Maryland for Energy Independence

Comment

Comment by Jan on October 29, 2008 at 8:05pm

Hi, folks. Please take a look at the group "Pickens Plan March on Washington". This group is trying to set up a march in DC sometime after the new year. Please consider helping and/or marching. Whether T. Boone is there or not, we can make a difference!

Comment by Mike Anthony Fernald Sr. on October 23, 2008 at 1:01pm

Comment by Jan on October 20, 2008 at 6:41am

Before we go rushing to judgment, we should consider that there are real, honest concerns about wind turbines in regards to wildlife, especially bats. Having grown up on a farm in PA, I understand the concerns. Our bat population is already hurting due to the overuse of pesticides and fertilizers. We need those bats as much as we need bees and butterflies. There is also the impact of the noise of the turbines disturbing people and wildlife. It is easy to say we should put turbines up where ever there is good wind. But would we be so cavalier about it if it was in our backyard? Let's take a considered approach and look at a careful melding of technologies to provide our energy.

Comment by George M on October 19, 2008 at 5:38pm

In regards to Frank Maisano - the "spokesman" for wind energy developers in our region - who is mentioned at the end of Annah Hartmann's newspaper article which Ed posted below:

Who is Frank Maisano?

Hired as a “spokesperson” for various wind energy developers in the Mid-Atlantic Region (including US Wind Force)1, Frank Maisano is the former spin-meister behind the Global Climate Coalition (GCC) - a front group for the oil and coal industries, which was created to thwart US ratification of the Kyoto Accords. The GCC has been dubbed by Kevin Grandia, Operations Manager for DeSmogBlog, as "one of the most aggressive industry-funded climate science attack groups the world ever saw" – see: http://www.desmogblog.com/frank-maisano-a-desmogger . With Maisano's help the GCC succeeded for many years in their campaign to prevent US from taking steps that would curtail emissions of greenhouse gases.

Here's what SourceWatch says about Frank Maisano –
“Until it folded in 2002, Frank Maisano worked for the Global Climate Coalition (http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Global_Climate_Coalition ), an industry front group fighting against reforms to slow down and prevent industry pollution contributing to global climate change. He was a member of the Potomac Communications Group, whose other clients include Con Edison, the Edison Electric Institute, the Nuclear Energy Institute, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He was then media strategist and spokesman for the Electric Reliability Coordinating Council (ERCC), an anti-EPA lobby group for coal-burning utilities. He has also apparently worked for MTBE manufacturers. In April, 2006, E magazine interviewed Maisano, reporting that he is now working with Bracewell and Giuliani, whose clients have included the ERCC along with energy giants Enron, Chevron-Texaco, Pacific Gas & Electric, Dynegy, and Southern Company. Since 2005, Maisano, representing Bracewell and Giuliani, has provided PR work for industrial wind energy developers in the mid-Atlantic states, particularly those targeting the Allegheny Front in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.”
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Frank_Maisano .

Note that in his interview with E-magazine in 2006 (accessible via weblink on SourceWatch webpage), Maisano acknowledges that global warming is occurring but denies there is evidence that humans are significantly contributing to the rise in Earth's temperature: "How much humans have influence on it [global warming] - I imagine that they do have some - is still in question. It really isn't discernible, I think, at this point."

Maisano works for the lobbying and PR firm - Bracewell & Giuliani (i.e., the former Mayor of NY and former candidate for President of US). Maisano still works on behalf of the major providers of energy in addition to representing the wind industry; he was recently described as "an electric utility lobbyist working for several companies that plan new coal plants" (http://www.wbcsd.org/plugins/DocSearch/details.asp?MenuId=MjUx&ClickMenu=&doOpen=1&type=DocDet&ObjectId=MjQzNzQ ).

Here is a weblink to the bio for Frank Maisano's which is posted on Bracewell & Giuliani's website: http://www.bracewellgiuliani.com/index.cfm/fa/lawyer.profile/attorney/30719844-3888-4d09-8884-b42722c2ad32/Frank_V_Maisano.cfm . Note that it begins: "Frank V. Maisano is a skilled media specialist with a track record of achieving high-profile media and editorial placements for clients in venues such as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He also has outstanding relationships with most national and trade business, energy and environmental reporters."

1see: http://web.uswindforce.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=13 , http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bay_environment/blog/2008/01/crowd_rejects_wind_turbines_in.html , http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5300507 , http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/63903 , http://www.windaction.org/news/16196 or http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/12/AR2008041201807.html .

Comment by Ed Matricardi on October 16, 2008 at 12:35pm

Garrett Countians In Dust-up Over Wind Turbines
Posted on October 16, 2008

By ANATH HARTMANN

WASHINGTON (Oct. 15, 2008) -- Garrett County Commissioners have opened the door to wind turbines on Allegheny Mountain ridge tops -- and they're getting slammed by local residents for it.

County commissioners Fred Holliday, Dennis Glotfelty and Ernest Gregg earlier this month approved a land-use plan that allows wind turbines to be built on the county's ridge tops. The approval comes despite pleas from many residents to keep the ridges turbine-free in an effort to leave wildlife and a tourist-drawing mountain vista undisturbed.

The commission said it will lobby the General Assembly to approve buffer zones of land between any future wind turbines and homes.

Maryland doesn't have any wind turbines, while nearby states Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York all boast multiple wind farms.

The commission declined to protect the ridge tops, as some residents demanded, citing personal property rights.

"The main thing is property rights -- people here will tell you they want to do whatever they want with their property and they don't want anybody telling them they can't," Holliday said.

Concern over the ridge tops is nothing new. In February, the Department of Natural Resources held two public meetings in response to a proposal by Wexford, Pa.-based U.S. Wind Force to build approximately 100, 400-foot-high wind turbines on public land. Each turbine of that size generates, on average, enough electricity to power about 500 homes per year.

Though Gov. Martin O'Malley rejected the proposal in April following public outcry, he said he was not opposed to bringing wind power to Maryland, and turbines could still arrive on federal, state or private land in the future.

Some Garrett County residents with environmental concerns said they were counting on the commissioners to protect the ridge tops.

"Wildlife, from our perspective, is certainly a critical factor," said Grantsville resident Ron Boyer. "With global warming there will be migration of species north. When you fragment the forests with turbines, you are fragmenting the populations also."

Boyer, who said he was concerned about the low-grade humming noise wind turbines make, said the natural beauty of the mountaintops in Western Maryland is a major tourist draw and that if they become dotted with windmills "there will certainly be an (economic) impact."

Other county dwellers who had wanted the ridge-top protected from turbines cited dangers to animals from windmills.

"It's been documented that wind farms in West Virginia and Pennsylvania have killed thousands of bats," said J. Edward Gates, a Garrett County resident and an associate professor of environmental science at University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Appalachian Laboratory in Frostburg. "Research done recently has shown that the passage of the blades creates almost like a vacuum effect and the bats experience decompression, their lungs fill with fluid and they die. Other bats seem to be struck by the blades themselves."

Gates said wind energy companies have not yet come up with a way to mitigate bat deaths. "Over time if all these farms are built it could have a tremendous impact on bat populations," Gates said.

Frank Maisano, a U.S. Wind Force spokesman, said though the bat population problem is "something we're trying to resolve," no alternative energy source comes without its caveats.

"The reality is people in Maryland need to understand that wind power is going to be a part of our solution going forward," Maisano said. "Our actions have to meet our words. We've said we want to reduce our carbon footprint; let's do it. There are no energy generation methods that have no impact."

Capital News Service contributed to this report.

Comment by Dr. Paul A. Curto on October 8, 2008 at 12:45pm

Glad to be here with my fellow Marylanders. Is there a blog for the group, or is this it? Meetings?

I am leading a discussion on "Global Warming Impacts and Solutions" in which I invite all of you to participate. There are some interesting pieces on Maryland, including the regional plan for energy and conservation for the next 40 years or so. You may also wish to see info on what might happen to Maryland, especially the Eastern Shore, Southern MD, and Baltimore if global warming manifests itself as early as is now indicated.

Comment by robert fisher on October 6, 2008 at 10:37am

Hello My name is Robert I just joined and ready to get this off the ground. What can I do to help all of the people in Maryland. I live on the Eastern shore were our Governor will not put up wind mills. The state of Del. has a deal to do it.

Comment by Ken the Energy Man on October 5, 2008 at 2:45pm

At 12:43pm on October 5th, 2008, Ken the Energy Man said…
Join our local Energy discussion group on October 7 th at 7:00 pm
Just after the Presidential debates for a national online energy Rally !

Comment by Ed Matricardi on October 4, 2008 at 9:23pm

Tuesday night after the next Presidential debate, we are going to host the largest e-Rally ever for energy independence!

On October 7 at 10 pm EDT, just before the Presidential debate ends, log on to PickensPlan.com to rally and show the politicians that we mean business!

We have their attention - but what you do right now matters more than ever. Click here to RSVP now to attend the Pickens Plan e-Rally on Tuesday night. You can also click here to leave a comment asking the two candidates to support the Pickens Plan.

During the debate the candidates will have their say. Now it's time for you to have your say. We will deliver your comments and the comments of everyone who attends the e-Rally to both Presidential candidates within 48 hours of the end of the Presidential debate.

Also, we need you to do one more thing - find one friend and ask them to attend the e-Rally with you. How big can we grow this e-Rally? How many Americans will join our New Energy Army and join this e-Rally for energy independence? Only you can answer that question!

We have tremendous momentum, over 13,000 strong joined our post debate chat for energy independence after the last Presidential debate. You won't want to miss this event! RSVP right now and forward this email on to a friend today!

Comment by Joseph P. Randazzo on September 28, 2008 at 7:06am

My name is Joseph Randazzo, I am new to the PickensPlan, but old to the problem. I have been an advacate of finding other ways for us as a nation to become self-sufficent. In the 70s, we were told that there was a shortage of oil. We were told to slow down, I rememder 50mph speed signs, long lines on your day to get fuel ( PA. used odd/even last number of license plate), and price increases. But, I also remember that as soon as they (oil companies) got their price, there was plenty of oil and everything returned to normal. Now people driving at 70+mph (55mph speed limit), with large gas hogs, Office buildings with their lights turned on all night. The list can go on, but you all know what I am talking about. this country, most of its people would rather take the easy way and do their own thing and not care about anyone else. These same people will wake up one of these days to find that the cost of oil is so expensive or in time just not there. Replies welcome.

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