Energy News Digest for February 16, 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)

•  California - Public Power Backers Cry Foul Over Utility Effort

•  California – Pacific Gas & Electric Rate Request, SmartMeter Gripes Prompt Scrutiny

•  Fitch Affirms Cowlitz County PUD’s Bonds ‘A-’; Outlook Stable

•  Lewis County - Thousands Lose Lights as Suspected Drunken Driver Smashes into Power Pole

•  Snohomish County PUD Customers & Employees Help Those in Need

•  Idaho Power Lays Out Its Plan for the Future

•  Idaho State Representative Discusses Power Bill

•  Obama Unveils Plan to Build Nuclear Plant

•  Chinese Seen As Potential Buyer of Alaska Natural Gas

•  Wintery Blast in US a Welcome Boost for Natural Gas

•  Florida - Pasco Man Charged with Stealing Electricity by Rigging Power Box

•  California City Tries to Give Boot to ‘Shoefiti’

•  Record Low Sacramento River Salmon Runs Bode Ill for Oregon Fishery

•  Coho Forecast Best Indicator for Off-Coast Season

•  Barker: Redden Wants to Finish Salmon Suit

•  Columbia River: Will Obama’s Feds Finally Aim High?

•  What Does Council’s Sixth Power Plan Say About Removing Four Lower Snake Dams?

•  Wild versus Hatchery Debate on the McKenzie River

•  Montana - Anglers Target Flathead Lake Gill-Net Plan

•  Zebra Mussels Pose Pacific NW Threat

•  Squaxin Island Tribe Pays Tribute to Rare Bryde’s Whale

•  Critics Speak on Washington Lawmaker’s Proposal to Quit Columbia River Gorge Compact

•  Olympian Editorial - Plan for Shelton Biomass Plant Is Great News for Region

•  Georgia - Green-Minded Seeing Red over Biomass Plant

•  Biomass Energy Gets Tax Break Love

•  Walmart Made Millions off Oregon’s Renewable Energy Tax Credits

•  Trace of Chemical Leaves REC Silicon - Steam Cloud Stems from Cleaning

•  Montana - US Senator Tester Pays Visit to Power-Producing Landfill in Flathead

•  Kodiak Electric Association Named DOE Wind Cooperative of the Year

•  Vermont - A Stealth Ban on Wind

•  Vermont - Vermont Utility Pulls Out Stops to Gain Wind Project Approval

•  Texas - Energy Plan Would Put Austin among Nation’s Greenest Cities, But Comes at a Cost

•  Puget Sound Energy Offers Rebates to Customers Who Upgrade

•  Avista Customers Help Company Surpass 2009 Energy Savings Targets

•  Even Boulder Finds It Isn’t Easy Going Green

•  Is the Copenhagen Accord Already Dead?

•  Wall Street Journal Editorial - The Continuing Climate Meltdown

•  Billings Gazette Op/Ed - Montana at Carbon Emissions Crossroads

•  Boston Globe Editorial - Congress Should Take Note of Mass. Report on Cutting Carbon

•  ‘Green’ is the New Black: Northwest Retailers Offer Shoppers More Eco-Friendly Options

•  The Seattleization of Washington DC

•  Green Jobs: Environmental Red Tape Cancels Out Job Creation

•  At Shared Offices, How Green Is My Work Space

•  New Data: 40 Percent in US Lack Home Broadband

•  Summary Box: Data Show Broadband Policy Challenges

•  FCC to Propose Higher Broadband Speeds

•  Google’s Uberfast Plan Bound to Include Fine Print

•  Los Angeles Times Editorial - Google’s Broadband Venture

•  Man, 45, Held in Shooting of Pacific County State Trooper

•  Rescuers Plan Search for Mount St. Helens Climber

•  The Green File: Lilliwaup Man Watches It Rain, And Rain, And Rain

WORD OF THE DAY

Nee • \NAY\ • adjective – 1. Originally or formerly called 2. Used to identify a woman by her maiden family name

The debonair actor Cary Grant, née Archibald Alexander Leach was an Alfred Hitchcock favorite.

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

Public Power Backers Cry Foul Over Utility Effort - CA utility spends $6.5M on ballot initiative critics say would hamper public power movement (Associated Press)

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Public-power-backers-cry-foul-apf-564159249.html?x=0&.v=1

California – Pacific Gas & Electric Rate Request, SmartMeter Gripes Prompt Scrutiny (Modesto Bee, CA)

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/1047972.html

Fitch Affirms Cowlitz County PUD’s Bonds ‘A-’; Outlook Stable (Environmental Expert)

http://www.environmental-expert.com/resultEachPressRelease.aspx?cid=28518&codi=152583

Lewis County - Thousands Lose Lights as Suspected Drunken Driver Smashes into Power Pole (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?Thousands-Lose-Lights-as-Suspected-Drunk=1&blockID=179587&feedID=410

Snohomish County PUD Customers & Employees Help Those in Need (Mukilteo Beacon, WA)

http://www.mukilteobeacon.com/community/article.exm/2010-02-15_pud_customers___employees_help_those_in_need

Idaho Power Lays Out Its Plan for the Future (Magic Valley News, Twin Falls, ID)

http://www.magicvalley.com/news/article_ed26e388-c2d3-5efb-bb51-79840e25540d.html

Idaho State Representative Discusses Power Bill - would allow power producing cities to issue reserve bonds to expand power capacity without going to the voters every year (KIFI-TV, Idaho Falls, ID)

http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=11984855

Obama Unveils Plan to Build Nuclear Plant (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61F33V20100216

Chinese Seen As Potential Buyer of Alaska Natural Gas (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

http://www.adn.com/money/industries/oil/pipeline/story/1139611.html

Wintery Blast in US a Welcome Boost for Natural Gas (Edmonton Journal, Alberta)

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Wintery+blast+welcome+boost+natural/2570419/story.html

Florida - Pasco Man Charged with Stealing Electricity by Rigging Power Box (The Tampa Tribune, FL)

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/feb/12/121559/pasco-man-charged-stealing-electricity-rigging-pow/

California City Tries to Give Boot to ‘Shoefiti’ - If you look up, you might spot them hanging from telephone wires & power lines by their shoelaces (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011078012_shoefiti15.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Record Low Sacramento River Salmon Runs Bode Ill for Oregon Fishery (The Oregonian, Portland)

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

Coho Forecast Best Indicator for Off-Coast Season (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2011062090_outn14.html

Barker: Redden Wants to Finish Salmon Suit (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)

http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/1080756.html

Columbia River: Will Obama’s Feds Finally Aim High? (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2010/02/16/science-environment/19590/

What Does Council’s Sixth Power Plan Say About Removing Four Lower Snake Dams? (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/376641.aspx

Wild versus Hatchery Debate on the McKenzie River (Oregon Public Radio)

http://news.opb.org/article/6720-wild-versus-hatchery-debate-mckenzie-river/

Montana - Anglers Target Flathead Lake Gill-Net Plan (The Daily Inter Lake, Kalispell, MT)

http://dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_f4004e96-185a-11df-ac6f-001cc4c03286.html

Zebra Mussels Pose Pacific NW Threat - Early detection of tiny crustacean critical, difficult (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/feb/15/zebra-mussels-pose-nw-threat/

Squaxin Island Tribe Pays Tribute to Rare Bryde’s Whale (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011068857_whale14m.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Critics Speak on Washington Lawmaker’s Proposal to Quit Columbia River Gorge Compact (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100215/NEWS/302159996

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Olympian Editorial - Plan for Shelton Biomass Plant Is Great News for Region

http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/1138259.html

Georgia - Green-Minded Seeing Red over Biomass Plant (Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA)

http://www.ajc.com/business/green-minded-seeing-red-303007.html

Biomass Energy Gets Tax Break Love (Politico)

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0210/32872.html

Walmart Made Millions off Oregon’s Renewable Energy Tax Credits (AlterNet)

http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/02/13/walmart-made-millions-off-oregons-renewable-energy-tax-credits/

Trace of Chemical Leaves REC Silicon - Steam Cloud Stems from Cleaning (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/02/12/news/doc4b75de9c02967219207183.txt

Montana - US Senator Tester Pays Visit to Power-Producing Landfill in Flathead (The Missoulian, MT)

http://www.missoulian.com/news/local/article_1d5a9a9a-1ac6-11df-89b7-001cc4c03286.html

Kodiak Electric Association Named DOE Wind Cooperative of the Year (Environmental Expert)

http://www.environmental-expert.com/resultEachPressRelease.aspx?cid=11245&codi=152669

Vermont - A Stealth Ban on Wind (The Times-Argus, Montpelier, VT)

http://www.timesargus.com/article/20100215/OPINION01/2150301/1021/OPINION01

Vermont - Vermont Utility Pulls Out Stops to Gain Wind Project Approval (Burlington Free Press, VT)

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100214/NEWS02/100213017/Vermont-utility-pulls-out-stops-to-gain-wind-project-approval

Texas - Energy Plan Would Put Austin among Nation’s Greenest Cities, But Comes at a Cost “…It would raise bills an estimated 20 percent over the next decade, adjusted for inflation, according to estimates from Austin Energy…” (Austin American Statesman, TX)

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/energy-plan-would-put-austin-among-nation-s-239683.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Puget Sound Energy Offers Rebates to Customers Who Upgrade (Issaquah Press, WA)

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2010/02/12/puget-sound-energy-offers-rebates-to-customers-who-upgrade/

Avista Customers Help Company Surpass 2009 Energy Savings Targets (PR Newswire)

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Avista-Customers-Help-Company-prnews-4248860424.html?x=0&.v=1

Even Boulder Finds It Isn’t Easy Going Green “…What we’ve found is that for the vast majority of people, it’s exceedingly difficult to get them to do much of anything…” (Wall Street Journal)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704320104575015920992845334.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Is the Copenhagen Accord Already Dead? (Agence French Presse)

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-02-16-is-the-copenhagen-accord-already-dead/

Wall Street Journal Editorial - The Continuing Climate Meltdown

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703630404575053781465774008.html

Billings Gazette Op/Ed - Montana at Carbon Emissions Crossroads

http://billingsgazette.com/news/opinion/guest/article_99b47ee8-1aae-11df-b4c8-001cc4c002e0.html

Boston Globe Editorial - Congress Should Take Note of Mass. Report on Cutting Carbon

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2010/02/16/congress_should_take_note_of_mass_climate_change_report/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

‘Green’ is the New Black: Northwest Retailers Offer Shoppers More Eco-Friendly Options (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011085403_greenretail16.html

The Seattleization of Washington DC (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2010/02/15/seattle/19594/

Green Jobs: Environmental Red Tape Cancels Out Job Creation (Online Opinion)

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=10045

At Shared Offices, How Green Is My Work Space (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/15/nyregion/15green.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

New Data: 40 Percent in US Lack Home Broadband (Associated Press)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100216/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_broadband_data

Summary Box: Data Show Broadband Policy Challenges (Associated Press)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100216/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_broadband_data_summary_box

FCC to Propose Higher Broadband Speeds (Associated Press)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100216/wr_nm/us_broadband_fcc_genachowski

Google’s Uberfast Plan Bound to Include Fine Print - Google is acting like Willy Wonka, dangling a few golden tickets to ultrafast broadband around the country (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011069322_brier15.html

Los Angeles Times Editorial - Google’s Broadband Venture: If Google sparks a race to the top among broadband providers; it will hardly be the only one to benefit

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-google15-2010feb15,0,1355667.story

GENERAL NEWS

Man, 45, Held in Shooting of Pacific County State Trooper (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011086771_trooper16m.html

Rescuers Plan Search for Mount St. Helens Climber (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011088055_apussthelensrescue.html?syndication=rss

The Green File: Lilliwaup Man Watches It Rain, And Rain, And Rain (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/1346-green-file-lilliwaup-man-watches-it-rain-and-rain-and-rain

DIVERSIONS

Pelican Attacks TV Weatherman

http://www.kirotv.com/news/22578796/detail.html

Nevada Police Officer Saved from Bullet by Badge

http://www.kirotv.com/news/22570299/detail.html

Pork-Flavored Doughnuts? Chinese Market Beckons

http://www.kirotv.com/money/22555866/detail.html

Chile’s Mint Fires Boss over Coin Typo - incorrect spelling of the country’s name

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61E4FJ20100215

SONG OF THE DAY

Willie Wonka & The Chocolate Factory - I’ve Got a Golden Ticket

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29_uSlEEPSk