Proposed Pueblo power plant debate spills over into third night

Not surprising in the midst of an ongoing nuclear power plant disaster in Japan, much of the heated opposition to a proposed reactor in Pueblo the last two nights has reportedly focused on safety and fallout in the event of a meltdown. The Pueblo Chieftain reported more than 500 people, most of them opponents, came out to a Pueblo County commissioners meeting Wednesday night to express their fears about possibly being home to Colorado’s first active nuclear reactor since Fort St. Vrain in Platteville, east of Longmont, was shut down in 1992 and later converted to a natural gas plant.

Pueblo power debate: ‘All of the impacts, few of the benefits’

Xcel produces 1,410 megawatts of electricity in Pueblo — enough to power at least a million homes — but sells none of it to local residents. It does, indirectly, sell a percentage of that power to Pueblo households through Black Hills, which has a franchise agreement with the city, but will do so only until the end of next year, when the current contract is set to expire.

Pueblo’s Black Hills utility company suspends solar rebates

After fulfilling the state requirement for solar energy as a percentage of electricity generation, Black Hills Energy has announced the suspension of the $2 per watt rebate program. Local solar companies fear the move will significantly dampen…

Ritter shares out budget pain, lifts business tax exemptions

DENVER– Gov. Bill Ritter signed nine pieces of controversial legislation into law Wednesday that suspended or eliminated tax breaks for businesses. Ritter is attempting to balance a state budget billions in the red due to recession-era declining tax revenues. The bills he signed Wednesday drew sharp protest from Republican lawmakers who said they were bad for business and recommended additional program cuts on top of the historic cuts already made in the last year. The tax bills will generate $15.6 million in revenue this fiscal year and $132.6 million next fiscal year.

High-speed-rail $20 billion price tag raises eyebrows around the state

Even before it issues its final report later this month, the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority is generating plenty of buzz for its $15 billion cost estimate for passenger rail along the Interstate 70 corridor between Denver and Vail.

An…

Pueblo politico confirms Romanoff plans to mount challenge to Bennet

It’s not just unnamed sources suggesting former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff intends to challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet in a Democratic primary next year. The Denver Post, which first reported Romanoff’s plans Friday night, quotes Pueblo-based political consultant…

News Nuggets, 25 August 2009: Fracking fluid, it’s toasted!

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SECRET FORMULA: In Wyoming it’s the same as it is here in Colorado. “How in god’s name can the oil industry dump sh*t in our drinking water and not tell us what it is?”…

I-70 Coalition chair: Don’t expect freeway fix, rail anytime soon

The stories from Front Range weekend warriors of typical two-hour drives on Interstate 70 turned into six-hour odysseys by jackknifed semis and brutal mountain weather are legion, but one expert says drivers shouldn’t expect any relief till 2015 at the…

Sen. Bennet health-reform video takes Pueblo town hall national

U.S. Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet held a health-care town hall in Pueblo last week and has sent out a video and a press release of the event. The video has the senator speaking on the issues sincerely indoors to an…

News Nuggets, 7 August 2009: Anti-health reform demagoguery in Pueblo

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SENIOR CARE: Concerning the GOP/ health industry-backed misinformation and rabble rousing campaign on health reform, it really doesn’t get any more damning than the anti-reform rally held in Pueblo yesterday. The soap-box speaker captured…