The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) is partnering with Questar Corp. to perform research on greater sage grouse habitat in northwest Colorado and south-central Wyoming. The research is intended to identify ways to minimize energy development impacts on grouse habitat, which has been in decline for years. The bird, whose habitat stretches across the western states, is being considered for listing as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, which also would impact energy development across the West (see Daily GPI, Dec. 6, 2007). The partnership will build on research conducted since 2005 by DOW and the University of Idaho. Salt Lake City-based Questar, which focuses its gas exploration efforts in the Rocky Mountains, will fund the partnership for an undisclosed amount.

New York-based Hess Corp. said it is exploring plans to build a 512 MW gas-fired electric power plant in Bayonne, NJ. The Bayonne Energy Center project, which Hess is pursuing in partnership with an affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners LLC, would be developed on a Hess-owned seven-acre site adjacent to upper New York Harbor. All of the electricity generated by the plant would be delivered via an underwater cable directly to a Con Edison substation in South Brooklyn, with the bulk of the property and sales tax revenue remaining in New Jersey. Assuming regulatory approval, construction of the plant will take approximately 13 months. The proposed plant will utilize eight Rolls Royce gas-fired turbines with state-of-the-art emission controls, Hess said.

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