Juneau's ENERGY NEEDS AND RECOVERY

Our capital city’s low cost hydroelectric energy supply was cut off earlier this month when transmission lines and towers were buried by an avalanche. As a result, Juneau’s utility bills climbed from an average of 11 cents per kilowatt to more than 50 cents per kilowatt. The residents quickly cut their energy consumption by 30 percent by using energy efficient lights, oil lamps, clothespins, and turning down, turning off, and unplugging many appliances to help conserve power.  As unfortunate as this sudden increase in costs is, it does demonstrate that under the right amount of finance pressure we will change our consumptive behaviors.

More on Juneau's state of energy in the Anchorage Daily News...

RULING ON pOLAR bEAR dECISION

The Interior Department has been ordered by a federal judge to declare whether or not polar bears should be listed as an endangered animal because of the impacts of global warming. U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken found the department has violated the Endangered Species Act by further delaying their decision.The department has until May 15th to make its decision.

More on the politics of listing the polars bears in the ADN...

December '07:
President signs energy bill

On Wednesday, the President signed the Congressional energy bill to increase auto fuel standards to 35 mpg by 2020 and increase efficiency standards for appliances. This bill is a huge step forward in reducing energy independence in the U.S., and lays the groundwork for even stronger measures in the future. ACE will continue to push for provisions that were stripped from the bill, such as tax credits for renewable energy and a renewable electricity standard.

On a related note, the E.P.A. announced on Wednesday that it will not grant California a waiver to independently limit greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. Under the Clean Air Act, California has been allowed to set its own air pollution policies as long as it obtains an exemption from the federal government and had never been denied a waiver in the Act's 37-year history. California's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vowed to sue the federal government and will likely be joined by 16 other states that pledged to join California in its clean-air standards.

More on the E.P.A. ruling
More on the Energy Bill

August '07:
Draft EIS for Teshekpuk Lake released

The Bureau of Land Management will announce in the Federal Register on August 24 the official release of its Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for its plan to sell oil and gas leases in critical wildlife habitat surrounding Teshekpuk Lake in the North Slope's Northeast portion of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). Nine months earlier, the US District Court of Alaska struck down BLM's plans for failing to consider the cumulative ecological impacts of oil and gas drilling, as required by federal law.

While the new impact statement attempts to address the deficiencies in analysis, the alternatives presented are identical to the previous plan and include opening 100% of the land that has been unavailable for leasing. The area in question - some 400,000 acres north of Teshekpuk Lake - has been placed off-limits to the oil and gas industry by the previous four administrations due to its importance to migratory birds and the Teshekpuk Lake Caribou Herd. Conservation groups have engaged in a lengthy scientific process to identify a leasing proposal for the area that would allow industry to explore while protecting the most sensitive areas around Teshekpuk Lake. Known as the Audubon Alternative, the government has repeatedly refused to entertain a balanced plan.

The public comment period on the draft document will extend from August 24 through October 23, 2007. You can comment through a webform, which will be active at the BLM's NPR-A website during the comment period. You can also attend one of the public meetings (dates TBA) that will be held in Anaktuvuk Pass, Anchorage, Atqasuk, Barrow, Fairbanks, Nuiqsut, and Wainwright.

August '07:
Exploratory offshore drilling stopped in Beaufort Sea

Local concerns for marine mammals have temporarily stopped Shell Oil Company from controversial offshore exploratory drilling in the Beaufort Sea. Following a lawsuit filed by the North Slope Borough, the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope, and several environmental groups, the 9th Circuit Court has granted an injunction of Shell's exploration plan, which had been scheduled to begin this fall. The lawsuit challenged the Minerals Management Service's approval of the plan on grounds that it underestimated the impact of the exploration and drilling on bowhead whales, polar bears, and subsistence activities. Also of great concern are the prospect of extremely difficult cleanup conditions should a spill occur in the ice-choked waters.

July '07:
Mat-Su Borough moves to protect residents

Public concern over MEA's proposed coal-fired power plant has prompted the Matanuska-Sustina Borough Planning Commission to propose an ordinance governing the location, construction and operation of power plants in the Mat-Su Valley. The ordinance essentially encourages the construction and operation of electric generation facilities so long as public health, noise, safety, and environmental concerns are adequately protected.

Public comments on the proposed ordinance by 5 pm July 11th and can be submitted to planning@matsugov.us. A public hearing is scheduled for July 12th at 6pm in Assembly Chambers, 350 E. Dahlia Ave., Palmer. This is an excellent opportunity to show support for the Borough and highlight concerns over MEA's proposal to build a coal-fired power plant. Please attend and/or send comments!

June '07:
MEA Selects Proposed Power Plant Site

In a contentious and deeply divided board meeting on Monday, June 11, the Matanuska Electric Association selected the South Glenn site for a potential coal-fired power plant. Located between the State Fair grounds, the Palmer-Wasilla core area, and the Matanuska River, the site is known for seasonal wind extremes- potentially creating a large and shifting fallout zone for air pollution and mercury emissions. The plant, a conventional coal plant (called a fluidized bed system) would have significant carbon emissions, air pollution, mercury, solid waste, and heated wastewater. Below is a map showing where the proposed mine would be built.

May, 2007:
MEA's Coal Plant: Vote for Nowhere, Alaska

The Ballot:

MEA is holding an advisory vote on where to place a coal-fired power plant in the Mat-Su Valley. MEA co-op member/owners who feel that the question shouldn't be "WHERE", but "WHERE ARE THE ALTERNATIVES TO COAL " are encouraged to vote NOWHERE, AK on their ballots. Members who do so should send their ballots to www.utilitywatch.org. MEA has said that they will disqualify any ballots where NOWHERE, AK is listed, but Utility Watch will count your vote and present their findings to the Board at their meeting in June. If you don't want a coal plant in anyone's backyard, take a stance by sending the ballot to:

Utility Watch

PO Box 696

Palmer, AK 99645

In the News:

April 29: MEA reneges on resolution

May 15: Coal opponents take message to street, MEA board meeting

Wind Power on Fire Island

Chugach Electric, ML&P, Homer Electric, and Golden Valley Electric are working with CIRI (Cook Inlet Regional Corporation) to explore the potential of a wind project at Fire Island. Promising cost feasibility studies have shown that wind energy can help stabilize power costs for consumers and provide highly competitive rates over a 40-year project lifespan.

Once green-lighted, the project would generate hundreds of construction jobs, and once completed, the site would require a crew of skilled workers to operate. Additionally, the site is ideal for training people from all over Alaska who are interested in bringing wind online in their communities.

The primary hurdle for the project is higher-than-usual infrastructure costs that are required- there are no major improvements on Fire Island now (like a barge dock and roads), and the facility will have to be connected to the mainland via an undersea cable. These up front costs can be underwritten with state and federal support, but policy-makers need to hear from the public to make that happen. And that’s where you can help.

Take Action:

Write a letter supporting wind power today!

The existence of Federal Aviation Administration radar at Fire Island requires careful planning of the proposed wind turbine project to ensure safe operation of air traffic in the area. It has been incorrectly reported that wind will affect radar accuracy. However, all stakeholers are actively working to redesign the radar so that it will not be affected by wind turbines. Let's take a step towards reducing the human role in global warming by supporting the cutting edge Fire Island Wind Power project.

Take action by writing a short letter to the Anchorage Daily News in support of the Fire Island Wind Power Project.

To send a letter, email it to letters@adn.com.

Letters must be 225 words or less, and shorter letters work best.

Stick to the facts and your own personal reasons for writing. A letter from the heart always earns the readers consideration.

Need help getting started? Here are a few talking points you may want to incorporate:

• Wind Power has zero fuel costs. Once the turbines are in place, the ongoing cost to consumers is stable and predictable, which can help reduce the volatility of our electricity costs.

• The wind resource at Fire Island has been proven, and the project economics are competitive with other sources of power.

• Reducing fossil fuel consumption reduces the pollution that contributes to global warming.

• Wind turbine technology has improved dramatically, making wind projects much more efficient and less harmful to birds.

• Anchorage can utilize this project to develop expertise in a booming industry.

• The viewshed and wildlife impacts of a wind farm at Fire Island are minimal. The turbines would be barely visible from Anchorage.

• We need the support of our congressional delegation and state legislature to kick start the project.

Contact your Politicians and Local Utility

Another way to take action is to send an email or call the following people with a simple message: I support wind energy at Fire Island!

Senator Lisa Murkowski

Chugach Electric Association Board President

Municipal Light and Power

And don’t forget your legislator! Find your Legislator here.