The Oregonian reported yesterday that two environmental groups have filed suit to stop a proposed wind farm just north of Steens Mountain. This report from 54 40 or Fight includes the map below showing the location of the proposed wind farm in relation to Steens. One thing to remember is that this would not even [...]
The price of natural gas has fallen from $15 per 1000 cubic feet in 2005 to $2/1000 cf today. A few years ago their was local controversy over a liquified natural gas import facility on the Oregon coast. Now the controversy is over a natural gas export facility. What’s going on, and how likely is [...]
Originally published in The Oregonian — April 29, 2012 – Several rural Oregon counties are on the brink. Two solutions have been proposed — one new, one old. The old idea is to get another extension of direct federal payments under the Secure Rural Schools Act. This may yet happen, though it is currently derailed [...]
But not to worry. Here is a thoughtful piece by the “skeptical environmentalist” Bjorn Lomborg in today’s Wall Street Journal. And for more sensible reading, check out this Earth Day piece by PERC Senior Fellow Bruce Yandle.
Is the cause of rising gas prices illegal manipulation of oil and gas markets? President Obama thinks so, and he wants to spend $52 million going after the bad guys. In announcing his plan, and seeking Congressional support, the President offered no evidence of any illegal manipulation, but he’s confident it is out there somewhere. [...]
Originally published in The Baltimore Sun — April 13, 2012 – Why shouldn’t law clinics help farmers? State-funded university programs are weighted in favor of environmental activism – Maryland state Sen. Richard Colburn is fed up with the University of Maryland Environmental Law Clinic’s lawsuit against a local chicken farm. But rather than try to [...]
EXPERT WHO PUBLICLY CHALLENGED THE SCIENCE OF THE KLAMATH DAM REMOVAL LOSES HIS JOB — This story was first reported on I Spy here. Dr. Paul R. Houser is the whistleblower who was recently fired by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau) for publicly expressing his concerns regarding the integrity of the science being [...]
Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal, writing in today’s Wall Street Journal, argues that President Obama’s policies are a drag on the U.S. economy. He proposes these changes: Create a more predictable environment for exploration and production Open new areas to exploration, particularly where there is bipartisan local support Make it clear that his administration will not [...]
WIND, TIMBER AND HYPOCRISY IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST – Originally published on The Daily Caller — 3/9/12 – Writing in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal, Robert Bryce described the toll that the nation’s burgeoning wind farms have taken on endangered birds. At one site alone — Altamont in Alameda County, California — 2,400 raptors, including 70 [...]
Writing in Sunday’s Oregonian Congressman Peter DeFazio laments the opposition from environmentalists to the bipartisan effort to bring some resolution to the use and management of O&C lands in Oregon. DeFazio, along with Congressmen Greg Walden and Kurt Schrader, have proposed a compromise that would give permanent protection to over a million acres of forest, [...]
Oregon farmer Mark Dickman writes in yesterday’s Oregonian on the Governor’s lack of attention to job creation. Once the Governor thought he would get what he wanted, says Dickman, he threw his Republican and business collaborators under the bus. Putting in it most favorable light, the best one can say is the Governor and his [...]
Has the battle for social justice come to Lake Oswego? In terms of citizen involvement, it was a standing-room-only success. I haven’t seen them packed in like that since Dana Carvey at Roseland. But the Lake Oswego Planning Commission public hearing on lake access was no laughing matter. Judging from the testimony of the community [...]
GOVERNOR AND FELLOW DEMOCRATS STONEWALL REPUBLICANS’ JOBS INITIATIVE – The Oregonian editorial board continues to pound away at Republican legislators and particularly House Co-Speaker Bruce Hanna. On Wednesday of this week the editorial board railed against Republican failure to rush through education and health care reforms pushed by the Governor. Today the editorial board expresses [...]
Originally published in The Oregonian 2/21/12 Keep the messy politics: Rule by government experts is a recipe for tyranny The Oregonian editorial board suggests a siren to warn when “legislators try to take over management of the state’s natural resources” (“Water, trees and politics,” Feb. 16). On the opposite page, columnist Dave Lister describes how [...]
Writing in today’s Wall Street Journal, Terry Anderson, executive director of the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC), explains how some of the best and most effective efforts to save endangered species are stymied by the very environmentalists who claim to champion species protection. What is it about private initiatives to promote public good that [...]
A half century ago, University of Chicago Professor Ronald Coase explained why markets allow us to get the most human benefit from scarce resources. Yet governments continue to insist that their experts pick and choose among those who get to use valuable resources, and for what purposes. Of course this is not surprising, given that [...]
A dozen Oregon counties are in big trouble. They used to prosper from a share of receipts from timber sales on the O&C lands in their counties. With the 90% reduction in public lands timber harvests over the past two decades, Congress has provided stopgaps in the form of PILT (payments in lieu of taxes) [...]
Originally published on the DailyCaller.com 01/10/12 – A few weeks ago, my seventh-grade daughter’s school put regular classes on hold for a “sustainability day.” One of the things they did during this reprieve from the rigors of math, history and English was watch a video titled “The Story of Stuff,” starring Annie Leonard and lots [...]
