News Digest for August 27, 2007

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.

WORD OF THE DAY

Phalanx • \FAY-lanks\ • noun – 1 : a body of heavily armed infantry in ancient Greece formed in close deep ranks and files; broadly : a body of troops in close array 2 plural phalanges: one of the digital bones of the hand or foot of a vertebrate *3a: a massed arrangement of persons, animals, or things b : an organized body of persons

The energy trader strode into the room, head held high, surrounded by his phalanx of high-priced Philadelphia lawyers. One could not imagine a more impressive sight, until a small child squeaked, “Mamma look, that man has no clothes!”

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

Lunar Eclipse Visible Tomorrow Morning (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen)
http://kbkw.com/wireready/news/00102_eclispe_072641.php

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Worker at Ore. wind farm killed – A support column for a wind turbine crashed to the ground at a wind farm west of The Dalles, killing one worker and injuring another, Sherman County authorities said. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP08272007news189118.cfm

Montana probes Alberta Energy and Utilities Board spy allegations – agency had received complaints that two American citizens, including a former prominent Greenpeace member, were spied on during a conference call. “…EUB hired four private investigators to monitor opponents of a high-power transmission line at spring hearings held in Rimbey…” (Calgary Herald)
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=4106e3a6-e88d-499f-bc43-cb6bfd4d0977&k=28299

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals – Port of Seattle vs. FERC: This is another in a series of cases arising out of the energy crisis that occurred in California and other western states in 2000 and 2001. We are asked to review the decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC” or “Commission”) to deny refunds to wholesale buyers of electricity that purchased energy in the short-term supply market at unusually high prices in the Pacific Northwest. (Links to a PDF File)
http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/A545AF944B44A049882573410049B369/$file/0374139.pdf?openelement

Ninth Circuit Court revives California bid for electricity refunds – A federal appeals court has revived California's request for at least $1 billion in refunds to electricity customers, saying federal regulators who denied the repayments had ignored tapes in which Enron traders joked about gouging customers during the energy crisis (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/25/MNHERP3ID.DTL&feed=rss.news

Proposed Cowlitz plant to test new pollution law (Associated Press)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/business/v-rss/story/9239578p-9155081c.html

Montana seeks $484,800 penalty for air violations at power plant (The Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-894123~Montana_seeks__484_800_penalty_for_air_violations_at_power_plant.html

Montana – BPA plans to rebuild power lines. Bonneville Power Administration, a U.S. Department of Energy agency, is planning to rebuild a 17-mile section of power transmission lines between Libby and Troy next summer. (The Western News)
http://www.thewesternnews.com/articles/2007/08/22/news/news01.txt

PSE plans to fix line through Ebey Slough – Puget Sound Energy's plans to improve system reliability will take a turn through Snohomish County. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2003852833_transmission25e.html

Snohomish County PUD expects budget for electricity to grow – The Snohomish County Public Utility District believes its electricity budget for 2008 could be about $45 million larger than what was approved for 2007. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2003846927_pud22n.html?syndication=rss

Ohio – Debate about to begin on electric deregulation: Nine years after cheering the loudest for Ohio to end utility monopolies and enter an electricity market they promised would bring lower prices, the state's biggest manufacturers like Daimler-Chrysler and General Electric want to shove as much of that genie as possible back into the bottle. (The Toledo Blade)
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070826/NEWS24/708260344

Ohio – Agencies call for regulating electricity (Cincinnati Enquirer)
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070825/BIZ01/708250407

Alcoa Spent $820,000 Lobbying in 2007 – The company lobbied on tariffs affecting world aluminum trade, the licensing of hydroelectric dams, defense spending, energy legislation, global climate change and the Bonneville Power Administration (Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070822/alcoa_lobbying.html?.v=1

Franklin PUD Loans – Franklin PUD is loaning out $300,000 in loans to help new businesses grow and develop in Franklin County. (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=6980966

California – Reclaimed water to cool power plant: Concerns about Barstow water supply evaporate (Knight Ridder Tribune Business News)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CfefjquwYUjft%3EEvbfem%5Ev

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Tribes win ruling on salmon – The state has breached its duties to Indian tribes under treaties dating to the 1850s by failing to maintain the road system, cutting off salmon from spawning grounds and robbing tribes of fish they were promised (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/328681_salmon23.html

Court ruling on salmon targets hundreds of Olympic Peninsula road culverts – A federal judge’s ruling may open thousands of miles of Washington streams to salmon heading out to sea or returning to spawn. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070825/NEWS/70825002

Seattle Times Editorial – Healthy fish runs were in the treaty. A federal judge articulated and reinforced a long-standing deal with Northwest tribes. Sign a treaty that cedes millions of acres, and the right to take fish from healthy runs will be protected. Forever.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2003852129_fished25.html

Dicks promotes wild salmon stocks – Too many hatchery salmon are spawning with wild salmon in the state's rivers, U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks said Tuesday, and their offspring are less likely to survive in the wild and return to the river as adults. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/196613.html

Wild salmon prices likely to skyrocket from expected closure – Sockeye runs on the Fraser lower than forecasted (CBC, Canada)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2007/08/16/bc-salmonprices.html

Tribes to sell Columbia River salmon – The only commercial tribal salmon fishery remaining on the Columbia River opens Wednesday, making Indian-caught fish from the unusually reliable fall Chinook run available for sale to the public. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2003846752_websalmonfishing21.html

Forest Service Promises to Complete Review on Fish-Killing Fire Retardant (NW Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3158

On the Carbon River – Carbon Road may be left to the bull trout…There are bull trout swimming in Carbon Road, which is doubling as a riverbed for a rebellious arm of the Carbon River. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/197670.html

Task force in Ore. to recommend fate of predatory sea lions – A federal task force will be meeting in Portland soon to make a recommendation to federal officials on what should be done about California sea lions. (The Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/199960.html

Growing controversy over sea lions (Inside the Bay Area)
http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyreview/localnews/ci_6730075

3,000 may see water rates rise – About 3,000 water customers of the Thurston County Public Utility District face rate increases that would go into effect Oct. 1 (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/197550.html

Annexation fight fuels water rights lawsuit in Puyallup – A North Puyallup businessman is asking a Pierce County judge to force the City of Puyallup to provide much-needed water so he can expand his recreation enterprise, which is located outside city boundaries. (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/140846.html

California Looks to Desalination for Water Woes (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=13950883

San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – On Water: California's real water war
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/27/EDDMRP3I1.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

Budd Inlet dredging gets OK to begin – The Army Corps of Engineers gave environmental clearance Thursday to a dredging project in Olympia's outer channel, opening the way for removal of spoils as soon as Oct. 1 (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/198672.html

Choking on Growth: As China Roars, Pollution Reaches Deadly Extremes (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/world/asia/26china.html?ex=1345780800&en=c2fb1c3c5fe905b1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

CONSERVATION & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Long Island utility scrapping plans to build $700 million wind energy park in Atlantic Ocean (The Augusta Chronicle)
http://ap.augustachronicle.com/pstories/business/20070824/194139319.shtml

Alaska – Mat-Su winds create megawatts of power. The winds of change could bring megawatts of clean power to the Mat-Su Valley. (Juneau Empire)
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/082407/sta_20070824029.shtml

Are energy answers in the wind? Corzine has plan for turbines off S. New Jersey coast (The Star-Ledger)
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1188102949142040.xml&coll=1

Wind data offers some surprises – Information collected 200 to 300 feet above the ground indicates the wind energy potential in South Dakota has been underestimated (Sioux City Journal)
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/08/20/news/south_dakota/40b129a7c029dcf28625733d0012e930.txt

Texas blows past California in energy – Recent Texas developments suggest that California's lead in one alternative-energy area may be gone with the wind -- the wind turbine, that is. (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_6718701?source=rss&nclick_check=1

Contract Signed for First Powerbuoy at Oregon Wave Park between Ocean Power Technologies, Inc and PNGC Power in Douglas County near Reedsport, Oregon. (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=49735&src=rss

Wall Street Journal Opinion – Shell Game: The greens try to sue their way to an energy policy.
http://opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010508

Renewable Power Plays – The planet isn't the only thing heating up because of climate change. Some renewable-energy stocks have been pretty hot, too. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/25/AR2007082500211.html?nav=rss_business

United Kingdom - Ecotricity goes urban (The Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/aug/20/renewableenergy.energy

Oregon's Largest Solar Array Made Possible by State Incentives (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=49761&src=rss

There's power in conservation – Saving energy is like creating new energy; and it's easy to do (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/328000_conservation17.html

Olympian Op/Ed – Energy-efficiency idea would lead to lower electricity bills (and let’s not forget decoupling!)
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/200299.html

Home wins nation's highest green rating – Designed to be earth-friendly, energy efficient (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/328688_cottages23.html?source=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

News Tribune Editorial, Tacoma – A flanking maneuver on global warming: When it comes to global warming, the states – at least some of them – get it. Unlike the Bush administration and much of Congress.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/140133.html

Quarter-Degree Fix Fuels Climate Fight – Never underestimate the power of the blogosphere and a quarter of a degree to inflame the fight over global warming. A quarter-degree Fahrenheit is roughly the downward adjustment NASA scientists made earlier this month in their annual estimates of the average temperature in the contiguous 48 states since 2000. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/us/26climate.html?ex=1345780800&en=c68c525ee18d5cd1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Tri-Cities Research District finally getting off the ground “…The plan includes providing a fiber optics network and demonstration project on sustainable, clean technology…” (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/v-rss/story/9256106p-9171086c.html

Fiber optics almost ready in Edmonds – The city is on the verge of lighting up its new fiber-optic broadband network, which can deliver phone, high-definition television and Internet services at speeds that far surpass DSL or cable technology. (The Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20070813/NEWS01/708130334&news01ad=1

Utah – 2 Davis cities join UTOPIA: Fiber-optic network in Centerville and Layton should be ready in '08. By early 2008, residents and businesses in Centerville are expected to be able to subscribe to voice and data service that runs over a 94-mile fiber-optics network (Deseret Morning News)
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,5143,695204449,00.html

WSTA Data Center Seminar: An expert talks about everything you need to consider when choosing where to put your data center. (ISP Planet)
http://www.isp-planet.com/hosting/2007/wsta_data_center_real_estate.html

As Google expands horizons, some raise concerns – Cyberspace - The company is poised to become a leading broker of advertising (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1188008739260270.xml&coll=7

Role of Telecom Firms in Wiretaps Is Confirmed (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/24/washington/24nsa.html?ei=5088&en=4e842ad73d46686c&ex=1345608000&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1188065846-jlH3WrkV9hQn0vDqb2J0wA

Minding the Meeting, or Your Computer? The Microsoft.com Web site lists seven rules for using laptops in meetings…in some meetings, especially if the topic is sensitive, it just seems more respectful to leave the laptops closed…” (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/business/yourmoney/26pre.html?ex=1345780800&en=21b81fe0ac32949f&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Rituals: At a Family Gathering, an Internet Cafe Breaks Out – The electronic and informational needs of our houseguests have expanded. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/24/travel/escapes/24Ritual.html?ex=1345608000&en=ed2055dabe9f35ac&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Seattle Times Columnist – Net addiction? Don't be silly
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003852431_ptinbo25.html?syndication=rss

GENERAL NEWS

No Shortage of Second Opinions on Belfair's Health-Care Needs (the Kitsap Sun: may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/aug/26/no-shortage-of-second-opinions-on-belfairs-care/

Famous Ketchum resort asks people to stay away because of fire – The legendary Sun Valley ski resort began running snowmaking equipment Sunday to protect against surging flames from a wildfire driven by winds so high they couldn't be attacked by aircraft. (The Associated Press)
http://www.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP08272007news189100.cfm

North Idaho tribe to issue field burning permits – The Coeur d'Alene Tribe in northern Idaho has announced that permits will be issued Monday so farmers can begin burning fields, a practice banned on non-tribal lands in the rest of the state. (The Associated Press)
http://www.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP08262007news188776.cfm

Moses Lake touts self as U.S. water sports capital – Moses Lake - water sports capital of the United States. (The Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/200943.html

Foul Play? Officials investigating the deadly Minneapolis bridge collapse are looking at an unlikely culprit: pigeons. (Newsweek)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20439533/site/newsweek/?from=rss

DIVERSIONS

Man leaves dead mother in armchair for two years – A German left his dead mother seated in her favorite armchair at their shared home for two years because he could not face organizing a funeral
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070824/od_nm/germany_corpse_dc;_ylt=Arz9D3wKK9FhHr6jVUi5iqztiBIF

Fake money doesn't fool Tenn. Strippers – A man who authorities say used his computer to make fake $100 bills to buy lap dances at a strip club has pleaded guilty to counterfeiting charges
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070826/ap_on_fe_st/odd_counterfeit_bills;_ylt=ApQ2nPIKPfgU512hlNPQba_tiBIF

Fire damages controversial crematorium – Israel's only commercial crematorium, viewed by Orthodox Jews as an abomination, was severely damaged in a suspicious fire Wednesday
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070823/od_nm/israel_crematorium_dc;_ylt=Apx13SsFaa3vkUfl040_VevtiBIF

Suspected peeping Tom fit to be tied – A group of campers tied a peeping Tom suspect to a tree, keeping him bound until police arrived.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070824/ap_on_fe_st/odd_tied_to_tree;_ylt=AqFbXj9NSxvqABeDjIVPJj3tiBIF