Energy News Digest for February 5, 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)

* New storm bringing more snow to Cascades, Eastern Washington
* Seattle Times Editorial – Tentatively, nuclear power creeps back
* California – Diablo Canyon shuts down one of two reactors for refueling
* The Energy Challenge – Utilities Turn from Coal to Gas, Raising Risk of Price Increase
* Illinois – Gas rate battle heats up
* Franklin PUD Manager Retires
* Portland’s light-rail stations giving guide dogs electrical shocks
* Oregon Coho are once again listed as threatened
* Canada – Sockeye salmon seen in Coquitlam River for the first time in nearly a century
* Tribe supports Klamath agreement
* Long, cold winter brings bald eagles to the Columbia
* Judge Reinstates Rules on Sonar around whales
* Gregoire announces deal for new irrigation water
* Bush: Finish Columbia deepening a year early
* Study Suggests That, Unlike in the ’70s, Energy Lessons Will Last
* Florida – Gulf Stream turbines might whirl out energy
* Hawaii strikes state's first wave energy deal
* Dominion Post Opinion – Editorial: Get real, New Zealand needs wind turbines
* The Case for CFLs – Compact fluorescent light bulbs are safe, and they look great, too
* California – PUC eases rules for utilities' rewards
* South Carolina – Duke compromise lowers charges for conservation
* Michigan – DTE offers free tool to help save on energy costs
* Rising sea levels will affect Oregon Coast in big way, experts say
* Carbon capture Canada's best hope to meet Kyoto targets
* Rising CO2 levels: A double whammy for the food supply
* Cut Undersea Cables Raise Questions of Safety
* Fed Budget – State projects would take hit under Bush's spending plan
* Former Bush backer, state Sen. Sheldon endorses Obama
* Washington State bill would require taping of closed sessions
* United to charge some fliers for second bag
* Flights may link Olympia, Portland

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

WORD OF THE DAY

Assuage • \uh-SWAYJ\ • verb – *1: to lessen the intensity of (something that pains or distresses): ease 2: pacify, quiet 3: to put an end to by satisfying: appease, quench

“Now, Now,” purred the friendly, buxom matron to the new member of the household. “Most new boarders in my home take some time to get used to things here.” The new resident’s concerns were not assuaged by the comforting remarks. To begin with, a drawbridge to the house over a flaming moat filled with fireproof alligators was not a comforting sign. (With all due deference to Stephen Colbert’s border security plan)

WEATHER

New storm bringing more snow to Cascades, Eastern Washington
http://www.examiner.com/a-1201359~New_storm_bringing_more_snow_to_Cascades__Eastern_Washington.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

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

Seattle Times Editorial – Tentatively, nuclear power creeps back
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004163704_nucleared05.html

California – Diablo Canyon shuts down one of two reactors for refueling (San Luis Obispo Tribune, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1201257~Diablo_Canyon_shuts_down_one_of_two_reactors_for_refueling.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

The Energy Challenge – Utilities Turn from Coal to Gas, Raising Risk of Price Increase (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/business/05gas.html?ex=1359954000&en=e028e83fcaa9914d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Illinois – Gas rate battle heats up. Residential customers in Chicago and some northern suburbs could end up paying more for natural gas that they never actually use (Chicago Tribune)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tue_gas_0205feb05,0,649563.story

Franklin PUD Manager Retires (KNDO/KNDU – Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=7822885

Portland stations giving guide dogs electrical shocks – Wet platforms at some light-rail stations are causing mild electrical shocks to guide dogs for the blind that can cause the animals to ignore their training and make them unable to do their jobs. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004164393_guidedogs05.html?syndication=rss

California – Antioch man arrested for causing blackout during Super Bowl (I bet this guy will get a lot of love letters!)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1201262~Antioch_man_arrested_for_causing_blackout_during_Super_Bowl.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregon Coho are once again listed as threatened – The federal government returned Oregon's coastal Coho salmon to the endangered species list Monday (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1202187307128990.xml&coll=7

SALMON FISHERMEN CONCERNS – Fishermen in Washington are leery about the upcoming season after a huge drop in the number of Chinook salmon returning to California's Sacramento River. The worry is that federal regulators will cut down fishing all along the West Coast to protect fisheries. Washington fishermen say they could face competition from California and Oregon boats, and some expect extreme restrictions. (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee)

Canada – Sockeye salmon seen in Coquitlam River for the first time in nearly a century (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=08bb5fa9-abf6-4a8f-a95a-69ccb74bde09&k=96803

Tribe supports Klamath agreement – The Klamath Tribes voted overwhelmingly to support a settlement agreement that would restore struggling salmon runs in the Upper Klamath Basin while giving irrigators a more predictable supply of water. (The Oregonian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1201264~Tribe_supports_Klamath_agreement.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Long, cold winter brings bald eagles to the Columbia (Wenatchee World)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080204/NEWS04/957062378/1001/rss1001

Judge Reinstates Rules on Sonar around whales, Criticizing Bush’s Waiver for Navy (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/us/05sonar.html?_r=1&ex=1359954000&en=1c43d3d1258a5d83&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Gregoire announces deal for new irrigation water (The Oregonian)
http://blog.oregonlive.com/politics/2008/02/gregoire_announces_deal_for_ne.html

Bush: Finish Columbia deepening a year early – The Bush administration on Monday proposed spending $36 million to help complete a project to deepen 103 miles of the Columbia River sooner than expected. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420ap_bush_budget_northwest.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Study Suggests That, Unlike in the ’70s, Energy Lessons Will Last – The oil shocks of the 1970s produced a flurry of attention to alternative sources of energy, but it faded once prices dropped in the mid-1980s. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/business/05energy.html?ex=1359954000&en=8744a3dc22659a96&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Florida – Gulf Stream turbines might whirl out energy – The current that powers ships could slake our thirst for electricity. (Saint Petersburg Times)
http://www.sptimes.com/2008/02/04/State/Gulf_Stream_turbines_.shtml

Hawaii strikes state's first wave energy deal (KPUA Radio, Hilo)
http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=13866

Dominion Post Opinion – Editorial: Get real, New Zealand needs turbines. It is time for opponents of wind farms to get real.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominionpost/4385921a6483.html

CONSERVATION

The Case for CFLs – Compact fluorescent light bulbs are safe, and they look great, too. (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2183606/fr/rss/

California – PUC eases rules for utilities' rewards – An unusual government program that allows California utilities to earn multimillion-dollar rewards for saving energy has been revised to make it easier for the companies to cash in. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/05/BUGPUPV33.DTL&feed=rss.business

South Carolina – Duke compromise lowers charges for conservation (Charlotte Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2008/02/04/daily7.html?ana=from_rss

Michigan – DTE offers free tool to help save on energy costs (Detroit Free Press)
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080204/BUSINESS06/80204051

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Rising sea levels will affect Oregon Coast in big way, experts say (Eugene Register Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=59225&sid=1&fid=1

Carbon capture Canada's best hope to meet Kyoto targets (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=89ecf4d7-095b-427c-a827-652448f30c61

Rising CO2 levels: A double whammy for the food supply (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=d06935f3-c41d-4ff0-8f3a-c287a8db5367

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Cut Undersea Cables Raise Questions of Safety (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/business/worldbusiness/04cnd-cable.html?ex=1359954000&en=89461cd3997a6df1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

AT&T’s Broadband Harvest Strategy (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/atts-broadband-harvest-strategy/index.html?ex=1359954000&en=1588b973916f83dd&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Fed Budget – State projects would take hit under Bush's spending plan (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004164389_budgetcuts05m.html?syndication=rss

Former Bush backer, state Sen. Sheldon endorses Obama (The Olympian, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1201526~Former_Bush_backer__state_Sen__Sheldon_endorses_Obama.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

Washington State bill would require taping of closed sessions – A proposal to keep taped records of closed-door executive sessions is under review by the state House government and tribal affairs committee. (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/349296.html

United to charge some fliers for second bag – United Airlines will limit travelers who are not among its most frequent fliers to one free checked bag, charging them $50 round trip for a second bag, the carrier said Monday. (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/350014_united05.html?source=rss

Flights may link Olympia, Portland (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/349283.html

DIVERSIONS

Texas Mayor Resigns Over Allegations She Stole Neighbor's Dog
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/15213277/detail.html

Man Jailed For Making Crosswalk, Plans More – Man Says Intersection Unsafe
http://www.kirotv.com/news/15187091/detail.html

Rescuers free boy stuck in washer
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080205/ap_on_fe_st/odd_washing_machine_boy;_ylt=ArBJkvGXLsBxKv1ycj259KHtiBIF

Measure seeks to muffle Calif. Roosters
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080204/ap_on_fe_st/odd_rooster_referendum;_ylt=ApgQSYXC7eBuMXyzMmwzS2PtiBIF

Quarter of Brits think Churchill was myth
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/britainpeoplehistoryoffbeat;_ylt=AhOFez8Gy7EHsPVlgJCURDftiBIF