information/education projects. Grant recipients include conservation districts and other non federal units of government, nonprofit organizations and academic institutions in all eight states of the Great Lakes basin. Over the past 17 years, the Basin Program has supported nearly 400 projects and invested almost $12 million in water quality improvement efforts. These projects have prevented an estimated 250,000 tons of sediment and 900,000 pounds of phosphorus from entering the Great Lakes and tributaries. Sediment pollution covers spawning beds, suffocates aquatic vegetation habitat, and increases the cost of treating potable water and maintaining drainage infrastructure. Phosphorus pollution can lead to excess growth of plants and algae and rob lakes and rivers of oxygen.

Another provision of the Farm Bill authorizes research grants for the study of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), a lethal fish virus that has been blamed for several large-scale fish die-offs in the Great Lakes since 2005.

The Great Lakes Commission, chaired by Lt. Gov. John Cherry (Mich.), is a nonpartisan, binational compact agency established under state and U.S. federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region and its residents. The Commission consists of governors' appointees, state legislators, and agency officials from its eight member states. Associate membership for Ontario and Québec was established through the signing of a " Declaration of Partnership." The Commission maintains a formal Observer program involving U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, tribal authorities, binational agencies and other regional interests. The Commission offices are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Legislative Victory for Land Conservation

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Sat, 24 May 2008 00:31:00 +0000

Legislative Victory for Land ConservationCongress Passes Conservation Tax Incentive for Family Farms and Ranches

Following similar action in the House, the Senate last night voted to overturn the President's veto of the Farm Bill. Despite an earlier procedural glitch, the final bill emerged as expected with our conservation tax incentive now enacted for two more years. After an arduous uphill battle and the prospect of defeat only a few weeks ago, our national coalition now has a hard-earned reason to celebrate. This puts back in place the incentive that had expired January 1st with the exact same terms, that is, raising the deduction for donated conservation easements form 30 to 50% of adjusted gross income—and 100% for farmers and ranchers—and extending the time period for using the deduction from 6 to 16 years.

For more information, please visit www.lta.org

Appalling Vote on Great Lakes Waters

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Thu, 22 May 2008 14:00:00 +0000

MICHIGAN

International water interests are using the Farm Bureau as their cover with state legislators. The proposed legislation in the House has basically excused agricultural operations from permitting and yet the Farm Bureau is carrying the water for those seeking to manipulate and export our cherished streams, rivers and groundwater. In the floor debate yesterday, private water interests stepped aside and let the Farm Bureau do their bidding outside the House chamber. Unfortunately, lawmakers are being duped by their arguments ... or, perhaps, their checks.

Fortunately, we still have an opportunity to make certain the House gets it right. Four bills were voted out yesterday and the three remaining bills will expected to be taken up next week.

Now is the time to contact lawmaker offices insisting they fight for our water and challenge the corporate interests desiring to seize control of our water. House members have to support the remaining three bills pending before the House.

Why is gas $4.00 a gallon & what can we do about it?

noreply@blogger.com (George Jackson) — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:16:00 +0000

Gas prices are rising, demand for oil is rising,and yet oil production stopped rising three years ago. Peak oil may be here, and it's taking us unprepared.

The International Conference on Peak Oil and ClimateChange: Paths to Sustainability explores the rootcause of rising gas prices, global warming,biodiversity loss, and unsustainability.

May 30 - June 1, 2008 in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Join with a broad array of professionals, politicians,business leaders, and concerned citizens to explorethe causes of global problems and discover solutionsto move humanity toward lasting paths ofsustainability.

To learn more and register, visit
http://www.PeakOilConference.org