Energy News Digest for February 8, 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

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

•  Poor Snowpack Could Shrink Pacific Northwest Hydropower

•  Low Runoff Cuts Bonneville Power Administration Hydropower, Revenue Forecasts

•  NE Washington County Asks for More Seattle City Light Dam Compensation

•  Five Dead, Dozens Hurt in Connecticut Power Plant Blast

•  Before Blast, Few Safety Problems as Energy Project Rose at Abandoned Mine Site

•  Montana - Financing for Highwood Power Plant ‘Just Around the Corner’

•  Wyoming - Nuclear Energy Group Sets Meeting

•  Columbia Basin Bulletin Interview - Bruce Measure, New Chairman of Northwest Power & Conservation Council

•  California - Marin County to Bypass Pacific Gas & Electric with Its Own Power Agency

•  New York - National Grid Wants 20 Percent Increase in Electric Rates

•  Canada – Watch Dog Group Expects Higher Electricity Prices

•  Australia Signs Huge China Coal Deal

•  United Kingdom - Power line row to be election issue

•  Battle to Electrify Kandahar Shows Afghan Dilemma

•  Georgia – Cable Companies & Electric Cooperatives Spar over Utility Pole Rates

•  An Engineering Marvel Takes Shape near Hoover Dam

•  Season’s First Chinook Caught as Vanguard of Expected Return of 550,000 ‘Springers’

•  Idaho Expects Large Spring Run of Chinook Salmon

•  Columbia River Salmon Runs Plentiful Now, But Don’t Count on the Trend Continuing

•  Poachers Seeking Caviar Threaten Columbia River Sturgeon

•  200 Gather for Hatchery Groundbreaking on Elwha River

•  California - Testing Waters for Salmon in San Joaquin River

•  Tides Rechanneling Nisqually River

•  Feds Asked to Finish Columbia Basin Irrigation Project

•  Environmental Group Says Mile-Long Spill into Columbia River is a Sign that Better Regulation is Needed

•  Water District Sues Arizona Over Money Grab

•  Centralia, Pennsylvania - How an Underground Coal Fire Erased a Town

•  Mason County Bioenergy - John Deere Official talks about Harvester ADAGE Will Be Using

•  Winds of Change: Port of Longview Looks beyond Recent Wind Energy Boom

•  Oregon’s Steens Mountain Could Soon Have Wind Farms

•  California - Moving Parts for Giant Burney Windmills Will Be Massive Job

•  Wyoming - Wind Company Drops Duncan Ranch from Project

•  Clean Energy Focus of Conference in Kennewick

•  Helena Independent Record Op/Ed - Biofuel Production for Beetle-Killed Trees?

•  Massachusetts Wind Farm That Obama Administration Might Support Meets Strong Resistance

•  Lewis County PUD Plans to Send Out Thousands of Energy Efficient Lights

•  Light Bulb’s Promises Are True Only Where Nighttime Lasts Three Hours

•  Small Stimulus Energy Grants Making Big Difference in Rural Oregon

•  Energy Conservation - Adjusting for Rate Increases

•  Cutting Your Energy Use Can Also Lighten Your Tax Load

•  Fraud Besets European Union Carbon Trade System

•  United Kingdom - Market for Carbon Trading Is Starting to Look Rather Shaky

•  Panel on Climate Faces Challenges

•  NOAA Reorganizes to Provide More Info on Global Warming

•  Wenatchee World Columnist - Climate Change; Wrong Motivation

•  Dry Ski Slopes Will Be Least of British Columbia’s Troubles

•  Agency Warns Investors to Avoid ‘Green’ Scam

•  In Utah, Company Aims to Store Energy in Air

•  The Carolinas - Microsoft Next Up for a Data Center In Charlotte Region?

•  Internet ‘Driver’s License’? Microsoft’s Mundie Wants It

•  Armored Car Guard Shoots Man In Robbery Attempt

•  Tacoma Gas Station Erupts In Flames

•  Moving to Elma? Consultant Pinpoints Place for McCleary’s Mark E. Reed Hospital

•  Three Politicians Who Want Gregoire’s Job In 2012

•  Republican State Senator to Challenge Murray

•  The Green File: Southside School Honors Grandparents with Luncheon

•  NY Times Op/Ed - Sucking the Quileute Dry

WORD OF THE DAY (Homonym Theater)

Elicit • \ih-LISS-it\ • verb - 1: to draw forth or bring out *2: to call forth or draw out

Illicit • \ih-LISS-it\ • adjective - Not permitted

The growling cop towered over the trembling suspect, his peppered questions intended to elicit a confession from the pizza-faced hoodlum. “You know something about the illicit trade in counterfeit Peruvian anchovies you punk….now fess up.” The suspect soon did, all over the detectives brand new shoes.

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

Poor Snowpack Could Shrink Pacific Northwest Hydropower (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/02/poor_snowpack_could_shrink_nw.html

Low Runoff Cuts Bonneville Power Administration Hydropower, Revenue Forecasts (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/473655/

NE Washington County Asks for More Seattle City Light Dam Compensation (NW Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=6796

Five Dead, Dozens Hurt in Connecticut Power Plant Blast (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/nyregion/08explode.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Before Blast, Few Safety Problems as Energy Project Rose at Abandoned Mine Site (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/nyregion/08kleen.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Montana - Financing for Highwood Power Plant ‘Just Around the Corner’ (Billings Gazette)

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_6430fa5c-13b1-11df-be0f-001cc4c03286.html

Wyoming - Nuclear Energy Group Sets Meeting (Billings Gazette, MT)

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_9580454c-13b4-11df-a7c1-001cc4c03286.html

Columbia Basin Bulletin Interview - Bruce Measure, New Chairman of Northwest Power & Conservation Council

http://www.cbbulletin.com/375787.aspx

California - Marin County to Bypass Pacific Gas & Electric with Its Own Power Agency

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/05/MNEB1BTEUL.DTL

New York - National Grid Wants 20 Percent Increase in Electric Rates (Syracuse Post-Standard, NY)

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/national_grid_wants_20_percent.html

Canada – Watch Dog Group Expects Higher Electricity Prices (Sault This Week, Sault St Marie, Ontario)

http://www.saultthisweek.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2385661

Australia Signs Huge China Coal Deal (British Broadcasting Corporation)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8501777.stm

United Kingdom - Power line row to be election issue (The Herald, Scotland, UK)

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/transport-environment/power-line-row-to-be-election-issue-1.1004150

Battle to Electrify Kandahar Shows Afghan Dilemma (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011008282_apasafghantheelectricitywar.html

Georgia – Cable Companies & Electric Cooperatives Spar over Utility Pole Rates (Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA)

http://www.ajc.com/business/cable-emcs-spar-over-292431.html?cxtype=rss_news_128746

An Engineering Marvel Takes Shape near Hoover Dam (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011008284_apushooverdambridge.html?syndication=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Season’s First Chinook Caught as Vanguard of Expected Return of 550,000 ‘Springers’ (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/375788.aspx

Idaho Expects Large Spring Run of Chinook Salmon (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/1059441.html

Columbia River Salmon Runs Plentiful Now, But Don’t Count on the Trend Continuing (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/02/columbia_river_salmon_runs_ple.html

Poachers Seeking Caviar Threaten Columbia River Sturgeon (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/22479404/detail.html

200 Gather for Hatchery Groundbreaking on Elwha River (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100207/news/302079985

California - Testing Waters for Salmon in San Joaquin River (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/06/BATF1BS147.DTL

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Tides Rechanneling Nisqually River (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/1058924.html

Feds Asked to Finish Columbia Basin Irrigation Project - The job is only about half finished (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/02/05/news/doc4b6b5d4ede488228523836.txt

Environmental Group Says Mile-Long Spill into Columbia River is a Sign that Better Regulation is Needed (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/02/environmental_group_says_mile-.html

Water District Sues Arizona Over Money Grab (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/02/08/24462.htm

Centralia, Pennsylvania - How an Underground Coal Fire Erased a Town: The coal fire is expected to drive out the town’s few remaining residents (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Bright-Green/2010/0205/Centralia-Pa.-How-an-underground-coal-fire-erased-a-town

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Mason County Bioenergy - John Deere Official talks about Harvester ADAGE Will Be Using (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1288:john-deere-official-talks-about-harvester-adage-will-be-using&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Winds of Change: Port of Longview Looks beyond Recent Wind Energy Boom (The Daily News, Longview, WA)

http://www.tdn.com/news/local/article_96fa57b8-139c-11df-9924-001cc4c03286.html

Oregon’s Steens Mountain Could Soon Have Wind Farms (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/02/oregons_steens_mountain_could.html

California - Moving Parts for Giant Burney Windmills Will Be Massive Job (Redding Record Searchlight, CA)

http://www.redding.com/news/2010/feb/06/moving-parts-for-giant-burney-windmills-will-be/

Wyoming - Wind Company Drops Duncan Ranch from Project (Billings Gazette, MT)

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_ea11b4fe-139d-11df-b542-001cc4c03286.html

Clean Energy Focus of Conference in Kennewick (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/1060606.html

Helena Independent Record Op/Ed - Biofuel Production for Beetle-Killed Trees?

http://www.helenair.com/news/article_e8e646b2-13b1-11df-b19b-001cc4c03286.html

Massachusetts Wind Farm That Obama Administration Might Support Meets Strong Resistance (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/07/AR2010020702965.html?nav=rss_email/components

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Lewis County PUD Plans to Send Out Thousands of Energy Efficient Lights (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?PUD-Plans-to-Send-Out-Thousands-of-Energ=1&blockID=177051&feedID=410

Light Bulb’s Promises Are True Only Where Nighttime Lasts Three Hours (Consumerist Online)

http://consumerist.com/2010/02/light-bulbs-promises-are-true-only-where-nighttime-lasts-three-hours.html

Small Stimulus Energy Grants Making Big Difference in Rural Oregon (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/02/small_stimulus_energy_grants_m.html

Energy Conservation - Adjusting for Rate Increases (Billings Gazette, MT)

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_570946ae-1460-11df-8b22-001cc4c002e0.html

Cutting Your Energy Use Can Also Lighten Your Tax Load (Associated Press)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100207/BIZ/702079945/-1/rss03

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Fraud Besets European Union Carbon Trade System (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/business/energy-environment/08green.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

United Kingdom - Market for Carbon Trading Is Starting to Look Rather Shaky (Financial Times of London)

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dc4d175c-13ff-11df-8847-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1

Panel on Climate Faces Challenges (Wall Street Journal)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704197104575051620263103684.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

NOAA Reorganizes to Provide More Info on Global Warming (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/08/AR2010020801696.html?nav=rss_email/components

Wenatchee World Columnist - Climate Change; Wrong Motivation

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/weblogs/Werner-janssens-blog/2010/feb/06/climate-change-wrong-motivation/

Dry Ski Slopes Will Be Least of British Columbia’s Troubles - Climate change demands new water laws (Globe & Mail, Canada)

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/dry-ski-slopes-will-be-least-of-bcs-troubles/article1459611/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Agency Warns Investors to Avoid ‘Green’ Scam (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/feb/07/agency-warns-investors-to-avoid-green-scam/

In Utah, Company Aims to Store Energy in Air (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011008044_apuselectricityfromair.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The Carolinas - Microsoft Next Up for a Data Center In Charlotte Region? (Charlotte Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2010/02/08/story6.html

Internet ‘Driver’s License’? Microsoft’s Mundie Wants It (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/193602.asp?source=pimail

GENERAL NEWS

Armored Car Guard Shoots Man In Robbery Attempt (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/22491842/detail.html

Tacoma Gas Station Erupts In Flames (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/22493858/detail.html

Moving to Elma? Consultant Pinpoints Place for McCleary’s Mark E. Reed Hospital (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1128105.html

Three Politicians Who Want Gregoire’s Job In 2012 (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100207/NEWS01/702079875/-1/rss02

Republican State Senator to Challenge Murray (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/83807842.html

The Green File: Southside School Honors Grandparents with Luncheon (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1282:the-green-file-southside-school-honors-grandparents-with-luncheon&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

NY Times Op/Ed - Sucking the Quileute Dry

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/08/opinion/08riley.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

DIVERSIONS

Wyoming Suspect Flees - Into Police Station

http://www.kirotv.com/news/22486201/detail.html

Yakima - Erratic Driver Hits Power Pole, Hundreds Miss Super Bowl

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=11948736

Body found in landing gear of NY-to-Tokyo flight

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/02/08/international/i034628S54.DTL&feed=rss.business

Lynnwood Council Considers Proper Length for Grass

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011015058_apwatidylynnwood.html?syndication=rss

SONG OF THE DAY

The Friends of Distinction - Grazing in the Grass

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhUlP4wiAQo