News Digest for September 5, 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

Ruly • \ROO-lee\ • adjective: obedient, orderly

Sorry, nor example sentence today. However, tomorrow I will be ruly, and provide the news digest readers a hum-dinger of a sentence.

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

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Both legislative water committees now chairless – David Postman is reporting that Sen. Erik Poulsen, D-West Seattle, is planning to resign in order to take a job with the Washington PUD Association. (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/blogs/mulick/v-rss/story/9276837p-9191652c.html

Here’s the Seattle Times Story: Sen. Poulsen quits for utility lobby job – State Sen. Erik Poulsen, D-Seattle, is resigning after 11 years in the state Legislature to take a job with the Washington Public Utility Districts Association.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003869118_poulsen05m.html?syndication=rss

Electric rates to rise nearly six percent in Port Angeles (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3076

City Light management doesn't shine in employee survey – Three years after Jorge Carrasco was appointed superintendent of Seattle City Light, most employees say they still lack confidence in management at the public utility. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003869120_citylight05m.html?syndication=rss

Lawmakers Get Ready To Revisit Energy Bills – House, Senate Must Reconcile Widely Varying Legislation (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402191.html?nav=rss_business

Texas – Groups oppose TXU buyout (Dallas Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2007/09/03/daily5.html?ana=from_rss

Maryland – Money Matters in Reactor Project Debate. It's not the greenies who worry those aiming to build a new nuclear reactor in Southern Maryland. It's the green. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090402002.html?nav=rss_metro

Study: resilience would enable L.A. businesses to mute effects of terrorist-caused blackout (Utility Automation and Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/display_article/304078/22/ARTCL/none/none/Study:-resilience-would-enable-LA-businesses-to-mute-effects-of-terrorist-caused-blackout/

Developing a Solid Infrastructure for Flexible Customer Communications (Energy Pulse Commentary)
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1551

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Enviromentalists Cheer, Conservatives Bemoan Departure Of Sen. Craig – The fall out from Idaho Senator Larry Craig's resignation announcement this weekend continues to reverberate in the northwest. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/enviromentalists-cheer-conservatives-bemoan-departure-sen-craig/

Seattle Times Guest columnist – Our lawmakers can help hatch a vibrant future for salmon
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2003863050_barbieri04.html

Salmon numbers remain low – Four sockeye swim to Redfish from the Pacific (Idaho Mountain Express)
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005116911

Energy and Water Development: FY2008 Appropriations (Congressional Research Services)
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RL34009

Biggest waste producers in state get best fee deal – Hazardous materials program called unfair. The more hazardous waste you produce in Washington, the better the deal you can get from the state. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/330284_waste05.html?source=rss

CONSERVATION & RENEWABLE ENERGY

Lumber company will apply to build Skamania wind farm – SDS Lumber Co. plans to apply for a permit before year's end to build a wind farm in Skamania County that would produce up to 70 megawatts of power. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/09052007news192087.cfm

Green power booming in British Columbia – A modern-day gold rush continues to grow on B.C. creeks and hilltops, as independent power producers move to take advantage of the province’s push for clean, home-grown electricity. (Kamloops this Week)
http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=15&cat=23&id=1058507&more=0

South Dakota is last in Midwest region for developing wind power (Black Hills Pioneer)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1300&dept_id=156925&newsid=18781603&PAG=461&rfi=9

Farming coastal breezes – Faced with rising fuel costs and the public's increasing demand for environmentally friendly power, Southern Co. is considering harnessing the wind -- a move that could blow the energy giant into a national race to find cheaper energy sources. (Atlanta Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2007/09/03/story2.html?ana=from_rss

Wells goes green – Wells Fargo today announced a trio of initiatives aimed at reducing energy use and environmental protection (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/business/2007/09/04/wells_goes_green

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

How to Gain A Climate Consensus – We in the United States -- and we as global citizens -- live in what is, in many respects, a golden moment. Economic growth is globally strong, and, if security threats can be contained, this expansion, with some ups and downs, can be sustained. (Washington Post Op/Ed)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/04/AR2007090401759.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Leaves Public in the Dark – It's odd for an agency that has the word "communications" as its middle name, but the Federal Communications Commission routinely leaves the public in the dark about how it makes critical policy decisions. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/09/04/national/w112720D29.DTL&feed=rss.business

Standards vote goes against Microsoft – In a preliminary vote made public Tuesday, Microsoft Corp.'s Office Open XML document format fell short of the total it would need to receive approval from a key international standards organization. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/330296_msftoffice05.html

GENERAL NEWS

Audit says some WA ferry runs underused, could be cut to save money –A state audit says Washington State Ferries could save nearly $97 million over the next 10 years if it eliminates some of the runs that are underused. (The Associated Press via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/207860.html

DIVERSIONS

Man charged with ransoming mother's cat
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070904/ap_on_fe_st/odd_cat_extortion;_ylt=AvZl5qOb4XnreyLft8II2aHtiBIF

Yard art is in eye of beholder and court
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070903/ap_on_fe_st/odd_yard_art_lawsuits;_ylt=AuoIQm4INDY2NP28YcOhpsntiBIF

Airline sacrifices goats to appease sky god
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/nepal_airline_odd_dc;_ylt=AjEOAMY1S1FwCPaB_b01o4HtiBIF