This week the 2008 Farm Bill expired without a new Farm Bill to replace it. If you’re confused about what exactly this means for United States farmers and consumers then you’re in good company. At over 1,000 pages with 205 programs organized under 12 titles, the Farm Bill is a complex animal. The delayed 2012 Farm Bill (“Farm Bill”) is the latest in a long line of omnibus bills that temporarily suspend parts of the permanent 1949 Agricultural Act. Every five years when the Farm Bill expires, legislators need to pass a new one to take its place before its broad swath of agriculture, conservation, and nutrition programs are cut, leaving farmers and low income individuals out in the cold. While this delay certainly presents challenges, don’t panic! A delayed read more…

This week on TalkingFish.org, the first post in the All About Aquaculture series explores the history and current status of aquaculture; the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission could soon help depleted menhaden by setting a coastwide catch limit; catch up on what's happening with New England fisheries with the weekly Fish Talk in the News. read more..

Wind power plays a key role in addressing climate change. Developing wind power and other clean sources reduces the use of fossil fuels, reduces carbon dioxide emissions, and helps to stabilize our climate. Climate change, with record-breaking droughts, catastrophic floods, and unprecedented heat waves, is upon us.  The only way to keep the crisis from getting much worse is to sharply reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. We can do a lot with efficiency. We can insulate and air-seal our homes, businesses, and public buildings. We, as a nation, can choose to build and drive more fuel-efficient cars. We can drive our cars less, choosing to carpool, bicycle, or take public transportation whenever possible. But efficiency is not enough.  As long as we use electricity, it must read more…

11 years. That’s how long we’ve been waiting for the promise of Cape Wind: clean, renewable energy; new, green jobs; reduced air emissions and carbon pollution; energy at a predictable price over the long-term; and energy security. At a time when the evidence of global warming is overwhelming, and the need for jobs critical, unleashing the potential of this home-grown offshore wind project can only be a good thing. read more..

Cleaner cars are on the way. In an important step for climate change and air pollution, Vermont is updating its vehicle air emission rules so we can all have cleaner cars and breathe easier. The rule follows California’s standards and reduces the allowed emissions and greenhouse gases from cars beginning with the 2015 car models. The greenhouse gas reductions contained in the proposed amendments are expected to reduce new passenger vehicle carbon dioxide emissions by about 32-36% by model year 2025. Cars that are 1/3 cleaner. That’s a huge step in the right direction. Transportation is responsible for nearly half of Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions. These emission controls are vital to achieve Vermont’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. CLF and Vermont have a long history of support for cleaner transportation. In a read more…

Back in the 1970′s the satirical and surreal Firesign Theater proclaimed that “Everything You Know is Wrong.” At the intersection of energy and economics, that absurdist assertion is a increasingly obvious reality that advocates, policy makers and industry must embrace. Throughout history, there are moments when prior assumptions and core beliefs have simply stopped being accurate. Great examples include people discovering that the Earth is round, microscopic organisms cause disease, and that various substances (tobacco, asbestos, particles produced by diesel engines) are harmful. To paraphrase what John Maynard Keynes may or may not have said, when confronted with changed facts the intelligent person changes their perspective, assumptions and opinions accordingly. In the wonky, but critically important, world of energy systems no assumption has been more ingrained than this: “over the read more…

This week on Talking Fish, the Boston Globe and the New York Times have both missed opportunities to talk about the real issues facing groundfish in New England; Ben Martens of the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association explains why opening the groundfish closed areas to fishing is a risk that's not worth taking; catch up on the actions of the New England Fishery Management Council and other New England fishing happenings with the weekly Fish Talk in the News. read more..

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), if airlines were a country, they would be the world’s seventh biggest polluter. Aviation carbon emissions are expected to rise to 3.5 billion tons by 2050. The European Union’s requirement that all airplanes landing in the EU reduce the carbon pollution that is causing global warming, would lower carbon dioxide emissions by 70 million tons per year – equivalent to taking 30 million cars off the road. On Saturday, September 22, 2012, a bill to prohibit operators of civil aircraft of the United States from participating in the European Union’s emissions trading scheme to reduce carbon pollution from airplanes passed in the United States Senate by unanimous consent. The Senate bill, S. 1956, co-sponsored by Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Senator Claire read more…

My wife and I just moved into a new (to us) apartment in Cambridge and, as is often the case, were faced with a hodge-podge of leftover light bulbs in the fixtures – some too dim, some too bright and glaring, some dead. All were incandescents. New bulbs went on my shopping list. Much to my surprise, the nearby specialty food store (a high-priced place, frankly) was selling an entire pallet of compact fluorescents (CFLs), for $.99 each! All brightness levels, floods and regular, soft light and cool tones, etc. No rebates, no special incentives, no mail-in coupons, nothing. Just a rock-bottom price. How could this be? I bought a few and found they work just fine. However, they are the kind that have to “warm up” for 10-15 seconds read more…

This week on Talking Fish, the sharp rise in seal numbers in New England is creating problems for fishermen and policymakers; Peter Shelley argues the proposal by the NEFMC Groundfish Committee to open closed areas to fishing is both illegal and wrong; catch up on New England fishing happenings with the weekly Fish Talk in the News. read more..