NY Times March 31, 2008
Here is our position on Broadwater, the quarter-mile-long floating energy barge in Long Island Sound that could supply New York and Connecticut with a billion cubic feet of natural gas a day — provided it wins regulatory approval, is built as planned and doesn’t get blown up by terrorists or sunk by market forces:
Let’s not.
It is not necessarily the most obvious call. But the benefit that Broadwater promises — convenient satisfaction of the region’s ravening energy appetite — is overcome by more pressing long-range concerns, like finally curbing the addiction to fossil fuels and preventing another industrial incursion into Long Island Sound.
Despite having been instantly and nearly unanimously condemned by public officials and environmentalists on both sides of the Sound, Broadwater has passed several tests since it was introduced in 2004. It is now up to New York State to determine whether the project meets environmental standards under the Coastal Zone Management Act and the Clean Water Act.
New York regulators and Gov. David Paterson may be the last hope for scuttling the project, although officials in Connecticut have promised federal lawsuits, too, if that is what it takes. The battle will certainly go on for a while. Anti-Broadwater activists have expressed serious doubts about whether the federal review of environmental impact was thorough enough. They have also raised credible doubts that the market will even support this huge commitment to new infrastructure.
Long Island Sound could probably survive the addition of a permanent industrial barge the length of four football fields, and fishing boats and pleasure boaters could probably learn to cope with gas tankers, and everyone could probably live with the remote possibility of a big gas explosion on the Sound. But it’s not worth the accumulation of these insults to the Sound and its stressed ecosystem. Natural gas is cleaner than oil or coal but still a globe-warming fossil fuel.
One crucial caveat remains: By steadfastly opposing this project over the gas industry’s insistence that the region needs it, Broadwater’s critics are committing themselves to bearing the cost of the cleaner, greener way. This means a serious commitment to energy conservation and serious investments in wind and solar power, and in retooling existing power plants for efficiency and cleanliness.
Monday, March 31, 2008
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Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Feds Approve Shell Broadwater: who are these five people?
Joseph T. Kelliher
In the late 1980s, Mr. Kelliher worked for the American Nuclear Energy Council, where he was responsible for nuclear licensing reform and various regulatory issues.
In the mid-1980s, Mr. Kelliher served on the staff of Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In the early 1980s, Mr. Kelliher worked at the law firm of Preston, Thorgrimson, Ellis & Holman. Mr. Kelliher has worked on energy issues for over 20 years.
Born: January 17, 1961.
Education: Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service, B.S.F.S., 1983; American University Washington College of Law, J.D., Magna Cum Laude, 1994.
Profession: Lawyer
Marc Spitzer
Marc Spitzer was nominated by President George W. Bush to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for a term expiring June 30, 2011.
Commissioner Spitzer was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and grew up in Philadelphia.
After graduation from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, he attended the University of Michigan, School of Law.
Suedeen G. Kelly
Suedeen G. Kelly is a Commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, who has served since November 2003. In December 2004, she confirmed to a second term that expires June 30, 2009. Previously she was a Professor of Law at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Prior to joining the faculty of the Law School, Ms. Kelly served as Chair of the New Mexico Public Service Commission, which regulated New Mexico’s electric, gas and water utilities. She had been a lawyer in the Office of the New Mexico Attorney General and with the New Mexico firm of Leubben, Hughes & Kelly. She also worked for two years in Washington, DC, upon her graduation from law school.
Education: University of Rochester, B.A. with Distinction in Chemistry and a J.D. cum laude from Cornell Law School. She is admitted to the bars of New Mexico and the District of Columbia.
Philip D. Moeller
Commissioner Philip D. Moeller was nominated by President Bush, and sworn into office on July 24, 2006, by Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, for a term expiring June 30, 2010.
Prior to joining Senator Gorton’s staff, he served as the Staff Coordinator for the Washington State Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications, where he was responsible for a wide range of policy areas that included energy, telecommunications, conservation, water, and nuclear waste.
Before becoming a Commissioner, Mr. Moeller headed the Washington, D.C., office of Alliant Energy Corporation. Prior to Alliant Energy, Mr. Moeller worked in the Washington office of Calpine Corporation.
Mr. Moeller was born in Chicago, and grew up on a ranch near Spokane, Washington.
He received a B.A. in Political Science from Stanford University.
Jon Wellinghoff
Commissioner Wellinghoff is an energy law specialist, with over 30 years of experience in the field. Immediately before joining the Commission, Commissioner Wellinghoff was in private practice where focused exclusively on client matters related to renewable energy, energy efficiency and distributed generation. While in the private sector he represented an array of clients from federal agencies, renewable developers, and large consumers of power to energy efficient product manufacturers and clean energy advocacy organizations.
Born: May 30, 1949.
Education: Antioch School of Law, Washington, D.C., JD, 1975; Howard University, Washington, D.C., M.A.T., Mathematics, 1972; and University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, BS, Mathematics, 1971.
Profession: Lawyer.
In the late 1980s, Mr. Kelliher worked for the American Nuclear Energy Council, where he was responsible for nuclear licensing reform and various regulatory issues.
In the mid-1980s, Mr. Kelliher served on the staff of Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. In the early 1980s, Mr. Kelliher worked at the law firm of Preston, Thorgrimson, Ellis & Holman. Mr. Kelliher has worked on energy issues for over 20 years.
Born: January 17, 1961.
Education: Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service, B.S.F.S., 1983; American University Washington College of Law, J.D., Magna Cum Laude, 1994.
Profession: Lawyer
Marc Spitzer
Marc Spitzer was nominated by President George W. Bush to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and confirmed by the U.S. Senate for a term expiring June 30, 2011.
Commissioner Spitzer was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and grew up in Philadelphia.
After graduation from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, he attended the University of Michigan, School of Law.
Suedeen G. Kelly
Suedeen G. Kelly is a Commissioner at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, who has served since November 2003. In December 2004, she confirmed to a second term that expires June 30, 2009. Previously she was a Professor of Law at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Prior to joining the faculty of the Law School, Ms. Kelly served as Chair of the New Mexico Public Service Commission, which regulated New Mexico’s electric, gas and water utilities. She had been a lawyer in the Office of the New Mexico Attorney General and with the New Mexico firm of Leubben, Hughes & Kelly. She also worked for two years in Washington, DC, upon her graduation from law school.
Education: University of Rochester, B.A. with Distinction in Chemistry and a J.D. cum laude from Cornell Law School. She is admitted to the bars of New Mexico and the District of Columbia.
Philip D. Moeller
Commissioner Philip D. Moeller was nominated by President Bush, and sworn into office on July 24, 2006, by Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, for a term expiring June 30, 2010.
Prior to joining Senator Gorton’s staff, he served as the Staff Coordinator for the Washington State Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications, where he was responsible for a wide range of policy areas that included energy, telecommunications, conservation, water, and nuclear waste.
Before becoming a Commissioner, Mr. Moeller headed the Washington, D.C., office of Alliant Energy Corporation. Prior to Alliant Energy, Mr. Moeller worked in the Washington office of Calpine Corporation.
Mr. Moeller was born in Chicago, and grew up on a ranch near Spokane, Washington.
He received a B.A. in Political Science from Stanford University.
Jon Wellinghoff
Commissioner Wellinghoff is an energy law specialist, with over 30 years of experience in the field. Immediately before joining the Commission, Commissioner Wellinghoff was in private practice where focused exclusively on client matters related to renewable energy, energy efficiency and distributed generation. While in the private sector he represented an array of clients from federal agencies, renewable developers, and large consumers of power to energy efficient product manufacturers and clean energy advocacy organizations.
Born: May 30, 1949.
Education: Antioch School of Law, Washington, D.C., JD, 1975; Howard University, Washington, D.C., M.A.T., Mathematics, 1972; and University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, BS, Mathematics, 1971.
Profession: Lawyer.
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