Friday, October 23, 2009

Energy News Digest for October 23, 2009

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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Castle Rock to Troutdale - Proposed I-5 corridor high-voltage line would meet growing demand for electricity
• Centralia’s Electricity Rates Likely to Increase in 2010
• R-I-P Raccoon - Wenatchee Power Outage Affects 2,800 Customers
• Columbia River - Voices of the Past: Revering the Flow
• Hood Canal Oxygen Levels Decline as Scientists Warn of another Fish Kill
• Foam from Ocean Algae Bloom Killing Thousands of Birds
• Big Cuts Loom for Sturgeon Fishing
• Time for Steelhead - Record Run Will Bring Excellent Fishing through January on Lower
• Orcas Move into Central Puget Sound
• Feds to Inspect Yakima Valley Dairies for Pollution
• Bumping Lake Central to Water Talks
• Along Oregon's Eastern Border, A Hellishly Beautiful Canyon
• Ceremony Dedicates Greenhouse Complex to Be Used for Elwha River Restoration
• Kittitas County - Council Ponders Desert Claim Wind Power Project
• Montana Wind Farm Doubles Power-Generating Capacity
• The Tennessee Valley Authority to Buy 450 Megawatts from Dakota Wind Turbines
• Google and Microsoft Eye Wind Farm Investments
• Ontario Freezes Great Lakes Energy Proposals
• West Virginia - Environmentalists Divided over Wind Project
• Wind Farm Would Turn Cumbrian Villagers into Sleep-Deprived Zombies
• Tallying the Real Environmental Cost of Biofuels
• Study Says Advanced Biofuels Will Stoke Global Warming
• Vermont to Hold Lottery for Biomass Energy Developers
• UK Launches Fund To Explore Deep Geothermal Energy
• Report on Investigation of North Columbia Community Action Council’s Weatherization Program Expected Soon
• Alaska – Anchorage Energy Savings Drill Reduced Use by 2-4 %
• Ohio Utility Wants Customers to Pay to Conserve
• Questions Linger Over Energy Star Ratings
• Space-Based Solar Power Can Help On Energy Needs
• Calculating Emissions Is Problematic
• Nissan All-Electric Leaf to Visit Seattle
• The Dilemma of Hand Drying: Paper Towels or Air Dryers?
• How Green Is Your Pet?
• A PUD 3 Fiber Network User - North Mason School District Placed Third Nationally In Digital School Districts Rankings
• Grant PUD Fiber a Big Help - Big Bend Community College Receives Technology Grant
• Clearwire affirms Seattle launch, with Comcast and Sprint
• TDS Telecom Launches 50 Mbps Fiber
• Microsoft’s Profit Falls but Beats Forecasts
• Wait, What Happened To Windows 5 And 6?
• FCC to Draft Net Neutrality Rules, Taking Step toward Web Regulation
• Who Knew Senior Citizens Hated Net Neutrality?
• Weyerhaeuser Says Lumber Market Rebound Still More Than a Year Away
• Busted Fridge - Walla Walla Loses 1,000 Doses of Flu Vaccine
• WWU Research: Cell Phone Users Are Oblivious
• Bill for Glenn Beck Day stuns Mount Vernon

WORD OF THE DAY

Indeterminable • \indi-TERM-nuh-bull\ • adjective –1: incapable of being definitely decided or settled 2: incapable of being definitely fixed or ascertained

Bernard slumped in his chair like a poorly filled sack of wheat. He had come to the “Live to be Green” forum as part of his quest to live a more environmentally responsible life. What he found was a series of droning speakers that stretched to the indeterminable distance who talked about the benefits of permanently dying the skin green…just like the ‘Jolly Green Giant.’

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
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

Castle Rock to Troutdale - Proposed I-5 corridor high-voltage line would meet growing demand for electricity and help deliver energy – including wind power (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/361035/

Centralia’s Electricity Rates Likely to Increase in 2010 - 4 to 7 Percent Increase Suggested to Improve Outdated System (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/10/22/news//doc4ae09983ef390006826672.txt

R-I-P Raccoon - Wenatchee Power Outage Affects 2,800 Customers (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/oct/22/power-outage-affects-2800-customers/

Columbia River - Voices of the Past: Revering the Flow (Vancouver Voice, WA)
http://www.vanvoice.com/article/20238-voices+past+revering+flow

FISH & WILDLIFE

Hood Canal Oxygen Levels Decline as Scientists Warn of another Fish Kill (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/22/hood-canal-oxygen-levels-decline-as-scientists/?partner=RSS

Foam from Ocean Algae Bloom Killing Thousands of Birds (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/foam_from_ocean_algae_bloom_ki.html

Big Cuts Loom for Sturgeon Fishing - Sport, commercials both expected to have harvests slashed as lower Columbia River population declines (Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20091022/SPORTS04/710229943/-1/SPORTS

Time for Steelhead - Record Run Will Bring Excellent Fishing through January on Lower Deschutes (Bend Bulletin, OR)
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091022/SPORTS05/910220372/-1/RSSNEWSMAP#

Orcas Move into Central Puget Sound (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/22/orcas-move-into-central-puget-sound/?partner=RSS

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Feds to Inspect Yakima Valley Dairies for Pollution (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_yakima_groundwater.html?source=pimail

Bumping Lake Central to Water Talks - Group representing all water interests sees potential with possible reservoir expansion (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/22/bumping-lake-central-to-water-talks

Along Oregon's Eastern Border, A Hellishly Beautiful Canyon - The rugged gorge carved by the Snake River is a haven for wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts who don't mind solitude (Mail Tribune, Medford, OR)
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091022/LIFE/910220303

Ceremony Dedicates Greenhouse Complex to Be Used for Elwha River Restoration (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091023/news/310239985

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Kittitas County - Behind Closed Doors: Council Ponders Desert Claim Wind Power Project (Daily Record, Ellensburg, WA)
http://www.kvnews.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/doc4ae0996c3482e210057310.txt

Montana Wind Farm Doubles Power-Generating Capacity (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2281995~Mont__wind_farm_doubles_power_generating_capacity.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines

The Tennessee Valley Authority to Buy 450 Megawatts from Dakota Wind Turbines (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010118662_apustvarenewableenergy.html?syndication=rss

Google and Microsoft Eye Wind Farm Investments (Financial Times of London, UK)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8ebb43e6-bf37-11de-a696-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1

Ontario Freezes Great Lakes Energy Proposals - Flood of applications prompts provincial review `to ensure proper processes in place' (Toronto Star, Ontario)
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/714699

West Virginia - Environmentalists Divided over Wind Project (Boston Globe, MA)
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/10/23/environmentalists_divided_over_wind_project/

United Kingdom - Wind Farm Would Turn Cumbrian Villagers into Sleep-Deprived Zombies (The Cumberland News, UK)
http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/news/windfarm_would_turn_cumbrian_villagers_into_sleep_deprived_zombies_1_627453

Tallying the Real Environmental Cost of Biofuels “...A pair of new studies in…Science damningly demonstrates that the answer is no…” (Time Magazine)
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1931780,00.html

Study Says Advanced Biofuels Will Stoke Global Warming (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN2225048

Vermont to Hold Lottery for Biomass Energy Developers (Associated Press)
http://www.reflector.com/business/vt-board-to-hold-lottery-for-energy-developers-913446.html

UK Launches Fund To Explore Deep Geothermal Energy – Just don’t break the planet, you kids (Power Engineering)
http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=370303&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Report on Investigation of North Columbia Community Action Council’s Weatherization Program Expected Soon (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/doc4adf802db28b8556264973.txt

Alaska – Anchorage Energy Savings Drill Reduced Use By 2-4 % (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/926335.html

Ohio Utility Wants Customers to Pay to Conserve (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114048368&ft=1&f=2

Questions Linger Over Energy Star Ratings (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114051506&ft=1&f=2

Space-Based Solar Power Can Help On Energy Needs (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6681871.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Calculating Emissions Is Problematic (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/science/earth/23biofuel.html?em

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Nissan All-Electric Leaf to Visit Seattle (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=228979

The Dilemma of Hand Drying: Paper Towels or Air Dryers? (Greenandsave.com)
http://www.greenandsave.com/green_news/green-lifestyle/dilemma-hand-drying-5250

How Green Is Your Pet? (New Scientist)
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427311.600-how-green-is-your-pet.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

A PUD 3 Fiber Network User - North Mason School District Placed Third Nationally In Digital School Districts Rankings (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=448:the-north-mason-school-district-placed-third-in-the-nation-in-the-digital-school-districts-rankings&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Grant PUD Fiber a Big Help - Big Bend Community College Receives Technology Grant (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/doc4ae0cf3241bf1840884237.txt

Qwest to End Cell Phone Service on Oct. 31 (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010119662_apusqwestcellphones.html?syndication=rss

Clearwire affirms Seattle launch, with Comcast and Sprint (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2010119635_clearwire_affirms_seattle_laun.html?syndication=rss

TDS Telecom Launches 50 Mbps Fiber - After it failed to stop Minnesota muni-fiber build (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/TDS-Telecom-Launches-50-Mbps-Fiber-105111

Microsoft’s Profit Falls but Beats Forecasts (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/24/business/24soft.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Wait, What Happened To Windows 5 And 6? (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13619300

FCC to Draft Net Neutrality Rules, Taking Step toward Web Regulation - Writing of regulations expected to be long, contentious process (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/22/AR2009102204462.html?wprss=rss_technology

Who Knew Senior Citizens Hated Net Neutrality? 'XYZ Organization' magically shares AT&T's lobbying positions (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Who-Knew-Senior-Citizens-Hated-Net-Neutrality-105109

GENERAL NEWS

Weyerhaeuser Says Lumber Market Rebound Still More Than a Year Away (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/23//area_news/doc4ae15009e61dc758492965.txt

Busted Fridge - Walla Walla Loses 1,000 Doses of Flu Vaccine (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=11367408

WWU Research: Cell Phone Users Are Oblivious (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/65718982.html

Bill for Glenn Beck Day stuns Mount Vernon (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010120920_costofglenn23m.html?syndication=rss

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Soupy Sales, Comedian, Dies at 83
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/arts/television/23sales.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Funeral Home Offers Electronic Billboard Obits
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21392805/detail.html

Seattle Diners Worst Tippers in the United States (JUST 18 percent?)
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/10/19/daily39.html?ana=from_rss

Brewer, Monster-Maker Settle 'Vermonster' Dispute
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010118328_apusmonsterdrinkfight.html?syndication=rss

Pearl Jam, Others Protest Music Used In Torture
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_102209WAB-CNN-pearl-jam-bands-guantanamo-JM.24102e149.html?rss?npc

SONG OF THE DAY

Journey - Wheel in the Sky (I’m waiting to see some wit use this in a windmill story in place of “Blowin’ in the Wind”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGbVoDVWZsc&feature=related

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Energy News Digest for October 22, 2009

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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Columbia Falls Aluminum to Shut Down “Indefinitely” Oct 31
• Columbia Falls Aluminum runs out of power options
• Energy Sources - Washington Target of “Dirty Little Secret” Tour
• Op/Ed - Clean-Energy Transition Promises Brighter Economic Prospects
• Fallen Tree Limb to Blame - Lake Cushman Electricity Restored
• What’s Behind Co-Op Rate Increases? Southern Montana, Yellowstone Valley offer different takes
• PG&E to Bakersfield: Weather, Not Smart Meters, Cause of Higher Power Bills
• PNGC Power Board of Directors Elects Officers
• Natural Gas Stocks Grow In Line With Expectations
• Vermont Senate Chief Questions Entergy Spinoff of Yankee Nuke Plant
• TransAlta Corporation to Release Q3 2009 Earnings October 27
• More Views on Salmon Adapting To Rivers Altered By Dams
• Fishing - Rain Means Rivers Produce Solid Catch
• Officials Say Pikeminnow Program Helping Salmon
• Three People Charged With Illegally Dealing Geoducks
• Seasonal Ladybug Swarms Pester Even Bug Experts
• Green River Flooding (if it happens) could Leave 800,000 without Sewage for Months
• New Limits on Industrial Stormwater in Washington
• Marine Reserve Plans Contested in California
• Thanks to Tax Breaks & Subsidies Solar Is Getting Cheap - Costs State by State
• Thinking Solar Power? It’s Never Been Cheaper
• Cle Elum Solar Energy Project to be Discussed Tonight
• Oregon - New Tualatin Plant Will Make Wind Turbines
• Kentucky Energy Regulators Reject Wind Surcharge
• Renewable Energy Firms Dash for Vermont Incentives
• South Dakota Dangles Wind Power Carrots
• Northwest States Energy Efficient but Others Are Catching Up
• Grays Harbor - Sea Level Rise Expert Says Our Coast Is In Store for Dramatic Changes
• Fewer Americans See Solid Evidence of Global Warming
• Editorial - Cap & Trade Could Be a Boon to New York
• International Climate Treaty Looks Unlikely
• Canada - Costly Push for Carbon Neutrality Comes At Time of Penny Pinching for Schools
• Rising Energy Costs Triggered By Cap-&-Trade Will Harm Low-Income Workers
• Company Plans to Call Lacey Home for ‘Green’ Cleaning Products Plant
• Plastic Bags Limited in San Francisco - Next Target Is Paper
• Microsoft Hopes for Fresh Start with Windows 7
• As Windows 7 Rolls Out: Four Things to Expect
• Microsoft Befriends Twitter in Google Search Duel
• Expedia to Close Tacoma Call Center
• Telecom Firms Face Net-Neutrality Defeat
• Carriers Eye Pay-As-You-Go Internet
• Canada Allows Internet “Throttling” As Last Resort
• Why the Great Internet Build Out Is Spurring Mergers & Acquisitions
• Comcast Internet Video Launching Before Year End, with a Catch
• Wal-Mart Takes Flak for Limited, Unlimited Wireless
• Swine Flu Blamed For Thurston County Man’s Death
• North Mason Teen Charged With Assault in Incident That Sent Man to Hospital
• U.S. Supreme Court: Ref. 71 Names to Remain Sealed for Now
• Washington School Funding Trial Nearing End
• Move to Cut Bremerton Mayor’s Salary is Rejected
• Lewis County - Elk Killed In Collision with Boisfort School Bus

WORD OF THE DAY

Strake • \STRAYK\ • noun – 1: a continuous band of hull planking or plates on a ship; also: the width of such a band 2: streak, stripe

Amber arose from her daily session of sunbathing on her Mexican vacation. She had found a pleasant spot to soak up the sun near a running fence at the resort. Unfortunately, the slatted fence endowed her lithe form with a straked appearance, which was not apparent until her return to Toronto. The tanned “zebra” effect was not a good look for her.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts
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

Columbia Falls Aluminum to Shut Down “Indefinitely” Oct 31 “…(officials) in Washington DC…meeting with the Department of Energy as well as Montana Congressional Delegation…all working towards helping the company…” (KAJ-TV, Kalispell, MT)
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=11354305

Columbia Falls Aluminum runs out of power options (Daily Interlake, Kalispell)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_125eac66-bec9-11de-8ed2-001cc4c03286.html

Energy Sources - Washington Target of “Dirty Little Secret” Tour (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1048#

See a Breakdown of Fuel Mixes Here (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=537

Seattle Times Op/Ed - Clean-Energy Transition Promises Brighter Economic Prospects “…Renewable power isn’t “alternative energy” in the Northwest; hydropower & efficiency are exactly what make our power supplies so affordable now…”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2010110988_guest22daudon.html?syndication=rss

Fallen Tree Limb to Blame - Lake Cushman Electricity Restored (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=608

What’s Behind Co-Op Rate Increases? Southern Montana, Yellowstone Valley offer different takes (Billings Gazette, MT)
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_a80fe9cc-be98-11de-811a-001cc4c03286.html

PG&E to Bakersfield: Weather, Not Smart Meters, Cause of Higher Power Bills (Seeking Alpha)
http://seekingalpha.com/article/167958-pg-e-to-bakersfield-weather-not-smart-meters-cause-of-higher-power-bills?source=yahoo

PNGC Power Board of Directors Elects Officers (PNGC Power)
http://www.pngcpower.com/newsroom/news_releases.aspx?ID=56

Natural Gas Stocks Grow In Line With Expectations (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010117543_apusnaturalgasstorage.html?syndication=rss

Vermont Senate Chief Questions Entergy Spinoff of Yankee Nuke Plant (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010117204_apusentergyspinoff.html?syndication=rss

TransAlta Corporation to Release Q3 2009 Earnings October 27 (TransWorldNews)
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=131968&cat=1

FISH & WILDLIFE

More Views on Salmon Adapting To Rivers Altered By Dams (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/10/more_views_on_salmon_adapting.html

Fishing - Rain Means Rivers Produce Solid Catch (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2010112774_fish22.html?syndication=rss

Officials Say Pikeminnow Program Helping Salmon (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010116982_apidpikeminnowprogram.html?syndication=rss

Three People Charged With Illegally Dealing Geoducks (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/925047.html

Seasonal Ladybug Swarms Pester Even Bug Experts (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010108934_apusbuggedbyladybugs.html?syndication=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Green River Flooding (if it happens) could Leave 800,000 without Sewage for Months (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21391613/detail.html

New Limits on Industrial Stormwater in Washington (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1009974.html

Marine Reserve Plans Contested in California (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2281466~Marine_reserve_plans_contested_in_California.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Thanks to Tax Breaks & Subsidies Solar Is Getting Cheap - Costs State by State (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010108663_apusbargainsolarglance.html?syndication=rss

Thinking Solar Power? It’s Never Been Cheaper (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010108620_apusbargainsolar.html?syndication=rss

Cle Elum Solar Energy Project to be Discussed Tonight (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/21/solar-energy-project-to-be-discussed-tonight

Oregon - New Tualatin Plant Will Make Wind Turbines (Portland Tribune, OR)
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=125617524013180400

Kentucky Energy Regulators Reject Wind Surcharge (The Gleaner, Henderson, KY)
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/oct/21/psc-rejects-wind-surcharge/

Renewable Energy Firms Dash for Vermont Incentives - A new renewable energy program has more applications than it can handle (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010107305_apusrenewableenergyvermont.html?syndication=rss

South Dakota Dangles Wind Power Carrots (Aberdeen News, SD)
http://www.aberdeennews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091020/FRONTPAGE/910200315

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Northwest States Energy Efficient but Others Are Catching Up (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/6063-northwest-states-energy-efficient-others-are-catching/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Grays Harbor - Sea Level Rise Expert Says Our Coast Is In Store for Dramatic Changes (Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/10/21/local_news/doc4adf49ec3bde3458867742.txt

Fewer Americans See Solid Evidence of Global Warming - Modest Support for “Cap & Trade” Policy (Pew Research Center)
http://people-press.org/report/556/global-warming

Wall Street Journal Editorial - Cap & Trade Could Be a Boon to New York
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704500604574481812686144826.html

International Climate Treaty Looks Unlikely (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010102982_climate21.html

Canada - Costly Push for Carbon Neutrality Comes At Time of Penny Pinching for Schools (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Costly+push+carbon+neutrality+comes+time+penny+pinching+schools/2125692/story.html

Rising Energy Costs Triggered By Cap-&-Trade Will Harm Low-Income Workers In Inner Cities (Baltimore Sun, MD)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/sns-200910220803mctnewsservbc-capandtrade-minoriti,0,7394488.story

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Company Plans to Call Lacey Home for ‘Green’ Cleaning Products Plant (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1010695.html

Plastic Bags Limited in San Francisco - Next Target Is Paper (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/21/MNUT1A8DSG.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Microsoft Hopes for Fresh Start with Windows 7 (Associated Press)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091022/BIZ/710229938/-1/RSS03

As Windows 7 Rolls Out, 4 Things to Expect (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/21/as-windows-7-rolls-out-4-things-to-expect/

Microsoft Befriends Twitter in Google Search Duel (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010112948_apustecmicrosofttwitter2ndldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Expedia to Close Tacoma Call Center (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/925039.html

Telecom Firms Face Net-Neutrality Defeat - Lobbying Blitz May Fall Short (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/21/AR2009102103944.html?wprss=rss_technology

Carriers Eye Pay-As-You-Go Internet - Amid Government Push to Open Networks, Some See Cover for Pricing Based on Usage (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703816204574483674228258540.html

Canada Allows Internet “Throttling” As Last Resort (Yahoo! Tech)
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nm/20091021/wr_nm/us_internet_traffic_3

Why the Great Internet Build Out Is Spurring Mergers & Acquisitions (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/22/why-the-great-internet-build-out-prompting-ma/

Comcast Internet Video Launching Before Year End - Though there are restrictions; like you must be using a Comcast modem (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Internet-Video-Launching-Before-Year-End-105092

Wal-Mart Takes Flak for Limited, Unlimited Wireless (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Walmart-Takes-Flak-For-Limited-Unlimited-Wireless-105078

GENERAL NEWS

Swine Flu Blamed For Thurston County Man’s Death
http://www.kirotv.com/health/21363220/detail.html

North Mason Teen Charged With Assault in Incident That Sent Man to Hospital (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/21/north-mason-teen-charged-with-assault-in-that-to/?partner=RSS

U.S. Supreme Court: Ref. 71 Names to Remain Sealed for Now (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010101080_webref71court21m.html

Washington School Funding Trial Nearing End (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010108460_apwaschoolmoney.html?syndication=rss

Move to Cut Bremerton Mayor’s Salary is Rejected (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1010568.html

Lewis County - Elk Killed In Collision With Boisfort School Bus (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21392661/detail.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Clerk Accused of Stealing $1M Lottery Ticket from Customer
http://www.kirotv.com/money/21362061/detail.html

Man Staged Nearly 100 Car Crashes in Cash Scam
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE59K3SX20091021?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Planned Dog B&B Has Neighbors Howling - Residents Say There Would Be Too Much Noise
http://www.kirotv.com/family/21363134/detail.html

Man Robs Shop on Way to Interrogation: German Police
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091020/od_nm/us_germany_thief

SONG OF THE DAY

Pink Floyd - Shine on You Crazy Diamond
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLKiMbC6s2k

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Energy News Digest for October 21, 2009

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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• Columbia Falls Aluminum to Shut Down by End of the Month
• Study’s Conclusion: Hydro Boom Means Jobs for West
• A City of 'Experts' Ponders a New Energy-Saving System
• Pikeminnow: Salmon Predator Catch Down, But Officials See Success
• Coho Bag Limit Will Increase By One Fish in Columbia River
• Coho Run Remains Strong With Season Winding Down
• Chronicle Editorial - Baird Opens Door for Water Retention Proposal
• State Clarifies Muddy Rain Collecting Law
• Shades of Nisqually - State's Habitat Project near Stanwood Raises Farmers’ Ire
• We’re Number Two! Rural Oregon Ranks High In Wind Energy
• Wind Industry Uses Federal Grants To Add Capacity
• Raft River Resurgence
• Arlington Firm Leads Way in Solar Panels
• United Kingdom - Inquiry Re-Opens On Wind Turbines
• Washington Ranked 7th among States for Energy Efficiency Policies
• Olympian Editorial - Wise Energy Use Creates Unique Partnerships
• BP Chief Sees Decades of Fossil Fuel Use
• DSL Provider CenturyTel Gets New Name
• FCC Set To Take on Aggressive Role as Internet Traffic Cop
• Seattle Times Op/Ed - Net Neutrality
• Google goes global with Apps
• Yahoo’s Profit Triples Despite Sales Decline
• Internet Advertising Appears To Begin Its Comeback
• Boeing Posts $1.6B Loss in 3Q on Plane Charges
• Port of Shelton Beginning to Look at Running Fairgrounds
• For $15 Scrap Metal Value, Thieves Do $2,000 Damage
• Couple Sentenced for Dropping Rocks on Interstate

WORD OF THE DAY

Defunct • \DEE-funkt\ • noun – No longer living, existing, or functioning

Here’s a do it yourself word of the day example sentence. Make up your own, maybe even use it in a haiku. It’s easy and fun!

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts
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

Columbia Falls Aluminum to Shut Down by End of the Month (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/cfac_to_shut_down_by_end_of_the_month/13705/

Study’s Conclusion: Hydro Boom Means Jobs for West (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/oct/20/studys-conclusion-hydro-boom-means-jobs-for-west/

A City of 'Experts' Ponders a New Energy-Saving System (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/10/21/21climatewire-a-city-of-experts-ponders-a-new-energy-savin-78056.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Pikeminnow: Salmon Predator Catch Down, But Officials See Success (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/760908.html

Coho Bag Limit Will Increase By One Fish in Columbia River (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2009/10/coho_bag_limit_will_increase_b.html

Coho Run Remains Strong With Season Winding Down (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/outdoors/story/923607.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Chronicle Editorial - Baird Opens Door for Water Retention Proposal (Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/10/20/opinion/our_views/doc4addf442e10a3864836741.txt

State Clarifies Muddy Rain Collecting Law (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_102109WAB-rain-collecting-law-LJ.23ac3c091.html?rss

Shades of Nisqually - State's Habitat Project near Stanwood Raises Farmers’ Ire (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091021/NEWS01/710219689/-1/RSS02

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

We’re Number Two! Rural Oregon Ranks High In Wind Energy (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/6060-were-number-2-rural-oregon-ranks-high-wind-energy/

Wind Industry Uses Federal Grants To Add Capacity (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/20/financial/f131238D51.DTL&feed=rss.business

Raft River Resurgence - U.S. Geothermal builds Idaho's first commercial geothermal power plant (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/10/raft-river-resurgence

Arlington Firm Leads Way in Solar Panels (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091021/BIZ/710219982/1005

United Kingdom - Inquiry Re-Opens On Wind Turbines Four Years After They Were First Proposed (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/8317739.stm

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington Ranked 7th among States for Energy Efficiency Policies (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/archives/182702.asp?source=rss

Olympian Editorial - Wise Energy Use Creates Unique Partnerships
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/1009398.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

BP Chief Sees Decades of Fossil Fuel Use (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/bp-chief-sees-decades-of-fossil-fuel-use/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

DSL Provider CenturyTel Gets New Name (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/21/in-brief-dsl-provider-gets-new-name/

FCC Set To Take on Aggressive Role as Internet Traffic Cop (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13603357?nclick_check=1

Seattle Times Op/Ed - Net Neutrality: Don't Subject the Internet to Politicians and Bureaucracies
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2010102051_guest21gipson.html?syndication=rss

Google goes global with Apps (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE59I09A20091019?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

Yahoo’s Profit Triples Despite Sales Decline (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/technology/companies/21yahoo.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Internet Advertising Appears To Begin Its Comeback (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/20/financial/f130354D90.DTL&feed=rss.business

GENERAL NEWS

Boeing Posts $1.6B Loss in 3Q on Plane Charges (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/923795.html

Port of Shelton Beginning to Look at Running Fairgrounds (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=426:port-beginning-to-look-at-running-fairgrounds&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

For $15 Scrap Metal Value, Thieves Do $2,000 Damage - Concern grows over fire system thefts from Tulalip and Marysville buildings (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091021/NEWS01/710219729/-1/RSS02

Couple Sentenced for Dropping Rocks on Interstate (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010101691_apusinterstaterocks1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Do We Need A Doggy Tax Break?
http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/topstocks/archive/2009/10/19/do-we-need-a-doggy-tax-break.aspx

Wisconsin Bill Would Waive License for Home Canners (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/20/financial/f134801D70.DTL&feed=rss.business

Vic Mizzy, Songwriter of ‘Addams Family’ Fame, Dies at 93
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/arts/television/21mizzy.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

SONG OF THE DAY

The Addams Family Theme Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRX_5tGOlo&feature=related

Green Acres Theme Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbk81X6WHA4

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Energy News Digest for October 20, 2009

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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• BPA’s Reservoir of Cash Pays Off
• Rehab Contract Awarded for Grand Coulee Project
• Small Firm Names another Site for Idaho Nuke Plant
• Electrical Accident May Have Caused Hot Tub Deaths
• Seattle Public Utilities Tax Rates, Costs High, Audit Finds
• Are You Ready for Winter? If Not, Here Are Some Tips to Get There
• Water Usage, Treatment Brings Increased Power Consumption
• Belgium Delays Nuclear Phase Out until 2025
• Nuclear Power Revival for GE Leaves Waste Unsolved
• Livermore Lab Works On Alaska Coal Power Project – Underground Coal Gasification
• Pennsylvania Businesses May Save Up to 10 Percent or More on Electricity Costs in Newly Competitive Market
• Don’t Miss the Return of Big Mining
• More Money Might Not Speed Salmon Culvert Fixes
• Op/Ed - Fish: The Issue of Chutes & Ladders Can’t Be Ignored
• Editorial - Puget Sound Recovery Going Well On the Nisqually
• Walla Walla Partnership Launches Project to Redraw Water-Use Rules
• Cle Elum Information Meeting on Solar Project Is Thursday
• Bellingham Mayor Proposes New Office, More Green Power in City Budget
• Environmental Concerns Delay Solar Projects in California Desert
• US Department Of Ecology Buys Geothermal Plant in Wyoming
• Giant Wind Turbine, Centerpiece of Research Venture, Switched On Near Boulder
• Michigan - Wind Turbine Concerns Lead to Road Closure, House Evacuations
• Vermont Willow Harvest Promises Cheap Biomass Fuel
• Cowlitz County Contest: How Much Electricity Can You Conserve?
• Vetting the Fridge: Is Your Appliance Lying to You?
• Largest ‘Smart Grid’ Test Hopes to Shock Consumers about Energy Use
• Hoax Pulled on U.S. Chamber over Its Position on Climate Change
• Punked: Chamber of Commerce Says It Was Victim of Climate-Policy Hoax
• Chamber Of Commerce in Climate Change Hoax
• Fake Reporters Part of Climate Pranksters’ ‘Theater’
• Global Warming Could Boost Northwest’s Forest Growth
• Fossil Fuels’ Hidden Cost Is in Billions, Study Says
• Oregon’s Fly-Fishing Governor Aims to Hook Green Jobs
• Another Global-Warming Tort Case Moves Forward
• Study Says Electric Cars Don’t Deserve Halo Yet
• Portland’s Street Grid: Bad for the Environment?
• How Green Is Tofu? You’d Be Surprised to Know
• Op/Ed - Last-Mile Demand Should Be First Concern for Broadband
• Top Tech Firms Back Net-Neutrality Rules
• The Robots Are Coming! Oh, They’re Here
• Hand Sanitizer Helps Spread Fire at Shelton-Area School
• Shelton City Commission Asked to Reconsider Cutting Police Officer
• Supreme Court Justice Kennedy Blocks Release of R-71 Names
• Landslide Repairs Will Delay Washington Highway Projects
• Income Levels Rise In Washington, 35 Other States
• Study Says Washington State Has Nation’s Third-Highest Tax Rate
• Shelton Clears State Audit
• Bremerton Mayor’s Salary May Drop 20 Percent
• Oh, Rats! Rodents on the Rise
• Online Commenting: What Works & What Doesn’t?

WORD OF THE DAY

Asgard • \AZ-gard \ • noun – The home of the Norse gods

Thor and Odin were enjoying their Wednesday night bowling league in Asgard. Enjoying, that is, until Loki came rushing in and laid waste to the scorekeepers.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts
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

BPA’s Reservoir of Cash Pays Off - Federal utility meets debt obligations despite poor economy, low water (Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20091020/BIZ01/710209974/-1/BIZ

Rehab Contract Awarded for Grand Coulee Project - Six Transformers to be Replaced Under $26 Million Contract (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/10/rehab-contract-awarded-for-grand-coulee-project?cmpid=rss

Small Firm Names another Site for Idaho Nuke Plant (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010100435_apusnukeplantnewsiteidaho.html?syndication=rss

Electrical Accident May Have Caused Hot Tub Deaths (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21348275/detail.html

Seattle Public Utilities Tax Rates, Costs High, Audit Finds (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010094633_audit17m.html?syndication=rss

Are You Ready for Winter? If Not, Here Are Some Tips to Get There (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/64849282.html

Water Usage, Treatment Brings Increased Power Consumption - Power mostly generated with fossil fuels, contributing to global warming (Las Vegas Sun, NV)
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct/20/using-water-using-power/

Belgium Delays Nuclear Phase Out until 2025 “…a report…concluded that the energy gap resulting from a nuclear phase-out could not yet be filled with renewables…” (Power Engineering)
http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=370199&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Nuclear Power Revival for GE Leaves Waste Unsolved (Bloomberg News)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=aQZtg3hJdMYA

Livermore Lab Works On Alaska Coal Power Project – Underground Coal Gasification (San Francisco Business Times)
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/10/19/daily6.html?ana=from_rss

Pennsylvania Businesses May Save Up to 10 Percent or More on Electricity Costs in Newly Competitive Market (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=120791

Don’t Miss the Return of Big Mining “…Rio’s aluminum group continues to struggle, with its production down 4% from a year ago. But that hasn’t stopped U.S. aluminum producers Alcoa and Kaiser Aluminum from watching their share prices more than double since March…” (Motley Fool)
http://www.fool.com/investing/international/2009/10/20/dont-miss-the-return-of-big-mining.aspx

FISH & WILDLIFE

More Money Might Not Speed Salmon Culvert Fixes (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1007897.html

Eugene Register-Guard Op/Ed - Fish: The Issue of Chutes & Ladders Can’t Be Ignored
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/20966841-41/story.csp

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Olympian Editorial - Puget Sound Recovery Going Well On the Nisqually
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/1008272.html

Walla Walla Partnership Launches Project to Redraw Water-Use Rules (Walla Walla Union Bulletin, WA)
http://union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/10/19/local_news/091019local03h20.txt

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Cle Elum Information Meeting on Solar Project Is Thursday (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/20/cle-elum-information-meeting-on-solar-project-is-thursday

Bellingham Mayor Proposes New Office, More Green Power in City Budget (Bellingham Herald, WA)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/1120915.html

Environmental Concerns Delay Solar Projects in California Desert (Los Angeles Times, CA)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-solar19-2009oct19,0,2124650.story

US Department Of Ecology Buys Geothermal Plant in Wyoming (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/19/financial/f140526D61.DTL&feed=rss.business

Giant Wind Turbine, Centerpiece of Research Venture, Switched On Near Boulder (Denver Business Journal)
http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/10/19/daily20.html?ana=from_rss

Michigan - Wind Turbine Concerns Lead to Road Closure, House Evacuations (Cadillac News, MI)
http://www.cadillacnews.com/story_news/?story_id=1175360&year=2009

Vermont Willow Harvest Promises Cheap Biomass Fuel (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010089561_apuswillowpower.html?syndication=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Cowlitz County Contest: How Much Electricity Can You Conserve? (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/20/area_news/doc4add50800416c242168848.txt

Vetting the Fridge: Is Your Appliance Lying to You? (Wall Street Journal)
http://www.smartmoney.com/Spending/Deals/Vetting-the-Fridge-Is-Your-Appliance-Lying-to-You/

Largest ‘Smart Grid’ Test Hopes to Shock Consumers about Energy Use (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/10/20/20climatewire-largest-smart-grid-test-hopes-to-shock-consu-92426.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Hoax Pulled on U.S. Chamber over Its Position on Climate Change (Bloomberg News)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a3IaPOkIataY

Punked: Chamber of Commerce Says It Was Victim of Climate-Policy Hoax (Wall Street Journal)
http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/10/19/punked-chamber-of-commerce-says-it-was-victim-of-climate-policy-hoax/

Chamber Of Commerce in Climate Change Hoax (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113943699&ft=1&f=2

Fake Reporters Part of Climate Pranksters’ ‘Theater’ (NY Times – story says faux reporters diminished “real” reporters’ credibility. No, what diminishes “real” reporters credibility is that they fell for this act hook, line and sinker)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/10/20/20greenwire-fake-reporters-part-of-climate-pranksters-thea-39576.html

Global Warming Could Boost Northwest’s Forest Growth -- Except In Most-Logged Areas
(Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/10/global_warming_could_boost_nor.html

Fossil Fuels’ Hidden Cost Is in Billions, Study Says (NY Times - Ed. Note: I HATE headlines like this. It SHOULD read “Study Says Fossil Fuels’ Hidden Cost Is in Billions”)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/science/earth/20fossil.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon’s Fly-Fishing Governor Aims to Hook Green Jobs (Nat’l Public Radio - Fishes for steelhead, catches a Chinook Salmon)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113841255

Another Global-Warming Tort Case Moves Forward - Mississippi property owners can sue oil, coal & chemical companies whose pollution allegedly elevated sea levels & “added to the ferocity” of Hurricane Katrina (Courthouse News)
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/10/19/Another_Global-Warming_Tort_Case_Moves_Forward.htm

Study Says Electric Cars Don’t Deserve Halo Yet (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE59I5QH20091019

Portland’s Street Grid: Bad for the Environment? (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/10/portlands_street_grid_bad_for.html

How Green Is Tofu? You’d Be Surprised to Know “…(processing) steps require energy—and they dramatically increase tofu’s carbon footprint…” (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2232916/?from=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Kansas City Star Op/Ed - Last-Mile Demand Should Be First Concern for Broadband
http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1517715.html

Top Tech Firms Back Net-Neutrality Rules - Letter comes as FCC prepares to vote (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101903575.html?wprss=rss_technology

The Robots Are Coming! Oh, They’re Here (NY Times)
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/the-robots-are-coming-oh-theyre-here/

GENERAL NEWS

Hand Sanitizer Helps Spread Fire At Shelton-Area School (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_101909WAB-shelton-school-fire-SW.2313fed53.html?rss

Shelton City Commission Asked to Reconsider Cutting Police Officer (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=420:shelton-city-commission-asked-to-reconsider-cutting-officer&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Supreme Court Justice Kennedy Blocks Release of R-71 Names (Associated Press)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/19/justice-kennedy-blocks-release-of-r-71-names

Landslide Repairs Will Delay Washington Highway Projects (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/6050-landslide-repairs-will-delay-washington-highway-projects/

Income Levels Rise In Washington, 35 Other States (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/10/19/daily12.html?ana=from_rss

Study Says Washington State Has Nation’s Third-Highest Tax Rate (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/10/19/daily9.html?ana=from_rss

Shelton Clears State Audit (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=421:shelton-clears-audit&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Bremerton Mayor’s Salary May Drop 20 Percent (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010099967_apwabremertonmayor.html?syndication=rss

Oh, Rats! Rodents on the Rise - Thurston County sees more critters and in new areas (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1008232.html

Online Commenting: What Works and What Doesn’t? (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/technology/2009/oct/Online-Commenting--What-Works-and-What-Doesn-t--.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

A New Coke? Well, It’s Smaller
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/all-we-can-eat/?nav=rss_email/components

‘Big Brother’ Winnings Used To Buy Pills - Reality Show Winner Admits To Trying To Resell Oxycodone
http://www.kirotv.com/entertainment/21348594/detail.html

Robbery Victim Prays With, Hugs Suspect
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21347992/detail.html

Neighbors Object to Four-Story Tree House - Man Ordered To Destroy Structure
http://www.kirotv.com/money/21347579/detail.html

Wily Coyote Survives Wild Ride - Animal Struck By Car, Gets Trapped Behind Grill
http://www.kirotv.com/family/21345970/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Blue Oyster Cult – Godzilla
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6rDWqjnW7w

Monday, October 19, 2009

Energy News Digest for October 19, 2009

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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• BPA Makes Payment to US Treasury
• Eugene Water & Electric Board Manager Opposes Pay Cuts
• Bogged-Down Dams - Emerald People’s Utility District Seeks to Add Turbines
• Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Warns About Possible Telephone Scams
• Customers Say New Pacific Gas & Electric Meters Not Always Smart
• US Rejects Nuclear Plant Design over Specifications of Key Piece
• United Kingdom Power Bills May Rise to Fund Reactors
• Lower Granite Fish Run Ranks Among Best
• Steelhead: Hatchery Fish Pose Threat
• Op/Ed - Migrating Toward Consensus on Salmon
• Op/Ed - Obama Disappoints On Salmon
• Oregon - Restoration Attempts to Help Salmon
• California Water - It’s Fish vs. Lawns, Not North vs. South
• NOAA's 2009 Winter Outlook Has Pacific Northwest Drier than Average
• California Water War Spreads to Congress
• Help for Puget Sound Water Management
• Roslyn Gets New Water Deal
• Bassett will try again with Cosmopolis Pulp Mill
• California & Texas: Renewable Energy’s Odd Couple
• Small Wind Goes Big
• Canada - Controversy Heats up as Cities Look to Incinerators
• Energy Star Appliances May Not All Be Efficient, Audit Finds
• Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Program Still Lacks Catchy Name
• Op/Ed - There's Real Power in Energy Conservation
• Kitsap Community Resources Taking Applications for Weatherization Program
• Graser Hired For New WSU/PUD Energy Program in Ferry County
• New Lighting Technology Gaining Ground
• Energy Firms Are Split on Bill to Battle Climate Change
• US Hunters, Anglers Lobby For Climate Bill
• Private Capital Looks to Cash in On Carbon Trading
• Puget Sound Cars About To Get Plugged In
• Residents of Transit-Oriented Oregon Community Still Driving Cars to Work
• Editorial - Time to Drop Ethanol Credit
• Colorado - Climate Concerns Turn City's Smell into Cash Cow
• Hurdles Remain As FCC Ponders Net Neutrality Rules
• Broadband Now! So Why Don’t Some Use It?
• Canadians Take Heed of Harvard Broadband Study
• Comcast to Raise Rates Nearly 3% in January
• Firms Wonder If They Should Use Twitter
• Symantec Says Fake Security Software in Millions of Computers
• US Supreme Court Asked To Hear R-71 Case
• Balloon Scare Was a 'Hoax'; Felony Counts Deemed Likely
• Welco to Close Naples Lumber Mill
• Stimulus Good for Washington - Part of It, Anyway
• Northwest Tribal Leaders to Meet With the President
• States, US Treasury in Spat over WWII Bonds

WORD OF THE DAY

Auteur • \OH-tour\ • noun – 1: a film director whose practice accords with the auteur theory; broadly 2: an artist (as a musician or writer) whose style & practice are distinctive

Alfred was a self-proclaimed auteur in his small town of Brooklyn, Washington. One could not deny that his hats made out of old beer cans were unique.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts
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

BPA Makes Payment to US Treasury - U.S. taxpayers get return on their investment in NW hydro system (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/357166/

Eugene Water & Electric Board Manager Opposes Pay Cuts (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/21551288-41/story.csp

Bogged-Down Dams - Emerald People’s Utility District Seeks to Add Turbines despite Roadblocks (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/20497939-57/story.csp

Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative Warns About Possible Telephone Scams (Baker City Herald, OR)
http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/OTEC-warns-about-possible-telephone-scams

Customers Say New Pacific Gas & Electric Meters Not Always Smart (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/10/18/BUJI1A658S.DTL

U.S. Rejects Nuclear Plant Design over Specifications of Key Piece (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/16/science/earth/16nuke.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

United Kingdom Power Bills May Rise to Fund Reactors (Reuters)
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/10/18/business/business-uk-electricity-britain.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Lower Granite Fish Run Ranks Among Best - Nearly a quarter of a million steelhead have crossed Lower Granite Dam this year, making it one of the biggest runs on record (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/918609.html

Steelhead: Hatchery Fish Pose Threat - Wild stocks’ gene pool at risk of dilution (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/19/hatchery-fish-pose-threat/

Seattle Times Op/Ed - Migrating Toward Consensus on Salmon
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2010079939_guest18stelle.html?syndication=rss

East Oregonian Op/Ed - Obama Disappoints On Salmon
http://eastoregonian.com/main.asp?SectionID=14&SubSectionID=50&ArticleID=99125

Oregon - Restoration Attempts to Help Salmon: Landowners donated land to project on North Santiam (Salem Statesman-Journal, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20091019/GREEN/910190329/1001

California Water - It’s Fish vs. Lawns, Not North vs. South (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/science/earth/18sfpolitics.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

NOAA's 2009 Winter Outlook Has Pacific Northwest Drier Than Average Due to El Nino (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
http://www.cbbulletin.com/361275.aspx

California Water War Spreads to Congress (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2010072957_apuscaliforniawaterwoes.html?syndication=rss

Help for Puget Sound Water Management - Department of Ecology grant money will assist in updating plans for managing creek, lake & Puget Sound shorelines (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091019/NEWS01/710199805/-1/RSS02

Roslyn Gets New Water Deal (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1005511.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Bassett will try again with Cosmopolis Pulp Mill – union rep hopes Bassett is able to “cut a deal” with the Grays Harbor PUD to do something with the Cosi Mill’s power house (Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/10/16/local_news/doc4ad8b5b16824b324528709.txt

California & Texas: Renewable Energy’s Odd Couple (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/weekinreview/18galbraith.html

Small Wind Goes Big (Wichita Eagle, KS)
http://www.kansas.com/business/story/1016741.html

Canada - Controversy Heats Up As Cities Look To Incinerators: Groups argue over whether benefits of green technology outweigh the possible health effects associated with burning garbage (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Controversy%20heats%20cities%20look%20incinerators/2113736/story.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Star Appliances May Not All Be Efficient, Audit Finds (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/business/energy-environment/19star.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Program Still Lacks Catchy Name (Consumerist – Note: comment section may contain PG-13 language)
http://consumerist.com/5382656/energy+efficient-appliance-rebate-program-still-lacks-catchy-name

Oregonian Op/Ed - There's Real Power in Energy Conservation
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/10/theres_real_power_in_energy_co.html

Kitsap Community Resources Taking Applications for Weatherization Program (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/15/kitsap-community-resources-taking-applications/?partner=RSS

Graser Hired For New WSU/PUD Energy Program in Ferry County (Omak Chronicle, WA)
http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n091018a.shtml

New Lighting Technology Gaining Ground (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/greenenergy/ci_13568681

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Energy Firms Are Split on Bill to Battle Climate Change (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/business/energy-environment/19fuel.html?hp

US Hunters, Anglers Lobby For Climate Bill (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/sarahPalin/idUSTRE59H0VY20091018

Private Capital Looks to Cash in On Carbon Trading (CNBC)
http://www.cnbc.com/id/33347684

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Puget Sound Cars About To Get Plugged In - Federal project aims to build electric charging corridor (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1007256.html

Looking Under the Hype - Residents of Transit-Oriented Oregon Community Still Driving Cars to Work (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/despite_urban_design_most_oren.html

Spokesman Review Editorial - Time to Drop Ethanol Credit
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/19/time-to-drop-ethanol-credit/

Colorado - Climate Concerns Turn City's Smell into Cash Cow (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/nationworld/story/1005895.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Hurdles Remain As FCC Ponders Net Neutrality Rules (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010089712_apustecinternetrules.html

Broadband Now! So Why Don’t Some Use It? (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/business/18digi.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Canadians Take Heed of Harvard Broadband Study - Mirror U.S. policy, get same mediocre results (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Canadians-Take-Heed-Of-Harvard-Broadband-Study-105036

Comcast to Raise Rates Nearly 3% in January (Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20091017/BIZ/910179997/-1/BIZ

Firms Wonder If They Should Use Twitter (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1007329.html

Symantec Says Fake Security Software in Millions of Computers (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101900096.html?wprss=rss_technology

GENERAL NEWS

US Supreme Court Asked To Hear R-71 Case (Associated Press)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/19/us-supreme-court-asked-hear-r-71-case/

Balloon Scare Was a 'Hoax'; Felony Counts Deemed Likely (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010091154_balloonboy19.html

Welco to Close Naples Lumber Mill (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1005421.html

Stimulus Good for Washington - Part of It, Anyway - Most of the money allocated for Hanford (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/411212_stimulus16.html?source=rss

Northwest Tribal Leaders to Meet With the President (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/6048-tribal-leaders-meet-president/

States, US Treasury in Spat over WWII Bonds - More than $16 billion unclaimed (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/1007258.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Longview’s “Hound of the Baskervilles” - Mystery Roaming Mastiff Claimed By Owner
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/16//area_news/doc4ad6445b5e7e2392595381.txt

Two-Year Sentence for Coin-Machine Thefts
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091016/NEWS01/710169807/-1/RSS02

Police Stop Driver for 15 Violations in 11 Minutes
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/21335140/detail.html

Man Finds A Rocket Launcher On His Property – Displays it in Living Room
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21307607/detail.html

Arizona County to Workers: Stay Home Or Risk Firing
http://www.kirotv.com/health/21309819/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Bad Company- Live for the Music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gx5nWKXOjw

Friday, October 16, 2009

Energy News Digest for October 16, 2009

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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• 9:55 AM - Electricity Restored to Harstine Island Customers
• Fiery Accident Knocks Out Power to Everett Businesses
• Puget Sound Energy's New Substation Angers Some Kirkland Residents
• Activists at Power-Planning Hearings Push for Cleaner Energy
• Oregonian Op/Ed - Making a Transition to Our Energy Future
• Pacific Gas and Electric to Give Customers One-Time Refund
• The Fantasy of a US Super-Grid
• Will the Smart Grid Really Be Made of Dumb Pipes?
• Wisconsin - Landowners' Trees Fall amid New Approach on Power
• A Ray of Hope for Electric Choice in Illinois?
• Kentucky - State Rejects Electric Cooperative's Request for New Headquarters
• Oregonian Op/Ed - Columbia Basin: Salmon, Science and the Law
• Spotted Seals off Alaska Coast Denied Federal Protection
• New Orca Calf Born to L Pod
• Toxic "Red Tide" Closes Northern Puget Sound to Shellfish Harvesting
• Partnership Ponders How to Measure Progress in Restoring Puget Sound
• Murray Wins Funding for Columbia Basin Water Study, Lower Monumental Dam
• Elwha Dam Removal - ‘It’s going to Be Just like Tse-Whit-Zen’
• Water Uncertainty Frustrates Busy California Farmers
• Sacramento Bee Editorial: Time for Truce on Renewables
• Texas - Austin Energy’s Solar Program Going Dim
• Texas - Texas Might See Wind Power Slowdown
• West Virginia Approves $100 Million in Bonds for Wood-Fired Power Plant
• United Kingdom - Golden Eagles Scupper Wind Farm
• Now Is the Perfect Time to 'Winterize' Your Home
• A Forest and a 'Carbon Sink' Grow On Vashon
• Oregon Governor Betting Big On E-Cars in His State
• Florida May Ban Paper, Plastic Bags
• US Broadband Study Says "Open Access" Fosters Competition
• FCC Study: Open Access Lowers Prices, Improves Competition
• Microsoft Says It Can Restore Sidekick Data
• Google: Profit Up 27%, 'Recession behind Us'
• Leaked: Google Chrome Operating System Build
• Ohio - FBI Still Probing County's Fiber Optics System
• State Warned Naches Gravel Pit of Slope Instability 4 Years before Landslide
• 9th Circuit Lifts Ban on Release of R-71 (Domestic Partnership) Petitions
• Winter Forecast: Warmer West, North; Cooler South
• State Legislature - 16th District Candidates Have Similar Platforms

WORD OF THE DAY

Scupper • \SKUP-urr\ • noun/verb

Noun - 1: an opening cut through the bulwarks of a ship so that water falling on deck may flow overboard 2: an opening in the wall of a building through which water can drain from a floor or flat roof.

Verb - To defeat or put an end to: do in

The surging, blue green water cascaded in torrents across the deck of the frail, storm-tossed schooner, its white flecked streams gushing through the scuppers with each shuddering collision with the house-sized waves looming over the spars. The grizzled captain shouted his frustration at the howling storm, realizing that nature had scuppered his much-deserved carousing in Kingston by at least a week.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
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

9:55 AM - Electricity Restored to Harstine Island Customers (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=606

Fiery Accident Knocks Out Power to Everett Businesses (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_101609WAB_accident-power-out-everett-JM.220bf3381.html?rss?npc

Puget Sound Energy's New Substation Angers Some Kirkland Residents (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/64459337.html

Activists at Power-Planning Hearings Push for Cleaner Energy (Daily Journal Of Commerce, OR)
http://djcoregon.com/news/2009/10/16/activists-at-power-planning-hearings-push-for-cleaner-energy/

Oregonian Op/Ed - Making a Transition to Our Energy Future
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/10/making_a_transition_to_our_ene.html

Pacific Gas and Electric to Give Customers One-Time Refund (San Francisco Business Times)
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/10/12/daily66.html?ana=from_rss

The Fantasy of a US Super-Grid (Reuters)
http://blogs.reuters.com/columns/2009/10/15/the-fantasy-of-a-us-super-grid/

Will the Smart Grid Really Be Made of Dumb Pipes? (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/15/will-the-smart-grid-really-be-made-of-dumb-pipes/

Wisconsin - Landowners' trees fall amid new approach on power lines (Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI)
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/environment/article_567109d8-b9e4-11de-a488-001cc4c03286.html

A Ray of Hope for Electric Choice in Illinois? (St. Louis Dispatch, MO)
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/0/6D1D1A542F64C494862576510006FF14?OpenDocument

Kentucky - State Rejects Electric Cooperative's Request for New Headquarters (Lexington Herald-Leader, KY)
http://www.kentucky.com/latest_news/story/979006.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregonian Op/Ed - Columbia Basin: Salmon, Science and the Law
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/10/columbia_basin_salmon_science.html

Spotted Seals off Alaska Coast Denied Federal Protection (Associated Press)
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/oct/15/spotted-seals-alaska-coast-denied-federal-protecti/

New Orca Calf Born to L Pod (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/15/new-orca-calf-born-to-l-pod/?partner=RSS

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Toxic "Red Tide" Closes Northern Puget Sound to Shellfish Harvesting (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010073367_webredtide16.html?syndication=rss

Partnership Ponders How to Measure Progress in Restoring Puget Sound (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/14/partnership-ponders-how-to-measure-progress-in/

Murray Wins Funding for Columbia Basin Water Study, Lower Monumental Dam (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/755023.html?mi_email=Tri-City%20Herald_PM+%26+Breaking+News

Elwha Dam Removal - ‘It’s going to Be Just like Tse-Whit-Zen’ (Indian Country Today)
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/63860642.html

Water Uncertainty Frustrates Busy California Farmers (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/business/1310ap_us_farm_scene_california_drought.html?source=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Sacramento Bee Editorial: Time for Truce on Renewables
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/story/2254311.html?mi_rss=Opinion

Texas - Austin Energy’s Solar Program Going Dim - Solar panel rebates popular, but cuts now foreshadow what’s to come later (Austin Business Journal)
http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2009/10/19/story1.html

Texas - Texas Might See Wind Power Slowdown (San Antonio Express News, TX)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/livinggreensa/64464782.html

Company Says West Virginia Has Approved $100 Million in Bonds for Wood-Fired Power Plant “…will burn more than 400,000 tons of wood waste annually…” (Associated Press)
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/economy/ap/64387357.html

United Kingdom - Golden Eagles Scupper Wind Farm (The Scotsman, UK)
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Golden-eagles-scupper-wind-farm.5739432.jp

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Now Is the Perfect Time to 'Winterize' Your Home (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS159699+15-Oct-2009+PRN20091015

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

A Forest and a 'Carbon Sink' Grow On Vashon (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/411059_carbon15.html?source=rss

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon Governor Betting Big On E-Cars in His State (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)
http://www.katu.com/news/tech/64209437.html

Florida May Ban Paper, Plastic Bags (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/money/21313682/detail.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

US Broadband Study Says "Open Access" Fosters Competition (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE59E16J20091015?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology

FCC Study: Open Access Lowers Prices, Improves Competition - Agency discovers real science, U.S. broadband mediocrity (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Study-Open-Access-Lowers-Prices-Improves-Competition-105014

Microsoft Says It Can Restore Sidekick Data (Associated Press)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=225405

Google: Profit Up 27%, 'Recession behind Us' (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/10/12/daily48.html?ana=from_rss

Leaked: Google Chrome Operating System Build (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/182169.asp?source=pimail

Ohio - FBI Still Probing County's Fiber Optics System (Middletown Journal, OH)
http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/fbi-still-probing-countys-fiber-optics-system-349897.html

GENERAL NEWS

State Warned Naches Gravel Pit of Slope Instability 4 Years before Landslide (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010074658_landslide16m.html

9th Circuit Lifts Ban on Release of R-71 (Domestic Partnership) Petitions (Associated Press)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21307484/detail.html

Winter Forecast: Warmer West, North; Cooler South (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/weather/21305149/detail.html

State Legislature - 16th District Candidates Have Similar Platforms: energy interest contributions pointed out (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/918280.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Police Probe Boy's 'For the Show' Comment - 'Balloon Boy' Gets Sick During TV Interviews
http://www.kirotv.com/family/21307080/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_7am&tmi=sea_7am_1_09000210162009&ts=H

22-Inch Nepal Man Aims For Shortest Title
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21316743/detail.html

Sheboygan Inmates Scuffle over 'The Office' - Inmate Wanted To Watch Something Else
http://www.kirotv.com/entertainment/21309104/detail.html

Cops: Man Caught With Weed Stuck To Forehead
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21306963/detail.html

Church Plans to Burn Bibles, Christian Books - Pastor Says Burning Meant To Light a Fire Under True Believers
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21296553/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Gary "US" Bonds - This Little Girl Is Mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4T_Scnt3WQ

Bruce Springsteen - This Little Girl Is Mine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvMKmF7cxSg