[Stoves] SilverFire / UCEED (University Center for excellence and developmental disabilities targeted families). Stoves to Puerto Rico

Sun Dec 3 11:13:20 CST 2017

Todd:

Picking up on this thread rather late. My response to Xavier about house of
cards and paper tigers reminded me of your original post here.

It is sad that "numerous agencies and organizations with no response or
apparent interest" fprced you to raise funds directly from the public.
Congratulations for your deliveries to Puerto Rico. Do please post some
pictures and stories of how they are used, and also write to Jose Andres,
who also helped in Puerto Rico.

It is curious that many organizations rushed to Haiti after the 2010
earthquake. But that was because of the Clinton glamour. By contrast, none
of the organizations in and around this GACC venture of EPA have the funds
or the interest in doing anything in Puerto Rico. After all, that is a part
of the US, and The Donald has repeatedly dissed Puerto Rico and Puerto
Ricans; none of the EPA contractors in the "clean cookstove" bandwagon
stand to gain anything in the face of cynical politics by the US President.

1. So, I must congratulate you for "We have given up on organizations like
GACC and others claiming that they are involved in ICS stove
implementation." What you describe of your experience re: Marshall Islands
and Myanmar - two areas where some friends have been active in energy work
- only confirms what I wrote to Xavier: that GACC is a contractor. We can
never tell what its contracts with its clients - EPA, other governments -
require, but I am reasonably sure that GACC does not have any
independence in how it spends its money. Nor does it have the competence to
judge on testing protocols, stove design. It does what it is told by the
higher powers.

2. I generally hesitate to ascribe to conspiracy that which mere stupidity
or subservience to bosses can explain. Here you say "The same issues seem
to be true with stove testing, while many organizations have had stoves
tested at no cost, other organizations have been blocked from testing
altogether."

My guess is, EPA issued the RFA in the beginning and selected compliant
friends and family members (from PCIA) for testing stoves (under WBT, of
course, so it can get the results it expects). It had no money nor the
competence to do any stove design or testing that may prove useful in
actual practice anywhere in the world. From what I know of EPA planning and
budgeting process, this "cookstoves" work came out of the Office of
International Programs, which simply may not have the jurisdictional
mandate to do such work. So Lisa Jackson could only fund research and could
contract GACC for only a limited range of activities.

GACC has no legal status, no legal authority, and I might say no legal
accountability either. It's a bubble floated by Jacob Moss and Susan
Annenberg, raised by Tim Wirth and Leslie Cordes, none of whom have any
experience with the ground realities of food and cooking by the poor. Why
would anybody trust GACC to do anything like supporting stove
implementation? That would have been USAID job, and I am intrigued that
USAID did nothing. (My reading the Thailand report yesterday reminded me of
the good that USAID did do.)

GACC did not issue any RFAs for stove testing on its own because it simply
wasn't contracted to do so. EPA seems to be happy spending money on its
research programs, and Jackson, McCarthy may even have been privately happy
unloading PCIA on to UNF.

Jim Jetter was perfectly fair in telling you "If we have resources in the
future, we will issue another RFA ".

I am puzzled at your "GACC claims otherwise." Simply put, EPA did not give
GACC the money, nor did its - or any other donor's - contract with GACC
demand that GACC issue another RFAs. Radha probably didn't mean to mislead
you on that account.

However, I am not surprised by your observation - "Stove testing process by
EPA, flawed Aprovecho WBT protocols, with unreliable Aprovecho emissions
equipment, leaves our organization with the impression much of the clean
cook stove sector is significantly flawed and actually corrupt."

Yup. I won't challenge your impression. Someone needs to formulate that
into an allegation and demand an audit of EPA and GACC work, an evaluation
of WBT (which seems to be nobody's baby, just appropriated by Berkeley or
ARC or EPA as convenient, like any public source technique.)

No use alleging corruption. This is an Inside Job by experts for experts of
experts. As in WHO claims, there is no there there.

I repeat my call to get GACC out of UNF; an audit may indeed reveal that
UNF has not met the terms of at least some of its contracts. Incompetence
is not corruption, however.

GACC throwing its weight around in Myanmar seems par for the course, in
line with some stories I have heard on other countries. A pretense of
power, deceit that UNF is under the UN, and implicit promise that President
Hillary Clinton wold roll out loads of monies.

Nikhil

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nikhil Desai
(US +1) 202 568 5831
*Skype: nikhildesai888*

On Mon, Nov 13, 2017 at 9:58 PM, Todd Albi <todd.r.albi at gmail.com> wrote:

> *SilverFire *shipped our first pallet of donated Hunter TLUD Chimney
> stoves to Puerto Rico last week in coordination with UCEED!  After
> contacting numerous agencies and organizations with no response or apparent
> interest, we have forged ahead with our own Go Fund Me campaign.
>
> https://www.gofundme.com/ship-stoves-to-puerto-rico-ucedd
>
> We have given up on organizations like GACC and others claiming that they
> are involved in ICS stove implementation.  Our most recent International
> trip to Myanmar where GACC claimed active participation *is not actually
> true*, *no GACC representative attended any of the stove demonstrations
> or training*.  They appeared only at the political ceremonies, with micro
> fiance organizations in tow, attempting to influence policy and
> opportunities for micro fiancce.
>
> We ran into the same issue sending humanitarian container to Marshall
> Islands with GACC, although claiming to be active with ICS stove
> implementation, it does not appear to be true in regard with our
> organization.  Any transportation assistance from GACC our organization
> requested for folks in need, much less assistance with stove funding, has
> been rejected.  The same issues seem to be true with stove testing, while
> many organizations have had stoves tested at no cost, other organizations
> have been blocked from testing altogether.
>
>
> Jim Jetter at EPA claimed stove testing requirements are by RPA via GACC
> only acceptable process for stove testing, despite numerous direct
> requests.   GACC claims otherwise.  The stove testing process by EPA, the
> use of flawed Aprovecho WBT protocols, unreliable Aprovecho emissions
> equipment, and GACC smoke, leaves our organization with the impression much
> of the clean cook stove sector is significantly flawed.  Rahda again lied
> to my face in Myanmar stating RFA's not required for stove testing, despite
> numerous emails stating otherwise from EPA.
> Jetter, James <Jetter.Jim at epa.gov>
> 4/29/13
> to me
>
> Todd,
>
>
>
> It was good talking with you in Cambodia.
>
>
>
> For the current round of testing, stoves were selected through an
> application process with selection criteria.  For future rounds of testing,
> we will use the same process – an announcement with a request for
> applications (RFA) will go out to all Alliance partners, and stoves will be
> selected based on the criteria and based on available resources.  I expect
> it will be at least a year before the next RFA will go out, but I’ll let
> you know if things change.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Jim
>
>
> Todd,
>
>
>
> The last RFA was sent out to all PCIA partners (before integration with
> the Alliance).
>
>
>
> If you’re signed up as an Alliance partner, you will receive any and all
> future RFAs.
>
>
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> *From:* Todd Albi [mailto:todd.r.albi at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Monday, April 29, 2013 12:47 PM
> *To:* Jetter, James
> *Subject:* Re: SilverFire Stove Testing
>
>
>
> Jim:
>
>
>
> Appreciate the update.  Please add me to the contact list or what ever the
> process was.  I never saw a RFA go out.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
>
> Todd Albi, SilverFire
>
>
> Todd,
>
>
>
>
> Jim
>
>  Hi Todd,
>
>
>
> Stoves we are currently testing were chosen based on selection criteria in
> a Request For Applications that was issued quite a long time ago through
> PCIA.  If we have resources in the future, we will issue another RFA that
> will go out to all Alliance partners.  We receive many requests for
> testing, and I hope we will be able to respond.  Meanwhile, please consider
> other Testing Centers (many sponsored by the Alliance):
>
> http://www.cleancookstoves.org/our-work/standards-and-testin
> g/connect-with-testing-laboratories/
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Jim
> __________________________________________
> James J. Jetter, P.E.
> U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (E305-03)
> National Risk Management Research Laboratory
> Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division
> Research Triangle Park, NC 27711, USA
> phone: (919) 541-4830          fax: (919) 541-2157
> email: jetter.jim at epa.gov
>
>
>
>
> I also reached out to Radha again in 2014.  In summary the GACC, EPA and
> other politico's in the stove sector is failing lots of folks in need.
>
> The last RFA was sent out to all PCIA partners (before integration with
> the Alliance).
>
>
>
> If you’re signed up as an Alliance partner, you will receive any and all
> future RFAs.
>
>
>
> Again in 2014
>
>
> From the SilverFire perspective, the stove sector smells, and appears to
> have numerous political motivations, rather than implementing quality
> stoves for those in need.  We will look forward to documenting a Stove Hall
> of Shame in the future.
>
>
> Regards,
>
>
> Todd Albi, SilverFire General Manager
>
> On Wed, Nov 8, 2017 at 7:34 PM, Todd Albi <todd.r.albi at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> *SilverFire *shipped our first pallet of donated Hunter TLUD Chimney
>> stoves to Puerto Rico Today!  After contacting numerous agencies and
>> organizations with no response or apparent interest, we have forged ahead
>> with our own Go Fund Me campaign.  We have given up on organizations like
>> GACC that claim they are involved in ICS stove implementation.  Our most
>> recent International trip to Myanmar where GACC claimed active
>> participation not actually true, no GACC representative attended any of the
>> stove demonstrations or training.  They appeared only at the political
>> ceremonies, with micro fiance organizations in tow, attempting to influence
>> policy.
>>
>> We ran into the same issue sending humanitarian container to Marshall
>> Islands,  claiming to be active with ICS stove implementation, it does not
>> appear to be true.  Any transportation assistance from GACC our
>> organization has requested to folks in need, much less assistance with
>> stove funding has been rejected.
>>
>> The same is true with stove testing, while many organizations have had
>> stoves tested at no cost, other organizations have been blocked from
>> testing altogether.  Jim Jetter at EPA claims requirements for RPF via GACC
>> for stove testing multiple times with our organization, GACC claims
>> otherwise.  Stove testing process by EPA, flawed Aprovecho WBT protocols,
>> with unreliable Aprovecho emissions equipment, leaves our organization with
>> the impression much of the clean cook stove sector is significantly flawed
>> and actually corrupt.
>>
>>
>> 
>>
>> https://www.gofundme.com/ship-stoves-to-puerto-rico-ucedd
>>
>> If the funding stoves to Puerto Rico is of interest, please consider this
>> campaign. Today's 1st shipment funded entirely by SilverFire.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Todd Albi, General Manager SilverFire
>>
>
>
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