Energy News Digest for April 15, 2010

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)

·         Adequate Power despite Low Columbia River Flows

·         April Storms Offer Little Relief for Hydro Operators, Irrigators

·         Grant County PUD Raises Ag Rates

·         Fitch Rates Snohomish PUD Revenue Bonds as ‘AA-’

·         Wyoming Electricity Users Suspicious of Rate Hike

·         US Department of Energy Puts Yucca Mountain Shutdown on Hold 21 Days

·         Coal Chiefs Go on Offensive as Pickens Pushes Case for Natural Gas

·         FERC: Statement of Chairman Wellinghoff’s on Small/Low-Impact Hydro Development

·         FERC Staff Report on the State of Energy Markets

·         The Looming Fight Over Power Data –

·         Fifth Gray Whale Found Dead in Pacific NW Waters in Ten Days

·         Chinook News Good

·         Local Orcas’ Favorite Meal: British Columbia Chinook

·         Groups Ask Judge to Limit Columbia River Water Drawdown

·         Oregonian Op/Ed - Rogue River: Oregon’s Salmon & Taxpayers Pay the Price for Mining

·         Opening Day of Lake-Fishing Season Expected to Draw 300,000 Anglers

·         Top Five Springtime Fishing Spots

·         Feds: Wyoming Pocket Gopher Listing Not Warranted

·         Central Washington Counties Challenge State on Two Water Fronts

·         Mason County Getting Nearly $6.5 Million for Sewer Work on Hood Canal

·         Officials Seek Cause of Snohomish Dairy-Manure Spill

·         Tacoma Water: Dirty-Looking Water on Tap

·         Over Jobs Guarantees - Everett Backs Away from Massive Beverage Plant Idea

·         Proposed Oregon Wind Farm Becalmed by Air Force

·         Decision on Cape Cod Wind Project due This Month

·         U.S. Fish & Wildlife Goes for Birds, Against Muskegon County’s Wind Turbine Plan

·         Gas in That Trash: Seattle’s Food & Yard Waste to Produce Energy

·         Vermont - New Biomass Plant Moves Green Mountain College Close to Carbon Neutrality

·         Wausau Daily Herald Editorial - Concerns about Biomass Plant Have Answers

·         State of Oregon Clears Way for Solar Highway

·         Nevada - Vulcan Seeks Permission to Build Geothermal Plant

·         Arizona Daily Sun Editorial - Renewable Energy 101: Let Utilities Pay Upfront

·         Turning Chicken Poop into Power

·         Idaho Power wants ratepayers to cover cost of participation in energy efficiency group

·         Government Tightens Requirements for Energy Star Program

·         Efficient Energy: Sizing & Seizing Opportunities

·         Senate Climate Bill Would End EPA/State Programs

·         tional Ties, Especially Regarding Climate Change

·         British Review Panel Clears ‘Climategate’ Research Unit

·         Thurston County Chamber Honors 44 Businesses for Green Efforts

·         United Kingdom - Poo Power; No Flash in the Pan

·         Verizon Getting Early Jump on Offloading Future Frontier Users

·         Lynn Kessler’s Replacement - Parties Are Scrambling for Potential Candidates

·         Builders’ Lobby Sponsors Workers’ Comp Initiative

·         Unemployment in Mason County Drops Slightly

·         Officials: Man Accused of Plotting to Kill Deputies Had Officer’s Stolen Gun

·         Mason County Medic One Purchase Reportedly Unravels

·         Port of Shelton Moving Forward with Eliminating Commissioner Districts

·         Iceland’s Volcanic Ash Halts Flights Across Europe

·         Man Found Guilty of Putting Children in Trash

WORD OF THE DAY

Misperceive • \miss-per-SEEV\ • verb - To understand or perceive incorrectly; misunderstand

Misconceive • \miss-kun-SEEV\ • verb - To conceive or interpret wrongly; misunderstand.

Unfortunately for Sam, he was using the wrong universal interpreter in his first contact with the Filenesians on the planet Closet. His equipment’s misperception of the extremely peaceful intentions of the Filenesians led to his misconception that to destroy the peaceful planet, all that was required was to demolish their well-stocked clothing warehouses. It only freed the Filenesians of whatever limited modesty they had…making the planet the first intergalactic nudist colony.

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

Adequate Power despite Low Columbia River Flows (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/04/14/1206568/adequate-power-despite-low-columbia.html

April Storms Offer Little Relief for Hydro Operators, Irrigators (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=7155

Grant County PUD Raises Ag Rates (Othello Outlook, WA)

http://othellooutlook.com/?p=10057

Fitch Rates Snohomish PUD Revenue Bonds as ‘AA-’ (Yahoo! Finance)

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Fitch-Rates-Snohomish-PUD-No-bw-3165683785.html?x=0&.v=1

Wyoming Electricity Users Suspicious of Rate Hike (Billings Gazette, MT)

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_50f51a0c-4842-11df-b68a-001cc4c002e0.html

US Department of Energy Puts Yucca Mountain Shutdown on Hold 21 Days (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/04/15/26438.htm

Coal Chiefs Go on Offensive as Pickens Pushes Case for Natural Gas (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/04/15/15climatewire-coal-chiefs-go-on-offensive-as-pickens-pushe-62650.html

FERC: Statement of Chairman Wellinghoff’s on Small/Low-Impact Hydro Development (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

http://www.ferc.gov/news/statements-speeches/wellinghoff/2010/04-15-10-wellinghoff-A-5.asp

FERC Staff Report on Small Hydro – Links to PDF File (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

http://www.ferc.gov/news/news-releases/2010/2010-2/04-15-10-A-5-presentation.pdf

FERC Staff Report on the State of Energy Markets – Links to PDF File (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

http://www.ferc.gov/market-oversight/st-mkt-ovr/som-rpt-2009.pdf

The Looming Fight Over Power Data - Calls are mounting from tech companies, environmental nonprofits & even legislators to open up consumer energy information (Green Tech Media)

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/google-asks-president-obama-to-open-consumer-energy-data

FISH & WILDLIFE

Fifth Gray Whale Found Dead in Pacific NW Waters in Ten Days (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/90911199.html

Chinook News Good (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/apr/15/chinook-news-good/

As Seen Previously in the News Digest - Local Orcas’ Favorite Meal: British Columbia Chinook (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011609220_orca15m.html

Groups Ask Judge to Limit Columbia River Water Drawdown (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/apr/15/groups-ask-judge-to-limit-drawdown/

Oregonian Op/Ed - Rogue River: Oregon’s Salmon & Taxpayers Pay the Price for Mining

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/04/oregons_salmon_and_taxpayers_p.html

Opening Day of Lake-Fishing Season Expected to Draw 300,000 Anglers (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1527

Top Five Springtime Fishing Spots (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2011608539_fish15.html

Feds: Wyoming Pocket Gopher Listing Not Warranted “…no clear evidence that gas drilling, wind energy development, climate change & other factors are harming the…pocket gopher…” (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011607655_apwypocketgopher.html?syndication=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Central Washington Counties Challenge State on Two Water Fronts (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/04/14/counties-challenge-state-on-two-water-fronts

Mason County Getting Nearly $6.5 Million for Sewer Work on Hood Canal (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.net/news/1862-mason-county-getting-nearly-65-million-for-sewer-work-on-hood-canal

Officials Seek Cause of Snohomish Dairy-Manure Spill (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011609194_manure15m.html?syndication=rss

Tacoma Water: Dirty-Looking Water on Tap (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/04/15/1148682/dirty-looking-water-on-tap.html

Over Jobs Guarantees - Everett Backs Away from Massive Beverage Plant Idea (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100414/NEWS01/100419939/0/LIVING

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Proposed Oregon Wind Farm Becalmed by Air Force (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011609868_aporairforcewind1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Decision on Cape Cod Wind Project due This Month (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011610306_apusoffshorewind.html?syndication=rss

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Goes for Birds, Against Muskegon County’s Wind Turbine Plan (Muskegon Chronicle, MI)

http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2010/04/us_fish_and_wildlife_goes_for.html

Gas in That Trash: Seattle’s Food & Yard Waste to Produce Energy (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/418370_compost.html?source=rss

Vermont - New Biomass Plant Moves Green Mountain College Close to Carbon Neutrality (PR Newswire)

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-biomass-plant-moves-green-mountain-college-close-to-carbon-neutrality-90941559.html

Wausau Daily Herald Editorial - Concerns about Biomass Plant Have Answers

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20100415/WDH06/4150483/1636&located=rss

State of Oregon Clears Way for Solar Highway - Report concludes no significant impacts from I-205 panels (Portland Tribune, OR)

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sustainable/story.php?story_id=127109333076973600

Nevada - Vulcan Seeks Permission to Build Geothermal Plant (World of Renewables)

http://www.worldofrenewables.com/renewables_news/geothermal/vulcan_seeks_permission_to_build_geothermal_plant_east_of_fernle.html

Arizona Daily Sun Editorial - Renewable Energy 101: Let Utilities Pay Upfront

http://www.azdailysun.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_43e6b51e-4860-11df-a8ea-001cc4c03286.html

Turning Chicken Poop into Power (Nat’l Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125640525&ft=1&f=1025

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Idaho Power wants ratepayers to cover cost of participation in energy efficiency group (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/04/14/1152513/idaho-power-wants-ratepayers-to.html

Government Tightens Requirements for Energy Star Program (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011603852_apusenergystar.html?syndication=rss

Efficient Energy: Sizing & Seizing Opportunities (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/archives/201826.asp?source=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Senate Climate Bill Would End EPA/State Programs (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63A0UW20100415

Initiative Aims to Restrict City of Spokane’s International Ties, Especially Regarding Climate Change (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/apr/14/initiative-aims-restrict-citys-international-ties/

British Review Panel Clears ‘Climategate’ Research Unit (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011608537_climategate15.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Thurston County Chamber Honors 44 Businesses for Green Efforts (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/04/15/1206875/county-chamber-honors-44-businesses.html

United Kingdom - Poo Power; No Flash in the Pan (Mayor Watch, UK)

http://www.mayorwatch.co.uk/poo-power-%E2%80%93-no-flash-in-the-pan/201011105

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Verizon Getting Early Jump on Offloading Future Frontier Users - By giving them less features & screwing up e-mail accounts? (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizon-Getting-Early-Jump-On-Offloading-Future-Frontier-Users-107893

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Lynn Kessler’s Replacement - Parties Are Scrambling for Potential Candidates (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2010/04/14/local_news/doc4bc60204c8e1a395939162.txt

Builders’ Lobby Sponsors Workers’ Comp Initiative (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011608491_apwaworkerscompinitiative.html?syndication=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Unemployment in Mason County Drops Slightly (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.net/news/1869-unemployment-in-mason-county-drops-slightly

Officials: Man Accused of Plotting to Kill Deputies Had Officer’s Stolen Gun (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/23142654/detail.html?

Mason County Medic One Purchase Reportedly Unravels (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.net/news/1872-medic-one-purchase-reportedly-unravels

Port of Shelton Moving Forward with Eliminating Commissioner Districts (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://www.masoncountydailynews.net/news/1863-port-of-shelton-moving-forward-with-eliminating-commissioner-districts

Iceland’s Volcanic Ash Halts Flights Across Europe (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/travelgetaways/23157055/detail.html

Man Found Guilty of Putting Children in Trash (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/23142445/detail.html

DIVERSIONS

Dog Slobber May Hold Cancer Clues

http://www.kirotv.com/health/23159106/detail.html

Don’t Stretch Before Sports, Experts Say

http://www.kirotv.com/health/23158050/detail.html

Boys in Drag at School Riles Some Parents

http://www.kirotv.com/education/23151571/detail.html

Mustache Advocacy Group Seeks Tax Break

http://www.kirotv.com/politics/23151200/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Kiki Dee Band - I Got the Music in Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLQRW7J_D0U