Energy News Digest for June 4, 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)

- Energy Northwest Considers More Nuclear Power
- BPA’s Montana Transmission Line Rebuild Project Begins
- Idaho Power Gas Plant near New Plymouth Faces Challenge
- Natural Gas Stockpiles Grew More than Expected
- Oregon - Fluid spill at Lookout Point Dam near Eugene
- Puget Sound Energy Presses Plan to Spread out Heating Bills
- Oregon - Coos Curry Electrical Co-Op Ready To Build on Old Mill Site
- Nuclear List Called No Threat
- Maryland - O'Malley Promises Renewed Effort to Re-Regulate Utilities
- Arkansas - Judge Hears Latest in Dispute over Federal Prison's Electricity
- Colorado - YVEA candidates disagree on utility's rate structure
- Can The Smart Grid Co-Exist With The Current System?
- Idaho Statesman Editorial - Finally, An Honest Broker Tells The Truth
- Wooden Pipes Are Common In the Northwest
- Mud fight on the Skagit - Which is more threatened: wetlands or farmlands?
- Renewables Could Take Further Hit
- Germany’s $143 Billion Wind Farms Jeopardized by Tight Funding
- Oregon Senator Sees Economic Power in Wave Energy
- Idaho - Pocatello, Hoku Strike Deal on New Polysilicon Plant
- North Dakota Regulators Seek Rule Change On Wind Power Costs
- Is Community Wind Power Full Of Hot Air?
- Energy Pulse Commentary - Gasification of Municipal Solid Waste
- Stimulus Weatherization Plan Comes With Pros, Cons
- A Local Company is Building a House You Can Heat with a Blow-Dryer
- Green Workers Feel Safe amid Slump
- Olympian Editorial - Governor Right to Show Leadership on Climate Change
- Oregon Climate Change Bill Crawling Through Committee Review
- Oregon Governor Joins Support of BPA's Proposed Carbon Study
- Report Shows How the S&P 500 Would Fare Financially Under Cap-and-Trade
- Hot-Air Balloon Tour Urges Action against Climate Legislation
- Washington Has Third-Highest Internet Use in U.S.
- Yahoo CEO: Shake-Up Needs More Time, Not Microsoft
- Another Hot Day for Puget Sound Region
- All Four Suspects in Wal-Mart Shootings Jailed
- Bound Found At Yelm Hydro Plant Identified As Missing 12-Year-Old Girl
- The Hood Canal Bridge Reopens To Traffic
- Pacific Northwest Could Lead Nation Out Of Recession, Moody's Says
- WA Secretary Of State Concerned About Plan to 'Out' Petition Signers
- Auditors Say State of Idaho Gave $659K Contract to Wrong Company
- David Carradine, Actor, Is Dead at 72

WORD OF THE DAY

Hoary • \HORR-ree\ • adjective – 1. Overused: old and stale from overuse 2. White with age 3. Covered with pale hairs

The Japanese Minister of Parliament slowly rose to give his rebuttal to his opponent’s charges of frivolous government spending. Deep in his soul, the minister knew that the state-sponsored stand-up comedy classes would pay off. If he could just banish from his mind the hoary old joke about “Hello Kitty,” a Shinto Priest, and the Emperor who all walked into a bar with ducks on their heads….

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

Energy Northwest Considers More Nuclear Power (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_more_nuke_plants.html?source=mypi

BPA’s Montana Transmission Line Rebuild Project Begins (The Western News, Libby, MT)
http://www.thewesternnews.com/articles/2009/06/02/news/doc4a2551254f346826756835.txt

Idaho Power Gas Plant near New Plymouth Faces Challenge (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/business/story/791384.html

Natural Gas Stockpiles Grew More than Expected (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009299778_apusnaturalgasstorage.html?syndication=rss

Oregon - Fluid spill at Lookout Point Dam near Eugene (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2050434~Fluid_spill_at_Lookout_Point_Dam_near_Eugene.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Puget Sound Energy Presses Plan to Spread out Heating Bills (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/766629.html

Oregon - Coos Curry Electrical Co-Op Ready To Build on Old Mill Site (The World, Coos Bay, OR)
http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2009/06/02/news/doc4a255d8b917ab465422745.txt

Nuclear List Called No Threat (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/us/04nuke.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Maryland - O'Malley Promises Renewed Effort to Re-Regulate Utilities (Washington Post)
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2009/06/_gov_martin_omalley_d.html

Arkansas Deregulation Faux Pas - Judge Hears Latest in Dispute over Federal Prison's Electricity: must rule on whether Entergy or Woodruff Electric Cooperative has the right to serve a federal prison (Arkansas Democrat Gazette)
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Business/261211/

Colorado - YVEA candidates disagree on utility's rate structure – should it be to achieve the lowest rates possible or engage in energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives that could cost money (Steamboat Pilot, Steamboat Springs, CO)
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/jun/04/yvea_candidates_disagree_utilitys_rate_structure/

Can The Smart Grid Co-Exist With The Current System? (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ARTCL&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=363965&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Idaho Statesman Editorial - Finally, an Honest Broker Tells the Truth
http://www.idahostatesman.com/editorial/story/788881.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Wooden Pipes Are Common In the Northwest (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_060309WAB-wooden-pipes-SW.46273bf0.html?rss

Mud fight on the Skagit - Which is more threatened: wetlands or farmlands? (Crosscut Seattle)
http://crosscut.com/2009/06/04/real-estate/19027/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Renewables Could Take Further Hit (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE5525Q620090603

Germany’s $143 Billion Wind Farms Jeopardized by Tight Funding (Bloomberg News)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=aYoYkIa1Di38&refer=uk

Oregon Senator Sees Economic Power in Wave Energy (Newport News Times, OR)
http://www.newportnewstimes.com/V2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=350&page=72

Idaho - Pocatello, Hoku Strike Deal on New Polysilicon Plant (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/870278.html

North Dakota Regulators Seek Rule Change on Wind Power Costs (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/06/03/financial/f183124D90.DTL&feed=rss.business

Is Community Wind Power Full Of Hot Air? (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10254733-54.html

Energy Pulse Commentary - Gasification of Municipal Solid Waste
http://www.energypulse.net/centers/article/article_display.cfm?a_id=2057

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Stimulus Weatherization Plan Comes With Pros, Cons (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/06/03/financial/f120626D35.DTL&feed=rss.business

Futurehaus - A Local Company Is Building A House You Can Heat With A Blow-Dryer (Willamette Weekly, OR)
http://wweek.com/editorial/3530/12628/

Green Workers Feel Safe amid Slump (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/04/green-workers-feel-safe-amid-slump/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Olympian Editorial - Governor Right to Show Leadership on Climate Change
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/871184.html

Oregon Climate Change Bill Crawling Through Committee Review (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/5119-climate-change-bill-crawling-through-committee-review/

Oregon Governor Joins Support of BPA's Proposed Carbon Study (The Daily Tidings, Ashland, OR)
http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090602/NEWS02/90602003

Report Shows How the S&P 500 Would Fare Financially Under Cap-and-Trade (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/gwmCarbonEmissions/idUS421842559520090603

Hot-Air Balloon Tour Urges Action against Climate Legislation (The Tennessean)
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090604/NEWS01/906040319/1006/NEWS01/Hot-air+balloon+tour+urges+action+against+climate+legislation

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington Has Third-Highest Internet Use in U.S. (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/06/01/daily33.html?ana=from_rss

Yahoo CEO: Shake-Up Needs More Time, Not Microsoft (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/06/03/financial/f114631D57.DTL&feed=rss.business

GENERAL NEWS

Another Hot Day for Puget Sound Region (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_060409WXB-hot-temperatures-LJ.49485919.html?rss

All Four Suspects in Wal-Mart Shootings Jailed (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19655957/detail.html

Bound Found At Yelm Hydro Plant Identified As Missing 12-Year-Old Yelm Girl (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/766598.html

The Hood Canal Bridge Reopens To Traffic (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19652917/detail.html

Pacific Northwest Could Lead Nation Out Of Recession, Moody's Says (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/06/oregon_could_lead_nation_out_o.html

WA Secretary Of State Concerned About Plan to 'Out' Petition Signers (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/5126-wa-secretary-state-concerned-about-plan-out-referendum-petition-signers/

Idaho - Auditors Say State of Idaho Gave $659K Contract to Wrong Company (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2048143~Auditors__ID_gave__659K_contract_to_wrong_company.html?cid=rss-Idaho_Headlines

David Carradine, Actor, Is Dead at 72 (Associated Press)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/06/04/world/AP-AS-Thailand-DavidCar.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

DIVERSIONS

Starbucks Supervisors Can Dip Into Employee Tips, Court Rules
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/03/BAHS17VNIO.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

Drought Brings Horde Of Toads To Town
http://www.kirotv.com/weather/19641682/detail.html

Vehicular Assault Suspect Arrested After He Assaults Tree with His Pickup
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2009297780_as_the_saying_goes_justice.html?syndication=rss

Prince Charles Calls for Squirrel Cull to Save Timber Industry
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/5438452/Prince-Charles-calls-for-squirrel-cull-to-save-timber-industry.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Kung Fu - Caine's Theme (RIP David Carradine)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBf_eAyIeLM