EPA would raise ethanol plant limit

In an attempt to increase domestic production of alternative fuel sources, the Bush administration has proposed allowing ethanol plants to send more hazardous air pollutants into the air.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that it has proposed a rule that would raise the emissions threshold for corn milling plants that produce ethanol fuel, allowing those plants to emit up to 250 tons per year of air pollutants before triggering tougher restrictions on production.

Currently, corn milling plants can emit 100 tons of pollutants per year.

Oklahoma City

Fires level homes, force evacuations

Grass fires raged across Oklahoma on Wednesday, injuring five firefighters, destroying homes and other buildings and forcing evacuations of schools and businesses, authorities said.

The largest fires burned in Stephens County in southwestern Oklahoma, where two volunteer firefighters suffered severe burns battling a blaze that was at least eight miles long.

“They got trapped and were overcome by fire and severely burned,” said Sam Darst, spokesman for the city of Duncan, the county seat.

The fire destroyed at least 30 homes and the Liberty Baptist Church near Meridian.

Lingering drought, winds of 20 to 25 mph with higher gusts and record-shattering warmth created favorable conditions for wildfires. Daytime highs reached the 80s and 90s, more than 20 degrees above average for March 1.

Denver

Dobson says Alito sent him thanks

Focus on the Family founder James Dobson said Wednesday that new Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito sent him a letter thanking him and his radio listeners for their support during his Senate confirmation hearings.

Alito wrote that “the prayers of so many people from around the country were a palpable and powerful force. As long as I serve on the Supreme Court, I will keep in mind the trust that has been placed in me,” Dobson said on his radio broadcast.

Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said Alito’s note was in response to a letter Dobson sent congratulating him on his confirmation. She said his pledge to “keep in mind the trust that has been placed in me” was included in many replies he wrote to congratulatory letters.

David Yalof, a political science professor at the University of Connecticut and the author of a book on Supreme Court vacancies, said Alito’s letter did not appear to violate ethical standards.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State called the letter “grossly inappropriate.”