Energy News Digest for September 11, 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)

• BPA Hopes - Columbia Falls Aluminum Operations Extended Again
• City Of Aberdeen to Lease Water Rights to Grays Harbor Energy
• Montana - Meeting Set to Discuss Great Falls Power Plant
• California Utilities Sign $900M Natural Gas Pact
• Two Florida PSC Staffers Resign As Nuclear Plant Weighed
• Idaho - Rare Salmon Get Boost at Redfish
• Columbia River Tour Tracks Salmon Migration
• Five Transient Orcas Seen In South Sound
• Killer Whales Strain to "Talk" Over Ship Noise
• Biologist says Dwindling British Columbia Salmon Stocks Poorly Managed
• British Columbia - Tiny Fish at Heart of Big Legal Win For Endangered Species
• Oregon Timber Operators Sue Obama Administration
• EPA Vows to Be Chesapeake Watchdog
• Radar Ridge Wind Power Project Deemed Wildlife Safe
• Portland - Vestas Looking At Existing Buildings for Headquarters
• California Lawmakers Weigh Rules on Renewable Energy
• Puget Sound Energy Names Burns & McDonnell Design Engineer for Snake River Wind Energy Project
• Suntech: Oregon Market Is Too Small
• Idaho Man Gets Money to Put Solar Panels in Highways
• Self-Guided Tour of Solar Homes Upcoming in Kittitas County
• Long Eclipsed by the West, Eastern States Angle to Stake Claim in Renewables Push
• The War over Wind - Critics Say Green Groups Are Too Tight With Industry
• German Geothermal Project Leads to Second Thoughts After the Earth Rumbles
• United Kingdom - Planning Blamed For Liquidation of Micro Wind Generation Firm
• Editorial - Smart grid offers leap forward on power usage
• Energy-Efficient Home Renovations Market Windows, Doors & Insulation
• Theft Charges for Ex-Owner of Window & Door Factory
• As Hill Debate on Climate Flounders, EPA Plows Ahead on Emission Rules
• Don't Count on Carbon Offsets to Solve Climate Change, Group Says
• A Carbon Tax for France & a Dramatic Plan to Cut Emissions in Japan
• Car Dealers Appeal Ruling on California Emissions
• Greenland's Melt Mystery Unfolds, At Glacial Pace
• Arctic Shortcut Beckons Shippers as Ice Thaws
• California's Compost Law Could Spark New Trend, & Fines
• Clean Energy Future Has Humble Beginnings
• Really Big Potato Battery! Trees Could Be the Ultimate in Green Power
• Data Center Energy Use Will Likely Be Part of Coming Federal Requirements
• Dell to Hang Up On Idaho Call Center
• Class Action Lawsuit Claims AT&T Profits from Phone Thefts
• 9/11 Marked With Mourning & a Spirit of Service
• Former Mason Budget Director Files Claim Alleging Discrimination
• Judge Shields Signatures in Gay-Rights Referendum
• Washington Tops College Student Swine Flu Rate
• Can You Save Money By Motorcycle Commuting? Not Really

WORD OF THE DAY

Ennead • \ENN-ee-ad\ • noun – A group of nine

The US Supreme Court, an ennead of the brightest legal minds in the nation. One wonders what the Friday potlucks behind the huge bronze doors are like. I like to imagine they’re having a great time, chowing down and wearing big “Red Lobster”-like bibs over their black, silk robes during their noon-hour repast.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & 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

Columbia Falls Aluminum Operations Extended Again “…BPA agreed to let CFAC shop in the open market to buy power without jeopardizing its position as a Bonneville customer….” (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/columbia_falls_aluminum_company_open_through_october/12916/

City Of Aberdeen to Lease Water Rights to Grays Harbor Energy (Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/09/10/local_news/doc4aa93bbad5c76408089942.txt

Montana - Meeting Set to Discuss Great Falls Power Plant (Associated Press)
http://www.kxmb.com/News/434939.asp

California Utilities Sign $900M Natural Gas Pact (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2009/09/07/daily55.html?ana=from_rss

Two Florida PSC Staffers Resign As Nuclear Plant Weighed (Electricity Forum)
http://www.electricityforum.com/news/sep09/PSCstaffersresignamidFPLratehikerequest.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Idaho - Rare Salmon Get Boost at Redfish: Sockeye released into lake after second summer of high returns (Idaho Mountain Express & Guide, Sun Valley)
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005127810

River Tour Tracks Salmon Migration - NOAA scientists research fish populations in Columbia River estuaries (Daily Astorian, OR)
http://www.dailyastorian.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=63936

Five Transient Orcas Seen In South Sound (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/966869.html

Killer Whales Strain to "Talk" Over Ship Noise (National Geographic)
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/090910-killer-whales-ships.html

Biologist says Dwindling British Columbia Salmon Stocks Poorly Managed (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/09/09/bc-salmon-suzuki-foundation.html

British Columbia - Tiny Fish at Heart of Big Legal Win For Endangered Species (BC Local News)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/58664377.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregon Timber Operators Sue Obama Administration (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/5792-oregon-timber-operators-sue-obama-administration/

EPA Vows to Be Chesapeake Watchdog - Agency Says It Will Strictly Enforce Pollution Rules to Try to Restore the Estuary (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/10/AR2009091002645.html?wprss=rss_business

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Radar Ridge Wind Power Project Deemed Wildlife Safe (Chinook Observer, Longview, WA)
http://www.chinookobserver.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=30321&TM=36067.46#B2

Portland - Vestas Looking At Existing Buildings for Headquarters (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/09/vestas_looking_at_existing_bui.html

California Lawmakers Weigh Rules on Renewable Energy (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g-95_hW8k5bE1za44MIkrEhQIxlQD9AKR8O80

Puget Sound Energy Names Burns & McDonnell Design Engineer for Snake River Wind Energy Project (North American Wind Power)
http://www.nawindpower.com/naw/e107_plugins/content/content_lt.php?content.4587

Suntech: Oregon Market Is Too Small (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/09/07/daily23.html?ana=from_rss

Idaho Man Gets Federal Money to Develop His Idea of Putting Solar Panels in Highways (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/895850.html

Self-Guided Tour of Solar Homes Upcoming in Kittitas County (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/09/10/self-guided-tour-of-solar-homes-upcoming-in-kittitas-county

Long Eclipsed by the West, Eastern States Angle to Stake Claim in Renewables Push (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/09/10/10greenwire-long-eclipsed-by-the-west-eastern-states-angle-83896.html

The War over Wind – Critics Say Green Groups Are Too Tight With Industry (The Daily Page, Madison, WI)
http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=26856

Honey, I Broke the Planet! - German Geothermal Project Leads to Second Thoughts After the Earth Rumbles (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/science/earth/11quake.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

United Kingdom - Planning Blamed For Liquidation of Micro Wind Generation Firm (New Energy Focus)
http://newenergyfocus.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=1&listcatid=32&listitemid=2993&section=Wind

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Spokesman-Review Editorial - Smart grid offers leap forward on power usage
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/sep/11/smart-grid-offers-leap-forward-on-power-usage/

Energy-Efficient Home Renovations Market Windows, Doors & Insulation (TMC Net)
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2009/09/11/4364638.htm

Theft Charges for Ex-Owner of Window & Door Factory – Moved inventory to another state to start a new business (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/us/11republic.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

As Hill Debate on Climate Flounders, EPA Plows Ahead on Emission Rules (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/09/10/10greenwire-as-hill-debate-on-climate-flounders-epa-plows-47515.html

Don't Count on Carbon Offsets to Solve Climate Change, Group Says (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/09/dont_count_on_carbon_offsets_t.html

Sacre vert! A Carbon Tax for France & a Dramatic Plan to Cut Emissions in Japan. But America is behind (Economist Magazine)
http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14437359

Car Dealers Appeal Ruling on California Emissions (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009842664_apuscaliforniapollution3rdldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Greenland's Melt Mystery Unfolds, At Glacial Pace (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009841746_apclimate09greenlandsmelt.html?syndication=rss

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Arctic Shortcut Beckons Shippers as Ice Thaws (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/science/earth/11passage.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

California's Compost Law Could Spark New Trend, & Fines (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/2009/sep/California-s-Compost-Law-Could-Spark-New-Trend-.html

Clean Energy Future Has Humble Beginnings (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE58A0JT20090911

Really Big Potato Battery! Trees Could Be the Ultimate in Green Power (New Scientist)
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17767-trees-could-be-the-ultimate-in-green-power.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Ready For Regulation? Data Center Energy Use Will Likely Be Part of Coming Federal Requirements (Processor)
http://www.processor.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/P3123/37p23/37p23/37p23.asp&guid=

Dell to Hang Up On Idaho Call Center (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/967564.html

Class Action Lawsuit Claims AT&T Profits from Phone Thefts (Courthouse News)
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/09/11/Class_Claims_AT&T_Profits_from_Phone_Thefts.htm

GENERAL NEWS

9/11 Marked With Mourning & a Spirit of Service (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20838690/detail.html

Former Mason Budget Director Files Claim Alleging Discrimination (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/sep/10/former-mason-budget-director-files-claim/?partner=RSS

Judge Shields Signatures in Gay-Rights Referendum (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009843284_webref7111m.html?syndication=rss

Washington Tops College Student Swine Flu Rate (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/966828.html

Can You Save Money By Motorcycle Commuting? Not Really (Consumerist)
http://consumerist.com/5356991/can-you-save-money-by-motorcycle-commuting-not-really

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Gender-Questioned Sprinter Gets Makeover
http://www.kirotv.com/sports/20837332/detail.html

Cat in Ohio Survives 26 Days under Fire Debris
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20835120/detail.html

UPS Driver Is Champion Parking Violator
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20812471/detail.html

Wisconsin Dad, Son Excel at Cricket-Spitting
http://www.kirotv.com/sports/20796240/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Buddy Holly & the Crickets - True Love Ways
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYI9uaLdSZM&feature