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)
- Supreme Court of the United States/Residential Exchange Filings
- Montana PSC Approves Reductions for NorthWest Energy Customers
- Loss of coal project may help Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative
- Bill Headed To Senate Includes $64M for Winter Flood Damage
- Oregon Department of Transportation, Utilities Step Up Recruiting at Trades Fair
- Pennsylvania – Conservation or 'total meltdown'
- Dynegy Swings to Loss as Energy Prices Surge
- New York – Cuomo Accuses Power Authority Officials of Erasing E-Mail of Investigation Target
- U.S. Department of Energy seeking input on FutureGen project
- Unsolved Sea Lion Death Spotlights Fight over Salmon
- Sea lions not shot, cause of death unknown
- Six Protected Sea Lions Found Dead Along River
- New dam plan helps Montana
- Central Oregon salmon population still strong
- Search resumes in Columbia River for 3 missing Yakama Indian fishermen
- Divers fish for deepwater dangers
- President Signs Wild Sky Wilderness Bill
- Low Lake Roosevelt affecting travel
- Drink tap water, not bottled, City of Seattle urges
- Oil Giants to Settle MTBE Water Suit
- Judge orders EPA to hurry on carbon monoxide
- Two utilities reached different conclusions on participating on cogeneration projects
- Wind Energy Hits Big Time in Indiana
- Alaska Hydropower project stirs dissent
- Australia – Bright solar power plan has dark side
- Wall Street Journal Op/Ed – The Biofuels Backlash
- Juneau school district's conservation efforts paying off after rate hike
- Proving a Building 'Green' Can Be Daunting
- DOE goes cave hunting to pump carbon underground
- U.S. Renewable Energy Leaders: Don't Count on Carbon Price Alone
- German solar expert sees gaps in Oregon's green ethos
- iProvo Sold To Broadweave For $40 Million
- Behind the scenes on Clearwire deal
- Comcast mulling Internet usage cap to discourage 'excessive' use
- EarthLink Dropping Philadelphia's Wireless Network
- Is it time for ubiquitous Wi-Fi?
- Broadband Over Power Lines – Only 4,776 Subscribers and falling after the sale of Dallas-area network
- One Dead After Boat Capsizes On Hood Canal
- Two people rescued from waters near Olympia
- Construction of Ramp from SR3 to U.S. 101 near Shelton Begins Monday
- Cantwell Calls for New Storm Radar
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Alliumphile • \ALLEY-yum-file\ • noun – A lover of garlic
Alfredo was a walking, talking, breathing, fume emitting, advertisement for garlic. As the town’s resident alliumphile, he was often requested to walk on the other side of the street…especially after his morning breakfast of twenty (count-‘em, twenty) cloves of pickled elephant garlic. His olfactory-challenged wife had no idea what the fuss was about.
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
SCOTUS/RESIDENTIAL EXCHANGE FILINGS –The US Solicitor General has filed a brief in opposition to a request from NW private utilities to the US Supreme Court. The plaintiffs are seeking high court review of a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in May of 2007 as to whether the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) acted within its statutory authority in creating “settlements” to potential disputes regarding “a statutory program (read that the small farm and residential exchange program)”, and whether BPA properly allocated the costs of the settlement agreements. The filing pretty much says that BPA can’t bypass requirements of law: it must be grounded in terms of the program enacted by Congress. (More details as they become readily available online)
Thanks BPA! PSC Approves Reductions for NWE Customers – The Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) today trimmed the amount some Northwestern Energy (NWE) customers pay for electricity (Liberty County Times)
http://highline.townnews.com/articles/2008/05/07/news/news7.txt
Loss of coal project may help Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative (Billings Outpost News)
http://newbillingsoutpost.com/news//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20552&Itemid=27
Bill Headed To Senate Includes $64M for Winter Flood Damage (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16192176/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
Oregon Department of Transportation, Utilities Step Up Recruiting at Trades Fair – The region's electric utilities made a much bigger showing at the fair this year than they have in the past (RedOrbit)
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1372784/oregon_department_of_transportation_utilities_step_up_recruiting_at_trades/
Pennsylvania – Conservation or 'total meltdown' – Gov. Ed Rendell is calling for nearly $1 billion in clean energy grants and conservation programs and he warned the state was on the “brink of disaster” from utility bills that could soon skyrocket. (Bucks County Courier Times)
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113-05082008-1530777.html
Dynegy Swings to Loss as Energy Prices Surge – The Houston-based power provider said it lost $152 million in the first quarter as market prices for power surged, causing accounting losses on some forward sales (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Earns-Dynegy.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
New York – Cuomo Accuses Power Authority Officials of Erasing E-Mail of Investigation Target (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/nyregion/08cuomo.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
U.S. Department of Energy seeking input on FutureGen project (St. Louis Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2008/05/05/daily48.html?ana=from_rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
Unsolved Sea Lion Death Spotlights Fight over Salmon (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/May-June-08/Six-Sea-Lions-Killed--Spotlighting-Fight-Over-Salmon.html#1
Sea lions not shot, cause of death unknown (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Dateline Earth Blog)
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/environment/archives/138364.asp?source=mypi
Six Protected Sea Lions Found Dead Along River (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90259919&ft=1&f=2
New dam plan helps Montana – The federal government this week released a combination of “biological opinions” to govern the recovery of 13 threatened or endangered salmon and steelhead species in the Columbia Basin. (The Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2008/05/08/news/news03.txt
Central Oregon salmon population still strong (KTVZ-TV, Bend)
http://www.ktvz.com/Global/story.asp?S=8287136
Search resumes in Columbia River for 3 missing Yakama Indian fishermen after their boat overturned near Stevenson (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP05082008news314837.cfm
Divers fish for deepwater dangers – A cleanup effort is under way to get rid of forgotten dangers lurking deep in the mud of the Puget Sound (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/18751314.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
President Signs Wild Sky Wilderness Bill (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16200191/detail.html
Low Lake Roosevelt affecting travel – Balancing the needs for power, fish, irrigation and flood control can get tricky after a long winter and you now you can add transportation to that list (The Star of Grand Coulee)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19669054&BRD=1013&PAG=461&dept_id=387707&rfi=6
Drink tap water, not bottled, City of Seattle urges – Officials, activists join forces to convince public (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/362153_seattlewater08.html?source=rss
Oil Giants to Settle Water Suit – A dozen oil companies agreed to pay $423 million in cash plus clean-up costs to settle litigation over groundwater contamination from the gasoline additive, MTBE (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/business/08oil.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Judge orders EPA to hurry on carbon monoxide – The Bush administration has violated legal deadlines for updating the nation's clean-air standards on carbon monoxide, a federal judge in San Francisco has ruled. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/08/MNJR10I1HQ.DTL&feed=rss.news
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Two utilities reached different conclusions on participating on cogeneration projects – one in Tacoma, the other in Cosmopolis (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/07/local_news/02news.txt
Wind Energy Hits Big Time in Indiana (Indiana Prairie Farmer)
http://indianaprairiefarmer.com/index.aspx?ascxid=fpStory&fpsid=33672&fpstid=2
Alaska Hydropower project stirs dissent – A $4 million hydroelectric project proposed for Hatcher Pass is getting re-energized but is facing questions about its impact on a premier salmon stream (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/398411.html
Australia – Bright solar power plan has dark side “…would pay home owners only for the electricity exported to the grid after what is consumed in the home. This raises serious concerns about equity issues and the ability of these schemes to produce the desired levels of renewable energy take-up…” (The Age)
http://business.theage.com.au/bright-solar-power-plan-has-dark-side/20080508-2cd0.html
Wall Street Journal Op/Ed – The Biofuels Backlash
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121011613215972205.html?mod=opinion_main_review_and_outlooks
CONSERVATION
Juneau school district's conservation efforts paying off after rate hike (Juneau Empire)
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/050708/loc_276387520.shtml
Proving a Building 'Green' Can Be Daunting – Critics knock LEED's one-size-fits all point system and the cumbersome certification process (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90259935&ft=1&f=2
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
DOE goes cave hunting to pump carbon underground (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9937986-54.html?tag=nl.e433
U.S. Renewable Energy Leaders: Don't Count on Carbon Price Alone (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52417&src=rss
German solar expert sees gaps in Oregon's green ethos – Here to start a plant, Gunter Erfurt wonders why we aren't more like Europeans (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/121021711715500.xml&coll=7
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
iProvo Sold To Broadweave For $40 Million – One of Utah's two struggling municipal fiber networks, iProvo, is going to be sold (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/iProvo-Sold-To-Broadweave-For-40-Million-94208
Behind the scenes on Clearwire deal – Clearwire and Sprint Nextel have resurrected their plan to offer high-speed mobile Internet service with the help of some deep-pocketed supporters. (The Associated Press, via the News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/355146.html
Comcast mulling Internet usage cap to discourage 'excessive' use – Comcast, the nation's second-largest Internet service provider, is considering setting an official limit on the amount of data that subscribers can download per month and charging a fee for those who go over.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/362185_internetcaps08.html?source=rss
EarthLink Dropping Philadelphia's Wireless Network (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90268427&ft=1&f=3
Is it time for ubiquitous Wi-Fi? (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9938371-7.html?tag=nl.e703
Broadband Over Power Lines – Only 4,776 Subscribers and falling after the sale of Dallas-area network (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/BPL-Only-4776-Subscribers-94226
GENERAL NEWS
ONE DEAD AFTER BOAT CAPSIZES ON HOOD CANAL – One woman is dead and a man is in critical condition after a boating accident on Hood Canal. The State Patrol says the two were trapped under the 20-foot vessel when it flipped in high winds about 12:30 Wednesday afternoon. The woman had drowned by the time rescuers reached them, while the man was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Their names have not been released. The accident occurred near the Sunset Motel in Hoodsport. According to the Mason County Sheriff's Office, there were nine people on the boat when it capsized. Other responding agencies were Mason County Fire Districts One, Six, Nine and 18. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Two people rescued from waters near Olympia (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/442539.html
CONSTRUCTION OF RAMP FROM SR3 TO U.S. 101 NEAR SHELTON BEGINS MONDAY – Crews break ground next week on a safety project that builds an on-ramp from Highway 3 to northbound U.S. Highway 101 just south of Shelton. Currently, motorist on SR3 who want to go north on 101 toward Hoodsport must turn left and cross oncoming traffic. A new ramp provides a safer and more direct connection to 101 and eliminates the left turn. The contractor, Tri State Construction, Inc. of Bellevue, begins construction Monday and the project is scheduled to wrap up the end of October. During the project, drivers should expect intermittent lane and ramp closures. The project has been allocated nearly $3.9 Million ($3, 886,412) from the 2005 Gas Tax. For more information visit the project website: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/US101/SR3_OnRamp/.(KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Cantwell Calls for New Storm Radar – Most of the Washington Shoreline Is Without Doppler System to Look Inside Clouds (Daily Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1210182485&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Shelton Highclimber upset is surprise of WCC tennis tournament (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/143/story/442694.html
DIVERSIONS
Massachusetts Mayor Cuts Every Program, Gives Self 28% Raise – One day after he "warned that his city might close library branches, reduce the police force, and cut services to seniors if voters reject a property tax increase," has released a budget proposal that gives him a 28% salary increase
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2008/05/07/newtons_mayor_asks_for_28_raise/
Fla. Teacher Accused Of Wizardry – Man Made Toothpick Vanish In Class
http://www.local6.com/news/16169506/detail.html
Can a cardboard boat float down the Columbia?
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/178582.html
Platypus Looks Strange on the Inside, Too
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/science/08platypus.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Woman fired for giving 16-cent treat to toddler
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN0836799020080508?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Energy News Digest for May 7, 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)
- Centralia Steam Plant – TransAlta Seeks $21 Million in Damages from 2001 Crane Accident
- Court of appeals upholds ruling on Okanogan PUD impact statement for new transmission lines
- Power potpourri helps Puget Energy profit
- Portland General Electric receives OK for smart meters
- Washington State Deadline For Public Comment Extended On Heat Rules
- Sierra Club, GreenLaw and Friends of the Chattahoochee sue over Georgia power plant
- Australia – Energy privatization fears 'misplaced'
- Fishermen suspected after 6 sea lions are killed in Oregon
- Sea lion body found near Interstate 5 Bridge
- Sea lion deaths prompt security review at Bonneville Dam
- Agreement Reached In Suit Over Killing, Relocating Sea Lions
- City of Port Angeles settles with NOAA on illegal 2005 take of juvenile salmon
- Canada – Pro-salmon coalition takes British Columbia to court over fish farms
- News Release – Pikeminnow sport reward fishing begins
- Tri-City children send salmon swimming
- Olympian Op/Ed – Privatization of water supply not the solution to crisis
- Vandals put debris in Portland reservoir
- Eugene Water & Electric Board pursues cleanup of contaminated site near the Willamette River
- WA oyster dredge sinks in Grays Harbor; leaks fuel
- Cosmopolis Pulp mill in good condition
- Sequim, Battelle find way to expand utilities
- Attorneys general discuss energy issues at Coeur D’Alene Resort
- Wind glitch causes Missouri city to miss first green goal
- Amid uncertainty, U.S. wind industry installs 1,400 MW in 1st quarter
- Arizona in the running for up to 34 German solar projects
- Chinese to Rescue Russian Electricity Plans
- Coming to a mall near you: Power-generating windows
- California – Vegetable oil fuels cars and tax bills
- Is Ethanol To Blame for All Our Global Woes?
- News Tribune Opinion, Tacoma – A chance at last to undo the ethanol boondoggle
- Wal-Mart selects 20 state capitals for energy audits
- Eugene Register Guard Op/Ed – Offsets have a place in carbon control efforts
- Canadian politicians face test of courage on climate change
- Shareholders may mutiny against Yahoo
- Web peril where you least expect it
- 'Slow Internet,' the next green trend?
- 'Sanctuary city' motion dies in Olympia City Council meeting
- Mason County Citizens Will Have Input On Renaissance Faire
- Congress looking at steel pennies and nickels
- Irvine Robbins, 1917-2008: He created a flavor a day for ice cream lovers
- Flying Foul: Passengers Behaving Badly
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Beau geste • \bow-ZHEST\ • noun – *1: a graceful or magnanimous gesture 2: an ingratiating conciliatory gesture
The Geste boys were in trouble. Mike, John and Digby had not only wound up at the most miserable fort in the French Foreign Legion, Fort Zinderneuf, but they had a commanding officer that made Captain Bligh look like Sergeant Bilko. In the end, it was the “beau geste” of Mike that made everything wonderful again. (I think the original “Beau Geste” and the Original “Four Feathers” are among some of my favorite movies)
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
Centralia Steam Plant – TransAlta Seeks $21 Million in Damages from 2001 Crane Accident – No Electricity Could Be Produced for Nearly Five Days at Centralia Plant (The Daily Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1210095887&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Court of appeals upholds ruling on Okanogan PUD impact statement for a new electrical transmission line and substation between Pateros and Twisp (Omak Chronicle)
http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n080506a.shtml
Power potpourri helps Puget Energy profit – Puget Energy's push to increase its wind, coal and natural-gas generation paid off last quarter with a slightly higher profit even as a shortfall in regional hydropower crimped earnings at most utilities. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004396956_pugetenergy07.html?syndication=rss
Portland General Electric receives OK for smart meters (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/05/05/daily24.html?ana=from_rss
Washington State Deadline For Public Comment Extended On Heat Rules (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8281902
Sierra Club, GreenLaw and Friends of the Chattahoochee sue over Georgia power plant (Atlanta Business Chronicle)
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/05/05/daily30.html?ana=from_rss
Australia – Energy privatization fears 'misplaced' (Sydney Morning Herald)
http://news.smh.com.au/energy-privatisation-fears-misplaced/20080507-2br0.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
Fishermen suspected after 6 sea lions are killed in Oregon (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcSH4Kef7EHVeRa_HnuHHgR2vRMgD90GDNKG0
Sea lion body found near Interstate 5 Bridge – Another dead sea lion turned up in the Columbia River on Tuesday, this one floating past the Interstate 5 Bridge (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/05/05072008_Sea-lion-body-found-near-Interstate-5-Bridge.cfm
Sea lion deaths prompt security review at Bonneville Dam – No more animals will be trapped as wildlife officials investigate the shootings that occurred in a restricted area (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/121004610769470.xml&coll=7
Agreement Reached In Suit Over Killing, Relocating Sea Lions (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16180280/detail.html?treets=sea&tml=sea_break&ts=T&tmi=sea_break_1_06110205062008
City of Port Angeles settles with NOAA on illegal 2005 take of juvenile threatened Puget Sound Chinook Salmon (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3606
Canada – Pro-salmon coalition takes British Columbia to court over fish farms – Debate over the future of fish farming on British Columbia's coast moved from skirmishing in scientific journals to a full-blown court battle Tuesday. (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=fe0446e8-1531-458c-bb6b-66c31a112fd3
News Release – Pikeminnow sport reward fishing begins; angling tips and close encounters with the salmon eater Wednesday, May 7 (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/201467/
Tri-City children send salmon swimming (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/177258.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Olympian Op/Ed – Privatization of water supply not the solution to crisis
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/441268.html
Vandals put debris in Portland reservoir (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1378390~Vandals_put_debris_in_Portland_reservoir.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Eugene Water & Electric Board pursues cleanup of contaminated site near the Willamette River east of downtown (Eugene Register Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=98719&sid=4&fid=2
WA oyster dredge sinks in Grays Harbor; leaks fuel (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/441202.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Cosmopolis Pulp mill in good condition – The mill is in good condition for a 52-year-old facility, according to inspections performed for the Grays Harbor PUD (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/06/local_news/02news.txt
Sequim, Battelle find way to expand utilities – Faced with a proposal that promises to bring upward of 200 clean, green jobs to town, the City Council all but flung its urban-growth gate open this week (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080507/NEWS/805070305
Attorneys general discuss energy issues at Coeur D’Alene Resort (Coeur D’Alene Press)
http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2008/05/06/news/news04.txt
Wind glitch causes Missouri city to miss first green goal – Cracked windmill blades shut down nearly half of the turbines at wind farm (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjpvunprTSjh%216C%29bfen%5Fv
Amid uncertainty, U.S. wind industry installs 1,400 MW in 1st quarter (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=328006&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss
Arizona in the running for up to 34 German solar projects (Phoenix Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/05/05/daily23.html?ana=from_rss
Chinese to Rescue Russian Electricity Plans – Chinese engineers are coming to the rescue of the electricity sector, as outgoing President Vladimir Putin backs a five-year expansion plan that will rival Lenin's drives to electrify the nation (The Moscow Times, thanks to Kevin O’Meara for the tip...)
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1009/42/362537.htm
Coming to a mall near you: Power-generating windows (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9937182-54.html?tag=nl.e433
California – Vegetable oil fuels cars and tax bills – Diesel owners who switch to cooking grease can run afoul of the law. Just ask the governor (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-vegoil6-2008may06,0,5791535.story
Is Ethanol To Blame for All Our Global Woes? (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/ate/story?id=52358&src=rss
News Tribune Opinion, Tacoma – A chance at last to undo the ethanol boondoggle
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/354114.html
CONSERVATION
Wal-Mart selects 20 state capitals for energy audits (Nashua Telegraph)
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080507/NEWS02/379310879
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Eugene Register Guard Op/Ed – Offsets have a place in carbon control efforts http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=98214&sid=5&fid=2
Canadian politicians face test of courage on climate change (Victoria Times Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=c11977b8-408f-422d-ad8e-e316635e95d4
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Shareholders may mutiny against Yahoo – Angry over takeover strategy (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/362044_yahooboard07.html
Web peril where you least expect it – With no reliable way to tell, even popular sites being attacked (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/362070_webinsecurity07.html?source=rss
'Slow Internet,' the next green trend? (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9937769-54.html?tag=nl.e703
GENERAL NEWS
'Sanctuary city' motion dies in Olympia City Council meeting (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/441423.html
MASON COUNTY CITIZENS WILL HAVE INPUT ON RENAISSANCE FAIRE – North Mason residents will get to comment on whether the Washington Renaissance Fantasy Faire should be held on Bear Creek-Dewatto Road this summer. Two Mission Lake residents came to the Mason County Commission meeting Tuesday to voice their concerns over the faire as they believed it was already approved without public input. Jim Powers and Anthony McCorsh told the commissioners that building on the property has begun and the organizers are already selling tickets. Commissioner Tim Sheldon told the pair that was not true and there is only a proposal to hold the Faire there. Also, the Faire still needs to go through the usual public process. The founder of the Faire, Ron Cleveland, hopes to move the event to 206 acres in North Mason County but residents have voiced several concerns including the impact to traffic, the conditions of local roads, and availability of emergency services. Last month at the North Mason Community Voice meeting, Sheldon suggested the Renaissance Faire be held at the Mason County Fairgrounds instead. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Congress looking at steel pennies and nickels – Copper and zinc are too expensive
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gQ_5aPTZvEsDV495atf27Iory8uwD90GCD2G1
Irvine Robbins, 1917-2008: He created a flavor a day for ice cream lovers (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/361972_obitrobbins07.html?source=rss
Flying Foul: Passengers Behaving Badly – Rude Neighbors, Messes Left In Seat Pockets Proliferate; Exploring the Revenge Motive – You'll never look at, or reach into, an airline seat-back pocket the same after reading this
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121002938540469015.html
DIVERSIONS
Driver chased by bat-wielding mob after Kelso park rampage (you don’t want to tick these people off…they have BASEBALL BATS you idiot!)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_050608WAB_kelso_park_rampage_LJ.d8e1f135.html
The Claim: Running Outdoors Burns More Calories
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/health/06real.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Pit Bull Gets Stuck In Engine Of Truck – Man Had Just Paid $1,000 To Fix Truck (Larry Lujack at WLS would be proud!)
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16182653/detail.html
Louisiana Prison Warden Says Black Bear Living On Prison Grounds Offers Extra Security
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16176221/detail.html
Chocolate Breath Helps Bremerton Police Nab Shoplifter
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16176531/detail.html
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Centralia Steam Plant – TransAlta Seeks $21 Million in Damages from 2001 Crane Accident
- Court of appeals upholds ruling on Okanogan PUD impact statement for new transmission lines
- Power potpourri helps Puget Energy profit
- Portland General Electric receives OK for smart meters
- Washington State Deadline For Public Comment Extended On Heat Rules
- Sierra Club, GreenLaw and Friends of the Chattahoochee sue over Georgia power plant
- Australia – Energy privatization fears 'misplaced'
- Fishermen suspected after 6 sea lions are killed in Oregon
- Sea lion body found near Interstate 5 Bridge
- Sea lion deaths prompt security review at Bonneville Dam
- Agreement Reached In Suit Over Killing, Relocating Sea Lions
- City of Port Angeles settles with NOAA on illegal 2005 take of juvenile salmon
- Canada – Pro-salmon coalition takes British Columbia to court over fish farms
- News Release – Pikeminnow sport reward fishing begins
- Tri-City children send salmon swimming
- Olympian Op/Ed – Privatization of water supply not the solution to crisis
- Vandals put debris in Portland reservoir
- Eugene Water & Electric Board pursues cleanup of contaminated site near the Willamette River
- WA oyster dredge sinks in Grays Harbor; leaks fuel
- Cosmopolis Pulp mill in good condition
- Sequim, Battelle find way to expand utilities
- Attorneys general discuss energy issues at Coeur D’Alene Resort
- Wind glitch causes Missouri city to miss first green goal
- Amid uncertainty, U.S. wind industry installs 1,400 MW in 1st quarter
- Arizona in the running for up to 34 German solar projects
- Chinese to Rescue Russian Electricity Plans
- Coming to a mall near you: Power-generating windows
- California – Vegetable oil fuels cars and tax bills
- Is Ethanol To Blame for All Our Global Woes?
- News Tribune Opinion, Tacoma – A chance at last to undo the ethanol boondoggle
- Wal-Mart selects 20 state capitals for energy audits
- Eugene Register Guard Op/Ed – Offsets have a place in carbon control efforts
- Canadian politicians face test of courage on climate change
- Shareholders may mutiny against Yahoo
- Web peril where you least expect it
- 'Slow Internet,' the next green trend?
- 'Sanctuary city' motion dies in Olympia City Council meeting
- Mason County Citizens Will Have Input On Renaissance Faire
- Congress looking at steel pennies and nickels
- Irvine Robbins, 1917-2008: He created a flavor a day for ice cream lovers
- Flying Foul: Passengers Behaving Badly
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Beau geste • \bow-ZHEST\ • noun – *1: a graceful or magnanimous gesture 2: an ingratiating conciliatory gesture
The Geste boys were in trouble. Mike, John and Digby had not only wound up at the most miserable fort in the French Foreign Legion, Fort Zinderneuf, but they had a commanding officer that made Captain Bligh look like Sergeant Bilko. In the end, it was the “beau geste” of Mike that made everything wonderful again. (I think the original “Beau Geste” and the Original “Four Feathers” are among some of my favorite movies)
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
Centralia Steam Plant – TransAlta Seeks $21 Million in Damages from 2001 Crane Accident – No Electricity Could Be Produced for Nearly Five Days at Centralia Plant (The Daily Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1210095887&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&
Court of appeals upholds ruling on Okanogan PUD impact statement for a new electrical transmission line and substation between Pateros and Twisp (Omak Chronicle)
http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n080506a.shtml
Power potpourri helps Puget Energy profit – Puget Energy's push to increase its wind, coal and natural-gas generation paid off last quarter with a slightly higher profit even as a shortfall in regional hydropower crimped earnings at most utilities. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004396956_pugetenergy07.html?syndication=rss
Portland General Electric receives OK for smart meters (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/05/05/daily24.html?ana=from_rss
Washington State Deadline For Public Comment Extended On Heat Rules (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8281902
Sierra Club, GreenLaw and Friends of the Chattahoochee sue over Georgia power plant (Atlanta Business Chronicle)
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/05/05/daily30.html?ana=from_rss
Australia – Energy privatization fears 'misplaced' (Sydney Morning Herald)
http://news.smh.com.au/energy-privatisation-fears-misplaced/20080507-2br0.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
Fishermen suspected after 6 sea lions are killed in Oregon (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcSH4Kef7EHVeRa_HnuHHgR2vRMgD90GDNKG0
Sea lion body found near Interstate 5 Bridge – Another dead sea lion turned up in the Columbia River on Tuesday, this one floating past the Interstate 5 Bridge (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/05/05072008_Sea-lion-body-found-near-Interstate-5-Bridge.cfm
Sea lion deaths prompt security review at Bonneville Dam – No more animals will be trapped as wildlife officials investigate the shootings that occurred in a restricted area (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/121004610769470.xml&coll=7
Agreement Reached In Suit Over Killing, Relocating Sea Lions (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16180280/detail.html?treets=sea&tml=sea_break&ts=T&tmi=sea_break_1_06110205062008
City of Port Angeles settles with NOAA on illegal 2005 take of juvenile threatened Puget Sound Chinook Salmon (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3606
Canada – Pro-salmon coalition takes British Columbia to court over fish farms – Debate over the future of fish farming on British Columbia's coast moved from skirmishing in scientific journals to a full-blown court battle Tuesday. (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=fe0446e8-1531-458c-bb6b-66c31a112fd3
News Release – Pikeminnow sport reward fishing begins; angling tips and close encounters with the salmon eater Wednesday, May 7 (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/201467/
Tri-City children send salmon swimming (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/177258.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Olympian Op/Ed – Privatization of water supply not the solution to crisis
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/441268.html
Vandals put debris in Portland reservoir (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1378390~Vandals_put_debris_in_Portland_reservoir.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Eugene Water & Electric Board pursues cleanup of contaminated site near the Willamette River east of downtown (Eugene Register Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=98719&sid=4&fid=2
WA oyster dredge sinks in Grays Harbor; leaks fuel (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/441202.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Cosmopolis Pulp mill in good condition – The mill is in good condition for a 52-year-old facility, according to inspections performed for the Grays Harbor PUD (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/06/local_news/02news.txt
Sequim, Battelle find way to expand utilities – Faced with a proposal that promises to bring upward of 200 clean, green jobs to town, the City Council all but flung its urban-growth gate open this week (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080507/NEWS/805070305
Attorneys general discuss energy issues at Coeur D’Alene Resort (Coeur D’Alene Press)
http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2008/05/06/news/news04.txt
Wind glitch causes Missouri city to miss first green goal – Cracked windmill blades shut down nearly half of the turbines at wind farm (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjpvunprTSjh%216C%29bfen%5Fv
Amid uncertainty, U.S. wind industry installs 1,400 MW in 1st quarter (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=328006&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss
Arizona in the running for up to 34 German solar projects (Phoenix Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/05/05/daily23.html?ana=from_rss
Chinese to Rescue Russian Electricity Plans – Chinese engineers are coming to the rescue of the electricity sector, as outgoing President Vladimir Putin backs a five-year expansion plan that will rival Lenin's drives to electrify the nation (The Moscow Times, thanks to Kevin O’Meara for the tip...)
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1009/42/362537.htm
Coming to a mall near you: Power-generating windows (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9937182-54.html?tag=nl.e433
California – Vegetable oil fuels cars and tax bills – Diesel owners who switch to cooking grease can run afoul of the law. Just ask the governor (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-vegoil6-2008may06,0,5791535.story
Is Ethanol To Blame for All Our Global Woes? (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/ate/story?id=52358&src=rss
News Tribune Opinion, Tacoma – A chance at last to undo the ethanol boondoggle
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/354114.html
CONSERVATION
Wal-Mart selects 20 state capitals for energy audits (Nashua Telegraph)
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080507/NEWS02/379310879
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Eugene Register Guard Op/Ed – Offsets have a place in carbon control efforts http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=98214&sid=5&fid=2
Canadian politicians face test of courage on climate change (Victoria Times Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=c11977b8-408f-422d-ad8e-e316635e95d4
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Shareholders may mutiny against Yahoo – Angry over takeover strategy (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/362044_yahooboard07.html
Web peril where you least expect it – With no reliable way to tell, even popular sites being attacked (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/362070_webinsecurity07.html?source=rss
'Slow Internet,' the next green trend? (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9937769-54.html?tag=nl.e703
GENERAL NEWS
'Sanctuary city' motion dies in Olympia City Council meeting (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/441423.html
MASON COUNTY CITIZENS WILL HAVE INPUT ON RENAISSANCE FAIRE – North Mason residents will get to comment on whether the Washington Renaissance Fantasy Faire should be held on Bear Creek-Dewatto Road this summer. Two Mission Lake residents came to the Mason County Commission meeting Tuesday to voice their concerns over the faire as they believed it was already approved without public input. Jim Powers and Anthony McCorsh told the commissioners that building on the property has begun and the organizers are already selling tickets. Commissioner Tim Sheldon told the pair that was not true and there is only a proposal to hold the Faire there. Also, the Faire still needs to go through the usual public process. The founder of the Faire, Ron Cleveland, hopes to move the event to 206 acres in North Mason County but residents have voiced several concerns including the impact to traffic, the conditions of local roads, and availability of emergency services. Last month at the North Mason Community Voice meeting, Sheldon suggested the Renaissance Faire be held at the Mason County Fairgrounds instead. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Congress looking at steel pennies and nickels – Copper and zinc are too expensive
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gQ_5aPTZvEsDV495atf27Iory8uwD90GCD2G1
Irvine Robbins, 1917-2008: He created a flavor a day for ice cream lovers (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/361972_obitrobbins07.html?source=rss
Flying Foul: Passengers Behaving Badly – Rude Neighbors, Messes Left In Seat Pockets Proliferate; Exploring the Revenge Motive – You'll never look at, or reach into, an airline seat-back pocket the same after reading this
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121002938540469015.html
DIVERSIONS
Driver chased by bat-wielding mob after Kelso park rampage (you don’t want to tick these people off…they have BASEBALL BATS you idiot!)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_050608WAB_kelso_park_rampage_LJ.d8e1f135.html
The Claim: Running Outdoors Burns More Calories
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/health/06real.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Pit Bull Gets Stuck In Engine Of Truck – Man Had Just Paid $1,000 To Fix Truck (Larry Lujack at WLS would be proud!)
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16182653/detail.html
Louisiana Prison Warden Says Black Bear Living On Prison Grounds Offers Extra Security
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16176221/detail.html
Chocolate Breath Helps Bremerton Police Nab Shoplifter
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16176531/detail.html
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Energy News Digest for May 6, 2008
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Areva plans to build $2 billion uranium plant in Idaho
- Puget Energy 1Q profit rises on higher retail sales volume
- Portland General Electric earnings drop
- Idaho approves increase for Rocky Mountain Power
- Illinois – Ameren riders aren't true rate hikes, but proposals cost just the same
- South Carolina – Nuclear plant plan causes concern
- Despite Alert, Flawed Wiring Still Kills G.I.’s
- Australian electricity workers to strike next week
- The New Zealand experiment that keeps on giving
- Raccoon causes power outage in Ballard
- Agencies issue plan to run Columbia dams, preserve salmon
- Latest dam plan already under fire from groups
- The feds' latest plan to restore Columbia salmon leaves dam operations largely intact
- Six sea lions shot to death on salmon-rich US river
- Sea lions' killers used boat, opened cages, authorities say
- Columbian Opinion – Complex (sea lion) mystery
- Northern Pikeminnow Scam Uncovered
- Klamath Tribes, Environmentalists Protest At Buffet's Meeting
- Canadian MP bracing for 'absolutely devastating' fishing season
- Runoff late, but flood conditions not expected
- Mountain snow on tap
- Grease bandits strike as biofuel demand rises
- Going off grid?
- New York – Energy reduction plan would hike bills
- New Grass Cuts Methane Gas From Cattle, May Help Reduce Global Warming
- Global Warming May Contribute to Rising Incidence of Shark Attacks
- Utah – Ten of eleven cities OK $181 million UTOPIA refinance
- Yahoo investors seek Microsoft return
- Rattlesnake Mountain tenants to keep leases for now
- Man Sought In Mason County Drive-By Shooting
- City Of Shelton Peacock Ridge Annexation Hearing May 19th
- Sequim fires 8-year city manager
- Price of stamps to rise May 12
- Manhole covers latest target of metal thieves
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Veritable • \VAIR-uh-tuh-bull\ • adjective – Being in fact the thing named and not false, unreal, or imaginary
Gertrude had her doubts about her ten year old son’s ability to keep up at Trivial Pursuit. But after the first round, she was convinced that he was a veritable font of useless knowledge.
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
Areva plans to build $2 billion uranium plant in Idaho (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/440575.html
Puget Energy 1Q profit rises on higher retail sales volume (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/ee4394cf71addb08306ec41b16afd736.htm
Portland General Electric earnings drop – An increase in retail energy deliveries for PGE wasn't enough to offset high natural gas costs (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/05/05/daily3.html?ana=from_rss
Idaho approves increase for Rocky Mountain Power (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/440587.html
Illinois – Ameren riders aren't true rate hikes, but proposals cost just the same (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjpvnkmmVSig%216C%29bfen%5Fv
South Carolina – Nuclear plant plan causes concern: Proposal for facility would draw water from Broad River (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjpvnmpoWSig%216C%29bfen%5Fv
Despite Alert, Flawed Wiring Still Kills G.I.’s – Because of flawed electrical work by contractors, the bulletin stated, soldiers at American bases in Iraq had received severe electrical shocks, and some had even been electrocuted (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/world/middleeast/04electrocute.html?_r=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin
Australian electricity workers to strike next week (The Age)
http://news.theage.com.au/electricity-workers-to-strike-next-week/20080506-2bde.html
The New Zealand experiment that keeps on giving – Electricity retailers deny sector uncompetitive – Retail electricity companies are disputing a new report calling for more aggressive competition in the sector (Fairfax New Zealand News Service)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4511478a13.html
Raccoon causes power outage in Ballard (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004395273_weboutage06m.html?syndication=rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
Agencies issue plan to run Columbia dams, preserve salmon (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ipjYpPd8lX55FO5Iz0UPfCSdVlpwD90FTA480
Latest dam plan already under fire from groups (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/05/05062008_Latest-dam-plan-already-under-fire-from-groups.cfm/
The feds' latest plan to restore Columbia salmon leaves dam operations largely intact – The third try for a blueprint on restoring fish runs will go before a federal judge who has threatened severe limits (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1210042509293850.xml&coll=7
Six sea lions shot to death on salmon-rich US river (Reuters – Ed. Note: Old story, but I had to get this headline out there)
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSN0541800020080505?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
Sea lions' killers used boat, opened cages, authorities say (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004394563_sealions06m.html
Columbian Opinion – Complex (sea lion) mystery
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/05/05062008_In-our-view-Complex-mystery.cfm/
Northern Pikeminnow Scam Uncovered – Ore. men accused of holding fish without permit (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1376519~Ore__men_accused_of_holding_fish_without_permit.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Klamath Tribes, Environmentalists Protest At Buffet's Meeting (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/1995/klamath-tribes-environmentalists-protest-buffets-meeting/
Canadian MP bracing for 'absolutely devastating' fishing season (The Daily News)
http://www.canada.com/cityguides/princerupert/story.html?id=5f99c601-a4a8-4c92-8a71-0875205d437c
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Runoff late, but flood conditions not expected (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/176183.html
Mountain snow on tap (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080505/NEWS04/57831152/1001/rss1001
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Grease bandits strike as biofuel demand rises (Christian Science Monitor)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080506/ts_csm/agrease
Going off grid? Inverter maker Xantrex on Monday announced an overhaul to its inverters that let people combine a renewable energy source with some back-up power (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9935897-54.html?tag=nl.e433
CONSERVATION
New York – Energy reduction plan would hike bills – National Grid has proposed new environmentally-friendly programs for its Upstate New York service area designed to save energy (Business First of Buffalo)
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2008/05/05/daily12.html?ana=from_rss
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
New Grass Cuts Methane Gas From Cattle, May Help Reduce Global Warming (Science Daily)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506120859.htm
Global Warming May Contribute to Rising Incidence of Shark Attacks (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/science/May-June-08/Global-Warming-May-Contribute-to-Rising-Incidence-of-Shark-Attacks.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Utah – Ten of eleven cities OK $181 million UTOPIA refinance (Deseret News)
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,5143,695276803,00.html
Yahoo investors seek Microsoft return (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN0228397020080505?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology
Rattlesnake Mountain tenants to keep leases for now – The dozen agencies that operate communication towers and other facilities on Rattlesnake Mountain won't be evicted anytime soon (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/176219.html
GENERAL NEWS
Man Sought In Mason County Drive-By Shooting (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16166663/detail.html
CITY OF SHELTON PEACOCK RIDGE ANNEXATION HEARING MAY 19TH – The City of Shelton could grow by nearly 280 acres as part of a proposed annexation of property near Alpine Way off North 13th Street. A hearing on the proposal has been scheduled for May 19 at 6 PM before the City Commission. The so-called Peacock Ridge development would include 650 houses, 150 multi-family units, an elementary school, retirement housing and some commercial development. Most of the property is owned by Green Diamond Resource Company, with a small portion owned by Mell Mason County LLC. Boston Harbor Land Company would develop the land. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Sequim fires 8-year city manager – In a move that came off like a bombshell in the Transit Center, the Sequim City Council voted on Monday to fire City Manager Bill Elliott after almost eight years of service (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080506/NEWS/805060307
Price of stamps to rise May 12 (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/bizbeat/story/173398.html
Manhole covers latest target of metal thieves (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1377170~Manhole_covers_latest_target_of_metal_thieves.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
DIVERSIONS
Police Officer Arrested For Stealing Gas from City
http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=8263968&nav=menu50_11_5
Man Orders Custom Beer Can Coffin
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/16164110/detail.html
Will A Trip To Movies Ruin Your Waistline? Nachos May Not Pack As Many Calories As Popcorn
http://www.kirotv.com/health/15965275/detail.html
Driving With Dogs on Your Lap Faces Ban in California
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16174145/detail.html
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Areva plans to build $2 billion uranium plant in Idaho
- Puget Energy 1Q profit rises on higher retail sales volume
- Portland General Electric earnings drop
- Idaho approves increase for Rocky Mountain Power
- Illinois – Ameren riders aren't true rate hikes, but proposals cost just the same
- South Carolina – Nuclear plant plan causes concern
- Despite Alert, Flawed Wiring Still Kills G.I.’s
- Australian electricity workers to strike next week
- The New Zealand experiment that keeps on giving
- Raccoon causes power outage in Ballard
- Agencies issue plan to run Columbia dams, preserve salmon
- Latest dam plan already under fire from groups
- The feds' latest plan to restore Columbia salmon leaves dam operations largely intact
- Six sea lions shot to death on salmon-rich US river
- Sea lions' killers used boat, opened cages, authorities say
- Columbian Opinion – Complex (sea lion) mystery
- Northern Pikeminnow Scam Uncovered
- Klamath Tribes, Environmentalists Protest At Buffet's Meeting
- Canadian MP bracing for 'absolutely devastating' fishing season
- Runoff late, but flood conditions not expected
- Mountain snow on tap
- Grease bandits strike as biofuel demand rises
- Going off grid?
- New York – Energy reduction plan would hike bills
- New Grass Cuts Methane Gas From Cattle, May Help Reduce Global Warming
- Global Warming May Contribute to Rising Incidence of Shark Attacks
- Utah – Ten of eleven cities OK $181 million UTOPIA refinance
- Yahoo investors seek Microsoft return
- Rattlesnake Mountain tenants to keep leases for now
- Man Sought In Mason County Drive-By Shooting
- City Of Shelton Peacock Ridge Annexation Hearing May 19th
- Sequim fires 8-year city manager
- Price of stamps to rise May 12
- Manhole covers latest target of metal thieves
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Veritable • \VAIR-uh-tuh-bull\ • adjective – Being in fact the thing named and not false, unreal, or imaginary
Gertrude had her doubts about her ten year old son’s ability to keep up at Trivial Pursuit. But after the first round, she was convinced that he was a veritable font of useless knowledge.
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
Areva plans to build $2 billion uranium plant in Idaho (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/440575.html
Puget Energy 1Q profit rises on higher retail sales volume (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/ee4394cf71addb08306ec41b16afd736.htm
Portland General Electric earnings drop – An increase in retail energy deliveries for PGE wasn't enough to offset high natural gas costs (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/05/05/daily3.html?ana=from_rss
Idaho approves increase for Rocky Mountain Power (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/440587.html
Illinois – Ameren riders aren't true rate hikes, but proposals cost just the same (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjpvnkmmVSig%216C%29bfen%5Fv
South Carolina – Nuclear plant plan causes concern: Proposal for facility would draw water from Broad River (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjpvnmpoWSig%216C%29bfen%5Fv
Despite Alert, Flawed Wiring Still Kills G.I.’s – Because of flawed electrical work by contractors, the bulletin stated, soldiers at American bases in Iraq had received severe electrical shocks, and some had even been electrocuted (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/world/middleeast/04electrocute.html?_r=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin
Australian electricity workers to strike next week (The Age)
http://news.theage.com.au/electricity-workers-to-strike-next-week/20080506-2bde.html
The New Zealand experiment that keeps on giving – Electricity retailers deny sector uncompetitive – Retail electricity companies are disputing a new report calling for more aggressive competition in the sector (Fairfax New Zealand News Service)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4511478a13.html
Raccoon causes power outage in Ballard (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004395273_weboutage06m.html?syndication=rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
Agencies issue plan to run Columbia dams, preserve salmon (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ipjYpPd8lX55FO5Iz0UPfCSdVlpwD90FTA480
Latest dam plan already under fire from groups (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/05/05062008_Latest-dam-plan-already-under-fire-from-groups.cfm/
The feds' latest plan to restore Columbia salmon leaves dam operations largely intact – The third try for a blueprint on restoring fish runs will go before a federal judge who has threatened severe limits (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1210042509293850.xml&coll=7
Six sea lions shot to death on salmon-rich US river (Reuters – Ed. Note: Old story, but I had to get this headline out there)
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSN0541800020080505?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
Sea lions' killers used boat, opened cages, authorities say (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004394563_sealions06m.html
Columbian Opinion – Complex (sea lion) mystery
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/05/05062008_In-our-view-Complex-mystery.cfm/
Northern Pikeminnow Scam Uncovered – Ore. men accused of holding fish without permit (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1376519~Ore__men_accused_of_holding_fish_without_permit.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Klamath Tribes, Environmentalists Protest At Buffet's Meeting (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/1995/klamath-tribes-environmentalists-protest-buffets-meeting/
Canadian MP bracing for 'absolutely devastating' fishing season (The Daily News)
http://www.canada.com/cityguides/princerupert/story.html?id=5f99c601-a4a8-4c92-8a71-0875205d437c
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Runoff late, but flood conditions not expected (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/176183.html
Mountain snow on tap (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080505/NEWS04/57831152/1001/rss1001
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Grease bandits strike as biofuel demand rises (Christian Science Monitor)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080506/ts_csm/agrease
Going off grid? Inverter maker Xantrex on Monday announced an overhaul to its inverters that let people combine a renewable energy source with some back-up power (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9935897-54.html?tag=nl.e433
CONSERVATION
New York – Energy reduction plan would hike bills – National Grid has proposed new environmentally-friendly programs for its Upstate New York service area designed to save energy (Business First of Buffalo)
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2008/05/05/daily12.html?ana=from_rss
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
New Grass Cuts Methane Gas From Cattle, May Help Reduce Global Warming (Science Daily)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080506120859.htm
Global Warming May Contribute to Rising Incidence of Shark Attacks (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/science/May-June-08/Global-Warming-May-Contribute-to-Rising-Incidence-of-Shark-Attacks.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Utah – Ten of eleven cities OK $181 million UTOPIA refinance (Deseret News)
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,5143,695276803,00.html
Yahoo investors seek Microsoft return (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN0228397020080505?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology
Rattlesnake Mountain tenants to keep leases for now – The dozen agencies that operate communication towers and other facilities on Rattlesnake Mountain won't be evicted anytime soon (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/176219.html
GENERAL NEWS
Man Sought In Mason County Drive-By Shooting (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16166663/detail.html
CITY OF SHELTON PEACOCK RIDGE ANNEXATION HEARING MAY 19TH – The City of Shelton could grow by nearly 280 acres as part of a proposed annexation of property near Alpine Way off North 13th Street. A hearing on the proposal has been scheduled for May 19 at 6 PM before the City Commission. The so-called Peacock Ridge development would include 650 houses, 150 multi-family units, an elementary school, retirement housing and some commercial development. Most of the property is owned by Green Diamond Resource Company, with a small portion owned by Mell Mason County LLC. Boston Harbor Land Company would develop the land. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Sequim fires 8-year city manager – In a move that came off like a bombshell in the Transit Center, the Sequim City Council voted on Monday to fire City Manager Bill Elliott after almost eight years of service (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080506/NEWS/805060307
Price of stamps to rise May 12 (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/bizbeat/story/173398.html
Manhole covers latest target of metal thieves (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1377170~Manhole_covers_latest_target_of_metal_thieves.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
DIVERSIONS
Police Officer Arrested For Stealing Gas from City
http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=8263968&nav=menu50_11_5
Man Orders Custom Beer Can Coffin
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/16164110/detail.html
Will A Trip To Movies Ruin Your Waistline? Nachos May Not Pack As Many Calories As Popcorn
http://www.kirotv.com/health/15965275/detail.html
Driving With Dogs on Your Lap Faces Ban in California
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16174145/detail.html
Monday, May 5, 2008
Energy News Digest for May 5, 2008
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Retired justice from WPPSS case dies
- Carbon tests could derail Wallula Gap power plant
- Puget Energy's path to going private
- Seattle Times Opinion – 'Bye to Safeco, PSE, here in name only
- Behind the fight for an Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas site
- $25 million settlement reached in Colstrip lawsuit
- Report: Look for rise in natural gas prices
- Seattle P-I Columnist Joel Connelly – It's time to change a crazy energy policy
- San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – San Francisco needs to act now to shut down a polluting power plant
- News Release – PJM Regional Power Grid Ready for Hot Weather Power Demand
- Sea lions shot dead on Columbia River as salmon battle rages
- Putting the 'Cute' Back in Execute
- News Release – Tribes and feds end decades of legal battles to begin new era
- Tribes, U.S. sign deal on NW dams
- Chum Salmon haven threatened?
- Yakamas will tear down dam on Satus Creek
- Seattle fish-egg auctions lure hundreds of millions in bids
- How Does Your Home Shellfish Garden Grow?
- Jefferson County – Water district proposal dries up
- Likely Olympia-area dioxin source for Budd Inlet named
- Air Pollution Impedes Bees' Ability to Find Flowers
- Grays Harbor County PUD finds many shades of “green”
- Michigan – Wind power blows hot and cold, manufacturer cautions
- Baltimore Sun Editorial – Energy leadership: Invest in a greener future
- Senators call for EPA to consider ethanol mandate waiver
- Energy conservation: Power gets smart
- Energy pilot program to test if efficiency is enough
- Getting More for Less: The Growing Role of Negawatts
- LED lights shine at saving energy in tech gear
- Seattle Times Columnist – Feeling blue over trying to be green
- Yahoo Stock Plunges After Microsoft Backs Off
- How the Microsoft-Yahoo deal came apart
- Grant County PUD halts new dark fiber sales
- It may be ‘do or die' time for UTOPIA
- Arizona – Wildfire Broadband Disconnects from Scottsdale
- Broadband Over Power Line Gets a KO Punch (GigaOM)
- Cloud Computing' Puts Computer Resources on Tap
- Amazon Sues NY Over Internet Sales Tax Collection
- Comcast Mocks AT&T For Lawn Cabinets While Deploying Their Own
- Survey finds gas prices up about 15 cents over past 2 weeks
- $5 gas near, 78% of Americans say
- Olympia's patience wears thin with protests
- Olympia’s sanctuary city proposal to council could be casualty of Thursday's attacks
- Wife dies but new hospital bills keep coming
- Neo-Pawn Shops – People selling online to pay bills
- Critics See Symbols of Islam in Flight 93 Memorial Design
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Posthaste • \POHST-HAYST\ • adverb – With all possible speed
“I want those orders for Barry Manilow CDs placed posthaste,” shouted the floor manager, glowering at his under-twenty crowd of warehouse employees. “Golly,” squeaked one, “I thought that was a euphemism for a marshmallow and berry flavored treat, nor music!”
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
Retired justice from WPPSS case dies – Robert Brachtenbach, who served 22 years as a justice on the state Supreme Court, died Friday at his home in Cottage Grove, Ore (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/361779_brachtenbach05.html?source=rss
Carbon tests could derail Wallula Gap power plant (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/175455.html
Puget Energy's path to going private (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004390843_puget04.html
Seattle Times Opinion – 'Bye to Safeco, PSE, here in name only – The cumulative decline in local ownership of this region's companies is troubling
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004388985_bossed04.html
Behind the fight for an Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas site – Two Texas businessmen put money and muscle (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1209781547135250.xml&coll=7
$25 million settlement reached in Colstrip lawsuit – An attorney in a water contamination lawsuit against eastern Montana's Colstrip power plant says the plant's five corporate owners have agreed to settle the case. (Associated Press, via the Yakima Herald-Republic)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MT_COLSTRIP_LAWSUIT_SETTLEMENT_WAOL-?SITE=WAYAK&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Report: Look for rise in natural gas prices (Orlando Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2008/05/05/daily2.html?ana=from_rss
Seattle P-I Columnist Joel Connelly – It's time to change a crazy energy policy
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/361773_joel05.html?source=rss
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – San Francisco needs to act now to shut down a polluting power plant
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/05/EDS110FFM6.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
News Release – PJM Regional Power Grid Ready for Hot Weather Power Demand – Electricity Demand Continues to Grow; Load Management Doubles (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=89156
FISH & WILDLIFE
Sea lions shot dead on Columbia River as salmon battle rages (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcSH4Kef7EHVeRa_HnuHHgR2vRMgD90FH8MG0
Putting the 'Cute' Back in Execute – Captured sea lions on Columbia River assassinated (Grist Online)
http://www.grist.org/news/2008/05/05/sealions/
News Release – Tribes and feds end decades of legal battles to begin new era – Special tribal ceremony at sacred Columbia River Basin site today underscores collaborative approach that puts fish first (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/200964/
Tribes, U.S. sign deal on NW dams – A Native coalition agrees to accept the Columbia River system for 10 years and $900 million for habitat and hatchery upgrades (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1209786906289840.xml&coll=7
Chum Salmon haven threatened? (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/05/05052008_Chum-haven-threatened.cfm
Yakamas will tear down dam on Satus Creek – The small, abandoned dam impedes migration of steelhead in Satus Creek, the basin's biggest producer of the threatened fish species (Yakima Herald-Republic )
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/3678
Seattle fish-egg auctions lure hundreds of millions in bids (The associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1375110~Seattle_fish_egg_auctions_lure_hundreds_of_millions_in_bids.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
How Does Your Home Shellfish Garden Grow? A small-but-enthusiastic group of home shellfish gardeners will soon plant seeds that will grow into oysters, clams, mussels and geoduck (Kitsap Sun)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/may/04/soon-theyll-be-sprouting-8212-make-that-spouting/
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Jefferson County – Water district proposal dries up – A countywide per-parcel fee proposed to fund Jefferson County's Clean Water District has dried up for lack of support. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080504/NEWS/805040305
Likely Olympia-area dioxin source for Budd Inlet named – Report says it appears to be Cascade Pole site (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/439335.html
Air Pollution Impedes Bees' Ability to Find Flowers (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/04/AR2008050401737.html?nav=rss_email/components
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Grays Harbor County PUD finds many shades of “green” (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/04/local_news/02news.txt
Michigan – Wind power blows hot and cold, manufacturer cautions (Tri-Cities Business Review)
http://blog.mlive.com/tricities/2008/05/former_wind_turbine_co_market.html
Baltimore Sun Editorial – Energy leadership: Invest in a greener future
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.energy05may05,0,1498508.story
Senators call for EPA to consider ethanol mandate waiver – Senate Republicans on Monday asked environmental regulators to use their power to halt the country's ethanol output expansion plans amid rising food prices. (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004393162_apethanolwaiver.html?syndication=rss
CONSERVATION
Energy conservation: Power gets smart – Grids may determine how, when we consume electricity (The Salt Lake Tribune)
http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_9154633?source=rss
Energy pilot program to test if efficiency is enough (Boston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/05/05/story10.html?ana=from_rss
Getting More for Less: The Growing Role of Negawatts (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reinsider/story?id=52329
LED lights shine at saving energy in tech gear (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/04/BUE210DQEM.DTL
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Seattle Times Columnist – Feeling blue over trying to be green
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2004391337_danny04.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Yahoo Stock Plunges After Microsoft Backs Off – After Microsoft withdrew its $33-a-share offer for Yahoo on Saturday, the question was how far Yahoo’s stock would drop. On Monday morning, the markets gave an initial answer: plenty (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/technology/05subyahoo-web.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1210003663-j68QBD8KkMpyWRwW5gcn4g
How the Microsoft-Yahoo deal came apart (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/361724_msftdeal05.html?source=rss
Grant County PUD halts new dark fiber sales – Utility currently leases fiber to three companies (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/05/02/news/news04.txt
It may be ‘do or die' time for UTOPIA (KSL-TV, Salt Lake City)
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=3201003
Arizona – Wildfire Broadband Disconnects from Scottsdale – Wi-Fi network goes down without a word (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Wildfire-Broadband-Disconnects-from-Scottsdale-94134
Broadband Over Power Line Gets a KO Punch (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/05/02/broadband-over-power-line-gets-a-ko-punch/
'
Cloud Computing' Puts Computer Resources on Tap (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90180142&ft=1&f=3
Amazon Sues NY Over Internet Sales Tax Collection (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16149543/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
Comcast Mocks AT&T For Lawn Cabinets While Deploying Their Own – California residents find Comcast upgrade comes with new lawn ornaments (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Mocks-ATT-For-Lawn-Cabinets-While-Deploying-Their-Own-94147
GENERAL NEWS
Survey finds gas prices up about 15 cents over past 2 weeks (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004393009_apgasprices.html?syndication=rss
$5 gas near, 78% of Americans say – A vast majority of consumers expect to shell out $4 and even $5 a gallon this year, according to a recent poll (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/05/news/economy/gas_poll/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote
Olympia's patience wears thin with protests – The public's patience for protests and demonstrations reached its end after the May Day unrest in Olympia, dozens of readers said Friday (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/437813.html
Olympia’s sanctuary city proposal to council could be casualty of Thursday's attacks – Ironically, …”the main goal of Thursday's May Day rally was "to try to convince the City Council to pass a resolution making our city a sanctuary city for war resisters and undocumented workers…" (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/437815.html
Wife dies but new hospital bills keep coming – Husband got 4 invoices for donor search done after her death (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/361794_scca05.html?source=rss
Neo-Pawn Shops – People selling online to pay bills (The Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/438721.html
Critics See Symbols of Islam in Flight 93 Memorial Design (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/us/05memorial.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
DIVERSIONS
Ashland, Ore., mayor says he can't afford to live in Ashland
http://www.examiner.com/a-1374517~Ashland__Ore___mayor_says_he_can_t_afford_to_live_in_Ashland.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Handmade pixies pop up in Eugene park each spring
http://www.examiner.com/a-1374496~Handmade_pixies_pop_up_in_Eugene_park_each_spring.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Deputy Suspended For Yelling At Little League Umpire
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16151036/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
A very unhappy birthday to spam, age 30
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/03/BUE210E232.DTL&feed=rss.business
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Retired justice from WPPSS case dies
- Carbon tests could derail Wallula Gap power plant
- Puget Energy's path to going private
- Seattle Times Opinion – 'Bye to Safeco, PSE, here in name only
- Behind the fight for an Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas site
- $25 million settlement reached in Colstrip lawsuit
- Report: Look for rise in natural gas prices
- Seattle P-I Columnist Joel Connelly – It's time to change a crazy energy policy
- San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – San Francisco needs to act now to shut down a polluting power plant
- News Release – PJM Regional Power Grid Ready for Hot Weather Power Demand
- Sea lions shot dead on Columbia River as salmon battle rages
- Putting the 'Cute' Back in Execute
- News Release – Tribes and feds end decades of legal battles to begin new era
- Tribes, U.S. sign deal on NW dams
- Chum Salmon haven threatened?
- Yakamas will tear down dam on Satus Creek
- Seattle fish-egg auctions lure hundreds of millions in bids
- How Does Your Home Shellfish Garden Grow?
- Jefferson County – Water district proposal dries up
- Likely Olympia-area dioxin source for Budd Inlet named
- Air Pollution Impedes Bees' Ability to Find Flowers
- Grays Harbor County PUD finds many shades of “green”
- Michigan – Wind power blows hot and cold, manufacturer cautions
- Baltimore Sun Editorial – Energy leadership: Invest in a greener future
- Senators call for EPA to consider ethanol mandate waiver
- Energy conservation: Power gets smart
- Energy pilot program to test if efficiency is enough
- Getting More for Less: The Growing Role of Negawatts
- LED lights shine at saving energy in tech gear
- Seattle Times Columnist – Feeling blue over trying to be green
- Yahoo Stock Plunges After Microsoft Backs Off
- How the Microsoft-Yahoo deal came apart
- Grant County PUD halts new dark fiber sales
- It may be ‘do or die' time for UTOPIA
- Arizona – Wildfire Broadband Disconnects from Scottsdale
- Broadband Over Power Line Gets a KO Punch (GigaOM)
- Cloud Computing' Puts Computer Resources on Tap
- Amazon Sues NY Over Internet Sales Tax Collection
- Comcast Mocks AT&T For Lawn Cabinets While Deploying Their Own
- Survey finds gas prices up about 15 cents over past 2 weeks
- $5 gas near, 78% of Americans say
- Olympia's patience wears thin with protests
- Olympia’s sanctuary city proposal to council could be casualty of Thursday's attacks
- Wife dies but new hospital bills keep coming
- Neo-Pawn Shops – People selling online to pay bills
- Critics See Symbols of Islam in Flight 93 Memorial Design
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Posthaste • \POHST-HAYST\ • adverb – With all possible speed
“I want those orders for Barry Manilow CDs placed posthaste,” shouted the floor manager, glowering at his under-twenty crowd of warehouse employees. “Golly,” squeaked one, “I thought that was a euphemism for a marshmallow and berry flavored treat, nor music!”
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
Retired justice from WPPSS case dies – Robert Brachtenbach, who served 22 years as a justice on the state Supreme Court, died Friday at his home in Cottage Grove, Ore (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/361779_brachtenbach05.html?source=rss
Carbon tests could derail Wallula Gap power plant (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/175455.html
Puget Energy's path to going private (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004390843_puget04.html
Seattle Times Opinion – 'Bye to Safeco, PSE, here in name only – The cumulative decline in local ownership of this region's companies is troubling
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004388985_bossed04.html
Behind the fight for an Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas site – Two Texas businessmen put money and muscle (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1209781547135250.xml&coll=7
$25 million settlement reached in Colstrip lawsuit – An attorney in a water contamination lawsuit against eastern Montana's Colstrip power plant says the plant's five corporate owners have agreed to settle the case. (Associated Press, via the Yakima Herald-Republic)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MT_COLSTRIP_LAWSUIT_SETTLEMENT_WAOL-?SITE=WAYAK&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Report: Look for rise in natural gas prices (Orlando Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2008/05/05/daily2.html?ana=from_rss
Seattle P-I Columnist Joel Connelly – It's time to change a crazy energy policy
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/361773_joel05.html?source=rss
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – San Francisco needs to act now to shut down a polluting power plant
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/05/EDS110FFM6.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
News Release – PJM Regional Power Grid Ready for Hot Weather Power Demand – Electricity Demand Continues to Grow; Load Management Doubles (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=89156
FISH & WILDLIFE
Sea lions shot dead on Columbia River as salmon battle rages (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcSH4Kef7EHVeRa_HnuHHgR2vRMgD90FH8MG0
Putting the 'Cute' Back in Execute – Captured sea lions on Columbia River assassinated (Grist Online)
http://www.grist.org/news/2008/05/05/sealions/
News Release – Tribes and feds end decades of legal battles to begin new era – Special tribal ceremony at sacred Columbia River Basin site today underscores collaborative approach that puts fish first (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/200964/
Tribes, U.S. sign deal on NW dams – A Native coalition agrees to accept the Columbia River system for 10 years and $900 million for habitat and hatchery upgrades (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1209786906289840.xml&coll=7
Chum Salmon haven threatened? (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/05/05052008_Chum-haven-threatened.cfm
Yakamas will tear down dam on Satus Creek – The small, abandoned dam impedes migration of steelhead in Satus Creek, the basin's biggest producer of the threatened fish species (Yakima Herald-Republic )
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/3678
Seattle fish-egg auctions lure hundreds of millions in bids (The associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1375110~Seattle_fish_egg_auctions_lure_hundreds_of_millions_in_bids.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
How Does Your Home Shellfish Garden Grow? A small-but-enthusiastic group of home shellfish gardeners will soon plant seeds that will grow into oysters, clams, mussels and geoduck (Kitsap Sun)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/may/04/soon-theyll-be-sprouting-8212-make-that-spouting/
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Jefferson County – Water district proposal dries up – A countywide per-parcel fee proposed to fund Jefferson County's Clean Water District has dried up for lack of support. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080504/NEWS/805040305
Likely Olympia-area dioxin source for Budd Inlet named – Report says it appears to be Cascade Pole site (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/439335.html
Air Pollution Impedes Bees' Ability to Find Flowers (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/04/AR2008050401737.html?nav=rss_email/components
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Grays Harbor County PUD finds many shades of “green” (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/04/local_news/02news.txt
Michigan – Wind power blows hot and cold, manufacturer cautions (Tri-Cities Business Review)
http://blog.mlive.com/tricities/2008/05/former_wind_turbine_co_market.html
Baltimore Sun Editorial – Energy leadership: Invest in a greener future
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.energy05may05,0,1498508.story
Senators call for EPA to consider ethanol mandate waiver – Senate Republicans on Monday asked environmental regulators to use their power to halt the country's ethanol output expansion plans amid rising food prices. (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004393162_apethanolwaiver.html?syndication=rss
CONSERVATION
Energy conservation: Power gets smart – Grids may determine how, when we consume electricity (The Salt Lake Tribune)
http://www.sltrib.com/business/ci_9154633?source=rss
Energy pilot program to test if efficiency is enough (Boston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/05/05/story10.html?ana=from_rss
Getting More for Less: The Growing Role of Negawatts (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reinsider/story?id=52329
LED lights shine at saving energy in tech gear (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/04/BUE210DQEM.DTL
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Seattle Times Columnist – Feeling blue over trying to be green
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2004391337_danny04.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Yahoo Stock Plunges After Microsoft Backs Off – After Microsoft withdrew its $33-a-share offer for Yahoo on Saturday, the question was how far Yahoo’s stock would drop. On Monday morning, the markets gave an initial answer: plenty (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/technology/05subyahoo-web.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1210003663-j68QBD8KkMpyWRwW5gcn4g
How the Microsoft-Yahoo deal came apart (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/361724_msftdeal05.html?source=rss
Grant County PUD halts new dark fiber sales – Utility currently leases fiber to three companies (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/05/02/news/news04.txt
It may be ‘do or die' time for UTOPIA (KSL-TV, Salt Lake City)
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=3201003
Arizona – Wildfire Broadband Disconnects from Scottsdale – Wi-Fi network goes down without a word (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Wildfire-Broadband-Disconnects-from-Scottsdale-94134
Broadband Over Power Line Gets a KO Punch (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/05/02/broadband-over-power-line-gets-a-ko-punch/
'
Cloud Computing' Puts Computer Resources on Tap (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90180142&ft=1&f=3
Amazon Sues NY Over Internet Sales Tax Collection (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16149543/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
Comcast Mocks AT&T For Lawn Cabinets While Deploying Their Own – California residents find Comcast upgrade comes with new lawn ornaments (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Mocks-ATT-For-Lawn-Cabinets-While-Deploying-Their-Own-94147
GENERAL NEWS
Survey finds gas prices up about 15 cents over past 2 weeks (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004393009_apgasprices.html?syndication=rss
$5 gas near, 78% of Americans say – A vast majority of consumers expect to shell out $4 and even $5 a gallon this year, according to a recent poll (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/05/05/news/economy/gas_poll/index.htm?source=yahoo_quote
Olympia's patience wears thin with protests – The public's patience for protests and demonstrations reached its end after the May Day unrest in Olympia, dozens of readers said Friday (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/437813.html
Olympia’s sanctuary city proposal to council could be casualty of Thursday's attacks – Ironically, …”the main goal of Thursday's May Day rally was "to try to convince the City Council to pass a resolution making our city a sanctuary city for war resisters and undocumented workers…" (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/437815.html
Wife dies but new hospital bills keep coming – Husband got 4 invoices for donor search done after her death (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/361794_scca05.html?source=rss
Neo-Pawn Shops – People selling online to pay bills (The Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/438721.html
Critics See Symbols of Islam in Flight 93 Memorial Design (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/us/05memorial.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
DIVERSIONS
Ashland, Ore., mayor says he can't afford to live in Ashland
http://www.examiner.com/a-1374517~Ashland__Ore___mayor_says_he_can_t_afford_to_live_in_Ashland.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Handmade pixies pop up in Eugene park each spring
http://www.examiner.com/a-1374496~Handmade_pixies_pop_up_in_Eugene_park_each_spring.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Deputy Suspended For Yelling At Little League Umpire
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16151036/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
A very unhappy birthday to spam, age 30
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/03/BUE210E232.DTL&feed=rss.business
Friday, May 2, 2008
Energy News Digest for May 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)
- Mason County PUD 3 Concerned About BPA Tiered Rates
- Governor Strickland signs Ohio energy bill
- Kansas Legislators fail to override Sebelius power plant veto
- Texas – Metro sued over its tracks' electricity leak in Houston
- Grant County PUD inaugurates $35 million 'fish slide' bypass
- California Chinook fishery's collapse a disaster
- California – Tuolumne salmon at high risk of extinction
- Seattle Times Guest Columnist – Connect the dots to save orcas, salmon (Oh, and remove the Snake River dams)
- Toxins imperil 17 shellfish sites – Includes two in Mason County
- Longview officials considering shift from water plant to Mint Farm wells
- Idaho – Judge sides with surface water users
- Sierra snowpack well below normal
- California – Need to deal with water needs crucial
- Washington State University’s New Golf Course Ruffles Feathers of Water Conservationists
- Low-Oxygen Zones Spreading to Deep Ocean
- Kitsap Poised to Ride the New Energy Wave, Leaders Say
- U.S. eyes shift away from corn ethanol – Worried about high food prices
- Lawmakers Revisit Ethanol Mandates as Prices Soar
- 'Tidal' power wave to hit Canada
- U.S. State Solar Debate: Will Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Create Unhealthy Market Concentration?
- Energy Pulse Commentary – The Limits to Renewable Energy
- Texas – Making ends meet: How to save on energy costs
- What are Orange County schools doing to 'go green'?
- Lawmakers being forced to give up gas-guzzling cars
- Microsoft's Yahoo bid may go hostile today
- FCC caps subsidy to rural cell phone providers
- Shelton Toddler Found In Family's Pool Has Died
- A rally, then violence in Olympia
- Weyerhaeuser reports $148 million loss
- Sawmill closings create sawdust shortage
- Chevron has best first-quarter profit ever on higher oil prices
- Up $10.9 Billion, Exxon Worries About New Tax
- Wire-theft investigation leads to more arrests
- Open 35th District Representative Position Draws A Crowd
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Diktat • \dik-TAWT\ • noun – 1: a harsh settlement unilaterally imposed (as on a defeated nation) 2: decree, order
“Hee, Hee,” chuckled Barty, as he gleefully rubbed his hands together. “I will require all new employees to wear blinking clown noses during their first week on the job.” A week after the diktat was issued by the rogue human resources director, his broken body was found in a nearby alley; crushed under several thousand blinking, red clown noses. The newly hired coroner ruled the death an accident.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
MASON COUNTY PUD 3 CONCERNED ABOUT BPA TIERED RATES – Mason County PUD No. 3 officials are concerned about the Bonneville Power Administration's proposed tiered wholesale power rates. This week, Mat Samuelson, the PUD's power supply analyst, reported on a recent meeting of the Washington Public Agencies Group (WPAG) at which the proposal was discussed. Mason County PUD No. 3 purchases its electricity from the BPA at a wholesale rate which melds the cost of generation from a wide range of sources in the Columbia River Basin. Under the proposed rate methodology, the PUD would be allocated a certain amount of resources at one rate tier from the Federal Base System, with load growth and extra electricity needs coming from a second more expensive rate tier. Conservative estimates show that with a four percent growth rate, PUD3 could experience a nearly ten percent increase in wholesale electricity rates under the tiered rate methodology. This could result in a six percent increase for PUD 3 customers. The estimate does not include an expected four percent wholesale rate hike from nearly $1 billion in fish and wildlife agreements with regional Indian tribes, nor does it include increased costs of buying power under an initiative mandating renewable energy purchases and the enhancement of local conservation efforts. The BPA would like the PUD to sign off on the tiered rates this fall as they will be implemented in 2011. Manager Wyla Wood told commissioners that staff has been communicating concerns to BPA about the tiered rate methodology individually and through the PUD's membership in WPAG. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Governor Strickland signs Ohio energy bill (Business Courier of Cincinnati)
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/04/28/daily50.html?ana=from_rss
Kansas Legislators fail to override Sebelius power plant veto (Kansas City Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2008/04/28/daily43.html?ana=from_rss
Texas – Metro sued over its tracks' electricity leak in Houston – Medical Center reports a stray current and wants issue monitored (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5747840.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
Grant County PUD inaugurates $35 million 'fish slide' bypass –Young salmon on their first journey to the ocean no longer have to negotiate through the turbines to pass Wanapum Dam (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/NEWS04/559642884/1025/rss1025
California Chinook fishery's collapse a disaster – Federal officials on Thursday declared a failure in the West Coast ocean salmon fishery, an announcement that will allow the region to seek disaster aid for fishermen and others affected in California, Oregon and Washington (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004387400_salmon02.html
California – Tuolumne salmon at high risk of extinction because not enough water flows down the river (Modesto Bee)
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/story/286624.html
Seattle Times Guest Columnist – Connect the dots to save orcas, salmon “…Removing (Snake River) dams will open up spawning habitat to endangered salmon, while saving taxpayers' and electric ratepayers' money. Energy conservation and renewable energy can replace the small amount of power provided by these four dams…”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004386630_orcas02.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Toxins imperil 17 shellfish sites – Includes McLane Cove in Pickering Passage in Mason County and North Bay near Allyn (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/436738.html
Longview officials considering shift from water plant to Mint Farm wells – Chances are increasing that Longview will abandon its water treatment plant on the Cowlitz River (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/01/top_story/doc481926fe9450f911280520.txt
Idaho – Judge sides with surface water users – an attempt to clarify complex rules about water rights in southern Idaho (The Times-News, Twin Falls)
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/05/01/news/local_state/135882.txt
Sierra snowpack well below normal (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/04/28/daily49.html?ana=from_rss
California – Need to deal with water needs crucial – Two parched years - punctuated by the driest spring in at least 150 years - could force rationing of water this summer as policymakers and scientists grow increasingly concerned that the state is on the verge of a long-term drought (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/01/BA9O10F8PK.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
Washington State University’s New Golf Course Ruffles Feathers of Water Conservationists (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3825
Low-Oxygen Zones Spreading to Deep Ocean – The world's oceans have always had large zones of low-oxygen water. But new studies find that those zones appear to have been growing (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90111754&ft=1&f=2
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Kitsap Poised to Ride the New Energy Wave, Leaders Say – The world is on the cusp of a clean-energy revolution, and emerging technologies in Washington state could influence the production and delivery of future power (The Kitsap Sun – My, the comments are cynical)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/30/kitsap-poised-to-ride-the-new-energy-wave-say/
U.S. eyes shift away from corn ethanol – Worried about high food prices, Congress tries to push the biofuel industry to use nonfood crops (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0501/p03s03-usec.html
Lawmakers Revisit Ethanol Mandates as Prices Soar – Four months ago, Congress sharply raised production targets for ethanol fuel, from the current 7 billion gallons a year to 36 billion gallons by 2022. Now, some lawmakers are asking whether the ethanol mandates come at too high a price (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90127388&ft=1&f=3
'Tidal' wave to hit Canada – Proponents believe Canada's long coastlines could help propel a new, green energy industry (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=1ca76dfd-411d-4ef5-ab84-d5b861759fc0
U.S. State Solar Debate: Will Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Create Unhealthy Market Concentration? A growing divide is occurring within the solar industry over how best to incentivize state-level solar programs (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52339&src=rss
Energy Pulse Commentary – The Limits to Renewable Energy
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1727
CONSERVATION
Texas – Making ends meet: How to save on energy costs (The Herald Democrat)
http://www.heralddemocrat.com/articles/2008/05/02/local_news/doc481b1f209a432336155854.txt
What are Orange County schools doing to 'go green'? District officials strive to balance being environmentally sensitive and balancing tight budgets (Orange County Register)
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/schools-school-district-2031754-programs-county
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Lawmakers being forced to give up gas-guzzling cars – A little-noticed amendment to last year's energy bill requires House members who lease vehicles to select those that emit low levels of greenhouse gases (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-cars1-2008may01,1,6694016.story
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft's Yahoo bid may go hostile today (Associated Press, via San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9129381?source=rss
FCC caps subsidy to rural cell phone providers – Move benefits big telecom firms (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/361497_phonetax02.html?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Shelton Toddler Found In Family's Pool Has Died (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16066810/detail.html
A rally, then violence in Olympia – A celebration of the rights of workers and immigrants turned ugly Thursday afternoon “…proposal scheduled to be brought before the Olympia City Council on Tuesday to designate Olympia as a "sanctuary city" for war resisters…” (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/436724.html
Weyerhaeuser reports $148 million loss (My Northwest)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=51241
Sawmill closings create sawdust shortage – Desperate users are trying alternatives; prices for diminishing supplies are rising (Victoria Times-Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=e02a300e-5585-4601-8248-439fc305765c&k=70980
Chevron has best first-quarter profit ever on higher oil prices (Associated Press, via San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9130937?source=rss
Up $10.9 Billion, Exxon Worries About New Tax – Bolstered by winter's record crude oil prices, Exxon Mobil yesterday reported a huge first-quarter profit and provoked new congressional vows to come up with legislation that would tax windfall profits (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/01/AR2008050100908.html?nav=rss_business
Wire-theft investigation leads to more arrests – Cowlitz County sheriff’s deputies have arrested three more suspects in a large-scale metal theft ring, and they expect more arrests (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/02//area_news/doc481a72f93b927399738302.txt
Open 35th District Representative Position Draws A Crowd (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/01/local_news/04news.txt
DIVERSIONS
Which States Punish Distracted Drivers Most?
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16116498/detail.html
Man Accused Of Trying To Cash $360 Billion Check – Man Intended To Start Record Business, Police Say
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16133100/detail.html
NY bride, groom plead guilty in reception spat with band
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080502/ap_on_fe_st/odd_wedding_arrests;_ylt=Ah.OGvkgpRCTG.DSvWyvCZPtiBIF
Venice to fine tourists who feed pigeons
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080430/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_venice_pigeons;_ylt=AnsPcX7ej6aN0JxqTFn3RnntiBIF
Woman pulls into lot with 'No Parking' sign, post on car
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080501/ap_on_fe_st/odd_sign_crash;_ylt=AsaRwmftZNgzjYt8MHUwrwLtiBIF
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Mason County PUD 3 Concerned About BPA Tiered Rates
- Governor Strickland signs Ohio energy bill
- Kansas Legislators fail to override Sebelius power plant veto
- Texas – Metro sued over its tracks' electricity leak in Houston
- Grant County PUD inaugurates $35 million 'fish slide' bypass
- California Chinook fishery's collapse a disaster
- California – Tuolumne salmon at high risk of extinction
- Seattle Times Guest Columnist – Connect the dots to save orcas, salmon (Oh, and remove the Snake River dams)
- Toxins imperil 17 shellfish sites – Includes two in Mason County
- Longview officials considering shift from water plant to Mint Farm wells
- Idaho – Judge sides with surface water users
- Sierra snowpack well below normal
- California – Need to deal with water needs crucial
- Washington State University’s New Golf Course Ruffles Feathers of Water Conservationists
- Low-Oxygen Zones Spreading to Deep Ocean
- Kitsap Poised to Ride the New Energy Wave, Leaders Say
- U.S. eyes shift away from corn ethanol – Worried about high food prices
- Lawmakers Revisit Ethanol Mandates as Prices Soar
- 'Tidal' power wave to hit Canada
- U.S. State Solar Debate: Will Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Create Unhealthy Market Concentration?
- Energy Pulse Commentary – The Limits to Renewable Energy
- Texas – Making ends meet: How to save on energy costs
- What are Orange County schools doing to 'go green'?
- Lawmakers being forced to give up gas-guzzling cars
- Microsoft's Yahoo bid may go hostile today
- FCC caps subsidy to rural cell phone providers
- Shelton Toddler Found In Family's Pool Has Died
- A rally, then violence in Olympia
- Weyerhaeuser reports $148 million loss
- Sawmill closings create sawdust shortage
- Chevron has best first-quarter profit ever on higher oil prices
- Up $10.9 Billion, Exxon Worries About New Tax
- Wire-theft investigation leads to more arrests
- Open 35th District Representative Position Draws A Crowd
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Diktat • \dik-TAWT\ • noun – 1: a harsh settlement unilaterally imposed (as on a defeated nation) 2: decree, order
“Hee, Hee,” chuckled Barty, as he gleefully rubbed his hands together. “I will require all new employees to wear blinking clown noses during their first week on the job.” A week after the diktat was issued by the rogue human resources director, his broken body was found in a nearby alley; crushed under several thousand blinking, red clown noses. The newly hired coroner ruled the death an accident.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
MASON COUNTY PUD 3 CONCERNED ABOUT BPA TIERED RATES – Mason County PUD No. 3 officials are concerned about the Bonneville Power Administration's proposed tiered wholesale power rates. This week, Mat Samuelson, the PUD's power supply analyst, reported on a recent meeting of the Washington Public Agencies Group (WPAG) at which the proposal was discussed. Mason County PUD No. 3 purchases its electricity from the BPA at a wholesale rate which melds the cost of generation from a wide range of sources in the Columbia River Basin. Under the proposed rate methodology, the PUD would be allocated a certain amount of resources at one rate tier from the Federal Base System, with load growth and extra electricity needs coming from a second more expensive rate tier. Conservative estimates show that with a four percent growth rate, PUD3 could experience a nearly ten percent increase in wholesale electricity rates under the tiered rate methodology. This could result in a six percent increase for PUD 3 customers. The estimate does not include an expected four percent wholesale rate hike from nearly $1 billion in fish and wildlife agreements with regional Indian tribes, nor does it include increased costs of buying power under an initiative mandating renewable energy purchases and the enhancement of local conservation efforts. The BPA would like the PUD to sign off on the tiered rates this fall as they will be implemented in 2011. Manager Wyla Wood told commissioners that staff has been communicating concerns to BPA about the tiered rate methodology individually and through the PUD's membership in WPAG. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)
Governor Strickland signs Ohio energy bill (Business Courier of Cincinnati)
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/04/28/daily50.html?ana=from_rss
Kansas Legislators fail to override Sebelius power plant veto (Kansas City Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2008/04/28/daily43.html?ana=from_rss
Texas – Metro sued over its tracks' electricity leak in Houston – Medical Center reports a stray current and wants issue monitored (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5747840.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
Grant County PUD inaugurates $35 million 'fish slide' bypass –Young salmon on their first journey to the ocean no longer have to negotiate through the turbines to pass Wanapum Dam (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/NEWS04/559642884/1025/rss1025
California Chinook fishery's collapse a disaster – Federal officials on Thursday declared a failure in the West Coast ocean salmon fishery, an announcement that will allow the region to seek disaster aid for fishermen and others affected in California, Oregon and Washington (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004387400_salmon02.html
California – Tuolumne salmon at high risk of extinction because not enough water flows down the river (Modesto Bee)
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/story/286624.html
Seattle Times Guest Columnist – Connect the dots to save orcas, salmon “…Removing (Snake River) dams will open up spawning habitat to endangered salmon, while saving taxpayers' and electric ratepayers' money. Energy conservation and renewable energy can replace the small amount of power provided by these four dams…”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004386630_orcas02.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Toxins imperil 17 shellfish sites – Includes McLane Cove in Pickering Passage in Mason County and North Bay near Allyn (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/436738.html
Longview officials considering shift from water plant to Mint Farm wells – Chances are increasing that Longview will abandon its water treatment plant on the Cowlitz River (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/01/top_story/doc481926fe9450f911280520.txt
Idaho – Judge sides with surface water users – an attempt to clarify complex rules about water rights in southern Idaho (The Times-News, Twin Falls)
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/05/01/news/local_state/135882.txt
Sierra snowpack well below normal (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/04/28/daily49.html?ana=from_rss
California – Need to deal with water needs crucial – Two parched years - punctuated by the driest spring in at least 150 years - could force rationing of water this summer as policymakers and scientists grow increasingly concerned that the state is on the verge of a long-term drought (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/01/BA9O10F8PK.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
Washington State University’s New Golf Course Ruffles Feathers of Water Conservationists (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3825
Low-Oxygen Zones Spreading to Deep Ocean – The world's oceans have always had large zones of low-oxygen water. But new studies find that those zones appear to have been growing (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90111754&ft=1&f=2
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Kitsap Poised to Ride the New Energy Wave, Leaders Say – The world is on the cusp of a clean-energy revolution, and emerging technologies in Washington state could influence the production and delivery of future power (The Kitsap Sun – My, the comments are cynical)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/30/kitsap-poised-to-ride-the-new-energy-wave-say/
U.S. eyes shift away from corn ethanol – Worried about high food prices, Congress tries to push the biofuel industry to use nonfood crops (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0501/p03s03-usec.html
Lawmakers Revisit Ethanol Mandates as Prices Soar – Four months ago, Congress sharply raised production targets for ethanol fuel, from the current 7 billion gallons a year to 36 billion gallons by 2022. Now, some lawmakers are asking whether the ethanol mandates come at too high a price (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90127388&ft=1&f=3
'Tidal' wave to hit Canada – Proponents believe Canada's long coastlines could help propel a new, green energy industry (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=1ca76dfd-411d-4ef5-ab84-d5b861759fc0
U.S. State Solar Debate: Will Solar Renewable Energy Certificates Create Unhealthy Market Concentration? A growing divide is occurring within the solar industry over how best to incentivize state-level solar programs (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52339&src=rss
Energy Pulse Commentary – The Limits to Renewable Energy
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1727
CONSERVATION
Texas – Making ends meet: How to save on energy costs (The Herald Democrat)
http://www.heralddemocrat.com/articles/2008/05/02/local_news/doc481b1f209a432336155854.txt
What are Orange County schools doing to 'go green'? District officials strive to balance being environmentally sensitive and balancing tight budgets (Orange County Register)
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/schools-school-district-2031754-programs-county
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Lawmakers being forced to give up gas-guzzling cars – A little-noticed amendment to last year's energy bill requires House members who lease vehicles to select those that emit low levels of greenhouse gases (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-na-cars1-2008may01,1,6694016.story
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Microsoft's Yahoo bid may go hostile today (Associated Press, via San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9129381?source=rss
FCC caps subsidy to rural cell phone providers – Move benefits big telecom firms (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/361497_phonetax02.html?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Shelton Toddler Found In Family's Pool Has Died (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16066810/detail.html
A rally, then violence in Olympia – A celebration of the rights of workers and immigrants turned ugly Thursday afternoon “…proposal scheduled to be brought before the Olympia City Council on Tuesday to designate Olympia as a "sanctuary city" for war resisters…” (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/436724.html
Weyerhaeuser reports $148 million loss (My Northwest)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=51241
Sawmill closings create sawdust shortage – Desperate users are trying alternatives; prices for diminishing supplies are rising (Victoria Times-Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=e02a300e-5585-4601-8248-439fc305765c&k=70980
Chevron has best first-quarter profit ever on higher oil prices (Associated Press, via San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9130937?source=rss
Up $10.9 Billion, Exxon Worries About New Tax – Bolstered by winter's record crude oil prices, Exxon Mobil yesterday reported a huge first-quarter profit and provoked new congressional vows to come up with legislation that would tax windfall profits (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/01/AR2008050100908.html?nav=rss_business
Wire-theft investigation leads to more arrests – Cowlitz County sheriff’s deputies have arrested three more suspects in a large-scale metal theft ring, and they expect more arrests (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/05/02//area_news/doc481a72f93b927399738302.txt
Open 35th District Representative Position Draws A Crowd (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/01/local_news/04news.txt
DIVERSIONS
Which States Punish Distracted Drivers Most?
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16116498/detail.html
Man Accused Of Trying To Cash $360 Billion Check – Man Intended To Start Record Business, Police Say
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16133100/detail.html
NY bride, groom plead guilty in reception spat with band
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080502/ap_on_fe_st/odd_wedding_arrests;_ylt=Ah.OGvkgpRCTG.DSvWyvCZPtiBIF
Venice to fine tourists who feed pigeons
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080430/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_venice_pigeons;_ylt=AnsPcX7ej6aN0JxqTFn3RnntiBIF
Woman pulls into lot with 'No Parking' sign, post on car
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080501/ap_on_fe_st/odd_sign_crash;_ylt=AsaRwmftZNgzjYt8MHUwrwLtiBIF
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