Bio-energy, ethanol projects proposed across Florida

Artist's rendering of proposed BG&E plant in Gulf County.

Nine bio-energy or ethanol projects are being proposed in Florida and at least five others are under discussion, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

DEP is holding an informational meeting Wednesday in Port St. Joe on one of those projects proposed by Biomass Gas & Electric of Norcross, Ga. The company proposes a 44-megawatt biomass gas plant to produce electricity for Progress Energy.

The BG&E project is one of four biomass electricity or ethanol plants for which DEP has received permit applications to build. The others are ADAGE (biomass electricity) in Hamilton County, Highlands Ethanol in Highlands County and East Coast Ethanol in Jackson County.

Five other projects are in pre-application discussions with DEP. They are American Renewables' proposed electric plants in Gainesville and in Hamilton County, a proposed plasma arc gasification plant in St. Lucie County, INP BioEnergy project in Indian River County and the Vision FLI LLC sweet sorgham ethanol production plant in Osceola County. To download a complete list, click here.

BG&E has experienced its share of controversy in trying to locate plants in North Florida.

The company says it can convert woody material and yard waste into clean gas which can be burned to produce electricity. Gov. Charlie Crist in 2007 hosted BG&E representatives at the Governor's Mansion to announce the company's contract with Progress Energy to produce renewable energy.

But BG&E gave up considering Liberty County for a plant in 2007 after residents there said they were concerned that garbage would be burned, a claim that company officials denied.

BG&E proposed building a plant on Florida State University land in Tallahassee but withdrew earlier this year after the NAACP and some south side Tallahassee neighborhood residents filed legal challenges against a proposed DEP permit. The company says that proposed plant in Tallahassee now is the project being proposed in Gulf County.

"They (Gulf County residents) are going to get the jobs, they are going to get the tax revenue and they are going to have a light shone on them as a green-friendly community," said Keith McDermott, BG&E's director of marketing. "We look on it as Tallahassee's loss is Port St. Joe's gain."

DEP on Oct. 2 requested additional information from BG&E including more detailed descriptions of the woody biomass and municipal solid waste that could be used to produce gas, details on how dioxins will be controlled and the handling of waste tars and ashes that will require disposal.

McDermott said the plant won't use municipal solid waste and won't produce dioxins. He said DEP is requesting "pretty standard stuff" that the company wasn't sure that it needed to provide initially.

BG&E no longer is under contract with the city of Tallahassee to provide renewable energy, said Ben Cowart of Tallahassee's electric utility.

The city still has a power contract with Green Power Systems LLC, which says it can produce electricity from municipal waste using plasma arc technology. The company is searching for a site to build the plant, Cowart said.

For more information on DEP's meeting on Wednesday, go to DEP's web site.

(Story copyrighted by Bruce Ritchie and FloridaEnvironments.com. Do not copy or redistribute without permission)

Enviros support new lands ranking process approved today

In a move that environmentalists said resolves their concerns, a state panel on Friday adopted a rule that would establish a new rankings process for determining which conservation lands should be bought.

Florida's land-buying program is the largest in the nation, with 2.4 million acres having been purchased since 1990. But the Legislature earlier this year refused to provide any money in the state budget for the Florida Forever program for the first time since 1990.

Some environmental groups hope that a new ranking process outlined by a 2008 state law would generate more support for the program among the public and legislators. But those groups also opposed various draft versions proposed by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection that the groups said didn't follow the law by including five categories of land use purchases:

* Critical natural lands
* Partnerships or regional incentive lands
* Substantially complete projects
* Climate change lands
* Conservation easements (less-than-fee lands)

The rule adopted by the state Acquisition and Restoration Council now goes to the governor and Cabinet and to the Legislature for approval.

"These five categories are now going to be in all the (DEP) work plans and rankings," said Richard Hilsenbeck, director of conservation programs at the Florida chapter of The Nature Conservancy. "We are very happy with the rule."

The rule will be used next year to re-rank the proposed 109 purchase projects within applicable categories and will divide them into high-, medium- and low-priority groupings, said Bob Ballard, DEP's deputy secretary for lands and recreation.

The existing Florida Forever list contains only a higher-priority "A List," including a grouping of the 21 highest priority projects, and a lower priority "B List." Additional categories may be added to the new ranking process, such as an "inactive" category for projects that no longer are being negotiated, Ballard said. Those new categories won't require Cabinet and legislative approval.

Hilsenbeck said he hopes the new ranking system will improve the Florida Forever program's "transparency," making it easier for state leaders, land-sellers and the public to understand why some lands are purchased more quickly than others.

Ballard also said the new ranking system may be easier for the public to understand.

"We always want to be as transparent as we can possibly be," Ballard said. "I think that is what the Legislature was looking for."

Photo of the Big Bend coast copyrighted by James Valentine, used with permission from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

(Story copyrighted by Bruce Ritchie and FloridaEnvironments.com.)

Two senators want panel to explore oil drilling

Two Democratic senators today said they are proposing legislation to require creation of a new panel to look at the risks and benefits of drilling off of Florida's coastline.

Sen. David Aronberg of Greenacres and Sen. Ted Deutch of Boca Raton said environmental and energy experts need more time to look into the drilling issue, which Gov. Charlie Crist suggests should be included in a special session this fall.

"This whole 'Drill baby, drill' mentality I think needs to slow down and calm down," Aronberg told reporters during a Capitol news conference today. "Drill baby, drill" was chanted by Republicans at their 2008 national convention.

"What's at stake is not just our 2009-10 budget -- it's the future of the state of Florida," he said.

A bill to lift Florida's ban on drilling passed the House in April but died during the regular session when the Senate refused to take it up because of lack of time.

Supporters say the Gulf should be opened to drilling to provide jobs and state revenue from royalties from oil and gas production. Environmental groups say drilling threatens fishing and Florida's beach tourism economy.

The proposed bill would create the nine-member Florida Energy Independence and Coastal Protection Task Force. The panel would report on the following:

* The size of potential oil and gas deposits in state waters
* The effect on tourism and coastal communities of lifting the ban
* The effect on property values caused by leasing and drilling
* Forecasts of revenues to be paid by the state
* Efforts to reduce foreign oil dependence while increasing energy efficiency and the use of alternatives.

The governor would appoint three members to the proposed task force, the Senate and House Republican majority leaders each would appoint two and the House and Senate Democratic minority members each would appoint one.

The Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida on Monday agreed to hold a summit of major stakeholders in the drilling issue, according to the News Service of Florida. Deutch said he had not seen from the Century Commission a detailed list of what the panel will be studied.

Aronberg said the panel is not an effort to prevent drilling and he said the task force may recommend lifting the ban.

"This is not an attempt to obstruct the process," he said. "It is an attempt to make the process a lot better."

Ryan Banfill, a spokesman for groups supporting drilling said, "We welcome all inputs to this opportunity to preserve our environment, employ our citizens and contribute to American energy independence."

"Open-minded, thoughtful approaches to offshore exploration will bring economic stability to Florida and a much needed new revenue stream to our state's tax base," he said.

(Copyrighted by Bruce Ritchie and FloridaEnvironments.com. Do not copy or redistribute without permission.)

Dumpster-diver gets "Green Schools" award

TAMPA -- Matt Mooney, 16, says dumpster-diving for aluminum cans isn't easy, but it's worth it.

During the past three years, Mooney, a Junior at Land O' Lakes High School, has collected 1.1 million cans, turning them into $15,000 cash. But he and his friends didn't keep the money -- it went to a local Habitat for Humanity program to build homes for needy families.

For his efforts, Mooney tonight won the first Green Schools Award issued by Gov. Charlie Crist.

"It's all worth it," said Mooney, whose dumpster-diving efforts have made the Tampa Bay area evening news. "It's a lot of time we put into it. The benefit now and into the future will be a lot greater."

Other winners include Joshua Clearman's class at Key West High School, which created the Alternative Energy Center to help students adopt emerging green technology; teacher Allan Phipps at South Plantation High School for helping students create two solar-energy cars that competed at the national level; Odyssey Charter School in Palm Bay for activities including capturing natural daylight and using locally grown fruits and vegetables; and the Pasco County School District for its "Raising Awareness for Conservation" Project.

"For me, this has truly been an extraordinary evening and one that has been an inspiration," Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole said in presenting the awards.

Each of the winners receives $1,500 in cash. Progress Energy is the presenting sponsor for the awards program.

Some agreement, disagreement in House Dems oil debate

A discussion among Florida House Democrats on oil drilling today featured some sharp exchanges between a leading environmental opponent an attorney representing drilling supporters.

House Republicans last April overwhelmingly supported HB 1219, which would have allowed drilling within three miles of the Gulf Coast. Democrats led the opposition in the 70-43 vote.

But the bill was never heard in the Senate because of concerns that the drilling measure arose too late in the session. Last month, Gov. Charlie Crist said he would like the Legislature to take up drilling in a special session if one is held to address a Seminole Tribe gaming agreement.

Today, the Florida House Democratic Caucus invited Audubon of Florida's Eric Draper to square off against attorney Frank Matthews, who represents Florida Energy Associates. While they disagreed on much, Matthews seemed to concede to Draper on a few issues.

Draper said drilling supporters are using "very speculative numbers" about the revenue the state could earn from oil and gas production and that drilling is "dirty, dangerous and ugly."

"Is the real story that this is just a Ponzi scheme, another speculation that we as taxpayers in the long run are going to have to buy our way out of" like the Coastal Petroleum lease? Draper said.

The Cabinet agreed in 2005 to spend $12.5 million to purchase a lease from Coastal Petroleum for Gulf of Mexico drilling rights issued in the 1950s and to settle company's lawsuit against the Florida when the state refused to grant drilling permits.

Matthews, an attorney with Hopping Green & Sams in Tallahassee, fired back that Draper "Eric's sensationalism is what we've heard on the stump and that's what you heard today." Matthews said the state today would place more restrictions on a lease than it did for Coastal Petroleum.

"The fact of the matter is Florida should just open its mind to considering -- to considering -- leasing," Matthews said.

"That is all the request would be from our folks: Repeal the ban so you can consider what are the standards, what are the terms and conditions you would consider in the leasing of state waters?"

Otherwise, Matthews seemed to concede to some arguments made by Draper: 1) That oil exploration wouldn't provide any state revenue for years -- at least two, according to Matthews; 2) that drilling won't make Florida energy independent because petroleum is an international commodity; and 3) it's unclear how much oil may be present in Florida's Gulf Coast waters up to 10 miles out.

Petroleum Consultant Donald A. Goddard of Baton Rouge, La., cited federal reports that he quoted as saying there may be 4 billion barrels of oil in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. But he said test wells need to be drilled to determine what lies below the surface.

Rep. Mary Brandenburg, D-West Palm Beach, said she wants some engineers to come before the Democratic Caucus with information about drilling safety. But she rejected Draper's suggestion to bring in Florida Department of Environmental Protection officials to talk.

"I want to hear from somebody who doesn't have a Republican for a boss," she said.

Some Democratic representatives seemed open to the idea lifting the state ban on drilling and allowing or encouraging oil and gas exploration, then deciding later whether to allow production.

But House Minority Leader Franklin Sands of Weston seemed to reject the idea.

"That's kind of synonymous with someone saying just leave the door open so I can come in and have a look around," he said.

A spokesman for the House Republican majority office said Rep. Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, will participate in an Oct. 28 forum at Florida State University on the issue.

"I can tell you no one wants to endanger Florida's natural resources -- we're talking about the beaches," said Joseph Agostini, communications director in the House majority office.

(Story and photo copyrighted by Bruce Ritchie and Floridaenvironments.com. Do not copy or redistribute without permission.)

Florida solar group criticized for oil drilling support

A solar energy group's support for offshore oil drilling is facing sharp criticism from environmentalists.

Associated Industries of Florida, Associated Builders and Contractors and the Florida Petroleum Council are supporting offshore drilling, saying it would create jobs and royalties revenue for state coffers. Environmental groups say the claims are speculative and that drilling threatens the coastal environment and tourism.

The Florida Solar Energy Industries Association on Oct. 1 sided with supporters, saying that revenue from offshore oil and natural gas production could help provide revenue for programs that invest in renewable energy technologies. The group cited a Fishkind & Associates report stating that drilling could produce between $2.3 billion and $12 billion per year in revenues.

“The proposal to drill in Florida state waters has the potential to create a cleaner and wealthier future for Florida if it provides a sustainable funding source for the development of vibrant programs that will help Florida become a leader in the solar energy industry,” Association president Bruce Kershner said in a statement posted on the group's Web site.

“The economic development potential of providing green employment opportunities and attracting high-tech, high-wage renewable energy companies to Florida rivals any real or perceived threat that state-of-the-art offshore drilling poses to Florida," Kershner said.

The statement drew criticism from environmental groups that oppose oil drilling and want the state to adopt requirements on utilities for producing more energy from renewable sources.

"It's disappointing that the Florida Solar Energy Industries Association would be seduced by promises of money that may or may not ever be there," said Susan Glickman, a consultant to the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

"Opening Florida's coast to drilling is a move in the wrong direction," she said. "What we need to do is move this state to electrical cars, developing our biofuels industry and making certain our cars are more efficient -- not investing in old, dirty technology."

The association's decision "to trade Florida's coast to the drillers for the pittance of future, undefined and unbankable amounts of solar rebate money is the most shockingly self-interested, embarrassing and sad politcal moves I have seen in my over 10 years working on conservation in Florida," Gerald Karnas, Florida climate project director for the Environmental Defense Fund, wrote in an e-mail today to Kershner.

"Was that the best deal you could cut? Rebate money 10 years from now?" Karnas said. "On a basketball court that's called 'gettin' schooled.' "

Kershner could not be reached for comment today.

(Story copyrighted by Bruce Ritchie and FloridaEnvironments.com . Do not copy or redistribute without permission.)

Bronson sides against EPA agreement on waterways

Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson says he is seeking to intervene against a proposed federal court settlement that would require the U.S. Environmental Protection agency to set stricter limits on nutrients in state water bodies.

Environmental groups announced in August that they had reached a settlement that requires the EPA to set numeric limits on nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, replacing Florida's narrative standard that limits nutrients to levels that do not affect the flora and fauna of a water body. Environmental groups said the lack of specific nutrient limits is causing algae blooms and threatening the health of streams, lakes and rivers.

Bronson said he is seeking to intervene in the case involved because of concerns that the EPA could set "arbitrary and unreasonable" numeric nutrient standards for water bodies. His news release said he also is asking the state's water management districts to intervene.

"These new standards would impose regulations far in excess of anything being considered in any other state, drastically increasing costs for all consumers," Bronson said in a statement. "It is important that the court understands the magnitude of this issue and the importance of careful scientifically based standards for controlling nutrients in our state."

Organizations including the Florida Minerals and Chemical Council and the Florida Water Environment Utility Council have sent letters warning of possible legal action to block the settlement. Bronson said the South Florida Water Management District also is seeking to block it and he called on the other four water management districts in Florida to join him.

David Guest, who is in charge of the Florida office of the Earthjustice nonprofit environmental law firm, called Bronson's action "shameful." His firm represents groups including the Florida Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club and the St. Johns Riverkeeper.

He said neither Bronson nor the industry groups know whether nutrient limits that eventually are proposed by the EPA will be too low or could harm industry. Nor do they know they will be adopted after they are reviewed by scientists or whether they could survive a legal challenge if they are too low.

"There is an unmistakable hysterical quality to what the polluters are doing in response to the consent decree," Guest said.

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle will hear arguments in the case on Nov. 16 in Tallahassee, according to Earthjustice.

(Story copyrighted by Bruce Ritchie and FloridaEnvironments.com. Do not copy or redistribute without permission.)