Editor:
The headline article of the Ely Times dated 2-3 January 2014 provides a good and well-written analysis of the proposed pumped-storage hydro-electric power project placed on the table by Gridflex Energy. While the project has my enthusiastic support, I cannot claim that Gridflex approached me with this proposal; rather, I learned of it while attending the November 2013 meeting of the White Pine County Water Advisory Board, on which I am privileged to sit as the representative of the Ely City Council.
I do not know whether Gridflex approached the County, or whether Jim Garza approached them; but the information I relayed was provided through the good offices of Mr. Garza, the White Pine County Economic Development Director—who as nearly as I can tell deserves credit for working with Gridflex on this project. Credit should go where it is due, and I cannot claim it for this effort—much as
I support it for the huge temporary economic shot in the arm it would give our community, but also for the residual workforce required to operate the facility.
I am especially pleased that the projected impact to Steptoe Valley’s water supply would be within the existing ability of the valley to sustain it with no adverse consequences to the present agricultural activities within the valley; moreover, the water rights which were being held for use of the now cancelled coal-fired power project remain available, and could quite conceivably be diverted to the Gridflex project.
As the water will be cycled back and forth between elevations as needed, the only anticipated loss—which I understand will be at approximately the five percent level—would be through the process of evaporation. Thus once the upper reservoir is filled, the evaporative loss barely meets the threshold of statistical significance.
In conclusion, I apologize for any inference I may have inadvertently given that Gridflex approached me with this project—but as far as I can discern Jim Garza rightfully deserves credit for this potential financial boon to the community. I feel we are fortunate to have his expertise and enthusiasm available to us.
Sincerely,
Marion J. (Sam) Hanson
Ely City Council
Editor:
Unemployment benefits have expired for many people. Our “friends” in Washington say they will do what they can to extend them for another 3 months, then what?
Since 2001 over 42,000 American Factories have shut down. On January 1, 2014 over 40,000 new laws went into effect. It seems to me the more government tries to “help” the worse things seem to get but, not to worry folks the over 500,000 elected officials will be OK!
Bruce Feher
I have attended the Ely Rotary Club fishing tournament for the last seven years. Each year, since our financial crash the amount of people attending seem to be reduced from the year before. I have encouraged my friends to go fishing in the tournament. Most of us, about 15, are business men from Las Vegas and spend quite a large sum of money helping the Ely economy.
Last year as I was leaving Cave Lake there was a Nevada Highway Patrol with his radar on. I was not paying attention to how fast I was going. He pulled me over for speeding. He was a perfect gentlemen and very respectful. I did not think too much about it. This year I was very conscious of how fast I was going did not want anything to happen. In a 55 MPH I was going 60 MPH. Approaching me from the opposite direction was the White Pine County Sheriff. He turned on his red light stuck his head and arm out of the window and pointed for me to pull over, which I did. Did not have any idea what I had done. He approached my window and mumbled something. I wear hearing aids and have a hard time understanding mumbled words, when I ask him to repeat what he had said he became very rude and aggressive, ask me if I had been drinking at which I told him I had. He then said to get out of my truck. I told him it had been about 4 hours since I had a drink and was not heavily drinking, he told me he would decide that and proceeded with a drunk test. It appears your sheriff department has decided to zero on your Fishing Tournament. He did not cite me for speeding, it was total harassment, he was convinced, for no reason I was drunk, I was not and it seemed it ruined his day that he could not arrest me. If I was in fact speeding why did he not give me a speeding ticket? I don’t think you need this kind of harassment regarding your Fishing Tournament, we will stay home, we will not help the Ely economy and not attend your fishing tournament. All the people I convinced to attend this tournament I am going to pass on the information regarding the harassment from the Sheriffs Department.