Oregon may turn to efficient geothe rmal energy HKN'l). Ore (API Hit' res! of the nation began to tap geothermal energy in the 1960s while (.heap hydroelei trie power fueled the Northwest The 1990s may find Oregon looking underground for new energy sources Most of the major rivers already are dammed, and new hydro projects could threaten fish runs already damaged hv existing dams Alex Sifford, an energy resource spe cialist with the Oregon Department of I nergv. savs geothermal energy may be one of the region's best liets for develop ing an effii lent, safe and relatively dean source of electricity. "Up here we have the < heapest electro rates in the country, so very little has been able to compete until recently. Sif ford said. "Geothermal and all the other renewable energy sources are going to be brought on line." The first proje<! to be completed in Oregon is likely to be a $1U> million plant on the western slope of Newberry ( .rater, just south of Bend. After a year of rev iew , the federal gov ernment has given CT. Exploration Co of Portland approval fur a pro jet I on the lip of the am lent volcano CK Kxploration plans to set up to 14 well pads within three miles of its pow er plant Kach pad would tap two to four wells plunging ft.000 to 8.000 feet into geothermal reservoirs Construction should take about three years Hut the projei I s sum ess depends on the temperature of the water 350 to 450 degrees is needed and the sire of the geothermal reservoir It could lake a year or more to determine if the resoun e is Niiffii tent From .m environmental standpoint, the proposal has attracted little • ritioism "I've done projei ts in California and Nevada for various federal agem ies before, and this review is probably as comprehensive and difficult as we ve ever been through," said David McClain. CK Kxploration's projects manager In fact, many environmentalists who have examined plans for the Newberry project, such as Dr Jim Mahoney of Bend, are satisfied Mahoney. a member of the Sierra ( Mid), represents environmentalists on a com muni tv advisory council assigned to monitor the protect Although state Sierra Club leaders have not taken a position on the plan, Mahoney said he personally believes the prop* t is sound "They've done a good job. there's no two ways about it. Mahoney said If you're going to do geothermal power in Oregon and have it done in an environ mentally responsible manner, this ts as close as you're going to come The plant would tie partially i om ealed by the landsc ape, and would generate a small steam plume appearing as a small white cloud. Me ( lam say s Hot water from the ysells yvould he cooled and re-injec ted into the' ground, yvhere it yvould rejoin geothermal reser voirs Hut one critic say s trac e chemicals in the hot water could pose a problem il they leac hed into groundwater, a toys thousand feet above the geothermal reser voirs Robert Windix of Bend worked from 1977 to 1987 at The ('.evsers. a geot hermal field in California Tve l teen there ami seen that diligence isn't alvvin s tin- highest priority." VVittdis said. A not Iter concern is th« potential release of hydrogen sulfide, n gas that smells like rotten eggs Inside Newberry ('rater, tiny amounts of gas leak from thermal springs at Hast and Paulina lakes, hut much larger amounts would surface through wells Mi ( lain said the plant will be equipped with an emissions treatment system that will c apture more than 98 percent of the gas Meanwhile, supporters are hoping the pro jet t will become a model for geother mal development in Oregon "These test projot ts are the most rea suitable wav to proceed right now." state Sen Neil Hryant. K Rend, a member of an advisory i emu il for the Newberry pro jec t. said of future energy needs. 1 here's a strong likelihood that power from hydroelectricity will continue to UK reuse m price." he said "If the salmon rei overy plan doesn't work. it i ou Id rea I ly int reuse and also lie limited ET ALS vui riNt.s I hiuIm opr An hiln lure Studio 489 589 will hold « community design meeting lor I'rhidul!!* of AlUa/OI; .Indent housing ■W AS! U w i • !•: Rtioin F K LUC ION ( hi Alpha Christian hellowship w-ii :- l ii worship service and bible study tonight at 7p m in Kim mi 105 Fss linger Keif more infnr mat ion, < all 346 0010 MISCELLANEOUS Department of Germanic language* and literature will sponsor .» S« andmavian film titled Northern Light* (subtitled) tonight at Hp m in Room 115 Pat ifu For more in for (nation, rail .440 4080 | apaneve Student Organisation ill spoil vor «< Japanese language table today from 4 40 to > 10 p m m Room 115 Pacific For more information, rail 343-0082 Oregon Humanities ( enter will sponsor .i lecture demonstration by ('beryl Marshall soprano ami Caroline Almonte pianist, on Collaboration* bet ween Singers and Com posers Idea* regarding T« hniques and interpretation, today »»t 4 p m in the C«r linger Alumni Lounge For more informa tiiin. i all I4t» Js »4 ( areer Planning and Plat ement Servo r will »pon*or a presentation by PotvMarl tonight from 6 to ’pm in KMC Century Room A C areer Planning and Placement Service will conduct an interview workshop today from 1 to 4 10 p m m LMt Cedar Room I Career Planning and Placement Service will conduct an office orientation today from J to 4 p m in Room 221 Hendrti ks ( areer Planning and Placement Service request that bid cards and resume* be sub Minted today through Wednesday in Hoorn *44 Hendricks for interviews with the fol lowing organisation* Frito l-ay 1 uuberlme Software PIRC. ARIS Montgomery Ward (tide lh*< mini f-orp and The Prudential Deadline for vu/muffing 11 At* to the Liner aid front de*k Suite 100 t Stl' n noon the day before publication ht Ah run the dm f thr evrrif u/lies* the event foies plat r br> or noon and i% requested to be run mither 11 IPG On campus Desktop PuMishlng and Darkroom Sendees 0m Call $46-4381 or come by Rm. 300 EM Open 8.*## It 5:00 NondayFrlday Accepted at more Schools than you were. It's every Vv^rverC ■you -want to be*