President

Mexican President Vicente Fox, elected last year on a promise to improve the country’s economic future, has begun actively courting “out-of-towners” in the hopes of encouraging capital investments in his country. With several productive global trade missions completed, Fox now is turning his attention further north, courting Canadian oil and gas producers in his plan to develop Mexico’s untapped oil and gas reserves.

As the debate over President Bush’s energy plan continues to unfold, ways in which to bolster the nation’s sagging power transmission infrastructure are getting increased scrutiny. The White House energy blueprint has helped to bring the issue front and center by proposing to give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) eminent domain authority over transmission siting.

As the debate over President Bush’s energy plan continues to unfold, ways in which to bolster the nation’s sagging power transmission infrastructure are getting increased scrutiny. The White House energy blueprint has helped to bring the issue front and center by proposing to give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) eminent domain authority over transmission siting.

The Bush administration announced it would be upholding former President Clinton’s designation of about 60 million acres of national forest as off limits to logging and road building, effective May 12, but would subsequently be proposing amendments to the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.

The Bush administration announced it would be upholding former President Clinton’s designation of about 60 million acres of national forest as off limits to logging and road building, effective May 12, but would subsequently be proposing amendments to the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.

BP North America Gas & Power President Tony Fountain said last week that the role of liquefied natural gas was “fundamental to our North American markets,” and indicated that the company is reviewing “several opportunities for LNG terminals” along the West Coast and East Coast. BP joins El Paso, Chevron and other companies that have announced similar LNG plans in response to high domestic gas prices.

BP North America Gas & Power President Tony Fountain said this week that the role of liquefied natural gas was “fundamental to our North American markets,” and indicated that the company is reviewing “several opportunities for LNG terminals” along the West Coast and East Coast. BP joins El Paso, Chevron and othercompanies that have announced similar LNG plans in response to high domestic gas prices.

Sources have indicated that President Bush has picked Texasregulator Pat Wood III as his final choice for chairman of theFederal Energy Regulatory Commission, short-circuiting the term ofcurrent Chairman Curt Hebert Jr. “It’s a done deal. The paperwork[for Wood’s nomination] is on the way to the Hill,” a source toldNGI. However, the White House has not formally announced its intentto nominate Wood, and the Senate Energy and Natural ResourcesCommittee still hasn’t received the nomination paperwork.

Mexican President Vicente Fox said that he will push strongly to allow private investment in the country’s state-run electricity commission because without it, the country will have to practically beg for help from the United States to meet its energy needs. He insisted, however, at an economic summit in central Mexico last week that there are no plans to privatize the country’s state-run electricity commission or its state-run oil company.