Energy News Digest for December 16, 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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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Montana - Speculation Ramps Up over Potential Columbia Falls Aluminum Reopening (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/optimism_for_columbia_falls_aluminum_company_reopening/21034/

Shelton’s Oakland Bay Sediment Passes Test - Levels Don’t Threaten Health, Sediment Study Finds (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/12/14/1473404/oakland-bay-passes-test.html

Oregon, City of Portland Don’t Meet Ambitious Goals to Power with Renewable Sources (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/12/oregon_city_of_portland_dont_m.html

Big Salmon Runs Predicted on the Columbia River (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20101215/SPORTS/712169957

Canada - Wood Power Poles a Quake Risk for Vancouver - Fires (could be) sparked by hundreds of transformers perched atop wooden power poles (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/12/15/bc-vancouver-earthquake-fire-risk.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Montana - Speculation Ramps Up over Potential Columbia Falls Aluminum Reopening

·         Explosion Blows Off Seattle Utility Hole Covers, Cuts Power

·         Seattle City Light Finds More Dangerous Light Poles

·         Cowlitz County PUD Commission Approves Utility Rate Increase

·         Chelan PUD Debt Pay-Down Quotas Approved

·         Mason County PUD 3 won’t raise its rates

·         Oregon - Bradbury, Ferrioli Spar over Northwest Power Council

·         Canada - Wood Power Poles a Quake Risk for Vancouver

·         Vermont - Hardwick Electric $1.4 Million Embezzlement Scheme Went Undetected for Ten Years

·         No Coal-Fired Power Plants in Denver Area

·         Stuxnet ‘Virus’ Could be Altered to Attack US Facilities, Report Warns

·         Big Salmon Runs Predicted on the Columbia River

·         California Smelt - How to Choose Between Fish & Farmers?

·         Some Steller Sea Lions May Lose Protection

·         Wolverines Making Comeback in Washington State?

·         Shelton’s Oakland Bay Sediment Passes Test - Levels Don’t Threaten Health, Sediment Study Finds

·         Editorial - United Effort Can Create a Better Shelton Waterfront

·         Columbia Crest Estates Developer Reaches Cowlitz PUD Power Deal to Keep Water Service

·         About 20 Carlsborg Residents Voice Opposition to Proposed Sewer

·         Oregon, City of Portland Don’t Meet Ambitious Goals to Power with Renewable Sources

·         University of Washington: Admiralty Inlet an Ideal Spot for Tidal Power

·         China’s Push into Wind Worries US Industry

·         A New Way to Buy Some Wind Power

·         New Mexico - Neighbors Come to Near Blows over Wind Turbines

·         California - Capital’s Greenleaf Power Buys South State’s Largest Biomass Power Plant

·         California - New Life Possible for Modesto Irrigation District Bio-Energy Plant

·         Everett - Third Tour Stop Added to Pacific West Biomass Conference

·         Pacific Gas & Electric May Receive Millions for Unverified Energy Savings

·         California to Adopt ‘Cap & Trade’ to Combat Climate Change

·         Mummified Forest Provides Climate Change Clues

·         Proposal Would Ban Plastic Bags in Grocery, Retail Stores in Oregon, Charge Nickel for Paper

·         Study: Utah Can Step Up as Renewable Energy Leader

·         Washington Department of Ecology, Residents Discuss Data Center Generators

·         US Broadband Speed Lags Behind

·         Broadband Prices Dropping, Just Not in US

·         In Defense of the National Broadband Plan

·         Did Your Town Get Google Fiber? Google’s Not Telling Yet

·         Gregoire Proposes Deep Cuts to Washington State Programs

·         Spending Bill “Studded with Earmarks” from Murray, Dicks

·         Mason County Unemployment Rate Increases in November

·         Federal Reports Show Throughout the Northwest Levees Appear Lacking

·         Wire Theft Leaves Tacoma Bridge Unable to Open for Ships

·         Washington State to Get $425,000 from Dannon Lawsuit

·         DirecTV Settles with Washington, Other States for $14.3 Million

·         Washington Trying to Collect Pot (Marijuana) Sales Tax

·         Pothole Repairs Cause Rut for City of Seattle

WORD OF THE DAY

Vermicular • \verr-MICK-yuh-lerr\ • adjective - 1: resembling a worm in form or motion 2: of, relating to, or caused by worms

Noodles are funny

Vermicular in their shape

Slurp them with gusto

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

Montana - Speculation Ramps Up over Potential Columbia Falls Aluminum Reopening (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/optimism_for_columbia_falls_aluminum_company_reopening/21034/

Explosion Blows Off Seattle Utility Hole Covers, Cuts Power (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/431891_manholes15.html

Seattle City Light Finds More Dangerous Light Poles (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=402651

Cowlitz County PUD Commission Approves Utility Rate Increase (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_487517fe-0801-11e0-9c4a-001cc4c002e0.html

Chelan PUD Debt Pay-Down Quotas Approved (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/dec/15/pud-debt-pay-down-quotas-approved/

Mason County PUD 3 won’t raise its rates - Approved a $53.5 million budget for 2011 that does not include a rate hike for electric customers (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/12/15/1465480/mason-county-mason-county-pud.html

Oregon - Bradbury, Ferrioli Spar over Northwest Power Council (Oregonian, Portland)

http://blog.oregonlive.com/mapesonpolitics/2010/12/bradbury_ferrioli_spar_over_nw.html

Canada - Wood Power Poles a Quake Risk for Vancouver - Fires (could be) sparked by hundreds of transformers perched atop wooden power poles (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/12/15/bc-vancouver-earthquake-fire-risk.html

Vermont - Hardwick Electric $1.4 Million Embezzlement Scheme Went Undetected for Ten Years (Burlington Free Press, VT)

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20101215/NEWS07/101215024/FBI-says-Vermont-utility-lost-1.5m-to-theft

No Coal-Fired Power Plants in Denver Area - State regulators issued written orders Wednesday that would leave no coal-burning power plants in the Denver area after 2017 (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013689670_apcocoalfiredplants.html

Stuxnet ‘Virus’ Could be Altered to Attack US Facilities, Report Warns (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/1215/Stuxnet-virus-could-be-altered-to-attack-US-facilities-report-warns

FISH & WILDLIFE

Big Salmon Runs Predicted on the Columbia River (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20101215/SPORTS/712169957

California Smelt - How to Choose Between Fish & Farmers? (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/15/how-to-choose-between-fish-and-farmers/

Some Steller Sea Lions May Lose Protection - Petitions submitted by the states of Oregon, Washington & Alaska (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/12/15/32635.htm

Wolverines Making Comeback in Washington State? (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Wolverines-Make-Tracks-In-Washington-State-111968249.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Shelton’s Oakland Bay Sediment Passes Test - Levels Don’t Threaten Health, Sediment Study Finds (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/12/14/1473404/oakland-bay-passes-test.html

Editorial - United Effort Can Create a Better Shelton Waterfront (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/12/14/1473422/united-effort-can-create-a-better.html

Columbia Crest Estates Developer Reaches Cowlitz PUD Power Deal to Keep Water Service (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/00ca934a-08b3-11e0-a7d2-001cc4c03286.html

About 20 Carlsborg Residents Voice Opposition to Proposed Sewer (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20101215/news/312159986/about-20-carlsborg-residents-voice-opposition-to-proposed-sewer

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon, City of Portland Don’t Meet Ambitious Goals to Power with Renewable Sources (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/12/oregon_city_of_portland_dont_m.html

University of Washington: Admiralty Inlet an Ideal Spot for Tidal Power (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-15/uw-admiralty-inlet-an-ideal-spot-for-tidal-power.html

China’s Push into Wind Worries US Industry (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/business/global/16wind.html

A New Way to Buy Some Wind Power - Millions of people think about buying solar cells for their roofs, but far fewer would consider owning a wind turbine (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/a-new-way-to-buy-a-bit-of-wind-power/

New Mexico - Neighbors Come to Near Blows over Wind Turbines (Technorati)

http://technorati.com/lifestyle/green/article/breaking-news-neighbors-come-to-near/

California - Capital’s Greenleaf Power Buys South State’s Largest Biomass Power Plant (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/15/3258180/capitals-greenleaf-power-buys.html

California - New Life Possible for Modesto Irrigation District Bio-Energy Plant (Modesto Bee, CA)

http://www.modbee.com/2010/12/14/1472257/new-life-possible-for-bio-energy.html

Everett - Third Tour Stop Added to Pacific West Biomass Conference (Biomass Magazine)

http://biomassmagazine.com/articles/5170/third-tour-stop-added-to-pacific-west-biomass-conference/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Pacific Gas & Electric May Receive Millions for Unverified Energy Savings (San Francisco Bay Guardian, CA)

http://www.sfbg.com/politics/2010/12/15/pge-may-receive-millions-unverified-energy-savings

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California to Adopt ‘Cap & Trade’ to Combat Climate Change (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_16868556

Mummified Forest Provides Climate Change Clues (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013694293_apusscimummifiedforest.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Proposal Would Ban Plastic Bags in Grocery, Retail Stores in Oregon, Charge Nickel for Paper (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/12/proposal_may_ban_plastic_bags.html

Study: Utah Can Step Up as Renewable Energy Leader (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/50872839-79/energy-utah-renewable-storage.html.csp

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington Department of Ecology, Residents Discuss Data Center Generators (Columbia Basin Bulletin, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_31af0bac-08a5-11e0-8df7-001cc4c03286.html

US Broadband Speed Lags Behind (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=402910

Broadband Prices Dropping, Just Not in US - Competition lowers residential broadband prices. Who knew? (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadband-Prices-Dropping-Just-Not-In-US-111852

In Defense of the National Broadband Plan (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/12/16/in-defense-of-the-national-broadband-plan/

Did Your Town Get Google Fiber? Google’s Not Telling Yet (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/12/15/did-your-town-get-google-fiber-googles-not-telling-yet/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Gregoire Proposes Deep Cuts to Washington State Programs (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Gov-Gregoire-proposes-deep-cuts-to-Washington-programs-111940824.html

Spending Bill “Studded with Earmarks” from Murray, Dicks (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2013694110_spendingbillstuddedwithearmarksfrommurraydicksandothers.html

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Unemployment Rate Increases in November (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/news/4101-mason-county-unemployment-rate-increases-in-november

Federal Reports Show Throughout the Northwest Levees Appear Lacking (Oregonian, Portland)

http://news.opb.org/article/20949-federal-reports-show-throughout-northwest-levees-appear-lacking/

Wire Theft Leaves Tacoma Bridge Unable to Open for Ships (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/26144258/detail.html

Washington State to Get $425,000 from Dannon Lawsuit (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/12/16/1475965/olympia-state-to-get-425000-from.html

DirecTV Settles with Washington, Other States for $14.3 Million (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/12/15/1474944/directv-settles-with-wa-other.html

Washington Trying to Collect Pot (Marijuana) Sales Tax (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/dec/14/washington-trying-collect-pot-sales-tax/

Pothole Repairs Cause Rut for City of Seattle (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/More-Potholes-111893264.html

DIVERSIONS

Holy Human Head: French Retiree Had King Henri IV’s Mummified Remains in His Garage

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/12/15/french-retirees-unearthed-loot-includes-head-of-king-henri-iv/

The Great Vegas Strip Heist: $1.5 Million in Chips Stolen, No Shots Fired

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/12/15/the-great-vegas-strip-heist-1-5-million-in-chips-stolen-no-shots-fired/

New Fairway Hazard - Geese Leave Their Mark on Golf Course

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20101216/news/312169987/geese-leave-their-mark-on-golf-course

SONG OF THE DAY

Kenny Loggins - I’m Alright (From Caddyshack)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCXy5SkdO30