Table of Contents
Talk of War
Address the Root Causes of Terrorism
Final Push for Mercury Rules
Public Hearing: Coal Burning Proposed at Minergy Incinerator
Dangers of Cyanide in Mining
Cyanide as a Chemical Weapon
Wisconsin Tribes Given More Authority to Question Mining
Attorney for Factory Farm Concerns
Bridging the Gaps between Science, Policy and Practice
Extinctions Accelerating
Wildlife Deal
Conserving Land
Air Conditioning Energy Efficiency Standards
Because of the extraordinary events of the past few weeks, most of
us have been depressed and distracted from the ongoing environmental
issues
we face. This makes our local causes more vulnerable:
1. Media attention is elsewhere. It will be much harder to convince theFederal legislators of both parties appear ready to forego many
media to call attention to serious problems at home, with the U.S. being
drawn into a potential war.2. Volunteer energy and donations are diverted to help cover important
needs in the Red Cross, commemorative events for victims, and defense
activities.3. Government dollars, staff and elected officials are absorbed in discussions of retaliation, security and defense. They will be less interested in discussing and working on domestic issues such as toxic pollution, extinction of species, and other essential environmental issues.
battles in Congress over budget and policy matters, in the interest of
showing national unity.
President Bush's approval rating has risen from less than 50% to
90% due to the new focus on patriotism.
Critical Timing
As a result of all this, some truly awful environmental measures
proposed by President Bush and others could be approved. Corporate
interests are looking to advance their agendas, using Sept. 11
as a
springboard, but in reality doing nothing to advance national security.
Examples:
- Republicans attached a rider to a defense appropriations bill to allow
- At the same time, the proposed Bush energy plan CUTS research and
- Nuclear energy advocates are also using the Middle East concerns as
- Bush is seeking fast-track trade negotiating authority, and support for
- Other "secutiry" initiatives being proposed include corporate tax cuts,
drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlfie Refuge. They claim it's
for "secutiry" reasons, but fail to give a convincing explanation of how
using up U.S. oil reserves increases our country's security.
incentives for conservation and renewables such as solar and wind.
(See related article on air conditioners' efficiency standards)
political fuel for their pet energy source. Bush's energy plan supports
this push, despite better alternatives.
the Free Trade of the Americas (designed to expand NAFTA to all of the
Americas -- with major environmental impacts) using "national security" as
the excuse.
Star Wars missle defense system (useless against terrorists), etc.
The talk of war means Clean Water Action Council members will
need
to stay vigilant and keep working to ensure that the public's interest
in
clean water and a healthy environment isn't neglected dangerously
or even
attacked during these times.
Please write to your legislators and let them know how you feel
about these issues. We can't afford to let these things slide
through.
What You Can Do
Write a brief letter to your
elected Congress members and
tell them what you think
about these issues:
Senator Russ Feingold
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Senator Herb Kohl
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Congressman Mark Green
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Congressman Thomas Petri
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Local Urgency - Fox River
Any day now, we expect the announcement of the final proposed
cleanup plan for the Fox River, and our own battle will start , as
we fight
(peacefully) for a strong cleanup plan that fully protects public health
and wildlife.
Please be ready to help us respond to the this proprosal.
We've waited and worked through 16 years of official planning for
this moment and must not allow terrorists (or corporate politicians)
to
derail the effort now.
Address the Root Causes of Terrorism
In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, the media has focused largely
on America's emotional and military response.
We need more discussion of WHY such terrorism occurs. What could
lead people to such desperate acts? We need answers in order
to address
the root causes and prevent future horrors.
Klaus Toepfer, the executive director of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), recently announced the launch of
a regional
environmental action plan for Central Asia. He believes, as many
do, that
extreme poverty and environmental degradation often contribute to
resentments and fanaticism which can lead to terrorism.
"
We must be determined and united in our efforts to bring those
responsible to justice," Toepfer said. "What happened in the U.S. was
a
crime against humanity, an act of horrendous violence against all races
and
creeds. But we must also expose the forces that create poverty,
intolerance, hatred and environmental degradation that can lead to
an
unstable world."
"When people are denied access to clean water, soil, and air to meet
their basic human needs, we see the rise of poverty, ill-health and a sense
of hopelessness. Desperate
people can resort to desperate solutions. They may care little about
themselves and the people they hurt," he said.
The Regional Environmental Action Plan was launched by environment
ministers from the five Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, the
Kyrgyz
Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It was adopted
in May
2000 to address degradation of the Aral Sea and other trans-boundary
problems. It focuses on air and water pollution, land degradation,
waste
management and mountain ecosystem degradation. It emphasizes the importance
of public involvement in decision making, the polluter pays principle,
clean technology, environmental impact assessment and the precautionary
approach in planning. The plan is also a collaborative effort between
the
Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme and
UNEP
in the region.
The rise of globalization and its impacts on global trade patterns
is another key issue that the international community must face up
to,
Toepfer said. "You cannot be for or against globalization. It
is simply a
fact of the modern world. But we need a just and fair system that brings
sustainable, economic benefits to rich and poor countries alike."
Without this, he said, "the forces that forge civil unrest and in
the extreme can give rise to terrorism will continue to flourish,
impoverishing everyone."
Source: Environmental News Service, http://ens-news.com
Mercury is very dangerous to the brain and nervous system.
Pregnant women and young children have to be especially careful about
what
fish they eat. The National Academy of Sciences estimates that
60,000
children are born in the U.S. each year who may have trouble in school
because their mothers ate mercury-contaminated fish.
Walleye, small and largemouth bass, northern pike and muskie have
the highest mercury levels. Panfish have the lowest levels.
The Wisconsin Health Department warns women and children to
severely limit the game fish they eat from ALL Wisconsin lakes and
rivers
because of mercury contamination. Men can also be affected,
especially
with frequent fish consumption. The symptoms of mercury poisoning
can
mimic serious nervous system disorders such as multiple sclerosis,
and
behavioral and memory changes.
Worse yet, the combination of mercury and PCBs in a person's body
may cause a "synergistic" effect --- where the sum of the toxic health
damage is greater than both chemicals acting individually. We
have both
PCB and mercury problems in fish on the Fox River. And many sports
anglers
eat fish from inland lakes as well as the Fox River and Green Bay,
increasing their exposure to both toxic chemicals at once.
Mercury can also be toxic to fish and wildlife. Studies have
linked mercury to lower reproduction in fish like walley and rainbow
trout
and fish-eating wildlife like loons.
The biggest mercury polluters in Wisconsin are coal-burning power
plants. Waste incinerators and one chemical plant (Vulcan chemicals
in
Sheboygan) are also large sources of mercury (these three sources add
up to
80% of Wisconsin's mercury pollution.)
Many sport fishing and environmental groups have petitioned the DNR
to reduce mercury emissions 90% by 2010.
This convinced the DNR's Natural Resources Board to make rules to
put limits on the mercury pollution entering our lakes and fish from
coal-burning power plants.
Unfortunately, the rule proposed by the DNR's Natural Resources
Board gives the utilities 15 years to reduce by 90% (instead of the
10
years requested by citizens).
And the power utilities are lobbying for even weaker or only
voluntary reductions. They claim the rules are too expensive.
They also
claim Wisconsin shouldn't have rules more strict than other states
(we're
supposed to wait for others to act first, apparently --- a classic
delay
tactic.)
In the rule, the utilities would be given a great deal of
flexibility in how they achieve the reductions. They can use
technology to
control mercury emissions. Many are available today and the federal
government is supporting the development of new mercury control
technologies. Also, utilities can switch from coal to cleaner
burning
fuels. Citizen groups argue that the $1 to $2 cost per
month per household is affordable (especially since it may help reduce
the
high costs of remedial education and behavioral problems in Wisconsin,
and
the longer term costs to society of children who will never reach their
original potential.)
The DNR Board will decide how much mercury pollution should be
reduced. We need strong rules.
We need to get rid of 90% of the toxic mercury now to help make fish
in
Wisconsin safe to eat for future generations. You have a golden
opportunity to help Wisconsin lead the nation in cleaning up lakes
and fish.
(From materials provided by Wisconsin's Environmental Decade. For
more information, contact Mark Looze at the Decade, at (608) 251-7020,
e-mail: mlooze@chorus.net)
What You Can Do
Please write today!
Jon Heinrich
Wisconsin DNR
101 S. Webster St.
Madison, WI 53707
e-mail: heinrj@dnr.state.wi.us
Public Hearing: Coal Burning Proposed at Minergy Incinerator
Just a few years ago, when the Minergy Incinerator was first
proposed for downtown Neenah, the company promised it would be "clean
burning" because it would be fueled by natural gas, and would provide
steam
to P.H. Glatfelter paper company next door, allowing that company to
reduce
its coal-burning. Minergy promised it would improve Neenah air
quality.
Now, the company has applied to burn coal instead of natural
gas at
Minergy, because natural gas has become more expensive, and the company
claims that coal would be more efficient and make Minergy's glass aggregate
product flow better,
Despite the company's claim to be a "clean-burning" facility,
Minergy released 193,055 pounds of hydorchloric acid in downtown Neenah
in
1999, based on monitoring data. (This equals about 23 dump
truck loads of
acid, assuming 20 tons per truck.)
Hydrochloric acid in the air can affect the respiratory system,
skin, and eyes. It is also suspected as a liver or gastrointestinal
toxicant. It can corrode vehicles and structures, and damage
vegetation as
well.
According to the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory, Minergy is now by
far the largest toxic emitter in the city.
Along with the hydrochloric acid, Minergy releases large quantities
of several conventional pollutants, such as nitrous oxides, carbon
dioxides, sulfur dioxides, particulates, etc. The presence of
hydrochloric
acid in the incinerator's emissions indicates the potential to produce
dioxins, furans and other extremely dangerous chlorinated organics.
Even
if found only in traces in the emissions, dioxins and furans are toxic
at
very low levels, are persistent and build up in the food chain.
EPA
estimates that the average American already faces a cancer risk as
high as
1-in-a-hundred from nationwide background dioxin contamination.
We can't
afford to add MORE dioxin to our environment.
With the addition of coal, residents could see toxicity levels
rise. Coal is very complex , with significant levels of numerous
toxic
substances such as arsenic (a carcinogen) and mercury. (See related
article on mercury.)
Based on EPA's most current data, this county ranked among the
dirtiest/worst 20% of all counties in the U.S. in terms of an average
individuals added cancer risk from hazardous air pollutants.
151,200
people in Winnebago County face a cancer risk more than 100 times the
goal
set by the Clean Air Act.
Scrubbers to be added
One major improvement coming as part of this project is that stack
air scrubbers will finally be required. The company claims
this will
capture 90% of the sulfur dioxide (which the coal will add to dramatically)
and "virtually all" the hydrochloric acid.
At the same time, however, the Appleton Post Crescent reports that
actual sulfur dioxide releases could increase with the addition of
coal,
despite the scrubber. The permit would allow 16.4 tons of sulfur
dioxide
per month.
Though the mercury limit is unchanged, the actual releases could
also increase due to the coal.
Public Hearing
Tuesday, Oct. 9
2:30 p.m. - Neenah City Hall
Please write to:
WDNR Bureau of Air
Management
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707
Letter must be received by Oct. 9.
Sodium cyanide is acutely toxic to any living thing. Incredibly
small amounts of cyanide can kill fish. For example, cyanide
measured at
20-80 parts per billion can kill rainbow and brown trout. Birds
and
mammals that drink water or feed on cyanide-poisoned wildlife can be
killed
at 40-200 parts per million, an amount also fatally toxic to humans.
Leftover cyanide at very small concentrations has harmed birds and
other wildlife which drank mine pond wastewater.
Cyanide is a powerful solvent which pulls heavy metals --- such as
mercury, cadmium, chromium, and lead --- out of the rock into a dissolved
state. These toxic metals end up as waste products which need
to be
dumped. Cyanide can also break down and form complexes with other
chemicals or metals, and still remain as toxic. Mixes of cyanide
with
other metals and chemicals can be just as toxic as cyanide itself,
but they
are not routinely monitored or carefully regulated.
Cyanide at the Crandon Mine
Sodium cyanide would be used as a chemical reagent or solvent to
dissolve out metals from the ore in the "flotation process," particularly
for gold and silver. There are significant amounts of gold and
silver at
Crandon --- the DNR estimates as much as 1,100,000 ounces of gold,
and
63,000,000 ounces of silver. Northern Wisconsin also has
several other
gold and silver deposits.
The Nicolet Minerals Company (NMC) proposes to transport up to 20
tons of cyanide per month to the Crandon mine site. Cyanide and
other
toxics such as sulfuric acid pose environmental risks from transportation
and storage at the site and also from residuals in the waste dump and
in the waste back-filled into theabandoned mine shaft. DNR consultant
Andres Trevino reported that if NMC uses truckloads of cyanide at the highest
estimated rate, a one-month
inventory would be 18-20 tons. If the mine were to operate for
28 years,
over 6,000 tons of cyanide would be required.
Trevino reported that most of the residual cyanide would end up in
the pyrite concentrate that is proposed to be back-filled into the
mine
shaft, potentially in contact with groundwater. At least some
residual
cyanide would end up in the waste tailings dump.
Cyanide can be treated to become less toxic, but Trevino does not
report that NMC is proposing any active destruction of the toxic chemical.
Instead it appears that NMC simply expects any leftover cyanide to
break
down naturally in the waste dump pond when exposed to sunlight.
But colder
temperatures, such as in northern Wisconsin, can stop the breakdown
of
cyanide.
Our Weakened Mining Laws
State Statute 160.19(12) says that the metallic mines are exempt
from the state Groundwater Protection Law. Statute 291.35 says
that
metallic mining waste is not subject of the state's stringent Hazardous
Waste Management Law, even if it contains cyanide. Unlike
state statutes,
the DNR has the power to grant variances and make changes to its own
rules
without legislative approval or public input.
Montana voters in 1998 banned the use of cyanide in mining, halting
new sulfide mine permits. The Czech Republic banned it in 2000.
Wisconsin
is thus behind these two historic mining areas in the environmental
laws;
although Vilas and Oneida counties have also banned cyanide.
The company
planning the Crandon mine claims that its vat flotation process is
safer
than the heap leaching process, but this does not address issues of
cyanide
waste disposal or transportation of 200 tons of cyanide a year on our
roads. The Crandon mine would also open the door to mining several
gold
deposits that would be processed with cyanide.
(Information provided by the Wolf Watershed Educational Project)
What You Can Do
Please write to your Governor and elected representatives in the
state Legislature, especially your Assembly Rep, and tell them what
you
think about the proposed Cyanide Ban, SB 160 and AB 95.
Gov. Scott McCallum
Room 125 South, State Capitol
P.O. Box 7863
Madison, WI 53702-7863
Senator
P.O. Box 7882
Madison, WI 53707
Rep. (Last Name, A thru L)
P.O. Box 8952
Madison, WI 53708
Rep. (Last
Name, Mc thru Z)
P.O. Box 8953
Madison, WI 53708
(If you don't know who your elected state representatives are,
call
the toll-free Legislative Hotline at 1-800-362-9472 on weekdays,
between
8:00 and 5:00)
- Contact Assembly Environment Committee Chair Neil Kedzie
- Print out a resolution for your group or local government to pass, or
(R-Elkhorn), because he controls whether the bill will be released from the
committee for a full vote. Call toll-free 888-534-0043 or e-mail
Rep.Kedzie@legis.state.wi.us
print out a petition and more background information at:
http://www.alphacdc.com/treaty/cyanide.html
Here's another reason to worry about Nicolet Minerals' plan to
bring in 20 tons of cyanide per month for use at the Crandon Mine:
Could
one of these shipments be hijacked and diverted by terrorists?
A few months ago, a convicted Algerian terrorist collaborator held
by U.S. authorities testified that in 1998 he spent 6 months at an
Afghanistan training camp where he learned to use cyanide in terrorist
chemical attacks, with Americans as intended targets.
The trainees practiced by gasing dogs with cyanide and sulfuric
acid. Trainers at the camp also recommended inserting cyanide
gas into the
intake vents of buildings to ensure the maximum number of causalities.
They also taught apprentices how to mix poisons with oily substances
and
smear them on doorknobs so those who touched them would be killed by
toxins
absorbed through the skin.
The collaborator reported that 50 to 100 people were at the camp at
any given time, with many nationalities involved (from Jordan, Algeria,
Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Germany, France, Turkey and the Chechnya
region of Russia.)
Law enforcement authorities are investigating whether additional
attacks using crop-dusters or hazardous chemical tankers were planned.
They
have issued warnings to police to guard against the hijackings of such
vehicles.
Though the cyanide used in mining would be transported in briquet
form, it could easily be converted by adding water to form cyanide
gas or
liquid, both deadly.
Wisconsin Tribes Given More Authority to Question Mining
A federal appeals court has rejected the state of Wisconsin's
challenge to the Sokaogon Ojibwe Tribe's authority over water within
the
Mole Lake Reservation near Crandon.
The court upheld EPA regulations implemented by the Clinton
administration to treat the tribe as a state under the Clean Water
Act.
The appeals court affirmed a lower court decision.
In 1995, the EPA granted the tribe "Treatment-As-State" (TAS)
status under the federal Clean Water Act, in a decision challenged
by State
Attorney General James Doyle.
"Because the Band has demonstrated that its water resources are
essential to its survival, it was reasonable for the EPA," wrote Judge
Diane P. Wood for the majority, "to allow the tribe to regulate water
quality on the reservation, even though that power entails some authority
over off-reservation activities."
Several states have tried unsuccessfully to challenge the EPA's
"treatment as states," or TAS, program. The program allows tribes,
like
states, to regulate air and water quality within Indian Country.
The U.S.
Supreme Court recently refused to hear several states' challenges of
TAS
air regulations imposed by several tribes.
All 1,850 acres of the Mole Lake Reservation are held in trust for
the tribe, so there are no non-Indian property owners impacted within
the
boundaries, but upstream or downstream non-Indian activities may be
impacts.
In particular, the tribe is downstream of the huge proposed Nicolet
Minerals mine, at the headwaters of the pristine Wolf River.
Nicolet
Minerals is a subsidiary of BHP Ltd., headquartered in Australia. The
company wants state, federal and local permits to mine 55 million tons
of
zinc and copper ore.
The Wolf River's most mine-impacted tributary could be Swamp Creek,
which flows from mine property into tribal lands and Rice Lake, then
on to
the Wolf River. If Swamp Creek becomes tainted with mine wastes,
the
tribe's wild rice beds could be harmed or destroyed, a major catastrophe
for the tribe. The tribe is expected to insist on an absolute
non-degradation standard for Swamp Creek, which could hamper mine
development.
In general, the tribal standards across the country are more strict
than the typical state or federal U.S. standards, so corporations are
adamantly opposed to the TAS program.
In the Mole Lake case, the court recognized that the tribe "is
heavily reliant on the availability of the water resources within the
reservation for food, fresh water, medicines, and raw materials."
For more information
- This Sakaogon Ojibwe case is online.
- Mole Lake water standards case -Midwest Treaty Network. Online:
- American Indian Environmental Office, EPA - http://www.epa.gov/indian
- Background on the proposed mine, http://www.treatyland.com
STATE OF WISCONSIN v. ENVTL. PROT. AGENCY, No 99-2618
(7th Cir. September 21, 2001)
http://laws.lp.findlaw.com/7th/992618.html
http://www.alphacdc.com/treaty/water.html
Attorney for Factory Farm Concerns
The legal group, Midwest Environmental Advocates, has hired a
new
attorney, under a two year fellowship position that funded funded by
the
National Association for Public Interest Law (NAPIL) and the Beldon
Fund.
During this time he will provide legal assistance to communities
affected by the environmental and economic impacts of factory farms
in
Wisconsin.
The approach is two-pronged: litigation under federal
environmental statutes and representation in the local land use planning
process. Before becoming a lawyer, he worked with the EPA
to help
rural communities provide safe and affordable drinking water, and he's
looking forward to helping groups in Wisconsin protect their water
quality.
Communities facing problems with livestock factories can contact
him for legal and technical assistance. Contact: Andrew
C. Hanson,
Attorney, Midwest Environmental Advocates, 22 E. Mifflin St. Suite
300,
Madison, WI 53703, ph: (608) 251-5047, fax: (608) 268-0205, website:
http://www.midwest-e-advocates.org
Bridging the Gaps between Science, Policy and Practice
The North American Lake Management Society's (NALM) 21st International
Symposium is coming to Madison, in November.
This conference will bring together top scientists and professionals
from North America and Europe; state, federal and local policy makers;
and
committed citizens to share information and experiences in the fields
of
lake, reservoir, and watershed management.
NALM, and the Wisconsin Association of Lakes, are committed to bringing
together the different groups of people who must work together to protect
and improve the quality of our waters, here and across North America.
The
Program
Planning Committee includes representatives from the UW-Madison Center
for
Limnology, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, UW Sea Grant,
University of Wisconsin Extension, Dane County Lakes & Watershed
Commission, and the Wisconsin Association of Lakes.
The Symposium will take place November 7 - 9, 2001 at the Monona Terrace
Convention Center in Madison. We expect nearly 1000 people to attend
this
three-day event, with workshops on the Tuesday before, and Saturday
following, the main conference. The location is walking distance to
the
great University of Wisconsin, the birthplace of limnology.
For more information and registration, go to:
www.nalms.org/symposia/madison/index.htm
"NALMS mission is to forge partnerships among citizens, scientists,
and
professionals. To foster the management and protection of lakes and
reservoirs for today and tomorrow".
www.nalms.org
The world is losing between 50,000 and 100,000 species every year -
the worst rate of extinction since the disappearance of dinosaurs
65 million years ago.
That's according to the distinguished conservationist Dr. Richard
Leakey, who said in a speech in South Africa that human activities
are
causing the deaths of species to accelerate. Unless this trend is reversed,
he said, the world could lose 55 percent of its species over the next
50 to
100 years. This rate of extinction is twice what Leakey estimated
only four years ago. "Such rapid catastrophic losses to biodiversity
have
happened before, and these catastrophes have always had far-reaching
consequences for the surviving species," Leakey said.
(from Defenders of Wildlife)
A recent agreement between Interior Secretary Gale Norton and
several conservation groups was good news for 29 vanishing plant
and animal species. The Bush administration promised quick action to
protect those species.
In exchange, the conservation groups agreed to stop suing Interior
for failing to abide by the law in designating critical habitat for
eight
species already listed as endangered. But, as Defenders of Wildlife
President Rodger Schlickeisen pointed out, politicians shouldn't use
the
deal as an excuse for failing to follow the Endangered Species Act,
and he
urged Congress to provide more funding for protection of imperiled
wildlife. "Because of funding shortages and bureaucratic delays, nearly
300
at-risk species have yet to be listed as endangered or threatened,"
Schlickeisen said. "The clock is ticking for these animals and
plants.
This temporary agreement doesn't address the longer-term funding problem
faced by the endangered species program."
A broad coalition of public-interest organizations has called for
Congress to support important programs to help farmers conserve
land and save wildlife.
Congress is debating the direction of farm policy over the next
decade. The proposed House farm bill dilutes many popular programs
that
provide subsidies for farmers to save their land as wildlife habitat.
The coalition is supporting legislation by Congressman Ron Kind of
Wisconsin that provides significant funding increases for conservation
programs. For more information, go to http://www.familyfarmer.org
Air Conditioning Energy Efficiency Standards
The Bush Administration is planning to roll back the new central
air conditioner energy efficiency standard (which had been started
by the
Clinton Administration), despite the clear need to conserve energy
in this
country.
Air conditioners draw more power than any other type of home
appliance. They are used most on hot summer days and drive up
electricity
demand, sometimes triggering power outages and often contributing to
severe
air quality problems.
"Conservation and energy efficiency are important elements of a
sound energy policy," states the President's energy plan. This
rollback,
however, takes the nation in exactly the opposite-and wrong-direction,
undoing an energy-saving measure already in place.
The 30% improvement in the air conditioner standard is a reasonable
increase and one that would contribute to a balanced solution to our
energy
problems. All major manufactures already market air conditioners that
meet
and exceed the new standard. This is the reason why a major
Wisconsin-based manufacturer, the Trane Company, was named EPA's Energy
Star Buildings Ally of the Year back in 1998.
Rolling back the standard to a weaker level will increase the
probability of heat-related power outages and exacerbate summertime
air
quality problems. Because of the rollback, dozens of expensive
new power
plants and transmission lines will be needed.
This standard is very important in Wisconsin, because we have few
truly hot days, yet the peak energy demands during those few days produce
the "consumer demand" for moreplants and powerlines.
What You Can Do
Please write a brief letter immediately to the U.S. Dept. of Energy
giving your opinion of the efficiency standards for air conditioners.
The
letters are needed by Monday, October 8.
Write to:
The Honorable Spencer Abraham
Secretary of Energy
US Department of Energy
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,
1000 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, D.C. 20585-0121
In your letter refer to:
Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products:
Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps
Docket No. EE-RM/STD-98-440
Put this at the letter's bottom (and include 2 copies)
cc: Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency David Garman
Dr. Michael McCabe
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