Energy

Port of Albany expansion to create jobs, contribute to green initiative, but buried coal ash has local residents concerned for environment

Spotlight News – DISCOVER GLENMONT: Port of Albany expansion to create jobs, contribute to green initiative, but buried coal ash has local residents concerned for environment

The burned a lot of coal at the Bethlehem Steam Station between 1955 and 1980, although because the plant lacked pollution controls, probably the bottom ash is less toxic then modern plants.

Farm fields to solar facilities

There are some that would like a massive conversion of farm fields to industrial solar facilities

I think this is a terrible idea. Farm land, while working land producing crops to feed humans and livestock 🐮🐷🐔 is still largely wild green space home to many common wildlife need as part of the mixed land cover that sustains them.🌲🌽🌾☘

Agriculture tills the soil, spreads manure, plants and harvests the ground. 🚜 But all but a handful of hours a year is mechanical farm equipment on the land. Some chemicals are used like nitrogen fertilizer or herbicides but for the most part the land is natural and green, soaking up carbon dioxide and providing habitat for a wide variety of animals. Fields are minimally driven in by tractors to minimize soil compaction, often worked with duals to spread the weight of the tractor.⚫ Proper aeration and fertility can take generations to achieve and can be quickly destroyed by heavy equipment.🚚

In contrast, industrial solar is a full industrialization of the land. 😎🏭Years of gently cared for soils risk compaction. Land that once was rural and agricultural will become industrialized and potentially toxic. Green landscape and dirt are replaced silicon panels.

I don’t have a problem with homeowners and businesses going solar by putting panels on their buildings 🏢 but I don’t like the idea of turning green fields 🌾 into the industrial solar facilities.

Farm Field At Enterance

Europe threatens U.S. with carbon tariffs to combat climate change – POLITICO

Europe threatens U.S. with carbon tariffs to combat climate change – POLITICO

MADRID — European countries frustrated by inaction on climate change are taking a lesson from President Donald Trump’s trade wars — and threatening carbon tariffs on laggards like the United States.

By imposing tariffs on goods from the U.S. and other countries that lack tough climate policies, the Europeans would help their own industries avoid being handicapped by the EU’s greenhouse gas efforts. But if they hit the U.S., they would risk a worsening trade war with the Trump administration, which has already threatened hefty tariffs on goods such as French champagne and German autos over a range of competition disputes.