Water
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Someday this will be updated! |
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R&D
plan defines market-based pathways for managing and using natural
resources and internalizing externalities (October 2002)
WEEinfo is developing an R&D plan for EPRI
focused on accelerating the widespread adoption of ecological asset
(eco-asset) management to optimize utilization of energy and other
natural resources. The plan, being prepared in collaboration with
EPRIs technical experts in this emerging discipline, will
outline a robust program of research, experimentation, and communication
addressing the many fields that influence the resource management
philosophies of the public, the private sector, economic and political
institutions, and government agencies.
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Natural ecosystems regulate the Earths atmosphere, supply
lifes essentials, and otherwise harbor modern society. Eco-asset
management harnesses market forces to preserve, enhance, restore,
and create the natural capital that life itself depends upon. Its
foundation lies in institutions, policies, and instruments that
wed resource management and utilization with environmental quality
improvement. The intent is to create sound, efficient markets for
allocating the goods and services furnished by natural ecosystems.
Traditionally,
economic systems have valued only certain ecosystem products, such
as minerals, fuels, timber, and food. Ecosystem services, by contrast,
have had little, if any, market value, being treated as public goods.
Moreover, the negative effects of resource extraction and use on
the ability of ecosystems to continue providing essential goods
and services have been considered externalitiescosts imposed
on society.
Widespread
adoption of eco-asset management will begin the difficult process
of internalizing externalities by unleashing market forces on natures
account. This promises to optimize resource utilization, improve
public health, enhance quality of life, and steer global development
in a sustainable direction.
A
final EPRI report outlining priorities for public-private R&D
in eco-asset management will be issued in late 2002 or early 2003.
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CIREC
named key stakeholder in the Offshore Wind Outreach Initiative (September
2002)
The Cape & Islands Renewable
Energy Collaborative (CIREC) has been invited to participate
in the "Cape
and Islands Offshore Wind: Public Outreach Initiative"
sponsored by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) under
the state's Renewable Energy Trust Fund.
CIREC
is one of 24 organizations identified as key stakeholder groups
in the local debate regarding offshore wind energy development (see
list, PDF file).
The
debate revolves around the proposal by Cape
Wind Associates for a 170-turbine wind farm in Nantucket Sound.
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Representatives from stakeholder groups, along with elected officials
and representatives from local, state, and federal agencies, will
convene in a collaborative inquiry process brokered by the MTC.
The process is intended to provide a constructive forum for stakeholders
with diverse viewpoints to collect and share information and communicate
it to their constituencies and the broader public.
Chris
Powicki, principal of WEEinfo, has been invited to represent CIREC
in the MTC process. CIRECs objective is to leverage the attention
and assessment generated by the Cape Wind proposal to broaden the
scope of inquiry. This will afford the public and other stakeholders
with a sound ethical context for balanced consideration of the economic,
environmental, and social ramifications of wind energy development
in the Cape & Islands region. From this perspective, key issues
include
- The
true costs of energy supply options
- The
interactions between energy, economic, and environmental policy
and sustainability
- Alternative
energy futures for Cape Cod, Marthas Vineyard, and Nantucket
- Opportunities
for local economic development and diversification
- Opportunities
for ratepayer benefit.
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Community
Newspaper Company & Cape Cod Center for Sustainability
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Indicators
Council plots a sustainable course for Cape Cod (August
2002)
Under
the aegis of the Cape
Cod Center for Sustainability, community representatives
are convening to develop and update a list of environmental,
social, and economic indicators that reflect key trendsboth
positive and negativeinfluencing Cape Cods progress
toward a sustainable future
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Ongoing work by the 2002
Sustainability Indicators Council (SIC) and other members
of the community builds upon the first "Sustainability
Indicators Project" for Cape Cod, which resulted in the
publication of a 1999 report addressing the following indicators:
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Civic
Vitality - Voting Patterns
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Health
& Human Services - Population Enrolled vs. Not Enrolled
In Health-Care Plan
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Health
& Human Services - Substance Abuse
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Education
& Training - High School Dropout Rates
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Air
& Water Quality - Drinking
Water Quality
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Resource
Use - Acres of Land Developed and Acres Of Land Protected
as Open Space
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Resource
Use - Waste Generated, Recycled, Composted, Landfilled, and
Incinerated
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Transportation
& Mobility - Traffic Congestion as Measured by Bridge
Crossings
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Diverse
Sustainable Economy - Housing Affordability Gap
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Diverse
Sustainable Economy - Income: Self-Sufficiency Standard
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Diverse
Sustainable Economy - Employment and Payroll by Industry
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Diverse
Sustainable Economy - Tourism
The
2002 SIC is engaging stakeholders throughout Cape Cod to revisit
many of the indicators covered in the 1999 report, as well as
to develop new indicators addressing key issues such as the
growing retiree population, air quality, and energy.
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Series
characterizes links between water, energy, and economic development
on scales from the local to the global (July 2002)
WEEinfo recently prepared a three-part series of articles describing
EPRIs Water & Sustainability Initiative and future research
plans. The series was distributed at a workshop organized by EPRI
to propose a national R&D program focused on mitigating constraints
on economic development in areas of the United States already suffering
from water quantity and quality problems, as well as on curtailing
the thirst of communities, cities, and regions diagnosed as likely
candidates for future water deficits.
The
series was initially published by EPRI in three parts: Part
1 describes the national and global context for the Water &
Sustainability Initiative.
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Click
the cover for the
complete series (PDF File, 285k)
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EPRI
Journal
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Part 2 summarizes key findings from a scoping study, funded
by EPRIs Strategic Science & Technology Program, to explore
the relations between water availability and consumption and electricity
supply and use in the United States. Part
3 introduces EPRIs integrated strategy for improving water
availability at the regional level by accelerating penetration of
water- and energy-efficient technologies and practices at the local
and facility levels.
The
workshop, held in Washington, DC, was attended by representatives
from government agencies associated with the energy, water, agriculture,
and other sectors; from water and wastewater trade and research
organizations; and from energy companies. The workshop was held
to introduce EPRIs proposed R&D approach, collect feedback
on technical priorities, and catalyze public-private R&D partnerships.
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