Energy News Digest for June 18, 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)

- Grays Harbor PUD – Bonneville classification could sink deal for cogeneration at Cosmopolis Pulp Mill
- Final vote set for 17-year Chelan PUD-Alcoa power contract
- Michigan utility may face scrutiny over response to outages
- Grays Harbor County PUD bills will change
- McNary Dam to hold open house
- Energy Pulse Commentary – "Politics": How Do Regulators Respond?
- Port Angeles workers "round up" utiilty awards try at lineman rodeo
- U.S. plan to balance Northwest salmon and dams is challenged
- Columbia producing lots of sockeye, Chinook
- Federal agencies to evaluate state of the nation's water
- Plain ol’ tap water now all the rage
- Study: Solar energy cost will plummet by 2025
- Senate blocks debate of clean energy tax credits
- Nev. senator seeks renewable energy development
- FERC approves NYISO plan to integrate wind power
- FLORIDA – Soaring utility bills in Tallahassee spark conservation efforts
- OREGON – Governor Kulongoski Says Improving Energy Efficiency Is Vital
- Avoid being 'green-washed'
- Class Tests Carbon Trading, With Troubling Results “…as students put in a position to manipulate the market do so all on their own…”
- CANADA – Most oppose carbon tax
- Congressional Research Service – Climate Change: Current Issues and Policy Tools
- GEORGIA – Thieves target cable amplifier boxes
- Verizon speeding up FiOS Internet service
- We Heart Data Center Engineers
- North Mason Schools to Seek Bond, and Levy, in 2009
- Former L&I Director of The Safety And Compliance Section Admits Supplying Drugs To Teen
- Public Servants Flee Tough Oregon Ethics Laws

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

WORD OF THE DAY

Mansuetude • \MAN-swih-tood\ • noun – The quality or state of being gentle: meekness, tameness

The sweet little wildcat’s apparent mansuetude was belied by the constant twitching of its stubby tail. Unfortunately for Ambrose, and fortunately for his reconstructive surgeon, it was noticed too late to avoid the inevitable lashing out of the irritated cat.

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

Grays Harbor PUD – Bonneville classification could sink deal for cogeneration at Cosmopolis Pulp Mill (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/06/17/local_news/03news.txt

Final vote set for 17-year Chelan PUD-Alcoa power contract (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080617/NEWS04/310508503

Michigan utility may face scrutiny over response to outages (The Associated Press, via AOL Money & Finance)
http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/mich-utility-may-face-scrutiny-over/n20080613183609990004?cid=1214

Grays Harbor County PUD bills will change (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/06/17/local_news/02news.txt

McNary Dam to hold open house – Non-U.S. citizens who want to see secured areas of the dam must register by Friday (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2008/06/17/local_news/080617local03mcnarydamtour.txt

Energy Pulse Commentary – "Politics": How Do Regulators Respond?
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1768

Port Angeles workers "round up" utiilty awards try at lineman rodeo (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.konp.com/local/3733

FISH & WILDLIFE

U.S. plan to balance Northwest salmon and dams is challenged – Conservation and fishing groups file complaint in court (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/367379_salmondams18.html

Columbia producing lots of sockeye, Chinook (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/outdoors/story/391876.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Federal agencies to evaluate state of the nation's water (The Associated Press, via the Contra Costa Times, Walnut Grove, CA)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_9617248?source=rss

Plain ol’ tap water now all the rage (The Associated Press, via the News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/391896.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Study: Solar energy cost will plummet by 2025 (Nashville Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2008/06/16/daily28.html?ana=from_rss

Senate blocks debate of clean energy tax credits (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1730263720080617

Nev. senator seeks renewable energy development (The Associated Press, via Forbes.com)
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/06/18/ap5128877.html

FERC approves NYISO plan to integrate wind power (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=331960&C=ENVIR&dcmp=rss

CONSERVATION

FLORIDA – Soaring utility bills in Tallahassee spark conservation efforts (The Tallahassee Democrat, FL)http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080618/BREAKINGNEWS/80616013

OREGON – Governor Kulongoski Says Improving Energy Efficiency Is Vital (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2363-kulongoski-says-improving-energy-efficiency-vital/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Avoid being 'green-washed' (KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/20181229.html

Class Tests Carbon Trading, With Troubling Results “…as students put in a position to manipulate the market do so all on their own…” (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91625716&ft=1&f=3

CANADA – Most oppose carbon tax – Anti-tax sentiment a potential threat to Liberals ahead of election, pollster says (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=0c50aa7d-d414-4eb6-8b86-843d2ef28cad

Congressional Research Service – Climate Change: Current Issues and Policy Tools
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RL34513

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

GEORGIA – Thieves target cable amplifier boxes – Comcast equipment taken from Cobb neighborhoods (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, GA)
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/cobb/stories/2008/06/17/cable_box_thefts.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=13

Verizon speeding up FiOS Internet service (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008003218_verizonfios18.html?syndication=rss

We Heart Data Center Engineers (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/06/17/we-heart-data-center-engineers/

GENERAL NEWS

North Mason Schools to Seek Bond, and Levy, in 2009 (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jun/17/north-mason-schools-to-seek-bond-and-levy-in/

Former L&I Director of The Safety And Compliance Section Admits Supplying Drugs To Teen (KIRO-TV, Seattle, WA)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/16637600/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=news

Public Servants Flee Tough Oregon Ethics Laws (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91606626&ft=1&f=2

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Arkansas city releases shelter dogs into national forest
http://www.helena-arkansas.com/news/x1470883524/Arkansas-city-releases-shelter-dogs-into-national-forest

Reel fast: New track ready for riding lawnmower races
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080618/NEWS/806180301

Lemonade Stand Robbery Goes Sour – Suspect Arrested On Felony Charge
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16631621/detail.html

Sometimes it rains cement
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSHAR75844520080617?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Teacher fired for running from quake school “…Paging George Costanza…”
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN1735552720080617?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews