Maine
New Wind Farm Construction Planned
Two of the state's largest environmental organizations—Maine Audubon and the Natural Resources Council of Maine—are endorsing a wind energy project proposed for Washington County. Company representatives announced that they are supporting UPC Wind Management's plan to build 38 wind turbines on Stetson Mountain. The $100 million project will be New England's largest wind-energy facility, generating an estimated 57 megawatts of pollution-free power annually.
Source: Bangor Daily News

Massachusetts
Governor Requests SBA Aid Following Mill Fire
The administration of Gov. Deval Patrick (D) asked the federal government to provide financial assistance to businesses affected by a fire that engulfed a downtown mill complex in central Massachusetts last week. The administration sent a letter to the Small Business Administration, requesting a disaster declaration, and the administration has begun a disaster assessment to determine the scope of the damage, state officials said. Investigators are continuing to look for the cause of the eight-alarm blaze that damaged or destroyed 65 small businesses inside the 400,000-square-foot complex.
Source: The Metrowest Daily News

Kentucky
High-Tech Companies Receive Grants
The Cabinet for Economic Development awarded a total of $1.9 million to 20 technology companies across the state, including seven biotech companies. The grants were awarded as matching funds to those companies that received federal grant money through Phase I and Phase II of the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs, according to a news release. Kentucky is the first state to match funds for both Phases I and II. Economic development officials are using the program to attract high-tech companies to the state.
Source: Bizjournals Mississippi
State Is Hopeful to Get Automotive Suppliers
Local communities are hoping to attract automotive suppliers like Toyota and other Japanese automakers to expand into the region. A state delegation led by Gov. Haley Barbour (R) recently traveled to Japan and met with Toyota executives and representatives of its suppliers. With three Japanese automakers in Alabama, one in Tennessee, Nissan in central Mississippi and Toyota building a facility near Tupelo, Barbour said he believes automotive supply companies will look to locate in North Mississippi because of its central location. Toyota will announce suppliers and a location for their new $1.3 billion manufacturing plant later this year and early next year.
Source: The Daily Journal

Wisconsin
Online Sales Tax Debated
State lawmakers will consider whether state sales tax is automatically extended to online and catalog purchases during negotiations over the next state budget this week. Currently, Wisconsin residents are supposed to pay taxes on items purchased online or in catalogs unless the items are specifically exempt. However, out-of-state sellers, including many of the catalog and online retailers, do not collect the tax and cannot be forced to do so. Local retailers complain this puts them at a disadvantage, while online merchants say that sales tax rates, rules, and regulations vary too much across the country for them to effectively collect the taxes everywhere.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wyoming
Gas Tax Hikes
A legislative committee voted unanimously for a bill to increase the tax on gasoline and diesel fuel by 10 cents, from 14 to 24 cents, by 2011. The Joint Interim Committee on Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs also voted unanimously to increase all drivers' license fees in the state by 70%, from $20 to $35, also to be phased in over three years. The next step is to convince voters, other legislators and Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D) that the increased tax revenue is needed to fix the state's deteriorating highway system.
Source: Casper Star-Tribune

Idaho
Stable Job Data Contributes to State Economy
The state economy is expected to continue to thrive despite sliding employment rates in manufacturing, Oregon Employment Department officials said in their monthly report. Employment in the durable-goods manufacturing industry, which normally increases by 1,000 workers in June, added only 400 jobs. On a seasonally adjusted basis, manufacturing was down for a total of 199,400—continuing a decline from last August's total of 209,200. Yet the leisure and hospitality industry generated more jobs, as did educational and health services.
Source: The Oregonian

Nevada
Employers Face Complicated Minimum Wage Calculations
State employers will need to conduct confusing new minimum wage calculations now that the federal minimum wage takes effect at the end of the month to ensure that they are complying with both federal and state rules and paying workers the higher of the two rates, according to Nevada's labor commissioner. Nevada has a two-tiered minimum wage system that allows employers to pay a lower wage if they offer a qualified health insurance plan. In addition, state laws exempts employers of people under the age of 18, people in training who have worked fewer than 90 days, and those who work for a nonprofit group after school or during the summer from the state minimum law requirements.
Source: In Business Las Vegas