The Energy News Digest: 10/21/10

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Energy News Digest for October 21, 2010

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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

Changing Weather: Weekend Storm Forecast for Pacific Northwest (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=13363417

Natural Gas Prices Tumble to 52-Week Low (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013220263_apusoilprices.html

Author Says WPPSS Still Has Lessons for Energy Industry (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/10/21/1218106/author-wppss-still-has-lessons.html

Alaska - Geothermal Project Sends Utility Cooperative into Chapter 11 (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/10/geothermal-project-sends-utility-cooperative-into-chapter-11

Mason County Commissioners Approve Salary Increases for Some Department Heads -Suspend Increases for Other Elected Officials (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/3589-mason-county-commissioners-approve-salary-increases-for-some-department-heads-suspend-increases-for-other-elected-officials

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

Natural Gas Prices Tumble to 52-Week Low
Natural Gas Stocks Grow More than Expected
Author Says WPPSS Still Has Lessons for Energy Industry
Have Your Say (last night) on Proposed Pacific Power 21 Percent Rate Hike
Is Coal Power Headed for a Downsizing in US?
North American Electric Reliability Corporation Releases Long-Term Reliability Assessment
Chelan PUD to Launch Paperless Billing
Detroit Homeowner Shoots Man Believed to be Stealing Electricity
Judge Tells US Department of the Interior to Clarify Polar Bear Status
California - Sea Lion Shooter Gets 30 Days and $51,000 Fine
Seven Alternatives Discussed for Union River Estuary Restoration at Johnson Farm
Haze Pollution from Forest-Clearing Fires Forces Malaysia School Closures
Alaska - Geothermal Project Sends Utility Cooperative into Chapter 11
US Approves 5th Solar Plant on Western Public Land
Mirrored Solar Dishes to March across California Desert
Wisconsin - Wausau Approves Height Exceptions for Biomass Project
Hot Air? White House Takes Credit for Bush-Era Wind Farm Jobs
Tidal Power: The Next Wave?
Midwest Research Institute Finds Renewable Energy across the Road — In Chicken Manure
Utah Lawmakers Take a Pass on New Home Energy Standards
Editorial - Moving Past Cap And Trade
Corvallis Earns EPA Green Power Community of the Year Award
Spokane Agency Offers Seminars on Proper Wood Burning
Editorial - Alaska: Clean Air and the Cost of Freedom
Would Extending Tax on Bottled Water Save Energy, Create Jobs?
Vilsack Announces Biomass Subsidies for Non-Woody, Perennial Crops
Making British Columbia a Green Jobs Machine
Google to Build a Test 1 Gbps Network in Stanford
FCC Wants Broadcasters' Unused Spectrum to Help Meet Growing Wireless Demand
Pennsylvania - Elderly Couple in Providence Township Wants Comcast to Bury Cable Line
Mason County Commissioners Approve Salary Increases for Some Department Heads
Editorial – Washington State Legislature: Bring Back Sheldon, Finn, and Add Newcomer Griffey in the 35^th
Eight Current & Former Officials Accused of Looting Small California City Headed to Court
It Keeps on Comin’ - California City in Pay Scandal Misspent Affordable-House Money
Changing Weather: Weekend Storm Forecast for Pacific Northwest
Winter to Slam Pacific Northwest As South Stays Warm and Dry
Toyota Recalling 1.53 Million Cars Globally
Lt. Governor Brad Owen to Lead Trade Mission to Taiwan
Washington Slips in Ranking of Popular States
Milken Ranking: Olympia-Area Falls to 36 from 7
Crystal Cathedral Teeters on the Edge of Bankruptcy

WORD OF THE DAY

Dystopia • \diss-TOPE-ee-uh\ • Noun - An imaginary place where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives 2: anti-utopia

Anticipated utopia turned to dystopia. See the Twilight Zone’s “Time Enough at Last,” featuring Burgess Meredith: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Enough_at_Last

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

Natural Gas Prices Tumble to 52-Week Low (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013220263_apusoilprices.html

Natural Gas Stocks Grow More than Expected (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013220116_apusnaturalgasstorage.html

Author Says WPPSS Still Has Lessons for Energy Industry (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/10/21/1218106/author-wppss-still-has-lessons.html

Have Your Say (last night) on Proposed Pacific Power 21 Percent Rate Hike (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/10/20/have-your-say-on-proposed-pacific-power-rate-hike

Is Coal Power Headed for a Downsizing in US? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/1020/Is-coal-power-headed-for-a-downsizing-in-US

North American Electric Reliability Corporation Releases Long-Term Reliability Assessment (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=142449

Chelan PUD to Launch Paperless Billing (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/oct/19/chlean-pud-to-launch-paperless-billing/

Detroit Homeowner Shoots Man Believed to be Stealing Electricity (Detroit News, MI)

http://www.detnews.com/article/20101021/METRO01/10210430/1361/Detroit-homeowner-shoots-man-believed-to-be-stealing-electricity

FISH & WILDLIFE

Judge Tells US Department of the Interior to Clarify Polar Bear Status (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2013214019_apuspolarbears.html

California - Sea Lion Shooter Gets 30 Days and $51,000 Fine (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/20/BAF11FV0HI.DTL

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Seven Alternatives Discussed for Union River Estuary Restoration at Johnson Farm (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/oct/20/seven-alternatives-discussed-estuary-restoration-j/

Haze Pollution from Forest-Clearing Fires Forces Malaysia School Closures (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2013215404_apasmalaysiahaze.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Alaska - Geothermal Project Sends Utility Cooperative into Chapter 11 (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/10/geothermal-project-sends-utility-cooperative-into-chapter-11

US Approves 5th Solar Plant on Western Public Land (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/10/20/us/AP-US-Solar-Public-Lands.html

Mirrored Solar Dishes to March across California Desert (Environmental News Service)

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2010/2010-10-20-091.html

Wisconsin - Wausau Approves Height Exceptions for Biomass Project (Wausau Daily Herald, WI)

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20101020/WDH0101/101020139/Wausau-approves-height-exceptions-for-biomass-project

Hot Air? White House Takes Credit for Bush-Era Wind Farm Jobs - Administration claims 50,000 jobs created, but many projects were completed before funds were handed out (MSNBC)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39759042/ns/business-going_green/

Tidal Power: The Next Wave? (NY Times – Or the next NIMBY target?)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/20/tidal-power-the-next-wave/

Midwest Research Institute Finds Renewable Energy across the Road — In Chicken Manure (Kansas City Star, MO)

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/20/2336672/mri-finds-renewable-energy-just.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Utah Lawmakers Take a Pass on New Home Energy Standards (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50510985-76/energy-standards-code-savings.html.csp

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Editorial - Moving Past Cap And Trade (Boston Globe, MA)

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/10/21/moving_past_cap_and_trade/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Corvallis Earns EPA Green Power Community of the Year Award (Corvallis Gazette-Times, OR)

http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/article_e2cad874-dca1-11df-96c7-001cc4c03286.html

Spokane Agency Offers Seminars on Proper Wood Burning (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/oct/21/agency-offers-seminars-on-proper-wood-burning/

Editorial - Alaska: Clean Air and the Cost of Freedom “…they didn't want government dictating to them what could come out of the smokestacks atop their homes…” (Alaska Dispatch)

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/voices/medred/7182-clean-air-and-the-cost-of-freedom

Would Extending Tax on Bottled Water Save Energy, Create Jobs? (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013215539_schoolenergy21m.html

Vilsack Announces Biomass Subsidies for Non-Woody, Perennial Crops (Des Moines Register, IA)

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2010/10/21/vilsack-announces-biomass-subsidies/

Making British Columbia a Green Jobs Machine - No fossil fuels, zero carbon emissions, better employment (The Tyee, BC)

http://thetyee.ca/News/2010/10/21/BCGreenJobs/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google to Build a Test 1 Gbps Network in Stanford (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/10/21/google-to-build-a-test-1-gbps-network-in-stanford/

FCC Wants Broadcasters' Unused Spectrum to Help Meet Growing Wireless Demand (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/20/AR2010102006154.html

Pennsylvania - Elderly Couple in Providence Township Wants Comcast to Bury Cable Line (Lancaster New Era, PA)

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/303207

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Mason County Commissioners Approve Salary Increases for Some Department Heads -Suspend Increases for Other Elected Officials (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/3589-mason-county-commissioners-approve-salary-increases-for-some-department-heads-suspend-increases-for-other-elected-officials

Editorial – Washington State Legislature: Bring Back Sheldon, Finn, and Add Newcomer Griffey in the 35^th (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/oct/20/bring-back-sheldon-finn-and-add-newcomer-griffey/

Eight Current & Former Officials Accused of Looting Small California City Headed to Court (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2013216153_apusbellsalaries.html

It Keeps on Comin’ - California City in Pay Scandal Misspent Affordable-House Money (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013213807_apusbellsalariesaudit.html

GENERAL NEWS

Changing Weather: Weekend Storm Forecast for Pacific Northwest (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=13363417

Winter to Slam Pacific Northwest As South Stays Warm and Dry (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/2010-10-21-winter-outlook_N.htm?csp=34news