Growth Management & The Environment

Texas Needs $375 Million for Clean Air Program

In what is viewed by legislators as a "life or death" situation, the state of Texas must come up with $375 million for the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan or face severe sanctions by the EPA that could cost the state $24 billion (that's with a "b") per year. The money is desperately needed say state lawmakers, even though Texas is facing a 2004-2005 budget shortfall of around $12 billion. Dallas-Fort Worth must meet EPA air standards by 2007, as do other large markets in Texas such as Austin and Houston. If not met, sanctions would include the loss of over $1 billion annually in federal road funds, bans on construction companies using diesel equipment and restrictions on growth and plant construction.

West Tennessee County Building 977-Acre Lake

After waiting 18 years for a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Carroll County, Tenn. officials got the go ahead to construct a 977-acre recreational lake that will cost around $10 million. Carroll County officials have discussed the lake for years, touting its economic development benefits from real estate and commercial interests. The county is located midway between Memphis and Nashville.

Kansas Wind Power Partners with California Company

Kansas Wind Power, a Lawrence, Kan.-based provider of green electricity, has partnered with Composite Technology of Irvine, Calif. to develop wind farms in Kansas. Described in reports as the "Saudi Arabia of wind power," Kansas is benefiting from a slew of new wind power projects from a variety of energy providers. KWP is partnering with Composite Technology in a $150 million project that would build 68 wind power turbines for a total of 102 megawatts. CT would supply the technology and materials for the turbine project.

FPL Energy Adding Wind Power

Florida-based FPL Energy has added 324 megawatts to its wind power portfolio. FPL has brought online three wind energy centers in Iowa, West Virginia and Washington. FPL is trying to add up to 1,200 megawatts of wind generated energy capacity in 2003. Currently wind power makes up about 24 percent of FPL Energy's energy capacity.

Austin Clean Air Initiative Complete

Five counties in the Austin, Tex., metro have signed an agreement that will develop a clean air action plan. If the EPA and the state of Texas approve the plan, it must be acted on by Dec. 31, 2005. The Austin region could be in non-compliance as early as 2004 if initiatives are not put into place to improve air quality.

Water District, State of Florida Buy 8,465 Acres

The state of Florida and the St. Johns River Water Management District are purchasing nearly 8,500 acres of land in southeastern St. Johns County from Rayonier, the large wood products concern. The purchase price was $40 million. Jacksonville-based Rayonier, which owns over 2 million acres of land in the South, wants to see the land preserved. Much of the land being purchased includes the Matanzas Marsh. The water district owns more than 500,000 acres of land from the Georgia border in north Florida to Brevard County to the south. The land purchase from Rayonier will help the water district buffer the area from further development.