New Jersey-based Covanta Energy Corp. struck out in previous tries in 2004 and 2010 to convince the New York Public Service Commission that its technology of burning waste to create electricity should qualify for renewable energy state subsidies.

The company was back at the plate on Thursday. Once again, it failed to get a hit, but didn’t strike out either.

Despite a recommendation by staff to reject Covanta’s request, the PSC decided to postpone action pending further study.

The Times Union reported that Acting PSC Chairwoman Patricia Acampora said she wanted more information about how other states and countries
view trash-burning as a renewable energy source. She ordered the Covanta
request set aside until further notice.

Howard Jack, an administrative law judge for commission, said pollution
emitted by the plants, while reduced in recent years, still remains
significantly higher than emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Covanta spokesman James Regan
said it was unfair to compare burn plants to coal-fired power plants.
He said burn plants have lower average emission than landfill methane
electric plants, and biomass, where fuel like wood is burned, Both of
those technologies already qualify for renewable energy subsidies.

Covanta operates plants in Dutchess County; in Nassau and Suffolk
counties on Long Island; in Onondaga County in central New York; and in
Niagara County in western New York.

Covanta is seeking
subsidies on new projects, not its existing plants, Regan said

A University of Michigan poll released today concludes that “Pennsylvanians have significant doubts about the credibility of the
media, environmental groups and scientists on the issue of natural gas
drilling using “fracking” methods.”

Those surveyed also believe the state’s governor, Tom Corbett, is too
closely aligned with companies involved in fracking in Pennsylvania,
which is on the front line of a growing national and international debate
about the industry.

The poll, one of the most extensive recent surveys on fracking, was
conducted by the Muhlenberg Institute of Public Opinion in collaboration
with the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of
Michigan.

It’s authors say the poll findings “raise serious questions about where Pennsylvanians
should seek credible information and leadership on an issue that is
becoming increasingly important to the state’s economy and environment.”

The Muhlenberg/Michigan poll found that 84 percent of those surveyed
strongly agreed that drilling companies should have to disclose the
chemicals used in fracking.

The survey also found that:

• 44 percent of those polled say they somewhat or strongly agree the
  media are overstating the environmental impacts of fracking, while 41
  percent say they somewhat or strongly disagree.
• 48 percent say they somewhat or strongly agree that environmental
  groups are overstating the impacts of the drilling, while 39 percent say
  they somewhat or strongly disagree.
• 34 percent say they somewhat or strongly agree that scientists are
  overstating the impacts of fracking, while 42 percent say they somewhat
  or strongly disagree.

There was also distrust in the government, with 60 percent saying
they either strongly or somewhat agreed that natural gas companies have
too much influence on Gov. Corbett’s decisions about regulating
drilling. Only 14 percent say they strongly or somewhat agree.

Despite the concerns and doubts, 41 percent of those polled say that
so far fracking has provided more benefits than problems to
Pennsylvania, and 33 percent say it has caused more problems. The survey
says 50 percent expect more benefits than problems in the future, while
32 percent expect more problems.

Click here to access a full copy (PDF) of the survey and related materials.

Interesting, isn’t it, that it takes a University of Michigan poll to document public suspicion about the “facts” surrounding fracking, while Penn State University reports have been highly supportive of the gas drilling industry.

[We recommend that you listen to This American Life’s Episode 440 GAME CHANGER Summary: “A professor in Pennsylvania makes a calculation, to discover that his
state is sitting atop a massive reserve of
natural gas—enough to revolutionize how America gets its energy. But
another professor in Pennsylvania does a different calculation and
reaches a troubling conclusion: that getting natural gas out of the
ground poses a risk to public health. Two men, two calculations, and two
very different consequence.”]

Penn State’s credibility has already been dealt a severe blow by the Sandusky child-abuse scandal.  The university’s next president should use the opportunity for ‘house cleaning’ to examine more than the credibility of the sports program.  He or she should also examine whether gas industry sponsorship of faculty and student research has become a threat to the university’s scientific impartiality and scholastic independence.  

Bob Hanna to replace Lee Solomon at the NJBPU
Lee Solomon leaving top NJBPU post for the bench


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