Tag Archives: Oregon

Toxic Waste? Coal ash in Alabama and Georgia landfills

Oregon denying a permit for a coal dock on the Columbia River Monday may seem far away, but the effects of coal ash are right here in Lowndes County. Effects that an Alabama county is calling a toxic chemical civil rights violation in the Arrowhead Landfill in Uniontown.

AP reported 14 August 2014, EPA investigating claims west Alabama landfill violates civil rights of black property owners,

It’s not the first time that the Arrowhead has been in the news. In 2009, an estimated 3.9 million tons of coal ash was dumped at the landfill. It was brought in after a Tennessee Valley Authority dam breached in east Tennessee, spilling toxic ash into a river and damaging about 300 acres. To date, it’s the largest coal ash spill in U.S. history.

Much of that ash ended up being dumped at the landfill in Perry County, which in return received Continue reading →

Urban growth boundary –Portland

Prof. Dorfman of UGA already explained to us that in Georgia
Local governments must ensure balanced growth, as sprawling residential growth is a certain ticket to fiscal ruin*
* Or at least big tax increases.
Here’s a place that does something about it: Portland, Oregon.


Thanks to Matthew Richard for pointing out this documentary.

As the documentary says, the key to Portland’s way is: Continue reading →

Solar no money down in Oregon

Richard Read wrote in The Oregonian on 4 Jan 2011, Oregon homeowners can now go solar with no upfront costs:
Oregonians put off by the high price of renewable energy can now go solar on the cheap, installing panels for no money down.

Contractors in a handful of states are starting to offer solar to the masses with lease deals that eliminate upfront costs. Oregon is joining the trend, thanks to regulations that took effect Jan. 1.

The Portland branch of a national solar company unveiled a lease program Tuesday enabling homeowners to put up panels for low monthly payments, cutting their electricity bills and carbon footprints. At least one other contractor, a local company, is developing similar products.

Managers of SolarCity, a California-based company, say Oregon homeowners can go solar for as little as $20 a month with no up-front costs. The new financing option, which incorporates state and federal tax credits….

They’re talking $25/month with no money down. That’s a thousand miles north of here, in rainy Oregon. Maybe we should just invite SolarCity to operate here.

-jsq