Environment

Billionaires aren't used to being told what to do by citizens - congratulations!

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 08/11/2010 - 20:55.

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...

The following Top Partner Rankings highlight the annual green power purchases of leading organizations within the United States

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 08/11/2010 - 15:01.

As far as I can tell, NOTHING from OHIO is on this most important list of The EPA Top Partner Rankings highlighting the annual green power purchases of leading organizations within the United States - no Ohio-based city, agency, business or institution.

National Top 50 - As of July 6, 2010

National Top 50 icon.The Green Power Partnership works with a wide variety of leading organizations — from Fortune 500 companies to local, state and federal governments, and a growing number of colleges and universities. The following Top Partner Rankings highlight the annual green power purchases of leading organizations within the United States and across individual industry sectors.

Video from University Circle coal steam plant hearing

Submitted by Mattie Reitman on Wed, 08/11/2010 - 11:47.

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

 

Doctors at University Hospitals Should Turn In Their Licenses to Practice Medicine, as Hypocrits

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 08/11/2010 - 10:25.

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.

Make Friday the 13th Very Unlucky for Slacker, Failing NOACA Governing Board Members

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 14:13.
08/13/2010 - 10:00
08/13/2010 - 12:00
Etc/GMT-5

NOACA Attendance Sheet through July

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.

Location

NOACA
1299 Superior Avenue
Cleveland, OH
United States

First Smart Thing Democratic Leaders Have Done Here Since I've Lived Here! Thank God!

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 12:37.


Commissioners Hagan and DimAura parading for green beer, in Happier Times (for them)

First Smart Thing Democratic Leaders Have Done Here Since I've Lived Here! Thank God! I've declared the politicians in Northeast Ohio a threat to national security and have asked for UN support. Off to see Pelosi.

Keep up the good work for a change, Cuyahoga County Democratic Party!

Cuyahoga County's Democratic boss calls on Commissioner Jimmy Dimora and Auditor Frank Russo to resign

Published: Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 11:50 AM     Updated: Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 1:03 PM
Mark Naymik, The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County's new Democratic Party boss is calling on his two highest-profile Democrats – Commissioner Jimmy Dimora and Auditor Frank Russo -- to resign immediately.

Testimony to the EPA about MCCO from Sharon Dowhaniuk Roulet, of Tremont and Old Brooklyn

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 01:28.

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.

"He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it" - MLK

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 00:00.


Martin Luther King Jr. Arrested

I'd like you to reflect upon an amazing speech by the great Martin Luther King Jr. - certainly one of his most controversial and certainly one that was a factor in him being assassinated... EXACTLY 1 YEAR LATER TO THE DAY... Martin Luther King, Jr. Beyond Vietnam -- A Time to Break Silence - Delivered 4 April 1967, at a meeting of Clergy and Laity Concerned at Riverside Church in New York City.

He speaks some brutal and powerful truths our leadership of then and now do not want citizens of America or the world thinking... and you DO want to think about these things... especially with 43 years passed. I recommend you at least read the end of the speech (inserted below, along with the entire speech), which starts focused on Viet Nam (and is amazing about that), but ends all about citizenship, and what we should have been doing the last 43 years, and what we still must do today... including the famous quote:

He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it" - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 19:55.

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

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

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Mon, 08/09/2010 - 01:22.


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?

Back of napkin sketch of new I-90 Bridge - Cleveland Of My Dreams

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sat, 08/07/2010 - 11:37.


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

"Sadly, no one in government or community development sought a second opinion"

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sat, 08/07/2010 - 05:56.


Ed Hauser drove community opposition to the current ODOT bridge planning disaster,
just as he drove opposition to port planning on Whiskey Island, and demolition of the Breuer -
seen here in November, 2005, videotaping Paul Alsenas describing a better vision HE lost

As Steven Litt points outs out in the Plain Dealer today, as he slams all the designs and design processes leading to the $3.5 billion boondoggle that is the Cleveland ODOT I-90 bridge replacement disaster...

Several years ago, ODOT rejected a brilliant urban design proposal by Cuyahoga County Planning Director Paul Alsenas, which called for building a single new east- and westbound span further south of the existing right-of-way.

The Alsenas concept would have opened up new land for development around Gateway and shortened the total length of the bridge, producing savings in construction and long-term maintenance.

Report Prior to Medical Center Company hearing on Tuesday!

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Fri, 08/06/2010 - 11:48.

Report Prior to Medical Center Company hearing on Tuesday!

Norm Roulet <norm [dot] roulet [at] gmail [dot] com> Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 12:44 PM
To: "Aneesh P. Chopra"
Cc: "Reitman, Mattie" <mattie [dot] reitman [at] sierraclub [dot] org>

Aneesh P. Chopra
Assistant to the President and Chief Technology Officer
Associate Director for Technology
Executive Office of the President
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Washington, DC 20502

Dear Mr. Chopra,

We met briefly at the City Club of Cleveland and I requested your card to follow-up regarding an investigation into irregularities in our environmental monitoring data and technologies in Ohio.

I am preparing to report on these concerns to the EPA, in writing and during a permit renewal hearing in Cleveland, August 10, 2010, highlighting the fact that the citizens of Cleveland, Northeast Ohio and the world have been denied accurate, actionable air quality data here for so long, and our air quality monitoring systems are so poorly architected, it is safe to say we have no idea how polluted and polluting we are. As such, no permits to pollute further should be issued here.

I'm actually preparing my report on all this for the CTO of America

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Fri, 08/06/2010 - 09:10.

Medical Center Company hearing on Tuesday!

Norm Roulet <norm [dot] roulet [at] gmail [dot] com> Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 10:07 AM
To: "Reitman, Mattie" <mattie [dot] reitman [at] sierraclub [dot] org>

Mattie,

I'm actually preparing my report on all this for the CIO (CTO) of America, who I have met and have direct access - he is a young Googlie techie Indian-American who embraces open source and innovation of the world through technology - what I am realizing is there has been an intentional crippling of the entire nation's environmental monitoring - this stuff the EPA is using is the worst implementation of IT I have ever seen and it is how we measure our pollution for the world...

Get it... for the world...?!

This is old tech put in place in the Bush era to keep the world from knowing how polluted we are - how polluting we are - to hide that from the world to make us look better than we are - Bush was gaming the entire world on pollution and we lose.

More from EPA Region Mars coming soon... August 4-5, 2010

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Thu, 08/05/2010 - 15:00.

Hexa the Pollution Fighting Witch, strugging to escape the pollution at Clark Field, in the Cleveland Flats, near the Cleveland Kennels and Dog Park... below are some hints why...

Mayor Jackson... "concerned about the human impacts of pollution in northeast Ohio"

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 08/04/2010 - 23:36.


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.

After reading your message, I'm concerned about the human impacts of pollution in northeast Ohio.

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 08/04/2010 - 12:43.

Daily Air Quality Forecast for Cleveland-Akron-Lorain

Reitman, Mattie <mattie [dot] reitman [at] sierraclub [dot] org> Wed, Aug 4, 2010 at 12:13 PM
To: "Carroll, Matthew" <MCarroll [at] city [dot] cleveland [dot] oh [dot] us>
Cc: Norm Roulet <norm [dot] roulet [at] gmail [dot] com>, "Ryan, John (Brown)" <John_Ryan [at] brown [dot] senate [dot] gov>, "pamszoo [at] sbcglobal [dot] net" <pamszoo [at] sbcglobal [dot] net>, "sgreenberg [at] ehw [dot] org" <sgreenberg [at] ehw [dot] org>

Matt, thanks for the update on this issue.  After reading your message, I'm concerned about the human impacts of pollution in northeast Ohio.
 
First and quite simply, I think that it's inadequate to expect networked monitors in a region as large as northeast Ohio to be able to compensate for each other's outages, and that it's a matter of opinion whether high particulate levels are unhealthy only if they persist for a 24-hour period.  I'd say it's downright insensitive to claim otherwise, particularly for those who live in a relatively less polluted area.

Let's Play Judge The Ohio EPA: Will Their "Moderate" Air Quality Forecast For Tomorrow Be Accurate?

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 15:57.

Rideshare to Washington DC - leave TONIGHT - return TOMORROW night

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 12:56.
08/04/2010 - 00:00
08/05/2010 - 06:00
Etc/GMT-4

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.

Location

White House, etc. Washington, DC
United States
Phone: unlisted

TUESDAY MORNING IN CLEVELAND AND ALL AROUND NORTHEAST OHIO - THE AIR IS UNSAFE TO BREATHE

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Tue, 08/03/2010 - 09:45.


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".