Friday, October 3, 2008

Energy News Digest for October 3, 2008

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Okanogan County PUD may go to court for line easements
- Turnout low at Chelan County PUD rate meetings
- WISCONSIN – Sierra Club blasts ex-official over coal plant ad
- Fixing the U.S. "Third World" Transmission Grid with the Public's Support
- Oregon Final drawdown set at Savage Rapids Dam on the Rogue River
- Puget Sound a crowded stop for birds on the Pacific Flyway
- Tuna Imperiled by Its Bicoastal Habits
- Idaho Statesman Editorial – A dried-up Boise River doesn't fit into anyone's agenda
- Water compact negotiations continue with eyes looking towards Hungry Horse Reservoir
- CALIFORNIA – Two dead in Nacimiento water pipeline accident
- Chinese solar company Suntech Power to triple U.S. sales
- CALIFORNIA – A charged debate over Prop. 7 renewable energy plan
- News Release – PSE Customers Reach Solar-Power Milestones
- ILLINOIS – Everyday is sun day with solar power
- Horizon wind farm goes online at Arlington, Oregon
- Shoshone Nation Announces Groundbreaking of New Geothermal Plant
- Student pushes Walla Walla University toward greener future
- State of Kentucky seeks light-bulb changers
- Saving energy: Changing laundry habits, unplugging electronics can add up
- Residents Can Look to Library for Energy-saving Assistance
- Olympian Editorial – Praise Western coalition to reduce carbon
- OREGON – Ashland Mayor: Go green on growth
- DOJ monitoring of Google-Yahoo urged
- Electrical Expert: FiOS Installations Safe
- $700 Billion Would Buy A Lot Of Fiber
- Credit Crunch Could Stall Clearwire Network
- Kitsap County Tree Trimmer Airlifted After Falling 40 Feet
- WaMu execs will be leaving positions
- Wells Fargo to Buy Troubled Wachovia for $15.1 Billion
- Post-Enron regulations were supposed to hold markets accountable
- Seattle credit union to hand out $10 bills
- 'Top two' lawsuit back to US District Court
- Are Wal-Mart’s Changes Enough to Quiet Critics?

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

theriac • \THEER-ee-ak\ • noun – 1: a mixture of many drugs and honey formerly held to be an antidote to poison *2: cure-all

“Dude, this is a mixture of all-natural herbs and mushrooms that will cure just about anything,” slurred the backwoods homeopath. “And, even if it isn’t the theree….thuree…um, theriac it’s designed to be, you probably won’t care. You’ll be on a whole ‘nother astral plain after taking it, man.”

WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Okanogan County PUD may go to court for line easements (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/NEWS04/710029879

Turnout low at Chelan County PUD rate meetings (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081002/NEWS04/710029885

WISCONSIN – Sierra Club blasts ex-official over coal plant ad: Sierra Club blasts former official for ad supporting proposed coal plant in Wisconsin (Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081002/wi_power_plant.html?.v=1

Fixing the U.S. "Third World" Transmission Grid with the Public's Support (Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8kowu%5D%5CmjjklmnXSfd%23%3A%40%24bfen%5Fv

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon Final drawdown set at Savage Rapids Dam on the Rogue River (Associated Press)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/381514_savagerapids03.html?source=rss

Puget Sound a crowded stop for birds on the Pacific Flyway – The great fall migration of birds along the Pacific Flyway from northern breeding grounds to southern overwintering areas is under way (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008224246_portsusan03m.html?syndication=rss

Tuna Imperiled by Its Bicoastal Habits (NY Times)
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/tuna-imperiled-by-bicoastal-habits/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Idaho Statesman Editorial – A dried-up Boise River doesn't fit into anyone's agenda (Boise, ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/story/522207.html

MONTANA – Water compact negotiations continue with eyes looking towards Hungry Horse Reservoir (Char-Koosta News, Pablo, MT)
http://www.charkoosta.com/2008/2008_10_02/Water_negotiation_100208.html

CALIFORNIA – Two dead in Nacimiento water pipeline accident (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1619796~2_dead_in_Nacimiento_water_pipeline_accident.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Chinese solar company Suntech Power to triple U.S. sales (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008224309_solarpush03.html?syndication=rss

CALIFORNIA – A charged debate over Prop. 7 renewable energy plan (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-me-energy3-2008oct03,0,2376736.story?track=rss

News Release – PSE Customers Reach Solar-Power Milestones: Customers Generate More Than 1 MW of Power; Receive More Than $86,000 in Incentives (MarketWatch)
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/pse-customers-reach-solar-power-milestones/story.aspx?guid=%7B3AFDCE01-2959-4977-9D44-57A652C0AA97%7D&dist=hppr

ILLINOIS – Everyday is sun day with solar power (Chicago Sun-Times)
http://searchchicago.suntimes.com/homes/1198455,HOF-News-cover03.article

Horizon wind farm goes online at Arlington, Oregon (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/09/29/daily41.html?ana=from_rss

News Release – Northwestern Band of Shoshone Nation Announces Groundbreaking of New Geothermal Plant (PR Newswire)
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/10-01-2008/0004896367&EDATE=

CONSERVATION

Student pushes Walla Walla University toward greener future (Walla Walla Union Bulletin)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/10/02/local_news/081002local08chelseapatten.txt

State of Kentucky seeks light-bulb changers (Business First of Louisville)
http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2008/09/29/daily54.html?ana=from_rss

Easy steps to saving energy: Changing laundry habits, unplugging electronics can add up (The Wall Street Journal)
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=108313

CONNECTICUT – Residents Can Look to Library for Energy-saving Assistance (Darien News Review, CT)
http://www.dariennews-review.com/ci_10609630

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Olympian Editorial – Praise Western coalition to reduce carbon (Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/606103.html

OREGON – Ashland Mayor: Go green on growth (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)
http://www.dailytidings.com/2008/1002/stories/1002_gross.php

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

DOJ monitoring of Google-Yahoo urged – Senator worried about antitrust issue (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/381591_yahoogoogle03.html?source=rss

Electrical Expert: FiOS Installations Safe – 'The only person I've ever seen harmed by photons was on Star Trek' (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Electrical-Expert-FiOS-Installations-Safe-98172

$700 Billion Would Buy A Lot Of Fiber – Actually it would wire every single home and a whole lot more (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/700-Billion-Would-Buy-A-Lot-Of-Fiber-98165

Credit Crunch Could Stall Clearwire Network (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/10/02/credit-crunch-could-stall-clearwire-network/

GENERAL NEWS

Kitsap County Tree Trimmer Airlifted After Falling 40 Feet (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/oct/02/tree-trimmer-airlifted-after-falling-40-feet/?partner=RSS

WaMu execs will be leaving positions – WaMu employees to know their fate December 1st (Associated Press)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_100308BUB_wamu_execs_LJ.d7af20ff.html?npc

Wells Fargo to Buy Troubled Wachovia for $15.1 Billion – FDIC Says It Intends to Uphold Deal With Citigroup (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/03/AR2008100301042.html?nav=rss_nation

Have We Learned Nothing? Post-Enron regulations were supposed to hold companies and markets accountable (Newsweek)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/162044?from=rss

Seattle credit union to hand out $10 bills (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/381606_money03.html?source=rss

'Top two' lawsuit back to US District Court (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/30217454.html

Are Wal-Mart’s Changes Enough to Quiet Critics? (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/business/October-08/Are-Wal-Mart-s-Changes-Enough-to-Quiet-Critics--.html

DIVERSIONS

Inability to sanitize live carp ends fishy foot treatments
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/381596_FishFeet03.html?source=rss

Australian boy wreaks zoo havoc while feeding croc
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081003/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_australia_zoo;_ylt=AmhLo2qEyiAy9ikO5Gt54hbtiBIF

Wild boars wreak havoc in Germany
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081002/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_germany_boar;_ylt=AgT8_42puLwzwWKZWIbjKUHtiBIF

Man gets burned while using lighter to siphon gas
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081002/ap_on_fe_st/odd_siphoning_fire;_ylt=AkTzt4lbqlvOF73TC_wgv6PtiBIF

Good grief! Gigantic gourd goes missing in Mich.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081003/ap_on_fe_st/odd_great_pumpkin_heist;_ylt=AiXIgkhWa3nbl2hhTeVjPqvtiBIF

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Energy News Digest for October 2, 2008

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Residential Exchange – Puget Sound Energy trying to lower electric rates
- Rate cut possible for Puget Sound Energy customers
- CALIFORNIA – Electricity from Pacific Gas & Electric to cost 6% more
- Jefferson County Public Power – New cash, new vote proposal in campaign
- Policy group's report backs Jefferson County power by PSE over PUDs
- Public Power Week Next Week
- MONTANA – Flathead Co-op puts $3.5 mil in rebates for customers
- IDAHO – Salmon River Electric Cooperative membership tops 2,000
- Enron creditors to receive $900 million distribution
- Energy Pulse Commentary – Another Inconvenient Truth: The Need for Coal
- FISHING: Portion of Yakima River closed to salmon fishing
- Cowlitz River is the place to go for Coho
- Orcas Move South Into Kitsap Waters
- Documentary looks at effects of Snake River dam removal
- Feds will review protected status of seabirds
- Puget Sound agency considers array of taxes to restore Puget Sound's environmental health
- Regulating Interstate Water Pollution
- Columbian Editorial – Septic Assistance: Poorly functioning septic tanks pose a major threat to the quality of groundwater and underground aquifers
- Solar tour showcases renewable energy resources in Clark County
- Seattle Steam Building Biomass Facility
- Great Lakes show great promise for wind energy, researchers find
- UNITED KINGDOM – Study eases fear about wind farm threat to birds
- CFLs: Are We Trading Energy Conservation For Toxic Mercury Emissions?
- Everett Home Show Goes Green!
- Sacramento Municipal Utility District rates customers on energy consumption
- High mountain meadows at Rainier melt away
- British Columbia’s glaciers steadily disappearing
- Report: 4.2 million new 'green' jobs possible
- Google unveils $4.4 trillion plan to reduce fossil-fuel dependence
- The 'Clean Coal' Myth
- Costco's data center future uncertain in Grant County
- Google Data Centers More Efficient Than the Industry Average
- Powell, Wyoming: Population 5,500, Fiber Fed
- Outsourcing aids many data thefts, Verizon says
- Winter May Bring Heavy Rain, Strong Winds, Lowland Snow
- Huh? Forecasters see chance of warmer, drier winter
- This winter, expect ... absolutely anything
- Indian Tribes’ Sales of Untaxed Cigarettes Getting More Scrutiny
- Tacoma City Council explores user-fee system for streets
- Spokane, Wash., paper makes cuts, editor resigns
- Political vandals tearing up campaign signs in Western Washington
- WaMu CEO Fishman won't accept any severance pay

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Bilious • \BILL-yus\ • adjective – 1a: of or relating to bile b : marked by or suffering from liver dysfunction and especially excessive secretion of bile *2: of or indicative of a peevish ill-natured disposition 3: sickeningly unpleasant

Barty instinctively shrank away from the close-talking energy trader at the party celebrating his new wind farm. “Your little pinwheels won’t ever compete with my nuke plant,” growled his bilious guest.

WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Residential Exchange – Puget Sound Energy trying to lower electric rates (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/business/stories/NW_100108BUB_pse_rate_reduction_TP.cf072fc5.html

Rate cut possible for Puget Sound Energy customers (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – Public power preference customer are still waiting for their thank you note….)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/497429.html

CALIFORNIA – Electricity from Pacific Gas & Electric to cost 6% more (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/02/BUEC139ONR.DTL&feed=rss.business

Jefferson County Public Power Measure – New cash, new vote proposal in Prop. 1 campaign (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55&ArticleID=21956&TM=51790.86

Policy group's report backs Jefferson County power by PSE over PUDs (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20081002/NEWS/810020309

Public Power Week Next Week (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/5185/reftab/1896/Default.aspx

MONTANA – Flathead Co-op puts $3.5 mil in rebates for customers (KAJ-TV, Kalispell, MT)
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=9109349

IDAHO – Salmon River Electric Cooperative membership tops 2,000 (The Challis Messenger, ID)
http://www.challismessenger.com/index.php?accnum=story-11-20081002

Enron creditors to receive $900 million distribution (Portland Business Journal, OR)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/09/29/daily38.html?ana=from_rss

Energy Pulse Commentary – Another Inconvenient Truth: The Need for Coal
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1839

FISH & WILDLIFE

FISHING: Portion of Yakima River closed to salmon fishing (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/337015.html

Cowlitz River is the place to go for Coho (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/sports/story/604526.html

Orcas Move South Into Kitsap Waters (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/oct/01/orcas-move-south-into-kitsap-waters/?partner=RSS

Documentary looks at effects of Snake River dams removal (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/337357.html

Feds will review protected status of seabirds (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1616640~Feds_will_review_protected_status_of_seabirds.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Puget Sound agency considers array of taxes to restore Puget Sound's environmental health (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/30073154.html

Regulating Interstate Water Pollution (KUOW Radio, Seattle)
http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=15954

Columbian Editorial – Septic Assistance: Poorly functioning septic tanks pose a major threat to the quality of groundwater and underground aquifers (Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20081002/OPINION02/810019941/-1/opinion

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Energy Adviser: Solar tour showcases renewable energy resources in Clark County (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20081002/LIVING/810019956

Seattle Steam Building Biomass Facility (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53731&src=rss

Great Lakes show great promise for wind energy, researchers find (Detroit Free Press, MI)
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081001/BUSINESS06/81001057

UNITED KINGDOM – Study eases fear about wind farm threat to birds (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSTRE4900A120081001?sp=true

CONSERVATION

Compact Fluorescent Lighting: Are We Trading Energy Conservation For Toxic Mercury Emissions? (Science Daily)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081001093454.htm

Everett Home Show Goes Green! (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/greenhuman/archives/150173.asp

CALIFORNIA – Sacramento Municipal Utility District rates customers on energy consumption (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/378/story/1267187.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

High mountain meadows at Rainier melt away (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/603990.html

British Columbia’s glaciers steadily disappearing (Straight.com, Vancouver, BC)
http://www.straight.com/article-164354/bc-glaciers-steadily-disappearing

Report: 4.2 million new 'green' jobs possible (Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ipuPwK5YeRDA9nnfxKFH15moXmSgD93HTSM02

Google unveils $4.4 trillion plan to reduce fossil-fuel dependence (Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2008/09/29/daily64.html?ana=from_rss

The 'Clean Coal' Myth (Newsweek/Washington Post)
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/energywire/2008/10/the_clean_coal_myth.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Costco's data center future uncertain in Grant County – Dark fiber halt impacted decisions by Amazon, Oracle (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/10/01/news/news02.txt

Google Data Centers More Efficient Than the Industry Average (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/10/01/google-data-centers-more-efficient-than-the-industry-average/

Powell, Wyoming: Population 5,500, Fiber Fed – Municipal broadband project getting lit (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Powell-Wyoming-Population-5500-Fiber-Fed-98110?nocomment=1

Outsourcing aids many data thefts, Verizon says (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10616778?source=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Winter May Bring Heavy Rain, Strong Winds, Lowland Snow (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/weather/17599914/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Huh? Forecasters see chance of warmer, drier winter (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/604343.html

This winter, expect ... absolutely anything (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/381402_weather02.html?source=rss

Indian Tribes’ Sales of Untaxed Cigarettes Getting More Scrutiny (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/nyregion/02smoke.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Tacoma City Council explores user-fee system for streets – A new utility might be what it takes to transform Tacoma’s streets from a mess to a source of pride. (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/490383.html

Spokane, Wash., paper makes cuts, editor resigns (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008221002_apwaspokesmancuts1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Political vandals tearing up campaign signs in Western Washington (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_100108WAB_political_vandals_LJ.ce8cc18f.html

WaMu CEO Fishman won't accept any severance pay (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008221171_fishman02.html

DIVERSIONS

Lost Dog Finds Fla. Travel Agency, And A Way Home
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/17599000/detail.html

Woman In Cow Suit Moo-ves Police To Arrest
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/17598558/detail.html

Chicken droppings cheap fertilizer for U.S. wheat
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081002/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_usa_fertilizer_poultry;_ylt=AsBAh1BGNvm9cnjb7c9hX7rtiBIF

Bangkok governor hopeful punches TV host - Claims he was provoked by tough questions during a live interview.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081002/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_thailand_election_fight;_ylt=Asib9oC.IK9RXYLUVHqEy_XtiBIF

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Energy News Digest for October 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)

- Ads on transit buses spark questions about taking sides in Jefferson PUD power vote
- BPA boss tells Intalco workers no guarantee of future cheap powe
- TEXAS – Alcoa, Luminant blame each other as Alcoa prepares to lay off 660
- On top of its pending rate hike – Avista rates likely going up this fall
- News Release – Avista Disappointed in BPA Decision That Will Increase Customer Bills
- Related to Trojan Nuke Plant – Portland General Electric ordered to refund $33.1 million
- Environmental Groups File Air Pollution Lawsuit against Boardman Coal Plant
- Nuclear services company Areva seeks DOE loan guarantee for Idaho plant
- Coos Bay gives Liquefied Natural Gas project in Oregon an extra year
- Chelan County PUD PUD manager gets OK to act quickly on finances
- OHIO – Blanchester linemen 'walked out' on job: better pay restoring electricity in Texas
- Maine officials expect to weather energy crunch
- APPA Calls Recent Government Accounting Office Report on Electricity Market Restructuring ‘Constructive’ but ‘Inconclusive’
- UNITED KINGDOM – Belfast households braced for huge energy price hikes
- Disaster relief checks in mail to salmon fishermen
- Conservation groups propose marine reserves off Oregon
- Tribal Chinook salmon season extended
- Nez Perce recalls salmon's centrality to his people
- Seeing Chinook as Indicators
- Coalition Focused on Health of Lower Hood Canal
- Chelan PUD expands office recycling
- Big step for Hetch Hetchy system upgrade: water system serves 2.5 million residents of San Francisco area
- U.S. Senate adds renewable credits to bailout
- Coastal Towns Need Persuading To Embrace Wave Energy
- Tillamook green power backers in uncharted waters with wind energy
- OREGON – Bend firm tapped for solar electricity team
- Coal to Wood: The Conversion Calculus
- San Francisco Mayor challenges city’s largest businesses to install solar
- Iowa's energy future is in the wind, but requires investment elsewhere, like transmission
- Exploding Wind Turbine…look out Toto!
- WISCONSIN – Waste to electricity conversion will help manage soaring energy costs
- “Extremely Green” Building Comes to the Northwest
- Calgary team shows how to scrub CO2 from the air
- Progress Energy Carolinas Offers New Carbon-Offset Program to Its Customers
- Congress OKs Greater Broadband Access
- Internet threats lead to increase in consumer worries
- Europe Leads Global Broadband Growth Again
- VERMONT – Fairpoint announces broadband expansion
- Caps: Innovation Killer? Paper: killing off power users not a great idea
- Washington Prisoners Return from Arizona; Some Now at Corrections Center near Shelton
- Grapeview School Receives Home Depot Grant
- Chris Mulick Leaves Olympia Press Corps

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Recuse • \rih-KYOOZ\ • verb – To disqualify (oneself) as a judge in a particular case; broadly: to remove (oneself) from participation to avoid a conflict of interest.

The energy executive cooed to his customers at the annual board meeting, “trust me, I can decide what’s best for you, my board doesn’t need the pressure of the decision on rates.” The pliant board members squirmed restlessly in their seats under the glare of the customers who became increasingly irate at the board’s decision to recuse itself from such an important decision.

WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Ads on transit buses spark questions about taking sides in Jefferson PUD power vote (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20081001/NEWS/810010302

BPA boss tells Intalco workers no guarantee of future cheap power (Bellingham Herald, WA – Check out the photo)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/581148.html

TEXAS – Alcoa, Luminant blame each other as Alcoa prepares to lay off 660 (Dallas Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2008/09/29/daily33.html?ana=from_rss

On top of its pending rate hike – Avista rates likely going up this fall “…the anticipated increase is the result of lower credits from the operation of federal dams…” (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=16960

News Release – Avista Disappointed in BPA Decision That Will Increase Customer Bills (Avista)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080930/aqtu090.html?.v=65

Related to Trojan Nuke Plant – Portland General Electric ordered to refund $33.1 million (Portland Business Journal, OR)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/09/29/daily21.html?ana=from_rss

Environmental Groups File Air Pollution Lawsuit against Boardman Coal Plant (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4387

Nuclear services company Areva seeks DOE loan guarantee for Idaho plant (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/603460.html

Coos Bay gives Liquefied Natural Gas project in Oregon an extra year (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1616213~Coos_Bay_gives_LNG_project_in_Ore__an_extra_year.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Chelan County PUD PUD manager gets OK to act quickly on finances (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080930/NEWS04/709309978

OHIO – Blanchester linemen 'walked out' on job: better pay restoring electricity in Texas (Wilmington News-Journal, OH)
http://www.wnewsj.com/main.asp?SectionID=49&SubSectionID=156&ArticleID=169797&TM=69.549

Maine officials expect to weather energy crunch (The Barre Montpelier Times Argus)
http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/RH/20081001/NEWS03/810010322/1004/SPORTS

APPA Calls Recent Government Accounting Office Report on Electricity Market Restructuring ‘Constructive’ but ‘Inconclusive’ (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=97925

UNITED KINGDOM – Belfast households braced for huge energy price hikes (Belfast Telegraph, UK)
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/households-braced-for-huge-energy-price-hikes-13988591.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Disaster relief checks in mail to salmon fishermen (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/29999819.html

Conservation groups propose marine reserves off Oregon – The extent of the proposal may be difficult for the state's fishermen (The Oregonian Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/122282970711550.xml&coll=7

Tribal Chinook salmon season extended (KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR)
http://www.ktvz.com/Global/story.asp?S=9099035

Nez Perce recalls salmon's centrality to his people (Gresham Outlook, OR)
http://www.theoutlookonline.com/features/story.php?story_id=122282598168765900

Seeing Chinook as Indicators (World Changing Online)
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/008779.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Coalition Focused on Health of Lower Hood Canal (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/sep/30/coalition-focused-health-lower-hood-canal/?partner=RSS

Chelan PUD expands office recycling (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080930/NEWS04/710019996

CALIFORNIA – Big step for Hetch Hetchy system upgrade: water system serves 2.5 million residents of San Francisco area (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/30/MNH413916O.DTL&feed=rss.news

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

U.S. Senate adds renewable credits to bailout (South Florida Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/09/29/daily18.html?ana=from_rss

Coastal Towns Need Persuading To Embrace Wave Energy (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4385

Tillamook green power backers in uncharted waters with wind energy (Headlight-Herald, Tillamook, OR)
http://tillamookheadlightherald.com/main.asp?SectionID=8&SubSectionID=8&ArticleID=10307

OREGON – Bend firm tapped for solar electricity team (Portland Business Journal, OR)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/09/29/daily17.html?ana=from_rss

Coal to Wood: The Conversion Calculus (The NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/good-bye-coal-hello-wood-chips/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

San Francisco Mayor challenges city’s largest businesses to install solar (San Francisco Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2008/09/29/daily28.html?ana=from_rss

Daily Iowan Editorial – Iowa's energy future is in the wind, but requires investment elsewhere, like transmission
http://media.www.dailyiowan.com/media/storage/paper599/news/2008/10/01/Opinions/Iowas.Energy.Future.Is.In.The.Wind.But.Requires.Investment.Elsewhere-3462033.shtml

Exploding Wind Turbine…look out Toto! (Snopes)
http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/windmill.asp

WISCONSIN – Waste to electricity conversion will help manage soaring energy costs (Journal Times, Racine, WI)
http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2008/10/01/local_news/doc48e2c0cac10c4371278272.txt

CONSERVATION

“Extremely Green” Building Comes to the Northwest – How would you like to pay little to nothing on your electric bill for the rest of your life? (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4378

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Calgary team shows how to scrub CO2 from the air (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/09/30/carbon.html?ref=rss

News Release – Progress Energy Carolinas Offers New Carbon-Offset Program to Its Customers (Earth Times)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/progress-energy-carolinas-offers-new-carbon-offset-program-to-its-customers,562886.shtml

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Congress OKs Greater Broadband Access (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/30/AR2008093002469.html?nav=rss_technology

Internet threats lead to increase in consumer worries (Phoenix Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/09/29/daily20.html?ana=from_rss

Europe Leads Global Broadband Growth Again (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/09/30/europe-leads-global-broadband-growth-again/

VERMONT – Fairpoint announces broadband expansion (Burlington Free Press, VT)
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081001/NEWS02/810010314

Caps: Innovation Killer? Paper: killing off power users not a great idea (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Caps-Innovation-Killer-98104

GENERAL NEWS

Washington Prisoners Return from Arizona; Some Now at Corrections Center near Shelton (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/5175/reftab/1896/Default.aspx

Grapeview School Receives Home Depot Grant (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/sep/30/grapeview-school-receives-home-depot-grant/?partner=RSS

Chris Mulick Leaves Olympia Press Corps – My sorrowful and unthinkable goodbye (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/olympiadispatch/story/331448.html

DIVERSIONS

Mailman Sentenced For Dealing Pot On Route (Neither rain, hail, sleet, or purple haze will deter the mailman from his route…”
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17593705/detail.html

Neither snow, nor rain, nor 'aw, the heck with it
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10601822?source=rss

Man Goes For Record With 1,800-Pound Pumpkin
http://www.kirotv.com/health/17593559/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

NY Judge: Nibble On Cinema Popcorn At Own Risk
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17590765/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Judge To Anti-Feminist: Ladies' Night Is Alright
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17590759/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Energy News Digest for September 30, 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)

- IDAHO – State to fight elimination of credit on electric customers' bills
- OREGON – Power provider will pay Ashland $812,915
- Grant County PUD discusses energy plans – Conservation, focus on renewable sources slated
- Anonymous tipster rewarded $4,000 for information about Flathead wire theft
- Manager: Oregon Trail Electric Consumers Cooperative has plenty of options
- MARYLAND – State must protect Baltimore Gas & Electric customers
- PENNSYLVANIA – PPL takes next step toward potential new nuclear plant
- On this Day: First Hydroelectric Plant Opens
- A building ban near rivers? Feds call for moratorium in bid to protect salmon, orcas
- Documentary reaches for heart of matters with Snake River dams
- Oregon fisherman faces hefty fine
- Invisibly Emptied Oceans
- Water shortage declared for Fairview area of Clallam PUD
- Construction on Spokane's Waste Water Treatment Plant Waiting for EPA Phosphorus Allowance
- OKLAHOMA – Judge rules against bird waste injunction
- US Lawmakers at Impasse on Incentives for Renewable Energy
- Study: Wave energy could have impact on ocean, species
- Xcel to use wood chips for electricity at northern Wisconsin plant
- Snohomish County PUD offers tips on how to prepare for winter
- As power costs climb, homeowner and agency among those exploring way to save, create energy
- MICHIGAN – DTE Energy Offers Tips to Help Manage Winter Heating Costs
- Northeast Initiative Carbon Sale Raises $40 Million
- Ballmer sees global crisis hitting Microsoft
- Microsoft, Washington state sue over 'scareware' pop-up ads
- Congress poised to pass Internet radio legislation
- Historic Sell-Off Hits Market
- Investors see new villains in WaMu drama
- Shelton City Commission Gets Preliminary 2009 Budget
- Snow falling on Mars
- 'Grapes Of Wrath' And The Politics of Book Burning

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Consigliere • \kohn-sil-YEH-reh\ • noun – Counselor, adviser

“Don’t sign it!” barked the utility attorney into the ear of the board chairman. “I’ve read every line, and unless you want to have electrodes attached to your ears, you’ll slowly pull the pen away from the paper.” It was at that moment that the utility board had their first qualms about hiring an attorney who had the word consigliere as a part of his firm’s name: Hagen, Hagen and Hagen, ‘Peace-Time Consiglieres.’

The word "consigliere" comes from Italian and has been a part our language since 1615; it was originally used of someone who served on a council in Italy. Currently, it is most commonly used to designate advisers to the Mafia -- a use that first appeared in English in a document from a 1963 session of the U.S. Senate. It is also often used generally of a political or financial adviser, or any other trusted adviser for that matter.

WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

IDAHO – State to fight elimination of credit on electric customers' bills (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/235/story/518682.html

OREGON – Power provider will pay Ashland $812,915 (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)
http://www.dailytidings.com/2008/0929/stories/0929_bonneville.php

Grant County PUD discusses energy plans – Conservation, focus on renewable sources slated (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/09/29/news/news02.txt

Anonymous tipster rewarded $4,000 for information about Flathead wire theft (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/230171/

Manager: Oregon Trail Electric Consumers Cooperative has plenty of options (Baker City Herald , OR)
http://www.bakercityherald.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=7403

MARYLAND – State must protect Baltimore Gas & Electric customers (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/09/29/editorial1.html?b=1222660800^1706647&brthrs=1

PENNSYLVANIA – PPL takes next step toward potential new nuclear plant (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=340969&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

On this Day: First Hydroelectric Plant Opens – On Sept. 30, 1882, the world’s first hydroelectric power plant began operation in Wisconsin, producing enough energy to supply three buildings. (Finding Dulcinea – Ed. Note: Great Grandpa Theodore had a micro hydro plant also – “…In 1905, an electric dynamo was attached to a waterwheel, (at the Myer homestead in Alpha Prairie) producing the first electricity in rural Lewis County.)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/September-October-08/On-this-Day--First-Hydroelectric-Plant-Opens.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

A building ban near rivers? Feds call for moratorium in bid to protect salmon, orcas (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/381087_endangered30.html?source=rss

Documentary reaches for heart of matters with Snake River dams – ‘River Ways' has been praised as a fair, balanced approach to the issue (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/09/29/local_news/080929local03snakeriverfilm.txt

Oregon fisherman faces hefty fine (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1613762~Ore__fisherman_faces_hefty_fine.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Invisibly Emptied Oceans (NY Times)
http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/emptied-oceans/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Water shortage declared for Fairview area of Clallam PUD (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080930/NEWS/809300305

Construction on Spokane's Waste Water Treatment Plant Waiting for EPA Phosphorus Allowance (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4376

OKLAHOMA – Judge rules against bird waste injunction – State sought to stop 13 Arkansas poultry companies from disposing of bird waste in the Illinois River watershed (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008215013_apfarmscenepoultrylitter.html?syndication=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

US Lawmakers at Impasse on Incentives for Renewable Energy (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/washington/30energy.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Study: Wave energy could have impact on ocean, species (Portland Business Journal, OR)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/09/29/daily9.html?ana=from_rss

Xcel to use wood chips for electricity at northern Wisconsin plant (Pioneer Press, St. Paul, MN)
http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_10598267?source=rss

CONSERVATION

Snohomish County PUD offers tips on how to prepare for winter (Everett Herald, WA)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20080930/NEWS01/709309904

TENNESSEE – As power costs climb, homeowner and agency among those exploring way to save, create energy (Knoxville News Sentinel, TN)
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/sep/28/efficient-frontier/

MICHIGAN – DTE Energy Offers Tips to Help Manage Winter Heating Costs (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=97883

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Carbon Sale Raises $40 Million – Northeast Initiative, First in Nation, Seeks to Curb Emissions (Washington Post – This doesn’t seem like all that much money, relatively speaking)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/29/AR2008092903414.html?nav=rss_business

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Ballmer sees global crisis hitting Microsoft (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080930/tc_nm/us_microsoft_ballmer_7

Microsoft, Washington state sue over 'scareware' pop-up ads (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10053565-83.html?tag=nl.e703

Congress poised to pass Internet radio legislation (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10592727?source=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Historic Sell-Off Hits Market (The Associated Press)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/381110_wallstreet30.html

Investors see new villains in WaMu drama (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/virgin/381074_virgin30.html

Shelton City Commission Gets Preliminary Look At 2009 Budget (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/5169/reftab/1896/Default.aspx

Snow falling on Mars – NASA"s Phoenix spacecraft has discovered evidence of past water at its Martian landing site and spotted falling snow for the first time, scientists reported Monday. (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10593180?source=rss

'Grapes Of Wrath' And The Politics of Book Burning – Sept. 29 marks the beginning of the American Library Association's annual "Banned Books Week" (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95190615&ft=1&f=3

DIVERSIONS

Instant Ipecac – Iowa Woman Drinks Bat-Infused Coffee: Woman Finds Bat In Coffee Filter
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/17578911/detail.html

Follow Up File – Charge Dropped Against Man Accused of Passing Gas
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17565471/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Prisoners allowed to order out restaurant food
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE48S5V320080929?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Move over priests-Nepal state names "living goddess"
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE48S5W420080929?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Monday, September 29, 2008

Energy News Digest for Setpember 29, 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)

- Oregonian Editorial – Settle the dispute over Bonneville's benefits
- Many Pacific Power customers eagerly await credit, blast BPA
- Idaho regulators oppose power credit reduction
- Seattle Mayor Nickels: No change in '09 electricity rates
- Public electricity issue
- CANADA – Too costly to hook up to northern B.C. power line: Yukon Energy
- CANADA – Streams go to work for green power sector
- Cowlitz PUD to enlarge storage yard
- NEWS RELEASE – BPA's strategic planning efforts get big boost
- NEWS RELEASE – Detroit Edison Boosts Rewards for Copper Theft Info
- Oregon biologists want public views on plans to save Columbia steelhead
- B.C.'s fish-farm authority petitioned in court: Fish control should return to federal hands
- OREGON – Logs in streams help fish
- More water for Odessa – First new water released in 20 years
- State grants funds for new North Central Washington water storage
- Boise water project gets big boost
- IDAHO – Exploring options for Minnidoka Dam near Rupert
- Boil-Water Advisory Lifted for Lake Symington System's Users in Kitsap County
- Filtration system would clean up polluted runoff
- Bottled Water at Issue in Great Lakes – Conservation and Commerce Clash
- Editorial – California took on energy crisis, now it faces water crisis
- Seeing flaws in California’s green initiatives
- OREGON – Solar-cell factory to bring 200 jobs
- Advancing Biomass in California
- UNITED KINGDOM – Major plans for tidal energy farm
- Demonstration homes to use zero net energy
- 'Turn homes green' to cut bills
- 5 Startups Putting Wireless To Work for Energy
- Administration Official Talks Stewardship, Carbon Markets
- VoIP system users can be targeted in attacks
- Google Goes to Washington, Gearing Up to Put Its Stamp on Government
- Net Neutrality: An American Problem
- Company offers stipend for workers to buy computers
- Newborn left on Federal Way church steps
- No driveway carwashes, Washington State says
- Metal thieves strike Oregon military cemetery
- E-mail, Internet get mixed reviews in work study
- Shelton Highclimber Band Takes First Place In Silverdale
- Converted shipping containers touted as ideal low-income homes

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Hirsute • \HER-soot\ • adjective – 1: hairy 2: covered with coarse stiff hairs

To “Jo-Jo, the Dog-Faced Boy,” the dramatic drop-off in attendance to his spectacular vaudeville shows was inexplicable. However, to his admirers the cause of disinterest was as clear as the nose on the performer’s formerly hirsute face. They could now see it, especially after his unfortunate corporate sponsorship by “Nair”.

WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?minlon=-124.8&maxlon=-120.57&minlat=46.2&maxlat=49.33&mapwidth=354&map.x=144&map.y=269

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Oregonian Editorial – Settle the dispute over Bonneville's benefits (Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2008/09/settle_the_dispute_over_bonnev.html

Many Pacific Power customers eagerly await credit – The heartburn for Pacific Power is a provision in the BPA plan that requires investor-owned utilities like Pacific, Avista in Spokane and Puget Sound Energy to repay what the agency sees as excess credits over the past seven years. (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/8000

Idaho regulators oppose power credit reduction – The Idaho Public Utilities Commission: “it will pursue all available legal remedies to address ‘this punitive and egregious error.’” (Idaho Business Review – Must…avoid…kneejerk…reaction…to this story…)
http://www.idahobusiness.net/archive.htm/2008/09/26/Idaho-regulators-oppose-power-credit-reduction

Seattle Mayor Nickels: No change in '09 electricity rates – While the City Council considers steep increases for water and garbage rates, Seattle customers will not see a change (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008208260_electric27m.html

Public electricity issue (KAPS Radio, Mount Vernon)
http://www.kapsradio.com/2008/09/25/public-electricity-issue/

CANADA – Too costly to hook up to northern B.C. power line: Yukon Energy (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2008/09/29/yukon-bcline.html?ref=rss

CANADA – Streams go to work for green power sector: Run-of-river hydroelectric facilities currently provide about 10% to 15% of BC Hydro's electricity (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=b0088e08-f4cd-469f-b863-bc1ba517aa0a

Cowlitz PUD to enlarge storage yard (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/09/28//area_news/10437694.txt

NEWS RELEASE – BPA's strategic planning efforts get big boost: Elliot Mainzer is the new BPA executive vice president for Corporate Strategy (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/230076/

NEWS RELEASE – Detroit Edison Boosts Rewards for Copper Theft Info: Tips needed to thwart safety, service reliability problems (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/IndustryNews.asp?m=1&id=97805

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon biologists want public views on plans to save Columbia steelhead (Wallowa County Chieftain, Enterprise, OR)
http://www.wallowacountychieftain.info/main.asp?SectionID=9&SubSectionID=61&ArticleID=17015&TM=51201.88

CANADA – B.C.'s fish-farm authority petitioned in court: Fish control should return to federal hands, group says (The Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080929.wbcfish28/BNStory/National/home

OREGON – Logs in streams help fish (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1611416~Logs_in_streams_help_fish.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

More water for Odessa – First new water released in 20 years (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/09/28/news/news06.txt

State grants funds for new North Central Washington water storage – $10.94 million to go for reservoirs (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080926/NEWS04/709269898/1025/rss1025

Boise water project gets big boost – A state Department of Ecology grant will help pay for a system that will store cold water in winter for use in summertime cooling (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/09/28/local_news/0809281boise%20water.txt

IDAHO – Exploring options for Minnidoka Dam near Rupert (Ag Weekly)
http://www.agweekly.com/articles/2008/09/28/news/ag_news/news01.txt

Boil-Water Advisory Lifted for Lake Symington System's Users in Kitsap County (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/sep/28/boil-water-advisory-lifted-for-lake-symington/?partner=RSS

Filtration system would clean up polluted runoff – Project designed to protect Sound (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/380927_stormwater29.html

Bottled Water at Issue in Great Lakes – Conservation and Commerce Clash (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/28/AR2008092802997.html?nav=rss_business

San Francisco Chronicle Editorial – California took on energy crisis, now it faces water crisis
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/28/EDTI136772.DTL

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Seeing flaws in green initiatives – California has 2 ballot measures that don't get everyone onboard (The Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/energy/6026289.html

OREGON – Solar-cell factory to bring 200 jobs – Salem officials hope Sanyo plant will attract others (Salem Statesman-Journal)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080926/NEWS/809260348/1001

Advancing Biomass in California (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reinsider/story?id=53644&src=rss

UNITED KINGDOM – Major plans for tidal energy farm – A major tidal energy project is being planned for waters off the coast of Northern Ireland and Scotland (British Broadcasting Corporation)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7640842.stm

CONSERVATION

Demonstration homes to use zero net energy – Innovations will boost prices for Issaquah townhouses 5 to 10 percent (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/380972_energy29.html

'Turn homes green' to cut bills (The Press Association, United Kingdom)
http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5g8x_O8Zs4jP-7mGVBcM9Dr8vXjbA

5 Startups Putting Wireless To Work for Energy (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/09/25/5-startups-putting-wireless-to-work-for-energy/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Administration Official Talks Stewardship, Carbon Markets (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/3162-administration-official-talks-stewardship-carbon-markets/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

VoIP system users can be targeted in attacks (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10052393-83.html?tag=nl.e703

Google Goes to Washington, Gearing Up to Put Its Stamp on Government (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/28/AR2008092802216.html?nav=rss_technology

Net Neutrality: An American Problem – Australian ISPs say America needs to learn from them (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Net-Neutrality-An-American-Problem-98048

Company offers stipend for workers to buy computers – Maintenance becomes employees' responsibility (Associated Press)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/380871_byocomputer29.html?source=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Newborn left on Federal Way church steps (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008212040_baby29m.html

No driveway carwashes, Washington State says (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-09-28-car-wash_N.htm?csp=34

Metal thieves strike Oregon military cemetery (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1610685~Metal_thieves_strike_Ore__military_cemetery.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

E-mail, Internet get mixed reviews in work study (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/494544.html

Shelton Highclimber Band Takes First Place In Silverdale (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/5163/reftab/1896/Default.aspx

Converted shipping containers touted as ideal low-income homes (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080928/BIZ/709289946/-1/RSS03

DIVERSIONS

Twins who swapped roles charged with fraud
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE48P66N20080926?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Oregon Hospital Tells Grandfather He's Pregnant – Hospital Administrator Blames Errant Keystroke
http://www.kirotv.com/family/17568295/detail.html

Driver with $2 million speeding fines nabbed
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE48P68F20080926?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

This is wrong on so many levels: Clowns take it all off -- except the nose --for 2009 Naked Clown Calendar
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10578489?source=rss

Friday, September 26, 2008

Energy News Digest for September 26, 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)

- BPA deal will cut electric bills for most Whatcom County residents
- BPA move should lower electric bills for many in the region
- Jefferson County Democratic Party endorses PUD power
- Puget Energy's sale still opposed by consumer advocate
- PSE gas rate to rise 10.4 percent – Average monthly increase to customers will be $8.49
- City of Longview reaps $600,000 windfall from sale of energy plant to Puget Sound Energy
- Nuclear power gaining support Wisconsin Utility meeting discusses energy sources
- Pickens' natural gas nation
- Tri-City Herald Editorial – Addition of Idaho tribes benefits salmon accord
- Fall Chinook seasons set on Snake, Columbia Rivers
- Skokomish River – Fisheries' team transports salmon to spawning spots
- Seattle Times Guest Columnists – Salmon: Learning to love a Northwest icon
- OREGON – Sandy River system partnership spawns better salmon habitat
- Shooting of sea lion in Willamette River launches inquiry
- WA Ecology Plan to End Columbia River Water Standoff
- Wallula aquifer project receives state grant
- Enviros angry as Washington State allows more Columbia River water use
- E.coli found in some Kitsap County water
- Call for Sound protection focuses on land
- State conservation coalition releases rankings of Thurston, Mason grants
- State Official: Car Washing Is Not Banned
- Oregon Company Claims to Harvest Electricity from Newport area Ocean Waves
- Small Wind Energy on the Rise in US
- Local politico, businessman seeks new wind turbine
- To Save Energy, Cities Darken Street Lights
- Saving Some Green – Tips on Cutting Your Winter Heating Bill
- NY Man Takes Conservation to the Extreme
- Ten states put pollution credits up for sale
- Washington Post Editorial – A Carbon Market: The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative does what Washington couldn't or wouldn't
- Wenatchee World Editorial – Cutting carbon is never simple
- Cities get help with carbon tax: Province will reimburse municipalities in return for carbon-neutrality pledge
- Interior News Columnist – British Columbia energy security trumps climate
- Global warming pollution increases three percent
- Portland General Electric looks at coal plant carbon dioxide to grow algae
- Climate-Change Program Gets New Funds and Home
- Clallam County Internet service to be disrupted for some on Saturday
- NoaNet to Repair Fiber Cable between Shelton and Olympia – No Major Outage Expected
- EarthLink cuts staff
- WaMu becomes biggest bank to fail in US history
- JPMorgan Chase buys WaMu assets after FDIC seizure
- Smaller Banks Thrive Out of the Fray of Crisis
- Brinnon Group seeks reconsideration from state board on 'mega-resort'
- Ben Settle Ruling in the News – Federal court tosses Vancouver's casino suit
- Timberland Regional Library District will make cuts, ask voters for more in taxes
- Teacher allowed to divert union dues to charity
- On this Day: Nixon and JFK Appear in First Televised Presidential Debate
- King County Goes Too Far Trading Brains, Supreme Court Says
- Huckleberry shortage increases chances of bear encounters

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Today’s word of the day has a stand in this Friday; it’s a surprise visit from its cousin “phrase of the day”!

“STEAL MY THUNDER” – John Dennis, 1709

The Story behind It: John Dennis, English critic and playwright, invented a new way of simulating the sound of thunder on stage and used the method in one of his plays, Appius and Virginia. Dennis "made" thunder by using "troughs of wood with stops in them" instead of the large mustard bowls usually employed. The thunder was a great success, but Dennis's play was a dismal failure. The manager at Drury Lane, where the play was performed, canceled its run after only a few performances. A short time later, Dennis returned to Drury Lane to see Shakespeare's Macbeth. As he sat in the pit, he was horrified to discover that his method of making thunder was being used. Jumping to his feet, Dennis screamed at the audience, "That's my thunder, by God! The villains will not play my play but they steal my thunder." -- From Trivia-Library.com

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

BPA deal will cut electric bills for most Whatcom County residents (Bellingham Herald, WA)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/569121.html

BPA move should lower electric bills for many in the region (Bend Bulletin, OR)
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080925/BIZ0102/809250375/1001/NEWS01&nav_category=

Jefferson County Democratic Party endorses PUD power (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080926/NEWS/809260305

Puget Energy's sale still opposed by consumer advocate (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008201631_pugetenergy25.html

PSE gas rate to rise 10.4 percent – Average monthly increase to customers will be $8.49 (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/597019.html

City of Longview reaps $600,000 windfall from sale of energy plant to Puget Sound Energy (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/09/26//area_news/doc48dc8935b6fab723182055.txt

Nuclear power gaining support Wisconsin Utility meeting discusses energy sources (Green Bay Gazette, WI)
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080926/GPG03/809260640/1247

Pickens' natural gas nation (Report on Business, Canada)
http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080925.wboone0925/BNStory/Business/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080925.wboone0925

FISH & WILDLIFE

Tri-City Herald Editorial – Addition of Idaho tribes benefits salmon accord
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/962/story/328664.html

Fall Chinook seasons set on Snake, Columbia Rivers (The Associated Press)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/380518_chinook26.html

Skokomish River – Fisheries' team transports salmon to spawning spots (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/595647.html

Seattle Times Guest Columnists – Salmon: Learning to love a Northwest icon
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008203350_opin26conserve.html?syndication=rss

OREGON – Sandy River system partnership spawns better salmon habitat (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/09/helicopter_logs_revive_salmon.html

Shooting of sea lion in Willamette River launches inquiry (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/shooting_of_sea_lion_in_willam.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

WA Ecology Plan to End Columbia River Water Standoff (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4363

Wallula aquifer project receives state grant (Tri –City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/915/story/328679.html

Enviros angry as Washington State allows more Columbia River water use (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/environment/archives/149671.asp?from=blog_last3

E.coli found in some Kitsap County water (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_092508WAB_kitsap_county_boil_order_TP.b0e6e166.html?npc

Call for Sound protection focuses on land (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/380648_sound26.html?source=rss

State conservation coalition releases rankings of Thurston, Mason grants – Nearly $4.3 Million for Mason (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/597004.html

State Official: Car Washing Is Not Banned (KIRO-TV, Seattle, WA)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17556589/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon Company Claims to Harvest Electricity from Newport area Ocean Waves (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4362

Small Wind Energy on the Rise in US (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53666&src=rss

Local politico, businessman seeks new wind turbine (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.konp.com/local/4047

CONSERVATION

To Save Energy, Cities Darken Street Lights (New York Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/to-save-energy-cities-darken-street-lights/?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Saving Some Green – Tips on Cutting Your Winter Heating Bill (KVEW-TV, Tri Cities, WA)
http://www.kvewtv.com/news/?sect_rank=1&section_id=1&story_id=9044

NY Man Takes Conservation to the Extreme (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/Sept-Octo/NY-Man-Takes-Conservation-to-the-Extreme.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Ten states put pollution credits up for sale (Associated Press)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_10561692?source=rss

Washington Post Editorial – A Carbon Market: The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative does what Washington couldn't or wouldn't
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/24/AR2008092402958.html?nav=rss_opinions

Wenatchee World Editorial – Cutting carbon is never simple
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080924/OP03/709247886/1025/rss1025

CANADA – Cities get help with carbon tax: Province will reimburse municipalities in return for carbon-neutrality pledge (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=f73274d8-1090-455c-bfaf-088144d3fc1c

Interior News Columnist – British Columbia energy security trumps climate (Smithers, BC)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_north/interior-news/opinion/29757009.html

Global warming pollution increases three percent (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008202067_apwarmingemissions.html?syndication=rss

Portland General Electric looks at coal plant carbon dioxide to grow algae (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/09/pge_looks_at_coal_plant_co2_to.html

Climate-Change Program Gets New Funds and Home (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/25/science/earth/25climate.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Internet service to be disrupted for some on Saturday – BPA to move fiber optic lines (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080926/NEWS/809260308

NEWS RELEASE – NoaNet to Repair Fiber Cable between Shelton and Olympia – No Major Outage Expected (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/News/display.asp?NewsID=465

EarthLink cuts staff (Atlanta Business Chronicle)
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/09/22/daily74.html?ana=from_rss

GENERAL NEWS

WaMu becomes biggest bank to fail in US history (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008203237_apwashingtonmutualfuture.html?syndication=rss

JPMorgan Chase buys WaMu assets after FDIC seizure (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008204456_apwashingtonmutualfuture7thldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Smaller Banks Thrive Out of the Fray of Crisis – People Shift Money From Wall St. to Main St. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/25/AR2008092504155.html?nav=rss_business

Brinnon Group seeks reconsideration from state board on 'mega-resort' (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/Main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=21933

Ben Settle Ruling in the News – Federal court tosses Vancouver's casino suit (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20080925/NEWS02/809249893

Timberland Regional Library District will make cuts, ask voters for more in taxes (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/597466.html

Teacher allowed to divert union dues to charity (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20080926/NEWS02/809259914/-1/news

On this Day: Nixon and JFK Appear in First Televised Presidential Debate (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/September-October-08/On-This-Day--Nixon-and-JFK-Appear-in-First-Televised-Presidential-Debate.html

King County Goes Too Far Trading Brains, Supreme Court Says – High Court Rules Unanimously Against Brain Harvesting Program (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17555983/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Huckleberry shortage increases chances of bear encounters (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080925/NEWS04/709259942/1001/rss1001

DIVERSIONS

Hot Dogs Outside Philly Ballpark Cause Bomb Scare
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17556167/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Accused Of Passing Gas, Man Charged With Battery
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17556180/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Man Hit By Car, Then Train 6 Hours Later
http://www.kirotv.com/news/17549884/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible

Swiss man flies over English Channel on jet wing
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/09/25/international/i082419D20.DTL&feed=rss.news