Section: The Real Deal by Leo Wiegman

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Low Hanging Fruit for Everyone's Carbon Diet

October 10, 2008

Atmospheric greenhouse gas levels are rising at rates that are unprecedented, and so is the globe’s average temperature. We tend to think of big emitters as large companies or industry sectors. These groups are beginning to take climate action. But what about the cumulative impact of individual households?

What can a family do that would make a difference?

A lot! Each gallon (3.7 liters) of gasoline burned produces in 19.4 pounds (8.8 kilograms) of carbon dioxide emissions. The average U. S. automobile emits 5.7 tons (5,200 kilograms) of carbon dioxide per year. Between 30 and 40% percent of all US greenhouse gas emissions each year come from the direct action of American households and their transportation decisions. That is 2.1 billion annual (metric) tons, or eight percent of the world’s total emissions!

Economizing on how much we use is a good financial move, especially with rising oil and electricity rates. Simple energy saving actions by regular citizens can also add up to tremendous reductions in our collective carbon footprint.

Consumers Report has a set of a dozen suggestions for home owners on greener living. Earth Day Network has a set of 25 suggestions.

But new research show the significant benefit of 7 consumer actions that would be no-cost or low-cost. In “Individual Carbon Emissions: The Low-Hanging Fruit,” by Michael Vandenbergh of Vanderbilt University and his colleagues describe seven painless changes for individual consumers that add up to very significant emission reductions.

These consumer behavior changes are “low hanging fruit” that can be part of every household’s low carbon diet. By “low hanging,” Vandenbergh means these adjustments costs nothing or next to nothing to enact:

1. Reduce the component of motor vehicle idling that has net costs to the driver;
2. Reduce “standby power” electricity use;
3. Accelerate substitution of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) for incandescent bulbs;
4. Adjust temperature settings two degrees in both summer and winter;
5. Adjust temperature settings on water heaters;
6. Maintain recommended tire pressure in personal motor vehicles; and
7. Change air filters in personal motor vehicles at recommended intervals.

Together, these low-to-no-cost behavior changes alone would generate roughly 150 million tons in annual emissions reductions and several billion dollars in net social savings by 2014. That is the equivalent of removing 26 million automobiles from the road! They can be put into action immediately, and would generate a net social savings from lowered utility bills for households.

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Steep Slope [Part 4]: Village Taxes 2008-2009

June 2, 2008

Steep economic slopes lie ahead for Croton and all our surrounding municipalities. A stagnating real estate market combining with across-the-board inflation is bad news, unless we act.

When real estate demand slows down, property values often soften. When property values weaken, property owners often file grievances to seek lower tax assessments. A successful reduction of an assessment results in a lower property tax bill for the applicant, but not for all the other owners!

Any tax relief granted to one owner is spread across all the remaining owners who have to pick up the difference in the next tax year. What is happening here? What can we do about it?

The Big Jump in Tax Relief Cases

Tax relief cases are becoming more common and more sizable since the real estate market softened. The trend in Westchester County is stark: the latest figures show a 34% increase in average number of new tax certiorari cases initiated in 2006 and 2007 over the average of the prior six years. [endnote 1]

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Steep Slope [Part 3]: Village Taxes 2008-2009

April 29, 2008

Last June in this column, we discussed some of the options available for curbing village property tax rates: Develop “Better Properties”; Cut Expenses; Raise Service Rates & Fees; and Reorganize Services.

Croton’s final fiscal 2008-2009 budget that emerged from the annual budget process is—as always—lower than the staff’s initial proposed budget.

How did the village board and staff get there? For many budget lines that do not involve personnel, the budget for next year is nearly flat over the current year. Let’s take a quick look at which of major tax levers were used and at inflation, capital projects, and resulting debt expenses.

The tax rate increase for 2008-2009 will be a modest 3.95%, down from the proposed budget that would have required a 5.9% increase. Given the underlying valuation for 2008-2009, the new total tax levy that yields a 3.95% increase must be circa $10,250,000 (the amount to be raised by local property taxes). The village’s total budget will be just over $16 million with the difference of c. $6 million raised by other means (parking lot, water and sewer rates, building and recreation fees, sales tax share, etc).

Compared to most other neighboring towns and villages this year, 3.95% is slightly better than the average. So, kudos to the board and staff!

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Why Acid Rain was Good for us—and Other Recent Good News

April 4, 2008

The new green collar economy is beginning to emerge, right here in New York. Four news items caught my eye this week:

• The nation’s first ever carbon dioxide allowance auction in the nation for a mandatory emissions reduction program will take place on September 10, 2008.
• The dirtiest coal-fired electricity generating plant in New York will be closing in nearby Stony Point.
• A renewable energy firm is moving to Tarrytown from Portsmouth NH to be closer to the staff and financial resources they need in New York City.
• Al Gore teams up with the Geico Insurance ‘gecko’ ad firm and many others to launch a “we can solve it” campaign.

These four stories are the evidence for this economic tide: The allowance auction is part of it. So is closure of a major polluter and the arrival of a biogas technology firm.

Dealing with acid rain successfully since 1990 has taught us how to tackle other more troublesome airborne emissions. The essential tool in reducing sulfur dioxide, the emission most responsible for acid rain, was market-based regulation that let polluters decide how and when to meet lowered emission caps. (For more on how the US tackled acid rain with a cap and trade program, see the Appendix to this column on Abating Acid Rain.)

Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of burning fossil fuels. Over 80% of the carbon dioxide we put in the air comes from combusting coal, oil, gasoline, and natural gas. And half of that comes from industrial processes and power stations generating electricity and, less than 20% (!) from the internal combustion engines in our cars, trucks, planes and trains.

The US is a leading exporter of carbon dioxide to the global atmosphere. Of course, once carbon is in the atmosphere, it is not American or Chinese carbon anymore, but everyone’s carbon. View a world map of who is responsible for atmospheric carbon dioxide(CO2), at Wikipedia.

It began in earnest with the invention of the effective coal-fired steam engine in the early 1800s—an invention that propelled America trains and boats to a economic and industrial manifest destiny across the entire North American continent and beyond. Since then a steady rise of carbon as a thick blanket in the atmosphere that has been accompanied by a rise global average temperatures, hence the term “greenhouse gas.”

While scientists disagree on exactly how much the Earth is warming due to burning fossil fuels and deforestation, they do agree the Earth is getting warmer and will keep getting warmer unless we lower our carbon dioxide emissions.

The carbon allowance auction will use market principles to reduce the total amount of carbon dioxide we send into the Earth’s atmosphere. This well-thought out ” cap and trade” program is not a federal initiative. The feds have lagged far behind America’s states and cities in the recent years on environmental policy innovation. But you already knew that!

Ten states have decided not to wait for Washington. Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are the signatory states, with others as observer states and regions, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, and the eastern Canadian provinces (See the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Members and Observers (2008) map.).

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Light Industry in Croton: Major Changes Ahead

February 5, 2008

Today in Croton-on-Hudson, fourteen acres of prime light industrial land on two different sites may be headed for big changes. The two significant sites are wedged between the Route 9 state highway and Metro-North’s rail yard. One is on the market now, the Max Finkelstein Tire Warehouse, and the other, 1A Croton Point Avenue, is the subject of an active acquisition effort by the Village.

Two Lots in Croton’s Light Industrial Zone that are headed for change (click to enlarge picture).

What land uses do we currently find in Croton-on-Hudson’s Light Industrial (LI) zone? The major uses revolve around rail transit. From largest to smallest, the current uses and whether they pay property taxes are as follows:

Croton’s Light Industrial Zone Occupants	Area	Tax Income?
Metro North’s Harmon Yard and Croton Harmon Train Station	100+ acres	No Tax Income
Village’s Parking Lot, Public Works Garage, Salt Shed and Canoe Launch	16 acres	No Tax Income
Greentree Realty (1A Croton Point Avenue, former waste transfer site)	9.5 acres	Taxable
Finkelstein Tire Warehouse (special permit required)	4.5 acres	Taxable
Office Buildings (at 1 and 2 Croton Point Avenue and Senasqua Road	2 acres	Taxable

Financially, two facts stand out. First, the 130+ acres in our Light Industrial zone yield only 16 acres of taxable land. About 90% of the light industrial acres produce no property tax income to the village. Metro-North is tax-exempt and so is the land the village owns.

Most communities that create light industrial zones do so explicitly to generate property taxes (or payments in lieu of taxes) and local jobs, while consolidating the location of such businesses. Think of all the industrial or business parks that spring up near transportation hubs all over the Northeast.

Second, the Village owned Parking Lot generates over $2 million dollars revenue from annual parking fees. But fixing the flood prone section of the lot will cost $1.5 million. That capital expense alone (before any borrowing costs) comes to roughly $750 per commuter or $400 per village household. Borrowing to fix the lot will increase the village tax rate which village homeowners disproportionately shoulder compared to non-residential property owners.

Village property tax rates have climbed 22 percent in the past three years alone. The major challenge facing the village is trying to stimulate revenue from sources other than the homeowners. One way to lower residential tax hikes is to have more and better commercial properties contributing taxes to the village coffers. So it matters a great deal who the next operators on these light industrial lots will be and what they will be doing.

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Croton River Protection Plan Ready for Action: Streamwalk Anyone?

January 2, 2008

Did you know…?

• The Croton River has five tributaries between the dam and the Hudson, the largest of which is Indian Brook.
• New York State stocks the Croton River below the dam each spring with approximately 1,200 rainbow and brown trout.
• The Croton Gorge and Indian Brook watershed contains the drinking water supply for residents in three of its five communities (Croton and the Ossinings).

• Only 11% of the land in the watershed is undeveloped, but another 27% is open space or park land.
• The largest development of non-residential land in the watershed is the Croton-Harmon train station and commuter parking lot, zoned for light industrial use.
• One third of the watershed contains steep slopes, especially sensitive to erosion.
• The Croton Bay estuary, one of the largest shelters in the lower Hudson, is a documented haven for migratory fish.
• Sixty-four species of breeding birds (.pdf download, 2 pages) have been identified in the hills of the Croton Gorge and Indian Brook watershed.

Anyone who enjoys the Croton River gorge and bay for hiking, swimming, birding, fishing, paddle sports, or just watching nature should read the Indian Brook-Croton Gorge Watershed Conservation Action Plan today, which Westchester County has just released.

The thirty-five year old idea for a Croton River Compact among the Croton Gorge communities will get a big lift from the data in this plan. Ultimately, the goal is to guide future development of these 3,400 acres with nature always in mind.

We must strike a careful balance between the human need for the built environment, such housing and roads, and human need for the critical services that nature herself provides, such clean water and air.

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A Tale of 2 Court Decisions: Goodbye, Special Permit for 1A Croton Point Avenue

December 15, 2007

The only good news in the two recent appellate decisions appears to be court’s upholding the injunction the village obtained that blocks a waste transfer station from instantly opening at 1A Croton Point Avenue. [Endnote 1]

Everything else in the decisions seems like bad news for either preventing a transfer site from re-opening or for curbing the village’s legal expenses.

The two recent Appellate Court rulings seems to suggest—when the injunction is lifted—that property owner Greentree does not require a new special use permit from the Village Board to continue use of the site as a waste transfer station, if they choose, and has a right to a zoning variance for a different use, if they choose that instead.

Hence, the owners may lease the site to a new operator with the right to use it as a waste transfer station, as defined by 42 operation and maintenance conditions originally imposed by the 1998 special permit. [Endnote 2]

In the Village v Northeast Interchange Railway (NIR) decision, the final phrase concerning “as a matter of right” seems clearly to benefit the owner (which remains Greentree) and operator (which was NIR, but could be any future waste hauler).

The Court removed key wording that blocked the Greetree “from operating a transfer station at the Property without first obtaining a special permit in accordance with the Village’s Zoning Code….” Instead the Court enjoined such parties “from operating a transfer station at the Property until such time as the Village recognizes the permissibility of their proposed use, it is judicially determined that they may use the Property for its intended purpose as a matter of right, or a use variance is obtained….”

Removing the Village’s “special permit” as a requirement for “operating a transfer station” and imposing the Village’s recognizing “the permissibility of their proposed use” leaves the question of what “permissibility” means. Will defining this permissibility become a future legal battle?

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25 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Tap Water Quality in Croton

November 16, 2007

Croton-on-Hudson has proposed dosing its water supply with the anti-corrosion compound, zinc orthophosphate (“ZOP”), as a measure to reduce brown water and lead traces, which some homeowners experience. The frequently asked questions below deal with the topics individually.

This FAQ is a work-in-progress: Comments, corrections and amendments are welcome! The questions are numbered to facilitate referring to them for correction or comment.

1. Where can I find some reliable information about “Get the Lead Out”?
* The U.S.E.P.A has good, basic information on lead in drinking water.
* Read the New York State “Get the Lead Out of Drinking Water” flyer.
* The Natural Resources Defense Council has some good basic information on water filters.
* Croton-on-Hudson’s website contains the annual Water Quality Reports and details on the anti-corrosion control proposal.

2. What kinds of homes are at risk for the lead in the tap water?
In 1985 the state banned lead-based solder for joining water pipes. The hundreds of village homes and condos built since 1986 are not likely at risk. In addition, older homes whose owners have undertaken major plumbing renovations since 1986 are not likely at risk either. Homes that have installed filtration and purification systems or under-the-sink filters are most likely not at risk. If in doubt, test your tap water to be sure. The most likely homes at risk are older homes in which the water pipes may have been soldered together with lead-based compounds.

3. How do I test if my home’s water pipes add lead to my drinking water?
Any lead is bad. A simple test in which you follow a protocol in collecting a tap water sample and mail it to a certified lab will tell you whether any lead appears in your tap water. The test kit and lab work is under $40 and available at many local hardware stores.

4. Where can I find some more information about water tests?
The web sites below contain information about testing tap water for lead. The list below does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of any particular firm or organization.
* www.inspect-ny.com/water/leadtest.htm
* www.leadcheck.com
* www.leadinspector.com
* www.leadtesting.org

5. What can I do, if my home does have old water pipes?
Croton’s homeowners have a range of good options. In approximate order of increasing expense per homeowner, they include:

a. Run your tap until the water is cold. Hot water picks up more lead from pipes or solder. Colder water reduces the lead that is shed by solder in the joints. Use only cold tap water for drinking or cooking.
b. Install an appropriate filter under the sink. Some filters will remove lead. Use a scrupulous vendor. Use a certified plumber to install it. This is always an option, even after the village would begin a ZOP additive.
c. Have the village install a system wide remedy such as a water additive to reduce corrosion.
d. Have a plumber examine the joints of your home’s water pipes. If needed, replace old ones with non-lead based solder joints. Or replace your metal water pipes with certified plastic piping (e.g. WaterPEX tubing). Such projects will significantly reduce any potential lead problem.
e. Similarly, replace brass fittings or appliances from your water systems with other materials. Your home’s the water meter or pressure reduction valve may contain brass.
f. If you have a brown water problem, a whole-house filter may help. The downside is these filters are expensive and must be constantly maintained. Consult with a plumbing professional.

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How Many Crotonites Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?

October 24, 2007

If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

Turning off lights and appliances not in use is one great way to conserve. Using more energy efficient lights and appliances is another. Take the pledge and learn more today at “Change A Bulb.”

CFL bulbs use one fifth to one quarter of the electricity of an equivalent incandescent bulbs. An 11 to 14 watt CFL bulbs gives the same light output as 60 watt incandescent bulb. And CFL bulbs last 6 to 15 times longer than incandescent bulbs and have no delicate incandescent filament to burn out.

CFLs are fine in all common light fixtures that presently use incandescent bulbs. They will yield the greatest savings, and avoid problems, if they are installed in indoor sockets where (a) lights are kept on for more than just a few minutes at a time (i.e. most locations except closets) and (b) lights are not controlled by motion sensors or photocells. They will work in outdoor sockets, but may not be as bright as expected when it gets very cold. Their long life makes them especially useful for hard to reach light fixtures.

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Price is Right and Prince is Wrong: Holding Blackwater Accountable

October 1, 2007

The Bush-Cheney war in Iraq is a full-employment act for mercenaries and a high-margin business for war profiteers. What are we going to do about that?

Did you know America has well over a quarter million people serving in Iraq and Afghanistan? The US has more private military contractors on duty in Iraq (180,000) than we have soldiers stationed there (+130,000).

An astounding 1000 contractors have perished on our behalf. If we add the casualties among the private contractors to the official US troop casualties that the Defense Department does report, the US count would instantly jump by 25%. Over 13,000 contractors have been injured, a human toll also omitted from the Pentagon tallies.

From largest to smallest, the top three private military contractors in use by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan are Blackwater USA (great mercenary name, by the way!), Dyncorp, and Triple Canopy.

The Bush-Cheney administration is clearly expanding the use of private contractors in Iraq for all kinds of work—from transport to guard duty—in order to reduce the official number of US service men and women stationed there.

We pay between 4 and 10 times more for each private contract employee than we do for each soldier getting a government paycheck. A private mercenary may earn $600 a day or more, but may have no health insurance through his employer.

Private guards hired with our tax dollars by one particular private military contractor, Blackwater, are at least twice as likely to use deadly force as guards from its competing firms. Especially when Blackwater’s guards kill innocent Iraqi mothers and children in our name, this trigger-happy group inflames the distrust the average Iraqi might heap upon all Americans, undermining the conditions in which our enlisted men and women must work.

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