Re: California power pricing

[Denny Haldeman <denny@voyageronline.net>]

Sorry I let this linger..I just refound it back in the email bag. 
RACHEL FAZIO, wishes for it to be known that she did not say anything close
to the following statement, she is pro ECL (End Commercial Logging) on
all public forests, and the reporter took things out of context for his
predisposed leanings on what he wanted his story to say.  She is opposed
to using forests for biomass energy, no matter the rhetoric or excuses
manufactured.   Denny

Karl Davies wrote:

> > ARNIE
>
>    Looks like the blame for shutting down the plant ultimately falls on the Forest Circus for past mismanagement:
>
>    Rachel Fazio, an Earth Island attorney, said the Forest Service has for generations let loggers plunder the forest instead of insisting on projects 
>    that carefully thin the thicket of brush and tiny trees that poses a threat of catastrophic wildfires. Those sorts of skinny trees--too small to saw for 
>    lumber--are the perfect fuel for biomass plants.
>
>    But

 

Denny Haldeman wrote:

I urge those who pooh-pah concerns by some of us over the use of forests for
biomass energy, to read this article referred to below.  I confirms our worst
fears of the BE industry intentions.  Please assure me this is an isolated
incident.  Denny

"Talgo, Arnie" wrote:

> In the US there is more to it than just price and Economics 101.
> Besides not everything has been de-regulated.  Most notably siting,licensing
> of new plants as well as re-licensing of old plants. (The supply side)
> See the article on Biomass as well as all the others.
> http://www.latimes.com/business/reports/power/lat_chips010102.htm
> California is the 6th largest economy in the world. A good thing to study
> closely.
> Regards,
> ARNIE

Looks like the blame for shutting down the plant ultimately falls on the Forest Circus for past mismanagement:

Rachel Fazio, an Earth Island attorney, said the Forest Service has for generations let loggers plunder the forest instead of insisting on projects that carefully thin the thicket of brush and tiny trees that poses a threat of catastrophic wildfires. Those sorts of skinny trees--too small to saw for lumber--are the perfect fuel for biomass plants.

But now they're making plans to correct for their past mistakes by stopping the high-grading (plunder the forest) and starting low-grading (thin the thicket of brush and tiny trees).  It will be interesting to see how Earth Island and other enviro groups respond to their new plans.

My two cents:  If they're going to manage for biomass (or anything else for that matter), force the Forest Circus to show a positive return to the owners of the national forests, ie, the taxpayers.  As it is now, Forest Circus costs are over 4000% of returns ( http://www.daviesand.com/Papers/Politics/Top_Rot/USFS_Budgets/ ).  They'll NEVER be able to show a positive return.  Therefore there will be no management.

KD