Energy News Digest for January 22, 2008

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)

- Cold may give way to snow later in week
- Power pole control sparks debate
- Hackers Have Attacked Foreign Utilities
- Maryland – Electric industry legislation proposed
- United Kingdom – Pressure mounts on ‘rip-off’ energy firms
- United Kingdom – Fury as fuel poverty soars close to a 10-year record
- New energy behind nuclear power
- Tribal land plan clouds Klamath dam deal
- San Francisco Chronicle Editorial – A deal on Klamath's dams
- Attempt to Turn Terns from Columbia River Mouth
- Voracious sea lions threaten sturgeon
- Columbian Editorial – Worth a try, it's time to take out some sea lions
- Fisheries service says Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas terminal would harm salmon
- Fishermen frustrated with latest halibut catch limits
- NY Times Editorial – Until All the Fish Are Gone
- Jefferson sets hearing on septic systems rules
- Effort to restore polluted Chesapeake Bay lagging
- WSU fights to keep water rights so it can water new golf course
- Cascades seen as energy source for future
- Sustainable Energy and Economic Development project (SEED) Up for Discussion
- Duke asks: What if renewable-energy suppliers fail?
- Groups See Dim Renewable Energy Future
- Dark side of a hot biofuel
- Europe, Cutting Biofuel Subsidies, Redirects Aid to Stress Greenest Options
- Renewable powers join forces
- Proposed wood burning ban draws fire
- BPA: Conservation saved enough to power small city
- Billings Gazette Opinion: Ramp up conservation strategies to save tax dollars
- The new energy law will change many of the appliances in the average American home
- Louisiana – Cut Mobile-Home Energy Bills
- A Big Drop In Emissions Is Possible With Today's Technology
- Ontario determined to end ban on clotheslines by summer
- Volcanoes Tied to Thinning of Antarctica’s Glaciers
- Multinationals Fight Climate Change
- Additive fights warming by cutting cows' methane output
- Qwest says long-distance service in Oregon disrupted again
- Reports: Yahoo! Inc. to lay off hundreds
- Comcast, FCC at odds over policy
- Vermont – Regional Internet hopes hang on North-Link
- IP Addresses Are Personal Data, European Union Regulator Says
- Assessor warns of largest property tax increase in state history
- State of Oregon had shelved plan warning of landslide danger
- Spotlight on initiative signature-gatherers sparks debate
- Tribal police bill stirs up dissent

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

WORD OF THE DAY

Antebellum • \ANT-i-bell-um\ • adjective – Existing before a war; especially: existing before the American Civil War. Etymology: Latin ante bellum before the war

Sitting on the front porch of the antebellum mansion in Mississippi, Beauregard thought dreamily of his old home in the far north of Saskatchewan. “Somewhere near Uranium City,” he mused, “a small child is being carried away by a hungry mosquito. Here, the bugs are so laid back that they just expect you to offer a meaty arm or well-turned ankle for their consideration.”

WEATHER

Forecast for Mason County, Washington (NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944

Cold may give way to snow later in week – Bright days and frigid nights are forecast into the middle of the week, as the coldest temperatures of the season settle in. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/334727.html

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Power pole control sparks debate (Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/01/19//area_news/10066334.txt

Hackers Have Attacked Foreign Utilities, CIA Analyst Says (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/18/AR2008011803277.html?wpisrc=rss_business

Maryland – Electric industry legislation proposed. Baltimore City and Baltimore County Democrats are leading the charge on a bill to re-regulate the electric industry in Maryland. (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/01/21/daily6.html?ana=from_rss

United Kingdom – Pressure mounts on ‘rip-off’energy firms. Britain’s biggest electricity producer has attacked the country’s energy market as anticompetitive, which has allowed the “big six” players to rip off consumers. (The London Times)
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/utilities/article3216807.ece

United Kingdom – Fury as fuel poverty soars close to a 10-year record. One in six British households is living in fuel poverty, the highest for almost a decade, according to new figures that threaten the government's target to eradicate the problem in England by the end of the decade. (The Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/20/utilities.householdbills

New energy behind nuclear power – With many nations planning more plants as a way around coal, the learning curve spurs safety worries. (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-ft-nuclear21jan21,1,7321643.story?track=rss&ctrack=1&cset=true

Canada – Aging nuclear reactor needs back-up (Victoria Times Columnist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=e37be2b9-5227-4d5c-814e-1fb1407c7bc4&k=85266

Kansas – BPU rates lowest in Kansas thanks to coal energy (McPherson Sentinel)
http://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/articles/2008/01/19/news/news3.txt

New York – Is Huntley project on hold -- or simply delayed? The future of a clean-coal-fired plant in Tonawanda could be up in the air (Business First of Buffalo)
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2008/01/14/daily59.html?ana=from_rss

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Tribal land plan clouds dam deal – A proposal to restore Klamath reservation territory threatens an agreement for setting free the Klamath River (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1200716707296330.xml&coll=7

San Francisco Chronicle Editorial – A deal on Klamath's dams. For complexity, the years-long water war along the Klamath River rivals the Middle East. A list of contending parties, long-held grievances and state borders have strained hopes of settlement. Until now.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/21/EDQTUHPP9.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

Attempt to Turn Terns from Columbia River Mouth (KUOW Radio, Seattle)
http://kuow.org/DefaultProgram.asp?ID=14173

Voracious sea lions threaten sturgeon – A prized population of Columbia River sturgeon is the latest victim in a familiar Pacific Northwest plot: Hungry sea lions exploit an artificial fish barrier, eat their fill of fish and defy wildlife officers to scare them away. (Scripps News Service, via the News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/29916

Columbian Editorial – Worth a try, it's time to take out some sea lions
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/01/01192008_Worth-a-try-its-time-to-take-out-some-sea-lions.cfm/

Fisheries service says Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas terminal would harm salmon (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1172527~Fisheries_service_says_LNG_terminal_would_harm_salmon.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Fishermen frustrated with latest halibut catch limits – Commercial fishermen in southeast Alaska will see the number of halibut they are allowed to catch drop for the second year in a row. (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP01212008news265689.cfm

NY Times Editorial – Until All the Fish Are Gone. Scientists have been warning for years that overfishing is degrading the health of the oceans and destroying the fish species on which much of humanity depends for jobs and food.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/opinion/21mon1.html?_r=1&ex=1358658000&en=260c415a88d08bdd&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Jefferson sets hearing on septic systems rules – After a tense, stormy session last week on controversial on-site septic system regulations, Jefferson County Public Health officials are regrouping. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080121/NEWS/801210303

Effort to restore polluted Chesapeake Bay lagging – Population in the area has more than doubled since 1950, making cleanup job tougher than conservationists imagined (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8043177?source=rss

WSU fights to keep water rights so it can water new golf course )Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP01202008news265648.cfm

California – Carmel Valley-area dam needs repairs or rerouting. The fate of San Clemente Dam in the upper Carmel River should be decided by late June. (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8032918?source=rss&nclick_check=1

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Cascades seen as energy source for future (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/333198.html

New waste-to-energy firm claims nearly $1B in financing (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/01/14/daily32.html?ana=from_rss

Sustainable Energy and Economic Development project (SEED) Up for Discussion at Tuesday Port Meeting – The Port of Bremerton's newest commissioner has been asking questions about the Kitsap SEED project and so far is not satisfied with the answers he's getting. (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jan/20/seed-up-for-discussion-at-tuesday-port-meeting/

Duke asks: What if renewable-energy suppliers fail? Utility's proposed solution would boost customers' costs 1.5% to 2.5% (Charlotte Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2008/01/21/story11.html?ana=from_rss

Groups See Dim Renewable Energy Future – Renewable Energy Groups Say 2007 Gains Could Be Lost without Tax Credit Extension (Associated Press, via Yahoo! Finance – with increasing renewable mandates, are incentives necessary?)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080122/renewable_energy_forecast.html?.v=1

Dark side of a hot biofuel – In Indonesia, oil palms feed world thirst for clean fuel, but forests, climate and species pay a steep price (Sacramento Bee, may require free registration)
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/647848.html

Europe, Cutting Biofuel Subsidies, Redirects Aid to Stress Greenest Options (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/22/business/worldbusiness/22biofuels.html?_r=1&ex=1358744400&en=3eeba2122b9f0258&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Renewable powers join forces – A Washington wind-solar plant is testing whether two fickle sources can create one reliable supply (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1200704124274540.xml&coll=7

Proposed wood burning ban draws fire – A proposed ban on burning wood in the Bay Area's 1 million fireplaces and stoves on bad-air days… (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/20/MNGQUGD16.DTL

It's electric: Israel plans green car network (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080121/NEWS02/123784610/-1/RSS01

CONSERVATION

BPA: Conservation saved enough to power small city (The Missoulian)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/01/20/news/mtregional/news09.txt

Billings Gazette Opinion: Ramp up conservation strategies to save tax dollars
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/01/20/opinion/gazette/20-gazetteopinion.txt

Power Switch – From light bulbs to clothes washers, the energy law passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in December will change many of the appliances in the average American home. (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/19/AR2008011900064.html?wpisrc=rss_technology

Louisiana – Cut Mobile-Home Energy Bills (New Orleans Times-Picayune)
http://www.nola.com/living/t-p/index.ssf?/base/living-2/1200723701187870.xml&coll=1

TVA kits to aid in energy conservation – The Tennessee Valley Authority is giving away 30,000 kits of energy-saving equipment to encourage consumers to complete electricity conservation audits. (Chattanooga Times Free Press)
http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/jan/20/tva-kits-aid-energy-conservation/?local

A Big Drop In Emissions Is Possible With Today's Technology (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/20/AR2008012001171.html?wpisrc=rss_business

Ontario determined to end ban on clotheslines by summer: energy minister (The Canadian Press)
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iEguF2wzAbRejRoJ6Yh8iN9tOQ8A

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Volcanoes Tied to Thinning of Antarctica’s Glaciers – Here is another factor that might be contributing to the thinning of some of the Antarctica’s glaciers: volcanoes. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/science/21cnd-volcano.html?_r=1&ex=1358571600&en=467ecfcc3afa1e14&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Multinationals Fight Climate Change – Eleven companies are teaming up to see how they can work with thousands of their suppliers to curb greenhouse gas emissions, an environmental consultancy said on Sunday. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/business/21green.html?ex=1358658000&en=41610fd4c76635a7&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Industrial Strength “Beano” – Additive fights warming by cutting cows' methane output (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8043173?source=rss&nclick_check=1

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Qwest says long-distance service in Oregon disrupted again – Stupid copper thieves suspected (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/332768.html

Reports: Yahoo! Inc. to lay off hundreds (Associated Press, via Yahoo! News)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080122/ap_on_hi_te/yahoo_layoffs_10

Comcast, FCC at odds over policy – Cable giant: New rules stifle growth, help rivals (The Times of Trenton, New Jersey)
http://www.nj.com/business/times/index.ssf?/base/business-3/1200805833110250.xml&coll=5

Vermont – Regional Internet hopes hang on North-Link – After years of frustration, broadband-challenged residents of rural northern Vermont have cause for hope: Within a year, the region will be looped by North-Link, a high-capacity raceway of fiber optic cable. (Burlington Free Press)
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080121/NEWS02/801210318/1007

Goldman Sachs to finance City of Chattanooga’s residential telecom service (Chattanooga Times Free Press)
http://www.timesfreepress.com/absolutenm/templates/breaking.aspx?articleid=28590&zoneid=41

Northern Michigan – Making connections: Some eye regional cooperative to expand broadband availability (Petosky News Review)
http://www.petoskeynews.com/articles/2008/01/18/news/doc4790a73a25fd7601880962.txt

IP Addresses Are Personal Data, European Union Regulator Says – strings of numbers that identify computers on the Internet, should generally be regarded as personal information (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/21/AR2008012101340.html?wpisrc=rss_business

A Less Stylish Approach to RFID (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/18/a-less-stylish-approach-to-rfid/index.html?ex=1358485200&en=58b39eefac839cf0&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Assessor warns of largest property tax increase in state history (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/348208_taxes22.html?source=rss

State of Oregon had shelved plan warning of landslide danger – geologists predicted the landslide that crushed homes and severed U.S. 30 west of Clatskanie, but the state shelved the information to avoid clashes with land developers, those who worked on the maps and others say. (Associated Press, via the Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/01/22//area_news/doc47961c8eb83f4538506087.txt

Spotlight on initiative signature-gatherers sparks debate (The Olympian – I always ask ‘em how much they’re getting paid per signature…boy does that make ‘em mad! Hoo Boy!)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/332249.html

Tribal police bill stirs up dissent – A proposed law that would give tribal police officers full arrest authority over non-Indians has split Washington’s law enforcement community. (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/259063.html

Timber Thieves Strike at Heart of Lands Held Dear (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/us/20timber.html?ex=1358571600&en=73b79b61904fba43&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

DIVERSIONS

More snakes on a plane
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN1832217420080118?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Web plagiarism a serious problem: UK teachers
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN1842305120080118?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

House candidate mum on doctored campaign photo – His aide says there wasn't time for photo session
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5465451.html

Cupcake crackdown: Eastmont considers party food ban – Mom's chocolate cupcakes could be too risky for classrooms in the Eastmont School District, which may ban homemade food items from class parties.
http://www.wenworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080121/NEWS04/730388339/1002