Energy News Digest for October 30, 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)

• Spokesman Review Editorial - Smart Grid Will Put Our Energy Use in Fast Lane
• Texas - Claims Energy Price Manipulation: Alcoa Is Seeking $500M in Lawsuit
• Washington State Regulators Approve Cut in Avista Gas Rates
• Portland General Electric Earnings Beat Analyst Estimates
• Oregon’s Filthy Secret - Despite Green Dreams, Oregon Is Fueled by 40 Percent Dirty Coal
• Fitch Rates Klickitat County PUD $42.5MM Bonds ‘A-’; Outlook Stable
• Natural Gas Shortage Topic of Grant County Summit
• Transmission, Renewables Integration Top List of Issues in Ten-Year Electric Reliability Outlook
• Maryland - Constellation’s Nuclear Stake Sale Gets State Approval
• Nuclear Regulators Seek Fine for Missouri Facility
• Green Groups Appeal Ga. Nuclear Plant Expansion
• PPL Montana Begins Upgrade of Rainbow Plant
• In Canada, Utility Buys Rival to Gain U.S. Access
• British Columbia Government Clears Way for Greener Power Expansion
• Alaska Energy-Savings Project Leaves Army in the Cold
• New Wrinkles Coming To Columbia Spring Chinook Management
• Upper Snake River Water Levels in Good Shape
• Columbia River Channel Project Nears Blasting Phase
• Congress Approves $50 Million for Puget Sound
• Salish Sea designation up for vote by State Board on Geographic Names
• White House Panel on Oceans Visits Great Lakes
• Cowlitz PUD/Beacon Hill Sewer District to get $400,000 in federal funding
• Oregon - Water Scuffle between St. Helens, McNulty Escalates
• Victoria, BC Sewage Fix Could Cost You $450 More a Year
• Report Says US Getting Better At Conserving Water
• Work, Tests Winding Up At Hanson Dam
• Second Chance for Willamette Falls Locks, an Oregon Treasure
• Hood Canal Council to Honor 10 Individuals & Groups
• Public Comment Periods Wind Down on Lower Snake River Wind Farm
• Chinese Banks to Fund $1.5 Billion Texas Wind Farm
• Michigan - Grand Rapids Plan for Wind Turbines at Water Plant Faces Federal, Grand Haven Township Scrutiny
• Wind Energy’s Success Creates a Power Grid Challenge
• New Energy = New Transmission Lines
• Arizona - Costs of Clean-Energy Plans Worry Rural Areas
• To Fight Wind Farms - Fund Will Compete With Wind for Leases
• US Wind Energy Stimulus Dollars Spent Overseas
• Western Area Power Administration Buys More Wind Power
• Oregon Geothermal Work Gets $40M in Stimulus Money
• Wind Power Pipeline - Hawaii Moves Ahead With Undersea Power Cable Plans
• Utah Biomass Energy Project Gets $2.5M Grant
• Two Washington State Wind Farm Proposals with Connection to PUD 3 Get Clean Energy Bond Allocations
• Puget Sound Energy to Give Away Last of 500,000 Light Bulbs
• Naval Base Kitsap Receives Top Federal Award for Energy Management
• Idaho Power ‘Smart Meters’ Will Blanket Treasure Valley
• Scientist Sees Future Smart Homes Controlling Power Use
• Yet More Readers Air Their (Clean) Laundry
• Chamber Faces Dissent from Big U.S. Firms on Climate
• Officials Celebrate West Virginia Carbon Capture Project
• Algae Production Proposed For Umatilla
• Pacific Gas & Electric’s PG&E’s ClimateSmart Program Draws Little Interest
• The Methane Makers - Which Farm Animals Expel the Most Methane?
• Will the Digital Divide Close by Itself?
• VoIP Ringing Up Billions in Sales
• Comcast Bandwidth Meter Still a No Show
• Yeah, I’d like Metered Broadband, Too - If It Were Actually Metered
• Web Marketer Ordered To Pay Facebook $711M Damages
• Arizona: Show ‘Metadata,’ Court Says
• Ohio Fiber-Optics Scandal Has Snared Six People
• New Google Maps GPS for Smartphones Spooks Competitors
• Ouch! Boeing Handing Out Layoff Notices to 500 Workers Today
• Columnist - Learning the Right Lessons From the Boeing Calamity
• Weyerhaeuser Breaks Even In 3Q on Timberland Sale
• Government Says Stimulus Saved or Created 650,000 Jobs
• Washington Stimulus Update Show More Than $1.4B Spent
• California Jury Awards $16M in Radio Contestant Death
• Ethics Panel Starts Probes of 2 Democrats, Gets Hacked
• Daylight Saving Time: Why Do We “Fall Back” & “Spring Ahead”?

WORD OF THE DAY

Pescatarian • \pess-kuh-TAIR-ee-un\ • noun - One whose diet includes fish but no meat

“Aaargh!” screamed Leticia through a full bite of her delicious salmon-burger. She was faced with a philosophical dilemma. As a die-hard opponent to beef production on climate change grounds, she thought she’d found the perfect solution by eschewing all things terran and becoming a pescatarian. She was not prepared for the wholesale harassment she received from her vegan friends as she gobbled her wild-caught salmon sandwich while crowded among her humus munching, hemp clothed, dam-breaching friends.

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

Spokesman Review Editorial - Smart Grid Will Put Our Energy Use in Fast Lane
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/30/smart-grid-will-put-our-energy-use-in-fast-lane/

Texas - Claims Energy Price Manipulation: Alcoa Is Seeking $500M in Lawsuit against Energy Future Holdings (The Eagle, Bryan/College Station, TX)
http://www.theeagle.com/local/Alcoa-is-seeking--500M-in-lawsuit

Washington State Regulators Approve Cut in Avista Gas Rates (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/29/regulators-approve-cut-avista-gas-rates/

Portland General Electric Earnings Beat Analyst Estimates (Portland Business Journal)
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/10/26/daily46.html?ana=from_rss

Oregon’s Filthy Secret - Despite Green Dreams, Oregon Is Fueled by 40 Percent Dirty Coal (Portland Mercury, OR)
http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/oregons-filthy-secret/Content?oid=1782904

Fitch Rates Klickitat County PUD $42.5MM Bonds ‘A-’; Outlook Stable (BusinessWire)
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20091029006528&newsLang=en

Natural gas topic of Grant County summit - Stakeholders gathered to discuss a natural gas shortage in the Columbia Basin (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/773271.html?mi_email=Tri-City%20Herald_PM+%26+Breaking+News

Transmission, Renewables Integration Top List of Issues in Ten-Year Electric Reliability Outlook (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=121623

Maryland - Constellation’s Nuclear Stake Sale Gets State Approval (Washington Business Journal)
http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2009/10/26/daily126.html?ana=from_rss

Nuclear Regulators Seek Fine for Missouri Facility (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010163534_apusnuclearfacilityfine.html?syndication=rss

Green Groups Appeal Ga. Nuclear Plant Expansion (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010169823_apusnuclearexpansiongeorgia.html?syndication=rss

PPL Montana Begins Upgrade of Rainbow Plant (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/10/ppl-montana-begins-upgrade-of-rainbow-plant?cmpid=rss

Rainbow Dam - Generating Capacity: 37 Megawatts (PPL Montana)
http://www.pplmontana.com/producing+power/power+plants/Rainbow+Dam.htm

In Canada, Utility Buys Rival to Gain U.S. Access (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/business/energy-environment/30energy.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

British Columbia Government Clears Way for Greener Power Expansion (Canwest Publishing, Canada)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=932f52ff-ec16-4106-a40a-db4a829dcff3&k=18008

Alaska Energy-Savings Project Leaves Army in the Cold (Los Angeles Times, CA)
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-energy-fraud30-2009oct30,0,4080643.story

FISH & WILDLIFE

New Wrinkles Coming To Columbia Spring Chinook Management (Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20091029/SPORTS04/710299953/-1/SPORTS

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Upper Snake River Water Levels in Good Shape (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1018924.html

Columbia River Channel Project Nears Blasting Phase (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/30/area_news/doc4aea44b8c37e4892102305.txt
Congress Approves $50 Million for Puget Sound (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/29/congress-approves-money-for-puget-sound-national/?partner=RSS

Salish Sea designation up for vote by State Board on Geographic Names (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/Main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=25537

White House Panel on Oceans Visits Great Lakes (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010161607_apusgreatlakesplanning.html?syndication=rss

Cowlitz PUD/Beacon Hill Sewer District to get $400,000 in federal funding (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/30/area_news/doc4aea43701abea101177728.txt

Oregon - Water Scuffle between St. Helens, McNulty Escalates – Fight is over who gets to serve customers within the city’s urban growth boundary (South County Spotlight)
http://www.spotlightnews.net/news/story.php?story_id=125683569723812600

Victoria, BC Sewage Fix Could Cost You $450 More a Year (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Sewage+could+cost+more+year/2157557/story.html
Report Says US Getting Better At Conserving Water (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010169083_apuswaningwateruse.html?syndication=rss

Work, Tests Winding Up At Hanson Dam (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010163186_apwagreenriver1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Second Chance for Willamette Falls Locks, an Oregon Treasure (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2009/10/second_chance_for_an_oregon_tr.html
Hood Canal Council to Honor 10 Individuals & Groups – DNR Head On The List (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/29/hood-canal-council-to-honor-10-individuals-and/?partner=RSS

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Public Comment Periods Wind Down on Lower Snake River Wind Farm (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)
http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/10/29/local_news/091029local05wind%20power.txt

PUD 3 Connection - Two Washington State Wind Farm Proposals get Clean Energy Bond Allocations (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=613

Two Washington State Wind Farm Proposals with Connection to PUD 3 Get Clean Energy Bond Allocations (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=505:two-washington-state-wind-farm-proposals-with-connection-to-pud-3-get-clean-energy-bond-allocations&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Western Area Power Administration Buys More Wind Power – Power marketing agency may someday become an even bigger potential buyer for wind developers (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010169952_apuswindpowernorthdakota.html?syndication=rss

Wind Energy’s Success Creates a Power Grid Challenge (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/10/wind_powers_success_spurs_new.html
New Energy = New Transmission Lines (Summit Daily News, Frisco, CO)
http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20091030/NEWS/910299962/1078&ParentProfile=1055
Wind Power Pipeline - Hawaii Moves Ahead With Undersea Power Cable Plans (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010169825_apuscleanenergyhawaii.html?syndication=rss

US Wind Energy Stimulus Dollars Spent Overseas - More than eight out of 10 stimulus dollars spent on wind energy farms have gone to foreign companies (Financial Times of London, UK)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d4201676-c4f2-11de-8d54-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1

Chinese Banks to Fund $1.5 Billion Texas Wind Farm (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13668688

Michigan - Grand Rapids Plan for Wind Turbines at Water Plant Faces Federal, Grand Haven Township Scrutiny (Grand Rapids Press, MI)
http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/10/grand_rapids_wind-power_plan_a.html

To Fight Wind Farms - Fund Will Compete With Wind for Leases (Billings Gazette, MT)
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_ffaedf0a-c50d-11de-9511-001cc4c002e0.html

Arizona - Costs of Clean-Energy Plans Worry Rural Areas (Arizona Star, Phoenix, AZ)
http://www.azstarnet.com/business/315428

Oregon Geothermal Work Gets $40M in Stimulus Money (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010169813_apusstimulusgeothermalprojectsoregon.html?syndication=rss

Utah Biomass Energy Project Gets $2.5M Grant (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010162381_apuscoalgasification.html?syndication=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Puget Sound Energy to Give Away Last of 500,000 Light Bulbs - Should reduce utility bills by more than $20 million (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1019652.html

Naval Base Kitsap Receives Top Federal Award for Energy Management (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/29/naval-base-kitsap-receives-top-federal-award-for/?partner=RSS

Idaho Power ‘Smart Meters’ Will Blanket Treasure Valley (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/business/story/953347.html

Scientist Sees Future Smart Homes Controlling Power Use (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/10/post_16.html

Yet More Readers Air Their (Clean) Laundry (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/yet-more-readers-air-their-clean-laundry/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Chamber Faces Dissent from Big U.S. Firms on Climate (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/ousivMolt/idUSTRE59S4O320091029

Officials Celebrate West Virginia Carbon Capture Project (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010170042_apusaepcarboncapturewestvirginia.html?syndication=rss

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Algae Production Proposed For Umatilla (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/773271.html?mi_email=Tri-City%20Herald_PM+%26+Breaking+News

Pacific Gas & Electric’s PG&E’s ClimateSmart Program Draws Little Interest (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13670571?nclick_check=1

The Methane Makers - Which Farm Animals Expel the Most Methane? (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8329612.stm

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Will the Digital Divide Close by Itself? (NY Times)
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/will-the-digital-divide-close-by-itself/?partner=rss&emc=rss

VoIP Ringing Up Billions in Sales (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/29/voip-ringing-up-billions-in-sales/

Comcast Bandwidth Meter Still a No Show - Company ‘making some refinements’ before launch (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Bandwidth-Meter-Still-A-No-Show-105234

Yeah, I’d like Metered Broadband, Too - If It Were Actually Metered (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/29/yeah-id-like-metered-broadband-too-if-it-were-actually-metered/

Web Marketer Ordered To Pay Facebook $711M Damages (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2295222~Web_marketer_ordered_to_pay_Facebook__711M_damages.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Arizona: Show ‘Metadata,’ Court Says (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/us/30brfs-SHOWMETADATA_BRF.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Ohio Fiber-Optics Scandal Has Snared Six People (Cincinnati Enquirer, OH)
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091029/NEWS0108/910300323

New Google Maps GPS for Smartphones Spooks Competitors
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/30/AR2009103000753.html?wprss=rss_technology

GENERAL NEWS

Ouch! Boeing Handing Out Layoff Notices to 500 Workers Today (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/boeingaerospace/2010164472_webboeing30.html?syndication=rss

Seattle Times Columnist - Learning the Right Lessons From the Boeing Calamity
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/soundeconomywithjontalton/2010162070_learning_the_right_lessons_fro.html?syndication=rss

Weyerhaeuser Breaks Even In 3Q on Timberland Sale (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010169504_apusearnsweyerhaeuser2ndldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Government Says Stimulus Saved or Created 650,000 Jobs (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010169208_apusstimulusjobs.html?syndication=rss

Washington Stimulus Update Show More Than $1.4B Spent (Associated Press)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/30/wash-stimulus-update-show-more-14b-spent/

California Jury Awards $16M in Radio Contestant Death (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010169222_apuswaterintoxication.html?syndication=rss

Ethics Panel Starts Probes of 2 Democrats, Gets Hacked (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2010163888_apuswatersethics.html?syndication=rss

Daylight Saving Time: Why Do We “Fall Back” & “Spring Ahead”? (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/2009/October/Daylight-Saving-Time--Why-Do-We--Fall-Back--and--Spring-Ahead--.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

PETA Wants End to Oregon Elephant Car Wash
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1018898.html

United Airlines Loses “United Breaks Guitars” Singer’s Luggage (Consumerist - NOTE: Comment section may contain PG-13 language)
http://consumerist.com/5392842/united-airlines-loses-united-breaks-guitars-singers-luggage

Floridians Try Nutty Way to Save Post Office
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010169214_apuspostalcoconuts.html?syndication=rss

SONG OF THE DAY

Mustang Sally - Wilson Pickett (Cinéma Vérité Gone Wild)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfuHgzu1Cjg