Search query: oregon

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has announced several biofuel projects for Pacific states that he says will eventually create thousands of jobs and break the nation's dependence on foreign oil. Farmers in 17 California counties and 18 in Washington state will be given the chance to grow camelina – an oilseed usually planted as a rotation crop for wheat – for conversion into a jet fuel substitute. Oregon farmers in 5 counties and Washington's Whitman County will be able to grow camelina

What seems like a disastrous round of intransigent political behavior may well be the most efficient possible way for checks and balances to right our ship of state.  The formula is almost fullproof:  economic problems + extreme views + hubris = political change.  Over a period so short that most of us can remember it clearly, the American public has thrown out the bums three times and may be getting ready to do so again.  If pure extremism plays a minor role, hubris moves into the spotlight.  W

Most commentators agree that Tim Pawlenty's proposal of an annual five percent further reduction in taxes, even for wealthy Americans, makes little sense and is simply an attempt to outflank the rest of the GOP presidential hopefuls.  But, the real problem, as clearly stated by former Reagan economist Bruce Bartlett in his article in The Fiscal Times, is that broad-based tax cuts, such as the ones supported by nearly all Republicans and some Democrats, actually work against growth. Real economi

Google has invested $100 million in Shepherds Flat Wind Farm in Oregon, which when completed, will be the largest wind farm in the world, producing 845 MW of clean energy. This follows on its recent investments into solar power tower energy and mobile biofuel production from waste, both in California.  Google has now put more than $350 million into renewable energy. The power generated at Shepherds Flat will be sold under long-term contracts to Southern California Edison and will help Californi

As  the Independent movement gains strength and momentum, it is only  logical to expect a backlash from the partisans in the major parties.  In Oregon, Independents are fighting for the  very right to represent themselves as Independents. Today,  the Rules Committee of the Oregon state House is scheduled to consider a  bill – HB 2442 – that would force the Independent Party of Oregon to  change its name or face dissolution.  More precisely, the proposal would  prohibit any party from using the

In the midst of America's perpetual campaign cycle, President Obama and a handful of GOP hopefuls aren't the only ones getting ready for 2012. Fresh off their 2010 attempt to legalize cannabis with a statewide ballot initiative called the "Tax Cannabis" act, advocates are regrouping, revisiting lessons from their 2010 failure, and building key political alliances to pull together enough votes in 2012 to make California the first state to legalize the recreational use of cannabis by adults since

When people in other countries have our Electoral College system explained to them, their reaction often is, "you must be kidding". Is there any other country where voters, instead of directly voting for a candidate to their highest office, vote for electoral delegates (who are not necessarily bound to follow the will of the voters and can vote for whomever they wish)? This odd and convoluted system is made worse by the winner-take-all rules that most states follow. If the vote is 50.1% to 49.9%

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has worked tirelessly to create a legacy proving that a strong economy and cleaner environment are not mutually exclusive.  Has he done it? The economy hasn't cooperated -- more than 2.3 million Californians are unemployed  -- but the GOP governor, whose party calls him a Republican in name only (RINO), has launched California on an ambitious path toward cleaner air and a greater commitment to sustainable practices both in the public and the private sector. "I think

It's harvest time for many California agricultural products. Although wet weather has delayed the harvest of several crops and potentially damaged one, specialty crop output should be plentiful overall. Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley have benefited from increased scattered showers in the past few weeks. Unfortunately for raisin growers, though, the late rain could damage a quarter of the crops, as the grapes have yet to be dried and harvested. Such a scenario couldn't come at a

Late spring storms, a heftier Sierra snowpack, and higher reservoir levels have largely made Californians believe the state’s record dry three-year drought is over.  But, despite a year where, through May, rainfall is 107 percent of average – up from 76 percent of average in 2009 –dry conditions remain in parts of the state. And, even with more rain, a variety of major threats still remain to the state’s water supply and its reliability. Among them: an aging levee system, continued groundwater