Friday, December 30, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Cameron Announces Agreement with BP
Cameron (NYSE: CAM) today announced an agreement with BP whereby BP will indemnify Cameron for current and future compensatory claims against Cameron associated with the Deepwater Horizon incident. Under the terms of agreement, Cameron agrees to pay $250 million to BP, and both parties have agreed to mutually release claims against each other. In addition, BP will fully indemnify Cameron for damage claims arising under the Oil Pollution Act, claims for natural resource damages and associated damage-assessment costs, and other claims arising from third parties. "This agreement with BP is the right action, as it removes uncertainty facing Cameron in the litigation associated with the Deepwater Horizon event," Cameron Chairman and CEO Jack Moore said. "This eliminates all significant exposure to historical and future claims related to this incident. Though this agreement does not provide indemnification against fines and penalties, punitive damages or certain other potential non-compensatory claims, we do not consider these items to represent a significant risk to Cameron." The Company's insurers are expected to fund not less than $170 million of this agreement. The Company expects to take a charge in the fourth quarter for any amounts not covered by insurance. Cameron is a leading provider of flow equipment products, systems and services to worldwide oil, gas and process industries. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Terms such as "will," "will be," and "are scheduled" and the like are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on our current expectations and are made only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect new information. We cannot assure you the projected outcomes will be achieved. Because forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, they are subject to change at any time. Such risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, include, but are not limited to the amount of the agreement the Company's insurers are expected to fund, the performance of contractual obligations by our counterparty and the outcome of the litigation associated with the Deepwater Horizon incident and, in particular, the likelihood of fines, penalties, punitive damages or certain other potential non-compensatory claims being asserted against Cameron, for which indemnification is not being provided. Because the information herein is based solely on data currently available, it is subject to change as a result of changes in conditions over which the Company has no control or influence, and should not therefore be viewed as assurance regarding the Company's future performance. Additionally, the Company is not obligated to make public indication of such changes unless required under applicable disclosure rules and regulations. Melvin Wylie
New Hampshire Millennials Frustrated by Lack of Jobs and Poor Economy
Generation Opportunity Engages Young Adults Across New Hampshire – Visits in Portsmouth, Durham, Merrimack, Nashua, Manchester, and Concord Areas 
Generation Opportunity's grassroots field team, which has been working aggressively across the nation, recently engaged in grassroots organizing across New Hampshire among young adults. The group's New Hampshire field efforts included the Portsmouth, Durham, Merrimack, Nashua, Manchester, and Concord areas. Generation Opportunity is one of the largest social media and grassroots organizations in the nation targeting young adults 18-29 and has more than 1.9 million fans on Facebook. The lack of jobs and unemployment, limited opportunity, the poor economy, and the implications for U.S. competitiveness were the chief concerns identified by young people the Generation Opportunity team met with and listened to. "Young adults in New Hampshire were very open in sharing their perspectives on how the lack of jobs and limited economic opportunity have negatively impacted their ability meet to their current needs and achieve their dreams and plans for the future," said Paul T. Conway, President of Generation Opportunity and a former Chief of Staff of the United States Department of Labor. "They are simply fed up with what they see as disconnected leadership in Washington – elected leaders who claim they know how to create jobs, but who have no practical understanding of what it feels like to go for months or years without satisfying work and opportunities that present promise for the future. In New Hampshire, young adults believe in the wisdom of individuals over the interference of government, and they definitely plan to make their voices heard." The Generation Opportunity field team met with young people at the University of New Hampshire, Thomas More College, Rivier College, Saint Anselm College, Manchester Community College, and the New Hampshire Technical Institute. In addition to recent organizing efforts among young adults in New Hampshire, Generation Opportunity also trained community college leaders from Franklin Piece University at the American Student Government Association (ASGA) Conference earlier this year. Young Americans ages 18-29 – including those in the Granite State – continue to face historic challenges as a result of a continually poor economy with unemployment among the top issues. The New York Times reported a youth unemployment rate of 18.1% in a recent story, noting that such a rate is a historic high in the post-WWII era. And the Associated Press is reporting that the near future shows no signs of relief. In a December story, the AP found that "two-thirds of chief executives of the largest US companies say they don't plan to increase hiring or will cut staff in the next six months" due to the lack of economic growth. Millennials Reject Washington Leadership and Failed Economic Policies: Generation Opportunity commissioned a poll with the polling company, inc./WomanTrend (April 16 – 22, 2011, +/- 4% margin of error) and a highlighted result for all young Americans ages 18-29 appears below:
Melvin Wylie
Generation Opportunity's grassroots field team, which has been working aggressively across the nation, recently engaged in grassroots organizing across New Hampshire among young adults. The group's New Hampshire field efforts included the Portsmouth, Durham, Merrimack, Nashua, Manchester, and Concord areas. Generation Opportunity is one of the largest social media and grassroots organizations in the nation targeting young adults 18-29 and has more than 1.9 million fans on Facebook. The lack of jobs and unemployment, limited opportunity, the poor economy, and the implications for U.S. competitiveness were the chief concerns identified by young people the Generation Opportunity team met with and listened to. "Young adults in New Hampshire were very open in sharing their perspectives on how the lack of jobs and limited economic opportunity have negatively impacted their ability meet to their current needs and achieve their dreams and plans for the future," said Paul T. Conway, President of Generation Opportunity and a former Chief of Staff of the United States Department of Labor. "They are simply fed up with what they see as disconnected leadership in Washington – elected leaders who claim they know how to create jobs, but who have no practical understanding of what it feels like to go for months or years without satisfying work and opportunities that present promise for the future. In New Hampshire, young adults believe in the wisdom of individuals over the interference of government, and they definitely plan to make their voices heard." The Generation Opportunity field team met with young people at the University of New Hampshire, Thomas More College, Rivier College, Saint Anselm College, Manchester Community College, and the New Hampshire Technical Institute. In addition to recent organizing efforts among young adults in New Hampshire, Generation Opportunity also trained community college leaders from Franklin Piece University at the American Student Government Association (ASGA) Conference earlier this year. Young Americans ages 18-29 – including those in the Granite State – continue to face historic challenges as a result of a continually poor economy with unemployment among the top issues. The New York Times reported a youth unemployment rate of 18.1% in a recent story, noting that such a rate is a historic high in the post-WWII era. And the Associated Press is reporting that the near future shows no signs of relief. In a December story, the AP found that "two-thirds of chief executives of the largest US companies say they don't plan to increase hiring or will cut staff in the next six months" due to the lack of economic growth. Millennials Reject Washington Leadership and Failed Economic Policies: Generation Opportunity commissioned a poll with the polling company, inc./WomanTrend (April 16 – 22, 2011, +/- 4% margin of error) and a highlighted result for all young Americans ages 18-29 appears below: - 69% say the current leadership in Washington fails to reflect the interests of the younger generation.
- Just 31% of 18 – 29 year-olds approve of President Obama's handling of youth unemployment.
- 54% believe America is on the wrong track, only 24% believe the U.S. is headed in the right direction.
- 59% of overall Millennials agree the economy grows best when individuals are allowed to create businesses without government interference.
- 69% prefer reducing federal spending over raising taxes on individuals in order to balance the federal budget.
Melvin Wylie
Chevron Faces $30 Billion Liability for Environmental Problems in Latin America
Brazil, Ecuador Lawsuits Point to New Competitive Pressures 
QUITO, Ecuador - Now that it is embroiled in a new $11 billion pollution lawsuit in Brazil, Chevron's total legal tab in Latin America for environmental problems is fast approaching $30 billion and could rise further if forced to defend enforcement actions throughout the region related to its long-term Ecuador pollution problem, say analysts. "Chevron shareholders cannot be happy to wake up to the news that the company faces yet another major environmental liability in Latin America," said Simon Billenness, an analyst who covers the industry for environmental groups and the author of a report on Chevron's $18 billion liability in Ecuador for despoiling the Amazon. "Chevron is beginning to look like a very unattractive dance partner for oil producing Latin American governments," he added. "Any government that works with Chevron is going to risk a profound backlash from its own constituents given these growing problems." Brazil's government sued Chevron for $11 billion to cover damages for the devastating offshore spill in November that is eerily reminiscent of the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Chevron outraged Brazilian regulators by being totally unprepared to contain the spill and by downplaying the amount of oil gushing into the ocean. Chevron further shocked Brazilian officials this week with news that the leak still has not been completely contained. In Ecuador, Chevron has been in open conflict with the government after a court in February awarded $18 billion to thousands of villagers based on evidence the oil giant dumped toxic oil sludge into the rainforest and abandoned more than 900 unlined waste pits that continue to contaminate groundwater and surface waters. The trial was held in Ecuador at Chevron's request. The case is currently under appeal in Ecuador, with the plaintiffs seeking an increase in the amount of damages. When it operated in Ecuador from 1964 to 1992, Chevron created an environmental and public health catastrophe that decimated indigenous groups and caused dramatic increases in cancer rates, according to the evidence. The Ecuador environmental damage dwarfs the impact of the BP spill in the Gulf, according to experts. Because Chevron has refused to pay the Ecuador award, the plaintiffs are being forced to consider a series of asset seizure actions in any of the dozens of countries where the oil giant operates. Such actions likely will create additional conflicts between Chevron and oil-producing governments around the world and further deepen the company's legal woes, said Billenness. "Chevron has never come clean to its own shareholders about worst-case scenarios in this regard," he said. Ecuadorian lawyer Pablo Fajardo, who led the contamination lawsuit against Chevron in his country, said Brazil should understand that Chevron is a company that will not hesitate to lie when faced with evidence of its own malfeasance. "Chevron has a history of mistreating Latin American countries in its thirst to increase its profits," he said. "My advice to Brazil is to hit the company hard and do not let up until the problem is fixed." Notably, the Brazilian government is being much tougher on Chevron than the Ecuador court. Chevron's fines in Brazil amount to approximately $18,000 per barrel of oil spilled -- far higher than similar fines imposed by the court in Ecuador, according to Karen Hinton, the U.S. spokesperson for the Ecuadorians. Brazil's environmental watchdog agency accused Chevron of having digitally edited pictures to make the damage look less severe. Other regulators threatened company officials with prison terms. When the Brazil spill became public, a Chevron official at first suggested it was the product of "natural" leakage from an underwater stone -- reminiscent of the now-infamous statement by a Chevron attorney on the U.S. news show 60 Minutes that the company's massive damage in Ecuador was no more dangerous to human life than the "make-up on my face."
Melvin Wylie
QUITO, Ecuador - Now that it is embroiled in a new $11 billion pollution lawsuit in Brazil, Chevron's total legal tab in Latin America for environmental problems is fast approaching $30 billion and could rise further if forced to defend enforcement actions throughout the region related to its long-term Ecuador pollution problem, say analysts. "Chevron shareholders cannot be happy to wake up to the news that the company faces yet another major environmental liability in Latin America," said Simon Billenness, an analyst who covers the industry for environmental groups and the author of a report on Chevron's $18 billion liability in Ecuador for despoiling the Amazon. "Chevron is beginning to look like a very unattractive dance partner for oil producing Latin American governments," he added. "Any government that works with Chevron is going to risk a profound backlash from its own constituents given these growing problems." Brazil's government sued Chevron for $11 billion to cover damages for the devastating offshore spill in November that is eerily reminiscent of the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Chevron outraged Brazilian regulators by being totally unprepared to contain the spill and by downplaying the amount of oil gushing into the ocean. Chevron further shocked Brazilian officials this week with news that the leak still has not been completely contained. In Ecuador, Chevron has been in open conflict with the government after a court in February awarded $18 billion to thousands of villagers based on evidence the oil giant dumped toxic oil sludge into the rainforest and abandoned more than 900 unlined waste pits that continue to contaminate groundwater and surface waters. The trial was held in Ecuador at Chevron's request. The case is currently under appeal in Ecuador, with the plaintiffs seeking an increase in the amount of damages. When it operated in Ecuador from 1964 to 1992, Chevron created an environmental and public health catastrophe that decimated indigenous groups and caused dramatic increases in cancer rates, according to the evidence. The Ecuador environmental damage dwarfs the impact of the BP spill in the Gulf, according to experts. Because Chevron has refused to pay the Ecuador award, the plaintiffs are being forced to consider a series of asset seizure actions in any of the dozens of countries where the oil giant operates. Such actions likely will create additional conflicts between Chevron and oil-producing governments around the world and further deepen the company's legal woes, said Billenness. "Chevron has never come clean to its own shareholders about worst-case scenarios in this regard," he said. Ecuadorian lawyer Pablo Fajardo, who led the contamination lawsuit against Chevron in his country, said Brazil should understand that Chevron is a company that will not hesitate to lie when faced with evidence of its own malfeasance. "Chevron has a history of mistreating Latin American countries in its thirst to increase its profits," he said. "My advice to Brazil is to hit the company hard and do not let up until the problem is fixed." Notably, the Brazilian government is being much tougher on Chevron than the Ecuador court. Chevron's fines in Brazil amount to approximately $18,000 per barrel of oil spilled -- far higher than similar fines imposed by the court in Ecuador, according to Karen Hinton, the U.S. spokesperson for the Ecuadorians. Brazil's environmental watchdog agency accused Chevron of having digitally edited pictures to make the damage look less severe. Other regulators threatened company officials with prison terms. When the Brazil spill became public, a Chevron official at first suggested it was the product of "natural" leakage from an underwater stone -- reminiscent of the now-infamous statement by a Chevron attorney on the U.S. news show 60 Minutes that the company's massive damage in Ecuador was no more dangerous to human life than the "make-up on my face." Melvin Wylie
Federal Agencies Join NFWF & Southern Company to Save Vanishing Southeastern Forests
Building on nearly a decade of investment to restore vanishing longleaf pine forests in the southeastern United States, NFWF (the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation) has established the Longleaf Stewardship Fund, a landmark public-private partnership that includes the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and Southern Company. With the combined financial and technical resources of this group, the Fund will support accelerated restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem and implementation of the Range-Wide Conservation Plan for Longleaf Pine. The longleaf pine ecosystem once encompassed more than 90 million acres of North America. Today, only three percent of the original acreage remains, and threatened and endangered species that depend on the habitat – for example, the red-cockaded woodpecker, the gopher tortoise and the indigo snake – are struggling to survive. Since 2004, a partnership between NFWF and Southern Company, the Longleaf Legacy Program, has invested over $8.7 million into projects that will restore more than 82,000 acres of longleaf pine forest and the native species that rely on it. The Longleaf Stewardship Fund will build on the success of the Southern Company partnership and expand the restoration effort across the nine states within longleaf pine's historic range. A significant amount of the old-growth longleaf pine forest that still exists in the Southeast is on land owned by the U.S. military, and many opportunities for large-scale restoration and protection are concentrated around public lands. The Fund will invest in targeted areas that are anchored by Department of Defense military bases, National Forests, Fish & Wildlife Service Refuges and state protected lands to expand existing longleaf habitat and establish large-scale healthy ecosystems. In addition, the Fund will support range-wide restoration projects, technical assistance to private landowners, and locally based partnerships dedicated to restoring longleaf pine. Investments will be made to achieve specific conservation outcomes, and success will be tracked to evaluate gains in healthy longleaf forest and the recovery of native wildlife. "The involvement of our federal partners in the longleaf pine restoration effort is a tremendous addition that will make our program even stronger, broader and more effective," said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. "With the continued leadership and support of Southern Company, we're poised to embark on a new chapter in the recovery of this once-majestic forest." "This expansion of our longleaf partnership is a natural progression and an exciting development that gives us the opportunity to build on the successes we've had so far in restoring this vital ecosystem," said Chris Hobson, Southern Company chief environmental officer. "We are ready to go to work with our newest partners, combining the best that public and private entities have to offer into a model of effective environmental stewardship." "The Department of Defense is a natural partner in longleaf restoration," said John Conger, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations & Environment. "Enhancing the forested lands on and around our military bases protects our mission while also playing an important part in the overall restoration of longleaf pine. We look forward to participating in this important effort." "I am continually amazed by the diversity of organizations that come together to restore the unique and rich longleaf pine forests," said Liz Agpaoa, Regional Forester for the Forest Service's Southern Region, comprised of 13 Southeastern states and Puerto Rico. "By pooling public and private sector resources, the Longleaf Stewardship Fund will advance this important restoration work even during challenging times." "NRCS is committed to helping private forest landowners protect and restore longleaf pine ecosystems," said Chief Dave White. "Healthy longleaf pine forests will yield improved water quality, enhanced wildlife habitat, and good economic return for landowners because longleaf pine is extremely resistant to insects, diseases and wind." "This is an important collaborative effort that restores millions of acres of longleaf pine bringing back a culturally iconic and historically valuable habitat for this region," said Cindy Dohner, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Southeast Regional Director. "This work focuses on restoration that will benefit many listed and candidate species such as the Red-cockaded woodpecker and the gopher tortoise among others. This ambitious work would not be possible but for the diverse partners engaged in it." In its first year, the Fund will award approximately $3 million through a competitive grants process. Grants applications will be accepted through February 15, 2012, with awards announced in Summer 2012. For more information, visit www.nfwf.org/longleaf. Melvin Wylie
Rio Hondo Park uses recycled water for landscape irrigation
City may save up to 9 million gallons of drinking water annually 
COMMERCE, Calif. - Central Basin Municipal Water District has partnered with the City of Pico Rivera to connect the Rio Hondo Park to recycled water for landscape irrigation. This connection is the first park in Pico Rivera to receive recycled water. Several other parks will hopefully be connected in 2012. "Central Basin worked very closely with the city on this project," said Central Basin General Manager Art Aguilar. "Rio Hondo Park is the first of the city's parks to use recycled water and we are proud to have helped Pico Rivera achieve this important goal." Since February 2010, Central Basin has worked with the City to coordinate the logistics for the connection, which included constructing a lateral from the Southeast Water Reliability Project (SWRP) line down Pine Street, conducting shut down tests and ensuring that all health department requirements were met. While the city covered certain on-site retrofit costs, all other construction costs were covered through federal stimulus funds awarded to the District for construction of Phase 1 of SWRP. "Had it not been for the federal funding we received for the Southeast Water Reliability Project, we would not have been able to build the pipeline that made this possible," added Aguilar. "Recycled water use for non-potable purposes, like landscape irrigation, is necessary to ensure we have plenty of drinking water available for future use. The City is a great model for others to follow." Central Basin worked closely with the City to implement the park's potable service back-up and provide informational signage. As a result of the connection, the City will save an average of 27 acre-feet of drinking water per year at this site. That works out to saving nearly 9 million gallons of drinking water annually. (One acre-foot equals approximately 326,000 gallons, or enough water for two averaged-sized families for one year).
Melvin Wylie
COMMERCE, Calif. - Central Basin Municipal Water District has partnered with the City of Pico Rivera to connect the Rio Hondo Park to recycled water for landscape irrigation. This connection is the first park in Pico Rivera to receive recycled water. Several other parks will hopefully be connected in 2012. "Central Basin worked very closely with the city on this project," said Central Basin General Manager Art Aguilar. "Rio Hondo Park is the first of the city's parks to use recycled water and we are proud to have helped Pico Rivera achieve this important goal." Since February 2010, Central Basin has worked with the City to coordinate the logistics for the connection, which included constructing a lateral from the Southeast Water Reliability Project (SWRP) line down Pine Street, conducting shut down tests and ensuring that all health department requirements were met. While the city covered certain on-site retrofit costs, all other construction costs were covered through federal stimulus funds awarded to the District for construction of Phase 1 of SWRP. "Had it not been for the federal funding we received for the Southeast Water Reliability Project, we would not have been able to build the pipeline that made this possible," added Aguilar. "Recycled water use for non-potable purposes, like landscape irrigation, is necessary to ensure we have plenty of drinking water available for future use. The City is a great model for others to follow." Central Basin worked closely with the City to implement the park's potable service back-up and provide informational signage. As a result of the connection, the City will save an average of 27 acre-feet of drinking water per year at this site. That works out to saving nearly 9 million gallons of drinking water annually. (One acre-foot equals approximately 326,000 gallons, or enough water for two averaged-sized families for one year). Melvin Wylie
Monday, December 12, 2011
29th Episode of GreenNews4U
Green Stand for your Smart Phone, Tablet & E-Book 
Let's talk tech… better yet Green Tech. Many people (like myself) are always looking for ways to display our gadgets. I hate just sitting my android phone and my tablet on a flat surface, I want it to be displayed on a stand so that when I get a text, e-mail, call or want watch a movie it's sitting right in front of me. I also don't like to spend money on something big and bulky or something that is proprietary to the phone especially when I'm only using it to sit my device on. Those things are expensive and not so eco-friendly and usually come in 2 colors… white or black. So what's the alternative? Sure you can make on (if you're a handy man) and I've seen some real fail homemade stands. So what's a tech guy or gal to do? On this episode I'll be taking a look at an environmentally friendly solution. To do this I have Garret Moore with Pliant Designs and a new product called E-Sill. Find their web page here
Melvin Wylie
Let's talk tech… better yet Green Tech. Many people (like myself) are always looking for ways to display our gadgets. I hate just sitting my android phone and my tablet on a flat surface, I want it to be displayed on a stand so that when I get a text, e-mail, call or want watch a movie it's sitting right in front of me. I also don't like to spend money on something big and bulky or something that is proprietary to the phone especially when I'm only using it to sit my device on. Those things are expensive and not so eco-friendly and usually come in 2 colors… white or black. So what's the alternative? Sure you can make on (if you're a handy man) and I've seen some real fail homemade stands. So what's a tech guy or gal to do? On this episode I'll be taking a look at an environmentally friendly solution. To do this I have Garret Moore with Pliant Designs and a new product called E-Sill. Find their web page here Melvin Wylie
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