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)
- State attorney still opposes sale of Puget Energy to international investors
- Another public utility district takeover of Puget Sound Energy?
- 10th District legislative race focuses on healthcare, ferries, PUD
- Covington
- Mossyrock Dam turbine gets heart transplant to improve efficiency
- Grays Harbor County PUD move surprises Rayonier
- Overhead lines going underground in historic downtown Port Townsend
- North Texans feeling little relief from electricity deregulation
- Spurred by bills, Texans search for ways to cut electricity use
- Home Energy Prices Are Expected to Soar
- McCain, Obama promote nuclear energy plans
- Yucca Mountain Price Tag Up, Hanford Affected?
- IDAHO – Sockeye surge materializes in upper Salmon
- Sockeye Complete Epic Journey to Central Idaho
- Sockeye season starts Wednesday for Lake Wenatchee
- Salmon fishing opens in the upper Okanogan River and lower Similkameen River
- CANADA – Salmon becoming a rarity on Yukoners' tables
- Ocean salmon fishing getting better, lake trout might do the same
- The Olympian Editorial – Puget Sound assets total at least $243 billion
- Water, land values, development – Eastern Oregon vineyard owners, wheat growers clash over land use
- Sequim water, sewer rates might rise as much as 20% next year
- Wind and wave energy project for coastal Grays Harbor County gets fed approval
- The wind blows less when wind power is needed most
- Pickens bringing case for more wind energy to Nebraska
- L.A. Times Editorial – A boon for Pickens, not for America
- Kohl's expanding solar power program to Oregon
- Oregon Tech Looks to Be World's First Fully-Geothermal Campus
- Energy crops key to biofuels growth
- Seattle P-I Columnist – Conserving energy isn't sexy
- Johnson Controls taps new heating and electricity sources for existing buildings
- An Energy Diet for Power-Hungry Household PCs
- Scientists focus anew on livestock's role in climate change
- San Francisco on course for emissions reduction goal
- San Francisco to Vote on Clean Energy City Charter on November Ballot
- Vancouver Sun Op/Ed – British Columbia's carbon tax doesn't let 'polluters' off
- E-Mail Hacking Case Could Redefine Online Privacy
- 300 million votes at Yahoo miscalculated
- HughesNet Offers New 5Mbps Satellite Broadband Service
- In-Flight Broadband Cheat Sheet
- Giant online security hole getting fixed, slowly
- California cities explore fiber options
- Massachusetts Signs New Broadband Law
- Smog alert as local temperatures climb toward 90
- 11 charged in data theft of 41 million credit and debit cards
- Alaska Air says customers' credit cards misused
- Mason County – Attendance & Revenues Up At 2008 Fair & Rodeo
- City (of Tumwater) up against 7-figure shortfall
- Bush designates I-5 Bridge replacement as high priority
- HP pledges strong Vancouver, WA presence despite Oregon inkjet layoffs
- Four Tons Worth – Two arrested in Woodland metal-theft investigation
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Visage • \VIZ-zedge\ • noun – 1: the face, countenance, or appearance of a person or sometimes an animal 2: aspect, appearance
Sidney hummed absently while brushing his teeth, unaware until it was too late that the medicine cabinet had swung open to reveal the jolly visage of his next door neighbor, Chuck McCann. “Hi guy!” exclaimed Chuck, “fancy meeting you here after all these years.” MONA!
No. 94 on Drew Babb's 100 Greatest TV Spots of All Time – Right Guard/"Mona": God knows why we love this sad sack Sidney, standing at his bathroom sink crying out for his wife, Mona! (Wouldn't you cry out too if your medicine cabinet opened into your neighbor's bathroom?) Love the hail-fellow-well-met neighbor, played by Chuck McCann, who greets our schmoe with, Hi, Guy! This campaign pooled into a series in which we get to know Sidney's wife and kid. And the neighbor's kid, too.
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
State attorney still opposes sale of Puget Energy to international investors – Too much debt to allow sale, says state AG's Public Counsel (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008094442_puget060.html?syndication=rss
Another public utility district takeover of Puget Sound Energy? As in 1941, so in 2008 (Examiner.com – You gotta see the photo!)
http://www.examiner.com/x-479-Seattle-History-Examiner~y2008m8d4-PSE
10th District legislative race focuses on healthcare, ferries, PUD (South Whidbey Record, Coupeville, WA)
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/news/26318319.html
BPA transmission lines threatened – Wood debris pile burning in Covington (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_080608WAB_covington_fire_LJ.1d5c3d2d.html?npc
Mossyrock Dam turbine gets heart transplant to improve efficiency (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/435491.html
Grays Harbor County PUD move surprises Rayonier (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/08/05/local_news/02news.txt
Overhead lines going underground in historic downtown Port Townsend (The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080806/NEWS/808060303
North Texans feeling little relief from electricity deregulation (Dallas Morning News, TX)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-summerbills_06met.ART.State.Edition2.4dd3e56.html
Spurred by bills, Texans search for ways to cut electricity use (Dallas Morning News, TX)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/080608dnbusefficiency.40f4d3e.html
Home Energy Prices Are Expected to Soar (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/business/06fuel.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
McCain, Obama promote nuclear energy plans (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-05-mccain-nuclear_N.htm?csp=34
Yucca Mountain Price Tag Up, Hanford Affected? (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4163
FISH & WILDLIFE
IDAHO – Sockeye surge materializes in upper Salmon – Sixty-three sockeye salmon made it to the Redfish Lake area by Monday (Idaho Mountain Express, Sun Valley, ID)
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005121978
Sockeye Complete Epic Journey to Central Idaho (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4161
Sockeye season starts Wednesday for Lake Wenatchee (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/NEWS04/767775786/1006/NEWS03
Salmon fishing opens in the upper Okanogan River and lower Similkameen River (The Omak Chronicle, WA)
http://www.omakchronicle.com/spt/s080805j.shtml
CANADA – Salmon becoming a rarity on Yukoners' tables (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2008/08/05/yukon-fish.html?ref=rss
Ocean salmon fishing getting better, lake trout might do the same (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/outdoors/story/435526.html
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
The Olympian Editorial – Puget Sound assets total at least $243 billion (Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/532407.html
Water, land values, development – Eastern Oregon vineyard owners, wheat growers clash over land use (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/08/eastern_oregon_vineyard_owners.html
Sequim water, sewer rates might rise as much as 20% next year (The Peninsual Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080806/NEWS/808060305
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Wind and wave energy project for coastal Grays Harbor County gets fed approval (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/08/05/local_news/06news.txt
The wind blows less when wind power is needed most (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CkptuuqmTSigt%3EEvbfen%5Fv
Pickens bringing case for more wind energy to Nebraska (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080806/ne_pickens_nebraska.html?.v=1
L.A. Times Editorial – A boon for Pickens, not for America – T. Boone Pickens' proposals to wean the country off foreign oil could provide more benefit to Iran than to the U.S.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-luft6-2008aug06,0,3336586.story
Kohl's expanding solar power program to Oregon (The Business Journal of Milwaukee, OR)
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/08/04/daily31.html?ana=from_rss
Oregon Tech Looks to Be World's First Fully-Geothermal Campus (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/2760-oregon-tech-would-be-worlds-first-fully-geothermal-campus/
Energy crops key to biofuels growth (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10005414-54.html?tag=nl.e433
CONSERVATION
Seattle P-I Columnist – Conserving energy isn't sexy
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/373621_herbertonline06.html?source=rss
OHIO – Energy alternatives – Johnson Controls taps new heating and electricity sources for existing buildings (The Columbus Dispatch, OH)
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/08/06/solar_power.ART_ART_08-06-08_C8_IAAUP7H.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101
An Energy Diet for Power-Hungry Household PCs (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/technology/06green.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Scientists focus anew on livestock's role in climate change (The Chicago Tribune, via the Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/FOOD/280098011/-1/FEA
San Francisco on course for emissions reduction goal (The San Francisco Chronicle, CA)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/05/BAIB125JQO.DTL&feed=rss.news
San Francisco to Vote on Clean Energy City Charter on November Ballot: Why is "Green" Mayor Gavin Newsom Opposed? (Environmental News Network)
http://www.enn.com/energy/article/37837
Vancouver Sun Op/Ed – British Columbia's carbon tax doesn't let 'polluters' off (Canada)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=e8f3ea1b-1ce4-4820-862e-76317ce7f0ab&k=14954
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
E-Mail Hacking Case Could Redefine Online Privacy – A federal appeals court in California is reviewing a lower court's definition of "interception" in the digital age (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/05/AR2008080503421.html?nav=rss_technology
300 million votes at Yahoo miscalculated – Outcome of election unchanged as revised count cements disdain (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/373741_yahoo06.html?source=rss
HughesNet Offers New 5Mbps Service – Fastest satellite broadband tier ever offered (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/HughesNet-Offers-New-5Mbps-Service-96755
In-Flight Broadband Cheat Sheet (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/08/05/in-flight-broadband-cheat-sheet/
Giant online security hole getting fixed, slowly (The Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080805/ap_on_hi_te/tec_internet_security_hole_2
California cities explore fiber options – Loma Linda may share system with GT to help it win business (San Bernardino Sun, CA)
http://www.sbsun.com/ci_10109656?source=rss
Massachusetts Signs New Broadband Law – Aimed at helping 95 communities with little or no broadband (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Massachusetts-Signs-New-Broadband-Law-96737
GENERAL NEWS
Smog alert as local temperatures climb toward 90 (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373614_weather06.html
11 charged in data theft of 41 million credit and debit cards – retailers' wireless networks hacked into (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10112727?source=rss
Alaska Air says customers' credit cards misused – About 1,500 people who bought tickets from Alaska or Horizon airlines have been notified their credit cards were misused. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008095135_apalaskaaircreditcards.html?syndication=rss
Mason County – Attendance & Revenues Up At 2008 Fair & Rodeo (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/732/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
City (of Tumwater) up against 7-figure shortfall (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/533083.html
Bush designates I-5 Bridge replacement as high priority (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/08/08052008_Bush-designates-I5-Bridge-replacement-as-high-priority.cfm
HP pledges strong Vancouver, WA presence despite Oregon inkjet layoffs (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2008/08/08052008_HP-pledges-strong-local-presence.cfm?newsletter=1
Four Tons Worth – Two arrested in Woodland metal-theft investigation (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/08/06//area_news/doc489943a255e3d625540009.txt
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Man Dials 911, Complains His Sub Had No Sauce
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17099847/detail.html
Dying for a salad? Try a dash of this – Chef accidentally recommends a potentially deadly plant in organic salads
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080804/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_britain_poison;_ylt=AkVK8QpZOVaLI4uADR9pzwztiBIF
Inflatable church looks to lure Italian beachgoers
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080805/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_italy_beach_church;_ylt=AoD6eA2idy8PhMzXkHUYD8jtiBIF
For developers of Bend’s Shire, ‘dream’ is over – The village-themed concept in southeast Bend patterned after J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” series
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/BIZ0102/807310374/1041&nav_category=
Man Presumed Dead In 1976 Colo. Flood Found Alive
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17099899/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Energy News Digest for August 5, 2008
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- U.S. regulators approve Puget Energy buyout
- Puget Energy's profit declines in second quarter
- Cosmopolis mill deal hasn’t “blown up”
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Heat vs. eat is untenable choice
- Three in the running for Grant County PUD commission seat
- Public gets rare chance to view sockeye salmon's return to Idaho
- Orca calf's carcass raises more pollution questions
- Teens' 'clean' carwash raises money
- Sea lion lays claim to sailboat
- OREGON – Selling Water to Fund State Programs
- City of Shelton Asks For State Funding For Sewer Plant Improvements
- Yakima hydrant vandal suspects held
- Solar power proponents call for Chelan PUD leadership
- Report: Power giants likely to miss California renewable energy goal
- Utilities And Solar Marketing Programs
- Effects Of The Ethanol Mandate On The Price Of Corn
- Longview Councilwoman files complaint over window company's sales pitch
- Living Green: Energy-Saving Roofs
- Coal's future is safe - but what about the climate?
- Virgin forests more efficient at storing carbon
- The Daily News Editorial – Government too quick to seek lean, green fix
- You Say You Want a Green Revolution?
- Is your Netflix queue destroying the environment?
- NEWS RELEASE – Mason General Hospital Named 2008 “Most Wired” Hospital
- AOL Is Moving Closer To Jettisoning Dial-Up
- Will Frontier Enforce New 5GB Cap?
- Delta Plans to Offer Wi-Fi on Its Jets
- 'Spam King' once felt 'invincible'
- Washington State smog alert as local temperatures climb toward 90
- Missing Union Bicyclist Found Safe in Lynden
- Weyerhaeuser cutting 1,500 jobs in Federal Way, posts third consecutive quarterly loss
- Economic chill: Washington Governor orders hiring freeze
- WA investigator accused of stealing drugs from the dead
- Mason County Rules Belfair Espresso Stand to Be ‘Erotic' Entertainment
- Clallam County Fair manager quits days before annual event
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Witting • \WITT-ting\ • noun – Knowledge or awareness of something: cognizance
Abernathy was the witting accomplice of the renegade mortgage broker. “Sure that fry cook at the local greasy spoon makes 100 grand a year,” he chortled as he notarized the verification of income over his signature.
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
U.S. regulators approve Puget Energy buyout (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/08/04/daily5.html?ana=from_rss
Puget Energy's profit declines in second quarter (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/373528_localearns05.html?source=rss
Cosmopolis mill deal hasn’t “blown up” – Evergreen Pulp’s local team has taken a “hiatus” from participating in the negotiating effort with Weyerhaeuser (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/08/04/local_news/01news.txt
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Heat vs. eat is untenable choice
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/373495_energy05.html?source=rss
Three in the running for Grant County PUD commission seat (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080804/NEWS04/532867564/1001/rss1001
FISH & WILDLIFE
Public gets rare chance to view sockeye salmon's return to Idaho (The Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/102/story/460373.html
Orca calf's carcass raises more pollution questions – Researchers study animal found dead in San Juan Islands (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373519_orca05.html?source=rss
Teens' 'clean' carwash raises money – Their salmon-friendly kit keeps soap out of waterways (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373581_carwash05.html?source=rss
Sea lion lays claim to sailboat (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008092036_sealion05m.html?syndication=rss
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
OREGON – Selling Water to Fund State Programs (The Oregon Commentator)
http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2008/08/04/selling-water-to-fund-state-programs/
City of Shelton Sends Letter Asking For State Funding For Improvements to Sewer Plant (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/727/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
Yakima hydrant vandal suspects held (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/6464
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Solar power proponents call for Chelan PUD leadership (The Wenatchee World – Ed. Note: Although I-937 doesn’t give it credit, the Chelan SNAP program should get kudos for it’s progressive efforts!)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/NEWS04/352832816
Report: Power giants likely to miss California renewable energy goal (Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal, CA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2008/08/04/daily30.html?ana=from_rss
Utilities And Solar Marketing Programs (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/ate/story?id=53203&src=rss
Effects Of The Ethanol Mandate On The Price Of Corn (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93293391&ft=1&f=3
CONSERVATION
Longview Councilwoman files complaint over window company's sales pitch – Company claimed it had a deal with the city to promote energy conservation (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/08/05/area_news/doc4897e3c4813a5723773171.txt
Living Green: Energy-Saving Roofs (WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH)
http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=f38f7b4d-d4c1-4167-9606-eccd619e0260&rss=703
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Coal's future is safe - but what about the climate? (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSL2125126320080805
Virgin forests more efficient at storing carbon (Reuters)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080804.wforests0804/BNStory/Science/home
The Daily News Editorial – Government too quick to seek lean, green fix (Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/08/05/editorial/doc4897f5bc35971786901558.txt
You Say You Want a Revolution – If America's serious about going green, some tradeoffs will have to be made (Newsweek Magazine)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/150770?from=rss
Video Stores vs. Online Rentals – Is your Netflix queue destroying the environment? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2196651/?from=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
NEWS RELEASE – Mason General Hospital Named 2008 “Most Wired” Hospital – Mason General Hospital was recently named to the nation’s “Most Wired – Rural” hospitals, according to the results of the 2008 Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study released in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. (From Mason General Hospital – Ed. Note: The Hospital is a big user on the PUD 3 fiber optic network)
AOL Is Moving Closer To Jettisoning Dial-Up (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/04/AR2008080402116.html?nav=rss_technology
Will Frontier Enforce New 5GB Cap? Opposition grows to telco's definition of 'unreasonable' (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Will-Frontier-Enforce-New-5GB-Cap-96723
Delta Plans to Offer Wi-Fi on Its Jets (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/business/06wifi.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1217956740-lw+OcB5qWYmF7db+FTWnZQ
'Spam King' once felt 'invincible' – Desire for 'notoriety' part of e-mail crimes (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373497_spamking05.html?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Washington State smog alert as local temperatures climb toward 90 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373614_weather06.html?source=rss
Missing Union Bicyclist Found Safe in Lynden (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/aug/04/missing-union-bicyclist-found-safe-in-lynden/
Weyerhaeuser cutting 1,500 jobs in Federal Way, posts third consecutive quarterly loss (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008092515_webweyco05.html
Economic chill: Washington Governor orders hiring freeze (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008090804_apwagregoirehiringfreeze.html?syndication=rss
WA investigator accused of stealing drugs from the dead (The Associated Press, via the Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/531484.html
Mason County Rules Belfair Espresso Stand to Be ‘Erotic' Entertainment (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/aug/04/belfair-espresso-stand-ruled-to-be-145erotic/
Clallam County Fair manager quits days before annual event (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.konp.com/local/3876
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Woman Stuck In Traffic, Bills Michigan for Gas Used While Waiting in Construction Zone
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/17097104/detail.html
'Local Idiot' Learns Road Closed Hard Way – Man Ignores 'Road Closed' Sign, Sees Train Destroy Truck
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/17097713/detail.html
CRIME: Pasco palm reader doesn’t foresee jail time
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/263840.html
Man Gobbles Pot After Crash, Police Say
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/17097191/detail.html
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- U.S. regulators approve Puget Energy buyout
- Puget Energy's profit declines in second quarter
- Cosmopolis mill deal hasn’t “blown up”
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Heat vs. eat is untenable choice
- Three in the running for Grant County PUD commission seat
- Public gets rare chance to view sockeye salmon's return to Idaho
- Orca calf's carcass raises more pollution questions
- Teens' 'clean' carwash raises money
- Sea lion lays claim to sailboat
- OREGON – Selling Water to Fund State Programs
- City of Shelton Asks For State Funding For Sewer Plant Improvements
- Yakima hydrant vandal suspects held
- Solar power proponents call for Chelan PUD leadership
- Report: Power giants likely to miss California renewable energy goal
- Utilities And Solar Marketing Programs
- Effects Of The Ethanol Mandate On The Price Of Corn
- Longview Councilwoman files complaint over window company's sales pitch
- Living Green: Energy-Saving Roofs
- Coal's future is safe - but what about the climate?
- Virgin forests more efficient at storing carbon
- The Daily News Editorial – Government too quick to seek lean, green fix
- You Say You Want a Green Revolution?
- Is your Netflix queue destroying the environment?
- NEWS RELEASE – Mason General Hospital Named 2008 “Most Wired” Hospital
- AOL Is Moving Closer To Jettisoning Dial-Up
- Will Frontier Enforce New 5GB Cap?
- Delta Plans to Offer Wi-Fi on Its Jets
- 'Spam King' once felt 'invincible'
- Washington State smog alert as local temperatures climb toward 90
- Missing Union Bicyclist Found Safe in Lynden
- Weyerhaeuser cutting 1,500 jobs in Federal Way, posts third consecutive quarterly loss
- Economic chill: Washington Governor orders hiring freeze
- WA investigator accused of stealing drugs from the dead
- Mason County Rules Belfair Espresso Stand to Be ‘Erotic' Entertainment
- Clallam County Fair manager quits days before annual event
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Witting • \WITT-ting\ • noun – Knowledge or awareness of something: cognizance
Abernathy was the witting accomplice of the renegade mortgage broker. “Sure that fry cook at the local greasy spoon makes 100 grand a year,” he chortled as he notarized the verification of income over his signature.
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
U.S. regulators approve Puget Energy buyout (Puget Sound Business Journal, WA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/08/04/daily5.html?ana=from_rss
Puget Energy's profit declines in second quarter (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/373528_localearns05.html?source=rss
Cosmopolis mill deal hasn’t “blown up” – Evergreen Pulp’s local team has taken a “hiatus” from participating in the negotiating effort with Weyerhaeuser (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/08/04/local_news/01news.txt
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed – Heat vs. eat is untenable choice
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/373495_energy05.html?source=rss
Three in the running for Grant County PUD commission seat (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080804/NEWS04/532867564/1001/rss1001
FISH & WILDLIFE
Public gets rare chance to view sockeye salmon's return to Idaho (The Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/102/story/460373.html
Orca calf's carcass raises more pollution questions – Researchers study animal found dead in San Juan Islands (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373519_orca05.html?source=rss
Teens' 'clean' carwash raises money – Their salmon-friendly kit keeps soap out of waterways (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373581_carwash05.html?source=rss
Sea lion lays claim to sailboat (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008092036_sealion05m.html?syndication=rss
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
OREGON – Selling Water to Fund State Programs (The Oregon Commentator)
http://www.oregoncommentator.com/2008/08/04/selling-water-to-fund-state-programs/
City of Shelton Sends Letter Asking For State Funding For Improvements to Sewer Plant (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/727/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
Yakima hydrant vandal suspects held (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/6464
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Solar power proponents call for Chelan PUD leadership (The Wenatchee World – Ed. Note: Although I-937 doesn’t give it credit, the Chelan SNAP program should get kudos for it’s progressive efforts!)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/NEWS04/352832816
Report: Power giants likely to miss California renewable energy goal (Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal, CA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2008/08/04/daily30.html?ana=from_rss
Utilities And Solar Marketing Programs (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/ate/story?id=53203&src=rss
Effects Of The Ethanol Mandate On The Price Of Corn (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93293391&ft=1&f=3
CONSERVATION
Longview Councilwoman files complaint over window company's sales pitch – Company claimed it had a deal with the city to promote energy conservation (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/08/05/area_news/doc4897e3c4813a5723773171.txt
Living Green: Energy-Saving Roofs (WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH)
http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=f38f7b4d-d4c1-4167-9606-eccd619e0260&rss=703
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Coal's future is safe - but what about the climate? (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSL2125126320080805
Virgin forests more efficient at storing carbon (Reuters)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080804.wforests0804/BNStory/Science/home
The Daily News Editorial – Government too quick to seek lean, green fix (Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/08/05/editorial/doc4897f5bc35971786901558.txt
You Say You Want a Revolution – If America's serious about going green, some tradeoffs will have to be made (Newsweek Magazine)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/150770?from=rss
Video Stores vs. Online Rentals – Is your Netflix queue destroying the environment? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2196651/?from=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
NEWS RELEASE – Mason General Hospital Named 2008 “Most Wired” Hospital – Mason General Hospital was recently named to the nation’s “Most Wired – Rural” hospitals, according to the results of the 2008 Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study released in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. (From Mason General Hospital – Ed. Note: The Hospital is a big user on the PUD 3 fiber optic network)
AOL Is Moving Closer To Jettisoning Dial-Up (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/04/AR2008080402116.html?nav=rss_technology
Will Frontier Enforce New 5GB Cap? Opposition grows to telco's definition of 'unreasonable' (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Will-Frontier-Enforce-New-5GB-Cap-96723
Delta Plans to Offer Wi-Fi on Its Jets (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/business/06wifi.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1217956740-lw+OcB5qWYmF7db+FTWnZQ
'Spam King' once felt 'invincible' – Desire for 'notoriety' part of e-mail crimes (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373497_spamking05.html?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Washington State smog alert as local temperatures climb toward 90 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373614_weather06.html?source=rss
Missing Union Bicyclist Found Safe in Lynden (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/aug/04/missing-union-bicyclist-found-safe-in-lynden/
Weyerhaeuser cutting 1,500 jobs in Federal Way, posts third consecutive quarterly loss (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008092515_webweyco05.html
Economic chill: Washington Governor orders hiring freeze (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008090804_apwagregoirehiringfreeze.html?syndication=rss
WA investigator accused of stealing drugs from the dead (The Associated Press, via the Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/531484.html
Mason County Rules Belfair Espresso Stand to Be ‘Erotic' Entertainment (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/aug/04/belfair-espresso-stand-ruled-to-be-145erotic/
Clallam County Fair manager quits days before annual event (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.konp.com/local/3876
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Woman Stuck In Traffic, Bills Michigan for Gas Used While Waiting in Construction Zone
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/17097104/detail.html
'Local Idiot' Learns Road Closed Hard Way – Man Ignores 'Road Closed' Sign, Sees Train Destroy Truck
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/17097713/detail.html
CRIME: Pasco palm reader doesn’t foresee jail time
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/263840.html
Man Gobbles Pot After Crash, Police Say
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/17097191/detail.html
Monday, August 4, 2008
Energy News Digest for August 4, 2008
All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Locals are in revolt against Puget Sound Energy
- Puget Sound Energy faces votes in three counties on whether residents want to take over the utility's power operations
- Grant County PUD industrial rates could rise by 3 percent
- Copper wire theft costly, but not enough to raise Cowlitz PUD rates
- TransAlta Mostly Silent On Buyout Offer
- MARYLAND – Little Outcry on Nuclear Reactor Proposal
- A Push to Wrest More Oil From Land, but Most New Wells Are for Natural Gas
- In Strait of Georgia – Fishermen find slime, not sockeye, in latest Sockeye salmon run
- Independent scientists may get involved in salmon review
- It's pelican vs. trout in Idaho predator conflict
- Skokomish River brims with eager anglers
- Oregonian Op/Ed – Empty Oceans
- Marbled salmon may be the next "it" fish
- Taking (Out) the High Roads to Save the Skokomish
- Lake water suspected of sullying Tualatin River
- Seattle could face utility-rate increases in '09
- Senate Passes Bill That Would Protect Great Lakes
- Snohomish County PUD looks for energy underfoot
- High fuel costs have more homeowners eying geothermal heat
- Nobody jumps at offer of money to pay for cleaner wood stoves, fireplaces
- This Land: In the Hills of Nebraska, Change Is on the Horizon
- Editorial – Federal Renewable Energy Mandates Make Good Ad Copy But Lousy Policy
- Sun setting on solar energy affordability?
- Wave Energy Development: What are the impacts to fish and other marine life?
- Oregon rancher sees biodiesel where some see weeds
- TEXAS – Public Utility Commission sends out yellow conservation alert for week
- COLORADO – City asks for help in curbing utility bill
- Climate activists converge in Oregon
- FCC Tries to Avert Threatened internet Satellite Cutoff
- OREGON – HP tells staff in Corvallis ink business is 'broken'
- NBC Warns Metered Broadband Could Hinder Olympics Viewing
- Warning Sign: Metered Broadband Already a Hassle
- How Comcast keeps its network humming
- AOL: One Step Closer To Dying
- AT&T May Expand Rural WiMax Use
- Potential WiFi on Alaska Airlines
- Wi-Fi *Hotspots* Not Always Secure
- Woman killed in NW Washington was mistaken for bear
- Sixth foot washes up on shore
- Weyerhaeuser completes $6 billion sale
- First Dirt to Be Turned on Belfair Medical Clinic
- Another day, another marijuana raid in a vineyard
- Up Retirement Age To Save Social Security?
- All the pretty horses of Vantage are only half done
- Will 835% tax increase drain life from Seattle's last working farm?
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Cicerone • \siss-uh-ROE-nee\ • noun – 1: a guide who conducts sightseers *2: mentor, tutor
“And if you look to your left, you’ll see an actual copy of the replica of a Halloween costume of Elvis’ jumpsuit from the later stage of his career,” droned the ponderous cicerone who was leading a rag-tag group of tourists at the low-budget Elvis impersonator museum in Las Vegas. “This is the worst fifty bucks I’ve ever spent on something,” muttered Ambrose to his impeccably coifed companion.
WORD HISTORY FROM MERRIAM-WEBSTER – Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 - 43 B.C.) was renowned in Rome as a statesman, lawyer, and writer, and he is remembered today for his skills as an orator and rhetorician. The Ciceronian style of rhetoric placed special emphasis on the rhythms and cadences of phrases and sentences and their ability to appeal to the speaker's audience. It is believed that Cicero's eloquence and learning influenced the use of his Italian name, "Cicerone," to refer to sightseeing guides, themselves known for their talkativeness and eloquence, and later, to persons who serve as mentors or tutors to others.
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
Locals are in revolt against Puget Sound Energy (Crosscut Seattle)
http://www.crosscut.com/energy-utilities/16478/Locals+are+in+revolt+against+Puget+Sound+Energy/
The Seattle P-I Insider: “…Puget Sound Energy now faces November votes in three counties on whether residents want to take over the utility's power operations…” (Scroll down the page to the sub-head “And Then There Were Three”)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/373373_theinsider04.html?source=rss
Grant County PUD industrial rates could rise by 3 percent – No decisions made, PUD continues talks (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/08/01/news/news03.txt
Copper wire theft costly, but not enough to raise Cowlitz PUD rates (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/08/04//area_news/doc4896b058dc140901978243.txt
TransAlta Mostly Silent On Buyout Offer (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?TransAlta-Mostly-Silent-On-Buyout-Offer=1&blockID=11563&feedID=410
MARYLAND – Little Outcry on Nuclear Reactor Proposal (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/03/AR2008080301642.html
A Push to Wrest More Oil From Land, but Most New Wells Are for Natural Gas (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/us/03drill.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
In Strait of Georgia – Fishermen find slime, not sockeye, in latest Sockeye salmon run (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/529407.html
Independent scientists may get involved in salmon review (KGW-TV, Portland)
http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_080208_environment_salmon_bi-op.981355e.html?npc
It's pelican vs. trout in Idaho predator conflict (The Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080804/ap_on_re_us/pelicans_vs_trout_1
Skokomish River brims with eager anglers (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/528490.html
Oregonian Op/Ed – Empty Oceans: This year's McCormick & Schmick's media tasting of its new salmon dishes was a dramatic display of the range of the Pacific's poster fish…Except, of course, that none of the fish was from around here (Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/david_sarasohn/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1217636708161060.xml&coll=7
Spring Salmon or Blackmouth – Marbled salmon may be the next "it" fish (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2008079690_pacificptaste03.html?syndication=rss
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Taking (Out) the High Roads to Save the Skokomish – The Skokomish River is sick, experts say, and intensive care is needed for any hope of recovery (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/aug/02/taking-out-the-high-roads-to-save-the-skokomish/
Lake water suspected of sullying Tualatin River – Contamination in Wapato Lake may have led to the algae bloom in the nearby Tualatin River (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/121764750783310.xml&coll=7
Seattle could face utility-rate increases in '09 (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008087464_seattlerates02m0.html
Senate Passes Bill That Would Protect Great Lakes – Environmental Issues, Not Just Conservation Efforts, Should Also Be Addressed, Activists Contend “…Total restoration and cleanup costs for the Great Lakes are estimated at $15 billion to $20 billion…” (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/02/AR2008080201389.html?nav=rss_nation
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Geothermal Energy – Snohomish County PUD looks for energy underfoot (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20080804/NEWS01/72932694
High fuel costs have more homeowners eying geothermal heat (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008090070_heat04m.html?syndication=rss
Nobody jumps at offer of money to pay for cleaner wood stoves, fireplaces – Agency is looking for homeowners willing to take $1,500 to $3,000 to replace old wood stoves and fireplaces (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/08/08032008_Nobody-jumps-at-offer-of-money-to-pay-for-cleaner-wood-stoves-fireplaces.cfm?newsletter=1
This Land: In the Hills of Nebraska, Change Is on the Horizon – you can’t miss its newest crop: wind turbines, three dozen of them, sprouting improbably from the sand hills of north-central Nebraska. (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/us/04land.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Post-Chronicle Editorial – Federal Renewable Energy Mandates Make Good Ad Copy But Lousy Policy (Denville, NJ)
http://www.postchronicle.com/commentary/article_212161847.shtml
Sun setting on solar energy affordability? (Orlando Business Journal, FL)
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2008/08/04/story12.html?ana=from_rss
CALIFORNIA – Wave Energy Development: What are the impacts to fish and other marine life? (Bay Area Independent Media)
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/08/03/18522428.php
Oregon rancher sees biodiesel where some see weeds (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1519756~Ore__rancher_sees_biodiesel_where_some_see_weeds.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
CONSERVATION
TEXAS – Public Utility Commission sends out yellow conservation alert for week (The Waco Tribune, TX)
http://www.wacotrib.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/communities/breakingnews/entries/2008/08/04/puc_sends_out_yellow_conservat.html
COLORADO – City asks for help in curbing utility bill (The Coloradan, Fort Collins, CO)
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080804/NEWS01/808040317/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Climate activists converge in Oregon (The Eugene Register-Guard, OR)
http://www.registerguard.com/rg/CityRegion/story.csp?cid=125947&sid=4&fid=2
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
FCC Tries to Avert Threatened Satellite Cutoff by SES Americom (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/01/AR2008080103283.html?nav=rss_technology
OREGON – HP tells staff in Corvallis ink business is 'broken' – Internal memos show the inkjet printer division is in worse straits than the company has revealed publicly (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1217811312223840.xml&coll=7
NBC Warns Metered Broadband Could Hinder Olympics Viewing – Access to content is beginning to be restricted (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/NBC-Warns-Metered-Broadband-Could-Hinder-Olympics-Viewing-96690
Warning Sign: Metered Broadband Already a Hassle – “We’ve talked before that metered access is a boneheaded idea…” (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/08/02/warning-sign-metered-broadband-already-a-hassle/
How Comcast keeps its network humming – A specialized team in the company's operations center in south Everett constantly monitors a 5,200-mile network (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080804/BIZ/371689994/-1/rss03
AOL: One Step Closer To Dying – Dial-up, Ad business splintered, sale imminent (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/AOL-One-Step-Closer-To-Dying-96706
AT&T May Expand Rural WiMax Use – A few southern states sometime this year (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-May-Expand-Rural-WiMax-Use-96704
Potential WiFi on Alaska Airlines (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4150
Wi-Fi *Hotspots* Not Always Secure (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8777248
GENERAL NEWS
Woman killed near Rockport in NW Washington was mistaken for bear (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1520091~Woman_killed_near_Rockport_was_mistaken_for_bear.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Sixth foot washes up on shore (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=1e912a70-9c06-4542-82d4-1674d5924f29
Weyerhaeuser completes $6 billion sale (The Associated Press, via the Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/530978.html
First Dirt to Be Turned on Belfair Medical Clinic (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/aug/04/first-dirt-to-be-turned-on-belfair-medical/
Another day, another marijuana raid in a vineyard (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008089378_apwamarijuanaraid.html?syndication=rss
Up Retirement Age To Save Social Security? Group Proposes Way To Save Social Security System (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/money/17064232/detail.html
All the pretty horses of Vantage are only half done – Officials are having trouble funding its completion (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008089992_horseart04m.html?syndication=rss
Seattle Times Columnist – Will 835% tax increase drain life from Seattle's last working farm?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2008088812_danny03.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Pickup thief loses truck to carjacker
http://www.examiner.com/a-1519947~Pickup_thief_loses_truck_to_carjacker.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
Trucker stops to relieve himself, loses load
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/26222534.html
Parents Fly To Paris, Leave Child Behind – Family Unaware Until Officials Find Child
http://www.kirotv.com/family/17086216/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Town Spends $1M To Buy, Shut Down Strip Club
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17063961/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Locals are in revolt against Puget Sound Energy
- Puget Sound Energy faces votes in three counties on whether residents want to take over the utility's power operations
- Grant County PUD industrial rates could rise by 3 percent
- Copper wire theft costly, but not enough to raise Cowlitz PUD rates
- TransAlta Mostly Silent On Buyout Offer
- MARYLAND – Little Outcry on Nuclear Reactor Proposal
- A Push to Wrest More Oil From Land, but Most New Wells Are for Natural Gas
- In Strait of Georgia – Fishermen find slime, not sockeye, in latest Sockeye salmon run
- Independent scientists may get involved in salmon review
- It's pelican vs. trout in Idaho predator conflict
- Skokomish River brims with eager anglers
- Oregonian Op/Ed – Empty Oceans
- Marbled salmon may be the next "it" fish
- Taking (Out) the High Roads to Save the Skokomish
- Lake water suspected of sullying Tualatin River
- Seattle could face utility-rate increases in '09
- Senate Passes Bill That Would Protect Great Lakes
- Snohomish County PUD looks for energy underfoot
- High fuel costs have more homeowners eying geothermal heat
- Nobody jumps at offer of money to pay for cleaner wood stoves, fireplaces
- This Land: In the Hills of Nebraska, Change Is on the Horizon
- Editorial – Federal Renewable Energy Mandates Make Good Ad Copy But Lousy Policy
- Sun setting on solar energy affordability?
- Wave Energy Development: What are the impacts to fish and other marine life?
- Oregon rancher sees biodiesel where some see weeds
- TEXAS – Public Utility Commission sends out yellow conservation alert for week
- COLORADO – City asks for help in curbing utility bill
- Climate activists converge in Oregon
- FCC Tries to Avert Threatened internet Satellite Cutoff
- OREGON – HP tells staff in Corvallis ink business is 'broken'
- NBC Warns Metered Broadband Could Hinder Olympics Viewing
- Warning Sign: Metered Broadband Already a Hassle
- How Comcast keeps its network humming
- AOL: One Step Closer To Dying
- AT&T May Expand Rural WiMax Use
- Potential WiFi on Alaska Airlines
- Wi-Fi *Hotspots* Not Always Secure
- Woman killed in NW Washington was mistaken for bear
- Sixth foot washes up on shore
- Weyerhaeuser completes $6 billion sale
- First Dirt to Be Turned on Belfair Medical Clinic
- Another day, another marijuana raid in a vineyard
- Up Retirement Age To Save Social Security?
- All the pretty horses of Vantage are only half done
- Will 835% tax increase drain life from Seattle's last working farm?
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Cicerone • \siss-uh-ROE-nee\ • noun – 1: a guide who conducts sightseers *2: mentor, tutor
“And if you look to your left, you’ll see an actual copy of the replica of a Halloween costume of Elvis’ jumpsuit from the later stage of his career,” droned the ponderous cicerone who was leading a rag-tag group of tourists at the low-budget Elvis impersonator museum in Las Vegas. “This is the worst fifty bucks I’ve ever spent on something,” muttered Ambrose to his impeccably coifed companion.
WORD HISTORY FROM MERRIAM-WEBSTER – Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 - 43 B.C.) was renowned in Rome as a statesman, lawyer, and writer, and he is remembered today for his skills as an orator and rhetorician. The Ciceronian style of rhetoric placed special emphasis on the rhythms and cadences of phrases and sentences and their ability to appeal to the speaker's audience. It is believed that Cicero's eloquence and learning influenced the use of his Italian name, "Cicerone," to refer to sightseeing guides, themselves known for their talkativeness and eloquence, and later, to persons who serve as mentors or tutors to others.
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
Locals are in revolt against Puget Sound Energy (Crosscut Seattle)
http://www.crosscut.com/energy-utilities/16478/Locals+are+in+revolt+against+Puget+Sound+Energy/
The Seattle P-I Insider: “…Puget Sound Energy now faces November votes in three counties on whether residents want to take over the utility's power operations…” (Scroll down the page to the sub-head “And Then There Were Three”)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/373373_theinsider04.html?source=rss
Grant County PUD industrial rates could rise by 3 percent – No decisions made, PUD continues talks (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/08/01/news/news03.txt
Copper wire theft costly, but not enough to raise Cowlitz PUD rates (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/08/04//area_news/doc4896b058dc140901978243.txt
TransAlta Mostly Silent On Buyout Offer (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?TransAlta-Mostly-Silent-On-Buyout-Offer=1&blockID=11563&feedID=410
MARYLAND – Little Outcry on Nuclear Reactor Proposal (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/03/AR2008080301642.html
A Push to Wrest More Oil From Land, but Most New Wells Are for Natural Gas (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/us/03drill.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
In Strait of Georgia – Fishermen find slime, not sockeye, in latest Sockeye salmon run (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/529407.html
Independent scientists may get involved in salmon review (KGW-TV, Portland)
http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_080208_environment_salmon_bi-op.981355e.html?npc
It's pelican vs. trout in Idaho predator conflict (The Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080804/ap_on_re_us/pelicans_vs_trout_1
Skokomish River brims with eager anglers (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/528490.html
Oregonian Op/Ed – Empty Oceans: This year's McCormick & Schmick's media tasting of its new salmon dishes was a dramatic display of the range of the Pacific's poster fish…Except, of course, that none of the fish was from around here (Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/david_sarasohn/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1217636708161060.xml&coll=7
Spring Salmon or Blackmouth – Marbled salmon may be the next "it" fish (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2008079690_pacificptaste03.html?syndication=rss
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Taking (Out) the High Roads to Save the Skokomish – The Skokomish River is sick, experts say, and intensive care is needed for any hope of recovery (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/aug/02/taking-out-the-high-roads-to-save-the-skokomish/
Lake water suspected of sullying Tualatin River – Contamination in Wapato Lake may have led to the algae bloom in the nearby Tualatin River (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/121764750783310.xml&coll=7
Seattle could face utility-rate increases in '09 (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008087464_seattlerates02m0.html
Senate Passes Bill That Would Protect Great Lakes – Environmental Issues, Not Just Conservation Efforts, Should Also Be Addressed, Activists Contend “…Total restoration and cleanup costs for the Great Lakes are estimated at $15 billion to $20 billion…” (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/02/AR2008080201389.html?nav=rss_nation
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Geothermal Energy – Snohomish County PUD looks for energy underfoot (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20080804/NEWS01/72932694
High fuel costs have more homeowners eying geothermal heat (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008090070_heat04m.html?syndication=rss
Nobody jumps at offer of money to pay for cleaner wood stoves, fireplaces – Agency is looking for homeowners willing to take $1,500 to $3,000 to replace old wood stoves and fireplaces (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/08/08032008_Nobody-jumps-at-offer-of-money-to-pay-for-cleaner-wood-stoves-fireplaces.cfm?newsletter=1
This Land: In the Hills of Nebraska, Change Is on the Horizon – you can’t miss its newest crop: wind turbines, three dozen of them, sprouting improbably from the sand hills of north-central Nebraska. (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/us/04land.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
Post-Chronicle Editorial – Federal Renewable Energy Mandates Make Good Ad Copy But Lousy Policy (Denville, NJ)
http://www.postchronicle.com/commentary/article_212161847.shtml
Sun setting on solar energy affordability? (Orlando Business Journal, FL)
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/stories/2008/08/04/story12.html?ana=from_rss
CALIFORNIA – Wave Energy Development: What are the impacts to fish and other marine life? (Bay Area Independent Media)
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/08/03/18522428.php
Oregon rancher sees biodiesel where some see weeds (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1519756~Ore__rancher_sees_biodiesel_where_some_see_weeds.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
CONSERVATION
TEXAS – Public Utility Commission sends out yellow conservation alert for week (The Waco Tribune, TX)
http://www.wacotrib.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/communities/breakingnews/entries/2008/08/04/puc_sends_out_yellow_conservat.html
COLORADO – City asks for help in curbing utility bill (The Coloradan, Fort Collins, CO)
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080804/NEWS01/808040317/1002/CUSTOMERSERVICE02
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Climate activists converge in Oregon (The Eugene Register-Guard, OR)
http://www.registerguard.com/rg/CityRegion/story.csp?cid=125947&sid=4&fid=2
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
FCC Tries to Avert Threatened Satellite Cutoff by SES Americom (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/01/AR2008080103283.html?nav=rss_technology
OREGON – HP tells staff in Corvallis ink business is 'broken' – Internal memos show the inkjet printer division is in worse straits than the company has revealed publicly (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1217811312223840.xml&coll=7
NBC Warns Metered Broadband Could Hinder Olympics Viewing – Access to content is beginning to be restricted (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/NBC-Warns-Metered-Broadband-Could-Hinder-Olympics-Viewing-96690
Warning Sign: Metered Broadband Already a Hassle – “We’ve talked before that metered access is a boneheaded idea…” (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/08/02/warning-sign-metered-broadband-already-a-hassle/
How Comcast keeps its network humming – A specialized team in the company's operations center in south Everett constantly monitors a 5,200-mile network (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080804/BIZ/371689994/-1/rss03
AOL: One Step Closer To Dying – Dial-up, Ad business splintered, sale imminent (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/AOL-One-Step-Closer-To-Dying-96706
AT&T May Expand Rural WiMax Use – A few southern states sometime this year (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-May-Expand-Rural-WiMax-Use-96704
Potential WiFi on Alaska Airlines (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4150
Wi-Fi *Hotspots* Not Always Secure (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8777248
GENERAL NEWS
Woman killed near Rockport in NW Washington was mistaken for bear (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1520091~Woman_killed_near_Rockport_was_mistaken_for_bear.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Sixth foot washes up on shore (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=1e912a70-9c06-4542-82d4-1674d5924f29
Weyerhaeuser completes $6 billion sale (The Associated Press, via the Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/530978.html
First Dirt to Be Turned on Belfair Medical Clinic (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/aug/04/first-dirt-to-be-turned-on-belfair-medical/
Another day, another marijuana raid in a vineyard (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008089378_apwamarijuanaraid.html?syndication=rss
Up Retirement Age To Save Social Security? Group Proposes Way To Save Social Security System (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/money/17064232/detail.html
All the pretty horses of Vantage are only half done – Officials are having trouble funding its completion (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008089992_horseart04m.html?syndication=rss
Seattle Times Columnist – Will 835% tax increase drain life from Seattle's last working farm?
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2008088812_danny03.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Pickup thief loses truck to carjacker
http://www.examiner.com/a-1519947~Pickup_thief_loses_truck_to_carjacker.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
Trucker stops to relieve himself, loses load
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/26222534.html
Parents Fly To Paris, Leave Child Behind – Family Unaware Until Officials Find Child
http://www.kirotv.com/family/17086216/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Town Spends $1M To Buy, Shut Down Strip Club
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17063961/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
Friday, August 1, 2008
Late Post Due to Blog Issues - Energy News Digest for August 1, 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)
- Seattle Times Op/Ed – A Northwest distaste for nuclear power
- NW Natural subsidiary building underground natural gas storage facility
- Clallam County PUD gets unique transformer option
- MARYLAND – Constellation Energy Group thrives – profit jumped 47 percent
- Boston Globe Op/Ed – The folly of 'fixing' energy price hikes
- Wall Street Journal Op/Ed – Texas Should Change Energy Policy
- Bush says coal part of his "sprint to the finish"
- EPA grants air quality permit for 1,500 MW New Mexico coal plant
- NEW YORK – Expert Panel Concludes Indian Point Nuclear Plant Is Safe
- Poll: Voters want candidate with energy answers
- "Call Before You Dig" celebrates 30th anniversary
- Sockeye surprise
- Baker City Herald Editorial – Nature tweaks our noses yet again
- Columbia River channel-deepening plan clears critical hurdle
- Oregon Public Utility Commission Ruling Pleases Oregon's Solar Power Industry
- Federal solar, wind tax credits stalled
- Two Reports Raise Hopes on Energy
- MIT develops way to bank solar energy at home
- 'Energy Star' label on appliances worth the extra cost
- Western States to Cap Global Warming Pollution
- Department of Energy to provide $36 m for carbon dioxide capture
- EPA Clears Field Burning For Idaho Farmers
- Seattle Times Columnist – "Greenness" makes me see red
- Yahoo might bring another data center to Chelan County
- Yahoo expected to spar with peeved shareholders
- FCC orders Comcast to alter network management
- FCC faces GOP pressure on Comcast and Net neutrality
- Navajos Could Lose Internet Access
- Own Your Own Last Mile Fiber
- Blade Server Use Will Be Limited Through 2012
- Band Leaks Own Track, Blames Evil Pirates
- Washington State checks if workers profited from bogus diplomas
- Mason County Sheriff Patrol Car Hit Head-On On Highway 3
- Elma police arrest Olympia man for stealing copper wire from a train
- Mexico concerns Oregon Christmas-tree farms
- Forbes study ranks Washington third for business climate
- Congressional committee moves to ban in-flight cell phone use
- How low can a thief go? Enough to rob 11-year-olds
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
natatorial • \nay-tuh-TOR-ee-ul\ • adjective – *1: of or relating to swimming 2: adapted to or characterized by swimming
“Look Mommy, I’m swimming,” squealed the excited toddler. The child’s mother wore a wistful smile, remembering her natatorial exploits in the same municipal swimming pool. (Sorry, no irony, sarcasm, lampooning or satire today)
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
Seattle Times Op/Ed – A Northwest distaste for nuclear power – 25 years ago this summer, prospects for a nuclear-powered Northwest imploded in the WPPSS bond default
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008082460_nukeop31.html?syndication=rss
NW Natural subsidiary building underground natural gas storage facility (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/07/28/daily37.html?ana=from_rss
Clallam County PUD gets unique transformer option – Power on wheels (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3868
MARYLAND – Constellation Energy Group thrives – profit jumped 47 percent (The Baltimore Sun, MD)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-constellation0801manual,0,5516853.story
Boston Globe Op/Ed – The folly of 'fixing' energy price hikes (Boston, MA)
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/08/01/the_folly_of_fixing_energy_price_hikes/
Wall Street Journal Op/Ed – Texas Should Change Energy Policy
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121755483821903239.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Bush says coal part of his "sprint to the finish" (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008081266_apbushenergy.html?syndication=rss
NEW MEXICO – EPA grants air quality permit for 1,500 MW coal-fired Desert Rock power plant (New Mexico Business Weekly)
http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2008/07/28/daily32.html?ana=from_rss
NEW YORK – Expert Panel Concludes Indian Point Nuclear Plant Is Safe, but a Little Untidy in Spots (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/nyregion/01nuke.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Poll: Voters want candidate with energy answers (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-07-31-energy--poll_N.htm?csp=34
"Call Before You Dig" celebrates 30th anniversary (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=335898&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
Sockeye surprise – Biggest run in half a century is four times more than experts predicted for this year (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/NEWS04/481672551
Baker City Herald Editorial – Nature tweaks our noses yet again: Consider, for instance, sockeye salmon in the Columbia River (Baker City, OR)
http://www.bakercityherald.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=7041
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Columbia River channel-deepening plan clears critical hurdle (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/08/01/editorial/doc48925d3323c8f228095377.txt
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Oregon Public Utility Commission Ruling Pleases Oregon's Solar Power Industry (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2724-puc-rulings-pleases-oregons-solar-power-industry/
Federal solar, wind tax credits stalled – lawmakers squabble over legislation, putting projects 'on hold' (The San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10065248?source=rss
Two Reports Raise Hopes on Energy – Storing energy is a crucial but expensive component of plans to turn intermittent sources of energy into reliable replacements for coal and natural gas (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/us/01hydrogen.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
MIT develops way to bank solar energy at home (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUKN3145191020080731
CONSERVATION
The Columbian Energy Advisor: 'Energy Star' label on appliances worth the extra cost (Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/lifehome/lifeHomeNews/2008/07/07312008_Energy-Advisor-Energy-Star-label-on-appliances-worth-the-extra-cost.cfm?newsletter=1
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Western States to Cap Global Warming Pollution After 2012 (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4122
U.S. Department of Energy to provide $36 mill to advance carbon dioxide capture (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=335904&C=ENVIR&dcmp=rss
EPA Clears Field Burning For Idaho Farmers (Oregon Public Broadcasting – Net zero emissions from biomass…right?)
http://news.opb.org/article/2727-epa-clears-field-burning-idaho-farmers/
Seattle Times Columnist – "Greenness" makes me see red: Seattle, you're really getting on my nerves.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nicolebrodeur/2008085323_brodeur01m.html?syndication=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Yahoo might bring another data center to Chelan County (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/NEWS04/451207735/1001/rss1001
Yahoo expected to spar with peeved shareholders (The Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080801/ap_on_hi_te/yahoo_shareholders_12
FCC orders Comcast to alter network management (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080801/wr_nm/comcast_fcc_dc_2
FCC's Martin faces GOP pressure on Comcast and Net neutrality (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10004339-38.html?tag=nl.e703
Navajos Could Lose Internet Access – FCC Grant Dispute Threatens Public Safety Communications (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/01/AR2008080102863.html?nav=rss_business
Own Your Own Last Mile Fiber – Ottawa; where instead of paying monthly rates, 400 homeowners are being allowed to buy their own last mile fiber connection (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Own-Your-Own-Last-Mile-Fiber-96618
Blade Server Use Will Be Limited Through 2012, Researcher Says (TechWeb)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20080801/tc_cmp/209901168
Band Leaks Own Track, Blames Evil Pirates – When record labels think Internet users are stupid (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Band-Leaks-Own-Track-Blames-Evil-Pirates-96616
GENERAL NEWS
Washington State checks if workers profited from bogus diplomas – Agency looks for matches among clients (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/527350.html
Mason County Sheriff Patrol Car Hit Head-On On Highway 3 Near Mill Creek (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/692/reftab/1632/Default.aspx
Elma police arrest Olympia man for stealing copper wire from a train (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/07/31/local_news/06news.txt
Mexico concerns Oregon Christmas-tree farms (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373192_christmastrees02.html?source=rss
Forbes study ranks state third for business climate (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2008/07/08012008_Forbes-study-ranks-state-third-for-business-climate.cfm/
Congressional committee moves to ban in-flight cell phone use (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10004170-1.html?tag=nl.e703
How low can a thief go? Enough to rob 11-year-olds (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/26159444.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Alleged copper wire thief stuck under trash bin for 12 hours (AND WE GOT PICTURES! It looks like the Wicked Witch of the East when Dorothy’s house fell on her….)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080801/ap_on_fe_st/odd_stuck_suspect;_ylt=Ap5I0WqyV4s.QDNjnzNVcD_tiBIF
440 Pound Gambler Ejected From Casino Because Of Stench
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17051221/detail.html
Spokane’s Air Force bugles have neighbors sounding alarms
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008085324_bugle01m.html?syndication=rss
Sequim considering fence to keep elk out
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP08012008news347489.cfm
Body of ballooning Brazilian priest found at sea
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080730/od_nm/brazil_priest_dc;_ylt=AoW.XmsBTvTpOkiwlNsfTEntiBIF
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Seattle Times Op/Ed – A Northwest distaste for nuclear power
- NW Natural subsidiary building underground natural gas storage facility
- Clallam County PUD gets unique transformer option
- MARYLAND – Constellation Energy Group thrives – profit jumped 47 percent
- Boston Globe Op/Ed – The folly of 'fixing' energy price hikes
- Wall Street Journal Op/Ed – Texas Should Change Energy Policy
- Bush says coal part of his "sprint to the finish"
- EPA grants air quality permit for 1,500 MW New Mexico coal plant
- NEW YORK – Expert Panel Concludes Indian Point Nuclear Plant Is Safe
- Poll: Voters want candidate with energy answers
- "Call Before You Dig" celebrates 30th anniversary
- Sockeye surprise
- Baker City Herald Editorial – Nature tweaks our noses yet again
- Columbia River channel-deepening plan clears critical hurdle
- Oregon Public Utility Commission Ruling Pleases Oregon's Solar Power Industry
- Federal solar, wind tax credits stalled
- Two Reports Raise Hopes on Energy
- MIT develops way to bank solar energy at home
- 'Energy Star' label on appliances worth the extra cost
- Western States to Cap Global Warming Pollution
- Department of Energy to provide $36 m for carbon dioxide capture
- EPA Clears Field Burning For Idaho Farmers
- Seattle Times Columnist – "Greenness" makes me see red
- Yahoo might bring another data center to Chelan County
- Yahoo expected to spar with peeved shareholders
- FCC orders Comcast to alter network management
- FCC faces GOP pressure on Comcast and Net neutrality
- Navajos Could Lose Internet Access
- Own Your Own Last Mile Fiber
- Blade Server Use Will Be Limited Through 2012
- Band Leaks Own Track, Blames Evil Pirates
- Washington State checks if workers profited from bogus diplomas
- Mason County Sheriff Patrol Car Hit Head-On On Highway 3
- Elma police arrest Olympia man for stealing copper wire from a train
- Mexico concerns Oregon Christmas-tree farms
- Forbes study ranks Washington third for business climate
- Congressional committee moves to ban in-flight cell phone use
- How low can a thief go? Enough to rob 11-year-olds
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
natatorial • \nay-tuh-TOR-ee-ul\ • adjective – *1: of or relating to swimming 2: adapted to or characterized by swimming
“Look Mommy, I’m swimming,” squealed the excited toddler. The child’s mother wore a wistful smile, remembering her natatorial exploits in the same municipal swimming pool. (Sorry, no irony, sarcasm, lampooning or satire today)
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
Seattle Times Op/Ed – A Northwest distaste for nuclear power – 25 years ago this summer, prospects for a nuclear-powered Northwest imploded in the WPPSS bond default
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008082460_nukeop31.html?syndication=rss
NW Natural subsidiary building underground natural gas storage facility (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/07/28/daily37.html?ana=from_rss
Clallam County PUD gets unique transformer option – Power on wheels (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3868
MARYLAND – Constellation Energy Group thrives – profit jumped 47 percent (The Baltimore Sun, MD)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-constellation0801manual,0,5516853.story
Boston Globe Op/Ed – The folly of 'fixing' energy price hikes (Boston, MA)
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/08/01/the_folly_of_fixing_energy_price_hikes/
Wall Street Journal Op/Ed – Texas Should Change Energy Policy
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121755483821903239.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Bush says coal part of his "sprint to the finish" (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008081266_apbushenergy.html?syndication=rss
NEW MEXICO – EPA grants air quality permit for 1,500 MW coal-fired Desert Rock power plant (New Mexico Business Weekly)
http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2008/07/28/daily32.html?ana=from_rss
NEW YORK – Expert Panel Concludes Indian Point Nuclear Plant Is Safe, but a Little Untidy in Spots (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/nyregion/01nuke.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Poll: Voters want candidate with energy answers (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-07-31-energy--poll_N.htm?csp=34
"Call Before You Dig" celebrates 30th anniversary (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=335898&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
Sockeye surprise – Biggest run in half a century is four times more than experts predicted for this year (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/NEWS04/481672551
Baker City Herald Editorial – Nature tweaks our noses yet again: Consider, for instance, sockeye salmon in the Columbia River (Baker City, OR)
http://www.bakercityherald.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=7041
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Columbia River channel-deepening plan clears critical hurdle (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/08/01/editorial/doc48925d3323c8f228095377.txt
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Oregon Public Utility Commission Ruling Pleases Oregon's Solar Power Industry (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2724-puc-rulings-pleases-oregons-solar-power-industry/
Federal solar, wind tax credits stalled – lawmakers squabble over legislation, putting projects 'on hold' (The San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10065248?source=rss
Two Reports Raise Hopes on Energy – Storing energy is a crucial but expensive component of plans to turn intermittent sources of energy into reliable replacements for coal and natural gas (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/us/01hydrogen.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
MIT develops way to bank solar energy at home (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUKN3145191020080731
CONSERVATION
The Columbian Energy Advisor: 'Energy Star' label on appliances worth the extra cost (Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/lifehome/lifeHomeNews/2008/07/07312008_Energy-Advisor-Energy-Star-label-on-appliances-worth-the-extra-cost.cfm?newsletter=1
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Western States to Cap Global Warming Pollution After 2012 (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4122
U.S. Department of Energy to provide $36 mill to advance carbon dioxide capture (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=335904&C=ENVIR&dcmp=rss
EPA Clears Field Burning For Idaho Farmers (Oregon Public Broadcasting – Net zero emissions from biomass…right?)
http://news.opb.org/article/2727-epa-clears-field-burning-idaho-farmers/
Seattle Times Columnist – "Greenness" makes me see red: Seattle, you're really getting on my nerves.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nicolebrodeur/2008085323_brodeur01m.html?syndication=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Yahoo might bring another data center to Chelan County (The Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/NEWS04/451207735/1001/rss1001
Yahoo expected to spar with peeved shareholders (The Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080801/ap_on_hi_te/yahoo_shareholders_12
FCC orders Comcast to alter network management (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080801/wr_nm/comcast_fcc_dc_2
FCC's Martin faces GOP pressure on Comcast and Net neutrality (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10004339-38.html?tag=nl.e703
Navajos Could Lose Internet Access – FCC Grant Dispute Threatens Public Safety Communications (The Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/01/AR2008080102863.html?nav=rss_business
Own Your Own Last Mile Fiber – Ottawa; where instead of paying monthly rates, 400 homeowners are being allowed to buy their own last mile fiber connection (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Own-Your-Own-Last-Mile-Fiber-96618
Blade Server Use Will Be Limited Through 2012, Researcher Says (TechWeb)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20080801/tc_cmp/209901168
Band Leaks Own Track, Blames Evil Pirates – When record labels think Internet users are stupid (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Band-Leaks-Own-Track-Blames-Evil-Pirates-96616
GENERAL NEWS
Washington State checks if workers profited from bogus diplomas – Agency looks for matches among clients (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/527350.html
Mason County Sheriff Patrol Car Hit Head-On On Highway 3 Near Mill Creek (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/692/reftab/1632/Default.aspx
Elma police arrest Olympia man for stealing copper wire from a train (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/07/31/local_news/06news.txt
Mexico concerns Oregon Christmas-tree farms (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/373192_christmastrees02.html?source=rss
Forbes study ranks state third for business climate (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2008/07/08012008_Forbes-study-ranks-state-third-for-business-climate.cfm/
Congressional committee moves to ban in-flight cell phone use (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10004170-1.html?tag=nl.e703
How low can a thief go? Enough to rob 11-year-olds (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/26159444.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Alleged copper wire thief stuck under trash bin for 12 hours (AND WE GOT PICTURES! It looks like the Wicked Witch of the East when Dorothy’s house fell on her….)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080801/ap_on_fe_st/odd_stuck_suspect;_ylt=Ap5I0WqyV4s.QDNjnzNVcD_tiBIF
440 Pound Gambler Ejected From Casino Because Of Stench
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17051221/detail.html
Spokane’s Air Force bugles have neighbors sounding alarms
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008085324_bugle01m.html?syndication=rss
Sequim considering fence to keep elk out
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP08012008news347489.cfm
Body of ballooning Brazilian priest found at sea
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080730/od_nm/brazil_priest_dc;_ylt=AoW.XmsBTvTpOkiwlNsfTEntiBIF
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Energy News Digest for July 31, 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)
- Jefferson PUD board discounts numbers in Puget Sound Energy-backed study
- Skagit County PUD electricity vote
- Pacific Power seeks rate hike
- Puget Sound Energy Eyeing Three New Sources of Long-Term Power Supply
- BPA in the Spotlight – Energy: Upgrading the grid
- IDAHO – Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative grows with the upper valley
- Heating Oil Costs Are Rising
- Heating-oil customers facing difficult choices are eyeing other energy sources
- American Electric Power Company asks for 15% rate hike each of next three years
- Los Angeles OKs tiered rate system for summer electricity use
- CALIFORNIA – Special inspection scheduled for San Onofre nuclear plant
- Tennessee Valley Authority’s CEO says trust the agency
- FERC Chairman testifies on state of nation’s transmission grid
- Taylor Shellfish, neighbors, state will talk about remedy
- Lake Wenatchee getting closer to sockeye season
- Feds to study effect of pesticides on NW salmon
- ALASKA – Warming waters pose threats to Alaska salmon
- Water bottling company makes its pitch to Orting
- Duckabush, Dosewallips flood plan advisory meeting
- OREGON – Complications delay Lake Oswego sewer project
- CANADA – Warming means more raw sewage in local water
- A 'Dead Zone' in The Gulf of Mexico
- New Tools Emerge in Global Fight for Clean Water
- Are The Enhanced Bottled Waters Worth It?
- Renewable Energy Tax Credit Legislation Voted Down
- Wind overtakes water in Britain's green energy mix
- Renewing Urban Communities through Renewable Energy
- NORTH CAROLINA – As critics scowl, Duke praises Save-a-Watt
- Maryland Residents Asked To Cut Energy Use
- Trying to Curb Global Heat, U.N. to Turn Up Its Own
- Oregon Joins With Four Other States: Threaten to Sue E.P.A.
- Statesman-Journal Editorial – How's your lawn's carbon footprint?
- CenturyTel posts lower second quarter profit
- DSL Takes A Beating – Telcos post worst quarterly additions in DSL history
- CANADA – Bell Outlines Plan To Cap Wholesalers
- Yo FCC! Are You Doing Anything About Metered Broadband?
- NYC Trying To Fill Broadband Black Holes
- Exxon Mobil second quarter profit sets US record
- Price tag set for former Olympia brewery
- Copper thief targets radiation equipment
- Fungus Could Help Stem Worldwide Threat to Bees
- Bonneville turning off KBSG, will simulcast KIRO signal at 97.3 FM
- Racy Espresso Stand Planned For Belfair Tops Commission Meeting
- Tech firm pays $10,000 in fines for dumping hundreds of rebate requests
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Pusillanimous • \pyoo-suh-LAN-uh-muhs \ • adjective – Lacking in courage and resolution; contemptibly fearful; cowardly.
Unbeknownst to many Frank L. Baum scholars, the idea of the “Cowardly Lion” was not the author’s first choice for his book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. For many weeks, much to the displeasure of his editor, Baum insisted that the third companion for Dorothy be called the “Pusillanimous Penguin”. The editor won out, and the rest is history.
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
Jefferson PUD board discounts numbers in Puget Sound Energy-backed study (The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080731/NEWS/807310305
Skagit County PUD electricity vote (KAPS Radio, Mount Vernon, WA)http://www.kapsradio.com/2008/07/30/pud-electricity-vote/
Pacific Power seeks rate hike – The utility wants to raise rates 15 percent for more than 125,000 customers (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/07/30/local_news/080730local02ratehike.txt
Puget Sound Energy Eyeing Three New Sources of Long-Term Power Supply – 'Short List' from Request-for-Proposals Process Features More Wind Energy (Centre DailyTimes)
http://www.centredaily.com/business/story/745575.html
BPA in the Spotlight – Energy: Upgrading the grid – Electricity grids must cope with rising demand and complexity in a changing world (Nature News Online)
http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080730/full/454570a.html
IDAHO – Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative grows with the upper valley (The Standard Journal, Rexburg, ID)
http://rexburgstandardjournal.com/articles/2008/07/30/news/32.txt
Heating Oil Costs Are Rising (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?Heating-Oil-Costs-Are-Rising=1&blockID=11352&feedID=410
Heating-oil customers facing difficult choices are eyeing other energy sources (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008082735_heatingoil31m.html?syndication=rss
OHIO – American Electric Power Company asks for 15% rate hike each of next three years (Business First of Columbus)
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/07/28/daily25.html?ana=from_rss
CALIFORNIA – Los Angeles OKs tiered rate system for summer electricity use (The Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-electric31-2008jul31,0,2179926.story
CALIFORNIA – Special inspection scheduled for San Onofre nuclear plant (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1514492~Special_inspection_scheduled_for_San_Onofre_plant.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
Tennessee Valley Authority’s CEO says trust the agency (The Tennessean, Nashville, TN)
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080729/NEWS02/80729175/1009/NEWS02
NEWS RELEASE – FERC Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher testifies on the state of our nation’s transmission grid before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission – Links to PDF File)
http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/Files/20080731102123-Chairmantestimony.pdf
FISH & WILDLIFE
Taylor Shellfish, neighbors, state will talk about remedy (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/525838.html
Lake Wenatchee getting closer to sockeye season (The Yakima Herald-Republic , WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/6318
Feds to study effect of pesticides on NW salmon (The Associated Press, via the Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP07312008news346966.cfm
ALASKA – Warming waters pose threats to Alaska salmon, could reorder marine ecosystems (Anchorage News Miner)
http://newsminer.com/news/2008/jul/31/warming-waters-pose-threats-alaska-salmon-could-re/
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Water bottling company makes its pitch to Orting – Orting City Council members are continuing talks with a Nestle subsidiary about building a bottled-water plant in town – less than a month after Enumclaw officials sent the company packing (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/429342.html
Duckabush, Dosewallips flood plan advisory meeting is Thursday in Brinnon (Port Townsend Leader, WA)http://www.ptleader.com/Main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=21481
OREGON – Complications delay Lake Oswego sewer project – The contractor pulls out and the city, facing a lawsuit threat, eyes a private property (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1217388378194540.xml&coll=7
CANADA – Warming means more raw sewage in local water (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=e7f6720b-210e-4162-8582-0c996099e5fd
A 'Dead Zone' in The Gulf of Mexico – Scientists Say Area That Cannot Support Some Marine Life Is Near Record Size (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/30/AR2008073002943.html?nav=rss_nation
New Tools Emerge in Global Fight for Clean Water (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/international/July-08/New-Tools-Emerge-in-Global-Fight-for-Clean-Water.html
Are The Enhanced Bottled Waters Worth It? (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/money/17044255/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Renewable Energy Tax Credit Legislation Voted Down in U.S. Senate (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53210&src=rss
UNITED KINGDOM – Wind overtakes water in Britain's green energy mix (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL152895220080731
Renewing Urban Communities through Renewable Energy – Solar Living Institute trains urban youth in solar installation (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/story?id=53212&src=rss
CONSERVATION
NORTH CAROLINA – As critics scowl, Duke praises Save-a-Watt (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5Ckpqqomu%5BVgb%7DGJ%7Bbfen%5Fv
Maryland Residents Asked To Cut Energy Use (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93032462&ft=1&f=3
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Trying to Curb Global Heat, U.N. to Turn Up Its Own (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/world/31nations.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Oregon Joins With Four Other States and New York City Threaten to Sue E.P.A. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-EPA-Emissions-Challenge.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Statesman-Journal Editorial – How's your lawn's carbon footprint? (Salem, OR – and while we’re at it, what about natural gas water heaters, natural gas central heating, breathing, flatulence….)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/OPINION/807310347/1049
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
CenturyTel posts lower second quarter profit – CenturyTel posts lower 2nd-quarter profit as settlement gain boosts year-ago results (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080731/earns_centurytel.html?.v=1
DSL Takes A Beating – Telcos post worst quarterly additions in DSL history (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/DSL-Takes-A-Beating-96580
CANADA – Bell Outlines Plan To Cap Wholesalers – Just in case regulators don't allow them to throttle (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Bell-Outlines-Plan-To-Cap-Wholesalers-96589
Yo FCC! Are You Doing Anything About Metered Broadband? (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/30/fcc-metered-broadban/
NYC Trying To Fill Broadband Black Holes – City committee still talking about options, nearly three years later (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/NYC-Trying-To-Fill-Broadband-Black-Holes-96572
GENERAL NEWS
Exxon Mobil second quarter profit sets US record, shares fall – Even though the earnings set a record, the results fell short of expectations (The Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080731/ap_on_bi_ge/earns_exxon_mobil_18
Price tag set for former Olympia brewery (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/526395.html
Copper thief targets radiation equipment (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1514431~Copper_thief_targets_radiation_equipment.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
Fungus Could Help Stem Worldwide Threat to Bees (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/July-August-08/Fungus-Could-Help-Stem-Worldwide-Threat-to-Bees.html
Bonneville turning off KBSG, will simulcast KIRO signal at 97.3 FM (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/07/28/daily19.html?ana=from_rss
Racy Espresso Stand Planned For Belfair Tops Mason County's Fifth Tuesday Meeting (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/683/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
Tech firm pays $10,000 in fines for dumping hundreds of rebate requests (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10044432?source=rss
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Portland cop fired for lying about weight-loss surgery – said she was having gall bladder surgery
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/372819_copsurgery31.html?source=rss
The Great Vegan Honey Debate – Is honey the dairy of the insect world?
http://www.slate.com/id/2196205/?from=rss
Lost Letter Makes Its Way Back Home 60 Years Later
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17038582/detail.html
44-Pound Cat Needs A New Home In New Jersey
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17038563/detail.html
For pictures of this cat, go here:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24107945-2,00.html
Hidden Van Gogh revealed in color by scientists
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSKUA05713520080730?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Jefferson PUD board discounts numbers in Puget Sound Energy-backed study
- Skagit County PUD electricity vote
- Pacific Power seeks rate hike
- Puget Sound Energy Eyeing Three New Sources of Long-Term Power Supply
- BPA in the Spotlight – Energy: Upgrading the grid
- IDAHO – Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative grows with the upper valley
- Heating Oil Costs Are Rising
- Heating-oil customers facing difficult choices are eyeing other energy sources
- American Electric Power Company asks for 15% rate hike each of next three years
- Los Angeles OKs tiered rate system for summer electricity use
- CALIFORNIA – Special inspection scheduled for San Onofre nuclear plant
- Tennessee Valley Authority’s CEO says trust the agency
- FERC Chairman testifies on state of nation’s transmission grid
- Taylor Shellfish, neighbors, state will talk about remedy
- Lake Wenatchee getting closer to sockeye season
- Feds to study effect of pesticides on NW salmon
- ALASKA – Warming waters pose threats to Alaska salmon
- Water bottling company makes its pitch to Orting
- Duckabush, Dosewallips flood plan advisory meeting
- OREGON – Complications delay Lake Oswego sewer project
- CANADA – Warming means more raw sewage in local water
- A 'Dead Zone' in The Gulf of Mexico
- New Tools Emerge in Global Fight for Clean Water
- Are The Enhanced Bottled Waters Worth It?
- Renewable Energy Tax Credit Legislation Voted Down
- Wind overtakes water in Britain's green energy mix
- Renewing Urban Communities through Renewable Energy
- NORTH CAROLINA – As critics scowl, Duke praises Save-a-Watt
- Maryland Residents Asked To Cut Energy Use
- Trying to Curb Global Heat, U.N. to Turn Up Its Own
- Oregon Joins With Four Other States: Threaten to Sue E.P.A.
- Statesman-Journal Editorial – How's your lawn's carbon footprint?
- CenturyTel posts lower second quarter profit
- DSL Takes A Beating – Telcos post worst quarterly additions in DSL history
- CANADA – Bell Outlines Plan To Cap Wholesalers
- Yo FCC! Are You Doing Anything About Metered Broadband?
- NYC Trying To Fill Broadband Black Holes
- Exxon Mobil second quarter profit sets US record
- Price tag set for former Olympia brewery
- Copper thief targets radiation equipment
- Fungus Could Help Stem Worldwide Threat to Bees
- Bonneville turning off KBSG, will simulcast KIRO signal at 97.3 FM
- Racy Espresso Stand Planned For Belfair Tops Commission Meeting
- Tech firm pays $10,000 in fines for dumping hundreds of rebate requests
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Pusillanimous • \pyoo-suh-LAN-uh-muhs \ • adjective – Lacking in courage and resolution; contemptibly fearful; cowardly.
Unbeknownst to many Frank L. Baum scholars, the idea of the “Cowardly Lion” was not the author’s first choice for his book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. For many weeks, much to the displeasure of his editor, Baum insisted that the third companion for Dorothy be called the “Pusillanimous Penguin”. The editor won out, and the rest is history.
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
Jefferson PUD board discounts numbers in Puget Sound Energy-backed study (The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080731/NEWS/807310305
Skagit County PUD electricity vote (KAPS Radio, Mount Vernon, WA)http://www.kapsradio.com/2008/07/30/pud-electricity-vote/
Pacific Power seeks rate hike – The utility wants to raise rates 15 percent for more than 125,000 customers (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/07/30/local_news/080730local02ratehike.txt
Puget Sound Energy Eyeing Three New Sources of Long-Term Power Supply – 'Short List' from Request-for-Proposals Process Features More Wind Energy (Centre DailyTimes)
http://www.centredaily.com/business/story/745575.html
BPA in the Spotlight – Energy: Upgrading the grid – Electricity grids must cope with rising demand and complexity in a changing world (Nature News Online)
http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080730/full/454570a.html
IDAHO – Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative grows with the upper valley (The Standard Journal, Rexburg, ID)
http://rexburgstandardjournal.com/articles/2008/07/30/news/32.txt
Heating Oil Costs Are Rising (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?Heating-Oil-Costs-Are-Rising=1&blockID=11352&feedID=410
Heating-oil customers facing difficult choices are eyeing other energy sources (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008082735_heatingoil31m.html?syndication=rss
OHIO – American Electric Power Company asks for 15% rate hike each of next three years (Business First of Columbus)
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2008/07/28/daily25.html?ana=from_rss
CALIFORNIA – Los Angeles OKs tiered rate system for summer electricity use (The Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-electric31-2008jul31,0,2179926.story
CALIFORNIA – Special inspection scheduled for San Onofre nuclear plant (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1514492~Special_inspection_scheduled_for_San_Onofre_plant.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
Tennessee Valley Authority’s CEO says trust the agency (The Tennessean, Nashville, TN)
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080729/NEWS02/80729175/1009/NEWS02
NEWS RELEASE – FERC Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher testifies on the state of our nation’s transmission grid before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission – Links to PDF File)
http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/Files/20080731102123-Chairmantestimony.pdf
FISH & WILDLIFE
Taylor Shellfish, neighbors, state will talk about remedy (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/525838.html
Lake Wenatchee getting closer to sockeye season (The Yakima Herald-Republic , WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/6318
Feds to study effect of pesticides on NW salmon (The Associated Press, via the Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP07312008news346966.cfm
ALASKA – Warming waters pose threats to Alaska salmon, could reorder marine ecosystems (Anchorage News Miner)
http://newsminer.com/news/2008/jul/31/warming-waters-pose-threats-alaska-salmon-could-re/
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Water bottling company makes its pitch to Orting – Orting City Council members are continuing talks with a Nestle subsidiary about building a bottled-water plant in town – less than a month after Enumclaw officials sent the company packing (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/429342.html
Duckabush, Dosewallips flood plan advisory meeting is Thursday in Brinnon (Port Townsend Leader, WA)http://www.ptleader.com/Main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=21481
OREGON – Complications delay Lake Oswego sewer project – The contractor pulls out and the city, facing a lawsuit threat, eyes a private property (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1217388378194540.xml&coll=7
CANADA – Warming means more raw sewage in local water (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=e7f6720b-210e-4162-8582-0c996099e5fd
A 'Dead Zone' in The Gulf of Mexico – Scientists Say Area That Cannot Support Some Marine Life Is Near Record Size (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/30/AR2008073002943.html?nav=rss_nation
New Tools Emerge in Global Fight for Clean Water (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/international/July-08/New-Tools-Emerge-in-Global-Fight-for-Clean-Water.html
Are The Enhanced Bottled Waters Worth It? (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/money/17044255/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Renewable Energy Tax Credit Legislation Voted Down in U.S. Senate (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53210&src=rss
UNITED KINGDOM – Wind overtakes water in Britain's green energy mix (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL152895220080731
Renewing Urban Communities through Renewable Energy – Solar Living Institute trains urban youth in solar installation (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/story?id=53212&src=rss
CONSERVATION
NORTH CAROLINA – As critics scowl, Duke praises Save-a-Watt (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5Ckpqqomu%5BVgb%7DGJ%7Bbfen%5Fv
Maryland Residents Asked To Cut Energy Use (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93032462&ft=1&f=3
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Trying to Curb Global Heat, U.N. to Turn Up Its Own (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/world/31nations.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Oregon Joins With Four Other States and New York City Threaten to Sue E.P.A. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-EPA-Emissions-Challenge.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Statesman-Journal Editorial – How's your lawn's carbon footprint? (Salem, OR – and while we’re at it, what about natural gas water heaters, natural gas central heating, breathing, flatulence….)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/OPINION/807310347/1049
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
CenturyTel posts lower second quarter profit – CenturyTel posts lower 2nd-quarter profit as settlement gain boosts year-ago results (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080731/earns_centurytel.html?.v=1
DSL Takes A Beating – Telcos post worst quarterly additions in DSL history (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/DSL-Takes-A-Beating-96580
CANADA – Bell Outlines Plan To Cap Wholesalers – Just in case regulators don't allow them to throttle (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Bell-Outlines-Plan-To-Cap-Wholesalers-96589
Yo FCC! Are You Doing Anything About Metered Broadband? (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/07/30/fcc-metered-broadban/
NYC Trying To Fill Broadband Black Holes – City committee still talking about options, nearly three years later (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/NYC-Trying-To-Fill-Broadband-Black-Holes-96572
GENERAL NEWS
Exxon Mobil second quarter profit sets US record, shares fall – Even though the earnings set a record, the results fell short of expectations (The Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080731/ap_on_bi_ge/earns_exxon_mobil_18
Price tag set for former Olympia brewery (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/526395.html
Copper thief targets radiation equipment (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1514431~Copper_thief_targets_radiation_equipment.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
Fungus Could Help Stem Worldwide Threat to Bees (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/July-August-08/Fungus-Could-Help-Stem-Worldwide-Threat-to-Bees.html
Bonneville turning off KBSG, will simulcast KIRO signal at 97.3 FM (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/07/28/daily19.html?ana=from_rss
Racy Espresso Stand Planned For Belfair Tops Mason County's Fifth Tuesday Meeting (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/683/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
Tech firm pays $10,000 in fines for dumping hundreds of rebate requests (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10044432?source=rss
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Portland cop fired for lying about weight-loss surgery – said she was having gall bladder surgery
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/372819_copsurgery31.html?source=rss
The Great Vegan Honey Debate – Is honey the dairy of the insect world?
http://www.slate.com/id/2196205/?from=rss
Lost Letter Makes Its Way Back Home 60 Years Later
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17038582/detail.html
44-Pound Cat Needs A New Home In New Jersey
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17038563/detail.html
For pictures of this cat, go here:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24107945-2,00.html
Hidden Van Gogh revealed in color by scientists
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSKUA05713520080730?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology
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