Energy News Digest for January 29, 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)

* Idaho Statesman Opinion – Idaho must face reality; power supply is limited
* BPA offering $3,000 reward for information and conviction of vandals who damaged elk habitat
* Pole attachment hijnks – A classic rivalry rekindled in Olympia
* California – One killed, two injured in collapse at Pacific Gas & Electric site
* PacifiCorp drops plans for coal plant in Wyoming
* Indiana gives last OK for Duke Energy coal gasification plant
* Colorado – Xcel threatened with lawsuit over clean air standards
* Con Edison: Stray voltage shocks drop 78 percent in New York City
* Former Anderson partners settle with SEC on Enron
* Allegheny Energy settles Merrill Lynch case
* Congressional Research Reports – Nuclear Power Plant Security and Vulnerabilities
* United Kingdom – Power solution: pray, protest, go green
* Final "Black Rock" Study Set to be Released
* Cities worry about costs of meeting Spokane River cleanup goals
* It's Time To Drink Toilet Water
* Puget Sound orcas feeding in California…again
* Company investigating Mount Baker for geothermal power
* New Zealand – In a spin over energy conservation
* Wal-Mart chief offers an energy manifesto
* EU industry unites to promote energy-saving lamps
* Intel: biggest corporate buyer for renewable credits
* Canadian government downplays concerns over emissions exclusions
* Alaska Communications Systems to invest $95M in fiber optic cable to the Lower 48
* FCC to release USF reform proposals
* What if the Internet went down...and didn't come back up?
* Broadband Over Power Lines Goes Green “
* Congressional Research Reports – Net Neutrality: Background and Issues
* Peacock Ridge Developer To Start Annexation Into City Of Shelton
* MOU Takes Port Of Shelton Annexation Off The Table
* SBA closing disaster center in Belfair
* Clark County – Panasonic plant to close, lay off 89
* Grant County EDC investigates missing money
* E-mail ruling raises open-records issues
* 55 mph Speed Limit Resurfaces
* Ex-lawmaker Paul Conner dies at 82

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

WORD OF THE DAY

Immutable • \ih-MYOO-tuh-bul\ • adjective – Not capable of or susceptible to change

The invisible hand drew back and paused. The immutable force of the market place had been battling a slow start in its contest against the dialectic of Marxist theology. Suddenly the hand moved forward and flung the 16 pound ball down the alley…picking up the 7-10 spare. “YOU WIN!” Exclaimed the Keynesian scorekeeper. “Yeah, but in the long run you’ll all be dead,” chortled the ghost of Thomas Malthus.

WEATHER

Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944

(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)

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Idaho Statesman Opinion – Idaho must face reality; power supply is limited. When promoting Idaho, the state's leaders have long promoted plentiful, cheap power. But you cannot sell what you do not have. (I know, let’s remove enough generation from the Snake River to light up Seattle!)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/editorial/story/276732.html

News Release – BPA offering $3,000 reward for information and conviction of vandals who damaged elk habitat near Lowell, Ore. (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/190227/

Pole attachment hijnks – A classic rivalry rekindled in Olympia (Tri-City Herald, Chrus Mulick)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/blogs/mulick/v-rss/story/9598253p-9509816c.html

California – One killed, two injured in collapse at Pacific Gas & Electric site (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8108011?source=rss&nclick_check=1

PacifiCorp drops plans for coal plant in Wyoming (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/01/28/daily1.html?ana=from_rss

Indiana gives last OK for Duke Energy coal gasification plant (Business Courier of Cincinnati)
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/01/28/daily7.html?ana=from_rss

Colorado – Xcel threatened with lawsuit over clean air standards (Denver Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2008/01/28/daily20.html?ana=from_rss

Con Edison: Stray voltage shocks drop 78 percent in New York City – Con Edison reported a 78-percent decline in the number of electric shocks since 2004, when its safety efforts began. (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/display_article/318417/22/ARTCL/none/none/1/Con-Edison:-Stray-voltage-shocks-drop-78-percent-in-NYC/

Former Anderson partners settle with SEC on Enron (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKN2849270820080128?rpc=44

Allegheny Energy settles Merrill Lynch case (Pittsburgh Business Times)
http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2008/01/28/daily1.html

Congressional Research Reports – Nuclear Power Plant Security and Vulnerabilities
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RL34331

United Kingdom – Power solution: pray, protest, go green. Prayer, protest and turning to greener forms of energy - this is how religious leaders, a trade union and environmental activists proposed dealing with the country’s power crisis today. (The Times of London)
http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=694215

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Final "Black Rock" Study Set to be Released – The Bureau of Reclamation will release their final report on the Yakima River Basin Storage Study on Tuesday morning. (KNDO/KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=7785176

Cities worry about costs of meeting Spokane River cleanup goals (Coeur D’Alene Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1181914~Cities_worry_about_costs_of_meeting_Spokane_River_cleanup_goals.html?cid=rss-Idaho_Headlines

It's Time To Drink Toilet Water – Recycling sewage is safe and efficient, so why aren't we doing it? (Slate Magazine – I love the story graphic!)
http://www.slate.com/id/2182758/nav/ais/

Puget Sound orcas feeding in California…again – Relocation seen as sign that state salmon stock is low (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/349107_orcas29.html?source=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Company investigating Mount Baker for geothermal power (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/341257.html

New Zealand – In a spin over energy conservation. Inglewood High School is giving energy production a spin with the installation of a new power-generating wind turbine. (Taranaki Daily News)
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4379721a6554.html

CONSERVATION

Wal-Mart chief offers an energy manifesto – Wal-Mart has pledged to cut the energy used by many of its products 25 percent, to force the chain's suppliers to meet stricter ethical standards, and to apply its legendary cost-cutting skills to help other companies deliver health care for their employees. (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/Wal-Mart-chief-offers-an-energy-manifesto/2100-11392_3-6227449.html?tag=fd_nbs_ent&tag=nl.e703

EU industry unites to promote energy-saving lamps (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKL2813430120080128

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Intel: biggest corporate buyer for renewable credits (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/01/28/daily8.html?ana=from_rss

Canadian government downplays concerns over emissions exclusions – The Harper government is downplaying its proposal to overlook up to 10 million tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution from the oil and gas industry in its plan to fight global warming. (CanWest News Service)
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=dbf229db-3913-4087-b81c-b9702b12bae4&k=64317

San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – Address climate change through land use
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/29/EDJJUNNF9.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Alaska Communications Systems to invest $95M in fiber optic cable to the Lower 48 (Alaska Journal of Commerce)
http://www.alaskajournal.com/stories/012008/hom_20080120004.shtml

FCC to release USF reform proposals “…The board's flagship recommendation was to specifically earmark a portion of the fund to help pay for the costs of deploying broadband Internet networks across the country…” (Associated Press, via BusinessWeek)
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8UBSFLO0.htm

Verizon FiOS – Fiber optics lives up to ads (Washington Times)
http://washingtontimes.com/article/20080129/TECHNOLOGY01/902552270/1020/TECHNOLOGY

Broadband's Growing 'Need for Speed' – Telecom and cable providers will beef up their networks even as economic malaise curbs demand for high-speed Internet services (BusinessWeek)
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2008/tc20080127_181692.htm?campaign_id=rss_tech

What if the Internet went down...and didn't come back up? (Network World)
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/012208-internet-went-down.html

Broadband Over Power Lines Goes Green “…The BPL industry has mostly switched from pushing broadband to providing demand response systems to electric utilities…” (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/01/25/bpl-goes-green/

Congressional Research Reports – Net Neutrality: Background and Issues
http://opencrs.com/document/RS22444

GENERAL NEWS

PEACOCK RIDGE DEVELOPER TO START ANNEXATION INTO CITY OF SHELTON – The Shelton City Commission has authorized city staff to ask the developer of Peacock Ridge to begin the annexation process. Earlier this month, the developer, Boston Harbor Land Company, explained their concerns over how to annex to the City Commission. Dave Prutzman said that if the City were to annex just the Company's 240 acres there would be an enclave of unincorporated Mason County surrounded by the City which may not be the best situation. Prutzman also stated that some adjacent property owners may not support annexation and that could stop annexation all together. Boston Harbor Land Company said it would do further research and find out where those property owners stand on annexation. Since that January 15th meeting, the City's Administrator Dave O'Leary did some research himself. O'Leary discovered that the development property does not make up the 60% of assessed value needed to approve annexation. However, O'Leary did get a legal opinion on leaving enclaves and according to the City's Attorney, that situation may not be desirable but should be pursued. Based on this opinion, O'Leary suggested the City Commission ask the developer to proceed with the annexation petition. The Commissioners agreed and unanimously authorized the request. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)

M-O-U TAKES PORT OF SHELTON ANNEXATION OFF THE TABLE – The Shelton City Commission has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (M-O-U) with the Port of Shelton that will locate Regional Sewer and Water lines across port property and allow future connection without requiring annexation. The Port is granting an easement for the lines to cross property adjacent to Sanderson Field and to cross the Port's Business Park North. Originally, the easement prohibited Port connection without annexation. With this M-O-U that is no longer the case. The agreement states “…when port connections to the system become necessary, advisable or otherwise desired by the port, provided capacity exists, annexation will not be a prerequisite to such connections…” Rates will also be negotiated on “a fair and equitable basis.” The M-O-U also recognizes that annexation may occur in the future when mutually desirable. The City put the Memorandum of Understanding in resolution form. The Port of Shelton Commission is expected to approve the M-O-U Tuesday during its study session at 2pm. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)

Lawmakers eye storm recovery – Gov. Chris Gregoire says the work to rebuild and avoid future catastrophes like the December wind- and rainstorms and flooding along the Chehalis River still is a mammoth undertaking. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/341640.html

SBA closing disaster centers in Belfair, Long Beach, Raymond (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP01282008news269345.cfm

Clark County – Panasonic plant to close, lay off 89 (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/business/businessNews/2008/01/01282008_Panasonic-plant-to--close-lay-off-89.cfm/

Grant County EDC investigates missing money – Office manager placed on leave (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/01/28/news/news01.txt

E-mail ruling raises open-records issues – Under Washington's open-records laws, e-mails written on public computers are public records. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004150783_records29m.html?syndication=rss

Mystery solved: Oregon town inks economic development deal (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1183219~Mystery_solved__Oregon_town_inks_economic_development_deal.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

55 mph Speed Limit Resurfaces (NW Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3521

Ex-lawmaker Paul Conner dies at 82 – Paul Conner, an orphan who grew to serve as a popular state legislator on the North Olympic Peninsula for 35 years, has died. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080129/NEWS/801290307

DIVERSIONS

Homemade sweets: Okay after all – The Eastmont School Board voted for everything except banning homemade treats Monday night.
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080128/NEWS04/248905623/1001/rss1001

New York State Employee Arrested For Selling Historic Documents On eBay
http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20080129/tc_cmp/205920627

Man struggles to return from the dead
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSL2969508720080129?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Frugal librarian amassed $8 million art trove
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2956910420080129?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews