March 13, 2001--
The power crisis in California has officially reached Utah.
Political leaders are here personally lobbying for power solutions.
Nadine Wimmer reports.
The Mayor of Los Angeles and others are making a power plea, hoping Utah can keep tinseltown from fading to black.
The L.A. Mayor and the Speaker of the California House met with Governor Leavitt to come up with some ways to ease the power crisis.
Mayor Richard Riordan/Los Angeles: "WITH THE WESTERN STATES GROWING SO DRAMATICALLY IN THE PAST TEN YEARS, AND THIS IS STILL CONTINUING, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND NEW SOURCES OF POWER."
Specifically, L.A. leaders want Utah to expand the Intermountain Power Plant.
It's the coal-fired plant near Delta, Utah, that already provides up to one-third of Los Angeles's power.
They want enough for another million homes.
But the Governor says he's still weighing the gains against the increase in pollution and draw on natural resources.
Governor Mike Leavitt: "WE'RE OPEN TO THIS ONE. WE SIMPLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO SORT THEM THROUGH."
Both sides made it a point to note the power crunch is not just a problem for California.
"WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER."
"WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER."
"WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER."
"WE ARE, I JOIN THE CHORUS IN THIS, ALL IN THIS TOGETHER."
With that message, they next took to the Salt Lake business community.
But before Utah strikes a deal with the sunshine state, they'll first ensure we have enough power for our own growing population.
"WE NEED TO ASSURE THAT OUR OWN NEEDS ARE MET. AND THEN IF WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE LARGER GOOD AND THEN IF WE CAN WE WILL."
