Energy News Digest for August 6, 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)

• Yesterday’s amendments to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling (Dec 17, 2008) on the Bonneville Power Administration's deals with direct service industries (DSI's).
• Columbia Generating Station Goes Off-Line After Fire
• Montana - Highwood Coal Power Option 'Off the Table'
• Northern Wasco County PUD Will Analyze Rate Impacts
• Minnesota Rate Increase to Keep Up With Renewable Energy Mandate
• New TVA Electric Plant May Unlock Tennessee’s Natural Gas Potential
• Texas - Transformer Move Damages Hwy 277
• Good returns expected for Columbia salmon season
• NY Times Editorial - Fisheries Back From the Brink
• Washington Post - Signs of Life
• State Of California Creates Network of Marine Reserves
• Olympia Oyster: An Oyster to Fight for
• Two Dead Rodents Lead To Firings - Protected Species
• Dozens Sickened In Kitsap County Lakes
• Bottled Water Waste Piling Up at Airport Security
• On the Fairway, New Lessons in Saving Water
• Op/Ed - Pacific County Wind Farm the Right Choice in the Right Spot
• Oregon, Washington to Be Electric Car Test Market
• Car Charging Stations Coming To Seattle
• Pickens Plan Still Kickin’
• Renewable Energy Can't be an Afterthought in the Quest to Meet Climate Goals
• Pasco Green Power Company Ordered To Shut Down
• Oregon Renewable Energy Company to Move Headquarters to Florida
• Company Criticized By Vegetarians for Using Waste Meat to Generate Electricity
• Energy Adviser: Conservation Makes Sense for Everyone
• Arizona - School Districts Work to Trim Energy Costs
• 'Fragile Compromise' of Power Plant CEOs in Doubt
• Editorial - Rural Democrats Flex Muscle In Congress
• Climate Change - How Bills Get So Bad
• A Repulsive Side Effect of Going Green
• Mason General Hospital Named 2009 Most Wired Hospital
• Hacker Attack Shuts Down Twitter
• Colorado - Public Vote on Fiber Still Up In Air
• Return of the Net Neutrality Sock Puppets
• Comcast Adds Just 65,000 New Broadband Customers in Q2
• Comcast Profit Up; Basic Video Subscribers Down
• Comcast Speeds Up Its Superfast Broadband Deployment
• Taxable Retails Sales Up In Shelton But Down in Mason County
• Firefighters Aim to Keep Constance Fire from Moving East to Brinnon
• Baird to Skip Town Hall, 'Lynch' Mentality
• Hastings to Speak At Aug. 12 Chamber Event
• Montesano Mill Gets Government Help after Its Threats to Move to Lewis County
• US Forecasters Lower Atlantic Hurricane Outlook
• Reuters Implores AP to 'Stop Whining'

WORD OF THE DAY

Philology • \fuh-LOLL-uh-gee\ • noun – 1: the study of literature and of disciplines relevant to literature or to language as used in literature 2a: linguistics; especially: historical and comparative linguistics b: the study of human speech especially as the vehicle of literature and as a field of study that sheds light on cultural history

Although I consider the attic which is my brain a pretty good storehouse for the game of Trivial Pursuit, this otherwise useless information has a broad gap. My affinity for philology is poorly developed. I am a voracious reader, but retaining the nuances and meanings of literature is a talent I have yet to develop…at least when it comes to the romantic foibles of characters such as Heathcliff and Catherine in Wuthering Heights.

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

Here's a link to yesterday’s amendments to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling (Dec 17, 2008) on the Bonneville Power Administration's deals with direct service industries (DSI's).

"...the panel has unanimously voted to deny the Bonneville Power Administration’s Petition for Panel Rehearing and Port Townsend Paper Corporation’s Petition for Panel Rehearing. The petitions for panel rehearing are DENIED. No further petitions for rehearing or rehearing en banc may be filed..."

Please note: this links to a 62 page PDF File (Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals)
http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/opinions/view_subpage.php?pk_id=0000009834

Columbia Generating Station Goes Off-Line After Fire (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/672277.html

Montana - Highwood Coal Power Option 'Off the Table' (Great Falls Tribune, MT)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090806/NEWS01/908060305

Northern Wasco County PUD Will Analyze Rate Impacts (The Dalles Chronicle, OR)
http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2009/08/news08-05-09-04.shtml

To Keep Up With Renewable Energy Mandate - Minnesota Power Seeks another Rate Increase (WDIO-TV, Duluth, MN)
http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S1069280.shtml?cat=10335

News Release - New TVA Electric Plant May Unlock Tennessee’s Natural Gas Potential (Tennessee Oil & Gas Association)
http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2009-08/14612033-new-tva-electric-plant-may-unlock-tennessee-s-natural-gas-potential-004.htm

Texas - Transformer Move Damages Hwy 277 (Abilene Reporter News, TX)
http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/aug/05/transformer-damages-highway-277/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Good returns expected for Columbia salmon season (Associated Press)
http://www.kgw.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D99SU0SO2.html

NY Times Editorial - Fisheries Back From the Brink
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/opinion/06thu3.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Washington Post - Signs of Life: An experiment allows oysters to make a comeback in part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/05/AR2009080503267.html?nav=rss_opinions

State Of California Creates Network of Marine Reserves (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/05/MNI619406P.DTL&feed=rss.news

An Oyster to Fight for - Bringing BC's native Olympia back from the brink and on to the table (The Tyee, British Columbia)
http://thetyee.ca/Life/2009/08/06/OysterToFightFor/

Two Dead Rodents Lead To Firings - Protected Species: Chipmunks found killed by nails at work site (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/932107.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Dozens Sickened In Kitsap County Lakes (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_080509WAB-kitsap-lakes-sickness-SW.af550d2c.html?rss

Bottled Water Waste Piling Up at Airport Security - Aviation Chief Wants To Reduce Waste-Hauling Costs (Chicago Sun-Times, IL)
http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/1702033,airport-plastic-bottle-liquid-ohare-midway-080509.article

On the Fairway, New Lessons in Saving Water (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/science/earth/06golf.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed - Pacific County Wind Farm the Right Choice in the Right Spot
http://www.seattlepi.com/letters/index.asp?entryID=396

Oregon, Washington to Be Electric Car Test Market (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/5567-oregon-washington-be-electric-car-test-market/

Car Charging Stations Coming To Seattle (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=197332

Pickens Plan Still Kickin’ - T. Boone Pickens says he's still got the wind at his back and is ready to lead America toward energy independence (Newsweek Magazine)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/210561?from=rss

Renewable Energy Can't be an Afterthought in the Quest to Meet Climate Goals (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/mnEnergy/idUS355955617020090805

Pasco Green Power Company Ordered To Shut Down (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/5560-green-power-company-ordered-shut-down/

Oregon Renewable Energy Company to Move Headquarters to Florida (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/08/03/daily27.html?ana=from_rss

United Kingdom - Tesco Criticized By Vegetarians for Using Waste Meat to Generate Electricity (The Telegraph, UK)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/epic/tsco/5979939/Tesco-criticised-by-vegetarians-for-using-waste-meat-to-generate-electricity.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Adviser: Conservation Makes Sense for Everyone (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090806/LIVING/708069998/Energy+Adviser++Conservation+makes+sense+for+everyone

Arizona - School Districts Work to Trim Energy Costs (Arizona Republic)
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/08/06/20090806wvaguagreen0806.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

'Fragile Compromise' of Power Plant CEOs in Doubt as Senate Climate Debate Nears (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/08/05/05climatewire-fragile-compromise-of-power-plant-ceos-in-do-68966.html

Atlanta Journal-Constitution Editorial - Rural Democrats Flex Muscle In Congress
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/rural-democrats-flex-muscle-109339.html

Climate Change - How Bills Get So Bad (Washington Post)
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/08/how_bills_get_so_bad.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

A Repulsive Side Effect of Going Green (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/52555077.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Mason General Hospital Named 2009 Most Wired Hospital (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7965/reftab/1632/t/MASON-GENERAL-HOSPITAL-NAMED-2009-MOST-WIRED-HOSPITAL-/Default.aspx

Hacker Attack Shuts Down Twitter (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13004278

Colorado - Public Vote on Fiber Still Up In Air (Fort Morgan Times, CO)
http://www.fortmorgantimes.com/ci_12997386

Return of the Net Neutrality Sock Puppets - The junk scientists at the Heartland Institute ride again (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Return-Of-The-Net-Neutrality-Sock-Puppets-103789

Comcast Adds Just 65,000 New Broadband Customers in Q2 - COO: Our marketing dollars went toward digital transition (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Adds-Just-65000-New-Broadband-Customers-In-Q2-103807

Comcast Profit Up; Basic Video Subscribers Down (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSTRE57525M20090806?feedType=nl&feedName=usbeforethebell

Comcast Speeds Up Its Superfast Broadband Deployment (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/08/06/comcast-speeds-up-its-superfast-broadband-deployment/

GENERAL NEWS

Taxable Retails Sales Up In Shelton But Down in Mason County (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7968/reftab/1632/t/TAXABLE-RETAILS-SALES-UP-IN-SHELTON-BUT-DOWN-IN-MASON-COUNTY/Default.aspx

Firefighters Aim to Keep Constance Fire from Moving East to Brinnon (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090806/news/308069989

Baird to Skip Town Hall 'Lynch' Mentality - Olympia Tea Party organizer says ‘Democracy can be messy and raucous’ But does it have to be? (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/932112.html

Hastings to Speak At Aug. 12 Chamber Event (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/business/story/670244.html?mi_email=Tri-City%20Herald_PM+%26+Breaking+News

Montesano Mill Gets Government Help after Its Threats to Move to Lewis County (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/08/05/news//doc4a79d2ee30823485862089.txt

US Forecasters Lower Atlantic Hurricane Outlook (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/08/06/national/a075037D88.DTL&feed=rss.business

Reuters Implores AP to 'Stop Whining' (Gawker - Note: comments may contain some colorful language, like “blue” language…)
http://gawker.com/5331057/reuters-implores-ap-to-stop-whining

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Man Arrested After Barking At Police Dog
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20293672/detail.html

RadioShack to Become Just 'The Shack'
http://www.kirotv.com/money/20292506/detail.html

Sailor Solved Parking Frustrations by Towing Away Car, Police Say
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090805/NEWS01/708059730/-1/RSS02

Ten Promotional Stunts That Horribly Backfired
http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/107451/10-promotional-stunts-that-horribly-backfired.html?mod=career-leadership

SONG OF THE DAY

Appalachian Spring – NPR 100 Most Important American Musical Works Of The 20th Century
http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/atc/20001113.atc.06.rmm