Energy News Digest for May 26, 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.

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Gregoire: Cut TransAlta Emissions by More than Half by 2025
- Historic Green Victory at Idaho Power Annual Meeting Could Mean Higher Electric Bills
- Idaho Statesman: Power Rates Will Rise, But Your Bill Doesn't Need To
- Idaho Power must sell energy credits
- Benton PUD to Raise Rates
- Contracting economy sparks BPA expansion
- BPA Hosts Vancouver Meeting Tuesday on Grid Boost
- Wire Power - How to Send Electricity across the Continent, Virtually For Free
- California - Colusa Power Plant Shows Importance of Fossil Fuels
- Hartford Courant Op/Ed - Heating Tax Would Only Burn Consumers
- Cost of Electric Grid Failure from 2012 Solar Storms Avoidable
- Fish Tales - Obama brass angle for answers
- Oregonian Editorial - Fresh Eyes, Fragile Deal on Columbia Salmon
- Upper Klamath Water Rights Issue Settled
- Dewatto River - Steelhead Recovering Through Hood Canal Program
- Million-Dollar Creek Restoration Begins In Central Oregon
- PacifiCorp Delays Condit Dam Removal
- Willamette Sea Lions Escape Brethrens' Fate
- San Diego Wants To Disperse Seals with Dog Barking
- Report Finds the World's Oysters Threatened by Development, Pollution
- Landfill Methane Towers Scorch Perched Hawks
- Silverdale Water Customers Get Tip-Top Taste Out of the Tap
- Environmentalists Want Drugs in Columbia River Monitored
- Without Meters, Fresno Water beyond Measure
- Market Pulse - Water May Be Hot Investment
- Environmentalists Fear for Tahoe amid Logging in Burned Angora Area
- In BPA Right of Way - Kitsap Redwood Spared, at Least Temporarily
- With Billions at Stake, Trying to Expand the Meaning of ‘Renewable Energy’
- Endangered Birds - Clark County wind farm on hold
- Chase for Wind Power Turns to Oregon's Public Lands
- Change in the Air? Wind Industry Wants Government Lift
- Renewable Power Mandate Overcomes Hurdle in US Senate
- GOP: Alternative Energy Alone Won't Meet US Needs
- Anchorage News Miner Op/Ed - Consider energy reliability and reality
- Oregonian Op/Ed - The Unfortunate Myth of "Renewables Now!"
- Renewables: America's next heavy industry
- Detroit Edison Seeking Input On Wind Energy Programs
- Two Neah Power Board Members Resign
- United Kingdom - Blown away by the North Sea
- Solar-Tech Company Scouts Oregon Sites
- NW Natural’s Methane Project Taps Cow Power
- Green Homeowner Given Noise Order After Hum of 40ft Wind Turbine Drives Neighbors Mad
- PUD 3 and City of Shelton Team Up for Energy Efficient Traffic Signals
- Mason County - Energy-Efficient Businesses Can Get a Break
- Energy Efficiency Rates High On Home Buyers’ Wish Lists
- Energy-Efficiency Pitch Brings Funds
- Cut Energy Costs This Summer by Making Changes At Home; Help Is Available
- Caps, Trades and Offsets: Can Climate Plan Work?
- Gov. Gregoire Does Her Own Thing On Climate Change
- Seattle Times Editorial - Climate-Change Action Picks Up On Three Fronts
- Idaho Delegation Opposes Greenhouse Gas Legislation
- Canada – Globe & Mail Op/Ed - Carbon offsets: It really isn't easy being green
- Study Says Businesses Can Create Clean Energy Jobs
- Seattle P-I Columnist - Global warming's impacts on state forests
- Canada - Inaction on Climate Change Backfires
- How Boeing Fights Climate Change
- Kansas - Farmers Could Cash In On Cap-And-Trade
- U.S. Government Delays Broadband Grants
- Broadband Stimulus Fund Timetable
- FCC: Broadband Plan Will Be Huge
- Verizon Threatens Massachusetts
- Net Computing ‘Cloud’ Over Microsoft Chills Investors
- Yahoo's Departing CFO to Get $1.8M in Severance
- Skyline Drums Up Strong Data Center Business
- Hood Canal Bridge Might Reopen a Week Early
- Propane suppliers quietly reduce size of refills
- Catching Up On State's New Crop of Green Legislation
- Washington State Won't Make Target for Biofuels
- Localities Want U.S. To Support Muni Bonds

WORD OF THE DAY

Obnubilate • \obb-NOO-buh-layt\ • verb - Becloud, obscure

Here’s one of my favorite Groucho Marx quotes, intended to confuse is antagonist by obnulation:

“Well, Art is Art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know.”

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

Gregoire: Cut TransAlta Emissions by More than Half by 2025 (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?Gregoire-Cut-TransAlta-Emissions-by-More=1&blockID=55236&feedID=410

Historic Green Victory at Idaho Power Annual Meeting Could Mean Higher Electric Bills (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/777839.html

Idaho Statesman Columnist: Power Rates Will Rise, But Your Bill Doesn't Need To
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/780888.html

Idaho Power must sell energy credits - regulators have ordered the state's biggest utility to sell about $2 million worth of renewable energy credits and use the money to benefit ratepayers (Associated Press)
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/05/25/ap6462221.html

Benton PUD to Raise Rates (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=10404267&nav=menu484_2_11

Contracting economy sparks BPA expansion “…Unlike most stimulus dollars, which add directly to the deficit, the BPA must repay with interest whatever it uses…” (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/contracting_economy_sparkis_bp.html

BPA Hosts Vancouver Meeting Tuesday on Grid Boost (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090523/NEWS02/905229977/BPA+hosts+Vancouver+meeting+on+grid+boost

Wire Power - How to Send Electricity across the Continent, Virtually For Free (Newsweek Magazine)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/198942?from=rss

California - Colusa Power Plant Shows Importance of Fossil Fuels “…even in a future dominated by renewable power, some fossil fuel-fired plants will be needed to provide the reliable, on-demand juice needed to keep the grid running smoothly…” (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1885837.html

Hartford Courant Op/Ed - Heating Tax Would Only Burn Consumers (Connecticut)
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-snyder-oil-taxes.artmay24,0,882334.story

Cost of Electric Grid Failure from 2012 Solar Storms Avoidable (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/x-2383-Honolulu-Exopolitics-Examiner~y2009m5d25-Cost-of-electric-grid-failure-from-2012-solar-storms-avoidable

FISH & WILDLIFE

Fish Tales - Obama brass angle for answers: Four top Obama administration officials will travel to Portland on Tuesday, to hear fish stories and angle for answers (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/169257.asp?from=blog_last3

Oregonian Editorial - Fresh Eyes, Fragile Deal on Columbia Salmon
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/05/fresh_eyes_fragile_deal_on_col.html

Upper Klamath Water Rights Issue Settled (The Times-Standard, Eureka, CA)
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_12427596?source=rss

Dewatto River - Steelhead Recovering Through Hood Canal Program (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009251881_apwasteelheadrecovery.html?syndication=rss

Million-Dollar Creek Restoration Begins In Central Oregon (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/5053-million-dollar-creek-restoration-begins/

PacifiCorp Delays Condit Dam Removal (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_dam_removal.html

Willamette Sea Lions Escape Brethrens' Fate (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2009/05/willamette_sea_lions_may_face.html

San Diego Wants To Disperse Seals with Dog Barking (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2031046~San_Diego_wants_to_disperse_seals_with_dog_barking.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Report Finds the World's Oysters Threatened by Development, Pollution - Oyster reefs are the most critically threatened marine habitat on Earth (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/05/new_report_finds_the_worlds_oy.html

Landfill Methane Towers Scorch Perched Hawks (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009258267_apusscorchedhawks.html?syndication=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Silverdale Water Customers Get Tip-Top Taste Out of the Tap (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/may/26/silverdale-water-customers-get-tip-top-taste-out/?partner=RSS

Environmentalists Want Drugs in Columbia River Monitored (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090524/NEWS02/705249966/

Without Meters, Fresno Water beyond Measure (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104466681&ft=1&f=3

Market Pulse - Water May Be Hot Investment (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009256237_pulse24.html?syndication=rss

Environmentalists Fear for Tahoe amid Logging in Burned Angora Area (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1890877.html

In BPA Right of Way - Kitsap Redwood Spared, at Least Temporarily (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/may/22/kitsap-redwood-spared-at-least-temporarily/?partner=RSS

RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

With Billions at Stake, Trying to Expand the Meaning of ‘Renewable Energy’ (NY Times – How ironic: first time I saw “subsidy” used as an argument against hydro as renewable)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/business/energy-environment/25renew.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Endangered Birds - Clark County wind farm on hold: State introduces a delay to think through possible environmental effects of the turbine construction (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090523/NEWS02/705239990/

Chase for Wind Power Turns to Oregon's Public Lands (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/05/chase_for_wind_power_turns_to.html

Change in the Air? Wind Industry Wants Government Lift (Associated Press – more than it gets now; subsidies plus mandates?)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009258295_apuswindpowergovernmentpolicy.html?syndication=rss

Renewable Power Mandate Overcomes Hurdle in US Senate (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN21261453

GOP: Alternative Energy Alone Won't Meet US Needs (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009120717_apusrepublicansenergy.html?syndication=rss

Anchorage News Miner Op/Ed - Consider energy reliability and reality: Crisis looms and alternative energy can’t deal with it
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/may/24/consider-energy-reliability-and-reality/?opinion

Oregonian Op/Ed - The Unfortunate Myth of "Renewables Now!" “…the region simply will not be able to move away from coal and rely on renewable sources of electric generation without facing reliability issues that could result in blackouts…”
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/05/the_unfortunate_myth_of_renewa.html

Renewables: America's next heavy industry - How three manufacturers in three Midwest states are picking up where the auto sector is laying off (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/21/news/economy/midwest_renewables/?postversion=2009052309

Detroit Edison Seeking Input On Wind Energy Programs (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=363004&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Two Neah Power Board Members Resign (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/05/18/daily58.html?ana=from_rss

United Kingdom - Blown away by the North Sea: Offshore wind farms in Scottish waters ‘could produce 40% more power than English equivalents (Sunday Herald, UK)
http://www.sundayherald.com/business/businessnews/display.var.2509982.0.blown_away_by_the_north_sea.php

Solar-Tech Company Scouts Oregon Sites (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/05/chinese_solar_giant_considers.html

NW Natural’s Methane Project Taps Cow Power (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/05/25/story1.html?ana=from_rss

United Kingdom - Green Homeowner Given Noise Order After Hum of 40ft Wind Turbine Drives Neighbors Mad (The Daily Mail, UK)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1187936/Green-homeowner-given-noise-order-hum-40ft-wind-turbine-drives-neighbours-mad.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

PUD 3 and City of Shelton Team Up for Energy Efficient Traffic Signals (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=555

Mason County - Energy-Efficient Businesses Can Get a Break (The Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/environment/story/860807.html

Energy Efficiency Rates High On Home Buyers’ Wish Lists (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2009/05/25/focus4.html?ana=from_rss

Energy-Efficiency Pitch Brings Funds - Corning: Ailing Fiberglass Maker May Benefit (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/24/AR2009052402143.html?wprss=rss_politics

Cut Energy Costs This Summer by Making Changes At Home; Help Is Available (Kansas City Star, MO)
http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1212467.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Caps, Trades and Offsets: Can Climate Plan Work? Lawmakers, Scientists and Industry Debate House Measure (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/25/AR2009052502264.html?hpid=moreheadlines

Gov. Gregoire Does Her Own Thing On Climate Change After Legislature Fails To Pass Bill. Can she do that? (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/politics/2009/05/24/gov_gregoire_does_her_own_thing_on_clima

Seattle Times Editorial - Climate-Change Action Picks Up On Three Fronts
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2009259641_edita25green.html

Idaho Delegation Opposes Greenhouse Gas Legislation - Lawmakers doubt that a bill they say would raise the cost of gas and electricity can pass Congress this year (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/780890.html

Canada – Globe & Mail Op/Ed - Carbon offsets: It really isn't easy being green - B.C. learns that it's hard to navigate the murky world of offsets
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/carbon-offsets-it-really-isnt-easy-being-green/article1147597/

Study Says Businesses Can Create Clean Energy Jobs (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/24/international/i064439D36.DTL&feed=rss.news

Seattle P-I Columnist - Global warming's impacts on state forests: Burn baby burn! Lands commissioner says our children will live with consequences
http://www.seattlepi.com/connelly/406468_joel22.html?source=rss

Canada - Inaction on Climate Change Backfires (Winnipeg Free Press, Manitoba)
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/inaction-on-climate-change-backfires-45974802.html

How Boeing Fights Climate Change - The efficiency of jets has increased by 70% over the past 50 years (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124303177241948493.html

Kansas - Farmers Could Cash In On Cap-And-Trade (Wichita Eagle KS)
http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/05/farmers-could-cash-in-on-cap-and-trade/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

U.S. Government Delays Broadband Grants (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/05/21/government-delays-broadband-grants/

Broadband Stimulus Fund Timetable - First stimulus funds available Q4 2009 (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadband-Stimulus-Fund-Timetable-102574

FCC: Broadband Plan Will Be Huge - Biggest project the commission has ever undertaken (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Broadband-Plan-Will-Be-Huge-102553

Verizon Threatens Massachusetts - If you don't pass franchise 'reform,' you don't get broadband?
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizon-Threatens-Massachusetts-102601

Net Computing ‘Cloud’ Over Microsoft Chills Investors (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/05/25/focus8.html?ana=from_rss

Yahoo's Departing CFO to Get $1.8M in Severance (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12430962

Skyline Drums Up Strong Data Center Business - Skyline Construction is turning to data centers to help beat the recession (San Francisco Business Times
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/05/25/story18.html?ana=from_rss

GENERAL NEWS

Hood Canal Bridge Might Reopen a Week Early (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/45874332.html

Propane suppliers quietly reduce size of refills (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12433769

Catching Up On State's New Crop of Green Legislation (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/ecoconsumer/2009253167_ecoconsumer23m.html

Washington State Won't Make Target for Biofuels – The state won't reach its goal next month of having biofuels make up at least 20 percent of its fuel use in state vehicles and ferries (Seattle Times – the state didn’t meet its energy conservation “goals” either)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009260425_apwabiofuels.html?syndication=rss

Localities Want U.S. To Support Muni Bonds - State and local governments are asking Washington to give them something that banks are trying to get rid of: federal bailout money (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/business/26muni.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

DIVERSIONS

Snohomish Dog Adopts Litter of Kittens
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/45871602.html

Media Ipecac - Sales of Bacon-Flavored Vodka Sizzling
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_052409WAB-bacon-vodka-SW.129e5d8e.html?rss

Couple throwing rocks off I-5 playing 'stripping game'
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_052509WAB-rocks-thrown-trestle-SW.17026e59.html?rss

SONG OF THE DAY

Henry Gross – Shannon (About his family’s Irish Setter)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxz2wQX3EvA