Articles by Grist staff

Crisis of Confidence Game

California yesterday submitted new evidence to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of a widespread plan by electricity generators, traders, and even municipal power companies to produce the state’s 2000-2001 energy crisis in order to turn a profit. State officials said the evidence, which was the result of a 103-day investigation, was just the “tip of […]

Kids ‘n’ Play

Generating power for developing nations could be child’s play — literally — according to an engineering professor at the University of Michigan. Raj Pandian has proposed harnessing the energy from playground equipment (such as teeter-totters, merry-go-rounds, and swing sets) in Third World villages, then using it to power light bulbs, radios, sewing machines, telephones, and […]

Bring Back My Bonnie to Me

The Bonneville Power Administration, the largest hydroelectric power producer in the Northwest, is abandoning some of its wildlife conservation plans due to financial woes. The quasi-governmental agency is required by law to compensate for any damage it causes to natural habitats; recently, however, the Northwest Power Planning Council criticized the BPA for failing to spend […]

Let’s Not Be Frank

If Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski (R) gets his way, environmental organizations that sue state agencies and lose will have to pick up part of the state’s legal bills. At Murkowski’s request, bills were introduced yesterday into the Alaska House and Senate proposing changes to the state’s public-interest litigant rules. Currently, the rules allow public-interest groups […]