The big news these days is that Congress finally got its sh*% together and passed an infrastructure bill (though they’ve failed to do anything with the Build Back Better bill which is perhaps more important). There’s a lot of stuff in there—like $1 trillion worth—and I’m still combing through it to get an idea of what it might mean for Western states. More on that in a coming dispatch.
In the meantime a few headlines, in brief. I wrote last week about how the Biden administration had deferred auctioning off a big portion of parcels nominated for oil and gas leasing in Wyoming. In Colorado they went even further, deferring 95 percent of nominated parcels due to potential impact to wildlife. It seems as if the administration is doing de facto leasing reform, which is better than nothing.
Down in Arizona the big utility, APS, wanted a rate increase to help it fork out a significant amount to help communities transition economically after the closure of coal mines and power plants. It’s certainly worth debating whether the ratepayers or shareholders should be paying for these things, but certainly someone should be. Arizona regulators, however, don’t seem to think so: They gave APS a revenue cut, rather than hike, meaning the utility is only making a “token payment” to these struggling communities and tribes.
In more Methane Madness news: California regulators allowed Southern California Gas Co to increase the capacity of Aliso Canyon storage field. Nearby residents and environmentalists wanted the facility closed, altogether, given that it was the site of a massive methane leak in 2015 that sickened people and contributed 100,000 metric tons of potent greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
And, the U.S. Forest Service granted a right-of-way for a proposed oil-hauling railroad that would connect Utah’s Uinta Basin with the national rail network, thereby facilitating more drilling.
Finally, a reader sent us this awesome piece from John Oliver explaining the electrical grid in easy-to-understand, entertaining terms. It seems appropriate here since the grid is one of the beneficiaries of the infrastructure bill!
Your town is on the nightly news about the wine industry in the town. Happening right now on ABC. Liked your 3 part series. The 1st installment really made me laugh when it suddenly stopped. I wanted to know what happened to you and your friends. It reminded me of a series ending that leaves viewers with a cliffhanger. So glad nothing happened to the three of you when you were stopped by nervous police at the end. River rafting is the best with an experienced guide. My family went on one and my aunt got bounced out. Our guide panicked and the other guide had to pull close to us to calm her down. Dad was able to grab her pants and pull her in and drop her in water on the bottom of the boat. She was worried about drowning in the boat. She was finally able to sit up. She and my mother had both been life guards growing up so she hadn’t panicked while bouncing around in the water. Greed is out of hand in this country. We just heard that Howard Hughes corporation paid $600 million for a ranch called Douglas Ranch NW of Phoenix to make a 100,000 home development. We have no extra water in AZ. My oldest daughter and I have traveled all over AZ off roading and have come across so many “developments” that never really got developed. A few houses and roads and a fancy entrance but no real development ever happened. Very few people can really make it living so far from a town. This new one is supposed to have businesses that will employ the house buyers. It will be about 40 miles NE if Phoenix.
Watch John Oliver every week - always brings a subject to light & explains it in a humorous manner. I think hes great! Another good watch is the current Jon Stewart show - every other week I think. Its a shame that the people who truly could learn something from both of them likely would refuse to watch!!