In the Rockies today, wind energy, wolves and bears are in the news.
Arizona dedicated its first commercial-scale wind farm on Monday, while Wyoming lawmakers testified before the state's Wind Energy Task Force about draft legislation to tax the industry.
In Montana, wildlife commissioners are contemplating a change to the rules of the state's first wolf hunt, after hunters killed nine wolves in the wilderness area near Yellowstone National Park.
The state had set a 12-wolf limit for the area, but hunters' rate of success forced the hunt to be suspended in that region.
And the state Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department released a warning to residents near Simms, an area that hasn't seen grizzly bears for decades, that a grizzly sow and her cubs had been sighted frequently in the area the past few weeks.
Rockies today
Wind developers brace for Wyoming tax
Wyoming lawmakers are considering legislation that would tax all electricity generation, and then giving tax credits to all types of power generation other than wind, a move that has wind-power companies complaining that the Cowboy State already is among the most expensive states to produce wind.
Casper Star-Tribune; Oct. 13
Arizona's first wind farm dedicated Monday
The Dry Lake Wind Power Project, a 30-turbine wind farm between Holbrook and Snowflake, is the first of its kind to go online in Arizona.
Arizona Republic; Oct. 13
Analysts present differing views on vastness of U.S. gas reserves
At the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas conference in Denver on Monday, analysts gave different perspectives on recent announcements by companies about vast natural gas resources in the United States, with Arthur Berman, a Texas-based geological consultant, saying that the predictions are simply rose-colored bluster, while Peter Dea, chief executive of Denver-based Cirque Resources, indicating that the reserves are truly an "American treasure."
Casper Star-Tribune (AP); Oct. 13
Montana forest plans burn for the birds
The Rocky Mountain Research Station's "Birds and Burns Network" is an eight-state study of the effect of wildfire on wildlife and habitat in the Rocky Mountain West, and in Montana, the U.S. Forest Service plans a mixture of logging and prescribed burns on 4,203 acres in the Elkhorn Mountain Range as part of that study.
Helena Independent Record; Oct. 13
Montana FWP issues alert on grizzly bears in Simms area
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials put ranchers and others on alert that a grizzly sow and her three cubs have been spotted frequently in the Simms area, an area where the big bruins haven't been seen for decades.
Great Falls Tribune; Oct. 13
Montana will rework wolf quotas
After hunters killed nine wolves in an area around Yellowstone National Park in Montana during early wolf season, nearly the 12-animal limit allowed in that hunting region, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks suspended hunting in that region and the commission will explore its options at a meeting today.
Montana Standard (AP); Oct. 13
Ad campaign in N.M. touts CO2 as good for plants
An organization called "CO2 is Green" launched an ad campaign lauding the benefits of more carbon dioxide to the planet that is targeted at influencing New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman, who is chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee,
Santa Fe New Mexican; Oct. 13
Opinion
Idaho must be careful on allowing groups to fund fact-finding flights
The Sept. 11 tour of Idaho's phosphate mining country provided lawmakers and state officials an on-the-ground look at a significant state industry, and using a state plane to get the officials there was an acceptable use of state property, but allowing the Idaho Mining Association to fund the flight puts the state in murky waters.
Idaho Statesman; Oct. 13
Beyond the region
Washington state mudslide costs could be $20 million
The Sunday mudslide in Washington state's Nile Valley that destroyed two homes, damaged three others and send the Naches River into a new channel that passed through 25 homes will close State Road 410 for several weeks, and will close travel over Chinook Pass for the season.
Yakima Herald-Republic; Oct. 13
Community-power projects gain momentum
Most analysts dismiss the concept that neighborhoods or small towns could eventually exist off the grid, but those who believe in small-scale power projects see a future where communities produce all the power they need from solar panels and windmills, and Rock Port is already there, with wind turbines already providing 100 percent of the power the Missouri town needs.
Washington Post; Oct. 13
Cleaner emissions from coal-fired plants now dirty up the water
Coal-fired power plants, ordered to clean up their emissions, installed scrubbers to do just that, but now the wastewater from those scrubbing operations are finding their way into waterways of the nation, raising concerns that as more coal-fired plants clean up their emissions, a whole lot more wastewater will be dumped into rivers and streams.
New York Times; Oct. 13
California governor, lawmakers hunker down to address water woes
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called a special session of the California Legislature that began Monday to address the state's water woes caused by three years of drought, federal environmental regulations that reduced water flows and Schwarzenegger's desire to make a mark on one of the state's priority issues.
New York Times; Oct. 13
Competition has students setting up solar homes on D.C. mall
The Solar Decathlon, the biennial competition for livable solar homes put on by the Energy Department, is under way on the National Mall, where university students from the U.S., Canada and Europe compete to create homes that are judged on 10 categories, including electrical use, architectural design, comfort and marketability.
New York Times; Oct. 13
Gold hits another record high, oil prices rise, U.S. dollar sinks
The price of gold rose Tuesday in Europe in early trading to $1,065.25 an ounce, a record high; oil prices surged to $74 a barrel; the U.S. dollar sank again, pushing the Canadian loonie to 97 cents against the dollar.
Toronto Globe and Mail; Oct. 13
In depth
In Utah, $519M in federal stimulus funds equals 4,164 jobs
In a report filed with the federal government, Utah officials said the state had spent $519 million in federal stimulus funds that had saved or created the equivalent of 4,164 full-time jobs.
Salt Lake Tribune; Oct. 13
Report: N.M. spends $77M in stimulus funds for 8,641 jobs
In its new quarterly report, the New Mexico Office of Recovery and Reinvestment said the state has spent $77 million to create 8,641 jobs, some of them part-time jobs.
Santa Fe New Mexican; Oct. 13
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