Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Energy News Digest for August 31, 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

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

BPA Won’t Reconsider Pearl Route as Alternative for SW Washington Power Line (Longview Daily News, WA)

Once-In-A-Century Salmon Run Hits Canada’s West Coast (Reuters)

John Deere Sells Wind Energy Business, to Exelon Subsidiary for $900 Million (Minneapolis Star, MN)

Port Angeles - Nippon Manager Describes Plans for Biomass Generator (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

US Finding Expected On Chinese Aluminum Exports (Associated Press)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

  • BPA Won’t Reconsider Pearl Route as Alternative for SW Washington Power Line
  • Energy Rate Increase Could Impact Clallam PUD Customers
  • Pacific Power Rate Hike - Washington State Panel Solicits Comments
  • Mason County PUD 3 Holding Hearing on Integrated Resource Plan Tuesday
  • Spokane - SNAP Smooths Process for Helping With Heating Bills
  • Pacific Gas & Electric PG&E Pushes ‘Pumped Hydro’ for Energy Storage
  • Department of Agriculture to Issue $1.2 Billion in Loans to Rural Electric Coops
  • Colorado Regulators Hold Hearings On Xcel Smart Grid
  • Energy Use Is Way Down - But Wind Surges
  • Nuclear Industry Takes New Path for New Plants
  • EPA to decide whether coal ash is hazardous waste
  • New York - Yahoo! seeks low-cost hydropower
  • Deregulation - Changes Jolt Small Utilities
  • How Nigeria’s Plan to Privatize Its Electricity Company Could Light Up Africa
  • Once-In-A-Century Salmon Run Hits Canada’s West Coast
  • Canada - Surprising Salmon Run Masks an Industry in Crisis
  • Non-Profits, Agencies Pooling Resources to Save Salmon in Northwest
  • Salmon & Mining - A Mind-Boggling Alaska Mine
  • Con Edison Goes ‘Lights Out’ for NYC Audubon Campaign to Save Birds
  • Special Adhesive Helps Oysters Stick Together
  • Guide to Tell Water Health of Puget Sound
  • Op/Ed -Puget Sound Partnership Should Prioritize Environmental Benefit, Not Politics
  • Clallam PUD Approves Sewer System Plan for Carlsborg
  • Study Says Unhealthy Air in Fairbanks Linked to Rise in Hospital Visits
  • John Deere Sells Wind Energy Business, to Exelon Subsidiary for $900 Million
  • Port Angeles - Nippon Manager Describes Plans for Biomass Generator
  • Wisconsin - Biomass Assessment Vague On Emissions, Jobs, Traffic
  • Coal to Wood Pellets - FirstEnergy Cleared for $200 Million Ohio Biomass Project
  • Biomass Heat is Not Coal
  • North Carolina - Backers of Waste for Energy Challenge Renewables Provision
  • $147,000 Grant to Promote Biomass Energy Conservation
  • Green Energy: Why We’re Still Not Using It
  • Oregon Couple Plan Home Wind Turbines, Need City OK
  • Renewable Energy Kiosk; The Newest Creation at Franklin PUD
  • Hybrid Turbine: For When the Wind Doesn’t Blow
  • The Federal Policy Landscape Is Now More Favorable to Wind Energy than at Any Other Time in the Past Decade
  • Cash Grant That Propped Up Alternative Power Due to Expire
  • Wind Energy Gets Huge Subsidies - So Where Are the Carbon Dioxide Reductions?
  • Editorial - Just How Dirty Is Wind Power?
  • Renewable Portfolio Standards Work, But at What Cost?
  • Small/Low Impact Hydropower Program
  • Conn. One of Top Green Power Purchasers
  • Kansas City - Utility Programs Succeed in Cooling Off Summertime Demand for Electricity
  • Report: Climate Science Panel Needs Change at Top
  • Virginia Case Against Climate Researcher Is Rejected
  • Op/Ed - Climate Change: At Least Science Admits Its Errors
  • As India Looks at Cutting Carbon, A Wind Farm Scandal
  • Friends of the Earth Urges End to ‘Land Grab’ for Biofuels
  • Hygroelectricity: Possible New Energy Source
  • Nissan Starts Selling All-Electric Leaf Sedan Today
  • Pedal Power Takes Off as Exercise Produces Electricity
  • Whole Lotta Love for Zeppelins - A new-generation airship is visiting Puget Sound
  • How the FCC Can Best Regulate the Internet
  • Newsflash: Cable/Telcos Write Telecom Law
  • New Cables Tie West Africa Closer to Internet
  • Google Offers Respite from Inbox Overload
  • This Week Is a Coming-Out Party for Android Tablets
  • Where States Get Their Money
  • Senator Patty Murray Visits Whatcom County Today
  • Moving Benton County Seat Could Cost $3.5 Million
  • US Finding Expected On Chinese Aluminum Exports
  • Washington Schools Superintendent to Name Failing Schools
  • Morton Parents Protest Return of Teacher, Pull Kids from His Classes

WORD OF THE DAY

Regale • \ruh-GAIL\ • verb - 1: to entertain sumptuously: to feast with delicacies 2: to give pleasure or amusement to

The clueless participants in the high-pressure, no money down real estate seminar were regaled with numerous stories from the slick, well-oiled presenter about how he had scammed hundreds of unsuspecting homeowners from their hard earned money. Regaled, that is, until one sharp participant realized he had just plunked down $2,000 of his hard-earned money to participate in a worthless real estate seminar scam.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

BPA Won’t Reconsider Pearl Route as Alternative for SW Washington Power Line (Longview Daily News, WA)

Energy Rate Increase Could Impact Clallam PUD Customers (Sequim Gazette, WA)

Pacific Power Rate Hike - Washington State Panel Solicits Comments (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Mason County PUD 3 Holding Hearing on Integrated Resource Plan Tuesday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Spokane - SNAP Smooths Process for Helping With Heating Bills (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

Pacific Gas & Electric PG&E Pushes ‘Pumped Hydro’ for Energy Storage (CNET News)

Department of Agriculture to Issue $1.2 Billion in Loans to Rural Electric Coops - Montana: Big Flat Electric Co-Op to get $2,177,000 guaranteed loan (Electric Marketing Livewire)

Colorado Regulators Hold Hearings On Xcel Smart Grid - Since project in Boulder was announced in 2008, its costs have nearly tripled from initial estimates (Associated Press)

Energy Use Is Way Down - But Wind Surges (CNN Money)

Nuclear Industry Takes New Path for New Plants (Associated Press)

EPA to decide whether coal ash is hazardous waste (USA Today)

New York - Yahoo! seeks low-cost hydropower (Business First of Buffalo, NY)

Deregulation - Changes Jolt Small Utilities (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, IA)

How Nigeria’s Plan to Privatize Its Electricity Company Could Light Up Africa (Christian Science Monitor)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Once-In-A-Century Salmon Run Hits Canada’s West Coast (Reuters)

Canada - Surprising Salmon Run Masks an Industry in Crisis (Globe & Mail)

Non-Profits, Agencies Pooling Resources to Save Salmon in Northwest (Oregon Public Radio)

Salmon & Mining - A Mind-Boggling Alaska Mine (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Con Edison Goes ‘Lights Out’ for NYC Audubon Campaign to Save Birds (Electric Energy Online)

Special Adhesive Helps Oysters Stick Together (NY Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Guide to Tell Water Health of Puget Sound (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Op/Ed -Puget Sound Partnership Should Prioritize Environmental Benefit, Not Politics (Seattle Times)

Clallam PUD Approves Sewer System Plan for Carlsborg (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Study Says Unhealthy Air in Fairbanks Linked to Rise in Hospital Visits (Anchorage News Miner, AK)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

John Deere Sells Wind Energy Business, to Exelon Subsidiary for $900 Million (Minneapolis Star, MN)

Port Angeles - Nippon Manager Describes Plans for Biomass Generator (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Wisconsin - Biomass Assessment Vague On Emissions, Jobs, Traffic (Wausau Daily Herald, WI)

Coal to Wood Pellets - FirstEnergy Cleared for $200 Million Ohio Biomass Project (Brighter Energy)

Biomass Heat is Not Coal (Renewable Energy World)

North Carolina - Backers of Waste for Energy Challenge Renewables Provision (Triangle Business Journal)

$147,000 Grant to Promote Biomass Energy Conservation (The Telegram, Worchester, MA)

Green Energy: Why We’re Still Not Using It “…Hydro power & nuclear power cost about the same amount. Both are more expensive than traditional electric plants…” WTF? (SF Chronicle)

Oregon Couple Plan Home Wind Turbines, Need City OK (KVAL-TV, Eugene, OR)

Renewable Energy Kiosk; The Newest Creation at Franklin PUD (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Hybrid Turbine: For When the Wind Doesn’t Blow (Smart Planet)

The Federal Policy Landscape Is Now More Favorable to Wind Energy than at Any Other Time in the Past Decade (REVE)

Cash Grant That Propped Up Alternative Power Due to Expire (Associated Press)

Wind Energy Gets Huge Subsidies - So Where Are the Carbon Dioxide Reductions? “...Because the wind is not dependable, electric utilities must either keep their conventional power plants running all the time…or they must continually ramp up & down the output from conventional coal- or gas-fired generators…” (Energy Tribune)

Editorial - Just How Dirty Is Wind Power? (Las Vega Review-Journal, NV)

Renewable Portfolio Standards Work, But at What Cost? (Renewable Energy World)

Small/Low Impact Hydropower Program (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

Conn. One of Top Green Power Purchasers (WSFB-TV, Hartford, CT)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Kansas City - Utility Programs Succeed in Cooling Off Summertime Demand for Electricity (Kansas City Star, MO)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Report: Climate Science Panel Needs Change at Top (Associated Press)

Virginia Case Against Climate Researcher Is Rejected (Associated Press)

Op/Ed - Climate Change: At Least Science Admits Its Errors (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

As India Looks at Cutting Carbon, A Wind Farm Scandal (Christian Science Monitor)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Friends of the Earth Urges End to ‘Land Grab’ for Biofuels (The Guardian, UK)

Hygroelectricity: Possible New Energy Source (Epoch Times)


Pedal Power Takes Off as Exercise Produces Electricity (USA Today)

Whole Lotta Love for Zeppelins - A new-generation airship is visiting Puget Sound (Crosscut Seattle)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

How the FCC Can Best Regulate the Internet (Washington Post)

Newsflash: Cable/Telcos Write Telecom Law - But it’s a rare politician that’s proud of that fact (Broadband Reports)

New Cables Tie West Africa Closer to Internet (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Google Offers Respite from Inbox Overload (NY Times)

This Week Is a Coming-Out Party for Android Tablets (GigaOM)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Where States Get Their Money (NY Times)

Senator Patty Murray Visits Whatcom County Today “…worked with the Department of Energy to secure a contract between the Bonneville Power Administration & Intalco…” (KGMI Radio, Bellingham, WA)

Moving Benton County Seat Could Cost $3.5 Million (Associated Press)

GENERAL NEWS

US Finding Expected On Chinese Aluminum Exports (Associated Press)

Washington Schools Superintendent to Name Failing Schools (Associated Press)

Morton Parents Protest Return of Teacher, Pull Kids from His Classes (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Freddie Mercury: Rock ‘N’ Roll’s Humble Showman

An Emmy for Rebuilding a Galaxy - “Star Wars Uncut,” a remake in 15-second increments of “Star Wars: A New Hope”

Facebook Post Gets Detroit-Area Juror in Hot Water

What Are Germiest Places at School? Pencil Sharpener among Dirtiest Items in School

Don’t Try This at Home - Teen Who Zapped (Body Parts) During Shop Class Sues (Note: PG-13 rating)

SONG OF THE DAY

Queen - Don’t Stop Me Now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzGwKwLmgM