Friday, January 29, 2010

Energy News Digest for January 29, 2010

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 Plants, Other Infrastructure Face Hackers
•  Grant PUD Approves Route for New High-Voltage Line
•  Loan Guarantee Application Submitted for Juan de Fuca Cable
•  PacifiCorp Rate Increase Set for February
•  Oregon - Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative not happy with BPA response time
•  Pend Oreille PUD Joins Energy Northwest
•  US Energy Secretary Chu Announces Progress on BPA Recovery Act Project
•  Utility Customers in Mason County Set Record for Donations
•  Oregon - Opponents Take Liquefied Natural Gas Plan to Court
•  American Electric Power Company Sees Power Demand Picking Up in 2010
•  Is Nuclear Power the Future? Obama Calls for More Plants
•  Providence Journal Editorial - Those Little (Public) Utilities
•  Rural Utilities Borrowers to Keep Financial Aid
•  Currents & Ruralite Apply for BPA Worldwide Consumer Magazine Membership
•  Plan Floated for Lake Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage
•  Coho Salmon Get a Boost in Lake Washington
•  OregonDeschutes River to Open for Spring Chinook
•  California - Wine Grape Watering Clashes With Salmon Protection
•  Orca Population Bounces Back in the Northwest
•  Geoduck Harvesting Approved in Parts of King County
•  El Niño May Leave Basin Drained
•  Proposed Legislation Would Restrict Ecology in Banning Wells
•  Water - County, City, Port, PUD, Tribes to Meet Friday
•  Four Cities near Agreement for Cascade Water
•  Longview Approves Mint Farm Water Plant
•  Seattle - Operator Error Caused Sewage Spill at West Point Plant
•  Wood Smoke & Recession
•  Will Ocean Power Be This Decade's Version of Wind Power?
•  Cheap Hot Water? Just Add Sunshine
•  Massachusetts Sets Ambitious Energy Standards
•  Harsh Winter a Sign of Disruptive Climate Change, Report Says
•  Water Vapor Drop May Have Led to Warming Slowdown
•  Watchdog: UK University Hid Climate Data
•  SEC to Require Disclosure of Climate Change Risks
•  Oregon Wildfires Released Far Less Greenhouse Gas Than Previously Estimated
•  Top Five Greenest Nations on the Planet
•  Taking the Pulse of a Broadband Stimulus Winner
•  AT&T Wireless Is Simply Exploding
•  Should Fairpoint Really Be Giving Broadband Advice?
•  Gregoire E-Mail for Candidate Broke Law, Regulators Say
•  Groups Urge Washington State to Triple Tax on Polluters to Plug Budget Hole
•  Traffic Flowing Across Tahuya River Bridge
•  Washington Felons Can’t Register to Vote Yet, Judges Rule
•  Island County Sheriff's Deputy Saves a Life before Losing His Job

WORD OF THE DAY

Maxixe • \muh-SHEESH\ • noun - A ballroom dance of Brazilian origin that resembles the two-step

“Fast, slow, fast-fast, slow….OUCH!” screamed Alberto to his comely maxixe partner, who just happened to have size-ten feet.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Power Plants, Other Infrastructure Face Hackers (Associated Press)

Grant PUD Approves Route for New High-Voltage Line (Wenatchee World, WA)

Loan Guarantee Application Submitted for Juan de Fuca Cable (Renew Grid Magazine)

PacifiCorp Rate Increase Set for February (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Oregon - Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative not happy with BPA response time (Curry County Reporter, Gold Beach, OR)

Pend Oreille PUD Joins Energy Northwest (Associated Press)

US Energy Secretary Chu Announces Progress on BPA Recovery Act Project - New transmission line to help move renewable energy sources to market (US Department of Energy)

Utility Customers in Mason County Set Record for Donations (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Oregon - Opponents Take Liquefied Natural Gas Plan to Court - Coalition fighting proposed natural gas terminal says feds didn’t do their homework or prove need (Forest Grove News-Times, OR)

American Electric Power Company Sees Power Demand Picking Up in 2010 (Associated Press)

Is Nuclear Power the Future? Obama Calls for More Plants (USA Today)

Providence Journal Editorial - Those Little (Public) Utilities “…The Pascoag rate cut suggests that we need more such small utilities, devoted to their localities, to offer a wider mix of pricing & other options…”

Rural Utilities Borrowers to Keep Financial Aid (Courthouse News Service)

Currents & Ruralite Apply for BPA Worldwide Consumer Magazine Membership (Pr Newswire)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Plan Floated for Lake Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Coho Salmon Get a Boost in Lake Washington (Seattle Times)

OregonDeschutes River to Open for Spring Chinook (Bend Bulletin, OR)

California - Wine Grape Watering Clashes With Salmon Protection (Associated Press)

Orca Population Bounces Back in the Northwest (Christian Science Monitor)

Geoduck Harvesting Approved in Parts of King County (Seattle Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

El Niño May Leave Basin Drained - Warm days & less precipitation may mean trouble for snow-fed river flows (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

Proposed Legislation Would Restrict Ecology in Banning Wells (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

Water - County, City, Port, PUD, Tribes to Meet Friday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Four Cities near Agreement for Cascade Water - Sumner yet to approve; Bonney Lake, Auburn, Buckley give OK (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Longview Approves Mint Farm Water Plant (The Daily News, Longview, WA)

Seattle - Operator Error Caused Sewage Spill at West Point Plant (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wood Smoke & Recession (KPLU Radio, Tacoma, WA)

Will Ocean Power Be This Decade's Version of Wind Power? (Seeking Alpha)

Cheap Hot Water? Just Add Sunshine (Wall Street Journal)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Massachusetts Sets Ambitious Energy Standards (NY Times)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Harsh Winter a Sign of Disruptive Climate Change, Report Says (Washington Post)

Water Vapor Drop May Have Led to Warming Slowdown (Associated Press)

Watchdog: UK University Hid Climate Data (Associated Press)

SEC to Require Disclosure of Climate Change Risks (Washington Post)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon Wildfires Released Far Less Greenhouse Gas Than Previously Estimated, Researchers Say (The Oregonian, Portland)

Top Five Greenest Nations on the Planet (Christian Science Monitor)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Taking the Pulse of a Broadband Stimulus Winner (Light Reading)

AT&T Wireless Is Simply Exploding - Carrier is very quickly catching up to Verizon Wireless (Broadband Reports)

Should Fairpoint Really Be Giving Broadband Advice? - Company continues to fight public/private efforts to wire Maine (Broadband Reports)

GENERAL NEWS

Gregoire E-Mail for Candidate Broke Law, Regulators Say (Associated Press)

Groups Urge Washington State to Triple Tax on Polluters to Plug Budget Hole (Seattle Times)

Traffic Flowing Across Tahuya River Bridge (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Washington Felons Can’t Register to Vote Yet, Judges Rule (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

Island County Sheriff's Deputy Saves a Life before Losing His Job (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

DIVERSIONS

Georgia Man Buys Car, Finds $200K in Counterfeit Cash

Police: Baby Left at Day Care for Week

Dog Drifts 75 Miles on Ice, Rescued in Baltic Sea

Lawsuit: Ohio Teacher Tied Boy's Hair In Ponytails

SONG OF THE DAY

Cowsills – Hair

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Energy News Digest for January 27, 2010

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)

•  Grant County PUD Chooses Transmission Line Route in Ephrata
•  The Future Of Coal Power Will Require Hard Choices
•  Displacing Coal with Generation from Existing Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants
•  Power Theft the Key – Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Finds Elaborate Pot Grow
•  Oak Harbor to Utilities: We Will Bury You
•  Activists Look To Transform Colorado Power Grid One Co-Op Election At A Time
•  Vermont Utility Regulators Question Nuke Statements
•  SMUD hosts Youth Energy Summit
•  Hoquiam Water Bill Glitch Balloons Bills
•  California Brown Pelicans Linger On Oregon Coast
•  Mystery Surrounds Fate Of Sage Grouse
•  Mason PUD 3 Commissioners Briefed on Water Line Extension Agreement
•  Residents Add Water Line Extension to Concerns over PUD 3's John's Prairie Facility
•  Washington State To Cut Stormwater Pollution From Highways
•  Washington State Starts On Bills To Amend Renewable Energy Standard
•  Wisconsin - Lawmaker Questions Higher-Than-Expected Costs For Renewable Energy
•  New Mexico Utility Outlines Renewable Energy Plan
•  FERC Seeks Renewable Energy Transmission Advice
•  Southern Company & Ted Turner To Develop Renewable Energy Projects
•  Chelan County PUD Could Pay You to Save Energy
•  Storing Energy as Ice? (NY Times)
•  Advocates of Climate Bill Scale Down Their Goals (NY Times)
•  Courts as Battlefields in Climate Fights
•  Merrill Lynch: Carbon Markets Are Under "A Dark Cloud" Of Uncertainty
•  Can Climate Forecasts Still Be Trusted?
•  The Ozone Hole Is Mending. Now for the ‘But.’
•  Bill Gates Says Climate Cash May Hit Health Aid
•  More States Require 'Green' Cleaning Products
•  On New Environmental Scoreboard, U.S. and China Plummet While Iceland Leads
•  Kohl's Department Stores Achieves 100 Percent Green Power
•  Vandals Cut Fiber Optic Cables To Selah
•  Feds Taking Bids for Utah Data Center
•  Yahoo's 4Q Progress Brightens 2010 Outlook
•  El Niño To Top Extreme Tides
•  Oregon Voters OK Tax Hikes On Wealthy, Businesses
•  Green Light For Tax Increases? Gregoire Praises Oregon Vote
•  E-Mail Saves Time, but Being There Says More
•  How Many People Are Paying For Newsday.com? Not Many…

WORD OF THE DAY

Valhalla • \val-HAL-uh\ • noun - 1: the great hall in Norse mythology where the souls of heroes slain in battle are received 2: a place of honor, glory, or happiness: heaven

After years of agonizing patience, Bertrand was ready for his elevation to the Valhalla of the paper cup distribution company…the keys to the executive washroom. Unfortunately, what was considered the restroom of the gods in 1962 had, over time, degraded to a “washroom” reminiscent of a quick-stop gas station in a remote, wind-blown town on the western frontier. “Visiting Odin” took on a whole new meaning to Bertie that day.

“Visiting Odin” - Valhalla is additionally referenced in the phrase "visiting Odin" in a story describing that, upon his death, King Vanlandi went to Valhalla.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Grant County PUD Chooses Transmission Line Route in Ephrata (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

The Future Of Coal Power Will Require Hard Choices (Nat’l Public Radio)

Displacing Coal with Generation from Existing Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants (Congressional Research Reports)

Power Theft the Key – Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Finds Elaborate Pot Grow (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

Oak Harbor to Utilities: We Will Bury You (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Activists Look To Transform Colorado Power Grid One Co-Op Election At A Time - Co-ops account for 23 percent of electrical power consumed in the state (Colorado Independent)

Vermont Utility Regulators Question Nuke Statements (Associated Press)

SMUD hosts Youth Energy Summit - Second year of event attracts nearly 100 students who learn about clean energy and sustainability (Electric Energy Online)

Hoquiam Water Bill Glitch Balloons Bills (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

California Brown Pelicans Linger On Oregon Coast (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Mystery Surrounds Fate Of Sage Grouse - Agencies Could List Bird By Next Month (Magic Valley Times-News, Twin Falls, ID)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Mason PUD 3 Commissioners Briefed on Water Line Extension Agreement (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Residents Add Water Line Extension to Concerns over PUD 3's John's Prairie Facility (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Washington State To Cut Stormwater Pollution From Highways (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Washington State Starts On Bills To Amend Renewable Energy Standard (SNL Financial)

Wisconsin - Lawmaker Questions Higher-Than-Expected Costs For Renewable Energy (Wisconsin State Journal)

New Mexico Utility Outlines Renewable Energy Plan (Businessweek)

FERC Seeks Renewable Energy Transmission Advice - Do rules, regulations, tariffs and industry practices act as barriers to variable and renewable energy? (Renewable Energy Focus)

Southern Company & Ted Turner To Develop Renewable Energy Projects (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Chelan County PUD Could Pay You to Save Energy (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

Storing Energy as Ice? (NY Times)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Advocates of Climate Bill Scale Down Their Goals (NY Times)

Courts as Battlefields in Climate Fights (NY Times)

Merrill Lynch: Carbon Markets Are Under "A Dark Cloud" Of Uncertainty (Power Engineering)

Can Climate Forecasts Still Be Trusted? (Spiegel Online)

The Ozone Hole Is Mending. Now for the ‘But.’ (NY Times)

Bill Gates Says Climate Cash May Hit Health Aid (AFP)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

More States Require 'Green' Cleaning Products (Associated Press)

On New Environmental Scoreboard, U.S. and China Plummet While Iceland Leads (NY Times)

Kohl's Department Stores Achieves 100 Percent Green Power (Fox Business News)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Vandals Cut Fiber Optic Cables To Selah (Olympian, WA)

Feds Taking Bids for Utah Data Center (Associated Press)

Yahoo's 4Q Progress Brightens 2010 Outlook

GENERAL NEWS

El Niño To Top Extreme Tides - Region has seen high water already this winter and likely will again in the next few weeks (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Oregon Voters OK Tax Hikes On Wealthy, Businesses (Associated Press)

Green Light For Tax Increases? Gregoire Praises Oregon Vote (Seattle Times)

E-Mail Saves Time, but Being There Says More (NY Times)

How Many People Are Paying For Newsday.com? Try 35 - $4 million site redesign netting just $9,000 in new revenue... (Broadband Reports)

DIVERSIONS

PETA Proposes Robotic Groundhog For Pennsylvania Festival

Blindfolded Coach Hits Half-Court Shot

Court Upholds Prison Ban of Dungeons & Dragons

Mamma Mia! ABBA Theme Park Opens In London

SONG OF THE DAY

Abba - S.O.S.