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SALEM, Ore. (AP) ? Portland General Electric customers may be bailing the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry out of a $4.6 million delinquent loan with state money intended to fund efficiency measures and renewable energy.

A 3 percent public purpose surcharge on PGE and PacifiCorp customers was implemented by the Legislature in 2002 to fund the Energy Trust of Oregon, an organization that works with residential and industrial customers to promote energy efficiency and efforts to use renewables.

Opponents of the measure say using that money to pay off OMSI's debt to the Department of Energy amounts to a legislative raid on ratepayer money.

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But regulators still urged to demand stiffer commitments

12:00 AM CDT on Tuesday, June 26, 2007

rloftis@dallasnews.com

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A consortium led by the University of Houston hopes a planned wind turbine test facility near Corpus Christi will help secure Texas' place as a hub for green power development.

The 22-acre facility donated by oil giant BP will be used to test the next generation of wind turbine blades, a necessary task to continue improving power output of the equipment, said Raymond Flumerfelt, dean of the Cullen College of Engineering at the University of Houston.

"Texas is where the action is in wind energy," Flumerfelt said. "We're hoping once the facility is in place, the manufacturers will follow suit and come to Texas."

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Regarding the June 18 story, ''Valley cities trying to go green'': When I review the actions proposed by our counties and some local governments toward ''conserving energy to fight climate change,'' one huge category seems largely missing; people doing things to control energy-using equipment to reduce unnecessary consumption.

That includes setting thermostats, turning lights off, reducing hot water temperatures, cleaning condensers, tuning boilers and so on. That doesn't always mean more work for a maintenance staff.

If building occupants had more reasonable expectations for such things as room temperatures and light levels, significant energy could be saved. Ditto for vehicle users driving conservatively and combining trips to cut miles.

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Late last year, Los Angeles-based CB Richard Ellis acquired Trammell Crow Co. of Dallas, creating a global giant in the commercial real estate industry.

John Holland, a 20-year veteran of Trammell Crow, was named senior managing director of the combined company's Houston offices, leading the Gulf Coast/South Texas region.

He now manages almost 500 employees who engage in everything from tenant representation and mortgage banking to property management and development.

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