Pickens Plan District Group CA-01

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Comment by Ed Janus on October 31, 2009 at 2:17pm

Talk to everyone.... and PLEASE keep pushing our politicians into action! 350...! and THANKS !! Ed Janus

Comment by Richard Grabowski on April 17, 2009 at 11:52am

Further news from our Congressman about renewable energy:




April 17, 2009

Mr. Richard Eugene Grabowski
McKinleyville, California 95519

Dear Mr. Grabowski:

Thank you for contacting me regarding establishing a national renewable energy standard. I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with me.

Like you, I believe we must encourage the use of renewable sources of energy as soon as possible. Technologies that allow us to generate electricity from solar, wind, geothermal and other clean sources of energy are a vital way for our nation to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and fight global climate change. I believe that a national renewable energy standard would be an effective step toward achieving these goals. In December of 2007, I voted in favor of H.R. 6, which included a 15% national renewable energy standard. Although this measure passed the House by a vote of 264 to 163, it was not included in the final version of the bill due to a veto threat from President Bush.

On February 4, 2009, Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced the American Renewable Energy Act (H.R. 890). This legislation would require that 25% of electricity in the United States is generated from renewable sources by the year 2025. H.R. 890 has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, where it awaits further consideration.

Congress is expected to take up comprehensive energy and climate change legislation this year. There have been several proposals introduced in the House of Representatives, and the House Ways and Means Committee, of which I am a member, that will have a significant role in developing the final proposal. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and on the Committee to help pass legislation to support increased use of renewable energy technologies and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I will keep your thoughts regarding a national renewable energy standard firmly in mind as the debate evolves on this important issue.

Again, thank you for sharing your concerns with me. Please continue to contact me on all issues of importance to you and to our district.


Sincerely,

MIKE THOMPSON
Member of Congress
http://www.mikethompson.house.gov

You cannot reply to this email. If you would like to email me, please visit
http://mikethompson.house.gov/contact/email.shtml

Comment by Richard Grabowski on April 17, 2009 at 11:13am

I got the following from Congressman Mike Thompson today, thought you might be interested if you didn't get similar letters:

April 17, 2009

Mr. Richard Eugene Grabowski
McKinleyville, California 95519

Dear Mr. Grabowski:

Thank you for contacting me regarding energy. I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with me.

Satisfying our nation's energy needs is a significant challenge. The sudden and drastic spike in oil and gasoline prices last year showed how vulnerable our economy can be to the price of oil, and it underscored the need to develop alternative fuels.

I believe that we must consider all forms of energy production to see which belong in our nation's energy portfolio, and natural gas is no exception. This is why I am an original co-sponsor of the New Alternative Transportation to Give Americans Solutions (NAT GAS) Act of 2009 (H.R. 1835). This important legislation would:

 Provide an 18-year extension of tax credits for the purchase of natural gas-fueled vehicles (NGVs) and refueling pumps;
 Create a new tax credit for auto manufacturers to produce NGVs and offer them for sale in the United States;
 Require that by 2014, 50% of new vehicles purchased and placed into service by the federal government be capable of operating on compressed or liquid natural gas; and,
 Provide grants for light- and heavy-duty natural gas vehicle and engine development, which is not currently funded by grants from the Department of Energy.

These are important steps to reducing our dependence on foreign oil and satisfying our nation's future energy needs. This legislation will also help to diversify the fuel our nation uses for transportation, reducing the shock to the economy caused by sudden jumps in gasoline prices. Natural gas will not solve all of our nation's energy challenges, which is why I believe we must also continue to support the development of renewable sources of energy like wind, solar and biofuels. However, I believe that H.R. 1835 is an essential part of developing a comprehensive energy policy for our nation. I will certainly keep your concerns in mind as I continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to ensure the passage of these important provisions.

Again, thank you for sharing your concerns with me. Please continue to contact me on all issues of importance to you and to our district.



Sincerely,

MIKE THOMPSON
Member of Congress
http://www.mikethompson.house.gov

You cannot reply to this email. If you would like to email me, please visit
http://mikethompson.house.gov/contact/email.shtml

Comment by Jack Costantino on March 31, 2009 at 7:51pm

BE 500 PEOPLE!

The first day of the 3 day Pickens Virtual March on Washington is around the corner. Among other actions, I’m encouraging everyone to send a single eMail EVERY DAY. In political arithmetic that is counted as 500 in the minds of our elected officials.

YOU ARE 500 PEOPLE. Every eMail legislative aides receive is statistically calculated to represent 500 people in a congressional district who feel exactly the same way...even if they didn’t actually write. That’s absolute fact. It’s a simple thing to do, but it has tremendous impact.

Please go to Find your District Congressman and enter your zip code in the box on the far right side. You will be directed to a page at CONGRESS.ORG that automatically finds and allows you to eMail your elected officials on the federal and state level. Copy and paste the following text:

--------------------------Beginning of Letter ---------------------------------------------------

(Subject Box:) Support the Pickens Plan

(Issue Area Box: Choose Energy)

(Editable Text Area:)

I am a constituent living in (FILL IN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OR TOWN) who supports the Pickens Plan and asks you to do the same. America’s dependence on foreign oil depletes our economy, threatens our national security and negatively impacts our environment.

Please sign the Pickens Pledge and support conservation, education and the development of clean energy at every possible opportunity. It’s important for our economy and the well being of generations to come.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.

------------------------End of Letter ------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the options are your own choice. Click the “Send Message” button at the bottom of the page.

This type of appeal makes our leaders take notice, and I urge every one of you to BE 500 PEOPLE today, because you really are. You have power that can be delivered with a few clicks of your finger. Don’t wait…do it now!

Thank you for your support.

Jack Costantino, DL, NJ-11
NJDLD

Comment by Richard Grabowski on March 30, 2009 at 9:08am

Perry,
Sounds like you are thinking in the right direction. I have no idea if the technology is possible or cost effective, need some advanced engineering help with that problem. But this is the type of thing that would make most rural and non-centralized communities self reliant. Good ideas.

Comment by Preston Eric Peterson on March 27, 2009 at 4:35pm

Odd idea. "Waste energy" or night time wind energy turned into hydrogen and sent thru the natural gas pipe lines that go to natural gas power plants. It may burn a little hotter but they can adjust.

Spring runoff that would normally be allowed to run over the spill ways could be sent thru the generators and turned into hydrogen and again sent to power plants thru the natural gas pipe lines that are already all over the USA.

Any comments? Could it work?
napaeric@sbcglobal.net if you want to "talk"

just call me eric

Comment by Jack Costantino on March 23, 2009 at 5:09am

Parry

I believe you're on the right track with the approach of community based, decentralized energy generation and supply projects. While we're waiting for smart grids and nationally scaled projects to develop; we can provide more immediacy, prepare local infrastructure, and most importantly elevate consciousness of clean energy by the practical example of putting money back in the pockets of energy consuming households.

"The most interesting wind energy company I have discovered on the west coast is located in Bend, Oregon. I have received a few emails from them, however they are mostly about business..."

The long term success of any initiatives toward our shift in energy supply will be based on risk vs. profit potential…that’s a good thing. Once convinced that clean energy is good business as well as good for our economy, the security of our country, the quality of life and safety of our children and the health of our planet...in that order...there will be a stampede of entrepreneurs trampling each other to be first and best in the supply chain. I’m sure I join many on this site in applauding your efforts in this essential imperative. The personal energy we invest now, will become the energy we use later to repower our own lives as well as generations to follow we will never know. Your thinking, focus and actions will launch us into a new energy era delayed too long by our historic inaction as consumers of fossil fuel and willing, albeit detached supporters of our lack of energy policies over the last 63 years (since the end of WW2).

“Stay focused...be prepared for the long fight...in the Pickens Army no uniforms, bullets or bombs are required. Your voice combined with millions of others is a potent weapon in defeating an enemy which has claimed victory over us long enough.”

Thanks for your energy, enthusiasm and actions,
Jack Costantino, DL, NJ-11

Comment by Parry Buck on March 22, 2009 at 10:18pm

Dear Members of CA-1,

Hi, I was an active member of this group in January, 2009. I spent the last 2 months learning about community wind energy. I would like to hear from those of you who are interested in working on a community wind energy project in Humboldt county. I have done a lot of research, and I think you will find some of the information I have discovered quite fascinating. The most interesting wind energy company I have discovered on the west coast is located in Bend, Oregon. I have received a few emails from them, however they are mostly about business, and they seem to have little time for email chat. However their web site is a wealth of information, "www.westerncommunityenergy.com". This company completed a very interesting wind project in Nome, Alaska in December of 2008. The founders of this company have been working in the alternative energy business for many years, and have completed many different types of wind energy projects.
There are a number of California wind energy maps at the following web location, "http://www.energy.ca.gov/maps/wind.html". The 100 meter map is the most useful for large community wind projects. Using this map and other resources I recently helped the Hoopa Indian tribe with the development of a potential wind energy site on their reservation. I think another good location in California for a community wind project is the city of Ferndale, in Humboldt county. For example, the wind in the hills immediately south of Ferndale is shown on the above mentioned map to be in the 7 to 7.5 meter/second range. This is considered a good wind speed by wind energy companies.

I think such a project would need to benefit all of the people living in the Ferndale area. This is the only way that such a project could be accepted by the local residents. And public opinion is the most important factor in having a successful project in the Ferndale area. The wind, local transmission lines, and market are in the Ferndale area. However I have no idea what most of the residents of the Ferndale area would think of a community wind project.
There have been many community wind projects in Europe in the last 30 years. In the last 5 years there have been many of these types of projects in the midwestern part of the USA. Those people who live within view of the windmills are given the most benefit from the project. The people of the Ferndale area could democratically determine how the financial benefits would be used. For example, electricity rates could be cut in half, local taxes could be lowered, revenues could go to the local school district.
I know it will probably take many years to develop such a project. However if you are interested please send me a message. I have more information about this topic if you are interested.

Comment by Jack Costantino on March 20, 2009 at 10:38am

Richard

All good observations. It's likely no single resource for Clean Energy will be utilized. Along with the continued and probably long term continuance of fossil fuels all other methods will need to follow the money trail you described.

That's where consumers come in. It will be necessary for the marketplace to present its potential in a significant way...and in advance of the investment. If there is a daunting task, that may be at the top of the list. Movements like the Pickens Plan and others give voice to that collateral. Investors will need to believe it's a sustainable phenomenon.

Risk taking is the foundation of most wealth as well as the graveyard for the unfortunate. There are many wildcat oil men buried along side visionaries who believed their propositions had wide appeal. I can only say from personal experience that there is an undeniable ground swell of interest and enthusiasm for changing our energy policies and past. The empirical evidence is the engagement of this conversation between you and I multiplied by unknown millions of others doing the same.

The most important sustainable energy resource of all...is that engagement. All we need do is sustain it.
Jack

Comment by Richard Grabowski on March 20, 2009 at 10:08am

EGS looks good. But I still think you are limited by the need for a large distribution grid and major investment to build the plants. Pretty much the same problems the exist with solar and wind. And the maintenance problems must be every bit as difficult as with wind and solar. Plus you are still looking at a conversion to electric vehicles that is likely to take 10 to 20 years. Plus you can't run large trucks on electric - so you still need something such as LNG or liquid hydrogen.

So the question is who is going to make the plant investment? If the government supplies the grid, then EGS will be competing with coal, wind, and solar (not to mention the oil fired plants) - so what is the long term cost? Is it really competitive? If it is, who has the capital and interest to fund the plant investment?

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