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The document advocates for wind power as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and nuclear energy, particularly in New England. It details the severe environmental and health costs of conventional energy—including CO2 emissions, air pollution, water consumption, and land degradation—while positioning wind energy as a low-impact solution with minimal land footprints and no operational emissions.

The document outlines the potential for wind energy in New England, emphasizing that the region has "excellent wind resources, particularly on mountain ridges and along the coast." It details the criteria for optimal siting—primarily wind speed, topography, and proximity to transmission lines—and highlights economic benefits such as tax revenues for towns and lease payments for landowners. The text addresses environmental concerns, noting that modern turbines cause significantly fewer bird fatalities than other human structures and that wind power does not reduce property values. It also discusses human impacts, including visual aesthetics, noise, and aviation lighting, while noting that 81 percent of surveyed Vermont residents find turbines "beautiful or acceptable."

The document outlines the environmental and economic benefits of wind energy in New England, noting that over 60 percent of the region's electricity was generated from fossil fuels in 2005. It explains how wind power integrates into the grid via ISO New England to displace more expensive and polluting plants, particularly oil-fired plants during winter peaks. The text highlights that 18 proposed wind projects with a total capacity of 1,890 MW could avoid millions of tons of pollution annually, including over 3 million tons of CO2. It also discusses the importance of siting for efficiency and the role of policy mechanisms like cap-and-trade and renewable portfolio standards in accelerating the transition.

The report analyzes the extensive network of U.S. government subsidies for liquid biofuels, finding that support is pervasive across the entire supply chain. It estimates that annualized subsidies for ethanol range between $6.3 and $8.7 billion, while biodiesel support ranges from $1.7 to $2.3 billion. The author argues that these subsidies are often inefficient, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas mitigation and fossil fuel displacement, and warns that the rapid growth of the industry—driven by these incentives—may be unsustainable.

The Smoky Canyon Mine, operated by the J.R. Simplot Company in Southeastern Idaho, is a Superfund site that releases toxic selenium into the environment. Earthjustice and other organizations oppose the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management's plan to expand the mine into two Roadless Areas, arguing that the existing contamination has not been cleaned up and that further discharges would cause irreversible toxic impacts to the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including reproductive failure in fish and aquatic birds.

The report critiques the 'agro-business revolution' of GM crops, specifically targeting Monsanto's influence on global agricultural policies and the misleading data provided by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA). It argues that GM crops have led to increased pesticide use, land concentration, and the erosion of farmers' rights through restrictive intellectual property regimes. The document concludes that the primary beneficiaries of this technology are biotechnology companies, while small-scale farmers and the environment suffer negative impacts.

The analysis of monitoring data at the Navajo Mine contradicts BHP Billiton's claims of negligible environmental impact, finding elevated ash-constituent parameters in groundwater and significantly higher concentrations of TDS, SO4, pH, selenium, and boron downstream in the Chaco River basin compared to upstream.

The document assesses the environmental and health impacts of shipping emissions, noting that they are significantly less regulated than land-based sources. It provides data on global and regional emission inventories, specifically for Europe and the United States, and compares these to land-based mobile sources. The report details several cost-effective mitigation strategies, including the use of low-sulphur fuel, seawater scrubbing, engine modifications, selective catalytic reduction (SCR), and shore-side electrical power ('cold ironing').

The Union of Concerned Scientists analyzed two proposals to increase the Texas Renewable Energy Standard (RPS): a 20 percent by 2020 target (TREIA proposal) and a 10,000 MW by 2025 target (TEPC proposal). Using the EIA's National Energy Modeling System, the analysis found that both proposals would lower consumer energy bills, create jobs, and reduce CO2 emissions, with the 20 percent proposal yielding significantly higher benefits. By 2025, the 20 percent standard is projected to save consumers $5.6 billion in total energy bills, create 38,290 new jobs, and reduce annual power plant CO2 emissions by 20 million metric tons.

The document outlines a method to capture methane and other pollutants from condensed liquids at the first compressor station of transmission pipelines. By using gas combustion devices to burn off gases released when liquids are moved to atmospheric pressure storage tanks, operators can reduce emissions. One partner, Columbia Gulf Transmission, reported saving 334,000 standard cubic feet of methane annually from two condensate storage tanks.

The document examines the environmental and social impacts of the aviation industry, noting that rapid growth in passenger and freight demand cancels out technological efficiency gains. It highlights the sector's contribution to climate change through greenhouse gases and radiative forcing, as well as local impacts like noise and air pollution. The authors propose a demand management strategy based on three pillars: internalising external costs via emission charges, shifting short-haul passengers to rail, and substituting physical travel with electronic communication. The paper concludes with nine specific policy recommendations, including a ban on night-time flights and the adoption of an 'environmental bubble' concept for airports.

The document assesses South Africa's energy sector, primarily its electricity supply industry (ESI), through the lens of sustainable development. It analyzes the transition of Eskom from a vertically integrated monopoly to a corporatized entity and the government's efforts to liberalize the market while maintaining social equity. Key findings highlight the environmental burden of coal-dependency, the success of national electrification programs in expanding access to the poor, and the necessity of restructuring the ESI to optimize future investment and integrate renewable energy sources.

The report examines the shrimp industry in Bangladesh, focusing on the tension between international food safety standards (SPS/HACCP) and sustainable production. It finds that while processing plants have complied with these standards, small-scale farmers lack the resources to do so, creating a risk that the industry will shift toward environmentally damaging intensive farming to reduce costs and risks. The author suggests that improving management and training for extensive farmers is a more sustainable alternative to intensification.

The Clean Air Task Force argues that the EPA's 2004 decision regarding cooling water intake structures for existing power plants is too weak because it replaces technology mandates with vague performance standards and allows for fish population 'restoration' instead of preventing kills. The document highlights that once-through cooling systems, used by 52% of U.S. plants, cause massive fish mortality and thermal pollution, whereas recirculating cooling could reduce water use by 95%.

The report details how U.S. power plants impact water resources through massive withdrawals and the discharge of heated, chemically treated water. It highlights the ecological damage caused by once-through cooling systems—such as fish impingement and entrainment—and the risks of toxic chemical leaks from coal ash ponds. The document argues for a transition to closed-cycle and dry-cooling technologies to mitigate these effects and ensure power system reliability during droughts. It also critiques the current state-led enforcement of the Clean Water Act, calling for more consistent federal standards and cumulative impact assessments.

The report examines the proliferation of subsidies in India across agriculture, energy, and industrial sectors, highlighting a significant gap between official budgetary estimates and actual costs. It argues that while subsidies are intended for welfare and food security, they often result in regressive distribution, environmental degradation, and financial instability for state entities. The document specifically analyzes the impact of irrigation, power, and fertilizer subsidies on the environment and equity, and reviews India's export incentive schemes and their compatibility with WTO rules, including specific disputes in the iron and steel sector.

The report presents twelve reasons why large hydroelectric projects are incompatible with the goals of renewable energy initiatives. It contends that these projects fail to alleviate poverty, divert funding from cleaner decentralized technologies, and often suffer from underestimated costs and overestimated benefits. The text highlights severe social and environmental impacts, including the forced displacement of 40 to 80 million people and the emission of greenhouse gases from reservoirs. It further argues that large dams increase vulnerability to climate change, are inflexible and costly to build, and are not truly renewable due to sedimentation.

The report analyzes the agricultural sector in Central America, noting a trend where imports grow faster than exports and a heavy reliance on external technology for dynamic crops. It identifies significant environmental degradation caused by the high use of pesticides in banana and cantaloupe production and carbon emissions from sugar cane burning. The authors argue that while the region has extensive environmental legislation, it is rarely enforced. To promote sustainable development, the document recommends establishing non-distorting support mechanisms, negotiating special treatment for 'sustainable' products in trade agreements like CAFTA and the FTAA, and creating a General System of Green Preferences (SIGPREVERDE) for developing countries.

The report examines the adoption and effects of first-generation GMO crops, noting that while RR soybeans facilitate no-till farming and replace some toxic herbicides, they are associated with 'yield drag' and increased herbicide volumes. It warns that high selection pressure in Argentina increases the risk of weed resistance and shifts. Additionally, the document highlights emerging concerns regarding glyphosate's impact on soil microbial communities, specifically the increase of Fusarium fungi, and the impairment of nitrogen fixation in soybeans.

The document analyzes the rapid expansion of transgenic crops in Argentina, particularly the glyphosate-tolerant (RR) soybean, which grew from less than 1% of soybean area in 1996-1997 to over 90% by 2000-2001. This growth is attributed to a combination of macroeconomic reforms, the adoption of no-till farming, and specific institutional factors that lowered seed costs and prevented patent enforcement. While RR soybeans created a "win-win" scenario of increased production and employment, other transgenic crops like Bt corn and Bt cotton saw limited adoption due to higher costs and technology fees. The report highlights a significant illegal seed market and argues for stronger national biotechnological research and regulatory oversight via CONABIA to ensure future competitiveness and biosafety.