Energy News Digest for May 15, 2009

The energy news digest is taking a li’l ol’ vacation down the Oregon coast May 18 & 19. Let’s hope sneaker waves and angry seal mommies aren’t among the dangers! All new stories will return on Wednesday, May 20.

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)

- Andrew Munro Named President of National Hydropower Association
- Former Montana Governor Joins Avista Board
- Fed Energy Chief Announces Billions for Clean Coal
- Areva Nuclear Fuel Plant Celebrates 40 Years in Richland
- Yucca Mountain: Dead and costly
- Oregon - Copper Wire Stolen From BPA Facility in Gold Beach
- Nine Cents per kWh – Montana Power Rates Lowest Since Summer
- Illinois - Ameren may seek rate increase to recoup storm recovery costs
- Utah's Energy Outlook is Surging
- California Raises Net Metering Cap to 10%
- A Way To Save Salmon, Or Just A Shift In Who Gets To Catch And Kill Them?
- Oregonian Op/Ed - Columbia River Salmon: Selective Fishing for All
- Chief Joseph Hatchery gets green light
- Restoring the River of Life
- Let the Hype Begin - Copper River Salmon Shipment Lands in Seattle
- A Little Taste of Fish, Bugs and Stream Work
- Chasing Rainbows, and Their Cousins, on North Carolina’s Trout Trail
- Olympian Editorial - Taylor, DNR Can Put Shellfish Case behind Them
- Gas Barge Scrapes Hull at the Dalles Lock
- Daily News Editorial - Channel-Deepening Finish Line in Sight
- East Oregon Snowpack Higher Than Average
- EPA Sued For Not Combating Ocean Acidification
- Tribe Remains Silent on N. Idaho Land Swap
- Corporate Green Supplants Corporate Greed
- In California, Desalination of Seawater as a Test Case
- Solar and Wind Groups Lobby FERC to Lead Grid Expansion
- Power Plants Eye North Florida Forests for Green Fuel
- Climate Change: Garbage Gets Fresh Look as Source of Energy
- Florida Town Closes the Loop on Poop Power
- Supporting Alternative Energy Companies Cuts Carbon Emissions
- 'Green' Light Bulbs Poison Workers
- Experts: Energy Vampires A Growing Threat
- LEDs, Lighting Efficiency, and the Rebound Effect
- House Approves 'Green Schools' Bill
- Study Halves Prediction of Rising Seas
- Congressional Climate Legislation Finds Democratic Opponents
- Ads Target Key Votes on Climate Bill
- Wall Street Journal Editorial - Indiana Says 'No Thanks' to Cap and Trade
- NY Times Op-Ed - Empire of Carbon
- Verizon May Reach 80% FiOS Penetration
- Verizon Deal Not Likely To Cost Jobs, Officials Say
- The Rise of the Rural Super Telco
- Frustration, Distress over Google Outage
- Shelton-Based Airplane - Report Rules Out Icing in 2007 Crash of Skydiver's Plane
- G.M. Notifying 1,100 Dealers That They Will Be Dropped
- GM Won't Release List of Dealers Cut From Corporate Network
- Map: Chrysler Dealers - Who's Getting Shut Down
- Port Of Tacoma Could Lay Off 20 Percent of Staff
- Mason County Taxable Retail Sales Down
- Rapid Rise in Some WASL Scores Suspicious
- Hood Canal - Navy to Study 2nd Trident Weapons Wharf at Bangor
- Kitsap Commissioners Moving Slowly on Forest Zoning Issue
- Gregoire: 'We Want To Be the Home of Aerospace'
- Effort to Oust Portland Mayor Kicks Off

WORD OF THE DAY

Unctuous • \UNK-choo-uss\ • adjective - 1. Of the nature or quality of an unguent or ointment; fatty; oily; greasy 2. Having a smooth, greasy feel, as certain minerals. 3. Insincerely or excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech; marked by a false or smug earnestness or agreeableness.

After spending four excruciating hours listening to the unctuous sales pitch from a “no money down” real estate shyster, Ambrose left the meeting with three things: a headache crying out for the strongest remedy he could find; a cheap combination flashlight, radio, can opener, espresso maker; and a strong desire for a long, hot shower with plenty of soap.

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

Andrew Munro Named President of National Hydropower Association (Columbia Basin herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/05/14/news/doc4a0c617a1b8bc468716338.txt

Former Montana Governor Joins Avista Board (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10363490

Fed Energy Chief Announces Billions for Clean Coal (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/15/national/w092716D66.DTL&feed=rss.business

Areva Nuclear Fuel Plant Celebrates 40 Years in Richland (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10366175

Yucca Mountain: Dead and costly - Killing major federal projects is easier said than done (Associated Press)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090514/NEWS02/705149878/1024/rss1024

Oregon - Copper Wire Stolen From BPA Facility in Gold Beach (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/copper_wire_is_stolen_from_bpa.html

Nine Cents per kWh – Montana Power Rates Lowest Since Summer (Billings Gazette, MT)
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/05/15/news/state/30-power.txt

Illinois - Ameren May Seek Rate Increase to Recoup Storm Recovery Costs (The Southern, Carbondale IL)
http://www.southernillinoisan.com/articles/2009/05/14/breaking_news/doc4a0cacfe8afec518149967.txt

Utah's Energy Outlook is Surging (Deseret News, Salt Lake City, UT)
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705303601,00.html

California Raises Net Metering Cap to 10% (Seeking Alpha)
http://seekingalpha.com/article/137842-california-raises-net-metering-cap-to-10

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregonian Op/Ed - A Way To Save Salmon, Or Just A Shift In Who Gets To Catch And Kill Them?
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/05/comment_of_the_day_4.html

Oregonian Op/Ed - Columbia River Salmon: Selective Fishing for All
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/05/columbia_river_salmon_selectiv.html

Chief Joseph Hatchery Gets Green Light (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090514/NEWS04/705149892?Chief-Joseph-Hatchery-gets-green-light

Restoring the River of Life - Undoing years of damage done by hydropower dams is a daunting task (Mother Nature Network)
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/restoring-the-river-of-life

Let the Hype Begin - Copper River Salmon Shipment Lands in Seattle (Associated Press)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_051509FOB-AP-copper-river-salmon-LJ.6711648.html?rss

A Little Taste of Fish, Bugs and Stream Work (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090514/NEWS04/705149863/1001/NEWS04

Chasing Rainbows, and Their Cousins, on North Carolina’s Trout Trail (NY Times)
http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/travel/escapes/15fly.html?partner=rss&emc=rsshttp://travel.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/travel/escapes/15fly.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Olympian Editorial - Taylor, DNR Can Put Shellfish Case behind Them
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/851521.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Gas Barge Scrapes Hull at the Dalles Lock (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/851992.html

Daily News Editorial - Channel-Deepening Finish Line in Sight (Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/05/15/editorial/doc4a0cacacb75ec696775370.txt

East Oregon Snowpack Higher Than Average (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2015785~E__Oregon_snowpack_higher_than_average.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

EPA Sued For Not Combating Ocean Acidification (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009220782_apwaimpairedocean.html?syndication=rss

Tribe Remains Silent on N. Idaho Land Swap (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/851829.html

Corporate Green Supplants Corporate Greed (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/168730.asp?source=pimail

In California, Desalination of Seawater as a Test Case (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/science/earth/15water.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Solar and Wind Groups Lobby FERC to Lead Grid Expansion (GreenTechGrid)
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/solar-and-wind-groups-lobby-ferc-to-lead-grid-expansion-5750/

Power Plants Eye North Florida Forests for Green Fuel - Companies are turning to trees as a green fuel as coal power becomes more expensive (Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville, FL – ya know, there’s a reason that there’s not much of “Sherwood Forest” left in England…)
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-05-15/story/power_plants_eye_north_florida_forests_for_green_fuel

Climate Change: Garbage Gets Fresh Look as Source of Energy (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124233937494621157.html#mod=rss_whats_news_us_business

Florida Town Closes the Loop on Poop Power (Fast Company, scatological headlines always make me smile…)
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/ariel-schwartz/sustainability/florida-town-closes-loop-poop-power

Supporting Alternative Energy Companies Cuts Carbon Emissions (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/x-7048-Seattle-Green-Business-Examiner~y2009m5d15-Supporting-alternative-energy-companies-cuts-carbon-emissions

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

'Green' Light Bulbs Poison Workers - Hundreds of factory staff are being made ill by mercury used in bulbs destined for the West (The Times of London, UK)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6211261.ece

Experts: Energy Vampires A Growing Threat (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/environment/stories/NW_051409ENV-energy-vampires-KS.34ad8f8.html

LEDs, Lighting Efficiency, and the Rebound Effect (Electronics, Design, Strategy News)
http://www.edn.com/blog/1470000147/post/1960044596.html

House Approves 'Green Schools' Bill (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104145841&ft=1&f=1001

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Study Halves Prediction of Rising Seas (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/science/earth/15antarctica.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Congressional Climate Legislation Finds Democratic Opponents (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104155967&ft=1&f=2

Ads Target Key Votes on Climate Bill (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124233900613221129.html

Wall Street Journal Editorial - Indiana Says 'No Thanks' to Cap and Trade: No honest person thinks this will make a dent in climate change.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124234844782222081.html

NY Times Op-Ed - Empire of Carbon
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/opinion/15krugman.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Verizon May Reach 80% FiOS Penetration - Now that they've offloaded pesky rural customers to Frontier (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizon-May-Reach-80-FiOS-Penetration-102454

Verizon Deal Not Likely To Cost Jobs, Officials Say (The Herald, Everett, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090514/BIZ/705149761/-1/RSS03

The Rise of the Rural Super Telco - Frontier, Centurytel, Fairpoint: the future of rural America? (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/The-Rise-Of-The-Rural-Super-Telco-102469

Frustration, Distress over Google Outage (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/15/BUPE17KKIJ.DTL&feed=rss.business

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton-Based Airplane - Report Rules Out Icing in 2007 Crash of Skydiver's Plane (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7259/reftab/1632/t/REPORT-RULES-OUT-ICING-IN-2007-CRASH-OF-SKYDIVER-S-PLANE-/Default.aspx

G.M. Notifying 1,100 Dealers That They Will Be Dropped (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/16/business/16auto.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

GM Won't Release List of Dealers Cut From Corporate Network (Trading Markets)
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2330804/

Map: Chrysler Dealers - Who's Getting Shut Down (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/storysupplement/chryslerdealerclosings/CA.html

Port Of Tacoma Could Lay Off 20 Percent of Staff Port Of Tacoma Could Lay Off 20 Percent of Staff (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19466533/detail.html

Mason County Taxable Retail Sales Down (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7258/reftab/1632/t/TAXABLE-RETAIL-SALES-DOWN-IN-COUNTY/Default.aspx

Rapid Rise in Some WASL Scores Suspicious (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19464935/detail.html

Hood Canal - Navy to Study 2nd Trident Weapons Wharf at Bangor (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/851897.html

Kitsap Commissioners Moving Slowly on Forest Zoning Issue - What would happen if they allow growth to quadruple in some of the most remote, forested areas of the county (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/may/14/kitsap-commissioners-moving-slowly-on-forest/?partner=RSS

Gregoire: 'We Want To Be the Home of Aerospace' (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/45057622.html

Effort to Oust Portland Mayor Kicks Off (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/45059917.html

DIVERSIONS

Students, Prom Suspended After Food Fight
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19463141/detail.html

Father Arrested For Allegedly Forcing Son's Tattoo
http://www.examiner.com/a-2015926~Father_arrested_for_allegedly_forcing_son_s_tattoo.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Fishy Selling Practices At Kansas City Restaurants: 85% Of The Fish On The Menu Is Not The Fish On The Menu (Note: comments section may contain PG-13 language)
http://consumerist.com/5254115/fishy-selling-practices-at-kansas-city-restaurants-85-of-the-fish-on-the-menu-is-not-the-fish-on-the-menu

Bogus Trend of the Week: Raising Backyard Chickens The press lays dozens and dozens of eggs.
http://www.slate.com/id/2218390/?from=rss

Woman Sues Cemetery Owner Claiming Pet Monkey's Grave Wasn't Neat and Tidy
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12372369

SONG OF THE DAY

Gin Blossoms - Found Out About You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tXShNtyvRs&feature=PlayList&p=33D6477AB666D53D&index=0