Big Sal, Buddy Bob The Slob, "Do Breakfast" in Nevada w/ Hairless Harry; Leave State A Very Large Tip

Bloggers Note: I wonder if this is the same meeting where Dirty Harry told Big Sal about "Nevadas Wild Horse Problem," ...(just like he complained to (ex) Congressman Burns, as he asked him to slip in "the rider" to the WFH&B Act making it OK to kill some, because Hairless Harry Reid dosent have enough hair on his BALLS to "man-up" and do his own dirty work) It was probably in this way at this meeting in Harrys Hometown of Searchlight Nv., that Hairless told Big Sal about his "brilliant" ROAM Act idea, setting forth a "new plan" for wild horse management (to eventually get them off of their historic rangelands and into the private sector, and to BOMBARD them with birth controls) That is probably when Big Sal got the idea to support Hairlesses' idea and backed it by coming out publicly with his "Salazoo Plan,"...which is nothing but the carrying out and/or fulfillment of the ROAM Act. The timing is right anyways. The "Breakfast Club" Meeting of Reid, Salazar and Abby was about one month ago, and that is the approximate age of the public announcement of Big Sals Salazoo Plan....ha ha..Big Sal is presenting it as if the idea was all his own when it seems now the ROAM Act was Hairlesss'idea! He had to get his co-defendant Congressman Byrd to present it, cause he knew if he presented it himself, no one would buy that it would benefit the equines, and it dosent! Reid probably was inspired to write the ROAM Act from the idea(s) set out earlier in the "Pickinses'Plan(s),"... BOTH of them, taken together,....Mr.(his) and (Mrs.)hers!

Madeleine's Plan; To Save the Wild Horses
http://www.madeleinesmustangs.org/

T. Boones Plan; To Remove Them from Certain Lands
http://wildhorsewarriors.blogspot.com/2009/11/other-pickins-plan.html

The pieces of the puzzle are beginning to fit together now - it is all starting to make sense, when you look at the larger picture,...but all in all, it should come as no suprize, its just "politics as usual" on the hill, - and to hell with the earth, the animals, and the will of the people too.

IT IS all about the BIGGEST BANG for the Buck and the relevant LAW says it shouldnt be this way!

Reid, Salazar, and Abbey give Nevada $135 million after breakfast SpecialBy Jay David Murphy.

Published Sep 4, 2009

Senator Reid, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, and BLM Director Bob Abbey had breakfast in Searchlight and then approved $135 for public land management in Nevada.

Nevada Senator and Majority Senate Leader Harry Reid and the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar along with Bureau of Land Management Director Bob Abbey met for breakfast at the Searchlight Nugget in Senator Reid’s tiny home town south of Las Vegas. They got together to announce Round 10 funding from the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act.

The announcement gave the approval of more than $135 million for a wide variety of restoration and improvement projects throughout Nevada and Lake Tahoe which is authorized throughout the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998 (as amended). The Act allows revenue to be generated from the sale of public lands identified for disposal in the Las Vegas valley.

After the breakfast in Searchlight the trio made the announcements to the press.
Digital Journal spoke with Justine Barasky from the office of Senator Reid about the details and he forwarded these quotes from the press conference and the details of the $135 million approved today.

Salazar had this to say, “I am pleased to commit more than $135 million for federal improvement projects throughout Nevada at Lake Tahoe. The Department of the Interior remains committed to working closely with our local, state and federal partners to protect and enhance these specials areas for the benefit of all who live in and visit Nevada.”

Senator Reid had this comment, “I thank Secretary Salazar and BLM director Abbey for coming to Searchlight to announce the approval of 135 million dollars for vital projects all around Nevada. Today’s announcement is a great example of our efforts to strengthen and diversify Nevada's economy.”

Abbey added, "Thanks to these funds, NV's lands and special areas will continue to be accessible to the public and be healthier for years to come." .

This latest funding announcement from Senator Reid is another part in a series of monies he has been a part of and over the past two weeks while in Nevada, has been attending events bringing good news that should help put some Nevadans back to work and help advance economic recovery in the state.

Senator Reid also released the following statement to the press and Digital Journal on the eve of Labor Day weekend.

“This weekend, we honor American workers. They are the backbone of our country and help make America the economic superpower that it is today. But now, they need a boost more than ever. Whether it’s extending unemployment benefits for those searching for work or reforming health insurance to ensure quality coverage for all Americans, workers and their families deserve support from their elected leaders to relieve some of the tremendous burden they feel on a daily basis. “While there are tremendous efforts already underway to create new jobs and stabilize the economy, there is still much work to be done and more challenges ahead of us. I hope we all take time this weekend to reflect on the contributions of the millions of working families across Nevada and the rest of the country.”

Here is a breakdown of more than $79.9 million of the appropriated dollars for restoration and improvement projects in Nevada.
Parks, trails, and natural areas- $10,239,022
Capitol Improvements- $8,246,129
Conservation Initiatives- $7,655,107
Environmentally sensitive land acquisitions- $13,066,000
Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Wildfire Prevention- $10,963,140
Eastern Nevada Landscape Restoration Project- $1,931,721
Lake Tahoe Restoration Projects- $27,891,285

The package also includes a $30 million set-aside for future Lake Tahoe projects, $10 million in a special account reserve for emergency or unexpected project expenditures, and more than $15.8 million for the previously approved Wetlands Park project in Clark County.

Click on title above to go to original article;
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/278758

-----------------------

Bloggers Note: Nothing for the equines, but PLEASE ALSO NOTE: $10 M "in reserve" for emergency or unexpected PROJECT expenditures....can we think of any BLM Project that you would like to see this 10M put towards?

Wind Farms to Replace Wild Horses in Ely, Nevada

Wind farm project could start construction in 2010
By RUDY HERNDON
Ely Times Reporter
Construction activity at White Pine County's first commercial wind turbine farm could begin as early as next summer, bringing up to 200 workers to the area.
At last count, the BLM's Ely's office had received applications for 17 wind projects -- most of which would be located on public lands inside the county.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is currently finalizing Pattern Energy's plan of development for its Spring Valley wind project, and the Houston-based developer is hoping to start construction of the 160-megawatt wind farm in late summer or early fall of 2010. The project could be completed by the second quarter of 2011, according to Wells McGiffert, the Ely BLM's renewable energy project manager.

The company has hired international contractor Mortenson Construction to assemble the 66 or so turbines.

While the influx of 150 to 200 construction workers from outside the area could provide a good boost to the county's food and lodging sector, McGiffert said the BLM is working to create short-term opportunities for county residents, as well.

"We're certainly trying to push the developer (to hire local workers)," he told county commissioners Oct. 14.

If you've been following the news about the Spring Valley project, the developer's name might not ring a bell. That's because Pattern Energy has only been around since June, when Riverstone Holdings, LLC teamed up with Babcock & Brown's North American Energy Group to purchase the latter company's wind development portfolio, including the Spring Valley project.

Despite the change of management, the right-of-way grant for the proposal remains the same: the project covers roughly 8,600 acres of BLM-administered lands between State Route 893 and U.S. Highway 50, as it veers north toward Sacramento Pass.

During the construction phase, just under 10 percent of that land would be disturbed. Over the long-term, though, the project's footprint would shrink, covering 1 to 3 percent of the land, McGiffert said.

If the BLM signs off on the lease, the agreement would cover a 30-year period.

At least 25 percent of that lease money could stay within the county, pending the passage of federal legislation.

According to McGiffert, Nevada's two U.S. senators are working to split revenues from renewable energy project leases between the BLM, the state and local government entities.

In addition to monies from the lease, the project is also expected to generate a steady stream of tax revenues.

Those figures and other details should be announced within the next month, when the BLM releases its draft Environmental Assessment on the project.

The Spring Valley project could be the first of many renewable energy projects in the area.

At last count, the BLM's Ely's office had received applications for 17 wind projects -- most of which would be located on public lands inside the county.

"We've got a lot of exciting things happening here," McGiffert said. "(I think) we will see quite a few of these wind projects going forward."

Click on title above for article and place to comment;
http://www.elynews.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/news01.txt

Nevada Makes 28.2 Mil in Sale of Public Lands 8/08

Geothermal Development Planned for Western Public Lands

PHOENIX, Arizona, October 22, 2008 (ENS) - More than 190 million acres of federal land in 12 western states will be opened for development of geothermal energy resources, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced today.

"Geothermal energy will play a key role in powering America's energy future," Kempthorne said, "and 90 percent of our nation's geothermal resources are found on federal lands."

The plan would identify about 118 million acres of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and 79 million acres of National Forest Service lands for future geothermal leasing.

"Facilitating their leasing and development under environmentally sound regulations is crucial to supplying the secure, clean energy American homes and businesses need," the secretary said in Phoenix where he has been attending the annual convention of the National Congress of American Indians.

There are 29 geothermal power plants currently operating on Bureau of Land Management lands in California, Nevada and Utah, with a total generating capacity of 1,250 megawatts, enough to supply the electricity needs of 1.2 million homes.

Calpine geothermal power plant at The Geysers near Calistoga, California. (Photo by Lewis Stewart courtesy NREL)

The largest group of geothermal power plants in the world is located in The Geysers, a geothermal field in California. Currently, geothermal power supplies less than one percent of the world's energy.

Under the plan announced today, known as the Final Geothermal Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, 5,540 megawatts of new electric generation capacity from geothermal resources could be in place by 2015.

One megawatt of geothermal energy powers more than 1,000 homes, so if the newly announced plan is implemented, new geothermal energy could meet the needs of 5.5 million homes.

In addition, the plan estimates an additional 6,600 megawatts by 2025 for a total of 12,100 megawatts - enough to power more than 12 million homes.

Kempthorne points to growing interest in developing these resources shown by the results of recent Bureau of Land Management geothermal lease sales in areas where current Resource Management Plans already allow geothermal development.

An August 2007 sale drew the highest ever per-acre bid for a lease in The Geysers field. And a sale of leases in Nevada brought a record-breaking $28.2 million in August 2008.

Kempthorne noted the strong interest states, local communities, industry and environmental groups took in the development of this plan.

"This process has benefited greatly from the involvement of both governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders, and from the clear direction Congress gave in the 2005 Energy Policy Act," the secretary said.

Geothermal resources range from heat found just under the ground to hot water and rock miles below the Earth's surface. Wells over a mile deep can be drilled into underground reservoirs to tap steam and very hot water that can be brought to the surface to generate electricity.

There are environmental concerns around geothermal energy. Dry steam and flash steam power plants emit low levels of carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, and sulphur, although at roughly five percent of the levels emitted by fossil fuel power plants.

To resolve these concerns, geothermal plants can be built with systems that can inject these substances back into the Earth, reducing carbon emissions to less than 0.1 percent of those from fossil fuel power plants.

Hot water from geothermal sources will contain trace amounts of toxics such as mercury and arsenic, which if discharged into rivers can make the water unsafe to drink.

To protect special resource values, the plan announced today identifies a comprehensive list of stipulations, conditions of approval and best management practices required for approval of future geothermal leases.

Lands closed to geothermal leasing will remain closed. Lands within a unit of the National Park System, such as Yellowstone National Park, for instance,will continue to be unavailable for leasing. The plan also excludes wilderness areas and wilderness study areas from geothermal development.

It will allow discretionary closure of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern where the BLM determines that this is appropriate. The BLM may also implement discretionary closures of units of the National Landscape Conservation System.

The Forest Service will use information in the plan to facilitate leasing analysis to determine whether or not geothermal leasing is appropriate and to evaluate its land use plans and amend them as needed through a separate environmental review process.

The plan also provides site-specific environmental analysis of 19 pending geothermal lease applications in seven locations.

These leases were filed before January 1, 2005 for specific lands in Alaska, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington managed by the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. Decisions on these 19 leases could proceed as soon as the Record of Decision is signed on the Final Geothermal Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.

The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service will publish the final version of the plan in the Federal Register on Friday, October 24, 2008. It will be available online at http://www.blm.gov/Geothermal_EIS.

The governors of the 12 states in the plan's project area each will have the opportunity to review the final document to ensure consistency with state plans, programs, and policies.

The Bureau of Land Management will wait until the end of the Governor's consistency review period before signing and issuing the Record of Decision approving the land use plan amendments. Kempthorne says any inconsistencies will be resolved before a Record of Decision is issued.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.