Energy News Digest for March 24, 2009

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.

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TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Intalco Says Plant Could Close Without Power Deal
- Natural Gas, Suddenly Abundant, Is Cheaper
- Tribes Want Policies to Help Them Aid Nation’s Hydropower Needs
- Tribes, Environmentalists Fight E. Idaho Gas Plant
- Detroit Electric bills may jump 11 % this year
- Michigan Residents Worried Energy Rate Hikes Will Leave Them in Dark
- DTE Energy CEO gets compensation of $7M in 2008
- Minn. Farmers, Rural Electric Associations at Odds
- Power to the People: 7 Ways to Fix the Grid, Now
- Birds vs. Utilities: In This Springtime Battle, the Parakeets Appear to Be Winning
- Why Don't We Bury More Power Lines?
- Cedar River Salmon Recovery Project Falls Apart
- Salmon and Culverts at Heart of Legal Battle between Tribes, Washington State
- 2017 Is just around the Corner - Time is running out for salmon
- NY Times Op-Ed - Cat Got Your Fish?
- NOAA Set for Larger Policy Role under First Female Chief
- NOAA Chief Believes in Science as Social Contract
- Bremerton in Line to Get $6 Million for Water Quality
- Livestock Water Bills Go Nowhere
- New Oregon Water Rules May Cost Bend $22M
- Grays Harbor County PUD Looking at Local Hydro Projects
- Clark PUD Nears 20-Year Deal to Buy Wind Power
- Renewable Energy vs. Wilderness - Environmentalists in a Clash of Goals
- California Senator Seeks to Block Solar Power from Desert Lands
- In Fight Over Clean Energy, Will 'Environmentalists' Stand With Science?
- Oregon - Wind Farm Proposed Near Helix
- 'Green' Energy Threatens B.C. Rivers, Report Warns
- The Price of Being Green
- North Central Washington Braces for an Alternative Energy Future
- Detroit News Editorial - Editorial: Consumers will pay costs of going green
- The Dirty Green (Transmission) Line
- In A Sluggish Economy, Wind Energy Is Strong
- Are Microwave Ovens Good for the Environment?
- Montana - Energy Conservation Discussed In Helena
- Of Clean Tech and Thomas Edison
- E.P.A. Moves toward Regulating Greenhouse Gases
- Climate Change 'Big Priority' For Energy Commission Chief
- GOP Re-Names Climate Change Bill - Now It's an 'Energy Tax'!
- Washington Post Editorial - Regulating Carbon
- Climate Change Myths and Facts
- Chicago taxpayers on hook for carbon credits that do little to fight global warming
- Climate Change Comes To Your Backyard
- 2009 Oregon Legislature - Area to Thrive Despite Climate Change
- EPA: Global Warming Threatens Public Health, Welfare
- Urban Residents Generate Lower Co2 Emissions than Suburbanites
- "Unafraid" Of Internet, China Appears to Block YouTube
- Oregon Woman Dies after Diving Accident near Hoodsport
- Expect Traffic To Double On Highway 101 During Bridge Closure
- Earmark for Weather Radar Delights Pros, Amateurs
- Red Flags That Muni Investors Can’t See?
- Legislators to Use Their Newsletters to Campaign For A Tax Increase?
- Senator Proposes Nonprofit Status for Newspapers
- Colbert Wins NASA Space Station Name Contest
- Boy Accused of Flatulence, Banned From Bus
- Dog Eats Cash, Owner Picks up Deposits

WORD OF THE DAY

Ignoble • \ig-NOH-bul\ • adjective – 1: Of low birth or common origin *2: characterized by baseness, lowness, or meanness

Darkness seeped into the sparely furnished sitting room in London’s east end. Two scurrilous looking men were conferring in low tones, their battered and stained teacups clinking like gunshots in the silent domicile. Their ignoble motives were obvious to the short-lived housefly, who hovered over the hastily drawn bomb plans that had been scrawled on the wrinkled, discolored piece of foolscap on the table.

(Hello Bulwer-Lytton Prize Committee!)

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Intalco Says Plant Could Close Without Power Deal (The Bellingham Herald, WA)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/839687.html

Natural Gas, Suddenly Abundant, Is Cheaper (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/21/business/energy-environment/21gas.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Tribes Want Policies to Help Them Aid Nation’s Hydropower Needs (Indian Country Today)
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/politics/41561732.html

Tribes, Environmentalists Fight E. Idaho Gas Plant (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/797193.html

Detroit Electric bills may jump 11 % this year - users could pay an average of $7-$10 more a month by July (The Detroit News, MI)
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090323/BIZ/903230384/1409/Electric+bills+may+jump+11+++this+year

Michigan Residents Worried Energy Rate Hikes Will Leave Them in Dark (WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI)
http://www.wlns.com/Global/story.asp?S=10060023&nav=menu25_2

DTE Energy CEO gets compensation of $7M in 2008 (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/03/23/financial/f165816D75.DTL&feed=rss.business

Minn. Farmers, Rural Electric Associations at Odds (Associated Press)
http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D97278NG2

Power to the People: 7 Ways to Fix the Grid, Now (Wired Magazine)
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/17-04/gp_intro

Birds vs. Utilities: In This Springtime Battle, the Parakeets Appear to Be Winning (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/nyregion/connecticut/22birdsct.html?_r=1

Why Don't We Bury More Power Lines? (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/03/why-dont-we-bury-more-power-lines?src=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Cedar River Salmon Recovery Project Falls Apart (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18975303/detail.html

Salmon and Culverts at Heart of Legal Battle between Tribes, Washington State (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/mar/21/salmon-and-culverts-heart-legal-battle-between-tri/?partner=RSS

2017 Is just around the Corner - Time is running out for salmon (High Country News, CO)
http://www.hcn.org/wotr/2017-is-just-around-the-corner

NY Times Op-Ed - Cat Got Your Fish? The use of wild fish in animal feed is a serious problem for the world’s food systems (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/opinion/22greenberg.html

NOAA Set for Larger Policy Role under First Female Chief (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/20/AR2009032003295.html?wprss=rss_politics

NOAA Chief Believes in Science as Social Contract (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/science/earth/24prof.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Bremerton in Line to Get $6 Million for Water Quality (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/mar/23/bremerton-on-short-list-to-receive-6-million-for/

Livestock Water Bills Go Nowhere (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/legislature/story/793174.html

New Oregon Water Rules May Cost Bend $22M - State considering changes to drinking water systems to comply with EPA rules (Bend Bulletin, OR)
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090320/NEWS0107/903200404/-1/rss

RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Grays Harbor County PUD Looking at Local Hydro Projects (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/03/23/local_news/01news.txt

Clark PUD Nears 20-Year Deal to Buy Wind Power (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090324/NEWS02/703249957/

Renewable Energy vs. Wilderness - Environmentalists in a Clash of Goals (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/science/earth/24ecowars.html

California Senator seeks to block solar power from desert lands (Associated Press)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090321/NEWS02/703219921/1025/rss1025

Canada - In The Fight Over Clean Energy, Will 'Environmentalists' Stand With Science? (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/Technology/fight+over+clean+energy+will+environmentalists+stand+with+science/1419071/story.html

Oregon - Wind Farm Proposed Near Helix (East Oregonian, Hermiston, OR)
http://www.eastoregonian.info/main.asp?SectionID=13&SubSectionID=48&ArticleID=90444&TM=40821.76

'Green' Energy Threatens B.C. Rivers, Report Warns - Run-of-river power proposals that divert streams feared a significant impact on wildlife habitat (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/Technology/Green+energy+threatens+rivers+report+warns/1417712/story.html

The Price of Being Green - Can we still afford to invest in an environmentally friendly economy? (Newsweek Magazine)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/190710?from=rss

North Central Washington Braces for an Alternative Energy Future (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090320/NEWS04/703219996/-1/BIZ?Power-for-the-people--NCW-braces-for-an-alternative-energy-future

Detroit News Editorial - Editorial: Consumers will pay costs of going green
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090324/OPINION01/903240323/1008/Editorial++Consumers+will+pay+costs+of+going+green

The Dirty Green (Transmission) Line - Erecting new transmission lines for solar and wind power is a boon to coal-burning utilities and a drain on our wallets. What's an environmentalist to do? (Salon Magazine)
http://www.salon.com/env/feature/2009/03/23/power_lines/

In A Sluggish Economy, Wind Energy Is Strong (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ARTCL&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=357010&C=ENVIR&dcmp=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Are Microwave Ovens Good for the Environment? Nuking your food to save the planet (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2214466/?from=rss

Montana - Energy Conservation Discussed In Helena (KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT)
http://www.ktvq.com/Global/story.asp?S=10060577

Of Clean Tech and Thomas Edison (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/of-clean-tech-and-thomas-edison/?partner=rss&emc=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

E.P.A. Moves toward Regulating Greenhouse Gases (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/science/earth/24epa.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Climate Change 'Big Priority' For Energy Commission Chief (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/20/AR2009032003194.html?hpid=moreheadlines

GOP Re-Names Climate Change Bill - Now It's an 'Energy Tax'! (Talking Points Memo – PG 13 warning for possible toxic language in comment section)
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/gopers-re-name-climate-change-bill----now-its-an-energy-tax.php

Washington Post Editorial - Regulating Carbon: EPA rules under the Clean Air Act aren't the way to do the job
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032302024.html?nav=rss_opinions

Climate Change Myths and Facts (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/20/AR2009032002660.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

Chicago's 'Green' Promise Fades - Chicago taxpayers on hook for carbon credits that do little to fight global warming (Chicago Tribune)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-daley-green-power-bd22-mar22,0,6177898.story

Climate Change Comes To Your Backyard (The Daily Climate)
http://wwwp.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/usda/climate-change-comes-to-your-backyard

2009 Oregon Legislature - Area to Thrive Despite Climate Change (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090320/LEGISLATURE/903200328/1001

EPA: Global Warming Threatens Public Health, Welfare (NY Times)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032301068.html?wprss=rss_politics

Urban Residents Generate Lower Co2 Emissions than Suburbanites (So why don’t we get a break? Yale Environment 360)
http://e360.yale.edu/content/digest.msp?id=1799

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

"Unafraid" Of Internet, China Appears to Block YouTube (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE52N1VN20090324?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

GENERAL NEWS

Oregon Woman Dies after Diving Accident near Hoodsport (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/mar/23/oregon-woman-dies-after-diving-accident-near/?partner=RSS

Expect Traffic To Double On Highway 101 During Bridge Closure - public forum is Wednesday in Quilcene (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/Main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=23727

Earmark for Weather Radar Delights Pros, Amateurs (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008902423_weather22m.html?syndication=rss

Red Flags That Muni Investors Can’t See? (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/business/22gret.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Are Legislators Trying To Clear The Way To Use Their Newsletters To Campaign For A Tax Increase This Fall? (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/politics/2009/03/24/are_legislators_trying_to_clear_the_way_

Senator Proposes Nonprofit Status for Newspapers (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008914628_apnonprofitnewspapers.html?syndication=rss

DIVERSIONS

Colbert Wins NASA Space Station Name Contest
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hVxsBGs7scxZSkcCE1cL2B4BlECAD974D8800

PG-13 For Scatological References - Boy Accused of Flatulence, Banned From Bus
http://www.kirotv.com/education/18973133/detail.html

Another Biomass-Related Story - Dog Eats Cash, Owner Picks Up Deposits: Doggie Downs $400 in Overtime Pay
http://www.kirotv.com/money/18974287/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

The Beatles - With A Little Help from My Friends (1967 – Original)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBDF04fQKtQ

Joe Cocker - With a Little Help from My Friends (1968 – Cover)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekta6EKhb2g