The Energy News Digest: Energy News Digest for November 16, 2010

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Energy News Digest for November 16, 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

Now This is November - Windstorm Batters Region (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/430230_storm16.html

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake Near Mossyrock (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/4-2-earthquake-near-Mossyrock-108436129.html

Heavy Snow Expected in Olympics & Cascades (Associated Press)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Heavy-snow-expected-in-Olympics-and-Cascades-108419339.html

Bonneville Power Administration to Seek 6-10% Rate Hike - The federal agency that generates much of Lane County’s electricity tells utilities it faces lower revenue, higher costs (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/25550250-46/bpa-power-million-agency-rate.csp

Northwest Native American Tribes Want Input on Columbia River Treaty (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/nov/16/northwest-tribes-want-input-on-columbia-river/

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

· Now This is November - Windstorm Batters Region

· Wind Knocks Out Power across Western Washington

· Washington State Winds Gust to 60 Mph; Cut Power to Thousands

· Wind Causes Scattered Mason County Power Outages

· Bonneville Power Administration to Seek 6-10% Rate Hike

· Editorial - BPA Takes Responsible Risk with Rate Proposal

· Council Unsure on Tacoma Public Utilities Hikes

· Eugene Water & Electric Board May Have to Increase Rates

· Editorial - Whatcom County good news worth celebrating: Bonneville Power Administration contract with Alcoa Intalco Works

· Northwest Native American Tribes Want Input on Columbia River Treaty

· Snohomish PUD Forced to Turn Away Families Seeking Help With Bills

· Federal Audit Raises Hanford Nuclear Reservation Concerns

· Peach Bottom Nuclear Temporarily Removes Unit 3 from Service

· Shift to Center on Energy: Auctioning TVA Up for Consideration

· Special Report: Was a Houston Energy Trader a One-Woman Enron?

· Colvilles, Utilities Agree on Hatchery for Columbia Basin Salmon

· Grant PUD to Help Pay for Chief Joseph Hatchery

· Op/Ed - Need to Restore Natural Processes in Chehalis River Basin

· Environmental Groups Fight Herbicides in Hell’s Canyon

· EPA Takes a New Look at San Joaquin Valley Air

· Op/Ed - Clean Water at No Cost? Just Add Carbon Credits

· Hydrogen Hub Touted as Next Green Energy Idea

· Editorial - Promoting Forest Biomass

· Alberta Pulp Mill gets $37.8 Million (Canadian) for Green Improvements

· Judge Dismisses Suit over Missouri Renewable Energy Law

· Op/Ed - Wind Farm Sites Are the New Proving Ground for Maine’s Environmental Groups

· Ireland - Birds of Prey Cause a Storm at €50 Million Wind Farm Project

· Cash for Appliances Washington Announces All Program Funds Are Spoken For

· Energy Rebates on Appliances Don’t Move Water Heaters

· Orcas Power & Light Pilot Project Tests ‘Smart Grid’ Technology

· Snohomish County Pledges to Reduce Energy

· Alaska Churches Try Energy Audits to Save Money

· Ameren Offers Energy-Saver Holiday Decorating Tips

· California Governor Pushes for Regional Climate Pact

· Climate Skeptic Seeks Congressional Energy Committee Chairmanship

· Nissan Will Sell 500,000 Electric Cars a Year by 2013, Says Chief

· Even Reusable Bags Carry Environmental Risk

· Roman Decadence & Rising Seas

· Feds Propose Shifting Airwaves to Broadband

· In US, Demand for Broadband Is Back

· Why Facebook Email Should Scare the Pants Off Google & Apple

· Comcast Executive: Self-Regulation, Not Government Mandates, for Internet

· Comcast Launches App for TV on the Go

· Washington Legislature - Prentice Says She’s Stepping Down as Senate Ways & Means Chairwoman

· Will Washington State Senate Deny Nick Harper a Seat?

· Murray Reelected to US Senate Leadership Post

· GOP Attack Marks Start of 2012 Campaign against US Senator Cantwell

· Will Edmonds be Brian Baird’s New Political Base?

· 4.2 Magnitude Earthquake Near Mossyrock

· Heavy Snow Expected in Olympics & Cascades

· Snow This Weekend?

· La Nina Means an Awesome Ski Season

· Washington State Budget Woes Lead to Prison Lockdowns

· Cowlitz County - Protest over Coal Export Facility Expected at Commissioners’ Meeting

· Gasoline Prices Creeping Up as Holiday Approaches

· Moses Lake Carbon Fiber Plant Could Double in Size Sooner Than Expected

· Yellow Pages Sues Seattle

WORD OF THE DAY

Propitiate • \pro-PISH-ee-yate\ • verb - To gain or regain the favor or goodwill of: appease, conciliate

The famous “turkey drop” from ‘WKRP in Cincinatti’ was no match for the “Ferret Drop” promotion of KFER radio one bleak, wintry day in December. The promotion, meant to propitiate listeners who had been stiffed by the limited edition “ball of sisal twine” give-away, went horribly wrong when the helicopter pilot misread his instructions and hovered 1,000 feet above the mall parking lot (instead of the ten feet as directed in the crumpled and smudged instruction sheet.) Fortunately for the apparently ill-fated weasels, their leader fashioned a makeshift parachute from a discarded mascot costume…which delivered the lucky ferrets into a briar patch from which the fabled “Ferret Foundation” grew.

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

Now This is November - Windstorm Batters Region (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/430230_storm16.html

Wind Knocks Out Power across Western Washington (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Wind-whips-across-Western-Washington-108299434.html

Washington State Winds Gust to 60 Mph; Cut Power to Thousands (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013443823_apwawashwind.html

Freak Washington State Windstorm Knocks Out Power to Thousands (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20101116/news/311169991/freak-windstorm-knocks-out-power-to-thousands

Wind Causes Scattered Mason County Power Outages (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/news/3816-wind-causes-scattered-power-outages

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/25550250-46/bpa-power-million-agency-rate.csp

Editorial - BPA Takes Responsible Risk with Rate Proposal (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/11/16/1254236/bpa-takes-responsible-risk-with.html

Council Unsure on Tacoma Public Utilities Hikes - Some Tacoma City Council members are signaling they’re not yet convinced that Tacoma Power rate hikes proposed for the next two years are justified (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/11/16/1426409/council-unsure-on-tpu-hikes.html

Eugene Water & Electric Board May Have to Increase Rates (KEZI-TV, Eugene, OR)

http://kezi.com/news/local/195109

Editorial - Whatcom County good news worth celebrating: Bonneville Power Administration contract with Alcoa Intalco Works (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/11/15/1722866/whatcom-county-good-news-worth.html

Northwest Native American Tribes Want Input on Columbia River Treaty (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/nov/16/northwest-tribes-want-input-on-columbia-river/

Snohomish PUD Forced to Turn Away Families Seeking Help With Bills (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Snohomish-County--108237764.html

Federal Audit Raises Hanford Nuclear Reservation Concerns (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/11/15/1441120/federal-audit-raises-hanford-concerns.html

Peach Bottom Nuclear Temporarily Removes Unit 3 from Service (Electric Light & Power)

http://www.elp.com/index/display/article-display.articles.electric-light-power.generation.nuclear.2010.11.Peach_Bottom_nuclear_temporarily_removes_Unit_3_from_service_.QP129867.dcmp=rss.page=1.html

Shift to Center on Energy: Auctioning TVA Up for Consideration (Wall Street Journal)

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20101115-713894.html

Special Report: Was a Houston Energy Trader a One-Woman Enron? (Reuters)

http://ca.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idCATRE6AE1VX20101115

FISH & WILDLIFE

Colvilles, Utilities Agree on Hatchery for Columbia Basin Salmon (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013439762_apwacolvillehatchery1stldwritethru.html

Grant PUD to Help Pay for Chief Joseph Hatchery (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/nov/16/grant-pud-to-help-pay-for-chief-joseph-hatchery/

Op/Ed - Need to Restore Natural Processes in Chehalis River Basin (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/11/15/1440264/need-to-restore-natural-processes.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental Groups Fight Herbicides in Hell’s Canyon (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/11/16/31872.htm

EPA Takes a New Look at San Joaquin Valley Air - oil production & agriculture combine to produce unhealthy compounds that become trapped in the valley air (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/14/EDUH1GBH6E.DTL

Op/Ed - Clean Water at No Cost? Just Add Carbon Credits (NY Times)

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/clean-water-at-no-cost-just-add-carbon-credits/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Hydrogen Hub Touted as Next Green Energy Idea (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55&ArticleID=28135

Editorial - Promoting Forest Biomass (High Country News)

http://www.hcn.org/hcn/blogs/range/promoting-forest-biomass

Alberta Pulp Mill gets $37.8 Million (Canadian) for Green Improvements - Changes will cut greenhouse gases by 5,600 tons a year (Edmonton Journal, Alberta)

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/technology/Alberta+pulp+mill+gets+green+improvements/3821041/story.htmlJudge Dismisses Suit over Missouri Renewable Energy Law - Customers seeking rebate opposed exemption (Associated Press)

http://www.news-leader.com/article/20101116/NEWS01/11160344/1001/RSS01

Op/Ed - Wind Farm Sites Are the New Proving Ground for Maine’s Environmental Groups (MaineBiz)

http://www.mainebiz.biz/news47140.html

Ireland - Birds of Prey Cause a Storm at €50 Million Wind Farm Project (The Independent, UK)

http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/birds-of-prey-cause-a-storm-at-euro50m-windfarm-project-2419380.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Cash for Appliances Washington Announces All Program Funds Are Spoken For (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=2104

Energy Rebates on Appliances Don’t Move Water Heaters (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/environment/2010-11-16-appliances16_ST_N.htm?csp=34money

Orcas Power & Light Pilot Project Tests ‘Smart Grid’ Technology (Islands Sounder, Eastsound, WA)

http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/sanjuans/isj/news/108208024.html

Snohomish County Pledges to Reduce Energy (Consumption) (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20101116/NEWS01/711169945

Alaska Churches Try Energy Audits to Save Money (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2010-11-15-church-energy_N.htm?csp=34news

Ameren Offers Energy-Saver Holiday Decorating Tips (Chicago Tribune, IL)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-ameren-decorating,0,1328189.story

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California Governor Pushes for Regional Climate Pact (Associated Press)

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9JGMOV03.htm

Climate Skeptic Seeks Congressional Energy Committee Chairmanship (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/god-man-and-congress-on-climate-change/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Nissan Will Sell 500,000 Electric Cars a Year by 2013, Says Chief (NY Times)

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/16/nissan-will-sell-500000-electric-cars-a-year-by-2013-says-chief/

Even Reusable Bags Carry Environmental Risk - The bags, hot items at upscale markets, may be on the verge of a glacier-size public relations problem: lead (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/nyregion/15bags.html

Roman Decadence & Rising Seas (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/15/roman-decadence-and-rising-seas/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Feds Propose Shifting Airwaves to Broadband (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2013438970_apustecspectrumshortage.html

In US, Demand for Broadband Is Back (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/11/15/in-u-s-demand-for-broadband-is-back/

Why Facebook Email Should Scare the Pants Off Google & Apple (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/11/15/businessinsider-facebook-google-apple-2010-11.DTL

Comcast Executive: Self-Regulation, Not Government Mandates, for Internet (Washington Post – Sorry, Cynic Alert is Sounding)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/11/comcast_evp_self-regulation_no.html