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)
- Energy Department to ship nuclear waste to Idaho for treatment
- Benefits of Areva plant would reach statewide
- California – Man killed trying to steal copper from power lines
- Grant County PUD mulls higher rates
- Itron's Northwest energy innovations shown off to China
- Arizona-California electricity corridor gets the go-ahead
- Tennessee – Congressman says to invest rebate checks in energy efficiency products
- United Kingdom energy users face wind farm bill
- Federal aid sought in decline of west coast salmon
- SF Chronicle Editorial – Seen any salmon?
- Ocean Coho forecast looks grim for summer
- Smelt have all but vanished from region's rivers
- Boistfort Valley Water System Gets $258,000
- Oregon – Solar Energy Industry Continues To Shine
- Searching for Alternative Fuels
- US Researchers Hope to Tap Ocean Flows for Electricity
- The ballooning price tag for energy
- Solar Company Says Its Tech Can Power 90 Percent of Grid AND Cars
- GM Official: Hydrogen-Powered Cars Impractical
- Vindu's View: Algae startups chase dreams of fuel from pond scum
- New turbine generates electricity from flushing toilets
- ‘Gusher of Lies’ – Heard the One About the Farmer’s Ethanol?
- Congressional Research Reports – Are Incandescent Light Bulbs "Banned"?
- Outlook for Oceans Bleak as Sea 'Deserts' Grow
- SF Chronicle Op/Ed – 'Green' cabs are a false solution
- US rural broadband: you can get it, but you can't afford it
- Nearing the time to 'spring forward'
- Tribal-police bill nearing passage
- Five arraigned in Evergreen riot
- From Green to Black – A look at the eco-terror movement
- How's the economy in your hometown?
- Oregon family loses daughter, may lose 'Extreme Makeover' home
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
muckety-muck • \MUCK-uh-tee-muck\ • noun – An important and often arrogant person
“Ha Ha,” chortled the puckish department head. “I’m king of the copier service charge reports!” He crowed. “If you mess with me, I’ll mess with your copy budget.” Unfortunately, for him, the person in charge of the copier paper ordering was truly considered the muckety muck in the toner fume fueled debate. “The worm will turn,” murmured the paper maven to his stacks of paper boxes swaying in the corporate office basement.
From Merriam-Webster Dictionary – The Chinook of the Pacific Northwest were avid traders, and in the course of their history a trade language developed that came to be known as Chinook jargon, based on a combination of Chinook and other American Indian languages with English and French. The Chinook jargon term "hayo makamak" meant "plenty to eat." By a process called folk etymology, in which a word of another language is transformed to a more familiar-sounding term, "hayo" was identified with "high" and the spelling and meaning of the entire phrase was transformed. Beginning in the 19th century, the term "high-muck-a-muck" referred to a self-important person. Since then, the expression has taken on several variations, including "high mucky-muck" and "high-muckety-muck," and nowadays the "high" is often dispensed with entirely.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Energy Department to ship nuclear waste to Idaho for treatment (Associated Press, via the Examiner.com)
http://tinyurl.com/24c6fg
Benefits of Areva plant would reach statewide – On Wednesday, Areva announced that Richland is one of five U.S. sites it is considering for a new uranium enrichment plant. (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/962/story/111026.html
California – Man killed trying to steal copper from power lines (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://tinyurl.com/2jwlve
Grant County PUD mulls higher rates (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/03/06/news/news01.txt
Itron's Northwest energy innovations shown off to China (Seattle Times)
http://tinyurl.com/2z3apt
Electricity corridor gets the go-ahead – More Arizona electricity could be headed to California after the U.S. Department of Energy denied requests to reconsider its designation of a power transmission corridor between the two states. (East Valley Tribune)
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/110783
Tennessee – Congressman says to invest rebate checks in energy efficiency products (The Oak Ridger)
http://oakridger.com/stories/030608/new_254464071.shtml
United Kingdom energy users face wind farm bill – Gas and electricity consumers could face further rises in bills to pay for transmission to get electricity from far-flung wind farms to their homes (The Telegraph)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/03/07/cngas107.xml
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Federal aid sought in decline of west coast salmon (Sacramento Bee, may require free registration)
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/767349.html
SF Chronicle Editorial – Seen any salmon? Salmon stocks are prone to wild swings, hinging on water flows, weather and food-rich ocean waters.
http://tinyurl.com/32c4mc
Ocean Coho forecast looks grim for summer (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/03/07/this_day/10144773.txt
Smelt have all but vanished from region's rivers (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/302497.html
'Aren't you supposed to be deaf? How come you can talk?' – Salmon fishing on the Skokomish River (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/379890.html
Water System Gets $258,000 – The Boistfort Valley Water Company will be receiving some much-needed funding. (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://tinyurl.com/3depp7
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Oregon – Solar Energy Industry Continues To Shine (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/solar-energy-industry-continues-shine/
Searching for Alternative Fuels – As gas prices hit record highs, some farmers might be considering growing fields for alternative fuels. One local college professor says not all crops are created equal. (KNDO-TV, Tri Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=7980237
US Researchers Hope to Tap Ocean Flows for Electricity (Voice of America)
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-03-06-voa18.cfm
The ballooning price tag for energy – A huge chunk of world wealth goes to its unquenchable energy thirst, but an expert says not enough money is invested in newer, cleaner energy solutions. (CNN Money)
http://tinyurl.com/2qx8ul
Solar Company Says Its Tech Can Power 90 Percent of Grid AND Cars (Wired Magazine)
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/03/solar-company-s.html
GM Official: Hydrogen-Powered Cars Impractical (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87928803&ft=1&f=2
Vindu's View: Algae startups chase dreams of fuel from pond scum – There's a certain poetry in the notion of jet planes shooting across the sky, powered by pond scum. (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8479963?source=rss
New turbine generates electricity from flushing toilets (Geek.com)
http://www.geek.com/new-turbine-generates-electricity-from-flushing-toilets/
‘Gusher of Lies’ – Heard the One About the Farmer’s Ethanol? The Dangerous Delusions of ‘Energy Independence’ (NY Times)
http://tinyurl.com/yvpegx
CONSERVATION
Congressional Research Reports – Lighting Efficiency Standards in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007: Are Incandescent Light Bulbs "Banned"?
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RS22822
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Outlook for Oceans Bleak as Sea 'Deserts' Grow (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87959035&ft=1&f=2
SF Chronicle Op/Ed – 'Green' cabs are a false solution
http://tinyurl.com/3x8rrm
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
US rural broadband: you can get it, but you can't afford it (ARS Technica)
http://tinyurl.com/26c7sw
GENERAL NEWS
Nearing the time to 'spring forward' – Pros, cons cited for moving clocks up (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/354041_daylight07.html?source=rss
Tribal-police bill nearing passage (Seattle Times)
http://tinyurl.com/ys35hy
Five arraigned in Evergreen riot – Four students at The Evergreen State College were among five people arraigned Thursday on charges stemming from the destruction of a sheriff's patrol car. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/381426.html
From Green to Black – What would motivate a supposed environmentalist to set fire to a home? A look at the eco-terror movement. (Newsweek)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/119773?from=rss
How's the economy in your hometown? (With cool USA Today McGraphics and McInformation for each state)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2008-03-04-local-differences_N.htm
Alabama county nearly bankrupt as municipal-bond industry hobbling (Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://tinyurl.com/28lsn5
Oregon family loses daughter, may lose 'Extreme Makeover' home (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/16383191.html
DIVERSIONS
NYC Pub Owner Bans `Danny Boy' For Entire Month of March (I’ve got a list of others you can add)
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/15514065/detail.html
Class ring lost on Hawaii beach returned after 33 years
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8478534?source=rss&nclick_check=1
Network apologizes for mocking town name – A cable sports network says it no longer will make Athol the butt of its jokes.
http://tinyurl.com/2225nl
Judge to lawyer: Get a shovel, get job – A former lawyer convicted of stealing from clients has been told by a judge to get a job, even if it means shoveling snow off roofs.
http://tinyurl.com/yuxp9m
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Energy News Digest for March 6, 2008
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Clatskanie PUD Challenges BPA in U.S. 9th Circuit Court
- Clallam County PUD considers 5.5% home electricity rate increase
- Adams County seeks share of privilege taxes paid by Energy NW
- Washington Joins Idaho In Competition For Uranium Factory
- Florida Sparks Dark Visions
- North Carolina – Clean-coal tax credits going to federal court
- United Kingdom – Meter customers 'forced to pay more for energy'
- Oregon – Reserve idea flopping with fishermen
- Klamath River Dams' Removal Hinges on Owner
- Oregon – Salmon fishermen: Outlook seems grim, but let's talk
- Recovery plan identifies fishing as threat to sea lions
- Over-fishing has been Overlooked
- Disappointing Smelt Season On The Cowlitz
- La Niña May Persist Through Spring
- New Oregon Law Stores Water For Dry Days Of Summer
- Manmade Flood Unleashed in Grand Canyon
- Motives of Grand Canyon Flush Questioned
- SF Mayor Newsom backs Golden Gate tidal turbine power despite study
- Putting wind on the wires: A Texas tale
- Putting wind on the wires: resolving a California conundrum
- Turning Glare Into Watts
- New Mexico digs into solar manufacturing
- A Mighty (Renewable) Wind Blows In California
- Missouri – Upcoming Town Hall Meeting To Focus On Using Wood For Energy
- Experts Urge Boost in Tennessee Valley Authority Renewables
- Bush Urges Action on Corn Price Rises Fueled by Ethanol
- 'Thirsty' electric cars threaten water resources
- Canada – Electricity conservation will cost Islanders
- Washington State Legislature moves to cut greenhouse emissions
- Idaho senators balk at approving global warming resolution
- Poll: Most Americans Believe "Going Green" Will Create Jobs, Improve Communities
- Ocean fertilization firm Climos gains financial backing
- ISP Lobbying Group: What Rural Broadband Problem?
- An urgent call: Give us broadband, Vermont towns say
- Study: Mobile broadband use up 154 percent
- 365 Main's Oakland data center joins in energy program
- If Comcast Shares Broadband Deployment Data, The Terrorists Win
- Microsoft releases new Web browser beta
- Spring Forward – Early warning: Clocks to lose an hour Sunday
- Boeing's tanker bid damaged when Air Force changed criteria, Dicks says
- Gas thieves working overtime
- Oil soars as OPEC blames U.S. ills
- Seattle Times Columnist – Arson? Now it's uneasy being green
- Levy Would Add Staff to Tahuya Fire Station
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Pleiad • \PLEE-ad\ • noun – A group of usually seven illustrious or brilliant persons or things
“Pleiad Brides for Pleiad Brothers?” mused Albert as he battled with his colleagues Frances and Dorothy over the title of the screenplay on which they were working. “don’t you think that’s a little too highbrow?”
From Merriam-Webster Dictionary – In Greek mythology, the Pleiades were the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione who were changed into a conspicuous cluster of seven stars in the constellation Taurus.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Clatskanie PUD Challenges BPA in U.S. 9th Circuit Court (Clatskanie Chief)
http://www.stpns.net/view_article.html?articleId=87042108709738289
Clallam County PUD considers 5.5% home electricity rate increase for most of the county effective April 1 (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080306/NEWS/803060304
Adams County seeks share of privilege taxes paid by Energy NW (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/915/story/109984.html
Washington Joins Idaho In Competition For Uranium Factory (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/washington-joins-idaho-competition-uranium-factory/
Florida Sparks Dark Visions (Power Marketing Association Online)
http://tinyurl.com/2ulp72
North Carolina – Clean-coal tax credits going to federal court – Two N.C. environmental groups have sued federal officials over $1 billion in "clean coal" tax credits for nine power plants, including two of Duke Energy's. (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://tinyurl.com/2updzv
United Kingdom – Meter customers 'forced to pay more for energy' – Customers who use prepayment meters are being charged up to £328 ($658 US) a year more than those with online tariffs who pay by direct debit (The Guardian Newspaper)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/mar/06/householdbills.consumeraffairs
Oregon – Central Lincoln PUD gets new power outage reporting system (Newport News Times)
http://www.newportnewstimes.com/articles/2008/03/05/news/news14.txt
News Release – PECO Aims to Reduce Outages Caused by Trees with $35 Million in Trimming, Clearing Around Power Lines (Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/080306/20080306005718.html?.v=1
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Oregon – Reserve idea flopping with fishermen – Members of the industry are leery about a proposal to designate no-fishing zones (The Oregonian)
http://tinyurl.com/3c7r8u
Klamath River Dams' Removal Hinges on Owner (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87928806&ft=1&f=2
Concerns well up over Klamath agreement (Eureka Times-Standard)
http://www.times-standard.com/ci_8459366
Oregon – Salmon fishermen: Outlook seems grim, but let's talk (The World, Coos Bay)
http://theworldlink.com/articles/2008/03/05/news/doc47cee64b8cbe0835272191.txt
Recovery plan identifies fishing as threat to sea lions – A 325-page plan issued Wednesday for Alaska sea lions lists dozens of actions needed for the animals to recover. (Seattle Times)
http://tinyurl.com/3ydt72
Over-fishing has been Overlooked (Columbia Spectator)
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/29792
DISAPPOINTING SMELT SEASON ON THE COWLITZ – Did you fill nets with smelt? Consider yourself lucky. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife believes the smelt run is likely over for the year. Some people did reach limits by the middle of last month. But the Cowlitz River run has since dwindled. It’s the latest in a series of disappointing seasons for local smelt seekers. (KELA Radio, Centralia)
La Niña May Persist Through Spring (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://tinyurl.com/35dl76
New Oregon Law Stores Water For Dry Days Of Summer – Oregon took the first step Wednesday toward a long-term plan to share Columbia River water among farmers, salmon and cities. (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/new-oregon-law-stores-water-dry-days-summer/
Manmade Flood Unleashed in Grand Canyon – Twin torrents of water unleashed from a dam coursed through the Grand Canyon on Wednesday in a flood meant to mimic the natural ones that used to nourish the ecosystem by spreading sediment. (Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://tinyurl.com/2olchb
Motives of Grand Canyon Flush Questioned – The federal government began unleashing a two and a half day flood through the Grand Canyon Wednesday (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87933157&ft=1&f=3
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
SF Mayor Newsom backs Golden Gate turbine power despite study – a study recently concluded the idea would cost tens of millions of dollars and is not financially feasible. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/05/BAJNVDH5E.DTL
Putting wind on the wires: A Texas tale (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://tinyurl.com/39xxya
Putting wind on the wires: resolving a California conundrum (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://tinyurl.com/2oho5f
Turning Glare Into Watts (NY Times)
http://tinyurl.com/2lo3en
New Mexico digs into solar manufacturing – Governor leads ground-breaking for potentially $500 million plant (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23464734/
A Mighty (Renewable) Wind Blows In California – California dairy cows are giving the state's power grid a blast of renewable energy, but the real money maker in bovine biogas may lie elsewhere. (InfoWeek – OK, now send your 25 cents to Christopher Guest)
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/03/a_mighty_renewa.html
Missouri – Upcoming Town Hall Meeting To Focus On Using Wood For Energy (Democrat News & Daily Journal, Fredrickstown)
http://tinyurl.com/2py34k
Experts Urge Boost in Tennessee Valley Authority Renewables (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5597614.html
Bush Urges Action on Corn Price Rises Fueled by Ethanol (NY Times)
http://tinyurl.com/34aepv
'Thirsty' electric cars threaten water resources – They may not be gas-guzzlers, but electric cars have a raging thirst for water (New Scientist)
http://tinyurl.com/3yfuu8
CONSERVATION
Canada – Electricity conservation will cost Islanders. A new plan to reduce electricity use on Prince Edward Island will cost Islanders through higher rates for power. (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2008/03/06/green-costs.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Legislature moves to cut greenhouse emissions – The Legislature on Wednesday committed Washington to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in "green economy jobs." (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/353854_climate06.html
Idaho senators balk at approving global warming resolution (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/379832.html
Poll: Most Americans Believe "Going Green" Will Create Jobs, Improve Communities (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://tinyurl.com/38pt6g
Ocean fertilization firm Climos gains financial backing – The start-up plans to mitigate climate change by stimulating plankton growth; says that it has raised a series A venture capital round of $3.5 million. (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9886183-54.html?part=dht&tag=nl.e703
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
ISP Lobbying Group: What Rural Broadband Problem? Move along folks, there's nothing to see here... (Broadband Reports – Comment section may include PG-13 language)
http://tinyurl.com/29fc89
An urgent call: Give us broadband, Vermont towns say – Vermont voters sent a clear message to the world of high-speed Internet Tuesday: We want in. (Barre/Montpelier Times-Argus, via Baller/Herbst)
http://tinyurl.com/25x3xd
Study: Mobile broadband use up 154 percent (Nashville Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2008/03/03/daily17.html?ana=from_rss
365 Main's Oakland data center joins in energy program (East Bay Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/03/03/daily41.html?ana=from_rss
If Comcast Shares Broadband Deployment Data, The Terrorists Win. The secret Jihad against cable TV exposed! (Broadband Reports – Comment section may include PG-13 language)
http://tinyurl.com/3c9xyu
Microsoft releases new Web browser beta (Tri City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/991/story/109622.html
GENERAL NEWS
Spring Forward – Early warning: Clocks to lose an hour Sunday (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/380221.html
Boeing's tanker bid damaged when Air Force changed criteria, Dicks says (Seattle Times – Nice file photo)
http://tinyurl.com/3akqj9
Gas thieves working overtime – Thieves struck again stealing fuel from local gas stations, and as gas prices keep soaring, that theft ring is working overtime. (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_030508WAB_gas_thefts_KC.281ef426.html
Oil soars as OPEC blames U.S. ills – OPEC said Wednesday it will not put more oil on the global market despite record-high prices for crude, blaming the U.S. for economic "mismanagement" that it said was having a worldwide effect. (Seattle Times)
http://tinyurl.com/2t5l3r
Seattle Times Columnist – Arson? Now it's uneasy being green. I might have to stop recycling, maybe even buy a really big SUV. Who wants to be on the same side of an issue as the eco-terrorists who destroyed a group of houses near Maltby this week?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/jerrylarge/2004263890_jdl06m.html
Levy Would Add Staff to Tahuya Fire Station (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/05/levy-would-add-staff-to-tahuya-fire-station/
DIVERSIONS
Man Flies Son To Tennis Date To Avoid Traffic, Lands On Golf Course
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/15503079/detail.html
Snow Eating Now an Endangered Kid Pleasure
http://tinyurl.com/3cr9gk
Helping at home? Dad's the word – Reward is happier marriages
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/353936_dads06.html
Cemetery full, mayor tells locals not to die
http://tinyurl.com/2uwjhj
Man takes car on 2,000 mile test drive
http://tinyurl.com/2stsgg
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Clatskanie PUD Challenges BPA in U.S. 9th Circuit Court
- Clallam County PUD considers 5.5% home electricity rate increase
- Adams County seeks share of privilege taxes paid by Energy NW
- Washington Joins Idaho In Competition For Uranium Factory
- Florida Sparks Dark Visions
- North Carolina – Clean-coal tax credits going to federal court
- United Kingdom – Meter customers 'forced to pay more for energy'
- Oregon – Reserve idea flopping with fishermen
- Klamath River Dams' Removal Hinges on Owner
- Oregon – Salmon fishermen: Outlook seems grim, but let's talk
- Recovery plan identifies fishing as threat to sea lions
- Over-fishing has been Overlooked
- Disappointing Smelt Season On The Cowlitz
- La Niña May Persist Through Spring
- New Oregon Law Stores Water For Dry Days Of Summer
- Manmade Flood Unleashed in Grand Canyon
- Motives of Grand Canyon Flush Questioned
- SF Mayor Newsom backs Golden Gate tidal turbine power despite study
- Putting wind on the wires: A Texas tale
- Putting wind on the wires: resolving a California conundrum
- Turning Glare Into Watts
- New Mexico digs into solar manufacturing
- A Mighty (Renewable) Wind Blows In California
- Missouri – Upcoming Town Hall Meeting To Focus On Using Wood For Energy
- Experts Urge Boost in Tennessee Valley Authority Renewables
- Bush Urges Action on Corn Price Rises Fueled by Ethanol
- 'Thirsty' electric cars threaten water resources
- Canada – Electricity conservation will cost Islanders
- Washington State Legislature moves to cut greenhouse emissions
- Idaho senators balk at approving global warming resolution
- Poll: Most Americans Believe "Going Green" Will Create Jobs, Improve Communities
- Ocean fertilization firm Climos gains financial backing
- ISP Lobbying Group: What Rural Broadband Problem?
- An urgent call: Give us broadband, Vermont towns say
- Study: Mobile broadband use up 154 percent
- 365 Main's Oakland data center joins in energy program
- If Comcast Shares Broadband Deployment Data, The Terrorists Win
- Microsoft releases new Web browser beta
- Spring Forward – Early warning: Clocks to lose an hour Sunday
- Boeing's tanker bid damaged when Air Force changed criteria, Dicks says
- Gas thieves working overtime
- Oil soars as OPEC blames U.S. ills
- Seattle Times Columnist – Arson? Now it's uneasy being green
- Levy Would Add Staff to Tahuya Fire Station
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Pleiad • \PLEE-ad\ • noun – A group of usually seven illustrious or brilliant persons or things
“Pleiad Brides for Pleiad Brothers?” mused Albert as he battled with his colleagues Frances and Dorothy over the title of the screenplay on which they were working. “don’t you think that’s a little too highbrow?”
From Merriam-Webster Dictionary – In Greek mythology, the Pleiades were the seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione who were changed into a conspicuous cluster of seven stars in the constellation Taurus.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Clatskanie PUD Challenges BPA in U.S. 9th Circuit Court (Clatskanie Chief)
http://www.stpns.net/view_article.html?articleId=87042108709738289
Clallam County PUD considers 5.5% home electricity rate increase for most of the county effective April 1 (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080306/NEWS/803060304
Adams County seeks share of privilege taxes paid by Energy NW (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/915/story/109984.html
Washington Joins Idaho In Competition For Uranium Factory (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/washington-joins-idaho-competition-uranium-factory/
Florida Sparks Dark Visions (Power Marketing Association Online)
http://tinyurl.com/2ulp72
North Carolina – Clean-coal tax credits going to federal court – Two N.C. environmental groups have sued federal officials over $1 billion in "clean coal" tax credits for nine power plants, including two of Duke Energy's. (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://tinyurl.com/2updzv
United Kingdom – Meter customers 'forced to pay more for energy' – Customers who use prepayment meters are being charged up to £328 ($658 US) a year more than those with online tariffs who pay by direct debit (The Guardian Newspaper)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/mar/06/householdbills.consumeraffairs
Oregon – Central Lincoln PUD gets new power outage reporting system (Newport News Times)
http://www.newportnewstimes.com/articles/2008/03/05/news/news14.txt
News Release – PECO Aims to Reduce Outages Caused by Trees with $35 Million in Trimming, Clearing Around Power Lines (Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/080306/20080306005718.html?.v=1
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Oregon – Reserve idea flopping with fishermen – Members of the industry are leery about a proposal to designate no-fishing zones (The Oregonian)
http://tinyurl.com/3c7r8u
Klamath River Dams' Removal Hinges on Owner (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87928806&ft=1&f=2
Concerns well up over Klamath agreement (Eureka Times-Standard)
http://www.times-standard.com/ci_8459366
Oregon – Salmon fishermen: Outlook seems grim, but let's talk (The World, Coos Bay)
http://theworldlink.com/articles/2008/03/05/news/doc47cee64b8cbe0835272191.txt
Recovery plan identifies fishing as threat to sea lions – A 325-page plan issued Wednesday for Alaska sea lions lists dozens of actions needed for the animals to recover. (Seattle Times)
http://tinyurl.com/3ydt72
Over-fishing has been Overlooked (Columbia Spectator)
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/29792
DISAPPOINTING SMELT SEASON ON THE COWLITZ – Did you fill nets with smelt? Consider yourself lucky. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife believes the smelt run is likely over for the year. Some people did reach limits by the middle of last month. But the Cowlitz River run has since dwindled. It’s the latest in a series of disappointing seasons for local smelt seekers. (KELA Radio, Centralia)
La Niña May Persist Through Spring (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://tinyurl.com/35dl76
New Oregon Law Stores Water For Dry Days Of Summer – Oregon took the first step Wednesday toward a long-term plan to share Columbia River water among farmers, salmon and cities. (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/new-oregon-law-stores-water-dry-days-summer/
Manmade Flood Unleashed in Grand Canyon – Twin torrents of water unleashed from a dam coursed through the Grand Canyon on Wednesday in a flood meant to mimic the natural ones that used to nourish the ecosystem by spreading sediment. (Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://tinyurl.com/2olchb
Motives of Grand Canyon Flush Questioned – The federal government began unleashing a two and a half day flood through the Grand Canyon Wednesday (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87933157&ft=1&f=3
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
SF Mayor Newsom backs Golden Gate turbine power despite study – a study recently concluded the idea would cost tens of millions of dollars and is not financially feasible. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/05/BAJNVDH5E.DTL
Putting wind on the wires: A Texas tale (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://tinyurl.com/39xxya
Putting wind on the wires: resolving a California conundrum (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://tinyurl.com/2oho5f
Turning Glare Into Watts (NY Times)
http://tinyurl.com/2lo3en
New Mexico digs into solar manufacturing – Governor leads ground-breaking for potentially $500 million plant (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23464734/
A Mighty (Renewable) Wind Blows In California – California dairy cows are giving the state's power grid a blast of renewable energy, but the real money maker in bovine biogas may lie elsewhere. (InfoWeek – OK, now send your 25 cents to Christopher Guest)
http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/03/a_mighty_renewa.html
Missouri – Upcoming Town Hall Meeting To Focus On Using Wood For Energy (Democrat News & Daily Journal, Fredrickstown)
http://tinyurl.com/2py34k
Experts Urge Boost in Tennessee Valley Authority Renewables (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5597614.html
Bush Urges Action on Corn Price Rises Fueled by Ethanol (NY Times)
http://tinyurl.com/34aepv
'Thirsty' electric cars threaten water resources – They may not be gas-guzzlers, but electric cars have a raging thirst for water (New Scientist)
http://tinyurl.com/3yfuu8
CONSERVATION
Canada – Electricity conservation will cost Islanders. A new plan to reduce electricity use on Prince Edward Island will cost Islanders through higher rates for power. (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2008/03/06/green-costs.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Legislature moves to cut greenhouse emissions – The Legislature on Wednesday committed Washington to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in "green economy jobs." (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/353854_climate06.html
Idaho senators balk at approving global warming resolution (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/379832.html
Poll: Most Americans Believe "Going Green" Will Create Jobs, Improve Communities (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://tinyurl.com/38pt6g
Ocean fertilization firm Climos gains financial backing – The start-up plans to mitigate climate change by stimulating plankton growth; says that it has raised a series A venture capital round of $3.5 million. (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9886183-54.html?part=dht&tag=nl.e703
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
ISP Lobbying Group: What Rural Broadband Problem? Move along folks, there's nothing to see here... (Broadband Reports – Comment section may include PG-13 language)
http://tinyurl.com/29fc89
An urgent call: Give us broadband, Vermont towns say – Vermont voters sent a clear message to the world of high-speed Internet Tuesday: We want in. (Barre/Montpelier Times-Argus, via Baller/Herbst)
http://tinyurl.com/25x3xd
Study: Mobile broadband use up 154 percent (Nashville Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2008/03/03/daily17.html?ana=from_rss
365 Main's Oakland data center joins in energy program (East Bay Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/03/03/daily41.html?ana=from_rss
If Comcast Shares Broadband Deployment Data, The Terrorists Win. The secret Jihad against cable TV exposed! (Broadband Reports – Comment section may include PG-13 language)
http://tinyurl.com/3c9xyu
Microsoft releases new Web browser beta (Tri City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/991/story/109622.html
GENERAL NEWS
Spring Forward – Early warning: Clocks to lose an hour Sunday (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/380221.html
Boeing's tanker bid damaged when Air Force changed criteria, Dicks says (Seattle Times – Nice file photo)
http://tinyurl.com/3akqj9
Gas thieves working overtime – Thieves struck again stealing fuel from local gas stations, and as gas prices keep soaring, that theft ring is working overtime. (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_030508WAB_gas_thefts_KC.281ef426.html
Oil soars as OPEC blames U.S. ills – OPEC said Wednesday it will not put more oil on the global market despite record-high prices for crude, blaming the U.S. for economic "mismanagement" that it said was having a worldwide effect. (Seattle Times)
http://tinyurl.com/2t5l3r
Seattle Times Columnist – Arson? Now it's uneasy being green. I might have to stop recycling, maybe even buy a really big SUV. Who wants to be on the same side of an issue as the eco-terrorists who destroyed a group of houses near Maltby this week?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/jerrylarge/2004263890_jdl06m.html
Levy Would Add Staff to Tahuya Fire Station (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/05/levy-would-add-staff-to-tahuya-fire-station/
DIVERSIONS
Man Flies Son To Tennis Date To Avoid Traffic, Lands On Golf Course
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/15503079/detail.html
Snow Eating Now an Endangered Kid Pleasure
http://tinyurl.com/3cr9gk
Helping at home? Dad's the word – Reward is happier marriages
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/353936_dads06.html
Cemetery full, mayor tells locals not to die
http://tinyurl.com/2uwjhj
Man takes car on 2,000 mile test drive
http://tinyurl.com/2stsgg
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Energy News Digest for March 5, 2008
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Mason County PUD No. 3 Rate Increase Pushed Back To May
- Mason County PUD No. 3 Not Signing B-P-A Settlement
- Richland mulls deal with BPA
- Avista wants to hike electrical rates 9 percent
- Portland General Electric plant responsible for Gorge haze
- U.S. coal power boom suddenly wanes
- Feds suspend loan program for new rural coal plants citing climate change, cost issues
- Missouri – Appeals court rejects Aquila's Cass County plant
- Music CD shows hidden talent of Tacoma public utility workers
- Florida – New rule lets consumers sell back power
- Shorter Westport salmon season likely this year
- Lake Chelan draw-down expected to be lower than usual
- Montana – Energy company cedes oil, gas leases to Trout Unlimited
- Wave-power proposals alarm locals
- Pumped Storage To Back Up Renewable Energy
- Salt Lake Tribune Op/Ed – Renewable energy a must for Utah, but without steep price hikes
- Electric cars more popular as gas prices skyrocket
- Washington State Legislation on Mercury and Fluorescent Lighting
- Montana – State wants low campus energy bills
- The Sacramento Municipal Utility Department offers rebates to large commercial users
- Columbian Editorial: Defending dirty air
- Greed In the Name Of Green
- Some San Francisco cabbies see red over plan for green taxis
- Ask.Com Search Site to Cut Jobs, Realign Strategy
- Washougal telecom investor selling interest in Internet firm
- New Technologies Challenge FCC to Evolve
- FCC: No plans for a Comcast-BitTorrent hearing at Stanford
- Yahoo delays board election to resist Microsoft takeover
- Seattle Times Op/Ed – Internet in jeopardy as neutrality erodes
- The New Workplace Rules: No Video-Watching
- Boeing to Get Explanation of Why It Lost Tanker Dea
- Air Force Tanker Deal Riles Lawmakers
- State Legislature passes local option for public campaign financing
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Spelunking • \spuh-LUNK-king\ • noun – The hobby or practice of exploring caves
Howdy folks! Let’s go spelunking in Cave Junction Oregon!
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
MASON COUNTY PUD NO. 3 RATE INCREASE PUSHED BACK TO MAY – Mason County P.U.D. No. 3 has pushed back their planned electricity rate increase to May 1st. An average rate increase of about five percent is part of the Utility's 2008 budget adopted in December and the original date for the increase was the first of April. However, P.U.D. 3 staff needs a little more time to implement the increase. The Mason County P.U.D. No. 3 Board of Commissioners will be holding a public hearing on the rate increase at 10am next Tuesday, March 11th. The hearing will be held just prior to the Board's next regular meeting. The P.U.D. 3 Commissioners meet in their chambers at 307 West Cota Street in Shelton. The last residential electricity rate increase for Mason County P.U.D. No. 3 customers was three percent in October 2006. A five percent increase will cost a typical residential customer who uses about 1,000 kWh per month $3.60 more a month. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
MASON COUNTY PUD NO. 3 NOT SIGNING B-P-A SETTLEMENT – Mason County P.U.D. No. 3 Commissioners voted Tuesday not to sign an interim settlement agreement with the Bonneville Power Administration. This agreement relates to the settlement over the way in which the small farm and residential exchange program has been administered. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled twice that the framework the B-P-A developed to replace the exchange process was contrary to the law. Bonneville offered the P.U.D. $2.3 Million and a four percent rate decrease but P.U.D. officials want to wait for the actual rate case to settle as the Public Utility will receive the overpayments plus interest, whether or not the interim agreement is signed. P.U.D. officials called the figures offered by the B-P-A an insult and due to uncertainty about Bonneville cost controls and future fish and wildlife costs they believe Bonneville will come up with some way of charging the utility to offset that proposed rate reduction. The P.U.D. 3 Commissioners unanimously voted not to sign. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Richland mulls deal with BPA – It's time for the Richland council to decide: Deal or no deal? (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/108854.html
Avista wants to hike electrical rates 9 percent (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/03/03/daily15.html?ana=from_rss
Portland General Electric plant responsible for Gorge haze – Groups plan to sue PGE over coal plant emissions (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/03/03/daily19.html?ana=from_rss
U.S. coal power boom suddenly wanes – Worries about global warming and rising construction costs give the edge to natural-gas and renewable-energy plants. (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0304/p01s07-usec.html
Feds suspend loan program for new rural coal plants citing climate change, cost issues (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://tinyurl.com/3982kd
Missouri – Appeals court rejects Aquila's Cass County plant (Kansas City Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2008/03/03/daily17.html?ana=from_rss
Music CD shows hidden talent of Tacoma public utility workers (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/300875.html
Florida – New rule lets consumers sell back power (South Florida Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/03/03/daily16.html?ana=from_rss
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Shorter Westport salmon season likely this year (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/378637.html
Lake Chelan draw-down expected to be lower than usual – Chelan County PUD analysts estimate they'll have to drop Lake Chelan to its lowest level since 1988 to accommodate a big spring runoff. (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080304/NEWS04/485668934
Montana – Energy company cedes oil, gas leases – Kohlman Co. gives 33,411 acres to Trout Unlimited for preservation (Great Falls Tribune)
http://tinyurl.com/3b42ob
Guest Commentary, Seattle Post-Intelligencer – The price of free water is a sensible way of managing rain – Rain is free. But once it hits the urban ground, it costs us money.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/353697_moinwater05.html?source=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Wave-power proposals alarm locals – US waters could supply up to 10 percent of electric needs but fast-track permits anger communities. (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0304/p03s03-usgn.html
Pumped Storage To Back Up Renewable Energy (Renewable Energy Access)
http://tinyurl.com/2yoqoa
Salt Lake Tribune Op/Ed – Renewable energy a must for Utah, but without steep price hikes
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_8452851
Electric cars more popular as gas prices skyrocket (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_030508WAB_electric_cars_SW.24ce1021.html
CONSERVATION
Washington State Legislation on Mercury and Fluorescent Lighting (Legislative Bill Search)
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6502
Montana – State wants low campus energy bills – Of all the state-funded entities in Montana, the university system is the biggest consumer of electricity and natural gas. (The Missoulian)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/03/05/news/local/news03.txt
The Sacramento Municipal Utility Department offers rebates to large commercial users (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/03/03/daily19.html?ana=from_rss
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Columbian Editorial: Defending dirty air – President Bush’s top environmental cop made his case Friday for blocking new auto emission standards in California, Washington and Oregon
http://tinyurl.com/2ksb2o
Greed In the Name Of Green – To Worshipers of Consumption: Spending Won't Save the Earth (Washington Post)
http://tinyurl.com/2pbqj4
Some San Francisco cabbies see red over plan for green taxis (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://tinyurl.com/yvea3s
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Ask.Com Search Site to Cut Jobs, Realign Strategy (NY Times)
http://tinyurl.com/yobvtn
Washougal telecom investor selling interest in Internet firm (The Columbian)
http://tinyurl.com/2s8n6k
New Technologies Challenge FCC to Evolve (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87898676&ft=1&f=2
FCC: No plans for a Comcast-BitTorrent hearing at Stanford (CNET News)
http://tinyurl.com/326x75
Yahoo delays board election to resist Microsoft takeover (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://tinyurl.com/3b42ob
Seattle Times Op/Ed – Internet in jeopardy as neutrality erodes – The Internet is a major artery through which new ideas and creativity flows. This conduit for Americans' innovative abilities is in jeopardy.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004260185_harved05.html
The New Workplace Rules: No Video-Watching (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120459386857809135.html
GENERAL NEWS
Boeing to Get Explanation of Why It Lost Tanker Deal (NY Times)
http://tinyurl.com/ysvarm
Air Force Tanker Deal Riles Lawmakers (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87898696&ft=1&f=2
State Legislature passes local option for public campaign financing (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/16241522.html
DIVERSIONS
Dungeons & Dragons Co-Creator Dies at 69
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004259435_apobitgygax.html?syndication=rss
Pasco man caught in the dog house
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/378890.html
Whose soldiers are chubby and unfit?
http://tinyurl.com/37zmlg
World War Two Spies had an astrologer
http://tinyurl.com/3xnzbx
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Mason County PUD No. 3 Rate Increase Pushed Back To May
- Mason County PUD No. 3 Not Signing B-P-A Settlement
- Richland mulls deal with BPA
- Avista wants to hike electrical rates 9 percent
- Portland General Electric plant responsible for Gorge haze
- U.S. coal power boom suddenly wanes
- Feds suspend loan program for new rural coal plants citing climate change, cost issues
- Missouri – Appeals court rejects Aquila's Cass County plant
- Music CD shows hidden talent of Tacoma public utility workers
- Florida – New rule lets consumers sell back power
- Shorter Westport salmon season likely this year
- Lake Chelan draw-down expected to be lower than usual
- Montana – Energy company cedes oil, gas leases to Trout Unlimited
- Wave-power proposals alarm locals
- Pumped Storage To Back Up Renewable Energy
- Salt Lake Tribune Op/Ed – Renewable energy a must for Utah, but without steep price hikes
- Electric cars more popular as gas prices skyrocket
- Washington State Legislation on Mercury and Fluorescent Lighting
- Montana – State wants low campus energy bills
- The Sacramento Municipal Utility Department offers rebates to large commercial users
- Columbian Editorial: Defending dirty air
- Greed In the Name Of Green
- Some San Francisco cabbies see red over plan for green taxis
- Ask.Com Search Site to Cut Jobs, Realign Strategy
- Washougal telecom investor selling interest in Internet firm
- New Technologies Challenge FCC to Evolve
- FCC: No plans for a Comcast-BitTorrent hearing at Stanford
- Yahoo delays board election to resist Microsoft takeover
- Seattle Times Op/Ed – Internet in jeopardy as neutrality erodes
- The New Workplace Rules: No Video-Watching
- Boeing to Get Explanation of Why It Lost Tanker Dea
- Air Force Tanker Deal Riles Lawmakers
- State Legislature passes local option for public campaign financing
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Spelunking • \spuh-LUNK-king\ • noun – The hobby or practice of exploring caves
Howdy folks! Let’s go spelunking in Cave Junction Oregon!
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
MASON COUNTY PUD NO. 3 RATE INCREASE PUSHED BACK TO MAY – Mason County P.U.D. No. 3 has pushed back their planned electricity rate increase to May 1st. An average rate increase of about five percent is part of the Utility's 2008 budget adopted in December and the original date for the increase was the first of April. However, P.U.D. 3 staff needs a little more time to implement the increase. The Mason County P.U.D. No. 3 Board of Commissioners will be holding a public hearing on the rate increase at 10am next Tuesday, March 11th. The hearing will be held just prior to the Board's next regular meeting. The P.U.D. 3 Commissioners meet in their chambers at 307 West Cota Street in Shelton. The last residential electricity rate increase for Mason County P.U.D. No. 3 customers was three percent in October 2006. A five percent increase will cost a typical residential customer who uses about 1,000 kWh per month $3.60 more a month. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
MASON COUNTY PUD NO. 3 NOT SIGNING B-P-A SETTLEMENT – Mason County P.U.D. No. 3 Commissioners voted Tuesday not to sign an interim settlement agreement with the Bonneville Power Administration. This agreement relates to the settlement over the way in which the small farm and residential exchange program has been administered. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled twice that the framework the B-P-A developed to replace the exchange process was contrary to the law. Bonneville offered the P.U.D. $2.3 Million and a four percent rate decrease but P.U.D. officials want to wait for the actual rate case to settle as the Public Utility will receive the overpayments plus interest, whether or not the interim agreement is signed. P.U.D. officials called the figures offered by the B-P-A an insult and due to uncertainty about Bonneville cost controls and future fish and wildlife costs they believe Bonneville will come up with some way of charging the utility to offset that proposed rate reduction. The P.U.D. 3 Commissioners unanimously voted not to sign. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Richland mulls deal with BPA – It's time for the Richland council to decide: Deal or no deal? (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/108854.html
Avista wants to hike electrical rates 9 percent (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/03/03/daily15.html?ana=from_rss
Portland General Electric plant responsible for Gorge haze – Groups plan to sue PGE over coal plant emissions (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/03/03/daily19.html?ana=from_rss
U.S. coal power boom suddenly wanes – Worries about global warming and rising construction costs give the edge to natural-gas and renewable-energy plants. (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0304/p01s07-usec.html
Feds suspend loan program for new rural coal plants citing climate change, cost issues (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://tinyurl.com/3982kd
Missouri – Appeals court rejects Aquila's Cass County plant (Kansas City Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2008/03/03/daily17.html?ana=from_rss
Music CD shows hidden talent of Tacoma public utility workers (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/300875.html
Florida – New rule lets consumers sell back power (South Florida Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/03/03/daily16.html?ana=from_rss
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Shorter Westport salmon season likely this year (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/378637.html
Lake Chelan draw-down expected to be lower than usual – Chelan County PUD analysts estimate they'll have to drop Lake Chelan to its lowest level since 1988 to accommodate a big spring runoff. (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080304/NEWS04/485668934
Montana – Energy company cedes oil, gas leases – Kohlman Co. gives 33,411 acres to Trout Unlimited for preservation (Great Falls Tribune)
http://tinyurl.com/3b42ob
Guest Commentary, Seattle Post-Intelligencer – The price of free water is a sensible way of managing rain – Rain is free. But once it hits the urban ground, it costs us money.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/353697_moinwater05.html?source=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Wave-power proposals alarm locals – US waters could supply up to 10 percent of electric needs but fast-track permits anger communities. (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0304/p03s03-usgn.html
Pumped Storage To Back Up Renewable Energy (Renewable Energy Access)
http://tinyurl.com/2yoqoa
Salt Lake Tribune Op/Ed – Renewable energy a must for Utah, but without steep price hikes
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_8452851
Electric cars more popular as gas prices skyrocket (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_030508WAB_electric_cars_SW.24ce1021.html
CONSERVATION
Washington State Legislation on Mercury and Fluorescent Lighting (Legislative Bill Search)
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6502
Montana – State wants low campus energy bills – Of all the state-funded entities in Montana, the university system is the biggest consumer of electricity and natural gas. (The Missoulian)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/03/05/news/local/news03.txt
The Sacramento Municipal Utility Department offers rebates to large commercial users (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/03/03/daily19.html?ana=from_rss
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Columbian Editorial: Defending dirty air – President Bush’s top environmental cop made his case Friday for blocking new auto emission standards in California, Washington and Oregon
http://tinyurl.com/2ksb2o
Greed In the Name Of Green – To Worshipers of Consumption: Spending Won't Save the Earth (Washington Post)
http://tinyurl.com/2pbqj4
Some San Francisco cabbies see red over plan for green taxis (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://tinyurl.com/yvea3s
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Ask.Com Search Site to Cut Jobs, Realign Strategy (NY Times)
http://tinyurl.com/yobvtn
Washougal telecom investor selling interest in Internet firm (The Columbian)
http://tinyurl.com/2s8n6k
New Technologies Challenge FCC to Evolve (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87898676&ft=1&f=2
FCC: No plans for a Comcast-BitTorrent hearing at Stanford (CNET News)
http://tinyurl.com/326x75
Yahoo delays board election to resist Microsoft takeover (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://tinyurl.com/3b42ob
Seattle Times Op/Ed – Internet in jeopardy as neutrality erodes – The Internet is a major artery through which new ideas and creativity flows. This conduit for Americans' innovative abilities is in jeopardy.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004260185_harved05.html
The New Workplace Rules: No Video-Watching (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120459386857809135.html
GENERAL NEWS
Boeing to Get Explanation of Why It Lost Tanker Deal (NY Times)
http://tinyurl.com/ysvarm
Air Force Tanker Deal Riles Lawmakers (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87898696&ft=1&f=2
State Legislature passes local option for public campaign financing (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/16241522.html
DIVERSIONS
Dungeons & Dragons Co-Creator Dies at 69
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004259435_apobitgygax.html?syndication=rss
Pasco man caught in the dog house
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/378890.html
Whose soldiers are chubby and unfit?
http://tinyurl.com/37zmlg
World War Two Spies had an astrologer
http://tinyurl.com/3xnzbx
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Energy News Digest for March 4, 2008
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Grays Harbor County PUD unhappy with Bonneville Power Administration’s interim payment offer
- Lewis County PUD Is Owed Money By The Feds
- Farm bureau to address Grant County PUD rates
- Montana – Rural Utilities Service explains funding pullout for power plant
- Quid Pro Quo – Alcoa to invest $1.2B to expand Quebec output
- Maryland – Constellation Energy files suit against state over $386M in rebates
- Baltimore Sun Op/Ed – The energy answer: nuclear power
- Oil pain seeping everywhere
- U.S. to permit $5.2B pipeline from Canada
- Salmon woes linked to weather
- What It Will Take to Save the Wild Salmon
- Sleeper Bill on Hood Canal Septics Raise Concern
- State sets an ambitious pace for Sound cleanup
- Oregon – An uneasy coexistence – The bull trout and Kokanee salmon
- Montana – Nez Perce Buffalo Hunt Ends After Dustup
- Bill would make N. Idaho water adjudication voluntary
- Southern States May Take Water Dispute to Court
- Tidal energy: Is it too costly?
- California – Pacific Gas & Electric taps cows for clean power
- Ethanol Demand, Prices Boost Farm Communities
- Cattle Farmers Pay Price for Ethanol Boom
- Fuel cells make power for homes in Japan
- 3TIER Releases Global Wind Map
- Wartsila Power Plant Uses Brewery Spent Grain
- Saving energy on Tennessee Valley Authority’s to-do list
- Microsoft Touts Energy-Saving Software
- Climate change won't wait for Oregon
- Global Warming Skeptics Insist Humans Not at Fault
- Cool View of Science at Meeting on Warming
- NY Times Editorial – Confessions on Climate
- U.S. Eighth in Fiber to the Home Deployment
- Verizon FiOS "Free LCD TV" Promotion Resulting In A Lot Of Angry Customers
- $100,000 Reward Offered In Street Of Dreams Fire
- Ecoterror resurfaces with Seattle arsons
- City Of Shelton Recreation Program Funding Back In Budget
- Shelton City Staff Working On Budget Issues
- City Of Shelton Has Ordinance Mandating Use Of City Water
- Baird to seek sixth term in Congress
- Ex-State Economist Sohn makes treasurer bid official
- Report Ranks Best, Worst State Governments Washington in top three best
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Éclat • \ay-KLAH\ • noun – 1: ostentatious display: publicity *2: dazzling effect: brilliance
3a: brilliant or conspicuous success b: praise, applause
Abercrombie was the first graduate of the William Shatner College of Theatrical Knowledge. As such, it was expected that his acting would take on a level of éclat that could RIVAL, or at least EQUAL the ACTING of the schools founder.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Grays Harbor County PUD unhappy with Bonneville Power Administration’s interim payment offer (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/03/03/local_news/02news.txt
LEWIS COUNTY PUD IS OWED MONEY BY THE FEDS – The Bonneville Power Administration owes the Lewis County PUD money. If the local power provider takes part, the settlement could be used to pay for renewable power. The local non-profit is facing millions of dollars in costs to purchase wind power after voters approved I-937. The BPA funds would help settle a dispute over access to cheap federal hydropower. (KELA Radio, Centralia/Chehalis)
Farm bureau to address Grant County PUD rates – Members of the Grant County Farm Bureau plan to attend a Grant County Public Utility District meeting Wednesday about possible rate increases. (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/03/03/news/news01.txt
Montana – Rural Utilities Service explains funding pullout for power plant – Top federal officials Monday said concerns over rising construction costs, legal challenges and other potential delays led them to pull the plug on financing for the proposed Highwood Generating Station (Great Falls Tribune)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080304/NEWS01/803040301/1002
Quid Pro Quo – Alcoa to invest $1.2B to expand Quebec output (Pittsburgh Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/03/03/daily15.html?ana=from_rss
Maryland – Constellation Energy files suit against state over $386M in rebates (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/03/03/daily9.html?ana=from_rss
Baltimore Sun Op/Ed – The energy answer: While the governor and others in Annapolis are demanding cuts in electricity consumption, there's a better way: increasing the supply through nuclear power
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.nukes04mar04,0,5878928.story
Oil pain seeping everywhere – The price of oil gushed to a record high Monday, spreading dangerously to factories, groceries, gas stations and every citizen's pocketbook. (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004258206_oilprice04.html
U.S. to permit $5.2B pipeline from Canada – A TransCanada and ConocoPhillips-owned pipeline would transport 590,000 barrels of oil daily through seven U.S. states (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/03/news/economy/CanadaUS_oil.ap/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Salmon woes linked to weather (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004258296_salmon04m.html?syndication=rss
What It Will Take to Save the Wild Salmon (AlterNet – Remove the dams, without a mention of harvest levels)
http://www.alternet.org/water/78567/
Sleeper Bill on Hood Canal Septics Raise Concern (Kitsap Sun)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/03/sleeper-bill-on-septics-raises-concern/
State sets an ambitious pace for Sound cleanup (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080304/NEWS/803040307
Oregon – An uneasy coexistence – The bull trout, an endangered species, is the predator. The much smaller and more prolific Kokanee, its prey. Biologists are looking to support both (Bend Bulletin)
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080304/NEWS0107/803040403/1001&nav_category=
Montana – Nez Perce Buffalo Hunt Ends After Dustup (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/nez-perce-buffalo-hunt-ends-after-dustup/
Bill would make N. Idaho water adjudication voluntary – At issue are water rights for a half dozen water basins and two aquifers that supply the northern third of the state. (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP03042008news287501.cfm
Southern States May Take Water Dispute to Court (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87877844&ft=1&f=3
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Tidal energy: Is it too costly? (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080303/NEWS01/781359222&news01ad=1
California – Pacific Gas & Electric taps cows for clean power. A new project will turn manure into energy for 50,000 customers (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8447551?source=rss&nclick_check=1
Ethanol Demand, Prices Boost Farm Communities (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87782087&ft=1&f=3
Cattle Farmers Pay Price for Ethanol Boom (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87877874&ft=1&f=3
Fuel cells make power for homes in Japan (Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080303/ap_on_hi_te/fuel_cell_home_2
3TIER Releases Global Wind Map (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=51738&src=rss
Wartsila Power Plant Uses Brewery Spent Grain (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=51737&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Saving energy on Tennessee Valley Authority’s to-do list – Federal utility to hold public meetings to help educate public (Knoxville News Sentinel)
http://knoxnews.com/news/2008/mar/04/saving-energy-on-tvas-to-do-list/
Microsoft Touts Energy-Saving Software (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/idg/IDG_002570DE00740E18C1257401004EB725.html?ex=1362373200&en=869c0adc2aec1e9f&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Climate change won't wait for Oregon – Emissions must decline or business and the environment will suffer, a panel says (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1204599316251180.xml&coll=7
Global Warming Skeptics Insist Humans Not at Fault (Washington Post)
http://tinyurl.com/2g5sc8
Cool View of Science at Meeting on Warming (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/science/earth/04climate.html?_r=1&ex=1362373200&en=a6c2c84b49053dea&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
NY Times Editorial – Confessions on Climate
http://tinyurl.com/2pgas6
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
U.S. Eighth in Fiber to the Home Deployment (Broadband Reports – Comment section may include PG-13 language)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/US-Eighth-in-FTTH-Deployment-92345
Verizon FiOS "Free LCD TV" Promotion Resulting In A Lot Of Angry Customers (The Consumerist – Comment section may include PG-13 language)
http://consumerist.com/363118/verizon-fios-free-lcd-tv-promotion-resulting-in-a-lot-of-angry-customers
GENERAL NEWS
$100,000 Reward Offered In Street Of Dreams Fire (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/15479741/detail.html
Ecoterror resurfaces with Seattle arsons – The destruction of four luxury homes Monday suggests the involvement of the extremist Earth Liberation Front. (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0304/p01s16-usgn.html
CITY OF SHELTON RECREATION PROGRAM FUNDING BACK IN BUDGET – The Shelton City Commission has approved placing almost $26,500 back in the City's 2008 budget to fund recreation programs that were originally cut. These funds are coming from additional revenues in the form of increased user fees, added programs, and sponsorships, and donations from non-profit organizations and businesses in the future. According to Commissioner Mike Byrne, City staff came up with the ideas to maintain these recreation services. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
SHELTON CITY STAFF WORKING ON BUDGET ISSUES – City of Shelton officials continue to work on budget issues facing the City. Administrator Dave O'Leary has been making presentations to service clubs explaining the City's situation. He has made a presentation to City staff. O'Leary will be meeting with department heads this month in order to create a worst case scenario for the City and come up with a plan to deal with the revenue shortfall. O'Leary plans to make recommendations to the Shelton City Commission during a retreat on March 26th. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
CITY OF SHELTON HAS ORDINANCE MANDATING USE OF CITY WATER – The City of Shelton has updated its ordinance that mandates residents connect to the City's Water System. This is the second time City staff has drafted this ordinance. The first ordinance created some concerns, which the latest draft addresses. This ordinance establishes a service territory which is within 300 feet of a water main and establishes an appeal process for areas where it just isn't cost effective to hook to the water system. There are also provisions in the ordinance that allow people to have an exempt well to be used for irrigation. The Shelton City Commission is expected to adopt the ordinance at its next meeting. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Baird to seek sixth term in Congress (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/03/03042008_Baird-to-seek-sixth-term-in-Congress.cfm/
Ex-forecaster Sohn makes treasurer bid official – The state's newly retired revenue forecaster, ChangMook Sohn, ended speculation Monday and announced he is running for state treasurer as a Democrat. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/378152.html
Report Ranks Best, Worst State Governments – Utah, Virginia and Washington state have the most effective state governments in the country (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/politics/15476015/detail.html
DIVERSIONS
Report: Jagger target of Hells Angels murder plot
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/03/britain.jaggerplot.ap/index.html?eref=ib_topstories
Leap Day Cash Giveaway Turns Into Free-For-All At Park
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/15475308/detail.html
Me, and him are gonna party on National Grammer Day
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_030308LIF_grammar_day_SW.1c1f0dc4.html
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Grays Harbor County PUD unhappy with Bonneville Power Administration’s interim payment offer
- Lewis County PUD Is Owed Money By The Feds
- Farm bureau to address Grant County PUD rates
- Montana – Rural Utilities Service explains funding pullout for power plant
- Quid Pro Quo – Alcoa to invest $1.2B to expand Quebec output
- Maryland – Constellation Energy files suit against state over $386M in rebates
- Baltimore Sun Op/Ed – The energy answer: nuclear power
- Oil pain seeping everywhere
- U.S. to permit $5.2B pipeline from Canada
- Salmon woes linked to weather
- What It Will Take to Save the Wild Salmon
- Sleeper Bill on Hood Canal Septics Raise Concern
- State sets an ambitious pace for Sound cleanup
- Oregon – An uneasy coexistence – The bull trout and Kokanee salmon
- Montana – Nez Perce Buffalo Hunt Ends After Dustup
- Bill would make N. Idaho water adjudication voluntary
- Southern States May Take Water Dispute to Court
- Tidal energy: Is it too costly?
- California – Pacific Gas & Electric taps cows for clean power
- Ethanol Demand, Prices Boost Farm Communities
- Cattle Farmers Pay Price for Ethanol Boom
- Fuel cells make power for homes in Japan
- 3TIER Releases Global Wind Map
- Wartsila Power Plant Uses Brewery Spent Grain
- Saving energy on Tennessee Valley Authority’s to-do list
- Microsoft Touts Energy-Saving Software
- Climate change won't wait for Oregon
- Global Warming Skeptics Insist Humans Not at Fault
- Cool View of Science at Meeting on Warming
- NY Times Editorial – Confessions on Climate
- U.S. Eighth in Fiber to the Home Deployment
- Verizon FiOS "Free LCD TV" Promotion Resulting In A Lot Of Angry Customers
- $100,000 Reward Offered In Street Of Dreams Fire
- Ecoterror resurfaces with Seattle arsons
- City Of Shelton Recreation Program Funding Back In Budget
- Shelton City Staff Working On Budget Issues
- City Of Shelton Has Ordinance Mandating Use Of City Water
- Baird to seek sixth term in Congress
- Ex-State Economist Sohn makes treasurer bid official
- Report Ranks Best, Worst State Governments Washington in top three best
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Éclat • \ay-KLAH\ • noun – 1: ostentatious display: publicity *2: dazzling effect: brilliance
3a: brilliant or conspicuous success b: praise, applause
Abercrombie was the first graduate of the William Shatner College of Theatrical Knowledge. As such, it was expected that his acting would take on a level of éclat that could RIVAL, or at least EQUAL the ACTING of the schools founder.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Grays Harbor County PUD unhappy with Bonneville Power Administration’s interim payment offer (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/03/03/local_news/02news.txt
LEWIS COUNTY PUD IS OWED MONEY BY THE FEDS – The Bonneville Power Administration owes the Lewis County PUD money. If the local power provider takes part, the settlement could be used to pay for renewable power. The local non-profit is facing millions of dollars in costs to purchase wind power after voters approved I-937. The BPA funds would help settle a dispute over access to cheap federal hydropower. (KELA Radio, Centralia/Chehalis)
Farm bureau to address Grant County PUD rates – Members of the Grant County Farm Bureau plan to attend a Grant County Public Utility District meeting Wednesday about possible rate increases. (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/03/03/news/news01.txt
Montana – Rural Utilities Service explains funding pullout for power plant – Top federal officials Monday said concerns over rising construction costs, legal challenges and other potential delays led them to pull the plug on financing for the proposed Highwood Generating Station (Great Falls Tribune)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080304/NEWS01/803040301/1002
Quid Pro Quo – Alcoa to invest $1.2B to expand Quebec output (Pittsburgh Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/03/03/daily15.html?ana=from_rss
Maryland – Constellation Energy files suit against state over $386M in rebates (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/03/03/daily9.html?ana=from_rss
Baltimore Sun Op/Ed – The energy answer: While the governor and others in Annapolis are demanding cuts in electricity consumption, there's a better way: increasing the supply through nuclear power
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.nukes04mar04,0,5878928.story
Oil pain seeping everywhere – The price of oil gushed to a record high Monday, spreading dangerously to factories, groceries, gas stations and every citizen's pocketbook. (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004258206_oilprice04.html
U.S. to permit $5.2B pipeline from Canada – A TransCanada and ConocoPhillips-owned pipeline would transport 590,000 barrels of oil daily through seven U.S. states (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/03/news/economy/CanadaUS_oil.ap/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Salmon woes linked to weather (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004258296_salmon04m.html?syndication=rss
What It Will Take to Save the Wild Salmon (AlterNet – Remove the dams, without a mention of harvest levels)
http://www.alternet.org/water/78567/
Sleeper Bill on Hood Canal Septics Raise Concern (Kitsap Sun)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/03/sleeper-bill-on-septics-raises-concern/
State sets an ambitious pace for Sound cleanup (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080304/NEWS/803040307
Oregon – An uneasy coexistence – The bull trout, an endangered species, is the predator. The much smaller and more prolific Kokanee, its prey. Biologists are looking to support both (Bend Bulletin)
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080304/NEWS0107/803040403/1001&nav_category=
Montana – Nez Perce Buffalo Hunt Ends After Dustup (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/nez-perce-buffalo-hunt-ends-after-dustup/
Bill would make N. Idaho water adjudication voluntary – At issue are water rights for a half dozen water basins and two aquifers that supply the northern third of the state. (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP03042008news287501.cfm
Southern States May Take Water Dispute to Court (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87877844&ft=1&f=3
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Tidal energy: Is it too costly? (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080303/NEWS01/781359222&news01ad=1
California – Pacific Gas & Electric taps cows for clean power. A new project will turn manure into energy for 50,000 customers (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8447551?source=rss&nclick_check=1
Ethanol Demand, Prices Boost Farm Communities (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87782087&ft=1&f=3
Cattle Farmers Pay Price for Ethanol Boom (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87877874&ft=1&f=3
Fuel cells make power for homes in Japan (Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080303/ap_on_hi_te/fuel_cell_home_2
3TIER Releases Global Wind Map (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=51738&src=rss
Wartsila Power Plant Uses Brewery Spent Grain (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=51737&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Saving energy on Tennessee Valley Authority’s to-do list – Federal utility to hold public meetings to help educate public (Knoxville News Sentinel)
http://knoxnews.com/news/2008/mar/04/saving-energy-on-tvas-to-do-list/
Microsoft Touts Energy-Saving Software (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/idg/IDG_002570DE00740E18C1257401004EB725.html?ex=1362373200&en=869c0adc2aec1e9f&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Climate change won't wait for Oregon – Emissions must decline or business and the environment will suffer, a panel says (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1204599316251180.xml&coll=7
Global Warming Skeptics Insist Humans Not at Fault (Washington Post)
http://tinyurl.com/2g5sc8
Cool View of Science at Meeting on Warming (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/science/earth/04climate.html?_r=1&ex=1362373200&en=a6c2c84b49053dea&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
NY Times Editorial – Confessions on Climate
http://tinyurl.com/2pgas6
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
U.S. Eighth in Fiber to the Home Deployment (Broadband Reports – Comment section may include PG-13 language)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/US-Eighth-in-FTTH-Deployment-92345
Verizon FiOS "Free LCD TV" Promotion Resulting In A Lot Of Angry Customers (The Consumerist – Comment section may include PG-13 language)
http://consumerist.com/363118/verizon-fios-free-lcd-tv-promotion-resulting-in-a-lot-of-angry-customers
GENERAL NEWS
$100,000 Reward Offered In Street Of Dreams Fire (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/15479741/detail.html
Ecoterror resurfaces with Seattle arsons – The destruction of four luxury homes Monday suggests the involvement of the extremist Earth Liberation Front. (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0304/p01s16-usgn.html
CITY OF SHELTON RECREATION PROGRAM FUNDING BACK IN BUDGET – The Shelton City Commission has approved placing almost $26,500 back in the City's 2008 budget to fund recreation programs that were originally cut. These funds are coming from additional revenues in the form of increased user fees, added programs, and sponsorships, and donations from non-profit organizations and businesses in the future. According to Commissioner Mike Byrne, City staff came up with the ideas to maintain these recreation services. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
SHELTON CITY STAFF WORKING ON BUDGET ISSUES – City of Shelton officials continue to work on budget issues facing the City. Administrator Dave O'Leary has been making presentations to service clubs explaining the City's situation. He has made a presentation to City staff. O'Leary will be meeting with department heads this month in order to create a worst case scenario for the City and come up with a plan to deal with the revenue shortfall. O'Leary plans to make recommendations to the Shelton City Commission during a retreat on March 26th. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
CITY OF SHELTON HAS ORDINANCE MANDATING USE OF CITY WATER – The City of Shelton has updated its ordinance that mandates residents connect to the City's Water System. This is the second time City staff has drafted this ordinance. The first ordinance created some concerns, which the latest draft addresses. This ordinance establishes a service territory which is within 300 feet of a water main and establishes an appeal process for areas where it just isn't cost effective to hook to the water system. There are also provisions in the ordinance that allow people to have an exempt well to be used for irrigation. The Shelton City Commission is expected to adopt the ordinance at its next meeting. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Baird to seek sixth term in Congress (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/03/03042008_Baird-to-seek-sixth-term-in-Congress.cfm/
Ex-forecaster Sohn makes treasurer bid official – The state's newly retired revenue forecaster, ChangMook Sohn, ended speculation Monday and announced he is running for state treasurer as a Democrat. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/378152.html
Report Ranks Best, Worst State Governments – Utah, Virginia and Washington state have the most effective state governments in the country (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/politics/15476015/detail.html
DIVERSIONS
Report: Jagger target of Hells Angels murder plot
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/03/britain.jaggerplot.ap/index.html?eref=ib_topstories
Leap Day Cash Giveaway Turns Into Free-For-All At Park
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/15475308/detail.html
Me, and him are gonna party on National Grammer Day
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_030308LIF_grammar_day_SW.1c1f0dc4.html
Monday, March 3, 2008
Energy News Digest for March 3, 2008
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
* Oops! Human Error Cited in Fla. Power Failure
* Bonneville Power Administration Power Credit Back on the Table
* Companies eager for BPA repayments
* Port of Walla Walla puts brakes on carbon project
* California – Calpine's turnaround specialist to leave with $29 million bonus
* Thirsting for Energy in India’s Boomtowns and Beyond
* Booming growth raises idea of dams
* Crash at lock blocks Columbia
* Columbia River conservation at loggerheads – Look out sea lions
* Washington Post Op/Ed – A Toxic Time Bomb in the Northwest
* Price of Lake Tapps deal revealed – it’s $39 million
* No need to sweat over water supply at Spada Lake
* Legacy of Kosmos Reappears – Submerged Logging Town Re-Emerges From Riffe Lake
* Canada – No reprieve on sewage treatment
* Incentives drive growing wind energy industry
* Canadian Wind power monopoly feared
* Chevron and Weyco team up on biofuels
* Geothermal Company Cleared to Drill in Eastern Oregon
* Texas companies quicker to switch to green energy than residents
* New York – Officials: NY Renewable Energy Program Needs Money
* Idaho State Senate revives bill for energy-saving buildings; not as tough
* Should roads have tolls to fight global warming?
* Seattle Times Editorial – Global Warming: Taxing carbons
* Oregon State Legislature –Lobbyist Mark Nelson persuades the Legislature not to count Greenhouse gases
* News Tribune Editorial – Chinese energy czars: Welcome to Gig Harbor
* Skeptics on Human Climate Impact Seize on Cold Spell
* It isn't called 'California warming,' EPA says
* San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – EPA's own study argues for California waiver
* Canada whispers to U.S. not to include oilsands in new greenhouse laws
* Iowa governor signs incentives law to lure Microsoft
* Broadband Woes for Ireland
* Europe hits one million FTTH broadband connections
* Suspicious fires burn down "Street of Dreams" homes in Snohomish County
* Rep. Norm Dicks says he’ll block changes to lift gun ban in national parks
* Mason County Gets CTED Dollars
* States and Cities Start Rebelling on Bond Ratings
* Lacey rules written permission must be given to panhandle
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Obverse • \AHB-verse\ • noun – *1: the side of a coin or currency note bearing the chief device and lettering; broadly: a front or principal surface 2: a counterpart having the opposite orientation or force; also: opposite
Garfunkel was enjoying his summer daydream; imagining himself as a lucky silver dollar in the pocket of a Wall Street Trader. The daydream had its downside, like the time the trader flipped the coin over and over with his obverse side always landing up. “One more time and I’m going to be urping up silver,” opined the daydreaming Garfunkel.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Oops! Human Error Cited in Fla. Power Failure – A power failure that plunged large parts of Florida into the dark this week was caused primarily by human error, the state's largest electric company said Friday. “… The engineer was investigating a malfunctioning switch at one of the power company's substations in west Miami when he disabled two levels of protection for the system…” (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004230086_apfloridaoutages.html
Bonneville Power Administration Power Credit Back on the Table (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/02/power-credit-taken-away-last-year-is-back-on-the/
Companies eager for BPA repayments – Electric utilities serving Eastern Oregon are united in their agreement the Bonneville Power Administration owes them money - and ultimately owes their ratepayers. (The East Oregonian)
http://www.eastoregonian.info/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=48&ArticleID=74096&TM=61594.62
Port puts brakes on carbon project – Port of Walla Walla officials are hesitant to dig deeper into a groundbreaking energy project in western Walla Walla County until they can resolve challenges that lie beneath the surface.
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/02/29/local_news/080229lacarbonsequestration.txt
California – Calpine's turnaround specialist to leave with $29 million bonus. Bonus For Exec Who Led During Bankruptcy (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8418066?source=rss&nclick_check=1
Thirsting for Energy in India’s Boomtowns and Beyond – Almost half of India’s population has no access to the electricity grid, and many more people suffer hours without power. Nearly 700,000 Indians rely on animal waste and firewood as fuel for cooking. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/world/asia/02india.html?ex=1362286800&en=dc7afe79d7b3e0b1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Why Energy Companies are Not Investing in The Future
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=84607
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Booming growth raises idea of dams – A booming population and growing fears about climate change have governments once again studying dams, this time to create huge reservoirs to capture more winter rain and spring snowmelt for use in dry summer months. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004254401_dams02.html
Crash at lock blocks Columbia – River traffic on the Columbia River between Portland and the Tri-Cities area of Washington state came to a halt Friday after two empty grain barges rammed the gate of a navigation lock at John Day Dam, east of The Dalles. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1204347311199050.xml&coll=7
Columbia River conservation at loggerheads – Thousands of spring chinook salmon are headed for the Columbia River, and California sea lions will be waiting for them at Bonneville Dam. “…No one likes the idea of killing the sea lions, which have been protected under the federal Marine Mammal Act since 1972 …” (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/376322.html
Washington Post Op/Ed – A Toxic Time Bomb in the Northwest: By Chris Gregoire and Maria Cantwell
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/02/AR2008030201860.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns
Price of Lake Tapps deal revealed – it’s $39 million – A consortium of mainly east King County cities and water utilities has agreed to pay $39 million for Lake Tapps in northeast Pierce County to use as a regional water source. (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/297429.html
No need to sweat over water supply at Spada Lake – There's a heavy snowpack even at lower elevations in Sultan Basin. The city of Everett and the PUD co-manage the water facilities, including the Spada Lake Reservoir, which is behind Culmback Dam. (Everett Herald)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20080229/NEWS01/838826286/-1/news01
Legacy of Kosmos Reappears – Purposely Flooded During 1968 Dam Construction: Submerged Logging Town Re-Emerges From Riffe Lake (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1204360662&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Canada – No reprieve on sewage treatment – The B.C. government won't reconsider its decision to order sewage treatment for Greater Victoria because the provincial capital should have to follow the same rules on treating its waste as the rest of the province "…How is it the people on southern Vancouver Island think their effluent doesn't stink?…" (The Victoria Times Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=bd7cb138-4caa-4ded-a7c8-b29f182019de&k=37163
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Incentives drive growing wind energy industry – Giant wind turbines still account for only a tiny percentage of U.S. electricity production, but state and federal incentives have fueled rapid industry growth. (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080301/NEWS04/409878582
Canadian Wind power monopoly feared – Ontario's new winner-take-all system could see one firm nab most of Crown land left for turbines (Toronto Star)
http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/308107
Chevron and Weyco team up on biofuels – Imagine a car powered by trees. It’s a future that might not be too far away. (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/03/01/local_news/02news.txt
Geothermal Company Cleared to Drill in Eastern Oregon (NW Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3641
Texas companies quicker to switch to green energy than residents (Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/030208dnbuswindpower.2dbaceb.html
New York – Officials: NY Renewable Energy Program Needs Money (WKBW-TV, Buffalo)
http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/16178612.html
Excessive Permit Fees Hinder Renewable Energy Development (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reinsider/story?id=51701&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Idaho State Senate revives bill for energy-saving buildings; not as tough (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/377401.html
Old North Church goes modern with LEDs (Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080303/ap_on_hi_te/north_church_lighting_4
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Should roads have tolls to fight global warming? Two global-warming bills likely to pass the Legislature this session could open the door to tolls on major highways in the central Puget Sound region (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004250231_warming29m.html
Seattle Times Editorial – Global Warming: Taxing carbons. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and state Sen. Ed Murray recently unveiled a plan to tax cars on the basis of their fuel efficiency.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/353289_hummered.html?source=rss
Oregon State Legislature – Counting Coup: Lobbyist Mark Nelson persuades the Legislature not to count Greenhouse gases.
http://wweek.com/editorial/3416/10438/
News Tribune Editorial – Chinese energy czars: Welcome to Gig Harbor. When it comes to energy and global warming, the United States and China have a lot in common: Both use a lot of the former and bear responsibility for a lot of the latter.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/298257.html
Skeptics on Human Climate Impact Seize on Cold Spell (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/science/02cold.html?_r=1&ex=1362286800&en=17a5b4a306689ad0&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
It isn't called 'California warming,' EPA says – The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday justified blocking California from cracking down on auto emissions by saying global warming isn't unique to the state. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/120434011712000.xml&coll=7
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – EPA's own study argues for California waiver
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/03/ED4HVBLRS.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
Canada whispers to U.S. not to include oilsands in new greenhouse laws (Canwest News Service)
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=0a3a0133-2f6e-4ed9-a0d3-5d185e366e68&k=26097
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Iowa governor signs incentives law to lure Microsoft – Iowa Gov. Chet Culver has signed a package of business incentives designed to persuade Microsoft Corp. to locate a data center in that state. (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP02292008news285822.cfm?newsletter=10
Broadband Woes for Ireland (TMC Net)
http://hosted-communications.tmcnet.com/topics/broadband-comm/articles/21955-broadband-woes-ireland.htm
Europe hits one million FTTH broadband connections (The Register)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/03/ftth_deployment_spreads/
GENERAL NEWS
Suspicious fires burn down "Street of Dreams" homes in Snohomish County – Evidence Implicating Earth Liberation Front found (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004256586_webdreamsfire03m.html?syndication=rss
Rep. Norm Dicks says he’ll block changes to lift gun ban in national parks (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/298990.html
MASON COUNTY GETS CTED DOLLARS - Money to help the Skokomish Indian Tribe conduct a feasibility study in Mason County for a marina with fuel services on Hood Canal is on the list Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board announced. The board announced some $750,000 will go toward creating new jobs and boosting business growth across the state. $50,000 will do feasibility work for the Skokomish project. The tribe recently purchased a waterfront resort in Potlatch as part of a tourism development plan. "We can help to build the economy of local communities by supporting key infrastructure improvements," said Gov. Chris Gregoire. "These are sound investments in the future of our state." (South Sound Business Examiner)
States and Cities Start Rebelling on Bond Ratings (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/business/03bond.html?ex=1362200400&en=ea0ffd555df940f0&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Lacey rules written permission must be given to panhandle – Panhandlers no longer can stand near the driveways of stores or shopping centers in Lacey without written permission from those properties' owners (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/374359.html
DIVERSIONS
Annoying Campaign Songs (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19304252
One-Third Of Workers Sleepy, Survey Says – Workdays Growing Longer, More Time Spent Working From Home
http://www.kirotv.com/health/15470954/detail.html
Woman Births Child Nearly Her Own Size – 18-Inch Daughter Born To 28-Inch Tall Kentucky Woman
http://www.kirotv.com/family/15442695/detail.html
Washington state detectives say man asked friend to shoot him in the arm so he could skip work – What happened to faking a cough?
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/375181.html
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
* Oops! Human Error Cited in Fla. Power Failure
* Bonneville Power Administration Power Credit Back on the Table
* Companies eager for BPA repayments
* Port of Walla Walla puts brakes on carbon project
* California – Calpine's turnaround specialist to leave with $29 million bonus
* Thirsting for Energy in India’s Boomtowns and Beyond
* Booming growth raises idea of dams
* Crash at lock blocks Columbia
* Columbia River conservation at loggerheads – Look out sea lions
* Washington Post Op/Ed – A Toxic Time Bomb in the Northwest
* Price of Lake Tapps deal revealed – it’s $39 million
* No need to sweat over water supply at Spada Lake
* Legacy of Kosmos Reappears – Submerged Logging Town Re-Emerges From Riffe Lake
* Canada – No reprieve on sewage treatment
* Incentives drive growing wind energy industry
* Canadian Wind power monopoly feared
* Chevron and Weyco team up on biofuels
* Geothermal Company Cleared to Drill in Eastern Oregon
* Texas companies quicker to switch to green energy than residents
* New York – Officials: NY Renewable Energy Program Needs Money
* Idaho State Senate revives bill for energy-saving buildings; not as tough
* Should roads have tolls to fight global warming?
* Seattle Times Editorial – Global Warming: Taxing carbons
* Oregon State Legislature –Lobbyist Mark Nelson persuades the Legislature not to count Greenhouse gases
* News Tribune Editorial – Chinese energy czars: Welcome to Gig Harbor
* Skeptics on Human Climate Impact Seize on Cold Spell
* It isn't called 'California warming,' EPA says
* San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – EPA's own study argues for California waiver
* Canada whispers to U.S. not to include oilsands in new greenhouse laws
* Iowa governor signs incentives law to lure Microsoft
* Broadband Woes for Ireland
* Europe hits one million FTTH broadband connections
* Suspicious fires burn down "Street of Dreams" homes in Snohomish County
* Rep. Norm Dicks says he’ll block changes to lift gun ban in national parks
* Mason County Gets CTED Dollars
* States and Cities Start Rebelling on Bond Ratings
* Lacey rules written permission must be given to panhandle
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Obverse • \AHB-verse\ • noun – *1: the side of a coin or currency note bearing the chief device and lettering; broadly: a front or principal surface 2: a counterpart having the opposite orientation or force; also: opposite
Garfunkel was enjoying his summer daydream; imagining himself as a lucky silver dollar in the pocket of a Wall Street Trader. The daydream had its downside, like the time the trader flipped the coin over and over with his obverse side always landing up. “One more time and I’m going to be urping up silver,” opined the daydreaming Garfunkel.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Oops! Human Error Cited in Fla. Power Failure – A power failure that plunged large parts of Florida into the dark this week was caused primarily by human error, the state's largest electric company said Friday. “… The engineer was investigating a malfunctioning switch at one of the power company's substations in west Miami when he disabled two levels of protection for the system…” (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004230086_apfloridaoutages.html
Bonneville Power Administration Power Credit Back on the Table (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/02/power-credit-taken-away-last-year-is-back-on-the/
Companies eager for BPA repayments – Electric utilities serving Eastern Oregon are united in their agreement the Bonneville Power Administration owes them money - and ultimately owes their ratepayers. (The East Oregonian)
http://www.eastoregonian.info/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=48&ArticleID=74096&TM=61594.62
Port puts brakes on carbon project – Port of Walla Walla officials are hesitant to dig deeper into a groundbreaking energy project in western Walla Walla County until they can resolve challenges that lie beneath the surface.
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/02/29/local_news/080229lacarbonsequestration.txt
California – Calpine's turnaround specialist to leave with $29 million bonus. Bonus For Exec Who Led During Bankruptcy (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8418066?source=rss&nclick_check=1
Thirsting for Energy in India’s Boomtowns and Beyond – Almost half of India’s population has no access to the electricity grid, and many more people suffer hours without power. Nearly 700,000 Indians rely on animal waste and firewood as fuel for cooking. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/world/asia/02india.html?ex=1362286800&en=dc7afe79d7b3e0b1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Why Energy Companies are Not Investing in The Future
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=84607
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Booming growth raises idea of dams – A booming population and growing fears about climate change have governments once again studying dams, this time to create huge reservoirs to capture more winter rain and spring snowmelt for use in dry summer months. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004254401_dams02.html
Crash at lock blocks Columbia – River traffic on the Columbia River between Portland and the Tri-Cities area of Washington state came to a halt Friday after two empty grain barges rammed the gate of a navigation lock at John Day Dam, east of The Dalles. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1204347311199050.xml&coll=7
Columbia River conservation at loggerheads – Thousands of spring chinook salmon are headed for the Columbia River, and California sea lions will be waiting for them at Bonneville Dam. “…No one likes the idea of killing the sea lions, which have been protected under the federal Marine Mammal Act since 1972 …” (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/376322.html
Washington Post Op/Ed – A Toxic Time Bomb in the Northwest: By Chris Gregoire and Maria Cantwell
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/02/AR2008030201860.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns
Price of Lake Tapps deal revealed – it’s $39 million – A consortium of mainly east King County cities and water utilities has agreed to pay $39 million for Lake Tapps in northeast Pierce County to use as a regional water source. (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/297429.html
No need to sweat over water supply at Spada Lake – There's a heavy snowpack even at lower elevations in Sultan Basin. The city of Everett and the PUD co-manage the water facilities, including the Spada Lake Reservoir, which is behind Culmback Dam. (Everett Herald)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20080229/NEWS01/838826286/-1/news01
Legacy of Kosmos Reappears – Purposely Flooded During 1968 Dam Construction: Submerged Logging Town Re-Emerges From Riffe Lake (The Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1204360662&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Canada – No reprieve on sewage treatment – The B.C. government won't reconsider its decision to order sewage treatment for Greater Victoria because the provincial capital should have to follow the same rules on treating its waste as the rest of the province "…How is it the people on southern Vancouver Island think their effluent doesn't stink?…" (The Victoria Times Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=bd7cb138-4caa-4ded-a7c8-b29f182019de&k=37163
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Incentives drive growing wind energy industry – Giant wind turbines still account for only a tiny percentage of U.S. electricity production, but state and federal incentives have fueled rapid industry growth. (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080301/NEWS04/409878582
Canadian Wind power monopoly feared – Ontario's new winner-take-all system could see one firm nab most of Crown land left for turbines (Toronto Star)
http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/308107
Chevron and Weyco team up on biofuels – Imagine a car powered by trees. It’s a future that might not be too far away. (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/03/01/local_news/02news.txt
Geothermal Company Cleared to Drill in Eastern Oregon (NW Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3641
Texas companies quicker to switch to green energy than residents (Dallas Morning News)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/030208dnbuswindpower.2dbaceb.html
New York – Officials: NY Renewable Energy Program Needs Money (WKBW-TV, Buffalo)
http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/16178612.html
Excessive Permit Fees Hinder Renewable Energy Development (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reinsider/story?id=51701&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Idaho State Senate revives bill for energy-saving buildings; not as tough (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/377401.html
Old North Church goes modern with LEDs (Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080303/ap_on_hi_te/north_church_lighting_4
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Should roads have tolls to fight global warming? Two global-warming bills likely to pass the Legislature this session could open the door to tolls on major highways in the central Puget Sound region (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004250231_warming29m.html
Seattle Times Editorial – Global Warming: Taxing carbons. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and state Sen. Ed Murray recently unveiled a plan to tax cars on the basis of their fuel efficiency.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/353289_hummered.html?source=rss
Oregon State Legislature – Counting Coup: Lobbyist Mark Nelson persuades the Legislature not to count Greenhouse gases.
http://wweek.com/editorial/3416/10438/
News Tribune Editorial – Chinese energy czars: Welcome to Gig Harbor. When it comes to energy and global warming, the United States and China have a lot in common: Both use a lot of the former and bear responsibility for a lot of the latter.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/298257.html
Skeptics on Human Climate Impact Seize on Cold Spell (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/science/02cold.html?_r=1&ex=1362286800&en=17a5b4a306689ad0&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
It isn't called 'California warming,' EPA says – The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday justified blocking California from cracking down on auto emissions by saying global warming isn't unique to the state. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/120434011712000.xml&coll=7
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – EPA's own study argues for California waiver
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/03/ED4HVBLRS.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
Canada whispers to U.S. not to include oilsands in new greenhouse laws (Canwest News Service)
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=0a3a0133-2f6e-4ed9-a0d3-5d185e366e68&k=26097
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Iowa governor signs incentives law to lure Microsoft – Iowa Gov. Chet Culver has signed a package of business incentives designed to persuade Microsoft Corp. to locate a data center in that state. (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP02292008news285822.cfm?newsletter=10
Broadband Woes for Ireland (TMC Net)
http://hosted-communications.tmcnet.com/topics/broadband-comm/articles/21955-broadband-woes-ireland.htm
Europe hits one million FTTH broadband connections (The Register)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/03/ftth_deployment_spreads/
GENERAL NEWS
Suspicious fires burn down "Street of Dreams" homes in Snohomish County – Evidence Implicating Earth Liberation Front found (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004256586_webdreamsfire03m.html?syndication=rss
Rep. Norm Dicks says he’ll block changes to lift gun ban in national parks (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/298990.html
MASON COUNTY GETS CTED DOLLARS - Money to help the Skokomish Indian Tribe conduct a feasibility study in Mason County for a marina with fuel services on Hood Canal is on the list Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board announced. The board announced some $750,000 will go toward creating new jobs and boosting business growth across the state. $50,000 will do feasibility work for the Skokomish project. The tribe recently purchased a waterfront resort in Potlatch as part of a tourism development plan. "We can help to build the economy of local communities by supporting key infrastructure improvements," said Gov. Chris Gregoire. "These are sound investments in the future of our state." (South Sound Business Examiner)
States and Cities Start Rebelling on Bond Ratings (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/business/03bond.html?ex=1362200400&en=ea0ffd555df940f0&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Lacey rules written permission must be given to panhandle – Panhandlers no longer can stand near the driveways of stores or shopping centers in Lacey without written permission from those properties' owners (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/374359.html
DIVERSIONS
Annoying Campaign Songs (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19304252
One-Third Of Workers Sleepy, Survey Says – Workdays Growing Longer, More Time Spent Working From Home
http://www.kirotv.com/health/15470954/detail.html
Woman Births Child Nearly Her Own Size – 18-Inch Daughter Born To 28-Inch Tall Kentucky Woman
http://www.kirotv.com/family/15442695/detail.html
Washington state detectives say man asked friend to shoot him in the arm so he could skip work – What happened to faking a cough?
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/375181.html
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