[BOBTHENAILER]

Fine, let’s take Senator Bingaman’s deep desire and that of the environmentalists and install 400’ wind turbines throughout the windy Otero Mesa. It would provide “free energy”, jobs to locals who could collect the raptor and migratory bird carcasses and the “footprint” would surely be no greater than a five foot high gas well head.

Who says I didn't advocate wind power.

Cover Otero Mesa with 400 foot wind generators PUHHHLLLEEEEEEEEZE.

[newgeezer]

Cover Otero Mesa with 400 foot wind generators

That's not necessarily the best approach.

One alternative would be to harness the winds in the Great Plains, where the wind is always blowing somewhere. Of course, it'd be nice to have a decent grid to hold and distribute the electricity. If I recall correctly, Congress tossed something like $10M at grid improvement this year (probably in the NE states, and only until people forget about that big blackout). Biblewonk might remember the actual number.

On a related note, rumor has it Congress and GWB will be spending upwards of $250B of our tax dollars -- close to $1,000 from every man, woman and child in the U.S. (not just the taxpayers!) -- on Katrina before it's all said and done. At the very least, appropriations for grid improvements could be judged somewhat constitutional.

Priorities, I guess. If only we had the race baiters claiming our energy situation is a civil rights matter, Congress and the White House might actually get off their collective arse...