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)
- Gregoire: Cut TransAlta Emissions by More than Half by 2025
- Historic Green Victory at Idaho Power Annual Meeting Could Mean Higher Electric Bills
- Idaho Statesman: Power Rates Will Rise, But Your Bill Doesn't Need To
- Idaho Power must sell energy credits
- Benton PUD to Raise Rates
- Contracting economy sparks BPA expansion
- BPA Hosts Vancouver Meeting Tuesday on Grid Boost
- Wire Power - How to Send Electricity across the Continent, Virtually For Free
- California - Colusa Power Plant Shows Importance of Fossil Fuels
- Hartford Courant Op/Ed - Heating Tax Would Only Burn Consumers
- Cost of Electric Grid Failure from 2012 Solar Storms Avoidable
- Fish Tales - Obama brass angle for answers
- Oregonian Editorial - Fresh Eyes, Fragile Deal on Columbia Salmon
- Upper Klamath Water Rights Issue Settled
- Dewatto River - Steelhead Recovering Through Hood Canal Program
- Million-Dollar Creek Restoration Begins In Central Oregon
- PacifiCorp Delays Condit Dam Removal
- Willamette Sea Lions Escape Brethrens' Fate
- San Diego Wants To Disperse Seals with Dog Barking
- Report Finds the World's Oysters Threatened by Development, Pollution
- Landfill Methane Towers Scorch Perched Hawks
- Silverdale Water Customers Get Tip-Top Taste Out of the Tap
- Environmentalists Want Drugs in Columbia River Monitored
- Without Meters, Fresno Water beyond Measure
- Market Pulse - Water May Be Hot Investment
- Environmentalists Fear for Tahoe amid Logging in Burned Angora Area
- In BPA Right of Way - Kitsap Redwood Spared, at Least Temporarily
- With Billions at Stake, Trying to Expand the Meaning of ‘Renewable Energy’
- Endangered Birds - Clark County wind farm on hold
- Chase for Wind Power Turns to Oregon's Public Lands
- Change in the Air? Wind Industry Wants Government Lift
- Renewable Power Mandate Overcomes Hurdle in US Senate
- GOP: Alternative Energy Alone Won't Meet US Needs
- Anchorage News Miner Op/Ed - Consider energy reliability and reality
- Oregonian Op/Ed - The Unfortunate Myth of "Renewables Now!"
- Renewables: America's next heavy industry
- Detroit Edison Seeking Input On Wind Energy Programs
- Two Neah Power Board Members Resign
- United Kingdom - Blown away by the North Sea
- Solar-Tech Company Scouts Oregon Sites
- NW Natural’s Methane Project Taps Cow Power
- Green Homeowner Given Noise Order After Hum of 40ft Wind Turbine Drives Neighbors Mad
- PUD 3 and City of Shelton Team Up for Energy Efficient Traffic Signals
- Mason County - Energy-Efficient Businesses Can Get a Break
- Energy Efficiency Rates High On Home Buyers’ Wish Lists
- Energy-Efficiency Pitch Brings Funds
- Cut Energy Costs This Summer by Making Changes At Home; Help Is Available
- Caps, Trades and Offsets: Can Climate Plan Work?
- Gov. Gregoire Does Her Own Thing On Climate Change
- Seattle Times Editorial - Climate-Change Action Picks Up On Three Fronts
- Idaho Delegation Opposes Greenhouse Gas Legislation
- Canada – Globe & Mail Op/Ed - Carbon offsets: It really isn't easy being green
- Study Says Businesses Can Create Clean Energy Jobs
- Seattle P-I Columnist - Global warming's impacts on state forests
- Canada - Inaction on Climate Change Backfires
- How Boeing Fights Climate Change
- Kansas - Farmers Could Cash In On Cap-And-Trade
- U.S. Government Delays Broadband Grants
- Broadband Stimulus Fund Timetable
- FCC: Broadband Plan Will Be Huge
- Verizon Threatens Massachusetts
- Net Computing ‘Cloud’ Over Microsoft Chills Investors
- Yahoo's Departing CFO to Get $1.8M in Severance
- Skyline Drums Up Strong Data Center Business
- Hood Canal Bridge Might Reopen a Week Early
- Propane suppliers quietly reduce size of refills
- Catching Up On State's New Crop of Green Legislation
- Washington State Won't Make Target for Biofuels
- Localities Want U.S. To Support Muni Bonds
WORD OF THE DAY
Obnubilate • \obb-NOO-buh-layt\ • verb - Becloud, obscure
Here’s one of my favorite Groucho Marx quotes, intended to confuse is antagonist by obnulation:
“Well, Art is Art, isn't it? Still, on the other hand, water is water. And east is east and west is west and if you take cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like prunes than rhubarb does. Now you tell me what you know.”
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
Gregoire: Cut TransAlta Emissions by More than Half by 2025 (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?Gregoire-Cut-TransAlta-Emissions-by-More=1&blockID=55236&feedID=410
Historic Green Victory at Idaho Power Annual Meeting Could Mean Higher Electric Bills (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/777839.html
Idaho Statesman Columnist: Power Rates Will Rise, But Your Bill Doesn't Need To
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/780888.html
Idaho Power must sell energy credits - regulators have ordered the state's biggest utility to sell about $2 million worth of renewable energy credits and use the money to benefit ratepayers (Associated Press)
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/05/25/ap6462221.html
Benton PUD to Raise Rates (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=10404267&nav=menu484_2_11
Contracting economy sparks BPA expansion “…Unlike most stimulus dollars, which add directly to the deficit, the BPA must repay with interest whatever it uses…” (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/contracting_economy_sparkis_bp.html
BPA Hosts Vancouver Meeting Tuesday on Grid Boost (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090523/NEWS02/905229977/BPA+hosts+Vancouver+meeting+on+grid+boost
Wire Power - How to Send Electricity across the Continent, Virtually For Free (Newsweek Magazine)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/198942?from=rss
California - Colusa Power Plant Shows Importance of Fossil Fuels “…even in a future dominated by renewable power, some fossil fuel-fired plants will be needed to provide the reliable, on-demand juice needed to keep the grid running smoothly…” (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1885837.html
Hartford Courant Op/Ed - Heating Tax Would Only Burn Consumers (Connecticut)
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-snyder-oil-taxes.artmay24,0,882334.story
Cost of Electric Grid Failure from 2012 Solar Storms Avoidable (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/x-2383-Honolulu-Exopolitics-Examiner~y2009m5d25-Cost-of-electric-grid-failure-from-2012-solar-storms-avoidable
FISH & WILDLIFE
Fish Tales - Obama brass angle for answers: Four top Obama administration officials will travel to Portland on Tuesday, to hear fish stories and angle for answers (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/169257.asp?from=blog_last3
Oregonian Editorial - Fresh Eyes, Fragile Deal on Columbia Salmon
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/05/fresh_eyes_fragile_deal_on_col.html
Upper Klamath Water Rights Issue Settled (The Times-Standard, Eureka, CA)
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_12427596?source=rss
Dewatto River - Steelhead Recovering Through Hood Canal Program (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009251881_apwasteelheadrecovery.html?syndication=rss
Million-Dollar Creek Restoration Begins In Central Oregon (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/5053-million-dollar-creek-restoration-begins/
PacifiCorp Delays Condit Dam Removal (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_dam_removal.html
Willamette Sea Lions Escape Brethrens' Fate (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2009/05/willamette_sea_lions_may_face.html
San Diego Wants To Disperse Seals with Dog Barking (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2031046~San_Diego_wants_to_disperse_seals_with_dog_barking.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines
Report Finds the World's Oysters Threatened by Development, Pollution - Oyster reefs are the most critically threatened marine habitat on Earth (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/05/new_report_finds_the_worlds_oy.html
Landfill Methane Towers Scorch Perched Hawks (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009258267_apusscorchedhawks.html?syndication=rss
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Silverdale Water Customers Get Tip-Top Taste Out of the Tap (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/may/26/silverdale-water-customers-get-tip-top-taste-out/?partner=RSS
Environmentalists Want Drugs in Columbia River Monitored (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090524/NEWS02/705249966/
Without Meters, Fresno Water beyond Measure (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104466681&ft=1&f=3
Market Pulse - Water May Be Hot Investment (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009256237_pulse24.html?syndication=rss
Environmentalists Fear for Tahoe amid Logging in Burned Angora Area (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1890877.html
In BPA Right of Way - Kitsap Redwood Spared, at Least Temporarily (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/may/22/kitsap-redwood-spared-at-least-temporarily/?partner=RSS
RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
With Billions at Stake, Trying to Expand the Meaning of ‘Renewable Energy’ (NY Times – How ironic: first time I saw “subsidy” used as an argument against hydro as renewable)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/business/energy-environment/25renew.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Endangered Birds - Clark County wind farm on hold: State introduces a delay to think through possible environmental effects of the turbine construction (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090523/NEWS02/705239990/
Chase for Wind Power Turns to Oregon's Public Lands (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/05/chase_for_wind_power_turns_to.html
Change in the Air? Wind Industry Wants Government Lift (Associated Press – more than it gets now; subsidies plus mandates?)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009258295_apuswindpowergovernmentpolicy.html?syndication=rss
Renewable Power Mandate Overcomes Hurdle in US Senate (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN21261453
GOP: Alternative Energy Alone Won't Meet US Needs (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009120717_apusrepublicansenergy.html?syndication=rss
Anchorage News Miner Op/Ed - Consider energy reliability and reality: Crisis looms and alternative energy can’t deal with it
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/may/24/consider-energy-reliability-and-reality/?opinion
Oregonian Op/Ed - The Unfortunate Myth of "Renewables Now!" “…the region simply will not be able to move away from coal and rely on renewable sources of electric generation without facing reliability issues that could result in blackouts…”
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/05/the_unfortunate_myth_of_renewa.html
Renewables: America's next heavy industry - How three manufacturers in three Midwest states are picking up where the auto sector is laying off (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/21/news/economy/midwest_renewables/?postversion=2009052309
Detroit Edison Seeking Input On Wind Energy Programs (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=363004&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss
Two Neah Power Board Members Resign (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/05/18/daily58.html?ana=from_rss
United Kingdom - Blown away by the North Sea: Offshore wind farms in Scottish waters ‘could produce 40% more power than English equivalents (Sunday Herald, UK)
http://www.sundayherald.com/business/businessnews/display.var.2509982.0.blown_away_by_the_north_sea.php
Solar-Tech Company Scouts Oregon Sites (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/05/chinese_solar_giant_considers.html
NW Natural’s Methane Project Taps Cow Power (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/05/25/story1.html?ana=from_rss
United Kingdom - Green Homeowner Given Noise Order After Hum of 40ft Wind Turbine Drives Neighbors Mad (The Daily Mail, UK)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1187936/Green-homeowner-given-noise-order-hum-40ft-wind-turbine-drives-neighbours-mad.html
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
PUD 3 and City of Shelton Team Up for Energy Efficient Traffic Signals (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=555
Mason County - Energy-Efficient Businesses Can Get a Break (The Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/environment/story/860807.html
Energy Efficiency Rates High On Home Buyers’ Wish Lists (Houston Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2009/05/25/focus4.html?ana=from_rss
Energy-Efficiency Pitch Brings Funds - Corning: Ailing Fiberglass Maker May Benefit (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/24/AR2009052402143.html?wprss=rss_politics
Cut Energy Costs This Summer by Making Changes At Home; Help Is Available (Kansas City Star, MO)
http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1212467.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Caps, Trades and Offsets: Can Climate Plan Work? Lawmakers, Scientists and Industry Debate House Measure (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/25/AR2009052502264.html?hpid=moreheadlines
Gov. Gregoire Does Her Own Thing On Climate Change After Legislature Fails To Pass Bill. Can she do that? (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/politics/2009/05/24/gov_gregoire_does_her_own_thing_on_clima
Seattle Times Editorial - Climate-Change Action Picks Up On Three Fronts
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2009259641_edita25green.html
Idaho Delegation Opposes Greenhouse Gas Legislation - Lawmakers doubt that a bill they say would raise the cost of gas and electricity can pass Congress this year (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/780890.html
Canada – Globe & Mail Op/Ed - Carbon offsets: It really isn't easy being green - B.C. learns that it's hard to navigate the murky world of offsets
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/carbon-offsets-it-really-isnt-easy-being-green/article1147597/
Study Says Businesses Can Create Clean Energy Jobs (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/24/international/i064439D36.DTL&feed=rss.news
Seattle P-I Columnist - Global warming's impacts on state forests: Burn baby burn! Lands commissioner says our children will live with consequences
http://www.seattlepi.com/connelly/406468_joel22.html?source=rss
Canada - Inaction on Climate Change Backfires (Winnipeg Free Press, Manitoba)
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/inaction-on-climate-change-backfires-45974802.html
How Boeing Fights Climate Change - The efficiency of jets has increased by 70% over the past 50 years (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124303177241948493.html
Kansas - Farmers Could Cash In On Cap-And-Trade (Wichita Eagle KS)
http://blogs.kansas.com/weblog/2009/05/farmers-could-cash-in-on-cap-and-trade/
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
U.S. Government Delays Broadband Grants (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/05/21/government-delays-broadband-grants/
Broadband Stimulus Fund Timetable - First stimulus funds available Q4 2009 (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadband-Stimulus-Fund-Timetable-102574
FCC: Broadband Plan Will Be Huge - Biggest project the commission has ever undertaken (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Broadband-Plan-Will-Be-Huge-102553
Verizon Threatens Massachusetts - If you don't pass franchise 'reform,' you don't get broadband?
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizon-Threatens-Massachusetts-102601
Net Computing ‘Cloud’ Over Microsoft Chills Investors (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/05/25/focus8.html?ana=from_rss
Yahoo's Departing CFO to Get $1.8M in Severance (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12430962
Skyline Drums Up Strong Data Center Business - Skyline Construction is turning to data centers to help beat the recession (San Francisco Business Times
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/05/25/story18.html?ana=from_rss
GENERAL NEWS
Hood Canal Bridge Might Reopen a Week Early (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/45874332.html
Propane suppliers quietly reduce size of refills (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12433769
Catching Up On State's New Crop of Green Legislation (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/ecoconsumer/2009253167_ecoconsumer23m.html
Washington State Won't Make Target for Biofuels – The state won't reach its goal next month of having biofuels make up at least 20 percent of its fuel use in state vehicles and ferries (Seattle Times – the state didn’t meet its energy conservation “goals” either)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009260425_apwabiofuels.html?syndication=rss
Localities Want U.S. To Support Muni Bonds - State and local governments are asking Washington to give them something that banks are trying to get rid of: federal bailout money (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/business/26muni.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
DIVERSIONS
Snohomish Dog Adopts Litter of Kittens
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/45871602.html
Media Ipecac - Sales of Bacon-Flavored Vodka Sizzling
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_052409WAB-bacon-vodka-SW.129e5d8e.html?rss
Couple throwing rocks off I-5 playing 'stripping game'
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_052509WAB-rocks-thrown-trestle-SW.17026e59.html?rss
SONG OF THE DAY
Henry Gross – Shannon (About his family’s Irish Setter)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxz2wQX3EvA
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
