Vol. 4, No. 11
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April 1, 2007
Nevada's Online State News Journal
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White Pine Railroad Changes
Of Ownership Good For Ely
SNWA Wants In, Council Says
No To Water Moloch
The historic rail line running from Ely in White Pine County north to Elko County has been owned by Los Angeles Department of Water and Power for many years and recently threatened to tear up the tracks and sell the right of way. The magnificent Nevada Northern Railroad line would have vanished if this had happened. The City of Ely made an offer to purchase the 128-mile rail line and the L.A. Water and Power accepted the offer. Ely has been suffering major economic woes for several years and it was questionable whether or not the city would be able to fulfill its responsibility.
L.S. Power Company is looking to build a 150-megawatt coal fired power plant in Ely and has stepped up to the plate with an offer of $750,000 toward payment for the line. L.S. Power has planned all along to use the railroad facilities to transport thousands of tons of coal regularly from the Union Pacific main line to the Ely plant. Sierra Pacific Resources, which operates Sierra Pacific Power Company in northern Nevada and Nevada Power Company in the south is also looking to build a 150-megawatt power plant in Ely and the city council allowed as how, Sierra Pacific could also help with the payments if they wished.
Interestingly, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) has come forward offering to help with the purchase as well. SNWA wants to pump ground water from White Pine County aquifers and transport the water 300 miles south to feed growth in southern Nevada. The city council turned down the offer.
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