Energy News Digest for May 7, 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)

- Centralia Steam Plant – TransAlta Seeks $21 Million in Damages from 2001 Crane Accident
- Court of appeals upholds ruling on Okanogan PUD impact statement for new transmission lines
- Power potpourri helps Puget Energy profit
- Portland General Electric receives OK for smart meters
- Washington State Deadline For Public Comment Extended On Heat Rules
- Sierra Club, GreenLaw and Friends of the Chattahoochee sue over Georgia power plant
- Australia – Energy privatization fears 'misplaced'
- Fishermen suspected after 6 sea lions are killed in Oregon
- Sea lion body found near Interstate 5 Bridge
- Sea lion deaths prompt security review at Bonneville Dam
- Agreement Reached In Suit Over Killing, Relocating Sea Lions
- City of Port Angeles settles with NOAA on illegal 2005 take of juvenile salmon
- Canada – Pro-salmon coalition takes British Columbia to court over fish farms
- News Release – Pikeminnow sport reward fishing begins
- Tri-City children send salmon swimming
- Olympian Op/Ed – Privatization of water supply not the solution to crisis
- Vandals put debris in Portland reservoir
- Eugene Water & Electric Board pursues cleanup of contaminated site near the Willamette River
- WA oyster dredge sinks in Grays Harbor; leaks fuel
- Cosmopolis Pulp mill in good condition
- Sequim, Battelle find way to expand utilities
- Attorneys general discuss energy issues at Coeur D’Alene Resort
- Wind glitch causes Missouri city to miss first green goal
- Amid uncertainty, U.S. wind industry installs 1,400 MW in 1st quarter
- Arizona in the running for up to 34 German solar projects
- Chinese to Rescue Russian Electricity Plans
- Coming to a mall near you: Power-generating windows
- California – Vegetable oil fuels cars and tax bills
- Is Ethanol To Blame for All Our Global Woes?
- News Tribune Opinion, Tacoma – A chance at last to undo the ethanol boondoggle
- Wal-Mart selects 20 state capitals for energy audits
- Eugene Register Guard Op/Ed – Offsets have a place in carbon control efforts
- Canadian politicians face test of courage on climate change
- Shareholders may mutiny against Yahoo
- Web peril where you least expect it
- 'Slow Internet,' the next green trend?
- 'Sanctuary city' motion dies in Olympia City Council meeting
- Mason County Citizens Will Have Input On Renaissance Faire
- Congress looking at steel pennies and nickels
- Irvine Robbins, 1917-2008: He created a flavor a day for ice cream lovers
- Flying Foul: Passengers Behaving Badly

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

WORD OF THE DAY

Beau geste • \bow-ZHEST\ • noun – *1: a graceful or magnanimous gesture 2: an ingratiating conciliatory gesture

The Geste boys were in trouble. Mike, John and Digby had not only wound up at the most miserable fort in the French Foreign Legion, Fort Zinderneuf, but they had a commanding officer that made Captain Bligh look like Sergeant Bilko. In the end, it was the “beau geste” of Mike that made everything wonderful again. (I think the original “Beau Geste” and the Original “Four Feathers” are among some of my favorite movies)

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

Centralia Steam Plant – TransAlta Seeks $21 Million in Damages from 2001 Crane Accident – No Electricity Could Be Produced for Nearly Five Days at Centralia Plant (The Daily Chronicle, Centralia)
http://www.chronline.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1210095887&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1&

Court of appeals upholds ruling on Okanogan PUD impact statement for a new electrical transmission line and substation between Pateros and Twisp (Omak Chronicle)
http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n080506a.shtml

Power potpourri helps Puget Energy profit – Puget Energy's push to increase its wind, coal and natural-gas generation paid off last quarter with a slightly higher profit even as a shortfall in regional hydropower crimped earnings at most utilities. (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004396956_pugetenergy07.html?syndication=rss

Portland General Electric receives OK for smart meters (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/05/05/daily24.html?ana=from_rss

Washington State Deadline For Public Comment Extended On Heat Rules (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8281902

Sierra Club, GreenLaw and Friends of the Chattahoochee sue over Georgia power plant (Atlanta Business Chronicle)
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/05/05/daily30.html?ana=from_rss

Australia – Energy privatization fears 'misplaced' (Sydney Morning Herald)
http://news.smh.com.au/energy-privatisation-fears-misplaced/20080507-2br0.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Fishermen suspected after 6 sea lions are killed in Oregon (The Associated Press)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hcSH4Kef7EHVeRa_HnuHHgR2vRMgD90GDNKG0

Sea lion body found near Interstate 5 Bridge – Another dead sea lion turned up in the Columbia River on Tuesday, this one floating past the Interstate 5 Bridge (The Columbian)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/05/05072008_Sea-lion-body-found-near-Interstate-5-Bridge.cfm

Sea lion deaths prompt security review at Bonneville Dam – No more animals will be trapped as wildlife officials investigate the shootings that occurred in a restricted area (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/121004610769470.xml&coll=7

Agreement Reached In Suit Over Killing, Relocating Sea Lions (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16180280/detail.html?treets=sea&tml=sea_break&ts=T&tmi=sea_break_1_06110205062008

City of Port Angeles settles with NOAA on illegal 2005 take of juvenile threatened Puget Sound Chinook Salmon (KONP Radio, Port Angeles)
http://www.konp.com/local/3606

Canada – Pro-salmon coalition takes British Columbia to court over fish farms – Debate over the future of fish farming on British Columbia's coast moved from skirmishing in scientific journals to a full-blown court battle Tuesday. (Vancouver Sun)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=fe0446e8-1531-458c-bb6b-66c31a112fd3

News Release – Pikeminnow sport reward fishing begins; angling tips and close encounters with the salmon eater Wednesday, May 7 (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/201467/

Tri-City children send salmon swimming (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/901/story/177258.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Olympian Op/Ed – Privatization of water supply not the solution to crisis
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/441268.html

Vandals put debris in Portland reservoir (Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1378390~Vandals_put_debris_in_Portland_reservoir.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Eugene Water & Electric Board pursues cleanup of contaminated site near the Willamette River east of downtown (Eugene Register Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=98719&sid=4&fid=2

WA oyster dredge sinks in Grays Harbor; leaks fuel (Associated Press, via the Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/441202.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Cosmopolis Pulp mill in good condition – The mill is in good condition for a 52-year-old facility, according to inspections performed for the Grays Harbor PUD (The Daily World, Aberdeen)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/05/06/local_news/02news.txt

Sequim, Battelle find way to expand utilities – Faced with a proposal that promises to bring upward of 200 clean, green jobs to town, the City Council all but flung its urban-growth gate open this week (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080507/NEWS/805070305

Attorneys general discuss energy issues at Coeur D’Alene Resort (Coeur D’Alene Press)
http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2008/05/06/news/news04.txt

Wind glitch causes Missouri city to miss first green goal – Cracked windmill blades shut down nearly half of the turbines at wind farm (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CjpvunprTSjh%216C%29bfen%5Fv

Amid uncertainty, U.S. wind industry installs 1,400 MW in 1st quarter (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=328006&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Arizona in the running for up to 34 German solar projects (Phoenix Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/05/05/daily23.html?ana=from_rss

Chinese to Rescue Russian Electricity Plans – Chinese engineers are coming to the rescue of the electricity sector, as outgoing President Vladimir Putin backs a five-year expansion plan that will rival Lenin's drives to electrify the nation (The Moscow Times, thanks to Kevin O’Meara for the tip...)
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/1009/42/362537.htm

Coming to a mall near you: Power-generating windows (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9937182-54.html?tag=nl.e433

California – Vegetable oil fuels cars and tax bills – Diesel owners who switch to cooking grease can run afoul of the law. Just ask the governor (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-vegoil6-2008may06,0,5791535.story

Is Ethanol To Blame for All Our Global Woes? (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/ate/story?id=52358&src=rss

News Tribune Opinion, Tacoma – A chance at last to undo the ethanol boondoggle
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/354114.html

CONSERVATION

Wal-Mart selects 20 state capitals for energy audits (Nashua Telegraph)
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080507/NEWS02/379310879

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Eugene Register Guard Op/Ed – Offsets have a place in carbon control efforts http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/dt.cms.support.viewStory.cls?cid=98214&sid=5&fid=2

Canadian politicians face test of courage on climate change (Victoria Times Colonist)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/comment/story.html?id=c11977b8-408f-422d-ad8e-e316635e95d4

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Shareholders may mutiny against Yahoo – Angry over takeover strategy (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/362044_yahooboard07.html

Web peril where you least expect it – With no reliable way to tell, even popular sites being attacked (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/362070_webinsecurity07.html?source=rss

'Slow Internet,' the next green trend? (CNET News)
http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9937769-54.html?tag=nl.e703

GENERAL NEWS

'Sanctuary city' motion dies in Olympia City Council meeting (The Olympian)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/441423.html

MASON COUNTY CITIZENS WILL HAVE INPUT ON RENAISSANCE FAIRE – North Mason residents will get to comment on whether the Washington Renaissance Fantasy Faire should be held on Bear Creek-Dewatto Road this summer. Two Mission Lake residents came to the Mason County Commission meeting Tuesday to voice their concerns over the faire as they believed it was already approved without public input. Jim Powers and Anthony McCorsh told the commissioners that building on the property has begun and the organizers are already selling tickets. Commissioner Tim Sheldon told the pair that was not true and there is only a proposal to hold the Faire there. Also, the Faire still needs to go through the usual public process. The founder of the Faire, Ron Cleveland, hopes to move the event to 206 acres in North Mason County but residents have voiced several concerns including the impact to traffic, the conditions of local roads, and availability of emergency services. Last month at the North Mason Community Voice meeting, Sheldon suggested the Renaissance Faire be held at the Mason County Fairgrounds instead. (KMAS Radio, Shelton)

Congress looking at steel pennies and nickels – Copper and zinc are too expensive
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gQ_5aPTZvEsDV495atf27Iory8uwD90GCD2G1

Irvine Robbins, 1917-2008: He created a flavor a day for ice cream lovers (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/361972_obitrobbins07.html?source=rss

Flying Foul: Passengers Behaving Badly – Rude Neighbors, Messes Left In Seat Pockets Proliferate; Exploring the Revenge Motive – You'll never look at, or reach into, an airline seat-back pocket the same after reading this
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121002938540469015.html

DIVERSIONS

Driver chased by bat-wielding mob after Kelso park rampage (you don’t want to tick these people off…they have BASEBALL BATS you idiot!)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_050608WAB_kelso_park_rampage_LJ.d8e1f135.html

The Claim: Running Outdoors Burns More Calories
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/health/06real.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Pit Bull Gets Stuck In Engine Of Truck – Man Had Just Paid $1,000 To Fix Truck (Larry Lujack at WLS would be proud!)
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16182653/detail.html

Louisiana Prison Warden Says Black Bear Living On Prison Grounds Offers Extra Security
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16176221/detail.html

Chocolate Breath Helps Bremerton Police Nab Shoplifter
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16176531/detail.html