Tuesday
Jun082010
ENE Releases APA Comprehensive Summary and Recommendations
Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at 1:24PM
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CDTTrek is an environmental project to raise money and awareness for pressing environmental issues. All funds raised will go directly to the non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization Environment Northeast (ENE). CDTTrek includes a 3,000 mile hike for ENE up the backbone of America on the CDT. Thanks for visiting and for donating; $5 donation suggested. Please feel free to sign the Guestbook. -Dave & Ori
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NEWS JOURNAL
The purpose of the journal page is to spread awareness about important environmental news that is relevant, and also give news on the important work ENE is doing to address environmental issues in our region. CDTTrek's progress will also be posted. Click here for Journal Archive.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at 1:24PM Friday
Apr162010
ENE is one of the Groups that applauds progress on senate climate and energy bill
Friday, April 16, 2010 at 4:54PM Environmental and climate groups applaud progress on senate climate and energy bill; will work to shape details
| Source: Natural Resources Defense Council
Mar. 22, 2010
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A number of leading environmental and climate groups issued the following statement today in reaction to a late Thursday meeting with Senator John Kerry on his bipartisan comprehensive climate and energy proposal:
“We are encouraged by the progress being made by Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman to craft comprehensive climate and energy legislation to bring to the Senate floor later this year.
“Their stated goal and commitment to a 17% reduction in carbon pollution by 2020 and an 80% reduction by 2050 represents the leadership needed by the US Senate to create jobs, increase energy security, reduce carbon pollution and protect public health. Legislative details are important, and are not settled yet, and we will be working closely with the senators, their staffs and others to make sure these details achieve the goals.”
The 20 groups issuing this statement are: The Alliance for Climate Protection, Environment America, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, Blue Green Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, Center for American Progress Action fund, Union of Concerned Scientists, National Tribal Environmental Council, ENE (Environment Northeast), National Audubon Society, Interfaith Power and Light, Conservation International, Defenders of Wildlife, Clean Water Action, The Wilderness Society, Climate Solutions, Environmental Law and Policy Center.
Wednesday
Mar312010
Portland Press Herald Article about Oriana and CDTTrek
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 2:10PM Below is an article from the Portland Press Herald of Portland, Maine about CDTTrekker and Maine resident Oriana and her fundraising project for Environment Northeast.
To see the full article on the Portland Press Herald website click here.
Fleming: Mountain trek is for a worthy cause
By Deirdre Fleming dfleming@pressherald.com
Staff Writer
Many people hike, bike, run or kayak to raise money for a cause, but not all create a Web site as an educational platform to further environmental issues on top of a 30-mile-a-day, four-month trek.
Oriana Farley, a former Hampden Academy track star, will embark on a trek of the Continental Divide Trail on March 29.
That's what former Hampden Academy track star Oriana Farley did with her boyfriend, David Madeira, in preparation for their thru-hike of the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail.
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail runs from Mexico to Canada along the Rocky Mountains and through five states. According to the Continental Divide Trail Alliance, which works to expand and improve the trail, roughly 70 percent of the trail is complete, while the remainder demands navigation and bushwhacking from willing hikers.
When Farley, 24, decided last year she wanted to hike the Continental Divide Trail before enrolling in law school this fall, she felt she also should give back.
With Madeira she built a Web site – www.cdttrek.com – to help raise $15,000 for their charity of choice, Rockland-based Environment Northeast. There is a good chance you've never heard of the nonprofit, and that is part of the reason Farley said they chose it.
Environment Northeast researches and advocates environmental solutions for a cleaner, more sustainable world with the aim of enacting policy and laws. The staff of 16 researches problems related to clean air, forestry and climate change as well as seacoast issues, pretty much all the environmental areas that affect Maine.
It was the perfect cause to champion, said Farley, a five-time state champion in track and field while at Hampden Academy.
"I think regardless of what we choose as a professional career, we all have a little environmentalist under it all, or we should," she said. "I think a lot of people my age are talking to friends and we're all having this realization that (the environment) is a pretty pressing issue at this stage."
In the past several months the two hikers became as much champions of ENE's work as they are fans of remote mountains and wild valleys.
"One of the exciting things, they're raising awareness about our work to a constituency that we don't have the capacity to reach out to. I think it is a group of people who care a lot about the kind of issues we work on," said Dan Sosland, executive director of Environment Northeast, which has one of the largest teams of climate and energy policy specialists in the region.
The group gets most of its funding from grants, Sosland said. The CDT-Trek team hopes to raise $15,000, but Sosland said it is their educational work that has struck a chord with his team of policymakers.
Sosland said the two hikers break down ENE's research work and present it in a conversational, fun way on their Web site.
"They took material about regulations and legislative fights and distilled it. They are able to say why it's important what we've achieved and why people ought to support us. They convey this excitement, we read it and then we get excited all over again at what we've done," Sosland said.
And it's only the beginning, Farley said.
On March 29 they'll leave from Hachita, N.M., to hike through mountains and parkland trying to make it to Canada by Aug. 10, while all along the way teaching others about ENE's work.
Farley has applied to law school and plans to go in August, which puts the two hikers on a tight schedule. They must hike an average of 30 miles a day as they trek through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.
Yet Farley said finishing the trail at this point is secondary.
That's what former Hampden Academy track star Oriana Farley did with her boyfriend, David Madeira, in preparation for their thru-hike of the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail.
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail runs from Mexico to Canada along the Rocky Mountains and through five states. According to the Continental Divide Trail Alliance, which works to expand and improve the trail, roughly 70 percent of the trail is complete, while the remainder demands navigation and bushwhacking from willing hikers.
When Farley, 24, decided last year she wanted to hike the Continental Divide Trail before enrolling in law school this fall, she felt she also should give back.
With Madeira she built a Web site – www.cdttrek.com – to help raise $15,000 for their charity of choice, Rockland-based Environment Northeast. There is a good chance you've never heard of the nonprofit, and that is part of the reason Farley said they chose it.
Environment Northeast researches and advocates environmental solutions for a cleaner, more sustainable world with the aim of enacting policy and laws. The staff of 16 researches problems related to clean air, forestry and climate change as well as seacoast issues, pretty much all the environmental areas that affect Maine.
It was the perfect cause to champion, said Farley, a five-time state champion in track and field while at Hampden Academy.
"I think regardless of what we choose as a professional career, we all have a little environmentalist under it all, or we should," she said. "I think a lot of people my age are talking to friends and we're all having this realization that (the environment) is a pretty pressing issue at this stage."
In the past several months the two hikers became as much champions of ENE's work as they are fans of remote mountains and wild valleys.
"One of the exciting things, they're raising awareness about our work to a constituency that we don't have the capacity to reach out to. I think it is a group of people who care a lot about
"It's not just us benefiting. It's us and ENE and our region, and our friends and family who live here. Hopefully, we will affect a larger number of people," she said.
Staff Writer Deirdre Fleming can be contacted at 791-6452 or at:
dfleming@pressherald.com
Wednesday
Mar312010
''Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go'' -TS Elliot
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 1:55PM It's a sweet ol'thing - blog article about CDTTrek
Kirsten Sims, our good friend from Edinburgh, Scotland, was very kind to write an article about our project in her environmental blog. Kirsten is an accomplished young environmentalist herself, and recently graduated from the University of Edinburgh's Environmental Sustainability graduate program with distinguished marks. Therefore making us feel even more honored to be included in website. Below is the article.
To see the article on Kirsten's blog It's a Sweet Ol' Thing click here.
Friday, 5 March 2010
A Tribute
I am going to write this post in tribute to two very special people - Oriana and Dave.
After completing university in Edinburgh and returning to the states, Ori and Dave, along with their two (it has to be said - absolutely gigantic dogs) began plotting their next adventure, in a Vermont farmhouse far far away...
When A letter popped through the post, and in it a little business card reading ''CDT Trek'', I thought I had an idea what had been brewing all these months. One check of the website, and , suspicions confirmed. Ori and Dave were going to trek to entire US continental divide trail, for Charity.
Thursday
Mar042010
ENE Contributes to Western Region Cap and Trade Program
Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 7:57AM Western Climate Initiative
Seven western states and four Canadian provinces have joined together to formulate a regional cap and trade system, the Western Climate Initiative.
Background
Well designed cap and trade programs can be very effective mechanisms for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. ENE played a leading role in developing the RGGI program in the northeast. ENE is contributing to efforts to recommend a federal program design, as well as tracking the development of other regional programs like the Western Climate Initiative.
The Western Climate Initiative (WCI) is similar to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, though it is larger in scope. WCI aims to take effect in 2012. It covers emissions of six greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydroflourocarbons, and perflourocarbons) from electricity generators, industrial facilities, fossil fuel combustion, and, beginning in 2015, transportation. Only entities with annual emissions greater than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) will be covered by WCI.
States and provinces participating in WCI are Arizona, British Columbia, California, Manitoba, Montana, New Mexico, Ontario, Oregon, Quebec, Utah and Washington.
The Design Recommendations for the WCI are available through the WCI Web site. Also see ENE's summary of WCI design recommendations and comparison of WCI and RGGI.
Tuesday
Mar022010
ENE's Climate Action in Maine
Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 12:14PM Maine Climate Action
Background
ENE was an official stakeholder in the Maine state climate planning process, serving on each of the four working groups and providing unique analysis on black carbon from diesel pollution, carbon storage estimates for targeted forest management practices, and straw proposals to adopt a variety of energy policies adapted from our Climate Change Roadmap for Connecticut that was published the prior year. The planning process culminated in the state’s 2004 Climate Action Plan. Subsequently ENE has advocated for several pieces of legislation and regulatory reforms emerging from the state’s Climate Action Plan, including policies in the energy, forestry and land use sectors. ENE is also a lead advocate involved in implementing the RGGI cap and trade program in Maine.
Action to mitigate climate change is a priority for Maine. ENE was an official stakeholder in the Maine state climate planning process that culminated in the state’s 2004 Climate Action Plan. Since then the state has initiated several pieces of legislation and regulatory reforms that advance the effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
As part of the effort to help the state achieve its climate change goals, ENE played a leading role in helping shape the state’s rules regarding implementation of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. ENE fought hard to ensure that 100% of the RGGI allowances (pollution permits) would be used for consumer benefit, and that the proceeds of auctioning RGGI credits (likely $10-25 million per year) would be deposited in the newly established Energy and Carbon Savings Trust. ENE has participated in dockets and rulemaking proceedings that will guide the administration of the Trust and the implementation of RGGI, with the goal of making the program effective and affordable for Maine energy customers.
ENE has also worked with the state to advance sector-specific policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. See the Maine Energy Reform and Forest Sequestration Project pages for more information about policy work in those areas.
Friday
Feb262010
ENE in New York Times Article about Massachussetts Energy Standards
Friday, February 26, 2010 at 11:55AM Massachusetts Sets Ambitious Energy Standards
Massachusetts state officials on Friday announced new energy efficiency standards for utilities that aim to be the most ambitious in the nation.
The plan calls for a statewide reduction of 2.4 percent in electricity use and 1.15 percent in natural gas use annually for three years. The savings are to be achieved largely through $1.6 billion in incentives for utility customers who take certain steps to conserve energy, like insulating their houses or replacing conventional light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones.
The reductions were mandated by the Green Communities Act, passed by the state legislature in 2008. But the bill did not specify the reduction goals or how they were to be reached. The State Department of Public Utilities approved the specifics late Thursday.
Thursday
Feb252010
ENE's Leading Role in the Northeast's Cap and Trade System
Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 11:48AM Federal Cap and Trade
Federal policymakers are committed to creating a nationwide cap and trade system to address the United States’ contribution to climate change and to build the foundation of the green economy that will fuel employment and economic growth in the years ahead.
Background
As an official stakeholder in the RGGI process, ENE has played a leading role in developing the northeast's cap and trade system. ENE is now reaching out to federal delegates from the northeast states to provide recommendations for developing an effective federal program. Along with other advocates, we coordinating meetings with administrative staff, industry representatives and other stakeholders from the northeast states to educate federal policy makers and their staff about the RGGI experience. Our recommendations focus on program design that will deliver strong environmental and consumer benefits and also coordinate with existing regional programs.
Saturday
Feb202010
Development's Carbon Cost
Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 1:44PM ENE Director Dan Sosland Weighs in on "Living on Earth" Show
To Listen to the Show Click Here.
"Converting land to new housing or commercial buildings can aggravate global warming. How much depends on what you measure. There are the emissions from heating and cooling of course, but some people also count the loss of trees, or even new, longer commutes. Now some states and local governments are starting to pressure developers to calculate the climate impact of their projects."
Wednesday
Feb172010
Article on CDTTrek's Fundraiser Event for ENE in YourVoice
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 7:56PM Press Release on Fundraiser in YourVoice paper of the Upper Valley
YourVoice is a weekly publication reaching 30,000 homes in the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire. This week's edition included a short piece about the Fundraiser Event we are hosting to benefit ENE on Friday, March 5th at the Upper Valley Events Center. The event was a feature article in YourVoice's "Off the Grid" Green section.
Download a PDF of the article. Or view it online here.
Tuesday
Feb162010
The Larger Effects of Planned Development on Moosehead Lake, ME
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 1:19PM Plum Creek Greenhouse Gas Assessment
Land use development and global warming are inextricably intertwined, and as pressure to limit GHG emissions increases, Northeast states cannot afford to continue building sprawling, conventional developments that depend on automobile and plane travel--without forethought for their impact on global warming.
In 1998 the Plum Creek Timber Company purchased 900,000 acres of Maine woods from a major paper company in the Moosewood Lake region of northwestern Maine. To raise awareness about the potential GHG impact of a megaresort planned for Maine's northern woods, ENE estimated the amount of CO2 emissions that the Plum Creek Timber Company's development would produce -- from land clearing, building energy use and transportation. Another goal of the assessment was to recommend solutions for reducing carbon emissions to help Maine meet the objectives of its climate action plan.
ENE's Plum Creek Greenhouse Gas Assessment is one of the first of its kind. Massachusetts is beginning to require developers to assess the global warming potential of their projects, and California is similarly developing guidelines for developers to follow.
ENE's assessment found that the resort would produce the following major sources of CO2 emissions:
- Forest Land Clearing: between 387,378 and 501,081 metric tons CO2, of which roughly half is emitted to the atmosphere (during development) and the other half is lost carbon storage potential over a 50 year period. The half that is emitted during development is roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of the oil-fired Wyman power plant in Yarmouth, Maine.
- Transportation: approximately 9,566 metric tons CO2 each year, equal to the annual CO2 production of approximately 1850 vehicles
- Building energy: at least 13,018 metric tons CO2 each year
Thoughtful design modifications could reduce these emissions and help achieve objectives of the state Climate Action Plan, as well as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and other state and regional policies. For example, clustering the residential units and decreasing the size of the lots could reduce the amount of land cleared up to 41 percent, yielding a corresponding drop in the amount of carbon dioxide emitted. Similarly, use of advanced building design could cost-effectively improve the energy efficiency of newly constructed buildings by as much as 50 percent.
Tuesday
Feb162010
Moosehead Lake Maine Proposed Development Assessed
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 1:15PM Plum Creek Greenhouse Gas Assessment - Background
Land use development and global warming are inextricably intertwined, and as pressure to limit GHG emissions increases, Northeast states cannot afford to continue building sprawling, conventional developments that depend on automobile and plane travel--without forethought for their impact on global warming.
In 1998 the Plum Creek Timber Company purchased 900,000 acres of Maine woods from a major paper company in the Moosewood Lake region of northwestern Maine. Six years later, Plum Creek submitted plans for the biggest subdivision in Maine’s history in a region encompassing the largest expanse of undeveloped woodland east of the Mississippi. The Plum Creek development proposal envisions a maximum of 975 residential units, 1050 resort units (a mixture of single-family units, townhouse and apartment style units), 2 resort lodges, 190 employee housing units and 100 affordable housing units built on approximately 20,000 acres.
Wednesday
Feb102010
The Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution is part of ENE's New England Diesel Initiative
Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 10:47AM Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution
Massachusetts has some of the worst diesel pollution in the country. To fight for cleaner air, ENE launched the Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution Coalition in 2006. Lead organizations include ENE, Alternatives for Community and Environment , Clean Water Action, Environment Massachusetts and neighborhood groups including Chelsea Four Corners, and NEON. The coalition is working to make diesel pollution clean up a top priority for policy makers in greater Boston and Massachusetts.
ENE attorney Sam Krasnow and MA Senator Jack Hart (pictured in back) joined with the Clean Air Task Force, and coalition partners at a diesel pollution monitoring event at a Boston elementary schoo
The Massachusetts Diesel Pollution Solution Coalition strives to:
- Raise public awareness about diesel pollution
- Build constituencies and organize experts to advocate for solutions to diesel pollution
- Provide expert technical and legal support to advance state and local policies to cut 75% of diesel pollution in priority fleets by 2010
- Collaborate with officials, fleet operators and community stakeholders to review, prioritize and publicize diesel retrofit opportunities and options
- Establish or expand laws, rules and programs that will achieve the 75% reduction goal
Friday
Feb052010
From ENE: ENE's New England Diesel Initiative
Friday, February 5, 2010 at 12:06PM ENE's New England Diesel Initiative
ENE established its New England Diesel Initiative in 2002 with the goal of significantly reducing health risks and global warming from diesel particulate matter emissions in New England. Exposure to diesel exhaust can cause serious cardiovascular and respiratory problems, including asthma, bronchitis, heart disease and lung cancer. More on health impact
Friday
Feb052010
From ENE: Health Impact of Diesel Pollution
Friday, February 5, 2010 at 9:59AM Health Impact of Diesel Pollution
Diesel exhaust is a likely carcinogen. It contains more than 40 hazardous pollutants listed in the Clean Air Act and is one of the largest sources of fine particulate matter (PM) in New England. Elevated PM levels trigger asthma attacks, are associated with the onset of heart attacks and premature deaths, and cost billions of dollars in health care expenditures and lost work days. In New England, the concern over diesel pollution is heightened as local populations struggle with an asthma epidemic.
To find out about diesel pollution in your community, go to Diesel & Health in America
Friday
Feb052010
Dirty Air Threatens Boston Commuters WBZ TV
Friday, February 5, 2010 at 9:37AM Dirty Air Threatens Boston Commuters
Reporting Mish Michaels
January 17, 2008
BOSTON (WBZ) ― There's a health concern for commuters driving into Boston that has little to do with speed or road rage.
The problem is in the air.
The problem lies with diesel fumes pouring out of vehicles, and it's taking a toll on our health.
Wednesday
Feb032010
"Generations" by TGR; a film about Climate Change
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 12:31PM Generations Trailer
Presented by The North Face in partnership with Protect Our Winters and Teton Gravity Research, Generations presents climate change through the perspectives of those for whom snowy winters have a deep personal and financial significance. Going beyond charts and numbers, the film humanizes and places into context, the debate on climate change by exploring the delicateness of winter and the intrinsic value of snow to people across generations and cultures.
This is a great video, especially for anyone who grew up skiing, grew up in the Northeast, or both. Click this link to watch the whole video off of Northface's website. Kudos to Northface for their work with Protect our Winters and other Climate Change and Energy initiatives. Their mission aligns well with ENE's work, which is to research and implement policy that will slow down climate change.
Tuesday
Feb022010
President Obama Calls for Clean Energy and Climate Legislation
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 10:14PM For those of you who missed the State of the Union Address, here are the excerpts from the address in video.
Thursday
Jan282010
State of the Union Address - Jan 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 12:45PM Excerpts from the Address
Relevant quotes from Obama's speech last night:
You see, Washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as the problems have grown worse. Meanwhile, China's not waiting to revamp its economy. Germany's not waiting. India's not waiting. These nations aren't standing still. These nations aren't playing for second place. They're putting more emphasis on math and science. They're rebuilding their infrastructure. They are making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs. Well I do not accept second-place for the United States of America.
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I know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change. But here's the thing -- even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy-efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future -- because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation.
click here for the complete transcript - courtesy of the Huffington Post
Monday
Jan252010
CDTTrek LOGO!
Monday, January 25, 2010 at 7:54PM CDTTrek is excited to have a new logo.
Development and Design by Evan Farley and Haley MacKeil.
Thanks to Evan and Haley for lending their artistic abilities. Check back to see some of their artwork in the Silent Auction!