The environment thread

[EvilMonkey]

Bug s*** into oil? Well, it is happening, albeit on a small scale, for now.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/envi...icle4133668.ece

...He means bugs. To be more precise: the genetic alteration of bugs – very, very small ones – so that when they feed on agricultural waste such as woodchips or wheat straw, they do something extraordinary. They excrete crude oil.

[jackie hayes]

Bug s*** into oil? Well, it is happening, albeit on a small scale, for now.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/envi...icle4133668.ece

That is one of the coolest things I've read this year.

[Balta1701]

Hmmmm, someone in the Senate has now repeatedly killed several attempts to bring forward versions of this legislation using a technique I believe known as the filibuster. I wonder who that might be and why they might be doing this.

he U.S. Senate on Tuesday blocked debate of a bill to offer about $17.7 billion in tax incentives for consumers to build renewable energy sources like windmills and solar arrays, and buy plug-in cars that run on electricity rather than gasoline.

 

The Energy Independence and Tax Relief Act of 2008 would have extended a tax credit to build windmills by one year through December 31, 2009, and extend for three years similar credits for renewable energy sources like biomass, geothermal, landfill gas and trash combustion.

 

The bill failed to garner enough votes to limit debate and move to a vote, leaving the fate of the clean-energy credits uncertain.

 

Extension of renewable energy credits was the most expensive portion of the bill, at about $7 billion over 10 years.

 

The bill also offered incentives for demonstrating ways to capture heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired electric plants, and offered at least $3,000 in tax incentives for consumers to buy plug-in electric vehicles.

One of the reasons cited repeatedly for why things like wind power have been unable to get off the ground in the U.S. compared to Europe is that the government keeps extending and then canceling tax credits for it. So the fact that these tax credits are stuck in limbo and possibly going to expire is a real impediment to building any sort of alternative energy system.

[NorthSideSox72]

Hmmmm, someone in the Senate has now repeatedly killed several attempts to bring forward versions of this legislation using a technique I believe known as the filibuster. I wonder who that might be and why they might be doing this.

One of the reasons cited repeatedly for why things like wind power have been unable to get off the ground in the U.S. compared to Europe is that the government keeps extending and then canceling tax credits for it. So the fact that these tax credits are stuck in limbo and possibly going to expire is a real impediment to building any sort of alternative energy system.

Any idea who it is?

 

[FlaSoxxJim]

I gotta at least hand it to McCain, it took him a couple of years to flipflop on lifting the coastal oil drilling moratorium. Florida Governor Charlie Coppertone Crist, on the other hand, took exactly onw week to do his Big Flip for Big Energy.

 

Crist, last week:

 

Q: Gov. are you dropping your opposition to drilling for oil off of Florida’s coast?

CRIST: I am not. … No, I don’t like it.

 

Crist today:

 

I think that not having that blanket moratorium, and letting state’s rights be recognized, if you will, is certainly appropriate.

 

Somebody really wants to get the GOP VP nod. He's an abysmal governor, and as veep he'd make Dan Quayle look like a genius.

[Balta1701]

Any idea who it is?

Take a good guess. Hmmm...which side of the aisle might uniformly oppose any extension or expansion of tax credits for any sort of renewable energy? (The non-voting 4 would not have made a difference).

[NorthSideSox72]

Take a good guess. Hmmm...which side of the aisle might uniformly oppose any extension or expansion of tax credits for any sort of renewable energy? (The non-voting 4 would not have made a difference).

I still don't get it. I mean, obviously, I see that the GOP is again being stupid about this and doing everything possible to keep us in the stone age. But what specific senator are you saying made the difference here?

 

[Balta1701]

I still don't get it. I mean, obviously, I see that the GOP is again being stupid about this and doing everything possible to keep us in the stone age. But what specific senator are you saying made the difference here?

I'm using group guilt here on any of the ones with the letter "R" after their name. Wasn't singling out anyone in particular. If the pro-vote was up in the 57 range then you could point at the candidates, but right now, I'm just blaming the oil party.

[Cknolls]

http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/warmlist.htm

 

 

AND COUNTING

[BigSqwert]

Piaggio/Vespa ready to release 170 mpg hybrid two and three wheel scooters.

 

Might look into one of these. Perfect for living in the city.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Piaggio/Vespa ready to release 170 mpg hybrid two and three wheel scooters.

 

Might look into one of these. Perfect for living in the city.

I'll buy it if she comes with the purchase price...

[HuskyCaucasian]

not sure if this is the place for it, but...

 

OOPS!! I didnt get that e-mail.

The Bush Administration's newest tactic for policymaking is to ignore emails.

 

The New York Times reports today that White House officials simply refused to open an email from the EPA last year because they knew it contained a policy recommendation they didn't like -- part of the Administration's on-going battle with scientists at the EPA over global warming issues.

The document, which ended up in e-mail limbo, without official

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an

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upreme Court ruling that required it to determine whether greenhou

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ent a danger to health or the environment, the official

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aid.

Instead of officially acknowledging the email and responding to it in a normal bureaucratic manner, the White House instead launched a behind-the-scenes campaign to pressure the EPA to drop the recommendation's essential conclusions.

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prepared by the E.P.A., "

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how that the Clean Air Act can't wor

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[BigSqwert]

Interesting article about maglev bullet trains in the U.S.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Interesting article about maglev bullet trains in the U.S.

 

WHOA!

America’s fastest train could compete with air travel. Flying from Anaheim, Calif., to Vegas on a passenger jet cruising at about 550 mph can cost upward of $150, while a ticket for the same route on a maglev would cost $55, according to the American Magline Group.

 

I've been itching for Metra / CTA to look into replacing the icky El and commuter rail to the burbs.

[BigSqwert]

I've been itching for Metra / CTA to look into replacing the icky El and commuter rail to the burbs.

This type of system would be for longer distance travel such as DC to NY or Chicago to St Louis/Cleveland. It wouldn't replace the El or Metra.

[kapkomet]

This type of system would be for longer distance travel such as DC to NY or Chicago to St Louis/Cleveland. It wouldn't replace the El or Metra.

I just had a conversation a couple of days ago - for all the money talking about infastructure, they need to get on somehting like this. Japan does it, Europe (sort of ) does it... it's time for us to do it. And I don't buy the whole "it's too big" over here crap. Get this done.

 

 

[HuskyCaucasian]

This type of system would be for longer distance travel such as DC to NY or Chicago to St Louis/Cleveland. It wouldn't replace the El or Metra.

oh I know. I was just adding on. I think a light-rail system in chicago would be very popular.

[NorthSideSox72]

I just had a conversation a couple of days ago - for all the money talking about infastructure, they need to get on somehting like this. Japan does it, Europe (sort of ) does it... it's time for us to do it. And I don't buy the whole "it's too big" over here crap. Get this done.

Regardless of the particular technology chosen, it still amazes (and irritates) me that regional and national passenger rail in this country is so bad. 9/11 and now gas prices are a HUGE opportunity. Amtrak can't get it done, partially because they are such a wreck as a business, and partially because fo the archaic rules they are bound by.

 

[Balta1701]

Regardless of the particular technology chosen, it still amazes (and irritates) me that regional and national passenger rail in this country is so bad. 9/11 and now gas prices are a HUGE opportunity. Amtrak can't get it done, partially because they are such a wreck as a business, and partially because fo the archaic rules they are bound by.

You can't have the federal government spend 40x as much money on roads as it does on rails and be surprised that people use the heavily subsidized roads while the nearly unsubsidized rails fail to attract passengers.

[kapkomet]

You can't have the federal government spend 40x as much money on roads as it does on rails and be surprised that people use the heavily subsidized roads while the nearly unsubsidized rails fail to attract passengers.

And that's the problem, IMO. There's no money or incentive to get alternative sources of infastructure in place. It's sort of like oil and alternative energy. No incentive to change.

[southsider2k5]

MONORAIL!

[Balta1701]

MONORAIL!

I hear those things are awfully loud.

[kapkomet]

I hear those things are awfully loud.

WHaaaaa?

 

[NorthSideSox72]

You can't have the federal government spend 40x as much money on roads as it does on rails and be surprised that people use the heavily subsidized roads while the nearly unsubsidized rails fail to attract passengers.

I didn't mean "surprised", as in, how come they can't function on cents on the dollar. I mean surprised that we aren't emphasizing it more, and also, that private businesses haven't been able to break in. And the latter part, I know some of the reasons there - the few large rail companies own 95% of the rails and won't let others in. Plus those same rail companies don't want passenger traffic screwing up their freight lines.

 

[Balta1701]

I didn't mean "surprised", as in, how come they can't function on cents on the dollar. I mean surprised that we aren't emphasizing it more, and also, that private businesses haven't been able to break in. And the latter part, I know some of the reasons there - the few large rail companies own 95% of the rails and won't let others in. Plus those same rail companies don't want passenger traffic screwing up their freight lines.

And, perhaps most importantly...who has more money to pay for lobbyists/congressmen? Combinations of the auto industry and the oil industry, or passenger rail lines?