Mark “Mudslide” Dudenhefer Shifts Attention to Delegate Campaign and Lets Constituents Slide
Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chairman Mark “Mudslide” Dudenhefer clearly doesn’t want to deal with the mudslides and sinkholes threatening his constituents’ homes. While these families are about to lose everything they own due to a catastrophe caused by a lack of county government oversight of developers and Stafford’s lax regulations over builders — Mudslide Mark is more focused on his political career advancement trying to grab the newly created 2nd Virginia House District seat.
Here’s a report from WJLA on a recent mudslide that destroyed several families homes in the Austin Ridge community of Stafford County:
Dennen: NRC To Inspect Nuke Plant
As reported earlier today, last week’s Virginia quake may have actually exceeded design standards at the North Anna nuclear power plant. The reactors were automatically powered down when the power failed from the quake.
An inspection team from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has been dispatched to assist resident inspectors in determining whether design standards were exceeded. Employees are saying that the reactors could be down for six weeks to six months, depending on the results of the analysis.
This is troubling on so many levels.
Dennen provides more troubling background on the history of quakes and the North Anna plant:
The subject of earthquakes and North Anna Power Station goes way back, before construction even began in the early 1970s.
According to stories in The Free Lance-Star, some geologists and environmental groups warned of an active earthquake zone that runs through portions of Central Virginia, including Mineral.
In 1976, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission found Dominion power’s predecessor, Virginia Electric and Power Co., guilty of making seven material false statements about geology at the plant. The company was fined $32,500.
Among the statements: That “faulting at the site is neither known or suspected.” Also listed was the company’s failure to tell the NRC staff or Atomic Safety and Licensing Board that it knew a fault existed at the site.
Vepco had appealed the fine, saying that statements it made about the fault “were believed to be true at the time they were made” and that there was no intent to mislead or deceive.
More recently, in February, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League brought up the location’s earthquake history in Dominion’s application for a combined license for third reactor pending before the NRC.
Units 1 and 2 went online in 1978 and 1980, respectively.
DPVA on McDonnell: “Misplaced priorities have struck again – and this time it’s our environment that is at risk”
The Democratic Party of Virginia released the following earlier today.
Governor McDonnell: Drilling at any cost
Meets with oil execs while Obama administration takes prudent steps to prevent future tragedies.
The Democratic Party of Virginia is calling on Governor McDonnell to support President Obama’s call to delay any new offshore drilling projects until a full understanding of the causes of this most recent disaster can be determined. Both of Virginia’s United States Senators, Jim Webb and Mark Warner, have made it clear that they support the President’s decision, and expect any lessons learned from the Gulf tragedy to be incorporated into federal regulations that would govern offshore energy production off Virginia’s coast. Yet Governor McDonnell continues to declare unrealistic goals for when drilling should begin and he appears to ignore the safety and environmental considerations that the recent disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has brought to light.
“Some Virginia leaders are reconsidering their support for drilling off the state’s coast after a fatal well accident in the Gulf of Mexico, even as Gov. Robert F. McDonnell continues to lobby aggressively to drill for oil and natural gas without delay,” the Washington Post reported today. “McDonnell (R), who has made drilling off Virginia’s coast one of his administration’s top priorities, flew to Houston on Monday to tout the benefits of offshore drilling at an industry-sponsored conference.” [Va. officials reconsider support for drilling after gulf oil accident, Washington Post, Tuesday, May 4, 2010; A10]And in an interview on WTOP Radio on April 27, Governor McDonnell stated, “”This is certainly a setback, but I certainly continue to be dedicated to making us first to drill, 2012 at the latest, and over the next couple years these safety and environmental issues will be addressed.”
“Governor McDonnell’s misplaced priorities have struck again – and this time it’s our environment that is at risk,” said David Mills, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Virginia. “When responsible leaders learn of relevant new information, they adapt their positions. Senator Webb and Senator Warner have agreed that the President’s call for a delay on new projects is the responsible course of action until the cause of the tragedy in the Gulf is determined — yet Governor McDonnell continues to push for unrealistic timetables.”
Mills further stated, “Just last night, Governor McDonnell was in Texas rubbing elbows with oil industry executives as they discussed the profits to be had from offshore drilling. A spill of this magnitude off Virginia’s coast would devastate our coastal economy and endanger the effectiveness of the world’s largest navy base at Norfolk. A responsible leader with the right priorities for Virginia would join Senators Webb and Warner in their commonsense approach. “
Very well said by the DPVA!
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Priorities Bob, Priorities. The responsible thing to do is take a step back and pause. Throughout this debate, we’ve been repeatedly told how safe offshore drilling was and how any fear was unfounded. Clearly this is a huge issue now and the safety of such rigs must be looked at more carefully.
McDonnell is more concerned in assisting the oil industry fat cats than Virginia businesses and workers who rely on a strong coastal economy. Imagine what kind of hit a spill like this would be to Virginia’s tourism industry that relies so heavily on state beaches ($19.2 billion industry, 210,620 jobs) or its fishing industry ($1.23 billion in output sales, $717.4 million in value-added income and 13,015 jobs). This doesn’t even take into consideration the negative environmental impact to our wetlands, wildlife and aquatic life or water quality. Oh yeah, the U.S. Navy is also deeply opposed to drilling.
Could you imagine the impact that a spill would have on our economy?! I cannot even begin to imagine.
Given the immense risk of drilling, one has to wonder is it worth it? The Virginia Conservation Network’s data clearly suggests no.
The Atlantic OCS has significantly less recoverable oil and gas reserves than any other OCS region, with an estimated 3.82 billion barrels of oil and 36.99 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. At current rates of consumption, the entire Atlantic OCS would supply the U.S. with only 6 months worth of oil and 18 months worth of natural gas; Virginia’s offshore supply of oil and gas would last less than 7 and 18 days, respectively.
Meanwhile, four times more gas and oil is available in areas already open to drilling than in waters protected by the moratorium, and the industry is using only a fraction (18-20%) of what it already has access to. These unused areas could produce an additional 4.8 million barrels of oil and 44.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas each day, nearly double current domestic oil production.
Weighing the effect such a spill would have on our economy against any potential benefit, I would have to say that drilling doesn’t seem worth it to me. Regardless, the only course of action right now should be to pause and reassess. This decision is far too important to be made rashly and the consequences too great. McDonnell should follow the lead of Senators Warner and Webb and put commonsense above ideology.
Smolen Announces First Book Appearance, Career Development Book for Green-Business Professionals Expected This Spring
A good friend of mine and the former Chair of the Stafford Democratic Committee (SDC), Dan Smolen, recently announced that he would be releasing a career development book for green-business professionals this spring.
In what is sure to be many appearances leading up to the expected launch of his groundbreaking new book, Dan announced his first appearance earlier today:
April 9, 2010 (8 pm): Beth Sholom Temple, 805 Lyons Blvd., Fredericksburg, Va. 22406
Tikkun Olam and The Green Suits: Business Executives Are ‘Going Green’ to Heal the World. Dan Smolen, author of Tailoring the Green Suit: Empowering Yourself for an Executive Career in the New Green Economy, discusses his new book and how the Hebrew phrase “Tikkun Olam” (healing the world) aptly applies to the new class of “green business” executives–The Green Suits.
Given Dan’s dynamic style, I guarantee that this will certainly be thought provoking and is something that shouldn’t be missed. You can keep up with Dan’s future appearances here.
Dan Smolen to Offer a Career Development Book for Green-Business Professionals
It seems that former SDC Chairman Dan Smolen has been quite busy. From today’s Free Lance-Star:
Dan Smolen suggests that many of today’s up-and-coming executives might want to forgo the usual gray or blue power suit for a green one.
Smolen, an executive recruiter and business consultant who lives in Stafford County, says a budding global “green” economy–with more companies focusing on sustainability and corporate social responsibility–demands it.
“There’s lots of discussion out there about green jobs, but absolutely nothing to speak to executives” who are running the companies or coming up the ranks, says Smolen, 49, a Connecticut native who moved to the Fredericksburg area in 1997.
Smolen has a self-published book coming out this spring, titled, “Tailoring the Green Suit: Empowering Yourself for an Executive Career in the New Green Economy,” (AuthorHouse, $20).
He calls it a career development book for green-business professionals.
A graduate of Ithaca College in New York, Smolen worked for 12 years in direct marketing and executive recruiting. Along the way, he he immersed himself in local politics, public policy and the environment.
Three years ago, he changed direction. He had just stepped down as chairman of the Stafford County Democratic Committee.
“I thought at the time I had to make some changes” in his career focus, “to pivot into the green business arena that can touch any facet of the business world, but most obviously energy conservation, sustainability, corporate social responsibility.”
And his ah-ha moment: While there’s been lots of discussion about green jobs, “I saw that there was absolutely nothing out there to speak to executives” about how to prepare for–and excel–in a new business model, he said.
“I wrote the book for those people the idea behind it, to tailor yourself to take advantage of green business opportunities as they come.”
President Obama’s $787 billion federal stimulus package, for example, provides billions for green energy, energy savings improvements and sustainability projects.
Smolen says that money, enabled by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, is flowing to states and localities.
The George Washington Regional Commission, for example, recently announced it had received a $1 million grant from the state through the stimulus fund for energy-conservation projects here that will help nearly 200 homeowners and create jobs for local contractors.
Just as social media are changing the fundamentals of communication, “The next big shift will be in the area of green business–and it will go beyond all the feel-good stuff,” Smolen said.
He has posted some excerpts from the book on his blog. He delves into the history of the green business phenomenon, challenges, how-to’s, and philosophy.
“I believe that going green–I hate that term, but I don’t know what else to call it–when it’s done right is good for business.”
The irony, he says, is that companies now recognize that being environmentally friendly is no longer an afterthought, but a key part of any business plan.
He mentions the late Milton Friedman, the Nobel Prize-winning economist, whose idea of corporate responsibility was simply to make a profit for shareholders.
“The new paradigm is being a good steward” of the planet, “and using resources wisely and using them sustainably” to help people have better lives. And that translates into profits on the balance sheet. He calls it the triple bottom line: planet, people, profit.
Interest in the topic runs from Main Street to the corporate office suite, if the sheer number of books out is any indicator. There are hundreds of titles on Amazon.com alone. For example, “Go Green: Live Rich, 50 simple ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich,” and “Living Green: A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability.”
Ted Hontz, a friend of Smolen’s who owns a defense contracting firm in King George County, says Smolen’s onto something.
“He told me he wanted to be a green entrepreneur. But Dan is a guy who does not have quarterly returns and stock prices as his primary goal in life.
“He’s a smart guy, and if he’s paying attention to something like this, I’m guessing he’s on the leading edge of something important.”
Dan is one of the smartest, hardest working guys I have ever met. I’m looking forward to the release of this book. I believe that Dan is on to something special here. As stimulus funds flow into green businesses and the government fast tracks innovation in green and clean technology, new opportunities await potential job seekers and employers.
Dan’s phones may have been malfunctioning yesterday, but thank goodness they are fixed today. I have a feeling that he is going to be one busy guy!
You can read more on this subject by visiting Dan’s blog Sturdy Roots.
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