ECO ALERT - 9/5/2011

On September 20, House Bill 1004 will come before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. This bill serves to better regulate the business of solar contracting. Currently, the State Board of Electrical Examiners is attempting to restrict the business of installing photovoltaic solar panels to licensed electricians. This attempt to monopolize the installation of solar panels would put out of work solar technicians with decades of experience in the field, as well
as drive up the cost of having solar panels installed. To combat this, State Senator Jennifer Benson has sponsored HB 1004, which would create a Solar Specialty Contractor license, to be administered by the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards. This bill is also co- sponsored by the Berkshires' State Senator Ben Downing and by North Berkshire State Representative Gailanne Cariddi.

There are several ways you can show your support for HB 1004. One is to sign a petition
started by Chris Kilfoyle at
http://www.masolarlaws.com/
signform.php. Another is to email your representative at either Benjamin.Downing@masenate.gov or gailann.e.cariddi@mahouse.gov encouraging them in their support of this bill. You can find a sample letter, plus more information on the bill and other steps you can take, at http://www.masolarlaws.com/

The State Department is currently weighing the pros and cons of extending the Keystone XL Oil Pipeline, which will connect Canada's "Tar Sands" to refineries all the way in Texas. The tar sands produce some of the world's dirtiest oil; between extraction and refining, tar sands oil emits about 20% more CO2 per unit of energy than conventional crude oil. The proposed pipeline would transport up to 700,000 barrels per day of oil into the United States. Not only would it harm the global environment by increasing CO2 emissions, it would also pass through the
Sandhills, a large wetland ecosystem in Nebraska, potentially threatening delicate habitat. In addition, it would pass over the Ogallala Aquifer, which extends through eight states and provides drinking water for two million people.

The State Department has been given authority over the pipeline because of its international nature. Many environmental groups have come out against the extension, including NRDC, The Audubon Society, and The Alliance for Climate Protection, and people concerned about the issue are being urged to write to
Secretary Clinton. A heavy lobbying effort is obviously going on on the other side. There is currently a bill before the House that would force a decision on the pipeline by November 1. A grassroots action campaign led by environmentalist Bill McKibben has been protesting on the White House Lawn since August 20th to try to convince President Obama to reject the proposal. Short of getting arrested on Pennsylvania Avenue, though, you can still help by writing a letter to the State Department. Here's a sample letter, from Change.org:

Dear Secretary Clinton,

I am writing to express my deep concern about the proposed TransCanada Keystone Pipeline. If built, this pipeline would pollute our air and water, contribute to climate change, and lock us in to decades of further dependence on oil.
This pipeline will transport oil extracted from tar sands, one of the dirtiest sources of energy in the world, across America's heartland. This pipeline will carry dirty fuels that contribute to climate change even more than conventional oil. According to the most recent analysis used in your Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, the greenhouse gas emissions from tar sands will be 17% higher than lighter crude over the life cycle of the fuels. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that a warming climate will mean devastating consequences for the global economy and human welfare.

We do have a choice. Instead of building a pipeline across America that will harm our environment and endanger our future, we can invest in clean energy solutions that are available today. New vehicles with better gas mileage are already using less oil and saving consumers money at the gas pump. I know your administration is committed to addressing the
climate crisis and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. With the next generation of vehicles and other clean energy technologies, we can reduce pollution, create millions of new jobs, and end our reliance on oil. No matter what, the impacts this pipeline would have on our climate are too clear and too strong to ignore.

Because of the devastating impacts of the pipeline that are detailed in your Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, I strongly urge the Department of State to deny approval for this pipeline and support efforts to build a clean energy future.