ENSP 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Renewable Energy, Nuclear Power, Bird Migration
Natural'gas'
US'is'a'major'producer'
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Increasingly'large'part'of'our'energy'portfolio'
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Has'helped'to'reduce'GHG'emissions'(switch'from'coal)'
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Hydraulic'fracturing'
Crack'shale'rock'that'releases' natural'gas'
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Moat'water'intensive'way'to'create'energy'
§
Pros'-Less'emissions'of'CO2,'other'pollutants,'no'coal'ash'
Abundant'resource'here'in'the'US'
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Jobs
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Bonuses'and'royalties'to'land'owners'
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Cons'-Can'emit'methane'in'production'process,'more'potent'than'
CO2
Process'uses'high'volumes'of'water'
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Land'and'transportation'changes'
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Potential'EJ'concerns'
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Potential'for'increased'seismic'activity
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Process'may'contaminate'surface'and'groundwater'from'fluid'
in'well'and'flowback'
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Energy'Policy'Act'of'2005'-exempts'the'process'of'hydraulic'
fracturing'from'regulation'under'SDWA'
"Haliburton'loophole"
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Because'of'exemption,'most'regulation'occurring'at'state'
level'
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Flowback'from'well'that'is'discharged'into'waters'is'regulated'
under'CWA'or'if'injected'underground'regulated'under'the'
SDWA'
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§
EPA'did'a'study'of'fracking'effects'in'2016
Its'hard'to'tell'if'drinking'water'has'been'contaminated'
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New'regulations'for'fracking'on'federal'lands'(3/2015'
Strong'cement'barriers'between'the'well'and'water'zones'
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Public'disclosure'of'chemicals'used
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Trumps'BLM'is'fighting'this'in'court'
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State'regulation'-disclosure,'permitting,'moratorium,'bans'
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§
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Renewable'energy'v'clean'energy'
Renewable'-can'replenish'itself'indefinitely'-solar,'wind,'biomass,'tidal,'
geothermal
Renewable'Portfolio'Standards'(RPS)'in'many'states'(MD'25%'by'
2020)
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Lessons'learned'from'Cape'Wind'as'offshore'wind'is'developed'in'
MD'
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Offshore'wind'
Pro'-renewable,'clean,'energy'security,'jobs,'long'term'
solution,'creation'of'artificial'reefs'for'fish'and'wildlife
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Con'-visibility,'aesthetics,'fish'and'wildlife'impacts,'
navigation,'radar'and'flight'paths,'tourism'and'property'
values,'cultural'resources,'increase'in'rates
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Cape'Wind'(2001)'-first'offshore'wind'farm'off'of'Nantucket,'
strongest'wind'available'near'US'but'people'are'opposed''-
currently'delayed'in'lawsuits'and'NEPA'EIS'was'inadequate'
ESA'biological'opinion'was'also'inadequate'
®
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Alternative'energy'siting'-NIMBY,'highly'valued'landscapes'v'clean'
energy'source,'immediate'localized'sacrifice'v'long'term'collective'
concerns,'which'results'in'greater'mobilization,'approvals'and'
permits,'NEPA/ESA
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Clean'-not'harmful'to'the'environment'
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Species'protection'v'renewable'energy'
Impact'of'wind'and'solar'on'energy'
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Migratory'Bird'Treaty'Act,'ESA,'NEPA'
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Should'renewable'energy'projects'be'subject'to'the'same'requirements'
as'other'projects'that'affect'wildlife?
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Migratory'Bird'Treaty'Act'(1918)'-protects'all'birds'from'people
"The'MBTA'provides'that'it'is'unlawful'to'pursue,'hunt,'take,'capture,'kill,'
possess,'sell,'purchase,'barter,'import,'export,'to'transport'any'migratory'
bird,'or'any'part,'nest'of'egg'of'any'such'bird.''Take'is'defined'in'
regulations'as'pursue,'hunt,'shoot,'wound,'kill,'trap,'capture,'collect,'or'
attempt'to'pursue,'hunt,'shoot,'would,'kill,'trap,'capture,'collect"
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Nuclear'power'-chances'of'meltdowns'are'remote'but'there'is'a'question'with'
pollution'and'storage,'cleaner'alternative'to'fossil'fuels'
Pros'-No'GHG'emissions'or'other'air'emissions'from'f=plant'cleaner,'tech'
available
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Cons'-radiation'use,'water'use,'heated'water'impacts'on'species,'impacts'
of'uranium'mining,'disposal'
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Actual'v'perceived'risk'-experts'don’t'rank'it'as'risky'as'the'public'does'
We'fear'it'because'we'don’t'know'much'about'it'and'they'gain'a'lot'
of'media'coverage'when'accidents'happen'
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Fukushima'-2011'-high'radioactive'release
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Some'plants'are'closing'because'it'is'expensive'to'operate'and'there'is'a'
stigma'against'them'
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New'plant'construction'halted'by'bankruptcy'filings'
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Energy'Policy:'Fracking'and'Renewables
Thursday,'May'3,'2018
9:31'AM
Document Summary
Has helped to reduce ghg emissions (switch from coal) Pros - less emissions of co2, other pollutants, no coal ash. Cons - can emit methane in production process, more potent than. Process may contaminate surface and groundwater from fluid in well and flowback. Energy policy act of 2005 - exempts the process of hydraulic fracturing from regulation under sdwa. Because of exemption, most regulation occurring at state level. Flowback from well that is discharged into waters is regulated under cwa or if injected underground regulated under the. Epa did a study of fracking effects in 2016. Its hard to tell if drinking water has been contaminated. New regulations for fracking on federal lands (3/2015. Strong cement barriers between the well and water zones. Renewable - can replenish itself indefinitely - solar, wind, biomass, tidal, geothermal. Renewable portfolio standards (rps) in many states (md 25% by. Lessons learned from cape wind as offshore wind is developed in.