From Burning Coal to Wind Power: A Weekend in PA Part II

Locust Ridge Wind Farm

After leaving Centralia we headed up the ridge to find the turbines we had seen the day before from the highway on the way in. What I never expected to find was that the project was so large or so accessible!

The Locust Ridge Wind Farm is a project consisting of approximately 51 turbines including 13 which were already put in place two years ago during the first phase of this extensive project. The ground covered by the entire project stretches over 10 miles which is why it is not only visible from the highway but from the back roads as well.

I snapped this shot on the way up the mountain. I am calling it my “money shot” because I feel it fully encapsulates rural Pennsylvania’s efforts to be environmentally responsible through the addition of this wind farm.


Once we arrived at the site there was a small entrance on the right. We are natural explorers so since the no trespassing sign was long worn we figured it was no big deal to check it out. Hey I’m a journalist after all!

Here is a shot that gives the idea of the scale of these babies from the ground. I have pointed out the top of Matt’s head; the full blade doesn’t even make it into the picture.

Iberdrola Renewables is the company behind the wind project which is slated to provide power to over 20,000 homes. Cool! This company is fairly innovative in their approach as they don’t just provide electricity but also natural gas, natural gas storage and energy plans to their rapidly growing customer base. They currently operate in 23 countries world wide and can supply their clean energy to over 800,000 people in the US alone.

Locust Ridge was the first wind farm Iberdrola initiated in the United States.

This project at Locust Ridge was only completed within the last year but the turbines are spinning and energy is being stored to provide a new and renewable, natural resource of power to the people of Schuylkill County in Pennsylvania. And they are certainly impressive to look at.

One of the communities who could take advantage of the 70,000 megawatt hours of power produced by this farm is Pottsville, the very town we stayed in this past weekend. After driving around the general geographic area for a couple days it is clear there are a vast number of valleys with homes and the rising ridges above them which could certainly benefit from such a resource.

With such a small footprint (only 150 square miles out of 5700 is actually utilized for the placement of the turbines) power could conceivably be supplied to all homes in the great state of Pennsylvania! And this is only one farm in one state; similar projects and those even larger are all over the country now.

As we were leaving the base of the turbine Matt said something so right on I had to write it down and quote him here:

“Pennsylvania is clearly making up for its dirty industrial past in places like Centralia with a Green future with this wind farm.”

Yes, they certainly are.

Why not check to see if your power company can get its supply from wind power and switch today? To see if Iberdrola supplies your company’s power check out this page. If they do not serve your area call your power company and ask! The more of us who request these natural resources the more likely they will be provided, lowering costs and helping the Earth one spinning blade at a time.

Resources for statistics:
National Wind Watch

Have I Been Eating, Breathing and Absorbing Bleach?

Common household chlorine bleach, or as it is known in the scientific community sodium hypochlorite, is generally kept under lock and key away from children as it is commonly known to be extremely harmful if ingested. The typical bottle is outfitted with a child safety locking cap and warnings are written all over it to stay away. We keep these bottles under locked kitchen sinks, in basements or high up on laundry room shelves to avoid them being accidentally ingested.

Does this seem slightly ironic to anyone but me?

If the bleach is used in the laundry, on that stubborn tub stain or to sanitize countertops then rinsed down the drain, where do we think it goes? Sadly for many this is a typical “out of sight, out of mind” scenario.

We would not drink bleach or use it on our skin but each time we strain coffee through a white filter or put on clothing rinsed with the substance, that is essentially exactly what we are doing; we are just doing so in very small doses. But over time small doses can really add up to hurt ourselves and our planet.

This comic strip is from one of my favorites, who are now sadly out of commission, Rustle the Leaf.

Three ingredients can easily replace bleach around the house -- lemon juice, salt and baking soda.

For underarm stains pour a little lemon juice on, rub in some table salt and then place it out in the sun for a bit. A couple hours will do the trick then when it is washed voila, no more stain and no more odor!

For something like spilled red wine on an ivory countertop, concentrated lemon juice (as in squeeze a real lemon directly on there and rub it in with the lemon itself) and baking soda in a nice paste will take it up if allowed to sit, soak and dry.

These are just two examples; there is a slew of additional information out there for how to use these three ingredients as cleaning and sanitizing agents and no warning label is required!

Sure it might take a little patience in waiting for these natural cleaners to do their job effectively but then again, how does that saying go? Oh yeah, ‘it was worth the wait’! The planet and your own health will thank you.

Amazing News and a Huge Eco Step Forward

Although we do not generally like to reprint news stories around these parts, this one is just too perfect not to. Not to mention I am too busy doing the happy dance to rewrite it; the EPA just gained a few coolness points in my book. The original article location is linked to the title. How do you feel about this?

EPA review of mining permits signals policy shift

By DINA CAPPIELLO, Associated Press Writer Dina Cappiello, Associated Press Writer – Wed Mar 25, 4:07 am ET

WASHINGTON – Breaking with the policies of the Bush administration, the Environmental Protection Agency is sharpening its oversight of mountaintop coal mining to ensure projects do not harm streams and wetlands.

EPA administrator Lisa Jackson on Tuesday directed the agency staff to review 150 to 200 applications for new or expanded surface coal mines, many mountaintop removal operations, pending before the federal government.

The agency also objected to two permits slated for approval by the Army Corps of Engineers because the companies had not done enough to avoid and minimize damage to water quality and stream channels.

The permits authorize mining companies that blast away mountaintops to access coal to dump the waste into streams and wetlands.

The actions "reflect EPA's considerable concern regarding the environmental impact these projects would have on fragile habitats and streams," Jackson said in a statement.

Environmentalists hailed the decision as a sea change in policy. The EPA has always had the authority to review and veto permits issued by the Corps of Engineers, but it rarely did so during the Bush administration.

The Corps has long been criticized by environmental and community groups and has been sued for failing to thoroughly evaluate the environmental impact of mountaintop removal.

Under the Clean Water Act, companies cannot discharge rock, dirt and other debris into streams unless they can show they will not cause permanent damage to waterways or the fish and other wildlife that live in them.

Last month, a three-judge appeals panel in Richmond, VA, overturned a lower court's ruling that would have required the Corps to conduct more extensive reviews. The appeals court decision cleared the way for a backlog of permits that had been delayed until the lawsuit was resolved.

The EPA's action on Tuesday could leave those permit requests in limbo a little longer.

Ginger Mullins, regulatory branch chief for the Corps' Huntington District, which covers portions of Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina, said the EPA reviews will delay approval of projects.

"It will take more time," said Mullins.