Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Energy News Digest for June 29, 2010

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

British Columbia Man Held in Mason County in Death of Five-Year-Old Stepdaughter (Seattle Times)

State of Oregon Proposes New Options for Shutdown of Portland General Electric Coal Plant (Oregonian, Portland)

Hundreds of Aging British Columbia Dams Pose Safety Risk - Many are abandoned & could cause death & destruction if they fail, report says (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Power Line Issues Tangle Up Governors’ Meeting (Associated Press)

Lake Washington Sockeye Returns on the Rise (Seattle Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         State of Oregon Proposes New Options for Shutdown of Portland General Electric Coal Plant
·         Portland General Electric PGE ‘Disappointed’ by Options for Plant Closure
·         Power Line Issues Tangle Up Governors’ Meeting
·         Stealing Steel: Law, Price Shift Spur New Trend
·         Op/Ed - Grant PUD Power Is Oversold
·         Grant PUD Releases Idea Sketches for Crescent Bar Island
·         Hundreds of Aging British Columbia Dams Pose Safety Risk
·         Cracks Repaired, Ohio Nuclear Plant Restarts
·         Energy Co’s Use Ballot Initiatives, Other Tools to Fight for Continued Market Dominance
·         Power Problems Reported in New York
·         Ohio - Hydroelectric Project to Help Power Hamilton
·         Lake Washington Sockeye Returns on the Rise
·         Clallam PUD Objections a Roadblock for Watershed Plan
·         Oregon - The Once & Future Marsh: In Bandon, a Salt Marsh is Re-Engineered
·         California Faces Grid Challenge to Implement 33% Aim
·         Editorial - California’s Renewable energy: Pass SB 722
·         United Kingdom - Green Setback for UK as British Power Supplied by Renewable Sources Falls
·         Manure-Powered Electricity Generator Planned for Lynden
·         Michigan - Traverse City Light & Power Scraps Plan for Biomass Plant, Opts for Gas
·         Massachusetts - Proposed Palmer Renewal Energy Springfield Biomass Plant Gets Cold Reception at Public Hearing
·         United Kingdom – Scots Jobs ‘At Risk’ as Fears Grow over Biomass Plants’ Appetite for Wood
·         California Solar Start-Up Rakes in Capital
·         Georgia Shuns East Coast Wind Power Group
·         Small Wind Picks Up Even as Economy Turns Down
·         Editorial - Regrettable, but Necessary Delay for Energy Efficiency Standards
·         Cisco Enters Home Smart-Grid Fray with Energy Display
·         Why Climate Stumps Even the Brightest Scientists
·         Washington State to Get $1.3 Million for Electric Highway
·         US Broadband Numbers Don’t Lie, They Just Confuse
·         In Faulty-Computer Suit, Window to Dell Decline
·         Cell Phone Industry Attacks San Francisco’s Ruling on Handset Radiation
·         Judge Says No to Gregoire Request on Health Care Lawsuit
·         Washington Governor to Travel to DC to Ask for Budget Help
·         What Worries Washington State’s Chief Economist
·         British Columbia Man Held in Mason County in Death of Five-Year-Old Stepdaughter
·         Family of Girl Killed by Father near Lake Cushman Releases Statement
·         Shelton - Fire in Dust Collection System at Simpson Lumber Mill
·         Nalley Valley Bridge Error Poorly Handled, DOT Chief Says
·         Some Sobering Fourth of July Injury & Fire Statistics

WORD OF THE DAY

Scuttlebutt • \SKUTT-ul-butt\ • noun - Rumor, gossip

WORD ORIGIN, FROM MERRIAM-WEBSTER - Nowadays, office workers catch up on the latest scuttlebutt around the water cooler, and when they do, they are continuing a long-standing (although not necessarily honorable) tradition. That kind of gossip sharing probably also occurred on the sailing ships of yore. Back in the early 1800s, the cask containing a ship’s daily supply of freshwater was called a “scuttlebutt”; that name was later applied to a drinking fountain on a ship or at a naval installation. By the early 20th century, the term for the water source was also applied to the gossip and rumors generated around it, and the latest chatter has been called “scuttlebutt” ever since.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

State of Oregon Proposes New Options for Shutdown of Portland General Electric Coal Plant (Oregonian, Portland)

Portland General Electric PGE ‘Disappointed’ by Options for Plant Closure (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Power Line Issues Tangle Up Governors’ Meeting (Associated Press)

Stealing Steel: Law, Price Shift Spur New Trend - Thieves transition from copper to heavy metal (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

Op/Ed - Grant PUD Power Is Oversold (Wenatchee World, WA)

Grant PUD Releases Idea Sketches for Crescent Bar Island (Wenatchee World, WA)

Hundreds of Aging British Columbia Dams Pose Safety Risk - Many are abandoned & could cause death & destruction if they fail, report says (Vancouver Sun, BC)

Cracks Repaired, Ohio Nuclear Plant Restarts (Associated Press)

Energy Co’s Use Ballot Initiatives, Other Tools to Fight for Continued Market Dominance - California voters rejected one utility-sponsored ballot initiative, but fights are brewing across the country (Solve Climate)

Power Problems Reported in New York (NY Times)

Ohio - Hydroelectric Project to Help Power Hamilton (Business Courier of Cincinnati)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Lake Washington Sockeye Returns on the Rise (Seattle Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Clallam PUD Objections a Roadblock for Watershed Plan - Instream flows & water availability at issue (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Oregon - The Once & Future Marsh: in Bandon, a Salt Marsh is Re-Engineered (Oregonian, Portland)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

California Faces Grid Challenge to Implement 33% Aim (Wind Power Monthly)

Editorial - California’s Renewable energy: Pass SB 722 - A state Senate bill mandating that California get 33% of its power from renewable sources by 2020 fails year after year. This year’s bill shouldn’t suffer the same fate (Los Angeles Times, CA)

United Kingdom - Green Setback for UK as British Power Supplied by Renewable Sources Falls (The Guardian, UK)

Manure-Powered Electricity Generator Planned for Lynden (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Michigan - Traverse City Light & Power Scraps Plan for Biomass Plant, Opts for Gas (Bloomberg News)

Massachusetts - Proposed Palmer Renewal Energy Springfield Biomass Plant Gets Cold Reception at Public Hearing (Springfield Republican, MA)

United Kingdom – Scots Jobs ‘At Risk’ as Fears Grow over Biomass Plants’ Appetite for Wood (Scotsman, UK)

California Solar Start-Up Rakes in Capital (NY Times)

Georgia Shuns East Coast Wind Power Group (Associated Press)

Small Wind Picks Up Even as Economy Turns Down (Renewable Energy World)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Editorial - Regrettable, but Necessary Delay for Energy Efficiency Standards (Olympian, WA)

Cisco Enters Home Smart-Grid Fray with Energy Display (CNET News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Why Climate Stumps Even the Brightest Scientists (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Washington State to Get $1.3 Million for Electric Highway (Associated Press)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

US Broadband Numbers Don’t Lie, They Just Confuse (Nat’l Public Radio)

In Faulty-Computer Suit, Window to Dell Decline (NY Times)

Cell Phone Industry Attacks San Francisco’s Ruling on Handset Radiation (Washington Post)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Judge Says No to Gregoire Request on Health Care Lawsuit (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Washington Governor to Travel to DC to Ask for Budget Help (Associated Press)

What Worries Washington State’s Chief Economist (Seattle Times)

GENERAL NEWS

British Columbia Man Held in Mason County in Death of Five-Year-Old Stepdaughter (Seattle Times)

Family of Girl Killed by Father near Lake Cushman Releases Statement (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Shelton - Fire in Dust Collection System at Simpson Lumber Mill (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Nalley Valley Bridge Error Poorly Handled, DOT Chief Says (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)


DIVERSIONS

Camouflage Wearing Bow Hunters Marry in Tree

6-Year-Old Girl Put on No-Fly List

Marilyn Monroe Chest X-Rays Sell for $45K

Newly Rescued Chihuahua Takes ‘Ugliest Dog’ Title

SONG OF THE DAY

ABC - Poison Arrow

Monday, June 28, 2010

Energy News Digest for June 28, 2010

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Bonneville Pledges Discount Power Rate for Fledgling Jefferson PUD System (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

2010 Sockeye Return Breaks Records as It Bursts Well Beyond Preseason Forecast (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Grayland Wind Farm - “Win-Wind” Flipping Switch (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Biomass Developers Fight EPA Emissions Ruling “…It’s like they’re trying to kill the biomass industry in its infancy, said Congressman DeFazio…” (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Idaho Power Wants Energy Efficiency Expense Declared ‘Prudent’ - Trying to recover nearly $51 million investment in energy efficiency programs financed during 2008 & 2009 (iStock Analyst)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Bonneville Pledges Discount Power Rate for Fledgling Jefferson PUD System
·         Bonneville Power Administration Approves Jefferson PUD Request for Tier 1 Power
·         Bonneville Power Administration Ramps up Seismic Strengthening of Transmission Grid
·         Montana - NorthWestern Energy Has 5% Rate Hike, Others in Works
·         Montana - NorthWestern Energy Rates Have Been on Decline, Still Among Region’s Highest
·         Washington Senators Urge Fix to Slow Hanford Program
·         Op/Ed - Nuclear Power Gaining New Life
·         Is a New Reactor Rust-Prone?
·         Mason PUD 1 Commissioner Jack Janda elected Vice Chair of Energy Northwest Executive Board
·         Bond-Rating Agencies Look Well on Tacoma Power
·         Fitch Upgrades Eugene Water & Electric Board’s Bond Rating as ‘AA-’ from ‘A+’
·         North Dakota Consumers to Pay Higher Bills for Defunct Power Plant
·         Powering New Jersey - PJM Control Center in Pennsylvania Governs Electric Transmission in 13 States
·         New Hampshire - Woman Using Oxygen Dies after Utility Shuts Off Power
·         2010 Sockeye Return Breaks Records as It Bursts Well Beyond Preseason Forecast
·         Columbia River above Priest Rapids opening soon for sockeye fishing
·         Columbia Salmon Fishery Fit for a King - One of the Largest Returns since 2002
·         Editorial - Walla Walla Project Well Worth Price to Restore Salmon
·         Report to Governors Details BPA Fish/Wildlife Spending; $12 Billion since 1978
·         On the Columbia, Tribal Fishermen Risk Their Lives
·         Seafood Watchdog Warns to ‘Avoid’ Oregon Coast Salmon
·         Northern Spotted Owl Marks 20 Years on Endangered Species List
·         Clallam PUD: Find More Grants, Loans for Carlsborg Sewer Project
·         Spokane River Cleanup Plan Too Slow, Group Says
·         Bonneville Power Administration Explains Rationale behind Lake Pend Oreille Level Request
·         Big Headache: King County’s $1.8 Billion Brightwater Sewer Project in Court
·         Ban to Begin on Phosphate-Laden Dishwasher Soap
·         Grayland Wind Farm - “Win-Wind” Flipping Switch
·         Utilities Regulator Eyes National Grid Contract for Cape Wind Output
·         Biomass Developers Fight EPA Emissions Ruling
·         Montana - Firm Considers Biomass-to-Fuel Plant
·         Turning Waste Wood into Gas-Fueled Energy
·         Massachusetts - Wood Power Plant Hearings Slated
·         Michigan - Utility Looks to Public for Guidance on Local Electricity Generation
·         Maryland - Trash-Burning Power Plant in Fairfield Fires Debate
·         Pellets Potential Still Underused
·         Ask Pablo: Waste Incineration, Good or Bad?
·         Editorial - Confessions of a Green-Power Welfare Queen
·         Idaho Power Wants Energy Efficiency Expense Declared ‘Prudent’
·         Oregon - Hermiston Homes Set to Test Energy Use Monitor Technology
·         Utilities Try to Get Smarter About Selling Smart Grid
·         Lame-Duck Session Emerges as Possibility for Climate Bill Conference
·         Biofuel Venture Hasn’t Paid Off for Snohomish County
·         Green-Built Multifamily Housing Opens in Northeast Olympia
·         Some Say Fie on Fowl in the City
·         Government Plans to Double Available Wireless Spectrum
·         Broadband Availability to Expand
·         Gartner Research Says Cloud Services Should Bring in $68 Billion This Year
·         No Link Between Cell Towers, Kids’ Cancer Risk
·         US Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia Dead at 92
·         Public Opinion Poll Shows Murray & Rossi Even
·         Cantwell Vs Locke: A Fight over NOAA Fleet
·         From Silly to Serious, Initiative Efforts Abound
·         Mason County Father Held after 5-Year-Old Girl’s Throat is Slashed
·         Oops! DOT Reveals $900,000 Mistake on New Tacoma Ramp
·         Supreme Court Rules That Gun Rights Apply to Local Laws
·         Western Governors Consider Alternative Energy, Climate Change
·         Fireworks Stands Open Monday in Washington

WORD OF THE DAY

Sepulcher • \SEP-ul-ker\ • noun - *1: a place of burial: tomb 2: a receptacle for religious relics especially in an altar

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher must be a crowded place; what with all the Christian pilgrims and the polyglot of sects that have a role in overseeing the shrines and churches within. A diplomatic dance takes place every day amongst the Eastern Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Roman Catholic, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syriac Orthodox Churches.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bonneville Pledges Discount Power Rate for Fledgling Jefferson PUD System (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Approves Jefferson PUD Request for Tier 1 Power (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Ramps up Seismic Strengthening of Transmission Grid (Northwest Public Radio)

Montana - NorthWestern Energy Has 5% Rate Hike, Others in Works (Billings Gazette, MT)

Montana - NorthWestern Energy Rates Have Been on Decline, Still Among Region’s Highest (The Missoulian, MT)

Washington Senators Urge Fix to Slow Hanford Program (Associated Press)

Op/Ed - Nuclear Power Gaining New Life (Covington Reporter, WA)

Is a New Reactor Rust-Prone? (NY Times)

Mason PUD 1 Commissioner Jack Janda elected Vice Chair of Energy Northwest Executive Board (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Bond-Rating Agencies Look Well on Tacoma Power (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Fitch Upgrades Eugene Water & Electric Board’s Bond Rating as ‘AA-’ from ‘A+’ (Business Wire)

North Dakota Consumers to Pay Higher Bills for Defunct Power Plant (Associated Press)

Powering New Jersey - PJM Control Center in Pennsylvania Governs Electric Transmission in 13 States (Newark Star Ledger, NJ)

New Hampshire - Woman Using Oxygen Dies after Utility Shuts Off Power (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

2010 Sockeye Return Breaks Records as It Bursts Well Beyond Preseason Forecast (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

Columbia River above Priest Rapids opening soon for sockeye fishing - Run size will be twice the size originally thought (Seattle Times)

Columbia Salmon Fishery Fit for a King - One of the Largest Returns since 2002 (Tri-City Herald, WA)

Editorial - Walla Walla Project Well Worth Price to Restore Salmon (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)

Report to Governors Details BPA Fish/Wildlife Spending; $12 Billion since 1978 (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

On the Columbia, Tribal Fishermen Risk Their Lives (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

Seafood Watchdog Warns to ‘Avoid’ Oregon Coast Salmon (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Northern Spotted Owl Marks 20 Years on Endangered Species List (Oregonian, Portland)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Clallam PUD: Find More Grants, Loans for Carlsborg Sewer Project (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Spokane River Cleanup Plan Too Slow, Group Says (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

Bonneville Power Administration Explains Rationale behind Lake Pend Oreille Level Request (Bonner County Daily Bee, Sandpoint, ID)

Big Headache: King County’s $1.8 Billion Brightwater Sewer Project in Court, Over Budget (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

Ban to Begin on Phosphate-Laden Dishwasher Soap (Associated Press)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Grayland Wind Farm - “Win-Wind” Flipping Switch (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Utilities Regulator Eyes National Grid Contract for Cape Wind Output (Boston Herald, MA)

Biomass Developers Fight EPA Emissions Ruling “…It’s like they’re trying to kill the biomass industry in its infancy, said Congressman DeFazio…” (Sustainable Business Oregon)

Montana - Firm Considers Biomass-to-Fuel Plant (Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)

Turning Waste Wood into Gas-Fueled Energy (The Tyee, BC)

Massachusetts - Wood Power Plant Hearings Slated (Springfield Republican, MA)

Michigan - Utility Looks to Public for Guidance on Local Electricity Generation (Traverse City Record-Eagle, MI)

Maryland - Trash-Burning Power Plant in Fairfield Fires Debate - Environmentalists concerned about air pollution, recycling (Baltimore Sun, MD)

Pellets Potential Still Underused - Cheaper oil, warm winter & confusion thwart conversions (Kennebec Journal, Augusta ME)

Ask Pablo: Waste Incineration, Good or Bad? (TreeHugger)

Editorial - Confessions of a Green-Power Welfare Queen (Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Idaho Power Wants Energy Efficiency Expense Declared ‘Prudent’ - Trying to recover nearly $51 million investment in energy efficiency programs financed during 2008 & 2009 (iStock Analyst)

Oregon - Hermiston Homes Set to Test Energy Use Monitor Technology (Bend Bulletin, OR)

Utilities Try to Get Smarter About Selling Smart Grid (CNET News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Lame-Duck Session Emerges as Possibility for Climate Bill Conference (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Biofuel Venture Hasn’t Paid Off for Snohomish County - Market for canola fails to materialize (Everett Herald, WA)

Green-Built Multifamily Housing Opens in Northeast Olympia (Olympian, WA)

Some Say Fie on Fowl in the City (Seattle Times)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Government Plans to Double Available Wireless Spectrum (Associated Press)

Broadband Availability to Expand (NY Times)

Gartner Research Says Cloud Services Should Bring in $68 Billion This Year (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

No Link Between Cell Towers, Kids’ Cancer Risk (USA Today)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

US Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia Dead at 92 (Associated Press)

Public Opinion Poll Shows Murray & Rossi Even (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Cantwell Vs Locke: A Fight over NOAA Fleet (Crosscut Seattle)

From Silly to Serious, Initiative Efforts Abound (Seattle Times – And don’t forget to ask the petition gatherer how much they’re getting for your signature. It’s easy, and fun!)

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Father Held after 5-Year-Old Girl’s Throat is Slashed (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Oops! DOT Reveals $900,000 Mistake on New Tacoma Ramp (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

Supreme Court Rules That Gun Rights Apply to Local Laws (NY Times)

Western Governors Consider Alternative Energy, Climate Change (Associated Press)

Fireworks Stands Open Monday in Washington (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

Bee Swarms Seen in Seattle, Tacoma

Salmon Only Thing Smoked at Tacoma Hempfest

Wenatchee Squirrels: Unwelcomed, Welcomed Arrivals

Courting Danger: Storm Chasers Seek Thrill of Hunt

SONG OF THE DAY

Deep Purple - Smoke on the Water