by jboullion | Feb 11, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by David Steinkraus in The Journal Times (Racine):
YORKVILLE — The County Board decided Tuesday to delay its vote on a regional transit authority until its next meeting on Feb. 24, but many citizens showed up in the board chambers to voice their opinions.
Although Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail has been the focus of most comments, the proposal sent to Gov. Jim Doyle is broader than that.
It suggests that the state create a permanent regional transit authority which could be joined by municipalities in southeastern Wisconsin. This permanent RTA would oversee not only a commuter rail project but also integration of the various bus systems, and it would have the authority to replace local property tax support of mass transit with a sales tax of up to 0.5 percent.
The board resolution does not express specific support for the tax but it does ask that any board with taxing authority be elected rather than appointed and that each municipality be allowed to approve or disapprove a transit tax.
by jboullion | Feb 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
Rick Adamski (left) began researching wind turbine options at the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair in 2005, where he talked with turbine installer Dave Blecker of Seventh Generation, the company that installed Adamski’s turbine.
From a story by Monica Landeros on WLUK-TV:
There is a farmer in Northeast Wisconsin who soon won’t have electricity bills, in fact the electric company may eventually be paying him. That’s because the Maple Grove farmer near Seymour in Shawano County has installed one of the first wind turbines in his area on his own property, with the help of federal and state grants.
Look across the snow cover fields of Full Circle Farms in Maple Grove and you’ll a 110-foot tall wind turbine with three massive blades.
“The wind turbine should last 20 to 30 years,” said Full Circle Farmer Owner Rick Adamski.
It took hours to install in early February. Adamski watched every step of the process from a safe distance with some neighbors.
“We’re trying to reduce our impact on the environment,” said Adamski. . . .
Adamski’s wind turbine still needs some finishing touches and is expected to be turned on the week of February 9th.
Soon after that, Adamski won’t pay for electricity anymore. It will save him about $7,000 a year. In fact, the turbine will produce more energy than is needed. So, the extra energy will be sold back to WE Energies.
by jboullion | Feb 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Anticipating a decline in electricity sales in 2009, Wisconsin Energy Corp. has frozen the salaries of top executives and implemented a limited hiring freeze.
“We have frozen hiring, except for critical operating positions,” Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gale Klappa said.
The cost-containment moves were made at the end of the year and announced Tuesday, after the Milwaukee energy holding company reported fourth-quarter earnings that beat expectations of Wall Street analysts.
Colder-than-projected weather that drove higher use of natural gas and electricity; declining fuel prices; and income from the new Port Washington natural gas-fired power plant helped the company report better-than-expected earnings in the quarter, Chief Financial Officer Allen Leverett said.
We Energies, the main utility subsidiary of Wisconsin Energy, has projected that electricity sales to factories and other large customers will fall 6% in 2009.
In the fourth quarter, sales to those large customers fell 9% from the fourth quarter of 2007. Hardest hit, Klappa said, are paper mills, auto parts suppliers and basic metal companies such as foundries and specialty steel companies.
“Just having talked to a few of our largest customers over the last couple of weeks, my sense is we’re not at the bottom yet in terms of the impact of the recession,” he said.
by jboullion | Feb 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by in the Wisconsin State Journal:
A Michigan utility company wants to build what it’s calling the Green Power Express, a super-sized transmission line that would link wind-power farms around the Midwest and carry their electricity to urban areas where the power is needed. . . .
The proposal would involve building massive 765-kilovolt transmission lines — nearly twice the capacity of the biggest lines now running through the state, at 345 kilovolts — and would run through parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.
A conceptual map has the line entering Wisconsin at the state’s border with Minnesota and Iowa, about halfway between La Crosse and Prairie du Chien, and heading east toward what appears to be the Madison area. An ITC official did not provide site details. . . .
Wisconsin regulatory officials, utility companies and environmentalists agree that more line capacity is needed to transport electricity generated by the growing number of wind farms. But they’re not sure ITC’s plan for giant-sized lines is the answer.
Michael Vickerman, executive director of the Madison environmental group, Renew Wisconsin, said he has “reservations” about the need for 765-kilovolt lines. Smaller transmission upgrades can accommodate new wind generation, he said.
Wisconsin Public Service Commission Chairman Eric Callisto also has questions.
“I don’t want to close any doors to what they have proposed but I have lots of grave concerns about the cost,” he said. ITC is proposing “very large lines” that would require “very large right-of-ways,” Callisto said. A right-of-way is the legal permission to use a property owner’s land or the area above it.
Callisto is part of a five-state panel — involving Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota North Dakota and South Dakota — discussing how to move electricity east from windier western states, and how to pay for that. The group has been looking into 345-kilovolt lines, Callisto said, and hopes to make recommendations this fall.
“We have to make sure that what we’re paying for benefits Wisconsin ratepayers,” he said.
In light of that effort, ITC may be a bit premature, a spokesman for Alliant said.
by jboullion | Feb 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
From the Coulee Partners for Sustainability:
Local presenters are available to make 20-45 minute talks to groups, clubs, and organizations in the La Crosse area on a variety of issues that pertain to living sustainably. Please note that these presentations are not reviewed or formally approved by CPS.
Presentations
Burning Coal and Mercury in Fish: What’s the Connection?
In addition to releasing enormous quantities of carbon dioxide, coal-fired power plants have other significant impacts as well. Presenter: Mark Sandheinrich, UW-La Crosse.
Climate Change: Global Problem, Local Solutions
What do recent scientific findings show about global climate change and what can we do to address this problem? Presenter: Rob Tyser, UW-La Crosse.
Complete Streets
Complete Streets provide safe and accessible infrastructure for all transit choices: cars and trucks, busses, bicycles and pedestrians. It is about improving the quality of life for all residents of a community, as well as reducing our carbon footprint, reducing land used for roads and especially for parking, and improving individual health. Presenter: Charley Weeth, Liveable Neighborhoods and Wisconsin Walks.
Green Initiatives in the La Crosse Area
Learn about “green” projects that have been completed and others that are being planned. Presentation arranged by the City of La Crosse.
How Much Stuff is Enough?
How does what we value the most in life actually correspond to our spending habits? Presenter: Mark Sandheinrich, UW-La Crosse.
The La Crosse River Marsh: Its Role in Flooding and Water Retention
In addition to providing critical wetland habitat and outdoor recreational opportunities, the La Crosse River marsh plays an important role in flooding. Presenter: Cynthia Berlin, UW-La Crosse.
The “Natural Step”: What Is It? Why Use It?
Find out about the Natural Step framework and why municipalities, including the City and County of La Crosse, are using it. Presenter: Rob Tyser, UW-La Crosse.
Urban Sprawl in the La Crosse Region
What do images from Landsat satellites show about land use patterns in the La Crosse area? Presenter: Cynthia Berlin, UW-La Crosse.
by jboullion | Feb 9, 2009 | Uncategorized
The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) offers workshops that cover a variety of topics in renewable energy (solar, wind, and more). See the course workshops page for a listing of all of the workshops and to register Click here.
