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Carbon sequestration seminar at CSUB Wednesday

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:04:47 PDT

Here's a news item that will be running in tomorrow's paper about a seminar on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) being held at Cal State Wednesday.

Kern is expected to be a major player in the development of this technology, which is considered to be one of the key means of reducing worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. We have at two CCS projects planned for this area right now.

An emerging technology to capture carbon emissions and store them in underground rock formations as a way to combat global warming will be the topic of a seminar held at Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday.

Geoffrey D. Thyne, a research scientist at the University of Wyoming’s Enhanced Oil Recovery Institute, will give a talk on the economic, scientific and engineering challenges of carbon sequestration starting at 4 p.m. in Science Building III, room 108.

The talk will address the environmental and financial aspects of this new technology, as well as how it can benefit from enhanced oil recovery techniques already in use by the petroleum industry.

The event is free and open to the public.

Major dairy rule to be temporarily lifted

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:33:58 PDT

We had a story in today's paper about a lawsuit brought by a group advocating tougher air pollution enforcement on dairies that's resulted in the temporary suspension of a major pollution rule.

Below is a press release from the air district distributed this morning.

It's a complicated issue but what's happening is that the groups arguing for tougher rules for dairies are advocating for this rule to be suspended -- even though it could mean an increase in emissions during the summer smog season -- so a better rule can be developed.

The air district's executive director says the group has the right to try to push for a better rule but they could have agreed to leave the existing one in place in the meantime.

Here's the text of the press release:

Environmental lawsuit will stop enforcement of tough regulations on Valley dairies.

Legal complaint will result in release of smog-causing emissions

At its April 16 meeting, the Air District will set a May hearing date to set aside its ground-breaking rule regulating emissions from dairies and other confined animal facilities.

Rule 4570 (Confined Animal Facilities), which covers about two-thirds of the confined animals in the air basin (including dairies and poultry houses), was adopted in June 2006 and has required affected facilities to use waste- and feed-management practices to reduce the release of contaminants into the air.

The District estimates reductions in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) of 9 tons per day are equivalent to removing 1.3 million passenger cars from Valley roads. Additionally, the rule has resulted in reducing about 100 tons per day of ammonia and 200 tons per day of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

The cost of complying with rule was estimated at $26 million.

In July 2006, the Association of Irritated Residents (AIR) filed a lawsuit challenging the rule on a number of substantive issues and one procedural matter relating to the adequacy of the staff report on the public-health impact of the rule. The group’s legal challenges are summarized as follows:

* Failure to perform a health effects analysis.

* The rule did not address all the necessary pollutants.

* The rule did not require Best Available Retrofit Control Technologies.

* The District double counted and overstated the expected emissions reductions.

Trial and appellate courts rejected AIR’s main arguments relating to the rule adequacy and the projected reductions in emissions. However, The Fifth Appellate District Court reversed a lower court decision and ruled that the District’s staff report did not sufficiently address the public health impact of the rule. At the request of AIR, the court has ordered the District to set the rule pending its completion of the health assessment analysis.

“We are disappointed that Bay Area attorneys representing AIR rejected our proposal to leave the rule in place and continue the progress that we have made in significantly reducing dairy emissions,” said Seyed Sadredin, the District’s executive director and air pollution control officer. “Setting the rule aside at the peak of the Valley’s ozone season is not in the best interest of the Valley residents.”

To minimize the impact of this rollback, the District is asking the dairy industry to voluntarily comply with the rule.

“The Valley’s agricultural industry has been integral in the air basin’s progress toward cleaner air. However, given the current state of economy and the historically low milk prices, I’m afraid that some dairies may take advantage of the relief that this rule revocation would provide,” Sadredin said. “This rule is the most stringent dairy rule in the nation and has served a model for other regions throughout the state.”

District staff will recommend to the District’s Governing Board at its May meeting to set aside the rule’s enforcement until a health study has been completed. The Board will then consider the health study at its June meeting to decide whether to readopt the rule in its original form or to direct staff to begin the public process for amending the rule. The District has already prepared a draft health assessment that is available for public review and comment.

The Valley Air District covers eight counties including San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and the Valley air basin portion of Kern. Visit www.valleyair.org <http://www.valleyair.org> to learn more.

How are local businesses going green?

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:21:08 PDT

The following will be running in The Californian over the next few days. If you know any businesses that fit the bill, please contact me. We'd really like to highlight what environmental initiatives are underway in our local business community.

Thanks for your help!

Has your company gone green?

With Earth Day approaching, The Californian would like to hear from local business and organizations that have invested in ways to reduce pollution, waste or energy and water use.

It doesn’t matter how big or small the change, as long as it has some noticeable impact on the environment.

Has your company installed solar panels or an efficient lighting system? Have you committed to buying recycled products, purchased hybrid vehicles for the company fleet or cut down on product packaging?

If so, please contact environment reporter Stacey Shepard at 395-7272, or sshepard@bakersfield.com. Companies and organizations that contact us may be featured in an Earth Day story.

Two condors shot recently on Central Coast

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:44:24 PDT

Just received this press release from the Center for Biological Diversity:

$30,000 Reward Posted for Capture of Shooter

SAN FRANCISCO— The Center for Biological Diversity has established a $30,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who recently shot two California condors. Although both condors remain alive, it is uncertain whether either will ever be able to return to the wild.

“These are senseless crimes, and we are hopeful that the establishment of this reward will help investigators find the person or people responsible,” said Adam Keats, director of the Center’s Urban Wildlands Program. “Shooting these birds hurts us all — from the folks who have worked so hard to bring the condor back from the brink of extinction to everybody who has ever seen one of these giant birds soaring in the California sky.”

The Wendy P. McCaw Foundation of Santa Barbara has pledged $25,000 of the total reward, which was posted after the California Department of Fish and Game announced that biologists found a juvenile female condor, “#375,” suffering from lead poisoning and with three shotgun pellets lodged in her wing and thigh. This discovery came just three weeks after biologists found condor “#286” with 15 shotgun pellets lodged in its body. Both condors were part of the flock located near Big Sur and the central coast of California.

“These are the actions of a depraved individual who should be brought to justice,” said Adam Keats. “The California condor is a powerful symbol of the wild — one our children and grandchildren deserve to experience as more than a footnote to history.”

The California condor is listed as an endangered species and is protected by both federal and state law. Condors were in decline most of the 20th century, dipping as low as 25 birds in the mid-1980s. Since then, a valiant captive-breeding effort has seen condors released in Pinnacles, Big Sur, and southern California near the Tehachapi Mountains. More than 85 condors now fly free in California skies. Condors have also been released in Arizona and Baja California in Mexico.

Condors proved particularly susceptible to lead poisoning, which they get from the ingestion of lead fragments from hunter-shot lead ammunition. In response to this, California mandated the use of non-lead ammunition in all condor range in 2008.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting should call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 916-414-6660 or the California Department of Fish and Game's CalTIP Program at 1-888-dfg-caltip.

More information on the California condor is available at: www.savethecondors.org <http://www.savethecondors.org/> .

Get a free smog test at BC Saturday

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:45:24 PDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                        Contact: Cristina Dayton
March 26, 2009                                                                                  (916) 204-6715

Free Emissions Testing Hosted at Bakersfield College
Non-profit Group Hosts “Tune In & Tune Up” Event to Encourage Car Cleanups!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHEN:            Saturday, March 28th from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

WHERE:         Bakersfield College, 1801 Panorama Drive, Parking Lot on the corner of Haley and University

WHAT:            Free emissions testing and repair program hosted by Valley CAN (Clean Air Now), the Advanced Transportation Technology and Energy Initiative (ATTEi) Center, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), and Bakersfield College. A tailpipe emissions test will be conducted in minutes with an emission testing device. If necessary, vehicles will proceed to the FREE on-site diagnostic station for an under the hood check. If the vehicle does not pass the emissions test, Valley CAN will provide a coupon for up to $500 worth of emission related repairs at a local Gold Shield certified smog shop. No paperwork or reporting is part of this process!

**At 10:00 a.m., a representative from Congressman Roy Ashburn’s office and a representative from Senator Dean Florez’s office will be available for media interviews.**

Participants also may qualify to participate in the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Consumer Assistance Program (CAP). DCA may pay for up to $500 in emission related repairs to qualified motorists. Or, in exchange for their polluting vehicle, qualified participants may receive $1,000!

MAXIMUM 500 VEHICLES WILL BE TESTED. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.

FREE HOT DOGS and SODAS for all participants!

Valley CAN is proud to sponsor a car clean up effort to help reduce pollutants generated by “out of tune” and “high polluting” cars in the San Joaquin Valley. The Valley is home to a large number of older cars, many of which do not pass smog check. The Tune In & Tune Up program helps vehicle owners take voluntary steps to improve air quality. For more information please visit: valley-can.org

----- This email is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. Dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail or the information herein by anyone other than the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error or would like not to receive future emails from Porter Novelli, please immediately notify us by forwarding this email to PostMaster@PorterNovelli.com.

Organic food: Is it worth it?

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:33:22 PDT

I'm working on a story for this weekend on ways people can reduce their spending on food while still staying healthy. One of the first bits of advice offered by a UC Davis food expert I talked today was to cut out organic products.

"That's an arena that has a pretty hefty premium, around 25, 50, even 100 percent" more than conventionally-grown food, said Christine Bruhn, a consumer marketing specialist.

She added: "Keep in mind that organic is a marketing program and it's about the style of production. It does not relate to safety, the environment or nutrition."

The value of the organic label has been topic following Michelle Obama's announcement last week that an organic garden was being planted on the White House lawn. The New York Times had several stories this week about the value of organic food. A couple good ones are:

Mark Bittman, a food writer, on how organic food "offers no guarantee of eating well, healthfully, sanely, even ethically."

A news story about the fact that the Georgia peanut factory implicated in the salmonella outbreak had organic certification.

I'm one of those people who does buy some organic food. It started out with lettuce and fresh vegetables but lately I've also started buying organic olive oil, chicken and even chicken broth. I drew the line this past weekend, though, as I reached for the carton of organic eggs and realized they were double the price of regular eggs.

To be honest, I'm not sure now what to think about organic. For some reason, it feels good to buy organic but other times I do wonder if I'm just a sucker for a good marketing tactic. Still, I'll probably stick to the $4 organic greens I usually buy. I started purchasing them after reading that some foods retain more pesticides than others, lettuce being one of them. Plus, the quality of the organic lettuce is far superior to the store's other options.

But when it comes to other organic products, I may just start taking Christine Bruhn's advice and go for price over label. Anyone else have thoughts on this issue?

Save on energy-saving computer accessories

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:48:59 PDT

If you're in need of a new router or storage enclosure for your home or office computer or network, head over to www.dlinkshop.com.

D-Link, a digital electronics developer and manufacturer issues this press release today about its sale on energy-saving products:

"D-Link is helping customers keep a little more green in their pockets on this St. Patrick's Day -- Tuesday, March 17 -- by offering a 10 percent discount on all green energy-saving technology products including switches, routers, and storage enclosures.

D-Link, as the first company to introduce green technology to computer networking, is offering this special pot o'gold savings to celebrate its expanded leadership role in the development of energy-saving products and initiatives.

This lucky offer will last one day only at local computer retailers or D-Link's vast network of value-added resellers, solution providers and distributors, so tell your readers, listeners, or viewers to head on over to www.dlinkshop.com and everything will be hunky dory."

According to the company's site, D-Link Green devices "are designed to help conserve energy, protect our environment from harmful substances and reduce waste by using recyclable packaging."

Happy shopping.

Some areas of Kern ablaze with wildflowers

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:00:33 PST

Here's a bright spot (literally) in an otherwise gloomy time.

The wildflowers are in bloom and it looks like it's going to be a great season!

Alison Sheehey, a wildlife expert who lives in the Kern Valley, sent this photo taken yesterday of the hills blossoming with poppies and Fiddlenecks. She says the Kern River Canyons is "blazing" just above the power plant.

Closer the Bakersfield, you can see splashes of orange from Panorama Drive to Hart Park, Sheehey says.

Last year, we put up an interactive map on bakersfield.com so people could post their wildflower sightings. I'm hoping to get that back up soon so stay tuned. We will also run a map of good wildflower locations in the paper. Check for it sometime next week.

In the meantime, please post your sightings here and feel free to send me pics to add to this post at sshepard@bakersfield.com.

Here's some other ways to get local wildflower information:

Kern County Wildflower Hotline: 322-WILD (Activates March 1)

Alison Sheehey’s Wildflower Report

California Wildflower Hotsheet

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve

Carrizo Plain National Monument

Red Rock Canyon State Park

Death Valley National Park

Duraflame sues over fireplace rule in Bay Area

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:12:23 PST

Duraflame has filed a lawsuit against a fireplace no-burn rule adopted by the Bay Area air pollution district in July.

The company claims its fire logs don't produce as much pollution as wood logs, and therefore shouldn't be banned on no-burn days. The company also says labeling requirements under the rule are burdensome. Apparently, the logs must carry a label urging consumers to check the day's no-burn status.

The San Joaquin Valley air district's fireplace rule has been in place since 2004. I don't believe it has the label requirement.

Have you ever wondered, why don't we do that here?

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:01:03 PST

I remember hearing once that some communities on the Central Coast had banned drive-thrus at fast food restaurants, banks, etc. to cut down on idling vehicles and the pollution they create. And I immediately wondered, especially in light of the air pollution problem in Bakersfield, why haven't we done that here?

So, I wanted to ask, have you ever heard of something another city or community has done to improve/protect the environment, reduce greenhouse gases or promote energy efficiency and wondered, why aren't we doing that here?

Another example would be curbside recycling -- something almost every other community in the state incorporates as part of their standard trash collection program. But not Bakersfield. Here, you have to pay if you want a separate recycling bin and pick-up.

If you think of something, please post it here. I might like to look into some of these issues and find the reasons for why they aren't being done.

New rules may mean carpooling, biking to work

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:15:07 PST

Valley air regulators are drafting a new rule that will require companies with more than 100 employees to reduce employee driving to and from work. Starting next year, businesses will have to come up with ways to cut down on the number of people driving alone to work each day — and may face penalties if they don't accomplish the goal.

Employers will likely tackle this through incentive programs — anything from offering cash to those who carpool to allowing employees to work from home one or several days a week. Companies will also be encouraged to provide more on-site services, such as mail drop-off, ATMs and the dry cleaning services, to reduce driving done during lunch breaks. (The Californian already offers dry cleaning. Bring your dirty clothes to work, they'll send it off to be cleaned and return it to you a few days later.)

What do you think of this rule? Is it a good idea or unfair? What kind of incentives would it take for you to bike, carpool or take the bus to work?

What to do while visiting Bakersfield/Kern County?

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:51:54 PST

This is an off-topic post as it doesn't relate to the environment but I'm hoping our faithful blog readers can help me out.

I've lived in Bakersfield for almost three years now and my parents are making their first trip here to visit me in March. (They live in upstate New York.) We have a couple weekend trips planned to the Central Coast and Yosemite but there will be about 4 to 5 days during their stay when I'll be working and they'll be on their own. I'm looking for some ideas for day trips and things they could see and do in the area (say within a 2 hours drive) during that time.

I'm sure you've all had guests come to town at one time or another. What did you take them to see? I have some ideas, such as a trip to Sequoia National Forest, maybe a visit to CALM. But I'm sure there's some hidden treasures around the area I don't know about. So please bombard me with your suggestions!

In these times, how important is the environment?

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:08:21 PST

The New York Times reports that a recent Pew Research Center poll shows concern for global warming and the environment has dropped as more people worry about jobs, the economy and the nation's energy problems.

The story says concern about global warming ranked last in a list of 20 issues voters were polled on. About 30 percent of people ranked global warming as the most pressing national issue this year, compared with 35 percent last year. Protecting the environment in general has slipped from 56 percent of people rating it a top priority last year to 41 percent this year.

That doesn't seem to be affecting the new president, who today signed an order asking regulators to act quickly on reconsidering applications by states, including California, to set their own standards for greenhouse emissions from vehicles. The request was rejected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Bush Administration.

The graphic to the left shows the full breakdown of where issues ranked in the poll.

Where does the environment rank on your list of most pressing issues?

Properly placed trees cut home utility costs

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:42:33 PST

Planning to plant trees near your home in the near future? If so, make sure they go on the west or south side of your house, according to this new study by the Pacific Northwest Research Station of USDA Forest Service.

Doing so could bring down your summertime electrical costs by an average of $25 a year.

Here's the full press release:

PORTLAND, Ore. January 5, 2009. A recent study shows that shade trees on the west and south sides of a house in California can reduce a homeowner’s summertime electric bill by about $25.00 a year. The study, conducted last year on 460 single-family homes in Sacramento, is the first large-scale study to use utility billing data to show that trees can reduce energy consumption.
        “Everyone knows that shade trees cool a house. No one is going to get a Nobel Prize for that conclusion,” says the study co-author, Geoffrey Donovan. “But this study gets at the details: Where should a tree be placed to get the most benefits? And how exactly do shade trees impact our carbon footprint?”
         Donovan, a research forester with the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station, is a co-author of the report with economist David Butry of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology. The report, “The Value of Shade: Estimating the Effect of Urban Trees on Summertime Electricity Use,” has been submitted for publication to the journal Energy and Buildings.
        The researchers chose to do their study on homes in Sacramento because of the city’s hot summers and the fact that most people use air conditioners. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District operates an active tree planting program and residents are eligible for up to 10 free trees annually through a program delivered in partnership with the Sacramento Tree Foundation.

Some of the study’s key findings are:

Placement of a tree is the key to energy savings. Shade trees do affect summertime electricity use, but the amount of the savings depends on the location of the tree.

Trees planted within 40 feet of the south side or within 60 feet of the west side of the house will generate about the same amount of energy savings. This is because of the way shadows fall at different times of the day.

Tree cover on the east side of a house has no effect on electricity use.

A tree planted on the west side of a house can reduce net carbon emissions from summertime electricity use by 30 percent over a 100-year period.

In 2007, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District gave its customers about 16,000 free trees (at a cost of $85.00 a tree). The district will recoup this investment in 26 years provided trees are planted on the west side of a house.

“Because homeowners experience virtually none of the carbon benefits of tree planting,” says Donovan, “a subsidy to encourage tree planting seems warranted. Indeed, many of the benefits of urban trees have been shown to spill over to others in the community.”

Ban leaf blowers?

Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:06:20 PST

Driving through Westchester on my way to work this morning, I saw something you rarely see anymore: a man clearing leaves from his lawn with -- gasp -- a RAKE!

I wished I pulled over and thanked him. Usually what you see is someone wielding an obnoxious leaf blower stirring up a mini dust storm in the process.

Leaf blowers are used year-round but they've been especially prevalent in recent weeks. Maybe that's why I've heard so many people complaining about them lately.

While interviewing Bakersfield resident Trudi Williams on the phone last week regarding her annoyance at not being able to use her fireplace during a recent string of no-burn days, she noted that "as we speak another leaf blower is going in my neighbor's yard."

Why, she wondered, was burning prohibited when these things were spewing dust all over the place?

She made a good point, too. Most of the time, they just push crap from someone else's property onto your own.

"I'm sorry, I know this isn't what we're talking about," she told, " but they a personal peeve."

We know she's not alone in that.

I, too, have a special disdain for these buggers. One day, the entire rack of washed dishes in my apartment was doused in dirt when the landscaper passed by an open window with blowing away at full power. A couple months ago, I had to dash through a swirling cloud of dust when The Californian's landscapers were using one to blow dirt and garbage out of the parking lot.

I'm sure leaf blowers make life easier for landscapers but are they truly necessary? Have the broom and the rake really become antiques when it comes to lawn care?

Recently, I asked the head of the San Joaquin Valley Air District, Seyed Sadredin, why leaf blowers aren't considered polluters, and therefore regulated in some fashion.

Sadredin said the district had studied the issue but determined the gas-powered engines aren't a significant source of emissions and the dust clouds contain large particulates that settle rather quickly.

But he acknowledged leaf blowers are "nuisances" that are "ripe" for city or county ordinances.

"People always bring it up at public meetings," he said. "Our advice has been that cities and counties have to look at local ordinances."

So what do you say ... would banning leaf blowers be a ridiculous intrusion by government into our personal lives or does it sound like a reasonable idea?

T. Boone Pickens' Wife Adopts 30,000 Wild Horses and Burros

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:36:42 PST

Here's a heartwarming story for any horse-lover like myself. Apparently, Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens' wife is going to adopt some 30,000 wild mustangs and burros now in federal holding pens.

The animals are rounded up yearly when the wild herds become overpopulated, or too large for the land to support. The Bureau of Land Management has an adoption program for the horses but with the number swelling to tends of thousands in recent years, it has been tough to find homes. Federal officials recently began mulling euthanasia. That's when Madeleine Pickens came forward.

Here's a story I wrote this summer about a Tehachapi man who trained one of the mustangs as part of an effort to find the horses homes.

No-burn season starts Saturday

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:17:45 PDT

Residents are reminded to check the daily burn status before lighting their fireplace, woodstoves or outdoor chiminea starting Saturday.

From November through February, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District prohibits indoor and outdoor residential burning when air quality is poor.

The rule applies to the valley portion of Kern County and the Frazier Park area. Homes with no natural gas service or where wood-burning is the sole source of heat are exempt.

The daily burn status can be found by calling 1-800 SMOG INFO, visiting www.valleyair.org/aqinfo/WoodBurnPage.htm, or by subscribing to the Daily Air Quality Forecast e-mail at www.valleyair.org/lists/list.htm.

High-speed rail: Thumbs up or down?

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:59:09 PDT

Considering the various economic crises we now face -- state budget issues, global credit crunch, recession, etc. -- how will you vote on Proposition 1A, the high-speed rail bond on Nov. 4?

I asked this question a couple months ago and think about 8 of the 10 respondents said yes. But a lot has changed on the economic front since then, as noted above.

Opponents say this is even more reason not to approved the bond measure. Will the government and private investors really fork over the $20 billion that's being counted on to fund the rest of the project?

But supporters say we shouldn't be scared off by these questions. For one thing, we're not asking for all the money now. Chances are, we won't the bulk of it for three to 10 years from now. And a lot could change in the economy during that time. They also say that if we don't get started on high-speed rail, it will only become more expensive to build in the future.

So what do you think? Yea or Nay?

Sex, Drugs and Oil: bureaucrats gone wild

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:09:15 PDT

There's a lot of news this week, with Hurricane Ike threatening the Houston area and non-stop Sarah Palin coverage, but this is not be missed.

Several reports given to Congress Wednesday documented an incredible tale of bureaucrats gone wild that's been going on within a Department of Interior agency that collects royalties on oil and gas production.

The New York Times had a pretty powerful story on it. Here's an excerpt:

The report says that eight officials in the royalty program accepted gifts from energy companies whose value exceeded limits set by ethics rules — including golf, ski and paintball outings; meals and drinks; and tickets to a Toby Keith concert, a Houston Texans football game and a Colorado Rockies baseball game.

The investigation also concluded that several of the officials “frequently consumed alcohol at industry functions, had used cocaine and marijuana, and had sexual relationships with oil and gas company representatives.”

And some more:

The report also detailed cozy relationships between energy companies and other officials in the royalty-in-kind program office. Some 19 officials — a third of the staff — took gifts from oil and gas executives, some with “prodigious frequency,” it said.

On one occasion in 2002, the report said, two of the officials who marketed taxpayers’ oil got so drunk at a daytime golfing event sponsored by Shell that they could not drive to their hotels and were put up in Shell-provided lodging. Two female employees “engaged in brief sexual relationships with industry contacts,” the reports’ cover memo said, adding that “sexual relationships with prohibited sources cannot, by definition, be arms’ length.”

It's quite an astonishing report. One part especially stood out to me. This line from the New York Times story:

One of the reports says that the officials viewed themselves as exempt from those limits, indulging themselves in the expense-account-fueled world of oil and gas executives.

Made me wonder, is this how oil company executives behave?

We've got our fair share of them here. Can anyone provide us with some insight?

Senate sludge meeting abruptly canceled

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:38:19 PDT

A U.S. Senate Committee briefing on the safety and science of land applying sewage sludge this morning was canceled at the last minute.

Staff for the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee, chaired by our own Sen. Barbara Boxer, said the hearing was called off after the committee learned late last night of a legal issue one of the witnesses is involved in related to sludge. Staff said the meeting was called off to ensure the focus of the hearing was the U.S. EPA's sludge spreading program and not a particular legal case.

The cancellation comes after another last-minute switch earlier this week when committee Democrats downgraded a planned hearing on the issue to a briefing. The focus of the briefing was to be the science and safety issues related to EPA's sludge program.

EPA had declined to participate, however.

Committee staff said a briefing or hearing will be rescheduled for next year.