The Energy News Digest

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Energy News Digest for February 4, 2010

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)

· Jefferson PUD Says Power Negotiations under Confidentiality Agreement

· Electric Co-Op Model Builds On Rural Roots

· Oregon – City of Bandon Keeps Electric Rate Flat For Users

· California - Marin County to Provide Public Power, Oust Pacific Gas & Electric

· Palo Alto Votes to Oppose Pacific Gas & Electric Backed Ballot Measure

· Washington Governor Says Nuclear Energy Must Be Considered

· Vermont Yankee VP Placed on Permanent Leave

· Obama Creates Commission on Nuclear Waste

· Alaska – Healy Coal Plant Likely to Be Endorsed In Electric Planning Report

· Ormet Lays Off 20 Workers at Ohio Aluminum Smelter

· Natural Gas Stocks Decline Less Than Expected

· BPA Boosts Online News And Information

· Anglers Are Finding Spring Chinook In Lower Columbia

· DOE Settlement In Chelan County Over Salmon Restoration

· Clock Ticking For Klamath Dams

· Big-Money Salmon Derby Sparks Debate

· Shelton - Johns Prairie Water Agreement Completed

· Snowpack Lags A Bit Behind - Reservoirs are in good shape

· Bioenergy Company to Build Plant in Shelton

· Cowlitz PUD Backs Away From Tenant Way Biomass Project

· Gregoire Approves Kittitas County Wind Project

· Kulongoski, Oregon Lawmakers Seek To Scale Back Energy Tax Credits

· President Touts His Alternative Fuels Plan

· California Turbines Frozen in Minnesota Wind

· Massachusetts – Report Says Key Cape Wind Review Rushed, Still Sound

· A Boom in ‘Distributed’ Solar Projects

· SF Chronicle Op/Ed - To Get Clean Energy, Upgrade to Electricity 2.0

· EPA Biofuels Guidelines Could Spur Production of Ethanol from

· Internet Attacks Breach EU Carbon Trading

· U.S.-Led Climate Pact Can´t Replace Global Consensus, UN Says

· A New Clean Economy - With Old Sources of Energy

· FCC's Neutrality Rules Too Murky to Help Consumers

· NY Times Op/Ed - Microsoft’s Creative Destruction

· Google, NSA May Team Up Over

· Comcast Profit up On Internet, Phone

· Pew Study: For Teens, Blogging Is Sooooo

· US Baptists to Appear before Haitian

· Clallam Treasurer's Office Investigation Over; Amount Stolen Now $600,

· King County Judge to Rule on Statewide School Money Lawsuit

· Safe Or Not, E-Mail Voting Headed to Senate

WORD OF THE DAY

Fiefdom • \FEEF-dum\ • noun – 1: a feudal estate 2: something over which one has rights or exercises control

“I’m king of all I survey,” exclaimed Barty to his assembled subjects. His fiefdom included his one acre of rural farmland, three cows, ten chickens, and assorted cats and dogs.

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

Jefferson PUD Says Power Negotiations under Confidentiality Agreement (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100204/news/302049989

Electric Co-Op Model Builds On Rural Roots (Methow Valley News, WA)

http://www.methowvalleynews.com/story.php?id=2903

Oregon – City of Bandon Keeps Electric Rate Flat For Users (The Bandon World, OR)

http://www.bandonwesternworld.com/articles/2010/02/04/news/doc4b6a051f2b365546120483.txt

California - Marin County to Provide Public Power, Oust Pacific Gas & Electric (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/04/BUN81BS696.DTL

Palo Alto Votes to Oppose Pacific Gas & Electric Backed Ballot Measure (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14330509

Washington Governor Says Nuclear Energy Must Be Considered (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010974758_apwaobamaenergygregoire.html

Vermont Yankee VP Placed on Permanent Leave - Thayer removed over misleading statements about radioactive tritium leak (Burlington Free Press, VT)

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100203/NEWS02/100203007/1007/Vermont-Yankee-VP-placed-on-permanent-leave

Obama Creates Commission on Nuclear Waste (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/02/04/24367.htm

Alaska – Healy Coal Plant Likely to Be Endorsed In Electric Planning Report (Fairbanks Daily News Miner, AK)

http://newsminer.com/pages/full_story/push?blog-entry-Healy+plant+likely+to+be+endorsed+in+electric+planning+report%20&id=5733601&instance=blogs_editors_desk

Ormet Lays Off 20 Workers at Ohio Aluminum Smelter “…Last year, when it cut output Ormet cited depressed aluminum market conditions…” (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0350285820100203

Natural Gas Stocks Decline Less Than Expected (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/02/04/financial/f073653S42.DTL

BPA Boosts Online News And Information - Social media supports updated Web site with public conversation (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/469823/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Anglers Are Finding Spring Chinook In Lower Columbia (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2010974130_fish04.html

DOE Settlement In Chelan County Over Salmon Restoration (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)

http://www.kpq.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1791

Clock Ticking For Klamath Dams (Oregon Public Radio)

http://news.opb.org/article/6659-clock-ticking-klamath-dams/

Big-Money Salmon Derby Sparks Debate (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100204/SPORTS/702049975/1008/SPORTS02

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Shelton - Johns Prairie Water Agreement Completed (South Sound Business Examiner)

http://www.businessexaminer.com/blog/johns-prairie-water-agreement-completed/

Snowpack Lags A Bit Behind - Reservoirs are in good shape, though, and the snow usually doesn’t reach its peak until April (Baker City Herald, OR)

http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Snowpack-lags-a-bit-behind

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Bioenergy Company to Build Plant in Shelton (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/1125196.html

Cowlitz PUD Backs Away From Tenant Way Biomass Project (The Daily News, Longview, WA)

http://www.tdn.com/news/local/b0da16d8-1148-11df-898e-001cc4c03286.html

Gregoire Approves Kittitas County Wind Project (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/03/gregoire-approves-kittitas-co-wind-project

Kulongoski, Oregon Lawmakers Seek To Scale Back Energy Tax Credits (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/02/kulongoski_lawmakers_agree_to.html

President Touts His Alternative Fuels Plan (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/business/energy-environment/04biofuel.html

California Turbines Frozen in Minnesota Wind (Minneapolis Star-Tribune, MN)

http://www.startribune.com/local/north/83506647.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUBP7hUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUHDYaGEP7eyckcUs

Massachusetts – Report Says Key Cape Wind Review Rushed, Still Sound (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/02/03/financial/f192056S63.DTL

A Boom in ‘Distributed’ Solar Projects (NY Times)

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/a-boon-in-smaller-distributed-solar-projects/

SF Chronicle Op/Ed - To Get Clean Energy, Upgrade to Electricity 2.0

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/04/MN1I1BS16B.DTL

EPA Biofuels Guidelines Could Spur Production of Ethanol from Corn (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/03/AR2010020303804.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Internet Attacks Breach EU Carbon Trading System (Reuters)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100204/wr_nm/us_carbon_eu_attacks

U.S.-Led Climate Pact Can´t Replace Global Consensus, UN Says (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=awenPjrBF.WQ

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

A New Clean Economy - With Old Sources of Energy (TIME Magazine)

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1959011,00.html?xid=rss-topstories

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC's Neutrality Rules Too Murky to Help Consumers? (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCCs-Neutrality-Rules-Too-Murky-To-Help-Consumers-106715

NY Times Op/Ed - Microsoft’s Creative Destruction

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/opinion/04brass.html

Google, NSA May Team Up Over Cyberattacks (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6130M120100204

Comcast Profit up On Internet, Phone Subscribers (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6122LS20100203

Pew Study: For Teens, Blogging Is Sooooo 2006 (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/03/BU3O1BRJDU.DTL

GENERAL NEWS

US Baptists to Appear before Haitian Prosecutor (Associated Press)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/US-Baptists-to-appear-before-Haitian-prosecutor-83544592.html

Clallam Treasurer's Office Investigation Over; Amount Stolen Now $600,000 (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100204/news/302049991

King County Judge to Rule on Statewide School Money Lawsuit (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010976870_apwaschooldollars.html

Safe Or Not, E-Mail Voting Headed to Senate - Security risk small, Reed says (The Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/legislature/story/1123236.html

DIVERSIONS

Doctor Casts New Light on Cat That Can Predict Death

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100202/od_nm/us_books_cat

Elusive Black Chicken Has New Home in Glendale

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14324481

California - Masked Bandits Cause Richmond Outage

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/04/BAOO1BSJC9.DTL

Chunk Of Ice Falls From Plane, Smashes Home

http://www.kirotv.com/travelgetaways/22460233/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Hank Williams - Lovesick Blues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xu71i89xvs

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Energy News Digest for February 3, 2010

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)

• Jefferson PUD To Hear From Public-Power Supporters Today

• California - PG&E Customers Can Expect Cheaper Heating Bills

• Avista Warns of Copper Theft Safety Concerns

• Utah - Small Power Company Is Suing PacifiCorp Over Facility Upgrade

• When It Comes to Nuclear Power, Companies Should Think Small

• Court Upholds Transmission Incentives for New England Utilities

• J.D. Power and Associates Reports

• The Century for Natural Gas: What This Means for Investors

•

Brazil

- Uproar In

Brazil

Over Huge Amazon Dam Plan

• Alaska Imposes New Restrictions on Declining Yukon River Chinook

• British Columbia - Bring Back the Blueprint for Salmon Habitat

• Cowlitz River Smelt Dipping About To Open, But Will Fish Cooperate?

• Activist Urges State Board To Halt Timber Sales Around Murrelet

• Port & Mason PUD 3 Sign John's Prairie Water Agreement

• Local Governments Approve Pact for Extension of Water to Johns Prairie Area near Shelton

• Clifton Ridge Annexation into Belfair Water District Denied

• Kittitas County Well Ban Reprieve Dries Up

• Mixed Results In Puget Sound Efforts

• Kittitas County - Gregoire Gives Green Light To Desert Claim Wind Farm

• Interior Chief Tours Proposed Massachusetts Wind Farm Site

• Interior Secretary Sees Little Hope for Consensus on Wind Farm

• Oregon’s Christmas Valley Solar

• Report: US Should Spend More On Biofuels

• Sen. Graham Slams Push for a 'Half-Assed Energy Bill'

• Obama Pushing Clean Coal And Green Jobs

• Update: WA Data Center Fight Over

• Clearwire Shifting Toward Wholesale

• Obama Budget Spells Benefits for the Cloud

• Obama Likes Neutrality, But What About Metered Billing?

• Rossi vs. Murray? So Far, Only In A Pollster's Dream

• Illegal Mole Traps Pulled From Capitol Lawns

• How To Be Possessive About Apostrophes

WORD OF THE DAY

Bogus • \BOW-guss\ • adjective – Not genuine: counterfeit, sham

Wally the egret had his doubts. The flowing crocodile tears of his saurian friend over his recent meal of two other nearby birds did not cover the bogus claims that they had accidentally fallen into the creature’s mouth and crawled by themselves into his waiting gullet.

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

Jefferson PUD To Hear From Public-Power Supporters Today; Decision on buying PSE could be coming this spring (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55&ArticleID=26192

California - PG&E Customers Can Expect Cheaper Heating Bills (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14319596

Avista Warns of Copper Theft Safety Concerns - Public is encouraged to report suspicious activity (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=126894

Utah - Small Power Company Is Suing PacifiCorp Over Facility Upgrade (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700006403/Small-power-company-is-suing-PacifiCorp-over-facility-upgrade.html

When It Comes to Nuclear Power, Companies Should Think Small (Pajamas Media)

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/when-it-comes-to-nuclear-power-companies-should-think-small/

Court Upholds Transmission Incentives for New England Utilities (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/02/03/24354.htm

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Overall Satisfaction with Electric Utility Providers Increases Substantially Among Business Customers (PR Newswire)

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jd-power-and-associates-reports-overall-satisfaction-with-electric-utility-providers-increases-substantially-among-business-customers-83435417.html

The Century for Natural Gas: What This Means for Investors

http://seekingalpha.com/article/185979-the-century-for-natural-gas-what-this-means-for-investors?source=feed

Brazil

- Uproar In

Brazil

Over Huge Amazon Dam Plan (AFP)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h4luth1JpEvsrxyQzLa-HfAzjl5w

FISH & WILDLIFE

Alaska Imposes New Restrictions on Declining Yukon River Chinook (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Alaska+imposes+restrictions+declining+Yukon+River+chinook/2514515/story.html

British Columbia - Bring Back the Blueprint for Salmon Habitat (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/columnists/Bring+back+blueprint+salmon+habitat/2516242/story.html

Cowlitz River Smelt Dipping About To Open, But Will Fish Cooperate? (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/outdoors/story/1054742.html

Activist Urges State Board To Halt Timber Sales Around Murrelet - Counties would get $10 million “…The Board of Natural Resources backed DNR, opting not to pull the contested sales or 15 other sales in the pipeline in potential marbled murrelet management areas…” (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/1124398.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Port & Mason PUD 3 Sign John's Prairie Water Agreement (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1257:port-a-pud-3-sign-johns-prairie-water-agreement&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Local Governments Approve Pact for Extension of Water to Johns Prairie Area near Shelton (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/Newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=673

Clifton Ridge Annexation into Belfair Water District Denied (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1256:clifton-ridge-annexation-into-belfair-water-district-denied&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Kittitas County Well Ban Reprieve Dries Up (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/02/kittitas-co-well-ban-reprieve-dries-up

Mixed Results In Puget Sound Efforts - Habitat restored even as land goes to development (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1124384.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Kittitas County - Gregoire Gives Green Light To Desert Claim Wind Farm (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/03/gregoire-gives-green-light-to-desert-claim

Interior Chief Tours Proposed Massachusetts Wind Farm Site (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010958242_apuswindfarmdecision.html

Interior Secretary Sees Little Hope for Consensus on Wind Farm (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/us/03cape.html

Oregon’s Christmas Valley Solar - Largest NW Utility-Scale Solar Project Will Use Medium Voltage Inverter Platform from PV Powered (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/pvpowered-inc-1877/news/article/2010/02/largest-nw-utility-scale-solar-project-will-use-medium-voltage-inverter-platform-from-pv-powered?cmpid=rss

Report: US Should Spend More On Biofuels (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2010969354_apusobamaenergy.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Sen. Graham Slams Push for a 'Half-Assed Energy Bill' (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/02/03/03greenwire-sen-graham-slams-push-for-a-half-assed-energy-54765.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Obama Pushing Clean Coal And Green Jobs (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2010964943_apusobamaenergy.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Update: WA Data Center Fight Over (NW Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=6770