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)
- FERC renews Cowlitz PUD's hydroelectric lease
- Puget Sound Energy buys 125 megawatt Sumas natural gas-fired power plant
- Chelan County PUD Power line repairs to top $1 million
- Grant PUD approves contract for FERC-mandated security
- New Tribune Editorial – What’s the price of public service?
- Wenatchee Word Editorial – Our World: Grand Coulee celebration
- Hartford Courant Commentary – State's Electricity Picture Brightening
- Salt Lake Tribune Op/Ed – A full portfolio of resources can ease the energy crunch
- Portland Press-Herald Editorial – Maine should get off the grid
- "Hot Stick" Shields Body From High Voltage
- Columbia teems with new species
- Rocky Barker – First sockeye comes home to Idaho
- Wapato fish die a day after lake treatment to kill toxin-producing algae
- Tri-City Herald Editorial – New water makes our food, economy grow
- Idaho Water Accounting
- Oregon to have world's largest wind farm
- Winds of change fill new career
- Wenatchee World Editorial – Talking It Over: Taking a closer look at wind power
- Houston Chronicle Letters –Is it an ill wind blowing?
- Daily News Editorial – Surprising testimony should propel energy-policy discourse
- Building Bridges in the Wood Pellet Heating Industry
- Data Centers That Will Follow the Sun and Chase the Wind
- BPA will reimburse Power Save costs
- Fans of L.E.D.’s Say This Bulb’s Time Has Come
- VIRGINIA – 'Green' easy for companies to tout but hard to guarantee
- East Wenatchee – Eastside data center lands another tenant
- Eugene chip plant Hynix will close, erasing 1,400 jobs
- Russia, The Final Frontier For Data Centers?
- FCC Majority Plans To Punish Comcast For Throttling
- Time to drop cable television?
- Phones Without Homes
- Fresno Wants Citywide Wireless But Doesn’t Want To Pay
- Broadband in 3/4 of U.S. Homes By 2012
- Olympia man charged in attack on trees
- CALIFORNIA – Scrap Dealer charged in Sacramento water meter scandal
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Xanadu • \ZAN-uh-doo\ • noun – An idyllic, exotic, or luxurious place
“Ahh,…whenever I hear the word Xanadu I think of the former glory of the Mongol Empire,” sighed Bataar. “I think of Charles Foster Kane!” shouted Jim Gettys, “I imagine Olivia Newton John, resplendent in spandex,” said Sonny Malone in a dreamy, far away voice.
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
FERC renews Cowlitz PUD's hydroelectric lease (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/07/25/area_news/doc48893d80212f9356412244.txt
Puget Sound Energy buys 125 megawatt Sumas natural gas-fired power plant (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008077761_apwapugetenergysumas.html?syndication=rss
Chelan County PUD Power line repairs to top $1 million (The Wenatchee World, WA)http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080725/NEWS04/98861046/1005
Grant PUD approves contract for FERC-mandated security (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/07/25/news/news02.txt
New Tribune Editorial – What’s the price of public service? Fears of a talent drain at Tacoma Public Utilities put pressure on city leaders over potential raises (Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/424907.html
Wenatchee Word Editorial – Our World: Grand Coulee celebration
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080726/NEWS04/815319348/1001/rss1001
Hartford Courant Commentary – State's Electricity Picture Brightening – Just a few years ago, Connecticut's electricity system was on the federal watch list of areas in need of improvement
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/commentary/hc-commentaryvanwelie0727.artjul27,0,3623169.story
Salt Lake Tribune Op/Ed – A full portfolio of resources can ease the energy crunch – Rocky Mountain Power and Questar Gas rate increase requests before the Utah Public Service Commission would add about $20 a month to the typical customer's energy bills (Salt Lake City, UT)
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_10006756
Portland Press-Herald Editorial – Maine should get off the grid
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=201262&ac=PHedi
"Hot Stick" Shields Body From High Voltage (KNDO-TV, Tri Cities, WA)http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8733828
FISH & WILDLIFE
Columbia teems with new species – Altered habitat makes invaders feel at home (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/521010.html
Rocky Barker – First sockeye comes home to Idaho (The Idaho Statesman, Boise ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/environment/story/452344.html
Wapato fish die a day after lake treatment to kill toxin-producing algae (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/424910.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Tri-City Herald Editorial – New water makes our food, economy grow – With her recent actions on Mid-Columbia water projects, Gov. Chris Gregoire has done something positive and important for our region
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/962/story/253385.html
Idaho Water Accounting (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4131
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Oregon to have world's largest wind farm – A state energy panel has approved building what developers say would be the world's largest single wind farm in Gilliam and Morrow counties (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008075554_windfarm27m.html?syndication=rss
Winds of change fill new career (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer – 25 cents to Klaus Meine of the Scorpions)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/372356_windfixers28.html?source=rss
Wenatchee World Editorial – Talking It Over: Taking a closer look at wind power
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080724/NEWS04/85287057/1025/rss1025
Houston Chronicle Letters –Is it an ill wind blowing? (Houston, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/5908983.html
Daily News Editorial – Surprising testimony should propel energy-policy discourse – Oilman T. Boone Pickens was on Capitol Hill last week advocating energy alternatives to the fossil fuels that made him rich (Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/07/27/editorial/doc488b911a349e5667362794.txt
Building Bridges in the Wood Pellet Heating Industry (PelletSales.com)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/story?id=53171&src=rss
Data Centers That Will Follow the Sun and Chase the Wind (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/25/data-centers-that-will-follow-the-sun-and-chase-the-wind/
CONSERVATION
BPA will reimburse Power Save costs – The Bonneville Power Administration will reimburse the total cost of a power-saving energy management product called Faronics Power Save (The Statesman-Journal, Salem, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080728/BUSINESS/807280315
Fans of L.E.D.’s Say This Bulb’s Time Has Come (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/28/technology/28led.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
VIRGINIA – 'Green' easy for companies to tout but hard to guarantee (The Virginian Pilot)
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/07/green-easy-companies-tout-hard-guarantee
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
East Wenatchee – Eastside data center lands another tenant (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080728/BIZ/928125542
Eugene chip plant Hynix will close, erasing 1,400 jobs – Employees will be told today of the memory chip plant's closure, which ranks among Oregon's biggest layoffs this decade (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1216869903314710.xml&coll=7
Russia, The Final Frontier For Data Centers? (GigaOM)http://gigaom.com/2008/07/27/russia-data-centers/
FCC Majority Plans To Punish Comcast For Throttling – Official vote pending announcement next week (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Majority-Plans-To-Punish-Comcast-For-Throttling-96436
Time to drop cable television? Not so fast (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN2429877920080724?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology
Phones Without Homes – What's really killing the land-line telephone business? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2195765/?from=rss
Fresno Wants Citywide Wireless But Doesn’t Want To Pay – Lots of rules in the RFP but no offer of payment (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Fresno-Wants-Citywide-Wireless-But-Doesnt-Want-To-Pay-96462
Broadband in 3/4 of U.S. Homes By 2012 – According to the latest new report (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadband-in-34-of-US-Homes-By-2012-96459
GENERAL NEWS
Olympia man charged in attack on trees (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/520047.html
CALIFORNIA – Scrap Dealer charged in Sacramento water meter scandal (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/1089/story/1107726.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
'Addicted' to Being Buried in Trash? Man Arrested at Silverdale Dump
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jul/24/man-looking-for-trash-arrested-for-theft/
Labrador 'runs' for mayor of Fairhope, Alaska
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080728/ap_on_fe_st/odd_fido_for_mayor;_ylt=AvK932y0PrtMC2YgiNkqkK3tiBIF
German police officers are mistaken for strippers
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080728/ap_on_fe_st/odd_germany_police_strippers;_ylt=AnHjfEIQ8cNdebfVTIC8dKTtiBIF
The bride wore dart launchers at Comic-Con wedding
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080726/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_comiccon_wedding;_ylt=AidP_CTfSsapA3TpqD7ZEATtiBIF
Eel drink goes on sale for Japan's hot summer
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080728/ap_on_fe_st/odd_japan_eel_drink;_ylt=AsdU3xRTAXPFnzAIN8T.kKHtiBIF
Monday, July 28, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Energy News Digest for July 24, 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.
The news digest is also available at the following web site:
http://www.energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Puget Energy buyers agree to trim debt, raise low-income assistance
- Seattle Times Editorial – Concessions not enough to seal PSE deal
- Whidbey pushes for its own public utility district
- TransAlta Ponders Takeover Response
- Natural gas rates may skyrocket
- MONTANA – Higher Winter Energy Bills
- Port Townsend paper mill lays off 14, cites rising cost of energy, materials
- Alaska Senate considers new pipeline
- 9th Circuit – California Department of Water Resources V. Powerex Corp
- TEXAS – Have power prices hit a peak?
- Tennessee Congressman calls for refunds for customers from electricity cooperatives
- Coal and gas could power Maryland energy complex
- Former Westar officials ask judge to dismiss remaining counts
- CHINA – Final protest as village cleared for China's Three Gorges dam
- Sockeye return to Columbia in record numbers
- Costs shake up salmon bakes
- Seattle cement plants puff out toxic mercury
- News Tribune Editorial – Hands off that rain – it’s state property
- REC Silicon secures $1 billion in contracts for the supply of monosilane gas
- California green energy proposal has thin support
- Buzz up! Plug-in hybrids generate buzz in San Jose
- Save a Buck: Simple changes save power
- Western Climate Initiative – Proposal regulates carbon emissions
- "Greenhouse" bees spread disease to wild bees
- U.S. Has No Idea How Wired For Broadband It Is
- Microsoft exec who led Yahoo buyout team to leave
- Google's Cerf: Baby Bells Act Like Tots Having Tantrums
- Simpson Door workers in McCleary vote to authorize strike
- Credit Unions Claim Stability Amid U.S. Economy Crisis
- Pair with wire raise suspicions
- Jury awards Selah woman $171,000 in eminent domain case
- Goats To Begin Clearing Work For The City of Shelton
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Sub Rosa • \SUB – ROE-zah\ • adverb – In confidence: secretly
Dante thought that he had been receiving sub rosa financial advice via the closed captioning function on his TV while watching Suze Orman on the Teevee. That is, until his neighbor pointed out that the subtitles exactly matched the words coming out of Orman’s mouth.
Etymology: New Latin, literally, under the rose; from the ancient association of the rose with secrecy
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Puget Energy buyers agree to trim debt, raise low-income assistance (The Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008069600_puget240.html
Seattle Times Editorial – Concessions not enough to seal PSE deal
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008069361_nopsedealed24.html
Whidbey pushes for its own public utility district – Proponents say a public utility district can provide better electricity rates and service (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20080724/NEWS01/510347379
TransAlta Ponders Takeover Response – Power Company Stock Rises After Friday’s $7.8 Billion Acquisition Offer (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/rss/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1216835169&archive=
Natural gas rates may skyrocket (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/07/07232008_Natural-gas-rates-may-skyrocket.cfm?newsletter=2
MONTANA – Higher Winter Energy Bills (KECI-TV, Missoula, MT)
http://www.keci.com/montana_news.php?id=ffe259e36b894b74c507d157a6155b86
Port Townsend paper mill lays off 14, cites rising cost of energy, materials (The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080724/NEWS/807240308
Alaska Senate considers new pipeline – House approves license to seek permit for 1,715-mile, gas-carrying structure (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/372000_pipeline24.html?source=rss
9th Circuit – California Department of Water Resources V. Powerex Corp (Links to PDF File)
http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/D93429B06E2B32288825748D007A2B00/$file/0615285.pdf?openelement
TEXAS – Have power prices hit a peak? Some electric retailers in Texas reduce rates after natural gas cost takes a tumble (The Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/5904589.html
Tennessee Congressman Cooper calls for refunds for customers from electricity cooperatives – Urges TVA policy change (The Tennessean, Nashville, TN)http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080722/NEWS02/807220369/1009/NEWS
Coal and gas could power Maryland energy complex (The Associated Press, via the Williamson Daily News, WV)
http://www.williamsondailynews.com/articles/2008/07/23/news/doc48872986ba73a402117943.txt
Former Westar CEO, strategy officer ask federal judge to dismiss remaining counts against them (Canadian Business)
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/market_news/article.jsp?content=D922VLV02
CHINA – Final protest as village cleared for China's Three Gorges dam (Canda.com)
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=ff91aa96-b663-4dfa-8d98-de04c3c46a3e
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – ‘Progressive’ power play – Rather than retrofit Mirant plant to run on cleaner power, four supervisors want to build more fossil fuel plants (SF, CA)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/24/EDED11TSTU.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
FISH & WILDLIFE
Sockeye return to Columbia in record numbers (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1503312~Sockeye_return_to_Columbia_in_record_numbers.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Costs shake up salmon bakes (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/soundlife/story/420848.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Seattle cement plants puff out toxic mercury – Two Seattle cement plants puff out as much as 100 pounds of mercury each year, according to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and the companies (The Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008069635_cement24m0.html
News Tribune Editorial – Hands off that rain – it’s state property – The question wouldn’t have occurred to most of us: Who owns the rain? (Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/422059.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
REC Silicon secures $1 billion in contracts for the supply of monosilane gas to major gas distributors (The Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/07/23/news/news03.txt
California green energy proposal has thin support – 63% of those who had a view on it favor a California ballot measure that would require half the state's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025, BUT 82% of those interviewed said they did not know of the measure. (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/environment/2008-07-24-proposition-7-not-recognized_N.htm?csp=34
Buzz up! Plug-in hybrids generate buzz in San Jose (San Francisco Chronicle, CA)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/23/BU6711TF9S.DTL&feed=rss.business
CONSERVATION
Save a Buck: Simple changes save power (The Everett Herald)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/23/BU6711TF9S.DTL&feed=rss.business
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Western Climate Initiative – Proposal regulates carbon emissions (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/07/21/daily34.html?ana=from_rss
"Greenhouse" bees spread disease to wild bees (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSN2232266420080723?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
U.S. Has No Idea How Wired For Broadband It Is – Only ten of the nation's fifty states engaged in finding out (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/US-Has-No-Idea-How-Wired-For-Broadband-It-Is-96312
Microsoft exec who led Yahoo buyout team to leave (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/517274.html
Google's Cerf: Baby Bells Act Like Tots Having Tantrums – Neutrality fight leaves bad blood between industry giants (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Googles-Cerf-Baby-Bells-Act-Like-Tots-Having-Tantrums-96305
GENERAL NEWS
Simpson Door workers in McCleary vote to authorize strike (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/07/23/local_news/07news.txt
Credit Unions Claim Stability Amid U.S. Economy Crisis (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8723230
Pair with wire raise suspicions (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/07/23/local_news/10news.txt
Jury awards Selah woman $171,000 in eminent domain case (The Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/6079
Goats To Begin Clearing Work For The City of Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/618/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
NZ judge backs girl over 'embarrassing' name: Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/24/odd.names/index.html?eref=ib_topstories
Teacher Lasts 20 Hours On Carnival Ride, Wins $1K
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/16965961/detail.html
Police Catch Man Who Lost Weight to Squeeze Out Of Jail
http://www.kirotv.com/health/16963636/detail.html
NY Man Earning $100K Lived In Company Paint Shed
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/16966046/detail.html
Underwear chicken dare puts man in hospital
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSSYD22974420080723?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
The news digest is also available at the following web site:
http://www.energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Puget Energy buyers agree to trim debt, raise low-income assistance
- Seattle Times Editorial – Concessions not enough to seal PSE deal
- Whidbey pushes for its own public utility district
- TransAlta Ponders Takeover Response
- Natural gas rates may skyrocket
- MONTANA – Higher Winter Energy Bills
- Port Townsend paper mill lays off 14, cites rising cost of energy, materials
- Alaska Senate considers new pipeline
- 9th Circuit – California Department of Water Resources V. Powerex Corp
- TEXAS – Have power prices hit a peak?
- Tennessee Congressman calls for refunds for customers from electricity cooperatives
- Coal and gas could power Maryland energy complex
- Former Westar officials ask judge to dismiss remaining counts
- CHINA – Final protest as village cleared for China's Three Gorges dam
- Sockeye return to Columbia in record numbers
- Costs shake up salmon bakes
- Seattle cement plants puff out toxic mercury
- News Tribune Editorial – Hands off that rain – it’s state property
- REC Silicon secures $1 billion in contracts for the supply of monosilane gas
- California green energy proposal has thin support
- Buzz up! Plug-in hybrids generate buzz in San Jose
- Save a Buck: Simple changes save power
- Western Climate Initiative – Proposal regulates carbon emissions
- "Greenhouse" bees spread disease to wild bees
- U.S. Has No Idea How Wired For Broadband It Is
- Microsoft exec who led Yahoo buyout team to leave
- Google's Cerf: Baby Bells Act Like Tots Having Tantrums
- Simpson Door workers in McCleary vote to authorize strike
- Credit Unions Claim Stability Amid U.S. Economy Crisis
- Pair with wire raise suspicions
- Jury awards Selah woman $171,000 in eminent domain case
- Goats To Begin Clearing Work For The City of Shelton
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Sub Rosa • \SUB – ROE-zah\ • adverb – In confidence: secretly
Dante thought that he had been receiving sub rosa financial advice via the closed captioning function on his TV while watching Suze Orman on the Teevee. That is, until his neighbor pointed out that the subtitles exactly matched the words coming out of Orman’s mouth.
Etymology: New Latin, literally, under the rose; from the ancient association of the rose with secrecy
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Puget Energy buyers agree to trim debt, raise low-income assistance (The Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008069600_puget240.html
Seattle Times Editorial – Concessions not enough to seal PSE deal
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008069361_nopsedealed24.html
Whidbey pushes for its own public utility district – Proponents say a public utility district can provide better electricity rates and service (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20080724/NEWS01/510347379
TransAlta Ponders Takeover Response – Power Company Stock Rises After Friday’s $7.8 Billion Acquisition Offer (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/rss/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1216835169&archive=
Natural gas rates may skyrocket (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/07/07232008_Natural-gas-rates-may-skyrocket.cfm?newsletter=2
MONTANA – Higher Winter Energy Bills (KECI-TV, Missoula, MT)
http://www.keci.com/montana_news.php?id=ffe259e36b894b74c507d157a6155b86
Port Townsend paper mill lays off 14, cites rising cost of energy, materials (The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080724/NEWS/807240308
Alaska Senate considers new pipeline – House approves license to seek permit for 1,715-mile, gas-carrying structure (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/372000_pipeline24.html?source=rss
9th Circuit – California Department of Water Resources V. Powerex Corp (Links to PDF File)
http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/D93429B06E2B32288825748D007A2B00/$file/0615285.pdf?openelement
TEXAS – Have power prices hit a peak? Some electric retailers in Texas reduce rates after natural gas cost takes a tumble (The Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/5904589.html
Tennessee Congressman Cooper calls for refunds for customers from electricity cooperatives – Urges TVA policy change (The Tennessean, Nashville, TN)http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080722/NEWS02/807220369/1009/NEWS
Coal and gas could power Maryland energy complex (The Associated Press, via the Williamson Daily News, WV)
http://www.williamsondailynews.com/articles/2008/07/23/news/doc48872986ba73a402117943.txt
Former Westar CEO, strategy officer ask federal judge to dismiss remaining counts against them (Canadian Business)
http://www.canadianbusiness.com/markets/market_news/article.jsp?content=D922VLV02
CHINA – Final protest as village cleared for China's Three Gorges dam (Canda.com)
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=ff91aa96-b663-4dfa-8d98-de04c3c46a3e
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – ‘Progressive’ power play – Rather than retrofit Mirant plant to run on cleaner power, four supervisors want to build more fossil fuel plants (SF, CA)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/24/EDED11TSTU.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
FISH & WILDLIFE
Sockeye return to Columbia in record numbers (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1503312~Sockeye_return_to_Columbia_in_record_numbers.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Costs shake up salmon bakes (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/soundlife/story/420848.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Seattle cement plants puff out toxic mercury – Two Seattle cement plants puff out as much as 100 pounds of mercury each year, according to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and the companies (The Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008069635_cement24m0.html
News Tribune Editorial – Hands off that rain – it’s state property – The question wouldn’t have occurred to most of us: Who owns the rain? (Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/422059.html
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
REC Silicon secures $1 billion in contracts for the supply of monosilane gas to major gas distributors (The Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/07/23/news/news03.txt
California green energy proposal has thin support – 63% of those who had a view on it favor a California ballot measure that would require half the state's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2025, BUT 82% of those interviewed said they did not know of the measure. (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/environment/2008-07-24-proposition-7-not-recognized_N.htm?csp=34
Buzz up! Plug-in hybrids generate buzz in San Jose (San Francisco Chronicle, CA)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/23/BU6711TF9S.DTL&feed=rss.business
CONSERVATION
Save a Buck: Simple changes save power (The Everett Herald)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/23/BU6711TF9S.DTL&feed=rss.business
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Western Climate Initiative – Proposal regulates carbon emissions (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/07/21/daily34.html?ana=from_rss
"Greenhouse" bees spread disease to wild bees (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSN2232266420080723?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
U.S. Has No Idea How Wired For Broadband It Is – Only ten of the nation's fifty states engaged in finding out (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/US-Has-No-Idea-How-Wired-For-Broadband-It-Is-96312
Microsoft exec who led Yahoo buyout team to leave (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/517274.html
Google's Cerf: Baby Bells Act Like Tots Having Tantrums – Neutrality fight leaves bad blood between industry giants (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Googles-Cerf-Baby-Bells-Act-Like-Tots-Having-Tantrums-96305
GENERAL NEWS
Simpson Door workers in McCleary vote to authorize strike (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/07/23/local_news/07news.txt
Credit Unions Claim Stability Amid U.S. Economy Crisis (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8723230
Pair with wire raise suspicions (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/07/23/local_news/10news.txt
Jury awards Selah woman $171,000 in eminent domain case (The Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/6079
Goats To Begin Clearing Work For The City of Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/618/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
NZ judge backs girl over 'embarrassing' name: Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/24/odd.names/index.html?eref=ib_topstories
Teacher Lasts 20 Hours On Carnival Ride, Wins $1K
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/16965961/detail.html
Police Catch Man Who Lost Weight to Squeeze Out Of Jail
http://www.kirotv.com/health/16963636/detail.html
NY Man Earning $100K Lived In Company Paint Shed
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/16966046/detail.html
Underwear chicken dare puts man in hospital
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSSYD22974420080723?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Energy News Digest for July 23, 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)
- Alcoa finalizes WA hydro deal for smelter, BPA talks next
- Puget Energy's stock soars 10% on settlement news
- Grand Coulee Dam's immensity dominates Columbia River Basin
- Oregon says plan for dams lacks salmon protection
- Salmon regaining place in tribe's culture
- OREGON – Another fish pest found in Diamond Lake, Ore
- State to check public beach used by Taylor United Shellfish
- Higher rates likely for many Chelan PUD water and sewer customer
- OREGON – Renewable energy investors aren't suppliers
- Wheat residue too valuable for biofuels
- E.P.A. Ponders Cut in Ethanol Level
- Uprising Against the Ethanol Mandate
- Register Guard Opinion – Make way for wind powe
- Oregon solar industry approaching solstice
- Alternative energy a popular stop in U.S. campaign
- (NY Times Op/Ed – Harvest the Sun — From Space
- MINI electric cars to hit U.S. roads next summer
- Home sales drop hurts sales of “green” homes
- The path to efficiency - the U.S. is already on it
- California Pursues Ambitious Electricity Conservation Plan
- Swapping Smokestacks for Stores, Startups Market CO2 as Green
- Climate change protester glues himself to British Prime Minister
- The EPA Climate Change Page for Kids
- Is Broadband A Civil Right?
- AT&T To Create Tiered Internet Access For Subscribers
- Comcast Clarifies Its Network Management Efforts Again
- 'Spam King' Sentenced To Nearly 4 Years
- Servers in the home remain scarce
- Cost of wire thefts in 7-county area reaches more than $500,000
- Philadelphia Streets Unsafe for Manhole Covers
- Mariner radio broadcasts are moving from KOMO to KIRO
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
Alcoa finalizes WA hydro deal for smelter, BPA talks next (International Hydropower & Dam Construction)
http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/story.asp?sectioncode=130&storyCode=2050281
Puget Energy's stock soars 10% on settlement news – Puget Energy's stock surged 10 percent today, a day after announcing it had reached a settlement with some critics of its proposed takeover (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008066294_webpugetstox22.html?syndication=rss
Grand Coulee Dam's immensity dominates Columbia River Basin (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2008067443_onlywa23coulee.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
Oregon says plan for dams lacks salmon protection (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371852_salmon23.html
Salmon regaining place in tribe's culture – Dams decimated significant fish populations (The Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=15833
OREGON – Another fish pest found in Diamond Lake, Ore. (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1499369~Another_fish_pest_found_in_Diamond_Lake__Ore_.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
State to check public beach used by Taylor United Shellfish (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/516145.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Higher rates likely for many Chelan PUD water and sewer customers – Proposal aims to simplify billing; revenues will jump 6.5-7 percent Higher rates likely for many Chelan PUD water and sewer customers (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080722/NEWS04/866819474
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
OREGON – Renewable energy investors aren't suppliers – The Oregon Attorney General has determined that third-party renewable energy investors aren’t classified as electricity suppliers under state law (The Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, OR)
http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDetail.htm/2008/07/22/Meyers-says-investors-arent-suppliers
Wheat residue too valuable for biofuels (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1499886~Wheat_residue_too_valuable_for_biofuels.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
E.P.A. Ponders Cut in Ethanol Level – The ethanol industry, until recently a golden child that got favorable treatment from Washington, is facing a critical decision on its future (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/business/23ethanol.html?_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Uprising Against the Ethanol Mandate (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/business/23ethanol.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Register Guard Opinion – Make way for wind power: The new source will require some accommodations (Eugene Oregon)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=124765&sid=5&fid=1
Oregon solar industry approaching solstice – No one's talking, but potential deals could bring thousands of $50,000-a-year positions (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/121669891554050.xml&coll=7
Alternative energy a popular stop in U.S. campaign (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2143903020080722?feedType=nl&feedName=ustopnewsearly
(NY Times Op/Ed – Harvest the Sun — From Space
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/opinion/23smith.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
MINI electric cars to hit U.S. roads next summer (The San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9959273?source=rss
CONSERVATION
Home sales drop hurts sales of “green” homes (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)
http://www.dailytidings.com/2008/0721/stories/0721_econ_realestate.php
The path to efficiency - the U.S. is already on it (The Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080723.REYNOLDS23/TPStory/Business
California Pursues Ambitious Electricity Conservation Plan (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200807221852DOWJONESDJONLINE000685_FORTUNE5.htm
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Swapping Smokestacks for Stores, Startups Market CO2 as Green – "Carbon transformation" sounds like a no-brainer: Take waste carbon dioxide, add some basic chemistry, and turn a profit. (Popular Mechanics)
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4274541.html
Climate change protester glues himself to British Prime Minister (Adelaide Now)
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24069156-5006301,00.html
The EPA Climate Change Page for Kids (The Environmental Protection Agency)
http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Is Broadband A Civil Right? FCC meeting heavy on rhetoric, light on usefulness (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Is-Broadband-A-Civil-Right-96285
AT&T To Create Tiered Internet Access For Subscribers (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200807220750DOWJONESDJONLINE000309_FORTUNE5.htm
Comcast Clarifies Its Network Management Efforts Again (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/22/comcast-clarifies-its-network-management-efforts-again/
'Spam King' Sentenced To Nearly 4 Years (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/technology/16956805/detail.html
Servers in the home remain scarce – Microsoft has to find an answer to the bigger problem--many consumers have no idea what a server is and fewer still have any reason to think they would want one in their home. (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-9995868-56.html
GENERAL NEWS
Cost of wire thefts in 7-county area reaches more than $500,000 – More wire has been stolen from the state Department of Transportation and replacement costs for all the stolen wire has reached more than a half-million dollars this year (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008065928_webwiretheft22m.html?syndication=rss
Philadelphia Streets Unsafe for Manhole Covers – Thieves have so thoroughly stripped some neighborhoods on the city’s north and southwest sides that some blocks look like slalom courses (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/us/23manholes.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Mariner radio broadcasts are moving from KOMO to KIRO (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/07/21/daily10.html?ana=from_rss
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Bystanders Rush To Gather Man's Cash Scattered In Wind – He gets nearly all of it back!
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16955611/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Charter sends family 2 TVs after prize debacle
http://www.enewscourier.com/local/local_story_190215931.html
Rhode Island police say man had 0.491 blood alcohol level – the highest ever recorded in Rhode Island for someone who wasn't dead.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080723/ap_on_fe_st/odd_extremely_drunk;_ylt=Ar6U7Nq1FwtVrFVi4qBxFn3tiBIF
Woman runs sword into foot during Wiccan “good luck” ceremony
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_wiccan_injured;_ylt=Aq1spZkfV5Q27VHxx.hdN_btiBIF
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Alcoa finalizes WA hydro deal for smelter, BPA talks next
- Puget Energy's stock soars 10% on settlement news
- Grand Coulee Dam's immensity dominates Columbia River Basin
- Oregon says plan for dams lacks salmon protection
- Salmon regaining place in tribe's culture
- OREGON – Another fish pest found in Diamond Lake, Ore
- State to check public beach used by Taylor United Shellfish
- Higher rates likely for many Chelan PUD water and sewer customer
- OREGON – Renewable energy investors aren't suppliers
- Wheat residue too valuable for biofuels
- E.P.A. Ponders Cut in Ethanol Level
- Uprising Against the Ethanol Mandate
- Register Guard Opinion – Make way for wind powe
- Oregon solar industry approaching solstice
- Alternative energy a popular stop in U.S. campaign
- (NY Times Op/Ed – Harvest the Sun — From Space
- MINI electric cars to hit U.S. roads next summer
- Home sales drop hurts sales of “green” homes
- The path to efficiency - the U.S. is already on it
- California Pursues Ambitious Electricity Conservation Plan
- Swapping Smokestacks for Stores, Startups Market CO2 as Green
- Climate change protester glues himself to British Prime Minister
- The EPA Climate Change Page for Kids
- Is Broadband A Civil Right?
- AT&T To Create Tiered Internet Access For Subscribers
- Comcast Clarifies Its Network Management Efforts Again
- 'Spam King' Sentenced To Nearly 4 Years
- Servers in the home remain scarce
- Cost of wire thefts in 7-county area reaches more than $500,000
- Philadelphia Streets Unsafe for Manhole Covers
- Mariner radio broadcasts are moving from KOMO to KIRO
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
Alcoa finalizes WA hydro deal for smelter, BPA talks next (International Hydropower & Dam Construction)
http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/story.asp?sectioncode=130&storyCode=2050281
Puget Energy's stock soars 10% on settlement news – Puget Energy's stock surged 10 percent today, a day after announcing it had reached a settlement with some critics of its proposed takeover (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008066294_webpugetstox22.html?syndication=rss
Grand Coulee Dam's immensity dominates Columbia River Basin (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2008067443_onlywa23coulee.html
FISH & WILDLIFE
Oregon says plan for dams lacks salmon protection (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371852_salmon23.html
Salmon regaining place in tribe's culture – Dams decimated significant fish populations (The Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=15833
OREGON – Another fish pest found in Diamond Lake, Ore. (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1499369~Another_fish_pest_found_in_Diamond_Lake__Ore_.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
State to check public beach used by Taylor United Shellfish (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/516145.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Higher rates likely for many Chelan PUD water and sewer customers – Proposal aims to simplify billing; revenues will jump 6.5-7 percent Higher rates likely for many Chelan PUD water and sewer customers (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080722/NEWS04/866819474
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
OREGON – Renewable energy investors aren't suppliers – The Oregon Attorney General has determined that third-party renewable energy investors aren’t classified as electricity suppliers under state law (The Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, OR)
http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDetail.htm/2008/07/22/Meyers-says-investors-arent-suppliers
Wheat residue too valuable for biofuels (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1499886~Wheat_residue_too_valuable_for_biofuels.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
E.P.A. Ponders Cut in Ethanol Level – The ethanol industry, until recently a golden child that got favorable treatment from Washington, is facing a critical decision on its future (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/business/23ethanol.html?_r=2&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Uprising Against the Ethanol Mandate (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/business/23ethanol.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Register Guard Opinion – Make way for wind power: The new source will require some accommodations (Eugene Oregon)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=124765&sid=5&fid=1
Oregon solar industry approaching solstice – No one's talking, but potential deals could bring thousands of $50,000-a-year positions (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/121669891554050.xml&coll=7
Alternative energy a popular stop in U.S. campaign (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2143903020080722?feedType=nl&feedName=ustopnewsearly
(NY Times Op/Ed – Harvest the Sun — From Space
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/opinion/23smith.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
MINI electric cars to hit U.S. roads next summer (The San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9959273?source=rss
CONSERVATION
Home sales drop hurts sales of “green” homes (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)
http://www.dailytidings.com/2008/0721/stories/0721_econ_realestate.php
The path to efficiency - the U.S. is already on it (The Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080723.REYNOLDS23/TPStory/Business
California Pursues Ambitious Electricity Conservation Plan (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200807221852DOWJONESDJONLINE000685_FORTUNE5.htm
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Swapping Smokestacks for Stores, Startups Market CO2 as Green – "Carbon transformation" sounds like a no-brainer: Take waste carbon dioxide, add some basic chemistry, and turn a profit. (Popular Mechanics)
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4274541.html
Climate change protester glues himself to British Prime Minister (Adelaide Now)
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24069156-5006301,00.html
The EPA Climate Change Page for Kids (The Environmental Protection Agency)
http://epa.gov/climatechange/kids/
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Is Broadband A Civil Right? FCC meeting heavy on rhetoric, light on usefulness (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Is-Broadband-A-Civil-Right-96285
AT&T To Create Tiered Internet Access For Subscribers (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200807220750DOWJONESDJONLINE000309_FORTUNE5.htm
Comcast Clarifies Its Network Management Efforts Again (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/22/comcast-clarifies-its-network-management-efforts-again/
'Spam King' Sentenced To Nearly 4 Years (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/technology/16956805/detail.html
Servers in the home remain scarce – Microsoft has to find an answer to the bigger problem--many consumers have no idea what a server is and fewer still have any reason to think they would want one in their home. (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-9995868-56.html
GENERAL NEWS
Cost of wire thefts in 7-county area reaches more than $500,000 – More wire has been stolen from the state Department of Transportation and replacement costs for all the stolen wire has reached more than a half-million dollars this year (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008065928_webwiretheft22m.html?syndication=rss
Philadelphia Streets Unsafe for Manhole Covers – Thieves have so thoroughly stripped some neighborhoods on the city’s north and southwest sides that some blocks look like slalom courses (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/us/23manholes.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Mariner radio broadcasts are moving from KOMO to KIRO (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/07/21/daily10.html?ana=from_rss
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Bystanders Rush To Gather Man's Cash Scattered In Wind – He gets nearly all of it back!
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16955611/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Charter sends family 2 TVs after prize debacle
http://www.enewscourier.com/local/local_story_190215931.html
Rhode Island police say man had 0.491 blood alcohol level – the highest ever recorded in Rhode Island for someone who wasn't dead.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080723/ap_on_fe_st/odd_extremely_drunk;_ylt=Ar6U7Nq1FwtVrFVi4qBxFn3tiBIF
Woman runs sword into foot during Wiccan “good luck” ceremony
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_wiccan_injured;_ylt=Aq1spZkfV5Q27VHxx.hdN_btiBIF
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Energy News Digest for July 22, 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)
- Puget Energy sale wins over some critics
- Centralia Steam Plant May Change Ownership
- Sequim power restored
- Snohomish County PUD to consider buying hydro plant
- Grant PUD budget analyst appointed to Ephrata City Council
- Wall Street Journal Opinion – Let's Have Some Love for Nuclear Power
- Internet Channel Can Help Utilities Ease the Sting of Delinquent Payments
- The Olympian Opinion – Fines warranted if shellfish were farmed illegally
- Scientists say nonnative game fish threat to salmon
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Opinion – Pacific NW Fisheries: Reckless ideas
- Oregon Coast Albacore Tuna Has Arrived
- CANADA – Can Vancouver Island's trollers survive?
- CANADA – Salmon's return to Coquitlam Lake spawns community celebration
- Saving rain: How much is too much? Rain that falls on your roof isn't yours for the taking
- Attendance light at first public forum to discuss Black Rock water reservoir
- Skagit County – Sauk River will run its course again
- CALIFORNIA – Slowdown on Folsom Lake anticipated as water level drops
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Will environment survive the enviros?
- Local schools shining light on solar panels
- GM eyes electric grid for plug-ins
- Full speed ahead on new energy
- NY Times Opinion – T. Boone Pickens Rides the Wind
- Kitsap County Considers Ways to Curb Energy Consumption
- Building green from the ground up
- Carter's energy policy seems prescient today
- Western Climate Initiative Members To Outline Strategy
- Free Market Energy Could Cost Data Centers a Bundle
- Time Warner Cable Using Fine Print To Foist Caps On Customers
- Wire thieves hit I-5 ramps in Tacoma
- CALIFORNIA – Copper thieves cut power to school surveillance system
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Puget Energy wins over some critics – Some critics of a takeover of Puget Energy by a group of Australian and Canadian investors have reached a proposed settlement with the utility (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008065128_pse220.html
Centralia Steam Plant May Change Ownership (KELA Radio, Centralia)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?Steam-Plant-May-Change-Ownership=1&blockID=10603&feedID=410
Sequim power restored (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3835
Everett Herald – This Week's Public Meetings: Snohomish County PUD, 9 a.m. Tuesday , PUD headquarters, 2320 California St., Everett. Commissioners will consider buying the Youngs Creek Hydroelectric project located four miles south of Sultan for $745,000.
Grant PUD budget analyst appointed to Ephrata City Council (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/07/21/news/news05.txt
Wall Street Journal Opinion – Let's Have Some Love for Nuclear Power
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121659839296769061.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
Energy Pulse Commentary – Internet Channel Can Help Utilities Ease the Sting of Delinquent Payments
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1782
FISH & WILDLIFE
The Olympian Opinion – Fines warranted if shellfish were farmed illegally – If Taylor Shellfish Farms illegally harvested oysters and geoducks from state tidelands in Totten Inlet, the Mason County company should face stiff fines by state regulators (Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/511984.html
Scientists say nonnative game fish threat to salmon – A panel of scientists has advised letting anglers catch more shad, smallmouth bass and walleye in the Columbia and Snake rivers to help out wild salmon(KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/25739344.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Opinion – Pacific NW Fisheries: Reckless ideas
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/371644_fisheriesed.html?source=rss
Oregon Coast Albacore Tuna Has Arrived (North Coast Oregon)
http://northcoastoregon.com/articles/local_news/oregon_coast_albacore_tuna_has_arrived
CANADA – Can Vancouver Island's trollers survive? Trollers on the Island's west coast say a proposed salmon treaty will kill their livelihood - if it isn't already doomed by declining stocks (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=8d212d58-2d6c-4ec4-b34d-cb646c3fd5ae
CANADA – Salmon's return to Coquitlam Lake spawns community celebration – First sockeye brought back to lake in more than 100 years, but expert urges improved transport system (Globe and Mail, Canada)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080722.BCSALMON22/TPStory/National
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Saving rain: How much is too much? Technically, rain that falls on your roof isn't yours for the taking. It's a resource of the state, which regulates the use of public waters through an allocation process that can take years to navigate (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371529_rain21.html
Attendance light at first public forum to discuss Black Rock water reservoir – A state Department of Ecology request for public comment on a list of alternatives to large storage reservoirs to serve the Yakima River Basin got little response Monday afternoon (Yakima Herald-Republic , WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/6036
Skagit County – Sauk River will run its course again (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080722/NEWS01/554555991/-1/RSS02
CALIFORNIA – Slowdown on Folsom Lake anticipated as water level drops (Sacramento Bee)
http://www.sacbee.com/102/story/1098322.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Will environment survive the enviros?
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/371648_gerson22.html?source=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Local schools shining light on solar panels – Solar panels are popping up at schools all over the region, through grants from Puget Sound Energy and Seattle City Light (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008063326_solarpanels21m0.html
GM eyes electric grid for plug-ins – meetings with power companies aim to prepare grid for new hybrid (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9957180?source=rss
Full speed ahead on new energy – T. Boone Pickens and Al Gore challenge the next president to remake the US energy industry. (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0722/p08s01-comv.html
NY Times Opinion – T. Boone Pickens Rides the Wind
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/opinion/22tue3.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
CONSERVATION
Kitsap County Considers Ways to Curb Energy Consumption (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jul/21/county-looks-at-curbing-employees-car-use-work/
Building green from the ground up: Fieldbrook couple constructs nature-powered home (Eureka Times-Standard, CA)
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_9946582
Carter's energy policy seems prescient today (Baltimore Sun, MD)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.tucker21jul21,0,4524555.story
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Western Climate Initiative Members To Outline Strategy (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/2634-western-climate-initiative-members-outline-strategy/
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Free Market Energy Could Cost – While deregulation would be welcomed with open arms by electricity generators and smaller power consumers, chief information officers in charge of large data centers may have a tougher time adapting (Forbes Magazine)
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/07/18/brewster-electric-deregulation-tech-cio-cx_es_0721brewster.html?feed=rss_technology
Time Warner Cable Using Fine Print To Foist Caps On Customers – As company PR tests its 'message' in cap trial market (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Time-Warner-Cable-Using-Fine-Print-To-Foist-Caps-On-Customers-96259
GENERAL NEWS
Wire thieves hit I-5 ramps in Tacoma (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_072108WAB_wire_thieves_i-5_tacoma_JM.799fe58a.html?npc
CALIFORNIA – Copper thieves cut power to school surveillance system, escape (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1099151.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Fired worker accused of trying to cut boss' power
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080722/ap_on_fe_st/odd_electricity_arrest;_ylt=Ap3b2UdBOBhcNTJxF7Sz9zXtiBIF
Cable repairman taken for ride in cherry picker
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080722/ap_on_fe_st/odd_cable_truck_theft;_ylt=Ak0yDS7_hPGE6X3qHshRT3_tiBIF
Man blows up apartment spraying for bugs?
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2142142620080721?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
Mounties flush out tourist accidentally locked in a loo – Chemainus has redefined the phrase "tourist trap"
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=c625a9ba-0b45-4b70-9daa-cecb1b5f1a69
World Santa Claus Congress meets in Copenhagen
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080721/ap_on_fe_st/odd_santa_claus_congress;_ylt=Ar0cZorm0hHYf0aZphHCsi_tiBIF
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Puget Energy sale wins over some critics
- Centralia Steam Plant May Change Ownership
- Sequim power restored
- Snohomish County PUD to consider buying hydro plant
- Grant PUD budget analyst appointed to Ephrata City Council
- Wall Street Journal Opinion – Let's Have Some Love for Nuclear Power
- Internet Channel Can Help Utilities Ease the Sting of Delinquent Payments
- The Olympian Opinion – Fines warranted if shellfish were farmed illegally
- Scientists say nonnative game fish threat to salmon
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Opinion – Pacific NW Fisheries: Reckless ideas
- Oregon Coast Albacore Tuna Has Arrived
- CANADA – Can Vancouver Island's trollers survive?
- CANADA – Salmon's return to Coquitlam Lake spawns community celebration
- Saving rain: How much is too much? Rain that falls on your roof isn't yours for the taking
- Attendance light at first public forum to discuss Black Rock water reservoir
- Skagit County – Sauk River will run its course again
- CALIFORNIA – Slowdown on Folsom Lake anticipated as water level drops
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Will environment survive the enviros?
- Local schools shining light on solar panels
- GM eyes electric grid for plug-ins
- Full speed ahead on new energy
- NY Times Opinion – T. Boone Pickens Rides the Wind
- Kitsap County Considers Ways to Curb Energy Consumption
- Building green from the ground up
- Carter's energy policy seems prescient today
- Western Climate Initiative Members To Outline Strategy
- Free Market Energy Could Cost Data Centers a Bundle
- Time Warner Cable Using Fine Print To Foist Caps On Customers
- Wire thieves hit I-5 ramps in Tacoma
- CALIFORNIA – Copper thieves cut power to school surveillance system
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Puget Energy wins over some critics – Some critics of a takeover of Puget Energy by a group of Australian and Canadian investors have reached a proposed settlement with the utility (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008065128_pse220.html
Centralia Steam Plant May Change Ownership (KELA Radio, Centralia)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?Steam-Plant-May-Change-Ownership=1&blockID=10603&feedID=410
Sequim power restored (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3835
Everett Herald – This Week's Public Meetings: Snohomish County PUD, 9 a.m. Tuesday , PUD headquarters, 2320 California St., Everett. Commissioners will consider buying the Youngs Creek Hydroelectric project located four miles south of Sultan for $745,000.
Grant PUD budget analyst appointed to Ephrata City Council (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/07/21/news/news05.txt
Wall Street Journal Opinion – Let's Have Some Love for Nuclear Power
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121659839296769061.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
Energy Pulse Commentary – Internet Channel Can Help Utilities Ease the Sting of Delinquent Payments
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1782
FISH & WILDLIFE
The Olympian Opinion – Fines warranted if shellfish were farmed illegally – If Taylor Shellfish Farms illegally harvested oysters and geoducks from state tidelands in Totten Inlet, the Mason County company should face stiff fines by state regulators (Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/511984.html
Scientists say nonnative game fish threat to salmon – A panel of scientists has advised letting anglers catch more shad, smallmouth bass and walleye in the Columbia and Snake rivers to help out wild salmon(KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/25739344.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Opinion – Pacific NW Fisheries: Reckless ideas
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/371644_fisheriesed.html?source=rss
Oregon Coast Albacore Tuna Has Arrived (North Coast Oregon)
http://northcoastoregon.com/articles/local_news/oregon_coast_albacore_tuna_has_arrived
CANADA – Can Vancouver Island's trollers survive? Trollers on the Island's west coast say a proposed salmon treaty will kill their livelihood - if it isn't already doomed by declining stocks (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=8d212d58-2d6c-4ec4-b34d-cb646c3fd5ae
CANADA – Salmon's return to Coquitlam Lake spawns community celebration – First sockeye brought back to lake in more than 100 years, but expert urges improved transport system (Globe and Mail, Canada)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080722.BCSALMON22/TPStory/National
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Saving rain: How much is too much? Technically, rain that falls on your roof isn't yours for the taking. It's a resource of the state, which regulates the use of public waters through an allocation process that can take years to navigate (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371529_rain21.html
Attendance light at first public forum to discuss Black Rock water reservoir – A state Department of Ecology request for public comment on a list of alternatives to large storage reservoirs to serve the Yakima River Basin got little response Monday afternoon (Yakima Herald-Republic , WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/6036
Skagit County – Sauk River will run its course again (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080722/NEWS01/554555991/-1/RSS02
CALIFORNIA – Slowdown on Folsom Lake anticipated as water level drops (Sacramento Bee)
http://www.sacbee.com/102/story/1098322.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Will environment survive the enviros?
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/371648_gerson22.html?source=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Local schools shining light on solar panels – Solar panels are popping up at schools all over the region, through grants from Puget Sound Energy and Seattle City Light (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008063326_solarpanels21m0.html
GM eyes electric grid for plug-ins – meetings with power companies aim to prepare grid for new hybrid (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9957180?source=rss
Full speed ahead on new energy – T. Boone Pickens and Al Gore challenge the next president to remake the US energy industry. (Christian Science Monitor)
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0722/p08s01-comv.html
NY Times Opinion – T. Boone Pickens Rides the Wind
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/opinion/22tue3.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
CONSERVATION
Kitsap County Considers Ways to Curb Energy Consumption (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jul/21/county-looks-at-curbing-employees-car-use-work/
Building green from the ground up: Fieldbrook couple constructs nature-powered home (Eureka Times-Standard, CA)
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_9946582
Carter's energy policy seems prescient today (Baltimore Sun, MD)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.tucker21jul21,0,4524555.story
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Western Climate Initiative Members To Outline Strategy (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/2634-western-climate-initiative-members-outline-strategy/
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Free Market Energy Could Cost – While deregulation would be welcomed with open arms by electricity generators and smaller power consumers, chief information officers in charge of large data centers may have a tougher time adapting (Forbes Magazine)
http://www.forbes.com/technology/2008/07/18/brewster-electric-deregulation-tech-cio-cx_es_0721brewster.html?feed=rss_technology
Time Warner Cable Using Fine Print To Foist Caps On Customers – As company PR tests its 'message' in cap trial market (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Time-Warner-Cable-Using-Fine-Print-To-Foist-Caps-On-Customers-96259
GENERAL NEWS
Wire thieves hit I-5 ramps in Tacoma (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_072108WAB_wire_thieves_i-5_tacoma_JM.799fe58a.html?npc
CALIFORNIA – Copper thieves cut power to school surveillance system, escape (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1099151.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Fired worker accused of trying to cut boss' power
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080722/ap_on_fe_st/odd_electricity_arrest;_ylt=Ap3b2UdBOBhcNTJxF7Sz9zXtiBIF
Cable repairman taken for ride in cherry picker
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080722/ap_on_fe_st/odd_cable_truck_theft;_ylt=Ak0yDS7_hPGE6X3qHshRT3_tiBIF
Man blows up apartment spraying for bugs?
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2142142620080721?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
Mounties flush out tourist accidentally locked in a loo – Chemainus has redefined the phrase "tourist trap"
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=c625a9ba-0b45-4b70-9daa-cecb1b5f1a69
World Santa Claus Congress meets in Copenhagen
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080721/ap_on_fe_st/odd_santa_claus_congress;_ylt=Ar0cZorm0hHYf0aZphHCsi_tiBIF
Monday, July 21, 2008
Energy News Digest for July 21, 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)
- Whidbey Island PUD boundary hearing set
- Donations few and far between for Whidbey PUD campaign
- Skagit considers seizing power
- Whidbey Examiner Op/Ed - State agencies: Just say no to PSE sale
- Chelan and Douglas PUDs dispute Browns Canyon Fire was caused by power line
- Public Utility Districts need funds to meet security standards
- Evergreen nears deal on Washington mill
- First Public Tours of McNary Dam Since 9/11
- TEXAS – Beaumont to Houston – Getting power to where it's needed
- NEW YORK – Nuclear Operator Seeks to End Revenue Deal With State
- Electricity Loses Power and Gains Steam
- Oregon salmon restoration supported Idaho Statesman Editorial – Sockeye deserve our best fight
- West Hayden Island: An island of colliding visions
- Gregoire announces Mid-Columbia water project funds
- New life for a thirsty gorge – The Chelan River Gorge
- Battleground planning sewage plant
- Northwest's wind power could quadruple
- Umatilla Indian Tribe earns return on wind investment
- San Francisco Mayor signs wind power executive order
- The Answer's in the Wind -- and Sun
- Too much too soon? Patience Key To Success With Renewable Energy
- CANADA – British Columbia sets goal for solar panels: 100,000 roofs by 2020
- Let the Sunshine In – Sick of high energy bills, our columnist investigates solar options
- You have the power to reduce energy costs at home
- NEW YORK – Rewarding Those Who Wait to Flip the Switch
- CANADA – Film dared to deny climate change: 'misleading' rubbish, watchdog says
- Scientists Predict Global Warming Will Reduce Number of Hurricanes
- Amazon powers Atlantic Ocean's carbon sink: study
- Amazon’s S3 Outage Highlights Fragility of Web Services
- Cities Gone Wireless: Safety Or Surveillance?
- Yahoo and Icahn settle, Microsoft deal seen adrift
- The Battle Over Your TV
- Costs and Content Driving Educators Online for Classroom Resources
- Theft of old-growth cedars near Lake Wenatchee gets man 1 year in prison
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
Whidbey Island PUD boundary hearing set (The Whidbey Examiner, Coupeville, WA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1569&TM=57694.17
Donations few and far between for Whidbey PUD campaign (PNW Local News)
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/news/25635199.html
Skagit considers seizing power (Washington CEO)
http://www.washingtonceo.com/home/story-display/article/312/skagit-consi.html
Whidbey Examiner Op/Ed - State agencies: Just say no to PSE sale (Coupeville, WA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1567&TM=56892.98
Chelan and Douglas PUDs dispute Browns Canyon Fire was caused by power line (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080719/NEWS04/559772612/1001
Public Utility Districts need funds to meet security standards (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/07/18/news/news02.txt
Evergreen nears deal on Washington mill – Evergreen Pulp's bid to acquire a second North American pulp mill in Aberdeen, Wash. appears to be a matter of buttoning up details (The Times-Standard, Eureka, CA)
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_9931931
First Public Tours of McNary Dam Since 9/11 (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8703307
TEXAS – Beaumont to Houston – Getting power to where it's needed: Company wants to build 95-mile line to feed city's electricity market (Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/5896244.html
NEW YORK – Nuclear Operator Seeks to End Revenue Deal With State (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/nyregion/21indian.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Electricity Loses Power and Gains Steam – Issues on Electricity and Oil Crisis Covered at Electricity Forum (Market Watch)
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/electricity-loses-power-gains-steam/story.aspx?guid=%7B46035D57-377F-4FC2-ACD5-D34291013770%7D&dist=hppr
FISH & WILDLIFE
Oregon salmon restoration supported – The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has approved restoration of Chinook salmon to the area now blocked by dams on the Klamath River
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008060712_salmon19m.html?syndication=rss
Idaho Statesman Editorial – Sockeye deserve our best fight: This summer, Idaho's most endangered species of salmon is also its most mysterious species. And its most inspiring specie (Boise, ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/106/story/446876.html
West Hayden Island: An island of colliding visions – Blue herons, bald eagles and ospreys nest above impenetrable blackberry thickets, punctuated by rusting beer cans, plastic bottles, cast-off grocery carts (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/07/07212008_An-island-of-colliding-visions.cfm
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Gregoire announces Mid-Columbia water project funds (The Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/244550.html
New life for a thirsty gorge – The Chelan River Gorge hasn't had a good, long, cool drink of water in more than 80 years. At least not the way nature intended (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS04/992028410/1002
Battleground planning sewage plant (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/07/07192008_BG-planning-sewage-plant.cfm/
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Northwest's wind power could quadruple – A BPA assessment shows developers are ready to build wind farms, but power lines can't handle much more (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1216529717321800.xml&coll=7
Umatilla Indian Tribe earns return on wind investment (Sustainable Industries Magazine)
http://www.sustainableindustries.com/breakingnews/25598799.html
San Francisco Mayor signs wind power executive order (San Francisco Business Times, CA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2008/07/14/daily94.html?ana=from_rss
The Answer's in the Wind -- and Sun (The Washington Post – And another quarter for Bob Zimmerman)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/18/AR2008071802614.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns
Too much too soon? Patience Key To Success With Renewable Energy In The West (New West, Bend, OR)
http://www.newwest.net/city/article/patience_is_the_key_to_success_with_renewable_energy_in_the_west/C509/L509/
CANADA – British Columbia sets goal for solar panels: 100,000 roofs by 2020 (The Vancouver Sun. BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=4a85dc0f-327f-4eaa-87e1-d5825711eebe
Let the Sunshine In – Sick of high energy bills, our columnist investigates solar options (The Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121642755234266961.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
CONSERVATION
You have the power to reduce energy costs at home (The Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, TX)
http://www.star-telegram.com/home/story/765807.html
NEW YORK – Rewarding Those Who Wait to Flip the Switch – For people who can keep their air-conditioners off until 10 p.m., Con Ed has an incentive plan (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/nyregion/21peak.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
CANADA – Film dared to deny climate change: 'misleading' rubbish, watchdog says (The National Post)
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2008/07/21/film-dared-to-deny-climate-change-misleading-rubbish-watchdog-says.aspx
Scientists Predict Global Warming Will Reduce Number of Hurricanes (The Heartland Institute – Loved by telecom competition apologists everywhere)
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=23558
Amazon powers Atlantic Ocean's carbon sink: study (AFP)
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i6iouPXXHhRNPU1U3gL8SaUCYs-w
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Amazon’s S3 Outage Highlights Fragility of Web Services – Amazon’s S3 cloud storage service went offline Sunday for an extended period of time — the second big outage at the service this year. (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/20/amazon-s3-outage-july-2008/
Cities Gone Wireless: Safety Or Surveillance? (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92613801&ft=1&f=1001
Yahoo and Icahn settle, Microsoft deal seen adrift (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080721/bs_nm/yahoo_icahn_dc_4
The Battle Over Your TV – If you were thinking of starting a set-top box company that delivers video content to the TV, let me stop you right there (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/21/the-battle-over-your-tv/
Costs and Content Driving Educators Online for Classroom Resources (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/July-08/Costs-and-Content-are-Driving-Educators-Online-for-Classroom-Resources.html
GENERAL NEWS
Theft of old-growth cedars near Lake Wenatchee gets man 1 year in prison, plus fine (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371373_cedars19.html?source=rss
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Loud Music May Encourage Drinking – Men Drink Faster With Louder Tunes
http://www.kirotv.com/health/16942530/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Curious Cat Gets Stuck In Mason Jar
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16941665/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Scaly feet? Fish slough rough stuff in pedicures – Ready for the latest in spa pampering? Prepare to dunk your tootsies in a tank of water and let tiny carp nibble away. Fish pedicures are creating
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2008063610_webfishpedicure22.html?syndication=rss
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Whidbey Island PUD boundary hearing set
- Donations few and far between for Whidbey PUD campaign
- Skagit considers seizing power
- Whidbey Examiner Op/Ed - State agencies: Just say no to PSE sale
- Chelan and Douglas PUDs dispute Browns Canyon Fire was caused by power line
- Public Utility Districts need funds to meet security standards
- Evergreen nears deal on Washington mill
- First Public Tours of McNary Dam Since 9/11
- TEXAS – Beaumont to Houston – Getting power to where it's needed
- NEW YORK – Nuclear Operator Seeks to End Revenue Deal With State
- Electricity Loses Power and Gains Steam
- Oregon salmon restoration supported Idaho Statesman Editorial – Sockeye deserve our best fight
- West Hayden Island: An island of colliding visions
- Gregoire announces Mid-Columbia water project funds
- New life for a thirsty gorge – The Chelan River Gorge
- Battleground planning sewage plant
- Northwest's wind power could quadruple
- Umatilla Indian Tribe earns return on wind investment
- San Francisco Mayor signs wind power executive order
- The Answer's in the Wind -- and Sun
- Too much too soon? Patience Key To Success With Renewable Energy
- CANADA – British Columbia sets goal for solar panels: 100,000 roofs by 2020
- Let the Sunshine In – Sick of high energy bills, our columnist investigates solar options
- You have the power to reduce energy costs at home
- NEW YORK – Rewarding Those Who Wait to Flip the Switch
- CANADA – Film dared to deny climate change: 'misleading' rubbish, watchdog says
- Scientists Predict Global Warming Will Reduce Number of Hurricanes
- Amazon powers Atlantic Ocean's carbon sink: study
- Amazon’s S3 Outage Highlights Fragility of Web Services
- Cities Gone Wireless: Safety Or Surveillance?
- Yahoo and Icahn settle, Microsoft deal seen adrift
- The Battle Over Your TV
- Costs and Content Driving Educators Online for Classroom Resources
- Theft of old-growth cedars near Lake Wenatchee gets man 1 year in prison
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
Whidbey Island PUD boundary hearing set (The Whidbey Examiner, Coupeville, WA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1569&TM=57694.17
Donations few and far between for Whidbey PUD campaign (PNW Local News)
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/news/25635199.html
Skagit considers seizing power (Washington CEO)
http://www.washingtonceo.com/home/story-display/article/312/skagit-consi.html
Whidbey Examiner Op/Ed - State agencies: Just say no to PSE sale (Coupeville, WA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1567&TM=56892.98
Chelan and Douglas PUDs dispute Browns Canyon Fire was caused by power line (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080719/NEWS04/559772612/1001
Public Utility Districts need funds to meet security standards (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/07/18/news/news02.txt
Evergreen nears deal on Washington mill – Evergreen Pulp's bid to acquire a second North American pulp mill in Aberdeen, Wash. appears to be a matter of buttoning up details (The Times-Standard, Eureka, CA)
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_9931931
First Public Tours of McNary Dam Since 9/11 (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8703307
TEXAS – Beaumont to Houston – Getting power to where it's needed: Company wants to build 95-mile line to feed city's electricity market (Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/5896244.html
NEW YORK – Nuclear Operator Seeks to End Revenue Deal With State (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/nyregion/21indian.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Electricity Loses Power and Gains Steam – Issues on Electricity and Oil Crisis Covered at Electricity Forum (Market Watch)
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/electricity-loses-power-gains-steam/story.aspx?guid=%7B46035D57-377F-4FC2-ACD5-D34291013770%7D&dist=hppr
FISH & WILDLIFE
Oregon salmon restoration supported – The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has approved restoration of Chinook salmon to the area now blocked by dams on the Klamath River
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008060712_salmon19m.html?syndication=rss
Idaho Statesman Editorial – Sockeye deserve our best fight: This summer, Idaho's most endangered species of salmon is also its most mysterious species. And its most inspiring specie (Boise, ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/106/story/446876.html
West Hayden Island: An island of colliding visions – Blue herons, bald eagles and ospreys nest above impenetrable blackberry thickets, punctuated by rusting beer cans, plastic bottles, cast-off grocery carts (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/07/07212008_An-island-of-colliding-visions.cfm
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Gregoire announces Mid-Columbia water project funds (The Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/244550.html
New life for a thirsty gorge – The Chelan River Gorge hasn't had a good, long, cool drink of water in more than 80 years. At least not the way nature intended (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS04/992028410/1002
Battleground planning sewage plant (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/07/07192008_BG-planning-sewage-plant.cfm/
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Northwest's wind power could quadruple – A BPA assessment shows developers are ready to build wind farms, but power lines can't handle much more (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1216529717321800.xml&coll=7
Umatilla Indian Tribe earns return on wind investment (Sustainable Industries Magazine)
http://www.sustainableindustries.com/breakingnews/25598799.html
San Francisco Mayor signs wind power executive order (San Francisco Business Times, CA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2008/07/14/daily94.html?ana=from_rss
The Answer's in the Wind -- and Sun (The Washington Post – And another quarter for Bob Zimmerman)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/18/AR2008071802614.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns
Too much too soon? Patience Key To Success With Renewable Energy In The West (New West, Bend, OR)
http://www.newwest.net/city/article/patience_is_the_key_to_success_with_renewable_energy_in_the_west/C509/L509/
CANADA – British Columbia sets goal for solar panels: 100,000 roofs by 2020 (The Vancouver Sun. BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=4a85dc0f-327f-4eaa-87e1-d5825711eebe
Let the Sunshine In – Sick of high energy bills, our columnist investigates solar options (The Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121642755234266961.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
CONSERVATION
You have the power to reduce energy costs at home (The Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, TX)
http://www.star-telegram.com/home/story/765807.html
NEW YORK – Rewarding Those Who Wait to Flip the Switch – For people who can keep their air-conditioners off until 10 p.m., Con Ed has an incentive plan (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/nyregion/21peak.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
CANADA – Film dared to deny climate change: 'misleading' rubbish, watchdog says (The National Post)
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2008/07/21/film-dared-to-deny-climate-change-misleading-rubbish-watchdog-says.aspx
Scientists Predict Global Warming Will Reduce Number of Hurricanes (The Heartland Institute – Loved by telecom competition apologists everywhere)
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=23558
Amazon powers Atlantic Ocean's carbon sink: study (AFP)
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i6iouPXXHhRNPU1U3gL8SaUCYs-w
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Amazon’s S3 Outage Highlights Fragility of Web Services – Amazon’s S3 cloud storage service went offline Sunday for an extended period of time — the second big outage at the service this year. (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/20/amazon-s3-outage-july-2008/
Cities Gone Wireless: Safety Or Surveillance? (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92613801&ft=1&f=1001
Yahoo and Icahn settle, Microsoft deal seen adrift (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080721/bs_nm/yahoo_icahn_dc_4
The Battle Over Your TV – If you were thinking of starting a set-top box company that delivers video content to the TV, let me stop you right there (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/21/the-battle-over-your-tv/
Costs and Content Driving Educators Online for Classroom Resources (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/July-08/Costs-and-Content-are-Driving-Educators-Online-for-Classroom-Resources.html
GENERAL NEWS
Theft of old-growth cedars near Lake Wenatchee gets man 1 year in prison, plus fine (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371373_cedars19.html?source=rss
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Loud Music May Encourage Drinking – Men Drink Faster With Louder Tunes
http://www.kirotv.com/health/16942530/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Curious Cat Gets Stuck In Mason Jar
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16941665/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Scaly feet? Fish slough rough stuff in pedicures – Ready for the latest in spa pampering? Prepare to dunk your tootsies in a tank of water and let tiny carp nibble away. Fish pedicures are creating
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2008063610_webfishpedicure22.html?syndication=rss
Friday, July 18, 2008
Energy News Digest for July 18, 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)
- Gore Calls for Carbon-Free Electric Power
- Al Gore’s 100% Renewable Goal Distant, Even in Northwest
- PUD 3 Fuel Mix Report - Hydropower helps minimize Pacific Northwest “Carbon Footprint”
- Can the U.S. Reach 100 Percent Renewable Electricity in 10 Years?
- Lewis County Sheriff: "Wire Theft Ring Crushed"
- Copper theft task force makes more arrests
- Aberdeen – Fire started when power restored
- Umbrella causes brief Chelan County PUD power outage
- Clark Public Utilities ranks top in region
- Email Etiquette – Ex-employee candidate criticizes Grant PUD
- CALIFORNIA – Sacramento Utilities Department worker arrested in water meter probe
- MASSACHUSETTS – State orders utilities to restructure charges
- New York Power Authority halts 680 MW integrated gasification combines cycle plant
- MARYLAND – Clean energy advocates rally against proposed nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliffs
- Electrical Risks at Iraq Bases Are Worse Than Said
- FERC issues its acceptance of the transmission planning compliance filings by Avista and Puget Sound
- Oregonian Opinion – End the LNG threat that faces Oregon
- ALASKA – Sockeye surge is on
- Montana Fish-purging plan will proceed
- Should we move species to save them?
- Congressional Research Service – Davis-Bacon Act Coverage and the State Revolving Fund Program Under the Clean Water Act
- Weyco extends deadline on closing a deal on the sale of the Cosmopolis Pulp Mill
- AUSTRALIA – Green Energy Up In Smoke
- CALIFORNIA – Sacramento Municipal Utility District to offer $5.2M in solar power incentives
- NEW YORK – Watervliet gets OK from feds to study potential for new hydro plant
- Energy Pulse Commentary – Renewable Energy Industry Standards are Needed Now
- Can plug-in hybrids ride to America’s rescue?
- McCain: Electric car 'vital' to oil independence
- California adopts nation's first green building standards
- IDAHO – Meridian family on 30-day quest to slash energy, water use
- Warming Is Major Threat To Humans, EPA Warns
- Warming may affect Northwest way of life
- Cooling Off on Dubious Eco-Friendly Claims
- Seattle Post Intelligencer Columnist – Nuclear power no solution to climate change
- Nation's Largest ISPs Crafting Fake National Broadband Policy
- Comcast on the Defensive
- Why Metered Broadband Is Bad for Microsoft, Google & US
- Mason County Sheriff Spokesman Calls Disappearance of Union Man "Suspicious"
- Site dispute means no renaissance for medieval festival
- Scrap Metal Sting – Man convicted of buying stolen signs
- Oregon men accused in bleacher theft
- Snow still covers hiking trails in Cascades, Olympics
- Starbucks announces full list of store closings; 19 in Washington
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Bogart • \BOH-gart\ • verb – 1: bully, intimidate *2: to use or consume without sharing
Nymphadora was making everyone at the root beer decanting party nervous. Along with her bogart of the first bottle of brew taken from the fruit cellar, she was also making wise cracks about no “backwash” guarantees. Ewwwww!
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
Gore Calls for Carbon-Free Electric Power (NY Times – He likes Hydro!)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/washington/18gore.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1216397649-bypelA8043vLOSjMYY+BQg
Al Gore’s 100% Renewable Goal Distant, Even in Northwest – “…the Northwest has a big head start toward that goal if you count hydropower generation…” (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2621-al-gores-100-renewable-goal-distant-even-northwest/
News Release Archive – PUD 3 Fuel Mix Report - Hydropower helps minimize Pacific Northwest “Carbon Footprint” (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/News/display.asp?NewsID=368
Can the U.S. Reach 100 Percent Renewable Electricity in 10 Years? (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/ate/story?id=53095&src=rss
Lewis County Sheriff: "Wire Theft Ring Crushed" (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?Lewis-County-Sheriff-Wire-Theft-Ring-Cru=1&blockID=10479&feedID=410
Copper theft task force makes more arrests (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/25619599.html
Aberdeen – Fire started when power restored (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/07/18/local_news/06news.txt
Umbrella causes brief Chelan County PUD power outage (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS04/750315821
Clark Public Utilities ranks top in region (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2008/07/07182008_Clark-Public-Utilities-ranks-top-in-region.cfm/
Email Etiquette – Ex-employee candidate criticizes Grant PUD – Retiring employee sent accusations in e-mail (The Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/07/17/news/news03.txt
CALIFORNIA – Sacramento Utilities Department worker arrested in water meter probe (The Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1091871.html
MASSACHUSETTS – State orders utilities to restructure charges – electric and natural gas companies told to restructure their distribution rates in such a way that it doesn't go against the utility's self-interest to help customers lower bills by consuming less (Boston Globe, MA)
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/07/17/mass_orders_utilities_to_restructure_charges/
New York Power Authority halts 680 MW integrated gasification combines cycle plant –officials say the electricity produced by the plant would be too expensive because of the technology involved (Power Engineering)
http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=334543&C=PRODJ&dcmp=rss
MARYLAND – Clean energy advocates rally against proposed nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliffs (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/07/14/daily40.html?ana=from_rss
Electrical Risks at Iraq Bases Are Worse Than Said (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/world/middleeast/18contractors.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
News Release – FERC issues its acceptance of the transmission planning compliance filings by Avista and Puget Sound subject to modifications (Links to PDF File from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
http://www.ferc.gov/whats-new/comm-meet/2008/071708/E-4.pdf
Oregonian Opinion – End the LNG threat that faces Oregon (Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1216335319123450.xml&coll=7
FISH & WILDLIFE
ALASKA – Sockeye surge is on – 68,000-fish count for single day signals bonanza (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/fishing/story/468172.html
Montana Fish-purging plan will proceed (The Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2008/07/18/news/news01.txt
Should we move species to save them? (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008056947_apscisavingspecies.html?syndication=rss
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Congressional Research Service – Davis-Bacon Act Coverage and the State Revolving Fund Program Under the Clean Water Act
http://opencrs.com/document/RL31491
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Weyco extends deadline on closing a deal on the sale of the Cosmopolis Pulp Mill – Power plant would provide renewable cogeneration (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/07/18/local_news/04news.txt
AUSTRALIA – Green Energy Up In Smoke – Electricity customers who signed up for green power with two of South Australia's major energy retailers are being delivered power predominantly sourced from coal and gas (The Advertiser, Adelaide, Australia)
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24041344-5006301,00.html?from=public_rss
CALIFORNIA – Sacramento Municipal Utility District to offer $5.2M in solar power incentives (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/07/14/daily45.html?ana=from_rss
NEW YORK – Watervliet gets OK from feds to study potential for new hydro plant (The Business Review, Albany, NY)
http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2008/07/14/daily29.html?ana=from_rss
Energy Pulse Commentary – Renewable Energy Industry Standards are Needed Now
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1781
Can plug-in hybrids ride to America’s rescue? The engineer behind many electric-car advances says oil’s days may be numbered (Christian Science Monitor)
http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2008/07/18/can-plug-in-hybrids-ride-to-america%E2%80%99s-rescue/
McCain: Electric car 'vital' to oil independence (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-07-18-McCain-automobile-industry_N.htm?csp=34
CONSERVATION
California adopts nation's first green building standards (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/07/14/daily41.html?ana=from_rss
IDAHO – Meridian family on 30-day quest to slash energy, water use – Skenandores park the car, turn off the AC, share lighting *+(The Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/445621.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Warming Is Major Threat To Humans, EPA Warns (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR2008071701557.html?nav=rss_business
Warming may affect Northwest way of life – Climate - The EPA pulls together earlier research to look at how human health and welfare will be affected (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1216351512184610.xml&coll=7
Cooling Off on Dubious Eco-Friendly Claims (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/business/media/18adco.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Seattle Post Intelligencer Columnist – Nuclear power no solution to climate change (Seattle, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/371199_amy18.html?source=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Nation's Largest ISPs Crafting Fake National Broadband Policy – In order to make sure that no real, substantive ones take shape (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Nations-Largest-ISPs-Crafting-Fake-National-Broadband-Policy-96192
Comcast on the Defensive (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/17/comcast-on-the-defensive/
Why Metered Broadband Is Bad for Microsoft, Google & Us (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/17/why-metered-broadband-is-bad-for-microsoft-google-us/
GENERAL NEWS
Mason County Sheriff Spokesman Calls Disappearance of Union Man "Suspicious" (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/563/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
Site dispute means no renaissance for medieval festival – Organizer lacks proper permit, officials say (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371224_faire18.html?source=rss
Scrap Metal Sting – Man convicted of buying stolen signs (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/5927
Oregon men accused in bleacher theft – Marion County authorities arrested two men accused of stealing metal bleachers from the Woodburn Dragstrip (The Associated Press, via Examinder.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1493367~Ore__men_accused_in_bleacher_theft.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Snow still covers hiking trails in Cascades, Olympics – Snowpack levels are at their highest since 1999, causing some hikers to rework their plans (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008058805_snowpack18m.html?syndication=rss
Starbucks announces full list of store closings; 19 in Washington (Puget Sound Business Journal, Seattle, WA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/07/14/daily30.html?ana=from_rss
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Fla. Officer Fired For Demanding Free Coffee – Employees: Officer Would Visit Starbucks Up To 6 Times A Night
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16919787/detail.html
Fisherman Hooks Drowning Man, Reels Him In – Man Calls 911, Is Advised To Throw Something To Drowning Man
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16919710/detail.html
With this fake wife, I divorce thee
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSDEL8150220080718?feedType=nl&feedName=ustopnewsearly
Kids give pope Mickey Mouse cap but he prefers white
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL1810090620080718?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Gore Calls for Carbon-Free Electric Power
- Al Gore’s 100% Renewable Goal Distant, Even in Northwest
- PUD 3 Fuel Mix Report - Hydropower helps minimize Pacific Northwest “Carbon Footprint”
- Can the U.S. Reach 100 Percent Renewable Electricity in 10 Years?
- Lewis County Sheriff: "Wire Theft Ring Crushed"
- Copper theft task force makes more arrests
- Aberdeen – Fire started when power restored
- Umbrella causes brief Chelan County PUD power outage
- Clark Public Utilities ranks top in region
- Email Etiquette – Ex-employee candidate criticizes Grant PUD
- CALIFORNIA – Sacramento Utilities Department worker arrested in water meter probe
- MASSACHUSETTS – State orders utilities to restructure charges
- New York Power Authority halts 680 MW integrated gasification combines cycle plant
- MARYLAND – Clean energy advocates rally against proposed nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliffs
- Electrical Risks at Iraq Bases Are Worse Than Said
- FERC issues its acceptance of the transmission planning compliance filings by Avista and Puget Sound
- Oregonian Opinion – End the LNG threat that faces Oregon
- ALASKA – Sockeye surge is on
- Montana Fish-purging plan will proceed
- Should we move species to save them?
- Congressional Research Service – Davis-Bacon Act Coverage and the State Revolving Fund Program Under the Clean Water Act
- Weyco extends deadline on closing a deal on the sale of the Cosmopolis Pulp Mill
- AUSTRALIA – Green Energy Up In Smoke
- CALIFORNIA – Sacramento Municipal Utility District to offer $5.2M in solar power incentives
- NEW YORK – Watervliet gets OK from feds to study potential for new hydro plant
- Energy Pulse Commentary – Renewable Energy Industry Standards are Needed Now
- Can plug-in hybrids ride to America’s rescue?
- McCain: Electric car 'vital' to oil independence
- California adopts nation's first green building standards
- IDAHO – Meridian family on 30-day quest to slash energy, water use
- Warming Is Major Threat To Humans, EPA Warns
- Warming may affect Northwest way of life
- Cooling Off on Dubious Eco-Friendly Claims
- Seattle Post Intelligencer Columnist – Nuclear power no solution to climate change
- Nation's Largest ISPs Crafting Fake National Broadband Policy
- Comcast on the Defensive
- Why Metered Broadband Is Bad for Microsoft, Google & US
- Mason County Sheriff Spokesman Calls Disappearance of Union Man "Suspicious"
- Site dispute means no renaissance for medieval festival
- Scrap Metal Sting – Man convicted of buying stolen signs
- Oregon men accused in bleacher theft
- Snow still covers hiking trails in Cascades, Olympics
- Starbucks announces full list of store closings; 19 in Washington
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Bogart • \BOH-gart\ • verb – 1: bully, intimidate *2: to use or consume without sharing
Nymphadora was making everyone at the root beer decanting party nervous. Along with her bogart of the first bottle of brew taken from the fruit cellar, she was also making wise cracks about no “backwash” guarantees. Ewwwww!
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
Gore Calls for Carbon-Free Electric Power (NY Times – He likes Hydro!)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/washington/18gore.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1216397649-bypelA8043vLOSjMYY+BQg
Al Gore’s 100% Renewable Goal Distant, Even in Northwest – “…the Northwest has a big head start toward that goal if you count hydropower generation…” (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2621-al-gores-100-renewable-goal-distant-even-northwest/
News Release Archive – PUD 3 Fuel Mix Report - Hydropower helps minimize Pacific Northwest “Carbon Footprint” (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/News/display.asp?NewsID=368
Can the U.S. Reach 100 Percent Renewable Electricity in 10 Years? (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/ate/story?id=53095&src=rss
Lewis County Sheriff: "Wire Theft Ring Crushed" (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?Lewis-County-Sheriff-Wire-Theft-Ring-Cru=1&blockID=10479&feedID=410
Copper theft task force makes more arrests (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/25619599.html
Aberdeen – Fire started when power restored (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/07/18/local_news/06news.txt
Umbrella causes brief Chelan County PUD power outage (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS04/750315821
Clark Public Utilities ranks top in region (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2008/07/07182008_Clark-Public-Utilities-ranks-top-in-region.cfm/
Email Etiquette – Ex-employee candidate criticizes Grant PUD – Retiring employee sent accusations in e-mail (The Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/07/17/news/news03.txt
CALIFORNIA – Sacramento Utilities Department worker arrested in water meter probe (The Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1091871.html
MASSACHUSETTS – State orders utilities to restructure charges – electric and natural gas companies told to restructure their distribution rates in such a way that it doesn't go against the utility's self-interest to help customers lower bills by consuming less (Boston Globe, MA)
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2008/07/17/mass_orders_utilities_to_restructure_charges/
New York Power Authority halts 680 MW integrated gasification combines cycle plant –officials say the electricity produced by the plant would be too expensive because of the technology involved (Power Engineering)
http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=334543&C=PRODJ&dcmp=rss
MARYLAND – Clean energy advocates rally against proposed nuclear reactor at Calvert Cliffs (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/07/14/daily40.html?ana=from_rss
Electrical Risks at Iraq Bases Are Worse Than Said (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/world/middleeast/18contractors.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
News Release – FERC issues its acceptance of the transmission planning compliance filings by Avista and Puget Sound subject to modifications (Links to PDF File from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
http://www.ferc.gov/whats-new/comm-meet/2008/071708/E-4.pdf
Oregonian Opinion – End the LNG threat that faces Oregon (Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1216335319123450.xml&coll=7
FISH & WILDLIFE
ALASKA – Sockeye surge is on – 68,000-fish count for single day signals bonanza (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/fishing/story/468172.html
Montana Fish-purging plan will proceed (The Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2008/07/18/news/news01.txt
Should we move species to save them? (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008056947_apscisavingspecies.html?syndication=rss
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Congressional Research Service – Davis-Bacon Act Coverage and the State Revolving Fund Program Under the Clean Water Act
http://opencrs.com/document/RL31491
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Weyco extends deadline on closing a deal on the sale of the Cosmopolis Pulp Mill – Power plant would provide renewable cogeneration (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/07/18/local_news/04news.txt
AUSTRALIA – Green Energy Up In Smoke – Electricity customers who signed up for green power with two of South Australia's major energy retailers are being delivered power predominantly sourced from coal and gas (The Advertiser, Adelaide, Australia)
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24041344-5006301,00.html?from=public_rss
CALIFORNIA – Sacramento Municipal Utility District to offer $5.2M in solar power incentives (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/07/14/daily45.html?ana=from_rss
NEW YORK – Watervliet gets OK from feds to study potential for new hydro plant (The Business Review, Albany, NY)
http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2008/07/14/daily29.html?ana=from_rss
Energy Pulse Commentary – Renewable Energy Industry Standards are Needed Now
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1781
Can plug-in hybrids ride to America’s rescue? The engineer behind many electric-car advances says oil’s days may be numbered (Christian Science Monitor)
http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2008/07/18/can-plug-in-hybrids-ride-to-america%E2%80%99s-rescue/
McCain: Electric car 'vital' to oil independence (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-07-18-McCain-automobile-industry_N.htm?csp=34
CONSERVATION
California adopts nation's first green building standards (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2008/07/14/daily41.html?ana=from_rss
IDAHO – Meridian family on 30-day quest to slash energy, water use – Skenandores park the car, turn off the AC, share lighting *+(The Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/445621.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Warming Is Major Threat To Humans, EPA Warns (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR2008071701557.html?nav=rss_business
Warming may affect Northwest way of life – Climate - The EPA pulls together earlier research to look at how human health and welfare will be affected (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1216351512184610.xml&coll=7
Cooling Off on Dubious Eco-Friendly Claims (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/business/media/18adco.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Seattle Post Intelligencer Columnist – Nuclear power no solution to climate change (Seattle, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/371199_amy18.html?source=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Nation's Largest ISPs Crafting Fake National Broadband Policy – In order to make sure that no real, substantive ones take shape (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Nations-Largest-ISPs-Crafting-Fake-National-Broadband-Policy-96192
Comcast on the Defensive (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/17/comcast-on-the-defensive/
Why Metered Broadband Is Bad for Microsoft, Google & Us (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/17/why-metered-broadband-is-bad-for-microsoft-google-us/
GENERAL NEWS
Mason County Sheriff Spokesman Calls Disappearance of Union Man "Suspicious" (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/563/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
Site dispute means no renaissance for medieval festival – Organizer lacks proper permit, officials say (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371224_faire18.html?source=rss
Scrap Metal Sting – Man convicted of buying stolen signs (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/5927
Oregon men accused in bleacher theft – Marion County authorities arrested two men accused of stealing metal bleachers from the Woodburn Dragstrip (The Associated Press, via Examinder.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1493367~Ore__men_accused_in_bleacher_theft.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Snow still covers hiking trails in Cascades, Olympics – Snowpack levels are at their highest since 1999, causing some hikers to rework their plans (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008058805_snowpack18m.html?syndication=rss
Starbucks announces full list of store closings; 19 in Washington (Puget Sound Business Journal, Seattle, WA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/07/14/daily30.html?ana=from_rss
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Fla. Officer Fired For Demanding Free Coffee – Employees: Officer Would Visit Starbucks Up To 6 Times A Night
http://www.kirotv.com/money/16919787/detail.html
Fisherman Hooks Drowning Man, Reels Him In – Man Calls 911, Is Advised To Throw Something To Drowning Man
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16919710/detail.html
With this fake wife, I divorce thee
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSDEL8150220080718?feedType=nl&feedName=ustopnewsearly
Kids give pope Mickey Mouse cap but he prefers white
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL1810090620080718?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
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