Friday, December 11, 2009

Energy News Digest for December 11, 2009

The Energy News Digest will be taking a holiday on Monday, December 14. Back with Presents on the 15th.

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)

These & links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

· Last Month’s Storms unlike Most That Hit Area, Clallam PUD Says
· Clallam PUD Says Underground Lines Only One Option for Cutting Storm Outages
· The Climate Conundrum over Nuclear Energy
· Huge Columbia River Spring Chinook Run Forecast
· Editorial - Coho Are Back From the Brink
· US Congress - Salmon-Recovery Funds Restored to Senate Bill
· NOAA to Move Faster to Reform Commercial Fishing
· Opposition Builds against BPA Proposal to Manage Level of Lake Pend Oreille
· Judge Tentatively Invalidates West Water Pact
· Kittitas County - Environmental Questions Await Proposed Solar Farm
· Ellensburg Residents Invest in Solar Power Park
· Quake Threat Leads Swiss to Close Geothermal Project
· Virginia County Allows Residents to Use Wind Power
· In Energy Innovation, Everything New Is Old Again
· Kitsap & Mason County Homes Get a Weatherizing Boost, Courtesy of Enron
· Richland Looking To Help Eligible Seniors with Heating Bills
· Holiday Lights Are a Low Concern for Pacific NW Power Producers
· Utah - Rocky Mountain Power Urges Customers to Conserve
· New Year’s Energy Resolutions That Really Pay Off
· Cap & Rebate - Cantwell Proposes New Approach to Climate Issue
· Senators Revise Climate Bill to Court GOP Support
· Seattle Charges Up the Electric Cars
· Northern Plains Corn Ethanol Uses More Water
· Port Angeles - Internet Restored for Many Area Residents
· Read It & Weep: Ephrata ISP Hits 114 Mbps, $45 Per Month
· Utah - Brigham City approves bond for fiber-optic network UTOPIA
· Cable Industry Gets Confused By First Amendment
· Cox: Our Non-Fiber Network Is In Fact Fiber
· Winter Storm on the Way
· Feds say El Nino Changes in Pacific Getting Stronger
· Two Challengers Declare Run for Baird’s Congressional Seat
· Editorial - Politicians Have Raided Timber Payment Program to Serve Their Own Interests
· Costco Will Resume Carrying Coca-Cola Products

WORD OF THE DAY

Namby-pamby • \nam-bee-PAM-bee\ • adjective - 1: lacking in character or substance: insipid *2: weak, indecisive

“But I really don’t want to shave today,” whined the public information officer during his floating holiday. “Shave anyway you namby pamby,” the reflection growled back.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & 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

Last Month’s Storms unlike Most That Hit Area, Clallam PUD Says (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091211/news/312119988

Clallam PUD Says Underground Lines Only One Option for Cutting Storm Outages (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091211/news/312119989

The Climate Conundrum over Nuclear Energy (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121309061&ft=1&f=3

FISH & WILDLIFE

Huge Columbia River Spring Chinook Run Forecast (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2010477902_regr11.html

Wenatchee World Editorial - Coho Are Back From the Brink
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/dec/09/coho-are-back-from-the-brink/

US Congress - Salmon-Recovery Funds Restored to Senate Bill (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20091210/NEWS02/712109946/

NOAA to Move Faster to Reform Commercial Fishing (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010472504_apusfishingcatchshares.html?syndication=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Opposition Builds against BPA Proposal to Manage Level of Lake Pend Oreille (Bonner County Daily Bee, Sandpoint, ID)
http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com/articles/2009/12/10/news/doc4b209c8826507444789140.txt

Judge tentatively invalidates West water pact (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2366875~Judge_tentatively_invalidates_West_water_pact.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Kittitas County - Environmental Questions Await Proposed Solar Farm (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/413046_Solar09.html

Ellensburg Residents Invest in Solar Power Park (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_ellensburg_solar_power.html

Quake Threat Leads Swiss to Close Geothermal Project (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/11/science/earth/11basel.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Virginia County Allows Residents to Use Wind Power (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010482201_apusalbemarlewindpowervirginia.html?syndication=rss

In Energy Innovation, Everything New Is Old Again - Most Alternative Fuel Technologies Have Roots in Long-Ago Discoveries; Scarcity of ‘Killer Apps’ Slows Progress (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126048948482786623.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEFTTopStories

CONSERVATION

Kitsap & Mason County Homes Get a Weatherizing Boost, Courtesy of Enron (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/dec/10/kitsap-homes-get-a-weatherizing-boost-courtesy/

Richland Looking To Help Eligible Seniors with Heating Bills (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=11656636

Holiday Lights Are a Low Concern for Pacific NW Power Producers (KUOW, Seattle)
http://kuow.org/program.php?id=18980

Utah - Rocky Mountain Power Urges Customers to Conserve, Reduce Demand on System (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705350538/Rocky-Mountain-Power-urges-Utah-customer-to-conserve-reduce-demand-on-system.html

New Year’s Energy Resolutions That Really Pay Off (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gahfc9_l2JRPn0ZL3LJ4tTn_iKgwD9CH9VUG0

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Cap & Rebate - Cantwell Proposes New Approach to Climate Issue (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Cantwell-proposes-new-approach-to-climate-issue-79070902.html

Senators Revise Climate Bill to Court GOP Support (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/12/10/national/w132433S26.DTL&feed=rss.news

BARELL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Seattle Charges Up the Electric Cars (The Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1067554.html

Northern Plains Corn Ethanol Uses More Water (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010478414_apusfarmsceneethanolwater.html?syndication=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Port Angeles - Internet Restored for Many Area Residents (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.konp.com/local/5323

Read It & Weep: Ephrata ISP Hits 114 Mbps, $45 Per Month (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2010476648_read_it_and_weep_ephrata_isp_h.html

Utah - Brigham City approves bond for fiber-optic network UTOPIA (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705350794/Brigham-City-approves-bond-for-fiber-optic-network-UTOPIA.html

Cable Industry Gets Confused By First Amendment - Apparently, anti-competitive behavior is a constitutional right (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Cable-Industry-Gets-Confused-By-First-Amendment-105939

Cox: Our Non-Fiber Network Is In Fact Fiber - Cable industry somewhat ashamed of coaxial use (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Cox-Our-NonFiber-Network-Is-In-Fact-Fiber-105933

GENERAL NEWS

Winter Storm on the Way (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://tdn.com/news/article_878cfeec-e611-11de-9899-001cc4c03286.html

Feds say El Nino Changes in Pacific Getting Stronger (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2010472782_apuselnino.html?syndication=rss

Two Challengers Declare Run for Baird’s Congressional Seat (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2010473018_bevyofgopchallengersmullingrunforbrianbairdssoontobevacatedcongr.html?syndication=rss

Daily News Editorial - Politicians Have Raided Timber Payment Program to Serve Their Own Interests
http://tdn.com/news/opinion/article_4451f574-e530-11de-af26-001cc4c002e0.html

Costco Will Resume Carrying Coca-Cola Products (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=11655182

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Teen Racks Up $21K Cell Phone Bill
http://www.kirotv.com/money/21933125/detail.html

Mozart’s Music May Help Preemies Gain Weight
http://www.kirotv.com/health/21921151/detail.html

Seattle High School Drug Counselor Indicted on Drug Charges
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Seattle-high-school-drug-counselor-indicted-on-drug-charges-79083867.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Elton John - Cold as Christmas (In the Middle of the Year)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgX5aupUoRw