Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Energy News Digest for February 23, 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.

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TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Grays Harbor – Satsop Power Plant Expansion Clears One Hurdle
·         Tri-City Leaders to File Yucca Lawsuit Next Week
·         Oregon Investigates Texas Trucking Company, Oregon Nonprofit Over Energy Tax Credits
·         Oregon - Idaho Power rules affect landowners along Brownlee Reservoir
·         New Jersey - Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant Not Detrimental to Aquatic Life
·         Arizona - Lawmakers Mull Nuclear Power as Renewable Source
·         California - Chino Hills Continues Fight Over Edison Transmission Line
·         SF Chronicle Op/Ed - Clean-Energy Plan Could Fuel Higher Rates
·         Connecticut - Suit Alleges Power Plant Ignored Safety Procedures
·         Georgia - Heavy Rain Boosts Thurmond Dam Power Output
·         Applications for Help on Heat Bills Rise by 15%
·         Minneapolis Woman Says $1,600 Water Bill Must be Mistake
·         SF Chronicle Editorial - A Dam Deal: “Hasta La Vista, Klamath Dams”
·         Will Columbia-Snake River Salmon be Saved?
·         Pelican Die-Off Blamed on Disappearance of Fish
·         California - Hard Times for Young Sea Lions
·         California –To Help Steelhead Feds May Spend $7.5 Million on New Fish Ladder
·         Ecology Denies Second Petition to Close Johns Creek Basin
·         City of Shelton to Apply for Loan to Bring Shelton Springs Water Source Back Online
·         Port Angeles Paper Mill’s Water Will be Protected During Elwa River Restoration
·         Anacortes, Skagit PUD Customers Asked to Use Less Water
·         Ocean Power Technologies Begins Wave Power Farm Development Off Oregon Coast
·         If Wyoming Taxes Green Energy, Green Energy Can Go Elsewhere
·         Mojave Desert Solar Project Gets Tentative OK for US Loan Aid
·         California State Senate - Bill Would Speed California Energy Projects
·         Massachusetts - Alliance, Cape Wind Spar over Cost Savings Report
·         Maine - Portland Lawmaker Asks About Possible Conflict of Interest
·         FAQ - Bloom’s Power Plant in a Box?
·         Benton PUD Customers to Get Free Light Bulbs
·         The Efficient Life: The Light Bulb Dilemma
·         Cash-for-Clunkers Rebates Offered on New Appliances
·         Utilities Finding Peer Pressure a Powerful Motivator
·         EPA Plans to Phase in Regulation of Emissions
·         Coal-State Democrats Oppose Global-Warming Rules
·         Natural Gas as a Climate Fix Sparks Friction
·         NY Times Editorial - Climate Change
·         Washington Post Op/Ed - Global Warming Advocates Ignore the Boulders
·         Iceberg Ahead - Climate scientists who play fast & loose with the facts
·         Pacific Northwest Green Homes Sell for More & Faster Than Other Homes
·         Congressional Scorecard: Washington State’s “Green” D.C. Delegation
·         Seattle to Go Carbon Neutral?
·         The Trouble With Kibbles - The Environmental Impact of Pet Food
·         RUS Selects 11 Projects for BIP Broadband Stimulus Funds
·         Broadband Stimulus Funding Moves at a Dial-Up Pace
·         Palo Alto Drops Stimulus Bid, Pinning Fiber Hopes on Google
·         Palo Alto, Seattle, Utah in Line for Google Fiber
·         Portland Prepares Its Pitch for Google’s Fiber Network
·         California - Ventura Vying to be Google Test City
·         US to Unveil Broadband Plan Mar 17, Sees Barriers
·         FCC Takes a Close Look at the Unwired
·         Surprise! Cost, Digital Literacy at Heart of Broadband Gap
·         Broadband Carriers Speak out Against FCC Regulation
·         WiFi Hotspots Especially Hot During Power Outage
·         Washington Senate Democrats Want Sales Tax Hike
·         State Senate Approves I-960 Suspension for the Third Time
·         Washington Senate Proposes Transportation Budget
·         Mom Searching for Missing McCleary Daughter Ordered to Pay Back Unemployment
·         Seattle’s Traffic Remains Ninth-Worst in US
·         Joel Hyer - Still the Nominee Despite Pot Charge
·         Audit Report Confirms Clallam County Treasurer Department Theft in Excess of $600K
·         Voters to Decide on Benton County Seat
·         News Tribune Editorial - Stakes Are High & Time Is Short in Hanford Cleanup
·         Deal to Sell Hummer to China Company Nears Collapse

WORD OF THE DAY

Logomachy • \loh-GAH-muh-kee\ • noun - 1: a dispute over or about words *2: a controversy marked by verbiage

Ira was upset with his brother George. “I’m the one who does the word smithing, you schmuck,” he growled. If I want to write a song about logomachy, it’s up to you to come up with some catchy jingle.”

Fred Astaire - Lets Call the Whole Thing Off (you say tomato, I say tomato….)

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Grays Harbor – Satsop Power Plant Expansion Clears One Hurdle (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

Tri-City Leaders to File Yucca Lawsuit Next Week (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Oregon - State Investigates Texas Trucking Company, Oregon Nonprofit Over Energy Tax Credits (The Oregonian, Portland)

Oregon - Idaho Power rules affect landowners along Brownlee Reservoir (Baker City Herald, OR)

New Jersey - Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant Not Detrimental to Aquatic Life (Asbury Park Press, NJ)

Arizona - Lawmakers Mull Nuclear Power as Renewable Source (Phoenix Business Journal)

California - Chino Hills Continues Fight Over Edison Transmission Line (Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, CA)

SF Chronicle Op/Ed - Clean-Energy Plan Could Fuel Higher Rates

Connecticut - Suit Alleges Power Plant Ignored Safety Procedures (Associated Press)

Georgia - Heavy Rain Boosts Thurmond Dam Power Output (The Augusta Chronicle, GA)

Applications for Help on Heat Bills Rise by 15% (NY Times)

Minneapolis Woman Says $1,600 Water Bill Must be Mistake - City Believes It’s Accurate (Gazette News)

FISH & WILDLIFE

SF Chronicle Editorial - A Dam Deal: “Hasta La Vista, Klamath Dams”

Will Columbia-Snake River Salmon be Saved? (Huffington Post)

Pelican Die-Off Blamed on Disappearance of Fish (SF Chronicle)

California - Hard Times for Young Sea Lions (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

California –To Help Steelhead Feds May Spend $7.5 Million on New Fish Ladder (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Ecology Denies Second Petition to Close Johns Creek Basin - Squaxins to Appeal to Governor (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

City of Shelton to Apply for Loan to Bring Shelton Springs Water Source Back Online (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Port Angeles Paper Mill’s Water Will be Protected During Elwa River Restoration (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

Anacortes, Skagit PUD Customers Asked to Use Less Water (Skagit Valley Herald, Mt Vernon, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Ocean Power Technologies Begins Wave Power Farm Development Off Oregon Coast (Renewable Energy World)

If Wyoming Taxes Green Energy, Green Energy Can Go Elsewhere (Christian Science Monitor)

Mojave Desert Solar Project Gets Tentative OK for US Loan Aid (Associated Press)

California State Senate - Bill Would Speed California Energy Projects (Associated Press)

Massachusetts - Alliance, Cape Wind Spar over Report Claiming Savings from Wind Farm (The Enterprise, Falmouth, MA)

Maine - Portland Lawmaker Asks About Possible Conflict of Interest (Portland Press-Herald, ME)

FAQ - Bloom’s Power Plant in a Box? (C/NET News)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Benton PUD Customers to Get Free Light Bulbs (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

The Efficient Life: The Light Bulb Dilemma - Do I have to use compact fluorescent bulbs? (Slate Magazine)

Cash-for-Clunkers Rebates Offered on New Appliances (USA Today)

Utilities Finding Peer Pressure a Powerful Motivator (NY Times)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

EPA Plans to Phase in Regulation of Emissions (NY Times)

Coal-State Democrats Oppose Global-Warming Rules (Associated Press)

Natural Gas as a Climate Fix Sparks Friction (Nat’l Public Radio)

NY Times Editorial - Climate Change “…(can) the world can ever get its act together on global warming…”

Washington Post Op/Ed - Global Warming Advocates Ignore the Boulders

Iceberg Ahead - Climate scientists who play fast & loose with the facts are imperiling not just their profession but the planet (Newsweek Magazine)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Pacific Northwest Green Homes Sell for More & Faster Than Other Homes (USA Today)

Congressional Scorecard: Washington State’s “Green” D.C. Delegation (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Seattle to Go Carbon Neutral? (Grist Magazine)

The Trouble With Kibbles - The Environmental Impact of Pet Food (Slate Magazine – and 25 cents goes to David Gerrold)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

RUS Selects 11 Projects for BIP Broadband Stimulus Funds (Lightwave Online)

Broadband Stimulus Funding Moves at a Dial-Up Pace (New Mexico Business Weekly)

Palo Alto Drops Stimulus Bid, Pinning Fiber Hopes on Google (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Palo Alto, Seattle, Utah in Line for Google Fiber (Electronista)

Portland Prepares Its Pitch for Google’s Fiber Network (The Oregonian, Portland)

California - Ventura Vying to be Google Test City (Ventura County Star, CA)

US to Unveil Broadband Plan Mar 17, Sees Barriers – FCC will submit broadband plan to Congress on Mar 17 (Reuters)

FCC Takes a Close Look at the Unwired (NY Times)

Surprise! Cost, Digital Literacy at Heart of Broadband Gap (GigaOM)

Broadband Carriers Speak out Against FCC Regulation (Washington Post)

WiFi Hotspots Especially Hot During Power Outage (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

GENERAL NEWS

Washington Senate Democrats Want Sales Tax Hike (Associated Press)

State Senate Approves I-960 Suspension for the Third Time (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

Washington Senate Proposes Transportation Budget (Associated Press)

Mom Searching for Missing McCleary Daughter Ordered to Pay Back Unemployment (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Seattle’s Traffic Remains Ninth-Worst in US (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Joel Hyer - Still the Nominee Despite Pot Charge (Seattle Times)

Audit Report Confirms Clallam County Treasurer Department Theft in Excess of $600K (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Voters to Decide on Benton County Seat (Associated Press)

News Tribune Editorial - Stakes Are High & Time Is Short in Hanford Cleanup

Deal to Sell Hummer to China Company Nears Collapse (NY Times)

DIVERSIONS

Superman’s Debut Comic Book Issue Sells for $1M - Rare Comic Originally Cost 10 Cents

Arson Suspect Caught After Bragging About Blaze - Man Allegedly Told Hairdresser About Crime

Woman Finds $17,500 Check from 1978 - Unclaimed Insurance Check

Ohio Man Bulldozes $350K Home to Avoid Foreclosure

A Job, but There’s a Catch: A 1,000-Mile Commute

SONG OF THE DAY

Drive- The Cars