Quick questions

1. hey, people, look at the new website and give feedback. specifically, should the background behind the main text keep the current toggle-y scheme or should I fix it with the semi-transparent green?
2. we need to consider talking to the A.P. (Associated Press)
3. also, the VFDA (Vermont Fuel Dealer's Association) and ask them to support us/start pushing pellet stoves. I heard a radio ad this morning for various heating solutions and the had tacked on a bit about pellet stoves that I don't remember having heard before
4. http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/stateupdates/gGgMHk

thats all for now,

Thomas

more :

1. How did we miss this and why haven't we talked to them yet?

I've got some questions!

1. Who will research what?

1. What mixtures of feedstock provide the cheapest/most efficient fuel, Yes, but isn't that kinda the primary goal in researching biomass fuels...to figure out what works best. yes but the whole message I'm trying to get across is that we should get on the research that we need to do to be able to support our proposal. Perhaps we can go with wood systems for now, and let the biofuels research lab + high school researchers figure this out?

1.a) Wait-- are we doing experiments on this ourselves? Has research been done on this before/ is there documentation?

1. How much underutilized land is there in Vermont? What does this mean? Approximately 100,000 acres [Can we get a mathematical sheet that shows exactly how we calculated this? or a reliable source that would prove it?] VT census bureau data, check out the old website
   • Goooood

1. Will these heating systems be able to burn other types of biomass pellets than just wood? Wood pellet stoves won't be able to burn high-ash content fuels like switchgrass, but high-ash content stoves can burn wood pellets just fine [Is there a price difference?]
2. From what supplier would Vermont buy these wholesale? Instead of recommending a specific supplier, perhaps we should provide the legislators of possible suppliers with possible pro's and con's of each.
3. How many farmers have we actually heard from have said they would go to this pelletizer and participate in selling their fuels? who are they? where do they live?
4. How many homeowners have we actually heard from have said they would like to have a pellet heater installed? Who are they? where do they live?
5. Do we have a reliable source we can quote that says we have reached peak oil? I remember seeing one in Mr. Tailer's classroom somewhere [uhh is that a reliable source? It could be! really, I'm just being a wet blanket so our arguments can strengthen] It was a reliable source, I just don't remember what it was, I'll try and ask him for it later ok cool , but it does need to be on some to do list Okay, so here's the deal. Peak oil is a highly controversial subject. The EIA just put out the word that peak oil is decades away, not years away. However, other groups such as the ASPO, believe that it's already here. Long story short: there are reliable sources to support both sides. Check out www.energybulletin.net and click on "Oil" for some good sources.
6. How do we know the effects of oil heating in the future (moving to the south, switching to woodchips) are actually true? what source says so? for the wood stove/wood furnace heating: been to Rutland lately? (especially in the morning) there's a smoke dome over valley. for moving south: where would you go if you can't afford to heat your house? certainly not North. But that's an assumption, and assumptions wont convince legislators
7. Where would this biomass lab be located? we've had 11acres donated for the first one [Where? by who?] In Addison County, I think Jessie knows who it was ok cool

1. would the work the students do in it count for credit? hopefully hopefully's not going to convince a legislator

1. Do the science teachers at UVM know/agree with the lab? I'm not sure if anyone's talked to them yet, but I think we'd want a consortium of local colleges (UVM, VTC, Midd, Dartmouth???) Then we need to get on that
   • We don't know yet who's participating or not, this is what was tossed around at the meeting. My Dad teaches/has taught an environmental studies class at Midd, so he should be able to get us contacts there. Mr Tailer obviously has contacts at UVM, if its state funded it should probably be opened up to other local colleges/they should be given an opportunity to get in on it...although Dartmouth is out of state. We need to start talking to people though yes! we do, and I can totally do that
2. What are the architectural blueprints of the lab?
3. What architect did we get this from?
4. What machines and devices (microscopes etc) need to be purchased (by who?) for the lab's studies?
5. Is there an actual document with figures and sources that dictates just exactly where the state's money will go? That would probably be in the bill...
6. How many stoves are we purchasing initially? x number of 1000 stove lots [when did we decide this? why 1000?] again, tossed around on Monday night. 1000 is small enough not to be intimidatingly large for the state to purchase, but large enough we should be able to bulk discount (the Cosco thing ^_^) [<-- haha. but 1000 is not yet a concrete figure, we should understand why it's not intimidatingly large]
7. Do we have a diagram or photo that shows the simplicity of the installation of a pellet system? No, but we know people with pellet systems so we should be able to get them. [good, and we'll contact them? soon? ok :)]

1. What about the removal of the oil system?
2. What's in it for the homeowners? Exactly how much money will they save and when? Convenience/maintanence? Emissions? emissions are comparable to current oil based heating, and wood pellets provide are 22% the cost per equivalent btu of oil heat [Source?] computations Mr. Tailer and I did today based on last years figures for how many BTUs different fuels can provide, and some averaged fuel costs [awesome.]

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What about the little guy that doesn't quite qualify for LIHEAP, but is still struggling to make ends meet? How will they pay the tax?

by switching off of petroleum heating fuels, and thus not having to pay the tax

Just to point out, I am totally harra-ing inside when I ask these questions, I'm not putting anybody down or trying to be negitive! and everything I direct at you guys is also directed at myself! yaay :D

I am all for answering these questions, but if I was a legislator, these are the kinds of testing questions I would ask.