OHIO COAL IMPORTS

Ohio imports about 45 % of its coal (I've seen higher numbers, but this is a back-of-the envelope calculation) or about 24*10^6 tons per year (National Mining Assn.). At $40/Ton (EIA – Coal Prices and Outlook), we spend about one billion dollars annually on this coal. Since power plants are very inefficient, about 2/3 of this coal winds up as heat and as pollution spewing up the chimney. In other words, we waste over 600 million dollars per year on this imported damage to our pocketbooks and lungs.

EXAMPLE PRESS RELAEASE

(Previous Post 22 June 2011)

For Immediate Release

RIDE FOR TAX RELIEF PLANNED

The plain fact of the matter is that taxes are too high in Coventry. The poor are starving while the nobles are feasting on the fat of the land.

Many have been asking 'What can we do to relieve ourselves of this burden?'. Sadly, the only person who can help is good King Ethelred. But he is as-yet unready to act. He needs to be shown that the good people of Coventry are solidly behind tax relief.

Our own Lady Godiva has decided to arouse our people to action. She will ride her horse from the Cathedral to the Chapel at mid-day on St. Swithin's Day next. To show her solidarity with the poor, she will not wear her luxurious vestments. If enough people come to observe the ride, King Ethelred will get the message.

For further information contact Piers Ploughman at the Sign of the Unicorn.

- 30 -

A Gas Well Will Blow Up

ROUGH DRAFT

New technologies often run trouble-free for twenty or thirty years. But, from train derailments in the nineteenth century, to the Challenger space shuttle and the Three-Mile Island nuclear reactor in the last century, and the Gulf oil spill last year, disaster finally happens. The cause could be carelessness with successful equipment or stretching the technology too far or lax regulation or some of all three. Before a major accident, advocates talk of how safe and clean their technology is – such as we hear now about fracking to stimulate gas and oil wells. But drilling oil wells in the Gulf and gas wells on shore have similarities. One can freely predict a major gas-well explosion will follow the BP oil spill. There have already been small gas-well explosions (including one in Geauga County). They should serve as a warning.

EXAMPLE INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL

(Previous posting in this series - 07 July 2010)

From: Dorothy
To: Patty, Maxine, Laverne
Subject: Privatization of Yellow Brick Road
Date: Wednesday, June 22 2011

I spent an hour yesterday with Councilman Woodsman detailing the League's opposition to this plan. He supports us, but advised me that Councilman Scarecrow is adamant. Scarecrow argues that the road is too expensive to maintain and that the alternative is a tax increase. The Wicked Witch Development Corp plan for turning it into a toll road will go a long way towards solving the financial crisis that the city faces.

He further told me that Scarecrow is relying on citizen apathy to push this plan through. We have to come up with a plan to gather citizen support for us and a recommendation on alternative ways to eliminate the city's deficit. Councilman Lion is the swing vote; I am cautiously optimistic that he has the courage to stand up to Councilman Scarecrow, but he needs encouragement. We should meet with him quickly.

PHYSICS VS. METEOROLOGY

Several weeks ago I e-mailed the NPR program 'Science Friday' with a question. Particle physics experiments require huge amounts of electricity. Is the damage to the planet from the greenhouse gasses generated worth the knowledge gained?

I never got an answer.

VALUE OF OHIO GAS RESERVES

State Geologist estimates

16*10E12 cuft in State

@$4 per 10E3 cuft

= $4 billion value

Royalty typically -> 1/8

-> $500 million

State owns about 1% of land

-> $5 million

or about $500K per year

about what LSC estimates (HB133)

NATURAL GAS AND CO2 GENERATION

Recent technological advances have greatly increased our recoverable natural gas reserves. A great opportunity is opening for reduction of greenhouse gasses from electricity generation (pipeline natural gas releases only 57 percent as much CO2 as coal). The situation is quite different different for CNG (compressed natural gas) when used as a transportation fuel. CO2 releases are tabulated by The EIA (Energy Information Administration) as part of the 'Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gasses Program'. I have used Gasohol (gasoline with 10% ethanol) as the standard because it is the most common fuel, even if not so stated on the pump.

Percentage of CO2 release compared to Gasohol

Gasoline = 107%
E85 (gasoline with 85% ethanol, called Flexfuel) = 22%
CNG = 80%
Propane (a natural gas by-product) = 95%

note: EIA gives ethanol 100% credit for the CO2 absorbed during plant growth.