In the Rockies today, a Western governor supports a surcharge on oil and gas; the new Interior secretary wants to re-energize the nation's land conservation program; and the lights will go down on March 28 along Las Vegas' famed Strip.
In his State of the State speech Wednesday night, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer said he supported a bill that would impose a surcharge on oil and natural gas produced in the state to help boost teachers' pay.
Republican lawmakers and the state's petroleum industry gave the proposal a chilly reception, saying it would be a disincentive for energy production in the state.
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who helped write the state constitutional amendment that cleared the way for the creation of Great Outdoors Colorado, said he'd like to develop a national plan similar to that state's land conservation plan.
And finally, the Las Vegas Strip, which is reportedly the brightest spot on Earth when viewed from space, will dim on March 28.
The Nevada city is one of 240 cities around the globe that will power down for one hour that day as part of the 2009 Earth Hour, as part of the World Wildlife Fund's call to action on climate change.
And speaking of Climate Change, Headwaters News' A Look Ahead today gives readers a preview of the "Elevate 2009"
conference in Colorado that will address climate change and the new frontiers of urban development.
Rockies today
Salazar wants to take Great Outdoors Colorado national
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Wednesday that he wants to reinvigorate land conservation efforts across the nation, and that he envisions a program similar to Great Outdoors Colorado.
Durango Herald; Jan. 29
FERC reviews Wyoming-Oregon pipeline project
In the year since El Paso Corp. announced its plan for the Ruby Pipeline to carry natural gas from Wyoming's Opal Hub to Malin, Ore., the route of the 675-mile pipeline has moved south out of Idaho to northern Utah, the price has gone up from $2 billion to $3 billion, and now the application for the project is before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Washington, D.C.
Salt Lake Tribune; Jan. 29
Montana governor pitches oil, gas surcharge in speech
During his State of the State speech Wednesday night, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer endorsed a plan to impose a $44-million surcharge on oil and gas development in the state to help fund raises for teachers.
Helena Independent Record; Jan. 29
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Energy producers, GOP give Montana plan the cold shoulder
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer's support of legislation that would impose a surcharge on oil and gas produced in the state drew immediate criticism from the Montana Petroleum Association and Republican lawmakers, who said the bill will drive production in the state down.
Helena Independent Record; Jan. 29
Washington, Idaho, tribe ink deal on Post Falls Dam study
Under an agreement signed by Idaho, Washington and the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, Avista Corp. will being a five-year study on how its Post Falls Dam in Idaho affects temperatures in the Spokane River.
Coeur d'Alene Press; Jan. 29
Road to Idaho wilderness paved with compromise
Idahoans worked for more than a decade to come up with a workable solution to protect the Owyhee Canyonlands, and now they're holding their breath, awaiting the outcome of the vote in the U.S. House on the omnibus public lands bill that contains a provision to designate more than 500,000 acres as wilderness.
Boise Weekly; Jan. 29
Las Vegas to power down as part of worldwide event
On March 28, the Las Vegas Strip will power down for one hour as part of its role as a flagship city in the World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour 2009.
Las Vegas Review-Journal; Jan. 29
Opinion
New Mexico needs to regulate deep, brackish aquifers
The five companies who came calling for permits to tap into the deep, brackish aquifer in New Mexico are trying to get their straws in the water before the state can regulate such access, a loophole legislators must quickly remedy, and while they're at it, they should require any companies seeking access to such water to come out from behind their corporate veils.
Santa Fe New Mexican; Jan. 29
U.S. House stimulus package full of lard
The massive economic stimulus package moving through Congress contains about $30 billion for highways and bridges, $40 billion for airport improvements and $275 billion for tax credits, all of which will no doubt massage the nation's economy, but one has to wonder about just how $50 million for the National Endowment of the Arts and $54 million for federal programs the Office of Management and Budget called ineffective will aid the ailing economy.
Grand Junction Sentinel; Jan. 28
The time for 5-day mail delivery has come
The U.S. Postmaster General's proposal to cut mail deliveries by one day to five is a good one, and lawmakers should allow those folks who depend on mail delivery to decide what day should go.
Boulder Daily Camera; Jan. 29
Beyond the region
Senate to vote today on children's health insurance bill
Despite Republican senators' objections to some provisions of the bill that will provide health insurance to nearly 11 million children, the U.S. Senate will likely pass the bill today.
Washington Post; Jan. 29
Hearst probe finds Boy Scouts Council logged prime lands
A Hearst Newspaper investigation into management of Boy Scout Councils' lands found that many of the councils clearcut or conducted high-impact logging operations on their lands, including four councils in the Northwest.
Seattle Times; Jan. 29
Boeing announces it will cut 10,000 jobs
More than half the jobs Boeing Co. announced it was cutting are in Washington state.
Seattle Times; Jan. 29
Starbucks to cut 6,700 jobs, close 300 stores by this fall
A 69-percent drop in its first quarter profits forced Starbucks to again close stores and lay off workers, with 300 underperforming stores slated to close by fall, eliminating 6,000 jobs, but 700 jobs, including 350 at its Seattle headquarters, will end in the next couple of weeks.
Seattle Times; Jan. 29
Laid-off workers striking out on their own
As companies across the nation shed workers, the newly unemployed are starting their own businesses.
Christian Science Monitor; Jan. 29
In depth
U.S. House passes stimulus package without GOP support
Saying that the massive economic stimulus package contained too much spending and not enough tax relief, not a single Republican House lawmaker cast their vote Wednesday bill, which passed on a 244-to-188 vote; the measure now moves to the U.S. Senate.
New York Times; Jan. 29
Utah could nab $2B in federal economic stimulus funds
The U.S. House-approved economic stimulus package contains about $2 billion for Utah, including $445 million for infrastructure and construction projects.
Salt Lake Tribune; Jan. 29
Idaho Democrat votes no on U.S. House stimulus bill
U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick was one of 11 Democrats that sided with Republican lawmakers and voted "no" on the U.S. House-passed $819-billion economic stimulus legislation.
Twin Falls Times-News; Jan. 29
Oregon Senate pushes through $175M jobs bill
In a rough simulation of the U.S. House's vote on the massive national economic stimulus package, the Oregon Senate passed a $175-million public works stimulus bill, as Republican senators denounced the measure for piling on too much debt, and Democrats defending the bill as a much-needed measure to provide jobs.
Portland Oregonian; Jan. 29
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