and of course we can't have a global warming/pollution related discussion without mentioning our very own power company . . . you guessed it, Dominion.  Their ability to pollute extends to Massachusetts and beyond. 

Just take a glimpse at this article that appeared in the Boston Globe yesterday,

A Boston-based environmental advocacy organization is calling for the owner of what the EPA calls the state's two highest-polluting power plants to step up emissions controls at its Salem coal-fired facility.

The push follows the release of the Environmental Protection Agency 's 2005 Toxic Release Inventory , which measures the amounts of pollutants emitted by fuel-burning plants. That report, released last week, named coal-burning Brayton Point in Somerset and Salem Harbor Station as the worst polluters in the state, emitting more toxic chemicals than the next three highest polluters combined.

The Salem plant's emissions increased 37 percent over 2004 levels, according the report. Advocates at the Conservation Law Foundation say the increase points to a need for better environmental controls at the plant.

Dominion Energy , the Virginia-based power conglomerate that bought both facilities in 2005 , defended its environmental policies, saying both plants are operating well within federal and state laws governing emissions.

Well, isn't this an ironic twist.  As I have mentioned, facing potential shareholder outrage, Dominion changed the location of their annual shareholder's meeting, usually held in Virginia, to Boston on April 27th (Intercontinental Hotel at 9:30AM). Is this a sign that Dominion is trying to move closer to its new market in the Northeast?  Apparently, and this just reinforces the need to contact Dominion and tell them NO POWER TOWERS. 

Has anyone been following the investigations into the altering of science reports done by the Administration?  It hasn't gotten much media attention either when it happened (it originally came out in June 2005) nor the recent testamonies in front of Waxman's committee.  But, the now former Chief of Staff on the Council on Environmental Quality was found to have edited science reports to convey doubt on global warming (he was not a scientist either).  I don't think this is the last we'll hear of it.  I think they're now investigating Cheney's office for involvement in this issue (you know, that secret Energy committee he formed).  Go Waxman!

http://thinkprogress...

...these haven't gotten much, if any, media attention and that's because every time they chase this rabbit down a hole there's nothing at the other end but some kook with a beef.  Everything needs to be looked at but sooner or later the media quits listening to the "wolf" cries.

I think it's more a matter of there's just too much to cover.  The media needs to pick and choose which investigations to follow and there's just so many valid investigations going on.  This one is a clear case of the facts being altered to match the policy instead of the policy being written to match the facts.  And that is exactly what was revealed under testimony.  It follows a clear pattern of the Administration making up the "truth".

the Court ruled unanimously that the government has the right to force polluting power plants to buy new anti-emissions technology. It affects my neck of the woods and the power plant in Carbo.

Seems that Virginia's GHG Executive Summary offers insight (and hope) that folks in Richmond are serious about GHG (Green House Gas) emissions.

From the Executive Summary:

"CO2 emissions per person in Virginia are still substantially above those found in most other industrialized countries. Controlling global warming will require reducing the CO2 emission and increasing its sequestration, both of which can be accomplished in Virginia. Reducing CO2 emissions can be achieved with increased efficiencies in various sectors of the economy.
Improvements in energy efficiency have great potential to reduce CO2 emissions, as demonstrated over the last 30 years with improvements in building construction, appliance performance, vehicle fuel efficiency, etc."

The Summary can be found here:
[http://www.deq.virgi...]