Energy News Digest for November 2, 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)

• Friday News Dump - Tentative Power Deal with BPA Looks Good for Intalco Smelter
• Montana – Columbia Falls Aluminum Goes Dark
• Jobs at Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Relied on Ratepayers’ Subsidies
• NE Washington Transmission Line Re-Established
• Columbian Editorial - Power Worries: Thousands of property owners duly concerned about BPA’s plans for new 70-mile power line
• Seattle City Light Wants to Raise Rates
• Cowlitz County – 2,100 Lose Electricity Due To Traffic Accident
• News in Brief: How You Can Stay Safe During High Winds, Power Outages
• Salem Statesman Journal Op/Ed - Salem Electric Has People Power
• Crowded With Coho - Experts Predict Second Largest Coho Salmon Run Ever
• Big Snake River Numbers: Over 300,000 Steelhead Cross Lower Granite, Jacks & Coho Set Records
• Kootenai Tribe’s Efforts at Rebuilding Kokanee in Idaho Panhandle Showing Success
• Plan to Evaluate whether Salmon Passage Survival at Lower Columbia Dams Meets BiOp Targets
• Federal Inspectors Say Snohomish County Dams Sound
• Chronicle Editorial - Our State Reps Push for Water Retention Inclusion
• Expense Of Walla Walla Infrastructure Plan Worries Some
• Walla Walla - Economy Can Benefit from Improved Infrastructure
• Washington Post Editorial – Getting serious about the Chesapeake Bay
• State Board OKs ‘Salish Sea’ as Name for the Sound & Two Straits
• Oregon - State Lowballed Cost of Green Tax Breaks
• Potent Income Tax Credit for Solar Power May Need Tweaking
• Grays Harbor PUD awarded $63 Million in Renewable Energy Bonds for Radar Ridge
• Wind Power Means More Transmission Lines Coming to Oregon
• Montana - Details Cloudy in Wind Project Report
• Wyoming Lawmakers Recommend New Wind Regulations
• Canada - TransAlta Kills Lake Erie Wind Farm Idea
• Massachusetts - Cape Towns Seek Assurance They Can Cash In On Wind
• Massachusetts Tribes Claim Wind Farm Would Destroy Sacred Ritual
• Experts: Wind Plays Key Role in Reducing Carbon Footprint
• Study Says You Do Have to Know Which Way the Wind Blows on the Grid
• One of the World’s Largest Solar Projects Is Planned Near Cle Elum
• Bellingham Solar Company Unveils Two New Products
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District Lands Grant to Link Solar Homes
• Solar Power From Sahara a Step Closer
• Pacific NW Energy Efficiency Better in 2008, Council Says
• Portland Energy Conservation Program a Fed Recovery Act Success
• US Dept. of Energy to Revisit Washing Machine Efficiency Rules
• Eliminating Energy Phantoms Can Reduce Utility Bills
• Energy-Efficient Upgrades Could Save Businesses Thousands
• Green Prison: Coyote Ridge Receives Green Building Award
• Prosser Bulb Eater Hungry for Fluorescent Tubes
• As Tropical Storms Ebb, Climate Debate Kicks In
• Tree Farmers May Profit From Climate Regulation
• University Of Oregon - Climate Change Ethics to be Explored
• Company Strikes Gold with ‘Green’ Paper
• Going For The Green - Who Says There’s No Profit In Saving The Planet?
• Farmers Growing Electricity Along With Their Crops
• Simple Actions Help Homeowners Go Green
• Study Says Dog’s Eco-Footprint a Hummer
• Is Ask.Com Trying To Court Microsoft As A Buyer?
• Why Google Doesn’t Like Its Phone Bill
• Get Congress Out of the Net Neutrality Debate, Please
• FCC Lusts after TV Industry Spectrum
• Few Clues in ‘Cold-Blooded’ Shooting of Seattle Officer
• City of Shelton to Release Preliminary Budget/Hold Hearing on Sewer Rate Increase
• After Charleston Move, Sen. Patty Murray “Won’t Be As Inclined” To Help Boeing
• Rep. Norm Dicks Says Ethics Panel’s Questions Are No Cause for Concern
• Mason County Sheriff’s Offices Begin Move To New Location
• Forbes Report Says Seattle is America’s Fourth-Safest City
• New Rule Bars Religious Displays in Washington State Capitol

WORD OF THE DAY

Disavow • \dis-uh-VOW\ • verb - 1: to deny responsibility for: repudiate *2: to refuse to acknowledge or accept: disclaim

Derwood’s disavowal of knowledge relating to thefts from the “honors” snack station at the radio station were undermined by the telltale “Cheetoh” residue on his fingers and crumbs in the wispy moustache he had been cultivating for the last three months.

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

Friday News Dump - Tentative Power Deal with BPA Looks Good for Intalco Smelter - Reported Deal Announced October 30 (Bellingham Herald, WA)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/latestheadlines/story/1137656.html

Montana – Columbia Falls Aluminum Goes Dark (Daily Interlake, Kalispell, MT)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_a83d5e08-c5d6-11de-9c36-001cc4c03286.html

Jobs at Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. Relied on Ratepayers’ Subsidies “…Beaudry insists that the subsidy - most recently $8.5 million for 88 workers - is insignificant when spread across all of BPA’s customers. ‘Pennies per person’ -- Drummond counters that eliminating it reduces electric rates by a full 3 percent or 4 percent, ‘and every little bit counts when you’re an industrial ratepayer trying to scratch out a living’…” (The Missoulian, MT)
http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_80e88722-c6a0-11de-a2bf-001cc4c002e0.html

Comments on Proposed Aluminum Contracts May Be Posted/Viewed Here (You must scroll down to the section ‘Draft DSI contracts’. The view/make comment function is at the bottom of this section)
http://www.bpa.gov/applications/publiccomments/OpenCommentListing.aspx
Comments listing may be found at the following location:
http://www.bpa.gov/applications/publiccomments/CommentList.aspx?ID=86

NE Washington Transmission Line Re-Established (Daily Journal of Commerce)
http://www.djc.com/news/co/12011680.html

Columbian Editorial - Power Worries: Thousands of property owners duly concerned about BPA’s plans for new 70-mile power line
http://www.columbian.com/article/20091101/OPINION02/711019976

Seattle City Light Wants to Raise Rates (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Seattle-City-Light-wants-to-raise-rates-67576202.html

Cowlitz County – 2,100 Lose Electricity Due To Traffic Accident (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/11/02//area_news/doc4aee88cc8c99f405720386.txt

News in Brief: How You Can Stay Safe During High Winds, Power Outages (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/10/31/news//doc4aeb22aa38c6e158642606.txt

Salem Statesman Journal Op/Ed - Salem Electric Has People Power
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20091101/BUSINESS01/911010314/1040

FISH & WILDLIFE

Crowded With Coho - Experts Predict Second Largest Coho Salmon Run Ever (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)
http://eastoregonian.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=99696&SectionID=13&SubSectionID=48

Big Snake River Numbers: Over 300,000 Steelhead Cross Lower Granite, Jacks & Coho Set Records (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
http://www.cbbulletin.com/363218.aspx

Kootenai Tribe’s Efforts at Rebuilding Kokanee in Idaho Panhandle Showing Success (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
http://www.cbbulletin.com/363216.aspx

Plan to Evaluate whether Salmon Passage Survival at Lower Columbia Dams Meets BiOp Targets (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
http://www.cbbulletin.com/363221.aspx

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Federal Inspectors Say Snohomish County Dams Sound (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091102/NEWS01/711029919/-1/RSS02

Chronicle Editorial - Our State Reps Push for Water Retention Inclusion
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/10/31/opinion/our_views/doc4aebc669d5a54002954026.txt

Expense Of Walla Walla Infrastructure Plan Worries Some - One suggestion would be to increase the hotel tax as a possible funding source (Walla Walla Union Bulletin, WA)
http://union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/10/31/local_news/091101aexpense.txt

Walla Walla - Economy Can Benefit from Improved Infrastructure: The Infrastructure Sustainability Plan will improve road conditions throughout the city (Walla Walla Union Bulletin, WA)
http://union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/10/31/local_news/091101beconomy.txt

Washington Post Editorial – Getting serious about the Chesapeake Bay: A Senate bill would give the latest Chesapeake cleanup effort some teeth
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/31/AR2009103101767.html?nav=rss_opinions

State Board OKs ‘Salish Sea’ as Name for the Sound & Two Straits (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/30/state-board-oks-salish-sea-name-sound-and-two-stra/?partner=RSS

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon - State Lowballed Cost of Green Tax Breaks (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/state_lowballed_cost_of_green.html

Potent Income Tax Credit for Solar Power May Need Tweaking (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/21865345-57/story.csp

Grays Harbor PUD awarded $63 Million in Renewable Energy Bonds for Radar Ridge (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA - Note: this site does not play well with FireFox)
http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1091

Wind Power Means More Transmission Lines Coming to Oregon (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/30/breaking_news/doc4aeb4f37ea0c9003388283.txt

Montana - Details Cloudy in Wind Project Report (Big Sky Business Journal, MT)
http://www.bigskybusiness.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=768:details-cloudy-in-wind-project-report&catid=19:montanagovernment&Itemid=17

Wyoming Lawmakers Recommend New Wind Regulations (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010171527_apuswindlawswyoming.html?syndication=rss

Canada - TransAlta Kills Lake Erie Wind Farm Idea (Edmonton Sun, Alberta)
http://www.edmontonsun.com/money/2009/10/31/11589201-sun.html

Massachusetts - Cape Towns Seek Assurance They Can Cash In On Wind (Cape Cod Times, MA)
http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091101/NEWS/911010332/-1/NEWSMAP

Massachusetts Tribes Claim Wind Farm Would Destroy Sacred Ritual (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010183995_apustribevswindfarm.html?syndication=rss

Experts: Wind Plays Key Role in Reducing Carbon Footprint (New York Newsday)
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/experts-wind-plays-key-role-in-reducing-carbon-footprint-1.1558545

Study Says You Do Have to Know Which Way the Wind Blows on the Grid (NY Times – A subtle reference to “Subterranean Homesick Blues” sends another quarter to Bob Zimmerman)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/10/30/30climatewire-you-do-have-to-know-which-way-the-wind-blows-84451.html

One of the World’s Largest Solar Projects Is Planned Near Cle Elum (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/31/a-bright-idea

Bellingham Solar Company Unveils Two New Products (Bellingham Herald, WA)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/602/story/1137954.html

Sacramento Municipal Utility District Lands Grant to Link Solar Homes (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/content/business/story/2295672.html

Solar Power From Sahara a Step Closer - The German-led Desertec initiative believes it can deliver power to Europe as early as 2015 (Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/nov/01/solar-power-sahara-europe-desertec

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Pacific NW Energy Efficiency Better in 2008, Council Says (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1021421.html

Portland Energy Conservation Program a Fed Recovery Act Success (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/11/portland_energy_conservation_p.html

US Dept. of Energy to Revisit Washing Machine Efficiency Rules (Courthouse News Service)
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/10/30/DOE_to_Revisit_Washing_Machine_Efficiency_Rules.htm

Eliminating Energy Phantoms Can Reduce Utility Bills (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS224139+30-Oct-2009+PRN20091030

Energy-Efficient Upgrades Could Save Businesses Thousands (Daily Astorian, OR)
http://www.dailyastorian.info/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=395&ArticleID=65301

Green Prison: Coyote Ridge Receives Green Building Award (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/774653.html

Prosser Bulb Eater Hungry for Fluorescent Tubes (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/938573.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

As Tropical Storms Ebb, Climate Debate Kicks In - Slow hurricane season for US was the same across the globe, scientists say (Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6697013.html

Tree Farmers May Profit From Climate Regulation (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/6131-tree-farmers-may-profit-climate-regulation/

University Of Oregon - Climate Change Ethics to be Explored (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/22340398-46/story.csp#ID:22340398

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Company Strikes Gold with ‘Green’ Paper - Quality paper helps firm add jobs (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1022640.html

Going For The Green - Who Says There’s No Profit In Saving The Planet? (Gazette-Times, Corvallis, OR)
http://gazettetimes.com/business/local/article_58b32474-c6aa-11de-8e4e-001cc4c03286.html

Farmers Growing Electricity Along With Their Crops (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010183474_apusfarmsceneoffthegrid.html?syndication=rss

Simple Actions Help Homeowners Go Green (The Tennessean)
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091101/GREEN02/911010370/Simple+actions+help+homeowners+go+green

Study Says Dog’s Eco-Footprint a Hummer (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010183212_dogcarbon02m.html?syndication=rss

TECHNOLOGY &TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Is Ask.Com Trying To Court Microsoft As A Buyer? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/183601.asp?source=pimail

Why Google Doesn’t Like Its Phone Bill (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/business/01digi.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Get Congress Out of the Net Neutrality Debate, Please (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/30/get-congress-out-of-the-net-neutrality-debate-please/

FCC Lusts after TV Industry Spectrum - Hopes to beef up wireless broadband capacity (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Lusts-After-TV-Industry-Spectrum-105271

GENERAL NEWS

Few Clues in ‘Cold-Blooded’ Shooting of Seattle Officer (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21496591/detail.html

City of Shelton to Release Preliminary Budget/Hold Hearing on Sewer Rate Increase Tonight (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=525:city-of-shelton-releasing-preliminary-budget-and-holding-hearing-on-sewer-rate-increase-tonight&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

After Charleston Move, Sen. Patty Murray “Won’t Be As Inclined” To Help Boeing (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/boeingaerospace/2010177963_boeingmurray01.html

Rep. Norm Dicks Says Ethics Panel’s Questions Are No Cause for Concern (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010172810_ethics31.html?syndication=rss

Mason County Sheriff’s Offices Begin Move To New Location (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1022343.html

Forbes Report Says Seattle is America’s Fourth-Safest City (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/10/26/daily48.html?ana=from_rss

New Rule Bars Religious Displays in Washington State Capitol (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/news/local/New-rule-bars-religious-displays-in-Wash-Capitol-68042642.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Man in Halloween Breathalyzer Outfit Suspected Of DUI
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21497696/detail.html

Man Creates Huge, 9,000 Pound Rubber Band Ball
http://www.kirotv.com/entertainment/21493743/detail.html

Man Rescues Phone from Dump by Listening For Ring
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21486251/detail.html

Mechanic Disables Parked Cars to Drum Up Business
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21477441/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Benny Goodman- Sing, Sing, Sing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apc50yPFXPI&feature=related