Report: Bush's 'Clear Skies' is a step backwards

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/usa.shtml#17166

The Bush administration's "Clear Skies" proposal to rewrite the nation's chief air-quality rules for power plants would not reduce pollution as much as existing Clean Air Act regulations, according to an interim report by the National Academy of Sciences.

The findings prompted sparring in Washington, with some critics of the administration's environmental policies asserting that the changes would weaken clean air rules, and some energy industry groups arguing that the report was being exaggerated.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials, meanwhile, maintained that proposed changes to air-quality rules would do a better job of reducing pollution than the status quo.

more

[chomskysright]

1. thanks. I've contacted ALA...

american lung association: they should have an interest in this.

[bahrbearian]

6. Cough .....cough....hack..hack.. do you have their E-mail addddd...

Never Mind !

[VegasWolf]

2. awol's plan just says "clear skies" not necessarily "clean skies". I

guess if they are clear enough to make out the sun, then
awol is happy.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. I got your clear skies.... right here..... what someone on another

thread stated regarding the amount of pollution created by manufacturing hydrogen for fuel cells didn't mention is that internal combustion engines are at best 20% efficient.... whilst fuel cells are over 50% efficient. What that translates into is LESS POLLUTION regardless of how the hydrogen is produced.

Furthermore... fuel cell/turbine hybrid power plants are going to push the envelope of efficiency by getting well over the 50% marker.... please notice that this particular plant will operate off of natural gas.... totally negating the issue of dirty hydrogen production.


http://www.mbusi.com/pr/fuelcell.html


Back to Press Releases Main Page
Southern Company, Alabama Municipal Electric Authority, FuelCell Energy and Mercedes-Benz to build fuel cell power plant

First in U.S. based on unique Direct FuelCell Design

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.—An international energy company, a utility company, a leading fuel cell company and a major automotive company announced today an historic partnership to build and install a fuel cell power plant at the Mercedes-Benz production facility in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The $2 million plus, 250-kilowatt pilot demonstration project will be operational later this year.

The four companies teaming up are Southern Company (NYSE: SO), Alabama Municipal Electric Authority (AMEA), FuelCell Energy (AMEX: FCL) and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc. (MBUSI). The power plant utilizes FuelCell Energy’s Direct FuelCell™ stack in a unique design developed by MTU Friedrichshafen, a subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler and partner of FuelCell Energy. The purpose of the project is to study the performance of new technology to further the advancement of environmentally-friendly energy sources.

Alabama Power Company will enter into a special customer partnership with Mercedes-Benz, as the plant will be located in the service territory of this subsidiary of Southern Company.

"Southern Company is dedicated to exploring the full array of energy opportunities, including customer-sited, fuel cell power generation," said Charles Goodman, Southern Company vice president for research and environmental affairs. "With Alabama Power, we are committed to this partnership arrangement with our customers to test this clean and efficient power generation technology.

>>MTU Friedrichshafen has licensed FuelCell Energy’s Direct Fuel Cell technology while FuelCell Energy has licensed MTU’s unique power plant design, called the "Hot Module." The plant will convert pipeline natural gas to AC electricity at an efficiency of about 50 percent.<<

[bahrbearian]

9. Oh Goody Goody no reason to conserve now!!!!!

[modrepub]

4. Not 'Clear Skies"

Take your pick; "Clear Lies" or "Dark Skies"

Any benefit with this program is very slight; a couple of counties show improvement at best (EPA report). Even this may be due to some initial assumptions that may be incorrect. We can't tell because EPA has not fully disclosed to anyone how they produced this result.

One of the biggest problems with this scheme is most of the pollution reductions touted in this legislation will take place in the 2010 to 2020 time frame. If you live in an area not meeting minimum air-quality standards you will have to come up with pollution reductions on your own since your deadlines will be in the 2007 to 2012 time frame. Most of these areas are in "blue" states. How am I not surprised...

[mutus_frutex]

5. This administration has been ignoring

the scientific evidence in so many areas that it's just staggering. Be it from NAS, AAAS, NIH, etc, etc...

[moobu2]

8. It's because the Bush regiem

Has installed so many political appointees in position to influence public policy, not to mention all the industry conected scumbags sitting along side them..

[bahrbearian]

10. Yes they slowly corrupted our government.

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. Why would anybody expect anything else?

I would be knocked over if a bush initiative ever improved anything except the bottom line profit of some special interest.

[MisterP]

12. like turning over all non-manned NASA work to private corps

[damntexdem]

11. Dubya wants to Texify the skies of the entire nation.

And Texas skies are indeed rather dirty, and poisonous.