EPA - Threat to American Security

[Jaskalas]

America’s Power Grid at the Limit: The Road to Electrical Blackouts

Eight of the top ten of PJM’s all-time winter peaks occurred in January 2014. Heroic efforts by grid operators saved large parts of the nation’s heartland from blackouts during record-cold temperature days. Nicholas Akins, CEO of American Electric Power, stated in Congressional testimony, “This country did not just dodge a bullet―we dodged a cannon ball.”

Eighty-nine percent of the power scheduled for closure was needed to meet electricity demand in January. Not all of this capacity has replacement plans.

Without a return to sensible energy policies, prepare for higher prices and electrical grid failures.

A blackout. No big deal, right? A day or two without TV. You may not think you need electricity to survive. But peak electrical usage usually occurs during extreme weather. Hot or Cold. Neither are a good time to be without power.

Yet this past winter was extremely cold for the United States, and our power grid was pushed to the limit. We nearly suffer grid failure during the peak of winter, during record cold. That's a life threatening condition if you cannot heat your home.

The EPA has discretionary authority to jeopardize American energy security. Before next winter, their rules and regulations will close many US coal fire plants. To that effect, if we see the Winter of 2014 repeat itself, our electrical grid could fail as a consequence. The EPA could single handedly cost American lives.

As such, policy must be enacted to protect the American power grid from the EPA. To elevate the value of American lives over reduced carbon emissions where the two issues conflict with one another.

Latest Winter 2015 forecast is as follows:

You feeling lucky?

 

[Thebobo]

The EPA has discretionary authority to jeopardize American energy security. Before next winter, their rules and regulations will close many US coal fire plants. To that effect, if we see the Winter of 2014 repeat itself, our electrical grid could fail as a consequence. The EPA could single handedly cost American lives.

Because many are being switched over to natural gas

 

[HOSED]

What we need to do also is shutdown nuclear plants. In my area limerick is a disaster in progress as well as pending catastrophe. Childhood cancer rates WAY up, seismic activity monitors not working (it is built near a fault), no reports of peak radioactive releases (just averages). If gets a lot worse http://www.acereport.org/stop-limerick-now
Op A skeptic may see this as a way to deal with over population since a one child rule per family would not fly. (Or a means test)

 

[Newell Steamer]

Privatize the EPA.

Make them EPA, Inc. - they'll make the right decisions and moves that will benefit this country.

 

[Genx87]

Yes stop nuclear power, erect gas and coal plants. Also make sure to mandate "green" energy into the mix so people like Warren Buffet can make a lot of money while driving up energy costs for avg americans.

 

[Ken g6]

You know what kind of power tends to be plentiful on extremely hot days? Solar power.

You know what kind of power tends to be plentiful in blizzards? Wind power.

So let's build more solar and wind power.

It sounds like the biggest problem is that some plants get shut down in the winter because it's assumed they won't be needed. In Europe, peak electricity use comes in winter, not summer, and we may be moving in that direction. So they just need to keep generators available in the winter.

 

[Jaskalas]

Because many are being switched over to natural gas

This record cold could not be forecast when the EPA's plans were made. It is an unexpected challenge to the grid and to proceed with the plant closings / transitions now may be a serious mistake.

 

[Jaskalas]

You know what kind of power tends to be plentiful in blizzards? Wind power.

You didn't read the news.

Wind Turbines cannot provide electricity while frozen.

You'll cost lives if you depend on them in the winter.

 

[glenn1]

The peasants have no electricity? Then let them use their personal generators.

 

[K1052]

A lot of coal plants were already only marginally profitable, cheap NG and increasing environmental scrutiny (from all levels of government) have finally tipped the scales. Some will convert to NG and some will close if they are too outdated.

 

[Wreckem]

The industry knew the regulations were coming for well over a decade. They fought the regulations for over a decade and lost. The coal industry had plenty of time(and have made plenty of money over the years) to adapt prior to the regulations taking effect.

We should've been phasing out the older coal plants all along. They should have been replaced by natural gas plants all along. Right now and in the long term moving to natural gas and building more natural gas plants is FAR more sensible than continuing to use coal.

 

[Wreckem]

This record cold could not be forecast when the EPA's plans were made. It is an unexpected challenge to the grid and to proceed with the plant closings / transitions now may be a serious mistake.

The industry has had over 10 years to make changes.

 

[dmcowen674]

America’s Power Grid at the Limit: The Road to Electrical Blackouts
A blackout. No big deal, right? A day or two without TV. You may not think you need electricity to survive. But peak electrical usage usually occurs during extreme weather. Hot or Cold. Neither are a good time to be without power.

Yet this past winter was extremely cold for the United States, and our power grid was pushed to the limit. We nearly suffer grid failure during the peak of winter, during record cold. That's a life threatening condition if you cannot heat your home.

The EPA has discretionary authority to jeopardize American energy security. Before next winter, their rules and regulations will close many US coal fire plants. To that effect, if we see the Winter of 2014 repeat itself, our electrical grid could fail as a consequence. The EPA could single handedly cost American lives.

As such, policy must be enacted to protect the American power grid from the EPA. To elevate the value of American lives over reduced carbon emissions where the two issues conflict with one another.

Latest Winter 2015 forecast is as follows:
You feeling lucky?

America is a third world country now by design by the rich.

Third world countries blackouts are normal.

You are rich, you can afford a generator and fuel, the blackouts will not affect hardly any P&Ners except the poor working stiffs like me.

 

[feralkid]

Up next, Water Fluoridation: Healthy Teeth or Commie Plot?

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Up next, Water Fluoridation: Healthy Teeth or Commie Plot?

Worse, it being used to establish Government Mind Control

 

[Ken g6]

You didn't read the news.

Wind Turbines cannot provide electricity while frozen.

You'll cost lives if you depend on them in the winter.

Huh. Well, that's just a design flaw.

Ms. Vitek says workers are trying to find a way to prevent ice buildup from occurring again in the future.

And you'll cost lives if you depend on fossil fuels in the future.

"84,000 Lives Threatened By Sea Level Rise In New England" including many in New York City.

 

[Incorruptible]

The EPA needs to be abolished. It has far too much power and wastes too much tax dollars.

 

[Wreckem]

The EPA needs to be abolished. It has far too much power and wastes too much tax dollars.

It only has the power Congress has given it. What Congress giveth, Congress can taketh away. The issue is the majority of people support the EPA and its enforcement of the CWA and CAA, etc. The ESA has less support, but still a majority of people support it.

It spent $7.9BILLION in 2013 when the Federal Budget was $3.45TRILLION. If my math is correct(I might be wrong) thats .002% of the budget. That is a minuscule amount.

 

[Incorruptible]

It only has the power Congress has given it.

It spent $7.9BILLION in 2013 when the Federal Budget was $3.45TRILLION. If my math is correct(I might be wrong) thats .002% of the budget. IE: CHUMP CHANGE, more so when we are spending far more on military equipment the military says it doesn't need but Congress keeps forcing it on them.

Tell that to the taxpayers who are working hard to support these agencies. Military spending should be cut as well but this thread is about the EPA.

 

[Wreckem]

Tell that to the taxpayers who are working hard to support these agencies. Military spending should be cut as well but this thread is about the EPA.

The average tax payer supports the EPA. The average tax payer likes clean air and clean water. Honestly the EPA's enforcement(not regulations, but enforcement) is far to lax when it comes to punishing wrongdoers.

I don't think you understand what all the EPA does. About ~1/3 of their budget is used to help states improve sustainable water infrastructure.

 

[dawheat]

The EPA needs to be abolished. It has far too much power and wastes too much tax dollars.

And then what - trust companies to regulate themselves? Put the burden on state agencies that are already stretched beyond their abilities? It's funny that there are tons of examples recently that prove the above aren't suitable options.

 

[Incorruptible]

The average tax payer supports the EPA. The average tax payer likes clean air and clean water. Honestly the EPA's enforcement(not regulations, but enforcement) is far to lax when it comes to punishing wrongdoers.

I don't think you understand what all the EPA does.

More fearmongering. Does the average taxpayer support them killing jobs?

 

[Wreckem]

More fearmongering. Does the average taxpayer support them killing jobs?

Again you have absolutely no idea what all the EPA does. You have your narrow minded partisan view point that has NO BASIS IN REALITY.

And again the EPA does what it has been ordered to do by lawfully enacted legislation(some of their enforcement and regulations relating to said legislation are 20 years OVERDUE). More often then not they are forced to enforce said legislation because a court has ordered them to do so after being sued by environmental groups. They don't go all willy nilly doing this and that. Again your view point has NO BASIS IN REALITY.

 

[Jaskalas]

Up next, Water Fluoridation: Healthy Teeth or Commie Plot?

Worse, it being used to establish Government Mind Control

I take it neither of you care about American energy security, nor the threat it faces from Climate Change policy. Let us be clear, we have people telling us the grid will fail if we see a winter like 2014 again.

My argument is that the policy is wrong, and what the consequences will be.

 

[Jaskalas]

And you'll cost lives if you depend on fossil fuels in the future.

"84,000 Lives Threatened By Sea Level Rise In New England" including many in New York City.

Climate Change makes it okay for policy to jeopardize lives?

Our different priorities makes for a good explanation. Apparently not everyone agrees with the policy of energy security first.