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Posts tagged as “Longyearbyen Community Council”

LONGYEARBYEN TO SHUT COAL POWER PLANT IN 2023: Council unanimously OKs plan to temporarily switch to diesel, implement all-renewable energy supply by 2030closecoalplant

LONGYEARBYEN TO SHUT COAL POWER PLANT IN 2023: Council unanimously OKs plan to temporarily switch to diesel, implement all-renewable energy supply by 2030

By Mark Sabbatini on November 16, 2021
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Read Time:2 Minute, 27 Second

Wow, that happened fast.

Shutting down Longyearbyen’s coal power plant in 2023 was unanimously approved at the most recent meeting of the municipal council, drastically accelerating a timeline that just a few years ago envisioned operating the plant for much of its remaining lifespan (possibly into the next decade). That shrunk last year to a gradual phaseout within five years and local leaders hastened plans again in February with the proposal to shut the plant in two years.

The council approved switching to diesel temporarily when the coal plant closes, and implementing an all-renewable energy supply by 2030 – a plan many residents are questioning the economic, logistical and environmental wisdom of.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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MINE 7 CLOSING IN 2023: Shutdown of last Norwegian coal mine accelerated again as Longyearbyen will switch to diesel for power; production to increase for final two yearsmine7closing

MINE 7 CLOSING IN 2023: Shutdown of last Norwegian coal mine accelerated again as Longyearbyen will switch to diesel for power; production to increase for final two years

By Mark Sabbatini on October 1, 2021
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Read Time:4 Minute, 7 Second

Photo courtesy of Store Norske

The last Norwegian coal mine will cease operations in 2023 – five years sooner than an already accelerated plan envisioned just months ago – as Longyearbyen’s Community Council voted this week to shut down the town’s coal-fired power plant and temporarily switch to diesel until a permanent alternative source is determined.

As a result, Store Norske said it cannot operate Mine 7 profitably without supplying the power plant, although it will boost the mine’s production by about 30 percent until the shutdown to take advantage of current high coal prices in Europe. The shutdown will result in the loss of about 55 man-years of labor.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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ANY VOTES IN FAVOR OF NOT VOTING? Everyone seems to hate a proposal preventing foreign residents from participating in Longyearbyen’s elections; here’s a few who support itvotesun

ANY VOTES IN FAVOR OF NOT VOTING? Everyone seems to hate a proposal preventing foreign residents from participating in Longyearbyen’s elections; here’s a few who support it

By Mark Sabbatini on June 26, 2021
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Read Time:3 Minute, 50 Second

You know those elections where the leader of Turkmenistan, North Korea, etc. wins with 99 percent of the vote – and ever wonder who the “one-percenters” are?

A similarly lopsided tally is surfacing on social media in response to a proposal to essentially ban foreigners from local elections in Longyearbyen – but a few souls are speaking out in favor of the surprising suggestion made by Norway’s government this week.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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Briefs from Svalbardposten for the week of Feb. 2, 2021sveapower

Briefs from Svalbardposten for the week of Feb. 2, 2021

By Mark Sabbatini on February 3, 2021
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Read Time:2 Minute, 9 Second

Svea loans 18-ton power supply to Svalbard Airport to cope with electrical system failure (above photo of power supply being unloaded in Longyearbyen courtesy of Avinor), 41 applications seek a share of 25 million kroner in emergency COVID-19 tourism aid and the city applies for funding for a pilot project to see if Longyearbyen’s electric cars can contribute to the town’s power grid.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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HOW TO GET YOUR SHARE OF 25 MILLION: Guidelines for emergency funds for Svalbard tourism businesses hurt by COVID-19 pandemic released; deadline is Jan. 22torchhike

HOW TO GET YOUR SHARE OF 25 MILLION: Guidelines for emergency funds for Svalbard tourism businesses hurt by COVID-19 pandemic released; deadline is Jan. 22

By Mark Sabbatini on December 14, 2020
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Read Time:3 Minute, 40 Second

Photo by Jarle Røssland via Visit Svalbard

Guidelines and a deadline for 25 million kroner in grants to help tourism-related businesses in Svalbard hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic were announced Monday by Norway’s government, although the application itself is still pending.

Short summary: Just about any existing or new business/offering either individually or jointly that benefits tourism likely meet the guidelines as long funds aren’t used for “fixed costs or for a decline in income,” but there’s numerous eligibility requirements related to being Svalbard-based and meeting accounting/wage standards. However, exemptions to the requirements are possible for proposals “that obviously support the scheme’s purpose.”

The application deadline is Jan. 22, 2021.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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SMALL FOLKS BIGGEST ‘WINNERS’ OF SMALL CULTURE FUNDS: Svalbard Turn gets more than recommended as others see cuts due to big COVID-19 hit to available annual Korkpenger fundssvalbardturnrace

SMALL FOLKS BIGGEST ‘WINNERS’ OF SMALL CULTURE FUNDS: Svalbard Turn gets more than recommended as others see cuts due to big COVID-19 hit to available annual Korkpenger funds

By Mark Sabbatini on December 2, 2020
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Read Time:2 Minute, 37 Second

(Editor’s note: Because Icepeople applied for a grant – and saw a huge reduction from amounts awarded in past years – the story below relies on quotes/explanations published today by Svalbardposten in order to maintain neutrality.)

During a year when most applicants for Korkpenger grants from the city got less than they asked for – and the city itself withdrew five of its applications so as not to “compete” – Svalbard Turn emerged as the one big winner as it received an extra 55,000 kroner in addition to the 500,000 recommended in a preliminary report for its variety of recreational programs.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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CATCHING UP ON COVID-19: Local leaders answer questions about resident/visitor travel, what happens if an outbreak occurs and more during webcast (includes full Q&A)covidmtgtranslate

CATCHING UP ON COVID-19: Local leaders answer questions about resident/visitor travel, what happens if an outbreak occurs and more during webcast (includes full Q&A)

By Mark Sabbatini on November 19, 2020
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Read Time:13 Minute, 1 Second

Local political and heath officials hosted a digital Q&A meeting about the COVID-19 situation in Svalbard – one of the few places in the world with no diagnosed cases, last Thursday.

The 45-minute webcast was shorter than similar meetings this spring when the pandemic was new and all visitor traffic cancelled at the peak of tourism season. But there was a lengthy and dominant focus during the most recent meeting regarding precautions for residents and visitors now allowed to travel here, and how officials will handle an outbreak when the virus reaches Svalbard as many expect is inevitible, especially with a surge of cases in Norway, Europe and elsewhere.

Below is a list of questions and replies by officials representing The Governor of Svalbard, Longyearbyen Community Council and Longyearbyen Hospital submitted before and during the meeting, translated from the Norwegian version posted at the city and governor’s website (some questions are mostly or entirely identical, but the full list is provided).

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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DOG CREMATORIUM FOR SVALBARD: Majority of 70-110 dogs that die every year dumped/buried illegally, city says. With only legal disposal facility closing, furnace OK’d as long-term fixsleddogs

DOG CREMATORIUM FOR SVALBARD: Majority of 70-110 dogs that die every year dumped/buried illegally, city says. With only legal disposal facility closing, furnace OK’d as long-term fix

By Mark Sabbatini on October 28, 2020
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Read Time:1 Minute, 46 Second

Between 70 and 110 dogs in Svalbard die every year, and “probably more than half of the dogs are dumped or burned illegally,” according to Longyearbyen city officials. With a waste facility in Adventdalen that is the only legal means of disposal closing soon, the city’s community council on Tuesday approved a dog crematorium in next year’s budget envisioned as a long-term and self-funded solution.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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4.5M KRONER IN SUPPLEMENTAL CRISIS AID SOUGHT FOR SVALBARD: Local council asks Parliament for help targeted largely at high number of ‘exempt’ residentscouncilaidrequest

4.5M KRONER IN SUPPLEMENTAL CRISIS AID SOUGHT FOR SVALBARD: Local council asks Parliament for help targeted largely at high number of ‘exempt’ residents

By Mark Sabbatini on March 18, 2020
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Read Time:2 Minute, 8 Second

A request for 4.5 million kroner in emergency unemployment assistance has been sent to Norway’s Parliament by the Longyearbyen Community Council, citing Svalbard’s high number of residents exempt from public assistance to those affected by the coronavirus epidemic on the mainland. The city is also seeking compensation for reducing fees for muncipal services.

“This group does not have rights and it will be contrary to Norway’s Svalbard policy to introduce them on a permanent basis, but right now we must set aside principles and provide assistance,” states the letter, first obtained and reported Wednesday afternoon by Svalbardposten. “This is the local government’s clear recommendation.”

NRK reported Wednesday that 90 percent of Longyearbyen’s tourism workforce is facing layoffs and about 300 of the estimated 500 people affected are exempt from benefits because they are from non-EU/EEA countries.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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POLITICIANS TARGET TOTS AND TOURISTS: Visitor tax, private kindergarten among priorities for new city council majorityfirstship19

POLITICIANS TARGET TOTS AND TOURISTS: Visitor tax, private kindergarten among priorities for new city council majority

By Mark Sabbatini on October 31, 2019
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Read Time:2 Minute, 51 Second

A tax on tourists, separating the harbor from other local government operations and allowing privately operated kindergartens are among the proposals in a platform drafted by the new, more conservative majority of the Longyearbyen Community Council as it officially took office Monday.

About Post Author

Mark Sabbatini

I'm a professional transient living on a tiny Norwegian island next door to the North Pole, where once a week (or thereabouts) I pollute our extreme and pristine environment with paper fishwrappers decorated with seemingly random letters that would cause a thousand monkeys with a thousand typewriters to die of humiliation. Such is the wisdom one acquires after more than 25 years in the world's second-least-respected occupation, much of it roaming the seven continents in search of jazz, unrecognizable street food and escorts I f****d with by insisting they give me the platonic tours of their cities promised in their ads. But it turns out this tiny group of islands known as Svalbard is my True Love and, generous contributions from you willing, I'll keep littering until they dig my body out when my climate-change-deformed apartment collapses or they exile my penniless ass because I'm not even worthy of washing your dirty dishes.
marksabbatini@yahoo.com
http://icepeople.net
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