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)
- Electricity Restored to Collins Lake Substation After Construction Crane Touches Power line
- Power Agreement Bonneville offers utility $9.5 million, with strings attached
- Bonneville payments ‘not relief, this is a trap,’ Grays Harbor County PUD says
- Local briefly: Snohomish County PUD won't yet decide on refund for $19 million
- Ratepayers may see BPA credit restored
- Stripped of Renewable Energy Mandates – House, 314-100, Passes Broad Energy Bill
- Walla Walla – Power plant siting in spotlight
- Idaho – Nuke plant developer will meet with public
- Texas vows to attract other carbon-capture plants
- Oregon Governor cites problems with federal analysis of gas terminal
- Grant County PUD names new treasurer
- One Enron Case Settled
- Ameren Illinois Utilities Issue Warning on Dangers of Copper Theft
- Mason County PUD No. 3 makes Last Reconnections from December 3 Storm
- Pact resolves 6-year battle over Ellensburg-area creek
- Puget Sound cleanup gets more federal funding than expected
- The Olympian Opinion – Environmental lobby looks to exert clout
- West Sound Utility District Hears From Public on Rate Hike
- City of Longview sets steep water and sewer rate hikes
- Resident fights Orting utility tax hike
- Southwest May Pipe In Water from Great Lakes
- New ethanol goal offers challenge, opportunity for biofuel industry
- Chevron sued over funding of biodiesel plant – Partner firm says oil giant stopped
- Sparks flying over Pennsylvania’s energy future
- Lighten the power load during Christmas season
- Montana – Climate change report aired.
- Clean-air agency wants to ban burning in yards
- Pizza Boxes Are Power Hogs
- FCC approves controversial media ownership rule
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Plebiscite • \PLEB-uh-site\ • noun – a vote by which the people of an entire country or district express an opinion for or against a proposal especially on a choice of government or ruler
“The ballots have been sent out. Like Noah sending the dove and the Raven to search for dry land we will soon know if the subjects like what I’ve suggested, or will continue to be restless,” mused the white-bearded king as he gazed from his tower, overlooking his lovely city of rivers. Unfortunately, calling for a plebiscite on naming the ‘cane toad’ as the Australian amphibian was like asking for an indulgence for a beer belch in church.
WEATHER
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
News Release – Electricity Restored to Collins Lake Substation After Construction Crane Touches Power line (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/News/display.asp?NewsID=400
Power Agreement Bonneville offers utility $9.5 million, with strings attached – Clark Public Utilities could get a one-time $9.5 million payout from the Bonneville Power Administration under a proposal announced Monday by the BPA. But there's a lot of uncertainty about the deal. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2007/12/12182007_Power-Agreement-Bonneville-offers-utility-95-million-with-strings-attached.cfm
Bonneville payments ‘not relief, this is a trap,’ Grays Harbor County PUD says. Commissioners called the plan “absurd,” and rejected the interim proposal. (Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2007/12/18/local_news/03news.txt
Local briefly: Snohomish County PUD won't yet decide on refund for $19 million (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071219/NEWS01/710003258/-1/news01
Ratepayers may see BPA credit restored (Yakima Herald-Republic)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/page/dis/299999521904786
President Bush Signs Energy Bill (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/19/AR2007121900815.html?nav=rss_email/components
Energy bill to save 'billions' – President Bush signed into law Wednesday legislation that will bring more fuel-efficient vehicles into auto showrooms and require wider use of ethanol, calling it "a major step" toward energy independence and easing global warming. (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-12-18-fuel-economy_N.htm?csp=34
Stripped of Renewable Energy Mandates – House, 314-100, Passes Broad Energy Bill; Bush Plans to Sign It (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/19/washington/19energy.html?ei=5088&en=2f23e7ad81fc4185&ex=1355720400&adxnnl=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1198090893-AMjoU60bMvG1GwWBWLpkew
Walla Walla – Power plant siting in spotlight – Whether a power plant will be allowed in the heavy industrial area remains to be seen. (Union-Bulletin, Walla Walla)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2007/12/19/local_news/local04.txt
Idaho – Nuke plant developer will meet with public. As Payette ponders the proposed facility, the state debates who should be making decisions on where to put power plants. (Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/242279.html
N.J. sues Pa. power plant, claims excessive amounts of air pollution drift across state line (International Herald Tribune)
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/19/america/Pollution-Suit.php
Texas vows to attract other carbon-capture plants (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKN1851451520071218?rpc=44
Oregon Governor cites problems with federal analysis of gas terminal (Associated Press, via the Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1112665~Governor_cites_problems_with_federal_analysis_of_gas_terminal.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Grant County PUD names new treasurer – Grant County PUD commissioners named Jim Bunch last week to the permanent position of treasurer/controller. (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2007/12/18/news/news05.txt
One Enron Case Settled (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/19/business/19enron.html?ex=1355720400&en=26ba475fbf6ef41d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
News Release – Ameren Illinois Utilities Issue Warning on Dangers of Copper Theft. Public can Help Curb this Deadly Crime (Ameren Illinois, via Yahoo! Finance)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/071219/aqw071.html?.v=33
News Release – Last Reconnections from December 3 Storm - Governmental Cooperation Applauded for Effort (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/News/display.asp?NewsID=398
WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT
Pact resolves 6-year battle over Ellensburg-area creek – Farmers, environmentalists to restore fish runs without impeding irrigation (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/344121_creek19.html
Puget Sound cleanup gets more federal funding than expected (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/303998.html
The Olympian Opinion – Environmental lobby looks to exert clout
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/303883.html
West Sound Utility District Hears From Public on Rate Hike – Dennis Briggs doesn't mind paying more for sewer service, he just doesn't want to pay the same amount as a family of eight. (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2007/dec/18/west-sound-utility-district-hears-from-public-on/
City of Longview sets steep water and sewer rate hikes – Longview residents' utility bills will jump early next year as the city prepares to fund expensive upgrades to its aging water and sewer treatment systems. (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2007/12/19//area_news/doc4768c7e199144001446087.txt
Resident fights Orting utility tax hike – After the Orting City Council raises utility taxes, a resident who wanted to force a public vote on the issue was told he was too late. But he’s not through fighting. (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/233284.html
Southwest May Pipe In Water from Great Lakes – Drought-choked southwestern states are considering piping in water from the Great Lakes. Getting the go-ahead on such a plan wouldn't be easy, however. (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17354828&ft=1&f=17
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Does the passage of the stripped-down Energy Bill mean that momentum is lost for renewables? (Renewable Energy Access)
http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=50920&src=rss
New ethanol goal offers challenge, opportunity for biofuel industry (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004081388_ethanol19.html?syndication=rss
Chevron sued over funding of biodiesel plant – Partner firm says oil giant stopped paying (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/19/BUJDU0VQ0.DTL&feed=rss.business
Sparks flying over Pennsylvania’s energy future – With Gov. Rendell and Senate Republicans $200 million apart, the biofuels-and-conservation effort is lagging. (Philly.com)
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20071219_Sparks_flying_over_Pa_s_energy_future.html
CONSERVATION
Lighten the power load during Christmas season (The Star Phoenix, Regina)
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/business/story.html?id=c4342fd7-e661-4076-a30a-8e37ad35357f
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Montana – Climate change report aired. Montana accounts for just 0.6 percent of America's greenhouse gas emissions, but the average Montanan contributes almost double the amount of greenhouse gas as the average American. (Billings Gazette)
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/12/19/news/local/28-climatereport.txt
Clean-air agency wants to ban burning in yards – Burning garden leftovers, grass clippings, downed trees and other woody debris would be banned in rural Snohomish County under a proposal by clean-air officials. (Everett Herald – Check out the chart!)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20071219/NEWS01/611452862&news01ad=1
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Pizza Boxes Are Power Hogs – As everyone knows, you get what you pay for. That maxim certainly holds true for Internet infrastructure, especially when it comes to servers. (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2007/12/18/pizza-boxes-are-power-hogs/
FCC approves controversial media ownership rule – The Federal Communications Commission, overturning a 32-year-old ban, voted Tuesday to allow broadcasters in the nation's 20 largest media markets to also own a newspaper. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004080133_webfcc18.html?syndication=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Oregon Gets Short Shrift In Congress' Final Days – President George Bush said Wednesday he will sign a hard-fought energy bill compromise. The bill sets higher mileage standards for cars, but for many Oregonians it's a disappointment. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/oregon-gets-short-shrift-congress-final-days/
DIVERSIONS
"Don't Tase Me, Bro" tops Reuters '07 memorable quote list
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN1959512020071219
Bride In Toilet Paper Dress To Tie Knot In Restroom
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/14890478/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_nots&tmi=sea_nots_1_01000312192007&ts=H
Judge Sides With Man Fired For Posting 'Dilbert' Comic In Office
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/14890514/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_nots&tmi=sea_nots_1_01000312192007&ts=H
Choir drops 'Christmas' from carol – Teachers' Decision; Children to sing: 'Soon it will be festive day'
http://www.nationalpost.com/newsletter/story.html?id=181191
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
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