News

Chamber supports school funding

The Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce sent this message to its members:

“Assembly Bill 46 would provide a sustainable funding source for the school district to continue to maintain and repair the critical systems that keep our community’s 93 schools open, safe, and functional for our children. With a half-billion dollars in unfunded needs, the school district needs funding to pay for the maintenance and repair projects that many of us may not think about when we think about education (like heating and ventilation systems, plumbing, roofing, and pavement). Right now, the school district has no sustainable funding source to continue to pay for these projects. ... With less than 30 days left in the 2013 session, we need to let our legislators and the governor know why we support this important piece of legislation.”

Nuclear rhetoric

Nye County Commissioner Dan Schinhofen called U.S. Sen. Harry Reid a hypocrite for winking at the storage of 403 canisters containing enriched uranium in a landfill at the Nevada Test Site (now called the Nevada National Security Site).

The canisters came from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.

Schinhofen is a supporter of the proposed waste dump for high level nuclear wastes at Yucca Mountain, which Reid opposes.

“What we’re concerned with is the sheer hypocrisy of Sen. Reid, who said Yucca Mountain isn’t safe but is OK with putting this fissile material 40 feet underground,” Schinhofen told a public meeting. “The hypocrisy stinks.”

Reid’s office gave a statement to the Las Vegas Review Journal: “This is not bomb grade material. The [Nye] County Commission should understand the difference between 403 canisters and 70,000 tons.”

Reno letter published

In a letter to the editor of the Nation magazine, reacting to a previous article about how decades of changes in rape law have not changed cultural attitudes, an unnamed Reno resident wrote in part:

“I have just learned that my 18-year-old grandniece was raped by a college football player at a party recently. No one is supposed to know about this assault—it’s a secret, a big secret kept by her family because of shame.

“The attacker has been charged. My niece had to leave college because she couldn’t hold up under the harassment of the perpetrator’s teammates and others because she pressed charges. She is recovering at home without support from other family and friends because of the ‘no talk’ rule. The rape was devastating, but barring friends and family from giving support is devastating as well. The adage ‘Your secrets keep you sick’ applies here and could have the most severe consequence: suicide. Receiving love and care outside the immediate family would promote her processing this violation and is imperative for her healing. I believe our ‘jock’ culture is to blame, along with the media’s portrayal of women as toys to be used for the glory of men and their supremacy.”

Pleased as punch

At the Nevada Legislature, an amendment has been attached to a bill creating a cultural endowment in Nevada. The amendment reads, “The traditional Basque drink known as the Picon Punch is hereby designated as the official state drink of the State of Nevada.”

—Dennis Myers

Sen. Kelvin Atkinson speaks in a legislative   hallway with Assemblymember David Bobzien,  right, and journalist Jon Ralston about Senate  Bill 123.

Powers that be

Public shut out of utility legislation, putting ratepayers at risk

An effort at the Nevada Legislature to shield NVEnergy from utility regulation by prompted a surge of consumer Dennis Myers activism. The drama got underway on April 3 when the corporation announced that it will close its environmentunfriendly coal-fired plants, starting with Reid Gardner in the south next year, and finishing with its northern plant at Valmy in 2025. While basking in the favorable publicity from that announcement, NVEnergy said it would offer an amendment to Senate Bill 123 to help it accomplish the phase-out of coal.

“I think that people have to understand that the legislative process is a negotiating process.”

sen. Kelvin Atkinson Clark County Democrat

That raised suspicions because some lawmakers said there was no need for legislation in order for NVEnergy to go ahead with its plans (“Bad days in Newcastle,” RN&R, April 18).

S.B. 123, sponsored by Sen. Kelvin Atkinson, was a measure intended to foster renewable energy. Atkinson consented to the amendment. The public has never been permitted to comment on the amendment, only on the original bill. But selected groups were permitted to testify.

Objections to the amendment included a hold-harmless clause for shareholders but no protection for ratepayers, plus a balloon payment years down the road that could also threaten ratepayers. And critics said the bill would circumvent the public utilities regulatory process.

A flyer circulated by NVEnergy argued that its amendment would “retire 800 MW of company-owned coal-fired generating plants, acquire or construct 550 MW of capacity to replace the retired … plants, acquire or construct 50 MW or renewable facilities, issue requests for 300 MW or renewable energy, and propose rate mitigation under certain circumstances.”

NVEnergy called the initiative embodied by its amendment “Nvision.” (This is also the name of a Nevada state wellness program, a Sparks/Las Vegas home improvement company, a Grass Valley television equipment corporation, and a chain of laser surgery clinics.)

The dispute between NVEnergy and its critics did not seem to catch fire, even after legislators expressed their concern and the Las Vegas Sun reported on April 8 that NVEnergy “can accomplish [the coal switch] through existing regulation; a change in state law isn’t necessary.

In the meantime, there was another amendment being worked on and circulated among players that set off further alarm bells because it was considered much worse than the original amendment. That was when “people started coming out of the woodwork on this thing” to fight the measure, said one lobbyist.

Among those alarmed was Tim Hay, former state consumer advocate. (The consumer advocate post represents the public before the Public Utilities Commission.) Hay and others quickly formed and incorporated a new organization, the Nevada Consumer Protection Alliance. Hay asked his former boss, Frankie Sue Del Papa, to speak out on the amendment, which she did. Del Papa’s stature as a former Nevada attorney general and secretary of state kicked the issue to a new level in the legislative halls—though most journalism entities continued to ignore it. That was particularly surprising because of the newsworthy wording of the amendment, such as language permitting the state Public Utilities Commission to act only “so long as there is no adverse impact on the utility shareholders”—an astonishing gift to the corporation.

“I see this as a consumer protection issue,” Del Papa said. “Never before has a bill been introduced that has such guarantees to shareholders.”

Atkinson was distressed by the controversy, and felt blindsided by fellow Democrat Del Papa failing to give him a heads-up that she was entering the fray. “My own party, and I have to read about it in the paper?” he said.

Lobbyist Marlene Lockard, who by default—other figures wanting to stay out of the legislative building— became the principal lobbyist against the amendment, said it was her fault that Atkinson had not known about the formation of the Alliance or Del Papa’s participation. “I apologized, because I should have told him this Alliance had formed prior to it being in the press.”

Atkinson said he was untroubled by the NVEnergy amendment not being submitted as a stand-alone bill instead of as an amendment, and that he did not support any legislation that would circumvent the regulatory process. “If we start allowing them to do that, we’re all in a lot of trouble,” he said.

After hearings by the Senate energy and finance committees, the bill passed the Senate. During those committees’ proceedings there was no public comment on the amendment.

Atkinson predicted that at a May 17 meeting of the Assembly Commerce

and Labor Committee last week, critics would be satisfied by the corporation’s concessions: “A lot of people are going to be singing ‘Kumbaya.’” It didn’t exactly work out that way.

NVEnergy offered a new amendment, but it was a “work session” of the committee, so testimony could only be given by those invited by the committee, chaired by the bill’s Assembly sponsor, David Bobzien. Testimony was taken from the casino industry, labor leaders and the Public Utilities Commission. The state consumer advocate was not invited to testify, nor was the public.

The gambling industry, said one player, has a big stake in the bill because it would have a lot of impact on the casinos. But the same could be said of most industries. Labor unions, hungry for jobs, are among the bill’s strongest supporters.

“It would have had a major impact on the casinos,” Lockard said afterward. “We think it has a major potential impact on ratepayers.”

At press time, the meaning of the new amendment was still unclear. Hay said, “I haven’t crunched some of the numbers I wanted to crunch yet, but I have seen enough to know that it contains loopholes that would guarantee higher rates than otherwise would occur.”

Nevada Consumer Advocate Eric Witkoski said he was at a funeral during the May 17 Assembly meeting, but his aide Dan Jacobsen was present and could have testified. “They make the rules,” Witkoski said. “I think we could have provided some helpful information.”

Jacobsen said one good part of the new amendment is that it reduced the amount of generating capacity NV Energy could build or obtain without state approval. But the downside, he said, is that it still circumvents the Public Utilities Commission, by guaranteeing more than 500 megawatts of capacity without PUC authorization, which could put ratepayers at risk. The last generating plant constructed, north of Las Vegas, cost more than $700 million.

“The PUC looks at the need that the company has for new generating capacity,” Jacobsen said. “They do this every three years. It’s a formal process. This bill just says that the company gets this amount of generating capacity, and the commission can’t stop it.”

Lockard said one of the principal objections, besides the content of the amendments, is NVEnergy circumventing the normal legislative process. She said other players must use a bill drafting request (BDR) instead of piggybacking on a popular piece of legislation already in the pipeline.

Lockard said, “We’re concerned about the process. Last session [2011], on the last night of the session, NVEnergy came with a major amendment to a bill, and ultimately the governor vetoed that. Then in the last week, deadline week, NVEnergy had time to envision, have logos made, labor testify, everyone testify. Why couldn’t they find the time to get a BDR like everyone else does? Why do they never go through the process that the rest of us are held to at the Legislature?” Ω

Days of future passed

ARE YOU READY YET? YOUREADYE YOU READY YET

MAKE “SOMEDAY” TODAY!

Leaning against the vinyl albums bins at Sundance Books is a product called “LP Crate”—a kit for assembling an orange crate (“PRE-DRILLED FOR EASY ASSEMBLY”), the kind that, during the age of vinyl in the 20th century, was given away by grocers (or liberated by other means) and heavily used in college dorms alongside the boards-and-cinder-block bookcases. What was then free now goes for $30.

LEARN TO RIDE in just 4 DAYS with RIDER’S EDGE® RENT A HARLEY for an EXTENDED TEST RIDE Buy any NEW or USED H-D® MOTORCYCLE with EASY, LOW INTEREST FINANCING Open 7 days a week!

National Trails Day in Red Rock Canyon

May 31 - June 2

Stevens Camp is a top site for popular camping, hiking and equestrian use in the Black Rock Desert region in northwest Nevada. The area located at the north end of High Rock Canyon in the Black Rock Desert High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area. The historical house at the camp was built by Tennessee Ernie Ford when he owned the property in the 1940’s and was traded for land with the Bureau of Land Management by its second owner.

Vast open space and intriguing wildlife teams throughout this section of the NCA and horsemen find it particularly ideal due to the mountain springs and horse corrals which makes for the perfect camping place. During the antelope hunting season, hunters spend time here dressing their catch and communing with other liked minded outdoorsmen.

Rarely do people get to visit due to it’s challenging access but this is the year to discover and explore the emigrant trails, see spectacular land and wildlife while giving back to the land we all hold dear as Nevadans and visitors. Volunteers will be working camping and hiking areas alongside the historic Applegate emigrant trail which also fosters a magnificent aspen lined canyon. Simply put, this is a spectacular experience.

Volunteers will contribute to three projects to enhance this area for hikers, equestrian users, hunters and those seeking the solitude. 1. Brush, maintain, and address water crossings 2. Remove unauthorized fencing around horse corrals and install new horse panels to increase the area for equestrian users 3. Stevens Camp cabin maintenance 4. Install new signage

Due to the remoteness of Red Rock Canyon, camping around Stevens Camp cabin is required and adds to the community fun. Four established camping areas with a vault toilet, picnic tables and fire pits are available. Tools, water and gloves will be provided. Volunteers through Friends of Black Rock High Rock will be present with delicious home cooked meals and ready for a very good time! Bring your harmonica or guitar for some campfire singing.

Projects begin at 9:00 am sharp, on Saturday, June 1. This is a very family friendly event!

Directions: Stevens Camp is located 12 miles northeast of Highway 34 at 4596201 N, 292352 E (41°29’25.16”N, 119°29’27.89”W).

Stop by Friends of Black Rock’s Visitor Information Center at 320 Main Street in Gerlach, NV on your way out to connect and get last minute items.

Volunteers please email Friends Coordinator: Michael Myers at info@blackrockdesert.org or call 775.557.2900

Connect- Inspire - Protect

www.newsreview.com Forget the ‘deal of the day’! Visit