Energy News Digest for March 10, 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)

- Mason County PUD No. 3 Holding Rate Hearing Tuesday
- Idaho – Mini-Cassia cities to receive payments from BPA
- Montana – Coal-fired power plant projects feel heat from rising costs, environmental concerns
- California – Shake-up could be coming in electricity
- Seattle City Light’s backlog of burned-out streetlights leaves some residents fearful
- Wenatchee World Op/Ed – There always will be access to low-cost Grant County PUD hydropower
- News Release – Fitch Rates Energy Northwest's $667.2MM 2008 Bonds 'AA-'
- Oregon – DeFazio pushes for state input on LNG
- How to win Oregon’s vote – Clinton and Obama will need a quick education
- Calpine power plant proposal outdated, critic says
- Kansas, Sooty Kansas – Kansas Senate sends coal plant bill to Sebelius
- Michigan State Legislature's actions will decide electricity pricing
- DOE denies rehearing request for transmission corridor designations
- Congressional Research Service – Impact of Rising Energy Costs on Older Americans
- More water, good will flow at Skokomish River dam
- Salmon fishing ban mulled in California as run suffers record plunge
- Federal aid sought in decline of salmon
- Modesto Bee OpEd – What's happening in the ocean affects salmon the most
- Shellfish Growers Submit Properties to Court
- Tacoma to replace reservoirs
- Purple pipe dream: Reclaimed water for lawns at riverfront parks
- Lawsuit aims to stop wind farm near Columbia River Gorge
- Pepsi installs second-largest Northwest solar electric system
- Southern California Edison breaks ground on wind farm to power 3 million homes
- Amid the debate, energy gets cleaner
- Ahem, pardon me? Solar Energy Firms Leave Waste Behind in China
- Ireland: Where wind power is king
- Energy Star rules get tougher
- Not Just for Tree Huggers – Despite the free fall in housing prices nationwide, green homes are still red hot
- Officials want to turn out the lights, save money
- Studies cite risk of fossil-fuel use
- Bill sets goal of 2020 for cutting greenhouse gases
- Seattle Times Editorial – The Evergreen State in more than name
- Utility execs: Global warming fix not that pricey
- Canada – British Columbians don't like carbon tax
- Gorge's high-tech high life
- Internet activity is tracked more than we realize
- Greener cell power presents challenges
- Connection problems – 59% of Canadians feel anxious without the Net
- Belfair Clinic Location Announced (Irony of Ironies…its to be on Romance Hill Road)
- Arson at 'Green' Homes Points To Environmentalist Divisions
- Lobbyists spent $4.2 in January on Legislature
- In Tanker Bid, It Was Boeing vs. Bold Ideas
- It’s hybrid vehicles to the rescue for state and local governments

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

WORD OF THE DAY

Descry • \dih-SKRYE\ • verb – *1: to catch sight of 2: find out, discover

Bundled deep in the switch grass fields of Nebraska, contemplating his latest treatise on renewable energy, Francisco was slipping in and out of sleep as he descried buzzards lazily circling in the sky directly overhead. Unfortunately for him, that was the last thing he saw, as a harvesting machine snatched up the hummock of grass in which he was nestled. How ironic that the famous ethanol researcher was to become a tank of fuel himself.

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

MASON COUNTY PUD NO. 3 HOLDING RATE HEARING TUESDAY – Mason County PUD No. 3 Board of Commissioners is holding a public hearing on increasing electricity rates at 10am Tuesday. This average five percent increase would go into effect on May 1st. Among the items on the PUD 3 Commission's regular meeting agenda is discussion of a letter from the City of Shelton expressing interest in the PUD's "K" Street Property. The Mason County PUD No. 3 Board of Commissioners meets in their boardroom at 307 West Cota Street in Shelton, again at 10am Tuesday. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)

Idaho – Mini-Cassia cities to receive payments from BPA (South Idaho Press)
http://www.southidahopress.com/articles/2008/03/08/news/local/9612rebates.txt

Montana – Coal-fired power plant projects feel heat from rising costs, environmental concerns (Great Falls Tribune)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080309/NEWS01/803090301/1002

California – Shake-up could be coming in electricity – Eight years after San Diego's long, hot summer of soaring power bills and blackout scares, the issue of electricity deregulation is back. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080310-9999-1n10dereg.html

Seattle City Light’s backlog of burned-out streetlights leaves some residents fearful (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/354269_streetlights08.html

Wenatchee World Op/Ed – There always will be access to low-cost Grant County PUD hydropower
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080307/OP03/636886424

News Release – Fitch Rates Energy Northwest's $667.2MM 2008 Bonds 'AA-' (BusinessWire)
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080307005673&newsLang=en

Legislating with a heavy heart – Sen. Hatfield on pole attachment bill: “Please don’t come back with a similar bill, because us rural bumpkins will be ready and waiting for you…" (Daily News, Longview)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/03/10/top_story/doc47d4cf97549b5033257573.txt

Oregon – DeFazio pushes for state input on LNG – The process to site a proposed natural gas terminal is inadequate, U.S. House Democrats say (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1204948511242790.xml&coll=7

How to win Oregon’s vote – Clinton and Obama will need a quick education (Eugene Register Guard – See point 7, and then slowly count to ten and answer….just read the law!)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=74444&sid=5&fid=1

Calpine power plant proposal outdated, critic says 'We're going backwards,' Hayward council candidate claims (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjglrmkqYSki%216%3C%22bfen%5Fv

Kansas, Sooty Kansas – Kansas Senate sends coal plant bill to Sebelius (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjgmopqqZSki%216%3C%22bfen%5Fv

Michigan State Legislature's actions will decide electricity pricing – The price of your electricity for years to come could hinge on what the Legislature does in 2008. (Detroit Free Press)
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080310/BUSINESS06/803100369

DOE denies rehearing request for transmission corridor designations (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=322395&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Congressional Research Service – Impact of Rising Energy Costs on Older Americans
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RS22826

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

More water, good will flow at Skokomish River dam – About 60 people – including members of Tacoma Power, contractors and the tribe – stood atop Cushman Dam No. 2 on Friday afternoon to celebrate a quadrupling of water flow into the river (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/303575.html

Salmon fishing ban mulled in California as run suffers record plunge (Sacramento Bee, may require free registration)
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/772762.html

Federal aid sought in decline of salmon (Sacramento Bee, may require free registration)
http://www.sacbee.com/378/story/767349.html

Modesto Bee OpEd – What's happening in the ocean affects salmon the most – Blaming a favorite scapegoat, water agencies that supply our cities and farms, while ignoring scientific evidence is irresponsible and won't bring back the salmon
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/community/story/234305.html

Shellfish Growers Submit Properties to Court – At least 75 shellfish growers in Western Washington have filed documents to bring them under a $33 million settlement with 17 area tribes. (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/09/shellfish-growers-submit-properties-to-court/

Tacoma to replace reservoirs – Tacoma Water will replace huge reservoirs on South Hill to protect the drinking water of the city’s 200,000 residents from bird droppings, insect eggs and algae that sometimes produce water that stinks or tastes foul. (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/303577.html

Purple pipe dream: Reclaimed water for lawns at riverfront parks (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080307/NEWS04/371400350/1005

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Lawsuit aims to stop wind farm near Columbia River Gorge (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/03/03072008_Lawsuit-aims-to-stop-wind-farm-near-Columbia-River-Gorge.cfm?newsletter=1

Pepsi installs second-largest Northwest solar electric system (Associated Press, Via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1268325~Pepsi_installs_second_largest_Northwest_solar_electric_system.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Southern California Edison breaks ground on wind farm to power 3 million homes (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8490557?source=rss&nclick_check=1

Amid the debate, energy gets cleaner (Seattle Times – note the oblique book plug)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004270167_warming09.html

Ahem, pardon me? Solar Energy Firms Leave Waste Behind in China “…the byproduct of polysilicon production -- silicon tetrachloride -- is a highly toxic substance that poses environmental hazards…” (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/08/AR2008030802595.html?nav=rss_business

Ireland: Where wind power is king (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9888020-54.html

CONSERVATION

Energy Star rules get tougher (News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/303656.html

Not Just for Tree Huggers – Despite the free fall in housing prices nationwide, green homes are still red hot. (Newsweek – well, when ecoterrorists aren’t burning them down, that is. What an unfortunate headline)!
http://www.newsweek.com/id/120128?from=rss

Officials want to turn out the lights, save money (Detroit Free Press)
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080310/NEWS04/803100327

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Studies cite risk of fossil-fuel use – Cutting greenhouse-gas emissions enough to avert a dangerous rise in global temperatures may be far more difficult than previous research suggested (The Washington Post, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004271902_warming10.html

Bill sets goal of 2020 for cutting greenhouse gases – The legislation, which awaits the governor's signature, also calls for more "green" jobs. (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080309/NEWS01/688695974&news01ad=1

Seattle Times Editorial – The Evergreen State in more than name – No more good intentions. Washington state is committed to a purposeful response to climate change.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2004269444_climed09.html

Utility execs: Global warming fix not that pricey (Miami Herald, thanks to Dean Boyer @ WPUDA)
http://www.miamiherald.com/business/v-print/story/445715.html##

Canada – British Columbians don't like carbon tax – Poll shows we want climate change fixed, but we don't want to pay any money for it (Victoria Times-Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=01663659-831b-4375-ab15-fa99d489bc4e&k=78491

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Gorge's high-tech high life – The lifestyle lures workers, and the job growth lifts the area (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1204943117105180.xml&coll=7

Internet activity is tracked more than we realize (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004271898_internet.html

Greener cell power presents challenges – When wireless industry technicians speak of "green" cell towers these days, they're not just talking about making them look more like trees. (Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080307/ap_on_hi_te/cell_towers_green_4

Connection problems – 59% of Canadians feel anxious without the Net – 'Internet addiction" and "CrackBerry" are the narcotic-laced phrases we invariably use to explain our growing dependence on laptops and PDAs. (National Post)
http://www.nationalpost.com/newsletter/story.html?id=364219

GENERAL NEWS

BELFAIR CLINIC LOCATION ANNOUNCED – Harrison Medical Center has announced the location where it will build a medical clinic in Belfair. That location is on Highway 3 near the intersection with Romance Hill Road. The 7,300 square foot building will be built and owned by Rick Krueger. Harrison will lease the facility for ten years. Last week, Mason County Public Hospital District Number Two Commissioners signed a service agreement with Harrison to operate the clinic for ten years providing primary and urgent care to North Mason residents. Krueger will apply for building permits immediately with construction expected to be completed by the first of 2009. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)

Arson at 'Green' Homes Points To Environmentalist Divisions – Some Consider Even Eco-Friendly Housing Invasive (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/08/AR2008030802371.html?nav=rss_business

Lobbyists spent $4.2 in January on Legislature (The News Tribune, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1269345~Lobbyists_spent__4_2_in_January_on_Legislature.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

In Tanker Bid, It Was Boeing vs. Bold Ideas (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/business/worldbusiness/10tanker.html?_r=1&ex=1362888000&en=d9f6274b04552318&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

It’s hybrid vehicles to the rescue for state and local governments (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/383352.html

DIVERSIONS

Bonney Lake Girl In Clinton's '3 a.m.' Ad Now 17, Supports Obama
http://www.kirotv.com/news/15547526/detail.html

Chinese Wife Burns 400 Cell Phones After Husband Walks Out
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/15527479/detail.html

Eugene, Ore., police think better of arresting horde of naked bikers
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080310/NEWS03/552096439/-1/RSS01