Offshore drilling splits GOP lawmakers

The high price of gasoline has cracked the once solid wall of antidrilling sentiment in the Florida Legislature.

"I'm tired of spilling blood in the Middle East for oil," said Senate President Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, a drilling proponent whose son is a Marine. "If we're going to protect our nation, you've got to protect resources."

Pruitt was one of a half-dozen prominent Republican lawmakers who told the St. Petersburg Times they would support offshore drilling now. Among those opposing it, though, stands one mighty powerful lawmaker: incoming House speaker, Rep. Ray Sansom of Destin, a town famous for its pristine white beaches, and thus a place where the beach IS the economy.

"I earned the title of 'the Sandman' for protecting our white fluffy beaches to attract tourism," Jones said. "Drilling for oil is dirty and nasty and not economical. I don't care if McCain is president. That wouldn't change my mind one bit."

The tension among the Legislature's Republican majority promises a tense debate should the federal government lift its offshore drilling moratorium in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and leave the issue up to states. Last month Gov. Charlie Crist backed such a plan by Arizona Sen. John McCain, the presumed Republican presidential nominee.

[Photo courtesy Destin Area Chamber of Commerce]

--Jennifer Liberto and Steve Bousquet

Progress Energy's $17B nukes approved by state regulators

Progress Energy's $17-billion nuclear project won approval Tuesday morning from state regulators, who voted unanimously that the the project is necessary and cost effective.

"It's an investment that pays off over time," said Public Service Commissioner Katrina McMurrian.

The St. Petersburg utility could start billing customers for the project as early as January. It remains unclear how it will impact monthly bills. Progress Energy said in March that residential customers could see an increase of $9 a month, but that number may have changed. The utility has redacted its latest estimates from recent state filings.

Progress Energy needs to return before the Public Service Commission in September for a hearing on how much it will charge customers for the project. The cost to customers will be made public in time for the September hearing, although it is unclear when.

"I also find the costs quite daunting," said Commissioner Lisa Polak Edgar. "But I think that it's a step we need to take."

Bush greenlights drilling offshore, pressures Congress to follow suit

Look out Florida beachgoers -- President Bush is announcing today that he's lifting a longstanding executive order first imposed by his father in 1990 banning offshore oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere along the nation's coast.

The move won't lead directly to new rigs sprouting off Caladesi Island, of course. Instead it's "aimed at stepping up pressure on Congress to end the prohibition it imposed in 1981," the Washington Post reports.

In a speech last month, Bush called for ending the 27-year-old ban on drilling for oil and gas on the outer continental shelf, "arguing that the country needs more domestic energy production to help reduce dependence on foreign oil and ease upward pressure on gasoline prices," the Post reports. Congress disdained his advice, so now he's charging ahead and hoping Congress will follow, his press secretary explained.

"This proposal is something you'd expect from an oil company CEO, not the president of the United States," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Senate Environment Committee, told the Associated Press. "The president is taking special-interest government to a new level and threatening our thriving coastal economy."

Of course, with gas topping $4 a gallon, Floridians may disagree. As one Louisiana resident told USA Today recently, ""It's OK to have an ugly spot in your backyard if that spot has oil coming out of it."

[Photo of Caladesi Island by Jim Damaske, St. Petersburg Times]

--Craig Pittman

Progress Energy wins fight against clean air rule

A federal appeals court on Friday struck down a clean-air rule championed by the Bush administration and opposed by several electric utilities, including Progress Energy.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously rejected the Clean Air Interstate Rule, which required 28 mostly Eastern states, including Florida, to reduce pollutants that cause smog. The rule made states responsible for pollution produced within their borders that then drifted across state lines.

The case against the rule was brought by North Carolina, along with several power producers.

Both Progress Energy and Tampa Electric have undertake billions of dollars worth of upgrades to comply with the rule, which was announced in 2005 and slated to go into effect next year. It's unclear what impact the court decision will have on that work, some of which is already complete or under construction.

Gas too expensive? No problem -- if you've got hidden gas tanks and fake credit cards

Five Orlando men who gassed up their pickup trucks at a Gibsonton Wal-Mart Supercenter last month may have found the perfect way to avoid paying too much for fuel.

According to the authorities, they used hidden tanks in their trucks so they could take up to 1,000 gallons of diesel at a time, which they could then resell.

The hidden tanks held 1,000 gallons, so officials figure that the men's profit per load topped $4,000. And how did they plan to pay for all this?

"They used counterfeit credit cards," said Maj. Bob Johnson, enforcement chief at the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, told the St. Petersburg Times. "One guy had 47 cards on him."

As you might suspect, state officials are now warning everyone that the rate of fuel theft appears to be increasing. So guard that gas tank!

[AP photo]

--Craig Pittman

Tampa Electric announces cleanup milestone

Tampa Electric announced progress Monday on its efforts to clean up emissions from its Big Bend power station.

The Tampa electric utility, owned by TECO Energy, announced the completion of a second “selected catalytic reduction” equipment that cleans smog-producing nitrogen oxides from coal smoke. The equipment works like your car’s catalytic converter to reduce emissions. The company announced that the $330-million project will make Big Bend “one of the cleanest coal-fired power stations in the nation.”

Big Bend is slated for the installation of two additional clean-up controls by May 2009 and May 2010. The 10-year, $1.2-billion effort will when complete reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent from 1998 levels, the utility said.

-Asjylyn Loder, Times staff writer

[Photo: Bill Serne]

Sparks fly over St. Pete curbside recycling (or lack thereof)

Check out this post from our sister blog Bay Buzz on how recycling is becoming an issue in the St. Petersburg mayoral race.

Progress Energy nukes get favorable review from state staffers

Nudging Progress Energy’s nuclear ambitions forward, the Florida Public Service Commission staff on Thursday issued its opinion in favor of Progress Energy’s planned $17-billion nuclear project in Levy County.

The St. Petersburg utility wants to build two new 1,100-megawatt nuclear reactors on U.S. 19 about ten miles north of its Crystal River power station. The staff opinion agreed with Progress Energy that the utility needs more electric capacity to meet the demands of the growing region, and that nuclear is the most cost-effective way of meeting that need.

The commission does not always follow the staff recommendations, but the approval is a powerful endorsement of the utility’s plans. The commission has already voted in favor of a similar project near Miami planned by Florida Power & Light. The five-member commission is slated to vote on Levy project on July 15.

-Asjylyn Loder, Times staff writer

How much will Progress Energy's nukes cost? Sorry, that's redacted

Wondering what Progress Energy's nuclear project will cost you? Sorry. That's not public information.

Progress Energy has blacked out its cost estimates for its Levy County nuclear project in recent filings with the Florida Public Service Commission. The utility had offered a public estimate in March of $17-billion, saying customers could see an increase of about $7.50 per 1,000 kilowatt hours starting as early as January. Now, the utility has asked the commission to black out its latest estimates on how the project could impact monthly bills. So why redact the cost estimates now?

"We have said all along that they are subject to change," said utility spokesman C.J. Drake. (This is true. This story notes their frequent use of the word "non-binding" in their cost estimates.)

Does that mean the cost has gone up or down?

Oil sets new record. Want to carpool?

It's like a nightmarish reprise of Groundhog Day. Oil prices set a new record today. It's not long, then, before gas prices follow suit. So if you're reconsidering carpooling, check out the Web site for Bay Area Commuter Services.

If you're a new convert to carpooling, or thinking of trying it for the first time, then let us know about your experience. You can email me at aloder@sptimes.com, or call me at (813) 225-3117.

-Asjylyn Loder, Times staff writer

Progress Energy customers to pay interest of $1.5M

Progress Energy customers will pay $1.5-million in interest on fuel charges deferred until next year, C.J. Drake, a utility spokesman, explained to me today.

A few readers (and a few editors) asked me that question about the story in today's paper. Drake got back to me with the answer today.

Progress Energy's fuel costs were significantly higher than predicted this year. That means the fuel rate portion of your bill -- $42.78 for the first 1,000 kilowatt hours -- wasn't enough to cover the coal, oil and natural gas Progress Energy buys to run its power plants.

Tampa gets a gold star

The U.S. Green Building Council announced Florida's first gold-certified LEED building this week.

And the award goes to....wait for it...the 7-story, 523,558-square-foot behemoth USAA regional office in Tampa. It may not be a stunning example of cutting-edge visual design, but the building's 128-acre plot does incorporate a 22-acre man-made lake, a jogging trail and wetlands.

--Catriona Stuart, Times staff writer

Progress Energy rate increase partly put off until next year

After a lengthy and contentious hearing, Progress Energy's request for a fuel rate increase was partially denied Tuesday, as the Florida Public Service Commission voted Tuesday 3-2 to allow the St. Petersburg utility to recover only half of its soaring fuel costs this year.

Customers will see higher bills in August, but the increase will be lower than Progress Energy wanted. It also means that electric customers will pay more later as interest charges mount on the deferred fuel costs.

The commission agreed to allow Progress Energy to pass through half of its increased fuel costs this year, and the rest next year.

The utility had asked for an 8 percent increase of $12.07 for 1,000 kilowatt hours to cover the rising cost of fuel. Instead, customers will pay an additional $6.03 per 1,000 kilowatt hours from August through December. In January, another $13.55 for 1,000 kilowatt hours will be added.

On top of those increases, rising fuel costs could drive electricity bills still higher in 2009.

Utilities aren't allowed to profit from fuel. It's a pass through to consumers. The commission recognized that fuel costs have indeed gone up, and that the utilities should be reimbursed, but worried about the impact on the state's electricity customers.

The commission also approved the deletion of a storm cost recovery charge of $3.61 for 1,000 kilowatt hours. That will come off monthly bills starting in August.

Lower your electric bill today

With rates on the way up for utilities throughout the state, there's only one sure way to lower your bill: use less electricity.

• Set your thermostat between 78 and 80 degrees, or higher if you're comfortable. When you leave the house, turn it up by 5 to 7 degrees instead of turning it off.
• Close drapes, blinds and shades in the hottest part of the day.
• Use ceiling and portable fans to keep air moving. Ceiling fans can make a room feel 2 degrees cooler.
• Unplug "vampires." These are cable boxes, televisions, phone chargers, iPod charging stations. All of them draw power even then they are not charging a device, and even when they are in sleep mode. These devices can add as much as 10 percent to your power bill. You can also put the devices on power strips, and turn the strip off when the appliances are not in use.
• Turn your computer and monitor off. Screen saver modes save NO power. Sleep modes continue to draw electricity. With most computers, powering your computer on and off does not wear it out. There is more wear and tear on electronics from heat stress of constantly running.
• Change to compact fluorescent light bulbs. The energy-saving light bulbs use about a third of the energy of incandescents.
• Put off the flat screen television purchase, or unplug the one you have when it is not in use. Many flat screen televisions can use as much power as an energy-efficient refrigerator.
• Turn off lights when you leave the room.
• Consider "zoned" air conditioning systems that allow you to cool only the rooms you are in, or a small window unit to cool only the rooms in use.
• Get a clothesline. It's hot out. Let the heat dry your clothes. A dryer uses lots of electricity, and adds heat to your house that your air conditioner has to work against. Florida law says homeowners associations can't ban clotheslines.
• Check with your utility about home energy audits that can see where you are wasting electricity. Some utilities also offer rebates on energy-saving devices like thermal wraps for hot water heaters, or solar thermal hot water installation. (Both Tampa Electric and Progress Energy offer audits and other programs.)

If you're having trouble paying your bill, there is help.

-Asjylyn Loder, Times staff writer

Progress Energy rate increase to be decided today

2:05 p.m. -- Still going, and no decision yet.

12:20 p.m. -- The commission just broke for lunch until 1:30 p.m. Check back for more from the Fueling Station after the break.

12:10 a.m. -- The hearing is still going on Progress Energy's rate increases. The Public Service Commission is considering spreading the fuel rate increases over several years, or delaying the increase.

"This has a tremendous impact on Florida's economy," said Commission Nathan Skop, who is advocating delay.

The utilities aren't allowed to profit from fuel. It's a "pass through" to consumers. If the rate increase is delayed, then consumers also pay interest on top of the rising cost of fuel, which is why at least two of the commissioners -- Lisa Polak Edgar and Katrina McMurrian -- seem reluctant to pursue that option. There's also a concern that if fuel prices continue to rise, then customers could face "rate shock" if the commission waits to pass through the fuel costs.

10:04 a.m. -- Progress Energy's rate increase is slated for a decision today by the Florida Public Service Commission. The meeting is already in progress, and Progress Energy is up next. Check back with The Fueling Station for developments.

-Asjylyn Loder, Times staff writer

Holy recycling, Batman!

While St. Pete residents are stuck leaving personal pleas with their trash man for curbside recycling, Tampa is actually expanding its program.

Effective July 1, Tampa residents will be able to place phone books, paperback books, junk mail, cereal boxes, 6-pack soda boxes, office paper and cardboard in their blue curbside bins.

Of course,Tampa residents can still put magazines, newspapers, etc. in there. Check out the Tampa solid waste department's recycling division for more info.

--Catriona Stuart, Times staff writer

July beach cleanups

David Escobio, 13, hands trash to Chance Rodriguez, 13, while helping clean at Picnic Island Beach last year. [Carrie Pratt | Times]

Spending the Fourth of July at the beach is a tradition that thousands of people enjoy every year. But between the crowds, fireworks and barbecues, there is often lots of trash left behind.

This year, in conjunction with National Clean Beaches Week, the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department and the Mayor’s Beatification Program invites the public to join them for two post-Fourth beach clean-up projects at Ben T. Davis Beach and Picnic Island Beach on Saturday, July 5, from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Gloves, trash bags and water will be provided.

To volunteer, call the Mayor's Beautification Program at (813) 221-8733.

--Catriona Stuart, Times staff writer

Tampa Bay energy roundup

There's a bunch of energy news around Tampa Bay in the last few weeks. Rate increases are coming so fast and thick it's hard to keep track of what it's all for.

Let's start with this week's news. Tomorrow, Progress Energy and Florida Power & Light, as well as some smaller Florida utilities, will ask the Public Service Commission for a rate increase for fuel. (My story in Sunday's paper explained why fuel is getting so expensive.) The gist is that utilities are not allowed to profit from fuel. It's a "pass through" charge. If approved, it will hit bills on Aug. 1.

Tampa Electric isn't asking for a fuel rate increase yet, but it has asked for a base rate increase. Utilities can profit from base rates. (From a shareholder point of view, utilities had better show a profit.) Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas, both owned by Tampa-based TECO Energy, requested base rate increases that it hopes to add to bills by next May.

As if this news isn't enough of a bummer, there are more increases on the horizon. First, fuel again. Every Fall, the utilities estimate what they will pay for fuel the following year. Fuel costs are up nationwide, and Florida is no different. (If a hurricane hits the Gulf coast, fuel costs could get a lot worse.) Progress Energy has already predicted that it will ask for additional fuel rate increases that will start in January. (This is on top of the increase sought Tuesday.) Expect similar news from Tampa Electric, Florida Power & Light, and pretty much every utility that buys fuel to run its power plants (i.e., every utility.)

Hydroponic here, hydroponic everywhere

There's been a rash of hydroponic offerings sprouting up around the bay and our friends at ModernLime.com have just added another to the list:

"If you live in the Tampa bay area, I found a great local farm where you can pick your own veggies for a great price.  Urban Oasis Hydroponic Farm is in Tampa, Florida at 5416 W. Linebaugh Ave.  Although the farm is only 2 acres, there are lots of plants!  They all grow hydroponically - in special irrigation systems, not directly out of the ground.  And although the owner said he is not certified organic, the produce is not sprayed with harsh chemicals."

Recently Chris Sherman wrote about a hydroponic place out in Ruskin. A Carrollwood farm also seems to have embraced the soil-free method.

But be forewarned, though all these farms are local, not all are organic.

--Catriona Stuart, Times staff writer

Don't chuck the beads

Pokey came, Pokey saw and Pokey partied at the St. Pete Pride festival yesterday. And like the thousands of others who joined her out on Central Avenue, she went home laden with dozens of beads and other plastic tchotckes. Now what?!!

You don't want to add them to the landfill and can't recycle them, but they can be re-used. For some creative ideas, I consulted a couple of the gals from the Florida Etsy Street Team, a group of cool local crafters who make and sell everything from stained glass skulls to funky t-shirts.

• Connect them in long strands to make a 60s-style doorway bead curtain, said Coralette of The Crafty Hag.
• Jazz up a plain a plain wood birdhouse, flower pot or on a lamp shade for a kid's bedroom by gluing on a strand of beads.
• Use as garland for the Christmas tree. Just cut the necklace and glue ends together using a heavy-duty plastic or all purpose glue like E6000, said Shannon Shafer of Boogiebead.
• Hang them on a trellis or in garden to make an eye-catching decoration.

Not the crafty sort? Consider donating your beads to an organization that will re-use them.

Want curbside recycling?

St. Petersburg residents: Want curbside recycling?

Let your trash man know.

That's the message Clean Water Action, a nonprofit environmental group, is sending.

Starting Monday, the group will launch a new pro-curbside recycling effort that asks residents to attach signs to their trash bins that read, "Mayor Baker: Take it to the curb! I support curbside recycling."

To learn more, check out cleanwateraction.org.

Hurricanes & global warming: Is there a connection? Or is there a bigger threat?

In Al Gore's Oscar-winning Powerpoint-turned-movie An Inconvenient Truth, hurricanes became symbols of the danger of global warming, with the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina as his Exhibit A. But the reality is more complicated.

Scientists are locked in a debate about whether global warming is spiking the size and intensity of hurricanes. Even those who agree that humans are causing global warming disagree about whether it is making hurricanes worse.

Climatologists are so desperate for clues they are boring holes along Florida's coastline, trying to discern from grains of sand how many tropical storms pounded our shores in past centuries. The one thing they all agree on: Overdevelopment of flood-prone coastal areas is a more immediate problem. Here's the rest of the story.

[Satellite image of Hurricane Katrina from NOAA]

--Curtis Krueger

State short of cash to help with electric bills

The increasing number of Floridians who can’t pay their electric bills may not be able to get the help they need because the state energy assistance program will likely run short of money.

“The bottom line is that our providers around the state are seeing a tremendous demand for services, a demand that will far outstrip the availability of funds,” said Jon Peck, spokesman for the Florida Department of Community Affairs.

At the same time, Tampa Electric reported a 27 percent jump in the number of customers facing disconnection. Progress Energy has seen cutoffs increase 15 percent since last year. Paying for power could get even harder in the coming year. Both utilities plan to increase monthly bills by 10 percent or more.

Progress Energy plans more fuel rate increases

Progress Energy's fuel rate increase this summer won't be the last, according to documents filed with the Public Service Commission.

The St. Petersburg utility told the commission that it may have to raise bills in January by $5 for 1,000 kilowatt hours to cover the soaring cost of fuel. This comes on top of an increase that the commission is set to consider on Tuesday. Progress Energy has asked for an increase of an additional $12.07 per 1,000 kilowatt hours. If approved, that increase will appear on bills starting Aug. 1.

These increases don't include increases planned by the utility to cover the cost of clean air measures, power plant upgrades and its planned $30-billion nuclear project. Monthly bills are slated to rise just as an increasing number of customers are having their power cut off for not paying their bills, according to Progress Energy and Tampa Electric.

Several utilities throughout the state, including Florida Power & Light, the state's largest utility, have asked for increases to cover the unexpectedly steep rise in the cost of coal, natural gas and oil. The commission will hear those cases Tuesday.

If you are having trouble paying your bills, there's help.

[St. Petersburg Times photo by William Dunkley]

-Asjylyn Loder, Times Staff Writer

Utilities cut off electricity as more customers fail to pay bills

As the economy worsens, an increasing number of people around Tampa Bay are having their lights cut off because they can't pay their bills.

Tampa Electric has had to cut off 27 percent more customers than it did a year ago, said spokesman Rick Morera. Progress Energy has seen cutoffs jump by 15 percent since last year, said spokesman Cherie Jacobs.

"With any situation where somebody is experiencing difficulties making their utility payments, we encourage them to contact the company and work with us," Morera said.

"Disconnecting someone's electricity is Progress Energy's last resort," Jacobs said. "We prefer to work with customers so if folks are having trouble making ends meet, they should call us."

If you're having trouble paying your power bill, there is help.

To reach Tampa Electric customer service, call (813) 223-0800. Progress Energy's customer service department can be reached at (800) 700-8744.

-Asjylyn Loder, Times Staff Writer

[Photo: Bill Serne]

Florida solar ready to shine

In a converted warehouse at the Solar Source company headquarters in Largo, president and solar technology contractor Wayne Wallace is training his competition.

He calls his endeavor the Solar Source University.

And while dozens of electricians, building inspectors and contractors have signed up for classes at this 7-month-old institution to learn about all things solar, like how to market sunshine, Wallace said the more competitors in the field, the merrier. These days, there's plenty of business to go around.

"It's almost unfathomable, really," Wallace said. "We're having a hard time keeping up with orders. Our phones are ringing off the hook."

Read the full story here.

-Dominick Tao, Times Staff Writer

Sorry, solar is not for us, says Progress Energy.

Florida Power & Light today announced a $688 million project to build three solar power stations in south and central Florida. Company president Armando Olivera told me solar was becoming increasingly cost-effective thanks to a new Energy Bill passed by the state legislature.

So I thought it only right to ask a spokesman for Progress Energy what his company's plans for solar energy were. "We have examined similar proposals," said C.J. Drake, a spokesman for Progress Energy. "It's not cost-effective for on-demand generation." (For laymen, that means energy that's available 24 hours a day.) "The power is not available when you need it," he added.

Maybe someone from Progress should sit down and have a chat with the folk from FP&L and ask them why their numbers are so different? FP&L serves 4.5 million customers as far north as Bradenton.

How can two neighboring utilities have such different views on solar energy? Is there less sun in
Tampa Bay?

- David Adams

Insert your urban vision here

Dozens participated in a one-day exercise last year designed to discuss, analyze and develop alternative growth scenarios for the region through 2050. [Chris Zuppa | Times]

One thousand people and 15 public workshops have generated four visions for the future of Tampa Bay. Now through the end of July (and probably beyond) local residents will have the chance to comment on each scenario, said Betty Carlin, director of communications for the One Bay campaign.

Water demand, wetlands impact, electricity usage and automobile trips generated are just a few of the factors that residents can use to assess each plan. The idea is to generate a set of common principles that area residents believe are important for the region's growth. When the comment period is over, Carlin said that the campaign plans to share its results with area commissions and planning bodies.

"We want to make sure we are giving them the type of input they can use to make good choices," Carlin said.

---Catriona Stuart, Times staff writer

Talk green, walk green and stock green

Green living is about more than just consumer decisions, but let's face it: money talks.

This weekend there was a story in the Times about a new Largo eco-boutique specializing in fair trade, recycled and environmentally friend