In the Rockies today, seven states in the Western United States and four Canadian provinces rolled out a proposal to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 15 percent over the next 12 years.
The plan released Tuesday by the Western Climate Initiative is different from that endorsed by 10 Northeastern states in that the WCI's plan makes across-the-board cuts on emissions, where the Northeastern pact tackles just emissions from electric utilities.
Also in the Rockies today, a Montana county considers making fire regulations part of its rural subdivision planning process, and the U.S. Senate passes a bill to reauthorize for four years the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.
And in our In-depth section, we provide articles on the ongoing debate on the rescue of the nation's financial industry, including the views of Utah, Montana, Nevada and New Mexico lawmakers on the proposal.
Rockies today
Western states, Canadian provinces roll out emissions proposal
The Western Climate Initiative, an alliance of Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, California, Oregon and Washington, along with the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, released a draft plan on Tuesday to curb greenhouse-gas emissions by 15 percent by 2020.
New York Times; Sept. 24
-
B.C. enviro chief: Emissions plan will affect 100 businesses, industries
The proposal of the Western Climate Initiative, a coalition of four Canadian provinces and seven states in the Western U.S., to curtail greenhouse-gas emissions will most affect natural gas processors, smelters, paper and pulp mills and cement makers in British Columbia, according to B.C. Environment Minister Barry Penner.
Vancouver Sun; Sept. 24
U.S. Senate-passed bill extends timber payments, renewable-energy breaks
On a 93-2 vote late Tuesday, the U.S. Senate sent a bill that reauthorizes for four years the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, which provides federal funds to rural counties hit hard by a cutback in logging on federal forest lands, and extends tax credits for renewable energy projects set to expire at the end of this year; the bill now moves on to the U.S. House for action.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (AP); Sept. 24
Montana county proposes changes to rural subdivision regulations
At its meeting on Thursday, the Butte-Silver Bow planning commission will consider new regulations for rural subdivisions in the Montana county that would require developers to submit fire protection plans before submitting a primary plat application, as well as water and infrastructure needed for fighting fires, and the regulations would address design and construction material rules to mitigate fire risk.
Montana Standard; Sept. 24
At Wyoming conference, fire managers tout Yellowstone's lessons
The 1988 wildfires in Yellowstone National Park provided fire managers good fuel for arguing that some fires should be allowed to burn, and subsequent fires continue to provide that lesson, but fire managers at a conference in Wyoming said Tuesday, that allowing fires to burn still sparks public outrage in many instances.
Idaho Statesman; Sept. 24
Colorado panel approves protection of wildlife from energy operations
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission provisionally adopted a package of about 100 new rules covering a range of measures designed to protect the state's drinking water, wildlife, air and water quality from drilling operations.
Denver Post; Sept. 24
Democrats pull oilshale provision from spending bill
After President Bush promised to veto a stopgap spending bill, Democrats stripped a measure of the bill that would have allowed Utah, Colorado and Wyoming officials to make decisions on oilshale development in their state.
Denver Post; Sept. 24
Opinion
Wyoming's method of raising teachers' pay deserves study
A decade ago, Wyoming was losing teachers to Colorado, Nevada and other western states that could offer better pay, but a landmark state Supreme Court ruling that changed how education was funded, along with increases in state funding for education, now has the Cowboy State luring teachers from other states to our schools.
Casper Star-Tribune; Sept. 24
Nuclear power developer needs to come clean on Idaho project
Idaho residents have every right to know every detail about how Don Gillispie intends to fund his $5-billion nuclear power plant he wants to build in Elmore County.
Idaho Statesman; Sept. 24
Arizona can lead nation to meaningful immigration reform
Arizona's effort to pass guest-worker legislation failed last session, but a similar bill will be presented next session, and the nonprofit group called Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together (MATT.org) decision to launch its aggressive ad campaign designed to restart dialogue on immigration reform in Arizona, will help the state take the lead on this issue.
Arizona Republic; Sept. 24
Beyond the region
House bill would terminate ban on offshore drilling
A stopgap spending bill being pushed by House Democrats contains a provision that would end the 26-year moratorium on drilling in coastal waters.
New York Times; Sept. 24
Washington state couple explores turning milfoil into biofuel
Eurasian milfoil, an invasive water plant, clogs up lakes and rivers in the Northwest and hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent annually to beat back the feathery invader, but a couple from Elk are using a $8,000 grant from the Washington state Department of Ecology to find out if the plant could be a good source of biofuel.
Spokane Spokesman Review; Sept. 24
Fall chinook season woud be first in 30 years for river in Washington
On Thursday, a catch-and-keep fall chinook fishing season may open on the Snake River in Washington state, the first such season in three decades.
Idaho Statesman (AP); Sept. 24
Thieves are making off with solar panels, selling them on the Internet
The solar-power push in California and across the nation has created a new trend: thieves stealing solar panels and selling them on the Internet.
New York Times; Sept. 24
Honda to begin leasing hydrogen-powered cars in S. California
Development of alternative-energy vehicles is hobbled by the lack of places where such vehicles can be refueled, and in Southern California, Honda is leasing about 200 of its hydrogen-powered FCX Clarity cars and Shell and others are building stations where those cars can be refueled.
New York Times; Sept. 24
In depth
Economists say there are alternatives to $700-billion bailout plan
While time is of the essence in any plan to shore up the United States' troubled financial industry, some economists said that other alternatives to the proposed $700-billion rescue plan currently before Congress were too readily dismissed by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.
Washington Post; Sept. 24
-
Utah's congressional delegation undecided about bailout plan
Utah U.S. Sen. Bob Bennett, who is a member of the Senate Banking Committee, said he agrees some action must be taken to prevent a total meltdown on Wall Street, he's not certain the $700-billion plan currently before the Senate is the best route to go, an opinion shared by Sen. Orrin Hatch; U.S. Reps. Jim Matheson, Chris Cannon, and Rob Bishop are also taking a wait-and-see approach.
Deseret News; Sept. 24
-
Montana federal lawmakers: Bailout plan isn't going anywhere
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, who sits on the Senate Banking Committee, said the federal government's effort to get a $700-billion rescue plan for the nation's financial industry pushed through Congress reminded him of the effort to deregulate banks a decade ago, which many who testified before the Senate panel on Tuesday said was part of the reason for the state of the industry today.
Billings Gazette; Sept. 24
-
Federal bailout plan doesn't get much support from Nevada lawmakers
Members of Nevada's congressional delegation remained skeptical about the federal government's plan to rescue the financial industry, and said that they doubted the plan in its current form would make it through Congress.
Las Vegas Review-Journal; Sept. 24
-
Candidates for N.M.'s open U.S. Senate seat critical of bailout plan
Neither Democrat Tom Udall nor Republican Steve Pearce, both sitting members of Congress who are vying for New Mexico's U.S. Senate seat left open by Sen. Pete Domenici's retirement, like the proposed $700-billion bailout plan for the nation's financial industry.
Santa Fe New Mexican; Sept. 23
|
