Who owns the clouds?
Who owns the water in the clouds? Climate change is expected to intensify competition for water resources of all kinds, including precipitation that can be created by cloud seeding. Colorado has regulated weather modification since 1963, declaring that water in the clouds above the status p…
Continue reading the post titled Who owns the clouds?Social media, pollution and enforcement
I think it is fascinating how environmental groups are using electronic media to name and shame polluters that governments have chosen not to rein in.
Continue reading the post titled Social media, pollution and enforcementClimate change and wilful ignorance
Israel is burning, in record heat and drought. The Hudson Bay polar bears are in trouble, and may lose all of this year’s cubs. 2010 is “almost certain” to be the third warmest year on record since 1850, according to the World Meteorological Organization. The Arctic ice is …
Continue reading the post titled Climate change and wilful ignoranceWind Appeal launched
As predicted, the first major renewable (wind) energy approval has been appealed to the Environmental Review Tribunal. Notice of the appeal was posted on the EBR Registry. I was glad to see, though, that this applicant doesn’t allege human health impacts. Because of the relatively narr…
Continue reading the post titled Wind Appeal launchedHome Insurance and the Pollution Exclusion
A BC court has upheld the pollution exclusion in a home insurance policy. The issue was the scope of the “pollution exclusion” clause in a policy of home insurance issued by the defendant, BCAA Insurance Corporation, to the plaintiff, Brian Corbould. Corbould sought a declaration of coverage…
Continue reading the post titled Home Insurance and the Pollution ExclusionDocuments excluded after illegal seizure
Environmental investigators are not allowed to seize private documents unless they have prior judicial authorization (i.e., a search warrant) or the consent of the owner of the documents. However, this does not always stop them.
Continue reading the post titled Documents excluded after illegal seizurePermit by Rule- update
The Ministry of the Environment is racing to have its new Environmental Activity and Sector Registry up and running for at least some sectors by September 2011. The Registry will establish a new system of “permit by rule” authorizations for common air emissions, instead of certificates of ap…
Continue reading the post titled Permit by Rule- updateREA status updates
As of November 9th, the MOE had received 17 applications for renewable energy approvals. Six of these have been deemed “complete” and have been posted to the Environmental Bill of Rights Registry for comments: five wind, 1 biogas. The remainder were sent back for further information, or are …
Continue reading the post titled REA status updatesWind approvals issued
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has issued its first renewable energy approvals for wind turbines, under the full scale process established by the 1 year old Green Energy and Green Economy Act. They authorize two small Class 2 wind projects, and one 20 MW Class 4 project in Camden, O…
Continue reading the post titled Wind approvals issuedRules for bird studies for wind turbines
The Ministry of Natural Resources has released proposed Guidelines for wind turbine applications on both Crown and private lands. The Guidelines set out data and study requirements for applications under the Renewable Energy Approval regulation on identifying and addressing potential negativ…
Continue reading the post titled Rules for bird studies for wind turbines