April 21, 2009 by Walter Schneider.

During the past few weeks some people asked me whether global warming is really happening, with the implication being, if it is truly happening, whether it is man-made (a.k.a. “anthropogenic”).

I am neither a climatologist nor a meteorologist.  Most certainly, aside from recording daily rain-fall amounts and temperatures over a considerable number of years when we were still farming, I have not been involved in climatological research or studies of long-term meteorological trends.  Still, what measurements I took somewhat improved my ability to predict short-term weather trends, so as to give me a slight edge over the unreliability of weather forecasts, for coming a little closer to accurately predict one-week weather trends.  That was important for planning the operations for harvesting hay, our main crop.  The advantages I gained more than paid me back for the effort it took to do the recording over the years.

One thing I found was that weather in our area generally happened in seven-day cycles.  I tried to determine what caused those cycles but was never able to accurately determine why that was so.  In the process of trying to find the answer to the question, I developed an active interest in climate and meteorological research.  During the course of that I found that we generally are being lied to, perhaps not deliberately, although some of the proponents of climate alarmism do have a vested interest in spreading climate alarmism and hype.  The more alarmism they create, the more money they stand to gain.

What I discovered from the work done by many eminent researchers (no, people like Al Gore and David Suzuki are not members of that community of researchers) is that, yes, there is global warming (as well as cooling), and that the warming and cooling happens in cycles that exhibit cyclical variations, over a few years and over hundreds, thousands and millions of years.  Those cycles have been happening over a period of time that stretches back for hundreds of millions of years.

And no, global warming is not or is only imperceptibly caused by man.  The extent of what man-made global warming exists or ever existed is so small that it can only be estimated, aside from local influences such as in someone’s house or in a city.

Some of the best explanations of what is at work with global warming in the short and long term have been put together by Roy Spencer, Ph.D., climatologist, author and former NASA scientist.  Roy Spencer’s latest updates of information on that are accessible at his home page, in an article called “Some Global Warming Q&A To Consider in Light of the EPA Ruling“.

That article contains a number of links to background information that should be looked up by anyone reading the article.  For instance, there is a link to a very revealing study report regarding the alleged imminent extinction of the polar bears.  The article identifies that without a doubt the polar bears will have no trouble surviving the alleged vanishing of the arctic sea ice, at the very least for the next 100 years or more.  They have done so before and will do so again.  Moreover, the article identifies that the categorization of a population of about 24,000 polar bears as being endangered is somewhat excessive, especially in view of the following.

Over 100 years, total polar bear numbers were projected to decline about 30% from 24,500 to 17,180. In 45 ears numbers declined about 17% from 24,500 to 20,405. For comparison, the National Wildlife Federation the largest conservation organization in the United States) supports ESA delisting Yellowstone grizzly bears with an estimated population of 600. The projected decline of polar bears and polar bear habitat is serious and should be taken seriously, however these results do not suggest polar bears are in danger of extinction in 45 years or even 100 years. One hundred years is well beyond the “foreseeable future” if the time machine is contemporary climate model (Serreze et al. 2007, DeWeaver 2007). [p. 21, 2nd paragraph]

That is all the more so if one considers that about 700 polar bears a year are being “harvested”, that is killed by hunting.

All in all, Dr. Spencer’s article provides a lot of food for thought for those given to rely on common sense rather than on alarmist hype.

Posted in Climate Change | Print | No Comments »

April 13, 2009 by Walter Schneider.

The Edmonton Journal
Edmonton,Alberta,Canada
April 13, 2009

Bruderheim families voice safety concerns over ‘dangerous’ plan
By Andrea Sands,

…Area homeowners are also worried that train cars carrying sulphur to and from the plant may derail. Debbie Bishop, a lawyer for FOLC, said residents don’t … (Full Story)

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Note by folc.ca: The article identified above discusses the concerns of FOLC (Friends of Lamont County) that county residents in the vicinity of a proposed sulphur-forming, -storage and -shipping facility to be built less than two miles east of the Town have, if the Natural Resource Conservation Board (NRCB) gives HAZCO permission to build the sulphur plant and storage facility at the intended location.

The sulphur storage will have a capacity of up to 90,000 tonnes.  That is the carrying capacity of approximately six sulphur unit-trains of a hundred cars each and six times the amount of sulphur that burned in the disastrous sulphur fire that harmed thousands of residents at the town of Macassar, South Africa, in 1995.  Macassar was located at a somewhat greater distance from that sulphur fire than Bruderheim is located in relation to the proposedHAZCO sulphur plant.

The NRCB hearing will be held during an estimated four-day interval at the Lakeview Inn & Suites, 10115 - 88 Ave, Fort Saskatchewan.  The hearing will begin at 9:00 a.m., April 14, 2009.

The NRCB hearing is crucial to the future of the people who live in Lamont County.  What is at stake is essentially whether Lamont County — at the very least the areas that have been rezoned Heavy Industrial, and the areas adjacent to them — will within the space of a few years become as devoid of residences as is the Industrial Heartland in Strathcona County.

HAZCO’s sulphur facility poses a threat to residents within a large radius from its location (including the residents of Bruderheim and Lamont).  That is what is at stake at the NRCB hearing beginning on Tuesday.

It is in the best interest of every single resident of our county to attend.  It is especially in the interest of the residents of Bruderheim and Lamont to attend.

A good number of concerns by Lamont-County residents have not yet been addressed satisfactorily.  It is our health, our lives and our wellbeing that is at stake.

Make sure you are there!

 Lakeview Inn & Suites

10115 - 88 Ave, Fort Saskatchewan,

April 14, 2009, 9:00 a.m.

The details of the concerns by FOLC can be looked up at this link.

More information about sulphur fires is accessible at folc.ca.

Posted in Energy Purchases, Fines & Penalties, Hazco, Sulphur-Related Construction Costs, Hydrogen-Sulphide, Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

April 11, 2009 by Walter Schneider.

The NRCB hearing of HAZCO’s application for the construction of a sulphur-forming, -storage and -shipping facility between Bruderheim and Lamont (less than two miles east of Bruderheim, SE of the junction of Highway 45 and Range Road 2002) will begin April 14, 2009 and last an estimated four days.

The location for the hearing: Lakeview Inn & Suites, 10115 - 88 Ave, Fort Saskatchewan

The start of the hearing: 9:00 a.m., April 14, 2009

Here is an important note by FOLC’s lawyer, Richard Secord, dated April 08, 2009:

…We heard back from the Board this afternoon and we have been given 2 hours to present our direct evidence.

Best regards,

Richard C. Secord, B.A., LLM

Barrister & Solicitor

The NRCB hearing is crucial to the future of the people who live in Lamont County.  What is at stake is essentially whether Lamont County — at the very least the areas that have been rezoned Heavy Industrial, and the areas adjacent to them — will within the space of a few years become as devoid of residences as is the Industrial Heartland in Strathcona County.

HAZCO’s sulphur facility poses a threat to residents within a large radius from its location (including the residents of Bruderheim and Lamont).  That is what is at stake at the NRCB hearing beginning on Tuesday.

It is in the best interest of every single resident of our county to attend.  It is especially in the interest of the residents of Bruderheim and Lamont to attend.

A good number of concerns by Lamont-County residents have not yet been addressed satisfactorily.  It is our health, our lives and our wellbeing that is at stake.

Make sure you are there!

 Lakeview Inn & Suites

10115 - 88 Ave, Fort Saskatchewan,

April 14, 2009, 9:00 a.m.

Posted in Town of Bruderheim, Community & Industry, Pollution: Health Issues, Hazco | Print | 1 Comment »

April 4, 2009 by Walter Schneider.

Calgary Herald

April 3, 2009

Oilsands giant must pay $850,000 after pleading guilty to environmental violations

By Hanneke Brooymans, The Edmonton Journal

Energy giant Suncor was handed the largest fine in Alberta history for environmental violations Thursday after pleading guilty in Fort McMurray provincial court to charges stemming from two different incidents.

The oilsands company was fined a record $675,000 for failing to install pollution control equipment at its Firebag facility near Fort McMurray, and for failing to tell Alberta Environment about the oversight.

The company was penalized another $175,000 for failing to properly supervise a camp operator that allowed inadequately treated wastewater to flow into the Athabasca River. The fines add up to $850,000….(Full Story)

Posted in Community & Industry, Pollution: Health Issues, Emission Incidents & Issues | Print | No Comments »

April 4, 2009 by Walter Schneider.

Tampa Bay Business Journal

April 3, 2009

Florida governor makes federal case out of ‘Chinese drywall’

By Michael Hinman, Staff writer

Gov. Charlie Crist is seeking federal help in dealing with the growing concerns over certain drywall used in homes throughout Florida, calling on both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to step in….(Full Story)

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Update 2010 09 07: The US Consumer Products Safety Commission has set up a Drywall Information Center that offers a large variety of information regarding the issue of the drywall problem, tests and remedial action.

In short, the problem exists, it is large and requires at times expensive remediation.  However, one of the most important pieces of advice regarding the drywall issue is contained in a Consumer Alert by the US Federal Trade Commission: Defective Imported Drywall: Don’t Get Nailed by Bogus Tests and Treatments, to which the CPSC Drywall Information Center established a prominent link on its home page.

Posted in Community & Industry, Pollution: Health Issues, Emission Incidents & Issues | Print | 1 Comment »