By ALLEN G. BREED AP National Writer Oxford, N.C. - It's fast-
growing and drought-tolerant, producing tons of biomass per
acre. It thrives even in poor soil and is a self-propagating
perennial, so it requires little investment once established. To
people in the renewable fuels industry, Arundo donax - also
known as "giant reed" - is nothing short of a miracle plant. An
Oregon power plant is looking at it as a potential substitute
for coal, and North Carolina boosters are salivating over the
prospect of an ethanol bio-refinery that would bring millions of
dollars in investment and dozens of high-paying jobs to hog
country. But to many scientists and environmentalists, Arundo
looks less like a miracle than a nightmare waiting to happen.
Officials in at least three states have banned the bamboo-like
grass as a "noxious weed"; California has spent more than $70
million trying to eradicate it. The federal government has
labeled it a "high risk" for invasiveness. Many are comparing
Arundo, which can reach heights o