All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- News Advisory – Tribes and federal agencies to make historic announcement for Columbia River Basin fish
- Hearing on Kalama coal gasification plant Tuesday
- Seattle Post Intelligencer Opinion – Pipeline Safety: Puget Sound Energy Fine well deserved
- U.S. energy policy is needed; coal will still play role
- Texans Beat Big Coal, and a Film Shows How
- Regulators altered high-price protections in Baltimore Gas and Electric auction
- Meanwhile, in the news release universe – Constellation Energy Named to the Business-Week top 50 performers
- Electricity is key to strengthening Maine's economy
- United Kingdom - Exposed: energy giant cheats its customers
- Would nuclear power be a viable energy source for New Zealand?
- FERC reports loss of former employee personal information
- Zapped Rat Causes Stockholm Power Outage
- Ban on Oregon and California salmon fishing looms
- Oregon Trollers readying for lack of season
- Alaska lowers Southeast Chinook quota
- Projects to make travel easier for fish on Touchet River
- Global Warming Heats Up Urgency Of Salmon Recovery Efforts
- Idaho – Man pleads guilty to violating Clean Water Act for dredging work
- Lake Chelan to fill later than normal
- Gophers damaging Oregon levees
- Grays Harbor PUD gets big boost from state
- Jobs added in Chehalis – Cardinal Glass expands to meet demand from solar industry
- Michigan - More families use wind turbines for home energy
- California - Turning dirty water into clean energy
- New England startup seeks to tap the Mississippi for power
- New York - Tires-to-energy plant planned in Erie; downwind opponents call it an incinerator
- Ireland – Motion of the ocean can help us turn tide on energy crisis
- Connecticut's Clean Energy Policy Creating Demand “
- NW States Jump on “Green Collar” Bandwagon
- Texas - Energy company promotes ‘clean’ electricity
- New Zealand needs more wind energy
- Seattle Times Editorial – Biofuels by the bushel
- Biodiesel co-op closes, spins off new alliance
- Olympian Editorial – Take advantage of PSE rebates
- EPA Drafting New Energy Conservation Standard
- Emphasis sharpens on coal in global warming crisis
- Will the credit crunch cripple cleantech?
- Microsoft gives Yahoo 3-week deadline to reach an agreement
- The Idea Factory That Spawned the Internet Turns 50
- Countywide Broadband Networks Planned in Northern California
- Colorado – Glenwood Springs voters have say on fiber optics
- Boston: Most Recent Citywide Wi-Fi Failure Victim
- Qwest Blames Housing Crisis for Profit Problem
- ISPs hog rights in fine print
- No, your ISP doesn't own the Internet
- 10 Ways the Internet (As We Know It) Will Die
- Thurston County Neighborhoods without hydrants
- Fraud rife in brewery dealings, suit alleges
- "Downwinders" can sue over Hanford issues
- 'Marketplace' Report: Stripping Thieves –Looters are stripping abandoned homes of raw materials
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
luftmensch • \LOOFT-mensh\ • noun – An impractical contemplative person having no definite business or income
Erasmus was considered the corporate luftmensch. He attended every meeting, took copious notes, looked important with this clipboard and assorted digital gadgets. But even upon careful examination of the corporate organizational chart, it was still unclear what his function was.
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
Hearing on Kalama coal gasification plant Tuesday (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/04/07//area_news/doc47f9b7ea64a17123766442.txt
Seattle Post Intelligencer Opinion – Pipeline Safety: Puget Sound Energy Fine well deserved
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/357801_safetyed.html?source=rss
U.S. energy policy is needed; coal will still play role (Great Falls Tribune)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080407/OPINION/804070306
Texans Beat Big Coal, and a Film Shows How (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/05/us/05coal.html?_r=1&ex=1365220800&en=76e7a2850690917b&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Regulators altered high-price protections in Baltimore Gas and Electric auction (Baltimore Sun)
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/hancock/blog/2008/04/the_bge_auction_investigation.html
Meanwhile, in the news release universe – Constellation Energy Named to the Business-Week 50 Ranking of Top Performing Companies for Second Consecutive Year (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=87065
Electricity is key to strengthening Maine's economy - While high compared to some other parts of the nation, Maine's electric rates are the lowest compared to our New England neighbors. (Kennebec Journal)
http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/4936294.html
United Kingdom - Exposed: energy giant cheats its customers - Claire Newell and Daniel Foggo - Salesmen for one of Britain’s biggest energy companies are routinely lying to householders to trick them into signing up as new customers (The Times of London)
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/utilities/article3690034.ece
Would nuclear power be a viable energy source for New Zealand? Nearly one in five New Zealanders say nuclear power is a viable energy source, even though politicians have put it off limits (New Zealand Herald)
http://blogs.nzherald.co.nz/blog/your-views/2008/4/7/would-nuclear-power-be-viable-energy-source-new-zealand/?l_id=149
FERC reports loss of former employee personal information (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
http://www.ferc.gov/news/news-releases/2008/2008-2/04-04-08.asp
Zapped Rat Causes Stockholm Power Outage (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004329872_apoddswedenelectrocutedrat.html?syndication=rss
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
News Advisory – Tribes and federal agencies to make historic announcement for Columbia River Basin fish – News briefing at 11:00 am, April 7 – (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/197616/
Ban on salmon fishing looms - Dwindling Chinook population may force strict limits off the coast of Oregon, California (The Associated Press, via the Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8830576?source=rss
Oregon Trollers readying for lack of season - To some commercial salmon fishermen, the season is over. The crystal ball is clear (The World, Coos Bay)
http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2008/04/06/news/doc47f720d0e5d03338048607.txt
Alaska lowers Southeast Chinook quota (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP04062008news300963.cfm
Projects to make travel easier for fish on Touchet River - The project is part of ongoing mitigation for the Snake River dams (Waklla Walla Union-Bulletin)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/04/05/local_news/local04.txt
Global Warming Heats Up Urgency Of Salmon Recovery Efforts (Science Daily)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080402213640.htm
Idaho – Man pleads guilty to violating Clean Water Act for dredging work along the Salmon River in central Idaho. (The Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/411233.html
Lake Chelan to fill later than normal – Snow runoff into Lake Chelan is expected to be slightly higher than forecast earlier this year, but the lake may not fill until later than usual due to colder than normal temperatures this spring (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080405/NEWS04/228268866/1005
Gophers damaging Oregon levees (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004331541_webgopher06.html?syndication=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Grays Harbor PUD gets big boost from state – The PUD’s plan to derive “green energy” by burning waste from a revived Cosmopolis Pulp Mill got a major boost on Friday. (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/05/local_news/02news.txt
Jobs added in Chehalis – Cardinal Glass expands to meet demand from solar industry (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/409834.html
Michigan - More families use wind turbines for home energy (Grand Rapids Press)
http://www.mlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/04/more_families_use_wind_turbine.html
California - Turning dirty water into clean energy - The Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency will test its sewer outfall line to determine whether electricity can be produced (The Grizzly, Big Bear Lake)
http://www.bigbeargrizzly.net/articles/2008/04/06/news/waterelectricity.txt
New England startup seeks to tap the Mississippi for power (Saint Louis Post-Dispatch)
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/manufacturingtechnology/story/FA03AA4C57AC13418625741E000B7EFF?OpenDocument
New York - Tires-to-energy plant planned in Erie; downwind opponents call it an incinerator (The Buffalo News)
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/316685.html
Ireland – Motion of the ocean can help us turn tide on energy crisis (The Independent)
http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/motion-of-the-ocean-can-help-us-turn-tide-on-energy-crisis-1340281.html
Connecticut's Clean Energy Policy Creating Demand “…state rules call for penalties paid through consumers' electric rates if the goals aren't met. Millions of dollars already are due…” (Hartford Courant)
http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-energy0407.artapr07,0,6267398.story
NW States Jump on “Green Collar” Bandwagon (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3755
Texas - Energy company promotes ‘clean’ electricity - A new green company is positive there are people in the Rio Grande Valley who will support renewable energy (Valley Morning Star, Harlingen)
http://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/energy_23309___article.html/company_texas.html
New Zealand needs more wind energy (Scoop News)
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0804/S00112.htm
Seattle Times Editorial – Biofuels by the bushel
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004328653_fueled07.html
Biodiesel co-op closes, spins off new alliance – The Renewable Fuels Alliance will give community-based biodiesel production another go in Portland (Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland)
http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDetail.htm/2008/04/07/Biodiesel-coop-closes-spins-off-new-alliance-The-Renewable-Fuels-Alliance-will-give-communitybased-b
CONSERVATION
Olympian Editorial – Take advantage of PSE rebates – The state Utilities and Transportation Commission has granted Puget Sound Energy's request for a small rate increase for electric and natural gas customers, with the additional revenue going toward energy conservation programs
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/411541.html
EPA Drafting New Energy Conservation Standard - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently hard at work drafting a new Energy Star efficiency standard - Energy Star 5.0 (Overclockers Club)
http://www.overclockersclub.com/news/22032/
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Emphasis sharpens on coal in global warming crisis - Meeting between scientist, head of power company signals intent to rein in greenhouse gases but may not lead to action (Washington Post, via the Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8830526?source=rss
Will the credit crunch cripple cleantech? (BusinessGreen)
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/analysis/2213438/credit-crunch-cripple-cleantech
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft gives Yahoo 3-week deadline to reach an agreement in response to its $44.6 billion acquisition offer (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/357933_msftyahoo06.html?source=rss
The Idea Factory That Spawned the Internet Turns 50 (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/06/AR2008040601821.html?nav=rss_business
Countywide Broadband Networks Planned in Northern California – California's broadband 'have nots' hope to get access this summer (Broadband Reports – Please note that the comment section may contain PG-13 language)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Countywide-Broadband-Networks-Planned-in-Northern-California-93333
Colorado – Glenwood Springs voters have say on fiber optics – First step gives city the OK, but entering into debt would require further approval (Glenwood Springs Post-Independent)
http://www.postindependent.com/article/20080407/VALLEYNEWS/956952063
Boston: Most Recent Citywide Wi-Fi Failure Victim – Lacking money, the city drastically scales back its plans (Broadband Reports – Please note that the comment section may contain salty language)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Boston-Most-Recent-Citywide-WiFi-Failure-Victim-93339
Qwest Blames Housing Crisis for Profit Problem – However, the company has big plans for staying in business (Broadband Reports – Please note that the comment section may contain salty language)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Qwest-Blames-Housing-Crisis-for-Profit-Problem-93337
ISPs hog rights in fine print (Associated Press, via Yahoo! News)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080404/ap_on_hi_te/isp_fine_print_2
No, your ISP doesn't own the Internet (Associated Press, via Yahoo! News)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080404/ap_on_hi_te/isp_funny_print_2
10 Ways the Internet (As We Know It) Will Die (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/04/06/10-ways-the-internet-will-die/
GENERAL NEWS
Thurston County Neighborhoods without hydrants – county code allows developers to build without putting fire hydrants (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/410665.html
Fraud rife in brewery dealings, suit alleges – A bankruptcy trustee has opened a new front in the ongoing legal battle over control of the old Olympia brewery. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/409873.html
"Downwinders" can sue over Hanford issues (The Spokesman Review, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004330605_downwinders06.html?syndication=rss
'Marketplace' Report: Stripping Thieves – There's a new trend among thieves looking to make a buck off the housing crisis. Looters are stripping abandoned homes of raw materials to sell as scrap metal (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89377940&ft=1&f=17
DIVERSIONS
April Fools'! It's A Boy – Couple Thought They Were Having Daughter, Actually Had Son
http://www.kirotv.com/family/15794650/detail.html
Kids' Dress-Up Day Draws Christian Ire
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004331843_apcrossdressingkids.html?syndication=rss
Fowl Play Prompts Unusual Court Order Protecting A Duck
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/15794759/detail.html
Wannabe Bandit Leaves Behind Photo ID At Bank
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/15794692/detail.html
Bride and groom spend wedding night in jail after arrests
http://www.examiner.com/a-1324838~Bride_and_groom_spend_wedding_night_in_jail_after_arrests.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
Monday, April 7, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Energy News Digest for April 4, 2008 - the Scatological Haiku Edition
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)
- PSE gets record $1 million fine for falsifying safety records
- Puget Sound Energy Rate Increases: It's your money
- Avista seeks electricity and natural gas rate hikes in Idaho
- In Clark County: 2009 surge in utility rates looms
- Jefferson County PUD considers providing electrical service despite PSE threat
- Grays Harbor PUD appeals FEMA denial for storm repair
- Cosmopolis Mill deal risky for ratepayers? Critic “…admits his concern stems in part from a case of ‘sour grapes’ at being outbid by Evergreen and the PUD…”
- Pacific Gas and Electric PG&E settles “Brockovich” poisoning lawsuit
- Accounts set up for deceased Ferry County PUD worker’s sons
- Michigan – Electric utilities fight to keep turf
- Woman who helped steal wire sentenced
- Yakama Nation And Roza Irrigation District Want To Move Past Black Rock
- Fish council to review salmon seasons in Seattle meetings
- Terns Relocated to Save Columbia River Salmon
- A Wenatchee steelhead season every year? Thanks to Chelan County PUD
- Tidewater Increases Stake In Columbia River Shipping
- Ugly clams spawn even uglier fight
- Whaling trial judge dismisses hunters' religion defense
- Siemens appeals decision by OSHA in Oregon wind turbine death
- Portland General Electric to buy wind turbines
- Oregon County to study landfill-fueled energy plant
- Olympic College to Offer ‘Green Collar' Job Training for New Veterans
- Michigan Schools Embrace Wind Power, Biodiesel
- Senate Democrats Introduce Renewable Energy Tax Credit Legislation
- San Jose Mercury News Editorial: State should quit stalling on 'hydrogen highway'
- Energy Star electronics ratings get corporate boost
- Tennessee Valley Authority Prepping Energy Savings Programs
- USA Today Op/Ed – Energy conservation programs work
- Oregon – Keeping tabs on greenhouse gas
- Navajo Nation to lose Internet signal
- Verizon to use spectrum for high-speed services: report
- An Auction That Google Was Content to Lose
- Federal ban on contracts with IBM lifted
- Dell terminating production of made-to-order computers
- Northshore tech perks belong in classroom
- Gas prices hit another record as refiners cut production
- Studded Tires Costly for State – cause an estimated $18.2 million dollars worth of damage
- Dust Off the Pencils: Plans for High-Tech Census Collapse
- Congressional Research Service – Understanding Stagflation and the Risk of Its Recurrence
- Irony Alert – Boehner: I will use McDermott's money to help elect Republicans
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Gild the lily • \GILD-thuh-LILL-ee\ • phrasal verb – To add unnecessary ornamentation to something beautiful in its own right
Here it is – a word of the day first Haiku Hoo-Doo (see news story in the DIVERSIONS section below):
Fossilized Feces
Gilding the Lily of Time
History Is Changed
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
Puget Sound Energy fined more than $1 million for altered records – It is state's largest penalty against natural gas utility (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/357665_pse04.html?source=rss
PSE gets record fine for falsifying safety records (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_040308WAB_puget_sound_energy_fine_TP.2aa965e3.html
Puget Sound Energy Rate Increases: It's your money – The AG's office wants people to pay attention to their right to be heard on natural gas and electric rate increases and the planned private acquisition of Puget Sound Energy. (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/357658_utilityed.html?source=rss
Avista seeks electricity and natural gas rate hikes in Idaho – Nearly 16% for electricity (The Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/409165.html
In Clark County: 2009 surge in utility rates looms (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/04/04042008_2009-surge-in-utility-rates-looms.cfm/
Jefferson County PUD considers providing electrical service despite PSE threat (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080404/NEWS/804040305
Grays Harbor PUD appeals FEMA denial for storm repair (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004325253_apwafemagraysharborcounty.html?syndication=rss
Cosmopolis Mill deal risky for ratepayers? Critic “…admits his concern stems in part from a case of ‘sour grapes’ at being outbid by Evergreen and the PUD…” (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/03/local_news/01news.txt
Pacific Gas and Electric PG&E settles poisoning lawsuit – Last of cases linked to Erin Brockovich (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/04/BUTEVVOD9.DTL&feed=rss.business
Accounts set up for deceased Ferry County PUD worker’s sons (Omak Chronicle)
http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n080403b.shtml
Michigan – Electric utilities fight to keep turf – DTE Energy and Consumers Energy are looking to protect and expand their turf by scaling back an 8-year-old law that opened Michigan's electricity market to competition (The Detroit News)
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/POLITICS/804040390
Woman who helped steal wire sentenced – A 38-year-old woman who helped her husband steal and strip wire from multiple sites has been sentenced to nearly 21/2 years in prison (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/04/local_news/05news.txt
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Yakama Nation And Roza Irrigation District Want To Move Past Black Rock – Two big water users in Eastern Washington are calling for reconsideration of the biggest dam on the drawing boards in the Northwest. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/yakama-nation-and-roza-irrigation-district-want-move-past-black-rock/
Fish council to review salmon seasons in Seattle meetings – Outlook is bleak for Chinook salmon on coast (Salem Statesman Journal)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/OUTDOORS/804040337/1034
Terns Relocated to Save Columbia River Salmon (The Eugene Weekly)
http://www.eugeneweekly.com/2008/04/03/coverstory.html
A Wenatchee steelhead season every year? Chelan County PUD has big plans to re-establish endangered species (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080403/NEWS04/928545265/1001/rss1001
Tidewater Increases Stake In Columbia River Shipping (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/tidewater-increases-stake-columbia-river-shipping/
Ugly clams spawn even uglier fight – The giant clams that Taylor Shellfish has planted along Case Inlet in the last seven years are looking more like guinea pigs these days (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/326215.html
Whaling trial judge dismisses hunters' religion defense (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080404/NEWS/804040306
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Siemens appeals decision by OSHA in Oregon wind turbine death (The Associated Press)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OR_SIEMENS_APPEAL_OROL-?SITE=ORKLA&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Portland General Electric to buy wind turbines (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/03/31/daily34.html?ana=from_rss
Oregon County to study energy plant – Lane County commissioners decided Wednesday to study building a plant that would turn food waste into energy at the county dump. (The Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=87379&sid=4&fid=1
Olympic College to Offer ‘Green Collar' Job Training for New Veterans (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/03/oc-to-offer-145green-collar-job-training-for-new/
Michigan Schools Embrace Wind Power, Biodiesel (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89369909&ft=1&f=3
Senate Democrats Introduce Renewable Energy Tax Credit Legislation (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52071&src=rss
San Jose Mercury News Editorial: State should quit stalling on 'hydrogen highway'
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8807339?source=rss
CONSERVATION
Energy Star electronics ratings get corporate boost (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9909706-54.html?tag=nl.e433
Tennessee Valley Authority Prepping Energy Savings Programs – TVA Preparing Major Energy Efficiency, Renewables Programs (Associated Press, via Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080403/tva_energy.html?.v=1
USA Today Op/Ed – Energy conservation programs work
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/04/energy-conserva.html?csp=34
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Oregon – Keeping tabs on greenhouse gas – At least 600 Oregon companies would come under the purview of a proposed mandatory reporting rule (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1207277700313500.xml&coll=7
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Navajo Nation to lose Internet signal – The thousands of Navajo Nation residents who rely on the Internet to work, study and communicate across their 27,000-square-mile reservation will be out of luck Monday, if their service provider shuts access as planned. (Associated Press, via the Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/991/story/146563.html
Verizon to use spectrum for high-speed services: report (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSN0432923920080404?feedType=nl&feedName=usbusinessearly
An Auction That Google Was Content to Lose (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/technology/04auction.html?ex=1365048000&en=9633fecb488e3549&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Federal ban on contracts with IBM lifted (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/991/story/146826.html
Dell terminating production of made-to-order computers (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/03/BUI6VURNO.DTL&feed=rss.business
Northshore tech perks belong in classroom – The Northshore School Board president has the right sensibility after the district's practice of handing out cash for administrators' high-definition TVs and iPods for personal use made the news (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004326051_personaled04.html
GENERAL NEWS
Gas prices hit another record as refiners cut production (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8810588?source=rss
Studded Tires Costly for State – cause an estimated $18.2 million dollars worth of damage (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8118107
Dust Off the Pencils: Plans for High-Tech Census Collapse (The Associated Press, via the NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/washington/04census.html?_r=1&ex=1365048000&en=3d3ce4563caa8fe2&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Congressional Research Service – Understanding Stagflation and the Risk of Its Recurrence
http://opencrs.com/document/RL34428
Irony Alert – Boehner: I will use McDermott's money to help elect Republicans (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/357711_mcdermott04.html?source=rss
DIVERSIONS
Fossilized human feces rewrite ancient history (the way this headline is written, it looks as if the ancient poo is actually doing the writing!)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8807322?source=rss
Dog Bites Woman's Dog; Woman Bites Back – Doctors Now Determining If Rabies Shots Needed
http://www.kirotv.com/news/15782009/detail.html
No happy returns as school bans birthday cake
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSWEL14647920080404?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Procol Harum wins back "Whiter Shade" rights
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL0376304220080404?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- PSE gets record $1 million fine for falsifying safety records
- Puget Sound Energy Rate Increases: It's your money
- Avista seeks electricity and natural gas rate hikes in Idaho
- In Clark County: 2009 surge in utility rates looms
- Jefferson County PUD considers providing electrical service despite PSE threat
- Grays Harbor PUD appeals FEMA denial for storm repair
- Cosmopolis Mill deal risky for ratepayers? Critic “…admits his concern stems in part from a case of ‘sour grapes’ at being outbid by Evergreen and the PUD…”
- Pacific Gas and Electric PG&E settles “Brockovich” poisoning lawsuit
- Accounts set up for deceased Ferry County PUD worker’s sons
- Michigan – Electric utilities fight to keep turf
- Woman who helped steal wire sentenced
- Yakama Nation And Roza Irrigation District Want To Move Past Black Rock
- Fish council to review salmon seasons in Seattle meetings
- Terns Relocated to Save Columbia River Salmon
- A Wenatchee steelhead season every year? Thanks to Chelan County PUD
- Tidewater Increases Stake In Columbia River Shipping
- Ugly clams spawn even uglier fight
- Whaling trial judge dismisses hunters' religion defense
- Siemens appeals decision by OSHA in Oregon wind turbine death
- Portland General Electric to buy wind turbines
- Oregon County to study landfill-fueled energy plant
- Olympic College to Offer ‘Green Collar' Job Training for New Veterans
- Michigan Schools Embrace Wind Power, Biodiesel
- Senate Democrats Introduce Renewable Energy Tax Credit Legislation
- San Jose Mercury News Editorial: State should quit stalling on 'hydrogen highway'
- Energy Star electronics ratings get corporate boost
- Tennessee Valley Authority Prepping Energy Savings Programs
- USA Today Op/Ed – Energy conservation programs work
- Oregon – Keeping tabs on greenhouse gas
- Navajo Nation to lose Internet signal
- Verizon to use spectrum for high-speed services: report
- An Auction That Google Was Content to Lose
- Federal ban on contracts with IBM lifted
- Dell terminating production of made-to-order computers
- Northshore tech perks belong in classroom
- Gas prices hit another record as refiners cut production
- Studded Tires Costly for State – cause an estimated $18.2 million dollars worth of damage
- Dust Off the Pencils: Plans for High-Tech Census Collapse
- Congressional Research Service – Understanding Stagflation and the Risk of Its Recurrence
- Irony Alert – Boehner: I will use McDermott's money to help elect Republicans
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Gild the lily • \GILD-thuh-LILL-ee\ • phrasal verb – To add unnecessary ornamentation to something beautiful in its own right
Here it is – a word of the day first Haiku Hoo-Doo (see news story in the DIVERSIONS section below):
Fossilized Feces
Gilding the Lily of Time
History Is Changed
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
Puget Sound Energy fined more than $1 million for altered records – It is state's largest penalty against natural gas utility (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/357665_pse04.html?source=rss
PSE gets record fine for falsifying safety records (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_040308WAB_puget_sound_energy_fine_TP.2aa965e3.html
Puget Sound Energy Rate Increases: It's your money – The AG's office wants people to pay attention to their right to be heard on natural gas and electric rate increases and the planned private acquisition of Puget Sound Energy. (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/357658_utilityed.html?source=rss
Avista seeks electricity and natural gas rate hikes in Idaho – Nearly 16% for electricity (The Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/409165.html
In Clark County: 2009 surge in utility rates looms (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/04/04042008_2009-surge-in-utility-rates-looms.cfm/
Jefferson County PUD considers providing electrical service despite PSE threat (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080404/NEWS/804040305
Grays Harbor PUD appeals FEMA denial for storm repair (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004325253_apwafemagraysharborcounty.html?syndication=rss
Cosmopolis Mill deal risky for ratepayers? Critic “…admits his concern stems in part from a case of ‘sour grapes’ at being outbid by Evergreen and the PUD…” (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/03/local_news/01news.txt
Pacific Gas and Electric PG&E settles poisoning lawsuit – Last of cases linked to Erin Brockovich (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/04/BUTEVVOD9.DTL&feed=rss.business
Accounts set up for deceased Ferry County PUD worker’s sons (Omak Chronicle)
http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n080403b.shtml
Michigan – Electric utilities fight to keep turf – DTE Energy and Consumers Energy are looking to protect and expand their turf by scaling back an 8-year-old law that opened Michigan's electricity market to competition (The Detroit News)
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/POLITICS/804040390
Woman who helped steal wire sentenced – A 38-year-old woman who helped her husband steal and strip wire from multiple sites has been sentenced to nearly 21/2 years in prison (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/04/local_news/05news.txt
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Yakama Nation And Roza Irrigation District Want To Move Past Black Rock – Two big water users in Eastern Washington are calling for reconsideration of the biggest dam on the drawing boards in the Northwest. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/yakama-nation-and-roza-irrigation-district-want-move-past-black-rock/
Fish council to review salmon seasons in Seattle meetings – Outlook is bleak for Chinook salmon on coast (Salem Statesman Journal)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/OUTDOORS/804040337/1034
Terns Relocated to Save Columbia River Salmon (The Eugene Weekly)
http://www.eugeneweekly.com/2008/04/03/coverstory.html
A Wenatchee steelhead season every year? Chelan County PUD has big plans to re-establish endangered species (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080403/NEWS04/928545265/1001/rss1001
Tidewater Increases Stake In Columbia River Shipping (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/tidewater-increases-stake-columbia-river-shipping/
Ugly clams spawn even uglier fight – The giant clams that Taylor Shellfish has planted along Case Inlet in the last seven years are looking more like guinea pigs these days (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/326215.html
Whaling trial judge dismisses hunters' religion defense (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080404/NEWS/804040306
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Siemens appeals decision by OSHA in Oregon wind turbine death (The Associated Press)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OR_SIEMENS_APPEAL_OROL-?SITE=ORKLA&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Portland General Electric to buy wind turbines (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/03/31/daily34.html?ana=from_rss
Oregon County to study energy plant – Lane County commissioners decided Wednesday to study building a plant that would turn food waste into energy at the county dump. (The Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=87379&sid=4&fid=1
Olympic College to Offer ‘Green Collar' Job Training for New Veterans (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/03/oc-to-offer-145green-collar-job-training-for-new/
Michigan Schools Embrace Wind Power, Biodiesel (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89369909&ft=1&f=3
Senate Democrats Introduce Renewable Energy Tax Credit Legislation (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52071&src=rss
San Jose Mercury News Editorial: State should quit stalling on 'hydrogen highway'
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8807339?source=rss
CONSERVATION
Energy Star electronics ratings get corporate boost (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9909706-54.html?tag=nl.e433
Tennessee Valley Authority Prepping Energy Savings Programs – TVA Preparing Major Energy Efficiency, Renewables Programs (Associated Press, via Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080403/tva_energy.html?.v=1
USA Today Op/Ed – Energy conservation programs work
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/04/energy-conserva.html?csp=34
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Oregon – Keeping tabs on greenhouse gas – At least 600 Oregon companies would come under the purview of a proposed mandatory reporting rule (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1207277700313500.xml&coll=7
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Navajo Nation to lose Internet signal – The thousands of Navajo Nation residents who rely on the Internet to work, study and communicate across their 27,000-square-mile reservation will be out of luck Monday, if their service provider shuts access as planned. (Associated Press, via the Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/991/story/146563.html
Verizon to use spectrum for high-speed services: report (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSN0432923920080404?feedType=nl&feedName=usbusinessearly
An Auction That Google Was Content to Lose (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/technology/04auction.html?ex=1365048000&en=9633fecb488e3549&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Federal ban on contracts with IBM lifted (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/991/story/146826.html
Dell terminating production of made-to-order computers (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/03/BUI6VURNO.DTL&feed=rss.business
Northshore tech perks belong in classroom – The Northshore School Board president has the right sensibility after the district's practice of handing out cash for administrators' high-definition TVs and iPods for personal use made the news (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004326051_personaled04.html
GENERAL NEWS
Gas prices hit another record as refiners cut production (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8810588?source=rss
Studded Tires Costly for State – cause an estimated $18.2 million dollars worth of damage (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8118107
Dust Off the Pencils: Plans for High-Tech Census Collapse (The Associated Press, via the NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/washington/04census.html?_r=1&ex=1365048000&en=3d3ce4563caa8fe2&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Congressional Research Service – Understanding Stagflation and the Risk of Its Recurrence
http://opencrs.com/document/RL34428
Irony Alert – Boehner: I will use McDermott's money to help elect Republicans (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/357711_mcdermott04.html?source=rss
DIVERSIONS
Fossilized human feces rewrite ancient history (the way this headline is written, it looks as if the ancient poo is actually doing the writing!)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8807322?source=rss
Dog Bites Woman's Dog; Woman Bites Back – Doctors Now Determining If Rabies Shots Needed
http://www.kirotv.com/news/15782009/detail.html
No happy returns as school bans birthday cake
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSWEL14647920080404?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Procol Harum wins back "Whiter Shade" rights
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL0376304220080404?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Energy News Digest for April 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)
- Electric customers of Puget Sound Energy can expect one month of rate relief
- Idaho Falls Power Rebate on the Agenda
- Court hears appeal of Enron's Skilling
- Star of Grand Coulee Op/Ed – Take another look at I-937
- The Peninsula Gateway Editorial – Peninsula Power & Light union deal a sign of future dealings
- Woman to get $450,000 in storm-related lawsuit
- Clark Public Utilities’ Bekkedahl Hired By BPA
- News Release – FERC approves $85.7 million Western energy settlement
- Toshiba Plans Nuclear Reactors in U.S.
- Texas – TXU Corp.'s buyer, Energy Future Holdings, reports $637 million loss
- News Release – NorthWestern Energy Files Application to Begin Trading on New York Stock Exchange
- Oregon’s Coast Range Snow Pack Breaks Records “…a whopping 474% of average…”
- Oregon boasts a record and bounty of snowpack
- California – Fishermen take salmon pleas to Washington
- Columbia River sport Chinook catch already at 4,400
- Snag (actually, fish for them, snagging is illegal) best salmon of year now on Columbia River
- Budd Inlet cleanup plan gains support
- La Center may use financial reserves to subsidize sewer rates
- Moses Lake – 'Manpower issues' resolved at REC Silicon site
- Firms seek to make solar power more affordable
- Desert Power: A Solar Renaissance
- Michigan – A Five Percent Hike: Holland electric rate hike to buy renewable energy
- U.S. Geothermal to Acquire Nevada Power Plant, Land and Water Rights
- Distributed vs. Utility Scale Renewables: A Dead-End Battle
- Report: Massachusetts energy efficiency savings are overstated
- New York – EPA claims CFL lights are harmless in home
- Washington one of 17 states suing EPA over global warming
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editorial – Greenhouse Gases: Forcing feds' hand
- Anchorage Daily News Op/Ed – Light bulbs and gimmicks won't stop global warming
- Task of Reversing Warming Grows More Daunting
- Grant County PUD commits to fiber expansion
- Comcast to Twin Cities: Want WideBand? Gonna Cost You Big
- 5 Ways to test if your ISP throttles P2P
- New frontier for wireless industry: boosting cell phone coverage in the home
- Sawdust: Once a nuisance, now valuable
- Dozens of trees butchered in Tumwater, 'Tree City USA'
- Seattle City Leaders Propose Fees On Disposable Shopping Bags
- Murray, Dicks excel in 'pork' spending – Projects are lawmakers' personal priorities
- California – Corona games called by darkness, copper wiring for lights stolen
- Sir Brad: Spain Honors WA Lieutenant Governor
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Infantilize • \IN-fant-tile-eyes\ • verb – To cause to be or remain like an infant or young child 2: to treat like an infant or young child
“And how’s our widdle patient today?” crooned the nurse to the recovering 50 year old heart attack patient. “He’s a little sick and tired of your efforts to infantilize him,” the patient thought to himself, his furrowed brow giving the nurse her warning that another goo goo statement would draw his ire. “However,” he mused, “those little Jell-O packs go down easy in my tummwy wummy!”
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
Some good news about your utility costs ... at least for one bill – Electric customers of Puget Sound Energy can expect one month of rate relief when the utility sends out its mid-April to mid-May bills. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/407491.html
Idaho Falls Power Rebate on the Agenda – There's a big chance some of you could see a rebate coming in your power bill in the coming months. But, that hinges on what Idaho Falls City Council decides Thursday night. (KIDK-TV, Idaho Falls)
http://www.kidk.com/news/16632446.html
Court hears appeal of Enron's Skilling (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/business/business_wire/story/144336.html
Star of Grand Coulee Op/Ed – Take another look at I-937 – Don Brunell, President of Association of Washington Business
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1013&dept_id=387710&newsid=19446789&PAG=461&rfi=9
The Peninsula Gateway Editorial – Peninsula Power & Light union deal a sign of future dealings
http://www.gateline.com/opinion/story/1007.html
Woman to get $450,000 in storm-related lawsuit – She sued the state and the City of Aberdeen for injuries she sustained in a 2006 storm, when high winds caused a light pole on the Chehalis River Bridge to fall onto her car, trapping her inside and severely injuring her. (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/02/local_news/03news.txt
CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES’ BEKKEDAHL HIRED BY BPA – Larry Bekkedahl, formerly director of engineering and technical services at Clark Public Utilities, will join the Bonneville Power Administration on Thursday as the regional electricity marketer's vice president of engineering and technical services. Bekkedahl joined Clark Public Utilities in 2001, after 20 years with other Northwest utilities. Bekkedahl will hold one of five vice president positions in BPA's transmission services division. He will manage the division's capital construction program and its 2008 budget of more than $300 million. The six branch managers who will report to Bekkedahl supervise BPA's land acquisitions and agreements; transmission lines, substation and control and communication engineering; construction project management; as well as the agency's commissioning and testing activities. (The Columbian)
News Release – FERC approves $85.7 million Western energy settlement (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
http://www.ferc.gov/news/news-releases/2008/2008-2/04-02-08.asp
Toshiba Plans Nuclear Reactors in U.S. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89333919&ft=1&f=3
Texas – TXU Corp.'s buyer, Energy Future Holdings, reports $637 million loss (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via the Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjjpumltYSfdt9K%22bfen%5Fv
News Release – NorthWestern Energy Files Application to Begin Trading on New York Stock Exchange (Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080403/aqth525.html?.v=2
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Oregon’s Coast Range Snow Pack Breaks Records “…snowpack in the coast range is a whopping 474% of average…” (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/coast-range-snow-pack-breaks-records/
Oregon boasts a record and bounty of snowpack – Winter deposits twice as much in the state's snow bank as last year and sets a record snowfall total at Mt. Hood Meadows (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1207106713137090.xml&coll=7
California – Fishermen take salmon pleas to Washington – West Coast commercial fishermen are on Capitol Hill this week urging Congressional leaders to investigate the worst salmon fishery collapse in history. (The Eureka Times-Standard)
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_8793240
Columbia River sport Chinook catch already at 4,400 (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/04/04032008_Sport-chinook-catch-already-at-4400.cfm/
Snag (actually, fish for them, snagging is illegal) best salmon of year now on Columbia River (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/407463.html
Budd Inlet cleanup plan gains support – A community-based plan to clean up and protect Budd Inlet is taking shape among four local governments. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/407490.html
La Center may use financial reserves to subsidize sewer rates – Almost $1.6 million in reserves to be drawn down over five years (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/04/04022008_La-Center-may-use-financial-reserves-to-subsidize-sewer-rates.cfm?newsletter=2
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Moses Lake – 'Manpower issues' resolved at REC Silicon site – The construction manager on a major Moses Lake expansion project and a union of plate fitters resolved a situation which arose in late March (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/04/02/news/news01.txt
Firms seek to make solar power more affordable – Companies launch programs to cut the initial outlay for homeowners to as little as 10% of the total installation cost (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solar3apr03,1,405880.story
Desert Power: A Solar Renaissance (GeoTimes)
http://www.geotimes.org/apr08/article.html?id=feature_solar.html
Michigan – A Five Percent Hike: Holland electric rate hike to buy renewable energy (The Grand Rapids Press)
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-41/1207228527211970.xml&coll=6
U.S. Geothermal to Acquire Nevada Power Plant, Land and Water Rights (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52057&src=rss
Distributed vs. Utility Scale Renewables: A Dead-End Battle (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reinsider/story?id=52046&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Report: Massachusetts energy efficiency savings are overstated (Boston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/03/31/daily48.html?ana=from_rss
New York – EPA claims CFL lights are harmless in home – I am writing to dispute a recent letter to the editor (March 16) that claimed that Compact Florescent Light bulbs are hazardous (Albany Times Union)
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=677621&category=OPINION&newsdate=4/3/2008
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Washington one of 17 states suing EPA over global warming (Associated Press, via the Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080402/NEWS03/183763624/-1/RSS01
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editorial – Greenhouse Gases: Forcing feds' hand
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/357468_greenhoused.html?source=rss
Anchorage Daily News Op/Ed – Light bulbs and gimmicks won't stop global warming
http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/364067.html
Task of Reversing Warming Grows More Daunting (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89318798
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Grant County PUD commits to fiber expansion – Commissioners approve $50 million for aggressive build out through 2012 (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080402/NEWS04/611433786
Comcast to Twin Cities: Want WideBand? Gonna Cost You Big (GigaOM)http://gigaom.com/2008/04/02/comcast-docsis3-0-wideband/
5 Ways to test if your ISP throttles P2P (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/04/02/5-ways-to-test-if-your-isp-throttles-p2p/
New frontier for wireless industry: boosting cell phone coverage in the home – “And while you’re at it, don’t forget to buy the optional ‘Faraday Cage’ you Luddites” (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8784692?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Sawdust: Once a nuisance, now valuable – From Maine to Oregon, the price of sawdust, along with other wood byproducts, has soared. (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004323874_sawdust03.html?syndication=rss
Dozens of trees butchered in Tumwater, 'Tree City USA' (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/17245614.html
Seattle City Leaders Propose Fees On Disposable Shopping Bags (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/15774371/detail.html
Murray, Dicks excel in 'pork' spending – Projects are lawmakers' personal priorities (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/357525_earmarkswash031.html?source=rss
California – Corona games called by darkness, copper wiring for lights stolen (The Press-Enterprise, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1318196~Corona_games_called_by_darkness__copper_wiring_for_lights_stolen.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
Sir Brad: Spain Honors WA Lieutenant Governor (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/407025.html
DIVERSIONS
Man crowded out of home by collecting passion
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL0236222520080402?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
11-year-old outsmarts Smithsonian museum – Michigan Boy Finds Mistake In Exhibit
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8793447?source=rss
Book Names 'Pork-Barrel Pigs' Of Congress
http://www.kirotv.com/politics/15772329/detail.html
Canadian Legislator offers his 2 cents: scrap penny (Australians round to the nearest five cents)
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN0238889020080403?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
'Goldilocks' found asleep in Chehalis home cited for trespass
http://www.examiner.com/a-1318229~_Goldilocks__found_asleep_in_Chehalis_home_cited_for_trespass.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Electric customers of Puget Sound Energy can expect one month of rate relief
- Idaho Falls Power Rebate on the Agenda
- Court hears appeal of Enron's Skilling
- Star of Grand Coulee Op/Ed – Take another look at I-937
- The Peninsula Gateway Editorial – Peninsula Power & Light union deal a sign of future dealings
- Woman to get $450,000 in storm-related lawsuit
- Clark Public Utilities’ Bekkedahl Hired By BPA
- News Release – FERC approves $85.7 million Western energy settlement
- Toshiba Plans Nuclear Reactors in U.S.
- Texas – TXU Corp.'s buyer, Energy Future Holdings, reports $637 million loss
- News Release – NorthWestern Energy Files Application to Begin Trading on New York Stock Exchange
- Oregon’s Coast Range Snow Pack Breaks Records “…a whopping 474% of average…”
- Oregon boasts a record and bounty of snowpack
- California – Fishermen take salmon pleas to Washington
- Columbia River sport Chinook catch already at 4,400
- Snag (actually, fish for them, snagging is illegal) best salmon of year now on Columbia River
- Budd Inlet cleanup plan gains support
- La Center may use financial reserves to subsidize sewer rates
- Moses Lake – 'Manpower issues' resolved at REC Silicon site
- Firms seek to make solar power more affordable
- Desert Power: A Solar Renaissance
- Michigan – A Five Percent Hike: Holland electric rate hike to buy renewable energy
- U.S. Geothermal to Acquire Nevada Power Plant, Land and Water Rights
- Distributed vs. Utility Scale Renewables: A Dead-End Battle
- Report: Massachusetts energy efficiency savings are overstated
- New York – EPA claims CFL lights are harmless in home
- Washington one of 17 states suing EPA over global warming
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editorial – Greenhouse Gases: Forcing feds' hand
- Anchorage Daily News Op/Ed – Light bulbs and gimmicks won't stop global warming
- Task of Reversing Warming Grows More Daunting
- Grant County PUD commits to fiber expansion
- Comcast to Twin Cities: Want WideBand? Gonna Cost You Big
- 5 Ways to test if your ISP throttles P2P
- New frontier for wireless industry: boosting cell phone coverage in the home
- Sawdust: Once a nuisance, now valuable
- Dozens of trees butchered in Tumwater, 'Tree City USA'
- Seattle City Leaders Propose Fees On Disposable Shopping Bags
- Murray, Dicks excel in 'pork' spending – Projects are lawmakers' personal priorities
- California – Corona games called by darkness, copper wiring for lights stolen
- Sir Brad: Spain Honors WA Lieutenant Governor
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Infantilize • \IN-fant-tile-eyes\ • verb – To cause to be or remain like an infant or young child 2: to treat like an infant or young child
“And how’s our widdle patient today?” crooned the nurse to the recovering 50 year old heart attack patient. “He’s a little sick and tired of your efforts to infantilize him,” the patient thought to himself, his furrowed brow giving the nurse her warning that another goo goo statement would draw his ire. “However,” he mused, “those little Jell-O packs go down easy in my tummwy wummy!”
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
Some good news about your utility costs ... at least for one bill – Electric customers of Puget Sound Energy can expect one month of rate relief when the utility sends out its mid-April to mid-May bills. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/407491.html
Idaho Falls Power Rebate on the Agenda – There's a big chance some of you could see a rebate coming in your power bill in the coming months. But, that hinges on what Idaho Falls City Council decides Thursday night. (KIDK-TV, Idaho Falls)
http://www.kidk.com/news/16632446.html
Court hears appeal of Enron's Skilling (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/business/business_wire/story/144336.html
Star of Grand Coulee Op/Ed – Take another look at I-937 – Don Brunell, President of Association of Washington Business
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1013&dept_id=387710&newsid=19446789&PAG=461&rfi=9
The Peninsula Gateway Editorial – Peninsula Power & Light union deal a sign of future dealings
http://www.gateline.com/opinion/story/1007.html
Woman to get $450,000 in storm-related lawsuit – She sued the state and the City of Aberdeen for injuries she sustained in a 2006 storm, when high winds caused a light pole on the Chehalis River Bridge to fall onto her car, trapping her inside and severely injuring her. (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/02/local_news/03news.txt
CLARK PUBLIC UTILITIES’ BEKKEDAHL HIRED BY BPA – Larry Bekkedahl, formerly director of engineering and technical services at Clark Public Utilities, will join the Bonneville Power Administration on Thursday as the regional electricity marketer's vice president of engineering and technical services. Bekkedahl joined Clark Public Utilities in 2001, after 20 years with other Northwest utilities. Bekkedahl will hold one of five vice president positions in BPA's transmission services division. He will manage the division's capital construction program and its 2008 budget of more than $300 million. The six branch managers who will report to Bekkedahl supervise BPA's land acquisitions and agreements; transmission lines, substation and control and communication engineering; construction project management; as well as the agency's commissioning and testing activities. (The Columbian)
News Release – FERC approves $85.7 million Western energy settlement (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
http://www.ferc.gov/news/news-releases/2008/2008-2/04-02-08.asp
Toshiba Plans Nuclear Reactors in U.S. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89333919&ft=1&f=3
Texas – TXU Corp.'s buyer, Energy Future Holdings, reports $637 million loss (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via the Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjjpumltYSfdt9K%22bfen%5Fv
News Release – NorthWestern Energy Files Application to Begin Trading on New York Stock Exchange (Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080403/aqth525.html?.v=2
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Oregon’s Coast Range Snow Pack Breaks Records “…snowpack in the coast range is a whopping 474% of average…” (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/coast-range-snow-pack-breaks-records/
Oregon boasts a record and bounty of snowpack – Winter deposits twice as much in the state's snow bank as last year and sets a record snowfall total at Mt. Hood Meadows (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1207106713137090.xml&coll=7
California – Fishermen take salmon pleas to Washington – West Coast commercial fishermen are on Capitol Hill this week urging Congressional leaders to investigate the worst salmon fishery collapse in history. (The Eureka Times-Standard)
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_8793240
Columbia River sport Chinook catch already at 4,400 (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/04/04032008_Sport-chinook-catch-already-at-4400.cfm/
Snag (actually, fish for them, snagging is illegal) best salmon of year now on Columbia River (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/407463.html
Budd Inlet cleanup plan gains support – A community-based plan to clean up and protect Budd Inlet is taking shape among four local governments. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/407490.html
La Center may use financial reserves to subsidize sewer rates – Almost $1.6 million in reserves to be drawn down over five years (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/04/04022008_La-Center-may-use-financial-reserves-to-subsidize-sewer-rates.cfm?newsletter=2
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Moses Lake – 'Manpower issues' resolved at REC Silicon site – The construction manager on a major Moses Lake expansion project and a union of plate fitters resolved a situation which arose in late March (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/04/02/news/news01.txt
Firms seek to make solar power more affordable – Companies launch programs to cut the initial outlay for homeowners to as little as 10% of the total installation cost (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-solar3apr03,1,405880.story
Desert Power: A Solar Renaissance (GeoTimes)
http://www.geotimes.org/apr08/article.html?id=feature_solar.html
Michigan – A Five Percent Hike: Holland electric rate hike to buy renewable energy (The Grand Rapids Press)
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-41/1207228527211970.xml&coll=6
U.S. Geothermal to Acquire Nevada Power Plant, Land and Water Rights (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52057&src=rss
Distributed vs. Utility Scale Renewables: A Dead-End Battle (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reinsider/story?id=52046&src=rss
CONSERVATION
Report: Massachusetts energy efficiency savings are overstated (Boston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/03/31/daily48.html?ana=from_rss
New York – EPA claims CFL lights are harmless in home – I am writing to dispute a recent letter to the editor (March 16) that claimed that Compact Florescent Light bulbs are hazardous (Albany Times Union)
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=677621&category=OPINION&newsdate=4/3/2008
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Washington one of 17 states suing EPA over global warming (Associated Press, via the Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080402/NEWS03/183763624/-1/RSS01
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editorial – Greenhouse Gases: Forcing feds' hand
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/357468_greenhoused.html?source=rss
Anchorage Daily News Op/Ed – Light bulbs and gimmicks won't stop global warming
http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/364067.html
Task of Reversing Warming Grows More Daunting (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89318798
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Grant County PUD commits to fiber expansion – Commissioners approve $50 million for aggressive build out through 2012 (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080402/NEWS04/611433786
Comcast to Twin Cities: Want WideBand? Gonna Cost You Big (GigaOM)http://gigaom.com/2008/04/02/comcast-docsis3-0-wideband/
5 Ways to test if your ISP throttles P2P (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/04/02/5-ways-to-test-if-your-isp-throttles-p2p/
New frontier for wireless industry: boosting cell phone coverage in the home – “And while you’re at it, don’t forget to buy the optional ‘Faraday Cage’ you Luddites” (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8784692?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Sawdust: Once a nuisance, now valuable – From Maine to Oregon, the price of sawdust, along with other wood byproducts, has soared. (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004323874_sawdust03.html?syndication=rss
Dozens of trees butchered in Tumwater, 'Tree City USA' (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/17245614.html
Seattle City Leaders Propose Fees On Disposable Shopping Bags (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/15774371/detail.html
Murray, Dicks excel in 'pork' spending – Projects are lawmakers' personal priorities (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/357525_earmarkswash031.html?source=rss
California – Corona games called by darkness, copper wiring for lights stolen (The Press-Enterprise, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1318196~Corona_games_called_by_darkness__copper_wiring_for_lights_stolen.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
Sir Brad: Spain Honors WA Lieutenant Governor (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/407025.html
DIVERSIONS
Man crowded out of home by collecting passion
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL0236222520080402?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
11-year-old outsmarts Smithsonian museum – Michigan Boy Finds Mistake In Exhibit
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8793447?source=rss
Book Names 'Pork-Barrel Pigs' Of Congress
http://www.kirotv.com/politics/15772329/detail.html
Canadian Legislator offers his 2 cents: scrap penny (Australians round to the nearest five cents)
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN0238889020080403?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
'Goldilocks' found asleep in Chehalis home cited for trespass
http://www.examiner.com/a-1318229~_Goldilocks__found_asleep_in_Chehalis_home_cited_for_trespass.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Energy News Digest for April 2, 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)
- Clallam PUD raises power rates
- U.S.' LNG projects in doubt after court ruling
- Cowlitz County stands firm on request for NorthernStar pipeline permits
- Group calls Washington's new heat rules 'ridiculous'
- Maryland – This is no time for Baltimore Gas & Electric to fail Fuel Fund for low income energy assistance
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission Takes 32 Years to Answer Nuclear Energy Watchdog Group’s Petition
- North Carolina – Eight protesters arrested at Duke Energy's Cliffside plant
- The Consumerist – IDT Energy Scamming Spreads Past New York City
- Florida – Sparks fly at Boca GOP club energy talk
- Killing of Oregon Sea Lions Postponed
- Time to Give Up On 2008 Salmon Season?
- Three Little Pigs Could Save The Salmon? No Fooling
- California State Senate OKs salmon habitat funds
- Cooperation at Salmon Harvest Talks
- Oregon Fish and Wildlife managers are angling for pricier fishing and hunting licenses
- NY Times Editorial – Patagonia without Dams
- Snohomish County – Snowpack near Spada Lake buries 1997 record
- Water Levels Stay Above Average This Spring
- Oregon pulls certification of water-testing lab
- Colorado town deals with salmonella-tainted water
- Energy Pulse Commentary – Why the Recent Texas Reliability Event Raises No Concerns about Much Higher Wind Penetration
- Where to store wind-powered energy? Under water!
- Australia – Not enough 'green energy' to meet carbon emission targets
- Bye, Bye, Biomass – San Francisco Chronicle Opinion – Bay Area fireplace ban makes sense
- News Release – PSE's Aggressive Energy Efficiency Plans Means More Customer Incentives, Bigger Energy Savings
- Beacon or Boondoggle? New Lights for the Capitol
- Proposed Battelle carbon project delayed
- Oregon proposes greenhouse gas reporting rules
- Are Carbon Off-Sets For Fools Only?
- Maryland – State Senate Rejects Carbon Credit Program
- Fiber-optic line vandalism costs Qwest $25,000
- Verizon needs $8B for airwave license
- FCC chairman to oppose Skype open-network petition
- Intel Makes a Push Into Pocket-Size Internet Devices
- NY Times Editorial – Broadening Broadband
- Australia cancels high-priced rural broadband deal
- How data centers are cooling down
- Comcast’s Blurry High Definition Picture
- Government ban on new IBM contracts stems from $84 million EPA deal awarded to another company
- Microsoft wins document format standards battle
- $4 gas for U.S. by summer?
- Blame our crazy spring weather on La Nina
- At Sanderson Field Near Shelton – No Drag Racing This Summer
- Beijing pollution risky for endurance athletes
- More than 150 trees in Tumwater have pruning damage
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Disremember • \dis-rih-MEM-ber\ • verb – Forget
“I must say, that I disremember the details of the dismembering of the different elements of my energy company,” droned the energy trader at his trial. “I do remember that our lawyers were out of the room at the time, so we may have just been joking,” he quipped, while slowly winking at the attractive juror number 6.
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
Clallam PUD raises power rates (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3518
U.S.' LNG projects in doubt after court ruling – Delaware can block a liquefied natural gas terminal in New Jersey, which could affect LNG proposals for Oregon (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/120702211864120.xml&coll=7
Cowlitz County stands firm on request for NorthernStar pipeline permits (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/04/02//area_news/doc47f2f9e0962f7512975073.txt
Group calls Washington's new heat rules 'ridiculous' (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/03/31/daily11.html?ana=from_rss
Maryland – This is no time for Baltimore Gas & Electric to fail Fuel Fund for low income energy assistance (Baltimore Sun)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.hancock02apr02,0,3870091.column
Energy Dept. Hesitates on Dealing with Uranium – The government is sitting on an inventory of partly processed uranium that could be sold for billions of dollars (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/washington/01cnd-nuke.html?ex=1364788800&en=7c2541d90f18c929&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Takes 32 Years to Answer Nuclear Energy Watchdog Group’s Petition (Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004320431_apslowfederalresponse.html?syndication=rss
North Carolina – Eight protesters arrested at Duke Energy's Cliffside plant (Charlotte Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2008/03/31/daily23.html?ana=from_rss
The Consumerist – IDT Energy Scamming Spreads Past New York City (Note that there may be PG-13 language in the comment section)
http://consumerist.com/consumer/snakeoil/idt-energy-scamming-spreads-past-new-york-city-257591.php
Florida – Sparks fly at Boca GOP club energy talk – The sparks flew, appropriately enough, over the subject of electricity and energy independence, both discussed last week at the Boca Raton Republican Club meeting (Boca Raton News)
http://www.bocaratonnews.com/news/local/329-sparks-fly-boca-gop-club-energy-talk.php
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Killing of Oregon Sea Lions Postponed (Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g2I_mWpkCUDgk32sjohuj32YJHXAD8VPGTQ80
Time to Give Up On 2008 Salmon Season? People who make a living from salmon fishing on the West Coast face a no-win question. Should they fight over crumbs or just give up on the 2008 season? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/time-give-2008-salmon-season/
Three Little Pigs Could Save The Salmon? No Fooling (Eugene Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=86727&sid=40&fid=1
California State Senate OKs salmon habitat funds – Money would come from a $5.4 billion water bond approved in 2006 (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8780778?source=rss
Cooperation at Salmon Harvest Talks (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/01/cooperation-seen-at-salmon-harvest-talks/
Oregon Fish and Wildlife managers are angling for pricier fishing and hunting licenses – Town hall meetings will be held throughout the state in coming weeks (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1207018530290270.xml&coll=7
NY Times Editorial – Patagonia without Dams – Recently, environmental activists and local residents gathered near the small Chilean town of Cochrane to protest a plan to build a series of hydroelectric dams.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/opinion/01tue3.html?ex=1364702400&en=f02daaa4c1685e30&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Snohomish County – Snowpack near Spada Lake buries 1997 record (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080402/NEWS01/567459102&news01ad=1
Water Levels Stay Above Average This Spring (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8103722
Oregon pulls certification of water-testing lab (The Oregonian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1315749~Oregon_pulls_certification_of_water_testing_lab.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Colorado town deals with salmonella-tainted water – Chlorination treatment made drinking supply unusable, forcing schools to close and residents to avoid bathing (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8780756?source=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Energy Pulse Commentary – Why the Recent Texas Reliability Event Raises No Concerns about Much Higher Wind Penetration
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1701
Where to store wind-powered energy? Under water! (CNN Technology)
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/03/31/windpower/
Australia – Not enough 'green energy' to meet carbon emission targets (Yahoo! News)
http://au.news.yahoo.com/080402/21/16c6l.html
Bye, Bye, Biomass – San Francisco Chronicle Opinion – Bay Area fireplace ban makes sense
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/02/EDMMVU10L.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
CONSERVATION
News Release – PSE's Aggressive Energy Efficiency Plans Means More Customer Incentives, Bigger Energy Savings (Puget Sound Energy, via Earth Times)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/pses-aggressive-energy-efficiency-plans,335068.shtml
Beacon or Boondoggle? New Lights for the Capitol – Update Would Conserve Energy, Democrats Say (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040103145.html?nav=rss_politics
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Proposed Battelle carbon project delayed – The carbon sequestration demonstration project at the Wallula Gap Business Park has been delayed because seismic data analysis isn't complete (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/143648.html
Oregon proposes greenhouse gas reporting rules (The Associated Press)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OR_GREENHOUSE_GAS_RULES_OROL-?SITE=ORKLA&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Are Carbon Off-Sets For Fools Only? Activists around the world dubbed April First ‘Fossil Fools Day’ to draw attention to carbon emissions (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/are-carbon-sets-fools-only/
Maryland – State Senate Rejects Carbon Credit Program – Bill Was Crucial to O'Malley's Energy Conservation Plan (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040101693.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Fiber-optic line vandalism costs Qwest $25,000 – Vandals cut a fiber-optic phone cable south of Kelso at around midnight Sunday, but apparently once they discovered the cable contained glass and not copper, they left. (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/04/02//area_news/doc47f2eb9359448487799391.txt
Verizon needs $8B for airwave licenses – Ambitious plan for a new wireless network has a big pricetag, and it's coming due (Fortune Magazine)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/01/news/companies/moritz_verizon.fortune/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote
FCC chairman to oppose Skype open-network petition (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN0126806320080401?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
Intel Makes a Push Into Pocket-Size Internet Devices – Intel plans to proclaim Wednesday in Shanghai that the next big thing in consumer gadgets will be the “Internet in your pocket.” (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/technology/02chip.html?_r=1&ei=5088&en=4a7860afc5474b69&ex=1364875200&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1207151208-bWVgObNwzFpT0CdiiR56lg
NY Times Editorial – Broadening Broadband
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/29/opinion/29sat4.html?_r=2&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Australia cancels broadband deal – The Australian government has terminated a 958 million Australian dollar ($869 million) agreement with a Singapore-backed consortium to build a rural broadband network, officials said Wednesday. (The Associated Press, via Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/991/story/144332.html
How data centers are cooling down (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/2300-13842_3-6236292-1.html?tag=nl.e433
Comcast’s Blurry High Definition Picture – Not only has Comcast been slowing down Internet users exchanging files with the BitTorrent protocol, it has been quietly reducing the quality of some high definition television networks it carries as well. (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/comcasts-blurry-high-definition-picture/index.html?ex=1364875200&en=a021e89e17f70dd6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Government ban on new IBM contracts stems from $84 million EPA deal awarded to another company (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8772251?source=rss
Microsoft wins document format standards battle (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080401/tc_nm/microsoft_standard_dc_2
GENERAL NEWS
$4 gas for U.S. by summer? (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004321336_stoxcenter02.html?syndication=rss
Blame our crazy spring weather on La Nina (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_040108WAB_la_nina_spring_weather_TP.216ecc2b.html
AT SANDERSON FIELD NEAR SHELTON – NO DRAG RACING THIS SUMMER – The Port of Shelton Commission is NOT reconsidering its denial of the Shelton Drag Strip Association's request to hold races on Sanderson Field's decommissioned runway this summer. Last week, Commissioner Jack Miles started discussions with the other Port Commissioners about the possibility of holding the drag races this year sighting that the reasons for the Port's denial in February no longer apply. Those reasons included public safety due to construction work in the area and work to update the Port's Airport Master Plan. According to Miles, the construction work will be completed before the requested race dates and the Port can approve the races under the current Airport plan. With that in mind, Miles made a motion Tuesday for the Commission to reconsider their denial and allow the Association to only hold the Reunion Drag Race in August not all the events originally requested. That motion died for a lack of a second. For Commissioner Rick Byrd, the reasons not to reconsider the denial center on the Federal Aviation Administration which told him they are not in favor of those types of events at Sanderson Field as it is an airport. He also believes the Drag Racing issue has taken too much time away from other Port business. Commissioner Jay Hupp stands by his signature on the denial letter sent to the Shelton Drag Strip Association saying the subject has disrupted the business of the Port and the decision to deny the request was well thought out. Several people testified during Tuesday's meeting. Most drag race supporters said they understand the Commission's decision. Officials with the Shelton Drag Strip Association said they had already moved forward and are working to develop their own facility, away from the Airport. Not everyone was pleased with the situation but most made respectful comments as the drag racing issue at the airport is finished. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Beijing pollution risky for endurance athletes (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSPEK8843220080402?feedType=nl&feedName=ustopnewsearly
More than 150 trees in Tumwater have damage – An unprecedented rash of improper and unpermitted tree pruning has damaged more than 150 of the city's flowering cherry trees and other street tree species, arborists say. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/406331.html
DIVERSIONS
Pay-per-view funerals go live online in Britain
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=aa441b2a-b911-45b6-8430-732703a4befd&k=21826
Woman calls cops to buy cocaine
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080402/NEWS02/760275534/-1/RSS01
Burglar Plays Dead at Funeral Home
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/ODD_SPAIN_PLAYING_DEAD?SITE=ORKLA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-04-02-10-07-57
Man Escapes From Jail, Nobody Notices
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/ODD_JAIL_ESCAPE?SITE=ORKLA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-04-01-20-43-58
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Clallam PUD raises power rates
- U.S.' LNG projects in doubt after court ruling
- Cowlitz County stands firm on request for NorthernStar pipeline permits
- Group calls Washington's new heat rules 'ridiculous'
- Maryland – This is no time for Baltimore Gas & Electric to fail Fuel Fund for low income energy assistance
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission Takes 32 Years to Answer Nuclear Energy Watchdog Group’s Petition
- North Carolina – Eight protesters arrested at Duke Energy's Cliffside plant
- The Consumerist – IDT Energy Scamming Spreads Past New York City
- Florida – Sparks fly at Boca GOP club energy talk
- Killing of Oregon Sea Lions Postponed
- Time to Give Up On 2008 Salmon Season?
- Three Little Pigs Could Save The Salmon? No Fooling
- California State Senate OKs salmon habitat funds
- Cooperation at Salmon Harvest Talks
- Oregon Fish and Wildlife managers are angling for pricier fishing and hunting licenses
- NY Times Editorial – Patagonia without Dams
- Snohomish County – Snowpack near Spada Lake buries 1997 record
- Water Levels Stay Above Average This Spring
- Oregon pulls certification of water-testing lab
- Colorado town deals with salmonella-tainted water
- Energy Pulse Commentary – Why the Recent Texas Reliability Event Raises No Concerns about Much Higher Wind Penetration
- Where to store wind-powered energy? Under water!
- Australia – Not enough 'green energy' to meet carbon emission targets
- Bye, Bye, Biomass – San Francisco Chronicle Opinion – Bay Area fireplace ban makes sense
- News Release – PSE's Aggressive Energy Efficiency Plans Means More Customer Incentives, Bigger Energy Savings
- Beacon or Boondoggle? New Lights for the Capitol
- Proposed Battelle carbon project delayed
- Oregon proposes greenhouse gas reporting rules
- Are Carbon Off-Sets For Fools Only?
- Maryland – State Senate Rejects Carbon Credit Program
- Fiber-optic line vandalism costs Qwest $25,000
- Verizon needs $8B for airwave license
- FCC chairman to oppose Skype open-network petition
- Intel Makes a Push Into Pocket-Size Internet Devices
- NY Times Editorial – Broadening Broadband
- Australia cancels high-priced rural broadband deal
- How data centers are cooling down
- Comcast’s Blurry High Definition Picture
- Government ban on new IBM contracts stems from $84 million EPA deal awarded to another company
- Microsoft wins document format standards battle
- $4 gas for U.S. by summer?
- Blame our crazy spring weather on La Nina
- At Sanderson Field Near Shelton – No Drag Racing This Summer
- Beijing pollution risky for endurance athletes
- More than 150 trees in Tumwater have pruning damage
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Disremember • \dis-rih-MEM-ber\ • verb – Forget
“I must say, that I disremember the details of the dismembering of the different elements of my energy company,” droned the energy trader at his trial. “I do remember that our lawyers were out of the room at the time, so we may have just been joking,” he quipped, while slowly winking at the attractive juror number 6.
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
Clallam PUD raises power rates (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3518
U.S.' LNG projects in doubt after court ruling – Delaware can block a liquefied natural gas terminal in New Jersey, which could affect LNG proposals for Oregon (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/120702211864120.xml&coll=7
Cowlitz County stands firm on request for NorthernStar pipeline permits (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/04/02//area_news/doc47f2f9e0962f7512975073.txt
Group calls Washington's new heat rules 'ridiculous' (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/03/31/daily11.html?ana=from_rss
Maryland – This is no time for Baltimore Gas & Electric to fail Fuel Fund for low income energy assistance (Baltimore Sun)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.hancock02apr02,0,3870091.column
Energy Dept. Hesitates on Dealing with Uranium – The government is sitting on an inventory of partly processed uranium that could be sold for billions of dollars (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/washington/01cnd-nuke.html?ex=1364788800&en=7c2541d90f18c929&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Takes 32 Years to Answer Nuclear Energy Watchdog Group’s Petition (Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004320431_apslowfederalresponse.html?syndication=rss
North Carolina – Eight protesters arrested at Duke Energy's Cliffside plant (Charlotte Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2008/03/31/daily23.html?ana=from_rss
The Consumerist – IDT Energy Scamming Spreads Past New York City (Note that there may be PG-13 language in the comment section)
http://consumerist.com/consumer/snakeoil/idt-energy-scamming-spreads-past-new-york-city-257591.php
Florida – Sparks fly at Boca GOP club energy talk – The sparks flew, appropriately enough, over the subject of electricity and energy independence, both discussed last week at the Boca Raton Republican Club meeting (Boca Raton News)
http://www.bocaratonnews.com/news/local/329-sparks-fly-boca-gop-club-energy-talk.php
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Killing of Oregon Sea Lions Postponed (Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g2I_mWpkCUDgk32sjohuj32YJHXAD8VPGTQ80
Time to Give Up On 2008 Salmon Season? People who make a living from salmon fishing on the West Coast face a no-win question. Should they fight over crumbs or just give up on the 2008 season? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/time-give-2008-salmon-season/
Three Little Pigs Could Save The Salmon? No Fooling (Eugene Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=86727&sid=40&fid=1
California State Senate OKs salmon habitat funds – Money would come from a $5.4 billion water bond approved in 2006 (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8780778?source=rss
Cooperation at Salmon Harvest Talks (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/01/cooperation-seen-at-salmon-harvest-talks/
Oregon Fish and Wildlife managers are angling for pricier fishing and hunting licenses – Town hall meetings will be held throughout the state in coming weeks (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1207018530290270.xml&coll=7
NY Times Editorial – Patagonia without Dams – Recently, environmental activists and local residents gathered near the small Chilean town of Cochrane to protest a plan to build a series of hydroelectric dams.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/opinion/01tue3.html?ex=1364702400&en=f02daaa4c1685e30&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Snohomish County – Snowpack near Spada Lake buries 1997 record (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080402/NEWS01/567459102&news01ad=1
Water Levels Stay Above Average This Spring (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8103722
Oregon pulls certification of water-testing lab (The Oregonian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1315749~Oregon_pulls_certification_of_water_testing_lab.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Colorado town deals with salmonella-tainted water – Chlorination treatment made drinking supply unusable, forcing schools to close and residents to avoid bathing (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8780756?source=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Energy Pulse Commentary – Why the Recent Texas Reliability Event Raises No Concerns about Much Higher Wind Penetration
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1701
Where to store wind-powered energy? Under water! (CNN Technology)
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/03/31/windpower/
Australia – Not enough 'green energy' to meet carbon emission targets (Yahoo! News)
http://au.news.yahoo.com/080402/21/16c6l.html
Bye, Bye, Biomass – San Francisco Chronicle Opinion – Bay Area fireplace ban makes sense
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/02/EDMMVU10L.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
CONSERVATION
News Release – PSE's Aggressive Energy Efficiency Plans Means More Customer Incentives, Bigger Energy Savings (Puget Sound Energy, via Earth Times)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/pses-aggressive-energy-efficiency-plans,335068.shtml
Beacon or Boondoggle? New Lights for the Capitol – Update Would Conserve Energy, Democrats Say (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040103145.html?nav=rss_politics
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Proposed Battelle carbon project delayed – The carbon sequestration demonstration project at the Wallula Gap Business Park has been delayed because seismic data analysis isn't complete (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/143648.html
Oregon proposes greenhouse gas reporting rules (The Associated Press)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OR_GREENHOUSE_GAS_RULES_OROL-?SITE=ORKLA&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Are Carbon Off-Sets For Fools Only? Activists around the world dubbed April First ‘Fossil Fools Day’ to draw attention to carbon emissions (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/are-carbon-sets-fools-only/
Maryland – State Senate Rejects Carbon Credit Program – Bill Was Crucial to O'Malley's Energy Conservation Plan (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/01/AR2008040101693.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Fiber-optic line vandalism costs Qwest $25,000 – Vandals cut a fiber-optic phone cable south of Kelso at around midnight Sunday, but apparently once they discovered the cable contained glass and not copper, they left. (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/04/02//area_news/doc47f2eb9359448487799391.txt
Verizon needs $8B for airwave licenses – Ambitious plan for a new wireless network has a big pricetag, and it's coming due (Fortune Magazine)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/01/news/companies/moritz_verizon.fortune/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote
FCC chairman to oppose Skype open-network petition (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN0126806320080401?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
Intel Makes a Push Into Pocket-Size Internet Devices – Intel plans to proclaim Wednesday in Shanghai that the next big thing in consumer gadgets will be the “Internet in your pocket.” (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/technology/02chip.html?_r=1&ei=5088&en=4a7860afc5474b69&ex=1364875200&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1207151208-bWVgObNwzFpT0CdiiR56lg
NY Times Editorial – Broadening Broadband
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/29/opinion/29sat4.html?_r=2&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Australia cancels broadband deal – The Australian government has terminated a 958 million Australian dollar ($869 million) agreement with a Singapore-backed consortium to build a rural broadband network, officials said Wednesday. (The Associated Press, via Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/991/story/144332.html
How data centers are cooling down (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/2300-13842_3-6236292-1.html?tag=nl.e433
Comcast’s Blurry High Definition Picture – Not only has Comcast been slowing down Internet users exchanging files with the BitTorrent protocol, it has been quietly reducing the quality of some high definition television networks it carries as well. (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/31/comcasts-blurry-high-definition-picture/index.html?ex=1364875200&en=a021e89e17f70dd6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Government ban on new IBM contracts stems from $84 million EPA deal awarded to another company (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8772251?source=rss
Microsoft wins document format standards battle (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080401/tc_nm/microsoft_standard_dc_2
GENERAL NEWS
$4 gas for U.S. by summer? (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004321336_stoxcenter02.html?syndication=rss
Blame our crazy spring weather on La Nina (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_040108WAB_la_nina_spring_weather_TP.216ecc2b.html
AT SANDERSON FIELD NEAR SHELTON – NO DRAG RACING THIS SUMMER – The Port of Shelton Commission is NOT reconsidering its denial of the Shelton Drag Strip Association's request to hold races on Sanderson Field's decommissioned runway this summer. Last week, Commissioner Jack Miles started discussions with the other Port Commissioners about the possibility of holding the drag races this year sighting that the reasons for the Port's denial in February no longer apply. Those reasons included public safety due to construction work in the area and work to update the Port's Airport Master Plan. According to Miles, the construction work will be completed before the requested race dates and the Port can approve the races under the current Airport plan. With that in mind, Miles made a motion Tuesday for the Commission to reconsider their denial and allow the Association to only hold the Reunion Drag Race in August not all the events originally requested. That motion died for a lack of a second. For Commissioner Rick Byrd, the reasons not to reconsider the denial center on the Federal Aviation Administration which told him they are not in favor of those types of events at Sanderson Field as it is an airport. He also believes the Drag Racing issue has taken too much time away from other Port business. Commissioner Jay Hupp stands by his signature on the denial letter sent to the Shelton Drag Strip Association saying the subject has disrupted the business of the Port and the decision to deny the request was well thought out. Several people testified during Tuesday's meeting. Most drag race supporters said they understand the Commission's decision. Officials with the Shelton Drag Strip Association said they had already moved forward and are working to develop their own facility, away from the Airport. Not everyone was pleased with the situation but most made respectful comments as the drag racing issue at the airport is finished. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Beijing pollution risky for endurance athletes (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSPEK8843220080402?feedType=nl&feedName=ustopnewsearly
More than 150 trees in Tumwater have damage – An unprecedented rash of improper and unpermitted tree pruning has damaged more than 150 of the city's flowering cherry trees and other street tree species, arborists say. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/406331.html
DIVERSIONS
Pay-per-view funerals go live online in Britain
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=aa441b2a-b911-45b6-8430-732703a4befd&k=21826
Woman calls cops to buy cocaine
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080402/NEWS02/760275534/-1/RSS01
Burglar Plays Dead at Funeral Home
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/ODD_SPAIN_PLAYING_DEAD?SITE=ORKLA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-04-02-10-07-57
Man Escapes From Jail, Nobody Notices
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/ODD_JAIL_ESCAPE?SITE=ORKLA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-04-01-20-43-58
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