Madison Peak Oil Group

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-196621512012-02-14T14:58:07.692-06:00Madison Peak Oil GroupEd Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.comBlogger13071100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-25257786076954960832012-02-14T13:50:00.000-06:002012-02-14T13:49:40.932-06:00Debate Feb. 14World Oil Supply: Looming Crisis or New Abundance?

A Debate, Free and Open to the Public Tuesday, February 14, 2102 5:30 PM – Refreshments 6:00 PM – Debate 7:30 PM – Audience Reception Varsity Hall II, Union South 1308 West Dayton Street, Madison, WI John Hofmeister, Founder, Citizens for Affordable Energy Former president, Shell Oil North American US National Energy Security Council Author, Why We Hate the Oil

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-21056889935062128212012-02-06T11:14:00.002-06:002012-02-06T11:19:55.750-06:00A ghastly visual journey through the Alberta Tar Sands

A visual journey through the Alberta Tar Sands and a discussion of the the local regional and global impacts and how we can respond. For almost twenty years, Garth's photography of threatened wilderness regions, devastation, and the impacts on indigenous peoples, has appeared in the world's leading publications. His recent images from the boreal region of Canada have helped lead to significant

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-66577295692243557632012-01-30T11:29:00.000-06:002012-01-30T11:29:03.783-06:00Fracking industry executive says 90% of Americans are ‘nuts’

From a column by Lyle Hopkins in The Capital Times: Wall Street and CEO culture in America is out of touch, arrogant, condescending, and those are probably their good qualities. Recent examples run the gamut, from snooty finance employees sipping champagne while mocking Wall Street protesters to a sign posted in the Chicago Mercantile Exchange proudly stating “we are the 1%.” It’s clear that our

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-61459801079305966012012-01-05T12:13:00.002-06:002012-01-05T12:13:28.960-06:00Only 20, not 200, years of coal; we have to move "so fast" to get to 100% renewables

Leslie Glustrom is the featured speaker at RENEW's Energy Policy Summit, January 13, Madison. Read the report that she mentions about 11 minutes into the interview. Get details and register for the Summit at the Summit Web page.

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-3372833937383970862012-01-05T09:58:00.000-06:002012-01-05T09:59:50.457-06:00See who and what companies are coming to RENEW's Energy Policy Summit, Jan. 13, Madison

It's 2012 and the world of energy is shifting fast. Will you be part of the conversation around the shape that will take in Wisconsin? If you or your business plan to BUILD, BUY, or BE part of Wisconsin's renewable energy future, register NOW for RENEW's Energy Policy SUMMIT on Friday JANUARY 13th in Madison. There are a LIMITED number of SPACES available for the RENEW Energy Policy Summit

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-62728093484811039792012-01-04T12:25:00.001-06:002012-01-04T12:31:50.518-06:00Coal’s liabilities to be a focus of RENEW’s Energy Policy Summit, Jan. 13, Madison

For immediate release: January 4, 2012 More information RENEW Wisconsin Michael Vickerman 608.255.4044 mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org Coal’s Liabilities to be a Focus of RENEW’s Energy Policy Summit Long-considered an inexpensive and reliable fuel source, coal is rapidly becoming the Achilles’ heel of the national electric energy picture, according to Leslie Glustrom, Research Director for Clean

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-26451525540877062192012-01-01T18:01:00.000-06:002012-01-01T18:15:16.286-06:00The Great Recession, Energy Depletion, and Political Turmoil, Jan. 3

A presentation by Nicole Foss, futurist, international lecturer, and co-author of www.TheAutomaticEarth.blogspot.com Free and open to the public Date/Time: Tuesday, January 3rd, 7:00 PM Location: The Goodman Center 149 Waubesa Street Madison, WI 53704 Map Sponsors: WORT, Madison Peak Oil Group, UW Madison Energy Hub, RENEW Wisconsin During the past year, tremendous political and economic

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-40241305747227614112011-12-28T11:42:00.000-06:002011-12-28T11:47:13.284-06:00Kohl's Department Stores piloting EV charging stations at 33 stores, none in WI

From a news release issued by Kohl's: Charging stations provide added shopper convenience, free of charge at select Kohl’s stores across eleven states Kohl's Department Stores today announced that the company will pilot electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at 33 Kohl's stores nationwide. Each participating Kohl's store will have one to four parking spaces reserved for EV drivers to charge

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-91859661968438846212011-12-23T11:16:00.000-06:002011-12-23T11:16:18.699-06:00'Secret' Environment Canada presentation warns of oilsands' impact on habitat

Thanks to Jim Rowen for highlighting this article on his blog The Political Enviroment. The article by Mike De Souza appeared in the Vancouver Sun: Contamination of a major western Canadian river basin from oilsands operations is a "high-profile concern" for downstream communities and wildlife, says a newly-released "secret" presentation prepared last spring by Environment Canada that

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-11269970939572609222011-12-05T13:42:00.001-06:002011-12-05T13:45:10.090-06:00Beyond Coal - Organizing around Renewables, January 13

The RENEW Energy Policy Summit, January 13, 2012, Madison, will feature Leslie Glustrom, a founding member of Clean Energy Action. She is trained as a biochemist and has spent over 30 years working at the interface of science and society in a variety of roles, including science writer, policy analyst, college instructor and research lab manager. In February 2009 she authored an extensively

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-77349557856217956462011-12-01T10:13:00.001-06:002011-12-01T10:13:46.825-06:00Suncor tar sands refinery leaks crude into South Platte River

From a post on the blog of the National Defense Resource Council: Colorado officials fear that vast amounts of petroleum have been leaking into the South Platte River from a broken pipeline at a refinery operated by tar sands producer Suncor. It is not yet clear how long oil has been leaking into the South Platte River, how much has been spilled or what substance was spilled. State officials are

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-28249500835469607252011-11-30T10:19:00.000-06:002011-11-30T10:19:35.402-06:00Madison needs a central transit hub

A letter to the editor in The Capital Times: As a frequent visitor to your city, I have a message for Madison and UW-Madison leaders: The Memorial Union was never intended to be a bus terminal. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving there were eight buses in front of the Union at 1 p.m., clogging the street in addition to the city bus traffic that came by. With the demise of both the Badger and

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-85869910546375287252011-11-25T13:01:00.002-06:002011-11-25T13:01:54.003-06:00RENEW Wisconsin hosts Renewable Energy Policy Summit, Jan. 13, 2012

REtaking Initiative - REframing Message REvitalizing Economy 8:30 am - 4:00 pmPyle Center, UW-Madison Campus702 Langdon StreetMadison, WI 53703Wisconsin's renewable energy marketplace is going through a tumultuous period. We need to chart a new course for 2012 to address the ongoing policy uncertainties and emerging marketplace realities. RENEW WI invites stakeholders from around the state to

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-34126102688339551472011-11-15T06:16:00.000-06:002011-11-15T06:16:00.656-06:00Time to derail fossil fuel train, energy agency warns

From an article by Stephen Leahy posted on the Inter Press Service: UXBRIDGE, Canada, Nov 10, 2011 (IPS) - Countries have chained themselves to a fossil fuel train that is headed straight off a cliff, warns the International Energy Agency (IEA). Without a bold change of policy direction, the world will lock itself into an insecure, inefficient and high-carbon energy system, the IEA said

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-78742585624392187672011-11-11T12:52:00.000-06:002011-11-11T12:52:49.761-06:00Gen. Wesley Clark on wind, veterans and energy security

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-75047745697523258662011-11-10T13:45:00.000-06:002011-11-10T13:45:12.268-06:00Fossil Fuel Subsidies Six Times More Than Renewable Energy

From an article by Bill Sills on Bloomberg.com: Fossil-fuel consumers worldwide received about six times more government subsidies than were given to the renewable-energy industry, according to the chief adviser to oil-importing nations. State spending to cut retail prices of gasoline, coal and natural gas rose 36 percent to $409 billion as global energy costs increased, the Paris-based

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-41407105493220892982011-11-01T11:33:00.001-05:002011-11-01T11:37:04.864-05:00Bluff collapse at power plant sends dirt, coal ash into lake

From an article by Meg Jones and Don Behm in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Oak Creek - A large section of bluff collapsed Monday next to the We Energies Oak Creek Power Plant, sending dirt, coal ash and mud cascading into the shoreline next to Lake Michigan and dumping a pickup truck, dredging equipment, soil and other debris into the lake. There were no injuries, and the incident did not

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-21595894135017516922011-10-27T11:38:00.000-05:002011-10-27T11:38:59.321-05:00Madison is paving itself into oblivion

From a commentary by Michael Barrett on the Daily Page of Isthmus: Over the last 11 years, the city of Madison has increased pavement spending at 11 times the rate of population growth plus inflation. So why have both reconstructions and highway expansions increased at far above the inflation and population growth rate? That depends on whom you ask. Ask a progressive alder from an isthmus

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-57727098950510951702011-10-27T09:51:00.000-05:002011-10-27T09:51:47.686-05:00Green Drinks, November 2, Great Dane at Doty and King streets

Our next opportunity to gather with other green-minded folks will soon be upon us. Come and network, simply shoot the breeze, or just enjoy a cold one in the good company of Madison Green Drinks. One block from the Capitol. Wednesday, November 2, 5:00 PM Great Dane Brew Pub 123 East Doty Street Corner of Doty and King Streets Just one diagonal block from the Capitol Square

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-30167981860910377022011-10-26T15:14:00.000-05:002011-10-26T15:14:02.698-05:00State urged to beef up clean energy policies to create jobs

From an article by Judy Newman in the Wisconsin State Journal: Two reports show Wisconsin has a significant renewable power industry, but with a stronger state commitment, it could be saving more energy and creating more jobs. Wisconsin has more than 300 businesses involved in wind or solar energy, providing more than 12,000 jobs, according to a study by the Environmental Law and Policy Center

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-421063056720785142011-10-21T11:06:00.000-05:002011-10-21T11:06:12.661-05:00Wisconsin slips five notches in energy efficiency ranking

From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin's move to roll back funding increases for programs that help homeowners and businesses save on energy bills was criticized in a report Thursday by a national energy efficiency advocacy group. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy released a scorecard rating states' efforts in the area of energy efficiency

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-181863770873144912011-10-20T14:58:00.000-05:002011-10-20T14:58:05.956-05:00Metro Transit announces receipt of $5 million grant

From a post on Madison Metro's Web site: Metro Transit is excited to announce that it will receive $5 million dollars as part of a $920 million federal grant announced today by U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood intended to put Americans back to work repairing, rebuilding and modernizing the nation's transit infrastructure. These federal funds were awarded to more than 300 public

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-6023027831539204232011-10-19T12:56:00.000-05:002011-10-19T12:56:50.282-05:00Free Electric Car Workshop, Middleton, Oct. 25

EnAct is hosting a with MG&E MG&E’s Bob Stoffs and a Chevy Volt owner present about owning an electric car in Dane County and how you can make it work for you! Learn how the EnAct program works and enter to win a FREE EnAct: Steps to Greener Living Book. Tuesday, October 25th, 12-1pm Middleton Public Library 7425 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton For more information or to register for this program

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-89585856030585596502011-10-18T10:47:00.000-05:002011-10-18T10:47:37.382-05:00Gas tax doesn't cover cost of roads

From an article by Larry Sandler in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: The state gas tax would have to rise 50 cents - a 152% increase, to nearly 83 cents a gallon - to cover road costs that are now being paid through property taxes or other general tax revenue, a new study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers say. The study, commissioned by the environmental group 1,000 Friends of

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-52668630576525720092011-10-18T01:28:00.000-05:002011-10-18T01:28:00.168-05:00Electric cars on a budget

From an article by Ken Paulman in Midwest Energy News: A electric car for $6,000? Yes, but there's a catch... Yesterday, we told you about an Ohio company that offers electric Mercedes SUV conversions for $75,000. That’s more than most people in the U.S. make in a year. Even the compact EV options aren’t cheap. The 2012 Nissan Leaf starts at about $35,000. Tax credits and incentives can push

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-35488984106644979202011-10-17T10:25:00.005-05:002011-10-17T10:37:13.415-05:00Mpower Business ChaMpions: It's all about sustainability

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-57694875833206633132011-10-12T11:26:00.000-05:002011-10-12T11:26:58.023-05:00Kathleen Falk: County shows Walker how to create green jobs

From a commentary by Kathleen Falk in The Capital Times: We elect governors to solve problems, not create them. Unfortunately, when it comes to energy and green jobs, Gov. Scott Walker is making things worse. Here’s how: One of the big drags on our state’s economy is the amount of money we spend for energy. Right now we send $12.5 billion every year to out-of-state companies to power our

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-58841325100425657922011-10-04T14:36:00.002-05:002011-10-04T14:43:30.620-05:00Wisconsin cheese factory promotes renewable energy

From the newsletter of Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese: At Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese we’re green as well as growing. We have solidified our commitment to sustainability, and proudly display our new green logo on our website and elsewhere. We know our customers appreciate the fact that we use 100% green power, and practice water conservation and recycling. Our commitment is evident in our

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-9517065564368608812011-09-12T10:41:00.000-05:002011-09-12T10:41:34.464-05:00Soglin Transportation Plan Makes Step Towards New Tansit Master Plan

There's a Madison Metro bus stop on Northport Drive, across from Warner Park. The stop is popular with both north side residents and people attending events like Mallards baseball games. But anyone attempting to cross Northport at that location does so at their own risk: There's no crosswalk to guide pedestrians safely across the busy four-lane thoroughfare. "If we really want to do things like

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-50028233577178137282011-09-12T10:01:00.000-05:002011-09-12T10:01:02.524-05:00UW-Oshkosh Recieves Award for "Wasting" Everything

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh recently received the 2011 Silver Waste-to-Energy Excellence Award from the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) for its innovative and successful efforts in solid waste management. The award recognizes the University’s first-in-the-nation, commercial-scale dry fermentation anaerobic biodigester. Load-in of the digester recently began, and energy

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-74491569291637083092011-09-09T10:58:00.002-05:002011-09-09T10:58:33.948-05:00UW-Oshkosh continues to set the gold standard for UW campus sustainability

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-2857726105489728082011-08-31T11:29:00.000-05:002011-08-31T11:29:29.347-05:00Bicyclists don’t need no stinkin’ tax breaks

From an article by Bill Berry in The Capital Times: STEVENS POINT – As long as various groups are seeking relief from onerous and burdensome taxes, why don’t we have a tax break for bicycle commuters? Many of us in this category have commuted to and from work for decades. OK, let’s be honest. We feel sorry for the poor souls trapped in motor vehicles. They look so forlorn and detached from the

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-24891164662494211472011-08-24T11:25:00.000-05:002011-08-24T11:25:54.736-05:00Did fracking cause the Virginia earthquake?

From an article by Dr. Stuart Jeanne Bramhall on OpEdNews.com: Earthquakes in the nation's capitol are as rare as hen's teeth. The epicenter of Tuesday's quake was in Mineral, Virginia, which is located on three very quiet fault lines. The occurrence of yet another freak earthquake in an unusual location is leading many anti-fracking activists (including me -- they have just started fracking in

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-60576637114235411632011-08-23T16:05:00.002-05:002011-08-23T16:05:30.085-05:00RENEW asks PSC to stop We Energies' termination of renewable program

From the testimony of RENEW presented by Michael Vickerman, who draws attention to the fact that We Energies is trying to defund its $6 million/year renewable energy development program without any justification. In fact We Energies doesn't say anything about their actions. RENEW asks the PSC not to sanction this sleight of hand maneuver: Q. What is the purpose of your testimony? A. The purpose

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-49234630036174481242011-08-09T09:32:00.010-05:002011-08-09T09:40:14.183-05:00MGE puts solar in schools

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-80658021497004938062011-08-05T16:42:00.000-05:002011-08-05T16:42:34.075-05:00Other Midwestern states get federal funds for trains

From an article by Candace Lombardi on Cnet News: Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Wednesday announced his office is dispersing an additional $336.2 million in funds toward the massive U.S. high-speed rail public works project underway. This time, the money is going for the trains themselves. Including this latest release, $782 million has been dispersed for purchasing 33

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-76473927695239780852011-08-03T16:08:00.000-05:002011-08-03T16:08:01.837-05:00The Daily Show's investigative look into a wind project in the Sunshine State

The Daily ShowGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-64460502528213182552011-08-01T16:13:00.001-05:002011-08-01T16:14:21.219-05:00Dane County Clean Air Coalition lanunches residential wood stove changeout program

From a news release issued by the Clean Air Coalition: Today, the Dane County Clean Air Coalition launched the second phase of the 2011 Dane County Wood Stove Changeout Program, a voluntary pollution prevention program designed to help residents reduce harmful fine particle pollution and airborne toxics. From August 1st through September 30th, the Coalition is encouraging residents to get a jump

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-18959776203185111612011-07-29T11:41:00.000-05:002011-07-29T11:41:25.684-05:00The real reasons the GOP shuns trains

From a commentary by Dave Zweifel in The Capital Times: Thanks to my now-retired colleague Ron McCrea, I’ve come across another attempt to explain this strange Republican anti-train phenomenon. An associate editor of the blog “AlterNet,” Sarah Jaffe, has five theories. First, improved passenger rail requires big infrastructure and, hence, leaves a legacy. This legacy of a viable high-speed

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-78428722248613066852011-07-27T15:41:00.003-05:002011-07-27T15:41:29.359-05:00Milwaukee aldermen approve downtown streetcar line

From an article by Larry Sanders in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee aldermen voted 10-5 Tuesday to approve a modern streetcar line downtown. In response to concerns raised by Comptroller W. Martin "Wally" Morics, aldermen agreed to limit spending to engineering for now, and to seek a review by the comptroller's office before releasing money for construction. The measure now heads to

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-3431531369253850002011-07-22T14:30:00.003-05:002011-07-22T14:31:19.165-05:00Wind-powered car

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-75127515911283729482011-07-21T16:17:00.001-05:002011-07-21T16:18:33.732-05:00Wisconsin turns inhospitable to green businesses

From an article by Nathan J. Comp in The Isthmus: A new report from the Brookings Institution sizing up the health of the nation's green economy shows Wisconsin ranks 13th in the number of green jobs, with Madison ranking fifth among cities. Problem is that many of these jobs will likely disappear as a result of recent policy rollbacks and funding cuts that critics say have already begun to

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-61242511246750385682011-07-20T15:06:00.003-05:002011-07-20T15:07:59.695-05:00Trains unnecessarily cost Wisconsin taxpayers millions due to Walker's fund rejection

From an article by Larry Sandler and Jason Stein: Wisconsin taxpayers could wind up paying more to keep existing passenger train service from Milwaukee to Chicago than they would have paid to run new high-speed rail service from Milwaukee to Madison, according to a Journal Sentinel analysis of state figures. The Legislature's budget committee voted 12-2 Tuesday to spend $31.6 million in mostly

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-71156891484392949002011-07-19T15:43:00.000-05:002011-07-19T15:43:12.423-05:00Budget committee votes to spend $31.6 million on rail service

From an article by Jason Stein and Patrick Marley in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Madison - The Legislature's budget committee voted 12-2 Tuesday to spend $31.6 million on the Milwaukee-to-Chicago passenger rail service, costs that could have largely been paid by a federal grant that would have extended passenger rail from Milwaukee to Madison. The Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-68215993617550885732011-07-18T15:40:00.002-05:002011-07-18T15:40:38.051-05:00National Study Vindicates Wisconsin’s Clean Energy Policies

Immediate release July 18, 2011 More information Michael Vickerman Executive Director 608.255.4044 mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org National Study Vindicates Wisconsin’s Clean Energy PoliciesNearly a decade of forward-looking strategies propelled investments in Wisconsin’s clean jobs economy above other Midwest states, according to an economic study issued by The Brookings Institution, a

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-47762567044292228752011-07-12T09:20:00.002-05:002011-07-12T10:13:25.574-05:00Good news: Walker creates clean energy jobs, Bad news: They are in Canada

A news release issued by Rep. Brett Hulsey (D-Madison): Madison, WI— In another blow to jobs and clean energy efforts in Wisconsin, Republican Governor Scott Walker signed the “Clean Energy Jobs for Canada Act” SB 81 this week that allows a Wisconsin utility to import renewable energy from Canada rather than invest in Wisconsin jobs and clean energy. “Sadly Governor Walker and the GOP outsource

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-79117615887961436352011-07-11T14:28:00.002-05:002011-07-11T14:28:29.715-05:00Wisconsin’s Widening War on Renewable Energy

Dramatic Slowdown in Market Activity Anticipated By Michael Vickerman July 11, 2011 What started out as an opening salvo from the Walker Administration to shackle large-scale wind projects has in six months turned into a systematic campaign to dismantle the state policies that support renewable energy development. Joining the executive and legislative branches in pursuing policy rollbacks and/or

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-4986187627083017132011-07-06T15:57:00.000-05:002011-07-06T15:57:24.527-05:00Let's get new RTA bill done

From an editorial in the Wisconsin State Journal: The same Republicans who just killed the Dane County Regional Transit Authority say they're willing to allow RTAs in Wisconsin if they're more consistent and accountable. OK, then let's get moving on just such a bill. Dane County needs an RTA to encourage regional cooperation on transportation planning to avoid gridlock. Assembly Speaker

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-21908635908332736652011-07-05T15:17:00.002-05:002011-07-05T15:17:38.858-05:00Funding Hiatus Darkens Outlook for In-State Renewables

Immediate release July 5, 2011 More information Michael Vickerman Executive Director 608.255.4044 mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org Funding Hiatus Darkens Outlook for In-State Renewables For the first time in its 11-year history, Focus on Energy is no longer accepting applications from Wisconsin businesses and nonprofit entities seeking to install renewable energy systems. This new policy took

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-57069355899626186072011-07-01T11:16:00.003-05:002011-07-01T11:31:49.964-05:00Good roads are the backbone of any economy

An editorial in the La Crosse Tribune illustrates much of the current thinking about transportation, with no consideration of environmental issues or concern for future oil supplies: There are lots of reasons why transportation is a crucial part of Wisconsin’s economy – 6.5 billion of them. That’s the dollars that are in the transportation budget over the next two years. Here are some positive

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-54622860229509723882011-06-29T10:18:00.000-05:002011-06-29T10:18:21.034-05:00Small businesses hit hard by cuts and changes in Focus on Energy

From an article by Judy Newman in the Wisconsin State Journal: Focus on Energy, a statewide program that promotes energy efficiency, is in the midst of big changes: new management by an out-of-state corporation, suspension of a popular rebate program, and sharp funding cuts in the pending state budget. Nearly 20 people already have lost their jobs, mostly in Madison, as a result of the

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-90777245336248839252011-06-28T15:23:00.001-05:002011-06-28T15:25:02.648-05:00Madison wind installer wins national award

Immediate release: June 28, 2011 More info: Jim Yockey 608-770-9660 Wisconsin business wins National Small Wind Installer of the yearMADISON – Seventh Generation Systems Integration was awarded the National Installer of the Year honor at the 7th Annual Small Wind Conference in Stevens Point, WI on June 16th. This recognition of national scope is given to the company for their positive

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-43857812142449577372011-06-27T16:25:00.002-05:002011-06-27T16:25:40.990-05:00State’s Hostility Toward Renewables Escalates; “Leaders” Lag Citizenry on Wind Support

Two articles from Catching Wind, a newsletter published by RENEW Wisconsin with funding from a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy: State’s Hostility Toward Renewables Escalates At the urging of Wisconsin utilities, several lawmakers have introduced a bill to allow a renewable energy credit (REC) to be banked indefinitely. If adopted, this measure (AB146) would constitute the most

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-35084871879852614432011-06-24T14:39:00.002-05:002011-06-24T14:39:39.030-05:00120 businesses urge funding support for job creation through energy efficiency and renewable energy

From an article by Charles Davis in the Green Bay Press Gazette: Thousands of future jobs are at stake if Gov. Scott Walker doesn't veto a provision in the state budget that limits funding for the Focus on Energy program, local business leaders said Wednesday. "I see it being a real detriment to our business and our customers going forward if we don't have these funding increases," said Jeff

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-22920538186866289882011-06-23T11:53:00.000-05:002011-06-23T11:53:05.082-05:00Energy program cuts called short-sighted

From an article by Mike Ivey in The Capital Times: Stanley Minnick runs a one-man consulting company in Madison called Third Power Energy Solutions. Minnick founded the company earlier this year with the primary aim of helping businesses, non-profits and residents save money on their energy bills. But just as Minnick is getting his business up and running, the state has cut funding for Focus

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-55302236538957995032011-06-14T14:28:00.002-05:002011-06-14T14:28:34.592-05:00Southeastern Wisconsin leaders ask state to restore mass transit funding

From an article in BizTimes Daily: A coalition of southeastern Wisconsin civic, educational and business leaders is asking the state Legislature to restore state funding for mass transit in the region. The coalition sent a letter to state senators and Assembly members Monday, calling on legislators to refrain from making the cuts outlined in Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill. The letter

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-27241133201468969052011-06-08T12:55:00.000-05:002011-06-08T12:55:31.689-05:00Walker says ‘yes’ to roads we don’t need

From a column by Dave Zweifel in The Capital Times: Whether it’s a result of recent bad winters or just the impact of more and more traffic, local roads and streets have taken a serious beating throughout Wisconsin. Potholes, sunken manhole covers and deteriorating concrete and asphalt are taking their toll on cars and the nerves of the people who ride in them. Many communities and counties

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-77459576465411133632011-06-07T12:11:00.000-05:002011-06-07T12:11:25.661-05:00Peak Oil Meeting, June 9

Please join us for the Madison Peak Oil Group (MPOG) monthly brown bag meeting this Thursday! (It was delayed one week this month.) Time: 12:00 noon on Thursday, June 9th Place: 222 South Hamilton Street, Madison RENEW conference room on the lower level Please renew your annual MPOG membership if you have not done so yet. Suggested level $15 – more if you can afford it. Make out your

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-16585786036384250332011-06-06T16:13:00.000-05:002011-06-06T16:13:10.381-05:00Now online: Wisconsin Renewable Quarterly

The Wisconsin Renewable Quarterly, the newsletter of RENEW Wisconsin, features these article: Siting Rule Suspension Rocks Wind Industry In a move that sent shock waves through the wind industry in Wisconsin, a joint legislative panel voted on March 1 to suspend the wind siting rule promulgated by the Public Service Commission in December 2010. Community Biogas Project Fires Up Home to 400

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-76624770804946203932011-06-03T12:04:00.000-05:002011-06-03T12:04:53.265-05:00Coal companies shape lessons in public schools

From an article by Kevin Sieff in The Washington Post: In the mountains of southwestern Virginia, Gequetta Bright Laney taught public high school students this spring about a subject of keen interest to the region’s biggest employer: the economics of coal mining. “Where there’s coal, there’s opportunity,” Bright Laney told her class at Coeburn High School in Wise County. Her lessons, like

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-75710419184397376492011-06-02T15:30:00.000-05:002011-06-02T15:30:12.661-05:00Written on the wind: Glacier Hills open house offers up-close look at project

From an article by Lyn Jerde in the Portage Daily Register: TOWN OF SCOTT - Along with names, dates and shout-outs to favorite sports teams, the writing on the turbine blade included a warning: "Watch out." Mark Barden wrote it, in permanent black marker. The warning, he said, is aimed at any birds that might fly near the blade once it's turning, 400 feet in the air. Wednesday's open house

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-78422320465860465022011-05-29T13:15:00.000-05:002011-05-29T13:15:01.293-05:00Beyond the Bus-vs.-Rail Debate

Beyond the Bus-vs.-Rail Debate: Cultivating Transit Discussions that Take Us Where We Need to Go A talk by Jarrett Walker, international transit consultant and author of the weblog HumanTransit.org Tuesday, May 31, 2011, 7:00 p.m. UW Pyle Center, Room 313 702 Langdon St., Madison, WI Like many cities, Madison has spent years debating rail and other ideas for improving area transit. Yet few of

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-91134330188037293922011-05-29T12:55:00.002-05:002011-05-29T12:55:58.565-05:00Interactive Workshop on “Express Carpooling” - June 2, Madison

What: Presentation and Interactive Workshop on “Express Carpooling” When: Thursday, June 2nd , 7:00-8:30 PM Where: Room 202 of the downtown Madison Public Library Here is a synopsis from Fred Bartol of DaneTransit: What is “express carpooling” and how could it make getting around Madison and Dane County easier? Paul Minett, founder of Raspberry Express, an express carpooling initiative in

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-86355264364307851052011-05-27T11:10:00.001-05:002011-05-27T11:11:19.862-05:00Electrified Steel Interstate - Planning meeting, June 2, Madison

What: Electrified Steel Interstate meeting (Alan Drake’s concept) When: Thursday, June 2nd from 6:00 – 7:30 PM Where: Sequoya Public Library, Meeting Room A, 4340 Tokay Blvd, Madison The room has been reserved under the auspices of the Madison Peak Oil Group. Overall goals of the meeting include: (1) Develop and refine the Steel Interstate concept for Wisconsin (or perhaps the upper Midwest

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-59154669286103432122011-05-26T16:02:00.000-05:002011-05-26T16:02:22.869-05:00Energy groups oppose bill to undermine Wisconsin's renewable energy commitment

From statements issued by three groups in opposition to Assembly Bill 146: "Clearly, this bill is a drastic step in the wrong direction for our state. The Wisconsin Energy Business Association therefore opposes this attack on renewable energy in our state." - Wisconsin Energy Business Association. Full statement. We strongly recommend that this bill not be approved as it solves no known

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-75038928052538782422011-05-23T11:47:00.000-05:002011-05-23T11:47:30.256-05:00Chicago plans for heat wave -- a permanent one

From an article by Leslie Kaufman in The New York Times: City planners in Chicago have been told that as temperatures rise, some plants native to the region will die out. Climate scientists have told city planners that based on current trends, Chicago will feel more like Baton Rouge than a Northern metropolis before the end of this century. So, Chicago is getting ready for a wetter, steamier

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-17991464512809177972011-05-17T16:06:00.001-05:002011-05-17T16:06:50.023-05:00State clean energy mandates have little effect on electricity rates so far

From an article by Don Huagen in Midwest Energy News: One of the larger reviews of renewable portfolio standards was a 2008 report (PDF) from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The study looked at data on a dozen state renewable policies enacted before 2007. The estimated impact on electricity rates varied by state, but it was a fraction of a percent in most cases and just over 1

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-76437955759843340452011-05-16T09:52:00.002-05:002011-05-16T09:54:19.134-05:00Without aid, Hiawatha is in a pinch

From an article by Larry Sandler in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin scrambles to replace federal money After being turned down for federal high-speed rail funds, state officials are now pondering how to pay for millions of dollars of work needed to keep the existing Amtrak service running between Milwaukee and Chicago. Last week, the federal government rejected the state's request

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-11936450340204739772011-05-13T16:47:00.001-05:002011-05-13T16:49:45.563-05:00We Energies terminates its renewable energy program

For immediate release May 13, 2011 More information RENEW Wisconsin Michael Vickerman 608.255.4044 mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org We Energies Terminates Its Renewable Energy ProgramUtility Pulls Plug on $6 Million a Year Commitment As reported on its Web site, Milwaukee-based We Energies will discontinue an innovative and effective renewable energy development program that supported scores of

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-54039913294869096672011-05-10T09:58:00.001-05:002011-05-10T09:59:50.391-05:00Rail money went to states with "farsighted leadership"

From an editorial in The New York Times: None of the money in Monday’s announcement will be going to Wisconsin, for example, where Gov. Scott Walker has also decided that his strapped state could do without rail improvements and the construction jobs that go with them. Nor will it go to Ohio, where Gov. John Kasich preferred rejectionism to the improvement of rail service among the state’s

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-70658815204173650692011-05-09T09:48:00.000-05:002011-05-09T09:48:18.917-05:00Boneheaded move on transit

From an editorial in The Journal Times, Racine: In a lamentable vote last week, state Rep. Robin Vos, R-Rochester, led the state’s Joint Finance Committee to vote 12-4 along party lines to do away with recently authorized regional transit authorities in southeastern Wisconsin and four other areas of the state. It is a boneheaded and short-sighted maneuver that could well ring the death knell

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-55233527680345168762011-05-06T10:08:00.000-05:002011-05-06T10:08:02.201-05:00Epic fires up solar array

From an article by Jim Ferolie in The Verona Press: They could have picked a better day for it, but on Tuesday, the new covered parking at Epic became fully functional. Almost 1,300 solar panels over the company’s only large permanent outdoor parking area went online early that morning, supplying up to 360 kilowatts of electricity to the roughly 4,000-office campus outside Verona. The system,

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-44332457646952365542011-05-04T09:53:00.000-05:002011-05-04T09:53:32.725-05:00Budget commitee slashes energy efficiency funding

From an article by Mike Ivey in The Capital Times: Cuts to key environmental programs continue in Wisconsin, with a sharp reduction in future funding for Focus on Energy, a statewide energy efficiency effort. On a party-line vote Tuesday, the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee rolled back the budget for Focus on Energy to less than $100 million annually. The monies come from a tax on

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-7488884559441239162011-05-02T11:24:00.003-05:002011-05-03T13:58:29.060-05:00New report drives home the benefits of high-speed rail

From a column by Dave Zweifel in The Capital Times: With a guy like Scott Walker as governor, it’s probably tilting at windmills, but once again a comprehensive report has called attention to the importance of modernizing the Midwest’s rail system. Late last week a group of transportation advocates and legislators released a report titled “The Economic Impacts of High-Speed Rail: Transforming

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-23697698903686078532011-04-29T13:10:00.001-05:002011-05-03T13:55:59.574-05:00Win a solar electric system! Tour businesses with solar!

MadiSUN solar program has two exciting opportunities for you! First, MadiSUN and our partners are giving away a free solar PV array valued at $25,000 that will offset $625 worth of annual electricity costs for the winner. Second, we are offering a free guided tour to get a first-hand look at several premier commercial solar systems installed on Madison businesses. If your company has a solar

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-33893651855653708852011-04-27T16:32:00.000-05:002011-04-27T16:32:05.715-05:00Poll finds strong support for wind energy in Wisconsin

From an article in the Chicago Tribune: MADISON, Wis.— A poll of Wisconsin residents finds strong support for increasing the use of wind energy, even if doing so would raise electricity bills several dollars per month. The Wisconsin Public Radio poll was released Friday. It shows that 77 percent of respondents want to see the state invest more in wind energy. Reasons included decreasing the

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-16173733635587104912011-04-26T15:59:00.002-05:002011-04-28T16:25:57.238-05:00Southeastern Minn. could become hotbed for 'frac sand'

From a story on WEAU-TV, Eau Claire: RED WING, Minn. (AP) -- Under the forested bluffs of southeastern Minnesota lies an increasingly sought-after resource. It's called "frac sand." And it's prized by the energy industry, which uses it to extract gas and oil from underground rock in a process called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Minnesota Public Radio reports an increasing number of

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-9911361687622230102011-04-25T17:01:00.000-05:002011-04-25T17:01:42.386-05:00Natural gas well blowout raises safety concerns of fracking

From a Reuters article by Edward McAllister: (Reuters) - A blowout at a Pennsylvania natural gas well late Tuesday could heighten concerns about the safety of a controversial process to extract gas from shale rock. The accident comes at a sensitive time for energy drillers, exactly one year after an explosion that led to the massive BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill, and just as regulators mull

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-69808077420616787592011-04-22T12:37:00.001-05:002011-04-22T12:37:33.056-05:00Walker road plan driving him crazy

From a commentary by Steve Hiniker, executive director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget has more than enough pain to go around. Schools get hit with more than $800 million in cuts over the next two years. Recycling programs are not funded. Health care for seniors and the poor are slashed. Local road aids are cut. Some transit

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-91304842714230997802011-04-21T16:18:00.003-05:002011-04-21T16:21:41.963-05:00How coal stacks up against wind

Madison Peak Oil Group listserve subscribers are debating coal vs. wind. To join the debate, drop an email to madisonpeakoil-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-90731625374683134282011-04-20T16:13:00.002-05:002011-04-20T16:17:21.042-05:00Masood Akhtar's work demands a lot of energy

From a Q&A article by Judy Newman in the Wisconsin State Journal: If you ask for a business card from Masood Akhtar, be prepared to get a handful. Akhtar wears many hats. He is currently: • Chief executive officer and founder of BioPulping International, Madison. • Co-founder and managing director of operations for Central Signal, Madison. • President and founder of CleanTech Partners,

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-37907409178753036982011-04-19T10:42:00.000-05:002011-04-19T10:42:37.985-05:00'You do what you have to do' to when it comes to gas prices

From an article by Catherine Izerda on Janesville's GazetteXtra.com: Local residents and travelers say the price of gas is changing their habits, but they also say there is not much they can do. Work, school and family obligations won’t lessen because gas prices go up. Fuel prices started their steady climb in August 2010, when the state average was $2.72 a gallon. By Jan. 1, 2011, the price

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-50961301606292713702011-04-18T10:18:00.000-05:002011-04-18T10:18:02.198-05:00The solution isn’t to INCREASE subsidies for rush-hour drivers and freight trucking!

Fellow Rail & Transit Advocates: The following is a transcript of my comments before the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee budget hearing in West Allis on 11 April 2011. Feel free to share, plagiarize, etc.! Hans Noeldner Oregon, Wisconsin 608-444-6190 We don’t have worsening congestion on Wisconsin’s roads because of people who van-pool and ride transit to work. And our interstate highways

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-36867420994166513492011-04-17T10:16:00.000-05:002011-04-17T10:16:07.834-05:00Movie showings: "King Corn" and "Big River"

Green Tuesdays Films & Lectures series presents: "King Corn" and "Big River" Oregon Public Library 256 Brook St. 6:30 pm. In "King Corn," Cheney and Ellis, best friends from college on the east coast, moved to the heartland to learn where food came from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, nitrogen fertilizers, and powerful herbicides, they planted and grew a bumper

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-31442529075137732442011-04-15T13:14:00.002-05:002011-04-15T13:14:50.081-05:00Rising Diesel Prices Fuel Higher Electric Rates

For immediate release April 15, 2011 More information RENEW Wisconsin Michael Vickerman 608.255.4044 mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org We Energies Customers Will Pay the Higher Cost of Hauling Coal We Energies’ electricity customers can look forward to coughing up an additional $25 million in 2011 due to the Public Service Commission’s approval yesterday [April14] of a rate increase to cover the

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-34059963432818728932011-04-14T10:36:00.003-05:002011-04-14T10:40:59.189-05:00Madison Peak Oil Group testifies on Governor's budget

Testimony on the Proposed 2012 Wisconsin State Budget To the Hearing of Joint Legislative Finance Committee Transportation Issues Positions From the Madison Peak Oil Group Overall Perspective The Madison Peak Oil Group (MPOG) was founded 2006 under the leadership of RENEW Wisconsin, an organization promoting renewable energy, to broaden the community discussion of our challenging energy

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-28236100275771078602011-04-13T11:44:00.000-05:002011-04-13T11:44:36.860-05:00High-speed rail money vanishes in budget deal

From an article by John Gramlisch on Stateline.org: Congress on Tuesday (April 12) revealed the details of the federal budget deal reached by Democrats and Republicans late last week, and a clear loser is high-speed rail. Funding for the program, a priority for President Obama, was slashed dramatically in the agreement announced by the administration and GOP House Speaker John Boehner. Not

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-23305817913108031652011-04-11T10:47:00.001-05:002011-04-11T10:48:28.882-05:00New technology helps Dane County power trucks with trash

From a news release issued by County Executive Kathleen Falk: While prices at the pump continue to climb, Dane County is using new technology to fill-up some of its vehicles for around 20-cents a gallon. County Executive Kathleen Falk announced today the county is the first place in the state that’s running vehicles on landfill gas. The county, in partnership with several private companies

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-20672703721834289892011-04-08T14:03:00.001-05:002011-04-08T14:03:41.821-05:00Walker should reconsider his stance on setbacks for wind farms

From an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wind farms in Wisconsin can lessen the state's reliance on coal-fired power plants at the same time that they add jobs to the economy. But instead of moving forward on this economic development tool, Gov. Scott Walker's administration is taking a step back. That's a mistake and something Walker should rethink. What the governor and the

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-42399388520616970482011-04-07T10:14:00.001-05:002011-04-07T10:14:47.466-05:00Shortsighted energy plans just won't cut it; renewables needed

From an editorial in the Sheboygan Press: President Barack Obama has twice in the last year called for the nation to reduce its dependence of foreign oil by embarking on a multi-faceted plan on energy. Obama's first call for energy independence was followed less than a month later by the Deep Water Horizon oil rig disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. We hope that the president's latest energy

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-73842634666767860942011-04-06T15:11:00.000-05:002011-04-06T15:11:31.206-05:00Parisi makes commitment to clean energy projects as county exec

From an article by in The Capital Times Most people assumed Rep. Joe Parisi would win the race to be the next Dane County executive. The real question was by how much. Parisi ended up defeating Dane County supervisor Eileen Bruskewitz by some 70,000 votes, earning 120,255 (70 percent) compared to her 51,143 votes. Parisi now faces the daunting task of maintaining county services and

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-59732988224736389852011-04-05T15:42:00.001-05:002011-04-05T15:42:54.843-05:00Open letter from former supporter rips anti-wind group

A Fox Valley person provided a copy of the following letter to RENEW Wisconsin: People of Glenmore Township: PLEASE VOTE RESPONSIBLY!Dear Fellow Townspeople, Two months ago, I was a supporter of the BCCRWE [Brown County Citizens for Responsible Wind Energy]. I was actively opposing the wind turbines coming into any of the townships in our area, including Glenmore. But then something happened.

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-6022464537941781502011-04-04T16:20:00.000-05:002011-04-04T16:20:24.041-05:00Madison Metro general manager expresses concern over state budget changes

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-85363866014178738292011-04-01T15:36:00.000-05:002011-04-01T15:36:17.041-05:00Dane County's manure digester ready to provide electricity

From an article by Ron Seely in the Wisconsin State Journal: WAUNAKEE - Sure, the cows on the farm run by Chuck Ripp and his brothers near here generate a lot of manure — about 7 million gallons a year. But now they also generate electricity. Call it cow power. Thursday, Dane County officials were joined by farmers and utility officials and others to flip a ceremonial switch and power up the

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-73229997066885076032011-03-30T13:21:00.001-05:002011-03-30T13:21:44.957-05:00Less than 50 years of oil left, HSBC warns

From a story by John Collins Rudolf on CNBC: The world may have no more than half a century of oil left at current rates of consumption, while surging demand from the developing world threatens to create “very significant price rises” before substitutes like biofuels can serve as viable alternatives, the British bank HSBC warns in a new report. “We’re confident that there are around 50 years of

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-65139654014032595882011-03-29T12:18:00.000-05:002011-03-29T12:18:21.976-05:00Legislators ask Walker to apply for rail funds

March 29, 2011 Governor Scott Walker 115 East, State Capitol Madison, WI 53703 Dear Governor Walker: We all want to create jobs and reduce the tax burden on Wisconsin citizens. We are writing to urge you to consider applying for $2.4 billion in high speed train money that is now available to restore train service to our Capital and Wisconsin. There are many reasons to do this. This federal

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-82269618153687255302011-03-18T09:49:00.002-05:002011-07-26T11:07:16.598-05:00Engineering an Electrified Steel Interstate; Free presentation, March 24

Don’t miss this free public lecture on the UW Madison campus next Thursday: Oil-Free Transportation Options for the 21st Century by Alan S. Drake, transportation researcher and independent consultant Thursday, March 24 at 6:00 PM 1800 Engineering Hall 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI http://tinyurl.com/4nm2ete Sponsored by: UW Energy Hub, WISPIRG, UW Energy Institute, Madison Peak Oil Group

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-62358572402164705022011-03-16T04:03:00.001-05:002011-03-16T04:03:01.515-05:00Mad Fast Trains

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-23407058652415826722011-03-15T10:59:00.001-05:002011-03-15T11:00:05.197-05:00James Howard Kunstler: The old American dream is a nightmare

From an article by Kerry Trueman on Grist: The Great Depression gave rise to hobos and Hoovervilles. The Roaring Nineties brought us what New York Times columnist David Brooks termed "bobos in paradise." Now our current round of layoffs and foreclosures has unceremoniously transferred millions of folks from the "affluent" to the "afflicted" category, exiling them from Brooks's mythical exurban

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19662151.post-83821975463051429022011-03-14T15:42:00.000-05:002011-03-14T15:42:59.679-05:00Official: Wisconsin can sit out rail plan; Twin Cities-Chicago line still in works

From an article by Frederick Melo in the Pioneer Press, Minneapolis/St. Paul: Despite hot competition from other states, Minnesota is well-positioned to nab a chunk of federal funding for passenger rail projects recently rejected by Florida and Wisconsin, according to Dan Krom, a rail guru for the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The recent Madison-toMilwaukee rail debacle "doesn't

Ed Blumehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16013655845430298782noreply@blogger.com0