Energy News Digest for December 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)

• Douglas County PUD - Wells Dam Relicensing Up to Feds

• Police Target Stolen Electricity to Cut Off Drug Suppliers

• New Substation - Power to McMinnville

• Mason PUD 3 Commission to Hold Pre-Conference Hearing on SEPA Appeal

• New Hampshire - Extended Outage at Seabrook Plant & Poor Wind Resource Will Affect FPL Group’s 2009 Adjusted Earnings

• Massachusetts, California Lose Challenge to Nuclear Pool Risk Report

• Heating-Oil Angels Hate to Ask, But ...

• More Talk than Progress in US Energy Policy

• Mason PUD 3 - January 6 Planned Power Outage for Oak Park/Hickory Ct Area

• Fishermen Don’t Like New Bar Rule

• Controversial Plan to Keep Sport Fishers from Cape Flattery Area Might Be Put on Hold

• California Man Pleads Not Guilty in Sea Lion Shooting

• San Francisco’s Famous Sea Lions Have Swum Away

• Idaho City’s Drinking Water Benefits from Stimulus

• County Commissioners Approve of Yakima Basin Water Plan

• Decaying Levees Magnify Green River Flood Risk

• New York - Turbine Collapse Draws Concern from Other Proposed Project Areas

• Watertown Daily Times Op/Ed - Rethinking Wind Tower Safety

• Rise of Wind Turbines Is a Boon for Rope Workers

• Puget Sound Energy Customers Make Solar Power Shine in Cloudy Economy

• $200B Expected for Smart-Grid Technology

• Democrats to White House: Drop Cap & Trade

• Carbon Capture Challenges Still Abound

• Climate Cover-Up - James Hoggan Talks About Global Warming

• Turning Emissions Disclosure into Business Virtue

• Down on the Farm, an Endless Cycle of Waste

• More Carbon Dioxide May Create a Racket in the Seas

• The Five Best Cities to Land a Green Job

• Utah Fiber Network - Yet Another Campaign to Crush Utopia

• Wyoming - Anatomy of a Rural Wireless ISP

• 2010 Bandwidth Explosion Expected, Demand for Fiber Will Skyrocket

• ISPs Trying to Scare You into Buying More Internets

• Will Microsoft Drive Cloud Revenues in 2010?

• Internet Use Growing Quickly Among Latinos, Survey Finds

• Search Switcheroo - Verizon’s New Motto: Why Not Be Evil?

• Broadcasters Battling for Cable Fees

• Bing, MSN Have Worst Two New Logos, Experts Say

• Ask.com: ‘What’s the Meaning of Life?’ (42)

• Wet Snow Possible in Some Areas of Western Washington This Afternoon

• Pierce County Deputy Kent Mundell Dies

• Public’s Help Requested to Identify Attempted Luring Suspect in Belfair

• Fort Lewis Soldier Accused in Home-Invasion Robbery

• New Oregon Law Attempts to Curb Metal Theft

• Cantwell Named Rising Political Star for 2010

• City of Shelton to Bill for Parking Spaces despite Not Knowing if Enforcement will continue

• Qwest Ending Death Benefits for Retirees in ‘10

• Low Bids Trimming Price Tag on Ryderwood Sewer Project

WORD OF THE DAY

Comity • \KOMM-uh-tee\ • noun –1a: friendly social atmosphere: social harmony b: a loose widespread community based on common social institutions c: comity of nations d: the informal and voluntary recognition by courts of one jurisdiction of the laws and judicial decisions of another 2: avoidance of proselytizing members of another religious denomination

For some, New Year’s Eve becomes a matter of diminishing marginal returns. Imbibing in adult beverages can free inhibitions and lead to comity at some parties. Unfortunately, when that “one drink too many” hits, some party-goers can become the feared “friendly drunk,” known for their close talking and the repeated “I LOVE you man!”

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

Douglas County PUD - Wells Dam Relicensing Up to Feds (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/dec/28/wells-dam-relicensing-up-to-feds-douglas-puds/

Police Target Stolen Electricity to Cut Off Drug Suppliers (Dallas Morning News, TX)

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-drughouses_29met.ART.State.Edition2.4ba5391.html

New Substation - Power to McMinnville (Yamhill Valley News Register, OR)

http://www.newsregister.com/article/42725-power+mcminnville

Mason PUD 3 Commission to Hold Pre-Conference Hearing on SEPA Appeal (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/Newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=651

New Hampshire - Extended Outage at Seabrook Plant & Poor Wind Resource Will Affect FPL Group’s 2009 Adjusted Earnings (Your Renewable Energy News)

http://www.yourrenewablenews.com/extended+outage+at+seabrook+plant+and+poor+wind+resource+will+affect+fpl+group%27s+2009+adjusted+earnings_43932.html

Massachusetts, California Lose Challenge to Nuclear Pool Risk Report (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/12/28/23168.htm

Heating-Oil Angels Hate to Ask, But ... (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010618504_nicole29m.html?syndication=rss

More talk than progress in U.S. energy policy

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2009%2F12%2F29%2FBUP21B6I2N.DTL

Mason PUD 3 - January 6 Planned Power Outage for Oak Park/Hickory Ct Area (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/Newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=652

FISH & WILDLIFE

Fishermen Don’t Like New Bar Rule (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/12/28/local_news/doc4b3900586370a451256131.txt

Controversial Plan to Keep Sport Fishers from Cape Flattery Area Might Be Put on Hold (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091229/NEWS/312299995

California Man Pleads Not Guilty in Sea Lion Shooting (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010615853_apussealionshooting.html?syndication=rss

San Francisco’s Famous Sea Lions Have Swum Away (Associated Press)

http://www.examiner.com/a-2393417~San_Francisco_s_famous_sea_lions_have_swum_away.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Idaho City’s Drinking Water Benefits from Stimulus (NW Cable News)

http://www.nwcn.com/news/80260347.html

County Commissioners Approve of Yakima Basin Water Plan (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/12/28/county-commissioners-approve-of-yakima-basin-water-plan

Decaying Levees Magnify Green River Flood Risk (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010618727_levees29m.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

New York - Turbine Collapse Draws Concern from Other Proposed Project Areas (WKTV-TV, Utica, NY)

http://www.wktv.com/news/local/80212417.html

Watertown Daily Times Op/Ed - Rethinking Wind Tower Safety

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/section/blogs10

Rise of Wind Turbines Is a Boon for Rope Workers (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010618477_windworkers29.html

Puget Sound Energy Customers Make Solar Power Shine in Cloudy Economy (Earth-Times)

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/pse-customers-make-solar-power-shine-in-cloudy-economy,1102501.shtml

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

$200B Expected for Smart-Grid Technology (The Business Journal of Milwaukee)

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/12/28/daily8.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Democrats to White House: Drop Cap & Trade (Politico)

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/national/80216752.html

Carbon Capture Challenges Still Abound (Power Engineering)

http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ARTCL&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=372099&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Climate Cover-Up - James Hoggan Talks About Global Warming (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Bright-Green/2009/1228/James-Hoggan-talks-about-global-warming

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Turning Emissions Disclosure into Business Virtue (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/business/energy-environment/29degrees.html

Down on the Farm, an Endless Cycle of Waste (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/science/29manure.html

More Carbon Dioxide May Create a Racket in the Seas (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/science/earth/29obsound.html

The Five Best Cities to Land a Green Job (The Daily Green)

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/best-cities-green-jobs-461209

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Utah Fiber Network - Yet Another Campaign to Crush Utopia: Struggling operation faces criticism for ‘own your own fiber’ effort (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Yet-Another-Campaign-To-Crush-Utopia-106150

Wyoming - Anatomy of a Rural Wireless ISP

http://gigaom.com/2009/12/29/anatomy-of-a-rural-wireless-isp/

2010 Bandwidth Explosion Expected, Demand for Fiber Will Skyrocket (WebWire)

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=110139

ISPs Trying to Scare You into Buying More Internets (Consumerist – Note the high likelihood of PG-13 language in comment section)

http://consumerist.com/2009/12/isps-trying-to-scare-you-into-buying-more-internets.html

Will Microsoft Drive Cloud Revenues in 2010? (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2009/12/28/will-microsoft-drive-cloud-revenues-in-2010/

Internet Use Growing Quickly Among Latinos, Survey Finds (Associated Press)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/business/story/843655.html

Search Switcheroo - Verizon’s New Motto: Why Not Be Evil? (NY Times)

http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/verizons-new-motto-why-not-be-evil/

Broadcasters Battling for Cable Fees - The nearly billion-dollar battle between broadcasters & cable operators over programming fees has gone public (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/29/business/media/29cable.html

Bing, MSN Have Worst Two New Logos, Experts Say (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/189367.asp?source=pimail

Ask.com: ‘What’s the Meaning of Life?’ (42) - Search engine wants to unite everyday experts to answer that & other queries (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/1009417.html

GENERAL NEWS

Wet Snow Possible in Some Areas of Western Washington This Afternoon (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Wet-snow-possible-in-some-areas-of-W-Wash-this-afternoon-80280247.html

Pierce County Deputy Kent Mundell Dies (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/1009114.html

Public’s Help Requested to Identify Attempted Luring Suspect in Belfair (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=961:publics-help-requested-to-identify-luring-suspect-in-belfair&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Fort Lewis Soldier Accused in Home-Invasion Robbery (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/80269782.html

New Oregon Law Attempts to Curb Metal Theft (Associated Press)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/dec/28/new-oregon-law-attempts-to-curb-metal-theft/

Cantwell Named Rising Political Star for 2010 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/189357.asp?source=pimail

City of Shelton to Bill for Parking Spaces despite Not Knowing if Enforcement will continue (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=954:city-to-bill-for-parking-spaces-despite-not-knowing-if-enforcement-will-continue&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Qwest Ending Death Benefits for Retirees in ‘10 - survivors currently receive an amount equivalent to the last year’s salary (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=11742102

Low Bids Trimming Price Tag on Ryderwood Sewer Project (The Daily News, Longview, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/article_74fae972-f423-11de-ac0e-001cc4c03286.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Couple Stranded 3 Days After GPS Leads Them Astray

http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/22072904/detail.html

Mix-Up at Doggie Hotel Leaves Two Black Labs Confused

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Mix-up-at-doggie-hotel-leaves-two-black-labs-confused-80236912.html

Don’t Try This at Home…Or Anywhere - Tree Surfer Slams Into Car, Injures Head

http://www.examiner.com/a-2393407~Tree_surfer_in_Calif_slams_into_car__injures_head.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

SONG OF THE DAY

Steve Winwood - Back in the High Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=308ypoKd4Dg

Warren Zevon - Back in the High Life Again (Just for Contrast)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo3lxKrjABE