Thursday, April 30, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 30, 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)

- National Electric Reliability Corporation Issues Flu Alert
- Operator of Centralia Power Plant - TransAlta Earnings Decline
- Wenatchee World Editorial – Chelan PUD Surcharge Is Justifiable
- Emerald Peoples’ Utility District Customers to See Higher Bills
- Cannady Named BPA’s Acting VP of Bulk Marketing
- Bird Loses Meal To Power Line: Lights Out In Salem
- Power Industry Sees New Phase In Energy Use
- Obama's Energy Plans Remain Works in Progress
- Utilities and Transmission Managers Try to Head off Congressional Grid Plans
- Power Structures Shape Northwest Landscape
- Energy Solutions Distinguished Awards Go to Tri-Cities Students
- Connecticut Electric Provider Bill Passes House – Rates should go down up to five percent
- News Whiz - Proposal to End Electric Choice is Harmful to Connecticut
- Constellation Energy CEO Gets $5.7M 2008 package
- Landmark Water Sale near Sisters Could Help Steelhead
- Tribes Get $2 Million for Watershed Restoration
- EPA News Release - Washington Tribes receive nearly $2 million
- Oregon - Stimulus Money to Reopen Willamette Falls Locks
- Records Seized in Illinois Town Accused of Water Irregularity
- Who Owns the Wind? An Emerging Public Policy Issue
- Renewable Energy Standards: Much Ado about Not Too Much
- Michigan - Utilities Brace for Renewable Energy Changes
- Energy Sec. Announces $193M for Energy Research
- United Kingdom - Large Wind Farm Project under Way
- The Grid May Be Smart, But Will It Also Be Green?
- Solar Tech: Not Just on the Roof Anymore
- A Clean Energy Machine That Works like the Sun
- Energy Adviser: Smart Meter Can Manage Energy Use
- Smart Meters: A Little Give and Take on Electricity
- Climate Catastrophe: What's The Worst-Case Scenario?
- B.C.'s Carbon Tax Rated Top Climate Policy
- Are Carbon Offsets Too Good to Be True?
- CO2 - From Smokestacks to Your Tank
- Disney to Plant 2.7 Million Trees for `Earth'
- Quincy Port Investigating State Zone Designation
- A Decade Later, FCC's E-Rate Program Still A Mess
- Flickr Hit Hard by Yahoo Layoffs
- Six Probable Swine-Flu Cases In Washington State
- Pig Advocates Call For Swine Flu Name Change
- Gregoire Convinced Special Session Is Needed Soon
- Boeing Jet Makes Emergency Landing at Sea-Tac
- Seattle Snow Response: Worse Than We Thought
- Up to 4 Feet of Snow in Montana Closes Highways

WORD OF THE DAY

Gesundheit • \geh-ZOONT-hite\ • interjection - German, literally, health: from gesund healthy (from Old High German gisunt) + -heit –hood. Used to wish good health especially to one who has just sneezed

Practice this for the current health scare!

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

National Electric Reliability Corporation Issues Flu Alert (NERC)
http://www.nerc.com/news_pr.php?npr=301

Operator of Centralia Power Plant - TransAlta Earnings Decline (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.outdoorslc.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1241025410&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

Wenatchee World Editorial – Chelan PUD Surcharge Is Justifiable
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090429/OP02/704299883/-1/OP

Emerald Peoples’ Utility District Customers to See Higher Bills (KMTR-TV, Springfield, OR)
http://www.kmtr.com/news/local/story/EPUD-customers-to-see-higher-bills/qyvOxS3sWk2fHKh3xAzZaw.cspx

Cannady Named BPA’s Acting VP of Bulk Marketing (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/270152/

Bird Loses Meal To Power Line: Lights Out In Salem “…outage from an electrically fried fish is rare. Cooked squirrel is much more common…” (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1990283~Bird_loses_meal_to_power_line__Lights_out_in_Salem.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Power Industry Sees New Phase In Energy Use (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103438965&ft=1&f=3

Obama's Energy Plans Remain Works in Progress (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103615838&ft=1&f=2

Utilities and Transmission Managers Try to Head off Congressional Grid Plans (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/04/29/29climatewire-utilities-and-transmission-managers-try-to-h-12208.html

Power Structures Shape Northwest Landscape (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?verified=true&storyId=103648455#commentBlock

Energy Solutions Distinguished Awards Go to Tri-Cities Students (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10273166

Connecticut Electric Provider Bill Passes House – Rates should go down up to five percent (Connecticut Post)
http://www.connpost.com/ci_12256195?source=most_emailed

News Whiz - Proposal to End Electric Choice is Harmful to Connecticut (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&id=110450

Constellation Energy CEO Gets $5.7M 2008 package (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009146427_apusconstellationenergygroupexecutivecompensation.html?syndication=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Landmark Water Sale near Sisters Could Help Steelhead (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/4893-landmark-water-sale-near-sisters-could-help-steelhead/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Tribes Get $2 Million for Watershed Restoration (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_042909WAB-skagit-reservation-KS.282d7fb.html?rss

EPA News Release - Washington Tribes receive nearly $2 million for projects to protect Puget Sound (EPA, includes Skokomish & Squaxin Island Tribes)
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/bc9a848b9beae114852575a700696a81?OpenDocument

Oregon - Stimulus Money to Reopen Willamette Falls Locks (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1990233~Stimulus_money_to_reopen_Willamette_Falls_Locks.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Records Seized in Illinois Town Accused of Water Irregularity (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/us/30crestwood.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Who Owns the Wind? An Emerging Public Policy Issue (Energy Pulse)
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=2021

Renewable Energy Standards: Much Ado about Not Too Much (Wall Street Journal)
http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/04/30/renewable-energy-standards-much-ado-about-not-too-much/

Michigan - Utilities Brace for Renewable Energy Changes (Michigan Business Review)
http://www.mlive.com/businessreview/oakland/index.ssf/2009/04/utilities_brace_for_renewable.html

Energy Sec. Announces $193M for Energy Research (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009145383_apenergysecretarynrel.html?syndication=rss

United Kingdom - Large Wind Farm Project under Way (THE BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/8026694.stm

The Grid May Be Smart, But Will It Also Be Green? (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103415232&ft=1&f=2

Solar Tech: Not Just on the Roof Anymore (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/business/businessspecial2/30solar.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

A Clean Energy Machine That Works like the Sun (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/business/energy-environment/30fusion.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Clark Public Utilities - Energy Adviser: Smart Meter Can Manage Energy Use (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090430/LIVING/704309976

Smart Meters: A Little Give and Take on Electricity (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/business/energy-environment/30grid.html?ref=garden

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climate Catastrophe: What's The Worst-Case Scenario? (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/2009-04-29-climate-worst-case-scenario_N.htm

B.C.'s Carbon Tax Rated Top Climate Policy (Globe and Mail, Canada)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090429.wbcelxncarbon0429/BNStory/politics/home

Are Carbon Offsets Too Good to Be True? (NY Times)
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/are-carbon-offsets-too-good-to-be-true/

CO2 - From Smokestacks to Your Tank (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/business/energy-environment/30carbon.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Disney to Plant 2.7 Million Trees for `Earth'
http://www.examiner.com/a-1988172~Disney_to_plant_2_7_million_trees_for__Earth_.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Quincy Port Investigating State Zone Designation (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/04/29/news/doc49f8b8fca1c08179106075.txt

A Decade Later, FCC's E-Rate Program Still A Mess (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/A-Decade-Later-FCCs-ERate-Program-Still-A-Mess-102201

Flickr Hit Hard by Yahoo Layoffs (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/04/29/flickr-hit-hard-by-yahoo-layoffs/

GENERAL NEWS

Six Probable Swine-Flu Cases In Washington State - Seattle school closed until next Wednesday (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009151140_webflutest30m.html?syndication=rss

Pig Advocates Call For Swine Flu Name Change (Associated Press)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=162083

Gregoire Convinced Special Session Is Needed Soon (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/4886-gregoire-convinced-special-session-needed-soon/

Boeing Jet Makes Emergency Landing at Sea-Tac (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/725801.html

Seattle Snow Response: Worse Than We Thought (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009147216_websnowresponse29.html?syndication=rss

Up to 4 Feet of Snow in Montana Closes Highways (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/29/national/a114434D74.DTL&feed=rss.business

DIVERSIONS

Woman Accused of Making Bomb Threat to Stop Husband from Gambling
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009145600_webbombthreat29m.html?syndication=rss

One City's Toilets Are another Man's Treasure
http://www.outdoorslc.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1241026101&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

Tremendous Tresses Shown Off At Hair Show - International Fantasy Hair Competition Draws Stylists Turned Artists
http://www.kirotv.com/entertainment/19310369/detail.html

Off-Road Commode Has Wackiest Warning Label
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/29/BUIE17BFDN.DTL&feed=rss.business

Girl Fights Off Muggers With Marching Band Baton
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19328026/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

POCO – Rose of Cimarron
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KJ50lZA27c

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 29, 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)

- News Tribune Editorial - Fix Those Bills (Including I-937) Before the Special Session
- Nuclear Solution Comes with a Huge Price Tag
- Companies That Want To Build New Nuclear Reactors
- Poll: Utilities Expect Higher Power Bills
- The Challenge: Constant Current from Fickle Winds
- Oregon - Dangling Power Line Creates Scare
- C/NET News Op/Ed - Where Federal Energy Research Money Should Go
- Tonbridge Power Names Veteran Power Executive to Its Board of Directors
- Environmental Groups Say Idaho Gravel Mine Violates Laws
- Campbell River Coho Survival Rate Worries Scientists
- Canada – BC Indian Band Accepts Payment for Destroyed Village Fishery
- If Sturgeon Could Talk - A short history of Lake Washington
- Puget Sound Gets Bad Grades on Air Quality Report
- Oregon - Plans for New Vestas Headquarters on Hold
- U.S. Wind Industry Installs 2,800 MW in First Quarter
- Texas - Wind Turbine Rules Go Back for Changes
- United Kingdom - Wind Energy: Mainstream Renewable Power
- Intel Tops EPA Green Power List
- Seattle, Nissan Team Up For Electric-Car Charging Network
- Oregon - The wait continues for biomass money
- The Switch: Consumers Want To Conserve, But It's A Challenge
- At Grand Central, a Fluorescent Twist to a Light-Bulb Joke
- Smart Meter Saves Big Bucks for Pennsylvania Family
- A winter’s Tale: My First Season With Micro-Combined Heat and Power
- Climate Bill Has Some on Edge
- Democrats See U.S. Coal As Good Coal, Foreign Coal As Bad Coal
- Another Report - Obama Emissions Plan To Cost $1,400 A Family
- Cold Facts Dispel Theories on Warming
- Qwest Earnings Climb 37% After Cost Cuts
- Qwest Adds 42,000 Broadband Customers
- A Dying Landline Business Sounds a Lot like Static
- Ask.com parent IAC reports Q1 loss
- U.S. Steps Up Effort on Digital Defenses
- Texas Launches Effort to Extend Broadband Statewide
- New Google Search Tool Aimed at Making Sense of Public Data
- What Hath Olympia Wrought?
- Analysis: Scorecard for the 2009 Wash. Legislature
- Feds Offer Checklist for Businesses Preparing for Swine Flu
- Mason General Purchases Health Center
- Spin Meter: The Politics of Counting Stimulus Jobs
- Hood Canal Bridge Closure Nightmare for Some, Dream for Others
- Port Townsend Braces for Hood Canal Bridge Closure
- Walla Walla - Remoteness Hurts Washington Wine Town in Downturn
- Lake Chelan Area Wins Designation as aDistinct Wine Grape-Growing Region

WORD OF THE DAY

Twitter • \TWITT-err \ • noun – 1: a trembling agitation: quiver 2: a small tremulous intermittent sound (as of birds) 3a: a light chattering b: a light silly laugh: giggle 4: A Web site and service that lets users send short text messages from their computers or cell phones to a group of friends or colleagues.

Twitter • \TWITT-err \ • verb – 1: to utter successive chirping noises 2a: to talk in a chattering fashion b: giggle, titter

The office was all a-twitter over an impending merger with ConHugeCo, the conglomerate that had virtual control over the production of jackstraw games in at least three-quarters of the world’s countries. High-squeaking noises twittered from Penelope’s lips as she updated co-workers via her Twitter account on the impressive procession of the CEO and her minions on their office tour. The stream of narrative kept everyone glued to their cell phone and computer screens. Unfortunately, it would soon be their undoing; the digital distraction prevented eye contact and groveling before the new boss…which marked each employee so engaged as expendable in the looming reorganization.

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

News Tribune Editorial - Fix Those Bills (Including I-937) Before the Special Session
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/724885.html

Nuclear Solution Comes with a Huge Price Tag “…No matter the charges, Americans will need to get used to paying more for electricity…” (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/28/financial/f125017D03.DTL&feed=rss.business

Companies That Want To Build New Nuclear Reactors: A list of companies that have announced their intent to submit applications to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for new plant licenses (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009138250_apuscostlynuclearpowerglance.html?syndication=rss

Poll: Utilities Expect Higher Power Bills - North American utility executives say they expect the Obama presidency to include stricter environmental regulations and higher electricity prices (United Press International)
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/04/28/Poll-Utilities-expect-higher-power-bills/UPI-23861240938909/

The Challenge: Constant Current from Fickle Winds (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103575144&ft=1&f=3

Oregon - Dangling Power Line Creates Scare (The Umpqua Post, OR)
http://www.theumpquapost.com/articles/2009/04/28/public_records/police_reports/doc49f78163c3b39180998209.txt

C/NET News Op/Ed - Where Federal Energy Research Money Should Go
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10229241-54.html?tag=nl.e703

Tonbridge Power Names Veteran Power Executive to Its Board of Directors - Walter E. Pollock former executive with the Bonneville Power Administration (Marketwire)
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Tonbridge-Power-Inc-TSX-VENTURE-TBZ-981091.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Environmental Groups Say Idaho Gravel Mine Violates Laws, Threatens Fish (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/749297.html

Campbell River Coho Survival Rate Worries Scientists (Campbell River Mirror, BC)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/campbellrivermirror/news/43908852.html

Canada – BC Indian Band Accepts Ottawa's Offer to Pay for Destroying Village Fishery in 1959 (The Globe and Mail, Canada)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090429.BCHAGWILGET29ART2124/TPStory/National

If Sturgeon Could Talk - A short history of Lake Washington, as told to our author by one very long fish (Crosscut Seattle)
http://crosscut.com/2009/04/29/animals-wildlife/18962/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Puget Sound Gets Bad Grades on Air Quality Report (Associated Press)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_042909WA-AP-puget-sound-air-quality-LJ.1576499.html?rss

Here’s a link to the Washington State Rundown (Lung Association)
http://www.stateoftheair.org/2009/states/washington/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon - Plans for New Vestas Headquarters on Hold: Company to lay off 1,900 workers in Denmark and England (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/04/27/daily15.html?ana=from_rss

U.S. Wind Industry Installs 2,800 MW in First Quarter (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/04/u-s-wind-industry-installs-2800-mw-in-first-quarter?src=rss

Texas - Wind Turbine Rules Go Back for Changes: City Council wants to make more homes eligible (The Caller-Times, Corpus Christi, TX)
http://www.caller.com/news/2009/apr/28/council_wind/

United Kingdom - Wind Energy: Mainstream Renewable Power - Wind energy is spearheading Britain’s efforts to generate 35% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2020 (The Telegraph, UK)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/business/businesstruth/5238497/Wind-Energy-Mainstream-Renewable-Power.html

Intel Tops EPA Green Power List (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4876-intel-tops-epa-green-power-list/

Seattle, Nissan Team Up For Electric-Car Charging Network (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009139766_webelectric28.html?syndication=rss

Oregon - The wait continues for biomass money: No word on the county’s $4.1 million request for federal stimulus dollars (Baker City Herald, OR)
http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/The-wait-continues-for-biomass-money

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

The Switch: Consumers Want To Conserve, But It's A Challenge (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/4882-switch-consumers-want-conserve-its-challenge/

At Grand Central, a Fluorescent Twist to a Light-Bulb Joke (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/nyregion/29bulbs.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Smart Meter Saves Big Bucks for Pennsylvania Family (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103437607&ft=1&f=2

A winter’s Tale: My First Season With Micro-Combined Heat and Power (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/29/a-winters-tale-my-first-season-with-micro-combined-heat-and-power/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Climate Bill Has Some on Edge (Politico)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21828.html

National Post Op/Ed - Democrats see U.S. coal as good coal, foreign coal as bad coal (Canada)
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/04/28/david-frum-democrats-see-u-s-coal-as-good-coal-foreign-coal-as-bad-coal.aspx

Another Report - Obama Emissions Plan To Cost $1,400 A Family (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN2832779720090428

Cold Facts Dispel Theories on Warming (The Australian)
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25400914-7583,00.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Qwest Earnings Climb 37% After Cost Cuts (Associated Press)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/04/29/technology/AP-US-Earns-Qwest.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Qwest Adds 42,000 Broadband Customers - Telco says they're still testing faster speeds (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Qwest-Adds-42000-Broadband-Customers-102177

A Dying Landline Business Sounds a Lot like Static (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/04/28/a-dying-landline-business-sounds-a-lot-like-static/

Ask.com parent IAC reports Q1 loss (San Francisco Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/04/27/daily38.html?ana=from_rss

U.S. Steps Up Effort on Digital Defenses (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/us/28cyber.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Texas Launches Effort to Extend Broadband Statewide (San Antonio Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2009/04/27/daily10.html?ana=from_rss

New Google Search Tool Aimed at Making Sense of Public Data (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/28/AR2009042802280.html?nav=rss_email/components

GENERAL NEWS

What Hath Olympia Wrought? In a very tough session, Republicans played no role, Democrats fought but probably avoided divorce court, and the majority party got cold feet about boosting taxes. And we get a mini-encore soon. (Crosscut Seattle)
http://crosscut.com/2009/04/29/animals-wildlife/18962/

Analysis: Scorecard for the 2009 Wash. Legislature (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_xgr_analysis_winners__losers.html

Feds Offer Checklist for Businesses Preparing for Swine Flu (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/04/27/daily29.html?ana=from_rss

Mason General Purchases Health Center (Business Examiner)
http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/mason-general-purchases-health-center/

Spin Meter: The Politics of Counting Stimulus Jobs (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009142055_apusstimuluscountingjobs.html?syndication=rss

Hood Canal Bridge Closure Nightmare for Some, Dream for Others (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_042809WAB-bridge-detour-KS.11db65e39.html?rss

Port Townsend Braces for Hood Canal Bridge Closure (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009141464_bridge29m.html

Walla Walla - Remoteness Hurts Washington Wine Town in Downturn (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/28/financial/f130939D08.DTL&feed=rss.business

Lake Chelan Area Wins Designation as the State's 11th Distinct Wine Grape-Growing Region (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009140125_webwine28.html?syndication=rss

DIVERSIONS

Severe Wind Sends Chihuahua Flying Into Sky - Pet Psychic Helps Owners Find Lost Dog In Woods
http://www.kirotv.com/family/19307489/detail.html

FaceBook Surfing While Sick Costs Woman Job - said she could not work in front of a computer as she needed to lie in the dark
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090424/od_nm/us_facebook_job;_ylt=AkrimzEXeIjtGB4bubHxbXPtiBIF

McCurry Beats McDonald’s In Malaysia Lawsuit
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090429/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_malaysia_courts_mcdonalds;_ylt=AtyRLnDeH_8ChXPN0WtyDintiBIF

Yuck! Winona Police Again Find 'Chicken Skimmings' On Streets
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090429/ap_on_fe_st/odd_chicken_skimmings_spill;_ylt=AqCEmBPFyDpz3P9SNKVXIontiBIF

SONG OF THE DAY

The Time Warp – Cover by Jack Hicko (PG-13 – couldn’t find a watchable version of the original, but I loved this interpretation; shades of Leon Redbone)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOOdNuoU4G0&feature=PlayList&p=0EBEF02CA82024D1&index=23

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 28, 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)

- Special Session Likely - may include climate change and renewable energy revisions
- Should Utilities Worry About the Swine Flu?
- Swine Flu Q and A: What the CDC Advises
- Power Bills for Chelan County PUD Customers to Go Up By Nine Percent
- Building Power Lines Creates a Web of Problems
- Oregon’s Rogue River Is the West's Bright Spot for Fall Chinook
- State of Oregon State Will Close Butte Falls Fish Hatchery
- Boaters Warned About Chief Joseph Dam Spills
- Whale Watch Boats Often Break Rules, Say Marine Mammal Monitors
- Feds: New Floodplain Rules to Go Unenforced
- Protecting Net Metering: The Civil Rights Movement for Solar Energy
- United Kingdom - Anger at Plans for Nuclear Power Station to Replace Wind Farm
- United Kingdom - Economy Blows Ill Wind for Renewable Energy
- Utility Bills a Ripe Target for Savings
- Crazy Power Companies Want to Help You Pay Them less
- FERC Chairman Sees Himself Leading U.S. March toward Energy Efficiency
- Dingell Democrats Fret about Cap and Trade
- Going Green in Centralia - Expo Pushes Community Involvement, Safety
- Green Agenda May Shift Farm Policy
- Montana - Qwest Phone Rates Going Down
- Washington Legislature –High-Speed Internet Activities
- Verizon, Other Fiber Builders Cautiously Optimistic About Broadband Recovery
- Rural Residents without High-Speed Internet Struggle to Keep Up
- So Much for Dial-Up's Recession-Driven Resurgence
- Powerline Broadband Just Won't Die
- Facebook, Firefox, Twitter Lead App, Web Usage
- Oh Look, another Insane 3G Data Bill
- Mason County Has Tips for Preventing the Spread of Swine Flu
- Wash. Gov: Lawmakers Need Firm Overtime Agreement
- Log Exports from Aberdeen to End
- Legislature Trims 18 State Commissions
- Consumer Confidence Soars in April
- Buzzword Bingo - More Companies Using ‘Alternative’ Workplaces

WORD OF THE DAY

Chirography • \kye-RAH-gruh-fee\ • noun - 1: handwriting, penmanship 2: calligraphy

Ambrose chirography was unmistakable. His smiley-faces as dots over his “i’s,” “j’s,” and periods belied his violent vocation as the supervisor of Torquemada’s brute squad.

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

A special session likely - Governor, Democrats support chance to tie up loose ends (The Olympian, Olympia, WA) “…Besides the budget bills, climate change legislation...(Sen. Lisa Brown) said she is interested in reviving…Senate Bill 5840, which proposes to change the terms of Initiative 937’s requirement that utilities buy a certain percentage of power from new renewable sources starting in 2012….”
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/834252.html

Should Utilities Worry About the Swine Flu? (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=360375&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Swine Flu Q and A: What the CDC Advises (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12238623

Starting May first, power bills for Chelan County PUD customers will go up by nine percent (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee)
http://www.kpq.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=959

Building Power Lines Creates a Web of Problems (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103537250&ft=1&f=3

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon’s Rogue River Is the West's Bright Spot for Fall Chinook (Mail Tribune, Medford, OR)
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090428/NEWS/904280326

State of Oregon State Will Close Butte Falls Fish Hatchery (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4865-state-will-close-butte-falls-fish-hatchery/

Boaters Warned About Chief Joseph Dam Spills (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090427/NEWS04/704279968/1025/rss1025

Whale Watch Boats Often Break Rules, Say Marine Mammal Monitors (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
http://www.timescolonist.com/Travel/Whale+watch+boats+often+break+rules+marine+mammal+monitors/1539993/story.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Feds: New Floodplain Rules to Go Unenforced (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009134725_fema28m.html?syndication=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Protecting Net Metering: The Civil Rights Movement for Solar Energy (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/04/protecting-net-metering-the-civil-rights-movement-for-solar-energy?src=rss

United Kingdom - Anger at Plans for Nuclear Power Station to Replace Wind Farm (The Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/28/haverigg-turbines-nuclear-power-plant

United Kingdom - Economy Blows Ill Wind for Renewable Energy - Despite promises of government investment, green energy faces major setbacks as Shell, BP and others halt renewable projects (The Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/apr/28/economy-ill-wind-green-energy

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Utility Bills a Ripe Target for Savings - Small steps and larger projects can shave a healthy chunk off the power bill, experts say (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
http://union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/04/27/local_news/090427local04powersavings.txt

Crazy Power Companies Want to Help You Pay Them Less (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/723626.html

FERC Chairman Sees Himself Leading U.S. March Toward Energy Efficiency (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/04/27/27greenwire-ferc-chairman-sees-himself-leading-us-march-to-10686.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Dingell Democrats Fret about Cap and Trade (Politico.com)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21781.html

Going Green in Centralia - Expo Pushes Community Involvement, Safety (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.outdoorslc.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1240854365&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

Green Agenda May Shift Farm Policy - Instead of resisting climate change reforms, agricultural lobby groups are examining ways they can benefit from them (Forbes Magazine)
http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/27/agriculture-green-regulation-business-oxford-analytica.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Montana - Qwest Phone Rates Going Down “…settlement calls for Qwest to bring Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service to an additional 27 Montana communities…” (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1977116~Qwest_phone_rates_going_down.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines

Washington Legislature – HB 1701: Authorizing the Department of Information Services To Engage In High-Speed Internet Activities (leg.wa.gov, via Baller/Herbst)
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1701&year=2009

Verizon, Other Fiber Builders Cautiously Optimistic About Broadband Recovery (Broadband Census)
http://broadbandcensus.com/2009/04/verizon-other-fiber-builders-cautiously-optimistic-about-broadband-recovery/

Rural Residents without High-Speed Internet Struggle to Keep Up (Wisconsin State Journal, Via Baller/Herbst)
http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/448709

So Much for Dial-Up's Recession-Driven Resurgence - A ton of free advertising for Earthlink doesn't seem to help (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/So-Much-For-DialUps-RecessionDriven-Resurgance-102140

Powerline Broadband Just Won't Die - IBM and IBEC fuel BPL interest in Wisconsin (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Powerline-Broadband-Just-Wont-Die-102129

Facebook, Firefox, Twitter Lead App, Web Usage (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/04/28/facebook-firefox-twitter-lead-app-web-usage/

Oh Look, another Insane 3G Data Bill - $62,000 to download Disney's Wall-E via laptop card (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Oh-Look-Another-Insane-3G-Data-Bill-102138

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Has Tips for Preventing the Spread of Swine Flu (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7098/reftab/1632/t/MASON-COUNTY-HEALTH-DEPARTMENT-HAS-TIPS-FOR-PREVENTING-THE-SPREAD-OF-SWINE-FLU-ALTHOUGH-NO-CASES-HAVE-BEEN-REPORTED-IN-STATE-/Default.aspx

Wash. Gov: Lawmakers Need Firm Overtime Agreement (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_xgr_session_roundup.html?source=pimail

Log Exports from Aberdeen to End (Associated Press)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090427/NEWS/904279993

Legislature Trims 18 State Commissions (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/833209.html

Consumer Confidence Soars in April (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009136927_webconsumerconfidence28.html?syndication=rss

Buzzword Bingo - More Companies Using ‘Alternative’ Workplaces (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/04/27/daily5.html?ana=from_rss

DIVERSIONS

University Of Oregon Board Says No Clothes, No Ultimate Frisbee
http://www.examiner.com/a-1985315~UO_board_says_no_clothes__no_Ultimate_Frisbee.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Idaho Governor, Coffee Roaster Embroiled In Brew-Ha-Ha
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10259074

Authorities: Stinky Oregon Bank Customer Runs Afoul Of Law
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009132729_webfoulodor27m.html?syndication=rss

SONG OF THE DAY

Listen to the Music - Doobie Brothers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOME9pS97Xk&feature=related

Monday, April 27, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 27, 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)

- An Aged Electric Grid Looks to a Brighter Future
- Engineering a Smart Grid for Energy's Future
- Power, And Pitfalls, Of an Electrical Smart Grid
- Supply Glut Sends Natural Gas Prices Crashing On Nymex
- Battle Lines Drawn Over Clean Coal
- Republicans Push Nuclear Energy to Lower Costs
- Idaho - Hundreds Attend Nuke Hearing
- Southern Company's Miss. IGCC Plant Faces New Challenge
- Missouri - Study to Begin On Possible Tenn-Tom Hydroelectric Plant
- Bill Introduced to Return Yucca Money to Electricity Consumers
- Car hits power pole = big blackout, but how?
- Tree-Planter Breaks Natural Gas Line at His Camas Home
- Agreement Gives Cheney More Control over Power
- Chelan PUD commissioners could approve rate hike Monday
- Sacramento Bee Op/Ed - John Distasio: SMUD's Rate Hike Means Brighter Future
- San Francisco Moves Closer to Selling Power to Residents
- Highway 3 Tree Trimming Postponed Until June
- Walden calls Obama's energy bill 'an Oregon job killer'
- At Constellation Energy, Not a Star Performance
- Salmon Standoff
- And Now a Word about Salmon Fishing
- Fishermen Lose Millions Saving Weakest Fish Stocks
- 'Bad Boy' Orcas Have Arrived Off the Oregon Coast
- Tribe Gathering Small Fish to Save Dwindling Stillaguamish River Run
- Walleye at Low Densities in Lake Pend Oreille
- Shrimp Season Gets Underway May 2
- Environmental group pulls out of Klamath talks
- Oregon's water issues run deep
- Oregon Water Demand Opens Door to Special Interests
- Small Water System near Seabeck to Get Upgrade before the Kitsap PUD Takes over
- Latest Storm Headache: Seattle Sand Clogs Sewer Plant
- No Out of State Renewables under CA Energy Mandates
- Columbian Editorial - Harnessing Currents
- A Green Challenge: Make Renewables Reliable
- Ocean power surges forward
- Plug-In Cars Create Challenges
- St. Petersburg Times Opinion – Trying Not To Tilt At Wind Turbines
- Oregon Company Studying Possible Hawaiian Wind Farm
- New Searchable Map of the Green Energy World
- Business Group Calls for Energy Cuts in Buildings
- In Tough Economic Times, Companies Eager to Conserve
- Democrats May Ease Bill's Emissions Rules
- Gore, Gingrich Face Off On Global Warming Bill
- NY Times Op-Ed - Don’t Waste Time Cutting Emissions
- A Green Trade War?
- Washington Post Op/Ed - Selling the Green Economy
- Carbon Swaps = Big Bucks - Green cash
- Wildfires Add to Speed of Global Warming
- Air Pollution Helps Plants Blunt Climate Change
- Canada - Go Green on Top, Or Face $100,000 Fine
- Tennessee Well-Positioned For Broadband Funding
- One Internet Village, Divided
- Typical Lost Laptop Can Cost $50,000
- US Declares Public Health Emergency for Swine Flu
- Pandemic Alert! What Happens During a "Public Health Emergency"
- Lawmakers Pass Budget - Grim Blueprint
- Budget-Weary Washington Legislature Adjourns
- Wash. Lawmakers May Go To Special Session
- Wash. Lawmakers Delay Family Leave Program
- Cowlitz County Judge Says Tax Increase Should Have Been Considered To Balance County's Budget
- $500 Million for Tribes
- Shot Clock Approved for Boys’ High-School Basketball

WORD OF THE DAY

Inveterate • \in-VET-uh-rut\ • adjective - 1: firmly established by long persistence 2: confirmed in a habit: habitual

“I’m not a video game addict,” huffed the pizza-faced hoodlum to his glowering mother. “I’m an inveterate human-digital interface practicioner.”

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

An Aged Electric Grid Looks to a Brighter Future (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103327321&ft=1&f=3

Engineering a Smart Grid for Energy's Future (NY Times)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/26/AR2009042602628.html?wprss=rss_technology

Power, And Pitfalls, Of an Electrical Smart Grid (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-smartgrid27-2009apr27,0,4261187.story

Supply Glut Sends Natural Gas Prices Crashing On Nymex (Purchasing.Com)
http://www.purchasing.com/article/CA6654186.html?nid=4016

Battle Lines Drawn Over Clean Coal (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/2009/april/Battle-Lines-Drawn-Over-Clean-Coal.html

Republicans Push Nuclear Energy to Lower Costs (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009120717_apusrepublicansenergy.html?syndication=rss

Idaho - Hundreds Attend Nuke Hearing (Mountain Home News, ID)
http://www.mountainhomenews.com/story/1533611.html

Southern Company's Miss. IGCC Plant Faces New Challenge (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN2416524420090424

Missouri - Study to Begin On Possible Tenn-Tom Hydroelectric Plant (Commercial Dispatch, Columbus MO)
http://www.cdispatch.com/news/article.asp?aid=1178

Bill Introduced to Return Yucca Money to Electricity Consumers (Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV)
http://www.lvrj.com/news/breaking_news/43593592.html

Car hits power pole = big blackout, but how? (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/43655242.html

Tree-Planter Breaks Natural Gas Line at His Camas Home – “Call before you dig” isn't just for construction companies (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090425/NEWS02/704259960/

Agreement Gives Cheney More Control over Power (Cheney Free Press, WA)
http://www.cheneyfreepress.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=4356&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=2058&hn=cheneyfreepress&he=.com

Chelan PUD commissioners could approve rate hike Monday (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090425/NEWS04/704259950?Chelan-PUD-commissioners-could-approve-rate-hike-Monday

Sacramento Bee Op/Ed - John Distasio: SMUD's Rate Hike Means Brighter Future
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/story/1808350.html

San Francisco Moves Closer to Selling Power to Residents (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/cityinsider/detail?entry_id=39056

Highway 3 Tree Trimming Postponed Until June (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7078/reftab/1632/t/HIGHWAY-3-TREE-TRIMMING-POSTPONED-UNTIL-JUNE/Default.aspx

Walden calls Obama's energy bill 'an Oregon job killer' - GOP congressman said the bill defines woody biomass as not renewable (Mail Tribune, Medord, OR)http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090426/NEWS/904260335

At Constellation Energy, Not a Star Performance - It's been a rough year for Mayo Shattuck (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/23/AR2009042304509.html?wprss=rss_business

FISH & WILDLIFE

Salmon Standoff - The Columbia's spring Chinook run is one of the river's most endangered, most prized and most unpredictable. That spells trouble for the people who count on the fish (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/special/index.ssf/2009/04/chinook_salmon.html

And now a word about salmon fishing (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/idahooutdoors/story/744336.html

Fishermen Lose Millions Saving Weakest Fish Stocks (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/25/financial/f092543D25.DTL&feed=rss.business

'Bad Boy' Orcas Have Arrived Off The Oregon Coast - That's not good news for the gray whales, seals or sea lions that hang out there (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/bad_boy_orcas_have_arrived_off.html

Tribe Gathering Small Fish to Save Dwindling Stillaguamish River Run - Effort to restore Chinook run in the Stillaguamish depends on handful of baby fish (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090425/NEWS01/704259839/-1/RSS02

Walleye at Low Densities in Lake Pend Oreille (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/831724.html

Shrimp Season Gets Underway May 2 (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009122662_outn26.html?syndication=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental group pulls out of Klamath talks (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/environmental_group_pulls_out.html

Oregon's water issues run deep (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/oregons_water_issues_run_deep.html

Oregon Water Demand Opens Door to Special Interests (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/oregon_water_demand_opens_door.html

Small Water System near Seabeck to Get Upgrade before the Kitsap PUD Takes over Operation of the System (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/apr/24/small-water-system-near-seabeck-to-get-upgrade/

Latest Storm Headache: Seattle Sand Clogs Sewer Plant (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009127486_sand27m.html

RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

No Out of State Renewables under CA Energy Mandates (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/stoel-rives-6442/news/article/2009/04/out-of-state-wind-and-solar-generation-could-be-excluded-from-participating-in-californias-renewable-portfolio-standard?src=rss

Columbian Editorial - Harnessing Currents: Tidal energy project in Puget Sound could expand future of alternative forms
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090427/OPINION02/704279992

A Green Challenge: Make Renewables Reliable (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103526574&ft=1&f=2

Ocean power surges forward - Wave power and tidal power are still experimental, but may be little more than five years away from commercial development. (Christian Science Monitor)
http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/04/24/ocean-power-surges-forward/

Plug-In Cars Create Challenges (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/831267.html

St. Petersburg Times Opinion – Trying Not To Tilt At Wind Turbines
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/article994808.ece

Oregon Company Studying Possible Hawaiian Wind Farm (Associated Press)
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/national-8/124071253964740.xml&storylist=orlocal

New Searchable Map of the Green Energy World (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/reeep-6222/news/article/2009/04/55343?src=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Business Group Calls for Energy Cuts in Buildings (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/26/financial/f150436D40.DTL&feed=rss.business

In Tough Economic Times, Companies Eager to Conserve (Las Vegas Sun, NV)
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/apr/24/tough-economic-times-companies-eager-conserve/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Democrats May Ease Bill's Emissions Rules (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/24/AR2009042402148.html?wprss=rss_politics

Gore, Gingrich Face Off On Global Warming Bill - Ex-VP cites environment, security; ex-House speaker focuses on costs (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30386828/

NY Times Op-Ed - Don’t Waste Time Cutting Emissions
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/25/opinion/25lomborg.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

A Green Trade War? The US coming around on climate change was supposed to be good news. Instead, it's trouble. (Newsweek)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/195096

Washington Post Op/Ed - Selling the Green Economy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/26/AR2009042601515.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

Carbon Swaps = Big Bucks - Green cash: Salt Lake partners broker global credits (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_12220540

Wildfires add to speed of global warming (San Francisco Chronicle – Isn’t biomass supposed to be carbon neutral?)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/23/MN6N177UFJ.DTL&feed=rss.news

Air pollution helps plants blunt climate change (Macau Daily Times)
http://www.macaudailytimesnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26406&Itemid=33

Canada - Go Green on Top, Or Face $100,000 Fine, City Proposes: Make high-rise bylaw voluntary, developers urge (Canada.Com)
http://www.canada.com/business/fp/green+face+fine+city+proposes/1496803/story.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Tennessee Well-Positioned For Broadband Funding (Memphis Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2009/04/27/story3.html?ana=from_rss

One Internet Village, Divided: In Developing Countries, Web Grows Without Profit (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/27/technology/start-ups/27global.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Typical Lost Laptop Can Cost $50,000 - A typical lost or stolen laptop costs employers $49,246, mostly from the value of the missing intellectual property (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009127178_btstolenlaptop27.html?syndication=rss

GENERAL NEWS

US Declares Public Health Emergency for Swine Flu (Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090426/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_swine_flu_emergency_7

Pandemic Alert! What Happens During A "Public Health Emergency," And What's A "Pandemic Alert Level"? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2216999/?from=rss

Lawmakers Pass Budget - Grim Blueprint: Democrats Hold Sway As Session Draws To Close (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/721575.html

Budget-Weary Washington Legislature Adjourns (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009129082_apwaxgrgregoire.html?syndication=rss

Wash. Lawmakers May Go To Special Session (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009128023_apwaxgradjournment4thldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Wash. Lawmakers Delay Family Leave Program (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/832555.html

Cowlitz County Judge Says Tax Increase Should Have Been Considered To Balance County's Budget (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/04/26//area_news/doc49f3fcc1d2732375545899.txt

$500 Million for Tribes (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/us/26tribes.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Shot Clock Approved for Boys’ High-School Basketball - Boys games will use a 35-second clock; the girls’ clock will remain at 30 seconds (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2009117541_wiaa25.html?syndication=rss

DIVERSIONS

The Community at Stinky's Corner - In a Sinking Economy, Locals from All Walks Work to Build (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA – very near my old hometown, Onalaska)
http://www.outdoorslc.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1240646626&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

Connecticut Man Finds 'Little Polliwogs' In Town's Water - Officials Say Organisms Not Harmful (Just drink it. I ‘double-dog dare you!)
http://www.kirotv.com/health/19264012/detail.html

Man Pretending To Fall Off Bridge Actually Falls
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19266207/detail.html

Swiss Heartland Voters Ban Nude Hiking
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12234131

John King - Famed Ukulele Player - Dies
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/27/BAIA179IF8.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

SONG OF THE DAY

John King plays the Spanish Fandango (RIP)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo5T2JB-Scs

Friday, April 24, 2009

Energy News Digest for Apri 24, 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)

- Power Restored In Massive Outage
- Mason County: Kamilche-Area Outage Update: Electricity Restored
- Blame The Balloon For Longview Outage
- U.S. May Raise Cap on Grants for High-Tech Power Grid
- BPA Seeks Stimulus Partners
- New BPA Transmission Product Helps Customers Move Power
- Burns named BPA’s acting deputy
- Okanogan PUD, Tribe Ink Deal On Enloe Dam Project
- Another PUD Joins Energy Northwest
- Fitch Rates Snohomish County PUD Electric System Rev Notes
- Idaho - New Nuke Power Plant Alternately Praised, Panned
- Will the U.S. need to build another coal or nuke plant again?
- Call Before You Dig - Customers Can Avoid Danger, Expense and Frustration
- Seattle Times Op/ed - Scientists Light the Way on Columbia River Hatchery Reform
- To Save The Oyster Or The Salmon?
- Long-Planned Removal of Condit Dam to Wait another Year
- Sewage release prompts health warnings in Budd Inlet
- Group Threatens City Of Vancouver, WA with Stormwater Lawsuit
- Washington Post Editorial - Saving Chesapeake Bay
- Otter signs SE Idaho aquifer management bill
- Cement Plants - EPA Seeks Tighter Lid on Kiln Emissions in Oregon
- Washington Post Op/Ed - Getting Real on Wind and Solar
- Billings looks at power plant idea to burn wood chips and sewage sludge
- News Release - Green, Clean, Sustainable Benefits Flow from Hydropower
- John Deere to Develop 12-MW Wind Farm in Greensburg, Kansas
- San Jose Street Lights Get Smarter
- Holdouts for Humble Light Bulb Defy a Government Phase-Out
- Wall Street Journal Op/Ed - Global Warming Overreach
- Utilities Press House Panel for Free Emission Credits
- Green Ink: Cap-and-Haggle
- Arizona Republic Editorial - If Carbon Has A Price, Someone Has To Pay It
- Will Carbon Capture Work?
- Student Activists Accuse Newt Gingrich of Flip Flopping on Global Warming
- Rural Riddle: Do Jobs Follow Broadband Access?
- Hack Against ISP Hijacks Brazilian Bank, Google Adsense
- Hackers Paying $32K for Old Nokia Phones
- As Verizon Goes, So Goes Metered Billing
- Black-And-White Printing Goes Green with Soy Toner
- 25 Libraries to Cut Back Hours

WORD OF THE DAY

Argosy • \AHR-guh-see\ • noun - 1: a large ship; especially: a large merchant ship 2: a rich supply

“My ship has come in,” exclaimed the gleeful, dancing organic farmer. Unfortunately for his neighbors, his ship was a truck loaded with fresh, steaming chicken manure; a veritable argosy of hot nitrogen and fiber.

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

Power Restored In Massive Outage (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_042409WAB-power-outage-LJ.107460bd5.html?rss

Mason County: Kamilche-Area Outage Update: Electricity Restored (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=538

Blame The Balloon For Longview Outage (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10236683

U.S. May Raise Cap on Grants for High-Tech Power Grid (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/23/AR2009042302577.html?wprss=rss_technology

BPA Seeks Stimulus Partners (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/04/20/daily46.html?ana=from_rss

New BPA Transmission Product Helps Customers Move Power, Including Wind Energy - Conditional Firm fills in as customers wait for new infrastructure (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/269425/

Burns named BPA’s acting deputy (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/269558/

Okanogan PUD, Tribe Ink Deal On Enloe Dam Project (Omak Chronicle, WA) s
http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n090423a.shtml

Another PUD Joins Energy Northwest (Seattle Times)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_energy_northwest.html?source=mypi

Fitch Rates Snohomish County PUD $180M Electric System Rev Notes 'F1+' (Businesswire)
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090423006097&newsLang=en

Idaho - New Nuke Power Plant Alternately Praised, Panned (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4840-new-nuke-power-plant-alternately-praised-panned/

Will the U.S. need to build another coal or nuke plant again? (Electricity Forum)
http://www.electricityforum.com/news/apr09/Wellinghoffquestionsneedformorecoalornuclear.html

Call Before You Dig - Customers Can Avoid Danger, Expense and Frustration (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&id=110106

FISH & WILDLIFE

Seattle Times Op/ed - Scientists Light the Way on Columbia River Hatchery Reform
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2009112483_opinb24waldo.html

To Save The Oyster Or The Salmon? (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/43605132.html

Long-Planned Removal of Condit Dam to Wait another Year (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090424/NEWS02/704249954

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Sewage release prompts health warnings in Budd Inlet (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/829913.html

Environmental Group Threatens City Of Vancouver, WA with Stormwater Lawsuit (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090424/NEWS02/704249950/

Washington Post Editorial - Saving Chesapeake Bay: Maryland's septic-tank law will help clean the great waterway
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042203463.html?nav=rss_opinions

Otter signs SE Idaho aquifer management bill (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/829519.html

Cement Plants - EPA Seeks Tighter Lid on Kiln Emissions in Oregon, Elsewhere (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/rules_would_limit_mercury_from.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Washington Post Op/Ed - Getting Real on Wind and Solar “…At locations without…hydroelectric dams… solar and wind electricity systems must be backed up 100 percent by other forms of generation to ensure against blackouts. In today's world, that backup power can only come from fossil fuels…”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/04/23/ST2009042303815.html

Billings looks at power plant idea to burn wood chips and sewage sludge(Billings Gazette, MT)
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/04/23/news/local/35-megawatt.txt

News Release - Green, Clean, Sustainable Benefits Flow from Hydropower on Earth Day (National Hydropower Association)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/national-hydropower-association/news/article/2009/04/green-clean-sustainable-benefits-flow-from-hydropower-on-earth-day?src=rss

John Deere to Develop 12-MW Wind Farm in Greensburg, Kansas (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/04/john-deere-to-develop-12-mw-wind-farm-in-kansas?src=rss

CONSERVATION

San Jose Street Lights Get Smarter - With expectations of cutting energy costs up to 40 percent, the city unveils plan for a "smart light" system. (Fortune Magazine)
http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/24/technology/street_lights_echelon.fortune/?postversion=2009042410

Holdouts for Humble Light Bulb Defy a Government Phase-Out (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/world/europe/24bulbs.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Wall Street Journal Op/Ed - Global Warming Overreach
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124052841876150301.html

Utilities Press House Panel for Free Emission Credits (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/04/23/23greenwire-utilities-press-house-panel-for-free-allowance-10646.html

Green Ink: Cap-and-Haggle (Wall Street Journal)
http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/04/24/green-ink-cap-and-haggle/

Arizona Republic Editorial - If Carbon Has A Price, Someone Has To Pay It
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2009/04/23/20090423robb24.html

Will Carbon Capture Work? (THE BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8015676.stm

Student Activists Accuse Newt Gingrich of Flip Flopping on Global Warming (Washington Examiner)
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/Examiner-Opinion-Zone/Student-Activists-Accuse-Newt-Gingrich-of-Flip-Flopping-on-Global-Warming--43616732.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Rural Riddle: Do Jobs Follow Broadband Access? Two Hamlets That Got High-Speed Lines Show Wildly Different Results (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/22/AR2009042203637.html?wprss=rss_business

Hack Against ISP Hijacks Brazilian Bank, Google Adsense (Washington Post)
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/04/hack_against_isp_hijacks_bank.html

Hackers Paying $32K for Old Nokia Phones (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2009109840_hackers_paying_32k_for_old_nok.html?syndication=rss

As Verizon Goes, So Goes Metered Billing - Baby bell holds the key to your wallet in their hands (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/As-Verizon-Goes-So-Goes-Metered-Billing-102097

Black-And-White Printing Goes Green with Soy Toner (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12211889

GENERAL NEWS

25 Libraries to Cut Back Hours - Timberland Regional district looks to trim costs ahead of projected $2.5 million shortfall (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/830168.html

DIVERSIONS

Geocaching: Local Devotee Has Unearthed More Than 10,000 Little Treasures
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2009102905_nwwgeocache230.html?syndication=rss

Students Looking To Make Big Impact By Building, Launching Tiny Satellite
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12209951

'Spunky' Elderly-Man Groin Kicks Carjacker Away
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19265504/detail.html

Scientists Make Super-Strong Metallic Spider Silk
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE53M5OG20090423?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 23, 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)

- BPA Transmission Upgrades in Shelton - Delays Possible On Olympic Highway North
- Two Earth-Friendly Bills Headed To Governor
- FERC Chief Says New Coal, Nuclear Plants May Be Unnecessary
- How Smart Can The Grid Get?
- Oregon AG Wants Increased Use of Domestic Natural Gas
- Is the Near-Record Columbia River Spring Chinook Run Late or Just Not Coming
- Alliances Changing In Battle to Save Salmon
- Obama: Good News for Columbia River Salmon
- Thompson Bill Charts Policy for Wild Pacific Salmon
- Puget Sound Rockfish May Get Federal Protection
- Federal Stimulus Money Accelerates Elwha Dam Project
- Washington Lowland Lakes Trout Opener Is Saturday
- Mason County TO Celebrate Completion of Rustlewood Sewer Upgrades
- Major Shift on Tap For Walla Walla River Basin Water Management
- Planting a Garden in That Parking Strip Could Cost You A Bunch of Green
- Tidal Turbines Destined for Admiralty Head
- Offshore Wind Farms Get Green Light
- Help, I’m On Fire! - Do-It-Yourself Biodiesel Trend Brings Fire Risk
- Cowlitz Co. Man Fined For Alleged Water Power Device
- Lower Your Energy Bills With Kill A Watt!
- A Greener Home Could Save Your Money and Your Health
- Seattle Residents Get Break On Energy Evaluation
- West Linn Tidings Op/Ed – An Oregon State Carbon Cap Costly, Not Needed
- Cantwell on Cap and Dividend
- EPA: Greenhouse gas limits would lead to 'modest' electricity price increases
- Who’s going to get the Carbon Pollution Credits?
- US Carbon Giveaways and Spending the Proceeds
- Lisa Jackson: The New Head of the EPA
- Time Warner Cable Cannot Possibly Compete With the Small City of Wilson, NC
- No, Broadband Is Not an Economic Magic Wand
- Earthlink Struggles with Earth Day Outage
- MySpace Co-Founder DeWolfe to Step down
- State Workers’ Four-Day Week Saves A Bit
- Alaska to Charge for First Bag after First Quarter Loss
- Leader in Tribal Fishing, Gaming Issues Dies

WORD OF THE DAY

Eidetic • \eye-DET-ik\ • adjective - Marked by or involving extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall especially of visual images

At once a blessing and a curse, Marco’s eidetic memory was the wonder of the manufacturing floor at Barty’s “Eclectic Tiddlywinks Factory.” Although Marco could recall in intricate detail the texture, color, even the smell of each tiddlywink that he inspected for final shipping…that was the ONLY thing he could recall, which made his talent slightly less impressive to tiddlywind “outsiders.”

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

BPA Transmission Upgrades in Shelton - Delays Possible On Olympic Highway North Today (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7044/reftab/1632/t/DELAYS-POSSIBLE-ON-OLYMPIC-HIGHWAY-NORTH-TODAY-/Default.aspx

Two Earth-Friendly Bills Headed To Governor - Gregoire signs a third aimed at renewable energy (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090423/NEWS02/904229973/

FERC Chief Says New Coal, Nuclear Plants May Be Unnecessary “…renewables like wind, solar and biomass will provide enough energy to meet baseload capacity and future energy demands…” (Baseload demands, huh? NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/04/22/22greenwire-no-need-to-build-new-us-coal-or-nuclear-plants-10630.html

How Smart Can The Grid Get? (MSNBC)
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/22/1903394.aspx

Oregon AG Wants Increased Use of Domestic Natural Gas (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4830-oregon-ag-wants-increased-use-domestic-natural-gas/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Is The Near-Record Columbia River Spring Chinook Run Late Or Just Not Coming Back Like Expected? (Seattle Times)
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/reeltimenorthwest/2009/04/22/is_the_near-record_columbia_ri.html

Alliances Changing In Battle to Save Salmon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4828-alliances-changing-battle-save-salmon/

Obama: Good News for Columbia River Salmon (Crosscut Seattle)
http://crosscut.com/2009/04/23/federal/18967/

Thompson Bill Charts Policy for Wild Pacific Salmon (The Times-Standard, Eureka, CA)http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_12207596

Puget Sound Rockfish May Get Federal Protection (Associated Press)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/43473272.html

Federal Stimulus Money Accelerates Elwha Dam Project (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/apr/22/federal-stimulus-money-accelerates-elwha-dam/?partner=RSS

Washington Lowland Lakes Trout Opener Is Saturday (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009104003_fish23.html?syndication=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Mason County TO Celebrate Completion of Rustlewood Sewer Upgrades (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7054/reftab/1632/t/COUNTY-TO-CELEBRATE-COMPLETION-OF-RUSTLEWOOD-SEWER-UPGRADES/Default.aspx

Major shift on tap for Walla Walla River basin water management (The Union Bulletin, Walla Walla, WA)
http://union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/04/22/local_news/090422local02watershedbill.txt

In Seattle, Planting A Garden in That Parking Strip Could Cost You A Bunch of Green (Seattle Post-Globe)
http://seattlepostglobe.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=153:it-could-cost-you-to-plant-a-garden-in-that-parking-strip-&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Tidal Turbines Destined for Admiralty Head (Whidbey Examiner, WA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=2468&TM=71812.3

Offshore Wind Farms Get Green Light - The federal government has cleared the way for developers to plant wind farms in offshore waters on the outer continental shelf (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009106951_wind23.html?syndication=rss

Help, I’m On Fire! - Do-It-Yourself Biodiesel Trend Brings Fire Risk (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/718367.html

Cowlitz Co. Man Fined For Alleged Water Power Device (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/828199.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Lower Your Energy Bills With Kill A Watt! (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/43493107.html

A Greener Home Could Save Your Money and Your Health (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10232616

Seattle Residents Get Break On Energy Evaluation - Seattle is offering 5,000 discounted home energy-use evaluations as part of a new initiative to cut energy use (Seattle Times – Hurray for free PUD energy audits!)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009106644_webenergy23m.html?syndication=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

West Linn Tidings Op/Ed – An Oregon State Carbon Cap Costly, Not Needed
http://www.westlinntidings.com/opinion/story.php?story_id=124043258440292900

Cantwell on Cap and Dividend (Sightline Daily)
http://daily.sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2009/04/22/cantwell-on-cap-and-dividend

EPA: Greenhouse gas limits would lead to 'modest' electricity price increases (Dallas Morning News, TX)http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/042309dnbusgreenhouse.fd9dc04c.html

Who’s going to get the Carbon Pollution Credits? (Christian Science Monitor)
http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/04/14/whos-going-to-get-the-carbon-pollution-credits/

US Carbon Giveaways and Spending the Proceeds (Financial Times Of London)
http://blogs.ft.com/energy-source/2009/04/23/us-carbon-giveaways-and-spending-the-proceeds/

Lisa Jackson: The New Head of the EPA (Time Magazine)
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1893155,00.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Time Warner Cable Cannot Possibly Compete With the Small City of Wilson, NC (The Consumerist)
http://consumerist.com/5224578/time-warner-cable-cannot-possibly-compete-with-the-small-city-of-wilson-nc

No, Broadband Is Not an Economic Magic Wand - A tale of two rural Western Virginia towns (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/No-Broadband-Is-Not-An-Economic-Magic-Wand-102078

Earthlink Struggles With Earth Day Outage - Pasadena power outage takes websites, e-mail offline (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Earthlink-Struggles-With-Earth-Day-Outage-102059

MySpace Co-Founder DeWolfe to Step down (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009105401_apnewscorpmyspace.html?syndication=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Four-Day Week Saves A Bit - Six-month test: State workers love it, use fewer sick days, report says (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/829016.html

Alaska to Charge for First Bag after First Quarter Loss (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/829449.html

Leader in Tribal Fishing, Gaming Issues Dies (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090422/NEWS04/704229921

DIVERSIONS

Judge Orders Defendant's Mouth Taped Shut - ACLU Refrains From Commenting
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19241894/detail.html

Judge Taking Names, Seeking To Ban Odd Ones
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19245007/detail.html

John Curley: Local TV Host Aiming for a New Life in Politics
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/43491772.html

Colbert: Does Bill Gates Ever Talk About Me?
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/43492797.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Carly Simon – You’re So Vain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B7bVD_DkM4