Energy News Digest for August 12, 2009

Editor’s note: From August 17-28 the energy news digest will be examining the raw sewage being expelled from Victoria, BC, then trying to avoid a certain class of chondrichthyes that are said to have been massing around Seaside, OR looking for fresh pronto pups, cotton candy and tourists. The news digest will return, rested and relaxed, August 31.

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)

• Chelan PUD May Increase Hedging To Reduce Financial Risk
• FERC Approves $7.5 Million Civil Penalty in Anti-Manipulation Case
• Columbia River Salmon Decision on Hold for Now
• Oregon and Its Allies Slam Obama's Handling Of Salmon Plan
• Editorial - Salmon Test
• Editorial - Giving Snake River Salmon a Lift
• California - $10,000 Penalty for Fishing in Marine Sanctuary
• Hanford: State, DOE Tentatively Agree To Settle Cleanup Lawsuit
• Maury Island Gravel Company to Defy State Lands Commissioner
• China’s Trash Incinerators Loom as a Global Hazard
• Simpson’s New Tacoma Biomass Plant Starts Churning Power
• State Of Idaho Seeks Comment on Wind Energy Sales
• A Record for Wind in Ireland
• Maine's Windkeepers: From Ship Masts to Windmills
• Chinese Solar Maker Renesola Posts 2Q Loss
• Automobiles - Hybrid and Electric Power Systems at a Glance
• Conservation Could Provide 85 Percent of Pacific Northwest Power
• Ohio Edison to Repower Coal Plant with Biomass
• Coal's Future Wagered on Carbon Capture
• Bremerton Port Votes to Kill Kitsap Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Project
• Report Says Washington State Doing Good Job to Wean Itself from Oil
• Stimulus Billions Fund Rural Broadband Internet
• IDT Plans Sale of Hillsboro Semiconductor Plant
• Microsoft Fixes 19 Windows Security Flaws
• Clearwire Reports Loss As It Expands
• Wash. PDC Rejects Request to Seal Initiative Donor Names
• Mason County Cuts Budget Again; another Cut Scheduled
• Committee to Save Shelton’s St. Edwards Church Wants to Preserve Building
• Boundary Confusion Nearly Left Some Belfair Voters High and Dry
• Gig Harbor Requires Employee Furloughs to Fill Budget Gap
• Local Appearance from Congressman Dicks Will Not Be "Town Hall"
• Op/Ed - Dust in the (Cosmic) Wind
• New Survey on Eve of Woodstock Anniversary

WORD OF THE DAY

Levigate • \LEV-uh-gayt\ • verb - 1: polish, smooth 2*a: to grind to a fine smooth powder while in moist condition b: to separate (fine powder) from coarser material by suspending in a liquid

Millions of years went into the moment that Abercrombie was enjoying. Rushing water and suspended, gritty sand had combined to levigate a channel through the Canyon Creek rocks to produce a rainbow spray of river torrents just to produce the perfect natural shower. The monumental effort on nature’s part to produce this luxuriant gift was totally lost on Abe as he lathered up his thinning scalp under the water’s sting.

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

Chelan PUD May Increase Hedging To Reduce Financial Risk (Wenatchee World, WA
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090811/NEWS04/708119974/-1/OP?PUD-may-increase-hedging-to-reduce-financial-risk

FERC approves $7.5 million civil penalty in Amaranth anti-manipulation Case (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
http://www.ferc.gov/news/news-releases/2009/2009-3/08-12-09.asp

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia River Salmon Decision on Hold for Now (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
http://www.kpq.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1278

Oregon and Its Allies Slam Obama's Handling Of Salmon Plan (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/08/oregon_and_its_allies_slam_oba.html

NY Times Editorial - Salmon Test
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/opinion/12wed2.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

LA Times Editorial - Giving Snake River Salmon a Lift: Trucking the threatened fish past dams isn't working, The Obama administration should call for talks on what will
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-salmon12-2009aug12,0,3449261.story

California - $10,000 Penalty for Fishing in Marine Sanctuary (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2162987~_10_000_penalty_for_fishing_in_marine_sanctuary.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Hanford: State, DOE Tentatively Agree To Settle Cleanup Lawsuit (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/677760.html

Maury Island Gravel Company to Defy State Lands Commissioner – Has the permits, will move ahead on dock project (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009642292_webmauryisland12m.html?syndication=rss

China’s Trash Incinerators Loom as a Global Hazard (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/business/energy-environment/12incinerate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Simpson’s New Tacoma Biomass Plant Starts Churning Power (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/08/10/daily21.html?ana=from_rss

State Of Idaho Seeks Comment on Wind Energy Sales (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/937530.html

A Record for Wind in Ireland (NY Times – Between noon and 1 PM on a Friday)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/a-record-for-wind-in-ireland/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Maine's Windkeepers: From Ship Masts to Windmills (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009643544_apusharnessingwind.html?syndication=rss

Chinese Solar Maker Renesola Posts 2Q Loss (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009647627_apusearnsrenesola.html?syndication=rss

Automobiles - Hybrid and Electric Power Systems At A Glance (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009641442_apusvoltexplainerbox.html?syndication=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Conservation Could Provide 85 Percent of Pacific Northwest Power “…possible removal of four hydro dams on the Snake River to benefit salmon would likely require new natural gas plants to make up the lost power…” (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_northwest_power.html?source=pimail

Ohio Edison to Repower Coal Plant with Biomass (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/08/ohio-edison-to-repower-coal-plant-with-biomass?cmpid=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Coal's Future Wagered on Carbon Capture - Efforts to Tame Greenhouse Gas Enjoy Funding But Face Hurdles (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/10/AR2009081002709.html?wprss=rss_business

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Bremerton Port Commission Votes to Kill Kitsap Sustainable Energy and Economic Development Project (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/aug/11/bremerton-port-commissison-votes-kill-kitsap-seed/?partner=RSS

Report Says Washington State Doing Good Job to Wean Itself from Oil (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/08/10/daily20.html?ana=from_rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Stimulus Billions Fund Rural Broadband Internet (CNN, via Baller/Herbst)
http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/11/smallbusiness/stimulus_billions_for_rural_broadband.smb/

IDT Plans Sale of Hillsboro Semiconductor Plant – Will Move All of Its Production to Asia (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/08/10/daily19.html?ana=from_rss

Microsoft Fixes 19 Windows Security Flaws (Washington Post)
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/08/microsoft_fixes_19_windows_sec.html

Clearwire Reports Loss As It Expands (Bloomberg News)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009642650_clearwire12.html

GENERAL NEWS

Wash. Public Disclosure Commission Rejects Request To Seal Initiative Donor Names (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009640472_apwadomesticpartnerships4thldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Mason County Cuts Budget Again; another Cut Scheduled (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/8007/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Committee to Save Shelton’s St. Edwards Church Asks Mason County to Consider Their Offer to Preserve the Historic Building (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/8004/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Boundary Confusion Nearly Left Some Belfair Voters High and Dry (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/aug/11/boundary-confusion-nearly-left-some-belfair-high/?partner=RSS

Gig Harbor Requires Employee Furloughs to Fill Budget Gap (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/street/2009/08/11/gig_harbor_requires_employee_furloghs_to

Local Appearance from Congressman Dicks Will Not Be "Town Hall" (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.konp.com/local/5002

NY Times Op/Ed - Dust in the (Cosmic) Wind
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/opinion/12cokinos.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

New Survey on Eve of Woodstock Anniversary Shows 'Generation Gap' Has Widened but Softened (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13040393?nclick_check=1

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Peacock Causing a Flap in South Seattle
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_081109WAB-peacock-on-the-loose-KS.ce610f5b.html?rss

Police: 'Witch Doctor' Claiming To Cleanse Money of Evil, Scammed Clients
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20362085/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_4pm&tmi=sea_4pm_1_06000108112009&ts=H

CRIME: Bee Hives Stolen From West Richland Farm
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/678241.html

Bride Spends First Night with Crate of Vodka
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE57A5C520090811?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

SONG OF THE DAY

Willie Nelson - Whiskey River
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J_CmSi6CVI