Energy News Digest for September 10, 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

Settlement Near in BPA Power Dispute (Portland Business Journal)

http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2010/09/06/daily18.html

Washington State Executes Man Convicted of Woman's Murder (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012857032_apuswashingtonexecution1stldwritethru.html

More Orcas in Oakland Bay (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/3206-more-orcas-in-oakland-bay

Biomass Decision in Port Townsend Likely by End of Month (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100910/news/309109983/biomass-decision-in-port-townsend-likely-by-end-of-month

Snohomish PUD Gets $10M for Tidal Power Project (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012860465_apwatidalpower.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Settlement Near in BPA Power Dispute

·         For Greens, Boardman Is Just a Warm-Up

·         Texas - Electrician Dies, Another Injured Trying to Fix Power Outage in Caldwell County

·         The Tangled History of Maryland Electricity Deregulation

·         Big Users, Small Consumers Join Forces Against Transition Charge by Pennsylvania Energy Utilities

·         EPA to Study Chemicals Used to Tap Natural Gas

·         More Orcas in Oakland Bay

·         Boaters Reminded to Stay Clear of Orca Whales

·         Group to Review Actions to Remove, Kill Sea Lions

·         Rash of Bloody Seal Deaths Has Experts Worried

·         Big Fraser River Salmon Run a Boon to Swinomish

·         Lower Columbia River Fall Chinook Fishery Heating Up

·         Chelan County PUD Project Should Help Firm Up Fish

·         Tacoma Water Proposes Budget, Estimates $1.75 per Month Rate Hikes

·         Silverdale Water Tops in State, Industry Group Says

·         FEMA: Hundreds of Levees Nationwide No Longer Reliable

·         Lumbering Along, Barely - Linking Beetle-Killed Trees to Viable Markets Proves Difficult

·         Biomass Decision in Port Townsend Likely by End of Month

·         Snohomish PUD Gets $10M for Tidal Power Project

·         Jefferson County, Port Townsend are Washington’s Solar Energy Leaders

·         Lesser Prairie Chicken May Cripple Oklahoma’s Wind Energy Industry

·         Study Discounts Common Fears about Lake Michigan Offshore Wind

·         Tennessee Valley Authority Sifting Through 90 Applications for Energy Projects

·         27 School Districts Get Energy Grants – Includes Shelton & North Mason Schools

·         Deadline Nearing to Get Energy Tax Credits

·         12 States Ask Supreme Court to Review Greenhouse Gas ‘Nuisance’ Case

·         Climate-Change Study: Today’s Power Plants Aren’t the Problem

·         Denver-Area Real Estate Listings to Add ‘Green’ Category

·         Frontier Clarifies Fiber Comments

·         Washington State Executes Man Convicted of Woman's Murder

·         Gas Blast Engulfs Homes in San Francisco Suburb; Six Killed

·         Brace Yourself, La Nina Threatens Wetter, Colder Pacific Northwest Winter

WORD OF THE DAY

Maudlin • \MOD-linn\ • adjective - 1: drunk enough to be emotionally silly 2: weakly and effusively sentimental

“Oh Henry, you are such a lovey-dovey,” sighed Alice to her long suffering husband. Her cloying sweetness was like a balm of maudlin serenity…one that at once nettled and calmed her jittery husband.

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

Settlement Near in BPA Power Dispute (Portland Business Journal)

http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2010/09/06/daily18.html

For Greens, Boardman Is Just a Warm-Up (Enzyme PDX)

http://www.enzymepdx.com/2010/boardman-sierra-club/

Texas - Electrician Dies, Another Injured Trying to Fix Power Outage in Caldwell County (Austin Statesman, TX)

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/blotter/entries/2010/09/09/electrician_dies_another_injur.html

The Tangled History of Maryland Electricity Deregulation (Baltimore Sun, MD)

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/hancock/blog/2010/09/the_tangled_history_of_md_elec.html

Big Users, Small Consumers Join Forces Against Transition Charge by Pennsylvania Energy Utilities (Philadelphia Inquirer, PA)

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20100910_Big_users__small_consumers_join_forces_against_charge_by_Pa__energy_utilities.html

EPA to Study Chemicals Used to Tap Natural Gas (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/10/business/energy-environment/10hydraulic.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

More Orcas in Oakland Bay (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/3206-more-orcas-in-oakland-bay

Boaters Reminded to Stay Clear of Orca Whales (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/3216-boaters-reminded-to-stay-clear-of-orca-whales

Group to Review Actions to Remove, Kill Sea Lions (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012854833_apwasealionssalmon.html

Rash of Bloody Seal Deaths Has Experts Worried (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/102586859.html

Big Fraser River Salmon Run a Boon to Swinomish (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012861644_apwafraserriversalmon1stldwritethru.html

Lower Columbia River Fall Chinook Fishery Heating Up (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2012854762_news_flash_from_the_columbia.html

Chelan County PUD Project Should Help Firm Up Fish (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/sep/09/pud-project-should-help-firm-up-fish/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Tacoma Water Proposes Budget, Estimates $1.75 per Month Rate Hikes (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://blog.thenewstribune.com/politics/2010/09/09/tacoma-water-proposes-budget-estimates-1-75-per-month-rate-hikes/

Silverdale Water Tops in State, Industry Group Says (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/sep/09/silverdale-water-tops-in-state-industry-group/

FEMA: Hundreds of Levees Nationwide No Longer Reliable (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-09-09-levees_N.htm?csp=34news

Lumbering Along, Barely - Linking Beetle-Killed Trees to Viable Markets Proves Difficult (High Country News)

http://www.hcn.org/hcn/issues/42.16/lumbering-along-barely

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Biomass Decision in Port Townsend Likely by End of Month (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100910/news/309109983/biomass-decision-in-port-townsend-likely-by-end-of-month

Snohomish PUD Gets $10M for Tidal Power Project (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012860465_apwatidalpower.html

Jefferson County, Port Townsend are Washington’s Solar Energy Leaders (Washington State Department of Revenue)

http://www.dor.wa.gov/Content/AboutUs/newsroom/html/090910.aspx

Lesser Prairie Chicken May Cripple Oklahoma’s Wind Energy Industry (The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, OK)

http://www.newsok.com/lesser-prairie-chicken-may-cripple-oklahomas-wind-energy-industry/article/3493456

Study Discounts Common Fears about Lake Michigan Offshore Wind (Grand Rapids Press, MI)

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/09/gvsu_study_discounts_common_co.html

Tennessee Valley Authority Sifting Through 90 Applications for Energy Projects (Knoxville News Sentinel, TN)

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/sep/10/tva-sifting-90-applications-energy-projects/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

27 School Districts Get Energy Grants – Includes Shelton & North Mason Schools (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=13128254

Link to PDF of the List (Shelton & N Mason on the list)

http://www.k12.wa.us/Communications/PressReleases2010/OSPIRound2Energy.pdf

Deadline Nearing to Get Energy Tax Credits (Detroit News, MI)

http://detnews.com/article/20100910/OPINION03/9100304/1038/LIFESTYLE01/Deadline-nearing-to-get-energy-tax-credits

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

12 States Ask Supreme Court to Review Greenhouse Gas ‘Nuisance’ Case (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/09/09/09greenwire-12-states-ask-supreme-court-to-review-greenhou-79298.html

Climate-Change Study: Today’s Power Plants Aren’t the Problem (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0909/Climate-change-study-Today-s-power-plants-aren-t-the-problem

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Denver-Area Real Estate Listings to Add ‘Green’ Category (Denver Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2010/09/06/daily47.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Frontier Clarifies Fiber Comments - By ‘all across the country’ we meant ‘a few rare occasions’ (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Frontier-Clarifies-Fiber-Comments-110282

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Executes Man Convicted of Woman's Murder (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012857032_apuswashingtonexecution1stldwritethru.html

Gas Blast Engulfs Homes in San Francisco Suburb; Six Killed (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-10/san-francisco-neighborhood-engulfed-by-fire-after-gas-pipeline-explosion.html

Brace Yourself, La Nina Threatens Wetter, Colder Pacific Northwest Winter (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Brace-yourself-La-Nina-promises-wetter-colder-winter-for-northwest-102559199.html

DIVERSIONS

Couple Siphoning Gas in Tacoma Catch Fire

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/102568624.html

Police: Men Wrestled Python Outside McDonald’s

http://www.kirotv.com/news/24952721/detail.html

Abracadabra! Romanian Witches Win Tax Fight - Law Stated Witches Could be Liable for Wrong Predictions

http://www.kirotv.com/money/24937656/detail.html

Lawn’s Wedding Proposal Works for Mich. Man

http://www.kirotv.com/family/24934814/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

John Lennon – Instant Karma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEjUQ15lyzk