You had better be lookin' at us. Well more specifically, we want you to look at our new Facebook group dedicated to the New Orleans Group of the Sierra Club. Find it at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=76134098503&ref=nf
Of course we also want you to join our FB group. Membership is open to anyone even if you aren't also a Sierra Club member. Of course you do have to be a Facebook user to join. If you are not already a FB member, what are you waiting for?
Don't forget to drop us a line when you do join our group. You are also welcome to post away on this group. Our only request is that you keep things focused on either the environment or the New Orleans Group or both.
We also want to extend an invitation to all our Yahoo Group members to join our Facebook group.
Welcome to century 21.
The New Orleans Group of the Delta Chapter (Louisiana) of the Sierra Club
Protecting New Orleans' Environment:
For Our Families, For Our Future
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Jean Lafitte NHP and preserve expanded... finally!
After many years and many false starts, The Barataria Unit of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park (NHP) and preserve has been expanded. The bill expanding the park was recently signed into law by President Obama.
Nola.com, the Web site of the New Orleans Times Picayune gives all the details in the following article:
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1238822638157190.xml&coll=1
See a photo of the park's expansion here:
http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2009/04/park_addition.html
Nola.com, the Web site of the New Orleans Times Picayune gives all the details in the following article:
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/frontpage/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1238822638157190.xml&coll=1
See a photo of the park's expansion here:
http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2009/04/park_addition.html
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sierra Club Celebrates Little Gypsy Victory After A Two-Year Battle
By JENNIFER GROSSO
Just thirty miles west of New Orleans along State Highway 48 is the town of Montz, Louisiana. It is the home of Little Gypsy, a natural gas plant that supplies energy to the residents of Louisiana. In 2007, Entergy Louisiana LLC announced its plans to retrofit the plant to burn coal and petroleum coke (a byproduct of oil refining) instead of natural gas in order to diversify the fuel mix.
Entergy designed the plans for Little Gypsy with the intent of both varying Louisiana’s electricity sources as well as mitigating the continually rising costs of natural gas for consumers. However, as the nation experienced significant economic changes, finance and environmental legislation became two important factors for the repowering project.
In 2007, Entergy had originally estimated the retrofit to cost approximately $1 billion. In October 2007, their proposal was approved by the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC), despite objections made by the Sierra Club. Sierra Club representatives were among the first to predict the financial problems that would inevitably bring the construction plans to a halt. We filed a complaint with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in January 2008 concerning Entergy’s failure to adequately assess future costs and emission regulations. Two months later, we followed up with an additional request to the LPSC to reconsider the permit as well.
In June 2008, Sierra Club along with the Louisiana Environmental Action Network, the Alliance for Affordable Energy and the Gulf Restoration Network filed suit against the LPSC’s approval of Entergy’s plans under the Clean Air Act for exceeding the regulations for toxic emissions including mercury, lead and arsenic.
Researchers from the Histecon Associate group, hired by the Sierra Club and affiliates to assess the Little Gypsy construction plans, say that the cost of coal is increasing at a rate of 16% per year. In early 2009, Entergy reported that new environmental regulations, increased costs of construction and labor, and inadequate financing options, Little Gypsy project would be estimated to cost an upwards of $1.76 billion. However, this estimate only includes environmental regulations that have been put in place within the first few months of the Obama administration. In addition to the existing regulations, extensive greenhouse gas emission regulations are expected to be implemented. Considering that coal plants are the number one source of human derived greenhouse gas emissions, these regulations could increase the cost of the retrofit by another one-third to one-half.
These substantial fiscal changes convinced Entergy that the benefits of the retrofit to the company and consumers would not be realized for another 13 years or more. Not only are the benefits becoming more distant in the future, but they are also decreasing in relevance. The rising natural gas prices Entergy sought to avoid have since stopped and began to fall with the discovery of the Haynesville shale formation, leaving the company with one less reason to convert Little Gypsy.
After filing several additional petitions opposing the Entergy permits to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) and Environmental Protection Agency, the LSPC ordered Entergy to review their construction plans to convert Little Gypsy on March 11th, 2009. Less than one month later, Entergy Louisiana LLC formally asked the LPSC for permission to suspend the project for a minimum of three years, at which point the project will be eligible for review. Sierra Club representatives believe that the delay is long enough to allow the continually increasing costs of coal to put the project on hold indefinitely.
Just thirty miles west of New Orleans along State Highway 48 is the town of Montz, Louisiana. It is the home of Little Gypsy, a natural gas plant that supplies energy to the residents of Louisiana. In 2007, Entergy Louisiana LLC announced its plans to retrofit the plant to burn coal and petroleum coke (a byproduct of oil refining) instead of natural gas in order to diversify the fuel mix.
Entergy designed the plans for Little Gypsy with the intent of both varying Louisiana’s electricity sources as well as mitigating the continually rising costs of natural gas for consumers. However, as the nation experienced significant economic changes, finance and environmental legislation became two important factors for the repowering project.
In 2007, Entergy had originally estimated the retrofit to cost approximately $1 billion. In October 2007, their proposal was approved by the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC), despite objections made by the Sierra Club. Sierra Club representatives were among the first to predict the financial problems that would inevitably bring the construction plans to a halt. We filed a complaint with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in January 2008 concerning Entergy’s failure to adequately assess future costs and emission regulations. Two months later, we followed up with an additional request to the LPSC to reconsider the permit as well.
In June 2008, Sierra Club along with the Louisiana Environmental Action Network, the Alliance for Affordable Energy and the Gulf Restoration Network filed suit against the LPSC’s approval of Entergy’s plans under the Clean Air Act for exceeding the regulations for toxic emissions including mercury, lead and arsenic.
Researchers from the Histecon Associate group, hired by the Sierra Club and affiliates to assess the Little Gypsy construction plans, say that the cost of coal is increasing at a rate of 16% per year. In early 2009, Entergy reported that new environmental regulations, increased costs of construction and labor, and inadequate financing options, Little Gypsy project would be estimated to cost an upwards of $1.76 billion. However, this estimate only includes environmental regulations that have been put in place within the first few months of the Obama administration. In addition to the existing regulations, extensive greenhouse gas emission regulations are expected to be implemented. Considering that coal plants are the number one source of human derived greenhouse gas emissions, these regulations could increase the cost of the retrofit by another one-third to one-half.
These substantial fiscal changes convinced Entergy that the benefits of the retrofit to the company and consumers would not be realized for another 13 years or more. Not only are the benefits becoming more distant in the future, but they are also decreasing in relevance. The rising natural gas prices Entergy sought to avoid have since stopped and began to fall with the discovery of the Haynesville shale formation, leaving the company with one less reason to convert Little Gypsy.
After filing several additional petitions opposing the Entergy permits to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) and Environmental Protection Agency, the LSPC ordered Entergy to review their construction plans to convert Little Gypsy on March 11th, 2009. Less than one month later, Entergy Louisiana LLC formally asked the LPSC for permission to suspend the project for a minimum of three years, at which point the project will be eligible for review. Sierra Club representatives believe that the delay is long enough to allow the continually increasing costs of coal to put the project on hold indefinitely.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Sierra Club Picnic. Audubon Zoo Education Center. Sunday July 11, 2010 5pm-8pm
Sierra Club Picnic Audubon Zoo Education Center Sunday July 11, 2010 5pm-8pm The Sierra Club's (New Orleans Group) annual picnic in Audubon Park will be held near the Dominion Auditorium, inside the Zoo perimeter, where we have our monthly meetings. Park in the Audubon Zoo Parking lot and enter through gate upriver (to left of main entrance). There will be a Sierra Club banner near the gate. Sierra will provide the grill, hamburgers, vegi-burgers and hotdogs plus some non-alcoholic drinks. If you require other beverages, please bring your own. We are asking everyone to bring a covered dish with a favorite side or snacks. Also, bring your plates, cups and utensils to help the environment. Bring chairs etc. If you have frisbees or other entertainment join in the fun. This will be an opportunity to socialize, and talk about the greening of New Orleans. Guests are welcome. Call 504-8618465 if you have any questions.
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