Ore.: $322M to Utilities Proposed – The Bonneville Power Administration said Monday it wants to make $322 million in interim payments to public and investor-owned utilities while the agency tries to resolve one of the top energy issues facing the region - the residential exchange program. (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5385089.html
Monday, December 17, 2007
Energy News Digest for December 17, 2007
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- More windy weather headed to the Harbors
- Senate OKs Close Watch on Energy Markets
- Broad coalition calls electricity rates 'unjust and unreasonable'
- Montana – Power forward. Flathead Electric having one of its best years ever
- Montana – PPL to end Montana tax protest
- Texas Going Nuclear With Greenpeace Founder's Backing
- Next generation nuke could cost up to $4.3 billion
- When holiday cheer short circuits
- Seattle Times Outdoors Notebook – Chinook forecast looks promising
- Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial – Salmon: Faster learners
- Idaho Statesman Opinion –Redden won't let the salmon debate end easily
- Oceans failing acid test –Looming environmental catastrophe in the Pacific
- More Nisqually delta turning back into estuary
- Aquatic Pest Has Cost a Billion Bucks
- Los Angeles – Reservoirs Closed After Carcinogen Is Found
- British Columbia looks to tree debris for electricity
- Iceland's Hydrogen Revolution Stalled
- Money-saving technology has Olympia's eyes aglow
- It's lights out for traditional light bulbs
- Warming too much for walruses
- Washington Post Editorial – Waiting on the EPA.
- Google Gets Ready to Rumble with Microsoft
- Louisiana – Winning LUS bids set to be revealed.
- Mason County Now On the List: Federal Disaster Assistance Approved For Individuals & Businesses
- Lewis County mudslide photo spurs look at logging practices
- State lawmakers to consider urban tree protection
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Craven • \KRAY-vun\ • adjective – Lacking the least bit of courage: contemptibly fainthearted
Flavius stood undefeated in the arena; his blood-stained sword glinting in the sharp, angled glow of the setting, golden sun. No craven bone in his body had he…except for his uncharacteristic fear of chickens. Whether by suspicion or a childhood incident involving the family rooster, he would quake in fear at the mere mention of any poultry dish or the appearance of a feathered opponent.
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
More windy weather headed to the Harbors (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/15/local_news/04news.txt
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Senate OKs Close Watch on Energy Markets – The Senate voted Thursday to give federal regulators increased authority to monitor electronic energy markets and protect against market manipulation. (Associated Press, via the San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/12/13/national/w185050S25.DTL&type=politics
Broad coalition calls electricity rates 'unjust and unreasonable' (NY Times – Golly, guess which market is exempt from FERC regulation?)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/business/17electricity.html?ex=1355547600&en=13a60b6ae9ac201d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Montana – Power forward. Flathead Electric having one of its best years ever. Flathead Electric Cooperative’s rates are dropping for the second year in a row this January, for an overall $3 million rate reduction. (Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2007/12/16/business/bus01.txt
Montana – PPL to end Montana tax protest; wants more stability in taxes (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1105339~PPL_to_end_Montana_tax_protest__wants_more_stability_in_taxes.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines
Laos pins hopes on huge dam, but environmentalists predict disaster (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/17/MNE4TMAV9.DTL&feed=rss.news
Texas Going Nuclear With Greenpeace Founder's Backing (Bloomberg News Service)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a980jwliyVpA&refer=us
Next generation nuke could cost up to $4.3 bil to build: US DOE (Platt’s Energy News)
http://www.platts.com/Nuclear/News/6656579.xml?src=Nuclearrssheadlines1
When holiday cheer short circuits – For Snohomish County PUD and other purveyors of electricity, this is the most wonderful time of the year. Why? Well, it’s all those bajillions of colorful lights dotting trees, homes and decorations, of course. (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071217/BLOG08/349292123
Minnesota – Xcel Energy outlines plans for more efficiency, green power
http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?a=319576&z=7
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Seattle Times Outdoors Notebook – Chinook forecast looks promising
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2004075984_outn16.html?syndication=rss
Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial – Salmon: Faster learners. Things aren't going swimmingly for salmon anywhere around us. Over thousands of years, salmon have adapted to the Northwest's environment. We must be faster learners.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/343624_salmoned.html?source=rss
Idaho Statesman Opinion –Redden won't let the salmon debate end easily. Salmon are not just falling victim to dams, natural predators, fishing and uncertain ocean conditions. Their most stubborn enemy may be a have-it-all mindset. (On both sides buddy….)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/editorial/story/239833.html
Oceans failing acid test – Seven hundred miles west of Seattle at Ocean Station Papa, a first-of-its-kind buoy is monitoring a looming environmental catastrophe in the Pacific. (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/231693.html
More Nisqually delta turning back into estuary – Five south Puget Sound watershed groups have pooled their state salmon recovery money to spend $2.4 million to help remove some dikes at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. (The Olympian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1109280~More_Nisqually_delta_turning_back_into_estuary.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Subjects merge in study of salmon – Komachin program combines science, art and language (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/302083.html
Aquatic Pest Has Cost a Billion Bucks – For a critter scarcely the size of a fingernail, the zebra mussel is capable of a major amount of mischief. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12162007_Aquatic-Pest-Has-Cost-a-Billion-Bucks.cfm
Los Angeles – Reservoirs Closed After Carcinogen Is Found. A rare sunlight and chlorine reaction tainted the water of two reservoirs that supply drinking water to Los Angeles with a cancer-causing chemical, utility officials said Friday. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/us/16reservoirs.html?ex=1355461200&en=da5273ec0ee99ab3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
As nation turns to biodiesel, Seattle to benefit – 2 startups await passage of bills (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/343662_biofarm15.html
British Columbia looks to tree debris for electricity – Beetle-killed forests, other wood waste seen as potential fuel source for power generation (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071217.RWASTE17/TPStory/Business
Iceland's Hydrogen Revolution Stalled –Hydrogen-powered vehicles play a critical role in Iceland's plan to free itself of fossil fuels by 2050. The hydrogen revolution is getting off to a rock start. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17253071&ft=1&f=17
CONSERVATION
Money-saving technology has Olympia's eyes aglow – Energy efficiency behind blue LED display downtown (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/300389.html
It's lights out for traditional light bulbs (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/2007-12-16-light-bulbs_N.htm
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Warming too much for walruses – Thousands dead on crowded shoreline (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/300400.html
Washington Post Editorial – Waiting on the EPA. It's time the agency allowed California's tougher tailpipe emissions standards to take effect.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121401711.html?nav=rss_opinions
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Google Gets Ready to Rumble With Microsoft (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/technology/16goog.html?ex=1355461200&en=51443a66d6584dc2&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
FTC Chairman Denies Conflict in Google Case – Deborah Platt Majoras said yesterday that she will not recuse herself from reviewing the proposed merger of Google and DoubleClick. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121401735.html?nav=rss_technology
Louisiana – Winning LUS bids set to be revealed. 2 contractors to run fiber-optic lines (WBRZ News)
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/12497436.html
Philadelphia as a Wi-Fi Case Study – New report reviews the history of the developing system (Broadband Reports Note: comment section may contain PG-13 language)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Philadelphia-as-a-WiFi-Case-Study-90254
The 15 Biggest Tech Disappointments of 2007 – These much-ballyhooed products, sites, and services, it turned out, left much to be desired. (ABC News)
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/PCWorld/story?id=4009365
GENERAL NEWS
MASON COUNTY NOW ON THE LIST: FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE APPROVED FOR INDIVIDUALS & BUSINESSES – Mason County has been included in the Presidential Disaster Declaration for assistance to individuals and businesses impacted by the December 2-4 severe weather and landslides. Individuals impacted by this disaster must registers with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by either calling the toll free number 1-800-621-FEMA, that's 800-621-3362, or by applying online at www.fema.gov. A link to that site can be found on Mason-County-Daily-News-dot-com. Mason County Division of Emergency Management will also be coordinating with the State Emergency Management Division and FEMA to set up a Disaster Recovery Center in Mason County later this week for those individuals that may need additional assistance in applying for this disaster aid. Also, the Governor has announced that the disaster food stamp program will be implemented in counties impacted by the storm on Monday. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Oops! Lewis County mudslide photo spurs look at logging practices (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004076111_weycologging16m.html
Which storm was worse? Was the hurricane-force storm that battered coastal Washington Dec. 2-3 as bad or worse than the legendary Columbus Day storm of 1962? (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/16/local_news/01news.txt
State lawmakers to consider urban tree protection – Trees could be on the agenda for next month's legislative session. Environmental groups are pushing legislation called "Evergreen Cities," which could require cities and counties to develop plans for protecting trees. (Kitsap Sun, via the Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1109318~State_lawmakers_to_consider_urban_tree_protection.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
DIVERSIONS
Former No. 1 Girls' Name Drops Out – Sophia Top Name List for First Time
http://www.kirotv.com/family/14855024/detail.html
India – Monkey crackdown no funny business for city
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/14/india.monkeys/index.html?eref=ib_topstories
Bamboo PC is eco-friendly and looks nice too
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1041987920071213?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology
Judge: First Amendment Protects Woman Who Cursed In Frustration
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/14855976/detail.html
Dan Fogelberg, Lyric “Rocker”, Dies at 56 (punctuation added)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/arts/music/17fogelberg.html?ex=1355547600&en=73c240c1672222b3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Vanity Searches –About half of the online adult population has looked up themselves or someone else online, according to a survey released Sunday.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/17/BUKETSUFG.DTL&feed=rss.business
Bill Could Halt New York Carriage Horses – one city council member from Queens is trying to send the horses the way of the once-ubiquitous squeegee men, forever banished from the city's thoroughfares.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/16/AR2007121602021.html?nav=rss_nation
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- More windy weather headed to the Harbors
- Senate OKs Close Watch on Energy Markets
- Broad coalition calls electricity rates 'unjust and unreasonable'
- Montana – Power forward. Flathead Electric having one of its best years ever
- Montana – PPL to end Montana tax protest
- Texas Going Nuclear With Greenpeace Founder's Backing
- Next generation nuke could cost up to $4.3 billion
- When holiday cheer short circuits
- Seattle Times Outdoors Notebook – Chinook forecast looks promising
- Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial – Salmon: Faster learners
- Idaho Statesman Opinion –Redden won't let the salmon debate end easily
- Oceans failing acid test –Looming environmental catastrophe in the Pacific
- More Nisqually delta turning back into estuary
- Aquatic Pest Has Cost a Billion Bucks
- Los Angeles – Reservoirs Closed After Carcinogen Is Found
- British Columbia looks to tree debris for electricity
- Iceland's Hydrogen Revolution Stalled
- Money-saving technology has Olympia's eyes aglow
- It's lights out for traditional light bulbs
- Warming too much for walruses
- Washington Post Editorial – Waiting on the EPA.
- Google Gets Ready to Rumble with Microsoft
- Louisiana – Winning LUS bids set to be revealed.
- Mason County Now On the List: Federal Disaster Assistance Approved For Individuals & Businesses
- Lewis County mudslide photo spurs look at logging practices
- State lawmakers to consider urban tree protection
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Craven • \KRAY-vun\ • adjective – Lacking the least bit of courage: contemptibly fainthearted
Flavius stood undefeated in the arena; his blood-stained sword glinting in the sharp, angled glow of the setting, golden sun. No craven bone in his body had he…except for his uncharacteristic fear of chickens. Whether by suspicion or a childhood incident involving the family rooster, he would quake in fear at the mere mention of any poultry dish or the appearance of a feathered opponent.
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
More windy weather headed to the Harbors (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/15/local_news/04news.txt
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Senate OKs Close Watch on Energy Markets – The Senate voted Thursday to give federal regulators increased authority to monitor electronic energy markets and protect against market manipulation. (Associated Press, via the San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/12/13/national/w185050S25.DTL&type=politics
Broad coalition calls electricity rates 'unjust and unreasonable' (NY Times – Golly, guess which market is exempt from FERC regulation?)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/business/17electricity.html?ex=1355547600&en=13a60b6ae9ac201d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Montana – Power forward. Flathead Electric having one of its best years ever. Flathead Electric Cooperative’s rates are dropping for the second year in a row this January, for an overall $3 million rate reduction. (Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2007/12/16/business/bus01.txt
Montana – PPL to end Montana tax protest; wants more stability in taxes (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1105339~PPL_to_end_Montana_tax_protest__wants_more_stability_in_taxes.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines
Laos pins hopes on huge dam, but environmentalists predict disaster (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/17/MNE4TMAV9.DTL&feed=rss.news
Texas Going Nuclear With Greenpeace Founder's Backing (Bloomberg News Service)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a980jwliyVpA&refer=us
Next generation nuke could cost up to $4.3 bil to build: US DOE (Platt’s Energy News)
http://www.platts.com/Nuclear/News/6656579.xml?src=Nuclearrssheadlines1
When holiday cheer short circuits – For Snohomish County PUD and other purveyors of electricity, this is the most wonderful time of the year. Why? Well, it’s all those bajillions of colorful lights dotting trees, homes and decorations, of course. (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071217/BLOG08/349292123
Minnesota – Xcel Energy outlines plans for more efficiency, green power
http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?a=319576&z=7
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Seattle Times Outdoors Notebook – Chinook forecast looks promising
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2004075984_outn16.html?syndication=rss
Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial – Salmon: Faster learners. Things aren't going swimmingly for salmon anywhere around us. Over thousands of years, salmon have adapted to the Northwest's environment. We must be faster learners.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/343624_salmoned.html?source=rss
Idaho Statesman Opinion –Redden won't let the salmon debate end easily. Salmon are not just falling victim to dams, natural predators, fishing and uncertain ocean conditions. Their most stubborn enemy may be a have-it-all mindset. (On both sides buddy….)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/editorial/story/239833.html
Oceans failing acid test – Seven hundred miles west of Seattle at Ocean Station Papa, a first-of-its-kind buoy is monitoring a looming environmental catastrophe in the Pacific. (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/231693.html
More Nisqually delta turning back into estuary – Five south Puget Sound watershed groups have pooled their state salmon recovery money to spend $2.4 million to help remove some dikes at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. (The Olympian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1109280~More_Nisqually_delta_turning_back_into_estuary.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Subjects merge in study of salmon – Komachin program combines science, art and language (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/302083.html
Aquatic Pest Has Cost a Billion Bucks – For a critter scarcely the size of a fingernail, the zebra mussel is capable of a major amount of mischief. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12162007_Aquatic-Pest-Has-Cost-a-Billion-Bucks.cfm
Los Angeles – Reservoirs Closed After Carcinogen Is Found. A rare sunlight and chlorine reaction tainted the water of two reservoirs that supply drinking water to Los Angeles with a cancer-causing chemical, utility officials said Friday. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/us/16reservoirs.html?ex=1355461200&en=da5273ec0ee99ab3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
As nation turns to biodiesel, Seattle to benefit – 2 startups await passage of bills (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/343662_biofarm15.html
British Columbia looks to tree debris for electricity – Beetle-killed forests, other wood waste seen as potential fuel source for power generation (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071217.RWASTE17/TPStory/Business
Iceland's Hydrogen Revolution Stalled –Hydrogen-powered vehicles play a critical role in Iceland's plan to free itself of fossil fuels by 2050. The hydrogen revolution is getting off to a rock start. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17253071&ft=1&f=17
CONSERVATION
Money-saving technology has Olympia's eyes aglow – Energy efficiency behind blue LED display downtown (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/300389.html
It's lights out for traditional light bulbs (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/2007-12-16-light-bulbs_N.htm
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Warming too much for walruses – Thousands dead on crowded shoreline (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/300400.html
Washington Post Editorial – Waiting on the EPA. It's time the agency allowed California's tougher tailpipe emissions standards to take effect.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121401711.html?nav=rss_opinions
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Google Gets Ready to Rumble With Microsoft (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/technology/16goog.html?ex=1355461200&en=51443a66d6584dc2&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
FTC Chairman Denies Conflict in Google Case – Deborah Platt Majoras said yesterday that she will not recuse herself from reviewing the proposed merger of Google and DoubleClick. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121401735.html?nav=rss_technology
Louisiana – Winning LUS bids set to be revealed. 2 contractors to run fiber-optic lines (WBRZ News)
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/12497436.html
Philadelphia as a Wi-Fi Case Study – New report reviews the history of the developing system (Broadband Reports Note: comment section may contain PG-13 language)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Philadelphia-as-a-WiFi-Case-Study-90254
The 15 Biggest Tech Disappointments of 2007 – These much-ballyhooed products, sites, and services, it turned out, left much to be desired. (ABC News)
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/PCWorld/story?id=4009365
GENERAL NEWS
MASON COUNTY NOW ON THE LIST: FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE APPROVED FOR INDIVIDUALS & BUSINESSES – Mason County has been included in the Presidential Disaster Declaration for assistance to individuals and businesses impacted by the December 2-4 severe weather and landslides. Individuals impacted by this disaster must registers with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by either calling the toll free number 1-800-621-FEMA, that's 800-621-3362, or by applying online at www.fema.gov. A link to that site can be found on Mason-County-Daily-News-dot-com. Mason County Division of Emergency Management will also be coordinating with the State Emergency Management Division and FEMA to set up a Disaster Recovery Center in Mason County later this week for those individuals that may need additional assistance in applying for this disaster aid. Also, the Governor has announced that the disaster food stamp program will be implemented in counties impacted by the storm on Monday. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Oops! Lewis County mudslide photo spurs look at logging practices (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004076111_weycologging16m.html
Which storm was worse? Was the hurricane-force storm that battered coastal Washington Dec. 2-3 as bad or worse than the legendary Columbus Day storm of 1962? (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/16/local_news/01news.txt
State lawmakers to consider urban tree protection – Trees could be on the agenda for next month's legislative session. Environmental groups are pushing legislation called "Evergreen Cities," which could require cities and counties to develop plans for protecting trees. (Kitsap Sun, via the Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1109318~State_lawmakers_to_consider_urban_tree_protection.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
DIVERSIONS
Former No. 1 Girls' Name Drops Out – Sophia Top Name List for First Time
http://www.kirotv.com/family/14855024/detail.html
India – Monkey crackdown no funny business for city
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/14/india.monkeys/index.html?eref=ib_topstories
Bamboo PC is eco-friendly and looks nice too
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1041987920071213?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology
Judge: First Amendment Protects Woman Who Cursed In Frustration
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/14855976/detail.html
Dan Fogelberg, Lyric “Rocker”, Dies at 56 (punctuation added)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/arts/music/17fogelberg.html?ex=1355547600&en=73c240c1672222b3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Vanity Searches –About half of the online adult population has looked up themselves or someone else online, according to a survey released Sunday.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/17/BUKETSUFG.DTL&feed=rss.business
Bill Could Halt New York Carriage Horses – one city council member from Queens is trying to send the horses the way of the once-ubiquitous squeegee men, forever banished from the city's thoroughfares.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/16/AR2007121602021.html?nav=rss_nation
Friday, December 14, 2007
Energy News Digest for December 14, 2007
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Windstorm prompts PSE changes
- Industry Flexes Muscle, Weaker Energy Bill Passes
- Coal Ash Is More Radioactive than Nuclear Waste
- TVA net income up
- Lice in Fish Farms Endanger Wild Salmon, Study Says
- Kitsap, Hood Canal Salmon-Project Funding Greatly Expanded
- California landslide wiped out native trout speciesState plan gives Central Washington cities water for future growth
- Western States to Share Colorado River Water
- Colorado – Wind power bills rising. It costs more to be green
- New York – Gear problems shut down windmills in Lackawanna
- Red light – Green Light – LED Technology In Richland Has Cost Effective Results
- Seattle No. 8 on 'greenest city' list
- Seattle Times Commentary – Thermal politics heat up
- Bloomberg: Carbon Tax Better Than Trades
- Server Electricity Use Soars in Asia Pacific Region
- Celebrating 60 years of transistors
- Mason County Public Health Has Free Immunizations For Clean Up Workers
- Steel Electrics gone, state will run a 'temp' car ferry out of Port Townsend
- State's paid family leave program closer to reality
- Greenspan: Recession Odds 'Clearly Rising'
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Folderol • \FAHL-duh-rahl\ • noun – 1: a useless ornament or accessory: trifle *2: nonsense
“What’s all this folderol?” thundered the red-faced schoolmaster to his unruly classroom. After nipping out of the classroom for a five minute comfort stop, the teacher returned to find that his class had created a pyramid of desks in the center of the room. “It were aliens that did it,” piped the young master Erich von Däniken.
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Windstorm prompts PSE changes – A year after the Hanukkah Eve Wind Storm knocked out electricity to more than 1 million customers statewide — some for more than 10 days — officials at the state's largest energy utility concede they need to do a better job letting people know how long they'll be in the dark. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004071348_pse14m.html?syndication=rss
Industry Flexes Muscle, Weaker Energy Bill Passes – Pared-down energy legislation cleared the Senate on Thursday by a wide margin – Renewable standard is out. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/washington/14energy.html?ex=1355288400&en=c9b83f8710a73a9b&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Coal Ash Is More Radioactive than Nuclear Waste – By burning away all the pesky carbon and other impurities, coal power plants produce heaps of radiation (Scientific American)
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=coal-ash-is-more-radioactive-than-nuclear-waste
Oregon – Group protests plans for three LNG terminals across Oregon. Protesters thronged the Portland headquarters of Northwest Natural Gas Co. Wednesday to protest three proposed liquefied natural gas terminals near the coast and related pipelines that would snake across hundreds of miles of Oregon countryside. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1197512914160640.xml&coll=7
News Release – Calpine Announces Final Results of Plan of Reorganization Voting; 91% of Ballots Cast Vote to Accept Plan (Calpine Corporation)
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/12-12-2007/0004722017&EDATE=
TVA net income up (Memphis Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2007/12/10/daily21.html?ana=from_rss
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Canada – Fish farms will make local wild salmon extinct in a decade: study (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/12/13/tech-salmonfarm-lice.html
Lice in Fish Farms Endanger Wild Salmon, Study Says – Parasites that breed in fish farms kill so many passing juvenile wild salmon that they threaten the survival of fish populations in some rivers and streams, Canadian researchers are reporting. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/science/earth/14salmon.html?ex=1355288400&en=da47570e7562730e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Kitsap, Hood Canal Salmon-Project Funding Greatly Expanded (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2007/dec/13/salmon-funding-greatly-expanded/
California landslide wiped out native trout species, scientists say – A mudslide in fire-damaged Orange County wiped out one of the last remaining populations of native rainbow trout in Southern California. (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_7721235?nclick_check=1
The Olympian Op/Ed – River flows must be restored to protect fish habitat
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/299448.html
State plan gives cities water for future growth – The cities of Cashmere and Leavenworth will have the water they need to grow for at least the next 25 years under a plan approved this week by the state. (Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071213/NEWS04/712130001/1001
Western States to Share Colorado River Water (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17210282&ft=1&f=3
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Colorado – Wind power bills rising. It costs more to be green; regular Xcel customers will pay less as natural gas prices drop (Rocky Mountain News)
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/13/wind-power-bills-rising/
New York – Gear problems shut down windmills in Lackawanna. Complicated repairs of turbines expected to take several months (Buffalo News)
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/227898.html?imw=Y
News Release – 3TIER introduces Firstlook Solar Assessment. Web-based tool to accelerate development of solar energy sites (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/partner/story;jsessionid=C70A78FCAB77EB2628C2D46D6F001E60?id=50828&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Pennsylvania – Energy analysis will help Adams County – With the state set to deregulate electricity in fewer than three years, Adams County wants to prepare. (The Evening Sun, Hanover)
http://www.eveningsun.com/localnews/ci_7721911
Red light – Green Light – LED Technology In Richland Has Cost Effective Results (KNDO-TV, Tri Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=7495341
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Seattle No. 8 on 'greenest city' list (Puget Sound Business Journal – with about 95% of its electricity coming from hydro, I would hope to shout)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/12/10/daily21.html?ana=from_rss
Seattle Times Commentary – Thermal politics heat up – Ask Washington Rep. Jay Inslee about the blazing velocity of events surrounding global warming and clean energy. He has two fast answers: really bad news and really good news.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004069767_lance14.html?syndication=rss
Bloomberg: Carbon Tax Better Than Trades (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5376441.html
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Server Electricity Use Soars in Asia Pacific Region – Server electricity use is growing faster in the Asia Pacific region (minus Japan) than anywhere on the planet, and total worldwide server electricity use doubled the first half of this decade (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/idg/IDG_002570DE00740E18002573B0000152E7.html?ex=1355202000&en=4aab816096d1b0e6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Maine – Verizon decision postponed. A wrench was thrown into the Maine Public Utility Commission’s plans to deliberate and perhaps come to a decision on the proposed Verizon-FairPoint land line acquisition Thursday. (Bangor Daily News)
http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=157752&zoneid=12
United Kingdom – £1m Ocean's Eleven-style heist. Robbers disguised as police stole up to £1million worth of computer equipment from a data centre with "state-of the art" security in a daring Ocean's Eleven-style robbery. (Evening Standard)
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23426764-details/%C2%A31m+Ocean%27s+Eleven-style+heist/article.do
FCC Chief Rejects Call to Delay Vote – Senators Accuse Martin of Forcing Cross-Ownership Rule (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/13/AR2007121301876.html?nav=rss_business
Celebrating 60 years of transistors (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/Celebrating-60-years-of-transistors/2100-1006-6222770.html?part=dht&tag=nl.e703
GENERAL NEWS
MASON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH HAS FREE IMMUNIZATIONS FOR CLEAN UP WORKERS – Mason County Public Health will be providing free Hepatitis A (first dose) and Tetanus immunizations for Mason County residents that have been working in floodwaters, mud, and debris, and may have contaminated drinking water. Public Health will be at the Theler Community Center in Belfair on Saturday from 11am to 1pm. There is a limited supply of state provided immunizations so the shots will be provided on a first come first serve basis. (KMAS Radio, Shelton – Love in the time of Cholera)
Local Governments Face Complex Situation – Economic Fallout: Early Estimates Say $111 Million in Damage Befell Lewis County “…City of Chehalis officials said building permits they issue within the floodplain will be considered more closely, but growth and a “business friendly” atmosphere will take priority. ‘we’re not going to take the position of not having development in the city’” (The Chronicle)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1197573722&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Storm blowdown of trees immense – Some tore out by the roots while others snapped like matchsticks. (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/13/local_news/01news.txt
Steel Electrics gone, state will run a 'temp' car ferry out of Port Townsend (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20071214/NEWS/712140305
State's paid family leave program closer to reality (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343513_leave14.html?source=rss
Greenspan: Recession Odds 'Clearly Rising' (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17210282&ft=1&f=3
DIVERSIONS
Mysterious gold coin dropped in Salvation Army kettle
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071214/NEWS01/712140076&news01ad=1
See Mars Now: Red Planet Shines Bright
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20071214/sc_space/seemarsnowredplanetshinesbright
Queen win karaoke crown – Rock classic Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen has been named the number one karaoke song of all time, after a new poll.
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/music/queen-win-karaoke-crown-$1179087.htm
Lonely Canadian Shocked to Get $85,000 Phone Bill
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-phonebill.html?ex=1355288400&en=bc8e3abc735f48e4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Oh, so it was for spite – Merry Christmas – McDermott: Christmas vote was jab at bill's GOP sponsor. Iowa's Steve King blocked children's insurance increase
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343463_mcdermott14.html?source=rss
Eel-lectric lights for Japanese Christmas tree – Not even a blackout could put a damper on festivities at one Japanese aquarium where an electric eel is being used to light up its Christmas tree.
http://www.news.com/Eel-lectric-lights-for-Japanese-Christmas-tree/2100-11395_3-6222643.html?tag=fd_nbs_ent&tag=nl.e703
Under The Needle: Candy Cane Lane's conscientious objector abstains from decorating home
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343519_needle14.html
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Windstorm prompts PSE changes
- Industry Flexes Muscle, Weaker Energy Bill Passes
- Coal Ash Is More Radioactive than Nuclear Waste
- TVA net income up
- Lice in Fish Farms Endanger Wild Salmon, Study Says
- Kitsap, Hood Canal Salmon-Project Funding Greatly Expanded
- California landslide wiped out native trout speciesState plan gives Central Washington cities water for future growth
- Western States to Share Colorado River Water
- Colorado – Wind power bills rising. It costs more to be green
- New York – Gear problems shut down windmills in Lackawanna
- Red light – Green Light – LED Technology In Richland Has Cost Effective Results
- Seattle No. 8 on 'greenest city' list
- Seattle Times Commentary – Thermal politics heat up
- Bloomberg: Carbon Tax Better Than Trades
- Server Electricity Use Soars in Asia Pacific Region
- Celebrating 60 years of transistors
- Mason County Public Health Has Free Immunizations For Clean Up Workers
- Steel Electrics gone, state will run a 'temp' car ferry out of Port Townsend
- State's paid family leave program closer to reality
- Greenspan: Recession Odds 'Clearly Rising'
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Folderol • \FAHL-duh-rahl\ • noun – 1: a useless ornament or accessory: trifle *2: nonsense
“What’s all this folderol?” thundered the red-faced schoolmaster to his unruly classroom. After nipping out of the classroom for a five minute comfort stop, the teacher returned to find that his class had created a pyramid of desks in the center of the room. “It were aliens that did it,” piped the young master Erich von Däniken.
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Windstorm prompts PSE changes – A year after the Hanukkah Eve Wind Storm knocked out electricity to more than 1 million customers statewide — some for more than 10 days — officials at the state's largest energy utility concede they need to do a better job letting people know how long they'll be in the dark. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004071348_pse14m.html?syndication=rss
Industry Flexes Muscle, Weaker Energy Bill Passes – Pared-down energy legislation cleared the Senate on Thursday by a wide margin – Renewable standard is out. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/washington/14energy.html?ex=1355288400&en=c9b83f8710a73a9b&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Coal Ash Is More Radioactive than Nuclear Waste – By burning away all the pesky carbon and other impurities, coal power plants produce heaps of radiation (Scientific American)
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=coal-ash-is-more-radioactive-than-nuclear-waste
Oregon – Group protests plans for three LNG terminals across Oregon. Protesters thronged the Portland headquarters of Northwest Natural Gas Co. Wednesday to protest three proposed liquefied natural gas terminals near the coast and related pipelines that would snake across hundreds of miles of Oregon countryside. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1197512914160640.xml&coll=7
News Release – Calpine Announces Final Results of Plan of Reorganization Voting; 91% of Ballots Cast Vote to Accept Plan (Calpine Corporation)
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/12-12-2007/0004722017&EDATE=
TVA net income up (Memphis Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2007/12/10/daily21.html?ana=from_rss
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Canada – Fish farms will make local wild salmon extinct in a decade: study (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/12/13/tech-salmonfarm-lice.html
Lice in Fish Farms Endanger Wild Salmon, Study Says – Parasites that breed in fish farms kill so many passing juvenile wild salmon that they threaten the survival of fish populations in some rivers and streams, Canadian researchers are reporting. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/science/earth/14salmon.html?ex=1355288400&en=da47570e7562730e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Kitsap, Hood Canal Salmon-Project Funding Greatly Expanded (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2007/dec/13/salmon-funding-greatly-expanded/
California landslide wiped out native trout species, scientists say – A mudslide in fire-damaged Orange County wiped out one of the last remaining populations of native rainbow trout in Southern California. (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_7721235?nclick_check=1
The Olympian Op/Ed – River flows must be restored to protect fish habitat
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/299448.html
State plan gives cities water for future growth – The cities of Cashmere and Leavenworth will have the water they need to grow for at least the next 25 years under a plan approved this week by the state. (Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071213/NEWS04/712130001/1001
Western States to Share Colorado River Water (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17210282&ft=1&f=3
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Colorado – Wind power bills rising. It costs more to be green; regular Xcel customers will pay less as natural gas prices drop (Rocky Mountain News)
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/13/wind-power-bills-rising/
New York – Gear problems shut down windmills in Lackawanna. Complicated repairs of turbines expected to take several months (Buffalo News)
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/227898.html?imw=Y
News Release – 3TIER introduces Firstlook Solar Assessment. Web-based tool to accelerate development of solar energy sites (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/partner/story;jsessionid=C70A78FCAB77EB2628C2D46D6F001E60?id=50828&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Pennsylvania – Energy analysis will help Adams County – With the state set to deregulate electricity in fewer than three years, Adams County wants to prepare. (The Evening Sun, Hanover)
http://www.eveningsun.com/localnews/ci_7721911
Red light – Green Light – LED Technology In Richland Has Cost Effective Results (KNDO-TV, Tri Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=7495341
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Seattle No. 8 on 'greenest city' list (Puget Sound Business Journal – with about 95% of its electricity coming from hydro, I would hope to shout)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/12/10/daily21.html?ana=from_rss
Seattle Times Commentary – Thermal politics heat up – Ask Washington Rep. Jay Inslee about the blazing velocity of events surrounding global warming and clean energy. He has two fast answers: really bad news and really good news.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004069767_lance14.html?syndication=rss
Bloomberg: Carbon Tax Better Than Trades (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5376441.html
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Server Electricity Use Soars in Asia Pacific Region – Server electricity use is growing faster in the Asia Pacific region (minus Japan) than anywhere on the planet, and total worldwide server electricity use doubled the first half of this decade (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/idg/IDG_002570DE00740E18002573B0000152E7.html?ex=1355202000&en=4aab816096d1b0e6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Maine – Verizon decision postponed. A wrench was thrown into the Maine Public Utility Commission’s plans to deliberate and perhaps come to a decision on the proposed Verizon-FairPoint land line acquisition Thursday. (Bangor Daily News)
http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=157752&zoneid=12
United Kingdom – £1m Ocean's Eleven-style heist. Robbers disguised as police stole up to £1million worth of computer equipment from a data centre with "state-of the art" security in a daring Ocean's Eleven-style robbery. (Evening Standard)
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23426764-details/%C2%A31m+Ocean%27s+Eleven-style+heist/article.do
FCC Chief Rejects Call to Delay Vote – Senators Accuse Martin of Forcing Cross-Ownership Rule (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/13/AR2007121301876.html?nav=rss_business
Celebrating 60 years of transistors (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/Celebrating-60-years-of-transistors/2100-1006-6222770.html?part=dht&tag=nl.e703
GENERAL NEWS
MASON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH HAS FREE IMMUNIZATIONS FOR CLEAN UP WORKERS – Mason County Public Health will be providing free Hepatitis A (first dose) and Tetanus immunizations for Mason County residents that have been working in floodwaters, mud, and debris, and may have contaminated drinking water. Public Health will be at the Theler Community Center in Belfair on Saturday from 11am to 1pm. There is a limited supply of state provided immunizations so the shots will be provided on a first come first serve basis. (KMAS Radio, Shelton – Love in the time of Cholera)
Local Governments Face Complex Situation – Economic Fallout: Early Estimates Say $111 Million in Damage Befell Lewis County “…City of Chehalis officials said building permits they issue within the floodplain will be considered more closely, but growth and a “business friendly” atmosphere will take priority. ‘we’re not going to take the position of not having development in the city’” (The Chronicle)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1197573722&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Storm blowdown of trees immense – Some tore out by the roots while others snapped like matchsticks. (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/13/local_news/01news.txt
Steel Electrics gone, state will run a 'temp' car ferry out of Port Townsend (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20071214/NEWS/712140305
State's paid family leave program closer to reality (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343513_leave14.html?source=rss
Greenspan: Recession Odds 'Clearly Rising' (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17210282&ft=1&f=3
DIVERSIONS
Mysterious gold coin dropped in Salvation Army kettle
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071214/NEWS01/712140076&news01ad=1
See Mars Now: Red Planet Shines Bright
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20071214/sc_space/seemarsnowredplanetshinesbright
Queen win karaoke crown – Rock classic Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen has been named the number one karaoke song of all time, after a new poll.
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/music/queen-win-karaoke-crown-$1179087.htm
Lonely Canadian Shocked to Get $85,000 Phone Bill
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-phonebill.html?ex=1355288400&en=bc8e3abc735f48e4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Oh, so it was for spite – Merry Christmas – McDermott: Christmas vote was jab at bill's GOP sponsor. Iowa's Steve King blocked children's insurance increase
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343463_mcdermott14.html?source=rss
Eel-lectric lights for Japanese Christmas tree – Not even a blackout could put a damper on festivities at one Japanese aquarium where an electric eel is being used to light up its Christmas tree.
http://www.news.com/Eel-lectric-lights-for-Japanese-Christmas-tree/2100-11395_3-6222643.html?tag=fd_nbs_ent&tag=nl.e703
Under The Needle: Candy Cane Lane's conscientious objector abstains from decorating home
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343519_needle14.html
Thursday, December 13, 2007
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Grays Harbor County – Support pouring in
- Idaho has abundant power? Think again
- Kulongoski preaches energy tolerance
- California – Pacific Gas and Electric wants public to pay for new smart meters
- Close U.S. Senate Vote Expected on Energy
- Judge extends Columbia River salmon-proposal deadline
- 'We can do better' for fish, judge says
- Dueling Editorial Content 1 – Salmon forecasts don’t look great for Columbia River
- Dueling Editorial Content 2 – Big spring Chinook run forecast for Columbia
- Environmental coalition outlines agenda for 2008
- The Economist Magazine – Why netting fewer fish nets more fish
- Olympian Editorial – Puget Sound is in harm’s way.
- Clallam County PUD starts hearings on water rate hike
- Homespun Electricity, From the Wind
- State's new climate change law being tested
- San Francisco Ties Building Codes to Climate Change
- Green Exchange to Trade Carbon Credits
- Carbon offsets: Landowners' and farmers’ wave of the future?
- Federal Judge Upholds Law on Emissions in California
- Oregon – Verizon now in the cable TV picture.
- Study predicts data centre energy spike
- Highway 101 Along Hood Canal Expected to Reopen Friday
- Relief arriving to flood victims
- Two arrested on suspicion of burglary at flooded home
- Attorney of the Year! Alberto Gonzales
- Ho-ho-no: McDermott votes against Christmas
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Ingénue • \AN-juh-noo\ • noun – 1: a naïve girl or young woman *2: the stage role of an ingénue; also: an actress playing such a role
Whenever I see this word, I always think of the actress Theresa Wright. I think that when you look up the word ingénue in the dictionary, her picture should be right there. Not that I’m obsessed with Theresa Wright, you see. I just think she was neat. Doesn’t hurt that she was an Oscar winner too. But I digress…
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Grays Harbor County – Support pouring in (The Daily World)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/12/local_news/02news.txt
Idaho has abundant power? Think again – Two manufacturers skip Boise after utility says it can't provide electricity. (The Idaho Statesman – removing those Snake River Dams…good luck with that. See Ya Later…..)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/237066.html
Kulongoski preaches energy tolerance – Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski told the Northwest Power and Conservation Council Wednesday the region shouldn't be limiting its energy options on the way to reaching the widely shared goal of energy independence. (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/blogs/mulick/v-rss/story/9515038p-9425849c.html
California – Pacific Gas and Electric wants public to pay for newest, smartest electrical meters (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/13/BUUMTT33H.DTL
Close U.S. Senate Vote Expected on Energy “…Senate Democrats dropped a requirement that utilities generate 15 percent of their electricity from solar, wind and other renewable sources. Opponents argued that the mandate would lead to higher electricity costs, especially in regions that do not have an abundance of wind or solar energy, such as the Southeast…” (Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5imPz0z6szykAL-CAKZDEZOAiDREgD8TGELIG0
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Judge extends Columbia River salmon-proposal deadline – Government given until March 18 for new dam-mitigation plan (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343375_salmon13.html?source=rss
'We can do better' for fish, judge says – Columbia salmon - A federal judge promises "very harsh" measures if a solution is not found (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1197518173320550.xml&coll=7
Dueling Editorial Content 1 – Salmon forecasts don’t look great for Columbia River (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/soundlife/story/228501.html
Dueling Editorial Content 2 – Big spring Chinook run forecast for Columbia (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2007/12/12122007_Big-spring-chinook-run-forecast-for-Columbia.cfm
Environmental coalition outlines agenda for 2008 – More urban trees, fewer greenhouse gas emissions and schoolchildren nourished with locally grown food (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/298447.html
The Economist Magazine – Why netting fewer fish nets more fish (Via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/343277_fishonline13.html?source=rss
Olympian Editorial – Puget Sound is in harm’s way. Data from a recent report released by the state Department of Ecology conjures up the image of a slow-moving oil spill, incessantly oozing into Puget Sound.
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/298464.html
Clallam County PUD starts hearings on water rate hike (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3301
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Homespun Electricity, From the Wind (Home-based wind turbines catching on, NIMBYs turn out – NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/garden/13wind.html?ex=1355202000&en=28a43c2dfe063111&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
A Young Tinkerer Builds a Windmill, Electrifying a Nation. Mr. Kamkwamba's Creation Spurs Hope in Malawi; Entrepreneurs Pay Heed (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119742696302722641.html?mod=hpp_us_editors_picks
Less Backup for Wind Power May Be Required (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=50830&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Rudolph conserving energy (Say, is that an LED in your nose! (Chronicle Journal, Thunder Bay, Ontario)
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories_local.php?id=80106
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
State's new climate change law being tested – lf you took an interest in the rather rapid development of this year's climate change law in the Legislature then you might want to be tracking what's happening before the state's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council. (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/blogs/mulick/v-rss/story/9514904p-9425702c.html
San Francisco Ties Building Codes to Climate Change (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17196602&ft=1&f=3
Green Exchange to Trade Carbon Credits (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17196599&ft=1&f=3
Carbon offsets: Landowners' and farmers’ wave of the future? (Trading Markets)
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/908154/
Federal Judge Upholds Law on Emissions in California – A federal judge in Sacramento on Wednesday upheld a California law regulating greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks, another in a string of legal defeats for the auto industry this year. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/washington/13emissions.html?ei=5088&en=60b91aa929a1df79&ex=1355202000&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1197569394-bnLX/2M+lpxWHxpYjebiFA
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Oregon – Verizon now in the cable TV picture. The new service gives consumers a choice, but rates appear unlikely to fall despite competition (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1197433526322420.xml&coll=7
Study predicts data centre energy spike – An AMD study has revealed fascinating changes to global data centre energy use, suggesting that even small shifts in operational procedures could cut now electricity consumption. (Techworld)
http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=10928
Broadband Reports – Comcast Fights Bad Service Reputation. Can the nation's largest cable company cure what ails it?
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Fights-Bad-Service-Reputation-90194
GENERAL NEWS
Highway 101 Along Hood Canal Expected to Reopen Friday (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/dec/12/highway-101-along-hood-canal-expected-to-reopen/
Relief arriving to flood victims – Cash, volunteering best ways to help as needs shift to long term (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343380_giving13.html
Two arrested on suspicion of burglary at flooded home (that’s burglary NOT robbery)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/298474.html
Land of the fee for photos in national parks? Interior Department denies permits would limit news photographers (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/228406.html
Carbon monoxide: Last year's surprise killer still claims lives (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004068680_carbon13m.html?syndication=rss
DIVERSIONS
Holy Cow! Don’t try this at home: Tesla coil art – Peter Terren's got a Tesla coil, and he's not afraid to use it... a lot.
http://www.wired.com/culture/art/multimedia/2007/12/gallery_tesla_artist
Man Chugs Vodka at Airport, Nearly Dies
http://www.kirotv.com/news/14837605/detail.html
Boots walk off, then fly home – It’s the saga of the missing footwear: A Lakewood man buys boots on eBay, only to find out they were the pair stolen from his front porch in July.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/228418.html
Miffed bus driver “hijacked us,” passengers say
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004069099_webbusdriver13.html?syndication=rss
Attorney of the Year! Journal Grants Gonzales a Superlative
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/12/AR2007121202305.html?nav=rss_nation
Ho-ho-no: McDermott votes against Christmas – Humbug? Congressman Jim McDermott was one of only nine members of the U.S. House to vote against resolution recognizing Christmas “…supported House resolutions this fall to recognize the Islamic holiday of Ramadan and the festival of Diwali, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. But the Washington Democrat drew the line at Christmas…” (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343335_mcdermott13.html?source=rss
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Grays Harbor County – Support pouring in
- Idaho has abundant power? Think again
- Kulongoski preaches energy tolerance
- California – Pacific Gas and Electric wants public to pay for new smart meters
- Close U.S. Senate Vote Expected on Energy
- Judge extends Columbia River salmon-proposal deadline
- 'We can do better' for fish, judge says
- Dueling Editorial Content 1 – Salmon forecasts don’t look great for Columbia River
- Dueling Editorial Content 2 – Big spring Chinook run forecast for Columbia
- Environmental coalition outlines agenda for 2008
- The Economist Magazine – Why netting fewer fish nets more fish
- Olympian Editorial – Puget Sound is in harm’s way.
- Clallam County PUD starts hearings on water rate hike
- Homespun Electricity, From the Wind
- State's new climate change law being tested
- San Francisco Ties Building Codes to Climate Change
- Green Exchange to Trade Carbon Credits
- Carbon offsets: Landowners' and farmers’ wave of the future?
- Federal Judge Upholds Law on Emissions in California
- Oregon – Verizon now in the cable TV picture.
- Study predicts data centre energy spike
- Highway 101 Along Hood Canal Expected to Reopen Friday
- Relief arriving to flood victims
- Two arrested on suspicion of burglary at flooded home
- Attorney of the Year! Alberto Gonzales
- Ho-ho-no: McDermott votes against Christmas
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Ingénue • \AN-juh-noo\ • noun – 1: a naïve girl or young woman *2: the stage role of an ingénue; also: an actress playing such a role
Whenever I see this word, I always think of the actress Theresa Wright. I think that when you look up the word ingénue in the dictionary, her picture should be right there. Not that I’m obsessed with Theresa Wright, you see. I just think she was neat. Doesn’t hurt that she was an Oscar winner too. But I digress…
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Grays Harbor County – Support pouring in (The Daily World)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/12/local_news/02news.txt
Idaho has abundant power? Think again – Two manufacturers skip Boise after utility says it can't provide electricity. (The Idaho Statesman – removing those Snake River Dams…good luck with that. See Ya Later…..)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/237066.html
Kulongoski preaches energy tolerance – Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski told the Northwest Power and Conservation Council Wednesday the region shouldn't be limiting its energy options on the way to reaching the widely shared goal of energy independence. (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/blogs/mulick/v-rss/story/9515038p-9425849c.html
California – Pacific Gas and Electric wants public to pay for newest, smartest electrical meters (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/13/BUUMTT33H.DTL
Close U.S. Senate Vote Expected on Energy “…Senate Democrats dropped a requirement that utilities generate 15 percent of their electricity from solar, wind and other renewable sources. Opponents argued that the mandate would lead to higher electricity costs, especially in regions that do not have an abundance of wind or solar energy, such as the Southeast…” (Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5imPz0z6szykAL-CAKZDEZOAiDREgD8TGELIG0
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Judge extends Columbia River salmon-proposal deadline – Government given until March 18 for new dam-mitigation plan (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343375_salmon13.html?source=rss
'We can do better' for fish, judge says – Columbia salmon - A federal judge promises "very harsh" measures if a solution is not found (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1197518173320550.xml&coll=7
Dueling Editorial Content 1 – Salmon forecasts don’t look great for Columbia River (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/soundlife/story/228501.html
Dueling Editorial Content 2 – Big spring Chinook run forecast for Columbia (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2007/12/12122007_Big-spring-chinook-run-forecast-for-Columbia.cfm
Environmental coalition outlines agenda for 2008 – More urban trees, fewer greenhouse gas emissions and schoolchildren nourished with locally grown food (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/298447.html
The Economist Magazine – Why netting fewer fish nets more fish (Via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/343277_fishonline13.html?source=rss
Olympian Editorial – Puget Sound is in harm’s way. Data from a recent report released by the state Department of Ecology conjures up the image of a slow-moving oil spill, incessantly oozing into Puget Sound.
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/298464.html
Clallam County PUD starts hearings on water rate hike (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3301
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Homespun Electricity, From the Wind (Home-based wind turbines catching on, NIMBYs turn out – NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/garden/13wind.html?ex=1355202000&en=28a43c2dfe063111&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
A Young Tinkerer Builds a Windmill, Electrifying a Nation. Mr. Kamkwamba's Creation Spurs Hope in Malawi; Entrepreneurs Pay Heed (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119742696302722641.html?mod=hpp_us_editors_picks
Less Backup for Wind Power May Be Required (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=50830&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Rudolph conserving energy (Say, is that an LED in your nose! (Chronicle Journal, Thunder Bay, Ontario)
http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories_local.php?id=80106
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
State's new climate change law being tested – lf you took an interest in the rather rapid development of this year's climate change law in the Legislature then you might want to be tracking what's happening before the state's Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council. (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/blogs/mulick/v-rss/story/9514904p-9425702c.html
San Francisco Ties Building Codes to Climate Change (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17196602&ft=1&f=3
Green Exchange to Trade Carbon Credits (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17196599&ft=1&f=3
Carbon offsets: Landowners' and farmers’ wave of the future? (Trading Markets)
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/908154/
Federal Judge Upholds Law on Emissions in California – A federal judge in Sacramento on Wednesday upheld a California law regulating greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks, another in a string of legal defeats for the auto industry this year. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/washington/13emissions.html?ei=5088&en=60b91aa929a1df79&ex=1355202000&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1197569394-bnLX/2M+lpxWHxpYjebiFA
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Oregon – Verizon now in the cable TV picture. The new service gives consumers a choice, but rates appear unlikely to fall despite competition (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1197433526322420.xml&coll=7
Study predicts data centre energy spike – An AMD study has revealed fascinating changes to global data centre energy use, suggesting that even small shifts in operational procedures could cut now electricity consumption. (Techworld)
http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=10928
Broadband Reports – Comcast Fights Bad Service Reputation. Can the nation's largest cable company cure what ails it?
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Fights-Bad-Service-Reputation-90194
GENERAL NEWS
Highway 101 Along Hood Canal Expected to Reopen Friday (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/dec/12/highway-101-along-hood-canal-expected-to-reopen/
Relief arriving to flood victims – Cash, volunteering best ways to help as needs shift to long term (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343380_giving13.html
Two arrested on suspicion of burglary at flooded home (that’s burglary NOT robbery)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/298474.html
Land of the fee for photos in national parks? Interior Department denies permits would limit news photographers (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/228406.html
Carbon monoxide: Last year's surprise killer still claims lives (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004068680_carbon13m.html?syndication=rss
DIVERSIONS
Holy Cow! Don’t try this at home: Tesla coil art – Peter Terren's got a Tesla coil, and he's not afraid to use it... a lot.
http://www.wired.com/culture/art/multimedia/2007/12/gallery_tesla_artist
Man Chugs Vodka at Airport, Nearly Dies
http://www.kirotv.com/news/14837605/detail.html
Boots walk off, then fly home – It’s the saga of the missing footwear: A Lakewood man buys boots on eBay, only to find out they were the pair stolen from his front porch in July.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/228418.html
Miffed bus driver “hijacked us,” passengers say
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004069099_webbusdriver13.html?syndication=rss
Attorney of the Year! Journal Grants Gonzales a Superlative
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/12/AR2007121202305.html?nav=rss_nation
Ho-ho-no: McDermott votes against Christmas – Humbug? Congressman Jim McDermott was one of only nine members of the U.S. House to vote against resolution recognizing Christmas “…supported House resolutions this fall to recognize the Islamic holiday of Ramadan and the festival of Diwali, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. But the Washington Democrat drew the line at Christmas…” (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/343335_mcdermott13.html?source=rss
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Energy News Digest for December 12, 2007
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
Grays Harbor County and PUD bill could top $20 million
Mason County Storm Damage Over $18 Million
Injured Grays Harbor PUD Worker Recovering
Mason County PUD No. 3 Approves 2008 Budget
Clark Public Utilities budgets call for unchanged water, electric rates
No increases seen for Cowlitz PUD
California sues U.S. over utility pole transformers
U.S. Senate Energy Bill Drops Renewable Energy Mandates
Dams and Salmon On The Docket In Redden's Court
Accentuate the positive – Big spring Chinook run forecast for Columbia
Salmon and sea lions, a sad situation
Makah whalers plead not guilty to tribal charges
Idaho Power buys geothermal energy: Move could result in higher electric bills
USA Today Opinion – Our view on energy mandates: States wean from fossil fuels, so why can't Washington?
Why did solar energy lose its flare?
The Electric Vehicle Acid Test – Are they really any better for the environment than gas-guzzling cars?
Off-Peak Laundry? Pricing Power by the Hour
Scientists wonder if Arctic melting a blip or a warning
Lewis County's past strategy: Build and hope for flood control
Oregon – State warns retailers not to charge excessive prices after storm
Olympia’s protest bill: $112,168
WA state auditor: Staffers at WSU Tri-Cities inflated enrollment
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Harry • \HAIR-ee\ • verb – 1: to make a pillaging or destructive raid on: assault 2: to force to move along by harassing *3: to torment by or as if by constant attack
Harry harried his heavenly housemates with hour-long histrionics about housekeeping. Finally the harangue wore out, as Harry’s housemates hustled him out the door onto the dust heap.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Grays Harbor County and PUD bill could top $20 million (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/11/local_news/02news.txt
MASON COUNTY STORM DAMAGE OVER $18 MILLION – Mason County suffered over $18 Million in storm damage from the December 3rd storm. According to the County's Director of Emergency Management, Marty Best, the preliminary damage estimation to public facilities is $10 Million and personal property damage is over $8 Million. Fifteen homes were destroyed and 38 homes sustained major damage. Mason County P.U.D. No. 1 reported about $100,000 in damage. Mason County P.U.D. No. 3 had over $1.2 Million damage. The City of Shelton sustain close to a Million dollars damage. And the Skokomish Tribe is reporting a little over $100,000 just in initial damages. The County is still gathering damage reports and resident who haven't already done so are encouraged to call Mason County's Division of Emergency Management at 427-7535. The hardest hit areas in Mason County were in Potlatch, Union, Hoodsport, Tahuya, Dewatto, and Lilliwaup. Officials are calling this disaster one of the largest disasters in Mason County's history. Officials are also hoping that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will make federal assistance available to Mason County residents. If that happens Best will be requesting Disaster Assistance Centers be located in the County to help people register their damage with FEMA. In the meantime, Non-Perishable food, blankets, clothing, and household goods are still available for those in need at the Mason County Fairgrounds in Shelton and at the Theler Community Center in Belfair. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Injured Grays Harbor PUD Worker Recovering (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/14827510/detail.html
News Release – Mason County PUD No. 3 Approves 2008 Budget: Increased operating costs mean small rate increase (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/News/display.asp?NewsID=396
Clark Public Utilities budgets call for unchanged water, electric rates (The Oregonian)
http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/12/clark_public_utilities_budgets.html
No increases seen for Cowlitz PUD – The Cowlitz PUD board Tuesday adopted a "status quo" budget for 2008 that includes no electric rate increases and puts no money toward a proposed Kalama power plant. (Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/12/12//area_news/doc475f96f135f0c561986787.txt
California sues U.S. over utility pole transformers – action being sought against the Bush administration over the U.S. Energy Department's new efficiency standards for the 40 million electric transformers on utility poles around the nation, saying the rules are too weak and would allow pollution that contributes to global warming. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/12/BA1FTSBR2.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
News Release – BPA uses aluminum shunts to increase power line capacity and save money (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/186166/
Judge greenlights AEP pollution settlement – Columbus-based American Electric Power has been pilloried as one of the biggest polluters in the country. But that changed yesterday when a federal judge approved what the government calls the largest environmental settlement in history. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association OnLine)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ChhjloolSTfcw11rbfem%5Ev
U.S. Senate Energy Bill Drops Utility Rules, Keeps Most of Tax Package – Senate leaders are planning to introduce a slimmed-down package of energy legislation, eliminating a minimum requirement for utilities' use of renewable resources (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/11/AR2007121102197.html?nav=rss_business
News Release – President George W. Bush nominates Commissioner Jon Wellinghoff, to another term as Commissioner (White House Web Site)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071211-8.html
Missouri – Suit filed to halt Taum Sauk project. The Great Rivers Environmental Law Center and Missouri Parks Association filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) failed to evaluate most of the significant impacts of Ameren UE's Taum Sauk project before authorizing its reconstruction. (St. Louis Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2007/12/10/daily28.html?ana=from_rss
New Hampshire – Power company decides Hanover wrong on pole use. An official from electric company National Grid has reversed his position and now sides with local telecommunications company segTEL in that company's lawsuit against the town of Hanover. (Hanover Union Leader)
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=7f814db6-6d3f-4dd9-8121-c3876b85c2be&headline=Power+company+decides+Hanover+wrong+on+pole+use
Dark days ahead for energy-strapped South Africa – Constant power cuts are darkening the mood among South Africans, with President Thabo Mbeki admitting that government was at fault for ignoring growing energy needs. (AFP News Service)
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iFt-NzKEPX5hkooDK7DnsA7RjguQ
News Tribune Opinion – Let there be light again over the Narrows. Some public agency has the opportunity to be Santa this season and win the gratitude of thousands of South Sounders. How? Simply by taking $1.5 million – already appropriated by the Legislature – and using that money to hire a contractor to string decorative lights over the new Narrows Bridge.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/227381.html
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Dams And Salmon On The Docket In Redden's Court (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/dams-and-salmon-docket-reddens-court/
Accentuate the positive – Big spring Chinook run forecast for Columbia. Here's the number salmon anglers have been waiting to learn: a whopping 269,300 spring Chinook - the third-best run in recent times - are forecast to enter the Columbia River headed for waters upstream of Bonneville Dam. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2007/12/12122007_Big-spring-chinook-run-forecast-for-Columbia.cfm
Salmon forecasts: good news, bad news situation – The spring Chinook run in the Willamette looks bleak -- the opposite of the Columbia's (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1197428106174720.xml&coll=7
Salmon and sea lions, a sad situation (Eugene Register Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=34485&sid=40&fid=1
Makah whalers plead not guilty to tribal charges (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20071212/NEWS/712120304
Seattle Times Editorial – Hands on the spigot. Watching Western Washington bail out from record rainstorms, it is easy to forget how much of the country is in the grip of record drought.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004066097_watered12.html
Local company to help build Elwha water plant – A Port Angeles company will share in part of a contract to build a nearly 70 million dollar water treatment plant on the Elwha River. (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3296
Port Angeles eastside sewer project a half-million beyond expected cost (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20071211/NEWS/712110304
Oregon – Springfield Utility Board likely to raise water rates. Water rates for customers are expected to climb 9.6 percent in January — as they did last January and probably will do so again in 2009 and 2010. (Eugene Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=34477&sid=4&fid=1
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Idaho Power buys geothermal energy: Move could result in higher electric bills (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association OnLine)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ChhjkkouYTfcw11rbfem%5Ev
USA Today Opinion – Our view on energy mandates: States wean from fossil fuels, so why can't Washington?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20071212/cm_usatoday/ourviewonenergymandatesstatesweanfromfossilfuelssowhycantwashington
Why did solar energy lose its flare? Underutilized alternative source could curb bad gases (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22185017/
Washington Post Op/Ed – Food vs. Fuel; By Robert J. Samuelson
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/11/AR2007121101834.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns
The Green Gap in Communications and Messaging – There is a growing misalignment between people’s stated intentions, e.g., their desire to be more environmentally conscious or to save energy, and their actual purchasing and consumption behavior. (Energy Pulse Commentary – VERY interesting article)
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1625
Pennsylvania Senate vote expected on $650M alternative energy bill (WHP, Harrisburg)
http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=5a0bdf07-03cc-4cf9-b108-a783a19613fd&rss=50
The Electric Vehicle Acid Test – Are they really any better for the environment than gas-guzzling cars? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2179609/fr/rss/
CONSERVATION
Off-Peak Laundry? Pricing Power by the Hour – Pepco is about to start sending personal e-mail messages to Jonathan and Lauren Schwabish every few hours that could determine when they do the dishes, wash the baby's clothes or turn on the air conditioner. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/11/AR2007121102502.html?nav=rss_technology
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Scientists wonder if Arctic melting a blip or a warning – Ice disappeared at record levels this summer (Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/343215_melt12.html
Hard Choices on Climate Can Wait for Next President, Aides Indicate (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/12/AR2007121200478.html?nav=rss_world
Paying other nations to be green – Some at the Bali summit see carbon credits as a way to save the rain forests and reduce greenhouse gases. Others have doubts. (Associated Press, via the Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-sci-deforest12dec12,1,468306.story?coll=la-news-a_section&ctrack=1&cset=true
GENERAL NEWS
Lewis County's past strategy: Build and hope for flood control – Chehalis and Centralia are geographically challenged, a fact brought home by record flooding last week in the Chehalis River Valley. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/297347.html
Oregon – State warns retailers not to charge excessive prices after storm (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/12/10/daily16.html?ana=from_rss
New Tribune Opinion – Few natural disasters can match the demoralizing aftermath of a flood.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/227378.html
Olympia’s protest bill: $112,168 – The protests of military shipments at the Port of Olympia last month cost the city of Olympia at least $112,168. Officials say the city should consider sending the bill to the port and “other entities” (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/297321.html
WA state auditor: Staffers at WSU Tri-Cities inflated enrollment (KNDO-TV, Tri Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=7485651
Former employee accused of bomb threats at Lacey Wal-Mart (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1100575~Former_employee_accused_of_bomb_threats_at_Lacey_Wal_Mart.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
DIVERSIONS
These are GREAT –'Danger: Avoid Death' contest winner. Words to live by, from a warning label on a small tractor: "Danger: Avoid Death."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071212/ap_on_fe_st/odd_wacky_warnings;_ylt=AsqIktsNfXCdpSgY.NLX4bDtiBIF
Icelandic teenage caller tricks White House – A teenager says he convinced the White House he was Iceland's president and managed to schedule a call with George W. Bush but was found out before he got to talk to the U.S. president.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071212/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_iceland_bush;_ylt=Ao8buPqgz29I3GIl0ymgrfDtiBIF
Merriam-Webster's word of '07: 'w00t'
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071211/ap_on_fe_st/word_of_the_year;_ylt=AqZYhc1mj5HlEqiLZ4bdB3XtiBIF
Men drive straight to work, women stop a lot – Men and women do have different driving habits according to a new study that shows women squeeze more stops into their daily commute than men.
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=6c07918f-338a-4e78-8069-27ed42682ac9&k=1491
After a Window Washer’s 47-Floor Plunge, the Big Question Is: How Did He Survive? A 29-year-old man plunges 17 stories in the atrium of a hotel in Minneapolis, landing on an overhang.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/nyregion/12fall.html?ex=1355115600&en=f717ebf517f800cc&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
Grays Harbor County and PUD bill could top $20 million
Mason County Storm Damage Over $18 Million
Injured Grays Harbor PUD Worker Recovering
Mason County PUD No. 3 Approves 2008 Budget
Clark Public Utilities budgets call for unchanged water, electric rates
No increases seen for Cowlitz PUD
California sues U.S. over utility pole transformers
U.S. Senate Energy Bill Drops Renewable Energy Mandates
Dams and Salmon On The Docket In Redden's Court
Accentuate the positive – Big spring Chinook run forecast for Columbia
Salmon and sea lions, a sad situation
Makah whalers plead not guilty to tribal charges
Idaho Power buys geothermal energy: Move could result in higher electric bills
USA Today Opinion – Our view on energy mandates: States wean from fossil fuels, so why can't Washington?
Why did solar energy lose its flare?
The Electric Vehicle Acid Test – Are they really any better for the environment than gas-guzzling cars?
Off-Peak Laundry? Pricing Power by the Hour
Scientists wonder if Arctic melting a blip or a warning
Lewis County's past strategy: Build and hope for flood control
Oregon – State warns retailers not to charge excessive prices after storm
Olympia’s protest bill: $112,168
WA state auditor: Staffers at WSU Tri-Cities inflated enrollment
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Harry • \HAIR-ee\ • verb – 1: to make a pillaging or destructive raid on: assault 2: to force to move along by harassing *3: to torment by or as if by constant attack
Harry harried his heavenly housemates with hour-long histrionics about housekeeping. Finally the harangue wore out, as Harry’s housemates hustled him out the door onto the dust heap.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Grays Harbor County and PUD bill could top $20 million (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/11/local_news/02news.txt
MASON COUNTY STORM DAMAGE OVER $18 MILLION – Mason County suffered over $18 Million in storm damage from the December 3rd storm. According to the County's Director of Emergency Management, Marty Best, the preliminary damage estimation to public facilities is $10 Million and personal property damage is over $8 Million. Fifteen homes were destroyed and 38 homes sustained major damage. Mason County P.U.D. No. 1 reported about $100,000 in damage. Mason County P.U.D. No. 3 had over $1.2 Million damage. The City of Shelton sustain close to a Million dollars damage. And the Skokomish Tribe is reporting a little over $100,000 just in initial damages. The County is still gathering damage reports and resident who haven't already done so are encouraged to call Mason County's Division of Emergency Management at 427-7535. The hardest hit areas in Mason County were in Potlatch, Union, Hoodsport, Tahuya, Dewatto, and Lilliwaup. Officials are calling this disaster one of the largest disasters in Mason County's history. Officials are also hoping that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will make federal assistance available to Mason County residents. If that happens Best will be requesting Disaster Assistance Centers be located in the County to help people register their damage with FEMA. In the meantime, Non-Perishable food, blankets, clothing, and household goods are still available for those in need at the Mason County Fairgrounds in Shelton and at the Theler Community Center in Belfair. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Injured Grays Harbor PUD Worker Recovering (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/14827510/detail.html
News Release – Mason County PUD No. 3 Approves 2008 Budget: Increased operating costs mean small rate increase (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/News/display.asp?NewsID=396
Clark Public Utilities budgets call for unchanged water, electric rates (The Oregonian)
http://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingnews/2007/12/clark_public_utilities_budgets.html
No increases seen for Cowlitz PUD – The Cowlitz PUD board Tuesday adopted a "status quo" budget for 2008 that includes no electric rate increases and puts no money toward a proposed Kalama power plant. (Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/12/12//area_news/doc475f96f135f0c561986787.txt
California sues U.S. over utility pole transformers – action being sought against the Bush administration over the U.S. Energy Department's new efficiency standards for the 40 million electric transformers on utility poles around the nation, saying the rules are too weak and would allow pollution that contributes to global warming. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/12/BA1FTSBR2.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
News Release – BPA uses aluminum shunts to increase power line capacity and save money (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/186166/
Judge greenlights AEP pollution settlement – Columbus-based American Electric Power has been pilloried as one of the biggest polluters in the country. But that changed yesterday when a federal judge approved what the government calls the largest environmental settlement in history. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association OnLine)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ChhjloolSTfcw11rbfem%5Ev
U.S. Senate Energy Bill Drops Utility Rules, Keeps Most of Tax Package – Senate leaders are planning to introduce a slimmed-down package of energy legislation, eliminating a minimum requirement for utilities' use of renewable resources (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/11/AR2007121102197.html?nav=rss_business
News Release – President George W. Bush nominates Commissioner Jon Wellinghoff, to another term as Commissioner (White House Web Site)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071211-8.html
Missouri – Suit filed to halt Taum Sauk project. The Great Rivers Environmental Law Center and Missouri Parks Association filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) failed to evaluate most of the significant impacts of Ameren UE's Taum Sauk project before authorizing its reconstruction. (St. Louis Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2007/12/10/daily28.html?ana=from_rss
New Hampshire – Power company decides Hanover wrong on pole use. An official from electric company National Grid has reversed his position and now sides with local telecommunications company segTEL in that company's lawsuit against the town of Hanover. (Hanover Union Leader)
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=7f814db6-6d3f-4dd9-8121-c3876b85c2be&headline=Power+company+decides+Hanover+wrong+on+pole+use
Dark days ahead for energy-strapped South Africa – Constant power cuts are darkening the mood among South Africans, with President Thabo Mbeki admitting that government was at fault for ignoring growing energy needs. (AFP News Service)
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iFt-NzKEPX5hkooDK7DnsA7RjguQ
News Tribune Opinion – Let there be light again over the Narrows. Some public agency has the opportunity to be Santa this season and win the gratitude of thousands of South Sounders. How? Simply by taking $1.5 million – already appropriated by the Legislature – and using that money to hire a contractor to string decorative lights over the new Narrows Bridge.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/227381.html
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Dams And Salmon On The Docket In Redden's Court (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/dams-and-salmon-docket-reddens-court/
Accentuate the positive – Big spring Chinook run forecast for Columbia. Here's the number salmon anglers have been waiting to learn: a whopping 269,300 spring Chinook - the third-best run in recent times - are forecast to enter the Columbia River headed for waters upstream of Bonneville Dam. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2007/12/12122007_Big-spring-chinook-run-forecast-for-Columbia.cfm
Salmon forecasts: good news, bad news situation – The spring Chinook run in the Willamette looks bleak -- the opposite of the Columbia's (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1197428106174720.xml&coll=7
Salmon and sea lions, a sad situation (Eugene Register Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=34485&sid=40&fid=1
Makah whalers plead not guilty to tribal charges (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20071212/NEWS/712120304
Seattle Times Editorial – Hands on the spigot. Watching Western Washington bail out from record rainstorms, it is easy to forget how much of the country is in the grip of record drought.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004066097_watered12.html
Local company to help build Elwha water plant – A Port Angeles company will share in part of a contract to build a nearly 70 million dollar water treatment plant on the Elwha River. (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3296
Port Angeles eastside sewer project a half-million beyond expected cost (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20071211/NEWS/712110304
Oregon – Springfield Utility Board likely to raise water rates. Water rates for customers are expected to climb 9.6 percent in January — as they did last January and probably will do so again in 2009 and 2010. (Eugene Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=34477&sid=4&fid=1
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Idaho Power buys geothermal energy: Move could result in higher electric bills (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association OnLine)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ChhjkkouYTfcw11rbfem%5Ev
USA Today Opinion – Our view on energy mandates: States wean from fossil fuels, so why can't Washington?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20071212/cm_usatoday/ourviewonenergymandatesstatesweanfromfossilfuelssowhycantwashington
Why did solar energy lose its flare? Underutilized alternative source could curb bad gases (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22185017/
Washington Post Op/Ed – Food vs. Fuel; By Robert J. Samuelson
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/11/AR2007121101834.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns
The Green Gap in Communications and Messaging – There is a growing misalignment between people’s stated intentions, e.g., their desire to be more environmentally conscious or to save energy, and their actual purchasing and consumption behavior. (Energy Pulse Commentary – VERY interesting article)
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1625
Pennsylvania Senate vote expected on $650M alternative energy bill (WHP, Harrisburg)
http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=5a0bdf07-03cc-4cf9-b108-a783a19613fd&rss=50
The Electric Vehicle Acid Test – Are they really any better for the environment than gas-guzzling cars? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2179609/fr/rss/
CONSERVATION
Off-Peak Laundry? Pricing Power by the Hour – Pepco is about to start sending personal e-mail messages to Jonathan and Lauren Schwabish every few hours that could determine when they do the dishes, wash the baby's clothes or turn on the air conditioner. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/11/AR2007121102502.html?nav=rss_technology
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Scientists wonder if Arctic melting a blip or a warning – Ice disappeared at record levels this summer (Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/343215_melt12.html
Hard Choices on Climate Can Wait for Next President, Aides Indicate (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/12/AR2007121200478.html?nav=rss_world
Paying other nations to be green – Some at the Bali summit see carbon credits as a way to save the rain forests and reduce greenhouse gases. Others have doubts. (Associated Press, via the Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-sci-deforest12dec12,1,468306.story?coll=la-news-a_section&ctrack=1&cset=true
GENERAL NEWS
Lewis County's past strategy: Build and hope for flood control – Chehalis and Centralia are geographically challenged, a fact brought home by record flooding last week in the Chehalis River Valley. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/297347.html
Oregon – State warns retailers not to charge excessive prices after storm (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/12/10/daily16.html?ana=from_rss
New Tribune Opinion – Few natural disasters can match the demoralizing aftermath of a flood.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/227378.html
Olympia’s protest bill: $112,168 – The protests of military shipments at the Port of Olympia last month cost the city of Olympia at least $112,168. Officials say the city should consider sending the bill to the port and “other entities” (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/297321.html
WA state auditor: Staffers at WSU Tri-Cities inflated enrollment (KNDO-TV, Tri Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=7485651
Former employee accused of bomb threats at Lacey Wal-Mart (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1100575~Former_employee_accused_of_bomb_threats_at_Lacey_Wal_Mart.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
DIVERSIONS
These are GREAT –'Danger: Avoid Death' contest winner. Words to live by, from a warning label on a small tractor: "Danger: Avoid Death."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071212/ap_on_fe_st/odd_wacky_warnings;_ylt=AsqIktsNfXCdpSgY.NLX4bDtiBIF
Icelandic teenage caller tricks White House – A teenager says he convinced the White House he was Iceland's president and managed to schedule a call with George W. Bush but was found out before he got to talk to the U.S. president.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071212/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_iceland_bush;_ylt=Ao8buPqgz29I3GIl0ymgrfDtiBIF
Merriam-Webster's word of '07: 'w00t'
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071211/ap_on_fe_st/word_of_the_year;_ylt=AqZYhc1mj5HlEqiLZ4bdB3XtiBIF
Men drive straight to work, women stop a lot – Men and women do have different driving habits according to a new study that shows women squeeze more stops into their daily commute than men.
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=6c07918f-338a-4e78-8069-27ed42682ac9&k=1491
After a Window Washer’s 47-Floor Plunge, the Big Question Is: How Did He Survive? A 29-year-old man plunges 17 stories in the atrium of a hotel in Minneapolis, landing on an overhang.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/nyregion/12fall.html?ex=1355115600&en=f717ebf517f800cc&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Energy News Digest for December 11, 2007
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
-Grays Harbor County PUD – Almost There
-Puget Sound Energy buys Sumas plant
-People Satisfied With Chelan County PUD
-Judge threatens to take over Columbia Basin salmon plan
-Alaska – New kingdom of kings. After major undercount of salmon, state adds opportunity for anglers
-Wildlife Officials Try To Save Sturgeon From Sea Lions
-Will taxes halt Calif.'s solar thermal ambitions?
-Pacific Ethanol halts construction of another ethanol plant
-More farmers seeing wind as cash crop
-Congressional Research Service – Underground Carbon Dioxide Storage: Frequently Asked Questions
-Seattle Times Book Review – Knocking Seattle off its haughty green throne
-Warming Trends – In Duck Blinds, Visions of Global Warming
-Data Centers Caught In Power Play – Electricity Plan Confounds Firms
-Wyoming – a $5 million cost – Powell works on fiber optics service
-Gov. Gregoire frustrated about federal response to flood
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Caltrop • \KAL-trip \ • noun – 1: a device with four metal points so arranged that when any three are on the ground the fourth projects upward as a hazard to the hooves of horses or to pneumatic tires 2: aplural but sing or plural in constr : star thistle 1 b: puncture vine; also : any of various related herbs (genera Tribulus and Kallstroemia) of the same family (Zygophyllaceae, the caltrop family)
Amanda stood at the second floor window, a smile playing across her face as she watched her potential fiancé dance gingerly in his bare feet across her gravel driveway. She knew that when she asked for a bouquet of roses from the garden that he would have to negotiate the sharp gravel chunks, jabbing the tender soles of his feet as if she had strewn his path with a truckload of caltrops. “Next time I’ll ask for a boquet of ‘stinging nettles’,” she thought. Her sharp cackle of laughter at the thought chased her long-haired Chihuahua from the room.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Almost There – Approximate number of customers without power: less than 100 customers (Grays Harbor County PUD)
http://www.ghpud.org/
Puget Sound Energy buys Sumas plant – Puget Sound Energy is buying a 125-megawatt power plant in Sumas, Wash., to help meet growing demands for electricity. (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/12/10/daily4.html?ana=from_rss
PEOPLE SATISFIED WITH CHELAN COUNTY PUD – A recent telephone survey of Chelan County PUD customers found that 97 percent report being satisfied with the overall services of the PUD, the same percentage as last year. Robinson Research of Spokane contacted 400 PUD customers in the greater Wenatchee, Leavenworth and Chelan-Manson areas. (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee)
ROCK ISLAND HYDRO PARK TO BE RENAMED FOR LATE CHELAN PUD MANAGER – Chelan County PUD commissioners voted today to change the name of Rock Island Hydro Park to Kirby Billingsley Hydro Park. The vote came after a request was made by customer Bob Parlette, Wilfred Woods, Rich Congdon and Bill Layman. Billingsley was a former PUD general manager and commissioner. (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee)
Owners bristle as Progress chops trees: Power company says it must clear paths to comply with new federal regulations (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via Power Marketers Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ChhhgoxqRTebw11rbfem%5Ev
Massena Electric, New York conservation agency close to ending dam dispute - Massena Electric Department and the state Department of Environmental Conservation are one step closer to ending a dispute over the company's plans to study the impact of a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Grasse River. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via Power Marketers Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ChhihpphRTebw11rbfem%5Ev
Fools on the Hill – Greed versus green on the energy bill (Grist)
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/12/10/114820/26
News Release – Detroit Edison Offers Winter Storm Tips (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=79801
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Judge rips latest plan to help salmon – A meeting with Judge James Redden is federal managers' last chance (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1197345328250200.xml&coll=7
Judge threatens to take over Columbia Basin salmon plan “…operators could be liable for illegally killing threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead (and what about the fish caught by commercial, tribal and sport fisherman?)…” (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004064685_salmondams11m.html?syndication=rss
Alaska – New kingdom of kings. After major undercount of salmon, state adds opportunity for anglers (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/outdoors/story/9508084p-9418795c.html
Wildlife Officials Try To Save Sturgeon From Sea Lions (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/wildlife-officials-try-save-sturgeon-sea-lions/
City tells EPA the water's fine – Portland's taking no chances after a court rejected its efforts to avoid expensive federal water treatment rules. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/119725714277770.xml&coll=7
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Will taxes halt Calif.'s solar thermal ambitions? (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/Will-taxes-halt-Calif.s-solar-thermal-ambitions/2100-13836-6222219.html?part=dht
Pacific Ethanol halts construction of ethanol plant – The company, which has an ethanol plant in Oregon, has suspended construction of its Imperial Valley ethanol plant near Calipatria, Calif., citing the difficult market for ethanol producers. (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/12/10/daily10.html?ana=from_rss
More farmers seeing wind as cash crop – Wind farms are springing up from rural fields across the Midwest as a once-boutique alternative power industry begins to boom (Chicago Tribune)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-071211windfarm_web-story,1,7587612.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
CONSERVATION
North Carolina – Utilities devise ways to induce users to save energy – If you're considering a new refrigerator, insulation or a home energy audit, you might want to hold off for a few more months. (The News Observer)
http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/822688.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Congressional Research Service – Underground Carbon Dioxide Storage: Frequently Asked Questions
http://opencrs.com/document/RL34218
Seattle Times Book Review – Knocking Seattle off its haughty green throne
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2004064297_emeraldcity11.html?syndication=rss
Speaking of smug – Solar City: San Francisco is setting the bar nationally and internationally for what cities can do to address global warming. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/11/ED4GTPKKT.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
Warming Trends – In Duck Blinds, Visions of Global Warming (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/us/11hunting.html?ex=1355029200&en=b20a1f8dac0c03a4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Data Centers Caught In Power Play – Electricity Plan Confounds Firms. With five computer data centers in Northern Virginia, DuPont Fabros Technologies is a major local player in a growing industry responsible for safeguarding vast repositories of information stored online. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/10/AR2007121001777.html?nav=rss_business
Wyoming – a $5 million cost – Powell works on fiber optics service (KIFI-AM)
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/global/story.asp?s=7480424
Ask.com allows users to erase search queries (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071211/tc_nm/ask_search_dc_2
GENERAL NEWS
Bill Virgin, Seattle Post Intelligencer: State's rainy-day fund has proved its value – In November, Washington voters gave the state a rainy-day fund. In December, they got a vivid demonstration of why such a fund is a good idea.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/virgin/342965_virgin11.html
Gov. Gregoire frustrated about federal response to flood (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_121007WAB_gov_storm_presser_SW.1852c7a.html
DIVERSIONS
Hands off Christmas, say religious leaders – Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims joined Britain's equality watchdog Monday in urging Britons to enjoy Christmas without worrying about offending non-Christians.
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN1041014220071210?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Man freed after 100 hours trapped in a lavatory
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL1032522120071210?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Play's killer lied about wife who vanished from Bellingham
http://www.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP12092007news244879.cfm?newsletter=10
A Tug of War Over a Declaration of Independence
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/us/11declaration.html?ex=1355029200&en=e812b398a7f60cbf&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
-Grays Harbor County PUD – Almost There
-Puget Sound Energy buys Sumas plant
-People Satisfied With Chelan County PUD
-Judge threatens to take over Columbia Basin salmon plan
-Alaska – New kingdom of kings. After major undercount of salmon, state adds opportunity for anglers
-Wildlife Officials Try To Save Sturgeon From Sea Lions
-Will taxes halt Calif.'s solar thermal ambitions?
-Pacific Ethanol halts construction of another ethanol plant
-More farmers seeing wind as cash crop
-Congressional Research Service – Underground Carbon Dioxide Storage: Frequently Asked Questions
-Seattle Times Book Review – Knocking Seattle off its haughty green throne
-Warming Trends – In Duck Blinds, Visions of Global Warming
-Data Centers Caught In Power Play – Electricity Plan Confounds Firms
-Wyoming – a $5 million cost – Powell works on fiber optics service
-Gov. Gregoire frustrated about federal response to flood
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Caltrop • \KAL-trip \ • noun – 1: a device with four metal points so arranged that when any three are on the ground the fourth projects upward as a hazard to the hooves of horses or to pneumatic tires 2: aplural but sing or plural in constr : star thistle 1 b: puncture vine; also : any of various related herbs (genera Tribulus and Kallstroemia) of the same family (Zygophyllaceae, the caltrop family)
Amanda stood at the second floor window, a smile playing across her face as she watched her potential fiancé dance gingerly in his bare feet across her gravel driveway. She knew that when she asked for a bouquet of roses from the garden that he would have to negotiate the sharp gravel chunks, jabbing the tender soles of his feet as if she had strewn his path with a truckload of caltrops. “Next time I’ll ask for a boquet of ‘stinging nettles’,” she thought. Her sharp cackle of laughter at the thought chased her long-haired Chihuahua from the room.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Almost There – Approximate number of customers without power: less than 100 customers (Grays Harbor County PUD)
http://www.ghpud.org/
Puget Sound Energy buys Sumas plant – Puget Sound Energy is buying a 125-megawatt power plant in Sumas, Wash., to help meet growing demands for electricity. (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/12/10/daily4.html?ana=from_rss
PEOPLE SATISFIED WITH CHELAN COUNTY PUD – A recent telephone survey of Chelan County PUD customers found that 97 percent report being satisfied with the overall services of the PUD, the same percentage as last year. Robinson Research of Spokane contacted 400 PUD customers in the greater Wenatchee, Leavenworth and Chelan-Manson areas. (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee)
ROCK ISLAND HYDRO PARK TO BE RENAMED FOR LATE CHELAN PUD MANAGER – Chelan County PUD commissioners voted today to change the name of Rock Island Hydro Park to Kirby Billingsley Hydro Park. The vote came after a request was made by customer Bob Parlette, Wilfred Woods, Rich Congdon and Bill Layman. Billingsley was a former PUD general manager and commissioner. (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee)
Owners bristle as Progress chops trees: Power company says it must clear paths to comply with new federal regulations (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via Power Marketers Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ChhhgoxqRTebw11rbfem%5Ev
Massena Electric, New York conservation agency close to ending dam dispute - Massena Electric Department and the state Department of Environmental Conservation are one step closer to ending a dispute over the company's plans to study the impact of a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Grasse River. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via Power Marketers Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ChhihpphRTebw11rbfem%5Ev
Fools on the Hill – Greed versus green on the energy bill (Grist)
http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/12/10/114820/26
News Release – Detroit Edison Offers Winter Storm Tips (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=79801
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Judge rips latest plan to help salmon – A meeting with Judge James Redden is federal managers' last chance (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1197345328250200.xml&coll=7
Judge threatens to take over Columbia Basin salmon plan “…operators could be liable for illegally killing threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead (and what about the fish caught by commercial, tribal and sport fisherman?)…” (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004064685_salmondams11m.html?syndication=rss
Alaska – New kingdom of kings. After major undercount of salmon, state adds opportunity for anglers (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/outdoors/story/9508084p-9418795c.html
Wildlife Officials Try To Save Sturgeon From Sea Lions (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/wildlife-officials-try-save-sturgeon-sea-lions/
City tells EPA the water's fine – Portland's taking no chances after a court rejected its efforts to avoid expensive federal water treatment rules. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/119725714277770.xml&coll=7
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Will taxes halt Calif.'s solar thermal ambitions? (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/Will-taxes-halt-Calif.s-solar-thermal-ambitions/2100-13836-6222219.html?part=dht
Pacific Ethanol halts construction of ethanol plant – The company, which has an ethanol plant in Oregon, has suspended construction of its Imperial Valley ethanol plant near Calipatria, Calif., citing the difficult market for ethanol producers. (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/12/10/daily10.html?ana=from_rss
More farmers seeing wind as cash crop – Wind farms are springing up from rural fields across the Midwest as a once-boutique alternative power industry begins to boom (Chicago Tribune)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-071211windfarm_web-story,1,7587612.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
CONSERVATION
North Carolina – Utilities devise ways to induce users to save energy – If you're considering a new refrigerator, insulation or a home energy audit, you might want to hold off for a few more months. (The News Observer)
http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/822688.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Congressional Research Service – Underground Carbon Dioxide Storage: Frequently Asked Questions
http://opencrs.com/document/RL34218
Seattle Times Book Review – Knocking Seattle off its haughty green throne
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/books/2004064297_emeraldcity11.html?syndication=rss
Speaking of smug – Solar City: San Francisco is setting the bar nationally and internationally for what cities can do to address global warming. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/11/ED4GTPKKT.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
Warming Trends – In Duck Blinds, Visions of Global Warming (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/us/11hunting.html?ex=1355029200&en=b20a1f8dac0c03a4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Data Centers Caught In Power Play – Electricity Plan Confounds Firms. With five computer data centers in Northern Virginia, DuPont Fabros Technologies is a major local player in a growing industry responsible for safeguarding vast repositories of information stored online. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/10/AR2007121001777.html?nav=rss_business
Wyoming – a $5 million cost – Powell works on fiber optics service (KIFI-AM)
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/global/story.asp?s=7480424
Ask.com allows users to erase search queries (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071211/tc_nm/ask_search_dc_2
GENERAL NEWS
Bill Virgin, Seattle Post Intelligencer: State's rainy-day fund has proved its value – In November, Washington voters gave the state a rainy-day fund. In December, they got a vivid demonstration of why such a fund is a good idea.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/virgin/342965_virgin11.html
Gov. Gregoire frustrated about federal response to flood (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_121007WAB_gov_storm_presser_SW.1852c7a.html
DIVERSIONS
Hands off Christmas, say religious leaders – Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims joined Britain's equality watchdog Monday in urging Britons to enjoy Christmas without worrying about offending non-Christians.
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN1041014220071210?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Man freed after 100 hours trapped in a lavatory
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL1032522120071210?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Play's killer lied about wife who vanished from Bellingham
http://www.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP12092007news244879.cfm?newsletter=10
A Tug of War Over a Declaration of Independence
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/us/11declaration.html?ex=1355029200&en=e812b398a7f60cbf&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Monday, December 10, 2007
Energy News Digest for December 10, 2007
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
-Disaster declarations bring federal help to flooded Washington
-Links to local papers in Grays Harbor and Lewis Counties
-Avista to pay fines for accident that left one dead
-Columbian Guest Op/Ed – Kalama plant neither coal nor defeated
-Pacific Gas & Electric vs. Bonneville Power Administration (BPA wins)
-Energy bill hits road bump in Senate
-NorthWestern Energy Announces Settlement Agreement With Montana Consumer Counsel
-Columbia River salmon plan isn't looking good
-Negotiating the Klamath – Settlement may in the air
-Salmon survival could be affected by storm damage
-Alaska salmon haul a season for the books: fourth-largest ever
-Clallam Public Utility District to hold meetings on water, sewer rate hikes
-Focus airborne soot rules on the source
-Alcoa's Wenatchee Smelter receives approval for renewable, hydropower supply agreement
-Efforts to Harvest Ocean’s Energy Open New Debate Front
-Wind power project good fit for Skamania, official says
-City of Olympia Nixes Free Wi-Fi
-Columbian Editorial – In our view: Fix flood problems or accept them
-Did development, logging set the stage for disaster?
-In Depth – We just keep rebuilding on valuable, unsafe land.
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Imprecate • \IM-prih-kayt\ • verb – to invoke evil on: curse
“Bubble, bubble, toilet trouble,” intoned the three witches over their steaming cauldron. They weren’t really evil, just annoying. They never did imprecate anyone seriously. The worst they ever did was to place a curse on the Coca Cola executive who thought coming up with a “new Coke” campaign was an outstanding idea.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
Disaster declarations bring federal help to flooded Washington – covers six counties so far -- Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston. FEMA may help pay for emergency measures and debris removal. (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1096114~Disaster_declarations_bring_federal_help_to_flooded_Washington.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Link here to the Daily World in Aberdeen for Grays Harbor storm recovery news:
http://www.thedailyworld.com/local_news/
Link here to the Chronicle in Centralia for Lewis County storm recovery news:
http://www.chronline.com/index.php
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Avista to pay fines for accident that left one dead – Avista Utilities confirmed Thursday morning their plans to pay all fines associated with an accident at an Othello elementary school May 31. (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2007/12/07/news/news03.txt
Columbian Guest Op/Ed – Kalama plant neither coal nor defeated. If you read last week's guest column in this space you might think a coal plant at the Port of Kalama had been defeated; you would be wrong on both counts. (By Brad Peck, Energy Northwest)
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2007/12/12092007_Kalama-plant-neither-coal-nor-defeated.cfm
Pacific Gas & Electric vs Bonneville Power Administration – Supreme Court turns down PG&E appeal: case that centers on whether federal energy regulators have authority over municipalities. (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-21561224.htm
Energy bill hits road bump in Senate – Senate Democrats searched for a compromise on energy legislation as Republican leaders made clear Friday they will oppose oil industry taxes and a mandate for utilities to use more wind and solar-generated electricity. (Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071208/ap_on_go_co/congress_energy_21
Senate To Rework Ambitious Energy Bill – Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Expected to Be the Focus (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/07/AR2007120700856.html?nav=rss_business
NY Times Commentary – Stuck on Coal, and Stuck for Words in a High-Tech World
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/science/earth/04comm.html?ex=1354424400&en=85825cd960dc6487&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
News Release – NorthWestern Energy Announces Settlement Agreement With Montana Consumer Counsel. Preliminary rate settlements reached in South Dakota and Nebraska (NorthWestern Energy, via Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/071207/aqf084.html?.v=16
Artists' suit against Snohomish police moved – A civil-rights lawsuit alleging Snohomish city police illegally detained an artist for photographing power lines has been moved to U.S. District Court in Seattle. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004055885_civilrights06m.html?syndication=rss
PJM opposes Duquesne Light pull out request (Pittsburgh Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2007/12/03/daily29.html?ana=from_rss
News Release – PPM Energy Completes Purchase of 506 MW Klamath Cogeneration Plant (PPM Energy, via Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/071205/20071205005988.html?.v=1
Fraud trial for ex-El Paso natural gas traders begins (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKN0562476420071205?rpc=44
Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds nearly $533,000 award in stray voltage case. The court sustained the award to Marathon County dairy farmers who claimed a power company's stray voltage hurt their cows' milk production. (Associated Press, via the Capitol Times)
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/260679
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Judge: Columbia River salmon plan isn't looking good (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12082007_Judge-Salmon-plan-isnt-looking-good.cfm/
Negotiating the Klamath – Farmers, fishermen, Native Americans and environmentalists could be near a breakthrough on talks about removing four Klamath River dams to restore salmon runs and water health (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/119709150477660.xml&coll=7
Fishing Salmon survival affected – While chances of going river fishing are pretty much washed out for at least a week, many are concerned about the long-term ramifications of young salmon survival due to the massive flooding. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2004055715_fish06.html
Alaska salmon haul a season for the books: fourth-largest ever – 2007: The catch has an estimated value of $374 million. (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/money/story/9510743p-9421489c.html
Kokanee salmon carcasses in Lake Stevens -- and environmentalists celebrate (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071206/NEWS01/712060047/-1/RSS01
Dams meet opposition – A water conservation coalition sent a letter Friday to the Washington State Legislature asking them to oppose new dams and support common-sense water solutions for the state’s Columbia River region. (The Othello Outlook)
http://othellooutlook.com/cgi-bin/outlook/get_story.cgi?story=Story_1&dir=12062007
American Indian artifacts found near Beebe Springs – Fish restoration, roadside park project put on hold (Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071208/NEWS04/712080021/1001
Alcoa to clean PCB-tainted river shoreline – A PCB-tainted stretch of Columbia River shoreline will be cleaned to the highest level that's technically feasible, state regulators announced Thursday. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12072007_Alcoa-to-clean-PCB-tainted-river-shoreline.cfm?newsletter=1
Clallam Public Utility District to hold meetings on water, sewer rate hikes – The public will have three chances next week to comment on water and sewer rate increases to be proposed by the Clallam County Public Utility District. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20071208/NEWS/712080302
Low-flow toilets are next on the green agenda – New models boast a lot more flush (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/342867_toilets10.html
Focus airborne soot rules on the source – The state’s new attack on dangerous airborne soot has drawn far too large a target within Pierce County. (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/224754.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Alcoa's Wenatchee Smelter receives approval for renewable, hydropower supply agreement for 17 years (Trading Markets: underline added)
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/894825/
Efforts to Harvest Ocean’s Energy Open New Debate Front (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/08/us/08waves.html?ex=1354770000&en=be88f93795deeed9&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Wind power project good fit for Skamania, official says (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2007/12/12092007_Wind-power-project-good-fit-for-Skamania-official-says.cfm
Branching Out – SDS Lumber Co. and Broughton Lumber Co. looking at wind power diversification (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12092007_Branching-Out.cfm
Texas – Wind farm plan dropped; Gillespie residents cheer decision. NRG Energy has decided to abandon plans to build wind turbines in Gillespie County, a move hailed this week by county residents and local officials. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ChgmokqqSSkiw11rbfem%5Ev
Giant offshore wind farms to supply half of UK power (London Times)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3022277.ece
Renewable Energy Portfolios Standards and Transmission Reliability: Can Demand Response Be a Solution? (PowerMarketers Industry Publications)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8kowu%5D%5Chgmtwpq%5BSkiw11rbfem%5Ev
CONSERVATION
Maine: Students win state energy savings contest (Portland Press-Herald)
http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/019492.html
Hydro Quebec shelves smart meters – Hydro Quebec is backing away from a major government initiative that would have reduced electricity consumption in the province, CBC News has learned.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2007/12/10/qc-hydrosmart1210.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Congressional Research Reports – State Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Comparison and Analysis (Once again, the Pacific Northwest comes out smelling great!)
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RL34272
Canada said to be Fort Knox of carbon – Boreal forests crucial as carbon storehouses, environmentalists say (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=b55d3d7d-3cc5-4a58-b0f8-c7dd42e8b7ac
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Olympia nixes free Wi-Fi idea (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/294573.html
Cable to link Florence, Oregon and Alaska – Greater computer bandwith is headed to Florence but it may be awhile before locals have access to it. An Alaska telecommunications company has announced that it will run a fiber optic cable from the coastal town of Homer south to Oregon next year. (The Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=31519&sid=2&fid=1
GENERAL NEWS
Columbian Editorial – In our view: Fix It or Accept It. This time, the parties must decide what, if anything, to do about flood problem
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2007/12/12072007_In-our-view-Fix-It-or-Accept-It.cfm?newsletter=5
Did development, logging set the stage for disaster? (Seattle Times)
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=flood09m&date=20071209
In Depth – We just keep rebuilding on valuable, unsafe land. After the second catastrophic flood to hit the Northwest in 11 years, the communities of Tillamook and Chehalis, Wash., once again face the hazards of living and growing in the heart of a natural flood zone. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1197102325288610.xml&coll=7
View from Weyerhaeuser's chief economist (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/225515.html
Strow quitting Legislature – Rising Republican wants more time with family, less with politics (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/342819_legislator08.html?source=rss
Lobbyist corps, state reach agreement on rent – Washington's lobbyist corps has agreed to pay $7,000 in back rent at the Capitol out of $24,494 owed and will pay the remainder later. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/293738.html
DIVERSIONS
From the “more than one way to skin a cat” department – Flag Burning Nixed Because Of Air Pollution Concerns. The state is unlikely to grant a permit to a man who wants to burn a Mexican flag on the steps of the state Capitol, because of air pollution concerns.
http://www.kirotv.com/news/14801929/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
How Dictionaries Define Publicity: The Word of the Year (ed note: Locavore? Yeah. Right….)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/business/media/10oxford.html?ex=1354942800&en=4f48337195000101&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Business: The Lump of Coal Awards – A big helping of holiday jeers (My favorite is the “Happy Meal” month…open a $250 account and get a happy meal! Wheee!)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/09/BUSUTQA2M.DTL&feed=rss.business
Led Zeppelin to Return to Stage
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/12/10/entertainment/e043422S51.DTL&feed=rss.news
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
-Disaster declarations bring federal help to flooded Washington
-Links to local papers in Grays Harbor and Lewis Counties
-Avista to pay fines for accident that left one dead
-Columbian Guest Op/Ed – Kalama plant neither coal nor defeated
-Pacific Gas & Electric vs. Bonneville Power Administration (BPA wins)
-Energy bill hits road bump in Senate
-NorthWestern Energy Announces Settlement Agreement With Montana Consumer Counsel
-Columbia River salmon plan isn't looking good
-Negotiating the Klamath – Settlement may in the air
-Salmon survival could be affected by storm damage
-Alaska salmon haul a season for the books: fourth-largest ever
-Clallam Public Utility District to hold meetings on water, sewer rate hikes
-Focus airborne soot rules on the source
-Alcoa's Wenatchee Smelter receives approval for renewable, hydropower supply agreement
-Efforts to Harvest Ocean’s Energy Open New Debate Front
-Wind power project good fit for Skamania, official says
-City of Olympia Nixes Free Wi-Fi
-Columbian Editorial – In our view: Fix flood problems or accept them
-Did development, logging set the stage for disaster?
-In Depth – We just keep rebuilding on valuable, unsafe land.
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Imprecate • \IM-prih-kayt\ • verb – to invoke evil on: curse
“Bubble, bubble, toilet trouble,” intoned the three witches over their steaming cauldron. They weren’t really evil, just annoying. They never did imprecate anyone seriously. The worst they ever did was to place a curse on the Coca Cola executive who thought coming up with a “new Coke” campaign was an outstanding idea.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
Disaster declarations bring federal help to flooded Washington – covers six counties so far -- Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston. FEMA may help pay for emergency measures and debris removal. (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1096114~Disaster_declarations_bring_federal_help_to_flooded_Washington.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Link here to the Daily World in Aberdeen for Grays Harbor storm recovery news:
http://www.thedailyworld.com/local_news/
Link here to the Chronicle in Centralia for Lewis County storm recovery news:
http://www.chronline.com/index.php
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Avista to pay fines for accident that left one dead – Avista Utilities confirmed Thursday morning their plans to pay all fines associated with an accident at an Othello elementary school May 31. (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2007/12/07/news/news03.txt
Columbian Guest Op/Ed – Kalama plant neither coal nor defeated. If you read last week's guest column in this space you might think a coal plant at the Port of Kalama had been defeated; you would be wrong on both counts. (By Brad Peck, Energy Northwest)
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2007/12/12092007_Kalama-plant-neither-coal-nor-defeated.cfm
Pacific Gas & Electric vs Bonneville Power Administration – Supreme Court turns down PG&E appeal: case that centers on whether federal energy regulators have authority over municipalities. (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-21561224.htm
Energy bill hits road bump in Senate – Senate Democrats searched for a compromise on energy legislation as Republican leaders made clear Friday they will oppose oil industry taxes and a mandate for utilities to use more wind and solar-generated electricity. (Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071208/ap_on_go_co/congress_energy_21
Senate To Rework Ambitious Energy Bill – Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Expected to Be the Focus (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/07/AR2007120700856.html?nav=rss_business
NY Times Commentary – Stuck on Coal, and Stuck for Words in a High-Tech World
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/04/science/earth/04comm.html?ex=1354424400&en=85825cd960dc6487&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
News Release – NorthWestern Energy Announces Settlement Agreement With Montana Consumer Counsel. Preliminary rate settlements reached in South Dakota and Nebraska (NorthWestern Energy, via Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/071207/aqf084.html?.v=16
Artists' suit against Snohomish police moved – A civil-rights lawsuit alleging Snohomish city police illegally detained an artist for photographing power lines has been moved to U.S. District Court in Seattle. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004055885_civilrights06m.html?syndication=rss
PJM opposes Duquesne Light pull out request (Pittsburgh Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2007/12/03/daily29.html?ana=from_rss
News Release – PPM Energy Completes Purchase of 506 MW Klamath Cogeneration Plant (PPM Energy, via Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/071205/20071205005988.html?.v=1
Fraud trial for ex-El Paso natural gas traders begins (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKN0562476420071205?rpc=44
Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds nearly $533,000 award in stray voltage case. The court sustained the award to Marathon County dairy farmers who claimed a power company's stray voltage hurt their cows' milk production. (Associated Press, via the Capitol Times)
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/260679
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Judge: Columbia River salmon plan isn't looking good (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12082007_Judge-Salmon-plan-isnt-looking-good.cfm/
Negotiating the Klamath – Farmers, fishermen, Native Americans and environmentalists could be near a breakthrough on talks about removing four Klamath River dams to restore salmon runs and water health (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/119709150477660.xml&coll=7
Fishing Salmon survival affected – While chances of going river fishing are pretty much washed out for at least a week, many are concerned about the long-term ramifications of young salmon survival due to the massive flooding. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2004055715_fish06.html
Alaska salmon haul a season for the books: fourth-largest ever – 2007: The catch has an estimated value of $374 million. (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/money/story/9510743p-9421489c.html
Kokanee salmon carcasses in Lake Stevens -- and environmentalists celebrate (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071206/NEWS01/712060047/-1/RSS01
Dams meet opposition – A water conservation coalition sent a letter Friday to the Washington State Legislature asking them to oppose new dams and support common-sense water solutions for the state’s Columbia River region. (The Othello Outlook)
http://othellooutlook.com/cgi-bin/outlook/get_story.cgi?story=Story_1&dir=12062007
American Indian artifacts found near Beebe Springs – Fish restoration, roadside park project put on hold (Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071208/NEWS04/712080021/1001
Alcoa to clean PCB-tainted river shoreline – A PCB-tainted stretch of Columbia River shoreline will be cleaned to the highest level that's technically feasible, state regulators announced Thursday. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12072007_Alcoa-to-clean-PCB-tainted-river-shoreline.cfm?newsletter=1
Clallam Public Utility District to hold meetings on water, sewer rate hikes – The public will have three chances next week to comment on water and sewer rate increases to be proposed by the Clallam County Public Utility District. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20071208/NEWS/712080302
Low-flow toilets are next on the green agenda – New models boast a lot more flush (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/342867_toilets10.html
Focus airborne soot rules on the source – The state’s new attack on dangerous airborne soot has drawn far too large a target within Pierce County. (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/224754.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Alcoa's Wenatchee Smelter receives approval for renewable, hydropower supply agreement for 17 years (Trading Markets: underline added)
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/894825/
Efforts to Harvest Ocean’s Energy Open New Debate Front (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/08/us/08waves.html?ex=1354770000&en=be88f93795deeed9&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Wind power project good fit for Skamania, official says (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2007/12/12092007_Wind-power-project-good-fit-for-Skamania-official-says.cfm
Branching Out – SDS Lumber Co. and Broughton Lumber Co. looking at wind power diversification (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12092007_Branching-Out.cfm
Texas – Wind farm plan dropped; Gillespie residents cheer decision. NRG Energy has decided to abandon plans to build wind turbines in Gillespie County, a move hailed this week by county residents and local officials. (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5ChgmokqqSSkiw11rbfem%5Ev
Giant offshore wind farms to supply half of UK power (London Times)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article3022277.ece
Renewable Energy Portfolios Standards and Transmission Reliability: Can Demand Response Be a Solution? (PowerMarketers Industry Publications)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8kowu%5D%5Chgmtwpq%5BSkiw11rbfem%5Ev
CONSERVATION
Maine: Students win state energy savings contest (Portland Press-Herald)
http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/019492.html
Hydro Quebec shelves smart meters – Hydro Quebec is backing away from a major government initiative that would have reduced electricity consumption in the province, CBC News has learned.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2007/12/10/qc-hydrosmart1210.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Congressional Research Reports – State Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Comparison and Analysis (Once again, the Pacific Northwest comes out smelling great!)
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RL34272
Canada said to be Fort Knox of carbon – Boreal forests crucial as carbon storehouses, environmentalists say (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=b55d3d7d-3cc5-4a58-b0f8-c7dd42e8b7ac
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Olympia nixes free Wi-Fi idea (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/294573.html
Cable to link Florence, Oregon and Alaska – Greater computer bandwith is headed to Florence but it may be awhile before locals have access to it. An Alaska telecommunications company has announced that it will run a fiber optic cable from the coastal town of Homer south to Oregon next year. (The Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=31519&sid=2&fid=1
GENERAL NEWS
Columbian Editorial – In our view: Fix It or Accept It. This time, the parties must decide what, if anything, to do about flood problem
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2007/12/12072007_In-our-view-Fix-It-or-Accept-It.cfm?newsletter=5
Did development, logging set the stage for disaster? (Seattle Times)
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=flood09m&date=20071209
In Depth – We just keep rebuilding on valuable, unsafe land. After the second catastrophic flood to hit the Northwest in 11 years, the communities of Tillamook and Chehalis, Wash., once again face the hazards of living and growing in the heart of a natural flood zone. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1197102325288610.xml&coll=7
View from Weyerhaeuser's chief economist (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/225515.html
Strow quitting Legislature – Rising Republican wants more time with family, less with politics (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/342819_legislator08.html?source=rss
Lobbyist corps, state reach agreement on rent – Washington's lobbyist corps has agreed to pay $7,000 in back rent at the Capitol out of $24,494 owed and will pay the remainder later. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/293738.html
DIVERSIONS
From the “more than one way to skin a cat” department – Flag Burning Nixed Because Of Air Pollution Concerns. The state is unlikely to grant a permit to a man who wants to burn a Mexican flag on the steps of the state Capitol, because of air pollution concerns.
http://www.kirotv.com/news/14801929/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
How Dictionaries Define Publicity: The Word of the Year (ed note: Locavore? Yeah. Right….)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/business/media/10oxford.html?ex=1354942800&en=4f48337195000101&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Business: The Lump of Coal Awards – A big helping of holiday jeers (My favorite is the “Happy Meal” month…open a $250 account and get a happy meal! Wheee!)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/09/BUSUTQA2M.DTL&feed=rss.business
Led Zeppelin to Return to Stage
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/12/10/entertainment/e043422S51.DTL&feed=rss.news
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
