Sunday, November 3, 2013

Dirty Power Plants, Overfishing, Offshore Wind on the Agenda!


Casino Bill's Birthday ~ Offshore Wind update

Federal Fisheries tour ~ Power Plant update and much more



Dredging for the South Terminal is proceeding in New Bedford, which hopes to be a main staging area for off-shore wind energy. SHNS photo


POWER PLANT MEETING:
Environmental Protection Agency officials will seek input on ways to reduce carbon pollution at existing power plants. The meeting in Boston is one of 11 the EPA is holding around the country, in Denver, Lenexa, Kan.; San Francisco; Washington D.C.; Dallas; Seattle, Philadelphia; and Chicago. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy is a Massachusetts native who previously worked in state and local government.

According to an Environment Massachusetts report, the biggest carbon-polluting power plant in the state is the Mystic Generating Station, a natural gas plant across the Mystic River from Charlestown, followed by Brayton Point, a coal plant on the shores of Mount Hope Bay across the water from Fall River. Brayton Point plans to shut down, unable to keep pace with the cheap cost of natural gas, and leading to consternation in the town, where the plant's tax payments are a major revenue source. (Monday, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., EPA New England, Memorial Hall, 5 Post Office Square)

FEDERAL FISHERIES TOUR:

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Mark Begich (D-Alaska) will host a listening session to hear from New England's fishing industry, science community and other parties interested in federal fishing regulations. Sen. Edward Markey and Congressmen John Tierney and William Keating are also expected to attend. Begich, the chairman of the Senate's Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard Subcommittee, and other members of Congress are holding similar listening sessions in anticipation of the reauthorization vote for the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, which regulates the fisheries. Senate President Therese Murray will make welcoming remarks at the start of the meeting. (Monday, 9:30 a.m., Rooms A-1 and A-2) 

Few have heard of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, intended to  prevent overfishing, protect fishing grounds. It is doubtful the fisheries will recover regardless of steps taken.

Additional information: 

End of a Legacy and the Death of New England Fisheries

On George's Bank at the turn of the century, the average halibut caught weighed 40 pounds. Last year, the average was 10 pounds. The sustainable annual yield is estimated to be about 100 million pounds, but last year 10 million pounds were caught.

Yachtsman Describes Horror at 'Dead', Rubbish Strewn Pacific Ocean

The Destruction of the Oceans

More Wind Mills or Hot Air?



NEW BEDFORD'S ROLE IN OFFSHORE WIND:

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell hosts German and U.S. offshore wind executives and public policy experts for a panel discussion on the economic impacts from the offshore wind industry in Germany. Panelists are expected to discuss the role of investment tax credits in financing wind projects and the state of the offshore wind industry in the U.S. According to Mitchell's office, representatives from Cape Wind, Deepwater Wind, Fishermen's Energy, Siemens and the Mass. Clean Energy Center are scheduled to offer "a background on their efforts and how each will generate economic growth and job creation in the United States." Congressman William Keating is listed as an attendee. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., Whaling Museum Theater)

See the entire State Government schedules for next week here.



http://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2013/11/02/22500-casino-bills-birthday-offshore-wind-update

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