Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Energy policy: Renewable energy Colorado Confidential: "Colorado's Third District congressman is sponsoring a bill to increase research funding for the alternative fuel source by $2 billion between fiscal years 2007-2013. Cellulosic ethanol research was funded to the tune of $250 million for 2006 by the 2005 Energy Bill...Ethanol fuels currently in use are made from agricultural food crops like corn or soybeans. Cellulosic ethanol is made from a variety of other plant materials, like woody plants and trees. The latter are starch-based plants, which are technically easier to breakdown into fuels than the cellulose in plant cell walls. There remain numerous technical barriers to the efficient conversion of cellulosic biomass into fuel." "2008 pres" 8:25:58 PM

National primary? Western Democrat: "Yesterday, the California Assembly passed a bill that will move the date of the state's presidential primary to February 5, 2008 (registration required). The bill previously cleared the Senate and is expected to be signed by Governor Schwarzenegger." "2008 pres" 8:24:00 PM

Immigration From the AP, "Dozens of young children were stranded at schools and with baby sitters after their parents were rounded up by federal authorities who raided a leather goods maker suspected of hiring illegal immigrants, authorities said Wednesday. Immigration officials said 327 of the 500 employees of Michael Bianco Inc., mostly women, were detained Tuesday by immigration officials for possible deportation as illegal aliens. About 100 children were stuck with baby sitters, caretakers and others, said Corinn Williams, director of the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts. 'We're continuing to get stories today about infants that were left behind,' she said. 'It's been a widespread humanitarian crisis here in New Bedford.' "Company owner Francesco Insolia, 50, and three top managers were arrested. A fifth person was arrested on charges of helping workers obtain fake identification. Authorities allege Insolia oversaw sweatshop conditions so he could meet the demands of $91 million in U.S. military contracts. Authorities released 45 detainees who were sole caregivers to children. No more releases were planned, said Marc Raimondi, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Eight pregnant women were also released for humanitarian reasons. Those still in custody were given the option of letting their children stay with a guardian or putting them in state care, Raimondi said." Thanks to TalkLeft for the link. "2008 pres" 8:10:29 PM

? for president? Don Surber: "Rudy must be doing good in the polls because the press is pursuing his personal life. That's how it works. Deal with it, Rudy...In fact, the First Divorced President signed one of the nation's first laws legalizing abortion, six years before Roe vs. Wade. His name? Ronald Wilson Reagan." Daily Kos: "I polled several of the campaigns about whether they would attend the Fox News debate. Here are their paraphrased responses: Edwards - No; Richardson - Yes; Obama - Decision will be made within the week; Clinton - Too early to make a decision; Dodd - They haven't decided yet; Biden - No response." Political Wire: "Rudy Giuliani 'is cementing himself as the early front-runner for the 2008 Republican nomination, while Hillary Rodham Clinton maintains that status among Democrats,' according to a new USA Today/Gallup Poll. Among Republicans, Giuliani is the preference of 44% while John McCain has 20% support. Among Democrats, Clinton is the choice of 36% with Sen. Barack Obama favored by 22% and Al Gore by 18%." Political Wire: "Rudy Giuliani is the early favorite over both Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama in Quinnipiac's new Swing State Poll, 'three simultaneous surveys of voter opinion in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, states that have been pivotal in presidential elections since 1964.' In Florida, Giuliani leads Clinton, 47% to 42%, and beat Obama, 48% to 36%. In Pennsylvania, Giuliani leads Clinton, 51% to 40%, and leads Obama, 44% to 40%. In Ohio, Clinton edges Giuliani, 44% to 43%, but Giuliani beats Obama, 48% to 36." TalkLeft: "New Mexico Governor and Democrat presidential contender Bill Richardson supports medical marijuana." The Right's Field: "Suffolk University poll of 199 Republican voters from February 24-28 (before CPAC). Margin of error +/-4%: Giuliani - 37%; McCain - 27; Romney - 17; Ron Paul - 2; Tom Tancredo - 2; No opinion - 12." Political Wire: "The Omaha World Herald says 'speculation was running high among key Nebraska Republicans' that Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) 'might announce something Monday.'" Daily Kos: "It looks like Rudy Giuliani's efforts to pander to Evangelical voters may have hit a snag." "2008 pres" 7:59:58 PM

Denver Politics Say hello to Denver Politics. They're, "An open review of politics in the city of Denver, Colorado, including little-reported but locally-important governmental decisions and election campaigns." "denver 2007" 7:09:55 PM

Iraq TalkLeft asks, rhetorically, "Is the surge working?" Talking Points Memo: "Liberal House Dems prepare to go public with their own plan to halt Iraq War." unbossed.com: "Want to know who owns IAP? The IAP that magically gets and messes up contracts with Walter Reed and the IRS? The IAP whose officers have close, close ties to Halliburton and KBR? Then meet Cerberus Capital Managment L P." "2008 pres" 7:06:03 PM

War on terror Blogs for Bush: "Just thought I'd point out that the most recent stats for military recruiting are that in 2006, the services met their goals...and that for January of 2007 (the most recent month availble), all four services met or exceeded their goals, while four of six reserve/guard services exceeded their goals." "2008 pres" 8:05:12 AM

? for president? Poltical Wire: "Sen. Hillary Clinton 'is focusing her presidential campaign on women these days,' notes Washington Wire. 'At a lunchtime address to Emily's List, she announced a new outreach to women -- Women for Hillary -- and she said she will reintroduce her bill aimed at shrinking the pay gap between men and women.' "The reason: 'In 2004, 54% of the votes were cast by women, and if Clinton can attract significantly more support among women than her opponents can, the effect could be decisive.'" Daily Kos: "Edwards to skip Fox debate." "2008 pres" 8:02:32 AM

2008 Democratic National Convention From today's Denver Post: "The committee charged with hosting the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver has chosen the finance director for Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley to direct its finances here, officials announced this morning. Melissa Koenigsberg has been named the host committee's chief financial officer and finance director." "2008 pres" 7:18:08 AM

? for City Council? Here's an article about the candidates for city council from the Denver Post. They write, "No fewer than 18 candidates are vying for three open seats on the Denver City Council this spring, but the contests have largely gone under the radar without a high-profile race for mayor to draw attention to the campaign season. The field of council candidates may narrow today, as signatures to get on the ballot are due by the close of business... "Adding to the difficulty of stirring public interest, this year's election will be by mail ballot - effectively shortening the campaign for candidates because ballots go out about a month before the May 1 election day. Regardless of the lack of buzz surrounding the election, [Kathleen] MacKenzie and others said council seats are still won by pounding the pavement." "denver 2007" 7:13:56 AM

Energy policy: Solar From today's Denver Post: "Two solar-power innovators at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden will share this year's $1 million Dan David Future Prize with a NASA climate scientist, according to the prize's website. Sarah Kurtz and Jerry Olson at NREL created a highly efficient solar cell, which converts solar energy into electricity. The technology is already in wide use in space exploration, including powering the Mars rovers - Spirit and Opportunity." "2008 pres" 7:10:01 AM

Immigration Here's Part III of the Denver Post's series on border security. From the article, "Groaning under the weight of thousands of undocumented immigrants who saw this dusty town on the Texas border as the ideal place to cross, federal officials decided in late 2005 to try something radical: Treat illegal immigrants as criminals, rather than violators of civil immigration law. Just about everyone caught on a 205-mile section of Texas border between Eagle Pass and Del Rio is now charged with a federal misdemeanor and sent before a judge, then to jail. Although the federal law in question - illegal entry - has been on the books for more than a decade, it's never been enforced on such a widespread basis. The experiment, requiring months of negotiations among three different agencies and high-level talks in Washington, is the border's first zero-tolerance zone. It's been blasted by immigrant-rights activists who assail 'conveyor- belt' justice and hailed by border hawks who see it as a bold stroke too long in coming. Either way, the results have been dramatic. In the first year of the experiment, monthly apprehensions - a rough measure of illegal crossings - fell 57 percent across the Border Patrol's Del Rio sector and 78 percent in the area around Eagle Pass. Agents here seized more than $15 million worth of narcotics in November, about four times what they seized in the same month the year before - the result, officials say, of more time spent on the line and less processing border crossers." Here's Part IV of the Denver Post's series on border security. They write, "Follow the new highway heading west from Santa Ana, past the towering saguaro cactus and the weaving obstacle course of belching buses, and suddenly there it is: smugglers' paradise. Rising from the desert 45 miles south of the Arizona border, this tiny town of Altar is a one-stop shop for the tens of thousands of immigrants who pass through every year. Residents have turned their homes into makeshift hotels. Merchants hawk anything a border crosser may need, from backpacks to Gatorade to foot cream. Your first time crossing? No problem. There are plenty of young men milling in the plaza - coyotes, as Mexico's immigrant smugglers are known - to guide you across the desert. 'They fill the stores, the markets, the hotels,' Romeo Monteverde, Altar's mayor, said of the estimated 1,500 soon-to-be illegal immigrants who pass through town daily during peak season. 'From the taxis to the buses, they're the entire economy,' he said. The improbable bustle of this isolated outpost is a cautionary tale for those with high expectations that new technology and more border guards can effectively seal the country's southwestern border. If there's one thing policymakers sometimes forget, experts say, it's that the border is a moving battlefield, a game of tit for tat with a strongly motivated foe willing to risk just about anything to protect the billion-dollar smuggling industry." "2008 pres" 7:01:22 AM

Opposition to diversion of Elk Creek Some residents of Pine are opposed the the diversion of Elk Creek for the proposed Tanglewood subdivision, according to CBS4Denver.com. From the article, "A public meeting of the Park County Commissioners scheduled for Tuesday on the proposed water diversion of South Elk Creek for a planned subdivision was postponed a day before it was to be held. The delay comes amid concerns by the residents of Pine who call the proposed diversion a 'water grab.' South Elk Creek flows through Pine in neighboring Jefferson County. A developer wants to divert part of the creek as a source of water for the proposed Tanglewood subdivision in Park County where more than 400 new homes are planned... "Opposition to the water diversion runs through the community of Pine. 'All these rocks and everything are flowing through here just cause of mother nature,' said Rick Collins, a Pine resident. 'We're wondering, 'will we have a well,' said Nancy Hough, another Pine resident. Hough's husband said it doesn't make sense to supply newcomers at the expense of old timers. The creek is used by the local fire department to operate the town's only fire hydrant... "While diverting the South Elk Creek water is controversial, it is not illegal. The developer does have the legal water rights to proceed. Residents said they want to be treated fairly." "colorado water" 6:46:17 AM

Funding for the Platte River Cooperative Agreement? Here's an article about funding for the Platte River Endangered Species agreement from the Sterling Journal Advocate. From the article, "Now that governors have signed off on the three-state agreement to protect threatened and endangered species on the South Platte River, the search is under way in Denver and Washington for money to fund the more than $187 million program over the next 13 years. The search is under way in Denver and Washington for money to fund the more than $187 million Platte River Recovery Implementation Act over the next 13 years. A bill before Colorado lawmakers seeks $6 million in severance taxes to pay Colorado[base ']s bill for 2006-07... "[HB 07-1182, Concerning the Species Conservation Trust Fund, and, In Connection Therewith, Approving the Species Conservation Eligibility List, Recapitalizing the Species Conservation Trust Fund, and Making an Appropriation] is being held up in the House Appropriations Committee with several other bills looking at the oil and gas severance tax fund at a method of funding programs. New estimates are due March 20 on how much lawmakers can spend from the fund. A fiscal impact statement on the HB 1182 warns that the money may not be available. Severance tax collections generally are believed to be decreasing because oil and gas companies are taking deductions for property taxes they paid two years ago... "Among other programs funded through severance taxes are soil and conservation programs, feasibility and environmental studies for water projects requested through water basin roundtables, financial assistance for paying utility bills, and the Clean Energy Development Fund. Kowalski said a Colorado delegation that included representatives of Denver Water and several agriculture and water groups, recently traveled to Washington to push for the federal authorization of the program. 'We are speaking with one voice on this,' Kowalski said. 'We can't do this without federal participation.' Salazar said the recovery project would help ensure a balance in water use along the Platte River. 'Our farmers, ranchers and communities depend on its water for their livelihoods,' Salazar said. 'Balancing their needs with a conservation ethic that protects threatened wildlife is a must.' Allard said the implementation was the culmination of years of negotiations among Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming." "colorado water" 6:17:22 AM

Snowpack Here's an article about the snowpack from the Summit Daily News "reg". They write, "After a couple of months of so-so snowfall, Mother Nature picked up the pace in February, with total monthly snowfall in downtown Breckenridge edging into the surplus zone for the first time since early in the season. Rick Bly, who measures the white stuff for the National Weather Service, tallied 35 inches for the month, well above the 23.4 inches that's average for the month based on records going back more than a 100 years. The snow melted down to 2.38 inches of water, also well above the average 1.72 inches. Bly said the high winds made it tricky to measure the snowfall totals toward the end of the month. For the season to date, Bly has measured 130.8 inches of snow, making for a 23 percent surplus based largely on the big October dumps that added up to more than three times the normal snowfall for that month... "February snowfall at the Dillon site was a little below average, with 15.5 inches of snow compared to the average 18.8 inches. The snow melted down to just .72 inches of water, more than 30 percent below the average 1.18 inches. The biggest notable anomaly in the February weather stats is for the temperature readings at the Dillon site, where the average monthly low temperature registered at 7.6 degrees, well above the average 1.3 degrees. The mercury dropped to minus-19 degrees the first two nights of the month, but things warmed up significantly after that, with only three more nights of sub-zero readings. And several nights near the middle of the month were downright balmy for mid-winter, with lows in the mid- and upper-20s. Daytime highs climbed above freezing 17 times, with the warmest reading (50 degrees) on Feb. 7. "Statewide, snowfall totals continues to hover near average in many basins. The Upper Colorado River Basin was at exactly 100 percent of normal as of March 5, with the lowest reading (77 percent) at Arapaho Ridge, and the highest (117 percent) at Jones Pass. Summit County Snotel site readings include 105 percent at Copper Mountain, 103 percent at Grizzly Peak, 116 percent at Hoosier Pass and 91 percent at Summit Ranch, in the Lower Blue. The moisture content in the Upper Colorado Basin is at 96 percent of normal as of March 5.Snowfall in the Gunnison River Basin stands at 99 percent of normal for the season (beginning Oct. 1), while the Yampa and White River basins are at 90 percent of normal snowfall, with 84 percent moisture content. The San Miguel, Animas, Dolores and San Juan Basin has tallied 99 percent of average snowfall, but the water content in the San Juan snowpack is only at about 76 percent of average for this time of year." More snowpack news from the Vail Daily News "reg". From the article, "On Wednesday, the statewide snowpack was 91 percent of the 30-year average, compared with 88 percent on the same date last year. The Colorado River basin itself was 96 percent of average. The southwest reported the lowest with 77 percent in the San Miguel-Dolores-Animas-San Juan Basin. The blizzards filled up plains reservoirs and Denver Water, the state's biggest municipal water provider, reported its system was 89 percent full as of Monday. The average for the date is 78 percent. The snow also ended two years of extreme drought for wheat farmers. Hanavan said the area entered a drought in 1999 that was only temporarily broken by heavy snow in the spring of 2003. Demand for ethanol has driven up prices for wheat and corn. The 116 percent average reported in the Arkansas River Basin and 111 percent in the South Platte were a mixed blessing. Colorado ranchers lost an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 head of cattle to blizzards. So far the federal government has declined to provide any aid." Water supplies up north are looking OK, according to the Longmont Daily Times-Call. From the article, "The Natural Resources Conservation Service's March 1 snowpack report, released Monday, shows snowpack for the South Platte River Basin at 111 percent of average. That basin includes the St. Vrain Creek basin, which supplies at least half of Longmont's water. Snowpack estimates show the amount of water in snow, which is important for planning summer water supplies for cities and agricultural producers. The South Platte snowpack decreased 3 percentage points from last month, but no one is raising a red flag about the decline. 'It's not all that alarming,' said Mike Gillespie, a snow-survey supervisor for the NRCS. 'It's been a little on the dry side. The impact of the December and January blizzards has been mitigated a bit.' Ken Huson, water resource administrator for the city of Longmont, said he's optimistic about the March 1 snowpack report as a whole. However, between one-third and one-half of Longmont[base ']s water -- depending on the year -- comes from Windy Gap and Colorado-Big Thompson water-diversion projects, which take Western Slope water from the Upper Colorado River Basin. That basin is 5 percent off its average snowpack readings, according to the NRCS." "colorado water" 6:03:52 AM

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