Sunday, July 13, 2008

Energy: The Real Policy World

Every so often a group of stories illustrates a broader truth about a topic. So it was yesterday with the Albuquerque Journal metro page offered, one after the other, three small items about energy policy. Soothing words from politicos aside, these three bring a look at the real world.
First, there was a report that New Mexico Attorney General Gary King wants in the legal fight over whether the federal Environmental Protection Agency can move ahead with issuing an air permit for the proposed Desert Rock coal-fired generating station on Navajo Nation land. King opposes the move. Gov. Bill Richardson approved of King's intervention in the matter. The Gallup Independent carried a long story on July 7. (http://www.gallupindependent.com/2008/07july/071208.html)
The second story said the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), another federal outfit, on July 7 dismissed environmentalist protests of an oil and gas lease sale.
In the third story, the BLM has a request from Richardson to designate the Otero Mesa south of Alamogordo an area of critical environmental concern, whatever that means. The request appears to be another ploy in continuing efforts to prevent renewed oil and gas drilling in the area.

No comments: