The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for April 19, 2010

Monday, April 19, 2010

Energy News Digest for April 19, 2010

Energy News Digest for April 19, 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

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Bonneville Power Administration Power Line Proposal Galvanizes Residents - Hundreds organize in effort to seek change in plans (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/apr/16/power-line-proposal-galvanizes-residents/

British Columbia - Decision Looms on $6.6 Billion Site C Peace River Dam Project (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Second+mega+project+could+announced+Monday/2922559/story.html

Late Snowfall Helps, But Not Enough - No Pacific Northwest Drought: Summer water conservation urged (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/04/19/1210697/late-snowfall-helps-but-not-enough.html

More NoaNet Stimulus - Jamestown S’Klallam, Makah, Shoalwater Bay to Get Broadband (Indian Country Today)

http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/northwest/91461594.html

Newspaper Reports Oregon Treasury Officers Repaid for Free Meals, Exceed Lodging Limits “…Seeking state reimbursement for free meals is ‘acceptable practice within the agency,’ said Ron Schmitz, chief investment officer for Treasury’s investment division…” (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/04/oregon_treasury_officers_repai.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

· Bonneville Power Administration Power Line Proposal Galvanizes Residents

· Bonneville Power Administration to Address Kelso Council over Transmission Line Proposal

· Daily News Editorial - Exempting PUD Conservation Funds from Being Taxed Is the Right Move

· Dam Upgrades, Refinancing of Debt - Grant PUD Sells $349 Million in Bonds

· British Columbia - Decision Looms on $6.6 Billion Site C Peace River Dam Project

· Vancouver Sun Columnist – Peace River’s Site C will be a hard sell as green power

· “Chainsaw Chicken” - Vandalism Damages Portland General Electric Power Poles Near Sandy

· April 28 – Mason PUD 3 to Host Quarterly Council of Governments Meeting

· Orcas Power & Light Cooperative Director Roger Crosby Retires

· Ohio - Problems at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Reactor near Toledo Are Worse Than Expected

· Cost of Indiana Coal Gasification Plant Rises to $2.9 Billion

· Powering Up: Wiring Minnesota for the Next Generation

· Detroit News Editorial - Electricity Theft Rising in Detroit

· Low Reservoir Level at Dworshak Dam Means Less Cold Water for Summer Flows

· Record Number of Steller Sea Lions Stealing Salmon from Smaller California Sea Lions

· Vancouver Sun Op/Ed – British Columbia: Fraser River Sockeye Inquiry Needs to Stay Focused

· British Columbia Boaters Near Orcas Face More Scrutiny

· Declining Deer Herds Spark Debate

· Chelan PUD Storage Yard - Rabbits Popping Up near Appleatchee

· Congressman Norm Dicks Proud of 17.10 Pound Chinook in Anacortes Fishing Derby

· Late Snowfall Helps, But Not Enough

· Idaho Ranks 4th in Geothermal Development

· Home Solar Panels Doubled Electric Output Last Year

· Ship Shortage Could Slow Wind Power

· Massachusetts - Opposition to First US Offshore Wind Farm Could Blow Renewable Energy’s Chances

· Texas - Windmill Country: Small Turbines Fill the Gap Left by Their Big Brothers

· You’re Hired: Wind-aided career change

· Daily Star Editorial - Ghouls Rush In: Alternative Energy Is Only Answer to Coal Disaster

· Cow-Chips-to-Power Company Sues Idaho

· Five LED Bulbs You Can (Soon) Buy to Replace Incandescents

· Betting on Climate Change - Is the Planet Really Warming Up?

· Google Climate Change Chief Wants Price on Carbon

· Researchers Explore ‘Coal without Mining’ in Bid to Slash CO2-Storage Price Tag

· Fossil ‘Gold Mine’ Illuminates Ancient Wyoming Warming

· To Meet State Mandate - Ephrata Adopts Green Resolution

· Olympian Editorial - Olympia Area Takes Lead in Green Ideas as Earth Day Nears

· Looking for a Quick & Easy Way to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint?

· Greenmyparents Wants to Build an Army of Green Kids, Launching on Earth Day

· More NoaNet Stimulus - Jamestown S’Klallam, Makah, Shoalwater Bay to Get Broadband

· State Approves Sale of Verizon’s Landline Business

· NY Times Editorial - The F.C.C. & the Internet

· Companies Slowly Join Cloud-Computing

· Newspaper Reports Oregon Treasury Officers Repaid for Free Meals, Exceed Lodging Limits

· Who Killed the Washington State Water Quality Tax?

· Washington State’s 2010 Tax Package

· Survey Says Majority of Americans Distrust the Government

· Oklahoma City Marks 15 Years Since Domestic Terror Bombing

· Travel troubles from ash cloud spread beyond Europe

· Portable Heaters Headed for Chilly Mount Si High School

· Shelton City Commission to Take Action on Shelton Hills Rezone Monday Night

· McCleary: Two Clerks on Paid Leave over Finances

· Former Oregon BLM Official Admits to $481,000 Fraud

· Aryan Nations May Buy Long Beach, WA Hotel

WORD OF THE DAY

Frowsy • \FROW-zee\ • adjective - 1: musty, stale *2 : having a slovenly or uncared-for appearance

Open the old trunk

Frowsy air comes wafting out

I gasp, air is stale

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

Bonneville Power Administration Power Line Proposal Galvanizes Residents - Hundreds organize in effort to seek change in plans (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/apr/16/power-line-proposal-galvanizes-residents/

Bonneville Power Administration to Address Kelso Council over Transmission Line Proposal (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://www.tdn.com/news/local/article_6e987050-4b89-11df-8a97-001cc4c002e0.html

Daily News Editorial - Exempting PUD Conservation Funds from Being Taxed Is the Right Move

http://www.tdn.com/news/opinion/article_8f77ef1e-49a2-11df-a45e-001cc4c03286.html

Dam Upgrades, Refinancing of Debt - Grant PUD Sells $349 Million in Bonds (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/apr/16/grant-pud-sells-349-million-in-bonds/

British Columbia - Decision Looms on $6.6 Billion Site C Peace River Dam Project (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Second+mega+project+could+announced+Monday/2922559/story.html

Vancouver Sun Columnist – Peace River’s Site C will be a hard sell as green power

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Site+will+hard+sell+green+power/2922834/story.html

“Chainsaw Chicken” - Vandalism Damages Portland General Electric Power Poles Near Sandy (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/vandalism_damages_pge_power_po.html

April 28 – Mason PUD 3 to Host Quarterly Council of Governments Meeting (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/Newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=711

Orcas Power & Light Cooperative Director Roger Crosby Retires; Winnie Adams Appointed to Board (San Juan Island, WA)

http://www.sanjuanislander.com/businesses/opalco/crosby.shtml

Ohio - Problems at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Reactor near Toledo Are Worse Than Expected (Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH)

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/04/davis-besse.html

Cost of Indiana Coal Gasification Plant Rises to $2.9 Billion (Associated Press)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100417/ap_on_bi_ge/in_coal_gasification_cost

Powering Up: Wiring Minnesota for the Next Generation - Blueprints for thousands of miles of new power lines to carry wind are sparking debate over the nation’s clean energy future (Minneapolis Star, MN)

http://www.startribune.com/90307062.html?elr=KArks:DCiUo3PD:3D_V_qD3L:c7cQKUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr

Detroit News Editorial - Electricity Theft Rising in Detroit

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100416/OPINION03/4160390/Electricity-theft-rising-in-Detroit

FISH & WILDLIFE

Low Reservoir Level at Dworshak Dam Means Less Cold Water for Summer Flows (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/383196.aspx

Record Number of Steller Sea Lions Stealing Salmon from Smaller California Sea Lions (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/383198.aspx

Vancouver Sun Op/Ed – British Columbia: Fraser River Sockeye Inquiry Needs to Stay Focused

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Fraser+River+sockeye+inquiry+needs+stay+focused/2923293/story.html

British Columbia Boaters Near Orcas Face More Scrutiny (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/travel/Boaters+near+orcas+face+more+scrutiny/2909313/story.html

Declining Deer Herds Spark Debate (

USA

Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2010-04-18-deerpredators_N.htm

Chelan PUD Storage Yard - Rabbits Popping Up near Appleatchee (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/apr/16/rabbits-popping-up-near-appleatchee/

Congressman Norm Dicks Proud of 17.10 Pound Chinook in Anacortes Fishing Derby (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/04/16/1150016/dicks-prefers-mooching.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Late Snowfall Helps, But Not Enough - No Pacific Northwest Drought: Summer water conservation urged (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/04/19/1210697/late-snowfall-helps-but-not-enough.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Idaho Ranks 4th in Geothermal Development (Penn Energy)

http://www.pennenergy.com/index/articles/newsdisplay/143825689.html

Home Solar Panels Doubled Electric Output Last Year (

USA

Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/04/homes-solar-panels-doubled-electric-output-last-year/1

Ship Shortage Could Slow Wind Power (Clean Technica)

http://cleantechnica.com/2010/04/16/ship-shortage-could-slow-wind-power/

Massachusetts - Opposition to First US Offshore Wind Farm Could Blow Renewable Energy’s Chances (Business Report)

http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=5433195&fSectionId=2880&fSetId=662

Texas - Windmill Country: Small Turbines Fill the Gap Left by Their Big Brothers (San Angelo Standard-Times, TX)

http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2010/apr/17/small-turbines-fill-the-gap-left-by-their-big/

You’re Hired: Wind-aided career change (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/apr/16/wind-aided-career-change/

Daily Star Editorial - Ghouls Rush In: Alternative Energy Is Only Answer to Coal Disaster

http://www.thedailystar.com/opinion/local_story_107040028.html

Cow-Chips-to-Power Company Sues Idaho (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/04/19/26501.htm

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Five LED Bulbs You Can (Soon) Buy to Replace Incandescents (Earth2Tech)

http://earth2tech.com/2010/04/16/5-led-bulbs-you-can-soon-buy-to-replace-incandescents/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Betting on Climate Change - Is the Planet Really Warming Up? Just ask the corporations that stand to make—or lose—billions because of “climate exposure.” (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2251297/?from=rss

Google Climate Change Chief Wants Price on Carbon (Grist)

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-04-15-google-climate-change-chief-wants-price-on-carbon/

Researchers Explore ‘Coal without Mining’ in Bid to Slash CO2-Storage Price Tag (E&E News)

http://www.eenews.net/special_reports/underground/

Fossil ‘Gold Mine’ Illuminates Ancient Wyoming Warming (

USA

Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2010-04-16-Wyoming-fossils_N.htm

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

To Meet State Mandate - Ephrata Adopts Green Resolution (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/04/16/news/doc4bc7a18aa0771780931642.txt

Olympian Editorial - Olympia Area Takes Lead in Green Ideas as Earth Day Nears

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/04/19/1210739/olympia-area-takes-lead-in-green.html

Looking for a Quick & Easy Way to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint? Paperless billing reduces paper waste & the amount of energy needed to print & deliver bills (PR NewsWire)

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Looking-for-a-Quick-and-Easy-prnews-4045030136.html?x=0&.v=1

Greenmyparents Wants to Build an Army of Green Kids, Launching on Earth Day (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://blog.oregonlive.com/pdxgreen/2010/04/greenmyparents_wants_to_build.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

More NoaNet Stimulus - Jamestown S’Klallam, Makah, Shoalwater Bay to Get Broadband (Indian Country Today)

http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/northwest/91461594.html

State Approves Sale of Verizon’s Landline Business (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12329029

NY Times Editorial - The F.C.C. & the Internet

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/opinion/19mon1.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Companies Slowly Join Cloud-Computing (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/technology/19cloud.html?partner=rss&emc=rss