Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Do we let the Wookie Win

I said I liked the Outdoor Retailer Industry Trade show coming to Utah for their convention. When "pushed" that we should do everything and anything they want, I obviously pushed back.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/54623703-82/utah-outdoor-state-public.html.csp

The group has the same chance as anyone else. Did they show up at the hearings or the discussion the last couple of years? The Sierra club, the ATV folks and many others did.

They have been threatening to either get their way or take their marbles and go somewhere else for many years. We have no assurance that if we continue to do what they want that they will continue to come here.

More convention space, even if it sits partially vacant most of the year, done, more hotels, done.

Now, they want a reserved seat at the table for Utah land policy with veto rights?

A new County Hotel is being looked at even though it could cause the Grand America and others to go under. I have read the reports sent to the Convention Center about the proposed County Hotel. It was pretty obvious that the connection between the existing county convention center and hotels doesn't work and that the hotels as a whole think the County is competing with them instead of working with them.

I would like to see the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau work with the existing hotel owners instead of trying to compete with them. They almost ignore both the Little America and Grand America Hotel and that you can ride TRAX free from the north convention center exit to those hotels.

The hotels near the Salt Palace Convention Center should be able to market their individual hotel and the fact that they have all the convention and meeting room space that someone could want with the convention center. The convention center should be able to market with the surrounding hotels to utilize their meeting rooms and convention space if more space is needed.

For yesterday's comments on Utah Lands, see:
http://www.fredcox4utah.blogspot.com/2012/08/outdoor-rec-industry-lashes-out-again.html

Renewable Natural Gas - What is up with the cow belching?

Oregano, the solution to the problem, or the problem to the solution?

According to Wikipedia
"Renewable natural gas, also known as sustainable natural gas, is a biogas which has been upgraded to a quality similar to fossil natural gas. A biogas is a gas methane obtained from biomass. By upgrading the quality to that of natural gas, it becomes possible to distribute the gas to customers via the existing gas grid, and burned within existing appliances."

With Kennecott's recent announcement to move to using natural gas for power, and Utah being in the top 10 states with natural gas reserves, what is stopping Utah from promoting what we have and making more?

According to the Salt Lake Tribune:
"The company will retire three coal-fired plants and replace them by 2014 with a gas-fired plant that not only generates electricity but also captures and uses waste heat. Kennecott will gain 100 megawatts of new power, while dramatically reducing pollutants at the company’s refinery, located near the southern edge of Great Salt Lake.

"The proposed changes, which require state approval, would reduce Kennecott’s overall air pollution by 20 percent."

As discussed in The Huffington Post, Utah already has great potential for Solar, Wind and Geothermal, why not add more biogas production to the mix? We seem to have enough hog, cow, egg, and turkey farms, along with plenty of generated garbage. We are doing some in this area, what can we do to be better?

Oregano, the solution to the problem, or the problem to the solution?
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/05/12/477699832/can-oregano-fight-cow-belches-and-climate-change
 [updated link. Previous Link didn't work anymore]