Energy News Digest for February 12, 2009

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.

The News Digest Is Also Available At The Following Web Site:

http://www.energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

-  BPA asks for rate hike; review in March

-  Mason PUD 3 Would Be Hit by Bonneville Rate Hike

-  Power rate hike could affect Clark County

-  Lewis County Power Bills Go Up as BPA Plans First Rate Hike in Six Years

-  Senator Cantwell to Lead Senate Energy And Natural Resources Subcommittee

-  Florida - Electrocuted Lineman Reportedly Violated "Hot Glove" Safety Rule

-  Maryland - State Orders Utilities to Account For Spike In Energy Bill Rates

-  Bumper Crop of Idaho Salmon This Year?

-  States agree on Columbia salmon season

-  Bill Would Make It Easier To Trap Moles

-  Agency Considers New Comments on Threatened Marbled Murrelet

-  Texas Ranchers and Farmers Struggle in Drought

-  Daily News Editorial - Time to tweak state's renewable energy law

-  Vestas may cut jobs, despite increased earnings

-  Oakland's BrightSource Energy Signs 'World's Largest' Solar

-  Lane County farms install PV solar systems

-  Ethanol, Just Recently a Savior, Is

-  Orlando Sentinel Op/Ed - Science Of Global Warming Doesn't Support The Hype

-  Antarctic Ice Causing Some to

-  Oregon Governor Creates Team to Guide Green Spending

-  Big Science Role Is Seen in Global Warming Cure

-  Oil Industry Ready to Work on Global Warming

-  Broadband Program Oversight Questioned

-  Farm Census Data Gives Insight Into Rural

-  Twitter? It’s What You Make It

-  Congressman's Twittering Raises Security Concerns

-  Still Waiting For Expected Charter

-  Congress, White House Agree On $790B Stimulus Bill

-  Details of a Trimmer Stimulus Emerge

-  Tip Leads To Overpayments & Conflict Of Interest at Port Of

-  Tree Falls On Excavator Operator

-  NM Chamber Recognizes Outstanding Citizens

These And Links to More Stories in Today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Slumgullion • \SLUM-gull-yun\ • noun - A meat stew

“Plop!” went the lump of mystery meat slumgullion into Barty’s wooden bowl. “What wentg into this? He asked the slovenly server. “You don’t want to know,” she snarled, a drop of spittle flying onto the mucky mess.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

BPA asks for rate hike; review in March (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/02/bpa_asks_for_rate_hike_review.html

Mason PUD 3 Would Be Hit by Bonneville Rate Hike (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/feb/11/mason-pud-would-be-hit-by-bonneville-rate-hike/

Power rate hike could affect Clark County (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/article/20090211/BLOGS02/902119983

Lewis County Power Bills Go Up as BPA Plans First Rate Hike in Six Years (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?Local-Power-Bills-Go-Up-as-BPA-Plans-Fir=1&blockID=39600&feedID=410

Senator Cantwell to Lead Senate Energy And Natural Resources Subcommittee (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/755868.html

Florida - Electrocuted Lineman Reportedly Violated "Hot Glove" Safety Rule (Ocala Star Banner, FL)

http://www.ocala.com/article/20090211/ARTICLES/902110283/1001/News01?Title=Electrocuted_lineman_reportedly_violated__hot_glove__safety_rule

Maryland - State Orders Utilities to Account For Spike In Energy Bill Rates (Baltimore Sun, MD)

http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-psc0211,0,3347727.story

FISH & WILDLIFE

Bumper Crop of Idaho Salmon This Year? Up to 127,000 Chinook may be bound for the Salmon and Clearwater rivers (The Mountain Express, Sun Valley, ID)

http://www.mtexpress.com/vu_breaking_story.php?bid=6720

States agree on Columbia salmon season (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/756220.html

Bill Would Make It Easier To Trap Moles (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)

http://columbian.com/article/20090211/NEWS02/702129981/

Agency Considers New Comments on Threatened Marbled Murrelet (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/755680.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Texas Ranchers and Farmers Struggle in Drought (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/us/12drought.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Daily News Editorial - Time to tweak state's renewable energy law

http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/02/12/editorial/doc499348abd3e86766764848.txt

Vestas may cut jobs, despite increased earnings (Portland Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/02/09/daily39.html?ana=from_rss

Oakland's BrightSource Energy Signs 'World's Largest' Solar Deal with Southern California Utility (San Jose Mercury News)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11679524

Lane County farms install PV solar systems (KVAL-TV, Eugene, OR)

http://www.kval.com/news/local/39468852.html

Ethanol, Just Recently a Savior, Is Struggling (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/business/12ethanol.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Orlando Sentinel Op/Ed - Science Of Global Warming Doesn't Support The Hype

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/tuesday/localandstate/orl-miket1009feb10,0,7016747.column

Antarctic Ice Causing Some to Wonder - Controversial opinions continue about the antarctic ice sheet as the climate is warming (MSNBC)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=9834307

Oregon Governor Creates Team to Guide Green Spending (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/4251-gov-kulongoski-creates-team-guide-green-spending/

Big Science Role Is Seen in Global Warming Cure (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/us/politics/12chu.html

Oil Industry Ready to Work on Global Warming (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/science/earth/12oil.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Broadband Program Oversight Questioned - USDA Would Manage Rural Internet Funds (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/11/AR2009021103832.html

Farm Census Data Gives Insight Into Rural Broadband - 33% of Farms Have Broadband Connections (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Farm-Census-Data-Gives-Insight-Into-Rural-Broadband-100822

Twitter? It’s What You Make It (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/technology/personaltech/12pogue.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Congressman's Twittering Raises Security Concerns (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11680013

Still Waiting For Expected Charter Bankruptcy - Moody's again downgrades stock on missed interest payment (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Still-Waiting-For-Expected-Charter-Bankruptcy-100833

GENERAL NEWS

Congress, White House Agree On $790B Stimulus Bill (Associated Press)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090212/ap_on_go_co/congress_stimulus_390

Details of a Trimmer Stimulus Emerge (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/us/politics/13stimulus-web.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Tip Leads To Overpayments & Conflict Of Interest at Port Of Hoodsport (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6366/reftab/1632/t/TIP-LEADS-TO-OVERPAYMENTS--CONFLICT-OF-INTEREST-AT-PORT-OF-HOODSPORT/Default.aspx

Tree Falls On Excavator Operator (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_021109WAB-tree-falls-on-bulldozer-TP.8014f17.html

NM Chamber Recognizes Outstanding Citizens, Business (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/feb/04/nm-chamber-recognizes-outstanding-citizens-busines/?partner=RSS

DIVERSIONS

United Sets Woman's Luggage on Fire

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-tue-problem-0210-feb10-2,0,7331900.column

Seattle Fans Make Trip to Boo Thunder

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=134037

4-Year-Old behind Wheel as Car Hits Storefront

http://www.kirotv.com/news/18700484/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Reunion - Life Is a Rock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16kh-AP4OCU

Energy News Digest for February 11, 2009

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)

- News Release - BPA Proposes First Rate Increase In Six Years
- Stimulus Money: Hanford to Get Big Boost From Bailout
- Settlement Reached On Spokane River Dams Dispute
- PUD 3 workers Chain Up for February Snowstorm
- Grant County PUD Asks Attorney to Reapply for Job
- TransAlta Profit Falls on Reduced Output
- Arkansas Power Users Asked To Back Higher Rate
- Northwest Power Council Approves Columbia River Management Plan
- Klamath dam removal bill clears senate committee
- Oregon - No Spring Chinook Season On the Deschutes
- Less Water, More Heat Forecast For State
- Free E-Cycling Off To Strong Start in Northwest
- BC Company Withdraws From Makah Wave-Power Project
- Riding the tide - Is tidal energy a possibility in Puget Sound?
- Kitsap Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Work Quietly Continues
- Solar Energy 'Power Towers' To Light up California
- California - Wind Farm Approved Southwest Of Lompoc
- Study: Ethanol Production Could Boom By 2030
- Puget Sound Energy Rebates Helping Customers Save Money
- ‘Smart’ Streetlights Hit the Streets
- Report: Climate Change to Wallop State
- Can Technology Save Us From Climate Change?
- How the Stimulus Package Fails Rural Broadband
- Technology’s Fingerprints on the Stimulus Package
- Intel's $7 Billion Plan Could Benefit Clark County
- Southwest Tests Airborne Internet Access
- 500 TV Stations Still Plan to Make Digital Switch Next Week
- Twitter may charge companies that 'tweet'
- Senate Approves Stimulus and Begins Intense Talks
- Labor and Industries Computer Code Cost State Millions
- Seattle Police Chief to Become Nation's Drug Czar
- U.S. Postal Service Raising Rates
- Washington AG office warns of scammers targeting Hispanics
- Muzak Files for Bankruptcy Protection
- Thousands of Congressional Reports Now Available Online

These And Links to More Stories in Today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Lexical • \LEK-sih-kul\ • adjective - 1: of or relating to words or the vocabulary of a language as distinguished from its grammar and construction 2: of or relating to a lexicon or to lexicography

Sweat poured off the dumbstruck spelling bee contestant. He had aced every lexical challenge presented in the first five rounds. Not to mix metaphors, but his Achilles’ heel reared its ugly head when the judge asked him to spell the word “receive”. For some reason, the “I before E, except after C” rule had never nestled itself into his consciousness…it had always lurked in the darkness, just beyond the reach of his thoughts. Needless to say, he was bounced from the competition.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

News Release - BPA Proposes First Rate Increase in Six Years (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/253538/

Stimulus Money: Hanford to Get Big Boost From Bailout (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/474625.html

Settlement Reached On Spokane River Dams Dispute (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008730302_webdams10.html?syndication=rss

PUD 3 workers Chain Up for February Snowstorm (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/photos/galleries/2009/feb/10/february-snowstorm/2984/

Grant County PUD asks attorney to reapply for job - Foianini believes some commissioners trying to replace him (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/02/10/news/doc4991ac621372b901398116.txt

TransAlta Profit Falls on Reduced Output (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?TransAlta-Profit-Falls-on-Reduced-Output=1&blockID=39433&feedID=410

Arkansas Power Users Asked To Back Higher Rate - Southwestern Electric Power customers will find a direct mail appeal asking their support of a sizable rate-increase request (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette – Now THAT’S chutzpah!)
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Business/252012/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Northwest Power Council Approves Columbia River Management Plan (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008730503_webcolumbiaplan10.html?syndication=rss

Klamath Dam Removal Bill Clears Senate Committee (The Oregonian, Portland, WA)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/02/klamath_dam_removal_bill_clear.html

Oregon - No Spring Chinook Season On the Deschutes (The Oregonian, Portland, WA)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/02/no_spring_chinook_season_on_th.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Less Water, More Heat Forecast For State - Report Details Climate Change in Washington (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/399586_climate11.html

Free E-Cycling Off To Strong Start in Northwest (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/755062.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY

BC Company Withdraws From Makah Wave-Power Project (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1845745~BC_company_withdraws_from_Makah_wave_power_project.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

Riding The Tide - Is Tidal Energy A Possibility In Puget Sound? (Grist Magazine)
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2009/2/10/145023/460

No Green Light, but Kitsap Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Work Quietly Continues (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/feb/10/no-green-light-but-seed-work-continues/?partner=RSS

Solar Energy 'Power Towers' To Light up California (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10161348-54.html

California - Wind Farm Approved Southwest Of Lompoc (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1845454~Wind_farm_approved_southwest_of_Lompoc.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Study: Ethanol Production Could Boom By 2030 (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11675631

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Puget Sound Energy Rebates Helping Customers Save Money (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_021109WAB-pse-rebates-LJ.6852fbb.html

‘Smart’ Streetlights Hit the Streets (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/smart-streetlights-hit-the-streets/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Report: Climate Change to Wallop State - A warmer, drier Washington could mean less hydropower and more air conditioners in summer, bigger forest fires and more drought (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008731012_climate11m.html

Can Technology Save Us From Climate Change? (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/2009/feb/Can-Technology-Save-Us-From-Climate-Change-.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

How the Stimulus Package Fails Rural Broadband (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/02/10/how-the-stimulus-package-fails-rural-broadband/

Technology’s Fingerprints on the Stimulus Package (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/technology/11corporate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Intel's $7 Billion Plan Could Benefit Clark County (Associated Press) http://columbian.com/article/20090210/BIZ01/702119981/-1/BIZ

Southwest Tests Airborne Internet Access (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/02/09/daily14.html?ana=from_rss

500 TV Stations Still Plan to Make Digital Switch Next Week (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/10/AR2009021002473.html?wprss=rss_technology

Twitter May Charge Companies That 'Tweet' (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10161103-93.html?tag=nl.e703

GENERAL NEWS

Senate Approves Stimulus and Begins Intense Talks (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/us/politics/11obama.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Labor And Industries Computer Code Cost State Millions - Duplication resulted in overpayments to "Retro" programs (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/754973.html

Seattle Police Chief to Become Nation's Drug Czar (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008732707_webkerlliskowske11m.html?syndication=rss

U.S. Postal Service Raising Rates (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/02/09/daily27.html?ana=from_rss

Washington AG Office Warns Of Scammers Targeting Hispanics (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/02/09/daily19.html?ana=from_rss

Muzak Files for Bankruptcy Protection (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008729813_webmuzak10.html?syndication=rss

Thousands of Congressional Reports Now Available Online (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/11/AR2009021101388.html?wprss=rss_technology

DIVERSIONS

Damaged Wind Turbine: It Wasn’t Aliens
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/damaged-wind-turbine-it-wasnt-aliens/

Man Returns Hidden Treasure To Rightful Heir
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/39433887.html

Pot Fans Smoking Mad At Kellogg
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090211/BIZ/702119852/-1/RSS03

Understatement Of The Decade - Octuplets' Mom “No One Can Care For 14 Kids Alone”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/02/10/national/a203839S94.DTL&feed=rss.news

SONG OF THE DAY

Hound Dog – Big Mamma Thornton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XUAg1_A7IE

Energy News Digest for February 10, 2009

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)

- Hanford Nuclear Power Plant Goes Off Line
- Bogus Caller Threatens To Cut Off Tacoma Utilities
- Residential Electric Price Offers Falling in Texas; Consumers Support Competition
- State Fining Enumclaw Over Natural Gas Lines
- Columbia Salmon Plan Goes Before Judge for Third Try
- Coho, Chinook in 'Dramatic' Decline - But pink salmon survival rising in B.C.
- Fishery Managers to Discuss Spring Chinook Season At Longview Meeting
- BPA Media Advisory - Improved juvenile fish passage on its way to Little Goose Dam
- British Columbia Loses Salmon Farm Jurisdiction
- Meeting Set for Plan to Use Dolphins, Sea Lions to Protect Bangor
- Low Snowpack Indicates Water Shortages
- Snohomish County PUD Extends Its Green Power Goals
- Grays Harbor County PUD Wants To Study Harnessing The Power Of The Tides
- Hoquiam Endorses Grays Harbor Tidal Power Proposal
- Wind Power Jobs Are Abundant, But Training Is Scarce
- Port Of Quincy Working with Ammonia Company
- An Ambitious Vision for Upscaling Wind Transmission
- Up to $80 Billion to Transmit Wind Power From Midwest to Northeast
- NY Times Op/Ed - Plugging in the Postal Service
- Michigan - Utility Companies Race To Meet Energy Reduction Plan Deadline
- Tips to Cut Back on Energy Costs
- Legislator Wants Utah Out Of Climate Group
- Birds Seem To Be Heading Farther North Because Of Climate Change
- Belfast Environment Chief Bans Climate Change Ads
- Chelan PUD Will Delay Fiber Build-Out To Save Money
- Qwest Cut 1,700 Jobs
- We Still Need Better Broadband Data
- Winter Storm Warning In Effect for the Hood Canal Area
- Senate Passes $819 Billion Economic Stimulus Bill
- Timber Projections Worst on Record
- Northwest Soldier's Electrocution Death under Investigation
- Video of Near Misses Is Latest Attempt to Eliminate Rail Crossing Incidents

These And Links to More Stories in Today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Anecdote • \AN-ik-doht\ • noun - A usually short narrative of an interesting, amusing, or biographical incident

The mad scientist drummed his fingers together with glee after injecting his unfortunate subject with the thick viscous fluid that was intended to induce invisibility. “So, while we wait for the compound to take effect, let me tell you an amusing anecdote about the antidote that I’ve whipped up for this experiment…..There is none!” guffawed the wizened scientist.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Hanford Nuclear Power Plant Goes Off Line (Associated Press)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/399358_nuclear10.html

Bogus Caller Threatens To Cut Off Tacoma Utilities (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/622127.html

News Whiz - Residential Electric Price Offers Falling in Texas; Consumers Support Competition (Electric Energy Online - This, after yesterday’s hatchet job on competition pitfalls in the Houston Chronicle…ugh!)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&id=104921

State Fining Enumclaw Over Natural Gas Lines (Associated Press)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/39378642.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia Salmon Plan Goes Before Judge for Third Try (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008727079_redden10m.html

Coho, Chinook in 'Dramatic' Decline - But pink salmon survival rising in B.C. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/399429_sound10.html

Fishery Managers to Discuss Spring Chinook Season At Longview Meeting (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/02/09/area_news/doc4990d67689155280223747.txt

BPA Media Advisory - Improved juvenile fish passage on its way to Little Goose Dam: Nearly 150 ton structure made in the Northwest, for the Northwest (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/253222/

British Columbia Loses Salmon Farm Jurisdiction - Provincial supreme court rules the province has been improperly regulating industry (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=960d484a-eabd-49c4-b988-aa20c962b071

Meeting Set for Plan to Use Dolphins, Sea Lions to Protect Bangor (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/feb/09/meeting-set-for-plan-to-use-dolphins-sea-lions/?partner=RSS

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Low Snowpack Indicates Water Shortages (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1843739~Low_snowpack_indicates_water_shortages.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Snohomish County PUD Extends Its Green Power Goals (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090210/NEWS01/702109927

Grays Harbor County PUD Wants To Study Harnessing The Power Of The Tides (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/02/10/local_news/04news.txt

Hoquiam Endorses Grays Harbor Tidal Power Proposal (The Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/754302.html

Wind Power Jobs Are Abundant, But Training Is Scarce (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/02/wind_power_jobs_are_abundant_b.html

Port Of Quincy Working with Ammonia Company - Touted As a Renewable Energy Source (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/02/09/news/doc49906590a7d8e533084974.txt

An Ambitious Vision for Upscaling Wind Transmission (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/an-ambitious-vision-for-upscaling-wind-transmission/

Up to $80 Billion to Transmit Wind Power From Midwest to Northeast (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/up-to-80-billion-to-transmit-wind-power-from-midwest-to-northeast/

NY Times Op/Ed - Plugging in the Postal Service
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/opinion/10goldway.html?ref=opinion

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Michigan - Utility Companies Race To Meet Energy Reduction Plan Deadline (Holland Sentinel, MI)
http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/x494344774/Utility-companies-race-to-meet-energy-reduction-plan-deadline

Tips to Cut Back on Energy Costs (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=9816155

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Legislator Wants Utah Out Of Climate Group (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11671541

Birds Seem To Be Heading Farther North Because Of Climate Change (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/399450_birds10.html

Belfast Environment Chief Bans Climate Change Ads “…denounced their energy-saving message as "insidious propaganda…" (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gLGWEN2UDT8NdPesYuBZo299PjDQD96887900

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Chelan PUD Will Delay Fiber Build-Out To Save Money (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090209/NEWS04/902090282/1001

Qwest Cut 1,700 Jobs - As carrier struggles with continued landline losses (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Qwest-Cut-1700-Jobs-100777

We Still Need Better Broadband Data - Investment bills once again fail to map coverage gaps
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/We-Still-Need-Better-Broadband-Data-100775

GENERAL NEWS

Winter Storm Warning In Effect for the Hood Canal Area (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6343/reftab/1632/t/WINTER-STORM-WARNING-IN-EFFECT-FOR-THE-HOOD-CANAL-AREA/Default.aspx

Senate Passes $819 Billion Economic Stimulus Bill (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/10/AR2009021001397.html?wprss=rss_business

Timber Projections Worst on Record (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090210/news/302109993

Northwest Soldier's Electrocution Death under Investigation (Associated Press)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/39363497.html

Video of Near Misses Is Latest Attempt to Eliminate Rail Crossing Incidents (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/2009/feb/Video-of-Near-Misses-Tries-to-Contain-the-Number-of-Rail-Incidents-.html

DIVERSIONS

The Claim: Never Blow Your Nose When You Have a Cold
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/health/10real.html

Man Calls 911 after Clerk Refuses To Sell Beer
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090209/ap_on_fe_st/odd911_call_beer;_ylt=AvYLyb5eseCBmOpaVqg5ihDtiBIF

Man Accused of Hiding Pot in Babies' Diapers
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090209/ap_on_fe_st/odd_diapers_marijuana;_ylt=AmYkh8wVIHrXfPXMlmN16grtiBIF

Police Find 22 Dogs in Station Wagon With Owner
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090210/ap_on_fe_st/odd_dogs_in_car;_ylt=AmnWoy9vOeTXM5N6HdVyMcPtiBIF

SONG OF THE DAY

Kokomo - The Beach Boys (Cocktail Soundtrack)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIWgaqKgqhg&feature=PlayList&p=1D60D828664B7606&playnext=1&index=66

Energy News Digest for February 9, 2009

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 Energy's $7.4 Billion Sale Completed
- Anderson Island Residents Urged To Go Easy On Power
- Everett Herald Editorial - Snohomish PUD Plots a Prudent Course on Power Rates
- Oregon Energy Council to Hold First Meeting
- Report Says Texas Electricity Rate Soar
- Hurdles (Not Financial Ones) Await Electric Grid Update
- Maine - Power Grid Expansion in Northern Maine for Big Wind Farm Put On Ice
- Congressional Research Reports - Energy Policy Act of 2005
- Second Natural-Gas Pipeline Sought Along Columbia River
- New York City - How Long to Fix a Streetlight? 12 Months, if you’re Persistent
- Early Portion of Chinook Season Could Be Adopted
- Post-Dam Analysis – Oregon’s Coal Creek Rebirth: Just Add Explosives
- Skokomish Projects to be Discussed This Week
- Gauging Health of Puget Sound
- Skagit County PUD Water Fluoridation May Not Happen At All
- Study Pinpoints West's Windy, Sunny Resource Areas
- Engineers from Ireland Tapped For Oregon Wave Study
- The Promise and Peril of the 'Clean-Energy Economy'
- Feed-In Tariffs Contemplated in the U.S.
- Turning Livestock Waste Into Energy Can Save The Farm And Save The Planet
- Why Obama’s Energy Savings Estimate May Be Skewed
- Energy Efficient Decorative Lights OK'd For New Narrows Bridge
- Is Your Clothesline Illegal?
- How to Stash Carbon Dioxide: Turn It into Stone
- Grays Harbor County: Impacts Of Warming Will Hit Here
- Microsoft Wants to Help Companies Gauge Their Greenness
- Calling All Cherry Pickers: Internet Tax Credit Boost Proposed By Senator
- Broadband Stimulus Bill Gets Smaller
- Not Everyone Is Cheering as Wi-Fi Takes to the Air
- North Carolina - City’s Wi-Fi Network Grows with Business Investment
- Pulling the Plug on Wi-Fi Bandits
- Billions in Stimulus Funds Sought For Washington's Needs
- Library System with Branch in Belfair Considering Its Options
- When Storms Strike Home, Preparedness Really Pays Off
- Shelton Fifth At State Bowling Tournament
- Be Heard By Improving E-Mail Communication

These And Links to More Stories in Today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Kinesics • \kuh-NEE-siks\ • noun - A systematic study of the relationship between nonlinguistic body motions (as blushes, shrugs, or eye movement) and communication

The dumbstruck kinesiologist was at a loss to interpret the complex mating dance of the love struck office workers on the second floor of the newly built finance center. At first it appeared that they were dancing 1965 craze “The Freddie”, but upon further review, she came to the conclusion that the copy repairman had a crush on one of the pool stenographers.

Do the Freddie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGxDS10VAbg

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Puget Energy's $7.4 Billion Sale Completed (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1838203~Puget_Energy_s__7_4_billion_sale_completed.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

Anderson Island Residents Urged To Go Easy On Power (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/619440.html

Everett Herald Editorial - Snohomish PUD Plots a Prudent Course on Power Rates
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090208/OPINION01/702089965

Oregon Energy Council to Hold First Meeting (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1840482~Oregon_energy_council_to_hold_first_meeting.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Report Says Texas Electricity Rate Soar (Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/6253890.html

Hurdles (Not Financial Ones) Await Electric Grid Update (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/science/earth/07grid.html

Maine - Power Grid Expansion in Northern Maine for Big Wind Farm Put On Ice (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29037946/

Congressional Research Reports - Energy Policy Act of 2005
http://opencrs.com/document/RL33302

Second Natural-Gas Pipeline Sought Along Columbia River (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008722910_pipeline09m.html?syndication=rss

New York City - How Long to Fix a Streetlight? 12 Months, if you’re Persistent (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/nyregion/07light.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Early Portion of Chinook Season Could Be Adopted (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090207/SPORTS04/702089976

Post-Dam Analysis – Oregon’s Coal Creek Rebirth: Just Add Explosives (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/02/coal_creek_rebirth_just_add_ex.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Skokomish Projects to be Discussed This Week (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/feb/08/skokomish-projects-to-be-discussed-this-week/?partner=RSS

Gauging Health of Puget Sound (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008722914_tour09m.html

Skagit County PUD Water Fluoridation May Not Happen At All (KAPS Radio, Mount Vernon, WA)
http://www.kapsradio.com/2009/02/06/water-fluoridation-may-not-happen-at-all/

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Study Pinpoints West's Windy, Sunny Resource Areas (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=9805964

Engineers from Ireland Tapped For Oregon Wave Study (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008722916_waveenergy09m.html?syndication=rss

The Promise and Peril of the 'Clean-Energy Economy' (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-clean-energy9-2009feb09,0,6542292.story

Feed-In Tariffs Contemplated in the U.S. (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/feed-in-tariffs-contemplated-in-the-us/

Turning Livestock Waste Into Energy Can Save The Farm And Save The Planet (The Kansas City Star. MO)
http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/1023258.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Why Obama’s Energy Savings Estimate May Be Skewed (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/washington/07energy.html?ref=politics

Energy Efficient Decorative Lights OK'd For New Narrows Bridge - Supporters to cover $3,000 in maintenance with money the Bonneville Power Administration offers for energy-efficient projects: also want to put Tacoma Power & PenLight on the hook (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/331/story/619398.html

Is Your Clothesline Illegal? (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/home/la-hm-clothesline7-2009feb07,0,4104849.story

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

How to Stash Carbon Dioxide: Turn It into Stone - Dissolved in water and pumped underground, CO2 becomes limestone (Christian Science Monitor)
http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/02/05/how-to-stash-carbon-dioxide-turn-it-into-stone/

Grays Harbor County: Impacts Of Warming Will Hit Here (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/02/08/local_news/01news.txt

Microsoft Wants to Help Companies Gauge Their Greenness (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/399300_msftdynamics09.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Calling All Cherry Pickers: Internet Tax Credit Boost Proposed By Senator (Reuters)
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nm/20090206/wr_nm/us_usa_stimulus_internet_1

Broadband Stimulus Bill Gets Smaller - $1.5 Billion Less In Funding, Tax Credit Language Redefined (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadband-Stimulus-Bill-Gets-Smaller-100754

Not Everyone Is Cheering as Wi-Fi Takes to the Air (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/07/business/07plane.html

North Carolina - City’s Wi-Fi Network Grows with Business Investment (Charlotte Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2009/02/09/focus4.html?ana=from_rss

Pulling the Plug on Wi-Fi Bandits (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/09/BUC115O83U.DTL&feed=rss.business

GENERAL NEWS

Billions in Stimulus Funds Sought For Washington's Needs (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008720259_stimulus08m.html

Library System with Branch in Belfair Considering Its Options (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/feb/06/library-system-with-branch-in-belfair-its/?partner=RSS

When Storms Strike Home, Preparedness Really Pays Off (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090208/BIZ/702089941/-1/RSS03

Shelton Fifth At State Bowling Tournament (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/143/story/752145.html

Be Heard By Improving E-Mail Communication (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008719926_skube08.html?syndication=rss

DIVERSIONS

Garfield Player Punched During Redmond Basketball Game
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_020809WAB-garfield-redmond-basketball-brawl-sw.3076a942.html

Software Glitch Leads To 5-Cent Gas in Dutch Town
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090209/ap_on_fe_st/eu_odd_netherlands_cheap_gas;_ylt=AmCK4ilvCJkpTcPeH7eG9HLtiBIF

Escaped Prisoner Turns Up In Michigan Judge's Trunk
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090207/ap_on_fe_st/odd_judge_s_trunk_prisoner;_ylt=AseqPt84nu0d8IYOSeN1p6XtiBIF

Florida Man Issued 50 Traffic Citations In One Day
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090207/ap_on_fe_st/odd_bad_driver;_ylt=AlwfSsoEW7vwlsIN9GjIEKbtiBIF

SONG OF THE DAY

I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMD7Ezp3gWc

'I Wanna Be Sedated' (NPR top 100 music review)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1114972&ps=bb4