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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Retired justice from WPPSS case dies
- Carbon tests could derail Wallula Gap power plant
- Puget Energy's path to going private
- Seattle Times Opinion – 'Bye to Safeco, PSE, here in name only
- Behind the fight for an Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas site
- $25 million settlement reached in Colstrip lawsuit
- Report: Look for rise in natural gas prices
- Seattle P-I Columnist Joel Connelly – It's time to change a crazy energy policy
- San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – San Francisco needs to act now to shut down a polluting power plant
- News Release – PJM Regional Power Grid Ready for Hot Weather Power Demand
- Sea lions shot dead on Columbia River as salmon battle rages
- Putting the 'Cute' Back in Execute
- News Release – Tribes and feds end decades of legal battles to begin new era
- Tribes, U.S. sign deal on NW dams
- Chum Salmon haven threatened?
- Yakamas will tear down dam on Satus Creek
- Seattle fish-egg auctions lure hundreds of millions in bids
- How Does Your Home Shellfish Garden Grow?
- Jefferson County – Water district proposal dries up
- Likely Olympia-area dioxin source for Budd Inlet named
- Air Pollution Impedes Bees' Ability to Find Flowers
- Grays Harbor County PUD finds many shades of “green”
- Michigan – Wind power blows hot and cold, manufacturer cautions
- Baltimore Sun Editorial – Energy leadership: Invest in a greener future
- Senators call for EPA to consider ethanol mandate waiver
- Energy conservation: Power gets smart
- Energy pilot program to test if efficiency is enough
- Getting More for Less: The Growing Role of Negawatts
- LED lights shine at saving energy in tech gear
- Seattle Times Columnist – Feeling blue over trying to be green
- Yahoo Stock Plunges After Microsoft Backs Off
- How the Microsoft-Yahoo deal came apart
- Grant County PUD halts new dark fiber sales
- It may be ‘do or die' time for UTOPIA
- Arizona – Wildfire Broadband Disconnects from Scottsdale
- Broadband Over Power Line Gets a KO Punch (GigaOM)
- Cloud Computing' Puts Computer Resources on Tap
- Amazon Sues NY Over Internet Sales Tax Collection
- Comcast Mocks AT&T For Lawn Cabinets While Deploying Their Own
- Survey finds gas prices up about 15 cents over past 2 weeks
- $5 gas near, 78% of Americans say
- Olympia's patience wears thin with protests
- Olympia’s sanctuary city proposal to council could be casualty of Thursday's attacks
- Wife dies but new hospital bills keep coming
- Neo-Pawn Shops – People selling online to pay bills
- Critics See Symbols of Islam in Flight 93 Memorial Design
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Posthaste • \POHST-HAYST\ • adverb – With all possible speed
“I want those orders for Barry Manilow CDs placed posthaste,” shouted the floor manager, glowering at his under-twenty crowd of warehouse employees. “Golly,” squeaked one, “I thought that was a euphemism for a marshmallow and berry flavored treat, nor music!”
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Retired justice from WPPSS case dies – Robert Brachtenbach, who served 22 years as a justice on the state Supreme Court, died Friday at his home in Cottage Grove, Ore (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/361779_brachtenbach05.html?source=rss
Carbon tests could derail Wallula Gap power plant (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/175455.html
Puget Energy's path to going private (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004390843_puget04.html
Seattle Times Opinion – 'Bye to Safeco, PSE, here in name only – The cumulative decline in local ownership of this region's companies is troubling
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004388985_bossed04.html
Behind the fight for an Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas site – Two Texas businessmen put money and muscle (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1209781547135250.xml&coll=7
$25 million settlement reached in Colstrip lawsuit – An attorney in a water contamination lawsuit against eastern Montana's Colstrip power plant says the plant's five corporate owners have agreed to settle the case. (Associated Press, via the Yakima Herald-Republic)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MT_COLSTRIP_LAWSUIT_SETTLEMENT_WAOL-?SITE=WAYAK&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Report: Look for rise in natural gas prices (Orlando Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2008/05/05/daily2.html?ana=from_rss
Seattle P-I Columnist Joel Connelly – It's time to change a crazy energy policy
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/361773_joel05.html?source=rss
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – San Francisco needs to act now to shut down a polluting power plant
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/05/EDS110FFM6.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
News Release – PJM Regional Power Grid Ready for Hot Weather Power Demand – Electricity Demand Continues to Grow; Load Management Doubles (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=89156
FISH & WILDLIFE
Sea lions shot dead on Columbia River as salmon battle rages (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcSH4Kef7EHVeRa_HnuHHgR2vRMgD90FH8MG0
Putting the 'Cute' Back in Execute – Captured sea lions on Columbia River assassinated (Grist Online)
http://www.grist.org/news/2008/05/05/sealions/
News Release – Tribes and feds end decades of legal battles to begin new era – Special tribal ceremony at sacred Columbia River Basin site today underscores collaborative approach that puts fish first (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/200964/
Tribes, U.S. sign deal on NW dams – A Native coalition agrees to accept the Columbia River system for 10 years and $900 million for habitat and hatchery upgrades (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1209786906289840.xml&coll=7
Chum Salmon haven threatened? (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/05/05052008_Chum-haven-threatened.cfm
Yakamas will tear down dam on Satus Creek – The small, abandoned dam impedes migration of steelhead in Satus Creek, the basin's biggest producer of the threatened fish species (Yakima Herald-Republic )
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/3678
Seattle fish-egg auctions lure hundreds of millions in bids (The associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1375110~Seattle_fish_egg_auctions_lure_hundreds_of_millions_in_bids.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
How Does Your Home Shellfish Garden Grow? A small-but-enthusiastic group of home shellfish gardeners will soon plant seeds that will grow into oysters, clams, mussels and geoduck (Kitsap Sun)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/may/04/soon-theyll-be-sprouting-8212-make-that-spouting/
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Jefferson County – Water district proposal dries up – A countywide per-parcel fee proposed to fund Jefferson County's Clean Water District has dried up for lack of support. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080504/NEWS/805040305
Likely Olympia-area dioxin source for Budd Inlet named – Report says it appears to be Cascade Pole site (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/439335.html
Air Pollution Impedes Bees' Ability to Find Flowers (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/04/AR2008050401737.html?nav=rss_email/components
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Grays Harbor County PUD finds many shades of “green” (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/04/local_news/02news.txt
Michigan – Wind power blows hot and cold, manufacturer cautions (Tri-Cities Business Review)
http://blog.mlive.com/tricities/2008/05/former_wind_turbine_co_market.html
Baltimore Sun Editorial – Energy leadership: Invest in a greener future
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.energy05may05,0,1498508.story
Senators call for EPA to consider ethanol mandate waiver – Senate Republicans on Monday asked environmental regulators to use their power to halt the country's ethanol output expansion plans amid rising food prices. (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004393162_apethanolwaiver.html?syndication=rss
CONSERVATION
Energy conservation: Power gets smart – Grids may determine how, when we consume electricity (The Salt Lake Tribune)
http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_9154633?source=rss
Energy pilot program to test if efficiency is enough (Boston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/05/05/story10.html?ana=from_rss
Getting More for Less: The Growing Role of Negawatts (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reinsider/story?id=52329
LED lights shine at saving energy in tech gear (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/04/BUE210DQEM.DTL
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Seattle Times Columnist – Feeling blue over trying to be green
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2004391337_danny04.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Yahoo Stock Plunges After Microsoft Backs Off – After Microsoft withdrew its $33-a-share offer for Yahoo on Saturday, the question was how far Yahoo’s stock would drop. On Monday morning, the markets gave an initial answer: plenty (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/technology/05subyahoo-web.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1210003663-j68QBD8KkMpyWRwW5gcn4g
How the Microsoft-Yahoo deal came apart (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/361724_msftdeal05.html?source=rss
Grant County PUD halts new dark fiber sales – Utility currently leases fiber to three companies (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/05/02/news/news04.txt
It may be ‘do or die' time for UTOPIA (KSL-TV, Salt Lake City)
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=3201003
Arizona – Wildfire Broadband Disconnects from Scottsdale – Wi-Fi network goes down without a word (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Wildfire-Broadband-Disconnects-from-Scottsdale-94134
Broadband Over Power Line Gets a KO Punch (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/05/02/broadband-over-power-line-gets-a-ko-punch/
'
Cloud Computing' Puts Computer Resources on Tap (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90180142&ft=1&f=3
Amazon Sues NY Over Internet Sales Tax Collection (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16149543/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
Comcast Mocks AT&T For Lawn Cabinets While Deploying Their Own – California residents find Comcast upgrade comes with new lawn ornaments (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Mocks-ATT-For-Lawn-Cabinets-While-Deploying-Their-Own-94147
GENERAL NEWS
Survey finds gas prices up about 15 cents over past 2 weeks (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004393009_apgasprices.html?syndication=rss
$5 gas near, 78% of Americans say – A vast majority of consumers expect to shell out $4 and even $5 a gallon this year, according to a recent poll (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/05/news/economy/gas_poll/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote
Olympia's patience wears thin with protests – The public's patience for protests and demonstrations reached its end after the May Day unrest in Olympia, dozens of readers said Friday (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/437813.html
Olympia’s sanctuary city proposal to council could be casualty of Thursday's attacks – Ironically, …”the main goal of Thursday's May Day rally was "to try to convince the City Council to pass a resolution making our city a sanctuary city for war resisters and undocumented workers…" (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/437815.html
Wife dies but new hospital bills keep coming – Husband got 4 invoices for donor search done after her death (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/361794_scca05.html?source=rss
Neo-Pawn Shops – People selling online to pay bills (The Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/438721.html
Critics See Symbols of Islam in Flight 93 Memorial Design (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/us/05memorial.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
DIVERSIONS
Ashland, Ore., mayor says he can't afford to live in Ashland
http://www.examiner.com/a-1374517~Ashland__Ore___mayor_says_he_can_t_afford_to_live_in_Ashland.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Handmade pixies pop up in Eugene park each spring
http://www.examiner.com/a-1374496~Handmade_pixies_pop_up_in_Eugene_park_each_spring.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Deputy Suspended For Yelling At Little League Umpire
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16151036/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
A very unhappy birthday to spam, age 30
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/03/BUE210E232.DTL&feed=rss.business
Monday, May 5, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
Energy News Digest for May 2, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Mason County PUD 3 Concerned About BPA Tiered Rates
- Governor Strickland signs Ohio energy bill
- Kansas Legislators fail to override Sebelius power plant veto
- Texas – Metro sued over its tracks' electricity leak in Houston
- Grant County PUD inaugurates $35 million 'fish slide' bypass
- California Chinook fishery's collapse a disaster
- California – Tuolumne salmon at high risk of extinction
- Seattle Times Guest Columnist – Connect the dots to save orcas, salmon (Oh, and remove the Snake River dams)
- Toxins imperil 17 shellfish sites – Includes two in Mason County
- Longview officials considering shift from water plant to Mint Farm wells
- Idaho – Judge sides with surface water users
- Sierra snowpack well below normal
- California – Need to deal with water needs crucial
- Washington State University’s New Golf Course Ruffles Feathers of Water Conservationists
- Low-Oxygen Zones Spreading to Deep Ocean
- Kitsap Poised to Ride the New Energy Wave, Leaders Say
- U.S. eyes shift away from corn ethanol – Worried about high food prices
- Lawmakers Revisit Ethanol Mandates as Prices Soar
- 'Tidal' power wave to hit Canada
- U.S. State Solar Debate: Will Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Create Unhealthy Market Concentration?
- Energy Pulse Commentary – The Limits to Renewable Energy
- Texas – Making ends meet: How to save on energy costs
- What are Orange County schools doing to 'go green'?
- Lawmakers being forced to give up gas-guzzling cars
- Microsoft's Yahoo bid may go hostile today
- FCC caps subsidy to rural cell phone providers
- Shelton Toddler Found In Family's Pool Has Died
- A rally, then violence in Olympia
- Weyerhaeuser reports $148 million loss
- Sawmill closings create sawdust shortage
- Chevron has best first-quarter profit ever on higher oil prices
- Up $10.9 Billion, Exxon Worries About New Tax
- Wire-theft investigation leads to more arrests
- Open 35th District Representative Position Draws A Crowd
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Diktat • \dik-TAWT\ • noun – 1: a harsh settlement unilaterally imposed (as on a defeated nation) 2: decree, order
“Hee, Hee,” chuckled Barty, as he gleefully rubbed his hands together. “I will require all new employees to wear blinking clown noses during their first week on the job.” A week after the diktat was issued by the rogue human resources director, his broken body was found in a nearby alley; crushed under several thousand blinking, red clown noses. The newly hired coroner ruled the death an accident.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
MASON COUNTY PUD 3 CONCERNED ABOUT BPA TIERED RATES – Mason County PUD No. 3 officials are concerned about the Bonneville Power Administration's proposed tiered wholesale power rates. This week, Mat Samuelson, the PUD's power supply analyst, reported on a recent meeting of the Washington Public Agencies Group (WPAG) at which the proposal was discussed. Mason County PUD No. 3 purchases its electricity from the BPA at a wholesale rate which melds the cost of generation from a wide range of sources in the Columbia River Basin. Under the proposed rate methodology, the PUD would be allocated a certain amount of resources at one rate tier from the Federal Base System, with load growth and extra electricity needs coming from a second more expensive rate tier. Conservative estimates show that with a four percent growth rate, PUD3 could experience a nearly ten percent increase in wholesale electricity rates under the tiered rate methodology. This could result in a six percent increase for PUD 3 customers. The estimate does not include an expected four percent wholesale rate hike from nearly $1 billion in fish and wildlife agreements with regional Indian tribes, nor does it include increased costs of buying power under an initiative mandating renewable energy purchases and the enhancement of local conservation efforts. The BPA would like the PUD to sign off on the tiered rates this fall as they will be implemented in 2011. Manager Wyla Wood told commissioners that staff has been communicating concerns to BPA about the tiered rate methodology individually and through the PUD's membership in WPAG. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Governor Strickland signs Ohio energy bill (Business Courier of Cincinnati)
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/04/28/daily50.html?ana=from_rss
Kansas Legislators fail to override Sebelius power plant veto (Kansas City Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2008/04/28/daily43.html?ana=from_rss
Texas – Metro sued over its tracks' electricity leak in Houston – Medical Center reports a stray current and wants issue monitored (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5747840.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
Grant County PUD inaugurates $35 million 'fish slide' bypass –Young salmon on their first journey to the ocean no longer have to negotiate through the turbines to pass Wanapum Dam (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/NEWS04/559642884/1025/rss1025
California Chinook fishery's collapse a disaster – Federal officials on Thursday declared a failure in the West Coast ocean salmon fishery, an announcement that will allow the region to seek disaster aid for fishermen and others affected in California, Oregon and Washington (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004387400_salmon02.html
California – Tuolumne salmon at high risk of extinction because not enough water flows down the river (Modesto Bee)
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/story/286624.html
Seattle Times Guest Columnist – Connect the dots to save orcas, salmon “…Removing (Snake River) dams will open up spawning habitat to endangered salmon, while saving taxpayers' and electric ratepayers' money. Energy conservation and renewable energy can replace the small amount of power provided by these four dams…”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004386630_orcas02.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Toxins imperil 17 shellfish sites – Includes McLane Cove in Pickering Passage in Mason County and North Bay near Allyn (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/436738.html
Longview officials considering shift from water plant to Mint Farm wells – Chances are increasing that Longview will abandon its water treatment plant on the Cowlitz River (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/01/top_story/doc481926fe9450f911280520.txt
Idaho – Judge sides with surface water users – an attempt to clarify complex rules about water rights in southern Idaho (The Times-News, Twin Falls)
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/05/01/news/local_state/135882.txt
Sierra snowpack well below normal (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/04/28/daily49.html?ana=from_rss
California – Need to deal with water needs crucial – Two parched years - punctuated by the driest spring in at least 150 years - could force rationing of water this summer as policymakers and scientists grow increasingly concerned that the state is on the verge of a long-term drought (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/01/BA9O10F8PK.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
Washington State University’s New Golf Course Ruffles Feathers of Water Conservationists (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3825
Low-Oxygen Zones Spreading to Deep Ocean – The world's oceans have always had large zones of low-oxygen water. But new studies find that those zones appear to have been growing (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90111754&ft=1&f=2
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Kitsap Poised to Ride the New Energy Wave, Leaders Say – The world is on the cusp of a clean-energy revolution, and emerging technologies in Washington state could influence the production and delivery of future power (The Kitsap Sun – My, the comments are cynical)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/30/kitsap-poised-to-ride-the-new-energy-wave-say/
U.S. eyes shift away from corn ethanol – Worried about high food prices, Congress tries to push the biofuel industry to use nonfood crops (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0501/p03s03-usec.html
Lawmakers Revisit Ethanol Mandates as Prices Soar – Four months ago, Congress sharply raised production targets for ethanol fuel, from the current 7 billion gallons a year to 36 billion gallons by 2022. Now, some lawmakers are asking whether the ethanol mandates come at too high a price (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90127388&ft=1&f=3
'Tidal' wave to hit Canada – Proponents believe Canada's long coastlines could help propel a new, green energy industry (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=1ca76dfd-411d-4ef5-ab84-d5b861759fc0
U.S. State Solar Debate: Will Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Create Unhealthy Market Concentration? A growing divide is occurring within the solar industry over how best to incentivize state-level solar programs (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52339&src=rss
Energy Pulse Commentary – The Limits to Renewable Energy
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1727
CONSERVATION
Texas – Making ends meet: How to save on energy costs (The Herald Democrat)
http://www.heralddemocrat.com/articles/2008/05/02/local_news/doc481b1f209a432336155854.txt
What are Orange County schools doing to 'go green'? District officials strive to balance being environmentally sensitive and balancing tight budgets (Orange County Register)
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/schools-school-district-2031754-programs-county
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Lawmakers being forced to give up gas-guzzling cars – A little-noticed amendment to last year's energy bill requires House members who lease vehicles to select those that emit low levels of greenhouse gases (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-cars1-2008may01,1,6694016.story
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft's Yahoo bid may go hostile today (Associated Press, via San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9129381?source=rss
FCC caps subsidy to rural cell phone providers – Move benefits big telecom firms (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/361497_phonetax02.html?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Shelton Toddler Found In Family's Pool Has Died (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16066810/detail.html
A rally, then violence in Olympia – A celebration of the rights of workers and immigrants turned ugly Thursday afternoon “…proposal scheduled to be brought before the Olympia City Council on Tuesday to designate Olympia as a "sanctuary city" for war resisters…” (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/436724.html
Weyerhaeuser reports $148 million loss (My Northwest)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=51241
Sawmill closings create sawdust shortage – Desperate users are trying alternatives; prices for diminishing supplies are rising (Victoria Times-Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=e02a300e-5585-4601-8248-439fc305765c&k=70980
Chevron has best first-quarter profit ever on higher oil prices (Associated Press, via San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9130937?source=rss
Up $10.9 Billion, Exxon Worries About New Tax – Bolstered by winter's record crude oil prices, Exxon Mobil yesterday reported a huge first-quarter profit and provoked new congressional vows to come up with legislation that would tax windfall profits (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/01/AR2008050100908.html?nav=rss_business
Wire-theft investigation leads to more arrests – Cowlitz County sheriff’s deputies have arrested three more suspects in a large-scale metal theft ring, and they expect more arrests (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/02//area_news/doc481a72f93b927399738302.txt
Open 35th District Representative Position Draws A Crowd (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/01/local_news/04news.txt
DIVERSIONS
Which States Punish Distracted Drivers Most?
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16116498/detail.html
Man Accused Of Trying To Cash $360 Billion Check – Man Intended To Start Record Business, Police Say
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16133100/detail.html
NY bride, groom plead guilty in reception spat with band
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080502/ap_on_fe_st/odd_wedding_arrests;_ylt=Ah.OGvkgpRCTG.DSvWyvCZPtiBIF
Venice to fine tourists who feed pigeons
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080430/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_venice_pigeons;_ylt=AnsPcX7ej6aN0JxqTFn3RnntiBIF
Woman pulls into lot with 'No Parking' sign, post on car
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080501/ap_on_fe_st/odd_sign_crash;_ylt=AsaRwmftZNgzjYt8MHUwrwLtiBIF
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Mason County PUD 3 Concerned About BPA Tiered Rates
- Governor Strickland signs Ohio energy bill
- Kansas Legislators fail to override Sebelius power plant veto
- Texas – Metro sued over its tracks' electricity leak in Houston
- Grant County PUD inaugurates $35 million 'fish slide' bypass
- California Chinook fishery's collapse a disaster
- California – Tuolumne salmon at high risk of extinction
- Seattle Times Guest Columnist – Connect the dots to save orcas, salmon (Oh, and remove the Snake River dams)
- Toxins imperil 17 shellfish sites – Includes two in Mason County
- Longview officials considering shift from water plant to Mint Farm wells
- Idaho – Judge sides with surface water users
- Sierra snowpack well below normal
- California – Need to deal with water needs crucial
- Washington State University’s New Golf Course Ruffles Feathers of Water Conservationists
- Low-Oxygen Zones Spreading to Deep Ocean
- Kitsap Poised to Ride the New Energy Wave, Leaders Say
- U.S. eyes shift away from corn ethanol – Worried about high food prices
- Lawmakers Revisit Ethanol Mandates as Prices Soar
- 'Tidal' power wave to hit Canada
- U.S. State Solar Debate: Will Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Create Unhealthy Market Concentration?
- Energy Pulse Commentary – The Limits to Renewable Energy
- Texas – Making ends meet: How to save on energy costs
- What are Orange County schools doing to 'go green'?
- Lawmakers being forced to give up gas-guzzling cars
- Microsoft's Yahoo bid may go hostile today
- FCC caps subsidy to rural cell phone providers
- Shelton Toddler Found In Family's Pool Has Died
- A rally, then violence in Olympia
- Weyerhaeuser reports $148 million loss
- Sawmill closings create sawdust shortage
- Chevron has best first-quarter profit ever on higher oil prices
- Up $10.9 Billion, Exxon Worries About New Tax
- Wire-theft investigation leads to more arrests
- Open 35th District Representative Position Draws A Crowd
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Diktat • \dik-TAWT\ • noun – 1: a harsh settlement unilaterally imposed (as on a defeated nation) 2: decree, order
“Hee, Hee,” chuckled Barty, as he gleefully rubbed his hands together. “I will require all new employees to wear blinking clown noses during their first week on the job.” A week after the diktat was issued by the rogue human resources director, his broken body was found in a nearby alley; crushed under several thousand blinking, red clown noses. The newly hired coroner ruled the death an accident.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
MASON COUNTY PUD 3 CONCERNED ABOUT BPA TIERED RATES – Mason County PUD No. 3 officials are concerned about the Bonneville Power Administration's proposed tiered wholesale power rates. This week, Mat Samuelson, the PUD's power supply analyst, reported on a recent meeting of the Washington Public Agencies Group (WPAG) at which the proposal was discussed. Mason County PUD No. 3 purchases its electricity from the BPA at a wholesale rate which melds the cost of generation from a wide range of sources in the Columbia River Basin. Under the proposed rate methodology, the PUD would be allocated a certain amount of resources at one rate tier from the Federal Base System, with load growth and extra electricity needs coming from a second more expensive rate tier. Conservative estimates show that with a four percent growth rate, PUD3 could experience a nearly ten percent increase in wholesale electricity rates under the tiered rate methodology. This could result in a six percent increase for PUD 3 customers. The estimate does not include an expected four percent wholesale rate hike from nearly $1 billion in fish and wildlife agreements with regional Indian tribes, nor does it include increased costs of buying power under an initiative mandating renewable energy purchases and the enhancement of local conservation efforts. The BPA would like the PUD to sign off on the tiered rates this fall as they will be implemented in 2011. Manager Wyla Wood told commissioners that staff has been communicating concerns to BPA about the tiered rate methodology individually and through the PUD's membership in WPAG. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Governor Strickland signs Ohio energy bill (Business Courier of Cincinnati)
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/04/28/daily50.html?ana=from_rss
Kansas Legislators fail to override Sebelius power plant veto (Kansas City Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2008/04/28/daily43.html?ana=from_rss
Texas – Metro sued over its tracks' electricity leak in Houston – Medical Center reports a stray current and wants issue monitored (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5747840.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
Grant County PUD inaugurates $35 million 'fish slide' bypass –Young salmon on their first journey to the ocean no longer have to negotiate through the turbines to pass Wanapum Dam (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/NEWS04/559642884/1025/rss1025
California Chinook fishery's collapse a disaster – Federal officials on Thursday declared a failure in the West Coast ocean salmon fishery, an announcement that will allow the region to seek disaster aid for fishermen and others affected in California, Oregon and Washington (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004387400_salmon02.html
California – Tuolumne salmon at high risk of extinction because not enough water flows down the river (Modesto Bee)
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/story/286624.html
Seattle Times Guest Columnist – Connect the dots to save orcas, salmon “…Removing (Snake River) dams will open up spawning habitat to endangered salmon, while saving taxpayers' and electric ratepayers' money. Energy conservation and renewable energy can replace the small amount of power provided by these four dams…”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004386630_orcas02.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Toxins imperil 17 shellfish sites – Includes McLane Cove in Pickering Passage in Mason County and North Bay near Allyn (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/436738.html
Longview officials considering shift from water plant to Mint Farm wells – Chances are increasing that Longview will abandon its water treatment plant on the Cowlitz River (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/01/top_story/doc481926fe9450f911280520.txt
Idaho – Judge sides with surface water users – an attempt to clarify complex rules about water rights in southern Idaho (The Times-News, Twin Falls)
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/05/01/news/local_state/135882.txt
Sierra snowpack well below normal (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/04/28/daily49.html?ana=from_rss
California – Need to deal with water needs crucial – Two parched years - punctuated by the driest spring in at least 150 years - could force rationing of water this summer as policymakers and scientists grow increasingly concerned that the state is on the verge of a long-term drought (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/01/BA9O10F8PK.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
Washington State University’s New Golf Course Ruffles Feathers of Water Conservationists (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3825
Low-Oxygen Zones Spreading to Deep Ocean – The world's oceans have always had large zones of low-oxygen water. But new studies find that those zones appear to have been growing (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90111754&ft=1&f=2
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Kitsap Poised to Ride the New Energy Wave, Leaders Say – The world is on the cusp of a clean-energy revolution, and emerging technologies in Washington state could influence the production and delivery of future power (The Kitsap Sun – My, the comments are cynical)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/30/kitsap-poised-to-ride-the-new-energy-wave-say/
U.S. eyes shift away from corn ethanol – Worried about high food prices, Congress tries to push the biofuel industry to use nonfood crops (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0501/p03s03-usec.html
Lawmakers Revisit Ethanol Mandates as Prices Soar – Four months ago, Congress sharply raised production targets for ethanol fuel, from the current 7 billion gallons a year to 36 billion gallons by 2022. Now, some lawmakers are asking whether the ethanol mandates come at too high a price (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90127388&ft=1&f=3
'Tidal' wave to hit Canada – Proponents believe Canada's long coastlines could help propel a new, green energy industry (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=1ca76dfd-411d-4ef5-ab84-d5b861759fc0
U.S. State Solar Debate: Will Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Create Unhealthy Market Concentration? A growing divide is occurring within the solar industry over how best to incentivize state-level solar programs (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52339&src=rss
Energy Pulse Commentary – The Limits to Renewable Energy
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1727
CONSERVATION
Texas – Making ends meet: How to save on energy costs (The Herald Democrat)
http://www.heralddemocrat.com/articles/2008/05/02/local_news/doc481b1f209a432336155854.txt
What are Orange County schools doing to 'go green'? District officials strive to balance being environmentally sensitive and balancing tight budgets (Orange County Register)
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/schools-school-district-2031754-programs-county
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Lawmakers being forced to give up gas-guzzling cars – A little-noticed amendment to last year's energy bill requires House members who lease vehicles to select those that emit low levels of greenhouse gases (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-cars1-2008may01,1,6694016.story
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft's Yahoo bid may go hostile today (Associated Press, via San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9129381?source=rss
FCC caps subsidy to rural cell phone providers – Move benefits big telecom firms (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/361497_phonetax02.html?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Shelton Toddler Found In Family's Pool Has Died (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16066810/detail.html
A rally, then violence in Olympia – A celebration of the rights of workers and immigrants turned ugly Thursday afternoon “…proposal scheduled to be brought before the Olympia City Council on Tuesday to designate Olympia as a "sanctuary city" for war resisters…” (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/436724.html
Weyerhaeuser reports $148 million loss (My Northwest)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=51241
Sawmill closings create sawdust shortage – Desperate users are trying alternatives; prices for diminishing supplies are rising (Victoria Times-Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=e02a300e-5585-4601-8248-439fc305765c&k=70980
Chevron has best first-quarter profit ever on higher oil prices (Associated Press, via San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9130937?source=rss
Up $10.9 Billion, Exxon Worries About New Tax – Bolstered by winter's record crude oil prices, Exxon Mobil yesterday reported a huge first-quarter profit and provoked new congressional vows to come up with legislation that would tax windfall profits (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/01/AR2008050100908.html?nav=rss_business
Wire-theft investigation leads to more arrests – Cowlitz County sheriff’s deputies have arrested three more suspects in a large-scale metal theft ring, and they expect more arrests (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/02//area_news/doc481a72f93b927399738302.txt
Open 35th District Representative Position Draws A Crowd (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/01/local_news/04news.txt
DIVERSIONS
Which States Punish Distracted Drivers Most?
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16116498/detail.html
Man Accused Of Trying To Cash $360 Billion Check – Man Intended To Start Record Business, Police Say
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16133100/detail.html
NY bride, groom plead guilty in reception spat with band
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080502/ap_on_fe_st/odd_wedding_arrests;_ylt=Ah.OGvkgpRCTG.DSvWyvCZPtiBIF
Venice to fine tourists who feed pigeons
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080430/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_venice_pigeons;_ylt=AnsPcX7ej6aN0JxqTFn3RnntiBIF
Woman pulls into lot with 'No Parking' sign, post on car
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080501/ap_on_fe_st/odd_sign_crash;_ylt=AsaRwmftZNgzjYt8MHUwrwLtiBIF
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Energy News Digest for May 1, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Satsop Natural Gas Power Plant Close To Running, Residents Worry about Noise
- Chelan PUD may delegate more decisions to staff
- Oregon – Liquefied Natural Gas backers challenge ballot title
- Idaho Falls is helping with Utility Bills
- Idaho – The Salmon River Electric Cooperative had good year, but faces rising energy costs
- Maryland – Baltimore Gas & Electric parent's profits fall 26%
- Critics: TVA bid process for nuclear plant study was flawed
- 'Eco-Judas' battles on – Former founding member of Greenpeace now fights for nuclear power
- North Carolina panel: Duke's nuclear-plant cost estimates are trade secrets
- Yakama Tribe agrees on BPA funding for fish
- Salmon situation on Snake River bucks Western trends
- Study suggests dams could benefit salmon runs in California
- Group wants sea lion captures halted after animal dies
- New advice on eating fish from Lake Roosevelt, Spokane River
- Congressman Baird's bid to gain national heritage status for mouth of Columbia River moves forward
- Outdoors notebook: The Coastal Conservation Association offers rewards for uncovering poaching
- Restaurant swims against the current on salmon "We may never sell another piece of wild Pacific salmon again,"
- News Release – Summer 2008 Water Conservation Challenge Is Issued to Americans at Washington DC Rally
- 'Small wind' power plants are blowing strong
- Arizona – Homeowners face fight over wind turbines
- Potlatch pulls permit request to burn alternative fuels
- Creating Bioheat: A Look inside New England Wood Pellet
- Scientists advise halt to biofuels
- United Kingdom – Shell pulls out of Thames Estuary mega-wind farm
- Green Giants: The World's Biggest Clean-Energy Projects
- Nevada – Energy-saving devices translate into electricity incentives
- In a New Climate Model, Short-Term Cooling in a Warmer World
- Can Climate Campaigns Withstand a Cooling Test?
- Grant County PUD asked for comment period before ending dark fiber
- Data Centers Are Becoming Big Polluters, Study Finds
- Arizona – Rats Crash Internet Service
- Vermont Visionary: Rural Fiber Perfectly Economical
- Comcast Ads Mock Unsightly AT&T U-Verse Cabinets
- Cox Pays Qwest $2 Million for VoIP Skullduggery
- CenturyTel 1Q profit up 14 percent on Internet subscribers
- Vista struggles to bust out as business customers snub it
- Wire theft cuts off Rainier School District's phones
- North Mason School Board Member Resigns After Dust-Up With Union
- Two women allegedly stole $481,060 from Weyerhaeuser using phony invoices
- Syndicated Columnist – Seattle Times: Money laundering as energy policy (Ouch!)
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Salad days • \SAL-ud-DAYZ\ • noun – A time of youthful inexperience or indiscretion; also: an early flourishing period: heyday
“The sad thing is,” shouted the aging circus animal keeper to his companion “is that these are our salad days.” “Why don’t you leave to find a better job then?” the younger man called back, flipping another shovel of elephant dung into the nearby wheelbarrow. “What,” said the grizzled veteran, “and give up show business?” (Sorry, I know this joke is as ancient as fossilized dinosaur dung, but I couldn’t resist)
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Satsop Natural Gas Power Plant Close To Running, Residents Worry About Noise (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/30/local_news/04news.txt
Chelan PUD may delegate more decisions to staff – Proposal would delegate some decision-making away from commissioners without jeopardizing transparency and accountability (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080430/NEWS04/361217041
Oregon – Liquefied Natural Gas backers challenge ballot title – NorthernStar Natural Gas argues that parklands are not ‘protected’ (The Astorian)
http://www.dailyastorian.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=50911
Idaho Falls is helping with Utility Bills (KIFI-TV, Idaho Falls)
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8252598&nav=menu554_3_9
Idaho – The Salmon River Electric Cooperative had good year, but faces rising energy costs (The Challis Messenger)
http://www.challismessenger.com/index.php?accnum=story-22-20080501
Maryland – Baltimore Gas & Electric parent's profits fall 26% – Power prices trailed cost of natural gas (Baltimore Sun)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-te.bz.constellation01may01,0,3203552.story
Critics: TVA bid process for nuclear plant study was flawed – Firm that led study won contract (The Tennessean)
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080429/NEWS0201/804290361/1001/NEWS
'Eco-Judas' battles on – Former founding member of Greenpeace now fights for nuclear power (The National, Canada)
http://www.nationalpost.com/newsletter/story.html?id=483048
North Carolina panel: Duke's nuclear-plant cost estimates are trade secrets (That is, until they’re rolled into customer rates! Charlotte Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2008/04/28/daily15.html?b=1209355200^1627592
FISH & WILDLIFE
Yakama Tribe agrees on funding for fish – Tribal members Wednesday night reversed a previous decision and agreed to move forward on a plan to pour about $900 million into fish restoration on the Columbia River. Yakama tribal leaders backed away from attending a Wednesday morning ceremony at Columbia Hills State Park to finalize the 10-year agreement because tribal members had voted against it 39-37 the night before. (Yakima Herald-Republic)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/3647
Salmon situation on Snake River bucks Western trends – The Snake River in Hells Canyon, and possibly tributaries including the Imnaha and Wallowa Rivers, are among the few places in the West where the salmon fishing news this year is of the good variety. (Baker City Herald)
http://www.bakercityherald.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=6471
Study suggests dams could benefit salmon runs in California (The Associated Press, via the San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9117917?source=rss
Group wants sea lion captures halted after animal dies (The Associated Press)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OR_SEA_LION_DEATH_OROL-?SITE=ORKLA&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
New advice on eating fish from Lake Roosevelt, Spokane River (The Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP04302008news311677.cfm
Congressman Baird's bid to gain national heritage status for mouth of Columbia River moves forward (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/01/area_news/doc48192c9fd535d980787019.txt
Outdoors notebook: The Coastal Conservation Association offers rewards for uncovering poaching (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/04/05012008_Outdoors-notebook-CCA-offers-rewards-for-poaching.cfm/
Restaurant swims against the current on salmon "We may never sell another piece of wild Pacific salmon again," (The Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080430.LSALMON30/TPStory/TPEntertainment/BritishColumbia/
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
News Release – Summer 2008 Water Conservation Challenge Is Issued to Americans at Washington DC Rally (Earth Times)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/summer-2008-water-conservation-challenge,375645.shtml
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
'Small wind' power plants are blowing strong – Climate concerns, rising utility costs, better technology, and new laws are making home units more attractive (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0430/p16s01-sten.html
Arizona – Homeowners face fight over wind turbines (a BANANA story from the Arizona Republic)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/29/20080429windmills0429.html
Potlatch pulls permit request to burn alternative fuels – The company is backing off plans to obtain a state permit to burn alternative fuels at its pulp and paper mill in Lewiston (The Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP04302008news311676.cfm
Creating Bioheat: A Look Inside New England Wood Pellet (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52330&src=rss
Scientists advise halt to biofuels – Some top international food scientists on Tuesday recommended halting the use of food-based biofuels, such as ethanol, saying it would cut corn prices by 20 percent during a world food crisis. (Associated Press, via the San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/30/MN6I10DS13.DTL
United Kingdom – Shell pulls out of Thames Estuary mega-wind farm – Project could supply a thousandth of UK's energy (The Register)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/01/london_array_shell_pullout/
Green Giants: The World's Biggest Clean-Energy Projects (Forbes Magazine)
http://www.forbes.com/energy/2008/04/28/energy-electricity-power-biz-energy-cx_wp_0428greenpower.html
CONSERVATION
Nevada – Energy-saving devices translate into electricity incentives – The electric company serving Laughlin and Searchlight has almost $4 million it wants to give to businesses and institutions for using less energy (Mohave Daily News)
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2008/05/01/news/business/biz1.txt
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
In a New Climate Model, Short-Term Cooling in a Warmer World (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/science/earth/01climate.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Can Climate Campaigns Withstand a Cooling Test? (NY Times)
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/can-climate-campaigns-withstand-a-cooling-test/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Grant County PUD asked for comment period before ending dark fiber (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/04/30/news/news01.txt
Data Centers Are Becoming Big Polluters, Study Finds (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/data-centers-are-becoming-big-polluters-study-finds/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Arizona – Rats Crash Internet Service – 7 Cell Towers Impacted By Damage (KPHO-TV, Phoenix)
http://www.kpho.com/news/16105717/detail.html
Vermont Visionary: Rural Fiber Perfectly Economical – 'Building a hub in a cow pasture is cheaper than doing it downtown...' (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Vermont-Visionary-Rural-Fiber-Perfectly-Economical-94019
Comcast Ads Mock Unsightly AT&T U-Verse Cabinets – AT&T files false advertising suit in Chicago court (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Ads-Mock-Unsightly-ATT-UVerse-Cabinets-94032
Cox Pays Qwest $2 Million For VoIP Skullduggery – Qwest accused Cox of tapping into existing wiring owned by Qwest (without paying or informing Qwest) in order to offer phone service at roughly 5,000 apartments. (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Cox-Pays-Qwest-2-Million-For-VoIP-Skullduggery-94025
CenturyTel 1Q profit up 14 percent on Internet subscribers (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080501/earns_centurytel.html?.v=1
Vista struggles to bust out as business customers snub it (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/software/2008-04-29-microsoft-windows-vista_N.htm?csp=Daily%20Briefing
GENERAL NEWS
Wire theft cuts off Rainier School District's phones (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/01//area_news/doc4819257bdb8a0793539015.txt
North Mason School Board Member Resigns After Dust-Up With Union (The Kitsap Sun)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/30/nm-school-board-member-resigns-after-dust-up/
Two women allegedly stole $481,060 from Weyerhaeuser using phony invoices (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/349144.html
Syndicated Columnist – Seattle Times: Money laundering as energy policy (Ouch!)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004383956_friedman01.html?syndication=rss
DIVERSIONS
What would YOU do if you found $1,600? Honesty paid off for Olympia High School junior Joel Nightingale on Wednesday.
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/435621.html
'Duct Tape Bandit' Pleads Guilty To Robbing Ky. Liquor Store – Wrapped head in tape to hide identity
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16084181/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Diversions follow-up – Pink Poodle Case May Be Dismissed – Woman Must Agree to Not Dye Dogs, Fine Will Be Dropped
http://www.kirotv.com/health/16106350/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
School Forces Students To Shave Eyebrows – Officials Say Lines In Eyebrows Sign Of Gang Membership
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16056626/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
DNA confirms IDs of czar's children, ending mystery
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004382593_aprussiaczarsfamily.html?syndication=rss
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Satsop Natural Gas Power Plant Close To Running, Residents Worry about Noise
- Chelan PUD may delegate more decisions to staff
- Oregon – Liquefied Natural Gas backers challenge ballot title
- Idaho Falls is helping with Utility Bills
- Idaho – The Salmon River Electric Cooperative had good year, but faces rising energy costs
- Maryland – Baltimore Gas & Electric parent's profits fall 26%
- Critics: TVA bid process for nuclear plant study was flawed
- 'Eco-Judas' battles on – Former founding member of Greenpeace now fights for nuclear power
- North Carolina panel: Duke's nuclear-plant cost estimates are trade secrets
- Yakama Tribe agrees on BPA funding for fish
- Salmon situation on Snake River bucks Western trends
- Study suggests dams could benefit salmon runs in California
- Group wants sea lion captures halted after animal dies
- New advice on eating fish from Lake Roosevelt, Spokane River
- Congressman Baird's bid to gain national heritage status for mouth of Columbia River moves forward
- Outdoors notebook: The Coastal Conservation Association offers rewards for uncovering poaching
- Restaurant swims against the current on salmon "We may never sell another piece of wild Pacific salmon again,"
- News Release – Summer 2008 Water Conservation Challenge Is Issued to Americans at Washington DC Rally
- 'Small wind' power plants are blowing strong
- Arizona – Homeowners face fight over wind turbines
- Potlatch pulls permit request to burn alternative fuels
- Creating Bioheat: A Look inside New England Wood Pellet
- Scientists advise halt to biofuels
- United Kingdom – Shell pulls out of Thames Estuary mega-wind farm
- Green Giants: The World's Biggest Clean-Energy Projects
- Nevada – Energy-saving devices translate into electricity incentives
- In a New Climate Model, Short-Term Cooling in a Warmer World
- Can Climate Campaigns Withstand a Cooling Test?
- Grant County PUD asked for comment period before ending dark fiber
- Data Centers Are Becoming Big Polluters, Study Finds
- Arizona – Rats Crash Internet Service
- Vermont Visionary: Rural Fiber Perfectly Economical
- Comcast Ads Mock Unsightly AT&T U-Verse Cabinets
- Cox Pays Qwest $2 Million for VoIP Skullduggery
- CenturyTel 1Q profit up 14 percent on Internet subscribers
- Vista struggles to bust out as business customers snub it
- Wire theft cuts off Rainier School District's phones
- North Mason School Board Member Resigns After Dust-Up With Union
- Two women allegedly stole $481,060 from Weyerhaeuser using phony invoices
- Syndicated Columnist – Seattle Times: Money laundering as energy policy (Ouch!)
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Salad days • \SAL-ud-DAYZ\ • noun – A time of youthful inexperience or indiscretion; also: an early flourishing period: heyday
“The sad thing is,” shouted the aging circus animal keeper to his companion “is that these are our salad days.” “Why don’t you leave to find a better job then?” the younger man called back, flipping another shovel of elephant dung into the nearby wheelbarrow. “What,” said the grizzled veteran, “and give up show business?” (Sorry, I know this joke is as ancient as fossilized dinosaur dung, but I couldn’t resist)
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Satsop Natural Gas Power Plant Close To Running, Residents Worry About Noise (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/30/local_news/04news.txt
Chelan PUD may delegate more decisions to staff – Proposal would delegate some decision-making away from commissioners without jeopardizing transparency and accountability (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080430/NEWS04/361217041
Oregon – Liquefied Natural Gas backers challenge ballot title – NorthernStar Natural Gas argues that parklands are not ‘protected’ (The Astorian)
http://www.dailyastorian.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=50911
Idaho Falls is helping with Utility Bills (KIFI-TV, Idaho Falls)
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8252598&nav=menu554_3_9
Idaho – The Salmon River Electric Cooperative had good year, but faces rising energy costs (The Challis Messenger)
http://www.challismessenger.com/index.php?accnum=story-22-20080501
Maryland – Baltimore Gas & Electric parent's profits fall 26% – Power prices trailed cost of natural gas (Baltimore Sun)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-te.bz.constellation01may01,0,3203552.story
Critics: TVA bid process for nuclear plant study was flawed – Firm that led study won contract (The Tennessean)
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080429/NEWS0201/804290361/1001/NEWS
'Eco-Judas' battles on – Former founding member of Greenpeace now fights for nuclear power (The National, Canada)
http://www.nationalpost.com/newsletter/story.html?id=483048
North Carolina panel: Duke's nuclear-plant cost estimates are trade secrets (That is, until they’re rolled into customer rates! Charlotte Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2008/04/28/daily15.html?b=1209355200^1627592
FISH & WILDLIFE
Yakama Tribe agrees on funding for fish – Tribal members Wednesday night reversed a previous decision and agreed to move forward on a plan to pour about $900 million into fish restoration on the Columbia River. Yakama tribal leaders backed away from attending a Wednesday morning ceremony at Columbia Hills State Park to finalize the 10-year agreement because tribal members had voted against it 39-37 the night before. (Yakima Herald-Republic)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/3647
Salmon situation on Snake River bucks Western trends – The Snake River in Hells Canyon, and possibly tributaries including the Imnaha and Wallowa Rivers, are among the few places in the West where the salmon fishing news this year is of the good variety. (Baker City Herald)
http://www.bakercityherald.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=6471
Study suggests dams could benefit salmon runs in California (The Associated Press, via the San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9117917?source=rss
Group wants sea lion captures halted after animal dies (The Associated Press)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OR_SEA_LION_DEATH_OROL-?SITE=ORKLA&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
New advice on eating fish from Lake Roosevelt, Spokane River (The Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP04302008news311677.cfm
Congressman Baird's bid to gain national heritage status for mouth of Columbia River moves forward (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/01/area_news/doc48192c9fd535d980787019.txt
Outdoors notebook: The Coastal Conservation Association offers rewards for uncovering poaching (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/04/05012008_Outdoors-notebook-CCA-offers-rewards-for-poaching.cfm/
Restaurant swims against the current on salmon "We may never sell another piece of wild Pacific salmon again," (The Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080430.LSALMON30/TPStory/TPEntertainment/BritishColumbia/
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
News Release – Summer 2008 Water Conservation Challenge Is Issued to Americans at Washington DC Rally (Earth Times)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/summer-2008-water-conservation-challenge,375645.shtml
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
'Small wind' power plants are blowing strong – Climate concerns, rising utility costs, better technology, and new laws are making home units more attractive (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0430/p16s01-sten.html
Arizona – Homeowners face fight over wind turbines (a BANANA story from the Arizona Republic)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/29/20080429windmills0429.html
Potlatch pulls permit request to burn alternative fuels – The company is backing off plans to obtain a state permit to burn alternative fuels at its pulp and paper mill in Lewiston (The Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP04302008news311676.cfm
Creating Bioheat: A Look Inside New England Wood Pellet (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52330&src=rss
Scientists advise halt to biofuels – Some top international food scientists on Tuesday recommended halting the use of food-based biofuels, such as ethanol, saying it would cut corn prices by 20 percent during a world food crisis. (Associated Press, via the San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/30/MN6I10DS13.DTL
United Kingdom – Shell pulls out of Thames Estuary mega-wind farm – Project could supply a thousandth of UK's energy (The Register)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/01/london_array_shell_pullout/
Green Giants: The World's Biggest Clean-Energy Projects (Forbes Magazine)
http://www.forbes.com/energy/2008/04/28/energy-electricity-power-biz-energy-cx_wp_0428greenpower.html
CONSERVATION
Nevada – Energy-saving devices translate into electricity incentives – The electric company serving Laughlin and Searchlight has almost $4 million it wants to give to businesses and institutions for using less energy (Mohave Daily News)
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2008/05/01/news/business/biz1.txt
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
In a New Climate Model, Short-Term Cooling in a Warmer World (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/science/earth/01climate.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Can Climate Campaigns Withstand a Cooling Test? (NY Times)
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/can-climate-campaigns-withstand-a-cooling-test/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Grant County PUD asked for comment period before ending dark fiber (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/04/30/news/news01.txt
Data Centers Are Becoming Big Polluters, Study Finds (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/data-centers-are-becoming-big-polluters-study-finds/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Arizona – Rats Crash Internet Service – 7 Cell Towers Impacted By Damage (KPHO-TV, Phoenix)
http://www.kpho.com/news/16105717/detail.html
Vermont Visionary: Rural Fiber Perfectly Economical – 'Building a hub in a cow pasture is cheaper than doing it downtown...' (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Vermont-Visionary-Rural-Fiber-Perfectly-Economical-94019
Comcast Ads Mock Unsightly AT&T U-Verse Cabinets – AT&T files false advertising suit in Chicago court (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Ads-Mock-Unsightly-ATT-UVerse-Cabinets-94032
Cox Pays Qwest $2 Million For VoIP Skullduggery – Qwest accused Cox of tapping into existing wiring owned by Qwest (without paying or informing Qwest) in order to offer phone service at roughly 5,000 apartments. (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Cox-Pays-Qwest-2-Million-For-VoIP-Skullduggery-94025
CenturyTel 1Q profit up 14 percent on Internet subscribers (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080501/earns_centurytel.html?.v=1
Vista struggles to bust out as business customers snub it (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/software/2008-04-29-microsoft-windows-vista_N.htm?csp=Daily%20Briefing
GENERAL NEWS
Wire theft cuts off Rainier School District's phones (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/01//area_news/doc4819257bdb8a0793539015.txt
North Mason School Board Member Resigns After Dust-Up With Union (The Kitsap Sun)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/30/nm-school-board-member-resigns-after-dust-up/
Two women allegedly stole $481,060 from Weyerhaeuser using phony invoices (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/349144.html
Syndicated Columnist – Seattle Times: Money laundering as energy policy (Ouch!)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004383956_friedman01.html?syndication=rss
DIVERSIONS
What would YOU do if you found $1,600? Honesty paid off for Olympia High School junior Joel Nightingale on Wednesday.
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/435621.html
'Duct Tape Bandit' Pleads Guilty To Robbing Ky. Liquor Store – Wrapped head in tape to hide identity
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16084181/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Diversions follow-up – Pink Poodle Case May Be Dismissed – Woman Must Agree to Not Dye Dogs, Fine Will Be Dropped
http://www.kirotv.com/health/16106350/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
School Forces Students To Shave Eyebrows – Officials Say Lines In Eyebrows Sign Of Gang Membership
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16056626/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
DNA confirms IDs of czar's children, ending mystery
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004382593_aprussiaczarsfamily.html?syndication=rss
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Energy News Digest for April 30, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Man charged in Seattle with cutting power line to avenge orca
- Tri-City Electricity Rates Go Down While Americans Across the Country See Increases
- Montana – Public Service Commission approves NorthWestern Bonneville Power Administration rate rebate
- Alaska – Sudden energy crunch forces Juneau to conserve electricity
- Grandview residents asked to OK utility tax increase, including tax on electricity
- Baltimore Gas & Electric bills to jump 8% this summer
- Maryland – Constellation profit falls as energy worries hit home
- Florida Power & Light earnings up on wind, nuclear projects
- News Advisory – Tribes and federal agencies POSTPONE signing Columbia River Basin agreements
- Trapping protests rise after sea lion dies
- Salmon shortage raises prices
- Costly catch – Fishing restrictions, fuel prices make wild salmon a luxury to save up for, savor
- Native Canadians To Cut Consumption Of Sockeye Salmon Due To Expected Poor Harvest
- Feds say bull trout to remain a threatened species
- Approved fishing opportunities – Here is a rundown on Columbia River salmon and other fishing opportunities
- Tacoma’s Titlow Park lagoons could be used to restore salmon
- Congress Approves New Wild Sky Wilderness
- Oregon – Study will look at availability of Army Corps water
- Though awash in water, Vermont set to protect springs
- Idaho – Improving air quality won't be easy
- Grays Harbor County PUD funding for Cosmopolis pulp mill power plant comes into focus
- Ocean Shores residents hear Grays Harbor County wind turbine plan
- Alaska Wind Power – Wind power is no stranger in Alaska, but Anchorage hasn't been in on the harvest
- Is Desert Solar Power the Solution to Europe's Energy Crisis?
- Federal tax break stalemate slows green movement
- Energy Pulse Commentary – States Remain Renewables Policy Laboratory
- Siphoning Off Corn to Fuel Our Cars
- Canada – Second thoughts surface over biofuel
- Methane to power vehicles, not pollute air
- BPA, Pacific Power, and Northwest Power and Conservation Council team up for conservation
- To green the Capitol, lawmakers follow tech titans
- Grant County fears fiber 'rate shock'
- Montana – Qwest offers $16 million bill reduction
- Google's big stake in Yahoo drama
- Click! to add 16 new channels
- FCC Boss May Be In Hot Water
- As Broadband Growth Slows, Expect Speed Boosts
- Comcast increases Internet speeds for business customers
- Should Cable Companies Just Run Fiber?
- Toddler Critical After Being Found In A Pool
- Washington gas prices hit another record
- This is FASCINATING analysis – Why Are Gas Prices Soaring, and What Can U.S. Do?
- Weyerhaeuser vows appeal of alder case
- Vermont brewery buying Pyramid Breweries
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Propagate • \PROP-puh-gate\ • verb – 1: to reproduce or cause to reproduce biologically: multiply 2: to cause to spread: extend *3: to foster growing knowledge of, familiarity with, or acceptance of (as an idea or belief): publicize
Humming absently to himself, Seymour paid no attention to the little tag on his new plant that warned him that under no circumstances was he was to propagate the little fella. It wasn’t until he had coated the last of thirty cuttings with rooting hormone that his blood froze upon hearing the voice of the Four Tops’ Levi Stubbs crooning, “feed me Seymour.”
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Man charged in Seattle with cutting power line to avenge orca – was found March 15th inside an Orcas Power and Light substation with electrical burns on his arms and legs (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1367728~Man_charged_in_Seattle_with_cutting_power_line_to_avenge_orca.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Tri-City Electricity Rates Go Down While Americans Across the Country See Increases (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8247660
Montana – Public Service Commission approves NorthWestern Bonneville Power Administration rate rebate (The Missoulian)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/04/29/bnews//br21.txt
Alaska – Sudden energy crunch forces Juneau to conserve electricity (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gXRLVia5n3ktRrLRs3lKZ2PtopHgD90BMDC80
Grandview residents asked to OK utility tax increase, including tax on electricity (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/169727.html
Baltimore Gas & Electric bills to jump 8% this summer – Fuel prices boost electric rates, PSC reports (Baltimore Sun)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.power30apr30,0,3042300.story
Maryland – Constellation profit falls as energy worries hit home (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/04/28/daily24.html?ana=from_rss
Florida Power & Light earnings up on wind, nuclear projects (South Florida Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/04/28/daily27.html?ana=from_rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
News Advisory – Tribes and federal agencies POSTPONE signing Columbia River Basin agreements (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/200519/
Trapping protests rise after sea lion dies (The Associated Press, via Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004382161_sealion30m.html
Salmon shortage raises prices (Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/lifetravel/stories/DN-nf_inseason_0430liv.ART.State.Edition1.464d2d0.html
Costly catch – Fishing restrictions, fuel prices make wild salmon a luxury to save up for, savor (The Columbus Dispatch)
http://dispatch.com/live/content/food/stories/2008/04/30/5_SALMON_ART_04-30-08_E1_78A1HAM.html?sid=101
Native Canadians To Cut Consumption Of Sockeye Salmon Due To Expected Poor Harvest (AHN Media)
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010806819
Feds say bull trout to remain a threatened species (The Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP04292008news311070.cfm
Approved fishing opportunities – Here is a rundown on Columbia River salmon and other fishing opportunities approved recently by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission (Statesman Journal, Salem)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080430/OUTDOORS/804300448
Tacoma’s Titlow Park lagoons could be used to restore salmon (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/347151.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Congress Approves New Wild Sky Wilderness. (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3814
Oregon – Study will look at availability of Army Corps water – A $10,000 state grant could nudge the Eugene Water & Electric Board and several Lane County cities closer to a new, coveted water source: the melted snowpack stored in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoirs. (Eugene Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=97069&sid=4&fid=2
Though awash in water, Vermont set to protect springs – With Lake Champlain, snowy peaks, and 40 inches of rain a year, the Green Mountain State isn't exactly parched. But don't tell that to Annette Smith (Christian Science Monitor)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080429/ts_csm/avtwater
Idaho – Improving air quality won't be easy – DEQ officials are calling on Valley residents to take steps to help reduce air pollution (Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/364951.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Grays Harbor County PUD funding for Cosmopolis pulp mill power plant comes into focus (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/29/local_news/02news.txt
Ocean Shores residents hear Grays Harbor County wind turbine plan (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/29/local_news/09news.txt
Alaska Wind Power – Wind power is no stranger in Alaska, but Anchorage hasn't been in on the harvest. That could change very soon if Gov. Sarah Palin backs a plan to catch the wind just off the city's shores (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/389827.html
Is Desert Solar Power the Solution to Europe's Energy Crisis? (Der Spiegel Online)
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,550544,00.html
Federal tax break stalemate slows green movement – Continued congressional delays over extending tax breaks to solar, wind and other renewable-energy companies could threaten the clean-technology industry's growth and the jobs it creates (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9092452?source=rss
Energy Pulse Commentary – States Remain Renewables Policy Laboratory
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1724
Siphoning Off Corn to Fuel Our Cars – As farmers feed ethanol plants, a costly link is forged between food and oil (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/29/AR2008042903092.html?nav=rss_email/components
Canada – Second thoughts surface over biofuel – Is there enough agricultural capacity to grow food and fuel economically and environmentally? (The National Post)
http://www.nationalpost.com/newsletter/story.html?id=480495
Methane to power vehicles, not pollute air – Methane percolating out of the Altamont Landfill near Livermore could soon fuel the garbage trucks that dump trash at the site (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/30/BUTS10DSNP.DTL&feed=rss.business
CONSERVATION
News Release – BPA, Pacific Power, and Northwest Power and Conservation Council team up for conservation effort (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/200619/
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
To green the Capitol, lawmakers follow tech titans (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9930779-54.html?tag=nl.e433
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Grant County fears fiber 'rate shock' – With proposed fiber rate increases, Grant County's monthly Internet bill could skyrocket from $770 per month to $12,200 per month (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/04/29/news/news02.txt
Montana – Qwest offers $16 million bill reduction – Qwest Communications is offering a $16 million reduction in customers' bills to settle a complaint that it was overcharging Montana consumers (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1366612~Qwest_offers__16_million_bill_reduction.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines
Google's big stake in Yahoo drama – One of the biggest players behind Microsoft's drive to buy Yahoo has never been at the bargaining table – Google (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9103943?source=rss
Click! to add 16 new channels – The municipal cable service is adding 16 new channels to its lineup Wednesday – including 13 high-definition channels (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/business/2008/04/29/iron_chef_in_hd_click_to_add_16_new_chan
FCC Boss May Be In Hot Water – Leaked memo suggests looming hearing for Martin (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Boss-May-Be-In-Hot-Water-94017
As Broadband Growth Slows, Expect Speed Boosts (GigaOM)http://gigaom.com/2008/04/29/as-broadband-growth-slows-expect-speed-boosts/
Comcast increases Internet speeds for business customers (Philadelphia Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2008/04/28/daily15.html?ana=from_rss
Should Cable Companies Just Run Fiber? Cable engineers argue they've got enough bandwidth tricks up their sleeve to compete. Hardware vendors are trying to convince cable operators to run fiber deeper into their networks (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Should-Cable-Companies-Just-Run-Fiber-93988
GENERAL NEWS
TODDLER CRITICAL AFTER BEING FOUND IN A POOL – A 16-month-old boy is in critical condition at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle after being found floating face down in a pool at a home in the 800 block of South Sommers Drive. According to the Mason County Sheriff's Office, the toddler was reported missing about 4 PM Tuesday. He was outside with family members when he wandered off. When deputies arrived, family members had discovered the boy in the pool and were performing C-P-R. A board that blocked the staircase leading to the above-ground pool had been removed and was going to be replaced. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Washington gas prices hit another record (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/18407584.html
This is FASCINATING analysis – Why Are Gas Prices Soaring, and What Can U.S. Do? (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90060901&ft=1&f=3
Weyerhaeuser vows appeal of alder case – A Portland jury on Monday ordered Weyerhaeuser to pay almost $28 million for unlawfully monopolizing the market for finished alder lumber (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004381925_weyco30.html
Vermont brewery buying Pyramid Breweries (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/04/28/daily12.html?ana=from_rss
DIVERSIONS
Pink Floyd Connections NO! Inflatable pig lost during Coachella music festival is found
http://www.examiner.com/a-1367644~Inflatable_pig_lost_during_Coachella_music_festival_is_found.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
VolcanoCam Gnome In Over His Head – St. Helens Gnome now asking for hot chocolate
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/04302008news311491.cfm?newsletter=2
Police Puzzled By Deafening Blasts Of Noise, Flashing Lights
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16059336/detail.html
Newlyweds Jailed After Brawl At Hotel (we got pictures!)
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080429/newlyweds_brawl_080429/20080429?hub=World
Opponents carry injured hitter around the bases to ensure her first-ever home run – Central Washington players help a Western Oregon rival, hurt rounding the bases, to touch 'em all
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1209525916199200.xml&coll=7
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Man charged in Seattle with cutting power line to avenge orca
- Tri-City Electricity Rates Go Down While Americans Across the Country See Increases
- Montana – Public Service Commission approves NorthWestern Bonneville Power Administration rate rebate
- Alaska – Sudden energy crunch forces Juneau to conserve electricity
- Grandview residents asked to OK utility tax increase, including tax on electricity
- Baltimore Gas & Electric bills to jump 8% this summer
- Maryland – Constellation profit falls as energy worries hit home
- Florida Power & Light earnings up on wind, nuclear projects
- News Advisory – Tribes and federal agencies POSTPONE signing Columbia River Basin agreements
- Trapping protests rise after sea lion dies
- Salmon shortage raises prices
- Costly catch – Fishing restrictions, fuel prices make wild salmon a luxury to save up for, savor
- Native Canadians To Cut Consumption Of Sockeye Salmon Due To Expected Poor Harvest
- Feds say bull trout to remain a threatened species
- Approved fishing opportunities – Here is a rundown on Columbia River salmon and other fishing opportunities
- Tacoma’s Titlow Park lagoons could be used to restore salmon
- Congress Approves New Wild Sky Wilderness
- Oregon – Study will look at availability of Army Corps water
- Though awash in water, Vermont set to protect springs
- Idaho – Improving air quality won't be easy
- Grays Harbor County PUD funding for Cosmopolis pulp mill power plant comes into focus
- Ocean Shores residents hear Grays Harbor County wind turbine plan
- Alaska Wind Power – Wind power is no stranger in Alaska, but Anchorage hasn't been in on the harvest
- Is Desert Solar Power the Solution to Europe's Energy Crisis?
- Federal tax break stalemate slows green movement
- Energy Pulse Commentary – States Remain Renewables Policy Laboratory
- Siphoning Off Corn to Fuel Our Cars
- Canada – Second thoughts surface over biofuel
- Methane to power vehicles, not pollute air
- BPA, Pacific Power, and Northwest Power and Conservation Council team up for conservation
- To green the Capitol, lawmakers follow tech titans
- Grant County fears fiber 'rate shock'
- Montana – Qwest offers $16 million bill reduction
- Google's big stake in Yahoo drama
- Click! to add 16 new channels
- FCC Boss May Be In Hot Water
- As Broadband Growth Slows, Expect Speed Boosts
- Comcast increases Internet speeds for business customers
- Should Cable Companies Just Run Fiber?
- Toddler Critical After Being Found In A Pool
- Washington gas prices hit another record
- This is FASCINATING analysis – Why Are Gas Prices Soaring, and What Can U.S. Do?
- Weyerhaeuser vows appeal of alder case
- Vermont brewery buying Pyramid Breweries
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Propagate • \PROP-puh-gate\ • verb – 1: to reproduce or cause to reproduce biologically: multiply 2: to cause to spread: extend *3: to foster growing knowledge of, familiarity with, or acceptance of (as an idea or belief): publicize
Humming absently to himself, Seymour paid no attention to the little tag on his new plant that warned him that under no circumstances was he was to propagate the little fella. It wasn’t until he had coated the last of thirty cuttings with rooting hormone that his blood froze upon hearing the voice of the Four Tops’ Levi Stubbs crooning, “feed me Seymour.”
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Man charged in Seattle with cutting power line to avenge orca – was found March 15th inside an Orcas Power and Light substation with electrical burns on his arms and legs (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1367728~Man_charged_in_Seattle_with_cutting_power_line_to_avenge_orca.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Tri-City Electricity Rates Go Down While Americans Across the Country See Increases (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8247660
Montana – Public Service Commission approves NorthWestern Bonneville Power Administration rate rebate (The Missoulian)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/04/29/bnews//br21.txt
Alaska – Sudden energy crunch forces Juneau to conserve electricity (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gXRLVia5n3ktRrLRs3lKZ2PtopHgD90BMDC80
Grandview residents asked to OK utility tax increase, including tax on electricity (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/169727.html
Baltimore Gas & Electric bills to jump 8% this summer – Fuel prices boost electric rates, PSC reports (Baltimore Sun)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.power30apr30,0,3042300.story
Maryland – Constellation profit falls as energy worries hit home (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/04/28/daily24.html?ana=from_rss
Florida Power & Light earnings up on wind, nuclear projects (South Florida Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/04/28/daily27.html?ana=from_rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
News Advisory – Tribes and federal agencies POSTPONE signing Columbia River Basin agreements (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/200519/
Trapping protests rise after sea lion dies (The Associated Press, via Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004382161_sealion30m.html
Salmon shortage raises prices (Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/lifetravel/stories/DN-nf_inseason_0430liv.ART.State.Edition1.464d2d0.html
Costly catch – Fishing restrictions, fuel prices make wild salmon a luxury to save up for, savor (The Columbus Dispatch)
http://dispatch.com/live/content/food/stories/2008/04/30/5_SALMON_ART_04-30-08_E1_78A1HAM.html?sid=101
Native Canadians To Cut Consumption Of Sockeye Salmon Due To Expected Poor Harvest (AHN Media)
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010806819
Feds say bull trout to remain a threatened species (The Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP04292008news311070.cfm
Approved fishing opportunities – Here is a rundown on Columbia River salmon and other fishing opportunities approved recently by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission (Statesman Journal, Salem)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080430/OUTDOORS/804300448
Tacoma’s Titlow Park lagoons could be used to restore salmon (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/347151.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Congress Approves New Wild Sky Wilderness. (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3814
Oregon – Study will look at availability of Army Corps water – A $10,000 state grant could nudge the Eugene Water & Electric Board and several Lane County cities closer to a new, coveted water source: the melted snowpack stored in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoirs. (Eugene Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=97069&sid=4&fid=2
Though awash in water, Vermont set to protect springs – With Lake Champlain, snowy peaks, and 40 inches of rain a year, the Green Mountain State isn't exactly parched. But don't tell that to Annette Smith (Christian Science Monitor)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080429/ts_csm/avtwater
Idaho – Improving air quality won't be easy – DEQ officials are calling on Valley residents to take steps to help reduce air pollution (Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/364951.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Grays Harbor County PUD funding for Cosmopolis pulp mill power plant comes into focus (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/29/local_news/02news.txt
Ocean Shores residents hear Grays Harbor County wind turbine plan (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/29/local_news/09news.txt
Alaska Wind Power – Wind power is no stranger in Alaska, but Anchorage hasn't been in on the harvest. That could change very soon if Gov. Sarah Palin backs a plan to catch the wind just off the city's shores (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/389827.html
Is Desert Solar Power the Solution to Europe's Energy Crisis? (Der Spiegel Online)
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,550544,00.html
Federal tax break stalemate slows green movement – Continued congressional delays over extending tax breaks to solar, wind and other renewable-energy companies could threaten the clean-technology industry's growth and the jobs it creates (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9092452?source=rss
Energy Pulse Commentary – States Remain Renewables Policy Laboratory
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1724
Siphoning Off Corn to Fuel Our Cars – As farmers feed ethanol plants, a costly link is forged between food and oil (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/29/AR2008042903092.html?nav=rss_email/components
Canada – Second thoughts surface over biofuel – Is there enough agricultural capacity to grow food and fuel economically and environmentally? (The National Post)
http://www.nationalpost.com/newsletter/story.html?id=480495
Methane to power vehicles, not pollute air – Methane percolating out of the Altamont Landfill near Livermore could soon fuel the garbage trucks that dump trash at the site (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/30/BUTS10DSNP.DTL&feed=rss.business
CONSERVATION
News Release – BPA, Pacific Power, and Northwest Power and Conservation Council team up for conservation effort (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/200619/
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
To green the Capitol, lawmakers follow tech titans (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9930779-54.html?tag=nl.e433
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Grant County fears fiber 'rate shock' – With proposed fiber rate increases, Grant County's monthly Internet bill could skyrocket from $770 per month to $12,200 per month (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/04/29/news/news02.txt
Montana – Qwest offers $16 million bill reduction – Qwest Communications is offering a $16 million reduction in customers' bills to settle a complaint that it was overcharging Montana consumers (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1366612~Qwest_offers__16_million_bill_reduction.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines
Google's big stake in Yahoo drama – One of the biggest players behind Microsoft's drive to buy Yahoo has never been at the bargaining table – Google (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9103943?source=rss
Click! to add 16 new channels – The municipal cable service is adding 16 new channels to its lineup Wednesday – including 13 high-definition channels (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/business/2008/04/29/iron_chef_in_hd_click_to_add_16_new_chan
FCC Boss May Be In Hot Water – Leaked memo suggests looming hearing for Martin (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Boss-May-Be-In-Hot-Water-94017
As Broadband Growth Slows, Expect Speed Boosts (GigaOM)http://gigaom.com/2008/04/29/as-broadband-growth-slows-expect-speed-boosts/
Comcast increases Internet speeds for business customers (Philadelphia Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2008/04/28/daily15.html?ana=from_rss
Should Cable Companies Just Run Fiber? Cable engineers argue they've got enough bandwidth tricks up their sleeve to compete. Hardware vendors are trying to convince cable operators to run fiber deeper into their networks (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Should-Cable-Companies-Just-Run-Fiber-93988
GENERAL NEWS
TODDLER CRITICAL AFTER BEING FOUND IN A POOL – A 16-month-old boy is in critical condition at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle after being found floating face down in a pool at a home in the 800 block of South Sommers Drive. According to the Mason County Sheriff's Office, the toddler was reported missing about 4 PM Tuesday. He was outside with family members when he wandered off. When deputies arrived, family members had discovered the boy in the pool and were performing C-P-R. A board that blocked the staircase leading to the above-ground pool had been removed and was going to be replaced. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Washington gas prices hit another record (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/18407584.html
This is FASCINATING analysis – Why Are Gas Prices Soaring, and What Can U.S. Do? (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90060901&ft=1&f=3
Weyerhaeuser vows appeal of alder case – A Portland jury on Monday ordered Weyerhaeuser to pay almost $28 million for unlawfully monopolizing the market for finished alder lumber (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004381925_weyco30.html
Vermont brewery buying Pyramid Breweries (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/04/28/daily12.html?ana=from_rss
DIVERSIONS
Pink Floyd Connections NO! Inflatable pig lost during Coachella music festival is found
http://www.examiner.com/a-1367644~Inflatable_pig_lost_during_Coachella_music_festival_is_found.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
VolcanoCam Gnome In Over His Head – St. Helens Gnome now asking for hot chocolate
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/04302008news311491.cfm?newsletter=2
Police Puzzled By Deafening Blasts Of Noise, Flashing Lights
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16059336/detail.html
Newlyweds Jailed After Brawl At Hotel (we got pictures!)
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080429/newlyweds_brawl_080429/20080429?hub=World
Opponents carry injured hitter around the bases to ensure her first-ever home run – Central Washington players help a Western Oregon rival, hurt rounding the bases, to touch 'em all
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1209525916199200.xml&coll=7
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Energy News Digest for April 29, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Puget Sound Energy's rate increase under scrutiny – Groups fault new request by utility
- Montana – Highwood power plant group ousts Billings electric co-op
- Nation's Attorneys General Gather in Idaho for Energy Summit
- Wire theft case yields federal charges
- Wire thieves leave hazardous waste at Idaho campsites
- Oregon – Liquefied Natural Gas foes fear 'bait and switch' changes
- New York – Broadwater Will Ask U.S. to Authorize Gas Terminal
- Baltimore Sun Blog – Why deregulation is an electric-company bonanza
- Coal price hikes boost electric rates, more increases coming
- What's true, false about coal
- News Release – California ISO Issues 2008 Summer Assessment
- Wintry weather boosts Wisconsin Energy profit
- Five more sea lions trapped at Bonneville Dam
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Salmon decline is a wake-up call
- Condit Dam reservoir is fish hotspot
- Flying fish
- Drop that salmon! How to eat seafood ethically
- Shipper to pay for illegal ocean dumping
- Bainbridge Island Survey Shows Residents Concerned About Water
- Water raises concerns on Bainbridge, but is there a problem?
- Farmers fret over icy Oregon lakes
- In face of criticism, Oregon leaders stand by push for ethanol
- NW Biodiesel Producers Squeezed by Prices
- Biodiesel plants idled by rising soybean prices
- The Ethanol Cure's Side Effects
- Florida – Let solar power compete on cost
- Power struggle: Wind vs. sun hotly debated
- Paper Recycling—Is It Worth It? Landfills, recycling, and incineration
- Want a plug-in hybrid? Get in line for a battery
- Cold cash for an old fridge
- Creating a Methane-Free Cow
- FCC dealt setback in broadband-over-power-lines push
- Vietnam now has ‘Intel inside
- Metal thieves’ latest target has fire districts on high alert
- Port of Vancouver tries to force Alcoa to table
- Weyerhaeuser loses finished alder case; vows appeal
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Cognizable • \KAHG-nuh-zuh-bul\ • adjective – *1: capable of being judicially heard and determined 2: capable of being known
“Will our wholesale power rates go up,” asked the eager power supply manager at a public utility. “Difficult to say,” intoned the fortune teller at the local fair. “There’s no cognizable way to peer into the inner workings of THAT black box,” she droned…all the while demanding her $100 fee.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Puget Sound Energy's rate increase under scrutiny – Groups fault new request by utility (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/360963_pse29.html
Montana – Highwood power plant group ousts Billings electric co-op – The group trying to build Montana’s first major coal-burning power plant in more than a generation has removed a Billings-area electric cooperative from its ranks (Helena Independent Record)
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2008/04/29/top/65st_080429_coop.txt
Nation's Attorneys General Gather in Idaho for Energy Summit (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3810
Wire theft case yields federal charges – Three local men have been indicted federally in connection with the theft of more than 3,500 pounds of telephone wire from several locations in Cowlitz County (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/04/29//area_news/doc481667bd3d372301526285.txt
Wire thieves leave hazardous waste at Idaho campsites – A sharp increase has been reported in illegal burning of wire insulation on public lands throughout the West. (The Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/433097.html
Oregon – Liquefied Natural Gas foes fear 'bait and switch' changes – As federal regulators work to complete their final environmental review of the Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas terminal, LNG opponents argue several changes to the project plans are not being addressed. (The Daily Astorian)
http://www.dailyastorian.info/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=50879&TM=60029.62
New York – Broadwater Will Ask U.S. to Authorize Gas Terminal – An energy company will appeal to the Commerce Department in its bid to build the world’s first floating liquefied natural gas terminal in Long Island Sound (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/nyregion/29terminal.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Baltimore Sun Blog – Why deregulation is an electric-company bonanza
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/hancock/blog/2008/04/why_deregulation_is_an_electri.html
Coal price hikes boost electric rates, more increases coming (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hfCNnB9UPK_bnuqHRDjTjqotOQ4gD90B2H680
What's true, false about coal – Whether to build new coal-fired power plants in western Kansas has turned into one of the hottest political power struggles in decades (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjprqmmqUUnjt9K%22bfen%5Fv
News Release – California ISO Issues 2008 Summer Assessment (California ISO, via Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=88594
Wintry weather boosts Wisconsin Energy profit (The Business Journal of Milwaukee)
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/04/28/daily16.html?ana=from_rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
Five more sea lions trapped at Bonneville Dam (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/04/04292008_Five-more-sea-lions-trapped-at-Bonneville-Dam.cfm/
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Salmon decline is a wake-up call – It is hard to find the silver lining in a situation as dire as the collapse of wild salmon off the Oregon and California coasts
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/360943_salmon29.html
Condit Dam reservoir is fish hotspot (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/04/04282008_Condit-Dam-reservoir-is-fish-hotspot.cfm?newsletter=1
Condit Dam is on the removal list. Here’s a link to the Wikipedia listing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condit_Hydroelectric_Project
Flying fish – Doug Malone of Battle Ground on Sunday visited Lucia Falls on the East Fork of the Lewis River and came away with photos of fish forging their way up the waterfall (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/04292008news310753.cfm/
Drop that salmon! With the days of indiscriminate fish consumption long gone, food writer Taras Grescoe explains how to eat seafood ethically (Salon Online)
http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2008/04/29/bottomfeeder/index.html?source=rss
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Shipper to pay for illegal ocean dumping (The Oregonian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1365159~Shipper_to_pay_for_illegal_ocean_dumping.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Bainbridge Island Survey Shows Residents Concerned About Water (Kitsap Sun)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/25/bi-survey-shows-residents-concerned-about-water/
Water raises concerns on Bainbridge, but is there a problem? Ensuring that Bainbridge Island has an adequate water supply came out as the top concern among all the issues that worry island residents, according to a yet-to-be-released survey (Kitsap Sun)
http://blogs.kitsapsun.com/kitsap/waterways/archive/2008/04/water_raises_concerns_on_bainb.html
Farmers fret over icy Oregon lakes – Anglers also face trials from lack of snowmelt in higher elevations (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1209174909105040.xml&coll=7
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
In face of criticism, Oregon leaders stand by push for ethanol – As food prices rise, ethanol's consumption of corn comes in for scrutiny (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1209345914235720.xml&coll=7
NW Biodiesel Producers Squeezed by Prices – Alternative fuel prices rising nearly as fast as fossil fuels (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3804
Biodiesel plants idled by rising soybean prices – The rising price of soybeans is putting the squeeze on biodiesel producers, leading some to close down operations. (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9930000-54.html?tag=nl.e433
The Ethanol Cure's Side Effects (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/28/AR2008042802401.html?nav=rss_business
Florida – Let solar power compete on cost – Some have advocated that developers of solar energy be allowed to jump to the head of the line and take 3 percent of the state's energy sales without regard to cost (Tallahassee Democrat)
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080428/OPINION05/804280306/1006/OPINION
Power struggle: Wind vs. sun hotly debated (Arkansas Democrat Gazette)
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Business/224176/
Paper Recycling—Is It Worth It? Landfills, recycling, and incineration. (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2190164/?from=rss
Want a plug-in hybrid? Get in line for a battery (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9930421-54.html?tag=nl.e703
CONSERVATION
Cold cash for an old fridge (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080429/NEWS01/302614421/-1/news01
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Creating a Methane-Free Cow – By now we all know that cows produce methane when they digest grass, and that methane is a big contributor to global warming. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90031367
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
FCC dealt setback in broadband-over-power-lines push (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9930223-7.html?tag=nl.e433
Vietnam now has ‘Intel inside – Intel’s billion-dollar Vietnam bet along the Hanoi Highway – its biggest semiconductor manufacturing plant ever – is rising up from the flatlands of former rice fields (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/347241.html
GENERAL NEWS
Metal thieves’ latest target has fire districts on high alert (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/04/04292008_Metal-thieves-latest-target-has-fire-districts-on-high-alert.cfm/
Port of Vancouver tries to force Alcoa to table – The Port of Vancouver is asking a judge to force Alcoa Inc. to arbitration as the local agency tries to close on the purchase of Alcoa property in the Vancouver Lake lowlands near the Columbia River (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2008/04/04292008_Port-tries-to-force-Alcoa-to-table.cfm/
Weyerhaeuser loses finished alder case; vows appeal (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1365200~Weyerhaeuser_loses_finished_alder_case__vows_appeal.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
DIVERSIONS
Losing weight, 300-Pound Inmate Complains Jail Doesn't Feed Him Well
http://www.kirotv.com/health/16034180/detail.html
So, you don't like the color, right? Government official dismantles $268,000 sculpture over color
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2931874320080429?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
People urged to chip in for hydroelectric project
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL2955933420080429?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Want Lower Gas Prices? Man Says Try Prayer
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16032135/detail.html
Dude! Like, Those Ads Live Forever
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/arts/television/27itzk.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Puget Sound Energy's rate increase under scrutiny – Groups fault new request by utility
- Montana – Highwood power plant group ousts Billings electric co-op
- Nation's Attorneys General Gather in Idaho for Energy Summit
- Wire theft case yields federal charges
- Wire thieves leave hazardous waste at Idaho campsites
- Oregon – Liquefied Natural Gas foes fear 'bait and switch' changes
- New York – Broadwater Will Ask U.S. to Authorize Gas Terminal
- Baltimore Sun Blog – Why deregulation is an electric-company bonanza
- Coal price hikes boost electric rates, more increases coming
- What's true, false about coal
- News Release – California ISO Issues 2008 Summer Assessment
- Wintry weather boosts Wisconsin Energy profit
- Five more sea lions trapped at Bonneville Dam
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Salmon decline is a wake-up call
- Condit Dam reservoir is fish hotspot
- Flying fish
- Drop that salmon! How to eat seafood ethically
- Shipper to pay for illegal ocean dumping
- Bainbridge Island Survey Shows Residents Concerned About Water
- Water raises concerns on Bainbridge, but is there a problem?
- Farmers fret over icy Oregon lakes
- In face of criticism, Oregon leaders stand by push for ethanol
- NW Biodiesel Producers Squeezed by Prices
- Biodiesel plants idled by rising soybean prices
- The Ethanol Cure's Side Effects
- Florida – Let solar power compete on cost
- Power struggle: Wind vs. sun hotly debated
- Paper Recycling—Is It Worth It? Landfills, recycling, and incineration
- Want a plug-in hybrid? Get in line for a battery
- Cold cash for an old fridge
- Creating a Methane-Free Cow
- FCC dealt setback in broadband-over-power-lines push
- Vietnam now has ‘Intel inside
- Metal thieves’ latest target has fire districts on high alert
- Port of Vancouver tries to force Alcoa to table
- Weyerhaeuser loses finished alder case; vows appeal
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Cognizable • \KAHG-nuh-zuh-bul\ • adjective – *1: capable of being judicially heard and determined 2: capable of being known
“Will our wholesale power rates go up,” asked the eager power supply manager at a public utility. “Difficult to say,” intoned the fortune teller at the local fair. “There’s no cognizable way to peer into the inner workings of THAT black box,” she droned…all the while demanding her $100 fee.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Puget Sound Energy's rate increase under scrutiny – Groups fault new request by utility (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/360963_pse29.html
Montana – Highwood power plant group ousts Billings electric co-op – The group trying to build Montana’s first major coal-burning power plant in more than a generation has removed a Billings-area electric cooperative from its ranks (Helena Independent Record)
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2008/04/29/top/65st_080429_coop.txt
Nation's Attorneys General Gather in Idaho for Energy Summit (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3810
Wire theft case yields federal charges – Three local men have been indicted federally in connection with the theft of more than 3,500 pounds of telephone wire from several locations in Cowlitz County (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/04/29//area_news/doc481667bd3d372301526285.txt
Wire thieves leave hazardous waste at Idaho campsites – A sharp increase has been reported in illegal burning of wire insulation on public lands throughout the West. (The Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/433097.html
Oregon – Liquefied Natural Gas foes fear 'bait and switch' changes – As federal regulators work to complete their final environmental review of the Bradwood Landing liquefied natural gas terminal, LNG opponents argue several changes to the project plans are not being addressed. (The Daily Astorian)
http://www.dailyastorian.info/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=50879&TM=60029.62
New York – Broadwater Will Ask U.S. to Authorize Gas Terminal – An energy company will appeal to the Commerce Department in its bid to build the world’s first floating liquefied natural gas terminal in Long Island Sound (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/nyregion/29terminal.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Baltimore Sun Blog – Why deregulation is an electric-company bonanza
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/hancock/blog/2008/04/why_deregulation_is_an_electri.html
Coal price hikes boost electric rates, more increases coming (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hfCNnB9UPK_bnuqHRDjTjqotOQ4gD90B2H680
What's true, false about coal – Whether to build new coal-fired power plants in western Kansas has turned into one of the hottest political power struggles in decades (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjprqmmqUUnjt9K%22bfen%5Fv
News Release – California ISO Issues 2008 Summer Assessment (California ISO, via Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=88594
Wintry weather boosts Wisconsin Energy profit (The Business Journal of Milwaukee)
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/04/28/daily16.html?ana=from_rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
Five more sea lions trapped at Bonneville Dam (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/04/04292008_Five-more-sea-lions-trapped-at-Bonneville-Dam.cfm/
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Salmon decline is a wake-up call – It is hard to find the silver lining in a situation as dire as the collapse of wild salmon off the Oregon and California coasts
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/360943_salmon29.html
Condit Dam reservoir is fish hotspot (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/04/04282008_Condit-Dam-reservoir-is-fish-hotspot.cfm?newsletter=1
Condit Dam is on the removal list. Here’s a link to the Wikipedia listing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condit_Hydroelectric_Project
Flying fish – Doug Malone of Battle Ground on Sunday visited Lucia Falls on the East Fork of the Lewis River and came away with photos of fish forging their way up the waterfall (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/04292008news310753.cfm/
Drop that salmon! With the days of indiscriminate fish consumption long gone, food writer Taras Grescoe explains how to eat seafood ethically (Salon Online)
http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2008/04/29/bottomfeeder/index.html?source=rss
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Shipper to pay for illegal ocean dumping (The Oregonian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1365159~Shipper_to_pay_for_illegal_ocean_dumping.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Bainbridge Island Survey Shows Residents Concerned About Water (Kitsap Sun)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/25/bi-survey-shows-residents-concerned-about-water/
Water raises concerns on Bainbridge, but is there a problem? Ensuring that Bainbridge Island has an adequate water supply came out as the top concern among all the issues that worry island residents, according to a yet-to-be-released survey (Kitsap Sun)
http://blogs.kitsapsun.com/kitsap/waterways/archive/2008/04/water_raises_concerns_on_bainb.html
Farmers fret over icy Oregon lakes – Anglers also face trials from lack of snowmelt in higher elevations (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1209174909105040.xml&coll=7
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
In face of criticism, Oregon leaders stand by push for ethanol – As food prices rise, ethanol's consumption of corn comes in for scrutiny (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1209345914235720.xml&coll=7
NW Biodiesel Producers Squeezed by Prices – Alternative fuel prices rising nearly as fast as fossil fuels (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3804
Biodiesel plants idled by rising soybean prices – The rising price of soybeans is putting the squeeze on biodiesel producers, leading some to close down operations. (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9930000-54.html?tag=nl.e433
The Ethanol Cure's Side Effects (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/28/AR2008042802401.html?nav=rss_business
Florida – Let solar power compete on cost – Some have advocated that developers of solar energy be allowed to jump to the head of the line and take 3 percent of the state's energy sales without regard to cost (Tallahassee Democrat)
http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080428/OPINION05/804280306/1006/OPINION
Power struggle: Wind vs. sun hotly debated (Arkansas Democrat Gazette)
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Business/224176/
Paper Recycling—Is It Worth It? Landfills, recycling, and incineration. (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2190164/?from=rss
Want a plug-in hybrid? Get in line for a battery (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9930421-54.html?tag=nl.e703
CONSERVATION
Cold cash for an old fridge (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080429/NEWS01/302614421/-1/news01
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Creating a Methane-Free Cow – By now we all know that cows produce methane when they digest grass, and that methane is a big contributor to global warming. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90031367
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
FCC dealt setback in broadband-over-power-lines push (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9930223-7.html?tag=nl.e433
Vietnam now has ‘Intel inside – Intel’s billion-dollar Vietnam bet along the Hanoi Highway – its biggest semiconductor manufacturing plant ever – is rising up from the flatlands of former rice fields (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/347241.html
GENERAL NEWS
Metal thieves’ latest target has fire districts on high alert (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/04/04292008_Metal-thieves-latest-target-has-fire-districts-on-high-alert.cfm/
Port of Vancouver tries to force Alcoa to table – The Port of Vancouver is asking a judge to force Alcoa Inc. to arbitration as the local agency tries to close on the purchase of Alcoa property in the Vancouver Lake lowlands near the Columbia River (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2008/04/04292008_Port-tries-to-force-Alcoa-to-table.cfm/
Weyerhaeuser loses finished alder case; vows appeal (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1365200~Weyerhaeuser_loses_finished_alder_case__vows_appeal.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
DIVERSIONS
Losing weight, 300-Pound Inmate Complains Jail Doesn't Feed Him Well
http://www.kirotv.com/health/16034180/detail.html
So, you don't like the color, right? Government official dismantles $268,000 sculpture over color
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2931874320080429?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
People urged to chip in for hydroelectric project
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL2955933420080429?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Want Lower Gas Prices? Man Says Try Prayer
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16032135/detail.html
Dude! Like, Those Ads Live Forever
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/arts/television/27itzk.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
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