Energy News Digest for May 29, 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)

- Puget Sound Energy Lowers Natural Gas Bill
- Avista Natural Gas Customers Will See Rate Reduction
- NW Natural Gas to Refund Washington Customers
- NW Natural Gas Tightens Security at Shareholders Meeting
- Clean-Energy Stimulus - “It’s about to be raining money.”
- Keep Mylar Balloons Indoors and Away from Power Lines
- Tri-City Herald Editorial - Salmon Aren't Helped By Revival of Dam Debate
- Idaho Lt. Gov. Little Urges Obama Administration to Back Salmon Collaboration
- Geoduck Harvest near Blake Island Nets State $1.4M
- Environmentalists Sue to Protect Sea Turtles off US Coasts
- Washington's Chelan River to Get Some of Toughest Rapids
- Obama Moves to Curb Road-Building in Forests
- 'Rock Snot' Algae Confirmed In SW Idaho River
- Small American Town (Olympia) Fights to Save Artesian Well
- California – San Jose Water Plant Could Become Regional Tourist Attraction
- Mmm...Raw Sewage? Leaks Blamed On Krispy Kreme
- Pennsylvania PUC Issues Wood, Water Alternative Energy Guidelines
- British Columbia - Ocean wind project moves ahead
- Wind Energy--Too Much of a Good Thing
- Massachusetts - Cape Wind Secures Permits to Begin Construction
- Hawaii Utilities among Top Solar Producers in US
- A Solar Plant That's Worth Its Salt
- States, Nonprofits Jockey for 'Weatherizing' Funds
- DTE Energy Offers Tips to Stay Cool This Summer
- Olympian Editorial - Did The Governor Overreach To Boost Climate Policy?
- Governor Signs Order to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Greenhouse Gas Reporting Topic of Debate
- Think Tank Report: Climate Change Causes 300,000 Deaths a Year
- Copenhagen Must Create More Buyers For Carbon Markets
- Stop Burning Trees and Coal
- NY Times Editorial - Forests and the Planet
- Sabey Preps to Break Ground for New Data Center in Quincy
- Microsoft’s Search for a Name Ends with a Bing
- Google Wants To Change Online Communication
- Muni Wi-Fi Firms Find New Life in Smart Grid
- Shelton: Inmate Found Dead At Corrections Center
- State Will Give 3-Day Notice When Ready To Reopen Hood Canal Bridge
- Washington State Economist: Signs of Recession's End
- New Poll: Half of Washington Voters Expect Economy to Get Worse
- Chehalis: Loss from Business Fire Put At $15 Million
- Newspaper Execs Meet To Discuss Internet Options

WORD OF THE DAY

Laodicean • \lay-ahh-duh-SEE-un\ • adjective – lukewarm or indifferent in religion or politics

Ilene backed away from her desk to partake in a forceful yawn, followed by a stretch to the sky. She’d been reading the news digest, skimming past the controversy over fish, climate change, and “raining money” with a laodicean intensity. All for the tasty bits in the diversions and song of the day at the bottom of the page.

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

Puget Sound Energy Lowers Natural Gas Bill (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?PSE-Lowers-Natural-Gas-Bill=1&blockID=56215&feedID=410

Avista Natural Gas Customers Will See Rate Reduction (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10439167

NW Natural Gas to Refund Washington Customers (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/05/25/daily26.html?ana=from_rss

NW Natural Gas Tightens Security at Shareholders Meeting (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/05/nw_natural_tightens_security_a.html

Clean-Energy Stimulus - “It’s about to be raining money.” That’s how Terry Oliver of the Bonneville Power Administration described the federal economic stimulus’ clean-energy provisions. (Sightline Daly)
http://daily.sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2009/05/28/clean-energy-stimulus

PECO Reminds Graduates to Keep Mylar Balloons Indoors and Away from Power Lines (Electric Energy Online – I think Cowlitz and Mason PUD 3 agree with this sentiment)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&id=112586

FISH & WILDLIFE

Tri-City Herald Editorial - Salmon Aren't Helped By Revival of Dam Debate
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/962/story/594452.html

Idaho Lt. Gov. Little Urges Obama Administration to Back Salmon Collaboration (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/mobile_channels/story/782488.html

Geoduck Harvest near Blake Island Nets State $1.4M (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=172633

Environmentalists Sue to Protect Sea Turtles off US Coasts (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12471694

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Chelan PUD Water Release - Washington's Chelan River to Get Some of Toughest Rapids (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009273328_apwaoutchelanrapids.html?syndication=rss

Obama Moves to Curb Road-Building in Forests (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009272856_apusroadlessforests.html?syndication=rss

'Rock Snot' Algae Confirmed In SW Idaho River (The Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/865295.html

Small American Town (Olympia) Fights to Save Artesian Well (Epoch Times)
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/17449/

California – San Jose Water Plant Could Become Regional Tourist Attraction (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12470759

Mmm...Raw Sewage? Leaks Blamed On Krispy Kreme (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12476982

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Pennsylvania PUC Issues Wood, Water Alternative Energy Guidelines - It’s official. Wood and water are just as good as the sun, when it comes to alternative energy. (Pittsburgh Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2009/05/25/daily35.html?ana=from_rss

British Columbia - Ocean wind project moves ahead (BC Local News)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/46396177.html

Wind Energy--Too Much of a Good Thing (Gerson-Lehman Group)
http://www.glgroup.com/News/Wind-Energy--Too-Much-of-a-Good-Thing-39717.html

Massachusetts - Cape Wind Secures Permits to Begin Construction (Boston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/05/25/daily52.html?ana=from_rss

Hawaii Utilities among Top Solar Producers in US (Pacific Business News)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2009/05/25/daily40.html?ana=from_rss

A Solar Plant That's Worth Its Salt (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-rocketdyne-solar29-2009may29,1,4661220.story

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

States, Nonprofits Jockey for 'Weatherizing' Funds (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124346403073960129.html#mod=rss_whats_news_us

DTE Energy Offers Tips to Stay Cool This Summer (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&id=112588

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Olympian Editorial - Did The Governor Overreach To Boost Climate Policy?
http://www.theolympian.com/editorials/story/864923.html

Governor Signs Order to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Transit Sponsor Rips Her for Transit Veto (Seattle Weekly)
http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2009/05/transit_measure_sponsor_sounds.php

Greenhouse Gas Reporting Topic of Debate - Ecology denies it will seek verification by a third party (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090529/NEWS02/705299976/Greenhouse+gas+reporting+topic+of+debate

Think Tank Report: Climate Change Causes 300,000 Deaths a Year (Associated Press: dogs and cats…living together: MASS HYSTERIA!)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12476629

Copenhagen Must Create More Buyers For Carbon Markets - Demand for emissions-reducing projects is shrinking (The Guardian, UK)http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/may/29/copenhagen-carbon-market-buyer

Stop Burning Trees and Coal (Times of London, UK)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article6382124.ece

NY Times Editorial - Forests and the Planet
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/opinion/29fri2.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Sabey Preps to Break Ground for New Data Center in Quincy - Wants to construct a 525,000 square-foot data center called “Intergate.Quincy.” (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/05/28/news/doc4a1ead6c49919491239969.txt

Microsoft’s Search for a Name Ends with a Bing (NY Times – What? Bing Crosby? Bing Cherries? Dave Bing, the NBA star who averaged 20 points per game for the Pistons and Bullets; and is listed as one of the top 50 players of all time?)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/29/technology/internet/29bing.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Google Wants To Change Online Communication (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/29/BU1P17SSVP.DTL&feed=rss.business

Muni Wi-Fi Firms Find New Life in Smart Grid (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/05/28/muni-wi-fi-firms-find-new-life-in-smart-grid/

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton: Inmate Found Dead At Corrections Center (The Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/864883.html

State Will Give 3-Day Notice When Ready To Reopen Hood Canal Bridge (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090529/NEWS/305299991

Washington State Economist: Signs of Recession's End (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009214801_apwastateeconomy.html?syndication=rss

New Poll: Half of Washington Voters Expect Economy to Get Worse (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundeconomywithjontalton/2009273621_new_poll_half_of_washington_vo.html?syndication=rss

Chehalis: Loss from Business Fire Put At $15 Million (Associated Press)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/759916.html

Newspaper Execs Meet To Discuss Internet Options (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/28/financial/f150308D57.DTL&feed=rss.business

DIVERSIONS

Little Dogs Show Cougar Big Attitude in Philomath
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/05/philomath_ore_a_big.html

Pink Dolphin a Standout in Louisiana Shipping Channel
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/909/story/592328.html?mi_email=Tri-City%20Herald_Weird+Wide+World

Australian Belatedly Wins $10 Million Lottery
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090529/ap_on_fe_st/as_odd_australia_late_lottery_winner;_ylt=AqKy4z4Z_FRKNcZwo9gn.uXtiBIF;_ylu=X3oDMTNhMGtlcHQzBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNTI5L2FzX29kZF9hdXN0cmFsaWFfbGF0ZV9sb3R0ZXJ5X3dpbm5lcgRwb3MDMTcEc2VjA3luX2FydGljbGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawNhdXN0cmFsaWFuYmU-

In Death, UK Widow Leaves Neighbors Surprise Gifts
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Europe/2009/may/In-Death--UK-Widow-Leaves-Neighbors-Surprise-Gifts-.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Ella Fitzgerald – Summertime
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc2Bm5IXGh4