Energy News Digest for September 22, 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)

• Montana Urged To Lease Coal Reserves
• Rediscovering Natural Gas by Hitting Rock Bottom
• Rural Alaska Energy - Dreading the Diesel Deadline
• Opponents Ask Salazar to Halt Offshore Drilling
• Editorial - A Plan for Columbia River Salmon Recovery to Please A Critic
• Op/Ed - Obama Decision Protects NW Salmon
• Op/Ed - Start On Dam Removal Now
• Willamette Coho Run On Pace to Set A Record
• Chum Salmon Fishery Suspended In Northern Yukon
• See Spawning Spring Chinook Salmon Saturday
• Farm-Fresh Fish - With a Catch
• Killer whales show off in South Sound
• "The Cove" Could Halt Japan's Dolphin Slaughter
• Toxins Shut Mussel, Clam Harvesting In Oregon
• Mini-Golf Course Plots Salmon's Life Journey
• Chehalis River - Study Finds Sites OK for Dams
• Montana - Environmental Groups Log Former Plum Creek Lands
• Editorial - Cleaning up the Chesapeake
• Wind Power Advances A Big Advantage for Cowlitz PUD
• PacifiCorp Looks to Renewables for Future Power Needs
• Bird Deaths Present Problem at Wind Farms
• Wind-Turbine Makers Press for Green Mandates
• Stimulating through Subsidy - Does It Work?
• New York - Crane Collapse: Operator at Wind Farm Escapes Injury
• Cow Poop-To-Power Plant Now Online
• Benton PUD Takes Lead in Putting In 'Smart Meters'
• Oregon Conservation Plan Means More Upgrades Ahead
• Conservation Starter
• HP Plans To Trim Energy Use
• Smart Grid Project Cuts Electricity Usage
• States Can Sue Utilities Over Emissions
• California Plans to Levy Greenhouse Gas Fees
• Emissions of CO2 Set for Best Drop in 40 Years
• Murkowski CO2 Amendment Could Have Broad Reach
• DOE Chief says Clean-Tech Progress More Important than U.N. Climate Treaty
• Refitted to Bury Emissions, West Virginia Coal Plant Draws Attention
• Tesla Founders End Bitter Legal Fight
• Drink Responsibly - Which Is Better For The Planet, Beer Or Wine?
• F.C.C. Calls Open Internet Rules Vital
• Comcast 'Honors' FCC Authority on Neutrality
• FCC Fires Back at Comcast in Net Neutrality Legal Battle
• Washington State Proposes 7.6 Percent Workers' Comp Rate Hike
• Former Classmate - Onalaska Native Brings Bikes to Africa

WORD OF THE DAY

Cantankerous • \kan-TANK-uh-rus\ • adjective - Difficult or irritating to deal with

“A little water displacement formula 40 should loosen that reluctant bolt,” twanged the ancient mechanic to his fresh faced apprentice. “Just call it WD-40 you cantankerous old fool,” thought the sweaty young man as he strained to remove the rusty bolt from the header of the creaky combine.

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

Montana Urged To Lease Coal Reserves (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2228755~Montana_urged_to_lease_coal_reserves.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines

Rediscovering Natural Gas by Hitting Rock Bottom (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113043935&ft=1&f=3

Rural Alaska Energy - Dreading the Diesel Deadline (Alaska Dispatch)
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/news/rural-alaska/2033-dreading-diesel-deadline

Opponents Ask Salazar to Halt Offshore Drilling (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009914495_apusoffshoredrilling2ndldwritethru.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Seattle Times Editorial - A Plan for Columbia River Salmon Recovery to Please A Critic
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2009914632_edit22fish.html

SF Chronicle Op/Ed - Obama Decision Protects NW Salmon
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/22/EDOR19QC3F.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

Spokesman Review Op/Ed - Start On Dam Removal Now (note credentials used in posting opinion)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/sep/22/start-on-dam-removal-now/

Willamette Coho Run On Pace to Set A Record (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090921/OUTDOORS/90921016/1034/SPORTS

Chum Salmon Fishery Suspended In Northern Yukon (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/09/21/yukon-chum-salmon.html

See Spawning Spring Chinook Salmon Saturday (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/09/21/see-spawning-spring-chinook-salmon-saturday

Farm-Fresh Fish - With a Catch: Aquaculture Boom Raises Concerns (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/19/AR2009091900928.html

Killer whales show off in South Sound - Violations: Some boaters appear to be herding orcas (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/888229.html

"The Cove" Could Halt Japan's Dolphin Slaughter (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/2009/sep/-The-Cove--Could-Halt-Japan-s-Dolphin-Slaughter-.html

Toxins Shut Mussel, Clam Harvesting In Oregon (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/09/21/financial/f160823D45.DTL&feed=rss.business

Mini-Golf Course Plots Salmon's Life Journey (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/sep/21/Mini-golf-course-plots-salmons-life-journey/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Chehalis River - Study Finds Sites OK for Dams: Two spots are suitable for construction, says report (The Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/977631.html

Montana - Environmental Groups Log Former Plum Creek Lands For Sake Of Preservation, Access (The Missoulian, MT)
http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_b398c586-a5a0-11de-b938-001cc4c002e0.html

Washington Post Editorial - Cleaning up the Chesapeake: Draft reports on the state of the bay signal more aggressive federal action.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/21/AR2009092103109.html?nav=rss_opinions

RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wind Power Advances A Big Advantage for Cowlitz PUD, Officials Say (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/09/21/area_news/doc4ab82b7d87ffd892189214.txt

PacifiCorp Looks to Renewables for Future Power Needs (Idaho Business Review)
http://www.idahobusiness.net/archive.htm/2009/09/21/PacifiCorp-looks-to-renewables-for-future-power-needs

Bird Deaths Present Problem at Wind Farms (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2009-09-21-wind-farms_N.htm

Wind-Turbine Makers Press for Green Mandates (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125358112175629695.html

Stimulating through Subsidy - Does It Work? (Energy Priorities)
http://energypriorities.com/entries/2009/09/stimulating_through_sub.php

New York - Crane Collapse: Operator at Wind Farm Escapes Injury (The Courier, Bath, NY)
http://www.steubencourier.com/news/x1073704913/Crane-collapse-Operator-at-wind-farm-escapes-injury

Cow Poop-To-Power Plant Now Online (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/410362_cow22.html?source=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Benton PUD Takes Lead in Putting In 'Smart Meters' (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/888354.html

Oregon Conservation Plan Means More Upgrades Ahead (Associated Press)
http://gazettetimes.com/business/article_d2be03b0-a4f4-11de-be71-001cc4c002e0.html

Conservation Starter (Helena Independent Record, MT)
http://www.helenair.com/news/local/article_8cced23a-a733-11de-8b48-001cc4c03286.html

HP Plans To Trim Energy Use (Portland Business Journal)
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/09/21/daily1.html?ana=from_rss

Smart Grid Project Cuts Electricity Usage (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/smart-grid-project-cuts-electricity-usage/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

States Can Sue Utilities Over Emissions (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/science/earth/22carbon.html

California Plans to Levy Greenhouse Gas Fees (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/19/MNCK19O6HC.DTL

Emissions of CO2 Set for Best Drop in 40 Years (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/science/earth/22emissions.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Murkowski CO2 Amendment Could Have Broad Reach (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/09/22/22climatewire-murkowski-co2-amendment-could-have-broad-reac-8171.html

DOE Chief says Clean-Tech Progress More Important than U.N. Climate Treaty (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/09/21/21greenwire-clean-tech-progress-more-important-than-un-cli-10686.html

Refitted to Bury Emissions, West Virginia Coal Plant Draws Attention (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/science/earth/22coal.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Tesla Founders End Bitter Legal Fight - The co-founders of the electric car company Tesla Motors Inc. have settled their legal battle with laudatory statements of each other's accomplishments (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009913475_apusteslafoundersfight.html?syndication=rss

Drink Responsibly - Which Is Better For The Planet, Beer Or Wine? (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2229095/?from=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

F.C.C. Calls Open Internet Rules Vital (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/technology/internet/22net.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Comcast 'Honors' FCC Authority on Neutrality - Except When Suing Them to Prove They Have None (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Honors-FCC-Authority-On-Neutrality-104569

FCC Fires Back at Comcast in Net Neutrality Legal Battle (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/09/21/fcc-fires-back-at-comcast-in-net-neutrality-legal-battle/

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Proposes 7.6 Percent Workers' Comp Rate Hike (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/60076817.html

Former Classmate - Onalaska Native Brings Bikes to Africa (Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/09/22/life/doc4ab7bdff5b590767981610.txt

DIVERSIONS

Mass. Postal Worker Admits To Stealing 30,000 DVDs
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009919531_apuspostalworkertheft.html?syndication=rss

Maine Worker Finds New Hire Is Lost Brother
http://www.kirotv.com/family/21055486/detail.html

Cursive Writing May Be Fading Skill, But So What?
http://www.kirotv.com/education/21003548/detail.html

67M to 1 Shot! British Woman Makes 2 Holes-In-One
http://www.kirotv.com/sports/20984399/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

James Brown - Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtqDB2spyG0