Energy News Digest for March 6, 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.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Residents Vent Frustrations over Avista Rates
- Hydropower Project Proposed For South Idaho
- Nuclear Waste Dogs US Energy Policy
- Senate Leader Says Energy, Climate Bills Will Be Combined
- Mason County PUD No. 3 Rolls Out New Website Design
- AARP Opposes Oklahoma Nuclear Plant Legislation
- Plans for 2 coal-fired power plants on hold in Nevada
- New Life for 'Clean Coal' Project
- NY Assembly: Re-Regulate State Electricity Market
- NW Salmon Dam Dispute Returns to Court
- Oregonian Op/Ed - A Strong New Current behind Columbia Salmon
- Report Says Invasive Species Are Greatest Threat to Northwest Salmon
- Dam removal offers opportunity for salmon, science
- Olympia’s Capitol Campus Water-Saving Project Begins
- Aluminum in Drinking Water Connected With Dementia Risk, Cognitive Decline
- Smart Grid Will Need More Federal Power: GE Exec
- Daylight Saving Time Is Supposed to Save Energy
- State of California’s Emissions Proposal Quickly Attacked
- Clearwire to Slow Network's Expansion
- Comcast Starting Digital Switch
- D.C. Tech Chief Tapped for Federal Chief Information Officer
- Federal Judge Allows Twitter Updates From Courtroom
- Wintry Weather Still Hanging Around The Sound
- Daylight Savings Start Sunday, Clocks Spring Forward
- Spring Ahead, Change Smoke Alarm Batteries
- Gregoire Signs $340 Million Highway Stimulus Plan
- Up To 40 State Parks Could Be Mothballed
- Port Of Shelton’s Tribute to Broadcaster Turns into Squabble

WORD OF THE DAY

Slush Fund • \SLUSH fund\ • noun - 1: A fund raised from the sale of refuse to obtain small luxuries or pleasures for a warship's crew 2: a fund for bribing public officials or carrying on corruptive propaganda 3: an unregulated fund often used for illicit purposes

The supervisor for the telephone “boiler room” operation was stumped. Although his crew was limited to one coffee per shift; no creamer or sugar; and doughnuts that were convenience store castoffs, his employees seemed to be living the life of Riley. Starbucks’ coffee brimming with the thickest cream, croissants from the high-faultin’ bakery down the street, and even party hats were common, especially on the graveyard shift. The secret was in the slush fund built up by the nefarious work of his unruly staff. For each phone sale, they called for a “processing fee” that was squirreled away for their personal comforts.

Life of Riley: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Life_of_Riley

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

Residents Vent Frustrations over Avista Rates (KXLY-TV, Spokane)
http://www.kxly.com/Global/story.asp?S=9956618

Hydropower Project Proposed For South Idaho - Salmon Falls Creek Reservoir near Rogerson (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/777810.html

Nuclear Waste Dogs US Energy Policy - Yucca Mountain was supposed to be where the highly toxic material was sent. But Obama's energy budget leaves it out (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0306/p02s01-usgn.html

Senate Leader Says Energy, Climate Bills Will Be Combined (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/03/05/05climatewire-senate-dems-to-put-energy-emissions-bills-in-10009.html

Mason County PUD No. 3 Rolls Out New Website Design (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=511

AARP Opposes Oklahoma Nuclear Plant Legislation (Associated Press)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29536462/

Plans for 2 coal-fired power plants on hold in Nevada – (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/03/05/financial/f164229S89.DTL&feed=rss.business

New Life for 'Clean Coal' Project - Illinois Plant Was Abandoned by Bush; Now Its Backers Are in Power (NY Times)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/05/AR2009030502138.html?wprss=rss_business

NY Assembly: Re-Regulate State Electricity Market “…deregulation…costs New Yorkers $2.2 billion a year in overcharges, resulting in the fourth highest rates in the nation…” (Associated Press)
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--electricbills-ny0305mar05,0,7611532.story

FISH & WILDLIFE

NW Salmon Dam Dispute Returns to Court (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008819139_aporsalmondams.html?syndication=rss

Oregonian Op/Ed - A Strong New Current behind Columbia Salmon: A historic collaboration of tribes, states and federal agencies gives renewed hope for the future of Northwest salmon
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/03/a_strong_new_current_behind_co.html

Report Says Invasive Species Are Greatest Threat to Northwest Salmon (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/03/invasive_species_are_greatest.html

Dam removal offers opportunity for salmon, science (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/778070.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Olympia’s Capitol Campus Water-Saving Project Begins (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/778413.html

Aluminum in Drinking Water Connected With Dementia Risk, Cognitive Decline (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/health/2009/march/Aluminum-in-Drinking-Water-Connected-With-Dementia-Risk-Cognitive-Decline.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Smart Grid Will Need More Federal Power: GE Exec (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5247VX20090305

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Daylight Saving Time Is Supposed to Save Energy--Does It? The Answer Is Mixed. (US News & World Report)
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2009/03/05/daylight-saving-time-is-supposed-to-save-energy--does-it-the-answer-is-mixed.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

State of California’s Emissions Proposal Quickly Attacked (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/06/BUE016A63B.DTL&feed=rss.business

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Clearwire to Slow Network's Expansion - Clearwire will slow the expansion of its high-speed wireless network over the next two years, giving larger competitors the chance to catch up (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008819515_clearwire06.html

Comcast Starting Digital Switch (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/brierdudley/2008814281_brier05.html?syndication=rss

D.C. Tech Chief Tapped for Federal Chief Information Officer (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/05/AR2009030501060.html

Federal Judge Allows Twitter Updates From Courtroom (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11851007

GENERAL NEWS

Wintry Weather Still Hanging Around The Sound - Just when you think it should be over and done with, winter weather rears its head again in the Puget Sound region (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008819677_weather06m.html?syndication=rss

Daylight Savings Start Sunday, Clocks Spring Forward (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11851472

Spring Ahead, Change Smoke Alarm Batteries (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090306/NEWS01/703069887/-1/RSS02

Gregoire Signs $340 Million Highway Stimulus Plan (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008812964_apwaxgrstimulushighways1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Up To 40 State Parks Could Be Mothballed – Includes Jarrell Cove & Potlatch in Mason (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/politics/18865240/detail.html

Port Of Shelton’s Tribute to Broadcaster Turns into Squabble
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_030509WAB-paul-harvey-squabble-SW.8072198.html

DIVERSIONS

Woman Uses Super Glue To Fix Teeth
http://www.kirotv.com/health/18861788/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_nots&tmi=sea_nots_1_01000103052009&ts=H

Seattle finds weed goo in zoo doo
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/seattle_finds_weed_goo_in_zoo.html

No Chicken? Testy Air Passenger Loses Argument, Then Federal Case
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/nyregion/06appeal.html?_r=1

CNBC Stays Mum after Takedown by Jon Stewart
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11846043

SONG OF THE DAY

Fire on the Mountain - The Marshall Tucker Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2AJvhrAlRM&feature=related