Energy News Digest for June 24, 2010

The energy news digest will be spending some special time Friday with old radio friends in Oregon. Read the headline now: “Vacuous Baritones Invade Seaside.”

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

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

High Court Sides With Enron's Skilling, Limits Anti-Fraud Law (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2010-06-24-scotus-skilling_N.htm?csp=34money

Inspection Spurs Alarm About Lewis River Dams - Feds say there’s potential for catastrophic failure; PacifiCorp calls them safe (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/jun/24/inspection-spurs-alarm-about-dams/

$525 Million Plan Aims To Protect Columbia, Snake River Fish (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/24/1239428/525-million-plan-aims-to-protect.html

Port of Shelton Commission Turns Down ADAGE Advisory Ballot (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2504-port-of-shelton-commission-turns-down-adage-advisory-ballot

Environmental groups sue Puget Sound Regional Council – Says "Transportation 2040" plan fails to fight global warming (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012192606_climatesuit24m.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         High Court Sides With Enron's Skilling, Limits Anti-Fraud Law

·         Court Sides with Ex-Enron Exec, Rules on Washington State Gay Rights Case

·         Skilling Ruling - Justices Limit Use of ‘Honest Services’ Law against Fraud

·         Inspection Spurs Alarm About Lewis River Dams

·         Editorial - How Much To Take This Power?

·         Burying Power Lines May Cost City of Oak Harbor $2 Million

·         Clark PUD Commissioners Set Special Meeting Friday - May sever long-standing membership with WPUDA

·         $25M Veto Cuts into Alaska Clean Energy Plans

·         Wyoming – Officials Say Energy Naïveté Threatens Coal

·         California Utilities Relying More on Renewables

·         CO2 Discharge Causes Alert at California Nuclear Plant

·         Texas - NRG All-You-Can-Burn Electricity Plan A First for the Industry

·         European & US Clean Energy Support under Threat

·         United Kingdom - Surge in Hydropower Schemes Since 2000

·         $525 Million Plan Aims To Protect Columbia, Snake River Fish

·         Idaho Sockeye Running With Big Columbia Fish Surge

·         Coho Ocean Season to Open Saturday

·         State Settles With Shellfish Growers over Trespass

·         Asian Carp Caught Near Lake Michigan: 'Carp Wars' Just Got Hotter

·         Vancouver Island Sewage - CRD Approves Single Sewage Treatment Plant in Esquimalt

·         Interactive Puget Sound Map – How Clean Is Your Water

·         Port of Shelton Commission Turns Down ADAGE Advisory Ballot

·         California – Modesto Irrigation District Wood-Burning Plant Questioned

·         Colorado Expands Biomass under Renewable Portfolio Standard

·         Michigan - Traverse City Tables Plans for Biomass Plant

·         Environmental, Health Groups Back Alternative to Biomass Ballot Question

·         Editorial – Wisconsin: Study Impact of Biomass

·         Is Biomass Really A "Green" Energy Source?

·         Radar Tracks Birds for Pacific County Wind Farm

·         Alaska Utility Says Wind Farm Power Cheaper

·         New Jersey Officials Say Off-Shore Windmills Will Cost Ratepayers $5 Billion

·         California - California Alternative Energy Legislation Gets Broad Backing

·         Idaho - Sun Shines on Micron Green Energy Venture

·         Tennessee – Tennessee Valley Authority Reinstates Renewable Energy Program

·         Is Timing Right For Washington Ballot Measure to "Green Up" Schools?

·         Peak Project - Kootenai Electric Cooperative Hopes to Cool Peak Power Times

·         Green Refrigerator Controller Helps Conserve Wasted Energy

·         Sacramento Municipal Utility District Gets $20 Million for Home Energy Upgrades

·         An LED That Mimics an Old Standby

·         Environmental Groups Sue Puget Sound Regional Council

·         Columnist - Environmental Groups Poised To Spend $11 Million on Climate Ads

·         In Fertilizer, a Climatic Dividend

·         Op/Ed - Smart Grid Technology Can Address Climate Change

·         Biochar: A Panacea for Global Warming Issues

·         Data Center to Open In Baker Tower

·         Supreme Court Rules Petition Signatures Public; Ref. 71 Names Not Immediately Available

·         Washington State Tenth in Attracting Stimulus Funds

·         Gregoire Wants to Intervene in Health-Care Lawsuit

·         Four-Year-Old Girl Dies in Car Accident near Shelton

·         Wrong-Way Driver Killed on Highway 3 near Gorst

·         Franklin County Fire District Chief Killed at Wildfire

·         North Mason Gets New School Board Member

·         Unauthorized Use of PBX Telephone Runs Over $40,000 in Two Days

·         To Lawyers, BP's Public Relations Strategy Isn't Puzzling (Associated Press)

WORD OF THE DAY

Egress • \EE-gress\ • noun - 1: the action or right of going or coming out 2: a place or means of going out: exit

Here’s a great story about how that famous huckster, PT Barnum, put his egress to good use:

Barnum's American Museum was so popular that people would spend the entire day there. This cut into profits, as the museum would be too full to squeeze another person in. In classic Barnum style, old P.T. put up signs that said "This Way to the Egress." Many customers followed the signs, not realizing that Egress was a fancy word for "Exit." They kept on looking for this strange new attraction, the "Egress". Many patrons followed the signs right out the door! Once they had exited the building, the door would lock behind them, and if they wanted to get back in, they had to pay another admission charge! Modern museums make sure that the last thing you see before you exit is the gift shop.

-- PTBarnum.org

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

High Court Sides With Enron's Skilling, Limits Anti-Fraud Law (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2010-06-24-scotus-skilling_N.htm?csp=34money

Court Sides with Ex-Enron Exec, Rules on Washington State Gay Rights Case (Nat’l Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128080781&ft=1&f=3

Skilling Ruling - Justices Limit Use of ‘Honest Services’ Law against Fraud (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/business/25bizcourt.html

Inspection Spurs Alarm About Lewis River Dams - Feds say there’s potential for catastrophic failure; PacifiCorp calls them safe (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/jun/24/inspection-spurs-alarm-about-dams/

Editorial - How Much To Take This Power? Last week the region’s utilities had to pay people to take all this electricity off their hands (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jun/23/how-much-to-take-this-power/

Burying Power Lines May Cost City of Oak Harbor $2 Million – “…If the downtown merchants believe an underground utility is that critical for their businesses, they should pay for it…” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/sound/422328_sound96998619.html

Clark PUD Commissioners Set Special Meeting Friday - May sever long-standing membership with WPUDA (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/jun/24/pud-commissioners-set-special-meeting-friday/

$25M Veto Cuts into Alaska Clean Energy Plans (Associated Press)

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=12691792

Wyoming – Officials Say Energy Naivete Threatens Coal (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)

http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/article_ef2f1c51-8a3b-5d62-adef-f080b2c4d057.html

California Utilities Relying More on Renewables (Bloomberg Business Week)

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9GH07M00.htm

CO2 Discharge Causes Alert at California Nuclear Plant (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/06/23/national/a140131D15.DTL

Texas - NRG All-You-Can-Burn Electricity Plan a First for the Industry (Dallas Morning News, TX)

http://energyandenvironmentblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/nrg-all-you-can-burn-electrici.html

European & US Clean Energy Support Under Threat - Austerity measures may lead to “green” support retreat (Reuters)

http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFLDE65K11Y20100621

United Kingdom - Surge in Hydropower Schemes Since 2000: The growing popularity for converting old water mills & weirs back to producing electricity has led to a six fold increase in hydropower (The Telegraph, UK)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/7846732/Surge-in-hydropower-schemes-since-2000.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

$525 Million Plan Aims To Protect Columbia, Snake River Fish (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/24/1239428/525-million-plan-aims-to-protect.html

Idaho Sockeye Running With Big Columbia Fish Surge - Near record sockeye numbers crossing Bonneville (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/jun/23/idaho-sockeye-numbers-cause-hope/

Coho Ocean Season to Open Saturday - Charter operators report brisk business for weekend (Salem Statesman-Journal, OR)

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20100624/OUTDOORS/6240340/1034/SPORTS

State Settles With Shellfish Growers over Trespass - Taylor Shellfish, Seattle Shellfish, and Arcadia Point Seafood (Associated Press)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/23/1238463/state-settles-with-shellfish-growers.html

Asian Carp Caught Near Lake Michigan: 'Carp Wars' Just Got Hotter (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0624/Asian-carp-caught-near-Lake-Michigan-Carp-wars-just-got-hotter

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Vancouver Island Sewage - CRD Approves Single Sewage Treatment Plant in Esquimalt (Victoria Times Columnist, BC – as raw sewage continues to flow into the Strait; Calling Mr. Floatie…)

http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/approves+single+sewage+treatment+plant+Esquimalt/3192678/story.html

Interactive Puget Sound Map – How Clean Is Your Water (KPLU Radio, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kplu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1666870

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Port of Shelton Commission Turns Down ADAGE Advisory Ballot (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2504-port-of-shelton-commission-turns-down-adage-advisory-ballot

California – Modesto Irrigation District Wood-Burning Plant Questioned (Modesto Bee, CA)

http://www.modbee.com/2010/06/23/1223805/mid-wood-burning-plant-questioned.html

Colorado Expands Biomass under Renewable Portfolio Standard (Biomass Magazine)

http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=3917

Michigan - Traverse City Tables Plans for Biomass Plant - Opposition to biomass power and lowered costs for natural gas as the main reasons (Michigan Messenger)

http://michiganmessenger.com/39007/traverse-city-tables-plans-for-biomass-plant

Environmental, Health Groups Back Alternative to Biomass Ballot Question (Dedham Daily News Transcript, MA)

http://www.dailynewstranscript.com/news/x1353759614/Enviromental-health-groups-back-alternative-to-biomass-ballot-question

Editorial – Wisconsin: Study Impact of Biomass (Wausau Daily Herald, WI)

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20100624/WDH06/6240409/COLUMN-Study-impact-of-biomass

Is Biomass Really A "Green" Energy Source? (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Money/Green-Economics/2010/0624/Is-biomass-really-a-green-energy-source

Radar Tracks Birds for Pacific County Wind Farm (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012196772_apwawindfarmmurrelets1stldwritethru.html

Alaska Utility Says Wind Farm Power Cheaper (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012187043_apakwindfarmhealy.html

New Jersey Officials Say Off-Shore Windmills Will Cost Ratepayers $5 Billion (Newark Star Ledger, NJ)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/nj_officials_say_off-shore_win.html

California - California Alternative Energy Legislation Gets Broad Backing: Bill in would require privately and publicly owned electric utilities to generate a third of their power from wind, solar and other clean sources by 2020 (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-renewable-power-20100624,0,1017566.story

Idaho - Sun Shines on Micron Green Energy Venture: Partnership could soon be making ultra-thin solar panels (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/06/24/1243258/sun-shines-on-micron-green-energy.html

Tennessee – Tennessee Valley Authority Reinstates Renewable Energy Program - pays for electricity generated by customers through solar, wind and biomass technologies (Knoxville News Sentinel, TN)

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/jun/24/tva-reinstates-renewable-energy-program/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Is Timing Right For Washington Ballot Measure to "Green Up" Schools? (NW Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=7453

Peak Project - Kootenai Electric Cooperative Hopes to Cool Peak Power Times (Coeur d'Alene Press, ID)

http://www.cdapress.com/news/business/article_5d457145-bf5a-5ea6-9a7d-579854754028.html

Green Refrigerator Controller Helps Conserve Wasted Energy (R & D Magazine)

http://www.rdmag.com/New-To-Market/2010/06/Manufacturing-Thermal-Green-refrigerator-controller-helps-conserve-wasted-energy/

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Gets $20 Million for Home Energy Upgrades (Sacramento Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2010/06/21/daily39.html

An LED That Mimics an Old Standby (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/an-l-e-d-that-mimics-an-old-standby/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Environmental Groups Sue Puget Sound Regional Council – Say "Transportation 2040" plan fails to fight global warming (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012192606_climatesuit24m.html

Columnist - Environmental Groups Poised To Spend $11 Million on Climate Ads (Washington Post)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/morning-fix/lcv-ads-1-gene-karpinsky.html

In Fertilizer, a Climatic Dividend (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/23/in-fertilizer-a-climatic-dividend/

Op/Ed - Smart Grid Technology Can Address Climate Change (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/23/EDGI1E3O2G.DTL

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Biochar: A Panacea for Global Warming Issues (Epoch Times)

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/37974/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Data Center to Open In Baker Tower (Baker City Herald, OR)

http://www.bakercityherald.com/Business/Data-center-to-open-in-Baker-Tower

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Supreme Court Rules Petition Signatures Public; Ref. 71 Names Not Immediately Available (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012196559_scotus25m.html

Washington State Tenth in Attracting Stimulus Funds (Puget Sound Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2010/06/21/daily26.html

Gregoire Wants to Intervene in Health-Care Lawsuit (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2012191828_gregoire_wants_to_intervene_in.html

GENERAL NEWS

Four-Year-Old Girl Dies in Car Accident near Shelton (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012196525_shelton25m.html

Wrong-Way Driver Killed on Highway 3 near Gorst (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Serious-accident-blocks-Kitsap-Co-highway-96992544.html

Franklin County Fire District Chief Killed at Wildfire (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/06/24/1283415/franklin-county-fire-district.html

North Mason Gets New School Board Member (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/jun/23/north-mason-gets-new-school-board-member/

Unauthorized Use of PBX Telephone Runs Over $40,000 in Two Days (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/23/1238709/bellevue-unauthorized-use-of-pbx.html

To Lawyers, BP's Public Relations Strategy Isn't Puzzling (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012187287_apusgulfoilspillmessagemanagement.html

DIVERSIONS

Group Will Sue McDonald’s Over Happy Meal Toys – Gateway to Obesity

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012193366_apusmcdonaldslawsuittoys.html

That Relationship Didn't Work Out – The ‘Godfather’ this Ain’t

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/06/24/28326.htm

Trapped Drunk Driver Opens another Beer as Awaits Rescue

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65M57Z20100623

Couple Pays For Wedding with Cans

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012196542_apwarecycledwedding.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Offenbach - Can Can Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Diu2N8TGKA

Energy News Digest for June 23, 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

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

TransAlta deal with state attracts criticism - Environmental groups say it doesn’t go far enough (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/06/23/1281511/transalta-deal-with-state-attracts.html

With Numbers Up, Sockeye Season May Hit Columbia (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/23/1237684/with-numbers-up-sockeye-season.html

Some Columbia Basin Wells Likely to Go Dry (Yakima Herald Republic)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/06/22/some-columbia-basin-wells-are-likely-to-go-dry-lawmakers-told

Dueling Views among Audubon Organizations over Radar Ridge Wind Farm (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2010/06/22/local_news/doc4c20fcf41d3bb003056939.txt

Mason County Commission Asked Again to Hold ADAGE Advisory Ballot (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2495-mason-county-commission-asked-again-to-hold-adage-advisory-ballot

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

• TransAlta Deal with State Attracts Criticism
• Canada - Phase out of Coal? TransAlta Responds to Policy Announcement on Coal Plants
• Chelan PUD Financial Plan Approved
• New York - Talks over Power Program Discount Power Program for Businesses Hit Impasse
• Vermont Nuke Plant Says Flaw Led to Radioactive Leak
• Nebraska Nuclear Power Plant Declares Low-Level Emergency State
• Florida Power & Light FPL faces $70,000 fine over Nuke Plant
• Natural Gas Prices Drop for Third Straight Day
• Editorial - Dumb Decision on Smart Meters
• Pickens: Americans Ready for Ten-Year Energy Plan
• Sockeye Surging
• With Numbers Up, Sockeye Season May Hit Columbia
• Federal Agencies Announce Next Three Years of Fish Protection Projects
• Couple ‘Rescues’ Baby Seal, But Does More Harm Than Good
• Chinook Tribe First Salmon Ceremony: Blessings Abound for Sacred Salmon
• Some Columbia Basin Wells Likely to Go Dry
• Tri-Cities Irrigation Water is Coming Back On
• Montana - Recent Rains Wash Away Fears of Low Water Levels in Flathead Lake
• Carlsborg Development Hinges on Lawsuit, Sewer System
• Wahkiakum County to Pursue Ban on Sewage Sludge Fertilizer
• Vancouver Island Sewage Treatment - Esquimalt Councilors ‘Appalled’ by Sewage-Plant Plan
• Dueling Views among Audubon Organizations over Radar Ridge Wind Farm

·         A Murrelet Magician for Radar Ridge?

·         Threatened Bird Might Blow Down Radar Ridge Wind Farm

·         Mason County Commission Asked Again to Hold ADAGE Advisory Ballot

·         Port of Shelton Looking at Phone Survey Instead of Advisory Ballot on ADAGE

·         Massachusetts - Opponents of Biomass Burn Plant Subsidies Eye Ballot Alternative

·         Michigan - Traverse City Utility Commissions Study on Health Effects of Biomass

·         Q-and-A: Woody Biomass, Pros & Cons

·         Montana Public Service Commission Won’t Set Wind Project’s Rate

·         Pacific Northwesterners Sunny about Alternative Energy

·         Editorial – Nevada: Tell Us about the Unseen Cost of Wind & Solar Power, Too

·         Offshore Embarrassment: Shoddy Parts Trip Up Major North Sea Wind Farm

·         Stimulus Funds Pay for Energy-Saving Windows at Kitsap Courthouse

·         New Washington Building Energy Standards Delayed

·         Voters to Decide on California Global Warming Law

·         Op/Ed - Utilities Can Lead Way on Energy

·         In (Qualified) Praise of Utility-Only Cap-&-Trade

·         Enviro Groups Circulate Memo to Attack Former GOP Climate Ally

·         UN Climate Panel Names Authors for Fifth Report

·         California Considers Mandating Energy Storage

·         Data Center Bill Passage Celebrated

·         Editorial - Crowd Celebrates Boom in Data Center Construction

·         Energy Star for Data Centers is First Definitive Green Data Center Rating

·         FCC Takes Beating over Closed Door Net Neutrality Meeting

·         FCC Denies Qwest Application to Deregulate Lines

·         Frontier Sues over Google Voice

·         Verizon Sued by Wisconsin AG for Billing Non-Verizon Customers

·         As Phone Business Shrinks, Phone Companies Consolidate

·         Sorry Fiber Fans, I’ve Got Some Bad News

·         Editorial - ‘It’s a Great Time to Build Things,’ so Olympia is Seizing Moment

·         Washington Initiatives Face July 2 Deadline

·         Op/Ed - Bloviating Aside, The Election Will be Decided by Who Votes

·         Nuclear: Department of Energy Contractor Settles Fraud Allegation

·         Calling Treasure Hunters of All Ages to Mason County

WORD OF THE DAY

Episodic • \epp-ih-SOD-ick\ • adjective - 1: made up of separate especially loosely connected episodes 2: having the form of an episode 3: of or limited in duration or significance to a particular episode: temporary 4: occurring, appearing, or changing at usually irregular intervals

The clerk of the board was getting fed up with the episodic nature of her commission meetings; especially the behavior of the board president. Just as the board was ready to make a decision, the board chair tended to halt all action; table the motion until the next meeting; and advise all the attendees to return for the final decision “in the next exciting episode of: ‘Commissioners In Action’.” That would account for the repeated minute entry that had to be changed at each meeting from “Commissioners Inaction,” to “Commissioners in Action.”

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

TransAlta Deal with State Attracts Criticism - Environmental groups say it doesn’t go far enough (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/06/23/1281511/transalta-deal-with-state-attracts.html

Canada - Phase out of Coal? TransAlta Responds to the Federal Government’s Recent Policy Announcement on Coal-Fired Electricity Generation (Market Watch)

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/transalta-responds-to-the-federal-governments-recent-policy-announcement-on-coal-fired-electricity-generation-2010-06-23-110370?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Chelan PUD Financial Plan Approved (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jun/22/chelan-pud-financial-plan-approved/

New York - Talks over Power Program Discount Power Program for Businesses Hit Impasse

(The Business Review ofAlbany)

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2010/06/21/daily15.html

Vermont Nuke Plant Says Flaw Led to Radioactive Leak (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012178933_apusvermontyankee.html

Nebraska Nuclear Power Plant Declares Low-Level Emergency State (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012178183_apnenebraskafloodingnukeplant.html

Florida Power & Light FPL faces $70,000 fine over Nuke Plant (South Florida Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2010/06/21/daily13.html

Natural Gas Prices Drop for Third Straight Day (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012178493_apoilprices.html

Editorial - Dumb Decision on Smart Meters (Baltimore Sun, MD)

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bs-ed-smart-meters-20100622,0,7179138.story

Pickens: Americans Ready for Ten-Year Energy Plan (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012180779_apuspickensalternativeenergy.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sockeye Surging (Lewiston Tribune, ID)

http://www.lmtribune.com/blogs/2010/06/22/scrawl-of-the-wild/sockeye-surging/

With Numbers Up, Sockeye Season May Hit Columbia (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/23/1237684/with-numbers-up-sockeye-season.html

Federal Agencies Announce Next Three Years of Fish Protection Projects (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/688839/

Couple ‘Rescues’ Baby Seal, But Does More Harm Than Good (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Couple-rescues-baby-seal-but-does-more-harm-than-good-96933899.html

Chinook Tribe First Salmon Ceremony: Blessings Abound for Sacred Salmon (Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA)

http://www.chinookobserver.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=34627

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Some Columbia Basin Wells Likely to Go Dry (Yakima Herald Republic)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/06/22/some-columbia-basin-wells-are-likely-to-go-dry-lawmakers-told

Tri-Cities Irrigation Water is Coming Back On (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12696171

Montana - Recent Rains Wash Away Fears of Low Water Levels in Flathead Lake (The Missoulian, MT)

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_b312c296-7e7c-11df-aaf6-001cc4c002e0.html

Carlsborg Development Hinges on Lawsuit, Sewer System - Clallam PUD won’t go forward with the sewer plans until half the funding is in place (Sequim Gazette, WA)

http://search.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2010-06-23_carlsborg_development_hinges_on_lawsuit,_sewer_system

Wahkiakum County to Pursue Ban on Sewage Sludge Fertilizer (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_09eb3d5e-7e6a-11df-8c04-001cc4c03286.html

Vancouver Island Sewage Treatment - Esquimalt Councilors ‘Appalled’ by Sewage-Plant Plan (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Esquimalt+councillors+appalled+sewage+plant+plan/3183805/story.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Dueling Views among Audubon Organizations over Radar Ridge Wind Farm (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2010/06/22/local_news/doc4c20fcf41d3bb003056939.txt

A Murrelet Magician for Radar Ridge? (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2010/06/22/local_news/doc4c20fa99101a2188250615.txt

Threatened Bird Might Blow Down Radar Ridge Wind Farm (Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA)

http://www.chinookobserver.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=34625

Mason County Commission Asked Again to Hold ADAGE Advisory Ballot (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2495-mason-county-commission-asked-again-to-hold-adage-advisory-ballot

Port of Shelton Looking at Phone Survey Instead of Advisory Ballot on ADAGE (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2498-port-of-shelton-looking-at-phone-survey-instead-of-advisory-ballot-on-adage

Massachusetts - Opponents of Biomass Burn Plant Subsidies Eye Ballot Alternative (Boston Herald, MA)

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/technology/general/view.bg?articleid=1263356&srvc=business&position=recent

Michigan - Traverse City Utility Commissions Study on Health Effects of Biomass (Michigan Messenger)

http://michiganmessenger.com/38974/traverse-city-utility-commissions-study-on-health-effects-of-biomass

Q-and-A: Woody Biomass, Pros & Cons (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/22/q-and-a-woody-biomass-pros-and-cons/

Montana Public Service Commission Won’t Set Wind Project’s Rate (Billings Gazette, MT)

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_8dd0b2d8-7e89-11df-82dc-001cc4c002e0.html

Pacific Northwesterners Sunny about Alternative Energy “…poll shows broad support for expanding the portfolio of the region’s energy sources…it’s a different story when it comes to actually being willing to pay for alternative energy…” (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/7684-northwesterners-sunny-about-alternative-energy/

Editorial – Nevada: Tell Us about the Unseen Cost of Wind & Solar Power, Too (Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV)

http://www.lvrj.com/blogs/mitchell/Tell_us_about_the_unseen_cost_of_wind_and_solar_power_too.html?ref=074

Offshore Embarrassment: Shoddy Parts Trip Up Major North Sea Wind Farm (Wind Watch)

http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/06/22/offshore-embarrassment-shoddy-parts-trip-up-major-north-sea-wind-farm/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Stimulus Funds Pay for Energy-Saving Windows at Kitsap Courthouse (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/jun/22/stimulus-funds-pay-for-energy-saving-windows-at/

New Washington Building Energy Standards Delayed (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012179206_apwaenergyefficiency1stldwritethru.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Voters to Decide on California Global Warming Law (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012181900_apuscaliforniaclimatelaw.html

Op/Ed - Utilities Can Lead Way on Energy (Politico)

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38851.html

In (Qualified) Praise of Utility-Only Cap-&-Trade (Council on Foreign Relations)

http://blogs.cfr.org/levi/2010/06/21/in-qualified-praise-of-utility-only-cap-and-trade/

Enviro Groups Circulate Memo to Attack Former GOP Climate Ally (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/06/23/23climatewire-enviro-groups-circulate-memo-to-attack-former-6105.html

UN Climate Panel Names Authors for Fifth Report (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012183319_apununclimatepanel.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

California Considers Mandating Energy Storage (Grist Magazine)

http://www.grist.org/article/california-considers-mandating-energy-storage/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Data Center Bill Passage Celebrated (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_4f5a66f2-7e57-11df-a045-001cc4c03286.html

Editorial - Crowd Celebrates Boom in Data Center Construction (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jun/22/crowd-celebrates-boom-in-data-center-construction/

Energy Star for Data Centers is First Definitive Green Data Center Rating (Search Data Center)

http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid80_gci1515453,00.html

FCC Takes Beating over Closed Door Net Neutrality Meeting (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Takes-Beating-Over-Closed-Door-Net-Neutrality-Meeting-109020

FCC Denies Qwest Application to Deregulate Lines (Phoenix Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2010/06/21/daily25.html

Frontier Sues over Google Voice (Sacramento Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2010/06/21/daily17.html

Verizon Sued by Wisconsin AG for Billing Non-Verizon Customers (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizon-Sued-By-Wisconsin-AG-For-Billing-NonVerizon-Customers-109021

As Phone Business Shrinks, Phone Companies Consolidate (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/06/as_phone_business_shrinks_phon.html

Sorry Fiber Fans, I’ve Got Some Bad News (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/06/22/sorry-fiber-fans-ive-got-some-bad-news/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Editorial - ‘It’s a Great Time to Build Things,’ so Olympia is Seizing Moment “…Every time the city opens bids for a new contract, city officials are awestruck. The bids are routinely 20 percent, 30 percent, 40 percent below the engineering estimate…” (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/06/23/1281560/its-a-great-time-to-build-things.html

Washington Initiatives Face July 2 Deadline (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012179163_apwainitiativedeadline.html

Op/Ed - Bloviating Aside, The Election Will be Decided by Who Votes (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2012181712_guest23elway.html

GENERAL NEWS

Nuclear: Department of Energy Contractor Settles Fraud Allegation (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/06/22/1064847/nuclear-doe-contractor-settles.html

Calling Treasure Hunters of All Ages to Mason County (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/jun/22/calling-treasure-hunters-all-ages-mason-county/

DIVERSIONS

Pork Board Squeals over Imaginary Unicorn Meat

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012178915_apusoddunicornmeat.html?syndication=rss

Let the Flame Wars Begin - Cheerleading Expert: It’s Not a Competitive Sport

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2012181330_apvoltitleixcheerleading.html

Saudi to Flog 15 Men, Women for Mingling at Party

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012178309_apmlsaudiflogging.html

Man Fraudulently Claims $33,000 Tie Collection Stolen

http://www.komonews.com/news/96903074.html

SONG OF THE DAY

The Irish Rovers - The Unicorn Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EPsuOEH1fY