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.
WORD OF THE DAY
Exculpatory • \ek-SKUL-puh-tor-ee\ • adjective – tending or serving to clear from alleged fault or guilt
Fredo’s guilt in the boardroom doughnut theft seemed like an open and shut case for the wily corporate security director. “I know it was you Fredo,” he cried shrilly. Unfortunately for the security personnel, the trail of crumbs down the hallway, along with traces of powdered sugar on the CEO’s chin provided the exculpatory evidence that set Fredo free.
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Seattle P-I Energy Blog – WA Saying No to New Coal Plant in Longview (Well, NEAR Kalama actually)
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/energy/archives/122273.asp?from=blog_last3
Carbon Capture and Storage: Carbon capture and storage: the race is on to find a winner (Power Engineering)
http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ARTCL&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=306494&C=Feat
Utah – Legislative panel says nuclear power proposal's costs needs more study. Lawmakers on Wednesday slowed the rush toward Utah's first nuclear power plant. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via PowerMarketers.com)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CfjrsqknXUie%27%40%3E%20bfem%5E%21
Xcel seeks Colorado rate hike to offset higher fuel costs – Residential and small-business customers would see electricity bills increase about 11 percent beginning in October under a proposal Xcel Energy submitted Friday to Colorado regulators. (Rocky Mountain News, Denver)
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/energy/article/0,2777,DRMN_23914_5698524,00.html
California – Energy firm convicted in Walnut Creek pipeline blast that killed 5. An energy company was convicted Friday of six felony counts and will pay $15 million in connection with a 2004 gasoline pipeline explosion in Walnut Creek (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/22/BAFDSB0LD.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
Congressional Research Reports – Omnibus Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Legislation: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Major Provisions in House-Passed H.R. 3221 with Senate-Passed H.R. 6
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RL34135
To protect power lines, trees are sacrificed – The 2003 blackout that left millions without power in the northern United States and Canada could spell the death of the pine and cedar in Judy Austin's yard. (The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/news/display_news_story.cfm?Section=WireNews&Category=HOME&NewsID=152152
PSE&G Advises Residents to Test Their Heating Systems Now, Before Cold Weather Arrives (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=74309
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Montana – Project to restore native trout begins with poisoning hybrids (Great Falls Tribune)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070922/NEWS01/70922004
Here's a look at future of Craig's agenda – Resignation may threaten senator's work on salmon, immigration, dam relicensing and mining reform. The Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/165766.html
For Salmon And Human Communities, 'Resilience' Emerging As Key Concept (Science Daily)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070923203152.htm
Secret lives of fish – A federal fisheries biologist has recently wrapped up a study hunting juvenile salmon fitted with sophisticated electronic tracking devices that promises to significantly boost scientists’ knowledge of an important, federally protected fish. (The Eureka Reporter)
http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=28717
News Release – Bruce Babbitt Renews Call for Statewide Solutions to Save Washington's Endangered Salmon. Former Interior Secretary says lower Snake River dam removal can benefit region's fishing and farming communities (Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition)
http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_65990.shtml
Always, Celilo – No falls. Fewer fish. Marginal land. But it’s home. (the Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/living/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/living/1190226315215860.xml&coll=7
Auction to Name Fish Species Nets $2 Million for Conservation – An auction of rights to name 10 newly discovered species of fish raised more than $2 million for conservation efforts in eastern Indonesia (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/21/AR2007092102003.html?nav=rss_nation/science
Forum taps into water concerns – Grandmas and scientists, students and politicians, natives and bureaucrats from Canada and the U.S. gathered last week with just one thing in common: an interest in the water of the Okanagan Basin — on both sides of the border. (Penticton Western News)
http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=102&cat=23&id=1070158&more=0
Maryland – Growth in Area Draining Supply Of Drinking Water. Survey Projects Depletion by 2030 (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/22/AR2007092201235.html?nav=rss_metro
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Reciprocating engines: Giving wind farm reliability a lift – Electricity generation based on wind power can lack the easy controllability of power output from fuel-based power generation, resulting in difficulties in matching electricity production with demand Wärtsilä, looks at how the use of reciprocating engines can address this. (Power Engineering)
http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ARTCL&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=306497&C=Feat
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editorial Board – Electric Car: More quiet whirs. Here they come with a quiet whir. Electric vehicles are on their way to streets around the Puget Sound area.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/332698_eved.html?source=rss
Biofuels hold much promise, analysts say – The biofuel initiative -- missteps and all -- will offer Latin America a chance to build a new industry and the United States an opportunity to reduce its dependence on foreign oil. (Miami Herald)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/245968.html
CONSERVATION
With help from Cowlitz PUD – A mission to conserve: Many small energy-saving measures lead to federal recognition for hospital (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/09/22/area_news/news06.txt
New fluorescents have a dark side – Bulbs contain mercury, shouldn't be tossed in trash (Louisville Courier Dispatch)
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070923/BUSINESS/709230380
Start insulating job in the home's attic (Akron Beacon Journal)
http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/9943356.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
It takes a city to limit greenhouse gases – If you could give a rip about global warming and the pressure to do environmental good to stop it, the city of Seattle is going to drive you nuts. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/332637_globalwarming22.html?source=rss
Columbian Editorial – In Our View: Get in Gear. Feds dragging their feet on emissions
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2007/09/09222007news201574.cfm
NY Times Editorial – Climate Week
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/22/opinion/22sat1.html?th&emc=th
Buy your way to carbon neutrality? The Oscar-winning film "An Inconvenient Truth" touted itself as the world's first carbon-neutral documentary. “…The producers said that every ounce of carbon emitted during production — from jet travel, electricity for filming and gasoline for cars and trucks — was counterbalanced by reducing emissions somewhere else. It only made sense that a film about the perils of global warming wouldn't contribute to the problem…” (So, Gore gets a free pass, while Energy NW gets pilloried for its proposed offsets?) (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2003897259_carbon23.html
Climate change doomsayers keep hope – Scientists say they're optimistic because there's time to avert problems. (Associated Press via The Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070924/NEWS02/709240043/-1/rss01
Rising seas likely to flood U.S. history – Ultimately, rising seas will likely swamp the first American settlement in Jamestown, Va., as well as the Florida launch pad that sent the first American into orbit, many climate scientists are predicting. (Christian Science Monitor)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070923/ap_on_sc/rising_seas_6
Silicon Valley companies going green in a big way (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/23/BUKASC0FQ.DTL&feed=rss.business
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Investors can cash in as demand for fiber optics takes off – Despite the countless miles of unused fiber-optic cable laid during the dot-com bubble, demand for the high-capacity lines has been rising. And that bodes well for the stocks of companies that produce not only the cable but also the equipment that runs it. (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2007-09-23-fiberstocks_N.htm?csp=34
Utah – Woods Cross to study fiber-optics. City may join dozens in UTOPIA, which is Comcast alternative (Deseret Morning News)
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695212431,00.html
Maine – Bangor area businesses to receive fiber-optic broadband Internet service (Bangor Daily News)
http://bangordailynews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=154549&zoneid=500
A primer on how fiber optics works (Bangor Daily News)
http://bangordailynews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=154547&zoneid=500
Missouri – Rural communities are stuck in the Net's slow lane (Saint Louis Dispatch)
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/manufacturingtechnology/story/0A3A6D68A459507B8625735D0008CBAE?OpenDocument
WiMax expected to shine at show – Wireless broadband equipment and service providers are gathering in Chicago this week to discuss what's just around the corner: live networks serving thousands of people. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003898943_btwimax24.html
Selling a Long-Shot Idea: Free Internet Access – Former Regulator Bucking Telecoms, Internet Giants and a Skeptical FCC (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/23/AR2007092300801.html?nav=rss_business
Global deal on laptop: Buy 1 for needy child, and you get 1 yourself (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/332890_laptops24.html
Personal Technology – Goodbye floppy disks, hello to fast flash drives (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003896239_ptflashdrive22.html
GENERAL NEWS
State's primary is in hands of top court – The U.S. Supreme Court takes up a case next week that could turn Washington's election system on its head. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003899095_primary24m0.html?syndication=rss
Public meetings, if you dial in – People already rely on telephones to pay bills, order takeout and find potential soul mates. Now elected leaders are authorizing themselves to conduct government business via long distance. (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/163140.html
DIVERSIONS
New service eavesdrops on Internet calls – A startup has come up with a new way to make money from phone calls connected via the Internet: having software listen to the calls, then displaying ads on the callers' computer screens based on what's being talked about.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070924/ap_on_fe_st/ads_that_listen;_ylt=AjCMwwcvsppo8OXGK5xteI_tiBIF
Resort charges $14,500 for dessert
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070924/ap_on_fe_st/expensive_dessert;_ylt=At5TG1ergLeHvTDfvyCg09vtiBIF
Town says teen can't keep pet rooster – Melissa Hensler got a "Most Unusual Pet" prize from her township two years ago for her pet rooster — but now the same township says the bird is a farm animal in a residential area and it's got to go.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070923/ap_on_fe_st/odd_cock_a_doodle_feud;_ylt=AviN.Wq4M__mq7hbJR447n3tiBIF
Judge makes 'Green Eggs and Ham' ruling
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070921/ap_on_fe_st/odd_rhyming_judge;_ylt=AnzmZ9kc7909IFIC9TMx2PXtiBIF
Monday, September 24, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
News Digest for September 21, 2007
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.
WORD OF THE DAY
Genial • \JEE-nee-ul\ • adjective – 1: favorable to growth or comfort: mild *2: marked by or diffusing sympathy or friendliness 3: displaying or marked by genius
“Come on in. Set a spell,” drawled the genial Mr. Clampett
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Oregon farm community protests proposed natural gas pipeline – About 200 people attended a federal hearing on a proposed 117-mile buried natural gas pipeline Oregon LNG wants to build from Astoria to Molalla, and most of them were mad. (The Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-946812~Farm_commuity_protests_proposed_natural_gas_pipeline.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Montana – Highwood plant has objectors within co-op membership. As three Montana cities - Missoula, Helena and Bozeman - turn down a chance to plug into the Highwood Generating Station, some co-op members in south-central Montana wish they could do the same. (Billings Gazette)
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/09/21/news/state/20-plant.txt
British Columbia – 196-megawatt independent power project among biggest. Vancouver-based Plutonic Power signs $500-million construction contract (The Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=f91fcb80-161b-4f28-b4b4-5e1d03e35275
California – Thousands of PG&E customers stand to get refunds for billing violations. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. must refund $35 million to customers who received long-overdue or estimated bills in violation of state rules, California regulators decided Thursday. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://sfgate.com//cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/21/BUD4SAB97.DTL&feed=rss.business
North Dakota – Basin plans second power line extension. Basin Electric Power Cooperative is planning a second major power transmission line in western North Dakota (Bismarck Tribune)
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/09/20/news/state/139613.txt
Kentucky – Utility Fined $11.4 Million for Acid Rain. A Kentucky utility has agreed to pay the largest-ever fine for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act's acid rain program, the Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/20/AR2007092002547.html?nav=rss_business
California – Bad PG&E cable causes Sunset power outage
http://www.examiner.com/a-947712~Bad_PG_E_cable_causes_Sunset_power_outage.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
California – Energy-saving moves may pay off for utilities (LA Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-fi-energy21sep21,1,4564880.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california&ctrack=1&cset=true
New York ISO outlines its plan for meeting future power demand (Platts Energy News)
http://www.platts.com/Electric%20Power/News/6483053.xml?src=Electric%20Powerrssheadlines1
State regulators defend FERC role in policing financial markets (Platts Energy News)
http://www.platts.com/Natural%20Gas/News/6483052.xml?sub=Natural%20Gas&p=Natural%20Gas/News&
News Release – FERC Announces Creation Of Office Of Electric Reliability (Power On Line)
http://www.poweronline.com/content/news/article.asp?docid=%7BA82A1D92-B51E-4F9E-9461-1C4C1A06854C%7D&VNETCOOKIE=NO
News Release – Commission acts to assure independence of PJM market monitoring. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today acted to assure independence of market monitoring in the PJM Interconnection and preserve the integrity of PJM market operations by directing all parties to enter into a settlement process. (FERC Web Site)
http://www.ferc.gov/news/news-releases/2007/2007-3/09-20-07-E-3.asp
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Tribe doesn't have right to kill seals, NOAA says – Squaxin representatives reject implied link to deaths. The Squaxin Island tribe does not have authority under the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act to kill harbor seals that interfere with its gillnet salmon fishery in South Sound (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/223316.html
Clear passage for fish at stake – Salmon and trout would have many more places to spawn and grow if more than 1,000 state-owned road culverts didn’t stand in the way, biologists say. (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/161173.html
Left high and dry, salmon make powerful friends in Nevada – The fishermen who remember salmon running thick in Northern Nevada's rivers are gone. (Las Vegas Sun)
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/lv-other/2007/sep/21/566636016.html
Reviving ocean habitat: Fishing limits mean businesses will see modest hit; some worry staffing inadequate to protect the 29 marine areas (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_6958170?source=rss&nclick_check=1
A stay, at least briefly, for trees on Columbia levee – A drainage district fears the loss of U.S. certification, but residents say the cutting adds flood risks (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1190258719155510.xml&coll=7
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Irony Watch! Remodeled barge to transport biofuels on Columbia River “…barge remains the most efficient mode of transport compared with railcars and trucks in load capacities, fuel consumption and emissions…” Ed Note: barging made possible by Columbia Basin Dams (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/business/v-rss/story/9320444p-9234964c.html
Farmers And Scientists Search For Super Fuel Crop – Growing canola to make biodiesel isn't exactly setting Northwest farmers' hearts aflutter. Government statistics show just a slight increase in canola plantings, despite layers of incentives to support homegrown fuel. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/farmers-and-scientists-search-super-fuel-crop/
Wind Power's a Breeze in Europe – The EU's renewable power sector, led by wind, is growing, and those who build wind farms are having trouble keeping up with demand (Business Week)
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/sep2007/gb20070919_459208.htm?chan=globalbiz_europe+index+page_top+stories
CONSERVATION
California – Energy nonprofit group is target of investigation: Berkeley is investigating alleged misuse of funds at a nonprofit group it created 22 years ago to pursue energy conservation after firing its director in August. (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_6958168?source=rss
Reduce Your Energy Costs (The Motley Fool)
http://www.fool.com/personal-finance/saving/2007/09/21/reduce-your-energy-costs.aspx
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Record sea ice melt this summer larger than Texas and Alaska – Shattering previous records, the sea ice in the Arctic shrank 1 million square miles more this summer than the average melt over 25 years, an area larger than Alaska and Texas combined, according to NASA satellite data released Thursday. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/21/MNMISACP7.DTL&feed=rss.news
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Cities turning off plans for Wi-Fi - Complexity, cost doom efforts to create access (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070920/1a_lede20.art.htm
Portland, OR – Wireless alternative to blanket city in 2008: WiMAX technology is used in other parts of Oregon and will be included in some Intel laptops (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1190256916101250.xml&coll=7
U.S. Helps Bring WiMax to Rural Vietnam (Broadband Reports, Note: comments may include PG-13 language)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/US-Helps-Bring-WiMax-To-Rural-Vietnam-87735
Sen. Smith: Ban Internet tax forever – Oregon U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, chairman of the Senate Republican High Tech Task Force, on Thursday called for immediate action to permanently ban taxes on the Internet. (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/09/17/daily33.html?ana=from_rss
NY Times Editorial: Regulating Microsoft – Microsoft’s resounding defeat in a European antitrust case establishes welcome principles that should be adopted in the United States as guideposts for the future development of the information economy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/opinion/21fri4.html?ei=5088&en=3013209f6ec21ed6&ex=1348027200&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1190393078-dnrdn6VtfH9EuYS3KoIi0w
The doctor will e-mail you now – Secure connections offer access to medical records, test results (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/332591_docemail21.html
GENERAL NEWS
Peninsula weighs in as Canada's dollar reaches parity with greenback (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070921/NEWS/709210307
DIVERSIONS
'God' apparently responds to lawsuit
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070921/ap_on_fe_st/odd_suing_god;_ylt=Agguc3qijbKkCT_KeUFuBg_tiBIF
Government wants kids to get hunting – The citizens of Alberta just aren't going after big game at the pace they once did, according to the government of the western Canadian province, but a remedy is in the works.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070921/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_hunting;_ylt=AmiKhqKBXRpScugmJEHMD9ftiBIF
Cop faces heat over squad car joy ride – Prosecutors have filed two misdemeanor charges against a former police officer who authorities say crashed a squad car while showing off for three female college students riding with him.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_fe_st/odd_police_joy_ride;_ylt=AgNjJymtO42_PsdbDpD9vUrtiBIF
Errant text message leads to drug bust – A man who thought he was asking a friend about a drug deal instead sent a text message to the state police and was arrested, authorities said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070921/ap_on_re_us/odd_text_message_bust;_ylt=Asp0ShouhF409bcyMdk44QDtiBIF
Thousands of hyphens perish as English marches on – About 16,000 words have succumbed to pressures of the Internet age and lost their hyphens in a new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/britain_hyphen1_dc;_ylt=Ap5AcPE1Up1qKHOn9cXsrCXtiBIF
WORD OF THE DAY
Genial • \JEE-nee-ul\ • adjective – 1: favorable to growth or comfort: mild *2: marked by or diffusing sympathy or friendliness 3: displaying or marked by genius
“Come on in. Set a spell,” drawled the genial Mr. Clampett
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Oregon farm community protests proposed natural gas pipeline – About 200 people attended a federal hearing on a proposed 117-mile buried natural gas pipeline Oregon LNG wants to build from Astoria to Molalla, and most of them were mad. (The Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-946812~Farm_commuity_protests_proposed_natural_gas_pipeline.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Montana – Highwood plant has objectors within co-op membership. As three Montana cities - Missoula, Helena and Bozeman - turn down a chance to plug into the Highwood Generating Station, some co-op members in south-central Montana wish they could do the same. (Billings Gazette)
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/09/21/news/state/20-plant.txt
British Columbia – 196-megawatt independent power project among biggest. Vancouver-based Plutonic Power signs $500-million construction contract (The Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=f91fcb80-161b-4f28-b4b4-5e1d03e35275
California – Thousands of PG&E customers stand to get refunds for billing violations. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. must refund $35 million to customers who received long-overdue or estimated bills in violation of state rules, California regulators decided Thursday. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://sfgate.com//cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/21/BUD4SAB97.DTL&feed=rss.business
North Dakota – Basin plans second power line extension. Basin Electric Power Cooperative is planning a second major power transmission line in western North Dakota (Bismarck Tribune)
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2007/09/20/news/state/139613.txt
Kentucky – Utility Fined $11.4 Million for Acid Rain. A Kentucky utility has agreed to pay the largest-ever fine for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act's acid rain program, the Environmental Protection Agency said yesterday. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/20/AR2007092002547.html?nav=rss_business
California – Bad PG&E cable causes Sunset power outage
http://www.examiner.com/a-947712~Bad_PG_E_cable_causes_Sunset_power_outage.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
California – Energy-saving moves may pay off for utilities (LA Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-fi-energy21sep21,1,4564880.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california&ctrack=1&cset=true
New York ISO outlines its plan for meeting future power demand (Platts Energy News)
http://www.platts.com/Electric%20Power/News/6483053.xml?src=Electric%20Powerrssheadlines1
State regulators defend FERC role in policing financial markets (Platts Energy News)
http://www.platts.com/Natural%20Gas/News/6483052.xml?sub=Natural%20Gas&p=Natural%20Gas/News&
News Release – FERC Announces Creation Of Office Of Electric Reliability (Power On Line)
http://www.poweronline.com/content/news/article.asp?docid=%7BA82A1D92-B51E-4F9E-9461-1C4C1A06854C%7D&VNETCOOKIE=NO
News Release – Commission acts to assure independence of PJM market monitoring. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today acted to assure independence of market monitoring in the PJM Interconnection and preserve the integrity of PJM market operations by directing all parties to enter into a settlement process. (FERC Web Site)
http://www.ferc.gov/news/news-releases/2007/2007-3/09-20-07-E-3.asp
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Tribe doesn't have right to kill seals, NOAA says – Squaxin representatives reject implied link to deaths. The Squaxin Island tribe does not have authority under the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act to kill harbor seals that interfere with its gillnet salmon fishery in South Sound (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/223316.html
Clear passage for fish at stake – Salmon and trout would have many more places to spawn and grow if more than 1,000 state-owned road culverts didn’t stand in the way, biologists say. (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/161173.html
Left high and dry, salmon make powerful friends in Nevada – The fishermen who remember salmon running thick in Northern Nevada's rivers are gone. (Las Vegas Sun)
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/lv-other/2007/sep/21/566636016.html
Reviving ocean habitat: Fishing limits mean businesses will see modest hit; some worry staffing inadequate to protect the 29 marine areas (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_6958170?source=rss&nclick_check=1
A stay, at least briefly, for trees on Columbia levee – A drainage district fears the loss of U.S. certification, but residents say the cutting adds flood risks (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1190258719155510.xml&coll=7
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Irony Watch! Remodeled barge to transport biofuels on Columbia River “…barge remains the most efficient mode of transport compared with railcars and trucks in load capacities, fuel consumption and emissions…” Ed Note: barging made possible by Columbia Basin Dams (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/business/v-rss/story/9320444p-9234964c.html
Farmers And Scientists Search For Super Fuel Crop – Growing canola to make biodiesel isn't exactly setting Northwest farmers' hearts aflutter. Government statistics show just a slight increase in canola plantings, despite layers of incentives to support homegrown fuel. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/farmers-and-scientists-search-super-fuel-crop/
Wind Power's a Breeze in Europe – The EU's renewable power sector, led by wind, is growing, and those who build wind farms are having trouble keeping up with demand (Business Week)
http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/sep2007/gb20070919_459208.htm?chan=globalbiz_europe+index+page_top+stories
CONSERVATION
California – Energy nonprofit group is target of investigation: Berkeley is investigating alleged misuse of funds at a nonprofit group it created 22 years ago to pursue energy conservation after firing its director in August. (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_6958168?source=rss
Reduce Your Energy Costs (The Motley Fool)
http://www.fool.com/personal-finance/saving/2007/09/21/reduce-your-energy-costs.aspx
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Record sea ice melt this summer larger than Texas and Alaska – Shattering previous records, the sea ice in the Arctic shrank 1 million square miles more this summer than the average melt over 25 years, an area larger than Alaska and Texas combined, according to NASA satellite data released Thursday. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/21/MNMISACP7.DTL&feed=rss.news
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Cities turning off plans for Wi-Fi - Complexity, cost doom efforts to create access (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070920/1a_lede20.art.htm
Portland, OR – Wireless alternative to blanket city in 2008: WiMAX technology is used in other parts of Oregon and will be included in some Intel laptops (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1190256916101250.xml&coll=7
U.S. Helps Bring WiMax to Rural Vietnam (Broadband Reports, Note: comments may include PG-13 language)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/US-Helps-Bring-WiMax-To-Rural-Vietnam-87735
Sen. Smith: Ban Internet tax forever – Oregon U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, chairman of the Senate Republican High Tech Task Force, on Thursday called for immediate action to permanently ban taxes on the Internet. (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/09/17/daily33.html?ana=from_rss
NY Times Editorial: Regulating Microsoft – Microsoft’s resounding defeat in a European antitrust case establishes welcome principles that should be adopted in the United States as guideposts for the future development of the information economy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/opinion/21fri4.html?ei=5088&en=3013209f6ec21ed6&ex=1348027200&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1190393078-dnrdn6VtfH9EuYS3KoIi0w
The doctor will e-mail you now – Secure connections offer access to medical records, test results (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/332591_docemail21.html
GENERAL NEWS
Peninsula weighs in as Canada's dollar reaches parity with greenback (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070921/NEWS/709210307
DIVERSIONS
'God' apparently responds to lawsuit
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070921/ap_on_fe_st/odd_suing_god;_ylt=Agguc3qijbKkCT_KeUFuBg_tiBIF
Government wants kids to get hunting – The citizens of Alberta just aren't going after big game at the pace they once did, according to the government of the western Canadian province, but a remedy is in the works.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070921/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_hunting;_ylt=AmiKhqKBXRpScugmJEHMD9ftiBIF
Cop faces heat over squad car joy ride – Prosecutors have filed two misdemeanor charges against a former police officer who authorities say crashed a squad car while showing off for three female college students riding with him.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_fe_st/odd_police_joy_ride;_ylt=AgNjJymtO42_PsdbDpD9vUrtiBIF
Errant text message leads to drug bust – A man who thought he was asking a friend about a drug deal instead sent a text message to the state police and was arrested, authorities said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070921/ap_on_re_us/odd_text_message_bust;_ylt=Asp0ShouhF409bcyMdk44QDtiBIF
Thousands of hyphens perish as English marches on – About 16,000 words have succumbed to pressures of the Internet age and lost their hyphens in a new edition of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/britain_hyphen1_dc;_ylt=Ap5AcPE1Up1qKHOn9cXsrCXtiBIF
Thursday, September 20, 2007
News Digest for September 20, 2007
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.
WORD OF THE DAY
Quidnunc • \KWID-nunk\ • noun – A person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip: busybody
Bursting with the news, Magda couldn’t resist blurting the latest rumor about the peccadilloes of her co-worker one cubicle over. Unfortunately for her, the company quidnunc (who had overheard the conversation) was fast on his way to the boss with the news, which ultimately spelled doom for Magda’s promotion to “coffee monitor” for section B on floor ten.
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
State agencies blast Port of Kalama power project plan – Two state agencies and six environmental groups will ask the state's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council today to grant them intervener status in the public power consortium's efforts to build a $1.5 billion coal gasification plant at the Port of Kalama. (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/business/v-rss/story/9316570p-9231327c.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editorial Board – Coal Power: Make the case. The use of coal to provide electrical power looks more dubious every day. The burden of proof rests entirely with a group of public power agencies to defend plans for a coal-based generation facility in Kalama.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/332327_coaled.html?source=rss
Region faces energy quandary – Analysts have long held that electricity consumers would save money by meeting more of the Pacific Northwest's future energy needs through conservation and wind generators, rather than traditional coal or gas. “…Some have proposed breaching dams to assist fisheries and aquatic systems, but the council report warns toppling just four dams on the Lower Snake River would result in an additional 5.4 million tons of CO2 per year, as thermal plants fire up to cover the hydroelectric losses…” (The Missoulan)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/09/19/news/mtregional/news07.txt
Clatskanie PUD board members lash back at Ollila – Two Clatskanie PUD board members took exception Wednesday to written comments by their colleague Rod Ollila, who faces a recall election Tuesday. (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/09/20/area_news/news09.txt
The Daily News Editorial – Withholding Clatskanie PUD report leaves voters in dark (This’ll be gone tomorrow)
http://www.tdn.com/editorial/
Possible snag in Port Angeles City Light building move – The Port Angeles City council last night voted to reject a bid for the remodeling of space at Airport Industrial Park, for use as an interim Light Operations facility. (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3105
Truck on Port Angeles bridge project snares line, cuts power to mill “…a dump truck with its bed extended snagged a high-voltage power line…” (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070920/NEWS/709200302
Grays Harbor County PUD project at Elk River this weekend (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/09/19/local_news/03news.txt
State regulators to consider plan to unite energy providers – The state’s second largest electric utility believes the time is right to revive a much-discussed plan to unite energy providers throughout the Railbelt. (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
http://newsminer.com/2007/09/20/8972
California – Tree trimmer electrocuted in Marin. A 26-year-old San Rafael man was electrocuted by a 12,000-volt power line as he trimmed a redwood tree in Marin County, authorities said today. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/20/MN2US9CGA.DTL&feed=rss.news
Canada – Southern Saskatchewan hit by massive blackout
http://www.canada.com/cityguides/lethbridge/story.html?id=ba954c58-8e97-4a3e-9f80-4262d23e2a1a&k=77461
North Carolina – Coal plant draws applause: Proposal will add jobs, tax income; effect on environment criticized. Strong local support Tuesday greeted Duke Energy's plans for its first coal-fired power plant expansion in decades as environmentalists decried what they say is obsolete technology. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News via PowerMarketers.com)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CfjnkoqsYTnk%27%40%3E%20bfem%5E%21
Illinois – Ameren creates new rate relief programs. Ameren Illinois utilities continued rolling out rate relief initiatives with a package designed to help residential customers. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News via PowerMarketers.com)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CfjnqpjrZTnk%27%40%3E%20bfem%5E%21
News Release – Emphasis On Worker Safety Producing Results for Puget Sound Energy – Fewer Injuries and Lost-Work Time as Utility Steps up Safety Training for Employees (Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070920/20070920005644.html?.v=1
News Release – Windsor residents say public power is best for consumers and environment – In a telephone poll conducted by the Ontario Electricity Coalition, more than 80% of Windsor residents said they think publicly owned, non-profit utilities are better for consumers and the environment than private corporations. (CNW Group)
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2007/20/c3161.html
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Harbor seals discovered dead in unusual numbers – Dead harbor seals are washing ashore in South Sound in higher-than- normal numbers this late-summer season, including four in the past four days, according to Olympia-based Cascadia Research, a marine-mammal research group. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/570/story/222168.html
Salmon Viewing at Gorst Creek This Weekend – Chinook salmon returning to Gorst Creek can be seen Saturday and Sunday during an open viewing event at the City of Bremerton's Jarstad Park. (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/sep/19/salmon-viewing-at-gorst-creek-this-weekend/
BPA News Release – Program puts students into critter habitat feet first
http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30/Newsroom/Query.aspx?SiteName=Bonneville&Entity=PRAsset&SF_PRAsset_PRAssetID_EQ=40663&XSL=PressRelease&Cache=True
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Seattle Times Editorial – Let the wind blow. Gov. Christine Gregoire ruled for the future in deciding to approve a controversial wind farm northwest of Ellensburg.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2003892590_winded20.html
Wenatchee World Editorial – Local rulings matter not “…State law promotes ... no, demands ... the construction of large wind power projects. There will be many, many more coming. If Eastern Washington NIMBYism is allowed to rule, the entire program will turn to muck…”
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070919/OP02/109190022/-1/OP
Snohomish County PUD tidal power passes first test – Currents in Sound are strong enough to make electricity (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070920/NEWS01/709200026
Ranoke Times Editorial – Highland wind farm keeps moving forward. Virginia should allow the developers to prove that their clean energy project will not match neighbors' fears.The Virginia Supreme Court last week cleared the way for a wind farm in Highland County, at least for now. The next move belongs to the State Corporation Commission, which, despite the sincere concerns of the wind farm's opponents, should approve the project.
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/132436
PG&E helps Habitat for Humanity go solar – Many eco-conscious Californians love solar power. Few can afford it. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/20/BUTDS9FRL.DTL&feed=rss.business
Seattle Post Intelligencer Guest Columnist – Energy Farming Worsens Global Warming. The rush of the world's largest corporations to squeeze car fuel out of food is an effort to force industrialization on the tropics and end small family farming in the industrialized north.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/332331_agfuel20.html?source=rss
New England Wood Pellets: An Environmentally Superior Source of Heat (RenewableEnergyAccess.com)
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/partner/story;jsessionid=96B7C760EC61B75726E7F2803426B0E3?id=50005&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Public forum calls for 'Cool Communities' – If the demand for energy in Maine continues to increase at its current rate, 10 new power plants will be needed by 2018. (Democrat News, Dover, New Hampshire)
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070920/FOSTERS01/709200107/-1/NEWS09
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Tip from Terry Flores @ NW River Partners – National Views on Global Warming, Moore Insight: Our recent survey of U.S. voters confirms global warming is a leading concern among environmental issues. However, in the context of all national issues, it still barely registers. Further, voters are divided in their willingness to pay for programs to fight global warming, and several differences by key subgroup suggest that there will be significant disagreement in how we address global warming as a nation. (Links to PDF File)
http://www.moore-info.com/MI_GlobalWarming9.07.pdf
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Bremerton, Southworth Ferries Waiting for Wi-Fi – Wireless Internet service on the Bremerton-Seattle ferry route has been delayed again (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/sep/19/bremerton-southworth-ferries-waiting-for-wi-fi/
Verizon gets OK to bundle services in Washington State (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070920/BIZ/709200023
Qwest tops in West for broadband service – Qwest Communications International Inc. ranked the highest in customer satisfaction for broadband Internet service. (The Denver Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2007/09/17/daily27.html?ana=from_rss
GENERAL NEWS
MURDERER ESCAPED FROM ARIZONA PRISON STILL AT LARGE, MAY HAVE HAD HELP – Roy Townsend, the convicted murderer from Mason County, remains at large after escaping from a private medium security prison in Florence, Arizona on Monday. At this stage, authorities believe that Townsend had help from friends or family who may have also helped plan the escape. Investigators suspect he may have access to a vehicle. Also, Florence police claim since Townsend had no outside communication for months it is likely that the escape was planned well in advance. Townsend was convicted of arson, theft and murder in the 1996 shooting of Gerald Harkins in Mason County. Townsend is described as a white male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. At the time of the escape Townsend was wearing blue jeans and a white T shirt or blue top. Anyone with information on Roy Townsend or his escape should contact law enforcement immediately. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Environmental groups petition U.S. to regulate air fresheners – A group of heavyweight environmental organizations is asking the federal government to crack down on air fresheners, products that scientific studies show can aggravate asthma and pose other health risks. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://sfgate.com//cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/09/20/MNTLS9GTF.DTL
Zoning the 'enemy' of affordable homes – Seattle code needs updating, says housing expert (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/332171_workforce19.html
DIVERSIONS
Bees Escape Hives in Mont. Road Accident
http://www.examiner.com/a-944074~Bees_Escape_Hives_in_Mont__Road_Accident.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines
`Leave It to Beaver' actor sues Screen Actors Guild “Golly, you look nice today Mrs. Cleaver!”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_en_tv/people_ken_osmond;_ylt=AsTXFLJWouAl4eh5mNyiXAhI2ocA
$5 bill to have splashes of purple, gray
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_bi_ge/colorful_abe;_ylt=Alec94F_C5kMMw8EpUJNYSlI2ocA
Judge orders burial of mummified baby – A judge has ordered a man to lay an unusual family heirloom to rest: a mummified baby has been passed down for generations.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_fe_st/mummy_baby;_ylt=AktZkql83kAwIrnVTTV4JAftiBIF
Couple who wanted baby sue over having twins – A lesbian couple in Australia are suing their doctor after they had twin girls from an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure when they only wanted one child.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070920/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_australia_twins;_ylt=AgLci6CRPsWDg9gwr2DYvL3tiBIF
'Queenie' the errant Cow corralled in NY – An errant cow is headed for greener pastures after being corralled by police following a two-mile chase through the streets of Queens.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070919/ap_on_fe_st/odd_runaway_cow;_ylt=Av_1osRxL4NQEVYTX80mdOrtiBIF
WORD OF THE DAY
Quidnunc • \KWID-nunk\ • noun – A person who seeks to know all the latest news or gossip: busybody
Bursting with the news, Magda couldn’t resist blurting the latest rumor about the peccadilloes of her co-worker one cubicle over. Unfortunately for her, the company quidnunc (who had overheard the conversation) was fast on his way to the boss with the news, which ultimately spelled doom for Magda’s promotion to “coffee monitor” for section B on floor ten.
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
State agencies blast Port of Kalama power project plan – Two state agencies and six environmental groups will ask the state's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council today to grant them intervener status in the public power consortium's efforts to build a $1.5 billion coal gasification plant at the Port of Kalama. (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/business/v-rss/story/9316570p-9231327c.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editorial Board – Coal Power: Make the case. The use of coal to provide electrical power looks more dubious every day. The burden of proof rests entirely with a group of public power agencies to defend plans for a coal-based generation facility in Kalama.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/332327_coaled.html?source=rss
Region faces energy quandary – Analysts have long held that electricity consumers would save money by meeting more of the Pacific Northwest's future energy needs through conservation and wind generators, rather than traditional coal or gas. “…Some have proposed breaching dams to assist fisheries and aquatic systems, but the council report warns toppling just four dams on the Lower Snake River would result in an additional 5.4 million tons of CO2 per year, as thermal plants fire up to cover the hydroelectric losses…” (The Missoulan)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/09/19/news/mtregional/news07.txt
Clatskanie PUD board members lash back at Ollila – Two Clatskanie PUD board members took exception Wednesday to written comments by their colleague Rod Ollila, who faces a recall election Tuesday. (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/09/20/area_news/news09.txt
The Daily News Editorial – Withholding Clatskanie PUD report leaves voters in dark (This’ll be gone tomorrow)
http://www.tdn.com/editorial/
Possible snag in Port Angeles City Light building move – The Port Angeles City council last night voted to reject a bid for the remodeling of space at Airport Industrial Park, for use as an interim Light Operations facility. (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3105
Truck on Port Angeles bridge project snares line, cuts power to mill “…a dump truck with its bed extended snagged a high-voltage power line…” (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070920/NEWS/709200302
Grays Harbor County PUD project at Elk River this weekend (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/09/19/local_news/03news.txt
State regulators to consider plan to unite energy providers – The state’s second largest electric utility believes the time is right to revive a much-discussed plan to unite energy providers throughout the Railbelt. (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
http://newsminer.com/2007/09/20/8972
California – Tree trimmer electrocuted in Marin. A 26-year-old San Rafael man was electrocuted by a 12,000-volt power line as he trimmed a redwood tree in Marin County, authorities said today. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/20/MN2US9CGA.DTL&feed=rss.news
Canada – Southern Saskatchewan hit by massive blackout
http://www.canada.com/cityguides/lethbridge/story.html?id=ba954c58-8e97-4a3e-9f80-4262d23e2a1a&k=77461
North Carolina – Coal plant draws applause: Proposal will add jobs, tax income; effect on environment criticized. Strong local support Tuesday greeted Duke Energy's plans for its first coal-fired power plant expansion in decades as environmentalists decried what they say is obsolete technology. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News via PowerMarketers.com)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CfjnkoqsYTnk%27%40%3E%20bfem%5E%21
Illinois – Ameren creates new rate relief programs. Ameren Illinois utilities continued rolling out rate relief initiatives with a package designed to help residential customers. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News via PowerMarketers.com)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CfjnqpjrZTnk%27%40%3E%20bfem%5E%21
News Release – Emphasis On Worker Safety Producing Results for Puget Sound Energy – Fewer Injuries and Lost-Work Time as Utility Steps up Safety Training for Employees (Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070920/20070920005644.html?.v=1
News Release – Windsor residents say public power is best for consumers and environment – In a telephone poll conducted by the Ontario Electricity Coalition, more than 80% of Windsor residents said they think publicly owned, non-profit utilities are better for consumers and the environment than private corporations. (CNW Group)
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2007/20/c3161.html
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Harbor seals discovered dead in unusual numbers – Dead harbor seals are washing ashore in South Sound in higher-than- normal numbers this late-summer season, including four in the past four days, according to Olympia-based Cascadia Research, a marine-mammal research group. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/570/story/222168.html
Salmon Viewing at Gorst Creek This Weekend – Chinook salmon returning to Gorst Creek can be seen Saturday and Sunday during an open viewing event at the City of Bremerton's Jarstad Park. (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/sep/19/salmon-viewing-at-gorst-creek-this-weekend/
BPA News Release – Program puts students into critter habitat feet first
http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30/Newsroom/Query.aspx?SiteName=Bonneville&Entity=PRAsset&SF_PRAsset_PRAssetID_EQ=40663&XSL=PressRelease&Cache=True
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Seattle Times Editorial – Let the wind blow. Gov. Christine Gregoire ruled for the future in deciding to approve a controversial wind farm northwest of Ellensburg.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2003892590_winded20.html
Wenatchee World Editorial – Local rulings matter not “…State law promotes ... no, demands ... the construction of large wind power projects. There will be many, many more coming. If Eastern Washington NIMBYism is allowed to rule, the entire program will turn to muck…”
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070919/OP02/109190022/-1/OP
Snohomish County PUD tidal power passes first test – Currents in Sound are strong enough to make electricity (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070920/NEWS01/709200026
Ranoke Times Editorial – Highland wind farm keeps moving forward. Virginia should allow the developers to prove that their clean energy project will not match neighbors' fears.The Virginia Supreme Court last week cleared the way for a wind farm in Highland County, at least for now. The next move belongs to the State Corporation Commission, which, despite the sincere concerns of the wind farm's opponents, should approve the project.
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/132436
PG&E helps Habitat for Humanity go solar – Many eco-conscious Californians love solar power. Few can afford it. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/20/BUTDS9FRL.DTL&feed=rss.business
Seattle Post Intelligencer Guest Columnist – Energy Farming Worsens Global Warming. The rush of the world's largest corporations to squeeze car fuel out of food is an effort to force industrialization on the tropics and end small family farming in the industrialized north.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/332331_agfuel20.html?source=rss
New England Wood Pellets: An Environmentally Superior Source of Heat (RenewableEnergyAccess.com)
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/partner/story;jsessionid=96B7C760EC61B75726E7F2803426B0E3?id=50005&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Public forum calls for 'Cool Communities' – If the demand for energy in Maine continues to increase at its current rate, 10 new power plants will be needed by 2018. (Democrat News, Dover, New Hampshire)
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070920/FOSTERS01/709200107/-1/NEWS09
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Tip from Terry Flores @ NW River Partners – National Views on Global Warming, Moore Insight: Our recent survey of U.S. voters confirms global warming is a leading concern among environmental issues. However, in the context of all national issues, it still barely registers. Further, voters are divided in their willingness to pay for programs to fight global warming, and several differences by key subgroup suggest that there will be significant disagreement in how we address global warming as a nation. (Links to PDF File)
http://www.moore-info.com/MI_GlobalWarming9.07.pdf
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Bremerton, Southworth Ferries Waiting for Wi-Fi – Wireless Internet service on the Bremerton-Seattle ferry route has been delayed again (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/sep/19/bremerton-southworth-ferries-waiting-for-wi-fi/
Verizon gets OK to bundle services in Washington State (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070920/BIZ/709200023
Qwest tops in West for broadband service – Qwest Communications International Inc. ranked the highest in customer satisfaction for broadband Internet service. (The Denver Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2007/09/17/daily27.html?ana=from_rss
GENERAL NEWS
MURDERER ESCAPED FROM ARIZONA PRISON STILL AT LARGE, MAY HAVE HAD HELP – Roy Townsend, the convicted murderer from Mason County, remains at large after escaping from a private medium security prison in Florence, Arizona on Monday. At this stage, authorities believe that Townsend had help from friends or family who may have also helped plan the escape. Investigators suspect he may have access to a vehicle. Also, Florence police claim since Townsend had no outside communication for months it is likely that the escape was planned well in advance. Townsend was convicted of arson, theft and murder in the 1996 shooting of Gerald Harkins in Mason County. Townsend is described as a white male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. At the time of the escape Townsend was wearing blue jeans and a white T shirt or blue top. Anyone with information on Roy Townsend or his escape should contact law enforcement immediately. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Environmental groups petition U.S. to regulate air fresheners – A group of heavyweight environmental organizations is asking the federal government to crack down on air fresheners, products that scientific studies show can aggravate asthma and pose other health risks. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://sfgate.com//cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/09/20/MNTLS9GTF.DTL
Zoning the 'enemy' of affordable homes – Seattle code needs updating, says housing expert (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/332171_workforce19.html
DIVERSIONS
Bees Escape Hives in Mont. Road Accident
http://www.examiner.com/a-944074~Bees_Escape_Hives_in_Mont__Road_Accident.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines
`Leave It to Beaver' actor sues Screen Actors Guild “Golly, you look nice today Mrs. Cleaver!”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_en_tv/people_ken_osmond;_ylt=AsTXFLJWouAl4eh5mNyiXAhI2ocA
$5 bill to have splashes of purple, gray
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_bi_ge/colorful_abe;_ylt=Alec94F_C5kMMw8EpUJNYSlI2ocA
Judge orders burial of mummified baby – A judge has ordered a man to lay an unusual family heirloom to rest: a mummified baby has been passed down for generations.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_fe_st/mummy_baby;_ylt=AktZkql83kAwIrnVTTV4JAftiBIF
Couple who wanted baby sue over having twins – A lesbian couple in Australia are suing their doctor after they had twin girls from an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure when they only wanted one child.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070920/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_australia_twins;_ylt=AgLci6CRPsWDg9gwr2DYvL3tiBIF
'Queenie' the errant Cow corralled in NY – An errant cow is headed for greener pastures after being corralled by police following a two-mile chase through the streets of Queens.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070919/ap_on_fe_st/odd_runaway_cow;_ylt=Av_1osRxL4NQEVYTX80mdOrtiBIF
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
News Digest for September 19, 2007
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.
WORD OF THE DAY
Fissiparous • \fih-SIP-uh-rus\ • adjective – tending to break up into parts: divisive
Will Rogers was stumped. “I’m a part of a fissiparous party. I’m a Democrat,” he wrote. “Nah, that sounds like I jus’ rolled in from Harvard on a Rhodes Scholarship,” he grouched. Then the light went on, “I am not a member of any organized political party,” he wrote. “I am a Democrat.” “Much better,” his wife whispered from her rocking chair across the room.
More Will Rogers quotes can be found here:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/willrogers122697.html
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Ellison resigns from Grays Harbor County PUD post
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/09/18/local_news/03news.txt
Portland General Electric touts electric meters it wants to buy – PGE has entered an agreement with Sensus Metering Systems to buy the smart electric meters that it wants to install for about 850,000 customers. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1190168717118860.xml&coll=7
Thieves pillage another Tacoma park – Cost to replace stolen wiring could hit $22,000, say city officials (Tacoma News Tribune)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/159376.html
Stehekin down to 20-year-old power source – A single 20-year-old diesel generator is all that's keeping Chelan County PUD power on for the approximately 170 ratepayers in Stehekin. (Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070918/NEWS04/109180046/1001
Benton PUD Online Billing – Saves Customers Money, Reduces Waste (KVEW-TV, Kennewick)
http://www.kvewtv.com/news/?sect_rank=1§ion_id=1&story_id=3387
Preparedness can save lives, property – Preparedness is key when it comes to making it through a winter storm and minimizing impacts to lives and property. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2003890609_weatherside19n.html?syndication=rss
Renewable energy transmission initiative gains power – The state of California has formed a public-private partnership to consider the feasibility of building new transmission lines to access renewable power generation. (San Francisco Business Times)
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2007/09/17/daily10.html
News Release – DTE Energy Offers Fall Harvest Safety Tips: During the fall harvest season, DTE Energy reminds farmers to be aware of overhead power lines and underground utilities, whether working near the house or out in the field.
http://digital50.com/news/items/PR/2007/09/18/CLTU113/dte-energy-offers-fall-harvest-safety-tips.html
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Proposed reservoir's leakage a worry: Hanford area – The water could carry nuclear contamination into the Columbia River. A proposed central Washington reservoir with a multibillion-dollar price tag has another serious catch: It would leak water underground, into the highly contaminated Hanford Nuclear Reservation and toward the Columbia River. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/119016694465670.xml&coll=7
Doc Hastings says proposed reservoir doesn't have to leak (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-943431~Doc_Hastings_says_proposed_reservoir_doesn_t_have_to_leak.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
55 anglers cited on Toutle, Kalama rivers – State fisheries agents cited 55 anglers during a weekend investigation into complaints of illegal salmon fishing on the Kalama and Toutle rivers. (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/09/19/area_news/news14.txt
Scientists: Canadian fish farms threaten wild salmon (Bellingham Herald)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/256/story/184029.html
Lake Forest Park fights county to keep its 'pristine' aquifer (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/331931_water17.html?source=rss
Light Sentences For Raptor Killers Riles Bird Lovers – Environmentalists and animal rights’ advocates expressed outrage last spring, when undercover federal agents infiltrated a group of pigeon hobbyists. They discovered that pigeon owners were killing federally protected hawks and falcons that were threatening their pigeons. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/light-sentences-raptor-killers-riles-bird-lovers/
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Gregoire OKs wind farm near Ellensburg – Gov. Christine Gregoire today announced she will overrule local objections and allow a controversial plan to install 65 towering wind turbines in hills northwest of Ellensburg. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003890252_webwind18m.html?syndication=rss
NY Times Editorial – The High Costs of Ethanol
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/opinion/19wed1.html?ei=5088&en=8fc197c4eb405fb0&ex=1347854400&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1190222833-dxANS7HEHFy58t7eYqtABA
San Francisco Chronicle Open Forum – On Energy Conservation: Harnessing the sun
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/19/ED4US8MP2.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
CONSERVATION
Council OKs "zero-energy" housing project – The Issaquah City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve a much-anticipated "zero-energy" housing project, in which 10 homes will be designed to produce as much electricity as they consume. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003890184_zeroenergy18e.html?syndication=rss
Will utilities give consumers cash for buying efficient PCs? Right now, if you buy an energy-efficient dishwasher, utilities like PG&E will give you a cash rebate. They may do the same for energy-efficient PCs. (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/Will+utilities+give+consumers+cash+for+buying+efficient+PCs/8301-10784_3-9780783-7.html?part=dht&tag=nl.e703
Utahns urged to turn off the lights – That's all that will be required to participate in Wednesday's "Lights Off Utah" event, an effort to encourage residents and businesses to turn off all non-essential lighting statewide between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. (Daily Utah Chronicle)
http://media.www.dailyutahchronicle.com/media/storage/paper244/news/2007/09/18/News/Utahns.Urged.To.Turn.Off.The.Lights-2975319.shtml
Lights out, S.F.! Voluntary brownout to show ease of saving energy (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/19/BUDUS8P5P.DTL&feed=rss.business
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Green groups signal auto-emission lawsuit – Western environmental groups say said they intend to sue the Bush administration if states are not given federal waivers to combat auto emissions.
http://www.examiner.com/a-941775~Green_groups_signal_auto_emission_lawsuit.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Oregon crafting greenhouse gas reporting rule – State regulators are starting work on a new rule requiring Oregon companies to report emissions of greenhouse gases, an early step in the drive by Gov. Ted Kulongoski to limit the gases blamed for global warming. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1190085938187980.xml&coll=7
Effort to Get Companies to Disclose Climate Risk – Two environmental groups and the financial officers of 10 states and New York City are asking the Securities and Exchange Commission to require companies to disclose the risks that climate change may pose to their bottom lines. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/business/18disclose.html?ex=1347768000&en=91bf4433bcf7e2c4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Joel Connelly: Seattle Post-Intelligencer Columnist – Evidence of global warming surrounds a skeptic. As a city that reads, Seattle is on the A-minus list for authors' book-launching tours, and its "green" reputation makes the Emerald City a natural destination for professional enviro-skeptic Dr. Bjorn Lomborg.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/332243_joel19.html?source=rss
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Comcast says feeling telco, satellite competition – Exec for cable company says rivals are increasingly aggressive about packaging and pricing services. (Reuters via CNET News)
http://www.news.com/Comcast+says+feeling+telco%2C+satellite+competition/2100-1037_3-6208840.html?tag=fd_nbs_ent
Intel Previews a New Family of Power-Saving Chips – Intel today gave the first public demonstration of a new generation of processors that significantly increase performance without consuming more power. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/technology/18cnd-chip.html?ex=1347768000&en=a99e500622caaa4d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Alaska Airlines To Test In-Flight Wi-Fi (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/technology/14144936/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
GENERAL NEWS
LOCAL INVESTIGATION INTO ESCAPED MURDERER – The Mason County Sheriff's Office is helping Arizona law enforcement in their search for escaped murderer Roy Townsend. The Sheriff's Office is conducting its own investigation in the event Townsend makes his way here. Investigators are looking into the possibility of local family or friends having contact with him. Roy Townsend is described as a white male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. At the time of the escape Townsend was wearing blue jeans and a white T shirt or blue top. Townsend was convicted of arson, theft and murder in the shooting of Gerald Harkins in Mason County. Townsend's release date is Sept. 5, 2054. Citizens having information about the whereabouts of Roy Townsend are cautioned not to approach him and call 911 immediately. Due to the violent nature of the escape and Townsend's previous convictions, he is considered armed and dangerous. About 1am Monday, Townsend and 24-year-od Kollin Folsom overpowered and tied up a correctional officer while they were performing cleaning duties. The two then gained access to ladders, scaled a prison roof and two fences to make good their escape. Folsom was subsequently captured by local law enforcement, but again Townsend remains at large. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Former Shelton Man: Escaped Washington killer still at large – Roy Townsend escaped from an Arizona prison Monday along with another convicted killer from Washington who was later captured. (NW Cable News)
http://www.nwcn.com/statenews/washington/stories/NW_091807WAB_arizona_prisoner_LJ.e6bd881b.html
PORT AND COUNTY TO WORK TOGETHER TO EXTEND WATER TO JOHN'S PRAIRIE – The Port of Shelton plans on working with Mason County to get proper fire flow to a site on John's Prairie. Port Commissioner Richard Byrd stated during Tuesday's Port of Shelton Commission meeting that he does not understand why the City of Shelton is “dragging it's feet” when it comes to extending water service to that area. He also explained that last year, the Port and the County worked cooperatively to extend a Port waterline to Belco Forest Products that now provides proper fire flow to that mill. That water extension was completed in a matter of months. Byrd would like to do a similar project that will extend that water line at Belco about a half a mile to the property where Coeur d' Alene Fiber Fuels would like to build a plant. Lack of fire flow is what is stopping the company from building an $8 Million facility, relocating its operations from Idaho and creating 15 new jobs. Officials are meeting with a design engineer Thursday to find out what it will take to extend that waterline from Belco to the Fiber Fuel site. This extension would be built to the standards spelled out in the Shelton Urban Growth Area Sub Area Plan. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Traffic's yearly toll: 45 hours in jams – And stressed-out commuters, that's BETTER than in 1995 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportation/332190_traffic19.html
The Columbian Opinion – In our view: Santa Sohn Visits “…Meet Chang Mook Sohn. For the 16th consecutive quarter, Sohn, the state's chief economist, has predicted an expansion of the state economy…”
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/09182007news199275.cfm?newsletter=5
DIVERSIONS
Man arrested after calling border agents to say he lost backpacks full of cocaine
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/9851481.html
'Peanuts' character to be namesake for Sonoma recital hall
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/18/MNSQS8M8C.DTL&feed=rss.news
Trying to impress his girlfriend – Man bitten after putting rattler in his mouth
http://www.examiner.com/a-943374~Man_bitten_after_putting_rattler_in_his_mouth.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Tape Catches Woman's Fury At Man In Chimney – Firefighters Ripped Open Wall To Get Trapped Man Out
http://www.kirotv.com/news/14147879/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_7am&tmi=sea_7am_1_09000309192007&ts=H
Quarter-century of 'smiley faces' – School celebrates birth of emoticon. PITTSBURGH -- It was a serious contribution to the electronic lexicon. :-)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/332191_emoticon19.html?source=rss
WORD OF THE DAY
Fissiparous • \fih-SIP-uh-rus\ • adjective – tending to break up into parts: divisive
Will Rogers was stumped. “I’m a part of a fissiparous party. I’m a Democrat,” he wrote. “Nah, that sounds like I jus’ rolled in from Harvard on a Rhodes Scholarship,” he grouched. Then the light went on, “I am not a member of any organized political party,” he wrote. “I am a Democrat.” “Much better,” his wife whispered from her rocking chair across the room.
More Will Rogers quotes can be found here:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/willrogers122697.html
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Ellison resigns from Grays Harbor County PUD post
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/09/18/local_news/03news.txt
Portland General Electric touts electric meters it wants to buy – PGE has entered an agreement with Sensus Metering Systems to buy the smart electric meters that it wants to install for about 850,000 customers. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1190168717118860.xml&coll=7
Thieves pillage another Tacoma park – Cost to replace stolen wiring could hit $22,000, say city officials (Tacoma News Tribune)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/159376.html
Stehekin down to 20-year-old power source – A single 20-year-old diesel generator is all that's keeping Chelan County PUD power on for the approximately 170 ratepayers in Stehekin. (Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070918/NEWS04/109180046/1001
Benton PUD Online Billing – Saves Customers Money, Reduces Waste (KVEW-TV, Kennewick)
http://www.kvewtv.com/news/?sect_rank=1§ion_id=1&story_id=3387
Preparedness can save lives, property – Preparedness is key when it comes to making it through a winter storm and minimizing impacts to lives and property. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2003890609_weatherside19n.html?syndication=rss
Renewable energy transmission initiative gains power – The state of California has formed a public-private partnership to consider the feasibility of building new transmission lines to access renewable power generation. (San Francisco Business Times)
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2007/09/17/daily10.html
News Release – DTE Energy Offers Fall Harvest Safety Tips: During the fall harvest season, DTE Energy reminds farmers to be aware of overhead power lines and underground utilities, whether working near the house or out in the field.
http://digital50.com/news/items/PR/2007/09/18/CLTU113/dte-energy-offers-fall-harvest-safety-tips.html
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Proposed reservoir's leakage a worry: Hanford area – The water could carry nuclear contamination into the Columbia River. A proposed central Washington reservoir with a multibillion-dollar price tag has another serious catch: It would leak water underground, into the highly contaminated Hanford Nuclear Reservation and toward the Columbia River. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/119016694465670.xml&coll=7
Doc Hastings says proposed reservoir doesn't have to leak (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-943431~Doc_Hastings_says_proposed_reservoir_doesn_t_have_to_leak.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
55 anglers cited on Toutle, Kalama rivers – State fisheries agents cited 55 anglers during a weekend investigation into complaints of illegal salmon fishing on the Kalama and Toutle rivers. (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/09/19/area_news/news14.txt
Scientists: Canadian fish farms threaten wild salmon (Bellingham Herald)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/256/story/184029.html
Lake Forest Park fights county to keep its 'pristine' aquifer (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/331931_water17.html?source=rss
Light Sentences For Raptor Killers Riles Bird Lovers – Environmentalists and animal rights’ advocates expressed outrage last spring, when undercover federal agents infiltrated a group of pigeon hobbyists. They discovered that pigeon owners were killing federally protected hawks and falcons that were threatening their pigeons. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/light-sentences-raptor-killers-riles-bird-lovers/
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Gregoire OKs wind farm near Ellensburg – Gov. Christine Gregoire today announced she will overrule local objections and allow a controversial plan to install 65 towering wind turbines in hills northwest of Ellensburg. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003890252_webwind18m.html?syndication=rss
NY Times Editorial – The High Costs of Ethanol
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/opinion/19wed1.html?ei=5088&en=8fc197c4eb405fb0&ex=1347854400&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1190222833-dxANS7HEHFy58t7eYqtABA
San Francisco Chronicle Open Forum – On Energy Conservation: Harnessing the sun
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/19/ED4US8MP2.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
CONSERVATION
Council OKs "zero-energy" housing project – The Issaquah City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve a much-anticipated "zero-energy" housing project, in which 10 homes will be designed to produce as much electricity as they consume. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003890184_zeroenergy18e.html?syndication=rss
Will utilities give consumers cash for buying efficient PCs? Right now, if you buy an energy-efficient dishwasher, utilities like PG&E will give you a cash rebate. They may do the same for energy-efficient PCs. (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/Will+utilities+give+consumers+cash+for+buying+efficient+PCs/8301-10784_3-9780783-7.html?part=dht&tag=nl.e703
Utahns urged to turn off the lights – That's all that will be required to participate in Wednesday's "Lights Off Utah" event, an effort to encourage residents and businesses to turn off all non-essential lighting statewide between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. (Daily Utah Chronicle)
http://media.www.dailyutahchronicle.com/media/storage/paper244/news/2007/09/18/News/Utahns.Urged.To.Turn.Off.The.Lights-2975319.shtml
Lights out, S.F.! Voluntary brownout to show ease of saving energy (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/19/BUDUS8P5P.DTL&feed=rss.business
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Green groups signal auto-emission lawsuit – Western environmental groups say said they intend to sue the Bush administration if states are not given federal waivers to combat auto emissions.
http://www.examiner.com/a-941775~Green_groups_signal_auto_emission_lawsuit.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Oregon crafting greenhouse gas reporting rule – State regulators are starting work on a new rule requiring Oregon companies to report emissions of greenhouse gases, an early step in the drive by Gov. Ted Kulongoski to limit the gases blamed for global warming. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1190085938187980.xml&coll=7
Effort to Get Companies to Disclose Climate Risk – Two environmental groups and the financial officers of 10 states and New York City are asking the Securities and Exchange Commission to require companies to disclose the risks that climate change may pose to their bottom lines. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/business/18disclose.html?ex=1347768000&en=91bf4433bcf7e2c4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Joel Connelly: Seattle Post-Intelligencer Columnist – Evidence of global warming surrounds a skeptic. As a city that reads, Seattle is on the A-minus list for authors' book-launching tours, and its "green" reputation makes the Emerald City a natural destination for professional enviro-skeptic Dr. Bjorn Lomborg.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/332243_joel19.html?source=rss
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Comcast says feeling telco, satellite competition – Exec for cable company says rivals are increasingly aggressive about packaging and pricing services. (Reuters via CNET News)
http://www.news.com/Comcast+says+feeling+telco%2C+satellite+competition/2100-1037_3-6208840.html?tag=fd_nbs_ent
Intel Previews a New Family of Power-Saving Chips – Intel today gave the first public demonstration of a new generation of processors that significantly increase performance without consuming more power. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/technology/18cnd-chip.html?ex=1347768000&en=a99e500622caaa4d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Alaska Airlines To Test In-Flight Wi-Fi (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/technology/14144936/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
GENERAL NEWS
LOCAL INVESTIGATION INTO ESCAPED MURDERER – The Mason County Sheriff's Office is helping Arizona law enforcement in their search for escaped murderer Roy Townsend. The Sheriff's Office is conducting its own investigation in the event Townsend makes his way here. Investigators are looking into the possibility of local family or friends having contact with him. Roy Townsend is described as a white male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. At the time of the escape Townsend was wearing blue jeans and a white T shirt or blue top. Townsend was convicted of arson, theft and murder in the shooting of Gerald Harkins in Mason County. Townsend's release date is Sept. 5, 2054. Citizens having information about the whereabouts of Roy Townsend are cautioned not to approach him and call 911 immediately. Due to the violent nature of the escape and Townsend's previous convictions, he is considered armed and dangerous. About 1am Monday, Townsend and 24-year-od Kollin Folsom overpowered and tied up a correctional officer while they were performing cleaning duties. The two then gained access to ladders, scaled a prison roof and two fences to make good their escape. Folsom was subsequently captured by local law enforcement, but again Townsend remains at large. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Former Shelton Man: Escaped Washington killer still at large – Roy Townsend escaped from an Arizona prison Monday along with another convicted killer from Washington who was later captured. (NW Cable News)
http://www.nwcn.com/statenews/washington/stories/NW_091807WAB_arizona_prisoner_LJ.e6bd881b.html
PORT AND COUNTY TO WORK TOGETHER TO EXTEND WATER TO JOHN'S PRAIRIE – The Port of Shelton plans on working with Mason County to get proper fire flow to a site on John's Prairie. Port Commissioner Richard Byrd stated during Tuesday's Port of Shelton Commission meeting that he does not understand why the City of Shelton is “dragging it's feet” when it comes to extending water service to that area. He also explained that last year, the Port and the County worked cooperatively to extend a Port waterline to Belco Forest Products that now provides proper fire flow to that mill. That water extension was completed in a matter of months. Byrd would like to do a similar project that will extend that water line at Belco about a half a mile to the property where Coeur d' Alene Fiber Fuels would like to build a plant. Lack of fire flow is what is stopping the company from building an $8 Million facility, relocating its operations from Idaho and creating 15 new jobs. Officials are meeting with a design engineer Thursday to find out what it will take to extend that waterline from Belco to the Fiber Fuel site. This extension would be built to the standards spelled out in the Shelton Urban Growth Area Sub Area Plan. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Traffic's yearly toll: 45 hours in jams – And stressed-out commuters, that's BETTER than in 1995 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportation/332190_traffic19.html
The Columbian Opinion – In our view: Santa Sohn Visits “…Meet Chang Mook Sohn. For the 16th consecutive quarter, Sohn, the state's chief economist, has predicted an expansion of the state economy…”
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/09182007news199275.cfm?newsletter=5
DIVERSIONS
Man arrested after calling border agents to say he lost backpacks full of cocaine
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/9851481.html
'Peanuts' character to be namesake for Sonoma recital hall
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/18/MNSQS8M8C.DTL&feed=rss.news
Trying to impress his girlfriend – Man bitten after putting rattler in his mouth
http://www.examiner.com/a-943374~Man_bitten_after_putting_rattler_in_his_mouth.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Tape Catches Woman's Fury At Man In Chimney – Firefighters Ripped Open Wall To Get Trapped Man Out
http://www.kirotv.com/news/14147879/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_7am&tmi=sea_7am_1_09000309192007&ts=H
Quarter-century of 'smiley faces' – School celebrates birth of emoticon. PITTSBURGH -- It was a serious contribution to the electronic lexicon. :-)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/332191_emoticon19.html?source=rss
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
News Digest for September 18, 2007
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.
WORD OF THE DAY
Thesaurus • \thih-SOR-us\ • noun – *1: treasury, storehouse 2a: a book of words or of information about a particular field or set of concepts; especially: a book of words and their synonyms b: a list of subject headings or descriptors usually with a cross-reference system for use in the organization of a collection of documents for reference and retrieval
“You’re a regular walkin’, talkin’ thesaurus,” Albert told his friend Erasmus. “Pshaw,” exclaimed Razzy. “You flatter me; exalt me to a higher plane; exaggerate my lexicogical skills; etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…”
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Ethics panel dismisses complaints against Clatskanie PUD –The Oregon Government Ethics Commission on Friday dismissed complaints against members of the Clatskanie PUD Board for executive sessions that critics say violated the state's open meetings law. (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/09/18/area_news/news08.txt
Avista to lower natural gas prices in Washington, Idaho (Associated Press via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/220524.html
South Dakota – Utilities withdraw from power plant project. Two Minnesota utilities have withdrawn support for a coal-fired power plant project. (Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2007/09/17/daily10.html?ana=from_rss
Building a Dam in a Bid to End Afghan Instability (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/world/asia/18dam.html?ex=1347768000&en=096b31516339610c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
News Release – Electricity Coalition Urges FERC to Keep Focused Scope of Rulemaking, Not Disrupt Effective Existing Market Structures. COMPETE, a coalition representing 171 electricity stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, generators, transmission owners, trade associations and economic development corporations, filed comments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) urging the commission to continue its efforts to make energy markets more efficient and open to competition. (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=74034
Energy Pulse Commentary – Snow White vs. Green Goddess. Energy mirror on the wall, who's the greenest of them all? For years it seemed to be natural gas: no SOX, no NOX, no waste disposal problem.
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1566
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
News Release – USA. Senator Reid requests salmon passage at Hells Canyon Dams. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to require fish passage at the Hells Canyon Complex on the Snake River as a condition of renewing the dams' federal operating license. (BYM Marine Environment News)
http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=15419
Sept. 17 Rocky Barker's blog: Reid's entry in to Northwest salmon-dam politics comes as Craig pushed out – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s demand to federal energy regulators that they require fish passage on the Hells Canyon dams when they get a new license has salmon advocates cheering. But just as they warn Congress against passing a rider that they say would limit the amount of water flushed out of Idaho to aid salmon, they are backing Nevada Democrat Reid for mostly other reasons. (The Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/160778.html
Alarm sounds for young Coho – Juvenile Coho salmon are disappearing at an alarming rate before they can migrate out of South Sound, according to a three-year study by the Squaxin Island tribe. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/220263.html
Columbia River will close to Chinook retention in WA, OR – Effective on Wednesday, sport fishermen on the Columbia River will be required to release any Chinook salmon they catch below the Bonneville Dam for the remainder of the season. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP09182007news199069.cfm?newsletter=1
Anglers stage ‘fish-in’ to protest late season – Dozens of Harbor-area sport fishermen staged a “fish-in” at Morrison Riverfront Park in Aberdeen Sunday to protest the late opening of the fall Coho salmon run in the Chehalis River. (The Daily News, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/09/17/local_news/02news.txt
Conservation overkill? To Protect Cutthroat, the South Fork of the Flathead to be Poisoned. The west slope cutthroat trout. It sounds like the most drastic of measures—killing an entire natural fishery in order to replace it with another. (New West, Missoula)
http://www.newwest.net/city/article/bpa_mfwp_set_to_begin_hybrid_trout_removal_next_month/C8/L8/
Jefferson County – Big crowd douses clean water district hearing. A public hearing Monday on a proposed clean water district for East Jefferson County was postponed after only a few comments were heard - all in opposition. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070918/NEWS/709180304
Wealthy newcomers drive up sewer bills for all – Residents of northern Clackamas County can expect sewer bills to rise nearly 50 percent in the next year or two and much more later, mainly to subsidize people moving into some of the wealthiest and fastest-growing suburbs in Oregon. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/118999951464490.xml&coll=7
Water rule open houses slated – The rule sets limits for new exempt wells in rural areas. Homeowners, real estate agents, builders and others concerned about a new water rule can quiz experts and regulators on the topic this week at a pair of open houses. (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2007/09/17/local_news/local01.txt
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Recyclers Used to Burning Rubber Are Now Idling – A new industry that recycles old tires into fuel, saving companies millions of dollars and reducing a billion-tire national stockpile, is in limbo after a U.S. appeals court tossed out some federal clean-air rules. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091701879.html?nav=rss_business
CONSERVATION
State of California regulators propose developing energy self-sufficiency by 2020 – All new housing developments in California should be so energy-efficient by the year 2020 that they could produce all the power they need on their own, state regulators proposed Monday. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/18/BUMKS7VTF.DTL&feed=rss.business
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Suit Blaming Automakers Over Gases Is Dismissed – The courts do not have the authority or the expertise to decide injury lawsuits concerning global warming, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled yesterday in dismissing a suit brought by the State of California against six car companies. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/us/18pollute.html?ex=1347768000&en=31c69b1fa287de5c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Qwest on cusp of city cable – Cable TV competition may finally be coming to Portland (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1190048102144840.xml&coll=7
Google threat comes in no uncertain terms – The dozens of entrepreneurs gathered for an exclusive high-tech conference Monday all hope to dazzle the crowd with their ingenuity. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/332045_googlechallenger18.html?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
SHELTON MAN FOUND DEAD IN HENDERSON INLET – A Shelton man was found dead in Henderson Inlet Monday. According to Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock, 44-year-old Robert E. Hope was found tangled in the lines of a dinghy tied to a small sailboat that washed up Monday afternoon. A kayaker found Hope. An autopsy is schedule for today but the Thurston County Sheriff's Office says there was nothing suspicious about Hope's death. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Thieves Black Out Silverdale Intersection – Thieves stole wire from a traffic signal at Newberry Hill Road just off Highway 3 early Monday morning. (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/sep/17/thieves-black-out-silverdale-intersection/
Lobbyists owe rent, will leave Capitol – Group faces $15,000 bill. Lobbyists have lost their office privileges at the state Capitol — at least until they pay back rent. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/220227.html
DIVERSIONS
Men, wash your hands: one-third don't in bathroom – The gender gap has widened when it comes to hygiene, according to the latest stakeout by the "hand-washing police. " One-third of men didn't.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003889812_dirtyhands18.html
Someone Tries to Sell Belgium on eBay – Hidden among the porcelain fox hounds and Burberry tablecloths on sale at eBay.be this week was an unusual item: "For Sale: Belgium, a Kingdom in three parts ... free premium: the king and his court (costs not included)."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/09/18/international/i072241D19.DTL&feed=rss.news
Nebraska State Senator Sues God – The defendant in a state senator's lawsuit is accused of causing untold death and horror and threatening to cause more still. He can be sued in Douglas County, the legislator claims, because He's everywhere.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091701500.html?nav=rss_politics
WORD OF THE DAY
Thesaurus • \thih-SOR-us\ • noun – *1: treasury, storehouse 2a: a book of words or of information about a particular field or set of concepts; especially: a book of words and their synonyms b: a list of subject headings or descriptors usually with a cross-reference system for use in the organization of a collection of documents for reference and retrieval
“You’re a regular walkin’, talkin’ thesaurus,” Albert told his friend Erasmus. “Pshaw,” exclaimed Razzy. “You flatter me; exalt me to a higher plane; exaggerate my lexicogical skills; etcetera, etcetera, etcetera…”
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Ethics panel dismisses complaints against Clatskanie PUD –The Oregon Government Ethics Commission on Friday dismissed complaints against members of the Clatskanie PUD Board for executive sessions that critics say violated the state's open meetings law. (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/09/18/area_news/news08.txt
Avista to lower natural gas prices in Washington, Idaho (Associated Press via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/220524.html
South Dakota – Utilities withdraw from power plant project. Two Minnesota utilities have withdrawn support for a coal-fired power plant project. (Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2007/09/17/daily10.html?ana=from_rss
Building a Dam in a Bid to End Afghan Instability (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/world/asia/18dam.html?ex=1347768000&en=096b31516339610c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
News Release – Electricity Coalition Urges FERC to Keep Focused Scope of Rulemaking, Not Disrupt Effective Existing Market Structures. COMPETE, a coalition representing 171 electricity stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, generators, transmission owners, trade associations and economic development corporations, filed comments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) urging the commission to continue its efforts to make energy markets more efficient and open to competition. (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=74034
Energy Pulse Commentary – Snow White vs. Green Goddess. Energy mirror on the wall, who's the greenest of them all? For years it seemed to be natural gas: no SOX, no NOX, no waste disposal problem.
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1566
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
News Release – USA. Senator Reid requests salmon passage at Hells Canyon Dams. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to require fish passage at the Hells Canyon Complex on the Snake River as a condition of renewing the dams' federal operating license. (BYM Marine Environment News)
http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=15419
Sept. 17 Rocky Barker's blog: Reid's entry in to Northwest salmon-dam politics comes as Craig pushed out – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s demand to federal energy regulators that they require fish passage on the Hells Canyon dams when they get a new license has salmon advocates cheering. But just as they warn Congress against passing a rider that they say would limit the amount of water flushed out of Idaho to aid salmon, they are backing Nevada Democrat Reid for mostly other reasons. (The Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/160778.html
Alarm sounds for young Coho – Juvenile Coho salmon are disappearing at an alarming rate before they can migrate out of South Sound, according to a three-year study by the Squaxin Island tribe. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/220263.html
Columbia River will close to Chinook retention in WA, OR – Effective on Wednesday, sport fishermen on the Columbia River will be required to release any Chinook salmon they catch below the Bonneville Dam for the remainder of the season. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP09182007news199069.cfm?newsletter=1
Anglers stage ‘fish-in’ to protest late season – Dozens of Harbor-area sport fishermen staged a “fish-in” at Morrison Riverfront Park in Aberdeen Sunday to protest the late opening of the fall Coho salmon run in the Chehalis River. (The Daily News, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/09/17/local_news/02news.txt
Conservation overkill? To Protect Cutthroat, the South Fork of the Flathead to be Poisoned. The west slope cutthroat trout. It sounds like the most drastic of measures—killing an entire natural fishery in order to replace it with another. (New West, Missoula)
http://www.newwest.net/city/article/bpa_mfwp_set_to_begin_hybrid_trout_removal_next_month/C8/L8/
Jefferson County – Big crowd douses clean water district hearing. A public hearing Monday on a proposed clean water district for East Jefferson County was postponed after only a few comments were heard - all in opposition. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070918/NEWS/709180304
Wealthy newcomers drive up sewer bills for all – Residents of northern Clackamas County can expect sewer bills to rise nearly 50 percent in the next year or two and much more later, mainly to subsidize people moving into some of the wealthiest and fastest-growing suburbs in Oregon. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/118999951464490.xml&coll=7
Water rule open houses slated – The rule sets limits for new exempt wells in rural areas. Homeowners, real estate agents, builders and others concerned about a new water rule can quiz experts and regulators on the topic this week at a pair of open houses. (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2007/09/17/local_news/local01.txt
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Recyclers Used to Burning Rubber Are Now Idling – A new industry that recycles old tires into fuel, saving companies millions of dollars and reducing a billion-tire national stockpile, is in limbo after a U.S. appeals court tossed out some federal clean-air rules. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091701879.html?nav=rss_business
CONSERVATION
State of California regulators propose developing energy self-sufficiency by 2020 – All new housing developments in California should be so energy-efficient by the year 2020 that they could produce all the power they need on their own, state regulators proposed Monday. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/18/BUMKS7VTF.DTL&feed=rss.business
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Suit Blaming Automakers Over Gases Is Dismissed – The courts do not have the authority or the expertise to decide injury lawsuits concerning global warming, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled yesterday in dismissing a suit brought by the State of California against six car companies. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/18/us/18pollute.html?ex=1347768000&en=31c69b1fa287de5c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Qwest on cusp of city cable – Cable TV competition may finally be coming to Portland (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1190048102144840.xml&coll=7
Google threat comes in no uncertain terms – The dozens of entrepreneurs gathered for an exclusive high-tech conference Monday all hope to dazzle the crowd with their ingenuity. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/332045_googlechallenger18.html?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
SHELTON MAN FOUND DEAD IN HENDERSON INLET – A Shelton man was found dead in Henderson Inlet Monday. According to Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock, 44-year-old Robert E. Hope was found tangled in the lines of a dinghy tied to a small sailboat that washed up Monday afternoon. A kayaker found Hope. An autopsy is schedule for today but the Thurston County Sheriff's Office says there was nothing suspicious about Hope's death. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Thieves Black Out Silverdale Intersection – Thieves stole wire from a traffic signal at Newberry Hill Road just off Highway 3 early Monday morning. (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/sep/17/thieves-black-out-silverdale-intersection/
Lobbyists owe rent, will leave Capitol – Group faces $15,000 bill. Lobbyists have lost their office privileges at the state Capitol — at least until they pay back rent. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/220227.html
DIVERSIONS
Men, wash your hands: one-third don't in bathroom – The gender gap has widened when it comes to hygiene, according to the latest stakeout by the "hand-washing police. " One-third of men didn't.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003889812_dirtyhands18.html
Someone Tries to Sell Belgium on eBay – Hidden among the porcelain fox hounds and Burberry tablecloths on sale at eBay.be this week was an unusual item: "For Sale: Belgium, a Kingdom in three parts ... free premium: the king and his court (costs not included)."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/09/18/international/i072241D19.DTL&feed=rss.news
Nebraska State Senator Sues God – The defendant in a state senator's lawsuit is accused of causing untold death and horror and threatening to cause more still. He can be sued in Douglas County, the legislator claims, because He's everywhere.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091701500.html?nav=rss_politics
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