REDNews January 2015 - Southeast Cover January 2015 | Page 16

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Continued from page 14

16 | REDNews.com

2015 ECONOMIC FORECAST
this year, while single-family permits are up 8
percent. Permits in Austin are starting to slow
down, while the market waits to see if new
construction can be absorbed. Single-family
permits are starting to rise again, mostly in the
suburbs and xburbs.
Electricity and Water
•  he new Ferguson Power Plant, a combined-cycle
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natural gas plant, has 30 to 40 percent lower
emissions and uses 35 percent less fuel than the
plant it replaced.
•  CRA is also heavily invested in coal generation
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and is working through the EPA’s guidelines to
curb emissions.
•  CRA’s reservoir system is at 34 percent, which
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is a good number considering the extent of the
drought. Water consumption has decreased in
Austin due to raised awareness and sensitivity
around the drought.
•  inding new water supplies \