Energy News Digest for October 23, 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)

• Castle Rock to Troutdale - Proposed I-5 corridor high-voltage line would meet growing demand for electricity
• Centralia’s Electricity Rates Likely to Increase in 2010
• R-I-P Raccoon - Wenatchee Power Outage Affects 2,800 Customers
• Columbia River - Voices of the Past: Revering the Flow
• Hood Canal Oxygen Levels Decline as Scientists Warn of another Fish Kill
• Foam from Ocean Algae Bloom Killing Thousands of Birds
• Big Cuts Loom for Sturgeon Fishing
• Time for Steelhead - Record Run Will Bring Excellent Fishing through January on Lower
• Orcas Move into Central Puget Sound
• Feds to Inspect Yakima Valley Dairies for Pollution
• Bumping Lake Central to Water Talks
• Along Oregon's Eastern Border, A Hellishly Beautiful Canyon
• Ceremony Dedicates Greenhouse Complex to Be Used for Elwha River Restoration
• Kittitas County - Council Ponders Desert Claim Wind Power Project
• Montana Wind Farm Doubles Power-Generating Capacity
• The Tennessee Valley Authority to Buy 450 Megawatts from Dakota Wind Turbines
• Google and Microsoft Eye Wind Farm Investments
• Ontario Freezes Great Lakes Energy Proposals
• West Virginia - Environmentalists Divided over Wind Project
• Wind Farm Would Turn Cumbrian Villagers into Sleep-Deprived Zombies
• Tallying the Real Environmental Cost of Biofuels
• Study Says Advanced Biofuels Will Stoke Global Warming
• Vermont to Hold Lottery for Biomass Energy Developers
• UK Launches Fund To Explore Deep Geothermal Energy
• Report on Investigation of North Columbia Community Action Council’s Weatherization Program Expected Soon
• Alaska – Anchorage Energy Savings Drill Reduced Use by 2-4 %
• Ohio Utility Wants Customers to Pay to Conserve
• Questions Linger Over Energy Star Ratings
• Space-Based Solar Power Can Help On Energy Needs
• Calculating Emissions Is Problematic
• Nissan All-Electric Leaf to Visit Seattle
• The Dilemma of Hand Drying: Paper Towels or Air Dryers?
• How Green Is Your Pet?
• A PUD 3 Fiber Network User - North Mason School District Placed Third Nationally In Digital School Districts Rankings
• Grant PUD Fiber a Big Help - Big Bend Community College Receives Technology Grant
• Clearwire affirms Seattle launch, with Comcast and Sprint
• TDS Telecom Launches 50 Mbps Fiber
• Microsoft’s Profit Falls but Beats Forecasts
• Wait, What Happened To Windows 5 And 6?
• FCC to Draft Net Neutrality Rules, Taking Step toward Web Regulation
• Who Knew Senior Citizens Hated Net Neutrality?
• Weyerhaeuser Says Lumber Market Rebound Still More Than a Year Away
• Busted Fridge - Walla Walla Loses 1,000 Doses of Flu Vaccine
• WWU Research: Cell Phone Users Are Oblivious
• Bill for Glenn Beck Day stuns Mount Vernon

WORD OF THE DAY

Indeterminable • \indi-TERM-nuh-bull\ • adjective –1: incapable of being definitely decided or settled 2: incapable of being definitely fixed or ascertained

Bernard slumped in his chair like a poorly filled sack of wheat. He had come to the “Live to be Green” forum as part of his quest to live a more environmentally responsible life. What he found was a series of droning speakers that stretched to the indeterminable distance who talked about the benefits of permanently dying the skin green…just like the ‘Jolly Green Giant.’

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

Castle Rock to Troutdale - Proposed I-5 corridor high-voltage line would meet growing demand for electricity and help deliver energy – including wind power (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/361035/

Centralia’s Electricity Rates Likely to Increase in 2010 - 4 to 7 Percent Increase Suggested to Improve Outdated System (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/10/22/news//doc4ae09983ef390006826672.txt

R-I-P Raccoon - Wenatchee Power Outage Affects 2,800 Customers (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/oct/22/power-outage-affects-2800-customers/

Columbia River - Voices of the Past: Revering the Flow (Vancouver Voice, WA)
http://www.vanvoice.com/article/20238-voices+past+revering+flow

FISH & WILDLIFE

Hood Canal Oxygen Levels Decline as Scientists Warn of another Fish Kill (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/22/hood-canal-oxygen-levels-decline-as-scientists/?partner=RSS

Foam from Ocean Algae Bloom Killing Thousands of Birds (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/foam_from_ocean_algae_bloom_ki.html

Big Cuts Loom for Sturgeon Fishing - Sport, commercials both expected to have harvests slashed as lower Columbia River population declines (Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20091022/SPORTS04/710229943/-1/SPORTS

Time for Steelhead - Record Run Will Bring Excellent Fishing through January on Lower Deschutes (Bend Bulletin, OR)
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091022/SPORTS05/910220372/-1/RSSNEWSMAP#

Orcas Move into Central Puget Sound (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/22/orcas-move-into-central-puget-sound/?partner=RSS

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Feds to Inspect Yakima Valley Dairies for Pollution (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_yakima_groundwater.html?source=pimail

Bumping Lake Central to Water Talks - Group representing all water interests sees potential with possible reservoir expansion (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/22/bumping-lake-central-to-water-talks

Along Oregon's Eastern Border, A Hellishly Beautiful Canyon - The rugged gorge carved by the Snake River is a haven for wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts who don't mind solitude (Mail Tribune, Medford, OR)
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091022/LIFE/910220303

Ceremony Dedicates Greenhouse Complex to Be Used for Elwha River Restoration (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091023/news/310239985

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Kittitas County - Behind Closed Doors: Council Ponders Desert Claim Wind Power Project (Daily Record, Ellensburg, WA)
http://www.kvnews.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/doc4ae0996c3482e210057310.txt

Montana Wind Farm Doubles Power-Generating Capacity (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2281995~Mont__wind_farm_doubles_power_generating_capacity.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines

The Tennessee Valley Authority to Buy 450 Megawatts from Dakota Wind Turbines (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010118662_apustvarenewableenergy.html?syndication=rss

Google and Microsoft Eye Wind Farm Investments (Financial Times of London, UK)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8ebb43e6-bf37-11de-a696-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1

Ontario Freezes Great Lakes Energy Proposals - Flood of applications prompts provincial review `to ensure proper processes in place' (Toronto Star, Ontario)
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/714699

West Virginia - Environmentalists Divided over Wind Project (Boston Globe, MA)
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/10/23/environmentalists_divided_over_wind_project/

United Kingdom - Wind Farm Would Turn Cumbrian Villagers into Sleep-Deprived Zombies (The Cumberland News, UK)
http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/news/windfarm_would_turn_cumbrian_villagers_into_sleep_deprived_zombies_1_627453

Tallying the Real Environmental Cost of Biofuels “...A pair of new studies in…Science damningly demonstrates that the answer is no…” (Time Magazine)
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1931780,00.html

Study Says Advanced Biofuels Will Stoke Global Warming (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN2225048

Vermont to Hold Lottery for Biomass Energy Developers (Associated Press)
http://www.reflector.com/business/vt-board-to-hold-lottery-for-energy-developers-913446.html

UK Launches Fund To Explore Deep Geothermal Energy – Just don’t break the planet, you kids (Power Engineering)
http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=370303&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Report on Investigation of North Columbia Community Action Council’s Weatherization Program Expected Soon (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/doc4adf802db28b8556264973.txt

Alaska – Anchorage Energy Savings Drill Reduced Use By 2-4 % (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/926335.html

Ohio Utility Wants Customers to Pay to Conserve (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114048368&ft=1&f=2

Questions Linger Over Energy Star Ratings (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114051506&ft=1&f=2

Space-Based Solar Power Can Help On Energy Needs (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6681871.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Calculating Emissions Is Problematic (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/science/earth/23biofuel.html?em

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Nissan All-Electric Leaf to Visit Seattle (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=228979

The Dilemma of Hand Drying: Paper Towels or Air Dryers? (Greenandsave.com)
http://www.greenandsave.com/green_news/green-lifestyle/dilemma-hand-drying-5250

How Green Is Your Pet? (New Scientist)
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427311.600-how-green-is-your-pet.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

A PUD 3 Fiber Network User - North Mason School District Placed Third Nationally In Digital School Districts Rankings (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=448:the-north-mason-school-district-placed-third-in-the-nation-in-the-digital-school-districts-rankings&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Grant PUD Fiber a Big Help - Big Bend Community College Receives Technology Grant (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/doc4ae0cf3241bf1840884237.txt

Qwest to End Cell Phone Service on Oct. 31 (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010119662_apusqwestcellphones.html?syndication=rss

Clearwire affirms Seattle launch, with Comcast and Sprint (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2010119635_clearwire_affirms_seattle_laun.html?syndication=rss

TDS Telecom Launches 50 Mbps Fiber - After it failed to stop Minnesota muni-fiber build (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/TDS-Telecom-Launches-50-Mbps-Fiber-105111

Microsoft’s Profit Falls but Beats Forecasts (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/24/business/24soft.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Wait, What Happened To Windows 5 And 6? (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13619300

FCC to Draft Net Neutrality Rules, Taking Step toward Web Regulation - Writing of regulations expected to be long, contentious process (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/22/AR2009102204462.html?wprss=rss_technology

Who Knew Senior Citizens Hated Net Neutrality? 'XYZ Organization' magically shares AT&T's lobbying positions (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Who-Knew-Senior-Citizens-Hated-Net-Neutrality-105109

GENERAL NEWS

Weyerhaeuser Says Lumber Market Rebound Still More Than a Year Away (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/23//area_news/doc4ae15009e61dc758492965.txt

Busted Fridge - Walla Walla Loses 1,000 Doses of Flu Vaccine (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=11367408

WWU Research: Cell Phone Users Are Oblivious (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/65718982.html

Bill for Glenn Beck Day stuns Mount Vernon (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010120920_costofglenn23m.html?syndication=rss

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Soupy Sales, Comedian, Dies at 83
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/arts/television/23sales.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Funeral Home Offers Electronic Billboard Obits
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21392805/detail.html

Seattle Diners Worst Tippers in the United States (JUST 18 percent?)
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/10/19/daily39.html?ana=from_rss

Brewer, Monster-Maker Settle 'Vermonster' Dispute
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010118328_apusmonsterdrinkfight.html?syndication=rss

Pearl Jam, Others Protest Music Used In Torture
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_102209WAB-CNN-pearl-jam-bands-guantanamo-JM.24102e149.html?rss?npc

SONG OF THE DAY

Journey - Wheel in the Sky (I’m waiting to see some wit use this in a windmill story in place of “Blowin’ in the Wind”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGbVoDVWZsc&feature=related