Energy News Digest for September 28, 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)

• Power Deal Deadline Looms for Ferndale-Area Smelter
• Op/Ed - Tom Karier: Energy Saving Begins with Us
• Op/Ed - The New Northwest Power Plan Is Good Start, But Needs to Attack Coal Plants
• Avista Holding Public Hearings On Rate Increase
• Cowlitz PUD Moving Along on Automated Meter Installations
• Fitch Affirms Tacoma Power at 'A+'; Outlook Stable
• Mylar Balloons Caused West Bremerton Power Outage
• Idaho - A Power Plant in Keizer?
• Heating Oil Prices Cool Down As Winter Approaches
• E.P.A. Ordered to Reconsider New Mexico Tribe’s Coal Power Plant Permit
• Editorial - Bill Grant: Nuclear Power Revisited
• Delaware - Decouple: Success of Programs in California Is Cited
• Want Cheaper Electricity? Maryland Co-Op Seeks More Customers
• Florida - Glades Electric Cooperative Slashes Power Bills
• Texas - Retail Electricity Providers Often Offer Lower Rates, Survey Finds
• Virginia - Suffolk Couple Struggles to Get Electricity in Dream House
• Redden Wants BiOp Challengers' Views on Obama Adaptive Management Plan
• Editorial - Salmon Strategy Reflects Cautious Federal Efforts
• Columnist - Long History of 'Fish Fights' Likely Won't End Anytime Soon
• Big Upper Columbia Steelhead Return Prompts Expanded Hatchery Fishery
• Klamath Dam Removal Settlement Expected This Week
• Killer Whales Love to Dine on Puget Sound’s Chinook Salmon
• Bird Die-Off Slows At Idaho Reservoir
• Canada - Sea Lions at Victoria's Race Rocks Injured by Debris, Boats
• Washington State Indian Tribes: Hunters without Borders
• Op/Ed - Gregoire on Target with River Management
• Water Rights Dust-Up - Man, 93, says he was pushed
• Shipping Trash from Hawaii to Mainland to Begin
• Tour Shines On Local Solar Efforts
• Op/Ed - U.S. Must Take Lead in Renewable Energy
• China's Wind Farms Come With a Catch: Coal Plants
• Slowing Wind Farm Blades Reduces Bat Deaths
• Massachusetts - Wind Turbines Will Hit the Highway
• Floating Turbines Open Wind Potential
• Solar Power, Without All Those Panels
• Minnesota - Wood Heat, a '70s Idea, Catches Fire Again
• Report Touts Minnesota's Energy Policy as Model for Nation
• Better Building Energy Codes: It's Not Rocket Science
• LED Technology - Micron to Develop Efficient Lighting Products
• Ben & Jerry's, GE Work on Greener Freezers for US
• US Says Climate Bill Might Not Pass in Time
• Costly Carbon Cuts - Proposed Strategies Would Hurt the Most Vulnerable
• Another Utility Leaves U.S. Chamber over Climate Policy
• California - Top State Emitters of Greenhouse Gases Face Fees
• Op/Ed - On Energy, We’re Finally Walking the Walk
• Op/Ed - Health-Care Debate Too Mild For You? Wait For Climate-Change Politics
• California's 'Green' Ink-Cartridge Recycling Fails To Cut Pollution, Or Costs
• Wyoming Glass Pile Shows Recycling Challenge
• Tulalips’ Broadband Investment Cuts Costs
• Editorial - The FCC's Heavy Hand
• Huge Australian Broadband Project Begins
• 'Broadband for America': Same Lobbying Crap. New Name
• Fall Weather on the Way
• Boeing to test military airplane over Hood Canal
• Mason County United Way Campaign Under Way
• Nickels Wants To Cut 300 Jobs, Use Rainy Day Fund
• Driven to Distraction - Truckers Insist on Keeping Computers in the Cab
• Plutonium Shortage Could Stall Space Exploration

WORD OF THE DAY

Deke • \DEEK\ • verb - To fake (an opponent) out of position (as in ice hockey)

Barnard thought it was always a figure of speech. That is, until he stepped onto the court to play one-on-one with the star point guard from the local community college. It was halfway down court, Bernie thought he was doing a passable job guarding the 5’ 2” phenom, when his opponent deked left and blew by him on the right for an easy layup. A definite draft to the nether regions was the clue…as Bernie looked back to the timeline and saw his athletic supporter laying on the court.

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

Power Deal Deadline Looms for Ferndale-Area Smelter (Bellingham Herald, WA)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/latestheadlines/story/1086654.html

Spokesman Review Op/Ed - Tom Karier: Energy Saving Begins with Us
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/sep/27/energy-saving-begins-with-us/

Seattle Times Op/Ed - The New Northwest Power Plan Is Good Start, But Needs to Attack Coal Plants
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2009944636_guest28beres.html

Avista Holding Public Hearings On Rate Increase - Utility, state commission won’t have details on proposals (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/sep/25/avista-holding-public-hearings-rate-increase/

Cowlitz PUD Moving Along on Automated Meter Installations (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/09/28/area_news/doc4abfb676b6411619523208.txt

Fitch Affirms Tacoma Power at 'A+'; Outlook Stable (Yahoo! Finance)
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Fitch-Affirms-Tacoma-Power-at-bw-3996793788.html?x=0&.v=1

Mylar Balloons Caused West Bremerton Power Outage (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/sep/25/power-out-much-west-bremerton/?partner=RSS

Idaho - A Power Plant in Keizer? (Keizer Times, ID)
http://www.keizertimes.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=11791

Heating Oil Prices Cool Down As Winter Approaches (Associated Press)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/896229.html

E.P.A. Ordered to Reconsider New Mexico Tribe’s Coal Power Plant Permit (Associated Press)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/science/earth/27plant.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Star Tribune Editorial - Bill Grant: Nuclear Power Revisited. The elephant in the room: there's still nowhere to put that toxic waste
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/61519562.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ

Delaware - Decouple: Success of Programs in California Is Cited (News Journal, Wilmington, DE)
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090928/BUSINESS/909280308/1003/business

Want Cheaper Electricity? Maryland Co-Op Seeks More Customers (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2009/09/28/story7.html?ana=from_rss

Florida - Glades Electric Cooperative Slashes Power Bills (Tampa Tribune, FL)
http://www2.highlandstoday.com/content/2009/sep/27/lc-glades-electric-cooperative-slashes-power-bills/

Texas - Retail Electricity Providers Often Offer Lower Rates, Survey Finds (IstockAnalyst)
http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3509009

Virginia - Suffolk Couple Struggles to Get Electricity in Dream House (Virginia Pilot, Hampton Roads, VA)
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/couple-struggles-get-electricity-their-dream-house

FISH & WILDLIFE

Redden Wants BiOp Challengers' Views on Obama Adaptive Management Plan by Oct. 2 (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
http://www.cbbulletin.com/357628.aspx

East Oregonian Editorial - Salmon Strategy Reflects Cautious Federal Efforts
http://eastoregonian.com/main.asp?SectionID=14&SubSectionID=50&ArticleID=98292

Daily News Columnist - Long History of 'Fish Fights' Likely Won't End Anytime Soon
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/09/27/focus/doc4abeae0e45881859342749.txt

Big Upper Columbia Steelhead Return Prompts Expanded Hatchery Fishery to Protect Wild Fish (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
http://www.cbbulletin.com/357626.aspx

Klamath Dam Removal Settlement Expected This Week (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/5906-klamath-dam-removal-settlement-expected-week/

Killer Whales Love to Dine on Puget Sound’s Chinook Salmon - which could further endanger their future (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/post_7.html

Bird Die-Off Slows At Idaho Reservoir (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/985749.html

Canada - Sea Lions at Victoria's Race Rocks Injured by Debris, Boats (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/lions+Victoria+Race+Rocks+injured+debris+boats/2037349/story.html

Washington State Indian Tribes: Hunters without Borders (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090927/NEWS01/709279880/-1/RSS02

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Othello Outlook Op/Ed - Gregoire on Target with River Management
http://othellooutlook.com/?p=4975

Water Rights Dust-Up - Man, 93, says he was pushed, breaking his hip in water rights confrontation (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/sep/26/water-rights-dust-up/

Shipping Trash from Hawaii to Mainland to Begin (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=11200911

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Tour Shines On Local Solar Efforts - Learn about energy-savvy devices at annual showcase (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/partners/theolympian/story/896030.html

SF Chronicle Op/Ed - U.S. Must Take Lead in Renewable Energy
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/26/INQH19QRKL.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

China's Wind Farms Come With a Catch: Coal Plants (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125409730711245037.html

Slowing Wind Farm Blades Reduces Bat Deaths (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2009/09/25/calgary-bat-deaths-alberta-wind-farms.html

Massachusetts - Wind Turbines Will Hit the Highway (Berkshire Eagle, MA)
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_13424444

Floating Turbines Open Wind Potential (Cape Cod Times, MA)
http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090927/NEWS/909279988

Solar Power, Without All Those Panels (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/business/27novel.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Minnesota - Wood Heat, a '70s Idea, Catches Fire Again (Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN)
http://www.startribune.com/business/61529702.html?elr=KArks:DCiU1OiP:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr

Report Touts Minnesota's Energy Policy as Model for Nation (St. Cloud Times, MN)
http://www.sctimes.com/article/20090927/NEWS01/109270015/1009/Report-touts-Minnesota-s-energy-policy-as-model-for-nation

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Better Building Energy Codes: It's Not Rocket Science (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/mnGreenBuildings/idUS169294379920090925

LED Technology - Micron to Develop Efficient Lighting Products (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/983723.html

Ben & Jerry's, GE Work on Greener Freezers for US (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ggMd2JSCQGlMS7UOtKLXBXn7trBwD9AVOQPG3

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

US Says Climate Bill Might Not Pass in Time (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i7hP2g0kyiepKq9-cVavDQwIQpAAD9AVQA0O0

Costly Carbon Cuts - Proposed Strategies Would Hurt the Most Vulnerable (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/27/AR2009092701444.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

Another Utility Leaves U.S. Chamber over Climate Policy (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/09/25/25greenwire-another-utility-leaves-us-chamber-over-climate-2910.html

California - Top State Emitters of Greenhouse Gases Face Fees (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/09/25/MN6O19SPHD.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

News Tribune Op/Ed - On Energy, We’re Finally Walking the Walk
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/othervoices/story/895111.html

Seattle Times Op/Ed - Health-Care Debate Too Mild For You? Wait For Climate-Change Politics
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2009944391_krugman261.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

California's 'Green' Ink-Cartridge Recycling Fails To Cut Pollution, Or Costs (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2212196.html

Wyoming Glass Pile Shows Recycling Challenge (Associated Press)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/sep/28/glass-pile-shows-recycling-challenge/

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Tulalips’ Broadband Investment Cuts Costs - The Internet exchange could serve rural areas if the tribe gets stimulus funding (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090928/BIZ/709289958/-1/RSS03

Washington Post Editorial - The FCC's Heavy Hand: Federal regulators should not be telling Internet service providers how to run their businesses
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/27/AR2009092703026.html?nav=rss_opinions

Huge Australian Broadband Project Begins (Tech.Blorge)
http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2009/09/27/huge-australian-broadband-project-begins/

'Broadband for America': Same Lobbying Crap. New Name - Meet the cable & phone industry’s latest Astroturf attempt (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadband-For-America-Same-Lobbying-Crap-New-Name-104658

GENERAL NEWS

Fall Weather on the Way (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=218128

Boeing to test military airplane over Hood Canal (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/62210637.html

Mason County United Way Campaign Under Way (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=248:united-way-campaign-under-way&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Nickels Wants To Cut 300 Jobs, Use Rainy Day Fund (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/410532_budget25.html?source=rss

Driven to Distraction - Truckers Insist on Keeping Computers in the Cab (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/technology/28truckers.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Plutonium Shortage Could Stall Space Exploration (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113223613&ft=1&f=3

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Lucy of 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' fame dies
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2009958104_apeubritainbeatleslucy.html?syndication=rss

Ten Ways to Enjoy Doing Nothing (see number five)
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/09/21/rs.10ways.enjoy.doing.nothing/index.html

Monkey See, Monkey Sue? Firm's Name Spawns Lawsuit
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/09/25/financial/f085924D68.DTL&feed=rss.business

Employee Injured in Robbery Attempt Loses Job
http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6080324/

SONG OF THE DAY

The Beatles - Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7F2X3rSSCU