SavvySugar

New Jersey Gas Stations with Violations

tdsollog — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:17:08 -0700

This information is courtes of NJ101.5. Yes, it's specific to New Jersey, but it serves as a lesson to others.... People can get ripped off while "filling up at the pump":

NJ Gas Stations with Violations
Source: N.J. Division of Consumer Affairs
To report a violation call: (732) 815-4840

(grouped by county)

Pomona BP
261 W. White Horse Pike Galloway, NJ 08240 Atlantic

Sunoco
282 White Horse Pike Pomona, NJ 08240 Atlantic

Citgo
212 E. White Horse Pike Galloway, NJ 08205 Atlantic

Friendly
310-312 Rutherford Ave Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 Bergen

Wawa #382
1814 Salem Rd Burlington, NJ 08016 Burlington

Delta
1077 Rt 206 N Bordentown, NJ 08505 Burlington

Delta
Route 9 New Gretna, NJ 08240 Burlington

Patriot Fuels
227 Pemberton Browns Mills Rd Browns Mills, NJ 08240 Burlington

Wawa #943
2003 Mt. Holly Road Burlington, NJ 08016 Burlington

Citgo
Westampton, NJ 08060 Burlington

Country Farms
2403 Marne Hwy Hainesport, NJ 08036 Burlington

Cinnaminson South Exxon
409 Rt. 130 S Cinnaminson, NJ 08077 Burlington

GasWay
2048 Rt. 541 N Westampton, NJ 08016 Burlington

Lukoil Kwik Farms
1301 Woodlane Rd Eastampton, NJ 08060 Burlington

Moorestown Citgo
201 Rt 38 W Moorestown, NJ 08057 Burlington

Lenola Shell
597 Rt 38 W Maple Shade, NJ 08057 Burlington

Mt. Laurel Shell
3530 Rt 38 Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 Burlington

Southampton Gasco
2343 Rt 206 Southampton, NJ 08088 Burlington

Pilot Travel Center #382
2008 Rt 206 S Bordentown, NJ 08505 Burlington

Raceway
231 Rt 130 Bordentown, NJ 08505 Burlington

Getty #56322
19 Rt 73 S Palmyra, NJ 08065 Burlington

Browns Mills Shell
Browns Mills, NJ 08015 Burlington

Riggins
538 Lakehurst Rd Browns Mills, NJ 08240 Burlington

Lukoil #57248
Westanotib, NJ 08060 Burlington

Mt. Klaurel Exxon
Creek Rd & Centerton Rd Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 Burlington

Florence Amoco (No Brand)
Rt. 1305 and Cedar Lane Florence, NJ 08016 Burlington

Burlington Getty
58 W. Rt 130 & Wood St. Burlington, NJ 08060 Burlington

Keim Blvd Citgo
Rt 130 S & Keim Blvd Burlington, NJ 08060 Burlington

Wawa #959
4167 Rt. 130 S Edgewater Park, NJ 08010 Burlington

Sam's Club #8145
2521 Rt 130 S Cinnaminson, NJ 08077 Burlington

Riverside Citgo
341 Fairview St Riverside, NJ 08075 Burlington

Citgo (City Gas)
2006 Mt. Holly Burlington Rd Burlington, NJ 08016 Burlington

Hess #30319
2201 Mt. Holly Rd Burlington, NJ 08016 Burlington

US Gas
1930 Rt 541 Westampton, NJ 08060 Burlington

Woodlane Amoco
1866 Rt 541 Westampton, NJ 08060 Burlington

Marlton Liberty
925 W Rt 70 Marlton, NJ 08053 Burlington

Junction Amoco
929 Rt 70 Marlton, NJ 08053 Burlington

7-Eleven #33388
787 Rt 70 E Marlton, NJ 08053 Burlington

Medford Service Center aka Foulke's Service
188 Rt 70 Medford, NJ 08055 Burlington

Wawa #915
257 Rt 70 Medford, NJ 08055 Burlington

Valero
1543 Rt 38 Lumberton, NJ 08048 Burlington

Ark Rd Exxon
3051 Rt 38 W Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 Burlington

Mt. Holly Texaco Gulf
1653 Rt 38 Mt. Holly, NJ 08060 Burlington

Mighty Joe's
1231 Rt 206 S Shamong, NJ 08088 Burlington

American Gas
1716 Rt 206 N Southampton, NJ 08088 Burlington

Shell
252 Rt 130 S Bordentown, NJ 08505 Burlington

Hilltop Service Center
251 Rt 130 S Bordentown, NJ 08505 Burlington

Bordentown Sunoco
156 Rt 130 S Bordentown, NJ 08505 Burlington

Bordentown Gasway
51 Rt 130 N Trenton, NJ 08620 Burlington

Tri State Yardville
42 Rt 206 S Bordentown, NJ 08505 Burlington

Riggins Gas Station
102 John F. Kennedy Way Willingboro, NJ 08046 Burlington

Wawa #957
1522 Rt 38 Lumberton, NJ 08048 Burlington

Millside Service Station
16 Haines Mill Rd Delran, NJ 08075 Burlington

Marlton Shell
Rt 73 & Maple Ave Marlton, NJ 08053 Burlington

Astro Gas Station
1105 Rt 73 S Palmyra, NJ 08065 Burlington

Maple Shade Valero
2023 Rt 73 S Maple Shade, NJ 08052 Burlington

Maple Shade
2811 Rt 73 S Maple Shade, NJ 08052 Burlington

East Coast Gas
2201 Federal St Camden, NJ 08105 Camden

HESS #30526
RT 130 & Marlton Pike Pennsauken, NJ 08109 Camden

Bajwa Petroleum
6850 N. Crescent Blvd Pennsauken, NJ 08110 Camden

East Coast
2474 Baird Blvd Camden, NJ 08105 Camden

BP
2314 Rt. 70 West Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 Camden

Virgin Oil Trading LTP
101 Warwick Road Stratford, NJ 08084 Camden

Gas Stop
1033 Kaighns Ave Camden, NJ 08103 Camden

819 Evesham Rd.
819 Evesham Rd. Magnolia, NJ 08049 Camden

US Gas
1400 Brace Road Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 Camden

MAIA Investments
1498 Haddonfield Road Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 Camden

LUKOIL
829 Blackwood-Cuminton Rd Lindenwood, NJ 08021 Camden

LUKOIL
4998 N. Crescent Blvd Pennsauken, NJ 08110 Camden

Amita Enterprises
1409 Laurel Road Lindenwood, NJ 08021 Camden

Pennsauken Coastal
6711 Crescent Blvd. Pennsauken, NJ 08110 Camden

Citgo
144 Crosskeys Rd Albion, NJ 08009 Camden

Valero
129 Rt 73 Voorhees, NJ 08043 Camden

Valero
339 Haddon Ave Westmont, NJ 08108 Camden

LUKOIL
3 Berlin Road Voorhees, NJ 08043 Camden

VOORHEES GAS
18 Berlin Road Voorhees, NJ 08043 Camden

BIR Business
298 N. Kighs Hwy Cherry Hill, NJ 08043 Camden

HESS #30526
1420 Admiral Wilson Ave Camden, NJ 08109 Camden

US Gas Berlin
119 Rt 73 South Berlin, NJ 08091 Camden

EXXON
4915 Rt 130 S. Pennsauken, NJ 08110 Camden

Westfield Gas Station
7024 Westfield Ave Pennsauken, NJ 08110 Camden

Speed Gas
50 Haddon Ave. Westmont, NJ 08108 Camden

Exxon
2 W. Marlton Pike Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 Camden

Exxon
1898 Rt. 70 E. Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 Camden

Getty
18 Nonie St Ocean City, NJ 08226 Cape May

Cape May Exxon
149 Rt 109 Cape May, NJ 08204 Cape May

Newfield Truck Stop
3790 North Delsea Drive Vineland, NJ 08344 Cumberland

Pole Tavern Mobil
Rte 40 & 77 Elmer, NJ 08318 Cumberland

Citgo / Maurice River Citgo
3890 Rte. 47 Dorchester, NJ 08316 Cumberland

U.S. Gas/ Carll's Corner Gas & Food Mart
8 Landis Ave. Bridgeton, NJ 08302 Cumberland

U.S. One Gas
901 E. Chestnut Ave. Vineland, NJ 08360 Cumberland

Delsea Gulf
469 S. Delsea Drive Vineland, NJ 08360 Cumberland

Millville Amoco
812 North Second St. Millville, NJ 08332 Cumberland

Second and Main Riggins
2nd & Main Street Millville, NJ 08332 Cumberland

Sunoco
1170 Rte. 40 Woodstown, NJ 08098 Cumberland

Riggins Rt 49 Gas & Go
8 North Burlington Road Bridgeton, NJ 08302 Cumberland

Bridgeton Food & Gas
176 North Pearl St. Bridgeton, NJ 08302 Cumberland

Hess
Central & Oakwood Ave Orange, NJ 07050 Essex

Delta
385 Main St West Orange, NJ 07052 Essex

RPM Gas
960 Chancellor Ave Irvington, NJ 07111 Essex

Downtown Fuel LLC
1 Elizabeth Ave Newark, NJ 07108 Essex

I&J Auto Care Center Inc
250 Central Ave East Orange, NJ 07108 Essex

Gasmart
221 Central Ave East Orange, NJ 07108 Essex

Campus Exxon Inc
644 South Center St Orange, NJ 07050 Essex

Fuel Co
455 Thomas Blvd Orange, NJ 07050 Essex

Fairfield DELTA Inc
37 Clinton Rd. Fairfield, NJ 07004 Essex

Sam's Service Station
7 Route 46 West Fairfield, NJ 07004 Essex

VALERO
650 Rt 46 East Fairfield, NJ 07004 Essex

Jack's Friendly Sunoco
152 Passaic Ave Fairfield, NJ 07004 Essex

Abdulh Suri
226 Bloomfield Ave Caldwell, NJ 07006 Essex

Exxon
266 South Orange Ave Livingston, NJ 07039 Essex

Bannom Enterprises
2018 Springfield Ave Maplewood, NJ 07040 Essex

Raceway
527 W Mt Pleasant Ave Livingston, NJ 07039 Essex

Spartan Oil Company
3 Central Ave West Orange, NJ 07052 Essex

DELTA
385 Main St West Orange, NJ 07052 Essex

McThifty
600 Pompton Ave Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 Essex

DELTA
451 Irvington Ave South Orange, NJ 07079 Essex

GETTY
1060 Stuyvesant Ave Irvington, NJ 07111 Essex

SUNOCO
1459 Springfield Ave Maplewood, NJ 07040 Essex

Lukoil
642 West Broad St Paulsboro, NJ 08066 Gloucester

Richwood TEXACO (SUNOCO)
705 Mullica Hill Road Glassboro, NJ 08028 Gloucester

S. Paul Citgo Inc.
302 Blackhorse Pike Blackwood, NJ 08012 Gloucester

Sunoco
341 N. Delsea Drv. Glassboro, NJ 08028 Gloucester

CLK Inc.
210 14th Street Jersey City, NJ 07032 Hudson

Sunoco
14th and Grove St. Jersey City, NJ 07310 Hudson

Jersey Oil
218 Broadway Bayonne, NJ 07002 Hudson

Citgo
1320 Patterson Plk Road Secaucus, NJ 07094 Hudson

Lukoil
1191-99 Kennedy Blvd. Bayonne, NJ 07002 Hudson

Express Gas
815 Kearny Ave Kearny, NJ 07032 Hudson

Valero
780 Kearny Ave Kearny, NJ 07032 Hudson

Getty
790 Kearny Ave. Kearny, NJ 07032 Hudson

Valero
700 Kearny Ave. Kearny, NJ 07032 Hudson

Exxon
202 14th Street Jersey City, NJ 07310 Hudson

Roadrunner Gas
406 Brunswick Ave Trenton, NJ 08638 Mercer

Gulf
1299 Rt. 130 Windsor, NJ 08561 Mercer

Valero
Rt. 130 South Windsor, NJ 08561 Mercer

Gulf
Rt. 130 and Main St. Windsor, NJ 08561 Mercer

Gulf
1372 Rt. 130 Windsor, NJ 08561 Mercer

Valero
1122 Rt. 130 Robbinsville, NJ 08691 Mercer

Gasco
226 Rt. 31 South Pennington, NJ 08534 Mercer

Valero
401 Princeton Hightstown West Windsor, NJ 08550 Mercer

Gulf
3271 US Hwy 1 North Lawrence Twp., NJ 08648 Mercer

Hess
Rt. 33 & Lake Drive Twin Rivers East Windsor, NJ 08520 Mercer

Riggins Gas
33 Calhoun St Trenton, NJ 08618 Mercer

Total Power LLC
102 S. Olden Ave Trenton, NJ 08609 Mercer

Shell
1010 Route 18 North East Brunswick, NJ 08816 Middlesex

Enrite
157 Durham Avenue South Plainfield, NJ 07080 Middlesex

Pittstop
332 Route 18 East Brunswick, NJ 08816 Middlesex

GASLAND
28 Main St Helmetta, NJ 08828 Middlesex

Sayreville Tire
350 Main Street Sayreville, NJ 08872 Middlesex

EXCELL
957 Englishtown Rd Old Bridge, NJ 08857 Middlesex

Citgo
2042 Rt. 27 Edison, NJ 08817 Middlesex

IDT Enterprises
1709 Oak Tree Rd. Edison, NJ 08820 Middlesex

Exxon
2561 Rt. 1 South North Brunswick, NJ 08902 Middlesex

Longhorn Oil Corp.
2600 Rt. 130 North North Brunswick, NJ 08902 Middlesex

HESS/13 (#30269)
19 South Main St and Washington Ave Milltown, NJ 08850 Middlesex

Branchport Getty
208 Branchport Ave Long Branch, NJ 07740 Monmouth

Magas
882 Route 36 Leonardo, NJ 07734 Monmouth

Dressler's Citgo
65 Leonardville Road Belford, NJ 07718 Monmouth

Circle Gas
5004 Highway 33 & 34 Wall, NJ 07727 Monmouth

Getty #56250
207 Monmouth Road Oakhurst, NJ 07755 Monmouth

Port Monmouth Gulf
412 Route 36 & Wilson Ave Port Monmouth, NJ 07758 Monmouth

Freehold Shell
103 East Main St. Freehold Borough, NJ 07728 Monmouth

Gasko Allentown Valero
1650 Old York Rd Allentown, NJ 08501 Monmouth

Hazlet Auto Service Center, Inc.
3039 Route 35 Hazlet, NJ 07730 Monmouth

BP
133 Rt 36 & Broadway West Long Branch, NJ 07764 Monmouth

Citgo Gas of Eatontown
24 Rt. 35 South Eatontown, NJ 07724 Monmouth

Raceway
4200 Rt 9 South Freehold, NJ 07728 Monmouth

Heritage Services
1360 Sussex Turnpike Randolph, NJ 07869 Morris

Long Valley Delta
69 East Mill Long Valley, NJ 07850 Morris

Golddel of Ledgewood
1174 RT 46 Ledgewood, NJ 07857 Morris

LBS Service Corp.LENY
1237 RT 46 W Ledgewood, NJ 07857 Morris

T.A. MT. Lakes Hess
RT 46 East Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 Morris

Mountain Lakes Gulf
326 RT 46 E Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 Morris

T/A Jefferson Exxon
265 RT 15 Wharton, NJ 07885 Morris

Cumberland Farms #2962 Gulf
401 RT 15 Wharton, NJ 07885 Morris

Sparton Randolph Shell
222 Dover Chester Rd. Randolph, NJ 07869 Morris

Azzurri Enterprises (Lukoil)
729 RT 23 S Pompton Plains, NJ 07440 Morris

Chester Valley Shell
90 RT 206 & Old Chester Rd. Chester, NJ 07930 Morris

Delta
394 RT 24 Chester, NJ 07930 Morris

NLK Inc.
1551 RT 46 W Ledgewood, NJ 07857 Morris

S.M.A. RazaInc.
1470 RT 46 E Ledgewood, NJ 07857 Morris

Bains Citgo East
65 RT 10 Succasunna, NJ 07876 Morris

HESS #30304
Rt 37 & Berry Ave Toms River, NJ 08753 Ocean

Pinto Coastal Service
282 Rt 72 Barnegat, NJ 08005 Ocean

Costco Wholesale #1025
245 Stafford PK Blvd Manahawkin, NJ 08050 Ocean

Delta Gas
249 Rt 37 West Toms River, NJ 08755 Ocean

HESS #30307
Kennedy Blvd & Rt 9 Bayville, NJ 08721 Ocean

Regent Trading Inc.
1349 Rt 9 Toms River, NJ 08753 Ocean

Coastal Food Market
941 Route 9 Bayville, NJ 08721 Ocean

1505 River Ave
1505 River Ave Lakewood, NJ 08701 Ocean

Gas & Go Inc.
1850 Rt. 23 N West Milford, NJ 07480 Passaic

U.S. Gas & Auto Inc.
339 Valley Rd. Clifton, NJ 07013 Passaic

B.I.G. Delta
922 Bloomfield Ave. Clifton, NJ 07012 Passaic

Delta Gas
1196 Main Ave. Clifton, NJ 07011 Passaic

Jersey Gas
498 Lakeview Ave. Clifton, NJ 07011 Passaic

Delta
375 Broad St. Clifton, NJ 07013 Passaic

Mr. Thrifty Gas
109 Main Street Bloomingdale, NJ 07403 Passaic

Shell Service Station
Rt 23 and Union Vally Rd. New Foundland, NJ 07435 Passaic

Gulf Kaspoglu
9 Main St. Bloomingdale, NJ 07403 Passaic

Exxon
563 Rt. 3W Clifton, NJ 07014 Passaic

Shell
299 Rt. 3E Clifton, NJ 07014 Passaic

Shell
1201 Van Houten Ave. Clifton, NJ 07013 Passaic

Zvartnots Sunoco
956 Van Houten Ave. Clifton, NJ 07013 Passaic

Clifton EZ Gas
776 Bloomfield Ave. Clifton, NJ 07012 Passaic

Costco Gasoline
20 Bridgewell Pl. Clifton, NJ 07014 Passaic

Enrite
1037 Broad Street Clifton, NJ 07013 Passaic

General Gas
222 Clifton Avenue Clifton, NJ 07011 Passaic

Rehan Enterprise LLC
4 Marshall Hill Rd. West Milford, NJ 07480 Passaic

Pilot #253
600 Pennsvielle Amburn Road Carney's Point, NJ 08069 Salem

Flying J
326 Slopeg Corner Road Carney's Point, NJ 08069 Salem

Pennsville Gas & Go
161 South Broadway Pennsville, NJ 08070 Salem

Pennsville BP
207 North Broadway Pennsville, NJ 08070 Salem

Sunoco A Plus
63 Market Street Salem, NJ 08098 Salem

Watchung Lukoil
1555 RT 22 Watchung, NJ 07069 Somerset

MK Gasoline
925 RT 22 North Plainfield, NJ 07060 Somerset

Raceway
643 RT 22 North Plainfield, NJ 07060 Somerset

RAJ Autocenter Getty
1143 RT 27 Somerset, NJ 08873 Somerset

VALERO
977 Rt 202 North Somerville, NJ 08876 Somerset

Somerset Global, LLC
421-431 Somerset St. North Plainfield, NJ 07060 Somerset

Getty #561965
345 RT 22 Green Brook, NJ 08812 Somerset

Exxon
289 RT 22 Green Brook, NJ 08812 Somerset

Raceway
2893 RT 27 Franklin Park, NJ 08823 Somerset

Mike Loucopoulos
1004 Rt 202 South Branchburg, NJ 08876 Somerset

Dave's Town Service Inc.
99 Main St. Ogdensburg, NJ 07439 Sussex

Spartan Oil
186 South Main St. Ogdensburg, NJ 07439 Sussex

Shell
27 RT 206 S Stanhope, NJ 07874 Sussex

EXXON of Scotch Plains, Inc.
2360 South Ave Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 Union

Spring St CITGO Inc,
608 Spring St Elizabeth, NJ 07201 Union

Spring City
720 Sprint St Elizabeth, NJ 07201 Union

Spring City
1842 E. St. Georges Ave Linden, NJ 07036 Union

DELTA
139 E. Westfield Ave Roselle Park, NJ 07204 Union

A&R Gasoline Inc.
437 LeHigh Ave Union, NJ 07083 Union

Cranford Petroleum Inc (CITGO)
120 North Ave Cranford, NJ 07016 Union

WESTFIELD BP
416 South Ave West Westfield, NJ 07090 Union

GAS
45 North Ave., East Cranford, NJ 07016 Union

A&A Service Center
345 S. Michigan Ave Kenilworth, NJ 07033 Union

Kenilworth Shell
1300 Kenilworth Blvd Kenilworth, NJ 07033 Union

CLARK EXXON
162 Central Ave Clark, NJ 07066 Union

WESTFIELD GULF
400 Central Ave Westfield, NJ 07090 Union

Madison Hill Service Center(GULF)
801 Raritan Road Clark, NJ 07066 Union

WESTFIELD EXXON
421 Central/South Ave Westfield, NJ 07090 Union

5 Points BP
1080 Galloping Hill Rd Union, NJ 07083 Union

US GAS
221 Salem Rd Union, NJ 07083 Union

Russian gas disruption spreads across Europe

ccpdm — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:24:42 -0800

By Christian Lowe Jan. 6, 2009

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia sharply cut gas flows to Europe via Ukraine on Tuesday in a dramatic worsening of a pricing dispute with Kiev that threatened to disrupt supplies as far west as Italy and Germany.

The escalation in the price dispute and severe cold weather drove the British gas market, Europe's biggest and most liquid, to its highest level since October.

Officials from the Eruropean Union, which is dependent on Russia for a quarter of its gas, met both sides in the dispute on Tuesday and the bloc urges them to find a solution this week.

The Czech Republic, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, said it was considering the "extreme option" of a three-way EU-Russia-Ukraine summit.

"The only solution is to get straight to the negotiating table," Czech Industry Minister Martin Riman said after talks with Alexander Medvedev, the deputy CEO of Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom.

"The Russian side... is ready for this step. We are too and I expect the Ukranian side, after the talks in Kiev, is also ready," said Riman after meeting Medvedev in Berlin. Earlier in the day he met Ukrainian officials in Kiev.

The head of Ukraine's state energy firm said he would fly to Moscow on Thursday.

Russia and Ukraine blame each other for the crises, which has struck at the height of the European winter and spread alarm across the continent.

EU members Austria and Romania said deliveries were down 90 percent and 75 percent respectively, and German energy firms said there could be gas shortages in Europe's biggest economy if the dispute dragged on and sub-zero temperatures persisted.

"Even our possibilities will reach their limits if these drastic cuts in shipments last and if temperatures continue to stay at very low levels," E.ON Ruhrgas Chief Executive Bernhard Reutersberg said.

Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, Macedonia, Greece and Croatia said Russian gas flows via Ukraine had halted, creating what Bulgaria called a "crisis situation" in the middle of winter.

An Italian source close to the matter said Gazprom would only be able to guarantee less than 20 percent of the expected gas supplies to Italy on Tuesday, and the industry ministry said Rome planned to increase gas imports from alternative suppliers.

France said supplies had plunged 70 percent although its economy is less vulnerable than Germany and Italy as 80 percent of its electricity is produced by nuclear energy.

BLAME GAME

Day-ahead baseload gas touched a session high of 73 pence on the dispute and by late trade was 7.75 pence, or 12.76 percent higher, on the day at 68.50 pence per therm.

Gazprom said it supplied 65 million cubic meters (mcm) to Europe on Tuesday through ex-Soviet neighbor Ukraine, a fall of 78 percent from the 300 mcm it had been shipping since the dispute erupted on January 1.

"According to the latest information, Ukraine is stealing about 15 percent of the gas that moves to the Russian-Ukraine border," Gazprom Chief Executive Alexei Miller told Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin.

Gazprom had previously accused Ukraine of shutting down three Russian export pipelines early on Tuesday and said it was a hostage of Kiev's "irresponsible behavior." It said it would try to use alterntive delivery routes to avoid a crisis.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said Moscow would continue cutting gas supplies to Europe or stop them altogether and the government ordered regional utilities to start using fuel oil instead of gas.

Neighboring Slovakia will declare a state of emergency, Czech news agency CTK reported. Poland cut gas supplies to industrial clients, while Serbia and Bosnia said Russian supplies had completely stopped.

JAN. 1 CUT

The dispute threatens to worsen Russia's ties with the West, already fraught after its war with Georgia last year.

Europe's heavy dependence on Russian energy - and vulnerability to supply disruption - was highlighted when Moscow reduced volumes to Ukraine on New Year's Day after failing to reach agreement with Kiev over gas prices.

But most bigger EU countries say they have large amounts of gas stockpiled after several mild winters and have access to supplies from sources such as Norway and Algeria.

"If there are significant drops in supplies to the European Union, the key question is whether it goes on for a very long time. But it would have to go on for weeks or months for serious problems to arise for Western European customers," said Simon Blakey, director of European research at Cambridge Energy Research Associates.

Russia and Ukraine have clashed repeatedly on a range of other issues, particularly the ambition of Ukraine's pro-Western leaders to join NATO.

The disruption comes at a bad time for Europe, which is experiencing a cold snap likely to drive up gas demand.

"We are in a crisis situation," Bulgaria's Economy Ministry said in a statement. State firm Bulgargaz told industrial users it was suspending or cutting supplies to a minimum and urged them to switch to alterntive fuels like oil. Two fertilizer companies had to halt production.

Worries about European gas supplies, coupled with Israel's military operation in Gaza, have pushed oil prices up to a three-week high close to $50 a barrel. Russia, whose main export is oil, stands to benefit from a recovery in prices.

Waiting a lot to save a little on gas

tdsollog — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:38:07 -0700

Waiting a lot to save a little on gas
By ELAINE ROSE Staff Writer, 609-272-7215
Published: Friday, April 25, 2008
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/186/story/141926.html

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP - People will do almost anything when they get a whiff of a bargain. They'll drive miles out of their way, wait in line for as long as an hour, even risk getting into a fistfight - all for the privilege of paying "only" $3.17 per gallon for gas.
At the Atlantic City rest area on the Garden State Parkway on Thursday evening, motorists tried to take advantage of the good deal on gas before the price went up this morning. Vehicles were lined up at least 20 deep in each direction as attendants ran back and forth between them, selling the liquid gold as quickly as they could.

It's all the result of a quirky state regulation that allows gas stations in highway rest areas to change their prices only once a week, on Friday mornings. When the price of gas spikes quickly, the highway rest areas have the best deal around.

Similar lines were seen Thursday on the Atlantic City Expressway, where gas stations charged $3.21 per gallon.

Sheryl Jones, of Winslow Township, who drove a Honda pickup truck, said she traveled 20 miles out of the way from her job in Pleasantville to buy gas on the Garden State Parkway.
"I'm filling it up. And then I'm going home to get my second car," Jones said. "If you look at how much I'm getting, you'll see why."

The attendant topped off her 16-gallon tank of gas for $51.

Rhonda Hood, of Pleasantville, rode up the parkway after work so she could get 20.3 gallons of gas for her Chevrolet Tahoe SUV for $64.59. She figured she saved 17 to 18 cents a gallon compared to what the fuel cost closer to home.

"I've been sitting waiting here an hour, but it was worth it," Hood said.

State Trooper David Robbins, keeping an eye on the scene, said he saw a few verbal arguments about who was ahead of whom or accusing someone of cutting in line, but things were otherwise orderly.

Two cars got into a fender-bender in the southbound lane as they jockeyed for position in line.

"It's worse up the road," said a Glenn Burnie, Md. man as he waited to fuel his Chevrolet Uplander SUV. The Forked River "plaza is backed up more than here."

For those old enough to remember the gas shortages of the early 1970s, Thursday's lines brought back some unhappy memories.

Kenneth Briggs of Brooklyn, N.Y., waiting at the rest stop in his Honda Odessey SUV with his mother, Myra Briggs and daughters Jadzia, 8, and Leela, 5, said he was in second grade in 1972. His family is staying overnight in Atlantic City, and he drove up the parkway to buy gas after an outing to a restaurant in Hamilton Township.

"I remember the gas shortage and the lines in Brooklyn," Briggs said. "The horns were honking and the tempers flaring."

When he left New York on Monday, a gallon of regular was selling for $3.55 to $3.59, Briggs said.

"I'm sure by now, it's $3.70," he said.

Not everyone waiting in line had a huge tank to fill.

Jarret Roth, a student at the nearby Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, came with his friendMatthew Flores to fill up his Scion coupe. He bought 12.9 gallons of gas for $41 after 15 or 20 minutes in line. But it won't last long, as he commutes to Ocean County for work.

"They said on the radio, if you're in the area to go get gas here," Flores said.

Larry and Annamarie Sesta, of Galloway Township, waited in line on their motorcycles, with their miniature Yorkshire terrier, Precious, perched on the back on one bike stylishly clad in a leather vest and purple sunglasses.

"We were lucky," Annamarie Sesta said. "We got in the parking lot, saw a short line and got in."

A pickup-truck driver didn't appreciate their initative, and yelled and cursed at them, claiming they cut the line and should wait their turn.

One bike has a 5-gallon tank, and the other a 6-gallon tank, but it was still worth waiting the 20 minutes to fill them up, Larry Sesta said. They planned to come back later to gas up their car and truck.

"I'd rather pay $3.17 than $3.30," Larry Sesta said. "It's about time this state gave me a break."

To e-mail Elaine Rose at The Press:
ERose@pressofac.com

Democrats Divided Over Gas Tax Breaks

tdsollog — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:27:18 -0700

Found this on the NY Times. I don't know about you all, but I could use a break on gas prices!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/us/politics/29campaign.html?_r=1&th=&a...

Democrats Divided Over Gas Tax Breaks
By JOHN M. BRODER
Published: April 29, 2008
WASHINGTON - As angry truckers encircled the Capitol in a horn-blaring caravan and consumers across the country agonized over $60 fill-ups, the issue of high fuel prices flared on the campaign trail on Monday, sharply dividing the two Democratic candidates.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton lined up with Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, in endorsing a plan to suspend the federal excise tax on gasoline, 18.4 cents a gallon, for the summer travel season. But Senator Barack Obama, Mrs. Clinton’s Democratic rival, spoke out firmly against the proposal, saying it would save consumers little and do nothing to curtail oil consumption and imports.

While Mr. Obama’s view is shared by environmentalists and many independent energy analysts, his position allowed Mrs. Clinton to draw a contrast with her opponent in appealing to the hard-hit middle-class families and older Americans who have proven to be the bedrock of her support. She has accused Mr. Obama of being out of touch with ordinary Americans who are struggling to meet their mortgages and gas up their cars and trucks.

Mrs. Clinton said at a rally on Monday morning in Graham, N.C., that she would introduce legislation to impose a windfall-profits tax on oil companies and use the revenue to suspend the gasoline tax temporarily.

“At the heart of my approach is a simple belief,” Mrs. Clinton said. “Middle-class families are paying too much and oil companies aren’t paying their fair share to help us solve the problems at the pump.”

The split occurred as Senators Clinton and Obama were competing intensely in primaries in Indiana and North Carolina, where voters go to the polls next Tuesday. Opinion surveys have shown that the faltering economy and high gas prices are the top concerns of voters across the country, edging out the war in Iraq.

The Clinton campaign is running television advertising in Indiana contrasting her approach on gas prices with Mr. Obama’s.

Mrs. Clinton said the tax on the oil companies, which have been reporting record profits as oil prices soar, would cover all of the lost revenue from the federal tax on gasoline and diesel fuel. She also said no highway projects would suffer.

Mr. Obama derided the McCain-Clinton idea of a federal tax holiday as a “short-term, quick-fix” proposal that would do more harm than good, and said the money, which is earmarked for the federal highway trust fund, is badly needed to maintain the nation’s roads and bridges.

In 2000, Mr. Obama supported a bill in the Illinois legislature to suspend most of the state’s 6.25 percent gasoline sales tax. But he later opposed making the reduction permanent, arguing that the state needed the revenue and that the measure had saved consumers little.

Mrs. Clinton, of New York, has also taken varying stands on the issue of gas taxes. In her 2000 Senate campaign, she spoke against repealing the federal gasoline tax, calling it “one of those few taxes that New York actually gets more money from Washington than we send.”

At a meeting with voters in North Carolina on Monday, Mr. Obama said lifting the gas tax for three months would save the average consumer no more than $30, a figure confirmed by Congressional analysts. Mr. Obama has previously dismissed Mr. McCain’s proposal as a “scheme.”

“Half a tank of gas,” Mr. Obama told his audience. “That’s his big solution.”

President Bush’s spokeswoman essentially sided with Mr. Obama in saying that tax holidays and new levies on oil companies would not address the long-term problems of dependence on foreign oil.

Dana Perino, the White House spokeswoman, said gasoline prices were “entirely too high, but I think it would be disingenuous and unfortunate for American consumers for them to be led to believe that there is a short-term fix.”

“There is not going to be one,” Ms. Perino said.

It is not clear whether Congress will act quickly on a fuel tax suspension and a new levy on oil companies, particularly given the White House opposition. While Democratic leaders are sympathetic, aides said, similar plans have failed a number of times.

The debate erupted as both candidates rounded up more superdelegate endorsements on Monday, with Mr. Obama highlighting the backing of Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, who is the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, while Gov. Michael F. Easley of North Carolina was preparing to endorse Mrs. Clinton on Tuesday.

The split on the gas tax is a relatively rare one for Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama, who agree on the broad outlines of policy in most areas. They have both called for the suspension of purchases for the national strategic petroleum stockpile, a supply of oil to protect the country against sudden supply disruptions; new taxes on oil companies; measures to curb global warming; and heavy federal spending on renewable energy sources. They have also called for a federal investigation of possible manipulation in oil markets.

Mr. McCain has also called for a halt to purchases for the petroleum reserve and expressed support of climate-change legislation, but opposes the imposition of windfall-profits taxes on oil companies.

All three candidates have endorsed tougher fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks and diplomatic measures to pressure oil-producing nations to lower prices.

The federal tax on motor fuels - the tax on diesel fuel is 24.4 cents a gallon - yielded $28.2 billion in 2006, the last full year for which statistics are available. The last time the federal fuel taxes were raised significantly was in 1993 as part of President Bill Clinton’s budget-balancing package.

The highway trust fund that the gas tax finances provides money to states and local governments to pay for road and bridge construction, repair and maintenance. Mr. McCain and Mrs. Clinton propose to suspend the tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the peak driving season, which would lower tax receipts by roughly $9 billion and potentially cost 300,000 highway construction jobs, according to state highway officials.

Mrs. Clinton would replace that money with the new tax on oil company profits, an idea that has been kicking around Congress for several years but has not been enacted into law. Mr. McCain would divert tax revenue from other sources to make the highway trust fund whole.

The Senate blocked a $15 billion tax on oil companies last December that was part of a larger energy package.

A McCain spokesman sought to use the gas tax issue to drive a wedge between the two Democratic candidates and paint Mr. Obama as a flip-flopper given how he voted as a state lawmaker in 2000.

“It’s clear Barack Obama’s not strong enough to provide immediate relief at the pump, and it shows he doesn’t understand our economy or have the ability to deliver for hard-working Americans,” said Tucker Bounds, a McCain aide. “Senator Obama’s arguments against John McCain’s gas tax holiday are complete fiction, and the reality is that he used to support a gas tax holiday before he was running for president.”

Jeff Zeleny and Julie Bosman contributed reporting.

Pelosi on natural gas

hartsfull — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:57:53 -0700

I copied this one from Powerline.

Energy Policy for the Ignorant

As we've often said, the Democrats prey on ignorance. Often they know better and are being cynical; sometimes it's because they are ignorant themselves. A shocking example of the latter case was revealed yesterday when Nancy Pelosi appeared on Meet the Press. Mrs. Pelosi declared herself a major advocate of natural gas as an energy source, but then revealed that she is ignorant of the fact that natural gas is a fossil fuel.

This wasn't just a slip of the tongue; Pelosi repeated the error several times. From the transcript of her appearance:

BROKAW: Well, I think most people understand that, but at the same time, if we work our way off carbon-based fuels, in the meantime, this is not going to happen overnight.
PELOSI: No, it isn't, but you could -- again, you could reduce the price at the pump immediately with (inaudible). You can have a transition with natural gas. You can have a transition with natural gas. That is cheap, abundant and clean compared to fossil fuels.
***
PELOSI: I'm -- I'm investing in something I believe in. I believe in natural gas as a clean, cheap alternative to fossil fuels.
***
PELOSI: Well, that's not -- that is the marketplace. The fact is, the supply of natural gas is so big, and you do need a transition if you're going to go from fossil fuels, as you say, you can't do it overnight, but you must transition.

These investments in wind, in solar and biofuels and focus on natural gas, these are the real alternatives.

So it's beyond dispute: Nancy Pelosi really does not understand that natural gas is a fossil fuel. This is truly shocking. Pelosi is one of the principal people responsible for setting the nation's energy policy. In the House of Representatives, she has blocked exploration and development of natural gas resources as well as other fossil fuels, thereby raising the price of gasoline at the pump and energy costs across the board. And she has wielded this immense power while being ignorant of the most basic facts about energy. She is not qualified to carry on an intelligent conversation about energy, let alone set the nation's energy policy.

The folks at the Institute for Energy Research have prepared a primer on energy for Mrs. Pelosi's benefit:

Natural gas is colorless, odorless fossil fuel that is prized for its cleanliness and its many uses - including energy. It is produced in much the same way as oil – by drilling for it – and is often produced in conjunction with oil.
Pelosi's ignorance is deadly; she says she is a big booster of natural gas, but she literally fails to understand that to get natural gas we have to drill for it, onshore and off. Hence this exchange yesterday:

BROKAW: Sounds like we’re going to have offshore drilling.
PELOSI: No, no, no.

Nancy Pelosi's ignorance is costing every American money, impairing our economy, depriving us of untold hundreds of thousands of high-paying jobs, and endangering our national security. One wonders how long voters will be willing to put up with Democratic control of Congress.

To comment on this post, go here.

Posted by John at 7:13 PM | |

Gas Vent Dampers Recalled by Effikal Due to Carbon Monoxide Hazard

tdsollog — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:26:59 -0700

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2008
Release #09-008

Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 790-3739
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Gas Vent Dampers Recalled by Effikal Due to Carbon Monoxide Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Automatic Gas Vent Dampers

Units: About 45,000

Manufacturer: Effikal LLC, of Orion, Mich.

Hazard: The automatic gas vent damper could fail, and if the blocked vent switch does not activate, the vent could leak carbon monoxide (CO). This poses a risk of CO poisoning to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The recall involves Effikal RVGP-PC Gas Vent Damper size 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 which are installed with the gas boiler systems listed below. The vent damper date code is located on a sticker under the motor assembly cap on the plastic base. Serial numbers are located on a label on the side of the damper's cap. All sizes and models of the RVGP-PC have the same motor assembly with black Effikal caps and black plastic bases.

Sold by: Plumbing and heating wholesale distributors to plumbers and contractors nationwide from August 2007 through July 2008 for between $1,000 and $4,000 for the boilers. Gas vent dampers were sold as part of the gas boiler systems.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: : Consumers should immediately stop using the boilers, weather permitting, and contact their installer to confirm they have a recalled vent damper and to receive a free vent damper replacement.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Effikal toll-free at (866) 790-3739, or visit the firm's Web site at www.effikal.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled products, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09008.html

American Flame Recalls Fireplaces to Replace Gas Valves Due to Fire and Explosion Hazards

tdsollog — Thu, 22 May 2008 04:54:55 -0700

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs
Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2008
Release #08-277

Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 672-8929
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

American Flame Recalls Fireplaces to Replace Gas Valves Due to Fire and Explosion Hazards

Units: About 12,000

Manufacturer: American Flame Inc., of Fort Wayne, Ind.

Hazard: Gas can continue to flow into the fireplace pilot light area
after the switch has been turned "off," posing a fire or explosion hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: American Flame has received two reports of incidents involving valve failure and continuous gas flow. No injuries or fires have been reported.

Description: The recall involves American Flame AF-4000 series
fireplace gas valves installed in residential fireplaces made by twelve manufacturers under the following brand names: Pacific Energy, Travis Industries, CFM Corporation, Canadian Heating Products, Portland Willamette, Rasmussen, Chimeneas de Columbia, Twin Eagles, FDM, Inca Metals (Savannah Heating), Even Temp, and Valley Comfort. The valves were installed in some but not all fireplaces. Date codes included in the recall include 0622 through 0718. The gas valve model number is located on a label on the bottom of each gas valve. The date code is located above the label.

Sold by: Fireplace retailers and distributors nationwide from September 2006 through July 2007 for between $500 and $2,000 for the fireplaces, with additional costs for installation.

Manufactured in: Taiwan

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled fireplaces and contact their dealer for a free repair. The repair involves replacing the fireplace's valve if it leaks gas in the "off" position when tested by a qualified service technician.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact American Flame toll-free at (888) 672-8929 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET to determine if your fireplace is included in the recall and to arrange for a free repair, or visit the firm's Web site at www.skytechsystem.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the
recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08277.html

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $800 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC's web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

gas prices in the bay area

girlie871 — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:10:28 -0700

It's really amazing how much we are paying for gas in the bay area. There used to be certain gas stations a person could go where they could find a cheaper price. Nowadays ,everywhere you go is expensive. The $4 gas price is only somewhat shocking to me since two days ago I had to pay $4.09 a gallon (and that's the low price). Lately I have been avoiding filling up my tank since gas can be $3.89 one day and then $4.09 the next. The reporter points out some high gas prices, but for those of us living here we've seen worse. My favorite part of this report is Scott's response to the gas prices.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/04/23/lawrence.gas.prices.chang...
Here's a slightly longer version of the report from CNN and the news anchor reports that Canada is currently paying $5/gallon

Char-Broil Recalls Two-Burner Gas Grills Sold Exclusively at Mills Fleet Farm Stores Due to Fire, Burn Hazard

tdsollog — Fri, 23 May 2008 08:56:53 -0700

Char-Broil Recalls Two-Burner Gas Grills Sold Exclusively at Mills Fleet Farm Stores Due to Fire, Burn Hazard

NEWS from CPSC
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2008
Release #08-281

Firm's Recall Hotline: (866) 671-7988
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Char-Broil Recalls Two-Burner Gas Grills Sold Exclusively at Mills Fleet Farm Stores Due to Fire, Burn Hazard

Name of Product: Char-Broil Two-Burner Gas Grills Model 463720108

Units: About 400

Importer: Char-Broil LLC, of Columbus, Ga.

Manufacturer: Shenzhen Jinwoniu Trading Company LTD, China

Hazard: On the recalled grills, the main burner does not fit correctly and does not connect properly to the gas valve which could result in a propane leak. This poses fire and burn hazards to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves the Char-Broil gas grills with model number 463720108 and serial number ranging from 000001 to 000402. The gas grills have a main burner with two-burner plates, a 170 square inch swing-away rack, two side shelves and a condiment basket. Char-Broil's logo is on the top of the lid of the grill. The serial and model numbers are located on the white rating label on the back of the horizontal support of the grill.

Sold at: Mills Fleet Farm Stores in Iowa, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin from February 2008 through April 2008 for about $120.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the grill immediately and contact Char-Broil for a free replacement burner and installation instructions.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Char-Broil at (866) 671-7988 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web site at www.charbroil.com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to:
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08281.html

SOOO..THATS WHY GAS PRICES ARE GOING UP??

justingirl1989 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:21:27 -0700

JUNGAR QI, China - Almost nonstop, gargantuan 145-ton trucks rumble through China's biggest open-pit coal mine, sending up clouds of soot as they dump their loads into mechanized sorters.

The black treasure has transformed this once-isolated crossroads nestled in the sand-sculpted ravines of Inner Mongolia into a bleak boomtown of nearly 300,000 people. Day and night, long and dusty trains haul out coal to electric power plants and factories in the east, fueling China's explosive growth.

Coal is big, and getting bigger. As oil and natural gas prices soar, the world is relying ever more on the cheap, black-burning mainstay of the Industrial Revolution. Mining companies are racing into Africa. Workers are laying miles of new railroad track to haul coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana.

And nowhere is coal bigger than in China.

But the explosion of coal comes amid rising alarm over its dire consequences for workers and the environment. An average of 13 Chinese miners die every day in explosions, floods, fires and cave-ins. Toxic clouds of mercury and other chemicals from mining are poisoning the air and water far beyond China's borders and polluting the food chain.

So far, attempts to clean up coal have largely not worked. Technology to reduce or cut out carbon dioxide emissions is expensive and years away from widespread commercial use.

"Not very many people are talking about what do we do to live with the consequences of what's happening," said James Brock, a longtime industry consultant in the Beijing office of Cambridge Energy Research Associates. "The polar bears are doomed - they're going to museums. At the end of this century the Arctic ice cap will be gone. That means a lot of water rising, not by inches but meters."

___

Burned since ancient times, coal dramatically increased in use during the Industrial Revolution, when it became fuel for the new steam engines, gas lamps and electrical generators. Worldwide demand for coal dipped at the end of the 20th century, but is now back up and projected to rise 60 percent by 2030 to 6.9 billion tons a year, according to the International Energy Agency.

Today, most coal goes to electrical power plants. In developing nations such as India, China and Africa, coal is the staple - and affordable - source of fuel with which families run their first washing machines and televisions. Worldwide electricity consumption is expected to double by 2030, the World Energy Council says.

In America, about 150 new coal-fired electrical plants are proposed over the next decade. In China, there are plans for a coal-fired power plant to go on line nearly every week. Emissions from these plants alone could nullify the cuts made by Europe, Japan and other rich nations under the Kyoto Protocol treaty, according to a report from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington.

In a developing country like China, coal is the backbone of the energy system.

Look at the port city of Shanghai, where the bitter tang in the air is not from salty sea breeze - it's the smoke from coal-burning stoves in the suburbs used for cooking and heating. From the shacks of migrant workers on the edge of town to modern factories and skyscrapers, China's biggest city is powered by coal. Even the ultramodern Maglev railway line runs on electricity from a coal-fueled plant.

China mined a record 2.4 billion tons of coal in 2006, up 8.1 percent from a year earlier. But even that can't keep boilers and blast furnaces stoked in an economy growing more than 10 percent a year. So China became a net coal importer for the first time this year. While Chinese authorities are closing down older, heavily polluting plants, they can't keep up with a massive expansion in urban housing and industry and the coal that feeds them.

China is the world's biggest consumer and producer of coal, but it's far from the only one. U.S. coal production hit a record 1.2 billion tons last year, according to the National Mining Association, and is forecast by the government to rise 50 percent by 2030. Yet the United States rejected the Kyoto Protocol, arguing that the required emissions cuts could slow economic growth.

For another measure, look at the ticker on the Web site of St. Louis-based Peabody Coal Co., the world's largest coal mining company, which tracks its growing sales second by second. Last year: 248 million tons sold. For 2007: On track for up to 275 million tons.

China's Shenhua Group is hot on Peabody's heels. On one day in June, a record 111 Shenhua coal trains left its mines in north-central China, the company said.

Rising demand can be met because coal is the Earth's most abundant fossil fuel, with reserves expected to last some 250 years - far longer than forecasts for petroleum. And whether in China, India, the United States or Europe, coal is available at home, away from the instability of the Middle East.

"The U.S. has under its own soil at least a 200-year supply of coal. China has a very long-term supply of coal," Steve Papermaster, co-chairman of the energy committee of President Bush's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology, told a recent conference in Shanghai.

For several years, cleaner burning natural gas appeared a promising substitute. But soaring prices and worries over the reliability of Mideast and Russian supplies have dimmed the promise of that option. Alternatives such as wind and solar power are getting cheaper but still can't compete with coal.

Most experts believe that whatever the costs to the environment and public health, coal is with us to stay.

"The question is not about putting a line through coal and saying we're not going to use it," said Milton Catelin, chief executive of the London-based World Coal Institute, an industry association. "There's a future for coal. The developing world will have to use coal. They need cheap energy to get ahead."

___

The solution Catelin and others in the industry are pushing is clean technology, although they admit they are late to the game.

"The decade 1997-2007 was a lost decade" for clean coal technology, Catelin conceded. "We should have done much more. Now we're playing catch-up."

The need is clear. In the provincial steel town of Baotou, trucks heaped high with coal rumble into Shenhua yards, dumping their loads into huge sieves for sorting into various grades of quality and size. Wind gusts whip black soot into the sky, thickening the layer of smog from the city's smelters.

The U.S. and Chinese governments are subsidizing the development of technology that converts coal to a clean-burning gas before it is burned. But such plants still emit ample amounts of carbon dioxide, notes Qian Jingjing, an expert with the Natural Resources Defense Council in New York and co-author of the report "Coal in a Changing Climate."

She and many other experts believe coal can only be made environmentally sustainable through the more experimental technology of capturing carbon dioxide emissions and storing them underground.

A joint government-private project in the United States aims to build such a "zero emissions" plant by 2012. Separately, Xcel Corp. of Minneapolis, a major electric and natural gas utility, is studying building a carbon capture and storage power plant in Colorado.

Across the Atlantic, the European Union may require carbon capture and storage systems for all new coal-fired power plants, with a proposal expected by year end. The gas would be buried in aquifers, depleted coal mines or geological faults deep underground.

But the costs are daunting.

"It takes a lot of money since you have to go so deep," said Brock of Cambridge Energy Research Associates. "There is not one commercial carbon capture and storage project yet. It's yet to be proven."

With such high costs, few utilities will embrace these technologies without a strong push or subsidy from government. The U.S. Congress is weighing several proposals, but their fate remains uncertain.

The degree of public support for such policies remains unclear. Consumers may balk at having to pay more for electricity from "clean coal" plants, either through higher rates or taxes.

But there is growing awareness of the problem. In both the West and India and China, traditional utilities and new players are investing in wind and solar power. A subsidiary of coal giant Shenhua is building a 200-megawatt wind farm in the waters off China's east coast.

"The goal is to raise both efficiency and turn to renewables while backing out of coal in the process," said Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute, an environmental think tank in Washington. "The question is, can we move fast enough?"

Meanwhile, in Jungar Qi, the house-sized mine trucks rumble on, rushing their multi-ton loads of coal to railways and coal yards. The biggest landmark in the city - the two huge smokestacks of its coal-fired power plant.

source: yahoo news.