Energy News Digest for April 17, 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)

- Puget Energy moves a step closer to buyout
- FERC News Release – Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher's statement on Puget Energy, Inc
- $2 million Bonneville Power Administration settlement will delay PenLight rate increase
- US Supreme Court Will Hear Suit On Water Withdrawals for Power Plant Cooling
- North Carolina – Critics blast Duke Energy's plan to pass on option cost
- Grays Harbor County Cranberry Growers: Lack of electricity bad for cranberries
- FERC opens inquiry into its method of assessing annual regulatory charges from public utilities
- Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas developer fights land-use referendum
- Judge OKs plans to capture, kill sea lions on Columbia River
- Endangered – Oregon's salmon-fishing industry seemed poised to recover--until now
- Oregon’s coastal fishing industry headed for rough water
- California Judge: Feds failed to study how delta pumping affects salmon
- Where are the salmon? Looking at long-term trends, the ocean, and climate change for clues
- Outdoors Report: Columbia providing surge of Chinook action
- Columbia spring Chinook fishery to end Sunday
- Idaho – Agency hopes for local Chinook salmon season
- State releases rundown of marine sport salmon fishing seasons for 2008-09
- Safeway restricts Chilean salmon over concerns about a virus that is killing millions of fish there
- Watershed Moment – The death of a Montana dam
- Puget Partnership Begins Assessing Threats to Sound
- Sportsmen form new group to address energy development
- Olympia-area cities secure brewery water but price becomes sticking point
- Puget Sound Energy expanding wind farm near Ellensburg
- San Francisco hearings delay solar panel grants
- New York – Solar Company Finds Con Ed Not As Green As Advertised
- California – PG&E makes waves; public forum slated for alternative energy
- Investor put up $2.6 million to tinker with tidal power in U.S.
- The Coming Baseload Power Crisis
- Missouri – New study advances method to make energy from farm waste
- Pacific Gas and Electric pays customers $25 to use SmartAC switch
- Oregon – Gresham-Barlow School District named Energy Star Partner of Year
- President Bush revises strategy on greenhouse gases
- Bush to Present U.S. Goals at Paris Climate Talks
- New data reveal online video views are soaring
- Comcast to skip latest FCC network management hearing
- Comcast’s Concession to Net Neutrality
- San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – Public must fight to maintain net neutrality
- 2 out of 5 Cities Take Wi-Fi Back from EarthLink
- Long Island LI Wi-Fi Re-ignites Wireless Network Debate
- CBS Scores on the Web With March Madness
- Much of Oregon, SW Washington to see snow this weekend
- Copper thieves take Highway 16 wiring again
- Clean Air Agency Holding Hearing On Permit For Shelton Wood Pellet Facility

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

WORD OF THE DAY

Demarche • \day-MARSH\ • noun – 1a: a course of action: maneuver b: a diplomatic or political initiative or maneuver *2: a petition or protest presented through diplomatic channels

Bonaparte was befuddled. He had ordered the troops on his west flank to begin their demarche at 2:00 sharp, yet an hour after the deadline nothing had happened. Upon inspection he was horrified to find that his soldiers had all shed their clothes for an afternoon of sunbathing. “Don’t worry man,” said one of the men in his most soothing tones. “Once the sun is gone, we’ll be back in action.” And hence, the legend of the “Beach Bum Battalion” was born.

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

Puget Energy moves a step closer to buyout (The Seattle Times – Why is this man smiling? I mean, REALLY smiling?)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004354547_pse17.html

FERC News Release – Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher's statement on Puget Energy, Inc. (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
http://www.ferc.gov/news/statements-speeches/kelliher/2008/04-17-08-kelliher-E-12.asp

$2 million Bonneville Power Administration settlement will delay PenLight rate increase (The Peninsula Gateway)
http://www.gateline.com/104/story/1184.html

US Supreme Court Will Hear Suit On Water Withdrawals for Power Plant Cooling (Associated Press, via the Hartford Courant)
http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-ctapriver0415.artapr15,0,1634088.story?track=rss

North Carolina – Critics blast Duke Energy's plan to pass on option cost – As Duke Energy Corp. prepares to meet high power demand this summer, state regulators and consumer groups are balking at its request to charge customers for reserving electricity it might never use (Charlotte Observer)
http://www.charlotte.com/business/story/582773.html

Grays Harbor County Cranberry Growers: Lack of electricity bad for cranberries (The Daily World, Longview)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/04/16/local_news/08news.txt

FERC opens inquiry into whether its method of assessing annual regulatory charges from public utilities remains fair, or whether it should adopt a different one (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
http://www.ferc.gov/news/news-releases/2008/2008-2/04-17-08-E-24.asp

Oregon Liquefied Natural Gas developer fights land-use referendum (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1344276~LNG_developer_fights_land_use_referendum.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

WATER, FISH & THE ENVIRONMENT

Judge OKs plans to capture, kill sea lions on Columbia River (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1208402726146010.xml&coll=7

Endangered – Oregon's salmon-fishing industry seemed poised to recover--until now (Newsweek)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/132407?from=rss

Oregon’s coastal fishing industry headed for rough water – Congress should help promptly; sport anglers should prepare to share the pain (The Mail Tribune)
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080416/OPINION/804160329

California Judge: Feds failed to study how delta pumping affects salmon (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1345001~Judge__Feds_failed_to_study_how_delta_pumping_affects_salmon.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Where are the salmon? Looking at long-term trends, the ocean, and climate change for clues. (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oew-sydeman17apr17,0,7810667.story

Outdoors Report: Columbia providing surge of Chinook action (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/359347_out17.html

Columbia spring Chinook fishery to end Sunday (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/fishing/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/120840092197300.xml&coll=7

Idaho – Agency hopes for local Chinook salmon season – A fishing season for Chinook salmon returning to the Sawtooth hatchery above Stanley may be in the cards beginning in late June. (Challis Messenger)
http://www.challismessenger.com/index.php?accnum=story-12-20080417

State releases rundown of marine sport salmon fishing seasons for 2008-09 (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2004353559_salmonseasons16.html?syndication=rss

Safeway restricts Chilean salmon over concerns about a virus that is killing millions of fish there. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/world/americas/17chile.html?_r=1&ex=1366084800&en=70ac16af2763cfe5&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

Watershed Moment – The death of a Montana dam. (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2188979/?from=rss

Puget Partnership Begins Assessing Threats to Sound (Kitsap Sun, may require free registration)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/16/puget-partnership-begins-assessing-threats-to/

Sportsmen form new group to address energy development (San Diego Union-Tribune)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/outdoors/20080417-0647-wst-sportsmensgroup.html

Olympia-area cities secure brewery water but price becomes sticking point – The new owner of the former Olympia brewery is balking at an offer by Thurston County's three largest cities to pay $4.5 million for the rights to its water (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/421745.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Puget Sound Energy expanding wind farm near Ellensburg (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1346140~PSE_expanding_wind_farm_near_Ellensburg.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

San Francisco hearings delay solar panel grants – Solar-power advocates are frustrated that politics have so far stalled a modest investment of public money in a solar panel program as the city continues to fall behind others in California in its use of sun energy. (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/17/BAKD106OKI.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

New York – Solar Company Finds Con Ed Not As Green As Advertised – Con Edison Resists Connecting Solar Electric System in Scarsdale (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/story?id=52199&src=rss

California – PG&E makes waves; public forum slated for alternative energy (Humboldt Beacon)
http://www.humboldtbeacon.com/local/ci_8946335

Investor put up $2.6 million to tinker with tidal power in U.S. (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9920651-54.html?tag=nl.e703

The Coming Baseload Power Crisis (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/reinsider/story?id=52157&src=rss

Missouri – New study advances method to make energy from farm waste (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j7SBLnEtt_N5iWVL4_8T9QoyXMQQD903FE400

CONSERVATION

Pacific Gas and Electric pays customers $25 to use SmartAC switch (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/17/BUTH106L72.DTL&feed=rss.business

Oregon – Gresham-Barlow School District named Energy Star Partner of Year for conservation efforts – Schools save $1.3 million a year by using 50 percent less energy than average (The Gresham Outlook)
http://www.theoutlookonline.com/features/story.php?story_id=120831310918860200

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

President Bush revises strategy on greenhouse gases (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004352833_webclimatebush.html?syndication=rss

Bush to Present U.S. Goals at Paris Climate Talks (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89713249&ft=1&f=3

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

New data reveal online video views are soaring (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/04/16/financial/f164109D54.DTL&feed=rss.business

Comcast to skip latest FCC network management hearing – flap began over sharing on tin-pan alley music for barbershop quartets (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8947757?source=rss

Comcast’s Concession to Net Neutrality (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/comcasts-concession-to-net-neutrality/index.html?ex=1366171200&en=fc98b6ad6c2df18e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – Public must fight to maintain net neutrality
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/17/EDM11064UL.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

2 out of 5 Cities Take Wi-Fi Back from EarthLink – 3 cities left must figure out what to do about their EarthLink problems (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/2-out-of-5-Cities-Take-WiFi-Back-from-Earthlink-93667

Long Island LI Wi-Fi Re-ignites Wireless Network Debate – What does it take to get a big network up and running? (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/LI-WiFi-Reignites-Wireless-Network-Debate-93645

CBS Scores on the Web With March Madness (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/16/AR2008041603481.html?nav=rss_technology

GENERAL NEWS

Much of Oregon, SW Washington to see snow this weekend (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1346146~Much_of_Oregon__SW_Washington_to_see_snow_this_weekend.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Copper thieves take Highway 16 wiring again – Over the weekend, thieves stole 900 feet of wire (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_041608WAB_tacoma_wire_thieves_strike_again_TP.6dbd443e.html

CLEAN AIR AGENCY HOLDING HEARING ON PERMIT FOR SHELTON WOOD PELLET FACILITY – The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) is holding a public hearing at 6:30 tonight on the air pollution permit application for Coeur d'Alene Fibre Fuel to construct and operate a wood pellet production facility on John's Prairie. The construction of this $10 Million facility is underway. The company will be operating under the name Atlas Shelton and employ 15 people. Work on the facility's two buildings, a 20,000 square foot plant and a 23,000 square foot warehouse, is expected to be complete in June. The hearing tonight is on the pollution the plant is expected to produce and the techniques the company will use to reduce that pollution. The hearing is being held in the Mason County Commissioners' Chambers at 411 North Fifth Street in Shelton. The ORCAA Board is expected to approve the permit as the agency's staff has concluded the proposed facility is in compliance with applicable air regulations and those standards will likely be maintained. However, residents will have the opportunity to comment on the issue, again at 6:30 tonight. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)

DIVERSIONS

Romanian man rears lion in garden until neighbors complain
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080417/ap_on_fe_st/odd_romania_lion_in_garden;_ylt=ApSeuEAfG.SiOlpjd1MJbajtiBIF

Company receives hundred of 'smelly' gas calls
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080416/ap_on_fe_st/odd_smelly_gas;_ylt=AiiSut_lFR8gTxFoRAJW9rftiBIF

Thief deposits loot with victim – Three days after stealing a rare collection of coins, a thief in Germany took them to the bank for safe keeping -- and delivered them into the hands of the man he had robbed
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080415/od_nm/germany_thief_dc;_ylt=AkiOKY8rjXnxCWcWeOxnVhftiBIF

Cute and prickly hedgehogs latest pet fad
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080416/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_britain_pets_hedgehogs;_ylt=AnagkJQbRXgRe9jiVriTP_ntiBIF

Man dressed as a woman accused of crashing into shop
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080416/ap_on_fe_st/odd_cross_dresser_crash;_ylt=AioeWG3QESBZvcTgmSiKx0jtiBIF