Energy bill stalls in Congress</p><p>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats searched for a compromise on energy legislation as Republican leaders made clear they will oppose oil industry taxes and a mandate for utilities to use more wind and solar-generated electricity.</p><p>
The sharp divisions within the Senate over the taxes and renewable fuels mandate surfaced when Democrats fell seven votes short on a procedural vote, 53-42, on Friday as the Senate began considering an energy package approved by the House on Thursday.</p><p>
“I would hope this sends a signal,” said Republican Sen. Pete Domenici (N.M.) after the test vote.</p><p>
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) acknowledged the House-passed bill will require some surgery and said he planned to return to the legislation this week. Whatever changes are made would then have to be approved by the House.</p><p>
Much of the legislation, including the first increase in automobile fuel economy requirements in 32 years, has “near universal support,” said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. But he said the House-passed bill “won’t become law” unless the “twin millstones of utility rate hikes and massive tax increases” are removed. Democrats acknowledged they don’t have the 60 votes needed to overcome Republican delaying tactics with the bill as it stands.</p><p>
Republican lawmakers, as well as the White House, have been most critical of $13.5 billion in taxes imposed on the five largest oil companies under the House-passed bill. It is part of a broader $21 billion tax package that senators are trying to rework.</p><p>
Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, said Friday while “some modest changes” could be made in the tax provisions, the taxes are “an essential, necessary component” because they pay for a wide range of clean energy programs, from capturing carbon dioxide from power plants to extending short-term tax credits for solar and wind energy plants and commercial development of cellulosic ethanol.</p><p>
Democratic leaders were leaning Friday toward dropping divisive requirement for utilities to produce 15 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources such, wind, solar or biofuel.</p><p>

Iowa Dairy fined $65,000 for alleged water pollution</p><p>

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A northwestern Iowa dairy farm must pay a $65,000 fine for water pollution and manure handling violations, the Iowa attorney general’s office said.</p><p>
Plymouth Dairy Farms Inc., a 2,850-head dairy operation near Le Mars, was sued by the attorney general last year. District Court Judge Gary E. Wenell issued an order on Dec. 5 in Plymouth County District Court, assessing the $65,000 fine. He also prohibited further violations and required specific monitoring and reporting requirements to prevent future problems.</p><p>
Plymouth Dairy Farms agreed to entry of the consent order, judgment and decree.</p><p>
“We alleged serious violations, and this is an appropriate order,” said Attorney General Tom Miller. “Plymouth Dairy Farms had no history of violations prior to the alleged violations, and we believe it has been in compliance since the alleged violations.”</p><p>
The state lawsuit, filed Jan. 10, 2006, alleged that cattle manure escaped from the dairy’s settling basins in September and October 2004 and ultimately discharged into a nearby unnamed tributary of Plymouth Creek. The lawsuit also alleged Plymouth Dairy Farms had excessive levels of manure stored in its settling basin on several occasions and failed to maintain a current management plan and other required manure application records.</p><p>
D.C.-area food banks are
experiencing severe shortages</p><p>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Area food banks are reporting severe shortages during this holiday season. Demand for free and discounted food is up, but donations have dropped dramatically.
The Capital Area Food Bank is the region’s primary distribution center. Officials there say the center had about 230,000 pounds of goods on its shelves this week, down from 570,000 pounds at this time last year.</p><p>
The shortage is hitting food banks and soup kitchens across the country. One factor is that federal supplies of excess farm goods have dropped. That’s partly because of the summer drought and because farmers are selling more of their products internationally.
Meanwhile, donations from grocery stores have fallen as supermarket chains consolidate, increase efficiency and tighten inventory controls.</p><p>
Japan to consider easing restrictions on U.S. beef</p><p>

TOKYO (AP) — Japan will consider easing restrictions on U.S. beef imports, an apparent compromise after months of pressure from Washington, according to a news report Friday.</p><p>
Agriculture Minister Masatoshi Wakabayashi’s concession followed the latest round of talks between Japanese and U.S. farm officials earlier Friday over Tokyo’s restrictions on American beef, Kyodo News agency said.</p><p>
Japan banned American beef imports over “Mad Cow” fears more than three years ago, but has eased that restriction to allow imported meat from young cattle aged 20 months or younger, on condition that certain bones and the spinal cord have been removed and the meat has been processed at selected plants.</p><p>
Eating meat products with infected tissue is linked to a rare, fatal illness, variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, that has killed more than 150 people worldwide, most of them in Britain.</p><p>