Vermont
Is burning wood really renewable? Reconsidering biomass in Vermont
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BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Whereas Burlington’s McNeil Producing Station continues to pump out electrical energy for the town, Inexperienced Mountain Energy and different utilities, the destiny of biomass hangs within the stability. Our Kevin Gaiss appears at how burning wooden matches into the state’s local weather objectives.
A chilly, grey day means the McNeil Producing Station in Burlington is up and operating, burning wooden to generate electrical energy for the town and past.
“It’s a part of a era combine we have now in Burlington,” stated Darren Springer, the final supervisor of the Burlington Electrical Division.
That blend consists of hydro, photo voltaic, wind and biomass, all thought-about renewable era.
Burlington Electrical sees biomass or wooden burning as crucial for his or her metropolis. It provides Burlington with about one-third of its energy yearly, they usually imagine it has main advantages over different renewables.
“We will really use this as what we name a dispatchable plant. This plant could be run after we want energy and it may possibly run 24/7,” Springer stated.
So when the wind doesn’t blow or the solar doesn’t shine, biomass can fill within the power hole, just like burning fossil fuels. Biomass vegetation even have the additional advantage of being one of many solely markets for waste wooden.
However there’s rigidity over whether or not biomass has a spot in Vermont.
“Wooden power is renewable as a result of bushes regrow,” Springer stated.
However not everybody agrees. Burlington has its personal capability, however amenities like Ryegate account for about 3% of the state’s whole electrical era. Whether or not it must be referred to as renewable remains to be up for dialogue.
“Biomass must be part of Vermont historical past; it shouldn’t be part of Vermont future,” stated Zach Porter with Standing Timber.
Porter needs to see biomass struck from the state due to carbon emissions and well being considerations.
Biomass-generated emissions don’t depend towards our state’s greenhouse fuel emissions as a result of we have now extra bushes within the floor than we’re burning. However Porter believes not solely ought to the emissions depend, however we must always lower the twine.
“By definition, if it’s not low-carbon, it shouldn’t be a part of our clear power future,” Porter stated.
And the state itself is taking a tough take a look at biomass-generated energy.
“What was the advice from a local weather perspective across the future use of biomass,” stated Jane Lazorchak of the Vermont Local weather Motion Workplace.
Suggestions to the Local weather Council on Biomass have included not creating any new biomass electrical era amenities. Although a biomass process group throughout the Local weather Council most not too long ago tabled suggestions on the way forward for McNeil and Ryegate, cut up between the unfavourable impacts of burning wooden gas and the positives of electrical energy era and taking waste wooden.
Others wish to know extra about what a plant shutdown and its timeline would imply.
“What to do with these vegetation of their long-term operations,” Lazorchak stated.
Vermont can be wanting over the subsequent 12 months at how biomass must be counted within the greenhouse fuel stock and its place within the renewable power sphere.
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Vermont
The Magnificent 7: Must See, Must Do, July 3-9
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Marching Orders
Thursday 4
The town of Warren steps lively at its singular 4th of July Parade and Festivities. The procession of quirky floats and merry musicians is followed by hot dogs, a street dance and a unique get-to-know-your-neighbors scheme: Pay $1 for a numbered “Buddy Badge,” then find the other person in the crowd with the same number and you’ll both win a prize.
Truth to Power
Friday 5
Rokeby Museum in Ferrisburgh marks Independence Day with its annual Reading Frederick Douglass event. Audience members take part by reading portions of the abolitionist, orator and statesman’s famous address “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” Douglass first gave the powerful speech on July 5, 1852, as the keynote at an event commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Come Together
Saturday 6
Bondeko bring a multicultural mélange to the Next Stage Arts Bandwagon Summer Series in Putney. The musicians in the Portland, Maine-based outfit span generations and originally hail from Albania, Guinea, Paris and Austin, Texas, creating a sound that’s an unlikely — and unforgettable — collaboration.
Into the Woods
Saturday 6
Vermont Humanities marks two anniversaries — its own 50th and the 100th of Vermont State Parks — with its Words in the Woods series. In the second of five gatherings, listeners soak in the natural beauty at Kill Kare State Park in St. Albans as spoken word poet Ellen “LN” Bethea (pictured) shares her work. Stay and enjoy the day at the park afterward: Entrance fees are covered for participants.
Swan Song
Sunday 7
The Rochester Chamber Music Society salutes one of its own at the Federated Church of Rochester when pianist Cynthia Huard plays her final concert, a coda to her 30 years as the group’s artistic director. She’s joined by cellist Ani Kalayjian and violinists Adda Kridler and Mary Rowell in a bittersweet program that includes works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Gabriel Fauré and native Vermonter Nico Muhly.
Fête the Farm
Wednesday 10
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont hosts a Pizza Social at Miller Farm in Vernon, part of a summerlong series highlighting historic farms and hardworking farmers around the state. Foodies enjoy wood-fired pizza and soft-serve ice cream made from Miller Farm milk before a hayride and farm tour. Catch upcoming installments of the series in Middletown Springs, Shoreham, Johnson, East Hardwick and North Thetford.
Paint the Town
Ongoing
If you missed last summer’s attendance-record-breaking exhibitions of “For the Love of Vermont: The Lyman Orton Collection,” here’s another chance. The Vermont Historical Society presents a reprise showing at the Vermont History Museum in Montpelier. The selection of 20th-century works by Vermont artists is a love letter to the Green Mountain State.
Vermont
Health officials warn of possible measles exposure in Upper Valley
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State health officials are investigating a possible measles exposure in the Upper Valley.
Vermont and New Hampshire health officials say there are currently no confirmed cases of the measles in either state.
But New Hampshire’s public health division is looking into a report of an international traveler contracting measles shortly after visiting the town of Hanover.
Officials say the traveler could have been potentially infectious while in various public places June 20-22, including Dartmouth College’s campus. The list of locations released by the health department is below:
- June 20-22: Dartmouth College campus, Hanover
- June 20-22: The Hanover Inn, 2 E Wheelock St., Hanover
- June 20, 3 p.m.: Hanover Scoops, 57 S Main St., Hanover
- June 20-22: Lou’s Restaurant and Bakery, 30 S Main St., Hanover (one meal, unknown date and time)
- June 22: Dartmouth Coach Bus from Hanover to Boston Logan Airport (unknown time)
For people who were in the area on those days, and who aren’t vaccinated or haven’t previously had the measles, officials recommend monitoring for symptoms.
Those include high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes several days before developing a body rash.
Officials ask that people who do feel sick to call their provider before getting treatment to help prevent possible spread of the virus.
Experts say the measles is a preventable disease, and that the vaccine for it is safe and effective.
Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message.
Vermont
Chinese woman tried to smuggle turtles into Quebec: U.S. Border Patrol
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A woman from China has been arrested at a Vermont lake bordering Quebec for trying to smuggle 29 eastern box turtles, a protected species, into Canada by kayak, according to U.S. Border Patrol agents.
Wan Yee Ng was arrested on the morning of June 28 at an Airbnb in Canaan as she was about to get into an inflatable kayak with a duffle bag on Lake Wallace, about 50 kilometres southeast of Sherbrooke, according to an agent’s affidavit filed in federal court. U.S. agents had been notified by Royal Canadian Mounted Police that two other people, including a man who was believed to be her husband, had started to paddle an inflatable watercraft from the Canadian side of the lake toward the United States, according to an agent’s affidavit.
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The agents searched her heavy duffle bag and found 29 live eastern box turtles individually wrapped in socks, the affidavit states. Eastern box turtles are known to be sold on the Chinese black market for $1,000 each, according to the affidavit.
Ng is charged with attempting to export the turtles from the U.S., in violation of the Endangered Species Act. A federal judge on Friday ordered that she remain detained. The federal public defender’s office, which is representing her, declined to comment.
Border Patrol agents first spotted Ng at the Airbnb rental in May when they noticed a vehicle with Ontario plates traveling on a Vermont road in Canaan in an area used by smugglers, they said. Lake Wallace has been used for human and narcotic smuggling, the affidavit states. The vehicle had entered the U.S. in Alburgh, Vermont, near Lake Champlain, agents said.
Ng was admitted to the United States in May on a visitor visa with an intended destination of Fort Lee, N.J., the affidavit states. Border Patrol agents learned on June 18 that she had again entered the U.S. in Buffalo in a vehicle with a Quebec plate and was expected to arrive at the same Airbnb on Lake Wallace in Vermont on June 25, the affidavit states. They then started to surveil the property.
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