Thursday, February 12, 2009

Energy News Digest for February 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.

The News Digest Is Also Available At The Following Web Site:

http://www.energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

-  BPA asks for rate hike; review in March

-  Mason PUD 3 Would Be Hit by Bonneville Rate Hike

-  Power rate hike could affect Clark County

-  Lewis County Power Bills Go Up as BPA Plans First Rate Hike in Six Years

-  Senator Cantwell to Lead Senate Energy And Natural Resources Subcommittee

-  Florida - Electrocuted Lineman Reportedly Violated "Hot Glove" Safety Rule

-  Maryland - State Orders Utilities to Account For Spike In Energy Bill Rates

-  Bumper Crop of Idaho Salmon This Year?

-  States agree on Columbia salmon season

-  Bill Would Make It Easier To Trap Moles

-  Agency Considers New Comments on Threatened Marbled Murrelet

-  Texas Ranchers and Farmers Struggle in Drought

-  Daily News Editorial - Time to tweak state's renewable energy law

-  Vestas may cut jobs, despite increased earnings

-  Oakland's BrightSource Energy Signs 'World's Largest' Solar

-  Lane County farms install PV solar systems

-  Ethanol, Just Recently a Savior, Is

-  Orlando Sentinel Op/Ed - Science Of Global Warming Doesn't Support The Hype

-  Antarctic Ice Causing Some to

-  Oregon Governor Creates Team to Guide Green Spending

-  Big Science Role Is Seen in Global Warming Cure

-  Oil Industry Ready to Work on Global Warming

-  Broadband Program Oversight Questioned

-  Farm Census Data Gives Insight Into Rural

-  Twitter? It’s What You Make It

-  Congressman's Twittering Raises Security Concerns

-  Still Waiting For Expected Charter

-  Congress, White House Agree On $790B Stimulus Bill

-  Details of a Trimmer Stimulus Emerge

-  Tip Leads To Overpayments & Conflict Of Interest at Port Of

-  Tree Falls On Excavator Operator

-  NM Chamber Recognizes Outstanding Citizens

These And Links to More Stories in Today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Slumgullion • \SLUM-gull-yun\ • noun - A meat stew

“Plop!” went the lump of mystery meat slumgullion into Barty’s wooden bowl. “What wentg into this? He asked the slovenly server. “You don’t want to know,” she snarled, a drop of spittle flying onto the mucky mess.

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 asks for rate hike; review in March (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/02/bpa_asks_for_rate_hike_review.html

Mason PUD 3 Would Be Hit by Bonneville Rate Hike (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/feb/11/mason-pud-would-be-hit-by-bonneville-rate-hike/

Power rate hike could affect Clark County (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/article/20090211/BLOGS02/902119983

Lewis County Power Bills Go Up as BPA Plans First Rate Hike in Six Years (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?Local-Power-Bills-Go-Up-as-BPA-Plans-Fir=1&blockID=39600&feedID=410

Senator Cantwell to Lead Senate Energy And Natural Resources Subcommittee (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/755868.html

Florida - Electrocuted Lineman Reportedly Violated "Hot Glove" Safety Rule (Ocala Star Banner, FL)

http://www.ocala.com/article/20090211/ARTICLES/902110283/1001/News01?Title=Electrocuted_lineman_reportedly_violated__hot_glove__safety_rule

Maryland - State Orders Utilities to Account For Spike In Energy Bill Rates (Baltimore Sun, MD)

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-psc0211,0,3347727.story

FISH & WILDLIFE

Bumper Crop of Idaho Salmon This Year? Up to 127,000 Chinook may be bound for the Salmon and Clearwater rivers (The Mountain Express, Sun Valley, ID)

http://www.mtexpress.com/vu_breaking_story.php?bid=6720

States agree on Columbia salmon season (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/756220.html

Bill Would Make It Easier To Trap Moles (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)

http://columbian.com/article/20090211/NEWS02/702129981/

Agency Considers New Comments on Threatened Marbled Murrelet (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/755680.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Texas Ranchers and Farmers Struggle in Drought (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/us/12drought.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Daily News Editorial - Time to tweak state's renewable energy law

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/02/12/editorial/doc499348abd3e86766764848.txt

Vestas may cut jobs, despite increased earnings (Portland Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/02/09/daily39.html?ana=from_rss

Oakland's BrightSource Energy Signs 'World's Largest' Solar Deal with Southern California Utility (San Jose Mercury News)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11679524

Lane County farms install PV solar systems (KVAL-TV, Eugene, OR)

http://www.kval.com/news/local/39468852.html

Ethanol, Just Recently a Savior, Is Struggling (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/business/12ethanol.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY


CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Orlando Sentinel Op/Ed - Science Of Global Warming Doesn't Support The Hype

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/tuesday/localandstate/orl-miket1009feb10,0,7016747.column

Antarctic Ice Causing Some to Wonder - Controversial opinions continue about the antarctic ice sheet as the climate is warming (MSNBC)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=9834307

Oregon Governor Creates Team to Guide Green Spending (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/4251-gov-kulongoski-creates-team-guide-green-spending/

Big Science Role Is Seen in Global Warming Cure (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/us/politics/12chu.html

Oil Industry Ready to Work on Global Warming (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/science/earth/12oil.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Broadband Program Oversight Questioned - USDA Would Manage Rural Internet Funds (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/11/AR2009021103832.html

Farm Census Data Gives Insight Into Rural Broadband - 33% of Farms Have Broadband Connections (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Farm-Census-Data-Gives-Insight-Into-Rural-Broadband-100822

Twitter? It’s What You Make It (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/technology/personaltech/12pogue.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Congressman's Twittering Raises Security Concerns (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11680013

Still Waiting For Expected Charter Bankruptcy - Moody's again downgrades stock on missed interest payment (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Still-Waiting-For-Expected-Charter-Bankruptcy-100833

GENERAL NEWS

Congress, White House Agree On $790B Stimulus Bill (Associated Press)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090212/ap_on_go_co/congress_stimulus_390

Details of a Trimmer Stimulus Emerge (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/us/politics/13stimulus-web.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Tip Leads To Overpayments & Conflict Of Interest at Port Of Hoodsport (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6366/reftab/1632/t/TIP-LEADS-TO-OVERPAYMENTS--CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST-AT-PORT-OF-HOODSPORT/Default.aspx

Tree Falls On Excavator Operator (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_021109WAB-tree-falls-on-bulldozer-TP.8014f17.html

NM Chamber Recognizes Outstanding Citizens, Business (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/feb/04/nm-chamber-recognizes-outstanding-citizens-busines/?partner=RSS

DIVERSIONS

United Sets Woman's Luggage on Fire

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-tue-problem-0210-feb10-2,0,7331900.column

Seattle Fans Make Trip to Boo Thunder

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=134037

4-Year-Old behind Wheel as Car Hits Storefront

http://www.kirotv.com/news/18700484/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Reunion - Life Is a Rock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16kh-AP4OCU