Energy News Digest for November 13, 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)

• Mid Winter Rate Hike - City Light Gets OK for 13.8 Percent Increase
• Grant PUD Hydropower Auction Yields $64 million
• Comments on Wanapum Dam Water Raise Sought
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District Sues Wall St. Firms over Alleged Bid Rigging
• Avista Fights Labor Ruling - NLRB will hear dispute over dispatchers’ status
• Stricken Jefferson County PUD Commissioner Remains in Coma
• Oregon Public Utility Commission Chairman Leaving Post Early
• Ashland Electric Department Head Takes New Job with Bonneville Environmental Foundation
• Pacific Gas & Electric Smart Meter Rollout Off To Rough Start
• Massachusetts Law Pushes Utilities to Improve Services
• Ahead of the Bell: Rise in Gas Reserves Expected
• Natural Gas Surge, Is It A Pipe Dream?
• Tennessee Valley Authority Bills to Decrease in December
• Groups Challenge Tennessee Valley Authority’s River Discharge from Power Plant
• State of Minnesota Approves Nuke Waste Storage Increase
• Large Run of Spring Chinook Expected for 2010
• Fraser River - British Columbia to Continue Gravel Removal, Despite Salmon Deaths
• A Different Kind of Fish Toss: Planting Dead Salmon to Enrich a Watershed
• Chinook salmon may be the beneficiaries of the federal economic stimulus program
• Columbia Basin Herald Editorial - Water Lawsuit Again?
• Clallam County Could Start Water Exchange for Sequim Area
• Eastern Idaho Dam Security Is Under Scrutiny
• California Water Deal No Quick Fix for Struggling Farms
• Feds Endorse ‘Salish Sea’ - Huge Body of Water Now Has Common Name
• Fast-Tracked Solar Project Could Speed Mojave Desert’s Demise
• First Tidal Power Turbine Lowered into Bay of Fundy
• GE’s Hybrid Water Heater Earns Popular Science Accolades
• Montana Enviro Groups Want Carbon Costs in Regional Power Plan
• Fight over Carbon-Emission Permits Comes to Senate
• Climate-Warming Pollution Dips
• Scientist Claims Global Warming Caused By Volcanoes, Not Humans
• Could Electricity Be a Lifestyle Choice?
• US to Speed up Broadband Plan
• Eastern Oregon Call Center to Close Lay Off 336
• Lessons from the Land of Cheap Broadband
• Intel to Pay AMD $1.25 Billion
• AT&T ‘Sets the Record Straight’ On Verizon Ads
• Verizon Pays $2 Million for Poor Florida Service
• New State Deficit: $2 Billlion+
• Report Says Budget Disasters Loom In Ten States
• Seattle Police Arrest Suspect in String of Arson Fires
• Colorado Balloon Boy Parents Plead Guilty to Hoax
• Olympia May cut Thurston EDC Funding
• Scientists Say Water Found on Moon
• Not a Jolly Holiday for Oregon Christmas Tree Growers

WORD OF THE DAY

Sacerdotal • \sass-er-DOH-tul\ • adjective - *1: of or relating to priests or a priesthood: priestly 2: of, relating to, or suggesting religious belief emphasizing the powers of priests as essential mediators between God and mankind

The manager’s minions burrowed themselves into the framework of the organization, blocking or allowing access to their leader based on prejudice or bribery. The nearly sacerdotal nature of the fawning sycophants sickened even the most hardened brown-noser. “Hubris will win out,” mused one of the rejected acolytes.

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

Mid Winter Rate Hike - City Light Gets OK for 13.8 Percent Increase (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010259629_webcitylight12m.html?syndication=rss

Grant PUD Hydropower Auction Yields $64 million (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/11/hydropower-quction-yields-64-million

Comments on Wanapum Dam Water Raise Sought (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/11/12/news/doc4afc9f082d300992595916.txt
Sacramento Municipal Utility District Sues Wall St. Firms over Alleged Bid Rigging (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/2322547.html

Avista Fights Labor Ruling - NLRB will hear dispute over dispatchers’ status (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/nov/13/avista-fights-labor-ruling/

Stricken Jefferson County PUD Commissioner Remains in Coma (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091113/NEWS/311139993

Oregon Public Utility Commission Chairman Leaving Post Early (Portland Business Journal)
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/11/09/daily48.html

Ashland Electric Department Head Takes New Job with Bonneville Environmental Foundation (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)
http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091112/NEWS02/911120316/-1/NEWSMAP

Pacific Gas & Electric Smart Meter Rollout Off To Rough Start (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13774449

Massachusetts Law Pushes Utilities to Improve Services (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/13/financial/f084448S49.DTL&feed=rss.business

Ahead of the Bell: Rise in Gas Reserves Expected (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/13/financial/f045847S70.DTL&feed=rss.business

Natural Gas Surge, Is It A Pipe Dream? (Washington Times)
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/13/natural-gas-bill-seen-as-pipe-dream/

Tennessee Valley Authority Bills to Decrease in December (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/13/financial/f072741S23.DTL&feed=rss.business

Groups Challenge Tennessee Valley Authority’s River Discharge from Power Plant (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010260962_apustvacoalwaste.html?syndication=rss

State of Minnesota Approves Nuke Waste Storage Increase (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/13/financial/f072539S21.DTL&feed=rss.business

FISH & WILDLIFE

Large Run of Spring Chinook Expected for 2010 (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/11/13/this_day/doc4afc7567cf751128025598.txt
Fraser River - British Columbia to Continue Gravel Removal, Despite Salmon Deaths (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/continue+gravel+removal+despite+salmon+deaths/2216453/story.html
A Different Kind of Fish Toss: Planting Dead Salmon to Enrich a Watershed (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/11/a_different_kind_of_fish_toss.html
Fisher Slough - Chinook salmon may be the beneficiaries of the federal economic stimulus program (KUOW Radio, Seattle)
http://www.kuow.org/program.php?id=18780

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Columbia Basin Herald Editorial - Water Lawsuit Again? It was inevitable. Urban environmentalists from Spokane are going to sue to stop an irrigation project for farmers
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/11/12/editorials/doc4afc9e0ad5c0e002792176.txt
Clallam County Could Start Water Exchange for Sequim Area (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.konp.com/local/5251

Eastern Idaho Dam Security Is Under Scrutiny (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1035273.html

California Water Deal No Quick Fix for Struggling Farms (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010265106_apusfarmscenecaliforniawater.html?syndication=rss

Feds Endorse ‘Salish Sea’ - Huge Body of Water Now Has Common Name: Puget Sound, Tulalip Bay are part of newly named sea extending into B.C. (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091113/NEWS01/711139836/-1/RSS02

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Fast-Tracked Solar Project Could Speed Mojave Desert’s Demise (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/11/12/12greenwire-fast-tracked-solar-project-could-speed-mojave-95100.html

First Tidal Power Turbine Lowered into Bay of Fundy (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - The Bay of Fundy has the most extreme tides in the world)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/11/12/ns-fundy-turbine.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

GE’s Hybrid Water Heater Earns Popular Science Accolades (Business First of Louisville)
http://louisville.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2009/11/09/daily41.html?ana=from_rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Montana Enviro Groups Want Carbon Costs in Regional Power Plan (Associated Press)
http://www.keci.com/Enviro-groups-want-carbon-costs-in-power-plan/5668718

Fight over Carbon-Emission Permits Comes to Senate (Wall Street Journal)
http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/11/13/giveaways-fight-over-carbon-emission-permits-comes-to-senate/

Climate-Warming Pollution Dips (Baltimore Sun, MD)
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/features/green/2009/11/climatewarming_pollution_dips.html
Scientist Claims Global Warming Caused By Volcanoes, Not Humans (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/x-16044-Christianity--Politics-Examiner~y2009m11d13-Scientist-claims-global-warming-caused-by-volcanoes-not-humans

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Could Electricity Be a Lifestyle Choice? (NY Times)
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/could-electricity-be-a-lifestyle-choice/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

US to Speed up Broadband Plan (Portland Business Journal)
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/11/09/daily30.html

Eastern Oregon Call Center to Close Lay Off 336 (Portland Business Journal)
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/11/09/daily49.html

Lessons from the Land of Cheap Broadband (CNN Money)
http://brainstormtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2009/11/13/lessons-from-the-land-of-cheap-broadband/?source=yahoo_quote

Intel to Pay AMD $1.25 Billion (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/1034833.html

AT&T ‘Sets the Record Straight’ On Verizon Ads - And continues to give Verizon additional free advertising (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/ATT-Sets-The-Record-Straight-On-Verizon-Ads-105481

Verizon Pays $2 Million for Poor Florida Service - Years of complaints ‘resolved’ by $2 bill credits (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizon-Pays-2-Million-For-Poor-Florida-Service-105430

GENERAL NEWS

New State Deficit: $2 Billlion+ (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/69930442.html

Report Says Budget Disasters Loom In Ten States (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/12/BAOJ1AIVLD.DTL&feed=rss.news

Seattle Police Arrest Suspect in String of Arson Fires (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/1035204.html

Colorado Balloon Boy Parents Plead Guilty to Hoax (Associated Press)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/11/13/us/AP-US-Balloon-Boy.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Olympia May cut Thurston EDC Funding - Budgets: County Economic Development Council could lose $10,000 as city looks to save $4 million (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1034806.html

Scientists Say Water Found on Moon (Associated Press)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/science/14moon.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Not a Jolly Holiday for Oregon Christmas Tree Growers (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/11/low_prices_bode_poorly_for_ore.html
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Bird Sends Million-Dollar Bugatti into Marsh - Low-Flying Pelican, Dropped Cell Phone To Blame, Man Says
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/21597727/detail.html

Food Fight: Burger King Franchisees Sue Chain Over $1 Burgers
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/12/financial/f122205S66.DTL&feed=rss.business

NC Principal Leaves after Cash-for-Grades Flap
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010269424_apusstudentsbuygrades.html?syndication=rss

12-Year-Old Girl Can’t Stop Sneezing - Va. Girl Sneezes Up To 16 Times per Minute
http://www.kirotv.com/health/21594540/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Johnny Rivers - Secret Agent Man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0CQ8iaK5s8

Johnny Rivers - Seventh Son
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBVt_lK0nbs