South Florida Sun Sentinel from Fort Lauderdale, Florida • 43

BROWARD Sun-Sentinel Thursday, May 10, 2007 NWS www.sun-sentinel.combusiness fmKm.mmmm,mmmmmm i mi hj- I rS I I 1J nZXCX i i OLDING STEADY ntmiMwz ccn icawc datcc Ainiic 5n ULiU lfll iiL I LIS LLAVL fUllLJ nLUiiL. Is A DOW: 13,362.87 (53.80) A SECTION EDITOR GAIL DeGEORGE, 954-356-4661, MARKET WATCH 2 BUSINESS TOPICS 3 STOCK LISTINGS 4 MUTUAL FUNDS 3 Activists' suit seeks U.S. crackdown on pollution BY THE NUMBERS A one-week, cruise generates: 210,000 S- 1 million si 3,000 people on board generates 2 10,000 gallons of sewage, 1 million gallons of dirty water from activities such as laundry and dishwashing, and 37,000 gallons of oily bilge, the group said, citing EPA statistics. Miami ranks first and Fort Lauderdale second for cruise ship traffic in the United States. POLLUTION CONTINUES ON 2D By David Fleshler STAFF WRITER An environmental group filed a lawsuit Wednesday to force the federal government to crack down on pollution from cruise ships, which account for a major share of the traffic at the Port of Miami and Port Everglades.

Friends of the Earth, based in Washington, D.C., sued the Environ mental Protection Agency in federal court in Washington for what it said was a failure to act on a 7-year-old petition from environmental groups to assess and regulate cruise ship pollution. Unlike other large ships such as freighters, which carry small crews, cruise ships carry thousands of people, and this generates a large amount of waste. A one-week voyage with 37,000 gallons of oily bilge BRIEFING STAFF REPORTS, BLOOMBERG NEWS AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Agency boosts projected summer gasoline price In its most recent short-term energy outlook, the U.S. Energy Information Administration this week raised its projected average summer gasoline price by 14 cents per gallon, to $2.95 a gallon. Actual pump prices, now above $3 a gallon for regular in some parts of South Florida, often are higher than average prices.

The EIA expects average pump prices to peak at $3.01 a gallon in May and again in August. Last year's average peak price was $2.98 a gallon in July. Delta plans to build up international routes Delta Air Lines a major carrier in South Florida, will cut domestic capacity over the next several years as it focuses more attention on expanding its international service, and it has its eyes set on Asia, Chief Financial Officer Ed Bastian said Wednesday. Bastian said at a New York investor conference that the majority of the airline's international growth will be in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. JetBlue considers adding California flights to schedule JetBlue Airways Corp.

is considering a California expansion as Southwest Airlines Co. returns to San Francisco, Delta Air Lines Inc. adds flights from Los Angeles and newcomer Virgin America Inc. prepares to enter the market. JetBlue may add flights from Los Angeles, San Diego, Burbank and Ontario.

Federal officials widen Medicare fraud inquiry After documenting more than 140 million in Medicare fraud in South Florida, federal officials said Wednesday they will take a more thorough look at other providers of medical equipment. An investigation in the Miami area has led to 38 arrests, including 20 on Tuesday. Many defendants set up sham medical equipment dealerships. The defendants are accused of stealing the Medicare numbers of beneficiaries or buying their numbers, then billing the government for power wheelchairs, walkers, or kits for testing blood sugar levels. muni' iinul i liii'i wp.uk BUTLER TURNED CELEBRITY: Above, Paul Burrell, former servant to Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana, talks with Vern Pigott, of Royal Palm Beach, as he offers samples of his collection of wines.

He also autographed the bottles for customers, below. Staff photosCarey Wagner Butler turned bottler ROYAL BUTLER WINES Chinese goon buying spree By Michael Liedtke HE ASSOCIATED PRESS san Francisco A delegation of Chinese business leaders on Wednesday committed to buying $4.3 billion in U.S. technology, hoping to soften a political backlash to the massive trade imbalance dividing two of the world's economic powers. The agreements were trumpeted at a ceremony staged two weeks before the scheduled start of government talks in Washington, where leaders will try to tackle the United States' $232 billion trade deficit with China and other prickly issues. But the event's timing spurred immediate skepticism about the sincerity of China's efforts to narrow a trade gap that has tormented the United States for years.

"They are not going to change their ways. This is all part of a polit- "They are not going to change their ways. This is all part of a political smoke screen." Peter Murici Business professor, University of Maryland ical smoke screen," said Peter Mo-rici, a business professor at the University of Maryland and the former chief economist for the U.S. International Trade Commission. To underscore China's resolve to explore more U.S.

investments, executives from more than 200 Chinese companies are meeting with U.S. counterparts in 24 cities scattered across 23 states, said Ma Xiu-hong, vice minister of China's Ministry of Commerce. In its first stop, just north of Silicon Valley's high-tech heartland, the Chinese coalition primarily sealed deals with computer software, semiconductor and telecommunications companies. The U.S. beneficiaries included several of the world's largest technology companies, including Microsoft Oracle Cisco Systems Inc.

and Hewlett-Packard Co. California Lt. Gov. John Gara-mendi hailed 27 contracts signed Wednesday as an "important step in furthering the deep relationship between this state, this country and China." 'rr- if "4 Wkm Why doesn't the I I government put Sparkling rose: pink in color with vibrant flavor and a crisp, soft finish; regular price on sale for $14.99 through May 16. Chardonnay: aromas of peach and melon with a crisp, fruity flavor; regular price on sale for $9.99 through May 20.

Shiraz: full-bodied with soft fruit flavors and velvety, dry finish; regular price on sale for $9.99 through May 20. Former servant to royalty unveils own wine label BYJACLYNGIOVIS STAFF WRITER You probably wouldn't serve Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II a glass of Royal Butler wine. On sale for 10 a bottle at Publix, it's hardly fit for a pour at Buckingham Palace. But it's about as close as most budget-conscious American wine drinkers come to English royalty in a bottle. It's the carefully chosen new vintage from Princess Diana's former butler and confidant, Paul Burrell.

"I always say to the ladies 'Go on, take the Royal Butler home with you. After all, he knows Burrell chirped, while pouring a glass for a customer at a Publix supermarket in Palm Beach Gardens on Tuesday. As the British queen toured the United States this week, Burrell debuted the Royal Butler wine collection a trio of Australian Chardonnay, Shiraz and sparkling rose at Publix stores in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The butler-turned-celebrity signed a deal with Publix to introduce the wine collection in Florida, with plans to expand into other retail chains nationwide. Burrell served royalty for more than 20 years, first as the queen's footman and then as Princess Diana's butler.

After the princess' death in the summer of 1997, he wrote two autobiographies and offered the world a rare peek into the royal household. BURRELL CONTINUES ON 2D price controls on gasoline? Some politicians have called for controls on prices of gasoline at the pump, and a lot of consumers think it's a good idea. But price controls don't solve the problem of high prices. After crude oil and gas prices skyrocketed in the early 1970s, the government ordered price controls on "old" oil, or oil that had already been discovered, and allowed "new" oil to be priced at international levels. As a result, producers stopped putting "old" oil on the market and there was an artificial shortage.

Gas prices rose and shortages caused long lines at service stations. Price controls discourage producers from supplying the market, thus exacerbating shortages. Controls typically create a black market. JOSEPH MANN Private equity firm to buy Florida East Coast BY THE NUMBERS $3.5 billion Sale price of Florida East Coast Industries Inc to a private equity firm 351 miles Length of the railroad Florida East Coast operates between Jacksonville and Miami chairman of Jacksonville-based investment firm Allen C. Ewing Co.

The firm doesn't own any Florida East Coast shares. Florida East Coast is building Office Depot's headquarters in Boca Raton and has 41 acres for future development in Sunrise, but the vast majority of its holdings are in Miami-Dade County. Last year, it bought developer Armando Codina's Coral Ga- EMPIRE CONTINUES ON 2D If you have a question about gasoline prices or the petroleum industry, send an e-mail to Please put "gas prices" in the subject line and include a daytime telephone number. For tips on conservation and finding low-priced gas, go to Sun-Sentind-comlhelpteam STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS The successor to industrialist Henry Flagler's railroad empire is getting a new owner. Jacksonville-based Florida East Coast Industries which reported declining revenue and profit Wednesday, will be sold to a New York private equity firm in a $3.5 billion deal.

The sale to Fortress Investment Group LLC would expand Fortress' real estate and railroad holdings through a company that has been in vesting in Florida's tourism and agriculture industries since the 1880s. Florida East Coast operates a railroad along a 351-mile corridor between Jacksonville and Miami initially assembled in the 19th century by Flagler, one of the founders of Standard Oil Co. with John D. Rockefeller. The company also was controlled for decades by Edward Ball, a financial manager for the DuPont family estate who assembled large tracts of land in Florida, said Benjamin Bishop.