The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for August 12, 2010

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Energy News Digest for August 12, 2010

The News Digest will be wandering on strange beaches August 16-27. And on those beaches I see stones; strange stones…weird stones. Jasper, agates, sandstone, tumbled glass… (With all due respect to Groucho Marx’s “Strange Interlude”)

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

Violent Power Protests Break Out in Bangladesh (Zeenews)

http://www.zeenews.com/news647634.html

Quebec, Vermont Sign Long-Term Hydro Deal - A boost to the Quebec government’s campaign to portray Quebec power as green & renewable in the lucrative US market (Montreal Gazette, Quebec)

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Quebec+Vermont+sign+long+term+hydro+deal/3390174/story.html

BPA/Mason County PUD 3 Smart Grid Project Will Let Wind Farms “Talk” to Appliances: When the wind blows, water heaters fire up (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/858491/

Washington State Jobs Act Awards $17 Million for Energy Cost Savings in Public Schools (Governor’s Office)

http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=1556&newsType=1

Broadband Stimulus Funds Trimmed by $302 Million - As part of bill aimed at saving teachers’ jobs (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadband-Stimulus-Funds-Trimmed-By-302-Million-109850

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

Violent Power Protests Break Out in Bangladesh
Reservoir Drawdown to Start for Boundary Dam Maintenance
Quebec, Vermont Sign Long-Term Hydro Deal
Snohomish PUD Website Offers More Tools, Better Service
Op/Ed – Alaska: Who owns Homer Electric Association?
TNA Merchant Projects, Inc. vs. FERC & BPA over Chehalis Power Generating, L.L.C.
Futuregen – Illinois Town Rejects Billion-Dollar Energy Project
Report Highlights Split Among Utilities on EPA’s ‘Transport’ Rule for Air Pollution
For the First Time since 1991 Some Sockeye Salmon Will Cross the Finish Line of Their 900-Mile Journey to Redfish Lake on Their Own
British Columbia Sockeye Run a Happy Fish Tale So Far
Lawsuit over Quilcene Hatchery Permit Settled
Coastal Salmon Fishing Still Moving Along at a Good Clip
Oregon-Washington Test Set for Alternative Fishing Gear
Rogue River Carves Its Way around Gold Ray Dam Ahead of Schedule
BPA/Mason County PUD 3 Smart Grid Project Will Let Wind Farms “Talk” to Appliances
Oregon Tries Foreclosure on Pronghorn Golf Resort Solar Project near Bend
Public Hearing on Proposed Cle Elum Solar Project
Solar Energy Payoff Jolts Customers into Action
Oregon - Iberdrola’s Biomass Move May Clear the Air
Ohio - FirstEnergy Corp. Gets Permission to Burn Biomass as Sustainable Energy Source
Two Vermont Communities Consider Small Wood Power Plant
North Carolina - Burning Trees Stretches the Meaning of “Renewable”
The Big Wind-Power Cover-Up
US Renewables Industry Wary of Government Pledges to Restore ‘Borrowed’ Billions
Piper Jaffray CleanTech fund spending $100 Million
Washington State Jobs Act Awards $17 Million for Energy Cost Savings in Public Schools
Kennewick Going Green, Saving Money
LED Bulb Edges Below $20
Wisconsin - Juneau Rejects Energy Grant
Carbon Pricing Called Key to Coal Pollution Plan
US Dept of Energy Awards $21.3 Million to Study Carbon Dioxide Underground Storage
Deutsche Bank Spurns US for Lack of Climate Investment
What Price Electricity? Detroit Area Utility Sets Monthly EV Recharge Rate
Broadband Stimulus Funds Trimmed by $302 Million - As part of bill aimed at saving teachers’ jobs
Hood Canal Communications Gets Grant to Expand Broadband
Spokane Cable Theft Cuts Services to Comcast Customers
59% Don’t Know What Fiber to the Home Is
Many Americans Don’t Want Government to Push Fast Internet
Web Plan Is Dividing Companies
For Better or Worse, Google Is a Nation-State
Irony - Microsoft Suggests Chrome as Workaround for Hotmail Issues
Judge Says R-71 Signatures Will Remain Secret for Now
Study: Privatized Booze Sales Could Cost State $500 Million
Spokeswoman: State’s Booze Estimate a ‘Bogus Scare Tactic’
Washington State Removes 6,200 People from Health Care Coverage – Didn’t Qualify
Judge Critical of Lynnwood Mayor’s Treatment of Female Staff
Deputies Say Boy, 8, Shot Brother in Star Lake
Murder charged in Tenino slaying
Seismic Devices Added as Harmless Tremor Slides Under Olympic Peninsula
University of Idaho Worker Killed by Lightning Strike
And So It Goes - Washington State Attorney General Sues Makers of LCD Panels over Prices
Perseid Meteor Shower over Northwest Tonight
Whitman College Is State’s Tops, Says Forbes
Shelton Adds Ninth-Graders to 2010-11 Sports Teams
It’s Official: Mt. Rainier Is Still as Tall as We Thought

WORD OF THE DAY

Docile • \DOSS-ill\ • adjective - 1: easily taught 2: easily led or managed

Ambrose strode through his docile minions, pleased that for once he was in charge. The group in the stenographers’ pool parted like the ocean before the prow of a giant ship as he passed by. “This is great,” he pondered. “Once I replaced those troublesome employees with Shropshire sheep, complaints dropped off at once.” “Of course,” he mused, “These smelly ruminants get nothing done all day but fertilize the carpet.”

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

Violent Power Protests Break Out in Bangladesh (Zeenews)

http://www.zeenews.com/news647634.html

Reservoir Drawdown to Start for Boundary Dam Maintenance (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=138440

Quebec, Vermont Sign Long-Term Hydro Deal - A boost to the Quebec government’s campaign to portray Quebec power as green & renewable in the lucrative US market (Montreal Gazette, Quebec)

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Quebec+Vermont+sign+long+term+hydro+deal/3390174/story.html

Snohomish PUD Website Offers More Tools, Better Service (Edmonds Beacon, WA)

http://www.edmondsbeacon.com/news/article.exm/2010-08-12_pud_website_offers_more_tools__better_service

Op/Ed – Alaska: Who owns Homer Electric Association? (Homer Tribune, AK)

http://homertribune.com/2010/08/who-owns-homer-electric-association/

TNA Merchant Projects, Inc. vs. FERC & BPA over Chehalis Power Generating, L.L.C., petitions for review of two orders - United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit (Leagle)

http://www.leagle.com/unsecure/page.htm?shortname=infco20100810149

Futuregen – Illinois Town Rejects Billion-Dollar Energy Project (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/08/11/financial/f180036D00.DTL

Report Highlights Split Among Utilities on EPA’s ‘Transport’ Rule for Air Pollution (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/08/11/11greenwire-report-highlights-split-among-utilities-on-epas-2338.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

For the First Time since 1991 Some Sockeye Salmon Will Cross the Finish Line of Their 900-Mile Journey to Redfish Lake on Their Own (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/08/12/1300119/youve-come-a-long-way-baby.html

British Columbia Sockeye Run a Happy Fish Tale So Far (BC Local News)

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/100482234.html

Lawsuit over Quilcene Hatchery Permit Settled (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100812/news/308129984/lawsuit-over-quilcene-hatchery-permit-settled

Coastal Salmon Fishing Still Moving Along at a Good Clip (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2012600108_coastal_salmon_fishing_still_m.html

Oregon-Washington Test Set for Alternative Fishing Gear (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_or_commercial_fishing_test.html

Rogue River Carves Its Way around Gold Ray Dam Ahead of Schedule (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/08/rogue_river_carves_its_way_aro.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY

BPA/Mason County PUD 3 Smart Grid Project Will Let Wind Farms “Talk” to Appliances: When the wind blows, water heaters fire up (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/858491/

Oregon Tries Foreclosure on Pronghorn Golf Resort Solar Project near Bend (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/08/11/financial/f130119D23.DTL

Public Hearing on Proposed Cle Elum Solar Project (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12964183

Solar Energy Payoff Jolts Customers into Action (Mukilteo Beacon, WA)

http://www.mukilteobeacon.com/commerce/article.exm/2010-08-11__solar_energy_payoff_jolts_customers_into_action

Oregon - Iberdrola’s Biomass Move May Clear the Air (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2010/08/iberdrolas_biomass_move_to_clear_the_air.html

Ohio - FirstEnergy Corp. Gets Permission to Burn Biomass as Sustainable Energy Source “...swept aside arguments from environmentalists & a wind industry trade group that burning trees to make power is not sustainable…” (Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH)

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2010/08/firstenergy_corp_gets_permissi.html

Two Vermont Communities Consider Small Wood Power Plant (Burlington Free Press, VT)

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100812/NEWS07/100812010/Two-Vermont-communities-consider-small-wood-power-plant

North Carolina - Burning Trees Stretches the Meaning of “Renewable” (Indy Week)

http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/burning-trees-stretches-the-meaning-of-renewable/Content?oid=1593871

The Big Wind-Power Cover-Up (Investors’ Business Daily)

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=527214

US Renewables Industry Wary of Government Pledges to Restore ‘Borrowed’ Billions (Solve Climate)

http://solveclimate.com/blog/20100812/u-s-renewables-industry-wary-govt-pledges-restore-borrowed-billions

Piper Jaffray CleanTech fund spending $100 Million (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/national/2010/08/piper_jaffray_cleantech_fund_spending_100m.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington State Jobs Act Awards $17 Million for Energy Cost Savings in Public Schools (Governor’s Office)

http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/news-view.asp?pressRelease=1556&newsType=1

Link to the award list (PDF File):

http://www.governor.wa.gov/news/20100811_recipients.pdf

Kennewick Going Green, Saving Money (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12966519

LED Bulb Edges Below $20 (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/11/led-bulb-edges-below-20/

Wisconsin - Juneau Rejects Energy Grant “…the cost of compliance appeared to outweigh the benefits of the grant…” (Beaver Dam Daily Citizen, WI)

http://www.wiscnews.com/bdc/news/local/article_8f359b78-a5c8-11df-8a1e-001cc4c002e0.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Carbon Pricing Called Key to Coal Pollution Plan (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012604715_apuscoalplantemissions.html

US Dept of Energy Awards $21.3 Million to Study Carbon Dioxide Underground Storage (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/08/11/financial/f162651D90.DTL

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Deutsche Bank Spurns US for Lack of Climate Investment (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67A3JK20100811

What Price Electricity? Detroit Area Utility Sets Monthly EV Recharge Rate (Motor Trend)

http://wot.motortrend.com/6703110/auto-news/what-price-electricity-detroit-area-utility-sets-monthly-ev-recharge-rate/index.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Broadband Stimulus Funds Trimmed by $302 Million - As part of bill aimed at saving teachers’ jobs (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadband-Stimulus-Funds-Trimmed-By-302-Million-109850

Hood Canal Communications Gets Grant to Expand Broadband (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2955-hood-canal-communications-gets-grant-to-expand-broadband

Spokane Cable Theft Cuts Services to Comcast Customers (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/aug/12/cable-theft-cuts-services-comcast-customers/

59% Don’t Know What Fiber to the Home Is - Fiber users most satisfied, says group that sells fiber (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/59-Dont-Know-What-Fiber-To-The-Home-Is-109868

Many Americans Don’t Want Government to Push Fast Internet (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE67A4KC20100811

Web Plan Is Dividing Companies (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/12/technology/12net.html

For Better or Worse, Google Is a Nation-State (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/08/11/for-better-or-worse-google-is-a-nation-state/

Irony - Microsoft Suggests Chrome as Workaround for Hotmail Issues (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/217671.asp

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Judge Says R-71 Signatures Will Remain Secret for Now (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Judge-says-R-71-signatures-will-remain-secret-for-now-100454174.html

Study: Privatized Booze Sales Could Cost State $500 Million (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/217602.asp

Spokeswoman: State’s Booze Estimate a ‘Bogus Scare Tactic’ (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/217691.asp

Washington State Removes 6,200 People from Health Care Coverage – Didn’t Qualify (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12966891

Judge Critical of Lynnwood Mayor’s Treatment of Female Staff - Don Gough verbally attacks & demeans female subordinates, judge writes (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100812/NEWS01/708129873/-1/RSS02

GENERAL NEWS

Deputies Say Boy, 8, Shot Brother in Star Lake (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2957-deputies-say-boy-8-shot-brother-in-star-lake

Murder charged in Tenino slaying (Olympian, WA – Note: warning about case details may be disturbing)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/08/12/1333569/murder-charged-in-slaying.html

Seismic Devices Added as Harmless Tremor Slides Under Olympic Peninsula (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100812/news/308129983/seismic-devices-added-as-harmless-tremor-slides-under-peninsula

University of Idaho Worker Killed by Lightning Strike (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/aug/12/university-idaho-worker-killed-lightning-strike/

And So It Goes - Washington State Attorney General Sues Makers of LCD Panels over Prices (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012604604_apwalcdpricefixing.html