Energy News Digest for December 17, 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.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- More windy weather headed to the Harbors
- Senate OKs Close Watch on Energy Markets
- Broad coalition calls electricity rates 'unjust and unreasonable'
- Montana – Power forward. Flathead Electric having one of its best years ever
- Montana – PPL to end Montana tax protest
- Texas Going Nuclear With Greenpeace Founder's Backing
- Next generation nuke could cost up to $4.3 billion
- When holiday cheer short circuits
- Seattle Times Outdoors Notebook – Chinook forecast looks promising
- Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial – Salmon: Faster learners
- Idaho Statesman Opinion –Redden won't let the salmon debate end easily
- Oceans failing acid test –Looming environmental catastrophe in the Pacific
- More Nisqually delta turning back into estuary
- Aquatic Pest Has Cost a Billion Bucks
- Los Angeles – Reservoirs Closed After Carcinogen Is Found
- British Columbia looks to tree debris for electricity
- Iceland's Hydrogen Revolution Stalled
- Money-saving technology has Olympia's eyes aglow
- It's lights out for traditional light bulbs
- Warming too much for walruses
- Washington Post Editorial – Waiting on the EPA.
- Google Gets Ready to Rumble with Microsoft
- Louisiana – Winning LUS bids set to be revealed.
- Mason County Now On the List: Federal Disaster Assistance Approved For Individuals & Businesses
- Lewis County mudslide photo spurs look at logging practices
- State lawmakers to consider urban tree protection

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Craven • \KRAY-vun\ • adjective – Lacking the least bit of courage: contemptibly fainthearted

Flavius stood undefeated in the arena; his blood-stained sword glinting in the sharp, angled glow of the setting, golden sun. No craven bone in his body had he…except for his uncharacteristic fear of chickens. Whether by suspicion or a childhood incident involving the family rooster, he would quake in fear at the mere mention of any poultry dish or the appearance of a feathered opponent.

WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944

More windy weather headed to the Harbors (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/15/local_news/04news.txt

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Senate OKs Close Watch on Energy Markets – The Senate voted Thursday to give federal regulators increased authority to monitor electronic energy markets and protect against market manipulation. (Associated Press, via the San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/12/13/national/w185050S25.DTL&type=politics

Broad coalition calls electricity rates 'unjust and unreasonable' (NY Times – Golly, guess which market is exempt from FERC regulation?)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/business/17electricity.html?ex=1355547600&en=13a60b6ae9ac201d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Montana – Power forward. Flathead Electric having one of its best years ever. Flathead Electric Cooperative’s rates are dropping for the second year in a row this January, for an overall $3 million rate reduction. (Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/articles/2007/12/16/business/bus01.txt

Montana – PPL to end Montana tax protest; wants more stability in taxes (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1105339~PPL_to_end_Montana_tax_protest__wants_more_stability_in_taxes.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines

Laos pins hopes on huge dam, but environmentalists predict disaster (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/17/MNE4TMAV9.DTL&feed=rss.news

Texas Going Nuclear With Greenpeace Founder's Backing (Bloomberg News Service)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a980jwliyVpA&refer=us

Next generation nuke could cost up to $4.3 bil to build: US DOE (Platt’s Energy News)
http://www.platts.com/Nuclear/News/6656579.xml?src=Nuclearrssheadlines1

When holiday cheer short circuits – For Snohomish County PUD and other purveyors of electricity, this is the most wonderful time of the year. Why? Well, it’s all those bajillions of colorful lights dotting trees, homes and decorations, of course. (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071217/BLOG08/349292123

Minnesota – Xcel Energy outlines plans for more efficiency, green power
http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?a=319576&z=7

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Seattle Times Outdoors Notebook – Chinook forecast looks promising
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2004075984_outn16.html?syndication=rss

Seattle Post Intelligencer Editorial – Salmon: Faster learners. Things aren't going swimmingly for salmon anywhere around us. Over thousands of years, salmon have adapted to the Northwest's environment. We must be faster learners.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/343624_salmoned.html?source=rss

Idaho Statesman Opinion –Redden won't let the salmon debate end easily. Salmon are not just falling victim to dams, natural predators, fishing and uncertain ocean conditions. Their most stubborn enemy may be a have-it-all mindset. (On both sides buddy….)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/editorial/story/239833.html

Oceans failing acid test – Seven hundred miles west of Seattle at Ocean Station Papa, a first-of-its-kind buoy is monitoring a looming environmental catastrophe in the Pacific. (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/231693.html

More Nisqually delta turning back into estuary – Five south Puget Sound watershed groups have pooled their state salmon recovery money to spend $2.4 million to help remove some dikes at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. (The Olympian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1109280~More_Nisqually_delta_turning_back_into_estuary.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

Subjects merge in study of salmon – Komachin program combines science, art and language (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/302083.html

Aquatic Pest Has Cost a Billion Bucks – For a critter scarcely the size of a fingernail, the zebra mussel is capable of a major amount of mischief. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2007/12/12162007_Aquatic-Pest-Has-Cost-a-Billion-Bucks.cfm

Los Angeles – Reservoirs Closed After Carcinogen Is Found. A rare sunlight and chlorine reaction tainted the water of two reservoirs that supply drinking water to Los Angeles with a cancer-causing chemical, utility officials said Friday. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/us/16reservoirs.html?ex=1355461200&en=da5273ec0ee99ab3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

As nation turns to biodiesel, Seattle to benefit – 2 startups await passage of bills (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/343662_biofarm15.html

British Columbia looks to tree debris for electricity – Beetle-killed forests, other wood waste seen as potential fuel source for power generation (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071217.RWASTE17/TPStory/Business

Iceland's Hydrogen Revolution Stalled –Hydrogen-powered vehicles play a critical role in Iceland's plan to free itself of fossil fuels by 2050. The hydrogen revolution is getting off to a rock start. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17253071&ft=1&f=17

CONSERVATION

Money-saving technology has Olympia's eyes aglow – Energy efficiency behind blue LED display downtown (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/300389.html

It's lights out for traditional light bulbs (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/2007-12-16-light-bulbs_N.htm

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Warming too much for walruses – Thousands dead on crowded shoreline (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/300400.html

Washington Post Editorial – Waiting on the EPA. It's time the agency allowed California's tougher tailpipe emissions standards to take effect.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121401711.html?nav=rss_opinions

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Gets Ready to Rumble With Microsoft (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/technology/16goog.html?ex=1355461200&en=51443a66d6584dc2&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

FTC Chairman Denies Conflict in Google Case – Deborah Platt Majoras said yesterday that she will not recuse herself from reviewing the proposed merger of Google and DoubleClick. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/14/AR2007121401735.html?nav=rss_technology

Louisiana – Winning LUS bids set to be revealed. 2 contractors to run fiber-optic lines (WBRZ News)
http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/acadiana/12497436.html

Philadelphia as a Wi-Fi Case Study – New report reviews the history of the developing system (Broadband Reports Note: comment section may contain PG-13 language)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Philadelphia-as-a-WiFi-Case-Study-90254

The 15 Biggest Tech Disappointments of 2007 – These much-ballyhooed products, sites, and services, it turned out, left much to be desired. (ABC News)
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/PCWorld/story?id=4009365

GENERAL NEWS

MASON COUNTY NOW ON THE LIST: FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE APPROVED FOR INDIVIDUALS & BUSINESSES – Mason County has been included in the Presidential Disaster Declaration for assistance to individuals and businesses impacted by the December 2-4 severe weather and landslides. Individuals impacted by this disaster must registers with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by either calling the toll free number 1-800-621-FEMA, that's 800-621-3362, or by applying online at www.fema.gov. A link to that site can be found on Mason-County-Daily-News-dot-com. Mason County Division of Emergency Management will also be coordinating with the State Emergency Management Division and FEMA to set up a Disaster Recovery Center in Mason County later this week for those individuals that may need additional assistance in applying for this disaster aid. Also, the Governor has announced that the disaster food stamp program will be implemented in counties impacted by the storm on Monday. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)

Oops! Lewis County mudslide photo spurs look at logging practices (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004076111_weycologging16m.html

Which storm was worse? Was the hurricane-force storm that battered coastal Washington Dec. 2-3 as bad or worse than the legendary Columbus Day storm of 1962? (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/16/local_news/01news.txt

State lawmakers to consider urban tree protection – Trees could be on the agenda for next month's legislative session. Environmental groups are pushing legislation called "Evergreen Cities," which could require cities and counties to develop plans for protecting trees. (Kitsap Sun, via the Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1109318~State_lawmakers_to_consider_urban_tree_protection.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

DIVERSIONS

Former No. 1 Girls' Name Drops Out – Sophia Top Name List for First Time
http://www.kirotv.com/family/14855024/detail.html

India – Monkey crackdown no funny business for city
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/14/india.monkeys/index.html?eref=ib_topstories

Bamboo PC is eco-friendly and looks nice too
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1041987920071213?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology

Judge: First Amendment Protects Woman Who Cursed In Frustration
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/14855976/detail.html

Dan Fogelberg, Lyric “Rocker”, Dies at 56 (punctuation added)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/arts/music/17fogelberg.html?ex=1355547600&en=73c240c1672222b3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Vanity Searches –About half of the online adult population has looked up themselves or someone else online, according to a survey released Sunday.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/17/BUKETSUFG.DTL&feed=rss.business

Bill Could Halt New York Carriage Horses – one city council member from Queens is trying to send the horses the way of the once-ubiquitous squeegee men, forever banished from the city's thoroughfares.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/16/AR2007121602021.html?nav=rss_nation