Energy News Digest for April 1, 2009 - Mostly Fool Free

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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Windy Conditions Tuesday Cause Mason County Power Outages
- PUD Directs Rate Hike Ire at Bonneville Power
- Wenatchee World Op/Ed – Chelan PUD: The Unlikely Has Happened
- Franklin PUD Office Expanding
- Alcoa to Reduce Production at New York Plant
- Alcoa Stock Up On Upgrade, Takeover Speculation
- Aluminum Assistance - Sverdlovsk Governor Stands Up for RusAl
- China Increases Tax Rebates for Steel, Aluminum and Copper
- McCain to Push Yucca Closure, Ratepayer Refunds
- Scientists Take another Stab at Nuclear Fusion
- Job Losses from Obama Green Stimulus Foreseen in Spanish Study
- PG&E Reminds Customers to Call before You Dig
- Tucson Electric Power Offers Spring Electrical Safety Tips
- Court Sides with Power Plants over Fish
- Salmon Seasons Strong
- Columbian Editorial - Saving Salmon
- Humane Society Again Sues to Stop the Columbia River Sea Lion Cull
- NY Times Editorial - State of the Birds
- Lewis County: Revised Flood Bill 'A Disaster'
- Congressmen Want More Water for California Farmers
- Franklin PUD Going Solar
- Wind Turbine Project Brings Jobs to Tri-Cities Region
- Duke Launches Wyoming Wind-Power Project
- Green-Tech Investment Dollars Plummet
- Green Power Purchases Targeted To Wind, Solar
- Pacific Ethanol Posts $146M Loss in 2008
- US Senate Panel Debates Energy Efficiency Bills
- LED Lights Could Save Some San Jose Streets from Dark Streets
- Save Money – Insulate
- Democrats Unveil Ambitious Global Warming Bill
- Highlights of Draft Bill to Curb Global Warming
- House Climate Bill Aims to Please Environmental and Business Interests
- Coal Is Winner Even In 'Green' Congress
- Scientists: Less Ice on Great Lakes during Winter
- Editor's Column: Climate Change Means Less Lawn Mowing
- Experts See Early Activity from Conficker Worm
- Anti-Community Broadband Bills Return
- More Snow in the Forecast
- Belfair Man Injured in Shooting near Lake Cushman
- Mason County Continuing Discussions on Budget Reductions
- Budget Negotiators in Olympia Now Must Work Out Deal
- Washington State Auditor: Budget Change Unfair to Voters
- Mason County Moving Forward with Repairs to Storm Damaged Roads
- Commerce Secretary Sounds Off On Trade, Census
- Sports-Talk Radio Wars Begin in Seattle on Opening Day
- U.S. Plans to Drop Case against Former Senator from Alaska

WORD OF THE DAY

Funner • \FUNN-err \ • noun – 1: providing more entertainment, amusement, or enjoyment 2: full of fun: more pleasant

The scraping of sharpening stone against metal, the twanging of new strings being tested on yew-wood bows, the barking of captains and generals drifted over the field of battle at Lexicographer’s Pass. The battle would be joined under dark, looming clouds over whether the armed forces would have more fun in their fierce vocation…or if the coming clash would be funner for them all. Let the carnage begin.

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

Windy Conditions Tuesday Cause Mason County Power Outages (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=533

PUD Directs Rate Hike Ire at Bonneville Power (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/03/31/local_news/01news.txt

Wenatchee World Op/Ed – Chelan PUD: The Unlikely Has Happened
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090331/OP03/703319869/-1/OP

Franklin PUD Office Expanding (Tri City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/915/story/528791.html

Alcoa to Reduce Production at New York Plant (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/03/31/financial/f132557D34.DTL&feed=rss.business

Alcoa Stock Up On Upgrade, Takeover Speculation (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/innovationNews/idUSTRE52U6GF20090331

Aluminum Assistance - Sverdlovsk Governor Stands Up for RusAl (Moscow Times, Russia)
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/375842.htm

China Increases Tax Rebates for Steel, Aluminum and Copper (MetalMiner)
http://agmetalminer.com/2009/03/31/china-increases-tax-rebates-for-many-steel-aluminum-and-copper/

McCain to Push Yucca Closure, Ratepayer Refunds (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/03/31/31greenwire-mccain-to-push-yucca-closure-ratepayer-refunds-10365.html

Scientists Take another Stab at Nuclear Fusion (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/01/MN7M16QB7I.DTL&feed=rss.news

Job Losses from Obama Green Stimulus Foreseen in Spanish Study - For every new position that depends on energy price supports, at least 2.2 jobs in other industries will disappear (Bloomberg News)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a2PHwqAs7BS0

Pacific Gas and Electric Company Reminds Customers to Call before You Dig (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&id=108452

Tucson Electric Power Offers Spring Electrical Safety Tips (FOX Business)
http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/tep-offers-spring-electrical-safety-tips/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Court Sides with Power Plants over Fish (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/nationworld/story/805705.html

Salmon Seasons Strong (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/03/31/local_news/04news.txt

Columbian Editorial - Saving Salmon: Scientific review group releases report with new ideas for protecting wild fish runs
http://columbian.com/article/20090401/OPINION02/704019961/-1/OPINION

Humane Society Again Sues to Stop the Columbia River Sea Lion Cull (PlanetSave)
http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/03/30/hsus-again-sues-to-block-the-columbia-river-sea-lion-cull/

NY Times Editorial - State of the Birds
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/opinion/01wed3.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Lewis County: Revised Flood Bill 'A Disaster' - Sen. Swecker Says Flood District Legislation He Sponsored Has Been Hijacked (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.outdoorslc.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1238519965&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

Congressmen Want More Water for California Farmers (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/03/31/financial/f121418D94.DTL&feed=rss.business

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Franklin PUD Going Solar (KNDO-TV, Tri Cities, WA)
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=10103914&nav=menu484_2

Wind Turbine Project Brings Jobs to Tri-Cities Region (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/527117.html

Duke Launches Wyoming Wind-Power Project (Triangle Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2009/03/30/daily32.html?ana=from_rss

Green-Tech Investment Dollars Plummet (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10209122-54.html?tag=nl.e703

Green Power Purchases Targeted To Wind, Solar (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2009-03-31-renewable-green-energy_N.htm

Pacific Ethanol Posts $146M Loss in 2008 (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/03/30/daily24.html?ana=from_rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

US Senate Panel Debates Energy Efficiency Bills (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE52U5C720090331

LED Lights Could Save Some San Jose Streets from Dark Streets (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12039787

Save Money – Insulate (The Valley Bugler, Longview, WA)
http://www.valleybugler.com/2009/04/save-money-insulate/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Democrats Unveil Ambitious Global Warming Bill (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/us/politics/01energycnd.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Highlights of Draft Bill to Curb Global Warming (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iHbTSzis_eQXMAddhWjPVkM2Nb4QD9796UN00

House Climate Bill Aims to Please Environmental and Business Interests (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/31/AR2009033103683.html

Coal Is Winner Even In 'Green' Congress (Washington Times)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/31/congress-goes-green-but-holds-on-to-coal/

Scientists: Less Ice on Great Lakes during Winter (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12042131

Editor's Column: Climate Change Means Less Lawn Mowing (Whidbey News-Times)
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/whidbey/wnt/opinion/42212812.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Experts See Early Activity from Conficker Worm (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/technology/internet/01virus.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Anti-Community Broadband Bills Return - Carriers take aim at North Carolina – again (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/AntiCommunity-Broadband-Bills-Return-101645

GENERAL NEWS

More Snow in the Forecast (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_033109WXB-gusty-winds-power-outages-TP.8cd6c207.html

Belfair Man Injured in Shooting near Lake Cushman (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/mar/31/belfair-man-injured-shooting-near-lake-cushman/?partner=RSS

Mason County Continuing Discussions on Budget Reductions (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6853/reftab/1632/t/COUNTY-CONTINUING-DISCUSSIONS-ON-BUDGET-REDUCTIONS/Default.aspx

Budget Negotiators in Olympia Now Must Work Out Deal (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008958723_housebudget01m0.html

Washington State Auditor: Change Unfair to Voters - Lawmakers' plan would take revenue citizens designated for audits to fund other programs
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/805397.html

Mason County Moving Forward With Repairs to Roads Damaged by December 2007 Storm (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6852/reftab/1632/t/COUNTY-MOVING-FORWARD-WITH-REPAIRS-TO-ROADS-DAMAGED-BY-DECEMBER-2007-STORM-/Default.aspx

Commerce Secretary Sounds Off On Trade, Census (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102572731&ft=1&f=2

Sports-Talk Radio Wars Begin in Seattle on Opening Day (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2008958798_radio01.html?syndication=rss

U.S. Plans to Drop Case against Former Senator from Alaska (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/04/01/washington/AP-Stevens-Justice.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

DIVERSIONS

Domino's Accidentally Gives Away 11,000 Pizzas in Bailout Promotion
http://consumerist.com/5193012/dominos-accidentally-gives-away-11000-pizzas-in-bailout-promotion

Game Causes Bomb Threat, Evacuations
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19054797/detail.html

2 Men Catch Toddler after 40-Foot Fall
http://www.kirotv.com/family/19049687/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Earth Wind & Fire - Shining Star/Head To The Sky @ Nobel Peace Prize Concert?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhYDjO2f0eY