Month: October 2010
Efficiency partnership considered in the Falls
CUYAHOGA FALLS: City Council will discuss tonight whether to buy into a program that will help residents and businesses become more energy efficient.
A three-year subscription to the energy-efficiency program through American Municipal Power Ohio would cost the city-run utility $1.8 million.
Vermont Energy Investment Corp. would provide the services.
Falls Service Director Valerie Wax Carr said if council votes to buy into the program, Vermont Energy Investment would guarantee a savings of about 5,000 megawatt hours a year over 12 years. That would equal about $250,000 a year in savings.
Vermont Energy Investment would act as consultants and administer energy-efficiency programs for residents and businesses of AMP in the Falls.
The nonprofit energy corporation already oversees Efficiency Vermont.
full article – http://www.ohio.com/news/105157159.html
VPR Poll Finds Vermonters Favor Shutting Down Vermont Yankee, School Consolidation
Vermont Yankee: Tritium turns up again
By Susan Smallheer
Rutland Herald
Published: Saturday, October 09, 2010
VERNON, Vt. — Radioactive tritium has showed up in a new area at Vermont
Yankee: 200 feet deep in bedrock in a former drinking water well at the nuclear reactor.
The news, which Entergy Nuclear disclosed to state regulators Friday afternoon, was a surprising development, said William Irwin, radiological health chief for the Department of Health, despite the fact that the 360-foot-deep well was only about 150 feet away from the original source of the radioactive leak.
Irwin said that hydrogeological tests and models led officials to believe the tritium was heading toward the Connecticut River, and not moving deep into the bedrock.
“One reason it was unexpected is the bedrock is so deep there, and the pressures of the well were upward,” he said. “Tests were indicating that there would be very little chance of tritium showing up in this well.”
The tritium was at low levels and was found in a bedrock fracture that fed into Entergy’s now-closed well at the construction office building. He said it was possible the tritium was found in the well as a result of cross-contamination from testing done on the well, but he said that would be hard to pinpoint.
Vermont Ski Area Ordered to Restore Wetlands
Release date: 10/12/2010
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017
(Boston, Mass. – Oct. 12, 2010) – A ski resort in Vermont has been ordered to restore wetlands and streams that were harmed when the resort discharged dredged and fill material into the waters during construction of its golf course in violation of the federal Clean Water Act.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last month ordered Jay Peak Resort, Inc. in Jay, Vt. to repair the damage done between 2004 and 2006 when it was building its golf course and discharged material without a required permit.
According to EPA,the construction company working for Jay Peak Resort placed dirt, sand and rocks into numerous wetlands and streams, affecting a total of 2.15 acres.
This case was brought to the attention of EPA by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the spring of 2008. Since then, the Corps and EPA have worked together in pursuing this case.
The affected streams on the site flow into Jay Branch Brook, which flows into the Missisiquoi River, and then into Lake Champlain.
article –http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/5896cd5e274eb985852577ba00689778?OpenDocument
Vt. Farm Plays Host To Cow Power Open House
NORTH TROY, Vt. — A Vermont dairy farm that turns cow manure into electricity is opening its doors for an open house Friday.
Chaput Family Farms, which began generating power that way Aug. 3, is expected to make about 1.6 million kilowatt hours’ worth a year, or enough to power nearly 250 homes.
On Friday, the family will join with officials of Vermont Electric Cooperative and Central Vermont Public Service to host an open house at the North Troy farm from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Farm tours, a free picnic lunch and information on renewable energy will be given.
Food for thought: Oak Grove School selected for program
By CHRIS GAROFOLO / Reformer Staff
Thursday October 7, 2010
BRATTLEBORO — The Vermont Foodbank has expanded its BackPack Program to Brattleboro’s Oak Grove School to provide nutritious foods to students.
Working through a rainy Wednesday afternoon, crew members of the nonprofit food bank unloaded the first shipment of backpacks and containers of individually packed bags of food as part of a nationally recognized program to meet the needs of low-income children on weekends and vacations when school lunches are not available.
The BackPack Program began in central Vermont two years ago and expanded to three schools in the Northeast Kingdom in 2009. This fall, Oak Grove and two Rutland schools were selected as part of the program’s expansion.
full article –http://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_16273624
VT Yank. Nuclear articles
Nuclear Plant Still Lobbying For New License
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/88921/
Monday, 10/04/10 6:06am
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP)
Shot down once, the owners of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant continue pushing for a second vote by state lawmakers for a license extension that would let the plant stay open past 2012.
But the owners have been less active than expected in donating to legislative candidates who might help them this year. Instead, they are pouring money into TV, radio and newspaper advertising, lobbying lawmakers and civic groups and supporting plant workers who stand to lose their jobs if it closes.
Vermont is the only state that has given itself the power to turn thumbs down to a re-licensing. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission typically has that authority.
Located in Vernon, along the banks of the Connecticut River, Vermont Yankee opened in 1972. It produces 650 megawatts of power an hour, half of which stays in Vermont, the rest going to other New England states.
Russian group visits Vt. to discuss decommissioning
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=13261452
South Royalton, Vermont – October 4, 2010
A group of Russian nuclear experts is paying a visit to Vermont this week to learn about decommissioning.
The Russian team of scientists, regulators and activists want to find out how state regulators, the government, industry and community groups work together in the decommissioning process.
This trip, hosted by anti-nuclear group New England Coalition, comes as Russia’s delegation works to develop plans for decommissioning their country’s older nuclear plants. Russian officials will meet with anti-nuclear groups and visit the Vermont Law School to meet with faculty and students in the school’s environment and energy programs.
The Russian delegation will not be meeting with officials at Vermont Yankee. The Vernon plant is at odds with regulators and lawmakers over whether it’s setting aside enough money to pay for its decommissioning.
The Russian group will also visit Massachusetts on this trip.
VT 4 Evolution 