05/19/06 Another state offer for PCC rail system

Washington Ag May 19, 2006 The Washington State Palouse Coulee City Railroad negotiating team has made an offer to purchase the PCC Railroad system's assets the state does not already own, for just under four-million 166-thousand dollars. The current owner, Watco, is expected to respond to the offer by the end of next week. The state previously purchased part of the railroad's track and right of way in 2004. This latest offer includes the Cheney to Coulee City, or CW branch line and right of way, the operating rights for the CW, P&L and PV Hooper branch lines, as well as the spur tracks and the right of way connecting to the shippers on those branch lines. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, have introduced an aggressive plan to promote energy independence by increasing the use of renewable fuels. The Energy Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) bill would provide the president authority to increase the renewable content of motor fuel to 25 percent by 2025. It calls for 25 percent of vehicles sold in the United States to run on ethanol, biodiesel or alternative fuels by 2010. The legislation also requires that 10 percent of electricity in the country come from renewable sources by 2020. I'm Bob Hoff.