Friday, March 21, 2014

Lake Erie: When It Rains, It Poisons

Harmful algal bloom hits shore of Lake Erie's Pelee Island. NOAA.
Climate change could bring more runoff and toxic algal blooms to Lake Erie.

The news coming out of Lake Erie is rarely good. In short, you can’t swing a dead bass near this southernmost Great Lake without hitting some kind of environmental disaster. But according to scientists at an online seminar yesterday, climate change could unleash even more havoc on this freshwater ecosystem, in the form of huge blooms of toxic algae.

Along with fouling beaches and bullying native species, invaders like zebra and quagga mussels are gobbling up the lake’s beneficial algae. This makes room in the ecosystem for another algae called microcystis, which produces a toxin that poisons the water for fish, humans, and unfortunate dogs alike. To make matters worse, fertilizers containing phosphorous pour into the lake from surrounding farmland, encouraging the growth of algal blooms. And now scientists say climate change is pecking away at the lake’s annual ice sheet. With less ice, evaporation on the lake could increase during the winter and allow algal blooms to flourish longer each year.

That Lake Erie is under attack from all sides is nothing new, of course. Barry Yeoman enumerated the lake’s troubles back in 2011 (see “Lake Erie Deathwatch”). But as we come to understand just how difficult it is to influence global climate policy, local scientists are becoming increasingly worried about what a warmer world will do to already struggling ecosystems such as Erie.

“Overall, Lake Erie is receiving a higher frequency of storms of one inch or greater,” says climatologist Molly Woloszyn. That means climate change isn’t just affecting the amount of water entering the watershed, but also the manner in which it gets there. Heavier rains are more likely to wash away farmers’ fertilizers, flushing them through the watershed and into the lake.

To adapt to these new weather patterns, a recent report from the Ohio Lake Erie Phosphorus Task Force recommends that farmers reduce fertilizer use by 40 percent and adopt practices to prevent agricultural pollution, such as not applying fertilizers when the ground is frozen or when heavy rain is on its way. Additionally, anti-erosion techniques like cultivating crops that keep their root systems intact year-round could help cut down on runoff. Unfortunately, because the task force has no way to enforce these guidelines, any phosphorus reduction would be voluntary.

Nobody wants to bet against an ecosystem that’s been left for dead more than once, but the outlook for Erie is as dreary as ever. Problems as big as climate change force local governments to learn to pick their battles. But if the plan is to curb farm runoff, fend off toxic algae, and improve water quality in this once-great lake all in one swoop, I’d say dive in.

The original post is here.

Forum: The STATUS of LAKE ERIE - Reserve Seats Now

[Click Image to Enlarge]

WHEN: Saturday, April 5, 2014 at 9:00 AM

WHERE: Frank Lloyd Wright's Fontana Boathouse, Buffalo, NY

The STATUS of LAKE ERIE is the topic of the forum to be held on the Buffalo waterfront at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fontana Boathouse with its magnificent view of Lake Erie. An expert panel of speakers will address a variety of Lake Erie issues including toxic algae, dead zones, invasive species, CAFOs and water quality. There will also be a brief talk on the Boathouse’s history and a tour of the nearby Great Lakes Laboratory Field Station. The program is below:

[Click Image to Enlarge]

Advance Registration is required due to limited seating.

RESERVE your seat for the STATUS of LAKE ERIE forum:
  •  write a check for $5 per person made out to ADK
  •  mail it to Cheryl Peluso, 3618 Howard Rd, Hamburg NY 14075
  •  any questions, leave a message at 648-9027 or email cherylp17@verizon.net
Once the check is received your name will be added to the reserved seat list and Cheryl will email an acknowledgement of receipt . Upon arrival at the event, give your name at the door and you'll be admitted.

Sponsored by the Niagara Frontier Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club.

Presentation: Solar Electricity for Your Home

How can a Homeowner put Solar on their Roof?



Presentation on Home Installation of Solar Electricity


The Sierra Club Niagara Group and UB Office of Sustainability are sponsoring an informational session on Home Installation of Solar Panels to generate Electricity.

Hear about the benefits of a solar panel installation on your home.

Have your “how to” questions answered.

Presentation by local installers: CIR Electric, Frey Electric and Solar Liberty.

Date: Monday March 24 at 7 PM

Place: UB Gateway Building, Rm. 208, 77 Goodell (corner of Goodell and Ellicott), Buffalo, NY

For more information Go to www.niagarasierraclub.wordpress.com 

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Advocating in DC for Great Lakes Protection

By Roger Germann
Executive Vice President, John G. Shedd Aquarium

Our lakes may still be frozen but last week there was a wave of Great Lakes activity in Washington, D.C. More than 100 Great Lakes advocates from all over North America gathered together in one place for the Great Lakes Day meeting hosted by the Great Lakes Commission (GLC). I joined several of my fellow Great Lakes champions who headed east to represent Shedd Aquarium, an official Observer for GLC, at the annual event.

It's a pivotal time for the lakes. Resources are strained, but Great Lakes issues remain. Leaders including John Goss, Asian carp director for the Obama Administration, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy led important discussions about the future of our region. Representatives from Canada to Chicago came together to celebrate recent successes while also advocating for crucial funding support from federal, state and provincial governments. But, most importantly, we publicly strengthened our unified resolve to create solutions for the serious issues affecting the Great Lakes.

Of course, the hottest topic both in sessions and in hallway discussions remained how to prevent Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. Progress has been made. Recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Interbasin Study (GLMRIS). However, the study is a starting point and there is more to be done to address the Asian carp issue, along with preventing the spread of other aquatic invasive species in and out of the Great Lakes basin.
In a show of solidarity, something not often seen in Washington D.C., the Great Lakes Commission passed four resolutions, with Asian carp at the top of the list:
  1. Asian carp solutions Resolution: Taking immediate action on a suite of near-term measures to reduce the risk of interbasin transfer of Asian carp and other invasive species at the Chicago Area Waterways System (CAWS).
    There's an urgent need to implement short-term risk reduction options to protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp, and Congress is looking to the Commission for next steps. The Commission recommended several near-term measures, including continuing the Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework, such as electric barriers, and implementing additional control measures outlines in the GLMRIS report such as habitat alteration and controlled harvesting. Read more about the proposed near-term measures

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Presentation: UB Entry in Solar Decathalon Competition

WNY Sustainable Energy Association 

Hosts 

UB Solar Decathlon Presentation! 

Monday, April 7th at 7pm 
Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center 
341 Delaware Avenue 
Buffalo, NY 14202 
(716) 854-1694 
www.hallwalls.org 

Free and Open to the Public! 

Please save the date and attend the WNY Sustainable Energy Association’s Reitan Speaker Series at Hallwalls for a night of innovation and Green Building design. UB Professor of Architecture Martha Bohm, UB Clinical Assistant Professor of Architecture Brad Wales, along with their graduate students will unveil the renderings of GRoW House. 

This is a first time entry for the University at Buffalo School of Architecture and Planning in the US Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon bi-annual competition that will be held in Irvine, California in 2015. The UB Solar Decathlon design entry incorporates the latest green design technology and renewable energy implementation that will enable the inhabitants to Grow, Relax and Work; GRow House! 

Join the WNY Sustainable Energy Association for this informative and exciting presentation at Hallwalls!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

60 Businesses Urge Cuomo to Lead on Renewable Energy

Local Businesses Call for 'Winds of Change'
 
Buffalo, New York — Thursday morning, business owners, concerned residents and union representatives gathered to call on Gov. Cuomo to make a commitment to boost wind energy in the state.  The event, hosted by the Sierra Club Niagara Group and Beyond Coal Campaign, was to celebrate sixty local businesses signing on to the campaign.

“Fossil fuel plants across the state drive climate change and can make people sick with diseases like asthma,” said Sierra Club Beyond Coal organizer Charlotte Olena.  “New York can be a leader in clean energy production.  Sixty local businesses have spoken: it’s time for Gov. Cuomo to lead on climate issues and make a serious commitment to boosting wind energy across the state.”

The Sierra Club’s “Turn, Don’t Burn” campaign is calling on Gov. Cuomo to be a champion for wind in New York State by doubling onshore wind energy by 2018 and support an offshore wind project this year.  With questions emerging about the viability of power production from sources like the Huntley Coal Plant, the Sierra Club sees wind energy as the way forward for Western New York.

“If given a fair chance and a level playing field, wind can compete dollar for dollar with the fossil fuels, and in some cases it’s cheaper because the fuel is free” said Thom Fleckenstein, the owner of Niagara Wind and Solar.  Businesses across Western New York have endorsed the Turn, Don’t Burn campaign, including Fleckenstein’s.  “As a small-scale wind developer, a commitment from Gov. Cuomo to support wind like the NY Sun Initiative would mean a lot to my business and open doors for others like me in New York.”

Clean energy is not just a concern for environmentalists or wind developers.  For New York’s workforce, clean energy programs can mean well-paid jobs.  “We have an obligation to our future generations to provide good jobs and a clean environment.  We can and must achieve those goals simultaneously,” remarked Michael Murphy, Rapid Response Coordinator for the United Steel Workers Local 8823, based in South Buffalo.

“Western New York is poised to emerge as a leader in wind development both because of being home to some of the richest wind resources in the state, and also because of our region’s history of manufacturing.  All we need is for Governor Cuomo to make it happen.” 

It is not only businesses signing on to the Sierra Club’s campaign.  Last week, State Senator Mark Grisanti submitted comment to NYSERDA calling for more wind energy in the Governor’s State Energy Plan.  His statement too, called on Gov. Cuomo to “make New York a climate leader,” with a commitment to increase wind capacity.

“It is up to this generation and this Governor to take action immediately to transition from fossil fuels to renewables,” commented Lynda Schneekloth, the chair of the Sierra Club’s Niagara Group.  Fossil fuel powered plants are the biggest drivers of climate change due to carbon emissions.  Even natural gas plants pose the risk of leaking methane, which, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change can be 34 times worse than carbon dioxide as a heat-trapping gas.

The climate is changing and we can just let it happen or we can design a way forward.  We have the technology in wind power, and if states like Iowa, Texas and South Dakota can get 20% of their electricity from wind, New York should be able to do the same.  Governor Cuomo, we ask you to lead us there.

The group’s efforts this spring have been around uniting concerned residents, business owners, and organizations to bring attention to the issue of clean energy in Western New York.
~ ~ ~

Power Grid Can Handle More Renewable Energy -- Google Seeks 100%

Nation's Largest Grid Operator: Huge Renewables Expansion Won't Be a Problem

By John Moore

PJM Interconnection, the nation’s largest power transmission grid organization, announced last week that wind and solar power could generate about 30 percent of PJM’s total electricity for its territory covering the Mid-Atlantic region and part of the Midwest by 2026 without “any significant issues.” That’s engineer-speak for “no big deal.” Even better, we would see more clean power at less cost and with far less pollution than our current mix of coal and natural gas power plants.

PJM’s new renewables integration report, prepared for it by General Electric, is required reading for anyone who questions the ability of the electric grid to handle large amounts of wind, solar, and other renewable energy. GE estimates that about 113,000 megawatts (MW) of installed wind and solar power resources (including distributed/generation), could produce about 30 percent of the region’s total energy. That’s enough energy to power 23.5 million homes annually. Here’s the breakdown of the resource mix in one of the scenarios studied in the report:

Resource Mix.png Significant benefits from more clean energy
The report estimates that 30 percent wind and solar power in PJM would bring the following benefits:
  • 40 percent less carbon pollution than “business as usual.”
  • Lower average energy prices across PJM’s footprint – because wind and solar would avoid $15.6 billion in coal and natural gas fuel costs.
  • Very little additional power (only 1500 MW) needed to support the minute-to-minute variability of the renewable power (like when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow).
  • No additional operating (known as “spinning”) reserves needed for backup power. (Wow!)
  • 44 percent less gas-fired generation and 21 percent less coal-fired generation—which also reduces the amount of carbon pollution emitted into the atmosphere.
The benefits, which really are stunning, derive primarily from several facts: 1) solar and wind power have zero fuel cost, which makes up most of the price of energy; 2) these resources are now commercially available and competitive with other power; 3) they produce zero carbon and other pollution; and 4) PJM’s large size over 14 states significantly reduces the magnitude of weather-caused variations in power output that can occur during the day and night.

Read more at NRDC SWITCHBOARD

Google Exec: 'Our Goal Is To Be 100 Percent Renewable Powered'

by Khier Casino

Google spent $2.25 billion in its last quarter on data centers and infrastructure, giving it a reason to use solar, wind and other alternative energies to cut everyday costs for the company.

"We've invested over a billion dollars in 15 projects that have the capacity to produce two gigawatts of power around the world, mostly in the US, but that's the equivalent of Hoover's Dam worth of power generation," Needham said.

Google recently opened the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating Station, located on federal land on the California-Nevada border southwest of Las Vegas. The field of mirrors rein in solar and energy and cuts energy costs.

"The fact is that all of these things, procuring power for ourselves, investing in power plants, renewable power plants, they all make business sense, they make sense for us as a company to do. We rely on power for our business," Needham adds.

Other companies in Silicon Valley are as devoted as Google in investing in sources of renewable energy.

"Silicon Valley is leading the charge to be more efficient, to work on solutions to some of these problems," said Ben Schachter, senior Internet analyst at Macquarie Securities. "Google is ahead of the pack and we'll have to wait and see how it works out. They are certainly trying many different initiatives to figure out how best to manage their footprint in the environment, as well as how to manage the cost of all their energy."

The original article is here.

Senators Pull All-Nighter to Wake Up Congress on Climate Change

Is the Senate's climate change all-nighter more than a one-night stand? 

The effort by 28 Democratic senators [Monday night] was launched in part by Rhode Island's Sheldon Whitehouse, who credits warming oceans for the state's disappearing idyllic and populated coastline.

Whitehouse has spoken about the issue every week the Senate has been in session for the past two years, culminating in 60 speeches that have gone largely unnoticed by the public.

He and fellow Democratic members of the climate change caucus hope their all-night session propels the issue back into the spotlight since it has been on the back burner for several years.

When Democrats tried to pass legislation that would have capped carbon emissions, skepticism around climate change reached an all-time high. Opponents, led by organizations and businesses involved in the fossil fuel industry, successfully turned public opinion and stopped any efforts in its tracks.

"It is unfortunate," Whitehouse said. "History will look back at the propaganda effort of the carbon polluters as one of the most sophisticated and complex propaganda efforts that human kind had to withstand."

The Koch Brothers, billionaire businessmen who made their fortune in the oil and gas industry, have spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to defeat Democrats. Cap and trade would have cut into Koch industries' revenue, which is estimated to hover around $100 billion per year.

Tim Phillips, the President of Americans for Prosperity, the political organization backed by the Kochs, said that killing climate change legislation in a Democratic-controlled Washington was his organization's major accomplishment.

Wealthy former hedge fund manager Tom Steyer is willing to spend Koch-like money to push the issue of climate change and defeat skeptics in the 2014 midterms.

Whitehouse, who has known Steyer since college, said if he can make good on his pledge to infuse the effort with $100 million, he would "help to neutralize an incredibly one-sided spending."

The above contains excerpts. The full report is at CNN.com

Notes from the Editor: To see Senator Whitehouse's evidence-based approach to understanding climate change in his 50th speech, click here. His 48th speech was on the anniversary of superstorm Sandy, and he was joined by New York Senator Schumer.

Senator Schatz Urges Bipartisanship on Climate Change

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) led 30 Senators in taking over the floor to call for action on climate change from 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 11, 2014 till 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 12, 2014. In addition to the 30 senators, more than 100,000 people participated in the #up4climate all night event by signing petitions calling on Congress to act. Watch the video:


Schneiderman Wants to Know Climate Change Impacts of Pipeline

AG to feds: Assess climate impacts of Keystone XL 

Posted by Casey Seiler, Capitol bureau chief

Amherst Fracking Ban Coordinating Meeting

WHEN: March 25, 2014 at 6:00 PM

WHERE: Williamsville Public Library, 5571 Main St. Williamsville

The town board of Amherst, NY must pass a local ban to safeguard our natural resources and health from the contamination that fracking brings to communities. A ban on fracking & fracking waste disposal (including road spreading) in Amherst would protect residents from exposure to harmful chemicals, airborne carcinogens, and contaminated water.

But the only way to get the town board to pass a local ban is by making it happen ourselves -- which is possible and is something that over 150 municipalities across NY have done!

All Amherst and Amherst-area residents are encouraged to join this coordinating meeting so we can map out the campaign and brainstorm next steps.

For more information contact Rita at ryelda@fwwatch.org.
Join the Facebook event & invite friends: https://www.facebook.com/events/640467722685100/

Monday, March 10, 2014

Businesses Call on Cuomo to Support Renewable Energy

Businesses Call for Winds of Change
50 Local Businesses Call on Cuomo to Support Renewables
 
WHAT: Buffalo business owners and the Sierra Club will unveil a list of 50 local businesses calling on Gov. Cuomo to boost wind energy across the state,

WHO:  Tom Fleckenstein, Owner, Niagara Wind and Solar
              Michael Murphy, USW 8823
              Lynda Schneekloth, Chair, Sierra Club Niagara Group
              Charley Olena, Sierra Club Beyond Coal Organizer
             
WHEN: 11am on Thursday, March 13th

WHERE: 237 Main St, Suite 1200, Buffalo, NY
    Institute of Labor Relations School, Cornell University

WHY:  With questions emerging about the viability of power production from sources like the Huntley Coal Plant and the draft of the New York State Energy Plan up for public comment, the Sierra Club has been ramping up efforts to support wind and renewable energy.  More than 50 local businesses have come out in support of boosting wind energy across the state, as a way to support our economy and provide good jobs.

Projects like the Riverbend Clean Tech Hub and Steel Winds are just a hint of what is possible in a clean energy economy for Western New York.  Join businesses, concerned residents, and public officials to call on Gov. Cuomo to make New York a leader in clean energy production through wind.

Contact: Charley Olena 716-870-4555, charlotteo@greencorps.org
 

Monday, March 3, 2014

Forum: The STATUS of LAKE ERIE - Reserve Seats Now

The Niagara Frontier Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club presents a

Conservation Conversation on the 

STATUS of LAKE ERIE

WHEN: Saturday, April 5, 2014 at 9:00 AM

WHERE: Frank Lloyd Wright's Fontana Boathouse, Buffalo, NY


The STATUS of LAKE ERIE is the topic of the forum to be held on the Buffalo waterfront at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fontana Boathouse with its magnificent view of Lake Erie. An expert panel of speakers will address a variety of Lake Erie issues including algae, dead zones, water quality and invasive species. There will also be a brief talk on the Boathouse’s history and a tour of the nearby Great Lakes Laboratory Field Station. Click here for more information.

Advance Registration is required due to limited seating.

RESERVE your seat for the STATUS of LAKE ERIE forum:
  •  write a check for $5 per person made out to ADK
  •  mail it to Cheryl Peluso, 3618 Howard Rd, Hamburg NY 14075
  •  any questions, leave a message at 648-9027 or email cherylp17@verizon.net
Once the check is received your name will be added to the reserved seat list and Cheryl will email an acknowledgement of receipt.

When you arrive for the event, just give your name at the door and you will be admitted.


Click here to check out the flyer

[Click image to enlarge]
 
Landsat-5 satellite image of the western Lake Erie taken in October 2011, the worst algal bloom in decades. Excess nutrients, in particular phosphorus enrich Lake Erie, which results in frequent seasonal algal blooms. 
Image source: NASA Earth Observatory


Envronmental Health and Sustainability Expert to Speak at UB

Keynote Speaker: Annie Leonard

Moving Towards Zero Waste 

and 'The Story of Stuff'

  • When: Tuesday, March 11th, 7:00 pm
  • Where: Drama Theater, Center for the Arts, UB North Campus, Amherst
  • Free and Open to the public
Annie Leonard is the founder of the Story of Stuff film series, several 20-minute videos that explain some of the world’s most significant environmental dilemmas using easy, down-to-earth language that gets the message across to people of all ages, backgrounds and education levels. She was named one of the “Five Most Important Environmental Movement Leaders” by the Washington Examiner in 2010.

Since her initial film’s launch in 2007 — which to date has generated more than 13 million online viewers — Leonard has leveraged it into an even more widely-viewed project (www.storyofstuff.com) and a 2010 book of the same title (made from 100 percent recycled and compostable materials, of course). She has become one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the topic of consumer behavior and its impact on the environment, appearing in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, the Huffington Post, Wired and Fast Company magazines, and on Comedy Central’s “Colbert Report,” among other major media outlets.

Check out Annie Leonard and her Story of Stuff on the Colbert Report.

Earlier videos from Annie Leonard posted at Re-ENERGIZE Buffalo:

398 Youth Arrested at White House Protesting Keystone XL Pipeline

Hundreds of Youth Activists Arrested at White House for Keystone XL Protest

Posted by Brad Johnson 
Arrests at White House398 youth activists were arrested Sunday in front of the White House, after staging a “die-in” protest against the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. The protesters marched from the Georgetown University site of President Barack Obama’s 2013 climate speech to the street in front of Secretary of State John Kerry’s house before arriving at the White House.
Kerry is slated to make a decision on on whether the pipeline — which will unlock access to Canadian tar sands and have a carbon footprint equivalent to fifty new coal-fired power plants — is in the national interest. President Obama is responsible for the final determination.

“We are trying to escalate as much as we can,” Michael Greenberg, a Columbia University sophomore who helped organize Sunday’s protest, told the National Journal’s Ben Geman. “We are not playing softball with the president any more.”

“Young people are tired of watching a president who ran on the promise of ‘ending the tyranny of oil’ keep caving to the fossil fuel industry,” wrote Jamie Henn, Communications Director for 350 Action, at MSNBC.com

There is a Flickr set of XLDissent photographs, and Annie-Rose Strasser at Climate Progress has compiled photos from Twitter of the march and protest.

“An entire movement has thrown itself into in this Keystone fight, from local frontline groups to big national green organizations,” said 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben. “But this weekend shows the power and bravery of some of the most crucial elements: young people, and activists who understand the centrality of environmental justice.”
~  ~  ~

 What You Need to Know About the Keystone XL Pipeline
The project has become politically charged. You’ve no doubt heard the talking points on both sides of the issue. But digging past the politics, what’s really at stake? Who stands to win and who stands to lose if the pipeline is approved? 

To answer those questions, and others, Bill Moyers & Company put together an essential KXL reader. To read it, Click Here.


Comment on the Keystone XL Pipeline to the U.S. Department of State:
 
The comment period is open until Friday, March 7, 2014.  To submit your comment, Click Here. 
 
~  ~  ~

XL Dissent: 398 Youth Arrested at Anti-Keystone XL Pipeline Protest at White House

On Sunday, 398 opponents of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline were arrested in front of the White House in what could be the largest youth sit-in on the environment in a generation.

Students from more than 80 colleges rallied at Georgetown University and then marched to the White House, wearing mock "hazmat suits" and holding banners with slogans like "Keep your oil out of my soil" and "Even Voldemort Hates Tar Sands."

President Obama is expected to issue a decision in the next few months on the pipeline, which would transport 830,000 barrels of crude every day from Alberta's oil sands to the U.S. gulf coast.

To hear Democracy Now's Amy Goodman speak to American University student Deirdre Shelly about why she was arrested on Sunday and the growing student-led movement to convince universities, colleges and cities to divest from fossil fuel companies, click here.
 
~  ~  ~
Hundreds of Keystone protesters arrested at White House
By Emily Stephenson 
Sun Mar 2, 2014 7:57pm EST

(Reuters) - Police arrested hundreds of young people protesting the Keystone XL project on Sunday, as demonstrators fastened themselves with plastic ties to the White House fences and called for U.S. President Barack Obama to reject the controversial oil pipeline.

Participants, who mostly appeared to be college-aged, held signs reading: "There is no planet B" and "Columbia says no to fossil fuels," referring to the university in New York City.

Another group, several of whom were clad in white jumpsuits splattered with black ink that was meant to represent oil, lay down on a black tarp spread out on Pennsylvania Avenue to stage a mock spill.

Organizers estimated 1,000 people protested and said several hundred agreed to risk arrest by refusing to leave the sidewalk in front of the White House. Citing U.S. Park Police figures, the organizers said later that almost 400 people were arrested.

VIDEO: Public Hearing on the NY State Draft Energy Plan

A NYSERDA public hearing on the NY State Draft Energy Plan was held at the University of Buffalo, Center for Tomorrow, on February 25, 2014. 

Below is a video SAMPLER of the proceedings (11 min.) from Martin Gugino: 


To view the Full Length videos of the opening remarks as well as a set of 5-minute public testimonies about the Draft Energy Plan recorded by Martin Gugino, Click Here.

Read a downloadable copy of the draft NYS Energy Plan here: 2014 Draft New York State Energy Plan Release [PDF]

Submit Public Comments Online: Click Here