Energy News Digest for January 31, 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)

* Maryland – Constellation Energy says it will sue state to recoup $386M lost in deregulation flap
* Canada – Commission approves power-sale deal between B.C. Hydro, Alcan
* Power Failures Outrage South Africa
* DOE restructures FutureGen project, scraps plans for Mattoon
* Jean Ryckman Will Retire As Manager Of Franklin PUD Effective April 30
* Eugene Register Guard Opinion – More than metal
* Two more arrested in Cowlitz County metal theft case
* If You Invested in Enron, Read This Now
* No salmon in 2008? The complete closure of commercial salmon fishing in Southern Oregon and Northern California in 2006 could repeat in 2008
* Steelhead plan will be discussed in Olympia
* Tribes want to move Bonneville sturgeon upstream
* Sandy River, Oregon – A River Restored: Pulling the Plug
* Oregon – $4-Million in lottery funds to help return salmon, steelhead
* Eastern Washington Reservoir Would Cost More Than $6.7 Billion
* Recycling group: Oakland plastic bag ban hurts the environment
* Douglas County wind farm could grow from 10 to 80 turbines
* Lake Chelan dam earns low-impact certification
* Idaho – Ethanol's troubled adolescence
* California – Solar project to power local colleges
* Environmental group threatens lawsuit over Whisky Dick grazing
* In Defense of Incandescence – Congress bans beauty as an environmental hazard
* Columbian Editorial – Environment deserves role in campaigns
* Missouri – Schools hope piles of coal inspire energy conservation
* Students explore energy conservation
* Olympia teach-in offers ideas to fight climate shift
* Green effort by U.S. companies making slow progress
* CNET Newsmaker: From ecowarrior to nuclear champion
* 'Unprecedented' warming exposes ancient vegetation
* It seems like I'm mortgaging my future to go green
* Blue, as in big blue marble, is the new green
* California Senate bill requires textbooks to teach global warming
* Could Global Warming Threaten the Patriots’ and Giants’ Edge?
* Internet – Here Comes Trouble: The Future of Free
* U.S. Makes the Best Use of Its Broadband
* Read the fine print – Administration report claims success in extending broadband access
* European Union Court: Downloaders Can Stay Private
* How To Get Ready For Digital Television
* In Belfair – More Expansive, Expensive Highway 3 Improvements Eyed
* Shelton bowlers aim for another title

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

WORD OF THE DAY

Lyceum • \LYE-see-um\ • noun – 1: a hall for public lectures or discussions 2: an association providing public lectures, concerts, and entertainments

Mortimer was aquiver with anticipation. His first meeting of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Lyceum Society was to cover all 26 Tarzan books written by the prolific author in 24 hours. The tedium of the recycled story lines was only moderated by the lurid and turgid prose generated by one of the best pulp adventure fiction writers in history.

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

Maryland – Constellation Energy says it will sue state to recoup $386M – Constellation Energy Group Inc. said Wednesday it plans to file a federal lawsuit against the state of Maryland for electric rate caps that executives say cost the company $386 million. (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/01/28/daily30.html?ana=from_rss

Canada – Commission approves power-sale deal between B.C. Hydro, Alcan – Kitimat City manager Trafford Hall said the new deal is an improvement, but that the city's fundamental opposition remains: Alcan is being allowed to sell electricity rather than using it to smelt aluminum. (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080130.ALCAN30//TPStory/National

Power Failures Outrage South Africa – This nation, long a reliable repository of cheap, plentiful electricity, finds itself pitifully short of juice. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/world/africa/31safrica.html?_r=1&ex=1359435600&en=57839b2669c4442d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

DOE restructures FutureGen project, scraps plans for Mattoon – The Department of Energy is backing off its plans to help build the FutureGen Alliance's $1.8 billion clean-coal power plant in Mattoon, Ill., and is restructuring the FutureGen project in an attempt to maximize the project's commercial viability. (St. Louis Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2008/01/28/daily44.html?ana=from_rss

News Release – JEAN RYCKMAN WILL RETIRE AS MANAGER OF FRANKLIN PUD EFFECTIVE APRIL 30 – Jean Ryckman, manager of Franklin PUD since 2004, will retire on April 30, 2008, to pursue opportunities with family, travel, and to provide community service. She has been Manager of Franklin PUD since January 2004 and has worked at the PUD for more than 27 years. Prior to joining Franklin PUD, Ryckman worked for D. Hittle & Associates electrical consulting firm. Ryckman notified PUD Commissioners in person and in writing on January 22, 2008 of her plans to retire. She told Commissioners, “It has been a great pleasure to serve as your Manager for the last 4 years. I leave Franklin PUD in good hands with a staff that is devoted to the customers and to the community. Having such a great staff and board that is committed to working together makes my decision much easier.” (Franklin County PUD)

Eugene Register Guard Opinion – More than metal. Thefts of cable from utility substations, wire from construction sites and even works of sculpture from public parks are generally attributed to the high price of copper and other metals.
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=56937&sid=5&fid=1

Two more arrested in metal theft case – Cowlitz County sheriff's deputies made two more arrests in association with recent thefts of telephone cable. (The Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/01/31//area_news/10085400.txt

If You Invested in Enron, Read This Now – As a former Enron shareholder, I'm not expecting a huge windfall from a pending class-action suit against the company. (TheStreet.com)
http://www.thestreet.com/_more/s/if-you-invested-in-enron-read-this-now/funds/saving-money/10400897.html?

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

No salmon in 2008? The complete closure of commercial salmon fishing in Southern Oregon and Northern California in 2006 could repeat in 2008. (The World, Coos Bay)
http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2008/01/30/news/doc47a0c373af547905644500.txt

Lack of Chinook in Area 9 a puzzle (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080131/SPORTS/476985709/1004/SPORTS

Steelhead plan will be discussed in Olympia (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/outdoors/story/270004.html

Tribes want to move Bonneville sturgeon upstream – Tribal officials want to capture young sturgeon from the huge population in Bonneville pool of the Columbia River and transfer them upstream into the suffering reservoirs behind The Dalles and John Day dams. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/01/01312008_Tribes-want-to-move-Bonneville-sturgeon-upstream.cfm

Sandy River, Oregon – A River Restored: Pulling the Plug – A puff of white smoke and a cheering throng marked the official demise of Marmot Dam last summer. (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/01/01312008_A-River-Restored-Pulling-the-Plug.cfm/

Breaking the salmon code – Marine geneticist speaks at the Columbia Forum about using Chinook genetics to track and protect individual stocks in the ocean (The Daily Astorian)
http://www.dailyastorian.info/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=48634&TM=68346.65

Oregon – $4-Million in lottery funds to help return salmon, steelhead to Upper Deschutes (Bend Weekly)
http://www.bendweekly.com/Statewide-News/12639.html

Eastern Washington Reservoir Would Cost More Than $6.7 Billion (NW Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=3529

Recycling group: Oakland plastic bag ban hurts the environment (Associated Press, via the Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1190843~Recycling_group__Oakland_plastic_bag_ban_hurts_the_environment.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wind farm could grow from 10 to 80 turbines – A Douglas County PUD project to place 10 wind turbines near the farming town of Withrow could grow to 80 turbines or more following a recent study by an independent consultant. (Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080130/NEWS04/394896358/1025/rss1025

Lake Chelan dam earns low-impact certification – Credits from power generated from the Lake Chelan Hydro Project soon could be sold to help dirtier utilities and industries meet their environmental-protection goals. (Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080130/NEWS04/235293496/1025/rss1025

Idaho – Ethanol's troubled adolescence. The promise of ethanol has always been a Faustian bargain: In a world with 6.6 billion mouths to feed, the staples of prosperity can always be trumped by the staples of survival. (Magic Valley Times-News)
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/01/30/opinion/editorials/129731.txt

California – Solar project to power local colleges. Contra Costa, Diablo Valley and Los Medanos will benefit from Chevron Corp.'s $35.2 million project (Contra Costa Times)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_8127739?source=rss&nclick_check=1

New power generation: Alternative energy sources – Solar reflectors could one day make petrol from thin air, and algae may provide all the diesel we need. Simon Usborne reports on the race to perfect energy sources for the future (The Independent, United Kingdom)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/new-power-generation-alternative-energy-sources-775540.html

Environmental group threatens lawsuit over Whisky Dick grazing – An environmental group announced plans Wednesday to sue Washington State if it approves a proposal to allow cattle grazing on portions of central Washington's Whisky Dick Wildlife Area (Associated Press, via the Columbian)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP01312008news270649.cfm

CONSERVATION

In Defense of Incandescence – Congress bans beauty as an environmental hazard “…Failing to properly recycle your CFLs won't be the same as putting an Evian bottle in the wrong slot. It'll be genuinely hazardous, particularly dangerous to children. Way to go, congressional dimbulbs!...” (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2183163/fr/rss/

Columbian Editorial – Environment deserves role in campaigns
http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/01/01312008_Environment-deserves-role-in-campaigns.cfm/

Missouri – Schools hope piles of coal inspire energy conservation (Springfield Business Journal)
http://www.sbj.net/article.asp?aID=80163

Students explore energy conservation – Miniature houses built by Weed High School students are being used to explore methods for reducing energy consumption through building design and to learn about the effects of solar energy. (Mt. Shasta News)
http://www.mtshastanews.com/articles/2008/01/30/news/05whs_students.txt

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Green economy a key focus – The battle against global warming is an opportunity to create a new, green economy, members of the Washington State Climate Advisory Team said Wednesday. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/344203.html

Olympia teach-in offers ideas to fight climate shift – 500 gather at forum as part of national Focus the Nation event (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/344193.html

Global warming solution takes effort from all, group says (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080131/NEWS/801310303

Green effort by U.S. companies making slow progress – U.S. companies talk a lot about going green, but so far there hasn't been much of an impact on improving the environment, according to a report released today. (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8119311?source=rss

CNET Newsmaker: From ecowarrior to nuclear champion
http://www.news.com/From-eco-warrior-to-nuclear-champion/2008-13840-6228461.html?part=dht&tag=nl.e703

'Unprecedented' warming exposes ancient vegetation (CanWest News Service)
http://www.canada.com/topics/technology/story.html?id=31dfa6a9-8ba7-4d62-bcad-7ae610cbe120&k=4144

It seems like I'm mortgaging my future to go green (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=9ad1c171-9b93-4e4b-ad80-cab1332958d8&k=16657

Blue, as in big blue marble, is the new green – This is the year when blue is supposed to become the new green -- as in, the next color to define environmentalism. (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/120166531684650.xml&coll=7

California Senate bill requires textbooks to teach global warming (San Joes Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8122655?source=rss

Could Global Warming Threaten the Patriots’ and Giants’ Edge? Rising Temperatures Could Lessen Home Field Advantage Over Warm Weather Rivals (Environment America – have you no shame?)
http://www.environmentamerica.org/news-releases/global-warming-solutions/global-warming-solutions/could-global-warming-threaten-the-patriots-and-giants-edge

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Internet – Here Comes Trouble: The Future of Free (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/01/31/here-comes-trouble-the-future-of-free/

U.S. Makes the Best Use of Its Broadband – A new report ranking broadband connectivity argues that it’s not how much you have but what you do with it. (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/01/30/us-makes-the-best-use-of-its-broadband/

Read the fine print – Administration report claims success in extending broadband access. In 2004, President Bush pledged that all Americans should have affordable access to high-speed Internet service by 2007. A report to be released Thursday by the administration says it has succeeded - mostly. (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8126590?source=rss&nclick_check=1

European Union Court: Downloaders Can Stay Private – Record labels and film studios cannot demand that telecommunications companies hand over the names and addresses of people who are suspected of sharing copyright-protected music and movies online (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004153417_apeufilesharing30.html?syndication=rss

How To Get Ready For Digital Television (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/money/15179535/detail.html

GENERAL NEWS

In Belfair – More Expansive, Expensive Highway 3 Improvements Eyed (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jan/30/more-expansive-expensive-highway-3-improvements/

Shelton bowlers aim for another title (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/143/story/344391.html

DIVERSIONS

DNA leads police to salami-loving thief
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN3132342920080131?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

The dumbest ever quiz answers
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN3156204620080131?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Snipes's "kooky" mail to U.S. government not a crime: lawyer
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080130/od_nm/snipes_odd_dc;_ylt=AnQ1ztYLwX5UHCcsYE1N53btiBIF

A woman has been charged with possession of burglary tools after police said a crowbar slipped out of her pants as she was lurking around a church.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080131/ap_on_fe_st/odd_telltale_crowbar;_ylt=AuaJCzTTQ4iBjcWnQRZZhFDtiBIF

Man sets station on fire over playlist – A volunteer at a community radio station set fire to the station because he was upset that his song selections for an overnight Internet broadcast were changed, police said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080130/ap_on_fe_st/odd_radio_arson;_ylt=Avm4JPKRW6or91UYnaOg6R_tiBIF