National

A small, but hot new fight before the National Energy Board ismaking it official — in Canada, natural gas has become as good asgold, and just the prospect of producing some is worth a battle.

A small, but hot new fight before the National Energy Board ismaking it official — in Canada, natural gas has become as good asgold, and just the prospect of producing some is worth a battle.

In response to national concerns over a possible natural gasshortage this winter, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission has givenproducers with unallocated gas wells in Oklahoma the go-ahead tocontinue their increase in production to the limit.

In response to national concerns over a possible natural gasshortage this winter, the Oklahoma Corporation Commission has givenproducers with unallocated gas wells in Oklahoma the go-ahead tocontinue their increase in production to the limit.

The National Energy Marketers Association (NEM) is urging statepublic utility commissions (PUCs) and Congress to help fightagainst the recent price volatility in wholesale energy marketsacross the nation. NEM will hold an Industry Leadership RoundtableOct. 30-31, to identify and discuss possible solutions that wouldbring competitively priced power to consumers.

Canada’s National Energy Board plans to hold public meetings this week on a pipeline to connect the mainland with Vancouver Island through the Georgia Strait.

Canada’s National Energy Board plans to hold public meetingsnext week on a pipeline to connect the mainland with VancouverIsland through the Georgia Strait.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in areport issued yesterday that the 2000 hurricane season could be awhopper with 11 or more tropical storms, of which seven or morecould become hurricanes, with three or more classified as major.”The greatest influences in this forecast continue to be theon-going La Nina and a lesser-known climate phenomenon of warmerthan normal Atlantic Ocean temperatures that affect hurricaneactivity over very long time scales,” said NOAA Administrator D.James Baker. “La Nina is defined by cooler-than-average sea-surfacetemperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. Duringlast year’s hurricane season, La Nina was bold, and clearlydefined, and gave forecasters more certainty. This year, La Nina’send is in sight,” Baker said. “Even if La Nina fades by August (asthe current forecast suggests), La Nina’s remnants and otherinfluences will still likely bring more storms than usual,” headded.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in areport issued yesterday that the 2000 hurricane season could be awhopper with 11 or more tropical storms, of which seven or morecould become hurricanes, with three or more classified as major.”The greatest influences in this forecast continue to be theon-going La Nina and a lesser-known climate phenomenon of warmerthan normal Atlantic Ocean temperatures that affect hurricaneactivity over very long time scales,” said NOAA Administrator D.James Baker. “La Ni¤a is defined by cooler-than-average sea-surfacetemperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. Duringlast year’s hurricane season, La Ni¤a was bold, and clearlydefined, and gave forecasters more certainty. This year, La Ni¤a’send is in sight,” Baker said. “Even if La Ni¤a fades by August (asthe current forecast suggests), La Ni¤a’s remnants and otherinfluences will still likely bring more storms than usual,” headded.