It is worth noting that two days after 70+ Cleveland-area citizens came together in unified citizen action and opposition against coal burning in their neighborhood of University Circle, the EPA sent out a press release that "President Obama’s Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), co-chaired by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE), delivered a series of recommendations to the president today on overcoming the barriers to the widespread, cost-effective deployment of CCS within 10 years" and "the report concludes that CCS can play an important role in domestic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions while preserving the option of using coal and other abundant domestic fossil energy resources."

That conclusion will be at the center of intense debate, experimentation and demonstration, to the tune of $10s billions, over the ten year vision of this policy statement, until some event brings such spending to a stop - science and economic reality push innovation above the industrial din of mountaintop removal and churning urban furnaces.

Federal clean coal funding is the stimulus for plans like MCCO was developing to continue burning coal into the future, and expand coal capacity to DEMONSTRATE innovative clean coal technologies (which are not yet in practice here). Such visionary science has a role in the big system of solutions for the world, but delays clean energy innovation of the type that would offer immediate human benefits in communities like Cleveland that cannot wait for the bleeding edge to arrive... too much real bleeding from environmental injustice here right now.

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HoMiEs TiLL ThE EnD !!
AnD AfTeR ThAt We StILL RiDe In ThE EcHo SiDe!

i have your back homie

I just came across this message from a friend and I was supposed to forward it to 10 friends whose Back I Got - so I thought it belongs here. I got your back, whoever is a real NEO homie of the 8,000+ realNEO members, and 10,000s of visitors a week... and 2.5 million Northeast Ohioans polluted here each day.

I'm off to Illinois, Colorado, California and Texas to rally support in those four of the nation's greatest and most powerful states to work on energy policy and innovation with Ohio for the nation, so all our great states and the nation may effectively address the pollution, energy and climate change issues heavily upon us.

We need to shut down major pollution source points and make others clean in all our states... especially in our largest, most industrial, most populous and most polluting states... and especially in Northeast Ohio, where we still have an active combination steel mill in the center of an impoverished urban community of over 400,000 people.

Environmental Health Watch Outreach and Education Director Kim Foreman testifying at the August 10, 2010 EPA License Renewal Hearing AGAINST renewing their permit to burn coal, reading into the record and excellent statement offering a holistic, realistic perspective from the Cleveland environmental community - view this video.

Map 7.1: Potential Biomass Energy Distribution among Ohio Counties (in Billions)

In an important development from the Ohio Public Utilities Commission, the Plain Dealer reports today that "FirstEnergy Corp. gets permission to burn biomass as sustainable energy source". I previously highlighted this issue on realNEO, as the environmental concerns raised about this plant revolve around developing sustainable fuel stocks for such massive biomass initiatives as the R. E. Burger power plant in Shadyside, Ohio... as burning wood is not the solution... even refuse wood from recycling. But that is all that is on the horizon, for this plant so far... "FirstEnergy spokeswoman Ellen Raines said the company is spending $200 million to re-design and renovate Burger's boilers to be able to burn a mixture of green wood chips, wood pellets and briquettes and something very similar to charcoal."

There isn't enough refuse wood biomass to go around, and the carbon foot print of deforestation for biomass is poor. That is why I propose the state of Ohio take THE global leadership position innovating agricultural biomass optimization, which I believe includes hemp. Thus, the proposal to make Northeast Ohio the Open Source Capital of the Brightest Greenest State on Earth.

Mattie Reitman of the Sierra Club standing-up to EPA against MCCO burning coal in University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio

John Funk of the Cleveland Plain Dealer continued his expanding coverage of the dangerous situation in University Circle that is the Medical Center Company. Outlining the timeline below, Funk highlights that "The permit, the facility's first ever, expired in 2003, and authorities have been reviewing the company's renewal application ever since" and "Built in 1932 and expanded with gas boilers as needed, the steam plant is operated by the Medical Center Co., a non-profit corporation whose board of directors represent CWRU and the major institutions that make up University Circle. The plant burns about 40,000 tons of coal per year." At issue is the renewal by the EPA of their permit to continue burning coal for five more years, which is outragous.Public feedback to the EPA is encouraged!

The article is included in entirety below to protect this information for public health and safety...

Case Western Reserve University steam plant may wait months for decision about permit renewal

If you wonder why some powerful people in town and their pawns and puppets have been up in arms about realNEO and us bringing MCCO to trial... take a look at these financials (tons of money) and realize MCCO is listed as a Non-Profit Foundation for "Public, Society Benefit – Multipurpose and Other: Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution" and a "Charitable Organization" - which is perverse, as they in fact cause immense public harm and they shouldn't even have this exemption... and should be "For Profit" and Paying Taxes

With 2009 assets of $66 million and annual sales over $33 million, MCCO was gaming another $500 million (according to former East Cleveland Mayor Brewer) in new funding (probably federal money) to build a new COAL facility at Lakeview and Euclid... even bought the land. The Opportunity Corridor is also being discussed - and the public is asked to wait a year before seeing any plans... as MCCO asks for a 5 year coal burning extension to operate as is for $150+ million more in activity - to burn 220,000+ TONS more coal... spew around 25,000 TONS more pollution...

Joakim Noah spends a cranky off day: Cleveland? 'It's bad, man' - really great interview...

"I don't know about Cleveland, man, there is nothing going on," Noah said Sunday, lamenting the options for his off day on a typical cloudy and chilly spring day. "It's bad, man."

"NO GOING OUT IN CLEVELAND MAN - IT'S ALL FACTORIES. DO YOU LIKE IT - DO YOU THINK CLEVELAND IS COOL?"

As a special follow-up, check out this awesome video of passionate citizens last night: http://www.facebook.com/l/5f842eAZNPC6re8_ChnFRz2Sk0Q;www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WTuYsLjA_E

More to come, it's only just begun!

Check out this great video compilation of passionate citizen comments at the public hearing last night:

The Hippocratic Oath is an oath historically taken by doctors swearing to practice medicine ethically.

As they do not practice medicine ethically, all Doctors at University Hospitals Must Turn In Their Licenses to Practice Medicine - including my Father - as they do more harm than good as they pollute this community with soot from burning coal that is unnecessary and that causes certain harm and death to area citizens - especially the young, old, poor, black and weak... and these supposed "doctors" know that very well now.

Beautifully timed, just days after the EPA Hearing about MCCO's permit to burn coal in excessively polluted Northeast Ohio for five more years, and in the middle of a Smog-Wave and air pollution crisis - as citizens awaken to the fact their air pollution monitoring for Northeast Ohio has been broken by NOACA (Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency - which is responsible for managing air quality here... for as long as there has been a NOACA) - the NOACA Governing Board is meeting on their unluckiest Friday the 13th ever.

The Cuyahoga Democratic Party has asked for the resignation of two of their most powerful and ineffective leaders - Jimmy DiMora is on the NOACA Governing Board and has not personally attended one meeting this year - neither has Tim Hagan. Neither has Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson - his planning Director Bob Brown only attended three... same with Commissioner Jones. RTA Boss Dixon - none. Port representative Raskind - none.  ODOT representative - 2 out of 6 meetings. NOBODY FROM THE EPA.

Citizens must now recognize the breadth of their influence and failure, causing failure of the region and state though such vehicles as the governing board of NOACA.

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My daughter Kylie says SHE shall be the first woman President, and I certainly believe that is possible, if she lives long enough to run.... and her older sister Grace doesn't beat her to the job. You win either way - they are socially conscious!

Those reading realNEO who are real old-time Tremonters will know or remember Kylie's mother, Sharon Dowhaniuk Roulet - Roman's little girl - real Ukranian family... Baba still lives overlooking Mittal... barely. Guido is dead.

Sharon asked me to submit her testimony to the EPA about MCCO, in case she can't get a sitter for the hearing, and I'm sure the realNEO community will be moved by her words as well. I certainly appreciate her words of support for me, as they come so rare here. Thanks Cheri.

Good afternoon:

My name is Sharon Roulet and I was born on September 10th, 1977 at Metro health medical center. I was raised in a home approximately 1 mile away at 2531 Scranton Rd. I was born the middle child with 2 brothers. In the early 80's Tremont was not one of the safest areas to have a family. My father worked at LTV steel and for the city of Cleveland. We were of the lower class. Even though my father worked hard we did not have the money to move elsewhere.

This excellent article on the MCCO coal burning powerplant in University Circle - Old-fashioned Ohio coal still being burned at tech-savvy University Circle institutions - by the Plain Dealer's John Funk speaks for itself... and is truthful to the best of my knowledge... and I learned some important new information. Thank you John Funk!  I've included the entire PD article below in the interest of public safety.

Thank you Mattie and the Sierra Club for making all this happen - love the conclusion... "The solutions are not as forth coming as some might think," Reitman said. "You can't just put up a wind turbine and call it warm." Now to get a timeline in writing from MCCO for all aspects of their planning to move off coal, WITH CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT!

Old-fashioned Ohio coal still being burned at tech-savvy University Circle institutions

John Funk, The Plain Dealer
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The tall smokes stacks at the back of the Case Western Reserve University campus belong to the Medical Center Co., a non-profit that has been burning coal for nearly 80 years to heat CWRU and much of University Circle.

Good Afternoon real NEO - Cleveland has been fucked all day - Sheffield is worst now

August 9, 2010 Ohio EPA AirNow web portal air pollution current conditions for Northeast Ohio - 1:00 AM Report
Unhealthy For Sensitive Groups in Cleveland and surrounding communities, as it was all prior day and last night... now?

Good Morning real NEO - last night the air was unhealthy... were your windows open?

It seemed like a beautiful Sunday night for sleeping with the windows open but you should not have last night. You should have known better. Did you know the air pollution would make you unhealthy last night? Were you warned it would be unhealthy today?

Hexa the Pollution Fighting Witch visiting a cheap new office location she recommends for the Headquarters of NOACA,
the pollution monitoring and highway planning people for our region. Hexa thinks they need a clearer view of the reality they cause.

Cleveland Institute of Art BFA and Kent State University Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative planning Master
Joseph Stanley had a more intelligent design for the future of Cleveland than the leaders of our community have embraced

Back of napkin sketch of new I-90 Bridge... blending of visioning with Ed Hauser, Joe Stanley and Ken Prendergast...

FIRST - REPLACE ALL ODOT LEADERSHIP, CONSULTANTS, PLANNERS, ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS AND POLITICIANS WHO EVER TOUCHED THIS DISASTER.

IMPRISON AS MANY AS POSSIBLE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

TERMINATE ALL RTA LEADERSHIP

Keep the damn bridge we already have and decommission it for highway use - the carbon footprint return on saving this embodied carbon and not wasting unmeasurable more pollution buiilding an unnecessary new bridge alone is worth $ billions.

Pay the union mafia $ millions to stop crying about jobs and go do something to improve the world

At the time these photos were taken, 08/04/10 between 8-9 pm, Cleveland air pollution monitoring
reported PM 2.5 of 13 - "GOOD" Air Quality - when it was clearly Unsafe

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson held a press conference today on the hills overlooking the beautiful Cuyahoga River Valley, where he proclaimed "I am not a mutant - no Clevelanders are Mutants - pollution don't mutant people... mutants mutant people... and I'll Prove it".

All two honest journalists remaining in Ohio attended the press conference, and puked. They are being treated at MetroHealth for pollution poisoning, and are reported to be in critical condition.

Daily Air Quality Forecast for Cleveland-Akron-Lorain

It seems I suddenly need to go to Washington DC to meet with Federal officials about air pollution in Northeast Ohio. As timing is critical, I need to leave tonight and drive - returning tomorrow night. Rather than make the trip alone, wasting all that gas for just one person, I thought I 'd see if anyone else in the realNEO community would like to share a ride to-and-from DC for a day-trip there - we should be there for full business hours... 8am-midnight.

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The NOACA Air Pollution Time Series line chart left above shows the region has had unsafe air quality since midnight, as per many monitoring stations - Cleveland is excluded from this chart but represented in the Rose Chart right above, which indicates the air in Cleveland was Unsafe at least at 5 and 6 AM, before they cut the data stream off.... meaning it is likely unsafe NOW. DO NOT TRUST THEIR DATA BEFORE 5 AM!

Right now - TUESDAY MORNING IN CLEVELAND AND ALL AROUND NORTHEAST OHIO - the air appears unsafe to breathe. According to data hidden throughout air quality monitoring reporting in the region, our air has been AT BEST UNSAFE FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS since MIDNIGHT. In other words... it is still UNSAFE from yesterday. Of course, the Ohio EPA forecast for today was "Moderate".

Mattie Reitman with the Sierra Club just forwarded me his communications with the Chairman of Medical Center Company, Robert Brown - who is Treasurer of Case.... and Senator Sherrod Brown's brother... the PD's Connie Schultz' Brother-in-Law... major regional coal-burner and source-point polluter. Through Brown's leadership MCCO operates a secretive coal burning, polluting steam plant for University Circle in my backyard, causing 1,000s of tons of pollution a year in my backyard, harming us each and every day... which I am fighting with the Sierra Club to shut-down.

Sherrod Brown has proven to be a pro-coal Senator. The PD basically denies global warming exists, loves coal, and ignores the issue of environmental injustice entirely.

I am in contact with the Senator's staff about these conflicts of interest, as I am dealing with his brother's pollution, I don't like that my Senator is pro-coal, I don't like that his wife's monopoly newspaper ignores pollution.

As you will see below, Mattie politely asked Robert Brown to arrange for better communications between MCCO and neighbors like myself, including "putting energy into something like" forums on moving MCCO off coal... and Brown said no.

What if MARIJUANA was LEGAL in EAST CLEVELAND?!

Like in Michigan, California, and other states, but EVEN BETTER for the community

• Cannabis - the organic medicine - the civil right!

• Hemp - the industrial crop - "green" fuel source – complete food - ultimate fiber

• Controlled, TAXABLE Cannabis New Economy

Welcome to East Cleveland the International Cannabis Exchange for healthcare and industry for the world – The Exchange will put East Cleveland back ON THE MAP!