Comment Log Display

California Air Resources Board
ARB Board of Directors
Mary D. Nichols
Chairwoman


July 17, 2008


Dear Chairwoman Nichols, ARB Board of Directors & Staff,

Thanks for your many good works, your strong environmental
stand is much appreciated. Here in California, we are told
that the snow packs on our mountain tops are shrinking.
There's less and less fresh water to share between our
growing populations, farmers, ranchers and wildlife.
Water is life.

The following article alerted me to the problem concerning
the oil fired, natural gas, coal and nuclear power plants.
They all use copious amounts of our nation's fresh water
resource.

http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/01/23/water-shortage-could-dry-up-nuclear-power-plants-in-southeast/

Headline: U.S. WANTS TO CUT POWER PLANT WATER USAGE

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 20:32:16 GMT
Science Technology News
Author: Science News Editor

WASHINGTON, U.S. Department of Energy officials said
thermoelectric power plants using coal, oil, natural gas
and nuclear sources require significant amounts of water
for cooling and are a major competitor for water resources.
A 2000 study found electric power plants were the second
largest U.S. user of fresh water, withdrawing 136 billion
gallons of fresh water daily. Only agriculture used more water.

Energy Department officials said the goal is to achieve a "50
percent" reduction in power plant fresh water usage by 2015.

Copyright 2007 by UPI

The full article:

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/84367.html

Solar electric roof shingles and solar electric panels use 
"no" water in the generation of clean renewable electricity.
They have no moving parts, make no noise, cause no chemical
reaction, require virtually no maintenance and are guaranteed
on average for 25 years.

When one factors in the true cost of generating electricity
including the use of water as well as the production of greenhouse
gases and other toxic emissions, solar electricity leads the field
with clean, low cost, renewable energy.

Governor Schwarzenegger has recently told us that due to 
climate destabilization, forest fires aren't just seasonal
anymore, they're year round. This will add new competition 
for our already strained precious water resources. 

California can improve its flexibility to cope with an 
uncertain water future by working to seriously reduce demand while
practicing environmental stewardship.


Harvey Sherback

Original File Name:

Date and Time Comment Was Submitted: 2008-07-17 07:06:11