ECN News http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com 9/7/2010 8:53:49 AM Caterpillar Announces Expansion of Its North Carolina Compact Construction Facility http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=340 8/6/2010 11:53:04 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=340 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/7EA6E4872FB5A79340EF27C178002D07.jpg PEORIA, Ill., Aug 05, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) is announcing the expansion of its Compact Construction Equipment operations located in Sanford, North Carolina. The development will provide the increased logistics and fabrications capacity required to meet growing global demand for the skid steer, compact track and multi-terrain loaders produced in Sanford today. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The expansion plans include a 270,000-square-foot building addition that will house logistics and the latest robotic welding technology for fabrication production. "The Sanford campus project provides Caterpillar with several key benefits that support our quest to constantly improve value for our customers," said Mary Bell, Vice President of Caterpillar's Building Construction Products Division. "We appreciate the support we received from our local partners and from the State of North Carolina for our growth strategy." The expansion of compact construction equipment production capacity is part of Caterpillar's long-term strategy to deliver the highest quality, best value building construction machines in the industry. Construction is expected to begin in early September 2010, with operations commencing in July 2011. When the expansion is complete and fully operational, it is anticipated that Caterpillar will add roughly 325 additional workers over a five-year period bringing the total workforce to approximately 750. "For the second time in less than a week, Caterpillar is making a major investment in North Carolina and strengthening its ties as a corporate citizen of our state," said Governor Bev Perdue. "By expanding its stake in North Carolina, Caterpillar has demonstrated that our own investments in education, worker training, transportation and infrastructure have paid off. We have created the kind of business climate and workforce that is attracting new companies and encouraging the ones that are here to grow." Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Caterpillar currently employs roughly 1,000 full-time workers in North Carolina in locations throughout the state including Cary, Charlotte, Clayton, Franklin, Goldsboro, Morganton, New Bern and Smithfield. The company recently announced the construction of a lower powertrain components facility in Winston-Salem that is expected to be operational in 2012 and will employ roughly 400 workers. About Caterpillar: For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2009 sales and revenues of $32.396 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at: http://www.cat.com   SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.

PEORIA, Ill., Aug 05, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) is announcing the expansion of its Compact Construction Equipment operations located in Sanford, North Carolina. The development will provide the increased logistics and fabrications capacity required to meet growing global demand for the skid steer, compact track and multi-terrain loaders produced in Sanford today.

Story continues below
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advertisement

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The expansion plans include a 270,000-square-foot building addition that will house logistics and the latest robotic welding technology for fabrication production.

"The Sanford campus project provides Caterpillar with several key benefits that support our quest to constantly improve value for our customers," said Mary Bell, Vice President of Caterpillar's Building Construction Products Division. "We appreciate the support we received from our local partners and from the State of North Carolina for our growth strategy."

The expansion of compact construction equipment production capacity is part of Caterpillar's long-term strategy to deliver the highest quality, best value building construction machines in the industry.

Construction is expected to begin in early September 2010, with operations commencing in July 2011. When the expansion is complete and fully operational, it is anticipated that Caterpillar will add roughly 325 additional workers over a five-year period bringing the total workforce to approximately 750.

"For the second time in less than a week, Caterpillar is making a major investment in North Carolina and strengthening its ties as a corporate citizen of our state," said Governor Bev Perdue. "By expanding its stake in North Carolina, Caterpillar has demonstrated that our own investments in education, worker training, transportation and infrastructure have paid off. We have created the kind of business climate and workforce that is attracting new companies and encouraging the ones that are here to grow."

Caterpillar currently employs roughly 1,000 full-time workers in North Carolina in locations throughout the state including Cary, Charlotte, Clayton, Franklin, Goldsboro, Morganton, New Bern and Smithfield. The company recently announced the construction of a lower powertrain components facility in Winston-Salem that is expected to be operational in 2012 and will employ roughly 400 workers.

About Caterpillar:
For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2009 sales and revenues of $32.396 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at: http://www.cat.com

SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.

]]> NPDES News - August 4, 2010 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=339 8/6/2010 11:49:20 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=339 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/8CC01DA67784E5C69B8107A28D567FEF.jpg NPDES News - August 4, 2010 1. Webcast: Re-Visioning Landscapes with LID: The Houston Experience Join us for a webcast on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 1:00 pm EDT on ?Re-Visioning Landscapes with LID: The Houston Experience.? Register at: www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts   Take a break from the summer heat to join us for the ?Re-Visioning Landscapes with LID: The Houston Experience? webcast. During the past winter, the Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum sponsored a national Low Impact Development (LID) Design Competition. The competition was created to educate design professionals, decision makers and the public on the economic, environmental and quality-of-life positive impacts of LID. The design teams, most of whom had no previous experience with LID, created designs for three real developments being planned around greater Houston?a green roadway, urban redevelopment, and a suburban residential design. This webcast will feature participants from all portions of the competition?competition organizers, competition winners, and design judges. Speakers include Robert C. Adair, President, Construction EcoServices, Justin Ring, PE, Senior Project Manager, Edminster, Hinshaw, Russ & Associates, Christopher Browne, LEED AP, Manager, Land Planning and Development Services, Edminster, Hinshaw, Russ & Associates, and Frank Liu, President, Lovett Interests, Inc. The webcast will also feature a discussion of the competition?s ripple effect on Houston?s design/build community as well as the building ordinances in Houston. You must register in advance to attend this webcast. Register at the Watershed Academy Webcast Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Moratorium extended for incidental vessel discharges from commercial fishing vessels and non-recreational vessels under 79 feet On July 30, 2010, President Obama signed Senate Bill S. 3372 to extend the existing moratorium from July 31, 2010 to December 18, 2013 that exempts all incidental discharges except ballast water from commercial fishing vessels and non-recreational vessels under 79 feet from having to obtain a Clean Water Act permit. This date coincides with the expiration of EPA's current vessel general permit (VGP) which covers incidental discharges from larger vessels (greater than 79 feet), and all ballast water discharges (regardless of vessel size). The extension of the moratorium provides EPA with the time needed to consider the impacts of incidental discharges, develop appropriate discharge limits, and provide the necessary permit coverage for the moratorium vessels if needed. The extension also gives Congress additional time to consider this issue and determine what regulatory approach might best control discharges from commercial fishing and smaller vessels. Go to http://www.epa.gov/npdes/vessels for more information. 3. Appalachian surface coal mining projects EPA recently released a final Report outlining its key conclusions after reviewing state water pollution permits for Appalachian surface coal mining projects. The report, ?Review of Clean Water Act '402 Permitting for Surface Coal Mines by Appalachian States: Findings and Recommendations,? summarizes the findings of EPA's Permit Quality Review (PQR) performed to assess the adequacy of State National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act. EPA recommends that states more consistently evaluate the potential for mining discharges to cause or contribute to a violation of state water quality standards, and the need to more fully implement narrative water quality standards. EPA's review helps its Regional offices, Appalachian States, and the public to identify areas for improvement and to ensure that States are developing permits that protect water quality consistent with the law. Report can be viewed on EPA's website at http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/guidance/mining.html    Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *** You can now manage your own account on NPDES News. Just go to www.epa.gov/npdes/npdesnews  to subscribe, change your email address, edit your contact information, or unsubscribe. *** U.S. EPA, NPDES Program npdesbox-request@epa.gov  

NPDES News - August 4, 2010

1. Webcast: Re-Visioning Landscapes with LID: The Houston Experience

Join us for a webcast on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 1:00 pm EDT on ?Re-Visioning Landscapes with LID: The Houston Experience.? Register at: www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts

Take a break from the summer heat to join us for the ?Re-Visioning Landscapes with LID: The Houston Experience? webcast. During the past winter, the Houston Land/Water Sustainability Forum sponsored a national Low Impact Development (LID) Design Competition. The competition was created to educate design professionals, decision makers and the public on the economic, environmental and quality-of-life positive impacts of LID.

The design teams, most of whom had no previous experience with LID, created designs for three real developments being planned around greater Houston?a green roadway, urban redevelopment, and a suburban residential design. This webcast will feature participants from all portions of the competition?competition organizers, competition winners, and design judges. Speakers include Robert C. Adair, President, Construction EcoServices, Justin Ring, PE, Senior Project Manager, Edminster, Hinshaw, Russ & Associates, Christopher Browne, LEED AP, Manager, Land Planning and Development Services, Edminster, Hinshaw, Russ & Associates, and Frank Liu, President, Lovett Interests, Inc. The webcast will also feature a discussion of the competition?s ripple effect on Houston?s design/build community as well as the building ordinances in Houston.

You must register in advance to attend this webcast. Register at the Watershed Academy Webcast Web site at: http://www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts

2. Moratorium extended for incidental vessel discharges from commercial fishing vessels and non-recreational vessels under 79 feet

On July 30, 2010, President Obama signed Senate Bill S. 3372 to extend the existing moratorium from July 31, 2010 to December 18, 2013 that exempts all incidental discharges except ballast water from commercial fishing vessels and non-recreational vessels under 79 feet from having to obtain a Clean Water Act permit. This date coincides with the expiration of EPA's current vessel general permit (VGP) which covers incidental discharges from larger vessels (greater than 79 feet), and all ballast water discharges (regardless of vessel size). The extension of the moratorium provides EPA with the time needed to consider the impacts of incidental discharges, develop appropriate discharge limits, and provide the necessary permit coverage for the moratorium vessels if needed. The extension also gives Congress additional time to consider this issue and determine what regulatory approach might best control discharges from commercial fishing and smaller vessels. Go to http://www.epa.gov/npdes/vessels for more information.

3. Appalachian surface coal mining projects

EPA recently released a final Report outlining its key conclusions after reviewing state water pollution permits for Appalachian surface coal mining projects. The report, ?Review of Clean Water Act '402 Permitting for Surface Coal Mines by Appalachian States: Findings and Recommendations,? summarizes the findings of EPA's Permit Quality Review (PQR) performed to assess the adequacy of State National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act. EPA recommends that states more consistently evaluate the potential for mining discharges to cause or contribute to a violation of state water quality standards, and the need to more fully implement narrative water quality standards. EPA's review helps its Regional offices, Appalachian States, and the public to identify areas for improvement and to ensure that States are developing permits that protect water quality consistent with the law. Report can be viewed on EPA's website at http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/guidance/mining.html

*** You can now manage your own account on NPDES News. Just go to www.epa.gov/npdes/npdesnews to subscribe, change your email address, edit your contact information, or unsubscribe. *** U.S. EPA, NPDES Program npdesbox-request@epa.gov ]]> 3 Essential Workshops including a New Advanced Course http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=338 7/27/2010 8:44:15 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=338 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/DB1D32B146D10F1FA2A83810336337CA.jpg How to Control Turbidity on Construction Sites: Methods for Meeting EPA Turbidity Limits Charlotte, NC   August 25, 2010   Learn methods for meeting the turbidity limits in the new US EPA rule on construction site stormwater management.  (See the rule issued 12/1/09:  http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/guide/construction/ )  This workshop provides the basic principles of turbidity reduction using chemical treatment systems, including a variety which were developed at North Carolina State University and cited in the EPA rule. The focus will be on inexpensive, passive treatment approaches which can easily be integrated into an erosion and sediment control plan.   Class Time: 8am-5pm Credit: 6.5 Hours (Soil Scientists, Landscape Architects, Engineers, CPESCs) Fee: $235 Location: Charlotte, NC   Installation of Construction Site Erosion & Sediment Control Devices Raleigh, NC September 22, 2010 October 13, 2010 December 1, 2010   Training on the development of erosion and sediment control plans is widely available, but proper installation of these devices is just as critical as a good plan. This workshop is designed for people who actually need to know how to install these devices. Attendees will learn what properly installed devices should look like and the common failures in their installation; how to install the most common devices by actually installing them; how to install alternatives to common rock systems and how to save some money using them.   Class Time: 1:00-5:00pm Credit: 3.5 Hours (Soil Scientists, Landscape Architects, Engineers, CPESCs) Fee: $60 Location: Booth Field Learning Lab, 4000 Chi Rd., Raleigh, NC     Advanced Construction Site Turbidity Control NEW! Raleigh, NC September 23-24, 2010 October 14-15, 2010 December 2-3, 2010   This workshop expands on the 1-day Turbidity Control Workshop to include more detailed information on basic principles and a wide range of design options for turbidity control. You will spend more time evaluating options for treating stormwater with flocculants, including dosing systems and costs involved. You will take part in group projects to solve specific problems using a variety of approaches, including passive and active treatment systems. This workshop is designed for those who have to make decisions on the approaches to turbidity control in a variety of situations.   Class Time: Day 1: 8:00am-5:00pm; Day 2: 7:30am-12:00pm Credit: 12 Hours Pending Approval Fee: $325 Location: Booth Field Learning Lab, 4000 Chi Rd., Raleigh, NC     Click on the Course Date to View Full Information and Register Online Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Questions Joni Tanner and Kathryn Luxford soils_training@ncsu.edu 919-513-1678

How to Control Turbidity on Construction Sites:

Methods for Meeting EPA Turbidity Limits

Charlotte, NC

August 25, 2010

Learn methods for meeting the turbidity limits in the new US EPA rule on construction site stormwater management. (See the rule issued 12/1/09: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/guide/construction/) This workshop provides the basic principles of turbidity reduction using chemical treatment systems, including a variety which were developed at North Carolina State University and cited in the EPA rule. The focus will be on inexpensive, passive treatment approaches which can easily be integrated into an erosion and sediment control plan.

Class Time: 8am-5pm
Credit: 6.5 Hours (Soil Scientists, Landscape Architects, Engineers, CPESCs)
Fee: $235
Location: Charlotte, NC

Installation of Construction Site Erosion &

Sediment Control Devices

Raleigh, NC

September 22, 2010

October 13, 2010

December 1, 2010

Training on the development of erosion and sediment control plans is widely available, but proper installation of these devices is just as critical as a good plan. This workshop is designed for people who actually need to know how to install these devices. Attendees will learn what properly installed devices should look like and the common failures in their installation; how to install the most common devices by actually installing them; how to install alternatives to common rock systems and how to save some money using them.

Class Time: 1:00-5:00pm

Credit: 3.5 Hours (Soil Scientists, Landscape Architects, Engineers, CPESCs)

Fee: $60

Location: Booth Field Learning Lab, 4000 Chi Rd., Raleigh, NC

Advanced Construction Site Turbidity Control NEW!

Raleigh, NC

September 23-24, 2010

October 14-15, 2010

December 2-3, 2010

This workshop expands on the 1-day Turbidity Control Workshop to include more detailed information on basic principles and a wide range of design options for turbidity control. You will spend more time evaluating options for treating stormwater with flocculants, including dosing systems and costs involved. You will take part in group projects to solve specific problems using a variety of approaches, including passive and active treatment systems. This workshop is designed for those who have to make decisions on the approaches to turbidity control in a variety of situations.

Class Time: Day 1: 8:00am-5:00pm; Day 2: 7:30am-12:00pm

Credit: 12 Hours Pending Approval

Fee: $325

Location: Booth Field Learning Lab, 4000 Chi Rd., Raleigh, NC

Click on the Course Date to View Full Information and Register Online


	Questions	Joni Tanner and Kathryn Luxford soils_training@ncsu.edu 919-513-1678

]]> Day of Service at Arlington National Cemetery and Capitol Hill Visits http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=337 7/27/2010 8:41:50 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=337 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/000001B37AA933E2F9C55EB9AB453835.jpg HERNDON, Va., July 26, 2010 — The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) held its 14th annual “Renewal & Remembrance” event at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, July 19, 2010. The next day members went to Capitol Hill to talk with congressional leaders about key issues facing the industry. More than 450 individuals from across the nation participated in “Renewal & Remembrance.” They spent the day mulching, caring for and cabling trees with lightening protection, pruning, liming, planting, and aerating the soil. This gift is valued at more than $250,000. To date, PLANET has contributed more than $2 million to the care of these historic landmarks. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Each year our members work together toward a common goal – to honor those who sacrificed so we could live in peace,” said Walter Wray, LIC, PLANET member and chairman of the event. “No other event brings the green industry together like this.” The event, which began 14 years ago with a dozen volunteers, has grown to involve more than 300 companies. As the day of service has grown, more and more PLANET members bring their families as well as their company employees.  The event includes special projects for children of PLANET members.  This year, children planted flowers in key locations at Arlington National Cemetery and participated in the laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The logistics of the event are significant. Here are some of the numbers: •                     More than 450 adults and 55 children participated •                     100 companies were represented •                     29 states represented •                     32 area captains •                     120 tons of lime was applied to 275 acres •                     31 acres of turf was aerated •                     10 yards of soil was installed •                     Seven yards of mulch was applied •                     22 trees and six shrubs were installed •                     60 perennials were planted •                     9 trees were pruned, cabling and had bracing installed •                     Lightning protection was installed on seven trees •                     The Columbarium and Receiving Vault irrigation systems were updated The Irrigation Association partnered with PLANET to host this year’s event, and the event sponsors at the Platinum level included Husqvarna Outdoor Products and Syngenta. In addition to the Capitol Hill visits, Legislative Day participants enjoyed presentations from conservative columnist Cal Thomas and liberal Democratic strategist Bob Beckel, authors of Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That Is Destroying America . Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLANET is the association of members who create and maintain the QUALITY OF LIFE in communities across America. With almost 3,500 member companies and affiliates, these firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals. Some of these professionals have taken the extra step of becoming certified through PLANET and bear the distinction of being known as Landscape Industry Certified .

HERNDON, Va., July 26, 2010 — The Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) held its 14th annual “Renewal & Remembrance” event at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, July 19, 2010. The next day members went to Capitol Hill to talk with congressional leaders about key issues facing the industry.

More than 450 individuals from across the nation participated in “Renewal & Remembrance.” They spent the day mulching, caring for and cabling trees with lightening protection, pruning, liming, planting, and aerating the soil. This gift is valued at more than $250,000. To date, PLANET has contributed more than $2 million to the care of these historic landmarks.

“Each year our members work together toward a common goal – to honor those who sacrificed so we could live in peace,” said Walter Wray, LIC, PLANET member and chairman of the event. “No other event brings the green industry together like this.”

The event, which began 14 years ago with a dozen volunteers, has grown to involve more than 300 companies. As the day of service has grown, more and more PLANET members bring their families as well as their company employees. The event includes special projects for children of PLANET members. This year, children planted flowers in key locations at Arlington National Cemetery and participated in the laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The logistics of the event are significant. Here are some of the numbers:

• More than 450 adults and 55 children participated

• 100 companies were represented

• 29 states represented

• 32 area captains

• 120 tons of lime was applied to 275 acres

• 31 acres of turf was aerated

• 10 yards of soil was installed

• Seven yards of mulch was applied

• 22 trees and six shrubs were installed

• 60 perennials were planted

• 9 trees were pruned, cabling and had bracing installed

• Lightning protection was installed on seven trees

• The Columbarium and Receiving Vault irrigation systems were updated

The Irrigation Association partnered with PLANET to host this year’s event, and the event sponsors at the Platinum level included Husqvarna Outdoor Products and Syngenta.

In addition to the Capitol Hill visits, Legislative Day participants enjoyed presentations from conservative columnist Cal Thomas and liberal Democratic strategist Bob Beckel, authors of Common Ground: How to Stop the Partisan War That Is Destroying America.

PLANET is the association of members who create and maintain the QUALITY OF LIFE in communities across America. With almost 3,500 member companies and affiliates, these firms and their employees represent more than 100,000 green industry professionals. Some of these professionals have taken the extra step of becoming certified through PLANET and bear the distinction of being known as Landscape Industry Certified.

]]> Mike Rowe is Ready to Hit the Dirt with Caterpillar Customers and Dealers http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=336 7/27/2010 8:34:27 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=336 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/B7566AD9850FE2B93944FB3F06640392.jpg PEORIA, Ill., July 26, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) has announced that it is partnering with Mike Rowe, the creator and star of the Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs and founder of mikeroweWORKS.com. With Mike's dedication to the trades and Caterpillar's commitment to its customers, the two have joined forces to highlight the important and essential work Caterpillar customers perform everyday. Rowe will be spending time with Caterpillar customers and dealers to get a real world perspective on their jobs and how the two partner to be successful. These encounters will be featured on cat.com and at Cat Dealerships across the country and will be used to demonstrate the solutions that Cat Dealers provide their customers throughout the lifecycle of their equipment, highlighting their superior parts and service support. "When hard work is being performed and progress is being made , Mike wants to be in the thick of it, so teaming with him is an absolute perfect fit," said Denny Vosberg, Caterpillar Parts and Service Support Manager. "Our dealer personnel are the best in the world and have been supporting our customers with their critical work for generations. Now is the time to shine a light on it and Mike is going to help us with that." Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rowe, who calls himself a perpetual apprentice, has performed more than 300 jobs in locations around the country via his show, Dirty Jobs , which is currently one of the Discovery Channel's most popular programs. Mike is also the creator of mikeroweWORKS.com, a website dedicated to and for people in the trades to meet, discuss relevant topics and learn what is the latest in the industry. He says his partnership with Caterpillar was "inevitable" because the two share the same work philosophy. "I see Cat equipment and the hard working people operating it around the world, building and creating infrastructure," said Rowe. "I'm excited to go beyond the machine and talk with the people who are actually making it happen." More information can be seen on http:// www.cat.com . About Caterpillar: For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2009 sales and revenues of $32.396 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at: http://www.cat.com . Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About mikeroweWORKS mikeroweWORKS is a PR campaign for hard work and skilled labor. Its purpose is to call attention to the growing skills gap in the trades while providing a comprehensive resource for anyone looking to investigate a career in those vocations, as well as focus the country on the very real issues facing our trade workers and farmers. In addition to the trade resource center, Mike has established the mikeroweWORKS Foundation to help fund scholarship programs and other initiatives that reinvigorate Trade School enrollments and industrial arts programs around the country. www.mikeroweWORKS.com .

PEORIA, Ill., July 26, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) has announced that it is partnering with Mike Rowe, the creator and star of the Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs and founder of mikeroweWORKS.com. With Mike's dedication to the trades and Caterpillar's commitment to its customers, the two have joined forces to highlight the important and essential work Caterpillar customers perform everyday.

Rowe will be spending time with Caterpillar customers and dealers to get a real world perspective on their jobs and how the two partner to be successful. These encounters will be featured on cat.com and at Cat Dealerships across the country and will be used to demonstrate the solutions that Cat Dealers provide their customers throughout the lifecycle of their equipment, highlighting their superior parts and service support.

"When hard work is being performed and progress is being made, Mike wants to be in the thick of it, so teaming with him is an absolute perfect fit," said Denny Vosberg, Caterpillar Parts and Service Support Manager. "Our dealer personnel are the best in the world and have been supporting our customers with their critical work for generations. Now is the time to shine a light on it and Mike is going to help us with that."

Rowe, who calls himself a perpetual apprentice, has performed more than 300 jobs in locations around the country via his show, Dirty Jobs, which is currently one of the Discovery Channel's most popular programs. Mike is also the creator of mikeroweWORKS.com, a website dedicated to and for people in the trades to meet, discuss relevant topics and learn what is the latest in the industry. He says his partnership with Caterpillar was "inevitable" because the two share the same work philosophy.

"I see Cat equipment and the hard working people operating it around the world, building and creating infrastructure," said Rowe. "I'm excited to go beyond the machine and talk with the people who are actually making it happen."

More information can be seen on http://www.cat.com.

About Caterpillar:

For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2009 sales and revenues of $32.396 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at: http://www.cat.com.

About mikeroweWORKS

mikeroweWORKS is a PR campaign for hard work and skilled labor. Its purpose is to call attention to the growing skills gap in the trades while providing a comprehensive resource for anyone looking to investigate a career in those vocations, as well as focus the country on the very real issues facing our trade workers and farmers. In addition to the trade resource center, Mike has established the mikeroweWORKS Foundation to help fund scholarship programs and other initiatives that reinvigorate Trade School enrollments and industrial arts programs around the country. www.mikeroweWORKS.com.

]]> Welcoming Steve Jones to the Hydrostraw Team http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=335 7/16/2010 11:32:40 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=335 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/76C0BEE603C7AD0BB3BD95620A934891.jpg The team at HydroStraw, LLC would like to welcome Steve Jones whom recently joined our team as the Business Development Director. Steve brings over 15 years of field experience in erosion control and vegetation establishment, and over 10 years experience within the erosion control products and equipment industry while with FMI/FINN. His combined twenty five plus years and extensive knowledge from the in-field experience coupled with his high level of knowledge of hydraulically applied mulches and equipment sales, service and operation will bring a new level of service to HydroStraw's existing and new distributors. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve also brings a great deal of experience in sales & customer service and is looking forward to the new challenges ahead. We are excited to have someone of Steve’s level join our organization. Please take a minute to welcome Steve to the team by sending him an email at steve@hydrostraw.com .  He's looking forward to hearing from the folks within the industry. Sincerely, Ron Edwards | President www.hydrostraw.com

The team at HydroStraw, LLC would like to welcome Steve Jones whom recently joined our team as the Business Development Director.

Steve brings over 15 years of field experience in erosion control and vegetation establishment, and over 10 years experience within the erosion control products and equipment industry while with FMI/FINN. His combined twenty five plus years and extensive knowledge from the in-field experience coupled with his high level of knowledge of hydraulically applied mulches and equipment sales, service and operation will bring a new level of service to HydroStraw's existing and new distributors.

Steve also brings a great deal of experience in sales & customer service and is looking forward to the new challenges ahead. We are excited to have someone of Steve’s level join our organization. Please take a minute to welcome Steve to the team by sending him an email at steve@hydrostraw.com. He's looking forward to hearing from the folks within the industry.

Sincerely,
Ron Edwards | President
www.hydrostraw.com

]]> California General permit 2009-0009-DWQ http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=334 7/16/2010 9:06:46 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=334 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/F95F9EFC4893126D3156CD1EEA7D74E5.jpg With the new California General permit 2009-0009-DWQ now a reality; there are some key things we need to know that will help our customers. Site compliance is very important under the new permit and testing and monitoring have high priorities. There will be increased requests for turbidity testing equipment (test the amount of sediment in storm water discharge after a .25” storm) and pH testing equipment. The immediate and best pH testing equipment are pH strips (basic pool equipment) so these should be available to our customers to help us remain a one stop shop. The most important thing about the new permit is that construction sites have no discharge of contaminated (primarily sediment) storm water. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The more we know and understand the erosion and sediment control materials we offer the better our customers will be when offering site inspections to their clients, and if done right during installation there will be manageable control of the site. Know what our products offer, and ask our team experts as many questions as necessary to supply our customers with the best we can offer. Encourage our customers to bring their questions to us. If we don’t have the answers we have access to the answers through our suppliers. Also write the following on all your receipts for those asking questions: www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/stormwater/construction Source: Lucinda Dustin, Mud Hen Environmental LLC, Sacremento, CA

With the new California General permit 2009-0009-DWQ now a reality; there are some key things we need to know that will help our customers. Site compliance is very important under the new permit and testing and monitoring have high priorities. There will be increased requests for turbidity testing equipment (test the amount of sediment in storm water discharge after a .25” storm) and pH testing equipment. The immediate and best pH testing equipment are pH strips (basic pool equipment) so these should be available to our customers to help us remain a one stop shop. The most important thing about the new permit is that construction sites have no discharge of contaminated (primarily sediment) storm water.

The more we know and understand the erosion and sediment control materials we offer the better our customers will be when offering site inspections to their clients, and if done right during installation there will be manageable control of the site. Know what our products offer, and ask our team experts as many questions as necessary to supply our customers with the best we can offer. Encourage our customers to bring their questions to us. If we don’t have the answers we have access to the answers through our suppliers. Also write the following on all your receipts for those asking questions: www.swrcb.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/stormwater/construction

Source: Lucinda Dustin, Mud Hen Environmental LLC, Sacremento, CA

]]> Master Naturalisits: There are many variations of rainwater harvesting http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=333 7/13/2010 12:40:53 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=333 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/11389732687EAD75B69FCA2B1BA7CF4E.jpg By Paul and Mary Meredith While Hurricane Alex threatened the Gulf Coast, we joined several other Texans in learning about rainwater harvesting - its benefits for Texas and how we can harvest rainwater. Texas doesn't have enough water to keep on doing what we want to do. Citizens in some parts of the state are working to use rainwater harvesting to increase the amount of water their residents and/or businesses have to use. Rainwater harvesting offers ways to increase our water resources and to use those resources more effectively, so that we can have larger water supplies. It includes ways to capture more rainwater to use. It also includes more effective and efficient ways to use our water resources to achieve our objectives. We can utilize existing systems, or we can design custom systems to collect and utilize our water resources. We may use techniques that others have found effective, or we may devise other techniques to reach our goals. Ways to accomplish those goals are what we learned. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Understanding how our water system works To start, we need to understand more about how rainwater works. A demonstration display has been designed to show how rainwater retention works, so we can apply better retention techniques to increase the amount of water available to us. The display shows how rainwater falling on different kinds of surfaces acts once it hits the ground. Water hitting the ground can soak into the ground to become groundwater, or it can run off. For example, running off is common when rain falls on typical paved surfaces. The runoff flows into storm drains and water drainage ditches, unless it is harvested for other uses. Some other alternatives the demonstrator can show about what happens to falling water usually deal with situations where water falls on areas where turfgrass or "bunchgrasses" grow. Bunchgrasses are grasses that grow in clumps or bunches. Some are "well-mannered" and can be planted in flower beds, perhaps instead of small bushes. They remain clumps, rather than spreading like many grasses tend to do. Examples of these bunchgrasses include sideoats grama, little bluestem, Indiangrass and upland switchgrass. However, other bunchgrasses take over larger areas. They can be used for erosion control or for large areas of landscape. Examples of those bunchgrases include Indian seaoats and lowland switchgrass. Bunchgrasses, compared to other grasses, have very long roots - generally as long as the grass is tall. The long roots convert falling water to groundwater, so it may be available for future use. Turfgrass, however, has much shorter roots and, especially when it's affected by, for example, like being walked on, cannot convert much water hitting the ground into groundwater. The demonstrator part for turfgrass areas shows that most water falling on it becomes runoff. Most people seeing the demonstrator probably find the most startling part is the part providing an example of what happens when water falls on hard surfaces. For the demonstrator, we're setting up a bird feeder shaped like a schoolhouse, sitting on a piece of hard plastic. The scenario depicts a building sitting on an impermeable surface, like typical pavement in a parking lot. Rainwater falling on the schoolhouse roof runs off the roof onto the pavement, becoming runoff. But we've modified the schoolhouse to have functional gutters. When rainwater falls on the schoolhouse roof, some runs off through those gutters onto the paved surface. But when collection tanks are placed under the low end of the gutters, water running off the schoolhouse roof through the gutters can be collected in those tanks and used for other purposes. The tanks can include such things as barrels, trash cans and other "tank-shaped" containers. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wildlife Waterers Another benefit of rainwater harvesting is wildlife watering. It can be done by constructing a lean-to of sorts. The lean-to's roof is sloped, corrugated metal. And the lean-to sits atop a wooden base that has all four sides open. A collection tank sits under the roof. A gutter is attached to the roof's lower edge, and a PVC-pipe drain is attached to the gutter to collect water and condensate into the tank. A drip outlet attached to the tank's lower edge allows water to flow from the tank at a rate of one drip a second (about a gallon a day) into a shallow pan, shaped like a bird bath. The pan holds the water collected for animals to drink when they visit the tank. Depending on the tank, more than one drip outlet and pan can be used. A motion-sensing camera attached to the waterer takes photos of animals visiting at night. One photo we saw showed a mountain lion drinking from a wildlife waterer located northwest of San Antonio. A larger waterer or smaller wildlife waterer can be set up by using a larger or smaller tank to collect the moisture. A smaller waterer usually has the tank lying on its side under a shorter stand. We first saw a wildlife waterer near Fort Davis in 2005, in an extremely dry area. The waterer consisted of a corrugated tank whose top was attached upside down (pointed side pointing down into the tank), so that water and condensation hitting the upside-down roof ran into the tank. Multiple drip outlets were attached near the tank's base to accommodate multiple animals getting water at the same time. Learning how rainwater harvesting is done overseas One member of our group was originally from an extremely dry area of Australia. That area has had a drought for 15 years now. And a normal year's rainfall is only about 10 inches. Area residents are required to use rainwater harvesting. Each household receives their water allocation in liters of water per person per day. In the U.S., we use about the same number, but in gallons of water per day. In that part of Australia, if someone uses more than their share of water, or if they're reported to be using the water to irrigate their lawn or other plants, their home's water supply is turned off. After that, they must take a bucket to the community tap, fill it and carry it back to their house to get water. Graywater and its uses Australians use graywater for such things as watering plants. In general, graywater is any water used for washing in the home, except water from toilets. Graywater comprises 50 to 80 percent of residential waste water and may be reused for other purposes, especially landscape irrigation. Supplies for implementing rainwater harvesting Box stores in South Australia have large sections for rainwater-harvesting system materials. Water line available is color-coded to indicate the quality of water the line carries. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sharing ideas, techniques, and designs with others One of the biggest, most rewarding advantages of such sessions as the one we participated in, is learning from other participants. We shared experiences with rainwater harvesting. Systems yield better results when they're tailored to the particular circumstances where they're used. The advantages and constraints for each place they will be used must be taken into account, including any legal constraints involved. Paul and Mary Meredith are master naturalists. Contact them at paulmary0211@sbcglobal.net

By Paul and Mary Meredith

While Hurricane Alex threatened the Gulf Coast, we joined several other Texans in learning about rainwater harvesting - its benefits for Texas and how we can harvest rainwater.

Texas doesn't have enough water to keep on doing what we want to do. Citizens in some parts of the state are working to use rainwater harvesting to increase the amount of water their residents and/or businesses have to use.

Rainwater harvesting offers ways to increase our water resources and to use those resources more effectively, so that we can have larger water supplies. It includes ways to capture more rainwater to use. It also includes more effective and efficient ways to use our water resources to achieve our objectives. We can utilize existing systems, or we can design custom systems to collect and utilize our water resources. We may use techniques that others have found effective, or we may devise other techniques to reach our goals.

Ways to accomplish those goals are what we learned.

Understanding how our water system works
To start, we need to understand more about how rainwater works. A demonstration display has been designed to show how rainwater retention works, so we can apply better retention techniques to increase the amount of water available to us.

The display shows how rainwater falling on different kinds of surfaces acts once it hits the ground. Water hitting the ground can soak into the ground to become groundwater, or it can run off. For example, running off is common when rain falls on typical paved surfaces. The runoff flows into storm drains and water drainage ditches, unless it is harvested for other uses.

Some other alternatives the demonstrator can show about what happens to falling water usually deal with situations where water falls on areas where turfgrass or "bunchgrasses" grow.

Bunchgrasses are grasses that grow in clumps or bunches. Some are "well-mannered" and can be planted in flower beds, perhaps instead of small bushes. They remain clumps, rather than spreading like many grasses tend to do. Examples of these bunchgrasses include sideoats grama, little bluestem, Indiangrass and upland switchgrass. However, other bunchgrasses take over larger areas. They can be used for erosion control or for large areas of landscape. Examples of those bunchgrases include Indian seaoats and lowland switchgrass. Bunchgrasses, compared to other grasses, have very long roots - generally as long as the grass is tall. The long roots convert falling water to groundwater, so it may be available for future use. Turfgrass, however, has much shorter roots and, especially when it's affected by, for example, like being walked on, cannot convert much water hitting the ground into groundwater. The demonstrator part for turfgrass areas shows that most water falling on it becomes runoff.

Most people seeing the demonstrator probably find the most startling part is the part providing an example of what happens when water falls on hard surfaces. For the demonstrator, we're setting up a bird feeder shaped like a schoolhouse, sitting on a piece of hard plastic.

The scenario depicts a building sitting on an impermeable surface, like typical pavement in a parking lot. Rainwater falling on the schoolhouse roof runs off the roof onto the pavement, becoming runoff. But we've modified the schoolhouse to have functional gutters.
When rainwater falls on the schoolhouse roof, some runs off through those gutters onto the paved surface. But when collection tanks are placed under the low end of the gutters, water running off the schoolhouse roof through the gutters can be collected in those tanks and used for other purposes. The tanks can include such things as barrels, trash cans and other "tank-shaped" containers.

Wildlife Waterers
Another benefit of rainwater harvesting is wildlife watering. It can be done by constructing a lean-to of sorts. The lean-to's roof is sloped, corrugated metal. And the lean-to sits atop a wooden base that has all four sides open. A collection tank sits under the roof. A gutter is attached to the roof's lower edge, and a PVC-pipe drain is attached to the gutter to collect water and condensate into the tank. A drip outlet attached to the tank's lower edge allows water to flow from the tank at a rate of one drip a second (about a gallon a day) into a shallow pan, shaped like a bird bath. The pan holds the water collected for animals to drink when they visit the tank. Depending on the tank, more than one drip outlet and pan can be used.

A motion-sensing camera attached to the waterer takes photos of animals visiting at night. One photo we saw showed a mountain lion drinking from a wildlife waterer located northwest of San Antonio. A larger waterer or smaller wildlife waterer can be set up by using a larger or smaller tank to collect the moisture. A smaller waterer usually has the tank lying on its side under a shorter stand.

We first saw a wildlife waterer near Fort Davis in 2005, in an extremely dry area. The waterer consisted of a corrugated tank whose top was attached upside down (pointed side pointing down into the tank), so that water and condensation hitting the upside-down roof ran into the tank. Multiple drip outlets were attached near the tank's base to accommodate multiple animals getting water at the same time.

Learning how rainwater harvesting is done overseas
One member of our group was originally from an extremely dry area of Australia. That area has had a drought for 15 years now. And a normal year's rainfall is only about 10 inches. Area residents are required to use rainwater harvesting. Each household receives their water allocation in liters of water per person per day. In the U.S., we use about the same number, but in gallons of water per day. In that part of Australia, if someone uses more than their share of water, or if they're reported to be using the water to irrigate their lawn or other plants, their home's water supply is turned off. After that, they must take a bucket to the community tap, fill it and carry it back to their house to get water.

Graywater and its uses
Australians use graywater for such things as watering plants. In general, graywater is any water used for washing in the home, except water from toilets. Graywater comprises 50 to 80 percent of residential waste water and may be reused for other purposes, especially landscape irrigation.

Supplies for implementing rainwater harvesting
Box stores in South Australia have large sections for rainwater-harvesting system materials. Water line available is color-coded to indicate the quality of water the line carries.

Sharing ideas, techniques, and designs with others
One of the biggest, most rewarding advantages of such sessions as the one we participated in, is learning from other participants. We shared experiences with rainwater harvesting. Systems yield better results when they're tailored to the particular circumstances where they're used. The advantages and constraints for each place they will be used must be taken into account, including any legal constraints involved.

Paul and Mary Meredith are master naturalists. Contact them at paulmary0211@sbcglobal.net]]> Fighting Invasive Species of Another Sort http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=332 7/13/2010 12:12:54 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=332 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/1BB464C2547EEEAE71D4CC4EB0584558.jpg Deploying mats underwater is nothing new; gabion mattresses or articulated concrete block mats are often used for stabilization. However, mats of a different type are being used in Lake Tahoe in an attempt to improve water quality. Last week, divers placed rubber mats over half an acre of the lake bottom with the goal of smothering an invasive species. The Asian clam, researchers say, is causing excessive algae growth in the lake, changing the color of the water from blue to green in some places and altering the lake’s chemistry, possibly making it vulnerable to other invasives. The tiny clams—which are found as densely packed as 5,000 per square yard—are believed to have been brought in by boaters about eight years ago. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another half-acre of mats will be added soon. The mats will be removed at the end of the summer and the lake monitored to see whether the clam population returns.

Deploying mats underwater is nothing new; gabion mattresses or articulated concrete block mats are often used for stabilization. However, mats of a different type are being used in Lake Tahoe in an attempt to improve water quality.

Last week, divers placed rubber mats over half an acre of the lake bottom with the goal of smothering an invasive species. The Asian clam, researchers say, is causing excessive algae growth in the lake, changing the color of the water from blue to green in some places and altering the lake’s chemistry, possibly making it vulnerable to other invasives. The tiny clams—which are found as densely packed as 5,000 per square yard—are believed to have been brought in by boaters about eight years ago.

Another half-acre of mats will be added soon. The mats will be removed at the end of the summer and the lake monitored to see whether the clam population returns.]]> FGI Publishes Guideline for Subgrade Preparation for Fabricated Geomembranes http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=331 7/13/2010 12:11:27 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=331 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/1B0D704CD2EC2D6FCF0EBB38CF121CAD.jpg St. Paul, Minn., July 10, 2010) The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) has produced a new guideline entitled Subgrade Requirements for Fabricated Geomembranes. This guideline details the proper preparation of the subgrade for the installation of all fabricated geomembranes. This document is written such that these guidelines can be picked up by an engineer or specifier and put into a specification for subgrade condition and requirements. Color pictures of both acceptable and unacceptable subgrade preparations and protrusions are provided to give the user a visual depiction of what is described in the text. The subgrade requirements for preventing water pressure build-up below the liner are addressed in this guideline. This is an important consideration in preventing the geomembrane from being lifted off the subgrade by ground water or gas build up. This document can be found at http://www.fabricatedgeomembrane.com/?page_id=180  and is available for use by the industry. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute is housed at the University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign. Dr. Timothy D. Stark is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with an expertise in Geotechnical Engineering. Dr. Stark has been teaching, researching, and consulting on geosynthetics, stability of manmade slopes, and design of waste containment facilities for more than 15 years. For more information on the FGI, contact Dr. Stark at +1 217-333-3929 or geomembrane@illinois.edu  

St. Paul, Minn., July 10, 2010) The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute (FGI) has produced a new guideline entitled Subgrade Requirements for Fabricated Geomembranes. This guideline details the proper preparation of the subgrade for the installation of all fabricated geomembranes. This document is written such that these guidelines can be picked up by an engineer or specifier and put into a specification for subgrade condition and requirements. Color pictures of both acceptable and unacceptable subgrade preparations and protrusions are provided to give the user a visual depiction of what is described in the text.

The subgrade requirements for preventing water pressure build-up below the liner are addressed in this guideline. This is an important consideration in preventing the geomembrane from being lifted off the subgrade by ground water or gas build up. This document can be found at http://www.fabricatedgeomembrane.com/?page_id=180 and is available for use by the industry.

The Fabricated Geomembrane Institute is housed at the University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign. Dr. Timothy D. Stark is a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with an expertise in Geotechnical Engineering. Dr. Stark has been teaching, researching, and consulting on geosynthetics, stability of manmade slopes, and design of waste containment facilities for more than 15 years.

For more information on the FGI, contact Dr. Stark at +1 217-333-3929 or geomembrane@illinois.edu ]]> Azteca Systems Announces Release of Cityworks 2010 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=330 7/13/2010 12:09:40 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=330 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/F988E48F061B26E5F9D9EF1FF1FA5AD5.jpg San Diego, CA — Azteca Systems, Inc., the leading provider of GIS-centric management solutions, announced today the release of Cityworks 2010, launching an exciting new array of solutions to automate licensing, permit, case, and asset management for public works, utilities, and government agencies of all sizes. Marking this release, a new naming convention for Azteca’s software encompasses the theme of a new and broadened product direction that includes the entire suite of GIS-centric management tools. Cityworks 2010 brings significant enhancements to the entire Cityworks product line resulting in overall product performance being greatly increased. Cityworks Server MMS (maintenance management system) includes enhanced tools for managing equipment, labor, and materials (ELM), new contract tools, and enhancements to Project Manager. Among the exciting additions is the integration of Cityworks PLL (Permits, Licensing, and Land) and MMS, with which users can easily create permits from a work order or service request—or the other way around—work orders or requests can be created from a permit. Other enhancements to PLL include Flex Forms, Public Access, and business licensing with more coming through the remainder of the year. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “The software development tools available in Cityworks 2010 allow us to create a system so tightly coupled with ESRI’s GIS that the constituent parts of the resulting system become indistinguishable to the end user,” states Brian Haslam, President of Azteca Systems. “Cityworks is powered by ESRI, and in turn is empowering GIS for infrastructure, assets, permits, and licensing. For many users, Cityworks is the GIS as it is essentially through Cityworks that users interact with the GIS. Taking all this into account, we realize that at the end of the day, the end users care about ease of use as they perform their day-to-day, mission-critical work.” “Cityworks 2010 represents a fundamental step in the advancement of our products,” said Carl Horton, Executive Director of Product Development. “What began a few years ago with the introduction of Cityworks Server MMS continues as we migrate our core product platform to the leading, state-of-the-art programming languages and techniques. This enables tremendous functionality and cross compatibility among our full line of products while facilitating integration with other mission critical business systems. In addition it allows us to deploy Cityworks across a wide array of devices – from a conventional desktop to virtually any mobile device.” Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cityworks Server 2010 supports ESRI ArcGIS 9.3.1 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or Oracle 10g or 11g. ESRI’s ArcGIS 10 will be supported fall 2010.

San Diego, CA — Azteca Systems, Inc., the leading provider of GIS-centric management solutions, announced today the release of Cityworks 2010, launching an exciting new array of solutions to automate licensing, permit, case, and asset management for public works, utilities, and government agencies of all sizes. Marking this release, a new naming convention for Azteca’s software encompasses the theme of a new and broadened product direction that includes the entire suite of GIS-centric management tools.

Cityworks 2010 brings significant enhancements to the entire Cityworks product line resulting in overall product performance being greatly increased. Cityworks Server MMS (maintenance management system) includes enhanced tools for managing equipment, labor, and materials (ELM), new contract tools, and enhancements to Project Manager. Among the exciting additions is the integration of Cityworks PLL (Permits, Licensing, and Land) and MMS, with which users can easily create permits from a work order or service request—or the other way around—work orders or requests can be created from a permit. Other enhancements to PLL include Flex Forms, Public Access, and business licensing with more coming through the remainder of the year.

“The software development tools available in Cityworks 2010 allow us to create a system so tightly coupled with ESRI’s GIS that the constituent parts of the resulting system become indistinguishable to the end user,” states Brian Haslam, President of Azteca Systems. “Cityworks is powered by ESRI, and in turn is empowering GIS for infrastructure, assets, permits, and licensing. For many users, Cityworks is the GIS as it is essentially through Cityworks that users interact with the GIS. Taking all this into account, we realize that at the end of the day, the end users care about ease of use as they perform their day-to-day, mission-critical work.”

“Cityworks 2010 represents a fundamental step in the advancement of our products,” said Carl Horton, Executive Director of Product Development. “What began a few years ago with the introduction of Cityworks Server MMS continues as we migrate our core product platform to the leading, state-of-the-art programming languages and techniques. This enables tremendous functionality and cross compatibility among our full line of products while facilitating integration with other mission critical business systems. In addition it allows us to deploy Cityworks across a wide array of devices – from a conventional desktop to virtually any mobile device.”

Cityworks Server 2010 supports ESRI ArcGIS 9.3.1 and Microsoft SQL Server 2008 or Oracle 10g or 11g. ESRI’s ArcGIS 10 will be supported fall 2010.]]> Kristar Perk Filter Achieves Wa Doe Guld Listing http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=329 7/13/2010 12:02:52 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=329 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/F7A027A435033FCAFA3E8FE40233C9DD.jpg KriStar Enterprises, Inc. received notification today that its FloGard® Perk Filter has achieved a General Use Level Designation (GULD) from the Washington State Department of Ecology for Basic and Phosphorous Treatment. The report’s findings indicate average removal ratings exceeding the standards established for both Total Suspended Solids and for Phosphorous. “ We are extremely pleased to receive both designations after an extensive development program of full scale laboratory testing and field monitoring over the past three years ”, reported Craig Beatty of KriStar. “Washington has one of the most respected technology review programs in the country and this designation is a validation of our continuing efforts to provide site specific solutions for improving the quality of our nation’s waterways.” The FloGard® Perk Filter is a radial media cartridge style filtration system with multiple configurations available in catch basins, manholes, or vaults, allowing the specifier maximum flexibility in optimizing their site’s drainage facilities. A wide variety of filter medium is available to target specific pollutants of concern. For more information, contact Michelle Dunlop ( mdunlop@kristar.com ) or visit www.kristar.com

KriStar Enterprises, Inc. received notification today that its FloGard® Perk Filter has achieved a General Use Level Designation (GULD) from the Washington State Department of Ecology for Basic and Phosphorous Treatment. The report’s findings indicate average removal ratings exceeding the standards established for both Total Suspended Solids and for Phosphorous.

“ We are extremely pleased to receive both designations after an extensive development program of full scale laboratory testing and field monitoring over the past three years ”, reported Craig Beatty of KriStar. “Washington has one of the most respected technology review programs in the country and this designation is a validation of our continuing efforts to provide site specific solutions for improving the quality of our nation’s waterways.”

The FloGard® Perk Filter is a radial media cartridge style filtration system with multiple configurations available in catch basins, manholes, or vaults, allowing the specifier maximum flexibility in optimizing their site’s drainage facilities. A wide variety of filter medium is available to target specific pollutants of concern.

For more information, contact Michelle Dunlop (mdunlop@kristar.com ) or visit www.kristar.com]]> ESCN.TV Video News http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=328 6/24/2010 1:49:00 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=328 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/8CF04474E5B1D8D38F88DC267F350394.jpg Click Here to Watch The Video ESCN.TV Erosion and sediment control information and education at your fingertips. Top Stories for 06/22/10: ► Geosynthetic Technology Tested At Gulf Oil Spill ► Profile Adds New Product To Erosion Control Line ► Erosion Control And Stream Restoration On MD Highway Project ► Scholarship Opportunity From the IECA's Western Chapter ► New Expert Tip Of The Week   - Planning Your Project Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Click Here to Watch The Video

ESCN.TV

Erosion and sediment control information and education at your fingertips.

Top Stories for 06/22/10:

► Geosynthetic Technology Tested At Gulf Oil Spill
► Profile Adds New Product To Erosion Control Line
► Erosion Control And Stream Restoration On MD Highway Project
► Scholarship Opportunity From the IECA's Western Chapter
► New Expert Tip Of The Week
- Planning Your Project

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]]> NPDES News - June 23, 2010 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=327 6/24/2010 1:46:04 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=327 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/07D0D5DE11655EB915FDEBA255EC5FD7.jpg 1. Open for Comment: Proposed Sufficiently Sensitive Methods Rulemaking EPA is proposing minor amendments to the CWA regulations to codify that under the NPDES program, only ?sufficiently sensitive? analytical test methods can be used when completing an NPDES permit application and when performing sampling and analysis pursuant to monitoring requirements in an NPDES permit. On June 23, 2010 EPA issued a Federal Register Notice announcing the proposed amendments to the CWA, and the public will have 45 days to comment on the proposed rulemaking. View the Federal Register Notice and more information at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/ssmethods.cfm 2. New Publication Added: NPDES Permitting of Wastewater Discharges from Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) and Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Impoundments at Steam Electric Power Plants The purpose of this memorandum is to provide users with interim guidance to assist NPDES permitting authorities to establish appropriate permit requirements for wastewater discharges from Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) systems and coal combustion residual (CCR) impoundments at Steam Electric Power Plants. View the new publication at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/docs.cfm?view=allprog&program_id=14&sort=date_published    Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Reminder: Registration Open for Listening Sessions and Webcast on Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Rulemaking and Peak Flows Registration is open for four listening sessions and a webcast for EPA to receive input to help determine whether to modify the NPDES regulations as they apply to municipal sanitary sewer collection systems and SSOs. June 24, 2010 - Seattle, Washington June 28, 2010 - Atlanta, Georgia June 30, 2010 - Kansas City, Kansas July 13, 2010 - Washington, D.C. July 14, 2010 - Webcast All listening sessions will be held from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm local time. More specific information can be found in the Federal Register Notice. Registration information is available at www.epa.gov/npdes/sso Written comments are due by August 2, 2010. See the Sanitary Sewer Overflows and Peak Flows Website at www.epa.gov/npdes/sso  for more information. U.S. EPA, NPDES Program npdesbox-request@epa.gov  

1. Open for Comment: Proposed Sufficiently Sensitive Methods Rulemaking

EPA is proposing minor amendments to the CWA regulations to codify that under the NPDES program, only ?sufficiently sensitive? analytical test methods can be used when completing an NPDES permit application and when performing sampling and analysis pursuant to monitoring requirements in an NPDES permit. On June 23, 2010 EPA issued a Federal Register Notice announcing the proposed amendments to the CWA, and the public will have 45 days to comment on the proposed rulemaking. View the Federal Register Notice and more information at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/ssmethods.cfm

2. New Publication Added: NPDES Permitting of Wastewater Discharges from Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) and Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Impoundments at Steam Electric Power Plants

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide users with interim guidance to assist NPDES permitting authorities to establish appropriate permit requirements for wastewater discharges from Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) systems and coal combustion residual (CCR) impoundments at Steam Electric Power Plants. View the new publication at http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/docs.cfm?view=allprog&program_id=14&sort=date_published

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3. Reminder: Registration Open for Listening Sessions and Webcast on Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) Rulemaking and Peak Flows

Registration is open for four listening sessions and a webcast for EPA to receive input to help determine whether to modify the NPDES regulations as they apply to municipal sanitary sewer collection systems and SSOs.

June 24, 2010 - Seattle, Washington June 28, 2010 - Atlanta, Georgia June 30, 2010 - Kansas City, Kansas July 13, 2010 - Washington, D.C. July 14, 2010 - Webcast

All listening sessions will be held from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm local time. More specific information can be found in the Federal Register Notice. Registration information is available at www.epa.gov/npdes/sso

Written comments are due by August 2, 2010. See the Sanitary Sewer Overflows and Peak Flows Website at www.epa.gov/npdes/sso for more information.

U.S. EPA, NPDES Program npdesbox-request@epa.gov ]]> Geosyntec Welcomes Wayne Huber as Senior Consultant http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=326 6/24/2010 1:38:37 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=326 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/B641DB5B802B03CEE8FD51C32D250859.jpg Geosyntec Consultants welcomes Wayne Huber, Ph.D., P.E., to its Portland, Ore., office as Senior Consultant in watershed and stormwater management. Wayne brings a wealth of experience in stormwater modeling, water resources, urban hydrology, and environmental issues in natural waters. Before joining the firm, Wayne spent more than 40 years in research and teaching at the University of Florida and Oregon State University (OSU), collectively. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wayne is a primary author of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). He has authored or co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal papers, conference proceedings papers, and technical reports, addressing topics such as best management practices (BMPs), low impact development (LID), control trade-offs, and stormwater management methodologies. Wayne has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator for projects sponsored by the U.S. EPA, National Cooperative Highway Research Program, and Water Environment Research Foundation related to guidance methodology for evaluation, selection, placement, and design of BMP and LID facilities. Most recently, he served as principal investigator on a project for Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) involving the conversion of their stormwater sewer modeling basis to SWMM5 with input from an ArcGIS database. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In addition to serving as Senior Consultant at Geosyntec, Wayne serves as Professor Emeritus of Civil and Construction Engineering at OSU. He received his B.S. in engineering from the California Institute of Technology and both his MS and PhD in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Geosyntec Consultants welcomes Wayne Huber, Ph.D., P.E., to its Portland, Ore., office as Senior Consultant in watershed and stormwater management. Wayne brings a wealth of experience in stormwater modeling, water resources, urban hydrology, and environmental issues in natural waters. Before joining the firm, Wayne spent more than 40 years in research and teaching at the University of Florida and Oregon State University (OSU), collectively.

Wayne is a primary author of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). He has authored or co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal papers, conference proceedings papers, and technical reports, addressing topics such as best management practices (BMPs), low impact development (LID), control trade-offs, and stormwater management methodologies.

Wayne has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator for projects sponsored by the U.S. EPA, National Cooperative Highway Research Program, and Water Environment Research Foundation related to guidance methodology for evaluation, selection, placement, and design of BMP and LID facilities. Most recently, he served as principal investigator on a project for Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) involving the conversion of their stormwater sewer modeling basis to SWMM5 with input from an ArcGIS database.

In addition to serving as Senior Consultant at Geosyntec, Wayne serves as Professor Emeritus of Civil and Construction Engineering at OSU. He received his B.S. in engineering from the California Institute of Technology and both his MS and PhD in civil engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.]]> EPA Supports Superfund "Polluter Pays" Provision http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=325 6/24/2010 1:37:10 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=325 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/18A3E4708BBDDBAF240FA3A80D3F91D2.jpg WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today sent a letter to Congress in support of reinstating the lapsed Superfund “polluter pays” taxes. Superfund is the federal government's program that investigates and cleans up the nation's most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites. If reinstated, the Superfund provision would provide a stable, dedicated source of revenue for the program and increase the pace of Superfund cleanup. It would also ensure that parties who benefit from the manufacture or sale of substances that commonly cause environmental problems at hazardous waste sites, and not taxpayers, help bear the cost of cleanup when responsible parties cannot be identified. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Since the beginning of this administration we have made it clear that we support the reinstatement of the polluter pays system for the Superfund program,” said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. “Our taxes should be paying for teachers, police officers and infrastructure that is essential for sustainable growth -- not footing the bill for polluters. Today, we are formalizing our call to Congress to pass this important legislation and ensure responsible steps to keep our communities clean. In the meantime, EPA is taking action to better manage the Superfund program to increase cleanups and enhance transparency, accountability, and community input in agency decision-making.” Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Superfund taxes expired on December 31, 1995. Since the expiration of the taxes, Superfund program funding has been largely financed from General Revenue transfers to the Superfund Trust Fund, thus burdening the taxpayer with the costs of cleaning up abandoned hazardous waste sites. The administration is proposing to reinstate the taxes as they were last in effect on crude oil, imported petroleum products, hazardous chemicals, and imported substances that use hazardous chemicals as a feedstock, and on corporate modified alternative minimum taxable income. Under the administration’s proposal, the excise taxes and corporate environmental taxes would be reinstated for a period of 10 years beginning in January 2011. More information on the Superfund program: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today sent a letter to Congress in support of reinstating the lapsed Superfund “polluter pays” taxes. Superfund is the federal government's program that investigates and cleans up the nation's most complex, uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites. If reinstated, the Superfund provision would provide a stable, dedicated source of revenue for the program and increase the pace of Superfund cleanup. It would also ensure that parties who benefit from the manufacture or sale of substances that commonly cause environmental problems at hazardous waste sites, and not taxpayers, help bear the cost of cleanup when responsible parties cannot be identified.

“Since the beginning of this administration we have made it clear that we support the reinstatement of the polluter pays system for the Superfund program,” said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. “Our taxes should be paying for teachers, police officers and infrastructure that is essential for sustainable growth -- not footing the bill for polluters. Today, we are formalizing our call to Congress to pass this important legislation and ensure responsible steps to keep our communities clean. In the meantime, EPA is taking action to better manage the Superfund program to increase cleanups and enhance transparency, accountability, and community input in agency decision-making.”

The Superfund taxes expired on December 31, 1995. Since the expiration of the taxes, Superfund program funding has been largely financed from General Revenue transfers to the Superfund Trust Fund, thus burdening the taxpayer with the costs of cleaning up abandoned hazardous waste sites. The administration is proposing to reinstate the taxes as they were last in effect on crude oil, imported petroleum products, hazardous chemicals, and imported substances that use hazardous chemicals as a feedstock, and on corporate modified alternative minimum taxable income. Under the administration’s proposal, the excise taxes and corporate environmental taxes would be reinstated for a period of 10 years beginning in January 2011.

More information on the Superfund program: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/]]> Caterpillar Increases Commitment to Mining Customers; Company to Produce Full Line of Mining Shovels and Expand Truck Capacity http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=323 6/17/2010 1:25:59 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=323 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/DF6F88DD1C8F3B020AFBFB77D5FA4E97.jpg Multi-Year investment of nearly $700 million aimed at strengthening Caterpillar's global leadership in the mining industry PEORIA, Ill., June 17, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) is announcing a series of investments that, over the next four years, will significantly enhance the company's position as the leading manufacturer of products and solutions for the global mining industry. The company will produce a full range of mining shovels, ranging from a 125-ton model through an 800-ton model. Caterpillar has selected its manufacturing facility in Aurora, Ill., for initial production of the new product range and is conducting a study of additional production sources in other parts of the world. In early 2011, Caterpillar will begin pilot production of the new 125-ton class shovel. The first commercial shovels produced in Aurora are expected to be available later in 2011. The larger shovels are planned for commercial availability beginning in 2013 and through 2014. This range will give customers a direct match for loading Caterpillar's industry leading mining trucks--from the 100-ton class 777F through the 400-ton class 797F. The Aurora facility also produces Caterpillar's largest wheel loaders, which are an alternative method for loading mining trucks. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "As we discuss solutions with our global mining customers, it's clear they want a complete line of Caterpillar shovels to best match the full range of Caterpillar trucks operating at their mines," said Chris Curfman, president of Caterpillar Global Mining. Increasing Truck Capacity: The company is also accelerating previously announced capacity expansion plans for trucks in Decatur, Ill., with additional capacity expected to come on line beginning in 2011. The expansion in Decatur will increase truck capacity at the facility by nearly 30 percent. Decatur produces Caterpillar's largest mining trucks, including the flagship 797F series truck, which has a maximum capacity of 400 tons. In addition, Caterpillar plans to increase capacity for 60 and 100-ton trucks at its existing manufacturing facility near Chennai, India. The capacity expansion would more than double truck production capabilities in India. The expansion for its 100-ton 777D and 60-ton 773E trucks in India should be completed by early 2012. "The increased production in India and Decatur will better position the company to serve our mining customers in every region of the world, with a particular focus on the growing demand and customer base in the emerging markets of Asia and in Russia," Curfman added. Combined, the long-term shovel development program and added truck capacity represent investments of nearly $700 million in Caterpillar mining products through 2014. Caterpillar is also updating the status of its new electric-drive mining trucks. The company currently has pilot units of its 345-ton 795F AC truck at customer sites for final evaluation, with commercial production set to begin in late 2010. Initial interest in the new Cat 795F AC trucks has been strong, and the company has increased its planned build rate for 2011 by more than 40 percent to meet demand in all major mining markets throughout the world. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In early 2012, the company also plans to produce pilot units of the 793F AC truck with a 240-ton payload. Both the 793F AC and 795F AC will complement Caterpillar's full range of mechanical drive trucks. "For generations, customers have relied on Caterpillar products, along with the service support of our global dealer network, to give them the lowest owning and operating costs over the life of a machine," said Caterpillar Chief Executive Officer-Elect Doug Oberhelman. "In today's globally competitive environment, our customers are counting on that level of reliability, durability and support more than ever. This investment of nearly $700 million demonstrates our commitment to Caterpillar mining customers around the world. It also is a great example of the job-creation benefits of global trade, as well over 60 percent of the large mining products made at our Illinois facilities are exported outside of the United States," Oberhelman added. About Caterpillar: For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2009 sales and revenues of $32.396 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at: http://www.cat.com Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release relate to future events and expectations and, as such, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are subject to known and unknown factors that may cause actual results of Caterpillar Inc. to be different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "believe," "estimate," "will be," "will," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "project," "intend," "could," "should" or other similar words or expressions often identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding our outlook, projections, forecasts or trend descriptions. These statements do not guarantee future performance, and Caterpillar does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is important to note that actual results of the company may differ materially from those described or implied in such forward-looking statements based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to: (i) economic volatility in the global economy generally and in capital and credit markets; (ii) Caterpillar's ability to generate cash from operations, secure external funding for operations and manage liquidity needs; (iii) adverse changes in the economic conditions of the industries or markets Caterpillar serves; (iv) government regulations or policies, including those affecting interest rates, liquidity, access to capital and government spending on infrastructure development; (v) commodity price increases and/or limited availability of raw materials and component products, including steel; (vi) compliance costs associated with environmental laws and regulations; (vii) Caterpillar's and Cat Financial's ability to maintain their respective credit ratings, material increases in either company's cost of borrowing or an inability of either company to access capital markets; (viii) financial condition and credit worthiness of Cat Financial's customers; (ix) material adverse changes in our customers' access to liquidity and capital; (x) market acceptance of Caterpillar's products and services; (xi) effects of changes in the competitive environment, which may include decreased market share, lack of acceptance of price increases, and/or negative changes to our geographic and product mix of sales; (xii) Caterpillar's ability to successfully implement Caterpillar Production System or other productivity initiatives; (xiii) international trade and investment policies, such as import quotas, capital controls or tariffs; (xiv) failure of Caterpillar or Cat Financial to comply with financial covenants in their respective credit facilities; (xv) adverse changes in sourcing practices for our dealers or original equipment manufacturers; (xvi) additional tax expense or exposure; (xvii) political and economic risks associated with our global operations, including changes in laws, regulations or government policies, currency restrictions, restrictions on repatriation of earnings, burdensome tariffs or quotas, national and international conflict, including terrorist acts and political and economic instability or civil unrest in the countries in which Caterpillar operates; (xviii) currency fluctuations, particularly increases and decreases in the U.S. dollar against other currencies; (xix) increased payment obligations under our pension plans; (xx) inability to successfully integrate and realize expected benefits from acquisitions; (xxi) significant legal proceedings, claims, lawsuits or investigations; (xxii) imposition of significant costs or restrictions due to the enactment and implementation of health care reform legislation and proposed financial regulation legislation; (xxiii) changes in accounting standards or adoption of new accounting standards; (xxiv) adverse effects of natural disasters; and (xxv) other factors described in more detail under "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Part I of our Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 19, 2010 for the year ended December 31, 2009 and in Part II of our Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 3, 2010 for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. These filings are available on our website at www.cat.com/sec_filings   SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.

Multi-Year investment of nearly $700 million aimed at strengthening Caterpillar's global leadership in the mining industry

PEORIA, Ill., June 17, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) is announcing a series of investments that, over the next four years, will significantly enhance the company's position as the leading manufacturer of products and solutions for the global mining industry. The company will produce a full range of mining shovels, ranging from a 125-ton model through an 800-ton model. Caterpillar has selected its manufacturing facility in Aurora, Ill., for initial production of the new product range and is conducting a study of additional production sources in other parts of the world. In early 2011, Caterpillar will begin pilot production of the new 125-ton class shovel. The first commercial shovels produced in Aurora are expected to be available later in 2011. The larger shovels are planned for commercial availability beginning in 2013 and through 2014.

This range will give customers a direct match for loading Caterpillar's industry leading mining trucks--from the 100-ton class 777F through the 400-ton class 797F. The Aurora facility also produces Caterpillar's largest wheel loaders, which are an alternative method for loading mining trucks.

"As we discuss solutions with our global mining customers, it's clear they want a complete line of Caterpillar shovels to best match the full range of Caterpillar trucks operating at their mines," said Chris Curfman, president of Caterpillar Global Mining.

Increasing Truck Capacity:
The company is also accelerating previously announced capacity expansion plans for trucks in Decatur, Ill., with additional capacity expected to come on line beginning in 2011. The expansion in Decatur will increase truck capacity at the facility by nearly 30 percent. Decatur produces Caterpillar's largest mining trucks, including the flagship 797F series truck, which has a maximum capacity of 400 tons.

In addition, Caterpillar plans to increase capacity for 60 and 100-ton trucks at its existing manufacturing facility near Chennai, India. The capacity expansion would more than double truck production capabilities in India. The expansion for its 100-ton 777D and 60-ton 773E trucks in India should be completed by early 2012.

"The increased production in India and Decatur will better position the company to serve our mining customers in every region of the world, with a particular focus on the growing demand and customer base in the emerging markets of Asia and in Russia," Curfman added.

Combined, the long-term shovel development program and added truck capacity represent investments of nearly $700 million in Caterpillar mining products through 2014.

Caterpillar is also updating the status of its new electric-drive mining trucks. The company currently has pilot units of its 345-ton 795F AC truck at customer sites for final evaluation, with commercial production set to begin in late 2010. Initial interest in the new Cat 795F AC trucks has been strong, and the company has increased its planned build rate for 2011 by more than 40 percent to meet demand in all major mining markets throughout the world.

In early 2012, the company also plans to produce pilot units of the 793F AC truck with a 240-ton payload. Both the 793F AC and 795F AC will complement Caterpillar's full range of mechanical drive trucks.

"For generations, customers have relied on Caterpillar products, along with the service support of our global dealer network, to give them the lowest owning and operating costs over the life of a machine," said Caterpillar Chief Executive Officer-Elect Doug Oberhelman. "In today's globally competitive environment, our customers are counting on that level of reliability, durability and support more than ever. This investment of nearly $700 million demonstrates our commitment to Caterpillar mining customers around the world. It also is a great example of the job-creation benefits of global trade, as well over 60 percent of the large mining products made at our Illinois facilities are exported outside of the United States," Oberhelman added.

About Caterpillar:
For more than 85 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2009 sales and revenues of $32.396 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. The company also is a leading services provider through Caterpillar Financial Services, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services, Caterpillar Logistics Services and Progress Rail Services. More information is available at: http://www.cat.com

Forward-Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this press release relate to future events and expectations and, as such, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are subject to known and unknown factors that may cause actual results of Caterpillar Inc. to be different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "believe," "estimate," "will be," "will," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "plan," "project," "intend," "could," "should" or other similar words or expressions often identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding our outlook, projections, forecasts or trend descriptions. These statements do not guarantee future performance, and Caterpillar does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

It is important to note that actual results of the company may differ materially from those described or implied in such forward-looking statements based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to: (i) economic volatility in the global economy generally and in capital and credit markets; (ii) Caterpillar's ability to generate cash from operations, secure external funding for operations and manage liquidity needs; (iii) adverse changes in the economic conditions of the industries or markets Caterpillar serves; (iv) government regulations or policies, including those affecting interest rates, liquidity, access to capital and government spending on infrastructure development; (v) commodity price increases and/or limited availability of raw materials and component products, including steel; (vi) compliance costs associated with environmental laws and regulations; (vii) Caterpillar's and Cat Financial's ability to maintain their respective credit ratings, material increases in either company's cost of borrowing or an inability of either company to access capital markets; (viii) financial condition and credit worthiness of Cat Financial's customers; (ix) material adverse changes in our customers' access to liquidity and capital; (x) market acceptance of Caterpillar's products and services; (xi) effects of changes in the competitive environment, which may include decreased market share, lack of acceptance of price increases, and/or negative changes to our geographic and product mix of sales; (xii) Caterpillar's ability to successfully implement Caterpillar Production System or other productivity initiatives; (xiii) international trade and investment policies, such as import quotas, capital controls or tariffs; (xiv) failure of Caterpillar or Cat Financial to comply with financial covenants in their respective credit facilities; (xv) adverse changes in sourcing practices for our dealers or original equipment manufacturers; (xvi) additional tax expense or exposure; (xvii) political and economic risks associated with our global operations, including changes in laws, regulations or government policies, currency restrictions, restrictions on repatriation of earnings, burdensome tariffs or quotas, national and international conflict, including terrorist acts and political and economic instability or civil unrest in the countries in which Caterpillar operates; (xviii) currency fluctuations, particularly increases and decreases in the U.S. dollar against other currencies; (xix) increased payment obligations under our pension plans; (xx) inability to successfully integrate and realize expected benefits from acquisitions; (xxi) significant legal proceedings, claims, lawsuits or investigations; (xxii) imposition of significant costs or restrictions due to the enactment and implementation of health care reform legislation and proposed financial regulation legislation; (xxiii) changes in accounting standards or adoption of new accounting standards; (xxiv) adverse effects of natural disasters; and (xxv) other factors described in more detail under "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in Part I of our Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 19, 2010 for the year ended December 31, 2009 and in Part II of our Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 3, 2010 for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. These filings are available on our website at www.cat.com/sec_filings

SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.]]> The Ethanol Trap http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=320 6/17/2010 12:37:01 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=320 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/1C1D7D616D4928E623AB7BA4981B8282.jpg The most disgusting aspect of the blowout in the Gulf of Mexico isn't the video images of oil-soaked birds or the incessant blather from pundits about what BP or the Obama administration should be doing to stem the flow of oil. Instead, it's the ugly spectacle of the corn-ethanol scammers doing all they can to capitalize on the disaster so that they can justify an expansion of the longest-running robbery of taxpayers in U.S. history. Listen to Matt Hartwig, communications director for the Renewable Fuels Association, an ethanol industry lobby group: "The Gulf of Mexico disaster serves as a stark and unfortunate reminder of the need for domestically-produced renewable biofuels." Or look at an advertisement that was recently placed in a Washington, D.C., Metro station: "No beaches have been closed due to ETHANOL spills. … America's CLEAN fuel." That gem was paid for by Growth Energy, another ethanol industry lobby group. The blowout of BP's Macondo well has given the corn-ethanol industry yet another opportunity to push its fuel adulterant on the American consumer. And unfortunately, the Obama administration appears ready and willing to foist yet more of the corrosive, environmentally destructive, low-heat-energy fuel on motorists. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why does the ethanol business need federal help? The answer is so disheartening that after five years of reporting on the corn-ethanol scam, I find it difficult to type, but here goes: The corn-ethanol industry needs to be bailed out by taxpayers because the industry was given too much in the way of subsidies and mandates. And now the only way to solve that problem is—what else?—more subsidies and mandates. The BP mess provides the industry with the opening it needs to win those subsidies from the federal government. In its 2005 energy bill, Congress dramatically increased the mandates (and subsidies) for corn ethanol. That resulted in a surge of new construction. Led by German financial giant WestLB AG, banks poured billions of dollars into new distilleries, which quickly created an ethanol bubble that mirrored the U.S. real estate bubble. Over the past five years, U.S. ethanol production capacity has more than tripled and now stands at more than 13 billion gallons per year. But that's far more capacity than the U.S. motor fuel market can absorb. In March, nearly 1 billion gallons of ethanol production capacity was sitting idle. And yet, according to the Renewable Fuels Association, the industry has about 1.4 billion gallons of additional distilling capacity under construction. The bankruptcy court is the best place to comprehend the oversupply of ethanol. Over the past 18 months or so, bankruptcy casualties have included VeraSun, the second-largest producer in the United States; Pacific Ethanol; Aventine Renewable Energy; and others. In industry parlance, the corn-ethanol sector is facing a head-on collision with the "blend wall." Ethanol producers depend on gasoline sales because their product must be mixed with conventional fuel. But thanks to the recession and the end of Americans' love affair with large SUVs, U.S. gasoline demand is flat or declining. That has left a smaller pool of gasoline to absorb all the alcohol the ethanol industry is producing. Or as Bob Dinneen, the president of the Renewable Fuels Association, has put it, "[W]e have lots of gallons of ethanol chasing too few gallons of gasoline." Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now the industry is counting on a president beleaguered by the made-for-TV crisis in the Gulf of Mexico to help it out. And he appears ready to do just that. On April 28, six days after the Deepwater Horizon rig sank, President Obama visited an ethanol plant in Missouri and declared that "there shouldn't be any doubt that renewable, homegrown fuels are a key part of our strategy for a clean-energy future." Obama also said, "I didn't just discover the merits of biofuels like ethanol when I first hopped on the campaign bus."

Corn.

The most disgusting aspect of the blowout in the Gulf of Mexico isn't the video images of oil-soaked birds or the incessant blather from pundits about what BP or the Obama administration should be doing to stem the flow of oil. Instead, it's the ugly spectacle of the corn-ethanol scammers doing all they can to capitalize on the disaster so that they can justify an expansion of the longest-running robbery of taxpayers in U.S. history.

Listen to Matt Hartwig, communications director for the Renewable Fuels Association, an ethanol industry lobby group: "The Gulf of Mexico disaster serves as a stark and unfortunate reminder of the need for domestically-produced renewable biofuels." Or look at an advertisement that was recently placed in a Washington, D.C., Metro station: "No beaches have been closed due to ETHANOL spills. … America's CLEAN fuel." That gem was paid for by Growth Energy, another ethanol industry lobby group.

The blowout of BP's Macondo well has given the corn-ethanol industry yet another opportunity to push its fuel adulterant on the American consumer. And unfortunately, the Obama administration appears ready and willing to foist yet more of the corrosive, environmentally destructive, low-heat-energy fuel on motorists.

Why does the ethanol business need federal help? The answer is so disheartening that after five years of reporting on the corn-ethanol scam, I find it difficult to type, but here goes: The corn-ethanol industry needs to be bailed out by taxpayers because the industry was given too much in the way of subsidies and mandates. And now the only way to solve that problem is—what else?—more subsidies and mandates. The BP mess provides the industry with the opening it needs to win those subsidies from the federal government.

In its 2005 energy bill, Congress dramatically increased the mandates (and subsidies) for corn ethanol. That resulted in a surge of new construction. Led by German financial giant WestLB AG, banks poured billions of dollars into new distilleries, which quickly created an ethanol bubble that mirrored the U.S. real estate bubble. Over the past five years, U.S. ethanol production capacity has more than tripled and now stands at more than 13 billion gallons per year. But that's far more capacity than the U.S. motor fuel market can absorb. In March, nearly 1 billion gallons of ethanol production capacity was sitting idle. And yet, according to the Renewable Fuels Association, the industry has about 1.4 billion gallons of additional distilling capacity under construction.

The bankruptcy court is the best place to comprehend the oversupply of ethanol. Over the past 18 months or so, bankruptcy casualties have included VeraSun, the second-largest producer in the United States; Pacific Ethanol; Aventine Renewable Energy; and others.

In industry parlance, the corn-ethanol sector is facing a head-on collision with the "blend wall." Ethanol producers depend on gasoline sales because their product must be mixed with conventional fuel. But thanks to the recession and the end of Americans' love affair with large SUVs, U.S. gasoline demand is flat or declining. That has left a smaller pool of gasoline to absorb all the alcohol the ethanol industry is producing. Or as Bob Dinneen, the president of the Renewable Fuels Association, has put it, "[W]e have lots of gallons of ethanol chasing too few gallons of gasoline."

Now the industry is counting on a president beleaguered by the made-for-TV crisis in the Gulf of Mexico to help it out. And he appears ready to do just that. On April 28, six days after the Deepwater Horizon rig sank, President Obama visited an ethanol plant in Missouri and declared that "there shouldn't be any doubt that renewable, homegrown fuels are a key part of our strategy for a clean-energy future." Obama also said, "I didn't just discover the merits of biofuels like ethanol when I first hopped on the campaign bus."]]> Caterpillar, Navistar near $586 mln China truck tie-source http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=319 6/11/2010 10:21:12 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=319 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/4D99360CD22030D8F8A2607F11165CA7.jpg June 11 (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N) and Navistar International Corp (NAV.N) are finalising a 4 billion yuan ($586 million) truck and engine manufacturing tie-up with China's Jianghuai Automobile (600418.SS), a source with direct knowledge of the deal said on Friday. Initial investment in the project will be twice as much as the amount previously disclosed -- 2 billion yuan -- as Jianghuai and Navistar are also planning a separate 50-50 diesel engine tie, the source told Reuters. "There will actually be two joint ventures. The engine venture is meant to be a supplier for the truck project," said the source. "The partners have already reached agreement on major issues. They are pouring over some technical details now and the case could be closed pretty soon." Initial capacity of the heavy truck project, to be based in Jianghuai's home base in the eastern city of Hefei, is 40,000 units, said the source. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Under a prior framework agreement in September 2009, only a 2 billion yuan 50-50 heavy truck venture between Jianghuai and NC2 Global, a tie-up between Caterpillar and Navistar, was announced. Jianghuai, Caterpillar and Navistar executives could not be immediately reached for comment. The deal, if it goes ahead, will make Caterpillar and Navistar the latest entrants in China's 150 billion yuan heavy truck market, joining Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE) and other European rivals. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It would also provide a new growth opportunity for Jianghuai, a major player in China's multi-purpose vehicle segment which is diversifying into car and heavy truck manufacturing. Trucks made at the venture will be sold in China and emerging markets in Asia to begin with, the source said. ($1=6.828 Yuan) (Reporting by Fang Yan and Jacqueline Wong)

June 11 (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N) and Navistar International Corp (NAV.N) are finalising a 4 billion yuan ($586 million) truck and engine manufacturing tie-up with China's Jianghuai Automobile (600418.SS), a source with direct knowledge of the deal said on Friday.

Initial investment in the project will be twice as much as the amount previously disclosed -- 2 billion yuan -- as Jianghuai and Navistar are also planning a separate 50-50 diesel engine tie, the source told Reuters.

"There will actually be two joint ventures. The engine venture is meant to be a supplier for the truck project," said the source.

"The partners have already reached agreement on major issues. They are pouring over some technical details now and the case could be closed pretty soon."

Initial capacity of the heavy truck project, to be based in Jianghuai's home base in the eastern city of Hefei, is 40,000 units, said the source.

Under a prior framework agreement in September 2009, only a 2 billion yuan 50-50 heavy truck venture between Jianghuai and NC2 Global, a tie-up between Caterpillar and Navistar, was announced.

Jianghuai, Caterpillar and Navistar executives could not be immediately reached for comment.

The deal, if it goes ahead, will make Caterpillar and Navistar the latest entrants in China's 150 billion yuan heavy truck market, joining Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE) and other European rivals.

It would also provide a new growth opportunity for Jianghuai, a major player in China's multi-purpose vehicle segment which is diversifying into car and heavy truck manufacturing.
Trucks made at the venture will be sold in China and emerging markets in Asia to begin with, the source said. ($1=6.828 Yuan) (Reporting by Fang Yan and Jacqueline Wong)]]> ESCN.TV Video News http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=318 6/10/2010 10:05:01 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=318 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/23867E2CCE627F378C267C7B8272C5E2.jpg ESCN.TV Erosion and sediment control information and education at your fingertips. Top Stories for 06/09/10: ► Clean Water Act Dispute Settled In Alaska ► LICA Summer Meeting To Be Held In July ► IECA Announces Addition Of ESCN.tv To Website ► Stormwater USA Chosen To Provide Mandated Stormwater Training ► New Expert Tip Of The Week   - Jennifer Hildebrand Discusses Continuing Education

ESCN.TV

Erosion and sediment control information and education at your fingertips.

Top Stories for 06/09/10:

► Clean Water Act Dispute Settled In Alaska
► LICA Summer Meeting To Be Held In July
► IECA Announces Addition Of ESCN.tv To Website
► Stormwater USA Chosen To Provide Mandated Stormwater Training
► New Expert Tip Of The Week
- Jennifer Hildebrand Discusses Continuing Education

]]> The World's First Rear Mounting Quick Attach http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=317 6/3/2010 1:27:01 PM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=317 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/70E3341285F89FEAEAF3D33E75D28FC3.jpg Do your customers have sore necks driving their ASV /Terex Track Machine backwards while installing silt fence, digging a trench or preparing soil? NOW DRIVE FORWARD ! The patent pending BackAttach® Use all your favorite attachments including;Silt Fence machine, Erosion Blanket Installer, The AutoBlanket® Staple System, Rototillers, Brush Cutters, Land Plane, Trencher, Box Blade, Flail Cutter, Landscape Rake………and many more. NO MORE turning around to SEE where you are going. Go on steeper slopes where tractors can’t go. Only $ 7,685.00 MSRP plus shipping, installation Features: -Fits ASV/Terex PT 70 — PT 100 Track Loader Models -Back and forward tilt -Float control for better ground contact -Lift capacity of 1500lbs * -Universal Quick Attach Plate for easy hook-up of attachments -Use existing hydraulics -Optional Rear camera -Hydraulic attachments using high or low flow Visit: http://www.autoblanket.com Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do your customers have sore necks driving their ASV /Terex Track Machine backwards while installing silt fence, digging a trench or preparing soil?

NOW DRIVE FORWARD !

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The patent pending BackAttach®

Use all your favorite attachments including;Silt Fence machine, Erosion Blanket Installer, The AutoBlanket® Staple System, Rototillers, Brush Cutters, Land Plane, Trencher, Box Blade, Flail Cutter, Landscape Rake………and many more.

NO MORE turning around to SEE where you are going.

Go on steeper slopes where tractors can’t go.

Only $ 7,685.00 MSRP plus shipping, installation

Features:
-Fits ASV/Terex PT 70 — PT 100 Track Loader Models
-Back and forward tilt
-Float control for better ground contact
-Lift capacity of 1500lbs *
-Universal Quick Attach Plate for easy hook-up of attachments
-Use existing hydraulics
-Optional Rear camera
-Hydraulic attachments using high or low flow

Visit: http://www.autoblanket.com

]]> Biofuels must scale up to compete with fossil fuels http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=316 6/3/2010 10:04:13 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=316 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/378DAB3700A8ECBFA563CDEE8B72663D.jpg Can biofuels find the path to petroleum parity? by Mark Bünger Published: June 2, 2010 While the technical and cost potential of bio-products to compete with petroleum grows, can they match its giant scale? Mark Bünger explains why massively ramping up output will be the biggest challenge for bioenergy. Petroleum-based products such as fuels and plastics are vilified for their economic and environmental drawbacks. Businesses, scientists and governments are urgently seeking a reliable supply of affordable fuels and industrial materials, and a reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere, and are looking to bio-based products to deliver them. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- However, even as they seek to mitigate its drawbacks, they want to match oil's primary benefit – the availability of a large quantity of versatile, valuable material. To date, most biofuels and biomaterials developers have focused on lab- and demo-scale studies to improve performance and reduce cost so they can compete with petroleum products, and those goals are coming within sight. But in order to truly replace petroleum-based fuels and materials, they would need to reach petroleum parity, meaning that they were competitive on physical properties, cost, and scale. When investigating whether bio-based products can match or beat petroleum on these three measures, Lux Research reached a number of key findings. Viable Bio-Based Alternatives Already Exist: Bio-based alternatives exist that can substitute for 92% of petroleum's products. Today, biomaterials and biofuels replace just 0.2% of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, and polyethylene. But technology exists to manufacture thousands of petroleum-based products from biomass. In principle, many more of the fuels and materials we derive from petroleum today could be replaced by bio-based alternatives like biopolypropylene, biobutanol, and biocrude. Below: Companies such as DuPont are developing biobutanol processes For example, starch-based plastics often don't wholly stack up to those made using petrochemicals, but bio-based molecules that are identical to petroleum-derived monomers can simply be dropped into existing processes and products, boosting the substitution potential of bio-based plastics. Processing of bioethanol to ethylene, and thence to more complicated derivatives, allows for biologically derived versions of workhorse materials such as polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyamides (PAs). DSM recently launched castor-oil-derived EcoPaXX, a high-performance engineering plastic with a melting point of 250°C that can replace PA410. Synthetic biology start-ups like Draths, Elevance, and Segetis are using biomass to produce molecules like benzene, olefins, and levulinic acid that can lead to bio-based replacements for industrial chemical mainstays like phthalates, solvents, and nylon. Unlike bioethanol, which can be blended with gasoline only up to 10%, biobutanol is chemically compatible and energy-dense enough to potentially replace gasoline. Start-ups ButylFuel , Tetravitae , and Gevo are developing biobutanol processes, as is a DuPont–BP joint venture. Dozens of companies such as PetroAlgae and Australia's CSIRO Forest Biosciences are starting to produce renewable diesel and 'biocrude' from algae and bacteria that are direct substitutes for petroleum fuels; Solazyme has even won a contract to supply 20,000 gallons of SolaDiesel to the US Navy. If biomaterials and biofuels reach their maximum substitution potential with today's technology, they could replace 4.8 trillion litres of petroleum annually, or 92% of the total. In theory, of course, new technologies yet to be developed could produce biologically-based replacements for all petroleum, which is itself derived from biomass. Cost Parity Achievable Within Five Years: Lux's next key conclusion was that biofuels and biomaterials will be reach cost parity with petroleum over the next three to five years. The cost of biologically-derived alternatives to petroleum products, without subsidies, ranges from 125% of the petroleum equivalent and upward for most fuels and plastics, even at industrial scale. For example, cane bioethanol can be made profitably at US$1.25 per gallon of gasoline equivalent, thanks to the plant yield in rainy parts of Brazil. Corn bioethanol in the US, on the other hand, is reeling from low oil prices and plants are closing. Based on US Congressional Budget Office estimates, with corn currently costing $3.70 per bushel, bioethanol costs $4.11 per gallon of gasoline equivalent; subsidies and co-product sales lower this to about $1.52/gal. First-generation (cane and corn) bioethanol producers include Cosan , POET , ADM , Cargill , Aventine , Pacific Ethanol , and VeraSun; the latter three, like many other first-generation biofuel producers, are currently bankrupt and looking to be acquired (by Valero in VeraSun's case). Second-generation, or cellulosic, bioethanol currently costs about $6 per gallon to produce (including capital and logistics costs), and one ton of dry biomass will yield around 50 gallons. Petroleum-derived plastics consume only about 18% of petroleum produced, but these higher-value materials provide a disproportionate amount of the revenue compared to fuels – for example, $1.50/kg for ethylene, compared to an equivalent of $0.34/kg for gasoline at $1/gal. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While small-scale producers have cranked out bioethylene for $25/kg, several large projects are underway to produce bioethylene and biopropylene on an industrial scale, starting from bioethanol derived from Brazilian sugarcane. For example, Solvay Indupa 's factory in Santo Andre, Brazil is expected to be fully operational in 2010, with an expected annual capacity of 60,000 tons of bioethylene, 360,000 tons of PVC, 360,000 tons of vinyl chloride, and 235,000 tons of caustic soda. Braskem already has a pilot plant, and expects to open an industrial facility by 2011 with a capacity of 200,000 tons per year. Dow Chemical and Crystalsev have a new facility, also planned to open by 2011, with a capacity of 350,000 tons per year, while Industrial Biotechnology and Cosan have announced a plant on the US Gulf coast that will import bioethanol from Brazil and should produce at least 200,000 tons of ethylene per year. However, even at industrial scale, bioethylene is projected to cost approximately $4/kg – a 270% mark-up on its petroleum-based equivalent. Despite these apparently high costs, process improvements and economies of scale mean that biofuel and biomaterial costs are on a glidepath to intercept petroleum costs within the next three to five years. Confronting the Challenges of Scale: The biggest challenge facing bio-based alternatives to oil is scale; they must be available in a meaningful fraction of the vast quantities produced by today's $250 billion petroleum industry to make an economic and environmental impact, and much larger scale is needed to help drive down costs. Waste biomass from crops and forests could provide a significant fraction of future fuel. To date, most biofuels have been derived from corn in the US, or from sugarcane in Brazil, but these crops can't be grown in arid regions or poor soil, so their scale is limited. Looking at all biomass, the US government's 'Billion-ton Study' found that the US produces 1.3 billion tons of biomass suitable for conversion to biofuels. Notably, the main sources of feedstock were not purpose-grown crops, but 316 million dry tons of residue from forestlands and 534 million dry tons of crop residues and other waste. In our estimates of global land use potential and yield, we found maximum available biomass actually exceeds oil equivalents, overwhelmingly due to the potential of waste biomass. Biomass from new crops requires unsustainable land-use changes and water resources. A hectare of soybeans will yield 1.5 tons of dry biomass that can be converted into 200 kg of plastic or 197 litres of diesel. Some plant growers are attempting to refine oily crops to be higher-yield, or to extract oils from non-food plants like jatropha on non-arable land, but unfortunately these plants tend to require as much as 1000 litres of irrigated water per litre of fuel, which could strain water resources as badly, or worse than, simply sticking with current biomass mix. While policymakers or developers might choose this unsustainable path, more likely future biofuels and biomaterials will need to be derived from biomass sources that demand little or no net water additions or major changes in land use. Doing otherwise would more than eliminate the environmental benefits that were the reason for biofuels and biomaterials in the first place. Algae cultivated on land also requires far too much water. At the same time, a burgeoning algae industry is working on industrial methods to take advantage of algae's prolific growth for use as a bio-based source of fuels and materials, driving yields up from 5 tons to as much as 15 tons per acre per year. However, not even leading algal producer Martek has got beyond test batches of feedstocks for fuels or chemicals today. Moreover, covering vast areas of land with algae growing in water faces the same water-use conflict as irrigated crops, noted above, suggesting algae-based alternatives will have to be limited to small scale or to algae harvested from open water. If biomaterials and fuels utilize the maximum potential available biomass, with no food substitution, they could replace 21 trillion litres of petroleum annually – 447% of the total. In the best case scenario, biofeedstocks reach just 3% of petroleum's share in 2020. So while biofuels and biomaterials are an insignificant competitor to petroleum products today, it's at least theoretically possible that could change. Technical performance of biomaterials is potentially good enough to substitute for a large percentage of petroleum. Costs, while still high, are declining, while oil prices have resumed their upward climb. And there's theoretically more than enough biomass feedstock available to meet fuel and material demand. Clearly, scale remains the key problem to solve: To make a meaningful dent in petroleum use, bio-based alternatives need biomass feedstock – a lot more of it than they can get today. We looked at global availability and economics for major feedstock classes, and estimated how much of them could be accessible by typically-sized biorefineries (with a 15 km to 50 km input radius) in 2020. Looking to 2020, what part of then-current demand of 40 billion barrels will come from bio-based matter and energy? Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crops Will Pose Expansion Challenges: Crops like soy, cane, and corn are highly restricted to cultivatable land areas, which occupy about 10% of the nearly 2 billion ha needed to fully replace petroleum. Since the land and the plants were originally developed to their effective maximum potential to provide food, significant expansion of this space almost inevitably means a reduction in food availability, which is politically and economically unfeasible. There are marginal expansions where, for example, grazing land can be cut back as livestock herds shrink, but these do not meaningfully change the overall picture. Nevertheless, aggressive government policies around the world should drive an approximate doubling of biofuel supplies from crops like soy, cane, and corn from 464 million barrels today to 977 million barrels in 2020. Above: Algae offers potential opportunities but challenges of scale To wring more from uncultivated land, researchers have explored the use of non-food crops like miscanthus and jatropha that can grow on land unsuitable for food. However, even as the Chinese and Indian governments in particular dedicated vast swathes of land to growing these potential fuel plants, scientists discovered in field tests that the yields are vastly lower than predicted, unless huge quantities of water were applied to the fields – an option that's simply unsustainable. While companies such as Ceres, Agrivida, and Mendel Biotechnologies are working to improve the yield of food and non-food crops like miscanthus with the aid of genetic engineering techniques, slow adoption by conservative farmers means that the additional impact of these crops is minimal. Even assuming that some of the grand projects do proceed, we estimate non-food crops will expand to just 107 million barrels annually by 2020, up from immeasurably small lab quantities today. Investment Costs and Scale an Issue for Algae: Algae multiply prodigiously, doubling their weight in as little as 12 hours if given enough carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight. Their tendency to proliferate has spurred developers like Solix and AB2E to construct vast artificial ponds and enclosed photobioreactors, where waste CO2 from coal plants, advanced light-catching geometries, and light sources like Bionavitas' maximize their growth potential. Credible analyses show that in the right conditions, algae raised in a photobioreactor could produce 20,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year per acre, beating any other feedstock by one or two orders of magnitude. The dealbreaker, however, is in the vast capital investment these photobioreactors require – from $20/m2 to $100/m2, or $200,000/ha to $1 million/ha – adding $100 to the cost of a barrel of fuel feedstock. These costs are not readily amenable to improvement through scientific breakthroughs, and are at best likely to decline 10% over the next 10 years. Based on the horrendous capital outlays, we believe that closed-system algae are unlikely to contribute measurably to biofuel supply at all. Companies like Kai Biotechnologies grow algae in open water, where capital costs are negligible, nutrients and sunlight plentiful, and microorganisms literally feel right at home. Given an optimal set of circumstances, open-water breeders might learn within 10 years to cultivate and process algae as productively as photobioreactors today (in addition to solving known problems like contamination and dewatering). At those rates, an area of 325,000 ha would economically produce about 2.6 million gallons annually. Since scale is the issue, developers should consider other companies farming the oceans. For example, Ocean Tech is farming macroalgae (kelp), while Algae Systems, StatoilHydro, and Algasol are growing algae in inexpensive, extruded plastic bags in the ocean, where water, sun, and surface area are abundant. Nonetheless, the likely contribution to total world fuel supply is minimal, at 60,000 barrels annually. While purpose-grown feedstocks have no hope of significantly changing the petroleum picture, their residues as well as the tracts of land not currently cultivated at all can be more effectively harvested to gather biomass. The US 'Billion Ton' study found 1.3 billion tons of forest and agricultural waste biomass available; extrapolating to global figures and using updated conversion ratios, we find roughly 7 billion tons, or about 7 billion BOE. By 2020, at most 1 billion BOE of this will be economically accessible by nearby biorefineries. Municipal solid waste could potentially add another 102 million barrels annually by 2020, and firms such as Enerkem and Fulcrum are pursuing this by offsetting the $30 a ton it costs to landfill municipal solid water, benefitting from negative raw material costs as producers will pay to have their waste taken away. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Confronting the Sobering Reality: The sobering reality is that even with the benefit of parity on performance and costs, biofuels and biomaterials will lack the scale to meaningfully (more than a few percent) change the petroleum picture for decades to come. In the meantime, petroleum usage and carbon emissions will increase at an even faster rate. To achieve the goals that drove developers, customers, and policymakers to consider biofuels and biomaterials in the first place – securing a supply of affordable transportation fuel and industrial material, and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere – these players should focus on feedstocks that can grow a few extra gigatons. With current policies, there is a large risk that the world is fostering a cottage industry of tiny, individually profitable biofuel and biomaterial makers with a collective contribution that's effectively negligible. Technologies, subsidies, and investment must shift from funding research geared to reducing process cost to activities that massively increase scale: more feedstock biomass, more biorefineries, and cheaper transportation that will enable the creation and exploitation of at least five gigatons of additional biomass every year – the amount that would offset the net annual increase of CO2 in the atmosphere from petroleum sources. Making this leap means ignoring animal waste, soybeans, and in fact nearly every feedstock except algae and agricultural and forest waste. It also means supporting activities only indirectly meant to create biomass for biofuels, such as reversing deforestation and desertification. As for securing energy from safer sources, nations need to redouble conservation efforts, and prepare for Plan B – or many Plan Bs.

Can biofuels find the path to petroleum parity?

by Mark Bünger
Published: June 2, 2010

While the technical and cost potential of bio-products to compete with petroleum grows, can they match its giant scale? Mark Bünger explains why massively ramping up output will be the biggest challenge for bioenergy.

Petroleum-based products such as fuels and plastics are vilified for their economic and environmental drawbacks. Businesses, scientists and governments are urgently seeking a reliable supply of affordable fuels and industrial materials, and a reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere, and are looking to bio-based products to deliver them.

However, even as they seek to mitigate its drawbacks, they want to match oil's primary benefit – the availability of a large quantity of versatile, valuable material.

To date, most biofuels and biomaterials developers have focused on lab- and demo-scale studies to improve performance and reduce cost so they can compete with petroleum products, and those goals are coming within sight.

But in order to truly replace petroleum-based fuels and materials, they would need to reach petroleum parity, meaning that they were competitive on physical properties, cost, and scale. When investigating whether bio-based products can match or beat petroleum on these three measures, Lux Research reached a number of key findings.

Viable Bio-Based Alternatives Already Exist:
Bio-based alternatives exist that can substitute for 92% of petroleum's products. Today, biomaterials and biofuels replace just 0.2% of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, and polyethylene. But technology exists to manufacture thousands of petroleum-based products from biomass. In principle, many more of the fuels and materials we derive from petroleum today could be replaced by bio-based alternatives like biopolypropylene, biobutanol, and biocrude.

Below: Companies such as DuPont are developing biobutanol processes

erosion control

For example, starch-based plastics often don't wholly stack up to those made using petrochemicals, but bio-based molecules that are identical to petroleum-derived monomers can simply be dropped into existing processes and products, boosting the substitution potential of bio-based plastics. Processing of bioethanol to ethylene, and thence to more complicated derivatives, allows for biologically derived versions of workhorse materials such as polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyamides (PAs).

DSM recently launched castor-oil-derived EcoPaXX, a high-performance engineering plastic with a melting point of 250°C that can replace PA410. Synthetic biology start-ups like Draths, Elevance, and Segetis are using biomass to produce molecules like benzene, olefins, and levulinic acid that can lead to bio-based replacements for industrial chemical mainstays like phthalates, solvents, and nylon. Unlike bioethanol, which can be blended with gasoline only up to 10%, biobutanol is chemically compatible and energy-dense enough to potentially replace gasoline.

Start-ups ButylFuel, Tetravitae, and Gevo are developing biobutanol processes, as is a DuPont–BP joint venture. Dozens of companies such as PetroAlgae and Australia's CSIRO Forest Biosciences are starting to produce renewable diesel and 'biocrude' from algae and bacteria that are direct substitutes for petroleum fuels; Solazyme has even won a contract to supply 20,000 gallons of SolaDiesel to the US Navy.

If biomaterials and biofuels reach their maximum substitution potential with today's technology, they could replace 4.8 trillion litres of petroleum annually, or 92% of the total. In theory, of course, new technologies yet to be developed could produce biologically-based replacements for all petroleum, which is itself derived from biomass.

Cost Parity Achievable Within Five Years:
Lux's next key conclusion was that biofuels and biomaterials will be reach cost parity with petroleum over the next three to five years. The cost of biologically-derived alternatives to petroleum products, without subsidies, ranges from 125% of the petroleum equivalent and upward for most fuels and plastics, even at industrial scale. For example, cane bioethanol can be made profitably at US$1.25 per gallon of gasoline equivalent, thanks to the plant yield in rainy parts of Brazil. Corn bioethanol in the US, on the other hand, is reeling from low oil prices and plants are closing. Based on US Congressional Budget Office estimates, with corn currently costing $3.70 per bushel, bioethanol costs $4.11 per gallon of gasoline equivalent; subsidies and co-product sales lower this to about $1.52/gal.

First-generation (cane and corn) bioethanol producers include Cosan, POET, ADM, Cargill, Aventine, Pacific Ethanol, and VeraSun; the latter three, like many other first-generation biofuel producers, are currently bankrupt and looking to be acquired (by Valero in VeraSun's case). Second-generation, or cellulosic, bioethanol currently costs about $6 per gallon to produce (including capital and logistics costs), and one ton of dry biomass will yield around 50 gallons. Petroleum-derived plastics consume only about 18% of petroleum produced, but these higher-value materials provide a disproportionate amount of the revenue compared to fuels – for example, $1.50/kg for ethylene, compared to an equivalent of $0.34/kg for gasoline at $1/gal.

While small-scale producers have cranked out bioethylene for $25/kg, several large projects are underway to produce bioethylene and biopropylene on an industrial scale, starting from bioethanol derived from Brazilian sugarcane. For example, Solvay Indupa's factory in Santo Andre, Brazil is expected to be fully operational in 2010, with an expected annual capacity of 60,000 tons of bioethylene, 360,000 tons of PVC, 360,000 tons of vinyl chloride, and 235,000 tons of caustic soda. Braskem already has a pilot plant, and expects to open an industrial facility by 2011 with a capacity of 200,000 tons per year. Dow Chemical and Crystalsev have a new facility, also planned to open by 2011, with a capacity of 350,000 tons per year, while Industrial Biotechnology and Cosan have announced a plant on the US Gulf coast that will import bioethanol from Brazil and should produce at least 200,000 tons of ethylene per year.

However, even at industrial scale, bioethylene is projected to cost approximately $4/kg – a 270% mark-up on its petroleum-based equivalent. Despite these apparently high costs, process improvements and economies of scale mean that biofuel and biomaterial costs are on a glidepath to intercept petroleum costs within the next three to five years.

Confronting the Challenges of Scale:
The biggest challenge facing bio-based alternatives to oil is scale; they must be available in a meaningful fraction of the vast quantities produced by today's $250 billion petroleum industry to make an economic and environmental impact, and much larger scale is needed to help drive down costs. Waste biomass from crops and forests could provide a significant fraction of future fuel. To date, most biofuels have been derived from corn in the US, or from sugarcane in Brazil, but these crops can't be grown in arid regions or poor soil, so their scale is limited. Looking at all biomass, the US government's 'Billion-ton Study' found that the US produces 1.3 billion tons of biomass suitable for conversion to biofuels. Notably, the main sources of feedstock were not purpose-grown crops, but 316 million dry tons of residue from forestlands and 534 million dry tons of crop residues and other waste. In our estimates of global land use potential and yield, we found maximum available biomass actually exceeds oil equivalents, overwhelmingly due to the potential of waste biomass.

Biomass from new crops requires unsustainable land-use changes and water resources. A hectare of soybeans will yield 1.5 tons of dry biomass that can be converted into 200 kg of plastic or 197 litres of diesel. Some plant growers are attempting to refine oily crops to be higher-yield, or to extract oils from non-food plants like jatropha on non-arable land, but unfortunately these plants tend to require as much as 1000 litres of irrigated water per litre of fuel, which could strain water resources as badly, or worse than, simply sticking with current biomass mix.

While policymakers or developers might choose this unsustainable path, more likely future biofuels and biomaterials will need to be derived from biomass sources that demand little or no net water additions or major changes in land use. Doing otherwise would more than eliminate the environmental benefits that were the reason for biofuels and biomaterials in the first place.

Algae cultivated on land also requires far too much water. At the same time, a burgeoning algae industry is working on industrial methods to take advantage of algae's prolific growth for use as a bio-based source of fuels and materials, driving yields up from 5 tons to as much as 15 tons per acre per year. However, not even leading algal producer Martek has got beyond test batches of feedstocks for fuels or chemicals today. Moreover, covering vast areas of land with algae growing in water faces the same water-use conflict as irrigated crops, noted above, suggesting algae-based alternatives will have to be limited to small scale or to algae harvested from open water. If biomaterials and fuels utilize the maximum potential available biomass, with no food substitution, they could replace 21 trillion litres of petroleum annually – 447% of the total.

In the best case scenario, biofeedstocks reach just 3% of petroleum's share in 2020. So while biofuels and biomaterials are an insignificant competitor to petroleum products today, it's at least theoretically possible that could change. Technical performance of biomaterials is potentially good enough to substitute for a large percentage of petroleum. Costs, while still high, are declining, while oil prices have resumed their upward climb. And there's theoretically more than enough biomass feedstock available to meet fuel and material demand. Clearly, scale remains the key problem to solve: To make a meaningful dent in petroleum use, bio-based alternatives need biomass feedstock – a lot more of it than they can get today. We looked at global availability and economics for major feedstock classes, and estimated how much of them could be accessible by typically-sized biorefineries (with a 15 km to 50 km input radius) in 2020. Looking to 2020, what part of then-current demand of 40 billion barrels will come from bio-based matter and energy?

Crops Will Pose Expansion Challenges:
Crops like soy, cane, and corn are highly restricted to cultivatable land areas, which occupy about 10% of the nearly 2 billion ha needed to fully replace petroleum. Since the land and the plants were originally developed to their effective maximum potential to provide food, significant expansion of this space almost inevitably means a reduction in food availability, which is politically and economically unfeasible. There are marginal expansions where, for example, grazing land can be cut back as livestock herds shrink, but these do not meaningfully change the overall picture. Nevertheless, aggressive government policies around the world should drive an approximate doubling of biofuel supplies from crops like soy, cane, and corn from 464 million barrels today to 977 million barrels in 2020.

erosion control

Above: Algae offers potential opportunities but challenges of scale

To wring more from uncultivated land, researchers have explored the use of non-food crops like miscanthus and jatropha that can grow on land unsuitable for food. However, even as the Chinese and Indian governments in particular dedicated vast swathes of land to growing these potential fuel plants, scientists discovered in field tests that the yields are vastly lower than predicted, unless huge quantities of water were applied to the fields – an option that's simply unsustainable. While companies such as Ceres, Agrivida, and Mendel Biotechnologies are working to improve the yield of food and non-food crops like miscanthus with the aid of genetic engineering techniques, slow adoption by conservative farmers means that the additional impact of these crops is minimal. Even assuming that some of the grand projects do proceed, we estimate non-food crops will expand to just 107 million barrels annually by 2020, up from immeasurably small lab quantities today.

Investment Costs and Scale an Issue for Algae:
Algae multiply prodigiously, doubling their weight in as little as 12 hours if given enough carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight. Their tendency to proliferate has spurred developers like Solix and AB2E to construct vast artificial ponds and enclosed photobioreactors, where waste CO2 from coal plants, advanced light-catching geometries, and light sources like Bionavitas' maximize their growth potential. Credible analyses show that in the right conditions, algae raised in a photobioreactor could produce 20,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year per acre, beating any other feedstock by one or two orders of magnitude. The dealbreaker, however, is in the vast capital investment these photobioreactors require – from $20/m2 to $100/m2, or $200,000/ha to $1 million/ha – adding $100 to the cost of a barrel of fuel feedstock. These costs are not readily amenable to improvement through scientific breakthroughs, and are at best likely to decline 10% over the next 10 years. Based on the horrendous capital outlays, we believe that closed-system algae are unlikely to contribute measurably to biofuel supply at all.

Companies like Kai Biotechnologies grow algae in open water, where capital costs are negligible, nutrients and sunlight plentiful, and microorganisms literally feel right at home. Given an optimal set of circumstances, open-water breeders might learn within 10 years to cultivate and process algae as productively as photobioreactors today (in addition to solving known problems like contamination and dewatering). At those rates, an area of 325,000 ha would economically produce about 2.6 million gallons annually. Since scale is the issue, developers should consider other companies farming the oceans. For example, Ocean Tech is farming macroalgae (kelp), while Algae Systems, StatoilHydro, and Algasol are growing algae in inexpensive, extruded plastic bags in the ocean, where water, sun, and surface area are abundant. Nonetheless, the likely contribution to total world fuel supply is minimal, at 60,000 barrels annually.

While purpose-grown feedstocks have no hope of significantly changing the petroleum picture, their residues as well as the tracts of land not currently cultivated at all can be more effectively harvested to gather biomass. The US 'Billion Ton' study found 1.3 billion tons of forest and agricultural waste biomass available; extrapolating to global figures and using updated conversion ratios, we find roughly 7 billion tons, or about 7 billion BOE. By 2020, at most 1 billion BOE of this will be economically accessible by nearby biorefineries. Municipal solid waste could potentially add another 102 million barrels annually by 2020, and firms such as Enerkem and Fulcrum are pursuing this by offsetting the $30 a ton it costs to landfill municipal solid water, benefitting from negative raw material costs as producers will pay to have their waste taken away.

Confronting the Sobering Reality:
The sobering reality is that even with the benefit of parity on performance and costs, biofuels and biomaterials will lack the scale to meaningfully (more than a few percent) change the petroleum picture for decades to come. In the meantime, petroleum usage and carbon emissions will increase at an even faster rate. To achieve the goals that drove developers, customers, and policymakers to consider biofuels and biomaterials in the first place – securing a supply of affordable transportation fuel and industrial material, and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere – these players should focus on feedstocks that can grow a few extra gigatons. With current policies, there is a large risk that the world is fostering a cottage industry of tiny, individually profitable biofuel and biomaterial makers with a collective contribution that's effectively negligible. Technologies, subsidies, and investment must shift from funding research geared to reducing process cost to activities that massively increase scale: more feedstock biomass, more biorefineries, and cheaper transportation that will enable the creation and exploitation of at least five gigatons of additional biomass every year – the amount that would offset the net annual increase of CO2 in the atmosphere from petroleum sources. Making this leap means ignoring animal waste, soybeans, and in fact nearly every feedstock except algae and agricultural and forest waste. It also means supporting activities only indirectly meant to create biomass for biofuels, such as reversing deforestation and desertification. As for securing energy from safer sources, nations need to redouble conservation efforts, and prepare for Plan B – or many Plan Bs.]]> California residents ready to conserve water, poll says http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=315 6/3/2010 9:54:54 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=315 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/59B1E7524D05D0542CAE8E254230F465.jpg The incessant rain all winter and spring did not convince California residents that there will be enough water to go around in the future, according to a statewide poll released Wednesday. Most Californians are, in fact, willing to alter their daily habits and drastically cut consumption in an effort to ward off what they expect to be severe, long-term water shortages. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The findings were part of an effort by the state and a group of water agencies to gauge the public's attitudes on conservation as California moves to slice urban water use one-fifth by 2020. "The notion that we need to conserve isn't something that comes and goes with time. ... It's something Californians believe to be an article of faith and that they're strongly committed to doing something about," said Dave Metz, whose firm conducted the survey on behalf of the state Department of Water Resources and the Association of California Water Agencies. Eighty one percent of the 1,200 California residents who participated in a phone survey in May believe the state faces chronic water shortfalls and 94 percent agree that the state must conserve more water. The results showed little change compared with a similar study last year, despite recent heavy rain and snow that filled up reservoirs, brought relief to parched orchards and fields and boosted the state's overall water supply. Metz's research found a majority of Californians consistently rate themselves "somewhat" to "very" willing to change the way they use water, from brushing teeth and shaving with the faucet off, to fixing plumbing leaks and outfitting hoses with automatic shutoffs. It is not clear, however, whether those shortcuts will be enough to de-stress the water system and achieve the 20 percent cut for city dwellers in 10 years mandated by the Legislature last year and signed by the governor. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State water managers have been juggling the needs of cities, farmers and crashing fish populations amid failing infrastructure and changing climate. Some regions appear better at doing more with less. Daily water use per person in the Bay Area, North Coast and Central Coast, hovers not far above 150 gallons. The average is nearly double that in large swaths of the state, including the Central Valley and Inland Empire. The Department of Water Resources used Wednesday's study as an excuse to re-launch its "Save our Water" ad campaign featuring video clips of "average" Californians doing their part to trim water demand. "Save Our Water isn't about drought - it's about long-term education and long-term changes in Californians' behavior," said department director Mark Cowin. "Californians can't act as though water is an unlimited resource." Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Still, experts worry that another wet year or two might cause the same people who are pledging to watch every drop to revert to dousing their lawns and singing long songs in the shower. "Californians are notoriously fickle about their water system," said UC Davis watershed scientist Jeffrey Mount. "The flood memory half-life and drought memory half-life in California is very short."

The incessant rain all winter and spring did not convince California residents that there will be enough water to go around in the future, according to a statewide poll released Wednesday.

Most Californians are, in fact, willing to alter their daily habits and drastically cut consumption in an effort to ward off what they expect to be severe, long-term water shortages.

The findings were part of an effort by the state and a group of water agencies to gauge the public's attitudes on conservation as California moves to slice urban water use one-fifth by 2020.

"The notion that we need to conserve isn't something that comes and goes with time. ... It's something Californians believe to be an article of faith and that they're strongly committed to doing something about," said Dave Metz, whose firm conducted the survey on behalf of the state Department of Water Resources and the Association of California Water Agencies.

Eighty one percent of the 1,200 California residents who participated in a phone survey in May believe the state faces chronic water shortfalls and 94 percent agree that the state must conserve more water.

The results showed little change compared with a similar study last year, despite recent heavy rain and snow that filled up reservoirs, brought relief to parched orchards and fields and boosted the state's overall water supply.

Metz's research found a majority of Californians consistently rate themselves "somewhat" to "very" willing to change the way they use water, from brushing teeth and shaving with the faucet off, to fixing plumbing leaks and outfitting hoses with automatic shutoffs.

It is not clear, however, whether those shortcuts will be enough to de-stress the water system and achieve the 20 percent cut for city dwellers in 10 years mandated by the Legislature last year and signed by the governor.

State water managers have been juggling the needs of cities, farmers and crashing fish populations amid failing infrastructure and changing climate.

Some regions appear better at doing more with less. Daily water use per person in the Bay Area, North Coast and Central Coast, hovers not far above 150 gallons. The average is nearly double that in large swaths of the state, including the Central Valley and Inland Empire.

The Department of Water Resources used Wednesday's study as an excuse to re-launch its "Save our Water" ad campaign featuring video clips of "average" Californians doing their part to trim water demand.

"Save Our Water isn't about drought - it's about long-term education and long-term changes in Californians' behavior," said department director Mark Cowin. "Californians can't act as though water is an unlimited resource."

Still, experts worry that another wet year or two might cause the same people who are pledging to watch every drop to revert to dousing their lawns and singing long songs in the shower.

"Californians are notoriously fickle about their water system," said UC Davis watershed scientist Jeffrey Mount. "The flood memory half-life and drought memory half-life in California is very short."]]> John Deere plant’s 500,000th combine finished http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=314 6/3/2010 9:48:25 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=314 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/D1B8CDBF5F7CF561F1B574C6DEA11236.jpg EAST MOLINE, Ill. - More than 80 years after introducing its first combine, John Deere Harvester Works has rolled its half-millionth self-propelled combine off the assembly line in East Moline. The machine - a 9870 model - will be on display all summer at the John Deere Pavilion in downtown Moline. It also will make an appearance at the Farm Progress Show, Aug. 31-Sept. 2 in Boone. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Reaching 500,000 self-propelled combines is a significant milestone for us," said Dennis Muszalski, Harvester Works' factory manager. Muszalski added that the milestone "celebrates generations of dedicated employees who have been part of Harvester Works and part of the greater Quad-Cities community." On May 19, the combine was presented to its new owner, Greg Briggs of Cisco, Ill., as part of the John Deere Gold Key program. The program provides customers with an exclusive tour of the factory and the opportunity to be the first to start their own machine on the line. Briggs will take ownership of the combine this fall after Deere displays it. Gold Key owners receive special plaques. The factory first began producing binders in 1910, just two years before Deere broke ground on the current John Deere Harvester Works. The factory initially manufactured horse-drawn grain binders, mowers, rakes and corn binders. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In 1927, Deere introduced its first combine - uniting harvesting and threshing in one operation. Twenty years later, John Deere manufactured the company's first self-propelled combine. The East Moline facility manufactures four combine models as well as a complete line of front end equipment. It employs about 2,400 people - including employees at the John Deere Product Development Center in Silvis, Ill.

EAST MOLINE, Ill. - More than 80 years after introducing its first combine, John Deere Harvester Works has rolled its half-millionth self-propelled combine off the assembly line in East Moline.

The machine - a 9870 model - will be on display all summer at the John Deere Pavilion in downtown Moline. It also will make an appearance at the Farm Progress Show, Aug. 31-Sept. 2 in Boone.

"Reaching 500,000 self-propelled combines is a significant milestone for us," said Dennis Muszalski, Harvester Works' factory manager.

Muszalski added that the milestone "celebrates generations of dedicated employees who have been part of Harvester Works and part of the greater Quad-Cities community."

On May 19, the combine was presented to its new owner, Greg Briggs of Cisco, Ill., as part of the John Deere Gold Key program. The program provides customers with an exclusive tour of the factory and the opportunity to be the first to start their own machine on the line. Briggs will take ownership of the combine this fall after Deere displays it. Gold Key owners receive special plaques.

The factory first began producing binders in 1910, just two years before Deere broke ground on the current John Deere Harvester Works. The factory initially manufactured horse-drawn grain binders, mowers, rakes and corn binders.

In 1927, Deere introduced its first combine - uniting harvesting and threshing in one operation. Twenty years later, John Deere manufactured the company's first self-propelled combine.

The East Moline facility manufactures four combine models as well as a complete line of front end equipment. It employs about 2,400 people - including employees at the John Deere Product Development Center in Silvis, Ill.]]> Doctoral Student Devises High-Tech Approach to Classifying Soils http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=313 6/3/2010 9:34:25 AM http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/news/news_detail.aspx?n=313 http://www.erosioncontrolnetwork.com/images/newsitems/thumbs/AFA1CD50E5E1413C92ADC6205BDDDF0B.jpg COLUMBIA, Mo. – A University of Missouri doctoral student has developed a technique that uses digital imaging of soil samples to take some of the guesswork out of wetland identification. Identifying wetlands isn’t always easy. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ manual on wetlands identification is 143 pages long. Land that is wet isn’t necessarily a wetland, and some wetlands aren’t always wet. One important tool is looking at the soil for colors and patterns characteristic of frequent and prolonged saturation, said Kevin O’Donnell, a doctoral student in soil science at MU. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chronic saturation changes a soil’s structure and chemical composition and affects the types of microorganisms it harbors. These changes determine the colors and other visible features of soil. Soil scientists use those features to identify what they call “hydric soils.” A trusty companion of soil scientists in the field is a small loose-leaf binder holding a set of “Munsell Soil Color Charts,” which contains 238 color chips and other visual aides for classifying soils. There’s a small hole adjacent to each chip that lets you compare the color chip and soil sample side-by-side. “There’s a lot of room for error,” O’Donnell said. Cloud cover, time of day and many other factors can affect perception of a soil’s appearance. Experienced soil scientists learn to take this into account, but even seasoned pros might come to different conclusions about a given sample. “You’re dealing with jurisdictional identification of wetlands,” he said. “Imagine you’re a landowner and a soil scientist comes out and says you have a hydric soil.” Wetlands are protected under the federal law, so landowners can end up facing restrictions on developing or farming their land based on a subjective assessment of the soil. “Will that hold up in court? I saw some major issues there.” In an earlier project, O’Donnell used software to analyze aerial photos of large areas and determine land use based on color and other attributes. “Why not use that technology on a smaller scale?” He decided to bring soil samples to the laboratory and photograph them under controlled conditions. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For advice on photo equipment, O’Donnell sought out David Rees, chair of photojournalism at MU. O’Donnell procured a Nikon D80 camera, a 60mm f/2.8 macro lens and a pair of lens-mounted flashes to provide uniform, consistent lighting. His equipment purchases were funded in part by a scholarship named in honor of the late C.E. Marshall, an MU soil scientist and, as it turned out, the father-in-law of David Rees. O’Donnell calibrated the software by photographing a brand-new set of Munsell color charts. “I didn’t know if this was going to work,” O’Donnell recalled. The goal was to precisely quantify a soil sample’s dominant colors in terms of hue, chroma (saturation) and value (lightness or darkness), as well as the abundance and distribution of those colors. “It turns out that it works really well,” he said. “The color identification was approximately 99 percent accurate for all the colors in the book.” Not only does the technique provide a more reliable way to identify hydric soils, it opens an avenue for collaboration with other disciplines by producing data about soil in a standardized, quantitative form, he said. “Once you get here it opens up a door to new ways of looking at soils that haven’t been looked at in the past,” he said. “It is a pretty ingenious amalgamation of techniques and ideas that provides soil scientists with a new tool for the 21st century,” said Keith Goyne, an MU soil scientist. Story continues below --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- advertisement --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- O’Donnell describes his project in a paper that appeared recently in “Geoderma,” considered a top-tier journal by soil scientists. O’Donnell’s co-authors on the paper were Goyne, Stephen Anderson and Randall Miles of MU, and Claire Baffaut and Kenneth Sudduth of the USDA Agricultural Research Service. O’Donnell’s research is funded by a grant from the USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project with partial support from the University of Missouri Research Council. O’Donnell said that it should be possible to adapt his system for use in the field by attaching a box to the camera to block out natural light when photographing a soil sample. In certain instances, this would avoid the expense and burden of extracting hefty core samples and hauling them to the lab.

COLUMBIA, Mo. – A University of Missouri doctoral student has developed a technique that uses digital imaging of soil samples to take some of the guesswork out of wetland identification.

Identifying wetlands isn’t always easy. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ manual on wetlands identification is 143 pages long. Land that is wet isn’t necessarily a wetland, and some wetlands aren’t always wet. One important tool is looking at the soil for colors and patterns characteristic of frequent and prolonged saturation, said Kevin O’Donnell, a doctoral student in soil science at MU.

Chronic saturation changes a soil’s structure and chemical composition and affects the types of microorganisms it harbors. These changes determine the colors and other visible features of soil. Soil scientists use those features to identify what they call “hydric soils.”

A trusty companion of soil scientists in the field is a small loose-leaf binder holding a set of “Munsell Soil Color Charts,” which contains 238 color chips and other visual aides for classifying soils.

There’s a small hole adjacent to each chip that lets you compare the color chip and soil sample side-by-side.

“There’s a lot of room for error,” O’Donnell said. Cloud cover, time of day and many other factors can affect perception of a soil’s appearance. Experienced soil scientists learn to take this into account, but even seasoned pros might come to different conclusions about a given sample.

“You’re dealing with jurisdictional identification of wetlands,” he said. “Imagine you’re a landowner and a soil scientist comes out and says you have a hydric soil.”

Wetlands are protected under the federal law, so landowners can end up facing restrictions on developing or farming their land based on a subjective assessment of the soil. “Will that hold up in court? I saw some major issues there.”

In an earlier project, O’Donnell used software to analyze aerial photos of large areas and determine land use based on color and other attributes. “Why not use that technology on a smaller scale?”

He decided to bring soil samples to the laboratory and photograph them under controlled conditions.

For advice on photo equipment, O’Donnell sought out David Rees, chair of photojournalism at MU. O’Donnell procured a Nikon D80 camera, a 60mm f/2.8 macro lens and a pair of lens-mounted flashes to provide uniform, consistent lighting. His equipment purchases were funded in part by a scholarship named in honor of the late C.E. Marshall, an MU soil scientist and, as it turned out, the father-in-law of David Rees.

O’Donnell calibrated the software by photographing a brand-new set of Munsell color charts.

“I didn’t know if this was going to work,” O’Donnell recalled. The goal was to precisely quantify a soil sample’s dominant colors in terms of hue, chroma (saturation) and value (lightness or darkness), as well as the abundance and distribution of those colors.

“It turns out that it works really well,” he said. “The color identification was approximately 99 percent accurate for all the colors in the book.”

Not only does the technique provide a more reliable way to identify hydric soils, it opens an avenue for collaboration with other disciplines by producing data about soil in a standardized, quantitative form, he said. “Once you get here it opens up a door to new ways of looking at soils that haven’t been looked at in the past,” he said.

“It is a pretty ingenious amalgamation of techniques and ideas that provides soil scientists with a new tool for the 21st century,” said Keith Goyne, an MU soil scientist.

O’Donnell describes his project in a paper that appeared recently in “Geoderma,” considered a top-tier journal by soil scientists. O’Donnell’s co-authors on the paper were Goyne, Stephen Anderson and Randall Miles of MU, and Claire Baffaut and Kenneth Sudduth of the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

O’Donnell’s research is funded by a grant from the USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project with partial support from the University of Missouri Research Council.
O’Donnell said that it should be possible to adapt his system for use in the field by attaching a box to the camera to block out natural light when photographing a soil sample. In certain instances, this would avoid the expense and burden of extracting hefty core samples and hauling them to the lab.]]>

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