Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Iraq Iraq The Model: "Minutes after nighttime curfew began in Baghdad at 9 pm we saw breaking news on al-Hurra and al-Jazeera saying that Baghdad's security operation has just started. The news says the first operation is currently underway in Azamiyah in the northeastern part of the city. However, it looks quiet here at the moment, except for a sudden increase in activity in the skies with US jet fighters patrolling over the northern parts of Baghdad. We're now only a few kilometers far from Azamiyah, so if there's going to be some action, we'll certainly hear-or see-it, and we'll keep you updated." North Denver News: "Yesterday, Senate Republicans blocked an up-or-down vote on a resolution condemning the President's escalation of the War in Iraq and his refusal to offer a new direction that the American people demanded in November. While 70 percent of Americans disapprove of President Bush's misguided strategy in Iraq, both Democrats and Republicans have voiced opposition to the escalation. Yet, Colorado's Senator Allard is still clinging to the same "stay the course" strategy that continues to be advocated by President Bush." Atrios: "Senator Barack Obama Along With Congressmen Mike Thompson and Patrick Murphy Introduced Legislation That Stops President Bush's Escalation and Sets a Timeline for Redeployment From Iraq." Thanks to Daily Kos for the link. "2008 pres" 5:53:26 PM

? for president? Political Wire: "According to a new WMUR/CNN New Hampshire Presidential Primary Poll, Sen. John McCain leads among Republican likely primary voters with 28% with Rudy Giuliani a close second at 27% and Mitt Romney third with 13%. On the Democratic side, Sen. Hillary Clinton leads with 35% of likely primary voters picking her, Sen. Barack Obama second with 21% and John Edwards third with 16%." Political Wire: "Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) told a group of reporters this morning that if he's still considered a second-tier candidate by September, 'then he'll rethink his candidacy,' reports The Hotline." Political Wire: "Mitt Romney (R) 'will formally announce his bid for the presidency in his native Michigan on February 13,' The Politico reports. " Political Wire: "John Edwards (D) joined Sen. Hillary Clinton "in saying he will not use public money for the presidential primary campaign or, if he wins his party's nomination, for the general election," USA Today reports." Terence P. Jeffrey (via the National Review) writes that Rudy Giuliani, "is neither conservative, nor electable -- at least, not as a Republican presidential candidate." Thanks to TPM Cafe for the link. "2008 pres" 5:45:28 PM

American Water Team Awarded Awwa Research Foundation Grant for Automatic Meter Reading Business Wire: "American Water, the largest water services provider in North America, today announced that the team of American Water, Cognyst Consulting LLC and Advantica, Ltd. has been awarded a grant to research Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) for use in the water industry. Funding for the project, titled 'Automated Meter Reading - Best Practices for Selection, Acquisition and Implementation,' will be provided by the Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF) and the UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR). Total project budget, including contributions from participating utilities and the AMR industry, is more than $900,000. The project will enable utilities to understand the many aspects of advanced meter reading systems, as well as provide a means of assessment for meter and associated data collection methods in relation to a utility's needs. In addition to providing overall project management, American Water will add its experience in AMR and innovative technologies that utilize AMR to that of recognized leaders in the industry. "One such innovation is a first-of-its-kind AMR program implemented by American Water in June of 2005. The program equipped 500 water meters in the city of Connellsville, PA's water system with leak-detecting sensors, using state-of-the-art technology to examine an aging distribution system and explore the true nature of water main leaks. The program uses AMR to communicate acoustic information daily and serves to detect distribution system water leaks, often before they surface and cause significant damage... "The project will rely on the experiences of many utilities across North America and the UK to define terminology, establish procedures for analysis and outline methods for success. In addition to American Water, at least 18 other water utilities, various AMR and meter firms and recognized AMR experts will be involved in case studies, pilots of innovative technology or participation in workshops covering key areas such as conservation, customer service, meter management and water loss management. The utility list includes the Boston Water & Sewer Water Commission, Aurora Water in Colorado, the City of Ottawa in Canada and Thames Water in the United Kingdom." "colorado water" 6:32:34 AM

Interbasin Compact Committee Here's a article about Governor Ritter and the Interbasin Compact Committees, from the Telluride Watch. They write, "Members of the Colorado Interbasin Compact Committee heard what they wanted to hear when they met in Denver last week with the new Department of Natural Resources director, Harris Sherman. 'It is absolutely our goal to make the IBCC process a very successful one,' Sherman said. 'We want this to work.' Sherman, in only his second official day on the job Friday, sought to relieve some angst in the water community about the commitment level of Gov. Bill Ritter's administration to the 18-month old water basin roundtable process. The San Juan/San Miguel/Dolores Basin Roundtable is represented on the IBCC by Telluride water attorney Jenny Russell and John Porter of Cortez, who has served on the boards of both the Dolores and Southwest Water Conservation Districts." More from the Durango Herald. They write, "The IBCC ties together a system of roundtables in each of Colorado's major river basins. Eventually, the group is supposed to explore a solution to a predicted 20 percent shortfall in water supplies for Colorado towns by 2030. But the new players have been stepping on the toes of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, which until recently had been the main forum for water policy. Sherman said the Ritter administration is taking a fresh look at all areas of government, including the IBCC. He expects to report to Ritter after 60 days to see if anything should be changed. He also plans to turn the job as IBCC head over to a full-time director." "colorado water" 6:22:50 AM

Snowpack Here's an update on Colorado snowpack from the Pueblo Chieftain. They write, "In an unusual role reversal, the Front Range of Colorado has better snowpack percentages than the Western mountains above the Colorado and Gunnison river basins, according to the Feb. 1 report by Natural Resources Conservation Service Snotel system. Snowfall across most of Colorado's mountains during January was below average. This has led to decreases in the snowpack tabulated in most of the major river basins of the state, tallied as percentage of average snowpack. Statewide, snowpack was 91 percent of average, and 92 percent of last year's readings on this date. On Jan. 1, the statewide snowpack was 96 percent of average, according to Allen Green, state conservationist with the NRCS. "For most of the state's major river basins, the dry weather in January decreased snowpack percentages by 10 to 15 percentage points. Basinwide snowpack percentages currently are below average in all basins except the South Platte, Arkansas and Rio Grande. Across the southwestern mountains, conditions remained nearly the same or increased slightly over those from Jan. 1. The lowest snowpack percentages were measured in the Yampa and White River Basins, which decreased to 68 percent of average, from 86 percent of average a month ago... "Reservoir storage across Colorado continues to track slightly below average for this date. Statewide, reservoir storage is 94 percent of average and 98 percent of last year's storage volumes." Here's a report from the Summit Daily News. From the article, "With 11 inches of accumulation, snowfall at the Dillon site was also below the January average of 18.6 inches. Measured as water, that snow melted down to .59 inches, well below the average 1.09 inches. In Breckenridge, precipitation for the month was a little closer to average, with 18.5 inches of snow (average, 22.2 inches) in January. Total water content was 1.44 inches, compared to the average 1.54 inches. About half that moisture came from one strong, wet storm early in the month, said Rick Bly, who measures snow and rain for the National Weather Service. For the hydrological year that began Oct. 1, the totals dipped slightly below average for the first time so far, with total snowfall through Feb. 1 adding up to 74.8 inches, compared to 77.1 for the average. But the somewhat dry January conditions didn't put a huge dent in the overall Blue River Basin snowpack, said water commissioner Scott Hummer. Basin-wide, the snowpack is still 104 percent of average, with the highest reading (117 percent) at Hoosier Pass. For the greater Colorado River Basin, the snowpack is 92 percent of average, with lower readings farther west; 70 percent at Vail Mountain and 74 percent at Mesa Lakes, on Grand Mesa near Powderhorn Ski Area. The driest basin in the state currently is the Yampa River, standing at only 68 percent of normal." So how are the reservoirs doing up near Sterling? Here's an article from the Sterling Journal Advocate. They write, "As residents would suspect, January precipitation in Sterling was higher than normal. However, what that means for water users is yet to be seen. Local participants in the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network reported 13 inches of snow for the month, containing .74 inches of moisture. The January average is .31 inches of moisture, so the total for January 2007 is more than double that amount. Filling northeast Colorado's irrigation reservoirs has been another matter. Reservoir fill each winter is often hampered by lack of snowfall in the state's northern mountains. This year, snowfall is abundant in the South Platte River basin, but the North Sterling and Prewitt irrigation reservoirs are slow to fill -- because of ice. Jim Yahn, manager for both the North Sterling and Prewitt irrigation companies, said today that the reservoirs are continuing to fill... "On Jan. 31, North Sterling Reservoir was 46 percent full, compared to 37 percent on Dec. 31. Prewitt Reservoir was 35 percent full on Jan. 31. It was 16 percent filled on Dec. 31." "colorado water" 6:14:48 AM

Colorado Springs reservoirs to open for public use? Should Colorado Springs allow recreational use of their reservoir system? People on all sides of the issue are meeting tonight to discuss the issue, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette. From the article, "This spring Colorado Springs will wrestle with an issue dozens of cities have already tackled: how to strike a balance between letting the public visit city-owned reservoirs and protecting drinking water. For the first time in more than a century, Colorado Springs Utilities is drawing up formal rules controlling which of its 28 reservoirs are open to the public. It plans to have a policy in place by May. Local recreation groups see the rule-making process as a chance to push for entry to seven reservoirs on the south slope of Pikes Peak that have been off-limits since 1913. They say a trail through the 45,000-acre watershed is the only practical way to complete the 60-mile Ring the Peak Trail." "colorado water" 6:11:12 AM

South Platte water well controversy Here's an update on the trial seeking to let irrigators, in the South Platte alluvial aquifer, whose wells were shut down last spring, irrigate again, from the Greeley Tribune "reg". From the article, "An attorney for those fighting to keep more than 200 wells pumping and irrigating crops in Weld County plans to show in the coming weeks how users can come up with enough water to satisfy everyone involved in a water controversy that pits farmers against cities and other farmers. But objectors, including the city of Greeley, told Weld Chief Judge Roger Klein the plan is a 'pie in the sky.' A legion of attorneys appeared Monday in Division 1 Water Court in Greeley to start a 45-day water trial that stems from the state engineer shutting down 440 irrigation wells last May... "Andy Jones, representing the water conservancy district, took about 90 minutes with opening remarks, and he was followed by several of the objecting attorneys. Jones told Klein the wells are located 'in one of the most productive agricultural areas in the state.' Jones said he will present information on how the district can divert water off the river without harming senior water rights, how it intends to lease water to use as replacement supplies, how it plans to use recharge wells to replace the water the wells use and said that such a plan would be a benefit to everyone involved. He said he would present testimony about the amount of water in the South Platte River, how that flow varies from year-to-year, that he intends to spend a lot of time on downstream reservoirs and how they are filled with water each year and he would also talk about the underground alluvial aquifer, noting it follows the path of the river and may contain as much as 8.3 million acre-feet of water. One acre-foot is enough water to supply two families for a year. The water replacement plan, he said, would use that stored water during dry years and replace it during wet years. Jones said he will discuss how the district can divert water off the river without harming senior water rights, how it intends to lease water to use as replacement supplies, how it plans to use recharge wells to replace the water the wells use and said that such a plan would be a benefit to everyone involved." "colorado water" 6:01:57 AM

President Bush's proposed budget President Bush has submitted his first pass at a budget, according to the Environment News Service. From the article, "President George W. Bush today sent Congress a $2.9 trillion budget package for the fiscal year starting in October that includes big increases for defense spending, cuts in conservation programs and assumptions that tax revenues will increase and that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will be leased for oil and gas development. Yet the administration said reducing U.S. dependence on petroleum imports and expanding incentives for clean energy technologies are central to the President's energy budget proposal. As part of $24.3 billion funding request for the Energy Department, the president is asking Congress to provide $2.7 billion to accelerate research into power generation technologies based on coal, nuclear energy and renewable sources, as well as the development of efficient vehicles and biofuels. 'This budget builds on our commitment to strengthen our nation's energy security by diversifying our energy resources and reducing our reliance on foreign sources of energy,' said Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. But while the newly elected Congress now controlled by Democrats generally supports reducing dependence on foreign oil and increases in renewable energy sources, some parts of the president's budget are in for a rough ride. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada today took aim at the budget's half-billion dollar proposal to develop the nation's only high-level nuclear waste repository already approved by the President for Yucca Mountain, Nevada 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas... "The president is requesting $114 million to support the planned expansion of the U.S. nuclear power industry and $405 million for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership, GNEP. Under this program, the United States would build a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility and sell fuel for nuclear reactors to nations that do not have the technology to manufacture their own nuclear fuel. In 2006, the administration asked for $250 million for the GNEP but lawmakers expressed doubts about the feasibility, the timeline and other aspects of the program. Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, a New Mexico Democrat, said he is puzzled that the increase sought for spent fuel reprocessing as part of the GNEP funding is larger than the entire proposed research and development budget for solar energy. Bingaman welcomed the increases proposed by the administration for biomass and biofuels research and development programs but criticized the elimination of all research related to oil and natural gas and a lack of funding for geothermal research. The budget would fund expansion of the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve over 20 years to more than double its current capacity of 727 million barrels... "The president's proposal calls for $385 million to fund coal-based clean power generation projects such as the near-zero emission coal power project FutureGen and large-scale carbon sequestration field tests. Advanced coal technologies will help the United States tap its huge coal reserves at reasonable cost without adding to greenhouse gas emissions, the administration said... "The Energy Department is seeking loan guarantee authority to provide $9 billion in financial backing for projects related to commercialization of more efficient biofuel production, advanced nuclear energy, and more efficient electricity transmission. In addition, $4.4 billion would go toward basic research in the physical sciences and bioenergy and nanotechnology research programs that carry a longer-term promise of improvements in energy use. But at the same time, the president's 2008 budget proposes a 40 percent cut, a $98 million reduction, to the Weatherization Assistance Program, which conserves energy by helping low-wage workers and retirees on fixed incomes to insulate their homes. National Community Action Foundation Executive Director David Bradley said the administration's plan unwisely elects energy experimentation over conservation... "New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed disappointment that the budget cuts $44 million from clean water funding. She said the cuts slash funding by 36 percent to the revolving loan fund that cities and towns across New York rely on for funding to make improvements to sewer and wastewater treatment facilities. There is a $9 million cut in research funding to the National Cancer Institute, and a $4 million cut to the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences... "Conservationists raised an outcry today over cuts to programs that protect land, water and wildlife. The budget figures for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, LWCF, alone show a cut of nearly $85 million below FY 2006 levels, about a 60 percent cut. The fund was established in 1964 to provide money to federal and state governments to purchase land, water and wetlands for the benefit of all Americans. Funded with receipts from oil and gas drilling off the outer continental shelf, the LWCF is authorized to receive $900 million a year. Already faced with a $2.5 billion budget backlog, the National Wildlife Refuge System received a small increase in the administration's request, but that still leaves the system more than $55 million behind the inflation adjusted 2004 funding level... "President Bush's budget also reduces the endangered species recovery program by 7.5 percent for a $5.5 million cut below FY 2006. In addition, funding for programs that help private landowners conserve at-risk wildlife were zeroed out. This cut to the Landowner Incentive and Private Stewardship Grants programs totals $29 million... "Despite the president's new goal of reducing U.S. gasoline usage by 20 percent in the next 10 years, the president's budget reverts to old, dirty energy and assumes that the Arctic Refuge's Coastal Plain will be leased to oil companies for $7 billion, warned the 'Green Budget' environmental groups. The budget proposes a $5.8 million boost in funding for the Bureau of Land Management oil and gas program - from $115,308 million appropriated in FY 2007 to $121,191 million requested for FY 2008 - but does not mention the BLM's National Landscape Conservation System. In addition, BLM's wildlife program shows a slight decline, making it unclear how the administration proposes to fund its new $15 million Healthy Lands Initiative... "On a positive note, the environmental groups approved a budget increase for the National Park System of $258 million, 14.3 percent, over requested fiscal year 2006 levels. 'The increased National Park Service funding is a step in the right direction,' said The Wilderness Society's Kristen Brengel. 'The funding would add nearly 500 permanent employees and several thousand seasonal employees. More rangers mean that parks visitors will experience these places in the way they were meant to, through ranger-led tours and active natural and cultural resource protection.' For the second consecutive year, the President's Forest Service budget includes a proposal to sell off up to $800 million of National Forest lands. Although the full details of the land sale proposal are not yet available, there is every indication that it is nearly identical to the proposal made last February that would have sold up to 300,000 acres of National Forest lands across 35 states. The budget also once again proposes to sell up to 950 million acres of BLM lands to raise $334 million over 10 years. Similar Forest Service and BLM proposals announced last year met with strong and widespread opposition from hunters, anglers, locally-elected officials, businesses, governors, and both Democratic and Republican Members of Congress." "2008 pres" 5:52:32 AM

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