Energy News Digest for March 12, 2009

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Cold Spell Sets Puget Sound Energy Utility Records
- Portland General Electric Raises $175.9 Million
- Seattle Utilities Loosen Rule for Rate Assistance Eligibility
- Jumper's Daughter Thanks Grant PUD
- Bush May Have Set Back 'Clean Coal' Efforts by 10 Years, Report Says
- Maryland Regulators Ban Utility Shutoffs for Now
- Coho Forecast Bodes Well For Anglers, Businesses That Cater To Fishermen
- $7M Grant for Wildlife in Oregon, Idaho, Washington
- Centralia Votes to Join Salmon Partnership
- Gray Whales Return to Whidbey Waters
- Summer Water Might Be Below Normal
- Climate Change Accelerates Water Hunt in U.S. West
- Obama Signs U.S. Budget into Law; Oregon Gets $211 Million in Goodies
- Climate Change Course Reversed - Senate shelves efforts to limit CO2 emissions
- Green-Energy Changes a Difficult Balancing Act for Lawmakers
- Oregonians want green energy at any price, and that’s what we’re getting
- Renewable and Affordable - Green Answers, Blowing in the Wind
- Greenpeace Energy Report Projects Cheap, Clean Power - and more jobs
- Centralia OKs Energy Generation Ordinance
- Realtors Want Spending Paused on Port of Bremerton’s Energy Project
- Utah Will Spend Stimulus Cash on Clean-Energy Push
- U.S. Seeks to Spur Renewable Energy on Public Lands
- Too Many Old Stoves - Woodstoves Contribute to Air Quality Problems
- Energy Efficiency = New Era for Electric Utilities
- Electric Choice in Maryland Helps Smart-Grid Conservation
- WA Senate Wants to Study Any Cap-And-Trade Program
- Earth-Friendly Jobs Bill Passes State Senate
- Olympian Op/Ed - Climate Change Likely to Be Costly for Washington Residents
- Global Warming to Carry Big Costs for California
- The National Columnist - The Crumbling Case for Global Warming
- Planning For Future Must Consider Climate Change
- State of New York Eyes Global Warming in Project Reviews
- Comcast Is Now 3rd Largest U.S. Phone Company
- Google Turns Voicemail into Email
- Google's Openness Intensifies Focus on E-Mail Woes
- Faster Clearwire a Mixed Blessing
- West Texas Towns Get Fiber, Thank Verizon
- Wireless-Only Households State-By-State
- Wal-Mart to Enter Electronic Medical Records Arena
- Twitter As A Brand-Builder: Three Examples
- Mason County Sheriff Says Belfair Office ‘Absolutely Necessary'
- Pierce County Skipped Tens of Thousands of Property Inspections
- Another Delay in Mason County Property Tax Statements
- Washington State Patrol Investigating E-Mail
- Washington State Labor Council E-Mail
- Cutoff Day for Washington State Lawmakers
- White House Nominates Seattle Police Chief as Drug Czar
- Obama to States: Spend Stimulus Wisely - Or Else
- Simpson Closing Door Plant at Port Of Centralia
- State Agency Pays 10 Times More per Photocopy
- Webinar on Friday To Help Answer Hood Canal Bridge Closure Questions

WORD OF THE DAY

Acedia • \uh-SEE-dee-uh\ • noun - Apathy, boredom

Amelia stared out the window, the darkness of acedia overcoming her growing weariness with the ongoing chatter of her fellow workers who were in the ascending phase of a sugar high, fueled by toroidal-shaped, doughy pastries. Instead of focusing on the intricacies of filling out form 1524-B-ACE, she was flitting away from consciousness on a rainbow-colored unicorn.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Cold Spell Sets Puget Sound Energy Utility Records (Associated Press)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/403270_pse13.html?source=rss

Portland General Electric Raises $175.9 Million (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/03/09/daily30.html?ana=from_rss

Seattle Utilities Loosen Rule for Rate Assistance Eligibility (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/41135372.html

Jumper's Daughter Thanks Grant PUD (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/03/11/news/doc49b7f2316f398971573778.txt

Bush May Have Set Back 'Clean Coal' Efforts by 10 Years, Report Says (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/11/AR2009031102306.html?wprss=rss_politics

Maryland Regulators Ban Utility Shutoffs for Now (Associated Press)
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/03/11/ap6156267.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Coho Forecast Bodes Well For Anglers, Businesses That Cater To Fishermen (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/661157.html

$7M Grant for Wildlife in Oregon, Idaho, Washington (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1898295~_7M_grant_for_wildlife_in_Ore___Idaho__Wash_.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

Centralia Votes to Join Salmon Partnership – Opponent dismisses group as “Big Ball of Fluff” (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.outdoorslc.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1236790066&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

Gray Whales Return to Whidbey Waters (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_031109WAB-gray-whales-KS.25d4c46e.html?rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Summer Water Might Be Below Normal (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1898304~Summer_water_might_be_below_normal.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

Climate Change Accelerates Water Hunt in U.S. West (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE52900820090310?sp=true

Obama Signs U.S. Budget into Law; Oregon Gets $211 Million in Goodies (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/obama_signs_us_budget_into_law.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Climate Change Course Reversed - State Senate shelves efforts to limit CO2 emissions (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090312/NEWS02/703129937/

Green-Energy Changes a Difficult Balancing Act for Lawmakers (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/03/12//area_news/doc49b8963b599fe653692973.txt

A Mighty Wind - Oregonians want green energy at any price, and that’s what we’re getting (Willamette Weekly)
http://wweek.com/columns/coverstory#35.18

Renewable and Affordable - Green Answers, Blowing in the Wind (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/11/AR2009031103831.html

Greenpeace Energy Report Projects Cheap, Clean Power -- and more jobs (Los Angeles Times, CA)
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2009/03/cheap-clean-pow.html

Centralia OKs Energy Generation Ordinance - provides an opportunity for residents to produce their own small-scale energy generating projects (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.outdoorslc.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1236789857&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

Realtors Want Spending Paused on Port's Kitsap Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Project (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/mar/11/realtors-want-spending-paused-on-seed/?partner=RSS

Utah Will Spend Stimulus Cash On Clean-Energy Push - Solar, wind, geothermal and biomass top the development list (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11891417?source=most_viewed

U.S. Seeks to Spur Renewable Energy on Public Lands (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE52A64Q20090311

Too Many Old Stoves - Woodstoves Contribute to Air Quality Problems (Wild over Wood Smoke: Herald and News, Klamath Falls, OR)
http://www.heraldandnews.com/articles/2009/03/12/top_story/doc49b8abb8b67fc796024261.txt

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Efficiency = New Era for Electric Utilities (Seeking Alpha)
http://seekingalpha.com/article/125173-energy-efficiency-new-era-for-electric-utilities

Baltimore Sun Columnist - Electric Choice in Maryland Helps Smart-Grid Conservation
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/hancock/blog/2009/03/electric_choice_helps_smartgri.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

WA Senate Wants to Study Any Cap-And-Trade Program (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/784152.html

Earth-Friendly Jobs Bill Passes State Senate (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/915/story/505298.html?mi_email=Tri-City%20Herald_PM+%26+Breaking+News

Olympian Op/Ed - Climate Change Likely to Be Costly for Washington Residents
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/784154.html

Global Warming to Carry Big Costs for California (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/03/11/financial/f154111D00.DTL&feed=rss.business

The National Columnist - The Crumbling Case for Global Warming: Voters should ask politicians one simple question: ‘Why do you want to raise my energy prices?’ (Canada)
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/03/10/peter-foster-the-crumbling-case-for-global-warming.aspx

Planning For Future Must Consider Climate Change (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008847232_apsciclimatechange.html?syndication=rss

State of New York Eyes Global Warming in Project Reviews (NY Newsday)
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--greenhousegas-pro0311mar11,0,1970837.story

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Comcast Is Now 3rd Largest U.S. Phone Company (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/03/11/comcast-is-now-3rd-largest-us-phone-company/

Google Turns Voicemail into Email (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/12/AR2009031200367.html?wprss=rss_technology

Google's Openness Intensifies Focus on E-Mail Woes (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1898892~Google_s_openness_intensifies_focus_on_e_mail_woes.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Faster Clearwire a Mixed Blessing (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/brierdudley/2008844214_brier12.html?syndication=rss

West Texas Towns Get Fiber, Thank Verizon (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/03/11/west-texas-towns-get-fiber-thank-verizon/

Wireless-Only Households State-By-State (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008840547_apcellphoneonlystates.html?syndication=rss

Wal-Mart to Enter Electronic Medical Records Arena (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11887344

Twitter As A Brand-Builder: Three Examples (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10192490-2.html?tag=nl.e433

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Sheriff Says Belfair Office ‘Absolutely Necessary' (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/mar/11/mason-county-sheriff-says-belfair-office/?partner=RSS

Pierce County Skipped Tens of Thousands of Property Inspections, Assessor Says (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/politics/2009/03/11/pierce_county_skipped_tens_of_thousands_

Another Delay in Mason County Property Tax Statements (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6656/reftab/1632/t/ANOTHER-DELAY-IN-PROPERTY-TAX-STATEMENTS/Default.aspx

Washington State Patrol Investigating E-Mail (Seattle Time)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008844278_apwaxgremailinvestigation7thldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Washington State Labor Council e-mail (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008843314_webwslcemail11.html?syndication=rss

Cutoff Day for Washington State Lawmakers (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_031209WAB-AP-olympia-lawmakers-LJ.2a42723f.html?rss?npc

White House Nominates Seattle Police Chief as Drug Czar (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008840620_webdrugczar11m.html?syndication=rss

Obama to States: Spend Stimulus Wisely — Or Else (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11895902

Simpson Closing Door Plant at Port Of Centralia (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?SIMPSON-CLOSING-DOOR-ON-PORT-OF-CENTRALI=1&blockID=43992&feedID=410

State Agency Pays 10 Times More per Photocopy (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_031209BUB_agency-pays-more-photocopy-JM.29cef417.html?rss?npc

Webinar On Friday To Help Answer Hood Canal Bridge Closure Questions (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/Main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=23644

DIVERSIONS

Oklahoma May Ban Eyeball Tattoos
http://www.kirotv.com/health/18905831/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_12pm&tmi=sea_12pm_1_02000103112009&ts=H

Mix-Up Sends Corpse, Not Fish, To Pet Store
http://www.kirotv.com/money/18904636/detail.html

Eastern Oregon Professor, Wife Say Drawing Hides Leonardo's Self-Portrait
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/03/eastern_oregon_professor_wife.html

Man Survives Plunge over Niagara Falls
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/03/11/niagara.plunge/index.html?eref=ib_topstories

SONG OF THE DAY

Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ughqjbzx2Fk