FRIENDS OF THE EARTH

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What this statement reveals is that while a significant amount of "new" money has been poured into utility companies to foster growth over the past decade-there has not been a correspondingly large upswing in the number of jobs created as a result of that growth. In fact, it would seem that if you're trying to increase employment-money invested in any other industry but utilities would be considerably more productive. For instance: In 1968 (again according to EEI's own figures) it took an average of $173,370 in capital investment to sustain one job in electric utilities, while only $15,720 were required to keep a person working in the lumber and wood products industry. That's eleven jobs to one, folks for the same amount of money.

As the dream of "cheap", "safe" nuclear energy fades, many companies are finding themselves holding the proverbial bag they've spent huge numbers of bucks for unreliable power plants, and are now shelling out even more to keep the "iffy" facilities running. For the most part, the utilities have simply had to grin and .bear the situation but now the tide is turning.

A landmark suit, asking for $150 million in damages, has been filed by Nebraska Public Power District against General Electric, Westinghouse, and a number of others in the nuclear family. The problem? A series of expensive delays and mishaps have cost NPPD a bundle and the utility blames the vendors and contractors for providing faulty equipment and service. The strange thing is that the plant in question (the 778-megawatt Cooper site, near Brownville, Nebraska) is no worse than most other facilities. If the litigation is successful, a good many more utility companies with similar problems may take their troubles to court, too.

CALIFORNIA'S REDWOODS: DEAD WOODS?

Conservationists have been saying so all along, and now the federal government has officially agreed for the first time: Logging around California's Redwood National Park is wrecking the sanctuary.

A two-year study of the area by a team of United States Geological Survey scientists concluded that increased erosion has toppled 1,000-year-old redwoods and caused the siltation of fishbearing pools. (Private surveys financed by the lumber companies argue that most of the damage is the result of natural forces but frankly, we don't believe them.) Loggers have left piles of litter-tires, heaps of gravel, cut logs, battered culvert pipes, and steel cables all over the park. And what can be done about the damage?

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