Energy News Digest for October 28, 2010

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

https://twitter.com/energydigest

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

Benton PUD Rates to Increase 32% Over Four Years; Local Rep. Trying to Stop It by Changing Renewable Energy Laws (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=13400270

Canada - Record Sockeye Run to Shrink Due to Overestimate (British Columbia Local News)

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/Record_sockeye_run_to_shrink_due_to_overestimate.html

Olympic Peninsula Biomass Tours Set November 10^th (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/6303

NIMBY Neuroses - Vote In Northeast Oregon Gauges Love-Hate For Wind Energy Expansion (Oregon Public Radio)

http://news.opb.org/article/16803-vote-northeast-oregon-gauges-love-hate-wind-energy-expansion/

Companies Fight to Keep Global Warming Data Secret (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013277751_apusgreenhousegasestransparency.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Benton PUD Rates to Increase 32% Over Four Years; Local Rep. Trying to Stop It by Changing Renewable Energy Laws

·         Wind Power Groups Urge US to Open Electricity Markets

·         Oregon Public Utility Commission Approves Rate Decreases For Natural Gas

·         Natural Gas Stocks Continue to Grow

·         Puget Sound First: Shore Power Instead of Generators For Docked Cargo Ship

·         Northern Wasco PUD Seeks Falls Land Lease to Restore White River Falls Hydroelectric Project

·         Liberty Lake’s Itron Sees Record Revenue

·         Three Gorges Dam In China Sees Maximum Water Level

·         Texas - Urban Affairs: Austin’s Poorest Spend 45% of Income on Electricity

·         Canada - Record Sockeye Run to Shrink Due to Overestimate

·         On Our Radar: Record Salmon Run in British Columbia

·         Entiat National Fish Hatchery Plans Switch In Fish

·         Oregon - Cutting Down Desert Junipers to Save Precious Water

·         Nine Named for Hood Canal Awards

·         Olympic Peninsula Biomass Tours Set November 10^th

·         NIMBY Neuroses - Vote In Northeast Oregon Gauges Love-Hate For Wind Energy Expansion

·         Editorial - Remember Renewable Energy? Subsidies, Permitting & Transmission

·         Giant Solar Projects Shape U.S. Clean Energy Frontier

·         Solar Power Could Overwhelm Germany’s Grid

·         Electronics’ Standby Mode Costs US Families $3 Billion A Year

·         Companies Fight to Keep Global Warming Data Secret

·         China smog, clog might bring one-car-a-home policy

·         GM’s 2011 Volt Buyers Won’t Get $3,000 Rebate From California

·         Shortage of ‘Green’ Job Skill Looms In British Columbia, Study Warns

·         Comcast Sued Over Response to Florida Emergency Calls

·         Developers Starting to Ride on Microsoft’s Cloud

·         National Price Tag of Midterm Campaign Likely to Hit $4 Billion

·         Study Reveals How Much Snow Fell In Past La Nina Winters

·         Seattle No. 6, Portland No. 11 on Smartest Cities List

WORD OF THE DAY

Tonton Macoutes • \tawn-tawn MAH-coot\ • Noun - Haitian Creole: bogeymen. Personal police force of dictator Francois Duvalier

The supply room clerk stood triumphant, his legs shoulder width, his arms crossed; a smirk playing across his thin, chapped lips. His Tonton Macoutes had succeeded in rooting out the employees who had been abusing the two-highlighters-a-month limit. “They will now pay,” he mused….”They will pay.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

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

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Benton PUD Rates to Increase 32% Over Four Years; Local Rep. Trying to Stop It by Changing Renewable Energy Laws (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=13400270

Wind Power Groups Urge US to Open Electricity Markets (Reuters – And we ALL know how well that worked the first time around…)

http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFN2725733620101027

Oregon Public Utility Commission Approves Rate Decreases For Natural Gas (Oregon Public Radio)

http://news.opb.org/article/16843-puc-approves-rate-decreases-natural-gas/

Natural Gas Stocks Continue to Grow (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013281396_apusnaturalgasstorage.html

Puget Sound First: Shore Power Instead of Generators For Docked Cargo Ship (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/10/28/1399238/ship-powers-up-from-shore.html

Northern Wasco PUD Seeks Falls Land Lease to Restore White River Falls Hydroelectric Project (Dalles Chronicle, OR)

http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2010/10/10-27-10-01.shtml

Liberty Lake’s Itron Sees Record Revenue (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/oct/27/liberty-lakes-itron-sees-record-profits-and-future/

Three Gorges Dam In China Sees Maximum Water Level (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2010/1027/Three-Gorges-Dam-in-China-sees-maximum-water-level

Texas - Urban Affairs: Austin’s Poorest Spend 45% of Income on Electricity (Austin American-Statesman, TX)

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/urban-affairs-austins-poorest-spend-45urban-affairs-austins-poorest-spend-45-of-income-1001142.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Canada - Record Sockeye Run to Shrink Due to Overestimate (British Columbia Local News)

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/Record_sockeye_run_to_shrink_due_to_overestimate.html

On Our Radar: Record Salmon Run in British Columbia (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/on-our-radar-record-salmon-run-in-british-columbia/

Entiat National Fish Hatchery Plans Switch In Fish (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013276779_hatchery.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregon - Cutting Down Desert Junipers to Save Precious Water (Oregon Public Radio)

http://news.opb.org/article/16821-cutting-down-desert-junipers-save-precious-water/

Nine Named for Hood Canal Awards (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/oct/27/nine-named-for-hood-canal-awards/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Olympic Peninsula Biomass Tours Set November 10^th (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/6303

NIMBY Neuroses - Vote In Northeast Oregon Gauges Love-Hate For Wind Energy Expansion (Oregon Public Radio)

http://news.opb.org/article/16803-vote-northeast-oregon-gauges-love-hate-wind-energy-expansion/

Editorial - Remember Renewable Energy? Subsidies, Permitting & Transmission (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/opinion/28thurs1.html

Giant Solar Projects Shape U.S. Clean Energy Frontier (Environmental News Service)

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2010/2010-10-27-091.html

Solar Power Could Overwhelm Germany’s Grid (Wired Science)

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2010-10/27/solar-power-germany

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Electronics’ Standby Mode Costs US Families $3 Billion A Year (Bloomberg News)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/27/BUAC1G2STJ.DTL

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Companies Fight to Keep Global Warming Data Secret (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013277751_apusgreenhousegasestransparency.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

China smog, clog might bring one-car-a-home policy (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/10/china-smog-cars-ownership-limit-/1?csp=34money

GM’s 2011 Volt Buyers Won’t Get $3,000 Rebate From California (Bloomberg News)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_16453168

Shortage of ‘Green’ Job Skill Looms In British Columbia, Study Warns (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/green+industries+need+workers+Report/3734227/story.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Comcast Sued Over Response to Florida Emergency Calls (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2013276154_apusemergencycallslawsuit.html

Developers Starting to Ride on Microsoft’s Cloud (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013276320_microsoftcloud28.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

National Price Tag Of Midterm Campaign Likely to Hit $4 Billion (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/27/AR2010102708306.html

GENERAL NEWS

Study Reveals How Much Snow Fell In Past La Nina Winters (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/weather/25543420/detail.html

Seattle No. 6, Portland No. 11 on Smartest Cities List (Portland Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2010/10/27/portland-no-11-on-smart-city-list.html

DIVERSIONS

‘Deadliest Catch’ Capt. Phil Harris Memorialized In Thurston County Corn Maze

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Deadliest-Catch-Capt-Phil-Harris-memorialized-in-corn-maze-105906053.html

‘Balloon Boy’ Dad Turns TV Pitchman

http://www.kirotv.com/news/25540526/detail.html

Holy Card! Nuns Auction Rare Honus Wagner Baseball Card

http://www.kirotv.com/sports/25533312/detail.html

Man Lives In Glass Cage For Charity

http://www.kirotv.com/news/25549606/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Brenton Wood - The Oogum Boogum Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhMIF0fi9pU

Energy News Digest for October 27, 2010

Follow the news digest on Twitter for breaking news & notices:

http://twitter.com/energydigest

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

One Person Killed in Collision with School Bus on Hwy 101 Near Shelton (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013270523_apwasheltonschoolbusaccident.html

Study Finds Fewer Salmon Being Eaten by Sea Lions at Bonneville (Oregon Public Radio)

http://news.opb.org/article/16768-study-finds-fewer-salmon-being-eaten-sea-lions-bonneville/

Benton PUD Customers’ Bills to Climb by 32% (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/10/27/1225636/benton-pud-customers-bills-to.html

Clallam Electrical Rates Rising 8% for Customers Outside Port Angeles (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20101026/NEWS/101029986/clallam-electrical-rates-rising-8-for-customers-outside-port-angeles

Washington State - World’s First Carbon Capture & Storage Project in Basalt Begins in USA (Clean Technica)

http://cleantechnica.com/2010/10/26/worlds-first-carbon-capture-and-storage-project-in-basalt-begins-in-usa/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Benton PUD Customers’ Bills to Climb by 32%

·         Clallam Electrical Rates Rising 8% for Customers Outside Port Angeles

·         NERC - New EPA Rules Will Erode Power Grid Reliability, Report Finds

·         Utility Rate Assistance Underutilized in Seattle

·         Electricite de France (EDF), Constellation Announce Deal on Maryland Nuclear Reactor

·         California - Pacific Gas & Electric Fixes 38 Leaking Pipelines in Wake of Blast

·         Mapping Out Hydro’s Future - Small Hydro Has an Important But Limited Role to Play in Renewable Energy Generation

·         One Electro Magnetic Pulse Burst & the World Goes Dark

·         Study Finds Fewer Salmon Being Eaten by Sea Lions at Bonneville

·         British Columbia Sees Largest Salmon Run in a Century, 34 Million Strong

·         Canada - Public relations moves mark start of sockeye salmon inquiry

·         Poulsbo’s Dream? Dogfish Creek Overrun with Spawning Salmon

·         Feds Say Tiny Columbia Basin Rabbits Remain Endangered

·         Feds Propose Drawing More Irrigation Water from Columbia Reservoirs

·         Engineers Prodded to Delist Capitol Lake Estuary Plan

·         Looming Sewer & Water Utility Rate Increases Back on the Table in Longview

·         Op/Ed - America’s Water Systems Are in Sorry Shape

·         Clallam County PUD Plans for Renewable Energy Investments

·         New Wind Farm Proposed on Palouse - Permits Sought for Ridge Near Oakesdale

·         Oregon - About 350 Redland Area Residents Show Up to Testify Against Proposed Biomass & Composting Facilities

·         Oregon Hot Springs Could be Power Plant Site

·         Op/Ed - Harnessing Wind Makes Economic Sense for Montana

·         Biomass Boiler – Alaska: Sealaska Switches Boiler System to Pellet Power

·         US Solar Boom Requires Policy & Money (Not Sunshine), Says Report

·         Editorial – Canada: Making It Easier to Tilt at Windmills

·         GE Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

·         Washington State - World’s First Carbon Capture & Storage Project in Basalt Begins in USA

·         California - Global Warming Seen as Threat to State’s Parks

·         Regulators Should Carefully Scrutinize CenturyLink & Qwest Deal

·         Why Broadband Changes Everything

·         Yahoo Tries to Entice Users with E-Mail Facelift

·         Two Oregon Petition Gatherers Indicted on Fraud Charges

·         One Person Killed in Collision with School Bus on Hwy 101 Near Shelton

·         Missing Plane Found in SW Washington - Pilot of Doomed Plane Fought to Keep It Aloft

·         Washington Falls Out of Top Ten ‘Best for Taxes’ List

·         Power Failure Cut a Communications Link to Nuclear Missiles

·         Deep Impact Spacecraft Readies for Comet Encounter

·         New Zealand Reaches Deal on ‘Hobbit’ - Labor Laws had Threatened Production

WORD OF THE DAY

Harried • \HAIR-eed\ • Adjective – Stressed: looking or feeling tired and annoyed

The harried news digest editor hurried out of the office for a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Belfair

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

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

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Benton PUD Customers’ Bills to Climb by 32% (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/10/27/1225636/benton-pud-customers-bills-to.html

Clallam Electrical Rates Rising 8% for Customers Outside Port Angeles (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20101026/NEWS/101029986/clallam-electrical-rates-rising-8-for-customers-outside-port-angeles

NERC - New EPA Rules Will Erode Power Grid Reliability, Report Finds (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/1026/New-EPA-rules-will-erode-power-grid-reliability-report-finds

Utility Rate Assistance Underutilized in Seattle (KPLU Radio, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kplu/news.newsmain/article/0/1/1717678/KPLU.Local.News/Utility.Rate.Assistance.Underutilized.in.Seattle.

Electricite de France (EDF), Constellation Announce Deal on Maryland Nuclear Reactor (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013266389_apusedfconstellation.html

California - Pacific Gas & Electric Fixes 38 Leaking Pipelines in Wake of Blast (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/26/MNMO1G1TB0.DTL

Mapping Out Hydro’s Future - Small Hydro Has an Important But Limited Role to Play in Renewable Energy Generation (Water Power Magazine)

http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/story.asp?sectioncode=46&storyCode=2057880

One Electro Magnetic Pulse Burst & the World Goes Dark (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2010-10-26-emp_N.htm?csp=34tech

FISH & WILDLIFE

Study Finds Fewer Salmon Being Eaten by Sea Lions at Bonneville (Oregon Public Radio)

http://news.opb.org/article/16768-study-finds-fewer-salmon-being-eaten-sea-lions-bonneville/

British Columbia Sees Largest Salmon Run in a Century, 34 Million Strong (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/10/26/130842386/british-columbia-sees-largest-salmon-run-in-a-century

Canada - Public relations moves mark start of sockeye salmon inquiry (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/Public+relations+moves+mark+start+sockeye+salmon+inquiry/3724474/story.html

Poulsbo’s Dream? Dogfish Creek Overrun with Spawning Salmon (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/oct/26/poulsbos-dream-dogfish-creek-overrun-with-salmon/

Feds Say Tiny Columbia Basin Rabbits Remain Endangered (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/10/27/1417710/feds-tiny-rabbits-remain-endangered.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Feds Propose Drawing More Irrigation Water from Columbia Reservoirs (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2010/10/feds_propose_drawing_more_irrigation_water_from_columbia_reservoirs.html

Engineers Prodded to Delist Capitol Lake Estuary Plan - Army Corps finds itself in middle of dispute over proposed Deschutes River-Capitol Lake project (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/10/27/1417108/engineers-prodded-to-delist-estuary.html

Looming Sewer & Water Utility Rate Increases Back on the Table in Longview (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_81f670ec-e15d-11df-9c75-001cc4c002e0.html

Op/Ed - America’s Water Systems Are in Sorry Shape (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2013264530_herbert27.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Clallam County PUD Plans for Renewable Energy Investments (Sequim Gazette, WA)

http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2010-10-27_pud_plans_for_renewable_energy_investments

New Wind Farm Proposed on Palouse - Permits Sought for Ridge Near Oakesdale (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/oct/27/wind-farm-proposed-on-palouse/

Oregon - About 350 Redland Area Residents Show Up to Testify Against Proposed Biomass & Composting Facilities (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2010/10/about_350_redland_area_residen.html

Oregon Hot Springs Could be Power Plant Site (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/105837778.html

Op/Ed - Harnessing Wind Makes Economic Sense for Montana (Billings Gazette, MT)

http://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion/guest/article_b6417cf6-e163-11df-816d-001cc4c03286.html

Biomass Boiler – Alaska: Sealaska Switches Boiler System to Pellet Power (Juneau Empire, AK)

http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/102710/loc_726731593.shtml

US Solar Boom Requires Policy & Money (Not Sunshine), Says Report (Grist Online)

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-10-26-report-policy-and-money-not-sunshine-will-drive-u.s.-solar-boom

Editorial – Canada: Making It Easier to Tilt at Windmills (Globe & Mail, Canada)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/the-law-page/making-it-easier-to-tilt-at-windmills/article1773834/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

GE Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard (Consumer Products Safety Commission)

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11022.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State - World’s First Carbon Capture & Storage Project in Basalt Begins in USA (Clean Technica)

http://cleantechnica.com/2010/10/26/worlds-first-carbon-capture-and-storage-project-in-basalt-begins-in-usa/

California - Global Warming Seen as Threat to State’s Parks (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2010%2F10%2F26%2FMN4F1G291R.DTL

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Regulators Should Carefully Scrutinize CenturyLink & Qwest Deal (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2013264580_guest27slater.html

Why Broadband Changes Everything (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/10/26/why-broadband-changes-everything/

Yahoo Tries to Entice Users with E-Mail Facelift (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013264776_apustectechbityahooemail.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Two Oregon Petition Gatherers Indicted on Fraud Charges (Oregon Public Radio)

http://news.opb.org/article/16770-two-petition-gatherers-indicted-fraud-charges/

GENERAL NEWS

One Person Killed in Collision with School Bus on Hwy 101 Near Shelton (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013270523_apwasheltonschoolbusaccident.html

Missing Plane Found in SW Washington - Pilot of Doomed Plane Fought to Keep It Aloft (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Missing-plane-found-SW-Washington-105780788.html

Washington Falls Out of Top Ten ‘Best for Taxes’ List (Puget Sound Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2010/10/26/washington-falls-out-of-top-10-best.html

Power Failure Cut a Communications Link to Nuclear Missiles (Associated Press)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/us/27missile.html

Deep Impact Spacecraft Readies for Comet Encounter (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013261563_apusscicometencounter.html

New Zealand Reaches Deal on ‘Hobbit’ - Labor Laws had Threatened Production (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/28/business/media/28hobbit.html

DIVERSIONS

Victim Takes Fake Gun, Beats Would-be Robber - Attempted Robbery Suspect Hospitalized

http://www.kirotv.com/news/25509549/detail.html

Rocky & Bullwinkle creator Anderson dies

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2010/10/25/alex-anderson-rocky.html

Potato Eater Already Tired of 60 Day Challenge

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=383152

Man Calls 911 to Complain About Bad Pot - But ‘Nasty’ Marijuana Turns Out to be Something Other Than Pot

http://www.kirotv.com/news/25503321/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Rocky & Bullwinkle Opening Theme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65t-OzhlmvE