Energy News Digest for September 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)

- LaGrande Observer Editorial – Keep a lid on natural gas hikes
- Chief Joseph Dam workers deployed to Atlanta for Ike, Hanna relief
- Environmental Compatibility Clean Coal Technology
- Wild-Oyster Reefs In Trouble
- Sockeye Salmon Returns – Photo-Op Journalism
- Waning Eastern Washington water source subject of meetings
- Dredging Capitol Lake more expensive than estuary
- Bonney Lake Water fees could be refunded
- CALIFORNIA – State gets serious about deepening drought
- EPA limits lawnmower emissions to stem pollution
- Renewable energy's biggest wish – tax breaks
- Al Gore's impossible plan for 100% renewable energy
- ALASKA – Wind turbines are popping up in Valley
- Weather puts German offshore wind farm on hold
- Ethanol: energy's golden child dodges more darts
- PENNSYLVANIA – Churches feel the heat over energy costs
- CANADA – Price a key factor in energy conservation
- Asian soot, smog may boost global warming in US
- Carbon cap and trade could backfire on the environment
- Ashland, Oregon Fiber Network chief resigns
- Comcast appeals FCC traffic-blocking ruling
- Qwest Stops Offering Support Via E-mail
- Was EarthLink's failed citywide Wi-Fi a blessing in disguise?
- Boeing's 'chances of dodging a strike look bleak'
- $4.8 million Hanford verdict award upheld
- Cosmopolis Police get a raise — when local pulp mill sells

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

WORD OF THE DAY

Haptic • \HAP-tick\ • adjective – 1: relating to or based on the sense of touch 2: characterized by a predilection for the sense of touch

Joe returned from his date determined to wear barbed wire clothing the next time, if there was another outing. His close-talking, haptic date had to be warned several times to sit on her own side of the table at dinner. Even after an “accidental” jab with his salad fork, the clueless dinner partner was unable or unwilling to get the message.

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

LaGrande Observer Editorial – Keep a lid on natural gas hikes (Oregon)
http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/Opinion/Editorials/Keep-a-lid-on-natural-gas-hikes

Chief Joseph Dam workers deployed to Atlanta for Ike, Hanna relief (The Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/NEWS04/709059992

Energy Pulse Commentary – Environmental Compatibility Clean Coal Technology
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=1818

FISH & WILDLIFE

Wild-Oyster Reefs In Trouble (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94290434&ft=1&f=2

Mountain Express Editorial – Sockeye Salmon Returns – Photo-Op Journalism (Sun Valley, ID)
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005122525

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Waning Eastern Washington water source subject of meetings (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/09/04/news/news05.txt

Dredging Capitol Lake more expensive than estuary (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/572981.html

Bonney Lake Water fees could be refunded – The city improperly charged developer for hookups, court says (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/472324.html

CALIFORNIA – State gets serious about deepening drought (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/05/BAJT12OAMA.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

EPA limits lawnmower emissions to stem pollution (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008158370_apmowerssmog.html?syndication=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Renewable energy's biggest wish – Despite promises of massive investment projects and fancy prizes, lawmakers are skimping on the one thing the renewable energy industry says it needs most - tax breaks (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/05/news/economy/renewable_tax_credit/index.htm?section=money_latest

Statesman Journal Op/Ed – Al Gore's impossible plan for 100% renewable energy (Salem, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/OPINION/80831010/1049/OPINION

ALASKA – Wind turbines are popping up in Valley – Residents try to cope with high costs even though a 2005 study panned wind power (Anchorage Daily News)
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/516710.html

Weather puts German offshore wind farm on hold (International Herald Tribune)
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/04/europe/EU-Germany-Windfarm-Delayed.php

Ethanol: energy's golden child dodges more darts (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008158610_apethanolsluster.html?syndication=rss

CONSERVATION

PENNSYLVANIA – Churches feel the heat over energy costs (The Observer-Reporter, Washington, PA)
http://www.observer-reporter.com/OR/Story/09-05-church-energy-workshop

CANADA – Price a key factor in energy conservation (Edmonton Journal, AB)
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=9072c178-efdd-4f23-aabc-9e9e357426c9

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Asian soot, smog may boost global warming in US (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008158926_apscioverlookedwarming.html?syndication=rss

Register Guard Op/Ed – Carbon cap and trade could backfire on the environment (Eugene, OR)
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005122525

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Ashland, Oregon Fiber Network chief resigns (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1571893~Ashland__Ore___Fiber_Network_chief_resigns.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Comcast appeals FCC traffic-blocking ruling (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10033376-38.html?tag=nl.e703

Qwest Stops Offering Support Via E-mail (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Qwest-Stops-Offering-Support-Via-Email-97495

Was EarthLink's failed citywide Wi-Fi a blessing in disguise? (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10033386-94.html?tag=nl.e703

GENERAL NEWS

Boeing's 'chances of dodging a strike look bleak' (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=55178724.blog

$4.8 million Hanford verdict award upheld – High court backs pipefitters fired for raising safety issue (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/377853_hanford05.html?source=rss

Cosmopolis Police get a raise — when local pulp mill sells (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/09/04/local_news/07news.txt

DIVERSIONS-ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER

Spokane man's suit claims popcorn led to lung disease – 'I would eat four to six bags a day'
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/377905_diacetyl05.html?source=rss

Family Racks Up $19,370 Cell Phone Bill
http://www.kirotv.com/money/17390103/detail.html

Texas UPS driver goes 1 million miles, no crashes
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080905/ap_on_fe_st/odd_million_miler_driver;_ylt=Ah9WuX_RMpI96UWym8rifDbtiBIF

Musical taste "defines personality"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080905/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_britain_music;_ylt=AgFyx2dtZfxofnt_FlFtZUbtiBIF

Boy doles out hundreds of fake $20 bills at school
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080905/ap_on_fe_st/odd_fake_money_school;_ylt=Agy8AIRCeiU1iW761NjjbEztiBIF

Black bear busts secret Utah pot farm
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_bear_pot_farm;_ylt=AomrPjZ8jGB_K5CtVUTFUsvtiBIF