[Vision2020] Protect Grand Ronde Aquifer

[Ted Moffett]

All-

I wonder what the total lbs. of CO2 annually entering the atmosphere
this would amount to for Moscow/Pullman local water use...But it
appears our CO2 emissions from the usual sources are a fact that many
do not want to address substantially, as we promote further fossil
fueled powered development, without the alternative energy
infrastructure in place to lower emissions dramatically.

If assuming CO2 emissions from the usual sources (cars and light
trucks, electric generation, diesel trucks and other transportation,
aviation, etc.) associated with human impacts in our area are at the
national average (about 20 tons annually per person), given a very
rough estimate of population at 46,000 for Moscow/Pullman, our
economic activity is associated with the emission of 920,000 tons of
CO2 into the atmosphere every year.  Our use of hydro and other
variables probably make this figure inaccurate, but even emissions
significantly below this figure are still out of control, given the
threats of climate change to global ecosystems and economic well
being.

Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, has proposed a limit of 2-3 tons
of CO2 emissions per capita as a reasonable goal.  Consider US CO2
emissions impacts per capita compared to Germany and China:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,503155,00.html

According to figures from the German government, the US emits 20 tons
of carbon dioxide per capita per year while Germany emits 11 tons.
China, in contrast, only emits 3.5 tons per person. Merkel's long-term
goal is for every person on the planet to emit the same level of CO2.
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Vision2020 Post: Ted Moffett


On 1/17/08, KRFP <krfp at radiofreemoscow.org> wrote:
> Here's a little tidbit I picked up recently from Science News.  Did you
> know that there is a significant carbon footprint to using ground (or
> well) water as we do?  Because there is dissolved CO2 in groundwater it
> fizzes out and our (human) usage contributes as much CO2 as all of the
> volcanoes of the world.
>
> Sorry I can't give the link it's a subscriber only one.
>
> Dave
>
>
> Tom Hansen wrote:
> > >From the Letters section of today's (January 17, 2008) Spokesman Review with
> > thanks to Buell Hollister of Spokane -
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------
> > Washington State HB 1338 - 2003-04
> > Providing additional certainty for municipal water rights.
> > http://tinyurl.com/2fbs3o
> >
> > --------------------------
> >
> > Protect Grand Ronde aquifer
> >
> > The cities of Moscow and Pullman and the University of Idaho as well as WSU
> > rely on the Grande Ronde aquifer as a sole source of water. The water level
> > in the aquifer has declined up to 3 feet for several decades, putting the
> > long-term sustainability of the water supply in question.
> >
> > Under Washington's new municipal water law (HB 1338), WSU is designated a
> > municipality, allowing the university to combine water permits previously
> > issued by the state to pump three times the water the university currently
> > uses. Ignoring the declining water level of the Grande Ronde aquifer WSU
> > intends to pump up to 250 million gallons of water a season to irrigate an
> > 18-hole golf course. Strange action for a land grant agricultural university
> > that advises farmers on prudent use of water.
> >
> > Several local private citizens, conservation groups and Indian tribes have
> > brought suit against the state of Washington testing the constitutionality
> > of HB 1338 for allowing over-appropriation of water in violation of the
> > public interest in affected communities. If the suit, beginning Jan. 22 in
> > Pullman, is successful, it will prevent future over-appropriation of water,
> > benefiting sustainable community growth and economic development.
> >
> > Buell Hollister
> > Spokane
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Seeya round town, Moscow.
> >
> > Tom Hansen
> > Moscow, Idaho
> >
> > "If not us, who?
> > If not now, when?"
> >
> > - Unknown
> >
> >
> > =======================================================
> >  List services made available by First Step Internet,
> >  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> >                http://www.fsr.net
> >           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> > =======================================================
> >
> >
> >
>
> =======================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet,
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>               http://www.fsr.net
>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================
>