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Concerned Citizens of Platte County, Inc. (CCPC)

August, 2007 Newsletter

Contents






Events



KCPT Channel 19 - The Heat is On: The Warming of KC, - Thursday, August 2, 7:30pm. Hosted by Nick Haines. Scientists, business leaders, citizens and policy makers evaluate the metro's response to global warming and take a critical look at some of the solutions being considered.Guests will include Dennis Murphey, KCMO, Phelps Murdoch, Bridging the Gap, Pete Levi, KC Chamber of Commerce, Jim Twigg, Overland Park, Susan Brown, CCPC, Frank Drinkwine, Sierra Club, Bill Riggins, KCP&L, Dennis Patton, K-State, Dr. Jimmy Adegoke, UMKC, Dr. David Braaten, KU, and Lynn Hinkle, 10,000 Rain Gardens.

The Burning Question: Solving Our Energy Problem, Community Discussion Forum, - Thursday, August 9, 6pm, Johnson County Central Library, 9875 W. 87th St., Overland Park, KS 66212, Register: 913-495-2497 or kcscienceinc.org.

2007 Trivia Challenge - Thanks to everyone that participated. We'll need a bigger room next year! The winners were a team from Kansas City - Claude and Karin Page, Liam Daly, Rich Noll, and Larry Stice. We also honored Jim Plunkett and Melissa Hope for their service to protect children's health and for supporting our organization.

The Green Show - Was cancelled. I'm so sorry if anyone tried to attend.

Concerned Citizens of Platte County Meeting - Sept.16 - 6pm - Power Plant Restaurant in Parkville. Address is 2 Main St., Parkville, MO 64152.

Ozark Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Expo - Sept. 22-23 - Les Bourgois Winery, Rocheport, MO (Near Columbia) - www.ozarkre.org.

Clean Air Challenge 5K Run/Walk - Sept. 29 - 8am. Benefits the American Lung Association. Hear speakers on how we can reduce air pollution. Entertainment includes Radio Disney, music and food. Cost: $25 for run. Free for walk. Loose Park, Kansas City, 816-841-5242 x. 1109.


Energy Efficiency Legislation in MO - 2008



We hope Missouri will pass Energy Efficiency Legislation in the 2008 session. Our utilities have no incentive to help us save energy and become more efficient. In fact, they have financial incentives to produce more and more power. This legislation will give them the same incentive to implement energy efficiency programs for their customers, as they have to build new power plants. We are working with a broad coalition of groups to see that this happens. If you or your group are interested in endorsing this effort, contact me at sbrown816@gmail.com.


Federal Legislation - The Energy Bill



The Energy Bill will likely hit the floor of the House this week Monday, July 30 or Tuesday, July 31. Please call your reps and request a true Renewable Energy Standard (RES) to encourage more wind and other renewable energy and higher Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for automobiles to encourage higher fuel economy. To e-mail your reps visit http://www.uspirg.org/.





Headlines



Coal's Doubters Block New Wave of Power Plants, From coast to coast, plans for a new generation of coal-fired power plants are falling by the wayside as states conclude that conventional coal plants are too dirty to build and the cost of cleaner plants is too high. Citigroup downgraded the stocks of coal-mining companies last week, noting that "prophesies of a new wave of coal-fired generation have vaporized." Wall Street Journal, 7/25/07

Ameren Launches Green Pricing Program, A study has yielded the first confirmation that global warming is already affecting the world's rainfall patterns, bringing more precipitation to northern Europe, Canada and northern Russia but less to swathes of sub-Saharan Africa, southern India and Southeast Asia. Nature, 7/26/07.

ITC Commits to building north half of Kansas transmission project, ITC Great Plains, LLC, a subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., advised Southwest Power Pool, Inc., (SPP) of its commitment to construct, own, operate, and maintain the northern portion of SPP's " Plan," a 180-mile long transmission project that calls for the installation of a line commencing northeast of Dodge City, Kan., and running southeast to Comanche County, Kan., where the transmission company will construct a new switchyard. This project is important for wind energy transmission. Wind Energy Weekly, 7/27/07


Platte County Update



Platte Profile- Platte County has started the process to update the long-range plan for the county. The team will meet over the next 6 months with adoption by the commission slated for early 2008. Last month we decided on the 8 goal areas - New this year is an Environment goal area! Focus groups of interested citizens will meet twice - once in August and once in Sept. Two public meetings are slated for October and March. Visit www.platteprofile.com for more info.

Green Build- The Platte County Green Build committee continues to meet monthly with a goal of a final ordinance proposal this fall. The meetings are open to the public. Next meeting is at the County Commission Meeting Room, 2nd Floor, August 9 at 3:30pm.


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