Gale Norton worked for the mining industry before becoming Secretary of the Interior in 2001. So now that she's left the Bush administration, where is she going? Right back to industry, this time taking a job with Shell Oil. Talk about a revolving door.The Union of Concerned Scientists has issued a detailed report on what the environmental community has been whispering about for years -- that ExxonMobil pays scientists to back their corporate position.
Some positive environmental news from a power company ...
Energy firm buys into wind turbine project
By The Associated Press
Tuesday December 19, 2006
A Virginia energy giant has bought a 50 percent stake in a Grant County wind turbine project that is the subject of a case before the state Supreme Court.
Dominion, one of the nation's largest energy producers, announced Monday it plans to develop the first phase of a 200-turbine wind farm near Mount Storm, a project that some residents are trying to block.
In a news release, Dominion said the $300 million project gives the Virginia company an opportunity to increase its renewable energy portfolio.
State Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple is sponsoring a bill this year to require a portion of electric power in Virginia come from renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydro-power and bio mass products. It would be a major step forward, considering green energy is difficult (if not impossible) for Virginia customers to buy right now. Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment has worked on this issue and found Dominion eager to study the issue but reluctant to change.
2 comments:
When I saw that news about Gale Norton, I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry
50% stake in a 164MW wind farm not even built yet, just to promote itself as a "green" producer, all while pushing a transmission line which utilitizes its 1582MW Mt. Storm coal plant which was built in 3 phases b/n 1965-73. In 2000, Dominion had to pay civil penalty for pollution in the amount of 5.2 million and agreed to an add'l 13.6 million in environmental improvements.
Dominion since then has finished its first wave of advertisement for the 500kv line by stating in tv and full-page print ads and mass mailings, that they will use the wind farm in part to supply the 500kv line.
The reason for the 500kv line down i-66 is to alleviate overload fears from Arlington west into Fairfax and Loudoun counties starting in 2011 to 2016 till the time the North Anna nuke expansion comes on-line.
I wouldn't call it a fraud but its quite a misrepresentation to the mass public which doesn't understand the details.
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