Energy Forum at Delta, Dragons in Saginaw, and a Project on the Kawkawlin

February 15, 2013 — jeffkart

Mr. Great Lakes (Jeff Kart). As heard at 9 a.m. Eastern, Fridays on Delta Q-90.1 FM. The Feb. 15, 2013, broadcast:

1 – A public forum on Michigan’s energy future is planned for March 4 at Delta College.

coal chunk

Credit: Jeffrey Beall

 

The forum is one of seven planned for locations throughout the state, and will be held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, March 4 in the Delta College Lecture Theater.

The public forums are hosted in part by the Michigan Public Service Commission, which regulates major electric utilities in the state.

Gov. Rick Snyder has charged the chairs of the Commission and Michigan Energy Office with overseeing a public input process. The process is meant to assist policymakers as they take a look at future energy needs in the state.

Snyder says he’ll rely on the results of the process when making comprehensive recommendations in December regarding Michigan’s energy future.

The forums come after voters in November 2012 rejected a proposal to increase the amount of wind, solar and other renewable energy generation in the state from 10 percent by 2015 to 25 percent by 2025.

The Snyder administration is spending this year collecting comments and considering proposals for future state energy policy after the 2015 deadline passes.

Comments also are being taken online until April 25. There are specific questions on  renewables, efficiency, and the regulatory structure for electricity.

Bay County is home to the Karn-Weadock complex, which creates electricity by burning coal and is the largest power plant in the Consumers Energy fleet.

- – -  See Appendix A: Governor’s Energy Message (pdf)

2 – A dragon hunter has identified six new species in Saginaw County.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We’re talking about dragonflies, at the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge.

Refuge Manage Steven Kahl reports that volunteer Jeff Sommer conducted a dragonfly count last summer.

He found six new species at the refuge, including

  • the Racket-tailed Emerald
  • the Cobra Clubtail
  • the Skillet Clubtail
  • the Dragonhunter
  • the Spot-winged Glider, and
  • the Spatterdock Darner.

These six new species raise the number of dragonfly and similar insects found
on the refuge to 54 species.

The diversity is due in a large part to a variety of wetlands on the refuge.

For those counting, the first day of spring is March 20.

. . .

3 – Bay County Executive Tom Hickner is now a member of the Environmental and Regulatory Affairs Committee of the Michigan Association of Counties (MAC).

Hickner was recently appointed to a two-year term as a voting member of the Committee.

The Environmental and Regulatory Affairs Committee provides recommendations to the board of the Michigan Association of Counties on current issues, legislative activity, and statutes affecting Michigan counties.

In other Bay County news, Drain Commissioner Joseph Rivet has accepted a nearly $1 million grant for water quality improvements on the Kawkawlin River.

The project will focus on best-management practices for agriculture, including erosion control projects. Also, direct livestock access to river will be managed and barriers constructed.

The project also aims to acquire 100 acres of permanent conservation easements, and identify and eliminate failed septic systems along the river. The goal is to reduce phosphorus and sediment inputs to the river.

The Kawkawlin River was flagged for high bacteria levels twice in 2012, and under a contamination advisory or closure for a total of 79 days.

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Posted in air pollution, coal, energy, water. Tags: , , , . 5 Comments »

Michigan Waterfowl Legacy adds Saginaw Bay, Midland wants a bioreactor, and Climate Change is already here

February 1, 2013 — jeffkart

Mr. Great Lakes (Jeff Kart). As heard in Bay City, Michigan, at 9 a.m. Fridays on Delta College Q-90.1 FM.

michigan midwest climate change temperatures rising

From Chapter 18 of the National Climate Assessment draft.

Text and info from the Feb. 1, 2013, broadcast:

1- The Michigan Waterfowl Legacy program now includes Saginaw Bay.

Michigan Waterfowl Legacy is a recently launched statewide initiative that seeks to bring hunters and non-hunters together to restore, conserve and celebrate Michigan’s waterfowl, wetlands and waterfowl hunting community.

The Legacy is a 10-year, cooperative partnership between various government agencies and non-government conservation organizations — including the Bay City-based Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network.

The Saginaw Bay watershed is the largest in Michigan, draining about 15 percent of the state’s waterways.

Goals of the Legacy program here include increasing the number of citizens in the region who are using and enjoying wetlands, and building on successful partnerships that have resulted in increased wetland and waterfowl habitat.

Plans include the promotion of Saginaw Bay tourism opportunities related to waterfowl and wetlands, and the development of Saginaw Bay-specific Michigan Waterfowl Legacy events, such as waterfowl hunting, birding, and trapping workshops.

Many of the new Saginaw Bay events will occur on waterfowl areas managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and tie into a new DNR campaign called “Explore Michigan’s Wetland Wonders.”

The project has been funded by a $27,500 grant from the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network, supported by area foundations.

2 – A bioreactor project is planned for a Midland landfill.

The city of Midland is requesting a construction permit from the state for a research, development, and demonstration project at an existing solid waste landfill.

According to a permit application, on file with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality in Bay City, the project is designed to study the effect of adding sludge from the wastewater treatment process to solid waste at the landfill.

Adding sludge to the landfill is expected to optimize conditions for the biological decomposition of solid waste.

The landfill is 340 acres, and located on East Ashman Street in Midland.

The project also could increase the life of the landfill, and the amount of electricity generated from existing landfill gas extraction equipment.

A decision from the DEQ is expected by late April.

3 – Climate change is already impacting wildlife in Michigan.

Case studies from across the country show that global warming is altering wildlife habitats, according to a new report from the National Wildlife Federation, covering eight regions of the U.S.

Highlights from the Great Lakes and Midwest include: More heavy rainfall events are increasing runoff of nutrients from agricultural lands, contributing to harmful algal blooms and causing oxygen-depleted dead zones in the lakes.

The report recommends action to reduce the amount of toxic pollution from coal-fired energy, and support for more wind, solar, and geothermal energy projects.

Meanwhile, a recently released draft National Climate Assessment from the federal government concludes that climate change will lead to more frequent and intense Midwest heat waves, while degrading air and water quality and threatening public health.

Intense rainstorms and floods also will become more common, and existing risks to the Great Lakes will be exacerbated.

The National Climate Assessment’s Midwest chapter (pdf) was authored by three University of Michigan researchers.

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Posted in air pollution, birds, Climate change, coal, energy, Global warming, land conservation, Saginaw Bay, waste. Tags: , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Go Ahead, Bring on the Apocalypse: New Virtual Windows Make Fake Nature

December 21, 2012 — jeffkart
Photo: rachellynnae

Photo: rachellynnae

This blog normally focuses on the lakes and a related Environment Report radio show heard in the Saginaw Bay, Michigan, area on Q-90.1 FM.

However, in honor of Dec. 21, 2012, here’s a rant on fake nature. Consider it a little present from me to you. About the present:

This isn’t my idea of natural. It’s a product from Sky Factory: virtual windows and skylights that show computer-generated nature scenes.

I know what they were going for, yes. And these are made with low-energy LEDs, and recycled aluminum for the frames. Great. But creating the outdoors … from inside?!

Here’s my commercial: “Who care’s what’s out there? Dirty skies? Concrete jungles? Zombies? No biggie, just look at your virtual window and skylight and relax.”

Sure, this may make you feel better, like one of those lights for people with the winter blues (aka seasonal affective disorder). Maybe it’s OK for a hospital room.

Still, it’s just creating a false feeling of hope. It’s like watching a news channel that only tells you what you want to hear. Sound familiar?

What’s worse: This idea was recently showcased at Greenbuild 2012, the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building.

Don’t get me wrong. The U.S. Green Building Council, which puts on the expo, has saved tons of coal-fired energy and carbon pollution, and is making buildings better these days.

This is not an example of an improvement in my eyes — ones that would rather look out on a real landscape than a computer-generated one. Geez.

The technology is called eScape, and is advertised as “the new virtual window that displays eight hours of real-time, high-definition nature sequences.” There’s also a skylight version “that creates a sense of openness in otherwise confined spaces.”

Is this kind of fakery actually good for us? Don’t we spend enough time staring into our cell phones? Even books can be electronic. I love you (paper-saving) Kindle, especially reading you in the real outside.

Maybe your feeling on these “windows” depends on where you live, be it the big city or the country?

Now the company claims that this technology uses biophilic design elements, feeding the instinctive need of humans to affiliate with nature.

The company says research by Texas Tech University’s Neuroimaging Institute has shown that “the Sky Factory sky compositions activate areas of the brain not activated by other positive images,” which trigger a relaxation response.

Here’s a better way to stimulate your skull: Get outdoors. Take a walk or bike ride. Bring your significant other, kids, and/or dog.

Has winter got you down? Suit up and take a hike in the woods. Take the kids sledding. Try skiing.

What’s your favorite way to leave the house behind?

Happy End of the World.

Posted in air pollution, Climate change, coal. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Voters to Decide on More Renewable Energy, CMU Lightens Footprint, and Michigan Disaster Areas

August 30, 2012 — jeffkart

As heard on Friday Edition, 9 a.m. Eastern, Aug. 31, 2012, on Delta College Q-90.1 FM …

1.

Michigan voters will be able to vote for more renewable energy in November.

photo wind solar 25 by 2025

Via MTU

This week, the Michigan Board of State Canvassers approved ballot language to increase Michigan’s renewable energy standard to 25 percent by 2025. The current standard is 10 percent by 2015.

Supporters, with a group called Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs, say the measure will help rein in energy costs, provide incentives for using Michigan equipment, and create jobs in the state.

The proposal also will help protect public health and allow Michigan to catch up with other states, which already have higher standards for generating percentages of their energy with renewable sources like wind and solar.

A recent study by Michigan State University economics says the upcoming ballot proposal would create at least 74,000 Michigan jobs in construction, operations and maintenance.

The 25 by 2025 measure would “require electric utilities to provide at least 25 percent of their annual retail sales of electricity from renewable energy sources, which are wind, solar, biomass and hydropower, by 2025.”

The proposal also would limit rate increases to achieve compliance to 1 percent.

2. Central Michigan University says conservation measures to reduce energy use are paying off.

The university, located in Mount Pleasant, has had positive results in the last fours with reducing its carbon footprint, officials say.

In fiscal year 2008, CMU generated about 87,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide.

In fiscal year 2011, the university generated about 82,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, a reduction of about 6,000 tons, or 7 percent.

During the same period, the campus grew by about 91,000 square feet, or 1.6 percent.

The conservation measures have included adding temperature control valves to residence halls and other academic buildings, and installing energy efficient lighting.

Also, CMU has increased the amount of electricity it purchases annually that is generated by renewable sources.

The university also is using natural gas for more its generation, in place of coal-fired sources.

CMU has adopted energy efficient building design standards for all renovations and construction on campus.

3. Bay County has been designated as a primary natural disaster area for drought and excessive heat conditions.

So has Saginaw County, Midland County and every other county in the state.

Gov. Rick Synder says the designation comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is based on conditions that began in March and are ongoing.

Synder says the designation will provide aid to Michigan farmers for crop losses due to the hot and dry conditions.

Qualified farm operators are now eligible for low interest emergency loans from the federal government to cover some or all of their losses.

According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture, crop losses from this year’s extreme weather have been significant.

Hay production also has been impacted, which could hurt the lifestock industry.

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Posted in air pollution, coal, energy, weather. 1 Comment »

Mich Enviro Report: Coal in your Life, Heat Wave Tips & Lake Management Plans

July 21, 2011 — jeffkart

As heard on Delta College Q-90.1 FM, July 22, 2011:

1.

How much coal is in your life? photo coal plant emissions mr. great lakes q 90.1 fm delta college

If you live in Bay County, you may be at a greater risk for respiratory illness or mercury exposure due to emissions from coal-fired power plants.

The information comes from the Sierra Club, which has designed a tool to localize the impact of coal in people’s lives.

Most electricity in the Saginaw Bay area, and nationwide, is generated by coal-fired power plants.

The tool uses information on your ZIP code and fish consumption habits, along with data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The tool gives each user a 1 out of 10 score. The higher the score, the higher the potential threat to your health from coal pollution.

For more information, see coalinyourlife.org.

2.

You’ve probably noticed that it’s been hot outside.

Here are a number of ways to cut your air conditioning and electric bill, or cool off your house if you don’t have air conditioning. The tips come from Earth 911, an environmental services company.

No. 1: Use two fans, one to pull outside air into your home, and another at an opposite window to blow interior air outside.

Other tips: Cook outside on the grill to keep the heat from a stove or oven outside of your house.

You also can pull the shades, and consider getting insulated blinds that can help keep out the summer heat.

According to Energy Star, up to half of the energy used in a home goes to heating and cooling.

3.

Lakewide Management Plan reports have been released for the five Great Lakes.

The annual reports highlight accomplishments in restoring and protecting the lakes, and current management challenges that U.S. and Canadian agencies say they are trying to address.

According to the report for Lake Huron, the lake’s biodiversity is in “fair” condition.

Critical threats include non-native species; incompatible housing development and shoreline alteration; climate change; dams;
and pollution from non-point sources due to agriculture,
forestry and urban land uses.

Another concern: A Type E botulism outbreak in Southern Georgian Bay.

The latest occurred in the fall of 2010, and killed lake sturgeon, gulls and loons.

—

Photo by Señor Codo
Posted in air pollution, Climate change, coal, Lake Huron. 1 Comment »

Mich Enviro Report: Collapsing Roofs, Recyclemania & Post-Coal Jobs

February 10, 2011 — jeffkart

From the Feb. 11, 2011, Environment Report, heard on Delta College Q-90.1 FM … 

1.

Proposed new federal air pollution rules could bring about 62,000 construction jobs to Michigan during the next five years.

That’s according to a University of Massachusetts study released at a national green jobs conference in Washington, D.C.

The study says $200 billion worth of investments to clean up and modernize power plants in the U.S. would create about 1.5 million jobs through 2015.

The report says those investments would create 62,346 construction, installation and professional jobs in Michigan.

On the flip side, about 137 operation and maintenance jobs would be lost in the state, if coal-fired power plants are closed after the new power plants go online.

2.

From now through April 2, universities across the country are competing in Recyclemania 2011.

In Michigan, participating schools include Central Michigan University and Saginaw Valley State University.

Campuses are competing to see which school can collect the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, and produce the least amount of trash per capita.

SVSU is participating in the Waste Minimization category. Organizers plan to educate employees and students about ways to minimize waste, and work to recycle paper cups and pizza boxes used and sold in the food court.

At CMU, there are programs to sell or donate campus surplus property, work with vendors to reduce transportation packaging and offer reusable dinnerware and utensils in all sit-down dining facilities.

3.

Watch your head. Roofs are collapsing across the Midwest under the weight of all this snow.

The Saginaw Valley received about 10 inches of snow earlier this month.

A report by The Weather Channel cites roof collapses in Port Huron, Michigan, along with Indiana and other states.

A structural engineering professor at the University of New Hampshire recommends that homeowners who can safely remove snow from the ground with a roof rake do so regularly, and not let the snow build up.

Ice dams on your roof can be temporarily addressed by melting the ice with road salt or hot water, the professor says.

If ice damming is a recurring problem, you should have your roof inspected and modified to allow for better ventiliation.

— Photo of roof collapse from 2009. Credit Ryan McFarland, Flickr.

Posted in coal, recycling, weather. 2 Comments »

Friday Edition: Great Lakes Report, Lasers & Poisoned Perch

November 13, 2010 — jeffkart

Thanks to all who listen to the Environment Report, on Friday mornings on Delta College’s Q-90.1 FM.

I’m going to start posting the text from my radio spots, in case listeners are looking for more info. Without further delay, here’s what aired on Nov. 12:

1.
What’s the state of the Great Lakes?  

Getting better, but still in need of help.

Outgoing Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm says the state is working to protect and restore the lakes. She released an annual State of the Great Lakes Report this week that focuses on efforts in the four lakes that border Michigan — Lakes Erie, Huron, Michigan and Superior.

So far, more than 80 million dollars has been awarded to more than 140 projects in Michigan under the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the report says.

Projects in the Lake Huron basin include improvements to the Frankenmuth dam to open up more areas for fish spawning, an international study of Great Lakes water levels, and efforts to detect and treat nonnative plants called phragmites along the shoreline.

Find the State of the Great Lakes report at michigan.gov/dnregreatlakes

2.
It’s too cold to go swimming at the beach. But better beach monitoring, with lasers, could be coming to Michigan.

A low-powered laser testing method has been developed by Purdue University.

The laser shines through samples of E. coli bacteria to determine the origin of the bacteria, which comes from human and animal waste.

In Saginaw Bay, there has been finger pointing about E. coli found in dead algae, or beach muck, along the shoreline. Some people believe the source is human sewage. Others believe large farms deserve more of the blame.

The laser method can allow for faster and less expensive E. coli testing results, to warn beach-goers about contaminated water, according to state officials.

It also can help county health departments determine the source of bacteria linked to ongoing beach closures.

The technology is still in the testing stages.

But the federal government is releasing tougher standards for beach bacteria in 2012, and the laser could help counties meet the new requirements, state officials say.

3.
How do toxic substances affect yellow perch in the Great Lakes?

Scientists plan to poison a number of perch to find out.

The study, by Michigan State and University of Michigan researchers, is on the causes and effects of toxic substances on perch. It will focus on exposure to mercury, which is released to the environment by sources like coal-fired power plants in the Lake Huron basin.

Fish in the study will be given low doses of mercury and other pollutants. As the levels of poison are increased, scientists will examine the effects on fish hormone levels.

The testing results will help assess potential threats to perch and other aquatic life from pollution in the Great Lakes, MSU researchers say.

— Photo via nps.gov

 

Posted in beaches, coal, delta college, fish, Lake Huron, Saginaw Bay. Tags: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Mysterious My Ash: This Black Stuff Coats Homes and Lungs

October 12, 2010 — jeffkart

 

Update: Oct. 13, 2010: DNRE responds to concerns from citizens (and Mr. Great Lakes). Gasps heard throughout Bangor Township. Likely “city mold.” Particulates still coming from plant. Sigh.

Oct. 12, 2010:

So there’s a story in today’s Bay City Times. It’s about this “mysterious” black stuff that people in Bangor Township (where Mr. Great Lakes lives) say has been coating homes for the past few months. Some residents are quick to point their finger at the Consumers Energy Karn-Weadock complex in Bay County’s Hampton Township. That’s the right direction, based on the wind. But let me tell you what really blows.

Karn-Weadock piles its coal ash along Saginaw Bay, and some dust is inevitably carried away by the wind. But what’s worse than that is the stuff that billows from the stacks there and is carried away by the wind. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Well, you’re inhaling that stuff if you live in the vicinity of this plant’s exhaust.

“Oh, Mr. Great Lakes,” you may say, “you have no proof of this.”

Really? From the story:

Consumers Energy does contract a boat cleaning service at the Bay City Yacht Club, 3315 Shady Shores Road in Bangor Township, to clean boats that are sometimes dirtied by particulates from Karn-Weadock Generating Complex. The Bay City Yacht Club is situated approximately 1,000 feet northwest of the plant’s coal piles.

The Bay Road neighborhood is within a mile northwest of the Bay City Yacht Club, which puts it on the same trajectory that strong northwest winds sometimes carry coal particulates from the Consumers Energy plant.

Another word for coal particulates is particulate matter. That’s soot so small that it’s inhaled deep into your lungs, where it shortens your life. That’s not my opinion. That’s a fact. Consumers has acknowledged those particulate deposits by paying a boat cleaning service to wipe away the soot.

So what is the company going to do about the mysterious black stuff?

Consumers Energy Spokesperson Mary Gust said the company is unaware of any problems in that area.

“We’re not aware of any complaints from that area,” she said. “If we do receive an inquiry, we do investigate. Typically what we’ll do, we’ll visit the site and collect samples. We find, oftentimes, that results indicate it’s biological in nature.”

Clearly, Consumers hasn’t been paying attention to environmental groups like Lone Tree Council who have for YEARS lodged complaints and concerns about particulate matter levels from the plant. Sure, the plant may meet the federal limits for particulate pollution. Give them a medal, please. Levels of particulates at current standards have been linked to diabetes.

But let’s give Consumers a chance here. The spokeswoman says her company typically visits sites to collect samples if they receive an inquiry. Let’s hope complaints from several residents and a story in the newspaper qualifies as an “inquiry.”

The most mysterious thing about this issue is the lack of a response from the state Department of Natural Resources and Environment, which has an office in Bay City.

Let’s see if the state agency that regulates the coal plant will react. Just don’t hold your breath.

— Photo of Consumers coal via Bing Maps

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Posted in coal, Saginaw Bay. Tags: , , , , , , . 2 Comments »

A Year Since Copenhagen, And No Great Lakes Wind

October 2, 2010 — jeffkart

* Hello Mlive readers. Traffic has surged on this blog post today. I thought it was just the awesome writing. It turns out that it’s (also) because the link was featured on Mid-Michigan Afternoon Links. I don’t work for The Bay City Times anymore, but I’m still very much in the game. Check out jeffkart.com for links to my writing. Also consider the RSS for Mr. Great Lakes. Thanks.

photo offshore wind thames england

This month, October 2010, marks one year since I became an iPhone user … and one year since I traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark, on a whirlwind energy tour. One of the highlights was a trip to an offshore wind farm. And back then, it was just a matter of time before the Great Lakes would be sporting big blades.

A year later, there are no offshore wind farms in the Great Lakes. But I saw another offshore wind farm today. The world’s largest is now spinning on the Thames estuary in southern England. There are 100 windmills on the water there, and more are planned. A picture posted on MSNBC doesn’t even look real. But it is.

What’s also real is opposition to offshore wind. People have apparently grown used to ugly coal plants that belch toxics into our skies and our Great Lakes. Yet the thought of seeing 300-foot-tall, three-bladed wind turbines just makes people nervous. Will they be aesthetically pleasing? Will they make too much noise, or disrupt fishing or recreational boating?

Yes, no, no and no. What’s not easy on the eyes, ears or soul is greenhouse gas emissions and mercury, both of which come from those ugly old coal plants people seem to have grown used to.

Sure, wind isn’t the 100 percent answer. It won’t generate everything we need. Turbines aren’t as beautiful as a natural vista. But there’s wind here, and it beats shipping in coal from out of state.

I wonder what the case will be one year from now. Wind turbines on the Great Lakes? Or a new coal plant? Go Vikings.

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Posted in coal, wind. 2 Comments »

Are You Happy With Michigan’s Bottle Bill?

September 14, 2010 — jeffkart

So this week I’m in West Virginia, to speak at a Nature Conservancy conference on the power of social media. Hint: You should retweet this story.

And I’ve noticed that the folks in West Virginia are really friendly. They say “Hi” and they seem to mean it. Maybe that’s because I’m in “the holler,” as the cab driver said on my way here this morning. But despite their overt happiness, the people of WVA still don’t have a bottle bill. They just throw away the bottles and cans.

Now I was awed on the way here, in a two-hour ride from Pittsburgh, with the beauty of the rolling mountain scenery in the wild and wonderful state. John Denver had it right. And I can’t stop humming “Country Roads.”

On the cover of today’s Charleston Gazette is a story featuring Unknown Environmentalists, lots of them, with brown paper bags over their heads.

The story is about efforts by a local group called Pick Up America, which staged at a rally at the state Capitol to push for a 5-cent deposit on beverage containers. In Michigan, we have a 10-cent deposit. And I’ll admit it’s a pain to reclaim my 10 cents, but it (usually) keeps me honest and encourages recycling.

Which makes me wonder: Do you appreciate Michigan’s 10-cent law, and think it should even be expanded to non-carbonated beverages (water and juice)? I, for one, am happy to have it, despite the hassle. And to think, West Virginia, the second-largest coal-producing state, is quibbling about a nickel.

— Photo via wvgazette.com

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Posted in coal, recycling, social media. Tags: , , , , , . 2 Comments »
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