Cascadia Report

B.C. should open India trade office, report says

British Columbia should open a business development office in India to support industry-led marketing there, according to a group commissioned by Premier Gordon Campbell.

In order to build ties beyond the export of natural resources, the province needs to boost its profile in India, the report said. B.C. could encouraging Indian movie and TV producers to include stories of the Indian diaspora in Canada, or pay them to showcase the province's nature. It notes that both Air Canada and Air India are expected to launch service to India from Vancouver.

In memoriam of a window on the world

The great literary journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski died last week, just as coverage of the world by American media seemed to take more steps toward a similar fate.

Kapuscinski is best known for decades of reportage about Latin America and Africa, including the classics The Soccer War and The Shadow of the Sun. I re-read him at the end of a week that saw the Boston Globe shutter its last foreign bureaus and even the Los Angeles Times make noises about putting its focus on local coverage.

One common prescription for troubled newspapers is to save money by relying on newswires for international coverage. But that robs communities of their perspective on the world and means fewer voices covering critical issues. The number of U.S. correspondents abroad fell to 249 last year, down 12 percent over six years. Sending reporters occasionally to cover individual stories, as the Globe's editor promises, isn't enough. As someone who reported in Japan for several years, I know you can't gain perspective -- let alone language skills and customs -- by parachuting in for a particular story.

What does this trend mean for Cascadia? That we're in danger of less understanding just when we need it most. Relying on national East Coast media gives us constant detailed coverage of Israel-Palestine instead of Korea, for example. Even regional papers should should be covering our ties to business in Asia, fundamentalism in Southeast Asia and the impact of political changes in Latin America. Troops from the region are fighting in Afghanistan, but there's relatively little coverage. The answer isn't dressing up one-off stories as if they were part of continuing coverage.

Kapuscinski found the truth about events, in a way that's only possible because he had the luxury of time. He gave voice to the powerless and brought otherwise obscure events to a global audience. As times -- and business models -- change, he remains an inspiration.

Tolls could be $10 on new 520 bridge

Tolls on a new 520 bridge could be between $7 and $10 when it opens in 2015, according to a report released Monday. The tolls would be at the low end of that range only if a similar charge were levied on the I-90 bridge.

Such a hefty flat toll would help defray construction costs and would certainly deter traffic. It would spur use of carpools and transit, though adequate transit options to handle the shifting demand are years away. It's unclear if a variable pricing plan has been seriously considered.

Ferries hit by bias toward roads

The price for a car and two passengers to go by ferry from Mukilteo to Whidbey Island -- less than three miles -- yesterday: $10.50. The cost for the 165-mile return trip on highways? Nothing.

Some Washington lawmakers say this bias toward highways should change. They argue that ferry users are already paying their share, so the state should kick in more to support the ferry network. Surely the gap that makes roads seem essentially free should be narrowed.

Fares reportedly accounted for about 74 percent of the ferry system's operating budget last year (up from 60 petcent a few years ago) and plans call for another increase in fares. By comparison, bus fares cover 20 to 25 percent of King County Metro's costs. Fares continue to rise across Cascadia. Meanwhile, except for a few cents a gallon in gas tax, the cost of maintaining highways isn't reflected at all.

Whistler debates opening of another chain store

Debate over whether a drug store chain should be allowed to open in Whistler Village has driven a wedge between small retailers worried about being run out of business and residents hungry for bargains. Residents are torn: a recent survey found that they want lower prices for goods but prefer local stores over national chains.

Tacoma lacks space for companies downtown

Tacoma has turned down commercial tenants in its reviving downtown for lack of office space, but no one will build more until the non-existent space is leased.

By contrast, Seattle reportedly has about 550,000 square feet of office space under construction and Bellevue has more than 1.9 million square feet under construction. Tacoma? Aside from two smallish buildings - zero. The reason, according to a local leasing agent: "Tacoma is not Bellevue. Although were just 35 miles down the road, its completely different demographics. As different as Tacoma is from Centralia."

Who should pay for a better waterfront

If replacing Seattle's viaduct freeway with a tunnel will create a more valuable waterfront, why are taxpayers being asked to foot the bill at all?

The state has offered to pay most of the $2.8 billion to build a new elevated freeway. It's tempting to think that tolls and a charge on nearby property would cover the extra $1 billion or so for a tunnel. Unfortunately, several reports suggest that's unlikely.

Property assessments wouldn't work because too few building sites are directly affected, according to this analysis in the Seattle P-I:

With many parcels already built out -- and protections afforded by the Pioneer Square Historic District -- fewer than two dozen sites adjacent to the route appear likely candidates for redevelopment today, according to the city's rough guess of what property owners might do.

A new viaduct would be a disaster for the region that would last for a century, yet there's no sign of regional support for more funding. Concern that the city could live without the car capacity and that the money could be better spent helps the case for a package of transit and street improvements.

This hasn't kept Mayor Greg Nickels from counting on a grab-bag of funding, including an assessment on land near the viaduct that supposedly would generate about $250 million -- the limit without drastically eliminating future open space along the waterfront.

Still, removing the viaduct would have economic benefits, likely spread across the region. At least two reports found benefits totaling several billion dollars. Opponents say the figures are inflated and don't recognize that anything but a rebuild is a luxury the city can't afford. So far there's almost no support outside the city for having the region pay for a tunnel, even though the region would benefit.

Which would you sacrifice: your latte or your car?

A poll found that people in British Columbia, by a margin of more than three to one, would rather give up their lattes than their cars to save money. The Vancouver Sun contrasts that with eastern Canada: "While Quebecers may still be sipping lattes, they are more likely to be doing that on public transportation."

The survey should have asked what part of their day people would like to give up. Most Cascadians would likely trade their cars for a better experience if there were an alternative. Unfortunately no city in the region will ever replicate transit in Montreal. Vancouver's Sky Train falls far short and Seattle isn't even close (see post below).

A reminder of the need for transport fixes

It took two hours and five minutes to go the 12 miles from Redmond to Seattle on 520 Wednesday evening. Apparently a single stalled car was the culprit, making me 45 minutes late for a 6:30 appointment and providing another reminder why the region needs comprehensive transportation fixes.

I was angry at everyone. At the drivers who weave between lanes trying to save a car length. At the guy in front of me who repeatedly let cars cut. At the cop who stopped a full lane of traffic around the stalled pickup. And at myself for entertaining the thought that maybe running out of gas or having a car that stalls should be punishable with heavy fine or death.

Of course, I'm at fault for putting myself in that position, for choosing to live in Seattle and work in Redmond. You could argue that people like me should live near work. Perhaps this area should devolve into a medieval state where we rarely travel more than a few miles.

Incentives to shape behavior should be part of the answer. Yet our city would fragment if traffic meant people in one corner hardly mixed with those in another, a la Jakarta or Delhi. That's why we need a combination of steps to keep the area moving and make a more sustainable community: zoning for density, congestion pricing to smooth demand, and a series of transit that provides an alternative to gridlock.

New push for alternative energy in Oregon

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski called for a cap on carbon dioxide emissions and creation of a trading system designed to reduce the state's output. He said the proposals would stimulate business in the state:

"You know we've turned a corner when Wall Street banks are telling you that investments in renewable energy and other technologies to combat global warming are among the largest economic opportunities now and in the coming decades," he said.

Electricity production reportedly accounts for 42 percent of the state's greenhouse gas emissions. Kulongoski would have a task force propose details of a cap-and-trade system while he advances bills to promote biofuels and require a quarter of Oregon's energy to come from renewable sources by 2025.

Tolls may not be enough

Tolls wouldn't generate enough revenue to cover the costs of a new road near Portland, according to a new study. The results suggests that tolls won't work if there are feasible alternative routes or if the tolls are too high.

Ports oppose plan to tax shipping

Washington state ports are opposing an influential legislator's plan to tax containers to pay for transportation projects that would help move freight. The ports should offer an alternative way to pay for the improvements.

An extra per-container charge would steer more traffic to rivals in Vancouver or California, which are already competing effectively because of superior transportation links to larger markets. Yet, with rising construction costs making the regional to-do list more daunting, it's not enough to expect voters to pay entirely through up-front taxes. Why not advocate congestion pricing across the region, which would alleviate crowding on roads and provide incentives to use alternate transportation.

Timber mills getting into alternative energy business

Timber companies are burning wood waste to produce energy, taking advantage of high power costs and tax incentives designed to encourage alternatives to fossil fuels.

Since Congress reauthorized a federal energy production tax credit for biomass, solar and wind power last month, at least three mills in Oregon are advancing biomass energy projects, according to the AP.

Seattle port among the West Coast's least efficient

The Port of Seattle is among the West Coast's least efficient , according to the Seattle P-I. Vancouver's port moves twice as many containers per acre.

With Dems now in charge, compromise no virtue

President Bush likely will continue his with-us-or-against-us approach tonight in the State of the Union speech. So why do media reports suddenly suggest that compromise is a virture?

Now that Democrats control Congress and statewide government in Washington state, media seem fixated on the need to find common ground. One example: NPR's series on how the parties work together.

It's local too. KPLU reports that Republicans have named three of their strongest to the Senate Education Committee in order to thwart spending on Gov. Chris Gregoire's top legislative priority. But they're not obstructionists standing in the way of better schools; they're portrayed as loyal opposition to spendthrift Democrats.

Democrats need accomplishments in order to hold their lead, so it's worrisome when "compromise" is touted as the new goal. Voters want concrete action and elections should stand for something. One Republican got it right in an NPR report about California's politics: "Voters didn't elect me to compromise. They elected me to stand for something."

Report: Cascadia cities among the world's costliest

A new report says Cascadia's cities are among the world's least affordable, with Vancouver ranked 13th worst, Victoria 23rd, Seattle 36th and Portland 60th.

The report, by research firm Demographia, focuses on the ratio of home prices to income. It rightly notes the imbalance between supply and demand, but dismisses the role of interest rates and robust local economies.

Another oversight: It doesn't mention the cost of transportation, which makes big cities such as New York and Tokyo less prohibitive than the report suggests. If transit options in Cascadia enabled the average family of four to live with one car instead of two, saving at least $400 per month, even pricey housing would be more affordable.

The report says land-use rules are the biggest culprit:

Various planning strategies have driven up the price of housing, such as land rationing (urban growth boundaries and infill requirements), extravagant amenity requirements, excessively high infrastructure fees and approval processes that are unnecessarily lengthy and complicated.

Portland wants more flexible growth rules

The Portland-area's regional government is asking the state for more flexibility in growth rules in order to cope with the continuing increase in population. It's tempting to think that more flexibility sooner may have helped prevent the backlash against growth-management rules.

Here's what Metro wants:

More time to choose the next batch of communities. New ways to raise money for roads, sewers, schools and other essentials. And the ability to line up land for future development while permanently protecting the best farming areas.

Venture funding climbs to post-2001 high

Venture capital funding of businesses in Washington rose 29 percent last year to the highest level since the tech bubble in 2001. Roughly 100 companies raised about $1 billion last year.

Total funding rose nationwide too -- by more than 8 percent. But, in Oregon, funding dropped 39 percent to $111 million.

Land of Gore-Tex selling more luxury

Vancouver's luxury retail scene continues to grow, thanks to Asian consumers who travel through the city on their way to other destinations.

The booming retail industry, with several recently enlarged anchor stores and the add-on boost to travel-related business, shows the benefits of Vancouver's successfully competing as an international travel hub, especially with routes to Asia.

Urge to speak shows the politics of Cascadia

It's speech-giving season -- Cascadia's city politicians included. The way they handle themselves shows differences in the region's politics.

President Bush gives his State of the Union next week and Canada has its throne speeches. Now Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, capitalizing on a centralized local government, has adopted the tradition by giving the first such speech by the city's mayor that anyone can remember.

Portland Mayor Tom Potter used his address to outline a long-term vision for the city. The speech was well received so Willamette Week added a small bit of controversy by asking popular former mayor Vera Katz what she would say. The result? A call for more specifics and support for charter revisions that would streamline city government and make planning decisions easier.

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels hasn't scheduled his speech yet. But it's already been upstaged by members of the city council, who are elected citywide and consider themselves mini-mayors -- a structure that hamstrings decision making. This year they even decided to make mini "State of the City" speeches highlighting their goals for 2007.

Projects announced to boost Washington trade

Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire announced a package of infrastructure investments to help freight traffic at ports and on the state's railroads -- including funds for a project that enables a land swap between King County and the Port of Seattle.

An article in the Seattle P-I quotes her as saying she is frustrated that few in the state realize the importance of trade to the economy. That reminds me of a recent Seattle newspaper column, an example of how making that case is an uphill battle.

B.C. fish-farming industry hits controversy

It's been a rough week for British Columbia molluscks.

The province okayed a 63-acre geoduck farm with an eye to supplying the Chinese seafood market. The plan was criticized by environmentalists and the opposition party for overlooking ecological impacts. Then another proposal for a 925-acre scallop farm ran into increasing opposition from fishing and community groups. A retired federal fisheries official said:

"If we wanted to put a Wal-Mart in Qualicum Beach, how many council meetings and public meetings would there be? This is like putting 100 Wal-Marts in Georgia Strait and the implications biologically, for the fish and the birds, are far more significant than a Wal-Mart in Qualicum Beach," he said

Gauging the philanthropy industry's economic impact

The philanthropy industry is an important development in the Seattle area, but there's little evidence to support the claim in a Seattle Times article that it may drive the economy.

The state is home to about 200 organizations that "identified their work as having an impact on global health," according to a University of Washington study cited in the article. But even the Gates Foundation -- by far the world's largest -- will add just 200 positions to administer its growing programs. Though local entrepreneurs and wealthy retirees are increasingly involved and conferences here attract renowned speakers, the article doesn't provide evidence of a deeper economic impact.

Options narrow for replacing Seattle viaduct

The idea of a tunnel to replace Seattle's waterfront freeway appears dead after the governor and key legislators rejected the latest proposal. So now what?

The state says it demands action because the existing viaduct -- a state highway -- could collapse. If that's true, then it should immediately begin working on ways to handle the existing traffic and begin closing the road.

Unfortunately the only apparent action is more debate. Why not invest existing funds in improved roads and transit? Don't waste time and money on advisory votes or a protracted fight between Seattle and the state over a new viaduct.

Whole Foods coming to downtown Tacoma?

A "national organic foods chain" may open in a proposed mixed-use development in Tacoma's downtown, a move that could jumpstart the already growing neighborhood.

The grocery story, which would be the area's first, reportedly wants slightly more than 50,000 square feet -- roughly the size of Whole Foods stores. The project would also include a hotel, restaurants and housing.

Why highway tolls should start now

If tolls are part of any future solution to regional traffic congestion, why not start charging now? That's the proposal by two economists for Seattle's 520 freeway bridge.

They suggest imposing tolls on the bridge immediately and delaying a decision on how to rebuild the structure for five years. Meanwhile tolls would generate funds for new construction and help determine how drivers actually respond to tolls (maybe differently than models suggest).

Amtrak matching funds could boost regional trains

Passenger rail service could be expanded under legislation to make federal matching funds available to states that invest in Amtrak service.

Washington and Oregon should continue to invest, with incremental infrastructure improvements to make trains an alternative to driving or flying. A similar bill was bottled up in Congress last fall but apparently has a better chance with Democrats in control.

Several trains daily between Portland and Vancouver are currently funded by the states, a subsidy that works out to less than for buses and other forms of transit, according to The Columbian. The matching funds could be used for infrastructure, while leveling the transportation playing field by charging more for use of airports and highways.

Comcast to charge more for cable TV

Comcast is raising fees for cable TV in the Portland area by 4 percent, a move it says is needed to cover investments to improve service. It isn't charging more for Internet or telephone service, markets where it faces competition.

In the Portland area, the cost of Comcast's standard service has increased every year for the past decade at several times the rate of inflation, according to the Oregonian. Satellite and fiber-optic systems are still too small to compete, said David Olson, director of the Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission.

With the latest rate increase, Olson said the cost of standard cable has ballooned 117 percent from a decade ago, when Congress deregulated most price controls over the cable industry under the provisions of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. General consumer prices in the Western United States increased about 33 percent over the same period, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Campaign aims to fund Puget Sound passenger ferries

A campaign is underway to convince Kitsap County voters to raise the sales tax to fund a network of passenger ferries to Seattle from Kingston, Bremerton, Port Orchard and Southworth.

The proposal is a less-costly version of a plan voters rejected in 2003. Backers say the new foot-ferry proposal is attractive now for several reasons: higher fares on state ferries, increased gas prices, a new toll on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and two failed attempts by purely private companies to set up a service. Residents in the central part of the county are debating how much the service would benefit their economy -- even if they don't use it.

B.C. launching trade school to train workers

British Columbia is launching an institute to teach industrial trades, a step it hopes will help fill the gap for skilled workers.

The center, in Chilliwack, opens this fall and should have space for 1,800 students on campus by the end of the decade. That barely addresses the province's growing need for skilled workers.

Dispute over proposed B.C. mine widens

A proposal for a new coal mine north of Glacier National Park is becoming the latest transborder dispute over Cascadia water.

Montana officials are worried that a new mine in British Columbia would pollute the headwaters of the Flathead River, which is key to the state's recreation-based industry. B.C. would get the economic benefit of the mine.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer reportedly wants to publicize the potential environmental impacts in Vancouver and get Washington, D.C., involved. Sen. Max Baucus plans to ask the U.S. General Accountability Office to investigate whether B.C.'s government has been following its own environmental laws. He's also looking into a lawsuit under NAFTA and threatened to take the issue to the mine operator's investors in Germany and Japan. "There's a lot of ways to skin a cat," he told the Missoulian.

Investors boot timber company execs as results sour

The hedge fund that owns one of British Columbia's biggest timber companies pushed out its top executives. Catalyst Paper is performing poorly in a slumping market and it remains to be seen how the investors will get a return on their money.

Seattle zoning leads to cookie-cutter townhomes

New townhomes are multiplying throughout Seattle as developers put four houses on each single-family home lot. A Seattle P-I article suggests they are an answer to the unaffordability of homes in the city.

The true answer is balancing housing supply with demand, by planning for higher density in a orderly way, with walkable retail and transit options. Instead, Seattle remains predominantly zoned for single-family homes. The result: cookie-cutter houses are squeezed into lots where they are technically allowed and that don't require design review.

What traffic could become

People who won't go to dinner more than two miles from home or who give up on vast swaths of the city for long stretches of every week. Those are among the traffic horror stories in Steve Lopez's latest Los Angeles Times columns.

The cause is a disconnect between urban development and transportation infrastructure. Jobs are downtown or on the Westside and workers who can't afford to live there are forced to jam the highways. Unless Cascadia cities build housing where people work they're likely bound to the same fate. For the latest example, consider that Vancouver-area police officers can't afford to live in the city they serve.

Sculpture garden should be prelude to viaduct fix

Seattle's new Olympic Sculpture Garden, which is getting rave reviews, is a home run for the city. The art park turns old industrial land into an anchor for the fast-changing neighborhood around it and provides a bridge to the waterfront.

As I toured the garden during a preview event Saturday, I couldn't help but wonder: Why not pull off the same transformation a little further south, where the viaduct freeway now stands?

Reviews of the garden so far praise the way the architects connected the pieces of the site, which is bisected by a highway and a busy railroad. Of course the garden doesn't take away any downtown traffic capacity, but no one seems to mind that it doesn't add any either. It simply shows what the city could do along the waterfront with some creativity.

A chief proponent of building a new viaduct, state House Speaker Frank Chopp, apparently finally sees the value of an extensive package of transit and surface street improvements instead. Other representatives should visit the sculpture garden to see what's possible along the central waterfront before pushing for new blight.

Why gas costs more in Vancouver

Gas costs more in Vancouver than in any other metropolitan area of Canada, thanks to robust margins at refineries and the integration of supply with Washington, according to the Vancouver Sun.

The lack of competition among Canadian refiners helps explain why Vancouver gas is more costly, despite lower taxes than elsewhere in the country, an analyst told the paper. The average amount of money per litre going to gas makers has jumped 90 percent since 2002. Prices are similar to Seattle, which shares the same gas pipeline.

Cascadia towns changing with timber industry

The town of Roslyn, Wash., is being reshaped as the timber industry sells off real estate to development. In this case, Plum Creek Timber is behind the Suncadia resort community outside the town.

The transformation is part of a nationwide trend as timber firms retool. Here's an earlier Seattle Times story about how Weyerhaeuser has handled some of its land near Tacoma.

Portland's mayor puts focus on long-term city plan

Portland's popular mayor, Tom Potter, appears to be betting his term on a project to create a 20-year strategic plan for the city. Creating this kind of long-term plan for the future is exactly what top leaders should do.

Some residents question whether the vision is as important as fixing immediate problems like potholes, according to The Oregonian:

"It's almost like we're concentrating on the people who are moving here more than the people who are here now," said Bonny McKnight, an East Portland neighborhood activist.

The obvious alternative is city planning by the most vocal current residents, who often have more stake in preserving the status quo. If top leaders don't plan for future residents, who will?

Next up for storm-handling critique: Cable

Consumers have focused their outrage over storm-related power outages at local power monopolies. But what about cable?

In central Seattle Thursday, cable TV went off at noon and Internet access slowed to a crawl. In the evening a long wait on hold produced an electronic voice warning that wait times are longer than usual and that service is out in swaths from Whatcom County to Kitsap County to Seattle. Turns out, it isn't an isolated incident.

It's ironic that an area known for technology and the Internet is essentially hostage when wind blows or a dusting of snow hits. Isn't it time for cities to do more to encourage competition and, hopefully, better service?

It's enough to make a consumer consider alternatives. Is there a lesson in the experience of Vancouver or Portland?

Seattle-area rail package going to voters

Sound Transit decided to ask voters to raise the sales tax to fund an extension of the Seattle area's light rail system.

The projects would paired on this fall's ballot with a package of road improvements. It's hardly a done deal, with Snohomish County officials objecting that projects in other areas would be a higher priority and with the potential for the line to stop short of serving downtown Redmond. And another problem: Projects wouldn't be finished until 2027.

Democrats wisely pick Denver for 2008

Democrats decided to hold their 2008 national convention in Denver, a choice that could help position the party to make gains with Hispanic and Western voters who are critical to the party's future.

It's a surprisingly astute move. Remember that in 2004 Republicans held their convention in New York City in order to drape the party in the memory of Sept. 11. Democrats went to uber-Democratic Boston.

This time Denver won out over New York, which is home to Sen. Hilary Clinton. New York's benefits include media exposure and plenty of experience holding massive events. But potentially disastrous downsides include its overwhelmingly Democratic politics and deference to often-outmoded organized labor. Holding the event in New York would have gained Democrats nothing.

By contrast, Denver is the booming heart of the Rocky Mountains, where Democrats have made gains by addressing economic issues and new residents. National political conventions may be less important every four years, but the event is guaranteed to generate attention in the West and expose Democrats from around the country to some new issues. The region is already clearly in the sights of Republicans, who are holding their convention in Minneapolis.

Portland-area port improving rail access

The Port of Vancouver, Wash., authorized the first purchase of land allowing a more efficient rail connection, making the port more accessible and presumably more competitive.

Improved access to rail and highways is a major hurdle in Seattle and Vancouver, which are hemmed in with clogged roads and limited rail capacity. The most dramatic access project on the West Coast is the Alameda Corridor in Los Angeles, which also continues to snag more traffic from Cascadia rivals.

Dems must be bold with Washington budget

Democrats who control the legislature in Washington stand to lose their advantage if they don't make bold moves during this year's session.

The session kicked off this week with Gov. Chris Gregoire's proposals to boost spending on education and other programs. It was met with a preemptive strike in The Seattle Times, claiming the spending is ill-timed and unsustainable.

Josh Feit at The Stranger outlines some of the flaws in the argument. Joel Connelly rightly points out examples of how failing to enact policy solutions that make lives better is a good way for a party to lose power. Gregoire has already whiffed once (on the viaduct) and gets scarce credit for her successes. With the 2008 elections on the horizon, voters will need to see action.

B.C. construction boom broadens

The construction boom in British Columbia continues, and appears to be broadening beyond urban centers of the Lower Mainland and Victoria.

New award of China flights leaves out Cascadia

The U.S. gave United Airlines the lucrative right to start flying nonstop between China and Washington, D.C. But what about Cascadia?

Flights between China and the U.S. are tightly regulated, largely because China wants to protect its developing airline industry. The U.S. chose the United flight to Beijing over Continental, which wanted to fly to Shanghai from New York, and American, which wanted to fly to Beijing from Dallas. United's case reportedly was helped because Washington, D.C., is the largest U.S. metropolitan area without China service.

Now the scramble begins for the next new route, to be awarded in 2008. Seattle is the second-largest U.S. metro area without China service, according to this press release issued during the Chinese president's visit to Seattle last year. Nonstops help business and tourism, but Seattle hasn't had one to China for several years. (Note that Vancouver has daily flights to three Chinese cities.)

Seattle company plans Oregon ethanol plant

A Seattle company may build an ethanol plant in Klamath Falls, Ore., to meet rising demand for alternative fuels.

The company, E85 Inc., has been proposing plants across the U.S., according to numerous articles. A plant is reportedly planned in North Carolina, where it would benefit from investment incentives. The Oregon plant isn't finalized and details remain scarce.

According to a local newspaper report, the plant would generate 100 million gallons of ethanol a year and provide 45-50 "well-paid" jobs. The plant would be a victory for economic development in southern Oregon, though some concern was expressed over the plant's potential water consumption.

Canada approves $3.3B Weyerhaeuser deal

Canadian regulators okayed the merger of Domtar, the country's largest paper company, with a unit of Weyerhaeuser.

The U.S. already approved the $3.3 billion deal, which should close this quarter. The combination clears the way for further cross-border consolidation in the forest products sector. Some other deals are already happening.

New passport rules may cost economy

Beginning in two weeks, passports will be required to enter the U.S. by air from Canada, a change with huge potential for economic disruption.

New passports are more than a formality since new ones cost $97 and renewals $67. One possible casualty: Kenmore Air, which flies between Seattle and B.C., said it's budgeting a reduction in summertime travel to Canada because passengers without passports may go by land or boat instead of paying the extra expense.

Seattle area needs single transit agency

The Seattle area needs a single transit agency to prioritize projects and recommend funding and land use policies, according to a new state study.

The recommendation, expected after a preliminary report last fall, would make the area's transit and development planning apparatus more similar to those in Vancouver and Portland -- where transit projects are more than plans. The Seattle area has six major transit agencies and 128 governments involved in transit planning, the study found.

A fix for energy shortage? Consumer choice

Here's part of the answer to meeting Cascadia's energy needs without building lots of new power plants: real-time metering of electricity so consumers can choose when to flip the switch.

Electricity costs vary by time of day but power companies typically roll charges into a monthly bill because it's more profitable. Imagine how demand would change if companies had to give conumers more choice. The article cites a study that consumers would save nearly $23 billion a year if they shifted just 7 percent of their peak consumption to less-costly times.

Just as cellphone customers delay personal calls until they become free at night and on weekends, and just as millions of people fly at less popular times because air fares are lower, people who know the price of electricity at any given moment can cut back when prices are high and use more when prices are low.

Metering is just one of the hurdles in the way of more renewable energy without building more traditional power plants.