MELP

Early Site Permit (ESP) and a Combined Construction and Operating License (COL) for potential new units at the Vogtle site were issued from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in August 2009. On March 17, 2009, the Georgia Public Service Commission approved Georgia Power's request to certify the construction of two new nuclear power units at its Plant Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant near Waynesboro, Georgia. On June 28, 2013, Georgia Power filed a request with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to increase its base rates to allow the company to recover the costs of investments in infrastructure – including environmental controls, transmission and distribution, generation, and smart grid technologies – required in order to maintain high levels of reliability and superior customer service. The largest project is the Vogtle Nuclear Plant currently under construction. On Dec. 17, 2013, the Georgia PSC voted to approve a settlement agreement reached between Georgia Power and the commission’s Public Interest Advocacy (PIA) staff to approve the rate increase. The original loan amount was $6 billion. After delays an increased $8.33 billion federal loan guarantee was conditionally committed for the construction of two nuclear reactors. Vogtle units 3 and 4 are planned to be the nation's first nuclear power units in more than 30 years but does nuclear have a place in our sustainable energy future?

The smart grid brings digital technology to the distribution system and to the transmission system by replacing old mechanical meters with digital meters. They are not quite as high tech as our iPads and iPhones, but they essentially bring the same kind of technology to the electric system in the electric distribution system that a lot of us carry around in our phones today. The smart technology uses something called PMUs (phasor measurement units or synchrophasor) which essentially puts sensors out on the transmission system that provide information about the status of the system in very small fractions—in terms of milliseconds rather than the readings today which may be more on by second basis. These sensors could have prevented the 2003 blackout in the Northeast or reduced the scope of it.

The current federal and state regulatory rubric in the Portland, Oregon area and the Northwest has addressed many of the concerns expressed by Franklin D. Roosevelt in his “Portland” speech but many parts of the country are still captured by fossil fuels.  Because hydro is our primary source of energy, we are not as dependent on the wholesale pricing of natural gas. Roosevelt addressed the need for always changing energy regulations and solutions at the federal level and at the local level, “That where a community--a city or county or a district--is not satisfied with the service rendered or the rates charged by the private utility, it has the undeniable basic right, as one of its functions of Government, one of its functions of home rule, to set up, after a fair referendum to its voters has been had, its own government owned and operated service.” History has the answers.

Our nation was very well-served by the industry structure and regulatory paradigm that guided the development of the U.S. electricity grid in the 20th century.  When I visit the Geiser Grand Hotel in Baker City, Oregon, built in 1889, I am fascinated by the intricate lighting fixtures. I wonder what it was like for the first guests to experience electric lights and baths with running water for the first time in their life. The first energy systems in the 19th century were financed based on a “utility consensus” that was funded by this elite group of power entrepreneurs, regulators, equipment vendors, academics and politicians. These leaders continue to dictate energy policy through the 21st century. Those in cities as well as rural areas on the east coast have never been well served by investor-owned utilities, regulation or deregulation. I can’t say that about the northwest. We have the most reliable, affordable and sustainable energy in the country with a combination of public and private energy companies.

New York City faces a critical shortage of power at times of peak demand such as hot summer days and cold winter nights. In response, Breakneck Ridge Energy LLP has proposed to build and operate the Breakneck Ridge Pumped Storage Facility in Cold Spring, New York, 35 miles north of Manhattan. Hydro has and always will be the answer for our energy needs and a much needed solution for expensive and unreliable fossil fuels.

The Charles River Bridge proprietors filed a lawsuit to stop a second bridge from reducing the number of users and thus reducing toll income but ultimately lost before the U.S. Supreme Court.  Writing for a 5-2 majority, Chief Justice Taney ruled that the second charter did not violate Charles River Bridge Company's charter rights, and, therefore, Massachusetts had not violated the Constitution's Contract Clause. The problem was that that the charter to the old bridge company did not explicitly grant it monopoly rights. Taney and the majority, over the bitter dissent of Justice Joseph Story, refused to extend monopoly rights by implication, particularly when the interests of the community (as represented in the act of the legislature) were at stake. In the hypothetical situation, the Charles River Bridge precedent would help Maine Edison receive compensation for use of their equipment. Maine Edison has explicit monopoly rights over the poles and lines. They funded the construction of the poles and wires and they are currently funding their maintenance. The Takings Clause does not require that private property only be transferred to governmental ownership.

Last October the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released the State Energy Efficiency Scorecard.
• Massachusetts and California hold the top two slots as the most energy-efficient states in the nation for the fourth year in a row.
• Following these states in the top ten: Rhode Island, Oregon, and Vermont (all tied for #3); Connecticut, New York, Washington, Maryland and Minnesota.
• The five worst states — those most in need of improvement on energy efficiency — are North Dakota, Wyoming, South Dakota, Mississippi, and Alaska. 
If I lived in a state like Mississippi that has very poor efficiency ratings, I would look to top states for answers. I would also look at improving states in my region such as Arkansas that have shown the country that just by changing light bulbs and shower heads as well as creating tax and rebate incentives, incredible efficiency gains can be made in a short time. Arkansas was named one of the “most improved” for moving forward with strong utility programs. The state’s budgets for electric efficiency programs increased 30 percent between 2012 and 2013, while electricity savings more than tripled. Arkansas is a good state to follow for energy efficiency strategies!

Most Americans are not willing to give up their personal vehicles unless public transport is more efficient, faster, less expensive and more reliable. It is easier to take public transport in Japan where there are trains on every corner. Trains/Electric pods/electric buses are needed from Portland, Oregon to Vancouver, Washington and in most major cities. Washington state is leading the country in the expansion of electric cars. Fusion proponents claim that fusion will allow us to travel to Mars in a month by 2040! The transportation industry is changing quickly and electric-solar-wind powered cars, boats and planes are the future.

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is the nation’s first mandatory cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. RGGI involves nine states—Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The RGGI cap-and-trade system applies only to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from electric power plants with capacities to generate 25 megawatts or more—approximately 168 facilities.The first issue is that very little (7%) of RGGI investments have gone towards renewable energy. Of that amount very little has gone towards wind projects. More than 73 percent of 2012 RGGI investments, and approximately 65 percent of cumulative RGGI investments to date, fund energy efficiency programs in the region. Broadly, energy efficiency programs improve the way consumers use energy and are not related to wind development.  Renewable energies including wind have not been a high priority in the current RGGI programs. Conservation has been the focus.

The nationally broadcast address by President Jimmy Carter on July 15, 1979 named the “Crisis of Confidence”  attempted to address transportation policies and a move to renewable energies. The speech was made in the middle of a gas crisis when gas was rationed because there was a limited supply.  Carter mentions a combination of fossil and sustainable fuels as the solution to the gas crisis, “To give us energy security, we must develop America's own alternative sources of fuel—from coal, from oil shale, from plant products for gasohol, from unconventional gas, from the Sun.”

Carter’s goal of extracting domestic fossil fuel reserves has become a reality but has it benefited citizens or the environment? We are still  importing billions of gallons of petroleum including crude oil and refined petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel fuels.  The expansion of domestic sustainable energy has been slow. New technologies including biofuels, electric and solar vehicles as well as fusion promise to offer solutions. We depend on Canada for hydro power in many parts of the country to stabilize unreliable and expensive natural gas wholesale prices. The goal should not be energy independence but responsible global energy interdependence considering environmental stewardship as well as social responsibility.

We are where long-distance, fixed line telephones were in 1985. Today, we have reached the end of a long-distance fixed-line country. It took 25 years.  In many ways, the growth of DG and micro grids is facing the same challenges today. It goes full circle back to the early days of the electric power industry. Initially power systems were isolated and each served its own service area. As service areas expanded, utilities began to interconnect.

Although Arizona regulators have been willing to accept a relatively limited amount of cost shifting to address home solar energy expansion they have not addressed the magnitude of cost shifting that will accompany the rapid expansion in net-metered energy. Additional funding is needed to pay for future energy infrastructure. Utilities must follow the lead of telecommunications companies in order to succeed in our new energy future.

It is most efficient to build wind plants in areas where there is construction, maintenance and management staff with wind energy experience. Renewable jobs are more geographically concentrated than fossil fuel jobs, corresponding to the location of renewable generation capacity which is primarily on the west coast. The California ISO region has incredible offshore wind potential. There are projects planned currently that need investors and partners. California is leading the country in cost-effective wind technologies for deployment in areas with moderate wind speed and assessment of the potential and feasibility for deployment of off-shore wind technologies. For example, a single wind farm near Cape Mendocino could deliver an average 800 MW of gross renewable power and reduce California's current carbon emitting electricity generation four percent.

India is organized by states which are called upon to formulate action plans in accordance with the National Action Plan. India’s Ministry of environment is at the center of environmental protection and international negotiations on environmental matters. Indian authorities have developed an extensive set of environmental laws and policies but have in many instances failed to prevent environmental degradation.  India has been called a pollution haven due to the growing numbers of American and Chinese corporations moving production to India and the insufficient resources, corruption and lack of priority on the governmental agenda.

The majority of the population in Washington State can be found near the cities of Seattle, Vancouver and Spokane and are concerned about climate change while those in rural areas are more likely to doubt it. According to Greenopia, Washington is the greenest state in the country because of its high number of LEED buildings, green businesses and renewable energy sources. A recent study from Stanford University found that 83% of Washington state citizens believe global warming is happening and emissions reduction policies including electric car development are needed.Mitigating global climate change in Washington State requires not only government action but also cooperation from consumers. Policies are being put in place to reduce GHG emissions as well as protect flora and fauna through forest management, conservation and translocation.

The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change came to the conclusion that we should immediately invest one percent of world economic activity (referred to as global gross domestic product) to reduce the impact of global warming. The British report warned that failing to do so could risk future economic damages equivalent to a reduction of up to twenty percent in global GDP. The Review made important economic assumptions by linking climate-change policies to environmental objectives.

The proposed oil terminal in Vancouver, Washington comes to mind when discussing corporate influence. Stern has shown that reducing emissions would not damage the economy in response to the Kyoto Protocol but he does not address the challenges to climate change policy from fossil fuel corporate influences.

Greenhouse gas emissions result from individual, local, state, national, regional, and international decisions. At an individual level, each person, within parameters, makes choices that affect their carbon footprint on the planet. Governments at all levels decide what their plans will be in response to these changes and the extent to which they are able to support the individuals making those hard decisions. The reality is that policymakers are preoccupied with raising funds for their next election. Fossil fuel industries donate large amounts to candidates in both parties giving them an advantage. The Clean Air Act calls for state, local, federal and tribal governments to implement the Act. States are responsible for developing enforceable state implementation plans and must prohibit emissions that significantly contribute to air quality problems in a downwind state. Citizens of Vancouver, Washington received a flyer informing them that any opposition to a proposed oil terminal is an empty political gesture since the state and residents have no rights for environmental protections under interstate commerce laws. Climate change policy is challenged by many federal and state barriers.

Climate change affects managed ecosystems like vineyards just as it affects natural ecosystems, with corresponding major economic and social implications. Wine is one of California’s most important agricultural products: The industry earns billions of dollars per year and is a critical part of the state’s cultural fabric. Wine grapes can grow in a wide range of climates, but the quality of each crop depends on a subtle balance of climate, soils, and land forms. Wine regions affected by rising temperatures are facing the global warming facts, adopting techniques to reduce the effect of climate warming, such as planting the vines in shallow soil to reduce water consumption, introducing controlled irrigation and shading the grapes from the sun.

High mountain meadows in Oregon are declining rapidly due to climate change as reduced snowpack, longer growing seasons and other factors allow trees to invade these unique ecosystems that once were carpeted with grasses, shrubs and wildflowers. Lower elevation trees and non-native invasive plants eventually invade the meadow. An insurance approach is needed by designating our alpine meadows in Oregon as wildlife sanctuaries and protecting the remaining plants for future generations.  The sheer speed with which observed changes in habitat and the life cycles of plants and animals (phenology) are occurring is forcing a paradigm shift in conservation biology to consider alpine houses and translocation as ongoing adaption options.

Oregon's 2015 mountain snow pack vital for ski resort and recreational income is at a historical low. The reason is persistent warm weather, which is turning into the new normal as the climate heats up. It is the adaptive capacity (not climate) that will determine the future of alpine (winter) tourism. Climate adaptations cannot be isolated from other business decisions. Most climate change adaptations are likely to be incremental adjustments of existing strategies incremental adjustments of existing strategies. Climate change adaptation can be described as reactive, highly individualistic and be described as reactive, highly individualistic and very context very context-specific specific. The alpine ski industry is very sensitive to changes in natural snow conditions.

The Concerns Regarding Fractured (Fracked) Oil by Rail  from Bakken to Vancouver, Washington for Export. While agencies and the President are "fighting" the pipeline they are approving crude oil by rail to the west. The governor of Washington has been fighting to stop oil by rail in the Seattle area but has not opposed oil by rail along the Columbia River to Vancouver, Washington in a real "House of Cards" scenario.