The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for November 1, 2010

Monday, November 1, 2010

Energy News Digest for November 1, 2010

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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.

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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Heavy Rains Expected to Pound Mountains, & Possibly Trigger Floods

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/oct/31/heavy-rains-expected-to-pound-mountains-and/

Bonneville Power Administration Deal Made Final to Keep Ferndale-Area Intalco Smelter Operating (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/10/29/1693561/power-deal-made-final-to-keep.html

Portland General Electric Offers to Close Coal Plant Earlier (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/10/pge_offers_to_close_coal_plant.html

Salmon Advocates Say Columbia Dam Plan No Good (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013296734_aporsalmondams1stldwritethru.html

Op/Ed – Brad Owen: New EPA Rule on Biomass Is Divisive & Poses a Threat to Jobs (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/10/31/1403360/new-epa-rule-on-biomass-is-divisive.html

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

· Bonneville Power Administration Deal Made Final to Keep Ferndale-Area Intalco Smelter Operating

· Avista Rates Are Going Up in Idaho

· Portland General Electric Offers to Close Coal Plant Earlier

· Oil Drilling Equipment - Effort to Keep Big Rigs Off Montana Highways Continues to Spread

· Electric City Power & Its Parent, the City of Great Falls Out of Lawsuit

· Mason PUD 3 Asks Customers to be Prepared for Fall & Winter Weather

· Northern Wasco PUD - Dufur Residents Get Power Upgrade

· Constellation Loses $1.4 Billion on Nuclear Write-Downs

· Maryland - Anyone Want to Help Build a Reactor?

· North Dakota Electric Cooperatives Build to Accommodate Growing Demand

· New Mexico - Taos County Takes Stand Against Kit Carson Co-Op Rate Increase

· Conference to Address Smart Grid Policy Decisions

· Composite Utility Poles Are Cost Effective

· Salmon Advocates Say Columbia Dam Plan No Good

· Sparks Fly over Theory That Volcano Caused Salmon Boom

· Hatch-22: The Problem with the Pacific Salmon Resurgence

· The Drama Upstream: Good Spots for Salmon Viewing in the Portland Area

· Cost, Lack of Use Spells End to Longtime University of Washington Salmon Run

· Sturgeon Numbers Down in Lower Columbia River

· Alaska - Alaska Lawmakers Debate Planned Pebble Mine Study

· Draft EIS Released for Odessa Water Supply Study

· Editorial - The Colorado River’s Future

· Director of Puget Sound Partnership Grows with Young Agency

· Celilo Falls Latest Memorial Along Columbia River

· Op/Ed – Brad Owen: New EPA Rule on Biomass Is Divisive & Poses a Threat to Jobs

· Bagging Biomass - Industry Says Regulations Will Stifle Growth of Once-Heralded Alternative Power Source

· Nattering Nabobs of NIMBYism - Solar Farm Sparks Heated Debate in California’s Panoche Valley

· Pacific Northwest Bucks National Wind Power Becalming

· Oregon Tops Nation in Third-Quarter Wind Projects

· Portland’s $8.1 Million Loan for Vestas Headquarters Offers Rare Incentives

· Iowa - Wind Energy Producers Face Wall in Moving Power East

· Increasing Wind Turbine Turn-On Speeds Could Help Reduce Bat Deaths, New Study Says

· Stimulus Powers Snohomish County PUD Conservation Program

· City of Mill Creek & Snohomish PUD Showcase LED Light Efficiency

· Now Might be Good Time for a Home Energy Audit

· Vampire Appliances - Chu Wants Consumers to Use Their ‘Braaaains’

· Ballot Initiative to Delay Carbon Cuts Loses Steam

· Cap & Trade, the California Way

· Coal Industry Spending to Sway Next Congress – Regulatory Jihad?

· California Election: Environmentalists Get Green

· Oregon - Eugene Carbon Emissions Low, But Will Still Grow

· Op/Ed - Coming Clean on Energy Subsidies

· Solar Panels or Historic Preservation? Some Portlanders Question if They Can Have Both

· Microsoft Permit Issued for Quincy Backup Generator Expansion

· For Broadband Carriers, Startup Ushers in a Cloud-y Future

· High Speed Internet Debuts Atop Mount Everest

· Attorney General Files Suit against Media Strategist for Campaign Law Violation

· Voter Turnout of 66 Percent Expected in Washington Election

· Effort Launched to Recall Pierce County Assessor Dale Washam

· Heavy Rains Expected to Pound Mountains, & Possibly Trigger Floods

· Driver on Phone Moments before Crash That Killed Three

· Washington State Growth Board Rules Shelton Hills Rezone Invalid

· Shelton to Release 2011 Budget Monday Night

· Habitat for Humanity Reports Theft of Wire from Tumwater Construction Site

· Don’t Wind Your Clocks Back Yet, America!

WORD OF THE DAY

Misconstrue • \miss-kun-STREW\ • Verb – To understand or explain wrongly: misinterpret

Construe • \kun-STREW\ • Verb – 1: to analyze the arrangement & connection of words in 2: to understand or explain the sense or intention of usually in a particular way or with respect to a given set of circumstances

“I don’t want you to to construe that you misconstrued my prior statement regarding the appropriateness of your garb,” puffed the imposing clothing designer to his diminutive, mousy assistant. “What I meant to say is: go home and change.”

WEATHER

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 Deal Made Final to Keep Ferndale-Area Intalco Smelter Operating (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/10/29/1693561/power-deal-made-final-to-keep.html

Avista Rates Are Going Up in Idaho (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/oct/30/avista-rates-are-going-up-in-idaho/

Portland General Electric Offers to Close Coal Plant Earlier (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/10/pge_offers_to_close_coal_plant.html

Oil Drilling Equipment - Effort to Keep Big Rigs Off Montana Highways Continues to Spread (Missoulian, MT)

http://missoulian.com/news/local/article_3935c1e0-e492-11df-a91b-001cc4c03286.html

Electric City Power & Its Parent, the City of Great Falls Out of Lawsuit (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20101030/NEWS01/10300308

Mason PUD 3 Asks Customers to be Prepared for Fall & Winter Weather (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/Newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=791

Northern Wasco PUD - Dufur Residents Get Power Upgrade (Dalles Chronicle, OR)

http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2010/10/10-29-10-03.shtml

Constellation Loses $1.4 Billion on Nuclear Write-Downs (Maryland Daily Record)

http://mddailyrecord.com/2010/10/29/constellation-loses-14b-on-nuclear-write-downs/

Maryland - Anyone Want to Help Build a Reactor? (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/01/anyone-want-to-help-build-a-reactor/

North Dakota Electric Cooperatives Build to Accommodate Growing Demand (Minot Daily News, ND)

http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/544317.html?nav=5010

New Mexico - Taos County Takes Stand Against Kit Carson Co-Op Rate Increase (The Taos News, NM)

http://taosnews.com/articles/2010/10/30/news/doc4cc9c000466f2426619169.txt

Conference to Address Smart Grid Policy Decisions - Smart Grid Oregon to Host Public Policy Conference November 9 (PR Web)

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/11/prweb4724574.htm

Composite utility poles are cost effective (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/index/display/article-display.articles.electric-light-power.products.linework.2010.11.composite-utility.QP129867.dcmp=rss.page=1.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Salmon Advocates Say Columbia Dam Plan No Good (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013296734_aporsalmondams1stldwritethru.html

Sparks Fly over Theory That Volcano Caused Salmon Boom - Could Volcanic Ash Feed Ailing Fish Populations? (Nature News)

http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101029/full/news.2010.572.html

Hatch-22: The Problem with the Pacific Salmon Resurgence (Yale Environment 360)

http://e360.yale.edu/feature/hatch-22_the_problem_with_the_pacific_salmon_resurgence/2335/

The Drama Upstream: Good Spots for Salmon Viewing in the Portland Area (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2010/10/the_drama_upstream_salmon_view.html

Cost, Lack of Use Spells End to Longtime University of Washington Salmon Run (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013304844_uwsalmon31m.html

Sturgeon Numbers Down in Lower Columbia River (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/10/30/1402146/sturgeon-numbers-down-in-lower.html

Alaska - Alaska Lawmakers Debate Planned Pebble Mine Study: some fear the mine would threaten Bristol Bay salmon runs (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013316176_apakpebbleminestudy.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Draft EIS Released for Odessa Water Supply Study (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_6f6e04ae-e2ec-11df-994c-001cc4c002e0.html

Editorial - The Colorado River’s Future (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/01/opinion/01mon3.html

Director of Puget Sound Partnership Grows with Young Agency (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/10/31/1403285/director-grows-with-young-agency.html

Celilo Falls Latest Memorial Along Columbia River (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

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

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Op/Ed – Brad Owen: New EPA Rule on Biomass Is Divisive & Poses a Threat to Jobs (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/10/31/1403360/new-epa-rule-on-biomass-is-divisive.html

Bagging Biomass - Industry Says Regulations Will Stifle Growth of Once-Heralded Alternative Power Source (Worcester Telegram & Gazette, MA)

http://www.telegram.com/article/20101031/NEWS/10310415/-1/NEWS04

Nattering Nabobs of NIMBYism - Solar Farm Sparks Heated Debate in California’s Panoche Valley - Locals Say It Will Ruin Their Livelihoods & Further Endanger Some Species (LA Times, CA)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-solar-panoche-20101101,0,6937595.story

Pacific Northwest Bucks National Wind Power Becalming (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/17049-northwest-bucks-national-wind-power-becalming/

Oregon Tops Nation in Third-Quarter Wind Projects (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/10/oregon_tops_nation_in_third-qu.html

Portland’s $8.1 Million Loan for Vestas Headquarters Offers Rare Incentives (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/10/city_hall_portlands_81_million.html

Iowa - Wind Energy Producers Face Wall in Moving Power East (Des Moines Register, IA)

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20101031/BUSINESS/10310329/-1/AMES/Wind-energy-producers-face-wall-in-moving-power-east

Increasing Wind Turbine Turn-On Speeds Could Help Reduce Bat Deaths, New Study Says (PopSci)

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-10/increasing-wind-turbine-turn-speeds-could-help-reduce-bat-deaths-new-study-says

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Stimulus Powers Snohomish County PUD Conservation Program (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20101031/NEWS01/710319864

City of Mill Creek & Snohomish PUD Showcase LED Light Efficiency

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20101031/NEWS01/710319868/-1/RSS02

Now Might be Good Time for a Home Energy Audit (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_16459285

Vampire Appliances - Chu Wants Consumers to Use Their ‘Braaaains’ (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/31/AR2010103104405.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Ballot Initiative to Delay Carbon Cuts Loses Steam (Wall Street Journal)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304316404575580613584046770.html

Cap & Trade, the California Way (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/cap-and-trade-the-california-way/

Coal Industry Spending to Sway Next Congress – Regulatory Jihad? (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/30/us/politics/30coal.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

California Election: Environmentalists Get Green (Time Magazine)

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2028355,00.html

Oregon - Eugene Carbon Emissions Low, But Will Still Grow (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/25463480-41/eugene-emissions-carbon-plan-gas.csp

Op/Ed - Coming Clean on Energy Subsidies (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/10/coming_clean_on_energy_subsidi.html

Solar Panels or Historic Preservation? Some Portlanders Question if They Can Have Both (Oregonian, Portlsand)

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/10/city_hall_solar_panels_or_hist.html

TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Microsoft Permit Issued for Quincy Backup Generator Expansion (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_81c5321c-e2ec-11df-bedd-001cc4c002e0.html

For Broadband Carriers, Startup Ushers in a Cloud-y Future (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/11/01/for-broadband-carriers-startup-ushers-in-a-cloud-y-future/

High Speed Internet Debuts Atop Mount Everest (Time Magazine)

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/10/31/high-speed-internet-debuts-atop-mount-everest/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Attorney General Files Suit against Media Strategist for Campaign Law Violation (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/10/30/1401979/thurston-county-attorney-general.html

Voter Turnout of 66 Percent Expected in Washington Election (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/Global/story.asp?S=13421505

Effort Launched to Recall Pierce County Assessor Dale Washam – He now faces the blunt end of his favorite political instrument: recall (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/10/29/1401808/recall-effort-launched-to-recall.html

GENERAL NEWS

Heavy Rains Expected to Pound Mountains, & Possibly Trigger Floods (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/oct/31/heavy-rains-expected-to-pound-mountains-and/

Driver on Phone Moments before Crash That Killed Three (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/10/31/1422572/driver-on-phone-moments-before.html

Washington State Growth Board Rules Shelton Hills Rezone Invalid (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/news/3690-growth-board-rules-shelton-hills-rezone-invalid

Shelton to Release 2011 Budget Monday Night (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/news/3688-shelton-to-release-2011-budget-monday-night

Habitat for Humanity Reports Theft of Wire from Tumwater Construction Site (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/10/30/1420895/tumwater-habitat-for-humanity.html