In Your Backyard - July 1, 2008

Arkansas
Controversial Coal Plant to Provide Low-Cost Electricity
A $1.3 billion coal-fired power plant in eastern Arkansas will be completed in 2010, providing much needed electricity at affordable costs, developers say. The 665-megawatt unit would generate power for utilities in eight states. A proposed second unit would boost the output to 1,330 megawatts. Environmentalists argue a coal-fired plant with that capacity would contribute more to global warming than any plant built in the last 30 years. Plant officials will implement state-of-the-art pollution controls to try to minimize the amount of greenhouse gases emitted.
Source: The Log Cabin Democrat

 

Florida
U.S. Sugar Corps. Makes Deal With State
The nation’s largest sugar cane producer, U.S. Sugar Corps., has agreed to sell its 300 square miles of cane fields in the Everglades for $1.75 billion to the state, relinquishing control of the operation over a six-year interval. Fellow Everglades residents worry about the effect on the area’s economy, whose restaurants, gas stations, grocery stories and other businesses are dependent on the sugar industry and its employees.
Source: The Sun-Sentinel

 

Idaho
Small Businesses Targeted in Labor Poster Scam
Idaho Department of Labor Director Roger Madsen is reminding Idaho businesses that they don't have to buy posters with information about minimum wage and workplace safety. They're free--even though Madsen says he's constantly hearing about outfits that are hawking the required posters for money. Madsen says small businesses who don't know they can get the posters from the state at no cost are at a disadvantage.
Source: Associated Press

 

Indiana
Mid-Sized Businesses Drive Indiana Economy
Mid-sized businesses do more than their fair share to fuel the state economy, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce concludes in a recent study. There are only 3,789 mid-sized firms in Indiana but they generate 30% of the jobs and 40% of the sales logged by firms headquartered in the state. The study defined mid-sized businesses as companies with more than $5 million and less than $100 million in annual sales. The Indiana Chamber hopes to use the study’s results to aid mid-sized businesses.
Source: Northwest Indiana Times

 

Massachusetts
Businesses Fear Costs of New Mental Health Mandate
Consumers would have greater access to mental health care and substance abuse treatment under a proposed law that is drawing heat from business and insurance groups that say the measure is too costly and violates the state's landmark healthcare law. The proposal would lift limits on hospitalizations and outpatient treatment for dozens of mental illnesses, including eating disorders and addictions. Coming at the same time as the costly overhaul of the state’s healthcare system, critics say the bill would disproportionately hurt small employers at a time when they are struggling with rising healthcare costs.
Source: The Boston Globe